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NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sam Jane Brown's popular but highly controversial book, "Forgotten Word," offers a perspective on a serious question being addressed in Christian circles worldwide: "Is Barack Hussein Obama the Antichrist?" The book, which explores the unusual possibility that Christ, in the Second Coming, will return as a woman, touches on the Obama-as-Antichrist issue.
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Sam Jane Brown
"This book breaks down barriers to the understanding of Christianity," said Brown. "It's been widely vilified for this reason, but you know what? I'm glad. I'm glad the book got people to question their assumptions. As for Obama being the Antichrist, you'll have to read the book to see the connection, but it's definitely there."
"Forgotten Word's" allusions to a major political figure in the West being the Antichrist resonate deeply with broadly held opinions in the United States. Research by Public Policy Polling reveals that no fewer than one in five members of the Republican Party think Obama is the Antichrist. Why? They cite Obama's provocative, anti-Christian stances on abortion and gay rights. As the President who oversaw the emergence of gay marriage in the US, Obama is understood to be an Apostle of anti-Christian values and a harbinger of the End of Times.
Not everyone in the Christian establishment agrees, though speculation does range widely on the issue. The noted Pastor Robert Jeffress expressed his opinion, saying, "Although President Obama is certainly not the Antichrist, his policies are paving the way for the Antichristthe fact that he was able to propose such a sweeping change in God's law and still win re-election by a comfortable margin illustrates how a future world leader will be able to oppose God's laws without any repercussions."
The Antichrist is understood in Christianity to be a "False Messiah," an evil being who will claim erroneously to be the Christ. The term Antichrist is found in the New Testament. According to Scripture, Jesus will face the Antichrist during the Second Coming. At the time, the Antichrist will be regarded as the greatest False Messiah in Christianity.
"Forgotten Word" takes places amid the world of high intrigue in the church. It begins with the murder of Catholic priests. These events begin the telling the story of the impending Second Coming. Zena McGrath, an international detective, is tasked with solving the murders. She meets a mysterious priest in the Vatican during her investigation. Then, following the trail to New York, she becomes aware of an evil presence following her. Ultimately, she goes to the Holy Land as the perpetrators of the crime are revealed. The book culminates in a climactic Second Coming, in which the "Christ" figure is a woman.
"Forgotten Word" deals with issues of religion and power. In this context, an American president has great sway over whether American society will live by Christian values or not. In the case of Obama, as critics observe, he has abandoned any pretense of Christian sensibilities by embracing all that is loathsome to the Christian way of life. Obama's policies are in line with prophecies that predict that society will steadily and willfully disintegrate into sinfulness before the Second Coming.
Readers have praised "Forgotten Word" not only as an engaging mystery that is also a thought-provoking read. The book has raised angry denouncements from certain religious voices, who complain that it is sacrilegious to consider that Jesus will return to the world as a woman. Forgotten Word is soon to be a feature movie.
For more information, visit http://www.samjanebrown.com
Contact:
David Yablecki
001 902 455 9900
Email
SOURCE Sam Jane Brown
Related Links
http://www.samjanebrown.com
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has a goal of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s, but to get thereand beyondwe must have the skilled workforce to get the job done.
Having long played a role in space exploration, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) launched Generation Beyond to inspire future engineers, scientists and innovators using in-class curriculum and digital resources. This September, Bay Area students and their families can experience Generation Beyond first-hand with a virtual field trip to the Red Planet on board the Mars Experience Bus. This one-of-a-kind virtual reality vehicle is designed to inspire students in STEM through an immersive experience driving on the surface of Mars.
"Imagine witnessing the moment when that first explorer leaves footprints in the red dust of the Martian surface," said Stephen Frick, former NASA astronaut and a director at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Palo Alto, California. "This is more than a dream. We are already planning to send humans to Mars in our lifetime, and we need the talents and enthusiasm of a new generation of explorerslike our students right here in the Bay Areato lead the way."
For its first stop in California, the Mars Experience Bus will visit the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland from Sept. 9-11. Rides will be available during museum opening hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"We are so happy to welcome the public to visit the Mars Bus and appreciate Lockheed Martin as part of Chabot's national network that brings current science to our community," said Adam Tobin, executive director of Chabot Space and Science Center.
Other public Bay Area locations have been pre-determined and will be announced in September. While unable to accommodate additional stop requests, interested school groups are invited to attend these public events to experience Generation Beyond and the Mars Bus.
Can't attend in person? Generation Beyond's learning resources, including engaging lesson plans with educator guides, family activities, and student exploration of space missions are available at www.generationbeyondinschool.com. Here, students can also enter a Mars video challenge, or download Lockheed Martin's "Hello Mars" app to check out just how different weather can be on the fourth planet from the Sun.
For additional photos and videos of the Mars Experience Bus, visit our Flickr site or YouTube.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
Lockheed Martin Generation Beyond Inquiries:
Lauren Rohde, [email protected]
Lockheed Martin Media Contact:
Sydney Owens, [email protected]
Chabot Space and Science Center:
Scott Horton; [email protected]
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin
LOS ANGELES and SAN DIEGO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Biocom, the association representing the California life science industry, today announced that its recently-opened Los Angeles office is now fully staffed and operational, advancing on its mission to accelerate life science success in specific and meaningful ways for its members. The new hires bring the Los Angeles office staff total to five. In San Diego, the addition of six new employees represents organic growth at the headquarters office. Biocom's full-time staff across its four offices now stands at 40.
"As Biocom closes in on 800 members, we want to ensure we are reflecting our growth with the thoughtful expansion of our teams in San Diego and Los Angeles," said Joe Panetta, president and CEO of Biocom. "With our L.A. office, we continue our tradition of accelerating cluster development across the state. Our expanded staff bolsters the work we do in many areas, including political advocacy, cluster-specific events, capital development programs and workforce development. Every member of our team is motived by the vast potential for a thriving industry in Los Angeles and is working to give members the tools and voice they need to succeed."
In Los Angeles, the five-person team is led by Executive Director Dina Lozofsky, a life science industry veteran who has worked closely with many of the area's universities and biomedical research organizations.
"The life science industry in L.A. is an exciting place to be today. We are fortunate to have the best and brightest working with us at Biocom to drive the success of this region," said Ms. Lozofsky. "In addition to our team, we benefit from the strong partnerships we've forged with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, the Los Angeles Venture Association and other organizations that share in our enthusiasm for and commitment to life science in the greater Los Angeles area."
The new hires in Los Angeles include staff in program management, membership and the purchasing group.
In Biocom's San Diego headquarters, new staff has been added in many areas, including capital development, sponsorship, system administration and the purchasing group.
Biocom has seen total membership grow steadily and organically, in line with increasing demand for its best-in-class lab supply contract, which negotiates lower costs for members, and its health insurance program. In 2017, Biocom members who participate in Biocom's health insurance offering will see premiums decrease by 2.7 percent, while the rest of the California market is expected to see increases in the range of 9-14 percent.
To learn more and meet all of Biocom's staff, visit our website: https://www.biocom.org/s/OurTeam.
About Biocom
Biocom is the largest, most experienced leader and advocate for California's life science sector. We work on behalf of more than 750 members to drive public policy, build an enviable network of industry leaders, create access to capital, introduce cutting-edge STEM education programs and create robust value-driven purchasing programs.
Founded in 1995 in San Diego, Biocom provides the strongest public voice to research institutions and companies that fuel the local and state-wide economy. Our goal is simple: to help our members produce novel solutions that improve the human condition. In addition to its San Diego headquarters, Biocom operates a core office serving the Los Angeles market, satellite offices in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, and has a continuous staff presence in Sacramento. Our broad membership benefits apply to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, genomics and diagnostics companies of all sizes, as well as to research universities and institutes, clinical research organizations, investors and service providers. For more information, visit us at www.biocom.org. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (@BIOCOMCA).
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SOURCE Biocom
Related Links
http://www.biocom.org
RONKONKOMA, N.Y., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Long Island, N.Y.-based BJG Electronics, Inc. (www.bjgelectronics.com) and Rockwood Equity Partners (www.rockwoodequity.com) announced an investment and partnership today at BJG's headquarters. The relationship between the two companies includes Rockwood Equity Partners making a sizeable investment in BJG Electronics. Distribution industry veteran Glenn Davidson also was named as BJG's Executive Chairman of a newly assembled board of directors representing the combined shareholder groups. The current BJG leadership team, including Rick, Jim and Joe Flora, will retain their senior roles going forward.
BJG Electronics was established by Joseph Flora in 1979 as a distributor of interconnect components and value added services. The company has grown rapidly in recent years under the leadership of Joseph Flora's sons Rick, Jim and Joe and is well recognized as a leading specialty interconnect distributor to many of the world's largest military and aviation OEMs.
Since 1999, Rockwood Equity Partners has been an investor in and partner to a variety of middle-market businesses across a wide range of industries. Rockwood brings considerable experience and success in distribution, including operating related businesses in the aerospace sector. Teaming with former A E Petsche Company CEO Glenn Davidson, Rockwood brings BJG a combined resume that should be very attractive to BJG's demanding customer and supplier communities.
Current BJG COO, Rick Flora, noted "Retaining our strong leadership team, including Joe and Jim Flora, along with the addition of Rockwood and our new Chairman, Glenn Davidson, should allow BJG to expand and offer our customers, employees and suppliers growth opportunities we might not have been able to implement on our own. This team, along with Rockwood's willingness to make further investments in the business, will allow us to meet these high expectations."
Rockwood's Managing Partner, Brett Keith, expressed, "The BJG opportunity is a hand-in-glove fit with Rockwood's investment strategy and expertise. Given that BJG is a value-added distributor of interconnect products used in aerospace applications, we are well positioned to support the company's growth ambitions given our relevant expertise. Without question, however, the most exciting part of the BJG investment is the opportunity to partner with best-in-class incumbent leadership, including Rick, Joe and Jim Flora, each of whom will remain with the company, while also adding key industry veterans like Glenn Davidson. Glenn successfully ran and built A E Petsche Company to become the gold standard of companies in this niche area of electronics distribution. We believe that, with Glenn and the Flora brothers, we can build a highly successful, industry-leading company that we will pursue through both organic and acquisition-driven growth." Glenn Davidson added "I am delighted to serve as the new Chairman of BJG Electronics and to partner with Rockwood. I admired BJG as a formidable competitor to A E Petsche Company when our two firms competed and am honored to be joining forces with two industry leaders-Rockwood and BJG."
BJG and Rockwood intend to maintain the current BJG locations and employees and are expected to announce plans for additional facilities, products and value-added services in the coming months. In addition, BJG and Rockwood plan to invest in expanding BJG's successful range of RF cable and connector offerings.
About BJG Electronics, Inc.
Based in Ronkonkoma, NY, BJG Electronics, Inc. is a value-added distributor and light manufacturer of high reliability electronic components serving the defense, commercial aerospace and business aviation markets. For more information, visit www.bjgelectronics.com.
About Rockwood Equity Partners
Founded in 1999, Rockwood Equity Partners is a private investment firm focused on the lower middle market. The firm invests in corporate carveouts, as well as privatelyowned manufacturers, valueadded distributors, and industrial services companies that often have more complexities to the business situation or transaction. For more information, visit www.rockwoodequity.com.
SOURCE Rockwood Equity Partners
Related Links
http://www.rockwoodequity.com
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's leading wine from organically farmed grapes, Bonterra Organic Vineyards ("Bonterra") today announced it is the official wine of Farm Aid 2016, the longest-running concert for a cause in America. Farm Aid 2016 will take place Saturday, September 17th in Bristow, Virginia. Farm Aid is led by music icons Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, and has raised more than $50 million since 1985 to help farmers thrive and to expand the reach of the Good Food Movement.
Crafting premium California wines from organically farmed grapes since 1993, Bonterra will bring its support of Farm Aid to life through inspired brand activations at the September concert as well as a nationwide marketing campaign. The campaign features family farmers whose organic grapes figure in Bonterra's acclaimed varietal wines, and encompasses engaging consumer promotional displays at retail and on social media channels, and print and digital advertising.
"Partnering with Farm Aid is an exciting opportunity to broaden our innate connection to the farming community at the national level, support an organization that is making a difference, and inhabit a renowned grassroots platform that echoes so many of our values," said Rachel Newman, Senior Global Brand Manager for Bonterra. "We also saw this as a terrific moment to tell the stories of family farmers whose dedication to growing quality organic grapes has helped catalyze our tremendous success."
Earlier in 2016, Bonterra was recognized as a "Hot Brand" by IMPACT, a leading industry trade magazine published by M. Shanken Communications (publisher of Wine Spectator, Market Watch, Whisky Advocate and Cigar Aficionado). The award comes on the heels of Bonterra's nearly 20% growth in 2015,1 placing it among the nation's 20 fastest-growing domestic wine brands.
This year's Farm Aid will feature performances by Willie Nelson & Family, Neil Young + Promise of the Real, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Alabama Shakes, Sturgill Simpson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Jamey Johnson, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Insects vs Robots, Ian Mellencamp, Star Swain and Wisdom Indian Dancers.
Festivalgoers will also be able to experience family farm agriculture firsthand and will enjoy family farm-identified, local and organic foods alongside Bonterra wines at Farm Aid's HOMEGROWN Concessions. In Farm Aid's HOMEGROWN Village, festivalgoers will experience the culture of agriculture with hands-on activities about soil, water, food and farming. For more on the event, visit farmaid.org/concert.
To learn more about Bonterra's organic grape growing, including an overview of its family farm partners, visit bonterra.com/our-commitments/organic-farming and connect at Facebook.com/Bonterra and Twitter.com/BonterraWine for updates on Bonterra's Farm Aid 2016 programming.
About Bonterra Organic Vineyards
The leading organically farmed wine and a green pioneer since 1993, Bonterra Organic Vineyards offers a collection of premium, flavorful California wines that are perfectly in tune with nature. A celebration of farm-fresh flavors, the portfolio features varietal wines coaxed from the earth by integrated, organic farming practices and meticulous winemaking. Long before organic produce filled the shelves of neighborhood groceries, the dedicated team at Bonterra was committed to Biodynamic and organic farming because they passionately believe that farms teeming with biodiversityencompassing vines, insects and wildlife, and healthy soilsyield organic grapes leading to better wines. www.Bonterra.com
About Farm Aid
Farm Aid's mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid's work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family farm food. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised more than $50 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.
1 Source: Nielsen data TTL US XAOC 52 weeks ending 1/30/16
2016 Bonterra Vineyards, Mendocino County, California USA.
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SOURCE Bonterra Organic Vineyards
Related Links
http://www.bonterra.com
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Advisoryan investment firm committed to making a material and positive difference in the lives of its clients through a combination of first-class performance, strategic advice and the highest level of serviceis excited to join forces with two established Austin-based investment management teams. Together, the office will launch as a team of seven colleagues, all of whom have deep roots in the Austin community.
Blackhaw Wealth Management, founded by Ian McAbeer, CFA, in 2009 and joined by Tushar Shah, CFA, in 2014 has combined its business with Brown Advisory. Joining with Ian and Tushar are Blackhaw colleagues Sarah Richardson and Mia Karides, CPA. Erik Cohen, Jonathan Levy, and Mindy McDuffie, represent the other side of the addition, and join Brown Advisory from Oxbow Advisors.
"We believe we are creating a local investment advisory practice with unparalleled capabilities, and one that will bring significant and long-term benefit for clients. Furthermore, we think Brown Advisory now represents the only privately-owned, independent investment advisory firm in Austin with the resources and expertise to address thoughtfully the full range of client needs across investment management, strategic estate and tax planning, and multigenerational trust services," said Ian McAbeer, partner, portfolio manager and head of Brown Advisory's Austin office.
"Having grown up in Austin and now raising my family here, I am thrilled the seven of us will further support our community's entrepreneurial ecosystem with a meaningful local presence. Together, we believe we are bringing a forward-thinking commitment to clients that will endure for the long term," said Jonathan Levy, partner and portfolio manager.
Most importantly for all of the parties involved, the two groups share Brown Advisory's DNA, have a proven dedication to placing client interests above all else, and strive to make a positive impact in the Austin community.
Ian further reflects on why the two teams chose to join forces at Brown Advisory, "we are confident that both current and future clients, many of whom are entrepreneurs, executives and professionals, will see enormous value from the combination of Brown Advisory's global resources, and our new Austin team's local insight and relationships."
"Throughout our firm's history, our clients' success has proven to be all about the people," said Mike Hankin, president and CEO of Brown Advisory. "When we meet good folks with similar missions and a vision for building something impactful for their clients and communities, a decision to invest in them becomes relatively easy. In this instance, not only do we believe Brown Advisory can and will be helpful to the leaders of Austin, we fully expect the Austin perspective to be helpful to our clients across the globe."
About Brown Advisory
Brown Advisory is an independent investment firm committed to providing its clients with a combination of first-class investment performance, strategic advice, and the highest level of service. Founded in 1993 as an affiliate of Alex. Brown & Sons, a leading U.S. investment bank, Brown Advisory became independent in 1998.
Today the firm serves private clients and institutions in 34 countries from, now, eight offices globally. The firm's colleague equity ownership, experienced investment professionals, collaborative investment process, and client-first culture help to make a material difference in the lives of its clients. For more information, please visit www.brownadvisory.com
AUSTIN BALTIMORE BOSTON CHAPEL HILL LONDON NEW YORK WASHINGTON, DC WILMINGTON, DE
SOURCE Brown Advisory
Related Links
http://www.brownadvisory.com/
SAO PAULO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Burroughs, an acknowledged industry leader in payment processing technology, is pleased to announce that all currently deployed and new Burroughs SmartSource Professional, Adaptive and Micro Elite scanners are capable of complying with Brazilian Central Bank resolution nr. 4.474, dated 31 March, 2016. Capabilities tested and validated include 300 dot per inch (dpi) image resolution, grey scale image capture and .PNG image file compression. The combination of these attributes enable the capture exchange and long term storage of image representations of items in a loss-less manner.
New scanners acquired from Burroughs or one of its Value Added Resellers are configured to process in this mode, utilizing Burroughs Windows based Common Application Programming Interface or Silver Bullet Ranger software interface. Existing Burroughs scanners can be easily field upgraded to this level of capability, in conjunction with your software application provider.
For more detailed information on conforming to this Central Bank regulation, please contact either Burroughs or your Burroughs authorized Value added reseller.
About Burroughs
Burroughs is a Plymouth, Mich.-based global provider of document and payment- processing image technology, cash-automation solutions and services to financial institutions and retailers. Its products provide banks and commercial customers with safe, secure and prompt document and cash processing that improves operational efficiencies and payment security.
With more than 100 years of history, Burroughs is recognized as the industry leader
in image-processing technology from web-enabled branch and merchant capture devices to high-speed reader/sorters in some of the largest payment-processing centers worldwide.
Burroughs has also established a subsidiary in Brazil. Burroughs Sistemas e Equipamentos de Informatica Ltda. is focused primarily on serving its Brazilian clients, in addition to providing regional support for Latin America.
For more information, please visit www.burroughs.com.
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SOURCE Burroughs, Inc.
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today called on the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to investigate a possible bias motive for the stabbing death of a Muslim woman in Queens.
Nazma Khanam, 60, was fatally stabbed near her home Wednesday night. Khanam, who was wearing Islamic attire at the time of the stabbing, is the aunt of an NYPD officer. An NYPD official said no motive has been established for the killing.
SEE: Queens Woman, 60, Stabbed to Death Less Than Two Blocks From Her Home
http://tinyurl.com/hy4frya
Aunt of Muslim NYPD Officer Fatally Stabbed in Queens
http://pix11.com/2016/09/01/aunt-of-muslim-nypd-officer-fatally-stabbed-in-queens/
"Because of the recent killings of Muslims in Queens, and because of the growing number of anti-Muslim incidents nationwide resulting from the increasing Islamophobia in American society, we urge the NYPD to investigate a possible bias motive for this murder," said CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher.
Earlier this month, CAIR-NY welcomed the announcement of charges of murder in the first degree brought against the alleged killer of a Queens imam (religious leader) and his associate. CAIR-NY similarly urged the NYPD and the district attorney to continue the investigation of a possible hate motive in that case.
SEE: CAIR-NY Welcomes Charges Against Alleged Killer of Queens Imam and Associate, Urges Hate Crime Probe
http://tinyurl.com/zsdtncg
Also this month, CAIR's Oklahoma chapter welcomed the district attorney's addition of hate crime charges against Stanley Vernon Majors for allegedly fatally shooting his next door neighbor, 37-year-old Khalid Jabara, on August 12. The Jabara family reported multiple incidents of harassment, threats ,and other attacks on their ethnicity and perceived religion, including calling them "Dirty Arabs," "filthy Lebanese," "Aye-rabs," and "Moos-lems."
SEE: CAIR-OK Welcomes Hate Crime Charges in Khalid Jabara Shooting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USlz4XX65Nw
CAIR has noted a spike in anti-Muslim discrimination and hate crimes in recent months, which the civil rights groups attributes at least in part to Islamophobic rhetoric used by public figures like Donald Trump.
SEE: Video: CAIR-MN, Muslim Leaders Condemn Donald Trump's Islamophobic Rhetoric
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXdausbwGEA
CAIR Asks Feds to Probe Threats to Maine Muslims
http://tinyurl.com/jlw495h
CAIR-Dallas, Muslim Leaders to Welcome Arrest of Hate Caller Who Threatened Mosque Worshipers
http://tinyurl.com/zho3kcd
Video: CAIR-Chicago Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Attack on Muslim Mother, Daughter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18h5lu_H0_w
MN: Brazen Vandal Damages Islamic Center Sign
http://tinyurl.com/gq68kyu
Massachusetts Man Wanted to Attack Mosque and Kill Obama, FBI Says
http://tinyurl.com/gmoj6nt
The Washington-based Muslim civil rights group is asking Muslim community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/civil-rights/report-an-incident/view/form.html
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
La mision de CAIR es mejorar la comprension del Islam, fomentar el dialogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprension mutua.
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR's Email List
http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe
Subscribe to CAIR's Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR's YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/cairtv
CONTACT: CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, 917-669-4006, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]
SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Related Links
http://www.cair.com
"This is a very exciting opportunity for California craft breweries. As a CCBA Trust member, breweries can take advantage of group purchasing power and gain access to a suite of value-added services tailored for small to mid-size breweries," said Bo Lebherz, Craft Beer Practice Leader, Hub International.
"We are extremely excited to launch this health care benefits program for our brewery members so they can provide affordable and comprehensive health care to their employees," said Tom McCormick, CCBA's executive director. "Craft breweries directly employ over 15,000 people in the state and this benefits program will help our members maintain a competitive advantage while taking good care of their employees."
The Program will be facilitated by Hub International's Employee Benefit and Trust Consultants, Peter Duncan and Bo Lebherz, and will be fully operational by October 1, 2016. To learn more visit www.craftbrewtrust.com.
About California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA)
The California Craft Brewers Association is a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association protecting the political and legal rights of the California craft brewing industry. The association was formed in 1989 and is the oldest state-based trade association representing craft brewers in the country.
About Hub International Limited
HUB International Limited is a leading global insurance brokerage that provides property and casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services through offices located in the United States, Canada and Latin America.
HUB Contact: CCBA Contact: Bo Lebherz Leia Ostermann Craft Brew Practice Leader Managing Director, CCBA (858) 750-0285 916-228-4260 [email protected] [email protected]
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160830/402848
SOURCE Hub International Limited
WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill has selected Chuck Gitkin, a veteran consumer packaged goods (CPG) and meat industry marketer, to lead its North America protein business marketing efforts in a newly created role as chief marketing officer (CMO), effective Sept. 19, 2016. He will also be a member of the Cargill Protein Group's leadership team.
Previously, Gitkin was senior vice president of brands and marketing for Smithfield Foods, a major international pork products company. His experience also includes positions with McCain Foods, Unilever, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Saks Fifth Avenue and Philip Morris. He will leverage more than 25 years of experience, knowledge and capabilities in business-to-business and consumer marketing, market research and consumer insight, innovation, and retailing.
"The protein marketplace is swiftly evolving, highly competitive and we're seeing global demand continuing to increase," said Brian Sikes, corporate vice president who leads Cargill's protein group. "With strong professional credentials and a business background that makes him a great fit on our team, Chuck became the clear choice to lead our marketing transformation and implement our customer-centric and unified approach for promoting our protein portfolio. It's critical to have the right person leading this go-to-market transformation, someone who has a laser-like focus on our customers' channels and can ensure they are supported with a wealth of deep consumer insights and innovation to help them grow both their business and ours."
"I look forward to joining a strong management team at Cargill and building on the work they have begun over the past year to transform the business and establish strong momentum and growth," stated Gitkin. "I am excited by the entire organization's high level of enthusiasm, creativity and energy. This business has strong capabilities and leadership positions in key protein categories, which we intend to leverage to win with customers, consumers, and the community. I believe that Cargill is uniquely positioned to support our customers in achieving superior growth and to delight consumers with products that exceed their expectations for taste, nutrition, and convenience. I look forward to working with a very talented group of people in achieving business excellence, innovating and growing, while continuously delighting all of our important stakeholders. We will redefine Cargill protein's go-to-market capabilities for long-term growth, driving innovation, and establishing Cargill protein as the leading marketer in the industry."
Gitkin earned his undergraduate degree from Tulane University, followed by a Master's in Business Administration and International Business from New York University's Stern School of Business.
Cargill's North America protein business produces lines of fresh, frozen and cooked meats, sauces, soups, case ready products, egg products, pet treats and by-products for its retail, foodservice and food manufacturing customers. The company's consumer brands include Honeysuckle White, Shady Brook Farms and Honest Turkey products, Castle Wood Reserve deli meats and cheeses, Sterling Silver Premium Meats, RUMBA, Excel Beef, Blackwell Angus, Ranchers Reserve, Angus Pride and Genuine Texas Beef.
About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 150,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
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SOURCE Cargill
Related Links
http://www.cargill.com
MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Imagination will undergo an extensive multi-million-dollar renovation that will add a variety of exciting new food and beverage concepts.
The new spaces will be added during a three-week dry dock taking place Sept. 4-25, 2016. Following the makeover, Carnival Imagination will resume its year-round schedule of three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach, Calif. The new additions will include:
Guy's Burger Joint ,a free-of-charge poolside venue d eveloped in partnership with Food Network personality Guy Fieri serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries enjoyed amidst a decor that celebrates the chef's California roots and love of car culture
BlueIguana Cantina , a complimentary poolside Mexican eatery where guests can enjoy authentic, freshly made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, as well as an elaborate toppings and salsa bar
RedFrog Rum Bar , a poolside watering hole offering the quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe with refreshing Caribbean rum-based frozen drinks and beers, including Carnival's own private label draught brew, ThirstyFrog Red
Alchemy Bar , a "cocktail pharmacy"-themed lounge where mixologists "prescribe" concoctions from different elixirs and ingredients with creative monikers like Forty is the New Twenty and The Restorative Basil Drop
BlueIguana Tequila Bar , a fun and festive outdoor bar offering a laid-back Mexican-themed atmosphere and tequila-based frozen drinks and beers, perfect for chillin' by the pool
Cherry On Top , the "sweetest spot on board" which celebrates the joys of simple indulgences with bins of bulk candy, fun fanciful gifts and novelties, custom apparel and more
These terrific new venues complement the ship's hugely popular array of on-board features that live up to the line's motto of "Fun for All, All for Fun," including a WaterWorks aqua park with a 300-foot-long Twister slide, the Serenity adults-only retreat with oversized umbrellas and comfortable chaise lounges and the exclusive Seuss at Sea program in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
"Carnival Imagination provides a convenient, value-packed West Coast cruise option and with these new enhancements we're making this fantastic ship even better," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "With three year-round cruise ships sailing from Long Beach, Carnival is the number one cruise line in Southern California and the investment we're making to enhance the Carnival Imagination further bolsters our leadership position in this important market," she added.
Carnival Imagination operates year-round three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach. On this route, three-day cruises depart Thursdays and visit Ensenada while four-day voyages depart Sundays and call at Ensenada and Catalina Island.
Carnival is the only cruise line to operate three ships year-round from the West Coast. In addition to Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration operates three- and four-day Baja cruises and Carnival Miracle offers week-long Mexican Riviera voyages. Carnival Inspiration underwent a similar renovation earlier this year and, combined with the Carnival Imagination's upcoming refurbishment, Carnival offers the highest quality short cruise options from the West Coast. Together, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Miracle carry more than 550,000 guests from Long Beach the most of any cruise operator.
For additional information and reservations for Carnival Cruise Line, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com. Carnival can also be found on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival
YouTube: www.youtube.com/carnival
Instagram: www.instagram.com/carnival
Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, www.carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CarnivalPR.
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line" with 25 ships operating three- to 16-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The company newest ship, the 133,500-ton Carnival Horizon, is currently under construction and set to debut in 2018.
SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line
Related Links
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TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario championing and delivering mobility solutions for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), has recently selected CH2M as its vehicle technology consultant for the Regional Express Rail (RER) program.
The RER program is part of an Ontario budget commitment to invest CAN$29 billion in infrastructure over 10 years province-wide, with CAN$15 billion dedicated to transit in the GTHA. This includes offering electrified, allday, twoway service that is reliable, safe and smooth on the Metrolinx-owned GO Transit inter-regional system. Helping to implement this visionary urban transformation, CH2M will provide program management and engineering services in the procurement of electric locomotives, electric multiple units (EMU), dual mode locomotives and other equipment types.
CH2M brings to this assignment in-depth diesel multiple unit (DMU) and EMU experience, complemented by first-hand knowledge of Metrolinx's system, vision and goals. The company has supported clients across the globe in their transition from diesel operation to electrification, including Amtrak's new fleet of highspeed electric locomotives for the Northeast corridor and Australia's largest EMU procurement.
"This investment in GO Transit will transform how its seven commuter rail corridors are used, bringing new transit options to residents throughout the GTHA," stated Jeff Rankin, CH2M's Ontario Transit Systems Operations Lead. "We are honored to continue our partnership with Metrolinx on these exciting developments."
From commuter rail, streetcars and light rail, to rapid transit and high speed rail, CH2M has a strong track record of successful projects worldwide, including Metrolinx's Light Rail Vehicle, Rapid Transit, Union Pearson Express and RER programs. This proven history has earned the company recognition as a top consultant for Transportation Design, Mass Transit and Rail and Program Management, as ranked by Engineering NewsRecord in 2016.
About CH2M
CH2M leads the professional services industry delivering sustainable solutions benefiting societal, environmental and economic outcomes with the development of infrastructure and industry. In this way, CH2Mers make a positive difference providing consulting, design, engineering and management services for clients in water; environment and nuclear; transportation; energy and industrial markets, from iconic infrastructure to global programs like the Olympic Games. Ranked among the World's Most Ethical Companies and top firms in environmental consulting and program management, CH2M in 2016 became the first professional services firm honored with the World Environment Center Gold Medal Award for efforts advancing sustainable development. Connect with CH2M at www.ch2m.com; LinkedIn; Twitter; and Facebook.
Contact: Tom Doerr
CH2M, Transportation Business Group
720-286-3004
[email protected]
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SOURCE CH2M
Related Links
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ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Why would you compare your suppliers pricing every week when one time will do? Dave DeSantis, CEO & Founder of software startup, CherryPickPrices.Com states, "Common sense is not always something found as being a plentiful commodity in this world. There are so many technological advances that have tried to invade the restaurant industry over the last 3 decades. Rarely has a product present itself that works, is logical to use, and did not eliminate talent from the workforce." CherryPickPrices.com was born in a pizzeria and developed by restaurant people, not software people, and it contains technology designed to help you make great buying decisions as you order for your business.
CherryPickPrices.Com Compares YOUR Businesses Supplier Price Lists for You Every Time You Order!
"CherryPickPrices.com gives you, the restaurant owner, a reason to believe again, a reason to rejoice, a reason to, to, to...," DeSantis continues, "straight up, This is some awesome software, with a really cute mascot and a CEO that is in the food cost know!" Don't be fooled by the animated exterior or the CEO's sense of humor. CherryPickPrices.com is powerful, easy to use, common sense software and works with virtually, every supplier in the food industry, whether they realize it or not, because it is designed to read price lists. Restaurant customer price lists with all the unique challenges that come with being able to organize all the different ways that suppliers present restaurants with to compare.
"How much time is required to do a complete price comparison for every single item purchase made in the business?" asks DeSantis. "Not just the big stuff, everything. How many suppliers were part of the price analysis?" A personal experience with this task took over 4 hours and included 2 suppliers. The next week came along and the prices changed, just like market driven prices change, week in and week out. Like everyone else in the restaurant industry, DeSantis was looking for a better way, some type of software program to help keep up with all this data, but none was available. Spreadsheets are old, and macros are slow and existing and current inventory technologies are incomplete. He decided to sell his interest in the Atlanta based pizzeria chain, Peace Love & Pizza, and create a software system from scratch.
CherryPickPrices.com is software that can potentially save you more money & time than any software available to you as a business person. DeSantis states proudly, "The Jammin Pie pizzeria saved over $35,000 using Cherry to purchase stock over this this past year! The Inlet Seafood Grille, saved over $1400 in its first week using the software." Cherry provides you a simple to use, information table, with your entire food order to analyze, and from which you make your buying decisions. The table is organized according to which supplier offers you the best price on each line item that you are purchasing.
Cherry knows buying decisions may not be based solely on price, but no one can argue that it is not nice to know which suppliers price is best. The savings found in the obscure items will certainly surprise. Elevations Chophouse, in Kennesaw, GA saved half the monthly membership fee of the Cherry software by adding competition for dissolvable date labels to their purchasing alone. Owner Michael Bowman said, "Elevations saved $45 this month on one line item and $491 on our first order using Cherry." Brian Paul, the owner of The Harbor Beach Inn and The Inlet Seafood Grille added, "The money saved each week is huge, but the organization process, Dave took the restaurant and hotel through and removed over 40 unused inventory items from the stockrooms, and freed up over $6000 of working capital that was sitting uselessly, on the stockroom shelves. Dave is the best food service consultant in the business."
Cherry works for single and multi unit independents, franchise systems and actually will work outside the food industry as well. Franchises can compare equipment package price bids, from the ovens to the measuring spoons, across multiple equipment dealers. Cherry saves Franchise systems and contract commanding food operations time and money too. When companies negotiate yearly food purchasing contracts? Cherry saves the work. Review prices and contracts with increased frequency because it only takes a few seconds with Cherry. Have suppliers go back and sharpen their pencils time and time again as each new bid can be reviewed as quickly as the bid can be uploaded into the software.
Don't see a supplier listed as a Cherry supplier? Cherry is designed to work with everyone. The supplier may not have ever heard of Cherry? That's ok... Cherry uses each business' unique price list and if there is access to an online ordering account, with a price list, then Cherry can help you. Give the company 24 hours and a download of a price list and they will automate the supplier into the Cherry system, whether they like it or not. However, the common response from most suppliers is that the sales reps actually take to Cherry as fast as the customers do. Why? Because it makes their jobs easier too.
Skeptical? Sound too good to be true? This is software made to help, not hurt businesses. DeSantis explains, "Many people have tried to sell products to improve the restaurant. The response to these companies, as a business owner is always the same, do you guarantee the product? Most companies run and hide, when asked to back up their claims." Cherry is FREE to try, with no credit card needed for sign up. Should you need more than 30 days of trial time? It's cool, Just let them know and they will extend the FREE trial. The software is 100% satisfaction guaranteed and to the point that even set up fees will be refunded.
Cherry is very inexpensive, with subscription fees of only $79.99/m for unlimited access. Should you have additional locations, they are $39.99/m, each. Cherry is constantly improving and growing but is always all inclusive of every feature, for now and forever. Cherry also offers a simple to use inventory system, that works while you place your food orders and a supplier rep communications portal, where sales reps can access specific account information to improve their order guide and work for more business.
DeSantis points out, "Cherry doesn't claim to be as robust as the POS systems most of you already have when it comes to inventory, but how many operators, actually use the systems available to them?" When asked why they are not using these awesome inventory systems, most managers say that the POS software is time consuming and cumbersome. Cherry can combine the inventory task into your weekly food ordering. Each week you're already counting to order food, so wouldn't it be cool if this task could also provide cost of goods? Cherry can!
Cherry is awesome, but it is not magic. Client participation in the software set up is a must. Experience shows that clients typically learn more about their businesses during the Cherry set up than they thought they would. Taking a good hard look at what is purchased, from whom it is sourced and how much each product costs is enlightening to say the least. Saving all the work involved in process of taking this good hard look, within the Cherry software, allows clients to have this same valuable information, every time they purchase supplies, but without having to redo all of the work! Cherry just makes sense!
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Related Links
Cherry's Blog
Teaching & Training
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SOURCE CherryPickPrices.com
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ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Privileges, the guest-loyalty program for Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), announced today its fall promotion, Stay Twice, Earn a Free Night. Members of the Choice Privileges rewards program from the U.S. and Canada must book and complete two separate qualifying trips between September 1 and November 11 to earn up to 8,000 points, enough to redeem for a free night at more than 1,500 hotels. The promotion is available at participating brands of Choice Hotels including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Cambria hotels & suites, and the Ascend Hotel Collection.
"While Summer may be coming to a close, the Stay twice, Get a Free Night promotion has started - offering our members an even faster way to a free night," said Jamie Russo, Vice President, Loyalty Programs and Customer Engagement, Choice Hotels International. "We're excited to welcome travelers this fall and then give those guests the opportunity to connect with friends, family, and colleagues for free."
To participate in the fall promotion, guests can register at ChoiceHotels.com/freenight before check-out, and then book via choicehotels.com, the Choice Hotels mobile app, or 800.4CHOICE. Corporate travelers can book through a travel agent or corporate booking system. Terms and conditions apply. U.S. and Canada require registration and booking via central channels. For full information about Choice Privileges rewards program, visit www.choicehotels.com/choice-privileges.
About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the world's largest lodging companies. With more than 6,400 hotels franchised in more than 40 countries and territories, Choice Hotels International represents more than 500,000 rooms around the globe. As of March 31, 2016, 685 hotels were in our development pipeline. Our company's Ascend Hotel Collection, Cambria hotels & suites, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Quality, Clarion, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Vacation Rentals by Choice Hotels brands provide a spectrum of lodging choices to meet guests' needs. With more than 26 million members and counting, our Choice Privileges rewards program enhances every trip a guest takes, with benefits ranging from instant, every day rewards to exceptional experiences, starting right when they join. All hotels and vacation rentals are independently owned and operated. Visit us at www.choicehotels.com for more information.
2016. Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.
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SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.
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LEMONT, Ill., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is capping off celebrations of the CITGO Lemont Refinery's 90th anniversary by welcoming community leaders, nonprofit partners, employees and retirees to the refinery for a commemorative ceremony. This follows efforts throughout the year to thank Chicagoland for its many years of support through volunteer activities and community events.
Located 35 miles southwest of Chicago, the CITGO Lemont Refinery has grown to be a valuable part of the CITGO network and the Lemont community, contributing more than $300 million every year to the area's economy and thousands of volunteer hours supporting local organizations. Over its nine decades of operation, the refinery has grown from a crude capacity of 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) to more than 167,000 bpd. Situated on 1,100 acres, the refinery is capable of processing heavy crude oil into a variety of products, including approximately 7 million gallons of gasoline per day, as well as diesel, propane and aviation turbine fuel.
"The CITGO Lemont Refinery employs more than 550 full-time employees and 500 additional contractors, representing about 85 local communities," said CITGO President and CEO Nelson Martinez. "Our connection to the Lemont area is deep and long-lasting, and we will continue to strive to be a good neighbor throughout our next 90 years."
The CITGO Lemont Refinery and its employees are strongly committed to giving back to the community they call home, partnering with local and national organizations to effect positive change in the area's health and well-being, environment and education.
"Through our TeamCITGO volunteer program, CITGO Lemont employees have taken personal time to give back to their communities on nearly 300 occasions. This past year, TeamCITGO spent thousands of hours on projects designed to strengthen Lemont and the surrounding area," said Jim Cristman, vice president and general manager of the CITGO Lemont Refinery. "By cleaning up the environment, making donations to food and supply drives and participating in other efforts supporting the community, we are saying thank you for nine great decades in Lemont. We look forward to working together to strengthen our community in the years ahead."
Examples of TeamCITGO's efforts to give back to its neighbors include:
Helping children and families with neuromuscular diseases: In addition to the 90 th anniversary of the Lemont Refinery, 2016 also marks the 30 th anniversary of the partnership CITGO has with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The CITGO Lemont Refinery and the MDA partner on several events each year, including the annual MDA Muscle Team gala. In honor of their long history working together in the battle against neuromuscular diseases, CITGO will be the presenting sponsor of this year's gala in October.
In addition to the 90 anniversary of the Lemont Refinery, 2016 also marks the 30 anniversary of the partnership CITGO has with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The CITGO Lemont Refinery and the MDA partner on several events each year, including the annual MDA Muscle Team gala. In honor of their long history working together in the battle against neuromuscular diseases, CITGO will be the presenting sponsor of this year's gala in October. Encouraging a culture of inclusion for those with special needs through the Special Olympics: CITGO supports efforts to improve attitudes and behaviors towards those with special needs through Special Olympics programs that foster a culture of acceptance. Most recently, CITGO served as the Official Fuel Supplier of the Special Olympics' World's Largest Truck Convoy at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates .
CITGO supports efforts to improve attitudes and behaviors towards those with special needs through Special Olympics programs that foster a culture of acceptance. Most recently, CITGO served as the Official Fuel Supplier of the Special Olympics' World's Largest Truck Convoy at the Sears Centre Arena in . Supporting underprivileged families: CITGO helps MorningStar Mission in Joliet throw monthly birthday parties for homeless children complete with presents, games and birthday cake as well as other fun outings and parties for families in need.
CITGO helps MorningStar Mission in throw monthly birthday parties for homeless children complete with presents, games and birthday cake as well as other fun outings and parties for families in need. Strengthening the local environment: CITGO and The Conservation Foundation recently renewed their partnership. This means CITGO volunteers will continue to aid in efforts to remove invasive plants and restore natural habitats in the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area, making the park a great place to hike, bike, fish and boat.
CITGO and The Conservation Foundation recently renewed their partnership. This means CITGO volunteers will continue to aid in efforts to remove invasive plants and restore natural habitats in the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area, making the park a great place to hike, bike, fish and boat. Inspiring the next generation: Through a partnership with Project Infinite Green, CITGO Lemont Refinery employees serve as mentors to local middle and high school students, teaching interactive afterschool workshops to inspire students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math.
The 90th anniversary of the Lemont Refinery follows milestone anniversaries for two other CITGO facilities in the United States. The CITGO Lake Charles Refinery marked its 70th year in 2014, and the CITGO Corpus Christi Refinery celebrated 80 years of fueling good in Texas in 2015.
About the CITGO Lemont Refinery
For over 90 years, the CITGO Lemont Refinery has employed more than 750 Chicago area residents on a full-time and contract basis in support of the local economy. In addition to producing high quality fuels for a large portion of the network of nearly 5,500 locally owned CITGO stations across the country, Lemont Refinery employees also make a major positive impact on the community. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars are given in support of community programs such as Muscular Dystrophy Association, United Way and a variety of environmental and preservation programs. Operations at the Lemont Refinery began in 1925 with a major expansion, doubling the facility, in 1933. Over the years, new units were added to meet the demand for a better quality of gas for automobiles, aviation fuel for WWII, and the production of asphalt. Petroleos de Venezuela, PDVSA, acquired 100% ownership of the refinery in 1997 and began operations as CITGO Lemont Refinery. For more information, visit www.citgorefining.com/Lemont.
About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.
SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Related Links
http://www.citgo.com
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CREDO, the mobile carrier with a conscience, announced that it will donate more than $150,000 to OUR Walmart, Public Citizen Stop the TPP and Southern Poverty Law Center. Throughout September, CREDO invites its members and the public to vote on the distribution of funds at CREDO Donations.
Since 1985, CREDO has donated more than $81 million to progressive organizations fighting for women's rights, economic justice, voting rights, the environment and more. By choosing CREDO products and services, members generate donations for these causes. Their everyday acts of commerce support CREDO Action, a social change network with 4 million activists, and CREDO Donations, the company's philanthropy program.
In 2014, CREDO introduced monthly donations and voting in order to support nonprofits when action is most critical. During this month of CREDO Donations, voters can take a stand for economic justice and civil rights. CREDO will fund three nonprofits that can make an immediate difference for these causes.
"OUR Walmart has earned more than $2 billion in annual wages for retail workers; Public Citizen is one of America's boldest advocates on free trade issues; and Southern Poverty Law Center is an important legal ally in the fight for equal opportunity and justice," said Ray Morris, CEO of CREDO. "We are proud that people can support these organizations by choosing CREDO products and services."
The Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) is leading the fight to raise pay and transform working conditions at Walmart. Last year, OUR Walmart won a landmark campaign to increase starting wages to $10 per hour, resulting in raises for 1.2 million Walmart workers. CREDO funding will help OUR Walmart launch Work It, a digital platform that will give Walmart employees access to the information and resources they need to make immediate improvements in their work lives.
Public Citizen, a leader in the fight against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), is a national advocacy organization taking on corporate power and fighting for justice and democracy. Public Citizen's "Stop the TPP" initiative has become the broadest public interest campaign for a democratic trade and investment policy in history. With CREDO support, Public Citizen will strengthen its grassroots efforts to defeat the TPP.
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality. Over the past three years, the organization has tracked and exposed the activities of 1,890 radical right groups. In 2016 alone, SPLC has detected a 14 percent rise in the number of hate groups that vilify African Americans, Muslims, Jews, Latinos, LGBT people or other minority groups. CREDO's grant will help counter this disturbing trend by furthering SPLC's efforts to fight hate, seek justice and teach tolerance.
"When we stand up to Walmart, CREDO always stands with us," said Cynthia Murray, a member of OUR Walmart. "Having CREDO at our side gives us the strength we need to take on the country's largest employer."
"When we mobilize against corporate power, we know that CREDO will be right by our side, fearlessly campaigning for justice and democracy," said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.
"The march for racial and economic justice continues, and we're grateful for CREDO's commitment to highlighting the need for a more equal society," Richard Cohen, president of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
About CREDO
Founded in 1985, CREDO gives individuals the power to make positive social change every day. Whenever members use a CREDO product or service, they generate critical donations for progressive causes (at no extra cost) and fund vital activism work. Since 1985, CREDO has donated over $81 million to progressive nonprofits, and the company has built a network of over 4 million activists. Visit CREDO Mobile, CREDO Action and CREDO Donations to learn more.
SOURCE CREDO
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http://www.credomobile.com/
ATHENS, Greece, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Danaos Corporation ("Danaos") (NYSE: DAC), one of the world's largest independent owners of containerships, today received notice that Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd. ("Hanjin") has filed for receivership with the Seoul Central District Court and requested that the court freeze its assets. Danaos currently charters eight of its vessels to Hanjin on long term, fixed rate time charters. The time charters associated with these vessels represent approximately $560 million of Danaos' $2.8 billion contracted revenue backlog as of June 30, 2016. The vessels contracted to Hanjin include three 10,100 TEU vessels built in 2011 and five 3,400 TEU vessels built in 2010 and 2011.
"We are disappointed that the Korean Development Bank has failed to support an important participant in the global containership business," stated Dr. John Coustas, Chief Executive Officer of Danaos. "Danaos actively supported Hanjin in its efforts to restructure its operations and we are hopeful that Hanjin will be able to achieve a restructuring of its business and emerge from court receivership as a financially stronger company. We will closely monitor the process and seek to preserve the value of our assets for the benefit of our shareholders."
About Danaos Corporation
Danaos Corporation is one of the largest independent owners of modern, large-size containerships. Our current fleet of 59 containerships aggregating 353,586 TEUs, including four vessels owned jointly with Gemini Shipholdings Corporation, is predominantly chartered to many of the world's largest liner companies on fixed-rate, long-term charters. Our long track record of success is predicated on our efficient and rigorous operational standards and environmental controls. Danaos Corporation's shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "DAC".
Visit our website at www.danaos.com
SOURCE Danaos Corporation
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DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dean Foods Company (NYSE:DF) today announced that Ralph Scozzafava, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Gregg A. Tanner as the Company's Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company's Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2017. In order to ensure a smooth transition, Mr. Tanner will remain as an advisor to the Company through the Annual Stockholders Meeting in May 2017.
"This announced transition is the culmination of our succession planning efforts, and the Board is confident that Ralph supported by Dean Foods' experienced and dedicated management team is the right leader for the Company's continued success and growth," said Jim Turner, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board. "The Board sincerely thanks Gregg for his many contributions to Dean Foods over the past decade. His outstanding leadership, especially following the divesture of Morningstar and the spin-off of WhiteWave, was instrumental in achieving a renewed focus and guiding the Company through new business opportunities."
Scozzafava joined Dean Foods in October 2014 as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer in October 2015. He has more than 30 years of experience in the consumer goods and grocery categories, including at Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and at Campbell Soup Company. Scozzafava's experience gives him deep knowledge in organizational capabilities and improving operating results.
"Ralph is a passionate leader with a successful track record of growing businesses, driving efficiencies and building strong teams. I am confident in Ralph's and the team's ability to advance the business and deliver substantial shareholder value," said Tanner. "I look forward to supporting Ralph in his new role and working to ensure a seamless transition."
"Our 17,000 employees take pride in selling wholesome, nutritious products and serving the needs of families and communities nationwide. My time at the Company has been very fulfilling, and I am excited to lead a great team as we position the Company for the next phase of growth," said Scozzafava. "I am confident we can do so by executing on our strategy to build and buy brands, strengthen our private label business and further optimize our network and capabilities."
About Dean Foods
Dean Foods is a leading food and beverage company and the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fresh fluid milk and other dairy and dairy case products in the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the Dean Foods portfolio includes DairyPure, the country's first and largest fresh, white milk national brand, and TruMoo, the leading national flavored milk brand, along with well-known regional dairy brands such as Alta Dena, Berkeley Farms, Country Fresh, Dean's, Friendly's, Garelick Farms, LAND O LAKES* milk and cultured products, Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms, Mayfield, McArthur, Meadow Gold, Oak Farms, PET**, T.G. Lee, Tuscan and more. In all, Dean Foods has more than 50 national, regional and local dairy brands as well as private labels. Dean Foods also makes and distributes ice cream, cultured products, juices, teas, and bottled water. Almost 17,000 employees across the country work every day to make Dean Foods the most admired and trusted provider of wholesome, great-tasting dairy products at every occasion. For more information about Dean Foods and its brands, visit www.deanfoods.com.
*The LAND O LAKES brand is owned by Land O'Lakes, Inc. and used by license.
**PET is a trademark of Eagle Family Foods Group LLC, used under license.
CONTACT: Corporate Communications, Jamaison Schuler, +1-214-721-7766; or Investor Relations, Sherri Baker, +1-214-303-3438.
SOURCE Dean Foods Company
Related Links
http://www.deanfoods.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yankee experimental submarine, code named Turtle, was launched against the British warship, HMS Eagle, on September 6, 1776. In the attack, the submarine attempted to attach an underwater bomb, but was forced to withdraw when the corkscrew tethered to the explosive wouldn't penetrate the warship's hull. The submarine made a similar attempt later against the HMS Phoenix with the same results. In the end, however, success was achieved when a standalone torpedo, perfected in the secret program, was used by Colonial commandos to sink a British sloop.
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Details of the submarine's development were uncovered by examining letters from the inventor, David Bushnell, and correspondence between Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. You can read about the clandestine program along with British attempts to foil the submarine in a recently published book, "Washington's Undersea War," by Shawn Shallow, Gatekeeper Press.
Submarine Construction
The process began when a brilliant Yale student, David Bushnell, designed the rudimentary submarine before recruiting his brother Ezra and a local craftsman Isaac Doolittle for actual construction. Working in secret, they produced a working submarine, round and almost six feet in height, with a brass head containing eight small glass windows. Early attempts to operate the machine underwater met with multiple problems including total darkness for the operator. Rumors of the invention reached George Washington who arranged for funds to perfect the underwater machine and train a military pilot, Ezra Lee.
On the evening of September 6, 1776; Washington launched the Turtle in an attack of the HMS Eagle. When unable to attach the underwater bomb, the Turtle was forced to return to the surface where it was spotted by British guards on Governor's Island New York who gave chase in a rowboat. In response, the pilot Ezra Lee, detonated the torpedo between himself and his pursuers to affect his escape. A second attempt followed against the H.M.S. Phoenix with similar results.
Details of the submarine's development are available in the recent book, "Washington's Undersea War," available through book retailers including: https://www.amazon.com/Washingtons-Undersea-War-development-Revolution-ebook/dp/B01C36OHXE#navbar
For More Information Contact:
Shawn Shallow
Phone: 205-919-9877
Email: Email
2572 Woodfern Circle
Birmingham, AL 35244
SOURCE Shawn Shallow
"I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead this great company," said Merrill. "I look forward to building upon the DigiCert legacy of innovation, customer focus and industry leadership. We will continue pursuing an aggressive growth strategy as a global leader in web security and the Internet of Things."
Since joining DigiCert more than three years ago, Merrill has played a pivotal role, alongside Hales, overseeing the company's finance, operations, sales and emerging markets divisions. During this time, the company has become firmly established as the world's largest pure issuer of high-assurance digital certificates and a go-to security provider for emerging markets such as the IoT. Merrill led the DigiCert acquisition of Verizon's Enterprise SSL business, and expanded its global footprint through EMEA, and in Asia via a partnership with Cybertrust Japan.
Prior to joining DigiCert, Merrill spent more than 20 years leading companies to significant revenue and profitability growth, including firms such as Connolly, Inc., USERTrust, GE Capital, and Evans and Sutherland. He holds an MBA from Cornell University and a BA in Economics from the University of Utah.
Hales, who joined DigiCert as COO in 2010 and was named CEO in 2012, will continue to advise the company on special projects. During his tenure at DigiCert, Hales has led the company through an important transformation from a successful startup to one of the world's leading providers of enterprise PKI and trusted identity. Hales was recently named 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for the Utah region.
DigiCert works with the world's largest brands to protect their enterprise web and expanding IoT deployments for healthcare, industrial, infrastructure, technology, home automation, automotive, retail, banking and many other industries. With a focus on innovation, automation, scalability and expertise to simplify customer PKI deployments, DigiCert continues to provide its services to leading companies, including six of the global Alexa Top 10.
About DigiCert, Inc.
DigiCert is a premier, trusted provider of enterprise security solutions with an emphasis on authentication and encryption via managed PKI and high-assurance digital certificates for enterprise and the Internet of Things. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, DigiCert is trusted by more than 115,000 of the world's leading government, finance, healthcare, education, and Fortune 500 organizations. DigiCert has been recognized with dozens of awards for providing enhanced customer value, premium customer service, and market growth leadership. For the latest DigiCert news and updates, visit digicert.com or follow @digicert.
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NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To help New York City area companies accelerate their digital transformations, DocuSign, the global eSignature and Digital Transaction Management (DTM) leader, will host Momentum X on Tuesday, September 27 at the W Hotel Union Square. The complimentary half day event will feature top thought leaders sharing their insights and experiences on going digital to accelerate speed to results, reduce costs, decrease risk in increased security and compliance, and delight their customers. Individuals may register at https://momentum.docusign.com/en.
The event underscores the shift from manual, paper-based processes to faster, easier, more convenient and secure digital business among organizations of every size and industry. Today, the vast majority of C-level executives have digital transformation among their top three strategic objectives. For many, it's the top priority as going digital positively impacts nearly every area where businesses are measured, including revenues, efficiency, costs, security, compliance, customer experience, and sustainability.
"We expect that the most successful businesses will be fully digital by the end of the decade a trend we're seeing mirrored here in Manhattan," said Neil Hudspith, president of worldwide field operations at DocuSign. "Across the DocuSign Global Trust Network, we're finding organizations of all sizes are advancing their digital agendas to be the disruptors in their industry, rather than the disrupted. The time has never been better to start or advance a company's digital journey to drive competitive advantage before it's too late."
DocuSign's Momentum X events bring together key learnings, insights and best practices on going paperless from thought leaders and industry luminaries around the world. Attendees will discover the leadership, technology and culture requirements for taking their business fully digital, learning from other digital heroes who've led their industries, companies and departments through transformation.
As the world leader in capital raising, listings and equities, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) delivers data to companies and individuals that helps them manage their business in real time. NYSE has made the digital transformation with DocuSign to automate client communications, contracting and transactions.
"The New York Stock Exchange standardized on DocuSign to increase efficiency and better serve our clients," said Margaret (Peggy) Sullivan, director of strategic analysis & market data, NYSE. "DocuSign's turnaround time facilitates faster, easier connections for our clients and employees to accelerate business decisions." For more on NYSE's digital transformation with DocuSign, view the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU0m3heQsl8.
Based in Jersey City, New Jersey, TD Ameritrade Institutional is a leading provider of comprehensive brokerage and custody services to more than 5,000 fee-based independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs). TD Ameritrade delivers an advanced technology platform and personal support from dedicated service teams that enable RIAs to grow and manage their practices more efficiently while optimizing time with clients. DocuSign has helped TD Ameritrade Institutional automate agreements to reduce contract cycle times and eliminate "Not In Good Order" documents, all to create a world-class experience for RIAs and their clients.
"By embedding eSignature directly into our processes with the DocuSign API, we were able to replace what was once a manual, paper-based account opening process with a fully digital experience that empowers advisors and their clients to sign agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with a single click," said Bob Mahoney, director of technology product management, TD Ameritrade Institutional. "DocuSign helped us create an industry-leading experience for the advisors on our platform so that they can do the same for their clients."
As the host of the Momentum X events, DocuSign has unique expertise in helping more than 250,000 companies and 100 million users complete nearly one million digital transactions a day across 188 countries. Organizations who use DocuSign achieve faster speed to results, lower cost, increased security and compliance, and better customer experiences. On average, 84% of transactions are completed via DocuSign in less than one day; 62% in less than one hour; and 51% in 15 minutes or less dramatically faster than the days or weeks typically required with paper. On average, DocuSign delivers $36.44 in value per document to customers including hard dollar savings, productivity improvements and revenue gains over paper methods.
Beyond NYC, announced Momentum X tour dates include Philadelphia (September 29), Los Angeles (November 15 and 16), and Seattle (November 17), with additional locations to be announced.
For more information and to register for a Momentum X event, visit https://momentum.docusign.com/en. For more information on DocuSign, visit www.docusign.com.
About DocuSign, Inc.
DocuSign is changing how business gets done by empowering anyone to send, sign and manage agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign and Go to keep life and business moving forward. For more information, visit www.docusign.com, call +1-877-720-2040, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Copyright 2003-2016. DocuSign, Inc. is the owner of DOCUSIGN and all of its other marks (www.docusign.com/IP). All other marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
Gregor Perotto
DocuSign
[email protected]
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SOURCE DocuSign, Inc.
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SAN DIEGO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- International Bipolar Foundation is pleased to announce Dr. Mike Griffiths has joined their Board of Directors and will be serving on the finance committee.
Dr. Mike Griffiths is an accomplished entrepreneurial medical device executive with over 30 years' experience earned within the global healthcare field. Mike possess a doctorate from Middlesex University in London as well as numerous other clinical, management and engineering credentials. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and a member of many medical and industry societies.
Dr. Griffiths is currently the co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of Advanced Oxygen Therapy Inc., an international company focused on healing patients with chronic wounds caused by such endemic conditions as Diabetes and Peripheral Vascular Disease.
Mike resides in Carlsbad, California with his wife and youngest daughter, who was diagnosed just two years ago with Bipolar Disorder at the age of 13. Since then, Mike and his entire family have become tireless advocates for improved Mental Health legislation and fighting the stigma that so many have to endure.
Founded in 2007 by four parents with children affected with bipolar disorder, International Bipolar Foundation is a not for profit organization whose mission is to improve understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder through research; to promote care and support resources for individuals and caregivers; and to erase stigma through education. To learn more about International Bipolar Foundation, visit www.ibpf.org.
CONTACT:
Heather Zupin
International Bipolar Foundation
8755 Aero Drive, Suite 310
San Diego, CA 92123
p: 858-598-5967
[email protected]
www.ibpf.org
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SOURCE International Bipolar Foundation
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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Next week, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case, Horiike v. Coldwell Banker, that is being closely followed by the real estate industry, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (C.A.R.) said.
"At its core, the Horiike case is an issue of a buyer not reading all of the information that was presented to him, but Horiike is trying to turn a normal disclosure case into an agency case," said C.A.R. President Pat "Ziggy" Zicarelli. "Some groups may believe that dual agency should be outlawed and want to use this case for that premise or as a stepping stone to that end."
In the case, a homebuyer, Hiroshi Horiike purchased a mansion in Malibu, Calif., and worked with a Beverly Hills, Coldwell Banker real estate licensee. The property was listed by a Coldwell Banker licensee in another office. Horiike complained he was misled about the property's square footage. The issue is complex, however. The City of Malibu includes some outdoor living areas in determining square footage, which impacts whether the property may be expanded. Most square footage measurements do not include outdoor living areas in square footage. These facts were fully disclosed, but apparently the buyer never read the information. Horiike sued the seller's licensee, Chris Cortazzo, stating that Cortazzo and Coldwell Banker breached their fiduciary duty and failed to advise him to hire a third party to verify the actual square footage. He did not sue the Beverly Hills licensee with whom he was working.
The law has always required disclosure of known material facts about a property for sale. C.A.R. provides many tools and forms to assist in making the transaction transparent as it relates to known material facts. As to duties not involving disclosure, most consumers would not expect a seller's licensee to duplicate the same tasks and duties of a buyer's licensee in the same transaction or to be held responsible if they were not done properly.
In the 2012 jury trial, the jury fully exonerated the seller's licensee, Cortazzo, and Coldwell Banker on the buyer's claims for negligent misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation and concealment. In other words, after many days of trial and examination of the evidence, the jury felt the information was properly disclosed. Before the jury trial, since the judge ruled that the seller's licensee, Cortazzo, did not owe a fiduciary duty to Horiike, there was no breach of a duty attributable to Coldwell Banker. An appellate court overturned the trial court ruling. Coldwell Banker appealed to the California Supreme Court.
California law has allowed brokers to represent both parties with their informed consent since well before the 1980s. California even has a specific form to accomplish this. Such consent has been required for many decades and continues to give choice to consumers. However, just because a brokerage represents both buyer and seller in a transaction that should not automatically mean that each individual licensee owes a fiduciary duty to both parties.
"There are many different real estate brokerage models, and the law allows consumers to choose between a big or small firm; and those firms that are exclusive to buyers, exclusive to sellers, or represent both," Zicarelli said. "Narrowing the business model for a competitive advantage for one model would limit that choice. And the reality is, at the outset no buyer knows for sure what property they will buy, and no seller knows for sure who the eventual buyer will be."
Therefore, a real estate licensee never knows if there's going to be a dual agency at the time a listing is taken or when a buyer begins looking for a property. If the eventual consequence resulting from this case is that brokerage dual agency is prohibited, buyers will be restricted in the properties they can explore, and sellers will have a limited pool of buyers. Allowing all parties to explore buying or selling more properties on the market, not fewer, benefits the consumer.
Leading the way... in California real estate for more than 110 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with 185,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.
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SOURCE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
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PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard released the following statement today after reviewing the publication of "Overcapacity in Steel: China's Role in a Global Problem" by the Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness at Duke University.
"The Duke University study highlights how the exploding expansion of China's steel sector has fueled the international steel crisis. By producing too much steel, then shipping and selling its overcapacity overseas below market prices, it bankrupts companies following free market rules and costs tens of thousands of workers their jobs.
"China's capacity increases have resulted in more than 2,300 million metric tons of steel-making capacity, despite only 1,500 million metric tons being needed to meet global demand. Its industrial policies, state subsidies and predatory trade practices have decimated U.S. production and injured workers in other countries across the globe.
"In the United States alone, China's overproduction has resulted in the loss of as many as 19,000 steel sector-related jobs.
"The Duke University study shows that, despite China publicly admitting that it had an overcapacity problem, last year it added 552 million metric tons of new capacity -- that is seven times the amount of all steel produced in the United States.
"This study should end the debate about what the problem is and what caused it. Without question, China has created the international crisis in steel. The time to talk about how this happened has long passed. China has been slow-walking discussions, promising to address overcapacity, then continuing on with business as usual.
"America's steelmakers and workers can't afford more business as usual when it comes to China's unjust and predatory trade practices. Action is needed now."
To read the full report, click here.
The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations. For more info: www.usw.org
CONTACT: Jess Kamm Broomell
(412) 562-2445, [email protected]
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SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)
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CHERRY HILL, N.J., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Through the acquisition of certain assets of Fortren Funding LLC of Livingston, NJ, E Mortgage Management will emerge as a competitive Internet based lending company providing residential mortgage loans from coast to coast. This strategic move through acquisition represents significant investment by a company committed to helping Americans achieve the goal of homeownership.
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"We believe Fortren is an excellent fit with our strategic vision," Kevin Crichton, EMM's President and COO, said in a statement. "This acquisition is yet another positive step in EMM's continued growth and success and we are confident our clients and partners will benefit substantially as a result."
"The acquisition of Fortren Funding is an extraordinary business opportunity," stated Crichton, "The expertise of Fortren's management and staff will expand on the talent of our company's mortgage professionals who already provide the highest quality in customer service, direct to the consumer, now into the digital marketplace."
Fortren Funding is considered an "innovator" in online, direct to consumer digital lending, and its robust online lending platform made it an attractive fit to Senior Management at EMM when they were seeking opportunities for new business growth. Fortren Funding is based in Livingston, New Jersey, and until this sale, was privately held and run by its founder & CEO, Mark Gordon. According to both companies, Fortren will operate as a "dba" of EMM.
"Gordon and his talented team have successfully built a platform that meets the demands of today's ever-changing consumer," stated Crichton. "Our goal is to continue the growth of the Fortren retail lending success while tactically expanding our digital footprint."
Gordon said in a recent statement, "The deal with EMM allows the companies to grow together. The combination of EMM and Fortren Funding makes perfect sense. Both brands share the same emphasis on steady growth, elite service, strong strategic decision-making and efficient, technology driven operations. Together, we expect to see continued growth and success."
According to Joseph McCole, EMM Chief Financial Officer, "Fortren's management including Mark Gordon, Chief Executive Officer, Brett Shapiro, President and Nicole Gordon, Chief Operating Officer, who together started the company four years ago, will be joining EMM under terms of the acquisition. Their expertise in digital mortgage marketing and fulfillment will expand the EMM footprint to serve more customers, meeting their residential home loan needs."
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
About E Mortgage Management LLC (EMMLOANS.COM)
Lender NMLS 2926. Equal Housing Lender, Equal Opportunity Employer. emmloans.com is a private, direct-endorsed local lender, rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The company offers products sponsored by Fannie Mae (FNMA), Freddie Mac (FHLMC), Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), Federal Housing Administration (HUD-FHA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), individual state programs, and has access to a portfolio of private investors, nationwide. 3 Executive Campus, Suite 520 - Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
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The AR Sandbox combines a physical box of sand, a Microsoft Xbox Kinect camera, a digital data projector, simulation and visualization software and a computer. A virtual map is then displayed on the sand, which can be manipulated by students to create mountains, volcanoes, river channels or glacial deposits. Students can also hold their hands over the map to create virtual rain.
EMU is one of only three Michigan schools to have this technology. Western Michigan University and Ithaca High School, located in the middle of the state, are the others.
"It helps EMU students develop spatial thinking and improve their understanding of maps in an exciting and engaging way," said Ryker. "It's a hands-on way to learn about geography and geology."
Ryker built the sandbox by hand during December 2015 and January 2016, with funding from an eFellows grant, courtesy from EMU's Faculty Development Center. The grant supports faculty in obtaining resources needed to successfully pilot innovative, technology-based projects that enhance student learning.
The sandbox has attracted campus-wide attention from academic departments, ranging from children's literature to the ROTC, each interested in utilizing the sandbox to fit their curriculum.
"It's exciting to see that it is a technology with a diverse set of applications outside of just geography and geology," Ryker said.
The Augmented Reality sandbox is currently housed in the Geography and Geology department in room 202 of Strong Hall.
To visit the Augmented Reality Sandbox, please contact Katherine Ryker: [email protected]. To learn more visit the the Geography and Geology department website.
About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest university in Michigan. It serves 22,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. EMU is recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information, visit the University's website.
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SOURCE Eastern Michigan University
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CONWAY, Ark., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ensono, a leading hybrid IT solutions provider, today announced it has accepted its spot as a member of the Conway Chamber of Commerce. A recognized voice in the Conway community, the Chamber's core mission consists of economic development, government affairs, education, and community vision.
The Chamber has consistently valued innovation and strives to encourage new ideas and creative thinking. Ensono shares this value and has embraced curiosity as one of its core values. Ensono hopes to work with the Chamber on encouraging this mindset in the Conway community and workforce.
Ensono and the Conway Chamber of Commerce have previously worked together on a number of community projects, including the Arkansas Coding Academy at the University of Central Arkansas. The academy was created to fill a talent void in the Information Technology industry in the surrounding region.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Ensono to the Conway Chamber of Commerce," said Brad Lacy, president, Conway Chamber of Commerce. "Technology is a major growth area for us, and the addition of Ensono to the Chamber underscores our commitment to bolstering market opportunity in IT. Because Ensono is invested in talent acquisition, the ongoing recruiting programs they have established will support our expansion efforts."
As a member of the Chamber, Ensono will become more involved in the Conway community by helping the Chamber achieve its objectives, including promoting economic development in the region. Ensono is well known for its expertise in mainframe and infrastructure IT management, and has been outspoken about the necessity of recruiting young professionals to the field of Information Technology.
"We are honored to join the Conway Chamber of Commerce, which has been an advocate for the community for over 120 years," said Jeff VonDeylen, chief executive officer, Ensono. "Being a member of the Chamber will provide a formal avenue for Ensono to continue community development, and aid Conway in its goal to enhance the technology sector."
Learn more about joining Ensono's team by visiting its career page online.
About Conway Chamber of Commerce
For 125 years, the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has served as the voice of the Conway, Arkansas, business community. It represents the interests of more than 1,200 members by promoting economic development in Conway and Faulkner County, advocating a pro-business climate at all levels of government, supporting the county's educational institutions, and establishing and executing a vision for the community. To learn more about the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, visit ConwayArkansas.org.
About Ensono
Ensono collaborates with clients to deliver progressive IT solutions to help them operate their infrastructure for today and optimize it for tomorrow. We specialize in supporting mission-critical workloads for the world's most successful companies. Ensono works across all platforms mainframe to cloud, and everything in between. We are ranked by Information Week 500 for our technology innovation and by the Uptime Institute for 100% availability. Ensono has 700 associates and is headquartered in greater Chicago, Ill. Visit us at www.ensono.com.
Media Contact
Becki Gervin
408.369.7200 x 1070
[email protected]
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SOURCE Ensono
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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Entravision Communications Corporation (NYSE: EVC), a diversified media company serving U.S. Latino audiences, and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a charity that raises funds for 170 children's hospitals, today announced that $3 million was raised for member hospitals during their ninth annual network-wide Radiothon, under the theme of "Un Million Para Los Ninos" (One Million for the Children). This year 95 communities nationwide will benefit from the Radiothon due to the participation of Entravision's talented on-air staff and the increased reach of its online and mobile platforms.
"Our ninth Radiothon in collaboration with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, was a thrilling event for our entire organization and highlights the dedication of our employees and listeners. Our participation in raising funds for this amazing charity is a means of giving back to the local communities we serve, and its continued success reflects Entravision's ability to reach and engage Hispanics across acculturation levels and media platforms," said Jeffery Liberman, Entravision's Chief Operating Officer.
"Entravision's support of the Children's Miracle Network for the past decade has been invaluable," said Joe Trevino, Managing Director, Media Partners, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. "This partnership has given us access to a vast majority of the Spanish-language demographic in the U.S., unreachable by other networks, and we hope to continue working with Entravision for many more years to come."
The 72-hr broadcast kicked off on Thursday, August 18th on Entravision's leading Jose, Super Estrella, and La Tricolor network radio formats across the U.S. The Radiothon included live-broadcast performances at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, featuring radio personalities from Entravision's syndicated shows: Erazno y La Chokolata, Alex 'El Genio' Lucas, Armida y la Flaka, Piolin, The LM Show and others, who rallied listeners into supporting and donating to the cause. The $3 million raised makes this the most successful Spanish-language Radiothon to benefit Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in 2016, surpassing last year's $2.9 million tally. The donations will be utilized by local children's hospitals to help fund critical treatments, healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care, as well as provide treatment to low-income patients.
The Radiothon program has been an integral part of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals' fundraising efforts since 1997. Today more than 300 stations participate in Radiothons annually, raising about $50 million each year for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
About Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity's Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit's mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children's hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are at give.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org and www.facebook.com/cmnhospitals.
About Entravision Communications Corporation
Entravision Communications Corporation is a leading media company that reaches and engages U.S. Latinos across acculturation levels and media channels, as well as consumers in Mexico. The company's comprehensive portfolio incorporates integrated media and marketing solutions comprised of acclaimed television, radio, digital properties, events, and data analytics services. Entravision has 56 primary television stations and is the largest affiliate group of both the Univision and UniMas television networks. Entravision also owns and operates 49 primarily Spanish-language radio stations featuring nationally recognized talent, as well as the Entravision Audio Network and Entravision Solutions, a coast-to-coast national spot and network sales and marketing organization representing Entravision's owned and operated, as well as its affiliate partner, radio stations. According to comScore Media Metrix, Entravision's digital operating group, Pulpo, is the #1-ranked online advertising platform in Hispanic reach, and Pulpo's comprehensive media offering, data, and consumer insights lead the industry. Entravision shares of Class A Common Stock are traded on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: EVC. www.entravision.com.
SOURCE Entravision
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WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Insurance, one of the nation's largest multiline insurer groups, today announced the launch of an innovative food truck insurance policy in Washington, marking the company's first official foray into the growing food truck insurance marketplace. Through its new offering, Farmers has begun to offer licensed food truck owners a single policy that combines commercial automobile coverage for their truck with a restaurant business owner policy.
Washington is one of the first 16 states where the policy is now available to food truck entrepreneurs and restaurateurs. Over the course of 2016, Farmers will introduce similar food truck package policies in a total of 28 states.
"At Farmers, we understand that consumer preferences and the needs of business owners are constantly evolving, and we are continuously looking for new ways to meet these changing demands for our customers," said Jake Rothfuss, head of business insurance for commercial auto at Farmers Insurance. "The increased popularity of food trucks is an example of the impact of shifting consumer preferences and it's important for Farmers to be able to provide our business owner customers with the insurance they want to continue to be successful in this constantly changing economy."
The innovative Farmers food truck policy will offer food truck owners the option to obtain coverage for their truck or a truck attached to the stand-alone store. Currently, food truck owners are often left to work with a complex mixture of separate policies, including commercial auto, business owner and restaurant policies provided by different insurers. By combining these disparate coverages into a single food truck policy, mobile food entrepreneurs now have the option to select one policy for their food business on wheels.
With this new policy offering, Farmers aims to solve the growing need for a single food truck policy that combines the elements of a restaurant, business owner and commercial auto policy into one.
Farmers is making it simple for food truck owners to quickly and easily select the coverage they want by calling their local Farmers agent. Additionally, food truck entrepreneurs currently insured with other carriers can contact Farmers at the following toll-free number: 1-800-FARMERS, as well as visit Farmers.com to learn more about this innovative coverage through Farmers.
About Farmers Insurance
"Farmers Insurance" and "Farmers" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with over 19 million individual policies, across all 50 states, through the efforts of more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 21,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurance insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2016 Fortune 500 list.
For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.
Contact: Farmers Insurance
Media Relations
(818) 965-0007
[email protected]
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MOUNTAIN CENTER, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the Select Committee on Benghazi Majority released their final report on July 8, 2016. Under the leadership of Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), the Benghazi investigations have examined nearly all the evidence. The goal is to learn exactly what happened in Benghazi, Libya before, during and after the back-to-back terrorist attacks on September 11, 2012 and to implement future preventative measures.
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"My job is to report facts," said Gowdy. "You can draw whatever conclusions you want to draw." The report is based on the sworn testimony of more than a hundred witnesses involved in the events in Benghazi, Libya. The attacks resulted in the deaths of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, information specialist Shawn Smith, and Special Forces soldiers Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.
For the first time a full cast of professional voice actors, perform an audiobook of a congressional report on par with Watergate. It resulted in the deaths of four Americans and affects two consecutive presidential elections.
It condenses and highlights the firsthand testimonies of Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, high-ranking members of the military and State Department all the way down to the soldiers and staff on the ground who fought to save themselves on the night of the attack.
Witness testimonies show that:
Stevens as well as several other Foreign Service Officers and diplomatic security agents made more than 600 requests for additional security prior to the attack.
to the attack. The Media and some Democrats reported that funding for more security was denied by the Republican led Congress.
During the 13 hours of both attacks, several pleas for more help from armed forces were made by Stevens, diplomatic security agents, foreign services officers and Special Forces Operators.
A YouTube video considered defamatory to the prophet Mohammed was the reason for the attack.
The report concluded that:
Requests for more security were either ignored or never implemented
Funding for more security was in fact available, however, it was spent elsewhere
Help never came nor was it ever even headed towards Benghazi to assist OR evacuate the Americans
The story of the YouTube video being the cause of the attack proved to be false.
The report attempts to determine responsibility and causes for the errors in judgment and implement future preventative measures to ensure the mistakes never happen again. The audio book gives much greater access and ease to the public who don't have time to read it and allows listeners to decide for themselves "what really happened" during this historic event.
For more information, visit www.ReportOnBenghazi.com to order or www.facebook.com/ReportOnBenghazi/ and https://twitter.com/BenghaziOnAudio to comment.
Contact: Leonard Bustos
Company: Cloud Productions
Phone: 760-578-8480 Fax: 760-349-9617
Email
Website: www.ReportOnBenghazi.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReportOnBenghazi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenghaziOnAudio
SOURCE Cloud Productions
The jury found that MetLife allowed Russon to use insurance sales meetings with prospective customers of MetLife to promote investments in Diversified Lending Group (DLG), a real estate fund that was run by convicted felon Bruce Friedman. The Securities & Exchange Commission sued Friedman and DLG in 2009, alleging that the enterprise was actually a $216 million fraudulent scheme to sell unregistered securities that financed Friedman's lavish lifestyle.
Christine Ramirez, a retired Simi Valley mortgage processor, invested nearly $280,000 in DLG on the "guarantee" that the unregistered and ultimately worthless securities would provide a 12% annual return.
On Wednesday, the jury awarded Ramirez $10 million in punitive damages from MetLife Inc., $2.5 in punitive damages from New England Securities, $2.5 in punitive damages from New England Life Insurance Co., and $330,000 in punitive damages from Russon. On Tuesday, the jury awarded Ramirez $239,890 in compensatory damages.
"I am so grateful to the jurors for seeing through MetLife's finger-pointing argument that they weren't responsible for the loss of my retirement savings," Ramirez said. "I am grateful to the judge who presided over my case, to my attorneys who doggedly pursued this case to a successful conclusion, and I am looking forward to the other investors in DLG getting their justice as well."
Ramirez is one of 98 DLG investors whose pursuit of a class-action case against MetLife was denied last year. Individual cases, however, were allowed to proceed and Ramirez's was the first to go to trial.
She was represented by Thomas Foley, a founding partner in Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis LLP, who was co-lead counsel with Richard E. Donahoo of Donahoo & Associates PC.
"Our client is finally getting the compensation she deserves for her lost savings," Donahoo said. "The peaceful retirement she worked so hard for was stolen from her."
Foley noted that the outcome of the Ramirez case bodes well for the firm's other clients who invested in DLG.
Testimony at the trial proved that Friedman and DLG were brought into the MetLife sales operation by Russon, who was owed $750,000 by Friedman. Friedman promised Russon half of any future income from the sale of DLG securities to help Friedman repay his debt to Russon. Friedman fled the country after the SEC sued him, but died in jail in France in 2012 while awaiting extradition to the United States.
Ramirez's legal team successfully argued that MetLife was negligent in not adequately training and supervising its affiliates.
"The evidence we presented in this case clearly showed that MetLife was aware that the branch office run by Tony Russon was not following MetLife's own policies and procedures, and that they failed to act to correct this dangerous behavior," Foley said. "If they had, Ms. Ramirez and hundreds of others like her would not have been victimized by this investment fraud."
Ramirez was represented by Thomas Foley of Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis LLP; Richard E. Donahoo of Donahoo & Associates PC; and John Stillman of Good Wildman.
The case is Ramirez v. MetLife Inc. (Case No. BC576608) in Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Kenneth R. Freeman presiding.
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SOURCE Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis LLP; Donahoo & Associates PC
MONROVIA, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority has recently been awarded with four distinguished industry awards for the nearly $1 billion, 11.5-mile Foothill Gold Line light rail extension from Pasadena to Azusa. The extension, which was completed and turned over to Los Angeles County Metro in September 2015 and began passenger service in March 2016, required three design-build contracts. Altogether, design and construction included six new light rail stations; five parking facilities; a LEED Gold certified, 24-acre Operations Campus; 28 miles of light rail track, including four miles of relocated freight track; two dozen bridges, including the award-winning iconic Gold Line Bridge; 14 at-grade street crossings; power systems; and much more.
The four awards were given by various prestigious construction and engineering industry associations, which recognized the Construction Authority and the Foothill Gold Line project in the areas of engineering, construction, sustainability and project management. They include:
Outstanding Rail Project of the Year - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Metropolitan Los Angeles Branch Sustainability Excellence Distinction Award - Western Council of Construction Consumers (WCCC)
- Western Council of Construction Consumers (WCCC) Exceptional Project Achievement Award - Western Council of Construction Consumers (WCCC)
- Western Council of Construction Consumers (WCCC) Excellence in Dispute Avoidance & Resolution Award - Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF)
The Foothill Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa first broke ground in June 2010 and was completed on time and under budget with 2.4 million work hours logged and an excellent safety record. Construction Authority partners for the various segments of the project included Kiewit, Parsons, Skanska, AECOM, Hill International and Webcor. The project was fully funded by Los Angeles County's Measure R half-cent sales tax that went into effect in 2008.
About the Foothill Gold Line - The Foothill Gold Line is a $2 billion, 12-station extension of the Metro Gold Line light rail system. The project is overseen by the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority, an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature. The project is planned in two segments Pasadena to Azusa and Glendora to Montclair. The six station Pasadena to Azusa segment was completed on time and on budget in September 2015, and turned over to Los Angeles County Metro for operation. The project was fully funded by Measure R, which is also funding the majority of the cost associated with the advanced conceptual engineering work currently underway for the Glendora to Montclair segment. The Construction Authority is currently seeking the $1.2 billion needed to construct the Glendora to Montclair segment and anticipates the majority of the needed funds will come from the Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan (Measure M), a sales tax measure being placed on the November 2016 ballot. If approved by voters, the project could break ground as early as 2017 and will take 5-6 years to complete.
SOURCE Foothill Gold Line
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Douglas Lowell's Grandiosity Films has optioned To War With Whitaker, the best selling diary of Hermione Countess of Ranfurly.
"We're thrilled to option Lady Ranfurly's diary," says Lowell. "It is such an extraordinary love story of romance, intrigue and adventure."
The now celebrated Lady Ranfurly had followed her husband into war accompanied by her butler, Whitaker and her parrot, Coco.
Desperate not to be separated from her husband during the war as she was as a child from her father during World War I, Lady Ranfurly followed Lord Ranfurly into the Middle East where he was stationed and tried to find employment as a secretary or driver.
On the eve of war, however, the British military authorities changed their policy and concluded that wives could no longer live in the same theatre and ordered Lady Ranfurly and other illegal wives as they had become known, evacuated.
"We are so pleased that To War With Whitaker has been optioned," says Lady Caroline Simmonds, the Ranfurlys' daughter. "Doug has done a wonderful job with the script and we're very excited for a movie to be made."
"Lady Ranfurly was well ahead of her time," notes Lowell. "She had a boundless pluck, resolve and commitment. To go from being deported as an illegal wife to become the executive assistant to the leading general in the Middle East where she had greater access than any other woman in the theatre took incredible ingenuity."
Lord Ranfurly was captured by the Italians in North Africa and sent to prison in Italy. He escaped the prison after the Allied invasion of Italy and tried to meet up with Lady Ranfurly who was back in Cairo at the center of Command where the invasion of Italy was planned.
Grandiosity Films is also producing The Five Sullivans starring emerging country star, Kerry Degman and the George Jackson story from Paul Liberatore's The Road to Hell.
Douglas Lowell
[email protected]
323-717-8117
1850 Industrial St., Suite 514
Los Angeles, CA 90021, 323-717-8117
SOURCE Grandiosity Films
The HBET joint venture will draw on Zhongshe's financial strengths and Hatch's deep technical expertise and decades of environmental experience in the resources, energy, infrastructure and municipal sectors. The signing ceremony for Canadian and Chinese companies was held in conjunction with the Canada China Business Council annual gala, which was attended by Prime Minister Trudeau during his inaugural visit to China, and by Canada's Minister of International Trade, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland.
"Today, we're building on Hatch's strong commitment to China and moving forward to deliver a new level of environmental services and innovation," said Joe Lombard, Hatch Global Managing Director for Metals. "Hatch is now uniquely positioned to help advance China's environmental priorities, bringing together our top technical and environmental experts from around the globe."
Lombard emphasized the close working relationship with Zhongshe as a key to future success. "We're deeply gratified to have Zhongshe as our partner, one of China's preeminent companies with involvement in multiple sectors and industries across the country. Through this partnership, Hatch will introduce clean technologies and execute world-leading environmental remediation and management programs that support China's policies to protect and improve the environment."
"The Hatch Beijing Environment & Technology Co. Ltd. is a new player in the field of Chinese environmental protection," said Mr. Ma Jian Fei, Chairman, Zhongshe. "Through the joint efforts of the Canadian and Chinese company, it will play an important role in water treatment, soil remediation, solid waste disposal, river and lake recovery, and new, environmentally-friendly materials in China. We look forward to bluer skies, cleaner water and a better environment in China."
For Hatch's global team, HBET will open up new opportunities to supply and implement best-in-class environmental methods and state-of-the-art technologies, both acquired and developed in-house. The joint venture builds on Hatch's 40-year history in China during which the company has provided engineering, project management, and technology transfer to some of China's major state-owned and private enterprises, notably QSLIC, Baosteel, Galaxy Lithium, and Angang Steel.
Based in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area, HBET will provide environmental management, evaluation, planning, consultation, and delivery of environmental projects, including cleanup, technical training for engineers, and the promotion of new environmental technologies.
Hatch in China
Hatch's long-standing history in China and with Chinese companies involves major industrial projects and clients in the mining and metals sector. Hatch's presence on the mainland is reflected by over 150 employees and offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenyang. With the formation of HBET, Hatch now has four joint ventures with Chinese companies and has provided over half a billion dollars in services over the last 20 years.
Since 2009, Hatch has played a key role in the development of the QSLIC industrial complex in Golmud, which today features the world's largest, state-of-the-art magnesium smelter and calcium carbide furnaces, engineered and built using Hatch technology. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently visited QSLIC and commended the complex facility's industry-leading design, environmental safeguards and exemplary contribution to the development of China's resources and circular economy. Hatch holds a Class A Design License from Chinese authorities, which provides the same status as other design institutes in the country to directly design, manage, and deliver projects in the Chinese metallurgical industry.
About Hatch
Whatever our clients envision, our engineers can design and build. With over six decades of business and technical experience in the mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors, we know your business and understand that your challenges are changing rapidly. We respond quickly with solutions that are smarter, more efficient and innovative. We draw upon our 9,000 staff with experience in over 150 countries, including China, to challenge the status quo and create positive change for our clients, our employees, and the communities we serve.
About Zhongshe Baiqi Joint Investment Development Co. Ltd.
Zhongshe Baiqi Joint Investment Development Co. Ltd. was founded in 2006. This group of diversified, independent companies engages in emerging industries and in acquiring the scarce resources China needs. Zhongshe's strategic initiatives involve project financing and investment, asset and business management, and consultation and information services. Known for employing the best resources, talents and technologies in China, Zhongshe focuses on community and public welfare in industries that include unconventional oil & gas, environmental services, finance, health care, sole concession lottery operations and security.
For further information: Nancy White, Director, Marketing & Communications, Hatch, Tel: +1 905 491 7585, Email: [email protected]; Simon Dai, Manager, Marketing & Communications, Hatch China, Tel: +86 (21) 6119 5926, Cell: +86 (138) 1789 9360, Email: [email protected]
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SOURCE HATCH
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hondros College of Business is pleased to welcome aboard Kristin Rosan, of Madison & Rosan law firm, as regulatory expert and contributor to the Hondros blog. Former Chief Legal Counsel with the Ohio Division of Real Estate, Rosan joins the team with a wealth of experience in administrative law, general real estate law and business litigation.
With background in both public and private sectors of real estate law, Rosan offers readers insight ranging from best business practices, news discussion and personal war stories. Rosan comments, "I'm excited about the opportunity to share my thoughts and advice with students and professionals. I hope they will find my content motivating and useful in their practices."
In addition to practicing law, Rosan is an approved real estate continuing education instructor and was named the 2012 Columbus Realtors Instructor of the Year. A graduate of Capital University Law School herself, Rosan's expertise will be utilized to further develop the Hondros College of Business voice in all matters of real estate.
"We're proud to offer our students and alumni access to Kristin's insights and comprehensive understanding of the industry," said President Tina Lapp. "She's one of the top real estate experts in Ohio and her addition to our team is representative of our ongoing commitment to the highest quality of student resources."
Rosan is also a member of the Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations, Real Property Committee of the Columbus Bar Association, the Real Property Leadership Institute Planning Committee of the Columbus Bar Association and an affiliate member of the Columbus Realtors, Ohio Association of Realtors and the Ohio Auctioneer Association.
Visit the Hondros College of Business blog to learn more about Rosan and read her discussion on real estate.
About Hondros College of Business
Hondros College of Business, based in Columbus, Ohio, educates individuals who want to improve their lives by entering new careers that offer stability, flexibility, independence and financial rewards. Hondros College of Business, with 10 Ohio campuses and with course offerings in many states nationwide, offers a variety of professional certificates and continuing education programs, as well as an Associate Degree in Business Management. Professional programs include real estate, appraisal, home inspection, mortgage, insurance and securities. For more information, visit http://www.hondros.com.
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SOURCE Hondros College of Business
Related Links
http://www.hondros.com
Zou Zhilei, President of Huawei's Carrier Business, said that the IT industry had gone through one wave of network-centered transformation; a second wave of horizontal application-centered transformation; and was now beginning a third wave, which would last for the next 20-30 years. In this third wave, industry development will be centered on vertical industry ecosystems: The Internet and cloud computing are already upending vertical segments from government services, education, and finance to transport and manufacturing. New technologies and approaches are unleashing new productivity, putting these venerable industries and sectors back at the forefront of innovation.
In the third wave of transformation, telecom carriers will be the catalysts of enormous innovative potential. Long-established industries demand one-stop and local services, cloud-and-network synergy, and impeccable security. Carriers can leverage their unique strengths to help vertical segments integrate their fragmented networks and processes. By restructuring their business processes and network operations, carriers can enable the digital transformation of industries, and earn spillover benefits from their customers' increasing productivity.
The opportunities for success are particularly clear in the areas of cloud services, Internet of Things, and video. Thomas Aschenbrenner, Deutsche Telekom's director of cloud sales & marketing, says, "Cloud is the driver and the transformer for whole industries. Deutsche Telekom and Huawei continue to innovate together, to deliver high quality cloud services to enterprises through our Open Telekom Cloud." Wang Jingzhong, CEO of China Mobile Anyang, says that China Mobile and Huawei have delivered government cloud, enterprise cloud, public service cloud, and IoT cloud, and as a result have created a smart, connected city with streamlined governance, excellent resident services, and a buoyant business environment. John Hoffman, CEO and director of GSMA Ltd., believes that the convergence of cloud, IoT and big data is a new opportunity for connecting to the future which is here today.
"ALL CLOUD" of device, network, operation, service, is a powerful step forward in the digital transformation of carriers. Wu Xiangdong, President of China Telecom Cloud Computing, says, "China Telecom and Huawei have jointly developed the brand-new eCloud 3.0, which integrates cloud and network, and offers secure, customized cloud services. It can support the development of the industrial Internet, and drive industry informatization."
Meanwhile, Huawei adheres to the principle of "Make It Possible" and takes the lead in attempting to develop solution cloud, experience cloud, and knowledge cloud for carriers. This attempt greatly motivates Huawei's organizational potential and makes it offer better services for carriers.
The cloud is already all around us. Huawei is ready to work with industry partners to develop an open, healthy cloud ecosystem. It will support carriers' cloud strategies, speed their cloud transformation, and enable the digitization of the entire telecom industry. Shen Ke, vice president of China Unicom Shanghai, says, "China Unicom and Huawei have built a powerful '2+N' digital business ecosystem framework together, delivering enterprise services online via an e-commerce cloud, and providing one-stop incubator services for partners."
Huawei Connect 2016 was held from August 31-September 2 in Shanghai at the Shanghai Expo Centre, Mercedes-Benz Arena, and Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center (SWEECC). It was attended by over 15,000 industry leaders who discussed how to build a Better Connected World, and how to promote digital transformation in industries. For more information, please go to: http://www.huawei.com/minisite/huaweiconnect2016/en/index.html
About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global ICT solutions provider. As a responsible and robust business player, innovative information society enabler, and cooperative industry contributor, Huawei is committed to building a Better Connected World. Through our dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, we have established end-to-end capabilities and strengths across carrier, enterprise, consumer, and cloud computing domains. Huawei's 170,000 employees worldwide create maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services have been deployed in over 170 countries and regions, serving more than one-third of the world's population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company that is fully owned by its employees. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com.
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SOURCE Huawei
Related Links
http://www.huawei.com/minisite/huaweiconnect2016/en/index.html
DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels (HHOW) and Dallas-area Hyundai dealers will present Children's Medical Center Foundation with a $150,000 Young Investigator Grant to be used to expand the knowledge base of pediatric cancer and improve the standards of care. Children's Medical Center Foundation, in partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, was one of 10 recipients across the country selected from nonprofit Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions after a rigorous grading process.
The $150,000 Young Investigator Grant will be presented during a Handprint Ceremony on September 2, during which the handprints of local Dallas-area brave young cancer patients will be captured on a white 2016 Hyundai Tucson the Hyundai Hope On Wheels hero vehicle to commemorate their fight against the disease. The ceremony will also feature:
Dr. Kenneth Chen , Pediatric Oncologist Children's Medical Center Dallas; Assistant Instructor of Pediatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Tom Hetrick , General Manager, South Central Region, Hyundai Motor America
George Donaldson , General Manager, Van Hyundai
"Our mission at Hyundai Hope On Wheels is clear: End Childhood Cancer," said Dave Zuchowski, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. "These individual awards to hospitals and organizations across the country are pivotal to ending childhood cancer. Although there remains a lot more work to be done, the innovation that comes from this research will ultimately help us find a cure. To all the kids, families and cancer researchers fighting this terrible disease you are not alone, and we remain committed to this important cause."
About the Hyundai Hope On Wheels Young Investigator Grants and Handprint Ceremonies
The Hyundai Young Investigator Awards are awarded to institutions in pediatric cancer research. This is a $150,000 award and qualified individuals are selected from nonprofit COG member institutions after a grading process. This year alone, HHOW will award more than $13 million in new pediatric cancer grants. Since 1998, the program has funded $115 million in research to COG member institutions nationwide. The program also creates awareness about the importance of the disease, which is the leading cause of death by disease in children in the United States (source).
Attendees at the various ceremonies will include HHOW's two national youth ambassadors and pediatric cancer survivors, Hannah Adams and Ryan Darby, who will deliver a message of hope to children's cancer hospitals. Hannah, now 13 years old, was only five years old when she was diagnosed with a Stage 3 Wilms tumor that enveloped her kidney. Since her recovery, she has pursued her love of dancing and singing to help uplift and encourage other children and families through their fight. Thirteen-year-old Ryan was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia six years ago, and since his recovery, he has shared his story and words of encouragement with children and families across the country. Watch Hannah and Ryan's story at www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org
2016 National Call To Action: Give Hope A Hand
In addition to funding a multitude of research projects this September, HHOW is encouraging the public to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer in a personal way. The journey begins with one simple request: Give Hope A Hand. We invite visitors to the newly refreshed website at hyundaihopeonwheels.org, to tell how they will use their hands in the fight against pediatric cancer. Once there visitors can Learn + Care + Do + Give = Hope. There are a number of additional engaging, interactive ways the public can get involved and use their hands for good.
HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS
Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 830 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $115 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.
To learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org or follow us on social media at www.facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, www.twitter.com/hopeonwheels, and www.youtube.com/hopeonwheels.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide.
Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com
Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook
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SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels
Related Links
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FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 18th year of joining the fight against childhood cancer, Hyundai Motor America and its nonprofit organization, Hyundai Hope On Wheels announced that it will award $7.5 million in new pediatric cancer research grants to 34 hospitals across the U.S. during September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Hope On Wheels' September campaign will honor the brave children and families fighting the disease. Since 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded over $115 million in funding to childhood cancer research. Each year, some 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, making the disease the leading cause of death by disease for children in the U.S.
"Children are precious and deserve every opportunity to achieve their full potential. For far too many, they are forced to fight pediatric cancer at a time when they just want to grow, play and learn," said Dave Zuchowski, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. "I am proud to lead a company and its dealers, who are so committed to the cause of ending childhood cancer. Through research, today 80% of kids with cancer can be cured. Our goal is to keep fighting until no child ever again hears the words, 'you have cancer'."
2016 National Call to Action: Give Hope a Hand
The theme for the 4th consecutive year is "Every Handprint Tells a Story." This theme reflects that there are many hands involved in the battle against pediatric cancer patients, researchers, doctors, parents, friends, communities and each of these handprints tell a story. HHOW is encouraging the public to get involved with the fight in a highly personal way by visiting our website or joining us on Facebook to share stories of hope. The new campaign, 'Give Hope a Hand', allows supporters to Learn, Share, Do, and Give, as a way to add their hands to help fight against childhood cancer with HHOW. Whether it's sharing a video of a brave child's journey with the disease, or posting a virtual handwritten letter of hope to a child battling with the disease, or donating to lifesaving research, 'Give Hope a Hand' serves as a platform to build a strong community of supporters for the cause. We are all in this together, and with many hands, we are stronger.
2016 Hope On Wheels National September Tour
During the month of September National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, HHOW is traveling throughout the nation to present pediatric cancer research grants to children's hospitals, as well as to celebrate brave children with cancer. We will conduct grant ceremonies at winning institutions for 34 separate doctor-researchers. The grants are $250,000 (Hyundai Hope Scholar Grant) or $150,000 (Hyundai Young Investigator Grant), for a combined $7.5 million in the month of September alone. This is in addition to more than $5 million in pediatric cancer research grants awarded by HHOW earlier this year. The highly-competitive grant programs are open to all Children's Oncology Group member institutions engaged in pediatric cancer research in the U.S. Grant winners are selected by a scientific review panel.
Hyundai Hope On Wheels Visits Washington D.C.
The HHOW September campaign also includes "DC Days," a series of events in Washington, D.C. to honor the children, families and medical researchers on the front lines battling pediatric cancer. Many of the country's leading pediatric oncologists, policy makers, members of Congress, Hyundai executives, Hope On Wheels board members and childhood cancer survivors will also participate in a series of events. The events include a Thought Leaders' Summit; Celebration of Life Gala; and National Press Conference. Local DC area pediatric cancer survivors, including Hope On Wheels National Youth Ambassadors, 13-year-old Ryan Darby from Maryland and 13-year-old Hannah Adams from Florida, will address participants and share their moving stories about their first hand experiences with cancer.
Thought Leaders' Summit, Washington, DC
At the forefront of the fight against the disease are the doctors and researchers who work tirelessly to discover new cures and treatments for childhood cancer. The third annual Hope On Wheels Thought Leaders' Summit will be held on Thursday, September 22nd. This symposium provides an arena for the country's top pediatric oncologists and this year's HHOW Grant recipients, to explore and discuss the progress made in childhood cancer research and exchange ideas and new thinking.
Hyundai Owners Join the Fight against Pediatric Cancer with every Vehicle Purchased
Hyundai owners are an important part of the fight against pediatric cancer. With the purchase of every new Hyundai, a donation is made to pediatric cancer research.
Scott Stark, dealer-owner, South Pointe Hyundai, Austin, TX and Chairman Hyundai Hope On Wheels said, "On behalf of all Hyundai dealers, we are committed to giving back to our communities. We are extremely proud of the work we do in the fight against pediatric cancer. We do this work every day and with every vehicle sold. Our customers are pleased to know that the purchase of their own transportation needs extends to help a child who is fighting cancer. We are committed to this fight, and will work for as long as it takes to find a cure for pediatric cancer."
To learn more about Hyundai Hope On Wheels, please visit www.HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org or follow us on social media at www.facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, www.twitter.com/hopeonwheels, and www.youtube.com/hopeonwheels.
ABOUT HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS
Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 830 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $115 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide.
Hyundai Scholar Grant
Institution City State Amount 1 The University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham AL $ 250,000 2 Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation Aurora CO $ 250,000 3 Georgetown University Washington DC $ 250,000 4 Georgia Regent Research Institute, Inc. Augusta GA $ 250,000 5 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. Atlanta GA $ 250,000 6 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA $ 250,000 7 Massachusetts General Hospital Boston MA $ 250,000 8 University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester MA $ 250,000 9 The Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI $ 250,000 10 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC $ 250,000 11 Duke University Medical Center Durham NC $ 250,000 12 New York University School of Medicine New York NY $ 250,000 13 Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research New York NY $ 250,000 14 The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus OH $ 250,000 15 The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Hershey PA $ 250,000 16 The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia PA $ 250,000 17 Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation Pittsburg PA $ 250,000 18 Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville TN $ 250,000 19 Texas Children's Hospital Houston TX $ 250,000 20 Univ of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio San Antonio TX $ 250,000 21 University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston TX $ 250,000 22 Intermountain Healthcare Foundation Salt Lake UT $ 250,000 23 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle WA $ 250,000 24 University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison WI $ 250,000
Hyundai Young Investigator Grant
Institution City State Amount 1 Children's Hospital, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA $ 150,000 2 Rady Children's Hospital Foundation - San Diego San Diego CA $ 150,000 3 Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation Aurora CO $ 150,000 4 St. Louis Children's Hospital Foundation St. Louis MO $ 150,000 5 Duke University Medical Center Durham NC $ 150,000 6 New York University School of Medicine New York NY $ 150,000 7 Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation Portland OR $ 150,000 8 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN $ 150,000 9 Texas Children's Hospital Houston TX $ 150,000 10 Children's Health- Children's Medical Center Dallas TX $ 150,000
Hyundai Impact Award
Institution City State Amount 1 Arkansas Children's Hospital Little Rock AR $ 50,000 2 Phoenix Children's Hospital Phoenix AZ $ 50,000 3 CHOC Children's Orange CA $ 50,000 4 Yale University New Haven CT $ 50,000 5 Connecticut Children's Medical Center Hartford CT $ 50,000 6 Saint Joseph Children's Hospital of Tampa Tampa FL $ 50,000 7 Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Orlando FL $ 50,000 8 Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Hollywood FL $ 50,000 9 Kapi'olani Medical Center (awarded at Maui 5k) Honolulu HI $ 50,000 10 St. Luke's Mountain State Tumor Institute Boise ID $ 50,000 11 Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Chicago IL $ 50,000 12 Advocate Children's Hospital Oak Lawn IL $ 50,000 13 Children's Hospital New Orleans New Orleans LA $ 50,000 14 Johns Hopkins Baltimore MD $ 50,000 15 Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota-Minneapolis Minneapolis MN $ 50,000 16 Roswell Park Cancer Institute Buffalo NY $ 50,000 17 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York NY $ 50,000 18 Cleveland Clinic Foundation Cleveland OH $ 50,000 19 The Vannie E. Cook Jr. Children's Cancer McAllen TX $ 50,000 20 Dell Children's Hospital Austin TX $ 50,000 21 Inova Fairfax Alexandria VA $ 50,000
Hyundai Quantum Award
Institution City State Amount 1 Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia PA $ 1,000,000 2 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle WA $ 1,000,000 3 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston MA $ 1,000,000 4 University of Florida Gainesville FL $ 1,000,000
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SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels
Related Links
http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org
ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovolt, Inc., the technology leader in comprehensive power protection and analytics, is pleased to announce the appointments of Phil Boatman as President and Ed McLaughlin as Vice-Chairman of the Company.
At Innovolt, Boatman and McLaughlin will apply their extensive sales and leadership experience and industry knowledge to build on Innovolt's proven technology, data and customer service leadership, both within the Office Equipment industry as well as the company's emerging industry applications.
Boatman is an office equipment industry veteran with more than two decades of executive operational and sales experience. Prior to joining Innovolt, he worked at Lexmark International for over twelve years in various sales and marketing leadership positions, most recently leading the programs that established Lexmark as a well-respected player with manufacturers as well as dealers. Prior to Lexmark, Boatman excelled in various sales managerial positions at Xerox. As President at Innovolt, Phil will bring that experience to strengthen the Company's efforts to serve office equipment manufacturers and dealers, as well as customers in emerging industry applications such as financial services and self-service.
"I've been in the imaging and office equipment industry for over 20 years and am thrilled about joining Innovolt an innovative, nimble market leader in the power protection space," Boatman said. "Knowing how intensely competitive this market is, Innovolt's solutions provide a critical component to any OEM or dealer looking to increase customer uptime and satisfaction. I look forward to bringing these benefits to a broader audience within the industry. I also know that the imaging and office equipment industry is not alone in seeking sources of proven benefit to customers. I am excited at the opportunity to serve customers in new applications as well."
McLaughlin, previously President at Sharp Imaging and Information Company, a $1B operating company of Sharp Electronics Corporation and Chairman of the Sharp Electronics Corporation Audit Committee, has held multiple executive positions outside of Sharp, including leadership positions at Ricoh and Canon. He has previously worked with Innovolt as a strategic advisor.
"In my years in the industry, I've always held a skeptical view of the power protection that was in the market. Having thoroughly studied Innovolt's technology and seeing the impressive results it's delivered to customers, I am convinced that Innovolt's technology is superior to that of any in the market. I look forward to helping Jun Ho and team further distinguish Innovolt and bring the substantial benefits of its technology to more players in the industry," McLaughlin said.
"I'm delighted to welcome Phil and Ed to the Innovolt team," said Innovolt CEO, Jun Ho Son. "Our company has experienced significant success with our new power protection and data platforms. I have a tremendous amount of respect for both Ed and Phil's accomplishments, abilities, insightfulness and integrity, all qualities that will help Innovolt in its next wave of growth. We are excited about the addition of two such high caliber leaders to our team."
(Innovolt and the executive team will be at the next BTA tradeshow in Boston, MA where its new solutions and software suite will be available for demonstration.)
About Innovolt, Inc.
Innovolt's power protection solutions combine patented sensor technology with comprehensive monitoring and analytics software to help companies safeguard and optimize the performance, productivity and usable life of the electronics that power today's digital world. As the first company to provide complete power protection and asset management software, we solve a host of unique problems that most businesses and consumers are not aware of but are paying for through shortened electronics lifespan and decreased product reliability. Our power protection technologies and analytics capabilities help businesses increase the uptime and lower the service costs of their electronic equipment while increasing overall customer satisfaction.
Our proven solutions offer incremental protection far beyond power supplies. We help customers of every size guard expensive and sensitive technology, while giving businesses the tools they need to predict, measure and maximize the performance of assets across the distributed enterprise. These tools drive meaningful service call reductions that allow businesses to compete and grow without increased fixed costs. Our fleet-wide monitoring and analytics capabilities provide service managers and technicians with information to help more quickly resolve issues that happen out in the field. From our microprocessor technology to our cloud-based management software, we offer the complete solution for sophisticated electronics management.
For more information about Innovolt's solutions, please call 404-467-6368, visit our website at www.innovolt.com or email us at [email protected].
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SOURCE Innovolt, Inc.
Related Links
http://www.innovolt.com
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The controversy over the recent increase of Mylan's EpiPen belies a larger trend in pharmaceuticals that the industry doesn't grow as fast as it had in past decades and most products are decreasing in price, according to Kalorama Information. Mylan has attracted criticism for a large price increase on its EpiPen product, coinciding with the start of the school year. However, Kalorama said that the overall price market has not only not grown, but it has declined 1 percent to $645 billion to $639 between 2011 and 2015. The firm does expect better growth rates over the next ten years as new biologicals are introduced. The firm made its finding in its report The Top 25 Pharmaceutical Companies Pipeline Analysis and Sales Projections to 2025.
"In general the Top 25 have declined in sales with few exceptions," said Melissa Elder, analyst for Kalorama Information. "Pricing is a major contributor to the declines as is the development of generics. It is becoming increasingly competitive in the space and few companies are keeping up with innovation to offset eroding sales from current products."
Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, and Astra are among the top 10 companies which are showing declines over the last 5 year spread. - Roche, Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie, Amgen, Bayer, Novo Nordisk and Allergan are among those doing better, according to Kalorama's report.
Mylan acquired EpiPen from Merck KgAA, a German firm not connected to Merck. When they did, a pack of two EpiPens listed at $124. By the end of 2012, that price had risen to $241. After a Sanofi competitor withdrew from the market, the price was increased and now nears $600. This, timed with the beginning of the school season, has the drug maker answering tough questions from the media, consumer groups and Congress.
Since 2011, Mylan has averaged 11.3% growth, according to Kalorama Information. Mylan's specialty sales have shown growth, increasing from $585 million in 2011 to $1.2 billion for 2015, an increase of nearly 20%. This compared to the 10.1% increase in the generic segment, $5.5 billion in 2011 to $8.2 billion in 2015.
"In general this kind of large price increase is not common in pharmaceuticals, but there are a few exceptions," said Elder. "Mylan being one with its EpiPen and products in the areas of HIV and Cancer have been scrutinized for price increases. Mylan has reported sales from its EpiPen at a fraction of the retail revenues so there are some other forced at play here."
Kalorama's report, which details the R&D activities of the Top 25 pharmaceutical companies and where those projects will drive the future world market, is available at: http://www.kaloramainformation.com/Pharmaceutical-Company-Pipeline-10210499/.
Please link any media or news references to our reports or data to http://www.kaloramainformation.com/.
About Kalorama Information
Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent medical market research in diagnostics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare; as well as a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased through Kalorama's website and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.
We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our blog at www.kaloramainformation.com.
Contact:
Bruce Carlson
(212) 807-2622
[email protected]
www.KaloramaInformation.com
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SOURCE Kalorama Information
CHESEAUX, Switzerland and PHOENIX, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kudelski Security, a trusted advisor and cybersecurity innovator for the world's most security-conscious organizations, today announced that it has expanded its Global Advisory Services with the addition of two experienced cybersecurity executives. John Hellickson will lead the company's Strategy and Governance practice and oversee consulting services focused on helping chief executives (CxOs) develop and manage long-term cybersecurity programs. He was formerly the global chief information security officer (CISO) at First Data, the world's largest third-party processor of credit and debit card transactions. Darrell Switzer will lead Kudelski Security's Incident Response and Cyber Resilience practice.
"John possesses a rare combination of technical and executive management expertise honed in one of the most stringent, regulated and risk-averse environments in the world," said Rich Fennessy, chief executive officer of Kudelski Security. "There are few people as qualified as John and we're thrilled to have him on board. He brings the strategic vision, business acumen and real-world experience today's organizations need to effectively improve their cybersecurity posture, reduce risk and combat threats."
Hellickson has more than 25 years of IT experience, the last two decades focused on security and risk management. He's served as an executive security consultant and trusted partner, providing companies with risk management strategies aligning technology, people and processes with business objectives. At First Data, he rose from security engineer to CISO, leading a global team to create a business-driven, risk-balanced strategy and cybersecurity program. Hellickson served seven years in the U.S. Air Force, his last assignment protecting systems supporting the country's nuclear war plan. He is a certified information systems security professional (CISSP) and board member of the non-profits Security Advisor Alliance and Veteran's Passport to Hope.
"Security has become a primary factor in maintaining a profitable and reputable business, so it's incumbent on leaders to build programs that can enable this growth and support critical business processes," said Hellickson. "Not only does this ensure the confidentiality and integrity of information assets, it empowers chief security officers to accurately represent their programs to executive leadership. I look forward to being a part of this process and helping clients develop, measure and prioritize their programs within a governance structure that can effectively meet the demands of their business."
Hellickson joins Kudelski Security at a time of rapid global growth, following the expansion of its U.S. presence earlier this summer. Building off its reputation in Europe as trusted advisors and innovators with proven R&D capabilities and high-quality engineering expertise, the company has established a strong foothold in the U.S. market with a growing Fortune 500 client base, unique capabilities and a plan to change how clients work with providers to design, deploy and manage cybersecurity.
Kudelski Security provides world-class advisory services delivered through four core areas: Strategy and Governance; Threat, Vulnerability and Risk Management; Incident Response and Cyber Resilience; and Strategic Cyber Staffing. Its advisors collaborate with clients to build and articulate a clear security vision, providing a measurable plan and blueprint for achieving priorities.
In addition to Hellickson, Kudelski Security has appointed security veteran Darrell Switzer to lead its global Incident Response and Cyber Resilience practice. Switzer has more than 17 years of hands-on incident response experience, including Fortune 500 client initiatives that aligned security strategies to business priorities. Previously, he held senior posts with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Citibank and FishNet Security. A frequent lecturer, Switzer has delivered presentations at such high-profile events as Black Hat, SecureWorld, The US Law Foundation and Cybersecurity for Community Banks Conference. He is currently an active member of Infragard and the Electronic Crimes Task Force.
"Darrell's specialization in incident response and proven experience building proactive cybersecurity programs will be a huge asset to our clients as they look to effectively identify, contain and mitigate threats," said Mark Carney, vice president of Global Advisory Services at Kudelski Security. "Darrell and John are tremendous additions to our advisory services leadership team. They will undoubtedly support our continued rapid growth and efforts in building a team of renowned industry experts and experienced advisors who can help corporate security leaders become better equipped to protect their organizations."
About Kudelski Security
Kudelski Security is the premier advisor and cybersecurity innovator for today's most security-conscious organizations. Our long-term approach to client partnerships enables us to continuously evaluate their security posture to recommend solutions that reduce business risk, maintain compliance and increase overall security effectiveness. With clients that include Fortune 500 enterprises and government organizations in Europe and across the United States, we address the most complex environments through an unparalleled set of solution capabilities including advisory, technology, managed security services and custom innovation. For more information, visit www.kudelskisecurity.com.
Kudelski Security Contact: John Van Blaricum Vice President, Global Marketing Kudelski Security (650) 966-4320 [email protected]
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SOURCE Kudelski Security
Related Links
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DENVER, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Like the cannabis holiday on April 20th (4-20) and the Fourth of July, Labor Day marks one of the highest grossing sales days in the cannabis industry. Once again, MJ Freeway takes a look at holiday trends in the cannabis market and gives some advice for what retailers can do to prepare for higher foot traffic in the coming weekend.
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MJ Freeway's retail data set, which accounts for 40% of the legal cannabis market and includes nearly $5 billion in retail sales transactions, helps businesses across the industry understand everything from sales cycles to inventory management and more.
MJ Freeway, which created the first seed-to-sale tracking software in the cannabis industry, continues to lead the industry in tracking capabilities and software solutions for clients in the US and abroad.
"Cannabis is a young industry and it's important to track trends early and often, which is why we've made it a priority to provide businesses with a full picture of high-volume sales days," said Amy Poinsett, CEO of MJ Freeway. "The more we understand about the industry as a whole, the better we are able to provide our clients with solutions that they need for smooth and efficient business practices."
Labor Day by the Numbers
In 2015, total cannabis retail sales exceeded $32M on Labor Day weekend ( Sept 3-6, 2015 ), which represents a 43% daily increase from an average sales day. This also represents average daily retail sales growth of 23% in 2015 over average daily sales for Labor Day weekend 2014 ( Sept 4-7, 2015 ).
on weekend ( ), which represents a 43% daily increase from an average sales day. This also represents average daily retail sales growth of 23% in 2015 over average daily sales for weekend 2014 ( ). In 2016, we expect Labor Day weekend retail sales ( Sept 1-4 ) to reach $41M
weekend retail sales ( ) to reach Sales spikes begin the Thursday before Labor Day with Friday being the highest grossing sales day.
with Friday being the highest grossing sales day. In 2015, individual cannabis licensed retail locations* dispensaries and delivery services sold on average $5,694 in retail sales on September 3 , $7,266 on September 4 , $5,985 on September 5 , and $5,100 on September 6 in 2015, the four days of Labor Day weekend.
*Note: One physical cannabis retail location may operate with two individual licenses medical and recreational.
in retail sales on , on , on , and on in 2015, the four days of weekend. One physical cannabis retail location may operate with two individual licenses medical and recreational. Same-store cannabis retail customer traffic increased by slightly more than 11% on Labor Day weekend 2015 compared to Labor Day weekend 2014. This year it's expected to rise even more.
weekend 2015 compared to weekend 2014. This year it's expected to rise even more. Customer traffic increased on average by 20% during Sept 3-6, 2015 as compared to a non-holiday sales day.
as compared to a non-holiday sales day. Individual customers spent on average $69.14 per trip Labor Day weekend 2015, a rise of 3% compared to customers visiting retail locations on an average day.
MJ Freeway Consulting Services
For more information on state-specific retail sales data or for help spotting trends and opportunities using cannabis sales data, please contact MJ Freeway Consulting Services at [email protected] or 888-932-6537 ext 2. Please join our upcoming webinar on Sept 15 on the evolving Oregon cannabis market. Register here.
About MJ Freeway: MJ Freeway is the industry-leading software and consulting solution for cannabis businesses, processing $5B in cannabis sales transactions and serving 23 state and the District of Columbia, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Founded in 2010 by a team of career software and IT professionals, the product suite is designed and built from the ground-up specifically for cannabis businesses. MJ Freeway's tracking software includes patent-pending inventory control and grow management applications to streamline workflow and increase efficiency. MJ Freeway's Leaf Data systems software solution enables governments to track cannabis plants from seed-to-sale and ensure patient, public and product safety. MJ Freeway also offers SuccessMap, a complete suite of professional services for cannabis businesses. For more information, call 888-932-6537,visit mjfreeway.com or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Jeannette Ward
888.932.6537 x754
Email
SOURCE MJ Freeway
Related Links
http://www.mjfreeway.com
HOUSTON, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- LENSEC, the manufacturer of Perspective VMS, has recently named Jeff Kellick to the newly created position of Chief Product Officer. He is responsible for oversight of LENSEC's products, software utilities, and development operations.
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LENSEC :: The Power of Perspective
LENSEC recently announced plans to build their brand and portfolio into a strong global presence in the physical security industry. Assigning Kellick as the CPO is a key part of the overall plan. Under Kellick's leadership, LENSEC continues to develop their flagship product, Perspective VMS.
LENSEC Chief Executive Officer Marianna Leybovich says Kellick brings extensive product knowledge and experience in the physical security market to LENSEC. Leybovich adds, "Jeff has been instrumental, not only in product development and delivery but also as a valuable member of LENSEC leadership in the company's continued growth and transformation. I am confident in Jeff's abilities as our CPO. I'm counting on him to drive product excellence, customer satisfaction, and LENSEC's success."
Kellick has been with LENSEC since 2009 holding roles in sales and product management. With over 16 years of security industry experience, Kellick continues to focus on the specific needs of the customer. He adheres to a development strategy using agile principles and a Scrum framework incorporating validated feedback from customers and users.
Kellick studied political science at Johns Hopkins University as well as computer science and secondary education at Shippensburg University. He is a Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM), a member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), and the Security Industry Association (SIA).
LENSEC recently announced their acquisition by JValley Software Solutions. The leadership is implementing plans to grow product awareness and the global reach of Perspective VMS. Kellick is instrumental in developing a strong video management software that advances the capabilities of security technology.
Kellick says, "Management of security-related data is critical to today's infrastructure. Having a videocentric platform that scales to the customers' needs is essential. This applies to extreme situations involving life safety as well as day-to-day routine operations. At LENSEC, we strive to always learn from customers' requests. This allows us to iteratively develop an agile, easy-to-adopt platform. We aim to help users efficiently perform necessary tasks with relevant information for employing critical actions and decisions."
Perspective VMS is a powerful video management software that supports multi-site monitoring of live or recorded physical security video. PVMS is currently deployed in notable physical security projects in the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and India.
LENSEC will be attending the ASIS International 2016 Exhibit in Orlando, Florida in September. Kellick and the LENSEC team will be demonstrating the Perspective VMS for security integrators and customers. Team members will be available at Booth #3051 to answer questions about PVMS or the company's plans for growth.
Contact: Keith Harris, Marketing Manager, (713) 395-0800, Email, www.lensec.com
SOURCE LENSEC
Related Links
http://www.lensec.com
PUNE, India, September 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The report "Liquid Fertilizers Market by Type (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potash, Micronutrients), Mode of Application (Soil, Foliar & Fertigation), Form (Organic & Synthetic), Crop Type, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021", The market is projected to reach a value of USD 13.48 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.1% from 2016.
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Browse 119 market data Tables and 59 Figures spread through 150 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Liquid Fertilizers Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/liquid-fertilizer-market-225530281.html
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.
The market is driven by factors such as growing demand for high efficiency fertilizers, convenience of use and application, adoption of precision farming and protected agriculture, and increasing environmental concerns. The high growth potential in emerging markets and untapped regions provides new growth opportunities to the market players.
Micronutrients segment to be the fastest growing on the basis of type between 2016 and 2021
The micronutrients segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2021. It drives the many metabolic reactions in all crops and maintains growth. Furthermore, increasing soil deficiency, growing demand for biofuels, and increasing demand for high quality yield are factors driving the market for micronutrients in liqid fertilizers around the globe.
Fruits & vegetables segment depicts high potential for the Liquid Fertilizers Market
The fruits & vegetables segment is the highest growing among all crop types of the Liquid Fertilizers Market. The production of fruits & vegetables is becoming more intensive and vertically integrated due to continuous technological advancements and growing demand. The global demand for fruits & vegetables is expected to increase in the future, especially in developing regions such as Asia and Latin America due to growing health concerns and increasing disposable income.
Significant growth for liquid fertilizers is observed in the Asia-Pacific region
Asia-Pacific has a high growth potential for liquid fertilizers as this region has many emerging countries such as China and India. Moreover, factors such as high demand for nutritive food and sustainable crop yields, increasing investment in the agriculture sector, and the management of crop production costs are driving the growth of the Liquid Fertilizers Market in this region.
Make an Inquiry: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=225530281
This report includes a study of the marketing and development strategies, along with the product portfolio of the leading companies. It includes the profiles of leading companies, such as K+S AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (Germany), Yara International ASA (Norway), Agrium Inc. (Canada), Israel Chemicals Ltd (Israel), and Sociedad Quimica Y Minera SA (SQM) (Chile).
Browse related reports:
Agrochemicals Market by Type (Fertilizers & Pesticides), Fertilizer Type (Nitrogenous, Potassic, & Phosphatic), Pesticide Type (Organophosphates, Pyrethroids, Neonicotinoids, and Bio-Pesticides), Sub-types & Crop Type - Global Trends & Forecast to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/global-agro-chemicals-market-report-132.html
Specialty Fertilizers Market by Type (Monoammonium Phosphate, Monopotassiun phosphate, Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Sulfate, Urea, UAN, and Others), Crop Type, & by Region - Global Trends & Forecast to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/specialty-fertilizer-market-57479139.html
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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Logicalis US, an international IT solutions and managed services provider (www.us.logicalis.com), announced this morning that Logicalis Financial Services, an international ICT financial solutions and services business, has appointed Paul Christensen as its North American Director. Based in Tarrytown, New York, Christensen will report directly to Christian Roelofs, Managing Director, Logicalis Financial Services, in London.
In this position, Christensen will be responsible for leading Logicalis Financial Services' business strategy and operations as well as driving growth of its financial solutions and products portfolio to Logicalis' North American customers.
"Paul brings a great deal of experience and creativity to the North American operations," says Roelofs. "Expanding both the team and the product offering in a rapidly changing marketplace, he will also support the broader Logicalis Financial Services expansion strategy."
With the addition of a North American director, Logicalis Financial Services can now provide financial solutions to North American customers as part of an integrated offering from the beginning of the engagement.
"We are now in a unique position as a finance company within the North American ICT channel," Christensen says. "Investment decisions are no longer about lease vs. buy, and Logicalis Financial Services can provide creative and innovative financial solutions tailored to today's 'everything-as-a-service' business model."
With over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, Christensen recently worked for CIT as Chief Sales Officer of Avaya Financial Services and Regional Finance Manager of EMC Global Financial Services.
"The expansion of the team signals a strong commitment to the international financial services business. We now have a foundation across core geographies to accelerate our strategic objective of providing Logicalis customers with financial solutions that enable a genuine competitive advantage," says Roelofs.
Logicalis Financial Services has also recently invested in a Director for its Australian operation, Mark Hegarty, as well as Paul Tweehuysen, Commercial Director based in the UK.
Want to Learn More?
For more information, visit the financial services page on the Logicalis US website: http://ow.ly/nZHk303p7KX.
About Logicalis
Logicalis is an international multi-skilled solution provider providing digital enablement services to help customers harness digital technology and innovative services to deliver powerful business outcomes.
Our customers cross industries and geographical regions; our focus is to engage in the dynamics of our customers' vertical markets including financial services, TMT (telecommunications, media and technology), education, healthcare, retail, government, manufacturing and professional services, and to apply the skills of our 4,000 employees in modernizing key digital pillars, data center and cloud services, security and network infrastructure, workspace communications and collaboration, data and information strategies, and IT operation modernization.
We are the advocates for our customers for some of the world's leading technology companies including Cisco, HPE, IBM, NetApp, Microsoft, VMware and ServiceNow.
The Logicalis Group has annualized revenues of over $1.5 billion from operations in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia Pacific. It is a division of Datatec Limited, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the AIM market of the LSE, with revenues of over $6.5 billion.
For more information, visit www.us.logicalis.com.
Business and technology working as one
To learn more about Logicalis activities through a variety of social media outlets, click here.
Media contacts:
Nickie Peters, Director of Marketing, Logicalis US
[email protected]
920-338-7622
www.us.logicalis.com
Karen Franse, Communication Strategy Group for Logicalis US
[email protected]
866-997-2424
www.gocsg.com
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SOURCE Logicalis US
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NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering its commitment to product innovation, an expanding executive team and surging sales, Mack Weldon, the men's premium basics brand, has tapped Matthew Congdon to serve as its Creative Director. The role, which was created for Congdon, is effective immediately.
Congdon is an industry expert with more than 19 years experience designing multiple categories of menswear for multinational brands, including his most recent role as the Vice President of Men's Design at Calvin Klein Underwear. There he lead global design and product development for the $1 billion business and oversaw the recent launches of the Air Fx and Intense Power collections.
Congdon also served as the Design Director of Men's Knits at Uniqlo from 2006 to 2012 where he helped launch two major collections for the brand, AIRism and Heattech. Earlier in his career, he held design positions at Perry Ellis, J. Crew, Nautica and Club Monaco.
"Matthew joins Mack Weldon with tested experience innovating leading brands and creating value through design. We admire his experience in the category of course but, as important, is his keen understanding of technical design and performance fabrictwo core elements of the Mack Weldon brand," said Michael Isaacman, co-founder and Head of Product for Mack Weldon.
"Over the last four years, we've proven our model of technically-enhanced products that bring comfort, style and function to men's essentials," added Brian Berger, founder and CEO of Mack Weldon. "Matthew joins Mack Weldon to extend that mission to related categories and double down on innovation in our core businesses."
In his role, Congdon will oversee the design team and Mack Weldon's product offering, upgrading and expanding the core underwear, sock and T-shirt lines. He will also play a key role as the brand considers new categories that fit its product strategy, amplifying the recent moves in sweats and key sportswear and technical items, like the Vesper Polo, the anti-microbial 1285 Performance Dress Sock, Merino Wool series and the swim-friendly Amphibious Underwear.
His appointment comes as Mack Weldon surges in sales. The brand recently celebrated its millionth unit shipped and is on track to double revenue this year.
"Mack Weldon is an ideal home for me: a product-focused men's brand that values design and technical innovation around a set of core items over chasing fashion trends. I've been a fan for some time and am thrilled to build upon the great work they've done delivering function, comfort and quality to guys," said Congdon.
"Another thing Mack Weldon does so well is speak to and understand its consumer," added Congdon. "As a designer, being able to test items and get immediate feedback is a huge draw for me. Mack Weldon is one of the most digitally savvy, direct-to-consumer brands and I am looking forward to helping support their growth."
Congdon is a New York City resident and is an alumni Parsons School of Design.
About Mack Weldon
Mack Weldon (mackweldon.com) was founded in 2012 by Brian Berger and Michael Isaacman with a mission to reinvent men's basics. The company manufactures, designs and distributes underwear, socks, t-shirts and a limited range of wardrobe essentials engineered to promote comfort, mobility and performance. Its simple and elegant e-commerce site features an easy shopping experience and volume based pricing. The company has been featured in the New York Times, WWD, GQ, People Magazine, Men's Health, and many others. Mack Weldon is based in New York City.
For further information, please contact:
Brenner Thomas
The Lead PR
212.584.5668
[email protected]
SOURCE Mack Weldon
Related Links
https://www.mackweldon.com
OAKLAND, Calif., GENEVA and PARIS, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- McKay Brothers, a market leader in low latency networks, today announces an agreement with IMC, the technology-driven trading firm, that will support the continued growth of McKay's successful network business.
Under the terms of the agreement IMC will take a minority stake in McKay, providing capital for the further improvement of McKay's networks serving the latency sensitive trading community. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Key elements are:
IMC makes a capital investment and acquires an equity stake
McKay maintains its independence under co-founders Stephane Tyc and Bob Meade
McKay commits further investment to reduce latency to the physical limit in its key long haul routes
McKay continues to operate under its core business principles which include offering a level playing field and equal access to the lowest latency service for subscribers
Stephane Tyc, McKay co-founder, said, "This agreement not only further strengthens our financial position, which will keep us ahead in terms of network speed and reach, and data coverage and quality, but, as importantly, maintains our autonomy. That's great news for all of the trading firms that use our networks and for the industry as a whole."
Bob Meade, McKay co-founder, added, "Our ability to attract financial backing from a firm with the industry standing and vision of IMC underscores our value to market participants. The agreement will facilitate further innovation and improvements to our networks."
Arno de Quaasteniet, Global Head of Technology at IMC, said, "IMC supports McKay as it continues to innovate to remain at the forefront of the industry. As a strong, independent supplier, McKay plays a crucial role in ensuring equal and fair market access to liquidity providers. These are principles IMC shares."
ABOUT McKay
McKay through McKay Brothers, LLC, Quincy Data, LLC and other controlled affiliates designs, builds and operates telecom networks and market data services for latency sensitive traders and risk managers of banks, funds and trading firms. Since upending the market for low latency connectivity between Chicago and NY in 2012, McKay has provided fair and equal access to its lowest latency services in the US, Europe and Asia. It has main offices in Oakland, CA and Paris, France. See www.mckay-brothers.com.
ABOUT IMC
IMC is technology-driven trading firm, active on over 100 trading venues around the world. Founded in Amsterdam in 1989, IMC was among the first to value the importance of technology and innovation in the evolution of market making. See www.imc.nl
SOURCE McKay Brothers
Related Links
http://www.mckay-brothers.com
TUSTIN, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As Labor Day approaches, MEGAComfort Inc. wants to honor those that represent the essence of this wonderful holiday. Labor Day was created as a tribute to American workers that demonstrate honorable qualities, such as strength, determination and perseverance.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403451
MEGAComfort Inc. is a company that specializes in ergonomically designed personal anti-fatigue insoles, orthotics and workplace protection products. It is built on the foundation of personal service and a commitment to its employees and customers.
On September 4th MEGAComfort will launch a Labor Day sweepstakes. To enter the sweepstakes, share a story about an individual in your workplace that represent the core values of Labor Day.
Participants can enter the sweepstakes by going on Facebook and commenting on the sweepstakes post. One lucky winner will receive 10 MEGAComfort Insoles to share with family and friends AND $500 gift certificate to a National Sporting Goods Retailer. The sweepstakes will run from September 4th-12th.
More information about MEGAComfort's Labor Day Sweepstakes can be found at http://megacomfort.com/labor-day-sweepstakes-tell-us-about-the-hardest-worker-you-know/ or http://megacomfort.com/winmega/ .
About MEGAComfort Inc.:
MEGAComfort Inc. is a cutting edge company which offers a complete range of patented ergonomic, dual foam, anti-fatigue insoles and orthotics. MEGAComfort Products have been clinically proven to reduce muscle fatigue and pain, while simultaneously increasing worker comfort. For over a decade, MEGAComfort has advocated for cost effective Personal Anti-Fatigue Mat Insoles to replace costly standard floor matting. Our unique insoles are designed by Podiatrist and MEGAComfort founder, Dr. Kevan Orvitz. Visit us online at: www.megacomfort.com
To learn more about MEGAComfort, please contact
Leslie Molin, VP Marketing
Direct: 416.840.6640 ext. 316 | Toll-Free: 877.634.2266 Ext. 316
Email
SOURCE MEGAComfort Inc
Related Links
http://megacomfort.com
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO, an international fast fashion designer brand, signed a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation agreementwith its American partneron August 3, 2016. A representative from the U.S. Mr. Matthew Liang, MINISO global co-founder Mr. Ye Guofu and MINISO Asia Pacific vice President Mr. Li Minxin attended the signing ceremony.
As the most rapidly expanding real retail brand in the world recently, MINISO has opened 1,400 stores around the globe within three years. Its global revenue hit RMB5 billion (USD750 million) in 2015 and is expected to grow to RMB10 billion.
Since its foundation, MINISO has been popular among consumers due to its comfortable shopping environment, good, affordable products and special business model of global design, international marketing and being made in China.
After focusing on markets in Japan and China, MINISO has successively signed strategic cooperation agreements with 36 other counties and regions, among which the United States is the most developed. MINISO's cooperation with an American representative shows that its products and business model have been accepted by the global market.
During his signing speech, Mr. Ye said, "The American retail market is highly developed, and after this cooperation agreement both parties will make further cooperation in various aspects such as product research and development, model updating and talent training. The American market is important for MINISO to become a flagship global retail chain and we are confident of opening a larger market in the U.S. together with our partner."
Mr. Liang added, "The global economic downturn has taken its toll on the quality of life for some Americans, which could be alleviated by MINISO offering a new shopping experience to the American market. We look forward to the group making better use of American market potential."
The signing of this agreement generally completes MINISO's international strategy on the Pacific Rim, and provides a solid foundation for the company's future expansion plans into more countries and regions.
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160901/0861608941
SOURCE MINISO
"We were really looking to expand our camera system following Sandy Hook," said Sumre Robinson, network manager for Becker Public Schools. "It wasn't necessarily to increase the numbers of cameras, but to eventually be able to provide access to the cameras to police in an emergency situation."
Becker School District called on local integrator Security & Sound to complete the installation, and Hikvision surveillance products were selected. A rigorous implementation process ensued and the critical nature of the project propelled the work. Phil Otto, CFO of Security & Sound in St. Bonifacius, Minn., proposed using a multiple-phase installation with Hikvision surveillance cameras to complete the system. The first stage of execution improved visibility around exterior entries. The second stage saw upgrades to interior areas with IP cameras and expanded coverage of hallways and rooms. Challenges to this project included finding cameras that were both durable and unobtrusive, selecting vandal-resistant products for outdoor areas, and securing zero-light areas at night with infrared cameras.
"As with most schools, the Becker School District had concerns about their parking lot surveillance coverage and video capabilities after dark," Otto said. "We recommended Hikvision's DarkFighter line of PTZ cameras in key outdoor areas where evening lighting was an issue but color video was desired. Hikvision's DS-2DF8223I-AEL 1080p PTZ camera was chosen to cover the parking lots due to its color lux rating of 0.002 and built-in tour and auto tracking features. The camera's low light capabilities coupled with the ambient light from the parking lot allow the camera to stay in full color at all times regardless of cloud cover or inclement weather."
"Hikvision works to create versatile solutions for diverse applications and vertical markets," said Jeffrey He, president of Hikvision USA and Hikvision Canada. "Video surveillance in educational facilities is essential, which is why we offer solutions to meet the requirements of these applications. It is satisfying to know that our products help school safety and city officials provide safer educational environments for students and staff."
In the end, Hikvision's extensive product line provided a full range of networked cameras that fit every requirement from the administration. On top of that, the Hikvision products also met budget requirements a crucial piece of the puzzle for most schools and school districts.
To learn more about Hikvision's cutting edge video surveillance solutions, visit Hikvision's booth at ASIS, #1811, in Orlando, September 12-15.
About Hikvision
Hikvision is the world's leading supplier of video surveillance solutions. Featuring the industry's strongest R&D workforce, Hikvision designs, develops, and manufactures standard- and high-definition cameras, including a variety of IP cameras, analog cameras, and cameras featuring the latest in high-definition analog technology. Hikvision's product suite also includes digital video servers, hybrid and standalone DVRs, NVRs, and other elements of sophisticated security systems for both indoor and outdoor use.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403259
SOURCE Hikvision USA
CYPRESS, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today reported August 2016 sales of 7,336 down 11.5 percent from August of 2015.
For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
August YTD
2016 2015 2016 2015 iMiEV 25 6 65 90 Mirage 1541 1569 15994 16623 Lancer 1089 1240 10616 13154 Outlander Sport 2572 3286 22948 24421 Outlander 2109 2188 17537 11413 Total 7336 8289 67160 65701
About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all research and development, marketing, and sales for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells sedans and crossovers/SUVs through a network of approximately 360 dealers. MMNA is leading the way in the development of highly efficient, affordably priced new gasoline-powered automobiles while using its industry-leading knowledge in battery electric vehicles to develop future EV and PHEV models. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141111/158048LOGO
SOURCE Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Related Links
http://www.mitsubishicars.com
PUNE, India, September 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
DeepResearchReports.com adds 2016 Market Research Report on Global Nailers Industry published in Aug 2016 to the Machines & Equipment intelligence collection of its store. This research is spread across 102 pages, profiles 10 companies and the Nailers market analysis in this study is supported with 125 tables and figures on the industry and its players.
This is the latest Nailers industry study that is comprehensive in nature, details the current state of the industry while providing a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Nailers industry analysis is provided for the international markets, including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status. Complete report on Nailers market divided into 14 major chapters that offer an overview of current market scenario as well as Nailers forecasts is now available at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/236388.html .
Development policies and plans of Nailers industry are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins. The report focuses on global major leading industry players of Nailers industry providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out for the Nailers market. The Nailers industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.
With 125 tables and figures to support the Nailers industry analysis, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. The 10 companies profiled in this Nailers industry research include Bosch, Bostitch, Campbell Hausfeld, Craftsman, Ryobi, Dewalt, Hitachi, Porter-Cable, Ridgid and Senco. Order a copy of this 2016 Market Research Report on Global Nailers Industry at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=236388 .
A dedicated chapter on development trend of Nailers industry for 2016-2021 in this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Nailers.
Explore more reports on the Machines & Equipment market at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/cat/machines-equipment-market-research.html .
Another research study titled "2021 Market Research Report on United States Pneumatic Nailer" forecasts the market analysis provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status. With 82 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Key player involved in this research are Actuant Corporation, AIMCO Corporation, Alltrade Tools LLC, Apex Tool Group LLC, Atlas Copco AB, Bosch (Robert) GmbH, Chervon Holdings Limited, Chicago Pneumatic Tool, see Atlas Copco, Danaher Corporation, Daniels Manufacturing Corporation, DEPRAG-Schulz GmbH and Company, DeWALT Industrial Tools, see Stanley Black & Decker, Duo-Fast, see Illinois Tools Works, Emerson Electric Company, Newell Brands Incorporated, Northern Tool + Equipment, Panasonic Corporation, Paslode Construction, see Illinois Tool Works, Porter-Cable, see Stanley Black & Decker, Ridge Tool, see Emerson Electric, Saltus Industrial Technique, see Atlas Copco, Senco Brands Incorporated, Harbor Freight Tools, Henrob, see Atlas Copco and Hilti AG.
This report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Pneumatic Nailer industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered. Browse complete report at http://www.deepresearchreports.com/232410.html .
About Us:
Deep Research Reports is digital database of syndicated market reports for global and China industries. These reports offer competitive intelligence data for companies in varied market segments and for decision makers at multiple levels in these organizations. We provide 24/7 online and offline support to our customers.
Contact:
Ritesh Tiwari
UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ
Magarpatta city, Hadapsar
Pune - 411013
Maharashtra, India.
+ 1 888 391 5441
[email protected]
Connect with us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deepresearchreports
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DResearchReport
Google+: https://plus.google.com/117151957945248166335
SOURCE Deep Research Reports
The award is presented by AFSP's Greater Los Angeles Chapter at 2pm on Tuesday, September 6 at 333 Olympic Drive in Santa Monica, during National Suicide Prevention Week which is September 5-11, 2016.
"There is a role for everyone to play in learning more about preventing suicide. It can be as simple as learning the suicide risks and warning signs, and if you're concerned about someone, listening to their story and getting them to help," said Anne Marie Ankers, AFSP Greater Los Angeles Board Chair. "Today, we recognize a first responder who acted quickly during a moment of crisis, and who has shown a dedication to suicide prevention. We applaud him and hope that this encourages other first responders to learn more about what role they can play in preventing suicide."
AFSP's Hero Award is given to a first-responder (paramedic, firefighter, police officer, or emergency service personnel) who has demonstrated longstanding dedication to preventing suicide through conversation, education, physical action, or by providing lifesaving aid to someone in crisis.
Media wishing to attend the ceremony or interview the award winner is asked to contact Traute Winters at [email protected].
Suicide in California
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 25-34 in California. On average one person dies by suicide every two hours in the state. Suicide cost California $4,246,494,000 in 2010, or an average of $1,085,227 per suicide death. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death overall in California.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403599
SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Related Links
http://www.afsp.org
LONDON, September 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Native advertising technology company ADYOULIKE, has today [1 September, 2016] announced a complete brand re-launch, including a new logo. The rebrand is the latest move by the company as it experiences hyper-growth globally.
Chronology of the ADYOULIKE logos (PRNewsFoto/ADYOULIKE) (PRNewsFoto/ADYOULIKE)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403516 )
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403517LOGO )
The new branding better aligns the company with its international expansion and global growth objectives for 2016.
ADYOULIKE has pioneered native advertising in the European market since 2011 and has been at the forefront in the development of programmable native advertising - one of the fastest growing channels in advertising today.
Included in the rebranding effort are a new logo, website, agency and publisher marketing collateral. Event and marketing partnerships to promote the rebrand are soon to be announced.
Julien Verdier, CEO and co-founder of ADYOULIKE;
"I am proud of this new logo which manages to translate our mission and our strengths. Native advertising is the future of advertising, and we are creating and developing powerful technological advancements that can ensure its expansion.
"Our award winning native technology and continued innovation allows publishers and advertisers to run truly engaging, creative, non-interruptive native advertising campaigns at scale. We wanted our logo to reflect this innovation on a global level."
This new visual identity was created by Elie Majorel, Head of Design at ADYOULIKE in what he describes as "a new logo that underlines technological strength with sobriety."
The new logo offers direct access to the DNA of the ADYOULIKE brand, focusing on the business name. These values can be summarized as follows:
- AD: the innovative technology transforming the digital advertising market.
- YOU: the human dimension through content strategy, exceptional service and expertise.
- LIKE: an advertising experience deeply native, which respects the user.
Comments Elie Majorel, Head of Design at ADYOULIKE:
"To underline the strength of its proprietary technology, the new ADYOULIKE logo gives off strength and control thanks to its square shape, the pyramidal disposition of the letters and the definitive affirmation given by the final full stop in the design.
The elegance and simplicity of the black and white are the promise of unique advice and expertise from a native advertising pioneer. A discreet allusion to the feed, thanks to the verticality of the words and the point referring to the URL, remind that ADYOULIKE is a digital start-up."
Chronology of ADYOULIKE Logos
About ADYOULIKE
The ADYOULIKE group continues to expand internationally in 2016. Now operating in more than 18 countries with main offices in Paris, London, Dubai and New York, this hyper-growing start-up has 65 employees worldwide and is on target to achieve a $20M run rate in 2016.
The ADYOULIKE Native Technology Platform and Network allows brand advertisers to scale their native advertising campaigns across premium and niche publishers with ease from a single point of entry. Publishers benefit from access to the ADYOULIKE Exchange - a pioneering programmatic native ad marketplace - and the adoption of ADYOULIKE's ground breaking native SaaS technology. www.ADYOULIKE.com
Accolades for ADYOULIKE include: BPI France Excellence, Pass French Tech, The Everline Future 50 and The BIMA Hot 100 . ADYOULIKE is a member of the IAB in the UK and France. www.adyoulike.com
Follow Adyoulike:
Twitter: @adyoulike
LinkedIn: Adyoulike
For more information, contact:
Dale Lovell, [email protected]
Jack, [email protected], +44 (0) 208 996 1800
SOURCE ADYOULIKE
STOCKTON, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Top agricultural experts from Mexico are learning about conservation American style. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California, together with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), is hosting a weeklong training session to share the Agency's science and philosophy of on-farm conservation, established in the United States following the environmental calamity known as the Dust Bowl. The course, which runs through tomorrow, could provide a template of conservation planning fundamentals that could prove useful on farms and ranches in Mexico.
"NRCS and FIRCO have been strongly collaborating for the past two years in the area of climate-smart agriculture," said Carlos Suarez, NRCS California state conservationist. "This seminar will provide the tools to our Mexican counterparts in the science of conservation planning to assist them in the protection of their natural resources in a climate changing environment."
The delegation includes agronomists, agricultural engineers, economists, rural sociologists and other professionals from the Fideicomiso De Riesgo Compartido (FIRCO), a division of Mexico's Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food. Attendees represent different states within Mexico and bring farming perspectives from their various regions.
"Our goal is to take the methodologies and strategies used by NRCS in California, that are applied to the soil, water, air, plants and animals, and help our agribusinesses be more sustainable in Mexico," said Ottavio Avilez, regional director for FIRCO.
NRCS has an ongoing professional partnership with FIRCO to promote an educational exchange about on-farm conservation. FIRCO representatives in Mexico hosted a group of NRCS California leadership in 2014. In turn, this FIRCO delegation is participating in NRCS's conservation planning course to replicate some of these new skills in Mexico.
The planning course is a hands-on educational experience created by NRCS for staff and partners. It is typically given twice a year at farms and ranches throughout California. In recent weeks, NRCS translated the weeklong coursework into Spanish.
TNC is hosting the course at their Staten Island ranch where for more than 20 years they have integrated conservation efforts with wildlife-friendly farming practices that are critical for sandhill cranes, shorebirds and other migratory birds. The ranch serves as a template for how to farm with a wildlife friendly management approach.
SOURCE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Related Links
http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On the strength of its constantly growing industry recognition, FTL MODA presents a two-day show at NYFW next week under the CFDA calendar, and a new strong alliance. The world giant Samsung endorsed the most acclaimed producers at NYFW joining Fashion Week Online, and Global Disability Inclusion.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403465
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403464
Continuing its work on the #IAmNYFW campaign, the FTL MODA team created the spin-off #TakeBeautyBack, to take a stand in the fight to stop acid attacks against women in developing countries.
The language of fashion speaks loud to the world also this season, thanks to a panel of international designers of excellence, selected with care and enthusiasm. Ten countries feature in the three shows with ethnic collections at the highest level, splendid styling and precious accessories.
India is represented by top designer Archana Kochhar, returning to FTL MODA after her debut in the US a year ago; by Vaishali's high class presentation, and by emerging brand Chasa IDT. LeVICO couture brought by Gallery of Indonesia, marks the beginning of a strong alliance with the US producers.
Egypt native Khaled Obbeya, from London, carries the flag of menswear collections characterized by top quality fabrics and precious finishing.
The Arab Emirates are represented by Fllumae', young US-based designers. A German touch comes from Sonja Tafelmeier with her underground streetwear, chic and edgy.
Environmentally friendly Responsive Textiles adds romance and style focused on knitwear. Marlene H Couture and Haute Dress are the two US designers with pret-a-couture concept. Harx 4 debuts in NY with a sophisticated and minimalistic line styled with strong accents and comfort in mind, and finally young, edgy, vibrant women and men collection by Shock and Awww leads the evening show with its celebrity style concept and chic streetwear.
On Saturday, first official Kids Collection Showcase at NYFW debuts: Canada brings Moka Collection, and Aisabobo, France presents Lulu Et Gigi returning to FTL MODA after February, and Manhattan based brand Blu & Blue, all will present collections exploring ready to wear and couture with beautiful, classy and joyful lines, providing a recipe that will impress the industry. FTL MODA at Space 404 will shine with high tech gadgets, the new virtual reality by Samsung.
A panel of preeminent sponsors supports the production: URBANI Truffle, Kartell, Tequila Pasion, Acqua Rocchetta, Antinori. Divino Gelato and Neuro drink fuel the backstage led by Make Up PRO, the New York based MUA at its collaboration with FTL MODA.
Casting is handled by partner talent agency Stellar-NYC while the Kids Collection Showcase is co-produced with Posh Kids Magazine.
The Shows at FTL MODA with Fashion Week Online Presented by Samsung
September 8 and 10
Matt Brunicardi Email
210.275.2313
SOURCE FTL Moda
Related Links
http://ftlshows.com
MIAMI, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pancita's, Miami's premier Pregnancy Spa and Ultrasound Center, is proud to announce the launch of franchise opportunities nationwide, as well as the opening of a new center located at 2041 N University Dr., Coral Springs in Coral Palm Plaza to serve Broward County. The new center will officially open in September of 2016, joining the Pancita's Pregnancy Spa Centers in Aventura and Miami, which are currently all family-owned.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403367
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403368
Research indicates that having an ultrasound reduces anxiety, stimulates a parental bond with the fetus and contributes to positive health behavior. Studies have also found that mothers who had 3D or 4D ultrasound showed their images to a greater number of people compared to mothers who had a 2D ultrasound. Specifically, 3D and 4D ultrasounds may have a greater impact on the maternal-fetal bonding process. In the case of fathers, it has been proven that the view of the ultrasound propels them to think more deeply about their roles as parents.
With the first location opened less than 2 years ago, Pancita's Pregnancy Spa found a large demand from expectant mothers that look for a more meaningful and relaxing experience when conducting their ultrasounds. Pancita's offers 2D, 3D, 4D ultrasounds, prenatal massages, post-natal massage, on-site shops, and recently added professional photography sessions to their list of services. Each location has a team of professional, caring and knowledgeable staff dedicated to providing the best experience with the most advanced ultrasound technology available. The stylishly modern facilities include a spa area, which is specially designed for expectant mothers and their families to enjoy and relax.
"We are just thrilled with the enthusiasm for our brand in Miami and even more excited about being able to grow Pancita's on a national scale," said Jaime Pesate, Co-founder of Pancita's. "The way that we've structured our business has given us a successful model, which allows us to look for other entrepreneurs that share our passion for the concept and now, we have the ability to provide them with guidance to make their new franchise a success, as well."
The Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF) recently awarded Pancita's with a grant, which is only awarded to select businesses that operate in the state of Florida.
"We're very honored and pleased to receive the business grant from HBIF," said Saul Pesate, Co-founder of Pancita's and Jaime's brother. "Thanks to this grant, we were able to refine our business model and can now pursue our vision of growing our brand and expanding our business with our franchise program."
For more information about opening a Pancita's franchise, interested entrepreneurs can inquire via email at [email protected].
About Pancita's
Pancita's Pregnancy Spa & Ultrasound Center was founded in 2014 by the same team that created www.embarazada.com in 1998. The website currently has more than 5 million page views per month. Dr. Israel Pesate, a renowned OBGYN in Venezuela with over 30 years of experience, is the creator of all of the medical content, which is also Pancita's intellectual backbone. Pancita's currently has two locations, one at the Waterways Shoppes, 3575 NE 207th St. Ste. B6C in Aventura and the other one at the Red Bird Shopping Center, 5761 Bird Road suite A in Miami. Pancita's staff is a group of professionals dedicated to the care of women before, during and after pregnancy. The Company provides tools, care and support to women during the most beautiful and happy period of their lives.
For more information, visit www.pancitas.com, like on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PancitasSpa), follow on Twitter (@PancitasSpa), and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/PancitasSpa.
Media Contact:
Ixta Gerard
Email
3057767607
SOURCE Pancita's Pregnancy Spa
Related Links
http://www.pancitas.com
VALENCIA, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Petersen International Underwriters has announced the hiring of Lori Boggs as a Regional Vice President of the firm. Ms. Boggs was previously the National Account Management Vice President of MetLife Insurance Company, and she is one of the country's foremost disability insurance experts.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403396
Petersen International Underwriters Further Expands With Important Hire
According to Thomas Petersen, Vice President of Petersen International, "Lori is a very prominent figure in the disability insurance world and we are ecstatic to have her as part of our growing outside-marketing team. Her expertise in the business and her many years of experience in the industry will certainly make a welcomed addition to Petersen International Underwriters." Ms. Boggs will be home-based on the East Coast.
Petersen International Underwriters specializes in extraordinary disability insurance programs for highly compensated individuals, professional athletes, entertainers, small businesses and large corporations. As Coverholder at Lloyd's of London, Petersen International Underwriters has the authority to quote, underwrite, and issue policies on behalf of certain underwriters at Lloyd's. They can be reached at (800) 345-8816 or at [email protected] and on the web at www.piu.org.
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com
SOURCE Petersen International Underwriters
Related Links
https://www.piu.org
BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Demandware, a Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) company and the industry-leading provider of enterprise cloud commerce solutions, today announced that PetSmart, Inc., the largest specialty pet retailer in North America dedicated to solutions and services for the lifetime needs of pets, has selected Demandware for its next-generation commerce platform. PetSmart will leverage the Demandware platform to grow its long-term omnichannel capabilities to allow customers to shop and engage how, when and where they wish.
Based in Phoenix, Ariz., PetSmart believes "pets make us better people" and has more than 53,000 associates and more than 1,450 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The company's mission: "every day with every connection, PetSmart and its passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives."
"The term 'every connection' in our mission really matters to us, and Demandware is providing the enabling technology to allow pet parents to shop and engage with us how, when and where they desire," said Mike Goodwin, senior vice president and chief information officer, PetSmart. "We selected Demandware because of its leadership in the ecommerce space and the firm's demonstrated commitment to evolving its products in ways that align with PetSmart's long-term strategy to expand our ecommerce capabilities and omnichannel shopping and engagement experiences for pet parents everywhere."
The Demandware Commerce Cloud streamlines retail operations from customer attraction to conversion. The unified platform maximizes agility and innovation across all sales and engagement channels, enabling retailers to keep up with continually evolving consumer expectations and to deliver seamless shopping and brand experiences to PetSmart customers. Scalable, reliable and secure, the Demandware Commerce Cloud provides a full range of capabilities that leverage a shared view of key retail data such as customers, orders, products and prices, and is powered by a unified promotion and personalization engine.
"The Demandware Commerce Cloud provides retailers with an agile and scalable platform to support rapid company growth, expanding product lines, and new shopping and engagement capabilities across the enterprise," said Jeffrey Barnett, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Demandware, a Salesforce company. "We are thrilled that PetSmart has selected Demandware. As an omnichannel retailer with a growing brick and mortar network, PetSmart is realizing the advantages of partnering with Demandware to drive superior online and mobile customer experiences."
About Demandware, a Salesforce company
Demandware, a Salesforce company, is the category-defining leader of enterprise cloud commerce solutions, empowering the world's leading retail brands to continuously innovate in the complex, consumer-driven world. For more information, visit http://www.demandware.com, call +1-888-553-9216 or email [email protected].
About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart's passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,450 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people's liveswe live it.
SOURCE Salesforce
Related Links
http://www.salesforce.com
BERLIN, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At this year's Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA), taking place in Berlin, Germany from September 2-7, Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is presenting innovations that empower people to live healthier lives across the health continuum, from prevention, to diagnosis, to treatment. During this year's show, Philips will highlight its vision for transforming the future of sleep. With more patients seeking medical care for sleep disorders1, the world is waking up to the challenge of healthy sleep, its impact on overall health and the need for a good night's rest.
During IFA, Philips will present innovations that help people get the rest they deserve, including the Dream Family solution designed to improve the sleep therapy experience for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). More than 100 million people worldwide2 are estimated to have OSA, a serious condition that is treated with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. The Dream Family, comprised of the DreamWear mask, DreamStation PAP device and DreamMapper patient engagement app, is designed to engage sleep apnea patients with one of the most comfortable and effective therapies available. With the most comprehensive suite of connectivity options among all PAP therapy systems, Dream Family works as a connected solution to keep patients engaged in their therapy and linked to their care teams.
The components of the Dream Family were inspired by feedback from more than 900 patients, as well as insights from clinicians who treat sleep apnea. This input, combined with Philips' more than four decades of experience developing revolutionary patient-centric solutions, led to the award-winning design of the Dream Family. Since their launch in October 2015, DreamWear and DreamStation have been honored for excellence in design, including recent iF Design, Red Dot, Good Design Australia and Core77 accolades.
"Sleep therapy can be challenging, and our goal is to help people across the globe get a better night's rest whether they live with a chronic sleep condition or are struggling to achieve eight hours a night," said John Frank, CEO, Sleep and Respiratory Care, Philips. "Next to nutrition and exercise, sleep is the third pillar of health and now we are looking to the future for all people who need help with improving their sleep quality. We intend to make good sleep possible for everyone."
In addition to the Dream Family, Philips will be showcasing two light therapy solutions designed to improve the experience of getting out of bed. These include:
EnergyUp Energy Lights : Philips' EnergyUp lights help combat energy dips caused by jet lag, long hours inside an office or general fatigue. The EnergyUp Natural White light mimics the natural energizing power of daylight, and is clinically proven to increase energy levels and mood to help users stay sharp 3 . With its highly portable design, the EnergyUp Intense Blue light is easy for people to use when traveling or at the office, the environments where people are most likely to experience fatigue.
: Philips' EnergyUp lights help combat energy dips caused by jet lag, long hours inside an office or general fatigue. The EnergyUp Natural White light mimics the natural energizing power of daylight, and is clinically proven to increase energy levels and mood to help users stay sharp . With its highly portable design, the EnergyUp Intense Blue light is easy for people to use when traveling or at the office, the environments where people are most likely to experience fatigue. Wake-up Light: Inspired by nature's sunrise, the Philips Wake-up Light creates a gentle, refreshing wake-up experience to wake the user up gradually. It is clinically proven to provide a more energetic wake-up in the morning4, and provides a relaxed, easy wake-up and reduces sleepiness after waking up. Available in a variety of options and price points, the technology allows users to simulate the sunrise and choose the preferred sound for their wake-up.
Philips at IFA
The Philips press conference takes place on September 1 at 12:15pm in Hall 22, Messe Berlin. The live stream of the event can be seen at www.ifa.philips.com. Pieter Nota, CEO Personal Health businesses and Chief Marketing Officer at Philips, will be joined on stage by Chris Worp, Head of Business Group Home from Philips Lighting, and Kostas Vouzas, Senior Director Business EMEA at TP Vision.
For further information on the latest Philips innovations at IFA 2016 please visit www.ifa.philips.com, follow Philips at IFA on Twitter @PhilipsLiveFrom, or visit our additional social media channels on YouTube and LinkedIn.
For further information, please contact:
Alicia Cafardi
Philips
[email protected]
412-523-9616
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. The company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2015 sales of EUR 16.8 billion and employs approximately 69,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.
1 Ford ES, Wheaton AG, Cunningham TJ, Giles WH, Chapman DP, Croft JB. Trends in outpatient visits for insomnia, sleep apnea, and prescriptions for sleep medications among US adults: findings from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 1999-2010.
2 http://www.stopbang.ca/osa/prevalence.php
3 Duijzer & Meesters THE EFFECTS OF LOW INTENSITY MONOCHROMATIC BLUE LIGHT TREATMENT COMPARED TO STANDARD LIGHT TREATMENT IN SUB- SYNDROMAL SAD; SLTBR Abstracts 2011, p.33
4 Gimenez, M.C., Hessels, M., van de Werken, M., de Vries, B., Beersma, D.G.M., & Gordijn, M. C. M. (2010). Effects of artificial dawn on subjective ratings of sleep inertia and dim light melatonin onset. Chronobiology International, 27(6), 12191241. doi:10.3109/07420528.2010.496912
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SOURCE Royal Philips
Related Links
http://www.usa.philips.com
CHICAGO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Walt Bettinger, President and CEO of The Charles Schwab Corporation, took the helm of the company's national retail division in 2004, to reverse the significant decline the company had experienced since the dot.com bust. In 2008, after an historic turnaround in client loyalty and brand sentiment, Bettinger was promoted to CEO, only to face the worst financial crisis in U.S. history. Yet from 2009 through mid-2016, the company has dramatically outpaced the growth of its four largest publicly-traded competitors combined.
Join us on September 14, when Bettinger will share some of the surprising revelations from his 20-year Schwab career, including the powerful strategies he used to turn around the business in earlier years, and continues to implement as CEO, and the keys to making those powerful strategies work for your business.
Event Details
Signature Series: Wednesday, September 14, 2016
JW Marriott Chicago - 151 W. Adams, Chicago
Registration and Networking: 7:15 a.m. ; Breakfast Program 8:00-9:15 a.m.
Speaker: Walt Bettinger , President and CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation
Moderator: James Shein , Professor of Strategy, Kellogg School of Management
Gold Series Sponsors: Chicago Cubs, Discover Financial Services
Gold Sponsor: OCC (Options Clearing Corporation)
Program Affiliate: Chicago Finance Exchange
About The Executives' Club of Chicago:
The Executives' Club of Chicago is the city's premier membership and networking organization focused on senior executives' networking, development and innovation. The Club serves as a platform for executives to build relationships, share ideas, develop new business opportunities and participate in world-class programming. The Club helps executives with their personal and professional development and prepares the next generation of business leaders for success. For more information, visit www.ExecutivesClub.org.
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SOURCE The Executives' Club of Chicago
Related Links
http://www.executivesclub.org
NEW YORK, September 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Q BioMed Inc. (OTCQB: QBIO), a biotechnology acceleration company is pleased to report on its asset acquisition and an update on corporate development.
While the summer months have been typically slow, we have made good progress on all fronts. We are currently finalizing the closing conditions required to formalize the exclusive licensing of an FDA approved drug from a U.S. Company focused on the development and production of generic radiopharmaceuticals. The expected addition of this asset to our pipeline will be extremely timely, as all stakeholders in the healthcare space look to make more affordable drugs available to patients.
Regarding our current asset, MAN-01 for the treatment of glaucoma, our partner, Mannin Research is progressing well in its pre-clinical lead candidate optimization of a small molecule for a topical route of administration.
Mannin is continuing strategic partnership discussions with companies and technologies that will strengthen Mannin's intellectual property portfolio in the Tie2/TEK mechanism of action market. Mannin is also establishing research and development partnerships with non-governmental organizations to provide direct support for the MAN-01 program.
Q BioMed has been conducting due diligence on several other potential assets to expand the ophthalmology pipeline within Q BioMed. These include implantable devices and biomarker diagnostics. In addition, we have been working with additional potential advisory experts to add to our team. We will make details of these available as they materialize.
Our CEO Denis Corin was recently interviewed on The Stock Radio. The interview can be accessed here.
http://thestockradio.com/denis-corin-ceo-of-q-biomed-inc-qbio-3099.html
Please visit our website http://www.qbiomed.com to sign up for regular updates and stay up-to-date with our progress.
About Q BioMed Inc.
Q BioMed Inc."Q" is a biomedical acceleration and development company. We are focused on licensing and acquiring biomedical assets across the healthcare spectrum. Q is dedicated to providing these target assets the strategic resources, developmental support, and expansion capital the need to ensure they meet their developmental potential, enabling them to provide products to patients in need.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements relating to our growth strategy and product development programs and any other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: risks related to our growth strategy; risks relating to the results of research and development activities; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; our dependence on third-party suppliers; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; the early stage of products under development; our need for substantial additional funds; government regulation; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.
Contact:
Denis Corin
CEO
Q BioMed Inc.
+1-888-357-2435
SOURCE Q BioMed Inc
Judging criteria was based on technical innovation, functionality and marketability. Quest's entry was chosen because, "This is a breakthrough that allows the entire bottle to become a decorative canvas. This process enables more innovative design choices for wine makers, brand owners and designers to consider. There is virtually an endless combination of designs and colors to transform an ordinary bottle into a fully custom-made work of art."
Quest CEO, Ingrid Cornehl, commented, "This is a great day for our company. To get this particular award for packaging innovation is particularly satisfying since we have a 16-plus year history of pushing the boundaries of how brands can be presented at the retail shelf, on the bar and at the moment of truth when you pour the contents and connect these impressions with the personal experience. We've built our company on helping brands stand out and this is another great example of that."
Reed Vineyards winemaker is Ryan Reed who also happens to be the Chief Technology Officer of Quest. He is undoubtedly the most familiar with the latest, cutting edge decorating techniques given his shared interests as master craftsman in bottle decor as well as being a winemaker. Mr. Reed commented, "With this new Mask Spray technique, every part of the bottle can be decorated even if the design requires very fine detail." The winning bottle looks like the top was dipped in wax with the fine detail of a lion's head drawing showing through the wax.
"We are constantly creating new techniques to keep our customer's bottles looking fresh and making a bold statement. That's why we have adopted a new slogan, "Standing out starts here", said Ms. Cornehl. "With our solution driven and creative based approach, this is what we do everyday."
ABOUT QUEST INDUSTRIES
Quest Industries serves premier brands in the wine, spirit and cosmetic industries with innovative, award-winning bottle decoration that helps brands stand out on retail shelves, in restaurants and bars, and at home with friends and family. We are the industry leader in environmentally safe and durable direct to glass screen printing and coatings and offer the broadest portfolio of solutions.
For more information, contact:
DENNIS SONES
Director of Sales & Marketing
Quest Industries
Stockton, CA 95206
209-234-0202, x-0230
[email protected]
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403611
SOURCE Quest
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading swimwear brand RELLECIGA bikini is yet again showing that it's a brand that cares through their sponsorship of the UNICEF-supporting LOOK BELLA 2016 contest. Together with official partner and co-sponsor Swarovski, RELLECIGA is injecting added glamour and sexiness to this year's contest.
LOOK BELLA is a Europe-wide beauty contest for young women and men hoping to pursue a modeling career. Running since 2004 and open to novices, the contest aims to find new, undiscovered faces who have the potential to take the modeling world by storm.
The contest recently held an ultra-glamorous Summer Beach Party in Pasohlavky, Czech Republic. Pasohlavky features some of the country's most beautiful landscapes, and was the ideal setting for getting this year's contest started. The stunning competitors held a catwalk show in which they showed off RELLECIGA's stylish, elegant bikinis.
The Beach Party is a warm-up for the main event on December 3, 2016, in which the lucky finalists will be crowned. A win in the contest can set up young aspiring models for life: winners get the chance to work with Prestige Models, one of the industry's top agencies, as well as a series of other exciting prizes.
But, the contest isn't all business: LOOK BELLA is a long-standing supporter of UNICEF, the United Nations program for providing assistance to in-need children and mothers in developing countries. Marian Glett, RELLECIGA's Europe CEO, said: "At RELLECIGA we believe that as a leading international brand, it's important to give back to the international community. That's why we thought that LOOK BELLA with their strong history of supporting UNICEF would be the ideal beauty contest for us to sponsor. We're so proud to be connected to the work that UNICEF are doing, and can't wait to see the outcome of the contest."
About RELLECIGA
RELLECIGA is a leading global bikini brand with a mission to design premium quality bikinis that are both fashionable and sexy. The first bikini brand to be featured in New York's iconic Times Square, RELLECIGA is fast becoming known as the Victoria's Secret of swimwear. RELLECIGA is also the creator of the RIKINI, a unique multi-way bikini that can be worn six different ways.
Website: http://www.relleciga.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Relleciga
Instagram: http://instagram.com/rellecigaswimwear
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RELLECIGABIKINI
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RellecigaSwimwear
SOURCE http://www.relleciga.com
Related Links
http://www.relleciga.com/
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Peyman Saadat, Medical Director of the West Hollywood-area Reproductive Fertility Center (http://www.reproductivefertility.com/), is pleased to introduce a new member of the clinical staff, Dr. Sami Jabara. As a double board certified physician in OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinology, Dr. Jabara brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his role at RFC.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403453
"I am so pleased that Dr. Jabara will be joining our RFC family," remarks Dr. Peyman Saadat. "His patients will immediately feel his warmth and gentle bedside manner. Dr. Jabara's practice is focused on discovering, whenever possible, the root causes of a couple's (male or female) infertility. He leaves no avenue unexplored, which is why he will make such a valuable addition to RFC in West Hollywood."
In keeping with RFC's philosophy of care, Dr. Jabara brings a holistic and personalized approach to his treatment. "I believe that the most important part of infertility care is giving good counseling," he says, "not only about the medical treatment itself but also about the psychological and financial impact that couples enduring the treatment are experiencing."
This focus on treating the whole patient is one of the reasons Dr. Jabara's practice is so successful and respected. In addition, he works hard to stay up to date on the latest technology and research in the field of infertility medicine. Most importantly, he says, "I practice infertility treatment like everything else I do in life with plenty of compassion and positive energy."
Dr. Jabara graduated with distinction from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. He completed his residency at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. It was about this time Dr. Jabara realized that helping couples conceive was his true calling, so he went on to complete a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Pennsylvania in 2002.
Following his tenure at Penn, Dr. Jabara became Director of the Infertility Division at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He served in that leadership role from 2005 to 2010, and then left to join Kaiser Permanente in California.
Dr. Jabara joins a team that believes in an engaged, hands-on approach to patient care. Likewise, RFC never turns patients away based on relationship status, age or sexual orientation. Additionally, the center has achieved fertilization success rates above national averages, thanks in part to the cutting-edge research of its Medical Director, Dr. Peyman Saadat, of the West Hollywood RFC.
Reproductive Fertility Center endeavors to help anyone become the parent he or she wishes to be. Patients arrive at the center from around the world, due to its international reputation for excellence. Dr. Jabara will only add to that reputation. Individuals and couples can learn more about RFC's many treatment options, and schedule a consultation, by calling 310-278-7590. RFC has locations in West Hollywood/Beverly Hills, Burbank, Riverside and Diamond Bar.
About Reproductive Fertility Center
Reproductive Fertility Center in West Hollywood and various other locations in Southern California, under the guidance of Dr. Peyman Saadat, continues to offer families to even those who may have been turned away from other clinics. Our philosophy is to care for the whole patient, thereby reducing the impact that your treatment has on your everyday life. RFC offers comprehensive fertility treatments, for both men and women, including IVF, egg donor cycles, surrogacy options, fertility preservation and more.
Contact:
Ilinca Halfon
310-278-7590
Email
SOURCE Reproductive Fertility Center
Related Links
http://www.reproductivefertility.com
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) today announced the election of Sagar A. Patel to its board of directors.
Mr. Patel, age 50, serves as the president of aircraft turbine systems of Woodward, Inc.
"We are pleased to welcome Sagar Patel as a member of Kennametal's board of directors," said Larry Stranghoener, Kennametal chairman. "Sagar brings extensive experience in product and advanced manufacturing innovation, global operations and strategic growth arenas, and will be a valuable addition to our board."
Mr. Patel joined Woodward in June 2011. Before joining Woodward, Mr. Patel worked at General Electric, where he last served as president, mechanical systems, GE Aviation in Cincinnati, Ohio. At GE's Aviation and Transportation businesses, Mr. Patel held roles with increasing responsibilities in engineering, operations, services, and P&L management.
In addition to his Woodward responsibilities, Mr. Patel serves as Chairman of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) in Rockford, Illinois. He also serves on the Illinois Governor's Innovation Advisory Council.
Mr. Patel holds a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor's degree in controls and instrumentation engineering from Gujarat University in India.
At the forefront of advanced materials innovation for more than 75 years, Kennametal Inc. is a global industrial technology leader delivering productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day over 11,000 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenues in fiscal 2016. Learn more at www.kennametal.com.
SOURCE Kennametal Inc.
Related Links
http://www.kennametal.com
With President Cody Hebb at the helm, VioRR Marketing Group earned this recognition based on their leading statistics and quality delivered to the client measured against other offices working on the same campaign. The team at VioRR Marketing Group, which won this award earlier this year and in previous years, is already gearing up to win this accolade next quarter.
"It's very rewarding to see our continued hard work on behalf of the client recognized quarter after quarter," said Hebb. "I am proud of my team's outstanding work and honored to accept this award."
With a focus on delivering marketing and sales solutions to the client, VioRR Marketing Group embodies marketing excellence. The firm continues to grow and expand to meet client demand while also providing team members with real opportunities for personal and professional development.
Like VioRR Marketing Group on Facebook.
About VioRR Marketing Group
VioRR Marketing Group is a professional outsourced marketing and sales company that specializes in direct sales solutions. Representing some of Canada's most reputable corporations, VioRR Marketing Group employs specialized marketing techniques to acquire new consumers while increasing the clients' brand awareness. For more information, call 204-942-5800 or go to http://viorrmarketing.com.
Contact: Cody Hebb
204-942-5800
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160901/403419
SOURCE VioRR Marketing Group
Related Links
http://www.viorrmarketing.com
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males with one in seven men diagnosed in their lifetime, and an even higher incident rate among certain populations including African American men.
In the USA, there are almost 2.8 million men living with prostate cancer, about 180,000 men are diagnosed each year, and over 26,000 die from it. Early detection is the key to successful treatment. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and the organizations and associations that support it, are responsible for saving an untold number of men's lives by encouraging them to have a discussion with their healthcare provider about prostate cancer and early detection.
"Prostate cancer is a silent killer for men," said Ana Fadich, MPH, CHES, vice president of Men's Health Network. "A PSA test as part of your annual exam might just save your life because it creates a benchmark against which you and your healthcare provider can measure future tests. In many cases, genomic testing after early diagnosis can provide more details into your specific case and may lessen the anxiety of diagnosis."
In preparation for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Men's Health Network (MHN) encourages men to know their risk as early detection is the best predictor of survival. MHN urges men at high risk for prostate cancer to talk with their health care provider about getting a yearly screening starting at age 40, with other men beginning at age 50. MHN also emphasizes the role that women can play by encouraging their husbands or partners to speak to their health care provider about being screened for prostate cancer, including a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and a digital rectal exam (DRE).
"I learned the hard way after being diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 56," said prostate cancer survivor Guido Adelfio. "Seven doctors told me to 'get my affairs in order' because it was too late. I see now I could have saved the heartache and pain by getting a PSA test and DRE done before my 50s. Early diagnosis opens up multiple treatment options for patients."
In recognition of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Men's Health Network has also developed the website - www.ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth.com - that has links to national advocacy organizations, downloadable fact sheets, brochures, and posters, and a social media toolkit. The site also features proclamations from the President, governors, and others.
To learn more about prostate cancer, visit the Prostate Health Guide at and the Men's Health Resource Center at www.MensHealthResourceCenter.com
Men's Health Network (MHN) is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. MHN is the promoter of Men's Health Month and Men's Health Week in June. Learn more about MHN at www.menshealthnetwork.org and follow us on Twitter @MensHlthNetwork and Facebook at www.facebook.com/menshealthnetwork.
SOURCE Men's Health Network
Related Links
http://www.menshealthnetwork.org
TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Skylink Group, a leading provider of connected home safety solutions, today announced its compatibility with IFTTT. The new function allows homeowners to connect the SkylinkNet Alarm System Kit to other industry leading connected home accessories including Amazon Echo, Nest Cam, WeMo, and Phillips Hue. Homeowners can also run recipes for functions unrelated to other smart devices, bringing advance functionality to the SkylinkNet Alarm System Kit.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403086-INFO
Skylink Announces IFTTT Compatibility With Connected Home Accessories
SkylinkNet& IFTTT Recipes
Turn Philips Hue to Red when SkylinkNet is in Panic (Alarm)
Use Amazon Echo to set your SkylinkNet alarm system to Arm Away
If motion sensor is activated, turn on Wemo light switch
When you leave home with smartphone, set SkylinkNet to Arm Away
If Nest Camdetects motion, turn on SkylinkNet lamp
Create an event log on Google Drive for all related events
When SkylinkNet Hub is in specific mode, send an email notification
Arm/Disarm SkylinkNet with a push of a button
"Homes have become much smarter and we are offering our customers new ways to make them even more intelligent," says Gallen Tsui, President, Skylink. "Our system provides homeowners with a more hands on experience of keeping their families safe, while cutting costs on monitoring fees, and with the introduction of the IFTTT functionality they will be exposed to other facets of the smart home."
About IFTTT
IFTTT is changing the way people interact with technology by helping them get the most out of their favorite products and services through recipes. Recipes are simple connections between products and apps. There are two types of Recipes: DO Recipes and IF Recipes. DO Recipes run with just a tap and enable you to create your own personalized Button, Camera, and Notepad. IF Recipes run automatically in the background.Create powerful connections with one simple statement if this then that.
SkylinkNetAlarm System Kit Features
Controlled by an Internet Hub and includes a motion sensor, keychain remote, 2 door or window sensors and added video monitoring features
Affordable home alarm system with no monthly fees or long-term contracts
Works with up to 100 wireless sensors and controllers and 10 wireless cameras
Smart phone App allows users to track all recent sensor activations and notifies them who has armed and disarmed the system and at what time
App allows up to 6 users to monitor one or various locations at the same time
Pricing & Availability
Skylink's SkylinkNet Alarm System Starter Kit retails for $159, and is available at www.staples.ca, www.amazon.com, www.homedepot.com, www.bestbuy.ca, www.lowes.ca and www.costco.ca
For more information about Skylink or to view their entire product line, visit www.skylinkhome.com.
About Skylink
Since 1990, Skylink has been providing homeowners with innovative DIY home control solutions that create a safe and comfortable environment for families. Whether a homeowner is looking for an innovative security system or garage door opener, Skylink's home solution kits cater to the needs of all families. Their commitment and passion for innovation has led them to integrate wireless technology into their line of DIY products. Skylink's products are available for purchase at several retail locations, including Amazon, Sears, Home Depot, and Skylink.com, and are available in the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong.
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.
SOURCE Skylink Group
Related Links
http://skylinkhome.com
ATLANTA and HOUSTON, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company (NYSE:SO) and Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) today announced the closing of their natural gas pipeline venture through Southern Company's acquisition of a 50 percent equity interest in the Southern Natural Gas (SNG) pipeline system through a subsidiary of Southern Company Gas. As previously announced, Kinder Morgan will continue to operate the system and the companies are pursuing specific growth opportunities to develop additional natural gas infrastructure for the strategic venture.
Southern Company, one of the nation's largest natural gas consumers and distributors, and Kinder Morgan, a recognized leader in natural gas pipeline development and operations, will work together to advance both companies' efforts to develop infrastructure important to America's energy future.
"This strategic venture aligns with Southern Company's previously discussed infrastructure development strategy and builds on Southern Company Gas' midstream pipeline experience," said Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. "With our new ownership stake in Southern Natural Gas we look forward to working with Kinder Morgan to explore future opportunities to deliver natural gas to customers."
SNG is an approximately 7,000-mile pipeline system connecting natural gas supply basins in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to markets in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. SNG is a principal transporter of natural gas to Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, which are part of one of the fastest-growing natural gas demand regions in the United States.
"The Southern Company system has been a valued customer of SNG for many years and this joint venture is expected to greatly benefit the shareholders of both companies," said Norman G. Holmes, president of Kinder Morgan South Region Pipelines. "We are very pleased to begin pursuing the growth opportunities this strategic relationship should provide."
As previously disclosed, Kinder Morgan plans to use all of the proceeds from this transaction to reduce debt at Kinder Morgan.
Jones Day, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Troutman Sanders LLP and Balch & Bingham LLP are serving as legal counsel to Southern Company, and Bracewell LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP are serving as legal counsel to Kinder Morgan.
About Kinder Morgan
Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI) is the largest energy infrastructure company in North America. It owns an interest in or operates approximately 84,000 miles of pipelines and approximately 180 terminals. The company's pipelines transport natural gas, gasoline, crude oil, CO 2 and other products, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals, and handle bulk materials like coal and petroleum coke. For more information please visit www.kindermorgan.com .
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 44,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric utilities in four states, natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements, among other things, concerning the expected benefits of the transaction, including future growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of words such as "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "may," "should," "will," "could," "continue", "opportunity" and the negative or plural of these words and other comparable terminology. Although Southern Company and Kinder Morgan believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things, the following: the possibility that the anticipated benefits from the transaction cannot be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; the impact of legislative, regulatory and competitive changes; and other risk factors relating to the energy industry, as detailed from time to time in each of Southern Company's and Kinder Morgan's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Additional information about these factors and about the material factors or assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements may be found under Item 1.A. in Southern Company's and Kinder Morgan's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and Southern Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016. The foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the transaction or other matters attributable to Southern Company, Kinder Morgan or any other person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements referenced above. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this release. Neither Southern Company nor Kinder Morgan undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as may be required by law.
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SOURCE Southern Company
Related Links
http://www.southerncompany.com
"We appreciate our Facilities Maintenance Technicians and their contributions to the success of Southwest Airlines," said Senior Director Corporate Facilities John Zuzu. "This agreement recognizes their efforts, and it supports the needs of our operations and our Company."
The Agreement in Principle is subject to final review by AMFA's National Executive Committee before it is submitted to its members for a vote. A date for a ratification vote will be determined in the coming days.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 46th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 52,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest operates more than 3,900 departures a day during peak travel season across a network of 98 destinations in the United States and seven additional countries with service to three airports in Cuba expected to begin later this year, subject to governmental approvals.
Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent data, Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, the majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi providing gate-to-gate connectivity. That connectivity enables Customers to use their personal devices to view video on-demand movies and television shows, as well as more than 20 channels of free, live TV compliments of our valued Partners. Southwest created Transfarency, a philosophy which treats Customers honestly and fairly, and in which low fares actually stay low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some airlines may allow free checked bags on select routes or for qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply. The airline proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart. A new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring a new seat and Flight Attendant galley, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience all showcase the dedication of Southwest Employees who connect Customers with what's important in their lives.
From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new markets. With 43 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2015 Southwest Airlines One Report can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
Visit the Southwest Newsroom at swamedia.com for multi-media assets and other Company news
SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
Related Links
http://www.southwest.com
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Privately owned marketing company STC Direct, headquartered in Pennsylvania, won national sales recognition for their outstanding sales results and high quality on behalf of a premier telecommunications client during the second quarter of 2016.
STC Direct was selected as the winner of the quarterly "Campaign Cup" based on their consistently excellent results and high quality. The firm has been honored as the top performer among eligible offices working on the same program for eight consecutive quarters.
"I am proud of our team and what we have been able to accomplish for the client," said STC Direct President Justin Sgro of the win. "We will continue to work to exceed the client's expectations with integrity and commitment and I anticipate great things to come."
STC Direct represents Fortune 500 clients in numerous industries, employing relationship-based sales and marketing approaches to retain and acquire customers on their behalf. The firm continues to expand nationally and has opened offices in Phoenix and Boston in addition to several in Pennsylvania.
At STC Direct, fostering a team-oriented environment that encourages leadership development and career success is of great importance. Giving back to their community through involvement with philanthropic organizations is also a high priority.
Like STC Direct on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
About STC Direct
An outsourced direct marketing and sales firm headquartered in Pennsylvania, STC Direct works to grow and develop the client's customer base and increase their market share. Providing superior service to both customers and the client is of utmost importance at STC Direct. For more information, call 610-265-5783 or contact them at http://stcphilly.com/.
Contact: Justin Sgro
610-265-5783
SOURCE STC Direct
Related Links
http://www.stcphilly.com
TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - As it prepares to announce the target company for its current round of bargaining with the Detroit Three automakers, Unifor is releasing a new independent study that shows the massive economic impact of the automakers in Canada.
"Unifor has made investment in Canada the top priority of these negotiations, and this study shows how important investment is to the economic wellbeing of the entire country," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias.
The study by Robin Somerville, Director of the Centre for Spatial Economics and President of Quantitative Economic Decisions Inc., assesses the economic benefits of the automakers by examining what would happen if they were to leave Canada.
In the short term, the study found that Canada's gross domestic product would fall by up to $26 billion, with a loss of up to 150,000 jobs and a decline in government revenues of up to $4.7 billion per year. Longer term, Ontario's economy would be permanently reduced by up to $21 billion and 38,000 jobs, with government revenues permanently cut by up to $3.9 billion per year.
"It's important that the broader public and policy makers understand what's at stake," said Dias.
To read the full report and for further background information, go to Unifor.org/autotalks16. The report comes just days before Unifor holds a media conference to announce which of the Detroit Three automakers Fiat Chrysler, Ford or General Motors will be its target company to set the bargaining pattern for the industry.
What : Detroit Three target company announced
: Detroit Three target company announced When : Tuesday, September 6 , 10am
: , Where : Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen Street West, City Hall Room
: Sheraton Centre, 123 Queen Street West, City Hall Room Who : Unifor National President Jerry Dias and Master Bargaining Committee Chairs
: Unifor National President and Master Bargaining Committee Chairs Call-in numbers: (Local) 647-427-7450 or 514-807-9895, (Toll-free North America ) 888-231-8191 or 866-865-3087, English Conference ID 66737831, French Conference ID 66798503
With pattern bargaining, negotiations focus on one company to reach an agreement that will set the pattern for the industry. Once an agreement with the target is ratified, focus shifts to a second company, and then the third. Unifor autoworkers have voted overwhelmingly to give their bargaining committees authorization to call a strike if needed. Unifor's contract with the Detroit Three expires September 19.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers, including more than 23,000 at the Detroit Three. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union merged.
SOURCE Unifor
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TeamHealth Holdings, Inc. ("TeamHealth") (NYSE: TMH), a leading physician services organization, today announced that its management team will present at the following conferences:
2016 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference
September 7th, 2016
Presentation 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time
Boston, MA
2016 Baird Global Healthcare Conference
September 8th, 2016
Presentation 7:55 a.m. Eastern Time
New York, NY
Interested investors and other parties may listen to a simultaneous webcast of the presentations by logging on to the Investor Relations section of the company's website at www.teamhealth.com. The on-line replays will be available immediately following the presentations.
To learn more about TeamHealth, please visit the company's website at www.teamhealth.com. TeamHealth uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other materials information regarding TeamHealth is routinely posted on the company's website and readily accessible.
About TeamHealth
At TeamHealth (NYSE: TMH), our purpose is to perfect our physicians' ability to practice medicine, every day, in everything we do. Through our more than 19,000 affiliated physicians and advanced practice clinicians, TeamHealth offers outsourced emergency medicine, hospital medicine, critical care, anesthesiology, orthopedic hospitalist, acute care surgery, obstetrics and gynecology hospitalist, ambulatory care, post-acute care and medical call center solutions to approximately 3,400 acute and post-acute facilities and physician groups nationwide. Our philosophy is as simple as our goal is singular: we believe better experiences for physicians lead to better outcomesfor patients, hospital partners and physicians alike. Join our team; we value and empower clinicians. Partner with us; we deliver on our promises. Learn more at http://www.teamhealth.com.
The term "TeamHealth" as used throughout this release includes Team Health Holdings, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates, affiliated medical groups and providers, all of which are part of the TeamHealth organization. "Providers" are physicians, advanced practice clinicians and other healthcare providers who are employed by or contract with subsidiaries or affiliated entities of Team Health Holdings, Inc. All such providers exercise independent clinical judgment when providing patient care. Team Health Holdings, Inc. does not have any employees, does not contract with providers and does not practice medicine.
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SOURCE TeamHealth
Related Links
http://www.teamhealth.com
The first store will open in Santiago, Plaza Egana Mall; the most sustainable mall in Chile. It will offer The Body Shop's global iconic products such as Shea body butter and the Vitamin E range, as well as new favourites like Oils of Life facial oil and Drops of Youth.
"We are excited to bring The Body Shop brand to Chile. After opening in Mexico in 1993 and Brazil in 2014, it is our third market in Latin America and we are convinced the region offers growth potential and opportunities for development," said Paul Kimberley, The Body Shop's Director for Latin America. He added: "We will work with colleagues in L'Oreal Chile, benefiting from their regional expertise and customer insight to help us deliver first class products and service to suit the Chilean market."
The Body Shop has had strong connections to Latin America for many years, with nine of its Community Trade suppliers located in the region.
Paul Kimberley said: "We source some of our most highly-prized ingredients by working directly with the local communities in the rich biodiverse areas of Latin America; for example, organic Brazil nut oil from Peru, organic soy from Brazil and organic cane sugar from Paraguay. We are committed to protecting and enriching these precious parts of the world and supporting the communities who live there."
About The Body Shop
Founded in 1976 in Brighton, England, by Anita Roddick, The Body Shop is a global beauty brand. The Body Shop seeks to make a positive difference in the world by offering high-quality, naturally-inspired skincare, hair care and make-up produced ethically and sustainably. The Body Shop pioneered the philosophy that business can be a force for good and after being acquired by L'Oreal in 2006, it is scaling up its vision with the new #EnrichNotExploit platform.
About L'Oreal Chile
L'Oreal Chile was founded in 1984 and is the market leader in each type of retail outlet today, committed to offering "Beauty for All" through its 22 diverse and complementary brands, providing each individual their own view of beauty.
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SOURCE The Body Shop
ROYAL OAK, Mich., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund (FWSF), a Livonia, Michigan-based 501(c) nonprofit dedicated to assisting U.S. soldiers and their families, announced today that it will receive all proceeds from the September 7, 2016 show at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase.
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The benefit will feature 17 popular Michigan comedians, many of which can be seen on Comedy Central and FOX's Laughs, or heard on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. The lineup includes Nate Armbruster, Mike Bonner, Jef Brannan, Bill Hildebrandt, Jeff Horste, Robert Jenkins, Carl Johnson, Mark Knope, Dave McDonald, Esther Nevarez, Kris Peters, Bob Phillips, Samantha Rager, Mike Stanley, Owen Thomas, Wes Ward, and Sal Demilio, who will host the event.
"I encourage comedy fans from all over Michigan to come out to the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase on September 7th to support a fantastic cause," said local funnyman Bob Phillips, a Northville resident. "The comedians are honored to raise money for an awesome organization like The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund."
The show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $15, and every dollar goes directly to helping soldiers in financial need. To purchase tickets, call 734-996-9080, or visit www.aacomedy.com. Veterans receive free admission to the show.
"The Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase is proud to support our military veterans," said Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase co-owners Roger Feeny and Claudia Mulcare-Neeb. "All veterans are welcome to attend this fun event, free-of-charge."
Established in 2006, the FWSF is committed to helping Michigan veterans who return from campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and find themselves in need of financial support and assistance in a variety of areas, from medical expenses to housing costs. The FWSF is an all-volunteer organization whose members are a diverse collection of concerned people from Michigan's business and private sectors. For more information on the FWSF, please visit www.fwsf.org.
Contact: Bob Phillips
(734) 812-0339
Email
SOURCE The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund
Related Links
http://www.fwsf.org
IRVINE, Calif., Sept.1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuron ESB, an application, service and workflow integration platform, announced today its selection by The Fortune Society, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the criminal justice system and supporting individuals in successful re-entry into society from prison. Capitalizing on Neuron ESB as a general purpose integration hub between internal and external systems, The Fortune Society is facilitating better access for its clients to social services such as job training, education, healthcare and housing. As a robust integration platform optimized for the .NET environment, Neuron ESB enables The Fortune Society to better accommodate an increasing number of external systems, data points and reporting requirements for grants, public funding and program development.
"To provide ideal services, we must create a holistic, data-centric view of our clients, yet many of the external systems that are so critical to their success were not originally designed with integration in mind. Neuron ESB is a smart, flexible tool that lets us solve this challenge in a familiar .NET development environment, managing existing integrations as well as establishing a foundation to handle a growing number of external systems and types of data," said Marc Piparo, Chief Technology Officer, The Fortune Society. "With Neuron ESB, we are now able to onboard new systems with much more efficiency improving client access to services, streamlining operations and transforming data quickly and easily."
The implementation of Neuron ESB adds essential value to The Fortune Society's advocacy efforts, helping focus their activities based on better data visualization of client needs and results. For example, electronic health records (EHR) are a major point of integration for The Fortune Society; through the Neuron ESB platform, this behavioral and physical health data can be shared effectively with the state of New York's Health Information Exchange (HIE), a regional health record hub, to optimize reimbursements, anticipate care needs and costs, and have real-world impact on Medicaid redesign.
Neuron ESB will also help The Fortune Society centralize client data into a data warehouse with selected business intelligence tools, analytics and dashboards. The platform enables all client and system data to be available in a single report, reducing data reporting demands and enabling instant insight into programs, services, results and client assessments.
"Smart data integration offers real value in the face of increased reporting requirements that characterize The Fortune Society's operations. By tapping Neuron ESB as an intuitive and flexible integration platform, the organization can now optimize the movement of data for a diverse collection of stakeholders, eliminate third party consultants and simultaneously lighten the load on its development team," said Marty Wasznicky, Vice President, Neuron ESB.
For more information, contact Neuron ESB sales at [email protected].
About Neuron ESB
Neuron ESB is an application, service and workflow integration platform that simplifies messaging, system integration and Web service enablement. It facilitates quick integration of disparate applications and speeds up the adoption of service-oriented architecture. Built on Microsoft .NET, Neuron ESB enables clients to leverage existing in-house developer skills and tools to deploy projects in a matter of weeks rather than months. Neuron ESB has clients around the globe in a variety of industries. To learn more, visit www.neuronesb.com.
About The Fortune Society
For almost fifty years, The Fortune Society has been developing model programs that help former prisoners successfully re-enter their communities. The Fortune Society offers a holistic and integrated "one-stop-shopping" model of service provision. Among the services offered are discharge planning and reentry services, licensed outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment, alternatives to incarceration, HIV/AIDS services, career development and job retention, hard skills training, education, family services, drop in services and a continuum of supportive housing as well as ongoing access to aftercare. For more information, visit www.fortunesociety.org.
Media Contact: Mike Manning Director Marketing, Neuron ESB [email protected] 949.754.4524
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SOURCE Neuron ESB
Related Links
http://www.neuronesb.com
ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Today, The Home Depot Foundation announces it will grow its commitment to veteran-related causes to a quarter of a billion dollars by 2020.
The Home Depot Foundation has focused on U.S. military veteran support since 2011. Today's increased commitment will help address continued veteran challenges, including:
"We consider it a duty and honor to give back to our veterans," said The Home Depot Foundation board member and chair Giles Bowman. "We know they experience many challenges when they return from service and their home shouldn't be one of them. This increased commitment demonstrates our dedication to serving our nation's heroes."
The announcement kicks off The Home Depot Foundation's sixth annual Celebration of Service. Celebration of Service is a two-month-long campaign focused on improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families. From September 1 through Veterans Day, Team Depot, The Home Depot's associate-led volunteer force, will work with local and national nonprofit organizations to complete projects for aging, combat-wounded and homeless veterans.
During the campaign, The Home Depot Foundation will partner with nonprofit organizations like the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to help create modified homes for combat-wounded veterans.
"Team Depot is a tremendous group of hard workers that stretch from coast to coast," said Frank Siller, chairman and CEO of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. "We can count on The Home Depot Foundation to help restore independence and dignity to veterans. We're proud to partner with such a generous, impactful company and organization."
How to Get Involved
Throughout the campaign, Team Depot is inviting consumers to 'celebrate service' on social media using #ServiceSelfie. For each #ServiceSelfie shared during Celebration of Service, The Home Depot Foundation will donate $1 up to $500,000 to organizations that help veterans including: Meals on Wheels America, Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Volunteers of America, Student Veterans of America and Team Rubicon.
To learn more about participation, please visit thd.co/givingback and visit Team Depot on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Giving Back at The Home Depot
Since the first The Home Depot store opened in 1979, giving back has been a core value for the Company and a passion for its associates. Today, The Home Depot, in partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, focuses its philanthropic efforts on improving the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families and aiding communities affected by natural disasters. Through Team Depot, the Company's associate-led volunteer force, thousands of associates dedicate their time and talents to these efforts in the communities where they live and work.
Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has invested more than $160 million to provide housing to veterans, and along with the help of Team Depot volunteers, has impacted more than 26,700 homes for veterans. To learn more and see Team Depot in action, visit www.homedepot.com/teamdepot.
Digital Press Kit Available at:
https://corporate.homedepot.com/celebration-of-service-press-kit
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SOURCE The Home Depot Foundation
DALLAS, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Original Pancake House (OPH) DFW will celebrate 29 years of serving the DFW Metroplex by offering their Signature Sourdough Pancakes available throughout the month of September.
"We are proud to celebrate 29 years of business in the Dallas - Fort Worth communities and we invite our guests to celebrate with us because they are the reason we do what we do," said Kevin Payne, President of the local OPH DFW franchise. "We are very thankful to all of our guests, community partners, operators, managers, associates and vendors that are a part of our OPH family."
Supporting the local community is an important aspect to the OPH culture. OPH DFW believes business has a greater purpose than simply serving authentic, mouthwatering, satisfying breakfasts and lunches. OPH is committed to consciously making a meaningful difference in the community at large. That means providing a welcoming atmosphere where families, friends, neighbors and colleagues connect, while creating opportunities and a work environment where Associates thrive and advance. And, it means enthusiastically paying it forward by giving back to the community. OPH feels privileged to support many outstanding, worthy organizations whose members work hard every day to improve lives and make a positive impact. For the list of organizations OPH DFW gives back to, visit www.ophdfw.com/community-involvement/.
OPH has been creating made-from-scratch goodness in the DFW area since 1987. Owners Mark Davis Bailey and Jonathan Seyoum now operate eight locations including the new Fort Worth location opening in early October. It has been their goal to offer outstanding service and quality food that is prepared to order and never microwaved or frozen. All items are made from only premium ingredients that are locally sourced whenever possible. All juices are freshly squeezed with no sugar added. OPH DFW offers local gourmet coffee in Addison, Irving and Fort Worth locations. The international menu of world-famous recipes has been honored with the following prestigious national and international recognition:
USA Today "Top Ten Pancake Restaurants in the Nation"
Today "Top Ten Pancake Restaurants in the Nation" Zagat Dining and Shopping Guide rated "Excellent"
Parenting OC magazine Best Family Breakfast Restaurant Editor's Choice
McCall's Magazine Citation for "Excellence in Preparation and Presentation of Food"
The James Beard Foundation Award for Excellence America's Classics
D Magazine "Best of Dallas " (repeatedly)
For more information, visit www.ophdfw.com.
Media Contact: Margaret McKoin
[email protected]
Phone: 817-403-0866
SOURCE The Original Pancake House
Related Links
http://www.ophdfw.com
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Resourceful small businesses are continually looking for unique social channels to get their brand stories in front of new audiences. These owners also need to do more with less, which means selecting a social media platform that reaches their ideal audiences and delivers high levels of engagement. Enter: the power of LinkedIn. However, changing technology means that even the savviest of LinkedIn users might be unaware of how to make their content more shareable on this platform.
Tips for Creating Shareable Content on LinkedIn http://cisn.co/2cc3H0U
To help marketers make the most of their LinkedIn posts, PR Newswire's Small Business PR Toolkit contributing author Steve Lazuka provides content creation best practices that not only spark interest, but helps promote the content far and wide. Takeaways from 5 Tips for Creating Shareable Content on LinkedIn include:
Create a click-worthy title: Create intriguing titles that encourage readers to click through into the article and ensure the content delivers on the promise of the headline.
Create intriguing titles that encourage readers to click through into the article and ensure the content delivers on the promise of the headline. Choose the right audience: Identify the target audience before putting pen to paper. If the goal is to expand the current customer base, focus on appealing to the interests of non-customers and use their language when addressing them.
For further discussion on LinkedIn best practices, read Lazuka's complete article here: http://cisn.co/2cc3H0U
PR Newswire's Small Business PR Toolkit is a comprehensive resource that provides small businesses and entrepreneurs the tools to develop an affordable public relations and marketing plan that helps generate interest from potential customers, engage with key audiences and grow their businesses. The toolkit features relevant content such as informative white papers, interactive webinars and how-to articles and premium access to educational resources, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of special offers designed specifically for small businesses. To request information on how PR Newswire can help your small business, click here. You can receive updates on new Small Business PR Toolkit content by following @prnsmallbiz on Twitter.
About PR Newswire
PR Newswire, a Cision company, is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms and distribution that marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers leverage to engage key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry over 60 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- and then distribute and measure results. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire powers the stories of organizations around the world. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.
Cision is a leading global media intelligence company, serving the complete workflow of today's communication professionals.
Contact:
Amanda Eldridge
Director, Strategic Channels
201-360-6906
[email protected]
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SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC
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PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tom Harris has been appointed Executive Vice President, Global Services for Chubb North America. In his new role, Mr. Harris will have worldwide responsibility for the delivery of commercial insurance solutions and services for global clients of all sizes. Additionally, Mr. Harris will be responsible for oversight and development of Worldview, Chubb's online portal that currently provides more than 16,000 risk managers and brokers with tools and insight to manage their global insurance programs.
"Chubb Global Services has deep expertise and longstanding experience in meeting the complex underwriting and servicing needs of our global customers," said Chris Maleno, Senior Vice President, Chubb Group, and Division President, Chubb North America Major Accounts. "Our dedicated team of more than 140 employees continues to differentiate Chubb in the marketplace by providing best-in-class service to multinational businesses for the management of their worldwide programs.
"We are pleased to welcome Tom into this key leadership role. His appointment demonstrates our intent to grow and invest in the servicing and core program support that our customers have come to expect from Chubb. Tom is a seasoned industry professional. His finance and accounting background along with strong client relationship and account management skills will help take Chubb's infrastructure, systems, operations, and overall service experience for clients and brokers worldwide to the next level," added Mr. Maleno.
Mr. Harris will report to Mr. Maleno and Joseph S. Clabby, Vice President, Chubb Group, and Division President, Chubb Bermuda and Global Accounts.
Mr. Harris, with more than 20 years of insurance industry experience, most recently served as a Global Client Executive in Chubb's North America Major Accounts division. Prior to joining legacy ACE in 2010, Mr. Harris spent 16 years serving in various roles in Financial Reporting, Risk Management, Corporate Strategy and Development, and Accounting. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Auburn University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Services Crafted for Multinationals
Chubb Global Services offers services and expertise to multinational businesses of all sizes in 200 countries. Experienced leaders manage and deliver sophisticated multinational insurance programs in key disciplines including Account Management, Network Management, Finance, Claims Servicing, Reverse Flow Underwriting, Operations and Reporting, and Technology Innovation, which includes Chubb's Worldview online customer portal.
Worldview, Chubb's award-winning technology, is available exclusively to multinational, global casualty, construction, and ESIS clients and their brokers. Worldview features a centralized portal for policy issuance and electronic delivery of program documents, premium tracking and money movement, claims information, assessment and reporting, and account service and collaboration with the Global Services team.
About Chubb
Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: new.chubb.com.
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SOURCE Chubb
LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Tower International, Inc. [NYSE: TOWR], a leading global manufacturer of engineered automotive structural metal components and assemblies, has appointed James Gouin as President, effective September 1, and as CEO, effective January 1, 2017. Mr. Gouin will join the Board of Directors when he becomes CEO.
Also effective immediately, Jeffrey Kersten will succeed Mr. Gouin as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
Mark Malcolm will remain as CEO until his previously announced retirement at year-end.
Mr. Malcolm will continue to serve on Tower's Board of Directors following his retirement.
Mr. Gouin, age 56, joined Tower as CFO in November 2007. Prior to joining the Company, he worked at Ford Motor Company for 28 years in a variety of senior positions, including Vice President, Finance and Global Corporate Controller and Vice President of Finance, Strategy and Business Development for International Operations.
Mr. Kersten, age 48, joined Tower in 1997. He has been the Company's Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller since 2007; in 2014, he added responsibility for Business Development. Prior to joining Tower, Mr. Kersten worked seven years at Arthur Andersen.
Mr. Malcolm joined Tower as President and CEO in August 2007 upon the Company's emergence from bankruptcy. He led the Company's successful transition from a private company to a public company; Tower's IPO in 2010 was the first by a U.S. auto company on the NYSE in five years. Tower is now a recognized leader in its field, with world-class cost, quality, and engineering/program management that have helped the Company gain market share, grow organic revenue above industry, dramatically improve the balance sheet, increase profits and margin, and return capital to shareholders. Tower has met or exceeded consensus earnings in all 24 quarters since its IPO. In its most recent outlook, Tower projected that adjusted EBITDA would grow by over 20 percent in the second half of this year and by a further 10 percent next year, generating free cash flow of about $130 million in the 18 months through year-end 2017.
"The operational and financial improvements and consistently strong performance under Mark's leadership have been exemplary," noted Tower Chairman Nicholas Chabraja. "Jim Gouin has played an integral role in that success. His strong Company and industry knowledge and a deep, talented, and experienced bench make the Board confident that Tower is in very capable hands to continue making progress and delivering results."
Gouin remarked, "I am honored that the Board has entrusted me to become CEO. Our team will work tirelessly to continue Tower's momentum and increase value for our shareholders and customers."
Malcolm concluded, "It has been a privilege to work with Tower's dedicated and engaged colleagues, the best team in the business. Despite taking immense pride in what we have accomplished together in the past nine years, I am firmly convinced that the Company's best days lie ahead."
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release includes the following non-GAAP financial measures: "adjusted EBITDA", and "free cash flow". We define adjusted EBITDA as net income/(loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, restructuring items and other adjustments described in the reconciliations provided in this press release. Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities less cash disbursed for purchases of property, plant and equipment. We use adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow as supplements to information provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in evaluating our business and they are included in this press release because they are principal factors upon which our management assesses performance and in certain instances in measuring performance for compensation purposes. The non-GAAP measures presented above are not measures of performance under GAAP. These measures should not be considered as alternatives for the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Other companies in our industry may define these non-GAAP measures differently than we do and, as a result, these non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry; and certain of our non-GAAP financial measures exclude financial information that some may consider important in evaluating our performance. Given the inherent uncertainty regarding mark to market adjustments of financial instruments, potential gain or loss on our Discontinued Operations, potential restructuring expenses, and expenses related to our long-term incentive compensation programs in any future period, a reconciliation of forward-looking financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP is not feasible. Consequently, any attempt to disclose such reconciliations would imply a degree of precision that could be confusing or misleading to investors. The magnitude of these items, however, may be significant.
Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors
This press release contains statements which constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to statements regarding the Company's projected second half 2016 and full year 2017 Adjusted EBITDA, free cash flow through year-end 2017 and future prospects. The forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "project," "target," and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are based upon management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The following important factors, as well as risk factors described in our reports filed with the SEC, could cause our actual results to differ materially from estimates or expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements:
global automobile production volumes;
the financial condition of our customers and suppliers;
our ability to make scheduled payments of principal or interest on our indebtedness and comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in the instruments governing our indebtedness;
our ability to refinance our indebtedness;
risks associated with our non-U.S. operations, including foreign exchange risks and economic uncertainty in some regions;
any increase in the expense and funding requirements of our pension and other postretirement benefits;
our customers' ability to obtain equity and debt financing for their businesses;
our dependence on our largest customers;
pricing pressure from our customers;
work stoppages or other labor issues affecting us or our customers or suppliers;
our ability to integrate acquired businesses;
risks associated with business divestitures; and
costs or liabilities relating to environmental and safety regulations.
We do not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
Contact:
Derek Fiebig
Executive Director, Investor & External Relations
(248) 675-6457
[email protected]
SOURCE Tower International, Inc.
PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Topaz International Ltd, the global leader in corporate travel services since 1978, today announced the Traveler Productivity Audit, which finally can define the connections between corporate culture, employee productivity, travel expenditures and travel policies. This service connects available corporate data about employee engagement and productivity, so that companies can better define travel policies around what is most effective for all stakeholders.
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Topaz International President and CEO Bradley Seitz said "Our industry has failed in their efforts to better understand what is best for both the traveler and the corporation. By analyzing various data points collectively, we are able to recommend changes that will reduce stress on employees, allowing them to do their jobs better and more effectively, which delivers bottom line results to the corporation."
"Most corporations do not look at their employees differently with regard to travel," continued Seitz. "The most effective manner to define a travel policy is to understand who is traveling and why. The highly effective sales person that is a road warrior may be subject to a different travel policy than those employees that travel once a year to an industry conference. Further, job title should not always dictate more flexible travel policy, unless it is connected to retention and satisfaction of that stakeholder."
After all, it is entirely about doing what is best for every interested individual and company to achieve the best collective results. For additional information, visit www.etopaz.com/advisory or contact Michele Simon.
About Topaz International Ltd: Based in Portland, Oregon, Topaz International has been providing corporate travel solutions to corporations worldwide since 1978. Since our inception, we have audited over $50B in airfares, resulting in millions of savings to corporations. We are proud to say our clients represent over 75% of the worlds largest corporations, and have conducted business in over 70 countries worldwide. We dedicate ourselves to making business travel more productive and more efficient for all.
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This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com
SOURCE Topaz International
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its final antidumping margins calculated in connection with the eighth annual administrative review of the antidumping duty order on steam activated carbon from the People's Republic of China, noted Kelley Drye & Warren, LLP, counsel to domestic activated carbon manufacturers. Activated carbon is used in drinking water, wastewater, odor control, and pollution abatement systems.
The specific final margins calculated by the Commerce Department are as follows:
Jacobi Carbons AB: $1.76/kg.
(includes: Tianjin Jacobi International Trading Co., Ltd. and Jacobi Carbons, Inc.)
Datong Juqiang Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.: $0.02/kg.
Separate Rate Respondents: $1.36/kg.
(includes: Beijing Pacific Activated Carbon Products Co., Ltd.; Calgon Carbon (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.; Datong Municipal Yunguang Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.; Jilin Bright Future Chemicals Company, Ltd.; Ningxia Guanghua Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.; Ningxia Guanghua Cherishmet Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.; Ningxia Huahui Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.; Ningxia Mineral and Chemical Limited; Shanxi Dapu International Trade Co., Ltd.; Shanxi DMD Corporation; Shanxi Industry Technology Trading Co., Ltd.; Shanxi Sincere Industrial Co., Ltd.; Shanxi Tianxi Purification Filter Co., Ltd.; Sinoacarbon International Trading Co., Ltd.; Tancarb Activated Carbon Co., Ltd.; Tianjin Channel Filters Co., Ltd.; and Tianjin Maijin Industries Co., Ltd.)
PRC-Wide Rate: $2.42/kg.
These margins reflect the Commerce Department's final calculation of the antidumping duty rates to be assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") for shipments by the companies identified above that entered the United States between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015. These margins will also serve as the new cash deposit rate for U.S. importers entering activated carbon from these entities into the United States, and the cash deposit rates will remain in effect until the Commerce Department announces the final results of the current, on-going ninth annual administrative review likely in the fall of 2017. The final margins announced by the Commerce Department today may be modified to correct any ministerial errors made by the Commerce Department in its calculations. The Commerce Department's final results are also potentially subject to litigation before the U.S. Court of International Trade, should any party elect to challenge the final results.
David A. Hartquist, lead counsel to the domestic industry said, "The antidumping order continues to be effective in ensuring fair competition with imports of activated carbon from China." Mr. Hartquist added, "We will continue our efforts to ensure the effectiveness of the antidumping order, including aggressive efforts to thwart various circumvention schemes."
The petitioners in this case are Calgon Carbon Corporation and Cabot Norit Activated Carbon. They are represented in this investigation by David A. Hartquist, Alan Luberda, and John Herrmann of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP.
SOURCE Kelley Drye & Warren LLP
"Andy and Kevin have all of my confidence. Both have made significant contributions to USCF, each demonstrating a commitment to systems improvement, product advancement, and more," said John Love, President and Chief Executive Officer, USCF. "They both have a strong vision that will help USCF meet the needs of our investors and navigate an increasingly complex environment as we expand geographically and into new segments. Their leadership and vision will help ensure USCF achieves our goals and serve more investors around the world."
Andrew F Ngim co-founded USCF in 2005 and has worked as Portfolio Manager for the United States Commodity Index Fund (USCI), the United States Copper Index Fund (CPER), the United States Agriculture Index Fund (USAG) and the Stock Split Index Fund (TOFR). Prior to the creation of USCF, Mr. Ngim co-founded the Ameristock Corporation where he was Co-Portfolio Manager of the Ameristock Mutual Fund. Mr. Ngim earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley.
Kevin Baum joined USCF as a Portfolio Manager earlier this year and brings over 20 years of experience as a Senior Commodities Manager to USCF. Prior to joining USCF, he was Senior Portfolio Manager of Alternatives and Commodities for Invesco PowerShares. Kevin was part of the Oppenheimer Funds team responsible for launching the first commodities mutual fund and subsequently, the incorporation of the first off-shore Cayman subsidiary for a commodities fund. Kevin also served as Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of Commodities and earned the Barron's/Value Line "Top 100 Managers" designation three times. Kevin is a CFA charterholder and CAIA charterholder. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance, from Texas Tech University.
About USCF
USCF operates on the leading edge of Exchange Traded Product (ETP) innovation. The firm broke new ground with the launch of the first oil ETP, the United States Oil Fund (USO), in 2006. Over the next decade, USCF designed and issued twelve more specialty ETPs across commodity and equity asset classes. USCF currently manages over $5 billion from its headquarters in Oakland, California.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release may constitute forward looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in any forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in filings by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.
USCF is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.
Kevin Baum and John P. Love are registered representatives of ALPS Distributors, Inc.
United States Commodity Funds Disclosures:
Download a copy of a Fund's Prospectus by clicking one of the following: ( USO, USL, DNO, UNG, UNL, UGA, UHN, BNO, USCI, CPER, USAG). Please read any Prospectus carefully before investing.
These Funds are not mutual funds or any other type of Investment Company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and are not subject to regulation thereunder.
Commodity trading is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk. Commodities and futures generally are volatile and are not suitable for all investors. Investing in commodity interests subject each Fund to the risks of its related industry. An investor may lose all or substantially all of an investment. These risks could result in large fluctuations in the price of a particular Fund's respective shares. Funds that focus on a single sector generally experience greater volatility. For further discussion of these and additional risks associated with an investment in the Funds please read the respective Fund Prospectus before investing.
TOFR Disclosures:
For a copy of a Prospectus for Stock Split Index Fund click here TOFR. Please read any Prospectus carefully before investing. Investing involves risks, including loss of principal.
Funds distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc.
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SOURCE USCF
BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) announced today it will release the Company's financial results for its fiscal year ended July 31, 2016, prior to market open on Monday, September 26, 2016. The Company will host a conference call at 11:30 a.m. eastern time that same day during which Company executives will review the financial results.
The call will be broadcast over the Internet at www.vailresorts.com. To listen to the call, go to the website and select the Investor Relations section. Those wishing to participate via telephone should dial (888) 417-8465 to be connected. Callers outside of the U.S. or Canada should dial (719) 457-2607.
In addition, a replay of the call will be available two hours following the conclusion of the conference call through 12:30 p.m. eastern time on October 10, 2016. To access the replay, dial (888) 203-1112 (U.S. and Canada) or (719) 457-0820 (international), pass code 1900352. The call also will be archived at www.vailresorts.com.
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. The Company's subsidiaries operate nine world-class mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Perisher in New South Wales, Australia; Afton Alps in Minnesota, Mt. Brighton in Michigan and Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin. The Company owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResort brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com .
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SOURCE Vail Resorts, Inc.
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NAPLES, Fla., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vernon Litigation Group recently filed a claim against prominent securities broker-dealer Merrill Lynch. This claim follows a $10 million settlement that Merrill Lynch entered into with the SEC regarding Merrill Lynch's failure to adequately disclose certain fixed costs and fees in a proprietary volatility index linked to structured notes (known as Strategic Return Notes).
Volatility products are sold to both retail and institutional clients and are complex financial instruments. The SEC noted that Merrill Lynch "offered and sold approximately $150 million of these volatility notes to approximately 4,000 retail investor accounts in 2010 and 2011." The SEC found that Merrill Lynch's offering materials were misleading and made it appear as if the product had relatively low fixed costs when, in reality, there was another fixed, regularly occurring cost.
According to the claim filed by Vernon Litigation Group, two financial advisors who worked for Merrill Lynch and who were involved in this case were the whistleblowers who helped the SEC pursue its investigation against Merrill Lynch over the fixed cost and fee issues. When the advisors realized the representations of Merrill Lynch regarding these Strategic Return Notes were not accurate, the advisors suggested that the clients sell their investment at a loss, recognizing that there was something "structurally wrong" with how the investment was working.
Vernon Litigation Group's claim asserts that Merrill Lynch failed to:
Adequately disclose the fees and costs of the product and its impact on performance;
Follow regulatory rules and guidelines;
Provide material facts and/or omitted or misrepresented those facts to Claimants;
Place Claimants' best interests above their own; and
Recommend an investment only after studying it sufficiently.
The structured product industry is a money-making machine for Wall Street. According to the Wall Street Journal, banks sell $40 billion to $50 billion of structured notes each year. But, from the investor's perspective, structured notes and other structured products are burdened with costs and risks that far outweigh the benefits. Vernon Litigation Group has written extensively on the risks and other problems inherent in structured products.
The structured product involved in this case, called Strategic Return Notes, highlight this reality. The Strategic Return Notes were linked to a Merrill Lynch index that was supposed to track the volatility of the S&P 500. According to attorney Chris Vernon of Vernon Litigation Group, these synthetic products contain inherent design flaws that negate the credibility of Wall Street's assertion that "market conditions" are to blame when investors lose big on these products. It is inconsistent for firms such as Merrill Lynch to claim a wealth of market and investment knowledge as a sales tool and then claim being on the wrong side of the market was not foreseeable when the investor realizes they have been duped.
In the current FINRA arbitration claim against Merrill Lynch, the attorneys from the Vernon Litigation Group have demanded punitive damages as well as compensatory damages as a result of the institutional based wrongdoing.
ABOUT VERNON LITIGATION GROUP
Vernon Litigation Group is based in Naples, Florida, with additional offices in Orlando, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Vernon Litigation Group's mission is to assist in the recovery of client losses caused by financial fraud and negligence. Vernon Litigation Group handles investment-related disputes involving securities such as bonds, hedge funds, annuities, and mutual funds. Its financial litigation and arbitration services help investors fight against negligent and fraudulent advisors, brokers, broker-dealers, and insurance companies.
For more information, contact:
Vernon Litigation Group
Phone: (239) 649-5390
E-mail: [email protected]
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SOURCE Vernon Litigation Group
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LITTLETON, Colo., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine has ranked Vertex Innovations 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.
"The Inc. 5000 is has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success," said Vertex Innovations president, Wayne Smith. "As a small business in such a powerful industry, I am very proud that our growth rate has placed us alongside so many other leading U.S. companies."
Wayne continued: "We hope that this recognition of Vertex inspires and sets a precedent for innovation among our peers and partners in the wireless sector."
The 2016 Inc. 5000 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 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.
Vertex Innovations attributes much of its rapid growth to its unique and innovative program management service model. The company will showcase this model with a 1967 Shelby GT 500, also known as "Eleanor," at the CTIA Super Mobility 2016 conference in Las Vegas next week. How does the no. 1 classic muscle car in America relate to the wireless network of tomorrow? Attendees will have to visit the Vertex booth (#4361) to find out. Located just on the main aisle between the Tower and Small Cell zone and the Connected Life and Technology zone, Vertex will have "Eleanor" on display and will be running a contest to give away a Ninebot by Segway Minipro.
About Vertex Innovations:
Headquartered in Littleton, Colorado, Vertex Innovations was established in 2003 to help the most innovative and successful companies stay ahead of the future. With a robust service offering ranging from performance-based solutions to excellence training and customized software integration, Vertex equips network operators, equipment manufacturers, contractors, strategic suppliers, and others with telecommunication infrastructure in order to wholly improve communication, public safety, and profit gains.
Vertex Innovations currently has active projects across 17 states with a growing team nationwide. At any given time, Vertex has approximately 2,000 live project sites throughout the U.S., including dark fiber, C-RAN, DAS and more. To learn more, please visit www.vertex-us.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.
SOURCE Vertex Innovations
HOLMDEL, N.J., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage (NYSE: VG), a leading provider of cloud communications for business, announced today that it has been named a Visionary by Gartner, Inc. in the 2016 Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide1
Vonage has built a broad suite of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solutions to meet the growing communications needs of businesses of all sizes, including the ability to deploy large customers with QoS guarantees offering them robust Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) functionality; strong project management with its award-winning proprietary backoffice account management platform Zeus; and customer support capabilities. The Company has successfully integrated multiple acquisitions and is focused on innovation to drive the future of cloud communications with its recently-acquired global Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) company, Nexmo.
"We believe to be included in the Visionaries quadrant is a testament to Vonage's vision to become the clear leader in cloud communications," said Alan Masarek, Vonage Chief Executive Officer. "By leveraging corporate assets, such as our nearly iconic brand, strong cash flows and deep expertise in cloud communications, we are accelerating the growth of Vonage Business and creating a powerful value proposition for our customers one that offers end-to-end integration of business communications for a better customer experience and deeper customer relationships."
Mr. Masarek continued, "Vonage's UCaaS solutions not only enable greater mobility, enhanced productivity and internal collaboration among an enterprise's employees, but the addition of CPaaS capabilities enables companies to stay more closely connected to their customers. With relevant communication in real time, on any device and using whatever method customers choose - text, chat, social media or voice - a complete integration of the entire business communications value chain is where our vision for the future lies. This vision will be enabled by the fusion of UCaaS and CPaaS, resulting in better business outcomes for our customers."
This year's Magic Quadrant evaluated 16 UC solutions providers. Vonage was recognized for its "completeness of vision" and "ability to execute" on that vision.
See the full 2016 Magic Quadrant and criteria for inclusion here.
1 Gartner "Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide" by Daniel O'Connell, Bern Elliot, 23 August 2016.
About Vonage
Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of cloud communications services for business. Vonage transforms the way people work and businesses operate through a portfolio of cloud-based 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.
Vonage's Nexmo API Platform provides tools for voice, messaging and phone verification services, allowing developers to embed contextual, programmable communications into mobile apps, websites and business systems, enabling enterprises to easily communicate relevant information to their customers in real time, anywhere in the world, through text messaging, chat, social media and voice. The Company also provides a robust suite of feature-rich residential communication solutions.
In 2015, the Company 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. 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.
Required Disclaimer:
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
(vg-a)
SOURCE Vonage
Related Links
http://www.vonage.com
"In the past five years, no other Department of Visual Art & Design in the state of Utah has exhibited more internationally than Weber State University," said Lydia Gravis, Director of the Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery. "What makes our faculty valuable to students is that they are not only professors, but also working artists across a wide variety of mediums. Our gallery is committed to bringing the world's foremost contemporary artists to Utah and in this exhibit we get the opportunity to showcase the talented artists who live in Utah, but are known internationally."
This year's exhibition includes the following highlights:
"Weightlifting as a Source of Data and Imagery," by Assistant Professor Molly Morin . Drawings by Morin render ideas in materials that have a little 'give' and are nuanced in a way more specific to her individual weightlifting experience as a member of the Weber State University Weightlifting team.
. Drawings by Morin render ideas in materials that have a little 'give' and are nuanced in a way more specific to her individual weightlifting experience as a member of the Weightlifting team. "The New World," by Visiting Professor, Scott R. Horsley . This new three-part piece depicts the unexpected impacts that technology has made as humans have explored new lands, from North America to Mars.
. This new three-part piece depicts the unexpected impacts that technology has made as humans have explored new lands, from to Mars. "Frosting Under Craft Water," by Adjunct Professor, Cara Lynne Krebs . Many exquisite experiences exist only in spaces of potentialthe fantasy of imagining the action of touch, an embellished conceptualization of an exotic location, magic without learning its mechanism. Cara Krebs toys with displacement by conceiving imagination, perception, desire, and visceral reactions as means of moving a person through place.
"Students are often unaware of the most important source of energy that is so evident here in the teaching environment; namely, the intensity and drive that each faculty member brings to his or her own studio practice," said Matthew Choberka, Professor and Chair of the Department of Visual Art & Design. This faculty is actively involved in the creation and exhibition of contemporary art, and the Biennial Faculty Exhibition provides a valuable opportunity for students to see just how the ideas discussed in the classroom are manifested in the studios of our faculty," said Choberka.
The Biennial Faculty Exhibition Department of Visual Art & Design is free and open to the public. The pieces will be displayed from Sept. 16 - Nov. 16. There will be an opening night reception on Friday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. The exhibition and reception will be held in the Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery. For gallery hours visit: (http://weber-edu-dova.org/shawgallery/). www.weber.edu/shawgallery
Share This: #WeberState set to open Biennial Faculty Art Exhibition on Sept. 16 - watch preview at: http://bit.ly/2bZZzlG #Utah #Art
About the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities
The Weber State University Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities teaches students to excel as they seek, understand, question and express complexities critical to the experience of being human. The Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities offers undergraduate degree programs in the following five areas: Communication, English, Foreign Languages, Performing Arts and Visual Art & Design. Master's degrees also are offered in Communication and English. The college serves more than 2,000 undergraduate majors and 250 graduate students. The Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities is the Western region's foremost institution for student- centered teaching and research that investigates the human experience and aims to educate global citizens who are responsible, creative and critical artists, performers and communicators. For more information, please visit, (www.weber.edu/cah).
Contact:
Christie Denniston, APR
Director of Marketing and PR
Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities Weber State University
Phone: 801-626-6431
Cell: 303-827-5164
Email: [email protected]
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SOURCE Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities
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Seoul, Aug 29 : Volkswagen Korea on Monday said it would not take legal action against a decision by the South Korean government to ban sales and revoke the certificates of 80 of its models over the German carmaker's emissions cheating scandal.
The local unit of the German company said earlier this month that it was considering a legal challenge after the South Korean Environment Ministry revoked certificates of 80 models of Volkswagen, Audi and Bentley, and fined the automaker 17.8 billion (around $15 million) for allegedly forging documents on emissions or noise-level tests, EFE news reported.
However, the company on Monday reportedly said it would no longer pursue such an action.
"We reached a conclusion that we need to move towards re-certification and resolve the current situation," an official at Volkswagen Korea said.
The measures against Volkswagen in South Korea came after an extensive probe into the company, which included raids of its offices and the arrest of a company executive.
Environmental activists gathered on Monday in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square to call on the government to take further action against Europe's largest carmaker.
Holding up cardboard models of Volkswagen Beetles and messages reading "Main culprit of fine dust is Volkswagen", the group demanded answers over the scandal.
Singapore, Aug 30 : The Singapore government on Tuesday intensified efforts to destroy Aedes mosquito breeding habitats in a southeastern suburb as the number of confirmed Zika cases rose to 56.
"We expect to identify more positive cases. Given that the majority of Zika cases are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and mosquitoes in the affected areas may already have been infected, isolation of positive cases may have limited effect in managing the spread," a statement from the Health Ministry said.
The ministry, in conjunction with the National Environment Agency (NEA), on Tuesday destroyed at least 36 breeding habitats and inspected hundreds of sites in the Aljunied Crescent and Sims Drive neighbourhood, Efe news quoted a media report as saying.
The heightened vector control operations came after 41 cases of locally transmitted Zika were identified on Sunday, with the majority of patients being construction workers who had not travelled and yet were infected locally.
Ongoing health screenings of the area's residents confirmed a total of 56 cases.
According to the World Health Organisation, the Zika virus is now present in at least 58 countries globally with evidence of local transmission in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
New Delhi, Aug 30 : The Ministry of Urban Development will soon launch "Asli Tarakki" (real development) campaign in the six cities of the National Capital Region with 450 selected youth with communication skills and leadership qualities as lead motivators to promote awareness about the need for sanitation.
The ministry on Tuesday signed an MoU with the Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYK) in presence of Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and Minister of State for Urban Development Rao Inderjit Singh.
The MoU was signed by Praveen Prakash, Joint Secretary, on behalf of the ministry and Major General Dilawar Singh, Director General of NYK.
As per the MoU, NYK will deploy 50 enthusiastic, experienced in public speaking, motivated and educated youth for 52 days each of the five municipal areas of Delhi (NDMC, NMCD, SMCD, EMCD and Delhi Cantonment), Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida for a mass awareness movement for successful implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission.
"The 450 youth will be engaged to spread the message of 'Asli Tarakki', encouraging citizens to give feedback on different components of 'Swachh Survekshan-2017' and encourage people to take Swachh Bharat Pledge for a clean India," the ministry said in a statement.
Four chariots will be deployed in each of the nine municipal areas with banners and posters on sanitation, public address system for addressing people on key issues with facilities for showing audio-visual films on display.
Naidu lauded the pilot youth engagement and asked the officials and NYK to ensure its success so that the same could be replicated in other parts.
Washington, Aug 31 : The White House has termed the European Commission's order for tech giant Apple to pay 13 billion euros in taxes to Ireland as unfair.
According to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, the decision is amounted to a "transfer of revenue from US taxpayers to the EU".
Earnest said the White House was concerned about a "unilateral approach" that threatened to undermine progress that had been made to try to make the international taxation system "fair", rte.ie reported on Wednesday.
The White House will continue to monitor the case and others being investigated by "the Europeans", he added.
Apple officials have been in contact with the Obama administration on the issue.
In a setback to Apple just before the much-awaited launch of iPhone 7, the European Commission on Tuesday announced that Ireland must demand 13 billion euros in taxes from the Cupertino, San Francisco-based company.
"We have concluded that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to 13 billion euros to Apple. This is illegal under EU state aid rules, because it allowed Apple to pay substantially less tax than other businesses. Ireland must now recover the illegal aid," an EU statement read.
Following an in-depth state aid investigation launched in June 2014, the European Commission concluded that two tax rulings issued by Ireland to Apple have substantially and artificially lowered the tax paid by Apple in Ireland since 1991.
"The rulings endorsed a way to establish the taxable profits for two Irish incorporated companies of the Apple group (Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe), which did not correspond to economic reality: almost all sales profits recorded by the two companies were internally attributed to a head office," the statement said.
The commission's assessment showed that these "head offices" existed only on paper and could not have generated such profits.
In an earlier white paper, the US Treasury Department warned the EU about taking any action against Apple and other US companies like Amazon and Starbucks.
According to the paper, the EU investigations could "create an unfortunate international tax policy precedent".
Washington, Aug 31 : Ahead of the US-India-Afghanistan trilateral talks scheduled at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September, Washington said it wanted New Delhi to continue its constructive role in Afghanistan.
After visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry announced in New Delhi on Tuesday the restart of the trilateral talks following the Second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, State Department spokesperson John Kirby said the scheduled discussions were "important and they are going to continue".
"And I think what matters is that, as the Secretary said, those discussions are important and they are going to continue," Kirby said in the daily press briefing here on Tuesday.
"And he talked about the constructive role that India has played inside Afghanistan and wanting to see that -- see that role continue. So we're focused on the future here."
In a joint press interaction with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi after the bilateral Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, Kerry said the trilateral talks would be held to "reaffirm our mutual roles as central players on behalf of security and progress in the region".
"I want to thank India for the important contribution that it has been making in Afghanistan," Kerry said.
Among the major projects India has completed in Afghanistan in recent times are a new wing of the parliament inaugurated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kabul on December 25 last year and the reconstructed Salma Dam, renamed Afghan-India Friendship Dam, operationalised in June this year.
Kerry also indicated that terror attacks on Afghan territory from across the border might figure in the trilateral meeting.
"Clearly it is in India's interest as it is in Afghanistan's interest and our interest and Pakistan's interest, frankly, to have a peaceful and stable Afghanistan that is no longer under siege from the Taliban or from any other group that tries to use its territory to propagate terror," he said.
"So our hope is to be able to strengthen all of the efforts that we have been deeply engaged in for a long period of time through these talks and perhaps even to find the ways, ultimately, to explore the possibilities of a peaceful resolution of the conflict, which is something we have also been seeking through various efforts to engage the Taliban, I might add, under the auspices and leadership of the Afghan government."
In this connection, Kirby, in his briefing said: "We all recognise the continued security threat that is posed by the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups that operate inside Pakistan and along that border between Afghanistan and Pakistan".
"There is a constant conversation that we are having with our Pakistani partners about the threat posed by Haqqani and by other extremist groups there in the region and certainly operating inside Pakistan," Kirby said.
Mexico City, Sep 1 : US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has defended his call for a wall on the Mexican border to "stop the illegal movement of people, drugs and weapons" during his visit to meet President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Trump on Wednesday said they did not discuss his plan to make Mexico pay for the wall - a central plank of his campaign.
"We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date. This was a very preliminary meeting," EFE news quoted the magnate as saying during a joint press conference with Pena Nieto at the Mexican presidential mansion.
But Pena Nieto later tweeted: "I made it clear Mexico would not pay for the wall".
The two men spoke after meeting privately.
"Cooperation toward achieving the shared objective - and it will be shared - of safety for all citizens is paramount, to both the US and to Mexico," the magnate said.
The US presidential hopeful began by thanking Pena Nieto for the invitation and said that he and his host were "united by our support for democracy, a great love for our people and the contributions of millions of Mexican-Americans to the US."
While offering no apology for his previous characterization of Mexican immigrants to the US as "criminals" and "rapists," Trump spoke of his "great respect" for Mexican-Americans and "their strong values of family, faith and community".
Ending illegal immigration was the first item on a list of "shared goals" Trump proposed for the US and Mexico.
"This is a humanitarian disaster. The dangerous treks, the abuse by gangs and cartels and the extreme physical dangers, and it must be solved, it must be solved quickly," the Republican candidate said.
The statements from Pena Nieto and Trump were followed by a brief question-and-answer session with reporters.
Pena Nieto invited both Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton to Mexico.
The Mexican president said during the press conference that he extended the invitations in the interest of promoting bilateral cooperation, expressing "absolute respect for the election process in the US".
However, Pena Nieto has faced heavy criticism over inviting Trump to Mexico and holding talks.
Former President Vicente Fox told CNN: "We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit."
Former First Lady Margarita Zavala tweeted: "We Mexicans have dignity, and we reject your hate speech."
At least two demonstrations have been planned in Mexico City.
Washington, Sep 1 : US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in India on Monday on a three-day visit, has cancelled his return to Washington scheduled, and will extend his stay in India before leaving for China to join President Barack Obama at the G-20 Summit.
US State Department spokesperson John Kirby on Wednesday said in his daily press briefing here on Wednesday that Kerry's official schedule for the next couple of days was "still forming up" citing logistical reasons.
After co-chairing the Second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday, Kerry addressed a town hall meeting at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, met with Indian opposition political party leaders and visited the American embassy school before calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss climate change issues and the deepening US-India partnership.
Following heavy rains on Wednesday morning, Kerry postponed his scheduled visits to the Sisganj Gurdwara, the Jama Masjid and a Hindu temple in New Delhi.
Asked about Kerry's official schedule given his extended stay in New Delhi, Kirby said: "I didn't say that he didn't have official events. His schedule is still forming up, and as we get more information about that, we'll certainly provide it to you. But he wanted to be able to attend the G-20, and so it just made practical sense from a logistical perspective, particularly as we had to finalise arrangements as far as for his ability to join the President, to stay there in New Delhi while those arrangements were made."
The G20 summit in Hangzhou will take place from September 4 to 5.
Washington, Sep 1 : The US State Department said that the Haqqani network and other terror groups that operate inside Pakistan and along the Afghan border were a continued security threat to the entire South Asian region and beyond.
"We all recognise the continued security threat that is posed by the Haqqani network and by other terrorist groups that operate inside Pakistan and along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Dawn online reported on Thursday quoting spokesman John Kirby as saying at a news briefing.
"The Pentagon is obviously well aware of that, as we are here, and it's a conversation that we continue to have and will continue to have with our partners in the region. I'm not aware that there's any dissonance here in terms of the way we're seeing it," said the US official.
Kirby said the US had held "a constant conversation" with its Pakistani partners about the threat posed by the Haqqani and other extremist groups "there in the region and certainly operating inside Pakistan".
And "we make these decisions routinely and they're based on active, fluid, dynamic conversations that we have with Pakistani leaders," he added.
"I don't know of any difference. I think the United States government is viewing this very much all in the same light," Dawn online quoted Kirby as saying.
Kirby said that Secretary John Kerry has held several conversations with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif over this issue.
At an earlier briefing at the Pentagon, India's Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar described the Indian narrative of the current trouble in the Kashmir Valley, claiming that it was primarily because of Pakistan's use of "terrorist proxies", an allegation Islamabad has rejected.
Mr Carter did not contest the Indian narrative, saying that Pakistan-based terrorist groups had targeted both Indian civilians and military.
"Terrorism is one of the many missions on which we cooperate...We oppose terrorism affecting anyone and us. That's certainly true with respect to terrorist acts perpetrated against the Indian people, and also I should mention the Indian military," he said.
Defence Secretary Ash Carter did not contest the Indian narrative, saying that Pakistan-based terrorist groups had targeted both Indian civilians and military.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday described as "totally false" a report carried by an Iranian news website which, citing an Indian media outlet, quoted Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj as saying that China should be cautious of a visit by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
"The report is completely false and baseless," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup stated when contacted by IANS.
"EAM has given no such interview, nor has she made any such comment," he tweeted.
The Iranian report on Alalam.ir came ahead of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad's visits to Pakistan, China and Japan.
Citing the Hindustan Times Indian media outlet, it quoted Sushma Swaraj as saying that the Crown Prince's visit was of no strategic concern and that Chinese officials be advised to be cautious of the "US-backed visit".
When contacted, Hindustan Times denied carrying any such report.
The Blessed Mother Teresa Church in Virar, Maharashtra, will be renamed as \"St. Mother Teresa Church\" on Sunday. Image Source: IANS News
A huge one-tonne, white marble statue of Mother Teresa stands inside the church in Diocese of Vasai which she had visited in April 1986. Image Source: IANS News
Palghar (Maharashtra), Sep 1 : When the world celebrates the proclamation of Mother Teresa as a 'Saint' on Sunday, September 4, by Pope Francis in the Vatican, a church in Maharashtra will also have its own memorable celebrations.
On that day, 'The Blessed Mother Teresa Church' in Virar town here, around 60 km north of Mumbai, will be re-christened as 'St. Mother Teresa Church' amidst pious celebrations for the lady who touched the hearts of millions of poor in India with her selfless charitable works.
The renaming ceremony will bring alive the cherished memories of Mother Teresa's only visit here in April 1986 for the people of Vasai-Virar and will make it perhaps the only church in the country to be dedicated to 'Saint' Mother Teresa.
"She had blessed the people of this Diocese, inaugurated the extension wing of the Cardinal Gracias Hospital and later addressed a youth rally here," Father Richard Dabre, Secretary to Archbishop, Diocese of Vasai, told IANS.
The soon-to-be St. Mother Teresa Church also treasures a drop of Mother Teresa's blood -- a relic enshrined in a glass case -- which attracts thousands of people from all over the country.
A magnificent, one-tonne statue of Mother Teresa, constructed in stark white Makarana marble, erected in 2012, looks benevolently upon the worshippers inside the church, Dabre said.
Preparations are currently under way to make the upcoming historic event of Sunday in the Vatican and in Vasai Diocese unforgettable. Colourful decorations, multi-coloured lights, banners, hoardings and flowers shall be seen in and around the Christian pockets in the Diocese, with a population of 137,000.
A procession of young and old will be taken out to the church and will culminate in a special Mass to be celebrated by Archbishop Felix Machado to herald the new Saint that evening. More than 5,000 people are expected to witness the event.
Representatives of the Missionaries of Charity in Vasai, Mumbai and other parts of the country will also be present.
People all over the world will remember Mother Teresa, especially in Kolkata where she dedicated her life to serving the poorest of poor, earning the nickname of 'Saint of the Gutters' during her lifetime, through the Missionaries of Charity she founded.
Born on August 26, 1910, as Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, in Skopje, Macedonia, the former school teacher attracted global attention, was honoured with some of the most prestigious awards, including India's top civilian award Bharat Ratna in 1980, Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1962.
Wearing a white sari with blue border -- her perpetually smiling, wrinkled face etched permanently in the memory of the people -- she remained an ever-accessible human being to commoners, celebrities and world leaders till her death on September 5, 1997, aged 87.
Her death anniversary has been declared by the UN as 'International Day of Charity' and Indian Railways introduced a new train 'Mother Express' on her birth centenary in 2010.
A delegation of around 50 Christians drawn from the Diocese of Vasai will head to the Vatican later this week to take part in the celebrations there for the canonisation which will be watched by a global audience.
The delegation will comprise the former Parish Priest of The Blessed Mother Teresa Church, Father Michael Rosario, and Father Joe Pereira of Vasai.
After her passing, the Vatican initiated the process of canonising her as a Saint which will finally happen next Sunday.
Over the years, she inspired articles, books, dramas, films, documentaries, a painting series by the late Indian artist M.F. Husain, hundreds of coins and postage stamps by countries around the world.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmi@gmail.com)
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said he was "very pained" by what Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar had done, leading to his sacking on grounds of morality.
Sandeep Kumar, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said in a statement, had "betrayed" the AAP movement and all those who had quit their jobs to be a part of it.
"Sandeep Kumar has betrayed the entire movement. AAP is the sole hope of the entire country. He had betrayed their hope," Kejriwal said.
The Chief Minister ordered Sandeep Kumar's sacking on Wednesday night after coming in possession of a video which showed the minister with a woman in an "objectionable position".
Sandeep Kumar on Thursday claimed innocence, saying he was targeted because he was a Dalit.
Kejriwal said it was but natural for people to ask at this juncture if there was any difference between the AAP and other parties.
He said if any evidence of wrongdoing was brought against any AAP leader or minister, the party immediately acted on it. This did not happen in other political parties.
Agartala, Sep 1 : Gram Sabhas would be held in all villages across the country as part of the awareness campaign for the special summary revision of electoral rolls, being undertaken with January 1, 2017, as the qualifying date, an official said here on Thursday.
"The four-month long special summary revision of voters' lists is being undertaken following the instructions of the Election Commission. Different states have different schedule of the revision keeping in mind the local conditions," Tripura's Additional Chief Electoral Officer Debashish Modak told IANS.
He said: "Gram Sabhas would be held in all villages, and similar public gatherings would take place in municipal council or corporation areas, to make people aware about the special summary revision of photo electoral rolls across the country."
"At least two Gram Sabhas must be held in each Gram Panchayat area during the revision of the rolls."
The official said: "The commission wants an error free voters' list, including all eligible people in the vital rolls. In the Gram Sabha, existing rolls would be read out and appropriate steps would be taken on the spot."
The dates of the Gram Sabha would be fixed by the election commission in consultations with the states concerned or election authorities.
Modak said that in Tripura, the draft electoral rolls were published on Thursday across the state as part of the special summary revision of photo-affixed voter's rolls.
Currently Tripura has 2,443,438 voters, of them 1,197,784 females.
"In each summary revision of electoral rolls two to three per cent voters were increased. This is an all India phenomenon. However, during election year, the increase is slightly more," the official added.
Seoul, Sep 1 : South Korean director Kim Ki-duk has been denied a visa to shoot his magnum opus movie "Who Is God" in China.
Ki-duk seems to be a high-profile victim of the ongoing geopolitical dispute between South Korea and China over missiles.
"Kim Ki-duk has been only granted a tourist visa for one month, while we applied for a work visa for three months," variety.com quoted the film's producer Julia Zhang as saying.
Zhang added: "We haven't been given any official explanation for this yet. We suspect that this has to do with the situation faced by many Korean artists who work with China at this moment. If this situation won't change within short term, this means indeed that Mr. Kim won't able to work as director of 'Who Is God'."
The project is a large canvas treatise on war and peace and the Buddhist religion, that the South Korean maverick has been trying to mount for most of the past decade.
Ki-duk, who is currently at the Venice Film Festival, is discussing radical contingency plans.
"I've recently been flying back and forth since last year. I am to start shooting in October, but suddenly there's a work visa problem. I don't know the definite reason. The approval process seems to have become more complicated," Ki-duk told a Korean-language film publication Cine 21.
He added: "If it doesn't work out, I may make the film as 'executive artistic director,' meaning that I may have a person in China and direct that person in detail from Korea."
Dublin, Sep 1 : In his first reaction to the European Commission ruling that Ireland must demand 13 billion euros in taxes from Apple, CEO Tim Cook of the multinational technology major on Thursday dismissed the tax evasion allegations as "total political crap".
In an interview to Irish Independent newspaper, Cook said Ireland is being "picked on".
"I think we'll work very closely together, as we have the same motivation. No one did anything wrong here and we need to stand together. Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable," Cook told the newspaper.
He also said that the Cupertino, San Francisco-based company will "go forward" with an expansion in Cork, Ireland.
Cook also rejected the assertion by EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager that Apple paid only 0.005 per cent tax in Ireland in 2014.
"They just picked a number from I don't know where. In the year that the Commission says we paid that tax figure, we actually paid $400 million. We believe that makes us the highest taxpayer in Ireland that year," Cook was quoted as saying.
The Apple CEO also described the ruling as "maddening and disappointing", denying allegations of ever having a special deal with the Irish government.
Earlier, in a setback to Apple just before the much-awaited launch of its iPhone 7, the EU announced that Ireland must demand 13 billion euros in taxes from company.
"We have concluded that Ireland granted undue tax benefits of up to 13 billion euros to Apple. This is illegal under EU state aid rules, because it allowed Apple to pay substantially less tax than other businesses. Ireland must now recover the illegal aid," an EU statement read.
Following an in-depth state aid investigation launched in June 2014, the European Commission concluded that two tax rulings issued by Ireland to Apple have substantially and artificially lowered the tax paid by Apple in Ireland since 1991.
"The rulings endorsed a way to establish the taxable profits for two Irish incorporated companies of the Apple group (Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe), which did not correspond to economic reality: almost all sales profits recorded by the two companies were internally attributed to a head office," the statement further said.
The White House, however, termed the EU order for Apple to pay taxes to Ireland as unfair.
According to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, the decision is amounted to a "transfer of revenue from US taxpayers to the EU".
Earnest said the White House was concerned about a "unilateral approach" that threatened to undermine progress that had been made to try to make the international taxation system "fair", rte.ie reported.
Cook, however, was confident that the Irish government will appeal against the EU ruling.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Thirteen Indians have been infected with the Zika virus in Singapore, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Thursday.
The Singapore government informed the Indian authorities on Thursday about the mosquito-borne infection.
The patients, who are showing mild symptoms of the fever, have been admitted in hospitals, the MEA said.
Identities of the patients have not been revealed.
Earlier in the day, Chinese authorities confirmed that 21 Chinese nationals were stricken with the Zika virus in Singapore.
China on Thursday issued an alert against travelling to the island nation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced here that they were informed about the situation by the Singapore Health Ministry.
Libreville (Gabon), Sep 1 : Gabon's parliament building in the capital city was set ablaze as angry protestors clashed with police during a demonstration against the narrow victory of incumbent President Ali Bongo under controversial circumstances.
The European Union on Thursday called for verification of each polling station result in the West African nation.
"It is important that all actors reject violence and call for calm. Any protest must be peaceful means to prevent the burning of the country; the police must react responsibly," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.
Amid the violence, security forces stormed the headquarters of opposition leader and defeated presidential candidate Jean Ping.
Ping's supporters had been staging protests after official results gave Bongo a narrow victory in Saturday's presidential election, BBC reported.
Ping said two persons were killed as shots were fired.
His supporters accused the government of stealing the election.
The election result, announced on Wednesday, gave Bongo a second seven-year term with 49.8 per cent of the vote to Ping's 48.2 per cent -- a margin of 5,594 votes.
But Ping disputes the result in one province which show a 99.93 per cent turnout with 95 per cent voting for Ali Bongo.
Ping said the election was fraudulent and "everybody knows" he won.
He also denounced the raid which happened while he was not in the building.
Ping has called for international assistance to protect the population and has called for voting figures from each polling station to made public.
The US and EU have also called for the results to be made public while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged calm.
Ali Bongo took office in 2009 after an election marred by violence, succeeding his father Omar Bongo who had come to power in 1967.
Ping had been a close ally of Omar Bongo, serving him in ministerial roles and having two children with his daughter, Pascaline, a former Gabonese Foreign Minister herself.
Jabalpur, Sep 1 : Veteran actress and politician Hema Malini has hailed the government and people of Madhya Pradesh for maintaining the beauty of Narmada river.
"Hats off to the government and people of MP who have maintained the beauty of the Narmada and are carefully preventing any deterioration of the river," the Bhartiya Janata Party MP tweeted on Thursday.
She is currently shooting on the banks of Narmada and she can't stop praising the river's beauty.
"Shooting here on the banks of the beautiful Narmada! What serene beauty, no garbage pile up on the banks. Everything clean as far as the eye can see," she wrote without sharing any other detail about her project though a few days back she had expressed her excitement to play Gautami in the Telugu film "Gautamiputra Satakarni".
The Lok Sabha member from Mathura also compared the Narmada river to Yamuna.
"My mind's eye is comparing this beauty to my Yamuna, struggling to flow amidst all the pollution in Vrindavan, Mathura. What a contrast! But soon I'm sure the scene will change for the better with Narendra Modi on the same wavelength giving importance to cleanse all rivers and save them," she shared on Twitter.
"Work has already started on this massive project and has been inaugurated with the Yamuna in Mathura. Dream of the people here will be fulfilled soon," she promised.
Kolkata, Sep 1 : The Supreme Court verdict on land acquisition for the Tata Nano project in West Bengal's Singur could pave the way for strong reforms in the methodology adopted for land acquistion. It may also facilitate enactment of a standard mechanism for such acquistion, industrialists and economists said on Thursday.
In a setback to the Tatas, the Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the land acquired by the previous Left Front government in West Bengal for the Nano car plant, saying due processes and procedures were not followed.
"I have not studied the verdict in detail. In general, land acquisition has been a big problem for industries. There should be reform enabling industries to buy land," Godrej Industries' Managing Director Nadir Godrej told IANS.
"It is a good idea for states to keep a land bank in advance. Some states do that. States which are legally acquiring land, when there is no project in mind and keeping the land in hand to give it to industry have been successful," he added.
Quashing the acquisition proceedings, the apex court also exposed the existing lack of standard land acquisition procedures. The verdict is seen as a boon for paving the enactment of Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act.
"The Supreme Court's verdict is a manner of unearthing the existing lack of standard land acquisition mechanisms that state authorities follow across India. It gives real estate stakeholders another reason to push the case for a Land Acquisition Act to be enacted soon. In that sense, I would see this development in a positive light," JLL India's Chairman and Country Head Anuj Puri told IANS.
The verdict of the highest judiciary also make a strong case for enactment of appropriate law in this regard at the earliest possible opportunity, Puri said.
Economists feel the verdict has brought more clarity in the definition of public purposes, which were debated at length but had so long remained unanswered.
"The Supreme Court verdict brings clarity on the purpose of land acquisition. It was debated earlier whether large employment can be treated as a public purpose or not when the government is acquiring land for an entity and for a project which would have a profit motive, said economist Abhirup Sarkar, a professor at Kolkata's Indian Statistical Institute.
"The apex court order endorses that large scale employment cannot be a public purpose even though the judges differed with each other on the point," he said.
"The conflict was within the government. That is why the government did not acquire the land directly and West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) did so," said Sarkar, now the WBIDC vice chairman.
Going with the Supreme Court verdict, Puri said acquiring land for "public purposes" in the guise of transferring it for commercial development as well as invoking the "emergency clause" without giving landowners an opportunity to raise their issues are wrong practices.
Such clarity, in fact, makes a strong case for "buying land directly" said Sarkar adding it would have nil impact on the state's industrial and investment outlook. Investors do not want their funds to remain idle, and so would continue to pump in money for projects.
Industrialists, in fact, felt that a progressive policy was important.
Citing the example of Andhra Pradesh, Godrej said: "When the state acquired land for a new capital, it gave landowners a stake in whatever is coming up. This is a good policy."
But Godrej also cautioned that "there would be some impact if land is not available for industries."
Speaking on the possible impact of the verdict on the investment outlook, industrialists hoped transparent projects would remain unaffected, with investors prefering to park their funds in projects which are dispute-free.
Asked about the possible procedure of returning land to cultivators and giving compensation, industrialists and economists said it was up to the state to take the next course of action but agreed that holding the land without any productive purpose would be difficult.
(Bappaditya Chatterjee can be contacted at bappaditya.c@ians.in)
Bhopal, Sep 1 : The condition of a three-year-old girl, who was found badly injured under a bridge here after being raped, is improving, Madhya Pradesh's Minister Archana Chitnis said on Thursday.
It has been confirmed that the girl had been raped, said Chitnis, who is the state's Woman and Child Development Minister.
The girl was found dumped, badly injured and bleeding, on Wednesday under a bridge in Barkhedi area of Bhopal city, Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Singh Chandel said.
He said four police personnel have been suspended for delay in taking action after they were informed by the local people about the injured girl found under a bridge.
Two police stations, Aishbagh and Jahangirabad, bickered over jurisdiction, delaying the victim's hospitalisation.
The girl was eventually taken to hospital on an autorickshaw by Sub-Inspector Jitendra Chandelia.
She is being treated at Sultania Hospital here.
According to the police, the girl's parents belong to Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh and came to Bhopal in search of employment. They were living near a railway station from where the girl disappeared and was later found dumped in Barkhedi.
Chitnis announced that the parents of the girl would be given Rs 20,000 as 'voluntary grant assistance'.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The RSS on Thursday accused Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi of making U-turns on his remarks blaming members of the Hindutva group for assassination of Mahatma Ganghi, and asked why "he had avoided trial for two years" in defamation case filed by one of its activists.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) publicity department chief Manmohan Vaidya tweeted that Rahul Gandhi had been avoiding trial on one pretext or the other.
"Then why R. Gandhi avoided the trial for two years under one pretext or other? Is he scared to face truth? He keeps on taking U-turns," Vaidya said hours after Rahul Gandhi told the Supreme Court that he was ready to face trial for alleged defamation of the RSS.
Rahul Gandhi told the apex court that he stood by his remarks blaming the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and said he was ready to face a trial for alleged defamation of the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rahul Gandhi's lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court that the Congress Vice-President stood by what he had said about the RSS and the 1948 assassination of the Mahatma Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi withdrew a petition before the apex court that had sought quashing of the defamation proceeding in a Maharashtra trial court.
The bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman allowed the petition to be withdrawn but did not grant Rahul Gandhi an exemption from appearing before the trial court.
RSS activist Rajesh Kunte filed the defamation case against the Congress leader over his remarks at a 2014 election rally that people associated with the Hindutva group killed Mahatma Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order refusing to interfere with the defamation case against him.
The Congress leader told the Supreme Court through his lawyer last week that he did not blame the RSS but "people associated with it" for the Mahatma's assassination.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday said that the Budhadeb Bhattacharya-led CPI-M government had not acquired the Singur land in West Bengal for any "personal gain", and that it had never opposed returning the same to farmers after the proposed Tata Nano car project could not come up on it.
Reacting to the Supreme Court's order of Wednesday, wherein the apex court quashed the decision of the CPI-M government in 2006 to acquire 1,000 acres of land in Singur for allotting it to a private company, Senior party leader Nilotpal Basu said that the land acquisition was done in "good faith".
"We did it keeping in mind that employment was required. We did not do it for any personal gain," Basu told IANS.
On whether the CPI-M has any regret on acquisition of the land, Nilotpal Basu said that there was none as it was done to strengthen the economy of the state and to generate employment for people there.
"Why do we regret? To sustain the economy you have to have industry," he said, adding that ever since it became clear that there would be no industry on the acquired land, the party had never opposed the idea of giving it back to whom it belonged.
"In 2011 when Trinamool Congress government was formed in West Bengal, we told them that they could return the land if they so desired," he said.
Asked if the land acquisition cost CPI-M its government, Basu said: "I don't think so," and added that there were various reasons for it.
"Over 80 percent people of the state supported the acquisition," he said.
He also criticized the BJP-led NDA government, saying it was not fulfilling its promises made before elections in 2014.
Khajuraho, Sep 1 : BRICS nations should form a permanent working stream on tourism comprising stakeholders from both government and the private sector, South African Tourism Minister D.A. Hanekom said on Thursday.
He said this at the inauguration of the two-day BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Convention on Tourism being held here in the lead up to the BRICS leaders summit to be held in Goa in October, with India in the chair in 2016 of the grouping of emerging economies.
"India with a long tradition, history, ancient civilisation and culture with a large number of World Heritage sites like Khajuraho is destination to be visited again and again," Hanekom said, expressing his pleasure at holding the convention here in this historic temple town.
Heads of the Chinese and Russian delegations emphasised the need for greater cooperation among member countries for the growth of tourism.
The convention will see presentations by tourism departments of different states while an exhibition of traditional handicrafts and handloom is also slated to be held on the sidelines of the summit.
Union Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi, who welcomed all the delegates, said Khajuraho was selected for the convention because it was the best destination to showcase.
Although Khajuraho has no direct rail connectivity with major Indian cities, the number of Indian tourists here, for instance, increased to over 3 lakh in 2015 from around 2.5 lakh in 2014.
Chandigarh, Sep 1 : The Border Security Force (BSF) has seized eight kg heroin at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab's Abohar sector, an official said on Thursday.
The heroin, which is valued at Rs 40 crore in the international market, was seized at the Border Out Post (BoP) Jodhawala Uddhar in Abohar sector in south-west Punjab.
The heroin consignment was seized after a BSF trooper, using binoculars, noticed suspicious activity of a farmer who was working on his agricultural land across the border fence.
The BSF launched a search in the area and recovered eight kg heroin in packets of one kg each.
One China-made pistol was also seized. All this was hidden under wooden logs of a tree lying in between the international border with Pakistan and the border security fence.
"In this connection, one Indian national, namely Jagtar Singh of village Jodhawala under Jalalabad police station in Fazilka district, was apprehended by BSF. He was later handed over to the Punjab Police.
The BSF has seized over 171 kg of heroin along the border belt in Punjab so far in 2016.
Ontario, Quebec sign climate policy deal with MexicoOntario and Quebec signed an agreement with the Mexican government Wednesday to jointly develop climate policy with the aim of allowing companies in those provinces to purchase Mexican greenhouse gas-reduction credits to satisfy provincially regulated emission caps.With Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne looking on, Environment Minister Glenn Murray, his Quebec counterpart David Heurtel, and Mexicos Environment Secretary Rafael Pacchiano-Alaman signed the memorandum in Guadalajara during the annual Climate Summit of the Americas, a meeting of provincial, state and local government officials aiming to co-operate on climate policy. They were joined at the summit by Mr. Pacciano-Alaman.The agreement commits the partners to work together on developing carbon markets, share best practices and jointly promote the expansion of carbon market instruments in North America. California has a similar agreement with Mexico and is a partner with Ontario and Quebec in the Western Climate Initiative, which establishes a joint market for buying and selling carbon credits.Mexico, Ontario and Quebec are driving real progress on reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, Ms. Wynne said in a statement. This milestone declaration will boost co-operation between our three regions and drive the reduction of carbon emissions across North America.Mexico is undergoing dramatic liberalization of its energy markets, has aggressive emission-reduction targets and has launched pilot programs for carbon trading. It is eager to link carbon markets with partners in North America in order to attract capital to its economy.
Mumbai, Sep 1 : India's first Central Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology is being planned to be set up in the country's commercial capital here, Chemicals and Fertilizer Minister Ananth Kumar said on Thursday.
"The government is planning to set up Central Institutes of Chemical Engineering and Technology at different locations where the chemical industry has significant presence. The first such institute will come up in Mumbai," Ananth Kumar said at the inauguration of the three-day India Chem 2016 expo here being organised by his ministry jointly with industry chamber FICCI.
Noting that the Indian chemical industry, which employs nearly 2 million people, requires 8.5 lakh skilled technicians, the minister said that current infrastructure to impart skill training is inadequate.
"The Indian chemical industry is expected to grow at 9 per cent per annum to become a $226 billion sector driven by growth in end-use industries and government initiatives," he said.
"India's long coastline, large refining capacity and a satisfactory R&D capacity are the strengths for the growth of the chemical industry, but ease of doing business needs to improve further," he said.
Ananth Kumar also said imports from China and Southeast Asia continue to dominate, as raw material cost and availability pose challenges for domestic businesses.
Iran is the partner country at this ninth edition of what is billed as India's largest chemicals and petrochemicals event.
A host of other countries such as China, Japan, Turkey, Singapore, Vietnam, Britain, South Korea, Belgium and Taiwan are participating in India Chem 2016.
Gujarat, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are taking part as partner states in the event, which is "expected to attract big ticket investments from foreign shores to boost India's chemical industry", the government said.
Iran's participation here assumes significance following the signing earlier this year between India, Iran and Afghanistan of the Chabahar trilateral transit and trade corridor deal that will ensure easy movement of goods between the three countries, bypassing Pakistan.
New Delhi, Sep 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a hectic diplomatic week ahead with an important bilateral visit beginning Friday and three multi-lateral summits following in quick succession, including the G20 in China, with a two-day gap in between.
Modi will leave for Vietnam on Friday where he will hold bilateral meetings with the Vietnamese leadership on Saturday.
This will be the first prime ministerial visit to Vietnam in 15 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001.
From Vietnam, Modi will leave for Hangzhou, China, where he will attend this year's G-20 Summit being held on September 4-5.
From Hangzhou, he will return to India on September 5.
Two days later, the Prime Minister will leave for Vientiane, Laos, where he will attend the 14th India-Asean Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit being held on September 7 and 8.
Addressing a media briefing here on Thursday, Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry, said that Vietnam is the country coordinator for India with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
The Prime Minister will meet with the top Vietnamese leadership, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
"Vietnam is the central pillar Of India's Act East Policy," Saran said.
"Our priorities in cooperation range in a whole host of areas, including defence and security, trade and investment, in maritime cooperation, in energy resources, integrating ourselves to the Asean community and for leveraging our interactions in regional and international forums," she said.
Saran said Vietnam supported India's membership in an expanded UN Security Council.
"Defence and security cooperation with Vietnam is very robust and it includes areas like counter-terrorism, trans-national crimes," she said.
"In defence cooperation our focus has been in capacity building, in training, in high-level exchanges, and more recently in defence procurement."
India's bilateral trade with Vietnam now stands at $7.8 billion and India has surplus trade with Vietnam of around $2.8 billion.
Regarding the India-Asean and East Asia Summits, the Secretary said that this is the third time that Prime Minister Modi would be participating in these events.
"Both the Summits provide a very important platform to reiterate our partnership with Asean and with the wider Asia-Pacific region," Saran said.
At the 14th India-Asean Summit, Modi and Asean leaders will review India-Asean cooperation and discuss its future direction under each of the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation, according to statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry.
"Trade between India and Asean stood at $65.04 billion in 2015-2016and comprises 10.12 percent of India's total trade with the world," it stated.
The East Asia Summit is attended by the leaders of the 10 Asean member states, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.
"At the 11th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concern including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and illegal migration," the statement said.
In a separate briefing, Sujata Mehta, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Minister, said that at the G-20 Summit in China, the Prime Minister's delegation will also include NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, who is India's sherpa at the event, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Shaktikanta Das, Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs.
She said, as is the practice, Modi will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but bilateral meetings with other world leaders are still being worked out.
She also said that theme of the Hangzhou Summit is "Towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy".
According to Mehta, India's priorities in this summit will be cross-border mobility particularly in services, reduction in remittance costs from overseas Indians, poverty eradication, moderation in consumption and more sustainable lifestyle, and improved technology access.
"As part of our G-20 effort, we have also been working on measures directed against terrorism, in particular terrorist finance and corruption,"she said.
"We have also supported measures in reforming the global tax administration in the context of tax evasion and tax avoidance but also in terms of improving global taxation governance in general."
Kolkata, Sep 1 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leaves for Rome on Friday to attend Mother Teresa's canonisation ceremony on September 4.
Banerjee will also visit Munich during her week-long trip to meet potential investors.
Banerjee said she is going to the Vatican City on an invitation from the Missionaries of Charity - a Catholic order founded by Mother Teresa. She has got invitation from two apex business chambers to visit Munich.
Banerjee said there was a major business potential in Italy, particularly in the jewellery sector. In Munich, she was eyeing business in the manufacturing sector.
The Chief Minister will be accompanied by top industrialists, ministers and bureaucrats.
Palakkad (Kerala), Sep 1 : Upcoming Malayalam film actor Sreejith Ravi has been taken into custody by the Ottapalam police following complaints from a few school girls of misbehaviour.
Speaking to IANS, an official attached to the Ottapalam police station confirmed that Ravi is in their custody.
"We are verifying the complaint against him by school girls and only after verification would there be further action. So far no arrest has been recorded," said the official who did not wish to be identified.
The actor was taken into custody after a group of school girls alleged that he exposed himself before them, which has been denied by him.
The incident occurred last month.
Ravi, an engineer by profession, is the son of hugely popular actor T.G. Ravi who has been in the industry for the past more than four decades.
Ravi jr began his film career in 2005 and has donned the grease paint in more than 50 films, including "Nallu Penunngel" directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
Some of his other popular films include "Chanthupottu" and "Mission 90 Days", which tells the tale of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.
Access to finance and input costs such as VAT are the key barriers to increasing the housing supply in Ireland, according to new research from chartered surveyors.
In particular they say that the introduction of rent certainty measures have forced private landlords out of rental sector and that treating residential investors on par with commercial property investors is needed.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) is calling for a reduction of VAT to 9% for houses under 300,000 and the establishment of a finance agency to support house building.
Over half of the 300 chartered surveyors who took part in the survey said the introduction of rent certainty measures by the government was one of the main reasons private landlords are exiting the sector. The other reasons cited were the indebtedness of private landlords and tax restrictions.
SCSI president Claire Solon said that reducing VAT on affordable housing and establishing a Development Finance Agency with expertise in construction lending were measures the government should introduce in the upcoming Budget.
She pointed out that the ESRI has estimated that Ireland needs to build 25,000 residential units per annum, with the bulk of them being required in the capital. However in the second quarter of 2016 planning was only granted for 2,590 units in Dublin, of which only 620 have commenced construction.
The VAT reduction for the hospitality sector has worked extremely well. We would like to see a similar reduction to 9% for a defined period focusing on houses under 300,000. We feel such a move, access to finance for builders and a Capital Gains Tax holiday for a set period to free up development land, are three measures which would provide a much needed kick start to house building, she said.
She explained that the return of boom era rents caused by the shortage of housing supply together with the slow gearing up of the construction sector meant Ireland might not be in a position to avail of any opportunities created by Brexit unless swift action was taken.
It is crucial for the Government to address the depletion in investor activity in the overall residential market. One solution would be to apply the principles of commercial property investment to residential development and investment. Specific measures which would help level the playing field would be to reinstate full mortgage interest relief and to remove USC and PRSI on rental income, she pointed out.
The survey found that the most significant challenge facing provincial towns and villages in Ireland was the inadequate provision of broadband services. In its submission the SCSI calls on the Government to provide additional funding for the roll out of reliable, high speed broadband services in all rural and provincial areas, a doubling of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme Grant Scheme to 20 million and an overhaul of the regulations of the Living Cities initiative.
The Society has warned of the serious skills shortages facing the sector and has called on the Government to commit a greater proportion of the National Training Fund to up skilling, retraining or transferring of workers into surveying disciplines while also allowing employers to access the fund directly.
A new report reveals that a third of tenants in the UK have paid for energy efficiency improvements despite recent Government legislation that requires landlords to do so.
Currently landlords are required to bring their property up to the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating E. Under the legislation, which came into force on 01 April 2016, if a tenant requests a more efficient home and the landlord fails to comply, the landlord could ultimately be forced to pay a penalty notice.
However, the study conducted by online letting agent PropertyLetByUs, shows that one in six tenants have paid for roof insulation, 7% have paid for double glazing and 92% have paid for draft excluders for windows and doors. A further 71% have paid for their boiler to be repaired.
The research also shows that 88% of tenants want their landlord to install a more fuel efficient boiler, while 78% want their draughty front door replaced, 72% want more loft insurance and 48% want double glazed windows fitted.
Properties with EPC ratings of F and G will be progressively banned from the market, starting with rental homes with new tenancies. That will become the legal minimum for private rented properties when new regulations come into force in England and Wales from 2018. The Residential Landlords Association estimates that a total of 330,000 rental homes in England and Wales are likely to be affected.
Though Government officials have estimated it could cost landlords between 1,800 and 5,000 to bring energy-inefficient properties up to an E rating, according to PropertyLetByUs it could be tenants that have to fund the improvements.
Our research shows that is falling on tenants to pay for energy improvements to their rented properties which is simply unacceptable. Many tenants are finding that their landlords are refusing to make improvements to the property, leaving tenants no choice but to dip into their own pockets, said a spokesman.
Tenants should not have to pay for roof insulation and repairs to old boilers, when it is the landlords responsibility. Landlords should comply with the current legislation that requires them to make energy efficiency improvements and they also should start improving their properties, if they have an EPC rating of F or G, so they are brought up to the required standard by 2018, the spokesman added.
The Government has recently given guidelines on the costs with a typical package of measures for a small semidetached house. Gas central heating and low energy lighting is estimated at 4,000, loft insulation at 300 and cavity wall insulation at about 500.
The firm also pointed out that the Government will need to put measures in place to ensure that landlords are compliant or it fears that the financial burden on tenants could be even greater.
CEO and Founder Jennifer Guthrie I am dedicated to helping change the face of AIDS and renew the future of the next generation in Africa
In-Flight Crew Connections announced today that its CEO, Jennifer Guthrie, has been named a 2016 Brava Award winner by Charlotte SmartCEO based on her leadership skills and community involvement.
The Brava Awards celebrate the distinguished achievements of 40 high-impact business leaders in Greater Charlotte. Brava award winners combine their irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for giving back to the community, and are exemplary leaders of both their companies and their communities. The inaugural class collectively generates more than $24.69 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 53,800 individuals. The winners will be profiled in Charlotte SmartCEO magazine and celebrated at an awards ceremony on September 13, 2016 at The Fillmore Charlotte.
Brava winners possess the hallmark qualities of successful leaders vision, passion, compassion, dedication, and perseverance. Each winner in this inaugural class exhibits these qualities in all facets of her life, from running her business to tending to her family and donating time and resources to philanthropic initiatives, says Jaime Nespor-Zawmon, president of SmartCEO. We are honored to recognize a group of Charlotte women who are truly making a difference in the world.
Jennifer Guthrie founded In-Flight Crew Connections in 2002 and since the company's inception, has led the company with exponential year-over-year growth. In recognition of her leadership and success, she has received numerous industry awards, including Gold Stevie Award for Women in Business, NAWBO Business Leader of the Year Award, Charlotte Business Journal's Top 25 Women in Business, and was featured on CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.
"I am honored to be recognized with such a powerful group of women who drive the success of their businesses and give back to their communities," says Jennifer Guthrie. "This is an exceptional group of dedicated women who are leaders and mentors, and devote their time and expertise to make a difference."
Jennifer's philanthropic focus extends beyond the company's participation in various local non-profit programs. She and her family travel to Africa with Care for Aids, a team dedicated to helping men and women with HIV and AIDS live longer, healthier lives. Care for AIDS, in partnership with churches in Africa, provides access to medication and offers a range of programs to help and educate people with the illness. Jennifer travels to Kenya to help train parents on how to start their own business. "I am dedicated to helping change the face of AIDS and renew the future of the next generation in Africa," Guthrie says. "I'm especially passionate about causes related to women and children."
About the Brava Awards
The Brava Awards program celebrates high-impact female business leaders in three categories: CEOs, Executive Directors of Nonprofits, and C-suite executives. Brava award winners combine their irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for giving back to the community, and are exemplary leaders of both their companies and their communities. They encourage local philanthropy, mentor up-and-coming leaders and set their companies on the path to tremendous growth. Each year, an independent committee of local business leaders selects winners based on company growth, community impact and mentoring. SmartCEO shares their inspiring stories in SmartCEO magazine and celebrates their success at their high-energy awards gala.
About SmartCEO
SmartCEOs mission is to educate and inspire the business community through its award-winning magazine, connections at C-level events and access to valuable online resources. SmartCEOs integrated media platforms reach decision makers in the Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Long Island, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas.
About In-Flight Crew Connections
In-Flight Crew Connections, a global leader since 2002, provides aviation industry staffing solutions for owners and operators of business class jets. Focused on developing customized solutions that meet the unique needs of corporate aviation clients, our range of services include: ONe-Call Temporary Crew Services - on demand supplemental staffing for pilots, flight attendants, schedulers/dispatchers, aircraft maintenance technicians and engineers, Payroll Services, Management Service, Recruiting & Placement, International Staffing, and Concierge Services. The company is a privately held, WBENC certified women-owned staffing firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
To schedule staffing services with In-Flight Crew Connections, call (704) 236-3647. Visit In-Flight Crew Connections online at http://www.inflightcrewconnections.com and follow on Twitter,LinkedIn and Facebook
Deborah Pearl was driving to work Saturday morning through the local streets of Solon, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb so serene that Money magazine last year named it one of the top 10 places to live in the United States.It was just after 7 a.m. when the 53-year-old mother of three cruised through an intersection and a man in a sport-utility vehicle ran a red light, slamming into the drivers side of Pearls Ford Taurus, police reports would later say.The intensity of the crash caused Pearls car to skid across the intersection and the SUV to roll several times until it came to a rest flipped upside down, police reports said.Both drivers survived; somehow, the man in the SUV was able to walk out of his now-overturned vehicle.And that is where the tragedy begins.Deborah Pearl (Courtesy South East Harley-Davidson)According to a woman who witnessed the accident, the man emerged from his Jeep carrying a rifle, Cleveland.com reported.Police and other officials would later identify the man as a former U.S. Marine, one who had been deployed to Iraq twice.The female witness, who gave a written statement to the police, told Cleveland.com what happened was so traumatizing that she did not want to be named.Rifle in hand, the driver of the SUV walked toward Pearl and as she held her hands up shot her several times, the woman told the news site.I cant get her screams out of my head, she told the site.Several people in the area appeared to have witnessed the accident. Another woman, Jamirra Brabson, heard four shots, then a woman scream, before three more rounds of at least three shots, the site reported.Then it was just silence, Brabson told the site.At 7:21 a.m., an area resident called 911, breathless and distraught, to report the accident and the shooting.Theres a man walking around with an AK-47, shooting all over the place! Corner of Richmond and Solon, the woman said, according to a recording of a 911 call provided by Chagrin Valley Dispatch. Or a large rifle like that, yes. Please hurry!The woman told the dispatcher the man was pacing up and down the road with his rifle, at some point coming up to her driveway. Sounding close to tears, she begged the dispatcher to send help quickly.Solon police said they found Pearl lying in the road with several gunshot wounds and took her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead about 8:18 a.m.Matthew Ryan Desha (Courtesy Solon Police Department)The driver of the SUV, 29-year-old Matthew Ryan Desha, was taken into custody. Police said they found a Stag Arms AR-15 rifle in his possession.A military spokeswoman confirmed to The Washington Post that Desha served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008, and was deployed to Iraq twice during that time.According to his military personnel file, Desha was a private who served as a mortarman.Words cant explain what were going through, Pearls son Derryo Pearl told Cleveland.com. This is the roughest patch a human being can go through. Ive gone through tough times before, but it wasnt like this.Derryo Pearl told the news site that his mother was on her way to work that morning at the South East Harley-Davidson dealership, less than 20 miles away from her home in Twinsburg, Ohio.Her son told the site he credited his mother with raising her three children to become good parents of their own.She disciplined us when she needed to discipline us, Derryo Pearl told the site. She made us go to school every day. She worked hard and taught us that was the only way to succeed in life.Reached by phone Tuesday, Robert Murray and Timothy Young, who identified themselves as Pearls husband and another son, told The Post they did not want to talk about what happened but gave permission to use a photo of Pearl.Desha has been charged with murder and was arraigned Monday via video appearance in Bedford Municipal Court.He is being held on $1 million bail and will appear in court again Wednesday, according to court records.Deshas neighbor Kathleen Salvatore told WEWS News that the man struggled after his time in the Marines.He was also the kind of person that if someone was trying to mess with him, like a guy picking a fight with him, youre going to get pummeled, Salvatore told the station.Makes a body wonder what's wrong with these people, don't it?
I overheard one of the students saying how impactful something as simple as looking up at the night sky and seeing all the stars was. ~ Jose Gonzalez
Inspired by the power of outdoor education, a team of local non-profits set together to send a group of low-income San Jose students to summer camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains this July 2016. Thanks to the efforts of San Francisco-based Latino Outdoors, Los Altos-based Sempervirens Fund, and Boulder Creek-based Web of Life Field (WOLF) School, a group of students from Sacred Heart Nativity School were able to attend their 2016 Summer Camp from July 22-24, 2016 at Little Basin Cabins and Campgrounds, a California State Park and part of Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
Every summer Sacred Heart Nativity School (SHNS) students have the opportunity to attend summer campevery summer it is the students most anticipated activity, and every summer it is a feat of collaborative energies to get the students there. Serving approximately 120 6-8th grade students, SHNS is the only non-profit, private Catholic middle school in the San Jose area focusing on academic intervention for the underservedtheir families have an average family income of $29,000 and currently, 100% of the youth served are Hispanic/Latino, mostly from immigrant families living within the surrounding neighborhood area.
The chance to attend summer camp for these students is a profound opportunity. For many, it is their first time leaving their urban neighborhoods, making the discovery of the natural worlds grandeur and their place in the web of life an awe-inspiring experience. It is one of the most impactful ways that SHNS continues its mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Unless SNHS finds funding each year, however, the students arent able to attend summer campand thats where a team of Bay Area nonprofits stepped in to help.
Determined to get her students to camp, SHNS President Sonya Arriola reached out to Jose Gonzalez, the founder of Latino Outdoorsa nonprofit organization who works with a network of leaders committed to engaging Latinos/as in the outdoors and connecting familias and youth with nature. It was a perfect fit.
The students, the leadership, the community, and their intentions about why they wanted thisYou know what a call to action for community service feels like and this was it, said Gonzalez.
After establishing transportation and program funding, Latino Outdoors still needed to find a location that could host SHNS summer camp. Gonzalez, building from his network, reached out to Latino Outdoors Silicon Valley Advisory Council member Amanda Montez, who is also a Sempervirens Fund board member. Montez referred Gonzalez to Mike Kahn, Communications and Outreach Manager for Sempervirens Fund. Kahn has been committed to educating the next generation of Santa Cruz Mountain stewards during his tenure with Sempervirens, a nonprofit founded in 1900 whose mission is to preserve and protect the Santa Cruz Mountains coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, wildlife habitats and watersheds, and to encourage enjoyment of this stunning region. After hearing from Latino Outdoors, Kahn knew where to goWeb of Life Field (WOLF) School.
For the past 4 years, Sempervirens Fund and WOLF School have partnered together to bring students to Big Basin Redwoods State Park in a shared commitment of inspiring environmental stewardship in underserved Bay Area youth. Sempervirens Fund is credited with the founding of Big Basin Redwoods State Park; and WOLF Schoola nonprofit organization providing residential outdoor education and teambuilding programs at campuses throughout Northern Californiais headquartered at Little Basin, a 534-acre California State Parks campground that was recently added to Big Basin Redwoods State Park in part through the efforts of Sempervirens Fund.
Recognizing WOLF Schools tremendous abilities to educate and organize youth programs, Sempervirens Fund dedicated their 2016 Silicon Valley Gives campaign to WOLF School, raising $7,600 towards outdoor environmental education programs for low-income students. In hearing SHNS need, Kahn suggested they use a portion of those donations to partner with Latino Outdoors and bring Sacred Heart Nativity Schools 2016 Summer Camp program to Little Basin. WOLF School enthusiastically agreed.
Through Sempervirens funding, WOLF School was able to host SHNS 2016 summer camp at Little Basin, and provide three of their professionally-trained naturalists to participate in SHNS outdoor education program with Latino Outdoors. It was the first time that Latino Outdoors and WOLF School educators worked together, and it was a remarkable benefit to the SHNS students. WOLF School naturalists led SHNS students in a hike around Little Basins Tanbark Loop, let them explore the creek and introduced the concept of a watershed, and culminated their experience with a redwood study in which students were able to use clinometers and long line measuring tapes to measure the heights of redwood trees. Latino Outdoors educators shared their cultural experiences as they related with the students, allowing them a sense of community even in this new and unfamiliar outdoor environment.
Each person on Latino Outdoors staff was a leader of a smaller group within our larger group, which I thought was really beneficial for the students, because it's hard for someone to connect with every individual within a large group, related WOLF School naturalist Carly McGaugh. As someone who identifies as Chicana/Latina it was really amazing to work alongside Latino Outdoors with this group.
We are so grateful for the good work of the Latino Outdoors, Sempervirens Fund and WOLF School teams that made this camp happen, said Arriola. Outdoor education is a huge pillar of our educational program and philosophy. We believe that all students, but in particular low income youth living in urban settings, benefit immensely from outdoor educational experiences. Camp is the program our students most look forward to every year. This partnership made the SHNS Summer Camp a reality for our students and I am grateful for the work these nonprofits do to educate and empower our youth.
On the last day, shared Gonzalez, I overheard one of the students saying how impactful something as simple as looking up at the night sky and seeing all the stars was.
For us, continued WOLF School program coordinator Sergio Typhoon, that is the ah-ha! moment. At the end of it all, seeing that beyond getting them outdoors, the students had an impactful experience in nature and that it resonated with them. That is where change comes from.
Todd Furgason, Campus Planner at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, said, Allison has a high level of expectation for what design can be. They understand that all architecture shapes the public space and can enrich the daily lives.
Founded in 1996, Allison + Partners is celebrating 20 years of providing architecture, interior design, and planning services. Formerly Allison Architects, Allison + Partners believes the new name reflects its most valuable characteristicthe spirit of partnership with its clients. Since its founding the architecture and design firm has won numerous awards for design excellence in the state of Arkansas and regionally.
We launched twenty years ago based on a desire to provide highly personalized services delivered by a small team of talented and dedicated professionals, said John Allison, Founding Partner of Allison + Partners. I am immensely proud of all we have achieved and I thank all of our clients who have helped us create lasting spaces.
Allison + Partners specializes in providing design services for numerous private and public clients, including higher education institutions, libraries, and schools. The firm also has a long history of work in renovation and restoration of civic and commercial spaces. Many notable projects are award-winning and include the Hillside Auditorium located on the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville campus, the Health Science Complex at Black River Technical College in Pocahontas, and the Oley E Rooker Library in the Central Arkansas Library System of Little Rock. Noteworthy historical renovations include the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, Arkansas, and the Argenta Branch for Laman Library in North Little Rock.
Principal Aaron Ruby had this to say about the firm's anniversary: This is a really excellent time to be part of this team of talented architects and designers. Allison + Partners has an incredibly rich portfolio of great projects in just 20 years. It's exciting to think about what the future might hold. We absolutely love what we do."
The firm has received numerous recommendations from previous clients. Todd Furgason, Campus Planner at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, said, Allison has a high level of expectation for what design can be. They understand that all architecture shapes the public space and can enrich the daily lives of those come in contact with it. Individuals and organizations that are searching for a Little Rock or Northwest Arkansas architect may view the firm's portfolio at http://www.allisonarchitects.com/projects.html.
About Allison + Partners:
Allison + Partners was founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1996. With offices in Little Rock and Fayetteville, the architecture firm has created many lasting spaces throughout Arkansas. Dedicated to providing personalized and responsive services, the team produces innovative and sustainable solutions for its clients. Visit http://www.allisonarchitects.com to learn more about the design team and its completed projects.
Ideal CU recently promoted Alisha JR Johnson to Executive Vice President of Operations. 'Alisha is a tremendous asset to our organization with her wealth of in-depth, strategic marketing and operations experience.' - Ideal CU President Brian Sherrick
Alisha JR Johnson was recently promoted to Executive Vice President of Operations for Ideal Credit Union. Johnson joined Ideal in May of 2010 as Vice President of Marketing, and was promoted to Senior VP of Marketing, Sales & Service in August of 2012. In her new position, she is responsible for strategic development and management of operating units including branch operations, contact center, wealth management, business services, member relations and marketing. Included in the EVP of Operations role is the responsibility for ensuring that professional business relationships are established and maintained with members, strategic vendors, the business community and trade organizations.
Johnson has over 27 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has received many awards throughout her career, including Finance and Commerces Top Women in Finance in 2001 and the Minneapolis Business Journals 2003 Top 25 Women to Watch. She was also recognized as one of the 40 Under 40 by the Minneapolis Business Journal in 2006. Active in the financial services industry, she was a member of Financial Women International for over 11 years. She was a member of the ABA Bank Marketing Association for over 22 years and she also served on the Minnesota Bankers Associations Board of Directors. She holds an MBA and undergraduate degree from the University of St. Thomas.
Alisha is a tremendous asset to our organization with her wealth of in-depth, strategic marketing and operations experience, said Ideal CU President Brian Sherrick. By integrating operations under her leadership, she will be instrumental in bringing our service delivery to the next level.
Founded in 1926, Ideal Credit Union is a member owned financial institution that specializes in providing excellent member service, great rates and convenience. Ideal CU offers a complete range of services, including a full suite of electronic banking products, savings, checking, loans, mortgage products and title services, exclusive VIP member payback, business services, investment services and more. Visit http://www.idealcu.com for details and locations.
Marc Eller, CPQM Director of Endeavor Commerce says We streamlined the CPQ and quote-to-order process to include product and pricing data from multiple vendors within each companys industry. This is game-changer for companies using CPQ.
Endeavor Commerce is excited to announce the launch of EndeavorCPQ Marketplace, an advanced quote-to-order software platform that integrates fluidly with major CRM and ERP suites not limited to but including Salesforce, MS Dynamics, and SAP. EndeavorCPQ Marketplace includes multi-vendor quoting functionality as well as integrations with Microsoft Power BI and DocuSign. The official launch date for EndeavorCPQ Marketplace is Sept. 1, 2016.
EndeavorCPQ Marketplace is a SaaS application that allows you to buy and sell all the products and services you need in one place, securely hosted in the cloud by subscribing to the product catalogs you use from different vendors. Endeavor Commerce believes EndeavorCPQ Marketplace will advance the CPQ space by offering additional features needed by sales teams that quote complex product sets.
Marc Eller, CPQM Director of Endeavor Commerce says We streamlined the CPQ and quote-to-order process to include product and pricing data from multiple vendors within each companys industry. This is game-changer for companies using CPQ. As for the current success of EndeavorCPQ Marketplace Eller continued, So far we have a lot of traction in the manufacturing industry, specifically in machine tools working with distributors and accessories providers and this is just the beginning.
The release of EndeavorCPQ Marketplace comes at a well-known time in the manufacturing arena with The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) just around the corner. Endeavor Commerce is excited to be partnering with the Hardinge Group, a global machine tools builder, at IMTS Sept. 1217 in Chicago to display the benefits of EndeavorCPQ Marketplace to other key players in the machine tools space.
For inquiries please contact:
Marc Eller, CPQM Director
meller(at)endeavorcpq(dot)com
Endeavor Commerce
13140 Coit Rd Suite 450
Dallas TX 75240
Andrews Federals JBMDL Branch Staff present a check to SMSgt Randolph Senkle for the NJ Run for the Fallen.
Andrews Federal Credit Union is again serving as the Prime Sponsor for the 2016 New Jersey Run for the Fallen, donating $5,000 in support of this worthy cause.
The last Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of September, participants run one mile across New Jersey to honor and remember each fallen hero from current military conflicts. The total run represents every service member from New Jersey who lost their life protecting the freedoms millions experience daily.
Andrews Federal is committed to supporting the military community of New Jersey and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), said Maree Duncker, NJ Regional Manager.
For 2016, the Core Run Team will consist of dedicated military personnel, from all branches of the military who will come together to run 190+ miles over 4 days to pay tribute to their fallen comrades and Gold Star Families.
About New Jersey Run for the Fallen
The New Jersey Run for the Fallen is an organization of runners (all active duty military) and support crew whose mission is clear and simple: To run one mile for each New Jersey service member who died while serving our country on active duty during the following Wars and Conflicts:
Marine Barracks Bombing, Beirut, Lebanon
Operation Restore Hope, Somalia (Black Hawk down)
Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (The first Gulf War)
The 9/11 Terrorist Attack on the Pentagon
The Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
About Andrews Federal Credit Union
Andrews Federal Credit Union was founded in 1948 to serve the needs of military and civilian personnel by providing a vast array of financial products and services. With over $1 billion in assets, Andrews Federal has grown to serve more than 116,000 members in the District of Columbia, Joint Base Andrews (MD), Springfield, Virginia (VA), Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ), and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In addition, the Credit Union serves as a financial partner with many select employee groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey.
To learn more about Andrews Federal Credit Union and its community involvement, or to become a member, call 800.487.5500 or visit http://www.andrewsfcu.org.
The addition of Stage III funding will further commercialization of this promising technology. This award is a further validation of Tritons efforts to provide innovative disruptive products and technology offering real solutions to the marketplace."
Triton Systems Inc. (Triton) announced today that it has received a highly competitive SBIR Targeted Technologies (START) program Stage III grant from MassVentures, a venture capital firm focused on fueling the Massachusetts innovation economy by funding early-stage, high-growth Massachusetts companies. The funding will help enable Triton to commercialize its Traceptor chemical sensor for applications in defense, homeland security, environmental monitoring, and contraband detection markets.
The START program helps growing Massachusetts-based companies commercialize technologies developed under SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grants from federal agencies including the Army, Air Force, Navy, National Institutes of Health and NASA. Since the programs founding in 2012, START has provided $9 million in grant funding to 40 SBIR projects, and helped the winners raise additional capital of $24 million and enabled 30% employee growth.
Tritons Traceptor sensing product line can detect explosives, contraband, hazardous chemicals, and industrial materials for many security and industry needs. It enables field sensing with much greater sensitivity than is available on the market today, is compatible with standard analytical devices, and can be deployed in the field, which is ideal for defense, homeland security, gas and oil, and environmental applications. It improves the sensitivity of traditional trace vapor sensors, allowing them to meet ever increasing detection requirements.
We are delighted to have won this competitive Stage III funding from the START program, which will provide the means to implement manufacturing infrastructure and quality systems critical for commercial success, noted Ken Mahmud, Executive Vice President at Triton. MassVentures has been a true partner in our product development journey from the completion of the SBIR program to Stage III.
START Stages I and II enabled Triton to pursue trials for the Traceptor sensor, leading to its adoption by a cornerstone customer as well as allowing identification of key markets for our product, said Ross Haghighat, Triton Chairman and CEO. The addition of the Stage III funding will further the commercialization of this promising technology. This award is a further validation of Tritons continued effort to provide innovative disruptive products and technology offering real solutions to the marketplace.
The START program is a unique feeder system to MassVentures and the venture community that fosters growth of companies and readies them for venture funding," said Jerry Bird, President, MassVentures. "MassVentures helps companies like Triton Systems capitalize on their SBIR funding and arm them with the capital, experience, mentoring and network they need to transition to high-growth companies.
About MassVentures (http://www.mass-ventures.com)
MassVentures is a venture capital firm focused on fueling the Massachusetts innovation economy by funding early-stage, high-growth Massachusetts companies as they move from concept to commercialization. MassVentures focuses on Series A investments and considers occasional and opportunistic seed rounds.
About Triton Systems, Inc. (http://www.tritonsystems.com)
Triton Systems, (Triton) was founded as a technology and business incubator in 1992. Headquartered in Chelmsford, MA, Triton has grown to a global footprint by taking breakthrough ideas in a broad range of disciplines and creating a series of commercial products and independent spin-offs, represented by over $2B in shareholder value across its portfolio of companies. By partnering in-house technical, business and financial expertise with targeted external resources, Triton delivers creative solutions to the marketplace through licensed products, joint ventures and independent entities. Company spinoffs, products and divisions include: FRX Polymers, Inc. (http://www.frxpolymers.com), Aduro Biotech (http://www.aduro.com), FRA Composites, Invexus, Si2 Technologies, VOmax and the Egret Bednet Tent.
Infinite Computer Solutions, a global IT services solution for Fortune 100 companies, today announced its partnership with Paladion Networks, a leading cyber-security company. This partnership, aiming to offer clients a more secure network to help companies meet their Service Organization Controls (SOC) 2, will kick off by working with Liberty Medical, a health care product home delivery company, to prepare for the SOC 2 audit set to roll out next year.
Infinite and Paladion were chosen by Liberty Medical as trusted partners due to their combined industry expertise, with Infinites extensive leadership in both the healthcare and security market, and Paladions position as a top cybersecurity company. The partnership will conduct an initial gap assessment, define required security controls, assist in security framework development, provide remote or onsite consultative advisory support for the implementation of the security controls, and conduct a pre-attestation audit before Liberty Medicals CPA attestation audit takes place in April or May of 2017.
Infinite is excited to partner with Paladion Networks to help Liberty Medical meet their SOC 2 standards, said Amit Srivastav, President at Infinite Computer Solutions. Maintaining security and compliance are imperative in creating trusting relationships with customers, and we are thrilled to partner with Paladion, who also focuses on customer centric approaches, to deliver top-notch security to Liberty Medical.
Infinite Computer Solutions is an ideal partner for us, said Rajat Mohanty, CEO at Paladion.
Cyber security is not a one size fits all instrument. At Paladion, we pay very close attention to the business profile of an organization while constructing and delivering security outcomes for customers. Infinites expertise in healthcare strengthens our business profile logic, and will help us deliver a robust information security framework for Liberty Medical.
We are pleased to work with Infinite and Paladion as we feel that they are the best companies to help us achieve SOC 2 Standards in our desired timeline, said Tim Tidd, SVP at Liberty Medical. We believe that their knowledge and experience in the healthcare and cyber security industries will better enable us to extend our ability to meet regulatory requirements and effectively manage increasing cyber threats to our customers.
Infinite Computer Solutions was recently named a Golden Stevie winner at the 14th annual American Business Awards in 2016.
About Infinite Computer Solutions
Infinite Computer Solutions Ltd. provides IT based business process solutions, next-gen mobility solutions and product engineering services, specializing in the Healthcare, Banking & Finance, Telecommunications & Technology and Media & Publishing industries, for Fortune 1000 companies. Their solutions build on proprietary industrial frameworks that significantly reduce work effort and cost while providing faster go-to-market speeds and nimble responses to market dynamics, a solution they call Platformization. Infinite has over 6,000 employees and 8 global delivery centers globally.
For more information, please visit: http://www.infinite.com
About Liberty Medical Supply, Inc
Liberty Medical is the gold standard for delivering better health to patients living with diabetes. They develop solutions to make a positive impact on the lives of their patients and the broader healthcare community. Not just your average nationwide supplier of diabetic medical supplies, Liberty focuses on patient health, education, and better care management, resulting in lower costs and better outcomes so customers can lead healthier, more confident lives.
About Paladion Networks
Paladion is a global cybersecurity firm providing end-to-end platform driven cybersecurity services and solutions in North America, EMEA and Asia. For over 15 years, Paladion has actively protected over 700 customers from cyber risks. Paladion provides a complete spectrum of information risk management comprising threat & vulnerability management, governance risk & compliance consulting for modern agile environment. Our CyberActive security model provides the security conscious enterprise a superior protection with data sciences for threat hunting, faster response through orchestration and recovery with adaptive actions. Please visit http://www.paladion.net to learn more about our award winning offerings and how Paladion makes security operations and security compliance CyberActive.
Yuriy Vasylenko, CEO and President of Elite Medical Scribes This achievement is a testament to terrific work, tenacity and commitment to excellence.
Elite Medical Scribes, the nations preeminent provider of the highest quality medical scribe services for healthcare systems, physician groups, and independent practices has received recognition within the 35th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list, compiled by Inc. magazine, encompasses some of the most successful U.S. companies including Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known entities.
The 2016 Inc. 5000 list was unveiled online at Inc.com, reflecting an aggregate revenue of $200 billion, and generation of 640,000 jobs over the past three years.
Elite Medical Scribes, founded in Minnesota in 2008, earned inclusion on the prestigious list due to its exemplary business performance. The company multiplied its employee workforce five times over in the past three years, and charted impressive revenue growth of 380 percent.
Now working across the U.S., Elite is the scribe provider of choice for numerous nationally-recognized healthcare organizations and teaching institutions including Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, University of Minnesota, Baylor Scott and White, Connecticut Childrens, HealthPartners, Ohio State University, University of Massachusetts, Allina Health, Fairview Health Services, Penn State University, Loma Linda University, Cook Childrens, and more.
"It's a great honor to be recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States. We have assembled an amazing team over the years and this achievement is a testament to their terrific work, tenacity and commitment to excellence. We are very proud of Elite Medical Scribes' impact on our industry and significant job creation across the nation, says Yuriy Vasylenko, CEO and President of Elite Medical Scribes.
The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 18 - 20, in San Antonio, TX.
"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. Thats one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows.
For more information about Elite Medical Scribes, visit elitemedicalscribes.com.
Christian social networking platform We think of LoveRealm as an evangelism platform with the central core of touching the lives of people who are spiritually thirsty. As Christians, we wanted LoveRealm to offer a social media alternative..."
LoveRealm, an emerging brand in the Christianity social networking market, today announced the release of its first social network application. LoveRealm is the first mentoring-based Christian social networking application that pairs users with Christian mentors. Downloads of the app are free on Google Play. An iOS version is scheduled for in December.
With a growing need for social networking in safe, more respectable social networking environments, LoveRealms platform is in response to the publics desire to engage with family, church parishioners, and friends in a social networking environment reflective of their Christian beliefs and lifestyle. It is the only social network in the world with a built in monitoring system. Profane words and content are banned and the newsfeed of users is designed to show content relevant to users specific spiritual needs.
LoveRealm is a social environment for sharing photos of children and weddings; promoting upcoming events, lauding personal milestones, and thousands of other social engagement uses. However, it operates without lewd language, images, and other similar content.
With the rise of social networking engagement, people encounter all forms of content imaginable whether appropriate or not, its clear that a different social networking environment is necessary, said Dr. Yaw Ansong, Jnr., Co-founder of LoveRealm who along with his two brothers, all doctors, comprise a set of triplets. Dr. Ansong Jnr., Yaw Ansong, Snr., and Yaa Ansong Sophia, all Christians created LoveRealm in 2015, for believers.
LoveRealms gives Christians a online forum to meet, pray, discuss scripture in a welcoming setting. With more than 50,000 active users worldwide, LoveRealm is redefining the social networking experience for Christians.
Imagine receiving periodic encouraging words from the pastor you admire, or meeting that special Christian man or woman youve always desired? The possibilities are endless, Dr. Ansong said.
About LoveRealm.com LoveRealm.com, is the world's only mentoring-focused Christian social networking platform, providing 50,000 and growing, users reliable access to a Christian forum where men, women, and teens form friendships and networks worldwide. LoveRealm.com represents the growing tech revolution underway across Africa. For details, visit http://www.loverealm.com
"Nurses give of themselves and provide comfort to their patients everyday. This cause champions the courage and spirit of our community that we are so proud to be a part of.
Nurse Mates, a leader in healthcare professional footwear, accessories and apparel, announces the launch of #GiveHeartsForKids in September 2016, a month-long cause campaign in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, with proceeds benefiting Childrens Cancer Research.
Beginning September 1, 2016 through September 30, 2016, Nurse Mates will donate $10.00 for every online footwear purchase made through NurseMates.com, $1 for every new email sign-up to the NurseMates.com customer list and $1 for every image posted to Instagram with users hands in the shape of a heart and incorporating hashtag #GiveHeartsForKids. 100% of footwear purchase donations and up to $10,000 from email subscriptions and the #GiveHeartsForKids social campaign will directly benefit childrens cancer research. (http://www.nursemates.com/)
Charitable giving and compassion is part of the Nurse Mates DNA. The brand has eternally possessed a deep passion and respect for the people who dedicate their lives to helping others. Over the years, Nurse Mates has given back in the form of Student Nurse Scholarships and various cancer research donations as well as designing products to bring awareness to many important causes. This September Nurse Mates celebrates the opportunity to launch their mission to increase awareness for childhood cancers and to donate to childrens cancer research.
As a company that serves individuals in the health care profession, we are forever committed to giving back. With September being the national awareness month for Childhood Cancer, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to get involved in a cause that is very close to all of us, said David Issler, President and Creative Director of Nurse Mates. The decision to support innocent children who are faced with life threatening diseases each day was, to put it simply, incredibly easy. Nurses give of themselves and provide comfort to their patients everyday. This cause champions the courage and spirit of our community that we are so proud to be a part of.
The Nurse Mates heart logo has been synonymous with the brand since its inception. In keeping with this message, Nurse Mates asks that you give your heart along with theirs to support Childrens Cancer Research. Visit the Nurse Mates website for more information on how to support #GiveHeartsForKids.
About Nurse Mates
For over 55 years, Nurse Mates has been dedicated to providing high quality and dependable, yet fashionable and innovative products for the health care profession. Our premium full-grain leathers, slip-resistant bottoms and comfort technologies make Nurse Mates footwear the best choice for working professionals seeking long lasting style and comfort.
As the leader in professional footwear, accessories and apparel, Nurse Mates is always at the forefront of what busy professionals need - designing durable and comfortable workday products with a sense of purpose and creative flair.
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Photo: Trent Bona
Crested Butte pays homage to its mountain biking heritage with ONE GOOD WEEKENDSeptember 9-11, 2016. Here are the top 10 reasons to come to ONE GOOD WEEKEND.
#1 BIKES
Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley has 750+ miles of singletrack more than anywhere in the world. Festival passes include two days of lift-served XC and downhill riding for all.
#2 Craft BEER
24 Colorado breweries will pour their beers. Folks like Oskar Blues, Odell Brewing, and Revolution Brewery. Festival goers will enjoy free beer throughout the festival, too.
#3 Live MUSIC and MOUNTAINS
Theres music all weekend. Colorado headliners Rapidgrass Quintet and The Reminders serve-up high-energy Bluegrass and HIP-HOP. Panoramic views of the impressive West Elk Mountains surround the stage.
#4 Chili
We cant think of a better pairing for beer, any style. Local cooks will battle it out to see whose recipe reigns supreme.
#5 Ride with mountain biking LEGENDS
6-time Leadville 100 champion Dave Weins, and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member Doug Bradbury will guide groups of riders on the Meander Trail. Space is limited, so order your festival tickets NOW and reserve your spot.
#6 Autumn
The Summer crowds are gone and cooler mountain temperatures bring striking fall colors. Its a great time to be on a bike in the Home of Mountain Biking.
#7 Winter
Weve had snow above 12,500, so winter is fast approaching. Just another reason to get on a bike before trading it in for a board or skis!
#8 Competition
In a town with so many world-class trails, theres always a good amount of friendly competition. Well be handing-out awardsfastest time, top climber, and even best attitude. Just download Strava and track time and vertical climbing at various stages.
#9 The HOME of Mountain Biking
ONE GOOD WEEKEND is an excuse to ride in Crested Butte, a birthplace of the sport. A town where mountain biking is so ingrained in the culture that 25% of residents say their bike is worth more than their car.
#10 FUN
Crested Butte is a laid-back community always eager to welcome visitors and party. Expect positive vibes, great riding, pint sipping, chili eating, goofy dancing, and more.
GET YOUR TICKETS
Visit http://www.mtbhome.com/one-good-weekend for all of the details on the event. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling (877) 213-5357. Register early to reserve your spot in a guided legends ride.
This week, Asset Based Lending (ABL) announced the launch of its online wholesale marketplace for real estate investors. The marketplace, which is available free of charge and without a subscription, will allow potential real estate investors looking for their next fix and flip investment to browse and research a variety of wholesale properties directly from the ABL website. Traditionally a relationship that is established though face to face networking, the new online marketplace aims to bring the wholesaler-investor interaction into the digital world.
We pride ourselves on being a trusted resource to our borrowers; whether that means recommending a vendor, providing an honest opinion about a deals profitability, or writing educational content for our blog, says ABL Chief Marketing Officer Eric Krattenstein. With the wholesale marketplace, weve taken the next step in this progression by starting to reduce the pain associated with identifying potential investments.
Powered by real estate tech-startup Hoozip, the technology comes loaded with a suite of features designed to make the research and due diligence process easier and less time consuming for investors. The suite of features includes:
Advanced Filters: Search for available properties by attributes that include property type, price range, repair estimates, and more.
Deal Calculator: Break down deal costs and return on investment with an in-depth deal profitability calculator.
Research Reports: Available with free and premium options, these reports allow the investor to quickly view comparable properties as well as their publicly available data and other unique property insights.
Transparent Contacts: Quickly contact the owner of a desired property with the readily available contact details and form built into each page.
The properties available in the marketplace are currently limited to New York, New Jersey, and the D.C., Maryland, Virginia region. In those markets, wholesalers are also invited to list their available investment properties in the marketplace by contacting Asset Based Lending directly. ABL welcomes real estate wholesalers to include their properties on the marketplace free of charge, in hopes that the site continues to grow as a valuable asset for investors with a wider variety of available properties.
Asset Based Lending, LLC is a direct hard money lender that specializes in helping real estate investors finance fix and flip projects, new construction, and cash out refinances. ABLs hard money lending programs funds non-owner occupied real estate investments up to $2 million in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Florida, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Since its inception in 2010, Asset Based Lending has funded over 850 real estate transactions with loan proceeds in excess of $185 million. For more information, visit http://www.abl1.net or call (201) 942-9089.
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Our plastic surgery residents will benefit greatly from this state-of-the-art educational resource and collaboration network between medical institutions, said Michael Hill, MD, PhD, FACS, Department of Plastic Surgery, Loma Linda Univ. Medical Center.
Anzu, developers of the AnzuMedical Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration Platform, today announced its new Residency Education & Collaboration Platform for hospitals and medical societies has been adopted by 20 leading medical institutions for their plastic surgery residency programs. The medical institutions are part of the first-ever Nationwide Plastic Surgery Collaborative Residency Network, the RADAR Residency Network sponsored by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and developed by Anzu. Anzu plans to develop additional residency education networks in collaboration with numerous medical societies and medical institutions.
The AnzuMedical Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration Platform is designed for both medical societies and medical institutions residency programs. The platform enables medical societies to provide educational content to residents from diverse institutions so they can share and exchange valuable information, including case studies, videos, notes and more. Hospitals may utilize the platform to facilitate education and collaboration within their own organizations residency programs, between other hospitals and residency programs, and with medical societies and their members.
The institutions involved in the launch include:
Cleveland Clinic
Loma Linda University
Mayo Clinic
Medical University of South Carolina
New York University
Pennsylvania State University
St. Louis University
University of California at Davis
University of Kentucky
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Illinois
University of Kansas
University of South Florida
University of Southern California
University of San Francisco
University of Texas Southwestern
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wayne State University
The RADAR Residency Network provides a unique and powerful educational resource for our residents, enabling them to not only access the comprehensive library of excellent medical content from ASAPS, but to also effectively communicate and collaborate with other medical institutions around the country, stated Terence M. Myckatyn, BSc(Hon), MD, Professor, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Director of Cosmetic and Breast Plastic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine.
Our plastic surgery residents will benefit greatly from this state-of-the-art educational resource and collaboration network between medical institutions, said Michael Hill, MD, PhD, FACS, Department of Plastic Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center. Their increased access to first-rate medical content and best practices from leading practitioners should play a significant role in their continued career advancement as well as our ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.
ASAPS is thrilled to partner with Anzu on this project, as its the first of its kind to embrace the spirit of collaboration to improve learning and patient outcomes for everyone involved. With so many prestigious institutions already on board, we know that this endeavor will change plastic surgery medical residencies for the better and anticipate that many other institutions will follow suit. Its truly a win-win, and we are very excited to see the practice of aesthetic plastic surgery improve on a tangible scale, explains Dr. Daniel C. Mills, President, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Barry Fernando, CEO of Anzu explains, The goal of this project is to leverage technology to the fullest extent possible and build a network of residency programs that can share their unique arsenals of knowledge with each other for maximum benefit. Its mass-collaborative nature will provide a much richer learning experience for all residents in training.
Key Features: Residency Education & Collaboration Platform:
An independent Content Management System (CMS) for each residency program.
A networking system for all participating programs which will allow collaborative exchange of information between institutions.
An HTML based webpage builder for residents to generate/share multi-media notes for study.
A Virtual Journal Club - a technological version of an established institutional product.
Powerful search engine with unique medical specialty tagging and filters for all content, including searches inside videos.
Multi-platform cloud based access.
Ability to bookmark specific points inside of videos
Access to Compendiums which are expert generated folders of information on techniques, problem management etc.
Additional AnzuMedicalTM Features
Role-based Access
Community Publishing
Community Knowledge Sharing
Video Streaming
Discussion Boards
Mobile Responsive Web
Desktop Responsive Web
Social Networking
About Anzu
Anzu was established in 2010 to create a knowledge exchange platform for healthcare organizations and medical community members including physicians, educators, residents in training and Medical Industry. The AnzuMedicalTM platform provides a myriad of innovative product features and a Case Based Learning SystemTM that can be used for both educational and training purposes, as well as industry advertising. For more information about AnzuMedicalTM, email: Info(at)anzumedical.com or visit http://www.anzumedical.com.
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Anzu is a registered trademark.
Media Contact
TopSpin Communications
Joe Waldygo
P: 480-363-8774
E: joe@topspinpr.com
Company Contact
David Bean
Anzu EVP Sales & Marketing
P: 602-819-6291
E: david.bean(at)anzumedical.com
The Parking Dream Teams game has just been brought to the next level.
Propark America announced today that Artis McCoy has joined the company as regional business development manager.
The addition of Artis to the Propark family is one that will help us to continue growing our presence in the Western United States, explained Rick DiPietro, Proparks president. His demonstrated success has been sustained for almost two decades throughout his professional career, specifically with respect to business development and growth. Were excited that hes on our team.
Artis previously served as the regional business development manager for Towne Park, and prior to that he was the regional sales director for ABM Industries.
Artis is also directly involved with numerous non-profit organizations and charitable efforts, including Capture the Dream, Inc. and Project Homeless Connect. Additionally, Artis contributes his expertise through serving on the marketing committee for Hotel Council of San Francisco, where he most recently assisted in the founding of the organizations Young Professional Committee in 2016.
The Parking Dream Teams game has just been brought to the next level, explained John Schmid, Proparks chief executive officer. With Artis ability to generate new business comes opportunity for Propark that we feel will allow us to add more depth to our growing team of management professionals, which in turn will enrich our ability to continue delivering premium parking services to our clients.
About Propark America
Propark America is one of the countrys largest privately-owned parking companies, providing full-service parking solutions for all business types, in over 60 cities across the United States.
For more information, please visit http://www.propark.com
PR News will honor top PR initiatives in campaigns ranging from crisis management to social media to word of mouth marketing at its benchmark-setting Platinum PR and Agency Elite Awards Luncheon on October 19, 2016 in New York City. The finalists of the Platinum PR and Agency Elite Awards set industry standards for excellence across all areas of PR. The luncheon will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, where more than 500 leading PR professionals from corporations, agencies and nonprofits will network and honor the top initiatives from the past year.
See the complete list of this years Platinum PR Awards finalists online: http://platinumprawards.com. View the list of Agency Elite Awards finalists here: http://www.prnewsonline.com/agency-elite-awards-luncheon-2016.
PR News also announced this year's list of Hall of Fame inductees for the Platinum PR Awards, including iconic campaigns such as Coca Cola's #ShareaCoke, the UN Foundation and 92nd Street Y's #GivingTuesday, the CDC's Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse and T-Mobile's Un-Carrier.
For us at PR News, and for our community, the Platinum PR and Agency Elite Awards serve annually as a celebration of the years top PR teams and firms and as an ideal showcase for their most successful campaigns, says Steve Goldstein, editorial director of PR News. There were so many terrific entries this year, and once again we were reminded that creativity and inspiration rule in communications.
Individual tickets along with tables of 10 are available for purchase. Table purchases come with priority seating and ensure attendees are seated together. For more information or to register for the luncheon, click here.
PR News will be presenting a half-day Crisis Management Workshop the morning of the awards luncheon, also at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Attendees will leave this interactive workshop with the skills to effectively mitigate a crisis situation for one's organization with in-depth case studies on how crisis plans were developed. The day after the luncheon on October 20, PR News will hold its annual Social Media Conference featuring speakers from Shutterstock, Kickstarter, Dunkin' Donuts, Environmental Defense Fund, Viacom and more. One- and two-day packages are available for these events.
For questions about attending the Platinum PR and Agency Elite Awards Luncheon, contact PR News Rachel Scharmann at rscharmann(at)accessintel(dot)com. To advertise in the Platinum PR and Agency Elite Awards program guide, contact Lindsay Silverberg at lindsay(at)prnewsonline(dot)com. Thanks to the sponsor for the luncheon, Business Wire.
The PR News Group at Access Intelligence, LLC is a go-to source that serves the communications and marketing community at corporations, agencies and nonprofits. With the launch of its weekly newsletter over 70 years ago, PR News has remained dedicated to supporting the growth of communicators all while keeping them abreast of the latest news affecting the industry. For more information, please visit http://www.prnewsonline.com.
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South Carolina DUI Attorney Steve Sumner The fact that "The Best Lawyers in America" is voted on by my legal peers makes this honor especially rewarding.
Attorney Steve W. Sumner was once again selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 in the field of DUI Defense.
Best Lawyers is universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Over 79,000 leading attorneys globally are eligible to vote, and they have received more than 12 million votes to date on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world.
For the 2017 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, 6.7 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 55,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.
Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice."
This recognition for Sumner comes after receiving the "Preeminent" rating in legal ability and ethical standards by Martindale Hubbell, the nations oldest attorney rating service. Sumner was also selected for inclusion as a "Best Attorneys of America" by the Rue Ratings' Service.
Sumner currently represents clients in over 25 courts in Upstate South Carolina. These courts include Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Pickens and Laurens counties; as well as the city/municipal courts of Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Greer, Fountain Inn, Easley, Clemson, Central, and Laurens.
In 1997, Sumner opened his own practice as a criminal defense attorney, with a special focus on defending clients accused of DUI, Felony DUI, all driving offenses and drug cases. He graduated from the USC School of Law in 1992 and served as a state court prosecutor from 1992 to 1994. His primary case load consisted of prosecuting DUI, Felony DUI, Reckless Homicide and Traffic offenses.
Hacker Lab Powered by Sierra College CEO, Gina Lujan attended White House Nation of Makers. Our Hacker Lab / Sierra College affiliation blends the academic with the DIY nature our country.
Sierra College's makerspace partner, Hacker Lab proudly represented the Sacramento region at the White Houses Nation of Makers, Wednesday, August 24. Hacker Lab is a community-based business offering innovative workspace with prototyping equipment and mentoring for startups, designers and students.
The prestigious, Nation of Makers is a convening of makerspace organizers by the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy. Its purpose is to inspire technology, innovation, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education through grass roots entrepreneurship by showcasing makers and their makerspaces throughout the United States.
Gina Lujan, founder and CEO of Sacramento/Rocklin Hacker Lab, attended the White House event.
Never in a million years would I ever have thought that I would be in a place where my company would be invited to the White House, said Lujan. Hacker Lab is so proud to play a role in the incredible innovation created by the Makers Movement. And at the White House it was on full display, as makers from across the country shared their wares and told their stories.
The Maker Movement is the umbrella term for independent inventors, designers and tinkerers. Makers tap into open-source sharing, contemporary design and powerful technology tools to create anything from innovative solutions to pressing common problems to homespun individual projects.
Hacker Lab Powered by Sierra College, located in Rocklin, is a prime example of how community, government, education, and corporations interact for the sake of maker innovation.
Our Hacker Lab / Sierra College affiliation blends the academic with the DIY nature our country, added Lujan. Our government knows that the strength of Americas future economy will come from the freedom to create in affordable space with tools on tap and collaboration and education close by.
Lujan said those attending Nation of Makers had reason to go back to their communities energized and encouraged, as they received a simple message from the federal governments tech representatives. The US Government has trillions of dollars to spend innovating ways that make our nation stronger and the world a better place, so make a case how important your work is. Sometimes the government will say yes.
Unique to Lujans Hacker Lab, and one of the many reasons for the White House invite, is their Startup Hustle, a six-week crash course in entrepreneurial skills. Participants have access to methodology, assignments, guest speakers, and mentor connections, ending with Demo Night, a chance to pitch business plans to possible funders. For more information, visit startuphustle. Applications for the Fall 2016 round are due September 16.
About Sierra College Workforce Development
Sierra College Workforce Development is focused on delivering customized training to meet the needs of employers. Additional information is available at http://www.sierracollegetraining.com.
About Hacker Lab
Established in 2012 in Sacramento, Hacker Lab aims to educate folks and spark innovation with community driven resources. Offering co-working, maker space, courses, meet-ups and events, Hacker Lab believes that technology can change the world and the starting point is education. Hacker Lab has locations in Sacramento and Rocklin. Learn more at the Hacker Lab website http://hackerlab.org/.
About Sierra College
Sierra College District is celebrating its 80th Anniversary in 2016, and the Nevada County Campus in Grass Valley is celebrating 20 years. Sierra College serves 3200 square miles of Northern CA with campuses in Roseville, Rocklin, Grass Valley, and Truckee. With approximately 125 degree and certificate programs, Sierra College is ranked first in Northern California (Sacramento north) for transfers to four year Universities, offers career/technical training, and classes for upgrading job skills. Sierra graduates can be found in businesses and industries throughout the region. More information at http://www.sierracollege.edu
This partnership and alliance with the Microsoft Cloud Alliance just confirms our commitment in providing excellent Cloud-based solutions in the Asia Pacific region, - Sandeep Walia, President, Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific
Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., a leading provider of industry specific business solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics, is pleased to announce its participation in the Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Alliance group.
The Enterprise Cloud Alliance, together with Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific, aims to provide strategic alliances with Microsoft Partners in propagating awareness of product portfolios to existing and potential customers looking for enterprise solutions to cater to their business needs.
Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacifics approach in providing excellent pre and post implementation support of Microsoft Dynamics AX Online, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and Business Analytics on Power BI and subsequent admission into the cloud alliance is a testament to the quality of work of its team.
The Microsoft Enterprise Cloud Alliance group is another milestone not just for Hitachi Solution Asia Pacific, but also to all its partners and clients. This venue will provide Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific with tools to further enhance its current role as the leading Microsoft Dynamics provider and Microsoft Cloud Solutions provider.
Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific and its clients, and affliates will be accorded exposure to global markets and the benefits of a scalable cloud infrastructure through access to the Microsoft Cloud Marketplace.
This partnership and alliance with the Microsoft Cloud Alliance just confirms our commitment in providing excellent Cloud-based solutions in the Asia Pacific region, said Sandeep Walia, President, Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific. We are pleased to be working with Microsoft and this alliance will provide us more tools in delivering our commitment to our clients.
Being part of this alliance puts Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific at the cutting edge of Cloud Technology and will enable Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific in working with other organizations in developing and creating better industry solutions to ensure success for its customers.
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About Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
Hitachi Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. helps its customers to successfully compete with the largest global enterprises using powerful, easy-to-use, and affordable industry solutions built on Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics CRM enhanced with world class Business Analytics, and Portals and Collaboration. Recognized as the Microsoft ERP Partner of year in 2015 and 2015 and Microsoft Partner of the Year in Asia Pacific in 2015, Microsoft CRM Global Partner of the Year in 2014 and the 2014 Dynamics Global Outstanding Reseller of the Year, Hitachi Solutions Group provides global capabilities with offices in the Philippines, Singpaore, Malaysia, Thailand in Asia Pacific and offices in North America and Europe. For more information, please visit: http://apac.hitachi-solutions.com/
About Hitachi Solutions, Ltd.
Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the core IT Companies of Hitachi Group and a recognized leader in delivering proven business and IT strategies and solutions to companies across many industries. The company provides value-driven services throughout the IT life cycle from systems planning to systems integration, operation and maintenance. Hitachi Solutions delivers products and services of superior value to customers worldwide through key subsidiaries in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, India, China, and Asia Pacific. For more information on Hitachi Solutions, please visit: http://www.hitachi-solutions.com.
About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer societys challenges with our talented team and proven experience in global markets. The companys consolidated revenues for fiscal 2015 (ended March 31, 2016) totaled 10,034 billion yen ($88.8 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes power & infrastructure systems, information & telecommunication systems, construction machinery, high functional materials & components, automotive systems, healthcare and others. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the companys website at http://www.hitachi.com.
Richard Stump "We look forward to joining the ohana of architecture, engineering, and environmental professionals in the Hawaiian islands on a permanent basis." Richard Stump
Stanley Consultants has expanded its presence in the Pacific Region with a new office in Honolulu, Hawaii. Located at 500 Ala Moana Blvd, Tower 7, Suite 400, the office provides a central location to support clients and teaming partners on projects in the Pacific, from Alaska to the Philippines, Australia, and beyond.
Stanley Consultants is a global consulting engineering firm that provides services in program management, planning studies, design, architecture, environmental, urban design, and construction management. Establishing a Honolulu office provides a local presence for regional clients as well as access to the firms full spectrum of services.
Vice President Richard Stump is the offices client liaison, providing contract administration, project charrette facilitation and technical coordination, and business development. Stump, who opened the firms Guam office in 2010, has 20 years of experience leading and contributing to projects in over 20 countries worldwide.
The pivot to the Pacific has been under way for several years and a number of our important clients and partners are based here in Hawaii, says Stump. Stanley Consultants has a long history of engineering leadership in the Pacific Islands. We look forward to joining the ohana of architecture, engineering, and environmental professionals in the Hawaiian islands on a permanent basis, and making positive, long-term contributions to solve engineering challenges throughout the Pacific.
For decades the firm has served all branches of the US military and is currently performing a property records update at several DOD installations in Oahu. Over the past 10 years the firm has provided engineering, design, and consulting services to several electric utilities in the Hawai'ian Islands, supporting their power generation, power delivery, and renewable energy initiatives. Stanley Consultants is proud to have been of service to the electric utilities of Hawai'i and looks forward to increasing our level of service from our new Honolulu location, said Kevin Cavanaugh, Stanley Consultants' Power Market Leader.
Stanley Consultants impact in the Pacific island nations dates back to the 1970s when the firm assisted the National Electrification Administration in bringing electricity to the rural Philippines. Since that time, Stanley Consultants has worked throughout the Pacific islands and Western Pacific countries, including Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Guam, the Solomon Islands, Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia.
Stanley Consultants has over 30 offices worldwide and with 1,000 employees is among the countrys largest engineering firms. It is ranked 73rd in the Top 500 Engineering Firms list, which is published annually by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine, a national publication covering the engineering and construction industry. The firm is known as a significant contributor in the power industry, ranked by ENR magazine as 15th in the Top 25 Designers for Transmission and Distribution; and 22nd in the top 50 Design Firms in Power.
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Stanley Consultants provides program management, planning, engineering, environmental and construction services worldwide. Recognized for its commitment to client service and a passion to make a difference, Stanley Consultants brings global knowledge, experience and capabilities to serve clients in the energy, water, transportation and Federal markets. Since 1913, Stanley Consultants has successfully completed more than 25,000 engagements in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and in 110 countries. For more information on Stanley Consultants, please visit http://www.stanleyconsultants.com.
Our Lex Mundi membership will enhance our ability to serve our clients and contribute to their success, particularly our clients with global operations. We look forward to working with Lex Mundis outstanding member firms around the world.
Lex Mundis Board of Directors voted unanimously to admit Lee & Ko as its exclusive member firm for Korea.
Lee & Ko is a leading, full-service law firm that is recognized for top-tier expertise in more than thirty specialized practice areas. The firm has a global client base that includes domestic conglomerates and multinational corporations in many different industries.
Jae Hoon Kim, Managing Partner of Lee & Ko stated, Our Lex Mundi membership will enhance our ability to serve our clients and contribute to their success, particularly our clients with global operations. We look forward to working with Lex Mundis outstanding member firms around the world.
Carl Anduri, President of Lex Mundi, commented, "We are pleased to welcome this outstanding firm to our network. With the addition of Lee & Ko, Lex Mundi strengthens its presence in the Asia-Pacific Region and underscores its commitment to provide its member firms and their clients access to the most experienced and most highly regarded counsel around the world."
About Lex Mundi
Lex Mundi is the worlds leading network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries. Lex Mundi member firms offer clients preferred access to more than 21,000 lawyers worldwide a global resource of unmatched breadth and depth. Each member firm is selected on the basis of its leadership in and continued commitment to its local market. The Lex Mundi principle is one independent firm for each jurisdiction. Firms must maintain their level of excellence to retain membership within Lex Mundi.
Through close collaboration, information-sharing, training and inter-firm initiatives, the Lex Mundi network is an assurance of connected, on-the ground expertise in every market in which a client needs to operate. Working together, Lex Mundi members are able to handle seamlessly their clients most challenging cross-border transactions and disputes.
Member law firms are located throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and North America. Through Lex Mundis nonprofit affiliate, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation, members also provide pro bono legal assistance to social entrepreneurs around the globe.
For more information, please visit http://www.lexmundi.com and http://www.lexmundiprobono.org.
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Lex Mundi Contact Information:
Kathleen Pope-Sance
1.713.328.4521
Carl Anduri
1.925.962.0115
Calls for a temporary halting of the proposed Costco/Lincoln Premium Poultry Chicken Processing Plant were denied by Judge Geoffrey Hall Thursday afternoon in Dodge County District Court.
The Plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Nebraska Communities United (NCU), filed a suit about a month ago stating that the 900-plus acres of farmland blighted for tax incremental financing (TIF) was done illegally.
The issue at hand deals with a plot of 400 acres, said Brian Newton, General Manager of the Department of Utilities and interim City Administrator.
Their contention is that 400 of those (acres) are rural and agricultural, he said.
Newton said the defense (city of Fremont) argued that state statute allows agricultural land to be blighted and substandard, and that a similar process happened years ago with Eagle Distributing, Inc., to enable tax incremental financing.
The first step with TIF is that you have to have the land blighted and substandard, he said. After that the Council can review the development plan and move forward.
Judge Hall ultimately denied the motion for a temporary injunction stating that the plaintiffs didnt meet their burden of proof in regard to proving illegal activity.
In addition, the NCU argued that federal and state due-process violations were made in regard to Fremont City Council Public Hearings, Newton said.
Oral arguments were heard from both the plaintiffs and defense.
Newton said that plaintiffs argued that Council members had their minds made up about which way they would vote before the July 12 meeting that designated the blighted land.
If you look at the petition they filed, they say that because the Council voted 8-0 (in favor) that they were predisposed to vote that way, he said. Basically they are saying that they (Council) had their mind made up. One email the plaintiffs got through discovery (swapping case information) said they were supportive of the project.
The defense argued that the council broke no rules in terms of discussing the poultry processing plant.
Newton said that public meeting laws enable Council members to discuss issues with the public, and amongst themselves, as long as theres no quorum.
Hall is currently taking both arguments into consideration, and both parties asked for an accelerated trial schedule, one that will end with a bench trial overseen by Hall.
PG-9172PoE
Comtrend, a leading designer and manufacturer of broadband communications equipment, announced today its PG-9172PoE, a G.hn Powerline Adapter with Power over Ethernet. The adapter brings connection of a PoE device as close as the nearest electrical outlet.
The PG-9172PoE reduces installation time and cost by utilizing existing electrical lines to simplify the deployment of PoE enabled devices such as IP security cameras and VoIP phones. The PG-9172PoE G.hn Powerline Adapter eliminates the time and expense of installing Ethernet (CAT5e/6) cables to every device throughout the home or business. Unlike WiFi connections, powerline adapters use physical wires to connect directly to devices thereby eliminating interference and improving performance and security. Traditional connections require elaborate cabling through structures that often prove troublesome and expensive. With the Comtrend PG-9172PoE, users can take advantage of the existing electrical wires in their home or office to transform every outlet into an Internet access point. Comtrends G.hn technology also manages potential interference in the electrical wiring due to other appliances to add an additional layer of performance over traditional powerline adapters.
The Comtrend PG-9172PoE offers more than 4x the data rate compared to legacy technology. The adapter can coexist with legacy products including deployed UPA devices and features interoperability with future G.hn certified devices. This leap in technology not only offers a PHY rate of 1Gbps, but also stabilizes the home networking industry via standards-based communication that crosses all the popular mediums, from power line to phone line to coax.
Ideal for security installations, the Comtrend PG-9172PoE simplifies the deployment of IP security PoE cameras. Using Comtrend's G.hn Powerline Adapters, installers need only a fraction of the time and wiring for a typical job. Eliminate attic time, drywall repair, and frustration. G.hn also provides superior video performance, making the Comtrend PG-9172PoE ideal for HD video and IPTV deployments. G.hn detects video data transmission, figures out the fastest rate possible for this type of data, then uses the most efficient packet inspection for multicast traffic to set (up to) eight different levels of packet prioritized QoS. This eliminates the need for multiple resends of information, ensuring reliable and flicker-free video.
Comtrend PG-9172PoE features include:
Easily add on to or create your G.hn Powerline Network
Connect up to 16 G.hn Powerline Adapters.
PHY Rate up to 1200Mbps
AES 128 bit encryption ensures total data security
One button security set-up with configuration button for factory reset
HTTP Web-based, TR-069 Supported management
CE, FCC, ITU-T G.hn Standard Certifications
The Comtrend PG-9172PoE is available now, MSRP $69.99, with a significantly lower street price from leading national distributors. Visit http://us.comtrend.com/Where-To-Buy/Where-To-Buy.html (link is external) for a full list of distributors. See http://us.comtrend.com/products/public/product/home-networking/pg-9172poe.html#.V5pTlLgrKUk (link is external) for product specifications.
About Comtrend
Comtrend, with more than 25 years of experience, has become one of the leading global providers of advanced networking solutions. Comtrend designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of networking and surveillance equipment and software. Service providers, businesses, and consumers look to Comtrend for broadband gateways, as well as the latest WiFi, surveillance, Powerline, and coax technologies. Comtrend also remains committed to industry standards, like G.hn for home networking, as well as interoperability and market-leading performance. The company has its North American headquarters in Irvine, California. For more information please visit http://us.comtrend.com/
Since the implementation, our processes and procedures have been significantly simplified. The need to re-enter data has been eliminated and now the organization has access to insightful real-time data, said Guzman.
JAMIS Software Corporation, a leading provider of cloud ERP software used by government contractors and other project-focused organizations, announced that J&J Worldwide has fully implemented JAMIS Prime ERP software to streamline its systems and help scale its growing business.
J&J Worldwide Services, headquartered in Austin, TX, is a world-class company providing global support and services across many of the departments and major commands of the U.S. military and federal government. The core of J&J Worldwide Services focuses on operation and maintenance, base operations support services and logistics, construction work and healthcare environmental services. Theyre also a mentor in the Mentor Protege program under the U.S. Small Business Administration program.
Choosing a system that would ensure the Company would comply with the ever changing requirements in the government market was important in its selection process.
JAMIS Prime best fit our needs as a growing company. Due to the fact that JAMIS is specifically designed for government contractors was a big plus for us, since the government is our direct customer. The software is also scalable and will meet the demands for projected growth, said, J&J Worldwide Services, Accountant, Anna Guzman. Additionally, the system was overall more affordable, from the initial cost to the maintenance costs.
Through a successful implementation, JAMISs cloud-based system has given J&J Worldwide Services the ability be more efficient across its organization, minimize excess documentation and simplify their processes and procedures.
Since the implementation, our processes and procedures have been significantly simplified. The need to re-enter data has been eliminated and now the organization has access to insightful real-time data, said Guzman. This is exciting because we know our customers will see the benefits of the product as well.
We are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to work with J&J Worldwide Services, providing them with a scalable cloud ERP solution, said JAMIS President, Jeff Noolas.
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About J&J Worldwide Services
J&J Worldwide Services (J&J) is a world-class company providing world-wide support services to the U.S. government. J&J has enjoyed steady growth over the past 45 plus years. The company with humble beginnings has now blossomed into a leading Department of Defense (DOD) operations and maintenance services company that continuously adapts to the changing requirements of the government market. Today, J&J not only continues to offer custodial services as it did in the beginning, but also provides military base operations support, logistics, medical facilities operations and construction services across the United States and globally.
About JAMIS Software Corporation
JAMIS Software Corporation is a leading provider of ERP software solutions designed specifically for government contractors and other project-focused organizations. JAMIS delivers comprehensive, intuitive, innovative and cost-effective solutions for the most respected names in government contracting. Companies large and small rely on JAMIS to provide detailed visibility into all of their projects, as well as provide the foundation for DCAA and other regulatory compliance. JAMIS helps companies connect with customers, partners and employees in entirely new ways to foster new levels of collaboration and drive profitability and growth.
To learn more about JAMIS, visit JAMIS.com
RouteOne RouteOne is dedicated to providing the vehicle financing industry with innovative technology solutions backed by outstanding customer support
Effective immediately, RouteOne, a comprehensive platform of F&I solutions including digital retail, credit application, eContracting, and compliance, will transition a set of proven leaders within the organization to new roles that will further develop, strengthen, and diversify enterprise perspectives to best serve its customers. In each of their respective roles, Jeff Belanger, Amanda George, and Scott Johnsen have continually executed on RouteOnes key values: integrity, teamwork, service, organizational excellence, financial stewardship and respect. Its these values that help RouteOne deliver the technology thousands of dealers and finance sources rely on to sell and finance vehicles across North America.
Jeff Belanger will assume the role of Vice President, National Business Development, with the responsibilities for our Dealer Sales and Training teams. Belanger has dedicated 13+ years to RouteOne in his previous roles in Operations, Project Management, Product Development, and Finance Source Business Development. Prior to arriving at RouteOne, he held various roles in the finance industry. The focus of his new position will be to maintain the highest levels of dealer satisfaction, while continuing to grow the RouteOne dealer network and streamline the F&I process for dealers.
Amanda George will assume the role of Vice President, Finance Source Development, with the responsibilities for our Finance Source Sales and Integrations teams. George has dedicated 13+ years to RouteOne in her previous roles in Operations, Project Management, Product Development, and Dealer Business Development. Prior to her time at RouteOne, she held various roles in the management consulting industry. The focus of her new position will be to manage the support and growth of finance source partners and drive market adoption of technology that streamlines the financing process.
Scott Johnsen will assume the role of Vice President, Customer Strategy, with the responsibility of supporting key accounts and automotive OEM customers. Johnsen has dedicated 8+ years to RouteOne in his previous roles in Product Development, Dealer Business Development, and Finance Source Business Development. Prior to his time at RouteOne, he held various roles in automotive retail sales, automotive indirect finance source sales and is a United States Marine Corps veteran. The focus of his new assignment will be to gather, define, and clarify the insights that drive RouteOnes creative solutions and help make a difference in its clients business.
RouteOne is dedicated to providing the vehicle financing industry with innovative technology solutions backed by outstanding customer support, stated Justin Oesterle, RouteOnes Chief Executive Officer. I am excited by these new leadership appointments and confident that our team will continue to deliver on those objectives and serve our rapidly evolving industry and customers with excellence.
RouteOne was founded with the goal of providing systems and services of choice to dealers and finance sources in the vehicle financing industry, while delivering the best-in-class service its customers deserve and have come to expect. With this transition, customers can continue to expect the highest level of service from the entire RouteOne team.
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About RouteOne
RouteOne was formed in 2002 by Ally Financial, Ford Motor Credit Company, TD Auto Finance, and Toyota Financial Services to improve the F&I process for automobile dealers and their customers. Connecting thousands of dealers and finance sources in North America for vehicle financing, RouteOnes platform delivers a comprehensive suite of F&I solutions across multiple channels: in-store, online, mobile and via third-party solutions. Its flagship products include credit applications, eContracting, compliance and digital retail services. In addition, RouteOne enables dealer choice across a wide variety of best-in-class providers through open integrations with over 130 DSPs. More information is available at http://www.routeone.com.
Meet with music supervisor Nora Felder at Reeperbahn Festival 2016.
SynchAudio has announced it will be returning to Hamburg, Germany to attend the Reeperbahn Festival and Conference 2016. We are excited to be attending for our third year in a row. It has become one of SynchAudios priority annual business events and we love participating says CEO, Farinoush Mostaghimi. Reeperbahn Fest will be held September 21st to 24th.
The Reeperbahn Festival will present more than 700 events spanning a range of genres in locations around Hamburgs Reeperbahn district. Since its debut in 2006 the RBF has grown to become one of the most important meeting places for the global music industry and as Germanys largest club festival, it boasts a broad spectrum of emerging artists.
The Reeperbahn Festival conference program is designed for professionals active in the music and creative digital industries and features knowledge sharing sessions, showcases, networking events and awards ceremonies.
This year SynchAudio is presenting Picture Music Companys CEO and renowned award winning music supervisor Nora Felder whose long list of projects over the years include the very current worldwide Netflix hit series Stranger Things written, produced and directed by the Duffer Brothers, and starring Winona Ryder, Mathew Modine, and a talented on the rise ensemble of remarkably talented kid actors include the most talked about young rising star Millie Bobby Brown Netflix brags to the press about their number 1 Netflix series "Stranger Things" by stating: "This Stranger Things nostalgic nod to 1980s sci-fi/horror classics pays homage to ET, Poltergiest, and the novels of Stephen King." The Duffer Brothers make nostalgia almost a character in the series. As critics around the world agree, a strong part of that character is the music which includes the hypnotic main title opening each episode and its mesmerizing 80s induced synth score laced throughout the story composed by spectacular Austin electronic artist /composers known as Survive. The recently released score soundtrack album climbed right away to number 2 spot on the iTunes album charts. Songs carefully placed in key moments throughout the series include artists such as The Clash, Jefferson Airplane, Joy Division, Toto, The Seeds, The Bangles, Regan Youth, Foreigner, Peter Gabriel, Joy Division, New Order, Tangerine Dream, Echo & The Bunny men, Corey Hart, Dolly Parton, and Moby.
Felders credits also include music supervision for the hit Showtime series Californication, Ray Donovan and Roadies; Unforgettable for A&E, The Night Shift for NBC, Powers for Sony PlayStation and many more.
Nora Felders tenure in music began with her booking showcases and events for such artists as the Cure and INXS at a New York City downtown club. Later she stepped into the role of VP of production for legendary music producer, Phil Ramone, working on recording projects for artists Paul Simon, Sinead O'Connor, Barbra Streisand, Slash, and Iggy Pop. Nora has won Best Music Supervision award and three nominations at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, she has four nominations at The Guild of Music Supervisors Awards and a nomination for Women In Musics first Women in Sync Awards 2016.
SynchAudios presence at RBF 2016 will include attending artist showcases seeking out new music and artists. Our primary focus is music licensing and synchronization. It is proud of its growing roster of highly talented musicians, composers and producers.
SynchAudio is a Toronto based creative boutique agency that provides one-stop, full service licensing representation for the use of music and media in all screen based storytelling platforms.
Follow @SynchAudio for more great music industry news or log on to synchaudio.com to preview our extensive catalogue.
76 the Movie goes to BFI London Film Festival " 76 , marks major international European showcase at The BFI London Film Festival whilst receiving Former Nigerian Head of State, General Obasanjos endorsement"
A story of love, honour and bullets - The 3 million dollar landmark cinematic production 76 is all shot in Nigeria by award-winning director, Izu Ojukwu starring Nigerian Nollywood megastars, Rita Dominic, Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme, Ibinabo Fiberesinma and Memry Savanhu. Also starring in the movie is actor Daniel K Daniel who recently won the best actor award at the 2016 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). The London red carpet premiere is slated to take place on the 15th October, and will be attended by the lead cast, crew and special guests. The BFI London screening is preceded by the world premiere taking place at the prestigious 41st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on the 11th September. This is the first Nollywood film to be chosen by both Toronto and London film festivals back to back and is a new milestone in African cinema. A story of love, honour and bullets set in Ibadan, Nigeria; the film is inspired by real life event in 1976 that led to the assassination of the then Nigerian Head of State, Murtala Muhammed.
The film, cast and crew have now received a major boost with a high profile endorsement from the Head of State who succeeded the assassinated Murtala Muhammed at the time; His Excellency General Olusegun Obasanjo, then later went on to become a two term President making him both a military and civilian leader of the largest black nation in the world. He described '76 as, "the best view of one of the worst times in our nations history. A must watch and an insight that was long overdue. Watching the attention to detail and hearing my own voice in February 1976, brought out both sweet and sour memories as Murtala Muhammed was not only my boss, he was my friend. I cannot attest to what went on in the homes as we were focused on the field, but this film gives even I, an insight into that."
Set during the era of military assassinations and political unrest in Nigeria, the movie also had the full approval and endorsement of the Nigerian Army and the Murtala Muhammed family, and was shot inside the confines of a military base, another first in Nigeria's cinematic history. It comes 40 years after the actual events, and follows four years of work by the multi award winning Director Izu Ojukwu and the production teams of Adonis Production and Princewills Trust, a brainchild of Prince Tonye Princewill and Adonijah Owiriwa who are the films executive producers. Africa Magic, a Multichoice subsidiary also signed on as partners.
Our objective was to show audiences, amongst other things, what the wives of officers had to go through. Military coups were our legacy. In some ways, we are still trying to recover from this. Everyone sees and hears the perspective of the officers. But the womans story stays silent. We wanted to highlight the strength and the vulnerabilities of the typical African woman through the eyes of officers' wives. This is a filmmaker's small contribution to raising their volume." the Executive Producer Adonijah Owiriwa stated.
We are delighted to announce that our 76 the Movie" sponsors and supporters thus far are:
1. Africa Magic
2. Nigerian Breweries Limited
3. Crust and Cream, Nigeria
4. Blue Lodge Hospitality
5. The Army of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
6. Project ACT, Nigeria
7. The Silverbird Group
8. The Ford Foundation
9. Wazobia Max/Wazobia Tv/Cool Fm/Wazobia Fm
For more details please see:
Website: http://www.76themovie.com
Website: The London Film Festival- http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff
12th President of Nigeria: General Olusegun Obasanjo : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olusegun_Obasanjo
Draganflyer Commander in Flight [Draganfly's] SFOC knowledge is industry leading, and we are excited to be able to offer application assistance to our customers across Canada.
Draganfly Innovations is pleased to announce that they have successfully received Standing SFOCs (Special Flight Operations Certificates) for all of Canada (excluding Quebec).
Draganfly is now able to conduct flight training and demonstrations as well as offer specialized flight services across the country without having to complete a site specific SFOC process.
The certification was obtained for the following regions:
Pacific
Prairie Northern
Ontario
Atlantic
Draganfly is proud to be seen as an industry leader in Canada and the United States in the UAV space, as the capability to obtain nation-wide SFOCs is not without its complications.
We look forward to being able to share our experience with our clients and customers, said President and Co-Founder, Zenon Dragan, Our SFOC knowledge is industry leading, and we can now offer more assistance to our customers whether theyre looking to expand their own SFOC certification, or have us complete flight demos on site.
Draganfly is happy to offer existing customers assistance with completing their SFOC. Please contact your sales representative for more information.
About Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Draganfly Innovations Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Trace Intelligent Systems, is a recognized technology and industry leader within the commercial UAV industry. Its devices have helped establish the commercial market and adoption of multi-rotor helicopters for aerial imaging and public safety.
Further information on Draganfly Innovations can be found at http://www.draganfly.com
We thank our amazing museum partners as we unite to promote play, and we proudly support their mission to build strong local communities.
Ready, set, play! Imagination Playground, LLC, creators of the breakthrough play space concept that encourages child-directed, unstructured free play, is excited to announce the launch of its Fall 2016 Learn & Play Tour.
Stopping at childrens museums throughout North America, the Learn & Play Tour invites educators and parents to witness the power of creative block play, as children create with Imagination Playgrounds Big Blue Blocks.
Kicking off on September 16, Imagination Playgrounds Fall Learn & Play tour stops include: Kidspace Childrens Museum, Childrens Museum of Atlanta, Kohl Children's Museum, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose, Boston Children's Museum, Seattle Childrens Museum, Miami Children's Museum, Please Touch Museum, the National Building Museum, Chicago Children's Museum, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.
Learn & Play events promote the importance of play and its benefits by giving educators, parents, and children admission-free access to build with Imagination Playground. An Imagination Playground senior executive is on hand to guide discussions on the global state of play, and the many ways in which play aids in child development. All adult attendees receive a thank you gift for attending, with educators receiving a special teachers gift valued at $75. Educators can also receive school teaching credit in exchange for participating. Everyone is invited to submit a ballot to win a Big Blue Blocks set of their very own.
Imagination Playground President David Krishock expressed his excitement and gratitude, saying, We thank our amazing museum partners as we unite to promote play, and we proudly support their mission to build strong local communities.
Parents, teachers, and caregivers can RSVP to attend upcoming Learn & Play events by following Imagination Playground on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ImaginationPlayground
Imagination Playground encourages everyone to engage with them about Learn & Play on social media, using hashtag #ImaginationPlayground.
To learn more about Imagination Playgrounds Fall Learn & Play Tour the city stops, the partner childrens museums, give-a-ways, and morevisit http://www.imaginationplayground.com/mission/learn-play-tour.html
About Imagination Playground, LLC
Imagination Playground is a breakthrough play space concept developed to encourage child-directed, creative free play. The kind of play that experts say is critical to childrens intellectual, social, physical and emotional development. Created by architect and designer David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, Imagination Playground enables children to play, dream, build and explore endless possibilities. Imagination Playground finds its home in daycare centers, kindergartens, elementary schools, childrens museums and science, nature, discovery centers, camps, community centers, childrens hospitals, hotels, public parks and more in North America and over 65 countries overseas. For more information, visit http://www.imaginationplayground.com.
Lexington Christian Academy (Lexington, MA) Both our NEASC and ACSI Exemplary Accreditation mark us as a premier school in the nation.
Lexington Christian Academy (Lexington, MA) was granted Exemplary Accreditation by The International Commission on Accreditation of the Association of Christian Schools International in July 2016. Exemplary is the highest level of accredited member status that may be granted by the Association to a school. LCA joins the list of exemplary Christian schools, which comprise less than two percent of the 1,000 ACSI accredited schools globally.
Tim Russell, Head of School, states, As an academic community of faith, we strive for the highest standards in every area. Both our NEASC and ACSI Exemplary Accreditation mark us as a premier school in the nation.
Exemplary accreditation requires a school to demonstrate that it has met forty additional demanding and specific criteria above the regular accreditation standards. These criteria include the areas of governance, executive leadership, school viability, student learning, spiritual development, and school culture. The school has been through a rigorous process of preparation and an intensive exemplary accreditation review. The review team report was submitted to the Commission for its review and decision.
Lexington Christian Academy has been providing Christian education for students in 6-12 in the Greater Boston area since 1946. Its faculty and staff believe that Christians should be the first to engage in critical thinking; they should not simply catechize correct answers or formally endorse the conclusions of Christian scholars from within their own social-economic or cultural milieu. [The Christian] worldview requires an education that considers the problems of society and the human dilemma in light of the hope of Christianity. Since each subject area has its own foci, methodologies, and intellectual traditions, each must find the right illustrations and questions to direct a faith-infused curriculum.
Lexington Christian Academy is an independent college preparatory school that exists to educate young men and women in the arts and sciences in the context of a complete commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Public relations and communications firm SunStar Strategic is pleased to announce the appointment of Bruce Morris to its Advisory Board.
Morris will provide strategic counsel to the firm, particularly regarding digital media opportunities and client development services. His impressive tenure includes significant product, audience and revenue growth for financial services and technology media brands at SourceMedia, Network Advertising Initiative, and Incisive Media, among others.
Bruce is a highly respected and influential strategic media and growth expert, said Kathryn Morrison, president and CEO at SunStar Strategic. His insight will be invaluable for our firm, and we are thrilled to have him aboard.
Morris, a long-time collaborator with the firm, will be focusing on media strategy and business development for SunStar Strategic and its clients. "I have enjoyed getting to know Kathryn and her colleagues over the years, and am looking forward to working together in a more formal capacity," said Morris.
The firm, a certified Women Owned Small Business, specializes in financial services/investment management firms and companies concerned with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and investments. SunStar Strategic designs and executes strategic marketing and public relations programs to stimulate growth. The firms investment and responsible investing clients are winners with proven track records.
To learn more about SunStar Strategic and their services, visit http://www.sunstarstrategic.com
About SunStar Strategic
SunStar Strategic energizes the growth of client companies through smart marketing and effective public relations. Founded in 1990, SunStar assists clients in communicating with their customers through traditional and new media.
TL Corporate Were the only travel management company that allows travelers to skip phone queues by either texting or messaging directly from their mobile phone, and getting real time flight status updates and assistance.
Computer failures and power outages for major airlines in the months of July and August led to the cancellation of more than 4,300 flights in the United States, and prompted one news headline stating Failure Marks Wake-Up Call for Airline Industry. The Bloomberg Technology article cites the vulnerability of the information systems sustaining the biggest U.S. carriers, and that these incidents are a wake-up call for an airline industry in which outdated information systems can strand thousands of passengers.
For more than 1,200 Travel Leaders Corporate business travelers impacted by the most recent spate of cancellations in early August, they had an advantage over fellow travelers by having access to Travel Leaders Corporates Travel Leaders Connect. The multiple award-winning, communication network efficiently provides travelers with real-time access to critical, and often fluid, travel updates through a direct mobile connection. Furthermore, Travel Leaders Corporate clients quickly obtain instant information and easy access to a corporate travel agent expert via chat and text features. Travel Leaders Connect sent 4,500 travel status updates and alerts to 1,241 clients impacted by the most recent airline outage. Ultimately 750 re-accommodations were required and completed through Travel Leaders Connect.
Real-time access to information and a live expert when you are traveling is essential, particularly for corporate travelers. Everyone with the potential to have their itinerary altered in some way, because of the recent spates of major airline outages, received the information and assistance they needed, stated David Holyoke, President of Travel Leaders Corporate. Our clients continue to provide incredible and positive feedback on how Travel Leaders Connect is enhancing their travel experiences. Were the only travel management company that allows travelers to skip phone queues by either texting or messaging directly from their mobile phone, and getting real time flight status updates and assistance.
Holyoke added, When accessing the features of Travel Leaders Connect, our clients are immediately identified no need for providing their name or elaborating on the travel difficulties. The system has already identified the individual traveler and, many times, the situation due to real-time monitoring. Thus, allowing both parties to get to the business of re-accommodating travel. Its a game-changer, particularly during high-stress periods that impact flights, such as storms or outages.
With Travel Leaders Connect, business travelers have access to:
An integrated a state-of-the-art flight notification process, including the status of a trip four hours prior to departure and any delays that may affect the course of a reservation.
Immediately connect to an agent for support via the same communication channel as their notification.
A customized transaction menu based on the travelers preferences and access to language translation, visa and passport services and last-minute hotel bookings. This enables quick and easy travel agent interaction through a PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliant text messaging environment.
Late breaking news alerts with a confirmation of receipt received, assuring that the traveler is safe if an unforeseen circumstance occurs.
Travel Leaders Connect was built for actionable, secure communication and is held to the highest degree of security. In addition to being PCI certified, it is Service Organization Controls (SOC) 1 Type 1, 2 and 3 certified and never shares or exposes personally identifiable information. Travel Leaders Corporates Travel Leaders Connect is an addition to the travel organizations already extensive suite of customized service offerings and is compatible with the most widely used operating systems (iOS 5 and up, Android 3.0 and up, OS 10.6 and up, Windows XP and up) and browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Android, Internet Explorer 8 and up).
For more information on Travel Leaders Connect or Travel Leaders Corporates three main service offeringsTravel Fulfillment, Travel Consulting and Meetings Management which provide personalized service and cutting-edge corporate business travel solutions for a complete travel enrichment experience, email partnerships(at)tlcorporate(dot)com or call 877-404-4173.
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Travel Leaders Corporate is part of Travel Leaders Group, which is the highest ranking American travel management company in Business Travel News Business Travel Survey 2015, and has annual sales of approximately $21 billion. Travel Leaders Corporates three service offerings Travel Fulfillment, Travel Consulting and Meetings Management can be used independently or combined for maximum results, and each client is served by a dedicated team of U.S.-based agents assigned to each account. Headquartered in Miami, FL, and with employees in more than 120 cities across the United States, Travel Leaders Corporate is a forward-thinking, innovative company with a focus on continually improving the customer experience. http://www.tlcorporate.com/
At Wednesdays regular meeting of the Dodge County Board of Supervisors, the board:
Approved the adoption of a resolution amending the duration of the Interlocal Agreement with ENHSA (Eastern Nebraska Human Services Agency) continuing the agreement until June 30, 2035.
Approved the request from Robert D. and Gilberta Yater of Fremont to receive a refund of the portion of their 2014 taxes, due to not having a basement in their home.
Approved the removal of items from the inventory that were missing in county assessors office prior to County Assessor Churchill taking office.
Approved the reappointment of Larry Ruzicka to the Dodge County Board of Adjustment to a 3-year term.
Approved the request of Highway Superintendent Alan Doll adopting and authorizing the chairman to sign a resolution through Caterpillar to lease a new 257D Multi-Terrain Skid Loader.
Approved the request of Highway Superintendent Doll to purchase a 2016 Caterpillar 12M3 Motor Grader off State of Nebraska bid document.
Approved the final 2016/2017 County Budget set for public hearing 9:15 a.m. on Sept. 14.
The next regular meeting of the Dodge County Board of Supervisors is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sept. 14, Third Floor, Courthouse, Fremont.
Finance of America Mortgage, a national, full service mortgage banker, is pleased to announce today that it has opened a new branch location in west Los Angeles. Finance of America Mortgage is growing its presence throughout Southern California and this newest branch is located at Howard Hughes Center, Los Angeles, CA.
Los Angeles resident Jeffrey Clark will serve as Branch Manager and will focus on developing new retail branches in Los Angeles by assembling 30 to 40 of the most talented loan officers, underwriters and processors. Prior to joining Finance of America Mortgage, Jeff successfully led teams in multiple locations for some of the largest lenders in the Southern California market.
Clark is an active member of the national real estate community, having been a member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Asian Real Estate Association of America and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals over the course of his 24 year real estate career. He is currently the vice president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals.
This Los Angeles branch, along with other branches throughout the region, are supported by the Southern California Operations center. With over $200 million in funded loans per month, the Southern California Operations center located in Irvine, CA, provides a distinct operational support advantage, including underwriting, to process and close loans more quickly. The Operations center supports all branches in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties.
For more information about the west Los Angeles branch or to apply, please email info(at)financeofamerica(dot)com or call (800) 414-5626.
About Finance of America Mortgage LLC
Finance of America Mortgage is a national, full service mortgage banker, offering a diverse portfolio of home loan products. Our knowledgeable and seasoned mortgage specialists are committed to delivering an innovative, high-touch, high-tech lending experience for consumers, brokers, and our industry partners across the country. FAM employs 1,500 loan officers in branch offices throughout the country as well as representatives authorized to sell FAM products. For more information, please visit: http://www.financeofamerica.com/
San Francisco-based artist Jamil Hellu explains his newest exhibit, Once Upon a Time, opening Sept. 6 in USF's Thacher Gallery. This body of work was first conceived after I saw news footage of blindfolded Syrian men being tossed off high buildings by ISIS because of their perceived sexual orientation, Hellu said.
What happens when one mans Middle Eastern heritage crashes head-on with his gay identity? That deeply personal quest for understanding by San Francisco-based artist Jamil Hellu is the focus of a new exhibit, Once upon a Time, that opens Sept. 6 at the Thacher Gallery on the University of San Francisco campus.
This body of work was first conceived after I saw news footage of blindfolded Syrian men being tossed off high buildings by ISIS because of their perceived sexual orientation, Hellu said. Looking for ways to voice my despair over violence and homophobia in the Middle East, I started to produce works claiming my own Arab roots. What does it mean to negotiate my Syrian ancestry as a gay man in such a conflict-ridden world? My recent works bring the friction between Syrian heritage and queer identity into focus.
A reaction to both homophobia and xenophobia, Once Upon a Time features photographs, screen prints, and video. It runs through Oct. 23, and admission is free.
One of the major themes of Jamils work is the very complicated place where queer and Arab identity meet in his life, said Glori Simmons, director of the Thacher Gallery. Seeing his work encourages all of us to think about potentially similar intersections in our own identities as well as helps us to better understand the nuances of others.
On Thursday, Sept. 22, from 2-3 p.m. in the McLaren Conference Center (room 250), Jamil Hellu will discuss his work with a USF student and Jacqueline Francis, adjunct professor in the Art+Architecture Department at USF. The artist talk is free and open to all, and will be followed by a reception in Thacher Gallery, beginning with a performance of Middle Eastern songs by the USF Classical Choral Ensembles. This event is presented in conjunction with the USF Cultural Centers, Queer Alliance, the Office of Diversity Engagement and Community Outreach (DECO), the USF Classical Choral Ensembles, and the Department of Performing Arts and Social Justice.
Hellu teaches photography at Stanford University, where he graduated in 2010 with an MFA in art practice. He is the winner of a 2015-26 fellowship at the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley; one of only eight artists selected from 275 applicants, and was selected as an Artist-in-Residence at Recology San Francisco in 2014.
Located in Gleeson LibraryGeschke Center, the Thacher Gallery at USF is free and open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. daily. Please visit http://www.usfca.edu/thacher-gallery for further details.
For more information and to request an interview with Jamil Hellu, please contact Anne-Marie Devine Tasto, USF senior director of media relations, at (415) 422-2697 or abdevine(at)usfca(dot)edu.
Glen Stout, NATIC Agency Manager He brings in-depth knowledge of vendor solutions that improve efficiency, reduce costs and secure both network and physical security for a title agents operations.
North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC) has hired Glen Stout as state agency manager for New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition to other duties, he will oversee agency operations in those states while securing and servicing title agents to promote new and increased business activity.
Glen brings a rich and varied skillset that will prove to be of great benefit to our agents in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, said NATIC Vice President, National Sales Manager Rich Griffin. His years at October Research LLC provided him with deep insight into the range of technology available to agents, the need for education in the current regulatory environment and the critical need for marketing support. From his more recent experience he brings in-depth knowledge of vendor solutions that improve efficiency, reduce costs and secure both network and physical security for a title agents operations. He will be quite an asset to our agents in this region.
Stouts career encompasses more than 30 years of management, marketing, publishing and sales experience. His business-to-business publishing career began in New York City in 1984, where he worked with Madison Avenue advertising agencies and international suppliers to the automotive aftermarket. For nearly two decades, he worked in publishing for Advanstar Communications, Crain Communications and October Research LLC, publisher of The Title Report and The Legal Description.
Prior to joining NATIC, he worked for Security Compliance Associates, where he gained valuable knowledge about network security issues facing title insurance and settlement agents. Previously, he held an executive position at RynohLive, and was part of a team that achieved a ranking in the top 21 percent of the 2015 INC. 5,000 list of fastest growing privately-held companies in the United States.
I have worked with many individuals on the NATIC team since my days at October Research LLC, and I have found that without exception, they are professional, responsive and always willing to go above and beyond expectations to deliver on your request, Stout said. I know I will have superior resources backing me in my efforts to serve agents in the region.
Title and settlement agents work in a very competitive business environment, he noted. Understanding their unique value proposition and communicating these benefits through effective marketing can noticeably increase agents sales and market share. My experience and background provide the perfect mix of knowledge and skill to lend effective assistance to agents with their sales and marketing efforts.
Stout is located at 1040 Kings Highway, Suite 700, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 and may be reached at telephone number (201) 423-3804 or gstout(at)natic(dot)com.
About North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC)
North American Title Insurance Co. (NATIC) is a seasoned title insurance underwriter, helping title agents to achieve the goal of true business success for over 50 years. NATIC conducts real estate settlement services in 39 states and the District of Columbia. NATIC earned the reputation as the underwriter next door, because their decision makers and associates are easy to reach and their processes are quick and straightforward. The NATIC agency application process is fast and transparent for qualified agents. NATIC has a one-hour underwriting response guarantee that is unparalleled in the industry.
NATIC is in Peer Group 1, which groups companies with total assets of greater than $100 million as determined by Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc. NATIC is ranked 6th by The Performance of the Title Insurance Underwriters in terms of cash or cash equivalents. NATIC maintains over $95 million* in cash and invested assets. This represents over 93 percent of the companys assets and is characteristic of the most important attribute to title protection, namely, financial responsibility. *As of 12/31/2015.
Demotech, Inc. awarded NATIC a rating of: A' (A Prime) Unsurpassed. A.M Best rated B++ (Good). NATIC is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.natic.com
For more information contact: Kelly McCarel, c: 440.590.6504; e: kmccarel(at)natic(dot)com
Kathleen Edge, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for Southwire Company, LLC This will be the manufacturing event of the year for Georgia
Manufacturing industry leaders from throughout the state are expected to attend the second annual Georgia Manufacturing Summit to discuss and learn about issues impacting their businesses.
This years theme is Building a Better Georgia, focusing on construction-related products manufactured in the state. With the expected growth in residential and commercial construction, manufacturing leaders will share best practices and strategies to prepare for the anticipated increase in demand for building-related products.
Based on the success of the inaugural 2015 Georgia Manufacturing Summit, 400 to 500 attendees are expected at this years event. Partner industry associations, such as AIA, ASID, HBAG, GAHBA, SDCA, NARI and The Blue Book have been invited to participate in and promote the event. The Summit will connect manufacturers who produce construction-related goods locally with members of the construction industry, with the ultimate goal of increasing economic sustainability within the state.
The Summit will begin with the People of Manufacturing Awards breakfast, designed to bring exposure and recognition to Georgia manufacturers and their employees who consistently exhibit excellence on a daily basis.
The 2016 awards categories are:
Front Line Leadership
Plant Manager
Team Safety
Team Operational Excellence
Six breakout training sessions will cover a wide range of issues facing various departments of a typical manufacturing company. These sessions will include the German-American apprenticeship program, changes to wage and hour regulations, manufacturing a better bottom line, operations, safety, and marketing. Company leaders from each of these specialties will be encouraged to attend sessions appropriate to their role in their businesses.
A special educational session, Is That Product Really Green? will be tailored for architects and interior designers, and will count as continuing education credits for AIA and interior designers.
Jason Moss, CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance says, This will be the manufacturing event of the year, and all who attend will gain valuable insight on the future of manufacturing in Georgia. By taking time to learn and work together, we will certainly grow as a community. Leaders representing a wide variety of industries will be represented, from textiles to food and beverages. Both consumer goods and industrial manufacturers will connect on common ground.
Tables and individual seats may be reserved at http://www.georgiamanufacturingsummit.com. Sponsorship information is available by calling Mr. Moss at 770-338-0051.
About the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance
The Georgia Manufacturing Alliance is a professional organization founded in 2008 to support Georgias manufacturing community. GMA provides monthly plant tours, educational sessions and unique networking opportunities designed to help make profitable business connections for its members. To learn more about the organization, visit http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingAlliance.com
We had an amazing turnout of over 1,000 volunteers starting as young as two and a half years of age and packaged 208,400 meals in support of local and world hunger.
Volunteers packaged 208,400 nutritionally balanced meals during an all-day community service event on Saturday, August 27, benefiting needy families locally and worldwide. The event was held at the LDS church building in Irvine, CA, and over 100,000 of these meals were delivered to Second Harvest and Family Assistance Ministries to feed local residents.
The food packing event was coordinated locally by Software Anywhere, a mission-driven cloud software provider building applications designed to drive 100% user adoption on the Salesforce.com Platform.
"The Irvine Helping Hands project was a huge success! We had an amazing turnout of over 1,000 volunteers starting as young as two and a half years of age and packaged 208,400 meals in support of local and world hunger," said Jeff Scott, San Clemente resident and CEO of Software Anywhere. "Harvest Pack events offer people of all ages the chance to make a difference in a fun, hands-on way."
Software Anywhere has been partnering with Harvest Pack since 2014 and is seeking to grow the number of meals packed in Orange County by about 100,000 each year; this year, it has met its goal to provide 200,000 meals and is ramping up to meet a long-term goal of more than 1 million meals per year by 2024.
Local Orange County residents raved about the Harvest Pack event. "My family and I appreciated the opportunity to volunteer," said San Clemente resident Amy Cook. "It is sometimes difficult to find service events where my young children can participate and really feel needed. The kids were able to participate in everything from scooping rice to weighing meals to banging the gong when we reached the milestone of a thousand meals packaged. It was a great event for our entire family."
Inspired by Marc Benioff and the Salesforce Foundation, Jeff and his team at Software Anywhere are pushing corporate philanthropy to the extreme. In August 2016, his team of 10 employees achieved the first major milestone of $10,000,000 in community impact in under 10 years, which includes an innovative paid high school internship program now aligned with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Orange County. The movement known as the "Power of 10" has become a platform for inspiring and teaching other for-profit organizations how to create long-term sustainable giving programs while exceeding their corporate goals.
Scott was nominated by Opus Bank for the Innovator's Award, sponsored by the Orange County Business Journal, for his "extreme giving" business model.
To make a donation benefiting local families, please visit http://online.harvestpack.org/Powerof10.
To learn more about Jeff Scott, Software Anywhere, and the Power of 10 movement, please visit softwareanywhere.com and powerof10.org.
About Harvest Pack
Harvest Pack is a humanitarian food-aid organization based in Minneapolis, Minn., working toward ending world hunger through the distribution of nutritious, vitamin-fortified meals to people in need. Harvest Pack meals feed people in more than 40 countries, including the United States. All meals are packed by U.S. and Canadian volunteers. Harvest Pack meals have been formulated by food scientists to provide a rich source of easily digestible protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins needed by a malnourished childs body and mind. Each meal consists of four readily available, dry ingredients that are easy to package, keep for long periods, and require only boiling with water to prepare. Harvest Pack meals offer all nine of the essential amino acids required for complete nutritionsomething that cant be said about other typical food relief sources, such as rice or beans alone. The meals also accommodate the broad diversity of ethnic tastes and religious differences around the world. For more information, visit http://www.harvestpack.org.
About Software Anywhere and Power of 10
Software Anywhere is a mission-driven cloud software provider building applications designed to drive 100% user adoption on the Salesforce.com Platform.
Inspired by Marc Benioff and the Salesforce Foundation, Software Anywhere is pushing corporate philanthropy to the extreme. In August 2016, Software Anywhere achieved the first major milestone of $10,000,000 in community impact in under 10 years, which includes an innovative paid high school internship program now aligned with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Orange County. The movement known as the "Power of 10" has become a platform for inspiring and teaching other for-profit organizations how to create long-term sustainable giving programs while exceeding all of their corporate goals.
Seasonal change brings a bountiful harvest of fun for adults (and even families) to Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country this fall. From the return of Temecula Valley Wine Month to festivals and city-wide events for 2016s Autumnfest, make Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country a top go-to destination this fall.
September Is Temecula Valley Wine Month
Autumnfest kicks off with Temecula Valley Wine month, a grand celebration of the grape harvest that includes a variety of special events and wine opportunities throughout the month of September. Part of California Wine Month, the events highlight the unique varietals grown in the region, diverse wineries, and top-tier experiences offered in Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country.
CRUSH (September 17, 2016). The annual showcase of Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country and regional culinary stylings, CRUSH brings together winery owners, winemakers and chefs to give attendees the chance to meet their favorite local wine and culinary stars and sample their offerings in this walk-around tasting. The 2016 event will take place at Wiens Family Cellars and will include over 100 wines poured by over 30 Temecula Valley wineries, as well as gourmet bites from participating local restaurants. General Admission and VIP tickets are available.
Peoples Choice Consumer Blind Tasting & Celebration Dinner (September 29, 2016). The Peoples Choice Consumer Blind Tasting event, the first regional event of its kind, will allow consumers to blindly sample and score the best red or white wine submitted by Temecula Valley wineries (any variety or blend, at any price point). An awards ceremony and media release gala will announce the winners. Wine lovers can purchase tickets to the blind tasting to cast their vote, and also to the awards dinner and gala for an evening of celebration.
SIP Temecula Wine Tasting Passport. Throughout Temecula Valley Wine Month, visitors can enjoy the SIP Temecula Wine Tasting Passport, a tasting passport good for a wine tasting flight at any five participating wineries in the region. Passports, valid Monday-Friday (excluding holidays), will also include a commemorative wine glass to celebrate the month-long event.
CRUSH On Temecula Valley Wines. Temecula Valley restaurants will be participating in a restaurant month for wine, in which they will feature special tasting flights of Temecula Valley wines throughout the month of September; locals and visitors alike will be encouraged to explore the regions diverse wines alongside Temecula Valley cuisine.
Celebrate Autumnfest at Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country
With a lot more to offer than wine-related events and activities, Autumnfest celebrates the fall season with several events that take place throughout the months of September, October, and November across Temecula Valley.
Peltzer Pumpkin Farm (September 25 October 31, 2016). Peltzer Farms will open for the harvest season with train rides, a petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, pig races and more family activities on September 25. Their newly opened CRUSH HOUSE tasting room will be the perfect place for parents to wine down after a busy day on the farm.
Outdoor Quilt Show (October 1, 2016). October Kicks Off The 18th Annual Outdoor Quilt Show where hundreds of intricate handmade quilts will be displayed from the balconies and buildings throughout Old Town Temecula. The free event features a silent and live auction, numerous vendors, and more.
Big Horse Corn Maze & Harvest Festival (October 1 31, 2016). Those that dare to take on the Big Horse Corn Maze will explore the largest corn maze in Southern California and test their knowledge at every turn, hoping to answer correctly for the next clue leading them out. In addition to the corn maze, the Harvest Festival allows families to enjoy a sprawling pumpkin patch, pony rides, hay ride, pillow jump, rock wall, corn cannon, face painting, and much more. Pig races, pie eating contests, and pumpkin bowling offer unending family fun with a side of competition.
Greek Festival (October 15 16, 2016). The Temecula Greek Festival offers attendees a taste of authentic culture with food, entertainment, and marketplace. Taking place in Old Town, the event will feature live Greek music from The Olympians; dancing and folk dancing performances; Greek food, wine, and pastries; and a childrens game area.
Ralph Love Plein Air Festival (October 30 November 5, 2016). At The Ralph Love Plein Air Festival, art lovers will enjoy strolling through Old Town and watching the artists create authentic scenes before their eyes. Inspired artists can join in the competition with advance registration.
Autumnfest Getaways to Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country
Fall is a beautiful time to visit and explore Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country as the vines are changing colors, the air is cooler, and there are a variety of events for adults and families to experience in celebration of the harvest.
Hotels And Resorts. Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country hotels and resorts have begun renovations and expansions to provide for additional hotel guests, added value, and exceptional luxury when visiting the region. Two-three day visits allow locals to see and explore it all.
Mid-Week Getaways. Sunday-Thursday visits offer visitors the chance to experience the best that the region has to offer, while avoiding the peak weekend crowds.
Thanksgiving Dinners. Several wine country wineries offer traditional Thanksgiving dinners, making easy for families to enjoy the holiday together while staying in hotel accommodations.
About Visit Temecula Valley
Visit Temecula Valley is the official tourism marketing organization and resource for visitors in the Temecula Valley Southern California region. The Temecula Hotel Tourism Improvement District is the primary source of funding for Visit Temecula Valley activities and programs. Additional funding is provided through alliances with visitor-serving partners throughout Temecula Valley.
Visit Temecula Valley is online at VisitTemeculaValley.com. The Temecula Valley Visitors Center is located in Downtown, Old Town Temecula (Third Street and Mercedes) adjacent the Old Town Temecula Parking Garage. For visitor information and assistance, please call 888-363-2852 or 951-491-6085.
*Information is believed to be current as of July 2016.
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John Mitchell, Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering As we expand our service area, product offerings and consumer base, were also becoming the resident experts customers trust and Im honored to be a part of it all.
Thompson Creek Window Company, the mid-Atlantics leading home improvement replacement products company, proudly announces the addition of executive John Mitchell as the Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering. Mitchell offers over 20 years of continuous advancement and expertise in organizational leadership, program management and new product and service innovation.
For the last 2 years, Mitchell was the President of the Slingshot Product Development Group, focusing on Science, Product Design and Manufacturing in the development and commercialization of next generation technologies. Before his Presidency at Slingshot Product Development Group, Mitchell held the role of Vice President of Product Development of Paradigm Investment Holdings in Georgia. Over the years, Mitchell was involved with the organizations technical team responsible for new product development, architectural submissions, engineering, product testing and regulatory compliance.
Mitchells commitment to the industry is showcased by his involvement in many outside organizations and professional affiliations. He earned his Product Development Professional Certification (PDMA), served as an ISO 9000 Lead Auditor and received a Masters in Systems Management at Binghamton University. He also proudly served our country as a Captain in the U.S. Army in Korea, Alabama and New York.
Johns extensive experience in product development and his demonstrated accolades in leadership make him a valuable asset to our Thompson Creek Executive Team, said Thompson Creek Window Company CEO, Rick Wuest. We are very honored and excited to have John lead our day-to-day processes of window manufacturing to allow us to expand our business.
In 2015, Thompson Creek Window Company celebrated its 35th year in business by breaking ground on a new 117,000 square-foot building at 8100 Penn Randall Place in the Upper Marlboro section of Prince Georges County, Maryland. Since June 2016, the manufacturing and warehouse operations have been in full operation, tripling the previous factorys output of replacement windows.
I joined the Thompson Creek Window Company family at the perfect time during their expansion within the Mid-Atlantic region. As we expand our service area, product offerings and consumer base, were also becoming the resident experts customers trust and Im honored to be a part of it all.
To learn more about Thompson Creek Window Company, visit http://www.ThompsonCreek.com.
About Thompson Creek
Thompson Creek Window Company is a privately owned and family-operated manufacturer and installer of energy-efficient home improvement replacement products. Founded in 1980, Thompson Creek Window Company began as a manufacturer of energy-efficient maintenance-free vinyl windows. Since that time, Thompson Creek Window Company has evolved into one of the leading specialty home improvement contracting companies in the nation. The companys product mix includes replacement windows, entry doors, siding and a clog-free gutter system, and more. Thompson Creek Window Company is headquartered in Lanham, Maryland and employs over 450 people in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Beezy -- Your Intelligent Workplace The Microsoft Graph is an important part of our technology roadmap, helping us bring machine learning to end users and to power a more intelligent workplace.
Beezy Inc., the premier enterprise collaboration solution for Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Office 365, is pleased to announce the publication of a new case study highlighting the company's integration with the Microsoft Graph as part of Microsoft's betterwith.office.com website. The Microsoft Graph uses machine-learning to identify connections between user profiles, social network activity, content, and other data sources and hen provides relevant, timely, and contextual data for the end user based on those connections. The case study highlights the innovative ways that Beezy leverages the Microsoft Graph to better surface content, conversations, and connections within SharePoint, turning the collective intelligence captured by the platform into timely and relevant organizational knowledge. The end result is a more contextual and intuitive platform, with productive and engaged end users.
The blog post and case study can be found at http://betterwith.office.com/Beezy_and_Office_MicrosoftGraph
"The 'Better with Office' website is a showcase of some of the leading-edge solutions within the Microsoft partner community, and we are excited to have Beezy highlighted on the site," shared Beezy CEO Jordi Plana. "The Microsoft Graph is an important part of our technology roadmap, helping us bring machine learning to end users and to power a more intelligent workplace."
While the Beezy solutions supports SharePoint customers in both on-premises and online environments, the Microsoft Graph requires use of Office 365 and SharePoint Online.
A video demonstrating some of these Beezy innovation can be found at http://hubs.ly/H048stb0
As demonstrated in the Beezy case study and related video, customers will benefit from the following integrations:
-- Ultra-fast mentions: Every time a user adds an @ mention, the system will suggest the names of the co-workers you interact with the most.
-- Discovery cards: Within the stream of an activity feed, the user will see recommendations for Communities to join based on their profile and activities, or People they may be interested in following. Both recommendations are leveraging the Working with API method of the Office Graph mixed with some business logic coming from Beezy.
-- Questions routing: Users will see when a close colleague answers a question, and will then have the ability to post an answer. By routing this Q&A to other people with similar skills and network proximity to the first respondent, Beezy dramatically increases the quality of the overall answers.
-- Recommended skills & expertise: When Beezy detects that a close co-worker has updated their profile skills, it sends a suggestion to a user's feed and asks whether they would also like to add this skill, helping improve the quality of the user's profile.
According to Plana, "These Microsoft Graph integrations are just the beginning of the innovations what we have in store for our customers this year. We're excited by the continued growth and success of SharePoint, both on-prem and online, and will continue to work closely with Microsoft to innovate."
About Beezy
Beezy is the premier enterprise collaboration solution for Office 365 and SharePoint, extending and improving the feature set for on-premises, cloud, and hybrid deployments. We are on a mission to transform the way people work and to help employees be more connected, innovative, and happy.
Beezy is used across various industries and at a global scale by some of the worlds largest organizations, such as multi-nationals Vodafone and Transocean. Beezy is a privately held software company headquartered in Silicon Valley.
Learn more at http://www.beezy.net or @FollowBeezy on Twitter
Local Boy Makes Good
Author Bruce Bradley has kindly agreed to participate in a book signing and meet the author event at the Sharpsteen Museum. A brief lecture will begin at noon, followed by a question and answer period. Bradley will be on hand until 1:30 p.m. to autograph copies of Hugh Glass which will be available for purchase for $14.95 (10 percent less for members).
The local author is widely considered an expert on the true history of Hugh Glass. Most recently, Bradley was interviewed by True West Magazine and featured in an article entitled 13 Things The Movie The Revenant Got Wrong, which was in reference to a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and based on the life of Hugh Glass, released earlier this year.
Little did Glass know what his life would inspire; a variety of movies have used pieces of his life, with the most recognized being the Robert Redford film Jeremiah Johnson.
Currently residing in Nevada City, Bradley lived, worked and continued to write during his more than 20 years living in Calistoga. His book titles are numerous, including Seeds of Darkness and The Last Jaguar, with the events celebrated title Hugh Glass inspired by Bradleys youth growing up in Alaska.
A Hero Brought to Life
The true story of mountain man, fur trapper and pathfinder, Hugh Glass is brought to life in a book of the same name authored by Bradley. Glass was born in the late 1700s and had lived most of his 37 years as a normal seaman, but in 1817 his ship was captured and he was given the choice to join a pirate crew or die. From that moment on, his life became an adventure that ranged from the edges of the Caribbean to the heart of the American wilderness.
Mauled by an enraged grizzly, then robbed and left to die by his comrades hundreds of miles from civilization, Hugh Glass is the story of one man whose will to live despite all odds is a testimony to anyone who ever had to face peril and adversity.
Working for the Rocky Mountain Fur Company in the early 1800s, Glass became so knowledgeable of the Great Basin, Missouri territories and west to California that he was often used as a scout. His familiarity and friendship with many of the Indian tribes throughout the areas wilderness were paramount to the success and livelihood of the fur trappers.
During this period, he met and worked alongside other early pioneer figures such as Jim Bridger, Jedediah Smith and Caleb Greenwood. Greenwood himself settled for a time during the late 1800s in Calistoga, hence the naming of Greenwood Avenue.
Pioneer Geo. C. Yount, who had met and befriended Hugh Glass, once wrote of him: In point of adventure, dangers, and narrow escapes; and capacity for endurance, and the sufferings which befell him, this man Hugh Glass was pre-eminent. He was bold, daring, reckless, and eccentric to a high degree but was nevertheless a man of great talents and intellectual as well as bodily power.
Meet The Author
Bradleys personal history is nearly as exciting as that of Hugh Glass. Bradley was never a man of the sea, nor was he mauled by a bear, but growing up in Alaska seemed to set him on a trail of his own, one that he continues to this day.
Aside from being an accomplished author of various titles, he is a screenwriter, actor, private investigator, bartender, adventurer, explorer and outdoorsman. He has also been a Napa Valley winemaker and much more.
Please join The Sharpsteen Museum in hosting this accomplished writer of Hugh Glass. Learn about a piece of time in this country when the mountain men were known as the bravest of them all. The museum warmly welcomes visitors to come to this event that is too good to miss.
Want to find more events like this? Please visit http://sharpsteenmuseum.com/ for a complete list of upcoming events at The Sharpsteen Museum.
About Sharpsteen Museum:
The Sharpsteen Museum's permanent exhibits are designed to present the history of the upper Napa Valley from its pre-history to post-World War I with an emphasis on people and changes brought by the period of U.S. emigration and development.
In addition to its many historical exhibits, the museum uses unique and extraordinarily extensive dioramas to depict Calistoga during its period as the elegant 1860s Hot Springs resort developed by pioneer, promoter, publisher, entrepreneur, and California's first millionaire, Sam Brannan. Sharpsteen Museum has special exhibits which change twice a year, every six months, and reflect the varied interests of the people of the Valley. They have ranged from antique silverware to model ships to historical musical instruments.
Young Guns Here in the Midwest we don't have surf...we crest a different kind of wave. Concrete hills and wind are what propels us and community is what keeps us going. Founder, Mark Brehm
Founders, Mark Brehm and JC Franco are excited to announce their new custom longboard company, Young Guns Longboards.
To celebrate, Young Guns, will be having a launch party/pop-up shop September 1st at Cable and Company located in the historic Bauer Building. Located at 115 W 18th St. Kansas City, MO 64108.
Refreshments provided by Torn Label Brewery and Rieger Libations will be served from 5pm-10pm.
Here in the Midwest we don't have surf...we crest a different kind of wave. Concrete hills and wind are what propels us and community is what keeps us going. Founder, Mark Brehm
Longboards are slightly longer and faster than traditional skateboards. Used for cruising, the Young Gun longboards are cut, pressed, sanded, painted, and finished by hand.
For more information about Young Guns Longboards please contact Elliot Wiersgalla at 816-527-8047 or visit http://www.yglongboards.com
The Guess Corporation We are pleased to add another planned brand to our portfolio to be built alongside select sites of GP Express, our c-store and hospitality concepts will be complimentary to each other
The Guess Corporation will launch its planned hospitality venture, The Guess Bread Company in conjunction with certain sites for its GP Express brand. The Guess Bread Company will be an upscale dining experience. There will only be 20 tables per restaurant with two chairs per table allowing couples-only dining. Sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts, breads, cheesecakes and wine will be part of the menu for dine-in or take-out. The restaurant will have an open kitchen and bread will be baked fresh on-site. The Guess Corporation is launching the chain through its subsidiary, The Guess Bread Company, Ltd. GP Express sites will sit on seven (7) acres of land. GP Express units and The Guess Bread Company units will share real estate sites.
Operating partnerships are being offered for The Guess Bread Company as well as GP Express. The Guess Corporation plans to build 250 units for The Guess Bread Company over the next 18 months. Units will be built at an average cost of $3 million. The design for The Guess Bread Company was provided by Scott+Cormia. "We are pleased to add another planned brand to our portfolio to be built alongside select sites of GP Express, our c-store and hospitality concepts will be complimentary to each other," said Cutie Shrestha, Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Development Officer for The Guess Corporation.
About The Guess Corporation
The Guess Corporation is a conglomerate based in Durham, North Carolina which began as a trader of diamonds and expanded into over 20 business areas since 2012. The company's projected revenue for 2016 is $250 Million and its asset base currently exceeds $100 Million.
About Scott+Cormia
Scott+Cormia is an Orlando, Florida based architecture and interior design firm that was founded by Ray Scott and Matt Cormia. The firm has an extensive design portfolio and has handled domestic and international projects for its clients. As a full-service firm, Scott Cormia provides complete project management including initial site planning and overseeing construction.
Alpha has now been adopted by all the major denominations including Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Salvation Army churches.
In 2015 over 271,000 people attended Alpha in the UK.
The campaign, which begins this September, will involve billboards, posters, and advertisements on buses, trucks and station platforms all over the world. There will also be widespread promotion on social media including a short film (alpha.org).
Encouraging people to give Alpha a try, Bear who did Alpha with his wife Shara some years ago said, "What does it take to live a life of adventure? The truth is, the first step is always the hardest, thats the one that takes the most courage.
But Ive learnt not to run from that fear and just do it. My Christian faith can be a little up and down. Like any relationship, it has struggles and it has doubts, but its so often brought light to a dark path, warmth to a cold mountain and strength to a failing body.
I remember crawling on to the summit of Everest and clearing the snow from my mask to see the curvature of the Earth at the edges. But finding a simple faith that empowers my life? To me thats been my greatest adventure.
Alpha is a series of sessions typically run over 11 weeks. It includes food, a talk and discussion in small groups. Alpha has now been adopted by all the major denominations including Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Salvation Army churches.
Alpha is pioneered by HTB Vicar Nicky Gumbel who, as well as leading a parish church and an international Christian ministry, now writes a daily online Bible commentary followed by more than a million people.
Nicky Gumbel said, From business person to TV adventurer, everyone carries their own questions of life that are worth exploring. We are thrilled that Bear Grylls has agreed for his story to be used in the campaign. With his global reach we hope that many more people will be inspired to ask their questions on Alpha.
Alpha provides an opportunity to explore the meaning of life in a relaxed, non-threatening and fun environment. There is almost certainly an Alpha running in your area I encourage you to give it a try.
Advertising campaigns for Alpha have been taking place annually since 1998 but this is the first global campaign. In the UK advertising will appear nationwide following the September launch.
ONLINE INFORMATION
Alpha International: alpha.org
Follow Alpha: twitter.com/AlphaCourse
Follow Twitter.com/BearGrylls
CONTACT
For more information about the Global Alpha Campaign, contact Mark Elsdon-Dew, Communications Director of Alpha International, at communications(at)alpha.org. Telephone: 0207 052 0271 and 07799 260535.
We anticipate adding more capabilities as the organization grows.
Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE, a leading telecommunications provider based in Houston, Texas, is pleased to announce the launch of an interactive newsroom on the companys corporate website, http://www.pslightwave.com. The newsroom, http://www.pslightwave.com/newsroom, has been designed for ease of navigation and offers product information, press releases and news coverage, affiliations, logos and more. Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE installed a search navigation system specific to the newsroom. Now news media facing tight deadlines can access useful information quickly, without the need to navigate to the home page of the corporate website to find documentation.
We are excited to announce this important update to our corporate website. It offers a lot of great content as well as the same level of responsive compatibility and flexibility as our corporate website, giving website visitors a way to view documents and information from any platform or device, said Rhonda Cumming, CEO of Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE.
The Media Resources page provides a summary description of the organization, a press kit, a corporate fact sheet, information on colocation and cloud service access, carrier services, and brand guidelines. Real-time feeds from Phonoscope LIGHTWAVEs social media platforms are also featured.
We believe the newsroom will prove to be a useful tool for customers, partners, staff and media requiring current information about Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE, its products, services and activities. We anticipate adding more capabilities and rich content as the organization grows, said Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE Marketing Director Pat Mahony.
About Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE
Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE, a leading telecommunications service provider headquartered in Houston, Texas, provides managed Gigabit Ethernet services, Internet, Voice over IP (VoIP), and Dark Fiber over one of the nations largest facilities-based private Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs). The switched Layer 2 network, backed by 24/7/365 Network Operations Center (NOC) support, encompasses 5,000 route miles and 1,400 on-net locations and connects 50+ fault-tolerant multi-gigabit Ethernet rings for built-in redundancy, security, high-availability, and sub 2ms latency. At Phonoscope LIGHTWAVE Great Connections Happen Here. For more information, please visit http://www.pslightwave.com or call 832-615-8000.
Bendheim, one of the foremost specialty glass companies in the United States, is pleased to welcome Eric Van de Bovenkamp as Global Sales Manager of its Architectural Glass division. Eric will be responsible for supporting and growing the companys extensive sales network throughout North America and overseas.
Eric brings to Bendheim more than 30 years of sales management experience, including leadership positions in the Fortune 100 companies Johnson & Johnson and PepsiCo. At Johnson & Johnson, he facilitated the strategic integration of marketing and sales efforts, and established procedures for national product launches. As a general manager at PepsiCo, Eric introduced company-owned sales and distribution systems into Russia. Later on, he helped establish the German company FSB as a leader in decorative architectural hardware in the North American market. In recent years, hes been an independent consultant, specializing in sales and distribution for multinational companies in the construction industry.
Erics wealth of experience in driving organizational development and his ability to solve real client needs with targeted market solutions will help Bendheim enhance its service to the architectural, design, build, and commercial contract communities. We are confident that his multidimensional understanding of the construction world will be a great asset to our global sales force, said Steven Jayson, co-owner and Vice President, Bendheim.
Eric holds a Bachelors degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Rutgers University. He has lived and worked around the world, from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Miami, Florida, and currently resides in New York with his family.
As a valuable partner, Bendheims team brings decades of specialty architectural glass experience to building and design professionals throughout the design process, from concept to completion. To learn more about Bendheim decorative architectural glass, please visit http://www.BendheimArchitectural.com.
Were looking forward to meeting other Java professionals, showcasing our innovations in the eCommerce space, and learning about exciting innovations from others.
Broadleaf Commerce, the eCommerce platform solution provider for enterprise commerce brands, including OReilly Auto Parts and The Container Store, has announced their participation at JavaOne 2016. Taking place in San Francisco, California from September 18 to September 22, JavaOne is an idea hub intended for developers to explore the latest Java technology innovations.
Drawing more than 9,000 attendees from across the world, JavaOne provides an environment ideal for sparking inspiration and forming new connections. Were looking forward to meeting other Java professionals, showcasing our innovations in the eCommerce space, and learning about exciting innovations from others, said Kelly Tisdell, VP of Professional Services at Broadleaf Commerce. JavaOne is well-known for gathering the most innovative Java users and were glad to be a part of it this year.
Sessions presented at the conference are designed for programmers interested in Java technologies. Speakers will present over JavaFX, Java 8, Java SE, and Java HotSpot VM.
Broadleaf offers a market-leading customizable and highly scalable eCommerce system with Java-based architecture and clearly defined extension patterns. Those interested in learning more about the Broadleaf system are invited to join upcoming web events or contact Broadleaf directly at info(at)broadleafcommerce(dot)com
About Broadleaf Commerce, LLC
Broadleaf Commerce provides B2B and B2C eCommerce platform solutions to simplify the complexities of multi-channel commerce and digital experience management. As the market-leading choice for enterprise organizations requiring tailored, highly scalable commerce systems, Broadleaf is fully customizable and extensible. Trusted by Fortune 500 corporations, yet priced for the mid-market, Broadleaf provides the framework for leading brands, including Google, The Container Store, OReilly Auto Parts, and Vology. For more information, visit: http://www.broadleafcommerce.com/
The Los Angeles outdoor movie series is finishing up its 2016 season with a bang.
All summer long, Eat|See|Hear, has been presenting outdoor movies, live music, and an array of food trucks in the Los Angeles area. But like all good things, summer must end, and along with it, Eat|See|Hears 2016 season. However, the Los Angeles outdoor movie series is finishing up its 2016 season with a bang says Sharon Sperber, co-owner of Eat|See|Hear. Weve planned three not-to-be-missed events for September. Eat|See|Hear will show the 2015 western film,The Hateful Eight, directed and written by Quentin Tarentino, on Saturday, September 3, at the Autry Museum in Griffith Park; Autry Museum admission is complimentary and costumes from the film will be on display. On the following Saturday night, September 10, Eat|See|Hear will present the 1986 romantic comedy, Pretty in Pink, starring Molly Ringwald, at the Santa Monica High School Amphitheatre. Eat|See|Hear will return to Santa Monica High School Amphitheatre on September 17 for the last showing of the 2016 season with the 1984 rock musical drama Purple Rain, starring Prince. Doors open for all three events at 5:00 p.m. and movies begin at 8:00 p.m. Its a good idea to arrive early so you can claim your spot and get settled in before the show starts, Sperber says.
The Autry is located at 4700 Western Heritage Way in Los Angeles. Free parking is available across the street at the LA Zoo parking lot. Movie-goers are asked to use the main entrance adjacent to the Autry Museum building on the event lawn. The Santa Monica High School Amphitheatre is located at 601 Pico Blvd., in Santa Monica. Parking is available at the Civic Center parking lot on 4th Street. Movie-goers should enter the amphitheatre on 4th Street, in between the DoubleTree Hotel and the track. While the Santa Monica High School location is a concrete amphitheatre with built-in seating and the Autry is a large, grassy lawn, guests at either location should bring pillows, cushions, blankets and/or low chairs to sit on.
Musical guests planned for the September movie events are the LA-based band, Kong, on September 3; another LA alternative band, Dear Boy, on September 10; TBD on September 17. Bands will take the stage at approximately 7 p.m. each night. Food trucks will be on site and open-for-business starting at 5:30 p.m. You can count on there being a large selection of vendors and menus each week, Sperber says. That includes multiple vegan and vegetarian options, as well as some gluten-free food choices.
General admission tickets are $14 each for adults and $8 for children 5 to 12 years old when purchased in advance. Children age 5 and under are free. Tickets for the September 3 event can be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-see-hear-outdoor-movie-the-hateful-eight-tickets-22131562098, for the September 10 event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-see-hear-outdoor-movie-pretty-in-pink-tickets-22131686470, and for the September 17 event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-see-hear-outdoor-movie-purple-rain-tickets-24999075909. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the night of the event. In addition to general admission tickets, a limited number of Fashionably Late passes are available for $21 each. These VIP tickets provide a reserved section near the front of the venue, so you are guaranteed to have a great view regardless of what time you arrive. Sperber says. Fashionably Late tickets must be purchased in advance online, and are not available for sale or upgrade at the door.
About Eat|See|Hear:
Voted Best Outdoor Movie Series by Los Angeles Magazine in 2014, the Eat|See|Hear outdoor movie, food truck and live music event series brings an evening of fun to Los Angeles-area venues each summer. The fourth annual series is presented by SHOWTIME NETWORKS, featuring up-and-coming bands from the local music scene, the hottest food trucks and the largest inflatable movie screen on the west coast with the highest quality HD-projection with a 52-foot wide image and professional sound. Eat|See|Hear promises an enjoyable movie-going experience for everyone, including dogs. Each event and is produced by LA-based experiential marketing agency, Trailhead Marketing, Inc. For more information visit http://eatseehear.com.
Shruti Malik, M.D. hosts Q&A Forum on Fertility App, Glow Attending an online webinar about this topic is an opportunity to gain insight into some of these key questions and provides individuals the information they need to take the next step in building their family.
Shady Grove Fertility, the largest fertility practice in the nationcelebrating 25 years and more than 40,000 babies bornis committed to raising awareness about infertility through educational events such as online webinars, Glow app community events, and in-person seminars. Our physician experts provide those seeking more information about infertility with not only an in-depth education, but also the appropriate tools and resources to make informed decisions about such topics as whether its time to see a specialist or how to take the next step to pursue treatment.
In continuing to educate and bring awareness to the community about infertility, Shady Grove Fertility will be hosting 17 free informational events online and in-person throughout the Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC regions during the month of September covering topics ranging from getting started with fertility treatment, preconception tips for getting pregnant, treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and financial programs offered exclusively for Shady Grove Fertility patients. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in a question and answer panel with the physician presenter at the conclusion of each of the events.
Accounting for nearly one-third of all infertility diagnosis in women, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common ovulatory disorder in women of reproductive age. To recognize September as PCOS awareness month and provide education for women about PCOS, Shady Grove Fertility will be hosting an online webinar with physician, Andrea Reh, M.D., from the SGF Arlington and Fredericksburg, VA, offices, to discuss causes and symptoms of PCOS, and the treatments that are now available to help women conceive.
While PCOS is a common ovulatory disorder, there are many questions women have about diagnosing PCOS as well as the causes and treatment options available. Attending an online webinar about this topic is an opportunity to gain insight into some of these key questions and provides individuals the information they need to take the next step in building their family, says Andrea Reh, M.D.
Shady Grove Fertility will host live community events with fertility expert Q&A through the fertility app, Glow, so that thousands of active app users can learn about their personal fertility health, reproductive options, and how infertility treatment works. Throughout September, our weekly Q&A forums will cover all aspects of fertility with different topics highlighted each week, including What You Need to Know about Infertility and White Lies That Can Impact Fertility. Dr. Shruti Malik, who has led many of the weekly Q&A engagements, will be hosting the White Lies That Can Impact Fertility Q&A on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. and Dr. Andrea Reh will be hosting What You Need to Know about Infertility on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 12:00 p.m.
The fertility app, Glow, is free to join and provides individuals with direct access to medical advice by fertility experts. Pre-registration is not required for participation in the Glow Q&As.
For all seminars and webinars in September and beyond, all interested parties must register to attend by visiting the Shady Grove Fertility calendar of events.
Upcoming September Seminars:
September 8 | Woodbridge, VA | Getting Started
September 14 | Harrisburg, PA | Fertility Options
September 20 | Towson, MD | Getting Started
September 21 | Chesterbrook, PA | Fertility Options
September 27 | Fair Oaks, VA | Getting Started
Upcoming Webinars and Q&As
September 7 | Glow Q&A with Dr. Andrea Reh | What You Need to Know about Infertility
September 8 | Online | Egg Freezing Webinar
September 14 | Glow Q&A with Dr. Shruti Malik | White Lies That Can Impact Your Fertility
September 14 | Online | Fertility Q&A Webinar
September 15 | Online | UK Donor Egg Treatment Webinar
September 15 | Online | Donor Egg Treatment Webinar
September 20 | Online | Preconception Webinar
September 21 | Online | Financial Options Webinar
September 27 | Online | Become an Egg Donor Webinar
September 28 | Glow Q&A with SGF Financial Counselor | Financial Options for Fertility Treatment
September 28 | Online | Getting Started Webinar
September 29 | Online | PCOS Webinar
About Shady Grove Fertility
Shady Grove Fertility is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence offering patients individualized care, innovative financial options, and pregnancy rates among the highest of all national centers. 2016 commemorates 25 years of Shady Grove Fertility providing medical and service excellence to patients from all 50 states and 35 countries around the world, and celebrates over 40,000 babies bornmore than any other center in the nation. Today, 34 reproductive endocrinologists, supported by a highly specialized team of 600 urologists, Ph.D. scientists, geneticists, and staff care for patients in 19 full-service offices and five satellite sites throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Shady Grove Fertility physicians actively train residents and reproductive endocrinology fellows and invest in continuous clinical research and education to advance the field of reproductive medicine through numerous academic appointments and partnerships such as Georgetown Medical School, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the University of Maryland, and the National Institutes of Health. More than 1,700 physicians refer their patients to Shady Grove Fertility each year. For more information, call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
The American Psychological Association describes the grieving process as important for overcoming sadness that comes after a loved one passes away. Susan Lynn Bishop knows how loss can be painful, so much so with children who may not be equipped to process the pain. Her book, Eenie Meanie Me and The Very Sad Day (published by AuthorHouse), was written to gently guide readers, especially young ones, through the sensitive process of grief and loss.
This touching storybook follows the thoughts and experiences of a little girl named Eenie who struggles to understand why her grandmother, Nonnie, passed away. She goes on a journey to find answers about death. Inspired by Bishops experiences of losing her own grandmother, this storybook discusses loss and, more importantly, love using an approach that is easy for children to understand.
My book is written out of love and it rhymes for an easy read for parents to read aloud, the author says. It explains that the love of a grandparent is always there.
Accompanied by original illustrations by Mary Lou Brown, Eenie Meanie Me and The Very Sad Day offers grief-counseling for all ages.
Eenie Meanie Me and The Very Sad Day
By Susan Lynn Bishop
Softcover | 8.5 x 8.5in | 32 pages | ISBN 9781438952307
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Susan Lynn Bishop has been an educator for over 30 years, sharing her unique brand of teaching with countless children. She is a family group conference facilitator, educational consultant, child advocate, retired teacher, wife, mother of three, grandmother, lover of life, and true believer in Guardian Angels. Eenie Meanie Me and The Very Sad Day is her first children's book.
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.
Events:
*Purdue President Mitch Daniels will testify at 9:30 a.m. Thursday (Sept. 8) before a hearing of the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress. Daniels, along with the Honorable Judd Gregg, former New Hampshire governor and senator, and Alice Rivlin, economist and former director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, will speak about Federal Debt: Direction, Drivers and Dangers. The hearing will be livestreamed at http://www.senate.gov/isvp/?type=LIVE&comm=jec&filename=LIVE
*Also, while in Washington, D.C., Daniels will host Mike McCurry for a special installment of Purdues Presidential Lecture Series (http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2016/Q3/mitch-daniels-to-host-mike-mccurry-in-washington,-d.c.,-for-election-2016-and-the-intersection-of-politics-and-policy.html). Daniels will interview Curry, former White House press secretary to President Bill Clinton, about Election 2016 and the Intersection of Politics and Policy at 6 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 7) in the JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.
Media who would like to attend the JEC testimony may contact Breann Gonzalez at mailto:breann_gonzalez@jec.senate.gov. A copy of Daniels testimony will be made available following the committee session at purdue.edu/president.
Media who would like to attend the Presidential Lecture Series event should contact Lisa Tally at 765-496-2160 or 765-494-2181, lhtally@prf.org
Government transparency laws arent much use if elected officials can avoid the consequences for breaking them.
So a new Illinois law designed to keep public officials from circumventing lawsuits that would otherwise have been filed for violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act is worth celebrating by open government advocates everywhere.
House Bill 5683, which was signed quietly into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner last month, and overwhelmingly endorsed by lawmakers, got its start amid a public firestorm. It was sparked when the embattled president of the College of DuPage was awarded a contract extension behind closed doors in violation of the OMA, according to sponsoring state Rep. Peter C. Breens office.
Though the violation occurred in 2011, it wasnt until 2015 that the Illinois Attorney Generals public access counselors office confirmed the violation occurred and reprimanded the board.
The Open Meetings Act allows citizens a brief 60 days to go to court to get relief, but unlike most other laws, the time clock here starts at the time of the actual violation, instead of after the decision is issued by the Attorney Generals office, a post on the Lombard Republicans website said. Because of this, the citizen who filed the complaint with the Attorney General about the sweetheart contract deal at COD never had her day in court.
The deadline precluding her suit proved costly for residents of the community college district.
The problem is, the citizen wanted the contract voided, and certainly the taxpayers of DuPage and surrounding counties wouldve been better served had that extension been voided, but the resident who filed the complaint was unable to take it to court, Rep. Breen told the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
New law closes big loophole
The new law closes that loophole, and starts the clock after the AGs office has issued its decision, he said. Thats especially important given how long it takes the overtaxed and understaffed public access counselors office to issue opinions which can be powerful ammunition in court.
We cant afford a weak or ineffective Open Meetings Act, especially in light of the corruption weve lived through in Illinois, Rep. Breen said before the measure sailed through the Illinois House in the spring on a 114-0 vote.
The public access counselor is an essential step in the process for determining if the states sunshine laws have been violated. The office was created to mediate open meetings and open records disputes between citizens or media and the government.
Among the backers of HB5683 was the Illinois Press Association. Donald M. Craven, a Springfield lawyer specializing in sunshine laws who represents the IPA, told the Law Bulletin, From an open meetings perspective it makes sense. If youre going to give the public access counselor that kind of authority you ought to be able to wait to see what they say.
Why do such legal challenges to sunshine law violations matter?
At times we need to establish some precedent and need to take these to court just to get better guidance on what is transparency and opened under state law. So there are all sorts of reasons we need to allow this avenue, Rep. Breen told the daily newspaper which covers Illinois legal issues. We also have a fundamental commitment to ensuring every citizen has their day in court, and under the former system, folks didnt have their day.
We salute all the good and open government warriors who worked successfully to change that.
On Sunday at 2 p.m., the German American Heritage Center will host University of Iowa Center for Human Rights staff member Kelsey Kramer McGinnis as she presents "The Purest Pieces of Home: German POWs Making Music in Iowa."
Ms. Kramer McGinnis will discuss the musical activities of German prisoners of war in Iowa and the American attempt to regulate creative activities and promote political ideology through the arts, according to GAHC. You can learn about the musical lives of German POWs in Iowa, as she explores the functions and meanings of creative endeavors in captivity, and music as a tool of diplomacy.
BLUE GRASS -- A motorist struck and killed a construction worker late Thursday morning at the intersection of U.S. 61 and Coonhunters Road.
The Scott County Sheriff's Office began receiving reports around 10:10 a.m. of a reckless driver heading east on U.S. 61, according to the sheriff's office. A deputy spotted the vehicle and was trying to turn and follow it when the collision occurred.
The male driver of the vehicle tried to turn south onto Coonhunters Road and struck a construction worker, the sheriff's office said. The vehicle, a gray four-door sedan, came to rest in a ditch on the west side of the intersection.
The construction zone was marked by orange cones and other warning signs.
The Valley Construction worker, the driver and a child in the vehicle were taken by ambulance to the hospital. None of their names have been released.
The construction worker was pronounced dead on arrival, according to the sheriff's office. The driver also was reported to have injuries, but the extent of the injuries has not been announced. The extent of the child's injuries was not immediately available.
Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard said the driver was detained by authorities before being taken to the hospital. He said a deputy drew her pistol as a precaution as she approached the collision because of the unknown circumstances surrounding the vehicle and its occupants.
The crash remains under investigation, with the Iowa State Patrol leading the accident investigation, the sheriff's office said.
The northbound lanes of U.S. 61 were closed for some time for an investigation of the collision. continues, with drivers asked to find alternate routes around the scene.
Other agencies responding to the accident scene included the Blue Grass, Buffalo, Walcott and Davenport police departments, the Blue Grass Fire Department, Medic Ambulance, the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Scott County Conservation Department.
EAST MOLINE -- Police are investigating a report of shots fired in the 600 block of 16th Avenue early Wednesday afternoon.
The call came in about 2 p.m., according to a news release from Detective Commander Lt. Darren Gault. No one was injured, but several handgun shell casings were found in an alley near the scene, according to the release.
Evidence was collected by the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Investigators were canvassing the area Wednesday evening for witnesses and other evidence.
Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 309-762-9500 or the East Moline Police Department at 309-752-1555.
The complaint filed Wednesday alleges the officer negligently and carelessly operated his vehicle and it names the trooper, the agency and the state.
Twenty-six-year-old Kelly Wilson died in May from her injuries.
The lawsuit says Trooper Jeff Denning was driving at over 100 mph without emergency sirens activated just before the crash as he pursued a man wanted in connection with an officer-involved shooting in Mahomet.
The attorney for Wilson's family, Tim Shay, says the trooper shouldn't have been driving so fast.
A police spokesman declined comment.
The Macon County State's Attorney has turned the case over to the state appellate prosecutor's office for review.
At a news conference at FBI headquarters in Chicago, authorities declined to disclose whether new leads or suspects have emerged, saying only that there's hope, with the passing of time, someone might now be willing to come forward with vital clues.
Investigators believe 13-year-old Alexandra Anaya knew her killer, the head of the FBI's Chicago office told reporters, describing the girl's killing as "one of the most heinous murders we have seen involving a child."
Michael Anderson added about the killer: "Unfortunately, that person is still out there."
Anaya's torso was found wrapped in chains in the Little Calumet River on Aug. 16, 2005, three days after she was last seen alive leaving her Hammond, Indiana, home early in the morning. DNA testing confirmed the torso was Anaya's.
A reporter asked one of the original Hammond police investigators at the same news conference if the case continues to haunt him. "Yes, it does," said Ronald Johnson, who retired a year after the killing. "Many sleepless nights."
A photograph of Anaya smiling on a staircase, a book at her side, sat on an easel a few feet away as Johnson spoke.
Family, friends and potential witnesses are being re-interviewed, and some physical evidence will be retested in hopes that advancements in forensics science can reveal something new that points to the killer, FBI officials told reporters.
Changing relationships over the 11 years may also make some witnesses previously reluctant to talk more willing to tell what they know, said the current lead investigator for the FBI, Courtney Corbett.
"Sometimes time works in the favor of an ongoing investigation," she said.
Next to the picture of Anaya was a photograph of a gold chain with a crucifix that investigators said the girl was thought to be wearing the day she went missing.
A reporter asked Corbett if the killer, whoever it is, might be holding on to it or something else that belonged to Anaya.
"They very well could be," she said.
A suburban Chicago man had been accused of molesting Anaya, according to court documents filed later in 2005. The man had lived with the girl's mother, Sandra Anaya, but the couple broke up in the spring of 2005 after the girl accused the man of molesting her since age 7, court documents from that time say.
The man has never been identified as a suspect in the girl's death. He was charged later in 2005 with interstate domestic violence against Sandra Anaya. A federal jury in Indiana, however, found him not guilty on all counts in a 2006 trial.
Asked about the man at Wednesday's news conference and whether he might now be a suspect in the killing, officials declined any comment.
Authorities haven't identified the woman who was taken to the hospital in serious condition with burns. Police say her condition has stabilized.
Davis wasn't in the office at the time.
A news release from Davis' office says the woman came into the office around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Davis says he doesn't know why and the woman only spoke with office staff briefly before picking up the hand sanitizer. Staff responded with a fire extinguisher but the woman ran out while still on fire.
Davis is a Democrat who was first elected in 1996.
ROCK ISLAND -- Ray LaHood, the Illinois Republican who served as President Barack Obama's first secretary of transportation, said at Augustana College here Tuesday that the gridlock in Congress will end only when more members believe government has a legitimate role.
Delivering the Curtis Family Lecture in Public Affairs, Mr. LaHood said the Tea Party faction -- 40 or so Republicans -- believes just the opposite. Its goal is to hinder government and "shut it down if possible," he said.
He predicted the Tea Party, with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas leading it, would continue as an influential group within the Republican Party as it splinters in the wake of the presidential election, regardless of who wins.
Mr. LaHood, as he has previously, said he will not vote for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump who he said is hopelessly unqualified for the office. He did not say he would vote for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, but did praise her.
"Listen to me; regardless of what you think of her, she is probably the most qualified person ever to run for president," he said.
Mr. LaHood's political career began in the Quad-Cities as an aide to then-U. S. Rep. Tom Railsback, R-Moline. He also served in Congress for 18 years from the 18th Congressional District based in Peoria before joining the President Obama's Cabinet in 2009.
The theme of Tuesday's lecture was bipartisanship and Mr. LaHood recalled, among other things, his part in putting together a Congressional weekend retreat for members of both parties and their families. He said the gatherings, which continued through much of the 90's, fostered the cooperation that made possible, among other things, welfare reform, budget reform and two major transportation bills.
He urged the 30-40 people at the lecture to get involved in politics, which he described as "service to your friends and neighbors."
Submitted press release
The 32nd annual Rock Island Labor Day Parade is scheduled on Monday, Sept. 5,
starting at 9:30 a.m.. Over 130 entries have registered to date with many based on this years
theme WE [heart] ROCK ISLAND!
This years parade will feature a variety of musical entries! A record eight marching bands from
across the Quad-Cities will participate in this years parade. This includes the Western Illinois
University marching band and the high school marching bands from Alleman, Rock Island,
Rockridge, Davenport Central, and Moline. A new marching band from St. Ambrose University
will join the line-up for the first time along with the Big River Brass Band. Musical groups and
marchers returning this year are the John Mueller Band and the youth drum group from
Sheltered Reality. The popular Black Hawk Pipes and Drums and crowd favorite MetroSteppers
from the Martin Luther King Centers Metropolitan Youth Program will also return to the parade
line-up.
Adding to the excitement of the parade this year will be several special tributes to celebrate
Rock Islands 175th anniversary. The parade route will be decorated with balloon arches
commemorating the event and balloons will be launched from four separate locations along the
route during a specially timed launch.
The parade starts near Washington Jr. High School at 18th Avenue and 33rd Street. The route travels
west along 18th Avenue, turns south at 24th Street, then west on 25th Avenue, and disbands into the
Rock Island High School parking lots. Several businesses along the route will be offering food
and drinks to parade watchers.
The first Rock Island Labor Day Parade was held in 1985 as part of the Citys Sesquicentennial
(150th birthday) Celebration. Over the past 32 years, the parade has grown into a popular event
that averages 130 entries and draws thousands of spectators.
For more information contact Art Milton at 309-788-6157 or Mary Chappell at 309-269-7944.
Details about the parade and a map of the parade route are available at rigov.org.
MOLINE -- Politicians attending the Quad Cities Alliance for Retired Americans' inaugural forum Wednesday found little to debate -- and no opponents to argue with.
State Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, of the 71st Legislative District, and 72nd Legislative District Democratic candidate Mike Halpin, of Moline, were the only candidates at the forum attended by 15 people.
Their Republican opponents -- Savanna Mayor Tony McCombie, running against Rep. Smiddy, and Brandy McGuire, of Sherrard, running against Mr. Halpin -- didn't attend. Moderator Mike Malmstrom read a letter from Ms. McCombie apologizing for her absence. Mr. Malmstrom said the forum planners received no response from Ms. McGuire.
Mr. Malmstrom said the alliance planned the forum to help voters learn more about the General Assembly candidates. Having all four of the candidates, he said, would have made it better.
He, Rep. Smiddy, Mr. Halpin and audience members said it was "disappointing" Ms. McCombie and Ms. McGuire did not to attend.
"I think the other side loses a lot of credibility by failing to show up to talk about the issues," Rep. Smiddy said. Mr. Halpin agreed, saying he wished the other candidates had shown enough respect to attend.
Audience members provided the only counterpoints to remarks by the Democratic candidates.
Dick Benson, of East Moline, expressed disappointment in Rep. Smiddy's service, calling him a "lapdog" for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Mr. Benson said Democrats needed to stop blaming all of the state's woes on Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican.
Audience member Chuck Wilt, of Rock Island, exchanged a few barbs with Mr. Benson before Mr. Malmstrom restored order. After the meeting, Mr. Wilt also said he was disappointed by the Republican candidates' absence.
"We were short-changed because we didn't get to listen to the back and forth debate," he said. Mr. Wilt suggested the Republicans did not attend the event because it was held in the United Auto Workers Hall in East Moline. The union donated the space for the forum.
Rep. Smiddy and Mr. Halpin provided similar answers to four questions prepared by Alliance leaders and about a dozen more from visitors.
Both candidates blame Illinois' budget impasse on Gov. Rauner. They also favored working with MetroLink to improve transportation for the elderly in rural areas; improving the regulation and control of rising health costs; supporting a pension tax-free plan over a flat tax; improving communications with citizens to help them prepare for retirement; and increasing wages for social service and health service workers.
The Republican presidential nominee promised Wednesday to remove millions of people living in the United States illegally if elected, warning that failure to do so would jeopardize the "well-being of the American people."
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," Trump said in a highly anticipated speech hours after his surprise meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
But the billionaire New Yorker also said the effort of a proposed immigration task force in a Trump administration would focus on removing criminals, people who have overstayed their visas and other immediate security threats.
Left unanswered by Trump: What would happen to those who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offenses?
Aimed at ending weeks of confusion over just where he stands on immigration, Trump's fiery speech was filled with applause lines for his loyal supporters.
Anyone living in the country illegally who is arrested "for any crime whatsoever," he said, will immediately be placed into deportation proceedings. "There will be no amnesty," he added, saying immigrants in the country without permission who wish to seek legal status must return to their home countries in order to do so.
But there was no direct mention of a core promise of his primary campaign to create a "deportation force" that would remove all of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.
Trump instead repeated the standard Republican talking point that only after securing the border can a discussion begin about all such immigrants, ducking the major question that has frustrated past congressional attempts at remaking immigration laws.
That omission didn't bother Dan Stein, who leads the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that pushes for stricter immigration policies. He called Trump's speech the outline of "a coherent and workable strategy."
"But even more important than the details of the plan itself," Stein said, "Trump laid out the most fundamental principle for true immigration reform: The policy exists to protect and serve 'the well-being of the American people,' and 'protect all aspects of American life.'"
Critics, meanwhile, said Trump's glossing over the fate of people who are peacefully living in the U.S. without permission doesn't make up for his overall approach.
"It is still the most extreme position of any modern presidential candidate," said Frank Sharry, a leading immigration advocate. "It is deeply unpopular with voters, and profoundly un-American."
Even as he beat a retreat from his earlier pledge to deport all illegal immigrants from the country, Trump's aggressive tone in Phoenix marked a shift from earlier in the day. A much more measured Trump described Mexicans as "amazing people" as he appeared alongside Pena Nieto in Mexico's capital.
The good feelings from his first meeting with a head of state as his party's presidential nominee lasted only a short time, as a dispute arose in the hours after he left over the most contentious part of his plans to fight illegal immigration: his insistence that Mexico pay to build a physical wall along the roughly 2,000-mile border.
Trump told reporters during his afternoon appearance with Pena Nieto that the two men didn't discuss who would pay for the construction, pegged in the billions. Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, "I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
With the meeting held behind closed doors, it was impossible to know who was telling the truth.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine said Wednesday on NBC's "Today" that even if Trump's account is accurate, it showed he "folded under pressure" by not raising the issue with Pena Nieto. On "CBS This Morning," Kaine said Trump "didn't have the guts to look the Mexican president in the eye" and demand that Mexico pay for the wall.
Trump told the rowdy Arizona crowd that he respects the Mexican president. "We agreed on the importance of ending the illegal flow of drugs, cash, guns and people across our border and to put the cartels out of business," he said.
Yet, standing on American soil, he addressed directly a question he sidestepped when asked in Mexico.
"Mexico will pay for the wall, 100 percent," the New York businessman said. "They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall."
The Mexican president, however, said on Twitter that the subject was among the first things the men discussed. "From there, the conversation addressed other issues, and developed in a respectful manner," Pena Nieto wrote.
Trump was cheered in Arizona, but his appearance in Mexico sparked anger and protests. The candidate is deeply unpopular in Mexico due in large part to his deriding the country as a source of rapists and criminals as he kicked off his campaign. He piled on in the months to come, attacked the country over trade, illegal immigration and border security.
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton jabbed at Trump's Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation's chief diplomat.
"People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next," she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
Much of the criticism of Hillary Clinton over her emails and her family's foundation is unfairly harsh. But the Clintons themselves invite such scrutiny and suspicion.
First, the emails. Months of investigation turned up essentially nothing worthy of being called a scandal. Unless you doubt the integrity of FBI director James Comey -- and I don't -- any mishandling of classified information was so minimal that "no reasonable prosecutor" would seek to pursue a case. And the FBI found no evidence, Comey said, that foreign adversaries or anyone else ever hacked their way into Clinton's emails.
That's the bottom line, no matter what critics might claim. Ordinarily, such findings would put the whole matter to rest. But they didn't, largely because of Clinton's own actions and words.
As she has acknowledged, she never should have decided to reject an official State Department email account and instead use a personal account on her family's private server. Clinton's explanation that she took this highly unorthodox step for "convenience" is as hollow as they come.
As I have written, it seems obvious that she wanted total control of her electronic correspondence -- probably to make sure that no personal emails would ever become part of the public record. Did this reflect an obsession with secrecy? Did she have something to hide?
Before drawing conclusions, remember this: It's not paranoia if enemies really are out to get you. The Clintons have been doggedly pursued by their foes for decades. It's understandable that they would try to avoid giving any ammunition to their adversaries.
But rather than come out and say that, Clinton has sought to convince us she did nothing different from what previous secretaries of state had done. This came as a surprise to previous secretaries of state, not one of whom used a personal email server.
Given the political trouble the emails have given her, I believe Clinton when she says that if she had it to do over again, she would just use a State Department account and forget the private server. But there is still a defensiveness in her explanations that makes me wonder if her contrition is more situational than genuine."I'm sorry this caused me such grief" isn't the same as "I'm sorry I did it."
The other faux scandal for which Clinton is being pilloried -- involving the Clinton Foundation and her State Department appointment calendar -- has even less substance.
Bill and Hillary Clinton established a charitable foundation even critics say has done much good work. One signature accomplishment is making it possible for millions of people in poor countries to have access to low-cost, lifesaving anti-HIV drugs. The Clintons have donated millions from their own pockets over the years.
In a sane world, this would be considered laudable. In fact, Donald Trump -- who now paints the Clinton Foundation as some kind of criminal conspiracy -- made a donation of $100,000 to the Clintons' charity through his own foundation. Clearly he thought highly of the Clintons' work at the time.
But now Trump and others allege a "pay to play" scheme in which big donors to the foundation got access to Clinton while she was secretary of state. To my eye, however, this charge is ludicrous because so many would surely have obtained an audience with the secretary of state anyway.
One foreign luminary often cited as having paid to play is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa of Bahrain, whose nation had donated to the foundation. The prince was having trouble getting an appointment with Clinton through normal channels, but obtained the meeting after someone from the foundation alerted a top Clinton aide.
What that summary omits is that Bahrain is host to a U.S. naval base that provides our major military presence in the Persian Gulf. Having decided to stick with the Bahraini royals despite popular protests against their rule, there was no way the secretary of state would ultimately leave the crown prince cooling his heels.
Of course, Clinton could have avoided such questions by building an impermeable wall between the foundation and the State Department. But no, the Clintons do not believe in impermeable walls. I wish they would get religion.
Hillary Clinton is running against a man who is wholly unqualified to be president. So she must win. But she also must learn.
Almost 50 Illinois counties have filed lawsuits against Democratic Governor, JB Pritzker, and the ill crafted SAFE-T Act. Introduced in the General Assembly by the Illinois Black Caucus, the Act passed the Democratic-led General Assembly in the wee hours of Jan. 13, 2021. Amongst many of its weaknesses and deficiencies, the Act eliminates cash bail, emboldens criminals, and makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to keep offenders off our streets. Public Safety personnel and States Attorneys across our great State have decried the legislation, noting that it was drafted and written with very little constructive input from Public Safety leadership, from either party; potentially impacting every Illinois community with dangerous consequences. Allowing perpetrators to bail out of jail, based on their good word that they will be glad to return to court is laughable, at best, and both ludicrous and dangerous, at worst. Soon after the SAFE-T Act was passed at the State level, the Republican-led Henry County Board drafted a resolution, requesting that the General Assembly repeal and replace the SAFE-T Act with a new criminal justice bill, this time with input from professional law enforcement, States Attorneys from across the State, and other Public Safety officials. We unanimously passed our resolution on May 19, 2022, and encourage all County Boards in Illinois to follow our lead. Our Republican-led Board in Henry County believes we all, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, deserve effective and fair law enforcement in our communities.
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Under the 30-year contract Alstom will be responsible for maintaining track, signalling, telecommunications, and the operational control system on the 13-station east-west line from Blair to Tunneys Pasture.
As a member of Rideau Transit Group, Alstom is supplying 34 Citadis Spirit LRVs for the Confederation Line. Final assembly is being carried out at the Belfast Yard maintenance and storage facility in Ottawa, where the first vehicles are now nearing completion.
Sand Springs Railway Company (SS), a managed affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc., announced on September 1 it is acquiring the Gerdau mill site in Sand Springs, Okla.
Sand Springs Railway Company provides freight service between Sand Springs and Tulsa. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Sand Springs Holdings, LLC, an OmniTRAX affiliate, purchased SS from Gerdau in 2014 and has since been leasing portions of the 146-acre site. Part of the steelmaking operations on the site will be demolished and the property will be developed for mixed use, including industrial, retail, office and transportation/logistics.
The mill site is a great location to attract tenants that require solid infrastructure, access to major transportation lanes and support from our top-rated development team. It will also give us the opportunity to expand the local operation of OmniTRAX Logistics Services, our transloading, terminal and logistics solutions affiliate, said Kevin Shuba, CEO of OmniTRAX, Inc. We appreciate the solid working relationship weve had with Gerdau over the past two years and their professionalism during the sale and transition period.
In 2013, Alstom won the contract to supply and maintain 34 Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles to the city of Ottawa for the O-Train Confederation Line. Now, it has won the system maintenance contract.
Alstom will maintain the entire O-Train Confederation Line line for Rideau Transit Maintenance General Partnership (RTM), which is comprised of SNC Lavalin O&M, ACS and EllisDon. The contract involves maintenance of the right-of-way, the operations control system, power substations and signalling and communications systems, for 30 years. The 7.75-mile, 13-station line is expected to begin full revenue service in 2018. The contract is valued at C$180 million (US$137 million).
LRV production is under way in Ottawa at OC Transpos Belfast Yard, with testing slated to begin on a test track this fall, Alstom spokesperson Michelle Stein told Railway Age. Currently, five vehicles are on the assembly line in Ottawa; the first vehicle is in validation testing in our Advanced Rail Technology & Manufacturing Center in Hornell, N.Y., she said. The project is on track and we fully expect to complete the full delivery of the vehicles for entry into revenue service in 2018. Alstom is exceeding the 25% Canadian content requirement and has approximately 60 Canadian suppliers contributing to this project. Rideau Transit Group (RTG), a consortium of ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc, SNC Lavalin, ACS and EllisDon, awarded Alstom the LRV supply and maintenance contract, which is worth approximately C$587 million (US$448 million).
We are pleased to award Alstom this expanded scope in maintaining the Confederation Line system, said RTM General Manager Grant Bailey,. This contract places many of the critical system interfaces under the responsibility of a single service provider and will result in streamlined maintenance processes and improved system reliability. Alstom is a world-class supplier with a proven track record in maintaining urban rail transport systems around the globe, and we are excited to work with them in providing green and efficient public transport in the nations capital.
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Pakistan has reopened a border crossing that had been closed for almost two weeks after Afghan protesters burned the Pakistani flag at a rally nearby.
Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps early on September 1 reopened the crossing between the Afghan town of Spin Boldak and Chaman, Pakistan -- a border town in Pakistan''s southwestern province of Balochistan.
The move comes 13 days after it was closed in the aftermath of the flag-burning protest.
Along with the Khyber pass crossing at Torkham between Jalalabad and Peshawar, the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing is now one of only two official border crossing points between Afghanistan and Pakistan that is open.
Thousands of people use it daily to visit relatives on the other side of the boundary. It's also used extensively for trade.
The Frontier Corps said the decision to reopen the Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing came after successful talks between the two sides on August 31.
Pakistan's International News agency said Pakistan agreed to the reopening after Afghanistan tendered a written apology for the August 18 flag-burning incident.
With reporting by AP, Dunya News, and The International News.com
Christina Arnold of the Grand Rapids Community College's Woodrick Diversity Learning Center recently retired as its director. Publisher Tommy Allen sat down with Arnold during the last week of her employment at the college to reflect on the many years she has invested in our community to make it a better place, not just for the students of GRCC but for our entire region.
Christina Arnold with Bob and Aleicia Woodrick
Christina Arnold with her daughter, Allison
As I listened to Christina Arnold, the recently retired director of Grand Rapids Community Colleges Woodrick Diversity Learning Center, reflect on her early years as a child, I began to visualize what it must have been like for her and her six other siblings who, along with their single mom, tried to navigate our city as Mexican-Americans.As she shared stories from her childhood, I kept coming back to her grandfather, Daniel Vargas, who used to take these grandchildren with him on trips to visit our areas migrant camps, where many individuals who often hailed from their birthplace of Mexico would now reside as temporary farm workers in Michigan.While they visited the camps, Vargas, along with his grandchildren, would deliver items to those working at an area farm and would also offer provide important assistance, like translation services, for this population of primarily Spanish speaking individuals.And yet, while the purpose of these trips was often to attend to the diverse and emerging needs of the migrant community via the many mutual aid organizations that had popped up within our region over time, another reason was so Vargas could assist in his grandchildrens cultural education. Arnold and her siblings were growing up in a time period of American history during which ones assimilation in society often translated to a pressure to bury ones Hispanic culture just to fit in. These trips orchestrated by Vargas, according to Arnold, ensured an education opportunity for the siblings to learn why they should be proud of their Mexican heritage.These are some of the earliest memories of Arnolds childhood in our region.Vargas was so much more than just a grandfather to the young Arnold, who watched firsthand as he built a reputation within our community as not just one of the first Mexican-American families to settle in our region, but as someone who rose up from the farm fields where he once was a migrant laborer to a full-time employee with a local railroad firm. Because he never lost sight of his good fortune in this world, he continued throughout his life to labor in his free time for the rights and improvement of conditions of our areas migrant workers.Vargas would go on to become a member representing the Hispanic population of our region on the City of Grand Rapids Community Relations Commission (CRC) the State of Michigans first city-established civil rights group. Vargas commitment to social justice would later come to the attention of Pope John Paul II, who would go on to issue an apostolic blessing in his honor. (Arnold, too, would go on to serve on the CRC.)As the retiring Arnold continued to share with me press clippings from the white moving boxes that contained remnants and mementos of her former office, it became very clear that the role of others, especially her family, have come to perform a vital role in her education, shaping who she is today.Because of these early experiences within our city, Arnold, after starting working at GRCC at the age of 17, would go on to meet so many leaders from our city over her 37 years at GRCC.Her journey, much like the lessons her family had instilled in her, enabled her to move up from her first position as a student worker secretary to assisting in the setting up of the endowment created by Bob and Aleicia Woodrick that in 2006 would become the Diversity Learning Center, where she served as director since it launched.While at GRCC, Arnold would come to work with so many talented leaders, including Cedric Ward and Elias Lumpkins, who before becoming a Grand Rapids City Commissioner would serve as the Dean of Student Services. All three of these individuals played an important role in moving GRCCs needle on the topic of diversity and inclusion on campus and also in our community.One of the programs that Arnold helped nurture over time alongside Ward and Lumpkins is the Diversity Lecture Series that is celebrating its 22nd season starting the fall of 2016.I am most proud of how this lecture series has enabled us to showcase the voices of those individuals from around our world who most often are not heard, says Arnold of this ever-growing program that has invited speakers like Nicholas Kristof, Ta-Nehisi Coates, former President Jimmy Carter, and so many more.Under Arnold's leadership, this lecture series has grown in size, migrating from those humble, early days where a college classroom would be sufficient room to host a speaker to the more contemporary choice of a neighboring facility, Fountain Street Church where the capacity is 1,700.Arnold, in seeking to provide more access to these voices, has through GRCCs media department been able to set up a web archive so that past lectures are available to the online community, thus furthering the DLCs reach beyond just our city.And while Arnold is proud of the many programs, like the Giants Awards and the colleges annual MLK celebration, she has a special reverence for the Latino Youth Conference an annual event that seeks to motivate and inspire eighth grade students from West Michigan to continue to pursue higher education and the fulfillment of their dreams.As we wrapped our hour together, I remarked how moving it was to hear her stories of her childhood and the influences they have had on her.What was particularly fascinating during our time together was the need, according to Arnold, to take time in our lives to step away sometimes from what is in front of us because, if we don't, it is easy to suffer burn out. I know what she means but also understand how difficult it is at times.Ever the wise person that she is, Arnold reminds me that the work of justice in our world is a lifelong journey and one that may never be solved because injustice has a way of popping up in areas we think are immune to imbalance. I have no doubt that, in the years ahead, the ever-youthful Arnold will have many opportunities to apply her talents to our community.Her face lights up when she begins to speak of her daughter, Allison. Last Friday at Arnolds GRCC retirement party, many members of the faculty, co-workers, former students, and community leaders shared heartfelt stories of Arnolds work and how it impacted their lives.But it was Allisons tribute that brought tears to Arnolds eyes.I equated how much my mom worked with success and wanted to strive to be just like her, says Allison. Over time, I realized it wasnt the fact that she was always working or running meeting to meeting that made her so great, so successful, and sociableit was her character and the work she was doing that made her all of these things. And I never cared too much with the fact that she was always working, because I knew the importance of her work and the greater impact that she was having on the community.Arnold reminds me that the beauty of our success to which we all strive is most likely tied to another. No person can truly say they did it alone because our history is what informs so much of who we are. Her grandfather and mother provided a nurturing environment that enabled her to create an even greater impact on our region through the many years of service she has devoted to making room for others.I have no doubt that the impact for good started at GRCCs DLC will enable others to better walk the talk in our city, but if Sly and the Family Stone are correct then Allison is the one we will all be looking to down the road because its in the blood.We will all in this city miss Arnolds leadership at the Diversity Learning Center but will no doubt feel her presence, because while she was at GRCC she made her days count by advocating for the other, who often has no voice in our society.Congratulations on an amazing career, Christina Arnold. A grateful city thanks you for your willingness to lead us to a better tomorrow for all. We are a better city because of the many years you have invested in our community to make it a truly grand place for so many others. Your impact may never be able to be truly measured but I am certain it will be felt for generations to come.The Future Needs All of Us.Publisher and Lifestyle EditorRapid GrowthPublishers Note: In 2015, Arnold was the subject of an edition of Rapid Chat. Here is a link to that story we ran on her and more info about the Diversity Lecture Series. The new director at GRCC's Bob and Aleicia Woodrick Center for Equity and Inclusion is Domingo Hernandez-Gomez.Photos provided by Christina Arnold and Tommy Allen
Ericsson and Cisco will supply and install IP networks for Cable & Wireless Communications in three Caribbean markets, serving as backbone for IPTV services.
The plans include an upgrade to the IP network in the Bahamas to improve performance and support traffic increase, and a new business-to-business (B2B) IP/MPLS network in Jamaica and Barbados."We needed a powerful and intelligent solution to bring IP networking to both Jamaica and Barbados, while at the same time improving the IP network in the Bahamas," said Carlo Alloni, EVP, Cable & Wireless . This partnership will allow us to offer more value-added services including our IPTV services, as well as introduce more innovative solutions to our customers.As part of the ongoing partnership between both companies, Cisco will provide the necessary hardware including routers and switches as well as the network monitoring system while Ericsson will provide project management services.The partnership delivers real value to Cable & Wireless in terms of accelerating their IP transformation by combining end-to-end business transformation competence and experience with deep product and domain expertise," added Clayton Cruz, VP, Latin America and Caribbean, Ericsson Cisco and Ericsson working together have the combined breadth, depth and lifecycle engagement required to help operators like Cable & Wireless succeed in their transformation to an IP-centric network, concluded Jordi Botifoll, Ciscos president in Latin America and SVP in the Americas.
The Hispasat-Oi joint venture in Brazil, Hispamar, has launched a strategic initiative to install C-band reception equipment for the countrys main pay-TV operators.
The project, which will cost Hispamar around $500,000, will be deployed until the end of September. Once all the equipment has been installed, Brazils pay-TV operators will have the option to use extended C-band from Amazonas 2, but will also be able to receive content through standard C-band from Amazonas 3 using the same antenna.One of Hispasat Groups aims is to be at the forefront of technology. With the launch of a powerful and high-performance satellite such as the Amazonas 2, Hispamar was a pioneer in the use of extended C-band in Brazil, explained Sergio Chaves, business director, Hispamar. The company is now committed to promoting the use of this technology in the broadcasting market in order to have more options and capacity to transmit content.In addition, the satellite operator plans to offer digital satellite news gathering companies an integrated video transmission service through the C- or Ku-band, with Internet, voice and data access available through the Ka-band.
Spanish production house Boomerang TV is launching its own scripted TV production unit in Chile.
The unit will produce content exclusively for the Andean country, and reinforces Boomerang TVs existing Chilean subsidiary, which launched in 2015. It has co-produced formats that include Top Chef and Pesadilla en la Cocina with Chilean broadcasters including Chilevision , and has helped to distribute hit Spanish formats in Chile such as The Time in Between and The Secret of Old Bridge.Along with the creation of the fiction unit, Vicente David Sabatini has been appointed fiction director, and Cecilia Stoltze has been made producer.Launching the fiction division is a great challenge, and Im thrilled to be counting on two great professionals as Vicente Sabatini and Maria Cecilia Stoltze, said Andres Canale, director of the Chilean subsidiary.
Rapid TV Everywhere - September 2016
Welcome once again to Rapid TV Everywhere. For everyone in the European broadcast industry September means one thing: IBC. As one would expect, our issue this month will reflect what is happening at the show but as is the want of Rapid TV Everywhere, were going to dig deeper beyond the headlines and look at the some of the real cutting edge things that you can see at the show, things that are worth the effort to discover as we believe they could add a cutting edge to broadcast operations despite a current lack of huge publicity. Well be looking at issues such as migrating to a cloud-based video headend; whether Facebook Mid Roll can offer a revolution in digital advertising; artificial intelligence and what it can offer the TV and video industry; how the UK can remain a key strategic location for European TV despite the Brexit vote.
Russian nationalist Potkins sentence for organizing extremist movement appealed
MOSCOW, September 1 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) Defense filed an appeal against a 7.5year sentence handed down to Russian nationalist Alexander Potkin for organizing an extremist movement and embezzling funds from the Kazakh BTA Bank, RAPSI learnt in the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow.
Potkin, also known as Alexander Belov, was convicted on August 24. The court also fined the nationalist 600,000 rubles ($9,200) and ordered him to pay 4.9 billion rubles ($75 mln) to suffering party of the embezzlement.
According to prosecutors, Mukhtar Ablyazov, former chairman of the bank, who wanted to destabilize the constitutional order in Kazakhstan, asked Potkin to help him with organizing an extremist group. Potkin allegedly agreed and used funds embezzled from BTA Bank to spread the nationalist ideology in Kazakhstan.
He pleaded not guilty.
Potkin was arrested on October 15, 2014 at the Hotel Intourist Kolomenskoe in Moscow on charges related to the embezzlement of $5 billion from BTA Bank. At the time of the arrest, Potkin allegedly had documents on him that effectively tied him to the embezzlement.
Investigators claimed that Potkin (Belov) was a mastermind in a money laundering operation in 2012-2014. He was also suspected of involvement in laundering money that was embezzled from BTA Bank by its former chairman Mukhtar Ablyazov.
Ablyazov, who allegedly defrauded BTA Bank of more than $6 billion, left Kazakhstan for the UK, where he was granted political asylum in 2011. However, he remained a fugitive from justice since February 2012.
Ablyazovs whereabouts remained unknown until he was detained on July 31, 2015 near Cannes, France. Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine are all seeking his extradition.
In October 2015, French authorities approved Ablyazovs extradition to Russia.
Murder of journalist Politkovskaya could be ordered from UK official
MOSCOW, September 1 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) Russian investigators have reason to believe that an order for killing journalist Anna Politkovskaya was made from London, the Investigative Committee representative Vladimir Markin wrote in his book entitled The most famous crimes of the 21st century in Russia.
Businessman Boris Berezovsky began considering Politkovskaya as his enemy, and she was best suited for a role of sacred sacrificeThats why investigators have reason to consider that the order came from London, Markins book presented to journalists on Thursday during a news conference speaks.
On October 7, 2006, Anna Politkovskaya, a crusading reporter with the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was shot and killed at the age of 48 in the elevator of her central Moscow apartment building. The murder has been linked to her coverage of human rights abuses in Chechnya.
In June 2014, the Moscow City Court convicted five people for Politkovskayas murder. Rustam Makhmudov and Lom-Ali Gaitukayev were sentenced to life in prison. Their accomplices, brothers Ibragim and Dzhabrail Makhmudov and former police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, received 12, 14 and 20 years in a maximum security penal colony, respectively. The court also fined them 5 million rubles ($76,600) payable to the late journalists children. In 2015, the Russian Supreme Court reduced the sentence for Dzhabrail Makhmudov to 13.5 years in prison.
Former police officer Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov who was convicted of organizing the surveillance of the journalist was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Pavlyuchenkov has requested a postponement of his sentence due to poor health. The court, however, turned down his request.
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.
Despite a series of rumored illnesses in the past and his advanced age, the news that Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov was suddenly hospitalized after suffering what his daughter said was a brain hemorrhage was a shock to people in Uzbekistan and further afield.
Uzbek authorities have long had a reputation for saying nothing in times of crisis and the current situation with Karimov's health has proven no exception to this established habit of silence.
But it does appear clear enough that Karimov, 78, will no longer be able to serve as president, a thought that pleases the many who feared him for years but at the same time raises questions about what Uzbekistan will look like under a new leader.
Like him or hate him, Karimov has been president since Uzbekistan became independent in 1991 and for most it is now difficult to imagine life without him at the helm.
To take a look at what's been happening in Uzbekistan since the announcement that Karimov was hospitalized -- and what Uzbekistan might look like in the days to come -- RFE/RL assembled a Majlis, or panel discussion, to look at what we know about Karimov's condition, what the situation is like in Uzbekistan as people wait for news about the president, and what might come next.
Moderating the discussion was RFE/RL Media Relations Manager Muhammad Tahir. Participating from Washington was Paul Stronski, senior Central Asian analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Taking part from Prague was Shahida Yakub, a producer and newscaster at RFE/RL's Current Time video news program, who grew up in Uzbekistan. Alisher Sidik, the head of RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik, also joined in the talk. And some of you might have noticed I've been writing a few things about Karimov and Uzbekistan over the years, so I had something to say as well.
Brief Statement
The first indication of how serious Karimov's condition was came when the Cabinet of Ministers released a brief statement on August 28 saying the president had been hospitalized and was receiving necessary medical care. It was the first time in 25 years such a statement about Karimov had ever been issued.
Sidik said, "We assume the prime minister [Shavkat Mirziyaev] is in charge at this moment."
But that was not entirely clear several days after Karimov was taken to the hospital.
Yakub said, "My sources say that he's dead and we tried to verify this information with multiple sources by joining our journalistic efforts and inside information and it looks like he's dead." According to Uzbek officials Karimov's condition is "stable" but there has been no elaboration of what that means, though these officials contend he is alive.
Karimov's younger daughter Lola was the person who said, on Instagram, that her father was hospitalized after a cerebral hemorrhage and on August 31 she posted another comment on Instagram indicating that, according to her information, Karimov was alive and might recover.
Independence Celebrations 'Forced Their Hand'
Karimov's condition is dire enough that it is already clear he will not make his annual appearance at September 1 Independence Day celebrations; an August 31 ceremony that he has attended annually was cancelled. Since this was planned to be a huge gala celebration for the 25th anniversary of independence, it is another sign Karimov's condition is serious. He has never missed an Independence Day celebration.
Stronski said, "This was the big celebration that everyone was expecting, this was the time to celebrate Uzbek sovereignty and Uzbek statehood and the fact that 25 years later it's a strong state and one of the main powers in Central Asia."
Stronski added that were it not for the impending celebration there might have been no statement about Karimov's health at all.
"I think these celebrations really forced their hand in having to announce this [his illness]," Stronski explained.
If Karimov remains unable to act as president, or if he is indeed dead, an announcement about a transfer of power -- at least temporary -- should come soon. Sidik said that "according to the constitution, the chairman of the Uzbek Senate should take over for three months and organize the [presidential] election in Uzbekistan."
However, Sidik noted that the constitutional transition process was altered in Azerbaijan and bypassed in Turkmenistan following the deaths of the leaders of those countries. Uzbekistan has already shown it can ignore its own constitution. Karimov was constitutionally limited to two terms in office but he has been elected four times, with two referendums extending his terms.
Yakub said she did not think Uzbekistan would go the way of Turkmenistan. "It's [Uzbekistan is] a different country, it's much bigger [by population], it's much more complicated. There are people who have serious financial interests as well as interests of actual physical survival."
Keeping A Close Watch
Stronski said many governments will be closely watching the course of events as Uzbekistan moves to select the country's second president. He discounted that most of these governments could or would want to try to interfere in this process though he mentioned "Russia's going to be watching very closely, hoping that whoever rises to the top is someone who is going to be favorable towards Russia, not too Western."
But important for Western countries, Stronski said, would be that the transition is "going according to the constitution." And he added it would probably be important for Uzbekistan "to show that it's a rule-of-law society."
As for what policies a new Uzbek administration would pursue, Sidik said it was likely there would be little change. "It's not only Karimov who was behind this isolation of Uzbekistan in the middle of all these countries, it's more like the model the country has chosen," Sidik said.
The big question of course was who is likely to be Karimov's successor (background on this can be found here). There were different opinions about this. Yakub said that the role of Rustam Inoyatov would not only be a decisive factor, but that Inoyatov could "surprise us and select someone else, some person that we know is in the government but we never thought would take the lead, or somebody absolutely new."
The discussion explored these issues more thoroughly and dealt with other topics concerning possible changes to domestic and foreign policy.
An audio recording of the Majlis can be heard here:
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was a 6-year-old boy when he disappeared from his home in Tibet in 1995. Chinas government was the culprit, abducting him three days after the Dalai Lama had proclaimed him the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama. Twenty-one years after this unconscionable action, he remains disappeared, with Beijing claiming he is in its custody.
Countless individuals endure a similar fate across the globe, typically at the hands of governments that repress human rights.
Tuesday (Aug. 30) the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances we marked their plight. Declared by the U.N. General Assembly in 2010, this day stands as an indictment of every nation that is responsible for disappearances.
As the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, on which we serve, has documented, many have been disappeared for reasons relating to religion.
The Panchen Lama is but one example from China. Among others are Catholic priests who refused to submit to Chinas registration rules designed to control religious practice, and human rights lawyers like Gao Zhisheng who advocate for people of faith. Now under strict surveillance, he initially disappeared in 2009. In July 2015, Beijing launched a sweeping dragnet against other religious freedom defenders and human rights advocates, with nearly 300 arrested, detained or disappeared.
Russia is another perpetrator of religious disappearances. In the Tatarstan region, Suleiman Zaripov, a leading Russian Tatar imam, was disappeared in early 2016. In the North Caucasus region, officials wage a grinding battle against insurgent and peaceful Muslims alike, imposing collective justice through disappearances, as well as detentions, torture and murder.
After annexing Crimea in 2014, Russian forces began to subject its people to Russias religious freedom restrictions, from onerous religious registration rules to its extremism law. As in Russia, Muslims were disproportionately targeted, with the practice of Islam often conflated with extremism. In 2014, a number of Crimean Tatars were disappeared, including Islyam Dzhepparov and Dzhevdet Islayamov.
In Uzbekistan, the same government that holds an estimated 12,000 mostly nonviolent Muslim religious prisoners also is responsible for disappearing Muslim leaders such as Abduvali Mirzaev and his elder son, Obid Nazarov. In January 2016, the Uzbek government announced the death in prison of Akram Uldashev, a religious leader whose writings inspired an independent Muslim business movement.
Authorities had imprisoned him since 1999 for alleged involvement in a deadly bombing in Tashkent, a charge that human rights groups roundly dismissed as bogus. Uldashevs family did not know his whereabouts within the Uzbek prison system since 2009.
Another country notorious for disappearances relating to religion is North Korea, which restricts every aspect of its citizens lives, including religious practice. Anyone discovered engaging in clandestine religious activity faces draconian penalties including disappearance, torture and public execution. Because North Korea is such a closed society, it is hard even to know the names of the disappeared.
What can we do about those who have been disappeared and the nations responsible for disappearing them?
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, which created USCIRF, holds some answers. IRFA calls upon the State Department to designate nations that perpetrate or tolerate severe religious freedom violations as CPCs, or countries of particular concern.
CPC designations mark these states as the worlds worst religious freedom abusers, which may make them eligible for sanctions and other consequences. Among the IRFA criteria for CPC designation is the habitual practice of causing the disappearance of persons by [their] abduction or clandestine detention Such a designation draws attention to those disappeared and the conditions that led to their incarceration.
The State Department rightly designates three of the four nations noted above China, North Korea and Uzbekistan as CPCs. As for Russia, its religious freedom situation is increasingly dire. If the violations in Russia reach the CPC standard of systematic, egregious and ongoing, then Russia, too, could earn a recommendation for CPC status.
Moreover, there are other nations that USCIRF recommends as CPCs, all of which are covered in our annual report, but that the State Department has not designated as such. Designating them as CPCs would be another important step.
Another meaningful action to take in support of the disappeared is to advocate vigorously on their behalf. One such effort that the U.S. House of Representatives undertakes is the Defending Freedoms Project.
Launched in December 2012 by the Tom Lantos Commission in conjunction with USCIRF and Amnesty International USA, the project works with members of Congress to advocate for the release of prisoners of conscience, including those who have been forcibly disappeared, and highlight the restrictive conditions that led to their imprisonment.
Equally important, beyond official action, people of conscience can and should take up the cause of the disappeared.
In the end, silence is the mortal enemy of the disappeared. Let us not be silent. Let us be a voice for the voiceless. Let us not rest until the disappeared are freed or accounted for and culpable governments are held responsible.
WASHINGTON New British Prime Minister Theresa Mays first visit to China for the G20 this weekend marks the start of a soberer phase in relations between Beijing and London. Chinas involvement in the U.K.s nuclear energy sector, which is now under review, is the symbolic test case for this rebalancing of the British approach. The Chinese ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming, has warned that the pending decision on the Hinkley Point power plant leaves the relationship at a crucial historical juncture. But regardless of where the review comes out, the exuberance of the golden era overseen by Mays predecessor David Cameron, and instigated by then-Chancellor George Osborne, is likely over.
Reports from Mays former coalition colleagues describe her as expressing in several different contexts, severe reservations about China getting too close to the U.K. Her chief of staff wrote a critique ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinpings state visit to Britain complaining that rational concerns about national security are being swept aside because of the desperate desire for Chinese trade and investment. But, there is no need for Downing Street tea-leaf reading to discern the parameters of future British policy. Cameron and Osborne were always out on a limb in their handling of ties with Beijing, and they would have needed a longer period of time in office to entrench an approach that commanded very little support inside or outside government.
The objections were as much about tone as about specific policy decisions. The U.K.s openness to investment long predates Chinas overseas spending spree. Another British government would almost certainly have joined the Chinese-led Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) too, albeit in a different manner. In that sense, there will be no dramatic shifts under May. But there was a clear sense among critics that on values issues Hong Kong, human rights and even, to a lesser extent, on the South China Sea, the U.K. was taking an unnecessarily pusillanimous stance. In recent years, Germany has consistently demonstrated the capacity for a European power to combine a robust economic relationship with clear language on points of principle. And during a critical phase for the west in navigating Chinas rise, the value of some degree of discreet coordination among other leading powers has been increasingly apparent. Cameron, by contrast, was an outlier during private exchanges about China among leaders at the G7, and it was Osbornes unwillingness to consult and inform partners adequately over the AIIB that triggered the condemnation from a U.S. official about the U.K.s constant accommodation of China.
In Hangzhou, however, Mays task will be to ensure that the recalibration of the British approach does not cause too much harm to relations with the Chinese. During a shaky phase for investor confidence in the U.K. after the Brexit referendum, London is still looking to Beijing as a critical economic and financial partner. After the Hinkley review raised anxieties, the new British Asia Minister was dispatched to China with a letter of reassurance from the Prime Minister about future ties. As Lius op-ed in the Financial Times illustrates, China is understandably concerned that a relationship which had promised so much and in which Xi had invested so much of his own political capital is heading for a rockier phase.
In this respect, May can draw on Angela Merkels example. For all that Beijing appreciated about Cameron, he was consistently unable to deliver on his more grandiose commitments. Promises of a push for an EU-China free trade agreement were worth little, given hostile views on the matter among other EU member states. His China policy itself was built on thin foundations and was always going to prove difficult to sustain. Expectations have routinely been raised above the politically possible. Merkel, by contrast, has been seen by Beijing as frank, reliable, and always able to follow through on what she says. Bilateral meetings may at points be more uncomfortable than with Camerons best partner in the West bonhomie, but the relationship has been less prone to disappointment and volatility. A more pragmatic and sober relationship under May will look less appealing to Beijing than the Osborne doctrine. But, it will provide a more reliable basis for Chinas long-term bets than false hopes of a golden era that ended up lasting less than a year.
For years national politicians have pronounced in chorus that tax evasion problems should be dealt with on a European level. Now that the European Commission has done exactly that -- slamming Apple with a 13 billion bill in back taxes -- the veil has come off. Ireland is appealing the decision. Tax competition is alive and well in Europe.
Ireland's appeal clearly shows how much the framing of the argument on a European level was always a thinly disguised excuse to defend national interests. It also shows that there exists no solidarity whatsoever among states. Like a brothel's madam, the British government immediately trotted out its attractive services, signaling that Apple would pay low taxes in Britain.
Britain's move, and the furiously announced Irish appeal of the decision taken by Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, show just how little European states care for each others interests and how far they are willing to go to attract companies to their shores. As written here before, the EU may have been instrumental to preventing new territorial and ethnic wars in Europe, but underneath the blue-yellow veil, economic wars have raged on.
European governments expected Vestager to act against Apple in what is seen as just the beginning of a slew of cases the Commission is preparing to bring against many other companies. But the size of the bill, 13 billion, was not what most expected, as Politico reported.
Hypocrisy
The landmark decision is a watershed moment for national governments. They are now forced to confront a new reality where their scheming to attract companies may be overruled at any moment by Brussels. It also forces them to confront their own hypocrisy.
The Netherlands is a case in point. Viewed by many national tax authorities and non-governmental organizations as one of the main culprits in tax evasion due to its elaborate tax rulings systems and bilateral tax treaties to prevent double taxation, the small country is considered a linchpin of legal tax evasion. (Fancy a Double Irish with a Dutch sandwich?)
In 2008 the U.S. administration listed the Netherlands as a tax paradise. The Dutch government was furious, demanding its removal from the list and pointing to the fact that all its arrangements are strictly speaking not illegal by international standards -- and mentioning the U.S. states of Delaware and Connecticut, themselves candy stores for international tax advisors. President Barack Obama caved.
On the day of Vestager's announcement, the leader of one of the two governing parties in the Dutch government lauded Vestager's decision on his own Facebook page.
Diederik Samsom of the leftist Labour Party -- an outspoken opponent of tax evasion schemes during any given election campaign -- said he was happy for the decision taken some time ago by EU nation states to endow the European Commission with the power to combat dubious tax competition practices by member states.
Yet Samsom's party was also in power in 2008. And the finance minister, also the Labour leader at the time, led the fight against Obama's tax paradise moniker.
Current Finance Minister (and Eurogroup chair) Jeroen Dijsselbloem, himself a Labour member, led the fight against excessive bonuses for bankers but was quick to state shortly after the Brexit referendum that his own tough rules allowed for attractive conditional exemptions, which -- some EU member states like the Netherlands hope -- will see UK banks move some of their operations to the Continent.
Perhaps national leaders would do better to be honest about the practices they promote and protect, and change them. Until that time Vestager has her work cut out for her.
Instead, tax competition is likely to increase. Should that fail, expect countries to engage in a trench war of corporate tax rates.
Media reports treat the story of the Taliban taking over districts all across Afghanistan as something that should not be happening. The underlying assumption is that the Taliban would not be resurging if mainstream forces were not corrupt and if they behaved democratically. There is a general tendency to overlook the reality that Afghanistan is afflicted by a much deeper problem there is no mainstream to begin with, at least not one that is coherent. Indeed, the Taliban are fractious, but they are still the single largest coherent force in the country.
For the past several months, there has been no shortage of reports about Taliban fighters going on the offensive in various parts of the country. In the past few weeks, the situation has gotten grim. After surging forces in several districts of southern Helmand province, the Afghan jihadist movement is threatening the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. But the province is in the Talibans core turf in the countrys south.
Even yesterdays report that Taliban fighters have taken over the Jani Khel district in eastern Paktia province is arguably not such a big deal. After all, Paktia is situated on the eastern border with Pakistan a country where the Afghan Taliban enjoy sanctuary. What is most striking, is that the Taliban have overrun districts in the northern Kunduz, Takhar and Baghlan provinces and are very active in every single province along the countrys border with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Not only have the largely Pashtun Taliban demonstrated the ability to advance into areas dominated by the countrys ethnic minorities (Tajik, Uzbek, Hazara, Turkmen, etc.) they are doing so while simultaneously operating in their traditional strongholds in the south and east.
Many will attribute the Taliban gains to the U.S.-NATO drawdown that began in 2014. It is true that the insurgent group took advantage of the vacuum left behind by departing Western troops. But what does that say about the state of the Afghan government that the United States and its Western allies established after the ouster of the Taliban regime in late 2001? The conventional wisdom is that the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (which replaced the Talibans Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) remains weak.
What most observers do not want to admit is that the state constructed by the West, at the cost of at least a $100 billion, has really not taken root in the country. We are now 15 years out from the 9/11 attacks, after which the United States set about on a nation-building mission in the southwest Asian country. The performance of the Afghan government clearly shows that that effort has not succeeded. Yes, we have come a long way from 1996, when the Taliban were able to steamroll into Kabul.
That is not about to happen again, but it doesnt really matter. The essence of Afghanistan has not changed much since the ouster of the communist government in 1992 three years after the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989. In reality, the war that began in 1979 continues, and will likely go on for the foreseeable future.
Why? Because there has not been effective government in the country since President Mohammed Najibullah was overthrown in April 1992. Whatever remained of the state after a decade of war was eviscerated in the next four years of warfare between the Islamist insurgents who had been united against the communists. The Taliban movement, which emerged from this intra-Islamist war, was able to do so because there were no institutions to speak of just chaos. This was followed by Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, during which al-Qaida established its global headquarters in the country and planned and executed the 9/11 attacks. The rest is history.
The bottom line is that Afghanistan has not had a state since the late 1980s. The last state of any worth was a mixture of the Afghan monarchy that reigned uninterrupted for two generations (1933-1973), the short-lived republican regime led by President Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan (1973-1978), and the communist regime of the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan (1978-1992). Those whose infighting demolished the last coherent Afghan state did not gain power till the West needed their help against the Taliban in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks. These factions have squandered the opportunity afforded by the last decade and a half.
So the Taliban remain the single most coherent force, while the jihadist movements opponents remain bitterly divided. Former President Hamid Karzai was able to rule for 12 years because of active support from Western military forces. His successor, President Ashraf Ghani, came to power when NATO was on its way out of the country. Moreover, he was not able to win a clear mandate. His challenger, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, claimed foul play in the 2014 presidential election.
As a result, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry brokered a power-sharing agreement between Ghani and Abdullah, which led to the former becoming president and the latter the chief executive. That arrangement hasnt really turned out well, with the rival leaders feuding. Thus, those who are supposed to be united in their struggle against the Taliban are feuding with each other. In essence, there are two camps in the country, Taliban and anti-Taliban.
That division speaks volumes about the problems plaguing the country. The Taliban remain more or less coherent, despite their internal rivalries in the wake of the death of the movements founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and his first successor, Mullah Mohammed Akhtar Rasoul (who was killed in a U.S. drone strike a few months ago). This is not to say that the Taliban are poised to retake the country.
U.S. air power and the Afghan National Security Forces remain a bulwark against a Taliban takeover. What this means is that standing in between the Taliban and Afghanistan is a Western backed security arrangement. Both the Pakistani state and society remain conducive to the Talibans aims. But the cross-border assistance can only go as far as the Talibans influence in country will allow.
In the end, the problem is that there is no Afghan mainstream that can effectively combat the Taliban. Those who oppose the Taliban cannot agree to disagree. Therefore, what Afghanistan ought to be remains a highly contested issue.
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61.77 Acre Property Presque Isle, Aroostook County, Maine Here is your opportunity to buy a large, beautiful wooded tract of land in Presque Isle, Aroostook County, Maine. This is a property which is fully financed, and, you are bidding on the down payment with the first payment starting at $500. High bid wins. The amount of the high bid will be deducted from the $85,000 purchase price. So, if you bid $1500 and win, this amount will be deducted from the price of $85000, meaning you will finance ...
Price: $ 560 Seller State of Residence: New Jersey Property Address: St Rd 164 and McBurnie Road State/Province: Maine City: Presque Isle Type: Recreational, Acreage Zoning: Residential Zip/Postal Code: 04769 Location: 080**, Mount Laurel, New Jersey
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ESCAPE TO GODS COUNTRY AND OWN A PIECE OF PARADISE IN THE NORTHERN MAINE WOODS. This huge 49.90 +/- acre tract of recreational and hunting land is located in Eagle Lake, Maine. A Pristine rural town in the center of Aroostook county. This 49.90 acre lot is one of eleven lots from a 444 acre tract that I have for sale. The east part of this lot is bordered by thousands of acres that is owned by the State of Maine where you can hike, fish and hunt. Lot comes with a 50' right of way plus all minera...
Price: $ 1,001 Seller State of Residence: Maine Property Address: Devoe Brook Road State/Province: Maine Type: Recreational, Acreage Zoning: Mixed Zip/Postal Code: 04739 Location: 047**, Eagle Lake, Maine
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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!
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/01/2016
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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
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Win the battle for the Empire with the awesome Death Star!
Includes 23 minifigures: Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Imperial Navy Officer, Imperial Officer, 2 Stormtroopers, 2 Death Star Troopers, 2 Emperor's Royal Guards, 2 Death Star Gunners, Death Star Droid, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C-3PO, Han Solo, Han Solo (disguise), Luke Skywalker (Tatooine), Luke Skywalker (disguise) and Luke Skywalker (final duel), plus R2-D2, an Imperial Astromech and a Dianoga trash compactor monster.
Features a superlaser control room, Imperial conference chamber, hangar bay with moving launch rack and detachable TIE Advanced with space for Lord Vader inside, Emperor Palpatines throne room, Droid maintenance room, detention block, trash compactor, tractor beam, cargo area, turbo laser with spring-loaded shooters and seats for the 2 Death Star gunners, and 2 movable turbo laser towers.
Weapons include 3 Lightsabers, 4 blasters, 3 blaster pistols, 4 blaster rifles, 2 force pikes, 2 Force Lightning elements and a bowcaster.
Load up and fire the turbo lasers spring-loaded shooters to keep the rebels at bay.
Maneuver Lord Vaders TIE Advanced into position and prepare for launch.
Battle the Royal Guard in the throne room and then take on Palpatine himself!
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Will Obi-Wan shut down the tractor beam and help the rebels defeat the Empire?
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Recreate other unforgettable scenes from the classic Star Wars films.
The perfect addition to any LEGO Star Wars collection.
This set offers an age-appropriate building experience for ages 14 and over.
Measures over 16 (41cm) high, and 16 (42cm) wide.
Everything you already knew about the re-released and "updated" UCS Death Star, just with official LEGO spin:Re-enact amazing scenes from the Star Wars saga with the Empires ultimate planet-zapping weaponthe Death Star!With over 4,000 pieces, this fantastic model has a galaxy of intricate and authentic environments, including a super-laser control room, Imperial conference chamber, hangar bay with moving launch rack and Lord Vaders TIE Advanced with space for Vader inside, Emperor Palpatines throne room, Droid maintenance room, detention block, trash compactor, tractor beam, cargo area, turbo laser with spring-loaded shooters and seats for the 2 Death Star Gunners, and 2 movable turbo laser towers.This fantastic set also includes 23 iconic minifigures and 2 Droids to ensure hours of Star Wars battle fun.4,016 piecesUS $499.99 - CA $599.99 - DE 499.99 - UK 399.99 - DK 4499.00 DKK.
A University of Georgia student was hit by a bus, an off-campus rape was reported to police, a truck driver pulled a gun on a man at a stop light and police respond to gunman at Chuck E. Cheese's all between Sept. 5 and 9.
Its been more than four years since Frank Ocean released Channel Orange, his critically adored major label debut. Since then, the wait for a follow-up has felt every bit that long, and then some.
A Day to Remembers sixth studio album, "Bad Vibrations," impresses with a heavier sound that distinguishes it from previous albums. Despite this, the band still successfully uses both dirty and clean vocals in single tracks as well as weaving in overall softer tracks into the album without feeling out of place.
It was quite the Labor Day weekend for Jessica Drop.
On Saturday, the Georgia freshman took first place in the UGA Cross Country Invitational. The women's 5K event was her first collegiate race. On Tuesday, she was named the Southeastern Conference womens freshman runner of the week.
First-time voters should be experiencing the excitement that comes with backing a candidate who shares the values and ideals they have for our country. Instead, when asked who they will vote for many students sigh, unprepared to argue which candidate they dislike less.
Fall is fast approaching, and with it, so is cold and flu season. In an effort to give students the necessary tools to combat these illnesses, the University Health Center hosted its annual Healthy Dawg Kickoff Thursday, Sept. 8.
In this Aug. 3, 2016 photo, a herd of bison grazes in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park. Bison can appear docile to park visitors but have been known to gore tourists who get too close for photographs. Record visitor numbers at the nation's first national park have transformed its annual summer rush into a sometimes dangerous frenzy, with selfie-taking tourists routinely breaking park rules and getting too close to Yellowstone's storied elk herds, grizzly bears, wolves and bison.
(AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
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By MATTHEW BROWN, Associated Press
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) Tourist John Gleason crept through the grass, four small children close behind, inching toward a bull elk with antlers like small trees at the edge of a meadow in Yellowstone National Park.
"They're going to give me a heart attack," said Gleason's mother-in-law, Barbara Henry, as the group came within about a dozen yards of the massive animal.
The elk's ears then pricked up, and it eyed the children and Washington state man before leaping up a hillside. Other tourists likewise ignoring rules to keep 25 yards from wildlife picked up the pursuit, snapping pictures as they pressed forward and forced the animal into headlong retreat.
Record visitor numbers at the nation's first national park have transformed its annual summer rush into a sometimes dangerous frenzy, with selfie-taking tourists routinely breaking park rules and getting too close to Yellowstone's storied elk herds, grizzly bears, wolves and bison.
Law enforcement records obtained by The Associated Press suggest such problems are on the rise at the park, offering a stark illustration of the pressures facing some of America's most treasured lands as the National Park Service marks its 100th anniversary.
From Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains to the Grand Canyon of Arizona, major parks are grappling with illegal camping, vandalism, theft of resources, wildlife harassment and other visitor misbehavior, according to the records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In July alone, law enforcement rangers handled more than 11,000 incidents at the 10 most visited national parks.
In Yellowstone, rangers are recording more wildlife violations, more people treading on sensitive thermal areas and more camping in off-limit areas. The rule-breaking puts visitors in harm's way and can damage resources and displace wildlife, officials said.
Often the incidents go unaddressed, such as when Gleason and the children approached the bull elk with no park personnel around. Gleason said he was "maybe" too close but felt comfortable in the situation as an experienced hunter who's spent lots of time outdoors.
These transgressions add to rangers' growing workload that includes traffic violations, searches for missing hikers and pets running off-leash in parks.
"It's more like going to a carnival. If you look at the cumulative impacts, the trends are not good," said Susan Clark, a Yale University professor of wildlife ecology who has been conducting research in the Yellowstone area for 48 years. "The basic question is, 'What is the appropriate relationship with humans and nature?' We as a society have not been clear about what that ought to be, and so it's really, really messy and nasty."
Recent events at Yellowstone grabbed national headlines:
A Canadian tourist who put a bison calf in his SUV hoping to save it, ending with wildlife workers euthanizing the animal when they could not reunite it with its herd.
Three visitors from Asia cited on separate occasions for illegally collecting water from the park's thermal features.
A Washington state man killed after leaving a designated boardwalk and falling into a near-boiling hot spring.
The flouting of park rules stems from disbelief among visitors that they will get hurt, said Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk. "I can't tell you how many times I have to talk to people and say, 'Step back. There's a dangerous animal,' and they look at me like I have three heads," he said.
Inconsistent record keeping, including a recent switch to a new criminal offenses reporting system, makes it difficult to identify trends that apply uniformly across the major parks.
But the records reviewed by the AP reveal the scope of visitor misbehavior is huge. In Yellowstone, administrators and outside observers including Clark say the park's problems have become more acute. That threatens its mission to manage its lands and wildlife "unimpaired" for future generations.
Beyond incidents that lead to citations are many more that result in warnings. More than 52,000 warnings were issued in 2015, up almost 20 percent from the year before.
Washington state resident Lisa Morrow's son was among the children Gleason led toward the elk. Despite safety advisories and numerous examples of visitors getting gored by bison, mauled by bears and chased by elk Morrow declared herself unafraid of the park's wildlife. She said she was eager to see a grizzly up close.
"I want to see one right there," Morrow said, pointing to a spot just feet away. "I'd throw it a cookie."
The top 10 parks by visitation collectively hosted almost 44 million people last year, according to National Park Service figures. That's a 26 percent increase from a decade earlier, or more than 9.1 million new visitors combined at Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and the other national parks on the list.
Yellowstone boasts the most large, dangerous carnivores among those parks, but each has its risks. In Rocky Mountain National Park, it's elk that become more aggressive during mating season. In Yosemite, it's towering waterfalls where visitors insist on swimming near the edge. In the Grand Canyon, it's squirrels habituated to humans and sometimes quick to bite an outstretched hand.
Wenk said the rise in popularity of social media complicates keeping visitors safe.
"You take a picture of yourself standing 10 feet in front of a bison, and all of a sudden a few hundred people see it, and it's reposted at the same time we're telling everybody wildlife is dangerous," Wenk said. "They get incongruous messages and then it happens. They get too close, and the bison charges."
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Associated Press writer Amy Beth Hanson in Helena contributed to this report.
The Buzz: 'Dream' coffee house opens in downtown Redding
The old Bert & Ernie's on Industrial Street closed in 2012, and the building has sat empty ever since.
Record Searchlight file photo The dish antennae at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory in eastern Shasta County were used earlier this week after Russian astronomers reported receiving a radio signal from a solar system in outer space.
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By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight
The Hat Creek Radio Observatory in eastern Shasta County was called to action this week to solve a mystery that some astronomers thought began in a solar system trillions of miles away.
Russian astronomers said they received a radio signal coming from what they thought was a planet in a solar system some 94 light years or about 545.2 trillion miles away.
The solar system has only one known planet, about the size of Neptune, and it is not a good candidate for supporting life, said Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer for the SETI Institute in Mountain View.
So the Hat Creek observatory, operated by the SETI Institute and the University of California, Berkeley, swung into action.
To get a closer look, astronomers turned some of the 42 satellite dishes at the observatory in the direction of HD 164595, the solar system where astronomers thought the radio signal was originating.
"Sunday and Monday we looked for a signal. We didn't find it," Shostak said Wednesday. "This has all the earmarks of being terrestrial interference," which means the signal was coming from somewhere on or around Earth.
"At this point, they think it was a satellite," Shostak said. "Maybe the aliens turned off their satellite. We have no idea."
News of the radio signal from a far away solar system generated headlines nationwide about the possibility intelligent alien life might be sending a signal into space.
Shostak was skeptical, though, especially after learning the weak signal was heard only one time, and that was in May 2015. The Russians detected the signal with the RATAN-600 radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya, Russia, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains on the eastern shores of the Black Sea.
The discoverers also did not immediately alert the larger community of astronomers searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. It wasn't until the Russian astronomers gave a recent presentation that the news spread and Hat Creek became involved, he said in a blog post.
But after two days of searching for the signal, Shostak and others gave up and turned the radio telescopes to areas of the cosmos they think might be more fertile ground for alien life.
The radio telescopes are currently scanning the skies for signals of intelligent life in an area that contains some 20,000 red dwarf stars. There is a chance at least one of those stars has at least one planet that can support life advanced enough to send a signal into outer space, he said.
SHARE Arielle Woolley
State of the City tickets go on sale
Tickets are on sale for Redding's annual pep talk at the Civic Auditorium.
The State of Our City luncheon, now in its 29th year, is scheduled at noon Sept. 27 at the Civic.
Mayor Missy McArthur will be the main speaker of the event. Her speech, "A River Runs Through It," will incorporate a mix of creative videos to highlight the city's strengths and accomplishments and the people who help it succeed.
The Mayor's Philanthropic Achievement Award will be presented to a person or group that contributes in making the city a better place. That winner of that award is picked by a panel of former mayors.
Tickets are $325 for a table of eight or $45 per person. They are available online only through the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce at www.reddingchamber.com. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.
For more information, call the chamber at 225-4433.
Police seek tips in Bechelli slaying
Redding police are looking for leads in last month's Bechelli Lane shooting that left a 67-year-old man dead.
Edwin Charles Phillips, who rented a shop space in the 3000 block of Bechelli Lane, was found by officers suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his abdomen late evening on Aug. 17.
Officers reviewed video footage from nearby businesses and said Phillips entered his business with an "unknown subject" and exited a short time later, just before the shooting.
Officers describe the person in question as large in stature, wearing baggy long shorts and a tank top.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Redding Police Department Investigations Division at 530-225-4200.
Shasta County Secret Witness is offering a $5,000 reward for information in the case. Tips can also be submitted anonymously at www.secretwitness.com.
ATV driver injured at Montgomery Creek
A Wednesday morning crash in Montgomery Creek sent a man to Mercy Medical Center in Redding, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Raymond Lawrence, 58, of Montgomery Creek crashed his green Honda TRX 420 near Windy Point Drive off Highway 299, CHP officer Eric Schmidt said.
Lawrence, who was sober, was driving his ATV home when he crossed an earthen dam at a small pond on his property, Schmidt said.
The quad's rack rolled, injured Lawrence's leg and possibly breaking it, Schmidt said.
Paramedics drove him to Mercy Medical Center in Redding.
The crash was on Lawrence's private 15-acre property in the area.
Wanted person surrenders at jail
A 23-year-old man recently listed as one of Shasta's Most Wanted surrendered to the Shasta County Jail on Tuesday, according to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Cody J. Burnett surrendered at the jail about 7:30 p.m. He was wanted on three warrants for failure to appear in court.
Burnett is being held at the jail without bail until his arraignment in Shasta County Superior Court.
Shasta's Most Wanted targets those who've failed to appear in court.
Shasta County Secret Witness is offering a reward of up to $250 for information leading to a Most Wanted arrest. Tips can be provided anonymously at 530-243-2319 or at www.scsecretwitness.com/home/submit-a-tip.
Anyone with information also can call SHASCOM at 245-6540. A weekly list of Shasta's Most Wanted appears Sundays in the Record Searchlight's Northern California section and on Redding.com.
Reward offered in robbery of cleaners
A $2,500 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of the man who robbed the owner of Sunset Cleaners on Eureka Way in west Redding on Monday morning.
Secret Witness of Shasta County is offering the reward. Tips can be submitted anonymously at 243-2319 and www.scsecretwitness.com.
Anyone with information also can contact Redding police investigators at 225-4214.
The owner of the shop on Eureka Way near Buenaventura Boulevard reported someone brandished a gun and demanded money in the 6:30 a.m. Monday robbery, Redding police Sgt. Shawn McGinnis has said.
The robber got an undisclosed amount of cash then ran from the business, which is in the same complex as Tops Fresh Market.
The suspect is described as white and in his 30s. He was wearing a beanie cap with his face partially covered.
Redding police and California Highway Patrol officers unsuccessfully searched for the robber, but someone reported finding a replica handgun at Yuba and Butte streets, about 2.5 miles from the robbery.
The gun matched the description of the one used in the robbery, McGinnis said.
Hearing put off in abuse case
A 20-year-old Redding woman accused of throwing her 4-month-old son onto a hard floor while "blacking out" had her preliminary hearing postponed Wednesday in Shasta County Superior Court.
Arielle Natoshia Woolley, who has pleaded not guilty to a felony count of child abuse with a special allegation of causing great bodily injury, had been set to have her preliminary hearing.
But a new hearing date is expected to be scheduled Sept. 14.
Woolley initially blamed her son's injuries on her 4-year-old daughter, but later admitted during questioning by police that she "blacked out" and took the baby from his bassinet and threw him on the floor before hugging him and returning him to the bassinet.
The baby suffered a punctured lung, bruising, and both eyes were swollen shut after the attack, according to police.
Woolley remains in custody in Shasta County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.
SHARE Rakim Exavier Leedy
A Redding man on Thursday pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a pair of drive-by shootings last year that nearly hit sleeping children.
Officers with the Redding Police Department arrested Rakim Exavier Leedy Wednesday wanted in connection with the August 2015 shootings
Rakim Exavier Leedy, 24, was named a suspect by Redding police for firing shots into a residence on the 800 block of Montcrest Drive, on Aug. 6, 2015, around 1 a.m. Officers said the bullets narrowly missed a sleeping 10-month old child.
Around thirty minutes later, he headed to the 2900 block of Robert Court, and fired shots into two apartments, one in which children were asleep. Officers said the shootings were thought to be retribution for one of the victims who reported Leedy as a suspect in an armed robbery.
Officers collected the 9mm shell casings from both scenes and sent them over to the California Department of Justice for analysis.
After officers identified Leedy as a suspect, who was on probation at the time for illegally possessing a firearm, Redding Police Department Investigators served a search warrant Aug. 14, 2015, for Leedy's residence on the 8700 block of Airport Road. There, investigators located a 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.
The forensic examination of the casings and firearms matched the handgun found at Leedy's residence and an arrest warrant was issued charging Leedy with three counts of assault with a firearm and three counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Leedy was arrested Wednesday on the 1600 block of Court Street booked into Shasta County Jail where he's being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
SHARE Mary Sanchez
Americans love to blame the media for bias, for presenting a slanted view of reality.
And in at least one case, I'll concur: They have done a terrible job of representing to the broader public what life is like for black and brown America.
The inaccurate impressions created by "if it bleeds, it leads" news coverage were amply evident in Donald Trump's recent "outreach" effort to African-American voters. He sought to enumerate the various unfair afflictions blacks suffer in America problems supposedly only he can fix but exaggerated them to a point that was insulting.
Trump's messaging style is blunt and simplistic. And he is clearly ignorant of what life is like outside the bubble of wealth he has floated in all of his 70 years. So it's no surprise that his appeal to black voters would be both naive and offensive.
But it's worth considering how American news coverage has inspired and supported Trump's assumption that African-Americans and Latinos are overwhelmingly mired in poverty, can't get jobs, dodge bullets every day and struggle to graduate high school.
Trump is taking cues from headlines and breaking news bulletins. Last weekend's murder tally, the latest poverty statistics, reports of public school systems struggling to educate poor urban children: those stories are familiar. They have an impact, they address problems and they deserve attention. I'm not apologizing for covering a murder in lieu of a high school fundraiser.
But the usual news coverage does not tell the whole story of any community; nor does it even relate the most prevalent life stories. A headline will not read, "One black male killed in shooting: Everyone else in a two-block radius went to work or school, mowed their lawn, did some grocery shopping and ate dinner with their family as usual."
So when Trump addressed African-Americans from a white Michigan exurb to ask for their votes, he cited a litany of woes most black voters don't face and asked, "What the hell do you have to lose?" The implicit answer would seem to be: the same things most American voters have to lose quite a bit.
Now Trump is trying this shtick on Latinos.
To a crowd in Tampa, Florida, he said, "To the Hispanic parent, you have a right to walk outside without being shot."
Then he added: "What do you have to lose? I'll fix it."
Let's be clear: Disproportionately, Latinos and African-Americans do fare worse than white households in many areas, such as employment, measures of health and educational attainment. They are disproportionately likely to be victims of violent crime. They have far less wealth and suffered much more in the housing crash and recession of the last eight years.
But that doesn't mean that all members of these communities are in dire straits and in need of salvation by a politician making promises. The majority of black households, like white ones, are considered middle class. Black college enrollment rates now equal those of whites (but not graduation rates). Many of the most pressing issues to black and Latino voters are guess what! the very ones that are pressing to white voters.
By getting this wrong, Trump is broadcasting how little he knows about the communities he's pretending to court.
Nor does he get that the demographic cleavages that persist are tied to the continuing impact of racist attitudes and once legal segregation and institutional racism. To black and Latino listeners, the omission screams volumes.
Trump's outreach smacks of being contrived. If it were sincere, he'd be acting differently. I'd recommend that he sit silently among minorities in their own communities. Be the only white face in a church filled with African-Americans. Attend a Sunday service and a funeral of a beloved community member. Hang for another hour as people mingle upon leaving the sanctuary.
Sit around with a bunch of women making tamales and watch the interaction as members of different generations parade in and out of the kitchen. Talk to fourth-generation American with a Latino surname who doesn't speak a lick of Spanish. Really hear his or her story.
People develop familiarity and comfort levels outside of their normal circles only through sustained interactions. Even very adept politicians can't fake it. And Trump's level of emotional intelligence is as low as his polling numbers with black and Latino voters.
In case it isn't obvious, Trump isn't really directing these appeals to African-Americans and Latinos. He is talking to white audiences, trying to dispel the air of racism that has hung around his campaign from the very start. The pity is that many of them don't know any better.
Email Mary Sanchez at msanchez@kcstar.com.
A back-to-school drive with free tots at Pork & Mindy's, complimentary breakfast and lunch at the new Pret a Manger in Block 37 and more things to do in Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 1.
EAT
New Restaurant Preview (Free!)
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Pret a Manger
108 N. State St. 312-877-5200
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The fast-casual chain's Block 37 location opens Friday but offers a preview a day early, giving away free breakfast to the first 400 people to arrive from 8-10 a.m. and free lunch to 800 guests between noon and 2 p.m.
Pork & Mindy's tots.
Back-to-School Drive
Pork & Mindy's
1623 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-799-8759
Bring school supplies to donate to low-income kids at Burr Elementary School and you'll receive a complimentary side of tater tots with ranch. The restaurant also donates 20 percent of the night's dinner sales to the school. 11 a.m.9 p.m. Dinner begins at 5 p.m.
DRINK
Angel's Envy.
Toast the Trees
The Drinkingbird
2201 N. Clybourn Ave. 773-472-9920
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Kick off National Bourbon Heritage Month with complimentary Angel's Envy cocktails and appetizers. Post a photo of your drink on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #AE4TheTrees and the brand will plant a white oak tree in North America as part of a month-long campaign with the Arbor Day Foundation. 69 p.m. No cover.
An Evening With The Bruery
Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >
Tuman's Tap and Grill
2159 W. Chicago Ave. 773-782-1400
The West Town bar taps seven beers from the California brewery including Share
This: Coffee imperial stout and Tart of Darkness sour stout ($6-$12). Meet folks from the brewery from 710 p.m. 4 p.m.2 a.m. No cover.
DO
Smudged Lipstick Revue
Mary's Attic
5400 N. Clark St. 773-784-6969
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The monthly burlesque variety show includes a raffle for handmade tassels and tickets to a future performance. Buy your ticket in advance to get a drink. 10:30 p.m. $12$15. Tickets: brownpapertickets.com
HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAY
Nonnina (340 N. Clark St. 312-822-0077) offers $5 cocktails and bites including arancini and meatballs from 4-7 p.m.
For more Eat & Drink news, click here.
NASHUA | A Nashua man who accidentally shot and killed his father with a weapon he possessed illegally was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison Wednesday.
Dale Edward White, 25, received the prison term after pleading guilty in April to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited person. White was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his illegal drug use.
White and his father were handling a .22 caliber rifle in the living room of the residence they shared on Jan. 2. The firearm accidentally discharged and struck Whites father, who eventually died as a result of his injury, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa.
Police seized 49 firearms from Whites residence as well as evidence consistent with drug use.
White was sentenced to 47 months imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Telecom Secretary J S Deepak has resolved the toughest issues facing the sector, but his real test will be in delivering on the govts Digital India dream
Telecom Secretary J S Deepak is not the archetypal bureaucrat. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, he could easily pass off as the chief executive of a mega corporation, given the pace at which he works and the punishing goals he sets for the Department of Telecommunications and himself.
We are working with post offices to put up cell towers: J S Deepak What kind of reforms has DoT been focused on? There are three major areas where the government can make things easy for telcos. First is spectrum management. Second, infrastructure rollout. Third, interface with customers. Fourth, we are trying to make licensing norms easier and transparent. In the last few months, we have had some solid achievements. What about consumer issues? The quality of service will improve with more spectrum being made available to telcos. Second, the consumer can reach out to the authorities in case of an emergency by dialling 112 from 1 January 2017. For women, we have mandated a Nirbhaya button and each phone will be able to access the emergency service. In feature phones, one can press 9 for a few seconds to send a message to the emergency help desk. These services will be in operation from next year. You have a 100 -day plan to resolve call drops? It has to be an ongoing battle. The number of consumers per tower in the Central Business District in New Delhi is 5,000. When I took over, there was connectivity problem in Parliament because there were no towers, so we decided to intervene and got in touch with the secretary general and through his good offices got permission to install towers. We put three towers in the Parliament complex which are shared among the operators. The second step was to allow installing towers on government buildings. Third, was to get sites on New Delhi Municipal Corporation buildings to plug gaps. We are also working with post offices to put up towers. How are you making life simpler for licensees? One piece that was missing from the telecom sector in India was the re-sellers licence. In many developed countries the provisions for telecom service providers are separate from those for consumers. Telecom companies have expertise in setting up and running mobile network. Through the mobile virtual network operator licence, we have separated the provisions for service providers and those for network providers. You can have virtual network operators, Internet Service Providers and Multi-service operators can take a virtual network operator licence and offer services.
Some of the toughest issues of the industry, harmonisation of airwaves and call drops, have been addressed by Deepak within 100 days of taking over as secretary. As the licensor of Indias Rs 3-trillion telecom sector, DoT is responsible for making policies that enable the sectors growth.
It also manages spectrum, a key resource for the wireless service providers and a big revenue generator for the government. Deepak has accelerated the pace of reforms on both of these fronts.
Taking charge days before the Union Budget was presented in February also meant that Deepak is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the government meets the steep revenue target of Rs 98,000 crore (Rs 980 billion).
The task is not for the faint-hearted but he remains undaunted. Ask him why the target does not bother him and he says: Nandan Nilekani once said that the government would be more responsive if it put conditions on itself like it does for everybody else. So I try to set punishing goals for myself and the department.
An old hand
Deepak is not new to Sanchar Bhawan, which houses the office of DoT. He was the joint secretary at DoT between 2008 and 2010 and designed and conducted the countrys first ever spectrum auction, which raised Rs 100,000 crore (Rs 1,000 billion).
Insiders say that the government brought him back to the Ministry of Telecommunications in February to fast-track Prime Minister Narendra Modis Digital India vision - by putting in place a policy framework to improve customer experience.
While the revenue target for the current fiscal is a big challenge, his mettle will be truly tested when it comes to delivering on the governments Digital India dream. For this, he will need to put in place a policy framework that will ensure a billion Indians are connected 24X7.
The Modi government is a great votary of mobile applications and wants to leverage it to deliver public services in a transparent and efficient manner. And DoT is focused on creating a conducive policy environment so that the average Indian can avail of public services digitally.
However, connecting India is not just about putting a mobile phone in the hand of every Indian. Staying connected 24X7 is about better services and DoT is helping the sector combat some of the most difficult issues it faces, including spectrum shortage, infrastructure bottlenecks and consumer acquisition norms.
Call Drops 100-day agenda
In recent months, the industry has earned flak from consumers for poor service. At the height of the call drop fracas, Deepak set a 100-day agenda to fix the issue in Delhi and Mumbai. DoT has helped telcos to come to a settlement with municipal bodies in Delhi, which will result in almost 700-800 sealed sites becoming operational again.
In Mumbai too DoT is helping resolve court cases so that sites can start operations.
Rajan Mathews, director general at the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), says quality of service has improved in Delhi as DoTs intervention has helped the industry get 80 new sites.
There were other problems too like the Delhi Development Authority had come up with draft byelaws that prevented setting up of towers in residential areas. We made a presentation and the good news is that they have withdrawn the draft byelaw. If you want 24X7 connectivity, you need to have towers, says Deepak.
Electronic KYC
This month, DoT cleared another long-pending demand of the telecom industry by enabling it to carry out KYC (know your customer) requirements online using Aadhaar. With the government allowing e-KYC for the telecom industry, a customers Aadhaar card and fingerprints will now be adequate to validate and activate new connections.
Currently, customer acquisition is a cumbersome process for telecom service providers and consumers. Several forms have to be filled, proof of identification has to be provided, and operators have to store these records in physical form.
The telecom operator then has to authenticate the customer through a tele-verification process. With the e-KYC norms, telecom operators will be able to acquire customers through point of sales by simply doing a biometric test and issue a SIM to a consumer on the spot once the Aadhaar verification process and biometric test are complete.
Every year, the telecom industry acquires 80 million subscribers and 240 million sheets of paper are used in the KYC process. With this one move, at least 50,000 trees (that is what 240 million sheets of paper are made of) will be saved. The move is environmentally friendly and will become par for the course for the industry, says Deepak.
Ajai Puri, director (operations for India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel, says the company has already deployed the solution in flagship Airtel stores and will extend it to general retail stores, including those in rural areas, in the coming weeks. This solution will result in cost savings through elimination of paper, he adds.
Spectrum management
For the last 10 years, telecom operators have been asking the government to separate airwaves used by defence from airwaves of the communications industry. However, given that it requires exchange of airwaves between multiple agencies, this did not happen.
Deepak managed to do this in less than six months. The government has created several highways within airwaves and divided these smartly between the communications sector and the defence band through harmonisation in the 1,800-MHz band, which is most efficient for 4G services.
By separating spectrum belonging to defence from that of the telecom industry, wastage was reduced. This released at least 135 MHz of new spectrum in the 1,800 Mhz band, which will fetch the government Rs 27,000 crore.
The 1,800 Mhz band is most efficient for delivering data services and the new spectrum is in contiguous blocks. Also, rather than making it a one-time exercise, harmonisation will be carried out after every auction, adds Deepak.
Gopal Vittal, CEO & MD (India and South Asia) Bharti Airtel, says, The leadership displayed by DoT has enabled this long-standing requirement to be delivered in a span of 100 days. By offering contiguous blocks of spectrum, both capital and operational costs and carbon footprint will be lower.
The committee said whatever benefit RIL received in terms of the migrated gas is liable to be returned to the government.
The A P Shah committee on Wednesday asked the government to claim restitution from Reliance Industries (RIL) for the unjust benefit it received from the migration of gas from state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporations (ONGC) block in the Krishna-Godavari basin to the adjacent fields owned by the Mukesh Ambani-led company.
However, it states that ONGC has no right on the restitution and no locus standi to bring a tortious claim against RIL for trespass/conversion since it does not have any ownership rights or possessory interest in the natural gas.
The committee did not quantify the restitution, leaving it to the government to decide.
It said whatever benefit RIL received in terms of the migrated gas is liable to be returned to the government.
The panel said it faced limitations in providing a figure to the final value of the migrated gas produced by RIL during the term of its lease, because of the lack of data and the committees inherent technical limitations.
While the D&M (DeGolyer and MacNaughton) Report has to form the basis for the migration of gas up till 2015, subsequent migration of gas post-2015 has to be inquired into by the Government of India, it said.
The one-man panels report agreed with the findings of D&Ms report submitted in November 2015, which stated that about 11.12 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas worth about Rs 11,000 crore had migrated to the RIL fields from ONGCs idle fields.
The Shah panels observation that RILs production of migrated gas and retention of the ensuing benefits amounted to unjust enrichment was based on the premise that in the absence of an order on joint development under the production sharing contract (PSC), a contractor was not permitted to produce and sell migrated gas.
There is also no other extra-contractual right granted to the contractor that enables it to produce gas, regardless of its source.
It also highlighted that though RIL had the option to go for joint development, it did not pursue this.
It had not been given the migrated gas as a gift or largesse, its actions had no lawful justification and amounted to unjust enrichment, said Shah in his report.
Shah also asked the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) to review and strengthen the disclosure system by imposing penalties for deliberate suppression of material information.
Training guns on ONGC, the panel said the role of ONGC in the Indian oil and natural gas sector must be assessed with great scrutiny.
The long periods of alleged inactivity on the part of ONGC in this case particularly must be examined further, it added.
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the report confirms that there was migration of gas from ONGCs fields to RILs. We will look into the recommendations of the report and take a call by September 30.
The report says RIL had knowledge about the possible migration in 2003, ONGC too had prior understanding about the continuity way back in 2007 and took up the matter only six years later.
The Shah panel recommended further inquiry into the prior knowledge.
The panel concurred with the recommendation made by BP regarding the creation of a mechanism to amicably resolve disputes among parties as and when they arise.
Such a mechanism will help reduce the occurrence of disputes between parties, and allow for smoother functioning of the energy sector, which is ultimately in the interest of the nation, the report said.
The government would have to take a decision by September 30. The Delhi High Court had last year ordered the government to take an action within a month of submission of the report.
The court was hearing an ONGC petition filed in May 2014, days before the National Democratic Alliance government assumed office. ONGC had made both RIL and the government a party to the case.
The mandate of the panel was to quantify the amount of migration of gas from ONGCs field and recommend actions based on that.
It was also tasked with looking into any acts of omissions and commission committed by any of the stakeholders.
The panel was to quantify unfair enrichment if any by RIL and recommend ways to compensate ONGC.
The Shah panel, set up on December 15, 2015, had got a months extension after it failed to meet the deadline of July 31.
This was the second extension that the panel had got, as the initial deadline was March 31.
The delay occurred after RIL and its partner Niko Resources questioned the constitution of the panel and declined to participate.
However, both agreed to join the inquiry in February.
According to ONGC, RIL benefited from gas flow between their adjacent fields between 2009 and 2013.
It was in 2013 that ONGC came out with the claim that RIL intentionally drilled wells close to its blocks, through which the gas had migrated.
Subsequently, D&M was appointed by both RIL and ONGC to study the issue. According to D&Ms report, the reservoirs in ONGCs KG-DWN-98/2 (KG-D5) and the Godavari-PML are connected with Dhirubhai-1 and 3 (D1 & D3) fields located in the KG-DWN-98/3 (KG-D6) block of RIL.
The estimate of ONGCs loss was based on a gas price of $4.2 per million British thermal unit.
D&M said out of the 58.68 bcm of gas produced from the KG-D6 block since April 1, 2009, 8.98 bcm could have migrated from ONGCs fields.
RILs D1 and D3 fields had estimated reserves of 80.70 bcm, while ONGCs Godavari-PML had 14.21 bcm of reserves and KG-D5 another 11.86 bcm.
A BRIEF HISTORY
The hypocrisies of high-caste Hindus have cost their followers very dear. Millions have left their dharma, their great religion which boasts of the loftiest philosophical ideas, says Tarun Vijay.
Image: A Dalit woman stands outside her shanty in Bhaddi Kheda village in Uttar Pradesh, in this photograph taken on January 15, 2012. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters.
Two recent incidents should disturb Hindus the most. One is about the demolition of a 800-year-old temple (external link) built by the Chola kings in Tamil Nadu, and the other is the stoppage of an ancient Hindu temple festival, again in the southern state.
On the temple demolition, none of the usual voices was heard as if it is not a matter of concern to anyone. The other issue involves human relations being destroyed due to caste-based hatred.
The danger bells ringing from Nagapattinam, a little more than 300 km from Meenakshipuram where Hindus embraced Islam en masse in 1981, must make caste Hindus shed some of their arrogance. Its not the previous century any more, a time when most Scheduled Caste Hindus were illiterate and hence subjugated by the high-handedness of other Hindus. Now, thanks to reservations and a robust democracy, the so-called low-caste Hindus have awakened, hold high positions in society and are unwilling to accept any longer the discrimination being practised by high caste Hindus.
Its the reformist strength, the readiness to change and adapt to the times that has kept Hindu dharma strong, hence it is called Sanatan Dharma, the righteous way of living that is based on eternal principles. Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission describes it as eternal values for a changing society.
It is wrong to think that Dalits want to happily leave Hindu dharma. It is their way, the last resort, of cautioning Hindus against the ill-practices of the most savage kind. It is their appeal to end apartheid against humans, and a way to express their frustration, angst and hopelessness.
High caste Hindus, in most rural and urban areas, are living in their own shell. They hold large Hindu festivals inviting only those who walk the beaten path of Bhagwad Bhajans and sing glorious songs to their great religious heritage. They refuse to see the writing on the wall and hear the cries of their Hindu brethren who are demanding justice and equality.
It is true that in the last two hundred years many high caste Hindus, mostly Brahmins, have been taking the lead in abolition of discrimination against the Scheduled Castes and making pandits and other diehard defenders of the faith see reason. B R Ambedkar tried his best to convince Brahmins to open the gates of temples to Dalits and let them draw water from the village pond. But that didnt happen and he had to announce that even if he was born a Hindu, he will not die one.
The mass conversions that Ambedkar led from Hinduism to Buddhism, in a way saved Hindus from a catastrophic situation. Just think, if he had instead converted to Islam or Christianity, the consequences would have been far more devastating. But despite his act, we still see caste-based hatred getting more and more entrenched due to various reasons, politics being a major one.
The moment an atrocity perpetrated on a Dalit comes to light, the first reaction of high-caste Hindus can be expected to be along these lines:
Its all politics, nothing genuine about it;
It is because of local animosities between two warring groups;
Its all media hype;
The Opposition is trying to encash on a local issue;
Some financial conflict has been made out to be a caste clash which will subside with time;
Our scriptures do not allow such discrimination.
All these explanations fall flat on the ground when no one, absolutely no one, comes forward to help the Dalits when they are wronged and need words of support. These explanations by high-caste Hindus are bunkum and unacceptable. The hypocrisies of high-caste Hindus have cost their followers very dear. Millions have left their dharma, their great religion which boasts of the loftiest philosophical ideas.
The latest example of high-caste arrogance and their anti-dharma attitude is the discontinuation of the annual festival at the 800-year-old Pazhankalimedu Bhadrakaliamman temple, approximately 40 km from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. This was done in order to prevent Dalits from offering a puja and hosting the mandagapadi (a special puja performed to the deity). The Dalits are as much devotees of Bhadrakali as the high-caste Hindus think they are, and wanted that the temple car taken out in procession should pass through their village Pazhankalimedu also, which has a sizeable population of Dalits and falls in the way.
But this was not accepted by the high-caste Hindus, resulting in a stalemate, and the district collector, in the name of keeping the peace, ordered the festival discontinued.
It was all done in the interests of the high castes, who would rather accept the discontinuation of the festival than allowing Dalits perform the puja. Their god is a high-caste one who wont accept a puja performed by a Dalit -- can there be a more self-defeating attitude?
Is this the same Hindu dharma which was propounded by Swami Vivekananda and practised with great devotion by Babu Jagjivan Ram, who faced all sorts of discrimination but never once thought of leaving his ancestral dharma?
Instead of being grateful to the Dalits for keeping the flame of dharma intact for so many centuries in spite of the most barbaric discrimination practised against them by a section, the high caste Hindus act as medieval fossils.
We think, or at least try to convince our reformist minds, that in most urban areas caste is melting away and the new generation is going in for inter-caste marriages in large numbers. Nothing very special about it, its been in vogue since the days of Raja Rammohan Roy and Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar. The voices against such ill practices have found an echo in the creations of Thiruvalluvar, Kanak Das, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Sahu Maharaj and so many other saints. But, still, at the ground level, in our matrimonial ads every Sunday, we find that caste reigns supreme.
Dalits want equality and it is their birthright. The government must make sure that temples and Hindu festivals are open to all Hindu castes without discrimination. Those who are ranged on the side of fossilised ideas and hide behind the shamanistic cover of long observed practices are in fact hurting Hindu dharma.
One word of caution here for the merchants of other peoples agony. This problem concerns Hindu society and those who are trying to fish in troubled waters must refrain doing so. They must concentrate on removing the injustices prevailing in their flock. Leave Hindu issues to the Hindus to be resolved and they will certainly do it, as they have shown the greatest inner strength to reform their society more than anyone else.
Mother India's daughter in Tamil Nadu
A few days ago I had the chance to meet Kowshalya, wife of Shankara who was brutally murdered in Umadilapettam (Palani) for being a Dalit and daring to marry a so-called upper caste girl. He was brutally murdered and now poor Kowshalya lives under heavy police protection.
What was their "crime'?
Both were Hindus, and married in the Hindu way, yet Hindus were against them?
But the grit and courage displayed by Kowshalya is inspiring. She is younger than my daughter but her resolve and mission statement inspired me. She said she will devote her life to eradicate untouchability and caste-based hatred from society.
I would like to ask one question of Hindu leaders, why have they remained silent on this issue? Is it because of the fear of losing vote banks? Is vote bank more important to us than saving Hindu society? Why dont atrocities against Dalits stir up the same emotions of revolt and disapproval from those who believe in Thiruvalluvar and read his Thirukkural every day?
Would Thiruvalluvar have approved of such atrocities?
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'At no time since Independence the issue of whether we are a secular country or whether we are a Hindu Rashtra has come up in this manner.'
'This is the most important issue which is going to decide whether we remain together as one country or not.'
'We can't hold together until you stick to the principle of secularism.'
'It is not a choice,' former home secretary Dr Madhav Godbole tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
'For a country to be secular, it is not enough that its Constitution and government are secular. It is equally necessary that its society and individual citizens are secular,' Dr Madhav Godbole writes in his just released book, Secularism -- India at a crossroads.
Dr Godbole served as a bureaucrat for 33 years before resigning as Union home secretary after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992. The author of over 15 books, a lecture he was to deliver on secularism at the Maharashtra secretariat in Mumbai was mysteriously cancelled.
In a two-part interview with Rediff.com's Archana Masih at his home in Pune, Dr Godbole says there should be an agreed definition of secularism and minorities, the need for a commission on secularism and wonders whether India is a secular country today.
What are your concerns about India in its 70th year?
We need to take a stock of where we are; some aspects of the Constitution need to be re-examined seriously.
Federalism being in danger is as disturbing as religion being in danger.
The GST bill has taken 13 years. It shows the manner in which we function in the country.
In the 21st century, the world is going in a different direction and we are going at snail's pace. Are we going to function in the same manner or are we going to take stock of how we are going to function in the coming years?
Let us take some examples: When the Lokpal Bill was being discussed, there was a proposal to have such a model law in the states -- Lokayuktas. It was vehemently opposed by states likes Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, saying that it goes beyond federalism.
All the law was proposing was to lay down principles on the basis of which states should formulate their own laws.
This recommendation for Lokayuktas has been there for 20, 25 years and we have still not been able to act on it -- and that was proposal was given up.
In another case -- a continental sized country like India does require a federal police. This is the only Western style democracy of this size which has no federal police. This proposal has been opposed on the ground of federalism.
A central law for the Central Bureau of Investigation has been opposed on the ground of federalism. A simple thing like having one police for the railways has also been objected to.
When the Constitution was framed, the were no concerns of major crimes with international ramifications. That is why the founding fathers put the subject of police and public order in the states list. Isn't it time to take a fresh look at it?
But we are so engrossed in petty politics that these larger issues relevant to the country in the coming years are not being looked at.
Are our political parties unable to rise above politics to address the larger issues?
It is interesting that at one time or the other in the last 60, 65 years, almost all political parties have now been in power. They have seen it from inside and outside. In spite of that, it has made no difference to their thinking.
I would have expected half a dozen people from various political parties to at least raise these issues and to press for them politically, but they haven't.
Take the case of the Delhi anti-Sikh riots, Bombay riots, or Gujarat riots -- there is a proposal that the Centre must have power in extreme cases to deploy central forces in the state and be responsible for the management of the state till it comes back to normal. What is wrong with this?
What is important is how we are going to address issues that are going to be relevant for the next 15, 25 years. This bothers me and there is no thought and preparedness in the political system to look at these issues.
Apart from federalism, what are the other issues that concern you?
Secularism. We are really at a crossroads.
At no time since Independence has this issue of whether we are a secular country or whether we are a Hindu Rashtra come up in this manner on the streets and in public discourse as it has now.
This is the most important issue which is going to decide whether we remain together as one country or not.
According to me, this is the one single proposition which holds the country together.
Twenty percent of the country consists of minorities. 14.5 percent are Muslims. In the next 15, 20 years the minorities will be 30 to 35 percent.
The country can't hold together until you stick to the principle of secularism. It is not a choice before the country.
The composition of the country makes it incumbent on you to adhere and make a success, but there are very serious problems.
Therefore in my book I have proposed major Constitutional amendments. Are we prepared to take a look at the concept of secularism itself?
You have also mentioned there is no definition of secularism.
When the Constitution was made there was no agreement among the members of the Constituent Assembly for calling it secular.
Some thought it would be interpreted as secularism in the Western concept and would mean the total negation of religion which will never be accepted in India.
Secondly, when Pakistan has declared itself a Muslim State, do we have to declare ourselves as a secular State was the other question.
If at all, we should declare ourselves a Hindu State was the demand by some at that time. Finally, the idea of declaring it a secular State was given up.
It was introduced by Indira Gandhi during the Emergency. There was no discussion on this because almost the Opposition leaders were in jail and the press was under censorship.
Therefore, you can't really say that it has become part of the Constitution in the real sense because there was no debate and acceptance.
Then an effort was made to introduce a Constitution amendment bill after the Babri Masjid was demolished for the separation of religion from politics. It fell through because the Congress did not bother to consult all political parties.
What is the definition of 'secular'?
When you say the country should be secular, people should know what is secularism. There should be an agreed definition of secularism.
The whole concept of secularism is based on minorities and there is no definition of minorities in the Constitution.
What the Constitution did was take whatever description of minorities was adopted by the Britishers and the same categories were continued without any discussion.
The time has come to examine who all are minorities.
For example, Muslims are already 14.5 percent, we are the second largest Muslim country. According to estimates, by 2050, India will be the largest Muslim country in the world.
This kind of a huge population, is it a minority?
Unfortunately, people don't read these days, including in the much publicised social media. Example, in the debates on the adoption bill during the Janata period, one of the prominent Muslim members said, 'We are a minority, but we are not a such a small minority that you can do whatever you want with it, we have a leverage and we will exercise that leverage.'
For example, when the education bill in Kerala went before the Supreme Court in the '60s, the Supreme Court in that context defined minorities as a community less than 50 percent.
If that definition is carried till the logical conclusion, does it mean that till Muslims exceed more than 50 percent of the Indian population they continue to be minorities?
In Jammu and Kashmir, Hindus in Jammu call themselves minorities but they are in a majority. Hindus in Punjab call themselves minorities because in certain parts they are in a minority.
These issues are important in the Indian context and cannot be pushed under the carpet any longer.
It is a difficult problem therefore no political party wants to talk about it.
In spite of our differences we Indians have a secular ethos. Are we as a people secular?
No, I don't agree. It is a myth that has been created.
What has kept us together if we are not secular?
It is true that several religions were absorbed, but it doesn't mean that because it happened in the past, it is happening today.
The question is whether we are a secular country today. We are not. The religious divides are becoming wider every day.
Did this division begin with the demolition of the Babri Masjid? When did our secular ethos start wavering?
The demolition happened because of the manner in which we worked our secularism.
Secularism was one idea which was meant to integrate this country. It is a tragedy that this one idea has torn us apart.
Hindus believe there is a pampering of the minorities and therefore don't want secularism.
Muslims believe they have got nothing out of secularism and don't want it and want a separate identity.
When Sikh militancy was acute the same thing was happening and the same is happening today in J&K.
Therefore, I propose that there should be a commission on secularism to whom any member of the public can raise any matter which can have an adverse implication on secularism.
There should be a televised public hearing and it will give a speaking order which will be binding on the government.
If anybody is unhappy s/he can file a petition in the Supreme Court and that decision will be final.
Then this will be an enforceable right, today it is an entrenched right
So is it a myth that we are secular?
Look around and ask yourself if we are a secular country. There are extreme communal pronouncements by Muslims and by Hindus.
Every few years there are major communal riots in the country.
I feel ordinary Indians, at the people to people level, are secular.
The amity at the people to people level gets submerged when you bring in politics. Therefore you need to separate religion from politics.
This is something our founding fathers were acutely aware of and in 1947 a resolution was moved that there should be a complete separation of religion from politics.
That resolution was passed almost unanimously apart from one Muslim member who opposed it and we are in 2016 and it has still not been implemented.
There were occasions when the Congress was in power during Nehru, Indira, and Rajiv's governments when there was a 2/3rd majority, so the Congress cannot proclaim itself as a secular party if it has not taken action on this basic issue that governs secularism.
Now it is going to be increasingly difficult with a rightist party at the Centre, but even now an effort must be made to build up a societal agreement.
Addressing a question that you raised, a common man has no problem with dealing with a Muslims, Christian or Sikh, but why is it that politically there is a problem?
That is something which can be dealt with only if we remove religion from politics.
Photograph: Women take selfies after Eid prayers in Thiruvananthapuram. Photograph: PTI Photo
Days after accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of insulting gau rakshaks for dubbing them as anti-socials, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Wednesday said the Centre should ask states not to harass authorised people and agencies engaged in cow protection.
VHP international president Praveen Togadia also lauded the government for issuing an advisory to states for ensuring a complete ban on beef exports and expressed confidence that the gau-bhakts (cow worshippers) in the central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party have taken a pledge for cow protection.
The VHP welcomes the government of Indias action to ensure a complete ban on beef exports. We are confident that there are many gau-bhakts in the central government and the BJP who have taken a pledge for cow protection. The meaningful steps taken by the BJP-ruled states in this direction are also laudable.
We suggest that the Union home ministrys advisory to state administrations should also clarify that authorized people and entities working for the important task of cow protection should not be harassed. We are confident that the Centre will take the work of saints and organisations towards cow protection to newer heights, Togadia said in a statement.
He had earlier taken strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks against cow vigilantes, saying by dubbing them as anti-social he had insulted them and demanded that the government talk to them.
Togadia said that Modi's directive to states to create dossiers of cow vigilantes amounts to racial profiling of Hindus as they are the ones who give their lives for protecting the animal.
Expressing utmost dissatisfaction and agony over prime ministers remarks, he also questioned as to why the head of the country (sic) has given a clean chit to cow butchers and victimised cow protectors, who have been his avid supporters and helped him getting elected.
Rather than appreciating efforts of Hindus to save cows and initiating a sincere dialogue with these simple, non-fancy gau-rakshaks, Modi had termed 80 per cent of them as anti-social, he said.
That was an insult not only of mother cow but also of Hindus and all those who gave their lives for protecting cows, he told reporters.
In a strong rebuke to cow vigilantes, some of whom flogged Dalits in his home state Gujarat, Modi had this month said that he felt enraged at such anti-social elements who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors during the day.
An employee of the Banaras Hindu University was on Wednesday arrested for allegedly sodomising a student of the varsity, though the police suspect it to be a fallout of money matters between the two.
The BHU student had registered a case at Lanka police station on August 16 against the lab assistant and five unidentified persons under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code alleging that they had sodomised him on the night of August 13, police said.
The student alleged that the assaulters intoxicated him and sexually assaulted him while he was returning to his lodge in Seer Goverdhan. They later threw him at an isolated place in unconscious state, they added.
The accused has been arrested and initial probe suggests that it is a case of money dispute between the two, Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhary said.
Medical examination was conducted on the victim twice but both the reports revealed that the student was not assaulted sexually, Sanjeev Mishra, Station House Officer, Lanka police station said.
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However, on interrogation it was found that the student and lab assistant were allegedly in a relationship, Kulhary said.
Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor G C Tripathi on Tuesday suspended the erring employee and constituted a fact-finding committee after some students along with members of National Students Union of India staged protests demanding action against the accused.
The committee has been ordered to probe the matter and submit its report within a week.
Vice President Michel Temer was sworn in as new President.
IMAGE: Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff speaks at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia on Wednesday. Photograph: Bruno Kelly/Reuters.
Brazils President Dilma Rousseff was ousted from office on Wednesday by the senate, ending a year-long fight that had paralysed South Americas largest nation.
Soon after Rousseff was removed in an impeachment trial, 75-year-old Vice President Michel Temer was sworn in as the countrys new President.
Rousseffs ouster was widely expected, the decision was a key chapter in a colossal political struggle that is far from over.
The opposition needed 54 of the 81 senators to vote in favor for her removal and they got a landslide victory with 61-20.
However, they fell short of the majority vote needed to bar her from public office. The 42-36 vote could not reach the mark of 54 votes needed.
Rousseff branded the vote a parliamentary coup and vowed a comeback by her Workers Party.
They decided to interrupt the mandate of a president who had committed no crime. They have convicted an innocent person and carried out a parliamentary coup, she said.
Today is the day that 61 men, many of them charged and corrupt, threw 54 million Brazilian votes in the garbage, Rousseff tweeted minutes after the decision.
IMAGE: Brazil's new President Michel Temer attends the presidential inauguration ceremony. Photograph: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Rousseff was Brazils first female president, with a storied career that includes a stint as a Marxist guerrilla jailed and tortured in the 1970s during the countrys dictatorship. She was accused of breaking fiscal laws in her management of the federal budget.
She won re-election in 2014, garnering more than 54 million votes.
In the background of the entire fight was a wide-ranging investigation into billions of dollars in kickbacks at state oil company Petrobras.
The two-year probe has led to the jailing of dozens of top businessmen and politicians from across the political spectrum, and threatens many of the same lawmakers who voted to remove Rousseff.
Rousseff argued that many opponents just wanted her out of the way so they could save their own skins by tampering with the investigation, which Rousseff had refused to do.
Many lawmakers and Brazilians nationwide, meanwhile, blamed Rousseff for the graft even though she has never been personally implicated. They argued that she had to know, as many of the alleged bribes happened while her party was in power.
Despite being stuck in New Delhi's traffic and cancelling engagements due to heavy downpour, US Secretary of State John Kerry has had a "terrific" time in India over the last few days, his spokesperson has said.
"The Secretary was very grateful for the support, courtesy and the time that he was afforded by Indian leaders over the last two days. I am a little befuddled that you want to make a diplomatic row out of the fact that some of the meetings didn't start on time," State Department Spokesman John Kirby told media persons.
Kerry, he said, has had a "terrific couple of days" in India.
Responding to a question on Kerry getting delayed for events and having to cancel visits to religious sites due to inclement weather, Kirby pointed out that many meetings at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department including his daily news conference does not start on time even when there is no rain.
"I was late for the briefing, and that wasn't even weather-related. But look, it's been a great couple of days... he was very glad to be able to be in New Delhi and to have these discussions, and we look forward to continuing that deep relationship going forward," Kirby said.
"There were some delays because of rain, and not even the Prime Minister, who we have great respect for, can do much about that. It's weather, and that it caused some delays I think would be expected," he said.
"As I understand from talking to Mark (Toner), my deputy, who is out there, this wasn't just a sprinkle. This was pretty significant rain, right up to the top of the tires on the cars."
Photograph: John Kerry/Twitter
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a three-day visit and will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday with an aim to step up engagement in areas of security, counter-terrorism and trade.
Later in the evening, Sisi is expected to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry who has extended his stay in New Delhi.
Kerry, whose official engagement ended here yesterday and was scheduled to return to Washington, is likely to leave for Hangzhou in China for the G-20 summit beginning Sunday.
Sisi is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, top officials and business leaders.
He will hold wide-ranging talks with Modi tomorrow and both sides are set to sign a number of MoUs thereafter.
India and Egypt have a strong economic relationship. India is the sixth largest trading partner of Egypt -- the second largest export destination. India's imports from Egypt were worth USD 1.74 billion during 2014-15.
Indian businessmen have invested nearly USD 3 billion in about 50 companies in Egypt and have given employment opportunities to around 35,000 Egyptians.
IMAGE: Sisi is expected to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry who has extended his stay in New Delhi. Photograph: Vikas warup/Twitter
IMAGE: US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto shake hands at a press conference at the Los Pinos residence in Mexico City on Wednesday. Photograph: Henry Romero/Reuters
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has defended the right of the US to build a wall along its southern border during his visit to Mexico, but stirred controversy after his claim of not having discussed who would pay for it was disputed by the Mexican President.
"We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date. This was a very preliminary meeting," Trump told reporters at a joint news conference with President Nieto after the meeting between the two leaders on Wednesday.
The Mexican president did not respond at that point, but later tweeted, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
Building a massive wall along the US border with Mexico and forcing the neighbouring country to pay for it has been a frequent promise during Trump's divisive election campaign.
The 70-year-old real estate baron argued that having a secure border is a sovereign right and is mutually beneficial for both countries.
"We recognise and respect the right of either country to build a physical barrier or wall on any of its borders to stop the illegal movement of people, drugs and weapons. Cooperation toward achieving the shared objective to both the United States and to Mexico," he said.
Pena Nieto, who in the past has compared Trump to Adolf Hitler, said Mexicans had been hurt by some of the Republican's comments but said he believed he now genuinely wanted to build relations.
"That there has been a misinterpretation or assertions that regrettably had hurt and has affected Mexicans and it's perception of his candidacy of which I am fully respectful," Pena Nieto said.
"Mexican people have felt hurt by the comments that have been made. But I am sure that his genuine interest is to build a relationship that will give both of our society's better welfare," he said.
IMAGE: 'STOP TRUMP' reads one demonstrator's placard; protesters demanded that Trump return to the US. Photograph: Tomas Bravo/Reuters
Trump has said the wall could cost USD 8 billion to USD 12 billion, be made of precast concrete, and rise 35 to 40 feet, or 50 feet, or higher.
He has said the wall doesn't need to run the nearly 2,000 miles of the border, but half of that because of natural barriers.
The US-Mexico border stretches nearly 2,000 miles, more than half of it along the Colorado River and Rio Grande. As of May 2015, there was about 650 miles of vehicle and pedestrian fencing, according to a 2016 report from the US Government Accountability Office.
Trump said illegal immigration and drugs were major problems faced by both countries, which they would work towards solving together. He described illegal immigration as "a humanitarian disaster".
The billionaire from New York said during the meeting he shared his strong view that the North American Free Trade Agreement has been of far greater benefit to Mexico than to the United States. It must be improved upon to make sure that workers in both countries benefit from fair and reciprocal trade.
He also talked about the need to dismantle drug cartels and ending the movement of drugs, weapons, and funds across the border.
In his remarks, Pena Nieto said he has a clear vision with regard to border issues.
"The border must transform itself in an asset for our region. We have great advances in the last few years, working very closely with the Obama administration. And with the next administration, we must accelerate these efforts so that the Mexican/United States border is more efficient and safe," he said.
"Illegal weapons, drugs, and cash flows in both directions, have multiple negative consequences on both sides of the border. Our border must be seen as a joint opportunity. Both countries must invest more -- more infrastructure, more people, and more technology to make it more -- safer, and more efficient," Pena Nieto added.
The Mexican president agreed with Trump that every country had a natural right to protect its own borders.
"I also believe that a real collaboration effort between friends and allied is the best route to obtain this. All the while, I express this to Trump to make a better border with Mexico, and all the friends from Central America," he said.
IMAGE: Protesters rally in front of the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles to protest US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's visit to Mexico. Photograph: Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters
Trumps presence in Mexico City sparked anger and protests. Former Mexican President President Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nietos hospitality, he was not welcome.
We dont like him. We dont want him. We reject his visit, Fox told CNN, calling the visit a political stunt.
Meanwhile, sticking to his harsh immigration rhetoric, Donald Trump vowed no amnesty for millions of undocumented migrants living in the US and warned that those living in the country illegally would be deported if he becomes president.
Delivering his eagerly awaited immigration policy, hours after meeting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City, Trump, articulated a strong and tough immigration policy, which is quite opposite to that of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, which is based on compassion and providing a pathway to nearly 11 million illegal immigrants.
Constructing a strong wall along its southern border, immediate deportation of criminal aliens, no amnesty for undocumented immigrants, extreme vetting along with ideological certifications for those seeking into the country and a merit-based legal entry system were some of the key parts of the 10-point immigration policy announced by Trump.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," Trump said in the highly anticipated speech in Phoenix in Arizona.
He said any person living in the country illegally who is arrested for any crime whatsoever will immediately be placed into deportation proceedings.
"We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. There will be no amnesty. Our message to the world will be this: you cannot obtain legal status, or become a citizen of the United States, by illegally entering our country. This declaration alone will help stop the crisis of illegal crossings and illegal overstays," Trump said.
IMAGE: Activists protested Trump's visit to Mexico and demanded equal rights for illegal immigrants in the US. Photograph: Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters
Asserting that he will reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers, Trump said the "time has come for a new immigration commission to develop a new set of reforms to our legal immigration system in order to achieve the goals to keep immigration levels, measured by population share, within historical norms."
"The goal would be to select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in US society, and their ability to be financially self-sufficient," he said.
"We need a system that serves our needs -- remember, its America First, to choose immigrants based on merit, skill and proficiency and to establish new immigration controls to boost wages and to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first.
"We want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally and properly-vetted, and in a manner that serves the national interest," he said.
Trump again vowed that Mexico would pay for construction of a "great border wall" between the two countries. He spoke hours after the Mexican President told him in a face-to-face meeting in Mexico City that Mexico would not pay for it.
"On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border. We will use the best technology, including above-and below-ground sensors, towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall, find and dislocate tunnels, and keep out the criminal cartels, and Mexico will pay for the wall," he said.
Noting that there are at least two million "criminal aliens" inside the country, Trump said his administration will begin moving them out day one.
"Beyond the 2 million, there are a vast number of additional criminal illegal immigrants who have fled or evaded justice. But their days on the run will soon be over. They go out, and they go out fast," he said.
Promising to end the Sanctuary Cities, Trump said he will immediately terminate Obama's two illegal executive amnesties, in which he defied federal law and the constitution to give amnesty to approximately five million illegal immigrants.
IMAGE: Demonstrators hold placards during a protest against Trump's visit, at the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City. Photograph: Tomas Bravo/Reuters
Trump said if elected, he would ask the Department of State, Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to begin a comprehensive review of these cases in order to develop a list of regions and countries from which immigration must be suspended until proven and effective vetting mechanisms can be put into place.
"Countries from which immigration will be suspended would include places like Syria and Libya. For the price of resettling 1 refugee in the United States, 12 could be resettled in a safe zone in their home region," he said.
"Another reform involves new screening tests for all applicants that include an ideological certification to make sure that those we are admitting to our country share our values and love our people," Trump said, adding that applicants will be asked for their views about honour killings, about respect for women and gays and minorities, attitudes on radical Islam, and many other topics as part of the vetting procedure.
He said that his administration, will ensure to complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system land, air, and sea ports.
"We will ensure that E-Verify is used to the fullest extent possible under existing law, and will work with Congress to strengthen and expand its use across the country," he said.
"For those who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and only one route: to return home and apply for re-entry under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined above.
"Those who have left to seek entry under this new system will not be awarded surplus visas, but will have to enter under the immigration caps or limits that will be established," Trump said.
VENTURA A Ventura man authorities say intentionally ran over and killed a Canada goose with his pickup last month has been fined.
Frank Randy Rayhons, 60, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor charges of restrictions on taking game and abandonment of a dead or injured animal.
Rayhons hit and killed a goose with his pickup about 4 p.m. Aug. 11 on Park Drive south of Marflow Street, according to court documents.
He was fined $150 and ordered to pay the state another $50 in damages for the death of the goose.
Iowa Conservation Officer Ben Bergman said it is not against the law to accidentally hit an animal with a vehicle on a roadway, but motorists who run down animals on purpose face prosecution.
If you strike a rabbit or squirrel or even a bird with unintentional means that is what it is. Its unintentional, said Bergman, who is based in Clear Lake. Theres a difference between an intentional act and an unintentional act.
A message left on Rayhons home voicemail was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon.
Clear Lake police assisted with the investigation.
All India Students Federation, of which sedition accused Kanhaiya Kumar is a member, is not contesting Jawaharlal Nehru University student Union polls this year for which the final list of candidates was declared in New Delhi on Thursday.
Last year, AISF had for the first time independently contested elections and opened its account in the union polls with Kanhaiya, who was elected for the president's post.
During his tenure as JNUSU President, Kanhaiya became centre of a major controversy when he along with two other students was arrested in a sedition case over an event on campus during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
This year, AISF which is the student wing of the Communist Party of India has decided to offer internal support to the alliance of All India Student Association and Student Federation of India.
This is for the first time that AISA, the student wing of Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist and SFI have formed an alliance for JNU polls which has been named as "Left Unity".
Students Front for Swaraj, the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party's breakaway group Swaraj Abhiyan, has also fielded its candidates for the four crucial central panel posts in JNU for the first time.
The polling will be held on September 9 and the counting of votes will begin on the same night. The Presidential debate will be held on September 7.
"The nomination and withdrawal process has concluded. After the scrutiny 18 nominations were found valid for the Central Panel. While five candidates are in fray for the post of President, nominations of four students have been accepted for the vice president post," Ishita Mana, newly appointed CEC for JNUSU polls said.
"There are four and five candidates in race for the post of General Secretary and Joint Secretary. A total of 75 nominations were received for the central panel while 120 students had filed nominations for the post of councillors," she added.
JNUSU is the representative body of the students in the varsity. The polling is scheduled on September 11, same as that for the Delhi University Students Union. The poll pattern at JNU, however, differs from that of DelhiUniversity.
Besides the routine campaigning, the candidates in JNU are also supposed to make speeches about their agenda followed by a round of questions at the "Presidential debate". The night-long event which is conducted in the style of US Presidential debate is a sought after affair and also a deciding factor for the union elections.
Last year, AISF had opened its account in the JNUSU polls winning the president's post, while RSS' student wing ABVP has bagged one of four central panel slots after a gap of 14 years.
Other parties who have fielded their candidates in the JNU polls this year include ABVP, Congress affiliated National Students Union of India, Democratic Students Federation and Birsa Ambdekar Phule Students Association.
Here is Rediff.com's selection of some interesting stories from Wednesday that you may not have read in the morning newspaper.
* The Prime Ministers Office has been directed by the Central Information Commission to respond to RTI applicant Kanhaiya Lal from Jhalawar district of Rajasthan who sought to know when will Rs 15 lakh, as promised by Narendra Modi during the 2014 general elections, be deposited in his account.
* Goa government is mulling over not permitting the crowd-pulling dance music festivals in the state between December 15 and January 15 which is the peak tourist season, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar has stated. The state police had earlier objected to these events pointing out that they create pressure on the law and order machinery.
* In a curious U-turn, the Union ministry of water resources has said its minister Uma Bharti's Lok Sabha statement that gangetic dolphins were getting blind because of pollution is "factually correct". It said it has launched an inquiry to ascertain as to how this "factual information" was not included in the ministry's response to an RTI query.
* Taking forward India's concern for the Baloch people, the Union cabinet has decided to broadcast a news bulletin in the Baloch language, particularly for the people living in Balochistan province of Pakistan and other areas. The move comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged concerns about the condition of people in Balochistan in Pakistan.
* Tea and snacks like samosa and gulab jamun offered to guests by ministers have cost the Uttar Pradesh state exchequer nearly Rs 9 crore during four years of Akhilesh Yadav government. To be precise, Rs 8,78,12,474 was splurged over snacks during between March 15, 2012 when the Akhilesh Yadav government took oath, and March 15, 2016, when it completed four years.
* Scientists in Russia have detected a radio signal, possibly transmitted by a star system 94 light-years away, sparking speculation that this may be an attempt by intelligent extraterrestrial life to contact our solar system.
* What is the last thing you would expect one to do with a Lamborghini Huracan, which costs a whopping Rs 5.5 crore? Bang it somewhere. Well, that's exactly what BJP MLA from Mira-Bhayander, Narendra Mehta's wife Suman did.
* The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century landed in the central city of Santa Clara, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War.
* Mumbai Traffic Constable Vilas Shinde (50) who was allegedly attacked with a wooden plank by a juvenile after he asked the latter for vehicle documents at a petrol pump last week, passed away at a hospital.
A classified 60-year-old Japanese government document on Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses death made public on Thursday clearly concludes that the legendary freedom fighter died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, backing the official version.
Bosefiles.info, a United Kingdom website set up to document evidence on the circumstances surrounding Netajis death, on Thursday said this is the first time the report titled Investigation on the cause of death and other matters of the late Subhas Chandra Bose has been made public because it remained classified by Japanese authorities and was kept a secret by the Indian government.
What the report reveals -- On August 18, 1945, Netajis plane crashed immediately after take-off. He was injured in the accident. -- He was taken to the Nanmon Branch of TaipeiArmyHospital at about 3 pm; and at about 7 pm he died. -- Until about 7 pm he kept clear consciousness, and had talks with Adjutant Rahmin (Colonel Habibur Rehman), but suddenly his consciousness was lost, and his heart ceased to move. In spite of several injections of heart stimulant and artificial aspiration (respiration), he could not revive. -- The report also includes four sketches: of the airport and where the plane crashed; of the plane and where each passenger sat, including Bose; of the hospital and the room where Bose was treated; and a more detailed one of the same room and the bed in which Bose breathed his last..
The report was completed in January 1956 and submitted to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but since it was a classified document, neither side released it, the website says.
The seven-page report in Japanese -- and a 10-page translation in English -- reaches the conclusion that Netaji met with an air crash on 18 August, 1945 and died at a Taipei hospital the same evening.
Immediately after taking off, the airplane in which he (Bose) rode fell to the ground, and he was wounded, the report notes in its Outline of the result of the investigation.
It further records that at about 3 pm he entered the Nanmon Branch of TaipeiArmyHospital; and that at about 7 pm he died.
The findings also state that on August 22, he was cremated (at the Taipei Municipal crematorium).
In a more detailed description of the incident, the report says: After the plane had taken off and risen about 20 metres above the ground, one petal of the three-petaled propeller of the left wing was suddenly broken, and the engine fell off.
The airplane, subsequently unbalanced, crashed into ballast piles, beside the strip of the airport and was wrapped in flames in a moment. Mr Bose, wrapped up in flames, got off the plane; Adjutant Rahmin (Colonel Habibur Rehman) and other passengers exerted themselves to take his clothes off... his whole body was seriously wounded by burns, the report says.
The Japanese government report on the death of Netaji, who was 48 years old then, backs the Shah Nawaz Khan-led inquiry instituted by the then Indian prime minister Jawaharal Nehru, which had investigated the matter later in 1956, according to a press release issued by the website.
The report provides salient features relating to his condition and the treatment administered to him at the hospital.
It then reads: Until about 7 pm he kept clear consciousness, and had talks with Adjutant Rahmin, but suddenly his consciousness was lost, and his heart ceased to move. In spite of several injections of heart stimulant and artificial aspiration (respiration), he could not revive.
The document adds: By his side were Military-Surgeon (Toyoshi) Tsuruta, Colonel Rahmin, Interpreter Nakamura and a gendarme (as a guard) at the moment of his death.
The report also includes four sketches: of the airport and where the plane crashed; of the plane and where each passenger sat, including Bose; of the hospital and the room where Bose was treated; and a more detailed one of the same room and the bed in which Bose breathed his last.
The investigation obtained evidence from 13 Japanese officials who, the report asserts, were considered to have had some relations with the matter". These included survivors of and eye-witnesses to the crash besides two doctors who treated Netaji at the hospital.
Ashis Ray, creator of bosefiles.info, said: This is yet another decisive breakthrough. There is now no reason why the government of India should not accede to Boses daughter Anita Pfaffs request to transfer her fathers ashes from Tokyo to India.
An unimpeachable authority like the Japanese government has independently corroborated and vindicated bosefiles.infos previous chronicling of events.
I am reliably informed Japan's diplomatic archive plans to release the document at the end of September. A copy of the document has been given to the Indian government. The fact is the Indian embassy in Tokyo and the ministry of external affairs in Delhi had misplaced the copy given to it in 1956, Ray said.
Lakhs of nurses in government hospitals and radiologists across the country will go on an indefinite strike from Friday, at a time when Delhi and several other cities are grappling with rising cases of dengue and chikungunya.
The nurses want redressal of issues related to pay and allowances, whereas the radiologists announced the strike after failing to reach a resolution with the Centre on Thursday over outstanding issues.
We are not happy with the response of the government and so we will go ahead with our proposed strike from tomorrow (Friday). But, we will attend to emergency and critical cases, spokesperson of All India Government Nurses Federation Liladhar Ramchandani said on Thursday.
Ramchandani said, We nurses have deferred the strike twice and recently for one month after proposing it on August 2.
But, if the ministry of health betrays us, we have no other option, he claimed.
The Indian Radiological & Imaging Association had on August 31 given a call for a nationwide indefinite strike from September 1. But after a meeting with the government officials yesterday, the IRIA had decided on a rethink.
The government assured to look into our demands in two-three months time but no firm commitment, so we have decided to continue with our strike indefinitely, IRIA president O P Bansal said.
The apex body of radiologists has been demanding to amend a legislation that equates even minor clerical mistakes committed during their jobs to sex determination.
We held our protest at the Jantar Mantar and when we got the communication from the government, we decided that it was not satisfactory, and so the stir would be indefinite now, and radiologists across the country will observe it," he said.
The IRIA chief, however said, radiologist will perform CT-MRI scan and deal with emergency cases of only indoor patients.
The apex body of radiologists has alleged certain provisions of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act are draconian and these need to be amended.
The strike will severely affect radiology services like ultrasonography and other scan procedures.
Upset with the removal of Subhash Velingkar as Goa RSS chief, over 300 Sangh workers have annouced that they will quit the organisation and vowed to "defeat" the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly polls next year if he is not reinstated.
The RSS on Wednesday removed Velingkar who had crossed swords with BJP government over the issue of medium of instruction (MOI) in schools with members of his outfit BBSM even showing black flags to party chief Amit Shah recently.
The Sangh said he was trying to engage into "political activity" which is contrary to its tradition.
"We want that either Velingkar should be reinstated or we (over 300 volunteers) all should be relieved along with him. Since the Sangh has not reinstated him (Velingkar) during the entire day, we have decided to tender resignations," Sangh member Pravin Nesvankar told media persons late Wednesday night in Panaji.
A large number of RSS workers from the state last night held an 'emergency' meeting for over three hours at Bambolim near here in the backdrop of Velingkar's removal.
Velingkar, the convener of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) which is fighting for withdrawal of grants to English medium schools and for the cause of promoting regional languages as MOI in the coastal state, has been at loggerheads with the saffron party as well as Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
"RSS workers will now work for a new political front that will contest the Goa assembly polls," said Nesvankar in the presence of members like Ratnakar Lele and Krishnaraj Sukerkar.
"We will defeat the BJP in the upcoming elections," Nesvankar added.
Sangh's South District head Ramdas Saraf said the volunteers will not work for RSS until the decision to relieve Velingkar is withdrawn.
Representative Photograph: Reuters
A day after being booted out by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from the post of Goa unit chief, Subhash Velingkar asserts that the Bharatiya Janata Party will pay dearly for his ouster.
Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com reports.
Subhash Velingkar, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh strongman in Goa, has held Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari responsible for his sacking as the chief of the Goa unit of the right-wing outfit.
In a sort of first-of-its-kind-revolt in the 91-year-old RSS, 400 office bearers resigned from their posts demanding that Velingkar be immediately reinstated for them to return to the Sangh family.
Speaking with Rediff.com over the telephone, Velingkar said he will not call his removal as 'sacking' but instead "I have been relieved from the RSS."
"Nitin Gadkari has played backdoor politics and effected my ouster from the RSS," Velingkar said, without commenting on why he thought so or that he had any proof of the same.
Velingkar's Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch has been agitating against the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa -- earlier led by Manohar Parrikar (Defence Minister) and now by Laxmikant Parsekar -- over the issue of government grants to English medium schools and for allowing Konkani and Marathi as the medium of instruction for primary sections.
Velingkar wanted to know why the RSS did not relieve him in 2011-12 agitation over the same issue.
"I should have been relieved then. But they did not because the BBSM agitation was helping the BJP's bid to wrest power from the Congress."
Reacting to RSS Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya's statement that RSS workers are not allowed to indulge in active politics, Velingkar said, "If that is the case then why are so many Union ministers still active RSS workers?"
He expressed his unhappiness at the way he was bundled out of the RSS.
"Before taking such a step the RSS should have discussed the issue on the ground with its office bearers in Goa. But this was not done," Velingkar said, adding, "RSS Konkan prant Sanghachalak Satish Modh told me that I was relieved as the Goa RSS chief."
Talking about the formation of a political party for the espousal of BBSM's cause, Velingkar said, "I was sacked only on hearsay. Did I ever say that I was going to form a political party and fight elections?"
But now Velingkar's BBSM is all set to launch a political party, either independently or in alliance with the Maharashtra Gomantak Party.
"We share common views about grant of government funds to English schools and establishing Marathi and Konkani as languages of instruction. We have asked them to snap ties with the BJP. If they do not we will fight the elections on our own steam," he said.
Elaborating, he added, "We have already listed candidates in 35 constituencies (Goa assembly has 40 seats) and at the last moment we will shortlist them."
"I will never quit the RSS," Velingkar said.
"We will form an independent unit of the RSS in Goa -- the process for which has already started. But we will continue to fight against the BJP for our demands," he claimed.
"Parrikar has cheated the voters of Goa. To oust the Congress government the BJP promised the voters that they will stop giving grants to English schools and make Marathi and Konkani as languages of instruction in school. But after coming to power he forgot about the promise."
Reacting to waving of black flags at BJP president Amit Shah's cavalcade in Goa, Velinkar shot back, "I am a citizen of India even as I am a member of the RSS. As a citizen of a democratic country it is my right to agitate in a peaceful way. The flag was waved not to show our opposition to Shah but to bring to his notice the dirty politics played by Parrikar."
Velingkar asserted that the BJP will pay dearly for his ouster.
"The BJP will not come to power again if it fails to fulfill its election promise."
Video Grab: Youtube
An explosion rocked a SpaceX launch site on Thursday during a routine rocket test.
SpaceX was conducting a test firing of its unmanned rocket when the blast occurred shortly after 9 am, according to NASA.
The test was in advance of a planned Saturday launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, which is next to NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Buildings several miles away shook from the blast, and multiple explosions continued for several minutes. Dark smoke filled the overcast sky. A half-hour later, a black cloud hung low across the eastern horizon.
Additional details were not immediately available. There was no immediate word on any injuries; the launch pad usually is cleared before a test firing of a SpaceX Falcon rocket.
SpaceX spokesman, John Taylor, said he could not comment as he worked to gather information.
NASA -- SpaceX's major customer -- said the explosion occurred at Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force station, and Kennedy emergency staff was on standby. At the same time, personnel were monitoring the air for any toxic fumes.
The rocket was supposed to hoist an Israeli communications satellite this weekend.
The initial blast sounded like lightning, but was followed by the sounds of more explosions. SpaceX is one of two companies shipping supplies to the space station for NASA.
It's also working on a crew capsule to ferry station US astronauts; that first flight was supposed to come as early as next year.
Two NASA astronauts were conducting a spacewalk 250 miles up, outside the International Space Station, when the explosion occurred. Mission Control did not immediately advise them of the accident.
The explosion is a setback for SpaceX.
The California-based company, led by billionaire Elon Musk, had been ramping up with frequent launches to make up for a backlog created by a launch accident in June 2015.
SpaceX was leasing the pad from the Air Force for its Falcon launches.
The company is also redoing a former shuttle pad at Kennedy for future manned flights for NASA.
Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passed away in Mumbai on Thursday following a prolonged illness. He was 77.
Rao, who had been diagnosed with cancer in 2014, breathed his last this afternoon while he was being taken to NanavatiHospital for a physiotherapy session.
Rao was heading several major trade unions in the city, including the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport union, which runs public transport buses in Mumbai, and Mumbai Autorickshawsmen's Union, which represents majority of auto rickshaw drivers in Mumbai.
He is survived by his wife Shanta, son Shashank and daughter Shilpa.
"He had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2014, following which he underwent a surgery and his oesophagus was extracted. Since then, a tube had been inserted in his stomach and he was kept on a liquid diet," Rao's son Shashank told PTI.
"He had been undergoing regular physiotherapy sessions since then. Today, while he was being taken to NanavatiHospital for a physiotherapy session, his condition turned serious on the way. We immediately admitted him to the casualty ward of that hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival," he added.
Rao had taken over the control of trade unions run by veteran socialist leader George Fernandes after the latter moved to national politics.
"George Fernandes spotted the leadership quality of Sharad Rao and on his request he left his job in Hindustan Lever and joined Mumbai labour union as a secretary," A L Quadros, general secretary of Mumbai Taximen's Union, said in his condolence message.
Expressing grief over Rao's demise, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said people from both organised and unorganised sectors have lost a leader, who stood up for their cause without any fear.
"He had a huge impact over the working class. Be it BMC employees, BEST workers, autorickshaw and taxi drivers. He stood up for all when they needed him till his last breath. He will be remembered by all," he said.
Rao's body will be kept in NanavatiHospital till Saturday, after which it will be taken to his residence in the city for family members and associates to pay their last respects.
The last rites will take place the same day.
IMAGE: Rao was a trusted hand of veteran socialist leader George Fernandes and led the BEST union in Mumbai. Photograph: Arun Patil
MASON CITY Ottos Oasis will give 580 roses to Mason City teachers Thursday morning.
We want these teachers to know that theyre appreciated, manager Cheryl Lewis said. Its a little pick-me-up.
Janet Miller, Sue Frelund and Lewis individually wrapped each rose with a water tube Wednesday afternoon.
Sometimes teachers dont get the praise they deserve, Lewis said.
Teachers, staff and administration from Mason City School District and Newman Catholic School all will receive roses.
Everyone who works in the building will get one, Frelund said.
Each rose will be accompanied by a handwritten note.
As a new school year begins we want you to know that we appreciate your dedication to student education. Have a great year!, the notes read.
The shop wanted to take the roses in on the first day all schools would be in session.
They do so much beyond whats normally expected of them and deserve our thanks, Frelund said. The more we talked about it, the more we realized we need to do this.
MASON CITY There will be two contested supervisor races in Cerro Gordo County in November.
The filing deadline was Wednesday, and no surprises turned up. The previously announced candidates were the only ones who filed.
In District 1, Democrat Jay Urdahl of Mason City is seeking his eighth term. He will be opposed by Republican Tim Latham, a Mason City businessman. His previous try for public office was in 2011 when he ran for a Mason City Council seat and lost to John Lee.
In District 3, Democrat Phil Dougherty is running for a fifth term. His opponent is Republican Chris Watts, a Mason City sales representative who is making his third attempt to unseat Dougherty.
Sheriff Kevin Pals and Auditor Ken Kline, both Republicans, are running unopposed.
The election is Nov. 8.
Disclaimer
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
66th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme, Geneva, 21-24 June 2016 . Agenda item 2: International Protection. Statement by Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner (Protection)
Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Author Volker Turk Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 66th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner's Programme, Geneva, 21-24 June 2016 . Agenda item 2: International Protection. Statement by Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner (Protection), 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c823314.html [accessed 29 October 2022]
Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to introduce the protection item of the June Standing Committee. To inform the debate, we have made available online the annual Note on International Protection, as well as conference room papers on specific aspects of protection, including the Update on Resettlement, Refugee Status Determination, Update on Voluntary Repatriation, Youth, Gender Equality, and Solutions, which my colleagues will be introducing during the session.
I would like to mention a couple of highlights, in terms of both progress and challenges we have been facing in protection, and to offer some thoughts on a way forward, particularly through more equitable and predictable responsibility sharing for refugees.
The world today is in turmoil, nowhere more evident than in the magnitude and complexity of the refugee and displacement situations that surround us. Displacement has become a defining characteristic of human mobility, with the protection of people ever more important as a result. Multiplying and intensifying conflicts around the world - some lasting for decades as in Somalia and Afghanistan - force people to flee their homes often multiple times. The vast majority are internally displaced within their own countries. A smaller number cross borders to become refugees in host States often ill equipped to receive them. Some even move onward in search of safety or to try to join family members, taking life-threatening journeys across deserts and seas at the hands of smugglers and traffickers. More than one million crossed the Mediterranean in 2015, most of whom came from refugee-producing countries, such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Thousands of refugees likewise moved across the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the Straits of Malacca, and the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. Moreover, part of the complex picture is also environmental degradation and food insecurity, worsened by ration cuts, notably in Africa, which further drive displacement. For example, tens of thousands of South Sudanese have fled not only the conflict, but also pervasive hunger.
Our Global Trends report for 2015 confronts us with the sobering, but unsurprising reality of a record 65.3 million persons displaced as of the end of last year. This includes 3.2 million asylum-seekers, 21.3 million refugees (more than half of whom are from Syria, Afghanistan, or Somalia), and 40.8 million internally displaced persons, mostly in Colombia, Syria, Iraq, or Yemen, but also in the Lake Chad Basin and South Sudan. In addition, an estimated 10 million individuals are stateless. Turkey continues to host the largest refugee population at over 2.5 million, while Lebanon hosts the largest number relative to the size of its population. More asylum claims were lodged last year than ever before, with Germany receiving the highest number, primarily of people fleeing via the Mediterranean, and the United States of America receiving the second highest, mostly from individuals fleeing violence in Central America. A decade ago, we reported that six people were displaced every minute. Now that number has grown to 24 per minute. With the number of displaced people outpacing the population sizes of some medium-sized countries, it has become clear that prevention of conflict and the search for solutions to existing ones need to be further reinvigorated.
Against this sobering background, it is clear that the institution of asylum needs more than ever to be respected, preserved, and reinforced. Yet a number of countries have taken measures to close their doors, restrict protection space, and even prevent people from reaching safety. We have seen this with the institution of barriers to entry, including transfer arrangements involving asylum-seekers and refugees, quotas on the number admitted to asylum procedures, unwarranted detention of asylum-seekers, confiscation of assets, increased visa requirements, and interdiction practices. Such restrictions have at times had the effect of driving refugee movements underground with smugglers, or simply diverting them. The quality of asylum is not without its challenges either, as a number of national asylum systems have yet to achieve fair and efficient procedures, and restrictions on movement and access to employment limit possibilities for refugees to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to their host communities.
Some have wrongly attributed these developments to perceived shortcomings in the 1951 Convention. Yet failures to abide by the commitments envisaged in the Convention are not failures of the Convention itself, but of political will. In some quarters, we have witnessed a governance gap driven by emotions, rhetoric, and polarized public debates. The Convention is as relevant now as it was at its inception when it was crafted in response to numbers commensurate with what we are experiencing today. It is an enduring instrument that has saved millions of lives over the past 65 years and is complemented by regional instruments and customary law. Departures from the principles enshrined in the international refugee protection regime only lead to less effective management of large-scale influxes of refugees and to creating tensions between States.
Alongside the international refugee protection regime, we also need complementary initiatives to improve international migration governance. This is crucial to ensure that individuals who may not meet the refugee definition receive an appropriate response respecting their human rights and dignity. Open channels for safe and regular migration, human rights protection for all people on the move, and responses to new forms of displacement caused or compounded by environmental change are all needed, particularly for the most vulnerable migrants. Refugees and migrants are in different situations when it comes to their legal status and international protection needs. Yet, when they are crowded into flimsy boats or are traveling side-by-side through deserts, many of their immediate needs are the same. They face detention, sleeping rough, poor reception conditions, and xenophobia. Beyond issues of status, then, UNHCR can bring its operational and protection experience to this discussion.
Effective protection requires a welcoming and supportive environment. Last year, I reported that although there were countless examples of generosity demonstrated by many sectors of civil society, growing hostility towards refugees in some instances had begun to compromise asylum space. The situation this year has unfortunately only worsened, as populist politics have exacerbated the problem, heightened climates of fear, and fuelled acts of violence and prejudice towards refugees and asylum-seekers. Many refugees flee discrimination, intolerance, and xenophobia in their home countries only to face the same treatment in their host countries. Countering this rhetoric requires concerted efforts of the political leadership to ensure sound policies based upon reason and accurate information, which are developed with a view towards fostering stability, safety, and social cohesion.
Restrictions on asylum space have intensified in the name of security concerns in the aftermath of serious security incidents in several regions around the world. We have learned from long experience that to be effective, security and protection need to go hand-in-hand. Otherwise, legitimate security concerns may be expressed in punitive and restrictive border management policies, which can frustrate access to protection for those who need it most. We must not forget that refugees are often themselves fleeing acts of terror and violence. The 1951 Convention has specific provisions to ensure that persons who have committed such acts would not benefit from refugee protection. To assist governments in developing strengthened mechanisms on the legal and policy front, UNHCR issued at the end of 2015 an updated Note on Addressing Security Concerns without Undermining Refugee Protection. Initiatives in human rights, socio-economic development, and peace-building can also help to counter the forces that lead some individuals towards the path of violent extremism. Education, youth, and community-based protection projects for individuals who have been marginalized can provide meaningful alternatives. Access to resources and services, and realistic prospects for the enjoyment of rights, from education, to health care, vocational training, and work, are key.
The challenges in achieving refugee protection in the current environment will persist, and we have seen that individual ad hoc responses are simply not enough. The need for more equitable sharing of responsibilities is deeply evident in a world where 90 per cent of all refugees are hosted in developing regions in close proximity to conflict areas, which thus disproportionately bear the impact of forced displacement. Although there are many examples we can cite today where responsibility sharing is already happening in various forms, we have no predictable means to achieve this. It is a perennial gap that we can, however, close if we approach these issues collectively and dynamically.
As the scale of forced displacement today has seized international attention, questions about the meaning of responsibility sharing and how best to support host countries facing large-scale movements of refugees have come to the fore. This prompted the United Nations Secretary- General, in his report, In Safety and Dignity: addressing large movements of refugees and migrants, to call for global commitments to uphold safety and dignity in large movements of refugees and migrants through a Global Compact on Responsibility-sharing for Refugees, as well as a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. On 19 September, Member States will have an opportunity to make this call to action a reality at the General Assembly High-level plenary meeting on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants. I recently had the privilege of accompanying the Secretary-General on his visit to Greece, where the need for responsibility sharing is so salient, and witnessed how strongly the Secretary-General feels about this, as he drove home the urgency and necessity of a Global Compact in all his conversations.
As we move towards the General Assembly meeting in September, it is opportune to offer a few reflections on what responsibility sharing for refugees could entail, which, not least in light of the Secretary-General's call, we have chosen as the theme of this year's Note on International Protection.
The concept of responsibility sharing is not new. The international refugee regime recognized, from its outset, the importance of collaboration amongst States to resolve refugee situations. Building on the fundaments of the Charter of the United Nations, this was spelled out in the Preamble to the 1951 Refugee Convention. It has since been confirmed in a number of UN General Assembly resolutions and regional instruments, as well as affirmed in several Conclusions of this Executive Committee.
However, the modalities for the practical implementation of responsibility sharing were never specified, and we have had to find a way to respond to each refugee situation anew. The international community has time and again demonstrated its readiness to work together in addressing large-scale movements of refugees through various arrangements, often led by UNHCR in cooperation with States and partners - from the resettlement of Hungarian refugees from 1956-58, to the International Conferences on Assistance to Refugees in Africa I and II, the Comprehensive Plan of Action to respond to the Indochinese crisis, and the International Conference on Central American Refugees. More recently, international cooperation was mobilized in the Global Consultations, the Agenda for Protection, the 2007 Iraq Conference, and the Refugee and Resilience Response Plans for the Syria and South Sudanese situations. In this context, looking ahead and completing the picture, let me also mention the Agenda for the Protection of Cross-Border Displaced Persons in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change, which was endorsed by 110 countries at the Nansen Initiative Global Consultation last October, and of course the adoption of the Climate Change Agreement in Paris at COP 21, which recognized the displacement angle and created a task force.
Regionally, we have welcomed the 2014 Brazil Declaration and Plan of Action and the 2015 49th MERCOSUR Summit. In March this year, the Bali Process countries, for the first time in a Ministerial Declaration, agreed to a comprehensive regional approach to managing mixed migration through search and rescue at sea, predictable disembarkation, temporary protection, and regular pathways. This month, the Lake Chad Regional Protection Dialogue in Abuja, Nigeria, involving government and civil society actors from four countries, resulted in an agreed Ministerial Action Statement on regional collaboration for the protection of refugees, internally displaced persons, stateless persons, and other crisis-affected groups. Next month, in San Jose, Costa Rica, a High-Level Roundtable, Call to Action: Protection Needs in the Northern Triangle of Central America, will be convened to establish a systematic response to the protection needs of the growing number of refugees and displaced people from the Northern Triangle of Central America in countries of origin, transit, and asylum.
It is evident that responsibility sharing is a time-honoured principle and tradition. This positions us well to find a way to operationalize the principle more effectively and to make our responses more predictable and equitable. The Global Compact, as it is set out in the Secretary-General's report, charts a way forward for achieving this. It would be a commitment by States to better share responsibility based upon existing legal obligations, standards, and best practices from the past. It would ensure their equitable participation in a comprehensive refugee response, so that the host States most affected would know they could rely upon support. It would also be a vehicle for addressing root causes and proactively planning for solutions, including through linking humanitarian and development planning, and bringing together economic, human rights, diplomatic, and security measures that can reduce the risks that lead to or exacerbate situations of displacement. The normative framework set out in international refugee and human rights law would be central and would ensure that individuals could access and enjoy asylum.
An integral part of a Global Compact, as set out in the Secretary-General's report, would be a call on UNHCR to initiate and develop a comprehensive refugee response whenever there is a large movement of refugees, in which collaboration between States, international organizations, and civil society would be fundamental. A whole of society approach would be necessary to build collective goodwill, empathy, and momentum to secure investments at the political level. UNHCR is committed to building strong coalitions so as to be ready in the event of a large-scale refugee movement in the future. We can also add value with our strong country presence, culture of protection, community-based approach, and well-established relationships. We can offer expertise gained from our years of experience in the field, directly involved in peoples' lives, to develop and inform strategies at global, regional, country team, and local levels.
While each response would be tailored to fit the particular context, they would share key elements focusing on admission, protection, assistance, solutions, and supporting communities hosting refugees. A comprehensive refugee response would include support to ensure appropriate admission and reception arrangements, meet essential needs, and foster self-reliance. This approach would help us, in cooperation with States and partners, to assess risks and impacts, and identify assistance and support needed by host communities at the onset of a large-scale movement. Together we could also put systems in place to respond to protection needs related to legal status, child protection, internal displacement, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). We could consider the strategic use of refugee status determination or temporary protection in mass influx situations, for example, to identify an appropriate means to address issues of status in the immediate-term. While UNHCR is already working with several States on quality assurance initiatives to build the capacity of national RSD systems in the longer-term, in the face of large-scale influxes, we could also strengthen community-based approaches to ensure there are multiple ways for us to identify individuals with protection needs. We could also draw upon our current successes in engaging more predictably in stable, ongoing IDP situations, to find ways to do so from their outset, as well. We could further use lessons learned from our experience in SGBV prevention and response, which saw reporting of incidents increase by 32 per cent last year, accompanied by similar increases in the provision of legal, medical, and psychosocial services.
Also, as more than half of the world's refugees are children, child protection would need to be a significant part of any comprehensive refugee response. Unaccompanied or separated children, primarily from Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, and Somalia, submitted some 98,400 asylum requests last year - the largest number ever recorded. This is a sad testament to the disproportionate effect that displacement has on the lives of children and youth, especially in view of the heightened risks they face during their journeys. With so many affected by displacement and statelessness on every major continent, it is timely that children on the move will be the theme of this year's High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges in December.
A holistic approach to child protection, going beyond the asylum angle, is essential. It needs to be based upon an ethic of care rather than enforcement, placing the child's best interests at the centre. Although we have doubled the number of Best Interests procedures conducted since 2014, we need to complement this with more targeted protection and assistance to girls and boys with specific needs. We further need to better protect children from violence, neglect, abuse, and exploitation, and encourage youth participation in decision-making, to enable them to live, learn, and play safe wherever they live. We can build upon ongoing efforts with States and partners to enhance national child protection and social welfare services, where we have seen improvements to these systems increase by 50 per cent last year. UNHCR is now also an active member of the Advisory Board for End Violence Against Children - a Global Partnership and Fund to prevent violence, protect childhood, and make societies safe for children.
Ensuring access to education continues to be key to a comprehensive response. We have made some progress on our Education Strategy as the numbers of children attending primary and secondary school have increased. However, this has not kept pace with the growing numbers of refugee children globally. Just half of refugee children are in primary school, one-fourth of refugee youth are in secondary school, and there continues to be a gender gap. Without secondary education, youth cannot later access the scholarships and other pathways being offered by universities and the private sector. In view of this, the High Level Steering Group for the Education Cannot Wait fund offers some hope as a partnership among several governments and organizations, including UNHCR, to fund education in emergencies and protracted crises.
A comprehensive response would further include measures to meet essential needs. The growth in cash-based programming is an important development, as it not only makes economic sense and is empowering, but also provides important opportunities for protection interventions and reduces risks of negative coping mechanisms. Fostering self-reliance can also help to meet essential needs, ensuring that refugees can access livelihood opportunities and use their skills and capacities to support themselves and give to their communities. The potential for refugees to contribute economically, socially, and culturally to their host societies is often overlooked. The evidence shows that we must re-orient current perceptions and make a more compelling case that this is entirely possible if the right policies are adopted.
Opportunities for refugees to participate in labour markets and contribute to economic growth need to be encouraged. The World Bank has undertaken studies in the Middle East and Africa, which provide useful insights and pointers for future research and policy advocacy. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has done the same in the industrialized world, demonstrating that early investments in integration can reap benefits over time. The OECD and UNHCR organized a high-level event on integration earlier this year, considering ways to bolster integration in receiving States, and just last week both organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen our cooperation. There are already positive developments emerging from countries hosting some of the largest refugee populations, such as Turkey and Jordan, now granting Syrians the right to work. Providing refugees with education and livelihood opportunities further ensures that they are capacitated to contribute to the prosperity of their home communities, should safe and dignified return become possible. Our cooperation with the OECD and the International Labour Organization (ILO) are important for raising awareness of the necessity for a sea change on this front. Our experience in establishing Core Groups on resettlement could also be a model for establishing similar groups on solutions for particular large-scale refugee situations and considering opportunities for labour mobility and livelihoods within regional arrangements.
This leads me to another element of a comprehensive refugee response - planning and providing for solutions from the outset of a large-scale movement of refugees, which would require a progressive approach that focuses on the gradual achievement of rights from the start. We would be thinking from the beginning, for example, about the conditions necessary for safe and dignified voluntary return. There is much to do in this respect, as last year, only 201,400 refugees were able to return to their home countries. Although this is an increase compared to 126,800 in 2014, the persistent low rate of returns is due to unresolved root causes of displacement that stand in the way of sustainable return. As part of a comprehensive response, we could mobilize support for addressing root causes of displacement that can also prevent sustainable return, through peacebuilding, reconstruction and development, sustainable reintegration, and the rule of law in countries of origin, as well as initiatives to foster dialogue and reconciliation.
For some countries, solutions could mean longer-term residency or even naturalization, particularly for refugees who are already well integrated socially and economically. Last year, although only some 32,000 refugees were able to naturalize in their host countries, we did see some progress upon which we could draw when developing a comprehensive response. Ghana, Togo, Senegal, and Guinea Bissau, for example, are considering pathways to permanent residency or even naturalization within the ECOWAS framework and their own national legislation. The United Republic of Tanzania granted citizenship to 151,019 former Burundian refugees, and some 30,000 additional persons were in the naturalization process at the end of 2015. Last year, Zambia expanded the criteria for the local integration of Angolans and also for some 4,000 Rwandans.
Resolving statelessness within countries of habitual residence or asylum would also help address a root cause and potential consequence of displacement and could be a part of solutions planning within a comprehensive response. The advances made by a number of West African States in implementing the Abidjan Declaration could serve as a model for future initiatives. We are already making headway with the recent accessions to the statelessness conventions by Mali and Sierra Leone, and in the naturalization of stateless persons, notably in Thailand, Cote d'Ivoire, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia. Recent changes in nationality legislation in several countries are helping to prevent childhood statelessness, and we hope to see the same with respect to promoting women's equal right to a nationality.
Finally, solutions planning requires the expansion of complementary pathways for admission, through resettlement, humanitarian admission, family reunification, medical evacuation, student visas and scholarships, or labour mobility schemes. Now is an opportune moment to capitalize upon our advocacy to secure such pathways, benefiting in particular from the Migration Policy Institute and UNHCR co-led roundtable on Additional Pathways for Refugees: Exploring the Potential and Addressing Barriers, and the recent UNHCR High-Level Meeting on Global Responsibility Sharing through Pathways for Admission of Syrian Refugees this year. We have made progress with more than one million refugees submitted for resettlement by UNHCR in the past decade. Some 107,100 refugees representing 65 nationalities were resettled to 30 countries in 2015. This year we expect to submit 143,000 for resettlement, and next year we plan to submit some 170,000. In addition, several countries in Europe and Latin America are developing complementary pathways, including scholarship schemes, skilled migration and labour mobility, and family reunion. Yet, as UNHCR's Projected Global Resettlement Needs for 2017 reports that 1.19 million refugees will be in need of resettlement next year, the global need for places still outstrips those so far made available. In the face of large-scale movements, resettlement and complementary pathways for admission will need to be offered in significantly higher numbers to ensure a more equitable sharing of responsibilities.
For all aspects of a comprehensive refugee response to be realized fully, predictable humanitarian financing will be critical. Systems for securing sufficient and timely funding would be needed not only at the outset of an emergency, but also throughout the displacement process, so as to prevent a worsening of the situation and to facilitate solutions. Resource mobilization of the future will also increasingly include linkages between the development and humanitarian worlds. It will require complementarity in our service delivery as well as embedding services to refugees within national systems.
In conclusion, as we draw upon lessons learned from the present situation to anticipate the needs of the future, the Global Compact, as set out in the Secretary-General's report, holds much promise. A Global Compact will enable us to draw upon our long history of practice and refugee protection principles to better frame our cooperation in response to large-scale movements. Countries hosting large populations of refugees could, as a result, rely more firmly on international cooperation to obtain support; and refugees could be received and hosted in dignity, with opportunities to be active participants and contributors to their communities. With your commitments to such a Global Compact this September, the refugee situations of today do not have to become the crises of tomorrow.
WODEN Betty J. Gerdes, 90, of Woden, died Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at Algona Manor Care Center in Algona.
A memorial service will be held 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, at First Presbyterian Church in Woden with the Rev. Dr. Glenn Wilson officiating.
A gathering of family and friends will be held following the memorial service from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday in the church fellowship hall. Cataldo Funeral Home in Woden is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Operation Christmas Child.
Ban notes developments in Brazil, extends best wishes to new President
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban notes developments in Brazil, extends best wishes to new President, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c82f2b40c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has taken note of the decision by the Brazilian Senate to impeach President Dilma Rousseff and of the subsequent swearing in of acting President Michel Temer as President of Brazil.
According to a statement issued by his spokesperson today, Mr. Ban also extended his best wishes to President Temer as he begins his tenure.
"[The Secretary-General] trusts that under President Temer's leadership, Brazil and the United Nations will continue their traditional close partnership," said the statement.
The UN chief further thanked President Rousseff for her commitment and support to the work of the UN throughout her tenure.
UN-supported 'historic' training to monitor ceasefire between Government and FARC-EP starts in Colombia
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN-supported 'historic' training to monitor ceasefire between Government and FARC-EP starts in Colombia, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c82f4640c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - Following a recent agreement to end more than 50 years of conflict between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP), a seven-day training session on monitoring and verifying their bilateral ceasefire has begun in the country's western city of Popayan, with United Nations support.
Instructors from the Government, FARC-EP and the UN Mission in Colombia are training 80 men and women who will form part of the tripartite verification and monitoring mechanism at national and regional levels, according to a news release from the UN Mission.
The Mission added that the three entities involved described the session as "historic."
"This first training session is an important step towards building a stable and lasting peace," the UN Mission said. "Not only does it mark the beginning of the realization of the agreements reached in Havana but it also marks the full commitment of the parties with a robust and transparent monitoring and verification mechanism to give full guarantees to all Colombians."
Sessions will cover the verification methodology, logistical aspects, security, gender issues and operational procedures for the transitional local zones and points for normalization, where the separation of forces and the laying down of arms is to take place. The sessions also include theoretical and practical aspects of the Final Agreement, especially related to the bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and protocols covering the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism.
In June, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travelled to Havana, where he witnessed the signing of the agreement on the ceasefire and the laying down of arms. He noted that the "peace process validates the perseverance of all those around the world who work to end violent conflict not through the destruction of the adversary, but through the patient search for compromise."
The UN Mission in Colombia's international observers include representatives from eight countries from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC): Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.
UN Secretary-General 'deeply concerned' at reports of violence in wake of Gabon elections
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN Secretary-General 'deeply concerned' at reports of violence in wake of Gabon elections, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c82fba40e.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - Taking note of the official announcement of provisional results of Gabon's presidential election, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed deep concern about reports of arson and clashes between protesters and security forces in the country's capital, Libreville.
According to a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson, the UN chief also called on all concerned actors to refrain from further acts of violence that could undermine peace and stability of the country.
He also calls on the authorities to ensure that the national security forces exercise maximum restraint in their response to protests, the spokesperson said in the statement. He reiterates his call on all political leaders to address their differences peacefully and to address any disputes they may have through existing constitutional and legal channels.
Yesterday, in telephone conversations with the Gabonese leaders vying for the country's presidency, the Secretary-General had voiced his concerns over early calls on the polls results, outside of any official process and had urged them to impress upon their supporters the need to exercise restraint.
The statement today also noted that the UN chief has asked his Special Representative for Central Africa, Abdoulaye Bathily, to accompany Gabon's political stakeholders in their efforts to calm the situation and to peacefully resolve the contentious issues emanating from the electoral process. It added that the Secretary-General will continue to monitor the situation closely.
UN envoy tells Security Council that military escalation in Yemen aiding spread of terrorist groups
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy tells Security Council that military escalation in Yemen aiding spread of terrorist groups, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c82fe740e.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - The United Nations envoy for Yemen told the Security Council today that the military escalation in Yemen will provide opportunities for the spread of terrorist groups, as Al Qaida and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) continue to wreak havoc in many parts of Yemen.
"For example, a suicide attack in Aden killed and injured tens of Yemenis on 29 August. The Yemeni Army's growing ability to confront extremist groups, evidenced by the recent detention of suspected AQAP [Al Qaida in the Arab Peninsula] militants in Zinjibar and Hadramout, is encouraging," the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen, , Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, told the Council.
"However, the absence of the state in many parts of Yemen, in addition to the chaos created by war, will continue to facilitate the expansion of the terrorist groups which represents a real threat to the region," he added.
Yemen has been engulfed in violence for several years now - a confrontation between the country's Houthis (Ansar Allah) and the Government of Yemen in early 2014 led to a Houthi advance on the capital in 2014, and an ensuing conflict which has involved support from outside parties. The United Nations has been heavily involved in efforts to resolve the crisis, and repeatedly said that there is no military solution to the Yemeni crises and has called for a return to peaceful negotiations.
Until they recently went into a break, Kuwait had been hosting peace talks - facilitated by the UN envoy - with the Yemeni sides. The break went into effect in early August.
In reference to these talks, Mr. Cheikh Ahmed said the recent departure from Kuwait without an agreement had betrayed the expectations of millions of Yemenis who had hoped that the talks would bring an end to the conflict and open the way for Yemen's return to a peaceful and orderly transition.
Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed briefs the Security Council. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
The end of the Kuwait talks was followed by a "severe breakdown of the Cessation of Hostilities and a dangerous escalation in military activities," the UN envoy said.
"Extensive military confrontations," he continued, "have been on-going in recent weeks in Sana'a, Taiz, Al Jawf, Shabwa and Mareb governorates and along the border between Yemen and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," and "have involved the use of artillery, airstrikes and ballistic missiles and have resulted in tens of casualties, extensive destruction and renewed displacement."
The Special Envoy also highlighted numerous violations of international humanitarian and human rights law that he said have accompanied the fighting. Some of these incidents - such as an attack on a rural hospital in Hajjah - have been strongly condemned by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
During the briefing, Mr. Cheikh Ahmed also highlighted what he called a "worrying disrespect for the human rights of minority groups," as documented by human rights organisations. Citing the detention, in Sana'a, of at least 60 members of the Baha'i community, including six children, without charge, he echoed the call from the human rights groups "for the immediate release of those still in detention, while appealing to all parties to fulfil their obligations and release all prisoners and detainees."
The Special Envoy also said that from his meetings with representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States, and again with the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, there was consensus on the need for a full and comprehensive political solution, "involving clearly sequenced political and security measures, firmly grounded in the GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism, Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) and the National Dialogue Conference outcomes."
He said, however, that the resumption of talks will only be possible if all the parties maintain their commitment to a negotiated settlement and refrain from unilateral actions.
"I am extremely concerned by the announcement by Ansar Allah and former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, of the formation of a Supreme Political Council with broad administrative, security, economic, and legislative powers," Mr. Cheikh Ahmed said. "These actions breach the commitments provided by the both Ansar Allah and the GPC to engage constructively in the peace process as requested by this Council and creates a new potential impediment to reach a peaceful settlement."
Senior UN official deeply concerned over reports of children used in fighting ISIL in Iraq
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Senior UN official deeply concerned over reports of children used in fighting ISIL in Iraq, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8303940c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - The top United Nations humanitarian official in Iraq has expressed deep concern over reports that boys are being sent to areas near front lines in the country's war, possibly to join armed groups fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
"Involving children in fighting is totally unacceptable," said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande, in a news release issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today, expressing deep concern at the reports of recruitment of children in at least one displacement camp in the country.
"Nothing is more important than ensuring the safety of civilians during the conflict," she added.
Ms. Grande, who is also the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Iraq, further warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians will require protection and assistance, given that the battle to retake Mosul, the second largest city in the country, is likely to start soon.
Reminding that international humanitarian law prohibits all parties to the conflict from recruitment of minors or their use in hostilities and that it requires the parties ensure the protection of civilians and allow them to leave conflict zones safely, Ms. Grande said: "Under no circumstances can civilians be used as human shields. This violates all principles of humanity."
The news release added that humanitarian actors in the country issued a so-called Flash Appeal in July, urgently requesting $284 million to prepare for a response in Mosul. A Flash Appeal occurs within the context of any major sudden onset disaster that requires a coordinated response beyond the capacity of the government plus any single UN agency to respond to, and it outlines specific response plans to address acute humanitarian needs, normally for up to six months. Humanitarian agencies have also sought funding for the regular 2016 Humanitarian Response Plan which provides assistance for 7.3 million Iraqis.
However, to date, less than 20 per cent of the Flash Appeal and only about 53 per cent of the $861 million required for on-going operations of humanitarian partners has been received.
"Everybody has to do everything possible to ensure [the civilians] live and receive the assistance they need," said Ms. Grande.
The news release also flagged that the UN is deeply concerned over reports of mass graves of thousands of civilians in areas formerly under the control of ISIL.
According to OCHA, the crisis in Iraq is one of the largest, most complex and volatile in the world. More than 10 million Iraqis currently require some form of humanitarian assistance, including 3.4 million civilians who are internally displaced, many for the second or third time.
UN agency lays foundation for its biggest logistics base in Gaza
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN agency lays foundation for its biggest logistics base in Gaza, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8306c40d.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - The United Nations relief agency charged with the well-being of Palestinian refugees has started work on what will become its largest logistics base in the Gaza Strip.
"Construction of the logistics base started this month and will include building a warehouse compound, an open area container yard, an administration building and a fuel station," said the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in a press release today.
The base will serve as UNRWA's main warehouse for the storage of basic food and non-food items. It is being constructed in Rafah, in southern Gaza, and will also support distribution activities through 12 distribution centres across the area. In addition, it will be used as maintenance workshop and fuel station for the UNRWA operations in the southern governorates of Gaza, the agency noted.
It is expected to be completed by September 2017 and will operate with approximately 200 UNRWA personnel, including people hired through its Job Creation Programme.
The agency said that the construction of the base has been supported by a $10 million contribution from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
The base is part of a comprehensive project signed between the UN agency and SFD in May 2015 which also includes rebuilding and repairing housing units and supporting the education and health sectors in Gaza with a total contribution $62 million.
"Over the past several years, UNRWA was able to construct many projects - including schools, housing projects and health centres - which would not have been possible without the trust and partnership that exists between UNRWA and Saudi Arabia," Bo Schack, the Director of UNRWA Operations in Gaza said at the ceremony for laying the cornerstones on 25 August.
"Their ongoing support to Palestine refugees in Gaza through UNRWA is commendable," he added.
UNRWA is a UN agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
Myanmar's promising path to reconciliation to require compromise, Ban tells peace conference
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Myanmar's promising path to reconciliation to require compromise, Ban tells peace conference, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8308d40e.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - Addressing a major peace conference in Myanmar, the United Nations chief today highlighted that the country's path to reconciliation is a promising one, but that after decades of conflict it will not be easy and will require compromise for all involved.
"The long civil war has cost numerous lives and robbed successive generations of their dignity, tranquillity and normalcy. It is now clear that there can be no military solution to your differences," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in Myanmar's capital, Nay Pyi Taw, in a speech at the opI urge you to accept that no party involved in this reconciliation process can expect to achieve all its aims. Conversely, every side must win something if the process is to succeedening of the 21st Century Panglong Conference, which brings together representatives from the government, the military, civil society and ethnic armed organisations.
"I urge you to accept that no party involved in this reconciliation process can expect to achieve all its aims. Conversely, every side must win something if the process is to succeed," he added. "This will require goodwill on all sides, and a recognition that success is in the vital interest of all the people of Myanmar, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or socio-economic status."
Landmark elections in November 2015 brought the National League for Democracy Party to power. Since assuming office in April 2016, it has embarked on a process of national reconstruction as well as a revived national political dialogue process with various ethnic armed groups and others to unify the country.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with President Htin Kyaw of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with Win Myint (centre), Speaker of Lower House of Parliament of the Republic of Myanmar and Mahn Win Khaing Than (right), Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
According to the UN Department of Political Affairs, even though the democratization process remains a work-in-progress, much credit is due to the people of Myanmar for their achievements thus far and to the administration of former President U Thein Sein, who ushered in the reform process with the election of a civilian government after the 2010 general election.
In his speech, the UN chief said that the gathering marked a historic transition since former President Sein opened the doors to democratic reforms six years ago.
"This is the first time that such a peace process has been initiated in the seventy-year history of conflict and division between the Union Government and armed ethnic groups," Mr. Ban said. "Around the world, we have seen the tragedies that can ensue when leaders deny the need for democratic change - Myanmar shows what is possible, when leaders listen to their people's genuine aspirations, genuine concerns of the people and genuine dreams of where this country should proceed."
The Secretary-General said it was encouraging that the different ethnic armed organizations with divergent interests and aspirations came together to form a single team to negotiate the country's Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in October last year.
"This agreement was crucially important, and the new Government has undertaken efforts to make it more inclusive. The 21st Century Panglong Conference represents the result of those efforts," he said, while also urging participants, as they "to demonstrate the wisdom needed to address complex and unresolved issues, and to pave the way for a unified negotiation track that is inclusive of all interests and constituencies."
Mr. Ban emphasized that such steps will require sensitivity and flexibility, and respect for both signatories and non-signatories, and will need to be truly consultative in order to reach sustainable solutions.
The UN chief also reaffirmed the ongoing commitment of the United Nations to help Myanmar with its reforms, in particular the national reconciliation process. "We will continue our efforts to smooth differences, lower tensions and move parties towards better understanding and dialogue in line with the goals and values of the United Nations Charter," he said.
UN experts urge Sudan to drop charges carrying death penalty against six human rights activists
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN experts urge Sudan to drop charges carrying death penalty against six human rights activists, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c830bb40e.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - A group of United Nations human rights experts today urged the Sudanese authorities to drop charges - which carry the death penalty - brought against six human rights activists in the country.
"The charges brought against them appear to be directly linked to their work in the defence of human rights, while exercising their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association," said the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, in a news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
"This sentence is likely to have a chilling effect among activists and human rights defenders in Sudan," he added.
The six individuals were either working with or affiliated to a prominent Khartoum-based human rights organisation, Training and Human Development (TRACKS). They were detained about three months ago, but are yet to face trail, the human rights offices noted. The six have been charged by the country's State Security Prosecution Office with criminal conspiracy, undermining the constitutional system, waging war against the State, espionage, and terrorism - charges which all carry the death penalty.
"The death penalty is an extreme form of punishment. lf used at all, it should only be imposed after a fair trial that respects the most stringent due process guarantees as stipulated in international human rights law," the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, said in the news release. "I am seriously concerned that any trial of these six people would not uphold such principles."
Photo: UNODC
According to OHCHR, the activists faced constant targeting by agents from the Sudan's Intelligence and Security Service over the past two years. Their offices have been raided twice, and their documents, equipment and passports confiscated. They were also allegedly detained and tortured several times at the intelligence services office, where they were questioned about TRACKS' activities.
In the news release, the experts also voiced their concern at the increasing harassment and intimidation of key civil society members in the country and curbs to freedom of expression and association, which are also guaranteed under the country's constitution.
"There is an urgent need for the Government of the Sudan to allow them to carry out their activities in an open, safe and secure environment," the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan, Aristide Nononsi, said.
Mr. Nononsi had previously expressed concern regarding the case against the TRACKS members to the Sudanese authorities. He last visited the country in April 2016. The news release added that the experts' appeal to the Sudanese Government has been endorsed by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst.
The activists facing the charges are the Director of TRACKS, Khalafalla Mukhtar; TRACKS employees Arwa Elrabie, Midhat Hamadan and Alhassan Kheiri; and Mustafa Adam and Raye Imany Leyla, who are both affiliated to the organisation.
Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
UN aid chief extremely concerned over evacuation of Syrian town of Darayya, cites need for compliance with humanitarian law
Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN aid chief extremely concerned over evacuation of Syrian town of Darayya, cites need for compliance with humanitarian law, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c830f740c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
31 August 2016 - The top United Nations humanitarian relief official has expressed extreme concern over the recent evacuation of the entire population of the besieged Syrian town of Darayya, following an agreement between representatives of Darayya and the Syrian Government - and highlighted how the move does not comply with international law.
"The UN was not a party to this agreement, and was not informed of the evacuation until a few hours before it took place," the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, said in an overnight statement.
Let us be clear, all sieges, a medieval tactic, must be lifted. This should not be through any type of agreement which results in the forced displacement of the civilian population.
"The United Nations works on the ground at the request of both the Government of Syria and the people of Darayya to address humanitarian and protection needs of all those affected by the evacuation," Mr. O'Brien added, "however, agreements resulting in a mass evacuation of civilians after a prolonged period of besiegement do not comply with international humanitarian law and human rights law."
The UN official said the evacuation should not be precedent setting for other besieged areas in Syria, and those displaced should be allowed to return voluntarily, in safety and in dignity, to their homes as soon as the situation allows it.
"Let us be clear, all sieges, a medieval tactic, must be lifted," Mr. O'Brien said. "This should not be through any type of agreement which results in the forced displacement of the civilian population."
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - which Mr. O'Brien heads -the evacuation of Darayya on 26-27 August followed four years of unrelenting siege, during which children starved, people resorted to eating grass and the town was subjected to an onslaught of fighting, including aerial bombardment, and severe restrictions on freedom of movement for civilians, as well as on commercial and humanitarian goods.
Doctors treat a seriously injured man for head wounds at the Al Razy surgical hospital, one of only remaining hospitals in Aleppo, Syria. Photo: WHO/T. Jasarevic
In his statement, the Emergency Relief Coordinator also said he was "gravely concerned" over the deteriorating situation in other besieged areas in Syria where people have little physical protection and limited access to basic life-saving assistance, including the neighbourhood of Al Waer in Homs city.
"Despite the reports of a current pause in fighting, the estimated 75,000 people in Al Waer have been subjected to an increase in indiscriminate and aerial attacks over the past week causing the death and injury of many civilians, including children, the reported destruction of homes and first responder stations, as well as increased restrictions on freedom of movement," Mr. O'Brien noted.
He once again reiterated his call on all parties for the immediate lifting of sieges of civilians in Syria, including Madaya, Deir-Ez-Zor city, Douma, Foah and Kefraya and other besieged locations, for an end to indiscriminate attacks on civilian-populated areas and civilian infrastructure, and to take all necessary measures to ensure protection for all civilians as required under international humanitarian and human rights law.
Algeria: 2-Year Sentence for Facebook Poem
Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Algeria: 2-Year Sentence for Facebook Poem, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c831e14.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
"No speech is safe in Algeria if a poem on Facebook can get you two years in prison," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Jailing people for allegedly insulting or offending public officials is unjust and threatens anyone seeking to comment on issues of the day."
Police arrested Tamalt, a freelance journalist with dual Algerian and British nationality, near his parents' house in Algiers. On June 28, they brought him before the First Instance Court of Sidi Mhamed in Algiers, where an investigative judge ordered his detention for "offending the president" and "defaming a public authority" under articles 144bis and 146 of the penal code.
The charges against Tamalt were for posts on his Facebook page that included a video he shared on April 2, showing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika greeting former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and a poem containing insulting verses about Bouteflika. The video was also uploaded to his online journal.
Even though these offenses carry no prison terms but only fines, the court ordered his detention pending trial. The court rejected his request for bail on July 4, prompting his lawyers to walk out in protest at what they considered to be arbitrary detention, one of his lawyers, Noureddine Benissad, told Human Rights Watch. He said that during a hearing on July 11, the court added a charge for an offense against a public official, under article 144, which provides for up to two years in prison. The same day, the court convicted Tamalt and sentenced him to two years in prison for this offense and imposed a 200,000 dinars (US$1,800) fine.
Since 2002, Tamalt has lived in the United Kingdom, where he created an online journal called Assiyak Alarabi ("Arabic Context"). A critic of Algerian authorities, he has blogged his own political views and sometimes provocative information and commentary. Previously he wrote articles for the Algerian daily Al-Khabar.
Algeria's constitution, as revised on March 7, guarantees the right to freedom of expression in article 48. It states that media freedom is not subject to prior censorship and that offenses cannot be punished by prison. Article 50 also states that the right to freedom of expression may not be used "to harm the dignity, freedom, or rights of others."
International human rights standards increasingly recognize that public officials must tolerate speech that could be insulting or offensive. The United Nations Human Rights Committee, the independent expert body that provides authoritative guidance on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Algeria ratified in 1989, stated in a 2011 general comment:
The mere fact that forms of expression are considered to be insulting to a public figure is not sufficient to justify the imposition of penalties [A]ll public figures, including those exercising the highest political authority such as heads of state and government, are legitimately subject to criticism and political opposition States parties should not prohibit criticism of institutions, such as the army or the administration.
"The Algerian authorities should quash the case against Tamalt and send the message that free speech will be respected in Algeria," Whitson said.
Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch
MASON CITY Panda Express, a fast-food chain serving American Chinese cuisine, is planning to build a restaurant next to Starbucks on Highway 122.
The citys Development Review Committee has approved a site plan submitted by Panda Express, according to Steven Van Steenhuyse, director of development.
The company, headquartered in Rosemead, California, has also filed a notice of intent with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources regarding drainage requirements.
It is the largest Asian-segment restaurant chain in the United States, according to its website. It has 1,746 locations worldwide.
No specific details about the restaurant have been released but its notice with the DNR indicates it will have drive-through service.
Starbucks and the proposed Panda Express site are on property between the North Iowa Events Center entrance road and the Target parking lot Cerro Gordo County sold to Mason City Investors LLC of Omaha last year.
The developers intention at that time was to have a restaurant on the lot next to Starbucks.
John Skipper
Afghanistan: Security Forces Assault Reporters
Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 1 September 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Afghanistan: Security Forces Assault Reporters, 1 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8322c4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Afghan authorities should urgently investigate allegations that security forces physically assaulted and detained journalists after violence broke out during a protest in central Bamiyan province on August 29, 2016, Human Rights Watch said today. The demonstrators had been organizing a protest about a major power transmission line during a visit to the area by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
Witnesses and some detainees said that on August 28, Afghanistan's intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), also arbitrarily detained for 24 hours 12 to 15 activists who were encouraging the protest.
"Beating reporters who are doing their job sends a message to all journalists that the Afghan government cares little for their press freedom rights," said Patricia Gossman, senior Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch. "Afghan authorities should investigate the Bamiyan incident and punish the officials responsible."
On the morning of August 29, Afghan National Police equipped with riot gear attempted to disperse protesters from the main city thoroughfare that Ghani was scheduled to cross, witnesses said. TOLO News and Sulaiman Ahmadi, a journalist at the scene who was among those later detained, said that violence broke out at this moment. One nongovernmental source reported that a number of people in the crowd threw stones, and that some Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) personnel were injured. Reports, video, and still images from the scene suggest that police responded to the rock-throwing by firing tear gas and warning shots into the air. Media reports indicated that police subsequently detained about 30 protesters and journalists who were covering the protest.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Shahhussain Murtazawi, who accompanied the president on the visit, told Human Rights Watch that all Bamiyan journalists had participated in the events involving the president, including the president's speech. "Nothing happened to reporters in this time," said Murtazawi.
However, journalists told Human Rights Watch that at about 2 p.m., security forces physically attacked seven journalists after they left the event with the president and arrived at the scene of the protest. NDS personnel kicked, punched, and slapped journalists and hit at least one reporter with a baton. Security forces did not apparently inflict any physical injuries, but did damage the journalists' equipment, including a camera. They confiscated the mobile phone of one reporter and erased footage of the protest from the video camera of another.
One photographer said the journalists' identity should have been clear to the security forces because of their large press badges: "The badges are not small," he said. "They're clearly visible to anyone."
"They [the security forces personnel] wanted to take away my camera but I resisted," Abbas Naderi, a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, told Human Rights Watch. "They were using swear words at me and kicked and punched me. They didn't want us to film the security forces using force to disperse the protest."
Bamiyan provincial council head, Malawi Yusuf, and local journalists told Human Rights Watch that on the previous day, security personnel detained protest organizers who were driving around Bamiyan city with loudspeakers urging people to participate in protests during President Ghani's scheduled visit. The organizers belonged to the Enlightenment Movement, a protest group demanding that a major power transmission line be routed through the province of Bamiyan, which is dominated by ethnic minority Hazaras. The NDS detained the protesters overnight and released them the following evening without charge after the protests had ended and Ghani had left Bamiyan.
On August 28, the NDS also detained Deutsche Welle journalist Zaman Ahmadi, who had been accompanying protest organizers. The nongovernmental media advocacy group Nai reported that the Bamiyan governor, Tahir Zuhair, ordered the detention of Ahmadi and the protest organizers.
Abdulrahman Ahmadi, spokesperson for the Bamiyan provincial governor, told Human Rights Watch that Bamiyan security forces had rounded up "some people" as part of the broader security plan ahead of the president's visit. Ahmadi said the detentions were justified: "Based on [intelligence] reports we had received that a number of faces [people] from outside Bamiyan people that our elders, community members, and activists did not know had sought to create disorder during the president's visit."
He said that for security considerations and "because these people wanted to create disorder, under these extraordinary circumstances, the security forces took steps [to detain protest organizers]."
Afghan security officials have legitimate concerns about violence at public protests, Human Rights Watch said. Twin explosions at a large Enlightenment Movement rally in Kabul on July 23 killed more than 80 people and wounded more than 230. The extremist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for that attack.
Afghanistan's burgeoning media, considered one of the country's major achievements since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, has been increasingly under attack. Ten journalists have been killed in the first six months of 2016, making this year the deadliest on record. The Taliban and other insurgents have been implicated in most of the attacks, but Afghan government officials and security forces have also been responsible for assaulting and intimidating journalists.
On World Press Freedom Day this year, President Ghani reiterated his support for the press, saying: "So long as I have the responsibility of the country, I will support freedom of the press 100 percent." However, this has not translated into holding anyone accountable for attacks on the media, Human Rights Watch said.
"President Ghani should make good on his words and hold to account security forces involved in mistreatment of journalists," Gossman said. "As President Ghani has said, a free media and vibrant civil society are good for Afghanistan."
Accounts by journalists
Sulaiman Ahmad, a journalist with the Bamiyan-based Negah-e Jawan magazine, described his arrest and detention on August 29:
The riot police were dispersing the crowds nearby and I was talking to the deputy Bamiyan NDS chief, Mr. Paikar, when a number of NDS soldiers suddenly arrested me. They didn't give me a chance to ask a question or explain anything. Things were moving too fast, there was no time. They kept us in the Bamiyan City NDS facility from 9 a.m. until evening. Inside, the soldiers' behavior was good. They were low-level soldiers and didn't have the authority to do anything to us anyway. When they let me go in the evening, they returned all of my belongings except my Samsung Galaxy phone, which I used in my reporting.
Sayed Muhammad Hashemi, a photographer for Jomhor News, an online news site, described the police attack:
I was on the roof of a shop photographing the police beating a protester on the street when I heard people shouting, "Watch out, he's coming to beat you!" I had barely registered what was going on when a policeman kicked me on the back. He pulled at my mic and threw it on the ground. He grabbed at my camera, a Nikon D90, but I resisted. In this struggle, my camera slammed against something and the lens was damaged. After that, I broke free and ran away. I didn't look back. I had two press badges hanging from my neck, one issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture, the other by Bamiyan government to cover the president's visit. The badges are not small; they're clearly visible to anyone.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reporter Abbas Naderi said that he was kicked and punched by security forces personnel:
They [the security forces personnel] wanted to take away my camera but I resisted. They were using swear words at me and kicked and punched me. They didn't want us to film the security forces using force to disperse the protest. I was released only when two policemen from Bamiyan, who knew me from covering other events, intervened. The soldiers who beat me were not from Bamiyan. I have never seen them in Bamiyan before in my 12 years as a reporter. Most probably they came from Kabul as part of the president's security detail and belong to NDS Directorate 10 [a unit tasked with protection for senior government officials].
Sayed Mahdi Murtazawi, a reporter for Tamaddon TV, told Human Rights Watch that he was beaten and the footage on his camera erased:
I had barely started filming when 18 to 20 NDS officials ran towards me. One of them snatched my bag, another pulled me away, a third tried to snatch my camera but I resisted. They could see my press badge hanging from my neck. They could also see the logo of my TV station on my camera. I tried to explain to them that I was a journalist, but they said, "You're not allowed to film the protest, no matter who you are because you cover negative points about the protest." They punched and slapped me and erased my footage. These men belonged to Directorate 10 because they had the same uniforms as the men we had seen at an event with President Ghani that morning. A presidential media aide had explained to us that the men in the unknown uniforms were from Directorate 10.
Enayatullah Zia, a reporter for Aina TV, said that security personnel mistreated him and Naderi:
I made it past the security cordon although the officials there used abusive words. At the protest site, I saw that security forces had RFE/RL journalist Mr. Naderi and were pushing and pulling on his camera. We tried to intervene and said that we were press, but they told us we should not photograph the security forces. They kicked us out of that area, so we went to a different place. I finished interviewing a few protesters and was walking away to go to an internet cafe and file my report when security forces stopped me from going into that street. I showed them my press badge but one of them with a baton hit me on the leg. Then I tried to explain that as a reporter, I should not be stopped, but another security official slapped me and said, "Who are you to be teaching us anything?" I had to give up and walk away. I couldn't tell what security unit they belonged to but they were not anti-riot police from Bamiyan. They had a radio in one hand and a baton on the other. They wore the same uniform as the men who scuffled with Abbas Naderi.
Zaman Ahmadi, a reporter with Deutsche Welle, said that security detained him on the evening of August 28, the day before President Ghani's visit:
I was with an outreach team of protest organizers in the Zargaran area when a group of four or five security officials, including the deputy NDS director Mr. Paikar, suddenly surrounded us. They treated us very roughly and arrested us like we were criminals. I told them I was a journalist, but they didn't listen. I asked one plainclothes security official to show me his ID card, but he said in a rough tone, "We will show you the card when we take you to the station." They wouldn't tell us for what crime they were detaining us. They took away all of our phones so we couldn't contact anyone. Once we were inside the Bamiyan City NDS, they kept telling us that high-level officials will soon come to talk to us. We kept asking Mr. Paikar why we were detained, but he said he was just doing his job and he had orders from the governor. They never specified who the high-level officials were and the officials never came to talk to us. The NDS behavior in custody was not bad. I was among three people they detained from Zargaran. But although we were kept in separate cells in detention, I saw more people brought in who were part of other outreach teams.
Salam Watandar Radio also announced that security forces mistreated its reporter, Ilyas Taheri, and confiscated his phone. Tolo News reported that police also assaulted Najibullah Ulfat, a reporter for local Radio Nasim, and Ishaq Akrami of Killid News during the protest, but didn't provide any details of injuries.
Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Freedom in the World 2016 - Western Sahara
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Western Sahara, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327324.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Not Free
Aggregate Score: 4
Freedom Rating: 7.0
Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 7
Quick Facts
Capital: Laayoune
Population: 604,000
GDP/capita: N/A
Press Freedom Status: N/A
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
The year 2015 saw a continued stalemate between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front a nationalist liberation movement comprised of members of the Sahrawi ethnic group. The Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the UN mission established in 1991 to implement a national referendum on independence for the territory, has never been able to fulfill its mandate. Long-standing support for Morocco from France and the United States continues to give Rabat the upper hand in the territory dispute.
The United Nations renewed MINURSO's mandate for another year in April 2015, but Sahrawis continue to doubt its effectiveness and lament its lack of a human rights monitoring mechanism. The UN envoy to Western Sahara, Christopher Ross, attempted to restart negotiations toward a political settlement in October 2015, but Polisario Front representatives indicated that they would continue to engage with the United Nations and Rabat only in a limited capacity. In November 2015, the Moroccan government reiterated its longstanding position that it will not accept full independence for Western Sahara under any circumstances.
In March 2015, Moroccan officials permitted the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Human Rights Abuses Committed by the Moroccan State to legally register its status as a nongovernmental organization (NGO). However, Moroccan authorities still interfered with its activities following registration.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: -3 / 40 (-1)
A. Electoral Process: 0 / 12
A promised referendum on independence for Western Sahara has yet to be held, despite a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front brokered by the United Nations more than two decades ago. The United Nations considers Western Sahara to be a "Non-Self-Governing Territory." Morocco controls two-thirds of the territory of Western Sahara, including the entire Atlantic seaboard. The region under its influence, which Morocco considers to be its Southern Provinces, is home to the majority of the territory's population. In the territory that Morocco does not fully control principally the eastern portion and refugee camps in Algeria the Polisario is ostensibly the governing power. The Polisario's General Popular Congress is responsible for administration of the refugee camps.
Morocco works to retain the territory as a vital component of the kingdom. In November 2015, the Moroccan government reiterated its longstanding position that it will not accept full independence for Western Sahara under any circumstances, proposing only limited local autonomy. There are no free elections within Western Sahara. Morocco holds authority over municipal elections and excludes candidates who support independence. Some members of the Moroccan Parliament represent districts in Western Sahara.
The Polisario Front operates a General Popular Congress made up of delegates from refugee camps in Polisario-controlled areas of Western Sahara and Algeria. In December 2015, Mohammed Abdelaziz, a founding member of the front and its secretary-general since 1976, was reelected to another term by congressional delegates. The Polisario Front is based in Tindouf, Algeria.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 0 / 16
Morocco continues to repress Sahrawi activism to liberate the disputed Western Sahara territory. The Polisario Front is fragmented between hard-line elements demanding full independence and more moderate factions willing to compromise with Morocco.
C. Functioning of Government: 0 / 12
Corruption among both Moroccan authorities and the Polisario is rampant and goes uninvestigated.
Discretionary Political Rights Question B: -3 / 0 (-1)
Morocco has tried to bolster its claim to Western Sahara over the years by working to alter its demographics. Moroccan authorities offer financial incentives for Moroccans to move to Western Sahara and for Sahrawis to move to Morocco. By some counts, Moroccans now significantly outnumber Sahrawis in Western Sahara. Alterations to the physical landscape, including a sand berm running the length of the territory, serve as additional means of population control, preventing ethnic Sahrawis from accessing Moroccan-controlled areas.
Civil Liberties: 7 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 3 / 16
Freedom of expression within Moroccan-controlled areas of Western Sahara is strictly curtailed. Moroccan authorities regularly detain or expel local and foreign reporters who seek to cover sensitive issues. Moroccan law bars the media and individuals from challenging Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, leading to self-censorship. Access to the internet and independent satellite broadcasts are largely unavailable in the territory due to economic constraints.
Some locally based pro-Sahrawi media outlets do operate, such as the all-volunteer Equipe Media group, though they face regular harassment by Moroccan authorities. In January 2015, Moroccan police surrounded a house where a group of journalists had gathered to film a project discussing Sahrawi resistance; two were assaulted when they left the residence, while the rest spent hours inside until the police departed. In March, the president of Equipe Media and one of its journalists were assaulted, harassed, and interrogated about the nature of their work by security officials at the Laayoune airport before being allowed to depart for a conference in Spain.
Freedom of expression within Polisario-controlled areas is also constrained, and there have been reports of restrictions by Polisario (and Algerian) authorities in refugee camps in Tindouf.
Nearly all Sahrawis are Sunni Muslims, as are Moroccans, and Moroccan authorities generally do not interfere with their freedom of worship.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 0 / 12
Freedoms of assembly and association are severely restricted. Although demonstrations and protests are common, they are often violently dispersed. In March 2015, Moroccan police attacked women who had gathered to demonstrate against the abuse of women by occupation forces, injuring more than a dozen.
In addition to Sahrawi activists, many of their foreign sympathizers present in Western Sahara are also targeted by the authorities. In February 2015, four activists from the Canary Islands were expelled from the territory after they tried to hold training sessions with local activists. In March, two Norwegian activists were also expelled for allegedly working with local pro-independence groups.
In March 2015, Moroccan officials announced that for the first time, two Sahrawi nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) would be allowed to register, ending a longstanding prohibition against such groups. The most prominent, the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Human Rights Abuses Committed by the Moroccan State, was reportedly legally registered by August. However, authorities continued to curtail its operations, generally prohibiting any of its public activities.
Sahrawis are technically subject to Moroccan labor laws in Moroccan-controlled areas, and unions are present but not frequently active. In May 2015, local bus drivers went on strike to protest unfair treatment by the authorities and the proliferation of unlicensed taxis, many of which are allegedly controlled by elements within the security services as side businesses.
F. Rule of Law: 0 / 16
The government of Morocco asserts judicial and penal administration within Western Sahara. Security forces in the territory have a history of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest and detention, disappearances, and custodial torture. In one case that attracted international attention, 21-year-old Mohamed Lamine Haidala, an ethnic Sahrawi, was beaten and stabbed by five men in January 2015; his family claimed the assailants were Moroccan settlers. Haidala was repeatedly summoned to the police station for interrogations over much of the following week, interrupting necessary medical care. He died of his injuries in early February. Months later, authorities had yet to undertake an independent investigation into his death.
Moroccan law, administered in Moroccan-controlled parts of Western Sahara, prohibits same-sex sexual acts.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 4 / 16
Morocco and the Polisario Front both restrict free movement in Western Sahara. In the 1980s, Morocco constructed a 1,700-mile wall, or berm, to divide the northwest Moroccan-controlled region of Western Sahara from the southeast pro-independence Polisario Front-controlled Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The wall is surrounded on both sides by land mines, and constitutes what may be the longest continuous land mine field in the world. In May 2015, three people were severely injured and one died when after their vehicle struck a mine.
Western Sahara possesses extensive natural resources, including phosphate, iron ore deposits, hydrocarbon reserves, and fisheries. The Moroccan government and foreign companies routinely exploit these resources while the local population remains largely impoverished. In recent years, oil companies have made efforts to secure rights to oil exploration and drilling, with no discernible benefit for the Western Sahara population. In December 2015, the European Court of Justice struck down a free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Morocco for improperly permitting European access to Western Sahara's resources. The EU has vowed to appeal. The SADR government routinely signs contracts with firms for the exploration of oil and gas, but these contracts cannot be formally implemented given the territory's status. No credible free market exists.
The National Union of Sahrawi Women was created in 1974 and is especially present in the refugee camps in Tindouf. It also has representation and influence in Morocco-controlled territory, though its scope is difficult to gauge. According to journalistic accounts, women in Sahrawi society enjoy relatively strong civil liberties, and they are prominent in activist circles and in the pro-independence movement. Some observers attribute this to the liberal interpretation of Islam in Sahrawi society, as well as the nomadic roots of the culture. Others ascribe it to the ordeal of living in refugee camps or under occupation. Both Moroccan authorities and Sahrawi NGOs have made efforts to fight child labor in Western Sahara. However U.S. Labor Department has criticized Moroccan authorities for failing to publish more specific information about such efforts.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Tonga
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Tonga, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327515.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 75
Freedom Rating: 2.0
Political Rights: 2
Civil Liberties: 2
Quick Facts
Capital: Nuku'alofa
Population: 103,300
GDP/capita: $4,114.10
Press Freedom Status: Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
Political Rights: 31 / 40
Civil Liberties: 44 / 60
A new government headed by longtime democracy activist 'Akilisi Pohiva of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands took office in January 2015 following general elections in November 2014.
However, the prime minister soon became entangled in a series of controversies. The first involved Pohiva's appointment of his son as his personal assistant. Pohiva claimed that only his son could help him with his health needs and that he was paying him out of his own salary. By September, lawmakers were questioning the use of public funds to pay for the son's travel expenses. Pohiva was also criticized for serving as foreign minister as well as education minister. In October, opponents asked the king to remove him and his deputy from the education portfolio, alleging nepotism, corruption, and bullying of staff. At year's end, Pohiva still held both cabinet posts.
The year's most prominent dispute involved ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). In March, the parliament declared its readiness to ratify the treaty, and Pohiva was a supporter. However, some lawmakers and religious groups raised concerns that ratification would force Tonga to change laws governing the male-only succession to the throne and to legalize same-sex marriage and abortion, though nongovernmental organizations supporting the treaty insisted that this was not the case. After a number of protests and petitions, Pohiva said in September that the government was backing away from its bid to ratify CEDAW. Instead, he proposed passing legislation that would allow a referendum on the issue. No date had been set by year's end.
Citing concerns about online pornography and other internet content that could be harmful to children or the community, the parliament unanimously passed legislation in October to create a new regulatory body with powers to take down or block offending material. The regulator would also assume some media oversight functions currently performed by the Ministry of Communications. It remained unclear how the new laws and agency would affect access to information and freedom of expression in practice.
In November, 'Etuate Lavulavu, the minister of infrastructure and tourism, was ordered to work without pay for five months after an audit found evidence of abuse of office, though he avoided impeachment. As of December he faced trial on separate charges that he had bribed voters and engaged in illegal campaign spending to secure his seat in the 2014 elections.
This country report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2016. For background information on political rights and civil liberties in Tonga, see Freedom in the World 2015.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Solomon Islands
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Solomon Islands, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327615.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Partly Free
Aggregate Score: 68
Freedom Rating: 3.0
Political Rights: 3
Civil Liberties: 3
Quick Facts
Capital: Honiara
Population: 641,900
GDP/capita: $2,024.20
Press Freedom Status: Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
Following elections in November 2014, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare named nearly 40 political appointees to his new government in January 2015, up from 14 in the previous administration. Opposition critics said the appointments would impose a heavy burden roughly $12 million annually on taxpayers amid a struggling economy. Subsequent decisions by the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission to grant tax-free salaries and other improved benefits to lawmakers further fueled public frustration with the government.
By October, Sogavare was struggling to stay in power as a number of ministers and lawmakers withdrew from his coalition. Police went on high alert to prevent any political unrest, but a no-confidence motion against the government was withdrawn at the end of the month after Sogavare secured the support of several independent members of Parliament.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 25 / 40
A. Electoral Process: 9 / 12
Members of the 50-seat, unicameral National Parliament are elected for four-year terms. A parliamentary majority elects the prime minister. The National Parliament also selects a governor general for a five-year term. He represents the British monarch as head of state and appoints the cabinet on the advice of the prime minister. In May 2014, Sir Frank Kabui won a second term as governor general.
The parliamentary elections in 2014 were considered a significant improvement over previous years' balloting, with largely peaceful and orderly conduct at the polling stations, though allegations of vote buying persisted. Independent candidates dominated the voting, taking a record 32 seats. The Democratic Alliance Party won 7, followed by the United Democratic Party with 5, the People's Alliance Party with 3, and three smaller parties with 1 each. Parliament elected Sogavare, who had served as prime minister on two previous occasions, to lead the new government.
A new voter roll prepared with biometric technology had a positive impact on the 2014 elections. Nearly 90 percent of registered voters participated, up from 52 percent in the 2010 elections, and the results were accepted by candidates and voters. Flawed voter rolls, bribery allegations, fraudulent ballots, ballot box theft, voter intimidation, and violence had marred previous polls.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 10 / 16
There are several political parties, but alliances are driven more by personal ties and clan identities than formal policy platforms or ideology. Frequent changing of party affiliations has a destabilizing effect on government. In May 2014, Parliament approved a revised Political Parties Integrity Act with the aim of encouraging a stronger party system through more formalized registration mechanisms, though proposals that would have restricted party switching were dropped. The courts rejected complaints from the opposition that some elements of the new law were unconstitutional. The defections from Sogavare's coalition in late 2015 indicated that the law had not achieved its goals, spurring calls for further reform.
C. Functioning of Government: 6 / 12
Corruption and abuse of office are serious problems, and many public officials have faced charges over the years. In January 2015, the chief justice openly urged the new government to fight corruption and stop the appointment of "cronies" to key positions. An auditor general's report released that month found that at least $8.6 million in government funds from fiscal years 2012 and 2013 were unaccounted for. In March and April, the Leadership Code Commission, which investigates allegations of misconduct by lawmakers, charged a former finance minister and a former mining minister with official misconduct involving conflicts of interest.
The new government said it would form a new policy-monitoring unit to improve government performance, but anticorruption groups noted that the unit would be staffed by expensive political appointees. Critics have also pointed to a lack of oversight regarding implementation of the Constituency Development Funds Act of 2013, which permits lawmakers to spend special funds at their discretion to improve conditions in their districts.
Public pressure in 2013 forced the government to withdraw a bill that would have given former prime ministers and their surviving spouses monthly pensions, free housing, free health care, a service staff, and other benefits. However, in April 2015 the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission granted lifetime pension payments to all lawmakers and higher rates to those who would have already received them, as well as tax-free status on lawmakers' salaries and terminal grants when they leave office. The new benefits drew strong public criticism given the size of the national debt, high unemployment, and other spending needs.
Civil Liberties: 43 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 14 / 16
Freedoms of expression and of the press are generally respected, but politicians and elites sometimes use legal and extralegal means to intimidate journalists. There are several print newspapers. The government operates a national radio station, and subnational and private radio stations are also available. Subscription television services offer some local content, but the country has been unable to sustain a local free-to-air television station; plans for the national radio broadcaster to create a television service were under discussion in 2015. Internet penetration has grown, reaching about 10 percent in 2015, but access is limited by high costs and lack of infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.
Freedom of religion is generally respected, as is academic freedom. There are few significant constraints on open and free private discussion.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 9 / 12
The constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, and the government generally recognizes this right in practice. Organizers of demonstrations must obtain permits, which are typically granted. Civil society groups operate without interference.
Workers are free to organize, and strikes are permitted with certain restrictions. Laws against antiunion discrimination by employers are reportedly ineffective. The country's main labor union, the Solomon Islands National Union of Workers, was disbanded by court order in late 2013 after lengthy litigation over an illegal strike by plantation workers. However, labor activists registered a new entity, the Workers Union of Solomon Islands, in 2014.
F. Rule of Law: 8 / 16
Lack of resources limits provision of legal counsel and hinders conduct of timely trials. The same problem plagues the Ombudsman's Office in its investigation of official abuse and corruption.
The police force has historically lacked training, suffered from factional and ethnic rivalries, and drawn accusations of brutality. The police were disarmed in 2003 because of involvement in criminal activity as well as violence between the two dominant ethnic groups in 1998-2003. The military component of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which was organized to restore peace, withdrew from the country in 2013. A police mission from Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific Island countries will remain through 2017 to train and support the local police in an advisory role. Government payments to former militants, ostensibly as part of a rehabilitation program, remained a matter of public controversy at the end of 2015.
In addition to lingering tensions among local ethnic groups, a growing Chinese presence in the country's economy has led to public resentment in recent years.
Same-sex sexual activity can be punished with up to 14 years in prison. While cases are reportedly rare, the government has resisted international pressure to decriminalize such activity.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 12 / 16
There are few significant impediments to freedom of movement, and property rights are generally respected.
Discrimination limits economic and political opportunities for women. Many lawmakers have voiced support for increasing women's participation in the National Parliament, including through reserved seats for women; just one woman won a seat in the 2014 elections. Rape and other forms of violence against women and girls are serious problems. A women's shelter reported in November 2015 that it was overwhelmed by demand for its services. In 2014, legislators passed the Family Protection Act, which criminalized various forms of domestic abuse and provided victim-protection mechanisms, but it had yet to be promulgated at the end of 2015.
Local and foreign women and children are vulnerable to sex trafficking and domestic servitude, including through forced marriages or "adoptions" to pay off debts. Migrant workers sometimes face forced labor in the mining, logging, and fishing industries. The country is not a party to the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Papua New Guinea
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Papua New Guinea, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327715.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Partly Free
Aggregate Score: 59
Freedom Rating: 3.5
Political Rights: 4
Civil Liberties: 3
Quick Facts
Capital: Port Moresby
Population: 7,7744,600
GDP/capita: $2,108.80
Press Freedom Status: Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
In 2015, corruption allegations levied against Prime Minister Peter O'Neill continued to roil politics in Papua New Guinea. In 2014, an anticorruption body known as Taskforce Sweep brought allegations of wrongdoing against O'Neill, involving $28 million in government fees paid to a private law firm. An arrest warrant for O'Neill was issued that year, but police commissioner Geoffrey Vaki refused to execute it. Throughout 2015, O'Neill continued to fight a referral to a leadership tribunal to answer charges of wrongdoing.
In June 2015, Vaki was found guilty of contempt for obstructing the 2014 arrest warrant against O'Neill, and was later sentenced to three years in jail. A series of subsequent arrests and dismissals during the second half of 2015 targeted police and other officials who had been involved in the corruption case against O'Neill. The government officially defunded Taskforce Sweep in November.
Meanwhile, controversy persisted over the country's agreement with Australia regarding asylum seekers, under which migrants and refugees from third-party countries that reach Australia are sent to an Australian-run detention center on Manus Island, where their asylum applications are processed. In September 2015, authorities removed asylum seekers' right to appeal decisions on their asylum applications. The move came as advocates for asylum seekers were seeking a permanent injunction against the government's ability to repatriate them.
In July, O'Neill banned the hiring of foreign advisors to the government, with exemptions for the police, defense force, universities, and state-owned enterprises. O'Neill said the measure was necessary to protect against spies and to ensure that policies were made in the country's best interest. The ban will take effect beginning in 2016.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 23 / 40
A. Electoral Process: 9 / 12
Voters elect a unicameral, 111-member National Parliament to serve five-year terms. A limited preferential voting system allows voters to choose up to three preferred candidates on their ballots. The governor-general, who represents the United Kingdom's monarch as head of state, formally appoints the prime minister, who leads the majority party or coalition in the legislature.
The 2012 parliamentary elections were generally considered free and fair. The People's National Congress Party (PNC) won 27 seats, independents won 16 seats, the Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party (THE) won 12 seats, and 19 small parties shared the remainder. O'Neill, head of the PNC, was elected prime minister. His PNC-led coalition gives him commanding control of the National Parliament, allowing him to fight off several opposition attempts to unseat him with no-confidence motions.
In September 2015, the Supreme Court overturned a 2013 law, which had been backed by O'Neill's PNC, that prohibited parliamentary no-confidence motions for 30 months following an election, up from 18 months previously.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 10 / 16
There are numerous political parties, but political loyalties are mostly driven by tribal, linguistic, geographic, and personal ties. Many candidates run as independents, and align with parties after they are elected. Lawmakers frequently switch affiliations and alliances.
A 2005 agreement ended a civil war in Bougainville and provided for an independence referendum to be held between 2015 and 2020. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) launched its own civil service in 2014 in preparation for the possibility of becoming an independent nation. Incomplete or outdated voter rolls marred voting at several locations in the May 2015 elections for ABG president, but there were no reports of violence. President John Momis was re-elected. Momis has proposed that the independence referendum be held in 2019.
C. Functioning of Government: 4 / 12
Pervasive corruption is the biggest hindrance to development. The country's anticorruption bureaucracies are subject to political interference. In November 2015, the parliament passed legislation that established a new Independent Commission Against Corruption to replace the Taskforce Sweep, which was officially defunded in the country's 2016 budget, passed the same month. In previous months, Taskforce Sweep's officials had claimed that the government was not providing it with funding that had been set aside for it.
In February 2015, officials launched a new national identification system intended to clean up voter rolls and inform development and funding of economic and social programs. Papua New Guinea ranks 139 out of 168 countries and territories in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Civil Liberties: 36 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 12 / 16
Freedom of speech is generally respected. Local media provide independent coverage of controversial issues such as alleged police abuse, official corruption, and opposition views. However, the government and politicians have occasionally used media laws and defamation lawsuits to restrict critical reporting. The government also restricts media access to the detention center for asylum seekers on Manus Island. Internet use is growing, but high costs and lack of infrastructure limit its spread outside urban centers. The Office of Censorship was established by the 1989 Classification of Publication (Censorship) Act, and is tasked with monitoring and regulating information traffic. In January 2015, the office said it would spend $1.5 million on technology to block access to pornographic websites. In October, the government proposed cybercrime legislation requiring the registration of all mobile phones and their users. The bill is expected to pass in the 2016 legislative session.
There were no reports of suppressions against religious freedom. Academic freedom is generally respected.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 9 / 12
The constitution provides for freedoms of assembly and association. Marches and demonstrations require 14 days' notice and police approval. Many civil society groups provide social services and advocate for women's rights, the environment, and other causes. The government recognizes workers' rights to strike, organize, and engage in collective bargaining. The government has frequently imposed arbitration in labor disputes to avert strikes. In July 2015, port workers went on a 24-hour strike to demand higher wages.
F. Rule of Law: 7 / 16
The judiciary is generally independent, but successive governments have exerted political pressure on the court system. The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal and has jurisdiction on constitutional matters. A shortage of trained judicial personnel is a key cause of lengthy detentions and trial delays. Laypeople sit on village courts to adjudicate minor offenses under customary and statutory law.
Law enforcement officials have been implicated in corruption, unlawful killings, extortion, rape, theft, and brutality, in addition to being largely ineffective in curbing mob violence, tribal warfare, and other crimes. In January 2015, the country's former military commander called the police force incompetent, while the police association's head in February called for the termination of the entire police leadership. In November, ten soldiers attacked a police station in connection with a dispute between the two forces. Separately, in July, three Australian guards at the Manus detention center were accused of raping local women. They were subsequently flown to Australia; O'Neill called on Canberra to return them to Papua New Guinea to stand trial.
Prison conditions are poor, and the correctional service is understaffed. Prison breaks are common. Capital punishment was reinstated in 2013 in an effort to curb violent crime. In 2014, the government approved lethal injection, firing squad, and hanging as permissible methods of execution. But with no infrastructure for execution, 13 prisoners remained on death row. In May 2015, O'Neill said capital punishment would be reviewed after he saw that executions of foreign nationals in Indonesia brought notoriety to and caused diplomatic tensions for Jakarta.
Lack of economic opportunities exacerbates tribal rivalries, frequently resulting in violent clashes, injuries, and deaths. Resentment toward the rapid spread of Chinese-owned businesses and their import of Chinese workers has resulted in many violent attacks. In July 2015, a march against a proposed industrial zone in Madang Province turned violent, resulting in the death of one person and significant looting of foreign-owned businesses.
Controversy persists over the country's agreement with Australia regarding asylum seekers, in which a number of migrants from third-party countries that reach Australia are sent to an Australian-run detention center in Papua New Guinea, where their asylum applications are processed. Those granted refugee status could choose to settle in Papua New Guinea or return to their home countries. Opposition lawmakers have challenged the legality of the arrangement, and while local authorities and communities have demanded a bigger share of funds from Australia. Detainees complain about abuse and poor living conditions in the facilities, as well as of delays in immigration processing. In January 2015, many detainees went on hunger strike to protest poor conditions, but the strike reportedly ended after its leaders were arrested. Detainees and their advocates have used the courts to petition against Canberra's hard-line policies and gain entry to Australia. In September, authorities removed asylum seekers' right to appeal decisions on their asylum applications. The move came as advocates for asylum seekers were seeking a permanent injunction against the government's ability to repatriate them.
Same-sex sexual relations are a criminal offense, but the relevant laws are rarely enforced. No laws protect against discrimination or hate crimes.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 8 / 16
Natural-resource exploitation provides the bulk of government revenue, making the country's economy vulnerable to fluctuations in mineral and energy prices. The sharing of revenue is a key source of tension between the national government and local landowners and authorities. The government created a sovereign wealth fund in July 2015 that will receive revenues from mineral and petroleum resource development.
Laws to fight family violence and protect victims are ineffective and are hardly enforced. Discrimination and violence against women and children are widespread. Victims rarely file reports and convictions are even more rare. A 2013 UN survey found that 61 percent of men in Papua New Guinea surveyed self-reported to have raped someone at least once. Allegations of sorcery rooted in superstitions or used as an excuse for personal vendettas have made women targets of violence.
Rapid population growth, widespread poverty, low literacy, and poor governance help to explain concerning rates of HIV and tuberculosis infection. In 2015, the O'Neill government had made some meaningful improvements, including better enforcement of the minimum legal age for marriage for women, a new policy to slow population growth, and a new child welfare law.
The government dos not actively prosecute human traffickers, and efforts to identify victims are inadequate. Women and girls are at risk of being trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and prostitution. Boys and men can be found engaged in forced labor in the fishing and mining sectors. Traditional practices among some populations permit young girls to be sold into marriage in order to settle debts.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Mongolia
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Mongolia, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c83279c.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 86
Freedom Rating: 1.5
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 2
Quick Facts
Capital: Ulaanbatar
Population: 3,029,335
GDP/capita: $4,129.40
Press Freedom Status: Partly Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj was in the middle of his second four-year term in 2015 after winning the 2013 presidential election. Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg of the Democratic Party (DP), who took office in 2014, remained at the helm of a coalition government. In August, six cabinet members from the coalition's other major party, the Mongolian People's Party (MPP), were discharged from their positions as part of preparations for the 2016 national elections.
Mongolia continued to experience economic difficulties including growing public debt and reduced foreign investment. Corruption, the alignment of politicians and powerful business interests, and politicization of the media remained key challenges to freedom and democracy.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 36 / 40
A. Electoral Process: 11 / 12
Under the 1992 constitution, the president and the 76-member parliament (the State Great Khural) are both directly elected for four-year terms. The prime minister, who holds most executive power, is nominated by the party or coalition with the most seats in the parliament and approved by the parliament with the agreement of the president. The president is head of state and of the armed forces, and can veto legislation, subject to a two-thirds parliamentary override.
Parliamentary balloting has varied from election to election between multimember and single-member districts. In 2012, 48 of the parliament's 76 seats were awarded through majoritarian voting in single-member districts, while the remaining 28 were allocated through a proportional system according to parties' share of the national vote. The DP won 33 seats, the MPP captured 25, and the Justice Coalition comprising the revived Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) and the Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP) took 11, with 3 seats going to independents and 2 to the Civil Will-Green Party. From 2012 until November 2014, Norov Altankhuyag of the DP led a coalition of the DP, the Justice Coalition, and the Civil Will-Green Party; he was then replaced as prime minister by Saikhanbileg, who gathered a "super coalition" of all members of parliament with the exception of the three independents.
Six MPP members of the cabinet were forced to resign in August 2015 after the passage of a bill, introduced by Saikhanbileg, to discharge them. The move allowed for competition between the country's two major parties, the DP and MPP, in the 2016 national elections; maintaining the coalition would have made election campaigns difficult to wage, especially given the extensive policy similarities between the MPP and the DP.
In the 2013 presidential election, DP-backed Elbegdorj garnered just over 50 percent of the votes, winning the presidency outright in the first round.
For the 2012 parliamentary and 2013 presidential elections, the General Election Commission introduced new practices, including electronic vote counting, fingerprint scanners to identify voters, and free mobile-phone credits as a reward for voting. Following Mongolia's accession to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2012, a large observation mission provided systematic monitoring of the 2013 presidential election. Despite various challenges, including the widespread appointment of DP officials as election administrators and lack of media transparency, the mission declared that the election "respected fundamental freedoms."
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 16 / 16
Mongolia features a vibrant multiparty system. The MPRP, which had ruled the country since the early 20th century, legalized opposition parties in 1990, and competitive elections have led to several peaceful transfers of power. In 2010, the MPRP rebranded itself as the MPP, but a faction led by former president Nambaryn Enkhbayar broke off the following year and formed a new MPRP.
The DP and the MPP command a large share of votes and dominate the parliament, but smaller parties continue to be represented and remain viable. Political parties are largely built around patronage networks rather than political ideologies. Representatives of large business groups play an important role in funding and directing the large parties.
A new reform party, led by a group of young, foreign-educated technocrats, took over the name of a preexisting party, the National Labour Party (HUN) in 2015 and appeared to be planning to field candidates in the 2016 elections. It indicated support for reducing economic regulation while maintaining the government's role in providing education, health care, and other social services.
Ethnic and religious minorities enjoy full political rights in law and practice.
C. Functioning of Government: 9 / 12
Corruption remains a serious problem in Mongolia and is viewed as pervasive. The Independent Authority against Corruption (IAAC) actively investigates corruption allegations. In August 2015, the parliament, in the absence of opposition lawmakers, passed a controversial amnesty law that applied to individuals currently under investigation by the IAAC. The law would also clear criminal records for numerous politicians, including Enkhbayar, allowing him to run for parliament in 2016 despite a prior conviction. Transparency advocates criticized the law for undermining the credibility of anticorruption efforts, and the president issued a veto, returning the legislation to the parliament. In October, lawmakers adopted amendments that excluded cases of corruption, abuse of authority, abuse of the state budget, and illegal acquisition of capital from the amnesty.
Although the government operates with limited transparency, some progress has been made in recent years. Citizens' Halls, forums established since 2009 to encourage civic participation in the legislative process, were given budgetary authority for the first time in 2013 through the disbursement of Local Development Funds, and they have now been established in all administrative units in the country. The 2014 Budget Transparency Law obliges state bodies and state-funded organizations to publicly disclose budgetary information.
Civil Liberties: 50 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 15 / 16
While the government generally respects press freedom, many journalists and independent publications practice a degree of self-censorship to avoid legal action under libel laws that place the burden of proof on the defendant. Journalists have been charged in defamation suits by members of parliament and businesspeople; in many cases, the charges have been dropped.
There are hundreds of privately owned print and broadcast outlets, but the main source of news in the vast countryside is the state-owned Mongolian National Broadcaster. Some international media operations have moved into the Mongolian market in recent years. The government does not generally interfere with internet access and is a member of the Freedom Online Coalition, a group of countries committed to upholding human rights in the online sphere. The organization's annual conference was held in Ulaanbaatar in May 2015. However, there is a blacklist of banned terms, and numerous websites have been blocked for alleged copyright violations or, in at least one recent case, criticism of government officials.
Political parties and their members have purchased media outlets, particularly television stations, in recent years. In its 2013 presidential election observation mission, the OSCE found that political actors regularly exert influence on coverage through ownership or payments, and that media ownership is not properly disclosed. However, most Mongolians are aware of the political positions of different media outlets.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution. The fall of communism led to an influx of Christian missionaries to Mongolia and a revival of the country's traditional Buddhism and shamanism. Some Christian groups have reported registration obstacles and instances of harassment by local authorities. The Kazakh Muslim minority generally enjoys freedom of religion.
Academic freedom is respected, and there are no significant impediments to free and open private discussion.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 11 / 12
Freedoms of assembly and association are observed in law and in practice. Numerous environmental, human rights, and social welfare groups operate without government restriction. Trade unions are independent and active, and the government generally respects their rights. Collective bargaining is legal. However, labor rights are restricted for certain groups, such as foreign and temporary workers, and some employers unlawfully disrupt union activity.
F. Rule of Law: 12 / 16
The judiciary is independent, but corruption among judges persists. The police force has been accused of making arbitrary arrests and traffic stops, holding detainees for long periods, and beating prisoners. Prison deaths continue to be reported, as insufficient nutrition, heat, and medical care remain problems. President Elbegdorj issued a moratorium on the death penalty in 2010, and in December 2015 lawmakers passed a new criminal code that abolished capital punishment; the legislation would take effect in 2016.
Xenophobic nationalist groups occasionally attack or intimidate foreign nationals. In March 2015, nationalists accosted and verbally abused a group of Chinese citizens, and images of the incident were posted online. The Mongolian government subsequently issued an apology.
Antidiscrimination laws do not address sexual orientation or gender identity, and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people face societal bias, cases of assault, and mistreatment by police.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 12 / 16
While the law protects the freedom of both internal movement and foreign travel, foreign citizens require exit visas to leave Mongolia, which can be denied on various grounds, including involvement in commercial disputes or civil complaints.
The rights to own property and to establish private businesses are legally protected but sometimes constrained by bureaucratic obstacles or weak enforcement of laws. In recent years, the government has simplified requirements and procedures for the establishment and operation of businesses.
While women comprise roughly 60 percent of all university students as well as 60 percent of all judges, they held only 9 parliamentary seats after the 2012 elections despite a 20 percent quota on female candidates. Spousal abuse is prohibited by law, but social and cultural norms continue to discourage victims from reporting such crimes, and the incidence particularly in connection with alcohol abuse remains high.
Women and girls, especially those from poor or rural areas, are subjected to sex trafficking within the country, and Mongolian citizens seeking work abroad are vulnerable to sex trafficking or forced labor. Forced labor is also reportedly a problem among North Korean and Chinese workers in Mongolia. The government has continued efforts to eliminate trafficking, though funding for such programs has been inadequate, and victim protection is limited.
Although Mongolia's mining boom has led to high economic growth since 2011, the country also suffers from high levels of poverty, particularly in rural areas. Rural migrants to the capital have settled on the city's outskirts, where there is often poor access to sanitation, employment, and education. Moreover, underdeveloped fiscal policies and the mismanagement of resource revenues have limited the impact of the economic boom on human development.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Kiribati
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Kiribati, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327ae.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 91
Freedom Rating: 1.0
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1
Quick Facts
Capital: Tarawa
Population: 113,400
GDP/capita: $1,509.60
Press Freedom Status: Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
Political Rights: 36 / 40
Civil Liberties: 55 / 60
On December 30, 2015, voters headed to the polls for the first round of national legislative elections. A second round was scheduled for January 7, 2016, and would be followed by a presidential election.
Kiribati, which consists of 33 atolls scattered across 811 square kilometers, continued to contend with limited opportunities for development, which is constrained by the country's size, remote location, and lack of resources. The economy largely depends on interest from a trust fund built on royalties from phosphate mining, remittances from workers overseas, and foreign assistance.
As with other Pacific island states, rising sea levels and other effects of climate change threaten Kiribati. A cyclone that struck in March 2015 caused severe damage on three southern islands, and high spring tides were also reported. President Anote Tong has been vocal in calling on the international community to curb global warming and assist with local mitigation efforts.
In January, a quadrennial UN human rights review found some progress, including the creation of a human rights task force and a ministry for women and youth, and new legislation to protect women and children. However, the review also noted that more needed to be done to fully address domestic violence, combat sex trafficking, and improve access to primary education, and that Kiribati had yet to ratify several key human rights conventions. In September, the parliament passed a law that created a separate court for juvenile offenders and set standards designed to prevent juveniles from being diverted to adult prisons.
Although freedom of speech is generally respected, journalists at state-owned outlets have been disciplined for coverage that displeases the government. Radio Kiribati editor Aneta Moote was fired in April for rebroadcasting a story from Radio New Zealand International that highlighted President Tong's initial backing for a controversial bill to introduce the death penalty. Strong public opposition to the proposal had forced the government to withdraw support.
This country report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2016. For background information on political rights and civil liberties in Kiribati, see Freedom in the World 2015.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Iceland
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Iceland, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327ce.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 100
Freedom Rating: 1.0
Political Rights: 1
Civil Liberties: 1
Quick Facts
Capital: Reykjavik
Population: 330,828
GDP/capita: $52,111
Press Freedom Status: Free
Net Freedom Status: Free
OVERVIEW
A series of major strikes took place in Iceland during the year, and public and private employers struggled to reach agreements with unions about higher wages. Although the refugee crisis confronting Europe did not heavily affect Iceland, the issue of asylum dominated public dialogue in August and September, when the public launched an initiative to increase the government's annual quota for resettlement. Separately, the special prosecutor's office continued pursuing cases against former bank officials accused of malfeasance related to the 2008 financial crash. The office is scheduled to be abolished in 2016, with the district prosecutor absorbing its responsibilities.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 40 / 40 (+1)
A. Electoral Process: 12 / 12
The Icelandic constitution, adopted in 1944, vests power in a president, a prime minister, the 63-seat unicameral legislature (Althingi), and a judiciary. The Althingi, arguably the world's oldest parliament, was established in approximately 930 AD. The largely ceremonial president is directly elected for a four-year term, and the prime minister is appointed by the president. President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson was elected to his fifth term in 2012, defeating independent candidate Thora Arnorsdottir, a journalist for Iceland's National Broadcasting Service (RUV).
The legislature is elected for four-year terms but can be dissolved for early elections under certain circumstances. In the 2013 parliamentary elections, the center-left ruling coalition of the Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) and the Left-Green Movement (VG) lost half of its total seats the biggest loss by a governing coalition since Iceland's independence in 1944. Major voter concerns included austerity measures, taxation levels, and Iceland's application for membership in the European Union (EU), as well as a countrywide problem of high household debt. The Progressive Party and the Independence Party each won 19 seats, the SDA took 9 seats, the VG captured 7, and two new parties Bright Future and the Pirate Party secured 6 and 3 seats, respectively. Sigmundur Davi Gunnlaugsson, leader of the Progressives, took office as prime minister, heading a coalition government composed of his own party and the Independence Party.
Municipal elections were held in Reykjavik in 2014. Keeping a public promise announced in 2013, the comedian-turned-mayor Jon Gnarr did not run for reelection and, following the conclusion of the vote, disbanded his Best Party. The SDA, which won the most seats in the capital's city council, entered into a coalition with Bright Future, VG, and the Pirate Party.
The constitution, the election law of 2000, and related legislation establish a clear and detailed framework for conducting elections. An extensive constitutional reform process, launched by popular initiative in 2009, led to the drafting of a new constitution that, among other things, would harmonize the number of votes per seat in all constituencies. The draft was approved by referendum in 2012, but the initiative has since stalled in the legislature.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 16 / 16
Political parties are able to register and operate without undue interference. The center-right Independence Party dominated Icelandic politics until 2009, when Johanna Sigurardottir's SDA-VG coalition won a majority, but a center-right alliance between the Progressive Party and the Independence Party retook the parliament in 2013.
The banking crisis of 2008 spawned several new parties and movements, and the 2013 parliamentary elections were contested by 15 political parties; six gained representation in the Althingi. By comparison, seven parties had competed in 2009. In its five years of political activity, Gnarr's Best Party proved to be one of the most successful new groups, as did its sister party in the Althingi, Bright Future. Both developed coherent, left-leaning agendas. The Pirate Party which holds three parliamentary seats and focuses on direct democracy and internet freedom remained the most popular political party in 2015, according to independent polls.
Foreigners can vote in municipal elections if they have been residents for at least five years, or three years if they are citizens of Nordic countries.
C. Functioning of Government: 12 / 12 (+1)
In March 2015, the foreign ministry announced plans to end Iceland's accession talks with the EU. The ruling coalition that took power in 2013 has maintained strong opposition to EU membership, particularly voicing disagreement with EU regulations on fishery and agriculture. A previous attempt to withdraw Iceland's bid failed in 2014 amid public demonstrations demanding that the decision be put to a referendum. The government did not seek a referendum or parliamentary approval before the March 2015 announcement.
Corruption is not a pervasive problem in Iceland, which was ranked 13 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. However, the country has experienced a number of fraud scandals in recent years. The office of the special prosecutor, established in the wake of the 2008 financial collapse to investigate corruption, has been remarkably successful in bringing bankers and politicians to trial for their role in the crash. Icelandic courts found several former banking executives guilty of fraud and market manipulation in 2015, including the former CEO and a former chairman of Kaupthing Bank, which the government took over in 2008. In June, the parliament approved measures to restructure the prosecutorial system, abolishing the office of the special prosecutor and transferring its responsibilities to the district prosecutor, an office that also handles police misconduct. The changes will go into effect in 2016.
A political scandal involving a fabricated memorandum led to Hanna Birna Kristjansdottir's resignation from her post as interior minister in 2014. The memorandum, leaked from the ministry in 2013, contained false information about Tony Omos, a Nigerian asylum seeker whose potential deportation had sparked protests across Iceland. The memo had alleged that authorities suspected Omos of criminal behavior, which many construed as an attempt to influence his asylum case. In 2014, Kristjansdottir's personal assistant admitted to leaking the memo and was convicted of a breach of confidentiality following a state investigation. In January 2015, the parliamentary ombudsman published a report criticizing Kristjansdottir's conduct during the inquiry into the leak, noting that she had jeopardized the independence of investigations by communicating with the Reykjavik police chief. Also in January, several legislators including fellow members of the Independence Party called for Kristjansdottir's resignation from the Althingi, but she returned to her duties later in the year, following a short leave.
Civil Liberties: 60 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 16 / 16
The constitution guarantees freedom of speech and of the press. In 2010, the parliament unanimously passed the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative, which mandates the establishment of robust free speech and press freedom laws, particularly for the protection of investigative journalists and outlets. Iceland's print publications are diverse and include both independent and party-affiliated newspapers. The autonomous RUV competes with private radio and television stations. Private media ownership is concentrated, with the media company 365 controlling most of the major private television and radio outlets as well as the free newspaper Frettabladid, which enjoys the highest circulation in the print market. Internet access is unrestricted.
The constitution provides for freedom of religion, with equal protection under the law for different religions groups. About three-quarters of Icelanders belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The state supports the church through a special tax, which citizens can choose to direct to the University of Iceland instead. A long-planned mosque in Reykjavik gained attention in the May 2014 municipal elections when Progressive mayoral candidate Sveinbjorg Birna Sveinbjornsdottir spoke out against the use of public lands for the building. Permission to construct the mosque was requested in 1999 but only granted in 2013. Close to 900 individuals identifying as Muslim lived in Iceland as of 2015. In November, leaders of the construction effort unveiled the final design of the planned mosque. That month, President Grimsson revealed that the government of Saudi Arabia had donated approximately $1 million to aid construction.
A 2008 law requires the teaching of theology in grades 1 through 10. Academic freedom is respected, and the education system is free of excessive political involvement.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 12 / 12
Freedoms of association and peaceful assembly are generally upheld. Many nongovernmental organizations operate freely and enjoy extensive government cooperation.
The labor movement is robust, with more than 80 percent of all eligible workers belonging to unions. All unions have the right to strike, with the exception of the National Police Federation. The year 2015 featured high levels of activism by unions representing both public and private sector employees. In October, local media reported that police officers had orchestrated a number of actions to enhance their collective bargaining capacity, including refraining from issuing traffic tickets and taking leaves en masse in order to pressure the government to respond to their concerns. Unions representing workers in the academic, health care, tourism, and fisheries sectors engaged in continuous limited strike actions in the first half of the year, focusing particularly on pay increases. In April, the Federation of General and Special Workers approved plans to hold a general strike, leading employers in some private industries to make concessions. However, labor activity in other sectors, including the medical and public sectors, continued throughout the year; by October, more than 3,500 civil servants and 158 state agencies were involved in a coordinated strike action.
F. Rule of Law: 16 / 16
The judiciary is independent. The law does not provide for trial by jury, but many trials and appeals use panels of several judges. Prison conditions generally meet international standards.
The constitution states that all people shall be treated equally before the law, regardless of sex, religion, ethnic origin, race, or other status. Beginning in August, discontent about Iceland's quota for refugee resettlement capped at 50 individuals on an annual basis led to significant public pressure on the government. By September, more than 12,000 Icelanders had signed a letter to the welfare ministry calling for a higher quota, with many signatories offering to provide material aid for refugees. The parliament doubled the quota within weeks.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 16 / 16
Freedom of movement is constitutionally protected and respected in practice. Women have equal rights under law, and more than 80 percent of women participate in the workforce. However, a pay gap exists between men and women despite laws designed to prevent disparities. In the 2013 elections, women took 40 percent of seats in the Althingi. In 2009, Sigurardottir became Iceland's first female prime minister and the world's first openly lesbian head of government.
The parliament unanimously passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage in 2010, and a 2006 law established full and equal rights for same-sex couples in matters of adoption and assisted pregnancy. A comprehensive law on transgender issues adopted in 2012 aimed to simplify legal issues pertaining to gender reassignment surgery, to ensure full and equal rights for transgender people, and to guarantee relevant health care.
The Althingi passed a law criminalizing human trafficking in 2009.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Guyana
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Guyana, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327e6.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Free
Aggregate Score: 74
Freedom Rating: 2.5
Political Rights: 2
Civil Liberties: 3
Quick Facts
Capital: Georgetown
Population: 743,000
GDP/capita: $4,226.20
Press Freedom Status: Partly Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
In February 2015, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) formed a coalition to contest the May general elections with a single list of candidates. The coalition, led by retired general David Granger of the APNU, ultimately won by a narrow margin, ending 23 years of rule by the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
The new administration undertook a number of actions to expose and control the country's pervasive corruption, including passage of a law to combat money laundering and the establishment of an agency to investigate graft by the previous government.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 32 / 40 (+2)
A. Electoral Process: 11 / 12
Guyana's 1980 constitution provides for a strong president and a 65-seat National Assembly, with members elected every five years. The president appoints four additional, nonvoting members. The leader of the party with a plurality of parliamentary seats becomes president for a five-year term.
In the May 2015 elections, the APNU-AFC coalition took 50.3 percent of the vote and 33 seats, leaving the incumbent PPP/C with 32 seats. Although the seat totals were essentially the same as in the previous National Assembly, the fact that the APNU and AFC ran as a bloc in 2015 allowed them to install Granger as president. The outgoing president, Donald Ramotar, had prorogued the assembly in November 2014 to prevent a vote of no confidence by the two opposition parties, but he was forced to call early elections in January 2015 when the suspension failed to ease the pressure on his minority government.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 13 / 16
Guyanese politics have historically been dominated by a tense split between descendants of indentured workers from India, known as Indo-Guyanese, who generally back the PPP/C, and Afro-Guyanese, who traditionally supported the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) party. The PNCR, now the core element in the APNU, grew out of the People's National Congress, which had ruled Guyana autocratically from independence in 1966 until the PPP won elections in 1992. The APNU-AFC victory in 2015 was only the second rotation of power in the country's history.
Some Guyanese have begun voting across racial lines, especially since the 2006 elections and the establishment of the multiracial AFC. However, race remained a salient issue during the 2015 campaign period. Observers from the Carter Center, for instance, warned against political rhetoric that risked stoking hostility among the country's ethnic groups.
The indigenous minority remains politically marginalized, though a small number of parliament seats and cabinet positions are held by indigenous people, and a Ministry of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs is tasked with improving conditions for indigenous communities.
C. Functioning of Government: 8 / 12 (+2)
The 2015 elections ended a political impasse in which President Ramotar had attempted to govern despite his party's lack of a majority in the National Assembly. Although he avoided a no-confidence vote in November 2014 by using his constitutional authority to prorogue the assembly for up to six months, the suspension did little to ease tensions, and Ramotar formally dissolved the legislature in early 2015 so that elections could be held.
The PPP/C government's failure to address pervasive corruption was a major source of friction with the main opposition parties. Guyana was ranked 119 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index. The country is a transit point for South American cocaine destined for North America and Europe, and corruption linked to the illegal drug trade allegedly affects high-level state officials.
The new APNU-AFC government pledged to combat corruption through a variety of initiatives. In June, the National Assembly passed long-stalled legislation to strengthen controls on money laundering and financing of terrorism. The government also established a State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), which began auditing state-owned companies. Among other cases, the SARU investigated a scandal in which state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) had spent large sums to develop land that it subsequently sold at favorable prices to members and associates of the PPP/C government, including former president Bharrat Jagdeo. In October, the SARU recommended that the attorney general pursue criminal charges against at least five former PPP/C ministers.
Civil Liberties: 42 / 60 (+1)
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 15 / 16
Although freedom of the press is generally respected, the media have had an uneasy relationship with the government. Several independent newspapers operate freely, including the daily Stabroek News and Kaieteur News. However, opposition party leaders have complained that they lack access to state media. The first private radio station began broadcasting in 2012. Government officials have used libel lawsuits to suppress negative media coverage. In late 2014, Kaieteur News published a transcript of an alleged phone call by the attorney general at the time to one of the paper's senior reporters, in which he threatened deadly repercussions if the paper continued its critical reporting on the PPP/C government. Internet access is not restricted.
Guyanese generally enjoy freedom of religion, and the government does not limit academic freedom. There are no restrictions on free and open private discussion.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 10 / 12
The government largely respects freedoms of assembly and association. While police have shot at political protesters in the past, there were no notable crackdowns in 2015. Nongovernmental organizations operate freely.
The right to form labor unions is generally upheld, and unions are well organized. However, laws against antiunion discrimination are poorly enforced.
F. Rule of Law: 8 / 16 (+1)
The judicial system is independent, but due process is undermined by shortages of staff and funds. Police violence, abuse of detainees, and harsh, overcrowded conditions in prisons remain concerns in Guyana. In 2015, however, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, leader of the AFC, moved to dismiss police officers who had been found responsible for past abuses. The country continued to suffer from a high rate of violent crime, though previously rising crime statistics appeared to be leveling off or decreasing by the end of 2015.
Racial polarization has had an impact on law enforcement. Although Afro-Guyanese have historically dominated the police force, they have also raised concerns about police brutality against their population.
The nine indigenous groups in Guyana face challenges in accessing state resources, especially in education and health care. The 2006 Amerindian Act aimed to strengthen indigenous peoples' rights to their land and local self-governance, but many communities continue to experience isolation and discrimination. In August 2015, the Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) sued the government over its dismissal of nearly 2,000 Amerindians who had been employed under the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP). YEAP was established to reduce unemployment among Amerindians aged 18 to 40, but the new government argued that it had failed to provide useful training and that many recruits were used for partisan political work.
Sexual activity between men is punishable with a maximum sentence of life in prison, and cross-dressing is criminalized for both men and women. Police routinely intimidate gay men.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 9 / 16
There are no legal and few practical restrictions on freedom of movement and residency in Guyana, though racial polarization may limit individuals' free access to some areas. All citizens have the right to own and operate businesses and to own property, but economic activity is affected by widespread corruption and organized crime with links to the drug trade.
Violence against women, including domestic abuse, is widespread. Rape often goes unreported and is rarely prosecuted. Guyana permits elective abortion. Although women enjoy legal equality with men, they remain significantly underrepresented in the workforce and face discrimination in employment and compensation.
Sex trafficking and forced labor are problems for both Guyanese citizens and migrant workers, particularly in mining communities in the country's interior. The government has made some efforts to combat trafficking in persons, but the relevant programs lack adequate resources.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Guinea-Bissau
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Guinea-Bissau, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327f4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Partly Free
Aggregate Score: 39
Freedom Rating: 5.0
Political Rights: 5
Civil Liberties: 5
Quick Facts
Capital: Bissau
Population: 1,788,000
GDP/capita: $567.80
Press Freedom Status: Partly Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
In 2015, growing tensions between President Jose Mario Vaz and Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira resulted in the dismissal of the latter in August. After months of political uncertainty, a new government led by Carlos Correia of the ruling the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde (PAIGC) was appointed by the president in October. The new government's proposed budget was rejected in December 2015 and, if not confirmed in 2016, may lead to yet another government or new elections.
Corruption remains a major problem, bolstered by Guinea-Bissau's prominent role in international drug trafficking and by the government's limited resources to combat it. International donors, encouraged by successful elections in 2014, pledged some $1.2 billion to support economic and political stability in Guinea-Bissau in 2015.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 16 / 40 (-1)
A. Electoral Process: 7 / 12 (-1)
Under the constitution, the 102 members of the National People's Assembly are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. The president is elected through a two-round system of voting for a term of five years.
A total of 13 candidates competed in the 2014 presidential election. In the first round, Jose Mario Vaz of PAIGC won 40.98 percent of the vote, while independent Nuno Gomes Nabiam followed with 24.79 percent. In the second round held in May, Vaz took the presidency by a landslide, winning 61.9 percent of the vote to Nabiam's 38.08 percent.
Fifteen parties competed in the 2014 legislative elections. PAIGC took 55 seats and was allocated two additional seats for diaspora representation, bringing its total to 57. The Party of Social Renewal (PRS) secured 41 seats; the Party for Democratic Convergence (PDC) took two seats; and the Party for a New Democracy (PND) and the Union for Change (UM) won one seat each.
Monitoring groups and local human rights organizations reported some instances of intimidation or beatings of election officials and candidates in the election period. One PRS candidate for the legislature was reportedly kidnapped by unknown armed assailants. Voting was otherwise relatively peaceful and transparent, and the 2014 elections were considered free and fair by international observers.
Vaz's August 2015 dismissal of the popular Pereira and his government was opposed by the population, the political class, and the international community, and sparked a political crisis. After the dismissal, Vaz unilaterally named Baciro Dja as the new prime minister, despite objections from the PAIGC. However, Dja's appointment was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, which ruled that the prime minister had to be selected by the party that won the most recent elections. In September, Vaz and the PAIGC agreed on Correia as the compromise new prime minister; Correia's government was sworn in the following month.
In February 2015, the members of the ad hoc Commission on Constitutional Reform took office in a ceremony chaired by the President of the National Assembly, Cipriano CassamaI?. The commission is expected to prepare for public consultation a revised draft constitution by February 2016. The National Assembly will then cast a final vote on adoption of a new constitution. In November 2015, the Technical Secretary of the Commission noted that significant progress had been made toward finalizing a draft.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 8 / 16
Dozens of political parties are active in Guinea-Bissau, and 13 of them competed in the 2014 legislative elections. The two largest parties are PAIGC and the PRS. Smaller parties such as the PCD are competitive but institutionally weak. In November 2014, Nabiam established a new party, the United People's Assembly-Democratic Party of Guinea-Bissau (APU-PDGB).
The limited capacity of the security and justice sectors leads to a lack of effective civilian oversight over the defense and security forces, which has frequently threatened the political process and the functioning of state institutions. The country's 2014 elections, held two years after a military coup, marked a significant improvement in democratic governance. The head of the armed forces, Biague Nan Tan, in 2014 publicly declared his intention to instill a commitment to constitutional order within the military, and managed to do so even during the political crisis that began in August 2015.
C. Functioning of Government: 1 / 12
Although the election of legislators and a president in 2014 marked a positive step toward accountability, the political situation in Guinea-Bissau was tense in 2015 due to disputes between Vaz and the PAIGC over the responsibilities assigned to the president in the constitution.
Weak governance, a strained economy, and widespread poverty have created an environment conducive to bureaucratic and large-scale corruption through all levels of the government and the military. Guinea-Bissau was ranked 158 out of 168 countries and territories surveyed in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.
The government elected in 2014 has voiced commitment to fighting corruption and increasing transparency. However, in June 2015 the secretary of state for communities was detained due to his alleged involvement in selling diplomatic and service passports. In July, it was reported that the foreign minister was prevented from leaving the country pending investigation of his involvement in a fisheries deal with a Chinese company in 2013.
Civil Liberties: 23 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 10 / 16
Although the constitution provides for freedoms of speech and the press, these freedoms are often restricted. Journalists regularly face harassment and intimidation. In August 2015, the prime minister, Dja, dismissed the heads of the public television and radio broadcasters due to their coverage of the political crisis.
There are no reports that the government restricts access to the internet, but lack of infrastructure greatly limits penetration.
Religious freedom is legally protected and usually respected in practice. Academic freedom is similarly guaranteed and generally upheld.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 5 / 12
In general, the government does not interfere with the freedom of assembly as long as protesters secure the necessary authorizations. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are vocal in their opposition to human rights abuses and increased economic and social insecurity, and generally operate freely.
Workers are allowed to form and join independent trade unions, but few work in the wage-earning formal sector. The right to strike is protected, and government workers frequently exercise this right. Teachers went on strike for more than a month in late 2015, demanding better pay and work conditions.
F. Rule of Law: 3 / 16
Judges and magistrates are poorly trained, irregularly paid, and highly susceptible to corruption and political pressure. In March 2015, the Ministry of Justice launched a four-year justice reform program aimed at improving judicial independence and integrity, as well as access and delivery of justice. It remains to be seen whether the government will be able to secure sufficient donor funding to implement the program.
There are very limited material and human resources to conduct criminal investigations. Violence and homicides continue to pose serious problems. The UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office conducts regular monitoring of prisons. Problems reported include disregard for due process; lack of access to legal and medical assistance; severe overcrowding; poorly maintained physical infrastructure; and absence of potable water, toilets, and hygiene facilities.
Because of its weak institutions and porous borders, Guinea-Bissau has become a major transit point for cartels trafficking illegal narcotics to Europe. The armed forces and some state entities have been linked to drug trafficking, according to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime. In November 2015, Minister of Defense Adiato Nandigna noted that the Bijagos archipelago was a trouble spot and that Guinea-Bissau requires continued international cooperation to combat transnational organized crime.
In July 2015, the military placed Rear Admiral Jose Zamora Induta, who headed the army from 2009-10 and is suspected of leading a plot to overthrow the government in 2012, under house arrest and transferred him to the army barracks in Mansoa in September. In November, the Supreme Military Court ruled that the military tribunal that had ordered Induta's arrest had no jurisdiction. Induta was allowed to leave the barracks but could not leave the country, after the prosecutor general charged him with terrorism, homicide, and trying to subvert the country's constitutional order.
No laws prohibit same-sex sexual activity, but social taboos and discrimination against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people persist.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 5 / 16
Illegal exploitation of timber and fish, which increased following the 2012 coup, has caused extensive environmental damage in Guinea-Bissau. During an extraordinary session in 2013, the National People's Assembly called on the government to urgently address the rapid depletion of the few remaining forests and related ecosystems in the country. Despite a five-year moratorium approved in mid-2015, some 20,000 hectares of forest are reportedly being cut down each year, primarily by an international criminal gangs.
Women face significant traditional and societal discrimination, despite some legal protections. They generally do not receive equal pay for equal work, have fewer opportunities in education and employment, and face some restrictions in inheritance and ownership matters. According to a 2015 UN Security Council report, 34 percent of girls are subjected to forced marriage in Guinea-Bissau. Local NGOs estimate that 80 percent of those cases occur in the eastern regions.
A 2011 law banned female genital mutilation and established penalties of up to five years in prison for violators. Since its enactment, three cases have been prosecuted under the law. In parallel, there have been efforts to proactively change habits. In May 2015, 10 female cutters (fanatecas) committed at a public ceremony organized by a local NGO to abandoning female genital mutilation and to report any known cases.
The parliament passed a law in 2013 that criminalized domestic violence and established support centers for women. However, many victims do not press charges due to mistrust of the police or courts. Nevertheless, in June 2015 the first domestic violence case was brought to court under the new law.
Trafficking in persons, especially children, is a serious problem, although there is some NGO activity to combat the practice and return trafficked persons to their homes. In 2014, the Association of the Friends of Children of Guinea-Bissau declared that it had been involved in 108 cases of child trafficking in 2014, 76 of which involved crossing the border into Senegal. The latter remains a major destination for child trafficking.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Freedom in the World 2016 - Gabon
Publisher Freedom House Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2016 - Gabon, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8327f4d.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Freedom Status: Not Free
Aggregate Score: 34
Freedom Rating: 5.5
Political Rights: 6
Civil Liberties: 5
Quick Facts
Capital: Libreville
Population: 1,751,000
GDP/capita: $10,208.40
Press Freedom Status: Not Free
Net Freedom Status: N/A
OVERVIEW
During 2015, Gabon's political leaders jockeyed for position ahead of presidential and legislative elections in 2016. In February, the government repealed a 2011 ban on the main opposition party National Union (NU), enabling NU candidates to run in the 2016 elections. However, NU's leader, Andre Mba Obame, died of illness in April, sparking violence by opposition supporters in Libreville, the capital. Also in 2015, Jean Ping, another high-profile opposition figure, emerged as a leading challenger to President Ali Bongo Ondimba in the 2016 presidential election.
The offices of opposition newspapers La Loupe and L'Aube were raided in 2015, and documents and computers were seized by unknown perpetrators.
A variety of strikes from employees of the public sector took place during the year, calling for better wages for civil servants and better pensions for the retired. While Gabon has one of the highest per capita income levels in Africa, a large minority of the population still lives in poverty.
POLITICAL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES
Political Rights: 9 / 40
A. Electoral Process: 2 / 9
Gabon's bicameral parliament consists of a National Assembly, whose 120 members are elected by popular vote for five-year terms, and a 102-seat Senate indirectly elected by regional and municipal officials for six-year terms. Presidential term limits were abolished in 2003, and the president, who is elected by popular vote for seven years, has the power to dissolve the National Assembly. President Omar Bongo Ondimba who had ruled the country since 1967 died in June 2009, and his son, Ali Bongo Ondimba, won elections held in September of that year, claiming 42 percent of the vote. He main challengers included several senior figures of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), who ran as independents. Although the opposition challenged the official results amid violent protests, the Constitutional Court upheld Bongo's victory following a recount.
Some opposition parties boycotted the 2011 National Assembly elections over the government's failure to implement biometric technology for voter registration; the ruling PDG won all but seven seats. Biometric registration was in effect for the 2013 municipal and regional elections, which were overwhelmingly won by the PDG as well.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 4 / 16
The government is dominated by the PDG, which has held power since it was formed in 1968. The country has several opposition parties, but they are fragmented, and many are spinoffs of the PDG. In February, the government repealed a 2011 ban against the NU. However, the NU's leader, Obame who had refused to concede defeat in the 2009 presidential election died in April. His death led some NU supporters to set fire to the embassy of Benin and burn cars in Libreville.
Other opposition groups include United Opposition Front for Change (FOPA) coalition, which was formed in 2014. Its ranks include Jean Ping, a foreign minister under Omar Bongo and a former chair of the African Union Commission, as well as former PDG secretary general Jacques Adiahenot.
C. Functioning of Government: 3 / 12
Investigations by other countries, especially France and the United States, have documented extensive patronage under Omar Bongo's regime. Since taking office, Ali Bongo has attempted to distance himself from his father. He has reduced the size of the presidential cabinet, eliminated ghost workers from the public payroll, formed the National Commission against Illegal Enrichment to combat corruption, and launched an anticorruption probe aimed at finding millions of dollars siphoned off from a decade's worth of development projects during Omar Bongo's reign. However, corruption remains an issue. Gabon was ranked 99 out of 168 countries and territories in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index.
In 2014, the government launched an investigation into hundreds of millions of dollars in state funds allegedly stolen during the final years of Omar Bongo's regime. Critics say the probe targeted regime opponents, such as former prime minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong. The operation led to the arrest in August 2014 of a current minister, Jeannot Kalima, for alleged misappropriation of funds when he was a senior public works official under Omar Bongo. In August 2015, Bongo announced he would donate his share of his father's estate to Gabonese youth. Also in August, French police temporarily detained Maixent Accrombessi, Bongo's chief of staff, in connection with a corruption investigation; he was later released on the grounds that he had diplomatic immunity.
Gabon was delisted as a candidate for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2013 because it submitted its validation report after the deadline. In 2014, the government held a National Workshop to take steps to reenter EITI, and in 2015, it appointed a president to lead the action plan aimed at reacquiring membership.
In May 2015, the government approved a UN Development Programme-backed, three-year strategy to fight corruption and money laundering. Facilitators of the project include the National Commission for the Fight against Illicit Enrichment and the National Agency for Financial Investigation, as well as members of civil society and the private sector.
Civil Liberties: 25 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 10 / 16
Press freedom is guaranteed by law and the constitution but restricted in practice. Both private and government-affiliated newspapers and websites criticize the government, but self-censorship occurs, especially regarding topics related to the president. While technically independent, Gabon's main media regulatory body, the National Communication Council (CNC), is often subject to political influence from the ruling party and the Ministry of Communications, to which it reports.
In 2014, opposition newspapers La Loupe and L'Aube closed temporarily after claiming fake progovernment issues had replaced their original publications on newsstands. The government denied the allegations. In October 2015, unknown assailants raided the offices of both La Loupe and L'Aube, seizing computers and important documents. In November, the minister of communication issued a statement threatening La Loupe with prosecution via the CNC for an article on poor governance in Gabon.
There are no government restrictions on internet access or reports of illegal monitoring or surveillance. In 2015, the government was internationally recognized for implementing initiatives intended to increase internet access among the population.
Gabon is a predominantly Christian country, and many of its minority Muslim population are noncitizen residents from West Africa. Religious freedom is enshrined in the constitution and largely upheld by the authorities. In July 2015, authorities instructed security forces to monitor those wearing full face veils in public places after terrorists had used them as a means to disguise their identities in nearby countries. Wearing the veil is legally permitted however.
The government does not restrict academic freedom.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 4 / 12
The rights of assembly and association are legally guaranteed. Public protests must be approved by the government, and security forces have used harsh tactics to keep order. In March 2015, security forces used tear gas and fired blanks against protesters calling for various reforms in education, retirement, and salaries.
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) serve as an important counterweight to the lack of an effective political opposition, and are generally free to investigate and report on civil liberties abuses. However, their numbers are small.
Unions are relatively strong and influential, and the private industrial sector is almost entirely unionized. Strikes are frequent, and in 2015, members of the public sector mobilized to demand higher wages for civil servants and a reevaluation of retirement pensions, while students called for improvements on issues including scholarships and school cancellations. In February and March, Libreville experienced periods of internet blackouts after employees of Gabon Telecom, the country's main internet and phone provider, organized strikes as a means to seek better pay after the company was privatized in 2007.
F. Rule of Law: 6 / 16
The law stipulates that the judiciary be independent, but it is accountable to the Ministry of Justice, through which the president has the power to appoint and dismiss judges.
Prison conditions are harsh and facilities are severely overcrowded. The main prison in Libreville, built to hold 500 inmates, has approximately four times that many. Pretrial detention is often lengthy, and access to proper medical care is limited. Human rights organizations are technically allowed to visit prisons, but some reportedly experienced problems in obtaining authorization. Torture is specifically outlawed by the constitution, including of inmates, yet cruel treatment continues to occur in prisons nonetheless. Mob violence is pervasive, and residential burglaries are reportedly on the rise.
Ritual killings remain a serious problem, especially before elections, as some believe limbs, genitals, and organs can be used to increase strength. Many go unreported and impunity is a problem. After several bodies were discovered with parts missing, the government introduced a stricter penal code in 2015, condemning perpetrators of ritual killings and other mutilations to life in prison.
The country's large population of noncitizen African immigrants is subject to harassment and extortion. Police occasionally beat and detain immigrants who do not have valid identification or residence permits. According to the law, indigenous peoples have the same civil rights as others, yet in practice, they are often marginalized from societal institutions. They reportedly experience discrimination in the workplace and live in extreme poverty.
Gabon has no specific statute outlawing same-sex sexual activity, but bias against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people remains an issue. Most members of the LGBT community choose to keep their identities a secret to avoid housing and employment discrimination. There were no reports of violence directed against LGBT members in 2015.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 5 / 16
There are no laws restricting internal travel, but police often monitor travelers at checkpoints and demand bribes. Married women seeking to either obtain a passport or travel abroad must have permission from their husbands. Gabon was ranked 144 of 189 countries in the 2015 World Bank Doing Business report.
Women hold positions at all levels of private business and the government, including 15 of 120 seats in the National Assembly and 19 of 100 seats in the Senate. Rape is illegal under the law, but spousal rape is not mentioned and no law exists against sexual harassment. However, rape is rarely prosecuted and is often unreported due to societal taboos.
Gabon's relatively stable economy makes it attractive for smugglers who want to lure young people into the country, and teenagers from neighboring countries are commonly trafficked into Gabon. Many boys end up as street vendors or mechanics, while girls are forced to work as domestic servants. Although the government often does not respond to issues of trafficking, in 2015 the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare delivered aid to 14 victims found by local NGOs.
Scoring Key: X / Y (Z)
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year
Copyright notice: Freedom House, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Anniversary of Alan Kurdi drowning highlights continuing global shame
Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Anniversary of Alan Kurdi drowning highlights continuing global shame, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c832dc4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
One year after the shocking image of Syrian boy Alan Kurdi's drowned body caused international outcry, world leaders are still failing to respond to the refugee crisis, said Amnesty International today.
Marking the 2 September anniversary of Alan's death, the organisation drew attention to the plight of thousands of other refugee children let down by the dismal failure of world leaders to tackle the refugee crisis. In July, negotiations ahead of the 19 September UN Refugee and Migrant Summit put the "Global Compact on Refugee Responsibility-Sharing" proposed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on ice until 2018.
"As if the image of Alan's lifeless body that shamed the world were not enough, one year later world leaders are still refusing to act. Tragically, states have already passed up on a chance to address the crisis at a UN Summit on 19 September, which is set to fall far short of what is needed. We now face the prospect of another conclave of world leaders fiddling with hollow declarations while more children suffer," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's Secretary General.
"The outpouring of sympathy for Alan Kurdi seen last year must be extended to the countless other refugee children who are in dire need of help. Governments have dealt with the refugee crisis with narrow self-interest, as if the people they represent are incapable of extending their empathy beyond their own communities. It's time all of us started taking the refugee crisis personally and show our leaders that we welcome refugees."
Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International
DRC: Journalist hounded over absurd libel case fine
Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, DRC: Journalist hounded over absurd libel case fine, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c8345c4.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the court's decision in an absurd libel case heard in butembo, Nord-Kivu, in March against newspaper publisher Christian Kahindo Muke and urges the judicial authorities to overturn his iniquitous conviction.
The publisher of the bimonthly entitled Rafiki (which means "Friend" in Swahili), Christian Kahindo Muke has been in hiding ever since five men armed with AK47 rifles raided his home on the evening of 29 August in an attempt to arrest him for non-payment of his 1,500 US dollars fine.
Quite a muscular reaction when one considers that judicial authorities never notified Muke about the fine in the first place and that his lawyer only learned of it when he went to the court to enquire about the reason for the heavy-handed raid on his client's home.
"Such measures highlight the utter iniquity of the Butembo court's rulings," RSF said. "How can you arrest someone for non-payment of a fine of which he was never notified? The Congolese judicial system's limited resources are no excuse. Christian Muke has clearly been subjected to political harassment. We call on the court to quash his conviction and drop all proceedings against this journalist."
Muke was convicted over a December 2015 article about the links between Hamza Baghuma Kasereka, a Muslim cleric, and the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan rebel group responsible for many massacres in and around Beni, a city 50 km north of Butembo.
The absurdity of the conviction has been highlighted by the fact that the Nord-Kivu military operational court in Beni is currently trying Kasereka along with many ADF members, who have testified that Kasereka recruited them.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked 152nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
How Kenya's al-Shabab amnesty is a loaded gun
Publisher IRIN Author Mohammed Yusuf Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as IRIN, How Kenya's al-Shabab amnesty is a loaded gun, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c834d74.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Musa Rashid had fought for a year with the Somali jihadist group al-Shabab until, disillusioned, he returned home to Kenya.
Part of the lure was a government amnesty for those who renounced violence, and the promise of support to settle back into his Majengo neighbourhood, a low-income suburb of the capital, Nairobi.
Rashid, 40, saw it as a chance to restart his life. But first there was the nerve-shredding step of making his presence known to the authorities, effectively surrendering, and then trusting that the amnesty would apply to him and be fairly implemented.
In January, he went to a police station close to Majengo, along with a cousin who had similarly joined and then quit al-Shabab.
According to Rashid's sister, Sawiya, who accompanied them as a witness, the station commander confirmed they were eligible for a pardon and advised the two men to go home.
Two days later, Rashid and his cousin disappeared. They went to work in the sprawling, nearby Gikomba market, where they laboured as porters, but never came home.
Sawiya believes the Kenyan police are to blame, although she disclosed no evidence to back up her claim. A Human Rights Watch report in July alleged the security forces "have forcibly disappeared at least 34 people in the past two years during abusive counterterrorism operations in Nairobi and in northeastern Kenya".
But there are other explanations too.
In hiding
Tainted by Rashid's al-Shabab past, Sawiya now fears she could be next. As a result, she's in hiding. She told IRIN she still receives intimidating calls from unknown people.
"They ask if I 'know where my brothers are?' I tell them to help me find my brothers."
It's not just the security services Sawiya worries about. Al-Shabab members are in the community, and they take a dim view of deserters. "When you escape or try to leave [them, they] will kill you," she explained.
Majengo is an old, majority Muslim district, although Gikomba, Nairobi's largest open-air market, attracts people from across the country, adding a cosmopolitan flavor.
In Kenya's neglected Muslim communities, radical mosques like Majengo's Muslim Youth Centre, under Ahmed Iman Ali, and the Masjid Musa in Mombasa, led until his death by the charismatic Ibrahim "Rogo" Omar, have inspired hundreds of young Kenyans to go and fight in Somalia.
Grievances galore
The struggle, then and now, is presented as a broader battle against a Somali government portrayed as illegitimate and a stooge of Western interests. Jihadists also draw on the many grievances of Muslims in Kenya, who lack political and economic clout, and, on the coast, even their traditional land.
Kenya's intervention in Somalia in 2011, aimed in part at stopping the cross-border raids that were hurting its tourism trade, enraged al-Shabab. There were high-profile attacks on a posh shopping mall in 2013, and a university in the northeast last year, which together killed a total of more than 215 people.
Apart from these "spectaculars", there has been a long, dispiriting campaign of smaller-scale bombings and shootings. Rashid joined al-Shabab in December 2014, at the peak of the attacks inside Kenya, including a twin explosion in Gikomba, seemingly designed to stir Muslim-Christian conflict.
Rashid's sister said part of the reason he joined was the promise of money. "They were told they would be rich. It was just a lie," she said. Al-Shabab typically dangles the prospect of a $500 to $1,000 salary, a good deal of money in Kenya.
A profile of returnees, compiled by the International Organization for Migration and the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, found that one third of recruits were jobless before they joined the group. The bulk, 46 percent, said they were "self-employed", but typically in low-paying work like farming and fishing.
The economic motive is not the whole story. One 26-year-old former al-Shabab fighter told IRIN he joined for ideological reasons after being convinced by a friend. "We discussed injustices our community was facing," he said. "We left, five of us, to go to Somalia. It was more about fighting for justice and religion."
Anti-terrorism playbook
The Kenyan security forces have responded to the al-Shabab threat with dragnets targeting the Kenyan Somali population, ever-constant extra-judicial killings, and promises to close the Dadaab refugee camp, where they claim contrary to the evidence attacks are planned.
So the surprise announcement of an amnesty in April last year by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery was an entirely new departure. It came just days after the Garissa University College attack by al-Shabab, which killed 148 people, nearly all young students.
The initiative aims to "encourage those disillusioned with the group that wanted to come back," interior ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka told IRIN. But "those who have been directly involved in terror activities against Kenya, or Kenya's interests, will have to have their day in court."
The amnesty programme includes counselling and rehabilitation, as well as supposedly protection to those who have surrendered. It was promoted as part of a "countering violent extremism" strategy, to win over former combatants, and help de-radicalise the communities in which they live.
See: Does Countering Violent Extremism work?
According to the returnees' survey, an estimated 700 ex-combatants had made their way home by 2015. Some analysts believe the figure could now be closer to 1,000 a clear win for the programme.
No implementation strategy
But there's a big problem: it's not working as advertised.
"There is no law, policy, and practice in place to operationalise [the amnesty]," noted Abdulahi Halakhe Boru, a regional security analyst.
Kenya risks squandering a potentially smart initiative, because "this is a government that is disorganised, lacks capacity, and thinks only about expediency," said Joseph Wandera, coordinator at St Paul's University's Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations in Eastleigh, a Nairobi suburb.
As a result, the amnesty is "nothing other than a press statement," argued one newspaper columnist. There is no joined-up policy in place, no push for the security forces to mend their ways, no leadership, and no accountability.
At the local level, it's extremely messy.
Returnees "are nervous about their security, the community is nervous the people coming back are not transformed, and nervous that if they associate with these returnees, they might be punished by the cops," Wandera told IRIN.
Is al-Shabab behind the killings?
Njoka, the interior ministry spokesman, denied allegations of any involvement by the security forces in the disappearances of al-Shabab returnees, blaming them instead on jihadists trying to scare young people and prevent fighters surrendering to the government.
Al-Shabab tactics include: "sending threatening messages to families of those whose children have deserted that unless the parents disclose the whereabouts of the children, the entire family would be eliminated; making efforts to track down those who have deserted and sometimes killing them; and threatening its members and spreading propaganda that the amnesty is a trap to capture former combatants," Njoka said.
The ongoing killings of returnees and community peace mobilisers in Kwale county, south of Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, is evidence of al-Shabab's entrenched presence in a region that has supplied recruits for years.
An attack by a policeman last month on his own station in Kapenguria, in northeastern Kenya, gunning down seven colleagues, was also a jaw-dropping reminder that al-Shabab can infiltrate the security forces.
Despite the risks of retribution from either the security forces or al-Shabab, it's not just fear that weighs on the minds of the returnees. According to the IOM and Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims study, they also see aid and community acceptance as pre-conditions for successful reintegration.
Giving up
But Boru, the regional security analyst, told IRIN that because al-Shabab is listed as a terrorist organaisation, civil society groups are hesitant to work with the ex-fighters, "lest they are seen [to be] or accused of providing material support".
The 26-year-old mentioned earlier, who joined al-Shabab as a true believer, has struggled to settle back into Majengo. He now regards the amnesty programme as a hoax, a ruse by the government to entice men back to kill them.
"There is nothing like amnesty. It's a trap," he insisted. "What they mean is they send someone to follow you, and you have days to live. Those who went for the amnesty said the government had forgiven them, but that is not the case."
The former fighter believes his only option is to go back to Somalia. He is trying to buy some time until his preparations can be made. "I feel bad," he said, but, in light of the situation, "there is nothing I can do about it".
Troubled waters
Publisher IRIN Author Kristy Siegfried & Tom Westcott Publication Date 29 August 2016 Cite as IRIN, Troubled waters, 29 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c835a44.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
"I was very scared in the sea. The boat was overcrowded. I could barely move. I was afraid of dying, but even more afraid of being caught by the Libyan police."
Ali*, a 21-year-old from Ghana, spoke to IRIN shortly after disembarking from a search-and-rescue vessel in Catania, Sicily.
"The traffickers tell you when you get in the boat that in three hours you'll be arriving in Italy," he said, adding that by the following morning, when they were rescued, their boat had only moved 12 nautical miles from the Libyan coast.
Ali survived, but three of his friends who attempted the journey before him did not. They are among 2,726 migrants who have lost their lives in the stretch of the Mediterranean between North Africa and Italy so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Over the last two years, search-and-rescue efforts in the Central Mediterranean have been ramped up significantly and have undoubtedly saved countless lives. On Sunday alone, the Italian coastguard rescued 1,100 migrants from a total of 11 different vessels. And yet, the first half of 2016 saw a 67 percent increase in the number of migrants who died or disappeared trying to cross the Mediterranean compared to the same period last year, according to figures released in a report by IOM last week.
Far deadlier route
The vast majority of deaths occur in the Central Mediterranean, where one in 29 migrants lost their lives attempting the crossing between January and June. This is compared to one in 410 who used the much shorter Eastern Mediterranean route between Turkey and Greece.
But the longer length of the Central Mediterranean route is not the only reason it has become so risky. Experts say smugglers are using increasingly dangerous strategies to maximise their profits.
Libya remains the main gateway to the Central Mediterranean, and officials there claim the country's severe cash crisis is driving a surge of new entrants into the migrant smuggling trade.
"Every day, we see more young people are getting involved in smuggling," a senior official from Libya's Department for Combatting Illegal Immigration told IRIN on condition of anonymity. "There is no work, no cash in the banks, and all the young people know that they can get easy cash from this type of work."
The official said ordinary people with an empty garage, farm, or house near the coast are starting to use these as holding places for migrants, while waiting for favourable sea conditions.
"There are smugglers currently operating all along the western coast from Tripoli to Zuwara, and, as soon as the sea is good, they are ready to quickly transfer the migrants from these holding places to the sea," he explained.
Bargain prices
The migrant trade on Libya's Mediterranean shoreline has always operated on the basis of supply and demand, but, with black market exchange rates for foreign currency soaring to more than double the official exchange rate, smugglers have also now dropped their prices, making the journey more affordable.
"A journey that once cost around $1,000 now costs as little $200 or $300, and we are hearing that some new smugglers are accepting as little as $100 per person," the official told IRIN.
"There are so many migrants waiting to go that often smugglers are now putting five or even 10 boats out to sea at a time from one departure point, where before it was maybe one or two."
This practice of launching multiple boats at once is complicating search-and-rescue efforts and has contributed to this year's higher death toll, according to the IOM report.
Last Sunday (21 August), a vessel operated by Medecins Sans Frontieres was in the process of rescuing migrants from a wooden boat that was taking on water when it received word that another boat carrying migrants, this time a small inflatable one, also needed saving.
"We took in a total of 551 people in one combined operation, instead of two operations. It was more difficult and made the situation more urgent," said Jacob Goldberg, a medical coordinator with MSF.
Overloading
Not only are more boats being launched simultaneously, but they are also being packed with more migrants.
"They've gone up from 100 [people] on the rubber boats to 150 or 160. On the wooden boats, from around 450 to 550 [before], we're now seeing 550 to 800," said Peter Sweetnam, director of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based NGO that operates two search-and-rescue vessels in the Mediterranean.
Fernando Calero/MSF Smugglers have increased the number of migrants they pack into a boat, making the journey even more dangerous
"People aren't normally wearing life jackets and the rubber boats often start to deflate when there are so many people on them," Sweetnam added.
Smugglers began using inflatable boats last year when the supply of wooden, former fishing boats started running low.
"In Libya, you can be killed at any second. Everybody has a gun. I just wanted to go out from there"
The EU's Operation Sophia, launched last year with the aim of disrupting smuggling networks, destroys wooden boats following a rescue operation so they cannot be retrieved and reused by smugglers. But the smugglers have simply switched to using cheaper, rubber boats, which, according to the senior official, are imported illegally from Tunisia.
"These boats are meant for 10 people maximum, but the smugglers usually put 100-120 people into each one," he said. "They don't care about what happens to them at sea. They are just thinking about the money."
Desperate to leave
Despite the risks, the demand for smugglers' services has remained high, in part because many people are so eager to escape the chaos in Libya.
The majority of migrants who set off from Libya are West Africans like Ali, who came to Libya in search of work. During 10 months there, he said he endured torture, imprisonment and being sold by traffickers.
"In Libya, you can be killed at any second. Everybody has a gun. I just wanted to go out from there," he told IRIN.
Flavio di Giacomo, a spokesman with IOM in Italy, confirmed that many new arrivals said they hadn't intended to come to Europe but had gone to Libya in search of work.
"We've met so many migrants from West Africa who told us that they didn't have any idea that the situation in Libya was so dangerous," he told IRIN. "Those who make it to Europe often don't tell their families back home what they suffered in Libya. They want to be seen as a success. But I've met many migrants who were quite upset with their friends. They say, 'Why didn't they tell me?'"
New routes
IOM recently launched a campaign that uses migrants who've made the journey to Europe to warn would-be migrants back home about the dangers they're likely to encounter in Libya, as well as what they may experience during the sea journey.
Migrants from the Horn of Africa, particularly Eritreans, appear to have already started steering clear of Libya and increasing numbers are now attempting to set off for Europe from Egypt. Arrivals from Egypt now make up about 10 to 15 percent of all arrivals to Italy, said di Giacomo.
For those who manage to evade the watchful Egyptian authorities, the journey to Italy is even longer from Egypt's coast than the one from Libya, taking up to 10 days.
"It stretches the search area," said Sweetnam of MOAS. "And we would need a relationship with Egyptian authorities to be able to do rescues in Egyptian territorial waters."
MOAS and MSF are among several NGOs that between them are now operating 13 search-and-rescue vessels in this stretch of the Mediterranean. Operation Sophia makes use of five ships from four different countries as well as several aircraft, and the Italian coastguard also plays a crucial coordination role.
And yet, despite all this effort, the deaths have continued and appear to be on the rise. "The area is so large, I suspect we can never fully cover it," said Sweetnam.
Gang violence in Central America is a humanitarian crisis
Publisher IRIN Author Kristy Siegfried Publication Date 1 September 2016 Cite as IRIN, Gang violence in Central America is a humanitarian crisis, 1 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c836734.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Central America's Northern Triangle encompassing El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras is one of the most violent regions in the world outside of a warzone. Transnational gangs or maras have proliferated in the wake of decades of civil war and are largely responsible for a per capita death rate that rivals that in Syria.
The humanitarian impacts have become increasingly obvious over the last two years as more and more people, many of them unaccompanied children, have fled the violence and sought protection, mostly in the United States. An estimated 10 percent of the Northern Triangle's population of 30 million has already left. For those forced to remain, weak and corrupt state institutions have failed to improve their access to health, education, and justice in city neighbourhoods that have been carved up into "territories" by rival gangs, and where schools have become places of recruitment and kidnapping.
"There's still a slow recognition of the scale and magnitude of the problem"
Humanitarian agencies, more used to working in classic conflict settings or in the aftermath of natural disasters, are starting to wake up to the need to respond to the Northern Triangle's epidemic of violence. Organisations like the International Committee of the Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres are leading the way, but their programmes are small-scale and, in terms of their reach, "very much the tip of the iceberg", according to Robert Muggah, director of the Igarape Institute, a Brazil-based think tank that focuses on security issues.
"There's still a slow recognition of the scale and magnitude of the problem," he told IRIN. "There are still considerable apprehensions in the humanitarian world about how best to engage."
How do you engage with gangs?
Gangs in the Northern Triangle are financed by a range of organised criminal activities, from more localised extortion and smuggling rackets to the trans-regional trade in narcotics, much of it bound for the United States.
The Igarape Institute's projections suggest that homicide rates in the Northern Triangle will continue to rise over the next 20 years, even as they fall in other parts of the world.
"This creates a conundrum for the humanitarian community," said Muggah, explaining that, in terms of International Humanitarian Law, gang violence is not defined as an armed conflict, even if the consequences for local populations can be just as devastating and deadly.
Antonio Aragon/ECHO Children look on as paramedics take away the body of a man executed in his home in Ciudad Espana, near Tegucigalpa
In practical terms, this means that humanitarian agencies responding to gang violence cannot expect any special protection and may themselves become targets. Attempts to negotiate access with gang members controlling a particular "territory" where agencies want to work can also be deemed a criminal offense.
"If you meet with a convicted killer and don't report their whereabouts, you could be charged with a crime of association. It does raise a big red flag for some agencies, because they no longer have the immunity under IHL to engage in these kinds of negotiations formally," said Muggah.
Joaquim Guinart, MSF's field coordinator in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, said his organisation does not attempt to engage with gangs in "red areas" of the city where levels of crime and violence are highest and the organisation is providing care to victims of sexual and other types of violence.
"Always the gangs have people keeping watch in different parts of the neighbourhood. When they approach us, we explain what we're doing and they accept it," he told IRIN. "We monitor violent events through the media and schools. Now, mass killings of several people at once are increasing and the gangs are often fighting for territory, which is putting us on alert."
Questions of neutrality
The ICRC, which runs programmes providing assistance to returning migrants and communities affected by armed violence in all three countries, does not rule out talking to the gangs.
"We would at some stage attempt to have some dialogue with the gangs. We don't talk about what it is we discuss with them," said Yves Heller, the ICRC's communications coordinator for the region.
He added that "it is a completely different dynamic" than talking to armed actors in the context of a conflict, where "you're dealing with some very clear principles".
The need to coordinate humanitarian efforts with local government departments also raises what Muggah described as "existential questions for agencies that seek to remain neutral and impartial".
"In urban violence situations, if you don't have some alignment with different sectors of the government, then you're just applying light band aids that are quickly ripped off," he told IRIN. "It means lowering a flag, not necessarily waving your agency identity and engaging in complex negotiations with governments to help them supplement gaps."
He added that governments in the Northern Triangle have been wary about accepting help from humanitarian agencies because of the message it can send about the dire state of security in their countries.
"It took a lot of communication, clarification, and dialogue between groups like the ICRC and governments to ensure there was a common understanding. There were situations where the ICRC was taken to task for communicating findings that were seen to be reflecting negatively on the country in question," he said.
Setting an example
The biggest dividend for small-scale humanitarian interventions in this region can be the extent to which local governments attempt to replicate them.
When MSF began providing care to sexual violence victims in Tegucigalpa four years ago, for example, there was no national protocol for treating such patients.
"Now, the government is going to introduce a protocol for sexual violence, and that is something we've been fighting for," said Guinart. "Our work has given us legitimacy to talk about these things."
Antonio Aragon/ECHO A Save the Children workshop for adolescents in one of the most violent neighbourhoods in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Through multi-disciplinary teams consisting of doctors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists, MSF is also "trying to demonstrate to health authorities the need to address this in a more holistic way," said Henry Rodriguez, the organisation's head of mission for Mexico and Honduras.
"We don't pretend to change behaviours or the origins of the violence, but at least we can raise awareness about the need to give more support to this population."
More help needed
Encouraging more humanitarian agencies to start programmes in the Northern Triangle will depend to a large extent on finding willing donors.
The only major donor currently funding humanitarian programmes in the region is the EU's humanitarian aid department, ECHO.
"Development donors are doing great work in terms of violence prevention, but in terms of humanitarian response there's very little," said Vicente Raimundo, ECHO's regional head for Central America. "It's a paradox, because usually it's the other way around."
"I think that we all have failed in acknowledging that we have a humanitarian problem."
ECHO is partnering with the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, to help displaced populations in El Salvador, and with the Norwegian Red Cross and the Norwegian Refugee Council in Honduras and El Salvador to make schools safer and children less vulnerable to recruitment by gangs.
But major gaps remain, particularly in the health and education sectors. "It's about psychosocial support, and also the needs of people who can't get to a hospital because it means crossing certain territory [that belongs to a rival gang]. It's about kids being threatened, recruited, and extorted in schools," said Raimundo. "I think that we all have failed in acknowledging that we have a humanitarian problem."
Not just a US problem
Muggah noted there has been a general decline in aid to Latin America in the last five to 10 years and that many donors view the situation in the Northern Triangle as in "the US's backyard" and therefore something American donors should be addressing.
US-funded initiatives have tended to focus on law enforcement and addressing drug trafficking, although the more recent Strategy for Engagement in Central America will also aim to boost economic development, reduce violence, and strengthen government institutions.
There's been a slow but growing acknowledgement of the need for a stronger humanitarian response to urban violence in the Northern Triangle, said Muggah, but aid agencies are "struggling to find what their added value is".
While organisations like MSF and ICRC have started experimenting with various interventions, "some agencies have kept their heads in the sand and not got involved in the messy and often highly politicised work of [responding to] urban violence."
"In the meantime," he added, "there are enormous needs in these areas, and if the goal is to reduce suffering and to promote protection, the humanitarian world can play a role."
Kazakhstan: Pensioners fined as Parliament awaits new Law
Publisher Forum 18 Author Felix Corley Publication Date 31 August 2016 Cite as Forum 18, Kazakhstan: Pensioners fined as Parliament awaits new Law, 31 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c83e394.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Two Baptists in their late seventies were among seven people in East Kazakhstan Region fined for attending a home religious meeting. A new anti-"Extremism" Law, likely to reach Parliament within days, envisages further censorship of religious literature and controls on foreign pilgrimages.
Kenya: New dawn for transparency as Access to Information law is passed
Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 1 September 2016 Cite as Article 19, Kenya: New dawn for transparency as Access to Information law is passed, 1 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c844284.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
ARTICLE 19 welcomes the assent into law of the Access to Information Act 2015. President Uhuru Kenyatta assented to the Bill on 31 August 2016. Kenya is the 21st country on the African continent to pass an access to information law.
"We congratulate the President in assenting to the access to information law. The passage of the Act heralds a new dispensation of openness in the country and underlines the President's commitment to promote transparency and accountability within government," said Henry Maina, Director of ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa.
The Act articulates the processes by which citizens can request for information from public entities and relevant private bodies, and penalizes the withholding of information by public information officers. It also prescribes the procedures for complaints, and confers upon the Commission on Administrative Justice enforcement and oversight powers.
"We should now prioritize the implementation of the provisions of the Act. This requires the understanding of different stakeholders including the executive, judiciary, media, CSOs and the private sector of their roles in implementation," added Maina.
The Act requires the formulation of the regulations by the Cabinet Secretary of Information providing guidance on issues like format, record keeping by public entities, accuracy of information and complaints procedures.
Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
Turkey: Charges must be dropped in high-profile trial of journalists following failed coup
Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 1 September 2016 Cite as Article 19, Turkey: Charges must be dropped in high-profile trial of journalists following failed coup, 1 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c844564.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
On 2 September, the first hearing will take place in a trial concerning three former senior editors of Taraf daily newspaper, Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar and Yldray Ogur; and two journalists, Mehmet Baransu and Tuncay Opcin. The undersigned organisations believe the trial to be politically motivated and call on the government to drop all charges against the accused and to immediately and unconditionally release Mehmet Baransu, who has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest on 2 March 2015.
The charges pre-date the 15 July coup attempt, which the undersigned organisations also condemned; however, this is a high profile trial of journalists following the declaration of the State of Emergency in Turkey, under which at least 100 journalists have been detained. This trial is therefore of particular significance, as it may shed light on how the courts will approach cases concerning the right to freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial under the state of emergency - even when not directly related to the coup attempt.
ARTICLE 19, Index on Censorship, EFJ, Norwegian Press Association, Norwegian Journalists' Union, PEN Germany, Danish PEN, PEN International, and Wales PEN Cymru are attending the trial.
THE CHARGES
The charges are detailed in a 276 page indictment, which was accepted on 20 June 2016 by the Istanbul High Criminal Court, 16 months after the initiation of the investigation. All five journalists are facing charges of acquiring, destroying and divulging documents concerning the security of the state and its political interests, punishable by up to 50 years in prison. Baransu and Opcin are facing additional charges of 'membership and administration of a terrorist organization' and face a possible 75-year prison term.
The charges of acquiring, destroying and divulging state secrets against the five journalists concern the 'Egemen Operation' plan - an out-of-date military war plan to respond to a Greek invasion. As a prior judgment of the Turkish Constitutional Court affirms, Taraf did not publish state secrets regarding this operation. Moreover, it is hard to see how the document could be considered a state secret; the Egemen Operation Plan was declared no longer in use in 2007, prior to when it was allegedly acquired by the journalists. Of even greater concern,the plan was actually made public in 2011 by a Court, when it was published in an indictment related to another case.
The charges of membership and administration of a terrorist organisation against Baransu and Opcin, refer to alleged affiliation with the Gulenist Terror Organisation (Fetullahc Teror Orgutu, FETO), the group that the Turkish government accuses of being behind the failed coup in July. The first official reference to this group as a terrorist movement was in an indictment in May 2015, and it was only added to the official list of outlawed terrorist organisations in Turkey in May 2016 - six years after the period to which the charges relate.
The defendants deny all the charges.
PROBLEMS WITH THE INDICTMENT
The indictment presented by the prosecutor is highly problematic, containing a number of procedural deficiencies. In addition, failing to establish the facts against the defendants, it includes information about several offences that bear no relation to the proceedings at issue; and levies accusations against the defendants that are not included in the charges. The deficiencies include:
The indictment accuses the defendants of propaganda for a terrorist organisation; but brings no charges on these grounds, nor does it provide any facts to support this.
46 pages of the indictment have been copied directly from an entirely separate indictment against Cumhuriyet editors, Can Dundar and Erdem Gul, who exposed illegal arms transfers by the Turkish Intelligence Service (MIT) into Syria and were sentenced to prison for five years for their reporting. The degree of direct reproduction is evident from the fact that one paragraph of the indictment even starts with the words 'The Defendant Can Dundar'.
Large parts of the indictment against the journalists focus on a series of controversial news reports, titled the 'Balyoz (Sledgehammer) Coup Plan', published in Taraf between 20-29 January 2010, about an alleged military coup to overthrow the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government. However, the charges do not, in fact, relate to this story. Indeed, the indictment does not suggest Taraf's decision to publish the Balyoz papers was criminal and Balyoz does not figure in the specific charges presented at all.
These deficiencies seriously undermine the credibility of the charges, increasing concerns that they are groundless and aimed at stifling opposition voices within Turkey.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
It is well established that no restriction may be imposed on freedom of expression on the grounds of national security unless the government can demonstrate that the restriction is necessary in a democratic society to protect a legitimate national security interest. The burden of demonstrating the validity of the restriction rests with the government.
Moreover, any restriction on journalistic activity - in this case the charges brought against the journalists - must have the genuine purpose and demonstrable effect of protecting a legitimate national security interest. As noted, the alleged state secret, the Egemen Secret Operation Plan, had already been published prior to charges being brought by a court, undermining the assertion that charges of acquiring, destroying and divulging this plan are necessary to ensure state security. This is reinforced by the disproportionately high sentences sought against the defendants. Restrictions must meet a sort of proportionality test, whereby the benefit in terms of protecting the interest must be greater than the harm caused to freedom of expression.
Additionally, national security concerns do not allow the government to waive the rule of law protections that are part of international law. This includes the right not to be arbitrarily detained and the right to be informed promptly of the charges against him or her. Mehmet Baransu, who has been held in pre-trial detention for 18 months, and had no charges served against him for a 15 month period, has had both of these rights violated.
We call upon the government of Turkey to drop the charges against the Taraf journalists. At a time when the Turkish government should be demonstrating its commitment to freedom of expression and the rule of law, it is pursuing highly questionable charges that seem to be aimed at stifling legitimate government criticism.
SIGNATORIES
ARTICLE 19
Index on Censorship
European Federation of Journalists
Norwegian Press Association
Norwegian Journalists' Union
PEN Germany
My Media
PEN International
Welsh PEN Cymru
PEN UK
Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
Turkey: Charges must be dropped in trial of journalists following failed coup
Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 1 September 2016 Cite as Article 19, Turkey: Charges must be dropped in trial of journalists following failed coup, 1 September 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57c844934.html [accessed 29 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
On 2 September, the first hearing will take place in a trial concerning three former senior editors of Taraf daily newspaper, Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar and Yldray Ogur; and two journalists, Mehmet Baransu and Tuncay Opcin.
Representatives of ARTICLE 19, Danish Pen, the European Federation of Journalists, Index on Censorship, the Norwegian Press Association, the Norwegian Journalists' Union, PEN International, PEN Germany and Wales PEN Cymru, will be attending the trial in order to demonstrate solidarity with the defendants and with media freedom more broadly in Turkey. The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales is also attending to observe the hearing.
An international coalition of organisations is calling for all charges to dropped and that Baransu be immediately released.
The charges pre-date the 15 July coup attempt; however, this is athe first high profile trial of journalists since following the declaration of the State of Emergency in Turkey, under which at least 100 journalists have been detained. This trial is therefore of particular significance, as it may shed light on how the courts will approach cases concerning the right to freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial under the state of emergency - even when not directly related to the coup attempt.
We believe the trial to be politically motivated and call on the government to drop all charges against the accused and to immediately and unconditionally release Mehmet Baransu, who has been held in pre-trial since his arrest on 2 March 2015.
Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
Gili Islands, Indonesia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/31/2016 --Although the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) runs from the 17th to the 24th of February the preparation workshops are due to start on February 13th 2017. February is a great time to train for a new career as a scuba diving instructor as it is just before the European summer holiday season which sees many holiday-makers choosing to travel to Gili Trawangan to take dive training courses.
The program is conducted entirely by Multi Award Winning Platinum PADI Course Director Holly Macleod who has trained hundreds of PADI Instructors for a new career as diving instructors and has over a decade of experience within the industry. Holly has worked in a variety of diving related positions in a range of international locations and is therefore in a fantastic position to assist candidates when looking for first jobs within the industry.
The program takes place at the first ever PADI 5 Star IDC Career Development Center (CDC) to be established in the Lombok and the Gili Islands region offering the very highest standard of world class training facilities. Today the dive center remains the only PADI Career Development Center to be found in Gili Trawangan and offers the full range of PADI Programs. Being one of the largest certifiers in Indonesia it is also a great place to take advantage of team teaching opportunities and learn from highly experienced and well-seasoned PADI Scuba Diving Instructors.
The Gili Islands are a rapidly growing tourist destination offering small island communities with palm swept beaches and no motorized transport. With the growing number of tourists visiting the Gili Islands the dive industry has also grown exponentially and therefore dive companies are always on the lookout to recruit new diving instructors. Gili Trawangan is the largest and most popular of the three Gili Islands and offers a range of tourist amenities including multiple hotels, restaurants, bars and dive shops.
The February pre IDC preparation workshops commence on 13th February and they are a fantastic way for candidates to review dive knowledge and skill and get to meet fellow course candidates. Participating in the preparation workshops is strongly encouraged to all candidates. The PADI Instructor Development Course starts on 17th of February 2017 and offers students the opportunity to increase their dive knowledge, theory and skills to a level far beyond that expected from the diving industry as a whole. Holly has expanded the PADI IDC Syllabus to include many of her own personal presentations and workshops designed to enhance the quality of training delivered to diving professionals and provide the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed in a dynamic training environment.
To find out more specific information or to reserve a place on this exciting and fun program, Platinum PADI Course Director Holly Macleod can be contacted directly through the PADI IDC Indonesia Website. All of the latest new and updates from the program can be found on the PADI IDC Gili Islands Facebook Fan Page as well as a variety of PADI IDC Indonesia Video's and Photos.
Contact:
JT Dive Advice
Dive Publications
idc@trawangandive.com
+62 (0)821-4785-0413
http://www.idc-gili.com/
Gili Islands, Indonesia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/31/2016 --The January PADI IDC Gili Islands preparation workshops are due to start on the January 9th 2017. The actual PADI IDC will run from the 13th to January 24th.
The PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) in the Gili Islands combines the perfect tropical islands getaway with highly professional PADI Instructor level training. World Class training facilities ensure that candidates get the very best of training within the industry offering all of the facilities expected from the first ever PADI 5 Star IDC Career Development Center's (CDC) to be established in the Gili Islands.
Candidates will expect to receive the finest scuba diving education conducted entirely by Platinum PADI Course Director Holly Macleod, who has a wealth of experience within the industry and has a passion for scuba diving and professional development. Having won multiple award for the program, Holly is always aiming to enhance the course and during 2016 has implemented a number of additional workshops and components to improve on the overall training experience.
The program is actually split up into two distinct parts; the Pre-IDC Preparation Course and the Instructor Development Course (IDC).The Pre-IDC Preparation Course reviews the skills and knowledge from the PADI Divemaster Course and ensures the required topics are covered. The PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) runs for 12 days and covers the full PADI IDC curriculum as well as a range of additional workshops and presentations specifically designed to build on the training and education currrently offered.
As well as the January Program there are 9 other sessions scheduled during 2017 offering professional divers the chance to learn from the best.
Duration Dates for Prep + IDC + IE +EFRI
Session 1 - January 9th - January 29th
Session 2 - February 13th March 5th
Session 3 - March 19th April 8th
Session 4 - April 23rd - May 13th
Session 5 - May 21st June 10th
Session 6 - June 21st July 10th
Session 7 - July 30th August 19th
Session 8 - September 10th - September 30th
Session 9 - October 23rd - November 12th
Session 10 - November 20th December 10th
The PADI IDC Indonesia Facebook Fan page offers information about the latest news and updates on the program as well as documenting photos and progress of past and present candidates. Personal reviews from candidates that actually took the program recently can be also be found on the PADI IDC Indonesia TripAdvisor page.
For more information or to enroll on the course candidates can contact PADI Course Director Holly Macleod directly through the PADI IDC Indonesia website.
Contact:
JT Dive Advice
Dive Publications
idc@trawangandive.com
+62 (0)821-4785-0413
http://www.idc-gili.com/
Boise, ID -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/01/2016 --PCS Edventures! Inc., (PCSV) a leading provider of K-12 Science and Engineering (STEM) programs and leader in the design and manufacturing of precision technology for drone racing and robotics today announced the formal release of its newest robotics curriculum, Discover Robotics II LABCards.
The PCS Edventures Discover Robotics product line engages students in relevant topics through hands-on robotics activities in computer science and physics. Robotics I LABCards provide 4 foundational curriculum units that introduce students to mechanical engineering, basic electrical concepts and computer programming concepts. Now, Robotics II enables users of the Discover Robotics system to go much further using advanced procedural programming, the integration of sensors and variable driven behaviors. As students complete the series they are challenged to program robots with behaviors that emulate human behaviors by adding a certain level of unpredictability to their programs!
As with all the LABCards series, Discover Robotics II is designed to be student-driven using project-based learning techniques that rapidly build skills using a combination of step-by-step projects and challenges. By using the PCS Edventures designed RiQ robot coupled with the interactive programming software Cortex, students of a variety of ages can be quickly building and programming their own robot.
Michelle Fisher, Director of Curriculum Development at PCS Edventures said, "This release of our advanced robotics curriculum enables students to go much deeper with the application of sensors and variables. Our curriculum team did a remarkable job on the series and it is already in use in some classrooms as well as on our EdventuresLAB floor. Sales and marketing will be announcing it officially to all of our existing classroom and after-school customers this month as an awesome upgrade to their existing system!"
The Discover Robotics II curriculum is available for sale now and can be ordered through the PCS Edventures website at www.edventures.com.
About PCS Edventures!
PCS Edventures!.com, Inc. (OTCPink:PCSV) is a Boise, Idaho company that designs and delivers technology-rich products and services for the K-12 market that develop 21st century skills. PCS programs emphasize experiential learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and have been deployed at over 7,000 sites in all 50 United States and 17 foreign countries.
Additional information on our STEM products is available at http://www.edventures.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, actual results could differ materially from such statements.
Contact:
Investor Contact: Robert Grover
800-429-3110
robert@edventures.com
Investor Relations Web Site: pcsv.global
Source: Uptick Newswire
Gili Islands, Indonesia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/31/2016 --The March and April PADI IDC Gili Islands preparation workshops are due to start on the 19th of March 2017. The actual PADI IDC will run from March 23rd until the 3rd of April.
Spring is the perfect time for PADI professionals to take the next step and become scuba diving instructors just in time for the European summer season. Most tourist resorts around the world tend to see a huge jump in tourist numbers during the European summer time and in many places, this forms the basis of annual high season. The Gili Islands are no different and in fact the local tourism industry has seen a massive growth of tourist visitor's year upon year and the dive industry has grown alongside it. Rapid growth within the local diving industry has, of course, a knock on effect to employment opportunities with owners and managers always on the lookout for new scuba diving instructors.
The program is conducted fully by Multi Award Winning Platinum PADI Course Director Holly Macleod who has the philosophy that training must be thorough but fun and has expanded her program beyond that expected or required by the PADI IDC Syllabus. She has included a range of her own presentations, workshops, and sessions that are designed to help new instructors to a level beyond just passing the PADI Instructor Examination giving them the skills, knowledge, and confidence to develop a rewarding a successful career and make a smooth transition into the job. Holly has well over a decade within the industry and has worked in a variety of worldwide dive destinations in a range of dive related roles and is always available to advise new instructors about new job roles or opportunities.
PADI Professionals taking the program with Holly can expect to find world-class training facilities at Trawangan Dive, the only PADI 5 Star IDC Career Development Center (CDC) in Gili Trawangan. The dive center is one of the highest certifying PADI dive shops in Indonesia and therefore it can also be a great place to team teach and gain some experience from practiced and well-seasoned scuba diving instructors. Although spring is a fantastic time to take the program, dive professionals have 9 other opportunities to join in 2017.
Duration Dates for Prep + IDC + IE +EFRI 2017
Session 1 - January 9th - January 29th
Session 2 - February 13th March 5th
Session 3 - March 19th April 8th
Session 4 - April 23rd - May 13th
Session 5 - May 21st June 10th
Session 6 - June 21st July 10th
Session 7 - July 30th August 19th
Session 8 - September 10th - September 30th
Session 9 - October 23rd - November 12th
Session 10 - November 20th December 10th
So it's easy to see why the PADI IDC Gili Islands based program has become so popular amongst dive professionals choosing to take the next step and begin a career teaching others to dive. Further information about the program can, of course, be gained from speaking directly to Holly, who is usually reached through the PADI IDC Indonesia website. Another good way to check all of the latest information, news and updates from the program is to check out the PADI IDC Gili Facebook page.
Contact:
JT Dive Advice
Dive Publications
idc@trawangandive.com
+62 (0)821-4785-0413
http://idcgiliislands.weebly.com/
'He was a wonderful man and a happy warrior for West Texas,' San Angelo attorney Guy Choate said of Bill Sims, who died Aug. 29 at age 84.
William McKinnie 'Bill' Sims was born Jan. 27, 1932. He grew up on the Paint Rock family ranch in Concho County where historic Indian pictographs line the cliffs overlooking the Concho River.
His grandfather, Dunlap Edward Sims, lost everything in Missouri during the Civil War years. He made his first journey to Texas in 1876 looking for work and a fresh start.
Sims first established a sheep camp near Brady, but, when he traveled farther west and laid eyes on the Concho River, 'that to him was Paradise,' he told family members years later. He opened a store in Paint Rock in 1878 and immediately started buying land along the Concho River.
Bill Sims and Dorothy Sue Lowe of Sterling City were married in January, 1955. They had two children: Sue Ann Sims Setzler and Billy Lowe Sims, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Receiving a bachelor's degree in animal husbandry from Texas Tech University in 1955, Bill worked as the Extension Service agent in Howard and Irion counties for 10 years.
In 1965, when I worked for Livestock Weekly, Publisher Stanley Frank sent me to Mertzon, where I met Irion County agent Sims. He led me to the Owens Ranch at Barnhart, where I reported on an exercise program for 4-H club lambs. Sims, Buck Owens and his son, Rusty, had taught the lambs to jump hurdles.
In 1966, Bill became executive secretary of the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers' Association, a position he held for nearly 30 years. It was during those years that he took the industry's mission to heart by almost living in Austin during times when the Texas Legislature was in session and lobbying for the causes that would keep agriculture in the forefront. When I was editor of the Ranch magazine, we traveled together often.
The passion for the sheep, goat and ranching industries and his understanding of the importance of the legislative process to rural life helped Bill prepare for a campaign for state office. He was elected senator in 1983 in a state senatorial district that covered 57 and a half Texas counties, from the northern section of Bexar County to Gillespie and Mason counties, then west to El Paso County a whopping 65,000 square miles.
He always had a positive attitude, starting at daybreak when he entered the office whistling a jubilant tune. Even when he was challenged, I never heard him talk ill of anyone. He always brought up the person's good points.
One of those times was back when construction of O.H. Ivie Reservoir was held up several years by federal officials because of the Concho water snake being classified as endangered.
At a Ballinger hearing on the alleged endangered snake, Sen. Sims said, 'I want to apologize to y'all because if I could've shot well with my BB gun, you wouldn't have been here today we would've killed every dang one of those snakes, and you wouldn't have known about it!'
Once or twice, during the many years we worked together at the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers' Association, I witnessed his despair over an issue. 'Believe I'll go to Paint Rock and see my mother. She always brags on me,' he smirked.
To have known Bill's mother, Ellen Hartgrove Sims, was like going home again for any of us. She treated people like relatives and insisted on serving them Dr Pepper.
Sen. Sims authored the legislation to establish the Abilene-based Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation in 1993. The pest accounted for more than $200 million worth of damaged cotton across the Lone Star State annually. Today, Texas is almost boll weevil-free.
The encroachment of noxious brush and its impact on recharge of underground aquifers became Bill's focus in 1985 when he authored Senate Bill 1083, which created the Texas Brush Control Program. To know the success of this ongoing project, a drive in the countryside will reveal piles of mesquite thickets in pastures and grass-covered ranges.
Other legislation Sims was involved with included bovine tuberculosis, fire ant control, increased penalties for livestock theft, aerial predator control and rabies control.
He also sponsored the bill reauthorizing the Texas Animal Health Commission.
'Bill knew the values of hard work and the importance of preserving our state's natural resources. He was a champion for the working men and women of Texas,' said Gilberto Hinojosa, Texas Democratic Party chairman.
'Bill was a champion for West Texas, the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association, and Paint Rock School. He will be missed but we are very grateful for his legacy of service,' added State Representative Drew Darby.
Bill retired in 1997 after suffering a stroke.
In September, 2010, the Wool & Mohair Research Laboratory at Texas A&M's Research and Extension Center in San Angelo was named for Bill Sims, honoring his many years of work on behalf of the industry.
Burial for Sen. Sims will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at San Angelo's First United Methodist Church.
Jerry Lackey is the agriculture editor emeritus. Contact him at jlackey@wcc.net.
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Flying Fortress salute
The B-17 Flying Fortress Texas Raiders will present tours of a B-17 bomber from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Abilene Aero, 2850 Airport Blvd. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for children and $20 for families of up to five. A limited number of flights will be available. For flight reservations, go to b17texasraiders.org or call 855-FLY-A-B17.
Artist showcase
BROWNWOOD An artist showcase featuring Edie Jones will be 5-8 p.m. at Brownwood Art Center, 215 Fisk Ave.
Auditions
CISCO Auditions for the production of the musical "Smoke on the Mountain" will be held at 6 p.m. at Crawford Theater. Actors and bluegrass musicians are sought. Rehearsals will begin Sept. 6, with performances from Oct. 13-23. For information, call 254-442-5019.
Art workshop
A workshop on mixed-media fiber collage will be presented from 6-8 p.m. at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Registration is $30 for members and $35 for nonmembers. To register, or for more information, go to www.thegracemuseum.org.
Discovery Adventure Theater
Discovery Adventure Theater, a monthly event featuring films related to religion and family, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at The Discovery Center, 810 Butternut St. A showing of "The Wild Brothers" will be followed by "The Mind of the Skeptic" at 7:15 p.m. Admission is free. For information, call 325-673-5050.
Square dance workshop
TYE A-Team will conduct a square dancing workshop 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel.
Resource conservation meeting
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Taylor County and the Middle Clear Fork Soil and Water Conservation District will conduct the Fiscal Year 2017 Local Working Group meeting from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Taylor County AgriLife Extension classroom, 1982 Lytle Way. Stakeholders are invited to for discussion on conservation topics and priorities. For information, call 325-692-8238 Ext. 3 or go to www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.
Other ...
Veterans Association Club, 10 a.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center (in Rose Park, South Seventh and Barrow streets).
Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300.
Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092.
Retired Military Wives Club business meeting, 1 p.m., Rose Park Senior Activity Center, 2625 South Seventh St. 325-677-9656 or 325-793-1490.
Mental Illness Open Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300.
Abilene 42 Club, 6 p.m., Rose Park Senior Center.
Teen Recovery Group, 6-7 p.m., Mission Abilene, 3001 N. Third St.
Free certified nurturing parent class (all ages), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:30 p.m. Brook Hollow Christian Church. Weigh-in begins at 5:30 p.m. 325-665-5052.
Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 6:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St.
Gambler's Anonymous, 6:30 p.m., Unity Spiritual Living Center, 2842 Barrow St. 325-338-2575.
Key City Coin Club, 6:30 p.m., Rose Park Senior Citizens Center, Room B. 325-675-0266.
Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517.
Old Town Abilene Neighborhood Association, 7 p.m., Shining Star Baptist Church, 302 Palm St. 325-676-4068.
American Legion Post and Auxiliary 661 meeting, 7 p.m., Lueders Legion Hall, Highway 6, Lueders.
Big Country Audubon Society, 6 p.m., Abilene State Park. 325-690-6355.
South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave.
Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St.
FRIDAY
Bake sale
TUSCOLA A bake sale benefiting On the Way Home Ministries will be open from 9 a.m. to noon at Texas National Bank, 441 Graham St.
Community sale
A community sale preview will be 5-8 p.m. at the First Christian Church activity building, 1420 N. Third St. Admission is $3. Proceeds will go to the church's children's programming.
Big Country Conference
The 36th annual Big Country Conference, featuring several AA speakers over three days, will begin at 8 p.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Registration will begin at 4 p.m. Registration is $25, and includes meals. For information, email 2016BigCountryConference@gmail.com.
Other ...
Abilene Chinese Corner, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Abilene Christian University library. lld09a@acu.edu.
Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304.
SATURDAY
Breakfast at the DAC
DESDEMONA "Breakfast at the DAC" will be served from 7-10 a.m. at the Desdemona Activity Center. The suggested donation is $7.
Community sale
A community sale will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the First Christian Church activity building, 1420 N. Third St. Proceeds will go to the church's children's programming.
City-wide garage sale
HAMLIN An annual fall city-wide garage sale will begin at 8 a.m. at locations around Hamlin. Maps will be available at the Hamlin Chamber of Commerce office, 245 S. Central Ave.
Chili Super Bowl
BUFFALO GAP The 35th annual Chili Super Bowl benefiting the Ben Richey Boys Ranch will open at 9:30 a.m. at the Old Settlers Grounds. Callahan Divide will present a concert at 8:30 p.m. Admission to the cook-off is $4 for adults and free for children age 12 and under. Concert admission is $10.
Big Country Conference
The 36th annual Big Country Conference, featuring several AA speakers, will continue at 10:30 a.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Registration is $25, and includes meals. For information, email 2016BigCountryConference@gmail.com.
Other ...
Overeaters Anonymous, 10 a.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673.
Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 10 a.m. to noon, 2043 N. Second St.
SUNDAY
Big Country Conference
The 36th annual Big Country Conference will continue with an AA meeting at 9 a.m. at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Registration is $25, and includes meals. For more information, email 2016BigCountryConference@gmail.com.
Chili Super Bowl
BUFFALO GAP The 35th annual Chili Super Bowl benefiting the Ben Richey Boys Ranch will continue at 9:30 a.m. at the Old Settlers Grounds. Admission to the cook-off is $4 for adults and free for children age 12 and under.
Welcome to Club News, a weekly roundup of the latest news in the Big Country. To be included: In 75 words or less, send meeting highlights, guest speakers, officers elected, donations made or received, etc. We don't need the full minutes just the decisions made or the fun things that happened. Information needed: when and where (with a full street address) the club meets and daytime contact information for questions. Only typed submissions can be accepted. To email the information, please put 'club news' in the subject line and send to PublishMe@reporternews.com by 2 p.m. each Monday.
Abilene Creative Arts Club
Mary Haan will present a program on pencil portraits Sept. 10 during our first meeting of the new club year. For members' choice, bring a portrait. Members have art hanging in the Taylor County Courthouse foyer year-round. During September, Margaret Davis will have paintings on display at Cypress Street Station. Sherilyn Hanks will have paintings displayed at Bogie's. New officers: Doris Kinney, president; Shirley Minzenmayer, vice president; Janet Jergins, secretary; and Lucy Smith, treasurer.
Regular meetings: 1:30 p.m. second Saturdays September through May (except December), Buffalo Gap Historic Village, Rode Gallery, 133 N. William St., Buffalo Gap.
Contact: Doris Kinney, 660-6834.
Abilene Southwest Rotary Club
Abilene City Manager Robert Hanna will be our speaker Tuesday.
Regular meeting: noon Tuesdays, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St.
Contact: Charles Richardson, 676-4846.
Kiwanis Club of Abilene
Next Wednesday at noon we will have our 10th annual Melvin Martin First Responder Award program. Established in response to the heroic efforts of first responders in New York City on 9/11, this program supports and honors our own first responders here in Abilene and Taylor County.
Regular meeting: noon Wednesdays, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd.; club satellite, 6 p.m. first Tuesday of the month, Boys & Girls Club of Abilene-Martinez, 1301 Clinton St.
Contact: Jamie Breed, 672-7200.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene
Ben Grey will present a special program at Thursday's meeting. We encourage all members to come and bring a guest. You will not want to miss this program.
Regular meeting: noon Thursdays, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St.
Contact: David McCaghren, 829-3030.
Rotary Club of Abilene
Chad Fulkerson, owner and operator of Firehouse Subs, is scheduled to be our guest speaker this week. Before taking ownership of Firehouse Subs, he was an officer in the Air Force, where he amassed more than 1,500 flight hours in the B-1B. Next week, Chris England will present 'Get Outside and Play.' Congratulations to Gayla Fullerton, Rotarian of the week.
Regular meeting: noon Fridays, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St.
Contact: Mary Beth Kilgore, 518-5288.
Rotary Club of Stamford
Danny Sims, executive director of Global Samaritan Resources of Abilene, recently delivered 263,000 food care packages to the refugee women and children of Iraq. Most items never get to these people because they are confiscated by ISIS. Sims was there when the shipment arrived and saw that it got to the people in need. He told about the hardships and suffering of these people that is never covered accurately in the media.
Even if 'Marshall Flippo' weren't a memorable name, the man would be.
Only his mother called him 'Marshall' and nobody calls him 'Mr. Flippo.' That was his father, he will tell you.
Even the publicity about big party in his honor refers to him as 'Flippo.' His first name is nowhere to be found. But everybody knows who Flippo is especially if they are into square dancing or its history.
'He's very revered,' said Gary Shoemake, who trained under Flippo. 'He's always had a friendly word to say to everybody.'
'Flippo's Farewell to the Road' will be held Monday at the Wagon Wheel Hall, a square dance facility just west of Abilene on the access road off Interstate 20. The hall was built by Flippo and his wife and three other Abilene couples in 1958.
The farewell will include two square dance sessions, 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Dinner will be served between the dances. Callers and friends from all over the United States are expected, including Shoemake, who lives in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Cost is $10 per person, which includes meals.
Born in Tuscola and raised in Abilene, Flippo started calling dances in 1951, after serving in the Navy during World War II. Since then, he has traveled the country and the world as a sought-after caller. Only his age slowed him down, but even that hasn't stopped him.
Flippo, who turned 89 on Sept. 2, now lives in the Rincon Valley West RV Resort near Tucson, Arizona, and is the staff caller at the resort, a favorite among snowbirds. He will fly to Dallas Sept. 1 and call a dance in the East Texas community of Paris over the weekend before boarding another plane for Abilene for the Labor Day gig.
Friends of Flippo's who are planning the farewell party, including Shoemake, may be more excited about all the hoopla than he is. He's certainly appreciative of the honor, but not all the fuss that will be made over him. Asked what he's looking forward to the most during the party, he was quick to answer.
'For it to be over,' he said in a phone interview from his home in Arizona.
But it was obvious that Flippo is looking forward to being back in Abilene just not the plane rides. Hordes of adoring fans, many of them who have followed Flippo for years everywhere he has called square dances, are expected to pack the Wagon Wheel for the Labor Day event. When square dancing was in its prime, 'Flippo' was the name people wanted to hear.
Growing up in Abilene, Flippo started working for the former Meads Bakery at age 12. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he returned to Abilene to again work at the bakery. He was married in 1949 and he and his wife, Neeca, started taking square dance lessons in 1951 in Abilene. He started calling dances in 1952.
He became so good at his new 'calling' that he recorded square dance music for a number of record companies. In 1958, square dancers in Abilene were wanting their own dance hall, so the Flippos and three other local couples put up $1,500 each to building the Wagon Wheel.
Later, Flippo began spending six months of the year as a traveling caller and the other six as the staff caller at Kirkwood Lodge at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.
Flippo has been honored by numerous music and square dance organizations and has traveled to numerous countries as a caller. But effective Sept. 5, those long-distance gigs will end. As Flippo said in a phone interview, there's no better place than the Wagon Wheel for the 'farewell' party.
'That's where I started,' he said. 'Might as well end there.'
IF YOU GO
What: Flippos Farewell to the Road square dance social
When: 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. dances Monday; dinner served between dances
Where: Wagon Wheel Hall, on access road just west of Abilene (Exit 278 off Interstate 20)
Admission: $10, including meals; for more information call Jerry and Kathy Stevens at 325-583-2661 or emailkathystevens@taylortel.net
It had the look.
And, Diane King said, it had the sound.
On Wednesday, a Commemorative Air Force crew flew a B-17 heavy bomber to Abilene for a two-day visit. On Thursday, visitors again can tour the plane and take a short flight.
The Boeing bomber, nicknamed the Flying Fortress, looks like its from a bygone era in its way, a piece of art but also like it means business. The B-17 was produced from 1936 to 1945; this particular plane reported for duty in July 1945. It was one of the last 20 built and did not see combat, which probably is why it's still flying today.
King, who grew up in Abilene during the war years, memorized the sound of a B-17 flying overhead. Even today she'll know what's up there when she hears the familiar sound.
She remembered a B-17 parked at the city's airport and if you asked, you'd be given a key to take a closer look. Her boys had birthday parties under the wings. It may be why both had a pilot's license before graduating from high school.
Until Wednesday, though, King never had been in one.
There's new-car smell, and there's military smell. Guts, sweat and grease. You almost can taste. Viewing the turrets, into which men crawled to fire machine guns at enemy planes, you marvel at crew members' willingness to man this position. It took some cojones.
The B-17 in Abilene is one of 11 still flying, Rex McLain told me just as his Chick-fil-A sandwiches and icy drink arrived. We were standing under the left wing, out of the sun.
Rex is a loadmaster, and he loves this plane. In a previous life, he worked 26 years for a chain store. He has been part of the crew for 4 years. There is nothing he wants to do more than 'turn a wrench' to keep this plane in the air.
With the war in Europe over and the one in the Pacific winding down the Japanese formally surrendered on the USS Missouri 71 years ago Friday this B-17 stayed stateside. The Navy outfitted it with front radar as the first AWAC (Airborne Early Warning and Control system) plane intended to detect Japanese Zeros, but the war ended.
Its bombs removed, the aircraft then was used for aerial mapping and photography.
The plane's markings honor the Princess Pat, a B-17 that in May 1944 was shot down over Germany. Visitors will note swastikas and bomb images painted near the guns to note planes shot down and missions flown the latter 34 by my count.
The plane is painted army green on top and a light gray on the bottom. Camouflage. Looking up at the sky, it would vanish among the clouds. Looking down on it, the plane blended in with forests and such.
The nose art, of course, depicts a woman. Actually, a cowgirl or Wrangler Belle, with hat and boots and a Texas flag. 'Texas Raiders' is painted in red, white and blue.
On each side of the plane are machine guns. The original 'open carry.'
McLain, his wife and son went to an air show once in Spring, about 2 miles from his home. He was fascinated.
'You need to do this,' his wife told him.
Visitors were encouraged to get involved in vintage aircraft preservation.
And one Saturday, he went to the airport and asked, 'What do you want me to do?'
'I've gotten way more out of this than I ever thought I would,' McLain said. 'It's off my bucket list. I went to air shows for 30 years, wishing I could fly. Now I'm flying in air shows.'
He said he enjoys seeing aging veterans relive an unforgettable era in their lives. He sees their grandkids and great-grandkids marvel at the plane.
'They hear it and they smell it. They can put their hands on it. It becomes real,' he said of the youngsters. 'The plane better connects them to the war stories they've been told.'
McLain was full of facts and figures. The CAF purchased the plane in 1967 for $50,000, he said. Today, an engine overhaul costs $50,000. One of the tires that comes chest-high to the average man? Try $5,000 a pop.
The planes, he said, were built to last six months, 'not designed to be a museum piece. That shows the Boeing quality,' he said. About 12,700 were built.
It takes constant maintenance. The enemy now is not the Germans or the Japanese but corrosion, McLain said. His bomber needs a paint job.
'It is expensive,' he said. Which is why every penny from these 'barnstorming' flights goes back into the aircraft.
McLain said his plane was one of 70 that flew over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to mark the 70th anniversary of V-E Day in 2015. That day, a 94-year-old former B-17 pilot joined the flight. He had driven from Alaska, jumped into his seat and told the crew, 'Let's go!'
Another veteran once kissed the plane, then cried. A dad photographed his son inside the plane 'shooting down the enemy.'
'Those things they'll remember,' McLain said.
If one word describes the bomber, McLain said, it's 'elegant.'
King remembers the planes and still hears their 'distinctive low voice' when they fly over Abilene. And she and her sister, artist Esme Glenn, kept a scrapbook for their father, who was in the Navy. They cut out photos from the newspaper, and their collection includes B-17s.
'I am so glad they brought this here,' she said. 'I finally got to go inside one.'
Texas Raiders B-17 by the numbers
Length: 74 feet, 3.9 inches
Height: 19 feet, 2.99 inches
Wingspan: 103 feet, 9.37 inches
Weight (empty): 34,410 pounds
Capacity: 65,000 pounds
Maximum speed: 302 mph
Cruising speed: 160 knots (184 mph)
Service ceiling: 35,600 feet
Crew: 10
Weapons: Thirteen .50-caliber machine guns; 6,000 pounds of bombs (long runs); 17,600 pounds of bombs (short run)
Thursdays schedule: B-17 Flying Fortress Texas Raiders will present tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Abilene Aero, 2850 Airport Blvd. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for children and $20 for families of up to five. A limited number of flights will be available. For flight reservations, go to b17texasraiders.org or call 855-359-2217.
Twitter: @GregJaklewicz
Actions, attitudes and emotions came full-circle Thursday morning from Hardin-Simmons University President Eric Bruntmyer as he was invested into his new position during a special ceremony.
It started with jokes and humor, turned to joyful tears and moved on to compassion before returning to jokes. Yes, Bruntmyer can joke, even while standing on the stage, behind the podium in front of the student body, faculty, staff and visitors.
He began his speech Thursday after accepting the presidential medallion of the campus by explaining a secret cheer he established with the freshman class this year. Then he excused himself by invoking the name of a certain U.S. senator from Florida before grabbing a drink from a water bottle stashed under the podium.
Bruntmyer also got serious, as he implored all groups of attendees to offer something of themselves to the school. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, visitors from other locales and even his bosses, the Hardin-Simmons board of trustees, were addressed by the new president.
New Hardin-Simmons University President Eric Bruntmyer addresses the assembly. http://bit.ly/2ccmCZB Posted by Posted by Abilene Reporter-News on Thursday, September 1, 2016
It was his remarks to those bosses of his, the trustees, when the humor returned.
'To my bosses,' he said, then paused. 'I don't have anything to say to you.' After the crowd laughed, he explained, 'Actually, I do. Please daily remind us of our mission.'
Thursday's ceremony also included an address by Dennis Wiles, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Arlington, which was Bruntmyer's church while he was working at Dallas Baptist University.
Wiles spoke proudly of knowing Bruntmyer and his family, saying they joined his church at the 9 a.m. service and were teaching Sunday school classes before the next service began.
But it was his relating of a story involving running that made the most impression on the crowd. He said God is in the business of track design and it's all our job to run the race He designs.
'Some people get that confused,' Wiles said. 'We're to run the race that's marked out before us. Some people think they can fake their way through life. That's not the case.
'Eric, I've never been a university president and I have absolutely no interest in doing so. But I encourage you to run this race.'
Twitter: @TimothyChippARN
Timothy Chipp/Reporter-News Kim Turnbull, a health sciences teacher at Holland Medical Early College High School, points out a part of her textbook on medical terminology she's particularly proud of. Her book features the story of her brother's diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, which she said she's happy is included in the textbook due for local rollout next school year. Turnbull's colleague, Karen Cluck (left) also contributed to an Anatomy and Physiology textbook she already uses in class.
SHARE Timothy Chipp/Reporter-News Karen Cluck (left) and Kim Turnbull hold the textbooks in which they contributed content. The Abilene ISD teachers at Holland Medical Early College High School write a book to be used in classrooms.
By Timothy Chipp of the Abilene Reporter News
Abilene Independent School District teachers are masters of their subject matter. But few of them have mastered theirs like Kim Turnbull and Karen Cluck.
They wrote material for books on their respective subjects.
Teachers at Abilene ISD's Holland Medical Early College High School, Cluck and Turnbull both contributed to learning materials the students either are using or will use in the coming years, thanks to a teaching mentor from Turnbull's past.
Turnbull said Linda Stanhope, now a retired teacher from the Amarillo ISD, contacted her years ago about writing a medical terminology textbook from which high school students could actually learn.
"As a teacher, the resources I had to work with were minimal," said Turnbull, the winner of the Science Teacher of the Year at the 2016 Lighthouse Teacher Awards presented by the Abilene Education Foundation. "Not just from a textbook, but we didn't really have PowerPoint slides, lesson plans, workbook exercises. And the stuff we did have wasn't really written for high school students. So we set out to make sure it was something our students could understand, that it was broken up with real-life situations."
One of those real-life situations pulls emotional strings close to Turnbull's heart. Hidden deep in her chapters she wrote about half of the chapters in the book is a breakout story and assignment the students must complete handling a potential diagnosis of a disease. The scenario told the story of her brother's multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
She said she's extremely pleased the story made the final cut, which adds a bit of personal touch she'll always be able to hang her hat on.
The goal of the textbook, and the reason they said they agreed to work with the publisher in the first place, is the emphasis placed on making sure the students not only learn the material but also that they remember it.
Especially with medical terminology, the emphasis could easily become memorizing for a test and then forgetting to make room for the next test, Turnbull said.
"It can be very overwhelming, especially for high schoolers," Turnbull said. "But if they learn it and it's introduced in scenarios and broken up, it can stick."
"The first thing the editors said to me was the material needs to stick," Cluck added. "They said, 'Don't just write surface questions.' It was a challenge on some of them."
Cluck, who has spent the last nine years teaching at Holland Medical, got involved in her textbook after Turnbull recommended her to the publisher.
Teachers willing to contribute supplemental materials, activities and other learning alternatives were sought to make the textbook better, Cluck said. Turning to her, she provided a number of lab activities she first tried out on her students that year.
The ones that stuck were the ones the students enjoyed. She contributed such quality material, the publishers asked her to provide both lab activities and assessment questions for four chapters.
"I was very honored," Cluck said. "What materials there were out there for anatomy and physiology were so old I didn't even use it in my class. I wrote my own plans. It was definitely a learning process, providing a full year of work. The whole process of writing the textbook was fascinating to learn."
The book Cluck worked on was rolled out recently for students in Abilene to use, so naturally her students pick out her name when they first open the cover and see the contributing authors, she said.
Turnbull's will likely launch next year, though there's one problem Abilene ISD will need to overcome first.
"Medical terminology isn't a required course for the health sciences program," Turnbull said. "To make room for classes that are required, the district had to drop the medical terminology class this year."
Next year, though, she said medical terminology is expected to be a full-year course for interested students, she said.
Twitter: @TimothyChippARN
After 39 years working at Child Protective Services, Abilene Regional Director Sherrel Mathews will be replaced at the beginning of September.
She is one of four regional CPS directors who have been fired, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. A fifth in El Paso opted to retire.
The other fired regional directors work in South Texas; Central Texas; and counties ringing Houston.
Mathews heard the news Monday that she would be replaced. Her last day will be Sept. 9 when the new regional directors should be revealed, she said.
All 10 of the state's regional CPS directors had been required to reapply for their jobs, as a condition for keeping their employment, said Patrick Crimmins, state spokesman for the Department of Family and Protective Services, which oversees CPS.
He said the four new regional directors have not been hired yet, but the new 'regional leadership team is being finalized.'
The move is another signal that Henry 'Hank' Whitman, DFPS commissioner, seeks to introduce significant changes when it comes to the care of vulnerable children.
'This is a clear indication that the commissioner is serious about improving CPS as quickly as possible,' Crimmins said.
Georgina Martinez started Aug. 24 work as the new Region 10 director, which includes El Paso and far West Texas, Crimmins said. She replaced veteran CPS regional director Diana Barajas, who retired.
Officials gave Mathews no specific reason for her termination, she told the Reporter-News Wednesday, but she believes it is an attempt by the agency to show that they are serious about transforming CPS, which has extremely high staff turnover, voluminous worker case loads, and a lack of foster and other appropriate homes.
Recognizing that CPS is in 'a state of crisis,' it was determined that a look at whether the leadership in each region supports the vision for the agency needed to be made, Mathews said.
'The crisis at CPS is much bigger than changing leadership at the regional level,' she said. 'Until front-line staff are paid at a level that is commiserate with the difficulty of the work that they perform, turnover will continue, in my opinion. Until they're paid better, workers are not going to stay.'
Mathews served as Region 2 director for about 3 1/2 years.
When asked how her firing affected her personally, Mathews paused and said, her voice thick with emotion, 'My passion is and has always been protecting children in Region 2, and I believe that there is a very strong team in place in this region. I believe that commitment will continue.'
CPS has long contended with high turnover among caseworkers, low pay and plummeting morale. High-level managers, meanwhile, had continued to remain in place despite repeated instances of the state failing to protect children subject to abuse.
In Abilene, CPS came under fire in 2012 when a 22-month-old child, Tamryn Klapheke, died on Dyess Air Force Base from dehydration and malnutrition, the result of neglect. Her two sisters, 6-month-old Tatum and 3-year-old Taberlee, suffered similar neglect and were near death when found.
Three local CPS supervisors were fired and two were indicted on a charge of tampering with evidence in the case Bit Whitaker and Gretchen Denny. CPS had closed the case on the Klapheke family days before the toddler died without making a final house visit, according to Reporter-News archives.
Bill Sims, who served as a state senator from 1982-1996 and represented a portion of the Big Country, including Taylor County, died at his home Monday.
Sims, who made his home near Paint Rock, northeast of San Angelo, was 84.
He will be buried Thursday in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. A memorial service is set for 11 a.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church in San Angelo.
A Democrat who served four terms in the Texas Senate, Sims survived a 1992 bid by Republican Troy Fraser to unseat him from District 25. Sims won 51.7 percent of the vote in the general election.
After redistricting, his district became District 24, and in 1994, he defeated Republican Hugh Shine.
Sims had a stroke in 1995, leading to his decision not to run for office again. Facing retirement from politics, he told the Reporter-News in late 1996, 'I've enjoyed it. I will miss the people and, well, I don't know why anyone would want to give this up.'
Fraser in 1996 was elected to the open District 24 seat, defeating Democrat Rick Rhodes, the four-term mayor of Sweetwater.
Rhodes today is administrator for the Office of Rural Affairs, Trade and Business Development at the Texas Department of Agriculture in Austin. He remembered Sims as a West Texan to be admired, by both parties.
'Bill Sims truly was a statesman in the Texas Legislature,' Rhodes said of his fellow Democrat. 'The greatest thing he used to say ... his whole philosophy ... was to listen to all sides and go on and do what is right. I loved that about him.'
The comment appears on a marker placed at the Concho County Courthouse in Paint Rock. It reads: 'Listen to all sides and do what's right..'
Added Rhodes, 'He appeared to be low-key, a very down-home person, but he was a tough negotiator. He was effective in making good decisions.'
Former Sims staffer Darryl Schriver called Sims a 'class act who represented his whole district,' which at one time included 57.5 counties. 'He was a statesman legislator, like we had back then. He wasn't afraid to take on Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby and (Hobby) learned to respect him.'
Sims was born on his family's ranch in Concho County and in 1955, the same year he married his wife, Sue, he graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in animal husbandry.
He worked as an extension agent in Howard and Irion counties, then became an administrator for the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association, a position he held for decades. He also was managing editor of The Ranch Magazine from 1966 until his election to public office.
As a politician, Sims maintained a sense of humor. A Dec. 8, 1996, story in the Reporter-News noted that he called Gov. Ann Richards, a Democrat, 'Queen Ann.' But, it continued, never to her face.
Yet, once, when two turkeys were paraded into Richards' office and she remarked that one had more wrinkles than she did, Sims said he told her, ''I'm sorry, Governor, but, no, it don't.' We were real good friends and she just laughed.'
The Republican wave in Texas politics would include George W. Bush bumping Richards from office. Sims said he enjoyed working briefly with Bush, who took office in January 1995.
In joking about governors from both parties, Sims said, 'The poor governor, all he can do is blow his nose and make appointments.'
Sims was serious in taking on environmentalists, especially when the construction of O.H. Ivie Reservoir was delayed to protect the Concho water snake. Still, he joked to federal officials at a Runnels County meeting that if he had been a better shot with a BB gun as a kid when taking aim at the snake, 'You wouldn't have been here today.'
His bill in 1993 established the Texas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation, based in Abilene. Much of his legislation related to bettering those involved in agriculture. In 1997, he received the Texas A&M Distinguished Texan in Agriculture Award.
The marker in Paint Rock also reads: 'As a youth, Bill Sims ran barefoot along the banks of the Concho River. As an adult, he stood firmly for our right to be independent. He'll always remain one of us.'
Donald Trump had fundraisers in Austin on Aug. 22, plus the requisite rally, and some top Texas Republicans attended at least parts of the events.
But others didn't. They found they had scheduling conflicts, or other things to do. Like maybe mow their lawn.
Among attendees at various events were Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, former Gov. Rick Perry and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
The no-shows included current Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, both Texans in the United States Senate Ted Cruz and John Cornyn Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton; Texas House Speaker Joe Straus; and Land Commissioner George P. Bush.
Abbott's excuse was a follow-up treatment Tuesday night at the Brooke Army Medical Hospital burn unit in San Antonio for legs scalded by spilled boiling water during a Wyoming vacation last month.
Abbott has said he'll vote for Trump, though it has been anything but a vigorous endorsement. Sen. Cornyn counseled Republicans at the party's state convention to vote for Trump. Paxton also has said he'll vote for him.
As for Bush well, that has been an evolution, from a wait-and-see, to a hold-your-nose endorsement. It seems to be driven far more by a sense of potential down-the-road political need on Bush's part, than by even an inkling of enthusiasm.
In June, when George P. was asked whether he was for Trump, he replied that 'I, along with others, are not in a position to endorse at this time because of concerns about his rhetoric and his inability to create a campaign that brings people together.'
Part of the reason is that having Trump at the front of the Republican Party is sort of like having a dogsled team with a rabid lead dog who is as likely to hike a hind leg at one of the other dogs as at a tree.
That makes the other dogs in the team skittish, to say the least. And the Republicans riding on the dogsled are praying the lead dog will indeed lead them to Nome, as promised, rather than off a glacier into the ocean.
But Bush, as the leading vote-getter among Republican candidates for statewide administrative offices in 2014, also has been named by state party chairman Tom Mechler to be the Texas GOP's 'Victory Chairman.'
As such, he is supposed to lead fundraising and get-out-the-vote efforts to elect Republicans up and down the Texas ballot in 2016.
At an Aug. 6 meeting in Austin of the Republican party's executive committee and county chairs, Bush reluctantly recommended voting for Trump, rather than continue siding with his famous family George H.W. Bush (41), Uncle George W. Bush (43), and dad Jeb, who Trump in the presidential nomination contest had nicknamed 'Low Energy Jeb' who aren't planning to vote for Trump in November.
'I know a lot of us in this room had dogs in the fight in the primary, leading up to the race,' Bush said, according to a video from an audience member provided to the Texas Tribune. 'But you know what? It's time to put it aside.
'It's time to put it aside. And you know, from Team Bush, it's a bitter pill to swallow,' Bush acknowledged. 'But you know what? You get back up, and you help the man that won, and you make sure that you stop Hillary Clinton.'
Bush, whose ambitions aren't expected to top out at land commissioner, apparently doesn't want to leave himself exposed to charges from future opponents that he's not a Republican Team Player.
Whether this works to the long-term benefit of his political career, or detriment, remains to be seen.
Not surprising for his elsewhereness was Cruz, whom Trump had nicknamed 'Lyin' Ted' during their progressively nastier battle for the nomination.
After all, Trump had allowed one-time friend Cruz to make a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention. But Cruz's relationship with Trump had so soured that Cruz pointedly told convention delegates to 'vote your conscience,' rather than endorsing Trump.
Trump had said after Cruz's speech that he might form a super PAC to oppose Cruz's Senate re-election in 2018.
Trump was asked at one of the Austin fundraisers, with Perry in the room, about a possible challenge to Cruz by Perry. Trump was enthusiastic about Perry's chances, but didn't endorse the former governor.
'I'll tell you what, I've been hearing a lot about that, and I don't know if he wants to do it, but boy, will he do well,' Trump said of his former competitor for the GOP nomination, who has since enthusiastically endorsed Trump. 'People love him in Texas, and he was one great governor.'
Email Dave McNeely at davemcneely111@gmail.com.
Are voters warming to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton? They are not. A look at a national poll from Quinnipiac University provides a snapshot of the race and the dour narrative fueling it: A majority of voters don't like either candidate. Respondents think Clinton is smart (87 percent) and has the right experience to be president (71 percent), but she's dishonest (66 percent). And Trump? He's not level-headed (71 percent) and lacks appropriate experience (65 percent).
In other words, one's seen as dishonest, the other's a hothead. Negatives like those make one wonder if Americans would consider supporting an alternative candidate. Quinnipiac asked that question and found that yes, 37 percent would consider voting for a third-party candidate, even though they know little about the Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson or the Green Party's Jill Stein.
The best opportunity to begin hearing from one of those alternative candidates would be on Sept. 26, the first presidential debate. With Johnson ahead of Stein (he runs as high as 10 or 11 percent in some polls, compared with Stein's 3 or 4 percent), Quinnipiac asked if he should be included in the presidential debates: 62 percent, nearly two-thirds of respondents, said yes, Johnson should participate.
So, a recap of voter sentiment: With Clinton and Trump competing in a race that looks too much like an ugly baby contest, a lot of Americans would like the chance to take a closer look at Gary Johnson in particular.
What they would find is an outsider candidate, but not a political extremist. In some ways he's a more centrist voice than either the Republican or the Democrat in the field: A former two-term Republican governor from New Mexico, Johnson is liberal on social issues and conservative on money issues. Running with another Republican former governor, William Weld of Massachusetts, Johnson's positions (in support of immigration reform and a balanced budget, for example) make him look a little like that endangered species, the moderate Republican. American voters would benefit from hearing his views.
The hurdle in Johnson's way is the terms set by the private, nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates. The group says that to participate a candidate will need to hit an average 15 percent support level in five national polls before late September. Johnson is at 10 percent in a secondary question contained in the Quinnipiac poll results. But if pollsters acknowledged voter dissatisfaction and began treating the 2016 election as a real three-way race, it seems certain the Libertarian Party candidate would get past the 15 percent mark right away, even as a still-relative-unknown.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, pollster Ron Faucheux sees another path to opening up the race. He proposes adopting a tiered system that would include in the first debate all third party candidates with at least 3 percent support. Then he'd raise the threshold to 15 percent for the two remaining debates. That would give Americans an opportunity to hear from the alternative parties on Sept. 26, and would give those candidates a shot at winning broader support from a hungry electorate.
While Faucheux appears willing to allow both Johnson and Stein to debate, Johnson has the most likely route to becoming more than a fringe candidate which is why we've focused on his chances. He has said he hopes to pick off enough electoral votes to keep either Clinton or Trump from getting the necessary 270. That would move the race to the House of Representatives, where Johnson could be the compromise winner. But with the major-party candidates so reprehensible to so many voters, Johnson said on 'Fox News Sunday' that his objective is to win outright. That's a stretch, but still:
If the Republicans were willing to hear from 10 candidates at the first primary debate last summer (with seven more appearing at a prior forum), then let's respect the wishes of a dissatisfied electorate and open up the first general election debate to Johnson. Once on that stage, it will be on him to make his mark.
Chicago Tribune
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Given Iowas rancor over water-quality issues, any new initiatives should be greeted with enthusiasm.
For years, Iowans have talked about addressing Iowas water quality. Our Des Moines Bureau has reported in the past about federal mandates saying the state must remove from its waterways harmful nitrates that flow down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico, killing marine life there.
A Des Moines water utility has sued several northwest Iowa counties over pollutants flowing into the Raccoon River in Des Moines.
Everyone agrees there is a problem, but the Legislature and Gov. Terry Branstad have not been able to agree to one plan. Iowa State University, meanwhile, has estimated its strategy would cost in the ballpark of $4 billion.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, said state leaders must agree on a plan soon, and he encouraged farmers and all residents to implore those leaders to act.
Vilsack to state leaders: develop water quality plan soon AMES | Tom Vilsack, U.S. agriculture secretary and a former governor of Iowa, put the onus o
Thus, it was good to see a new initiative for better water, announced Tuesday by Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey, a farmer himself. Joining him in the announcement were leaders from the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, all planning to recruit a broad cross-section of Iowans to identify economic development opportunities associated with achieving the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
Many of the ag businesses located in Iowa and doing business here are already leading the way in integrating water quality efforts into their business and bringing new tools to farmers to help them keep nutrients on their farm, Northey said. This new effort is focused on seeing if there are opportunities to support additional business development as we continue to scale-up efforts to improve water quality and maintain the tremendous productivity of Iowa agriculture.
Alliance leaders, business owners and state ag officials will work to identify gaps in conservation/business infrastructure and develop an action plan focused on speeding up the implementation of conservation practices focused on water quality, according to a story from our Des Moines Bureau. That plan will focus on market-based solutions to improving water quality and stressing public and private benefits associated with the implementation of water quality practices.
Northeys co-chairman will be another farmer, Ray Gaesser of Corning, a past president of the American Soybean Association. He said solving the problem is figuring out the expertise and finance required to help farmers continue improving water quality.
Adapting requires continual research, inspiration, education and action. Theres opportunity in that for farmers and the business community, he said.
It seems Iowa has all the tools needed to improve water quality. It has the research and education expertise of Iowa State University and scientists who work with other ag-related organizations. As for inspiration, federal mandates shouldnt be necessary. The thought of clean, nutrient-free water in our rivers and lakes should be inspiration enough.
Hopefully, this new effort will provide inspiration to finally make progress in an area where progress has been sorely and, from our point of view too slow to develop.
Election officials review a Cambodian's documents on the first day of voter registration in Kampong Chhnang province, Aug 1, 2016.
Cambodians on Thursday faced long waits, technical glitches and confusion as they turned out in large numbers on the first day of the 90-day voter registration period for elections in the coming years.
Despite the problems and inconvenience, people across the country appeared to be keen to register before local commune elections in 2017 and national parliamentary elections scheduled for 2018.
While local residents in downtown Battambang complained about the wait, they bore it patiently, with one voter telling RFAs Khmer Service they wanted a say in Cambodias future.
Yes, were very happy because we can properly register to vote for the commune election, one resident told RFA. If we are unable to register, then we cannot vote to choose our leader. If I cannot register, I will regret it because it will define our countrys destiny.
Yuom Sokhein, an official with the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel) in Battambang, told RFA that most of the local people have been well prepared to register and had shown up with the proper documentation.
A new system
She said a computer glitch that could have been caused by the large number of people showed up in the morning to register slowed things down.
Cambodians are using a new digital voter registration system that is designed to combat voter fraud.
Elections in 2013 were dogged by accusations of fraud, and the new system is part of a 2014 election reform deal between the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) and opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) that ended almost a year of deadlock following the disputed 2013 national ballot.
Rights groups and foreign aid donors, including the European Union, have expressed concern about the election registration process which is unfolding amid rising political tensions in Cambodia.
In particular, National Election Commission (NEC ) Deputy Secretary-General Ny Chakriya is in police custody, one of five people arrested by the government in its wide-ranging probe into an alleged affair opposition Cambodia national rescue party leader Kem Sokha had with a young hairdresser.
Comfrels official in Sihanouk province Cheab Sotheary told RFA that the official in charge of voter registration at the commune office was late and a number of registrars were absent, causing wait times to grow.
People came and waited and waited a long time at some offices, she said. The Commune Three voter registration office opened at 8 am, one hour late, and the offices deputy, assistant to the deputy and clerk were absent.
Villagers living in central Siem Reap in the Tonle Sap lake region complained that registration officials were working slowly, and many villagers gave up and walked away after waiting for hours. An official there said they were only able to register 17 people.
Thai Va, a motor-taxi driver who was waiting at the Chong Khneass registration office, told RFA that he brought his wife and had been waiting since 8 a.m., and their number had yet to be announced by 10 a.m.
I need time to go back to do my work, he said. Registering is very slow.
Another woman told RFA that she had been waiting since 8 a.m. and she had to buy food for her children.
It is now 10 a.m., and Im standing under the heat of the sun, but still my turn has not come, she said.
Cambodians attempting to register also encountered computer glitches and other interruptions in the process in Kampong Chhnang province.
Certain offices did not facilitate the elderly, the disabled and pregnant women who were supposed to move to the head of the line.
People from other villages who are not in the list for a particular office were also not allow to register.
There were also reports at several commune offices in which the commune chiefs were seen hanging around. Since the commune chiefs are nearly always members of the ruling party, their presence could be viewed as a way to intimidate citizens wishing to register.
A call for better organization
Comfrel official Leap Bun Heng, who was observing the process, called on the National Election Commission (NEC) to sort out the problems.
The NEC should give further instructions to the commune authorities to have organizers who give proper guidance to people who come to register, he said. In this first day, I noticed that there were no organizers in front of some offices.
Nuon Chantha, head of the provincial election commission of Kampong Chhnang, acknowledged the many technical problems and other minor issues on the first day, she said that did not interrupt the process.
Election officials need more training, she explained, pointing out that Cambodians from any village in the commune are eligible to register.
Actually, we are conducting an open registration process at the commune office, she said. People from any village in the commune can come and register.
She told RFA she was taking steps to make that clear to villagers and to staff.
They need to go to register with the head or deputy head of the office who will enter their names into the computer system in the respective village, she said. This is not a restriction. This is wrong, and I will correct that mistake.
Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
Thousands of ethnic Vietnamese living in the floating villages that dot the Tonle Sap are being repatriated to Vietnam as their livelihood drains away and they cant come up with the documentation needed to stay in Cambodia, RFAs Khmer Service has learned.
While hard numbers are difficult to come by, VietnamNet reported that 5,000 ethnic Vietnamese families who had been living in the floating villages are now living in Vietnam.
A group of Vietnamese still living in the floating village in Kampong Chhnangs Svay Chrum Commune told RFA that while they were born in Cambodia they are leaving because environmental damage to the Tonle Sap has decimated the fishing and they cant prove their residency in Cambodia.
Nguyen Yaing An told RFA that while life is tough enough, Cambodian authorities have tried to move them from place to place, and lately the authorities attempted to convince them buy land to live near what is the largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia.
The land offer appears genuine, but it is costly and the plots also lack titles or other documentation that prove the new owners have the right to stay.
The land they wanted to sell to us, came with no documents and costs 1,000 to 2,000 U.S. dollars, he said. We do not have the money to buy them. We do not even have enough rice to cook.
Nguyen Yaing An told RFA that if the situation becomes more difficult, his family will drag their floating house to Vietnam.
Another Vietnamese resident on the lake, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told RFA that about 60 Vietnamese families from the Svay Chrum floating village plan to leave for Vietnam in October.
They told us to live here temporarily, that means that they will chase us away again, the Vietnamese said. If they move us this time to live off the lake, we do not have the money to buy land.
For Sale signs and empty houses
Nearly 1,500 floating houses owned by mostly by ethnic Vietnamese villagers from Psar Chhnang commune were moved to Svay Chum Commune in late 2015. Many of those houses are vacant, or they have for sale signs posted on them.
Tot Kim Sroy, the Minorities Rights Organization (MIRO) coordinating official in Kampong Chhnang, told RFA that the poverty among the Vietnamese living on the lake is epidemic, but the biggest challenge is the lack of fish.
The Tonle Sap River connects the lake to the Mekong River to form the central part of a complex hydrological system in the Cambodian floodplain. It covers a myriad of natural and agricultural habitats that the Mekong replenishes with water and sediments annually.
The natural seasonal inflow and outflow of water has been hammered by a combination of global warming, overfishing and illegal fishing, the mostly illegal clearance of surrounding forest lands and the Asian dam-building boom that threatens the entire Mekong River system.
Most threatened lake
The Global Nature Fund, based in Radolfzell, Germany, named the Tonle Sap the worlds most threatened lake in 2016.
While the lake is under stress, ethnic Vietnamese living off the Tonle Sap also fear the Cambodian authorities. Animosity between Vietnam and Cambodia goes back centuries, but it was heightened by the Vietnamese war that ousted the Khmer Rouge and paved the way for long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sens ascension to power.
Accusations over the demarcation of the border between Vietnam and Cambodia has become a prominent feature in Cambodian politics as Hun Sens opponents have attempted to paint the strong man as tool of the Vietnamese.
We could not get the actual number of how many families are living in this area because they have been hiding in fear for their safety, Tot Kim Sroy told RFA.
Cambodian Interior Ministrys spokesperson Khiev Sopheak told RFA that he did not know how many Vietnamese families with legal documents have returned to Vietnam.
Right after the liberation in 1979, our east border line was not safeguarded seriously, he said. I hope that Vietnamese friends will understand that the Cambodian government with the ruling CPP will fully implement the countrys immigration law.
Reported by Sopheak Chin for RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Yanny Hin. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
Jailed Cambodian opposition member Meach Sovannara (Top C) is escorted by police officials in front of the appeal court in Phnom Penh, Aug. 23, 2016.
Meach Sovannars case in the U.S. accusing Cambodian General Hun Manet of unlawful imprisonment, torture, terrorism and other crimes cleared its first legal hurdle on Thursday when a federal district judge in the case decided the court has jurisdiction, according to one of his attorneys.
Judge George H. Wu of the Central District Court of California ruled that the case against the son of long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sen could go forward, Morton Sklar told RFAs Khmer Service.
"The judge in essence granted everything that we wanted, Sklar told RFA. It was a tremendous success this morning, and what he granted us was the right to carry out what's called jurisdictional discovery under the supervision of the court.
Sklar said the decision was a key to unlocking information necessary to the case.
That means we're able to obtain disclosure of vital pieces of information that the government of Cambodia and Hun Manet previously have been keeping secret, and we will be able to do this very, very quickly, he said.
The suit alleges that Hun Manets family connections and leadership role within Cambodias security forces make him liable for the emotional and financial damage borne by Sovannaras family.
Hun Manet heads the Cambodian militarys anti-terror unit, is deputy chairman joint staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and is the deputy commander of the Prime Minister's Bodyguard Unit an elite unit that has often been at the center of complaints about rights abuses.
Hun Manet is widely viewed as the successor to his father Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen who has ruled the country for more than 30 years.
The country of Cambodia is also named as a defendant, and Sklar said Wus ruling gives Hun Manet two choices.
"What that means is that the government of Cambodia and Hun Manet have a choice: Either they can agree and let the court-ordered jurisdictional discovery proceed, so that we can ask these questions and get the answers, or they could say: 'No, were not going to participate in this,' in which case under the court rules they have automatically lost the case and we have a verdict against both the government of Cambodia and Hun Manet."
In April, as Hun Manet toured parts of the U.S. that are home to large Cambodian diaspora communities, he was greeted by Cambodian-Americans protesting Phnom Penh's human rights violations and domestic property seizures.
On the last day of Hun Manet's visit, he was served with court documents by a private investigator named Paul Hayes, who was hospitalized after allegedly being thrown to the ground by Hun Manets bodyguards outside of a restaurant in Long Beach, California.
Hayes's subpoena was tied to a wrongful imprisonment suit brought in a U.S. federal court by Meach Sovannara, who is the Cambodian National Rescue Partys information director. He has dual U.S. and Cambodian citizenship.
Meach Sovannara was given a 20-year sentence for taking part in a protest in Phnom Penh in late 2014. He and 10 other activists were jailed on insurrection charges for clashing with police over the closure of a protest site in the capital.
While Cambodias courts are viewed as a tool of the Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), the Cambodian strong man isnt likely to find U.S. courts are so friendly.
"What we've been able to do with this case is get a U.S. court, not subject to the dictates of Hun Sen and the Hun Sen government, exercising independent jurisdiction to deal with what's going on in Cambodia, said Sklar.
There has to be that outside monitoring, and outside way of checking on what's happening in Cambodian government. Without that there will be no improvement in the human rights and democracy situation in Cambodia, he added.
Sklar told RFA that Wu seemed to be a very determined and very clear-cut judge who wants results.
"When the counsel for the defendant tried to object to the discovery, the judge said: 'This is my order. If you do not agree to let this take place, if you do not come to an agreement on the items to be included and the questions to be asked, I will order it done myself.'"
Hun Manets attorney, John Purcell, has previously said that the accusations made in Meach Sovannaras complaint are groundless. Purcell told RFA that he was discussing the case with the other party to agree on a few points for the Sept. 6 hearing.
Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
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Beijing human rights lawyer Zhang Kai, detained last August after he gave legal advice to dozens of Protestant churches facing the demolition of their crosses, has been redetained by Chinese police following his "release" on bail.
Zhang was taken away by authorities in his home region of Inner Mongolia in northern China after he spoke out publicly about being forced to criticize fellow rights lawyers, his lawyer Tan Chenshou told RFA.
"After he made that statement [retracting the criticisms], state security police officers from Wenzhou city [in the eastern province of Zhejiang] traveled to Inner Mongolia to find him," Tan said. "They went straight to his home."
Tan said Zhang's release on "bail" earlier this year was conditional on his not speaking to the media.
"I think it's very likely [that he will be prosecuted]. We can't rule it out," he said. "He was forbidden to talk to the press; Zhang Kai has been targeted for a lot of persecution."
He called on the authorities to leave his client alone to pursue a normal life.
Scripted remarks
In a pattern that is becomingly increasingly common in political detentions, another detained rights lawyer, Wang Yu, also gave an "interview" to Beijing-backed media after being granted "bail," saying she regretted her actions, and blaming her boss at the Beijing Fengrui law firm, Zhou Shifeng.
Activists said at the time that her remarks were likely to have been scripted by state security police.
Concerns are growing for the safety of dozens of human rights lawyers and associates locked up in an unknown location by the Chinese authorities in a crackdown that started in July 2015, as the international community marks a day of concern for the victims of enforced disappearances.
During a nationwide operation targeting rights lawyers, activists, their families, and employees, at least 26 of the more than 300 detained, questioned, or otherwise affected were subject to enforced disappearance, according to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network.
Zhang was detained in August 2015 after he gave legal advice to dozens of Protestant churches facing the demolition of their crosses, and ahead of a scheduled meeting with U.S. religious freedom ambassador David Saperstein.
He was held for six months under "residential surveillance" in an unknown location on suspicion of "endangering state secrets" and "gathering a crowd to disrupt public order."
In a Feb. 25 televised "confession," Zhang said he had confessed to his "crimes."
'Urban improvement'
Zhang was taken away from Xialing Church in the eastern province of Zhejiang, where he had been helping around 100 congregations oppose the province-wide demolition of "illegal" crosses on church roofs.
Chinese media aired footage of Zhang on Feb. 25 "confessing" to the charges, and accused U.S.-based Christian rights group ChinaAid of supporting him.
Zhang's detention came amid an urban "improvement" campaign which has seen crosses removed from dozens of buildings around Zhejiang's Wenzhou city, known as China's Jerusalem for its high concentration of Christian believers.
During the crackdown, Zhejiang Protestant pastors and married couple Bao Guohua and Xing Wenxiang of the Holy Love Christian church were sentenced to 14 and 12 years' imprisonment respectively by the Wucheng District People's Court in Zhejiang's Jinhua city.
At least 16 pastors and other church members in and around Wenzhou have been detained during confrontations with the authorities over the cross removal program.
Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
Nine representatives from Chinas Tibetan, Uyghur and Han ethnic groups visit the White House to discuss religious freedom in China with U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice in Washington, Aug. 30, 2016.
Rights groups are calling on world leaders to put more pressure on the ruling Chinese Communist Party over its human rights record ahead of the G20 leadership summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
The Group of Twenty heads of government should call on China to end its relentless crackdown on Chinese activist groups, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in statement on its website.
China will host the annual G20 meeting in Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5, and has already launched a massive security clampdown in the city, packing residents off on vacation, slapping tight restrictions on all road traffic, and shuttering businesses.
Rights activists and petitioners are being held under arbitrary detention ahead of the event, to prevent them from trying to use it highlight grievances, activists have told RFA.
"Chinas disregard for activist groups is evident in its crackdown at home and the severe restrictions it placed on them at the G20 summit," HRW China director Sophie Richardson said.
"Its important for G20 leaders to publicly and privately call out China for its abusive practices, or share the blame for the sorry treatment of activists around the summit," she said.
U.S.-based group Human Rights First called on U.S. President Obama to "make clear" to President Xi Jinping that the U.S. government supports independent civil society organizations focused on advancing human rights, in the wake of a massive nationwide clampdown on civil society and human rights attorneys.
Obama should call for the release of detained and imprisoned activists and an end to the arrests and trials of human rights lawyers on pretextual charges such as "subverting state power, the group said.
"President Obama has made a strong case during his presidency that human rights is an important component of national security," the group said in a statement ahead of the summit.
"The G20 summit is an opportunity to make clearto China and to all the G20 nationsthat continued economic and other forms of cooperation with the U.S. government depends on their willingness to do the same," it said.
Greater pressure on Beijing
A Hebei-based rights activist and citizen journalist who gave only her surname Ding welcome the calls for greater pressure on Beijing.
"We are grateful for the concern ... of the international community over human rights in China," Ding said. "But the current government won't pay much attention to what other people say; they are shameless."
"The effectiveness of such help is minimal, and the human rights situation has continued to get worse in the past couple of years, in spite of pressure from the international community," she said.
The U.S.-based non-profit website China Change agreed, saying the Obama administration has failed to press for any meaningful change in China at all.
"All evidence considered, we believe that the root of the problem is that the U. S. does not have a human rights policy toward China," the website said in an editorial.
"Thats right: we are not urging the U. S. to reconsider its human rights policy toward China; we are urging it to actually get one," it said, accusing U.S. officials of making "pro forma statements" before moving on to other matters.
"Human rights cannot be treated as a stand-alone issue any more," it said.
Liu Feiyue incommunicado
Meanwhile, in the central province of Hubei, activists said Liu Feiyue, founder of the Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch website, was incommunicado and likely detained by police on Wednesday.
Calls to Liu and his wife rang unanswered on Wednesday, while an officer who answered the phone at his local Dongcheng police station declined to comment.
"Are you asking me whether Liu Feiyue is being held here at this police station?" the officer said, before adding: "I don't know."
One of the website's employees said Liu had tweeted before disappearing that the Suizhou state security police were looking for him, suggesting that he is now in their custody somewhere.
"[It's the] state security police, but they certainly won't admit it," the employee said. "Before Liu Feiyue went missing, he said they were looking for him."
"This is a sensitive time [ahead of the G20], and they'll probably release him when it's over," he said. "They've always done that before."
"At a time of huge political pressure, we just have to work as normal, he said. There are a large number of stories to publish."
Liu's disappearance came as President Obama's national security advisor Susan Rice met with Chinese human rights advocates to discuss issues related to human rights, including religious freedom, in China.
"The discussion focused on concerns regarding the deterioration of conditions inside China for both human rights generally and religious freedom specifically, as well as the participants recommendations regarding ways the United States can constructively encourage improvements in the situation," the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.
It said activists had raised concerns over the removal of crosses from churches, demolition of houses of worship, and restrictions on the observance of Ramadan and other Muslim practices, as well as the continued crackdown on human rights lawyers and the importance of preserving space for civil society.
Reported by Xin Lin and Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Ho Shan for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
To support its monitoring of human rights violations in North Korea, the United Nations will soon establish a group of independent experts to assist newly appointed special rapporteur Tomas Quintana, UN human rights official Signe Poulsen says. Speaking in an interview with Ahreum Jung of RFAs Korean Service, Poulsenrepresentative of the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul, South Koreadiscusses the work of her office and the plans to form the experts group.
Our office has been working for one year now, and we have a mandate which the Human Rights Council outlined for us. We do three main things: One of them is the monitoring and documentation of the human rights situation in the DPRK [Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea]trying to find out whats happening, trying to update information, and also looking at the older cases from the past.
A second area is keeping the issue of human rights visible on the international and national agenda. So, doing outreach, talking to the media, working with civil society to raise awareness about the situation in North Korea.
And finally we also do technical cooperation or capacity-building, where we work with civil society and relevant governments, as well as other stakeholders, to try to raise awareness about the United Nations and how countries can work in cooperation with the United Nations on improving and promoting human rights in their own countries.
So those are the broad areas we work on.
Coming up in the near future, we have the General Assembly of the United Nations where two different reports on the human rights situation will be presented, one by the Secretary General and one by the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the DPRK, Tomas Quintana.
The group of independent experts was called for in a resolution of the Human Rights Council in March of this year, and that group will consist of two people who will support the special rapporteur in looking at what options for accountability might exist, not only internationally, but also in the regional and national framework.
Their report will be published in March, at the next meeting of the Human Rights Council.
Nine delegates from Myanmars most powerful armed ethnic group walked out of peace negotiations on Thursday because of an apparent mix-up regarding badges, causing a minor glitch in the governments efforts to forge national reconciliation.
The nine members from the United Wa State Army (UWSA)Myanmars largest nonstate militiawho are attending the conference left after they were informed that they had been accredited only as observers and not as speakers.
They gave me only observer cards, said USWA leader Nyi Yan. They said they will change the card, but not yet. We have been told that we cant go to this place or that room. There are many restrictions for us. Thats why [we left].
Former Lieutenant General Khin Zaw Oo, joint secretary of the Panglong Conferences central committee, called the situation a misunderstanding and said he informed the UWSA representatives that they would temporarily have observer cards to enter the conference on the first day and make sure they get the other cards.
The five-day conference began on Wednesday in the capital Naypyidaw. This weeks meetings are expected to be the first of many rounds of talks aimed at ending decades of war in multiethnic Myanmar, a former British colony also known as Burma.
I saw them in the evening on the first day, and they asked me if they could speak during the conference because they only had observer cards, he said. I told them that they can speak because they have been officially invited and are not observers. We gave them observer cards because thats what we had at the time.
Salai Lian Mong Sakong, a member of the Panglong Conferences central committee, said that organizers have given the UWSA representatives the equal rights that they had requested during the conference.
When we went to the conference, we took name cards for all the ethnic groups, including them, he said. But, they came in late and asked government officials for these cards so they could enter. The government officials didnt know about this because that is not one of their duties. We had to distribute the cards.
Wa Special Region
The 20,000-25,000-strong USWA is led by ethnic Chinese commanders and controls the Wa Special Region in eastern Myanmars Shan state. It has previously received support and weapons from China, though the militia has not been involved in any clashes with government troops in recent years.
The UWSA, which has been accused of producing and selling methamphetamines and heroin in the region it controls, was one of the armed ethnic groups that refused to sign a nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) brokered by the former government last October.
The militia agreed in July to participate in the Panglong Conference, an initiative spearheaded by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi to bring peace and national reconciliation to Myanmar after decades of ethnic separatist civil wars.
In late July, leaders from the group met with Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto national leader, and military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to try to build trust prior to the peace conference.
Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan National Party, makes a speech at the Panglong Conference in Naypyidaw, Sept. 1, 2016. RFA Policy of inclusion
In a related development, Arakan National Party (ANP) chairman Aye Maung on Thursday urged delegates at the Panglong Conference to review the policy excluding three armed ethnic groups from the summit so they can join the summit.
He also asked them to set a date for the nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) to be signed with ethnic militias who did not ink the original accord with the previous government last October.
The Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) were not invited to participate because they had refused to lay down their arms against the government military before the talks.
I want to urge here that we review the inclusion of the AA, TNLA, and MNDAA in the conference so we can have national reconciliation and real federal union, Aye Maung said. I want all of you to try to invite them.
The ANP wishes to have a set date for the NCA after this conference ends, he said.
Democratic federal union
Meanwhile, some of the participants at the conference butted heads over the creation of a democratic federal union in Myanmar that would grant a degree of autonomy to various ethnic groups.
Most of the countrys armed ethnic groups want a constitution based on a federal democratic political system that grants them federal autonomy. The groups do not want to write up a new constitution from scratch, but rather want to add to or amend basic draft constitution policies that were agreed to by the Federal Constitution Drafting and Coordinating Committee (FCDCC) in 2008. They also want to amend points that were added in 2015 by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), a coalition of armed ethnic groups that did not sign the NCA.
The 2008 constitution is one that is very difficult to amend and causes more confusion for ethnic issues, said Sai Tun Aye, a researcher from the San Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP). This constitution gives the military special power, so the military protects it.
Thats why ethnic peoples issues, such as having equal rights and rights to have their own governance, are influenced by ethnic armed groups, he said.
But Myint Soe, a lawmaker from the military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), said the current constitution allows for equal power sharing.
We can also see in it that we have a good foundation to create a federal union by discussing the details of power sharing once we have a common agreement from the ethnic groups peace talks, he said.
The Panglong Conference, also known as the Union Peace Conference, is being held in a bid to bring lasting peace to Myanmar after decades of ethnic separatist civil wars following its independence from British colonial rule in 1948.
Reported by Myo Thant Khine, Wai Mar Tun, Win Ko Ko Latt and Win Naung Toe for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A Tibetan monk missing since his detention by police last year following a solitary protest in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province has been located by family members in a prison after being handed a three-year sentence in a secret trial, according to a Tibetan source.
Lobsang Kelsang, then 19, launched his protest at around 3:00 p.m. on September 7 on a central street of the main town of Sichuans Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) county and was quickly overpowered by police stationed nearby, sources told RFA in earlier reports.
He was carrying a photo of [exiled spiritual leader] His Holiness the Dalai Lama over his head and was calling out for Tibetan freedom, one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A Tibetan layman who attempted to interfere with the arrest was also detained, and police at one point fired gunshots into the air to disperse a forming crowd, a local source said.
Frustrated for months in their attempts to learn Kelsangs whereabouts in detention, family members have now learned he is being held in Deyang prison in Deyang Citys Huang Xu town in Sichuan, a local source told RFAs Tibetan Service this week.
He had been detained for a while in a prison in Maowun [Mao] county, and while there he was secretly sentenced to three years in prison and was moved to Deyang, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Family members still lack full details of Kelsangs present condition, especially his health, and have not been allowed to meet with him, the source said.
Kelsang, a native of Ngabas Meruma township, had been enrolled as a novice monk at Ngabas Kirti monastery, the scene of repeated self-immolations and other protests by Tibetan monks, former monks, and nuns opposed to Chinese rule, the source said.
In August this year, another Kirti monk, named Adrak, was also secretly given a three-year term, he said.
Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijings rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008.
A total of 145 Tibetans living in China have now set themselves ablaze in self-immolations since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009, with most protests featuring calls for Tibetan freedom and the Dalai Lamas return from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a failed national uprising in 1959.
Reported by Kunsang Tenzin for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.
A woman collects dead clams on a beach at Ky Anh district, in the central Vietnamese coastal province of Ha Tinh, April 27, 2016.
Thousands of parishioners from the Roman Catholic diocese of Vinh in central Vietnam took to the streets on Thursday to protest against the Taiwanese steel firm whose local operations polluted the countrys central coastal area and caused the nations worst environmental disaster.
The members of Quy Hoa and Phu Yen parishes protested against a Formosa Plastics Group steel plant responsible for a release of toxic chemicals in April that killed tons of marine life and left fishermen and tourism industry workers jobless in four provinces.
In June, the company acknowledged it was responsible for the pollution that killed an estimated 115 tons of fish and pledged to pay $500 million to clean it up and compensate those affected by it.
The government said in a report to the National Assembly in July that the disaster had harmed the livelihoods of more than 200,000 people, including 41,000 fishermen.
About 3,000 parishioners from a church in Quy Hoa parish marched to the Peoples Committee office in Ky Anh township of Ha Tinh province, where the dead fish were first detected, said Nguyen Thanh Lang, head of the parishs ministry administration.
Life is too difficult for us, Lang said. It has been four months since Formosa caused the pollution and people still have no jobs. [And] our children cant go to school.
We demand our right to a clean ocean and that our children can go back to school, he said.
At 9:45 a.m. local time, clashes between protesters and police erupted along Highway 1A, though no serious injuries were reported, sources said.
Formosa paid U.S. $500 million [for the pollution], but the government has not paid the people, said Nguyen Thi Phan, another protester. We are looking for money to send our children to school.
Last month local activists told RFA that families affected by the spill had lost their income and could not afford to pay school tuition.
Vietnam doesnt need Formosa
About 1,000 parishioners from Phu Yen parish carrying banners protesting against Formosa marched about four kilometers (2.5 miles) from their church to the place where fishing boats were anchored, according to parish priest Dang Huu Nam.
Plainclothes policemen stood by and took photos, but they did not interfere with the protesters, he said.
We held many banners telling Formosa to leave Vietnam because Vietnam doesnt need Formosa, he said.
The protesters also demanded that Formosa be sued and that the compensation the company has already provided to the Vietnamese government be given to the villagers to clean up the polluted ocean waters.
Vietnams one-party communist state closely controls and monitors the Catholic community, the second largest religious group in the country.
In August, more than 200 policemen blocked and assaulted some of the 4,000 Catholic parishioners who tried to march to Ky Anh townships administrative offices to protest government inaction over their loss of livelihood following the massive pollution-linked fish kill.
Before that, the marchers tried several times to demand relief from provincial authorities, but the police always stopped them, a protester named Phuong told RFAs Vietnamese Service last month.
Formosa Plastics $10.6 billion steel complex in Ha Tinh province includes a steel plant, a power plant and a deep sea port, and is one of the largest foreign investments in Vietnam.
Reported by Mac Lam for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Russian intelligence services are conducting "an information war" in the Czech Republic, warns the Central European country's counterintelligence agency, the BIS.
A large number" of Russian intelligence officers were working undercover in 2015 as part of the Russian Embassy in Prague, which was by far the largest foreign mission in the country, the BIS said in its annual report on September 1.
It warned that Russian agents were building a network of puppet groups and are supporting populist and extremist groups that could be used to "destabilize or manipulate Czech society or the political environment at any time."
The agents were focusing on spreading false information about conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, as well as trying to undermine the unity of the European Union and NATO through an extensive online misinformation campaign, the report added.
There have been "attempts to disrupt Czech-Polish relations, disinformation and alarming rumors defaming the U.S. and NATO, disinformation creating a virtual threat of a war with Russia," the BIS said.
Russian agents were also working to damage the reputation of Ukraine and isolate the country internationally, it added.
The report said Chinese intelligence services have also stepped up their activities in the Czech Republic, deepening their infiltration of political and business circles.
Based on reporting by Bloomberg and Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Pakistan to eliminate "sanctuaries" for extremist groups that he said are preventing peace in the region.
On the second day of a visit to India on August 31, Kerry said that despite some progress in recent months, Pakistan needs to fight harder against militants hiding within its borders.
"It is clear that Pakistan has work to do in order to push harder against its indigenous groups that are engaged in extremist activities," including the Taliban-linked Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba, Kerry said.
"They must work with us to help clear the sanctuaries of bad actors who are affecting not only relations between Pakistan and India but also our ability to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan," he added.
"In fairness, the Pakistanis have suffered greatly from terrorism in their own country," Kerry added. "All of us need to be supportive...of how difficult it is."
The United States accuses Pakistan's intelligence agency of supporting Haqqani militants and using them as proxies in Afghanistan to gain leverage there against the growing influence of India. Pakistan denies this.
Pakistan's army has launched military operations in North Waziristan, where Haqqani is based.
Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa
The belated funeral ceremony for a controversial former Afghan monarch turned violent in Kabul on September 1, with at least one person killed and several wounded after gunshots were fired during a procession attended by thousands of members of Afghanistan's ethnic Tajik minority.
Mourners carrying the purported remains of King Habibullah Kalakani -- an ethnic Tajik who ruled Afghanistan for nine months in 1929 -- and those of more than a dozen of his companions were confronted by armed militiamen as they made their way to inter the remains at a new burial site.
Witnesses blamed the ensuing violence, in which at least five people were injured, on militiamen affiliated with First Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, a former ethnic Uzbek militia leader. The witnesses told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the militiamen fired on the mourners as they headed to the new burial site on Kabul's Shahrara Hill after attending a funeral ceremony at the city's Jami mosque.
The militiamen are alleged to have warned the mourners, some of whom were armed, that they could not bury the remains on Shahrara Hill, which is revered by Afghanistan's Turkic-speaking minority. After heated exchanges, the eye-witnesses said, gunshots were fired at the crowd.
Historical Tensions
The clashes have thrown the deep historical tensions between Afghanistan's long-warring ethnic groups into relief. A catastrophic civil war fought along ethnic lines in the 1990s claimed tens of thousands of lives.
For almost a century, the remains of Kalakani and 16 of his companions were kept in an unmarked grave below a hilltop mausoleum of the country's ethnic Pashtun dynasty. His supporters want to rebury him in a more respected location.
Social media posts showed images of the aftermath of the violence, with some videos and photographs claiming to show young men being dragged away from the scene of the clashes.
Armed men, raising assault rifles in the air, were also pictured, as were apparently injured supporters of King Kalakani.
Afghan security officials said police were deployed to calm the situation and negotiations were under way.
"The hill is part of the history of the Uzbeks and burying Kalakani at the hilltop will erase that history," said Kanishka Turkistani, a spokesman for Dostum.
The ceremony was attended by some prominent ethnic Tajiks, including former intelligence chief, Amrullah Saleh.
Kalakani -- the only ethnic Tajik monarch to have ruled Afghanistan in the kingdom's 226-year run from 1747 to 1973 -- is a controversial figure.
In 1928-29, forces loyal to Kalakani took advantage of the absence of royal troops from the capital to overthrow the reformist king, Amanullah Khan, who is widely regarded as a national hero for his successful war against Britain and his efforts to modernize Afghanistan.
'Bandit King'
Kalakani's reign was brief, as he was executed along with his close companions after being deposed less than a year later. Pashtuns, the country's largest ethnic group, have historically dominated the leadership of the Afghan state.
Among some Afghans, Kalakani is derided as a "bandit king" whose revolt against Amanullah Khan harmed Afghanistan's modernization efforts. Others, however, see Kalakani as an important figure who broke the Pashtun stranglehold on power.
Observers have drawn parallels with the current struggle for power between President Ashraf Ghani, a Pashtun, and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, who has widespread support among the country's ethnic Tajik community . They fought a bitter election battle in 2014 and share power in what critics regard as an unwieldy national unity government.
Prior to the ceremony on September 1 a movement had emerged demanding that the government organize an official state burial and gravesite for Kalakani.
The pro-Kalakani movement, whose strength is difficult to gauge but which is supported by some prominent ethnic Tajik lawmakers and former militia commanders, had threatened street protests in Kabul if its demands were not met.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
Russian border guards have refused entry to a noted Armenian political analyst.
Stepan Grigorian, director of the Yerevan-based Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC), said on September 1 that he was told by Russian border guards that he has been barred from entering Russia until 2030.
Grigorian said he discovered the order against him when he arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on August 30 for a visit in which he intended to pay his respects at his father's grave in the Russian capital.
The border guards cited a Russian law that says "foreigners who take part in activities of international organizations that are not desired to be present on the Russian territory" must be deported.
Grigorian called the decision by Russian authorities politically motivated.
ACGRC is actively involved in joint projects with nongovernmental organizations in the European Union.
It promotes civil society and democratic institutions in Armenia.
Based on reporting by aravot.am and nyut.am
TORONTO, Aug. 31, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Molycorp, Inc., together with certain of its affiliates (collectively, Molycorp), reported today that its confirmed Fourth Joint Amended Plan of Reorganization (the Plan) became effective as of August 31, 2016. Molycorp, Inc. has emerged from Chapter 11 protection.
With its state-of-the-art processing and manufacturing facilities, the newly reorganized business, now known as Neo Performance Materials (or the Business), produces some of the highest performance rare earth and rare metal-based engineered materials in the world according to customers most challenging product specifications. The Business is organized along three business segments: Neo Chemicals and Oxides, Neo Magnequench, and Neo Rare Metals. The Business operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries, including Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and South Korea.
Neo Performance Materials is a privately held company with executive offices in Toronto, Canada and is composed of a number of operating subsidiaries organized under a holding company based in the Cayman Islands. It is led by the prior management team under Geoff Bedford, President and CEO, who together with the former chairman of the board, Constantine Karayannopoulos, will serve as members of the board. The other members of this board include: Brook Hinchman; Edgar Lee; Emily Stephens; Nick Basso; Robert LaRoche; Eric Noyrez and Jonathan Foster.
Shares of common stock of former Molycorp, Inc. are no longer available for trading on a public exchange. Previous shares of common stock have been canceled with no distribution to the holders.
With its strengthened capital structure, Neo Performance Materials intends to deepen its client partnerships in advanced material technology and innovation.
Today marks a new beginning for this truly innovative and adaptive company, Mr. Bedford said. We emerge with a strong financial foundation under a new brand that speaks to our continued focus on performance and innovation. We have a commonality with the funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (Oaktree), an affiliate of which is our largest shareholder, in a shared vision and commitment to our customers with the goal of long-term growth and value creation that will benefit everyone associated with our company. I want to express a special note of thanks to our customers and employees around the world who have continued to support us through this restructuring.
He also said: We are already achieving significant milestones in bringing new applications and solutions to market through collaboration with our customers, and we are now in a much stronger position to continue down this path of value creation for our stakeholders.
According to Brook Hinchman, Senior Vice President of Oaktree, Today marks the completion of a restructuring that separates Neo Performance Materials as a standalone business. Neo Performance Materials is emerging with a strong balance sheet and excellent liquidity profile that, coupled with the continued leadership of the experienced management team of the Business, positions it extremely well to execute on the go-forward business plan and serve the needs of its customers.
Molycorp was advised by the investment banking firm Miller Buckfire & Co. and received financial advice from AlixPartners, LLP. Jones Day and Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor LLP acted as legal counsel to Molycorp in this process. Oaktree was advised by Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP and Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP as legal counsel, and Centerview Partners, LLC, as financial advisor. For information regarding the Chapter 11 case, please visit http://cases.primeclerk.com/molycorp.
About Neo Performance Materials
Neo Performance Materials is a leading supplier of advanced materials used in a wide range of technology applications across many sectors, including consumer electronics, fiber optics, hybrid and electric vehicles; and clean energy technologies. With state-of-the-art processing and separating facilities in Europe and Asia, the Company helps customers to diversify the risk of sourcing materials from a single country. The Business, which is organized along three business segments: Neo Chemicals and Oxides, Neo Magnequench, and Neo Rare Metals, is engaged in the production, processing and development of rare earth and zirconium based engineered materials; magnetic powders; and rare metals.
Neo Performance Materials is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; with corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, US; and Beijing, China. The Company operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries, being Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and South Korea. For more information, please visit www.neomaterials.com.
About Oaktree
Oaktree is a leader among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments with $98 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2016. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in distressed debt, corporate debt (including high yield debt and senior loans), control investing, convertible securities, real estate and listed equities. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm has over 900 employees and offices in 18 cities worldwide. For additional information, please visit Oaktrees website at http://www.oaktreecapital.com.
Five women who wore T-shirts blaming President Vladimir Putin for the deaths of children, parents, and teachers in the Beslan school massacre were detained during a ceremony commemorating victims of the tragedy that shook Russia 12 years ago.
Two journalists were also detained while trying to film the brief protest at the September 1 memorial marking the anniversary of the 2004 hostage crisis that left 334 people dead, including 186 schoolchildren.
As a bell rang near the red-brick ruins of School Number One in the town in Russia's North Ossetia region, the women took off their jackets to reveal T-shirts that read "Putin is the executioner of Beslan."
Four of the women lost children in the tragedy, and one also lost her husband. The fifth womans daughter endured the ordeal -- in which hostages were held in the sweltering school for nearly 60 hours -- and survived.
Armed Islamic militants, mostly from the neighboring Chechnya and Ingushetia regions, stormed into the Beslan school on September 1, 2004, the first day of classes, taking about 1,200 children, parents, and teachers as hostages.
Most of the victims were killed by explosions or gunfire during the Russian special forces' assault on the school on the third day of the hostage crisis, September 3. Some victims' relatives, and others in North Ossetia and across Russia, blame the authorities for most of the deaths.
Russian officials have said they only gave the order to storm the school after hearing an explosion and said they had no choice but to intervene to prevent the hostage-takers from killing the students and teachers.
'Unauthorized Protest'
The five protesters were Emma Betrozova, Ella Kesayeva, Zhanna Tsirikhova, Svetlana Margiyeva, and Emilia Bzarova. Russian police accused them of violating a law against unauthorized protests -- legislation that critics say denies Russians their constitutional right to free assembly.
They face up to 15 days in custody and potential fines; a second such offense within six months can result in a five-year prison sentence.
Two journalists who covered the event -- Novaya Gazeta newspaper reporter Yelena Kostyuchenko and a correspondent for the online news site Takie Dela, Diana Khachatrian -- were detained and held in custody for two hours.
The journalists told RFE/RL that police prevented them from filming the detainment of the protesters, blocking the camera's view and then forcibly taking them to the custody. They said police initially told them that their identification documents were suspicious and later told them that their identities had been established and they were free to go.
The school siege in Beslan followed deadly bombings of two Russian airliners and a Moscow subway station that were blamed on militants from the North Caucasus and precipitated what Kremlin critics say were steps by Putin that curtailed political freedoms.
The commemoration ceremonies will last for three days.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Current Time TV, Novaya Gazeta and takiedela.ru
Mohammad Nayeb-Zehi was among the hundreds of worshippers who gathered on September 30 at the Great Mosalla, a religious site in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, for Friday Prayers.
Just hours later, the 16-year-old's family learned he was dead.
Nayeb-Zehi was among the scores of people gunned down by security forces in a brutal crackdown following anti-government protests in Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which is home to the country's Baluch minority.
"He was a simple laborer and not political," Nayeb-Zehi's brother, Ahmad, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda in a telephone interview from Zahedan, adding that his sibling had been shot in the heart. "We're in pain, and we cannot accept it."
The crackdown in Zahedan came amid weeks-long nationwide protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died on September 16, days after she was detained by Iran's morality police.
In Sistan-Baluchistan, public anger at the authorities escalated amid reports that a 15-year-old Baluch girl had been raped by a police official in the province's southern port city of Chabahar.
The violence erupted soon after protesters gathered outside a police station near the central mosque in Zahedan. Members of the crowd chanted anti-government slogans, and some threw rocks. Security forces responded with deadly force by firing on the crowd from the station, according to witnesses.
Security forces also raided the central mosque and the nearby Great Mosalla and opened fire on worshippers using live ammunition, rights groups said, adding that many were shot in the head, heart, neck, or torso, revealing a clear intent to kill or seriously wound.
At least 94 people were killed and 350 wounded on that day, referred to as "Bloody Friday," according to the U.S.-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. At least 13 minors were among those killed, including Nayeb-Zehi.
The victims were overwhelmingly Baluch -- a mostly Sunni ethnic group that has long faced disproportionate discrimination at the hands of the Iranian authorities.
"He was martyred inside the Mosalla while holding his prayer mat," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.
Nayeb-Zehi's family first visited Zahedan's Khatam al-Anbia hospital, hoping he was among the wounded. They later found his body in a seminary at the Great Mosalla.
"We entered a room there and saw about 10 bodies," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. "[Mohammad] was among them."
He said the authorities prevented the family from filming the scene. "I told them this has to be documented, it has to be published by international media," he said, adding that footage later emerged on social media showing the gruesome scene at the seminary.
The family refused to send Nayeb-Zehi's body to the morgue. Instead, his body lay in the living room for around 24 hours before he was buried.
"We said he was martyred and there was no need for an autopsy," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.
The authorities accused Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group, of attacking the police station. The group is recognized as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States and has previously claimed deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchistan targeting Iranian security forces.
But local and independent sources have rejected the authorities' claims.
The authorities have also reported a much lower number of fatalities, announcing that only 19 people, including several members of the security forces, were killed.
Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi said the authorities were "rubbing salt into the wounds of the people" by claiming "terrorists" were involved.
He said he witnessed a military helicopter shooting at civilians near the Great Mosalla. "I haven't even seen such scenes in Hollywood movies," he said. "A helicopter was shooting at people. A lady was shot in front of my eyes."
RFE/RL could not verify his account. But activists have accused security forces of shooting at protestors from helicopters.
"I don't know what the intention of this crime was," he said. "Our only demand from the establishment is for the murderers of our [family members] to be punished."
The killings have led to widespread anger in Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Iran's poorest provinces.
Anti-establishment protests have been reported in Zahedan since the crackdown, including on October 14 and October 21, when protesters took to the streets after Friday Prayers and chanted "Death to the dictator."
During his Friday Prayers sermon on October 21, influential Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi said senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were "responsible" for the September 30 killings.
"We are surprised by the silence of the high-ranking officials," he said in his sermon, which was posted on his website.
"Scores were killed here without any reason. I don't have the exact number. Some have reported 90, some say less, some say more," Ismaeelzahi added.
He also said people will not be satisfied until "those who killed the people" are brought to justice.
The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center said the events of September 30 amounted to "a massacre of protesters by security forces."
"The government's total denial of responsibility for the massacring of citizens by its security apparatus is consistent with similar past denials and is evidence that internal calls for investigation of such crimes are insufficient," said the rights group, which documents human rights violations in Iran.
The Chinese Embassy in Bishkek has suspended the issuance of visas to Kyrgyz citizens following a terrorist attack against the embassy compound.
Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry announced on September 1 that Kyrgyz citizens who applied for Chinese visas might receive their passports with or without Chinese visas back at the ministry's office.
Kyrgyz officials have said that a suicide car bomber rammed the gates of the Chinese Embassy compound in Bishkek on August 30 before detonating an explosive device inside the car, killing himself and injuring three Kyrgyz employees of the embassy.
Both Kyrgyz and Chinese officials have called the incident a terrorist attack.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing.
China's Foreign Ministry said on August 31 that Beijing "will work with Kyrgyzstan to quickly obtain concrete information on the people and groups" behind the attack.
Based on reporting by KyrTAG and ru.sputnik.kg
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the world faces the most dangerous decade since World War II and predicted that the historical period of the West's "undivided dominance over world affairs" is coming to an end.
Speaking on October 27 at a conference of international policy experts in Moscow, Putin said the decade ahead is "probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and, at the same time, important...since the end of World War II."
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Putin laid the blame for the situation at the feet of Western countries, which he said have cast aside the norms of international affairs in order to maintain dominance and hold down countries they see as "second-class civilizations."
The Russian leader also said he had no regrets about sending troops into Ukraine and sought to explain the conflict as part of the efforts by Western countries to secure their global domination.
Putin claimed in his speech to the Valdai Discussion Club, a think tank, that the West had helped incite the conflict and also seeks to stoke a crisis over Taiwan in an attempt to enforce global dominance.
Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, triggering the biggest military conflict in Europe since World War II and driving relations with Western countries that back Ukraine and its drive to be part of the European Union and NATO to their lowest depths since the Cold War.
Putin cast the conflict in Ukraine as a battle between the West and Russia for the fate of the second-largest Eastern Slav country. It is partly a "civil war," he said, as Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Kyiv has flatly rejected both of those ideas.
The goal of what Russia refers to as a "special military operation" is to take the eastern Donbas region, Putin said, adding that in his view the region would "not have survived" on its own had Russia not intervened militarily in Ukraine.
WATCH: A local official told Russian conscripts "You are not cannon fodder" in a video published online recently. The men responded by angrily shouting that, actually, that's exactly what they are.
But the war has gone far beyond the Donbas region, with Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and other nonmilitary structures, killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians across the country.
Putin used the speech largely to rail against the West, saying it has nothing to offer to the world "except its own domination," and the goal of globalization "is neocolonialism to dominate the world." He said Russia is only trying to defend its right to exist in the face these Western efforts.
Putin also asserted that more and more nations refuse to follow Washington's demands and Russia will never accept the West's attempts to dominate the world.
Citing gay pride parades and the acceptance of transgender people in Western countries, Putin also defended "traditional values" and said "nobody can dictate to our people how to develop and what society we should build."
He also said Russia has never considered the West an enemy and has many things in common with it but will continue to oppose the diktat of Western neoliberal elites.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Putin's speech presented no new ideas.
"We don't believe that Mr. Putin's strategic goals have changed here. He doesn't want Ukraine to exist as a sovereign, independent nation state," Kirby said.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Putin's speech can be described as "for Freud," referring to psychoanalysis founder Sigmund Freud.
"The person who invaded a foreign country, annexed its land, and committed genocide accuses others of violating international law and the sovereignty of other countries? One truth: The person who started a wind will get a storm. The storm is coming," he said on Twitter.
Answering questions from journalists after his speech, Putin reiterated the Kremlin's assertion that Ukraine plans to use a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory. The claim has been dismissed as false by Ukraine and its allies, who say Russia may have raised the matter because it plans to use such a bomb in Ukraine as a pretext for escalation.
"It was me who ordered [Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu to inform by phone all his colleagues about it," Putin said, adding that Russia does not need to use dirty bombs in Ukraine.
Putin also said he supported plans by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Ukraine's nuclear power plants for inspections.
"It must be done as soon and as openly as possible because we know that Kyiv authorities are now working to cover up such [dirty-bomb attack] preparations," Putin said, without giving any exact information proving the claim.
Ukraine invited IAEA inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities after the Kremlin made its unsubstantiated claim about the preparation of a dirty bomb -- which would use the explosion of a conventional warhead to spread radioactive material or chemicals over a wide area.
Ukraine said it would welcome inspections because it had "nothing to hide."
According to Putin, Russia has never talked about the use of nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine despite his own promise to defend Russian territory with any means at our disposal" and saying his words were "not a bluff."
"We see no need for [using nuclear weapons in Ukraine]," Putin told reporters. "There is no sense for that, neither political, nor military."
Amid fierce protests by nationalists and a boycott by Serbian deputies, Kosovo's government has called off a parliamentary vote on a controversial bill that would demarcate the countrys border with Montenegro and move the country closer to European Union membership.
Kosovar Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said on September 1 that "political pressure" by the opposition led to the draft law being removed from the parliament's agenda. He said the legislation would be reconsidered at a later date.
Hundreds of people opposed to the demarcation bill broke into applause at news of the postponement and claimed victory.
Police detained deputy parliament speaker Aida Derguti outside of parliament on September 1 and said they found some spray cans among opposition deputies. They also said a raid earlier in the day uncovered material used to make Molotov cocktails.
Tear gas has been sprayed by opposition deputies in parliament several times in the past year in protest against the bill.
Fatmir Limaj, the chairman of the opposition Initiative for Kosovo party, said the vote on the bill was postponed due to the refusal of ethnic Serbian deputies to attend the parliament session.
The draft law needs two-thirds of the 120 votes in parliament, and opposition deputies and some belonging to ruling parties oppose the demarcation plan.
Ethnic Serbian deputies hold 11 seats in the parliament and their votes as members of the ruling coalition -- are seen as crucial to the bills approval.
Slavko Simic, the head of the Serb List (Kosovo) party, told RFE/RL that lawmakers from his party did not attend the parliament session due to "the complex security environment for Kosovar Serbs and their property."
He added that other members of the ruling coalition had "obstructed every vital process consistent with the interests of the [ethnic] Serbian people in Kosovo."
'Good For Kosovo'
Passage of the border plan has been touted by the United States and EU member countries as necessary for the Balkan country to move closer to Brussels and secure visa-free travel to the EU.
U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Greg Delawie told RFE/RL that the demarcation plan is "good for Kosovo and the region."
He warned that using the issue to score political points would lead to "xenophobia and nationalism."
The demarcation proposal -- which was signed by Kosovar and Montenegrin officials in 2015 -- has set off protests around the country led by opposition parties who say the bill would transfer some 8,200 hectares of land to Montenegro.
Government officials reject that charge and say the border as defined in the draft law follows the boundaries of Kosovo as laid out by UN Special Envoy to Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari in 2007 before recommending supervised independence for Kosovo, which had been a Serbian province.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008 and has been recognized by 112 countries.
Kosovo was placed under UN administration in 1999, shortly after the end of the Kosovo War in which several thousand people were killed and more than 1 million people were displaced.
Written by Pete Baumgartner based on reporting by Amra Zejneli and Arbana Vidishiqi of RFE/RLs Balkan Service
Pakistan's Interior Ministry said it has asked Britain to take action against a self-exiled political leader whose fiery speech last week ignited rioting in Karachi.
Islamabad sent a dossier on Altaf Hussain to U.K. authorities alleging that he had incited violence and disturbed law and order in Pakistan while violating both British and international law, the ministry said on August 31.
Foreign Minister Nisar Ali Khan met with British High Commissioner Thomas Drew on August 31, although the ministry did not say whether they discussed Hussain.
Hussain is a British national and the founder of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or MQM, which has long dominated politics in the southern city of Karachi.
The secular party represents ethnic Mohajirs -- those who fled to Pakistan from India during the 1947 partition. Its supporters have staged violent protests and clashed with political rivals and police in the past.
Hussain delivered a vitriolic speech last week via telephone to his supporters, saying, Pakistan is a cancer for the entire world, and "Pakistan is the epicenter of terrorism for the entire world," among other incendiary statements that quickly went viral on social media.
After the speech, his supporters poured into the streets of Karachi, chanting "Down with Pakistan" and ransacking three television stations. One person was killed in ensuing clashes with security forces.
The speech was widely denounced in Pakistan, including by opposition parties, which joined the government this week in calling on Britain to take legal action against Hussain.
Hussain apologized after the speech, saying he was under mental stress. But that did not prevent the MQM party leadership in Pakistan from disassociating itself from Hussain and promising that the party won't be run from London anymore, where Hussain has lived in self-imposed exile for years.
Pakistani security forces have since last week's violence arrested dozens of MQM supporters and sealed and demolished many of the party's offices. Portraits of Hussain have been removed from Karachi's streets and MQM offices.
Public prosecutor Mushtaq Jahanghri said 45 MQM leaders and supporters, including three women, appeared in court where a judge ordered them detained pending trial.
He said Hussain faces charges in two cases: for encouraging his supporters to "wage war against Pakistan" and for inciting them to damage public property.
With reporting by AP and Dawn.com
Pakistan says it has halted the Islamic State (IS) groups attempts to expand in the country, arresting hundreds of people involved in plotting attacks on government, diplomatic, and civilian targets.
The military's top spokesman, Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, said on September 1 that authorities have arrested 309 people associated with the extremist group.
The comments were a rare acknowledgment by a senior Pakistani official that IS militants have had an active presence in the country.
Bajwa said most of those detained were established Pakistani militants who had switched loyalties to the IS group, but some 25 were foreigners including Afghans and Syrians.
Some were involved in assaults on the media.
Of a core group of 20 organizers, Bajwa said, all were captured, except one "who I am sure is not in Pakistan."
He added that IS fighters were still present in the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar, Khost, and Kunar, which lie along the border with Pakistan.
The leader of the IS group's branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed Khan, was killed in an air strike in July in a border region between the two countries.
Islamabad Rejects U.S. Complaints
Bajwa also rejected U.S. criticism that it was not doing enough in the fight against extremist groups.
Pakistan is pursuing an "indiscriminate operation" against all militants, the country's top military spokesman, he said.
"There is no concept of good or bad Taliban," he added.
Bajwa made the comments a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that, despite some progress in recent months, Pakistan "has work to do in order to push harder against its indigenous groups that are engaged in extremist activities," including the Taliban-linked Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The United States accuses Pakistan's intelligence agency of supporting Haqqani militants and using them as proxies in Afghanistan to gain leverage there against the growing influence of India.
Pakistan denies this.
Pakistan's army has launched military operations in North Waziristan, where the Haqqani network is based.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Romanian Interior Minister Petre Toba has resigned after becoming embroiled in an embezzlement scandal.
Toba said on September 1 that he had decided to step down "to avoid dragging the ministry into a public scandal" three months before parliamentary elections.
Anticorruption prosecutors say Toba aided the suspects in a case against officials from his ministry's in-house secret service, the DIPI, by refusing to declassify documents concerning unusual payments.
DIPI officers are accused of abuse of power and embezzling funds that cost the state tens of thousands of dollars.
Toba said he strongly rejects the accusations against him.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AGERPRES
Afghan officials say at least to eight people have been killed -- including at least six Taliban fighters -- as a result of a militant attack on a district governors office in Logar Province.
Logar Province Governor Mohammad Halim Fedayee told RFE/RL that Afghan security forces killed six Taliban fighters during the battle at the Charkh districts administrative headquarters after an explosives-laden car parked near the compound walls was detonated shortly before dawn on September 1.
Fedayee said one Afghan security officer was wounded in a gunbattle that lasted for two hours after the blast.
Fedayees spokesman, Salim Salhe, said the car bomb killed two people.
The Taliban claimed that its fighters killed the district governor and 41 police officers.
Correspondents say the massive explosion shook buildings in the area, which is about 60 kilometers south of Kabul.
With reporting by AP and dpa
ON MY MIND
Protesting farmers and striking auto workers are not what Vladimir Putin's regime wants to see just weeks before elections. But that is what it is getting.
A report accusing the ruling United Russia party of being infested with mobsters and criminals also isn't what the Kremlin wants to see just weeks before elections. But that is what just happened.
And so it is not surprising that United Russia's ratings are falling precipitously, according to the latest poll by the independent Levada Center.
State Duma elections have always been legitimization rituals for the Putin regime. When they can put on a good show, deploy their media dominance, and get the result they want without crude falsification on election day, the ritual is successful -- as it was in 2003 and 2007. But when things go off-script, and the regime is forced to transparently falsify -- as was the case in 2011 -- the result is a disaster.
In just over two weeks, we'll see which will be the case this time.
IN THE NEWS
According to a poll by the Levada Center, the rating of the ruling United Russia party has fallen sharply ahead of this month's State Duma elections.
European Union ambassadors appear set to prolong asset freezes and visa bans against 146 individuals and 37 entities that, according to the EU, are responsible for actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity, EU officials say.
Frustrated relatives of people killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine have appealed to the European Unions top diplomat to put pressure on Russia, Ukraine, and the United States to provide investigators with intelligence and radar data about the tragedy.
The U.S. state of Florida has unveiled a memorial plaque to honor Ukrainian soldiers killed in the Donbas.
A new report by Human Rights Watch alleges that Russia is tolerating tyranny in Chechnya.
Izvestia is reporting that Russia plans to form a rights watchdog group to act as an alternative to Human Rights Watch.
Ukraine is today scheduled to officially launch an online system that monitors the incomes and assets of government officials.
Russia is planning to hold a two-day competition next week for its Paralympic squad banned from Rio, the country's Paralympic Committee head has said.
WHAT I'M READING
Russia's Long Game In Ukraine
In a piece in Foreign Policy, MIchael Kofman, a fellow at the Kennan Institute, looks at the strategic goals behind Russia's troop buildup on Ukraine's borders.
"Moscow isnt looking to escalate the war in the Donbas. But it is laying the groundwork to dominate its neighbor for years to come," Kofman writes.
Russian Troop Levels In The Donbas
Bellingcat has a new report using open-source data on the awarding of combat medals to estimate that tens of thousands of Russian troops were active in the war in eastern Ukraine.
Russia's Growing 'Fifth Column'
An editorial in Gazeta.ru notes that as social protests rise, the Russian authorities are seeing more and more people as potential "fifth columnists."
"The distinction between the so-called fifth column and the other four has blurred," Gazeta.ru writes.
"Nowadays, the fifth column can be a woman who asks a governor about back wages. Someone who defends a city park. Farmers. Coal miners. Even the workers of Uralvagonzavod, which in recent years has been on the verge of bankruptcy. The contracts the state had been throwing the companys way have not helped, apparently. If the authorities, especially local authorities simply afraid to show federal authorities they are incapable of coping with problems, continue to operate only through a policy of intimidation, they might soon be the fifth column themselves, if only because, sooner or later, they will find themselves in the minority."
'The Tin God Behind The Ice Curtain'
David Ramseur, visiting scholar at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage, has a post in the Kennan Institute's Russia File blog chronicling a recent visit to Russia's Far East.
"Eleven time zones and nearly 4,000 miles east of Moscow, Lavrentiya is barely 100 miles as the seagull flies from Alaska. For two weeks starting in late June of this year, I joined a handful of other adventure travelers for a hands-on look at the Russian indigenous villages across the International Dateline from my home state," Ramseur writes.
"We racked up nearly 350 miles bouncing through the frigid sea named after Vitus Bering in 18-foot aluminum boats, surrounded by spouting grey whales and once thriving villages forced to be consolidated or abandoned during the Cold War."
Russian-American Relations After November
Moscow-based foreign affairs analyst Vladimir Frolov has a piece in Slon.ru on what the Kremlin is expecting from a potential Hillary Clinton presidency.
A September Reshuffle?
In a piece in Znak, journalist and political analyst Yekaterina Vinokurova argues that more high-profile personnel changes are on the way in Russia in September.
Russia's Controversial Education Minister
Writing in The Daily Beast, Anna Nemtsova calls the appointment of Olga Vasilyeva as education minister "Putin's neo-Stalinist tipping point."
"Putins appointment of a Stalin-apologist ideologue as education minister is, for many intellectuals, the last straw," Nemtsova writes.
An unsigned blog post on Mikhail Khodorkovsky's Open Wall web portal also takes a look at Vasilyeva's appointment and what it portends.
"Under Vasilyeva, then, Russian academia can expect Stalinist reprisals -- updated. Whereas in the 1930s, university staff could be shown the door (or worse) for inadequate knowledge of Marxism-Leninism, today they will be 'purged' for posting a liberal comment on Facebook , for unpatriotic comments in the media, or a publication in a Western scientific journal," the Open Wall writes.
"Pity the academicsbut pity the children even more."
Required Reading
Want to know what some leading Kremlin-watchers are reading? Check out this survey from Global Interest.
Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti called for making Romanian Moldova's official language rather than Moldovan, as currently specified in the constitution.
"We are ethnic Romanians, although we call ourselves Moldovans," the president said in a speech at Moldova's Academy of Sciences marking National Language Day on August 31 in Chisinau.
"Let us learn and accept this fact once and for all and concentrate on other problems," he said.
Timofti said he believes changing the official language in the constitution will help to avoid a split in the population between those who consider themselves Romanian and those who view themselves as Moldovan.
"When I was asked [by other heads of state] about my descent, I answered that I am Romanian, just like my parents, ancestors, and the entire people living on this land," he said in his speech.
Timofti praised a decision by the Moldovan Constitutional Court in 2013 that declared Romanian to be the state language.
Based on reporting by Romania Journal, TASS, and Publika.md
Violence has abated in Ukraine's east as the warring sides made a fresh attempt at a cease-fire in a separatist conflict that has killed more than 9,500 people since April 2014.
Speaking at a meeting of ministers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Potsdam, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on September 1 that the latest truce deal had sharply reduced military activities.
Steinmeier, who holds the rotating OSCE chair, said the reduction was a hopeful sign after months of increasing fighting along the lines of contact between government forces and Russia-backed separatists.
The trilateral contact group on Ukraine, which comprises representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE, struck a deal last week for a cease-fire to coincide with the new school year.
A similar 2015 cease-fire held for less than a week.
In a joint statement, France's President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that the latest truce "must be the start of a lasting cease-fire."
"Germany and France are extremely concerned about the security situation in eastern Ukraine, especially along the line of contact" between separatists and government forces, they also said.
Based on reporting by Bloomberg, AFP, and Interfax
OSTRAVA, Czech Republic -- The flag of Russia-backed separatists from Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region fluttered from an ornate, two-story building in this otherwise gritty city on the Czech Republic's eastern fringes on September 1, as the separatists opened what they call their first official office on EU soil.
Amid protests and vows by authorities to shut down the center, a Czech far-right activist said the office is aimed at rebuilding ties between Ostrava and Donetsk, both crumbling industrial centers that were once sister cities.
"We want to aid and coordinate communication between the people of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Czech Republic," said Nela Liskova, a member of the xenophobic National Militia movement, referring to the separatist group in eastern Ukraine.
Liskova addressed a cramped conference room packed with a few dozen reporters and a handful of supporters -- including a few allegedly from Donetsk. A self-described "honorary consul," she said she is disgusted with her government's support for what she calls the "junta" in Kyiv -- standard Kremlin shorthand for the pro-Western government of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Putting down stakes in the EU would be a feat for the separatists, who have fought Kyiv's forces in a bloody war that has killed more than 9,500 people since April 2014 following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula the previous month.
Until now they have been recognized as an independent state only by South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia that itself is recognized only by Moscow and a handful of other countries.
But any kind of recognition by the EU is wishful thinking at best. Brussels has sanctioned several separatists in eastern Ukraine, including Oleksandr Zakharchenko, the self-styled leader in Donetsk, as well as officials in Moscow over Russian backing for the separatists.
In the Czech Republic, President Milos Zeman has departed from the common EU line on Ukraine and criticized sanctions against Moscow. But he has not offered the separatists in eastern Ukraine any public support.
Meanwhile, Prague has repeatedly said that the separatists lack any legitimacy to open a diplomatic post in the country, while the Czech Foreign Ministry vowed on September 1 that their self-declared representative office would be shut down.
The Czech Embassy in Kyiv said in an August 29 statement that "the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic cannot have an accredited representative office in the Czech Republic because the Czech Republic does not recognize its existence."
According to official documents, the organization behind the center was officially registered on June 16, 2016.
The opening of its office was met with a small public protest outside Ostrava's Mercure Hotel, where the press conference for the event was being held. Some 15 demonstrators held up placards reading "Stop Russian Aggression," and "Kremlin Theater."
"I'm upset that they are opening up an office for a group that the Czech Republic, including the Foreign Ministry, does not recognize as legitimate, and is a terrorist state," said Radovan Blaha, who traveled from Prague to attend the protest.
Mikhail Topolov, a Czech-based Ukrainian activist, said that "the pro-Russian terrorists should not have any representation in the Czech Republic."
'Historical Moment'
Organizers had promised that an "official" from the Donetsk separatist-controlled territory would appear at the opening of the Ostrava office. Liskova explained, however, that the individual was forced to cancel at the last moment "due to the current political situation."
Natalya Nikonorova, who styles herself as the separatists' foreign minister, did issue a statement handed out at the press conference in which she hailed the opening of the center as a "historical moment."
While invitations for the press conference were sent to members of the Czech parliament, not one Czech politician appeared to be present at the event.
Whether anyone from Donetsk had actually traveled to Ostrava was unclear as well.
One of three people Liskova claimed had arrived from the eastern Ukrainian city whispered as she entered the conference room that she was from Volgograd, in southern Russia.
And while numerous journalists were in attendance, gaining entrance was no small task. Local security -- made up mostly of beefy, bald-headed men -- scrutinized people's IDs and inquired about nationality before letting them pass. They then had to go through a metal detector on their way in.
A few of the security personnel were monitoring reporters closely, with one filming the journalists who were filming the protesters outside.
One reporter from the Czech weekly Tyden was first denied entry but later allowed in after he protested that the event had been publicized as a press conference open to the public.
"I guess I'm on the separatists' blacklist," the reporter, Ivan Motyl, quipped.
Liskova refused to answer questions about financing for the hotel event and the center itself, leaving some to question whether money may be coming from Russia.
A Czech member of the European Parliament has said the whole affair has made the Czech Republic the laughingstock of Europe and called for Liskova to be arrested on terrorism charges.
In an August 30 statement, Jaromir Stetina urged Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek to do his duty and arrest Liskova and shut down the center, saying it was "making a mockery of Czech diplomacy."
Liskova fired backed at the press conference, accusing Stetina of supporting the "terrorist" Azov Battalion, a former volunteer militia in eastern Ukraine whose ranks included far-right nationalists and which is now part of the country's National Guard.
Liskova has been photographed wearing military fatigues and packing firearms. The National Militia movement to which she belongs has ridden a wave of anti-Islamic feeling in the Central European nation to attract support.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has posted images from a Hollywood blockbuster film on Twitter in an apparent effort to mock serious allegations led by two respected international rights watchdogs of secret detentions and torture.
Three stills from the 2016 movie Suicide Squad -- in which jailed villains are coerced by a secret government agency into becoming covert antiheroes to save the world -- appeared in the September 1 tweet by the Security Service (@ServiceSsu) with a caption that read "Prisoners of SBU secret jail."
The post was subsequently deleted.
The message appeared to be aimed at bolstering the Ukrainian Security Service's denial of accusations by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report in July titled "You Don't Exist" Arbitrary Detentions, Enforced Disappearances, And Torture In Eastern Ukraine.
Those groups also sent a letter to Ukrainian officials dated August 23 citing the cases of 12 men and one woman who they said were released in July and August from "abduction-style" custody in Kharkiv. More such individuals are believed to remain incommunicado in custody.
The report claims that, in addition to Kharkiv, there are at least three more such "informal detention sites" in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Kramatorsk, Izyum, and Mariupol.
'Pretrial Investigation Center'
Amnesty International and HRW interviewed two men allegedly kept in SBU captivity since December 2014. Both men said they were abducted from their homes, tortured, and forced to confess to being informants for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military has been fighting Russia-backed fighters since early 2014, when Russian troops occupied Crimea ahead of the peninsula's annexation and armed fighters led efforts to reject Kyiv's authority. Swaths of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain outside central government control.
Ukrainian authorities deny the existence of any secret jails.
The Kharkiv location said to house a secret site instead houses a "pretrial investigation center," SBU chief of staff Oleksandr Tkachuk said, according to the BBC's Ukrainian Service.
"The fact that many interrogations take place in this building means that many detainees have been in this building, and it is often accused of being a secret jail of the SBU," Tkachuk said.
When asked directly if such secret jails may exist in Ukraine, Tkachuk said: "Nothing is impossible in life, unfortunately. For now, we say that we will carefully check this information."
The joint report by the rights groups also accuses Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine of illegally imprisoning, abusing, and torturing people who live on the territory they control.
More than 9,500 civilians have died so far in the conflict, and international efforts to broker a peace have so far failed.
Amid persistent silence from Uzbekistan's government over the health of President Islam Karimov, Uzbeks inside and outside the country are taking to social media to wish him well or to wish him dead.
The emotionally charged posts reflect the controversial nature of Karimov, who has ruled ex-Soviet Central Asia's most populous nation for all 25 years of its existence as an independent country.
To judge by the messages flooding social media sites in Uzbek and Russian, he is either loved or hated by his countrymen, with little room in between. The 78-year-old leader presents himself as a bulwark of stability as he heads a state regularly rated by human rights groups as one of the world's most intolerant of political opposition.
The government has said nothing about Karimov since it announced on August 28 that he had been hospitalized, without saying what was wrong. His daughter said the next day on Instagram that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage.
One apparent admirer posted a video on Facebook of a woman praying emotionally for Karimov's recovery. "We are asking God to give him health. The whole nation is praying. Let the Almighty give him strength," she wails.
Another admirer posted a photograph of a young girl holding a sign written in crayon and bearing pictures of the Uzbek leader. The sign reads: "Dear Grandad, live to be 100 years old!"
It was impossible to determine whether the authorities were behind any of the messages praising Karimov.
But if posts wishing him well seem loaded with emotion, his detractors are equally passionate as they welcome what they hope is his death.
"For me a donkey has died," said one opponent, holding up a handwritten sign bearing the same words. He added in a brief spoken message that, even if Karimov has not expired "he is politically dead, anyway." Any comparison to a donkey is considered particularly offensive in Central Asia:
A Facebook user said that "for me Karimov has died like a dog and I am very happy about it." In saying Karimov has died he uses a Russian verb usually reserved only for animals:
Critics accuse Karimov of ruthlessly eviscerating all opposition in Uzbekistan -- most prominently with the alleged massacre of hundreds of protesters in the city of Andijon in 2005. They also say that he has monopolized the countrys wealth, mostly based upon cotton exports, while the average annual income is a little over $2,000.
Karimov's long rule and tight control has raised questions about succession and long-term stability in the Central Asian country of 28 million, which has never held an election judged free and fair by international monitors.
Uzbekistan's cabinet says President Islam Karimov is in critical condition after having a stroke, while Reuters quotes three unnamed diplomatic sources as saying that Karimov has died.
"Yes, he has died," one of the sources told Reuters.
The statement by the cabinet was carried on September 2 by Uzbekistan's official newspaper, Halq Sozi (People's Word), and was posted on the cabinet's website.
It said Karimov was hospitalized on August 24 and that in the past 24 hours his condition "saw a sharp deterioration and is considered critical by the doctors."
The statement was the first official word on Karimov since the cabinet announced on August 28 that he had been hospitalized, without saying what was wrong. His daughter said on Instagram the next day that he had suffered a brain hemorrhage.
Uzbekistan celebrated Independence Day on September 1, with Karimov absent. The prolonged official silence had set off speculation that the 78-year-old had died.
Some unconfirmed and unattributed media reports claimed that Karimov had passed away on August 29.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev will cut short a trip to China and fly to Uzbekistan on September 3.
Adding to the speculation, streets in the center of Karimovs native city of Samarkand were blocked off as cleaning and apparent construction work were taking place on a central square late on September 1.
There was also activity around the Chorraha Mosque in Samarkand.
Security sources told RFE/RL's Uzbek Service that Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyaev had made a trip to the city.
In Karimov's absence, Mirziyaev led a commemorative event in Tashkent on August 31 that marked the start of Independence Day celebrations.
WATCH: Subdued Independence Day Festivities In Uzbekistan
Karimov has not been seen in public since mid-August.
But Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, Karimov's younger daughter, suggested via social media on August 31 that her father was alive and could potentially recover.
Uzbekistan's tightly controlled state media until September 2 had not mentioned Karimov's illness, and it remains unclear who is currently in charge of the Central Asian nation of around 30 million.
However, two days of public ceremonies have been scaled back and scheduled appearances by Karimov, who issued the Uzbek declaration of sovereignty 25 years ago and has ruled ever since, have been canceled.
An Independence Day speech traditionally delivered by Karimov was read out by a state television anchor during an evening news bulletin on August 31.
The message was read out in the first person as if written by Karimov, in what appeared to be an effort to indicate that he remains in charge. The presenter made no mention of Karimov's condition.
'Everything Is Calm'
Some Uzbek citizens, crossing the border into Kyrgyzstan on August 31, said they were unaware of Karimov's illness.
Two women traveling with their children from the eastern Uzbek city of Andijon told RFE/RLs Current Time that "we know nothing about it. Everything is calm where we live."
WATCH: Uzbek Media Had Remained Silent On President's Health
Karimov has no apparent successor, and observers suggest any such decision would likely be made within the Uzbek president's tight inner circle.
Mirziyaev, who has been prime minister since 2003, is seen as a possible successor, as are Finance Minister Rustam Azimov and National Security Committee head Rustam Inoyatov.
International rights watchdogs and Western officials accuse Karimov of brutally suppressing perceived political opponents, and the country has never held an election deemed democratic by Western monitors.
The Uzbek Constitution states that, if the president is unable to perform his duties, the head of the upper chamber of parliament, the Senate, assumes presidential authority for a period of three months.
No public comments have come from Senate Chairman Nigmatulla Yuldashev, who has led the upper house since January 2015.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, RFE/RL's Current Time TV, Reuters, AP, AFP, TASS, Gazeta.uz, and Interfax
Dublin, Sept. 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Anti-Drone Market, Analysis and Forecasts, 2016-2021" report to their offering.
The anti-drones market is estimated to be at $209.77 million in 2016.
Anti-drone systems are used to detect, identify and neutralize rogue drones. These systems uses different technologies such as jamming, high energy lasers, directed energy weapons, command and control (C2), electro-optical surveillance, electronic surveillance and RF threat management to detect and neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles.
The high growth of anti-drones market in aerospace and defense industry is majorly attributed to increasing security breach by unidentified drones. Various instances, for example, incidents when a drone crashed at the White House lawn, a flying machine overflew the nuclear facilities at France and the near misses to an aircraft at the airports across the world have triggered the need for anti-drone systems. For instance, in April 2016, an incident at San Francisco where a British Airways flight was hit by a drone causing slight damage to the aircraft which raised serious safety concerns. Thus, the growing number of incidents by unknown drones is a primary driver for development of the market. Moreover, there are a number of opportunities for counter-UAV systems in defense and non-defense applications.
Anti-drone systems use different modes of engaging the threats such as kinetic system, laser system, and electronic system. The laser systems accommodate for the highest share in terms of value. The technology is being used to shoot small UAVs using a high energy laser beam. Some of the defense prime contractors such as Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Rheinmetall Defense Electronics are using laser technology for their anti-drone systems. Due to technological innovation, electronics system has been observed to be a powerful tool to be used in anti-drones systems. Hence, it is expected to grow at a faster CAGR in the forecast period.
The anti-drone systems vary according to its usage in military and commercial applications. The increase in the terrorism, drone attacks, and borders infraction are some of the factors driving the defense market. The increase in the R&D activities by the defense prime contractors and illicit activities has resulted in the highest revenue of the defense segment. Globally, the usage of commercial drones has considerably increased which has posed a serious threat to the public safety and the violation of privacy. Moreover, there is an impending need for anti-drone systems at airports, prisons, events, and critical infrastructure that has driven the non-defense segment to grow at a faster rate.
North America is currently dominating the anti-drones market; however, the geographical analysis of this market unveils a great potential for growth in the Asian countries. According to the analysis, the U.S. will grow at a faster rate; accommodating majority of the revenue. Recently, Federal Aviation Administration initiated a Pathfinder Programme and selected Anti-UAV Defense System (AUDS) to start a trail phase to protect the major U.S. airports from drones. Similarly, in 2015, France has started a program named Project Angel as that focuses on 18-months study on counter-UAV systems. Russia, China and Canada are also expected to have a decent rate of growth from 2016-2021.
Key Topics Covered:
Executive Summary
1. Research Scope and Methodology
2. Industry Analysis
2.1 Introduction
2.1.1 Anti-Drone and Technology
2.1.2 Methods of Countering UAVs
2.2.3 Detection System, by Companies
2.2 UAV Imports by Countries
2.3 Value Chain Analysis
2.4 Anti-Drones Future Developments
2.5 Industry Attractiveness
3. Market Dynamics
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Market Drivers
3.2.1 Growing Incidents by Unknown Drones
3.2.2 Increased Demand from Commercial and Government Agencies
3.3 Market Challenges
3.3.1 Detection of Micro UAV
3.3.2 Regulatory Issues with Anti-Drone Technology
3.4 Market Opportunities
3.4.1 Increase in Demand for Laser Equipped System
3.4.2 Innovations and Business Expansions by Leading Market Players
4. Competitive Insights
4.1 Competitive Landscape
4.2 Key Market Players
4.3 Strategic Developments
4.3.1 Market Share of Development and Strategies
4.3.2 New Product Launches
4.3.3 Partnership Agreement & Collaboration
4.3.4 Other Developments
5. Anti-Drone Market, by Technology
5.1 Assumptions and Limitations
5.2 Classification of Market by Technology
5.3 Market Scenario
5.4 Laser System
5.5 Kinetic System
5.6 Electronic System
6. Anti-Drone Market, by Application
6.1 Classification of Market by Application
6.2 Market Scenario
6.3 Non-Defense Anti-Drone Market by Technology
6.4 Defense Anti-Drone Market by Technology
6.5 Defense and Non-Defense Application, by Geography
7. Anti-Drone Market, by Geography
8. Company Profiles
8.1 Airbus Group
8.2 Blighter Surveillance Systems
8.3 Leonardo-Finmeccanica
8.4 Israel Aerospace Industries
8.5 Lockheed Martin
8.6 Northrop Grumman
8.7 SRC Inc.
8.8 SAAB Group
8.9 Thales Group
8.10 The Boeing Company
9. Appendix
For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/j8fgtr/global_antidrone
Related Topics: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) - Drones, Military Unmanned Systems
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It took four years for the case to get to trial, but in November 2021, a jury found that Unite the Right organizers conspired to provoke violence, not peaceful protest, and said they should pay a civil judgment of more than $25 million.
A civil rights lawsuit over a 2013 prison fracas is alleging systemic misconduct by the Virginia Department of Corrections whose director, Harold W. Clarke, is at the focus of a hearing set for this morning in Alexandria.
The Virginia Attorney Generals office is opposing a bid by lawyers for inmate James H. Raynor to question Clarke over the retention of video monitor recordings.
Raynor contends recordings that he asked to be saved would support his claims against a correctional officer, but they were lost or destroyed in violation of state law.
In light of the missing video, Raynor is seeking a verdict, or other sanction, be awarded in his favor. In papers filed Wednesday, his lawyers cited a case settled by the state in July shortly after another inmate who allegedly was assaulted by a corrections officers filed a similar motion for sanctions over missing, critical video evidence.
Raynors lawyers have subpoenaed Clarke to give a deposition in the case.
The destruction of evidence shakes the foundation of the justice system, especially when the allegation is that the destruction has occurred at the hands of those that are empowered to preserve and enforce the law, wrote Raynors lawyers Wednesday.
The attorney generals office disagrees.
The director flatly denies that the Department of Corrections fails to adhere to established document retention guidelines, wrote Margaret OShea, an assistant Virginia attorney general, arguing against the subpoena.
OShea contends Raynor has already received the information he seeks from Clarke from other officials.
Moreover, it bears noting that this case involves a relatively simple inmate-on-inmate assault, and the question of whether a unit manager was deliberately indifferent to the risk of that assault, wrote OShea.
OShea argued the subpoena is an undue burden on Clarke, who is not a party to the suit and who runs one of the largest departments in state government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John F. Anderson will be listening to arguments over the issue at a hearing set for this morning in federal court in Alexandria.
Video not audio surveillance is used widely in state prisons. Raynors case and the suit settled by the state in July raise concerns about the preservation of recordings that might support inmate allegations. The video is generally kept for 30 to 60 days when they are recorded over by the system.
In the case settled in July, Delfino Ramirez, an inmate at the St. Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake, alleged he was assaulted by two officers, one since fired, who used excessive force against him on Nov. 25, 2014. Ramirez suffered injuries to his head.
Ramirezs lawyer, Jonathan P. Sheldon, of Fairfax, filed a motion for sanctions against the Department of Corrections on July 7 alleging the departments own policy, which it insisted remain confidential, required that all video related to the use of force be kept for at least three years but that two key records no longer existed.
The destroyed video would have proven the liability of one of the officers and as a sanction for its destruction, the court should rule the officer was liable and then determine damages, Sheldon argued. The state conceded it had a duty to preserve the video in that case, Sheldon wrote in his motion for sanctions.
Reached by telephone Wednesday, Sheldon said he could not comment on the settlement since it is confidential.
But he said of his sanctions motion, I think we settled it largely because of that. ... I think this helped get the settlement. Court record show that notice of the settlement was filed July 13, less than a week after Sheldons motion for sanctions was filed.
In future such cases, said Sheldon, he will be less trusting of the Department of Corrections.
Prison officials in Raynors case said copies of recordings capturing events in Raynors case were made but were inadvertently deleted when a laptop computer was replaced. Another copy sent to the wardens office was subsequently misplaced, according to the department of corrections.
The attorney generals office said the missing video did not include audio and was said to be of little or no value to Raynor.
Under the Virginia Public Records Act, the Library of Virginia issues regulations for the retention and disposition of public records including video monitoring footage in state prisons (video retention rules for jails are set separately).
The library calls for prison video to be kept for five years if it documents actual or threatened events outside the ordinary routine that involves the life, health and safety of employees, volunteers, guests, or damage to state property, or disrupts/threatens security, good order and discipline of an institution.
Department of Corrections employees questioned in Raynors case have denied knowledge of the librarys policy on video and other record retention that was signed by Clarke in 2011.
At an earlier hearing before Anderson, OShea said the Department of Corrections has never considered the library policy to be the departments policy. In any case, she said the incident involving Raynor did not rise to one that would require the video to be kept for five years under the Library of Virginias policy.
Raynor filed suit on his own in 2013 alleging a corrections officer violated his rights at Sussex II State Prison by failing to protect him from another inmate, Kunta Kinte Mullins, who destroyed his property and repeatedly punched him in the face, knocking him down and injuring him in a dispute involving cell assignments.
The two inmates are serving life terms for sex offenses.
The officer involved denies any wrongdoing. The suit was tossed out by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema in 2014. Raynor appealed to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which appointed McGuireWoods LLC to represent him.
In March, an appeals court panel overturned Brinkema and sent the case back to the judge with instructions to more thoroughly consider Raynors allegations.
Anderson, the magistrate judge, is handling the question of missing video and other issues for Brinkema.
Correction: This is a correction of the announcement from 2016-08-09 23:47:26 CEST.
Financial statements, which were attached to Icelandic version of announcement, were missing in the English version of the announcment.
Consolidated Condensed Interim Financial Statements for the six months ended June 30, 2016 of HS Orka hf. (the Company) were approved at a Board of Directors meeting on 9 August 2016. The financial statements of HS Orka hf. are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union and are stated in ISK. The financial statements can be found on the Companys website: http://www.hsorka.is
Company profit for the period was ISK 1,278 million (YTD 2015: ISK 142 million) and operating revenue was ISK 3,507 million (YTD 2015 ISK 3,824 million). The reduction in revenues is largely due to decreases in generation, and sales to fish smelters due to a poor fishing season.
Net finance income was ISK 874 million (YTD 2015: expense ISK 1,568 million). The major driver for the variance was due to an increase in aluminum prices since year-end which drove up the fair value of the embedded derivatives and resulted in a gain of ISK 841 million (YTD 2015: loss of ISK 1,239 million). In addition, net exchange rate differences were positive of ISK 150 million (YTD 2015 negative of ISK 282 million).
A total comprehensive profit of ISK 1,193 million was recorded in the period against a profit of ISK 75 million in 2015.
The Companys equity ratio is 62.3% compared to 58.6% at year-end 2015.
Further information can be provided by Asgeir Margeirsson, Managing Director of HS Orka hf., tel. 520 9300 / 855 9301.
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Colonial Heights police are looking for suspects after multiple signs, vehicles and other property were sprayed with red paint overnight Tuesday in the southern part of the city.
The incidents happened on Conduit Road and Chestnut, Ivey, Bristol and Cameron avenues, police said.
Two candidates for local office in Richmond have been cleared formally to appear on the ballot after uncertainty created by Gov. Terry McAuliffes blanket restoration of felons rights.
The Richmond Electoral Board voted unanimously Thursday to have ballots printed with all candidates names after consulting with the city attorney, Allen Jackson, for about 15 minutes in closed session.
The decision directly affects Kevin Starlings, a 3rd District candidate for the Richmond School Board, and Michelle Mosby, one of eight candidates for mayor.
Starlings has a felony embezzlement conviction on his record, but he won the right to vote and run for office as a result of McAuliffes mass restoration order in April.
The board had asked state elections officials to clarify whether Starlings should stay on the ballot after the Supreme Court of Virginia last month overturned McAuliffes blanket order. The governor since has restored Starlings right to vote.
I am excited, Starlings said after the meeting. This part is over, so now we can keep pushing on and move forward.
Mosby got tripped up in the legal confusion when the board questioned whether candidates petitions to get on the ballot should be rechecked to determine whether any felons who later lost their political rights had signed.
Four of Mosbys 545 signatures to qualify for the ballot were from felons who registered under McAuliffes order that the Supreme Court overturned. One of those four was in Richmonds 1st District, where Mosby obtained 50 qualified signatures, the precise number needed for each district.
The chair of the electoral board, C. Starlet Stevens, said officials relied on advice from Jackson and the state Attorney Generals Office, which last week issued an opinion that the local board is required only to make sure candidates meet requirements to serve in office at the time of the Nov. 8 election.
In regard to Mosbys situation, the office advised that the board is not legally required to re-examine the signatures on all petitions ... due to later changes in the status of voters who signed those petitions.
Stevens said shes glad the situation finally has been resolved.
Improving the quality of Richmonds school system is voters top priority heading into the November mayoral election, according to poll results Christopher Newport University released today.
Asked about issues the citys next mayor will need to address, 81 percent of respondents ranked working with the School Board to improve schools as very important.
Making city government work better in general ranked second, with 68 percent of respondents describing the issue as very important.
Richmond voters are clear on their priorities for their next mayor: education and a better working city government, said Quentin Kidd, who oversaw the poll and directs the universitys Wason Center for Public Policy.
The candidates who can convince voters that they will make schools better and make City Hall work should be able to gain ground in the crowded election.
On the other end of the spectrum, the poll found only a handful of voters are looking for a mayor with previous city government experience (7 percent), and fewer voters value regional cooperation with the surrounding counties (33 percent) and improving public transportation (37 percent).
Christopher Newport University polled 600 likely voters in Richmond from Aug. 18 to 24. The university released the first half of the results earlier this week, focusing on voters preferences for and opinions about specific mayoral candidates.
The latest release focuses on leadership qualities voters are seeking in candidates this year and residents views on a variety of issues that have faced the city.
One-third of respondents said honesty and transparency are the most important character traits theyre seeking in a mayor. Only 14 percent said they favored a strong leader who takes action even if everyone isnt on board.
The survey revealed a divide between black and white respondents on certain issues.
More black residents (87 percent) said they think schools are very important than white residents (73 percent). Likewise, more black residents (87 percent) said they believe the school system is underfunded than white residents (58 percent).
Black respondents also emphasized reducing crime, bringing job opportunities, and improving public transit more than white respondents.
And even as ratings across the board were low, black residents generally were more optimistic about the direction of the city than white residents, with 42 percent agreeing that city government is working to improve their neighborhoods compared with 35 percent of white respondents.
White residents, on the other hand, had a more favorable view of the police department, with 68 percent agreeing that city police treat all citizens fairly compared with 43 percent of black respondents.
Kidd said that overall, the survey reveals a deep lack of trust and confidence in city government and a strong desire for the next mayor to demonstrate honesty and transparency in how decisions are made.
The poll also asked residents about the ongoing debate over a new baseball stadium, finding broad support (78 percent) for renovating the current stadium, The Diamond, and in the event a new stadium were built, keeping it in the area of the Boulevard (74 percent).
Finally, half of the polls respondents said they support the financial incentives used to attract Stone Brewing Co., the Washington Redskins training camp and the 2015 UCI Road World Championships cycling event all projects that have been the subject of frequent criticism on the campaign trail.
Bob Holsworth, a former Virginia Commonwealth University political scientist and frequent political commentator, said he expects the poll would have generated a different result had the projects been rated separately. Still, he said the reaction shows people want Richmond to continue moving forward.
I think what youre seeing is that overall, people arent upset with the path Richmond is on but the path Richmond government is on, he said.
Virginia State Police are investigating after the second reported shooting in less than a month on Interstate 64 in Hampton Roads.
On Tuesday, an investigation revealed that a bullet had hit a bridge house on the High Rise Bridge in Chesapeake, said Sgt. Michelle Anaya, a state police spokeswoman.
No one was injured.
On Aug. 22, two passengers received minor injuries when someone fired on a Chevrolet Silverado at an I-64 interchange in Norfolk.
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Kevin Reynolds says he feels safe in the protected realm of Capitol Square, but he gets a different vibe when walking down Broad Street to his car after a late night at the office.
As a state employee, I appreciate my right to carry a firearm in my defense, Reynolds, the chief of staff for state Sen. Thomas A. Garrett Jr., R-Buckingham, said Wednesday as he and more than a dozen others spoke against Gov. Terry McAuliffes executive order that banned guns in state offices.
The Department of General Services, the state agency that oversees government facilities, held a public hearing on the gun ban Wednesday morning as part of the regulatory process necessary to enact the governors order.
Concealed carry permit holders, some of whom had empty holsters on their hips because firearms were not allowed at the hearing in the state-owned Pocahontas Building, said they felt McAuliffe was targeting law-abiding citizens.
The criminal element doesnt pay attention to signs. They dont pay attention to laws, said Cory Brown of Chesterfield County. Thats why theyre criminals. They dont care.
Bob Sadtler, an activist with the pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense League, said the regulation will forcibly disarm citizens, who will have to leave their weapons in cars, or, unattended in the streets.
Those streets, Sadtler said, pointing to the block of Main Street outside the hearing.
Though the lightly attended hearing in downtown Richmond was meant to help state officials fine-tune the regulations language, speakers on both sides largely debated the wisdom of gun-free zones, with gun-rights activists saying McAuliffes ban would make visitors to state buildings more vulnerable.
Gun-free zones are a magnet to people who want to do harm, said Vicki Lindsey of Chesterfield. They are a magnet to terrorists.
A handful of gun-control advocates, who were outnumbered by pro-gun speakers, applauded the governors order, calling it a small step to protect the public and arguing gun-toting civilians with minimal training have no place in government buildings.
Were here in this building today and I feel quite safe, said Lori Haas, Virginia State Director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.
In an executive order issued weeks before last years General Assembly elections, McAuliffe immediately banned openly carried guns in most state offices. He directed the Department of General Services to develop a rule extending the ban to concealed firearms, which required a longer regulatory process.
An emergency regulation banning concealed carry in executive branch offices took effect in December. Wednesdays hearing was centered on a permanent regulation to replace the temporary measure scheduled to expire in June 2017.
Several speakers asked state officials to halt the ban completely, but McAuliffe is unlikely to change his mind.
General Assembly Republicans tried to pass a bill undoing the gun ban in the legislative session earlier this year. McAuliffe vetoed the bill and Republicans did not have enough votes to override it.
A future governor could undo the ban.
Officials overseeing the hearing said they are taking the feedback to heart, noting that they already exempted rest stops, parking facilities and state-owned cabins as a result of public input.
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JetBlue placed a five-year-old returning home alone from the Dominican Republic on the wrong flight, sending him to Boston instead of New York Cityand delivered a different child to his confused mother, the Daily News reports.
"I thought he was kidnapped," Maribel Martinez told the News. "I thought I would never see him again."
Martinez and her son, Andy Martinez Mercado, flew to the Dominican Republic together on July 28th. Martinez returned to her home in Hamilton Heights a week later, leaving Andy with relatives until August 17th. Andy's family dropped him off at Cibao International Airport in Santiago, where he was supposed to board a flight scheduled to arrive at JFK shortly before 8 a.m.instead, he ended up in Boston, and another five-year-old boy got on the JFK-bound flight in his place.
It's not clear how the two boys switched places. Martinez had paid a $100 fee for a JetBlue representative to escort Andy onto the plane. The unidentified boy who was supposed to be Boston-bound was carrying Andy's passport at the time, which may have caused the mix-up. However, Martinez told the News that Andy was wearing a wristband with his name on it.
According to JetBlue's website, unaccompanied minors traveling between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic are required to carry passports, and Dominican nationals leaving the Dominican Republic must also have an exit permit signed by their parents.
Upon arriving at JFK, the boy was questioned by Port Authority police while JetBlue and Martinez tried to figure out what happened to Andy. According to Martinez, it took the airline more than three hours to locate her son.
"I was freaking out. I didn't know if he was alive," Martinez said. "I still haven't stopped crying."
Both Andy and the unidentified boy were reunited with their families later that day. "Mami, they put me on another plane," Andy told his mother after arriving in New York.
A JetBlue spokeswoman said in a statement: "Two unaccompanied children of the same age traveling separately from Santiago, Dominican Republic, one to New York JFK and one to Bostoneach boarded a flight to the incorrect destination. Upon learning of the error, our teams in JFK and Boston immediately took steps to assist the children in reaching their correct destinations. While the children were always under the care and supervision of JetBlue crew members, we realize this situation was distressing for their families."
JetBlue refunded Martinez $475 for the flight and gave her family $2,100 in credit for future flights, but she says she'll never use JetBlue again. She is taking legal action against JetBlue for their negligence and for the emotional duress they caused her family.
"Any parent can understand the terrifying fear a mother goes through knowing that her child is missing," Martinez's lawyer Sanford Rubenstein said. "This should have never happened, and the JetBlue employees should be ashamed of themselves."
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RICHMOND Kevin Reynolds says he feels safe in the protected realm of Capitol Square, but he gets a different vibe when walking down Broad Street to his car after a late night at the office.
As a state employee, I appreciate my right to carry a firearm in my defense, Reynolds, the chief of staff for state Sen. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, said Wednesday as he and more than a dozen others spoke against Gov. Terry McAuliffes executive order that banned guns in state offices.
The Department of General Services, the state agency that oversees government facilities, held a public hearing on the gun ban Wednesday as part of the regulatory process necessary to enact the governors order.
Concealed carry permit holders, some of whom had empty holsters on their hips because firearms were not allowed at the hearing in the state-owned Pocahontas Building, said they felt McAuliffe was targeting law-abiding citizens.
The criminal element doesnt pay attention to signs. They dont pay attention to laws, said Cory Brown of Chesterfield County. Thats why theyre criminals. They dont care.
Bob Sadtler, an activist with the pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense League, said the regulation will forcibly disarm citizens, who will have to leave their weapons in cars, or, unattended in the streets.
Those streets, Sadtler said, pointing to the block of Main Street outside the hearing.
Though the lightly attended hearing in downtown Richmond was meant to help state officials fine-tune the regulations language, speakers on both sides largely debated the wisdom of gun-free zones, with gun rights activists saying McAuliffes ban would make visitors to state buildings more vulnerable.
Gun-free zones are a magnet to people who want to do harm, said Vicki Lindsey of Chesterfield. They are a magnet to terrorists.
A handful of gun control advocates, who were outnumbered by pro-gun speakers, applauded the governors order, calling it a small step to protect the public and arguing gun-toting civilians with minimal training have no place in government buildings.
Were here in this building today and I feel quite safe, said Lori Haas, Virginia state director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.
In an executive order issued weeks before last years General Assembly elections, McAuliffe immediately banned openly carried guns in most state offices. He directed the Department of General Services to develop a rule extending the ban to concealed firearms, which required a longer regulatory process.
An emergency regulation banning concealed carry in executive branch offices took effect in December. Wednesdays hearing was centered on a permanent regulation to replace the temporary measure scheduled to expire in June 2017.
Several speakers asked state officials to halt the ban completely, but McAuliffe is unlikely to change his mind.
General Assembly Republicans tried to pass a bill undoing the gun ban in the legislative session earlier this year. McAuliffe vetoed the bill and Republicans did not have enough votes to override it.
A future governor could undo the ban.
Officials overseeing the hearing said they are taking the feedback to heart, noting that they already exempted rest stops, parking facilities and state-owned cabins as a result of public input.
Kevin Carroll, president of the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police, asked for an exemption for law enforcement and military personnel to be expanded to include retired police officers.
Hundreds of Queens residents stood up and turned their backs on Department of Homeless Services Commissioner Steven Banks on Wednesday night, shouting as he attempted to explain why their neighborhood was suitable for a new 110-bed homeless shelter. Their dismissal capped off weeks of vehement protests against the proposed site.
The harried commissioner attempted to describe services that nonprofit contractor Acacia Network had pitched for the proposed shelter, which would replace a Holiday Inn Express at 59-40 55th Road, likely in October: case management, 24-hour security, employment and health services. His remarks were repeatedly drowned out by the heckling crowd. "Boo this man!" someone shouted.
"Commissioner, you have a legal and moral obligation to the taxpayers," said Maspeth resident Manuel Caruana. "Not to the homeless."
The Knockdown Center provided impressive acoustics and ventilation, for a community board meeting. Suited security guards and NYPD officers lined both walls of the music venue, and hundreds of white folding chairs filled the 50,000-square-foot space in perfect rows. Sound technicians adjusted dials as residents and politicians accused Mayor de Blasio of betraying their community. "This is pretty weird," said a Knockdown Center worker with tattooed arms, handing out cups of water at the back of the room. "And we do a lot of weird shit."
Queens residents cheer anti-shelter speakers at the Knockdown Center on Wednesday night (Scott Lynch / Gothamist).
The city said earlier this month that it would review alternative shelter locations within Maspetha predominantly-white working class neighborhood in Queens, relatively isolated from public transit. But on Wednesday residents reiterated their opposition to any shelter, and suggested that New York City could mitigate its homeless crisis by removing homeless people from the city and denying shelter to non-New York City residents, among other measures. A seminal interpretation of the New York State Constitution currently mandates shelter services for anyone in need within NYC.
"People from all over the world want to come to New York City," said Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano. "It's escalating the price of land, of apartments, and of homes. Serious consideration has to be given to relocating people to upstate New York."
According to the DHS, 135 families out of more than 12,000 in the system are recent New York City transplants. But Maspeth residents said on Wednesday that they believed New York was drawing homeless from across the country with what they say is an overly-generous policy. Several citied a New York Times article from earlier this week, which described the struggles of a family entering the shelter system a few days after arriving in New York from California.
"Why would someone come 3,000 miles to New York without a place to live. Why?" said Howard Moskowitz, 72, a retired teacher. "The message is clear: if you can get here by train, plane, automobile, bicycle or by foot, the city of New York, paid by our taxes, will take care of you."
While locals continue fundraising to sue the city, Queens Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley announced her own lawsuit against the City of New York and Commissioner Banks on Wednesday, arguing that the Holiday Inn Express lacks in-unit kitchensa violation of federal shelter guidelines. (DHS did not immediately comment on its renovation plans for the facility, but a Law Department spokesman told Politico that, "The statute is clear on what the requirements are and they are being followed.) Others suggested tax strikes, and an occupation of Gracie Mansion.
Lance Lovejoy shows off his t-shirt (Scott Lynch / Gothamist).
Many speakers on Wednesday voiced now-familiar arguments. "I first worked 50 hours a week to pay my rent, and then I worked over 60 hours a week to pay for my mortgage," said Phil Wong, 48, of Elmhurst. "These policies create a new generation of welfare recipients who lost any reason to support themselves. They know their benefit checks will always arrive on time."
Some said they did not believe that all homeless people posed a threat, citing their experience with a family shelter in the former Pan American Hotel in nearby Elmhurst. (Shelters have also opened in nearby Glendale and East Elmhurst in the last year, adding to local strife.) "We have had children approached by people from the Pan Am," said Karen Criscuolo, 42, a local middle school teacher. "But I've also taught kids from the Pan Am."
But everyone we spoke to was resolute that a homeless shelter would bring trouble. "It will destroy this neighborhood, as these shelters have destroyed every community they've been built in," said one 72-year-old Maspeth resident. "It's prostitution followed by drugs followed by stealing, break-ins, [and] car break-ins. It's just a way of life."
"There's a better quality of people moving in and they're taking over and keeping it clean, and we want to keep it that way," said Thomas Morrisroe, 67, a retired Middle Village resident.
According to DHS, 23% of adult families in the shelter system work, 43% are receiving federal disability benefits, and the remainder are required to participate in work assignment programs.
(Scott Lynch / Gothamist)
"I just don't think the spot is a good location," said Lance Lovejoy, 47, an electrician who's been a lead organizer of the nightly protests outside of the proposed shelter site. He wore a "Mayor de Blasio: Go Fuck Yourself" T-shirt (with a photo of a baby) on Wednesday. "I'm not against a homeless shelter, I'm against the location where it is."
Asked if he could think of a preferable location for a new shelter, Lovejoy was stumped. Residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant are currently protesting a proposed drop-in center for street homeless on Bedford Avenue, near a school and a main shopping strip. Their concerns are similar: an influx of outsiders, and fear for the safety of their children. "I don't know a good location," Lovejoy said. "Because I'm sure wherever I say, those people would not be happy either."
The average homeless New Yorker costs the city, state and federal government $58,000 per year, according to the Supportive Housing Network of New York. Advocates have long argued that the city should channel the money it is spending on the shelter systemwhich currently serves more than 60,000 New Yorkersinto permanent housing.
The city says that creating a new shelter in place of a hotelrather than renting out some of the rooms on a short-term basis, helps meet this goal. CB 5 currently has no shelters within its borders, they argue. The nearest shelter is 1.4 miles from the Holiday Inn. "We are reviewing the proposal," Banks said Wednesday. "No contract has been signed."
Your status as a Real New Yorker means that you will inevitably be asked to host a visitorand to come up with things for them to do once they arrive. Sometimes the visitors are your parents, who have come to criticize your apartment so many times you're running out of places to take them. Sometimes, it's your old college roommate looking for a "real New York experience," even though the realest New York experience involves a lot more delayed trains and expired bodega sandwiches than any tourist wants to endure. No matter who's asking, here are our favorite, non-cliche spots to take tourists (with accompanying restaurants. This is a walking city, and everyone knows walking makes you hungry).
WHERE TO TAKE YOUR PARENTS
They've visited you dozens of times and already seen all the go-to sites (Empire State Building, check; Statue of Liberty, check; Times Square, check, begrudgingy)but you've got to take them somewhere.
MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM: Despite being both a regional and national historic landmark, this museum is less trafficked than the Met or the Cloisters. Tucked away behind the Empire State Building, the Morganyes, named after that Morgan is the embodiment of the best and worst qualities of New York, all in one building: it's beautifully constructed and home to hundreds of books and rare manuscripts, but it's also a celebration of capitalism in its purest, most unequal form. Browse through the rotating exhibitions, peruse J.P. Morgan's private collection, take a seat in his study, and absorb the fact that a real human being used to own all of this priceless artworkincluding a handful of Rembrandts and three Gutenberg Bibles.
After basking in the sweet, sweet glow of the free market, head to nearby K-town for some Korean BBQMiss Korea is just five blocks away, but there are plenty of other options in the neighborhood for any price point. (If you're intimidated by the immersive culinary experience, check out our handy beginner's guide).
The Morgan Library & Museum is located at 225 Madison Avenue in Midtown. Tickets: $20 (with a few free options during the week) // Miss Korea is located at 10 W. 32nd Street
(Gaby Del Valle / Gothamist)
FRAUNCES TAVERN + SOUTH STREET SEAPORT: It's no secret that the Founding Fathers were pretty much always hammered. One of the places they liked to get hammered (and where George Washington based his headquarters and negotiated with the British) was Fraunces Tavern, which is in one of Manhattan's oldest surviving buildings. With a selection of 27 draft beers, 250+ bottles, and 300+ whiskeys, you and your family can get as lit as Ben Franklin in no time. Try the tavern punch, Dawn Of The Union ($15), which is based on an eighteenth-century recipe. There's also a small museum upstairs for history buffs.
Instead of eating at the bar, walk a few blocks north to the South Street Seaport. The Brooklyn Flea runs Seaport Smorgasburg daily during the warmer months, featuring six food vendors including Cemitas El Tigre, Red Hook Lobster Pound, and Lumpia Shack. After snacking on lobster and tacos, take a look at the Peking, the German ship that's been docked in the port for 42 years and is returning to Germany in the spring of 2017.
Fraunces Tavern is located at 54 Pearl Street // the South Street Seaport is located at Water Street and Fulton Street
WHERE TO TAKE YOUR YOUNGER SIBLING (OR FRIEND WITH KIDS)
Traveling with kids can be tumultuous: do it correctly and they'll have a great time; slip up, and they turn into screaming little terrors. These family-friendly activities will keep younger visitors entertained (and will keep you sane, hopefully).
(Gaby Del Valle/Gothamist)
ROOSEVELT ISLAND: A MetroCard swipe is all you need to get to this island in the East River. Opt for the tramway instead of the F train for breathtaking city views during your commute (kids love the view, and adults are pretty into it, too), then walk along the water until you get to the ruins of an abandoned smallpox hospital. If you're traveling with young companions, it's best to do this during the day so they don't have nightmares about smallpox-afflicted ghosts for the rest of their lives.
There aren't a ton of food options on Roosevelt Islandyour best bet is to pack a picnic and make a day of out of it. Watch the sun set across the East River, then take the tramway back to Manhattan and make a pit-stop at Serendipity 3. It's kind of a tourist trap, but the easiest way to bribe kids into behaving is by promising them sugar-laden beverages. Don't bother getting any of the food (you'll be full from your picnic); just get the frozen hot chocolate and call it a day.
The Roosevelt Island Tram is located at 59th Street and 2nd Avenue // Serendipity 3 is located at 225 E. 60th Street
CONEY ISLAND: There are a lot of Coney Island haters in the world, but I am not one of them. To hate Coney Island is to hate fun, to hate joy, to hate trashy carnival games and sticky cotton candy. To be fair, there are times in which Coney Island should be avoidednamely, on summer weekends, when it's so packed you'll spend hours waiting in line for a single ride or trying to stake out a spot on the beach. But tourists are unique in that they can go wherever, whenever. Take your tourist friend and their kids to Coney Island on a Monday morning. Luna Park is open every day from noon to 11 p.m. at the earliest, so you'll have plenty of time to take it all in.
Afterwards, stop by Gargiulo's for old-school Italian fare. The menu includes everything from complex dishes to simple plates like spaghettini with garlic and oil ($11), and the servers are all decked out in tuxes, which is a great contrast from Coney Island's carnival feel.
Luna Park is located at 1000 Surf Avenue, Coney Island // Gargiulo's is located at 2911 W. 15th Street, Coney Island
WHERE TO TAKE YOUR FRIEND WHO'S NEVER BEEN TO NEW YORK
This person is basically a blank slate. It's up to you to take them to all the places tourists "must" visit (and to save them from the tyranny of cronuts and Times Square).
TOP OF THE ROCK: Your friend will presumably want to go to the Empire State Building. Do not take them to the Empire State Building, or at the very least, don't let them pay to go to its observation deck. It may be the most iconic building in NYC, but if anything, that means you should climb atop a different skyscraper insteadotherwise you won't be able to see the Empire State from your vantage point. We humbly suggest the Top of the Rock: it brings you 70 floors above Manhattan and includes three indoor and outdoor observation decks. If you're willing to shell out the extra cash, a Sun & Stars ticket ($47) lets you visit the deck twice in one day. (If you do this, come first thing in the morning and at night for two shockingly different views). Otherwise, come right before sunset. It'll be crowded, but the view of the city during magic hour is unbeatable.
Skip all the overpriced dining options in Rockefeller Centerfor a cheap-yet-satisfying meal, check out the Halal Guys truck (it's usually located on 53rd and 6th Ave, but the location sometimes changes). If you let your friend leave New York without trying halal at least once, you're a terrible friend and should be ashamed of yourself.
The Top of the Rock Observation deck is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Tickets start at $32
(Gaby Del Valle / Gothamist)
STATEN ISLAND FERRY: Unless your buddy bought tickets to Liberty Island far in advance, there's no way they'll be able to get inside Lady Liberty's head. If they just want to take a look at the emblematic statue, there's no reason for them to go to Liberty Island when they could hop on the Staten Island Ferry for free instead. Sneak some beer on to the boat (it's not actually "sneaking" since you can drink on the ferry, just don't pay $9 for mediocre light beer), buy some popcorn, and take in stunning views of Lower Manhattan and the New York Harbor.
You'll be tempted to hop back on the Ferrydon't do it. Leave the terminal, catch the S94 or S44 bus to Denino's, and buy yourself a cheese pie with a side of calamari. Sure, there are locations in Manhattan, but the OG location is the real deal. If you have room for dessert, Ralph's Famous Italian Ices is less than a block away (and right in front of the bus that takes you back to the terminal). If you go back to Manhattan after rush hour, you'll enjoy a nearly empty ferry and a perfectly full stomach.
Whitehall Ferry Terminal is located at 4 South Street // Denino's is located at 524 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island
WHERE TO TAKE YOUR FRIEND WHO HAS BEEN TO NEW YORK
This tourist is the middle section of a Venn diagram of your parents and your friend who's never been to NYC. They've seen the sights and want to do something new, but they're also open to more eclectic options.
MoMA PS1: PS1, located in a refurbished elementary school in Long Island City, is the MoMA's younger, cooler (and less crowded!) cousin. Since it's in Queens, there are plenty of tourists who will write it off as being "too far." Don't let your friend be one of those peopleit's just a quick 7 train ride away. In addition to being cheaper and less densely-packed than the MoMA proper, PS1's site-specific installations offer a far more immersive experience than most other museums in the city (Meriem Bennani's "FLY," for example, featured a fly that sung Rihanna hits). During the summer, the museum hosts Warm Up, an experimental outdoor music series.
When you're done walking through the exhibitions and asking your friend if they "like, get it?", leave the museum and walk a few blocks to Jora, a Peruvian restaurant and bar that serves up both authentic and fusion cuisine. No matter what you order, you have to try at least one kind of ceviche, the anticuchos (grilled veal heart, $10), and a pisco sour ($8 during happy hour). PS1 closes at 6 p.m. on most days and Jora's happy hour goes until 7, so they make a perfect pair.
MoMA PS1 is located at 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City. Tickets are $10 // Jora is located at 47-46 11th Street, Long Island City
POE COTTAGE: New York today has very little in common with the New York where Edgar Allan Poe spent some of his last years, but a few vestiges of the past remain. Poe came to Manhattan in 1844 and moved to a small farmhouse in the Bronx two years later, where he wrote some of his best works (Annabel Lee is my favorite thing he's ever written, so maybe I'm biased). For just $5, you can take a tour of Poe's old haunt, which was preserved by the Bronx Historical Society after almost falling into disuse.
The neighborhood has changed quite a bit in the nearly 200 years since Poe leftfor starters, it's now home to a vibrant Puerto Rican community. After your brief trip back in time, come back into the present at 188 Bakery Cuchifritos, where you can feast on pork dishes including chicharrones (fried pork skin), morcilla (blood sausage), pernil (pork shoulder), and fried sweet plantains.
Poe Cottage is located at 2640 Grand Concourse, Fordham Heights Tickets: $5 // 188 Bakery Cuchifritos is located at 158 E. 188th Street, Fordham Heights
Times Square was briefly overrun last weekend by dozens of motorcycle, dirt bike, and ATV riders determined to LIGHT SHIT UP in what became an impromptu motocross rally. At least one quad rider ripped donuts in an intersection on Seventh Avenue just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday night, and as a large group of motorcyclists prepared to head uptown, NYPD officers latched on to 22-year-old Queens resident Christian Ruiz, pulled the key from his Ducati, and arrested him.
NBC New York reports that Ruiz was charged with reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, and obstructing governmental administration. Video of Ruiz's arrest was posted to Instagram, in addition to other clips of the biker group's deafening hotdogging.
#nyc #nypd #sportsbikes #quads #manhattan #arrested A video posted by Maicol La Guidice (@officialmaicol) on Aug 30, 2016 at 6:22pm PDT
#bikelife #NYC #quad #ducati #polaris #quadlife @nicolepawliszyn A video posted by Maicol La Guidice (@officialmaicol) on Aug 28, 2016 at 4:49pm PDT
What made officers specifically apprehend Ruiz is unclear from the available footage, as many other motorcyclists appeared to have been doing the exact same kind of ear-splitting revving. Several of the riders in the video appear to be on dirt bikes, which are illegal on New York City streets. Despite that fact, the NYPD has a policy of not pursuing packs of dirt bike riders (but they do have a policy of crushing them to bits). (Ducatis, however, are not dirt bikes.)
If you're the type of New Yorker who can't stand these loud bikers, then watching even just one of them get taken down is bound to be satisfying. But if you love that roar of untamed horsepower then head to Trenton, NJ this December for MONSTER JAM, where you'll pay for a whole seat but ONLY NEED THE EDGE.
Mob attack victim Taj Patterson recounted the horror of the winter 2013 beating that left him blind in one eye during yesterday's proceedings in the trial of the last of his accused assailants to face charges.
Patterson, then a 22-year-old fashion student, was walking down Flushing Avenue near Bedford Avenue at about 4:30 a.m., returning home to Fort Greene from a birthday party, when he heard someone yelling behind him. He turned, and saw a man chasing him, he recounted. Soon, two more men were on his trail.
"They caught up to me, and pinned me up against a gate," he said. "I was yelling for them to stop, asking why they were doing this."
Prosecutors allege that the men, soon joined by another 15 or so attackers, were members of Williamsburg's Hasidic Jewish neighborhood patrol group, and were responding to false reports of a man vandalizing cars. Police with the 90th Precinct closed the case immediately after it came in, and the NYPD only reopened it when Patterson's mother raised a stink in the press.
"I started getting punched in the face," Patterson said. He recalled getting a few punches in, but he was outnumbered. "I got punched more, I was knocked down to the ground, I was tripped. They were kicking me. I was kicked in the face. I was dragged. I was being held between cars. Fifteen other people were blocking my view from cars driving by."
At one point, Patterson broke free, ran into the street, and tried to stop a passing driver by banging on the car's windows and yelling for help. Prosecutors said that the driver called 911 but didn't stop because "there were too many of them" and it felt unsafe. Another driver or two passed without stopping, Patterson said.
(Taj Patterson)
Patterson described one of the attackers as a "middle man," and "ringleader," accompanied by "two flunkies" who, between the three of them, got the most licks in. When Patterson got an arm free and tried to throw a punch, he said, "the ringleader shoved" his thumb into his eye.
"Once the thumb was in my eye, I started screaming, and they just kept punching me. I was tripped. They were kicking me, then dragging me on my knees," he said.
"They threw me to the ground, dragged me on my knees, told me to 'stay on the ground you fucking faggot,'" Patterson also testified. "I was kicked in the face, and there was a flash of light. The next thing I recall is waking up in the hospital."
The assault ended only when a bus driver and another passerby stopped and began filming, according to witnesses and prosecutors.
Patterson dropped out of school following the assault.
Patterson is testifying against Mayer Herskovic, whose DNA prosecutors say they found on a shoe one of the attackers threw onto a roof. Herskovic is charged with gang assault and other counts. The gang assault charge is a felony that carries as many as 25 years in prison.
The case has been troubled from the start, not just by local cops' initially dropping it, which Patterson's lawyers ascribe in a lawsuit to coziness between the NYPD and Shomrim organizations, but subsequently what a Hate Crimes detective described as an unprecedented level of resistance to the reopened investigation by neighbors, who lied and said there was no surveillance footage to turn over.
A Jewish detective eventually obtained footage from several cameras after posing as a robbery victim, and police arrested five men in connection with the attack in 2014. Subsequently, though, witnesses changed their stories, and prosecutors dropped charges against two of the suspects. The other two, Pinchas Braver and Abraham Winkler, pleaded guilty to misdemeanors in May and a judge sentenced them to community service.
Pinchas Braver (Facebook)
Braver's Facebook profile lists him as facilities coordinator for the real estate investment firm Clipper Equity. A spokeswoman for the company did not immediately respond to a request for information about the nature of his employment or whether his role in the attack affected it.
Shortly before the trial started, Herskovic's lawyer requested a judge trial rather than making his case before a jury.
Under cross-examination on Wednesday, Patterson acknowledged that he consumed alcohol at the party, that his memories of the night are hazy, and that he could not pick Herskovic out of a lineup, in part because Hasidic men "all look alike" due to the "uniformity of their ensembles."
Video footage and witness statements have shown that some but not all of those who ran to accost Patterson were wearing Shomrim jackets, and some were speaking into walkie talkies.
The trial continues today.
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The pilotes were, symbolically, Captain Mark Luaces, raised in Miami to Cuban parents who came to the U.S. as teenagers, and First Officer Francisco Barreras, whose parents migrated to the U.S. the year commercial flights ceased. In Cuba, a large crowd lined up outside the airport to welcome travelers. In the coming week, American Airlines and Silver Airways also will inaugurate scheduled flights to nine airports across the island, including Havana. At Wednesdays Fort Lauderdale festivities, Cubas Ambassador to the U.S., Jose Ramon Cabanas, called the moment historic, and sought to ease concerns about whether Cuba is ready to receive regular service from the U.S.
Sand Springs Railway Company (SS) has announced its acquisition of the Oklahoma-based Gerdau mill site.
SS provides freight service between Sand Springs and Tulsa, Okla., and is a managed affiliate of OmniTRAX.
The mill site is a great location to attract tenants that require solid infrastructure, access to major transportation lanes and support from our top-rated development team, said Kevin Shuba, CEO of OmniTRAX, Inc. [The site] will also give us the opportunity to expand the local operation of OmniTRAX Logistics Services, our transloading, terminal and logistics solutions affiliate.
Shuba added that he appreciates the solid working relationship OmniTrax has maintained with Gerdau throughout the sale and transition phases during the past two years.
Representatives did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition.
In 2014, Sand Springs Holdings, LLC, purchased SS from Gerdau and the company has leased segments of its 146-acre site. Officials say the property will be developed for mixed use, including industrial, retail, office and transportation, with some of the steelmaking operations set to be demolished.
HART
Honolulu, Hawaii, leaders and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) officials concluded two days of discussions on a Recovery Plan for the Honolulu rail project on Aug. 30.
The project will be built all the way to Ala Moana, but will not receive additional funds from the federal government and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) may be granted some wiggle room concerning the submission of an official Recovery Plan for the project.
Our meetings with the FTA were productive in that we sent a clear message to them that the city and HART leadership are united and committed to build rail all the way to Ala Moana, said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.
The FTA previously required HART to submit a Recovery Plan by the end of the year. During the San Francisco meetings, the Hawaii delegation reaffirmed the citys commitment to build to Ala Moana and requested the FTA reconsider its end of year submission date.
We are very encouraged by the FTAs response, said Mayor Caldwell.
As emphasized by FTA Acting Administrator Carolyn Flowers, the FTA is a partner with us on the rail project, said HART Board Chair Colleen Hanabusa. Having all the stakeholders at the table to discuss how best to build a functional rail project for the people of Hawaii was key.
In December 2012, the FTA and the city signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) committing the federal governments $1.55 billion for Honolulu to build a 20-mile elevated rail system with 21 stations.
Our federal partners made it clear that ending the project at Middle Street is unacceptable and would risk the full $1.55 billion committed to the city through the FFGA, said City Council Chair Ernie Martin. Both Mayor Caldwell and Council Chair Martin asked the FTA for a commitment for additional federal funds. The FTAs response was no.
We need the legislatures support to invest in a better future with us and to recognize the role rail will play in improving the quality of life for the people of Hawaii, said Council Transportation Chair Joey Manahan.
City officials said the meetings ended on a positive note with an agreement that project costs will be contained, a project review by transit experts will be conducted by year end and an updated financial plan will be prepared by HART as the FTA is reconsidering its recovery plan due date.
Alstom
Rideau Transit Maintenance General Partnership (RTM) has chosen Alstom to maintain the O-Train Confederation Line, the Canadian capitals light-rail transit system.
The U.S. $125 million contract (CA $180 million) requires that Alstom maintain the line for 30 years, including the management of track maintenance, overseeing the operating control system and power substation and maintaining the communications and signaling systems.
With an expected opening in 2018, the line is set to reach 7.8 miles (12.5 kilometers) in length and consist of 13 stations. Alstom is working to assemble the lines Citadis Spirit vehicles at an Ottawa facility, the Belfast Yard and site of OC Transpo.
Alstom representatives say the company has 25 years of experience in maintaining rail vehicles and systems designed for urban transit, with more than 8,000 cars currently maintained internationally.
We are pleased to award Alstom this expanded scope in maintaining the Confederation Line system, said Grant Bailey, general manager of Rideau Transit Maintenance. This contract places many of the critical system interfaces under the responsibility of a single service provider and will result in streamlined maintenance processes and improved system reliability.
Bailey added that he thinks Alstom is a world class supplier and RTM is excited to work the company to provide green and efficient public transportation service in the nations capital.
Alstom is very committed to Ottawas light rail system, and we are pleased that RTM has chosen Alstom to maintain the O-Train Confederation Line, said Angelo Guercioni, Alstoms managing director for Canada. Not only will Ottawa benefit from Alstoms worldwide experience in delivering light-rail vehicles and maintaining light-rail infrastructure systems, this maintenance contract also will create new highly-skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs.
The project in Ottawa begins Alstoms entry into the North American market for its Citadis Spirit light-rail vehicle. The Citadis Spirit vehicle is meant to operate in extreme cold weather conditions, representatives said, adding that it can circulate at speeds of up to 62 mph (100 km/hour), which would decrease travel times for passengers riding between suburban areas and downtown.
Ottawa is investing in green and efficient public transportation. As part of this effort, we are making sure that our modern trains continue to give 100 % performance over their lifetime, representing an attractive means of transportation for our residents and visitors, said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.
The assembly site at Belfast Yard will be converted into a maintenance location after the Citadis Spirit vehicles have been delivered, officials say. Alstom will be able to use this space to conduct vehicle maintenance for 30 years.
Alstom is also completing other projects in Canada. The company is said to be delivering new metro cars and maintaining an Iconis integrated control center in Montreal, as well as providing a new computer-based integrated train control system for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.
Officials say Alstom is also working to set up Torontos Union Station Rail Corridor with a new signaling system and is facilitating a communications-based train control solution on Toronto Transit Commissions Line 1 Yonge-University subway line.
Final Purchasing managers' survey data from euro area is due on Thursday, headlining a busy day for the European economic news.
At 3.00 am ET, Hungary's Central Statistical Office releases preliminary foreign trade data. In the meantime, PMI reports are due from Norway, Poland, Turkey and Hungary.
At 3.15 am ET, Spain's PMI data is due. Economists forecast the index to fall slightly to 50.9 in August from 51 in July.
In the meantime, the Federal Statistical Office is slated to issue Swiss retail sales data for July. Sales had fallen 3.9 percent year-on-year in June.
At 3.30 am ET, factory PMI reports are due from the Czech Republic and Germany. The German manufacturing PMI is expected to match the flash reading of 53.6.
At 3.45 am ET, Italy's manufacturing PMI is due. The score is forecast to remain unchanged at 51.2 in August.
At 3.50 am ET, Markit releases the French final factory PMI results, and at 4.00 am ET, Eurozone PMI is due. Economists expect the euro area factory PMI to match the flash score of 51.8 in August.
At 4.30 am ET, U.K. CIPS/Markit factory PMI is due. The reading is expected to rise to 49 in August from 48.2 in July.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Economic News
What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Despite recent indications that he might be softening on the issue, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump doubled down on his hardline immigration policies in a major speech on Wednesday.
In a highly anticipated speech on immigration, Trump made it clear that if he is elected, his administration will build a wall along the Southern Border separating the United States and Mexico and that Mexico will pay for it.
The billion-turned-politician made the pledge during a speech in Phoenix, Arizona, after meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier in the day.
Trump cited building the wall as his number one priority in a 10-point action plan on immigration.
"We will build a great wall along the southern border. And Mexico will pay for the wall. One hundred percent," Trump said. "They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for it."
He added, "On day one, we will begin working on intangible, physical, tall, power, beautiful southern border wall."
Trump said the wall would utilize the best , including above-and below-ground sensors, towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall.
The real estate tycoon also vowed that under his Administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed from the country. He declared zero tolerance for criminal illegal immigrants.
Additionally, Trump proposed passage of the Davis-Oliver bill that will enhance cooperation with state and local authorities to ensure that criminal immigrants and terrorists are swiftly identified and removed.
The number of ICE deportation officers will also be tripled and 5,000 more Border Patrol agents will be hired, he said.
The other main steps Trump vowed to implement include blocking funding for sanctuary cities, suspending the issuance of visas to any place where adequate screening cannot occur, and reforming legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers.
"We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration," Trump said. "We will break the cycle. There will be no amnesty."
He added, "Our message to the world will be this. You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country. Can't do it."
As mentioned above, the speech by Trump came on the heels of his meeting with Mexican President Pena Nieto earlier in the day.
Trump claims the meeting did not include a discussion about payment for the border wall, although Pena Nieto later said he was "emphatic" that Mexico would not pay for the wall.
(Photo: Michael Vadon)
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Political News
An empty van rolled through a Queens intersection and up over the curb, killing a woman and injuring a man who were on the sidewalk. One witness tells WCBS 2, "The back left wheel and the front right wheel rolled over this old ladys neck and then hit an older gentleman, knocked the souvlaki stand, and it was just devastating."
The collision occurred around 2 p.m., at the intersection of 32nd Street and Broadway in Astoria. Police say that a 29-year-old man parked a white Ford van at the corner, but then the van "began to roll backward on 32nd Street," hitting the two pedestrians and then a food cart.
The van first hit an 80-year-old woman who was crossing the street with her groceries. Then, NBC New York reports, "A 71-year-old food cart vendor was also critically injured when he was hit by the out-of-control van. His co-worker pushed him out of the way, likely saving his life. The vehicle then crashed into a wall, authorities said.
Another witness said the crash happened very quickly"it happened before anyone could even react. Slowed down surveillance video shows the van moving across the street:
One witness told WCBS 2 the driver "thought he put the car in park. But he actually put it in reverse... And so he got out. He got out and it just started picking up speed. Went across Broadway. Got onto the sidewalk. Hit the old lady. Hit the worker and pushed the cart 20 feet to where it is now.
The woman was taken to Elmhurst General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The male victim was also taken there and is listed in stable condition.
The driver was not charged.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car
I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
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Barloworld Automotive CEO Martin Laubscher, Dr Richard Maponya of the Maponya family, and Dr Johan van Zyl at the sod-turning ceremony for the creation of Soweto Toyota, a joint venture between Barloworld Automotive and the Maponya family
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) said it is currently constructing a R40 million facility in Soweto.
The new facility, a joint venture between Barloworld Motor Retail and the well-known Maponya-family was scheduled for completion in November and would have the capacity to retail in excess of 30 new vehicles and 25 approved used Automark vehicles every month.
"The development of Soweto Toyota, as the new facility will be known, has both emotional and economic underpinnings," said Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of TSAM and a managing officer of Toyota Motor Corporation.
"Emotionally we have had a long relationship with Dr Richard Maponya and his family, stretching back more than 20 years, and we share his passion for the vibrant city of Soweto.
"Economically the new dealership is situated in a city that is the physical and spiritual home to more than five million people with a healthy economy estimated to be in excess of R16 billion annually. With this in mind it was no challenge to find board approval for the new dealership."
Speaking at the official sod turning event held on site on July 6 Dr Maponya shared the excitement of the Soweto community at the opening of the new facility.
"The people of Soweto are very excited indeed about the news of these world class products that will be coming to Soweto. I also believe that this new investment will succeed in providing employment and addressing the poverty concerns in our city," Dr Maponya said.
Martin Laubscher, CEO of Barloworld Automotive, said that the new Toyota facility and that of another vehicle brand to be developed by the joint venture in Soweto was a serious statement of commitment.
"The new operations emphasise four key goals that we have set. Firstly it is a major commitment to the people and economy of Soweto. Secondly it will offer employment in the area, with an estimated 100 people to be employed by the third year of operation.
"Thirdly it will introduce two automotive global super brands to Soweto and finally it will offer the people of Soweto a complete vehicle ownership experience on their doorstep."
Soweto Toyota was being developed as a full service operation, which implied that it would be able to sell and service all Toyota vehicles, while also offering a full complement of parts and maintenance equipment.
On Tuesday this week an email arrived.
It said: We will be issuing a statement tomorrow from Bluesky on the news at hand.
However, we wanted to point you to media releases published, advising that Blueskys parent company, Amper has decided to sell its shares to ATH for Bluesky Pacific.
This was announced yesterday evening in Spain (Samoan time).
The email then advised: Please look at the following links below for more information about the transaction.
And then the email warned: Bluesky is still in the process of finalizing the media statement and is seeking approval to release it.
We expect to release tomorrow.
Thats today.
The email ended with a sentence in capital letters that read: PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DONT HAVE APPROVAL TO RELEASE TO MEDIA. PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE US ON THE PAPER.
Still, whatever the writers reasons are, we respect his request. He will not be named here.
However, we believe that those two words in his email - Amper and ATH - are so unfamiliar to the majority of the Samoan public, so that a little more explanation is in order.
So lets see.
Amper is the name of the Spanish telecommunications equipment maker that owns Samoas Bluesky Pacific.
ATH, on the other hand, stands for Amalgamated Telecom Holding, the Fijian-owned company to whom Amper is said to be in the process of selling Bluesky Pacific.
The reported price is $79.2 million.
Still, now that the deal is on the verge of being consummated, with Bluesky sold to Fijian-owned ATH so that the company will soon be run by Fijian professionals, where are their Samoan counterparts who are most likely to be replaced as a result, to find employment?
Now that, like it or not, is the question that we believe someone in our government should answer.
Well, how about our Prime Minister, Tuilapea Sailele Maleilegaoi, who obviously knows a lot more than us about these things?
Still, I suppose the idea that Bluesky Pacific is being taken over by a Fijian company, should be reason enough for our government to be a little more respectful of old Frank Bainimarama, clearly Tuilaepas arch rival who also happens to be the Prime Minister of Fiji.
The two of them should work together I reckon, instead of attacking each other publicly all the time as if they were not from the same South Pacific Ocean.
And now that old Baini is about to score another spectacular coup, another arrow for his quiver for saying out loud, perhaps its time the two of them agree to shake hands, and wish each other well.
And while theyre at it, perhaps they should pay attention to the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Bluesky Pacific Group, Mr Aoee Adolfo Montenegro, whos telling them:
We have fully briefed the Governments, our other local investors and our Bluesky team about the transaction.
It is my and the managements teams priority, to ensure that we continue to look after the interests of all our shareholders, staff, and customers throughout this process.
Our teams remain focused on continuing to serve and add value to our customers and our local communities.
Now go ahead and read Mr. Adolfo Montenegros full statement below.
Meet 46-year-old Daieland Fruean from the village of Lepa.
He was spotted at his home weaving fine mats which is an uncommon practice these days especially for males.
When I took up weaving as a side hobby, people started to take it the wrong way but I dont care, he tells the Village Voice.
This helps keep me going and my family happy, thats all that matters to me. Life here in the village is all about using your time wisely.
We are taught to put our family first and not to always rely on other people; you can do whatever you are capable of doing to help your family out and you will develop different talents.
But what influenced Daieland to take up such a hobby?
With weaving fine mats its not a full time activity for me. I just do it to help my mother, he says.
My mother has become a bit frail over the years and thats why I want to help her. At the moment I am waiting to return to work so I make the most of my time by helping out when Im needed.
Daieland was a teacher in the past but that changed after a car accident.
I am a school teacher but I stopped after a car accident, he says.
Im a versatile type of person and I love to learn new things and develop my skills. When I was a teacher I did a lot of arts and crafts for my students.
This is not my only talent; I have a wide range of talents.
According to Daieland, everything he has learnt wasnt taught to him, his observations became his lessons.
One thing that saddens me is how many families in Samoa have a large number of females but they do not know basic skills like weaving, he says.
No one taught me the skill of weaving, I observed those who weaved before me and I tried it out; theres nothing hard about these small cultural practices.
I taught myself all that I know and if there were little things I didnt understand I would just ask for a little help but theres nothing hard about this.
Daieland then continued to share a message for the youth of Samoa.
When I was working as a teacher I would tell people that the times have changed,
The days are gone when girls are told to go and wash dishes and the guys are told to go to the plantation. That has changed a lot.
There are families without any girls and what do you expect? Do you want their elderly mother to continue doing all lady chores?
On the other hand you have guys, we all know that they are strong but they can also do girls chores and for longer periods of time.
Daieland then challenged the men of Samoa to step up.
So I challenge males in Samoa; if female can do it then why cant we do it? If our mothers can go cook and plant crops then why cant we do what girls can do? he says.
Let me rephrase, if a mother can do what fathers can do then why cant us guys do what the girls can do? We need a break in the circle.
We now have women in Parliament which I fully support. We are so accustomed with the strong voice of the father but I feel that a mothers voice holds more strength but in a soft way.
A woman can really straighten things out and they are really tough.
Now moving back to the fine mats, what is done with the mats when they are completed?
We dont really sell the fine mats that I make, Daieland says.
We give them out to people who really need it and its up to them to use their common sense to give us a little something in return; nothing is free in this world but we do try and help those in need.
Some people think that they can sit on their backs and others will spoon feed; but others understand that weaving is a lot of work and they will give us something small in return.
Other than helping others out with these fine mats, we use it for family faalavelave such as funerals and so on.
Aside from weaving, Daieland prides himself on a wide variety of talents he picked up over time.
My other talents are singing where I was once part of a band in New Zealand, I was once a bartender so I can mix any drink, I am a qualified chef, I am a dancer and I can speak many languages, he says.
I always try practising my talents because I dont want to be one of those people who bury their talents. Thats another thing I challenge the youth of Samoa to do.
With several cases of infection having probably been transmitted while tattooing because of inadequate safety measures, authorities in Samoa have already taken action on that matter. Along with the recent consultation for all tattooists in the country, a guideline was handed to the participants at Millenia Hotel in Apia in order to ensure safe work with the popular body art.
Not enough, says Fesoloai Imo Levi. The 27-year old tattoo artist specialises in preserving one of Samoas most valuable cultural assets the Samoan Tatau.
I come from a tattooing family that reaches right back to the myth of Taema and Tilafaiga, the Siamese twin goddesses who arrived on the island, he said.
Having picked up his familys tradition some years ago, Fesoloai was able to take this form of Samoan art to Europe, where he also learnt more about the safety aspects of using the needle.
Ive been travelling to Europe and America, and I know for a fact that Im the only [tattooist] in Samoa whos using single use needles for the traditional tattoos. And as far as safety goes, I do of course use the disposable gloves and sanitation procedures like the covering of pillows.
For Fesoloai, the fact that most tattooists in Samoa reuse their needles without adequate sterilization is indeed a sad one.
Today, the craft here in Samoa is only starting to realise the need for sterilising. Its a new thing that Ive gained through my travels and I know that outside of Samoa, everyone else is using needles only once. In this day and age, there are new diseases around. It might have been a more forgiving practice in the past, but today, I would absolutely not take that risk. For a country that claims for itself to be a Tattoo Nation, Samoa needs to keep up with overseas safety standards, he stated.
The recent consultation is, according to Fesoloai, a major step forward to reach those standards.
He then outlined his expectations of the consultation at Millenia Hotel.
I am really looking forward to the outcomes from today. I would love to see registration procedures where all [practicing tattooists] in Samoa are monitored and from there on, there should be action put into practice to guarantee safety.
This year's International Day for Biological Diversity is dedicated to the theme of Mainstreaming Biodiversity, Sustaining People and their Livelihoods.'
Started last week on Wednesday, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment together with villages of Lotosoa, Poutasi and Matafaa worked together replanting mangroves and undertaking a cleanup.
In the past six months, schools in the country were also given the opportunity to compete on selected environmental issues to do with biological diversity.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Suluimalo Amataga Penaia said delivering the message to the younger generation is very important.
These young ones are the decision-makers of the future and allowing them to grow their interest in environmental issues and finding solutions in any of the environmental activities, is a must, Suluimalo Amataga Penaia.
Fifteen year-old, Malae Falefou of Mataaevave College from Savaii said that the competition is not just about competing.
The knowledge should be passed on from generation to generation, Malae said.
Biodiversity refers to the variety of flora and fauna that make up the ecosystem and I believe that conserving the ecosystem in our country is very important.
Therefore, promoting conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity as mentioned before should be pass on to generation to generation."
Its not just something to commemorate today then forget tomorrow but its a must to learn and let our people live with it."
Our people need to understand and have awareness about biodiversity issues."
Also at the ceremony was the launching of the M.N.R.E. reports; 3rd National Report on Biosafety, the Myna Bird Management plan, Mt. Vaea Restoration project brochure, Operational Plan O le Pupu Pue National Park restoration Project, Crown of Thorn Response Plan 2016, Biodiversity and Waste Management billboards and Biodiversity Park.
Concluding the ceremony was the presentation of the prizes to both primary and college levels competing in the competition.
School competitions were sponsored by the M.N.R.E., A.N.Z. Bank, S.S.A.B. and other associate sponsors.
The School Competition Results;
Primary Schools;
1st All Saints Anglican Primary School
2nd Vaitele Uta Primary School
3rd Vailele Primary School
4th Falealupo Primary School
5th Faleseela Primary School
6th Samatau Primary School
7th Patamea Primary School
8th Aopo Primary School
9th Palauli i Sisifo Primary School
10th Falelatai Primary School
11th Vaipua Primary School
Colleges;
1st Lefaga College
2nd Mataaevave College
3rd Nuuausala College
4th Safata College
5th Chanel College
6th Aleipata College
7th Aana No1 College
When one of Samoas most important historical sites is defaced and vandalised, then you know that something is really wrong.
With the Robert Louis Stevenson grave holding so much significance in Samoas history as well as a vital tourist spot, one would think that sustaining it would be on everyones minds.
But instead, after a very long hike, instead of the tourists learning a bit of history from the message board, they are met with ugly graffiti.
When I first saw the vandalism I got very angry, frequent hiker, Mathew Amituanai, told Samoa Observer.
This is part of history; its a historical piece of land and people are just vandalising and making it look very ugly. Seeing how these kids dont realise the significance of this land, just really ticks me off."
If you look on the board, it has names and it looks like a school trip because there is also a name of a school on it.
So its as if they came up here, not knowing the importance of the grave and they did this. Many people are very ignorant about how important the site is.
Matthew is also angry at the fact that this will make Samoa look bad to all the visiting tourists.
I cannot speak for the tourists but I can definitely say that if you look at it independent of the fact if youre a tourist or not, this just makes you angry, he said.
It makes you think that the people are stupid because its not like the tourists are doing all this damage, its the Samoans who are responsible."
It makes Samoa look like a country with ignorant people; it makes Samoa look really bad. These people dont understand how important this is for tourism.
But what can we do to solve such an ugly problem?
A very short term solution regarding the vandalism that is happening on the board is to get the school involved to clean it up, Mathew said. There are names of people and a school on it so they should come back and clean this up. Get them involved with cleaning the place and then put up a sign saying No Vandalism.
In fact, I wanted to come up and clean up the board but I dont know where to buy the equipment but I heard they sell it at S.S.A.B.
Aside from all the vandalism, there was also a lot of rubbish around the area and no sign of a rubbish bin.
I have noticed a lot of rubbish in the area as well, Mathew said.
There are plastic bottles everywhere. There was a rubbish bin here at one point, but I dont know where that has gone. If people come up here with water bottles then they should take them back down and put them in the rubbish."
Keep the place clean. Its not like its your house or home that you can make look ugly; this is everyones land so keep it beautiful.
Mathews message for Samoa is to keep the place clean and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.
A message would be to treat something like its yours, he said.
This is a very important place so you want people to come and see that its a wonderful piece of history.
Tourism is very important to Samoa and this is a tourist spot so we want tourists to come back to it.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea has executed a vice premier and banished two other top officials to rural areas for re-education, South Korean officials said Wednesday.
If confirmed, they would be the latest in a series of killings, purges and dismissals carried out since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011.
North Korea is a closed, authoritarian country with a state-controlled press that often makes it difficult for outsiders, and even North Korean citizens, to know what's happening in the government.
Rival South Korea, which runs several intelligence organizations mainly tasked with spying on North Korea, has a mixed record on reporting developments across the border. In May, a former North Korean military chief, who Seoul said had been executed, was found to be alive and holding several new senior-level posts.
Jeong Joon Hee, a spokesman for Seoul's Unification Ministry, told reporters Wednesday that Kim Yong Jin, a vice premier on education affairs in North Korea's cabinet, had been executed. Jeong gave no further details, including why and when his ministry believes he was executed and how it obtained the information.
But a South Korean official, speaking on condition of anonymity citing office rules, said Kim was executed by firing squad in July for unspecified anti-revolutionary and factional acts. The official said Kim first faced an investigation because of the way he was seated during a June meeting attended by Kim Jong Un.
Little is known about Kim Yong Jin, who was last mentioned by North Korea's state news agency on June 15, when it reported he attended an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of North Korea's taekwondo federation.
Kim Jong Un, believed to be his early 30s, is revered at the center of an intense cult of personality, with state TV occasionally showing aging senior officials kowtowing and kneeling down before him. Last year, South Korea's spy agency said Kim had his defense chief executed with an anti-aircraft gun for complaining about him and sleeping during a meeting he had presided over.
Jeong said Kim Yong Chol, a top ruling Workers' Party official in charge of anti-Seoul spy operations, had also been ordered to undertake "revolutionary re-education," in a reference to the banishment at a rural collective farm or a coal mine. Jeong said another senior party official dealing with propaganda affairs, Choe Hwi, was still on a similar "revolutionary re-education" program.
Seoul officials believe Kim Yong Chol, director of the party's United Front Department, orchestrated two attacks that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010, when he headed the North Korean army's intelligence agency. Kim disappeared from the public eye for about 50 days before the North's state media on Sunday mentioned his name in a list of officials who attended ceremonies marking the Youth Day.
Kim Yong Chol was banished at a rural farm for about one month between mid-July and mid-August because of alleged high-handed attitudes and attempts to expand his United Front Department's authority too much, according to the South Korean official who spoke about Kim Yong Jin's execution. The official said Kim Yong Chol was recently reinstated.
The rival Koreas have shared the world's most heavily fortified border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, and they bar ordinary citizens from exchanging phone calls, letters and emails without special permission.
LONDON (AP) British Prime Minister Theresa May has firmly rejected the notion of a second referendum on the country's membership in the European Union, insisting Wednesday that the U.K. wouldn't attempt a back-handed effort to remain in the bloc.
May underscored her position before chairing a Cabinet meeting at her country retreat, Chequers. She seemed intent to squelch rumors that the government might be seeking a retreat from the result of the June 23 referendum.
"We must continue to be very clear that 'Brexit means Brexit,' that we're going to make a success of it," she said. "That means there's no second referendum; no attempts to sort of stay in the EU by the back door; that we're actually going to deliver on this."
Downing Street issued a statement after the session trying to outline its wishes for the months to come and underscoring that several cabinet members made it clear that they wanted a deal with Europe "unique to the United Kingdom and not an off the shelf solution."
The comments fueled speculation that Britain would seek a completely different relationship with the EU, bypassing models used by Norway and Switzerland which allow market access but have no input on EU rule-making.
"This must mean controls on the numbers of people who come to Britain from Europe but also a positive outcome for those who wish to trade goods and services," the statement said.
In conversations with Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Finland's leader Juha Sipila, May said that the upcoming negotiations would consider "what is going to work best for the U.K. and what is going to work for the European Union, rather than necessarily pursuing an existing model," Downing Street said.
The meeting at the Chequers retreat came amid reports of feuding among the three ministers tasked with making the break from the EU a reality.
The session also came after May's office sidestepped questions on whether Parliament will be given a formal vote on triggering Article 50, the EU treaty clause that sets up Britain's departure from the 28-nation bloc.
Downing Street has said lawmakers will be given "a say," but has added there's "no legal obligation" to consult Parliament.
"This really is a very significant moment for the country, as we look ahead to the next steps that we need to take," May said before the meeting. "We have the opportunity to forge a new positive role for the U.K. in the world."
Dear Editor
Re: Whats good for Apia is good for us
I have to congratulate the Samoa Observer for your wide-ranging series of interviews with people from the villages to obtain their opinions on life. There has been a wide range of opinions expressed and it has been a very balanced way in which you have approached the subject matter. I have enjoyed reading all of the articles, including the video of interviews.
It gives a great insight into the life of the rural villages where all perspectives have been shared.
One thing I think is a growing problem for Samoa is urbanisation. All these people moving into Apia-Vaitele is in my opinion a ticking time bomb. A better pattern of growth is for people to remain living in their villages but to improve the transport links between Apia and the villages so people can easily commute for work. A good first class highway system linking Apia to Aleipata, Siumu and Falelatai through the central hinterlands of Upolu would improve travel times dramatically.
I understand the government is planning on townships for Aleipata, Mulifanua and other places. This needs to be brought forward before Apia-Vaitele grows into an urban jungle with shanty towns around it.
PS Jeffery
There is no denying the beauty of Samoa, but according to 30 year old Loma Ioasa, from the village of Lufilufi, everyone can benefit if we made better use of that beauty.
Tourism is a big part of Samoas economy, he tells the Village Voice while looking over a beautiful cliff-side view.
But what is the main reason why people visit Samoa? Its the beauty that is Samoa. We have beautiful natural surroundings, white sandy beaches, breath taking views and so much more to offer.
I believe that we have just scratched the surface of it all and I think the government would do well to seek other places in the rural villages to start more tourism projects.
It will provide employment for the village people and it will bring more people to Samoa. Its a win-win situation for all.
Loma continued to speak on how tourism projects could help out the villages in the rural areas.
I like what the government is doing right now with Samoa but there are so many other opportunities that can benefit everyone, he said.
The government has done a great job with the town area but in the villages, we need jobs to get a bit more money.
I look forward to the time when the government will start doing projects to bring more tourists out to the villages. If you look out there youll see a beautiful view; we can easily attract tourists out to take advantage of the view or the beach.
Yes we have Lalomanu and other beaches but there are so many other opportunities the government can expand on.
But aside from the missed opportunities, life is great in the village.
Life back here is very nice and simple, Loma says.
Yes there are many village activities such as funerals but we have very good Village Councils who help keep the peace out here.
Its very different to the life in Apia because every child answers only to their parents which is good sometimes but there are no strong Village Councils to set guidelines for them in town.
And the greatest thing about the village life is the land.
The one thing I love about being out here in the village is the land, Loma says.
We can easily live on the land like what were currently doing here at our plantation. The people of the village always have the option of leaning on to the land for survival.
We get our food from our plantation and we can also sell the crops to get a bit of money.
But what about the ongoing debate in Samoa? Is there poverty in this country?
I agree with what our Prime Minister always says about poverty, Loma says.
There is only poverty when people dont work. There is no poverty in Samoa; you cant expect to sit around all day and get money.
In town areas, people have options to get jobs to survive, out here in the village you can survive on the land if you dont have a job.
Last night, the long wait ended as the 15th International Siva Afi Competition would have set the sky alight at surfside, Matautu Tai.
The first night was for the seniors to compete and tonight will be routines and the juniors to showcase what theyve got.
So 16 seniors with one fire dancer from New Zealand, Tim Noyce who for the first time, took part in the International Competition.
A very special guest at this years event is the woman who started the competition in 2002, Sue Tuia.
She is New Zealand born, married to a Samoan from Magiagi and back in Samoa after being away for 14 years.
I lived here in 2000 and was responsible for starting this competition in 2002. Then I left and now Im back, she said.
Im here to help Clare with the logistics and all of those things and will leave the judging to the experts.
[But] may I say that I am really impressed to see the way the competition has developed over the years from such small beginnings.
One good idea and now 15 years later, it is unbelievable!
"There are so many different parts to the competition.
We have people coming in from overseas asking, What is the competition like? and When is it on?
So theres tourism; theres helping the kids and the private sectors support from the Performing Arts and Samoa and so many different parts to it which is amazing.
Mrs. Tuia said the reason why she left was because she was here in Samoa on a contract and when her contract came to an end, she had married to a Samoan and so they both left.
I was here for the first competition in 2002, she said.
The idea started, she said, because the owner of the Siva Afi, Leota Lene Leota was very passionate about creating opportunities to promote fire dance (ailao afi).
It was a Samoan art; not an art from anywhere else in the world where they do it like Las Vegas or anywhere else. It belongs here, this is the home for ailao, she said.
[And] so we were talking about that and Leota felt that there should be a big competition here in the home of fire knives.
He is such a good visionary and passionate about what he wants to do, he is like a torch you give him one small light and he runs away with it.
And after 14 years, Sue is looking forward to seeing how the event that she is part of, has grown.
Im looking forward to seeing the number of tourists and the supporters of the event, she said
Im looking forward to seeing the children; I think they are always amazing performers and they are excited about it.
[And] most especially Im looking forward to see how the dancing has progressed in those 14 years; what the latest moves are. I think in the competition this year, there are quite a lot of people with very good talent and it will be hard to pick a winner.
The three judges will be Malo Seleni from Hawaii, Patrick Rasmussen who is an ex fire dancer, the General Manager of Samoa Paints, and Lesoa Leilua from Siumu who is a well-known trainer of fire dancers.
The competition will continue through until finals night on Saturday.
A Fijian company that supplied the Farmers Style Corned Beef who admitted to have used chicken hearts as a flavour enhancer, is not being penalised by the Ministry of Health.
The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri told the Samoa Observer that under the law, Health cannot impose a penalty.
Im not aware (of a legislation), said Leausa.
The only thing that is being done is to recall the corned beef. We feel the mistake was genuine. There was no intent to harm.
Leausa made it clear from the Healths perspective, if chicken hearts are not declared under the label, it is contaminated.
Thats what shocked us, he said. Even when they said it was chicken hearts but we never knew it was in the corned beef and that they were using it.
Meanwhile, the Fijian company is bringing in a new consignment of corned beef in which they assured the public it does not contain chicken hearts.
Leausa said the new consignment will be tested by the Ministry of Health before it is cleared.
He added it is from the same company and they will first have to satisfy the health standards then we will give them another chance to sell.
As to what penalties there are for the company, the Director General said they are being made to meet all costs of the recall of products to the local distributor.
That is between the company and local distributor, said Leausa.
On 29th July 2016, the Director General said the company admitted to using chicken hearts as a flavor enhancer.
Leausa at the time said Health will be following the revised Food Bill.
The Ministry of Health was alerted when several members of the public reported an unusual meat seen inside the Farmers Style Corned Beef.
The unusual meat was referred to the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (S.R.O.S.) to verify the tissue.
However, the organisation had to refer the matter back to Health since they do not have equipment to do D.N.A. testing.
Under the Food Act 2015, Part 2 Section 7, False descriptions of food highlights that;
1) a person must not falsely describe food intended for sale.
2) A person must not sell food that the person ought reasonably to know is falsely described or is likely to cause physical harm to a person who relies on that description
3) a person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding 8,000 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three (3) years, or both.
The Ministry for Revenue launches its Compliance Improvement Plan 2016 2018 today at 10am.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry for Revenue - Avalisa Viali-Fautua'alii will deliver the keynote address to the invited guests who include representatives from the Samoa Institute of Accountants, Chamber of Commerce, Customs Agents, Government ministries and the private sector.
The Compliance Plan 2016-2018 sets out major strategic risks that the Ministry for Revenue will put its priority focus on over the next two years.
It includes the management of risks across the Ministryand builds on the 2012 -14 Compliance Improvement plan which was developed to address risks in Inland Revenue.
The new CIP 2016-18 was developed by the Senior Management Team (SMT) of the Ministry for Revenue in late 2015 together with the assistance of a consultant from Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre ('PFTAC'). This was endorsed and approved by the SMT in November 2015.
The public launch of this plan is to raise the awareness of the public on the strategies employed by the Ministry to improve compliance across Customs and Inland Revenue.
It is not a secret document.
If the Ministry's customers are aware of the strategies and the reasons why such strategies are designed, then they will understand and play their part in doing the right thing.
The CIP 2016 -18 brings together a strategy and descriptions of the most significant compliance risks identified in the customs and tax system and sets out in broad detail how the Ministry intends to respond or treat those risks.
There is also a much broader message around compliance - its about getting taxpayers to pay their fair share and contribute to nation building.
The Ministrys Compliance Improvement Plan 2016-2018 is a strategy that has absorbed a lot of energy, understanding and commitment.
A tremendous amount of work has gone into segmentation of the tax base, data mining and analytics that has identified main risks.
The tax system needs to be seen as fair and it cannot be fair if those who are evading their taxes are getting away with it thats why risk analysis is fast becoming a big tax administration priority.
This Plan reflects the Ministry for Revenues ongoing focus on continuous improvement to improve operations and achieve high levels of performance.
This Plan provides a balanced approach and promoting voluntary compliance has become a big priority that needs to be continually improved. This can be achieved by programs that heavily emphasise the need to comply and the consequences of not complying. Its about providing customers with information, education, making it easy for them and also more importantly providing them with a good legal framework.
The success of the plan is not dependent on the Ministry alone, but relies heavily on taxpayers to do the right thing, and pay their tax on time and to also pay the correct amount. The Ministry highlights the important role of accountants and tax agents as an extension of services - to advise clients of their obligations under the tax laws. Customs agents and freight stations are equally important in their roles to make sure that facilitation of trade is continually improved and not an impediment to businesses, and also to ensure that Samoas border is protected against illicit and restricted goods and undesirable travellers.
Achieving the outcomes set out in the Plan will improve compliance and consequently improve revenue collection and a safer border for Samoa.
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A presidential assassination is a tragedy that burns itself into the memories of a generation. Most Americans who were alive in 1963 can tell you exactly where they were when they heard about John F. Kennedys assassination. And it was the same for Lincolns death: In the 1890s, federal interviewers found that elderly citizens could still remember exactly what they were doing when they heard the news of Lincolns assassination.
The specter of presidential assassination lingers in the back of the American mind, but a recent comment about second-amendment people has brought it to the fore. Many Americans are now pondering the question of how far we should go or, put another way, what we are willing to give up to protect the life of our president. The following article provides one perspective from over a century ago.
President William McKinley was shot on September 6, 1901, while making a public appearance in Buffalo, New York. He died of gangrene on September 14. Americas citizens, concerned for the safety and protection of their chief executive officer, were weighing the question of presidential safety versus public access. Some even advocated the complete removal of the president from public venues.
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While America was still recovering from this disaster while McKinleys assassin, Leon Czolgosz, was still waiting in prison for his execution day McKinleys predecessor, Grover Cleveland, offered Post readers his viewpoint on why its so important for the public to have access to the president, more important even than the threat of assassination.
The Safety of the President
By Grover Cleveland
Excerpted from an article originally published on October 5, 1901
It is suggested that the safety of the president can be much increased by curtailing his accessibility to the public. It is even said that the custom which has always permitted the people large latitude in meeting and greeting their chief executive, by taking him by the hand, is absurdly dangerous.
A radical diminution of the popular enjoyment of those privileges would be much more difficult of accomplishment than at first blush is apparent. The relations between all the decent people of the land and the president are very close. On the part of the people this situation is the outgrowth of their feeling that they have a more direct proprietary interest in the presidential office than in any other instrumentality of their government. They have determined by their united and simultaneous suffrages who the president shall be. In his high office they regard him as the representative of their sovereignty and self-government; and, as the administrator of laws made for their welfare and advantage, they look upon him as their near friend alive to their needs and anxious for their prosperity and happiness. Closely allied to these sentiments and perhaps directly resulting from them there is an immensely strong band of attachment between all good citizens and their president which, though difficult to define, is nevertheless unmistakably real and distinctively American. In the minds of all law-abiding people, excepting an insignificant minority whose love of country is selfish or who make party scheming an occupation, this attachment overreaches party affiliations and crowds out of memory the exciting incidents of party strife. It may be said to rest upon a feeling of sincere and generous goodfellowship or comradeship which includes the idea that, though the president has been clothed with high honor by his fellow-countrymen, he is still one of the people, that he still needs their support and approbation, and that he is still in sympathy with them in every condition of their daily life.
This attachment and affection of our plain and honest people for their president is not only manifested by their desire to see, hear, and greet him, but these kindly sentiments are stimulated and strengthened by every indulgence of this desire. When danger is charged against this indulgence, let us remember that, while only one of our three presidential assassinations can be in any way related to a public opportunity for the people to greet the president, such opportunity has in many millions of honest hearts rekindled wholesome Americanism, and made more deep and warm patriotic impulse. Against one miscreant who, with a desperate foolhardiness that can hardly be again anticipated, has through access to the head of our nation accomplished a murderous purpose, we should not forget the countless numbers of those who in the privilege of like access would prevent such accomplishment with their lives. All things considered, it is a serious question, even at a time when all are aroused to the need of better protection of the president, whether a serious limitation of the peoples public access to him is justified as either necessary or effective.
It is not amiss to add that in discussing the curtailment of the privileges long accorded to the public in this regard, the president himself must be reckoned with. We shall never have a president who is not fond of the great mass of his countrymen and who is not willing to trust them. His close contact with them is inspiring and encouraging. Their friendly greeting and hearty grasp of his hand, with no favors to ask and no selfish cause to urge, bring pleasant relief from official perplexities and annoying importunities. The people have enjoyed a generous access to their president for more than a hundred years. Weighing the remote chance of harm against the benefit and gratification of such access both to himself and the people, it can hardly be predicted that a project for its abolition would be sanctioned by any incumbents of the presidential office.
It is by no means intended to suggest that this access should be unregulated and entirely free from all precaution. Those charged with care for the president on such occasions should never in the least degree tolerate the idea that there can be a harmless person of unsound mind; nor should they relax their watch for such persons and for all others that may properly be suspected of a liability to do harm. Every doubtful case should be determined on the side of safety, and all suspicious movements or conduct should challenge prompt and effective caution. Such precautions can be taken quietly and unostentatiously. It may be safely said, however, that among the millions interested in having such precautions for presidential safety adopted, the president himself will be the least anxious concerning them. This will always be so.
A serious and thorough consideration of the peril which has so shockingly broken in upon the peace of our national life would be incomplete in its lesson and warning if it failed to lead to an honest self-examination and a frank inquiry whether there are not causes other than anarchistic teachings, and perhaps near our own doors, whose tendency, to say the least, is in the wrong direction. Have not some of our public journals, under the guise of wholesome criticism of official conduct, descended to such mendacious and scandalous personal abuse as might well suggest hatred of those holding public place? Has not the ridicule of the coarse and indecent cartoon indicated to those of low instincts that no respect is due to official station? Have not lying accusations on the stump and even in the halls of Congress, charging executive dishonesty, given a hint to those of warped judgment and weak intellect that the president is an enemy to the well-being of the people?
Many good men who are tearful now, and who sincerely mourn the cruel murder of a kindly, faithful, and honest president, have perhaps from partisan feeling or through heedless disregard of responsibility supported and encouraged such things. They may recall it now and realize the fact that the agents of assassination are incited to their work by suggestion, and this suggestion need not necessarily be confined to the dark councils of anarchy.
Not the least among the safeguards against presidential peril is that which would follow a revival of genuine American love for fairness, decency, and unsensational truth.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/01/2016 -- The Future of Foodservice in Italy to 2020 Report published by Canadean Intelligence provides readers with a detailed analysis of consumer, operator and technology level trends in the Italian Foodservice sector, analysis of market size, outlets and transactions in Italy and key players in the Italian Foodservice market.
Key Findings
- The Italian Foodservice market is expected to experience a growth of 1.4% during 2015-2020
- The gradual rise in the economy is expected to drive the demand for eating in restaurants
- Busy lifestyles of individuals are leading to the demand for quick service restaurants and other outlets such as coffee & tea shops
- Health remains a major decision factor for parents seeking healthy food as a measure to tackle obesity
- Retail will be the fastest growing Profit channel in terms of sales during 2015-2020, driven by on-the-go consumers at outlets such as Service Station Forecourt, Supermarket & Hypermarket, and Baker
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This report offers detailed analysis of the Italian Foodservice market with market size forecasts covering the next five years. This report will also analyse macro-economic factors that influence the foodservice market, key consumer, operator and technology trends and key players in the market.
In particular, it provides an in-depth analysis of the following:
- Macro-economic analyses and trends: detailed analysis of the macro-economic factors, GDP per capita, consumer price index, unemployment rate and age profile, that impact the foodservice market. It also provides insights into consumer, operator and technology trends in the Italian Foodservice market
- Foodservice market attractiveness: details and insights into the development of the foodservice sector within Italy for 2010-2020
- Sector analysis: provides in-depth data on the valuation and development of both the profit and the cost sectors, details on the number of outlets, transactions, foodservice sales, sales per outlet, and transactions per outlet across nearly 50 sub-channels
- Competitive landscape: provides an overview of key players, together with insights such as number of outlets, business description and product profile
- Regulatory scenario: insights into regulatory environment for foodservice operators in the Italian market
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ReasonsToBuy
- This report will give the user confidence to make the correct business decisions based on a detailed analysis of the Italian Foodservice market and to identify emerging/declining markets over the next 5 years.
- This report will give the user a thorough fact based analysis with information about value of the foodservice market across the channels in both the sectors and the underlying factors that are driving the channel sales. For example, foodservice sales through the Welfare & Services channel are expected to grow due to the rising number of homeless population in the country.
- The analysts have placed a significant emphasis on the major trends that will shape the foodservice market and will provide the user with a clear picture about the future opportunities that can be tapped, resulting in revenue expansion. E.g. demand for sales through the Leisure channel due to growing number of visitors attending theme parks will result in an increase in the number of outlets in the times to come.
- Brief profiles of the key foodservice companies in Italy with information about their business description, product profile and number of outlets wherever available. This will provide the user with a total competitive landscape of the sector.
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[MANILA] On 26 July, the Philippine Supreme Court reversed its December 2015 decision to stop the field testing, propagation, commercialisation and importation of genetically modified (GM) foods, including the controversial Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) eggplant.
The reversal raises several questions: Will the GM eggplant soon be available on the market? How does this affect food labelling of GM foods? And how does the high courts vacillation affect the morale of local scientists?
Saturnina Halos, chair of the Department of Agricultures biotechnology advisory team, clarifies that the availability of the GM eggplant will depend on whether the University of the Philippines Los Banos has undertaken all the necessary studies to submit data on these considerations.
Theres no substantial difference between genetically engineered and conventionally bred food crops. Peter Davies, Cornell University
She notes the GM eggplant has yet to undergo another review process under the new regulatory scheme where the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Health are active participants.
For Peter Davies, international professor of plant biology at Cornell University in the US, no labelling is needed as every reputable scientific body worldwide has declared theres no substantial difference between genetically engineered and conventionally bred food crops.
However, it is my opinion that as Bt eggplant is healthier for the customer, being free of pesticides, and for the farmers who no longer need to spray pesticides daily, a label such as wonderful pesticide-free talong (eggplant) would be appropriate, Davies says.
Davies believes the reversal is a great morale booster for plant scientists worldwide, especially in the Philippines, as it justifies their efforts to produce healthier pesticide-free food for consumers while improving the livelihood of farmers and the environment in which they work.
Halos, however, also sees the downside of the recent turn of events: Many scientists feel they wasted emotional investment in the case. They feel good about the reversal yet they find the case to be a waste of effort and time.
When the Supreme Court stopped GM field testing in December 2015, it also nullified DA Administrative Order 08-2002 on the importation and release into the environment of plants and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechnology.Halos points out: Unfortunately, the temporary invalidation of this order led to the suspension of imports of food and feed ingredients, as well as GM maize seed. The economic cost of the temporary invalidation may be reflected during Christmas as it will lead to increased costs of pork and poultry.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets South-East Asia & Pacific desk.
This article was made possible with support from Monsanto.
SciDev.Nets online debate raised vital questions about how money should flow into universities, and for what purpose.
What is the future of higher education funding in Africa? This was the question asked by SciDev.Net at a recent online debate (28 July). How money should flow into universities was at the heart of it. Should it be from government research councils or student fees or, more controversially, from industry?
There are more options. Patronage of students by individuals is one; philanthropists is another. Funding could also come through local communities funding their members something known as harambi in Kenya, as one of the panellists, Beatrice Nelima of the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), pointed out.
As an editorial fly on the wall during the debate, I observed the rapid exchange of comments without wading in. Id now like to share some of the questions that came to mind, and highlight some raised by others during the debate.
What are universities for?
The first question is about the fundamental purpose of universities: what are, or should, they be for? Thandi Mgwebi, from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, raised this during the debate and offered an answer. It is knowledge production. [And] innovation is a result of knowledge production. [So] there is a clear value chain of innovation that must be supported.
Three questions on the purpose of universities
What are, or should they be for?
How should universities plan for funding streams from wealthy donors? And how much should they rely on them?
Should there be taxes specifically earmarked for higher education?
Mgwebi then argued that universities must be supported to either partner with science councils or technology universities and where possible, they should produce their own innovations. The role of industry cannot be overemphasised here, she added.
This view wasnt shared by Brian Kamanzi, South African student activist and writer. I don't think that [knowledge production] is the main purpose of universities, he said. The knowledge project is one aspect. I think a public university specifically supports and facilitates the needs of the public.
One could probably say without too much controversy that universities have more than one purpose. These include both the needs of the public and knowledge production. Decisions about appropriate partners and funding streams would then vary depending on the relative emphasis on different purposes.
Private and public funding
The second question that came to mind in the course of the debate relates to the role of philanthropy something which energized many participants. How should universities plan for funding streams from wealthy donors? And how much should they rely on them?
Philanthropic funding can be fickle, and it often comes with agendas. In the context of universities, vice chancellors are well aware that there are only certain areas of work which can attract this type of funding.
My own feeling is that while wealthy philanthropists are often happy to fund buildings named after them and new research centres doing cutting edge research, they tend to be less interested in funding the bread and butter aspects of a universitys work such as infrastructure and equipment. You might also like Mapping PhD enrolment in Africa
Debate: What is the future of higher education funding in Africa?
What is a knowledge economy?
Making higher education work for Africa
Who is going to pay for higher education in Africa? The third question relates to public funding for universities: should there be taxes specifically earmarked for higher education? A wealth tax was suggested by some participants as a substitute for philanthropy a kind of forced philanthropy.
But, as others observed, an increase in general taxation to benefit higher education wont be easy to achieve. Speaking about the Kenyan context, Beatrice Nelima said: The Revenue Authority is having problems meeting its targets! . I do not foresee a solution in taxation. Kenyans are already crushing under the current tax burden and any additional taxes will increase the propensity to evade.
Inclusive learning
In the course of the debate the discussion turned to Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls on countries to: ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. There was considerable discussion about the importance of ensuring that fees dont act as an obstacle to this goal, and about the importance of equitable access for women and people with lower or middle incomes:
Josepha Foa, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Buea, Cameroon, said: We need affirmative action for women. Their needs are different and tend to cost more. There should be quotas for females in any support scheme that is developed, especially for postgraduate training and in the STEMs.Foba also commented on social aspects that often go unseen. Traditional practices also weigh in. [That is,] there is the unintentional expectation that young women should be able to get male friends/suitors to help them through higher education. This has affected mindsets.
Thinking about equality of access prompted another question: how to fund lifelong learning through higher education institutions. As an older person myself, I wondered why this did not come up in the debate. As Africas youthful demography shifts, access to lifelong learning will, I think, become increasingly significant. Kaz Janowski
A comment by the Canon Collins Trust highlighted another blind spot in the funding system via the example of South Africas National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). [The scheme] provides funding for students from very low income backgrounds. However it is the missing middle who are perhaps most disadvantaged by the current system. Not eligible for funding, but unable to rely on support from their families for financial support, these students from lower middle-class backgrounds are often forced to work full time alongside their studies, resulting in high dropout rates.
Thinking about equality of access prompted another question: how to fund lifelong learning through higher education institutions. As an older person myself, I wondered why this did not come up in the debate. As Africas youthful demography shifts, access to lifelong learning will, I think, become increasingly significant.
Three central aims
Aims of education
Preparing students for jobs
Broadening the mind of individuals and widening the knowledge base of society in general
Preparing young people to be part of the broader social fabric
This relates to my final question: how do we take into account the nature of education itself, for individuals and society as opposed to the nature and goal of universities as institutions in thinking about future funding streams?
I see education, at all levels, as having three central aims: preparing students for jobs; broadening the mind of individuals and widening the knowledge base of society in general; and preparing young people to be part of the broader social fabric. How should these aims be balanced in thinking about future funding streams?
This has a bearing on decisions about relative allocation of funds to research and teaching, something touched on in the debate. It also has a bearing on the relative allocation of funding to different subjects and different age groups, issues not covered in our debate.
Finally, Id like to extend warm thanks to all who contributed to the discussion and to the staff who organized it, ending with a quote from Beatrice Nelima:
The messages from this forum should be packaged nicely and neatly for our policy makers to make decisions that promote equitable access to quality and relevant university education!
Kaz Janowski is editor at SciDev.Net
Recent news and updates about "Samsung Gear S3" centers on the presumptions that the device is facing flaws with regards to its specs and features. Moreover, assumptions of the new device and its changes not affecting the overall strategic approach of the Apple Watch are also surfacing.
Given the presumptions, the tech giant has remained mum on the speculations of "Samsung Gear S3" having glitches and flaws. Also, the tech firm has previously relayed of the colossal changes to the device, which could bring about new elements to the gear.
According to Engadget, the new generation of "Samsung Gear S3" would be more elegant and more exquisite. It was also conveyed that Samsung will also add more alterations with the changes on the rotating bezel and other decent modifications.
Samsung Announces the Gear S3 Classic and Gear S3 Frontier #tech pic.twitter.com/5aqs50JBgM Gearbest (@TheGearbest) September 1, 2016
The same report relayed that both versions are now up and running. Stunning specs such as the IP68 rated for water resistance and 1.3-inch screens that are embedded with resistant Gorilla Glass SR+ are also anticipated to be enjoyed on the new "Samsung Gear S3."
Moreover, "Samsung Gear S3" would still feature dual-core Exynos and chipsets. It would also have features of 786MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a standalone GPS radios and 380mAh batteries as well.
Samsung unveils its (large) new gear S3 smartwatch https://t.co/mZ4pJuEXZz pic.twitter.com/Y8xs2FkTgE Fast Company (@FastCompany) September 1, 2016
In a different note, Wired reported that the design of the "Samsung Gear S3" watches would be one of a kind. Instead of looking high-tech and modish, the device would depict a more modern look of a regular wristwatch but with sophistication.
As for the presumptions that "Samsung Gear S3" would pose a threat to Apple Watches, there are no affirmations yet as of the moment about the two devices. If the tech gears are out in the open market, enthusiasts could then decide which smart watch is the best deal.
Scientists are still looking for ways to cure the growing problem of Alzheimer's disease. On Thursday, researchers shared the news that an experimental drug has destroyed and removed plaques in the brains of patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Could this be the much awaited cure for the degenerative disease?
Though most elderly brains have plaques, patients with Alzheimer's brains have the tendency to have more. Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia, still has no cure. However, some treatments are already available to manage the symptoms, to slow the progression and reverse it if still has not spread.
A report in CNN revealed that the drug is given to patients once a month for 1 year. It was found that infusions of the drug aducanumb eradicated the brain from plaque deposits which experts claim to have a significant role in disorganizing cellular processes and blocking communication among nerve cells. "Overall, this is the best news that we've had in my 25 years doing Alzheimer's clinical research," study coauthor Stephen Salloway of Brown University said August 30 at a news briefing. "It brings new hope for patients and families most affected by the disease."
Biogen, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based drug company developed aducanumab and funded the study which tested the drug's safety in humans. But, the drug was not designed to test for cerebral benefits in patients. Experts still found that some of the patients' conditions who received the drug showed less deterioration than those who are receiving a placebo. Similar to other drug considered for Alzheimer's, aducanumab is an antiobody that aims at amyloid-beta, a sticky protein that usually accumulated in the brains of people with the disease.
According to pix11.com, the study consisted of 165 patients, with an average age of 73 years old, and with early stage Alzheimer's. They were divided into groups and treated with monthly intravenous infusions of either aducanumab or a placebo over a 54 week period. Four groups of patients were given the drug in four separate doses. Using PET brain scans, results showed that those treated with aducanumab had reduced brain plaques on both duration and dose. All groups showed a progressive reduction over time, and the group given the highest does showed the greatest reduction among everybody.
The results are the most credible evidence that an antibody can reduce amyloid in the brain, according to Alzheimer's researcher Rachelle Doody of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who was not involved in the study. However, experts still warn that the results from 165 people is a relatively small number. The seemingly beneficial effects could disappear in larger clinical trials, which are under way. "These new data are tantalizing, but they are not yet definitive," says neuroscientist John Hardy of University College London, reported sciencenews.org.
As the moon glides between the sun and the Earth on Thursday morning, a ring of sunshine will blaze above parts of Africa in a solar spectacle called an annular eclipse - also known as the "ring of fire."
Unlike the total solar eclipse, the annular eclipse happens when the moon does not cover the sun completely - and instead of seeing a white halo, they will see slivers of sunlight shining around the moon's silhouette instead. NASA's solar astrophysicist, C. Alex Young shared with The New York Times, "If they look up with protective eyewear they are going to see this strange ring in the sky, more spectacularly they will see these circular shadows. It's a cool event, the shadows are kind of eerie."
However, not everyone will have the chance to see the event. In fact, only a very select few can. According to the National Geographic, observers can actually see the entire annular eclipse only on a strip of land about 62 mile wide, startin in Gabon, on Africa's west coast, down through the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Mozambique. It will also cross to the islands of Madagascar and Reunion off the east coast.
The eclipse will begin at around 8:39 AM local time in Gabon, and will reach its peak by 10:06 AM. It will then make its final landfall over Reunion at 2:09 PM local time. For the best view, go to southern Tanzania, where viewers will see it for its longest duration of three minutes and six seconds.
The full eclipse path is fairly narrow, but the rest of the world should be able to see bits of it - a partial eclipse can be seen across most of Africa, including Morocco and Egypt, as well as the southern Arabian Peninsula. In Europe, the moon will cover up about 50 percent of the sun for the Italians, and 90 percent for the Icelandic, Scottish, Finnish, and Norwegian folks.
For decades now, scientists have been concerned about global warming, and how it is affecting life on Earth as we know it. The Arctic's trend of thinning and melting ice had many worried, especially considering that NASA expressed the current worrisome ice levels as the "new normal."
Record-Low Arctic Sea Ice Is the 'New Normal,' NASA Says https://t.co/DbWd5iZFNl pic.twitter.com/QE8yzbfzC5 Live Science (@LiveScience) August 31, 2016
Live Science reported that melt season in the Arctic Ocean had consistently been in "record lows" over the past several years, and this year is no exception. The latest record low for the sea-ice extent was set in March, and the rapid ice loss continued on through May. While melting slowed in June, the environment still did not manage to bounce back.
Walt Meier, a sea ice consultant over the long term shared in a statement regarding a sea ice at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement, "It's just not going to be as extreme as other years, because the weather conditions in the Arctic were not as extreme as in other years."
Meier also added, "A decade ago, this year's sea ice extent would have set a new record low and by a fair amount. Now, we're kind of used to these low levels of sea ice - it's the new normal."
The consistent hot temperatures have taken a toll on the Arctic ice caps - this year's sea-ice cover north of Russia recently opened in April, weeks ahead of its supposed schedule. Bt the end of May, the sea ice cover was more comparable to the end-of-June levels.
While the sea ice cover can tell a lot about the problems that we need to face head-on, the thickness of ice is also important in determining the health of the Arctic. Unfortunately, according to Thorsten Markus, chief of the NASA Goddard's cryosphere lab , scientists know very little so far regarding the thickness of the sea ice.
Lenovo's Yoga Book might be the company's boldest/oddest experiment yet. The device operates on the principle of writing things the old-fashioned way. You can actually grab a pad, stick it on the second surface and write away, and the Yoga Book will go to town digitizing it.
The company had to ditch the physical keyboard in order to make the writing surface. The effect of toggling between a plain black surface and a fully illuminated keyboard is a cool one, sure, but actually typing on the thing is a lot like using a tablet screen, states Engadget.
What's new
Half of the Yoga Book has a 10.1-inch, 1080p touchscreen display, 8-megapixel camera, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a microSD card slot. About the only surprising thing about is the Intel Atom processor, a rarity among tablets in 2016 - a small reminder that Lenovo has been working on the Yoga Book for a long time.
The other half of is what makes it special and different. Open up the Yoga Book, and you'll see a flat, black expanse. Powered by Wacom technology, typing on the Yoga Book's "Halo" Keyboard is much closer to typing directly on a touchscreen than using a traditional keyboard, states The Verge. Like many smartphone virtual keyboards, the Yoga Book can adapt to your typing style over time and adjust the size of tap targets accordingly.
"While the traditional keyboard or laptop are unlikely to disappear entirely, other devices will take over more of our computing tasks," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis.
The panel is attached to the screen with a hinge comprised of 130 different pieces and can be rotated behind the display entirely. When closed, the whole thing is under 10mm thick, putting it much closer to the realm of a smartphone or tablet without a keyboard than a laptop.
Lenovo adapted Android 6.0 Marshmallow to automatically start recording your doodles in the company's default note-taking app once you put the stylus to the touchpad. According to a review by TechCrunch, The Android version has Lenovo's multiwindow support, so it can handle multitasking as well. The Yoga Book, which comes in Android ($499) and Windows 10 ($549) flavors and launches in September, could be a one-off experiment. But the company believes it marks the start of something.
"Yoga Book is our first push into virtual keyboards," Jeff Meredith, Lenovo's V.P. said. "You'll see this trend continue." Lenovo deserves props for making a bold, innovative move and for those who prefer pen and paper, the Yoga Book is a compelling candidate that could trump the iPad Pro and Surface.
NASA is preparing to launch its first mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth to help scientists investigate origin of life as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft will travel to the near-Earth asteroid 'Bennu' and bring a sample back to Earth for intensive study.
NASA plans to launch the historic probe from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on September 8 at 7:05 a.m. Eastern time, according to the official press release. "This mission exemplifies our nation's quest to boldly go and study our solar system and beyond to better understand the universe and our place in it," said Geoff Yoder, acting associate administrator for the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
The OSIRIS-Rex
The 4,650-pound (2,110-kilogram) fully-fueled spacecraft will launch aboard an Atlas V 411 rocket during a 34-day launch period that begins Sept. 8, and reach its asteroid target in 2018. It will collect between 2 and 70 ounces of surface material after a careful survey and return the sample to Earth via a detachable capsule in 2023.
OSIRIS-REx has five instruments to explore Bennu:
OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite (OCAMS) - A system consisting of three cameras will observe Bennu and provide global imaging, sample site imaging, and will witness the sampling event.
OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) - A scanning LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) will be used to measure the distance between the spacecraft and Bennu's surface, and will map the shape of the asteroid.
OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES) - It will investigate mineral abundances and provide temperature information with observations in the thermal infrared spectrum.
OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) - Designed to measure visible and infrared light from Bennu to identify mineral and organic material.
Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) - It will observe the X-ray spectrum to identify chemical elements on Bennu's surface and their abundances.
Additionally, the spacecraft has two systems that will enable the sample collection and return: Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) and OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule (SRC).
Who gets to keep the Asteroid Parts?
NASA plans to scatter the asteroid to its partners around the world, a form of scientific sharing that has become common in an age of tighter budgets for astronomical discovery. Researchers are hoping for 2 ounces (60 grams) of asteroid, according to a press release.
The sample will stay at the Johnson Space Center's Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office in Houston, says Laurie Cantillo from NASA's Washington communications office. Once they have cataloged the sample's contents, NASA scientists plan to divvy them up among the mission's partners around the world.
One-quarter will go directly to the OSIRIS-REx science team for study, according to Popular Science. Of the remaining 75 percent, 5 percent will go to NASA's base in White Sands, N.M., as a type of insurance, with the Canadian and Japanese space agencies receiving 4 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively. "The goal is to have it available to be studied for decades to come," Ms. Cantillo says in an interview.
FLORENCE, S.C. Angie Jordan and her husband, Maury, have been busy since last December.
The Beef Jerky Outlet owners have thoroughly enjoyed the last eight months since they opened the doors of the business on Woody Jones Boulevard.
Its fun, Maury said. You get to meet people and they come in happy because they get to try some jerky. Its fun to give out samples.
There were plenty of free samples Wednesday as the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to mark the Jordans joining the chamber.
Prime rib has been the most popular flavor, they both said, but it has recently been supplanted at the top by Cajun BBQ Brisket since it arrived about two weeks ago.
Espresso beans have sold well and customers have discovered theres more to buy than just jerky.
People like the variety of sauces we carry and the rubs as well, Maury said.
His wife said that as small-business owners, theyre learning something new every day.
Were just finding our groove, she said. The community has been very supportive and receptive.
Customers have been coming in from all parts of the Pee Dee, she said.
We talk to them and get to know them, she said.
Mark Schiskie moved to the area in June from Kingston, New York, and has quickly become a regular. When a friend visited recently, Schiskie was urged to visit.
We came in and I spent about an hour here, he said. Bought a bunch of jerky. Its a great store. Even though its a franchise, it feels like a mom-and-pop.
On behalf of the South Carolina Dental Association and the local Dental Access Days (DAD) Committee, we wish to express our profound appreciation to the community volunteers, businesses and organizations who contributed their time, supplies, food and talents to make the DAD free adult dental clinic on Aug. 25-27 such a successful endeavor. A record number of 1,636 patients were treated over two days for a value of $1,056,814.50 in charitable dental treatment.
We especially owe our sincere thanks to the 200 South Carolina dentists, their staff, MUSC College of Dental Medicine students, residents, and faculty in providing their professional expertise. Florence-Darlington Technical College, Horry-Georgetown Technical College, FMU School of Nursing, and Virginia College students and faculty also volunteered to care for the patients at DAD.
Delta Dental Insurance Company is to be applauded for its sizable grant to help underwrite the overhead costs of this event. Scherrie Cogdill, Diane Davis and their staff at Hope Health were instrumental in coordinating community volunteers. The outstanding efforts of the staff at the Florence Civic Center were most notable. The Florence community can really be proud of that facility. A big thank-you goes to the South Florence High School principal, Ms. Carol Hill, and the SFHS Navy ROTC cadets who supplied amazing assistance with the Thursday equipment set-up and the Saturday tear-down.
Fifteen dental supply companies donated all the dental supplies, instruments, and X-ray equipment. Eleven local businesses contributed necessary supplies and food for the volunteers. Florence Baptist Temple, Calvary Baptist, Central Methodist, Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian, and NewSpring Church provided many lay volunteers to assist in the logistical and management process required to allow DAD to run so smoothly.
This local health mission was a product of collaborative efforts by many caring people in Florence and around our state who were committed to come to the aid of our fellow citizens in need. Blessings to all.
J. DAVID MOSS, DMD
Chair, 2016 Dental Access Days
Florence
This journal serves a community of small businesses worldwide. Here John Wiley Spiers addresses topics on business start-up and expansion and reports relevant daily headlines.John Wiley Spiers is a small business international trader, author of HOW SMALL BUSINESS TRADES WORLDWIDE , and lecturer at various colleges.
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EAST HELENA -- For one little girl at Radley Elementary School, Wednesday morning was one of terrifying back-to-school jitters.
Its moments like this when principal Joe McMahon knows he can call on Governor.
Theres nothing like a lick on the hand, a friendly nudge and a wagging tail to chase a childs tears and anxiety away.
Now 7 months old, Governor, who started at the school last year, is already a beloved staff member.
Wednesday morning he was in Vashti Teders special education classroom, Room 24, sticking his head out the door for friendly greets and meets.
But once hes on call, he dons his blue service vest and hes all business, which is helping kids get through hard, emotional times.
Dressed in his vest, he padded down to the front door with Teders to greet the little girl.
As Teders gently spoke with her and introduced Governor, the girl gradually relaxed enough to walk down the hall to Room 24.
Ten minutes later, she was able to tell Governor to sit, pet his head and give him treats.
A wobbly smile finally flitted across the girls face.
As Governor worked his magic, fifth grade teacher Liz Townsend looked on from the hallway.
Isnt that cool? she said. The kids get around him and calm down immediately. Hes a very popular fellow.
Within a few minutes, the girl was able to walk Governor down the hall to her classroom and then walk in on her own.
Governor sits by children during school assemblies to help them calm down, said McMahon.
And when children are screaming, crying or striking out, Governor can walk in and calm them much faster than any of the staff, said Teders.
Some children used to take 45 minutes or longer to calm down, say Teders and McMahon, but Governor can do it within about 5 minutes.
It is phenomenal to watch, said Teders. He has an innate ability to comfort people.
Its been a great experience, she added. Hes been here since he was 10 weeks old. He loves coming to work. Hes probably the most excited employee here.
My job is to think outside of the box, said Teders. I have to be a Mary Poppins. I love that about my job.
Governor just happened to be one of her out-of-the-box ideas that two Carroll College Anthrozoology students and the Helena Kennel Club made happen.
We had to be open that it may not work, Teders said, but hes exceeded all expectations.
Governor and his job description seem to be unique in Helena area schools, say both Teders and Erica Feuerbacher, a professor in the Carroll College Anthrozoology Department. In fact, Teders can't find any school district in Montana using a dog like Governor.
Teders calls him a facility dog. Hes not really a service dog because he works with all of the students -- as needed, instead of one specific person.
And hes not quite a "therapy dog," she said, because he learns specific tasks for special needs. So hes more a blend of a service and a therapy dog, thus his special job description.
He does amazing things, said para educator Debbie Dunlap. Its just instinct. He seems to know when kids need extra reassurance. Hes such a blessing to us.
Wednesday, which might have been the final business day for hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries across Montana, passed quietly in Helena.
The capital citys three largest registered providers -- Lionheart Caregiving, Bloom and Montana Buds -- had already closed their doors in anticipation of controversial new rules expected to decimate the states burgeoning prescription marijuana industry.
Divisive marijuana policies that took effect Wednesday weathered a five-year legal battle before being upheld in February by the Montana Supreme Court. The restrictions impose a ban on medical marijuana advertising and create an automatic review for doctors who recommend the drug for more than 25 patients.
They also limit marijuana sales to a maximum of three patients per dispensary -- a provision industry advocates have long predicted will deal a fatal blow to many of the states nearly 500 marijuana purveyors and leave more than 12,000 Montana users, including terminally ill patients, without a legal way to obtain the drug.
A paper sign posted outside Helenas Lionheart Caregiving offered scant hope to more than 1,000 such medical marijuana cardholders in Lewis and Clark County, informing them the contested dispensary regulations would see Lionheart closed until at least Sept. 5.
The sign went on to implore readers to vote yes on I-182 -- a recently certified state ballot initiative that, if approved in November, would reverse the three-patient restriction put in place this week.
Lionheart owner Chris Fanuzzi, like hundreds of other Montana marijuana shop owners, is banking on that measures passage.
If it fails, Fanuzzi expects hell only be able to keep his four dispensary locations open on an hours-limited, appointment-only basis, as a kind of consulting outfit meant to keep in touch with customers and provide patients with advice on where to obtain their medicine.
Meanwhile, hes had to cut down 500 marijuana plants and lay off 50 employees. The dispensary also has locations in Butte, Bozeman and Missoula.
Im not looking back, Im moving forward, Fanuzzi said. Its my ethical duty to return everybodys calls, to try and help people find a provider.
The bottom line is (the three-patient restriction) is going to create an increased price for an inferior product, and none of that revenue is going to be taxable, because its going to be purchased illegally.
The Montana Wilderness Association will host its public celebration of our states wild places Friday and Saturday, Sept. 9-10, at Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls. The free event, hosted in partnership with Montana State Parks, features guided hikes, family activities, food, drink and live music.
The festival kicks off on Friday with guided hikes to numerous places on the Rocky Mountain Front, including Indian Head Rock, Devils Glen and Headquarters Pass. At 5:30, father-and-daughter duo Rob and Halladay Quist take the stage at Giant Springs, performing their unique brand of country blues and bluegrass rock with Valley Lopez.
Guided hikes continue on Saturday with adventures to Monument Peak, Paine Gulch, Crown Butte, and other places close to Great Falls. Family activities begin at 3 p.m. at Giant Springs with displays and kids games. Also on Saturday, MWA presents a screening of Our Last Refuge: The Badger-Two Medicine Story, a documentary about the Blackfeet Tribes struggle to prevent oil and gas development in the sacred Badger-Two Medicine area, at 2 p.m. at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
At 5:30 on Saturday, Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs perform their blend of classic country, old timey traditional, and classic and modern rock.
A barbecue dinner, available for purchase, runs both nights from 4 to 8. All five local microbreweries will serve a special brew for Wild Fest, and participants can vote on their favorite. Wine, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available. Guests should bring camp chairs and blankets.
MWA has a large and passionate group of volunteers in Great Falls, and theyve put together an incredible program for this years Wild Fest, said Laura Parr, MWA business manager. We encourage folks from across Montana to join us for this celebration of what makes our state so wonderful our wild places.
For details, visit wildmontana.org/wildfest or contact Laura Parr at (406) 443-7350, ext. 110 or at lparr@wildmontana.org.
At least three Hanjin vessels were reported to be stuck on the North American West Coast. The Hanjin Scarlet is in Port Rupert in Canada, but not being worked on, while both the Hanjin Greece and Hanjin Constantza were reported by FleetMon to be idling outside of Los Angeles and Long Beach where they had been scheduled to arrive 31 August.
Hanjin filed for court receivership on Wednesday.
The Port Authority of Prince Rupert said that the Hanjin Scarlet was currently not being worked on by the Fairview Container Terminal operated by DP World.
Following the Hanjin Scarlet's arrival Tuesday evening, the vessel proceeded directly to an assigned anchorage, where it remains Wednesday following news that the Hanjin Shipping Co. has filed for receivership, the port authority said.
The Port of Prince Rupert, together with its partners DP World and CN, are in communication and are actively working to realize a resolution to the situation.
Meanwhile CN Rail said it would release all Hanjin import containers at its terminals while export boxes would not be loaded onto trains.
All Hanjin import containers will be released for pickup. This includes Hanjin containers on ground at CN inland terminals as well as containers currently moving on the CN network to CN destination terminals, it said.
All Hanjin export units currently at CN inland terminals will not be loaded onto trains and can be picked up from the CN origin terminal.
CN Rail is not charging for storage of Hanjin boxes and will not accept further Hanjin export containers until further notice.
On Wednesday as Hanjin filed for court receivership Jeong Eun-bo, vice chairman of Koreas Financial Services Commission, suggested that HMM could take over its vessels to preserve the countrys shipping industry.
With Hanjin Shipping filing for court receivership, there is a worrying view that Koreas shipping industry as a whole may lose its global competitiveness, he was quoted as saying by the Korea Herald.
We will actively push for the idea to have Hyundai Merchant Marine acquire Hanjin Shippings sound assets such as ships, routes, global networks and human resources.
However Hanjin only owns just over one-third of its fleet of 98 containerships, with 61 chartered in from international owners, some such as Seaspan that had spurned requests for cuts in charter hire.
HMM itself only narrowly escaped bankruptcy in July this year managing to negotiate 20% cuts in charter hire with international shipowners as time ran out on its restructuring talks with creditors.
HMM ranks as the worlds 14th largest container line according to analyst Alphaliner while Hanjin is number seven.
The exercise, codenamed Ferex 2016, aims to test the readiness of various agencies to respond to ferry mishaps in the port of Singapore.
More than 450 personnel from 15 agencies and companies took part in this full deployment exercise which included deployment of resources at sea at the Western Anchorage for rescue operations, manning of emergency operations centre at MPAs Port Operations Control Centre, and landing of casualties and rescued persons at Harbourfront Centre Terminal.
The exercise scenario involved a collision between two regional passenger ferries. The impact of the collision caused the hull of Ferry 1 to be breached and it started to take in water.
The exercise saw some passengers injured while some jumped into the sea out of panic. Life rafts had to be activated and a total of 15 craft were deployed to conduct search and rescue operations, evacuation of injured passengers and recovery of man overboard.
Andrew Tan, chief executive of MPA, said: Safety remains our key priority. Today's ferry evacuation exercise held as part of our [email protected] week, aims to test the coordination and operational readiness of our ferry operators and various agencies in responding to emergencies. MPA will continue to work closely with the maritime community to strengthen the safety regime for regional ferries.
Some of the participating agencies included Singapore Police Force, Singapore Emergency Ambulance Services, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Cruise Centre, Singapore Armed Forces, and Singapore Island Cruise and Ferry Services.
In a debate Monday with his Democratic rival Denise Juneau for Montanas lone U.S. House seat, Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., said the Land and Water Conservation Fund needs to be reformed.
LWCF takes a portion of offshore oil and gas royalties and offers them as matching grants for conservation and community projects. Federal land acquisitions, fishing access sites and city parks and pools are just a few of the things LWCF has funded in Montana.
While still a niche issue nationally, LWCF has gained attention in the West as lawmakers sparred over reauthorization and funding for the program. Some conservative members of Congress have called for massive overhaul and redirecting funding away from land acquisition.
In response to a question about LWCFs use in acquiring additional federal lands despite current unmet management needs and rising national debt, Zinke said that LWCF is good for Montana and he supports it. He followed his voice of support with some reforms he would like to see.
I think it needs to be reformed and the state should have a say in where it goes, but overall its been enormously successful in providing access, Zinke said. You know Montanans have a different relationship with their public lands than some of our neighbors.
Zinke continued in saying that LWCF needs a more collaborative approach that listens to local voices.
The comments on reform quickly drew attention and social media denouncements from conservation groups pushing for a permanent, clean reauthorization and funding for the program.
Following the debate, Zinkes communications director expounded on his views, saying the congressmans stance has not wavered on LWCF.
Rep. Zinke's priority remains reauthorization and fully funding LWCF, spokeswoman Heather Swift said. He wants to permanently reauthorize LWCF so we can work on improving the availability of funding and types of funding sources so Montana projects have a dog in the fight to better compete for resources.
Specific funding reforms include tapping revenues beyond offshore drilling, with renewable energy as one potential source.
Zinke does not want to introduce reforms as legislation or amendments, Swift said, and he opposes the more fundamental reforms proposed by some fellow lawmakers, specifically Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah.
The reform comments still had some conservation groups uneasy ahead of Thursdays debate in Billings.
People have been talking about reforming LWCF for 20 years, and that word reform has consistently been a code word used by people that want to kill the program. I think thats why were so sensitive to it because more recently, reform has been used as a way to delay the program, said Dave Chadwick, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation, adding that his organization is not taking a side in the election.
Chadwick praised LWCF as a highly successful program that has worked for 50 years. On the idea of additional local input, one hallmark of the fund is that the vast majority of projects already come from local communities.
Its totally driven from the ground up suggesting we need more local input is dangerously close to more delays and not reauthorizing the program, he said.
Both the Montana Wilderness Association and Juneaus campaign pointed to a more recent vote on the proposed Department of Interior budget, which includes cuts to some LWCF funding next year.
"In July, Rep. Zinke voted to cut $128 million in funding for LWCF and now he's calling for the program to be reformed even though Montanans have made it abundantly clear that this program should be fully funded and reauthorized without any changes, said MWA Executive Director Brian Sybert. Rep. Zinke says he fully supports LWCF, but his actions are undermining the viability of an important program that protects our outdoor heritage."
"The money for LWCF is there, but right now Washington insiders like Congressman Zinke vote to cut its funding, Juneau spokesman Les Braswell said. In Congress, Denise will work to permanently reauthorize and fully fund LWCF. Period."
LWCF sunsetted for the first time in its 50-year history last year. Congress later attached three-year reauthorization of the fund to its budget bill, with Zinke the only member of the Montana delegation to vote in favor.
The vote was one that Zinke told voters Monday was indicative of his policy.
Ive supported it over and over again, he said on the debate stage. In fact, Im the only candidate out of our representatives that when it was going to leave at least my vote extended it for three years. Otherwise the Land and Water Conservation Act wouldve failed.
The closure of Ghazali bridge near Shuwaikh port and the anticipated traffic delays for trucks serving the terminal has necessitated the move, the Kuwait arm of Norwegian ship agency Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has confirmed.
Reports attributed to the Kuwait Shipping Companies and Agents Association (KSCAA) suggest the decision to reduce the volume of cargo at Shuwaikh will see feeder services linked to Danish giant Maersk, Frances CMA CGM, Singapores APL, Sri Lankas Seacon Shipping and Turkeys Admiral Container Lines re-routed. It is understood US Military cargo will also be transferred to Shuaibah port.
The diversion will begin in September or October for three months, KSCAA said, although sources anticipate further delays.
WSS says the road works are not related to the KD169m ($560m) Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Causeway project which runs from near the Port of Shuwaikh westward across Kuwait Bay to Doha (not to be confused with the Qatar capital) and is more than a third complete.
Port of Shuwaikh remains open and WSS Kuwait said the majority of the countrys container business would return to the capital city eventually as Shuaibah Port does not have sufficient capacity to handle Kuwaits containerized imports long term.
However, in the interim, increased transportation fees will be charged for shipments to Port of Shuwaikh to encourage the local importers to define Shuaibah as a port of destination in the contract which will be reflected in the bill of lading.
Kuwaits container trade is understood to be exclusively via feeder services from ports such as Dubais Jebel Ali, Khorfakkan in Sharjah and Salalah in Oman.
When the Montana Supreme Court issued its decision regarding access for floating the Dearborn and Beaverhead Rivers in 1984, no one could have imagined the battles that would ensue over the next 30 years. Not only did the court ruling open most Montanas rivers and streams to recreation without regard to streambed ownership or navigability, it laid the foundation for invoking the public trust doctrine in a myriad of resource policy debates.
That doctrine was invoked in the 1984 Supreme Court decision on the grounds that the Montana Constitution says waters are the property of the state for the use of its people. Hence, the court concluded, the state has a trust responsibility to maintain access for people to use their water for recreation. The state Legislature tried to put sideboards on the ruling with the Stream Access Law in 1985 by clearly stating that the law does not grant an easement for the public to cross private property to obtain access.
One might think that the 1984 court decision, the 1985 law, and subsequent refinements, such as the 2009 bridge access law, would have settled the access issue. With wind in their sails, however, stream access zealots have demonstrated an insatiable appetite for more and more. Led mainly by the Public Land/Water Access Association, Inc. (PLWA), these activists file lawsuit after lawsuit in the name of the public trustand not just to water, but also to wildlife.
Like bees to honey, PLWA is especially attracted to properties where private landowners have invested in fish and wildlife habitat. For example, access advocates licked their chops at the prospect of fishing the Mitchell Slough where private landowners who own the streambed and pay taxes on it invested millions of dollars to create a trout stream out of what was essentially an irrigation ditch. Similarly, they targeted access to the Ruby River after the private owner changed land uses and invested in fish and wildlife habitat. Now rumor has it that the Darlington Ditch near the Madison River is in their sights.
Rather than trying to gut Montanas stream access law, as PLWA claims, landowners are simply protecting their private property and their investments in conservation. Youd think this would be something sportsmen and women would applaud.
If the lawsuits werent enough, stream access has become a major issue in the current gubernatorial race. Campaign ads attack Greg Gianforte by claiming that he blocked stream access on his property, but nothing could be further from the truth. Gianforte did file suit against the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks to quiet (clarify) his title by correcting the location of a FWP easement across his property. FWP eventually settled out of court by correcting the mistake. At no point in the process was legal stream access denied, and indeed to this day Gianforte allows people to access the East Gallatin River by walking on his property above the high-water mark.
To further illustrate just how the public trust doctrine is used in political debates, consider Governor Bullocks response to Gianfortes invitation to fish on his property. Thanks for the invitation. But the beauty is, thats a public right of way. I dont need your permission. This might make a nice political sound bite, but in fact, both the state Supreme Court and the Legislature specifically say that protecting the publics right to stream recreation does not create an easement or right of way.
Given their victories, it is no surprise that access advocates are expanding their target to include access to public wildlife on private lands. After all, they contend, if people cannot be prevented from accessing state water that flows across private stream beds and banks, why should they be denied access to state wildlife that similarly flows across private land. This motivates access zealots to argue that landowners should not be granted damage or shoulder season hunts unless they allow free public access during the regular season.
The public trust argument has even been put forward as a solution to the recent fish kill that closed 200 miles of the Yellowstone River to recreation. Writing in the Billings Gazette, George Wuerthner contended that the low water levels and high temperatures giving rise to the parasite killing whitefish are the result of cattle grazing and irrigation. Never mind the fact that many Montana rivers ran dry in August before irrigation brought late-season return flows. He asserts that it is a public trust obligation for the governor and state wildlife agencies to protect the citizens right to fishing, recreation and higher quality water and calls on citizens to sue the state in favor of whitefish over cows.
No doubt the access zealots will continue their public trust march, but that doesnt mean true Montana sportsmen and women have to follow their lead. It is time to return to Montanas roots by honoring private property rights and, indeed, by celebrating them. The next time you see a No Trespassing sign or an orange fence post, dont join the ranks of the access activists; follow the advice from BigSkyFishing.com all that is usually required is a polite request to the landowner.
Terry Anderson is the former president and executive director of the Property and Environment Research Center in Bozeman.
Surf's up: the "China wave" crashes on Michigan shores
In an op-ed written for the Battle Creek Enquirer, Tom Watkins, president and chief executive of the Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority, celebrates the recent opening of the Michigan-China Innovation Center in downtown Detroit. Chinese investment in the United States has created tens of thousands of jobs here, and the Innovation Center will work to bring more of those jobs to Michigan. According to Watkins, "Michigan has nearly 200 Chinese-owned firms that contribute over $3 billion in foreign direct investment." [
Please, don't go
Inteva Products, a Troy-based auto supplier, is creating 77 new jobs, and perhaps 50 more, through its $23 million investment in an Adrian, Mich. plant. The Michigan Strategic Fund awarded the $1.27 million grant to woo the company away from threats of relocation to neighboring Indiana. [
Towing the line in Troy
Another Troy-based auto company, Horizon Global Corp., is growing to become an $800 million global player with the purchase of Germany-based Westfalia Group. The companies are big in the world of towing and trailering products and accessories, designing, manufacturing, and distributing the auto-related products. [
Success at Southfield's Nexcess
The Southfield-based data center and web hosting services company Nexcess celebrated the opening of two new facilities next to its Melrose Avenue headquarters. The growing company, which has hired 42 new employees over the past five years, is doubling its presence in the city, expanding from its 13,000 sq. ft. facility to over 26,000 sq. ft. [
Recent RenCen news
Franco Publication Relations Group has hired a new account manager, marketing specialist, and assistant account executive, drawing the three new hires to its Renaissance Center offices. Franco was founded in 1964 in Detroit and is Michigan's oldest independent public relations firm, the company says.
Numbers game:
$245,150 the average salary of surgeons in Michigan, topping the list of 100 highest paid jobs in the state. Journalist and editor failed to crack the top 100. [ ClickOnDetroit
What happens to college students who are protected from speech they find offensive, disagree with or just don't like? Some experts believe that students' minds are being coddled and that so-called intellectual "safe spaces" and classroom "trigger warnings" do more harm than good.
The University of Chicago bucked a recent academic trend this fall by telling freshmen that they would not require professors to warn students ahead of time that some content may be offensive, sexist, racist or otherwise unpleasant. It comes after many schools have faced pressure from students who want such curriculum, speakers or content removed from classrooms and university academic spaces.
The consequences for mandating a more sanitized college intellectual experience could be students who are less resilient, according to Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education which tracks campus speech issues.
RELATED: Is College Worth It?
"We are teaching students the habits of anxious and depressed people and wondering why we are seeing spikes in anxiety and depression in college students," said Lukianoff, who wrote about The Coddling of the American Mind in the Atlantic Monthly last year.
Lukianoff, an attorney, says that campus administrators and parents could be to blame. That's because of a general feeling that talking about issues such as sexual assault, suicide or race relations could "trigger" some kind of negative response in the student. Lukianoff disagrees.
"Triggers aren't linear," he said. "Someone who is a victim of a traumatic experience isn't necessarily going to be triggered by a telling of that experience."
The justification for avoiding discussion of personal trauma, may be to make students unable to handle tough situations. It has also forced some professors to avoid some topics completely.
Jeannie Suk Gersen has written in the New Yorker magazine that fellow professors at Harvard Law School are avoiding teaching of rape law because of complains from students that they feel uncomfortable talking about it. That in turn, may result in a generation of lawyers who are unable to either defend or prosecute such cases.
RELATED: Nearly a Third of Med Students Have Mental Health Issues
"This has the negative consequences of having lawyers who don't know the law."
Some students also say they feel threatened by political speech with which they don't agree, such as the words "Trump 2016" chalked on campus sidewalks at Emory University, while others complained about other students with "biases" to the degree that campus administrators urged students at one university to call 911 to report "bias incidents."
Years ago, when investigating depression, psychologist Martin Seligman coined the term, "learned helplessness" to describe what happens when people view themselves as victims, according to Pamela Paresky, a psychologist and president of the Aspen Center for Human Development.
Paresky says its possible that feeling a lack of control is associated with both depression and anxiety, and some psychologists believe that "protecting" students from speech, ideas, and literature that is emotionally challenging will not only have the effect of weakening their later ability to participate effectively in society, but could increase depression and anxiety in students.
She cautioned that she's not aware of any scientific research on the subject.
"Rather than being intellectually safe spaces in which all offense is banned," Paresky said in an e-mail, "liberal arts colleges could be spaces in which it is safe for students and faculty to contend with, consider, and engage with people and ideas with whom they fundamentally disagree."
WATCH: Should College Be Free?
Ethiopia is coming apart at the seams. In just in the last year, the country has suffered through a historic drought, a severe economic slowdown, and a series of clashes between citizens and government forces. Trace Dominguez has the details in today's Seeker Daily report.
The country's biggest problem is a political one, according to international observers. When the nation's current ruling party -- the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) -- took power in 1991, it immediately segregated the country into nine regional districts, divided by ethnicity.
The EPRDF strongly favors the interests of the Tigrayans, of the Tigray region. Even though ethnic Tigrans make up only six percent of Ethiopia's population, they have managed to secure 100 percent of the seats in the country's parliamentary body. Predictably, the government is largely viewed as illegitimate and corrupt.
In order to retain power, the EPRDF has assumed near-total control over the press, the military, the legislature and the economy. In November 2015, the percolating protest movement finally boiled over into a series of major confrontations. Unrest has spread rapidly though the districts of Ethiopia's two largest ethnics groups -- the Oromos and the Amharas.
RELATED: Why Do Ethiopia And Eritrea Hate Each Other?
Government officials have responded by deploying military units as well as Ethiopia's infamous anti-terrorism task force. Under recently drafted laws, Ethiopia's government is granted sweeping powers to combat terrorism. The trouble, as always, is that the government also gets to decide who the terrorists are. Since the laws were adopted in 2009, they've been used to justify the kidnappings, torture and arbitrary detention of anyone who vocally opposes the government.
Ethiopia's political crises have been further exacerbated by a severe drought -- the worst in more than 50 years. El Nino is being blamed for rain shortages that have killed up to 90 percent of crops in some areas. Critics say the government, in an effort to keep up appearances, has moved slowly in requesting international aid. Meanwhile, officials have moved to suppress international media from reporting on events in the country.
It doesn't look good. For more on Ethiopia's troubled times, click over to our previous report on government corruption.
-- Glenn McDonald
Learn More:
New York Times: 'A Generation is Protesting' in Ethiopia, Long a U.S. Ally
Washington Post: A Year After Obama's Visit, Ethiopia is in Turmoil
The Guardian: In Ethiopia, Anger Over Corruption and Farmland Development Runs Deep
Well, this certainly seems significant: According to recent reports out of Europe, scientists in Hungary may have discovered a fifth fundamental force of physics. Say that three times fast. Trace Dominguez investigates in today's DNews special report.
First, some background. Traditional physics has long proceeded from the assumption that there are four fundamental forces in the universe: gravity, electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force. These are the cornerstones of the rule book by which physicists order the universe, and mix their metaphors.
Physicists also believe that each fundamental force of nature has a corresponding subatomic particle. The photon, for instance, carries electromagnetic force. The strong nuclear force is carried by the gluon. Theoretically, gravity is carried by a particle called a graviton. Finally, the weak nuclear forces is affiliated with a particular kind of boson, named after physicist Satyendra Nath Bose.
RELATED: How Does Dark Energy Stretch Our Universe?
Now then, about those Hungarians: Physicists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences were researching the concept of dark photons -- a theorized particle related to dark matter -- when they came across an interesting anomaly. The data suggest this anomaly may actually be a heretofore unknown variety of subatomic particle: a "protophobic X boson."
The science gets very complex indeed, but the radically simplified upshot is this: Just as those four other subatomic particles have a corresponding fundamental force, it appears that this fifth variety should have one too. And if it does, it may prove to be the key to understanding dark matter, which is a whole 'nother conversation.
The Hungarian team actually first reported their findings back in 2015, but the matter was brought to much wider attention when a group of U.S. researchers published its own analysis of the data. Since then, every theoretical physicist and his brother, and sister, have been taking a crack at the conundrum. Scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research are looking to confirm the findings, while others are skeptical of the entire ball of subatomic wax.
Check out Trace's report for more details, and keep in mind that the very Standard Model of Physics may be at stake. No pressure.
-- Glenn McDonald
Learn More:
Cosmos Magazine: Have Physicists Discovered A Fifth Force Of Nature?
Quanta Magazine: Evidence Of A 'Fifth Force' Faces Scrutiny
CERN: The Standard Model
Meet the largest carnivorous dinosaur ever found in Germany, a two-ton monster with huge teeth that's just been deemed its own genus and species.
Writing in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, researchers from Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) in Munich discuss their analysis of fossilized bones and teeth of an enormous dinosaur from some 160 million years ago -- a meat-eating beast known to paleontologists as the "Monster of Minden" that they've named Wiehenvenator albati.
W. albati was a megalosaurid -- the earliest known group of large carnivores -- that weighed a bit more than 2 tons and was about 26 to 33 feet (8 to 10 meters) long. It stood on its hind legs, had shortened forelimbs and, according to a release from the scientists, had "teeth as big as bananas" that curved inward toward the pharynx.
RELATED: Ancient 'Hypercarnivores' Could Take Down Young Mammoths
The well-preserved bones were unearthed from the hills of a former quarry in northwestern Germany's Wiehengebirge mountain range, south of Minden. According to the researchers, the dinosaur likely lived on islands in shallow waters surrounding what is today central Europe.
A wide range of often large carnivorous dinosaurs lived on the islands. "Moreover, most of them belonged to the group known as the megalosaurids," said study co-author Oliver Rauhut, a paleontologist at LMU, in a statement.
RELATED: Video Shows Evolution of Largest Dinosaurs
The team says its analysis safely places W. albati as a new megalosaurid theropod, from the same broad group as Tyrannosaurus rex, during a time in the fossil record when a vast array of new species were arriving on the scene.
"Practically all the major groups of predatory dinosaurs originated during this period, including tyrannosaurs (which, however, only gave rise to their really gigantic representatives some 80 million years later) and the first direct ancestors of the birds," said Rauhut.
WATCH VIDEO: What Did Dinosaurs Really Sound Like?
Well that was quick. On Monday, speculation was rife that a signal from an alien civilization had been detected coming from a star system 94 light-years away. Today, we're coming to terms with the fact that the 11.1 GHz radio signal was actually produced by a Soviet era satellite.
RELATED: 'Interesting' SETI Signal Detected: Noise or... Aliens?
In a statement from the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Wednesday, astronomer Yulia Sotnikova said that "an interesting radio signal at a wavelength of 2.7 cm was detected" but "subsequent processing and analysis of the signal revealed its most probable terrestrial origin."
Bummer.
The strong radio burst was detected on May 15, 2015, by the RATAN-600 radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya, Russia, and reports of a document describing the "interesting" signal from the star system HD164595 appeared on the website Centauri Dreams. Although speculation as to the possible extraterrestrial intelligence implications was on everyone's minds, no one thought aliens were a high probability, only that it was worth further study.
RELATED: SETI Seeks Ideas to Hunt Strange Alien Lifeforms
A discussion was planned during a special SETI meeting at the 67th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Guadalajara, Mexico, in September.
Of course, the mere hint of discovering a candidate signal from an advanced extraterrestrial civilization was enough to work some mainstream media outlets into a frenzy while science journalists tried to inject some sanity into the proceedings, pointing out that the signal was overwhelmingly likely to be terrestrial in origin. But aliens remained the narrative and aliens kept hogging the headlines. It's a fundamental law of space journalism: even if alien life is just a remote possibility, alien life will become the story.
The problem with the speculative science of SETI is that there is a high probability of false positives. Strong signals are detected, but we live on a planet drenched in radio waves. To complicate matters, our planet is surrounded by satellites also blasting transmissions of various wavelengths back at our planet. It's a complex task to take a suspect SETI signal, analyze it and identify exactly what may have caused it.
WATCH VIDEO: We're Not Saying The Kepler Discovery Is Aliens, But...
"SpaceX can confirm that in preparation for today's static fire, there was an anomaly on the pad resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload. Per standard procedure, the pad was clear and there were no injuries," the company said in a statement.
Only days before a planned commercial satellite launch, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during before a routine static fire test. According to preliminary reports, no one was injured and local emergency services say the explosion doesn't pose a risk to the public.
Company officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment about the extent of possible damage to the launch pad, one of two currently used by SpaceX. The other is at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
SpaceX has not yet started flying from two other U.S. launch sites, one in Florida adjacent to its current site, and the other under construction in Texas.
RELATED: Lesson of SpaceX Rocket Landing: Try, Try, Try Again
The accident is a huge setback for SpaceX, which technology entrepreneur Elon Musk founded in 2002 with the goal of slashing launch costs so that travel to Mars would be affordable.
The company, based in Hawthorne, Calif., had racked up 27 successful launches and one failure in the six years since the Falcon 9 rocket debuted.
This week, SpaceX said it had sold its first used rocket, with launch of the booster, previously used to deliver a cargo ship to the International Space Station for NASA, slated for liftoff in the last quarter of 2016 to deliver an SES SA communications satellite into orbit.
SpaceX also had been aiming for the first flight of its heavy-lift, 27-engine Falcon booster before the end of the year, and planned to launch its first spacecraft to Mars in 2018.
Hungarian researchers may have finally found the lost tomb of Suleiman the Magnificent, the longest reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
Believed to contain Suleiman's heart and intestines, the tomb is a rectangular building which was unearthed last month near Szigetvar, in southern Hungary.
Suleiman died in 1566 at age 71 in his tent outside the besieged fortress of Szigetvar, just two days before the fall of the town, which heroically resisted the Ottoman army for an entire month.
How Moroccan Ruler Could Sire 1,000 Kids Revealed
In his 46-year-long reign Suleiman conquered much of the Middle East, large parts of north Africa and most of Hungary. Undoubtedly one of the greatest rulers of 16th-century Europe, he presided over the golden age of the Ottoman empire, funding the construction of Istanbul's most impressive architecture.
According to historical records, the sultan's death was kept secret for 48 days, until his son Selim II could take the throne.
Suleiman's body was taken back to Istanbul, where is now housed at the Suleymaniye Mosque. On the spot of the sultan's death, the Ottomans placed a memorial tomb where they interred his heart and internal organs.
Video: Ancient Lost Army Found?
Norbert Pap, head of the department of Political Geography, Regional and Development Studies at the University of Pecs in Hungary, said his team is almost certain to have found the long-sought tomb.
After searching archives for hints of the tomb around the fortress, Pap and colleagues focused on the top of a vineyard near the village of Turbekpuszta.
"According to the local population, Turkish ruins used be located here, and they have reported Ottoman era archaeological artifacts on numerous occasions," the researchers wrote in a statement.
Mystery Over 15th-Century Drilled Skull Solved
Geophysical and remote sensing revealed the traces of several buildings, all oriented toward the southeast.
"One of them is almost exactly oriented toward Mecca," the researchers said.
The site fits with descriptions of an Ottoman settlement called Turbek, a name derived from the Turkish word "turbeh," meaning "tomb."
Turbek started out as a shrine over Suleiman's burial in the 1570s and thrived as a holy town until its destruction by the Habsburg army in the 1680s.
For Allah' Inscription Found on Viking Era Ring
During a dig carried out in October and November, Pap and colleagues unearthed a rectangular building with wide walls built from bricks and stones.
Covered with stone tiles, the building had a large central room, about 26 by 26 feet. A robber pit in the middle of the structure suggests it was plundered in the late 17th century.
Some decorative elements remained intact and match in style the decorations in Suleiman's mausoleum in Istanbul.
Intact, Packed Etruscan Tomb Found
"Currently everything suggests that this building could have been Suleiman's tomb," the researchers wrote.
"However, in order to be able to assert this with 100 percent certainty, further examinations and the excavations of the other surrounding buildings are necessary," they added.
Pap said that excavation work at the site will continue next spring.
The team, consisting also of Miha Krofel from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia and Jeannine McManus from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, began its research by pulling together scientific experiments on lethal or nonlethal methods to reduce predation on livestock. Although they limited the findings to those published in English and conducted in North America and Europe, they amassed a paper mountain of more than 500 articles. Of those, only 12 met a high level of scrutiny. That's because the researchers spent two years examining the design of each experiment and then evaluating its effectiveness according to a specific framework. In so doing, they were able to systematically ask questions about the study to decide, based on the answers, whether it met a "gold" standard. RELATED: Killing Wolves Can Increase Livestock Attacks Was the strategy randomly assigned? Check. Did another group receive no strategy as a comparison? Check. Were measurements and reporting unbiased? Check. Were the results reviewed anonymously by a group of experts? Check. "Silver" standards were those experiments that came close, but lacked the random assignment. WATCH VIDEO: When Did Wild Wolves Become Pet Dogs?
Interestingly, none of the studies that met a silver or gold standard came from the animals-1792462111.html">USDA's Wildlife Services, a federal agency that kills millions of animals per year as part of a management strategy. In 2015 alone, they killed 3.2 million animals, including not only apex predators, but also beavers, blackbirds, starlings, crows, prairie dogs, snakes and feral swine, to name just a few. "They have a big research arm funded for 40 or 50 years and they can't seem to do any quality work," said Robert Crabtree, chief scientist and founder of Yellowstone Ecological Research Center. "Shouldn't someone take a look at what's going on here and evaluate the millions of dollars spent for decades trying to justify lethal control?" RELATED: Wolf Attacks More Myth than Reality Of the 12 studies that did hold up to scrutiny, five were non-lethal experiments and seven were lethal. When Treves and his colleagues looked at which methods were the best at keeping predators away from livestock, nonlethal came out on top: 80% were shown to be effective compared to 29% of lethal strategies. Although it may seem counterintuitive that nonlethal interventions are more effective, there's a good explanation. "Nonlethal methods seem to repel the predators without disrupting the social organization of the predators," said Treves. "Disrupting the social organization by killing long-term resident predators seems to invite newcomers that prey on livestock more than did the older residents that were there before."
At Lava Lake Land & Livestock in Blaine County, Idaho, cofounder and owner Brian Bean knows all about lethal and nonlethal interventions. His family-owned ranch, which runs nearly 2,000 sheep on several hundred thousand acres of public and private rangeland, has been dealing with predators since the ranch was founded in 1999. "We have black bears, gray wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, golden eagles -- in fact, just about everything except grizzly bears -- so far," he said. From the very beginning, coyotes preyed on Lava Lake's livestock. They remain the number one predator of his sheep, taking at least 30 sheep a year. But in 2002, Bean had his first experience with wolves. Seven ewes were attacked and killed at a spring on the Main ranch. Lava Lake lost 25 ewes, two rams and a guard dog to an attack the next season. Another time, wolves killed 35 sheep in a single six-hour period. "It was eye-opening," said Bean. RELATED: Watch Out Urbanites, Here Come the Carnivores All states with wolves have a compensation program to reimburse ranchers for livestock lost to predation. But Bean was more interested in learning how to prevent the attacks in the first place. He began working closely with the conservation group Defenders of Wildlife to get up to speed on nonlethal methods. Now he manages his sheep using a variety of nonlethal tools and techniques. A kit he puts together for his sheep herders -- and also makes available to other livestock operators through the Wood River Wolf Project -- contains spotlights, flashing LED lights, airhorns, a boombox, a starter pistol and various other deterrents that keep wolves away from sheep. The project also maintains a supply of simple, light-weight electrified fencing that includes flapping red flags. This so-called "turbo-fladry" can be very effective at night on bedgrounds. The cost for the kit, which the project shares among ranchers, is about $2,000 and lasts four to five years. Bean also uses sheep-herding dogs and three to five guard dogs per group of sheep, called a band, which consists of roughly 850 to 950 ewes and their 1,200 to 1,400 lambs.
Bam: Target funding for rehab centers achievable
With government putting utmost priority in the fight against illegal drugs, Sen. Bam Aquino said the needed fund for the establishment of additional rehabilitation centers for thousands of drug dependents must be ensured in the national budget.
"Now that everybody wants to support the war on drugs and the rehabilitation efforts, puwede kayong umasa sa Senado para sa budget item na ito," said Sen. Bam during the hearing of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs
"Dapat nating matiyak na may pondo sa rehabilitasyon ng mga nag-surrender na drug dependents," added Sen. Bam.
Currently, the Department of Health plans to establish four regional drug rehabilitation centers of 500 beds each, or a total of 2,000.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the government is also looking to put up a drug rehabilitation center in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija that can house 5,000 to 10,000 dependents.
The government also plans to establish rehabilitation centers in military camps in Bohol and Capiz.
During the hearing, it was discovered that less than 0.6 to 1 percent, or around 30,000 to 37,000, of 3.7 million drug dependents in the country need treatment in rehabilitation centers.
For the remaining percentage, resource speakers mentioned that they should be provided with outpatient intervention in local communities.
Sen. Bam brought up the effectiveness of peer counseling to address both rehabilitation and prevention in the country's fight against illegal drugs.
"We need more barangay-level interventions to address the rehabilitation of drug dependents," the lawmaker added.
"Makatutulong sa ating anti-drug drive kung hindi lang ang PNP ang mangunguna sa laban. It should be a multi-sectoral effort - may simbahan, local, may mga organizations - para lahat ay makatulong sa pag-kontra sa droga," the lawmaker added.
The senator also mentioned that the Sangguniang Kabataan can play a crucial part in combating the illegal drug problem among the young Filipinos.
Press Release
September 1, 2016 Cayetano: Duterte's war on drugs a war to protect human rights, ensure safety & welfare of Filipinos "Our war against illegal drugs is not a war against life, but a war to fight for the lives of all Filipinos. It is not a war against human rights, but a war to protect human rights, and to ensure the safety and welfare of the Filipino family." Senator Alan Peter Cayetano stressed this in his privilege speech on Wednesday (August 31) amid false reports in foreign press about human rights issues in the conduct of the administration's intensified campaign against illegal drugs. Contrary to claims of the Commission on Human Rights, Cayetano said the government's strong policies against criminality have made it possible for Filipino families to begin feeling safer, particularly since the government waged an all-out war on drugs. The senator reiterated that President Rodrigo Duterte has not wavered in his commitment to uphold and protect the human rights of every Filipino at any time, contrary to what the President's critics are trying to portray. He added the government's unrelenting campaign against illegal drugs has actually improved the country's peace and order situation. "Narinig po natin sa sariling bibig ng ating Pangulo na ang human rights ay importante sa ating bansa. Pero hindi pwedeng gamitin ang human rights para hindi ituloy ang drug war," Cayetano said. "If you listen to the President's speeches... palagi niyang sinasabi that he will operate within the confines of the Philippine Constitution. He will respect the Bill of Rights and the rule of law," he intoned. The senator pointed out that the drug menace has reached alarming levels that nothing short of bold and swift solutions are needed to end the problem. He said criminality was already rampant under previous administrations at the rate of almost 1,000-2,000 incidents of murders and homicides every month. The only difference, he said, is that in the past, innocent citizens were hounded and victimized by hardened criminals and drug pushers. But today, it's the law that's hounding the drug pushers and criminals, he noted. "Don't you feel safer today than six years ago? Wala pong sense of security ang Pilipino dati... Dati, ang takot ay ang tao... Ngayon, nararamdaman ng mga tao ang pagbabago... Ngayon ang kriminal na ang takot, hindi ang mamamayan." he said. Cayetano also denounced Duterte's detractors' penchant to blame the administration for all the drug-related killings in the country. He said the slack use of "extrajudicial killings" (EJKs) to label all suspected drug casualties puts in question the motive behind the investigation being conducted by Sen. Leila De Lima's Committee on Justice. "Are some people using the term EJK loosely not because they are human rights advocates... [but] to discredit the PNP and the Duterte administration?" Cayetano asked as he reiterated his call for De Lima to inhibit herself from the inquiry. Cayetano said labeling the deaths of drug suspects as EJKs is obviously meant to create the wrong perception that the State is initiating the executions and is doing nothing to resolve the crimes. "The State, the executive department, legislative department, and the judiciary, are doing its best to ensure that the rule of law prevails. Even the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is part of the state and is already investigating," the senator pointed out. Cayetano, meanwhile, said he remains confident of President Duterte's continuous efforts to uphold human rights while also ensuring the safety and protection of all families.
Press Release
September 1, 2016 COCO LEVY TRUST FUND NOW P75 BILLION, LAW ON FUND TO UPLIFT LIVES OF 3 MILLION COCO FARMERS: PANGILINAN MANILA - The coco levy fund trust is now P75 billion, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) said Thursday at the first hearing on money and assets the Supreme Court ruled was collected from the coconut farmers from 1973 to 1982. The law to be enacted from the measures seeking to allow the coconut farmers use the trust fund will end the Martial Law-era injustice and uplift the lives of 3 million coconut farmers from whom the levy was collected, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said. Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said the funds may now be used to develop the coconut industry using the whole coconut, not just the copra (or the dried mature coconut meat) which forms the core of the industry now. Doing this will allow the country to produce and export more value-added coco products, the senator said. "Instead of mostly raw and crude coconut oil derived from copra, we will export more processed and value-added coco products and by-products like virgin coconut oil, coco sugar, coco milk, among others," Pangilinan said in his opening statement. He said the funds should be used to increase the income of coconut farmers and workers. "We will enhance farm productivity, set up coco-based community enterprises like seednut nurseries, integrated processing centers (for coco husk, shell, water, meat, sap, and lumber), natural fertilizer (coco peat and vermiculture) production and livestock integration, and intercropping. Farmers and farm workers will take part in replanting, fertilization, and pest management," Pangilinan said. He said the funds may also be used to organize coconut farmers and farm workers, most of whom are unorganized, at barangay and municipal levels. "Through self-organization, they will also able to establish their own registry, farm production data, history of pests and diseases, adaptation measures, vulnerability maps and data, and power and water sources -- skills and abilities needed to scientifically manage farms," Pangilinan said. Danilo Daniel, officer-in-charge of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, gave an update on the status of the P75.354 billion funds. The cash, which totals P62.5 billion, is broken down into: principal at P56.5 billion, interest at P3.6 billion, San Miguel Corp. share dividends at P854 million, and remittance from the United Coconut PlantersBank at P1.48 billion. The government securities, which totals P12.847 billion, is broken down into: principal at P12.33 billion and interest at P515.3 million.
Press Release
September 1, 2016 Welcome Statement of Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III
The Philippine Solar Summit and Exhibition 2016
SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City
September 1, 2016 Ms. Tetchi Capellan, President of the Philippine Solar Power Alliance; Mr. Florian Gottein, the Executive Director of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; and to all the participants, exhibitors, and guests of this Solar Summit 2016, my fellow Filipinos, a warm and energetic good morning to all of you. Thank you for inviting me to this affair. I wouldn't miss this for the Sun. When I was in first year high school at the Ateneo de Manila University, I had a solar powered alarm as my science project. So, 39 years ago I already foresaw the potential of solar energy and actually put it to practical use. The technology I used back then was a photovoltaic cell, if I remember correctly. I am sure the technology in solar power has changed tremendously over the years. Welcome to a new, bold, and daring Philippines! We have a new and unconventional President, who won on the program of government for Change. Fortunately, assisting the President are his political lieutenants and supporters, who, like him, are willing, ready, and able to think outside of the box to pursue new solutions to the age-old problems of Philippine society. Because of this willingness to pursue new solutions, we are now courageously going to tackle quality of life issues for all Filipinos. One factor contributing immensely to a high or desirable quality of life is the availability of power and its cost, both to the consumer and to the environment. After President Rodrigo Duterte successfully addresses our Law and Order issues, we expect the Philippine economy to take off in a trajectory never seen before. That is the Change that is coming. We want as part of that Change an economy which is powered by clean, affordable, and reliable sources of energy. We want our countrymen and future generations to enjoy modern conveniences without sacrificing the purity of our environment. Hence, our willingness to search for alternatives to fossil fuel. One alternative is solar power. It is renewable. It is "limitless". It is environment-friendly. The peak hours of energy consumption in the Philippines are also the hours when the sun is up. Hence, the arrival of solar power technology in the Philippines is indeed a blessing. Solar power has so many positives, that it is a "consummation devoutly to be wished". And I say that from the heart. It is a no-brainer therefore for policy makers to encourage the adoption of solar power technology. I understand that incentives have been given. But these must be constantly reviewed in order to determine if these are achieving the purposes for which they have been given. The need for a clean environment must be balanced with the economic needs of our people. This is the balancing act that needs to be done. Since I am a firm believer in renewable energy sources, I am volunteering to be that balancer. Take advantage of my remaining years as a Senator and keep me informed of developments in your industry. Inform me of the problems too. Are the incentives sufficient to spur investments in the field of solar power? Is the field too crowded already? Is the government pursuing a clear solar energy policy? And is that policy the right one? As a firm believer in Science, I wish to express my hope that the Philippines will not only be a consumer of the solar power technologies of other countries, but that Filipinos should also be inventors and manufacturers of solar power technologies. Remember, we are also the land of the rising sun. It is a wonder to me why solar power technology was not invented here. But that is because of the lack of a science culture in our country. And that is the subject matter for another speech. I therefore want to encourage all of you that when you undertake your corporate social responsibility projects, please devote resources to the development of a science culture here in our beloved country. And whatever be the outcome of your summit, we will all be the beneficiaries. For we would have shown that Change is here. We now have open minds. Solar power is a reality. And we acknowledge that finding alternatives to fossil fuel is a necessity. We can only end up advancing the quality of life of all mankind. Let us use our Kokote and welcome the Change that is coming, because we are that Change and we are going to make it happen! Thank you Philippine Solar Power Alliance for being a Partner for Change. Mabuhay at magandang umaga po sa lahat!
Press Release
September 1, 2016 Excerpts from Open Forum at 6th Philippine Solar Summit
and Exhibition 2016 On the issue of fiscal incentives to the solar and alternative energy sector SP Pimentel: As I have stated in my speech, I have an open mind, and I have been encouraging my colleagues to also maintain open minds. If you can point to us a model - if other countries have given incentives to rooftop solar power installers - then maybe we can follow that model. But definitely, this administration would not be that thirsty and hungry for taxes, because part of the program of government of the Duterte administration - and we will definitely do this - is tax reform, income tax reform which was resisted by previous administrations out of maybe allergic reaction or fear from losing revenues. But not this administration, hence if we talk about incentives maybe in the form of the relaxation of VAT or some of the taxes you mentioned, certainly this administration and its allies in Congress have open minds, but you can help in the specific details. On the need for the right incentives to keep the solar industry's momentum SPKP: That's correct, it's a balancing act. We are legislators, and not experts in energy pricing and insets so we need guidance as well in this field. What is important is the open mind is there, and the desire to help is there, and the belief in the important role of solar energy in the energy mix of the country. Q: On the continued implementation of the feed-in tariff in the solar industry SPKP: If there are some controversies about the feed-in tariff or in the awarding of contracts, you can approach me or any other legislator and we can file the proper resolution to have this incident or development investigated. If the proposal of the group is to do away with the feed-in tariff concept and that is in the law, we just have to repeal that certain portion, and we can also enact a law that will provide for a solar energy roadmap so that this will bind the agencies in following the roadmap. These are our options. What is important is to help your legislators develop some expertise in the field so that we will have a grasp of the situation or the industry so we can help you. But the involvement of the experts is indispensable, it is required. Out of the three hundred fifty plus legislators, I don't know how many are experts in the energy field. I had a briefing last night about the power sector, and I had the impression that it is still a 'Wild-Wild West' situation because precisely not only do we lack a roadmap or a framework for solar energy, we also don't even have it for nuclear energy, we don't even have it for other sources of energy. So we have a long way to go, but there are lots of positives and achievements here in the Philippines despite that lacking. Imagine what can we achieve if we have this roadmap or framework.
Press Release
September 1, 2016 AMLC told to hit drug money hard
Senator baffled by P500M worth of checks paid out by drug lord without getting detected by regulators The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and other law enforcement agencies should attack the financial infrastructure of drug trafficking syndicates to suppress their supply and distribution operations, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri said Thursday. "We are counting on the AMLC in particular to quickly spot and seize suspected drug money flowing through our banks, and to forcefully prosecute cases of money laundering by traffickers," Zubiri said. "Regulators should disabuse the perception that they have been inadequate in thwarting the criminal use of banks by drug traffickers," he said. The senator singled out the case of suspected drug lord Rolando "Kerwin" Espinosa Jr., who is now on the run. Espinosa was supposedly able to pay out more than P500 million worth of checks from eight bank accounts between 2014 to June 2016, with the bulk of the money apparently going to his alleged "protectors" in the criminal justice system, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP). "We are stumped that a 'high risk' individual can issue so many checks unobstructed, in amounts of up to P20 million per check, without the AMLC acting on suspicious transaction reports that should have been diligently filed by the banks involved," Zubiri said. From the start, the fact that Espinosa is the son of an incumbent mayor should have been a "red flag" or warning for the banks and the AMLC, the senator said. The instant Espinosa opened his bank accounts, he should have been correctly tagged as a "politically exposed person," or PEP, by the branch manager based on the know-your-customer rule, according to Zubiri. Under the law, PEPs, including family members of politicians, are considered "high risk" due to their exposure to potential bribery and corruption, the senator said. Thus, he said the bank and other financial accounts of PEPs are supposed to be subject to stronger anti-money laundering due diligence checks by banks and the AMLC. "Our sense is, this is a glaring case of inadequate enforcement of controls by regulators begetting poor compliance by banks," Zubiri said. "Regulators should also put an end to the practice of bank branch managers simply vouching for a depositor's unusually large transactions, even if the account owner does not have a lawfully registered business or a legally established trade or profession," Zubiri said. Under the Anti-Money Laundering Law, banks are supposed to report every "covered transaction" or any transaction involving a total amount in excess of P500,000 per day. Banks are also supposed to report every "suspicious transaction," regardless of amount, that could not be properly justified by the account owner. Zubiri said Philippine banks should be doing what their counterparts in the United States have been doing for a long time to fight potential money-laundering. "In America, if the amount of more than $10,000 gets deposited into your bank account and the sum deviates from your past transactions, the money is automatically withheld. You will have to show up at the bank to provide a convincing underlying legal or trade obligation, purpose or economic justification for the amount, before you may withdraw the money. Otherwise, the money is sequestered," Zubiri said. "If the amount in excess of $10,000 happens to come from abroad by wire, your US bank account is instantly closed. You may still get the money, but only after personally going to the bank and providing a satisfactory explanation for the amount. Otherwise, the money gets confiscated," he said. The senator urged the AMLC "to henceforth exercise greater due diligence in thoroughly scrutinizing 'suspicious' as well as 'covered' transaction reports filed by banks." Addressing the AMLC, PNP and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Zubiri said: "If you find the money, you find the syndicates."
BUTTE -- A Butte judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a former state doctor who was stripped of his license for alleged drug use after failing to appear for a court hearing in August.
Meanwhile, Mark Jay Catalanello, 56, pleaded guilty in Anaconda district court to DUI and drug possession charges.
City court judge Glen Granger issued a bench warrant Aug. 10 for Catalanello, who faces two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, also a misdemeanor, stemming from separate incidents in Rocker in March.
The Anaconda man denied on March 8 in Butte city court that he made threats and used profane language at Living Water Coffee Co. and the It Club. Prosecutors also allege that after Catalanellos arrest he was found with less than 60 grams of marijuana in the county jail, according to the complaint.
An attorney for Catalanello was not listed in city court records.
In a plea deal with Anaconda-Deer Lodge County prosecutors Aug. 3, Catalanello pleaded guilty in district court to felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor counts of aggravated driving under the influence and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, according to court documents.
Catalanello, who has a long history of substance abuse, was arrested March 10, after Anaconda police found him attempting to hide in a culvert after fleeing the scene of a two-car collision.
In exchange for his guilty pleas, prosecutors dismissed misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and two traffic violations. As part of the agreement, the state also dismissed two counts each of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors, in justice court.
The latter charges were in connection with a May 25 arrest at the Anaconda jail, where he arrived to post bail for a woman, Victoria Ray Lindley, according to police.
A presentence investigation was ordered by Judge Ray Dayton, with a sentencing date to be determined.
Catalanello was released on his own recognizance, court documents state.
He came under fire last fall when staff at the Butte-based Montana Chemical Dependency Center reported erratic behavior they suspected was in connection to illegal drug use.
At the time, Catalanello served as the medical director of MCDC and as a staff physician at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs.
The Montana Board of Medical Examiners suspended Catalanellos license in October 2015. In March, the board unanimously voted to permanently ban him from practicing medicine in the state.
Ted Radke, the longest-serving board member of the East Bay Regional Park District, died Sunday at age 71, according to a park district statement. Mr. Radke, a longtime Martinez resident and community fixture, helped to double the park districts land through aggressive advocacy in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
He was really a powerhouse a conservation lion, said park district General Manager Robert Doyle.
Mr. Radke served 36 years on the park district board representing Ward Seven, beginning with his election in 1978. From 1978 to 1999, park district acreage increased by 40,000 acres, fueled in part by Mr. Radkes push to acquire land and funding.
He grew up learning to hike, camp, fish and hunt, while hearing stories about Theodore Roosevelts and John Muirs adventures as early conservationists, said then-Rep. George Miller in a 2014 proclamation honoring Mr. Radke. Miller worked closely with Mr. Radke during his time in Congress, helping to secure funding for projects in Ward Seven like the creation of the Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline.
He was criticized once in the newspaper for being a land-grabber. He said it was one of his proudest moments, Doyle remembered with a chuckle. He was not shy about being a proponent of land preservation.
Mr. Radke served one term on the Martinez City Council before being elected to the board of the East Bay Regional Park District. He also taught political science at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, a career spanning three decades. He left behind a legacy of investment in the environment as a professor and as a father.
He spent his whole life teaching kids about political advocacy he was an expert on the political process, Doyle said.
Mr. Radkes son, Dylan, chairs the Martinez Parks, Recreation, Marina and Culture Commission.
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Mr. Radke and his wife, Kathy, also raised three foster children.
Kathy Radke died of pancreatic cancer in 2011 at age 71. She was remembered in the Congressional Record by Miller as a friend in the best sense of the word, and she was a neighbor in the largest sense of the word: she worried about us, inquired after us, and supported us as individuals and as families.
Mr. Radke is survived by two sons, H.T. and Dylan; a daughter, Catrina Nesper; and several grandchildren.
Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com
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Four years ago, Salesforce.com chief executive Marc Benioff encouraged San Franciscos struggling middle schools to think big, while backing their ideas with seven-digit donations.
Since then, his companys nonprofit foundation has written $13.5 million in checks, and the results are starting to come in, district officials said. Test scores are ticking up, class sizes are down, and the use of technology in classrooms is taken for granted.
Benioff and Salesforce are not done. The foundation is not only donating an additional $6 million to try to keep the momentum going in San Francisco schools, but also spreading its wealth and motivational message to Oakland, where the East Bay school district will get its own $2.5 million check.
Benioff is expected to announce the grants Thursday, joining San Francisco and Oakland officials at Oaklands Frick Impact Academy.
The foundation, Salesforce.org, is self-funded, sharing in the success of the $50 billion business. When he started Salesforce, Benioff adopted a philosophy that 1 percent of company equity, 1 percent of profit in the form of product donations and 1 percent of employee time should be dedicated to philanthropic efforts.
He also donates his own money to causes related to childrens health care, family homelessness and education including $200 million to what is now called the UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital.
With the new education grants, the foundations donations to the San Francisco and Oakland school districts total more than $22 million. Thats a down payment, Benioff told The Chronicle this week.
I believe that these gifts will exceed more than $100 million in short order, he said. I plan to make this part of my company and career.
The donation includes a commitment of 20,000 volunteer hours from Salesforce employees.
In San Francisco, district officials credited the Salesforce donation with spurring innovation and improving tech infrastructure to bolster computer science and math instruction.
The money helped pay for additional staff, including math coaches, as well as laptops and teacher training, and ushered in smaller class sizes to 24 students in eighth-grade math, down from 33.
In addition, every middle school principal has received a $100,000 innovation grant each year to use at his or her discretion, money that has bought robotics programs, 3-D printers and new libraries, among other things.
Test scores this year in math were up slightly across district middle schools, with nearly half of students meeting or exceeding state standards. Average math grades also went up.
I think that (Benioff) saw the benefit of the long game, which we really appreciate, and I think were starting to see some return on investment for him, said San Franciscos outgoing superintendent, Richard Carranza. Its really illustrative to Marcs dedication to the city and the school district, and embracing the idea that you cant have a great city without a great school system.
Test scores might not yet reflect the impact of the funding, but whats happening in the classrooms does, said Ebony Frelix, senior vice president of philanthropy and engagement at Salesforce.org.
The rows of desks and students with pencils and paper are gone, replaced by clusters of kids huddled over tablets and laptops.
They are the Jetsons, Frelix said.
While San Francisco has focused on incorporating computer science into every grade and pushing technology and math in middle school, Oakland will have its own plan for the Salesforce funding.
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Benioff met with Oakland principals and other district officials hosting them at his home more than once to listen to what they need. Dental care, trauma care and physical safety were among the issues that rose to the top, and they will be addressed, Benioff said.
That is really important to me to listen to the kids, listen to the principals, listen to the teachers, he said. I have to have relationships with these people or I cant do my job as a philanthropist, as a leader.
Oakland will also earmark money for technology and math, with a focus on increasing African American and Latino participation in science and tech careers. Some of the money will help pay for future centers in middle schools and high schools to promote college tours, internships and job shadowing.
In addition, six middle school principals will get $100,000 innovation grants this year.
I think what has impressed us is both the willingness of the foundation and Benioff to come into Oakland cognizant of what they learned in San Francisco, but also letting Oakland be Oakland, said Brian Stanley, executive director of the Oakland Education Fund, which will administer the Salesforce grants.
Unlike many tech donors, Benioff isnt trying to disrupt or blow up the system, said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.
He is investing in ideas and leaders that are here now, as a partner in scaling successful strategies, but also inviting innovation, Schaaf said. We are very cognizant that these types of philanthropic investments (dont) last forever, but they really can fuel innovation and prove the case for changing how we invest the public dollars.
Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
Sept. 2 marks the two-year anniversary of the killing of Rashawn Williams, a young man two weeks into his freshman year at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco with a lifetime of opportunity in front of him. We cant help but wonder, in this time of national soul-searching about race, in the face of the commonplace killings of black men and the call to action from the Black Lives Matter movement, what is San Francisco doing to honor and remember and pursue justice for Williams?
Williams killing garnered widespread media coverage because he was not just another black boy mowed down in an act of street violence although he was that. Williams stood out. He was an A-student, a leader in his community, and at 14 a gifted football player, earning a scholarship to attend the prestigious private school Sacred Heart.
Williams was stabbed in broad daylight outside a convenience store on 26th and Folsom streets where he had gone to buy candy with his younger brother. From all appearances, this was not a random attack. Accompanying the assailant was a former classmate of Williams, who was arrested charged, and then released four months later when the San Francisco public defender released a video of the attack showing that the accused did not wield the knife. The assailant has not been apprehended.
As Williams middle school teachers, we witnessed firsthand the effect that his killing had on our school community. His former eighth-grade classmates, who had scattered to high schools all over the city, found themselves largely alone while struggling to process the shocking news and their grief as they navigated their initial weeks of high school. The younger students, who had looked up to Williams, were devastated.
Amid the reality of murder, it was hard for many students to focus on academics during much of the 2014-15 school year. The effects of trauma on student learning and health have been well-documented by medical doctors and education researchers. We witnessed depression, behavioral outbursts and apathy. Williams killing touched the lives of even the kindergarten and first-grade students, who absorbed the news despite the best efforts of adults to protect them.
Williams former classmates are now juniors. While many of their peers are focused on the new school year, putting their all into fall grades so as to be competitive for college, Williams classmates are beginning 11th grade with memories of their murdered friend. These young people turn to us for explanation: When will they catch the person who did this to Rashawn? Will they ever? The questions come less often now that a year and a half has passed without any public comment from the police or the San Francisco district attorneys office. Our students faith in the criminal justice system and ours, too has been deeply eroded.
But its not too late for the police and the D.A.s office to show that Williams life mattered. Williams family, friends and the larger San Francisco community deserve an explanation from law enforcement. What do we know about what happened on Sept. 2, 2014? What is the state of the investigation today? How is it that a young man can be killed, with the murder caught on surveillance video, and nothing happens?
On Sept. 2, at 5 p.m., our community will gather on the corner of 26th and Folsom to remember Rashawn Williams. Our police can begin to restore faith in the criminal justice system by providing the public with honest answers.
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On Tuesday, President Obama commuted the sentences of 111 federal drug offenders. In his first term, Obama endured the sting of critics like me who called him one of the stingiest modern presidents when it comes to the presidential pardon power. In his second term, Obama is making up for lost time. With 673 commutations , the Washington Post reports , Obama has approached 690, the number of commutations issued by the previous 11 presidents.
Obama deserves credit for doing the right thing. The federal mandatory minimum sentencing system the bastard child of Washingtons ill-conceived war on drugs was supposed to put drug kingpins away for long sentences. But the system lacks proportion, and too often has been used to put away low-level and nonviolent drug offenders for decades 232 Obama commutation recipients were serving sentences of life without parole. The pardon power was put in the U.S. Constitution in part to allow the president to correct for this brand of institutional overkill.
Ted Radke, the longest-serving board member of the East Bay Regional Park District, died Sunday at age 71, according to a park district statement. Mr. Radke, a longtime Martinez resident and community fixture, helped to double the park districts land through aggressive advocacy in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
He was really a powerhouse a conservation lion, said park district General Manager Robert Doyle.
Mr. Radke served 36 years on the park district board representing Ward Seven, beginning with his election in 1978. From 1978 to 1999, park district acreage increased by 40,000 acres, fueled in part by Mr. Radkes push to acquire land and funding.
He grew up learning to hike, camp, fish and hunt, while hearing stories about Theodore Roosevelts and John Muirs adventures as early conservationists, said then-Rep. George Miller in a 2014 proclamation honoring Mr. Radke. Miller worked closely with Mr. Radke during his time in Congress, helping to secure funding for projects in Ward Seven like the creation of the Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline.
He was criticized once in the newspaper for being a land-grabber. He said it was one of his proudest moments, Doyle remembered with a chuckle. He was not shy about being a proponent of land preservation.
Mr. Radke served one term on the Martinez City Council before being elected to the board of the East Bay Regional Park District. He also taught political science at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, a career spanning three decades. He left behind a legacy of investment in the environment as a professor and as a father.
He spent his whole life teaching kids about political advocacy he was an expert on the political process, Doyle said.
Mr. Radkes son, Dylan, chairs the Martinez Parks, Recreation, Marina and Culture Commission.
Mr. Radke and his wife, Kathy, also raised three foster children.
Kathy Radke died of pancreatic cancer in 2011 at age 71. She was remembered in the Congressional Record by Miller as a friend in the best sense of the word, and she was a neighbor in the largest sense of the word: she worried about us, inquired after us, and supported us as individuals and as families.
Mr. Radke is survived by two sons, H.T. and Dylan; a daughter, Catrina Nesper; and several grandchildren.
Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com
Michael Macor/The Chronicle
A 34-year-old man was smacked in the head with a bottle and robbed of his cell phone on the Muni bus traveling through San Franciscos Outer Mission neighborhood, police said Wednesday.
The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday on a 14 line outbound bus. The victim, whose name was not released, was seated and had his cell phone in his hand when he was approached by two men as the bus drove through the area of 30th and Mission streets, police said.
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A San Francisco landlord illegally crammed dozens of formerly homeless veterans into overcrowded dwellings across the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, while collecting millions of dollars in federal subsidies aimed at helping vets and the poor, a lawsuit filed Wednesday by City Attorney Dennis Herrera claims.
Judy Wu, along with husband Chuan Zhu, allegedly chopped up residences mostly single-family homes into multiple-unit buildings and then rented the units to tenants possessing vouchers from Section 8 and the Department of Veterans Affairs Homes for Heroes program, which is designed to end homelessness among veterans.
The lawsuit identifies 12 buildings with 15 legal units divided up and rented to 49 individual tenants, two-thirds of them veterans. The leases are bringing in $80,031 a month in rent, or $960,372 a year. Herreras lawsuit alleges that the 49 units do not comply with San Francisco zoning requirements and subsequently endanger the occupants and neighborhood residents.
In a letter sent to the property owners Monday, Herrera said tenants have been fully informed of their rights and available services. Herrera added that the city would move aggressively to halt and punish any efforts you may undertake to retaliate against your residents. It also orders the property owners to bring the properties into compliance with the law.
The case came to the citys attention after Supervisor Malia Cohen, who represents the Bayview, noticed a pattern of complaints about properties owned by Wu. Neighbors said the single-family homes seemed overpopulated, noisy and overflowing with trash. Sidewalks filled up with cars and backyards became littered with mattresses, discarded furniture, stray cats and mounds of old clothing. The buildings had just one mailbox for all the units, resulting in stolen checks and heaps of unopened envelopes littering common stairways.
It was a situation where overcrowding was making it impossible to provide trash service, which leads to illegal dumping, Cohen said. It makes parking virtually impossible.
Again and again, according to the city, Wu obtained permits for minor alterations a new bathroom, bedrooms, storage or laundry room and then undertook much more extensive renovations than allowed, adding multiple units.
At 1351 Revere Ave., a single-family home purchased for $260,000 in September 2010, the landlords sought a permit to add a laundry room, family room, three bathrooms and three bedrooms, according to documents from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. They proceeded to lease it out to seven separate tenants, collecting $11,830 a month in rent. The home is 1,493 square feet, which works out to 213 square feet per unit.
At 1050 Gilman Ave., the 1,180-square-foot home was broken up into five units, for which the property owners have been collecting $10,104 in rent per month, according to Herreras office. Wu and her husband bought the building in 2009 for $200,000, city records show.
Wu said she is cooperating with the city and trying to protect my tenants.
My tenants are very low-income and some have mental problems. I am trying to house as many veterans as possible, she said. I am complying with what (the city) asks me to do. They are not supposed to be filing a lawsuit against me. What can I do? They want me to get rid of my tenants?
Wu bought most of her properties in trustee sales in 2008 through 2010, when the Bayview had the highest rate of foreclosure in the city. While she owns the business with her husband, tenants said they deal exclusively with Wu, who uses a real estate office in a Daly City strip mall as a business address.
Visits to Wus properties and interviews with her tenants create a picture of a landlord who, while allegedly violating the citys zoning codes, also cares about housing veterans with few other options. She regularly leases to tenants whose eviction records made other landlords see them as off limits, and apparently is not quick to throw out those who fall behind on their rent, some tenants say. On the other hand, tenants complained of everything from broken stoves to lack of heat to Wus unwillingness to get rid of residents who are disruptive or engaging in illegal activities.
Eric Clark, a Vietnam veteran who lives in one of Wus buildings on Fitzgerald Avenue, said he was referred to her through a nonprofit after a stint in a temporary unit on Treasure Island.
She provided me with a new apartment. She didnt have to do that, Clark said. A while ago my bank messed up and I owed her $3,000, and she didnt even send me an eviction notice. She does really good work.
Another tenant in the same building, who asked that his name not be used for fear of retribution, said Wu gave us a nice place to live, but shes been slacking. He said two tenants have already vacated units in the building one because the stove didnt work and left behind piles of garbage and old clothes.
Shes a slumlord who needs to step up her game or the city is going to shut her down, he said.
Cohen said tenants, most of whom have faced evictions in the past, are too afraid to speak out. Mrs. Wu targeted these people because she knew they were the least likely to complain in a tough housing market, she said. The way she has been able to capitalize on other peoples misfortune is disgusting.
For city officials, the case has been a tricky one. San Francisco has been a national leader in housing vets through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, or VASH, under which veterans receive rent vouchers through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Since October 2013, the program has housed 1,163 formerly homeless vets in San Francisco.
Colleen Corliss, spokeswoman for Swords to Plowshares, which works with veterans facing homelessness, disability and unemployment, said Wu has been wonderful to work with and has housed hundreds of vets over the years.
A lot of our veterans are not ideal tenants, and getting them off the street is the first priority, she said. All we know is that Wu has helped us do that.
Jason Elliot, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Ed Lee, said the goal is to bring Wu into compliance with the law while protecting her tenants.
From the start, our primary concern has been the safety and stability of the residents, especially the formerly homeless veterans some of whom were homeless for years and only recently came indoors, Elliot said. Our commitment to the stability of the veterans doesnt end when we put them in housing.
Several Wu tenants said they are scrambling to find alternatives in case they have to leave their units. At 1351 Revere Ave., tenant John Brown, a veteran who said he used to be a San Francisco firefighter, said he was proud when I got this place, but that it is too cramped to accommodate his belongings.
I dont have any place to keep my linens, Brown said. He has applied for units in several other buildings. Im worried the city is going to terminate my tenancy, he said.
Debra Rodriguez, a disabled former grocery clerk who lives in a bright, tidy unit Wu owns on Gilman Avenue, said she had had enough of Wu.
At first I liked her shes feisty, Rodriguez said. But now everythings a mess and she doesnt attend to anything. I told her, When you do something wrong, it catches up to you.
She has applied for housing in other subsidized buildings. I just want someplace I can live peacefully, she said.
J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com
Twitter: @sfjkdineen
A truck dumped a payload of mud and sand all over the Treasure Island exit ramp off the eastbound span of the Bay Bridge early Thursday, officials suspect, and then left the scene triggering a traffic slow-down headed to the East Bay.
Crews were working to clear the ramp of silt, but officials dont know when it will re-open, according to Officer Vu Williams, a California Highway Patrol spokesman. Continued delays are expected throughout the morning on the eastbound side of the bridge.
You dont have to be in a union for your paycheck to feel the impact of organized labors long decline.
A new report from the Economic Policy Institute, a research group that advocates on behalf of low- and middle-income workers, calculates how much more nonunion private-sector workers would have earned in 2013 had private-sector union membership remained at 1979 levels.
For men, wages would have been 5 percent higher, an average of $2,704 annually, and those with less education would have seen greater impact, the report said.
Nonunion men with a high school diploma or less, the demographic most likely to be unionized, would have seen 9 percent higher wages, or an average of about $3,172 annually, had union membership in similar industries and regions remained at 1979 levels, according to the report.
Some studies have shown collective bargaining bolsters wages of all workers, regardless of union status, by establishing industry standards or encouraging nonunion employers to raise pay to discourage their workers from organizing.
The weakness of unions today has markedly reduced that wage effect, to as much as one-half of what it was in the late 1970s, the report says.
Women, who were far less likely to be unionized than men in the 1970s, would have seen 2 or 3 percent higher pay, or $718 annually for full-time work, had unions maintained their power over the decades, the report says.
That amounts to $24 billion in lost wages annually for all nonunion private-sector women, and $109 billion for all nonunion private-sector men.
In the debates over the causes of wage stagnation, the decline in union power has not received nearly as much attention as globalization, technological change, and the slowdown in Americans educational attainment, the authors write.
Copyright
Blurred Lines
lines are drawn
Composer Hans Zimmer, crooner R. Kelly and members of such bands as the Go-Gos, the Black Crowes, Linkin Park and Three 6 Mafia are supporting Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke and T.I. in their appeal in the ongoing legal dispute over the hit song Blurred Lines.
More than 200 musicians filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday to express concern about the ruling last year in a case brought by the children of Marvin Gaye, who sued for copyright infringement claiming Blurred Lines copied Gayes hit Got to Give It Up.
The musicians said the ruling could have adverse impact on their own creativity, on the creativity of future artists, and on the music industry in general.
Gayes descendants won a $7.4 million verdict, which a judge reduced to $5.3 million.
Space
Satellite gets
hit by debris
With its sights firmly fixed on Earth, Europes eye in the sky never saw it coming.
A tiny piece of debris has punched a gaping hole in the solar panel of one of its Earth observation satellites, causing visible damage but not enough to affect its routine operations, the European Space Agency said Wednesday.
The unknown particle slammed into the back of a solar panel on Copernicus Sentinel-1A on Aug. 23. Using on-board cameras, engineers have determined that the hole is about 16 inches in diameter.
The European Space Agency said the loss of power caused by the strike is relatively small less than 5 percent of the wings usual output.
Real estate
Home sales
rise in July
More Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in July, a sign that demand for home ownership remains strong despite a shortage of listings on the market.
The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 1.3 percent in July to 111.3, the highest reading since April. The index of upcoming sales increased 1.3 percent from a year ago. The number of signed contracts improved in the Northeast, South and West. But pending sales dipped in the Midwest.
Housing has staged a solid rebound in prices and sales this year, but the real estate market faces potential challenges as fewer properties are being listed for sale. Listings have slumped 5.8 percent from a year ago to 2.13 million. The shortage means many buyers are paying more and scrambling to make offers sooner.
Chronicle News Services
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Farmers in California lost more than $9 billion in revenue last year as the ongoing drought forced them to fallow fields, shut down farms and cut labor costs.
The figures, reported Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, come amid warnings that a fifth year of drought could continue to drive down agriculture earnings and ultimately hurt the states economy. Agriculture officials predict a continued downward trend in farm revenue this year.
In the first four years of Californias historic drought, which pushed the federal and state governments to halt or slash deliveries of water to several water districts throughout the Central Valley, farmers were able to shore up their revenue using several controversial strategies.
Pumping groundwater to make up for the loss of state- and federally allocated water has caused the valley floor to sink. Turning to high-yield crops like almonds, which bring in more dollars per gallon of water than many other crops, helped farmers maintain a revenue stream even as they stopped tilling fields and fired workers.
But that strategy can go only so far.
The 2015 numbers show farmers may have reached their limit, and Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League in Fresno, expects matters to worsen in the years to come.
When you take out a million acres of farmland thats literally being dried up, thats dollars gone on all fronts, Cunha said. Not just on the sale of a product or a crop, but in state taxes, workers spending those dollars in the communities where they live, schools collapsing because there arent enough students because all their families are leaving. Its a big hit.
California, which is the leading agriculture exporter in the U.S., supplies more than half of the countrys fruits, nuts and vegetables, and dominates the dairy industry with 19 percent of milk coming from the Golden State.
Farms in the state earned $47.07 billion in 2015, down nearly 17 percent from the year before, when they brought in a record $56.61 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Nationally, agriculture revenue fell from $424.14 billion to $379.17 billion over the same period about an 11 percent drop. The department predicts a continued loss of 7 percent of the nations agricultural revenue in 2016.
Californias losses were most pronounced in dairy production, rice, corn, cotton, fruits and nuts. But another contributing factor was a drop in price for milk and tree nuts, two California crops that are among the top moneymakers. The states dairy industry saw a drop of more than $3 billion last year, and almond sales have dropped from more than $7 billion to $5 billion.
Rice, which took a hit of $341 million in 2015, is the most water-intensive crop and the fourth-biggest user of water in the state. When water becomes too expensive or hard to come by, farmers stop growing it.
An estimated 540,000 acres of farmland were fallowed in 2015, continuing a trend of forgoing crops in the face of dwindling water supplies. Permanent crops, like tree fruit and nuts, which cannot be fallowed, were taken out of production at rates Cunha said he has never seen before.
In California, were ripping out vineyards, were ripping out tree fruit, were ripping out other crops that you cant just replace, he said. When you do that, youre lowering your production.
Cunha worries about the long-term and far-reaching impact on future production and farmers inability to rebound from the damage the drought has wrought.
Fallowed land can be brought back so long as it is maintained, but some farmers stretched to their financial limits have been unable to do so. Cunha said its not unusual for that land to become permanently unusable.
More than a million farmworkers who lost their jobs and, in some cases, their homes as farmers cut production have left the country since 2009, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2014, experts estimated that more than 17,000 farm jobs in California had been lost due to drought.
When you have a tremendous amount of land being taken out of production, those farmers have less to farm and need less people to farm it, so people lose their jobs. When people lose their jobs, they leave, Cunha said. Weve had people leaving the valley, the state, the country for years. Thats not going to stop until the work comes back. I dont see that happening in 2016 or 2017. Its bad. Everyone (in California) should be worried about this.
Marissa Lang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mlang@sfchronicle.com
Twitter: @Marissa_Jae
A Petaluma woman was found guilty of obstructing a police officer Wednesday afternoon, halting an excessive force complaint she had filed against Sonoma County after she received a bruised face from an encounter with a sheriffs deputy regarding the same case, officials said.
A jury unanimously found Gabrielle Lemos and her mother, Michelle Lemos, guilty of misdemeanor obstruction of a police officer, according to the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office.
On Nov. 13, the day after Gabrielle Lemos filed her federal complaint of excessive force which named the county, the sheriff and Deputy Marcus Holton as defendants the district attorneys office filed a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest against her. Her attorney in the civil case, Izaak Schwaiger, contends it was a ploy to halt the civil case because the office had declined to file charges for weeks.
If the conviction stands, it will effectively destroy the civil lawsuit, said Schwaiger, who is seeking to appeal the misdemeanor conviction. The rulings the judge made in the case both during the trial and pre-trial we believe affected our clients ability to have a fair trial.
If the appeal is granted, the court can reverse the conviction or order a new trial. If the appellate panel denies the request, the civil case dies, Schwaiger said.
The civil suit and criminal case surround the night of June 13, 2015 and a party for Gabrielle Lemos celebrating her graduation from Petaluma High School, when she got between a sheriffs deputy and one of her sisters, Karli Labruzzi.
The sheriffs office contends Gabrielle Lemos physically obstructed and interfered with the deputys investigation, and that her mother hit and kicked the deputy.
Holton went to the Lemos family home to investigate a possible domestic violence situation involving Labruzzi and her boyfriend, the sheriffs office stated. The incident appeared to have been a misunderstanding over a missing phone.
In April, the agency released audio and video of the incident. In a jail telephone call made by Gabrielle Lemos, who was 19 at the time, she used a racial slur to refer to the African American deputy who pinned her to the ground during the altercation.
Video shows Gabrielle Lemos and her relatives yelling at the officer during most of the encounter. Lemos turns her back to walk away when another officer arrives, and Holton tells her to come here. Then, it appears that Holton grabs her and holds her to the ground while her relatives scream.
Gabrielle Lemos was handcuffed, taken to a hospital, then jailed on suspicion of resisting arrest and battery on a peace officer. Photos showed swelling and bruising to her face at the hospital.
Holton had previously come under fire for shooting a man in 2011 because he suspected the man was reaching into his waistband for a weapon.
Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
NOGALES, Ariz. On an embankment that runs along a towering steel fence separating this border town from its Mexican sister city, a patch of new concrete with a date carved into it stands out, marking the exit of a tunnel Border Patrol agents sealed in May.
Dozens more like it snake around town, part of a vast underground network that Mexican drug cartels have used for years to funnel hundreds of pounds of illicit drugs into the United States. When Border Patrol agents find the tunnels, they dump concrete to seal them and stamp them with the date that they are shut down.
But they struggle to stay ahead of the digging.
The clock is ticking as soon as they complete a tunnel, said Kevin Hecht, a Border Patrol tunneling expert. They know that we will eventually find them. But if even one load gets through before we find it, they consider it a success.
While Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has made building a wall at the border a central element of his campaign, the fence here that reaches up to 30 feet has done little to deter enterprising drug smugglers. It has simply helped push them underground.
Border Patrol agents cannot hear smugglers digging and do not know how many tunnels there are, a gap in border security that homeland security experts say renders talk of a wall moot.
The Border Patrol has done an incredible job, given its resources, said Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the White House drug policy director in the Clinton administration. But it would be a stretch to say that the border and border communities are secure when the agency lacks a high-confidence ability to detect cross-border tunnels. No wall is going to fix that.
During his immigration speech Wednesday in Arizona, Trump said his border security plan would use the best technology, including above-and below-ground sensors to find and dislocate tunnels and keep out criminal cartels.
But no technology exists to reliably detect the tunnels, and experts say it may be years before such a system is developed.
Since the first drug tunnel was discovered in 1990 in Douglas, Ariz., border officials say they have found nearly 200 more along the nearly 2,000-mile southwest border, mostly in Arizona and California. Tunnels are so numerous in the Nogales area that Border Patrol agents described the ground underneath the city as Swiss cheese.
Carey Rappaport, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, said the depth of many tunnels also posed a technological challenge. Some can be as deep as 90 feet, beyond the reach of most ground-radar devices and sensors.
Nearly two centuries after Georgetown University profited from the sale of 272 slaves, it will embark on a series of steps to atone for the past, including awarding preferential status in the admissions process to descendants of the enslaved, officials said Wednesday.
Georgetowns president, John DeGioia also plans to offer a formal apology, create an institute for the study of slavery and erect a public memorial to the slaves whose labor benefited the institution, including those who were sold in 1838 to help keep the university afloat.
In addition, two campus buildings will be renamed one for an enslaved African American man and the other for an African American educator who belonged to a Catholic religious order.
So far, DeGioias plan does not include a provision for offering scholarships to descendants, a possibility that was raised by a university committee whose recommendations were released Thursday. The committee, however, stopped short of calling on the university to provide such financial assistance, as well as admissions preference.
DeGioias decision to offer an advantage in admissions to descendants, similar to that offered to the children and grandchildren of alumni, is unprecedented, historians say. The preference will be offered to the descendants of all the slaves whose labor benefited Georgetown, not just the men, women and children sold in 1838.
More than a dozen universities including Brown, Harvard and the University of Virginia have publicly recognized their ties to slavery and the slave trade. But Craig Steven Wilder and Alfred Brophy, two historians who have studied universities and slavery, said they knew of none that had offered preferential status in admissions to the descendants of slaves.
Wilder, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said DeGioias plans to address Georgetowns history go beyond any initiatives enacted by a university in the past 10 years.
Wilder cautioned that the significance of the preferential status in admissions would rest heavily on the degree to which Georgetown invested in outreach to descendants, including identifying them, making sure they are aware of the benefits existence and actively recruiting them to the university.
Georgetown, which was founded by Jesuit priests in 1789, relied on the Jesuit plantations in Maryland and the sale of produce and slaves to finance its operations.
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A Rochester, N.Y., building tenant learned the hard way that a hot pepper is on the list of things you should never, ever microwave.
Ever.
Firefighters were called to an apartment building Monday morning when residents reported an odor in the building that caused residents to cough and have difficulty breathing, according to local broadcast station, WHAM.
During the investigation, the local HAZMAT team was called over when a 55-gallon sealed drum was discovered in an apartment, and residents of the 150-apartment building were told to evacuate.
It was eventually determined that the cause of residents being short of breath was not due to the drum the drum was found to contain clothes being readied for shipment but instead due to someone microwaving a pepper in their apartment.
The chemical capsaicin was released from the pepper when it was microwaved; capsaicin is the active ingredient in (you guessed it) pepper spray.
"It seems whatever kind of pepper they were using, once it's aerosolized, if you've ever gotten pepper in your eyes, you know how hard it can be on your system," said Lt. Dana Cieslinski with the Rochester Fire Department told the news station.
"I do not know what kind of pepper it was, but clearly spicy enough to affect the people in the hallway," Cieslinski later added.
Residents were allowed back into the building after a couple of hours and there were no injuries reported.
Evan Vucci/Associated Press
WASHINGTON The man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan 35 years ago will leave a Washington psychiatric hospital to live full-time in Virginia on Sept. 10, his lawyer said Thursday.
A federal judge ruled in July that 61-year-old John Hinckley Jr. is not a danger to himself or to others and can leave St. Elizabeths Hospital to live full-time at his mothers home in Williamsburg, Va. At the time, Judge Paul Friedman ruled Hinckley could leave the hospital as soon as Aug. 5.
MEXICO CITY On Mexican soil for the first time as the Republican presidential nominee, a firm but measured Donald Trump defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, standing up for the centerpiece of his immigration plan in a country where he is widely despised.
Trump, who previously derided Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals, praised Mexicans on Wednesday as amazing people following a closed-door meeting at the official residence of the countrys president, Enrique Pena Nieto. Trump and the Mexican president, who has compared the New York billionaire to Adolf Hitler, addressed reporters from adjacent lecterns before a Mexican flag.
The trip, 10 weeks before Americas presidential election day, came just hours before Trump was to deliver a highly anticipated speech in Arizona about illegal immigration. That has been a defining issue of his presidential campaign, but also one on which he has appeared to waver in recent days.
With political risks high for both men, Trump stayed on script, declining to repeat his promise to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border between the two countries when pressed by reporters.
While he and Pena Nieto talked about the wall, Trump said they didnt discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions.
Having a secure border is a sovereign right and mutually beneficial, Trump said, reading from prepared remarks. We recognize and respect the right of any country to build a physical barrier or wall on any of its borders to stop the illegal movement of people, drugs and weapons. Cooperation toward achieving this shared objective and it will be shared of safety for all citizens is paramount to both the United States and to Mexico.
Trumps presence on Wednesday, his first meeting with a head of state abroad as a presidential candidate, sparked anger and protests across Mexicos capital city. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nietos hospitality, he was not welcome.
We dont like him. We dont want him. We reject his visit, Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a political stunt.
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences and defended the contribution of Mexicans working in the United States, but he described the conversation as open and constructive. He and Trump shook hands as the session ended.
Pena Nietos performance came in for immediate condemnation from his many critics in Mexico.
Pena ended up forgiving Trump when he didnt even ask for an apology, said Esteban Illades, the editor of Nexos magazine. The lowest point of the most painful day in the history of the Mexican presidency.
After saying during his Republican primary campaign he would use a deportation force to expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, Trump suggested last week he could soften that stance.
But he still says he plans to build a huge wall paid for by Mexico along the two nations border. He is under pressure to clarify just where he stands in the Wednesday night speech, which had been rescheduled several times.
Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told CBS earlier in the day that Trump would make clear that there will be no path to legalization, no path to citizenship. People will need to leave the country to be able to obtain legal status or obtain citizenship.
The buildup to the speech was abruptly interrupted Tuesday night by the news that Trump would visit Mexico, accepting on short notice an invitation offered last week by Pena Nieto. The newspaper El Universal wrote in an editorial that Trump caught Mexican diplomats off guard.
Trump has promised, if elected, to deport millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally, force Mexico to pay for the construction of a wall to secure the nearly 2,000-mile border and renegotiate the NAFTA trade agreement to make it more favorable to the United States.
Pena Nieto suggested there was room to improve the trade deal, which Trump described as unfair to American workers. The New York businessman promised to promote trade deals that would keep jobs in the Western Hemisphere.
Pena Nieto made his invitation to both Trump and Clinton, who met with him in Mexico in 2014. The inclusion of Trump puzzled many in Mexico, who said it wasnt clear why their own unpopular president would agree to meet with someone so widely disliked in his country.
Pena Nieto has been sharply critical of Trumps immigration policies, particularly the Republicans plans to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. In a March interview, he said that there is no scenario under which Mexico would do so and compared Trumps language to that of dictators Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
Pena Nieto did not repeat such criticism on Wednesday, but acknowledged Trumps comments had hurt and affected Mexicans.
The Mexicans deserve everyones respect, he said.
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Donald Trump pivoted back to his primary election self Wednesday with a harsh, angry speech on immigration in which he vowed to eliminate any chance for amnesty for the estimated 11 million people living in the country without legal papers.
For those here illegally today who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only, he told a loud and adoring crowd at the Phoenix Convention Center. To return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else under the rules of the new legal immigration system I have outlined today.
If Trump has his way, those will be very different rules aimed at a very different outcome.
Anyone who tells you that the core issue is the needs of those living here illegally has simply spent too much time in Washington, Trump said. We will be fair, just and compassionate to all, but our greatest compassion must be for our American system.
The crowd responded with shouts of USA, USA, USA.
In his hour-plus address, the GOP presidential nominee painted a dark, grim and frightening picture of an America under daily assault from hordes of unskilled and poorly educated people, many of them criminals and likely terrorists, illegally crossing the border each day.
Countless Americans would be alive today if not for the (Obama) administrations support of open borders, Trump said. There is only one core issue in the immigration debate, and that is the well-being of the American people. Nothing even comes a close second.
But Trumps speech comes at a time when the flood of undocumented immigrants entering the country has slowed to a trickle.
Undocumented immigration immigration from Mexico to the U.S. had its highest point 10 years ago, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said earlier Wednesday after a hastily arranged meeting with Trump at his presidential offices in Mexico City. And it has slowed down consistently.
But while Trump had a quiet, low-key meeting with Pena Nieto many people wondered why the Mexican president even invited him to a meeting that didnt carry over to his long-promised major immigration policy speech in Phoenix. While supporters had worried out loud he would reverse or at least play down the strong anti-immigration stance that helped him win the Republican primary, Trumps talk was everything they could have asked for and more.
The immigration restrictionists have been dreaming about a speech like this for a generation, and now they got it, said Simon Rosenberg, an immigration expert and founder and president of the New Democratic Network, which has become committed to modernizing liberal politics and building a persistent Democratic majority. Its impossible to reconcile this to what Trump said in Mexico, and you shouldnt try.
Trump listed 10 points to change the immigration system, arguing that if they were rigorously enforced they would accomplish more in 10 months then the federal government has done in 50 years.
The changes would include Trumps signature proposal, a great, beautiful wall along the southern border, he said as the crowd chanted, Build that wall. Build that wall. Build that wall.
And Mexico will pay for the wall, 100 percent.
Thats likely to come as news to the Mexican president, who said after their afternoon meeting that he told Trump Mexico wasnt going to pay anything. Trump merely said the matter never came up.
Other proposed policy changes include the immediate deportation of any undocumented person convicted of any crime, stopping federal payments to sanctuary cities like San Francisco, a new deportation task force at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, and a ban on visas for countries like Syria and Libya where adequate screening cant occur, Trump said.
He also called for deporting any person in the country illegally who has received welfare, along with cutting back on legal immigration and accepting only those who bring needed skills to the country. They would have to pass a new screening test, including ideological certification to ensure those we are admitting to our country share our values and love our people.
While there had been suggestions that Trump was going to soften his immigration stance to appeal to female and college-educated voters who have been supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton or thinking about not voting at all, Wednesdays speech was aimed strictly at his base.
People who liked him before will like him even better, and anyone who didnt like him wont have changed, said John Trasvina, dean of the University of San Francisco Law School and a former housing official in the Obama administration. People in the middle wont be surprised that there is no new Trump.
About the only pivot seen Wednesday, he said, was from the afternoon visit to Mexico to the evening speech in Phoenix.
From Trumps point of view, it was likely Mission Accomplished for the Mexico stopover when he and Pena Nieto stepped from their podiums and shook hands in front of a sea of cameras.
In that moment, he was standing on equal terms with a foreign leader, looking presidential.
For Trump, this was an opportunity to go to Mexico and not have something terrible happen, said Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs at Cal State Los Angeles. It was a way of showing people that Im not as out there as I appear to be.
It was a very different Trump in Mexico. Gone, at least for part of the day, was the hard-core anti-immigrant candidate of the GOP primaries, the one who reveled in sending out tweets like I want nothing to do with Mexico other than to build an impenetrable WALL and stop them from ripping off U.S.
While he talked of his concerns about the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he argued has been a far greater benefit to Mexico than it has been to the United States, and what he said was the tremendous outflow of jobs from our country, he talked about the respect he had for the Mexican people and Americas strong ties to its southern neighbor.
A strong, prosperous and vibrant Mexico is in the best interest of the United States, Trump said.
Pena Nieto, for his part, talked of his very open and constructive discussion with Trump, political-speak for a private talk with plenty of disagreements, but not much shouting. He took a few oblique shots at the angry rhetoric that has categorized much of Trumps campaign, saying during a brief news conference that the Mexican people have been hurt by comments (Trump) has made.
John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
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A widely scorned Santa Clara County judge is speaking out for the first time since a campaign was launched to oust him from the bench.
Judge Aaron Persky, who gave what many perceived as a slap-on-the-wrist sentence to ex-Stanford student Brock Turner for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, launched a website defending his job and asking for money to fight recall efforts.
A statement from Persky on the RetainJudgePersky.com site begins: "I believe strongly in judicial independence. I took an oath to uphold the Constitution, not to appease politicians or ideologues. When your own rights and property are at stake, you want the judge to make a fair and lawful decision, free from political influence."
Persky's message goes on to say that he has served the public for 20 years, "first as a criminal prosecutor for the Santa Clara County DA's Office, and for the last 12 years as a Superior Court Judge," and in his job he has "prosecuted hate crimes and sexually violent predators." He says that he has heard thousands of cases and has a "reputation for being fair to both sides."
Persky has reached out to judges around the state for funding and endorsements, according to a San Jose Mercury News story from Aug. 29, and the site claims to have raised $3,600. This is significantly less than the recall campaign, which claims a total north of $100,000.
While the site launched in the past week, the domain was registered in July 2016 after the firestorm erupted over Persky sentencing Turner to six months in jail.
The sentence was later reduced in half to three months, and Turner is scheduled to walk free on Friday and start a probation sentence.
When Turner, an all-American swimmer, was convicted in Santa Clara County Superior Court of three counts of sexual assault in late March, he faced up to 14 years of prison, as reported in a previous SFGATE story.
The judge opted for a lighter penalty, saying a stiffer sentence would have a "severe impact" on the 20-year-old.
The judge's decision sparked outrage on social media, protests on the Stanford campus and a high-profile recall effort. A petition to remove Persky was signed by more than one million people.
Stanford law professor Michele Dauber, who's leading the Recall Persky campaign, told USA Today: "His victory will be short-lived. I am 100% confident we will recall him. His decision hit every woman in the state of California in the gut."
Amid the outrage in late June, Persky earned a new six-year term, and last week, the judge announced he requested to be removed from criminal cases and assigned to the civil division.
Persky didn't respond to a request to comment.
TEMECULA, Riverside County The two homes set back along Cruz Way were indistinguishable from the other residences that dotted the orchards and vineyards in Riverside Countys wine country.
In a semirural area of dry grass, corrals, orange trees and horses, the homes served as adult care facility for developmentally disabled adults.
On Tuesday, one of the two homes became a grim crime scene. Authorities found the remains of five people after a suspicious fire burned the home to the ground.
Police and fire officials are still trying to determine how the fire started as well as the cause of deaths of the victims, who have not been publicly identified.
Neighbors and local officials said they were stunned at the loss of life, especially given the vulnerabilities of those who lived there.
Its tragic, and its sad, said Temecula Mayor Mike Naggar, The fact that it was some sort of congregate care, and the fact that they may have been developmentally disabled, is very troubling. So Im anxious to hear what comes back.
Riverside County firefighters rushed to the property located just outside Temeculas city limits around 5 a.m. Monday, and spent the next hour battling a blaze. As the flames waned, firefighters located one set of human remains. Sheriffs Department investigators were called in, and another four sets of adult remains were found, officials said on Tuesday.
The facility was known as the Renee Jennex Small Family Home, according to state records.
The property had been licensed to care for four developmentally disabled people since 2003, according to California Department of Social Services records. The facility was inspected in 2011, 2012 and, most recently, in November. Records show no deficiencies were observed at the time.
According to the most recent inspection report, the facility was outfitted with smoke detectors and was conducting monthly disaster drills with its patients.
On Tuesday afternoon, sheriffs officials could be seen working near the burned remains of what appeared to have once been a small home on a large rural lot where horses were kept.
A backhoe was being used to slowly remove several walls of the charred building, which sits across a dirt road from a vineyard one of several in the area. By the early evening, a large part of the house had been demolished, leaving only some charred remains on a foundation, surrounded by a handful of orange trees. Investigators remained at the site, and much of Cruz Way remained blocked to vehicles.
Authorities declined to say whether anyone from the building survived the fire.
Many neighbors said they didnt even know that an adult care facility was located along the street. Nearly every property along Cruz Way sits on a large plot of land, with structures set back from the roadway. Most neighbors in the community of rolling hills and vineyards keep to themselves, said neighbor Heather Lara, who lives along a dirt road near the residence that burned down.
Every once in a while she would see a man at the gate, and dogs and horses sometimes moved around the yard, but Lara said she had never seen anyone else on the property.
There were two homes on the affected property, she added. The structure that burned down was the smaller of the two, and was built about six years ago, she said. The larger building, a green house, was built before Lara moved to the neighborhood about 15 years ago.
Residents and others say they hope investigators can determine what went wrong.
Im anxious to hear what comes back. said Naggar, the Temecula mayor.
I dont think Ive processed it yet, she said. Its not something you expect to happen to your neighbors.
Francis Helmle, 61, drove by the homes charred remains on Tuesday afternoon after hearing about the fire on the news. Helmle, who lives a few blocks away, said he had not heard or seen anything that would suggest a tragedy just down the road.
Ive been out here for about 13 years, he said, and its always been nice and quiet.
The hills are dark and quiet, he said, with what little noise there is coming from weddings and other events at nearby wineries. Helmle said he was stunned to see such carnage just a few blocks from his front door.
I was shocked, he said. I was surprised it was in my own backyard.
A bill to increase penalties for secret recordings was approved by the Legislature on Wednesday and sent to the governor.
The bill was inspired by the hidden camera footage last year that purported to show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of body parts from aborted fetuses. Planned Parenthood says the footage was manipulated.
DECATUR Dragons, monsters and wizards can have an artistic appeal attracting many who do not consider themselves the artsy type. Madden Arts Center directors wanted to represent this art as well. Its interesting that this genre of art has a lot of different commercial applications, said Sue Powell, Decatur Area Arts Council Gallery director. These artists create cover designs for books and magazines and digital art for electronic games plus masks and costumes, even coloring books.
Throughout September, the downtown gallery will display the exhibit Otherworldly: Sci-Fi & Fantasy. The theme allows the gallery to create a fun atmosphere with various mediums focusing on fantasy art. The exhibit will display sculptures, drawings and mixed mediums, many of which are digitally created.
The First Friday Gallery Walk will offer visitors the opportunity to witness some of the pieces as they are created. The event will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, at the Madden Arts Center. Activities include artist demonstrations, classic sci-fi movies, Arcadia Quest game demo and a costume contest.
We really want people to come in full or partial costume, Powell said.
Artists will be available to discuss their art as well as the business of fantasy art. Brent Chumley will travel from Taylor Springs to demonstrate one of his projects through manual and digital techniques. This is a common thing in the industry, he said.
Chumley is a full-time freelance artist working with various business, such as publishing companies, laboratories, hospitals and private individuals. His personal creations often consist of historical elements mixed with fantasy. This appeals to a broad group of people, he said.
Like many artists of this genre, Chumley found an interest in fantasy, science fiction and horror at an early age. As a child he was drawn to fantasy worlds, such as dragons. I read a lot about it, as a fan and illustrator, he said.
Artist Scott Mitchell was always captivated by Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolf Man as well as other monsters from movies. Embracing these creatures helped me confront my own fears and nightmares, he said.
At an early age he read monster magazines, watched creature films and created monster models. His love of monsters carried over into a passion for special effects makeup as a teenager.
Today, his artwork consists of sculptures inspired by classic horror icons. He uses various types of clay to create a sculptural form which is then molded and cast into a more permanent material such as latex or resin. The final cast is then painted using techniques developed by special effects.
His interests have expanded from sci-fi genres including Star Wars to horror-influenced sci-fi such as the classic Alien films. Anything that has wonderful worlds, fantastic creatures and out-of-this-world characters and gadgets are equally important to influencing my imagination as classic horror, Mitchell said.
September Art Exhibits
BICENTENNIAL ART CENTER. The Paris art center will display The Brightness of Nature-Works by Edna Bright throughout September. An open reception will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2.
BLUE CONNECTION. Millikin University's retail art gallery will continue the exhibit featuring artist-in-residency Emma Morrison. The subjects of her large paintings involve senior citizens she has recently met from the area.
DECATUR AIRPORT GALLERY. The artwork of Sue Goodpaster will be displayed at the Airport Gallery during September.
FLOURISHES GALLERY AND STUDIOS. The downtown Shelbyville gallery will exhibit the paintings of Tom David until Nov 5.
In Studio D and the Beaux Arts Ballroom, artist Dan Modzelewski will show his artwork along with the photography of Christan Riddle. For an appointment, call (217) 827-5690.
GALLERY 510. Carol Kessler will be featured at the Gallery 510 during the month. She is primarily an oil pastel artist. The gallery will be open during the Gallery Walk from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 2, with an artist's talk at 6:30 p.m.
GIERTZ GALLERY. The Parkland College gallery will feature the 2016 Parkland College Art and Design Faculty Exhibition until Sept. 17. A reception will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today, with a gallery talk by Denise Seif at 6 p.m.
Beginning Sept. 26, the gallery will display Parkland College 50th Art and Design Alumni Exhibition Juried by Barry Blinderman. An open reception will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29 with a gallery talk at 6 p.m. by Christopher Berti and Joan Stolz. The exhibit will remain until Nov. 5. For more information, visit www.artgallery.parkland.edu.
KRANNERT ART MUSEUM. The University of Illinois art museum will display Borderland Collective: Northern Triangle until Dec. 22. The exhibit includes art and historical documents communicating the the struggles of the many children who have crossed into the United States over the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, known as the Northern Triangle.
LINCOLN ART INSTITUTE. Logan County Arts and the Lincoln Art Institute will display Folk Tales and Fables, a themed show celebrating characters of storybooks and campfire stories. A reception will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8. Call (217) 651-8355 for an appointment.
PERKINSON ART GALLERY. Kirkland Fine Arts Center's art gallery will display the exhibitSpelling the Wind by Craig Dongoski. The multimedia exhibition will have both visual as well as aural pieces.
ROCK SPRINGS NATURE CENTER. Rock Springs Nature Center's north wing art gallery will feature Curt Knapp's photography. He focuses on wildlife and sunsets.
The photography of Jerry Sievers will be exhibited in the south gallery of the nature center. His photos include images of Midwest scenery, plants and wildlife.
Both exhibits will be on display until the end of the October.
TARBLE ARTS CENTER. Eastern Illinois University main art gallery will display A Dark Matter until Oct. 30. Contemporary artists will display their works depicting the struggles between economics, power and violence.
In the Brainard Gallery, an exhibition by artist Erin Washington entitled Ephemeros highlights images of our fragile world using mixed media.
Tours are available by appointment only. To schedule a tour, call (217) 581-2787 or email tarble@eiu.edu.
UPSTAIRS GALLERY. The artwork of William Fletcher will be displayed at the Decatur Public Librarys second floor gallery throughout September.
WILDFLOUR ARTISAN BAKERY AND CAFE. The artwork of Mike Delaney will be on display at the artisan cafe during September.
U.S. pediatricians are pushing back against parents who resist having their children vaccinated against a broad range of dangerous diseases by calling on states to stop offering waivers to those with nonmedical objections to the practice.
In a policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics also said that if parents continue to refuse vaccinations despite exhaustive efforts to change their minds, it would be acceptable for doctors to exclude these families from their practices.
The pronouncements are intended to guide U.S. pediatricians as they grapple with a rising tide of vaccine hesitancy on the part of parents. Among doctors who are members of the nations largest organization of pediatricians, 87 percent have been challenged in the last year by parents who refused to have their children immunized, up from 75 percent in 2006.
Imperturbable in the face of colicky babies, toddlers tantrums and teen angst, many pediatricians have reached the end of their patience with parents who are unconvinced of vaccines lifesaving benefits. In 2013, 12 percent of pediatricians routinely asked parents to find another physician if they werent willing to vaccinate their children. In 2006, only 6 percent routinely showed such parents the door, according to surveys by the academy.
That step should be a last resort, the group said.
In a lengthy report also released Monday by the academy, 23 specialists in pediatrics and infectious diseases said doctors should begin discussing the benefits of vaccines as early as the first prenatal visit. In doing so, they should be prepared to explain the scientific evidence supporting vaccines use.
The panel also urged pediatricians to personalize the message that vaccines are safe, effective and powerful by sharing their own decisions to vaccinate their children or grandchildren. This particular advice was prompted by studies showing that skeptical parents tend to value the safety and comfort of their own children over arguments emphasizing the role of vaccines in benefiting the public at large.
Even as it gave physicians its blessing to dismiss vaccine refusers from their practices, the pediatricians group acknowledged a widely held view among rank-and-file members: that for a profession dedicated to the well-being of children and their families, the decision to show patients the door is often difficult.
It was gut-wrenching, said Dr. Alison Ziari, chief of pediatrics at the Austin Regional Clinic, a multi-specialty practice with 70 pediatricians in Texas that adopted a vaccinate-or-leave policy in July 2015. These are our families. We love them and we want to care for them.
The survey results show that parents concerns about vaccines have shifted in recent years. In 2006, pediatricians reckoned that nearly three-fourths of parents reluctant to vaccinate their children were motivated by fear that some vaccines could cause autism or have other adverse effects on a childs safety.
By 2013, safety concerns and the discredited link between vaccines and autism appeared to be less prominent causes of parental resistance. Instead, physicians attributed a growing number of parental objections to the view that vaccines are an unnecessary discomfort for their young children.
Such complacency is a common, if ironic, response to vaccines success, doctors and epidemiologists say. Before a measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, virtually everyone got measles as a child, and hundreds of Americans died of the disease each year. Today, few parents of young children have even seen it.
In a way, immunization has been a victim of its own success, said Dr. Sydney Spiesel, a pediatrician in Woodbridge, Conn., who has dismissed several families from his practice for refusing to vaccinate their children. If you dont see terrible things happening, youre not seeing the risks of failing to vaccinate.
The new guidelines follow a steady uptick in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, most notably measles and whooping cough. In 2015, a measles outbreak originating at Disneyland sickened 147 people in the United States, including 131 in California. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in March found that people who refused to vaccinate themselves or their children played a key role in initiating and accelerating those outbreaks.
Although all 50 states and the District of Columbia require that schoolchildren be immunized against a broad range of diseases, most states allow parents to opt out if they have a religious objection to vaccines and 18 allow for philosophical exemptions for those who object based on personal, moral or other grounds, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The Disneyland outbreak helped spark an acrimonious debate over these nonmedical exemptions. Last month, a California law removing the states personal belief exemption took effect, making California one of three states along with West Virginia and Mississippi that no longer grant nonmedical exemptions to vaccines.
Its clear that states with more lenient exemptions policies have lower immunization rates, and its these states where we have seen disease outbreaks occur as the rates slip below the threshold needed to maintain community immunity, said Dr. Geoffrey R. Simon, lead author of the medical exemptions policy statement.
UPDATE 8 p.m. September 1, 2016
DECATUR After deliberating for less than two hours, a jury of seven men and five women found Michael D. Wilhelm guilty on all 10 felony counts, for raping or sexually abusing three girls seven years ago.
He will be sentenced to mandatory life in prison, as a result of the guilty verdicts on two of the counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, two separate victims, both of whom were younger than 13. A sentencing hearing will be Oct. 18.
Wilhelm, 40, who has been held in jail since his arrest in August 2015, showed no emotion as Associate Macon County Judge Jeffrey Geisler read the verdicts at 1:55 p.m. Wednesday.
It was a difficult, emotionally charged trial, which began on Monday with a full day of jury selection and featured testimony from six women who told their stories of being sexually assaulted or abused by Wilhelm when they were children.
All of the charges Wilhelm faced at the trial were in connection with sex acts he committed against three girls, all of whom testified at the trial. The three other victims, who suffered abuse in 1991 and 1999, testified to help the state prove its case by showing Wilhelm's propensity to commit his more recent crimes.
The oldest of the recent victims, who was 14 when Wilhelm sexually assaulted her, said she was ecstatic after hearing the verdict.
I'm wonderful, said the young woman, who was racked by emotion during her entire testimony on Tuesday. I feel he can't do this to any other child. I'm just happy he's getting what he deserves.
Another victim, who was 12 when Wilhelm repeatedly sexually assaulted her, said it was a big relief for her to hear the verdict. She said it was very hard, very emotional, for her to come into court and testify.
There were a few times I wanted to back out, but I didn't, so it wouldn't happen to another kid, she said. Everyone told me, 'Look at my daughter.'
In her closing argument, Assistant State's Attorney Kate Kurtz said the victims had zero to gain by testifying against Wilhelm and a lot to put themselves through.
I submit to you that they came in here and told you exactly what the defendant did to them, she told the jurors.
But Assistant Public Defender Scott Rueter argued that the state did not prove its case because the girls did not provide details of exactly when these incidents occurred and left out several aspects of the incidents in their forensic interviews in 2010. Besides that, there was no DNA or other forensic evidence to connect him to any crimes.
He told the jurors that the fact that the girls showed emotion on the stand did not necessarily mean anything happened. They could be emotional because what they are saying is not true, he said.
None of this proves Michael Wilhelm did anything, Rueter shouted at the jurors, from a few feet in front of them. She wants you to act like a lynch mob and convict him.
Kurtz said that the three girls endured a continuing nightmare during a period of several months in 2009, for they didn't know when Wilhelm would call on them to do to them whatever he wanted. They were each alone in her misery, unaware that others were also being sexually abused by him.
Recounting some of the victims' testimony, Kurtz said Wilhelm invited one girl into a bedroom to play video games, then forced her to engage in sex acts with him.
She was 12, Kurtz said. She was not the 19-year-old you saw on Tuesday. She was that 12-year-old little girl. She was terrified. Then it happened again and again and again.
Kurtz explained why the 14-year-old did not speak of sexual assaults she experienced when she was first interviewed in 2010.
She didn't know who would be believed, she told the jurors. She didn't want to be judged. As she didn't want to be judged as she sat here and talked about the ugliest, ugliest of things.
Rueter said that just because Kurtz used words like nightmare in her closing argument and the girls were emotional while testifying, the jurors can't decide this case on sympathy.
You have to decide on the cold light of reason and common sense, Rueter said.
He explained that although the state presented three other women who testified that Wilhelm molested or raped them in 1991 and 1999, he is not on trial for those alleged offenses. He said that does not mean the three girls in this case are telling the truth.
Rueter pointed out that the woman who testified in the trial about her sexual abuse when she was 13 in 1999 had a different version of the events when she spoke with police at that time.
He said that the girl who claimed she was raped at age 12 didn't tell the officer who interviewed her about one of the specific ways that he assaulted her.
How does that affect believability, credibility? Rueter said. Then he raised his voice to a higher volume as he spread his hands apart. The tale has grown in the telling. The fish has grown from this size to this size.
In her rebuttal, Kurtz said the victims sat here and described in embarrassingly excruciating detail what was done to them.
And they were emotional, she said. It is human to be able to see that and recognize that. You can use your observations of them as they sat there in front of strangers and the man who did this to them. I made them discuss the details.
Kurtz said that Rueter told the jurors that just because testimony is emotional it isn't necessarily true.
Just because he's screaming at you, yelling about a lynch mob, that doesn't make it true also, she said, referring to Rueter's presentation.
The prosecutor said the three women who suffered abuse years ago were important witnesses. They didn't know the more recent victims, but they described details that are strikingly similar.
The woman who was raped by Wilhelm when she was 7 said he picked her up, carried her to his room, placed her on his bed, pulled off her clothes, just as two of the recent victims testified.
One of the recent victims said Wilhelm put his weight on her and she could not move. The 1999 victim also testified that he put his full weight on her.
They describe the same details and they don't know each other, Kurtz said. That is all testimonial evidence. It is credible. It is believable.
Kurtz said there are no jury instructions that say you must find DNA evidence, you must find fingerprint evidence.
You have direct evidence, Kurtz said, referring to the testimony of all the witnesses as well as expert testimony of a vaginal injury.
It was reasonable to believe that children who did not want to talk about every horrific thing that happened to them at that time would be more comfortable talking about those incidents now, she said.
The core truth stays the same, Kurtz said. The surprising thing is that (all six of the victims) had the courage to come in here and sit before you and sit before him and talk to you about things that nobody wants to talk about. But they happened and they happened to them.
UPDATE 5:13 p.m. September 1, 2016
DECATUR After deliberating for less than two hours, a jury of seven men and five women found Michael D. Wilhelm guilty on all 10 felony counts for raping or sexually abusing three girls seven years ago.
He will be sentenced to mandatory life in prison as a result of the guilty verdicts on two of the counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, two separate victims, both of whom were younger than 13.
Wilhelm, 40, who has been held in jail since his arrest in August 2015, showed no emotion as Associate Macon County Judge Jeffrey Geisler read the verdicts at 1:55 p.m. Wednesday.
It was a difficult, emotionally charged trial, which began on Monday with a full day of jury selection and featured testimony from six women who told their stories of being sexually assaulted or abused by Wilhelm when they were children.
All of the charges Wilhelm faced at the trial were in connection with sex acts he committed against three girls, all of whom testified at the trial. The three other victims, who suffered abuse in 1991 and 1999, testified to help the state prove its case, by showing Wilhelm's propensity to commit his more recent crimes.
The oldest of the recent victims, who was 14 when Wilhelm sexually assaulted her, said she was ecstatic after hearing the verdict.
I'm wonderful, said the young woman, who was racked by emotion during her entire testimony on Tuesday. I feel he can't do this to any other child. I'm just happy he's getting what he deserves.
Another victim, who was 12 when Wilhelm repeatedly sexually assaulted her, said it was a big relief for her to hear the verdict. She said it was very hard, very emotional, for her to come into court and testify.
There were a few times I wanted to back out, but I didn't, so it wouldn't happen to another kid, she said. Everyone told me, 'Look at my daughter.'
In her closing argument, Assistant State's Attorney Kate Kurtz said the victims had zero to gain by testifying against Wilhelm and a lot to put themselves through.
I submit to you that they came in here and told you exactly what the defendant did to them, she told the jurors.
But Assistant Public Defender Scott Rueter argued that the state did not prove its case, because the girls did not provide details of exactly when these incidents occurred and left out several aspects of the incidents in their forensic interviews in 2010. Besides that, there was no DNA or other forensic evidence to connect him to any crimes.
He told the jurors that the fact that the girls showed emotion on the stand did not necessarily mean anything happened. It could have meant that they were lying.
None of this proves Michael Wilhelm did anything, Rueter shouted at the jurors, from a few feet in front of them. She wants you to act like a lynch mob and convict him.
ORIGINAL STORY 8:00 p.m. August 31, 2016
DECATUR On the second day of testimony in the trial of Michael D. Wilhelm, for raping or sexually abusing three female children in 2009, another victim testified that she was abused by him 18 years earlier.
A 33-year-old woman told jurors that in the summer of 1991, when she was 8, she was at Wilhelm's house in Decatur, watching movies with a group of other children, when he approached her as she sat on the floor.
Michael got up and grabbed me on my chest and my crotch. and I got up and left, the woman testified. I got up and went to find my sister.
When she found her 7-year-old sister in Wilhelm's upstairs bedroom, the younger child was distraught, crying.
She was sitting with her underwear around her knees, the witness testified. Her underwear was bloodstained.
Wilhelm is charged with four counts of Class X predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, each punishable by six to 60 years in prison, and six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, each carrying a penalty of three to seven years.
The state rested its case Wednesday after presenting videos of forensic interviews of two of the victims, who were 11 and 12 years old when the alleged crimes were committed.
The defense presented its case Wednesday afternoon, which included testimony by Wilhelm's older sister, Stephanie Smith, as to the kind of bed he had when he raped the 7-year-old girl. That victim testified on Tuesday that she believed it was a waterbed. Smith testified that her brother never had a waterbed.
How often were you in his room? Asssistant State's Attorney Kate Kurtz asked her during cross-examination.
Us girls wasn't allowed in his room, Smith said.
Although that testimony was intended to cast doubt on Wilhelm's guilt in the rape of the 7-year-old, that case was settled in 1991 with a finding in juvenile court that he was guilty of criminal sexual assault/can't consent. He was 15 at the time and sentenced to a one-year probation term. The outcome of that case is not admissible as evidence in his current case.
Smith testified that although she lived in her own residence in 2009 in the 1000 block of South Polk Street, she frequently slept over at her brother's house, staying on a couch or the floor. According to testimony from several other witnesses, Wilhelm's three-bedroom house had 10 or more residents at that time.
I did not see Michael call or take children up to his room, Smith testified.
The defense also presented police officers and a child protection worker, who had interviewed victims in several of Wilhelm's cases, in an effort to point out discrepancies between the testimony of the victims in this trial and what they previously reported years ago.
Wilhelm declined to testify on his own behalf. The only time he spoke during the proceeding was when he responded, yes, sir, when Associate Macon County Judge Jeffrey Geisler asked him if he understood what he told him about his right to testify. That exchange occurred away from the jurors.
The videotaped interviews of the victims were screened Wednesday morning.
During the forensic interview with the 11-year-old victim, at the Macon County Child Advocacy Center, state child protection specialist Jennifer Inness tried to put her at ease by telling her, Lots of kids come here.
Lots of kids don't want to be here, the child responded.
This interview was held April 8, 2010, shortly after the allegations came to light. That girl, now a teen, testified on Tuesday about the same ordeals.
During the interview, she said the first time Wilhelm tried anything with her, he pushed her down on his bed and tried to take her pants off. He touched her on her privates, underneath her clothes.
I was kicking and screaming, she said. I started crying, then he let me go and I left. Her pants remained all the way on because I hung on to the belt loops. She did not tell anyone, because he said he would kill me if I told.
The 12-year-old victim was also interviewed the same day and place by Decatur police detective Troy Phares. Three of the predatory sexual assault counts were filed in relation to acts Wilhelm committed against this girl.
She said that Wilhelm, who had previously hit her with a paddle on her back, forced her to repeatedly have sex with him, three times a week. If she didn't have sex with him he was going to hit me, she told the detective. She said she wanted to get checked for diseases, because Wilhelm did not use a condom and she knew that he had sex with a hooker.
The adolescent girl reported that she repeatedly told Wilhelm she did not want to have sex with him, but he repeatedly forced her to engage in sex acts.
Assistant Public Defender Scott Rueter asked Phares if the 12-year-old girl told him that Wilhelm sexually assaulted him in one specific way. Kate Kurtz objected to the question, but was overruled by the judge.
No, Phares said.
Rueter asked him if she said anything to him about playing video games. She testified Tuesday that he invited her to his room to play video games before raping her.
No, Phares said.
During direct examination of Inness, who works for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Rueter asked if the 11-year-old told her that Wilhelm performed a specific act with his finger.
No, Inness said.
Did she indicate he had a rag? Rueter asked.
No, Inness said.
Earlier testimony indicated that the 14-year-old girl, who was allegedly sexually abused by Wilhelm, denied any sexual contact with him in 2010. Five years later, she reported that she was abused in 2009; she testified about the abuse Tuesday. Her forensic interview was not screened to the jurors.
Rueter asked Inness, who also interviewed her in 2010, if she reported that Wilhelm did anything besides touching her.
She reported to me that Michael asked her to have sex with him, Inness testified.
The trial is scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. today, with closing arguments followed by jury deliberations.
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On Tuesday, President Obama commuted the sentences of 111 federal drug offenders. In his first term, Obama endured the sting of critics like me who called him one of the stingiest modern presidents when it comes to the presidential pardon power. In his second term, Obama is making up for lost time. With 673 commutations , the Washington Post reports , Obama has approached 690, the number of commutations issued by the previous 11 presidents.
Obama deserves credit for doing the right thing. The federal mandatory minimum sentencing system the bastard child of Washingtons ill-conceived war on drugs was supposed to put drug kingpins away for long sentences. But the system lacks proportion, and too often has been used to put away low-level and nonviolent drug offenders for decades 232 Obama commutation recipients were serving sentences of life without parole. The pardon power was put in the U.S. Constitution in part to allow the president to correct for this brand of institutional overkill.
SACRAMENTO California lawmakers on Wednesday night sent Gov. Jerry Brown a bill that would require contractors disclose felony convictions for shoddy work and require state studies on whether more should be done to ensure balconies are safe.
The bill was introduced after 13 young people fell from a balcony that collapsed at a Berkeley apartment last year. Six of the victims died. Most were visiting from Ireland.
SB465 would require contractors to disclose to their regulator the Contractors State License Board a felony conviction related to their work as a contractor within 90 days of the conviction.
The bill also instructs the Contractors State License Board to study whether contractors should be required to report to the board any settlements or judgments related to faulty work. Also, the Building Standards Commission would be directed to study whether existing building standards for apartment balconies need to be updated. Both studies would be reported to the state Legislature by Jan. 1, 2018.
Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, and Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, had originally sought significantly stronger legislation last year, but it was defeated amid industry opposition. Hill said SB465 will still make a difference.
This ensures state agencies tasked with overseeing the construction industry are taking appropriate steps to identify bad actors and improve building standards, Hill said.
Contractors are currently not required to report to the board any settlements related to defects in their work. The firm that constructed the balcony that collapsed in Berkeley had a history of settling construction defect cases. Segue Construction of Pleasanton agreed to $26.5 million in legal settlements for construction defect cases between 2012 to 2015.
The licensing board said it was unaware of those cases because the company was not required to report them.
Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
SACRAMENTO California parents who work for small businesses would be eligible for six weeks of job-protected leave under a bill heading to Gov. Jerry Brown.
The bill was among the myriad of proposed laws sent Wednesday to Brown on the final day of the two-year legislative session. Brown has until Sept. 30 to act on the hundreds of bills on his desk.
With Wednesdays adjournment, lawmakers concluded a year in which they raised the minimum wage, extended greenhouse gas reduction targets to 2030, added gun control measures and approved $2 billion in bond money for housing and treating mentally ill Californians who are homeless.
On a lighter note, lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday declaring denim as the states official fabric under AB501 by Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael.
A bill considered the top priority of the California Legislative Womens Caucus was also among the bills sent to Brown.
SB654 requires small businesses with more than 20 employees to allow new parents to take six weeks of unpaid leave without losing their job. The bill will affect 2.7 million workers who dont currently have a guarantee that they can keep their job if they take time off following the birth of a child.
The Senate passed SB654 in a 24-12 vote on Wednesday. The Assembly approved the bill 43-15 on Tuesday.
No one should have to choose between caring for a baby or keeping their job, said Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara.
Under current law, only employees who work at a company with 50 or more workers are eligible for job-protected leave. Those workers have up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave.
Jackson initially sought 12 weeks of job-protected leave for workers at companies with at least 10 employees under a different bill that died this year. She revived the leave protections in recent weeks by gutting SB654 and amending the language into it. If signed by Brown, the bill would be effective Jan. 1, 2018.
Drivers for Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing companies would be required to have state and national background checks under AB1289, which is headed to Brown. Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Sacramento, said the bill is needed because the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates ride-hailing companies, does not specify what kind of background check drivers must undergo, leaving passengers at risk.
Coopers bill comes after Uber agreed this year to pay up to $25 million to settle a 2014 lawsuit filed by district attorneys of San Francisco and Los Angeles that argued the company misled customers by suggesting its background checks on drivers were the toughest in the industry.
Two dozen drivers in those cities had been found to have serious criminal backgrounds that included sex offenses, kidnap and murder.
As a father of four daughters, I dont want my children being picked up by a driver convicted of murder or rape, Cooper said in a statement. AB1289 will uncover the complete criminal history of prospective drivers.
A bill to increase penalties for secret recordings is also being sent to the governor. The bill was inspired by the hidden camera footage last year that purported to show Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of body parts from aborted fetuses. Planned Parenthood says the footage was manipulated.
Secret recordings are already illegal in the state, but the bill by Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, D-Echo Park (Los Angeles County), would expand the kind of confidential communications by health care providers that would be considered illegal. The bill, AB1671, would also clarify that a person who secretly records a confidential matter would be subject to fines and penalties for each violation.
Planned Parenthood, which sponsored the legislation, said the bill was needed after it saw a significant rise in violence and threats against its health care facilities after the footage was released.
Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
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STATELINE, Nev. Even though $1.9 billion in public and private money has been spent on restoring Lake Tahoe over the past two decades, President Obama and Californias top political leaders said Wednesday more is needed to finish the job.
Its not going to happen if we just pay lip service to conversation and dont do whats needed, Obama said in outlining a plan that would bring more than $10 billion in private investment to help nationally on conservation projects. Because climate and conservation are challenges that go hand in hand, our conservation mission is more urgent than ever, he said.
The president delivered a 20-minute address to the 9,000 people who paid $25 to attend the 20th annual Lake Tahoe Summit, a gathering dedicated to restoring the lake and surrounding areas. Obama was joined on the outdoor stage in the back parking lot of the Harveys Lake Tahoe casino by the self-described Tahoe Team: California Gov. Jerry Brown, California Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
In the spirit of celebrating what the summit has done to improve Tahoe, there were no partisan political barbs tossed, except for taunts at those who deny the existence of climate change. Las Vegas band the Killers played a short set after the politicians left the stage.
Though his colleagues praised him for his environmental progress particularly for placing a record more than 260 million acres of land under federal protection during his presidency Obama was briefly heckled by an antifracking activist holding a sign that said Keep it in the ground.
On his first visit to Lake Tahoe, Obama announced more than $30 million in new federal water, wildlife and fire protection projects for the region as well as a new public-private partnership aimed at restoring 25,000 acres around the Salton Sea, Californias largest lake, through 2025.
The White House announced these Lake Tahoe projects Wednesday:
The Department of the Interior will provide $29.5 million to remove dead and dying trees on public and private land to reduce the threat of wildfires.
The Environmental Protection Agency will offer $230,000 in grants for infrastructure to reduce storm water runoff in the region in an attempt to improve Lake Tahoes water quality.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife will spend $1 million on eight projects to prevent the spread of invasive zebra and quagga mussels from nearby bodies of water.
Also announced Wednesday was that the National Forest Foundation raised more than $4 million for forest health, sustainable recreation and creek restoration projects throughout the Truckee River watershed.
A single wildfire in a dangerously flammable Lake Tahoe Basin could cause enough erosion to erase decades of progress when it comes to water quality, Obama said. And the drought also endangers one of the epicenters of the worlds food production in California.
Additional federal conservation measures were announced Wednesday for Southern California, too, where Department of the Interior officials said the area of the Salton Sea, in Imperial and Riverside counties, faces deteriorating air quality and massive fish kills. A 2014 report from the Pacific Institute, a think tank that studies water issues, estimated the lakes problems could cost California $70 billion in lower property values and increased health care needs.
Joining federal and California officials in trying to improve conditions around the Salton Sea will be the Water Funder Initiative, a coalition of philanthropic foundations that announced Wednesday it would donate $10 million over five years to the regions needs.
The foundations investment in the Salton Sea was an example of how increased private and philanthropic money must, as Obama said Wednesday, come off the sidelines and contribute to conservation, because government cant do it alone.
Were going to reverse the deterioration of the Salton Sea before its too late, and thats going to help a lot of folks all across the West, Obama said Wednesday.
At the start of Obamas administration there was $230 million in private and philanthropic investment in conservation projects, and the White House has estimated that will grow to $1 billion this year. On Wednesday, the administration released a plan that outlined how it could grow to $10 billion annually within a decade.
The mood of Wednesdays 1 hour, 15 minute program was largely celebratory, as Reid put it, partially a nod to the 500 completed restoration projects and to 20 more in the pipeline
It was also a curtain call for Reid, who along with Boxer and Obama is in his final months in office. It was Reid, troubled by the worsening clarity of Lake Tahoe, who persuaded former President Clinton to headline the first summit in 1997. Federal funds soon followed, and the lakes clarity has improved. Obama was the second sitting president to visit the summit.
Brown said Lake Tahoe is so beautiful that Republicans and Democrats actually worked together to do good for Tahoe. Beauty transcends politics.
That cooperative Tahoe vibe has stalled somewhat, another victim of partisan Washington gridlock. Boxer urged those in the audience to press for the passage of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which would earmark $415 million to be spent in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
While Reid said Wednesdays lake summit was a celebration of progress, he cautioned we cant be complacent. Our work is not finished.
Joe Garofoli is the San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
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Many were baffled by Donald Trump's immigration speech yesterday.
In the afternoon, the Republican presidential candidate met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, presenting a diplomatic, almost pleasant demeanor.
Hours later, with his more typical bullying tone and hateful language, he demonized illegal immigrants describing them as criminals, rapists and murders, as he has done in the past.
But the Huffington Post pointed out that a few individuals who identify as white supremacists loved the return to the harsh rhetoric and took to Twitter to give Trump a pat on the back.
Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who's running for a U.S. Senate seat in Louisiana, hailed Trump's speech "excellent," and live tweeted for the duration.
Jared Taylor, editor of the white nationalist publication American Renaissance, said it was "epochal, historic and unprecedented," while Richard Spencer, president of the white-nationalist think tank the National Policy Institute, tweeted "Trump is back in a big way!"
SANTA CLARA, Cuba The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century landed in the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War.
Cheers broke out in the cabin of JetBlue flight 387 as the plane touched down. Passengers mostly airline executives, U.S. government officials and journalists, with a sprinkling of Cuban American families and U.S. travelers were given gift bags with Cuban cookbooks, commemorative luggage tags and Cuban flags, which they were encouraged to wave.
1 PLO lawsuit: A U.S. appeals court tossed out a $654 million jury verdict against the Palestine Liberation Organization for damages Americans suffered in Palestinian terror attacks. The U.S. government had said the case threatened to financially destabilize the Palestinian government and harm the region. The U.S. Court of Appeals in New York threw out the case Wednesday. The court said the federal courts lack personal jurisdiction over the defendants. A jury last year awarded $218 million to Americans affected by Palestinian terror attacks that have killed Americans. The award was automatically tripled under the Anti-Terrorism Act. After the jury verdict, the U.S. government said that if the Palestinian Authority were to collapse, there would be a security crisis impacting Israelis, Palestinians and others in the region.
2 Papal concern: Pope Francis is showing his profound concern for refugees by assuming direct responsibility for refugee issues in a new Vatican department that merges four Vatican offices into one handling peace, the environment and human trafficking issues. The Vatican issued the statutes Wednesday for the new Vatican department, which puts the pontifical councils for refugees, peace and justice, health workers, and charity under one roof. The reorganization is part of Francis overall reform of the Vatican bureaucracy to make it more streamlined and responsive to the needs of dioceses. Francis has made clear that the refugee crisis facing Europe, the Middle East and the Americas is the priority of his pontificate and has vowed to fight what he calls todays globalization of indifference.
1 Syria air strike: Suspected government warplanes carried out several air strikes in Syrias Hama on Thursday, killing at least 25 people, amid a lightning advance by insurgents on government-controlled areas of the central province. The rebel offensive is led by an ultraconservative Islamic group, Jund al-Aqsa, and several factions from the western-backed Free Syrian Army. In the past three days, the insurgents have pushed their way from northern Hama down south toward government-held areas.
2 U.S. reporter expelled: Jim Wyss, the Miami Heralds Andean bureau chief who traveled to Venezuela to cover a massive protest rally Thursday in Caracas, was detained by immigration authorities. Wyss arrived in Caracas with a journalist visa valid through October. He said he had been detained because he wasnt registered to be a journalist in Venezuela even though he had filled out all required paperwork. He was expelled and put on a plane for Panama. The Committee to Protect Journalists said Venezuela has denied entry to at least six journalists who wanted to cover the protest to demand a recall referendum on President Nicolas Maduro.
NORMAL Radical populism and chaos syndrome are two phrases political observers have tossed around this unusual campaign season, but two retired Illinois State University professors say the situations they describe are not necessarily something new nor are they limited to the United States.
Radical populism is not a new phenomenon in the U.S. or elsewhere, said George Gordon, professor emeritus of politics and government.
Nevertheless, in a talk Wednesday on Radical Populism in the 2016 Election, Gordon and Bob Hunt, professor emeritus of politics and government, acknowledged there are several current examples that seem to follow historic patterns.
Gordon referred to a 1965 article that discussed fascism in terms of extreme middle-class reactions against real or perceived threats from others, such as immigrants, and government institutions that are seen as unresponsive, giving rise to a leader who can inspire nonvoters to go to the polls and is seen as a knight in shining armor who can solve their problems.
Bob Hunt, professor emeritus of politics and government, noted that radical and fascist political parties and movements have been growing in other countries, particularly Europe, that are visible and aggressive and attractive to those who are marginalized. Many share an anti-immigrant theme, he said.
Gordon said there was more than one candidate who fit the profile of a radical populist outlined in the 1965 article, even though none had the whole package.
Both Bernie Sanders, who lost the Democratic presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton, and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump portrayed themselves as outsiders and inspired many nonvoters to get involved and to to the polls.
Sanders is a populist, Gordon said, but whether he is a radical populist depends on whether he is believed when calling for a political revolution.
But where Sanders spoke more of populism channeled through existing institutions, such as Congress, Trump doesn't seem to have that next step, Hunt said.
Trump has anger without direction, said Hunt, adding, that kind of populism is not compatible with democracy.
Gordon didn't give an opinion on what would happen if Trump were to win but said, If Trump loses, I don't think the Trump movement is going to vanish into obscurity, and government and political parties will have to decide how to deal with that.
About 65 people attended the talk, the first in a series on The U.S. Presidential Election: Global Implications and Comparative Perspectives. The series is sponsored by the Office of International Studies and Programs and the department of politics and government. The talks are at noon Wednesdays in the Bone Student Center through Nov. 9.
BEIRUT Russias Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its air strike in northern Syria killed 40 Islamic State militants, including the militant groups spokesman and chief strategist, who had laid out the blueprint for attacks against the West.
The Islamic State-run Aamaq news agency confirmed the death of Abu Muhammed al-Adnani, who it said was martyred while surveying operations to repel the military campaigns in Aleppo. It did not provide any further details on when or how he died. A later statement vowed to avenge his death.
However, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said on Tuesday that a U.S. air strike targeted al-Adnani in the Syrian city of al-Bab, which is northeast of the city of Aleppo, the provincial capital. He said the U.S. was still assessing the results of the strike.
The Sunni militant group did not say whom it blamed for the air strike.
Al-Adnanis death is a major blow to the extremist group, which has been on the retreat in Syria and Iraq.
Al-Adnani, whose real name is Taha Sobhi Falaha, persistently called for attacks against the West, which paid off in bloody notoriety with the Nov. 13 coordinated attacks in Paris that hit a concert hall, a stadium, restaurants and bars, leaving 130 people dead and hundreds wounded.
He was a Syrian who was born in the northern province of Idlib and is believed to have been in his late 30s. He crossed the border and joined al Qaeda in Iraq, a precursor to Islamic State, after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
In late June 2014, he formally declared the establishment of a caliphate, or Islamic state, stretching across parts of Syria and Iraq, under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and demanded allegiance from Muslims worldwide.
A powerful orator, he went on to become the voice of Islamic State. He released numerous audio files online in which he delivered fiery sermons urging followers to kill civilians in nations that supported the U.S.-led coalition against the group.
Earlier this year, he called for massive attacks during Ramadan a call that translated into the bloodiest Muslim holy month in recent memory. Followers of the Islamic State carried out attacks on several continents, including the Orlando shooting, the Nice truck attack in France and a massive suicide bombing in downtown Baghdad.
Aleppo is a focal point of the civil war in Syria, where the Islamic State, Syrian Kurdish forces, Turkey-backed rebels and President Bashar Assads forces are vying for control. The province is frequently struck by both U.S.-led coalition air strikes and Russian air raids.
PRC Will Decide PNM Rate Case Soon
Well know by the end of September if our electric rates are going up. Public Regulation
on the Public Service Company of New Mexicos request by the end of September.
Forfeiture Suit Filed in Albuquerque
The City of Albuquerque is being sued by a mother of a drunk driver for
that bans the forfeiture of assets, including the car she loaned to her son.
Cannabis Employee Salaries Revealed
Looking for a high paying job? People working in the fast growing medical cannabis sector are
M aster growers are earning up to $80,000 a year, and CEOs average about $110,000 annually, according to Marissa Higdons analysis at ABQ Business First.
Johnson's Path to Victory
We missed this earlier in the week, but Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson told FOX News Chris Wallace that if he doesnt
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, its game over. He needs to be average 15 percent in public opinion polls to qualify. Fox reports hes only at about 8 percent.
Trump Details Immigration Plan
On Wednesday, after returning from a visit with the president of Mexico, Donald Trump vowed to
if elected president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardize the well-being of the American people. Hes also vowing to build his wall, and you know, Mexico will pay for it. First he has to get elected and a new Fox News poll shows
with Hillary Clinton.
Clinton received 48 percent support to Trumps 42 percent, a smaller gap than the 10-point spread in the same poll earlier this month. When including Libertarian Gary Johnson and the Green Partys Jill Stein, the lead is cut to just 2 percentage points 41 to 39 percent, with 9 percent for Johnson and 4 percent for Stein.
State Wants Watchdog Groups Lawsuit Dismissed
The New Mexico Environment Department has asked a federal judge to
filed by Nuclear Watch New Mexico that seeks invalidation of a new agreement between the state and federal governments over cleanup of radioactive and hazardous waste from nuclear weapons work at Los Alamos National Laboratory, according to a report in the Albuquerque Journal.
Indian Shield Ordered Returned
The sacred ceremonial shield that was stolen from Acoma Pueblo in the 1970s and almost auctioned off in Paris, has now been
to the United States by a federal judge.
Who Will Helm Spaceport?
Two finalists with lots of space industry experience are
at Spaceport America. Gov. Susana Martinez will choose between Daniel C Hicks, the director of plans for White Sands Missile Range, and John E Williams, the former president and CEO of Universal Space Network.
Rains Ease Drought
If youre like us and gearing up for one last summer camping trip, youll be excited to know the mountains are a lot greener. The summer monsoons have
around the state and weather experts say weve gone from moderate drought to moderate dry.
Santa Fe Reporter
Power distributor Vector has signed a deal with West Australian energy company Power Ledger to use its peer-to-peer platform to enable people and business to buy or sell surplus electricity to each other.
The system enables an individual who has solar power or batteries to sell any surplus energy they generate to someone else, bypassing the traditional electricity retailer.
A trial is to get under way in December this year involving 500 sites in New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland. Schools, community groups, and households will be involved, Vector said in a statement.
Chief Executive Simon MacKenzie said the new system would empower consumers "to better manage and profit from their energy supply and demand."
Power Ledger is a Perth-based start-up and uses the Blockchain software that underpins the digital currency, Bitcoin, in order to identify who has generated the energy and therefore who owns it. An eight-week trial involving 10 households in Busselton, south of Perth got underway this month, with talks underway on a more advanced trial in the city to follow next year.
The company's co-founder, Jemma Green said the technology would "enable the safe, sustainable and sensible trading of energy between producers and consumers."
Households with solar panels currently sell surplus energy back to the grid, although last month the Electricity Authority ruled that electricity company Unison had not broken the rules when it raised lines charges for homes who had installed a solar panel system. In April, lines company Eastland Group said it was considering doing the same.
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Nuplex Industries confirmed its takeover by Allnex Belguim SA had received antitrust clearance from the European Commission, paving the way for its transfer into the hands of the private-equity backed Belgian company to create one of the worlds largest makers of coating resins.
Nuplex shares will cease trading on the NZX and ASX at the close of trade on Monday, Sept. 5, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Shareholders owning the stock on the record date of Sept. 7 will receive $5.43 per share, and a dividend payment of 3.15 cents per share due to a delay in receiving EC antitrust approval, the company said.
The shares will be delisted from the NZX and ASX at the close of trading on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The stock last changed hands at $5.35, having advanced 13 percent this year.
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New Zealand's terms of trade fell in the second quarter as dairy products led a decline in export prices and a rebound in crude oil drove up prices of imports.
The terms of trade, which measures the purchasing power of New Zealand's exports abroad, fell 2.1 percent in the three months ended June 30, Statistic New Zealand said. Economists had expected a decline of 1.5 percent. Total export prices fell 1.9 percent while import prices gained 0.2 percent.
The value of exports rose 7.6 percent, seasonally adjusted, as export volumes rose 10 percent to the highest level since the series began in 1990, the government statistician said. The gain in export volumes was driven by an 18 percent increase in milk powder, a 5.3 percent rise in butter, a 16 percent gain in beef and an 8.1 percent rise in other meat. Dairy products led the decline in prices, with milk powder falling 8.7 percent, butter down 4.8 percent and cheese down 5.4 percent.
Forestry export values rose 7.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, the fifth quarterly gain in a row, as volumes rose 2.2 percent and prices gained 0.9 percent. Fruit values rose 11 percent to a record as volumes climbed 2.9 percent and prices gained 0.9 percent.
Import volume rose 0.7 percent, also to the highest since the series began in 1990, and the total value of imports gained 1.2 percent. Petroleum and petroleum products led the gains, with prices jumping 19 percent in the second quarter after declines of 24 percent and 25 percent respectively in the preceding two quarters. The value of imported petroleum products rose 11 percent while the volume fell 6.9 percent.
The volume of imported capital goods rose 22 percent in the latest quarter, largely due to a 44 percent gain in industrial transport equipment.
Economists expect an improvement in the terms of trade in the face of improving dairy product prices. The price of whole milk powder in the fortnightly GlobalDairyTrade auction, which jumped about 19 percent to US$2,695 a tonne on Aug. 16, the highest since October last year. Rising prices gave Fonterra Cooperative Group the confidence to lift its forecast farmgate milk price for the current season by 50 cents to $4.75 a kilogram of milksolids last week.
"From here, we expect that the terms of trade to lift over the next year as dairy prices recover," said Nathan Penny, senior rural economist at ASB Bank. "However, the export volume surge over the quarter is likely to prove temporary. We expect some payback over coming quarters, particularly as NZ dairy production falls this season."
The services terms of trade fell 2.4 percent in the second quarter, as export prices fell 2 percent and import prices rose 0.4 percent.
By trading partner, the terms of trade rose 2.1 percent with China, 1.5 percent with Australia and 3.2 percent with Japan. However, the terms of trade dropped 1.9 percent with the US , 1.3 percent with the European Union and 13 percent with the rest of the world.
(BusinessDesk)
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Ngatata Love's dementia and probable Alzheimers did not prevent the judge from taking into account his evidence in his fraud trial, while Shaan Stevens, who gave evidence against Love, was an unsatisfactory witness, the judge said.
The former Treaty negotiator was found guilty of obtaining property by deception in the High Court fraud trial over his dealings with property developers while chairman of the Wellington Tenths Trust. Love was remanded on bail before sentencing on Oct. 6, with a pre-sentence report directed to contain a home detention appendix which Justice Graham Lang said was "not to be taken as an indication of the sentence that will be imposed." The judge agreed not to enter a conviction before sentencing, at the request Love's lawyer, Colin Carruthers QC.
The charges came from a Serious Fraud Office investigation into a $1.5 million payment from a land developer into a trust controlled by Love's partner, Lorraine Skiffington, which was then used to repay a property loan on a Plimmerton house he and Skiffington co-owned. It was the first installment of what was intended to be a $3 million payment.
Love's medical conditions were suppressed throughout the trial, but that suppression was lifted with the verdict today. The defence called Love's doctor, Anthony Duncan, a forensic psychiatrist in Wellington, to give evidence on Love's impairment. The doctor had been present during the trial observing Love's condition.
Duncan said Love had dementia and had at times appeared "overloaded" during questioning from the Crown and his own lawyers, and it was likely the impairment meant Love couldn't process the questions he was being asked in order to respond to them appropriately. However, the judge ultimately determined his condition had no great bearing on the case.
"I had noticed the same phenomenon whilst Dr Love gave his evidence, and had reached the same conclusion," Justice Lang said in his written judgment. "I need to be careful not to draw conclusions adverse to Dr Love solely by virtue of the manner in which he responded to questions that he obviously found difficult to answer. I accept that his inability to answer some questions reflected his underlying mental impairment rather than a desire to avoid answering difficult questions. I record that in his closing address Mr Burston for the Crown accepted that such an approach was appropriate. As it happens, this particular issue is not of great moment because Dr Love was firm in his denial of the key aspects of the Crowns case."
When giving evidence, Duncan said Love's illness could have appeared years before Love was diagnosed, possibly as early as 2006 when the events which were subject of the fraud trial occurred, though Love was not Duncan's patient at the time. Duncan said the impairment could have affected Love's "badness detectors" in relation to the people he did business with.
The judge also found that Shaan Stevens, a Crown witness and former director of Skiffington's Pipitea Street Developments, had been an unsatisfactory witness. Justice Lang said Stevens was closely involved in the key events which led to the charges and there was a risk he had given evidence influenced by a desire to distance himself and blame Love and Skiffington.
Stevens told the court he had never seen a letter which was sent to the property developers on Nov. 23, 2006, with a counter-proposal asking for $4 million as a lease premium rather than $3 million, but Andrew Henderson, a partner in the Wellington law firm Gault Mitchell, said the letter had come from Stevens who had given it to him to transfer to Gault Mitchell letterhead and send to the developers. The judge said he preferred Henderson's evidence as there was no reason for him to be mistaken or lie about the issue.
"Had this been a trial by jury, I would, therefore have given the jury a direction that they needed to treat Mr Stevens evidence with real caution," Justice Lang said. "He has been shown to be an unsatisfactory witness in several respects, and may well have motive to give false or misleading evidence prejudicial to Dr Love and Ms Skiffington. I therefore treat Mr Stevenss evidence with real caution."
In his summing up last week, Love's lawyer Carruthers had told the judge that he had no option but to find Stevens' evidence was unreliable as he had told a "bare-faced lie."
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Shaan Stevens, who gave evidence for the Crown in the fraud trial of Ngatata Love, says he was "duped" by the former Treaty negotiator and his partner Lorraine Skiffington and the Serious Fraud Office found no improper behaviour on his part.
Love's defence blamed Stevens, a business consultant and former director of Skiffingtons Pipitea Street Developments, and Skiffington herself for banking transactions linked to a Plimmerton property at the heart of the fraud case. Love was today found guilty in the High Court of obtaining property by deception in his dealings with developers while chairman of the Wellington Tenths Trust in 2006.
In his summing up last week, Love's QC Colin Carruthers had told the judge that he had no option but to find Stevens' evidence was unreliable as he had told a "bare-faced lie." Carruthers said Stevens' "fingerprints and footprints" were all over the negotiation documents, and it was clear he had been involved in the negotiations right from the start.
Under cross-examination, Love said Stevens, along with Skiffington, had used his name on negotiation documents "in a manner that is not acceptable," and he had trusted Stevens, but now realised that trust was "wrong."
Stevens told BusinessDesk, "Yes, I advised Skiffington and Love on their financial transactions, but like others I was duped by very smooth political operators, with years of experience, learnt at the feet of their political masters for whom they served, and by whom they were paid handsomely. Now I read with surprise that they themselves were 'duped' by their adviser, namely me. Were there any credence to this claim, I would be standing beside them in the dock charged with the same crime".
Skiffington was charged but subsequently granted a permanent stay due to her ill health. In delivering his verdict today Justice Graham Lang said Stevens had been "an unsatisfactory witness" because he was closely involved in the key events which led to the charges and there was a risk he had given evidence influenced by a desire to distance himself and blame Love and Skiffington.
But Stevens said after the judgment that he wasn't given "a free pass" by the SFO, which had access to all the information held about him including emails, meeting notes and advice provided to Love and Skiffington.
"They also cross-checked all of this information with evidence obtained from multiple other sources, including personal email accounts of Love and Skiffington," Stevens said. "I was clearly told that should they have found any evidence indicating any improper or criminal activity by me, I would have been charged. The SFO had enough to show criminal activity by Love and my evidence simply confirmed the fraudulent activity."
The charges came from a Serious Fraud Office investigation into a $1.5 million payment from a land developer into a trust controlled by Love's partner, Lorraine Skiffington, which was then used to repay a property loan on a Plimmerton house he and Skiffington co-owned. It was the first installment of what was intended to be a $3 million payment.
Love was remanded on bail before sentencing on Oct. 6, with a pre-sentence report directed to contain a home detention appendix which Justice Graham Lang said was "not to be taken as an indication of the sentence that will be imposed." The judge agreed not to enter a conviction before sentencing, at the request of Love's lawyer, Colin Carruthers QC.
The verdict marks a fall from grace for the Wellington insider who was made a Principal Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Maori in 2008, later upgraded to a knighthood, and who was able to call up high-profile character witnesses during the trial. He was said to be a close confidante of Helen Clark on Maori issues when she was prime minister.
Stevens described the attempt to shift the blame to him as "typical of those self-appointed 'elite' lost in their own sense of entitlement."
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DECATUR The parents of the Decatur woman who died after a high-speed collision with an Illinois State Police trooper filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking $10 million in damages.
Their daughter, Kelly E. Wilson, 26, the mother of daughters ages 7 and 2, suffered fatal injuries on the night of May 7 when her van was struck by an unmarked squad car driven by Master Sgt. Jeff Denning. Kelly was pronounced dead just after 1 a.m May 8.
Denning survived the crash with fractures to his pelvis and one foot and also suffered multiple lacerations.
The lawsuit claims the squad car was traveling at more than 100 mph without sirens activated and, at the moment of impact with Wilson, was moving at between 88 and 90 mph after emergency braking.
Kelly Wilson's parents, Leo and Kathrine Wilson, the administrators of her estate, allege that Denning was driving negligently and carelessly at too fast a speed as he headed north on Oakland Avenue, responding to an emergency call. Wilson had pulled out in front of him from Harrison Avenue, turning south, when the collision occurred at 11:02 p.m. The force of the impact spun her vehicle across the road, and it rolled over.
Leo and Kathrine Wilson filed their lawsuit against Denning, the state police and the state of Illinois.
As a direct and proximate result of one or more of the negligent and reckless acts or omissions on the part of respondents aforesaid, Kelly Wilson sustained conscious pain and suffering prior to her death ... the lawsuit stated. The Wilsons are being represented by Decatur lawyer Timothy M. Shay of Shay & Associates.
While the state police do not comment on pending litigation, officers did reveal background information at a Macon County coroner's inquest in June, when a jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
The inquest had been told that Kelly Wilson had a blood-alcohol content of 0.094 percent, which exceeded the legal limit of 0.080 for driving in Illinois. There were also traces of the active ingredient of marijuana in her blood, but the jury heard these traces could have lingered for days or even weeks before the fatal crash.
Giving evidence, state police Master Sgt. Shad Edwards said his colleague had been responding to a call about the shooting of a police officer in Mahomet. The suspect, Dracy Clint Pendleton was thought to be fleeing either east or west on Interstate 72 and, if he headed west, Denning's mission was to intercept. Denning was one of only two troopers working that night in District 10, a vast police patrol area covering nine counties including Macon and Champaign.
As a shift commander, he (Denning) would be expected to respond to the scene and coordinate it, Edwards testified.
He told the jury that Denning was running with internal emergency lights on his unmarked car operating. Reports about whether he was running with the siren turned on were mixed; one witness at the scene said he heard the siren, while another had said he did not.
Edwards, off duty at the time but dispatched to the scene of the crash, said Denning had explained he was driving north, watching for vehicles to his right, including the van, when at the last second, the vehicle pulled out in front of him, Edwards had said.
He described witnesses who said Kelly Wilson had halted at the stop sign at the Harrison and Oakland avenues. She looked in both directions and then proceeded directly out in front of Master Sgt. Denning's car, Edwards said.
He described Denning as saying he yanked his vehicle to the left in evasive action and was standing on the brake pedal when the collision occurred. Edwards had said information from the squad car's airbag control module indicated it was traveling at 108 mph 2 seconds before impact. He said the speed a half second before the crash had dropped to 85 mph.
Questioned by Macon County Coroner Michael E. Day, Edwards said there were no rules or police policies limiting the speed of squad cars in emergency situations.
He said officers can break any state vehicle codes as long as they have emergency lights activated, but even the lights can be dispensed with when responding to situations like silent alarms and bank alarms.
The coroner was told by state police Sgt. Steve Coady, a lead reconstruction investigator, that the accident was being investigated by the state police. Day asked whether it was routine for the police to investigate themselves in situations involving their own officers, and Coady replied that it was.
Shay, the attorney acting for the family, had been present at the inquest and said afterwards that he had been stunned to learn that Denning was driving so fast and said he expected to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Pendleton, the suspect in the Mahomet officer shooting, was found by police and died in a shootout with officers May 15 in Shawnee National Forest.
WASHINGTON -- The Russians have just given us an August glimpse of a potential October surprise.
We learned earlier this summer that cyber-hackers widely believed to be tied to the Kremlin have broken into the email of the Democratic National Committee and others. The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima reported Monday night that Russian hackers have also been targeting state voter-registration systems. And, in an apparent effort to boost Donald Trump's presidential candidacy, they're leaking what they believe to be the most damaging documents at strategic points in the campaign.
Last week, we learned something else: The Russians aren't just hackers -- they're also hacks. Turns out that before leaking their stolen information, they are in some cases doctoring the documents, making edits that add false information and then passing the documents off as the originals.
Foreign Policy's Elias Groll reported last week that the hackers goofed: They posted both the original versions of at least three documents and their edited versions. These documents, stolen from George Soros' Open Society Foundations, were altered by the hackers to create the false impression that Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny was funded by Soros. A pro-Russian hacking group, CyberBerkut, had inserted Navalny's name, bogus dollar amounts and fabricated wording.
This raises an intriguing possibility: Are Vladimir Putin's operatives planning to dump edited DNC documents on the eve of the presidential election?
Perhaps they'll show that the Clinton Foundation has been funding the Islamic State, or they'll have Hillary Clinton admitting that she didn't care about those Americans who died in Benghazi after all. Maybe they'll show that she really did lose most of her brain function in that fall several years ago and is now relying on Anthony Weiner to make all of her decisions.
Russian "dezinformatsiya" campaigns such as this go back to the Cold War; the Soviet portrayal of AIDS as a CIA plot was a classic case. But this type of cyberwar -- email hacking and, now, the altering and release of the stolen documents -- is a novel escalation. It's tempting to wonder how differently the Cold War might have gone had there been cyber-hackers back then. We'll never know, of course, because the Soviet Union crumbled before Al Gore invented the internet.
But it's clear that Russia's disinformation wars are as active as ever. On Sunday, Neil MacFarquhar wrote in The New York Times about Russian attempts to undermine a Swedish military partnership with NATO. The campaign is spreading false information that there's a secret nuclear weapons stockpile in Sweden and alleging that NATO soldiers could rape Swedish women with impunity. This Russian use of "weaponized information" helped cause confusion in Ukraine in 2014, when conspiracy theories spread by the Russians about the downing of a Malaysian Airlines jet helped Russians justify their invasion of Crimea.
So does this point to a Putin-sponsored October surprise?
Putin has meddled in domestic politics in France, the Netherlands, Britain and elsewhere, helping extreme political parties to destabilize those countries. He appears to be doing much the same now in the United States, where, in addition to the DNC and state voter system hacks, there have also been reports this summer about Russia hiring internet trolls to pose on Twitter and elsewhere in social media as pro-Trump Americans. Trump and Putin have expressed their mutual admiration, and even after the departure of Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, Trump and several top advisers have close ties to Moscow.
The hyper-competitive American media environment is vulnerable to the sort of technique the Russian hackers used in the Soros case -- stealing documents, altering them, then releasing them as the original. If Putin's hackers were to release such a doctored document smearing Clinton in, say, late October, it's likely that competition would lead outlets to report on the hacked documents before they had a chance to see whether and how they were altered.
We don't know what, if anything, Putin's hackers have planned for this fall. But the doctored Soros documents could be a clue.
SPRINGFIELD When Gov. Bruce Rauner announced during last months Illinois State Fair that a nonprofit foundation had formed to help pay for upkeep of the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin, he touted it as an effort of private individuals in agriculture and business.
This is not going to be a government agency in any regard, Rauner said in announcing the foundation on Agriculture Day at the fair. This is all private money, all private management, all private control.
But emails and other records released to the Herald & Review Springfield Bureau under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act show that officials with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Rauner administration were heavily involved in the groups formation.
The state withheld some requested records, citing exemptions for preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, memoranda, and other records in which opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated and communications between a public body and its attorneys.
Records show that state officials have been meeting since at least early June to discuss the foundation and played a role in assembling the organizations board. State officials also put together a Facts & FAQs document detailing how the foundation would function and set the agenda for a conference call with board members five days before the effort was publicly announced.
Thank you for your consideration to service on the Board of Directors of the soon to be established Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation, Grant Hammer, chief of staff for the Department of Agriculture, wrote in an email to board members Aug. 9, a week before the announcement.
He continued, These past few weeks have been a whirlwind of preparation, but we are pleased to share the news that the foundation will officially launch during this years Illinois State Fair in Springfield.
Hammer invited board members to an Aug. 11 conference call, and the agenda for that meeting, with Illinois Department of Agriculture printed at the top, begins with introductions from the governors office and the department.
Hammer said he couldnt comment because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Department spokeswoman Rebecca Clark didnt respond immediately to a request for comment.
The foundations articles of incorporation were filed with the secretary of states office Aug. 15, the day before the announcement.
John Slayton, a vice president at U.S. Bank in Springfield who has long been involved with the Governors Sale of Champions auction at the state fair, is one of the foundations board members, and he spoke at the fair on the day of the announcement.
Slayton said hes been involved in many conversations over the years about establishing a private group to raise money for much-needed repairs at the fairgrounds.
The most recent attempt, I would say, came from Department of Ag, who basically put the group together, Slayton said Wednesday. Its truly something thats needed out there. It wasnt done as an end run around the legislature.
On August 31, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Karen Mirzoyan received the delegation of the Tufenkian Foundation, which included also well-known American-Armenian novelist Chris Bohjalian.
Karen Mirzoyan welcomed the programs implemented in Artsakh by the Tufenkian Foundation and noted that they significantly contributed to the development of Artsakh communities.
During the meeting, Karen Mirzoyan briefed on the challenges facing Artsakh and the efforts of the NKR people and authorities aimed at overcoming them. He also stressed the importance of providing accurate information to the international community about Artsakh. In this context, the NKR Foreign Minister highly appreciated the significant contribution made by Chris Bohjalian to voicing the issue of the Armenian Genocide as well as other issues of nationwide significance.
NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs
WASHINGTON: The Indo-U.S. relationship has evolved into a very deep partnership which is more than what is generally acknowledged, outgoing Indian envoy Arun K Singh has said and voiced confidence that the bilateral ties would further advance under the next U.S. President.
"I think in many ways there is a very deep partnership more than what is generally acknowledged and recognised," Singh, who retired yesterday, told PTI.
"There is a deep linkage between India and the US," Singh said, citing the example of people-to-people relationship in particularly those in the Silicon Valley.
"Indian-origin tech companies, Indian-origin tech entrepreneurs are an integral part of the effort in the US in the digital technology where US is in the lead," he said, adding that there is "a very very deep" connection developing in business and technology which will have a longer term impact.
"There is a tremendous potential going ahead. We see similarity of values, whether we are looking at democracy, human rights. So with all that there is a sense in both countries that this is a relationship from which we both benefit," he said.
"This is a relationship which is important in today's global context where you see a lot of uncertainty, both economic, political; where you see violence, where you see terrorism; where you see approaches based on exclusion rather than multiculturalism and pluralism," he said.
"So there is a lot of value in this relationship. So therefore as a diplomat between 2008-13 and since last year it has been fascinating being part of this process," he added.
Firmly of the view that there is now a broad bi-partisan support to this relationship in the US, Singh said the ties should move forward irrespective of who is the next US president.
"When Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) was here in June, he had come here at the invitation of US President, but (House) Speaker Paul Ryan, who is a Republican, invited him to address Joint Session of the US Congress, which as anybody could see was a lot of energy, excitement and it went off very very well," he said.
"I am confident that whoever is the next president and people around them would work to advance this relationship," Singh said.
A 1979 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Singh said it is generally recognised that Indian diplomacy over a period of time has gained "more and more impact".
In a career spanning 37 years, Singh served in various capacities in the Ministry of External Affairs both in India and overseas, including representing India as its top diplomat in three key nations of Israel, France and the US.
This was Singh's second stint at the Indian Embassy in Washington. He served as the Deputy Chief of Mission from October 2008 to 2013 after which he was appointed as the Indian Ambassador to France.
Singh assumed his new assignment as Ambassador of India to US on April 30, 2015 after being the country's top diplomat in France from April, 2013 to April, 2015.
He said as India has emerged more and more at the international scene, the impact of "Indian diplomacy has clearly increased".
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MEXICO CITY -- On Mexican soil for the first time as the Republican presidential nominee, a firm but measured Donald Trump defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, standing up for the centerpiece of his immigration plan in a country where he is widely despised.
But within hours of Trump's visit, a dispute arose over the most contentious part of the billionaire's plans to secure the U.S. southern border -- his insistence that Mexico must pay to build that wall.
When answering questions from adjacent lecterns before a Mexican flag after his meeting at the official residence of the country's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump said Wednesday the two men didn't discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions.
Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
With the meeting held behind closed doors, it was impossible to know who was telling the truth. But the difference in how Trump and Pena Nieto recalled their talk was an example of the political risk taken on by two unpopular politicians who arrived at the meeting having spent months quarreling from afar.
Trump began his campaign by deriding Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals, and piled on in the months to come as he attacked Mexico over free trade, illegal immigration and border security. Pena Nieto responded by condemning Trump's language, saying those were the sort of words that gave rise to Adolf Hitler.
Pena Nieto did not repeat such criticism Wednesday, but acknowledged Trump's comments had "hurt and affected Mexicans."
"The Mexicans deserve everyone's respect," he said.
Meeting with Donald Trump 'open and constructive,' Mexican president says
The trip and the later dispute, arriving 10 weeks before America's presidential Election Day, came just hours before Trump was to deliver a highly anticipated speech in Arizona about illegal immigration. That has been a defining issue of his presidential campaign, but also one on which he's appeared to waver in recent days.
Trump stayed on script after the meeting, reading a statement from notes and politely answering shouted questions from reporters about his promise to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border between the two countries.
"We did discus the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall," Trump said.
Writing later on Twitter, Pena Nieto said the subject was among the first things the men discussed. He has for months said "there is no scenario" under which Mexico would pay for the wall.
"From there, the conversation addressed other issues, and developed a respectful manner," he added.
Those issues included the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has called the worst trade deal in history. Pena Nieto suggested there was room to improve the trade deal, while the New York businessman promised to promote trade deals that would keep jobs in the Western Hemisphere -- a departure from his standard "America First" rhetoric.
Trump's presence Wednesday, his first meeting with a head of state abroad as a presidential candidate, sparked anger and protests across Mexico's capital city. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome.
"We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt."
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences and defended the contribution of Mexicans working in the United States, but he described the conversation as "open and constructive." He and Trump shook hands as the session ended.
Pena Nieto's performance came in for immediate condemnation from his many critics in Mexico.
"Pena ended up forgiving Trump when he didn't even ask for an apology," said Esteban Illades, the editor of Nexos magazine. "The lowest point of the most painful day in the history of the Mexican presidency."
After saying during his Republican primary campaign he would use a "deportation force" to expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, Trump suggested last week he could soften that stance.
But he still says he plans to build a huge wall -- paid for by Mexico -- along the two nations' border. He is under pressure to clarify just where he stands in the Wednesday night speech, which had been rescheduled several times.
Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told CBS earlier in Wednesday that Trump would make clear "that there will be no path to legalization, no path to citizenship. People will need to leave the country to be able to obtain legal status or obtain citizenship."
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton jabbed at Trump's Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation's chief diplomat.
"People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next," she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
Her campaign jumped on Pena Nieto's later tweet, too.
"It turns out Trump didn't just choke," said Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta in a statement, "he got beat in the room and lied about it."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Neighbors of the Staten Island Motor Lodge that closed Tuesday night after a six-month prostitution investigation said they were unsurprised by its shuttering.
Pria Pilla, of Clifton Avenue, said she had never had any direct problems with the motel, but said she was sure whatever happened there was "inappropriate."
"As a residence of the area it was a nuisance," Pilla said. "Whatever happened there happened, but it's good that it's closed."
Other neighbors were not surprised by the motel's closing, and at least one felt sympathetic for the owners.
"I saw signs of prostitution, but I don't think the owners were promoting it," said George Malewicz, who also lives on Clifton Avenue.
The motel, located at 481 Hylan Blvd., was closed after the NYPD's Vice Enforcement Division executed a nuisance abatement directing it be shut down for allegedly promoting prostitution.
The hotel allowed prostitutes and their clients short rental stays, and had multiple ads on Backpage.com for individual sex workers that directed clients to the location, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon alleged in a press release.
On five dates, cops made arrests inside the motel premises for prostitution, according to a court filing seeking the abatement.
On at least two occasions, employees "permitted and promoted prostitution," that filing alleges.
"They knew what happened," said Inspector James Klein, commanding officer of the NYPD's Vice Enforcement Division, of the motel workers. "They were part and parcel to the problem."
Authorities will be seeking several court-ordered stipulations and injunctions to be imposed on the hotel before it is allowed to reopen.
These stipulations will prevent prostitution and other illegal activities from continuing to occur at the hotel. Regular inspections would take place to ensure they are abiding by those terms.
The court filing lists Bhadrika, LLC, as the "last recorded owner of the real property and operator of the subject premises."
That company's owner is Seema D. Mody, according to permit statistical reports form New York City.
A man who answered the door of a house listed as the last known address of Seema Mody identified himself as the owner of Bhadrika LLC, but said he did not handle day to day activity at the motel.
"I don't know why they are closed," the man said.
The investigation, which began in January and included undercover officers, was triggered by numerous complaints from the community to 311, 911, the local police department or the district attorney's office.
"We take a look at a historical perspective of different motels," Klein said. "The community knows what's going on."
"We can't do anything unless the community lets us know what's going on, and we applaud the participation of the community around the Staten Island Motor Lodge," Klein said.
Shady goings-on are nothing new at the borough's no-frills motels, but following the April 4, 2015 shooting death of a prostitute in Room 201 of the former Cosmopolitan Motel in Grasmere, police began taking a closer look at what goes on behind their doors.
Just a few weeks after the Cosmopolitan shooting, on April 21, 2015, police raided Room 16 of the Staten Island Motor Lodge, arresting four teenage prostitutes in an undercover sting.
In November, a 30-year-old hoping for an amorous encounter in Room 9 was robbed by a pimp and a 17-year-old prostitute, police said.
In July 2015, the motel was the subject of an expose by the Advance, with a reporter and photographer spending the night to observe what unfolded around them.
Since TUMO first opened in Artsakh one year ago through the TUMOxAGBU partnership, over 1,000 local teens have passed through its doors to learn the latest in arts and tech. The birthday will be celebrated, fittingly, on Artsakhs Independence Day on September 2nd, with open-air activities in the center of Stepanakert (starting at 5pm, Renaissance Square).
The public event will have music, robotics and virtual reality games, and will feature the work of the TUMOians of Artsakh. Over the last year, there were 22 workshops that took place at the center that taught students the fundamentals of filmmaking, web development, video game design and animation. In addition, there were seven learning labs where industry professionals from around the world taught subjects ranging from web design to music.
These included noted American photographer Scout Tufankjian, robotics guru from Barcelona Josep Maria Fargas, Esquire Russia editor Grigor Atanesian, Italian war photographer Pier Paolo Cito, web specialists Samvel Chobanyan and Monte Hakobjanyan, French musician Sevana Tchakerian and graphic designer Sedrak Mkrtchyan. Those TUMO labs also hosted three Luys scholars who conducted their research and taught students.
The unique character of the students also shone through with teens like Sargis who rides a bus three hours each way from Haterq to get to TUMO; Mariam, the 14-year- old robotics wunderkind, Samvel the breakout photography star and many more. The center also remained opened during the military flare-up in April, providing a calm space for the teens, and also turned into a resource center for journalists. TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian finds it hard to contain her excitement over TUMO Stepanakerts first birthday. Ive been asked, given the current circumstances, is this the right time to launch TUMO in Stepanakert? My answer is: now is the best time ever! These teens need every opportunity to experience normal daily lives, with great aspirations toward their own future and that of their homeland. Artsakh does not begin or end with the latest geopolitical developments. We believe it has a great future and we don't want to miss the opportunity to be part of it. TUMO Stepanakert manager Korioun Khatchadourian echoes her sentiment: Reaching this milestone inspires so much hope. Im proud of our team and our students and Im very much looking forward to the new academic year.
AGBU Armenia President and Central Board Member Vasken Yacoubian was equally excited. We are proud to be part of this success. Today, when innovation and advanced technologies play a central role in Armenias sustainable development, our top priority is to invest in creative thinking and inspire talented young people to enter innovation-related occupations. He said, AGBUs continuous support to TUMOxAGBU centers in Gyumri and Stepanakert affirms our commitment to providing innovative education, tools and resources for youth, thus increasing Armenias national innovation capacity. TUMO is a free of charge, after school learning center which gives students the opportunity to learn the latest in arts and technology. There are currently four centers opened in Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabkh. The Stepanakert location was opened in 2015 through the TUMOxAGBU partnership.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Whether it was a suspected rapist on the loose in January, a burglar in the home of an elderly woman in April, or a potential drive-by shooting in June; NYPD officers sworn to protect Staten Island were on the case.
Twelve officers were recognized Wednesday for their work so far in 2016 at the bi-annual Patrol Borough Staten Island Cop of the Month Awards. Notable arrests were recounted by their superiors as family members snapped photos.
"We have cops climbing on roofs, a (ranking officer) chasing down a burglar ... we have some really great police work being done here," said Assistant Chief Edward Delatorre, the NYPD borough commander.
Lieutenant Matthew Harrison, of the 120th Precinct, was honored for his pursuit and arrest of a suspected burglar in April. A 14-year veteran, Harrison said he remains committed to the job because of the officers at his precinct.
"I look at my guys like they're my family," Harrison said. "I don't want anyone getting hurt because I'm not there."
And for every patrolling officer on the job with their work family, there's a worried spouse or parent at home.
"When you marry a cop you understand it's a certain kind of lifestyle," said Anna Lopez, whose husband, Steven, was honored for an arrest he made in June. "But it's days like this that make it worth it. I'm so proud of him."
Also honored was officer Daniel Slevin, a fourth-generation NYPD police officer who made an arrest in March that removed a gun from the hands of a suspect. Watching him receive the award was his father, Dan, a retired NYPD officer.
"It's a good day all the way around," said Dan Slevin, "for the community to see officers with their families, and a chance for them to be recognized and appreciated."
The following officers were recognized Wednesday at the Patrol Borough Staten Island Cop of the Month Awards.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Twenty Staten Island students raced through the borough Wednesday morning as they attempted the New York Center for Interpersonal Development's (NYCID) version of TV's "Amazing Race."
The fourth annual event is hosted by NYCID and involves students from the agency's Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center (YABC).
The event challenged the students, split in four teams, to travel across Staten Island using public transportation and clues to bring them to important historical landmarks.
Locations included the Conference House, Fort Wadsworth, Alice Austen House and the Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor.
The theme for this year's event was foundations. The agency aims to help students build their own foundations of their life, applying that to the day's events -- by traveling to Staten Island's foundations.
The program is part of NYCID's week-long Work Readiness Boot Camp (WRBC).
"The entire week is about the students," said Michael De Vito, Jr., the senior director of workforce initiatives for NYCID. "This is connecting with their missions to get their diplomas. The students are at risk. It helps form a bond with each other and bond with us."
As students raced to various Island landmarks and sites to answer clues to get to the next step, they were also able to hear from some of the Island's elected officials, who awaited teams at their arrival.
Some objectives for each challenge even included taking team selfies to post on Instagram, using hashtags #SIYABC and #BuildYourRock and location hashtags.
The YABC is a partnership between NYCID and the Department of Education that serves at-risk high school students ages 17 1/2 to 21.
Here's a look at how the race unfolded:
Tottenville High School: Students gathered at the high school in the morning and, after students ate breakfast, the 20 students were split up into four teams. They were then given their first clue and MetroCards, and started their trip to their first location.
Conference House: The first landmark students arrived at early in the morning was the Conference House in Tottenville. After figuring out their clue and learning more about the history of the landmark, students geared up for their long bus ride to the next location. One challenge was to take a selfie with the portrait of Benjamin Franklin and post it to Instagram, attaching hashtags #conferencehouse and #conferencehousepark.
Fort Wadsworth/Von Briesen Park: Students traveled to the Overlook at Fort Wadsworth, where they took in the view of the Manhattan skyline and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
Assemblyman Mike Cusick (D-Mid-Island) met teams at Von Briesen Park, just a few minutes walk from Fort Wadsworth. Students drank ice-cold Gatorade as Cusick gave the teams advice as they continued their journey through the borough.
"I came to cheer you guys on," Cusick said. "You're working together? Good, I know when people get under pressure, sometimes it gets a little hairy. You guys seem to be cool, collected and you're not too far out of the running."
Alice Austen House: Students took a well-need lunch break as they hydrated and ate lunch at the Alice Austen House in Rosebank.
They collected one of Alice's postcards and had to post pictures of the Architectural Floor Plan on Instagram, using the hashtags #beamazing and #aliceaustenhouse. They were then greeted by the members of the Marine Corps., who challenged them to a teamwork obstacle course.
Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor: Teams hit a block in the road when they first traveled to the St. George Staten Island Museum instead of the Staten Island Museum at Snug Harbor in Livingston.
As all teams gathered in the museum, one challenge for students was to take a selfie with the Mastodon, a prehistoric and extinct mammal that is believed to have roamed Staten Island. The hashtag for the photo was #SIMuseum.
Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) taught each team the history behind the Mastadon and the importance of Snug Harbor's preserved and landmarked amenities.
"As you continue your race, wherever your next stop is, think about this, you did a great job today, you went to very exciting, new places," Titone said. "Think about the community and how you were working together."
Tottenville High School: The final stretch of the race brought the teams back to their starting point at Tottenville High School. De Vito debriefed the students to remind them what they learned from each landmark.
The winning team members were: Eric Matera, Jeremy Rodriguez, Isaac Gadson and Taya Beninati.
The winning team received Beats headphones; second place received gift cards, and third place received movie tickets.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Staten Island man has been indicted in federal court in the "Mad Hatter" bank robbery spree in Manhattan.
Joseph DiBenedetto, 34, stands accused of 11 successful or attempted bank heists where he stole a total of more than $22,000 in the spree that began on March 9 and ended when he was taken into custody on Tuesday in Manhattan, according to an FBI investigation detailed in court documents.
DiBenedetto, dubbed the "Mad Hatter" because of the various caps that he wore while allegedly committing his crimes, last lived on Staten Island and is considered homeless, according to the NYPD.
All the banks he allegedly hit were in Manhattan.
Known for giving detailed written instructions to his victims, DiBenedetto finally was captured after being recognized and followed by a bank employee, according to court documents.
When DiBenedetto was searched by arresting officers, they found a note with similar wording to that used in most of his heists, court documents indicated.
"Do as I say," the note said. "Don't be the reason someone gets hurt. Don't hit the alarm. No dye packs, no alarms, no tracers. Act normal. Put all the loose 100's 50's in the window --now. No games -- all the 100s 50s. Don't try me or someone gets hurt. Now. Gun..."
DiBenedetto's alleged spree was capped by two attempted bank robberies in Manhattan on Tuesday. At about 9:45 a.m., authorities said he entered a bank at Amsterdam Avenue and W. 95th Street, but left after a bank employee called security and police were notified.
About an hour later, at 10:55 a.m., DiBenedetto allegedly showed up at a bank at Columbus Avenue and W. 96th Street and an employee called police. An employee, while on the phone with the NYPD, followed DiBenedetto and officers caught the suspect while he was boarding an MTA bus near Central Park West and West 96th Street, according to court documents.
Trump.jpg
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Wilmington, Ohio. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With a choice of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in November, some local Republicans who half-heartedly began their support of Trump have taken some time to get used to the idea of the businessman in the White House.
COUNCILMAN STEVEN MATTEO
When asked whether he supports Trump, Councilman Steven Matteo would only say months ago that he would eventually back whoever the nominee would be.
This week, Matteo was similarly less enthusiastic about his support for Trump and more motivated by party loyalty and his dislike for Clinton.
"I said before the primaries ended that I would support the Republican nominee, and I do," the Council minority leader said. "At the end of the day, this country cannot afford to have another four years with a Democrat in the Oval Office. It is extremely important that we unite behind Donald Trump so our party can take back the White House."
ASSEMBLYWOMAN NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis was chairwoman of Sen. Marco Rubio's presidential campaign in New York and lined up behind Trump when he got the nomination, citing the need for party unity.
Now, Malliotakis called for the candidate to spend his energy on hot-button issues, not on one-liners.
"He needs to focus on explaining to the American people how, specifically, he will tackle the issues of the economy, job creation, the threat of ISIS and illegal immigration," she said.
She made a similar comment months ago when discussing party unity, saying Trump should play to his strengths on those matters.
STATE SEN. ANDREW LANZA
Others, like state Sen. Andrew Lanza, had remained silent on the matter when asked by the press.
This week Lanza said, "I am firmly supporting him, as I believe we need a course correction. I believe he is in agreement with that sentiment, while his opponent has indicated that she will continue with the current policy approach."
He also noted the importance of the federal judicial appointments each would make, indicating Trump's would be the most advantageous.
REP. DANIEL DONOVAN
Back in March, Rep. Daniel Donovan indicated his affinity for Ohio Gov. John Kasich but said he would support Trump if he's the nominee.
Since then, he has said he would campaign for Trump in New York if needed.
In recent weeks, Trump's very public fight with Khizr Kahn, a Muslim whose son died while serving in the U.S. military and who lambasted Trump at the Democratic National Convention, as well as his back-and-forth squabbling with Joe Scarborough, has again highlighted his inability to get out of his own way, sparking controversy instead of fostering debate.
"As I have said from day one, I don't agree with everything Mr. Trump has said and I was pleased he apologized to those he offended, but I continue to strongly believe we need a new direction and cannot afford a third term of Obama's failed policies," Donovan said.
Others have been publically enthusiastic in their support for the GOP nominee since shortly after the Super Tuesday primary.
COUNCILMAN JOE BORELLI
Councilman Joe Borelli was one of the first elected officials on Staten Island to endorse the Donald.
In the following weeks, he was made co-chairman of Trump's New York campaign, and began making regular TV appearances to comment on the race.
Shortly before the Republican National Convention, he became an official Trump delegate, representing the Trump talking points on CNN and Fox News.
Now a staunch supporter, the councilman admitted that as recently as March, "I had the same question that a lot of people had in the beginning -- whether he had a serious shot."
Like the rest of Republicans questioned about Trump's off-the-cuff comments, Borelli doesn't agree with him on everything, like his previous plan to deport 11 million illegal immigrants or to block Muslim immigrants from entering the country.
"Donald Trump is brash, plainspoken, quick to criticize, and not overly consumed by saying things in the most politically correct way," Borelli said when endorsing Trump in March. "I find his style, his candor and his ability to connect with people very refreshing, as do the millions of Americans who have already voted for him and the millions more who are eager to do so."
ASSEMBLYMAN RON CASTORINA
Assemblyman Ron Castorina Jr. that same day endorsed the GOP frontrunner. He said then that the "writing's on the wall, it's going to be Trump."
Noting he too doesn't agree with Trump on everything, he said then, "I think that Donald Trump has the ability to be the greatest transformational leader that this country has seen since Teddy Roosevelt."
He said this week he was pleased to see "he's given some really substantive speeches between the convention and present day. I like him best when he's giving substantive talks and giving a detailed plan for America."
Castorina spoke in an interview before Trump gave his 10-point plan to address illegal immigration Wednesday night and said he expected it to be policy-driven.
Addressing Trump's then-expected softening from pledging to deport 11 million people to just those who commit crimes, Castorina said he and many others appreciate that.
"Many Americans generally have an issue with the option that a family that's been here and they're undocumented that they would just be picked up and taken and deported."
The assemblyman said he thinks it's "imperative" that Trump wins the presidency.
"If he doesn't win then I have some very serious concerns for the future of this country," he said.
Namely the "next 40 years of jurisprudence coming out of the Supreme Court."
BOROUGH PRESIDENT JAMES ODDO
Like others who said they would support Trump as the nominee, the enthusiasm isn't there for Borough President James Oddo.
Citing a TV game show that broadcasted beginning in the 1970s, Oddo quipped, "If I were on 'Joker's Wild' I would say, 'I'll go off the board for $200, Jack.' But since that game show hasn't been on TV in 40 years, and the notion of the Clintons back in the White House is a complete anathema to me, I am left with no choice but to hope the Trump campaign and the candidate himself can get out of their own way."
nws cty homeless
A homeles man is pictured along Ebbits Street in New Dorp. Tuesday June 30, 2015. (Staten Island Advance/Anthony DePrimo)
(Anthony DePrimo)
CITY HALL -- The city quietly closed a Stapleton homeless shelter for addicts at the end of June despite growing need for beds on Staten Island.
The borough now has only two city shelters, though dozens more homeless Staten Islanders have been seeking help in recent months.
The 12-bed transitional shelter was shuttered because the provider's contract ended, the Department of Homeless Services said on Wednesday. The city refused to say why the contract wasn't renewed.
Called Neighborhood Homes, the shelter was run by Project Hospitality out of a rectory owned by Mt. Sinai United Christian Church on Brownell Street.
The Neighborhood Homes Transitional Housing program first began in 1990 on Gary Court in Bulls Head before moving to the church's Stapleton property five years ago because of a fire.
Project Hospitality's executive director, the Rev. Terry Troia, said the shelter's contract wasn't renewed because the program was apartment-based. Addicts had their own rooms but shared a kitchen and had access to social services.
"A lot of people supported it in the 12-step (recovery) world here," Project Hospitality's executive director, Rev. Troia, said. "These were beds that were for anyone who was homeless as a result of addiction -- and many of those folks would stay there and return to the community, return to normal lives."
Project Hospitality still runs other homeless services on Staten Island, including the remaining two shelters on city-owned property.
The organization also helps manage the borough's "Interfaith Shelter Network" of churches that provide the homeless emergency overnight housing. Rev. Troia said the network lost 50 beds for Staten Island homeless in the last year on top the shelter's closure.
This was all as more homeless Staten Islanders turned to the city for help.
There are now 1,188 homeless adults and children in the city's shelter system who listed Staten Island as their most recent address, according to the Department of Homeless Services.
That's nearly 100 more than in mid-April.
CITY SEES NEED FOR RESOURCES
"We know exactly where our clients are. We know where the needs are," former Homeless Services Commissioner Gilbert Taylor said while announcing the new initiative on Sept. 23, 2015. "We know that Staten Island is a place where we could benefit from having more resources."
But this week Mayor Bill de Blasio and Social Services Commissioner Steve Banks said that no new beds for the chronically homeless have been added on Staten Island.
The borough's only such "Safe Haven" shelter is run by Project Hospitality, with 30 beds for homeless Staten Islanders who tend to live on the street.
Asked during an unrelated Bronx event on Tuesday if any more "Safe Haven" beds have been added on Staten Island in the last year, Banks simply said, "No."
Banks explained that finding places for any homeless services is a difficult task everywhere. "We look to site homeless services throughout the city, it's a citywide problem," Banks said. "We continue to look for sites that are viable."
"If you have any sites that you could tell us that we should look at, I'd be happy to look at them," Banks told the Advance.
'AN ONGOING EFFORT'
There are 624 adults and 564 children in the city's shelter system who listed Staten Island as their most recent address, the Department of Homeless Services said on Wednesday.
Only 50 adults and 62 children in the system are being housed in Staten Island's only family shelter, also run by Project Hospitality. The Department of Homeless Services did not know how many of homeless sheltered on Staten Island were from the borough.
In addition to running the family shelter and Staten Island's sole "Safe Haven" shelter, Project Hospitality manages a drop-in center on Central Avenue in St. George. Volunteers also coordinate services and transportation for dozens more homeless who get emergency shelter through the church network.
"We don't have the resources that the other boroughs have so we make due with what we have," Rev. Troia said.
De Blasio said that the Staten Island church network and similar grassroots efforts are "very positive" but more needs to be done.
"Safe Havens come with a whole lot of very specific services that have to be attached," he said. "So it's not just providing the overnight shelter, which is good, but it's a much more developed thing, so we have to find partners who are ready to do that."
De Blasio said that the city has asked the Archdiocese of New York for help finding churches that are willing to sponsor a "Safe Haven" or offer other space for homeless.
"This is an ongoing effort around the city, but we certainly want to make sure we have them everywhere," the mayor said.
'MORE AND MORE PEOPLE'
Last year de Blasio wouldn't rule out opening new homeless shelters on Staten Island. At the time, there were dozens more homeless families staying in hotels than shelters on Staten Island.
The city's reliance on the Island's hotels increased last year as more homeless sought shelter and officials wanted cheaper room rates in the outer-boroughs to house them.
Four hotels were being used until February, when a homeless woman and two of her daughters were brutally stabbed to death at the Willowbrook Ramada Inn.
City officials said that the last homeless were relocated from the hotels this summer as part of a policy shift aimed at sheltering only Islanders in temporary shelters in the borough. The city said on Wednesday that it was not using any hotels on Staten Island to house the homeless now.
Project Hospitality has also been placing single adults in borough hotels for about a decade, and Troia said this will continue especially after the loss of shelter beds.
Rev. Troia said Staten Island has yet to figure out how to help all its homeless.
"More and more people are falling to homelessness, it's not just people who struggle with addiction and single adults," she said. "This is happening on the South Shore -- it's not just the North Shore."
Donald Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers an immigration policy speech during a campaign rally at the Phoenix Convention Center, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
(Evan Vucci)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Donald Trump's strong affirmation of his policies on immigration at a campaign speech Wednesday in Phoenix ignited emotional reactions from the candidate's supporters and adversaries alike.
In the speech, which occurred shortly after a visit to Mexico to meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump vowed "no amnesty" for undocumented immigrants living in the United States and continued to promise to build a "beautiful" and "impenetrable" wall for which Mexico will pay.
"For those here illegally today, who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only. To return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else under the rules of the new legal immigration system...," Trump stated.
Trump also shared several stories of Americans who had been victims of illegal immigrants, including Grant Ronnebeck, a convenience store worker from Mesa, Ariz., who was killed at the age of 21 by an illegal gang member.
'THEY ARE NOT CRIMINALS'
Favio Ramirez-Caminatti, executive director of El Centro del Immigrante & El Centro's Community Job Center Office, was outraged that Trump portrayed undocumented immigrants as criminals, noting: "They are not criminals. They come to the United States to work. They really believe in the American dream."
He said that his organization, which has offices on Port Richmond Avenue and Castleton Avenue, helps place immigrants of all nationalities in jobs throughout our community.
"More than 100,000 people who live in Staten Island are born out of the United States....so we are talking about a lot of people here, not only Mexicans, but people from eastern Europe, Italy, Poland, Russia, China, Korea, Africa....we have people from all countries," Ramirez-Caminatti said.
Trump's plan to create a "deportation task force" within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division also had Staten Islanders wondering about the future of the borough if indeed a mass deportation occurs.
"What would happen on Staten Island, especially the North Shore of Staten Island?" Ramirez-Caminatti asked. "Many businesses would collapse.... many of the undocumented immigrants are business owners and job creators."
He said that many undocumented immigrants not only own businesses and work here, but they also pay rent and support the local economy with their money.
TRUMP'S NUMBERS RISE
Despite some concerns, Trump supporters like Councilman Joe Borelli say that the candidate's numbers only continue to climb in the polls.
"Whether Democrats want to admit it or not, the polls are tightening nationally and in certain swing states. It will be a statistically tied race probably just after Labor Day," Borelli said, citing a poll from Real Clear Politics which went from "a 7.9 spread to a 4.6 spread from Aug. 9 to today ....the polls are narrowing."
Borelli, who is one of Trump's co-chairmen of the New York campaign, says that Trump's trip to meet with the Mexican president truly "set him apart from Hillary (Clinton)."
"It was a good move for Trump," said Borelli, one of the first Staten Islanders to support Trump in the political community. "His critics said he couldn't operate on the world stage and that was disproven with his trip to Mexico."
Trump's speech clearly sent a message to those thinking the candidate is softening in his immigration policy or flip-flopping on his stance, Borelli said.
"He's been consistent," the councilman added.
NWS VACCINE
A New York State law requires all students entering seventh and 12th grades this year to be vaccinated against meningitis. (Staten Island Advance)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The state Health Department is reminding parents that all students entering seventh and 12th grades must be vaccinated against meningitis before returning to school next week.
The shots are required by New York State law. The law, which was signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last fall, applies to all students in the state, including those in private and parochial schools.
The one exception is for teens entering senior year who got their first meningitis shot on or after their 16th birthday.
The newly-required shot covers meningococcal diseases types A, C, W and Y.
Those under 18 who may not be insured or are under-insured can still receive the vaccination for free at certain providers who participate in the state's Vaccines For Children program.
More than 20 states already require the vaccine as part of standard immunizations that also offer protection against mumps, measles, polio and other deadly diseases.
Many colleges require incoming freshmen to be vaccinated over the summer, before they can be admitted to class and move into dorms.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about 1,000 people get meningitis annually and up to 15 percent die. Survivors can suffer hearing loss and limb amputation.
Meningitis is a disease caused by the inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord that are known as the meninges. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
The infection is often mistaken for the flu in its early stages, because it mimics flu symptoms of body-aches, fever and headache. But the CDC says the symptoms escalate quickly. Headache becomes severe, and fever skyrockets, quickly turning to seizures, skin rashes, and death.
People with weakened immune systems, and those who live in college dorms, boarding schools and other communal living facilities are at higher risk for meningitis, which can spread as easily as the flu.
weiner.jpg
It's a weiner. Get it???
(Photo by Ken Tirado)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - I know. I know.
There's no excusing Anthony Weiner's behavior. His multiple sexting scandals not only drove him from Congress and cost him a shot at the mayoralty, they've now sundered his family, with wife Huma Abedin announcing that the couple has separated.
Weiner had not only been caught sexting again, but had also sent a suggestive photo to a virtual paramour that also happened to show his son nestled in bed next to him. There's no coming back from that.
But it wasn't all that long ago that Weiner had a big future.
He was a funny, hard-driving, sort of goofy, high-profile U.S. congressman and member of Sen. Charles Schumer's political tree (along with Democratic Assemblyman Michael Cusick, a friend). He was married to Abedin, long Hillary Clinton's closest aide.
Right next to the seats of power, in other words.
He was certainly on the rise (no pun intended) when he ran for mayor back in 2005, and Staten Island was definitely on board. He won the borough with 49 percent of the primary vote in a field of four Democrats. And infinitely boosted his political stock when he gracefully bowed out of a subsequent runoff with Freddy Ferrer.
He gave us a laugh that year when posing with the other candidates for veteran Island photographer Jim Romano. Now, Romano likes to pose people just so when doing his art. Weiner got a little impatient with all the direction and asked Jim if they should just form a human pyramid.
Weiner was a frequent visitor to Staten Island back in the day, including marching in the St. Patrick's Parade. One time, he posed with somebody dressed up like a wiener. Get it? How could you not like a guy who could laugh at himself like that?
Weiner also played a key role in the Michael Grimm odyssey, reportedly being the person who gave everyone the heads-up about all the money that Republican Grimm was raising from the members of a celebrity rabbi's Upper East Side synagogue.
He also told the FBI of an alleged, unspecified "threat" that Grimm made against the rabbi, a threat that was never substantiated in any way and wasn't part of the tax-evasion case that cost Grimm his House seat. Grimm at the time called the allegations absurd and said they were part of a Democratic smear campaign.
Grimm backer Guy Molinari went one better, calling Weiner a "pervert and a proven liar."
The sledding was tougher for Weiner when he ran for mayor again in 2013, with the sexting scandals exploding around him and the city press smelling blood. He got a less-than-enthusiastic reception at a Staten Island Democratic Association meeting at the old Cargo in St. George, when one female attendee called him a "disgrace." Weiner shrugged it off, saying Islanders are always opinionated.
Whatever, the Weiner shtick was still in evidence.
After being introduced to the crowd with a simple, "Congressman, come on up," Weiner said, "That's my introduction?" Weiner then told the crowd, "It is customary to applaud after someone is introduced."
And with cars and buses whizzing noisily by the bar's open windows, Weiner quipped, "I feel like I'm speaking on Slosson Terrace." (Points for knowing Slosson Terrace from Slosson Avenue!)
Weiner even tried to helpfully direct a server who was delivering food to a club member.
"Table 1," Weiner said. When the laughter died down, he added, "I'd make the French fries if I could. You have no idea what I would do for your vote."
It would have been a good scene for that "Weiner" documentary.
And at the absolute height of the media frenzy, when Weiner wasn't doing interviews, he sat down for a meeting with the Advance. Maybe he looked at us as some kind of safe space. Weiner's message to those who wanted him to drop out of the race? "You're stuck with me." And we were, until he lost dismally in the mayoral primary.
Now he's lost a lot more than a campaign. We'll leave it to the tabloid shrinks and Internet trolls to sort out Weiner's issues. We'll just take a moment to remember some of Weiner's better moments among us.
NWS Burglary
Coral Island Shopping Center is located on Richmond Avenue in Bulls Head. (Staten Island Advance/Maura Grunlund)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The owner of a T-shirt screening company claims that a property manager bragged about her husband's position as a federal judge while forcing his business out of the Coral Island Shopping Center to make way for a similar enterprise by Lifestyles for the Disabled.
Paul Maiorana, president and CEO of T-Shirt Express Inc., filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against Helen Vitaliano, the wife of U.S. District Judge Eric Vitaliano. The judge's wife is the property manager of Coral Island which is owned by Rivercrest Realty Investors, and she also is chairwoman of Lifestyles, according to the lawsuit.
Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are the owner of Coral Island, Jonathan Gaines of Raleigh, N.C., a principal in Rivercrest Realty, and Tina Romano-Porta, an operations manager and board member of Lifestyles, based on court documents.
Maiorana said his three-year lease that expired on Wednesday had an "exclusivity clause" that banned Coral Island from renting to another T-shirt screening business. Starting around March, Coral Island leased a storefront to a Lifestyles T-shirt screen printing business, violating the exclusivity clause, the lawsuit alleges.
"The defendants acted with Fraud, by deceiving plaintiff, inducing him to lease a long term vacant property, to study his trade and then steal it from him," Maiorana's lawsuit said.
Helen Vitaliano "was very nasty and demanding when plaintiff stated his grievance concerning the violation of the lease agreement and who stated in substantial part that there was nothing the plaintiff could do about it, while boasting that her husband was a sitting federal judge," the lawsuit said.
In his lawsuit, Maiorana expressed concerns that he would not receive a fair trial due to the property manager's relationship to the judge.
"In light of the defendants unethical boasting, plaintiff is concerned that he will not receive fair treatment before presiding Federal Judge, wherefore plaintiff respectfully request that if assigned Federal Judge has no conflict with presiding fairly and impartially over plaintiff's civil action because of his friendship with defendant's spouse, that judge recuse himself," the lawsuit said.
In May 2014, Romano "acting in concert with Defendant Helen Vitaliano approached plaintiff and offered him $40,000 to sell his screen printing business to Lifestyles and the offer was rejected," the lawsuit said.
Discussions broke down as Maiorana was attempting to obtain a new five-year lease.
After Vitaliano was made aware of the potential conflict of the exclusivity clause, she allegedly "retaliated against plaintiff by discontinuing lease renewal negotiations and informing plaintiff that she wanted him out of Coral Island Shopping Center at the expiration of his lease" on Aug. 31.
In June, Maiorana was "served with a sketchy 30 day written Notice to Vacate."
The defendants allegedly had people "enter his place of business and state they needed to take measurements for counter space for a new tenant who was going to replace him," namely Lifestyles, the lawsuit said.
Maiorana is seeking millions of dollars in damages and an extended lease of a minimum of five years at Coral Island, the lawsuit said.
Gaines said that his company, Rivercrest, has not been served with the lawsuit. Rivercrest has a company policy of not commenting about litigation, Gaines said, explaining why he and Helen Vitaliano aren't releasing any statements about the lawsuit.
Americans Now More Politically Polarized On Climate Change Than Ever Before, Analysis Finds
Posted on 1 September 2016 by Guest Author
This is a re-post from DeSmogBlog by Graham Readfearn
American voters and politicians are now more polarized than ever before across all aspects of climate change from the cause, to the science and the impacts a major new analysis has found.
Campaigns funded by vested fossil fuel interests and pushed by a network of ideological think tanks, many linked to the oil billionaire Koch brothers, have helped to widen the gap, pushing Republican politicians, elites and voters away from action on greenhouse gas emissions.
Tracking Gallup opinion poll surveys going back to 2001 and congress voting patterns from 1970 onwards, the analysis authors warn that as the November election approaches, Americans are faced with a stark political choice.
The analysis is published in the respected journal Environment and comes from sociologists Associate Professor Aaron McCright of Michigan State University, Professor Riley Dunlap of Oklahoma State University, and PhD researcher Jerrod Yarosh also at Oklahoma.
The researchers found the widest gaps between Democrats and Republicans come when they are asked about the causes of climate change and if the media exaggerates the seriousness of the issue.
While virtually all climate scientists and the world's leading scientific academies have long agreed that the burning of fossil fuels is causing climate change, only about half Republicans accept the science.
A Republican controlled Congress, the article says, would be a huge step backward in our nations efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and could also undermine international cooperation, especially if Republican nominee Donald Trump won the Presidency.
Whether, and how, individual Americans vote this November may well be the most consequential climate-related decision most of them will have ever taken, the authors conclude.
Stark Choices
Dunlap told DeSmog the choice facing US voters was glaring.
Looking back, Gore versus Bush was stark, although Bush hid his denial for a bit. But now the partisan differences on climate change are out in the open, and the choices from the top down are stark.
The Koch brothers had led a network of conservative mega-donors that had created a shadow GOP that had managed to reduce the influence of the Republican National Committee, the analysis argues.
These efforts, the article explains, have blocked legislation, limited international negotiations and made rejection of climate science normative among Republican elites and activists.
Widening Gaps
Dunlap, McCright and Yarosh looked at how elected Democrats and Republicans had voted on environment and climate bills in both houses of Congress since 1970, using data from the League of Conservation Voters. The researchers found:
What was once a modest tendency for Congressional Republicans to be less pro-environmental than their Democratic counterparts has become a chasmwith Republicans taking near-unanimous anti-environmental stances on relevant legislation in recent years, especially 2015.
Since 2001 polling company Gallup has been asking US voters for their views on aspects of climate change, such as if they think its happening, if its caused by humans and if they are concerned about it.
In 2001, 53 percent of Republican voters agreed that global warming was caused by humans, compared with 70 percent of Democrats a gap of 17 percentage points. But by 2016, this gap had blown out to 41 percentage points, with only 43 percent of Republican voters accepting climate change is human-caused.
These partisan gaps had widened across all areas since 2008, except when voters were asked if they thought global warming had already started, where the gap remained at 34 percentage points.
Bridging the Gap?
Alongside the analysis, the authors look at various attempts to bring Republicans closer to accepting the realities of climate change, such as changing communication strategies. The writers claim:
Does any persuasive framing strategy hold special promise for penetrating Republicans partisan/ideological identities? The evidence so far gives little basis for optimism.
The sociologists say one major reason why attempts to better communicate the realities of climate change to conservatives have failed is down to motivated cognition described as the tendency for people to only accept information that reinforces their existing political beliefs and their views on the world.
Even when Republicans experience extreme weather events, there was little evidence that this was enough for those voters to change their views. Dunlap told DeSmog:
TEA Releases School District Accountability Ratings
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently released 2016 state accountability ratings for independent school districts and charter schools.
Schools receive one of three ratings under the accountability system: Met Standard, Met Alternative Standard, or Improvement Required.
The TEA looks at four areas in determining a school or district's accountability rating, including student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps and postsecondary readiness.
All of the 15 school districts in the area received Met Standard designations this year, including three districts that failed to meet standards last year.
In 2015, Covington and Mount Calm received Improvement Required designations, but both districts earned Met Standard ratings this year.
Covington Superintendent Diane Innis said that greatly improved writing scores following the implementation of a writing program contributed to this year's rating.
The teachers worked really hard to be able to reach this goal, and their hard work paid off, Innis said.
The superintendent added that the district was required to hire an individual to work with the staff due to last year's rating, and she said that also contributed to the improvement.
Mount Calm Superintendent Barbara Lane attributed her school's improvement to hard work on the part of teachers, administrators and students.
It was everybody pulling together and focusing on the kids' success, Lane said.
A new high school math teacher also had a great impact on the rating this year, according to Lane.
Last year, Bynum Independent School District was one of only seven campuses in the state to be granted an appeal after initially receiving a rating of improvement required.
Following the 2015 appeal, Bynum was granted a Not Rated status. This year, the school was back up to Met Standard.
Superintendent Larry Mynarcik said that students were dealing with unusually stressful circumstances during standardized testing last year after losing two classmates in a short period of time.
The superintendent said last year that while the school had areas it would like to see improve, the circumstances students were facing invalidated the test scores.
This year, Mynarcik says that he is proudest of the school's notable improvement in the "student progress" category.
We are proud of that because that really measures the heart of what we do, the superintendent said. It measures where we started and where we finished.
The 12 other districts in the area earned Met Standard ratings once again this year. They included schools in the cities of Abbott, Aquilla, Blum, Hillsboro, Hubbard, Itasca, Malone, Penelope, Whitney, West, Grandview and Milford.
This year's ratings reveal that approximately 94 percent of school districts and charters across Texas have achieved the rating of Met Standard.
During the spring of 1909, a newly-created company known as Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Inc. began grading and developing the neighborhood we know today as Pelhamwood. While the company was new, its namesake had been involved for more than two decades in the creation of suburban developments throughout the northeast and along the Atlantic coast.
The earliest days of Pelhamwood offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of Pelham. Clifford B. Harmon formed his new company in February or March of 1909. The company's very first project was the construction and development of the neighborhood of Pelhamwood in the Town of Pelham. Harmon hired Smith Brothers to perform the work.
Smith Brothers became a Pelham institution and subsequently became involved in the development of a number of neighborhoods in Pelham. The Pelhamwood project, however, may have been among the earliest major projects undertaken by Smith Brothers.
According to Thomas F. Smith, a Smith family historian who has written a book about Paddy Smith (one of the sons of the Smith Brothers), the original Smith Brothers were not named Smith. Rather, the brothers were Charles ("Charlie") Amato and Dominic Amato, Italian immigrants who arrived in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. The brothers first settled in Kingston, New York where they worked in blue stone quarries. The two brothers married two immigrant sisters from Ireland named Houlihan.
According to Smith family tradition, Charlie and Dominic Amato became acquainted with Clifford B. Harmon who was involved in real estate developments and construction projects all over the northeast. Harmon reportedly persuaded the Amato brothers to move to Pelham, change their names to "Smith," and open up an excavation contracting firm in the Village of North Pelham that they operated for many years as "Smith Brothers."
The timing of the Amato brothers could not have been better. At the time they opened Smith Brothers, suburban New York was growing in leaps and bounds. The firm was engaged in road construction throughout the New York region.
Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog provides the text of a number of brief articles describing the formation of Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Inc. and the involvement of Smith Brothers in Harmon's Pelhamwood project.
* * * * *
"IN THE REAL ESTATE FIELD. . . .
A new real estate firm has been formed to be known as Clifford B. Harmon & Co., with main offices at Madison Avenue and Forty-second Street. Mr. Harmon will still be an active partner in the firm of Wood, Harmon & Co.
The first operation of the new firm will be 'Pelhamwood,' a property located at Pelham Station, on the main line of the New Haven Road."
"THE REALTY MARKET
-----
A New Firm in the Real Estate Field.
A company to operate in the real estate field has been formed with Clifford B. Harmon as president. Associated with Mr. Harmon are several men whose names stand high in the financial world.
The new firm will be known as Clifford B. Harmon & Co., with main offices at Forty-second street and Madison avenue, Manhattan. The forming of this new company, however, will not prevent Mr. Harmon from devoting a large portion of his time to the old firm of Wood, Harmon & Co., in which he still retains his interest. This company, which has been in business for twenty-two years, will continue as heretofore.
The first operation of the new firm will be Pelhamwood, a property located at Pelham Station, on the main line of the New Haven Railroad. This is a high class proposition and will be sold on the easy payment plan. It is now being rapidly developed and laid out."
Source:
THE REALTY MARKET
--
(Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link).
"Development Work at Pelhamwood.
At Pelhamwood, the new Westchester development at Pelhamwood Station [sic], on the main line of the New Haven Road, work is rapidly progressing. Smith Brothers, contractors, have the work in hand and are at present laying gas mains along Harmon and Highbrook Avenues. Just as soon as this task has been completed, these avenues will be macadamized and cement walks laid. Other streets will be graded and macadamized as rapidly as possible. The property will have practically every city improvement, and no effort will be spared by Clifford B. Harmon & Co. to make Pelhamwood a thoroughly high-class residential property."
Source:
(Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link).
"PELHAMWOOD DEVELOPMENT.
This week at Pelhamwood, the new Westchester development at Pelhawood Station [sic], on the main line of the New Haven road, is rapidly progressing. The contractors are at present laying gas mains along Harmon and Highbrook avenues. As soon as this has been completed, these avenues will be macadamized and cement walks laid.
The balance of the streets will be graded and macadamized rapidly. The property will have practically every city improvement, and no expenses or effort will be spared by the developers, Clifford B. Harmon & Co., to make Pelhamwood a thoroughly high class residential property."
Source:
(Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link).
"Westchester County. . . .
In sections of Westchester county improvement work was started several weeks ago, and on one new property called Pelhamwood gangs of men have been busy for nearly a month grading streets and laying pipes preparatory to putting down macadam and sidewalks. Pelhamwood is but thirty-three minutes ride from Grand Central Station and is located in a neighborhood well built up. While the property is not quite ready, its owners have decided to place it on sale before the improvements have been completed and a tea house where refreshments will be served is well under way. . . ."
(Note: Paid subscription required to access via this link).
Source: Pelhamwood [Advertisement], The
Evening Telegraph - New York, Apr. 10, 1909,
p. 16, cols. 1-5. NOTE: CLICK TO ENLARGE.
* * * * *
Periodically I have written about Pelhamwood and Clifford B. Harmon, a principal developer of Pelhamwood.
For those interested in a comprehensive history of the early development of Pelhamwood,
Bell, Blake A., The Early Development of Pelhamwood,
, Vol. XIII, No. 37, Sept. 17, 2004, p. 12, col. 2.
For earlier postings about Pelhamwood and Clifford B. Harmon, see:
Labels: 1909, Clifford B. Harmon, Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Pelhamwood, Real Estate, Real Estate Advertisement, Smith Brothers
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Labor has announced the next stage of its light rail network will go to Woden, making a major pre-election play by taking its flagship infrastructure project to Canberra's south.
The planned 11-kilometre route will see trams cross the lake over the Commonwealth Avenue bridge, travel through the Parliamentary Triangle, and down Adelaide Avenue to the Woden town centre.
An artist's impression of the Gungahlin interchange of Canberra's proposed light rail network, which will travel past Harrison via Flemington Road.
The route, at this stage, will not extend to Mawson, despite it being included in the south-side stage two proposal little more than a month ago.
It is being dubbed the "north-south spine", a long light rail network stretching from Gungahlin to Woden, which will integrate with rapid and local buses, later tram stages, and other transport options to service the rest of the city.
Tensions between two mental health teams operating out of the ACT's jail are "just not good enough" and will impact on the broader Canberra community, a peak body says.
Earlier this week, it was reported that a damaging split had emerged between the ACT Health forensic mental health team and the ACT Corrective Services psychological and support services, which both work in the prison.
A cell inside the Alexander Maconochie Centre's new special care facility, which the government says has helped to remedy problems with mental health care in the jail. Credit:Rohan Thomson
Evidence of the fractured relationship was detailed in a confidential briefing, compiled by respected forensic psychologist Dr Dion Gee for a colleague last year.
The briefing, obtained by Fairfax Media, warned the forensic mental health team, which has a higher degree of expertise, was being "undermined" and "micro-managed". The problems were so significant, Dr Gee said, that they were hindering the coordinated care of inmates with a mental health issue.
A former ASIC lawyer and her husband have been banned from providing financial services after the Federal Court in Melbourne found their company ripped off self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) clients.
Vanessa Ash, a former lawyer for the corporate watchdog, and Bradley Grimm have been banned from providing financial services for 20 and 10 years respectively.
Ostrava Equities and eight associated companies have been wound up. Credit:Justin McManus
Their company, Ostrava Equities, and eight associated companies have been wound up.
The court found that Ostrava and Mr Grimm engaged in dishonest conduct by charging unauthorised fees to clients.
The former chief executive of Wickham Securities has been sentenced to five years' jail for "fraudulent and deceitful" conduct while at the helm of the collapsed mortgage lender.
Garth Peter Robertson, 50, fronted the Brisbane District Court on Thursday having pleaded guilty to a range of commonwealth and state charges, including fraud and giving false information to a trustee.
Wickham Securities creditors pictured meeting in Brisbane in 2013. Judge Tony Moynihan said it was likely Garth Robertson's conduct as CEO took a "devastating" toll on clients of the company.
Judge Tony Moynihan sentenced him to five years' jail, to be suspended after 20 months, and said it was likely his conduct took a "devastating" toll on clients of the company, which collapsed in December 2012.
The telco industry is fighting attempts by the competition watchdog to independently monitor broadband data speeds, claiming the program will be costly, ineffective and drive up prices. Instead it wants to write its own guidelines and is launching a education package on what households should do to improve speeds.
However, consumer groups argue Australians have a right to know what kind of data speeds each provider actually delivers, particularly on the national broadband network.
Consumers don't know if slow speeds are due to their equipment, old infrastructure, or their telco being stingy with capacity. Credit:Nic Walker
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [ACCC] wants $6 million in next year's budget to roll out a monitoring scheme that collects daily data samples of every internet provider on different technologies. Chairman Rod Sims has previously called it "a really important consumer issue that we are currently getting a number of complaints about".
At the moment consumers on standard copper-based ADSL connections cannot choose their speed and have to rely on best-endeavours by their telco. But on the NBN consumers can pay more for faster speeds, but only receive those speeds if telcos buy enough capacity. An ACCC pilot program found some telcos were not purchasing enough capacity and speeds dropped dramatically during busy periods.
In the wake of the Spanish-controlled Broadspectrum decision to not undertake further Border Protection Services work, one of its contractors, Wilsons Security Group, has decided to follow suit.
Early August, the Spanish group Ferrovial said the Broadspectrum contract providing offshore offshore detention services to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection would finish in October 2017.
The Manus Regional Processing Centre on Los Negros Island. Credit:Andrew Meares
"This announcement now allows Wilson Security to formally confirm that its contract with Broadspectrum to provide subcontracted security services will also conclude at the same time," the company said on Thursday.
Additionally, Wilsons said it would not tender for any further offshore detention services.
"There are very little if any figures in the public domain," she said. She added later: "It's quite a good illustration of the fact that more transparency would be a good thing," including country-by-country reporting for income, taxes paid and other information. The commission found that Ireland provided Apple with selective tax treatment that let the iPhone maker skirt the nation's 12.5 per cent tax rate and gave it an unfair advantage over other companies for several years - a violation of the EU's state-aid rules. Irish units The EU says the 0.005 per cent effective tax rate applies to the profits of Apple Sales International, an Irish unit regulators say is "responsible for buying Apple products from equipment manufacturers around the world and selling these products in Europe" as well as in the Middle East, Africa and India. The commission also cited another unit, Apple Operations Europe, which it said was responsible for manufacturing certain lines of computers for the Apple group. In questioning the commission's finding, Apple has said it "paid $US400 million ($529 million) in taxes in Ireland in 2014 - considerably more than the commission's figure suggests".
But that amount differs from one the company reported to regulators, according to people familiar with the EU's investigations. Apple confirmed that the $US400 million was corporate income tax paid to Ireland, but a company spokesman declined to answer whether any portion of that figure was paid by subsidiaries other than Apple Sales International. The commission sent its full decision in the case to Ireland on Wednesday. A non-confidential version of that decision will be published, but it's not expected for at least several months. The timing of its publication will depend on how quickly EU regulators and Irish officials can agree on what sensitive items need to be removed from the full decision, Vestager said Thursday. Senate report "If it was up to me, the non-confidential version would have been published yesterday because that is another way of enabling everyone to see how we decided and on what basis we made this decision," she said. Vestager cited one public source of information that EU regulators used: an investigation by a US Senate panel that examined offshore tax avoidance by Apple, Microsoft Corp and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.
In a May 2013 hearing, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations revealed that an Apple subsidiary in Ireland paid just $US10 million in taxes in 2011 on $US22 billion in earnings, for an effective tax rate of about 0.05 per cent. (That's akin to paying $500 in tax on $1 million of income.) The sub-committee's report said its calculations were based on non-public information that Apple had supplied in response to specific questions. 'Awful' decision One irony in the case is that US policy makers took no action in response to that 2013 disclosure and others like it; President Barack Obama's administration and members of the Republican-controlled Congress have been unable to agree on a plan. This week, however, both agreed that the EU's back-taxes claim against Apple was inappropriate. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the EU decision "awful" and said it "should be a spur to action" in the US. "What's inappropriate is for, in the name of state aid, Europe to be rewriting tax law retroactively, reaching into a tax base that properly should be a US tax base, because it's US income," US Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew said during an interview on Wednesday with National Public Radio.
Apple has said it follows tax laws and has paid all taxes due in Ireland; there's little reason to doubt that, said Douglas Shackelford, the dean of the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University North Carolina. 'Guesstimating' profit "Apple has followed the letter of the law," said Shackelford, an international tax scholar. "The EC is saying, 'Yeah, but you violated the spirit of the law, and so we're guesstimating what those profits were and how they should have been taxed." It's clear that Apple practices effective tax avoidance. Like other multinationals, the company makes efforts to avoid the US corporate income tax, which has a top statutory rate of 35 per cent - the highest in the industrial world. Details that the company has released in public filings show that Apple's foreign profits are taxed at a rate significantly below even Ireland's 12.5 per cent. In 2014, it reported a foreign effective rate of 6.4 per cent. Bob McIntyre, the director of Citizens for Tax Justice, a left-leaning research group and think tank, said that number indicates that the company has booked a large portion of its profits in tax havens.
"If you believe Apple's annual reports, that most of its profit is earned in foreign countries, it would be impossible for them to get their rate that low unless almost all of the money is booked in tax havens," McIntyre said. 'Head offices' EU regulators say the company achieved its tax savings in Ireland by means of official rulings that allowed two subsidiaries there, including Apple Sales International, to allocate their profit to a "head offices" that "existed only on paper and could not have generated such profits". "These profits allocated to the 'head offices' were not subject to tax in any country under specific provisions of the Irish tax law, which are no longer in force," according to the commission's news release. It also notes that Apple changed its structure in Ireland in 2015. Apple's Maestri objected to the commission's conclusion that most of one Irish unit's profits were "taxed nowhere". "These profits are taxed in the United States," he said on Tuesday.
However, under an unusual provision in the US tax code, most such foreign profit for Apple would be taxed only when Apple decides it should be - by bringing the offshore earnings to America. As of last month, Apple had $US232 billion in cash, with about $US214 billion of that being held overseas. Repatriation planned The company expects to repatriate billions of dollars to the US next year, chief executive officer Tim Cook said in an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE, which aired on Thursday. He also continued his criticism of the commission's finding, calling it "maddening and disappointing". Overall, US multinationals have accumulated more than $US2 trillion in offshore earnings that haven't been repatriated, and US policy makers are trying to reach agreement on a plan for taxing that income at a reduced rate to encourage companies to bring it home. Treasury officials have expressed concern that the EU's actions against Apple and other companies might reduce potential tax receipts in the US from such a move. That's one reason the appeals of the commission's finding will be closely watched. But without public details on where Apple's profits were booked or where its taxes were paid, there's only so much an interested observer can learn for now, said Kimberly Clausing, an economics professor at Reed College who studies international taxation.
Mike Taverner (Letters, August 29) is absolutely right: the Canberra Writers Festival was fantastic. The authors, sessions and the venues were outstanding, and the festival made the most of what Canberra has to offer. But the real key to the festival's success was the energy, enthusiasm and engagement of the Canberra audiences. The Chief Minister's announcement when introducing the Canadian novelist Yann Martel at Llewellyn Hall on Friday evening that there would be recurrent funding of $125,000 for each of the next three years enables the festival to continue, and encourages even greater participation by the Canberra and regional communities. We will again be working with the Melbourne Writers Festival organisers to deliver an even better event from August 25 to 27 2017. Get the dates into your diaries, and tell your family and friends to come to Canberra for the weekend. Allan Behm, chairman, Canberra Writers Festival Board
Locked out by Libs I recently posted a question on the Canberra Liberals' Facebook page about light rail, only to find that my question had been removed and I had been blocked. My question was genuinely polite, respectful and not critical of the Liberals. Has this type of thing happened to anyone else out there? I have had better experiences with other parties when posting questions on their pages. I feel very frustrated. Leigh Cox, Phillip Put shoe on other foot
By labelling gay marriage as "a trendy lifestyle choice", L. Barnard (Letters, August 31) reveals two things; that he/she knows no one who is LGBTI and has little imagination. First, if he personally knew someone who was LGBTI he would realise that like everyone else on this planet, people who are LGBTI are not in control of their gender orientation, so it is not a "lifestyle choice" to be LGBTI. It's a realisation that you are in the minority, that life is going to be harder for you than for many, that you won't have the same freedoms, and that you will most likely face discrimination, hostility and bullying backed up by social institutions. Would you choose that, if you had a choice? Second, if L. Barnard could imagine that he were part of a minority group, prohibited from an activity by a majority whose only real reason for the prohibition is "This is the way we have always done things, so this is moral, normal and right", would he not realise the unfairness of that logic? If society had accepted that sort of reasoning, most of us would still be serfs, we would believe slavery, torture and capital punishment were fair, that we could buy our way to heaven, that people of other races were inferior and women clearly inferior to men.
Fortunately for all of us, society has moved on, usually because small vocal minorities stood up and made a noise. We all need to stand up and make a noise to help overcome injustice. Chris Kain, O'Connor Don't impose program It may seem to Chief Minister Andrew Barr that it is an issue of principle to commit $100,000 to fund the Safe Schools Coalition program ("$100,00 for Safe Schools an issue of principle: Barr", August 27, p4). He claims that changes to this program by the federal government earlier this year render the program ineffective. While some who do not know the program for years 7 and 8 might think that it is just about helping LGBTI students feel more comfortable at school, a closer examination shows that it promotes alternative sexualities, and student rights over parental rights.
Schools can effectively oppose bullying of all kinds without this program. Kids can continue to access confidential help with gender and sexuality issues without this classroom program. To impose it on schools without consultation with parents, I suggest, means a more authoritarian, less free society. Arthur Connor, Weston More inclusion, less hubris please The unedifying gladiatorial contest of Parliament has resumed. Our elected representatives are not there to do battle, but, collectively, to lead and govern the nation on behalf of us all. Not to rule or command. Not to promote only their own ideologies. We elected an Australian government; not a Turnbull or a Coalition government. It should be accountable to the whole Parliament, not vice versa. The word "minister" has sufficient vertical pronouns; adult government requires more inclusion and less hubris.
Election policies are relevant, but are not licence for a slim majority simply to impose them on the large minority. Assertion of "mandate" is a poor approach to governance. We deserve a civilised contest of ideas in the national interest, not continual jousting for imagined narrow shallow partisan advantage and point-scoring without substance. Issues need to be argued on their merits not their antecedents. Compromise is not weakness. Above all, the government needs to understand that the margin of its small majority is not because it was excessively mean to rich superannuants; nor because it was insufficiently right wing, nor because it was not mean enough to society's disadvantaged. Mike Hutchinson, Reid Sacrificed programs The Treasurer is rightly concerned about fiscal responsibility. Can he tell us what government programs will not be funded or what services will not be provided in order to pay for a plebiscite that some government members have promised to ignore if it doesn't go their way?
And what programs have not been funded or services not been provided in order to pay for Australia's shameful system of offshore concentration camps for desperate people fleeing death? Janelle Caiger, Stirling IT resources slack Yet another major government IT system is not working as it should ("Disabled hard hit by new payments system collapse", Comment, August 30, p19). While I'm not aware of the specifics of why the NDIS system is not working, I am aware of why other systems have failed. When bureaucrats soberly and methodically work out how much time is required to build a system, they are rarely given the time needed to do the task properly. So, if their best estimate is that it will require (say) two years, the political masters will dictate that they have only (say) 18 months to get the job done. Similarly, if the bureaucrats calculate, as best they can, the resources required to build a system, they are not given the resources needed.
So, if their best estimate is that it will require $X, the bean counters will dictate that they have (say) three-quarters of $X to get the job done. There are, of course, many other factors influencing the success or failure of major IT builds. However, I think it is a given, that the bureaucracy is never given the time or the resources to do the job properly. Gordon Fyfe, Kambah Embrace 'Wattle Day' So the Australia Day Party has been cancelled. It should never have been. On January 26, 1789, Governor Philip declared the day "Anniversary Day" to acknowledge a year's survival in the new but old land. Time banished its relevance. World War II strengthened our national pride but without intelligent, thoughtful consideration the date was renewed as Australia Day. Since then, every year the original occupants have suffered a knife turned in an old wound.
Also what relevance has that day for the millions of people who have migrated and chosen to become Australians? This celebration should not reflect any historical, political or person power. It's Australia's Day. Our wild, ubiquitous and glorious national flower (the wattle) bursts into brilliance after the gloom of winter. It is a symbol of hope, lightens our land and lifts our spirits. "Wattle Day", the first day of spring is surely the day for celebration. Allison Waterhouse, Deakin World Vision reaction
The world was shocked when the BBC ran the big story on August 5 that the Gaza boss of World Vision, Mohammed el-Halabi, had diverted "$7.2million cash to Hamas". In the wake of the accusations, Julie Bishop said Australia was suspending funding to World Vision until investigations into the matter were complete. Why the instant reaction? Shouldn't Halabi and World Vision be presumed innocent until the charges can be properly tested in court? Halabi was held without charge and access to a lawyer for 25 days by Shin Bet, and may be tried in secret. Is that due process? If not, why did Julie Bishop act so hastily? Rhys Stanley, via Hall, NSW Use our expertise The Coalition government wants to continue its attack on Australia's science and technology. One thing we can be certain of is that renewable energy is going to be in massive demand in the future. With our levels of knowledge and competence we could be in the position of supplying its technology to the rest of the world.
So how can it be a priority to defund our renewable energy research and development, rather than to wind back the unsustainable tax concessions put in place by the Howard government? Instead of supplying the world we will have to buy everything but because we've shut down or sold off all our industry we'll have no income to buy it. Warwick Budd, Nicholls Medical mistakes Judy Aulich (Letters, September 1) prefers a scientific definition of medicine. But a May 2016 article in BMJ reports that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the US after heart disease and cancer. Given the founding dictum "First, do no harm", this raises significant concerns about what is going on, given Judy's criterion for medicine as what's "been scientifically proven to work". Murray May, Cook
Shorten off agenda The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, families are breaking up, drug taking and domestic violence are on the rise, Aborigines are becoming even more marginalised and unhealthy etc. etc. yet Bill Shorten is focusing all his efforts on trashing traditional marriage. John Popplewell, Hackett TO THE POINT SIGN OF TIMES?
Has anyone noticed that the Honours Secretariat, once located in the apolitical office of the Governor-General, seems to have moved recently to the Prime Minister's Department. Does that mean that political considerations will now be key factors in determining which worthy Australians ought receive an Order of Australia? T.W. Campbell, Bruce DASTYARI DEAL If I were a rich donor, Chinese or not, and prepared to pay off Senator Sam Dastyari's expenses ("Pressure builds on Dastyari", September 1, p6) my preference would be that the recipient chooses to repay me as well as donating to charity. I guess that is why I am not rich. Greg Simmons, Lyons
CUTTING COSTS Malcolm Turnbull is trying hard to find ways to cut expenditure. Any housewife knows the best way to save is not to spend. So why have a costly plebiscite? Glenys Hammer, Narrabundah When announcing the election earlier this year, Malcolm Turnbull said "We do have ample time between then and the end of the year so I would expect it [the plebiscite] to be held this calendar year." Now he's decided to hold it next year. Which part of the word "commitment" does he fail to grasp? John Clarke, Pearce
MAKING A POINT Ingrid Ross (Letters, August 30) asks what has our society come to with the charging of Kerry Mellor for praying silently. The answer is, our society has reached a point where it is no longer OK to harass women seeking legal medical treatment. Nobody is stopping the right to prayer or protest, be it silent or otherwise, the law just stops people being arseholes about it. Warwick Bradly, Weston FINDING ANSWERS I was amused by Arthur Connor's comment (Letters, August 30) that it was not for the church to decide scientific questions. It reminded me of some of my students' comments who once said they had no trouble with the questions, just the answers.
Greg Jackson, Kambah FORGIVENESS YES, BUT I refer to the article "Mother told daughter to forgive her father" (August 31, p9). I am a Christian, and I believe we must always forgive. But when the matter involves crime, it must also be reported. Forgiveness in the sight of God and not suffering civil punishment for crime are not the same thing. Andrew Short, O'Connor Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
It's been practised around the world for some time now, in forms both subtle and obvious. But in recent months, following startling political events from Trump to Brexit, post-truth politics has finally been widely identified as a specific and troubling phenomenon.
More insidious than simply lying or obfuscating, this aspect of right-wing populism describes a form of political campaigning that shows utter disregard for the truth. The facts simply don't matter. When democracy relies on voters being able to make informed choices, it is a very worrying trend indeed.
A ''Vote Leave'' battle bus is parked outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster by Greenpeace before being rebranded on July 18. Credit:Getty Images
And we should not think we're immune from it here in the ACT. The event that, more than anything, launched understanding of post-truth politics in to the global political mainstream has direct parallels with our current Territory election campaign.
During the recent and infamous "Brexit" referendum campaign, Boris Johnson and his fellow Brexiteers made a big deal of the idea that Britain spent too much money on its European commitments and that these funds would be better spent on the National Health Service. So committed were they to this that they even made a touring bus emblazoned with the slogan: "We send the EU 350 million a week let's fund our NHS instead." However, within hours of the results of the referendum being declared, senior figures in the Leave campaign were already backing away, saying this was never a pledge or a commitment, but merely an example of something else the funds could be used for. More than anything else, this rapidly became symbolic of the extent to which the Leave campaign was conducted "post-truth".
Is Australia still the land of opportunity for international students?
We choose to study in Australia because of its world-leading education system. As international students, we hope a good education will lead us to better job opportunities, even though we pay almost double the tuition of local students to get the same degree.
International students are often isolated in Australia. Credit:Louise Kennerley
I do not like to agree with some international students who think the Australian government treats us as a "cash machine".
However, I find it hard to argue against this considering my situation.
Early this week, the Federal Court upheld former federal environment minister Greg Hunt's approval of the Carmichael coal mine in Queensland's Galilee Basin, ruling that to make any assessment of the impacts of the resulting climate pollution on the Great Barrier Reef was "speculative" and that the ultimate responsibility for the mine's environmental impact lay with the minister, not the court.
All I can say about that is that I hope Josh Frydenberg the new Minister for Environment and Energy takes this responsibility seriously enough to stop the mine from proceeding.
The Carmichael coal mine in Queensland's Galilee Basin should be stopped. Illustration: Michael Mucci
It is the right thing to do for the welfare of the Great Barrier Reef and the welfare of humanity.
I was intrigued to note that in welcoming the court decision, the Adani company said the ruling has "once again reinforced the stringency of the strict, science and evidence-based federal environmental approval process governing [the planned mine]".
Attention this week turns to the main bathrooms, but not before the Blockheads review last week's guest-bedroom challenge. They tour their rivals' apartments, curious about the choices, offering their opinions and considering the judges' verdicts. Then it's on to the pressing job at hand: how to incorporate the desired art deco accents into the baths and showers and their surrounds. There are also decisions to make about the tiles, a task that reduces poor Julia to tears in the tile shop. But wait, there's more: a crash course on art deco from former Blockhead Jenna and a Block history test, with a swish kitchen upgrade as the coveted prize. The framework is familiar, the graphics are spiffy and this bunch of contestants displays a fair amount of camaraderie and good humour, tile-shop meltdowns aside. Debi Enker
Comedy, 8.30pm
It's always nice to see teachers who are even more juvenile and grubby-minded than their pupils. Particularly when it's embittered vice-principals Neal Gamby and Lee Russell (Danny McBride and Walton Goggins) sneering at new principal Dr Brown (Kimberly Herbert Gregory), who is their superior in every sense of the word. Tonight Gamby bullies his way on to an overnight excursion, which he hopes will give him the chance to seduce the sweet Miss Snodgrass (Georgia King). Of course, the detestable Gamby has no chance of getting anywhere other than deeper into a hole of his own digging but not even Russell's hilariously withering scorn will make him see that. The nature of the excursion also makes Gamby vulnerable to the attentions of the slightly unhinged Ms Abbott (Edi Patterson). It ain't quite Eastbound & Down but it's great fun in a similarly crass and goofy vein. Brad Newsome
movie Hanna (2011)
7flix, 8.30pm
Scored by the Chemical Brothers and focused on having its teenage female protagonist repeatedly move through unexpected environments (the Finnish wilderness, an underground CIA base, the arms of a hopeful teenage boy), Joe Wright's espionage thriller has a sleek, surreal feel. Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has been trained in isolation since age two by her father, former CIA agent Erik Heller (Eric Bana), and when he allows her to return to the world she knows nothing of, it's with the conviction that she must kill the family's nemesis, CIA staffer Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett with a crazy accent). In Atonement Wright pulled off an extended single shot encompassing the Dunkirk evacuation that told us nothing except that he was ambitious, but here his technical skills serve the story, suggesting a new kind of European action film that has a fleeting lightness offset by the soulful contemplation of Ronan's otherworldly features. Craig Mathieson
It may be the end of this parliament sitting - but it won't be the end of what just occurred in the house. The ramifications of the lost votes - and the consequences for those who let it happen, will continue for some time.
Our colleague Peter Hartcher has given us his take.
The successful Labor ambush of the Turnbull government in the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon will not, in itself, bring down the government, but it's highly instructive.
The lessons learned?
Former Health Services Union leader Kathy Jackson is facing dozens of fraud related charges and the prospect of a jail term over allegations she misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars of union funds.
Ms Jackson was charged on Wednesday via summons in NSW with 70 counts of obtaining property by deception and other fraud related offences.
She refused requests to be interviewed by Victorian detectives, despite rising to fame as a union whistleblower who had assisted police in investigating her former union colleagues.
Fairfax Media has confirmed some of Ms Jackson's closest former union allies have agreed to testify against her.
The Nice terror attack in France has highlighted the need to clarify the role the Australian Defence Force should play in future terrorism events at home, says a top defence think tank.
Reviewing the impact of the deadly Bastille Day attack in July, where a militant driving a rented truck mowed down 86 people before he was shot and killed, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says France had been able to mobilise soldiers to boost domestic security.
People visit the scene and lay tributes to the victims of a terror attack on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. Credit:Getty Images
But there is some confusion in Australia about the aid the ADF can offer state and territory police forces in domestic counter-terrorism situations, short of acting "in extremis".
Writing in the latest ASPI bulletin, terrorism experts Jacinta Carroll and Ashley Collingburn say that "in light of the French experience, the ADF's role in supporting domestic CT [counter-terror] should be reviewed to identify and inform how it might best support CT efforts".
Negative publicity over cuts to TAFE led to consideration of a public relations strategy to ensure the responsible minister, John Barilaro, is in the media "at least once a week".
A leaked tender document for a "PR Media Strategy TAFE NSW" reveals an unnamed senior media officer in Mr Barilaro's office "has a stated ambition to make the Minister No.4 in NSW in terms of visibility and profile".
A PR strategy wanted to ensure that John Barilaro was in the media "at least once a week". Credit:Jeffrey Chan
It notes the Skills Minister's office "is under pressure from the Premier's Office media managers to get the minister into the metropolitan news at least once a week".
The Baird government's Smart and Skilled reforms mean TAFE colleges are forced to compete for funding with up to 400 private colleges.
The ringleader of a network that helped young Australian men fight for Islamic extremists in the Middle East has been sentenced to a maximum of eight years in prison.
Hamdi Alqudsi, the first person to be prosecuted for helping Australians fight in the brutal Syrian conflict, will be eligible for release in 2022, after serving a non-parole period of six years.
In her sentencing remarks in the NSW Supreme Court on Thursday, Justice Christine Adamson said Alqudsi "took upon himself the role of commander" and noted there was evidence he had helped several more men than those included on his indictment.
The 42-year-old disability pensioner from Sydney's south-west was earlier this year found guilty by a jury of seven counts of providing services with the intention of supporting hostile acts in Syria between June and October 2013.
When Premier Mike Baird faced the media following the tabling of the Independent Commission Against Corruption's Operation Spicer report into Liberal party fundraising, one of his most important responses went largely unnoticed.
Baird apologised on behalf of the NSW Liberal party for the findings that nine of his former colleagues had sought to evade political donations laws during the campaign to win the 2011 election.
But it was his call for further reform of political donations laws that deserved more attention.
In an effort to show he was taking the findings very seriously, Baird nominated real time, online disclosure of donations as an issue the government was working on "and close to bringing in a timetable to implement".
The head of a significant criminal syndicate that allegedly supplied drugs to outlaw motorcycle gangs across south-east Queensland and Darwin was one of 33 people, including Nomads motorcycle gang members, charged as part of Operation North Sigil on Thursday.
The year-long operation, part of Taskforce Maxima, was initially set up to target members of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang who may have been involved in the trafficking and supply of ice, however it expanded once it was discovered those members were allegedly street dealers for a larger criminal syndicate operating out of the Moreton district.
Detectives raided several homes across south-east Queensland on Thursday. Credit:Queensland Police Service
On Thursday, after search warrants were executed in Caboolture, Redcliffe, Moreton and Brisbane, the operation came to a close, with 33 offenders charged on 155 drug-related offences.
Ten of those arrested were charged with trafficking dangerous drugs, including the alleged head of the syndicate, 31-year-old Shawn Gibb.
Australian seabirds that frequent Queensland's coastline are ingesting an alarming number of plastics, a University of Queensland study has found.
The stomachs of 370 individual marine and coastal birds of 61 species from the Sunshine Coast down to northern New South Wales were examined to find out what they were ingesting, in the largest survey of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
Debris from the gut of a short-tailed shearwater. Credit:UQ
Citizen scientists from Australian Seabird Rescue, Pelican and Seabird Rescue, a number of wildlife hospitals and the Queensland Museum collected seabirds they had had to euthanise or had found washed ashore and handed them over to lead author of the study, former UQ honours graduate Lauren Roman.
Ms Roman dissected each bird and found 30 per cent had ingested marine debris, largely plastics and balloon fragments.
Police have charged two women after they allegedly abducted an 11-year-old boy in Cairns on Monday.
Police say the two assaulted a 28-year-old woman in her home before taking the boy, who was known to them, to a nearby restaurant.
Police say two women took a boy, 11, from a home after assaulting another woman. Credit:Glenn Hunt
The boy's father was notified and he retrieved his son from the two women, who have been charged with child stealing and burglary and are due to appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on September 21.
AAP
The federal government has set up a royal commission-like inquiry into banks, but only to investigate how they treat small businesses.
The office of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman will use its powers, which are similar to that of a royal commission, to look at whether enough has been done to protect small businesses from banks.
Kate Carnell spoke to Money News.
The ombudsman has powers to compel the banks to appear and hand over documents needed for the inquiry.
Ombudsman Kate Carnell said the federal government had asked her to look into cases of small businesses severely impacted by questionable banking practices that were raised during an earlier parliamentary inquiry.
Generations of e-commerce are maturing and mutating before our eyes. One person who knows this well is founder of top end travel website Luxury Escapes, Adam Schwab.
Schwab first started out in 2010 with deals.com.au, a heady time for deals websites with Groupon launching only two years earlier.
Luxury Escapes offers not only five-star and six-star properties, such as Finolhu Villa in the Maldives, but meals, massages and other decadent extras.
"We wanted to get into this business because we thought it was really scalable, but it soon became clear that we were actually best at travel offers."
Skip forward to 2013 and Luxury Escapes was born out of the close of deals.com.au.
A teenager who had his face stomped on in a brutal attack says he feared he wouldn't survive the beating.
Tyson, 19, was walking home on on Scott Street, Dandenong when five men jumped out of a parked car about 7.30pm on Wednesday, August 24.
He fell to the ground where they took turns stomping on his face and kicking him while he played dead.
"They just smashed me to the ground," Tyson told reporters on Friday morning.
"I was scared I was going to get stabbed or worse. It was lucky that it stopped."
The men only stopped when one of them said the teen had had enough.
Tyson required surgery on his jaw, which was broken in two places. He also had several teeth knocked out and he received significant bruising to his forehead.
Police have released an image of a silver Honda accord, possibly a 2000 model or older, which the men are believed to have been driving.
The five men who bashed the 19-year-old were driving a car like this one. Credit:Victoria Police
The men involved were perceived to be of Middle Eastern appearance, aged between 17-25-years-old, slim to medium build, with dark features and thick accents.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
It would take St Kilda Road at least a generation to recover from Melbourne Metro Rail construction, as new trees planted to replace those destroyed will not mature for another 20 to 30 years.
A 700-metre stretch of the leafy boulevard between Dorcas Street and Kings Way is set to be stripped of its established plane and elm trees when the Domain Station is built 15-metres below St Kilda Road using a "cut and cover" method.
Residents protest over the removal of trees in the St Kilda Road area for the Melbourne Metro Rail project. Credit:Simon Schluter
Local resident Marilyn Wane, 61, said she would have to live be a very old woman to see St Kilda Road reinstated to its former glory.
"The critics will say that 'yes the trees will grow back, what are they worried about', but trees like that take three or four decades to establish to the stage that they're at now.
Police are hunting the driver of a stolen car who they shot at before he sped away, apparently wounded, in outer Melbourne on Thursday.
Police opened fire on the stolen ute after it rammed their patrol car in Elgin Street, Berwick about 4.30pm.
Hospitals are on alert. An "amount of blood" was found inside the abandoned car soon after the incident.
Police could not confirm the man was injured by police fire but southern metro region Commander Dean Stevenson said he would be caught.
Six people, including four young children, have been injured after a nasty multi-car crash in Melbourne's south-east.
A woman in her 20s was trapped in her car for over half an hour after the smash, which occurred on Ballarto Road, in Junction Village, around midday on Thursday.
Firefighters managed to free the woman after cutting off the roof of her crushed car.
The woman was flown to The Alfred in a serious but stable condition, according to an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman.
The four children and a woman, believed to be in her 60s, were taken to Dandenong Hospital in a stable condition.
A depressed man who wanted to be shot dead by WA police, but was instead left a paraplegic and partially blind following a siege, has been jailed for six years.
Daniel John Ashley, 27, burst into his ex-girlfriend's Perth home in June last year, armed with weapons including a replica gun and baton, taking her and four other people hostage for three hours before he was shot twice.
Daniel Ashley pleaded guilty to a number of offences. Credit:Facebook
He pleaded guilty to eight charges and was sentenced in the WA District Court on Thursday, with Judge Simon Stone noting Ashley's actions led to a terrifying and horrific ordeal for his hostages.
Judge Stone noted the siege followed the breakdown of Ashley's relationship and that he wanted to die at the hands of police by "cop suicide".
Oshin Kiszko with his father Colin Strachan. Credit:Elle Borgward In a sad irony, his focus on Oshin as an individual echoes statements made repeatedly by Oshin's mother, who believes that not all treatments are right for all children. Oshin has never coped well with doctors, according to mum Angela Kiszko, who told WAtoday ahead of the judgement that the past months of chemotherapy had made him "scared to go to sleep". Amitiel (12) and Shilah (8) with brother Oshin. Credit:Elle Borgward "He has associated going to sleep with going under anaesthetic, with waking up and having had things done to him," she said.
"It's heartbreaking. And that's the thing - I have heard of kids going through chemo with a smile. That's great for them but that's not what is happening for him, he has always been bad with medical procedures. Angela Kiszko makes her children a 'birthday table' each year. Oshin went into chemotherapy the day after his sixth birthday party. Credit:Elle Borgward "I just want Oshin to have some quality of life." The court heard that while Oshin's tumour responded to chemo, delays in treatment caused by the disputes between Princess Margaret Hospital and the family meant his chance of survival was now remote. A small protest waged by friends of the family outside the court at last week's hearings. Credit:Emma Young
Doctors still brought the action for radiotherapy and further chemo, believing it was in Oshin's best interests to pursue this chance. Because of the risks it carries for intellectual and hormonal development, the use of radiotherapy on young brains is a grey area, with the age at which it is considered appropriate varying among jurisdictions. Oshin's mother and his father Colin Strachan particularly opposed radiation because of the high risk of intellectual and physical disability it carries when used on very young medulloblastoma patients. They maintained they just wanted to farewell their son quietly at home. In WA, radiotherapy on a six-year-old like Oshin is standard, but it is not standard everywhere, and an esteemed eastern states oncologist consulted for the case has said a "substantial minority" of parents in this situation would have refused radiotherapy and that their decision would have been respected in his practice.
Speaking at earlier hearings on the matter in May, Princess Margaret Hospital doctors did not sugar-coat the permanent side effects of radiotherapy in such cases, which would be "horrific". In considering the unique set of facts that applied to Oshin, Justice O'Brien acknowledged that he had "reasonable" survival prospects, that is, a 50-60 per cent chance of surviving for five or more years if chemo and radiotherapy commenced immediately after diagnosis in December. But there was nevertheless at all times a grave risk that even these treatments would be unsuccessful and Oshin would die. "I note in that regard that as early as January 2016 there was a lack of unanimity in the ethics committee of PMH, with at least some members of the committee taking the view that a palliative approach was ethically supportable," he said. He also noted the eastern states expert's opinion that under these circumstances, the harm associated with treatment if Oshin survived would be significant, a consideration central to the balance of benefits and harms all treating doctors must take into account when recommending treatments.
Justice O'Brien noted that the determination of best interests was not a precise science, but a complex concept that meant people of equal compassion, sincerity and integrity could reach very different conclusions. He said doctors at PMH had never stopped curative treatment and embarked on palliative care for a child responding to chemo, and were concerned that to do so now would set a dangerous precedent. On the other hand, Oshin's parents held deeply to the belief that Oshin had a right to die with dignity and in peace. He said his decision to accord with their wishes was not to demean the opposite views, nor the integrity of the doctors involved, who were unquestionably motivated by sincere beliefs and a commitment to fulfil what they regarded as their duty. "They have maintained that commitment in the most difficult of circumstances, and in the face of entirely unfair criticism," he said.
An Iranian-born Australian accused of child sex tourism and possessing child pornography in the Philippines had travelled 65 times to Asian nations in 18 months, police say.
The arrest of Farhanipour Gholamreza, 50, after he had allegedly paid money to a 13 year-old Philippine girl will bolster a call by newly elected Victorian Senator Derryn Hinch to strip convicted sex offenders of their passports.
Alleged paedophile Peter Gerard Scully, 52, is arraigned in the Philippines. Credit:Joseph Ben R. Deveza
Australian Federal Police say 15 of the trips that Mr Gholamreza made were to the Philippines, a popular destination for foreign paedophiles where there is a booming trade in online child pornography.
Records show he also visited China, Singapore and Thailand.
Santa Clara, Cuba: The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century landed in the central city of Santa Clara, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War.
Cheers broke out in the cabin of JetBlue flight 387 as the plane touched down. Passengers - mostly airline executives, US government officials and journalists, with a sprinkling of Cuban-American families and US travellers - were given gift bags with Cuban cookbooks, commemorative luggage tags and Cuban flags, which they were encouraged to wave.
The first passengers from the US hold up Cuban flags, before touching down at the airport in Santa Clara, Cuba, on Wednesday. Credit:AP
The arrival opens a new era of US-Cuba travel with about 300 flights a week connecting the US with an island cut off from most Americans by the 55-year-old trade embargo on Cuba and formal ban on US citizens engaging in tourism on the island.
"Seeing the American airlines landing routinely around the island will drive a sense of openness, integration and normality. That has a huge psychological impact,'' said Richard Feinberg, author of the new book Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy.
Singapore: China has intensified its checks on people and goods arriving from Singapore as an outbreak of the Zika virus in the small city-state was confirmed to have spread to at least one person in neighbouring Malaysia.
Authorities in Singapore, a leading regional financial centre and busy transit hub for people and cargo, said they had detected 151 people with the Zika virus, including a second pregnant woman, as of midday on Thursday. A pregnant woman had tested positive for the Zika virus on Wednesday. The first locally-transmitted Zika infection was reported a week ago on Saturday..
The government said earlier that half of the 115 cases reported previously were foreigners, mainly from China, India and Bangladesh, and most had already recovered.
Many of them are believed to be among the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in Singapore's construction and marine industries.
Mexico CIty: Donald Trump, who has made maligning illegal immigrants from Mexico a cornerstone of his presidential campaign, met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday - striking a remarkably subdued and cooperative tone as he faced a world leader forcefully opposed to his signature proposals.
Yet just hours later in a major speech on immigration in Phoenix, Trump had returned to the aggressive tone that has defined much of his campaign. Repeatedly raising his voice to a yell, Trump said that "anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," and he vowed to crack down especially hard on illegal immigrants who have committed other crimes.
With less than 10 weeks until the election, Trump increasingly tried to adjust his pitch to appeal more to moderate voters, as polls show he has fallen solidly behind Democratic rival Hillary Clinton nationally and in battleground states. However, the visit here and the speech in Phoenix, viewed together, could provide a jarring contrast for voters and send a confusing message about the kind of president he would be.
Trump said at the joint news conference in Mexico that he and Pena Nieto didn't discuss who would pay for his proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, despite his long-standing vow to compel Mexico to foot the bill. He and Pena Nieto avoided direct confrontation in front of the cameras, airing their differences on immigration, border security and trade in cordial tones.
POINTE BLANCHE:--- An early morning shootout at the Pointe Blanche has left one prisoner dead according to information reaching SMN News states that Omar Jones a convicted prisoner in the Vesuvius
case was shot to death inside the Pointe Blanche house of detention. Jones was serving a sentence of 29 years, nine months. The spokesman for the Public Prosecutor's Office Gino Bernadina confirmed that a shooting at the Pointe Blanche Prison has left a prisoner dead. Bernadina further stated that the prosecutors were at the Prison conducting an investigation.
Shortly after the deadly shoot-out, the police A-Team was dispatched to the Prison to assist with the investigation. The victim Omar Jones is the son of OSPP candidate Elton Jones whose older son Amador Jones was also assassinated.
Minister of Justice gives briefing on prison shooting
The Honorable Minister of Justice Edson Kirindongo expressed his concern in a press release about the unfortunate fatal shooting of an inmate at the Point Blanche Prison, which took place on Wednesday, August 31st, 2016 at approximately 09.00 a.m. and stated that; The inmate was shot by a still an unknown assailant, while he was in his cell where he is housed with other prisoners, to sit his jail sentence. The victim who is identified by the initials O.J. was pronounced dead at the scene by the justice doctor as a result of the wounds he sustained.
Immediately after receiving the call of the shooting, the Emergency Dispatch sent several police patrols, paramedics, detectives and Forensic Department to the scene to the initiate a criminal investigation. On the scene, all necessary steps were taken by the prison guards on duty along with the assistance of the police officers to maintain the situation status quo in order for the Forensic Department to collect evidence and for the Detectives to interview potential witnesses.
The Public Prosecutor, Head of the Point Blanche Prison and Police Chief were all on the scene. The body of the victim was confiscated for further investigation and transported to the morgue.
The minister continued to state that the investigation is in its preliminary stage and many details remain unavailable at this time. Family members of the victim will be notified of the situation as the investigation progresses. No one has been arrested as a suspect in this case and he has instructed the prosecutors office and the police department to conduct an in-depth investigation and to do all necessary to bring those responsible for this criminal act to justice.
As more details become available the media will be informed.
Finally, the minister expressed his regrets for this type of conduct within the system at the Point Blanche Prison and that during his short term as Minister of Justice he has been doing all that is possible to give the prison guards all the necessary tools to raise the level of security in the prison.
Press Release Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutor Office asked for a three (3) months jail sentence fully suspended with a probation period of two (2) years, deprivation of the right to vote as well as the right to be elected and 200 hours of community service against R.H. (62) during the court hearing on August 31, 2016 in the investigation involving buying and selling of votes on behalf of the United Peoples (UP) party during the September 17, 2010 election, called Masbangu. R.H. is accused of buying votes (mediating in the sale) while three other suspects, (former) officers of the then-Police Force of St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba
(KPSM) and of the Voluntary Corps of St. Maarten (VKS), R.C.H.J. (65), C.J.L.C. (47) and A.R.W.M. (45) are accused of selling their votes.
Against the suspects R.C.H.J. and A.R.W.M. the Prosecutors Office demanded a three (3) months jail sentence fully suspended with a probation period of two (2) years, deprivation of the right to vote and 150 hours of community service while for C.J.L.C. the Prosecutors Office asked a jail sentence of three (3) months fully suspended with a probation period of two (2) years, deprivation of the right to vote and 180 hours of community service .
The prosecutor said during the hearing that vote buying is punishable under Article 2:44 of the Penal Code of Sint Maarten (previously article 132 of the Penal Code of the Netherlands Antilles) and that recently the penalization has been increased to imprisonment of two years. Solely because of the lengthy duration of the Masbangu investigation the Prosecutors Office decided to deviate from this and ask for fully suspended jail sentences. The prosecutor also stated that it is possible that a person convicted of bribery can be deprived of certain rights such as the right to vote or to be elected.
Furthermore, the prosecutor said that to prove bribery it is sufficient that parties agree on not voting or voting in a particular way by accepting a gift or a promise. Both the person making the gift or promise as the one who accepts the offer are punishable. That afterwards the gift or promise is not redeemed or that the actual voting occurs differently than agreed upon, does not matter.
Several statements made in the Masbangu investigation indicated that its common on St. Maarten that representatives of political parties give money or goods to voters in exchange for their vote. Therefore prosecuting the Masbangu investigation also serves as a warning to the people of Sint Maarten that selling its vote or buying a vote is a punishable offence and that the Prosecutors Office will investigate and prosecute these cases.
The judge will give its ruling on September 14, 2016.
PHILIPSBURG:---The Philipsburg Jubilee Librarys spectacular book sale will be held this Saturday, September 3rd in the main hall. The book sale will be open to the public from 10 am to 1 pm. The weekly Story hour "Dutch is fun" will also commence on the day; thus parents who visit the book sale can send their children to listen to a story and a related activity that will be all done in the Dutch language. This book sale will truly be a community event.
There will be books for any and everyone from parents to teachers to any individual who just loves books. Take advantage of our huge selection of hard, soft cover and magazines.
This spectacular book sale will be offering Fiction, NonFiction, Biography, Childrens Books and Magazines. All materials must go, so we have a placed bargain prices for all items:
15 books can be bought for $ 5.00 Naf 8.75. Hardcover books $1.00 Naf 1.75, paper backs $ 0.50 Naf 1.00, magazines $ 0.25 Naf 0.45
All of the money raised will be used to fund library programs. Support your library by purchasing your favorite author or topic.
Don't miss out on this opportunity and come to the library this Saturday to buy your books!
PHILIPSBURG:--- A fight that ensued between two men in the vicinity of Delta Petroleum Gas Station owned by former Member of Parliament Roy Marlin has left one of the men dead. The dead man is identified as Alexandro Hodge, whose mother passed away and he was living with his aunt who owns a bar in Dutch Quarter. Residents of Dutch Quarter said they know the young man and he is known to be a very quiet young man and that they are all shocked by his sudden death.
According to eyewitnesses the two men were engaged in a fight on Dutch Quarter main road when one of them got stabbed. The victim it is said fell in the roadside drain bleeding profusely. Owner pf Delta Petroleum and former Member of Parliament Roy Marlin and his son ran to the victims aid trying to stop the bleeding until the ambulance personnel arrived on the scene. Eyewitnesses on the scene said that when the young Dutch Quarter man stabbed the victim he ran from the scene and the victim even though badly wounded he ran after the culprit and was throwing rocks at him before he fell inside the drain and subsequently died in the ambulance where he was receiving first aid treatment. The eyewitnesses said police went in search of the culprit and they are certain that the attacker does not know that he killed Alexandro Hodge with the one stab wound that they said they believed penetrated his heart. When SMN News reached the scene we were told that the victim a known young man identified as Alexandro Hodge from Dutch Quarter whose dead body was in the ambulance as they were awaiting the police doctor to pronounce the victim dead. SMN News learned that the suspect was later arrested, he has been identified as a Brooks who was recently released from prison.
Man stabbed to death
On Thursday, September 1st at approximately 01.30 p.m. a call came into the Emergency Dispatch about a stabbing that had taken place a few minutes earlier in the vicinity of Delta Gas Station in Dutch Quarter. The caller also stated that the victim was bleeding profusely. Immediately after receiving this call several police patrols, paramedics, Detectives and Forensic Department were sent to the scene to investigate what exactly had taken place.
On the scene, the investigating officers learned from witnesses that a heated argument had taken place between the suspect and the victim which escalated into a fight. During the fight, the suspect who was in the possession a knife used it to stab the victim. After committing this act the suspect fled the scene. The area was immediately closed off by police in order for the Forensic to collect evidence while the detectives interviewed witnesses.
Paramedics on scene attempted tirelessly to save the victims life, but he died of the wounds he had sustained. A medical examiner arrived on the scene and pronounced the death of the victim. The victim, in this case, has been identified with initials A.H. The body of the victim has been confiscated and transported to the morgue for further investigation.
The suspect was later located and arrested by police in the Dutch Quarter area and was brought to the Police Head Quarter in Philipsburg where he remains in custody for further investigation. The suspect was identified with the initials F.B. Both the victim and the suspect lives in Dutch Quarter.
The investigation is in the preliminary stage and many details about this case are still unavailable. When these details become available the media will be informed in a subsequent press release.
KPSM Press Release
New trainsets to enter service in 2021
Amtrak is contracting with Alstom to produce 28 next-generation high-speed trainsets that will replace the equipment used to provide Amtrak's premium Acela Express service. The contract is part of $2.45 billion that will be invested on the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor (NEC) as part of a multifaceted modernization program to renew and expand the Acela Express service.
"Amtrak is taking the necessary actions to keep our customers, the Northeast region and the American economy moving forward," said Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman. "These trainsets and the modernization and improvement of infrastructure will provide our customers with the mobility and experience of the future."
The new trainsets will have one-third more passenger seats, while preserving the spacious, high-end comfort of current Acela Express service. Each trainset will have modern amenities that can be upgraded as customer preferences evolve such as improved Wi-Fi access, personal outlets, USB ports and adjustable reading lights at every seat, enhanced food service and a smoother, more reliable ride.
This procurement comes as demand for Acela Express service is as popular as ever, with many trains selling out during peak travel periods. The new trainsets will allow for increased service including half-hourly Acela Express service between Washington D.C. and New York City during peak hours, and hourly service between New York City and Boston.
"As more people rely on Amtrak, we need modernized equipment and infrastructure to keep the region moving," said Chairman of the Amtrak Board of Directors Anthony Coscia. "These trainsets will build on the popularity and demand of the current Acela Express and move this company into the future as a leader in providing world-class transportation."
The new trainsets will operate along the Washington New York Boston Northeast Corridor initially at speeds up to 160 mph and will be capable of speeds up to 186 mph and thus will be able to take advantage of future NEC infrastructure improvements.
Additionally, the trainsets use the base design of one of the safest high-speed trainsets. Concentrated power cars, located at each end of the trainset, provide an extra buffer of protection. The trainsets will also meet the latest Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines including a Crash Energy Management system.
"The next generation of Acela service will mean safer, faster and modern trains for customers throughout the Northeast," said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. "This investment will pay immediate dividends for businesses and travelers from Washington D.C. to Boston, and the fact that these new trains will be built in Upstate New York makes this project a win-win. These New York-made Acela trains will soon be zipping along the Northeast Corridor and as a regular customer I can't wait for my first ride."
"The Northeast Corridor is a national economic engine that carries a workforce contributing $50 billion annually to the national GDP," said U.S. Senator Cory Booker. "Amtrak's continued investment in modernizing its fleet will only serve to enhance this vital rail link between Boston and Washington D.C. while allowing for safer and faster travel at a time when passenger demand is expected to rise. Strengthening our nation's infrastructure is essential to the economic growth of our region and the nation and this investment by Amtrak will help ensure the reliable service travelers expect."
Amtrak is funding the trainsets and infrastructure improvements through the FRA's Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing program that will be repaid through growth in NEC revenues.
"Amtrak is grateful for all of the support we have received from Congress, especially from Sen. Schumer and Rep. Reed who represents Hornell, New York home of the Alstom facility," said Boardman. "We would also like to thank Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson and House Transportation Committee Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio for their leadership on the FAST Act. Additionally, we appreciate the efforts of Senators Booker and Wicker for their support on the inclusion of the rail title, the first time Amtrak reauthorization has been included in surface transportation legislation."
Amtrak Next-Generation First Class interior
In addition to the trainsets, Amtrak is also investing in infrastructure needed to improve the on-board and station customer experience that will accommodate the increased high-speed rail service levels. Amtrak will invest in significant station improvements at Washington Union Station, Moynihan Station New York, as well as track capacity and ride quality improvements to the NEC that will benefit both Acela Express riders and other Amtrak and commuter passengers. Amtrak will also modify fleet maintenance facilities to accommodate the new trains.
The trainsets will be manufactured at Alstom's Hornell and Rochester, N.Y., facilities, creating 400 local jobs. Additionally, parts for the new trainsets will come from more than 350 suppliers in more than 30 states, generating an additional 1,000 jobs across the country.
The first prototype of the new trainsets will be ready in 2019, with the first trainset entering revenue service in 2021. All of the trainsets are expected to be in service, and the current fleet retired, by the end of 2022.
No fan of Donald Trump, Assange really hates Hillary Clinton. Release may come on eve of 3d debate
Julian Assange Claims to have the goods on Hillary, and is planning an election surprise.
He lives in exile in an embassy in London and considers himself a journalist, while the Obama administration and many Americans consider him to be a traitor.
Appearing on Megyn Kelly's Fox News program, WikiLeaks founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange said on Wednesday that he planned to release "significant" information linked to the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Asked if the data could be a game-changer in the election, he said "I think it's significant. You know, it depends on how it catches fire in the public and in the media."
WikiLeaks released files in July of audio recordings taken from the emails of the Democratic National Committee. These were obtained by hacking its servers. That release, during the Democratic National Convention where Clinton was officially named the party's presidential nominee, was the second batch in a series that deeply rattled the Democratic party, and ultimately forced DNC chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to step down--which Assange seemed to brag about tonight.
Kelly speculated that the timing of the dump would be just before Clinton's third debate with Donald Trump. Everyone would be tuned in then and it would do the most damage to Clinton, she said, referring to the Obama administration's hunt for Assange. It was led by then Secretary of State Clinton.
On 4 July 2016, WikiLeaks tweeted a link to a trove of emails sent or received by then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton published on their website. The leak contained 1258 emails sent from Clinton's personal mail server which were selected in terms of their relevance to the Iraq War and were apparently timed to precede the release of the UK government's Iraq Inquiry report.
On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released approximately 20,000 emails and 8,000 files sent from or received by Democratic National Committee (DNC) personnel. Some of the emails contained personal information of donors, including home addresses and Social Security numbers. Other emails appeared to present ways to undercut Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favoritism towards Clinton.
WikiLeaks is an international non-profit group of journalists that publishes secret information, news leaks, and steals or appropriates classified media from anonymous sources.
Julian Assange Claims to have the goods on Hillary, and is planning an election surprise.
Its website, initiated in 2006 in Iceland by the organization Sunshine Press, claimed a database of more than 1.2 million documents within a year of its launch.
Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activist, is generally described as its founder, editor-in-chief, and director. Kristinn Hrafnsson, Joseph Farrell, and Sarah Harrison are the only other publicly known and acknowledged associates of Julian Assange. Hrafnsson is also a member of Sunshine Press Productions along with Assange, Ingi Ragnar Ingason, and Gavin MacFadyen.
The group has released a number of significant documents that have become front-page news items. Early releases included documentation of equipment expenditures and holdings in the Afghanistan war and a report informing a corruption investigation
Minton could've easily gone to another hospital, but insisted on a hysterectomy at Catholic Mercy San Juan. Why? Isn't it obvious
To the left, Evan Minton is the latest face in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, against those who would deny a person gender transition rights anywhere, anytime.
When Catholic Mt. St. Charles Academy said early this year, that it would not accept nor enroll Transgender Students, the left declared war. The Rhode Island School placed itself in the center of a national debate over an LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance that would protect transgender people's access to public accommodations.
On March 9, 2016, having received a petition with 1700 signatures from Change.org, and more importantly, having pissed off at least one major alum who donated money, MSC Academy folded. They apologized for hurting anyone's feelings, and admitted Transgender students despite their previous statements that they did not have the physical facilities to accommodate them.
The Daily Beast's article on the subject was even titled "hateful rhetoric." http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/04/catholic-prep-school-no-transgender-students.html Needless to say, the Daily Beast never addressed the obvious question of why a transgender person would want to attend a religious conservative catholic school.
Today's headline is "Transgender Man Denied Hysterectomy at Mercy San Juan Hospital." The hospital, which is Catholic, refuses to allow a surgeon with operating privileges at Mercy, to carry out a scheduled hysterectomy on this determined, though confused, person. From the Sacramento Bee:
Tuesday was supposed to be a big day for Evan Michael Minton. The Fair Oaks resident packed his bags for the hospital, said a prayer and counted down the hours until he would undergo the hysterectomy that would take him one step further in his transition from female to male.
Instead he spent the day on the phone with doctors and lawyers after Mercy San Juan hospital in Carmichael abruptly canceled the procedure on religious grounds.
The surgery, part of Minton's transition to a fully male body, had been scheduled for three weeks but was called off Monday as hospital officials were preparing his admissions paperwork.
Both Minton and his surgeon, Dr. Lindsey Dawson, said they were caught unawares by the hospital's decision.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article98943597.html#storylink=cpy
In a statement, Dignity Health, which until 2012 was affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, declined to discuss Minton's case, citing patient privacy laws.
"In general, it is our practice not to provide sterilization services at Dignity Health's Catholic facilities," said spokeswoman Melissa Jue, in an emailed statement. Sterilization procedures, such as hysterectomies or tubal ligations, she said, are permitted by Catholic hospitals only to cure or alleviate a "serious pathology and (if) a simpler treatment is not available."
In Minton's case, there is a clear, medical need for a hysterectomy, according to his surgeon."Gender dysphoria is very clearly a pathology," said Dawson. "It's a recognized state of health," noting that national obstetrics groups recommend that transitioning transgender patients be put on hormones and provided with appropriate surgeries.
She said Minton is her first patient seeking a hysterectomy as a part of gender transition care. So in other words, she wants to open up Mercy San Juan to future transgender surgeries. In her religion, the right to transition between genders, anywhere any time, should be a right, not a privelege.
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article98943597.html#storylink=cpy
Dignity Health Mercy San Juan Hospital was set up for national bad publicity by Even Minton and Dr. Dawson, as the culture wars continue
Personally, I doubt that they were "caught unawares" by the hospitals decision. Minton and Dr. Dawson knew full well that once the Catholic hospital figured out what was going down in their surgical theater, they would call a halt to it. Dr. Dawson in particular knew Mercy's ban on voluntary sterilizations.
To make sure they knew, Minton checked into the hospital insisting he be referred to as "he. Pronouns are very important to me. I told them to call me he or him, not she or her, which they started to call me after referring to my chart."
Yessir, Mr. Minton. When they saw you wanted a hysterectomy, the cat was out of the bag, and they knew you were born a girl.
Well, congrats on your 15 minutes of fame. And for standing up to say that anyone should be able to get a hysterectomy any time on demand, in any place. Because, you know, that's an important right. Despite the religious convictions of the folks who funded the hospital. Despite the fact that you could just go down the street to any other hospital in Sacramento.
Parents and anti-vaccine groups sought an injunction
A federal judge has refused to block a new California vaccination law, which eliminates an exemption based on the parents' personal beliefs. The law requires children in both public and private schools to be inoculated against 10 contagious illnesses.
"Society has a compelling interest in fighting the spread of contagious diseases through mandatory vaccination of school-age children," said U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw of San Diego. He noted in Friday's ruling that the California Supreme Court had upheld mandatory vaccination for schoolchildren as long ago as 1890.
Seventeen parents and four anti-vaccine organizations sought an injunction against enforcement of the law.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuit say 33,000 students in California whose parents oppose vaccinations will be denied enrollment unless they agree to be vaccinated, and argued that they were being denied the right to freely practice their religion. Sabraw countered that their religious right "does not outweigh the state's interest in public health and safety."
He cited a 1944 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibited a young girl from distributing religious literature on the streets in violation of a Massachusetts child-labor law. The family's claim of religious freedom in that case "does not include liberty to expose the community or the child to communicable disease," the high court said.
Although the right to an education is strongly protected by California law, Sabraw said that right must give way to the public interest in protecting children's health.
The new, stricter, law was prompted by a measles outbreak in 2014 that was traced to Disneyland visitors who hadn't been vaccinated. Implemented just last month, the measure makes California one of only three states, along with West Virginia and Mississippi, to require all students to be vaccinated against illnesses such as measles, mumps, tetanus, and rubella, regardless of their parents' religious or personal opposition. The only exceptions are for children with doctor-certified medical exemptions and for disabled students in individualized education programs.
Parents must provide a shot record for children entering either kindergarten of seventh grade.
California parents are now required to provide immunization records when their child is entering kindergarten or the seventh grade. That means an elementary-school student who already has a parental exemption will not need to be vaccinated until the seventh grade, and students in the eighth grade or higher won't require any vaccinations.
In announcing the suit on July 1, plaintiff's attorney Robert Moxley said the law "has made second-class citizens out of children who for very compelling reasons are not vaccinated."
Opponents went to court after they failed to qualify a state ballot referendum to undo the law.
State Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, one of the sponsors of the vaccine law, praised the ruling for helping to make schools safer. The law was also sponsored by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica.
Plaintiff's attorney Kim Mack Rosenberg said they are planning an appeal.
Native Advertising Leader Nativo Accelerates Global Expansion With London Office
LOS ANGELES, CA (Marketwired) 08/31/16 , the leading native advertising technology platform, today announced its international expansion into Europe with the opening of an office in London. Nativo also announced the appointment of Lindsey Clarke as Managing Director to extend Nativos presence with European brands, agencies, and publishers.
Expansion into the European marketplace continues Nativos tremendous reach powering multi-site native in the U.S. The move into the United Kingdom ensures Nativo services the UK divisions of U.S. publications that the company currently serves. It also positions the company to work with additional UK pubs, both multi-site and multi-pub operations.
Were looking to provide more on-the-ground support for Nativos existing customers that have publisher operations in Europe so the time is right for a London office, said Nativo CEO Justin Choi. And Lindsey brings to Nativo a deep, first-hand understanding of the immediate and long-term needs for EU marketers and publishers. We are excited to have her work with us to bring our advanced native innovations to the market there.
Clarke has 13 years of experience in the digital media space. She will lead the UK office and be responsible for building publisher relations in Europe. She joins Nativo after serving as Vice President of global advertising strategy at Krux, where she led all data-driven go-to-market strategies for publishers globally. Prior to that, she built the publisher development group at Acxiom. Before serving at Acxiom, she ran the publisher development department at AudienceScience and worked at Rubicon Project.
Nativo is the only truly unified native ad platform specifically built to put content front and center, said Clarke. Global brand marketers using our platform want to reach the best publications and audiences all over the world, and Im thrilled to be part of a world-class team helping them do so with the very best solutions our industry has to offer.
This continues a year of tremendous growth for Nativo, which opened a Chicago office, formed , and was awarded the for sponsored content distribution.
This story first appeared in and .
Nativo is the leading advertising technology platform for brand advertisers and publishers to scale, automate, and measure native ads. For brands, Nativo is the ultimate content advertising platform that combines automation and insights with high quality reach to scale and optimize engagement with brand content. For media companies, Nativo provides a complete native technology stack that makes it easy to sell, deploy, and optimize native ads across their media properties expanding their revenue potential while delivering a better, non-interruptive experience for their audiences. More than 400 brands and 400 publishers leverage Nativos platform to power their next-generation digital advertising. Learn more at .
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Diane Anderson
Calabrio Named a Leader in Workforce Optimization Suites by Independent Research Firm
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Marketwired) 09/01/16 , a leading provider of customer engagement and analytics software, today announced it was named a Leader by in The Forrester Wave: Workforce Optimization Suites, Q3 2016 report. Calabrios customer-friendly model is recommended for companies looking for a close partnership with their workforce optimization (WFO) provider.(1)
In the report, Forrester evaluated 39 criteria categorized by current offering, strategy and market presence.(2) Calabrios top scores included interaction recording, performance management, customer satisfaction, corporate strategy and supporting products and services.(3)
According to the report, Calabrio offers customers both Minnesota nice and a truly unified WFO suite. Unlike most other vendors in this Forrester Wave, Minneapolis, MN-based Calabrio built the components of its suite in-house with no acquisitions The Calabrio One suite offers innovative analytics, including a tool that predicts customer satisfaction before an interaction occurs. In the same vein, Calabrio will soon add a tool that predicts agent turnover before the agent is hired. Unlike many competitors, Calabrio provides licenses for the entirety of a functional area: a customer that buys analytics receives speech, text, and desktop analytics.(4)
Calabrio provides products and services to help companies better understand their customers and leverage insights to catalyze growth. The software suite is a unified workforce optimization (WFO) solution including call recording, quality management, workforce management and voice-of-the-customer analytics that records, captures and analyzes customer engagement center interactions to improve the customer experience and drive top-line business growth. Calabrio solutions are built on an intuitive, web-based architecture that positions and accelerates the contact center as an epicenter for customer insight. The company is a member of the Cisco Solution Partner Program and the Avaya DevConnect Program, and recently announced a global strategic partnership with .
Companies choose Calabrio for a superior customer experience; they want a trusted partner and a proven product, said Tom Goodmanson, president and CEO at Calabrio. While this industry has been around a while, Calabrio has always done things a little differently. It has been our vision from day one to build the best solution while exceeding customer expectations for service and support. We believe this recognition from Forrester demonstrates that our continued investment in a customer-driven product roadmap, and our intense commitment to customer service is a winning combination in the customer engagement workforce optimization market.
Being named a Leader in this report adds to recent momentum for Calabrio. Earlier this week, the company announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement whereby .
Download .
Calabrio is a customer engagement software company that provides analytic insights to catalyze growth through customer service contact centers. The Calabrio ONE software suite empowers everyone in an organization, from contact center agents to the CEO, with easy-to-use tools that provide a better understanding of the customer. Every customer interaction yields insights that expand customer-consciousness, which is how leading companies now drive growth and long-term corporate prosperity. Find news and information at . Follow on Twitter.
Calabrio, Calabrio ONE and the Calabrio logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Calabrio Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
(1-4) Forrester Research, Inc., The Forrester Wave: Workforce Optimization Suites, Q3 2016, August 31, 2016.
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RACINE A 17-year-old Milwaukee resident faces 17 felony charges for his involvement in the string of car dealership burglaries in July.
Javon N. VDillie, of the 6500 block of West Keefe Avenue Parkway in Milwaukee, is charged with participating in four car dealership burglaries in Racine County and one in Ozaukee County, the criminal complaint stated.
His bond was set at $10,000 at his initial appearance Wednesday. Conditions of his bond are that he have no contact with the victims and he must provide a DNA sample.
VDillie, who was 16 at the time of the incidents, allegedly admitted to participating in the burglaries at Porcaro Ford on July 4, Palmen Dodge Jeep on July 7 and Racine Toyota and Racine Hyundai on July 13, the complaint said.
The first burglary
At the Porcaro Ford burglary, which took place at about 2:25 a.m., there were reportedly five suspects, including VDillie. A 10-pound weight was reportedly thrown through the window to gain entry.
The suspects then found keys in the showroom and in vehicles, and drove off the lot with a gray Ford Escape and a white Ford Escape each valued at more than $10,000, according to the complaint.
A Ford Sport Transit Van was also stolen. That vehicle was driven through a service area garage door, causing more than $5,000 in damage to the door, the complaint said.
Officers gave chase to the vehicles. During the chase, the Transit Van, driven by a 13-year-old, hit a median, went airborne, rolled into the median and caught fire. The boy was treated and taken into custody, according to the complaint.
The white Ford Escape was recovered in Milwaukee on July 7, the complaint said.
The status of the 13-year-old boy in the criminal justice system could not be obtained Wednesday, nor could the status of the other suspects.
Additional incidents
Three days after the Porcaro Ford incident, the burglars struck again at Palmen Chrysler, 8320 Washington Ave., at about 1:44 a.m. The suspects entered the dealership by breaking a window with the handle of a tire iron, according to the complaint.
One suspect attempted to drive a Jeep Cherokee, valued at more than $10,000, off the showroom floor by driving through a wall, but the car got stuck and was abandoned, leaving more that $5,000 in damage to the window, the complaint said.
Surveillance video showed that the white Ford Escape stolen from Porcaro Ford was used as transport for the suspects. VDillie admitted to be the driver of the Ford, according to the complaint.
Later that night, at about 3:10 a.m., an abandoned, running car was found in the lot of Racine Toyota, 13350 Kilbourn Drive. The Toyota Corolla found in the lot had been driven through the garage door of a service area. A Toyota RAV 4 that was in for service was damaged, the complaint said.
A garbage can appeared to have also been used to attempt to break a window, but the window did not break. The suspects then broke a smaller window using a tire iron, according to the complaint.
The Racine Hyundai, 9503 Washington Ave., incident took place on July 13. A glass door was found shattered at the scene. Blood also was located in the showroom. VDillie also admitted to providing transportation for this burglary, the complaint said.
A black Hyundai Elantra and blue Hyundai Accent were taken from the dealership. The Elantra was located by Milwaukee Police at 1:27 p.m. that day with VDillie driving the car, according to the complaint.
Milwaukee Police also recovered the Hyundai Accent with two black males and two black females inside, the complaint said.
VDillies fingerprints also were found on the tire iron left at Racine Toyota, which was taken from the white Ford Escape stolen from Porcaro Ford, according to the complaint.
VDillie faces four felony charges for burglary of a building or dwelling, seven felony charges for theft of movable property exceeding $10,000, and six felony charges for criminal damage to property exceeding $2,500. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.
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A former West Salem man accused of masturbating in front of a 12-year-old girl was sentenced Wednesday to three years probation.
According to a criminal complaint, Douglas Curran, 52, masturbated while talking to the girl and groped her at his West Salem residence on Thanksgiving Day in 2015.
Curran was initially charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child but later pleaded no contest to reduced charges of exposing genitals to a child.
Prosecutors did not seek prison, citing Currans lack of criminal history and the fact that he took responsibility for his actions and never threatened to subject the victim to cross-examination.
For that he does deserve credit, said Assistant District Attorney Noel Lawrence.
Defense attorney Dan Nordland said Curran regretted his actions more than any other client he has represented. He noted that Curran received threats, lost his family and had his vehicle vandalized. Curran has since moved to the other side of the state.
Curran, who wept through most of the proceedings, apologized to the victim and his family.
I know that I can prove my sincerity, he said. I will never put myself in this position again. Or anyone else.
Judge Ramona Gonzalez imposed probation as recommended by the Department of Corrections. She also followed the victims request that Curran not be required to register as a sex offender.
Instead of imposing jail time, Gonzalez ordered Curran to perform 50 hours of community service during each year of his probation.
This was not just a crime against this child, she said. This was a crime against our community.
The closest planet to the sun, Mercury takes the least time to orbit the giant star. Its close proximity boosts the world's temperature, and makes it difficult to hold on to its atmosphere. But just how close is close?
Mercury boasts an orbit that is the most elliptical of all of the planets, stretched out from a perfect circle. When it is closest to the sun, it is only 29 million miles (47 million km), but at its farthest, the distance to Mercury is 43 million miles (70 million km). (Pluto's orbit is even more eccentric, but Mercury holds the "most elliptical planetary orbit" since the far-flung body was downgraded to a dwarf planet; Pluto's downgrade also made Mercury the smallest of the eight remaining planets.)
This bizarre orbit confused early astronomers as they tried to piece together how the solar system worked. When Mercury is at its farthest from the sun, it is traveling the slowest. This gives Earth time to catch up to it about once every three and a half months. Astronomers charting the motion of Mercury across the sky would see it moving backward over the course of several nights in relation to other stars in the sky. It wasn't until Nicolaus Copernicus established that planets traveled around the sun rather than around the Earth that the matter was cleared up.
Ironically, although Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, it is not the hottest; Venus boasts that honor. Mercury has wildly swinging temperatures, but only at thin atmosphere to trap heat on the planet, while the atmosphere of Venus creates a runaway greenhouse effect that elevates its temperature higher than Mercury.
Because Mercury is so close to the sun, the Hubble Space Telescope, which has captured images of a number of bodies in the solar system, cannot photograph the planet's rocky surface.
Mercury crossed the face of the sun on May 9, 2016 during a rare transit that delighted skywatchers around the world. This image is a composite view of Mercury during the 7.5 hour event as seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory during the event. (Image credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/SDO/Genna Duberstein)
Mercury and the sun
Because Mercury lies between Earth and the sun, it undergoes phases much like the moon. However, the phases of Mercury are more difficult to detect than the phases of Venus, which also orbits between the Earth and the sun. Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei could detect the phases of Venus with his telescope, but not the phases of Mercury.
Like Venus, Mercury also undergoes transits, passing between the Earth and the sun about 13 times each century. But the inclination of Mercury's orbit is such that a transit does not occur every time the two planets pass. Mercury only crosses the sun once every seven years. Astronomers used transits to help calculate the distance to Earth from the sun. (Venus' transits are significantly more rare, occurring only once every 243 years.)
During the 2016 transit, three spacecraft observed the display.
"It used to be hard to observe transits. If you were in a place that had bad weather, for example, you missed your chance and had to wait for the next one," Joseph Gurman said in a statement. Gurman is project scientist for NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) project scientist, one of the instruments. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency-led Hinode solar mission also captured Mercury crossing the sun.
"These instruments help us make our observations, despite any earthly obstacles," Gurman said.
How far is Mercury from Earth?
The constant motions of planets around the sun means that the distance between Earth and Mercury is in constant flux. When both planets are on opposite sides of the sun, they can achieve their maximum distance of 137 million miles (222 million kilometers). When they are at their closest, they are only 48 million miles (77.3 million km) apart.
How long does it take to reach Mercury?
Mercury isn't that far away, as far as planets go. But only a few spacecraft have traveled to it. Traveling to a planet isn't like driving across the country. Improvements in propulsion aren't the most important determining factor in terms of how long the voyage will take. Space agencies often use gravitational boosts from other planets to gain speed without a high fuel cost. And unlike a road trip, the beginning and end point of solar system journeys are constantly changing position, sometimes ideally lined up but other times not.
Launched on November 3, 1973, NASA's Mariner 10 slingshotted around Venus to reach Mercury. It performed its first of three flybys on March 29, 1974, taking just over four months to reach the planet. Mariner 10 was both the first spacecraft to travel to multiple planets and the first one to receive a gravitational boost.
The hot rocky body remained unvisited for over thirty years. On August 3, 2004, NASA launched the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission to the planet. MESSENGER performed a flyby of Earth and two of Venus before reaching Mercury on January 14, 2008, a voyage of nearly three and a half years.
The European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Agency plan to send a joint mission to Mercury known as BepiColombo. Scheduled to launch in 2018, the craft will flyby Earth once and Venus twice to arrive at Mercury in late 2024, having traveled in space for nearly six and a half years.
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This view of Mercury is made up of hundreds of images taken by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft during its first flyby of the planet in 2008. New data suggest that Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, completes a rotation on its axis 9 seconds more quickly than previously thought.
Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. (Pluto used to hold the title, but it was downgraded to a dwarf planet.) Although its surface resembles our moon, the tiny planet has a density that rivals Earth itself.
Radius, diameter and circumference
Mercury's diameter is 3,030 miles (4,878 km), comparable to the size of the continental United States. This makes it about two-fifths the size of Earth. It is smaller than Jupiter's moon Ganymede and Saturn's moon Titan.
But it's not going to stay that size; the tiny planet is shrinking. When NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft visited the planet in the 1970s, it identified unusual features known as scarps that suggest the world is shriveling. As the hot interior of the planet cools, the surface draws together. Since the planet boasts only a single rocky layer, rather than the myriad tectonic plates found on Earth, it pushes on itself to create scarps.
A 2014 study of nearly 6,000 scarps taken by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft suggest that Mercury contracted radially as much as 4.4 miles (7 kilometers) since its birth 4.5 billion years ago. The discovery helped balance models of the planet's interior evolution with observations at its surface.
"These new results resolved a decades-old paradox between thermal history models and estimates of Mercury's contraction," Paul Byrne, a planetary geologist and MESSENGER visiting investigator at Carnegie's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, said in a statement. "Now the history of heat production and loss and global contraction are consistent."
The planet has a mean radius of 1,516 miles (2,440 km), and its circumference at the equator is 9,525 miles (15,329 km). Some planets, such as Earth, bulge slightly at the equator due to their rapid rotation. However, Mercury turns so slowly on its axis that astronomers once thought that the planet was tidally locked, with one side constantly facing the nearby sun. In fact, the planet spins on its axis once every 58.65 Earth days. Mercury orbits once every 87.97 Earth days, so it rotates only three times every two Mercury years. The slow spin keeps the planet's radius at the poles and the equator equal.
Density, mass and volume
Mercury has a mass of 3.3 x 1023kilograms. This mass is contained in a volume of 14.6 billion cubic miles (60.8 billion cubic km). The mass and volume of Mercury is only about 0.055 times that of Earth.
But because Mercury's small mass is enclosed inside of a tiny body, the planet is the second densest in the solar system, weighing in at 5.427 grams per cubic centimeter, or 98 percent of the density of our planet. Only Earth is denser. This high density in a planet that otherwise resembles the moon raises interesting questions about the composition of the planet's interior.
Mercury's small size makes it too weak to hold onto a significant atmosphere, especially with the constant bombardment it receives from the sun. The planet has a thin atmosphere, but it is constantly blasted into space by the solar wind. Without an atmosphere to help stabilize the incoming heat from the sun, the planet boasts some of the most varying temperature swings in the solar system.
Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system. In this illustration, planet sizes are shown to scale but their orbital distances are not to scale. (Image credit: IAU/Martin Kornmesser)
Surface features
Mercury's surface greatly resembles that of Earth's moon, with craters left over from the heavy bombardment early in the life of the solar system and during the planet's formation. Images taken by the Mariner 10 spacecraft show craters ranging from 328 feet (100 m) to 808 miles (1,300 km) across. Several of the planet's scarps reach as high as 1.86 miles (3 km).
Mercury also boasts hollowsshallow, irregular depressions that seem unique to the planet. Hollows are some of the youngest and brightest features on the surface of Mercury, and range in size from 60 feet to over a mile across and 60 to 120 feet deep. With no atmosphere, the hollows weren't carved by wind or rain. Instead, they may be caused by volatile minerals evaporating after suddenly being exposed by an impact.
"These hollows were a major surprise," David Blewett, science team member from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, said in a statement. "We've been thinking of Mercury as a relic a place that's really not changing much anymore, except by impact cratering. But the hollows appear to be younger than the craters in which they are found, and that means Mercury's surface is still evolving in a surprising way."
Ironically, the planet closest to the sun contains ice on its surface. (It's not the hottest planet; that honor is reserved for Venus.) The northern and southern poles lie in constant shadows, allowing ice to build up on their floor. Radar-bright deposits were spotted from Earth, and MESSENGER confirmed these regions lie in constant shadows. Eventually, the spacecraft was able peer directly into the craters and confirm that water ice is stable inside them.
"For more than 20 years the jury has been deliberating on whether the planet closest to the Sun hosts abundant water ice in its permanently shadowed polar regions," MESSENGER's primary investigator Sean Solomon, of Columbia University in New York, said in a statement.
"MESSENGER has now supplied a unanimous affirmative verdict."
Editor's Note: This article was updated on Dec. 12, 2018 to reflect a correction. The original article stated that Mercury's volume is 14.6 trillion cubic miles.
Cape Canaveral is a region on Florida's Atlantic coast about halfway between Jacksonville and Miami, and a short drive from Orlando. The area has two active launch facilities: Kennedy Space Center (on Merritt Island) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (on the cape itself). The area is also known as Florida's Space Coast.
Cape Canaveral was briefly renamed Cape Kennedy between 1963 and 1973, in honor of the assassinated U.S. president, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy, in a speech before Congress in 1961, famously challenged rocket scientists to put a man on the moon within 10 years; the first moon landing took place in 1969. The name change was put forward by Kennedy's successor, Lyndon Johnson, but the decision was reportedly unpopular among Florida residents. In May 1973, Florida governor Reubin Askew signed a state statute mandating a change back to Cape Canaveral, to which the U.S. Board of Geographic Names agreed.
It should be noted that some of the locations below have changed names several times over the last few decades. For simplicity's sake, they will be referred to here by their present-day names unless otherwise indicated.
Early history
The cape's legacy in the space program began in 1947 when it was designated a missile testing range, according to the 1978 NASA history book "Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations" by Charles D. Benson and William Barnaby Faherty.
"Its choice as a missile range was dictated by several factors," the authors wrote. "The planners could set up a line of tracking stations stretching southeasterly over the Atlantic to provide the longest range necessary for missile testing; the Banana River Naval Air Station could serve as a support base; and the launch area was accessible to water transportation."
The area was then rather rustic, with a few beaches, houses and an inn, the authors added. It also was heavily populated by local wildlife, including mosquitoes, alligators and rattlesnakes. It posed a challenge for construction workers, who finished the first concrete pad on June 20, 1950, on top of a gravel layer they decided to put in while watching their trucks and jeeps sink into the sand. An old shack served as the first launch control block house. The first launch attempt took place on July 19, 1950 it was a Bumper 7 rocket, which didn't get off the ground due to salt-air corrosion. A follow-up launch with Bumper 8 on July 23 went successfully.
"By the mid-1950s, rocket technology in the United States had reached the stage where serious consideration was being given to proposals to launch Earth satellites," wrote NASA in a history of the Kennedy Space Center. The United States planned to place a satellite into orbit in 1957-8, for International Geophysical Year something the rival Soviet Union also planned to do.
Several U.S. military services competed for the honor, which was eventually awarded to the Naval Research Laboratory. Project Vanguard, as it was known, was given the job in part because it gave the opportunity to create a civilian rocket unaffiliated with previous armed service efforts. The Soviet Union sent Sputnik aloft on Oct. 4, 1957; the Vanguard team tried to follow up with a launch in December, but the rocket exploded during takeoff. The Army ended up sending the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, into space on Jan. 31, 1958, on a modified Jupiter-C rocket called Juno 1. Vanguard finally sent its satellite, Vanguard 1, into space on March 17, 1958.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida the night of Sept. 21, 2014, carrying supplies and experiments aboard a Dragon spacecraft to astronauts on the International Space Station. (Image credit: SpaceX)
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
NASA was created on Oct. 1, 1958, to expand the U.S. space program under civilian terms. The new agency absorbed the former National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and took over several facilities across the country. NASA also acquired 150 Project Vanguard personnel, including an operations group at the Cape that was placed under the direction of the newly renamed Goddard Space Flight Center.
"During this period, the Cape was transformed from scrubland into a major launch base," NASA wrote, which included Army tests of Redstones and Jupiters; the Navy's Polaris missile, which launched from submarines; and the Air Force's Thor, Atlas, Titan and Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles. Several of these later formed the basis of rocket stages for NASA human and satellite programs. Then in December 1959, the Department of Defense agreed to transfer to NASA a team of 5,000 civil servants led by Wernher Von Braun the same man who successfully led Explorer 1's launch. Von Braun was tasked with creating several rockets during his time with NASA, including the famous Saturn V that eventually hefted astronauts into space for moon missions.
In May 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard made the first U.S. flight to space from what is known today as Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's (CCAFS) Launch Complex 5. Shepard's flight inaugurated the one-man Mercury program; the station also launched the first orbital flight in 1962 and the first two-man Gemini flight in 1965. Today the station is known for launching spacecraft that collectively have visited all the planets in our solar system. Examples include the Mariner series, the Pioneer series, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner, Cassini and MESSENGER.
While NASA is a heavy user of the station, other entities have launched from it as well. For example: Launch Complex 40 and 41 saw the launch of several defense missions in weather, reconnaissance and communications. Today, SpaceX leases Complex 40 for its Falcon 9 launches, including Dragon spacecraft cargo runs to the International Space Station. United Launch Alliance leases Complex 41 for Atlas V rocket launches that bring satellites into orbit; ULA has also launched some Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 10:10 a.m. EST, carrying a Dragon capsule filled with cargo to orbit. The SpaceX Dragon capsule is making its third trip to the International Space Station, following a demonstration flight in May 2012 and the first resupply mission in October 2012. (Image credit: NASA)
Kennedy Space Center
Days after Shepard's flight, Kennedy made a pledge to Congress that the United States would send men to the moon and back safely before the decade was finished. This sparked the need for even bigger facilities than the Cape could provide. A joint Department of Defense and NASA study eventually settled on Merritt Island, just adjacent to the Air Force station.
"The study concluded that Merritt Island offered compelling advantages," NASA wrote. "Several small communities were within easy driving range, and larger cities like Daytona Beach, Vero Beach, and Orlando were only slightly farther. Locating on Merritt Island also would allow NASA to share facilities of the Atlantic Missile Range, avoiding costly duplication. Only at this location could the same NASA launch organization continue operations on the Cape Canaveral complex while building the spaceport."
Acquisition of the land began in 1962, with NASA eventually acquiring about 140,000 acres (57,000 hectares) on the island. The agency then began construction on Launch Complex 39 to launch the massive Apollo-Saturn V launch vehicle, which was 363 feet (111 meters) tall.
NASA said these rockets required a facility for construction (known today as the Vehicle Assembly Building), platforms (nicknamed "crawlers") to transport the rockets between the facility and the launch pad, a control center for the launches and a movable service structure for launch preparation. There also was the matter of building two launch pads for the rockets to go into space, plus facilities for personnel and storage. A small visitor's center was created on site in 1966 and over the years, expanded into today's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Eventually, KSC saw the launch of all the crewed Apollo missions (1968-1972), including 1969's Apollo 11 the mission that fulfilled Kennedy's pledge of a human moon landing by the end of the decade. In future decades, KSC became best known for the space shuttle program; the VAB, the crawler and other facilities were all modified to accommodate the shuttle's smaller height and different systems. Many space shuttles landed on a runway at KSC. As the space shuttle helped to construct the ISS, many pieces of the station left Earth from KSC as well.
KSC also hosted several missions that ended in failure. A pad test for Apollo 1 on Jan. 27, 1967, ended in a fatal fire, killing three astronauts. On Jan. 28, 1986, the Challenger space shuttle exploded during takeoff and killed seven astronauts. And on Feb. 1, 2003, the Columbia space shuttle broke up over Texas (killing seven astronauts) after launching from KSC a few days before. NASA has an annual day of remembrance to commemorate all lost astronauts, and it also has a reflective space mirror memorial in the visitor's section of the complex.
Today, facilities at KSC are being reused once again for NASA's Commercial Crew program, which is expected to start sending humans to the space station in 2018, as well as NASA's Orion program that is expected to bring humans out into the solar system in the 2020s. KSC is also billing itself as a multi-use spaceport and is leasing out its facilities to several entities, including Boeing, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin and Space Florida.
Additional resources
An appeals court upheld the dismissal of patients privacy lawsuit, concluding that although two Gundersen Health System employees were not authorized to view a patients records, they did not violate the law because they did not disclose information to others.
The District 3 Court of Appeals opinion Tuesday upholds Trempealeau County Circuit Judge John Damons decision and defines the term release under state statutes that otherwise restricts access to confidential patient health care records without a patients consent or a legitimate reason.
Daniel Wall of Ettrick sued Gundersen, Marion Pahl of Galesville and Jacquelyn Schimke of Mindoro in 2014 after an audit trail of who accessed his records showed the two employees had done so without his consent.
Pahl and Schimke failed to follow Gundersens policies and procedures for gaining Walls consent to access the files, according to the 17-page appeals opinion.
Pahl later admitted in an affidavit that she had no business reason for viewing Walls records. Walls attorney, Lee Fehr, said she did so to learn where his client lived and other personal information.
A third employee also accessed Walls records without his authorization, but the employee is a Winona, Minn., resident and could not be included in the suit due to her Minnesota residency, Fehr said.
Fehr would not say why Wall sought an audit trail of his records but said every patient has the right and should do so.
Before suing, Wall asked Gundersen why Pahl and Schimke accessed his confidential medical records. Gundersen responded it had completed its investigation into whether Pahl and Schimke were authorized to view the records and why but did not disclose the findings to Wall.
In his suit, Wall alleged that Gundersen violated state law in blocking Wall from investigating reasons why and what authority Pahl and Schimke had in accessing his records. He also alleged that Gundersen had violated federal regulations by failing to tell him why the employees accessed his records.
Walls suit alleged that Pahls and Schimkes accessing his records without consent or a business purposed violated state statues, and he sought punitive damages.
After Damon dismissed the suit, Wall argued on appeal that the unauthorized access constituted a release of records without consent under state statutes.
Why should health care employees get to snoop on patient records if they have no business reason? If a nurse, who also was a landlord, learned that a former patient who wanted to rent from her had AIDS, she could reject him as a tenant with information the rest of the public didnt have, Fehr said.
Pahl and Schimke argued that Walls suit should be dismissed because he did not allege that his records were disclosed to someone outside of GLHS.
The District 3 Court of Appeal agreed.
State law on patient confidentiality was changed in recent years to more closely follow the 1996 federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and distinguishes between use and disclosure of protected information.
While use refers to handling of the information, release refers to disclosing the information outside the entity that keeps the records.
If the court adopted Walls interpretation of the statutes, health care organizations would be unreasonably burdened with having to install systems that verified an employees access as permissible each time a record was looked up, according to the opinion.
We cannot fathom that the (L)egislature intended to impose that type of burden (when it enacted the statute), appellate Judge Lisa Stark wrote.
Defining release to only include disseminating information outside the health care organization does not give employees unlimited access to patient records. Employees do not have carte blanche access to records for immoral reasons; instead, HIPPA governs internal use of protection information and sets civil and criminal penalties, Stark wrote.
Fehr said he would like the Wisconsin Supreme Court to define what constitutes release of patient records, but his client may not want to fund that cause. He urged area legislators concerned about patient privacy to redefine release in state law as any employee accessing confidential records without consent or a business reason.
The appeals court also found that Gundersens not disclosing to Wall why three employees accessed his records did not violate state law.
Gundersen Health System declined to comment on the decision.
Gundersen Health System has a policy to not comment on the specifics of litigation or investigation involving current or former employees, said Gundersen senior vice president Kathy Klock.
State law on patient confidentiality distinguishes between use and disclosure of protected information. While use refers to handling of the information, release refers to disclosing the information outside the entity that keeps the records.
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Lagartos, housed in the eye-catching giant pink building off Cottage Grove and Stoughton roads, is a Latin night club on Fridays and Saturdays that doubles as an excellent restaurant.
The building was best known for its days as CJs, but was last home to Talula, which closed in 2012.
Dale Beck, who bought the building, but sat on it for more than two years because of road projects, opened Lagartos in June. There is still major road construction in front obscuring the restaurant.
Beck said the building was constructed in 1970 as the Pigs Ear in a Medieval castle style.
Jessica (Miya) Miyazato, who runs the business with Beck, said customers quickly began complaining about the prices. Lagartos is on the high side for Mexican food, but people need to understand that from scratch cooking costs more, she said.
Beck and Miyazato closed their Downtown Cajun restaurant The Bayou in July to concentrate on Lagartos, and they brought over Bayou chef Fredy Carcano. Besides serving traditional Mexican dishes, Carcano brings Mexican and South American touches to American food standards such as potato skins, burgers and barbecued ribs.
Hes very creative and makes everything from scratch (with) fresh products, Beck said in a text.
So, a meal at Lagartos can be pricey with entrees in the $11 to $18 range, burgers $13 and $14, and appetizers $7 to $13. But a recent outing there was almost entirely successful, starting with a complimentary basket of chips. A small dish of surprisingly hot chipotle salsa was completely smooth with no chunks of onion, tomato or peppers. I was skeptical, but wound up enjoying it.
Lagartos has three types of specialty margaritas, including a hibiscus one ($7), which was tart and slightly sweet. I ordered it on the rocks instead of blended, and it came in a pint glass with sugar on the rim. This flavor is intriguing, my companion said.
The pan-fried crab cakes ($11) were lightly breaded and a nice sear made them crispy. Lots of sweet crabmeat gave them heft; egg, cream and Parmesan cheese lent richness; and a drizzle of chipotle ranch sauce added a pleasant bite. A pile of greens on the side were dressed in a spicy chorizo vinaigrette.
An order of guacamole ($7) came in a small, crispy taco bowl shell with plenty of extra chips, some topped with pico de gallo. The guacamole was lemony, with lots of jalapeno peppers imparting heat and a queso fresco garnish bringing an extra dimension.
Our main dishes were just as irresistible. The tamales verdes ($11) had plenty of chicken inside and a pillowy masa exterior (there is also a vegetarian option with jalapenos, tomatoes and cheese). Fiery green salsa came on the side.
Mexican rice, refried beans, fresh vegetables or hand-cut fries are side options. We upgraded to fried plantains ($2 extra) and the four slices were caramelized around the edges, not too firm, not too mushy.
A robust cup of the roasted garlic, black bean soup (an extra $1.50) came on too strong with lots of onion and garlic, red and green peppers, and a muddle of seasonings. It was more like a dip and we used it like one.
Our other entree, pesto jalapeno del mar ($15), had penne pasta covered in an excellent pesto jalapeno sauce with shredded Parmesan on top. Carcano said the grilled bread that came with was homemade. The six blackened jumbo shrimp touted on the menu werent blackened nor jumbo. They were delicious, but all curled up and buried beneath the pasta.
The menu offers a number of more interesting choices, including a sandwich made with shredded duck, and a signature Lagartos taco filled with blackened alligator bites. Theres also a fried alligator entree.
The creme brulee ($5) we split for dessert was said to have a Latin-American twist. It was fine, but we didnt taste the twist. Our server later told us it involved tres leches liqueur. We certainly didnt detect that.
Our waitress was fun and friendly, and service was quick on a slow Monday night until a large party showed up. Then our server pretty much disappeared.
The space is attractive and comfortable, with much of the original place intact a brick fireplace, stained glass windows, and Medieval-style chandeliers. Lagartos means lizards in Spanish, and colorful lizard cutouts are pasted on the wall behind the hostess stand.
Among the shorter-term projects, an integrated European border force, going beyond the coordination and support role of Frontex and with a coast guard component, would demonstrate to the European public that the EU can secure its external borders while keeping its internal borders open.
The EU cannot, however, limit itself to the protection of its borders. If it wants to be a serious strategic player, it should build capacities to project force beyond its borders at short notice. Such capacities will be of little use if agreement on their actual deployment cannot be reached quickly -- a case where ad hoc arrangements between willing countries are the most practical option. A smaller group of like-minded EU members should develop, in parallel, both the capacities and the decision-making institutions for effective force projection.
Such efforts within the EU should be conceived in a way that leaves the possibility, on a case-by-case basis, for the UK to participate. The best chance for the UK to eventually reconsider its decision to chart its own course outside European institutions is the development of a successful but non-antagonistic Europe. That is what convinced the UK to join in 1973, once the French veto had been lifted. The EU must keep the door open to Britain rejoining in the future, while at the same time continuing to move forward.
3. Who Would Need to Do What?
As the two EU nations with the strongest militaries once Britain leaves, France and Germany will have a decisive role to play in shaping the strategic posture of the EU. Other member states are watching, and their own engagement will be determined largely by German and French actions rather than by initiatives of the European institutions. But for any Franco-German initiative to succeed, France has to become more German and Germany has to become more French.
Germany may be concerned that, as the largest economy in the EU, its defense spending will inevitably overtake French defense spending if both countries spends the same percentage of their GDP -- the 2 percent goal agreed at the 2014 NATO summit. Since France has to bear the additional cost of its nuclear deterrent, the gap between German and French conventional capacities will be even wider than the gap in defense spending. But Germany should not shy away from a more proactive posture, including more frequent overseas projections of force, provided it is grounded in the rule of law.
France should embrace a pragmatic but principled posture that allows for better burden-sharing among Europeans. French policy in Africa will need to pursue its positive evolution, further distancing itself from those leaders who show little consideration for their people. An emerging European foreign and security policy combining French decisiveness and German caution could improve on national policies: It would send a cautionary message to Putin's Russia, avoid the mistakes of Libya and share the burden of stabilizing countries such as Mali or the Central African Republic.
Sirte, Libya might soon be recaptured thanks to U.S. airstrikes and Libyan ground forces. For the past three months, a bloody campaign has been underway with the backing of the U.S. military to take back one of ISIS most important bases outside the Middle East.
The terrorist group took over the city over a year ago, prompting more than 90,000 people to flee their homes. Sirte is located roughly halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi on the Mediterranean coast.
Over the summer, fighting against snipers and suicide bombers, Libyan ground forces with the help of America were able to make progress. The advance came at a hefty price, hundreds of people got killed on the battlefield. Just this week, the Libyan forces had 34 casualties while fighting ISIS and 150 were wounded.
As the battle advances the final stages, the American military is moving with caution because officials believe that there are more than 50 hostages that are being held in Sirte. Some of the hostages include foreign nationals, a reason for caution in the battles final stages.
Late Tuesday, news broke that President Barack Obama had accepted the request of senior military leaders, who want to extend the combat mission in Libya for another month. Will the extra 30 days be enough for the military to accomplish its goal in Sirte?
According to the media, Obama has granted permission to keep two U.S. Navy warships off the coast of Libya that will aide Libyan ground forces that are striking ISIS in Sirte. A defense official, who wishes to remain anonymous, gave more details about the two ships that will stay on the Libyan shores, the person explained:
One of the U.S. warships had been scheduled to go to the Persian Gulf in September to begin airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and keep an eye on Iran, a week after four provocations between Iranian gunboats and U.S. Navy ships one of which resulted in warning shots being fired by a U.S. warship. The other, a U.S. Navy destroyer, was supposed to head to the Black Sea near Russia next month. However, both plans will be put on hold.
According to the official, the USS Wasp, which is a large amphibious assault ship loaded with over 1,000 Marines as well as Harrier jets and Cobra attack helicopters, will remain off the coast of Libya. Since Monday, the U.S. Marine Corps jets and attack helicopters from USS Wasp have conducted 92 airstrikes against ISIS in Libya.
The USS Carney, a guided-missile destroyer, will also remain in position. The defense official added:
The destroyer is close enough to be seen from shore.
Data showed that Marine Harrier jets have conducted 124 missions over Libya against ISIS since airstrikes began on Aug. 1. Marine Cobra attack helicopters have flown 31 missions as of Tuesday. Another defense official said:
I expected U.S. airstrikes to be ending soon because ground forces loyal to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli which the U.S. military is supporting is now in control of 90 percent of Sirte.
Back in June, CIA Director John Brennan stated there were between 5,000 to 8,000 fighters in Libya with few hundreds hiding and guarding Sirte.
Asked if there is a possibility that the presidents authorization for 30 days will be extended until the city has been recaptured, the White House and the Pentagon declined to comment.
Rabat (Morocco), September 01, 2016 (SPS) - The Moroccan administration of Sella prison, has transferred twenty (21) Saharawi political prisoners "Gdeim Izik Group " to Al-Arragat jail , on the outskirts of the city of Sella, after submitting his case to the Court of Appeals in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on July 27, 2016, reported source of the Commission of Relatives of Saharawis Political Prisoners of Group Gdeim Izik.
According to the same sources, "this move is in fulfillment of an order given by the so-called Delegate General of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, informing Sahrawis that should gather their personal belongings and prepare for the operation of transferring them."
Gdeim Izik Group comprises several Saharawi political prisoners arrested after the violent dismantling of the Gdeim Izik camp by the Moroccan army in El Aaiun (occupied capital of Western Sahara) in late 2010. The members of this group spent about six years between prisons of Sella 1 and 2 before being judged by a Moroccan military court in 2013 and sentenced arbitrarily to prison between 20 years and life imprisonment, although at the end of last July his case was transferred by the Court of Cassation to the Court Appeals under the pretext of being outside its jurisdiction, without being yet set a date for the start of the hearings. SPS
125/090/TRA
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STAMFORD The father of the three girls killed in the Shippan fire in 2011 has agreed to settle with two contractors for their role in their deaths, leaving the city of Stamford as the sole remaining defendant in the wrongful-death suit.
The agreements, worth almost $1.2 million, were offered up by Best Electrical Contracting and New Canaan Design Partners, which did electrical and architectural work on Madonna Badgers 116-year-old three-story house just before the blaze engulfed the Shippan Point home, killing the girls as well as parents Badgers parents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson.
Matthew Badger has said he would settle with the city for $17 million, court records show. No trial date has been set in the case and the next hearing is scheduled in Stamford for mid-January.
Stamford Corporation Counsel Kathryn Emmett could not be reached on Wednesday. She has previously declined comment on the case.
Attorneys for Best Electrical, which settled with Matthew Badger for $637,000, and New Canaan Design, which will pay $550,000, did not return calls for comment.
As a beneficiary of her daughters estates, Madonna Badger agreed to accept the settlements, the court records show.
The general contractor on the job, Michael Borcina and his company Tiberias Construction, has already settled the case after paying $4.25 million, records in the Stamford Probate Court show. A $680,000 settlement with Shoreline Electrical Contracting was also reached.
The fire killed 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah and 9-year-old Lily Badger. Madonna Badger and Borcina were dating at the time and escaped the fire.
Authorities said the fire began after Borcina left a bag of fireplace ashes in a bin in a mudroom in the house after cleaning up a fire the two had in a fireplace that Christmas Eve, Borcina had been accused of contributing with other defendants like the city of Stamford in making the house, a firetrap as a result of months of substandard construction leading up to the fire," the suit said.
Recently, Borcina has blamed the fire on Madonna Badger. He says it was Badger who placed the ashes in the mud room and he only told police that it was he who mistakenly set the blaze because he wanted to protect his former girlfriend from shouldering the responsibility for the deaths of her daughters and parents.
The lawsuit also says city officials knew or should have known that Borcina served as the general contractor for the work but didnt have a state home improvement contractors license. The 2012 suit also said that city building officials did not properly inspect the home while it was under renovation and should discovered that it was improperly protected against fires. Stamford officials have denied any wrongdoing in connection with the fire.
Prosecutors have filed federal charges against an Arizona man they say "crippled" the city of Madison's communication systems and website in the days after the March 2015 shooting of Tony Robinson.
Randall C. Tucker, of Apache Junction, Arizona, launched similar cyber attacks on other city governments in March of 2015, and on a Washington, D.C., news organization the prior year, according to an indictment filed Wednesday.
Tucker, who also calls himself the Bitcoin Baron, is facing four counts of intentional damage to a protected computer in the U.S. district court of Arizona.
Between March 9 and March 19, 2015, prosecutors say, Tucker launched a distributed denial of service attack, in which a hacker "bombards a targeted server with network traffic, flooding its bandwidth and causing it to slow down or crash altogether."
The attack, which began three days after a Madison police officer fatally shot Robinson in a Williamson Street home, took down the city's website and disrupted the communication systems used by police, firefighters and paramedics.
The indictment against Tucker doesnt mention the shooting.
Prosecutors said Tucker similarly took down websites for the Arizona cities of Chandler and Mesa, and that of the news site News2Share.
The Associated Press reported that its unknown whether Tucker has an attorney, and there was no listed phone number for his home. He hasnt made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.
A Madison woman who stole nearly $50,000 from a statewide agency for sexual assault victims was sentenced Thursday to three years of probation, with the first 10 months to be served on home detention.
Laura A. Ewing, 47, who pleaded guilty in June to stealing the money in small increments over about a 2-year period from the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, apologized in U.S. District Court for her actions and was spared a prison sentenced by U.S. District Judge James Peterson.
Peterson also ordered Ewing to pay back the money to WCASA and its insurer. Insurance has covered nearly $32,000 of the loss.
Ewing was the finance and operations manager at WCASA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman said that from January 2012 to May 2014, almost immediately after starting work at WCASA, Ewing began writing checks to herself, forging the signature of another WCASA employee because she did not have check-writing authority.
Altman argued that although Ewing was charged with a single count, the 34 instances were separate crimes.
She could have stopped at any point, but she continued to commit this crime, Altman said.
Ewing was charged in federal court because WCASA receives federal funding.
Altman said that Ewing later altered spreadsheets, but it was unclear whether that was to conceal her thefts or to vandalize the records out of spite. Altman asked for a prison sentence that fell within federal sentencing guidelines specific to Ewings case, between 10 and 16 months.
Ewings lawyer, federal defender Kelly Welsh, asked for probation, arguing that Ewing had never committed a crime before and had lived a productive life.
Welsh said it wasnt known why Ewing took the money, but suggested that Ewing felt financial pressure having a son and a grandchild living with her.
Peterson said that Ewings crime wasnt severe enough to warrant prison, and that she didnt pose a threat to public safety because no employer would likely allow her near money again. He faulted her character, though, particularly the damage done to the agencys spreadsheet, and that warranted punishment by home detention, he said.
F rieze week has become the art event of the year, with the worlds top curators, collectors, museum directors and buyers flying into London from all over the world for the money-cant-buy-a-ticket VIP opening party. Held in a huge, sophisticated designer tent in Regents Park, the fair is now in its 14th year and sells tens of millions of pounds-worth of art in just five days. Its become such a hot date that the capitals major museums and auction houses schedule the start of their big autumn exhibitions and sales to coincide with it.
The woman behind it all is Victoria Siddall, 38, a former Christies employee who has worked for Frieze since 2004. She launched both Frieze Masters (which as the name implies sells antiquities and Old Masters) and Frieze New York (which ditto, takes place in New York each May) in 2012. She was appointed director last year and has been instrumental in transforming Frieze from straightforward commercial success into prestigious, internationally acclaimed institution. There are also now four Frieze magazines and the Frieze Academy, which organises courses and lectures.
It starts a week earlier than usual this year, to avoid a clash with the Jewish holidays, as our opening day would have fallen on the first day of Yom Kippur, which would have been culturally insensitive, Siddall says briskly. Were sitting in the conference room of the Frieze HQ in Shoreditch, which occupies the top floor of a Victorian former school building, made white, light and modern by the presence of lots of hip young employees working in open-plan offices.
Theres a buzz to the place. Coffees are made on Spinel espresso machines and boxes of healthy-looking salads have just been delivered for lunch. Siddall is cool as a cucumber in a simple white shirt and black trousers, no make-up. She has meetings all day, is off to New York any minute and admits to working mostly a seven-day week, apart from brief lulls in August and at Christmas, although shes had to adapt since the birth of her daughter, Margot, six months ago.
Does she plan to expand the Frieze empire further, by enlarging the fair or creating, say, Frieze Dubai? Weve maxed-out our site in Regents Park, which is good because it makes us value every square metre and think very carefully about which galleries are admitted. We have to turn a lot of people away, she says. But were always looking for new opportunities and its interesting to see how the needs of galleries are evolving. The fairs are certainly where they do a lot of business.
Together, Frieze London and Frieze Masters attracted more than 100,000 visitors last year. This year, innovations include a new section devoted to the art of the Nineties curated by Nicolas Trembley and a programme of talks at Frieze Masters curated by the Royal Academys Tim Marlow. A hundred-and-sixty galleries from 30 countries will be exhibiting including, for the first time, Taiwan, Guatemala and Egypt.
Famous art in London 1 /18 Famous art in London The Water-Lily Pond, Claude Monet, 1899 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
This Monet masterpiece, painted in his garden in Giverny where he lived until his death, was painted during the early part of his iconic Water Lily series, before the great painter suffered from cataracts. A Japanese style bridge arches over shimmering greens and pinks, a view Monet painted 17 times in one year alone. The National Gallery, London The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last berth to be broken up, JMW Turner, 1839 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
Political, but oh-so-beautiful: Turner shows the once-fearsome gun ship Temeraire headed away from the sunset, being tugged by a paddle boat to be broken up, while another tug ominously waits in the lower right hand corner. Turner is evoking a sense of loss, lamenting the decline of Britain's naval power. Messages aside, the painting itself is a gorgeous contrast of styles: details of the ship are finely done, the rigging lightly sketched, the paddles of the boat slicing the water, while the sky is a glorious explosion of colour, thick layers of oil paint, the sun and sky by turns silver and gold, red and purple. In 2005, it was chosen as the nation's favourite painting in a Radio 4 poll. The National Gallery, London Self-Portrait with Two Circles, Rembrandt, c. 1669 Kenwood House, NW3, english-heritage.org.uk
Just look in the eyes for this one: Rembrandt, at the time an old man, showed every ounce of pain and heartbreak he'd endured with the blackness of his pupils, which seems to spill out over his worn-to-grey skin. At the time of painting, he'd lost his wife, three of his children, and his mistress. He sits upright, square-jawed, jaw set defiantly, if a little sourly it's a long way from his early, energetic, playful self-portraits. Four years later, after the loss of another son, he would by dead, having killed himself. The painting is a large one: give it some time. It's a peculiar experience to stand in front of it and sympathise with a stranger. Kenwood House Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
Van Gogh's series of Sunflowers caused an uproar when they were first presented: artist Henry de Groux declared them 'laughable', a remark which saw him only narrowly avoid a fist fight with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Signac. It's said van Gogh was spurred to paint the flowers in order to have new work to impress Paul Gauguin, whom he planned to share a studio with. On a diet of coffee and booze, he painted the first four in just six days. While visiting the Sunflowers, be sure to see his famous Chair; A Wheatfield, with Cypresses; and the magnetic 1899 painting Two Crabs, which sometimes, sadly, goes overlooked. The National Gallery, London Blue Nude II, Henri Matisse, 1952 London Print Studio, W10, londonprintstudio.org.uk
Among his final ever work, Matisse's playful, vibrant cut-outs are a triumph of form. Too ill to paint, Matisse invented a new form with the cut-outs and the later Blue Nude series, as seen here, are deceptive: they seem simple, but the limbs swirl around each other, and Matisse captures something very human in the posture particularly noticeable here in the slight incline of the neck. Straightforward, but captivating. DACS Venus, Sandro Botticelli, c. 1490 The V&A, Cromwell Rd, SW7, vam.ac.uk
It might not be the famous Birth of Venus, but this piece is as close as one can currently get in London. It contains the same ground-breaking nudity Christian influence had put a bit of a damper on that for a few centuries beforehand and again, it's all in the eyes here: the expression could mean one of a thousand things. Afterwards, head to the National to see Venus and Mars, from a few years earlier. Volker-H. Schneider / Gemaldegalerie, SMB / Jorg P. Anders The Skiff (La Yole), Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1875 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
Some Renoir is looked at a little sniffily that's what being so successful your work is printed on everything from T-shirts to table mats does to you but this remains a stunning example of Impressionism, showing off Renoir's famous use of vibrant colour: the orange and blue stand brightly against each other, and while the piece is a picture of calm, Renoir puts motion into the Skiff (La Yole, if you're showing off). The National Gallery, London A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, Edouard Manet, 1882 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk
There is more to this extremely famous painting than it first seems: the picture of an ordinary functioning bar quickly unravels with the questions it asks why her expression? Who is the man? Is he asking about buying a drink or her? Though it feels lively and offhand, like a night in the bar might be, the piece is thoroughly kitted out with detail, including a well-hidden trapeze artist. It's partly famous as the barmaid's reflection has puzzled onlookers since it was first shown: still, Manet's last major work proved to be a hit, and so it has remained. The Courtauld Gallery The Signing of Peace in the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles, 28th June 1919, William Orpen, 1919 Imperial War Museum, SE1, .iwm.org.uk
William Orpen's piece, commissioned at the then huge cost of 3000, is more notable for its scene than the painting itself, but what a scene: as the title says, it shows the Peace Conference at Versailles in 1919, where the Allies decided the terms of peace following the First World War. In the painting are US president Woodrow Wilson, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, and many, many soldiers, diplomats and politicians. Spend a while with it: the facial expressions and how much they differ are particularly interesting. The architecture, as Orphen sees it, is vast, leaning over the politicians, making them seem small, insignificant, weak. It's subtle, perhaps, but reveals what the artist thought of them. WM (Art.IWM ART 2856) Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, Vincent van Gogh, 1889 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk
The shades of green which run through this piece seem to exaggerate van Gogh's despondency. In this self-portrait, painted shortly after his ear was slashed and he almost bled to death, he sits staring, saying something, while wrapped up as if outdoors in a biting winter. Whether van Gogh slashed himself or it was the result of a fight with Gauguin remains unknown, but the two men never met after the incident again, and van Gogh's pain, insecurity and questioning in this picture is undoubtedly clear. The Courtauld Gallery Two Dancers on a Stage, Edgar Degas, 1874 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk
Degas's dancers are notable for their movement: while ballet is physically demanding, draining, and emotionally consuming, here the pair seem relaxed, joking, as if in rehearsal. That they aren't centre of the painting gives the piece of a feeling of being a spontaneously captured. Not Degas's most famous work, but a beautiful example from a beautiful painting nevertheless. The Courtauld Gallery Jane Austen, Cassandra Austen, c.1810 National Portrait Gallery, WC2H, npg.org.uk
This painting of the famous English novelist was done by her elder sister Cassandra. As the only two girls among eight siblings, the two were extremely close throughout their lifetime and frequently wrote to each other. This incomplete watercolour is thought to be the only known portrait from life of Jane. This does not, however, mean it looks much like her: her family were not convinced by it, although the expression apparently convinced her niece. Still, from 2017, it's the portrait we'll see on 10 notes everywhere. National Portrait Gallery, London An Allegory ('Vision of a Knight'), Raphael, c. 1504 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
Seeing any Raphael is extraordinary, especially as there are far too few in London. It's not entirely clear what this piece means, though some think the sleeping knight is meant to represent the Roman General Scipio Africanus, and the piece is an allegorical painting which has taken influence from the epic poem Punica, by Latin poet Silius Italicus. An example of Renaissance painting, it features the typical faraway long perspective in hues of blue, and fine detail throughout. The National Gallery, London The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
Hans Holbein the Younger managed to be a hugely influential figure in art without founding a school, making him something of a rarity. This double portrait might not be as famous as the copy of his lost Henry VIII portrait (head next door to the National Portrait Gallery for that one), but it remains extremely striking, and draws the viewer in with what appears to be a white smudge across the bottom of the canvas: in fact, it is an early example of anamorphosis, and shows a skull, a symbol of death and mortality. While cynics suggest Holbein incorporated it simply to show off his skill (and hence secure future commissions, the canny so-and-so), it forces any audience to engage, to look and consider the work from all angles, and to get a more thorough appreciation for the piece. The National Gallery, London Mont Sainte-Victoire with Large Pine, Paul Cezanne, 1887 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk
Odd to think this series of beautiful, calming landscapes once caused a stir, but it did, if only for its form: unlike the Impressionists, Cezanne outlined his shapes and details, and the piece isn't about hundreds of little details blurred together. The colours are prominent and striking, and the painting feels warm, humid, sunny something in it acts like a teleporter to south of France. The techniques here and striking lines shows why Cezanne is sometimes remembered for helping usher in Abstract art. The Courtauld Gallery Bathers at Asnieres, Georges Seurat, 1884 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk
Famous enough that a bar in Pimlico have a drink dedicated to it. That's how you know you've made it big time. At 2m by 3m, Seurat's painting of young men relaxing by the water is impressively sizeable, and another example of a deceptively simple style: in real life, the painting seems to gleam, shine and wink an effect achieved by contrasting dots of colour. The water is the best example of it, but the boys hat has dots of blue on the orange, making it stand out, drawing attention to him as he braces himself to swim. The side-on figures draws to mind Egyptian art. The National Gallery, London William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor, c. 1600-10 National Portrait Gallery, WC2H, npg.org.uk
The Chandos portrait (named after a former owner) is currently on tour for about a year, but once it's home in the National Portrait Gallery, is well worth seeing. The painting is mystery itself: no-one is certain who actually painted it, and there's even some scepticism over whether it depicts the Bard or not. Nevertheless, it's this portrait which has formed the basis for countless portrayals of Shakespeare in the four hundred years since his death. An icon, not to be missed. National Portrait Gallery, London Queen Elizabeth I, unknown continental artist, c.1575 National Portrait Gallery, WC2H, npg.org.uk
Known as the Darnley portrait, this painting is one of the most important visions of Elizabeth I, and would have been painted from a sitting. Though it has come partly to define how people imagine the Queen, with her pale complexion and withering stare, technical goings-over have revealed the paint has faded, and that she would have had much rosier cheeks when the work was finished, which rather changes how one might see her. National Portrait Gallery, London
In terms of collectors, the American market remains the most important, because theres such a strong history of collecting and philanthropy there, not just in New York, but Los Angeles, Dallas and Chicago. We have a person who works just on bringing groups of New York collectors over.
Brazil is also huge while perhaps unsurprisingly China is the fastest-growing market. Whats interesting is seeing a younger generation of Chinese collectors with a very international outlook. My role involves a lot of travelling to try and understand whats going to appeal to them and making sure we bring the best galleries from those places because that tends to be an attraction.
'You have the worlds wealthiest art collectors, but then youll have some artist in trainers'
Selling art at Frieze doesnt come cheap, with galleries being charged up to 500 a square metre, which equates to a hefty 60,000 for the biggest stands. We try to make it possible to have the most interesting young galleries at the fair too, with very heavily subsided rates of up to 50 per cent off, but, yes, its a significant investment for a gallery to do an art fair, so it has to deliver not just in terms of sales, but in contacts, meeting new collectors and curators, and maybe the artist being given a museum show as a result. Thats our responsibility.
Siddall believes Frieze will remain Brexit-proof because of its far-reaching international scope. The only obvious change is the exchange rate, which makes London less expensive for people coming over. The additional spend in London on hotels, bars, restaurants, taxis and shopping, she tells me, has been calculated to be at least 50 million. I remember Claridges telling me years ago that their best week of the year is Frieze week.
And has she heard the rumour that Frieze is also best for Botox-spotting? She laughs. You have the wealthiest art collectors in the world, billionaires who come in on private jets, but then youll have some artist in trainers and youll have art students, so the mix is quite extraordinary, she says, before pausing. But yes, theres no question, there are a lot of very wealthy people who come to Frieze.
Highlights of Frieze 2015 1 /10 Highlights of Frieze 2015 Pick of the park: Gary Webb Dreamy Bathroom, 2015 (The Approach, 110,000) The works that best suit the sculpture park are often those that appear the most absurd in the refined space of Regents Park. Webbs exuberant collision of shapes is no exception and yet theres a formal logic to it in view in the background is a Regency fountain whose form is echoed in the bulbous form at the base of the British artists sculpture. Webb makes his sculptures suggestive yet ambiguous but his title provides a prompt: is that bulbous form a cartoonish gush of water? Is the squiggle of white an allusion to toothpaste? Dreamy Bathroom is enticing, a feast of textures and seductive surfaces. Rebecca Reid Top price tag: Joan Mitchell Sunflowers, 1990-91 (Cheim and Read, 4m) Despite being beloved among painters and much admired by curators in her native US in particular, Joan Mitchell is criminally under-rated in the UK. Her paintings are abstract but draw intensely and vividly on the natural world. She painted Sunflowers in two periods of her life, in the late Sixties and then just before her death in 1992. She didnt try to paint them as they appeared though there are patches of yellow and gold on the canvas, she used a huge range of colours, from deep blues to soaring reds. But she spoke beautifully about how she saw the sunflowers as people, evoking Van Goghs sense of them as vibrant life forces. If I see a sunflower drooping, I can droop with it, Mitchell once said, and I draw it, and feel it until its death. Rebecca Reid Showstopper: Tom Friedman Cocktail Party, 2015 (Stephen Friedman Gallery, 1m) This cluster of Styrofoam figures by the American artist is a cartoon party within the Frieze revelry, and stops visitors in their tracks. They look vaguely generic, almost mannequin-like, but the figures and all the other elements of the tableau are individually handcrafted, with clothes gathered from thrift stores and carefully painted by Friedman. The drinks, the canapes and even the sweet wrapper that a comically sunburnt man stoops to gather are crafted from Styrofoam. But is everything as it seems? The group seems more lowbrow than the nipped and tucked elite that usually haunt the Frieze tent. Perhaps for once high society has the feeling of being excluded. Rebecca Reid Feline fun: Mark Leckey Inflatable Felix, 2014 (Buchholz Gallery, POA) Leckey is obsessed with Felix the Cat. He has given a lecture and made a video about him and now offers this vast inflatable in the corner of Buchholzs stand; the biggest single object at the fair. Leckey, a Liverpudlian based in London, has been interested in the comic icon since he discovered a doll of Felix was the first image ever broadcasted on television, as a test. Hes like this magical figure, he has said about his inflatable creation. I wanted him to be this huge god. Im hoping people will leave offerings to him. Slumped in the corner, however, he looks rather more forlorn than divine, with that slightly manic permanent smile across his face. Rebecca Reid Paint ball: Glenn Brown Mercury Sent to Admonish Aeneas (2015 Gagosian Gallery, 600,000) If I were to give a prize for the best booth, then Gagosians is it. It feels more like a small exhibition than an art fair stand, dedicated to drawings and sculptures by Glenn Brown. Browns work is steeped in the language and imagery of art history, and he mines it in ever more interesting ways. The drawings are exquisite, while this sculpture is Browns finest to date. Though the title conjures the Greek myth of Aeneas, it seems remote from it the winged figure seems about to be consumed by the mass of brushworks seeming frozen in time another bronze figure on the stand is almost completely submerged by this blizzard of liquid paint. The real pleasure in Browns work is in the collision of opposites the hard bronze versus the apparently soft oil and acrylic, the shininess of the figure next to the opaque clump, the figurative abutting the abstract. Mike Bruce Critic's choice: Haroon Mirza with Mattia Bosco
Standing Stones (Solar Symphony 8) 2015
Lisson Gallery, 100,000-150,000
Outside in the park is this strange two-part sculpture. Rocks double up as speakers producing sounds powered by a solar panel embedded in one of the stones, with the larger stone producing a low, bassy throb, while the smaller one offers an occasional throaty outburst. The work is an enigmatic mix of ancient and modern.
Critic's choice: Tunga
Siamese Hair Twins, 1987
Lehmann Maupin/Galleria Franco Noero, price not disclosed
In this performance created by the Brazilian artist, two twins, conjoined by their hair, make for a ghostly presence. Approach them and they shrink away or alter course but left to their own devices they seem happy to point at works, chatting in whispers.
Critic's choice: Lynette Yiadom Boakye
A Castigation, 2011
Corvi-Mora, price not disclosed
A typically beautiful and enigmatic painting by the Hackney-based artist, who creates fictional scenarios that draw you into her painterly world. Typically, she uses colour accents brilliantly here, with the red and pink ties providing a contrast to the overall, atmospheric gloom.
Critic's choice: Do Ho Suh
Specimen Series, 2015
Victoria Miro Gallery, 100,000-230,000
These exquisitely made sculptures recreate the humdrum objects and spaces of Suhs home in coloured polyester fabric, to magical effect. Like drawings made in thread and material, they make sinks, boiler rooms and fridges strange and beautiful.
Critic's choice: Chris Ofili
Midnight Cocktail, 2015
David Zwirner, 500,000
Ofili remains one of the most beguiling painters around. In this new work, an image of a cocktail waiter pouring a drink is the prompt for a brilliantly effervescent painting, fusing the plants and stark light of Ofilis Trinidad home with mythological creatures like a mermaid.
Siddall, who studied English and philosophy at Bristol University, lives with her partner, Francois Chantala, who is a co-director of Mayfair art gallery Thomas Dane. They met at Christies more than 15 years ago and recently moved to Lambeth very central, and still relatively affordable with their new baby daughter.
Theres a lot happening around there, with more artists and galleries springing up in Camberwell and Peckham, whereas it used to be east London, but thats become expensive. Siddall considers herself to be a Londoner in spite of having been born in Northern Ireland, the daughter of an army officer, and sent to boarding school when she was eight, a necessity because her parents travelled so much.
Its an amazing time for art in London and a new generation of museum directors has made it feel really fresh and exciting. I dont know if thats happened before in quite the same way, but that, together with the new Tate Modern building has cemented Londons reputation as the art capital of the world.
Frieze London and Frieze Masters are at Regents Park (frieze.com) October 6-9
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Two white Madison Police officers were found to have acted correctly in the forceful arrest of black teen Genele Laird outside East Towne Mall in June, according to the results of two law enforcement reviews released Thursday.
The reviews by the departments own Professional Standards and Internal Affairs unit and the Dane County Sheriffs Office determined the officers actions during and after the arrest were appropriate and justified.
Lairds arrest on June 21 prompted widespread community concern heightened by a viral video shot by a passerby of the officers struggling to arrest Laird as she kicked and spit at them.
One of the officers was seen striking her with his knee, hitting her with a closed fist and using a Taser in the attempt to subdue the 18-year-old.
Police were called after Laird reportedly brandished a knife at employees of a Taco Bell inside the mall and then threatened mall security officers in a raucous dispute over whether someone had stolen her cellphone.
Laird faced several potential felonies in connection with resisting the arrest. But days after the incident, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne placed her in an alternative restorative justice program with the agreement of the officers involved in her arrest and the people she threatened in the mall. If she completes the program, she can avoid a criminal record.
In response to the reviews clearing the officers, Boys and Girls Club of Dane County CEO Michael Johnson said he hoped police would continue to refine use-of-force protocols to protect both officers and community members, with de-escalation seen as the first option. He also called for the creation of an independent organization to investigate allegations of excessive force that would include members outside law enforcement to ensure transparency, fairness and objectivity.
I saw teachable moments (in the Laird arrest video), and if the police department ignores and turns a blind eye to every concern highlighted in these kinds of videos, there will be continued division and mistrust between the law enforcement community and communities impacted by these incidents, Johnson said.
Ali Muldrow, the racial justice youth organizer for the Gay Safe Alliance for Safe Schools (GSAFE), said the results were predictable.
There was a young person who had his camera ready to go before the incident happened, thats how predictable it was, Muldrow said. Just as predictable were the results that they felt nobody did anything wrong. They never do.
The records released Thursday also identified for the first time both officers who made the arrest Richard Friday and Andrew Muir. Muir had previously been identified as the officer who could be seen in the video striking Laird when she refuses to put her hands behind her back.
Koval: Force sometimes only option
In a blog post Thursday, Police Chief Mike Koval said he welcomed the results but noted the findings do not mean that we are not committed to working with the community to explore ways to do better.
One change to begin later this month, he said, is the creation of a use-of-force coordinator position for the police department, funded by a federal grant and designed to add another level of scrutiny to the process of reviewing police incidents involving force, Koval said.
The person will help with training, compile statistics, research trends and sit on the states advisory board for Defense and Arrest Tactics, Koval said.
Since the beginning of this year, Koval said the police department also has updated its software system to improve tracking and analysis of use-of-force incidents, with summaries now being posted to the MPDs website every quarter. Standard procedures for use of force are also now on the website for public review and access.
The Wisconsin Professional Police Association on Thursday also released a lengthy statement heralding the reviews clearing the officers of any wrongdoing.
While nothing should foreclose a continuing public dialogue about law enforcement training and standards, WPPA executive director Jim Palmer said, it is clear that Officers Friday and Muir did exactly as they were trained and they were precisely within their lawful authority.
The Sheriffs Office review, which Koval requested, found the officers actions were appropriate based on the totality of the circumstances confronting each officer at the time force was used. It also found the officers actions were objectively reasonable and consistent with MPD policy and state training protocols, as did the internal review ordered by Koval.
Ozanne, who was also asked by Koval to review the Sheriffs Office report, determined neither officer violated any laws.
In an ideal world, use of force would never be necessary, Koval wrote in a letter also released Thursday. But we live in an environment where, despite our best efforts, force is sometimes the only option left. Not a day goes by when our officers arent thrust into the unenviable position of trying to contain and control persons highly motivated to defeat attempts to be placed under arrest, are high ... or simply decide to fight or flee.
At the same time, Koval maintained use of force by Madison police on citizens remains rare, citing department records that show 58 such instances from April 1 through June 30. During that time, the department responded to 55,599 total calls for service.
So it would be a disservice to the officers of the MPD to suggest that this is a department inclined to use brawn over brains, Koval wrote.
In a separate video statement, Koval said it wasnt fair to judge either Laird or the officers who arrested her by this one incident.
We want her to succeed, we want her to have a clear record with no criminal arrests or prosecutions, Koval said. Similarly, two officers whose body of work has been extremely good while theyve been at the Madison Police Department never sought to or wanted to have this call capture their identities.
Threats, and a knife
The officers were dispatched to a disturbance at the mall around 5:15 p.m. to respond to what police records described as a female out of control and making threats. Dispatchers also said the woman was screaming at security over a possible theft of a cell phone from Taco Bell and refusing to leave.
According to the records released Thursday, Muir and Friday werent alerted to the possibility that Laird might have been armed before they arrived. But after they got handcuffs on her, Friday spotted a knife protruding from Lairds backpack, reports show. The knife was described as a 4-inch butterfly/stiletto knife.
In the subsequent investigation, Taco Bell employees told police Laird had angrily confronted a worker, accusing him of stealing her cellphone. When a manager intervened, Laird allegedly told the woman, Ill jump over this counter and stab you, according to the reports.
The employee then offered to let Laird go through his backpack in a hallway behind the restaurant. As she searched the bag with one hand, she held the knife in the other, according to police reports.
Laird was making statements about how sharp the knife was and how it would suck to get stuck or something similar, Madison police Officer Tanner Gerstner said in a report of his interview with the employee. Laird was also making motions with the knife toward the wall and was running the knife blade along the wall in a cutting motion.
By then, mall security had been called, and Laird started getting verbally aggressive, the reports said, calling the officers just mall cops. Laird then completed searching the bag and either left or was escorted away by mall security, Gerstner said.
Once outside the mall, Laird found a cup of water and threw it toward two mall security officers, according to police reports and a bystanders video, also released Thursday.
When Friday arrived, Laird told him she wanted to give him her name but intended to leave. Friday then told her she couldnt leave and tried to handcuff her before Muir arrived. In the ensuing struggle, Muir used a Taser twice on Lairds leg before he got her hands behind her back and another officer put a breathable spit hood over her head.
After officers carried her to a squad car, she was driven behind the mall where other officers and paramedics evaluated her for any injuries before taking her to a hospital and then to jail, according to a dashcam video also released Thursday.
Muir was treated for minor cuts and scrapes, while Friday missed several days of work recovering from an earlier back injury he said he re-aggravated restraining Laird.
State Journal reporter Rob Schultz contributed to this report.
In an ideal world, force would never be necessary. But we live in an environment where, despite our best efforts, force is sometimes the only option left. MIKE KOVAL
Madison Police Chief
T he history of Russia is as chequered as a chessboard. Its modern reputation seems shaped by its status as a domineering global power, prone to displaying its superiority through its leader, its foreign policy and even its athletes. But beyond the present there is a past more dramatic than Chekhov, more tragic than Tolstoy and more romantic than Pasternak, and the world has long gazed beyond the Iron Curtain with curiosity and wonder.
In 1917 the climate of dissatisfaction in Petrograd its name was changed from Saint Petersburg in 1914 became too much for its people to bear. Disputes and conflicts between the citys civilians, its police and its military culminated in the October Revolution.
It was a year of uncertainty for the Russian people, intent on reshaping their imploding country, but it was also a site of intrigue for expats: the diplomats, journalists, servants and celebrities who had made Petrograd their home and paid tribute to its population and their situation in their letters, diaries and photographs.
It is this varied expat population that draws Helen Rappaports focus, as she collates a vast menagerie of eyewitnesses into a cast of fascinating characters. We meet Paulette Pax, an actress struggling to perform a farce at the Mikhailovsky Theatre amid the violent chaos on the streets. Florence Harper, a persistent Canadian staff reporter, forms an enjoyable partnership with Kansas war photographer Donald Thompson.
The capitals ambassadors and their staff host soirees and dodge bullets, those staying at Petrograds plushest hotels bemoan slipping standards, and even Emmeline Pankhurst visiting from London is on hand to encourage the local women to demand their fair lot. Some of their narratives begin with wide-eyed fascination at a new culture but culminate in fear and an urgent need for escape.
Rappaport, a noted Russian historian, has proved herself an expert on the countrys tumultuous past with several works, but 2014s Four Sisters a biography of the doomed Romanov princesses displayed a particularly impressive and meticulous focus. Here, however, she presents a narrative on a vastly expanded scale that never seems cluttered or overambitious.
More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review
History may be written by the victors but when those who have waged the wars and stoked the flames of rebellion have won their battles and set their agendas there are still people left behind. Their voices may be less distinct and their influence less widely felt, but they are nevertheless watching, waiting to be heard. And once they are unearthed, they may be all the more valid.
In Caught in the Revolution, Rappaport unearths some unexpected and fascinating sources that, through their links to more familiar realms, bring an absorbing period of history closer to home.
H ailey Baldwin turns up for our interview the same way celebrities turn up to anything in Los Angeles in the back of a black Escalade. Some people are custom-built to swing their pins from the footwell of a Cadillac SUV into a fusillade of paparazzi flashbulbs, and Baldwin is one of those people: 19 years old, six feet tall in stilettos, with California blonde hair and cheek bones as sharp as sushi knives. It must be that moviestar DNA. Her dad is Stephen Baldwin, younger brother of Alec and Billy, star of The Usual Suspects and sometime Celebrity Big Brother contestant.
Her friends, meanwhile, include fellow members of the post-millennial squad fronted by the Jenner sisters, who all have six-figure modelling contracts and seven-figure follower counts long before most of them have reached the US legal drinking age. Baldwins Instagram fan base stands at more than 7 million. It is a lot, she agrees, but not in comparison to some of my friends. Its more than the population of Denmark, I tell her. Really? Thats crazy. But some of my friends have 50 million. Thats an absurd amount.
Its a weekday morning in late July, the Escalade has just pulled away and were sitting across from each other at a kitchen table on a quiet street in West Hollywood, with a photographer, a hair stylist and a make-up artist busy prepping around us. Baldwin wears a black Yves Saint Laurent bomber jacket over a black crop top, her fingers stacked with rings from her favourite LA jeweller, Shay. Shes had almost a dozen tattoos done since she turned 18, the first of which is visible on her wrist. Its her parents wedding date in Roman numerals: VI.X.XC.
I chose it so theyd be less mad that I got a tattoo, she says. I didnt ask their permission Stephen and her mother, graphic designer Kennya Baldwin, are definitively not Yes people, she adds, and she means it as a compliment. Almost any time I want to do something, they encourage me to do the opposite. (Stephen, incidentally, has at least 18 tattoos of his own.)
Today, she cant stop yawning. Shes been all over the map in the past month: Copenhagen and Paris for work, Mykonos for fun, and has just flown in from the East Coast. My body is a little confused about the time zones, she apologises. Despite spending much of her time in LA, shes a lifelong New Yorker; shes currently decorating her new apartment in Manhattans Soho, which is conveniently located one block from her gym. When I wake up in the morning, the billboard for the gym is the first thing I see, so I have to go.
Being in demand is something shes having to get used to. She was scouted by her first modelling agency at 16, after shooting a small campaign for an online clothing company. At the time, shed trained as a ballerina for more than 10 years and was all set to join the Miami City Ballet, but then she fractured a vertebra. She has since been on catwalks and in campaigns for Moschino, H&M, Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Topshop. In March she signed with IMG, which also represents friends Gigi and Bella Hadid. Now shes the new face of Guess, has recently designed her own capsule collection for Sydney-based accessories brand The Daily Edited and is launching a line of beauty products with another Australian company, ModelCo.
But while her Instagram account may portray a glamorous, privileged life beaches, boats, pools, hotels being a teenage celebrity in 2016 has its drawbacks, too.
Hailey Baldwin: in pictures 1 /8 Hailey Baldwin: in pictures CHRISTOPHER KANE top, as before; scarf, 545 (christopherkane.com). Earrings, as before Ben Rayner DIOR Set of five earrings, 550; and dress, 9,300 (dior.com). EDDIE BORGO Apollo Small Choker in gold, 230 (eddieborgo.com) Ben Rayner RODARTE dress; and bootie, both POA, at selfridges.co.uk. RODARTE orchid earrings; and lily earrings, both POA, at shopstyle.com Ben Rayner LOUIS VUITTON boots, 850 (louisvuitton.co.uk). MULBERRY dress, 5,560 (mulberry.com) ERES bra, 205, at net-a-porter.com. GASPAR gloves, 191 (gasparglovesstore.com) MIRIT WEINSTOCK earrings, as before Ben Rayner MARC JACOB dress, POA; boots, 1,995, (marcjacobs.com) Ben Rayner CHRISTOPHER KANE top, 995 (christopherkane.com). SIMONE ROCHA dress, 695, 93 Mount Street, W1 (020 7629 6317). MIRIT WEINSTOCK earrings, 224 (miritweinstock.com) Ben Rayner
This generation has a lot of eyes on them, Baldwin points out. Everybody my age struggles with insecurities, so take that and multiply it by seven million people. There are people much older than me saying horrible things, who have no business paying attention to what a 19-year-old does. Its not the best feeling in the world. But it comes with the job, so you just have to accept it and move on. The press might pick up on the times she and her friends are photographed at parties but in fact, she says, we dont do anything very out of the ordinary: we stay at somebodys house, we chill, we have fun, we cook food, we eat, we watch movies, we drink tea. Were very normal, actually.
Inevitably, theres constant gossip about her love life but she insists shes happily unattached. Im not dating anybody right now, she says. Its not on the cards for me. Im just trying to handle myself, this lifestyle, this job, the travelling. So the thought of having to be responsible for someone elses feelings? I dont know if Id be able to.
Ben Rayner
That doesnt stop a girl having a crush, though. I am obsessed with John Mayer, she tells me, her eyes rolling skyward. I love him. I just think hes so talented. I have his documentary in my iTunes. I watch it all the time. I know [his 2006 album] Continuum start to finish, every word. She met Mayer once. I was at dinner with Hailee Steinfeld at [LA restaurant] The Nice Guy which is so bouji and sceney, but they have a phenomenal kale salad and he pulled Hailee aside to say hed heard her song and thought her lyrics were awesome. I was digging my nails into her arm, like, Oh my goodness, John Mayer told you your music is great? I was tripping!
When she was younger, Baldwins parents deliberately kept her well away from the sorts of places where Oscar nominees regularly run into Grammy winners. Shes grateful for that now. When I have kids, they will not grow up around all this, she says. Its so easy to become spoiled and pretentious and to have the wrong attitude. You have money and access to things the average person doesnt, and youre constantly surrounded by people trying to kiss your ass.
Stephen found religion after 9 / 11, and he and Kennya brought Hailey and her older sister Alaia up in the Church. Not many of her close friends are Christians, but when in LA she attends a weekly Bible-study group. I know all the books of the Bible. Does she have a favourite? It depends what Im focusing on. If Im going through something, Ill Google Bible verses on forgiveness, or being truthful, or love, or relationships.
Sometimes, shell share those verses, like James 1:19, which she posted on Instagram earlier this summer: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. Many of her followers assumed this was a cryptic message regarding her personal life. But no. Im like, This is literally straight out of the Bible, which was written 2,000 years ago, she says. Its not a shot at anybody, its not a subliminal message, its just because I want to share it with people.
Her ambitions dont end there. I dont want to get my hopes up too high, but [modelling for] Chanel would be amazing, that would be so cool, she says. I would work with Versace. I would work with Calvin, if I were so lucky.
RODARTE dress; and bootie, both POA, at selfridges.co.uk. RODARTE orchid earrings; and lily earrings, both POA, at shopstyle.com / Ben Rayner
She doesnt yet consider herself a supermodel but she certainly has the look of a classic Nineties Amazon: that striking bone structure, those full lips... Everybody literally thinks Ive had plastic surgery, she volunteers. My moms family call her and theyre like, Did Hailey do her lips? Did she do her nose? Do people want me to go to a doctor and have them examine my face so they can tell people I havent? My face has just matured. I grew into my looks. I do look different than I did when I was younger, but its still the same face.
Shes far from the only celebrity offspring making a splash in todays fashion world. Cindy Crawfords 14-year-old daughter, Kaia Gerber, is in the latest Miu Miu campaign. Willow Smith, whos 15, just landed a contract with Chanel. Sofia Richie, 18-year-old daughter of Lionel, is making it big as a model. No one thinks its weird when someone wants to be a doctor because their dad was a doctor, is Baldwins response. Were just going into the family business.
That said, she doesnt intend to be a model forever. I would say Ill do it for the next, maybe, five years? I dont know. But modelling is definitely not a life plan for me. She might do some more designing, or explore the business side of fashion. Shes not totally against the idea of following her father and her uncles into acting, although its not at the forefront of my mind. How about a reality show? She shakes her head: I definitely would not do a reality show.
Whatever she decides, one things for sure at least 7 million people will be paying attention.
Hailey Baldwin is with IMG Models (img.com)
S ome 150,000 Londoners hail from the region yet Middle Eastern women are often stereotyped, from the cliche of the suppressed housewife to the offensive notion that they are flashy and spoilt, wafting around designer stores. In fact, while wealthy Middle Eastern visitors may spend an estimated 1.25bn a year here, some of this citys most exciting creative talents are of Middle Eastern origin, embracing the capital while drawing on traditions from home to instigate a refreshing international dialogue. So which are the names to know now?
Noor Fares, Jewellery designer, 30
Im a Londoner above all else, says Noor Fares, who first moved to the capital in 2009. But I also feel 100 per cent Lebanese. I grew up speaking the language and learning the history. That is my grounding and it is important for me to relate to my culture and to achieve things as a Middle Eastern woman.
Shes certainly doing that. With a masters in jewellery design from Central Saint Martins under her belt, Faress eponymous jewellery label, which began just as an interest seven years ago, has been a huge hit. Her distinctive geometric necklaces have been worn by the likes of Alicia Vikander and Sienna Miller. All of her collections are, in one way or another, influenced by Middle Eastern culture and many feature the traditional protective eye. It is a constant part of what I do, because jewellery is so intrinsic to our culture. It is always symbolic, always the thing that you give as a gift.
Zaha Hadid Architecture & Design - In pictures 1 /10 Zaha Hadid Architecture & Design - In pictures London Aquatics Centre, London Rex Zaha Hadid's Evelyn Grace Academy In Brixton, London Rex Serpentine Sackler Gallery and The Magazine cafeteria by architect Zaha Hadid Rex Jockey Club Innovation Tower, Hong Kong. View Of East Facade From Hong Kong Polytechnic University Campus Rex A long time exposure shows the ski jumping hill designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid in Innsbruck, Austria Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters Galaxy Soho, Beijing, China. Zaha Hadid, 2012. Elevated View Of Complex With Landscaped Green And Cityscape Rex Lingkong SOHO in Shanghai was designed by Zaha Hadid and is famous for its strange look Rex Interior view of the Maxxi, the new Museum of the 21st Century Arts during an architectural preview in Rome. The museum was designed by British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid Alessandro Di Meo/EPA
The daughter of the former Lebanese deputy prime minister and entrepreneur Issam Fares, and the niece of French designer Sonia Fares, she grew up in Paris and studied art history at Bostons Tufts University. But, she says: I wanted to make London my base because I knew this was the sort of creative, centre-of-the-world city I wanted to live in.
Fares, 30, and her husband, artist Alexandre Al Khawam, now live in Belgravia, where shes part of Londons jet-setting fashion crowd (friends include fellow designers Margherita Missoni, Tatiana Santo Domingo and Mary Katrantzou). But shes just as comfortable hanging out alone in the Natural History Museums Mineral Room I regularly sit and sketch in Londons museums.
The late Zaha Hadid was one of her greatest role models. Originally from Iraq, Hadid attended university in Beirut with Faress mother, Hala. I see Zaha as a true inspiration to all women. She left us far too soon.
Leila Maleki, Designer, 31
Dress 1,850, Gucci. Jewellery: Malekis own / Carol Sachs
Growing up in Tehran, Iran, Leila Malekis idol was her grandfather who had been a high court judge before the revolution in 1979. For a long time, her dream was to emulate him by becoming a lawyer. There was only one problem.
It is not so easy to become a practising lawyer as a woman in Iran, says the 31-year-old (though women are generally accepted in the workplace, there is no shortage of obstacles for example, a man can ban his wife from working).
As soon as she was old enough, she came to London to take up a place at Kingston University. After six years of studying there was also a masters at Kings College Leila had a change of heart. Living in London taught me that it was not good enough to have three degrees, you need to have a passion. She began helping at her aunt Fariba Farshads influential cultural consultancy Candlestar, which produces large events such as Photo London. Attending glamorous parties, she spied a gap in the market. It amazed me that you could buy an incredible dress and find three other people at the same event wearing it, she says, and that women were spending 10,000 on these dresses. I wanted to create something just as glamorous for less. And so her label Zellei, a collaboration with Turkish designer Zelia Kacar, which launches this month, was born. Like Fares, she feels her work now creates a link with her Middle Eastern heritage. In Tehran, women love fashion. It is fascinating because they express themselves in hugely creative ways. Even a trip to the grocery shop can become a fashion parade.
Not that this is the only string to Malekis bow. She and her husband, who had their son Dara Alexander last year, hold dinners at their Mayfair townhouse in aid of charities or art projects. Getting stuck into London has been easy. In Tehran, my mother was supportive of my ambitions, but would worry it might be difficult to fulfil them. Shed say: Its not because I dont trust you, I dont trust society.
Anum Bashir, Blogger, 30
Dress, 555, Molly Goddard. Jewellery: Bashirs own / Carol Sachs
Anum Bashir prides herself on her internationalism. Born and schooled in Qatar, with a degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the 30-year-old splits her time between Doha, where shes communications officer at creative hub Doha Fire Station, and London, where her style blog Desert Mannequin (above) has won a huge following. What is it about the capital thats so appealing to globally minded Middle Eastern women like herself?
I find it much more manageable than New York, the pace is just right, she says. It is way more accessible The fact that you can sit and drink coffee and meet interesting new people in London, but know that on Friday when you get home you can still go to family prayer thats something really special.
With 34,000 followers on Instagram, shes keen that her social media influence is about more than just clothes. There are so many pre-conceived notions about Middle Eastern women, she says. People sometimes assume that we are only interested in luxury. So if Desert Mannequin can help to change that, thats great with me.
Bashir also embraces her Asian roots her father, an engineer, is Afghan-Indian and her mother, a doctor, is Pakistani. I think if you can be honest about your heritage and make it a point of interest, then thats kind of wonderful.
Rasha Kahil, Artist and art director, 36
Top, 530, Maison Rabih Kayrouz; skirt, 600, Christopher Kane / Carol Sachs
Rasha Kahils clever, understated photography has been shown internationally including in the UK and Lebanon, from where she originally hails. But shes also a multi-tasker having worked for Dazed & Confused and British Vogue, she now happens to be the art director of this magazine.
I trained in graphic design but had always done photography, too. Im very lucky to have a full-time job that I love but I can also manage to work on my photography at the same time.
Rasha first lived in London as a child when her family relocated during the war in Lebanon, but they returned to Beirut (where her mother now runs a guest house) in 1992 when the political situation calmed down.
Kahil arrived back in London 12 years ago with a plan to stay for six months but fell in love with the city. Now I cant imagine leaving London is a hub of creativity and internationalism. It gives you this drive to push your limits, thats why I came back. She enrolled in a masters at the RCA in communication, art and design, and has lived in east London ever since.
Now 36, her most famous work In Your Home is a series of semi-nude self portraits in the homes of friends across the world. The initial solo exhibition in Beirut was well-received. But two years after it closed, her pictures went viral sparking widespread debate among trolls, conservative critics angered by female nudity, and those who championed the work.
In many ways, the art scene there is very liberal, says Kahil. Of course, you have to know your audience and exhibit appropriately. My pictures were shown in a gallery and were intended for that context not for online dissemination. My intentions werent to shock but to elicit artistic dialogue and debate.
The incident inspired Kahil to create an installation work Anatomy of a Scandal, documenting the extreme reactions online. It was shown earlier this year as a solo exhibition at Fitzrovias Art First Gallery.
Of course, because I am originally from Lebanon, the work I do can prompt a certain type of response. But I see myself as a global person and I dont see my Middle Eastern heritage as the main driver for my work. It is just a part of who I am.
Flavie Audi, Artist, 29
Above: top 580, skirt 2,600, shoes 670, all Celine / Carol Sachs
Flavie Audi was born in Paris to Lebanese parents, but shes been based in London for over a decade after moving here to study at the Architectural Association, and then at the Royal College of Art. Studying in London seemed very prestigious and there is a freedom here when it comes to architecture it felt like a place where I could be rebellious with my ideas.
The 29-year-old Chelsea-based artist has gained critical acclaim for her ingenious glasswork her Cosmic Clouds collection is the result of oxidising silver with glass to create uneven cloud-like sculptures in brilliant blues and she thrives on experimentation. In New York, her pieces were exhibited alongside Ai Weiwei, and she is taking an envy-inducing month-long residency at the Six Senses resort in the Maldives, who have commissioned her to recycle the islands glass as part of an on-going art programme.
Her first solo show will open in November at the Fitzrovia gallery, Tristan Hoare. It will be a special moment: I love London for the mix of tradition and newness. But there is something subtle about London. It is not a city that shows off.
Later this year, shell take part in House of Today, a platform for Lebanese art in Beirut. To be showing there is important to me glass was first blown in Lebanon in an ancient city called Sidon. My family come from the country where glass was born, and that fact is a constant inspiration to me.
Though she is a master manipulator of glass, she does not wish to be pigeon-holed. I trained in architecture and craft and I want to always explore different art disciplines, she says. Whats great about London is that everything feels like it is an option. There is so much variety in the arts here, and I am constantly coming across new ideas.
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I f you hate nothing more than spending your Sunday wrestling with mounds of unwashed bedsheets, then a new line of linens may be just the lazy invention for you.
Boston-based startup Beantown Bedding is offering disposable bed sheets that are meant to be thrown away after just a few weeks of use.
The laundry-free linens were created to help university students avoid doing their washing without having to make a trip back home, but can also be purchased in double and king sizes, so lazy Londoners can enjoy the novelty of easy-access fresh sheets too.
Rather than feeling scratchy or uncomfortable, the bed sheets are made out of Tencel, a fiber made from organic compounds found in eucalyptus. It's soft, breathable, and less prone to wrinkles than cotton - according to its makers.
And if youre wondering what effect all these excess sheets will have on the environment, the good news is that Beantown Beddings sheets are biodegradable, meaning that you dont have to worry that your lazy ways are destroying the planet.
The company says that while students will love its invention, the disposable sheets also ideal for camping, travel, holiday homes and Airbnbs.
Bedding sets under 40 - in pictures 1 /9 Bedding sets under 40 - in pictures Anorak Kissing Stags Duvet Cover Set These quirky covers feature a popular design that has been used on all sorts of homeware including mugs, bath mats and towels. The black-and-cream linen works well with most colour schemes and will bring plenty of character into your sleeping quarters. 18, IWOOT, Buy it now M&S Frances Floral Bedset With its gorgeous floral design, the Isla Print bedding set is just what you need to make a subtle statement in your bedroom. Team the covers with a few white cushions to add a pretty and elegant feel to your space. From 31.60, M&S, Buy it now John Lewis Chinese Blossom Duvet Cover and Pillowcase Set These oriental-style covers from John Lewis ought to bring a fresh feel into any den. Available in three colours including the minty Duck Egg, the chic set features a Chinese blossom embroidered detail on both the pillow cases and duvet cover. From 29, John Lewis, Buy it now Geometric Core Duvet Set Jazzing up your space just got a whole lot easier. Featuring hues of teal, white and yellow, the retro-inspired design of this striking linen will brighten up plain-looking rooms in no time and it has a similar reverse print. From 17, Very, Buy it now Minimalist White Double Bed Duvet Set If youre opting for a simple bedroom style, then this relaxed duvet set is just right for you. Made with luxe Polycotton fabric, the soft touch of these covers ought to make you feel like youre sleeping on a big fluffy cloud. 19.54, Argos, Buy it now Home Collection Basics Aqua 'Maddison' bedding set A simple way to refresh your room for the new season, this chic aqua bedding set has been designed with chevron stripes and is crafted from a gentle blend of cotton and polyester. The single duvet set is complete with 1 pillowcase. Also suitable for tumble drying. From 25, Debenhams, Buy it now Malin Rund Multicolour Quilt cover and 2 pillowcases Those moving into a minimalist room can give it a style boost with this multicolour bedding set, which is made from pure cotton. Its available in three sizes and is machine washable up to 60 degrees. From 15, Ikea, Buy it now
If this lazy life hack appeals to you, youll be pleased to know that you can buy the sheets by signing up to a subscription service, where youll automatically get fresh sheets every few weeks for $14.99 (11.32) - so you dont even have to leave your house to buy them.
Unfortunately, theres no way to cut out the annoyance of having to put the sheets back onto the bed, but at least you can save time on waiting for the washing machine to finish.
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A 29-year-old man has been arrested over the murder of David Robinson who died after being shot in the head in Islington.
The 25-year-old was allegedly killed after an argument in a music studio in Hornsey, north London, at 9pm on August 20.
Mr Robinson, a former pupil of Islington Arts and Media School, was found collapsed in the doorway of the building in Sunnyside Road.
He was taken to hospital where he died three hours later.
A post-mortem examination, carried out on Tuesday, revealed Mr Robinson died from gunshot wounds.
He had previously been involved in gang violence but friends said the father-of-one, who had a daughter, had changed and become a devout Muslim known as Dawud.
A friend told the Standard: He was a loving father and husband. He was a very honest and respectful man.
He changed for the better and I know he only wanted to live his life without sin as he is very religious.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday after walking into a police station in north London.
He is being held at another police station in east London.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, who is leading the investigation, said: "We continue to appeal for witnesses and information following David's death.
"At this stage we believe David was involved in an altercation that began inside the music studio. That altercation resulted in him being shot.
"We know there were people in the area at the time, both inside and outside the venue, and would like to hear from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious or who has any information about what happened.
"Detectives are pursuing all lines of enquiry in terms of a motive for David's death."
Anyone with any information is asked to call 020 8345 3775. To give information anonymously Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.
T hree neglected dogs that were dumped on an east London doorstep were in such a poor condition that an RSPCA inspector thought they were foxes.
The dogs, who were in such a bad state it was imporssible to tell their breed, were found stuffed in a tiny carrier on a Walthamstow doorstep over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The RSPCA has launched an emergency appeal after the three pups, who were suffering with "terrible" skin conditions, were found by a woman on a doorstep in Fyfield Road.
A woman discovered the small pink pet carrier outside her front door with three poorly dogs crammed inside on Sunday.
She called the RSPCA, and inspector Mitchell Smith called to collect the dogs, which the charity said we "foul-smelling" due to their condition.
Tiny: the dogs were crammed into a small carrier
Inspector Smith said: I was called to the address at around 7pm saying a cage with three puppies inside had been dumped outside their front door.
I was half expecting to be greeted by three small, fluffy puppies but, unfortunately, it was a very different story.
I discovered these poor dogs stuffed into the carrier - which was far too small for them, they couldnt even turn around.
It was difficult to identify what breeds they were due to their poor skin condition, in fact, at first impression, I thought they might even be foxes.
Treatment: the pups were found to have a "terrible" skin condition
The sickly dogs were rushed to the RSPCAs Harmsworth Hospital where they were examined and discovered to be adult dogs, thought to be around two-years-old.
The dogs - who have now been named Mary, Mel and Sue after the Great British Bake Off stars - were disagnosed as suffering with a terrible and irritating condition called demodex - a skin mite which requires a long course of treatment and regular medicated baths to treat it.
The mite can also suppress the immune system, meaning overwhelming infections can result in death through secondary infections.
Squashed: the cage was so small they could barely move
RSPCA veterinary director, Caroline Allen, said: The dogs will need long-term treatment because they are in such a bad way, but will hopefully make a full recovery over time.
They were sitting in a pool of diarrhoea when they arrived here with us. They were wet, filthy and foul-smelling.
We bathed them and cleaned them up, started treatment for the associated skin infection, wormed them, clipped their overgrown claws and fed them - they were very hungry.
They have obviously been suffering for a long time as the skin is so thickened and they only have a few tufts of hair. We are not even sure what breed they are.
On the mend: the RSPCA has launched an appeal to fund their treatment
We wonder if they have come from somewhere like a puppy farm, as they are all young females and dont seem to know what a lead is.
Inspector Smith added: Anyone with any information about how these three dogs came to end up in such a state, or who thinks they know where they have come from, can call the RSPCAs appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
The RSPCA has launched an emergency appeal to help fund the dogs treatment and is asking the public to help by donating what they can online.
T wenty of the country's most dangerous Islamist terrorists are to be be housed in separate prison wings dubbed "Jihadi jails".
Criminals such as Anjem Choudary as well as Lee Rigby's killers Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale face being detained in specialist units under drastic plans drawn up to combat radicalisation in UK prisons.
The scheme will be tested in four top-security units at the start of next year, including Category A Belmarsh prison in south-east London.
The Thamesmead jail has been described by a former inmate-turned-whistleblower as a "jihadi training camp right in the heart of London."
The scheme is being introduced despite objections from prison staff, who have voiced concerns over safety, saying the project is ill thought-out and dangerous", and could give radical inmates a "twisted celebrity status".
Life sentences: Lee Rigby's killers Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale
Steve Gillan, of the Prisons Officers Association, told the Mirror the new units could become a British Guantanamo Bay.
He said: The problems with this are endless and in a climate of severe shortages of staff and lack of training for others we are facing a real crisis.
We are appealing to the Government to think again before rushing this scheme through.
Trial: Belmarsh prison in south-east London is among those taking part in the scheme / Rex
The move comes after a report slammed prison bosses for being too lenient with extremist inmates.
Under the scheme, some of the most dangerous Islamist prisoners will be ghosted from their cells and housed in special isolation units.
The pilot will also be trialled at HMP Frankland in Durham, Long Lartin in Worcestershire and Wakefield Prison in West Yorkshire.
Possible candidates for segregation include Lee Rigby's killers Michael Adebolajo, 31, and Michael Adebowale, 25, who are both serving life sentences.
Radical preacher Anjem Choudary, 49, who is facing a decade behind bars from inciting support for Islamic State, is also likely to be segregated.
The Muslim prison population in England and Wales has soared from just 5,202 in 2002 to 12,225 at present, with Muslims now making up 14 per cent of all inmates.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Islamist extremism is a danger to society and a threat to public safety it must be defeated wherever it is found. We are committed to confronting and countering the spread of this poisonous ideology behind bars.
"Preventing the most dangerous extremists from radicalising other prisoners is essential to the safe running of our prisons and fundamental to public protection."
A London doctor has been found guilty of having a stash of extreme pornography, including a video of a man having sex with a snake.
GP Cyprian Okoro, 55, of Cameron Place, Streatham, stored the images on his Samsung mobile phone having received them via mobile messaging app WhatsApp.
They included five videos of a "grossly offensive, disgusting or otherwise obscene character" featuring women having sex with dogs, a man having sex with a snake and a woman having sex with a horse, the court heard.
Okoro also had an indecent video of a two-year-old boy, which was among images moved from his photo gallery into a password-protected "vault" app on his phone.
The defendant had denied five charges of possessing extreme pornography and one of possessing an indecent image of a child.
But an Old Bailey jury found him guilty today of all but two charges of possessing extreme pornography relating to bestiality with dogs.
Following the verdict, the jury was told that it was the second time Okoro had been convicted in what the judge described as a "quite unusual case".
The Court of Appeal had ordered a retrial after he was sentenced to nine months' jail suspended for 18 months at Norwich Crown Court in 2014.
Okoro had come to the attention of police after a woman made an allegation of sexual assault against him, but no further action was taken over the claim, jurors were also told.
Judge Richard Hone QC told the court that the earlier sentence was "frankly lenient" in his view, as he granted Okoro bail and adjourned sentence to September 30.
He said: "The evidence shows there is a prodigious amount of pornographic material, some of it illegal, the majority of it not.
"He is very lucky not to be immediately imprisoned and this was quite a bad case.
"It would be unfair to put him immediately in prison when the first trial gave him a suspended sentence - even if it was frankly pretty lenient."
Prosecutor Nicola Devas had told jurors that police uncovered the images when they seized his phone in August 2013.
They handed it back to Okoro but then checked it again in February 2014 when they arrested him.
In the meantime, Okoro had deleted all but two of the videos, one of the toddler and one of a woman having sex with a dog, which were still in the vault.
In police interview, Okoro said pictures would be sent to him on WhatsApp and automatically go in to his photos gallery.
As the indecent video had been manually moved to the vault, Mrs Devas told jurors it was clear he had viewed it.
However, Okoro denied having watched the indecent footage and said he thought it was a "jokey" video.
He told jurors that he was sent between 200 and 500 WhatsApp messages a week and only about 5% were pornographic.
Okoro qualified as a doctor in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1986, and received an interim suspension by the General Medical Council in September 2013.
Additional reporting by the Press Association.
T he grieving widow of a minicab driver today told how she fears he was robbed as he lay dying of a cardiac arrest in an east London street.
Father-of-three Robert Collins, 54, was found collapsed in the road in Manor Park, Newham, minutes after leaving a nearby pub on a Friday evening.
He was rushed to hospital where he died hours later.
His wife, Kim, 51, told the Standard she fears callous thieves stole his belongings as he lay fighting for his life in the street because his phone, wallet and car keys have been missing since his death.
Police said officers were investigating whether Mr Collins became a victim of theft before he collapsed.
Mr Collins was found collapsed in Rabbits Road / Google
A passing good Samaritan is said to have administered CPR in a frantic bid to save him after the thieves are believed to have made off with his belongings.
Today Mrs Collins, who is desperately trying to find out what happened in the moments leading up to the tragedy, paid tribute to him as a gentle and kind husband and father.
She told the Standard: This was just so cruel. Everybody I spoke to have said absolutely what a gentle, kind man he was. He would have done anything for anybody.
Mrs Collins added: They [the suspected thieves] either robbed him and caused the cardiac arrest or they saw him having a cardiac arrest and instead of helping him they robbed him of everything he owned and left him for dead.
Mrs Collins and her daughter traced her husbands phone and found long distance calls had been made on it at the same time as paramedics tried to resuscitate Mr Collins.
His family first realised his phone, money and car keys had been taken days after his death, when they went to pick up the few items police had collected from the scene and discovered them missing.
Mr Collins, who had been a minicab driver for 25 years, was seen on CCTV leaving the Golden Fleece pub on Capel Road, Manor Park at 8pm on Friday, August 19.
He was discovered lying on Rabbits Road, near to the City of London cemetery and crematorium, less than an hour later.
He was found on a grassy verge on the side of a quite busy road, Mrs Collins added.
It was a place he should never have been. He never walked home, he always got a cab, and where he was found was not in the direction of his home, it was completely the wrong direction.
The family said are still searching for answers and trying to find people who might know what happened to Mr Collins in his final moments.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: A post-mortem examination took place at Walthamstow Mortuary and gave the cause of death as cardiac arrest.
At this early stage, his death is being treated as non-suspicious. Enquiries continue.
"A number of personal items belonging to the deceased are missing. Police are investigating to establish if any theft related offence took place prior to the collapse of the deceased man.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.
D etectives investigating the murder of a London banker who was killed by a single punch arrested a man early today.
Oliver Dearlove, 30, a former employee of Royal bank Coutts, collapsed in the street in Blackheath in the early hours of Sunday after he was attacked following a night out.
Mr Dearlove, a relationship manager at private bank Duncan Lawrie in Belgravia, had been out with university friends on Saturday evening when he was attacked.
The Met said officers arrested a 31-year-old man this morning on suspicion of his murder after he attended a south London police station by appointment. The man remains in police custody.
Mr Dearlove died in hospital from a suspected brain haemorrhage.
Police say Oliver was in Blackheath with friends and had visited a bar in Montpelier Vale before walking into Tranquil Vale to wait for a pre-booked taxi.
The friends began chatting to a group of women when a man walked up to Mr Dearloves group and and assaulted one of his friends before striking the banker causing him to collapse.
Detective Chief Inspector Lee Watling, who is leading the investigation, said: Our investigating is continuing and weve made huge progress in identifying key witnesses and recovering vital CCTV.
However, if you were in the area that night and saw something that may help our investigation but havent yet spoken to us then please call the Incident Room.
Police are asking people to call the Incident Room on 020 8721 4205 or to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A man saw right through a would-be thief's claim that he was a security guard, and escaped an attempted robbery in the parking lot of West Towne Mall on Wednesday evening, Madison police said.
The 24-year-old man was getting on his motorcycle around 6:30 p.m. when a stranger approached him from a gold-colored car, said he was a security guard and told the motorcyclist to hand over his backpack, according to police.
The motorcyclist could tell the man wasn't a security guard as he wasn't wearing any kind of uniform. When he said he wouldn't give up his backpack, the man lifted his shirt and put his hand on a gun tucked in his waistband, police said.
The motorcyclist then turned on his bike and fled, stopping once he was far enough away to call police.
Police described the phony security guard as a black man in his late-20s, 5-feet, 9-inches to 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighing about 145 pounds and with a tattoo near his right eye.
T housands of elderly inmates, including murderers and other violent criminals, could be moved out of prison and held in new specialist pensioner detention units, under proposals from the Governments jails watchdog.
Peter Clarke, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, said reform was needed as conventional prisons were unsuitable for ageing inmates with disabilities or those needing palliative care as they approach the end of their lives.
He also wants ministers to consider whether it is necessary to detain the elderly in the security levels that prisons provide, and whether pensioner convicts pose the same risk of escape as other inmates.
Instead some other form of secure accommodation is needed, he suggests, in comments that could pave the way for a network of pensioner prisons. In an interview with the Standard, Mr Clarke also revealed that previous ministers failed to respond to warnings given by him a decade ago about the risk of radicalisation in jails. The chief inspector, who at the time led Scotland Yards counter-terrorism command, said a new safeguarding strategy was needed to tackle the problem.
His most striking comments, however, were on the need to address the rising elderly population in jails. Mr Clarke said there were more than 4,000 people in prison aged over 60 and more than 100 aged over 80: The proportion in the prison population above work age is increasing quite dramatically.
A lot of these people are on very long sentences ... and at some point there needs to be some consideration of whether prison is the right environment, whether its necessary to hold them in the security levels that prisons provide or whether some other form of secure accommodation more suited to managing the risk that they present is found.
He conceded that many elderly in-mates would have committed serious crimes and some critics might oppose their removal from conventional jails but a new approach is still needed.
Its nothing to do with going soft, he said. All I am saying is, are they in the right type of custody when they are getting very elderly, disabled and in-firm, and possibly near the end of their lives? Is their risk of escape or violence the same?
Prisons are not set up to provide residential care for elderly people or people with disabilities, which inevitably more elderly people will have.
You cant have a blanket approach. It has to be individualised according to the risk posed by each individual. Theres always a divergence of views on these things. Im just suggesting a practical solution should be looked at.
Mr Clarke expressed concern that action to tackle radicalisation in jails had been delayed by an absence of evidence about the extent of the problem. It is surprising that its taken so long. Ten years ago I was pointing out some of the issues, he said. The first thing is to get a very clear picture of what the evidence is. Once you have a very clear picture of the scale and scope of the problem then you can devise your strategies to deal with it.
Theres a real extent to which this is a safeguarding issue. Weve got to be very careful not to be too blunt in our approach and we mustnt characterise, for instance, religious conservatism as anything akin to religious extremism. Its not. But theres no doubt there are people in our prisons who do want to radicalise others and there are people vulnerable to being radicalised and set on the path to violent extremism.
The responsibility of prisons and prison management is to make sure that people who are vulnerable in that way are protected.
Mr Clarke warned drugs, violence and mental health problems were three threats to the stability of prisons. He criticised the excessive periods some offenders spend locked in their cells, saying it undermined efforts to rehabilitate inmates and fuelled reoffending once they are released.
T wo schoolboys have been charged following the rape of a six-year-old girl at a primary school in Sydney.
The 12-year-olds were arrested on Tuesday after the alleged assault and rape at the school on Sydney's northern beaches last month.
Both boys, said to have attended the same school as the victim, have been suspended as police investigate the allegations.
One boy has been charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 and is expected to appear in court on September 22.
The other boy was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10 and is due in court next month.
Both have been released on bail.
Child abuse specialist detectives said parents of pupils at the school are in the process of being told about the arrests.
A statement said: "Detectives from the State Crime Command's Child Abuse Squad were alerted by the Department of Education following incidents at a primary school.
"Following an extensive investigation, two boys, both aged 12, were arrested at Chatswood Police Station on Tuesday August 30.
"Parents and carers of students at the school are in the process of being notified and police request the community respect the privacy of the young people involved.
The statement added that "additional support has been made available at the school" to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all pupils.
D eep divisions among doctors leaders were revealed today as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt accused them of inflicting the worst doctors strike in NHS history on patients.
In a blow to strike leaders, Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Associations council, repeatedly failed to deny that the vote for the action was carried by a slim margin of 16 to 14.
He conceded there had been long and difficult debates on the council, which brings together different parts of the medical profession. He denied there had been block-voting by consultants and GPs against the strike but did not deny that representatives had been opposed.
The five-day strike is set to take place between September 12 to 16, from 8am to 5pm. Today, the Health Secretary sought to deepen the divisions by warning that thousands of sick people would suffer pain and inconvenience because of the totally irresponsible walkout.
Dr Porter was put on the spot on the BBCs Today programme over claims that the council had backed the strike by a two-vote margin.
He repeatedly ducked the question while confirming it had been a fraught debate, saying: I will not engage with you in talking about the long and difficult debates we had inside council over what the best decision was.
Asked again, he told interviewer Nick Robinson: The point is the decision we took at the end of it. What is untrue in what you just said is that there was block-voting between the different branches of practice in medicine.
Dr Porter insisted that the council is united behind junior doctors in their struggle and predicted the wider profession would unite. But fears about patient safety were highlighted by the General Medical Council. Its chief executive, Niall Dickson, said such all-out industrial action is unprecedented.
He added: The first priority must be to protect patients from harm.
Six strikes have taken place across England during the dispute, which centres on a new contract for junior doctors. In May, both sides agreed to a new deal but junior doctors and medical students voted to reject this in July. The Government then announced it would impose the contract.
A cancer patient has told how she feels she is being left to die because she is not eligible for potentially life-saving treatment on the NHS.
Gaidik Salmon says she has been told that her best chance of survival is immunotherapy treatment, which would cost around 100,000.
The drug she needs, Nivolumab, is not yet licensed for urothelial cancer, which is what Ms Salmon is battling, so her only hope is to pay for it privately.
The 50-year-old from West Hampstead said: If I dont have this treatment, Im going to be in real trouble, Im going to lose my life. Im told it will cost 100,000 to have the treatment and I just dont have it.
Ms Salmon, who has been battling the illness, a type of cancer of the urinary tract, for six years, said her family have been able to fund the first couple of sessions of the treatment but she cannot continue without extra funds.
She said she does not have the strength to fundraise and does not know how to make an internet campaign go viral. Her family have now set up a fundraising page to help her.
Im in pain all the time, Im lying down all the time, I just want to start feeling a bit better so my family got together and between them were able to raise some money so that I can at least start the treatment, she said. But theres no chance we have the money to pay for the rest of it.
Ms Salmon, who worked in commercial property development before she was diagnosed, added: Im just shattered I cant have this treatment on the NHS, its so upsetting. Its a matter of life or death, it shouldnt be this way.
The NHS funds immunotherapy for some cancers, but it has not been approved for urothelial cancer. It is possible for hospital consultants to make special case individual funding requests for the drug, but these are rarely approved. An NHS England spokeswoman said: Nivolumab does not currently have a UK licence for the treatment of bladder cancer.
It is possible for clinicians to submit an Individual Funding Request for their patients to receive cancer treatments which have not been appraised by NICE or are not currently available via the Cancer Drugs Fund. In this case, no IFR has been received.
Ms Salmons fundraising page is at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/givelifetogaidik
B ailiffs collected council tax debts from more than 19,200 low-income Londoners last year, a 51 per cent rise in 12 months, a report reveals today.
Child Poverty Action Group and the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust also said increasing numbers of the capitals working poor were in arrears and cut back on food or took out loans to settle the bill.
Freedom of Information Act requests revealed debt collectors visits surged after the Government abolished council tax benefit, with local support instead provided by cash-strapped councils.
They found 26 of the 32 boroughs now charge families who were previously deemed too poor to pay council tax.
The Still Too Poor to Pay report said many boroughs increased minimum payments and two Ealing and Hillingdon introduced charges for disabled and unemployed residents for the first time. This pushed more than 131,000 London households into arrears last year. Where bailiffs are used, their fees are added to a claimants council tax arrears which the charities said meant inflating the debt and making it harder for households to repay.
Only six boroughs now offer 100 per cent support for low-income households: Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Kingston, Merton, Tower Hamlets and Westminster, plus the City of London.
Since 2013 at least 318,000 households have been unable to pay their new council tax charges and received a court summons as a result, the report says. That caused further charges of more than 27 million in court costs.
The charities called for the return to full benefit support to pay council tax for families in financial hardship.
Z2K chief executive Joanna Kennedy said: I cant think of a group less suited to such aggressive enforcement.
London Councils said town halls had been hit with 63 per cent budget cuts. It went on: Boroughs will always try to come to an arrangement with council tax payers before court action.
A child actor killed with his aunt when a stolen car pursued by police smashed into them had rare natural talent and was destined for stardom, his devastated friends said today.
Makayah McDermott, 10, had taken leading roles in productions at his south London theatre school and last week auditioned for a part in a major new television series.
His twin sisters, 13, who also appeared in a string of national advertising campaigns, were today in hospital where they are being treated for multiple injuries.
Their aunt Rozanne Cooper, in her 30s, was also killed in the crash when a suspected joyrider lost control at speed and veered onto the pavement in Penge, south-east London, at 2pm yesterday.
Her 11-year-old daughter was also injured.
Rozanne Cooper, the aunt of the children, also died / Facebook
Makayahs parents Omar McDermott, 37, and 36-year-old Danielle Cooper, who is Rozannes sister, were today with their daughters and niece in hospital.
A neighbour said: The scale of the tragedy for one family is almost too much to comprehend.
Donasha ward, 32, a teaching assistant and mum of three today paid tribute to her neighbour Rosie Cooper.
She said: "We are all devastated. She was a lovely lady and good person. We are a close knit community and she was a friendly girl and great with kids."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission watchdog has launched an investigation into the crash on a leafy road 500 yards from the McDermotts terraced home in Crampton Road.
The family had been walking to the nearby Alexandra Recreation Ground when they were struck down on Lennard Road.
Witnesses told how around 20 passers-by lifted the car, a 14-year-old Ford Focus worth around 500, allowing the twins to crawl free as their devastated mother raced to the scene sobbing thats my baby.
The three siblings all attended the Pop School and Stage Academy (PSSA) in Beckenham, and Makayah had starred in a production of Wizard of Oz spin-off The Wiz last month, in which his two sisters also appeared.
Kirsty Dennis, 33, a salon owner whose two daughters also attend PSSA, said his performance at Catfords Broadway Theatre was amazing.
She said: He gave a fantastic performance. Bless him, he was so handsome and funny and hes such a lovely boy.
All three of them are really nice kids, really well-behaved and happy. They were always chuckling together, looking after the little ones at the school.
Wed see them in the shop every morning and theyd always stop in to say hello to my two. Im praying that the girls are okay. The poor family, its devastating.
Two people were killed in the crash / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Her husband Tony Dennis added: All of them had the same lovely smile. All they wanted to do was acting and he was very good. Its rare you see children like that, so naturally gifted.
Ive no doubt he would have gone on to big things they are all very, very good actors.
A devastated friend who visited the scene last night said: Please God let the girls be alright. They are fighters. We are all praying. They were on the pavement its not like they were larking around. They were going to the park.
Investigators at the scene of the crash / Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Its madness. How will their family deal with that? They are such a nice family. I cant get my head round it.
He was very popular little lad. Its going to be very difficult for everyone to come to terms with.
"He was a lovely boy, a proper jack-the-lad in a cheeky cheery way. He was such a good kid and was obviously destined for great things.
Two people died after being hit by a car that was being chased by police / @ShulemStern
Dramatic eyewitness footage captured the arrest of the suspected joyrider who limped from the scene and tried to hide in bushes before being handcuffed and detained by police.
Mobile phone footage of a suspect evading the police in Penge
Tayla Goodman told the Standard: There were two teenage girls who witnessed it and they could barely speak, they were keeled over in trauma and fear.
The boys mother ran down the road screaming thats my baby, thats my baby. She was devastated. I dont think she knew the full extent until she got to the scene and collapsed on the floor when she realised her son had died. It was awful.
Emergency services at the scene / @ShulemStern
Claudette Maragh, headteacher at Alexandra Junior School yards away from the scene of the crash, said: We are extremely saddened by this awful tragedy.
Makayah was a fun, bubbly boy and a really popular member of our school community. His loss is deeply felt by us all.
An aerial view of police at the scene / Sky News
Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with Makayahs family at this time. We will be offering support to our children, families and staff, and I am sure that the community will come together in their love and support for Makayahs family.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: At approximately 2.05pm on Wednesday August 31 a car was in collision with a number of members of the public in Lennard Road.
The car was being pursued by police at the time of the collision. London Ambulance Service and Londons Air Ambulance attended - two people have been pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the car has been arrested and remains in custody at a south London police station.
A 23-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and theft of a vehicle.
C ommuters were hit by travel misery after a train broke down at a busy station in south-east London.
Rail passengers vented their frustration as they suffered a second day of delays on the Southeastern network due to a faulty train at Blackheath station.
The incident sparked disruption on busy commuter routes from Dartford into central London passing through the station.
Southeastern apologised to travellers after many services were delayed or cancelled after the train broke down.
Teacher Fiachra Mcardle described how hundreds of commuters were trying to squeeze onto packed trains at Blackheath station.
Other passengers vented their frustration on social media at the delays.
Kieron Stewart tweeted: @SE_Railway, so this is what I pay for? And you are going to put the prices up again!?
Gemma Sargeant said: Been at the station since 7.20. Four trains I cant unable to get on [sic]. Why didnt @SE_Railway reroute trains to Charing Cross
The delays appeared to spark further disruption at North Greenwich Tube station as passengers tried to find an alternative route to work. A technical fault on the Jubilee line added to the disruption.
Huge crowds of commuters packed onto the concourse at the station forcing Tube workers to put crowd control measures in place.
Crowds at North Greenwich station / Twitter / @Sim2K
One commuter tweeted: "Stay clear of North Greenwich station this morning. Getting worse as more buses pull up!"
Talia Delemere tweeted: "So #northgreenwich is fun this morning... can only presume it's a knock on effect from Southeastern."
Disruption at North Greenwich Tube station / Zoe Mortimer
Luke Powney said: "North Greenwich station at a lockdown due to overcrowding. Boat to work it is!"
Commuters suffered delays of up to 90 minutes coming into London from the south east yesterday after a points failure on the tracks.
A signalling problem just outside London Bridge station led to severe delays on several services during the morning rush hour.
A spokesman for Southeastern said: "There are delays of around 30 minutes on routes through Blackheath due to a faulty train.
"Were sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. The train has been removed and were working hard to minimise delays and restore our services as quickly as possible.
"Please remember that if youre delayed by 30 minutes of more you can claim Delay Repay compensation.
T ens of millions of pounds worth of criminal assets stolen in Nigeria will be sent back to West Africa after a landmark agreement intended to help London shed its reputation as a haven for dirty money.
The new deal, signed by immigration minister Robert Goodwill and Nigerias Attorney General Abubakar Malami, will mean that bank accounts, properties, cars and other goods seized in Britain from Nigerian offenders who have plundered their oil-rich country will all be returned.
Many of the illicit profits are believed to be held in London. The precise amount to be returned will depend partly on future convictions, but is expected to amount to at least tens of millions of pounds over the coming years.
The Nigerian government has promised to use the cash to help the countrys poor and improve access to justice. It has also pledged to ensure that returned money does not fall back into criminal hands. The deal follows this summers anti-corruption summit in London at which David Cameron described the country as fantastically corrupt.
Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been battling to stamp out corruption since his election last year, responded by calling for Britain to return money held here after being stolen from his country.
He cited the case of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a former governor of oil-rich Bayelsa state who was detained in London on charges of money laundering in 2005, but escaped while on bail by disguising himself as a woman. Mr Buhari said that Alamieyeseigha, who died in Nigeria in October, had left behind his assets and Nigeria wanted them back, along with the profits of other criminals who had property and funds in Britain.
Todays agreement paves the way for that to happen and follows a visit to Nigeria this week by Mr Goodwill, who said his trip had reinforced the joint determination of Britain and Nigeria to tackle corruption. He added: This government is committed to attacking criminal finances, making it harder to move, hide and use the proceeds of crime.
Crime of this sort is not confined to our own borders and it is therefore essential that we work with international partners to tackle it. This agreement spells out how the UK and Nigeria will ensure that criminal finances that have been misappropriated from Nigeria will be returned.
Other cases in which money stolen from Nigeria has been laundered in London include that of James Ibori, a former cashier at a Wickes DIY store in Ruislip who later became governor of the countrys oil-rich Delta State. He was jailed for 13 years at Southwark crown court in 2012 for fraud involving nearly 50 million.
The Commons home affairs select committee warned earlier this year that London is a centre for money laundering.
T hese images give the first glimpse inside Londons new 650 million superlab.
The Francis Crick Institute, a complex one million square feet in size next to St Pancras International station, will become Europes biggest biomedical research institute as scientists help fight some of the 21st centurys deadliest diseases.
More than 100 labs inside the 12-storey glass-fronted building will help scientists investigate the basic biological processes underlying human health.
By the New Year there will be 1,250 scientists and 250 support staff at the Crick.
Exciting developments: By the New Year there will be 1,250 scientists and 250 support staff at the Crick / Alex Lentati
Research teams aim to find new preventions, treatments and drugs for conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke and degenerative illnesses such as motor neurone disease.
The institute in Midland Road is named after the late Nobel Prize winner Francis Crick, a molecular biologist, biophysicist and neuro-scientist.
Its chief executive Sir Paul Nurse, a Nobel Prize winner himself, told the Standard: The mission is to do what we call discovery research, that is work thats aimed at understanding how living things, such as ourselves, work, and using that knowledge and understanding to help promote improvement in human health.
Nearly all the major improvements in significant disease such as cancer are built on better knowledge about how cancerous cells and cells more generally work.
"If we dont understand that, we can never actually develop new ways of treating or managing disease.
"This will be one of the hubs for discovering knowledge to help us tackle disease.
Discovery research: Chief executive of the institute, Sir Paul Nurse / Alex Lentati
Researchers already working in the labs include a Kings College London team investigating how yeast cells grow and divide, as they share properties with human cells.
Colleagues from UCL are researching how human genes switch on and off, because knowing this could help slow or halt motor neurone disease.
The technology in the institute allows scientists to do 100 experiments in the same time just one took 20 years ago.
Its work ethos is modelled on tech firms such as nearby Google, as staff chat over coffee on sofas around the atrium.
A third of the building is below ground and Sir Paul dismissed fears there would be hazardous diseases on site.
The institute is funded through the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, University College London, Imperial College London and Kings College London.
B rexit Secretary David Davis has secured a victory over Chancellor Philip Hammond by persuading the Cabinet to endorse curbs on immigration, Tory MPs said today.
They claimed the key conclusion of yesterdays special Cabinet at Chequers, that Britain would seek a unique deal with the EU and reject free movement rules, was a defeat for the Chancellor who is worried about trade and the City.
Allies of Mr Davis say he now wants to make a Commons statement setting out the next steps in the Brexit process, to send a powerful signal to other Cabinet ministers not to stray onto his turf. He is in charge and it is now clear he has the Prime Ministers authority behind him, crowed an ally.
Mr Hammond was with Mrs May touring the Midlands this morning, promising that Britain was open for business as it leaves the EU.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was meanwhile embarking on a three-day tour for talks with ministers, starting with a summit in Potsdam near Berlin where he will meet Ukraine foreign minister Pavlo Klimkin, followed by a meeting in Vienna.
A campaign group today claimed the EU referendum was dogged by glaring democratic deficiencies that left voters in the dark.
The Electoral Reform Society called for a new body to call out politicians who make misleading claims during any future referendum. Its report found voters were increasingly turned off by bogus claims.
Katie Ghose, its chief executive, said: This report shows without a shadow of a doubt just how dire the EU referendum debate really was.
Who is David Davis and what are his plans for Brexit?
There were glaring democratic deficiencies in the run-up to the vote, with the public feeling totally ill-informed.
Both sides were viewed as highly negative by voters, while the top-down, personality-based nature of the debate failed to address major policies and issues, leaving the public in the dark. Polls by the ERS showed the intervention of high-profile political figures such as President Obama largely failed to engage or convince voters.
David Camerons prominent role may have backfired, as 29 per cent of voters said he made them more likely to vote.
The polls said the only high-profile figures who persuaded voters of their position were Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Donald Trump, all anti-establishment, pro-Brexit figures.
Police responded to multiple calls Wednesday night about gunshots on the East Side, while no injuries were reported, the Madison Police Department said.
Shortly before 9 p.m., police went to the intersection of East Washington Avenue and North Marquette Street and started talking to witnesses, police said. It's believe two vehicles were involved in the incident, and people in them "were possibly shooting at each other," said Lt. Kelly Donahue.
A delegation of Londons top technology start-ups will join the Mayor in the United States next month on a mission to drum up post-Brexit business.
Twenty three firms will travel to New York and Chicago for meetings with tech executives and pitches to investors.
The trip has been organised by London & Partners, which promotes the capital, and the Mayors International Business Programme, a 5 million scheme part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
HMRC data shows the US is Britains biggest trading partner, accounting for 4.1 billion of exports in June.
Delegation: Kathryn Parsons will travel to New York and Chicago to help drum up post-Brexit business / Rebecca Reid
The week-long trade mission with Sadiq Khan aims to highlight Londons strengths as a leading business destination for US companies looking to expand overseas and show London is open for business following the EU referendum vote. The firms will pay for their flights, while hotels will be funded by private sector partners and the European Regional Development Fund.
Those going include clean tech firm Pavegen, taxis digital media provider Eyetease and cybersecurity company Trading Hub, as well as Kathryn Parsons of Decoded, which aims to improve tech literacy and demystify digital.
Mr Khan said: These high-growth companies have the potential to become the next global tech giants and I am delighted they will join me in showing the world that London is open to talent, business and collaborations.
T he boss of Apple today said that maddening and outrageous demands from Brussels officials for an 11 billion tax repayment from the company were politically motivated.
Chief executive Tim Cook claimed this weeks ruling from European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has no basis in fact or in law.
His comments came two days after the iPhone maker was accused of gaining from a decade of illegal favourable treatment by the Dublin government that reduced its corporate tax bill to as little as 0.005 per cent by 2014.
However, Mr Cook told the Irish Independent newspaper that the company had actually paid $400 million (305 million) in tax in Ireland that year.
He said: They just picked a number from I dont know where. In the year that the Commission says we paid that tax figure, we actually paid $400 million. We believe that makes us the highest taxpayer in Ireland that year.
In a separate interview with Irish broadcaster RTE he said of the ruling: Its maddening, its disappointing, its clear that this comes from a political place, it has no basis in fact or in law, and unfortunately its one of those things we have to work through.
When youre accused of doing something that is so foreign to your values, it brings out an outrage in you, and thats how we feel. Apple has always been about doing the right thing.
He also repeated a previous claim that investigations of Apples tax arrangements outside America were total political crap.
Apple employs around 6,000 people in Ireland, most of them in Cork, where it opened its first Irish factory in 1980, its first operation in Europe.
Mr Cook said Apple will go forward with an expansion at its European headquarters in the southern Irish city that will create 1,000 new jobs, despite misgivings over future investment across Europe.
He said he would love to see the Dublin government launch an appeal against the ruling.
He added: I think well work very closely together, as we have the same motivation. No one did anything wrong here and we need to stand together. Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable.
The Irish cabinet met yesterday to discuss the EU ruling but failed to reach agreement. They will meet again tomorrow to decide whether to appeal against the Commissions decision.
T he Duchess of Cambridge won the hearts of locals as she poured a pint and was snapped in a cheeky builder's selfie during a tour of Cornwall.
The Duchess and her husband also discussed careers with a group of youngsters during the visit.
The Duke of Cambridge said it took him "an awfully long time" to figure out what he wanted to be in life.
Prince William told a group of young people at a youth centre that it is "totally cool" for them to be unsure about what they want, while the Duchess admitted that she found it "difficult" herself.
Cheeky chappies: A group of builders reduced the couple to laughter as they snapped selfies / PA
Kate asked the group: "Do any of you know what you would love to be? Do you have some aspirations?"
William cut in: "It is totally cool not to have that, by the way. It took me an awfully long time to work out what I wanted to be."
The Duchess added: "It is so difficult because there's so much out there. It is hard, isn't it, to pinpoint one thing?
William is right. I found it difficult as well."
The Duke was also given a kiss and a hug by a tactile admirer when he arrived in the county - and then joked with the Duchess to watch out for the well-wisher.
Bar work: The Duchess of Cambridge pulled a pint of cider on tour of Cambridge / PA
William was greeted with open arms by Linda Moore, who had rushed to Truro town centre when she heard that he and Kate were touring the county.
Mrs Moore, 62, a retired teaching assistant from Truro, said she told the Duke he looked like his mother, and he replied: "My mum was better looking."
She added: "I said 'Can I give you a kiss?' and he said 'You can give me peck on the cheek,' and when Kate came over he said about me 'Watch that woman."'
Kate, who wore a baby pink outfit by Lela Rose with trademark wedges, beamed at her fans.
William was casually smart in a light-blue checked jacket, shirt, worn without a tie, and blue trousers.
The royal pair also met a group of cheeky builders, one of whom snapped a selfie with Kate.
As the couple were given a tour of the Nansledan development in Newquay where 4,000 homes are being built over the next 40 years, Sam Wayne sprang into action.
All smiles: Kate laughed as she handed the pint to William / PA
He got into position just as William and Kate passed and had soon posted his efforts on his Facebook page.
Mr Wayne, who previously managed to get a selfie with the Prince of Wales, wrote on the social media site: "He's done it again. Prince William and Kate Middleton. Not as close as my Prince Charles, but still a royal selfie."
As the royal couple walked past the workman, who trained in scaffolding, and his other colleagues who all wore hard hats and florescent bibs, the Duke joked: "That's got to be a bad selfie."
The Duchess later showed-off her skills as she poured a pint of cider during a visit to Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm in Penhallow.
She was pictured laughing as she handed over the drink to her husband.
T he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge signed a slate today in support of a multimillion pound appeal to restore the roof of a cathedral in Cornwall.
The Royal couple visited Truro Cathedral's on the first day of their two-day tour of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
After greeting the hundreds of well-wishers lined up to welcome them to the Cornish town, Kate and William wrote messages on two of more than 60,000 new tiles being used to re-slate the cathedrals roof.
The cathedral roof, dating back to 1910, took 23 years to complete but now needs urgent repairs and the work will cost 3.2 million to complete.
Kate wore a pastel pink dress by American designer Lela Rose / Tim Rooke/Rex
Kate teamed her pink dress with a pair of nude suede wedges from high street brand Monsoon. / Steve Parsons/PA
The royal couple were all smiles in Truro / Steve Parsons/PA
Personalised tile: The slate will join the 60,000 needed to cover the cathedral roof / PA
The Cambridges also visited Newquay's famous Towan beach to meet the Wave Project, an organisation that uses surfing to help reduce anxiety in young people and improve their mental wellbeing.
Princess gifts: The Duchess is given flowers and a balloon after departing Truro Cathedral at the start of a tour of Cornwall. / PA
They will spend the night at the 500-year-old Restormel Manor, close to the medieval town of Lostwithiel before traveling to the nearby Isles of Scilly to visit local businesses on Friday.
A Muslim family have claimed they were accused of being terrorists while on a trip to Skegness.
The group of 12 visited the seaside town in Lincolnshire for the first time last week.
The family, seven of whom were wearing hijabs, have said they will not be returning after a man reportedly yelled terrorists at them as they walked past a pub.
One woman, who reported the incident to Tell MAMA, an organisation that records Islamophobic hate crimes in the UK, said they were stared at and treated like aliens.
She said: Once we reached to the main area where there were shops, we noticed a lot of people just staring at us as if we were some form of aliens.
It didnt really bother us until we walked past the pub and a man shouted 'terrorists'.
The woman added that people stared continuously at the group as they sat on the beach.
"As we went to the beach again, a lot of people continuously stared at us. We just smiled back, but it made us think how ignorant these people are," she said.
She added: We then went to buy some seaside rock and the lady at the shop said 'dont you get hot in them', referring to our hijabs.
My sister replied 'no' and they were not that thick and showed her the material of her hijab. She did not say anything after that and we left the shop."
A Tell MAMA spokesman told the Lincolnshire Echo: "We were concerned to hear about the experiences of this visible Muslim family.
"The family will not be returning back to Skegness and such incidents will no doubt impact on wider perceptions within Muslim communities around areas.
"This is also worrying since communities need to feel comfortable around each other in our country, rather than feeling polarised. We are sure that the people of Skegness are not reflected through the actions of a few."
Lincolnshire police said they had not received any reports of the incident in Skegness, but would encourage anybody who feels they have been a victim of hate crime to report it.
A four-year-old child is receiving special help from education authorities in Australia to undergo transition for a change in sex.
The situation has drawn criticism from psychologists who say four is too young to start gender transition.
They maintain pre-school children are still at a very early stage of their development for such a major decision to be made.
Yet the New South Wales Department of Education has rolled out a support package for the toddler, who is not due to start kindergarten until next year.
The shock development comes amid an explosion in the number of young children of both sexes considering sex changes.
The youngest child involved is just three years of age.
The New South Wales government has revealed there are a number of children in the states schools transitioning their gender.
Referrals to the Sydney Childrens Hospital for gender services have tripled with one doctor confirming they had escalated rapidly across Australia.
In another major hospital in Melbourne, some 250 children are being assisted by the gender dysphoria unit.
A decade ago, there was just one case.
Gregory Prior, NSW Education Department deputy secretary of school operations, said helping transgender kids was part of the Safe Schools programme.
We have a number of students who are going through gender transition in our schools, with the youngest being a four-year-old at the moment.
The Safe Schools is only once resource that can be used in how we would support that family, student and school to accommodate a child going through transition.
Transgender advocate and Australian of the Year finalist Catherine McGregor advised caution and said proper checks needed to be in place to ensure premature mistakes were not made.
I would have thought four is pretty young for any official policy support, she said.
In my experience, kids with strong cross-gender identification tend to get it right.
"However, I can understand there would be caution on the part of the department and medical practitioners on making any irreversible decisions at that stage.
Clinical psychologist Rose Cantali said age four was absolutely too early for a child to change gender.
I would be very hesitant and other psychologists would say the same. Everything is developmental at that age.
D onald Trump has insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall he wants to build along the length of the border with the US.
He said during a speech on immigration in Arizona that Mexico will pay for the wall "100%" and added: "They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for" it.
The Republican White House candidate earlier met Mexico's president and said they had not discussed who would pay for the massive wall that has been at the centre of his campaign.
But President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted: "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made clear that Mexico would not pay for the wall."
The two men met privately in Mexico City on Wednesday afternoon.
It was Mr Trump's first meeting with a head of state as his party's presidential nominee and he described Mexicans as "amazing people".
He told reporters during the appearance that they did not discuss who would pay for the construction costs of the wall along the 2,000-mile border, a project that would cost billions.
In his speech in Phoenix, Mr Trump vowed to remove millions of people living in the US illegally if he becomes president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardise the "wellbeing of the American people".
The tycoon failed to outline what he would do with those who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offences - a sharp retreat after earlier promises to create a "deportation force" to remove the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the US illegally.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," he said, adding: "There will be no amnesty."
Mr Trump also promised to restrict legal immigration, calling for a commission that would keep the percentage of foreign-born people in the country to "historic norms".
He said: "We have to listen to the concerns that working people, our forgotten working people, have over the record pace of immigration and its impact on their jobs, wages, housing, schools, tax bills and general living conditions."
Mr Trump was cheered in Arizona, but his appearance in Mexico sparked anger and protests.
The candidate is deeply unpopular in Mexico due in large part to his deriding the country as a source of rapists and criminals as he kicked off his campaign.
Former Mexican president Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Mr Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome.
"We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," Mr Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt".
The decision by Mr Pena Nieta to meet Mr Trump is turning into a public relations disaster for him, with social media posters and politicians calling it a national humiliation likely to lower the president's already historically low popularity ratings.
Not only did he not demand that Mr Trump apologise for calling Mexican migrants rapists and criminals, but he stood silently by in their joint press conference while the Republican candidate repeated his promise to build the border wall.
"This is an insult and a betrayal," said artist Arturo Meade as he joined a protest against the meeting in Mexico City. "What can this meeting bring us except surrealism in all its splendour?"
Televisa news presenter Carlos Loret de Mola marvelled that Mr Trump would dare go to Mexico and reiterate his intention to build the wall.
"The humiliation is now complete," he tweeted.
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton criticised Mr Trump's Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation's chief diplomat.
"People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next," she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
Reporting by AP
O fficials in New Zealand have issued a tsunami warning after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the North Island coast.
People living on the coast near Gisborne were told to evacuate, get to higher ground or go as far inland.
The quake struck around 105 miles northeast of the town at a depth of 19.1 miles.
Buildings were rocked by the tremors, after it hit shortly before 4.40am local time.
Rupert Barrett tweeted: "I woke up to a minor shake and I thought it was gonna end but then it got 3x worse and the whole house started shaking."
Another Twitter user wrote: "We're right on the beach so we're in a tsunami evacuation zone right now.
"Woke up nauseous our whole house was shaking."
The disaster management authority issued an advisory of a potential tsunami threat in coastal areas.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management and its scientific advisors are still assessing the severity of the tsunami threat.
But the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center and the Chilean Navy said there was no danger of a tsunami on the Pacific coasts of the Americas.
New Zealand media reported some power outages in the east coast region.
There were no immediate reports of any damage to buildings or injuries.
P izza and compliments are more likely to motivate staff at work than cash, new research has found.
A study conducted by a psychology professor in the US found that pizza and praise boosted productivity among workers in a factory.
To conduct the study, Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University, sent three out of four workers at a semiconductor factory in Israel messages at the start of the week that promised them specific rewards.
One group was promised praise from the boss at the end of the week, another were told they would receive a bonus of about 20 and a third group were told they would get a voucher for free pizza.
A fourth group acted as a control group with no offer of a reward.
At the beginning of the week-long experiment, free pizza increased workers output by 6.7 per cent, according to the research.
A well done message saw a 6.6 per cent increase in productivity, while money came in third place with a 4.9 per cent increase.
At the end of the study, the 'well done message' was the ultimate winner, while free pizza came in second and the control group was third.
Money finished last behind no extra motivation.
'Extrinsic motivators can stop having much meaning - your raise in pay feels like your just due, your bonus gets spent, your new title doesnt sound so important once you have it.
'But the sense that other people appreciate what you do sticks with you,' Wharton professor Adam Grant told The Wall Street Journal.
The research is taken from Ariely's new book Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations.
T he deputy prime minister of Poland today expressed his sorrow at the death of a factory worker from the country who was killed in Harlow in a suspected race-hate attack.
Arkadiusz Jozwik, 40, known as Arek, was attacked by a teenage gang outside a pizza restaurant on Saturday night after apparently being overheard speaking in Polish.
The meat factory worker, who moved to England in 2012, died on Monday from head injuries.
Polands deputy PM Mateusz Morawiecki, who is on a visit to the UK, today said: This was a very sad day and sad event. I know one line of the investigation by the police was that it might have been a hate crime, it remains to be seen what were the reasons.
He told BBC radio: I hope it will never happen again, but yes, this will pose a question mark in many families, Polish families, in Great Britain.
Last night more than 200 people attended a candlelight vigil at the scene of the attack to show solidarity with Harlows Polish community. Polands ambassador to the UK, Arkady Rzegocki, visited the town earlier yesterday to lay floral tributes and to visit Mr Jozwiks family.
Essex police said while six teenagers who were perhaps involved in that melee had been arrested, officers believed there may have been 12 to 13 people in the incident. They stressed there was no evidence to suggest a hate crime but it could not be ruled out.
Five 15-year-old boys and a 16-year-old arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on police bail until October 7.
Heading into Labor Day weekend, a new Marquette Law School Poll shows Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold leading their Republican opponents by much narrower margins in the state than three weeks ago.
Clinton leads Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump by three points (45-42) in the state among likely voters. The last poll three weeks ago showed Clinton coming out of the national conventions with a 15-point lead over Trump among likely voters, those who say they are certain to vote in the Nov. 8 election.
Poll director Charles Franklin said the shift from three weeks earlier could be the result of a number of factors, including the last poll coming right after a likely bounce for Clinton after the Democratic National Convention.
We were at a high water mark in early August, Franklin said. Its not much of a surprise that we would see more competition after that convention bounce was removed.
The previous poll also came at perhaps the low point of Trumps campaign, particularly in Wisconsin. He had spent the previous week withholding an endorsement for House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, who went on to thump a right-wing challenger who had been promoted by the conservative website Breitbart.com.
Since then Trump has shaken up his campaign staff, hiring Breitbart executive Steve Bannon as CEO and pollster Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager. That move came at about the same time Trump made his second visit to Wisconsin since accepting the nomination, meeting privately with donors in La Crosse and Milwaukee, participating in a Fox News town hall with conservative broadcaster Sean Hannity and holding a rally in West Bend.
Clinton has yet to visit the Badger State since accepting the nomination. She has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks for questions about access when she was secretary of state among donors to the global Clinton Foundation.
Clintons net favorability rating dropped from the previous poll, when 49 percent of likely voters viewed her unfavorably compared with 48 percent who viewed her favorably. In the latest poll, 58 percent viewed her unfavorably, and 37 percent viewed her favorably.
Trump continues to be viewed more unfavorably than Clinton, though his net negative dropped from 37 points to 29 points in the latest poll. And while a majority (55 percent) say Clinton is qualified to be president, only 26 percent describe her as honest. The same percentage (36 percent) would describe Trump in those ways.
Among registered voters, Clinton leads 42-37 in the latest poll. Adding in Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein, Clinton leads 41-38-10-4 among likely voters.
The poll also found Feingold leading Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson 48-45 among likely voters. The last poll showed Feingold with an 11-point lead among likely voters.
Among registered voters, Feingold leads 46-42. Adding in Libertarian candidate Phil Anderson, Feingold leads 45-42-6 among likely voters.
The Marquette poll was conducted Aug. 25-28 with 803 registered voters and 650 likely voters. The margin of error for registered voters was 4.5 percentage points and 5 percentage points for likely voters.
Franklin noted the sample had a more Republican lean than the historic average. There was also a shift in voter enthusiasm favoring Republicans, with 82 percent of Republicans saying they were certain to vote, up from 79 percent in the previous poll, and 81 percent of Democrats saying the same, down from 84 percent in the last poll.
Monmouth University in New Jersey also released a Wisconsin poll Wednesday that found Clinton with a five-point lead over Trump (43-38) among likely voters and Feingold with a 13-point lead (54-41) over Johnson.
That poll was conducted by telephone from Aug. 27-30 with 404 likely voters. The sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percentage points.
The latest Marquette poll sample includes 27 percent Republicans, 30 percent Democrats and 38 percent independents, which is almost identical to the long-term trend. But factoring in which way independents lean, the latest sample was 45 percent Republican and 46 percent Democratic. Historically the average has been 42 percent Republican and 48 percent Democratic.
In the Monmouth poll sample, 32 percent were Democrats, 26 percent were Republicans and 43 percent were independents. The poll didnt identify which direction independents leaned.
Other findings from the Marquette poll include:
Gov. Scott Walkers job approval rose to 43 percent among registered voters, with 49 percent saying they disapproved, the lowest disapproval level since October 2014. Seven percent said they didnt know, the highest in any public poll since he took office.
On immigration, 62 percent of registered voters said a pathway to citizenship should be created for immigrants living in the country illegally, compared with 15 percent who say they should be deported. Thats a notable change from 2012, when 52 percent favored citizenship and 21 percent favored deportation.
A majority, 52 percent, of registered voters said the state is doing an excellent or good job protecting clean drinking water, while 44 percent said it is doing a fair or poor job. Asked the same question about the federal government, the split was 31 with a more favorable view and 64 percent with a less favorable view.
Asked to describe their feelings about local police, 86 percent of registered voters said they felt safe and 12 percent said they felt anxious. Among white respondents the breakdown was 90-9, whereas among black and Hispanic respondents it was 57-37.
Almost half (49 percent) of registered voters say life for the next generation will be worse than for the current generation, while one in five say it will be better and a quarter say it will be the same.
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to reflect accurate poll numbers in the Feingold-Johnson race.
R iot police were called in to break up a brawl on a French nudist beach after a group of fully clothed teens turned up and stared at ;naked sunbathers, it was reported.
The bizarre incident took place on Friday at La Teste-de-Buch, in Arcachon, when the group of about ten youths entered the nude zone and strolled among the naked beach-goers.
Angry words were exchanged between the men and the sunbathers, which soon escalated into a physical fight, according to local media reports.
The situation was only defused when riot police turned up to put a stop to the violence.
Reports said the fight between the clothed group and the naked bathers saw punches thrown, sand flung in people's eyes, and insults hurled.
The Sud Ouest newspaper reported that the violence started after the men began "staring" at naked women, in breach of France's nude beach etiquette, while France Bleu radio said that the group of men "acted provocatively" around some of the nude women.
The men were then confronted by others on the beach, who told them to take their clothes off or leave.
The Local reported that after police turned up in a 4x4, some of the clothed men tried to flee the scene.
However, two group, both from nearby Bordeaux, were allegedly caught while making their escape, but were released later that day.
The incident comes after a 40-year-old British man was charged with "capturing and possessing images of child pornography" after taking pictures of young women and children on a French nudist beach.
The man's holiday villa in holiday residence in Port-Leucate was seached after two young women, concerned by his behaviour, alerted police.
Officers seized his mobile phone and computer, and allegedly found dozens of photographs of naked women taken at the beach, according to local paper La Depeche.
If convicted, the man could face up to five years in jail for child pornography offences, as well as charges for invasion of privacy in relation to the photographs he took of adult women.
A large explosion has taken place at the launch site for the SpaceX rocket in Florida this afternoon, shaking buildings and filling the air with smoke.
Images from the site showed huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky above Kennedy Space Centre.
Aerospace company SpaceX had been due to carry out a test firing of an unmanned rocket today.
SpaceX said in a statement there were no injuries, but that an "anomaly" during the static fire test resulted in the loss of the rocket and the Israeli communications satellite it had been due to carry into space at the weekend.
Smoke billowed across the area / Marcia Dunn/AP
A spokesman for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station said there was a "significant" explosion just after 2pm this afternoon (9am local time) at Launch Complex 40, which is leased by SpaceX.
People in buildings several miles from the facility wrote on social media that they felt the blast, and posted images showing flames and a plume of thick black smoke coming from the site.
The explosion took place during a test firing of the Falcon 9 rocket ahead of the scheduled launch of an Israeli communications satellite on Saturday.
Brevard County Emergency Management Office described it as a "catastrophic abort" of the test firing, but stressed there was no threat to the general public.
Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the goal of slashing launch costs to make travel to Mars affordable.
The company plans to fly its first unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2018 and send humans to Mars as early as 2024.
T eenage pupils from Eton College were welcomed into the Kremlin for a two-hour audience with Vladimir Putin.
While UK Prime Minister Theresa May will not meet the Russian president until an international summit next week, 11 schoolboys were able to chat with him and take photos.
The meeting was reportedly organised by the boys themselves with the help of a Russian bishop who gave a talk at the exclusive Berkshire college in March.
An Eton spokesman said the college was not involved at all in the organisation of the trip.
Discussion: One of the boys, David Wei, said he witnessed Putin's 'human face' / David Wei
Photographs show the boys shaking hands with Mr Putin, and sitting round a table having a conversation with him using an interpreter.
One of the studetnts, David Wei, posted on Facebook: It took me a total of ten months, 1040 emails, 1000 text messages, countless sleepless nights, constant paranoia during A2 exam season, declining academic performance...but here we are.
Guys, we truly gave Putin a deep impression of us and he responded by showing us his human face.
The Kremlin released no information about the meeting, while the Foreign Office declined to comment.
B aking the perfect Victoria sponge might seem like a piece of cake when youre watching Mary Berry, but some of us need a helping hand when it comes to baking.
Whether youre a beginner who wants to master the basics or an advanced pastry maker looking for some adventurous recipes, there's a cookbook for every skill level.
We select 10 of the best in time for the eighth series of the Great British Bake Off.
1. Raw Cake: 100 Beautiful, Nutritious and Indulgent Raw Sweets, Treats and Elixirs by The Hardihood
Guilt-free baking is made easy with the Hardihood girls, Daisy and Leah. Well known to Londons raw baking scene, the confectionary makers present a whopping 100 recipes free from refined sugar, dairy and gluten. From pistachio donuts to toffee cacao cheesecake, each treat is packed with natural ingredients that not only taste delightful, but will also make you feel good on the inside. If youve always been intimidated by vegan cooking, then this is a good place to start.
11.89, Amazon, Buy it now
2. Lola's: A Cake Journey around the World by Julia Head
With multiple stores and kiosks across the capital, Lolas is popular among Londoners for its fashionable cupcakes. The master bakers behind the delectable treats have dished up more than 80 recipes for showstopping cakes from across the globe. Featuring bakes to tickle every fancy, the recipes are categorised by continent and include European classics like the Victoria Sponge, a dreamy Middle Eastern-inspired Turkish Delight Cake and an exotic Burmese Mango Cake from Asia.
18.99, WHSmith, Buy it now
3. Healthy Baking: Nourishing Breads, Wholesome Cakes, Ancient Grains and Bubbling Ferments by Jordan Bourke
London-based chef and food writer, Jordan Bourke, presents this colourful read packed with simple clean eating recipes. Its chapters cover a range of bakes and methods including how to cook with ferments and ancient grains, a guide to making whole baked vegetables and how to turn your bakes into a meal. From sourdough bread to a fruity buckwheat crumble, the recipes utilise natural ingredients and include options for gluten and dairy-free bakers.
16.59, Amazon, Pre-order now
4. Bake: 125 Show-Stopping Recipes, Made Simple by Lorraine Pascale
With four bestselling cookbooks under her belt, baker and TV chef Lorraine Pascale has a knack for sweet and savoury baking. In her latest offering, she shows how to take your skills to new heights with 125 tempting recipes that the whole family can enjoy. Expect interesting ways to bring new life to teatime favourites, such as Eclairs with Espresso and Hazelnut Cream and Lemon and Pistachio Drizzle Loaf.
8, Amazon, Pre-order now
5. Maggie Austin Cake: Artistry and Technique
If intricate cake designs are your thing, then Maggie Austins stunning debut is for you. The couture cake designer, who has served the likes of the Obamas and royalty across the globe, reveals simplified methods for achieving her picture-perfect bakes, including a guide to delicate floral embroidery and decorating with pearls. Gorgeous images show each technique step-by-step, while tips and useful information is strewed throughout so its a safe bet for amateur bakers.
22.19, Amazon, Buy it now
6. Tanya Bakes by Tanya Burr
Tanya Burr might be known her incredible beauty skills and popular cosmetics line, but she also knows a thing or two about baking. From her nannys apple pie to the ultimate celebration cake, the makeup artists debut cookbook is packed with the perfect fixes for sweet cravings.
12.78, Wordery, Buy it now
7. Paul Hollywood The Weekend Baker
Cultural cakes, anyone? The latest offering from celebrity chef and dead-pan style Bake Off judge, Paul Hollywood, features sweet and savoury recipes which range from easy to tricky discovered during his trips to 10 different cities including New York, Paris and Copenhagen. Think Polish cheesecake and cherry and cheese scones.
10, Amazon, Buy it now
8. The Cardamom Trail: Chetna Bakes with Flavours of the East by Chetna Makan
Want to spice up your baking? The first cookbook from Chetna Makan, semi-finalist of Great British Bake Off 2014 and presenter of Chetna Bakes, shows you how to put an Indian twist on traditional recipes, with scrummy desserts like Strawberry Pudding flavoured with cinnamon and mango. Ideal for experienced bakers.
5.99, Amazon, Buy it now
9. Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding by Justin Gellatly
For those choosing their very first baking book, this one is a safe bet. In his wonderfully designed cookbook, Justin Gellatly, owner of Bread Ahead bakery, puts a tasty twist on traditional sweet and savoury snacks and also includes his famous cream-filled doughnuts.
19.99, Amazon, Buy it now
10. Twist: Creative Ideas to Reinvent Your Baking by Martha Collison
If youve mastered the basics and are ready to be adventurous with your baking, then look no further than Martha Collinsons Twist. The youngest ever Bake Off contender from the shows 2014 series brings a helpful guide to transforming simple bakes into wild and wonderful treats. The Pink Grapefruit Drizzle Cake is just the ticket for impressing guests.
5.99, Amazon, Buy it now
VERDICT: If youre a beginner looking for something to kick-start your baking, then you cant go wrong with the easy-to-follow recipes in Tanya Burrs Tanya Bakes. Skilled bakers looking to switch up their game can delve into the different baking cultures featured in Paul Hollywoods The Weekend Baker.
C hloe Moretz and Brooklyn Beckham have reportedly decided to split.
According to reports, the teenage couple have gone their separate ways after spending a romantic summer together in LA.
Moretz, 19, confirmed that she was in a relationship with the 17-year-old Brit back in May, after months of speculation.
But according to the New York Posts Page Six, the pair called it quits at some point over the last few weeks.
The news comes as Beckham returned to London with his family on Tuesday following a two month-break in Los Angeles.
Speaking about the relationship on Andy Cohen, Moretz recently said: We're in a relationship. It's fine. It's no biggie.
And I think that, you know, the more I don't make it mysterious, the more that people don't care. So yes, we're in a relationship.
Beckham, who is a keen photographer, posted a loved up photo of the pair on his Instagram account just two weeks ago.
The snap showed Moretz with her legs wrapped around him, under the caption: Keeping her safe.
Speaking to Elle.com, Moretz said: My boyfriend is a huge support.
Celebrity couples who split 1 /34 Celebrity couples who split Nick Young and Iggy Azalea called off their engagement in June 2016 after cheating allegations surfaced against Young. They had been engaged for a year. Jason Merritt/Getty Professor Green and Millie Mackintosh Professor Green and Millie Mackintosh were granted a 30-second quickie divorce after two and a half years of marriage. Mackintosh cited "unreasonable behaviour" as the reason and was soon pictured with new beau Hugo Taylor. Ian Gavan/Getty Cheryl and Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini The couple split after 19 months of marriage and Cheryl struck up a relationship with former One Direction singer Liam Payne Beretta/Sims/REX Shutterstock All over Singer Gwen Stefani and husband Gavin Rossdale filed for divorce amid rumours of an affair. Angela Weiss/Getty Images Short-lived Big Sean and Ariana Grande seemed loved up last year... but it was all over by April. Jason Merritt/Getty Images Calling it quits Olly Murs and Francesca Thomas didn't look too happy at Wimbledon in June. They split shortly afterwards. Different directions Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards called off their engagement just months after Malik quit One Direction. Disney/Rex So much for a happy ending Chad Kroeger and Avril Lavigne filed for divorce in September. Everett Collection/Rex PArting of the ways Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy have officially started seeing other people. Getty Images Family affair Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian finally ended their on/off relationship. Chris Weeks/Getty Images Amicable Vogue Williams and Brian McFadden amicably call off their marriage. Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Calling it quits Actor Jon Hamm and actress Jennifer Westfeldt have broken up. Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images Bets shot Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger gave their on/off relationship one more go this year... before breaking it off for good. Clive Rose/Getty Images Back on the market Olivier Martinez and Halle Berry, previously Hollywood's most gorgeous couple, are both single again. Matt Baron/BEI/Rex Shock split They were one of the strongest couples in Hollywood... until they weren't. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner filed for divorce in 2015. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Life change Louis Tomlinson and girlfriend Eleanor Calder split... and he is now expecting a baby with Briana Jungworth. Richard Young/Rex The beautiful people Joe Jonas were Gigi Hadid went their separate ways this year. Matteo Prandoni/REX Sad announcement Lara Stone and David Walliams had their divorce finalised in September. Photofab/Rex Done and dusted Liam Payne and girlfriend Sophia Smith called it quits at the end of 2015. David Fisher/Rex Nearly there Britney Spears and Charlie Ebersol split after eight months despite rumours they were set to wed. Jason Merritt/Getty Images Still good friends Suki Waterhouse and Bradley Cooper broke up but are still pals. Richard Young/Rex Star appeal Charlize Theron and Sean Penn were the perfect red carpet pair but things didn't work out. Clemens Bilan/Getty Images Icons Helena Bonham Carter and director Tim Burton split after many years together. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Moving on Miley Cyrus and Patrick Schwarzenegger call it a day. Larry Busacca/Getty Images Fond farewell Amanda Seyfried and Justin Long broke up after two years together Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images The beautiful people Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk said goodbye to each other in 2015. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't need a man for anything.
But when I'm feeling bad about myself, he's like, Stop. Look at what you say in interviews. Look at what you stand for. Listen to your own words, because you're as beautiful as you say you are.
Evening Standard Online has contacted Moretzs representatives for comment.
H arry Potter actor Matthew Lewis has revealed he spent hours quizzing a gigolo as research for his new role.
The actor best known for playing Neville Longbottom in all eight Harry Potter films stars as an escort called Peter in Unfaithful.
Owen McCaffertys play, about two couples brought together by a chance meeting in a hotel bar, also stars Ruta Gedmintas as Peters girlfriend and Niamh Cusack as one of his clients.
Lewis, 27, said the brutally honest script showed how his character justified his work because it allowed him freedom despite its emotional cost.
He said: One gentleman actually came in and talked to us for an afternoon which was absolutely invaluable.
"He was supposed to come in for an hour and I think we took about two or three and he was just fascinating to talk to.
He had a wonderful way of describing the industry and his experiences in it and it was so uncanny how similar his story was to Peters.
I thought Peters story, when I first read it, was slightly contrived and when I spoke to this guy I was like, Wow, did Owen speak to you when he wrote this play? because it was unbelievable how similar his life was to Peter.
TODO: define component type brightcove
He talked about the things they were asked by clients and how they wanted to put him into a box and fix him but he was literally doing it to make some money and he was his own boss and he was just like Peter.
The new role is the latest in the Yorkshire-born actors transformation from a child star.
"This year, he appeared as a suspected serial killer in the BBCs Happy Valley and is back on screens as a police officer in the fourth series of Victorian crime saga Ripper Street.
Lewis splits his time between London and Los Angeles and said he would be taking a break after Unfaithfuls run.
He is open to going back to the stage as well as films and TV. What is important is the project, he said. If its something thats exciting I dont care about the medium.
He said he had more than an ounce of trepidation about appearing at the pop-up venue, Found 111, in Charing Cross Road, but said the intimate setting, with the audience only inches from the stage, enhanced the show.
The theatre, in the old Central St Martins School of Art building, has drawn big names including Sherlocks Andrew Scott and James Norton to perform there in the past 12 months.
T he writers of a new BBC drama about serial killer John Christie went to extraordinary lengths to show how the man hanged for his crimes was framed.
They pored over the original trial reports and evidence, talked to a relative of the executed man and consulted an FBI profiler.
Christie is believed to have murdered at least eight women at his home in 10 Rillington Place, Ladbroke Grove.
His victims included Timothy Evanss wife Beryl and their baby daughter, Geraldine, who lived in the same building as the killer. But Christie blamed Evans for the murders and, in 1950, Evans was convicted and hanged. He was 25. Justice finally caught up with Christie three years later. Evans was given a posthumous pardon in 1966.
The case inspired the campaign to end the death sentence and was told in the 1971 thriller 10 Rillington Place, with Richard Attenborough as Christie and John Hurt as Evans.
In the BBC One drama Tim Roth is the serial killer and his wife, Ethel, is played by Samantha Morton. Nico Mirallegro takes the role of Evans.
Writers Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone went through the original trial reports and evidence to produce their story. We then took it to an American ex-FBI profiler for his independent thoughts, they said. They absolutely chimed with ours, that it was a tragic miscarriage of justice.
Nico Mirallegro as Timothy Evans in Rillington Place / BBC
They also spoke to Evanss surviving half-sister, who told them about the heartbreakingly frustrating moments when he could have been cleared. They said: She recalled to us how she and her sister spoke up to the police after Christie and Ethel gave them conflicting accounts of Beryl and Tims whereabouts but that the police werent interested in taking their statements.
Christie was accused of the murders on the stand as he delivered his evidence against Tim. Tantalisingly, the idea didnt take hold because Christie presented himself so well as a decent, educated man, a decorated serviceman and ex-policeman with no possible motive to kill a woman and her baby.
Samantha Morton as Ethel Christie in Rillington Place / BBC
He didnt have the appearance of a monster, the only other place to look was at Tim. Tim was an easy target, uneducated, a compulsive storyteller the odds were stacked against him even when there were gaps and inconsistencies.
Christie killed at least eight women between 1943 and 1953, including his wife. He was arrested when he moved out of the building and several bodies were discovered. He was hanged in 1953, at the age of 54.
Best TV dramas 2016 1 /38 Best TV dramas 2016 The Missing The addictive and twisty second series of the BBC's crime anthology series BBC/New Pictures/Robert Viglasky Dark Angel Joanne Froggatt stared as Victorian mass murderer Mary Ann Cotton in this ITV drama ITV Close to the Enemy Stephen Poliakoff's post-war drama thriller BBC/Little Island Pictures Ordinary Lies The BBC anthology drama returns with more twisted tales BBC/Red Productions/Adrian Rogers The Night Of Riz Ahmed stars in HBO's critically acclaimed crime mini-series HBO Cold Feet The classic ITV comedy-drama returns - and it's just as good as it ever was ITV Victoria ITV have given Poldark some stiff competition with this period drama about a young Queen Victoria ITV Poldark The BBC's hit drama returns with more brooding, and less naked scything BBC/Robert Viglasky One of Us The BBC kept everyone guessing with this claustrophobic four-part whodunit Ripper Street The fan-favourite Victorian police drama returned for Series 4 BBC/Tiger Aspect 2016/Bernard Walsh The Secret Agent Toby Jones led the cast in the BBC's Joseph Conrad adaptation BBC/World Productions/Mark Mainz/Matt Burlem The Living and the Dead The BBC's gothic romance debuted in full on iPlayer BBC Preacher AMC's adaptation of Garth Ennis' cult comic book is available week-by-week on Amazon Prime Amazon / AMC Versailles A raunchy royal romp around the court of King Louis XIV, spicing up Wednesdays on BBC Two Canal +/ BBC Locked Up The Spanish prison drama came to the UK thanks to Channel 4's Walter Presents series Channel 4 / Global Series Peaky Blinders The Birmingham-set gangster thriller was more popular than ever in its third series BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd/Tiger Aspect/Robert Viglasky The A Word The BBC gave us a nuanced and emotional take on autism BBC/Fifty Fathoms Marcella Anna Friel stars in ITV's British take on the Scandi-noir thriller ITV Grantchester James Norton is back as the crime-solving vicar ITV / Lovely Day Stag The comedy-thriller from the team behind The Wrong Mans is both hilarious and chilling BBC/Des Willie/Hal Shinnie/Matt Burlem Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger present a glossy drama about the Seventies music industry HBO American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson Cuba Gooding Jr leads an all-star cast in a dramatic re-telling of the 'trial of century' BBC/Fox Happy Valley Sarah Lancashire returned as Sgt Catherine Cawood for a second series of the gritty crime thriller BBC/Red Productions/Ben Blackall The X Files Mulder and Scully return for a brand new set of mysteries War and Peace The BBC's epic adaptation of the Russian literary classic BBC/Mitch Jenkins Call the Midwife The BBC period drama moved into the Sixties for Series 5 BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian Dickensian Charles Dickens' most famous characters collide in this historical soap BBC Jericho ITV's British western set in the wilds of Yorkshire Silent Witness The hugely popular detective drama returns for a 19th series
The drama is the BBCs latest remake, with Poldark among recent revivals of classic shows. Sitcom remakes including Porridge and Are You Being Served? have been panned by viewers as terrible and unfunny, leading to calls for more original shows to be commissioned.
Rillington Place will air on BBC One later this year
An outgoing Republican state lawmaker has used leftover campaign cash to launch a political action committee, raising questions about what is permissible under recent campaign-finance changes that he and fellow Republicans enacted.
Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson, registered the Wisconsin Liberty Fund in June. He listed himself as its chairman and treasurer.
Critics and political observers told the Wisconsin State Journal they could not recall another state lawmaker creating their own political action committee while in office. The third-term Knudson is not seeking re-election; he remains in office until January, when his successor will be sworn in.
At the same time Knudson formed the Wisconsin Liberty Fund, he transferred into it the balance of his candidate campaign account, about $21,000.
A nonpartisan government watchdog group, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, is questioning the legality of the move. The groups director, Matt Rothschild, told the State Journal it could empower Knudson and other lawmakers who might follow his lead to dodge restrictions on campaign fundraising that typically apply to candidates and office-holders.
But Knudson told the State Journal he consulted the states former campaign-finance agency, the Government Accountability Board, before forming the committee and was advised it was one of his options for using leftover campaign funds under the states newly revamped campaign finance law.
Theres no prohibition against a sitting lawmaker establishing a PAC, Knudson said in an interview. I would have to ask the question: Why would anyone have a problem with this?
Political action committees, or PACs, may collect contributions of unlimited amounts while making contributions to candidates, political parties or legislative campaign committees. They also may air their own ads, including those directly advocating for or against a candidate, known in campaign-finance jargon as express advocacy.
Candidate campaign committees, by contrast, face strict limits on the size of contributions they may accept.
Rothschilds group filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission challenging the legality of Knudsons actions.
We do not believe the new campaign finance law carved out a loophole for an elected official to set up his own express advocacy group, Rothschild said in a statement.
Knudson not worried about precedent
A spokesman for the state Ethics Commission, Reid Magney, declined to comment on whether Knudsons actions were permissible under law.
We dont comment on potential or actual complaints, Magney said.
He also said state law prohibits the GAB and the ethics commission from discussing requests for advice, the people and groups that seek it, and the guidance given.
Gov. Scott Walker signed a law in December that rewrote and curtailed state campaign-finance regulations. Knudson was Assembly author of a companion law that abolished the nonpartisan GAB and replaced it with partisan commissions on ethics and elections.
The new campaign-finance law bars candidates and office-holders from establishing more than one candidate committee.
The old law was slightly different, preventing candidates and office-holders from establishing more than one personal campaign committee.
Rothschild and Jay Heck, director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, were among those who said they could not recall another sitting lawmaker creating a political action committee.
In terms of an individual legislator setting up this kind of entity, its certainly something new, Heck said.
Knudson said he wasnt worried about whether theres precedent for what hes doing.
I didnt pattern this after anyone, he said. I didnt research whether its even been done before. That really wasnt my concern.
Knudson said he expects to use the fund to advocate for constitutional limited government and for liberty and freedom.
The intent is to do that through issue advocacy, he added a term for a type of political advocacy that does not explicitly support or oppose a candidate. Knudson said he also envisions the fund occasionally supporting candidates and specific legislation.
Extremely troubling
At the end of the last campaign-finance reporting period on July 25, Wisconsin Liberty Fund reported making no expenditures. The only funds it had collected were the transfer from Knudsons campaign account and a $100 individual contribution from Knudson.
Rothschild called the Knudsons formation of the group extremely troubling. He said his group believes office-holders who dont seek re-election and have leftover campaign funds should either return those dollars to donors or give them to charity.
Campaign contributions are not given to candidates to set them up as influence peddlers and shouldnt be used as such, Rothschild said.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Brandon Weathersby raised the question of whether Knudson plans to pay himself through the PAC. Weathersby also questioned how Knudson would abide by restrictions on the ability of PACs to coordinate their activities with candidates.
Its not unusual for a lawmaker to use leftover campaign cash to help political allies or chosen causes.
Former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle transferred $1 million from his campaign account to a liberal advocacy group, Greater Wisconsin Committee, during the 2010 campaign. It was part of a bid to boost Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in his race against then-Milwaukee County executive and Republican nominee Walker.
A more recent example was state Sen. Rick Gudex, R-Fond du Lac, who is not seeking re-election this year. Gudex recently gave money from his campaign fund to the Committee to Elect a Republican Senate, the campaign group for Wisconsin Senate Republicans.
However, Rothschild said theres an important distinction between Gudexs actions and Knudsons in that Gudex relinquished control of those funds.
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BROOKFIELD Over the July 4 weekend in 2015, state lawmakers sparked a public uproar by proposing last-minute changes to the state budget that would have created a deliberative process exception to Wisconsins long-cherished public records law. Government transparency advocates condemned the move, and the changes were hastily rescinded.
But the effort to shield records that are produced while crafting law and policy did not end there. Gov. Scott Walkers administration continued to assert its ability to withhold these records under existing law.
In May 2015, the Center for Media and Democracy sued Walker for refusing a request for documents relating to failed legislation that sought to rewrite the University of Wisconsin Systems mission statement, known as the Wisconsin Idea. Walkers attorneys cited deliberative process and other reasons for denying access.
Shortly after, Madison attorney Katy Lounsbury filed suit with her husband, Madison journalist Jud Lounsbury, and The Progressive magazine in response to a similar denial. The two cases were consolidated. I represented the Lounsburys in their action.
This May, Dane County Judge Amy Smith rejected the deliberative process defense as inconsistent with law. Friends of open government celebrated the ruling, which the state did not appeal, as a deterrent to other public officials who might try to claim this loophole exists. But there still could be efforts to assert this privilege in the courts or through legislation.
The phrase deliberate process borrows from language federal courts use when applying the federal Freedom of Information Act, the U.S. governments public records law. Congress incorporated the deliberative process privilege in FOIA through whats called an Exemption 5 to that law.
Exemption 5 allows federal officials to withhold certain interagency or intra-agency memorandums from the reach of FOIA requests. Courts have interpreted the exemption as permitting federal officials to deny public access to agency employees file memos, letters from employees of one agency to those of another, and consultants reports prepared for an agency.
These sorts of records are all routinely available under Wisconsins public records law.
In fact, as we noted in the lawsuits, the drafters of Wisconsins current public records law considered but rejected provisions similar to Exemption 5. That decision is consistent with the reputation Wisconsins public records law enjoys as one of the nations broadest.
While the federal approach relies on a purported need for agencies to operate in secrecy to produce the best final work product, Wisconsins approach embodies an opposite philosophy that outside scrutiny improves the process. As Judge Smith noted in her ruling, the effort to assert a deliberative process privilege flies in the face of long-held policies underlying Wisconsins open records law.
Regardless of whether the next attempt to introduce it comes by judicial or legislative cover, a deliberative process privilege would let agencies and state officials keep us in the dark regarding the identities and motivations of those who draft the rules. From the thunder of the initial rally against deliberative process in July 2015 to the comparatively subdued but welcome reception for Judge Smiths decision, that is the takeaway we cannot forget.
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Wednesday, 31 August 2016 23:12:27 (GMT+3) |
Mexico s iron pellet output rose 9.6 percent in June, year-on-year, to 642,846 mt, the countrys statistics agency, Inegi, said on Wednesday.
According to Inegi, iron pellet production also improved 9.6 percent on a month-on-month basis.
Mexico s mining and metals production index in June rose 4.6 percent, month-on-month, but declined 8.4 percent, year-on-year.
Mexican iron pellet production in H1 diminished 12.8 percent, year-on-year, according to Inegis data.
Thursday, 01 September 2016 17:41:50 (GMT+3) | Istanbul
South Korean steelmaker Pohang Iron and Steel Co. ( POSCO ) has announced that it has completed the construction of its first automotive steel plant in Thailand , with an investment of $300 million. The plant has a continuous galvanizing steel sheet line with an annual output capacity of 450,000 mt.
The plant will supply steel sheet for Toyota, Nissan, Ford and other car manufacturers that are operating in Thailand
Wednesday, 31 August 2016 23:40:07 (GMT+3) | San Diego
According to Statistics Canada , the volume of rail freight carried in Canada totaled 27.8 million tons in June, down 7.5 percent from the same month last year. Freight originating in Canada decreased 6.5 percent from June 2015 to 25.4 million tons. These shipments are composed of both non-intermodal and intermodal freight
Non-intermodal freight fell 6.3 percent to 277,000 carloads in June. The amount of freight loaded into these cars totaled 22.6 million tons, down 7.3 percent from the same month last year. The decline mainly reflected a decrease in loadings of wheat, fuel oils and crude petroleum, potash, and iron ore and concentrates. Tonnage of coal, potash, and fuel oils and crude petroleum shipped by rail was down year over year for the eight consecutive month.
Intermodal freight loadings edged up 0.4 percent year over year to 185,000 units. In terms of weight, intermodal traffic rose 0.7 percent to 2.8 million tons as a result of an increase in containers on flat cars.
Freight traffic received from the United States fell 17.3 percent to 2.4 million tons, as a result of a 19.4 percent decrease in non-intermodal freight , while intermodal freight from the United States increased 7.1 percent.
Wednesday, 31 August 2016 23:45:57 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo
The recovery of Brazil s steel sector will depend much on the actions of recently appointed president Michel Temer, who assumed the office on Wednesday following the impeachment of suspended president Dilma Rousseff.
Rousseff was ousted from office on Wednesday for 60 votes out of a total of 54 needed votes, which resulted in her condemnation for manipulating fiscal figures and committing crime of fiscal responsibility.
In a letter sent to SteelOrbis on Wednesday, Brazil s steel distributors association, Inda, said it is optimistic regarding the new president.
The steel [sector] is one of the main levers to a countrys development and no businessman feels confident in promoting investments when the government doesnt give clear signs of its intentions, the letter said.
We dont expect fancy transformations in the economy as well as in politics in the short-term. If it stops to get worse, then its a good start.
Carlos Loureiro, president of Inda, told local media the effects related to the change of government should be felt by the next year.
The executive told a local newspaper there were investments in Brazil , which were on hold mode due to the political uncertainty, however, indications that those resources and investments are getting back on track would mean a retake for local steel demand over the time. It will all depend on the actions the new government will take, he said.
Even if a retake takes a lot of time to happen, theres money, which is not being invested, he said.
Loureiro argued a final decision over whos going to be the president for the next few years ousts certain uncertainties and improves the perspective for the sectors recovery.
Swiss-based special steel producer and distributor Schmolz+Bickenbach has announced that it has opened a new sales office in Taipei, Taiwan to give local customers access to the entire product range of the company and strengthen customer service in the region, as part of the companys strategy to increase its global presence.
Russian steel pipe producer TMK has announced that Orsky Machine Building Plant, part of TMK Oilfield Services, has been qualified by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), one of the Middle East oil majors, as an approved supplier of K UP FJ and K UP SF premium threaded connections, which are integral joint connections for casing and tubing applications.
Wednesday, 31 August 2016 23:40:49 (GMT+3) | San Diego
The US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced it will reduce antidumping margins on imports of OCTG from South Korea. The amendment is the result of an August 2 ruling by the US Court of International Trade (CIT) that said the margins were not in harmony with the DOCs earlier final determinations.
AD margins previously ranged from 9.89-15.75 percent. New margins for Hyundai Hysco will be 6.49 percent (down from 15.75 percent); Nexteels new margin is 3.98 percent (down from 9.89 percent); and all other Korean producers will be assigned margins of 5.24 percent (down from 12.82 percent).
The amendment goes into effect as of August 12, 2016.
Thursday, 01 September 2016 15:06:08 (GMT+3) | Istanbul
During the past two weeks, demand for Turkish merchant bar in the export markets has remained weak. Despite the weakness of demand, Turkish merchant bar export quotations have moved sideways for the second consecutive week following the slight reduction recorded two weeks ago as no significant decline has been recorded in import scrap prices over the past month and given the increases seen in the Chinese billet quotations compared to one month ago.
Turkish merchant bar export prices are currently at the following levels:
Product Price ($/mt) Angle 410-430 IPN-UPN 420-440 Flat bar 430-450 IPE 420-440
All prices are on FOB basis and for September shipment.
According to market sources, Chinese offers to the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) for 4"-12" grade B seamless pipes have increased by $10/mt over the past two weeks to $460-480/mt CFR, while ex-South Korea offers to the UAE for 8"-24" water and gas ERW pipes have remained unchanged in the same period at $560-635/mt CFR.
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Updated at 1:45 p.m.
The auto market that once invigorated the U.S. economy has become a tough sell, with every major automaker missing analysts estimates for August in a further sign that the industrys six-year growth run has hit the end of the road.
Buyers are being offered the sweetest deals since the Great Recession of 2009 and yet are responding with a shrug. The pattern of steeper-than-predicted declines held true for Ford and General Motors as well as for Japan-based makers Toyota, Nissan and Honda. Even the lone major company to report a gain, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, trailed estimates.
Even more concerning was the softness in the pickup market, where U.S. automakers earn the most money and which has benefited from cheaper gasoline prices. Sales were down for Ford F-Series, GMs Chevrolet Silverado and Fiat Chryslers Ram pickups. While some of that can be attributed to selling fewer trucks to fleet buyers, Ford essentially declared the death of runaway auto sales growth on a conference call.
We had a period of several years coming out of the financial crisis when growth in auto sales outpaced broader economic growth, and that period is over, said Bryan Bezold, Fords senior U.S. economist. Were no longer in a period where we have a lot of pent-up demand.
Consumers arent responding to discounts and other incentives as readily as in 2014 or 2015, Mark LaNeve, Fords U.S. sales chief, told analysts on the call.
Incentives do wear over time, said Mark Wakefield, managing director and head of the automotive practice for consultant AlixPartners. There isnt a lot of juice left to squeeze. And the companies dont want to incite an incentive war.
The slack response will test whether automakers can keep avoiding even deeper discounts to chase sales, the practice that helped force GM and Chrysler to restructure through bankruptcy in 2009. Another batch of discounts may emerge this month to clear out inventory of the outgoing models, said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst at Edmunds.com.
It wasnt exactly a blockbuster month in August, so that puts extra pressure on the industry to step up its game in September, especially this coming Labor Day weekend, Caldwell said. Were at a critical time where dealers need to clear out 2016 inventory to make room for 2017s.
Augusts results, when complete, may show a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of about 17.2 million cars and light trucks, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts, down from a 17.9 million rate in July that was the highest of the year.
Incentives were lower than in July, when GM offered 20 percent cash back on several Chevrolet models, according to vehicle-shopping website TrueCar. GM also projects a 17.2 million pace for August, bringing the year-to-date selling rate to 17.3 million.
With the discounts eased, industrywide sales may have fallen about 3.5 percent in August, according to the average estimate in the Bloomberg survey.
While discounts have, at least on paper, crept back up to pre-recession levels, theres more cushion than ever: Transaction prices are at a record high as buyers opt for bigger vehicles with nicer interiors, electronics and driver-assist features. With that profit protection, carmakers can weather a snap in the record streak of sales increases. GM and Ford both said transaction prices continued to rise.
The pricing discipline has helping the industry stay profitable while its still backed by strong, if weakening, underlying trends: low unemployment, available credit, high equity valuations, cheap gasoline. Consumer confidence jumped this month, the Conference Board reported this week, beating estimates and rising to the highest level in almost a year.
Even so, that has failed to inspire investors, who have been preoccupied with the lack of growth in the U.S. market and potential disruption to the industry from new technology, new entrants and new concepts of personal mobility.
Teslas licenses to sell cars in Missouri are in jeopardy after a circuit judge ruled the electric car maker is not a franchisee and its licenses should not be renewed by the Missouri Department of Revenue.
Led by billionaire CEO Elon Musk, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based electric car maker sells vehicles from company-owned stores and online. In January 2015, after Tesla opened stores in University City and Kansas City, the Missouri Auto Dealers Association sued the Missouri revenue department and its director, alleging its direct-to-consumer model violates state law.
MADA, a Jefferson City-based trade group that represents new-car and new-truck dealers, alleged Teslas business model of selling vehicles directly to customers violates Missouris Motor Vehicle Franchise Practices Act that requires car manufacturers to sell motor vehicles through a dealer holding a franchise agreement with a manufacturer.
The revenue department argued in court that Missouri law does not require a franchise agreement with another entity and that licenses issued to Tesla complied with state law. Tesla had filed a franchise agreement with the department that stated Tesla Motors authorizes Tesla Motors to sell Tesla vehicles.
But on Wednesday, the Circuit Court of Cole County agreed with MADA and ruled in favor of MADAs motion for summary judgment.
Under state law, a single entity may not manufacture vehicles for sale in Missouri and possess a Missouri new motor vehicle dealer license, Judge Daniel Green wrote in the ruling.
The ruling doesnt revoke Teslas existing licenses but states the revenue department is prohibited from renewing Teslas licenses to sell or issuing new licenses to Tesla.
Subject to limited exceptions that are not applicable in this case, a franchisor is prohibited from owning or operating a new motor vehicle dealership in Missouri, Judge Greens ruling states.
A spokeswoman for the office of the Missouri attorney general, which represents the revenue department, said the AGs office is reviewing the ruling.
The revenue department issued motor vehicle franchise dealer licenses to Tesla for the Tesla dealership in University City in 2013 and for the dealership in Kansas City in 2014. Tesla also recently requested a change in zoning in Chesterfield to open a new facility.
Tesla makes a tremendous product, and we want Missouri consumers to have access to purchase a Tesla if they choose to, MADA President and CEO Doug Smith said in a statement. However, we have held the position from the start that the Missouri Department of Revenue erroneously granted a motor vehicle dealer license to Tesla in violation of Missouri law. All we have ever requested is that any new manufacturer be treated the same as other vehicle manufacturers in Missouri, which are all required to employ a system of sales that uses an automobile dealer to deliver the vehicle to Missouri consumers.
Tesla, which has said it viewed MADAs lawsuit as way to limit competition, was not initially a party in the lawsuit. But its request to intervene in the case to avoid separate litigation was approved by the judge.
In an emailed statement to the Post-Dispatch, a Tesla spokesperson said the company plans to fight to continue to sell vehicles in Missouri: The statute in Missouri permits Tesla to sell directly and the State Agency has supported these laws by granting Tesla licenses to serve its customers in Missouri, Teslas statement said.
Following todays trial court decision, Tesla will take all appropriate steps in the courts to ensure that Missouri consumers continue to have the right to choose how they purchase their vehicles.
Most people take vacations to get away from the stress of work. No reports, reviews, problems, deadlines. You can reconnect with what and who matter most. Getting away from it all is great for the soul.
Getting away from it all was my intent in our familys most recent vacation. However, I got something much more than a break from work.
We rented a condo for a few days in the mountains of Colorado. Getting up that first morning, I was overwhelmed by what greeted me in the view from the deck. The mountains, adorned with cedar and pine, rose up against the backdrop of a deep blue sky. A brook cut through a field of wildflowers, providing music while hummingbirds flitted from bloom to bloom. A cool breeze, ladened with a myriad of fresh alpine scents, brushed against the steam from my mug.
Usually I begin the day with a cup of coffee and a perusal of the news. But this morning, I only brewed the coffee. Gazing at that Colorado panorama, the last thing I wanted to do was read about the latest murder, the latest salvo fired between Presidential candidates, the latest terrorist atrocity you get the picture.
Sometimes, when the headlines start tapping out a rhythm of stress and tension in your mind, you have to put yourself into a place where you cant hear it.
Its not an accident that the Judaeo-Christian tradition describes mountains as being such a place. That is where earth and heaven meet in the ancient cosmology. Its where God appeared to Moses in smoke and fire, and to Elijah in a small voice. Its where Jesus radiated light and conversed with both of those revered figures. Its as if the Biblical writers sensed a transcendence you could best discover when you saw lofty peaks and cascading ravines.
It would be somehow blasphemous for any of these spiritual giants to have marred that transcendence by bringing with them problems from the lower regions. Similarly, it would have been blasphemous for me to look at the wildflowers and recall societal, global, financial, or personal problems. In the mountains, all those things take a back seat
Of course, mountain experiences cant last. The Biblical writers noted that the visits by those special pilgrims ended somewhat abruptly. Moses descended Mt. Sinai to face a grumbling group of ex-slaves. Elijah returned to face a queen whod put a bounty on his head. Jesus encountered an ill boy in need of healing.
Work has to be done. Classes must begin. Debates must be held. Battles must be fought. Decisions must be made. Headlines must be read and news digested.
Yet, if youve really allowed the mountains to work their magic on you, then you cant return home without taking some of those mountains with you.
The Rockies puts things in perspective. They convey the sense that theres more to life than youre used to. The problems that seem so big to you in Missouri pale in the shadow of the towering peaks.
Whats more, they convey that youre not alone in that life. You know that if a Creator can make such awesome beauty, then nothing we humans can do will mess it up in the long run. If God can push up mountains to the sky while delicately designing butterflies that flutter around high-plains daisies, God can take care of things regardless of who wins the White House. Its as if the mountains reflect a power and wisdom greater than your own.
Maybe all this is why the Biblical writers felt they were in the presence of God when they ascended well above sea level.
Perhaps our job, in living in the flatlands, is to remember the power, wisdom, and love that transcend our everydayness. Worshipping in our faith communities helps. So do tending to the weak, standing up for the oppressed, and performing acts of compassion.
Maybe were able to catch the unmistakable aroma of cedar and pine without exhausting the vacation fund.
Maybe the mountains arent as far away as we think.
Weeks is senior pastor of Manchester United Methodist Church. He is a regular Faith Perspectives contributor to STLtoday.com/religion.
The first time I talked to Jane Dueker about a questionable vote involving Penny Hubbard, it had nothing to do with absentees. Bruce Franks was not yet on the radar screen as a candidate for the state House. Heck, Ferguson wasnt even a hashtag.
It was August 2013, and Hubbard, a Democratic state representative from St. Louis, had provided a key vote in the House overriding a gubernatorial veto. The bill protected Doe Run Co., by capping damages that could be obtained against the company from people filing lawsuits over exposure to lead mine tailings and chat piles in St. Francois County.
Hubbard had voted against the bill in the legislative session. But then Doe Run went to work. It lobbied Hubbard to change her vote. It brought her out to the companys lead mining operations for a tour. The company hired her son, Rodney Hubbard Jr., as a lobbyist.
Doe Runs attorney at the time? Jane Dueker.
She denied Hubbard did anything wrong, and on Wednesday in St. Louis City Circuit Court in front of Judge Rex Burlison, she was at it again.
Dueker is defending Hubbard in a lawsuit brought by Franks, who lost a close Democratic primary election in August to Hubbard for the right to represent the 78th District. The district takes in downtown St. Louis, most of the near north side and parts of the citys south side, including Franks Benton Park West neighborhood.
The lawsuit alleges irregularities in absentee voting, noting the tendency for the Hubbard family to regularly win elections based in large part on absentee turnout, particularly in the 5th Ward, where Hubbards husband, Rodney, is the committeeman.
Much of the evidence of such irregularities was laid out to Post-Dispatch readers Wednesday morning by reporters Stephen Deere and Doug Moore in their investigation into the election.
In some ways, the trial pits a new sort of anti-establishment force in the Democratic Party symbolized by Franks, who was active in Ferguson protests, against the old guard, represented not only by Hubbard but her attorneys. Dueker, a former chief of staff to Gov. Bob Holden, commonly represents some of the biggest companies in St. Louis. Her co-counsel is state Rep. Mike Colona, who couldnt run for re-election because of term limits.
On Wednesday, testimony focused on the inner workings of the election system, and the paper trail that is maintained from the moment an absentee ballot is requested to when a vote is made, either electronically or via paper ballot.
But the reason the battle in Burlisons courtroom is so important has little to do with the finer points of election law. Its about money. Its about power.
Its about ward politics in the city of St. Louis and the oversized power of the political families that run certain wards, be they the Hubbards or the Slays, the Villas or the Carters. Whoever wins this battle and there likely will be more losers than winners it serves to open up the city to the inner workings of machine Democratic politics in St. Louis.
More than political dynasties are at stake.
In 2013, Hubbard cast two votes in the veto session one for Doe Run and another favoring the insurance industry that were worth literally millions of dollars to the entities that hire lobbyists to make sure their interests are protected in the Capitol. One House member, in certain circumstances, can make that much of a difference.
But Hubbards power is strengthened by her familys control over the 5th Ward, where politicians and power brokers often come seeking votes.
Take a look at just the most recent campaign finance reports from the primary election now in question.
On Aug. 1, one of Kansas Citys largest development companies, North Point Development, wrote a $5,000 check to the 5th Ward Democratic Organization, which the Hubbards control. A week later, U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr.s campaign donated $1,000. The campaign for Democrat Judy Baker, a statewide candidate for treasurer, chipped in $500 the same day. Attorney general candidate, Teresa Hensley, also a Democrat, tossed in $500 a week after that.
Then, on Aug. 28, the 5th Ward committee transferred $4,500 to Penny Hubbards House campaign committee.
To say the least, the flow of money from two statewide candidates, a congressman and a cross-state developer into and out of an otherwise obscure ward committee in St. Louis raises broad questions about how money flows in Democratic elections.
The questions before Judge Burlison, meanwhile, are fairly narrow.
Should some absentee votes be disqualified as a matter of law?
Is the St. Louis Election Board out of compliance?
Will there be a new election in House District 78?
But the larger question is more important than any single election. Like many things in Missouris unrestrained political world, this question revolves around the pernicious influence of money on public policy decisions.
Can money buy votes in the 5th Ward? In St. Louis? In Missouri?
The paper trail holds the answers.
UPDATED with Jennifer Joyce asking judge to vacate or delay ruling.
ST. LOUIS A circuit court judge ruled Wednesday that Jennifer Joyce, the citys top prosecutor, must disclose the names and addresses of victims and witnesses to defendants and defense lawyers.
The ruling, from Franklin County Judge Gael D. Wood who was assigned to the case, comes after more than a year of legal battles initiated when Mary Fox, the citys head public defender, sued Joyce in protest of her policy of redacting dates of birth, Social Security numbers, telephone numbers and addresses from police reports before providing the reports to the defense.
The two argued over whether a 1979 Missouri Supreme Court pretrial disclosure rule goes far enough to protect crime victims while guaranteeing defendants rights to a fair trial.
The rule requires prosecutors to share with defense lawyers "the names and last known addresses of persons whom the state intends to call as witnesses at any hearing or at the trial, together with their written or recorded statements..."
Joyces spokeswoman, Susan Ryan, said the prosecutor complies with all Missouri Supreme Court rules and the constitution. Ryan said they will appeal the decision to protect the safety and well-being of the victims and witnesses who bravely participate in the criminal justice system. Joyce tweeted Thursday morning that her office is working with the courts and the Missouri Legislature to update discovery rules.
Fox believes Joyce's practice of withholding the information from defense lawyers violates indigent clients' constitutional right to a fair trial and puts additional pressure on an office Fox says is overworked and underfunded. While the circuit attorneys office says it makes witnesses available for interviews and depositions, Fox says public defenders should be able to talk to them without interference from the state.
She said Wednesday she is pleased with Wood's ruling: This is a positive step forward to getting the information we need to represent our clients.
Joyce believes the disclosure rule is antiquated and predates social media that have made it easier to publicly share sensitive information. Her office has, for at least a decade, flaunted the rule by redacting police reports because Joyce believes a state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 1992 overrides the Supreme Court rule. That amendment gave crime victims the rights to be informed of, upon request, guilty pleas, bail hearings and other court proceedings, a quick disposition of a case and to be informed of the escape and release of criminals.
Joyce's chief trial assistant, Beth Orwick filed a motion Sept. 1 asking the judge to nullify his ruling or delay it pending Joyce's appeal.
"The public outcry and chilling effect this ruling has on the city of St. Louis exceeds the good-cause standard," the motion said.
The state Supreme Court says prosecutors must show "good cause" as to why the names and last known addresses should be withheld from defendants.
The disclosure debate has become one of Joyce's central issues in the dwindling months of her fourth straight term as circuit attorney. She did not seek a fifth term, and State Rep. Kim Gardner is set to become the city's first black circuit attorney after defeating three opponents in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary. Gardner will run unopposed in November.
WESTERLY, R.I. A 50-year-old Westerly man is charged with shooting corncobs at his neighbor's home.
The Westerly Sun reports that Jeffrey Osella was arrested Tuesday night. Police say he answered his door shirtless and had corn kernels stuck to his chest.
Police say Osella used a potato gun to shoot corncobs at his neighbor's house, which is up for sale. The gun is made of PVC pipe and uses a light accelerant such as hair spray that can be ignited.
Police say Osella and his neighbor have long-running disputes.
Osella is charged with disorderly conduct and firing in a compact area. He's free on bail and is to be arraigned Friday.
A phone number for Osella could not be found.
Osella's attorney says he can't comment until he reviews the case.
The St. Louis Board of Elections appears to be shocked shocked to find that absentee voter fraud may be going on. Post-Dispatch reporters Stephen Deere and Doug Moore needed about a week of shoe-leather reporting to document numerous examples of fraud and intimidation of whistleblowers.
That the board was caught flat-footed is a testament to its incompetence and a clear sign that its time for a shakeup.
The board is overseen by four commissioners appointed by the governor, two from each party. Day-to-day operations are run by two full-time election directors, one from each party, paid about $90,000 a year each, and four deputy commissioners, two from each party, receiving about $70,000 each. Nobody noticed anything amiss.
Its not like there werent any clues. Consider the huge number of absentee ballots cast over the years in elections where members of the Hubbard family were running. Dave Roland, attorney for Bruce Franks Jr., who lost his Aug. 2 Democratic primary race against state Rep. Penny Hubbard, had the right word for it: unbelievable.
Citywide, absentee votes generally make up between 4 percent and 8 percent of total votes cast. In races involving a Hubbard family member, the percentages were at least four times greater. In one precinct where a Hubbard was on the ballot, more people voted absentee than voted in person. The Hubbard candidate got huge (up to 95.7 percent) majorities of absentee votes.
The Post-Dispatch investigation revealed multiple problems, including at least 60 instances where two applications for an absentee ballot were submitted to the board on behalf of a single voter. People told Deere and Moore that Hubbard campaign workers had filled out ballots for them. Former board employees recalled Rodney Hubbard Sr., head of the powerful political clan, routinely delivering stacks of absentee ballots, which would be unlawful.
Franks filed a lawsuit seeking a new election; St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Rex Burlison heard testimony in the matter Wednesday. Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce has opened an investigation. The Missouri secretary of state and U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan are reviewing the case.
Regardless of how Burlison rules, there is a general election in a little over two months and a mayoral primary in March. And right now, there are serious questions about the integrity and competence of the citys election authority.
Enough already. This is a terrible time for a mass overhaul of the election board, but an excellent time to bring in an independent election expert to put the house in order.
The citys election system is seriously in danger of losing voter confidence. Since the current board serves under appointment by Gov. Jay Nixon, the governor should exercise every authority at his command to replace commissioners with people of courage and backbone to right this sinking ship.
The Donald Trump on display Wednesday as would-be Immigration Enforcer-in-Chief was unlike any of the Donald Trumps weve seen this campaign. During a visit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump was cordial, respectful, soft-spoken and extremely guarded in his words.
Theres strong evidence that his new team of handlers have convinced Trump that his presidential prospects will continue to diminish unless his tone changes. Thats good, provided he can keep it up. We worry that he cant, however, because of the speech the GOP candidate gave in Phoenix later Wednesday outlining the major tenets of his immigration enforcement plan.
The speech was full of the standard Trump brashness and unsupported, broad-sweep characterizations. Particularly disappointing was his failure (again) to explain the cost and financing of his immigration plan.
In Mexico City, Trump told reporters he and Pena Nieto did not discuss the single most repeated and most outlandish tenet of Trumps plan: building a wall across the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. Trump continues to insist Mexico will pay for it.
If the topic didnt come up in the Mexico meeting, the fault was all Trumps. Did he lose his nerve once he sat face-to-face with the Mexican president? Did he somehow forget to bring it up?
Who pays for the wall? We didnt discuss, Trump told reporters.
Pena Nieto stated afterward that the issue did come up at the start of the meeting, and he made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
In Phoenix Wednesday night, Trump invoked it as his top priority. On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border. and Mexico will pay for the wall, he stated.
His obsession with this fantasy detracts from other aspects of Trumps immigration speech that actually are worthy of consideration. He correctly says, for example, that criminal aliens should be deported from the United States.
That also happens to be the top enforcement priority of the Obama administration. Since 2009, the United States has deported more than 2 million unauthorized immigrants, more than a third of whom held criminal status.
Trump is correct that the E-Verify program should be expanded to ensure that U.S. employers dont profit by evading laws designed to reduce the magnet appeal of illegal employment here.
His plan to expand biometric screening also is worth consideration. Paying for it plus the wall, plus his proposed 5,000 extra border enforcers, plus extra prison facilities to house potential deportees, plus the extra personnel and vehicles required to hunt down and expel 11 million unauthorized immigrants is the big question.
For a man so full of answers to Americas biggest problems, Trump is awkwardly silent when it comes to that one.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) recently joined local officials and homeowners at Justine Petersen Housing and Reinvestment Corporation to announce the relaunch of the Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) program in Illinois and share information on how struggling homeowners can take advantage of this federal program.
HHF, which re-opened to homeowners in Illinois this month, provides mortgage assistance to families struggling to make mortgage payments due to loss of income.
When a home goes into foreclosure, the family suffers and the entire neighborhood is impacted. It has become clear that we still have work to do to address the problems in the housing market and bring stability back to our communities, Durbin said. I supported the creation and funding of the Hardest Hit Fund at the height of the housing crisis and I continue to support the program today. I encourage those that find themselves on the brink of foreclosure or struggling to make their mortgage payments to take advantage of these programs.
When the American dream of homeownership faces a formidable obstacle of retention, programs like the Hardest Hit Fund are key to preserving the dream, said Robert Boyle, CEO of Justine Petersen Housing and Reinvestment Corporation, Not only does the household become at risk, but the community as a whole.
HHF was established in February 2010 to provide targeted aid to families in states hit hard by the economic and housing market downturn. This year, Illinois received an additional $269 million in HHF funding to transform communities that are still facing economic challenges. Durbin advocated for these funds to be included in the Omnibus Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016, which was signed into law in December 2015.
The program, which is designed and administered in Illinois by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), provides eligible homeowners with up to $35,000 in temporary mortgage assistance. HHF assistance is provided as a five-year forgivable loan and funds may have to be repaid to IHDA if the owner sells the home at a profit or refinances during the five year loan term.
Applicants must have experienced a 15 percent reduction in income due to a qualifying hardship event that was through no fault of their own, such as: unemployment; underemployment; decrease or loss of business income; loss of income due to disability or health-related event; death of spouse or title holder and divorce of spouse or title holder. The hardship must have occurred after Jan. 1, 2010, and after the purchase of the property.
Illinois foreclosure rate is among the worst in the country, with more than 13,000 completed foreclosures within the last 12 months, and a serious delinquency rate of 3.3 percent. One of 882 families in Illinois are in some state of foreclosure. Madison and St. Clair counties have experienced slightly higher foreclosure rates than the state, with one of 862 families in some sort of foreclosure in Madison County, and one of 697 families in some sort of foreclosure in St. Clair County.
Since HHF was launched, IHDA has provided more than $339 million in mortgage assistance to over 14,000 Illinois homeowners from 100 counties across the state, including 240 homeowners in Madison County.
For those interested in mortgage assistance through HHF, free applications for the program are available online through IHDAs Illinois Hardest Hit website at illinoishardesthit.org/.
Actors Paapa Essiedu and Natalie Simpson, pictured in the RSCs recent Hamlet, and rapper Juice Aleem, inset, will take part in the 63rd Stratford Poetry Festival
THE UKs longest-running poetry festival returns to Stratford from Sunday, 18th September, with a line-up of readings, performances and workshops featuring world-class poets and artists.
Organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the 63rd Stratford Poetry Festival celebrates 400 years of Shakespeares creative legacy with a programme of contemporary, diverse and inspirational poetry. Highlights include readings from acclaimed Shakespearean actors Paapa Essiedu and Natalie Simpson (recently seen at the RSC as Hamlet and Ophelia), an experimental evening of hip-hop, poetry and performance with Birmingham-based rapper Juice Aleem, and bookbinding and creative writing workshops. There will also be a poetry choir with a programme of classical and contemporary choral work, an open-mic night, and a cheese and wine evening with readings from Venus and Adonis in Shakespeares Schoolroom.
Children and the young at heart can also join in the fun, with a lively, intergalactic musical poetry workshop featuring Shakespeare in Space. Poetry can happen anywhere, at any time. This year, ten world-class poets have been invited to be poets-in-residence at venues across Stratford as part of the Unexpected Encounters programme. Supported by Arts Council England and the Danish Arts Council, Unexpected Encounters features a diverse range of distinguished poets including Jo Bell, Matt Black, Roy McFarlane, Gregory Leadbetter and Arjunan Manuelpillai, taking inspiration from observations and interactions with people and their surroundings to produce new pieces. Special guest poet-in-residence, in partnership with Hosking Houses Trust, is Danish poet Cindy Lynn Brown, who will be writing poems inspired by Hamlet. At the end of the festival the poets will perform their work and share experiences at a special showcase evening on Saturday, 24th September.
Dr Paul Edmondson, poetry festival director and head of research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, said: Were really excited by the variety and diversity of this years programme, bringing a fresh, contemporary approach to poetry for the enjoyment of people of all ages.
Featuring works by established artists alongside plenty of new writing from up and coming talents, there will be plenty of opportunity for people to take inspiration and try their hand at creative writing. We look forward to welcoming people from near and far to enjoy this fantastic celebration of poetry in the hometown of one of the greatest poets of all. WHERE & WHEN: The 63rd Stratford-upon-Avon Poetry Festival runs from Sunday 18th to Sunday, 25th September. For tickets, visit www.shakespeare.org.uk/poetry-festival
Cars wait to fill with fuel at Sinopec's fuel station in Beijing, China, February 3, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
By Barani Krishnan
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell more than 3 percent on Thursday, heading for their sharpest weekly slide since January as investors brushed aside talk that OPEC might freeze production and focused on a growing glut from U.S. crude stockpiles.
Energy monitoring service Genscape's report of a 714,282-barrel drawdown at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery point for U.S. crude futures during the week ended on Aug. 30 did little to bolster sentiment, traders who saw the report said.
Investors focused instead on Wednesday's government data showing a 2.3 million-barrel build in U.S. crude stocks in the last week, more than double what the market had expected. Inventories of distillates, which include diesel and heating oil, rose nearly 10 times as much as forecast, the data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration showed. [EIA/S]
Brent crude futures ended the session at $45.45 per barrel, down $1.44 or 3.07 percent.
U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures closed down $1.54 or 3.45 percent at $43.16 a barrel.
Both Brent and WTI were down about 9 percent week-to-date for their biggest decline since mid-January.
Technical pressure has also increased on oil, with WTI edging toward a test of its Aug. 11 low of $41.10. That low had been a crucial support for U.S. crude futures, which rallied to above $48 less than a week later.
"Basically it's a retest of that breakout," Andreas Wunder at Alphatrade Asset Management in Austin, Texas, said, noting the move lower appeared as forceful as the one higher.
A Reuters poll of 34 analysts and economists forecast Brent would average $45.44 a barrel in 2016, slightly lower than last month's forecast of $45.51. [O/POLL]
It was the first downward revision in prices on the poll in six months, and came amid reduced prospects for output curbs by the world's largest oil producers.
Oil prices rose as much 11 percent in August, posting their biggest monthly rise since April, on speculation the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers might agree to freezing production during Sept. 26-28 talks in Algeria.
That speculation has since fizzled, although Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday that OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers were moving toward a common position on output.
"Talk is cheap," Harry Tchilinguirian, global head of commodity markets strategy at BNP Paribas, told the Reuters Global Oil Forum. "Reality will set in, and the market will realize that the agendas of various OPEC producers are not aligned."
(Additional reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar in New York, Christopher Johnson in LONDON and Keith Wallis in SINGAPORE; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, David Gregorio and Chris Reese)
Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA), the middle market agency subsidiary of Marsh, announced it has acquired Benefits Advisory Group, an Atlanta-based employee benefits consulting firm. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Created in 2003, Benefits Advisory Group offers a wide-range of employee benefit services to midsize employers throughout Georgia. All of the firms employees, including its owner Al NeSmith, will join MMA and operate as part of MMAs existing Atlanta operations.
We are pleased to have Al and his team join the Mid-Atlantic region of MMA. Benefits Advisory Group brings a complementary set of talent that will enhance our employee benefits offering in the Atlanta market, said Thomas R. Brown, vice chairman of MMAs Mid-Atlantic region.
Mr. NeSmith added: We are excited to join MMA and the regional partners in the Mid-Atlantic. This relationship will enable us to continue to offer best-in-class employee benefits solutions to our clients with a broader range of best-in-class products and services.
Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC) announced that it has acquired the assets of Dofesa Barrido Mecanizado (Dofesa), Tennant Companys largest and long-time Mexico distributor, based in Aguascalientes in central Mexico. The transaction closed on September 1, 2016, and terms were not disclosed.
Tennant Company completed the acquisition through its existing Mexican subsidiary, Tennant Sales and Services of Mexico (Tennant Mexico). In addition to other Tennant distributors in Mexico, this acquisition will enable Tennant Mexico to have broad and deep representation in key regions such as Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Puebla.
This acquisition represents a key investment into Tennant Companys growth in targeted emerging markets. Tennant Company is interested in opportunities that expand our sales and service networks and enhance our ability to meet customer needs more quickly. Were very excited to see all three of these coming together with Dofesa. Adding the 50-plus Dofesa employees to the Tennant Mexico team and with the distribution facilities of Dofesa, Tennant Mexico will be able to provide equipment, parts and service directly to our distributors and customers, shortening the time to delivery and avoiding extra costs, said Rusty Zay, Senior Vice President of the Americas for Tennant Company. Tennant Company has great respect for Dofesa and its 40-year legacy as a Tennant distributor in Mexico. We look forward to building upon this foundation as we take Tennant Mexico to a whole new level, Zay continued.
Alejandro Hernandez, owner of Dofesa, commented, Our business has enjoyed a very successful relationship with Tennant Company for many years. Representing the high-quality Tennant brand to our customers in Mexico has helped Dofesa become the leading name in cleaning in this market. We are very confident that Tennant Mexico will carry on the commitment to quality that our companies have shared for so long.
This is the second acquisition announced recently by Tennant Company. On July 28, 2016, the company announced its acquisition of the commercial floor coatings business of Crawford Laboratories, maker of Florock brand floor coatings.
Zay noted that these transactions are consistent with the company's strategy of pursuing add-on acquisitions to gain access to interesting products or to expand its global sales and service coverage.
Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF) announced that Ralph Scozzafava, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Gregg A. Tanner as the Company's Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company's Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2017. In order to ensure a smooth transition, Mr. Tanner will remain as an advisor to the Company through the Annual Stockholders Meeting in May 2017.
"This announced transition is the culmination of our succession planning efforts, and the Board is confident that Ralph supported by Dean Foods' experienced and dedicated management team is the right leader for the Company's continued success and growth," said Jim Turner, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board. "The Board sincerely thanks Gregg for his many contributions to Dean Foods over the past decade. His outstanding leadership, especially following the divesture of Morningstar and the spin-off of WhiteWave, was instrumental in achieving a renewed focus and guiding the Company through new business opportunities."
Scozzafava joined Dean Foods in October 2014 as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer before being promoted to Chief Operating Officer in October 2015. He has more than 30 years of experience in the consumer goods and grocery categories, including at Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and at Campbell Soup Company. Scozzafava's experience gives him deep knowledge in organizational capabilities and improving operating results.
"Ralph is a passionate leader with a successful track record of growing businesses, driving efficiencies and building strong teams. I am confident in Ralph's and the team's ability to advance the business and deliver substantial shareholder value," said Tanner. "I look forward to supporting Ralph in his new role and working to ensure a seamless transition."
"Our 17,000 employees take pride in selling wholesome, nutritious products and serving the needs of families and communities nationwide. My time at the Company has been very fulfilling, and I am excited to lead a great team as we position the Company for the next phase of growth," said Scozzafava. "I am confident we can do so by executing on our strategy to build and buy brands, strengthen our private label business and further optimize our network and capabilities."
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) announced that Francis J. (Fran) Shammo plans to retire at the end of 2016 after 27 years with the company. Prior to his retirement, he will step down as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective Nov. 1.
Verizon's Board of Directors today appointed Matthew D. (Matt) Ellis to succeed Shammo as executive vice president and CFO. Ellis is currently senior vice president and CFO - Operations Finance, responsible for providing financial support to Verizon's wireless and wireline business units.
Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam said, "I've worked closely with Fran for many years and have been continually impressed by his success at balancing the needs of customers, shareholders and employees. He has been a tremendous leader, and a voice of sound advice and counsel to me and the rest of Verizon's leadership team. While Fran will be greatly missed, I respect his decision to retire, and I am pleased that he will stay through year-end to ensure a smooth transition."
McAdam added, "I'm also pleased that we have such great bench strength at Verizon that our Board could appoint an executive as accomplished as Matt Ellis to succeed Fran. Within months of joining Verizon as treasurer in 2013, Matt led the team that raised a record $49 billion in one day to help finance Verizon's acquisition of Vodafone's interest in Verizon Wireless."
Shammo said, "This is a great time for me to make this personal move. For Verizon, 2016 has been a significant transformational year, and I will leave knowing that the company is well-positioned to deliver on its strategic initiatives."
Shammo, 55, was appointed Verizon CFO in November 2010, with responsibility for the company's finance and strategic planning operations, and financial transaction services. Under his leadership, Verizon has focused on a strategy of network investment, strong dividends and transactions designed to deliver sustainable shareholder value. The company has divested non-strategic assets while securing complete ownership of Verizon Wireless and acquiring other assets (such as AOL Inc., Telogis Inc., and the recently announced Fleetmatics Group PLC and Yahoo! Inc. transactions) that position the company for future growth in the mobile video and Internet of Things markets.
Before 2010, Shammo was president and chief executive officer of Verizon Telecom and Business. Previously, Shammo was president of Verizon Business (now Verizon Enterprise Solutions), and prior to that he served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for Verizon Business.
Shammo had also served as president - West area for Verizon Wireless, and he was vice president and controller at the time of Verizon Wireless' launch in 1999.
Shammo joined predecessor company Bell Atlantic Mobile in 1989.
Ellis joined Verizon from Tyson
Succeeding Shammo, Ellis will report to McAdam as Verizon CFO. Ellis, 45, currently reports to John Stratton, executive vice president and president of Operations, and a successor will be announced at a future date.
Prior to Ellis' current role of providing financial leadership for Verizon's business units, he was senior vice president and treasurer for Verizon, responsible for corporate-wide financing, cash management, pension and insurance activities, as well as the Verizon Capital Group.
Ellis joined Verizon in 2013, after having spent 15 years at Tyson Foods, Inc. in a variety of roles. At Tyson, he was vice president and treasurer, responsible for financing, cash management, insurance and credit. From 2007 through 2010, Ellis was vice president - Finance, where he was involved in merger and acquisition activity, including transactions in China, Brazil and India. From 2005 to 2007, Ellis was vice president - Country Manager, with responsibility for all aspects of Tyson's Mexico subsidiary.
Previously, Ellis worked in England for Dixons Stores Group PLC and Coopers & Lybrand, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Ellis holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
MANAMA, BAHRAIN -- (Marketwired) -- 08/31/16 -- The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) is pleased to announce the launch of its Hong Kong office.
The Bahrain EDB is a government organisation with overall responsibility for attracting foreign investment into the Kingdom of Bahrain and which works to enhance the quality of its business environment. The EDB focuses on several economic sectors that capitalise on Bahrain's competitive advantages. These sectors include financial services, manufacturing, ICT, tourism, logistics and transport.
Dr. Simon Galpin, Managing Director of the EDB, previously worked in Hong Kong for over 20 years and is an expert in investment promotion. He is now visiting the region to promote the activities of the new international office and meet with leading Hong Kong and Chinese businesses.
Bahrain's open business environment has attracted international companies from around the world looking to access the fast-growing Gulf Corporation Council's market, currently worth approximately US$1.5 trillion and expected to reach US$2 trillion by 2020. These opportunities have led to investment from a number of high profile Chinese companies, including Huawei and ChinaMex.
Dr. Galpin said: "Economic ties between the Gulf and East Asia are growing rapidly and this is reflected in the interest we have seen from businesses in Hong Kong who want to access the opportunities in the GCC market.
"Our international offices are a key part of our work at the EDB. They are a valuable source of advice and support and provide a direct, on-the-ground point of contact with extensive local expertise for overseas businesses interested in setting up in Bahrain. By opening an office in Hong Kong we will be able to showcase the investment opportunities that Bahrain has to offer directly to businesses and provide information about Bahrain's many competitive advantages."
Cheryl Wilson, newly-appointed Director of the Hong Kong office, also commented on its launch: "I am delighted to be joining the EDB team as its representative in Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong and Bahrain share many similarities. Both are small but important markets, acting as gateways to the large lucrative economies in their regions. They therefore have much to offer one another and we aim to encourage close economic ties between our two nations."
Bahrain is located at the heart of the Gulf and is connected directly to the GCC by sea, land, and air, with daily flights to key urban centres. Bahrain also shares a 25km causeway with Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the region. In addition to its strategic geographic location, Bahrain is also ranked the freest economy in the Middle East by the Heritage Foundation's 2016 Index of Economic Freedom, has the lowest operating costs in the GCC, along with a competitive taxation regime, and is home to one of the most highly skilled bilingual local workforces.
The EDB has international offices in a number of countries, including China, India, the UK, the US, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Japan.
For more information on the EDB and investing in Bahrain, please contact EDB Hong Kong's Regional Director Cheryl Wilson on the following email [email protected] or contact the Hong Kong office on +852 3575 9828.
Company logo http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/5446
About the Bahrain Economic Development Board: The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) is a dynamic public agency with overall responsibility for attracting investment into the Kingdom and supporting initiatives that enhance the investment climate.
The EDB works with the government and both current and prospective investors to ensure that Bahrain's investment climate is attractive, to communicate the key strengths, and to identify where opportunities exist for further economic growth through investment.
The EDB focuses on several economic sectors that capitalise on Bahrain's competitive advantages. These sectors include financial services, manufacturing, ICT, tourism, logistics and transport.
For more information on the Bahrain EDB visit www.bahrainedb.com; for information about Bahrain visit www.bahrain.com.
Contact: May Taher Bahrain Economic Development Board Tel: +973 17 589 972 Email: Email Contact
Source: The Bahrain Economic Development Board
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BankUnited, Inc.'s (BKU) recent announcement regarding senior management succession planning does not have any immediate impact on the company's current ratings and outlook, according to Fitch Ratings.
On Aug. 31, 2016, BKU announced that Raj Singh, the company's Chief Operating Officer, will succeed John Kanas, the company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, as President and CEO effective Jan. 1, 2017. Kanas will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Singh, along with Kanas, was one of the founders of BKU in 2009.
Replacing Singh as COO will be Thomas Cornish, who currently serves as the bank's President, Florida region. Cornish joined the bank in 2014 and will report to Singh.
Key man risk is one of our rating sensitivities for BKU. Fitch believes that key man risk is mitigated by Singh's promotion to CEO, continued management bench strength, and Kanas retaining the role of Chairman. The announcement also brings further clarity to succession planning, which we believe should be viewed positively overall.
Fitch affirmed BKU's ratings with a Stable Outlook in January 2016, reflecting the company's solid developing franchise, seasoned management team, and good asset quality metrics in the non-covered loan portfolio.
Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com
ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006420/en/
Fitch Ratings
Primary Analyst
Stefan Kahandaliyanage, CFA, +1-646-582-4918
Associate Director
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
33 Whitehall St.
New York, NY 10004
or
Secondary Analyst
Johann Moller, +1-646-582-4954
Associate Director
or
Media Relations, New York
Hannah James, +1-646-582-4947
[email protected]
Source: Fitch Ratings
TORONTO, Aug. 31, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Molycorp, Inc., together with certain of its affiliates (collectively, Molycorp), reported today that its confirmed Fourth Joint Amended Plan of Reorganization (the Plan) became effective as of August 31, 2016. Molycorp, Inc. has emerged from Chapter 11 protection.
With its state-of-the-art processing and manufacturing facilities, the newly reorganized business, now known as Neo Performance Materials (or the Business), produces some of the highest performance rare earth and rare metal-based engineered materials in the world according to customers most challenging product specifications. The Business is organized along three business segments: Neo Chemicals and Oxides, Neo Magnequench, and Neo Rare Metals. The Business operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries, including Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and South Korea.
Neo Performance Materials is a privately held company with executive offices in Toronto, Canada and is composed of a number of operating subsidiaries organized under a holding company based in the Cayman Islands. It is led by the prior management team under Geoff Bedford, President and CEO, who together with the former chairman of the board, Constantine Karayannopoulos, will serve as members of the board. The other members of this board include: Brook Hinchman; Edgar Lee; Emily Stephens; Nick Basso; Robert LaRoche; Eric Noyrez and Jonathan Foster.
Shares of common stock of former Molycorp, Inc. are no longer available for trading on a public exchange. Previous shares of common stock have been canceled with no distribution to the holders.
With its strengthened capital structure, Neo Performance Materials intends to deepen its client partnerships in advanced material technology and innovation.
Today marks a new beginning for this truly innovative and adaptive company, Mr. Bedford said. We emerge with a strong financial foundation under a new brand that speaks to our continued focus on performance and innovation. We have a commonality with the funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (Oaktree), an affiliate of which is our largest shareholder, in a shared vision and commitment to our customers with the goal of long-term growth and value creation that will benefit everyone associated with our company. I want to express a special note of thanks to our customers and employees around the world who have continued to support us through this restructuring.
He also said: We are already achieving significant milestones in bringing new applications and solutions to market through collaboration with our customers, and we are now in a much stronger position to continue down this path of value creation for our stakeholders.
According to Brook Hinchman, Senior Vice President of Oaktree, Today marks the completion of a restructuring that separates Neo Performance Materials as a standalone business. Neo Performance Materials is emerging with a strong balance sheet and excellent liquidity profile that, coupled with the continued leadership of the experienced management team of the Business, positions it extremely well to execute on the go-forward business plan and serve the needs of its customers.
Molycorp was advised by the investment banking firm Miller Buckfire & Co. and received financial advice from AlixPartners, LLP. Jones Day and Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor LLP acted as legal counsel to Molycorp in this process. Oaktree was advised by Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP and Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP as legal counsel, and Centerview Partners, LLC, as financial advisor. For information regarding the Chapter 11 case, please visit http://cases.primeclerk.com/molycorp.
About Neo Performance Materials
Neo Performance Materials is a leading supplier of advanced materials used in a wide range of technology applications across many sectors, including consumer electronics, fiber optics, hybrid and electric vehicles; and clean energy technologies. With state-of-the-art processing and separating facilities in Europe and Asia, the Company helps customers to diversify the risk of sourcing materials from a single country. The Business, which is organized along three business segments: Neo Chemicals and Oxides, Neo Magnequench, and Neo Rare Metals, is engaged in the production, processing and development of rare earth and zirconium based engineered materials; magnetic powders; and rare metals.
Neo Performance Materials is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; with corporate offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, US; and Beijing, China. The Company operates globally with sales and production across 10 countries, being Japan, China, Thailand, Estonia, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and South Korea. For more information, please visit www.neomaterials.com.
About Oaktree
Oaktree is a leader among global investment managers specializing in alternative investments with $98 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2016. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in distressed debt, corporate debt (including high yield debt and senior loans), control investing, convertible securities, real estate and listed equities. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm has over 900 employees and offices in 18 cities worldwide. For additional information, please visit Oaktrees website at http://www.oaktreecapital.com.
Source: Molycorp, Inc.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rainbow Design Services has refreshed its logo. "We have created something really special over the last 22 years. Our business has grown and evolved and we want to make sure that our visual representation represents who we are today. We have used the former logo for more than 17 years and it has served us well. Changing our logo wasn't a decision we took lightly, we are proud of our rich history, but we are not the same company we were 17 years ago. Our visual brand identity has a dated feel and no longer adequately presents all that we are as a company," said Jeff Mardis, Rainbow Design Services' President/CEO.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403373LOGO
With the help of an outside marketing firm, Rainbow Design Services has adopted a new modernized logo with a more contemporary font and a bright orange color. The new visual identity, with its bold colors and up-to-date font, better represent the company as modern and evolving. "When designing our logo we wanted something that was not trendy but timeless. During this process we learned that orange is symbolic of strength and endurance, qualities we hope that our customers use when describing Rainbow Design Services." The new logo will be part of a corporate rebranding and marketing plan that represents the current philosophies, offerings, and culture of Rainbow Design Services.
While the brand and logo are changing to better represent what the company is today Rainbow Design Services' core values remain the same and have enabled us to develop long lasting customer relationships. "We're honored to have a varied and loyal partnership with some amazing companies, including Charter Communications and Comcast Cable. Our customers are always our priority and we plan for it to stay that way." This new representation of Rainbow Design Services clearly shows that we are evolving as a company.
We are aware that changing a logo is a process that can involve many steps and takes some time, so we will finalize it gradually. The first major industry event where the new brand will be revealed is SCTE in Philadelphia in late September.
About Rainbow Design Services
Widely acknowledged as an industry leader, Rainbow Design Services is a full service Telecom Engineering and Design firm. We specialize in documenting and engineering FTTx, RF, HFC and ISP, and deliver customized GIS & Engineering services related to these assets to clients across an expansive range of markets and localities. Rainbow Design Services is proud of our strong reputation of consistently meeting aggressive schedules while maintaining a standard of delivering high-quality products that continually exceed our client's expectations. Everything we do is done in a GIS (mapping) platform, and thus is delivered in most any standard CAD/GIS format.
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky Rainbow Design Services' two decades of practice has resulted in a solid foundation of technical expertise resulting from experience, and the dedication of our diverse staff.
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-brand-identity-with-refreshed-corporate-logo-300321265.html
SOURCE Rainbow Design Services
Spain's acting Prime Minister and People's Party leader Mariano Rajoy delivers a speech during an investiture debate at parliament in Madrid, Spain August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Andrea Comas
MADRID (Reuters) - Colombia's government will ratify a peace accord with the Marxist rebel group FARC on Sept. 26, Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Wednesday after talking to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.
Santos's government reached a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, on Aug. 24 to end a five-decade war. The deal still has to go to a plebiscite vote on Oct. 2.
"I had the chance to speak on Monday with (Santos) to congratulate him on the agreement. He has invited us to the agreement's signing on Sept. 26," Rajoy told Spain's parliament in a speech.
Santos said on Wednesday he had not yet decided the date but it would be announced by Thursday.
The agreement, which was reached after almost four years of talks in Cuba, will see the FARC rebels lay down their arms and reintegrate into civilian life.
(Reporting by Angus Berwick in Madrid and Monica Garcia in Bogota; Editing by Dominic Evans)
View of a street of the commercial district of San Isidro in Lima, Peru, July 13, 2016. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo
LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's government will present a bill to raise taxes on corporate profits in order to lower sales taxes and boost the economy, Finance Minister Alfredo Thorne said on Wednesday.
The initiative is part of a package of measures that newly sworn-in President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's government plans to propose to an opposition-dominated Congress.
Taxes on corporate profit are currently at 27 percent in the minerals producer and, according to a law signed by former President Ollanta Humala, should fall gradually to 26 percent in 2019.
In 2014, the corporate income tax rate was 30 percent.
"We are asking ... to increase the income tax," Thorne told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.
He said the increased revenue could finance part of a one percentage-point cut in sales taxes in 2017, another measure Kuczynski's government will propose. That tax is currently 18 percent.
Kuczynski, a centrist 77-year-old former investment banker who took office earlier this month, says lower sales taxes are central to his plans to modernize Peru by encouraging small businesses to pay taxes. But lawmakers with the right-wing party of his defeated rival, Keiko Fujimori, have slammed the reform as a drain on government revenues.
Thorne also said the measures would help increase the number of tax contributors by bringing small companies into the formal economy.
"The richest pay more, and that way we reduce taxes on the middle class," he said.
"We are going to make it so that the economy grows based on an increase in consumption and investment in small and medium-sized companies," he said.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan has named former foreign minister Tien Hung-mao as the new head of a semi-official body responsible for conducting day-to-day business with China after Beijing cut communications with the agency in June amid political tensions.
The appointment of Tien, foreign minister between 2000 and 2002, to head the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) comes as Taipei-Beijing relations remain cool since the election of Tsai Ing-wen as Taiwan president in May.
China, which sees Taiwan as a renegade province, has been unsettled by Tsai's refusal to endorse Beijing's "one China" principle. As well as halting contacts between SEF and its China counterpart, contacts were also suspended between Taiwan's China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and China's Taiwan Affairs Office.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office, in a statement in response to Tien's appointment, said relations could only improve if Taiwan accepts the so-called "1992 consensus".
That was a deal reached between China's Communists and Taiwan's then-ruling Nationalists, under which both agreed there is only one China, with each having their own interpretation of what that means.
Zhang Zhijun, head of the office, said in a separate statement that ties faced "serious challenges" due to what he called Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party's "vague" attitude on its China policy.
"Taiwan compatriots are broadly worried about this," he said.
Chief of Taiwan's MAC reiterated that issues related to Taiwan and China were both sides' responsibility.
"There is no easy answer for cross-strait issues," MAC minister Chang Hsiao-yueh told a news briefing, referring to the narrow stretch of water between the two sides. "There are so many things on which both sides hold a different view. Both sides should sit down to talk."
Observers said Tien, who currently serves as chairman of the Taiwan's Institute of National Policy Research, may find it tough to re-establish communications with China.
"(The appointment) is not going to help improve the current Taiwan-China ties too much," said Alex Huang, a professor of Tamkang University, Taiwan.
"Within the political circles of Taipei and Beijing, people know Tsai holds her cards very close to her chest. Whoever takes the position will have to do things at the tempo she desires."
(Reporting by Faith Hung; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Nick Macfie)
(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE: WMT) said on Thursday it will cut about 7,000 back-office jobs, mostly in accounting and invoicing positions at its U.S. stores, continuing a program it announced in June of cutting such jobs on the West Coast.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Deisha Barnett said the company will now cut back-office workers in all its approximately 4,600 stores over the next several months. The retailer employs about 1.5 million people in the United States.
Barnett said the move is part of Wal-Mart's efforts to have more employees on the sales floor, and the retailer is offering affected workers consumer-facing positions in stores.
In June, Wal-Mart, the country's largest private-sector employer, had said it would cut back-office jobs in hundreds of stores and if it was satisfied with the changes it would roll it out to other stores.
Recently, the retailer launched a new system for scheduling workers at 650 U.S. stores in an effort to improve staffing levels during peak shopping times.
Wal-Mart has also committed to investing $2.7 billion in programs that involve training its workforce and a series of wage hikes that took the minimum hourly pay for store workers to $10 an hour earlier this year.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the number of job cuts on Thursday.
The eliminated back-office jobs typically include higher paid hourly workers who manage tasks like an individual store's daily cash flow or process claims from manufacturers delivering goods directly to stores. Starting early next year, those jobs will be automated and handled by a central office, the retailer had said in June.
(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Chicago and Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; editing by Savio D'Souza and David Gregorio)
Israel has approved the construction of 285 new settler units in the occupied West Bank in defiance of international calls to end the illegal project in the Palestinian territories.
The Tel Aviv regime approved the building of 234 settler units in the illegal settlement of Elkana, 31 in Beit Aryeh, and 20 others in Givat Ze'ev, Israels Haarez daily reported on Wednesday.
The regime also retroactively legalized some 178 housing units alreadybuilt in the illegal Beit Aryeh settlement.
Israel "continues to plan and build all over the West Bank, while also giving settlers the message that any construction done without planning will be retroactively legalized, settlement watchdog Peace Now said.
Earlier this month, Tel Aviv also approved plans to construct 56 new housing units in the neighborhood of Ramot in East Jerusalem al-Quds.
Over half a million Israelis live in more than 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank.
Israel continues to expand illegal settlement units in the occupied West bank despite international calls for the unauthorized activity to be halted.
In a report to the UN Security Council in New York on Monday, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov (seen below) talked about a surge in Israeli plans to advance 1,700 new settler units in the Palestinians lands.
Mladenov accused Israel of stepping up demolitions of Palestinian buildings, and plans to identify grounds for a new settlement next to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.
The UN envoy also noted that expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine hinder efforts aimed at establishing peace in the Middle East.
All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law but Tel Aviv continues to defy calls to stop the settlement expansions in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Simon Bridges
National MP
simonbridges.co.nz
One of the highlights of my job as a local MP is visiting schools. We have some great young minds and it is important that we nurture them to the best of their ability.
I love visiting the schools we have here in Tauranga and the Bay and engaging with pupils, who I believe will have a huge part to play in our regions future.
I know how much demand there is on our local school rolls, with so many people choosing to move here, which is why we have put funding and resources into building a new school to service the growing population in The Lakes and Pyes Pa, and also building new classrooms for several schools in and around Tauranga.
The Government also wants to support Kiwi teachers, as we recognise the hugely important role they play in our childrens lives.
Right now we have enough teachers but they are not necessarily in the areas or subjects we need them in. So were investing more than $9 million during four years to address teacher supply pressures.
This means an extra 100 Teach NZ Scholarships worth $1.8 million a year for science, technology, and maths subjects, to lift the number of graduates in these areas.
Were also going to expand national and international recruitment by increasing our investment in campaigns.
We are supporting our teaching workforce to ensure every Kiwi child gets a good education.
We also recognise that children are unique and learn in different ways, which is why the Education Update Amendment Bill recognises the impact technology is having on education by introducing Communities of Online Learning known as COOLs.
This means we are giving Kiwi kids access to formalised online education, providing another option for parents and their children as part of our drive to have diversity in the education system.
Our children deserve the best education and we are working hard to deliver that to them.
Profanities painted on walls is something no child should have to see, but this is what the children of Welcome Bay Playcentre have been greeted with in recent weeks.
Vandals have used the centres own paint supplies, which they got from a smashed resource cupboard, to smear obscenities on the walls.
Working in temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius, an air transport team is clocking in record flying hours in the Middle East, despite the demanding conditions.
Supporting Coalition operations in the area, the 34-strong team deployed by the New Zealand Defence Force has clocked in over 200 flying hours on 32 missions to Iraq and Afghanistan since they deployed to the Middle East in early June.
A $200 million increase in profit over one year show the New Zealand seafood industry is showing steady growth.
Export earnings reached $1.78 billion in the year to June, an increase of $201 million on the same time last year - further demonstrating that we continue to make a significant contribution to the economy as one of the countrys main export earners, says Seafood New Zealands executive chairman George Clement.
Every available Freight Lines truck across the central North Island turned out at company founder Jim Barkers funeral at Baypark as a mark of respect for an industry pioneer.
Freight Lines is just one of Jims transport legacies in New Zealand, the Strait Shipping Cook Strait ferries Straitsman and Strait Feronia are his others.
Clear your calendar for September meet the candidate events are being set up for voters to get know aspiring Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty representatives.
With the Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty mayoralties open to new contenders now is the time to have your voice heard by researching and voting for the right candidates.
Tankoas philosophy of offering knowledgeable buyers an alternative to Dutch and German built high quality yachts is evidenced in Suerte. The Owner's requests were taken by Francesco Paszkowski and Margherita Casprini and formed a vision of Tankoas flagship, built for the upmost comfort.
Suerte is comprised of various design elements which come together to form the perfect superyacht experience. Its these design elements which make her a focal superyacht of show season, and a fantastic addition to the global superyacht fleet.
Stepping on board, whether its via the helipad or the swimming platform, guests can find complete relaxation across both the exterior and interior.
Walking through the magnificent Beach Club equipped with saloon, large TV screen, bar, day head, shower, massage room, sauna and hammam - both with direct access to the sea thanks to their fold out terraces the lifestyle on board is exemplary, and this only covers the aft beach club.
The upper deck forward is devoted to the owner's private terrace with direct side access from his suite, offering ease of access and total privacy. This is a remarkable addition to the design, offering a place to work, relax and exist with an unbroken view of your chosen surroundings.
The sun-deck, aft of the top deck, is a great social area with a touch-and-go helipad which is large enough for a twin turbine helicopter such as an Augusta 109 to bring guests onboard.
At night, the heli-deck becomes a dance floor with lights, speakers and a DJ station. Further to the front, two sun pads will allow guests to dry up in the sun after using the 5-metre swimming pool with built-in stools to enjoy drinks at the bar that ends the pool.
The pool is also equipped with a waterfall flowing like a water blade from the superstructure. Another interesting feature is the crows nest that has been designed on the roof where owner and guests will surely enjoy navigation. This area is accessible via an invisible ladder or using the second elevator leading there from the gym.
The Japanese inspired interior provides a soft, peaceful and comforting atmosphere throughout, housing guests in four cabins and a full width VIP suite which continue the zen sensory experience. The owners apartment, with study / library, features a stunning 180 degree view from the enormous bed.
For a closer look at Suerte, one of the largest yachts preparing to debut at both the Monaco Yacht Show and the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, click here.
Running from the 2nd to the 4th of September, this stripped back showcase is a call to the golden era of yacht exhibits; where brokers can learn more about the waters of Montenegro and take a closer look at the yachts that operate within them.
In a recent announcement, Fiona Maureso, Charter Director of Northrop & Johnson and President of MYBA stated that The MYBA Pop-Up Superyacht Show is a unique combination. It is foremost a sales and charter show but at the same time it provides an excellent opportunity for brokers to discover a destination that they may not yet be familiar with."
"Being a Pop-Up, it is also less formal and the atmosphere always remains relaxed within the marina village. With a yacht club, restaurants and bars, high end shopping and a five-star hotel, there is no end to the attractions to be found. And that is even before one explores the stunning surrounding areas.
The above video is a fantastic example of what those arriving in Montenegro next week can expect; however, organisers are already looking to overshadow year one with the upcoming second edition.
With over 90 brokers registered to attend and over 20 yachts on display ranging from the 50 metre mark and down, this exhibition reflects the growing popularity of the area itself with more and more charter guests and owners taking to the waters in search of escape.
From a sales perspective, explains Y.CO broker Max Bulley when offering a broker perspective to Superyachts.com earlier this month, this is a great opportunity to test the temperature of the current market here as well as to connect and reconnect with Clients and industry professionals. Now in its second year, the 2016 event will further to establish the show and I look forward to seeing how it evolves.
This is the only B2B even of its kind, taking the informal nature of the Pop-Up and marrying effortlessly to the superyacht community in one of the most beautiful, and upcoming areas, of the world.
Watch the above video in full for a comprehensive insight into last years show, or catch up with the broker perspective mentioned above by clicking here for views and expectations across the community.
Superyachts.com will be at the MYBA Pop-Up Superyacht Show in Porto Montenegro and greatly looks forward to bringing you updates and insights, when and where we can.
For a closer look at our more immediate feed of information, keep an eye on our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If you still wish to register for the MYBA Pop-Up Superyacht Show, however, click here.
The Australian-first Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) will bring together the best of Victorias aerospace research, design and manufacturing leaders to work with industry on the next generation of air mobility.
Meeting of the U.S.-Honduras Bilateral Human Rights Working Group
Washington, DC - The United States and Honduras held the fifth meeting of the Bilateral Human Rights Working Group.
This session of the Working Group brought together high-level U.S. and Honduran officials to collaborate in improving the human rights situation in Honduras. Meeting sessions addressed four themes: strengthening human rights institutions, combating impunity, security and justice sector reform, and migration. The two delegations acknowledged the progress made by the Government of Honduras, while recognizing the work that still needs to be done. The frank discussions centered on how the Government of Honduras could improve mechanisms to protect human rights defenders, bolster police reform, enhance protection of migrants, and address the underlying factors that drive migration.
Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Tom Malinowski, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Juan Gonzalez, and Ambassador Michael Kozak for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor led the U.S. government delegation. Coordinating Minister of Government Jorge Ramon Hernandez Alcerro and Honduran Ambassador to the United States Jorge Milla led the Honduran delegation, which also included Minister of Security Julian Pacheco.
Final scores: Week 10's high school football games on the Treasure Coast
Football teams hit field Thursday and Friday for Week 10 with SSAC playoffs beginning and District 12-4S title game between Treasure Coast and Vero.
ANDREA LUSSIER/SPECIAL TO THE COURIER NEWSWEEKLY Swim safe at Dubois Park
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Storm watch
Be prepared!
One down, two to go.
Currently, South Florida is in peak hurricane season.
From August until the end of October, the threat of a hurricane blowing through this area is at an all-time high.
So far, we have avoided the hit. But .... keep in mind there are two months left in peak season.
"I have to admit, I kinda slack around September thinking things are safer but this year I really have to make sure things are all set," said new mother Jenna Shoemaker of Jupiter.
Publix has a free hurricane guide to assist residents in ensuring they are prepared.
As well, text PREPARE to 43362 to receive monthly preparedness tips.
After all, being prepared is the best defense. For an interesting history of Jupiter's hurricane activity see: www.hurricanecity.com/city/jupiter.htm
Personal theft
Scam artists at it again
Jupiter police are warning residents of a new phone scam that targets business owners.
An individual has been phoning owners stating they are a Florida Power & Light representative.
The scammer then informs the individual that if they do not pay an increased deposit their business will have its electricity turned off.
The business owner is then told to purchase $100 iTunes gift cards or Paypal Mycash cards and return the call with the card numbers.
"It's crazy," said Helen Grady of Jupiter. "These people never cease to find a new way to steal money hopefully they are caught."
If you have any information please call the Jupiter Police Department at 561-746-6201 or Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 800-458-TIPS (8477).
Health
Safe from perils at the park
Fecal pollution is not something you want to swim in.
Well, have no fear, The Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County is here.
Since 2002, the department has been conducting saltwater beach water quality sampling on 13 local area beaches, including: Dubois Park, Jupiter Beach Park and Carlin Park.
The samples are sent to a lab to detect the amount of enterococci in the water. Enterococci, found in fecal matter, is a bacteria known to cause human infection.
If the presence of the bacteria is found to be "too high," according to United States Environmental Protection Agency standards, an advisory will be issued. So swim, frolic and enjoy a day at the beach knowing you are safe from the perils of fecal matter.
For more information on the water testing program, visit: www.doh.state.fl.us then click Choose Subject then Beach Water Quality.
Quality of life
A cool million?
What would you do with a million dollars?
"I would pay for my college," said Shena Jenkins of Jupiter.
"Wow, I am not sure; that's a big decision," said Vinnie Accardi, also a local resident.
Well, 19-year-old Jupiter resident Ruiz Garcia has big decisions to make!
He reportedly just won $1.51 million playing a Florida Lottery scratch-off game.
He bought a $10 Flamingo Multiplier scratch-off ticket at Country Corner, on Central Boulevard just south of Indiantown Road, a news release stated.
The store will receive a bonus commission for selling the winning ticket, reports stated.
Intel on Tuesday presented its virtual reality vision a vision that mixes virtual and real worlds into a kind of merged reality to developers attending a conference in San Francisco.
Mixing reality and unreality sometimes can be a recipe for disaster, but Intel thinks it will be a formula for success. At the center of Intels vision is its Project Alloy mobile headset and its cutting edge RealSense software.
The Alloy head-mounted device departs from other VR devices in that the headset housese all sensors and computing power. Other headsets either have cords that tether them to a computer or are wirelessly connected to a smartphone.
This all-in-one form factor is something new for the VR industry, said Brian Blau, a research director at Gartner.
Its exciting, because you can get everything you need in one place and take it with you, he told TechNewsWorld.
Power Concerns
All-in-one headsets can have disadvantages, though.
All-in-one devices may not be as powerful as devices that plug into a desktop, Blau said.
Intels Alloy meets the needs for 90 percent of what people do with virtual reality, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich maintained in an interview with Fast Company.
There might be a tethered version of Alloy for high-end gamers at some point in the future, he also said.
Another issue with a standalone headsets is battery life, as is often the case with mobile devices.
Nevertheless, with Alloy, Intel is taking advantage of virtual and augmented reality trends.
Over the next few years, VR and AR are going to start to merge functionality, said Gartners Blau. These all-in-one VR headsets are going to be important for that.
Open Source Platform
Alloy is an open source platform. That means other companies can use the technology to create their own modified-reality products.
Intel intends to work with some manufacturers to produce its Alloy headsets. Whats more, Alloy supports Windows Holographic, a version of Microsofts ubiquitous operating system that supports VR and AR.
Project Alloy, an All-in-One Virtual Reality Solution
Going open source is a really good move, said Eric Abbruzzese, a senior analyst at ABI Research.
There is one other open source initiative in the market, but its very small, he noted.
Intel, because theyre a massive company they have a lot of reach. When you combine that with Windows, you have a really massive market, he told TechNewsWorld.
That enables tons of developers, tons of content to flood in, he said, and thats going to solve the content starvation problem weve seen in VR.
Growing Ecosystem
Attracting developers to an Alloy ecosystem is important to Intel, said Barbara Kraus, director of research at Parks Associates.
It will broaden the content available to the platform. Intel doesnt have its own content as Sony does, she told TechNewsWorld.
Intel doesnt have a lot of choice but to go in the open source direction because theyre not a consumer products company, Gartners Blau observed.
Going open source at this point in the development of the market makes sense for Intel, said Michael Goodman, director for digital media at Strategy Analytics.
This is a nascent marketplace, he told TechNewsWorld. Picking winners and losers is difficult, at best, so having an open approach allows you to work with everybody in the marketplace and pick the best solutions.
Merged Reality
Unlike VR headsets that offer a totally immersive experience, the Alloy headset uses Intels RealSense software to provide you with a combination of a virtual and real experience. For example, with RealSense you not only can see objects around you but also bring them into your virtual world.
It takes away the need for sensors in a room to know where you are, and to use controllers to manipulate the environment that youre in, said Strategy Analytics Goodman.
I havent seen anyone else doing that. Everyone is using some form of controller, he pointed out.
Intels entrance may boost the VR marketplace, but its impact on the company may be negligible.
While its exciting to talk about, VR is still and will likely remain a niche market for the next several years at least, said Roger L. Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies Associates.
Intel wants to be associated with a cool trend that techies seem to care about right now, but VR, because of its total immersion, is something that only enthusiasts will pay for, he told TechNewsWorld.
Enthusiasts represent a limited market opportunity, particularly for a company like Intel that depends on selling hundreds of millions of chips, Kay explained. Intel can get it right in VR technically, but still not manage to develop a sustainable market.
Officials in France and India have launched investigations of a massive data breach involving thousands of documents belonging to defense industry contractor DCNS, which was scheduled to deliver six Scorpene-class submarines to the Indian navy later this year.
Hackers stole more than 22,000 pages of documents that included detailed technical information on the vessels. They turned them over en masse to The Australian, which published some of the leaked information.
DCNS acknowledged it was aware of the press coverage of the leak about the Indian Scorpene submarine project, and said French authorities were investigating the case.
The investigation will determine the exact nature of the leaked documents, potential damages to DCNS customers, and responsibility for the leak, the company said.
Indian government officials took up the incident with the director general of armament of the French government. They asked for an investigation and for the findings to be shared with the Indian government.
The Indian government also is conducting an internal investigation to rule out any security compromise. However, the leak appears to have taken place outside of India, according to defense officials.
Possible Links
The evidence so far has led some to suspect a link to state-sponsored activity or even organized crime, noted Pierluigi Paganini, chief information security officer at Bit4id.
A government could be interested in leaking online such precious data only to interfere with commercial relationships between the DCNS and other governments, he told TechNewsWorld. It could be interested, for example, to benefit a company linked to it.
The Kalvari, the first submarine built in India, reflects a deal between DCNS and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to build six vessels in Mumbai.
DCNS also won the largest-ever contract awarded in Australian history, for an advanced fleet of vessels. Australia selected DCNS as the preferred international partner for the design of 12 future submarines for the Royal Australian Navy, the company announced this spring. The leakage of the India Scorpene data has created some unease over whether Australia should take delivery of those vessels.
The Australian government chose DCNS for its ability to meet all of its requirements among them, superior sensors and stealth characteristics, as well as range and endurance similar to Collins class vessels.
NATOs main cyber-responsibility is to defend its own networks, noted Press Officer Daniele Riggio. Individual allies are responsible for protecting their own networks.
Sponsored Espionage?
The Scorpene cyberattacks follow a series of attacks launched late last year against several contractors who were in the running for the Australian submarine contract. Several reports linked China and possibly Russian hackers to those incidents, which targeted contractors in Germany and Japan, as well as Frances DCNS.
Torben Beckmann, spokesman for Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, confirmed to TechNewsWorld that the company was one of three contractors in contention for the submarine contract, but he declined to comment on the reported data hack.
Logitech today unveiled a couple of mice designed to bring some relief to the incessant mouse-clicking in shared office spaces. The M220 Silent Mouse and M330 Silent Plus are the company's first ever products to address this niche category and will reportedly reduce noise by 90 percent over standard mice. They're so quiet, in fact, that they're the first to receive Quiet Mark seal of approval from the UK Noise Abatement Society.
The M330 and M220 are both wireless and according to Logitech will deliver the same precision, durability and "click" feel without the noise. The M220 Silent is ambidextrous, while the M330 is contoured for right-handed users with a soft thumb rest.
Both run on a single AA battery and will last a long time -- Logitech claims up to 24-month battery life for the M330 and 18 months of use out for the ambidextrous M220. As you would expect from wireless Logitech gear, either device will connect to you Windows, Mac, Chrome OS or Linux computer through the company's USB nano receiver.
The Logitech M330 Silent Plus will be available in September for $29.99 while the M220 Silent Mouse will retail for $24.99 when it arrives in October. Frankly, noise from my co-worker's mouse clicking has never been an issue for me... until today, that is.
In addition to the new silent mice, Logitech also announced the M720 Triathlon mouse at IFA this week, which allows easy switching between up to three computers or operating systems. The mouse features dual connectivity, so you can connect to your devices through the included Logitech Unifying Receiver or Bluetooth.
Logitech promises up to two years of life on a single AA for the M720 and says it's durable enough to see you through 10 million clicks. The mouse has a full-sized sculpted shape and the standard arrangement of buttons -- left, right, back, forward, scroll/click wheel -- plus one addition button to easily switch between devices.
The Logitech M720 Triathlon Multi-Device Mouse is available as of today priced at $70.
Image and documentation leaks suggest that Apple will rid the upcoming iPhone 7 of the conventional 3.5 mm audio jack. But while wireless headphones seem to be the future partner for iPhones, don't be in a hurry to throw away that longtime corded companion.
Griffin Technology, a Tennessee-based manufacturer of accessories for mobile devices and consumer electronics, breathes new life to corded headphones with its iTrip Clip Bluetooth headphone adapter. Plugging the audio jack into the adapter converts corded earpieces into wireless ones that allow more freedom of movement from not getting chained down to a device.
"No headphone jack? NO problem! Don't worry if your favorite smartphone doesn't have the headphone jack," Griffin describes the headphone adapter. "iTrip Clip connects your favorite headphones wirelessly to your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth 4.1."
The iTrip Clip features the basic play/pause button, along with track and volume controls. The adapter also has a built-in microphone that can be used for phone calls and Siri. Note that the device is said to also be compatible with other voice recognition applications as well as Google Now.
And although released just a week prior to the confirmed Apple event on Sept. 7, which many believe as the purported iPhone 7's launch date, Griffin specifies that the product is compatible with both iOS and Android. The company praises it as the perfect add-on for the Moto Z, which comes without a headphone jack. Griffin adds that once paired with devices running on either of the mentioned operating systems, the iTrip Clip will seamlessly reconnect the next time.
Moreover, its application extends beyond mobile devices. The iTrip Clip can also connect to a car's stereo system via an AUX cable, which is sold separately, so users can listen and control their mobile device wirelessly inside the car. Note that the Bluetooth adapter's estimated range is 30 feet, which is roughly 9.1 meters.
Griffin's new adapter uses a rechargeable 800 mAh Li-Ion battery that will last for up to six hours of talk time and 180 hours while on standby. The $20 iTrip Clip package contains the Bluetooth adapter, along with its accompanying micro-USB cable and user manual.
Product releases such as this reaffirm the rumors regarding the headphone jack, or its absence, in the upcoming smartphone line. Some recent documentation released by the Eurasian Economic Commission (ECC) in which Apple listed a wireless headphone product called AirPods, among others, also thickens the speculations. Note that Apple has yet to confirm or release a statement regarding the rumored headphone jack omission from the highly anticipated iPhone 7.
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Dropbox recently unveiled that a big chunk of its users' credentials that leaked in 2012 was discovered on the dark web, but the number of affected users was way bigger than initially thought.
The company protects its user passwords by hashing and salting them, meaning that hackers who got hold of hashed files belonging to Dropbox's users were unable to crack them.
However, sources point out that more information was taken from Dropbox than the company first publicly admitted. Not only did Dropbox user emails got leaked, but a significant number of hashed passwords associated with said emails also got into the hands of hackers.
Motherboard reported that 68,680,741 Dropbox users got their credentials compromised in the leak.
When the breach took place, Dropbox was inforcing bcrypt, a more robust hashing method than the standard algorithm of the time, dubbed SHA-1. From the stolen passwords, 32 million were purportedly hashed using bcrypt.
Somewhat reassuring, the passwords have an additional layer of security thanks to a salt, aka a randomly generated data string. The good news is that albeit the data was dumped online, the hash protections seem to be holding their own against cracking attempts.
Despite the breach in security, Dropbox has registered a significant user base expansion during the last years.
In November 2012, the helm of the company, Drew Houston, affirmed that the service doubled its number of user accounts, topping 100 million. The company recently reported a hefty increase, counting as much as 500 million users. However, keep in mind that the number of monthly active users is kept under wraps.
If Dropbox counted 100 million users when the breach happened four years ago, it means that three fifths of the company's user base was compromised.
Sources pointed out that hackers used an employee's password that was reused from the LinkedIn leak, which was the other major security fail of 2012.
This would show that the fault for the leak is not entirely on Dropbox's shoulders, but underlines the dangers associated with password reuse, and put emphasis on how perilous these are in the corporate environment.
Since then, the company made efforts to make sure that its employees avoid reusing passwords on their corporate accounts.
In an attempt to enforce the use of strong and unique passwords, Dropbox offered licenses to the password management service 1Password to all of its employees. According to Patrick Heim, Dropbox's helm of trust and security, his company asks all its internal systems to be protected by a two-factor authentication.
Looking at how Dropbox grew after the user credentials leak, it looks like the company did its homework in keeping passwords safe via hashing and salting.
Hackers are usually taking jabs at online cloud storage services due to the high variety of stored content from their servers. Possibly the most famous example of this is the grand private celebrity photo leak from September 2014, but Dropbox was not linked to the hack in any way at the time.
Keep in mind that the last major leak featuring Dropbox happened in 2012, when the company was still in its infancy. No company is perfect and security hiccups are to be expected, but Dropbox could certainly use more transparency in its communication, especially during breaches.
If you are a frequent Dropbox user, changing your password right now might be a very good idea.
2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung showcases the new Gear S3 at IFA 2016, and as expected, there were numerous big improvements across the board.
Right off the bat, there are two variants in store for fans of the wearable tech. The first one is the Gear S3 frontier, and the second one is the Gear S3 classic.
As some may have guessed at this point, the South Korean company didn't bother to include a base model of sorts. That means the complete lineup consists of only the rugged-looking frontier and the updated classic.
On to the features, the new Gear S3 variants both sport a Gorilla Glass SR+, the latest layer designed for smartwatches from Corning. With that on top, they are definitely capable of staying safe and sound even outdoors.
More than that, they now have built-in GPS, an increased RAM from 512 MB to 768 MB compared with the previous generation, a speaker and MST for Samsung Pay, which is something that a lot of people have been waiting for.
To keep the lights on for long durations on every charge, Samsung loaded it with a 380 mAh battery, quite a step up from the 250 mAh pack the Gear S2 has.
"Now with the new Gear S3, we expand our Gear collection and introduce not only a great smartwatch, but a great watch. With smart capabilities and sophisticated, elegant design, the Gear S3 marks a significant addition to our smartwatch portfolio," Younghee Lee, executive vice president of global marketing at Samsung, says.
Of course, the Gear S3 wearables still feature rotating bezels, wireless charging support and a dual-core chip, not to mention that they're both still IP68 certified to resist water and dust effectively. Also, to no one's surprise, it's running on the company's Tizen OS.
A quick word on the dimensions, the new iteration is bulkier and heavier than its predecessor. The Gear S2 is 11.4 mm thick and has 20 mm bands, while the Gear S3 is 12.9 mm thick and has 22 mm bands. Despite retaining the 360 x 360 resolution, the S3 gets a larger display at 1.3 inches, which is a tad bigger than the 1.2-inch screen of the S2.
Compatibility-wise, they will work with any Android device running on 4.4 KitKat or later with at least 1.5 GB of RAM, just like the Gear S2. Support for iOS has also been confirmed, but when the Gear Manager app for iOS is rolling out has yet to be revealed. It shouldn't take long, though, as Samsung already kicked off the iOS beta program recently.
While the Gear S3 frontier has LTE and Wi-Fi capability, the Gear S3 classic only supports Wi-Fi. With that said, the LTE version of the frontier will be available at AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.
As for the release date, they are expected to launch later this year at major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Macy's and at Samsung's website. Unfortunately, there's still no word about pricing just yet.
What do you think of the Gear S3 frontier and Gear S3 classic? Hit us up in the comments section below and let us know.
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Samsung Electronics will be delaying further shipments of its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, with the company stating that it will be undertaking additional quality control testing on the devices.
The company, however, did not specify which markets will be affected by the delay and for how long the hold on shipments will be enforced.
In addition, Samsung will be halting all shipments of the smartphone to the top three carriers in its home country of South Korea, namely SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.
Samsung did not elaborate on what required the company to decide to conduct additional tests for quality control, but for those who have been following the recent news on the Galaxy Note 7, it would be a sound assumption to link the delayed shipments to the reports of exploding batteries for the device.
One of the reports on an exploding Galaxy Note 7 involved a user who posted pictures on Chinese forum Baidu showing a destroyed Galaxy Note 7. The user claimed that the smartphone caught fire while it was plugged in for charging.
This report is just one among the many being posted by users on social media, with pictures to prove that their Galaxy Note 7 exploded while charging.
One of the culprits being proposed for the exploding Galaxy Note 7 smartphones are third-party USB Type-C cables. Such a cable can be seen in the Baidu post, which can be assumed is the one that was used to charge up the Galaxy Note 7 that exploded.
In November last year, Google's Ben Leung took it upon himself to expose the faulty third-party USB Type-C cables being sold online through retailers. He found that most third-party cables in the market did not meet the necessary specifications of the technology, and users that purchase them could be taking the risk of causing damage to their devices.
Using third-party USB Type-C cables to charge the Galaxy Note 7 could definitely be causing the explosions, but Samsung understandably is not taking any risks and has decided to test the smartphone anew.
That said, for those who have already purchased the Galaxy Note 7, it would be best to refrain from using third-party USB Type-C cables for now and instead use the one that came along with the smartphone. While it has not been proven that the third-party cables are the culprits and not the smartphone's battery itself, it would be a good idea to take extra precautions.
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With a severe financial crunch on the horizon, Tesla Motors is planning to raise additional money within the year.
The company, through a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, is looking to raise cash through an equity offering or a debt offering. In the same filing, Tesla Motors revealed that it needs to pay $422 million to bondholders within the third quarter.
The money that will be raised by the planned offering will be used to help in funding the development and the production of the highly anticipated Model 3 electric vehicle. Some of the proceeds of the capital raising will also be used to help in completing the construction of Tesla Motors' massive battery factory in Nevada.
Most notable among the planned uses for the money that will be raised, however, is the proposed acquisition of home solar energy company SolarCity. Elon Musk, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Tesla Motors, is also a co-founder and chairman of SolarCity.
The cash situation of Tesla Motors took on added urgency when the $2.6 billion deal to acquire SolarCity was announced on Aug. 1. The merging of the two companies set forward Musk's strategy to create a massive entity focused on clean energy, both for homes and for vehicles.
The Federal Trade Commission just recently approved the proposal for SolarCity's acquisition, as the merging of the companies did not present any anticompetitive issues and had little to no overlaps in their businesses.
With the FTC's approval, the only thing left for Tesla Motors to do to begin the acquisition process is to file the necessary documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission and set a date for the company's shareholders to vote on the planned merger.
The filing with the SEC, however, revealed that on the side of SolarCity, things did not go so well in the run-up to the announced merger with Tesla Motors. Over recent weeks, 15 institutional investors have passed on injecting equity into the solar power company or purchasing it outright.
SolarCity is now in a liquidity squeeze, as it is facing difficulties in tapping into public markets amid the merger talks. The cash held by the company has declined to $146 million by June 30, compared with $421 million by the end of the same period last year.
The plans of Tesla Motors to raise additional money before the year ends should not be considered as a surprise, given the company's ambitious plans. Analysts worry that whenever the company sells more stock, the share price of Tesla Motors will be affected. However, that has not been the case so far.
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Good news for users of the Android-powered Asus ZenFone 2 the company is now finally pushing out the promised Android 6.0 Marshmallow software update for the handset.
A week after Google released Android 7.0 Nougat, Asus rolled out the much-awaited Android update for the ZE551ML and ZE550ML models of the ZenFone 2 on Aug. 31.
In November 2015, the Taiwan-based company confirmed that its ZenFone 2 (ZE550ML) and ZenFone 2 Deluxe Edition (ZE551ML) smartphones would benefit from the Android Marshmallow update along with the ZenFone 2 Selfie, ZenFone 2 Laser and the PadFone S.
Asus also updated the ZenFone 2 Laser in May, but there was no sight of the Android Marshmallow update for the ZenFone 2 despite the company promising that the handset would get updated to the OS before Q2 2016.
The company's list had hinted the ZenFone 2 and the ZenFone 2 Deluxe Edition would be the first in its lineup to jump from Lollipop to Marshmallow. However, in a surprising move, the company opted to update the ZenFone Selfie and the ZenFone Zoom based on the ZenFone 2 in July.
The changelog for the ZenFone 2 reveals that the firmware bears the version number 4.21.40.134.
The update is an over the air (OTA) one and brings in its folds the addition of five apps and features such as Instagram, Google Messenger, Google Calendar, Facebook Messenger and Facebook.
Post the update, owners of the ZenFone 2 will also see nearly 21 pre-installed applications being removed from their handset such as Google Play Books, Jawbone UP, Asus Backup, Google+, Party Link, Data Transfer and TripAdvisor to name a few.
After updating the ZenFone 2 to Android 6.0 Marshmallow, users will not get support for SnapView or Multi-user. However, the software update will bring other exciting features that Android Marshmallow brings in its folds.
Asus has some advice for those downloading the software update. The company advises that users of the ZenFone 2 shift the apps to internal storage because the update does not support APP2SD.
The company also suggests users to remove "Asus Email, Asus Calendar, Asus Messaging [which] won't preload in this software version. You can use Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Messenger for relevant services."
ZenFone 2 owners who want to update their OS to Android 6.0 Marshmallow now may manually download it direct from Asus' website.
Alternately, you can wait for the software update to hit your device. To check if the update has hit your ZenFone 2, go to Settings > About Device > Software Update > Check for Updates.
Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr
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The threat of extinction faced by mountain lions inhabiting the Santa Monica Mountains of Greater Los Angeles has attracted researchers' attention.
The survival and procreation of the mountain lions of Los Angeles have been constrained by the rampant expansion of human development in the hill area. Upcoming 10 lane freeways are cutting off lion population from the species in neighboring habitats and are endangering their genetic diversity.
The 150,000-acre region has freeways running on both sides with a dense agricultural belt of Oxnard engulfing the west. The warning of lions' extinction has been sounded by wildlife ecologists of UCLA and National Park Service.
Lead author and wildlife ecologist John Benson of the La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science published the findings in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The study described the plight of the mountain lions in the Santa Monica range.
The researchers at UCLA, UC Davis and Utah State University have assessed that the lion population at Santa Monica Mountains would be wiped off within 50 years.
Adding to their isolation is the threat of inbreeding that may mutate the lions' genetic diversity fast. When inbreeding related genetic deficiencies are factored in, the percentage of cumulative extinction threat will zoom to 99.7 percent.
"Over time a population mating between close relatives will closely erode genetics in a negative way," said Seth Riley, park service wildlife ecologist and a UCLA professor, noting that inbreeding among lion population at Santa Monica Mountains remains a serious threat to the biodiversity of the species.
A precarious situation also exists. Even the death of a single puma among the 15 pumas living there can cause serious consequences. This is because breeding is fully dependent on two male lions.
"If it just so happens one month that one gets hit by a car and one dies of rodenticide poisoning, then all of a sudden you're out of males," noted Riley.
Now a solution has been mooted by the authors to address the problem. That is to develop a wildlife corridor that will allow mountain lions enter and exit the Santa Monica Mountains.
A proposal for a 165-foot-wide, 200-foot-long bridge over the 101 Freeway near Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills to link the Santa Monica is on cards.
Such a passageway will also dispense with the need to relocate mountain lions physically from other habitats to the Santa Monica Mountains.
A Ray Of Hope For Santa Monica Lions
Despite mounting concerns of extinction, there is some hope in the words of lead author John Benson.
"We're not seeing any indication of inbreeding depression yet. We have documented very low genetic diversity. And our model suggests the decline of genetic diversity will continue at a fairly alarming rate over the next 50 years," told Benson to California radio station KPCC.
Now the priority is to take steps to pre-empt the expansion of inbreeding depression in the small lion population of Santa Monica Mountains to stem their impending extinction.
Photo: National Park Service | Flickr
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Even though it's only the start of September, there are plenty of people who are planning on making a trip to their local Starbucks to get a beverage with the flavor of the upcoming season.
Thats right, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to Starbucks starting today well, sort of.
Only Reward customers and those who get a code for one will be able to get their hands on a PSL before it's officially added to the menu on Sept. 6.
Yet, despite the temperatures still ranging from high 70s to low 90s throughout the U.S., that won't stop basic, um, customers from sipping on fall-flavored drinks.
Although the summer is over, Starbucks is making sure that it continues to heat things up when it comes to new selections.
Starbucks is spicing up its fall menu by adding a new option that is a fresh take on the ever-popular fall stable.
Called the Chile Mocha Latte, this beverage sounds like it would be enjoyed by those who don't like pumpkin flavoring but are looking for something a bit more festive than a plain old boring hot chocolate.
A photo posted by Kennda Richardson (@poshbykennda) on Aug 22, 2016 at 2:43pm PDT
Starbucks' Chile Mocha might scare some into thinking it's more intense than a Pumpkin Spice Latte on the hot scale, but many have reported it isn't as bad as it sounds. However, keep in mind that this beverage is for those who do like spice it is still a hotter hot chocolate.
The Chile Mocha Latte is made with three scoops of chile mocha powder that is infused into two percent steamed milk and espresso, with whipped cream, along with cinnamon, paprika, sugar, sea salt and a dash of cayenne pepper and ancho chile that makes up the "Chile Mocha topping."
The Chile Mocha will be added to Starbucks' menu starting on Sept. 6, but Starbucks Rewards members can start ordering theirs early on Sept. 3.
Don't worry, PSL lovers. There is room on the menu for both, as the launch of the new spicier fall beverage is not replacing the old favorite. Customers can still order PSL hot, cold or as a frapp, which is made of real pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg that is then mixed with steamed milk and espresso and topped with whipped cream and "pumpkin pie topping."
Starbucks is also finally adding almond milk to the menu starting in September, which will go nicely when paired with the "spice" lattes.
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5 Exciting Phone Launches For The Week | TechTree.com
This week as August ends and the month of September starts, is also an exciting time in the tech world, as new gadgets get launched in the market. With IFA 2016 being underway, many phone making brands are looking to capitalize on the media attention to get their new creations in the limelight. Here are 5 launches that could well be taking place between September 2 to September 7:
ZTE Nubia
The initial media invites were sent for August 31, which read 'Dream without boundaries' which led to a lot of speculation as to what the capabilities of the ZTE Nubia would be. This was then followed by a teaser titled 'Whats NU at IFA 2016'. But somehow, it was no surprise that the device was unveiled in China recently, where ZTE Nubia Z11 features a 5.5-inch Full HD display of 1080x1920 pixel resolution. It also has a 2.5D curved glass bezel-less display with 81% screen-to-body ratio. The Nubia Z11 runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor. The handset comes in two variants; 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/128GB storage. The memory can be further expanded up to 200GB via microSD cards.
Sony Xperia XR
A little more speculative in this case, but the phone maker from Japan is expected to launch the new flagship, the Xperia XR with a 13-MP rear camera, 4GB of RAM, and a Qualcomm 820 processor to boot. In what some say could well be a 5-inch+ screen, there will also be a more compact 4.7-inch version of the same, likely to be known as 'Xperia X Compact'.
HTC One A9s
Another brand launching their flagship device on the sidelines of the IFA 2016 event, is HTC, where they would be showcasing the HTC One A9s. From some sources, one can guess this handset to have a similar design to the A9 which was launched last year, but have some additional features like the fingerprint sensor on the 'Home' button, and the metal unibody, alongside a 13MP shooter for the rear, and 4 ultra-pixel shooter for front or 'selfie' camera.
Microsoft Surface
Being perhaps as big a brand, there is always a good deal of speculation as to what Microsoft does with it's products, and this time, it is the first 'Surface' branded phone which meant for release at IFA 2016. Some suggest that there could 3 variants of the Surface handset, beginning with lower end 3GB of RAM, followed by a mid-tier 6GB of RAM, and the high-end version of 8GB RAM. Alongside this, there is the 5.5-inch AMOLED screen, 20MP camera, and also support for the Microsoft created Surface Pen. In terms of the processor, it could well be sporting the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, and be running on the Windows 10 OS for mobiles, or even the Android OS.
Huawei Mate 9
Apart from the big things happening at the launch, be prepared for the massive size of the Huawei Mate 9, which is being pitched with a 5.9-inch screen, packed alongside 4GB/ 6GB of RAM, Kirin 960 processor, and 16 MP rear shooter. Some guesses are also saying that the Mate 9 may be one of the first handsets in the market, which will launch with the latest version of the Android 7.0 Nougat OS from Google.
TAGS: ZTE Nubia Z11, Huawei Mate 9, Microsoft Surface Phone, HTC One A9s, Sony Xperia XR, IFA 2016
Cube26 Launches Reos - A Suite Of Smart Apps | TechTree.com
Cube26, an Indian technology innovation company focused on making devices smarter, has announced the launch of its new brand - Reos. With this new brand, the company plans to extend its data science capabilities across software and hardware products, making them more intuitive, accessible and easy to use for the new age, connected consumers.
Under brand Reos, the company is launching a suite of smart apps Message, Camera and Music category, to help provide a clutter free, assistive mobile experience. In the hardware segment, Cube26 aims to strengthen its presence in the smart home segment with a new version of smart bulb - Reos Lite.
Speaking on the launch, Saurav Kumar, CEO & Co-Founder, Cube26 said, We are on a mission to make devices smarter, both in India and across the world, and our plan is to do that by combining our powerful software capability with hardware innovation. The Reos range is a first step in this direction with which we offer intuitive and smarter solutions that are build mobile first, and solve Indias unique problems by using artificial intelligence and data mining in unique ways.
Reos Message
The Reos Message app gives a whole new instant messaging experience for users on a single platform. The app utilizes the collective intelligence of all its users to prioritize the most relevant and actionable messages while reducing noise. The application has smart folders categorized into Main, Notifications and Promo that help users to automatically and intelligently categorize messages into distinct folders.
Reos introduces Instant Cards, allowing quick access to the information the users are looking for. For example the instant card extracts only the 6 or 4 digit OTP with a quick copy button for the online transactions. Similarly, it extracts just the PNR number for a quick check in.
Using the deep integration with Paytm, the app will automatically prompt users with a bill payment card when they are close to bill payment or are running low on balance without juggling between multiple apps. The Reos Message app is targeted at specific user segments such as working professionals and college students to connect with their colleagues or friends.
Reos Camera
The Reos Camera app provides users an enriched photography experience by getting the best of photo editing features at a single click. It provides live photo filters and live beauty filters which allow users to not only capture photographs with filters but also view the effect in real time further enhancing the quality of images. The app provides Artistic Filters powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), which transform user pictures into artworks based on Indian themes. The app lets users capture amazing time-lapse and slow motion videos. Reos Camera app applies cognitive intelligence which uses unique image search along with smart image recognition technology.
Reos Music
Reos Music app combines all the capabilities of a native music player with additional features for online video content, radio and audio recognition technology. It is powered by a search engine which helps users to fast search and get all relevant information about songs across the web. The powerful music equalizer and visualizer improve the sound quality and render beautiful visualized effects for an enhanced musical experience. The application shows all the music videos which are currently trending. The app uses audio recognition technology and enables users to identify songs, artists and lyrics.
Reos Lite
Reos Lite is the new, upgraded version of the smart bulb. The bulb comes with new exciting features such as new modes, schedules and alerts along with the revamped music sync option. Other features include - adjustable colour temperature from Cool White to Warm White (2700K to 6500K), 13W Power and 1100 Lumen total luminous flux. Reos Lite costs INR. 1699/- and is available on Flipkart for Indian consumers from 31st August 2016.
TAGS: Press Release, Mobile App, Best Smartphones
Elecciones presidenciales
El pais mas grande de la region elige este domingo a su proximo mandatario. Tras no lograr hacerse con la mayoria de los votos en los comicios del 2 de octubre, Luis Inacio "Lula" Da Silva y Jair Bolsonaro se disputan la Presidencia en una balotaje que enfrenta tendencias y valores contrapuestas. Con equipos en el terreno, Telam presenta una cobertura exclusiva con noticias, analisis, opinion, fotos y mas.
On the debate, two pollsters who conducted studies, agreed on Saturday that former president Lula defeated Bolsonaro. | Read More
Televisual invited a panel of senior production executives working across broadcast disciplines to discuss their technology choices, workflows and challenges. Heres what they had to say.
Around the table were:
Shireen Abbott, Director of Production, Twofour Group
John Brennan, Group Chief Executive Officer, Procam
Jason Crosby, Chief Operating Officer, Monkey Kingdom
Helena Ely, Head of Production, Wall to Wall
Carl Hall, Managing Director, Warehouse 51 Productions
Rick Horne, Head of Post and Facilities, Two Four Group
John Jamieson, Commercial Director, Splice Post
Patrick Nelson, Territory Account Manager, Avid
Liz Pearson, Post production Supervisor, Freelance
Ruth Session, Senior Production Executive, Freelance
Natalie Triebwasser, Head of Production, Quicksilver Media
Claire Walker, Head of Production, Raw Cut
Which camera?
For most of our panel, each new production or series came with a deliberation over the choice of camera, with final choice dictated by budget, familiarity, resolution, reputation and broadcaster request. The desired final look was mostly a trade-off against ease of use, based largely on budget. Although theres an ever greater range of cameras available on the market, the same makes and models were consistently name-checked in line with this years Production Technology Survey.
Jason Crosby (JC)
We like the Sony F3. Thats the main camera weve been shooting Made in Chelsea on for the last five-and-a-half years. Chelsea has a really good, consistent look that would be hard to replicate with another camera. We have tested a variety of other cameras but it works for us despite having to use a Nanoflash for 35 / 50 mb/s broadcaster requirements.
John Brennan (JB)
I think the sensor on the F3 is fantastic, but it doesnt meet EBU standards. I would recommend the Canon C300. Canon has a history of photographic quality 35mm DSLRs, although the C300 Mark II is twice the price of the recent Sony FS7.
Claire Walker (CW)
Pretty much all of our shows have a different camera, generally because of the timing of when we start filming. Some of the challenges are budgetary. In 2012 we used the Canon 305s because they were small and robust. Then we moved over to the Sony EX range, Sony PMW200s, and now the new Sony PXW300s that are much better shooting at night. The FS7 doesnt work for all of our shows due to the need to change lenses, although we do shoot with it.
Natalie Triebwasser (NT)
I like to be one step behind the bleeding edge. We used to have the 305s, then the Canon C300s. Weve been asked to look at the FS7 for our next production. Were also looking at the FS5 as its lighter.
JBThe FS7 is a proven field camera and 99% of hire companies stock this in preference to the FS5. As a rental house you always want to buy the best of the variants for your customers.
Rick Horne (RH)
Weve just bought a couple of FS7s for a specific project where there was an option to go with the C300. I dont believe for the programmes Natalie is probably making, its always going to be enhanced by changing camera. Weve got some 305s that are slowly dying that have been brilliant. Weve got some C300s, some XDCam, 700s and 800s, that I love and Panasonic mini-cams for rig shows.
Helena Ely (HE)
We shoot drama on the Arri Alexa. Were now using the Alexa Mini for a drama / factual hybrid as its more flexible.
Ruth Sessions (RS)
A lot of people shoot dramas on high-resolution cameras so they can crop in. But you cant if youre delivering 4K. In docs, once tape came along people often used to shoot everything and worry about it in the edit. But with 3D or 4K, you cant afford to, you have to control the shoot. The volume of data affects everything, including the choice of locations and fine-tuning the shots.
Liz Pearson (LP)
The Arri is a wall-to-wall camera. DoPs and graders like it because it has a greater latitude. Everything should be tailored to what you set the look to on set.
Carl Hall (CH)
For Animal Planet, weve got seven F55s shooting down in South Africa, which are brilliant. Were also shooting an antiques series, mainly on the Canon 305s. When we shoot in the auction houses we only have a couple of days, so we shoot them in 4K and later zoom in to the detail and release footage back to the auction houses [for no money] and add value. 4K lenses are a bugger at the moment. Theyre difficult to get hold of.
JB Most people shooting 4K arent using 4K lenses. At TLS were reconditioning vintage lenses. A lot of them are 6K and 8K ready, even though some of them are 35 years old. A 4K lens is a marketing gimmick.
CH In wildlife we need lenses to hold focus, right to the edge of frame with no drop off and its very demanding. Discovery supplied us with these amazing Canon 50 1,000mm lenses but there are almost none of them available at the moment. Theyre really difficult to get hold of.
Camera Wish List
Eliminating operator error, broadcast spec mini cams and ease of use were at the top of our panels wish list.
CW It would be nice to shoot with the Sony FS7 but not have the inconvenience of needing to change lenses. My main wish would be for a powerful mini cam.
RS A feature that eliminates operator error. Its a production-threatening problem. You put in all sets of checks and balances.
LP Something to say, Is this what you really wanted?
CH A chip you could write on to and install with all the main constraints and defaults to correct settings and see whos on the camera.
NT Durability and to stop sand getting behind the lenses.
Shooting and Mastering in 4K and HDR
Most of our panellists werent being asked for 4K (or HDR) but those that were saw demand increasing in the very near future.
LP Were already mastering in 4K for three shows for Netflix and Amazon. I think 4Ks going to go mainstream really quickly, within a year.
RS I think its horses for courses. Say youre filming somewhere really iconic like the pyramids. Youve got all sorts of re-versioning and clips sales potential if you own the rights. But if youve got presenters nipping in and out of every shot and you havent got the time to get the shots clean without them, its probably not worth it. If you can shoot certain scenes in 4K as a relatively small investment you might be showing a city that doesnt exist in time to come.
CH I shot in 4K for Area 51 (as we only had one day) so we could go back to the detail we saw in the hangar. When I ran a distributor business, we got in to HD when it first came in and when the HD channels came on stream, we simply re-mastered our programmes and sold them again with a mark-up. If you own your assets, you should look to shoot 4K. Look at all those old film masters now being re-mastered as 4K.
RS Were behind the curve here. In the Far East, a lot is 4K and 8K and they want high frame rates. Have you got any 8K at 60 fp/s? But when broadcasters started commissioning HD, they only gave a 15% uplift.
LP 4K post adds an almost 50% mark-up. For Amazon were doing an HDR grade for future transmission in 4K as a dual delivery. As soon as we started shooting HDR, we did a test as you have to be careful with data cameras as you can get artefects under certain conditions. 4K monitoring on set is so important.
RS I agree. Id rather not risk having an ineffective shoot day and write it off.
LP In the grade we do the SDR version first followed by the HDR. Youve got to have an HDR monitor in the grade. I love the look of HDR but it can be incredibly unforgiving on make-up, hair, costume
HE A bit like HD when it first came in.
JB I would say 4K acquisition is up 40% over the last year mastering in 4K but not always delivering. If you look at Sky now, theyre asking for 4K, and will very soon be broadcasting in 4K. Any music concerts we support are always 4K. Once the consumer starts experiencing 4K HDR, everyone will have to catch up as watching HDR is more stunning than 3D: dynamic being the key word.
Editing Systems
Avid was all of the panels primary editing platform. Integrating Premiere within workflow was also discussed.
Patrick Nelson (PH)
Media Composer did have a complete revamp and is now more flexible in what we can do and what we can adopt. The Alliance Partnership means that Adobe Premiere is a first-party client on Avid storage and integrated within the Avid platform. All of our products are now interconnected and a lot of third-party products are also becoming interconnected within the platform. Our goal is to make that end-to-end process as easy as we can possibly make it.
John Jamieson (JJ) Splice Post tries to be agnostic and provide for Premiere projects and try to get them in to Avid Land as soon as possible: partly because thats what we understand, partly thats where our moneys been spent, but also because there hasnt so far been any other platform that provides for a collaborative workflow and a professional grading platform.
JC We use Avid, pretty much the whole way through. Its the scalability when we have major projects.
CW Avid for the main show while our development team use Adobe Premiere. Theyre not editors and its nice and easy, in and out.
CH We have so many mixed file sizes, the ingestion people that we hire know Avid really well. Different frame rates and issues are all fixed before the editor gets it.
Cloud based Editing
There were two very separate issues relating to whether youre remote editing or logging. Patrick summarised it as, logging is typically working with low-res proxies, while remote editing is pushing and pulling large files where you need a big pipe.
JJ Editors shouldnt spend 500 hours looking through rushes sitting in expensive real estate. Its great to have people remotely sifting through the media but loggers arent generally editorial. You need to be clear about whether youre viewing to log or to edit and where the editorial decision sits in the process.
RH Avid Everywhere does have potential, it looks like the thing that will plug that gap. I see it as a tool for junior editors, producers, for a small-scale single camera shoot as a logging tool.
HE For logging, not for editing.
RH To do a fully remote edit is just not quite right. You need your editor and creative director in a room together being creative not so much having your editor in a bedroom editing remotely for three weeks.
CW The people on the shoot are not the people I want to be doing the edit. Its a separate process.
NT Ive heard of people getting the PD to do most of the edit and bring in a professional editor for the last week. Theyre doing so many jobs already it fills me with horror.
Shireen Abbott (SA) There are some projects where you may be filming over a year and want to be cutting things as you go and this calls for not just logging, not editing whatever this thing is in the middle. You dont need to go in to an edit suite. You do need a solution for it, to knock it down. Theyre paper editing anyway, so do it on a timeline, do it on a laptop.
LP Who is going to be carrying out all of the technical checks on the picture if its coming down as a low-res proxy? We dont know the DITs skill level, so hopefully your editor will catch it before it gets to a post facility.
RS The moments weve wanted remote editing to be a possibility, it was simply too remote.
Grading
The choice of grading artist (mostly by the director or DoP) was more important for the panel than the choice of grading system.
LP Grading is one of the areas thats still a skill.
HE We grade in-house, but for drama or high-end factual we go out of house if theres a case.
RS If you have a particularly complex project, youd stay with a particular post house or artist who knows what you want.
CH For wildlife, we need such powerful systems because were matching shots from 10 years ago. I think the way its projected is more important.
The heads of production round table was sponsored by Avid, Procam and Splice.
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The free-falling construction lift at a construction site in Hanoi. Photo credit: Tien Phong
Three workers at a a building under construction in Hanoi was killed Thursday after a platform on a temporary elevator collapsed, causing them to fall about 27 stories.
The authorities were called shortly after 10.30 am to the site, at the Lilama Hanoi Tower on Linh Nam Street in Hoang Mai District.
Two workers, La Tuan Anh, 19, and Nguyen Van Thang, 24, died immediately after the fall.
The 30-story building where the accident happened.
The other worker, Nguyen Van Ba, 29, was hospitalized in critical condition, and was pronounced dead later.
Local media quoted witnesses as saying that the three workers were transporting construction material in the man lift.
They had been at the building's 27th floor level when the platform gave way, witnesses said.
The building complex includes two towers of 23 and 30 stories and 17 villas.
The project was invested by Lilama Hanoi Joint Stock Company and broke ground in 2009.
Park Jeong Hee (L, 2nd) and her friends report a taxi driver to Hanoi police for fleeing with her cell phone. Photo credit: VTCNews
Police in Hanoi are looking for a taxi driver who reportedly ran away with a mobile phone that a South Korean passenger left with him so that she could go inside her house to get money for the fare.
Park Jeong Hee, 34, said in a police report that she took the taxi home early Thursday morning. When it arrived, she found out she did not bring any money, local media reported.
So the driver asked her to give him her phone, to make sure that she would come back with the money.
When she came out with the money, the taxi had left.
Hee said her phone is worth more than VND16 million (US$710), while the cab fare was VND240,000 ($11).
The taxi that took a Japanese passenger past his destination, resulting in a brawl on January 27, 2016. Photo credit: Hai Hieu/VnExpress
A Japanese man and a taxi driver were involved in a fight in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday afternoon after the passenger accused the cabbie of driving him around to increase the fare.
A police source told Thanh Nien that t he passenger, Imasaki Keisuke, 38, hailed a taxi near Tan Son Nhat International Airport to go to Dien Bien Phu Street.
But after driving for around 200 meters, the driver asked him to switch to another taxi without explaining why.
The new driver, Nguyen Minh Thai, reportedly gave the first VND20,000 (90 US cents).
Thai then drove Keisuke to his destination on a one-way section of Dien Bien Phu. However, he went past the place and had to go around.
The passengers then demanded to be dropped on Truong Dinh Street and was asked to pay VND112,000, as shown on the meter.
Due to language barriers, Keisuke called a Vietnamese woman on his phone to communicate with the driver.
The woman said he only agreed to pay VND80,000 because I was driving around, Thai said.
A brawl then broke out between them, attracting a big crowd. They were then taken to a police station. Both claimed that the other was aggressive and started the fight.
Keisuke said that he was attacked with a key and injured.
Thai said he did not mean to hurt the passenger. I missed the destination because I often drive in District 12 and don't know the downtown area very well," he said.
The police have not commented on the case.
The area near the karaoke parlor in Hai Phong where a man was shot dead early Wednesday. Photo: Le Tan
Hai Phong police are hunting for suspects in the murder of a 33-year-old man on Tuesday night that was allegedly prompted by conflict over a parking spot.
Bui Dinh Trong was shot at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday when he and a group of friends came to an opening ceremony of a karaoke parlor in Hong Bang District.
A brawl erupted between Trong's group and another group of guests after they disagreed over a sparking spot, a source told Thanh Nien.
Suddenly someone from the other group shot Trong, and the group quickly fled the scene in cars.
Trong was rushed to the Viet Tiep Hospital but doctors pronounced that he was dead on arrival.
Police said he sustained two gunshots in his abdomen and leg, which could have been fired from a K-54 handgun, a copy of the Soviet-type Tokarev TT-33 that is used by Vietnam's armed force.
The source told Thanh Nien that the karaoke parlor is owned by a local gang leader, identified only as Hien.
Four construction workers were killed when scaffolding for a bridge collapsed in Thanh Hoa Province on Saturday, the local government said.
The accident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. as the workers were constructing Suoi Quanh Bridge in Trung Son Commune, Quan Hoa District, Ngo Sy Tam from the district government told local media on Sunday.
The victims are Nguyen Tuan Vu and Nguyen Dinh Tung, both 24, Bui Van Chung, 35, and Phan Van Thinh, 31, according to the official.
Suoi Quanh Bridges investor is Thanh Hoa Provinces Department of Transport and contractor is Dat Phuong Co.
Work on the 257-meter-long bridge is estimated to cost VND182 billion (US$8.1 million). It is scheduled to be open to traffic this March.
Further investigations are ongoing.
A Ho Chi Minh City court on Wednesday sentenced a 41-year-old Singaporean man to five months and six days in jail for locking his girlfriend inside a hotel room in February.
Eng Yong Kit was set free after the trial as he had been detained long enough, local media reported.
The court heard that on February 2, Kit forced his 24-year-old Vietnamese girlfriend into a hotel room on District 3s Hai Ba Trung Street.
He then locked the room and blocked the door with a bed to prevent others from rescuing her.
Police and representatives of the Singaporean Consulate General in HCMC arrived at the hotel, but they failed to talk him into opening the door.
Eight hours later, police had to use smoke grenades and break in to rescue the woman. Kit was arrested.
He told the police that he met his girlfriend online and they started dating in June last year.
When the woman, believed to be a sex worker, decided to break up with him, he did not take it well.
The court said it handed down the lenient sentence because there were no serious consequences and the woman also requested to drop charges against him.
Quang Nam police on Thursday confirmed that a South Korean director of a garment company in the central province had been killed in a workplace accident.
Yoon Hyun Jun, 36, was the director of Panko Tam Thang, a garment company in Tam Ky Town, Tuoi Tre reported.
The incident happened at around 8 p.m. at a companys factory. Yoon was at the site to oversee a facility cleanup.
A worker was moving a thick panel of glass on a forklift. The panel, weighing about 1.4 tons, reportedly tipped over and fell on Yoon. The director was killed on the spot.
Police are looking into the case. It is unclear what the glass panel was for.
A court in the central province of Khanh Hoa on Wednesday handed down jail sentences against three Russian men for using fake bank cards to steal US$13,180 worth of cash from local ATMs last year.
Viacheslav Kotets, 30, got six years and Bondarenko Yury, 44, six and a half years. They were found guilty of theft.
Their accomplice, Aleksei Troian, 33, was sentenced to six and a half years with additional charges of attempting to escape detention.
Troian was caught on October 27 last year when withdrawing money using a fake card at an ATM in the resort town of Nha Trang. The other two were arrested later.
Investigators found that the trio had arrived in Vietnam on tourist visas and that they had used fake cards to steal more than VND294 million (US$13,180) from several ATMs in Nha Trang and HCMC.
In their hotel rooms, police found 278 fraudulent credit cards, VND247 million in dong, a large amount of cash in other currencies, a card reader and a laptop.
While in detention in Nha Trang, Troian attempted to flee by using a plastic spoon and two toothbrushes to dig a hole in the wall.
He somehow managed to get out of his cell on February 12 but was caught before he could leave the detention center.
Da Lat police on Wednesday arrested a taxi driver on suspicion of brutally beating and robbing a female passenger before leaving her on an empty street late last month.
A police source told Thanh Nien that the victim, who was drunk at the time, took a taxi from a nightclub to her hotel in the early hours on August 31.
The driver Pham Tuan Anh, 24, allegedly stole her phone and purse after she fell asleep in the car. There was about VND7 million (US$320) in the purse.
At around 1 a.m. H woke up and asked for her belongings, but Anh deliberately drove around and only gave her back the phone.
The driver then reportedly stopped the car by an empty street. He punched and kicked her, and left her there.
As Anh was about to drive away, the passenger managed to climb onto the cars hood. It is believed that he drove on for nearly a kilometer before pulling over to drag her off the car.
The victim then found a house and asked for help.
Anh was arrested on the same day and admitted to the crime.
Australian flag flutters in front of the Great Hall of the People during a welcoming ceremony for Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (not in picture) in Beijing, China, April 14, 2016.
A senior U.S. soldier said on Thursday Australia must choose between a stronger U.S. alliance or closer ties with China, and urged Canberra to take a tougher stance against Chinese claims in the South China Sea.
"I think the Australians need to make a choice ... it's very difficult to walk this fine line between balancing the alliance with the United States and the economic engagement with China," U.S. Army Assistant Chief of Staff Colonel Tom Hanson said on Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio.
"There's going to have to be a decision as to which one is more of a vital national interest for Australia," he said, adding that this was his personal view, and not necessarily that of the U.S. government.
The comments follow the publication of a parliamentary booklet warning Australian lawmakers to treat Chinese motives in the region with caution.
Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, has previously drawn criticism from China for running surveillance flights over disputed islands in the South China Sea, and supporting U.S. freedom of navigation exercises there.
However, Australia has not conducted a unilateral freedom of navigation voyage of its own. A spokeswoman for Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop would not comment on future plans.
"Clearly China believes that they have an opportunity and they feel empowered to flout that, and a demonstration by Australia would be welcome," Hanson said.
China is Australia's largest trading partner and a large source of foreign investment, spending $11.1 billion on Australian assets, mostly property, in 2015, accounting and advisory firm KPMG and the University of Sydney have said.
If China's bloated and inefficient state owned enterprises were a nation, they'd make up the world's fourth-biggest economy.
And with private investment retreating, they may be growing still, according to fresh research from Bloomberg Intelligence economists Fielding Chen and Tom Orlik. That makes reforming a sector that accounts for about 40 percent of China's industrial assets and 18 percent of total employment key to the nation's economic future. And tough to do.
In 2014, the latest year for which there's solid data, return on assets for state firms was just 4 percent versus 11 percent for nimbler private firms.
"Thats bad news for growth, as a high proportion of capital is allocated to a relatively unproductive set of firms," Chen and Orlik wrote.
It's also bad for financial stability as capital still flows to these less-efficient firms.
SOE's are most dominant in industries that require the most capital, like electricity generation or chemicals.
And when it comes to private versus public, it's the non-state firms that are almost always the more efficient.
So why does this all matter? Because the performance of SOEs continues to get worse, and stress from high debt is rising, Bloomberg Intelligence research finds.
There is a bright spot: while SOEs stack up poorly against local and global peers, they look OK when compared with other emerging market firms.
Smoke rises from Taybat al Imam town after rebel fighters from the hardline jihadist Jund al-Aqsa advanced in the town in Hama province, Syria August 31, 2016.
Areas of Syria's Hama province captured by Syrian insurgents came under heavy air attack on Thursday as government forces sought to counter a major rebel assault in an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad.
The rebel thrust in Hama marks a new challenge to Assad and his allies in a part of Syria where he has tried to consolidate his grip on power against a more than five-year-old insurgency.
The attack that began on Tuesday is the biggest coordinated rebel offensive in Hama province since 2014, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.
The Observatory said at least 25 people including six children had been killed in the air strikes overnight.
Syrian state television said the air force had carried out "concentrated strikes" against what it described as terrorists in the area, saying tens of them had been killed.
An official in one of the rebel factions waging the attack, Jaish al-Nasr, said both Syrian and Russian jets were involved in what he described as heavy air strikes. Russia has been bombing anti-Assad forces for almost a year.
The rebel groups taking part include the jihadist Jund al-Aqsa and factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Jaish al-Nasr, one of the FSA groups, said in a statement released overnight that two commanders and three other of its combatants had been killed in the Hama battles.
Rebels have captured a number of towns and villages in the attack. The targeted area is populated by Christians and Alawites loyal to the government and is close to the mountain heartland of Assad's Alawite sect.
The Observatory said the air strike that killed 25 people hit a road between the town of al-Latamenah and Idlib province, an area of northwestern Syria mostly under insurgent control.
A Syrian military source said the air force had destroyed dozens of insurgent vehicles and the militants riding in them on a road from al-Latamenah to Idlib.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a National Heroes Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) in Taguig city, Metro Manila in the Philippines August 29, 2016.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday he was ready to discuss any issues with Barack Obama when they meet in Laos next week, but added that the U.S. president must listen to him first before bringing up the question of human rights.
Washington has expressed concern about a surge in drug-related killings since Duterte became president two months ago promising to wipe out narcotics in the Southeast Asian nation.
Asked if he would be willing to discuss human rights at his meeting with Obama on the sidelines of an East Asia summit on Sept. 6, Duterte told reporters: "Depends to what degree.
"They must understand the problem first before we talk about human rights. I would insist, listen to me: this is what the problem is, then we can talk."
In a statement, the foreign ministry said the meeting would be an opportunity for the president to "communicate his advocacy to improve the peace and order situation in the country, especially toward eradicating the scourge of illicit drugs".
Police data released on Tuesday showed that the number of drug-related killings since Duterte took office now stands at around 2,000, nearly half of them in police operations and the rest in shootings by unidentified gunmen.
Duterte has been unapologetic over unleashing the police on drug users and dealers and has responded robustly to criticism from the United Nations and other countries over his campaign.
Recently he lashed out at Washington's ambassador to the Philippines, branding him a "gay son of a whore".
The White House said on Monday that Obama would raise concerns about some of Duterte's recent statements when the two meet.
However, it said there were also important security issues for the two closely allied countries to discuss, particularly tension over navigation in the South China Sea. China has been incensed by a ruling against its claims in the South China Sea by an international court, a case initiated by Manila.
The two leaders were expected to discuss ways to strengthen the security alliance after Manila allowed the U.S. military to rotate its forces in five local air and army bases, foreign ministry spokesman Charles Jose said.
Duterte said he would also hold talks with China, which will be represented at the Laos meeting by Premier Li Keqiang. Media reports said he would also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A member of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) patrols in the border town of Jarablus, Syria, August 31, 2016.
Turkey wants to clear Islamic State from a 90-km (56-mile) stretch of territory on the Syrian side of its border, an official said on Wednesday, a week after it launched an incursion that has strained ties with the United States.
Operation "Euphrates Shield", in which Turkish troops and tanks entered Syria in support of rebels for the first time, began on Aug. 24 with the swift capture of Jarablus, a town a few km (miles) inside Syria that was held by the militant group.
Turkish-backed rebels patrolled the town on motorbikes on Wednesday as children played in dusty alleys.
The bulk of Turkish-backed forces have since moved further south into territory held by militias loyal to the Kurdish-aligned Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition supported by Washington in its bid to defeat the jihadists.
Turkish clashes with SDF loyalists have alarmed the United States, which has described the Turkish action as "unacceptable" because it hindered the battle against Islamic State.
But Turkey, which is fighting a Kurdish insurgency at home, says that, while it remains intent on clearing Islamist militants from its border region, it also wants to prevent Kurdish militias from seizing territory in their wake.
Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the goal was to drive Islamic State from a 90-km strip of land along the border with Turkey, which has been buffeted by a spate of bombings, blamed on the group, that have killed scores.
Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters are seen in the border town of Jarablus, Syria, August 31, 2016.
"Starting from Jarablus, the cleansing of this region is our priority," Kalin told a news briefing. "We have already cleansed 400 square km successfully."
Turkey has long said it wants a "buffer zone" in the area, although it has not used the term during this incursion. As well as driving out the ultra-hardline Islamists, it also wants to prevent Kurdish forces taking territory that will let them join up cantons they control in northeast and northwest Syria.
Turkey frets that seizing such a broad swathe of territory could embolden Kurdish PKK insurgents on Turkish soil.
Thud of explosions
U.S. officials on Tuesday welcomed what appeared to be a pause in fighting between Turkish forces and rival militias, after days when the border area reverberated with Turkish warplanes roaring into Syria and artillery pounded Syrian sites, saying it was hitting Kurdish fighters.
In Washington, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters on Wednesday there had been calm in northern Syria in the past 24 hours.
"We continue to work very closely with our coalition partner and ally Turkey in trying to address their concerns about this situation," spokesman Peter Cook said. "Likewise we continue to work with our partners in Syria to try and keep the focus where it should be," he added.
On Wednesday only the occasional thud of explosions in the distance was audible along the Turkish frontier.
Ankara has denied statements from Kurdish fighters in Syria that a temporary truce had been agreed, saying it would not make any pact with the Kurdish YPG militia, a powerful force in the SDF coalition, as it considers it a terrorist body.
A member of Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA), seen with a mural of the Islamic State in the background, stands guard in front of a building in the border town of Jarablus, Syria, August 31, 2016.
"The Turkish Republic is a sovereign state, a legitimate state. It cannot be equated with a terrorist organization," EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik told state-run Anadolu news agency, adding this meant there could be no "agreement between the two."
Turkey has demanded that the YPG cross the Euphrates river into a Kurdish-controlled canton in Syria's northeast. U.S. officials have threatened to withdraw backing for the YPG if it did not meet that demand, but have said that the Kurdish group has mostly done so.
Turkey's EU affairs minister said some Kurdish fighters were still on the western side and called that "unacceptable."
Eager to avoid more clashes between Turkey and U.S.-backed Syrian fighters, the Pentagon said the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State was establishing communications channels to better coordinate in a "crowded battlespace" in Syria.
As well as battling Islamic State in Syria, Turkey has been rounding up suspected militants at home. Interior Minister Efkan Ala said the authorities had arrested 865 people since the start of 2016, more than half of them foreigners, preventing them crossing through Turkey's long border with Syria and Iraq.
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File photo -- LSU Tigers fan Travis Gipson, left, of Houston, takes a selfie with his friend Ruthie Jager, center, a senior at Auburn, getting a little help from Jon 'Fish' Juhas, right, of New Orleans, at the tailgate Juhas set up near Hill Memorial Library with friend Patrick McCarthy, of Houston, before the LSU-Auburn football game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 in Baton Rouge.
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Some black students from Louisiana could be in line for preferential admission to Georgetown University and possible financial assistance as the Washington, D.C.-based university seeks to address issues related to its involvement in the American slave trade.
The admission preferences and unspecified financial assistance are called for in a report commissioned by Georgetown released on Thursday. They are primarily geared toward helping students attend the prestigious university who are descendants of 272 slaves the Catholic institution sold in 1838 to keep the school open.
Many of the enslaved men, women and children sold by the university wound up at Louisiana plantations.
Going forward, university officials said, those descendants will be granted the same legacy status and benefits that apply to members of the school's faculty, staff and alumni during the admissions process.
"I don't presume that I know what kind of relationship, in an ongoing way, descendants want to have with Georgetown, but I want them all to feel welcome and a part of the community," the university's President John DeGioia told The Advocate Thursday.
The recommendation to give descendants of the slaves preferred admission status was included in a report prepared by The Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation, a 15-member committee comprised of Georgetown University faculty members, students and alumni.
DeGioia said the report "identified a range of issues that require our engagement and effort toward building a framework to respond appropriately to many of the recommendations they made."
DeGioia rallied the group in September 2015, tasking them with recommending how the university could best acknowledge its involvement in slavery, examine the history of certain historical sites on campus and brainstorm opportunities for dialogue on related issues.
"While we acknowledge that the moral debt of slaveholding and the sale of the enslaved people can never be repaid, we are convinced that reparative justice requires a meaningful financial commitment from the university," the reports states.
This saga began in 1838 when the Jesuit priests running the higher learning institution known today as Georgetown University sold 272 enslaved black men, women and children mainly to absolve the institution of mounting debts.
The Georgetown slaves ended up in Louisiana, mostly working at plantations in Iberville and Ascension parishes.
Details of the sale reached national prominence this spring after a series of articles by The New York Times revealed scores of descendants of the slaves were still living in Louisiana and scattered throughout various parts of the country.
DeGioia in July traveled to Louisiana to meet some of them. Many had no idea of the connection they had to Georgetown through their enslaved ancestors. As they researched their family trees after news of the university's sale of slaves to Louisiana's plantations spread, they learned of their blood connections to one another.
+10 Georgetown University president meets with descendants of slaves sold to Louisiana plantations MARINGOUIN Two evils occurred in 1838 when Jesuit priests running the school that would be
During his visit, DeGioia expressed a desire to see the university become a resource of information for descendants seeking information about their forefathers and for Georgetown to attempt to restore was what broken by its involvement in the American slave system.
Among other recommendations to DeGioia, the Working Group said the university should intensify its outreach to prospective black students, especially those living in Louisiana, and to increase financial assistance for eligible descendants of the Jesuit slaves.
Maxine Crump, a former Baton Rouge television news anchorwoman and one of the first descendants discovered from the 1838 sale, said she was encouraged by the report's recommendation that financial assistance be made available to descendants of the slaves who want to attend Georgetown.
"Of course, they haven't spelled out how it will be done, but it sounds like scholarships might be available," she said. "I look forward to getting more specifics because I have several nieces and nephews who would want to take advantage of that."
The average cost to attend most of the university's undergraduate academic programs is approximately $50,000 a year.
DiGioia said the university already has several programs geared toward exposing high school students to the Georgetown experience and helping them acclimate into the university's academic standards.
And he said the university's footsteps into Louisiana were made easier this year with the opening of Cristo Rey Baton Rouge High School in August.
"We have a deep partnership with the Cristo Rey schools around the country," DiGioia said.
The group also said Georgetown should involve the descendants in an oral history project and solicit their input as the university further explores how it will memorialize those sold in the 1838 sale.
"There is much to be learned from the descendants and their history, and Georgetown's history cannot be told truthfully and in full without their voices and perspectives," the report states. "Telling their stories is an integral part of the task of reconciliation and may help reunite a community that was uprooted and torn apart in 1838."
The Working Group criticized the university's current-day race relations, saying its student body and faculty lacks the diversity needed to have healthy dialogues about race.
DeGioia said Thursday he agreed with those findings and mentioned proactive steps the university is already taking to to rectify the situation through creation of a department for African-American studies, a Center for Racial Justice and taking more aggressive steps to recruit minority faculty members.
According to Fall 2015 data, only 6 percent of the university's undergraduate population were black.
"Indeed, African-American students, faculty, staff and other people of color do not feel universally welcomed and valued, and they often bear the burden on campus of carrying on the dialogue about racial issues," the group wrote in the report to DiGioia "We believe that significant funding, attention and resources should be devoted to assessing and improving the racial climate on campus."
Other recommendations included in the report were renaming two campus buildings in honor of two prominent black figures -- one of them a director ancestor of Crump's -- who were entwined in the university's history in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The report also recommended creating an institution within the university system dedicated to scholarly research and curricular development devoted to slavery and the university and Catholic church's ties to it.
The report further recommends expanding and improving Georgetown's Slavery Archive, which became a valuable resource for descendants researching their connection to the slaves of the 1838 sale, and urges the university to issue a formal apology for its participation in the slave trade and benefit from it.
"I'm glad to hear them say they want to engage in the larger discussion around slavery and its contribution to the American economy," Crump said. "That's most exciting to me. There needs to be that acknowledgement that America's economy was built on the backs of slavery."
Photos provided by BRPD -- Baton Rouge Police detectives are attempting to identify the individuals in the two attached photos who are accused of stealing money from Bengal Chevron, 9936 Airline Hwy, on May 31 and June 1, 2015.
Gov. John Bel Edwards has ordered the flags over the state Capitol to be flown at half-staff in honor of St. John the Baptist Fire Department District Chief Spencer Chauvin, who was killed while responding to the charter bus crash on I-10 last weekend.
By all accounts, District Chief Chauvin was a courageous hero who never missed an opportunity to save a life or have the back of one of his fellow first responders, Edwards said in a statement Thursday. He was an example of what it means to serve your community with integrity and honor.
The flags will remain at half-staff through sunset Friday.
The deadly wreck took place early Sunday, when a bus full of laborers struck another vehicle. Chauvin and two other firefighters who were responding to an earlier crash were also hit, sending them over a guardrail and into a swampy waterway some 40 feet below.
+7 Third victim dies from injuries sustained in LaPlace bus wreck A third victim has died as a result of Sunday's bus crash in St. John the Baptist Parish.
Chauvin reportedly died in a trooper's arms after he was rescued from the water.
He was pronounced dead at River Parishes Hospital. Two passengers in the other vehicle, 21-year-old Jermaine Starr, and Vontravous Kelly, 33, of Moss Point, Mississippi, also were killed in the crash.
Firefighter William Mack Beal was treated and released Sunday, while the third, Nicholas Saale, remained hospitalized in guarded condition at University Medical Center in New Orleans.
The state should put a moratorium on issuing letter grades for public schools and other accountability measures because of the flood and its aftermath, some education leaders said Thursday.
"My thought would be to suspend accountability for the year," said Michael Faulk, superintendent of the highly-rated Central Community School District, which suffered huge damages in the avalanche of rain and flooding that began Aug. 11.
Schools in Central will have been closed for 16 days when classes resume on Tuesday.
"When you look at the magnitude of the storms hitting this state and you try to continue with the accountability system are you truly measuring academic achievement?" Faulk asked.
Public schools and districts get annual school performance scores from the state based on how students performed on key tests.
Those scores translate into a letter grade, a much-anticipated announcement that has a big impact on how parents and other taxpayers view districts and individual schools.
Education leaders say annual letter grades are vital to letting the public know how schools are faring.
Initially schools in 29 parishes faced damages in the south Louisiana flooding, with the Central, East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension systems among those that faced the biggest upheaval.
Livingston Parish Superintendent Rick Wentzel echoed Faulk's comments.
"I tend to agree with Mike a little bit," Wentzel.
The district, which is set to resume classes on Sept. 12, will have missed 20 days of school, while some students face end-of-course exams in December.
The Livingston Parish school system may be the lone district in the state that easily qualifies for a waiver on accountability measures.
Under state law, districts that miss 18 consecutive school days can be classified as a "severe impact" district, which means no school performance scores or letter grades.
Those that have enrollment fluctuations of 25 percent by Oct. 1 can get the same waiver.
Online charter school says displaced students welcome The state's first online charter school is encouraging displaced students in 21 districts to
Brian LeJeune, president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, said how accountability will work this year needs to be addressed with officials of the state Department of Education.
"Superintendents and school boards really need to have a conversation with the department and come up with something we can all live with," said LeJeune, who is superintendent of the Jefferson Davis School District in southwest Louisiana.
He said up to 100,000 students in the most impacted districts are affected.
School boards, LFT are fourth and fifth groups to launch flood relief campaign The Louisiana Schools Boards Association has launched a bid to raise $100,000 for public sch
Accountability is important, LeJeune said, but lots of families are fighting for life's necessities.
"Getting them back in school is a good thing," he said. "But many times they are not ready until everything becomes normal."
Any moratorium on public school letter grades and other rules would have to be approved by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Public school rules to be shelved amid flood wreckage State education leaders said Friday they plan to shelve a wide range of rules for public sch
"If there is a legitimate reason to make some accommodations I think we would be willing to do that," said Jim Garvey, president of BESE.
"But you have to balance that with the parents right to know how their schools are doing, even in a year when there is some unusual stuff going on," he said.
"And I think everybody is ready to talk about the issue when we get the final details," Garvey said. "But we have plenty of time."
Scott Devillier, superintendent of the top-rated Zachary School District, said he understands the problems of school systems that got the most damage, including Central, East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension.
Devillier said he would have no problem if certain districts got waivers on accountability rules.
A spokeswoman for Ascension Parish Superintendent David Alexander said there have been no discussions on accountability.
Classes in his district, which like Livingston schools are highly rated, were closed for 11 days.
A spokeswoman for the East Baton Rouge Parish School District did not return a message for comment.
Two of the top Republicans in the U.S. House -- Majority Whip Steve Scalise and House Speaker Paul Ryan -- will be tailgating with GOP supporters as LSU prepares to take Lambeau Field to face Wisconsin on Saturday.
Scalise represents Louisiana's 1st Congressional District, while Ryan reps Wisconsin's 1st.
Their tailgating party in Green Bay is a fundraiser for the Ryan-Scalise Victory Fund, which has been set up so they can raise funds together to back Republican candidates across the country.
Tickets for an 11 a.m. VIP and photo reception will set tailgaters back $10,000 per couple, while tickets for the general reception at noon are going for $1,000 apiece.
A New Orleans native, Scalise earned his bachelor's degree from LSU in 1989. He took on the role as the U.S. House's third-highest ranking member in 2014. He went on to back Ryan to become the House Speaker following Rep. John Boehner's departure last year.
The National Republican Congressional Committee was raffling an all-expenses-paid trip to Wisconsin for Scalise's tailgate with Ryan, who graduated from Miami University in Ohio but has publicly voiced his status as a Badgers backer previously.
As thousands of Louisiana residents continue to navigate the flood recovery process, several are already starting to receive letters notifying them that FEMA has rejected their requests for assistance.
But state and federal officials are encouraging applicants who receive denial letters to try again before giving up.
"There may be an easy fix if someone did not sign a document or if your application is missing a necessary insurance form. Don't give up on the process. Follow up with FEMA and file an appeal," GOHSEP director Jim Waskom said in a message to flood victims working their way through the process this week.
FEMA has taken in more than 130,000 applications from households seeking assistance for the August floods that left 13 people dead.
How to file a FEMA appeal People have 60 days from the date on their assistance rejection letters to appeal FEMA decisions.
More than $202 million in assistance has already been OK'd, and more is expected as the flood recovery continues.
Federal recovery assistance, which varies on a case-by-case basis but maxes out at $33,000 per person, is intended to help people pay for necessities and get them back on their feet as they begin to resettle their lives following the catastrophic floods that left thousands of people displaced from their homes.
Twenty parishes have received federal disaster declarations so far, jump-starting the process of applying for individual and other types of assistance.
Already, many are beginning to express frustration with the often complex process of seeking disaster aid. During Gov. John Bel Edwards' call-in radio show last week, one man even called in to vent to the governor that his request for assistance was denied, even though his home and cars had taken on several feet of water.
State and federal leaders have stressed the importance of filing appeals, but it too can be a daunting task, according to lawyers who are now helping others.
Baton Rouge attorney David LaCerte was one of the lawyers providing assistance at a federal disaster recovery center that has been set up at Celtic Studios on Wednesday. He said people who don't know help is available can become overwhelmed by the process.
"A lot of times people just get fed up and they quit," he said.
+2 FEMA working to process requests for aid following Louisiana flood As Louisiana flood victims work to navigate the assistance that is becoming available to the
People can come directly to the center to get free legal advice for handling appeals and other issues that they may be facing from problems with home owners' insurance claims to disputes between renters and landlords.
"A lot of folks don't understand the difference between the programs that are out there and why they are being denied," said LaCerte, who previously served as legal counsel to and secretary of the state Department of Veterans Affairs. "They just need a little assistance in navigating those waters."
LaCerte, who is doing the work pro bono, said he thought it was important to have a fresh pair of eyes helping people review their situations.
He estimated that he had helped 15 to 20 people so far that day. One woman, he recalled, had been rejected because she was classified as having flood insurance when she didn't.
"You're going to have a lot of human error just by the nature of the work," LaCerte said. "These people are going to miss perhaps their only chance of getting a leg back up."
Aside from seeking assistance in person at local disaster recovery centers, flood victims can call 1-800-310-7029 to get free legal advice from local lawyers.
Graham Ryan, who serves as the Louisiana state representative to the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division, said that the legal assistance hotline for flood victims is receiving about 100 calls a day. That's expected to go up as more people wade through the process.
"Then people start to realize the magnitude of some of the legal issues they are facing, I think the volume will increase," he said.
Ryan said that the hotline can serve as a place for quick answers that people might not otherwise have access to.
"The first thing a person cares about after a disaster isn't getting an attorney," he said.
For example, Ryan said people may receive FEMA rejection letters because they inherited their homes and never updated the deeds to reflect their names. A law that took effect in 2012 makes it easier to fast-track that process.
"They probably don't know about this new law that the legal community actually pushed for and was passed," he said.
Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration says it's too early to consider changes to the state's sales taxes following the deadly floods that recently swept the state, but at least one statewide official is calling on the state Legislature to roll-back taxes to aid flood relief.
"I don't think anybody wants to see state government reap a financial windfall as the result of people's tragedy," State Treasurer John Kennedy said on Wednesday.
Kennedy, a Republican, said he thinks that state lawmakers should suspend one percent of the sales taxes that flood victims would have to pay for items that they need to replace, whether that's cars, large appliances, clothing or other household items. Some flood-destroyed items are already eligible for state sales tax refunds.
The state Legislature earlier this year approved a 1-cent sales tax hike to try to shore up a nearly $2 billion shortfall in the budget that began July 1. But Kennedy said revenue estimates based on the increase didn't account for the anticipated spike in purchases as people work to rebuild and reenter their homes.
At least 130,000 households have applied for FEMA individual assistance due to the flood, which led to 13 deaths and federal emergency declarations for 20 parishes.
"I don't think any single person involved in passing the sales tax increase ever contemplated the possibility that we would have this kind of flooding and have this kind of windfall to the state as the result of misery for our people," Kennedy said.
Louisiana leaders weigh possible short-term loan to shore up cash flow Louisiana leaders are developing a game plan just in case the state starts to experience cas
But Democrat Edwards has, so far, been cool to the idea.
Sales tax refunds are already available for people in the federally-declared parishes to replace some types of flood-destroyed items, including clothing, furniture and televisions. Motor vehicles aren't currently eligible for the refund.
"At this point, the governor does not have plans to call a special session, but were assessing the states response on a daily basis to determine our needs," Edwards' spokesman Richard Carbo said.
Carbo noted that, while the state has requested that the federal government cover 90 percent of the recovery costs, which would leave 10 percent for the state to pick up, that request has not yet been acted on. Currently, the state remains on the hook for 25 percent of the recovery costs, while the federal government will pick up 75 percent.
"(W)hile we await that response, its particularly premature to discuss any changes to the sales tax with the state is still responsible for a significant portion of the costs related to the recovery," Carbo said.
Edwards administration says budget deficit 'inevitable,' warns of further cutbacks A state budget deficit is all but "inevitable" and will need to be addressed by paring back
It's been repeatedly stressed that the recovery costs, which could total several million, were not factored into the budget but would be a priority meaning other areas of the budget are at risk if the state comes up short.
Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, said he had not yet had a chance to digest the proposal, but he said he had some initial reservations.
"My first thought is how complicated that would be to enforce and keep track of," he said. "It could cause lots of administrative problems."
"It's something that would have to be thought through," he said.
Kennedy said that his proposal could play out several ways, either as an expanded refund program that the Legislature could approve in the session that begins in April or as a direct suspension for people who can demonstrate that they have lost items in the flood, which would need to be approved in a special session.
"It would be better if we could design a plan where they just didn't have to pay up front," he said.
Theyve tossed flood-ruined furniture and appliances, torn out the carpeting, cabinets and drywall. Now the 125,000 or so homeowners who didn't have flood insurance, and the 25,000 or so who did, are in the disinfecting and drying-out stages.
The Louisiana Home Builders Association and the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommend following the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development guide "Rebuild Healthy Homes." The LSU Agricultural Center offers similar advice.
"This information is tried and true," said Ken Jones, spokesman for the Louisiana Home Builders Association Disaster Recovery Team. "It worked for the people in north Louisiana for the 7,000 homes that flooded in the spring, and its going to be pretty much the practices to do here for the 156,000 homes affected."
The first step after gutting a home is to clean and disinfect. To disinfect colorfast, non-metal surfaces, mix a quarter-cup to a half-cup of household bleach with a gallon of water. Clean other surfaces with non-phosphate detergent solutions. Avoid phosphates because they can serve as food for mold.
Here's how to navigate flood-aid process, minimize anger, confusion As flood recovery enters a new phase, FEMA officials are finding a lot of confusion and so
Claudette Reichel, director of the LSU AgCenters LaHouse Resource Center, said a helpful step after disinfecting is to get an exterminator to spray Bora-Care on exposed wood. The treatment penetrates in the wood to provide protection against termites and decay fungi. A fungicide can be added to the Bora-Care to make wood less hospitable to other types of mold, she said.
Homeowners should contact exterminators anyhow, Reichel said, because when flooding happens, the termite treatment in the soil washes away.
After disinfecting, the drying can begin. Both the AgCenter and FEMA recommend that homeowners lower the moisture level on studs and the paper on any remaining drywall to 15 percent or less before closing in a wall, Jones said. Humidity levels inside the house should be stabilized at less than 50 percent because dry air helps to suck the moisture out of wet wood. A good dehumidifier or dehumidifiers should be able to get the home to that level.
Dehumidifiers have been in short supply locally because of the flooding. If you cant get your hands on one, a combination of air conditioning, fans and portable heaters will work, Reichel said.
Your utility bill will be high, but thats a lower priority, she said. The goal is to speed up the drying process to prevent mold from taking root.
Carol Smith, president of the Capital Region Builders Association, said a moisture meter is needed to keep track of how wet the wood is. The key is to get a good meter and spend above $50, she said. Some of the more expensive meters can also measure the moisture in concrete to make sure carpets and flooring dont get put down while moisture is still coming out of a slab.
The fact the wooden frame got wet because of a flood isnt something to be alarmed about, Smith said. After all, most houses get rained on during the framing stage. The problem is when water gets into things that shouldnt get wet drywall, insulation and carpet pads.
Mike Pitts, Lowe's South Mall Drive store manager, said more than 75 percent of his customers are past the cleanup stage and are moving to rebuild. People are buying everything from doors and drywall to vanities and light fixtures.
"My biggest piece of advice for any customer is: Everybody is dealing with this obvious tragedy just try and stay calm, to understand that everybody is trying to work together to get through this," Pitts said.
After homeowners quickly worked to get water out of their homes and gut wet drywall, insulation and carpet, Reichel said its time to shift gears and make sure proper drying happens. "Everybody has been excited and traumatized," she said, "but you need to be patient and follow guidelines."
After the moisture level gets below 15 percent, homeowners can start to restore their house.
Homeowners can put up drywall, latex paint and other permeable wall coverings. Paneling and cabinetry should be avoided until the moisture is clearly 15 percent or less, Reichel said. If you install mirrors or large wall hangings, they should be mounted to allow for a little bit of air space. Vinyl wallpaper should be avoided because air cant pass through it. Moisture needs to be able to drive through, she said.
If a home has been flooded, the owners must disclose this to potential buyers if the property ever goes up for sale. Thats a real issue that affects the marketability of a home, Reichel said.
The key is for homeowners to keep a detailed log of what has been done to their house. This includes listing all of the products used in the cleanup and restoration, taking time-stamped photographs of moisture meter measurements and detailing the methods used to dry the house. If you hire a contractor to handle water remediation, they should be able to do this, Reichel said.
There have been reports of people offering to sell clean home or mold-free certificates for as much as $1,000. Officials warned those are scams.
"You can have an independent third party (like us) do an inspection and air sampling and get our opinion that the space is suitable for re-occupancy, but no 'mold-free certificate'," said Wynn White, a consulting engineer.
Local governments have taken steps to help ease the burden of rebuilding. East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Ascension parishes have waived the building permit and/or inspection fees for flood repairs. FEMA is urging homeowners to contact their local building code officials before beginning any construction work to make sure the repairs meet all floodplain management requirements. FEMA also says homeowners should make sure they get any necessary permits and to follow all local building codes.
The requirements for building permits vary from parish to parish and by the amount of flooding.
For example, in Ascension Parish, people who just have to replace drywall and insulation won't have to get a permit or an inspection, Chief Building Official Lavern Bourgeois said.
"We just don't have the manpower to go to every home and check. We just don't. We're relying on the person's interest in their own properties to take care of that," Bourgeois said.
In East Baton Rouge Parish, permits are required if the water was higher than the electrical outlets, if one or more entire wall of drywall has to be replaced, or an air conditioning unit has to be replaced, said City-parish Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Carey Chauvin. The rules for getting a permit did not change. Just the fees were eliminated, he said.
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said the flooding will absolutely not affect homeowners insurance rates because since the late 1960s, property insurers have not factored in flood losses.
Donelon also set an emergency rule so insurance companies cant penalize people in parishes affected by the flooding for living in their damaged homes while the repairs are going on. And state law prevents property insurers from dropping a homeowner from coverage if theyve been insured by the company for more than three years. The only exception is if a homeowner fails to keep up repairs and lets the property deteriorate.
Bourgeois said Ascension advises homeowners who do their own repairs to follow a 10-step Housing and Urban Development process that is recommended by the AgCenter and Capital Region Builders Association.
HUD's steps for safe and effective do-it-yourself mold removal include:
Wear protective gear. People are exposed to mold by breathing spores and through skin contact. Wear gloves, goggles and a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved respirator rated N95 or higher.
Isolate the work area and ventilate to outdoors. Seal off moldy areas from the rest of the house because disturbing mold colonies can cause a huge release of spores into the air. Open windows and do not run the central heating or air conditioning during clean-up. If you have power, put a box fan in a window to blow out and exhaust mold-filled air to the outdoors.
Remove moldy or sewage-contaminated materials, including carpeting, upholstery, mattresses and insulation.
Clean and disinfect. Cleaning should remove mold, not just kill it, because dead spores can still cause health problems. So can sewage contamination, a common issue in floods.
Follow label directions and warnings, handle carefully, wear rubber gloves, and never mix bleach with ammonia or acids. Many disinfectants, including bleach, can kill molds, but do not prevent regrowth of new colonies when materials stay damp.
Pitts said stores are selling lots of Concrobium Mold Control, a product that eliminates mold, prevents future growth and doesn't emit fumes. It's also simple to use because consumers don't have to worry about diluting it with water. A gallon in a sprayer covers 1,000 square feet, and the company guarantees the product's performance.
Consider treating wood framing with a borate treatment, which provides resistance to termites and decay and may inhibit mold growth. The type that penetrates wood over time offers the most protection.
Ventilate. After cleaning and disinfecting, air out the building. Use window fans to pull mold spores to the outdoors.
Dry all wet materials as quickly as possible. Close windows and if possible run the air conditioning or heat and use a dehumidifier. If there is no power, keep windows open.
Remain on mold alert. Continue looking for signs of dampness and new mold growth. Mold can form in as little as two to three days if materials stay damp. Wood and other materials that may look dry can still be wet enough to support new growth.
Do not restore until all materials have completely dried. Wood moisture content should be less than 15 percent or less. To find out, get a wood moisture meter. Do NOT use vinyl wallpaper, oil-based paint or other finishes that block drying to the inside.
Rebuild with flood-resistant features and materials. Use closed-cell foam insulation that does not absorb water and solid wood or water-resistant structural materials. Elevate wiring and equipment, such as water heaters and washers and dryers, above the potential flood level. Consider removable paperless drywall. Leave gaps between panels to prevent water absorption between the two and water-tolerant flooring such as ceramic tile, solid vinyl tile with no paper backing, solid wood, or stained concrete. Some new wallboard materials may be more mold-resistant.
FEMA also recommends installing a sump pump with a battery- or water-powered backup system in case the power goes out. The agency will have mitigation specialists on hand through Sept. 10 to answer questions at a number of home improvement stores, including the Home Depot stores at 8181 Airline Highway in Baton Rouge; 2740 S. Cajun Ave. in Gonzales; 1700 NE Evangeline Thruway in Lafayette; and 40 Park Place Drive in Covington and at the Lowe's stores at 1130 E. Landry St. in Opelousas and 142 Julia John Drive in Crowley.
Denham Springs officials looking to help residents secure temporary housing while rebuilding their flooded homes learned Wednesday the solution will have to be broader than simply not enforcing an ordinance.
Meeting for the second time this month at Old City Hall on Mattie Street, city governments temporary home while its Government Street building is cleaned and repaired, the City Council discussed but took no action outlining a specific plan to address residents housing plight.
+5 'It hit everywhere': Denham Springs devastated by record flooding Deanna Welch, her hair up and shoulders bare, sat out on the steamy sidewalk in a soggy offi
The council had agreed, without a vote, Aug. 20 to temporarily overlook the city codes banning residents from living in travel trailers on their properties, until a new ordinance could be adopted establishing guidelines for the practice.
Mayor Gerard Landry said the city wants to ensure the campers tie into the citys sewer system and are properly wired. He also has suggested setting a deadline for residents to move back into their homes and remove the campers, as other governments have done after natural disasters.
But what that deadline and other requirements might be remains to be seen. The council has not yet introduced a draft for the proposal.
City Attorney Stephanie Hulett said the city does not want to act too hastily. She and Building Official Rick Foster are reviewing the regulations other cities and parishes set in similar circumstances to determine what will work best for Denham Springs.
A draft should be ready by the next council meeting, she said.
I think that over the next two weeks or so, well be able to identify a lot more problems, if (there are) any, with the RVs that are being put in the city, and so we can address those all at one time if we do our research and do it correctly the first time, Hulett said.
The council also will need to address related issues, like whether more than one temporary housing unit could be placed on a single piece of property and whether someone other than the homeowner such as a close relative could live in the trailer after the homeowners move back into their house.
Thats a topic that obviously is a serious concern for everybody, Landry said. Surely we want to be compassionate, but we also have to realize that there has to be some guidelines so that were all on the same page.
Denham planning department offers assistance The City of Denham Springs Office of Planning and Development and Building Official Rick Fos
Hulett said the city also will need to address the replacement of mobile homes on property other than in trailer parks. City regulations currently prohibit residents from placing a new mobile home on their land after the current one becomes uninhabitable.
Suzanne Bueche pressed the council for an answer to that question. Floodwaters destroyed the mobile home where she and her husband were living, and they would like to buy another and place it on the one-acre tract. But they worry about making the investment without assurances from the city that it will not later require them to remove the home.
This was a natural disaster, Bueche said. The homes did not become uninhabitable because we wanted to renovate or move up. Were willing to put a modular home there, but obviously we need to know that in two to three years, after weve made this investment, Denham Springs isnt going to take advantage of the situation and put (us) out because of Mother Nature.
Councilman Robert Poole said the regulations were adopted to help wean the community off mobile homes inside the city limits, but he said exceptions should be considered.
Poole said he had received two calls already from people whose elderly parents live in mobile homes in the city.
The units were destroyed, and they want to replace it with mobile homes, he said. They dont want to build a home. Theyre older in life, and they just want to be able to refurbish what they had and move forward.
Poole suggested allowing families in similar situations to be grandfathered in.
Foster, the city building official, said Bueches situation was somewhat unique in that the property is zoned commercial, and other city codes would prevent a new residence from being established there at all.
However, the city has granted a special use permit in similar circumstances before, Foster said. A woman successfully petitioned the council for one a couple years ago after her mobile home was destroyed by fire. The council granted the 93-year-old a permit to replace the trailer with another, but the permit expires if the woman ever vacates the home for any reason. Then the property must be developed according to its zoned use.
Requests for special use permits must go through the citys Planning and Zoning Commission and then the City Council, Foster said.
Many residents of St. John the Baptist Parish will spend Thursday mourning the high-ranking firefighter killed in the line of duty in Sunday's bus crash on Interstate 10 in LaPlace.
Meanwhile, funeral services for a second man killed in the wreck are set for Saturday in his home state of Mississippi.
Spencer Chauvin, who supervised firefighters in LaPlace under the command of St. John Fire Services Operations Chief Cain Dufrene, will be commemorated at a visitation and memorial service from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the St. John Community Center, 2900 U.S. 51, LaPlace.
There will then be a funeral procession from the community center to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Edgard. Officials asked firefighters from other departments as well as members of the public to line up alongside Airline Highway between U.S. 51 and Gramercy to pay tribute to Chauvin. That stretch of Airline will be shut down for the procession.
Chauvin's funeral Mass will begin about 2:30 p.m. He will be buried on the church grounds.
A 37-year-old father of two, Chauvin was among a group of firefighters who had responded Sunday morning to a minor crash on the westbound lanes of I-10, just past the Belle Terre Boulevard exit. A speeding party bus filled with laborers recruited for work cleaning up properties damaged by the recent Baton Rouge-area flooding then struck a fire engine stopped on the highway and slammed into three other vehicles, according to authorities.
+2 LaPlace bus crash: Driver blames faulty brakes, officials demand answers on immigration status The driver of the party bus that crashed early Sunday in St. John the Baptist Parish blamed
Chauvin died after the collision threw him over a guardrail and into swampy waters some 40 feet below.
Jermaine Starr, a 21-year-old father of an infant girl, was killed in one of the other vehicles hit by the bus. According to a report by WLOX-TV of Biloxi, Mississippi, Starr and some of his friends were also on their way to perform work for an unidentified contractor in Louisiana.
The accident injured more than 30 other people, including a pair of firefighters thrown off the roadway along with Chauvin as well as more than two dozen laborers who had been passengers on the bus.
One of the injured firefighters, William Mack Beal, was treated and released Sunday, while the other Nicholas Saale remained hospitalized Wednesday in guarded condition. Most of the bus passengers suffered minor to moderate injuries.
The driver of the bus, a Honduran national named Denis Amaya Rodriguez who was living in the United States illegally, remained jailed Wednesday on counts of negligent homicide, negligent injuring, reckless operation and driving without a license of any kind. Federal authorities have issued an immigration detainer for Amaya, indicating that he is also facing deportation proceedings.
Multiple sources have said Amaya emerged from the wreckage Sunday claiming that the bus' brakes had not worked properly.
Chauvin had been an emergency medical technician for Acadian Ambulance before embarking on a 12-year career as a St. John Parish firefighter, holding the rank of district chief for the past decade.
"You have touched the lives of so many people," Chauvin's widow, Jennifer, said Sunday night in a Facebook post about her husband.
Calling her husband "the best daddy a kid could have," she added, "Spencer ... I'm not sure how I am supposed to go through this thing called life without you by my side. I love you dearly and will miss you like crazy."
Meanwhile, as of Wednesday, at least nine of the bus passengers had hired attorneys to explore legal options against the companies for which they hoped to work as well as against the firm that owns the bus.
Riguer Silva law firm associate Arthur Schott III said his office was representing six of them, and Harvey attorney Cristian Silva said he was working with three.
According to people with knowledge of the situation, a recruiter working on behalf of the firm Wallace, Rush, Schmidt Inc. found the laborers and put them on a bus owned by Kristina's Transportation. Once in Baton Rouge, all the workers who had a photo identification and Social Security card would be hired by WRS and turned over to the supervision of Servpro, a contractor doing a large amount of flood recovery work in and around the capital.
Schott and Cristian Silva said their clients might pursue workers' compensation claims as well as damages from their potential employers, the bus company and their insurers, depending on what can be proven.
Yet Cristian Silva noted that everything was still under investigation Wednesday.
"Here, we have dead and seriously injured," Schott added. "It's best to wait till all the facts come out."
Miss Bronte. Written and performed by Mel Dodge. Directed by Lyndee-Jane Rutherford. Bravo Theatre. The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. September 9 at 8pm and September 10 at 2pm. Tickets $46/$41 at theq.net.au or 6285 6290.
Despite living most of her life in an isolated parsonage with her sisters, Charlotte Bronte wrote one of the best known of all love stories, Jane Eyre. But as writer-performer Mel Dodge shows in her play Miss Bronte, Charlotte Bronte had a passion of her own.
Mel Dodge in Miss Bronte. Credit:Massive Pics
"Charlotte Bronte wrote love letters to her married French professor, Monsieur Heger," Dodge says.
Bronte had gone to Brussels for a year when she was 26 to study and teach. Heger worked a lot with her on her writing and she developed strong feelings for him that didn't evaporate when she returned home. She put a lot of him into Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre.
Drug companies have paid Australian doctors and nurses more than $64 million since April 2015 to attend "educational events", advisory group meetings and to act as consultants to the industry.
Thousands of doctors and nurses shared in about $8.5 million in payments from 35 drug companies between October 2015 and April this year, new data from Medicines Australia has revealed.
Drug companies paid doctors and nurses more than $8 million in the six months to April this year, new data shows.
The $8.5 million for the six months to April this year comes on top of about $56 million the companies paid health professionals between April 2015 and October 2015, including travel and accommodation and hospitality to attend events, speaking and consultancy fees.
About $5.4 million of the latest reported data was spent on mostly domestic and some overseas flights, travel and accommodation and $2.6 million for "fees for service", including consultancy, speaking and advisory work.
A man facing trial for alleged child sex offences has told the jury his body fluids could have been found in the bathroom.
The man, 37, who cannot be named, faces charges of sexual intercourse with a child under 10, or an act of indecency on a child and an act of indecency in the presence of a child.
The man has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The allegations concern a child who was being babysat by the man's mother, with whom he shared a house.
The prosecution allege that DNA found in sperm and saliva in the child's nappy linked the man to claims made by the two-year-old.
Canberra might be a much-maligned tourist destination among Australians, but the feeling is clearly not mutual among overseas visitors.
A record number of international tourists visited Canberra in the year to June with the Chinese leading the charge.
International visitor numbers to Canberra have cracked the 200,000 mark for the first time. Credit:Graham Tidy
The latest Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey revealed Canberra's international tourist numbers cracked 200,000 for the first time, and the ACT recorded the highest growth rate of international visitors in Australia.
And while China remained the ACT's biggest source of international tourists (with a 38.6 per cent spike), visitor numbers from Singapore and New Zealand also jumped.
The US$75 million round was led by mutual fund operator Wellington Management and included venture capital firms Institutional Venture Partners and Thrive Capital, according to the company. It marks the creation of a new unicorn - a start-up valued at $US1 billion or more - as that becomes rarer.
New York-based Compass was co-founded by Dr Allon, an Israeli-born Australian citizen who studied at Monash University in Melbourne and then later at Sydney's University of NSW. Earlier this year he was named on the BRW Young Rich list with individual wealth of $261 million.
A real estate start-up run by Australian Young Rich Lister Ori Allon raised new financing that values the company at more than $US1 billion ($1.3 billion), joining the ranks of the world's unicorns, according to a person familiar with the matter.
During this quarter last year, 25 venture-backed unicorns were created. This year in the third quarter, Compass is the sixth, according to CB Insights, which tracks financing events for start-ups. It's an even more unusual phenomenon in New York, where ZocDoc was the last to become a unicorn a year ago.
Compass co-founder and executive director Ori Allon. Credit:Noam Galai/Getty Images
Compass plans to use the money to expand into new locations and improve its technology for analysing the real estate market. The company, which aims to make real estate transactions more transparent and convenient through an online service, has 24 offices across the US and plans to open soon in San Francisco and other cities.
While other start-ups struggle to access new funding, Compass was able to raise money because its revenue is growing quickly, thanks in part to a strong US housing market. Compass has passed $US100 million in revenue so far this year, and plans to end the year with triple the revenue it generated in 2015, according to the person familiar with the matter. As people buy, sell and rent properties on the site, Compass takes a small percentage of the proceeds. About $US7 billion in sales run through the site annually, the company said.
Dr Allon, Compass co-founder and executive chairman, tweeted the news of the company's new unicorn status late Wednesday night
When she first started in business, Singtel's chief executive Chua Sock Koong used to get mistaken for the secretary.
"When I was younger, I remember stepping into many meetings, particularly in Asia, where people would immediately assume I was the secretary standing by to serve the tea," said Ms Chua, who today is group chief executive of global telecommunications giant Singtel.
"But you learn to laugh these things off."
As head of Singapore's largest listed company - Singtel has 600 million subscribers across 25 countries, a market capitalisation of over $64 billion and 23,000 employees - she's often asked how she's managed to make it this far as a woman, but that "as most women in business will tell you, you get used to this line of questioning."
Bill was born in Melbourne, the third of four boys, to Stan and Irene Parer, and was a nephew of World War II cameraman Damien Parer. He obtained a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Melbourne University and was active in the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club, doing extensive hikes in south-west Tasmania and climbing in New Zealand and Europe.
Bill was an avid outdoorsman, physician, researcher and family man, and he touched the lives of all those he encountered. He will be remembered for his quick and easy laugh, stubborn will, razor-sharp intellect and love of basic science.
Dr Julian Thomas "Bill" Parer died on the hillsides of Mt Tamalpais in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, on the evening of August 3, 2016, doing what he loved, hiking with his beloved Queensland blue heeler James.
Bill did a Masters of Rural Science at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW, where he met the love of his life, Robin Parer.
When deciding to migrate to America from Australia, Bill said he simply studied a map of the US to determine the area with the most climbing peaks and applied to study there. Bill showed up in Oregon with only an ice axe, his backpack and Robin.
He received a PhD from Oregon State University and an MD from the University of Washington in Seattle. After completing his residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Southern California Medical Centre, Bill joined the faculty of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco in 1974, as a perinatologist and as a researcher, reaching the rank of professor. He was fellowship director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellows in the department, as well as division director of perinatal medicine and biology for many years.
His research focused on foetal heart rate monitoring, and he collaborated with investigators in Japan and Chile for decades, perfecting techniques to identify stresses to the fetus during birth.
He cared for thousands of high risk pregnant women in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, many of whom were grateful for his specialised skills in intra-uterine transfusion for the fetus, and in the placement of cervical sutures to prevent pregnancy loss. Bill was active in many professional societies, including the San Francisco Gynaecological Society and the Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society, of which he was president in 2010.
One year ago on September 2, 2015,the image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi's lifeless body lying face down on a Turkish beach flashed around the world. It smashed our hearts and, for a while, it seemed the world cared just a little more about the millions of refugees, half of them children, who have fled the war in Syria.
Two weeks ago, on August 17, we got another bitter taste of that war, when another three-year-old Syrian child, Omran Daqneesh, was dragged out of the bombed ruins of his home in Aleppo. Once again, our hearts ached to see this little one sitting dazed in the back of an ambulance, trying to make sense of the blood he has wiped from his head.
The image of Alan Kurdi, whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach. Credit:Turkish News Agency
For more than five years this has been going on and many, many more children like Alan Kurdi and Omran Daqneesh have died, or been hurt, or scarred by their experiences. In a war in which 270,000 people have been killed, an estimated 19,000 children have died, while 5.6 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Perhaps it is too many to grapple with, but when we see one child, dead on a beach or covered in blood and dust, we see it more clearly for the tragic obscenity that it is.
Bribes, kickbacks, dodgy political donations: that's not our style, is it? Wrong. There is mounting evidence of corporations and Australian politicians involved in dubious practices that have led to allegations of bribery and corruption. Our straight-dealing reputation is taking a battering.
There is hard evidence of bribery of foreign politicians and their cronies by Australian companies. There are revelations of Chinese businessmen making big donations to the Liberal Party and an amazing admission by Labor senator Sam Dastyari that he asked a Chinese donor with strong links to the communist government to pay the remainder of his bill, after it exceeded travel entitlements.
Would you like lies with that?
There will always be claims of vested interests and interference. The question is not whether there are conflicts of interest there are many but how they are dealt with and are seen to be dealt with. The recent allegations of corporate and political wrongdoing demonstrate the current checks and balances are woefully inadequate and that there is an overdue need for laws and practices that ensure integrity and transparency.
There are huge gaps in the laws around political donations. Following revelations by Fairfax Media that Chinese businessmen with links to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had donated half a million dollars to the Liberal Party, the Australian Electoral Commission acknowledged a serious loophole in the disclosure laws, saying overseas donors cannot be compelled to comply with Australian law when they are not in Australia. Several of the donations were obscured by channelling funds via executives or related companies, or by the donors' failure to disclose them to the AEC.
There were umbrellas and gumboots galore and even a possible flood warning, but Canberra's rainfall only just reached the minimum forecast for Friday.
It had been predicted a third of spring's average rainfall could bucket down in Canberra on Friday.
Pedestrians with umbrellas at the ANU avoiding the rain on Friday, when The Bureau of Meteorology estimated between 40 and 60 millimetres would fall in Canberra. Credit:Rohan Thomson
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast a near 100 per cent chance of rain and estimated between 40 and 60 millimetres could fall on Friday.
The rain was expected to start falling from late morning and was tipped to continue overnight.
Australian military forces will be able to target Islamic State logistics and support personnel as well as combat fighters under a change in the law aimed at protecting defence personnel from possible criminal prosecutions.
The change in legislation due soon will bring Australian law into line with international law, allaying fears that Australian Defence Force members could be prosecuted in Australian courts for military actions that are legal internationally, the Chief of the Defence Force, Mark Binskin, said Thursday.
The change will mainly affect RAAF fighter pilots who are bombing the Islamic State, also known as Daesh.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the current law was an anomaly that was out of step with international law and the laws followed by Australia's coalition partners in fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
An official visit to the United States for Tony Abbott cost taxpayers $60,000 even though the former prime minister was rolled by his colleagues before he could get on the plane.
The charge for the cancelled trip has shown up in the latest instalment of parliamentarians' expenses, released by the Department of Finance late on Thursday afternoon as politicians prepared to leave Canberra after the first week of the new Parliament.
The records show Mr Abbott had been slated to visit the US for a three-day visit from September 25 to 27 last year. The travel was part of annual international summit season.
His leadership was terminated by his Liberal Party colleagues in a party room ballot 10 days earlier on the night of September 15.
He's risen to national attention as the Chinese businessman who forked out for Senator Sam Dastyari's travel bill.
But the story of Minshen Zhu is far bigger than just the NSW Labor powerbroker.
Dr Zhu is a man with links to the communist government in China, helping trigger renewed debate about political donations and the rising importance of Chinese money in Australia.
He has emerged as a prolific and well-connected donor to the major parties, with his company contributing more than $230,000 to Labor and the Liberals since 2010, according to Australian Electoral Commission records.
A hijab will enter the rotation of Westpac's official employee uniform next year.
The bank has recruited designer Carla Zampatti, a Westpac customer for half a century, to design the Muslim headwear in an effort to expand its work wear range and encourage diversity in the workplace.
From next year Westpac bank teller Manija Akbari will wear a new corporate hijab to work. Credit:SBS News
The move follows other Australian businesses like Optus and the Commonwealth Bank which also incorporate hijabs the traditional covering for the hair and neck worn by Muslim women in staff uniforms.
It has been available to women in the Victorian police force since 2004.
It was a hashtag that broke hearts and illuminated classrooms.
When #iwishmyteacherknew stormed the internet last year, spurring a wave of teachers to experiment with asking their pupils what they wished they knew, the result was as emotive as it was eye-opening.
I Wish My Teacher Knew, by Kyle Schwartz Credit:I Wish My Teacher Knew, by Kyle Schwartz
There was Brittney in the sixth grade, who wrote:
"I wish my teacher knew my dad died this year, I feel more alone/disconnected from my peers than ever before."
Federal air safety agency Airservices Australia paid up $5000 a day to consultants from a company managed by the wife of a senior figure in the government agency, a National Audit Office probe has found.
Airservices has paid Canberra not-for-profit group the International Centre for Complex Project Management more than $9 million since 2012 in deals that saw single consultants paid between $1500 and $5000 to work an eight-hour day.
Airservices Australia chief executive Jason Harfield.
The consultancy rates were up to 30 per cent higher than the Defence Department was paying ICCPM, government auditors have found.
Now Airservices is in the midst of sacking up to 1000 of its workers, saying it can no longer afford them.
Australia's $50 billion future submarine project is facing more trouble with the Defence Department down to just just one in-house naval architect working on developing the new subs as well as the task of keeping the existing fleet afloat.
The department's senior submarine naval architect retired at the end of last month, taking 30 years of specialist experience with him, and a colleague has transferred to another area of the department, leaving just one public servant working in the safety-critical role.
After several years of absence HMAS Collins returns to Fleet Base West. It is the first time ever that all the Collins Class submarines have been alongside Fleet Base West. Credit:Department of Defence
The Defence Department said it had eight naval architects working on its submarine programs, but would not say if the specialists were Defence employees or contractors.
The specialist's union says the skill shortage has raised the risk to lives at sea to "an unacceptable level".
Cabinet secretary Arthur Sinodinos has been accused of potentially misleading Parliament by claiming he did not participate in discussions about using a Liberal-linked entity, the Free Enterprise Foundation, to circumvent NSW donations laws.
Senator Sinodinos was chairman of the NSW Liberal party's finance committee in when then party fundraiser Paul Nicolaou raised the prospect of using the federally registered FEF to accept donations from property developers.
Property developers had just been banned from donating to NSW state election campaigns from 2010, just ahead of the March 2011 poll.
In May, Senator Sinodinos was asked by Labor Senator Penny Wong: "Did the cabinet secretary ever participate in or witness discussions about the use of the Free Enterprise Foundation to channel and disguise donations by prohibited donors?".
If they had known their smiley "princess" and "queen of selfies" was being abused in state care, they say they would have fought for her.
But the family of a girl known as MK have told an inquest they had no idea what the 15-year-old had suffered in the lead up to her death at a Sydney refuge.
State ward MK died from a drug overdose at the age of 15 after she was 'used and abused' by those she should have been able to rely upon. Credit:Facebook
"If we had known what was happening we would have fought to take her out of care," a relative known as "Aunty" told the State Coroner's Court on Thursday.
The girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by carers while she was a ward of the state before she died of a drug overdose in 2014.
The state government should move fast to lock in plans for another metro rail line to run through Parramatta, Olympic Park, Rozelle and the city to reduce the cost of building stations, business representative say.
Fairfax Media revealed on Thursday that planning was well underway inside Transport for NSW for a western metro project to run between Sydney's central business district and Parramatta.
But the project could come at the expense of sections of a planned light rail network around Parramatta, construction of which was due to start in 2018.
David Borger, the western Sydney director of the Sydney Business Chamber, said the mooted metro line would be great for the area. But Mr Borger cautioned that it would be best to decide on station locations earlier.
A uni student with a part-time job two days a week, Miss Lucas reaches the eight trips quota just getting to class. She said that once free trips stop, she'll be too worried about how much she's spending to take extra trips. "I've got auto top up as well, so it takes the money straight out of my account. I won't want to use my Opal as much because I want to save money on it," she said. "It's going to be a much bigger thing to worry about on the minds of people who don't have a car or a full time job." This weekend is the opportune time for Opal travellers to get out of town and explore outer-Sydney for free.
Boundaries of Opal travel extend as far South as Bomaderry, as far west as Bathurst, and as far north as Dungog, so cardholders could in theory travel through most of NSW without paying a cent. These are our top 10 destinations for cardholders to visit for free this weekend, according to the locals. 1. The Blue Mountains (two hours from Central Station) The Three Sisters at Katoomba. Credit:Wolter Peeters The Blue Mountains is one of Opal card's top four most-frequented destinations for weekend travel. Ramon Rathore, owner of UpBeet Juice and Espresso, attributed this to the uniqueness and beauty of the place.
"We have some of the most pristine wilderness within region view of pretty much everywhere in the mountains," he said. "It's unique on every front - spiritually, visually, geographically, everything." The train journey is especially stunning when there's snow on the mountains. Visitors can follow one of the many walking tracks to see breathtaking views of the Three Sisters, or stroll through the town of Katoomba - a man-made oddity in the centre of bush. Mr Rathore is afraid that Opal travellers who frequent his cafe will stop coming once they no longer have free trips. "Anything that is going to effect the efficiency of tourism up here does have a direct effect on our business," he said. 2. Manly Beach and North Head (approx 45 min from Central) North Head, Manly. Credit:James Alcock
Catch the ferry over to Manly from Circular Quay. The seabreeze is always pleasant and passengers get a great view of North Head's sandstone headlands. Once visitors arrive at Manly Beach, they can amble up to the headlands on a number of walking tracks. The paved Fairfax walk is ideal for taking along the kids. It starts at the end of North Head Scenic Drive and loops around the top of North Head, passing Q Station - a quarantine station active in 1833 - and other historical sites. All the sites are marked by information boards that give insight into North Head's past. Deb Randell, a tour guide at Q Station which is free for the public to enter, said that North Head's history, scenery and close proximity to Sydney set it a part from other places. "Q Station's third graveyard is up at North Head. It's the only graveyard out of our three that still has all its headstones, so it's very much intact," she said. "The whole place just comes alive once you start to hear all the fascinating stories that have gone on here and some of the characters that have passed through over time." 3. Terrigal, The Central Coast (approx. 2 hr from Central)
Take a trip on the Central Coast train line and view the Hawkesbury River, bobbing boats, oyster farms, ocean and bush. Hop on a bus from Gosford Station to Terrigal, where you can walk from the end of Terrigal Lagoon, along the beachfront, and up to the Skillion lookout across from Terrigal Haven. Mardi Love, a patrolling member of Terrigal Surf Club for 14 years, said that Terrigal is always a great destination for visitors, regardless of the weather. "Of course the beach is the best thing about Terrigal, but there's also a number of coastal walks that are gaining in popularity," said Ms Love. "You can always find a nice little place to dunk in the water or play on the beach. One of the other great attractions is the food and cafe culture." 4. Kiama and The Blowhole (approx. 2 hr and 15 min from Central)
Lawrence Hargreave Drive south of Sydney. Credit:Dallas Kilponen Kiama may seem like a bit of a trek to most Sydneysiders, but Ray Thorburn, 81, has lived in the area since 1975 and said it's well worth the trip. "I would suggest that it is better than Sydney," said Mr Thorburn. "Aesthetically, it's so far away from Sydney that it isn't funny, but it's close enough to the smoke to really go up there whenever you need to. It's the best of all worlds, I suppose you could say." Visitors can get off the train at Kiama Station and walk the 10 to 15 minutes up to the famed Blowhole, which is the largest in the world, and the Kiama lighthouse, which was established in 1887. Take along some hand reels and fish off the harbour.
5. Thirroul (approx. 1 hr and 15 min from Central) If passengers are lucky, they'll not only have the ocean to their left on the train ride to Thirroul, but mist rolling down the hills on their right. The seaside suburb of Wollongong features a one kilometre long beach that faces east and picks up swell from most directions, so it's a good surf spot. Before heading to Thirroul Station, visitors can get off at nearby Scarborough and wander across to the Scarborough Hotel, then head upstairs to take in the stunning views of the ocean below. Ellen Austin manages the Scarborough Hotel. "We've got such a beautiful view here. There's nothing else like it," she said. "It's a really relaxed area and everyone's really nice. I don't think anywhere else comes close to here."
Ms Austin recommends people walk the 10 minutes to Sea Cliff Bridge, the 665 metre highlight of Grand Pacific Drive. Other coastal towns, Austinmer and Coledale, are dotted along the road and are within a couple of minutes train or bus trip. 6. Windsor (approx 1 hr from Central) Windsor is a town in Sydney's west known for its heritage and historical value. Founded in 1810, Windsor still has its traditional country charm that attracts people away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Vicki Burns is a supervisor at Australia's oldest pub, the Macquarie Arms Hotel, which was built in Windsor in 1815. "There's a lot of old buildings that are still standing. We've got a couple of old churches, and really old graveyards dating back hundreds of years," she said. "People like it because it's a little country town. We have markets through the mall with all local produce on Sundays."
Visitors can get off at Windsor Station, which is on the main street of the town - George Street - and amble past sites that seem frozen in time, including St Matthew's Anglican Church (built in 1817) and Windsor Court House (built in 1822). 7. Richmond (approx. 1 hr and 15 min from Central) Godolphin training centre at Agnes Banks near Richmond. Credit:Peter Rae Passengers enjoy the bucolic scenes from the train window as Richmond nears; farm animals are a welcome site outside the norm of urban life. Get off at Richmond Station and wander across to the old-style oval over the road. Buy a quarter chicken and fresh salad from a store opposite the oval and grab a coffee from the same strip on the way back. Graham Smith, 78, was born and bred in Richmond and has lived there his whole life. Mr Smith said he wouldn't have had it any other way.
"I wouldn't like to live anywhere else. I'm very happy living in the area," he said. "If you lived in the city, I think Richmond is a lovely place to visit." Mr Smith named historic buildings, cafes, antique stores and the Royal Australian Air Force Base - where you can watch the planes take off and land - as main attractions. 8. The Hawkesbury River, Brooklyn (approx 1 hr from Central) The Hawkesbury River offers some of the most pristine views in Sydney, and with the station right in the centre of town, the one hour train trip is definitely the best way to get there.
Catherine Pigneguy owns the local Riverboat Postman, which does day trips during the week and weekend cruises, and also runs the Teahouse at Brooklyn. "It's such a tiny little village surrounded by national park, so it feels like a town on its own but it's still a part of Sydney," said Ms Pigneguy. "The cafes here are brilliant and the fish and chips are pretty much straight out of the river. It makes the perfect day trip that's absolutely totally different from what you'll see anywhere else." Like Mr Rathore from the Blue Mountains, Ms Pigneguy is concerned about what the cancellation of free Opal trips will mean for the town and business. "The train relieves parking issues in small towns like ours, so if they reduce the incentive to use the train, people will just drive and make parking availability worse."
9. Newcastle and Merewether (approx 3 hr from Central) Merewether Beach. If you go from one end of Newcastle to the other, you'll come across a whole range of scenes; from the urban jungle of the city, to the oddly industrial waterfront, to the nostalgic fronts of picket-fenced cottages, to the long stretches of beach. Visitors can get off the train at Hamilton, hop on a bus into town and peak into the trendy pigeon hole cafes, or head down to Merewether Beach. Rebeccah Warwood, sales and events manager at Merewether Surfhouse, said that visitors love the place because it offers city, surf and suburbia. "It's a different, relaxed vibe out here compared to the CBD of Newcastle. It's a good middle ground between all the buzzing areas," she said.
"We see dolphins and whales frequently, on most mornings, which is beautiful." Ms Warwood said that Newcastle is an ideal spot for Sydneysiders to take a break and relax over the weekend. 10. Moss Vale (approx 1 hr and 45 min from Central) Sandra Menteith, 65, helps run the local Farmers Market in Moss Vale. She said that her favourite thing about living in a rural town is the country way of life, but new, 'younger' business is making the area a lot more interesting. "In Moss Vale, you can see a lot more traditional things and the way of life living in a regional area, that are perhaps lost when a place gets too developed," said Ms Menteith.
Police have rejected a series of right to information requests from Queenslanders wanting to find out how many times officers have been accessing their personal files.
In the past month, an advocate, a suspended cop and a former Northern Territory police officer have all had applications blocked, triggering a call for accountability from the state's peak law body and claims of systemic abuse from others.
Northern Territory cop turned hotel manager Steven Isles said decisions by the police service were making a mockery of Right to Information provisions designed to provide greater transparency. Credit:Paul Harris
Queensland Law Society president Bill Potts said the rejections were a "concerning" trend and called on police to release the information rather than hiding from it.
A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said the service was committed to "transparent and accountable government" but refused to comment on individual matters.
Queensland's health minister Cameron Dick has described smoking as "a burden" on the state as he welcomed in harsher smoking laws.
Bus stops, taxi ranks, outdoor shopping malls, aged care facilities, public swimming pool facilities and skate parks became off limits to smokers from Thursday.
"These laws are a breath of fresh air for Queensland and they are the toughest anti-smoking laws in the country," Mr Dick told Parliament.
He said the measures would help reduce the impact of second-hand smoke - which is particularly harmful to children - while discouraging people from taking up the habit.
Winter was one of the wettest on record in parts of Queensland and experts say we can expect more of the same, but don't let that dampen the spring in your step.
About 11 per cent of the state had its wettest winter on record, including large areas of western and central Queensland.
Brisbane saw almost three times the average rainfall, making it the wettest year for the city in about 17 years.
The Bureau of Meteorology revealed Queensland also experienced the second-warmest winter on record for overnight temperatures, behind the record warm winter of 1973.
The little girl who was found hanging from a swing set in the backyard of her family home last week has made a "remarkable recovery", police say.
Zoe Baille, 3, had been playing on a swing at her family property at Koumala, south of Mackay, while her mother went to look after animals on the property.
The child found hanging with a swing rope around her neck is now in a stable condition. Credit:Tamara Voninski
Her mother returned to find her hanging with the swing rope around her neck, not breathing.
The woman performed CPR on the little girl and returned a pulse before emergency crews arrived and airlifted the young girl in a critical condition to Mackay Base Hospital.
The man who beat a former school assistant principal to death with a hammer said he had "bloody enjoyed it".
Simon Kepenci, 39, told police after his arrest for the murder of Gordon Harvey "I would have loved to skin him and f--k him, and do a lot of s--t".
Mr Harvey, 62, was murdered in his Fitzroy shop, Fetish, some time between January 17 and 19 this year.
Kepenci, of North Fitzroy, later returned to the shop and set it on fire. He was arrested on January 21, and pleaded guilty to murder in May.
It's called the "halo effect" and it's having a noticeable impact on students' grades.
But girls who perhaps aren't known for their looks could be in trouble.
Salesian College in Sunbury has adopted blind marking for all its English classes to avoid bias. Credit:Pat Scala
Good-looking boys have hit the jackpot when it comes to success at school and university.
New research published in the Australian Journal of Education shines a light on grading bias, a phenomenon which leads to students receiving up to 5 marks less if they have "unfavourable characteristics".
These might include race, with teachers being more generous with their marking if they share a racial or ethnic background with a student.
A student's previous academic performance can also taint the way teachers perceive their work, as can their physical attractiveness and gender.
And studies show that the unconscious bias favours students who are labelled "gifted", and works against those with learning disability, even if both students submit the same work.
University of New England associate professors John Malouff and Einar Thorsteinsson have conducted a meta analysis of 20 studies on grading biases, finding that students who had unfavourable characteristics received 4 to 5 marks less (out of 100) than students with favourable qualities. This could mean the difference between a pass or a fail, or a distinction and a high distinction.
Victorian dog breeders are moving their operations over state lines ahead of the Andrews Government's next tranche of proposed laws aimed at cracking down on puppy farms.
One of the state's biggest breeders, Banksia Park Puppies, has teamed up with a Melbourne pet shop to buy a half-a-million dollar property to breed dogs in New South Wales, just 30 kilometres over the Victorian border.
The Andrews government intends to introduce legislation that will reform the dog breeding and pet shop industries.
It comes as the government prepares to introduce the second stage of a suite of new laws aimed at stamping out industrial-scale puppy breeding. They include restricting the number of breeding dogs to 10 by 2020, and banning pet stores from selling puppies that do not come from rescue shelters.
The proposed reforms have infuriated some dog breeders and pet shop owners, but the government maintains the changes will impact only a handful of the more than 10,000 registered breeders in Victoria.
WA's Supreme Court has released a burglar with 34 prior convictions into the care of his community, highlighting the "gross over-representation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system" and saying the man has a better opportunity to change his living circumstances and behaviour outside of jail than behind bars.
Brandon Churnside was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment by the District Court of Karratha for a string of burglary offences committed there in 2015.
In releasing Brandon Churnside into his community, judges highlighted the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system. Credit:File/iStock
But lawyers for Mr Churnside took an appeal against that decision to the WA Supreme Court, arguing the sentencing judge had made an error by concluding that a community-based solution could not be used.
The Court of Appeal considered arguments that Mr Churnside's long history of 34 prior criminal convictions and two stints in jail, the first beginning when was aged 17, showed that further imprisonment was unlikely to deter future reoffending.
Beijing: A planned concert series glorifying the life of Chairman Mao has been cancelled in Sydney and Melbourne after strong backlash within the Chinese community prompted police concern over public safety were it to go ahead.
The tribute to Mao Zedong, marking the 40th anniversary of his death, touched a raw nerve among many Chinese-Australians, whose families suffered under the former Communist Party's brutal legacy, with the Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward contributing directly to the deaths of tens of millions.
Cancelled: Advertising material from the commemorative event.
Demonstrations had been planned for outside the Sydney and Melbourne town halls, where the concerts were to be held next week.
"The International Cultural Exchange Association's booking at Sydney Town Hall on 6 September is not going ahead due to concerns over public and patron safety," a spokesperson for the City of Sydney said, adding it had concerns over the "potential for civil disturbance" after consulting with NSW Police.
London: UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is ahead of his challenger Owen Smith in his battle to stay at the helm of Britain's main opposition party, a poll found.
Corbyn had 62 per cent support versus 38 per cent for Smith, according to the YouGov Plc poll of 1236 people eligible to vote in the party ballot.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn prepares to speak to party supporters in London on Tuesday. Credit:Getty Images
The survey, published on Wednesday in the Times newspaper, suggests Corbyn may win an even bigger mandate than last year, when he was first elected with almost 60 per cent of the vote.
Corbyn's support among party grassroots members is in stark contrast to the opposition he faces from his own lawmakers. Smith triggered the leadership election because Corbyn refused to step down, even after he lost a confidence vote among Labour members of Parliament by 172 votes to 40 and dozens of members of his front-bench team quit their posts.
Cape Canaveral: An explosion destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket belonging to Elon Musk's SpaceX during routine test firing at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Thursday, shaking buildings kilometres away and sending a thick plume of black smoke pouring into the air.
SpaceX said there were no injuries but that an "anomaly" during the static fire test resulted in the loss of the rocket and the Israeli communications satellite it had been due to carry into space at the weekend. The large blast shook the launch pad leased by SpaceX at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station just after 9 am local time (1300 GMT).
People in buildings several miles from the facility wrote on social media that they felt the explosion, but local authorities said residents were not at risk.
"There is NO threat to general public from catastrophic abort during static test fire at SpaceX launch pad," the Brevard County Emergency Management Office said in a tweet.
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AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 1, 2016 --
Jeep brand posts 12 percent sales increase in August compared with same month a year ago
Five Jeep brand models up in August, led by 41 percent increase in Jeep Cherokee sales
Dodge brand up 5 percent; six Dodge brand vehicles log year-over-year sales gains in August
Ram Truck brand up 2 percent; Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City vans each post double-digit percentage sales gains
FCA US LLC today reported U.S. sales of 196,756 units, a 3 percent increase compared with sales in August 2015 (190,887 units).
FCA US retail sales were 150,153 units in August, while fleet sales were 46,603 units. Retail sales represented 76 percent of total sales, while fleet sales were 24 percent.
The Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in August, led by the Jeep brand's 12 percent increase. Five of the six Jeep brand vehicles recorded sales increases in August, with the Jeep Cherokee turning in the largest percentage year-over-year gain.
The Dodge brand delivered higher year-over-year sales as the Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Journey, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Durango and Dodge Viper all recorded sales gains in August, helping to propel the brand to a 5 percent increase. Likewise, the Ram Truck brand was up with the Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City vans each recording year-over-year sales increases for the month.
Jeep Brand
Jeep brand sales were up 12 percent in August compared with the same month a year ago. The Jeep Cherokee the most capable mid-size SUV posted a 41 percent sales gain, the largest percentage increase of any Jeep brand model in August. The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass all turned in double-digit percentage increases for the month.
Dodge Brand
Dodge brand sales were up 5 percent in August compared with the same month a year ago, as Dodge cars and trucks had a strong sales month. The Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger each posted year-over-year sales gains in August. Charger sales were up 24 percent, while the Challenger turned in a 5 percent sales gain in August. Sales of the Dodge Durango full-size SUV, the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan, the Dodge Journey crossover and the Dodge Viper were all up in August as well. The Dodge brand last month used the famed Woodward Dream Cruise to debut its new 2017 Challenger T/A and Charger Daytona two performance-upgraded models infused with heritage style. Production for both models will begin this fall with Charger Daytona models available for order in September, followed by Challenger T/A models this October.
Ram Truck Brand
Ram Truck brand sales, which include the Ram pickup, Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City, were up 2 percent in August versus the same month a year ago. Both the ProMaster and ProMaster City vans turned in double-digit percentage sales gains in August, led by the ProMaster City's 32 percent increase. The ProMaster City America's most efficient work van is the newest addition to the brand's commercial vehicle lineup and contributes to the expanding, purpose-built van segment with a number of best-in-class, functional elements tied directly to commercial customer demand. Sales of the Ram pickup truck were flat in August.
FIAT Brand
FIAT brand sales, which include the Fiat 500, Fiat 500L, Fiat 500X and Fiat 124 Spider, were down 21 percent in August. In its second month on sale, the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider logged 460 sales in August. Last sold in the U.S. in 1985, the 124 Spider brings classic Italian styling and proven performance to a new generation of buyers. The all-new 124 Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety combined with iconic design.
Chrysler Brand
Chrysler brand sales were down 22 percent in August compared with the same month a year ago. Sales of the Chrysler 300 full-size sedan were up 22 percent compared with the same month a year ago. The all-new Chrysler Pacifica logged 7,459 in sales in August. The Pacifica reinvents the minivan segment with its unprecedented level of functionality, versatility and technology. With nearly 40 innovations not offered by any others in its class, the Pacifica is the new benchmark in the segment that Chrysler invented more than 30 years ago.
FCA US LLC Sales Summary August 2016 Reflects Restated Sales
Month Sales Vol % CYTD Sales Vol % Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Compass 8,867 6,891 29% 69,462 40,418 72% Patriot 11,789 10,690 10% 86,632 80,328 8% Wrangler 15,290 18,264 -16% 135,338 139,536 -3% Cherokee 23,932 17,014 41% 142,498 139,582 2% Grand Cherokee 18,409 16,477 12% 134,135 125,653 7% Renegade 8,181 7,941 3% 71,328 27,861 156% JEEP BRAND 86,468 77,277 12% 639,393 553,378 16% 200 4,210 12,538 -66% 45,983 128,673 -64% 300 5,275 4,339 22% 39,291 33,069 19% Town & Country 1,809 7,255 -75% 56,607 53,469 6% Pacifica 7,459 0 New 26,893 0 New CHRYSLER BRAND 18,753 24,132 -22% 168,774 215,211 -22% Dart 2,898 6,343 -54% 34,540 61,102 -43% Avenger 0 45 -100% 0 1,197 -100% Charger 8,614 6,964 24% 67,402 67,802 -1% Challenger 5,262 5,014 5% 45,489 47,346 -4% Viper 58 37 57% 406 456 -11% Journey 11,732 8,351 40% 66,415 70,359 -6% Caravan 10,572 10,330 2% 93,349 56,218 66% Durango 5,204 5,111 2% 49,059 41,416 18% DODGE BRAND 44,340 42,195 5% 356,660 345,896 3% Ram P/U 40,202 40,341 0% 308,970 295,243 5% Cargo Van 0 29 -100% 21 2,144 -99% ProMaster Van 3,234 2,587 25% 23,206 16,812 38% ProMaster City 990 752 32% 11,832 4,434 167% RAM BRAND 44,426 43,709 2% 344,029 318,633 8% Alfa 4C 37 97 -62% 376 451 -17% ALFA BRAND 37 97 -62% 376 451 -17% 500 1,243 2,102 -41% 10,095 17,982 -44% 500L 131 314 -58% 2,687 6,334 -58% 500X 898 1,061 -15% 8,348 2,279 266% Spider 460 0 New 885 0 New FIAT BRAND 2,732 3,477 -21% 22,015 26,595 -17% TOTAL FCA US LLC 196,756 190,887 3% 1,531,247 1,460,164 5%
Total Car & MPV 48,028 55,378 -13% 424,003 474,099 -11% Total UV's 104,302 91,800 14% 763,215 667,432 14% Total Truck & LCV 44,426 43,709 2% 344,029 318,633 8%
Method of Determining Monthly Sales. FCA US's reported vehicle sales represent unit sales of vehicles to retail customers, deliveries of vehicles to fleet customers and to others such as FCA US's employees and retirees as well as vehicles used for marketing. Most of these reported sales reflect retail sales made by dealers out of their own inventory of vehicles previously purchased by them from FCA US. Reported vehicle units sales do not correspond to FCA US's reported revenues, which are based on FCA US's sale and delivery of vehicles, and typically recognized upon shipment to the dealer or end customer. As announced on July 26, 2016, FCA US has modified its methodology for monthly sales reporting as follows:
Sales to retail customers by dealers in the U.S. are derived from the New Vehicle Delivery Report ("NVDR") system and are determined as the sum of (A) all sales recorded by dealers during the month net of all unwound transactions recorded to the end of that month (whether the original sale was recorded in the current month or any prior month); plus (B) all sales of vehicles during that month attributable to past unwinds that had previously been reversed in determining monthly sales (in the current or prior months).
Fleet sales are recorded as sales upon the shipment of the vehicle by FCA US to the customer or end user.
to the customer or end user. Other retail sales are recorded either (A) when the sale is recorded in the NVDR system (for sales by dealers in Puerto Rico and limited sales made through distributors that submit NVDRs in the same manner as for sales by U.S. dealers) or (B) upon receipt of a similar delivery notification (for vehicles for which NVDRs are not entered such as vehicles for FCA employees).
About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C model and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli.
FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported August U.S. sales of 26,109 vehicles, representing a decrease of 12.8 percent versus last year. Year-to-date sales through August are 199,378 vehicles.
Key August sales notes:
Sales of the Mazda CX-5 are up 5.8 percent YOY with 10,831 vehicles sold. This marks the carline's second month in a row with over 10,000 sold.
The all-new Mazda CX-9 accounted for 1,863 of vehicles sold in the month of August, representing a YOY increase of 6.3 percent.
Finishing its first full year of sales, year-to-date sales of the Mazda CX-3 sit at 12,493, with 1,492 vehicles sold in the month of August.
Popularity of the i-ACTIV All-Wheel Drive system continues among CUV buyers, with 65 percent of buyers choosing the option. Total sales across Mazda's CX carlines remain strong with 13,967 sold in August.
Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported August sales of 4,486 vehicles, down 2 percent versus August of last year.
Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.
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Facebooks ambitious plan to bring internet to a huge swath of Sub-Saharan Africa suffered a setback on Thursday when a SpaceX rocket carrying the companys first-ever satellite exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Taking a bigger hit is SpaceX itself, whose Falcon 9 booster malfunctioned during a test-firing of its engines. Riding high on repeated recent successes of a self-landing, reusable version of the Falcon 9, Elon Musks rocket start-up has expanded its launch schedule, taking on more commercial and government customers as it aims to compete with leading U.S. launch-providers including Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Thursday accident could compel SpaceX to delay its scheduled launches, potentially undermining its expansion plans.
The explosion occurred at 9:07 a.m., local time, as the 230-foot-tall, 600-ton Falcon 9a two-stage rocket that can boost payloads weighing up to 25 tons to low orbitwas undergoing a static test fire, with controllers briefly starting the Falcon 9s nine first-stage engines to make sure they worked.
Something went wrong and the rocket exploded, destroying the $200 million AMOS-6 communication satellite, which Facebook had commissioned from Israeli satellite-operator Space-Communication Ltd. David Turner told the Los Angeles Times he heard the explosion 40 miles away in Edgewater.
No one was hurt in the blast.
All personnel were clear of the pad, SpaceX tweeted.
Authorities responded swiftly. The U.S. Air Forces 45th Space Wing, which oversees the Cape Canaveral launch pad, set up roadblocks in and around the facility and urged people to avoid the area.
The financial and material losses sting, particularly for Space-Communication Ltd.
The loss of the satellite will have a substantial influence on the company, the Israeli firm said.
By 1 p.m., Space X had a theory about what happened.
The anomaly originated around the upper stage oxygen tank and occurred during propellant loading of the vehicle, SpaceX tweeted.
Definitive answers should come swiftly.
Pad accidents are usually easier to diagnose than in-flight anomalies, Brian Weeden, a space expert at the Secure World Foundation in Colorado, told The Daily Beast.
Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX is no stranger to high-profile accidents. The company, which Musk founded in 2002 after selling PayPal for $1.5 billion, wants to make rocket launches faster and cheaper, primarily by making its rockets reusable. That ambition comes with risk. In June 2015, a Falcon 9 carrying supplies to the International Space Station exploded shortly after launch.
Several launch-and-land tests of the reusable Falcon 9 also ended in failure, damaging or destroying the rocket. SpaceX stuck its first rocket landing back in December and plans to begin using reusable rockets for routine launches later this year.
But that launch and eight others that SpaceX had booked for 2016 could get bumped to the right.
They already had a very busy next six months, and any sort of delayeven a brief oneis going to make it that much harder to pull off, Weeden said.
Facebooks Internet.org initiative, meant to expand internet access across the developing world, could also suffer delays. AMOS-6 was the programs, and Facebooks, first satellite and the social-media company had high hopes for it. AMOS-6 was supposed to connect millions of people, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said in announcing the satellites construction back in October.
To connect people living in remote regions, traditional connectivity infrastructure is often difficult and inefficient, so we need to invent new technologies, Zuckerberg continued. Facebook has not said whether it plans to build another copy of AMOS-6.
Investors and corporate satellite-users will surely be watching closely as SpaceX investigates the Thursday accident. So, too, will the U.S. government. SpaceX has been launching rockets for NASA since 2012 and snagged its first small military contract in April.
But Musks company has its eyes on a much bigger government prize: a contract for heavy military launches. At present, the Pentagon buys heavy rockets from just one company: United Launch Alliance, a consortium of defense-industry giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
SpaceX wants a piece of that roughly $5 billion-a-year market. It got its chance starting in 2015, when the Air Force certified SpaceX to eventually compete with United Launch Alliance for multi-year contracts.
World events seemed to improve SpaceXs chances. After Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2014, U.S. lawmakers pressured the military stop buying Russian-made rocket engines. The powerful RD-180 engine powers most of United Launch Alliances rockets.
In 2014, the Air Force began exploring its options in the event Congress or the Pentagon decides to ban Russian engines from government launches. SpaceX has argued that its rockets can fill in for United Launch Alliances own, RD-180 powered rocketsand for cheaper.
Each launch by ULA costs American taxpayers roughly $400 millionfour times as much as a launch by SpaceX, the company states on its website.
An official Air Force survey from 2015, which investigative reporter Joseph Trevithick obtained via the Freedom of Information Act and provided to The Daily Beast, revealed that the Air Force contacted SpaceX to determine whether the Falcon 9 could replace the United Launch Alliances rockets with their Russian engines.
The Boeing-Lockheed consortiums current launch contract with the Pentagon ends in 2018, at which point SpaceX could compete for the next multi-year contract. For everyone except, perhaps, the Israelis, Thursdays accident should be a distant memory by then.
Barring any surprises in the investigation, its hard to see how this one incident might have a long-term impact on their plans, Weeden said of SpaceX.
About five minutes into Donald Trumps big immigration speech on Wednesday night, two things were clear: The glad-handing, diplomatic Trump had stayed in Mexico , and not a damn thing had changed about his immigration plan .
The candidate gave the speech in the same Phoenix venue where he held his first major campaign rally last year. And he made the same case hes always made: that undocumented immigrants pose an economic and national security threat to the United States, and that we need to build a Mexico-financed wall to keep them out. He also dug into the nuts and bolts of his immigration overhaul ideas, rehashing much of the policy proposal he released last summer.
The speech immediately drew sharp criticism from Hillary Clinton backers. But heres the funny thing about 2016: Many of the proposals Trump advocated have had support from Clinton herself.
There are major differences between the two candidates on immigration policy, not least on Trumps proposal of a ban of Muslim immigrants or people coming to the U.S. from countries tied to Islamic terror.
The biggest difference between Clinton and Trump on immigration is on deportations of people who have overstayed their visas. Trump, unlike Clinton, promised to deport all 4 million undocumented immigrants whose visas have expiredwhether or not they have committed violent crimes or pose security risks. Thats a hard-and-fast commitment to mass deportation on his part. And on that issue, Clinton isnt remotely close. But particularly regarding border securitywhere the candidates rhetoric varies wildlythere are areas of considerable overlap.
Part of the reason islike most conservative immigration hawksTrump focused on enforcing existing immigration laws rather than passing new legislation. And the laws that Trump wants enforced are, in some cases, laws Clinton has backed.
For instance, Trump talked extensively about his support for a biometric entry-exit tracking systemin other words, a system that would take biometric data (like fingerprints) from everyone entering the U.S. on a visa when they come in and then again when they leave. It would allow the federal government to keep records of which people stayed longer than their visas allow. Congress has voted numerous times for a system like this to be put in place, but its never been implemented. Experts differ on why that is, and there are a host of explanations: The tourism industry hates it, many American airports arent set up to collect all that information, and the logistics would be complicated.
And Clinton seems to back such a tracking system, at least according to her voting record. In 2001, she co-sponsored a bill called the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act , which President Bush signed into law in 2002. The legislation required the creation of a system to track who entered the U.S. on visas and when they left, as well as the creation of related tamper-resistant, machine-readable documents containing biometric identifiers. In short, thats a biometric entry-exit tracking system. And its exactly what Trump called for Wednesday night (and in the immigration plan he released last summer).
Also like Trump, Clinton has promises on her campaign site to focus resources on detaining and deporting those individuals who pose a violent threat to public safety. Unlike Trump, though, she also promises to close private, for-profit immigrant detention centers. For her to keep both promises, she would have to get Congress to appropriate funds to build and staff publicly run immigrant detention centers. And her immigration webpage doesnt detail what specifically she would do to detain and deport undocumented immigrants convicted of violent crimes. Its possible she would use a deportation strategy that would substantively differ from Trumpshis requires forced cooperation among local, state, and federal law enforcementbut she hasnt made that clear.
More obviously, Clinton has said in the past that she backs a more militarized borderincluding something that sounds a bit like a wall.
Look, I voted numerous times when I was a senator to spend money to build a barrier to try to prevent illegal immigrants from coming in, she said at a campaign stop last November in video flagged by the conservative tracking group America Rising . And I do think you have to control your borders.
She may have been alluding to 2006, when she voted for the Secure Fence Act. That legislation, which Bush signed, required 700 miles of double-fence physical barriers along the southern border. It also required more vehicle barriers, checkpoints, cameras, satellites, and drones, as its GovTrack.us page details .
Trump, by comparison, is pushing for a wall thats 1,000 miles long . And immigration hawks say its a little baffling that Clinton is criticizing him for that stance, given her 2006 vote.
Shes attacking Trump for calling for about 1,000 miles of some kind of barrier, said Center for Immigration Studies head Mark Krikorian, who backs reduced levels of legal and illegal immigration. How is that really different? Three hundred miles makes him Adolf Hitler?
A regulation has forced Americans to pay the corporate income taxes of an industry that Congress exempted from that tax in 1986, an outrage I have chronicled for years.
Now a federal court has determined that this taxpayer abuse is worse than I reported. In fact, its twice as bad.
Yet despite the latest court ruling in a long-running case, this rip-off may continue.
The idea that any business could force you to pay its taxes may strike some readers as beyond belief. When I first heard about this more than a decade ago my skepticism meter hit high alert. Then I started reading the laws, regulations, and official proceedings, none of which made the news. Ive been writing about it ever since, hoping the public will demand an end to this abuse.
The way it works is simple: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sets the rates that monopoly pipelines can charge. The rates are based on all of their costspeople, equipment, taxes, and the corporate income tax. But that last expense is fake. The pipelines are exempt from that tax.
How Consumers End Up Paying Oil Pipeline Taxes
No industry benefits more from the forced payment of taxes for private gain than the pipelines that are the subject of the latest court ruling.
Pipelines are monopoly rights-of-way granted by government. The rates that oil pipelines charge shippersoil companies, airlines, chemical companiesto move their product across the country are regulated under a law first enacted in 1887, the Interstate Commerce Act, which was designed to protect shippers from abuses by railroadsand was partly drafted by those railroads. Natural gas pipelines are regulated under updates to a 1938 law.
Congress created the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to regulate everything from the rules of the so-called electricity markets to the level of water behind hydroelectric dams to pipeline rates. Not one major news organization assigns a reporter to cover FERC, which is cozy with those it regulates. Thats a major reason you have not heard about how the pipelines get to collect a tax that Congress does not require them to pay.
FERC chooses to set pipeline profits on an after-tax basis. This means that for every dollar of authorized after-tax profit, a monopoly pipeline adds 54 cents to cover the grossed up federal income tax of 35 percent of profits.
Thus, a monopoly pipeline authorized to earn $1 billion after tax actually collects $1.54 billion. If it actually owed the 35 percent income tax rate, it would be left with a net profit of $1 billion.
Even Investors Dont Get the Tax Profits
Most monopoly pipelines are organized as master limited partnerships, or MLPs. Congress exempted MLPs from corporate income tax under the 1986 Tax Reform Act.
So collecting the tax that never gets paid, I reported previously, means the pipeline really earns an after-tax rate of return that is 154 percent of what is authorized.
What makes this outrage even worse is that MLP investors do not get the tax money. Management contracts, whose terms are obfuscated in disclosure reports, sweep the fake tax dollars away to the companies that oversee the MLPs and primarily enrich their executives, as Gordon Gooch, FERCs former general counsel, found by scrutinizing those documents.
Gooch first alerted me to this rip-off and his petitions to FERC to stop it years ago.
FERC dismisses his petitions, saying that, as a mere consumer, he has no standing to challenge its decisions. Goochs latest petition is labeled prohibited by FERC, yet it listens closely to everything the industry it regulates wants. It even holds off the record technical conferences with the industrys lawyers and lobbyists.
What the Court Found
The new court ruling shows that the pipelines are ripping people off for not just 54 percent more than their profits, as I have reported, but for double that.
In the latest twist in a case known colloquially as United Airlines v. FERC, Senior Circuit Judge David B. Sentelle, who has been hearing appeals of FERC pipeline tax cases for a quarter-century, came to this conclusion on July 1 in the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit Court.
Judge Sentelle wrote that United Airlines and eight other pipeline customers, known as the Shippers, complain that they are being overcharged because the rates they pay include covering taxes that the pipelines do not owe. You end up paying the bill when they pass these costs on through higher fares or in reduced profits earned by shareholders.
The Shippers claim that because FERCs rate-making methodology already ensures a sufficient after-tax rate of return to attract investment capital, and partnership pipelines otherwise do not incur entity-level taxes, FERCs tax allowance policy permits partners in a partnership pipeline to double recover their taxes.
Judge Sentelle concluded that the plaintiffs were right.
Unfortunately, he did not include the tax algebra in his decision so that we could calculate the amount of the overcharges.
Previously I calculated from disclosure reports that the pipeline industry tax rip-off totals about $3.4 billion annually. A Congressional study prompted by my reporting estimated the cost at $1.9 billion. Judge Sentelles decision suggests the rip-off costs Americans somewhere between $3.8 billion to $6.8 billion annually.
What the Court Didand DidntDo
The problem is in what Judge Sentelle ordered. He could have blocked the fake tax, but did not. Instead he sent the issue back to FERC, giving it an opportunity to gin up another justification for letting pipelines collect twice on a tax they never have to pay.
We agree that FERC has not adequately justified its tax allowance policy for partnership pipelines and grant the Shippers petition, Sentelle ruled (PDF).
Sentelle in an earlier ruling had allowed the pipelines to collect the fake tax. In a ruling before that, in the late 1990s, he held that collecting the tax from shippers was improper because it was a nonexistent expense that he called a phantom tax. Judge Sentelle noted that once you start allowing imaginary expenses there is no end to the mischief.
FERC got around this by inventing a new regulatory approach called the position paper that allowed pipeline lobbyists to legally meet with commissioners in secret to craft the plan. Only then was it announced as a case, which ended the one-sided meetings. All sides were then given two weeks and allowed one 15-page filing with no rebuttals. The rate case was, to be polite, a sham.
The awful details are laid out in my 2012 book, The Fine Print and, in shorter form, in a 2010 column I wrote for the policy journal Tax Notes.
Why It Matters
By law FERC must balance the interests of pipeline owners and pipeline customers using the just and reasonable theory that owners are entitled to reasonable profits and customers to reasonable prices. Instead, it favors pipelines (and other monopolies it regulates) because most of the commissioners come fromand later go back tothe industries they regulate.
In Judge Sentelles most recent previous decision in the matter he allowed the fake tax to be imposed by the pipelines using reasoning I think is specious. Sentelle made clear that he was deeply vexed by the idea of making shippers pay a tax that is not imposed by Congress. However, he ruled that, since FERC had explained its rationale, it was beyond the courts authority to challenge the regulatory decision.
That last part is nonsense. No matter how well FERC explains itself, no matter the absurd argument it came up with in its one-sided sham proceedings, a fake tax is a fake tax is a fake tax. No one should have to pay any tax that goes not to government but stays with the business. And whether seen as an obligation of the pipelines direct customers, like United Airlines, or the ultimate customeryouno justification exists for imposing a tax unless Congress requires it and the money goes to Uncle Sam.
Thats why United Airlines and the other shippers sued again to reduce the price they were being charged for transporting airline fuel.
In his latest ruling Sentelle seems to recognize his error, but unfortunately he did not block the fake tax from being collected. Instead he told FERC to undertake yet another rule-making proceeding. Based on past history you will keep being dinged for this fake tax.
There is an easy solution to this and the man to solve it is Norman C. Bay, current FERC chairman. His background is as an enforcement staffer at FERC; hes not the usual pro-industry regulator. Bay can ask commissioners to vote on ending the inclusion of the corporate income tax in the rates that pipelines charge customers like United Airlines. But I doubt he will unless the public demands action to make sure that pipelines charge only for actual expenses, which would not include the corporate income tax that Congress says does not apply to Master Limited Partnership pipelines.
You can do something about this. Tell your congressperson and senators you cant believe they are doing nothing about a fake tax that you are forced to pay. Demand hearings. Demand an end to this tax abuse.
Pulitzer Prize winner and recipient of an IRE medal and the George Polk Award, David Cay Johnston is author of five books. His new book, The Making of Donald Trump, was published on Aug. 2, 2016. His next one will be The Prosperity Tax: A New Federal Tax Code for the 21st Century Economy. Johnston is a Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at Syracuse University College of Law and Whitman School of Management, and also writes for The Daily Beast and Tax Notes.
Mike Pences signature law, Indianas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is now being used to defend child abusers. And the abusersone in particularwill probably win.
On Feb. 3, 2016, Khin Park Thaing, a 30-year-old asylee from Burma, beat her son 36 times with a coat hanger. She was arrested for felony abuse and neglect after a teacher noticed the boys dark purple welts and bruises.
As reported in the Indianapolis Star, Thaings lawyers cited the Bible (If you strike him with a rod, you will save his soul) in her defense, and said that her abuse is a legally protected form of religious practice.
Thanks to the RFRA, she is probably right.
As we have reported many times, RFRAs make it very hard for the government to do anything when someone claims a religious belief. Legally speaking, it requires laws to have a compelling state interest and be narrowly tailored to achieve it. This standard is quite different from ordinary ones, and stacks the deck in favor of religious defendants.
At first, RFRA was a shield that guarded against government persecution of minorities. It was first passed after Native Americans were found to have violated drug laws by ingesting peyote as part of a religious ritual.
In the last 10 years, however, RFRA has become a sword allowing religious people (and corporations) to harm others: specifically, Christians who want to discriminate against women and LGBT people. Under state and federal RFRAs, corporations may withhold insurance coverage for contraception, businesses (including doctors and pharmacists) may decline to serve LGBT people, and companies can fire transgender people and gays.
But the law of unintended consequences means RFRA has also been used for other means. In Indiana, for example, one man started a church of pot to extol the virtues of marijuana as part of his religion. Muslim cab drivers have argued that they shouldnt have to transport drunk passengers.
And now, just as liberal activists have warned, child abuse.
Thaing is likely to win, for three reasons.
First, while protecting child welfare is a compelling state interest, Indianas law has no exemption to accommodate religious believers. That means it is insufficiently narrowly tailored to pass muster under RFRA. It would be easy for the state to carve out such an exemption, and since they didnt, the existing law is too broad. Indeed, unlike other states, Indiana doesnt have an exemption for parental discipline at all.
Second, what Thaing did isnt so different from whats already allowed in Indiana. A 2008 court case held that whooping a child on the buttocks with a belt or an extension cord did not constitute child abuse. Even though Indianas criminal code didnt specifically define what forms of corporal punishment were allowed, the court held that five to seven beatings on the buttocks were part of that parents parental privilege under common law and the Constitution.
Third, while Thaings actions were far worse36 beatings, with a coat hanger, all over the backone local Burmese-American advocate quoted in the Indianapolis Star said that this was a matter of cultural practice in Burma. (Thaing recently came to the United States and does not speak English.) Some might see Thaing as a child abuser, but a court might well see her as a refugee from another country whose actions reflect sincere religious and cultural differences.
Indeed, although Thaings asylum documents have not been made public, its quite possible that she obtained asylum because as an evangelical Christian, she was part of a small minority in the Buddhist-majority (and nationalistic) Burma.
However we may see the case personally, RFRA has changed the rules legally. Thats why its been invoked by the Catholic Church seeking to worm out of paying sexual abuse settlements and by a fundamentalist Mormon to avoid child labor laws. Not all of these cases win, but the reason theyre even considered is that when it comes to balancing civil rights and religious liberty, RFRA puts its finger on the scale.
Not surprisingly, RFRAs advocates have ignored these cases, focusing instead on sympathetic bakers who dont want to put two men on a wedding cake. But Khin Park Thaings case isnt only about the law of unintended consequences. Actually, the lessons from cases like hers also apply to the bakers, doctors, hospitals, malls, and hobby stores. When religious freedom is a sword as well as a shield, vulnerable people will get hurt.
In the opening scene of Narcos second season, a soldier searching for Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobarwhos fleeing his self-made La Catedral prison following its invasion by the military and law enforcementdescribes the kingpin as an unholy supernatural monster capable of withstanding gunfire and rising from the dead. The relationship between myth and man is central to Season Two of Netflixs sterling series about the efforts to stop (i.e. kill) Escobar. And even more than during its previous outing, it generates suspense not from any mystery over its storys endinga quick Google search will provide plenty of details on Escobars ignominious fatebut from how events transpired during the lead-up to its conclusion. At heart, its a show about how the war on drugs works, and one thats at its gripping best when it embraces a macro view of the intertwined forces at play in the hunt for the notorious cocaine overlord.
Thankfully, theres a lot of Big Picture stuff still going on in Narcos, which picks up where Season One left off: with Escobar (Wagner Moura) escaping into the jungle after avoiding capture by President Cesar Gavirias (Raul Mendez) soldiers and DEA agents Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) and Javier Pena (Pedro Pascal). The governments failure to secure their target is a crushing blow, and though it sends Escobar into hiding, his power remains largely undiminishedat least, at first. While Escobars right-hand man La Quica (Diego Catano) convinces fresh recruit Limon (Leynar Gomez) to drive the wanted man around Medellin in the trunk of his taxi cab, Murphy and Pena are bestowed with a new American boss (Florencia Lozano) intent on overseeing their activities. Theres also rival cartel bigwig Judy Moncada (Cristina Umana), whos intent on exacting revenge for the murder of her husband, and who thus joins forces with the Cali Cartel to snuff out Escobar. Theyre soon aided in their efforts by anti-communist paramilitary psychos partnering with the cartels, thanks to a CIA liaison (Eric Lange) who wants to make sure the U.S. has some influence in the forthcoming post-Escobar drug-biz landscape. Oh, and ruthless police chief Horacio Carrillo (Maurice Compte) is also brought back to Medellin, where he begins crossing all sorts of boundaries in his quest to bring Escobar to justice.
If that makes Narcos (which largely takes place during the early 90s) sound overstuffed, well, thats because it isin the most exciting way possible. Though it underwent some significant showrunner changes in the lead-up to its premiere, the second season is even more assured at wide-canvas storytelling this time around, using Murphys narration to tether together the myriad dynamics driving its narrative forward. The twisted tangle of alliances, ruses, and betrayals is scripted with pinpoint clarity throughout, and even though its points of focus are many, it fleshes out its numerous playersincluding Escobars wife Tata (Paulina Gaitan) and mother Hermilda (Paulina Garcia), whose plights become increasingly central to the proceedings at handwith a confidence and clarity thats thrilling. Rarely has a show presented so many uniquely interconnected personalities, and then derived so much drama from their development, letting twists and turns spring naturally from the way that competing interests, fears and desires intersect.
Amidst its action, Narcos delivers quick archival-film-footage glimpses of its real charactersa device that should be destabilizing, and yet instead further affirms how true-to-life its portrait of new-world-order warfare feels. Aside from a stunning mid-season single-take during a siege on an Escobar family hideout, the shows handheld-heavy aesthetics are light on flair and heavy on unassuming, you-are-there energy. That helps keeps the focus on its many plot strands, all of which repeatedly suggest (as Pena says to one cartel bigwig) that honor is a meaningless word in a fundamentally amoral kill-or-be-killed business involving selling poison for personal profit. As a new Security Bloc chief takes command of government efforts, and as Escobar becomes the target of not only the DEA but also the rival cartels vigilante death squad Los Pepes (aka People Persecuted by Pablo Escobar")whose vile tactics involve staging Colombian Folk Art tableaus of deathNarcos becomes a large-scale study of trying to catch a madman in a world without rules.
Given that they often feel like its most overtly scripted, Hollywood-ish touches, Narcos is wise to treat its nominal protagonists predicamentsparticularly, Murphys strained relationship with his wifeas mere peripheral distractions. Better still, it shifts attention away from Holbrooks Murphy (whos best utilized as the audiences guide through this thicket) and toward Pena, whose willingness to covertly collaborate with Los Pepes generates pressing moral dilemmas that echo the materials larger concerns. Meanwhile, the domestic tensions mounting in Escobars own homethanks to his devoted wifes fear over their situation and his rancid mothers refusal to criticize her sonlends the show an added, complicated element. Narcos depicts their ordeal empathetically, thereby amplifying its from-all-sides anxiety. At the same time, however, it repeatedly reminds us that theyre damnably complicit in Escobars reign of terror, culminating with a final sequence involving Escobars mom that juxtaposes her woe-is-us remarks about her sons nobility with snapshots of the actual horrors he wrought (and, by extension, she approved of).
That nuanced approach also, ultimately, pertains to Escobar as well, whom the great Moura embodies as a fascinating, larger-than-life titan who rules through intimidating reputation, and whose thirst for power and murderous amorality (resulting in hundreds upon hundreds of dead cops, rivals and innocents) is paired with hypocritical arrogance. Decked out in hilarious preppy sweaters that cover his growing belly, Escobar rails against his unjust treatment by the government and Los Pepes while ignoring the fact that he created this lawless paradigm (and brought such madness upon himself), his ego so great that it can only, inevitably, result in his doom. As the noose hes fashioned for himself begins tightening around his neck, the show becomes a case study in the unfathomable horrors wrought by unchecked narcissism. Moreover, unlike last years similarly themed Sicario, Narcos doesnt feign heavens-to-Betsy! shock and awe at the idea that governments, and men, are compelled (or willing) to do shady things in order to combat evil; rather, it exposes the futility of hewing to a traditional moral compass in the face of borderline-apocalyptic drug-world chaos. After such a blistering second season, which ends with Escobars downfall, the only question it leaves iswhat happens to a monster-movie show when the monster is dead?
ISTANBUL Turkeys week-old intervention into northern Syria, which began with the successful expulsion of the Islamic State terror group from the border town of Jarablus, could be the beginning of the end for the Islamic State terror groups haven in northern Syria.
But it may also be the beginning of the demise of the Peoples Protection Units or YPG, the Kurdish militia that has been fighting ISIS with U.S. military support.
The Turkish intervention revealed the outlines of a dramatic shift in the international landscape surrounding the worlds most deadly conflict.
The picture now emerging was inconceivable just weeks ago: Russia, which has taken severe criticism for bombing civilian targets, has gained the initiative at U.S. expense.
Faced with the passivity of the lame-duck Obama administration, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as the prime mover in the drama.
Before sending troops into Syria last Thursday, a move he has been weighing for more than one year, Erdogan swallowed his pride and issued his regrets to Russia for shooting down a Russian aircraft that crossed into Turkish territory last November. Then he flew to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin. Erdogans top aides also had intense exchanges with Iran, the other major outside backer to the Assad regime.
To all appearances Russia has now changed sides, dragging its Syrian client with it. Its also taking a direct role in the fight against the so-called Islamic State, even claiming credit for this weeks airstrike in al-Bab, Syria, that killed Abl Mulhammad al Adnani, the Islamic State attack dog who was responsible for exporting the groups terror attacks abroad. (One U.S. defense official called Russias claim a joke.)
You cant tell the players without a scorecard, and the scorecard today is very different from that of a few weeks ago.
The old lineup: Russia and Iran vigorously opposed a Turkish intervention in Syria and threatened to counter it militarily. Following the Syrian regimes playbook, they viewed the Syrian opposition forces, which have received covert U.S. military support, as terrorists on a par with ISIS and indeed have fought them while doing little to fight ISIS.
Russia, Iran, and the Syrian government all allied with the Kurdish militia, the YPG. The Assad regime, for example, provided arms and paid the wages for its public employees. Russia supported the YPG last February as it advanced into areas near the Turkish border that had been controlled by the U.S.-backed rebels. Since the YPG is closely tied to the insurgents in Turkey of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, Ankara viewed the nexus in northern Syria as hostile.
But, meanwhile, the Obama administration, fearful that a clash pitting NATO member Turkey against Russia or Iran could blow up into a much wider war, refused to support a Turkish intervention in Syria. Instead, it, too, teamed up with the YPG and provided air cover, intelligence, and other support in attacking Islamic State targets.
This rankled Turkey still further. But Ankara agreed that the U.S. could support the YPG as it advanced deep into northern Syria to capture the ISIS-held town of Manbij, provided YPG forces then withdrew from the mainly Arab lands.
The new lineup: Russia and Iran have raised no serious objections to Turkeys intervention. The Political Directorate of the Syrian Arab Army now speaks of the Kurdish guerrilla force as the PKK.
As Aron Lund of the Carnegie Endowments Middle East Center observes, Over the past five years, Damascus has more often referred to the pro-PKK factions in Syria by simply using their official names (such as YPG, Asayish, and so on) or by some quaintly patriotic workaround, such as loyal Kurdish citizens. It is rare for them to employ the PKK term and even rarer to blast it across state media. The shift is obviously meant as much for Turkish ears as for Syrian ones.
Also remarkable is how Russias English-language propaganda outlet Sputnik has unblinkingly about-faced on whos who in this war.
This week, it took the unprecedented step of referring to the Turkish-supported Free Syrian Army as having liberated villages in Aleppo from terrorists, citing the Turkish General Staffs press release. As for the terrorists, Sputnik left it an open question as to whether or not these were ISIS militants or the YPG.
Washington, meanwhile, appears to have been outflanked. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the U.S. and Turkey had been discussing a joint intervention in Syria but that President Obama had delayed approving Pentagon plans.
So Turkey moved ahead on its own, with only limited U.S. air support, and after taking Jarablus quickly came into conflict with the YPG, which, far from withdrawing from Manbij, was also heading toward the border town, possibly to pre-empt Turkey.
Now, as Turkish relations with Russia are on the upswing, tensions are on the rise between Ankara and Washington.
Turkeys ground assault has proved remarkably quick and successful. Moderate Arab fighters backed by Turkish troops pressed their offensive deeper into the province of Aleppo this week, seizing more territory from ISIS even as they continued their confrontation with the YPG: At least 40 villages previously under Islamic State or YPG control, including all the southern suburbs of Jarablus, up to the al-Sajour river. They are now poised to move into al-Bab, a town ISIS still holds to the west, where it has based its foreign intelligence headquarters.
The number of forces involved in the fighting is actually quite modest on both sides, with Turkey providing about 400 ground troops and 40 tanks to support 2,000 rebels as they take on about 1,000 ISIS fighters, according to rebel commanders.
The White House, though, rebuked Turkey for clashes with its main Syrian asset, the YPG (which is the core of a broader cobbled-together group including some Arab fighters under the rubric of the Syrian Democratic Forces). We do not support and would oppose Turkeys efforts to move south and engage in activities against the Syrian Democratic Forces, which we support, Ben Rhodes, a White House National Security Council official, told reporters Monday.
Turkey, however, insisted that after capturing the Syrian town of Manbij with U.S. air support, the YPG should now withdraw across the Euphrates River from traditionally Arab lands into largely Kurdish north Syria in line with explicit commitments reaffirmed in Turkey last week by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden was echoing Turkish concerns about a creeping Kurdish statelet in northern Syria, built on the back of U.S. F-16 fighter jets and American commandos, as an undesirable consequence of routing ISIS from about 450 miles of terrain.
Turkey and most governments in the region view YPG as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an internationally listed terrorist organization, but the Obama administration has circumvented legal restrictions blocking support to listed terror groups by maintaining the fiction that it is a separate organization.
The U.S. relationship with the YPG is a major security issue for Turkey, which is at war with the PKK in southern Turkey, with deadly clashes occurring almost daily. And now, those clashes have apparently extended into Syria.
One Turkish soldier was killed and several were wounded in a missile attack on a Turkish tank in Jarablus last Saturday, which was attributed to the YPG. A number of YPG fighters died following a retaliatory Turkish airstrike in the town of al-Amarna, the origin of the missile, the Turkish military said.
Arab rebel commanders involved in the Turkish-led operation have put the onus squarely on the YPG. They told The Daily Beast that instead of withdrawing to their own territory east of the Euphrates River after liberating Manbij, the YPG had begun moving north toward Jarablus even as Turkish forces entered Syria and seized the border town.
Erdogan clearly shares this view. The Jarablus operation was a reflection of our determination, he said this week. Our operations will continue until terror organizations such as Daesh, the PKK and its Syrian arm, the YPG, cease to be a threat to our citizens. (Daesh is a pejorative Arab acronym for the Islamic State.)
Washington initially endorsed Operation Euphrates Shield, as Turkeys cross-border intervention is called, but according to The Wall Street Journal, was surprised by the timing and trimmed back its plans for extensive air support, which would have involved U.S. Special Operations Forces entering Syria with Turkish troops.
Erdogan, now six weeks in from having survived an assassination attempt and a military coup against his government, dealt unilaterally with Russian Putin to allow for the Turkish ground incursion, but it isnt clear whether he coordinated or consulted with President Barack Obama.
On Aug. 23, hours after the White House planned a a high-level meeting the next day to consider the Pentagons proposal to insert U.S. Special Operations forces as part of the Turkish operation, Ankara lunched its offensive without so much as informing Washington. The proposal never reached Obamas desk, according to a senior administration official, the Journal stated.
The Obama administration was thus put in an awkward and embarrassing position vis-a-vis its most important regional partner in the coalition war against ISIS, yet one growing increasingly and dangerously anti-American.
Turkeys state media and political establishment have spent the last several weeks conspiratorially blaming the CIA, State Department, and White House for orchestrating the failed coup against Erdogan, a coup which appears to have been plotted by loyalists of Islamist cleric Fethuallah Gulen, domiciled in exile in the Poconos. (Turkey is seeking his extradition.)
Bilateral tensions are serious enough that Obama announced a one-on-one meeting next Sunday with Erdogan in Hangzhou, China, where major trading nations are holding the annual G20 summit.
Nevertheless, the U.S. can scarcely afford to sever relations with Turkey given the formers reliance on Turkeys Incirlik airbase for surveillance and bombing operations against Islamic extremists.
Moreover, at least part of Turkeys offensive directly serves U.S. interests by removing ISIS from much of the northern Syrian border, depriving the jihadists of a major resupply route and a conduit for transporting foreign fighters back and forth into Europe.
On the back of Operation Euphrates Shield, moderate rebel forces in Al Raia, a town about 15 miles west of Jarablus, seized three villages from ISIS on Monday. These rebels are also supported by the Pentagon.
Curiously, there does not appear to be much of an international objection to Turkeys campaign. Aside from the YPG, which has likened Turkey to ISIS and said that this intervention will culminate in a quagmire, no significant player in the conflict has raised much of a fuss.
Ankara notified the UN Security Council that it had intervened in Syria in self-defense, which is authorized under Article 51 of the UN Charter. But neither of Syrias main foreign patrons, Iran and Russia, has thus denounced the invasion as an illegal violation of sovereign soil. Turkish officials spoke of a very positive international atmosphere, of a sort that would have been unthinkable even a year ago. (Only Francois Hollande, the president of France, mildly chided his NATO ally for its contradictory intervention.)
The muted response to Euphrates Shield may owe to the fact that after more than two years of watching ISIS operate freely in Syria with little interference from the Assad regime, Damascus and Moscow are quietly hoping that Turkey not only pushes the extremists from its borders but also prevents the YPG from setting up an autonomous territory in the evacuated territory northern Syria.
Were the YPG to create that autonomous state, known to Kurds as Rojava, it would encourage the PKK to try to set up a similar zone in southern Turkey, further threatening Turkeys territorial integrity.
Recently, the YPG clashed with Assads military in Hasakah city, the provincial capital of the eponymous province where much of Syrias oil reserves are located. And the Syrian state media has taken to calling the YPG PKK, in an unusual shift in language where, previously, the same media boasted of arming and supporting the YPG in its efforts against ISIS and Islamist Syrian rebels.
Speculation that Erdogan may have cut a tactical agreement with Bashar al-Assad to facilitate mutually agreed deterrence against the PKK and YPG follows media suggestions that Putin gave Assad advance warning about Turkeys plans.
The question therefore becomes: If a deal was struck, what did Assad and Putin get?
Many Syrians suspect that in exchange for gaining a sphere of influence in northern Syria, including Aleppo, Turkey will acquiesce in the regime and its proxies regaining control over more strategically vital areas of Damascus and Homs, which are the provinces that connect the national capital to the coastal region of Tartous and Latakia. Tartous is home to a decades-old Russian naval supply base and Latakia is home to Khmeimim military airbase, constructed a year ago in anticipation of Russias aerial intervention in Syria to bolster the regime.
Two recent episodes within this corridor seem to substantiate such a thesis.
After bombarding the Damascus suburb Daraya for months with barrel bombs and incendiary weapons akin to napalm, capturing farmland and destroying crops, the regime proclaimed victory last Friday as it expelled some 5,000 rebel fighters and their families following a negotiated truce.
Then on Monday the regime declared a cease-fire in al-Waer, a neighborhood in Homs with a far bigger populationthe Syrian Opposition Coalition estimated 80,000and on Wednesday began talks on a similar deportation.
Local officials in Moadamiya, which is close to Darayya and which was hit by chemical weapons in August 2013, following a year-long starvation siege, also began talks with the regime Wednesday. A Moadamiya spokesman, Dani Qappani, said there are 45,000 civilians trapped in the town and possibly 2,800 fighters.
with additional reporting by Duygu Guvenc.
Rachael Dolezal, the white woman caught masquerading as a black woman who ignited a national debate about race, has kept a relatively low profile since her fall last year.
But this weekend she will headline the Naturally Isis Braid-On, Economic Liberty March and Rally in Dallas, Texas. Dolezal was invited by Isis Brantley, a celebrity stylist, natural hair activist, and owner of the Institute of Ancestral Braiding.
The announcement about Dolezal, posted on Brantleys Facebook pages, sent formidable shock waves throughout the natural hair community as baffled naturalistas struggled to understand why a champion of an African cultural art form would invite a white woman accused of appropriating black culture to be a featured speaker at a black cultural event.
Dolezal, who lives in Spokane, Washington, says that she had no ill intent when Brantley approached her through Facebook in February to invite her. She said it was a few months before she accepted because she was close to giving birth to her third child.
Im not coming as a curiosity or for any controversy, said Dolezal, who agreed to a phone interview on the condition Brantley be interviewed at the same time. My intention is to support Isis and the braid freedom movement in whatever way it will be most helpful. I dont want to be a liability for anyone. Its a justice issue and Ive been a social justice activist for years. Its really that simple.
Since resigning from the NAACP and losing her job as an adjunct instructor of Africana studies at Eastern Washington University, Dolezal said she now makes her living as a braider. Dolezal once taught a course in the politics of black hairnow she works braiding it. She specializes in creating styles that are popular among African-American women.
Dolezal kept the media pretty busy last year digging up details about her background. She insisted that a black man, Albert Wilkerson, was her father, even though he repeatedly denied it and her estranged biological parents, who are white, produced photographs and a birth certificate as proof that she is white. Her cover was blown after she was suspected of planting a package in the post office box of the NAACP that was addressed to her and filled with racial threats and epithets. What was mysterious was that the package had no postmark that would indicate that was actually mailed to the post office box which had only two keys. The postal workers who were cleared in the investigation had access to one key, Dolezal had the other.
Brantley, who insists that she did not know about Dolezals reputation and controversial past, says the backlash and critical social media messages took her by surprise.
I couldnt believe it, she told The Daily Beast during the interview call. People threatened to boycott me. They are calling me a sellout and saying that I am Massas girl or some mess like that. I just stopped looking and blocked everybody.
Brantley says that Dolezals braiding skills that she caught glimpses of on television impressed her and she wanted to ask her to come to the hair event to celebrate and join them in rallying for braiders rights.
This would make a great connection or union, Brantley said. If we could just come together we can spread this love across the country and see that braiders are free to work in all 50 states.
She said that Dolezals role will have more to do with solidarity, meeting and greeting but not serving as a keynote speaker.
Reactions to Brantleys decision to invite Dolezal were emotional, ranging from ear-shattering wails of disbelief, expletives, and social media postings that either ranted or mocked what she did. Because Brantley is a revered leader in the community, many of the disappointed ones preferred to keep their comments off the record.
Strange bedfellows, says L. Michelle Smith, a Dallas PR executive and former client of Brantley who joins the chorus of the confused. Isis is everyones natural hair hero and Dolezal is the queen of cultural appropriation.
Sisters are hotter than a straightening comb in a beauty shop full of women on the day before Easter, says Olinka Green, a Dallas community activist who asked whether Dolezal had any magical skills that helped her get invited.
Can she touch scalps and instantly get rid of aleopecia? Green said. Can she restore growth? Does she have the Midas touch? Apparently she does because she went from being pale white to golden brown.
Rachel wants the black girl magic and the glory and attribution, she said, but she cant put up with what we go through day to day.
Bringing her is a slap right in our faces, said Tonia Lawson, a longtime Brantley admirer from Detroit. Lawson saw the Facebook announcement, which had a photo of Brantley wearing her trademark puffy, free-flowing curls, posed next to Dolezal who wore long blond locs. It was absolutely a Twilight Zone moment for me, Lawson said. I started to unfriend her I was so mad.
Brantleys critics flooded her Facebook page with their complaints and accusations of betrayal before she deleted the posts. Many dont believe that she was unaware of Dolezals background since the media was saturated with stories of her exploits that also dominated conversations and debates about racial identity for months.
Everybody knows about that controversy, said Kerin Rodriguez of Dallas, who has attended previous hair events by Brantley. Isis knows exactly what shes doing and why shes doing itto get people to go to her event.
Rodriguez refers to a Facebook message that Brantley posted in May that causes her to doubt Brantleys claims of being clueless about Dolezals bizarre past. In the message Brantley asked whether Dolezal should be allowed to participate on a team of organizers who would help plan a natural hair event and march that will take place in Washington, D.C., next year. It appears that she did not consult with them about whether Dolezal should attend her Dallas event.
Why is it necessary that she is there? said Pamela Ferrell, a prominent D.C. braid salon owner and co-founder of the Washington, D.C.-based American Hairbraiders and Natural Haircare Association (AHNHA), which has supported Brantley and hundreds of other braiders in legal battles over regulation of what they consider a cultural art form that should not be government controlled. Ferrell worries whether Dolezal is being handed an unfair advantage and will use the platform as an opportunity to further a personal agenda. The controversy around this person is her dishonesty, said Ferrell. Dont think of her as someone who has contributed to the years of work we have done to protect this cultural art form. I see it as an opportunity for a white woman to steal this African cultural art form, become an expert and then get opportunities that we have been denied. Ive seen it happen over and over again.
Brantleys history of braiding and activism in the profession dates back to 1979 when she first started braiding, supporting her four children who are now adults with her earnings. Twelve-year-old Erica Abi Wright, who grew up to be performer Erykah Badu, was one of Brantleys many clients over the years. For two of the hair events six-year history, Badu lent her celebrity and hometown popularity to draw large numbers, which have since dwindled in her absence as headliner. While Dolezal may not have the Badu-level celebrity to guarantee a large event turnout, her notoriety and pending appearance have created enough buzz to draw the curiousand the furious.
Brantley also has a history of controversy from her nearly 20-year-battle with the state of Texas over licensing issues. In the late 1990s, she was arrested for braiding hair without a license, but after the state gave in to lobbying efforts she was later grandfathered into a new rule that created a separate category of braiding certification that requires only 35 hours of instruction to braid legally as a business, instead of meeting the 1,500 cosmetology training requirement. In 2013, Brantley fought with the state over rules preventing her from being able to open a braiding school unless she first became a licensed barber and met strict equipment and building requirements. In January, after filing a joint lawsuit with the Institute of Justice (a law firm that represents individuals who have been denied their constitutional rights), a U.S. district court judge ruled that the state regulations prohibiting Brantley and other braiders from seeking an honest living as braid instructors was unconstitutional. The ruling lifted barriers for Brantley and other braiders to work unencumbered by arbitrary state regulations.
Journalist Cheryl Smith, who publishes several black weekly newspapers in the Dallas area, is among those who say they are confused by Brantleys decision, but understand the complexities of activism and the challenges of getting support from people whose causes they struggle to represent. For that reason, she says she is willing to give Brantley the benefit of the doubt.
Why cant people with a consciousness be able to speak out on issues that might not directly impact them? The only thing it appears Rachel did was misrepresent and lie about who she was. I dont know what her motivation was for lying, but thats not the issue. If there is someone who does not look like me, but who supports and votes and addresses issues that are of interest to me and what I stand for, they are more valuable to me than the millions who look like me and dont do anything.
Dolezal doesnt seem to be ruffled by the criticism. She says that the social media feedback that she has received has been positive and is looking forward to the visit. In the meantime, she is focusing on braiding and raising a 6-month-old son, Langston, who is named after the late black poet Langston Hughes.
Dolezal says she will soon have an opportunity to tell the full side of her story through her memoir that she says is a few chapters away from completion. She says that her agent shopped her 20,000-word book proposal to more than 30 publishers who passed on it, fearing negative publicity, before independent publisher BenBella books gave her a deal.
The book, she says, will tell about her life and address the larger issues of race.
I agree with Dick Gregory, who says that white isnt a race, its a state of mind, Dolezal says. I pay homage to my African ancestry.
This week, Mother Jones published an explosive investigative look into Trump Model Management, the modeling agency owned and operated by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Writer James West interviewed several former Trump Models, who described how the agency had them working in the U.S. illegally, that the agency encouraged them to lie to immigration officials about their status, that they were forced to pay exorbitant fees to the agency, and that they were housed in squalid, packed apartments.
I was by far the oldest in the house at the ripe old age of 18, Anna told Mother Jones. I saw the one-eyed monster pissing on me, added Kate, another model. There was a bum pissing on my window, splashing me in my Trump Model bed.
Its a strange development since, of course, the cornerstone of Trumps presidential campaign since its kickoff has been his hardline stance on illegal immigration. So, comedian Seth Meyerswho is no fan of Trumpstook on the scandal Wednesday night in a Late Night segment he called, Couple Things.
First thing: If youve been thinking to yourself, The only way Hillary Clinton can win this election is if it turns out Donald Trump has been keeping underage girls in a basement, good news! joked Meyers, adding, Are you the Law & Order Candidate or the Law & Order: SVU Candidate?
Meyers, who famously roasted an infuriated Trump at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, then addressed the issue of Trumps wife, Melaniawhose own immigration status during her modeling days has come into question.
Side thing: Is Melania cool with this? asked Meyers. Because I know that if I were a former modeland your third wifeId be a little nervous. That poor woman must keep her Xanax in a Pez dispenser. I have to look at some pictures of buttsits for work. OK, dear!
Final thing, he concluded. Your whole candidacy is built on the single issue of keeping immigrants out of the country. You keep talking about an extreme vetting process. Is it Put on this crocheted bikini and stand under a bright light? Oh, shes not a terrorist, shes a 10!
Tom Colicchios Manhattan restaurant Craft opened 15 years ago this summer, just a few months before the Twin Towers fell.
Its brand of stripped-back ingredient-centric fine dining seemed radical at the time. But as the world unraveled that fall, its homey comfort cooking allowed for a form of collective healing through family-style nourishment. It was the right restaurant at the right time.
Over the years its influence has spread wide and far. A whos who of talented chefs has passed through Crafts kitchen. The now-ubiquitous side dishes and shared middle courses originated there, as did the pared-down fine-dining aesthetic now found in dining rooms across the countryincluding the restaurants signature bare wooden tables, artful placemats and dangling Edison bulbs.
And it is no small feat for a New York restaurant to turn 15, when most establishments in the five boroughs are lucky to hold on for even a year or two.
I talked to Colicchio and key members of his opening team about the restaurants beginnings and its major milestone.
Tom Colicchio, chef and TV personality, owner of eight restaurants across the country
On the initial concept:
I knew I wanted to do a second restaurant and knew it wasnt going to happen with Danny [Meyer]. I was still an owner and the chef at Gramercy Tavern when the space around the corner became available. At the time, so much was being talked about buying from farms, about sustainable fish. It was all about sourcing and simplifying. I said, lets really simplify this. So if were going to roast a piece of fish, roast it with fresh herbs, drizzle it with olive oilis that enough? Can we get away with that? Not that we were pulling something over on people, but if were going to that extreme will people like it? The answer was yes. To do roasted scallops and have someone say, Wow I never knew scallops tasted like this. Youre eating stuff thats sauced and garnished you forget what food tastes like. Thats what we were focused onwhats the essence of this particular ingredient, the best way to get flavor out of it?
On the restaurants design:
The name came about because I really believed this style of cooking is more about the craftsmanship and less about the artistry. The design of the restaurant followed from that. I wanted to see how things were put together. I wanted to see the filaments in the lightbulbs, to see the weld in the wine cabinet. We wanted to limit the amount of ingredients we used in the design, the texturestheres leather, steel, woodand to do as few painted surfaces as possible. We had these beautiful cherry wood tables and I wanted people to see them, not to cover them. Those Chilewich placemats, we were the first ones to use them. Katie Grieco [former general manager] saw them in the Museum of Modern Art store.
Marco Canora, opening head chef at Craft, chef/owner Hearth and Terroir in New York, broth evangelist
On sourcing the ingredients:
In the early stages, it wasnt about dishes, it was about productsabout finding poulards from Four Story Hill Farms in Vermont. It was new territory at the time, letting the procurement of the item be the thing rather than the artistry of the chef. The maitake mushrooms, the hen-of-the- woods [mushrooms]. At the time, they werent everywhere. DArtagnan started importing them from Japan and we got hold of them and were all super excited. That simple dish of roasted hen-of-the-woods mushroom was kind of a big deal back then. It was all about technique and execution, not about look how creative I can be. We stepped away from that. We were getting tremendous Belon oysters from Maine, beautiful live sea scallops, dover sole. It was all about procurement.
On the choose-your-own-adventure menu:
We loved this notion of giving the guest the reins to customize their meal. The idea was you couldnt mess it upit all worked. You could have scallops with a side of zucchini or a side of Swiss chard, it really didnt matter. But early on, when we opened, we also had condiments and sauces as a category on the menu. What an ill-conceived notion that was. On top of the big picture decisions we gave guests the option of adding a Bordelaise or a bearnaise sauce or a simple jus, and then there were the condimentswe had preserved lemon, salsa verde, minced roasted peppers. It was a nightmare. The tickets that came into the kitchen were really long, impossible to expedite. We gave that up after a week, I think.
Jonathan Benno, opening sous chef at Craft, head chef at Lincoln Ristorante in New York
On the restaurants opening team:
We all worked together at Gramercy Tavern while Tom was there, so it was a pretty tight group that knew how to cook well and how to work together. Thats one of the hardest things when you open a restaurant and start to build a teamtheres no rhythm. It takes time to build that. That was the first thing we had going for us. We were all friends and respected Marco and Tom and had worked together in a great kitchen.
On carrying on the Gramercy Tavern tradition:
All the things were tired of hearing about todayfarm-to-table and nose-to-tailthey were all happening at Gramercy Tavern 20 years ago and certainly continued to happen at Craft. Tom was shopping at the greenmarket, sourcing seafood from local fishermen, breaking down whole animals. Working with great ingredients, respecting ingredients, serving them simply: These are the things Tom talked about when we opened Craft. As a cook it was really exciting to be able to source a great piece of beef and focus on cooking it really, really well and not have to worry about timing it with 11 other things that go on the plate.
Damon Wise, former head chef at Craft (after Marco Canora), chef/owner of Scarecrow, Feathertop Kitchen and Wise-Buck Smoked Meats, all in Charleston, South Carolina
On landing a job at Craft:
I was just back from a year and a half in Paris and thought I wanted to work in a French kitchen in New York, for Daniel [Boulud] or someone like that. I was standing on the corner in Union Square and Tom walked by. He was like, What are you doing here? Im getting ready to open this restaurant. Ive got a job for you. Tom was like that. I didnt really have any moneyId spent it all in Franceso I took the job at Craft. I wasnt planning on being there for a long time. I ended up spending 12 years working with Tom.
On absorbing the lessons of Craft:
Tom is a very mature cook. When he was on the line, the way he cooked, things were kind of spare but so technical and involved at the same time. Looking back on the original Craft menus, you can see it. And now that Im getting older I appreciate that style more, making the ingredients sing, dont overdo it. When I was younger, I always wanted to push the envelope. Now I want to take care of the guest, keep it simple, but make it interesting. Thats full circle what Ive taken from Craft.
Akhtar Nawab, member of the opening team at Craft, former head chef at Craftbar, chef/owner Choza Taqueria and Indie Fresh, consulting chef at Table in Washington, D.C.
On understanding the establishments concept:
Having spent time in Italy, I understood what it meant to have a good piece of fish well prepared with nothing on it. But it didnt really translate to what people were doing here, or how customers wanted to eat, I thought. I was wrong, obviously. A lot of other chefs drank the Kool-Aid and copied it pretty much verbatim. BLT jumped on the concept pretty early on. And we started seeing those Chilewich placemats all over that no one had ever used before.
On cooking at Craft:
We got this massive order of copperware from Paris to serve our food in, which was kind of different. And everything was really simple. Polenta was just polenta with thyme leaves and cracked pepper and olive oil. Our job was to find the best polenta we could and cook it properly and serve it right. There was very little margin for error. Seasoning of food became critical. Skate wing, for example, has a natural salinity, it doesnt require as much salt as halibut. You have to know that. You couldnt work there if you werent a good cook.
Renee Zellweger hoped we could do better. She hoped wed stop obsessively speculating about her seemingly doctored face and focus on her acting achievements.
Yet Zellwegers recent cri de coeur in The Huffington Post has done little to quell the relentless scrutiny of her face, which has escalated alongside the promotion of Bridget Joness Baby, whichbecause of its subject and her various demons around love, self-fulfillment, and body imagehas long offered a tempting blur between Zellweger and her fictional character for the media.
On the promotional circuit in London this week, Zellweger has discussed her six-year acting hiatus (I wanted to do some other things that theres not a lot of time for when youre caught up in the cycle of making films) and whether shed like to be a mother (Ive never been deliberate about what would make me happy in my life.)
On what makes Bridget Jones such an appealing character: She makes it OK to be human at a time when we probably feel that theres a lot of social pressure to be a certain way, to look a certain way Shes sort of challenging those notions.
Zellweger, in these interviews, may be understandably opaque in her responses.
The latest frenzy around her body image kicked off in June when Varietys new chief film critic, Owen Gleiberman, alighted on a trailer for the film and worried that Zellwegers apparent plastic surgery made her bumbling, flaw-embracing Bridget Jones character less compelling.
Gleiberman was not simply devastated that the 47-year-old actress had visibly aged, but that the poster girl for the notion that each and every one of us is beautiful in just the way God made us had apparently allowed her face to be plumped and carved up so dramatically in recent years.
He hoped the film wouldnt star Zellweger as a victim of Invasion of the Face Snatchers, and would instead be about a gloriously ordinary person rather than someone who looks like she no longer wants to be who she is.
Gleibermans bizarrely strong feelings about Zellwegers face mirrored the fevered tabloid speculation about an eyelift in 2014, whichmultiple celebrity and mainstream media outlets remarkedhad rendered the actress unrecognizable. Mocking concern in a reference to Bridget Joness Diary, The Atlantic wondered: Would it have made a difference if any of us had told you that we liked you just as you were?
Zellweger, whose weight fluctuation for both Bridget Jones films had elicited collective gasps from the media, was evidently annoyed by the attention to her eyes and finally gave a statement to People magazine: Im glad folks think I look different! Im living a different, happy, more, fulfilling life, and Im thrilled that perhaps it shows.
Her recent return to the spotlight has resurrected still more meticulous dissecting of her image, which Zellweger condemned at greater length this time, in an August op-ed in The Huffington Post.
She called out the smut pile of articles online criticizing womens appearances, including one tabloid piece from October 2014 presuming shed done something to her eyes.
It didnt matter to her at the time, but Gleibermans piece indicated the obsession had become too mainstream. Choosing the dignity of silence in response to such stories makes actresses like her vulnerable not only to the usual ridicule, but to having the narrative of ones life hijacked by those who profiteer from invented scandal, she wrote.
So, hoping to quash some of this relentless speculation and ridicule, she wrote that she hasnt altered her face nor had surgery on her eyesnot that its anyones business.
Shes right to call out society for gleefully judging womenparticularly famous womenby their appearance rather than their professional value (we shouldnt). But the tabloid obsession isnt disappearing anytime soon, if the Daily Mails wildly successful internet arm and worlds most-read news site, MailOnline, is any indication.
Its roughly 200 million monthly web readers cant help peruse the sites so-called sidebar of shame, which traffics in celebrities nipple slips and cellulite-mottled thighs. As the Financial Times put it: If you are tired of MailOnline, you are tired of Kim Kardashians lifeand most readers are not.
Our celebrity obsession is nothing new, and it makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint: Humans are a social species and celebrities are at the top of the social hierarchy.
They are monuments to aspiration, objects of devotion and worship by ordinary people. Daniel Kruger, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Michigan, told LiveScience that we look to celebrities for several reasons: One is just learning what high-status individuals do so you might more effectively become one, and two, its basically political. Knowing what is going on with high-status individuals, youd be better able to navigate the social scene.
We also project our anxieties and moral righteousness on them, which explains the fixation with Zellwegers appearance. She emerged one night in 2014 looking noticeably different, and we decided plastic surgery was the culprit. So she evoked a mix of feelings in us, from perverse nostalgia for her bedroom-y, heavy-hooded eyes as a young actress in Jerry Maguire, to our equally perverse dread of aging and plastic surgery gone wrong.
All of those sentiments were neatly and hilariously summed up in the supposedly solicitous, yet bitchy, musings of Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine on Wednesday, who alighted on a recent heart-breaking picture of Zellweger: Of course, I wouldnt expect her to look as fresh-faced as she did back in 2001 I certainly dont. But I am still recognizably me. Yet Renee looks like someone else entirely: someone very pretty and with an amazing body, but still someone else.
Zellwegers insistence that she hasnt had plastic surgery had evidently fallen on deaf ears.
When youre as talented as an actress as she is, Vine wrote, getting work done to your face is just heart-breaking.
Yes, thats right. We are all so heartbroken we cant stop looking at Renee Zellwegers face.
If theres one lesson that Hollywood should have learned by now, its that bad media representations of minorities age quickly and poorly.
It wasnt long after the full-on minstrel show in Irving Berlins 1942 classic Holiday Inn that blackface began to fade from film. Fifty-plus years after Mickey Rooney played Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffanys, white actors are still playing Asian roles but less frequently and not without criticism. And tainted classics aside, weve done our best to erase abominations like Giglis lesbian-turned-straight plotline from our cultural memory along with, well, just about everything Adam Sandler has touched.
So youd think that filmmakers would remember these and many other embarrassments before ruining the transgender moment.
But judging from the news that yet another cisgender male actor, Matt Bomer, has been cast as a transgender woman, it looks like history will repeat itself after all. Bomers controversial casting in the relationship drama Anything comes shortly after renewed and justifiable outrage over the upcoming thriller (Re)Assignment, whichno jokestars Michelle Rodriguez as a male hitman who is forced to undergo sex reassignment surgery and then seeks revenge on the surgeon. As a GLAAD spokesperson explained, that premise turns a life-saving medical procedure for transgender people into a sensationalistic plot device.
In the not-too-distant future (one hopes) when transgender people are no longer routinely murdered and denied access to restrooms, well grimace at projects like these. The excuses for casting cisgender actors in transgender roles will sound as hollow as they really are. The sensationalistic storylines will stick out instead of fitting right in. But wow, would it be nice to time-travel to that future.
As Feministing executive editor Jos Truitt recently asked, Can we skip forward to the part where this period in Hollywood is looked back on as shamefully transmisogynist? The obvious and depressing answer: Probably not.
Many viewerseven and perhaps especially the sort of well-meaning liberals who eat up Oscar baitstill dont see an issue with casting men like Jared Leto or Eddie Redmayne as transgender women. As transgender actress Jen Richards from the web series Her Story observed on Twitter, the misperception that transgender women are actually men who just identify as women is so deeply entrenched that Matt Bomer seems like a perfectly reasonable choice to play a transgender sex worker. What is a trans woman, the underlying logic goes, but a man who has been through hair and makeup?
Meanwhile, as Richards recounted, she and other transgender actresses have been turned down from roles like Bomers because they dont look trans enough for the part. Thats impossible, of course, because they are actually transgender, unlike Bomer or Jeffrey Tambor or John Lithgow or the dozens of men who have played trans women over the years. But as long as filmmakers want their audiences to see transgender women as men* with a feminine asterisk, trans actresses are going to get turned down for parts that should rightly go to them.
It doesnt have to be like this, of course. If you look closely enough, the future of transgender media representation is already here, waiting to be amplified. Theres no deficit of talent in the trans community, even if theres a definite deficit of courage among producers and casting agents.
On Orange Is the New Black, for one, Laverne Cox has proved that a transgender woman with no prior name recognition can become a star, even if the shows writers could stand to give Sophia Burset more depth. Indie series Her Story cast incredible trans actors in trans roles and, not coincidentally, ended up with an Emmy nomination. The 2015 film Tangerine was shot on a shoestring budget with two transgender women of color in its cast, and people still went to see it even though there was no big name on the marquee to draw them in.
In that imagined not-too-distant future, these will be remembered as the pathmaking projects that got it rightnot Dallas Buyers Club, not The Danish Girl, and not even Transparent. For now, though, were stuck with an industry that collects awards for casting men as women and calls it progress.
So, for the history books, we should remember that Jared Leto did not even say the word transgender when accepting his Oscar for the role of Rayon and that he spent his press tour making a fuss about having to wax his body for the role.
We should remember that Danish Girl director Tom Hooper admitted that theres a tremendous pool of talented trans actors out there but instead of, you know, casting one of them, he simply said that theres probably a journey to go on to make sure that [they] have the same access to opportunities in the film industry. Yes, and that journey involves not picking Eddie Redmayne for the film because you saw something in him that was drawn to the feminine.
And we should remember that, after transgender actress Jamie Clayton from Sense8 criticized Matt Bomer for his involvement in Anything, Bomer allegedly blocked her on Twitter and then unblocked her a day later.
Most important, we should look back on the talented trailblazers who spoke out against Hollywoods casting of cisgender actors in transgender parts at every turn, even while ostensible LGBT allies were busy making excuses. As Fusions John Walker pointed out, trans actresses like Richards, Cox, and Tangerines Mya Taylor have been asked about it in literally every interview they give and have explained the problem with the casting practice over and over and over and over and over again.
One day, their explanationsand their advocacywill sink in. (Re)Assignment will seem as poorly conceived as homophobic movies like Boat Trip or I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry seem today. And the string of transgender female characters played by men will be seen as archaic oddities, like white actor Fisher Stevenss Indian character in Short Circuit. Our current transgender media moment will be cringeworthy for mainstream audiences in 20 years, maybe less.
Hollywood will learn its lesson about media representation, at its characteristically glacial speed. It doesnt have to learn that lesson the hard way. But it will.
Though the CAP deserves some credit for offering farmers payments for environmental protection, it has not been enough to stem the tide of biodiversity loss. The reasons are manifold, but the relatively low size of environmental subsidies and the complexity of applying for them has certainly put many farmers off.
It is often easier to simply apply for the high income Direct Payments (which are available to almost any agricultural landowner, and come with very few environmental stipulations), and then work the land to the bone.
To change this, we need to consider alternative forms of funding for environmental protection, funding that can (hopefully) supplement environmental subsidies to make environmental protection an integral part of rural economics.
Payments for 'ecosystem services'
Over the last ten years, there has been increasing noise around the idea of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), a model that builds environmental provisions into the market by paying farmers or landowners to manage their land in a way that provides ecological services.
For example, a farmer working upstream from a reservoir could receive payments from the local water provider for reducing his use of specific pesticides, or for maintaining soil quality to reduce run off. This would then reduce water treatment costs for the water provider.
The idea of ecosystem services is often categorized, somewhat lazily, as the 'commodification' of nature. It is easy to understand why. The simple act of pricing something fundamental - whether it is love, life or nature - has a tendency to alienate its audience. Imagine if Watership Down was rewritten for the ecosystem services age: it would serve not as a tale of rabbits coming under threat from human development, but of the misevaluation of asset classes in an ecosystems market.
But this fails to take into account the alternative. Our landscape is already commodified but, with a few exceptions, the only commodities that hold any market value are timber, food and fuel, which are consequently cultivated at the expense of almost everything else.
Crucial but easily overlooked services such as the purification of the water we drink, cleansing of the air we breathe and prevention of the floods that periodically wreck many houses are factored out of the economic equation. But we pay for them anyway - retroactively when the damage has been done - through the NHS, flood repairs, utility bills and insurance, including taxpayer-funded government schemes to make insurance more affordable for homes at risk.
Solving problems at source - not once the damage has already been done
Why not redirect these payments back to the source of the problems, to the ecosystems that have been undervalued in our drive for ever higher yields? If we do this, we can prevent these problems at source and build the environment back into local economies and communities. It is a tool to break the monopoly that food production holds over our countryside, and start valuing - both socially and economically - ecosystems.
For all the potential benefits of PES, they must not come at the expense of environmental legislation or be used as a blanket replacement for environmental subsidies.
This is the great fear of PES - that the Conservative Government, with its great faith in the healing powers of the market, will hold up ecosystem services as the solution to environmental ills with one hand, while cutting the legislation that keeps agriculture in check with the other.
But the market cannot act alone. With the myopic tendency of markets to focus only on the immediate, an ecosystems market would be poorly equipped to provide the comprehensive support needed for something as complex as the natural world.
Instead, Ecosystem Services should be used to provide funding and incentives to landowners and farmers to protect their land, but supported by rigid regulation and targeted environmental subsidies.
Unromantic - but effective
As we become increasingly conscious of the role ecosystems play in sustaining human life - from air quality to mental health, carbon sequestration to drought protection - the potential breadth of the application of PES grows:
Should part of the NHS budget be diverted to fund the planting of urban woodland to improve air quality?
Could property developers be charged an 'ecological tariff', so that the development of one parcel of land funds the maintenance of high biodiversity meadows and hedgerows nearby?
And can we quantify the economic impacts of ecosystem services well enough to set robust prices that reflect the benefits they bring and stand up to the scrutiny of the business lobby?
If PES are to play a growing part in shaping our countryside - and they should - these are just a few of the questions we will need to resolve. It may be an unromantic way to consider nature, but it might be the best tool we have.
Dominic Hogg is Chairman of Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Luke Dale-Harris is Technical Writer at Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Established in 2001, Eunomia is an independent consultancy helping to make sustainable choices the obvious ones. The company has recently led a study for Defra investigating the potential for Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) to deliver changes in land management.
As World Water Week currently looks at the world's water issues in Stockholm, it's clear that much more research is needed into conserving and protecting water on a global scale.
One particular area where more research is clearly needed is into the impact and environmental costs of wastewater produced by oil and gas companies - how it is treated and what potential future risks surround it. And with the controversy surrounding fracking there is still much to understand.
In the UK there are significant knowledge gaps about how to best dispose of wastewater from unconventional oil and gas resources, in fact there is currently no data available about how much wastewater is currently produced from UK oil and gas companies.
This is perhaps an area where we can better learn something about both the risks and solutions from the US, which produces 800 billion gallons of toxic wastewater each year.
Wastewater poses a number of environmental risks and concerns, especially in the relatively new science of fracking. Increasingly flowback and produced water is being used as hydraulic fracturing fluid in the process of fracking. Constituents within this water include barium and strontium, various pollutants and additional unknown compounds which may have both a short and longer term impact on soil, and our drinking water.
Chloelle Danforth, a postdoctoral science fellow working with the US EDF (Environmental Defense Fund) Oil and Gas team to minimize the industry's impacts on water, states that most US wastewater is injected deep into the rock (deep well disposal) - something that isn't permitted in the UK.
Now a growing number of US operators are looking at alternative ways of discharging water or reusing it above ground. But a key concern is that very little is known about the likely consequences of this action.
The Environmental Defense Fund in collaboration with Columbia University and the University of Colorado is now working with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, to find better ways to test for the multitude of chemicals and contaminants that may be present in this wastewater.
Both the UK and the US see the management of wastewater as a priority for more research, something clearly demonstrated in a workshop held in November 2015 funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Environment, Sustainability and Energy Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), organised to explore the environmental impacts of unconventional oil and gas activity and to identify and address these vast knowledge gaps.
The report in the aftermath of the workshop raised the issue of stresses on water both in quality and quantity. It highlighted that the potential risks to water include subsurface migration, leaks and failures during transfer to the surface.
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WESTPORT - The 15th annual 9/11 Memorial Ceremony has been scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, at Sherwood Island State Park.
The states official memorial to the victims of the attacks is located on a peninsula at the state park, where residents gathered on that day in 2001 as they observed the devastation of the attacks on Lower Manhattan across Long Island Sound. The site was also used as a staging area for Connecticuts relief efforts to New York City.
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After a week of slashing prices on its wine and liquor and thumbing its nose at the states minimum-pricing law, Total Wine & More agreed Thursday to pay a $37,500 fine for charging customers too little.
Our customers deserve lower prices, and well continue to fight on your behalf, the company wrote in a statement on its website. Please contact your state legislators and ask them to stand up to the package store lobby while we fight in court to lower prices.
Total Wine, which tried and failed to get the General Assembly to change the minimum-price law in this years session, filed a federal antitrust lawsuit last week charging that some prices are 24 percent higher in Connecticut than in surrounding states. Then it took its fight directly to consumers, with full-page ads in newspapers across the state announcing in bold red print how much less it was charging than the August CT Mandated Price.
BevMax, another liquor chain that lowered some prices this week, also decided Thursday to raise its prices back to the state-mandated retail floor. BevMax, which has stores in Bridgeport, Stamford, Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford, was not fined but the state Department of Consumer Protections investigation into its violations of the liquor control law continues.
I am pleased that, through the hard work of many people at DCP, we were able to resolve this issue swiftly, and I appreciate that Total Wine worked with us to come to an agreement, consumer protection Commissioner Jonathan Harris said in a statement.
Edward Cooper, vice president for public affairs for the Maryland-based Total Wine, which does business in Connecticut as Connecticut Fine Wine & Spirits, LLC, said the penalty works out to $9,375 for each of its four stores in the state, including Milford and Norwalk.
The offer settles DCPs inquiry without need for a formal administrative hearing and Total Wine & More makes no admission of any wrongdoing or liability and DCP does not find there to be any wrongdoing or liability on Total Wine & Mores part, Cooper said in a statement.
The deal resulted in a sigh of relief from the states small package store owners who have fought to maintain the law guaranteeing the price thresholds that allow them to remain competitive with big-box stores like BevMax and Total Wine.
We certainly are pleased that the Department of Consumer Protection acted so decisively, however we have uncovered several new issues dealing with Total Wine that we will be exploring in the future, said Carroll Hughes, president of the statewide association of package stores, which supports minimum-bottle pricing.
The co-chairmen of the legislative General Law Committee, Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford and Rep. David Baram, D-Bloomfield, said they believed the fine sent a strong message to other liquor retailers.
We respect everyones right to challenge the states laws in court and advocate for changes in our statutes as anyone may disagree with a law and fight to change it, Baram and Leone said. But they cannot break the law without consequences.
In recent years Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has asked lawmakers to end the minimum-bottle prices, but the small package stores, of which there are about 1,148, brought owners to the Capitol to successfully kill the legislation. This week Malloy, a former criminal prosecutor, said he would not ask the big-box liquor stores to stop violating state law with the lower prices.
My position on these laws has not changed, Malloy said in a statement. Connecticuts minimum bottle pricing law is backwards and illogical. It penalizes our residents by artificially charging them substantially more for a product than what they would pay in surrounding states. No other industry has a protection like this. More competition would allow for lower prices -- its as simple as that.
kdixon@ctpost.com
WESTPORT For Westport architect Michael Greenberg, a property isnt just about the house hes building there.
It has to blend in with the scenery, as well as fit the atmosphere and the history of the land. So when he purchased 13 acres in Westport almost two decades ago he knew the home he would construct there had to be special.
Part of the original concept, because this was a historic site, I decided the main feature of this place would be a barn, Greenberg said. There was a barn in Weston, the Nichols Barn, that was pretty far north on Lyons Plains Road ... The barn was coming down anyway so I took that and thats the main centerpiece. I labeled it and carefully dismantled it and precisely put it back the way it was and then built the house around it. So this barn is probably 150 years old.
Greenberg lived at the home for about a decade, selling it around 2010.
To me, part of my whole thing back then was theres nothing that feels better than being around antique wood, antique barns that give you a sense of place and home, and the magical part of the whole place is the river, Greenberg said. I think its one of the nicest settings in town. You feel like youre someplace else.
The home is back on the market after selling just four months ago. Prior to the current owner, the property belonged to late billionaire Edgar M. Bronfman Sr., the former CEO of the Seagram Company and president of the World Jewish Congress, who died in 2013. Bronfman and his wife were known to split their time between New York City and bucolic estate.
The property is listed for $8 million through listing agent Todd Gibbons of William Pitt Sothebys International Realty. Gibbons said the current owners are leaving for personal reasons rather than any issue with the property.
It's like your own private park, Gibbons said. "Youre tucked away in complete privacy and it feels like youre in Litchfield County, but youre five minutes from downtown. Westport doesnt have properties like this, so its a unique situation in Westport.
Located in the Coleytown neighborhood, the 13-acre estate was once part of a 20-acre farm owned by the Coley family who are believed to have settled in the area in the 1600s. They farmed the land for nearly 200 years and used fresh water from the Aspetuck River that bisects the property to run a mill and irrigate their crops.
Around the year 2000, Greenberg said the land was divided into 7-acre and 13-acre parcels, and the historical society had plans to develop a show house on the 7-acre side where the original Coley house still stands but a lack of funding and opposition from neighbors stunted the project.
Inspired by the history of the land, Greenberg thought the larger of the two parcels would be the perfect place for his signature style that usually involves renovating an old barn into a livable, luxury space.
This property was owned by the historical society and designated as a historic site, Greenberg said. On the 13 acres, that was an open meadow where the house is now. Its dead restricted to only one property and it will remain that way because of the restriction, so it's one of the largest properties in Westport and it will stay that way. The architectural inspiration was a perfect blend for that area too, because thats what I do, I redo barns."
The thing that amazes me is when you move something like this, so many decisions have to be made before anything is even touched," Gibbons said. Everything is so well planned out and designed ... The more time you spend in this house, the more you come to appreciate it. Its really an architectural and engineering feat.
The 13-acre estate is two-thirds landscaped, entirely deer fenced and has nearly 800 feet of river frontage as the Aspetuck River runs through it. The property feels more like a backcountry Greenwich estate, where sprawling multi-acre properties featuring stunning homes are common, but not selling.
Even so, Gibbons said hes not worried about the property falling into the same trap as the Greenwich estates, where the market has suffered from buyers shifting from a need for privacy to a desire to be close to amenities on a turn-key property.
In Greenwich on a property like this youre 25 minutes to the center of town, Gibbons said. "Here you have the benefit of being close to town and the home is move-in ready. Every time its on the market it sells because its so unique, and in the high end of the market people are not looking to purchase a house thats just like all the others ... this house has always been appealing because people dont want to duplicate what they already own.
KKrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt
There are few other official and solemn ceremonies in which parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, other relatives and friends play such an intimate role in honoring their loved ones as the installment ceremony for the Air Force Junior ROTC at Grand Island Senior High.
The installment ceremony bestows rank and leadership duties to cadets so cadets can carry out their jobs leading and managing the activities of the Cadet Corps. But instead of Lt. Col. Don McQuown (Ret.) and Master Sgt. Bret Mike Evans attaching pins to cadet uniforms, parents and other relatives or friends stepped forward to attach the pins. It was as though parents had been invited to walk across the stage at a high school graduation to personally present a diploma to their son or daughter instead of a school board member or school superintendent.
AFJROTC installment and high school graduation share one other thing in common. It is a great time to take for parents and other family members to take photos. In fact, the program for Wednesdays ceremony in the East Gym at Grand Island Senior stated: You are welcome to take photos today.
Many of those photos were snapped immediately after parents or other loved ones had pinned their cadet. Most photos did not feature the cadet standing alone after attaining their new rank. Almost every photo showed parents and other relatives standing proudly beside the newly pinned cadet.
The program for Wednesdays ceremony said that the Mission of Air Force Junior ROTC is to develop citizens of character, dedicated to serving their nation and community. McQuown noted that cadets had already started serving their community even though the academic year at Grand Island Senior High had not yet passed the 10-day mark. He said cadets already twice performed duties at the Nebraska State Fair and also had done community service work at several other Grand Island non-profits to start off the school year.
McQuown said that before the 2016-17 school year is finished, AFJROTC cadets from Grand Island Senior High will have done at least 120 community service projects, although he predicted the final number likely will be closer to 150. That commitment means the GISH Air Force JROTC will need all the cadets at Wednesdays installment, starting with seniors and going all the way through the freshmen who are in their first year of the AFJROTC program.
Superintendent Tawana Grover praised the students for being part of AFJROTC, noting that their service to school and community fits with her theme for this academic year of being Better Together. GISH Principal Jeff Gilbertson talked about how well cadets represent the high school out in the community. He also thanked parents and other family members for sending their best their children to Senior High to be students and to be in the AFJROTC program.
AFJROTC cadets
Group Corps Commander Cadet Lt. Col. Mike Rodriguez
Deputy Group Corps Commander Cadet Maj. Sheana Mark
Commander Chief Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Brooke Lee
Color Guard Commander Cadet Capt. Jenny Saysavanh
Operations Officer Cadet Capt. Sarah Mila
Drill Team Officer Cadet 1st Lt. Jose Perez
Activities 2nd Lt. Jeremiah Wagner
Historian/Logistics Cadet 1st Lt. Diana Tercero
Recruiter Cadet 2nd Lt. Karla Bermudez-Corona
Fitness Cadet 2nd Lt. Jocelyn Cordova
Deputy Color Guard Cadet 2nd Lt. Jordan Orcutt
Deputy Operations Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Deisi Mendez-Diaz
Deputy Activities Cadet Master Sgt. Reyna Ramirez-Ramirez
Deputy Historian Cadet Master Sgt. Claudette Hernandez-Escobedo
Deputy Logistics Cadet Master Sgt. Laurian Ruwe
Deputy Recruiter Cadet Master Sgt. Melissa Mellado
Upper Squadron Commander Cadet Capt. Awadia Kuku
Deputy Upper Squadron Commander Cadet 1st Lt. Henry Buscher
Upper Squadron First Sgt. Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Gloria Florez-Ramirez
Lower Squadron Commader Cadet Capt. Patrick Tum-Monge
Lower Squadron Deputy Commander Cadet 1st Lt. Tanner Wolfe
Lower Squadron First Sgt. Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Joshua Wiemers
A Flight Chief Cadet Staff Sgt. Nathan Wooner
A Flight Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Dakota Trejo
A Flight Fitness Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Adan Montoya Duran
B Flight Chief Cadet Master Sgt. Tyler Maciolek
B Flight Sgt. Cadet Tech. Sgt. Bryce Day
B Flight Fitness Sgt. Cadet Staff Sgt. Olyvia Miettinen
C Flight Chief Cadet Staff Sgt. Karleigh Mulinix
C Flight Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Yanira Molina Menjivar
C Flight Fitness Sgt.Cadet Senior Airman Alexander Miller
D Flight Chief Cadet Master Sgt. Fredy Navas-Valdez
D Flight Sgt. Cadet Tech. Sgt. Cheyenne Bell
D Flight Fitness Sgt. Cadet Staff Sgt. Jordan Mason
E Flight Chief Cadet Staff Sgt. Laurian Ruwe
E Flight Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Sarah Dankert
E Flight Fitness Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Ethan Province
F Flight Chief Cadet Master Sgt. Ashley Bogatz
F Flight Sgt. Cadet Tech. Sgt. Elvira Hernandez Lanza
F Flight Fitness Sgt. Cadet Staff Sgt. Christian Castorena
G Flight Chief Cadet Staff Sgt. Juan Rodriguez
G Flight Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Raul Sanchez Barraza
G Flight Fitness Sgt. Cadet Senior Airman Eder Garcia
An appreciative crowd rose and applauded at the end of country music star John Andersons Wednesday morning concert at the Nebraska State Fair.
Anderson later presented a second afternoon concert as part of Older Nebraskans Day at the State Fair. While many in the audience were seniors age 60 and older, others were younger avid Anderson fans. Among that group were Lynette Mitchell of Elm Creek; her cousin, Cara Wieduwilt, also of Elm Creek; and Mitchells sister, Cindy Getty, of Overton. All were John Anderson fans, noting that Wednesday was not the first Anderson concert they had attended.
In fact, his morning concert might not be their last of the day. We may come back for the afternoon concert, confided Mitchell, who noted none of them would mind if they heard Anderson sing all the songs he had performed in the morning.
The trio said other family members at the State Fair would be attending Andersons afternoon concert. However, Wednesday would be their only day at the fair, so they were going to take in as many attractions as possible, including a possible second listen.
Another big John Anderson fan was Roger Jones, a member at the Grand Island Veterans Home. Jones said he has been a fan of Anderson for many years. He described Anderson as having a unique voice, noting that its so smooth. Jones also lauded Anderson as a really great song writer, citing Seminole Wind, the final song in Andersons morning concert, as one of the best hes written.
Hes got a good band, said Jones, who added, hes got a great fiddler.
Indeed, Andersons band played a couple of instrumental-only tunes, including Orange Blossom Special, which had every band member playing at breakneck speed, especially the fiddler, who had to shake his right hand out after the last notes faded away.
Nancy Klimek said Jones and all the members from the Nebraska Veterans Home were going to make it a full day at the State Fair. She said the first place everyone visited even before they went to the concert was the Fonner Park concourse, where numerous open class entries are displayed. They wanted to see how many ribbons they had won, explained Klimek, who said members do a lot of projects such as ceramics, woodworking and leather-working.
Another Anderson fan was Fran Harders of Wood River. Ive seen him before and hes good, she said.
Harders said she had already taken in some of the sights at the State Fair prior to Andersons 11 a.m. concert. Unlike some, Harders was not planning on spending a full day at the fair. But Harders said she intends to return to the fair this weekend so she can see some of the livestock shows.
Duncan resident Charlene Stuchura and her husband, Richard, had come early enough that they had already toured the Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, where they had looked over the various commercial vendor displays. They said they were mostly window shopping. Charlene said Wednesday would be the only day she and her husband would be attending the fair, with the concert the main reason they made Wednesdays trip.
He won tickets, explained Charlene, nodding toward Richard. For his part, Richard said he got the tickets as part of a radio station contest in which he was the lucky sixth caller to the station.
Other concert-goers were Central City residents Christine and Curtis Huber, with Christine saying they would stay at the fair after the concert to see some exhibits. She said one stop on their itinerary would be seeing the Banana Derby, which features Capuchin monkey jockeys racing on the backs of dogs.
Christine Huber said Wednesday was one of several days she was spending at the Nebraska State Fair. She said her and her husband attended the fair every year when the fair was in Lincoln and their children were younger and participating in 4-H. At that point, she said, she and her husband started going to the fair about one day a week. There were some years when they skipped going to the fair entirely.
Since the fair has moved to Grand Island, however, the Hubers usually visit it three or four times because Central City is so close to Grand Island.
After the fair moved to Grand Island, Christine Huber started entering vegetables and flowers in the open class competition at the fair. This year was no exception; she took her vegetables to the fair last Thursday, the day before the fair officially started. She took fresh-cut flowers for Saturdays flower competition, then stayed Saturday afternoon to work as a volunteer. Christine Huber said she would be returning to the fair Thursday morning to enter more fresh flowers in a second flower show, then again staying in the afternoon to work as a volunteer.
The Hubers last visit to the fair will be next Monday to see some of the Veterans Day events.
Unlike some people, the Hubers were not familiar with Andersons music.
Wednesdays concert covered much of Andersons musical career, which no doubt pleased his many fans while simultaneously introducing him to those who might be less familiar with his music. The concert included some of his earliest hits like 1959 and Im Just An Old Chunk of Coal, But Im Gonna To Be A Diamond Someday, hits from the middle of his career such as Straight Tequila Night and Seminole Wind, and one of his latest hits, Freedom Isnt Free from his 2015 album, Goldmine. Andersons Wednesday playlist included everything from ballads to traditional country to some hard-driving country rock.
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The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative was discussed at the Public Safety Committee meeting Monday.
The proposed program is nonprofit and with the assistance of the Edwardsville Police Department, aims to save lives from drug overdoses, reduce the number of drug addicts, and put an end to the growing heroin and opioid epidemic.
The program was started by Gloucester Massachusetts Police Chief Leonard Campanello following the heroine and opioid addiction outbreak. Shane Patton, representative of PAARI, said the best time to act and take part in this initiative is now.
The police and law enforcement arent going to arrest their way out of this problem, so what (Campanello) tried to do was initiate this program where people can turn themselves over to law enforcement to get some kind of guidance. As an addict, a lot of these people dont know the first step to take. Theyre lost, a lot of them are at their rock bottom, have lost the support of all their family and friends, usually financial means, and so by going to the police and getting their foot in the door so to speak with the recovery process, he has just this year been able to help 500 people get into treatment. And as we know, it may not take the first time; the statistics are against heroin and opioid addicts, but as many times as it takes and if you feel like I do, if youre helping one then youre doing your part, Patton said.
The program is designed to support local police departments as they steer drug addicts in the right direction. The Edwardsville Police Department, along with other departments already in the program, will encourage opioid and heroin drug users to begin recovery, provide life-saving opioid blocking drugs to prevent and treat overdoses, connect addicts with local treatment programs and facilities, and provide resources to other police departments and communities who want to get involved as well.
The epidemic is present and growing in Madison County, and Patton said what started out as a small issue is growing rapidly every year.
We have many SIUE students that have suffered overdoses, its even reached into our high school now. Its not going anywhere and like I said in here, it becomes a social norm. What started out as some casual drinking and maybe some marijuana smoking turns into some heroin smoking and just progresses rapidly, Patton said.
Some healthcare facilities have already tried to implement strategies to lessen the instance of addiction; however, Patton said it hasnt been very successful.
They are starting to drug test these individuals to see what kind of levels they have in their system before theyll rewrite them or reissue their prescription. Now thats good and bad with the fact that it might stop them from getting that prescription that day but then as we know, theyre going to turn to the illegal method with street drugs which are going to ultimately end up in heroin use, Patton said.
Patton said another issue is the limited amount of resources accessible to drug users, especially in the state of Illinois.
The problem here in Illinois is resources. The average wait for treatment is two to three weeks for an assessment, seven to 14 days after the assessment for their first appointment, he said.
The current partners for the PAARI program in this area are the Madison County States Attorneys office, the sheriffs department, and Chestnut Health Systems. The EPD, if involved, will also be accompanied by the Angel Initiative, which will consist of volunteers who will intervene in caring for the affected individuals in recovery.
Patton said there are still other partners the organization is looking for before moving forward.
The partners that we need are social workers to help with medical insurance access. At a hospital when you come in to the ED to get treated for an overdose and you dont have insurance, there are social workers available to you immediately to get you some kind of intermediate health care payment solution, whether it be Medicaid, Medicare, depending on your situation. But it is possible to get you a temporary Medicaid card issued and get you in the treatment steps, Patton said.
The next steps for PAARI include organizing an oversight committee with a board, working with a 501-C3, implement the program as suggested by PAARI, gathering volunteers for the Angel Initiative, gaining funding from both public and private sources, utilizing a facility to house people temporarily until a more permanent treatment facility becomes available, and configuring an after treatment plan.
EPD Chief Jay Keeven said if the EPD joins the program, there are protocols already in place that the department would have to follow.
A couple of things PAARI is not about: so somebody sitting in the back of a squad car that says, Oh by the way I need help, because they are sitting on 3 or 4 bundles of heroin in their pocket. We make an agreement not to arrest. We are working to get you that help, you turn over your drugs or your drug paraphernalia or you happen to have some on you, we will, with the states attorneys blessing, dispose of that evidence properly and wont charge you for the possession of that drug because you were seeking help. Another thing we cannot do is be a holding area for someone. So the key for us in the policing world is to have either transportation or facilities that when somebody comes to us for help, we can turn them around and in 30 minutes, they are getting the help they need and are not a burden on the resources we already have. Were not going to be in a position where well sit with someone for hours on end, Keeven said.
The goal is to have a contact, make contact with that person, tell them that we have John Doe in the lobby, probably run a quick criminal record check and make sure its not somebody with a warrant or a violent past behavior, that we know that they are as safe as we can assume and move them quickly to the house that they need, Keeven added. I believe wholeheartedly that we have a small window. When somebody is to the point when theyre saying, I want help, six hours later, they may decide, You know what, its just easier to get another hit.
Patton said the next step in the process as of now would be to propose the program to the Edwardsville City Council and from there discuss the necessary funds needed to get the initiative up and running.
For more information about the PAARI program, visit www.paariusa.org.
The Downtown Square in Highland, a hub for community activity, will be the place to be on Saturday, September 10th as artists take to the streets for the 14th annual Street Art Festival and Art Expo! Several new additions have been added to the festival this year including a Bags Tournament, Hops and Color Beer Tasting Festival sponsored by the Highland Jaycees, and a Run for Color.
At 8am the talented artists will begin to transform the streets around the downtown Highland square into amazing works for art. Artists compete in four categories: professional, amateur, college and high school. They are given until 5pm to complete their art work, at which time the three judges will begin the process of rating each piece of art. Winners will be announced at 7pm and given their cash prizes. You are invited to come and watch as the artists transform the pavement into a temporary art gallery, creating colorful masterpieces of amazing depth and complexity - with chalk!
Saturday, September 10th will be filled with fabulous food, drink and activities beginning at 11am.
There will be a Bags Tournament open to anyone who wants to have fun! Registration will begin at 11am, teams of two can participate for $25. First bag in this double elimination tournament will be thrown at Noon on the South side of the downtown square. The top three teams at the end of the tournament will win cash prizes. Cash prize amount will be determined by the number of teams playing. Start practicing now and enter for your chance to win!
At 4pm Run for Color 2mile fun run/walk will take off. This family friendly event is the first of its kind in Highland. Participants will line up near Its Party Time to begin the 2 mile excursion. Along the route participants will have color tossed on them at predesignated areas. The color is non-toxic and safe for adults and children alike. Participants that want less color on them can move towards the middle lane through the designated color stations. The run/walk will end on the square with a color explosion picture once all the participants have crossed the finish line. Registration forms can be picked up in the lobby at the Chamber office or you can register the day of the event at the Information Table.
This Highland Jaycees are partnering with the Highland Chamber of Commerce to host the inaugural Hops and Color Beer Tasting! Participants can purchase a tasting card and a complimentary glass for $20 in advance or $25 the day of the festival. Participants will then be able to enjoy sampling from the fifteen unique beers from sponsor Koerner Distributing. There will also be a small homebrew competition for fan favorite which will be chosen at 4pm on Saturday September 10. The Hops and Color Beer Tasting will open Friday, September 9th from 7-10pm and Saturday, September 10 from 11am - 11pm.
As in years past there will still be the Art Expo, sponsored by the Highland Arts Council. This expo features the work of a number of area artists. Fine artwork in many mediums such as painting, jewelry, clay and literature will be on display and available for purchase.
Its a Bird, Its a Plane, Its a DRAGON! If you have little ones, up to age 12, bring them past the Kreative Kids Korner, sponsored/hosted by the Highland Illinois Federation Business Women (formerly BPW) club. Here budding young artists can create chalk treasures on sidewalks around the Square, or create special art projects such as a crazy bird, a plane, and a fire-breathing dragon. For a small donation you can wear you kids out in the bounce house. There will also be a giant wooden puzzle, tic-tac-toe, and giant blocks to entertain them!!
The Street Art Festival would not be possible without the support of dedicated sponsors, volunteers and artists. This years sponsors include: blockplane Designs, Digitalartz, Highland Rotary Club, Scheffel Boyle, The Korte Company, The Smile Shoppe, Highland Arts Council, Basler Electric Co., Becker Jewelers, CC Food Mart, Eaton, Edward Jones - Carl Dempsey/Zobrist Electric, Edward Jones - Kevin Dewaele, First Mid Illinois Bank, Highland Jaycees, Highland Lion's Club, Highland Machine, Highland News Leader, Hill Law Offices, Korte Luitjohan, Lee's Loans Jewelry & More, Luitjohan Flooring America, Meridith Funeral Home, Rachel Crow - Country Financial, Schuette's Market, Shopper's Review, Swiss Gift/Something Special/Ziegler Jacobs Inc, Terra Properties, The Pioneer, TheBank of Edwardsville, Tri Ford Inc., Faith Countryside Homes, Foppe Visual Communications, Highland Health Care, Lisa Sauer, State Farm Ins, Lory Theater, Highland Rural King, HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital, It's Party Time, Cedar Creek Dental, Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, Apex Fitness Center, Korte Luitjohan Contractors, Inc., Scott Credit Union, SOGA Center for Medical Weightloss, Essenpreis Plumbing and Regions Bank.
Proceeds from this years event will go towards the Chambers many community projects including the Christmas Houses, Lights on the Square, and Santas visits to Highland as well as many other projects though out the year.
Street Art Festival runs from 11:00am to 7:00pm on Saturday, September 10th. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 618-654-3721 or nancie@highlandillinois.com or on the web at highlandartscouncil.org.
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Thu, September 1, 2016
On Sept. 1, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) celebrates its 45th anniversary. As one of the oldest surviving think tanks in the country, this outfit has weathered changes and transformations throughout its existence. Key to its survival was the organizations ability to adapt to new challenges and to maintain its scientific credentials in the midst of political changes that swept the nation. As part of CSIS anniversary celebrations The Jakarta Posts Hans Nicholas Jong talked to some key figures within the institution and came up with this three-piece expose.
It is not an overstatement that as a think tank that has been around in the country for almost five decades, the CSIS has played a significant role in helping chart the countrys course in the fields of politics, international relations and the economy.
Founded in Sept. 1, 1971, the CSIS has had its fair share of challenges in having to navigate through six presidencies; Soeharto, BJ Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Jokowi Widodo as well as some of the most profound changes in regional and international politics, from the collapse of the Soviet Union that led to the end of the Cold War, the rise of China and the US-led war on terror.
Born out of the youthful idealism of its founders Jusuf Wanandi and Harry Tjan Silalahi, who wanted to help the New Order regime draw up its short and long-term strategic policies, from the very beginning the CSIS has given advice, ideas and support to the government and other entities like the House of Representatives, political parties (mainly the Golkar Party), business and non-governmental organizations. The CSIS also has reached out to the international community to inform them about Indonesia, its policies and development, while also giving feedback to our government and public about development policies and the state of affairs of other important countries in the region and beyond.
But the best thing about the CSIS in its early days was that it had the ears of Soeharto, who received regular input from the think tank on political, economic and defense issues in the form of academic and strategic studies.
However, when the relationship with Soeharto turned sour in the late 1990s, the CSIS was forced to undergo its first major transition, which it managed successfully especially due to its international network.
The credibility this institution has built up on the international stage meant that there was no shortage of patrons and support for our research work, Jusuf writes in his memoir Shades of Grey: A Political Memoir of Modern Indonesia 1965-1998, recounting about the CSIS lean years.
These days, the CSIS faces challenges greater than just regime change.
Multiple challenges posed by the increasingly interconnected world have forced the CSIS to make a transition even bigger this time.
Todays challenges are multidimensional. During the 1970s and 1980s, we could deal with security threats one at a time. But today, we are facing multiple challenges happening at the same time and you have to deal with them directly, CSIS executive director Phillips J. Vermonte said in a recent interview.
He cited an example of the territorial disputes between China and four ASEAN countries over the South China Sea, which is not only a geopolitical problem, but also a security and economic issue.
At the same time, there is climate change. Its all man-made disasters, but Indonesia also has natural disasters that could be threats to security. So the threats are so global. Imagine if there are no coherent policies. This is where think tanks play important roles in Indonesia, said Philips.
To tackle increasingly complex issues, the CSIS has in the past few years taken a new approach in encouraging inter-disciplinary research.
The think tank is currently applying the interdisciplinary approach in its research on the US-sponsored Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Its an international, economic and geopolitical issue. Its the US interest but Indonesia is less interested because there are other more interesting propositions. Therefore, we want to study the partnership by looking at the social and economic aspects, head of the CSISs department of politics and international relations Vidhyandika Perkasa said.
The CSIS has also been trying to look into issues that are considered unpopular today, but are expected to be important in the future.
Were not just looking at current problems but also what should be developed next. We have adopted this mind-set in recent years, the CSISs economics department head, Yose Rizal Damuri, said.
He said the digital economy could be one example.
While we havent done any research on the topic, we have started discussions about it. Next year, well start a research project on the digital economy, Yose said.
Other than the increasingly interconnected world, Indonesia is also facing a transition itself as its population is getting younger and younger, with 60 percent of the population being less than 45 years old.
This shift in demography also posed challenges that the CSIS could look into, Philips said.
Because when the country transitioned to democracy, this 60 percent were probably still attending elementary school. They didnt have the experience of living under an authoritarian regime, he said, adding that the demographic conditions could have profound impacts on the countrys democracy as members of this younger demography were more likely to take democracy for granted.
Theyre not sensitive toward threats to democracy. So we try to develop the idea that there is the need to constantly remind them about democracy, ways on how to maintain democracy by protecting pluralism and human rights, said Philips.
And given the young demographys attachment to the internet and social media, there is also the need to talk about internet freedom.
Internet users have to realize theres more to it than just listening to music and watching videos on YouTube. They also have to understand that there are elements of decision making that could restrict that, such as the Law on ITE [Electronic, Information and Transaction], Philips said.
The CSIS thinks that they could start pioneering research on the issue, of trying to find balance between internet freedom and security.
We havent found a middle ground yet. So we are currently conducting research on cyber law, said Philips.
Jusuf said the new ideas that the younger generation of researchers of the CSIS proposed to undertake in their studies could be the injection of fresh blood into the institution needed.
The CSIS needs new concepts and ideas. And a new generation has to step up because theyre the ones who can answer these challenges. Philips in his statements and works have shown that his generation really wants this democracy to work. I believe that [too], he said.
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Today, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) celebrates its 45th anniversary and for people behind the think tank and its partners, the journey has been memorable.
Many who are intimate with the institution say that throughout the years, the CSIS, which is one of the oldest think tanks in Indonesia, has proven to be an indispensable part of the countrys development, particularly in politics, the economy and foreign policy.
It has been a place where Indonesians could exchange views about the future of their country and where foreigners like myself could gain a better understanding of this amazing and complex society. I cannot think of any other example of a think tank which has had a similar impact on a countrys development during a period of historic change, said Paul Wolfowitz, a former World Bank president who also served as US ambassador to Indonesia between 1986 and 1989.
Despite financial and human resources constraints, the CSIS has succeeded in building its reputation as one of the best think tanks in Asia, thanks to the brains behind it and its ambition to contribute to scientific research in the country.
Theres a sense of satisfaction and pride when I look back at the CSIS journey because its not easy to survive, said one of the CSIS founders, Clara Joewono. Together with the late Hadi Soesastro, Clara, who was a student leader during the tumultuous period of 1965, led a small staff that eventually became the think tanks organizational brain.
The CSIS was able to persevere largely due to its ability to win many friends and close acquaintances, Clara said.
As it slowly built its reputation, the CSIS was able to attract the brightest minds in the country.
They fully realize that if they join the CSIS to become researchers, they will never be rich, compared to if they work in the private sector. For those who stay at the CSIS for dozens of years, they do so because the CSIS gives them the chance and the freedom to develop themselves, Clara said.
The opportunity to develop a worldwide network is also part of why many young and talented minds want to join the CSIS, she said.
Clara recalled what Daoed Joesoef, another founding member of the CSIS, said about the foundation that would define the institution.
When we become students, we learn to become experts in a particular field that we like. If we enter a think tank like the CSIS, we develop ourselves. You are on your own. You develop yourself or you perish, she said.
And it is these bright young minds and their willingness to contribute to society that are remembered fondly by many close acquaintances of the CSIS.
During my years as ambassador to Indonesia I was impressed by the quality of debate and discussion at CSIS and by the remarkable candor with which people even discussed the failings of the regime in power, Wolfowitz said.
Former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans has nothing but fond memories of the CSIS.
As long as I can remember the center, with its now legendary cast of leaders, has been a source of intelligent, sound and balanced analysis, advice and advocacy, on international and regional affairs generally, and the Indonesia-Australia relationship in particular. In these uncertain times, its voice has never been more needed, he said.
Ong Keng Yong, ASEAN secretary-general from 2003 to 2007, said that the heart of the CSIS was its founding members.
I am delighted that a number of the founding members of the CSIS, particularly Daoed Joesoef, Harry Tjan Silalahi, Jusuf Wanandi and Clara Joewono are still active. My senior colleagues in Singapore remember turning to these founding members of the CSIS and their younger colleagues, including the late Hadi Soesastro and more recently, Rizal Sukma, for a deep understanding of not only Indonesias foreign policies, but also its domestic politics and economic development, he said.
Wolfowitz said that the CSIS founders left large shoes for the younger generation to fill.
CSIS itself is going through a change of generations. A new generation of thinkers and leaders must now step into the shoes of the remarkable first generation of Hadi Soesastro, Harry Tjan Silalahi, Clara Joewono and the endlessly energetic Jusuf Wanandi, to build, as Wanandi himself has put it, a society that is plural, open and democratic with social justice, he said.
Others remember the CSIS for its role in bringing together well-established think tanks in ASEAN under the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS) in 1984.
Over the years, ASEAN-ISIS has tried to help shape Southeast Asias broad security in terms of building the fabric of regional peace, prosperity and stability not only in Southeast Asia, but also in the broader region of East Asia and the Asia Pacific, said Carolina G. Hernandez, the founding president of the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS Philippines).
National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) governor Agus Widjojo said the CSIS had been the best representation of Indonesia abroad.
We can see that the CSIS has represented Indonesia in many meetings, especially in the ASEAN scope and beyond, he said.
Looking ahead, the CSIS could strive to produce more innovative analyses and ideas to answer the more complex challenges that Indonesia is facing.
This country needs brilliant thinking, which the government doesnt have. Thats why the CSIS is important. Ministries have research and development departments, but they are peopled by leftovers, not very smart people, said Anwar Nasution, a professor of economics at the University of Indonesia and former senior deputy governor of Bank Indonesia.
The CSIS, meanwhile, is facing new challenges that could test its ability to stay ahead of the curve.
CSIS co-founder Jusuf Wanandi said one of the most pressing issues was challenges that ASEAN currently faced, particularly its territorial disputes with China.
We have to play a more active role and duty. This is a problem that we, as the CSIS, have an advantage in because we have been engaged in this matter for 45 years and we have good connections everywhere. Thats what we can contribute to the government. And for that, we have to get the younger generation to participate, Jusuf said.
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Linkedin Rayssa A. Putri and Diah S. Saminarsih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Give me 10 young people and I will shake the world is among founding president Sukarnos famous quotes.
As we celebrate this nations 71st year of independence, we should reflect on multifaceted challenges of human development, from health and well-being perspectives.
Today, we can measure how the world views human development by looking at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Compared to its predecessor, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the SDGs leap not only in sophistication in crafting the interlinkages between goals but also within each goal.
Take health as an example: its reach is not limited to the health goal itself but also to at least four other goals: poverty, food, gender and water and sanitation.
At the national level, challenges revolving around human development are more complex than ever. Indonesia is the fourth-most populated country in the world, with roughly 254 million people and more than 17,000 islands.
It is clear that distribution of goods and services is almost impossible to be done equally.
Even after 71 years of independence, challenges in provision of health care remain mostly unchanged. Lack of transportation, infrastructure, energy and isolation are the most common barriers to health sector development and services in villages, especially those on the borders at Indonesias gateways.
In densely populated cities and semi-urban dwellings, perhaps there is more access. However, quality and affordability presents quite a substantial issue. Solving the challenges requires the government to set its sight not only within the health sector, but innovatively, also in sectors beyond health.
Compared to other developing countries, Indonesia has not fully met the standards of peoples well-being. About a quarter of the population is still left behind, compared to the 19 percent across Asia, a global report found. This is mostly caused by the widening inequality throughout the country.
Goods and services are not equally distributed between urban and rural areas due to poor transportation, insufficient infrastructure and information illiteracy.
As the first responders to community health and well-being, primary healthcare bears an enormous responsibility for solving health issues in parallel with maintaining and increasing health status of the community. In the new era, universal health coverage under the national health insurance (JKN) program has to be readily available for all, regardless of geography.
Be it in the mountains of Papua or in the big cities like Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan; primary healthcare is called to transform itself into an affordable, high-quality service.
For this transformation to happen, it calls for commitment from the government to side with the people and at the same time, to build public awareness on maintaining healthy lifestyles.
Against this backdrop of challenges and complexities, in May 2015 the Health Ministry launched the Nusantara Sehat (Healthy Archipelago) campaign, which deploys teams of health workers to peripheral areas in Indonesia that desperately need a nudge to transform not only their primary healthcare services but also their overall well-being.
Entering its fourth batch and making way to its 250th team by end of 2016, Nusantara Sehat has proven there is still hope in improving the countrys well-being through quality primary healthcare services.
Since the program was launched, 855 youth; early-career health professionals are on site, ensuring well-being is shared equally between roughly 2.5 million people.
These young people are not just health professionals but they are agents of change. Through its actions and innovations, Nusantara Sehat has showcased how health sector development can be an effective entry point to implementing sustainable development principles at the local level.
Despite the challenges, in hard to reach places such as the borders of Long Pahangai in West Kalimantan, Boven Digoel in Papua and Belu in East Nusa Tenggara, its innovations in community empowerment programs have helped reduce open defecation and child malnutrition, and helped build reproductive health awareness among teenagers.
Its presence in each of the communities embodies the optimistic spirit of independence and the visionary objective of the SDGs.
Such initiative shows that the youth are in a strategic position to push for transformation, beyond claiming demographic dividend. The key is empowering them to start taking action, engaging themselves in various fronts of development: health, education, energy, economy and others.
This way, the transformation is beyond sectoral: it is about transforming citizenship from passive recipients of government services to concerned and engaged citizens.
Indeed, Indonesian youth are moving to realize Sukarnos vision.
***
Rayssa A. Putri, a student at Global Jaya School, Bintaro, South Tangerang, Banten, is a student volunteer with Nusantara Sehat campaign. Diah S. Saminarsih is special adviser to the health minister on partnerships and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), and founder of the Center of Indonesia Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI).
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Linkedin Ahmad Gelora Mahardika Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
A recent row over a student who was dropped at the last minute from the flag-hoisting team at a state ceremony to mark Independence Day because of her citizenship shows the publics lack of understanding about the Citizenship Law.
The case of Gloria Natapradja Hamel, 16, could be just the tip of the iceberg of problems in connection with Law No. 12/2006 on Indonesian citizenship, which replaced Law No. 62/1958 as the latter could not address problems that occurred in the community related to citizenship. The amendment underlined the importance of the right to citizenship as an instrument of the states fulfillment of human rights.
Gloria was a unique case when viewed from the current perspective. Referring to the Citizenship Law, Gloria is the daughter of a French father and Indonesian mother. Her citizenship status falls under Article 4 of the law, which gives persons like her an opportunity to hold dual citizenship until the age of 18. The law stipulates that no more than three years after such children reach the age of 18, they must choose between Indonesian citizenship and being an alien.
But the problem with Gloria is that she is subject to transitional provisions of the 2006 law, especially Article 41, which says that children below 18 years old who were born of mixed marriages before the 2006 Citizenship Law was enacted are required to register with the law ministry or Indonesian representative offices overseas no later than four years after the law took effect. As the law came into force in 2006, Gloria should have chosen whether to become an Indonesian or a foreign national in 2010 at the latest. She was then automatically considered a foreign national.
It is painful to see how a student who loves this country perhaps more than most Indonesian citizens do had to bury her dreams of becoming part of the prestigious flag-raising team due to administrative problems.
Most likely Gloria and her parents, as well as the national team who selected her, do not understand the Citizenship Law in full.
To prevent such problems from recurring, there are some possible solutions that can be taken into consideration. First, Gloria had proven her potential after passing a strict selection process from regional to national levels and she did not deserve such miserable treatment.
Article 20 of the Citizenship Law stipulates that the President, after obtaining confirmation from the House of Representatives, can award Indonesian citizenship to foreigners who have contributed to the state of the Republic of Indonesia. In the case of Gloria, it would not be difficult for the President to immediately ask for the Houses approval for Glorias Indonesian citizenship.
Second, Gloria could apply for Indonesian citizenship regularly. Article 9 of the law states that requirements for the naturalization of foreigners include a minimum age of 18 and having lived in Indonesia for five straight years or 10 years non-consecutively. In the case of Gloria, who was born and educated in Indonesia, she fulfills the requirements except in terms of age. She has to wait two more years to be eligible to apply for naturalization through a regular manner.
Third, to immediately end public confusion and to prevent unnecessary loss of citizenship simply due to administrative matters, the President could sign a government regulation in lieu of law to amend the Citizenship Law with an aim to extend the maturity date of children of mixed marriages to report to the Law and Human Rights Ministry, from 2010 originally. The move will prove the state is committed to protecting the right to citizenship.
The government is responsible for realizing the desire of persons who have demonstrated their love for the country to obtain Indonesian nationality.
_____________________________________
The writer, who holds an LLM degree in constitutional law, works for the Law and Human Rights Ministry. The views expressed are his own.
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Linkedin Anick Jesdanun (Associated Press) New York, United States Thu, September 1, 2016
Samsung's next smartwatch will come with GPS capabilities and the ability to call or text for help by triple-tapping a side button.
The new Gear S3 retains the circular design of the current S2 model, but is slightly larger. Samsung will still sell last year's S2 to those who consider the S3 too big on their wrist. As with the S2, the outer ring of the watch face rotates to let you scroll through notifications and apps. Interface improvements include the ability to accept or reject calls with the ring rather than a swipe of the screen.
The S3 will come in three flavors. One has LTE cellular capabilities, allowing people to make calls, receive notifications and check weather without a companion phone nearby. A data plan costs extra. The other two models lack LTE and differ primarily in style. Samsung said prices will be announced closer to the devices' availability later in the year.
Samsung announced the new watch lineup Wednesday at the IFA tech show in Berlin. The Gear smartwatches have had impressive designs and battery life, but have been hampered largely by a dearth of apps, as many developers write for Apple Watch and Android Wear devices instead.
All three S3 models will have GPS, making them more accurate for workouts. In the S2, GPS was limited to a pricier model with cellular capabilities (on the slower 3G network). GPS, so far, isn't common in smartwatches, allowing Samsung to stand out with the S3. Although GPS tends to drain battery quickly, Samsung expects at least three days of battery life in the S3.
Meanwhile, the emergency-calling feature echoes the "SOS" feature coming to the Apple Watch this fall. Where the Apple Watch will call 911 or the relevant emergency service elsewhere directly, though, the S3 will call or text emergency contacts, such as friends or relatives. These will be pre-recorded or pre-written messages. For an extra recurring fee, which has yet to be announced, S3 users will also be able to make a live call to ADT's security dispatchers, who would then be able to call 911 or offer other help.
The S3 also comes with expanded ability to make payments at stores through Samsung Pay. And the watch's always-on feature improves with a display of millions of colors, rather than just 16 before.
(Read also: Samsung bendable phones out in the market next year: Report)
SOMETHING MISSING IN A LAPTOP
Also at the IFA tech show, Lenovo unveiled a twist on the laptop: Its new Yoga Book won't have a physical keyboard.
It's an odd choice, given that Apple, Samsung and other tablet makers are pushing professional tablet models with keyboard accessories. Those companies are hoping to appeal to businesses and individuals looking to replace their laptops.
In Lenovo's case, the 10-inch Yoga Book retains the clamshell design of the laptop, but puts a second touch screen where the keyboard normally goes. People can type on a touch-screen keyboard there, or just write or draw on that second screen with an included stylus. You can even use a regular pen or pencil, though you'd want to put a sheet of paper over the screen to avoid damage.
Although Lenovo calls Yoga Book a tablet, the keyboard part isn't detachable, making the device a laptop. The keyboard, though, can fold all the way to the back to make the device feel more like a tablet.
Jeff Meredith, a Lenovo vice president, said the Yoga Book might not be appropriate for extensive typing, but should be suitable for people especially younger people who now use the phone's touch screen to respond to email at night or even take notes in classrooms.
He added that when BlackBerrys were still popular, people couldn't imagine getting rid of physical keyboards on their phones, either.
The Yoga Book will start shipping in the coming weeks. An Android version will cost $500, and Windows will be $600.
The unveiling came hours after rival computer maker Acer unveiled what it calls the world's first laptop to measure less than a centimeter. The Swift 7 is 9.98 millimeters (0.39 inch) to be exact. But Lenovo says the Yoga Book is thinner, at 9.6 millimeters, or slightly more than the thickest iPad at 7.5 millimeters.
Acer, meanwhile, unveiled a laptop with a curved screen, something traditionally limited to computer monitors for desktops. The Predator 21 X is designed for video games and comes with eye-tracking technology that promises to let players aim, identify enemies and take cover by gazing at the screen.
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Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Indonesia cheered loudly as Liliyana Natsir and Tontowi "Owi" Ahmad came out as winners of the badminton mixed-doubles category at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Aug. 17. The two became gold medallists after successfully defeating Chang Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying of Malaysia in the final.
While clearly Liliyana Natsir has become the queen of Indonesian badminton mixed-doubles, what about Tontowi Ahmad? Who is he and how did he start his career?
(Read also: Lets not take Olympic badminton gold for granted)
Indonesia's Tontowi Ahmad (left) is about to make a return to Malaysian pair Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying, as partner Liliyana Natsir looks on during the badminton mixed-doubles gold medal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 17. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Tontowi was born in Banyumas regency in Central Java on July 18, 1987. The father to Danish Arsenio Ahmad and husband to Michelle Harminc first tried his hands on badminton when he was a third-grade elementary school student due to his fathers love of the sport, according to Antara news agency.
His father, Muhammad Husni Muzaitun, recalls that Owi was a naughty boy who was difficult in being taught badminton. You could say that he didnt want to train if there was nothing on the net, Husni said, referring to monetary rewards. "Extra patience was needed to teach him since he [initially] didnt like badminton.
However, Owi showed remarkable progress and his talent was later noticed. After finishing junior high school, he joined the Argo Pantes Badminton Association (PB Argo Pantes) in Tangerang before switching to Semen Gresiks training center.
(Read also: Jokowi wants more sports to contribute medals)
When I was in Gresik, I decided to quit badminton because I had no partner, said Owi. Yet, later he got recruited by the Djarum Badminton Association (PB Djarum) and has trained for the mixed-doubles category ever since.
Prior to partnering with Liliyana Natsir in 2010, he had achieved notable accomplishments, including a gold medal at the Vietnam Grand Prix Open 2007, which he dubs as one of his most memorable matches. Regarding his collaboration with Liliyana, who is already a senior athlete and had astounding wins with her former partner Nova Widianto, Owi said, I really didnt expect that I would be paired with her because there were other senior athletes besides me, including Muhammad Rijal and Fran Kurniawan.
Since 2010, Tontowi and Liliyana has made Indonesia proud through their achievements, starting from their first win together in the 2011 Malaysia Open GP Gold, All England Super Series Premier and Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold in 2012, to their recent win in Rio.
(Read also: Liliyana Natsirs proud father showered with praise)
Indonesia's Tontowi Ahmad (left) and Liliyana Natsir pose for the camera after winning the badminton mixed-doubles gold medal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 17. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
However, despite being a good pair on the court, it does not mean that there was never any tension between the two. One example was during Rio. As quoted by badmintonindonesia.org, Liliyana confessed that she had to lower her ego to partner better with Owi. I found that I often responded negatively to Tontowi whenever he made mistakes on the court." Realizing that it is an important event to both of them, Liliyana tried to change her attitude. I tried my best to keep my cool because I knew Tontowi wanted to win too.
This was reciprocated by Owi. "Being nervous is being human and unavoidable. I kept telling [Liliyana] to stay relaxed. I also asked her to remind me of the same thing," he said. With such an attitude, the two managed to bring home the gold for Indonesia.
Regarding their win in Rio, Tontowi commented, I hope our struggle will inspire others and that junior athletes will follow in our footsteps.
After returning to Indonesia, the two athletes reportedly are scheduled to enjoy a well-deserved vacation. (kes)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, August 31 2016
I had mixed feelings of sadness and anger when I learned that I already had my own grave in Timor Leste, Victor da Costa, 41, said on Tuesday.
He is one of Timor Lestes generation of stolen children, who were forcibly taken away from their families during the Indonesian occupation of what was then the province of East Timor.
Victor found out about his parents death only years later, in 2004. That was when he first touched down in his homeland in Baucau district, after he had been brought to Indonesia in the early 1980s by an Indonesian Military (TNI) soldier. He was 4 years old back then.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
The Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday sentenced Trinanda Prihantoro, an assistant to PT Agung Podomoro Land (APL) president director Ariesman Widjaja, to two years and six months in prison for his involvement in a bribery case related to the Jakarta Bay reclamation project.
He is also required to pay a Rp 150 million (US$11,298) fine or face an additional three months imprisonment.
We declare that the defendant, Trinanda Prihantoro, has been proven guilty for jointly committing corruption with another defendant, Jakarta Corruption Court Presiding Judge Sumpeno said on Thursday, referring to Ariesman, who was sentenced to three years in prison and must pay a Rp 200 million fine.
The judges ruled that Trinanda had only delivered the Rp 2 billion bribe on Ariasmans bidding. The money was allegedly for Mohammad Sanusi, a city councilor, who is being tried in the same case.
Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) personnel arrested Sanusi and Trinanda as they exchanged a briefcase full of bills on Dec. 31, 2015. Ariesman surrendered to the KPK the day after.
The money was allegedly paid to ensure Sanusi would support a bylaw revision that would lower the percentage of additional contribution APL would have to pay to the Jakarta Administration as part of the reclamation project. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama has said a leave requirement for incumbent regional leadersgovernors, mayors and regentsduring a campaign period was against the constitutional rights of those who seek reelection.
Ahok told a Constitutional Court hearing on Wednesday that he filed the judicial review as head of the Jakarta administration that was elected democratically in 2012.
As a plaintiff, I have the right as stated in the Constitution to fully govern the Jakarta administration for a five-year term, Ahok said.
In his judicial review motion, he demanded the court to revise Article 70 of the Regional Elections Law that requires incumbent governors, deputy governor, mayors, deputy mayors, regents and deputy regents to take leave during the campaign period if they sought reelection.
He argued that the law should have given the incumbents the freedom to take or not take leave.
Ahok, who is seeking reelection in the 2017 gubernatorial election, has planned not to take leave, arguing that he needs to closely look into the deliberation of the 2017 city budget bill that will occur during the campaign period that the Jakarta General Elections Commission decided on from Oct. 26 to Feb. 11.
Ahok insisted he had to finish his tenure for five years, which ends in October next year. He said if he had to take leave for four months, he would not end his tenure exactly five years. (wnd/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
With financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the government launched on Thursday a program that aimed to strengthen the nations anticorruption efforts.
Called CEGAH, or prevent, the US$20.8 million program involves 16 government agencies, including the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), and NGOs such as Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW).
Bambang Rantam Sariwanto, the ministrys secretary-general, said in the first year, the program would focus on preventing corruption in Banten, East Java, North Maluku and North Sumatrawhere corruption is the most rampant according to the KPK.
Effective corruption prevention needs support from society and the media, which will push for the accountability of institutions, Bambang said.
CEGAH is expected to complement the countrys ongoing effort to prevent corruption by strengthening community accountability. In the program, all relevant stakeholders will have a role in making the government more transparent and accountable.
We know in Indonesia, like the US, that corruption breeds inequality, poverty and injustice. Through our work together, we hope to advance transparency, accountability, fairness and justice, USAID mission director Erin McKee said. (wnd/bbn)
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Linkedin Rod McGuirk (Associated Press) Canberra Thu, September 1, 2016
Australia's prime minister on Thursday warned against fomenting distrust of Muslims as he outlined tougher measures against the threat posed by the Islamic State movement.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that Australian laws would soon be amended to give Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet pilots the same legal standing as their coalition partners when conducting airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.
The Australian legal definition of combatants will be expanded to include people supporting armed fighters and will become consistent with international norms. The tighter Australian definition has limited the potential targets that Australian war planes can attack and has affected the timing of those attacks.
Turnbull, who is resisting pressure from lawmakers to ban Muslim immigration and to relax hate speech prohibitions, described the Islamic State group as the most pressing national security threat that Australians face.
But he also warned there had been an increase in far-right extremism directed against Muslims in Australia. The latest alleged terrorist plot disrupted by police led to the arrest of an anti-immigration campaigner who was charged last month with preparing a terrorist attack in the city of Melbourne.
"We cannot be effective if we are creating division, whether by fomenting distrust within the Muslim community or inciting fear of Muslims in broader society," Turnbull told Parliament.
"Division begets division. It makes violence more likely, not less," he said.
The government will introduce legislation to Parliament this month that would enable courts to keep prisoners convicted of terrorist offenses behind bars for indefinite periods after their sentences are completed if they continue to pose threats. The new laws could apply to 13 prisoners serving lengthy sentences in Australian prisons and another 36 suspects who are awaiting trial on serious terrorism charges.
Legislation will be introduced in November that will create a new offense of "advocating genocide." The crime will enable police to make an earlier arrest when someone is radicalizing others. It will carry a seven-year sentence.
Control orders that can force suspects to wear tracking devises and obey curfews could apply to 14-year-olds. Currently the minimum age is 16.
The burden of evidence would also be reduced for a court to jail a suspect with a preventative detention order on the basis that a terrorist attack could occur within two weeks.
Turnbull is resisting demands from several senators to stop Muslim immigration, and also resisted pressure this week from lawmakers in his own conservative government to water down anti-discrimination laws. They want to remove a section of the Racial Discrimination Act that prohibits any act likely to offend or insult a person or group because of their race, color, ethnicity or nationality.
Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Sydney man was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for helping seven men travel to Syria to fight with Jabhat al-Nusra and other al-Qaeda affiliates.
At least two of the fighters have died. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Parliament on Thursday that 110 Australians were fighting with the Islamic State group and other militant groups in the Middle East and up to 65 Australians have been killed.
The passports of 213 suspected militants have been canceled, she said, while the government has refused to issue passports to another 24 people to prevent them from joining the fight in Syria and Iraq.
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
The countrys cash-strapped state budget has taken its toll on fund transfers to regional administrations and will lead to lower economic growth this year, state officials say.
Bank Indonesia (BI) estimated that state revenue shortfalls could be greater than the governments forecast and more budget cuts may need to be made, governor Agus Martowardojo said.
This is an uncomfortable discussion but it needs to be done. Indonesia, which has solid fundamentals, can be considered weak if our fiscal condition is not sufficiently strong. Foreign funds will easily exit and create a setback to our economy, he told a meeting with the House of Representatives on Tuesday evening.
President Joko Jokowi Widodo has issued a presidential instruction (Inpres) to cut state spending by Rp 137 trillion (US$10.3 billion) due to a Rp 219 trillion revenue shortfall as the government has admitted that it previously set the tax target too high.
BI estimated that the budget cut would slash economic growth by 0.1 percent this year to between 4.9 to 5.3 percent, in contrast to the governments target of 5.2 percent growth.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati agreed with the central banks estimate, separately telling lawmakers on Wednesday, this is an implication, however, to manage the state budget, I myself as a finance minister must run it by the state budget law.
Sri Mulyani, who replaced former finance minister Bambang Brodjonegoro in Jokowis second reshuffle in late July, convinced the President to again revise the state budget after spending grew faster than revenue, potentially leading to fund shortages for the governments development programs.
Apart from cutting ministries and state institutions spending, another option to keep the budget in check is to delay fund transfers to regional administrations. Sri Mulyani estimated the deficit ending the year at 2.5 percent, versus previous estimates of 2.35 percent and nearing the legal threshold of 3 percent of the nations gross domestic product (GDP)
Overall regional transfer and village funds worth Rp 72.9 trillion would be delayed until next year, from the initial plan of Rp 776.3 trillion, which would hit the general allocation fund (DAU) and revenue-sharing fund (DBH) hardest.
The DAU, which is primarily used for capital expenditure, would be cut by Rp 19.4 trillion while Rp 16.7 percent would be shaved off the DBH, which is allocated based on a regions potential. The remaining Rp 36.8 trillion cut would be sourced by slashing village funds, special allocation funds and tax revenue-sharing funds.
The regional transfer cut would surely affect local administrations because the funds are a vital revenue source for them outside locally generated income, said Kenta Institute senior economist Eric Sugandi.
However, instead of increasing their budget deficits, they will opt to cut their spending, he said, adding that infrastructure expenditure would be most vulnerable to the cut, as regions wont slash their civil servant salaries.
The austerity measure on regional administrations can force them to spend more efficiently considering a big chunk of idle fund transfers from the government, worth a total of Rp 224 trillion as of July, remain untouched at their local banks, economists and the finance ministry say.
This [the funding cut] can encourage local governments to spend their idle funds, Finance Ministry director general for budgeting Askolani said.
The government had yet to learn if the cut would increase local budget deficits, he added. A Finance Ministry regulation only allows the local budget deficit at most 0.3 percent for this years state budget.
The local administrations budgets have historically recorded balance or surplus as they are not allowed to borrow or raise funds from the financial market.
The central government needs to cover any potential regional budget deficit because it was the party that can seek loans or generate funds from the capital market through bond issuances, said Samuel Assets Management economist Lana Soelistianingsih.
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Chevron Indonesia Company Ltd announced on Wednesday that Bangka Field, Chevron's Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD) project in East Kalimantan, had produced its first natural gas.
According to Chevron IndoAsia Business Unit managing director Chuck Taylor, the first gas from Bangka Field was a significant milestone and highlighted the company's commitment to continue the government's energy goals and deliver energy to Indonesia safely, efficiently and reliably.
"The project represents Chevron's commitment to bring global capabilities and advanced technology to Indonesia and applies best practices and expertise from our deepwater developments around the world," Taylor said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Bangka project has a design capacity of 110 million cubic feet of natural gas and 4,000 barrels of condensate per day. Chevron has a 62 percent interest in the Bangka project with the other contributing joint venture participants being Eni with a 20 percent interest and Tip Top with an 18 percent interest.
A final investment decision was reached in 2014, following government approvals. Chevron began drilling the development wells in the second half of 2014.
"For more than 90 years, Chevron has been a major partner in meeting the energy needs of Indonesia, driving economic growth and supporting local communities in East Kalimantan and the other areas where we operate in Indonesia," Taylor added. (evi)
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Recent flooding in Kemang, an affluent area in South Jakarta, has renewed calls for the administration to overhaul the citys spatial plan.
The floods were seen as a consequence of rapid development for residential and commercial purposes in the hilly area that had been designed for green space and water catchment ground.
The Jakarta administration has claimed that the flooding was caused by overdevelopment along the Krukut riverbank, resulting in insufficient green space for water absorption.
The officials then decided to conduct environmental inspection to assess whether developers and owners had violated their construction permits by constructing riverside property. Aside from that, to mitigate flooding, the administration has been dredging the Krukut River before it moves to further measures, which is to widen and sheet pile the river.
However, the measures, better known as river normalization, is not enough, says Nirwono Joga, an urbanist from Trisakti University, as it would only mitigate flooding in the short term.
If the administration and South Jakarta residents want to be free from flooding in the long-term, they should be able to restore green space in the municipality. They have to include green space allotment in the citys 2030 spatial plan, said Nirwono, who was an adviser in the drafting of the citys 2010 to 2030 spatial plan.
Kemang and its surrounding area had been formerly designated for residences with low coefficient and water absorption spaces, Nirwono said. The plans were stipulated in the citys 1985 to 2005 general spatial plan, as well as its 2000 to 2010 spatial plan.
According to regulations, 40
percent of land in Kemang and its surrounding area is designated for two-story homes. The remaining space is designated as green space, Nirwono explained. Commercial areas are not allowed.
However, after the administration issued Bylaw No. 1/2014 on spatial planning and zoning, most of Kemang was marked as residential areas with limited growth control, permitting the development of 50 percent of its space for commercial purposes with stipulations.
Green spaces have been reduced, said Nirwono. Hence, it is suggested that Kemang residents and those in other flood-prone areas participate in revising the 2010 to 2030 spatial plan to save their houses from flooding in the future.
In the draft revision, he said, they can urge the administration to make more space for water absorption to reduce flooding.
The city administration is reviewing its 2010 to 2030 spatial plan amid the development of national strategic projects such as the light rail transit (LRT), MRT and a giant sea wall, also called the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD). Those projects were not included in spatial plans prior to 2010.
The administration says it encourages residents to take part in drafting the revision by delivering their suggestions through the citys social media accounts.
Residents are welcome to provide suggestions for spatial plan revisions in other areas, including flood-prone areas, as it is also preparing for another spatial plan revision in 2019, said Jakartas assistant to the governor for spatial planning and environment, Oswar Muadzin Mungkasa.
We will gather all suggestions, but this year we are prioritizing suggestions for areas affected by national projects. The others will be processed when we carry out another review in 2019, said Oswar.
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Linkedin Rendi A. Witular (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Since its passing in late June, President Joko Jokowi Widodos signature policy, the overly hyped tax amnesty program is projected to be a letdown.
And a recent string of remarks by newly appointed Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati seems to suggest the nail is already in the coffin for the policy despite her efforts to convince the public that the policys future remains rosy.
As though signaling she was not convinced that the proceeds target from penalties under the amnesty could be attained to help plug the state budget deficit, she drastically cut government spending less than a week into her job over concern about the ballooning deficit stemming from the program missing its mark.
In a hearing with lawmakers last week, the iron lady said tax reform should come before tax amnesty. But this hasnt happened. Hence, were accelerating tax reforms as quickly as possible while upholding the morale of tax officials. But at the same time, they have a very specific target.
Her statement came after the latest data showed that only 1.3 percent of the Rp 165 trillion (US$12.37 billion) amnesty proceeds target had been pocketed, and only 2 percent of the targeted Rp 4 quadrillion in unreported assets had been declared. Of the Rp 1 quadrillion target of repatriated funds, only 0.76 percent had been realized.
With the program lasting for another seven months and the policy plagued with so many problems, confidence seems to be declining for the government to again be given the benefit of the doubt.
So what is the source of the problem? To start with, doubt lingers over the validity of the claim that the unreported assets are worth Rp 4 quadrillion, with around Rp 1 quadrillion stashed overseas.
Is it really that much? If so, is there really a demand for the amnesty? How big actually is the demand? No recent study has been commissioned to verify the claim.
Politicians have indicated the number is based on a 2002 underlying figure when state-run Bank Mandiri commissioned McKinsey & Company to calculate Indonesian assets parked overseas. The figure was then cooked and updated by several government ministries and abracadabra, came the 4 quadrillion amount.
Jokowi even claims to have a list of Indonesian conglomerates with whopping undeclared assets and could easily call them to have their assets declared and repatriated, or risk the consequences.
Taxation director general Ken Dwijugiasteadi backed the claim, saying he also kept the list. But he retracted his statement last week, saying it was his former boss, Bambang Brodjonegoro, who claimed to have it.
But despite the list, they may not be aware of the many conglomerates having their overseas assets already stashed into trustee instruments, whose confidentiality cannot be cracked under the automatic exchange of information treaty, which Indonesia will implement in 2018.
The governments argument that recalcitrant taxpayers will no longer find safe havens to hide their wealth is just ludicrous. Why bother joining if their assets are already comfortably and safely stashed?
After the sketchy figure then comes the legal problems. Deliberated in less than four months, Tax Amnesty Law No. 11/2016 was among the fastest pieces of legislation to be passed by the House of Representatives. But that comes with a consequence: it leaves many devils in the details.
Among them is Article 8 point 3(b). The article basically prohibits taxpayers from participating in the program unless they settle all their unpaid taxes.
Legal experts insist this article has partly killed the amnesty itself because taxpayers may not have sufficient financial capacity to pay all their tax dues at once in order to get the amnesty.
Another concern is the risk of taxpayer data being compromised and used for future prosecutions. Five law enforcement institutions, aside from the tax office and the Finance Ministry, will have access to the data as mandated by their governing laws despite the supposed firewall of secrecy stipulated in the law.
Another drawback hampering the amnesty is obviously the unresolved structural problem at the Finance Ministrys directorate general of taxation, which is responsible for carrying out the program.
The tax office has endured a pervasive lack of manpower that has already held back its efforts to collect further tax revenue.
One tax official serves 7,500 taxpayers, far higher than in Australia and Germany, where one official serves 1,000 and 700 taxpayers, respectively, and that is with more advanced IT systems.
As a result of the shortages, the agency could not expand the collection base outside the 30,000 companies that have long contributed to around 80 percent of total tax revenues. Thus, for the tax officials it has always been hunting in the zoo.
With the amnesty, the tax officials now have to juggle between meeting the amnesty targets and ensuring this years tax collection will not miss the mark, increasing their workload by between 30 and 50 percent.
Even if the tax agency can well serve the amnesty participants, there is concern on how the repatriated funds can be absorbed by the countrys notoriously underdeveloped financial system. Huge inflows of funds into the banking system, for example, could create costs for the banks if the funds are not immediately channeled to productive instruments.
It was not until a month after the amnesty law was passed that the government rushed to prepare an array of investment instruments, indicating a gross ignorance in the way it prepared the program.
Now, why should we care about all this mess? Because the tax amnesty seems to be another blatant example of how policymaking under this administration is recklessly conceived and implemented. If the Presidents very own signature policy is churned out in haste with all the drawbacks, what then are the prospects for the credibility of other policies?
When the going gets tough, several officials may provide justifications for the amnestys eventual failure as just obvious, as other countries implementing similar programs have a success rate of below 60 percent.
Two wrongs dont make a right.
Why else should we care? Because it will be just outrageous if there is a sinister motive at play, in which the amnesty may have actually been intended for accommodating the interests of a few.
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung, West Java Thu, September 1, 2016
A controversial article on online defamation in the Internet and Electronic Transactions (ITE) Law has become one of the main points highlighted in a recently launched social media literacy campaign.
Initiated by youth development foundation Yayasan Cinta Anak Bangsa (YCAB), the Think Before You Share campaign began from a widespread fear over the growing use of social media, which allows anybody to share unlimited content via the internet.
YCAB secretary-general Muhammad Farhan said social media had been used to spread not only positive but also negative content, including bullying.
We are calling on Indonesian youth communities to first think thoroughly about the impacts that may come from messages they want to spread via social media networks, Farhan said during the campaign launch in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday.
We also want to spread guidance [on the use of social media] for parents because families play a crucial role in shaping childrens mindsets and behavior."
The Think Before You Share campaign, a collaboration between YCAB and antibullying community Sudah Dong with support from Facebook, aims to provide young Indonesians and their parents with tips and tricks on positive content sharing via social media.
"Hopefully, during adulthood, they can exercise their right to freedom of expression in a responsible way," said Farhan.
The campaign has taken place in several cities such as Bandung; Balikpapan, East Kalimantan; Denpasar, Bali; Malang, East Java; and Palembang, South Sumatra.
Empowering the community is very important for us. They can make a report to us if something has gone wrong. We have the tools to help the community, said Clair Deevy, head of Asia Pacific economic growth initiatives at Facebook. (ebf)
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar Thu, September 1, 2016
Andi Hajramurni
The Jakarta Post/Jeneponto, South Sulawesi
Fourteen people were still being treated at hospitals in Jeneponto regency and Makassar as of Thursday, after eating green mussels taken from a local beach.
The food poisoning incident killed two people and caused symptoms in 63 residents from Mallasoro village in Bangkala district, Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday. The fatalities were Muna Daeng Angki, 45, and Daeng Bombong, 40.
The Jeneponto administration has called on residents not to consume green mussels for a period of time.
Hajrah, 43, said she ate green mussels for breakfast on Tuesday morning. Soon afterward, she felt dizzy, her lips thickened and her arms and neck felt stiff. She said she had eaten green mussels since she was a child, but it was the first time she had been fallen ill from them.
An official at the Jeneponto Health Agency, Suryaningrat, said cases of food poisoning began to be seen on Sunday but peaked on Tuesday.
Suryaningrat said on Wednesday that he had sent samples of green mussels to a laboratory.
Jeneponto Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Joko Sumarno, meanwhile, said he had sent samples of vomit to the South Sulawesi forensics lab.
However, not all residents who ate the shellfish were poisoned.
Until Tuesday afternoon, I was still eating the same batch of green mussels. But I am fine, said Marintang, 39, also from Mallasoro.
Villagers said this years green mussels season was the biggest in history. They had been harvesting mussels since June, collecting them on the beach when the tide receded. We could take a sack of mussels home this season, Mustari, 36, said. (evi)
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung Thu, September 1, 2016
The government has been fighting a losing battle against polluters of the Citarum River in West Java, which is considered one of the worlds most polluted rivers.
The Environment and Forestry Ministrys director general of law enforcement, Rasio Ridho Sani, said on Wednesday that legal steps against environmental polluters had not been effective. Criminal charges only get people working in the field while administrative punishment fails to provide any deterrent effect, Rasio said during a meeting in Bandung on sustainability in the Citarum River.
To give some weight to law enforcement, he said, the government was planning to file civil lawsuits against polluters of the Citarum. The idea was inspired by the governments efforts to net corporations and high-level company officials in relation to forest fires in Riau last year.
The government filed a civil lawsuit against PT National Sago Prima at the South Jakarta District Court, which found the company responsible for the fire and ordered it to pay Rp 753 billion (US$55 million). This became a deterrent effect for the company, Rasio said.
The head of environmental law enforcement in West Java, Anang Sudarna, said his team had inspected companies along the river this year, and in two inspections had found 30 cases of polluting. Among them, 13 were followed up at the district court, while 17 were handed administrative sanctions, he said.
However, Anang said he was disappointed with one court decision to acquit a suspected polluter although he was sure there was a solid case.
About 25 million people depended on the sustainability of the Citarum, including Jakartans, whose raw water supply is sourced from the river via the Jatiluhur Dam in West Java. (evi)
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1 2016
Indonesia has for a long time turned a blind eye to its own diaspora, whether for technical reasons or a pervasive sense of nationalism, despite 8 million Indonesians taking up residence abroad.
Following recent controversies surrounding dual citizenship and the growing role of the Indonesian diaspora, the government is set to introduce a set of privileges for the diaspora.
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Linkedin Michael Weissenstein (Associated Press) Santa Clara Thu, September 1, 2016
The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century landed in the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War.
Cheers broke out in the cabin of JetBlue flight 387 as the plane touched down. Passengers mostly airline executives, U.S. government officials and journalists, with a sprinkling of Cuban-American families and U.S. travelers were given gift bags with Cuban cookbooks, commemorative luggage tags and Cuban flags, which they were encouraged to wave.
The arrival opens a new era of U.S.-Cuba travel with about 300 flights a week connecting the U.S. with an island cut off from most Americans by the 55-year-old trade embargo on Cuba and formal ban on U.S. citizens engaging in tourism on the island.
"Seeing the American airlines landing routinely around the island will drive a sense of openness, integration and normality. That has a huge psychological impact," said Richard Feinberg, author of the new book "Open for Business: Building the New Cuban Economy."
Also Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the carriers selected to operate routes to Havana: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines.
The department said in a statement that carriers will serve the Cuban capital from Atlanta, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York City, Orlando and Tampa.
Airlines are obligated to begin flights within 90 days right after Thanksgiving but may begin earlier. Delta said it would launch daily service Dec. 1 from Atlanta, Miami and New York's John F. Kennedy Airport, "subject to Cuban regulatory approval," with flights going on sale Sept. 10.
Spirit also said it aims to run twice-a-day flights to Havana beginning Dec. 1, from Fort Lauderdale.
The restart of commercial travel between the two countries is one of the most important steps in President Barack Obama's two-year-old policy of normalizing relations with the island. Historians disagree on the exact date of the last commercial flight but it appears to have been after Cuba banned incoming flights during the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Secretary of State John Kerry said on Twitter that the last commercial flight was in 1961.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes both addressed passengers on board the 150-seat Airbus A320, which was staffed by a specially selected five-member crew of Cuban-Americans. Airline executives changed from American business attire into loose-fitting Cuban-style guayabera shirts before landing.
"This is one of the most visible examples of the president's activities to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba," Foxx said.
"It's a positive step and a concrete contribution to the process of improving relations between the two countries," Cuba's vice minister of transportation Eduardo Rodriguez told journalists Monday.
Neta Rodriguez, a 62-year-old Havana-born South Florida homemaker, checked in Wednesday morning with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandsons for a visit to family in Santa Clara and Havana.
More than the historic nature of the flight, she said she appreciated the $200 price and the ability to book online instead of visiting a charter office
U.S. travel to Cuba is on track to triple this year to more than 300,000 visitors in the wake of the 2014 declaration of detente. Cuba's cash-starved centrally planned economy has been bolstered by the boom in U.S. visitors, along with hundreds of thousands of travelers from other nations hoping to see Cuba before more Americans arrive.
Commercial flights are expected to significantly increase the number of American visitors, although it's not clear by how much. Many of the air routes are currently used by expensive charter flights that are largely expected to go out of business with the advent of regularly scheduled service from the U.S.
Hundreds of thousands of Cuban-born Americans fly to the island each year with the chaotic, understaffed charter companies, which require four-hour check-in waits and charge high rates for any luggage in excess of restrictive baggage allowances. Americans without ties to Cuba have found it hard to negotiate the charters, most of which don't accept online bookings or help travelers navigate the federal affidavit still required for U.S. travelers to Cuba.
Cuban officials insist the continuing U.S. ban on tourism will limit the impact of commercial flights to Cuba, but some experts believe the drastic reduction in the difficulty of flying to Cuba could turn the surge in U.S. visitors into a tidal wave. Americans are allowed to visit the island on "people-to-people" cultural and educational visits, among other reasons.
Americans who fit one of 12 categories will now be able to fill out a federal affidavit by clicking a box on an online form and, in many cases, buy their Cuban tourist visa near the check-in counters of U.S. airports. Within weeks, Americans will be able to fly direct from cities including Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis, Miami and Fort Lauderdale to eight Cuban cities and two beach resorts. (ags)
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Linkedin Kelvin Chan (Associated Press) Hong Kong Thu, September 1, 2016
Hong Kongers head to the polls Sunday to choose candidates for the semiautonomous city's legislature, in the first major election since 2014's pro-democracy street protests. That movement drew world attention to the former British colony's struggle over stunted democratic development under Chinese rule and paved the way for a burgeoning independence movement that's complicating the upcoming vote. Here's a look at the issues:
NEW WAVE:
Candidates from a new wave of activist groups that emerged in the wake of the student-led "Umbrella" or "Occupy" movement are challenging established pro-Beijing and "pan-democrat" parties for seats in the Legislative Council, or Legco. With the nonviolent 2014 protests failing to yield any concessions from Beijing over its plan to restrict elections for the city's top leader, many activists support more confrontational tactics and radical action. In all, 214 candidates are running for 35 seats.
BALANCE OF POWER:
Pro-democracy candidates will compete with each other and with a narrower range of candidates from well-funded pro-Beijing parties. The voting results, expected Monday, will reflect to some extent the degree of anti-Beijing sentiment in Hong Kong, as authorities take an increasingly hard line. But they'll also be colored by the pro-Beijing side's ability to muster resources, and by the pro-democracy camp's disorganization. The main thing to watch for will be whether pro-democracy parties hold on to at least one third of council seats, enough to block legislation. They currently hold 27 of 70 seats.
INDEPENDENCE:
A key theme of this year's vote is a growing call for independence from China, which took control of the city from Britain in 1997. Such talk was once considered unthinkable but has become commonplace as residents fret over Beijing's tightening grip. A university poll in July of about 1,000 people found 17.4 percent supported independence, though only 4 percent thought it possible. This summer, election officials disqualified six candidates for pro-independence views and required candidates to sign a pledge that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China. On Tuesday the Hong Kong government threatened it would take unspecified action against candidates advocating independence, though it did not name any.
RADICAL SPECTRUM:
Not all the newcomers advocate independence. Some want Hong Kong-focused localism and others desire full autonomy. Rookie candidate Nathan Law's Demosisto party proposes a referendum on "self-determination" for Hong Kong. The party was founded in April by Law, 23, and 19-year-old activist Joshua Wong, both of whom were sentenced to community service last month for joining a unlawful assembly that sparked the 2014 protests.
CHINESE DEMOCRACY:
Council elections are held every four years. Half of the 70 seats are not up for citywide election; they are tied to various business and trade groups, such as finance, fishing and medicine, and people in those sectors will decide who fills them. People with Communist Party ties dominated many of these "functional constituencies," and pro-democracy groups want the special-interest seats eliminated. They also want direct elections for Hong Kong's top leader, currently hand-picked by a committee of mostly pro-Beijing elites. China's government insists on screening out unfriendly candidates.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Murder defendant Jessica Kumala Wongso has stressed that she was only interested in men and strongly denied claims that she was sexually attracted to women.
"A lot of the expert's statements are untrue and I want to say it firmly that I'm only interested in men; in the past, now and in the future, Jessica told judges during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday.
I didnt know that the questions during the police's interrogation were intended to trap me. I will say it again, I'm not interested in women, he added.
Earlier during the trial, Judge Kisworo revealed that University of Indonesia professor of psychology Dr. Sarlito Wirawan Sarwono had written in the police interrogation report that there were indications Jessica was a homosexual. Judge Binsar Gultom also asked Sarlito about the conversation between Jessica and Wayan Mirna Salihin, in which Jessica asked for a kiss from Mirna.
Sarlito, who appeared as a witness on Thursday, said that Jessicas potential homosexuality was the teams presumption, but needed further verification. The presumption came from the results of Jessicas test, which was conducted by psychologist Rinny Wowor. However, the presumption is not certain, Sarlito told the judges.
Sarlito said the psychologist team had not conducted an in-depth investigation of Jessicas sexual orientation.
Meanwhile, Jessicas lawyer Sordame Purba said that the conversation in which Jessica asked for kiss from Mirna could not be found in the police report. The defense team asked prosecutors to present the transcript of the conversation, a request that was refused by prosecutors. (bbn)
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Indonesia is asking the UN for technical assistance to help it provide financial inclusion to small businesses, such as farmers and fishermen, throughout the country, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has said.
In a courtesy call with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands during her visit as the UN secretary-general's special advocate for inclusive finance for development, Jokowi asked the queen to support the widening of financial inclusion in the country, particularly for small businesses.
Supporting regulations would need to be prepared and the UN, through Queen Maxima, will hopefully provide technical assistance to help the country speed up the process, Jokowi said after the meeting at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday.
The two also reportedly discussed the development of financial technology (fintech) during their one-hour talk, with the UN expressing its commitment to assisting fintech development.
"Yesterday, she met with some of our young people who own applications or software related to fintech. She has chosen two people to be given financial development assistance to accelerate fintech in Indonesia," he explained.
The president instructed financial institutions in Indonesia to support the development of micro-enterprises. "I have urged OJK and BI to encourage our micro-businesses, both regarding micro-finance regulation, fintech, as well as collateral for micro business. I think this is very important since Indonesia has huge micro-business potential," he said. (ags)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Recent research by recruitment firm Robert Walters found that 85 percent of overseas Indonesians were interested in returning to Indonesia because of several factors, one of them being lower living costs back home.
The research is based on a survey and interviews with 650 jobseekers and hiring managers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. From the interviewed Indonesian professionals overseas, 85 percent were interested in going home. The percentage is highest among five other surveyed countries: Singapore (82 percent), Thailand (81 percent), Vietnam (70 percent), and Malaysia (60 percent).
In general, the top three reasons why Asians overseas wanted to return home was to care for aging parents, awareness that local talents having experience abroad could command higher salaries at home, and affinity with the culture at home. For Indonesia, another pull factor in the interest is lower living costs, the survey said.
"Our global salary survey in 2016 reflected the strong demand for skilled IT professionals, particularly those with specialist skills in cyber security and e-commerce. With returning Asians also seeking employment opportunities in this sector, we expect IT to be the one of the most areas of recruitment in 2016," Southeast Asia managing director Toby Fowlston said on Wednesday.
However, 80 percent of the overseas workers will not return until they secure a job in their home country. Companies also run a risk to lose the returning workers if they fail to give them career progression and work-life balance.
The latest government data shows that in 2014, around 429,872 Indonesians were working abroad. The number does not distinguish between professionals and domestic workers. (evi)
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
An Indonesian woman has been infected with the Zika virus in Singapore, in the first case of the disease affecting an Indonesian national, the Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said the information was communicated by the Singapore Ministry of Health to the Indonesian Embassy. The woman, whose name and age were not disclosed by officials, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Singapore.
Arrmanatha told journalists that the patient had tested positive for Zika. However, out of concern for her privacy, Singapores Health Ministry had only stated that she was Indonesian and female, he said.
The ministry had yet to receive information on whether the woman was pregnant, which could be dangerous as the disease can cause microcephaly, a birth defect in which babies are born with small heads. Arrmanatha said further details would be immediately sought by the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore.
He added that the ministry was coordinating closely with Indonesias Health Ministry over a plan to issue health advice for Indonesian nationals in Singapore, in an effort to raise awareness so that people could protect themselves from the virus.
The Health Ministrys disease control director general, Muhammad Subuh, said on Monday that immigration officials would start requiring people arriving from Singapore to fill in health alert cards to assist with early detection of the virus and to limit its spread. (dmr)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
University of Indonesia criminology expert Ronny Nitibaskara testified in the trial of Jessica Kumala Wongso on Thursday, saying that according to physiognomy, Jessica was not a psychopath but was emotionally unstable and narcissistic.
The physiognomy method is an assessment based on the outer appearance, especially the face.
At first, I thought she was a psychopath. There are 22 characteristic of psychopaths but I only found four characteristics in her. It means nothing, Ronny told the judges, adding that psychopaths do not have a motive when carrying out crimes.
After two examinations and CCTV monitoring, Ronny concluded that Jessica was not a psychopath but was emotionally unstable. The assessment indicated that Jessicas feelings were highly changeable and that she had a great desire to be loved, had difficulty maintaining relationships, hated criticism, was sensitive and could be spiteful.
Even if you manage to end a relationship, unstable personalities still want you to remain loyal, Ronny said, adding that in extreme cases, a person of this type could kill someone.
Meanwhile, narcissistic behavior makes people constantly seek acknowledgement and attention. They also have the potential to hurt other people without feeling guilty.
At the beginning of the trial, Jessicas lawyer Otto Hasibuan rejected the idea of Ronny testifying in court as he was worried the criminologist would not be an independent expert. Ronny is an advisor of National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and could have tendencies to support the police. However, the judges refused the lawyers rejection and continued the trial. (bbn)
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Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Thu, September 1, 2016
To prevent the spread of the Zika virus in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), port health authorities at Lombok International Airport in Mataram have tightened the monitoring of travelers, especially those arriving from Singapore.
At the airport, we have strengthened our surveillance of flight passengers from Singapore. This is to anticipate Zika [virus], said Datu Kusumajati, coordinator of the Port Health Office (KKP) at Lombok Airport, on Thursday.
Among anticipatory measures taken by the office include the installation of thermo-scanners at the airports international arrival terminal and the distribution of Health Alert Cards (HAC) that all passengers are required to fill, he further said.
We also carry out aircraft sanitation and insect eradication measures in line with existing procedures, said Datu.
As earlier reported, the Health Ministry, via its disease control and environmental health directorate general, had sent a circular to all KKP offices, including in NTB. They were requested to increase their readiness in facing the risks of the Zika virus spread from Singapore.
Dated on Aug. 30 and signed by Disease Control and Environmental Health director general Muhammad Subuh, the circular states that all KKP officials must give special attention to travelers arriving from Singapore by, among others things, requiring them to fill HACs.
Any indications of the Zika fever must be reported to the Health Ministrys airport outbreak posts within 24 hours. Port authorities must also inform indications of the infection to health agencies in their respected areas.
We have coordinated with state airport authority Angkasa Pura and airline operators on these anticipatory measures. We have not yet found any Zika case at the Lombok Airport, but we must remain vigilant, said Datu. (ebf)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1 2016
The government is set to discuss the reinstatement of former energy and mineral resources minister Arcandra Tahars Indonesian citizenship with the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs in early September.
Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly explained that Arcandra had gained US citizenship in 2012. Under Indonesian law, Arcandra then automatically lost Indonesian citizenship, which should have been followed by a ministerial decree to officially revoke his citizenship. The decree had yet to be issued, Yasonna added.
However, as Arcandra had renounced his US citizenship shortly after being offered a position as an Indonesian Cabinet minister, Yasonna said, his office could not issue the decree to officially revoke Arcandras citizenship as it would make him stateless.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
News
The former executive director of property giant PT Agung Podomoro Land, Ariesman Widjaja, has been sentenced to three years in prison for bribery related to a controversial Jakarta Bay reclamation project.
"He is proven guilty and therefore sentenced to serve three years in prison and a Rp 200 million [US$15,037] fine," presiding judge Sumpeno said at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday.
The sentence was lighter than that sought by prosecutors, who demanded four years in prison and a Rp 250 million fine as Ariesman was deemed to be the mastermind behind the graft. However, the sentence reflected that Ariesman displayed a good attitude in court, had not been involved in crime before and had given a contribution to the Jakarta administration.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Ariesman a suspect in April after discovering that he gave Rp 2 billion (US$150,375) to former city councilor Muhammad Sanusi to influence the deliberation of draft bills on Jakarta's Zoning Plan and Northern Coastal Territory (RZWP3K) for 2015-2035 and on the draft North Jakarta strategic area regional spatial plan bylaw.
The court previously heard testimony from dozens of witnesses including Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama.
Earlier, Ariesmans defense team denied the bribery accusations, claiming that the money given to Sanusi was from a friend to help the latter run in next years Jakarta gubernatorial election. (fac)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Police on Thursday arrested five suspects in a possibly racially motivated assault that occurred at a Transjakarta bus stop in Senayan last Friday night.
We arrested five of Andrews attackers at 4 a.m. in their houses in Tambora, West Jakarta. We are still hunting for two others, the head of the Jakarta Polices mobile detectives unit, Adj. Sr. Corm. Budi Hermanto, said in Jakarta on Thursday.
Andrew Budikusuma, a Chinese-Indonesian, said he boarded a bus at the West Kuningan stop at 8:30 p.m. His attackers boarded at 9 p.m. and immediately glared at him, shouting Youre Ahok, arent you? referring to Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is also Chinese-Indonesian.
When the bus reached the JCC bus stop in Senayan, several of the suspects allegedly attacked Andrew and tried to drag him off the bus. Andrew hit one of his assailants with a glass bottle that was within reach, which apparently deterred the others.
After the attack, Andrew went to the emergency department at Siloam Hospital in Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta, to treat an injured lip and a bump on the head.
Andrew reported the incident to the Jakarta Police on Tuesday.
The five suspects were identified as DS, 21, HBP, 26, MA alias Aweng, 31, SR, 17, and AR, 21. They are accused of violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code on assault, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment. (sha/bbn)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Internet flame wars are likely to be scorching in the lead-up to the simultaneous regional elections next year, especially in Jakarta, with candidates supporters logging on to the net to prop up their candidate and slam his or her rivals, an expert has said.
Multimedia expert from the Institute for Press and Development Studies Ignatius Haryanto said more netizens would use social media platforms and the comment sections of online news portals to comment on the election. The trend started in 2012 when then Surakarta mayor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama ran as a pair in the Jakarta gubernatorial elections, Ignatius told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
"Candidates will no longer wage billboard warfare campaigns but will use social media platforms instead. This medium, unfortunately, can also be used by candidates to attack each other," Ignatius said.
These skirmishes would also flourish in the comments sections of news sites where people could make offensive comments while hiding behind pseudonyms, he added.
To deal with this, Ignatius suggested that editorial teams of news portals actively filter and curate readers' comments, block any trolls and delete blasphemous statements made about any candidates.
Meanwhile, University of Indonesia media observer Ade Armando said the online participation of netizens during elections was normal, as it was part of the freedom of expression. What all parties must bear in mind, he added, was that any attacks based on race, religion and ethnicity were not permissible.
Still, he noticed that several online media outlets did not filter harsh comments due to fears of limiting freedom of expression.
"I really think that any comments that are outrageous need to be deleted," Ade added. (rin)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Jakarta city councilor Syarif has said Thursday that the South Jakarta administrations recent eviction of residents in Rawajati was illegal as there was no official person in charge and no eviction order.
I asked for the eviction order, but they did not have it, Syarif said in Rawajati, Pancoran, as quoted by tempo.co, in South Jakarta, on Thursday.
Syarif said the eviction had displaced hundreds of people from about 60 families. He said the decision to evict the residents was made too hastily. I asked the Rawajati subdistrict head and Pancoran district head about it, but instead of giving me an answer, they ran, he said.
The forced eviction led to a clash between public order officers and residents and caused traffic congestion near the Kalibata City apartment complex in South Jakarta.
The South Jakarta administration said it wanted to clear the area near the railway tracks at Duren Kalibata Station because people illegally selling goods there was causing traffic jams. The administration said it wanted to turn the area into a green belt.
Residents have refused the administrations offer to move to the Marunda low-cost apartment complex in North Jakarta, saying that it is located too far away. Marunda is 35 kilometers from Duren Kalibata Station. (evi)
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
While the clock is ticking for the implementation of the much-discussed Tax Amnesty Law, the issuance of the latest amnesty regulation on special purpose vehicles (SPVs) has been deemed too late by business players and experts.
The Finance Ministry published on Tuesday evening Finance Ministerial Regulation (PMK) No. 127/2016 that lays out amnesty procedures for taxpayers that own indirect assets through special purpose vehicles.
It is the fifth PMK issued so far under the tax amnesty program.
According to the regulation, an SPV is a firm established solely to serve a specific purpose in line with the founders interests such as a purchase or investment financing and a firm that does not conduct active business activities.
The regulation stipulates that taxpayers who own assets in the name of an SPV must declare them in a statement. They will then face two options: dissolve the SPV or transfer their rights on the assets.
The asset rights can be transferred to individual taxpayers themselves or to an Indonesian legal entity in the form of a limited liability company.
Should the taxpayers bring back their assets from overseas or if the assets are already within Indonesian territory, penalty rates of 2 percent to 5 percent will be imposed upon them.
However, if they decide to keep the assets outside Indonesia, the same rate of 4 percent to 10 percent will be applied. The penalty rates for both schemes are the same as the ones charged on other taxpayers who do not own SPVs.
The regulation also stipulates that if the rights transfer is carried out before Dec. 31, 2017, the assets will be exempted from income tax. Conversely, failure to transfer the rights before the deadline will result in the imposition of income tax.
Taxation Directorate General spokesman Hestu Yoga Saksama said the PMK was issued to respond to high demand from businesspeople for such a regulation.
President Joko Jokowi Widodo, Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati have all claimed that the government would prioritize targeting wealthy Indonesians and assets repatriation instead of small taxpayers.
Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) advisory board member Chris Kanter acknowledged that many businesspeoplein possession of hefty fundsused SPVs to keep their assets.
However, he said the regulations timing was a little too late.
Many taxpayers are only beginning to notice the existence of this regulation. They will need time to prepare the requirements before eventually applying for the amnesty. The time provided until Sept. 30 will not be enough, he said.
Sept. 30 is the deadline set for the first phase of the tax amnesty program, during which the penalty rates are set the lowest. The rates will gradually increase in the second phase that ends in December and in the last phase that ends in March 2017.
The government expects to see the highest number of tax amnesty participants in the first phase.
Center for Indonesia Taxation Analysis (CITA) executive director Yustinus Prastowo voiced a similar view to Chris, saying the regulation should have been issued sooner.
September is just a month away. The government may need to issue a Perppu [regulation in lieu of law] to extend the first amnesty period and give more of a chance for those who want to participate.
Despite kicking off on July 1, the amnesty has so far progressed at a snails pace. As of Wednesday, penalty payments reached just 1.9 percent of the target, while asset repatriation stood at 1 percent of the target.
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Linkedin Rendi A. Witular (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
It took newly appointed Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati around 45 minutes to convince lawmakers last week of the urgent need to restructure several major state-owned enterprises (SOEs) so that they could punch above their weight.
She told them: 1+1+1+1+1 equals three, not five is an illustration of how our SOEs have largely failed in their operations to create added value.
It is now our job to make 1+1+1+1+1 equals not five, but 10.
In the hearing with House of Representatives Commission VI on SOEs, industry and trade, Sri Mulyani initiated the governments bid to get legislative support for a plan to form six holding companies operating different sectors with the aim of boosting their value, debt leverage and efficiency.
The proposal was first floated by SOE Minister Rini Soemarno in June, but it failed to gain traction until Sri Mulyani officially laid out a plan to legislators, most of whom demanded that the finance minister lead the restructuring plan.
Rini has been banned from attending any meetings at the House since last year and has since been represented at the House by the finance minister. The ban is in part due to a row she had with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, President Joko Jokowi Widodos patron.
While Sri Mulyani acknowledged that she had not discussed the plan specifically with Rini, she fully shared Rinis objective to have all SOEs restructured so that they could operate more efficiently.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (left) and State Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno (right)(JP/Jerry Adiguna)
Under the restructuring plan, oil and gas company Pertamina, the only Indonesian company listed on the Fortune Global 500 in terms of revenue, will become the holding company for oil and gas, overseeing only publicly listed PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN).
Aluminum producer PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) will be the parent company for mining, overseeing diversified mining company PT Antam, coal miner PT Bukit Asam and tin miner PT Timah. Inalum will also hold the governments 9.36 percent shares in copper and gold producer PT Freeport McMoran Indonesia.
The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) will function as the holding company for food companies, which include agriculture firm PT Pertani and fishery firm PT Perikanan Nusantara, among others.
Investment company PT Danareksa will be the holding company for banking and financial services, overseeing Bank Mandiri, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Bank Negara Indonesia, Bank Tabungan Negara Indonesia, financing firm PT PNM and pawn operator PT Pegadaian.
Construction company PT Hutama Karya will be the parent company of toll road and construction companies, such as toll road operator PT Jasa Marga and construction firm PT Wijaya Karya.
Public housing company PT Perumnas will function as the holding company for housing firms, which include property contractor PT Adhi Karya and property firm PT Pembangunan Perumahan, among others.
A government regulation is planned to serve as the legal umbrella for the forming of the holding companies.
With the structure of the holding companies having been drafted, there is the question of what the actual gains will be from the restructuring proposal.
According to the restructuring document submitted by the government to the House, the companies, through the holding companies, could borrow more for expansion as their debt capacity leverage would increase in line with the merging of their assets. The cost of borrowings could also be trimmed down.
Synergy between companies under the same holding company could be maximized through resource sharing, project collaboration and a shared transactional program, thus improving efficiency, according to the document.
Data:(Research /The Jakarta Post)
The holding companies would also accelerate the creation of downstream companies as supplies and processing units would be shared between companies. This would also increase the use of local components and commodities.
The idea of forming such holding companies was conceived in 2004, during the president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono administration, but progress in the implementation remained sluggish.
Only three holding companies have been formed over the past decade: PT Semen Indonesia to oversee three cement companies, PT Pupuk Indonesia Holding Company to manage six fertilizer producers and PT Perkebunan Nusantara to direct 13 plantation companies.
But the forming of such companies is not without problems, particularly over the blending of different company cultures and the ego of their executives, who often have an array of politicians as their backers. In some cases, infighting pared down profitability of the holding companies in the early years.
Consolidation is the key. Failure to do so will undermine decision-making and harm company performance, said Budi Gunadi Sadikin, an expert staff member of the SOE minister.
Thats why the SOE Ministry is taking the matter very seriously, said the former Bank Mandiri president director, who is tipped to lead the holding company for mining companies.
As the restructuring plan seems to be politically tricky and will have far-reaching impacts on the economy, Sri Mulyani urged lawmakers not to engage in endless debate to question whether the move was needed.
(Read also: Holding company: The Astra International way)
She argued that corporate actions in SOEs should be flexible without having to deal with a mountain of red tape, and that restructuring should be considered a normal corporate action that was deemed normal in many advanced economies.
The real debate should be on the how; on the process of the restructuring itself. How can we resolve the political process, combine the balance sheets, blend the different corporate cultures and limit the socioeconomic impacts, said the iron lady.
Since the restructuring will involve a number of publicly listed companies, Sri Mulyani has pledged to protect and listen to the interests of minority shareholders, whom she said had demonstrated goodwill by owning shares.
Indonesia has 119 SOEs, from monopolistic state power company PLN, the biggest state company by assets, to publicly listed Bank Mandiri, the nations biggest bank in terms of assets.
As the backbone of the economy, the SOEs are engaged in almost all sectors, from producing food and medicine to condoms and computer components.
Despite progress in the past decade, most of the companies are mired in protracted inefficiency despite the many facilities they are awarded by the state.
Some firms have often been used to accommodate the cronies of the President. For example, the position of commissioners in toll road operator Jasa Marga is filled by the Presidents campaign member and cousin.
Graft is also rampant in some companies, as evident in the prosecution of executives from Adhi Karya, PGN, PLN, port operator PT Pelindo, to name but a few.
(Read also: Consolidating state companies)
Decision-making in SOEs is considered sluggish, with major undertakings needing to secure approval from ministries and the House.
Hinging on the lack of flexibility, Minister Rini has proposed abolishing the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry and replacing it with a superholding company. That is, if the forming of the holding companies proceeds smoothly as planned.
Rini has rekindled Indonesias long-held desire to have highly valued SOEs, such as a sovereign wealth fund or an investment company, more or less like Temasek Holdings in Singapore or Khazanah Nasional Berhad in Malaysia.
She said the planned restructuring was also in line with a plan to revise Law No. 19/2003 on SOEs, which has been included among the Houses priority bills for deliberation for this year, with the intention of granting SOEs the needed flexibility in decision-making.
There should be an entity that can manage the SOEs in a fast, efficient and effective way as in the best practices of corporations. The current format only allows SOEs to punch below their weight, Rini, former CEO diversified conglomerate PT Astra International, said recently. (dan)
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam Thu, September 1 2016
Recent cases of Zika in Singapore have caused concern among the people of Riau Islands, who rely on foreign currency from visitors transiting in the province.
Those traveling to Batam, Bintan and Karimun usually transit there.
The chairman of the Batam branch of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies (Asita Batam), Andika, said the impacts of warnings issued by Taiwan, South Korea and Australia against traveling to Singapore would be felt within the next 15 days.
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Linkedin Sarah El Deeb (Associated Press) Beirut Thu, September 1, 2016
With the killing of Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, the Islamic State group lost one of its most powerful figures, a militant with multiple roles: A propaganda chief, overseer of spectacular attacks in Europe and a trusted lieutenant of the group's top leader.
Al-Adnani was the mastermind of the extremist group's strategy of lashing out abroad with attacks that overshadowed its battlefield losses in Syria and Iraq. He formed militant cells in Europe to carry out organized attacks and inspired "lone wolves" who struck out on their own.
Coming on the heels of the death of the group's war minister, al-Adnani's loss is likely to prompt a shake-up in the IS leadership and may force its shadowy leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to address the loss of its most charismatic figure.
"Only al-Baghdadi is a more important leader, and al-Adnani was probably positioned to succeed al-Baghadi if he was killed," Thomas Joscelyn, a researcher with the U.S.-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said in an email to The Associated Press.
In a statement announcing his death, IS described al-Adnani as a descendent of Prophet Muhammad's family and tribe, attributes also used to describe al-Baghdadi.
Still, both the Islamic State group and its forerunner, al-Qaida in Iraq have overcome past leadership losses, said Joscelyn, editor of the Long War Journal.
News of al-Adnani's death sparked conflicting claims from Washington and Moscow over who targeted him. Russia said Wednesday it killed him along with 40 other militants in a strike in the northwestern Syrian city of Aleppo.
Washington said al-Adnani was targeted by a U.S. airstrike on the nearby city of al-Bab, though U.S. officials were still confirming his death.
Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Wednesday that Washington had no information "to support Russia's claim."
The IS-run Aamaq news agency announced Tuesday that al-Adnani was "martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns in Aleppo." It didn't provide details.
A U.S. defense official said al-Adnani was believed to have been hit as he was getting into a vehicle in al-Bab, an IS stronghold in Aleppo province that is targeted by American- and Turkish-backed fighters in the push against the extremist group. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence information.
The Soufan Group, a Washington-based consultancy firm that monitors IS activities, said that if confirmed, al-Adnani's death would be one of IS's "most significant personnel losses."
"The death of al-Adnani could blunt the group's siren song to terror, both directed and inspired," the Soufan Group said, though it cautioned that al-Adnani's death is unlikely to bring a halt to IS attacks abroad. IS has already had plenty of time to put plans in place for further strikes, it said.
As a main recruiter of foreign fighters, al-Adnani is believed to have planned and put in action attacks such as the November 2015 Paris attacks that killed more than 100 people. He is also believed to have directed the attacks on the Brussels and Istanbul airports, and the bloody hostage attack in Bangladesh.
The downing of a Russian passenger plane in Egypt's Sinai peninsula as well as the December 2015 attack in San Bernardino, California, and the assault in June on a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, also happened under al-Adnani's watch.
Over 1,800 people were killed and 4,000 wounded in attacks overseen by al-Adnani, said a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was no authorized to speak to reporters.
He also oversaw attacks in Baghdad that killed more than 300 people, carried out in retaliation for the Iraqi military's recapture earlier this year of Fallujah, said two Iraqi officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Al-Adnani, whose real name was Taha Sobhi Falaha, was born in the northern Syrian province of Idlib.
Details of his militant career emerged in on-line eulogies and statements by the Islamic State group and its supporters.
Al-Adnani was one of the first to pledge allegiance to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who founded the precursor of IS after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. He rose to be one of his most trusted advisers, and supporters say that al-Zarqawi once told al-Adnani: "Don't consult me, just brief me."
His death, like al-Zarqawi's in a 2006 U.S. airstrike, will only empower al-Adnani's "soldiers," the militants said in announcing al-Adnani's death.
Al-Adnani was a learned student of Islam, becoming strictly observant at a young age. He was a devout reader of religious books, eventually writing his own explainers about Islamic laws and traditions. He leaves behind a wealth of recorded messages with his distinct nasal voice reciting poetry in classical Arabic. His supporters said he was so zealous about teaching that there were times when he would hold as many as 14 classes a night.
He was arrested frequently by the Syrian government, including in the border town of Boukamal as he headed for the first time to Iraq in the early 2000s. He was imprisoned by the Americans twice in Iraq, spending six years in prison, held along with al-Zarqawi's strongest backers.
In Iraq, al-Adnani set up a military camp in Haditha, west of Baghdad, where he trained new recruits. He was a religious judge in Iraq's militant-held western Anbar area before taking on the role of the spokesman for IS's precursor organization, reflecting how trusted he had become as a veteran member of the group.
In late June 2014, al-Adnani formally announced the formation of a caliphate, or Islamic state, stretching across parts of Syria and Iraq, under al-Baghdadi's leadership and demanded allegiance from Muslims worldwide.
A powerful orator, he went on to become the voice of IS. He released numerous audio files online in which he delivered fiery sermons urging followers to kill civilians in nations that supported the U.S.-led coalition against the group.
Earlier this year, he called for massive attacks during Ramadan, a call that translated into the bloodiest Muslim holy month in recent memory. The Iraqi officials said he was believed to be personally responsible for al-Baghadadi's policy of remaining in deep hiding, and that he chaired meetings on al-Baghdadi's behalf.
"Al-Adnani served several roles. Therefore, he may be replaced by multiple men," Joscelyn said. (ags)
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Linkedin Grace D. Amianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are seeking foreign loans to finance massive state projects that cannot be solely supported by local sources of financing, the SOE Ministry says.
The SOE Ministrys assistant for financial services, surveyor and consultant Gatot Trihargo, said various funding sources, including overseas ones, would play an essential role in supporting state project development, as the lending capacity of domestic banks was limited to around Rp 450 trillion (US$33.75 billion) to Rp 500 trillion.
Of course we are planning for more [foreign loans]. A single foreign loan totaling $3 billion and foreign direct investments are still not enough, he said, referring to a previous bilateral loan provided by China Development Bank (CDB) and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to three state-owned banks to support infrastructure projects in the next five years.
As the Joko Jokowi Widodo administration targeted infrastructure development worth Rp 5.5 quadrillion to reach a 7 percent economic growth target, financing from various sources alongside the state budget was constantly needed, Gatot added.
Gatot said the SOE Ministry was currently assessing opportunities for loans from creditors in the US, UK, Japan and Scandinavian countries, while also confirming that it would continue to pursue new loan commitments from CDB and ICBC.
We still need to confirm [the development progress] of proposed state projects. State-run banks, as they are publicly listed, also need to conduct prudent assessment. If they are okay, the creditors are ready to provide the loans, he said, declining to mention the creditors names.
State-owned Bank Mandiri, the nations largest lender by assets, would seek new loan commitment from CDB, but would only start channeling the funds next year, president director Kartika Tiko Wirjoatmodjo said.
Bilateral loans sought by state-owned companies could help balance financing needs to support government infrastructure projects amid spending cuts, Bank Central Asia (BCA) chief economist David Sumual said, adding that the country still had a low debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio at 36.8 percent compared to other emerging markets.
The private sector has low interest to seek foreign loans as they are currently in the wait-and-see mode for a trigger from the government infrastructure spending, he said.
The countrys external debt rose by 6.2 percent year-on-year (yoy) to $323.8 billion as of June, with $165.1 billion, or 51 percent of the total, coming from the private sector, Bank Indonesia (BI) data show.
Despite having a major chunk, the private sectors external debt declined by 3.1 percent yoy in June, compared to a 17.9 percent increase in public-sector debt. BI views the condition as still healthy, but remains vigilant about the risks to the national economy.
The previous CDB loan for the three state-run lenders was criticized repeatedly by House of Representatives lawmakers on Commissions XI and VI, who claimed the credits channeled to the banks clients were actually of a multi-purpose nature rather than specifically for infrastructure projects.
The loans were also allegedly channeled to companies that they deemed as undeserving to receive credit. Among the companies receiving funds from the state-controlled lenders are pulp and paper companies Indah Kiat and Pindo Deli, cementmaker Bosowa, energy company Medco and steelmaker Krakatau Steel.
After debating the matter in several sessions, Commission VI lawmakers finally concluded on Monday that the lenders were, in fact, allowed to continue the CDB loan as long as it was for feasible projects and conducted prudently.
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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru, Riau Thu, September 1, 2016
The Port Health Office (KKP) of Pekanbaru has installed thermo-scanners at entrance gates across Riau, following the issuance of a Health Ministry circular, which ordered all KKPs to tighten monitoring of travelers arriving from Singapore.
Pekanbaru KKP head Budi Hidayat said all travelers from Singapore were subject to health examinations to prevent the spread of the Zika virus.
Thermo-scanners installed at ports would give warnings if there was a passenger with a body temperature of more than 38 degrees Celsius. Personnel have been deployed at arrival terminals in all sea and airports. If they find passengers suspected of suffering from Zika, they should take quarantine measures before referring them to a hospital, said Budi.
He further said all passengers arriving from Singapore were also required to fill health alert cards (HAC) so that it would be easier for health officials to take action.
If they find a passenger with health problems after he or she arrives from a Zika-infected countries, they must bring him or her to the nearest healthcare facility for medical treatment, Budi said.
Preventive measures must be increased because Riau directly borders with Singapore. Passenger monitoring aims to detect whether the Zika virus is currently spreading from our neighboring country by way of travelers' bodies.
Passenger surveillance has taken place at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru since last Tuesday. In a week, the airport serves five flights to Singapore. Silk Air serves Pekanbaru-Singapore route on Wednesdays and Fridays at 1:05 p.m. local time while Jet Star flies to Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 5:35 p.m. (ebf)
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Responding to the lawsuit filed by dozens of evicted residents of the Zeni complex in Mampang, South Jakarta, against the Indonesian Military (TNI), Jakarta Military Command spokesperson Col. Inf. Heri Prakosa, said the military was ready to answer the accusations in court.
Let them sue us. We respect them. Its better for us to settle this case in a courtroom so that we can show them the evidence we have and they can show us what they have, Heri told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Heri said the relocation of the Zeni residents in January 2016 had been conducted in accordance with the proper procedures. The TNI had informed the residents beforehand, and sent them three eviction notices.
We also prepared land for them in Cilodong, Depok, together with buildings and compensation, Heri said.
On Wednesday, the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta) assisted 31 families who claimed ownership of land in the Zeni complex to file a lawsuit against the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD), Zeni directorate, and Jakarta Military commander (Pangdam Jaya) at the South Jakarta District Court. They said TNI personnel had forcefully evicted them on Jan. 17 and requested the military give back their land and Rp 14 billion (US$1.06 million) in compensation.
They said the land did not belong to the TNI. In 1959, some TNI officers bought land there and built private houses using their own money. LBH Jakarta said that until now, the TNI had never shown the legal documents that proved their ownership. (evi)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1 2016
The Health Ministry issued a travel advisory on Wednesday for Indonesians wishing to travel to Singapore, following a Zika virus outbreak that has infected more than 80 people in the city-state.
Indonesians wanting to go [to Singapore] should think twice. If it is an absolute must, they can go. However, it is better to postpone travel plans, Health Minister Nila Moeloek said as quoted by kompas.com.
As of today, 82 people have been infected in Singapore by the virus transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which also carries the dengue and chikungunya viruses, The Straits Times reported. Reports said 34 of the patients had recovered as of Sunday.
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Jeneponto, South Sulawesi Thu, September 1, 2016
At least two people died and 63 others were rushed to hospitals and clinics after consuming green mussels in Mallasoro village, Bangkala district, Jeneponto, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, 24 people were still being treated at three hospitals and two clinics in Mallasoro, Bangkala, Jeneponto and Makassar.
Jeneponto Deputy Regent Mulyadi Mustamu said local people in Bangkala had consumed green mussels for generations, but this time they fell ill.
This is an extraordinary incident. This is the first time people have been poisoned and two died, he said.
Two weeks ago, 14 residents of Bonto Ujung village also fell sick after consuming mussels, but no one died. In an anticipatory measure, the regency administration has temporarily banned people from eating mussels.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
Dozens of workers recently staged a rally in front of the Constitutional Court demanding the annulment of the Tax Amnesty Law, during the first hearing of their judicial review against the law. They warned of nationwide rallies if their demands were ignored.
The workers, representing the Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union (SBSI) and Confederation of Indonesian Workers Unions (KSPI), called the Tax Amnesty Law an act of injustice against Indonesian workers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
KSPI chairman Said Iqbal argued that the law violated the Constitution, which stipulates that the state budget must be determined annually, carried out openly and that it bears a mandate to create prosperity for the people.
It seems that the law is used to protect tax evaders whose source of wealth is unknown. Meanwhile, the workers always pay income tax every month, and so do SMEs. That is unfair, he said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
However, tax perpetrators profiles would remain clean as the Tax Amnesty Law obligates authorities to keep tax amnesty applicants data confidential.
Said added that workers would stage huge rallies in 20 provinces in September, urging the government and local administrations to annul the law if their judicial review was ignored.
In the hearing, a panel of judges led by Anwar Usman called on the workers, as the plaintiff, to revise their lawsuit, especially in terms of the legal standing and legal reasons. He gave the workers 14 days to do so. (wnd/ags)
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Linkedin Ahmed Al-Haj (Associated Press) Sanaa Thu, September 1, 2016
Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition hit a house in the northern Yemeni city of Saada in the early hours of Wednesday, killing at least 16 civilians, Yemen's rebel-controlled state news agency reported.
The airstrikes were part of an ongoing air campaign led by Saudi Arabia and aimed at dislodging Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, from the Yemeni capital and northern regions of the country.
They came as security and medical officials in southern Yemen said that the death toll from Monday's suicide bombing by the Islamic State group in Aden had risen to 72, marking the deadliest attack on the southern city this year. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the press.
IS claimed responsibility for the Monday attack, in which a suicide bomber detonated his pick-up truck among a crowd of pro-government military recruits. The recruits were signing up to join a new unit that Saudi Arabia hopes will ultimately be made up of 5,000 fighters.
SABA news agency reported Wednesday that the overnight airstrikes targeted the district of al-Sahan in Saada, a Houthi stronghold. It said most of those killed were from three families, and that children were among the victims.
The agency said that rescue work had been hindered by fighter jets who continued to fly over the bomb site. It said the death toll is expected to rise, with more bodies being pulled from the rubble. It was not immediately possible to verify the SABA report because of the difficulty of establishing communications with the city of Saada.
A Saudi soldier was meanwhile killed by Houthi cross-border shelling, according to a Saudi Interior Ministry statement carried by the official Saudi news agency.
The Saudi-led coalition began launching airstrikes in Yemen in March 2015. It is supporting the internationally-recognized government against the Houthis, who overran the Yemeni capital in 2014 and are allied with army units loyal to a former president.
The fighting has allowed al-Qaida and an IS affiliate to expand their reach, particularly in the country's south. (ags)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, September 2, 2016
Womens Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Yembise has said victims of a recently-discovered underage male prostitution ring had become entrapped by recruiters through social media.
She further explained most of the victims were from families that were actually financially stable that did not face difficulties in fulfilling their basic needs.
We are accompanying the National Polices Criminal Investigation Department [Bareskrim] in investigating this case, which shows a strong connection with social media, which seemed to lead [victims] falling into ARs trap, said Yohana as quoted by kompas.com, referring to a suspect involved in the prostitution ring the police had arrested early on Wednesday.
The minister made the statement after she attended a work meeting at the House of Representatives Commission VIII, which oversees religious and social affairs, in Jakarta on Thursday.
Citing Bareskrim data, Yohana said it could be confirmed that the number of victims in the prostitution ring reached more than 99 underage males. It was even probable that actually thousands of children had fallen victim to this crime, she went on.
When I collected data on male victims of child trafficking networks in several areas across Indonesia, I found out 3,000 children had been entrapped in such networks, said Yohana.
Bareskrim personnel arrested AR, 41, in a hotel in Cipayung, East Jakarta, on Tuesday. He allegedly sold underage males for sex to men for Rp 1.2 million (US$90.31) each and only compensated the victims between Rp 100,000 to 150,000. AR sold the victims via his Facebook account. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, September 2, 2016
The National Polices Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) has arrested two more people allegedly involved in a recently uncovered underage male prostitution ring.
The two suspects, identified only as U and E, were busted at the Ciawi Market in Bogor, West Java.
Last night, we staged a raid at the Ciawi Market, where we apprehended two people related with AR, namely U and E, Bareskrim special economic crimes unit director Brig. Gen. Agung Setya said as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.
The police arrested AR at a hotel in Puncak, West Java, early on Wednesday, claiming that 99 children had been victims of his prostitution ring.
Similarly with AR, Agung said, U was also involved in recruiting the underage male prostitutes. Although connected with each other, U and AR worked for two different networks, said Agung.
Agung said that E had both helped AR to recruit children and been a client of the sex workers. E also helped AR prepare accounts to take in money from their clients, said Agung.
Police are still investigating the case as they believe AR did not work alone,
The police said the suspects could face multiple charges as they were suspected of breaking Law No.11/2008 on information and electronic transactions, Law No.44/2008 on pornography, and Law No.21/2007 on human trafficking eradication. (cal/ebf)
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Linkedin Gianna Frances Catolico (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) Manila Thu, September 1, 2016
Six new Heroes of Asia were honored at the 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Awards held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City on Wednesday.
The six awardees who were referred to by Ramon Magsaysay Foundation President Carmencita Abella as Heroes of Asia were Dompet Duafa, an Indonesian organization; Bezwada Wilson, an advocate of the anti-manual scavenging movement in India; Thodur Madabusi Krishna, a Karnatik musician and activist; Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers; Laotian rescue organization Vientiane Rescue, and Philippine Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.
1. Conchita Caprio-Morales, Philippines
The feisty Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales is known for being a staunch fighter against corruption in the government.
In her speech, she emphasized that she draws inspiration from her grandchildren and every Filipino child robbed of a future due to prevalent graft in the government. I hope that our shared crusade results in succeeding generations of Filipinos will not allow corruption to tear at the protective mantle of the rule of law, the anchor of democracy. But is it up to us to stay safely anchored, or drift in the dangerous currents of anarchy, Morales said.
Read also: Indonesia's Dompet Dhuafa among 2016 Ramon Magsaysay awardees
2. Dompet Dhuafa, Indonesia
Dompet Dhuafa, or Wallet of the Poor in Indonesian, is an organization that aims to promote transparency in the collection of zakat, an Islamic concept of mandatory alms for the poor. Represented by Ahmad Juwaini and Ismail Agus Said, the charity group began as a team of journalists taking part in a social mission to uplift the lives of Indonesian destitutes.
3. Vientiane Rescue, Laos
Vientiane Rescue had a rough start in managing their organization. Six years ago, Laos had one of the highest crime rates in Southeast Asia, and neglected casualties were left bleeding to death. Despite a lack of support and financial restraints, Bounmy Khamvongsa and French paramedic Sebastien Perret strove to save Laotian lives by assembling a pre-hospital emergency response. In their tearful speech, they thanked the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation for giving their volunteers the opportunity to be proud of themselves.
4. Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers, Japan
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers was launched in 1965, exactly two decades after Japan ravaged Asia during World War II, and hopes to restore the trust of the international community. Representatives Kimichi Kubota and Shinichi Kitaoka narrated how their community-based efforts and volunteer excursions alleviated social ills plaguing developing countries, such as the Philippines.
As we look forward to the next 50 years, we will continue to work hand-in-hand to promote grassroots collaboration, and further invigorate international trust and cooperation throughout the world, Kitaoka said.
5. Thodur Madabusi Krishna, India
Hailing from an elite family, Thodur Madabusi Krishna inherited a rich musical tradition called Karnatik music, and as he shared his passion with his fellow Brahmins (ruling class in the Indian caste system), he noticed that impoverished Indians were prohibited from enjoying this genre of art. Since then, he distanced himself from performing at lavish concerts and instead sought to introduce Karnatik music to the Indian masses, children, and villagers in war-torn Sri Lanka.
Krishna, who received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership, quoted in his speech, Cultures are not bound by the lines that we draw on the map. It is in fact art that reveals to every human being inhabiting the complex yet beautiful planet we have similar struggles and celebrations.
6. Bezwada Wilson, India
Divergent from Krishnas fate, Bezwada Wilson was born from the Dalits, the lowest class of the Indian caste system. He was about to be destined to be a manual scavenger, just like his parents and ancestors, when he pursued higher and education and changed his destiny. Wilson launched the Safai Karmachari Andolan in 1993 and strenuously lobbied with the Indian government for scholarships for scavengers children, vocational training for female scavengers, and a total scrapping of manual scavenging.
Aside from the momentous awarding, Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo delivered a compelling speech about the legacy of her husband and former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, highlighting the time when he walked the same stage and received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2000. Moreover, she also congratulated and cited the key achievements of the six Ramon Magsaysay awardees.
All six awardees received a certificate, a medallion with the likeness of Magsaysay, and a cash prize to invigorate their programs and initiatives. There are a total of 312 Ramon Magsaysay Laureates from 1958 to 2016. The awarding coincides with the birth anniversary of the late President after whom the leadership award was named.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Star/ANN) Kuala Lumpur Thu, September 1, 2016
A 58-year-old woman in Bandar Botanic in Klang was suspected to have been infected after visiting her daughter in Singapore.
Malaysia recorded its first case of Zika infection in a 58-year-old woman in Bandar Botanic in Klang was suspected to have been infected on Wednesday.
The woman is the mother of a female confirmed with Zika infection in Singapore.
She and her husband had visited their daughter in Singapore on August 19 and returned to Malaysia on August 21.
Below is the press statement from the Health Ministry:
On 29th of August 2016, the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has made an announcement advising those who have been to any country with reported cases of Zika and experiencing the symptoms of this infection are expected to come forward for a medical attention. Following this, the MOH have received report of a patient suspected with Zika virus infection on the 31st August, 2016. This patient is a 58 years-old woman residing in Bandar Botanic, Klang, Selangor and is the mother of a female confirmed with Zika infection in Singapore. The patient, together with her husband had visited their daughter in Singapore on 19th August 2016 and returned to Malaysia on 21st August 2016.
The patient started exhibiting symptom of rash on 28th August, and she sought medical attention at a private clinic in Klang on the 30th August 2016. As the patient had traveling history to Singapore and her daughter was confirmed to have Zika virus infection on 30th August 2016, the Private General Practitioner had diagnosed her as suspected case of Zika. On the same day, the patient was refered to Sungai Buloh Hospital and the result of the urine PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test on 31st August 2016 was found positive for Zika virus. However, the patients blood test result is still pending.
The source of infection is suspected to occur in Singapore since the patient had started experiencing signs of Zika infection on the same day with her daughter in Singapore. The patients husband and family members who lived in the same house with her, has yet to show any symptoms of Zika infection. For the period from 21st - 28th August 2016 when the patient was returning from Singapore, she had visited several areas in the district of Klang and Kuala Lumpur.
Based on the findings from the investigation, the MOH has already started vector control activities in the residential area of the case and other places that the patient had visited. Control activities carried out include eliminating Aedes breeding sites, larvaciding and fogging. In addition, close contacts to the patient will be examined whether they have any fever or other Zika symptoms.
Information obtained from the Ministry of Health Singapore, revealed that there are 5 Malaysians residing and working in Singapore that has also been confirmed to be infected with Zika virus. For the period from 27th to 31st August 2016, there has been 115 confirmed Zika cases reported in Singapore. Due to the rapid spread of Zika virus infection, Aedes monitoring and preventive activities are continuously performed and intensified in all states, especially in the state of Johor and Selangor.
Malaysians, must focus on cleaning the Aedes breeding places, protect themselves from Aedes mosquito bites and seek early medical attention if they have signs such as fever, rash and conjunctivitis. From the first reported case of Zika, we can conclude that it is rather easy to get infected by the virus when visiting places that has outbreak, including Singapore. The MOH once again call upon any individuals whom had visited countries that reported Zika infection, to come forward to seek immediate medical attention if they are experiencing any symptom as mentioned above. Proactive action from the community can help stop the spread of Zika virus in Malaysia. No Aedes: No Zika, Dengue and Chikungunya.
YB DATUK SERI DR. S.SUBRAMANIAM
MINISTER OF HEALTH MALAYSIA
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
In an effort to connect with the eastern regions of Indonesia, Citilink Indonesia has revealed plans to expand its network to Papua in October.
The budget carrier's president and CEO Albert Burhan said the Jakarta-Jayapura route was one of the company's main priorities this year. "This is an important step in an effort to expand our connectivity. Our aim is to offer flights [countrywide] from Aceh to Papua," he said as quoted by tempo.co on Tuesday, adding that the upcoming indirect route would be provided daily.
(Read also: Flights to Jayapura, Ternate to be the first to take off from Terminal 3)
He said the airline was currently processing slot permits at Jayapura airport with the Transportation Ministry and had prepared an A320 aircraft that could accommodate 180 passengers.
Throughout the first half of 2016, Citilink opened at least five new routes including Medan-Aceh, Bandung-Pekanbaru, Jakarta-Lombok, Ujung Pandang-Manado and Surabaya-Manado. The carrier is presently serving 54 routes, flying to 27 cities across Indonesia. (kha/kes)
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Linkedin (China Daily/Asia News Network) Thu, September 1, 2016
In Zhangjiajie in Central China's Hunan province, there stands a glass bridge. Its Israeli designer, Haim Dotan, said it symbolizes love and nature.
"It will be a new icon in China," Dotan said in an interview on Sunday, a week after the bridge opened to the public for trial operation.
Born in Jerusalem, Dotan has a connection with China that is central to who he is. His grandparents came to China in the 1910s, and in 1919 his mother was born in Shanghai.
"The Chinese saved the lives of my grandparents and gave life to my mother. I am alive because of China," Dotan said.
He first came to China 30 years ago, and for Dotan it felt like he was returning home.
In 2010, he designed the Israeli Pavillion at the World Expo in Shanghai, where he met a client who asked if he could design a bridge in Zhangjiajie, an area famous for its scenery, particularly its otherworldly mountains that appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar.
Visitors walk on the glass-bottomed bridge in Zhangjiajie,Hunan province, on Aug 20,its opening day. (China Daily/Zhou Guoqiang)
"Nature is beautiful," Dotan said. "But how can I design a bridge that is invisible and can disappear?"
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu was an inspiration for Dotan.
"He once wrote that 'great music is unheard and good form is invisible'," Dotan said.
He decided to use glass and build the bridge in the shape of a butterfly, so that visitors feel like they are standing on air. He used white for the handrails - the color of clouds.
(Read also: World's longest, highest glass bridge opens in Hunan)
The bridge is 430 meters long and 6 meters wide, with a glass-bottom walkway suspended 300 meters above the canyon.
Comprising 99 panes of three-layer transparent glass, the bridge set 10 world records for design and construction, and went through many experiments to ensure safety.
A maximum of 8,000 visitors are allowed to cross the bridge each day. A reservation must be made one day ahead. Above all, he would like to see it become "a bridge of love".
"Lovers can walk on the bridge and say, 'I love you'. Their voice will then echo through the canyon," Dotan said.
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Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 1, 2016
The terror threat in Batam during Idul Fitri caused the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the city, a major business and tourist destination for Singaporeans, to fall dramatically in July, amounting to a 14.52 percent decrease compared to June figures.
Central Statistics Agency (BPS) distribution and service statistics deputy Sasmito Hadi Wibowo said Thursday that it recorded 103,647 foreign tourist arrivals in Batam in July, a 14.52 decrease compared to the previous month at 121,253. Compared to the same period last month, the number also went down by 5.72 percent year-on-year (yoy). "The bomb threat has significantly decreased the number of tourist arrivals from Singapore and Malaysia," Sasmito said.
From January to July, Batam welcomed 837,446 foreign tourists, a 4.33 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
(Read also: Over 1 million foreign tourists visit Indonesia in July)
A letter threatening terror attacks on a number of locations in Batam and Bintan during Idul Fitri was found in Singapore in early July. The letter, which was addressed to the manager of the Fast Ferry service at the HarbourFront Center and received on July 4, stated that a number of sites would be blown up, such as the Port of Batam, Nagoya shopping district, Telani Port in Bintan and Tanjungpinang City. It also said that members of the group who would carry out the attacks had arrived at the locations two weeks earlier.
Following the distribution of the letter, Riau Islands Police went into high-alert and posted additional personnel at the sites mentioned in the letter. (kes)
Former Stanford university student Brock Turner will be released from prison on Friday after completing a three-month prison sentence for sexually assaulting a woman behind a rubbish bin on the university campus.
His original sentence of six months was widely criticised for being too lenient and will now be even shorter as he has been rewarded for good behaviour with early release.
The case triggered public outcry and soul-searching among the American and global populous, with issues pertaining to race, class and sex being dissected and discussed. So how did the case reach this outrageous end-point, where a man convicted of sexual assault is released early from a sentence which was extremely lenient in the first place?
January 17 2015
Brock Turner attends a party at the Kappa Alpha fraternity house, Stanford University.
(AP/PA)
He meets the 23-year-old victim and her sister at the party. Later Turner is discovered by two passers-by assaulting the unconscious victim behind the mobile rubbish bin in an alleyway near to the fraternity house. The Swedish men chase Turner and catch him, then call police.
The day after Turner was arrested for the assault, he posts $150,000 bail for his release before the trial. At trial, Turner pleads not guilty.
Much was made of the media portrayal of Turner as a swimmer for the university, with some articles including his race times as an accompaniment to the description of the attack.
When the media talked about Brock Turner, all they talked about was how he was a star swimmer and this conviction was too harsh for him dri (@dunnosaurr) July 7, 2016
The legal system also failed to release Turners mugshot until after he was convicted, something which critics have said would not have been the case for a person who came from a poorer background.
March 30 2016
Turner is found guilty of one count of assault with intent to rape, one count of penetrating an intoxicated person with a foreign object; and one charge of penetrating an unconscious person with a foreign object.
Two previous counts of rape had been dismissed earlier in the case due to DNA evidence findings. Californian state law defines rape as penetration by the penis only.
June 2 2016
Judge Aaron Persky sentences Turner to six months in prison and orders that he be on the sex offenders register for life.
Turner is placed in protective custody, serving his sentence away from other inmates due to the attention his case has received.
(AP/PA)
impact statement Turners victim released theshe read out in court, which quickly captures public attention, leading to an outpouring of support.
In the 12-page statement she says: You have dragged me through this hell with you, dipped me back into that night again and again.
You took away my worth, my privacy, my energy, my time, my safety, my intimacy, my confidence, my own voice, until today.
Dan Turners statement was widely condemned for stating that his sons life will never be the one that he dreamed about and worked so hard to achieve. That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life.
I wonder if Dan Turner would think six months is a "steep price to pay" if he were on the receiving end of 20 mins of non-consensual action. Cynthia Boaz (@cynthiaboaz) June 9, 2016
As a father Dan turner you must be ashamed of your snide comment, what if it were your daughter and they called it 20 minutes of action? Ladylike_rue (@RutendoMariwa) June 9, 2016
He later retracted the 20 minutes of action statement, stating through his lawyer: I was not referring to sexual activity by the word action. It was an unfortunate choice of words and I did not mean to be disrespectful or offensive to anyone.
June 6 2016
petition A change.orgwas launched to recall Judge Persky from service as a judge. In the months since, it has acheived over 1.2 million signatures.
(Jason Doiy/AP)
Persky has since voluntarily moved to presiding over civil matters due to the pressure, but has launched a campaign to counter the Recall Persky petition.
June 9 2016
(Kevin Hagen/AP)
Vice president Joe Biden releases an open letter to the victim of the Stanford attack, calling her a warrior with a solid steel spine and saying he would continue to speak out against sexual assault on college campuses.
A few days later, students protest over how the university handled the case and similar issues at the Universitys graduation exercises and the rape law in California.
(D. Ross Cameron/AP)
August 24 2016
.@stanford nails victim-blaming in this (now deleted) section of its alcohol policy pic.twitter.com/kLDKEgbU99 Rosemary Westwood (@rosiewestwood) August 23, 2016
Stanford University posts an article on its website called Female Bodies and Alcohol, stoking up anger from students and others who see the piece, and a subsequent move to ban alcohol on campus, as victim blaming.
#BrockTurner released after serving 3 months for rape. @Stanford bans hard alcohol to prevent rape. Victim blaming continues as usual. Devra Waldman (@waldmandevra) August 31, 2016
August 29 2016
As Turners release nears, California lawmakers passed a motion by 66 votes to none to ensure anyone convicted of penetrating someone who is unconscious will serve prison time, and will not be eligible for probation.
(Rich Pedroncelli/AP)
In California, penetration with anything other than a penis is not considered rape, but sexual assault. This is the loophole which allowed Turner to escape a longer jail term and walk free after just three months.
Legislators have now closed this loophole, but too late for Turners victim.
why isn't digital penetration considered rape in Tennessee but not California? Why not have a Federal law? #endrapeoncampus cunt-a-saurus-rex (@the_squarrell) June 18, 2016
September 2 2016
According to court documents, Turner will be released three months after his sentence began. As the date draws nearer, the decision to let him walk free is causing outrage online.
Many Twitter users are comparing Turners lenient sentence with harsher sentences and mistreatment by police for others, particularly people of colour.
So Cory Batey (black) got 15 years in prison for raping unconscious woman. Brock Turner (white) got six months. See the problem? Struggling Guy (@StrugglingGuy_) July 15, 2016
#PhilandoCastile was killed reaching for his id, while people worry about how prison will have a "severe impact" on Brock Turner. Katy Cronin (@kaytcro7) July 7, 2016
Written in constant transition, and recorded as he travelled between Toronto, Dublin and London, this is McMorrow's most candid, stripped-back offering to date.The travel was in itself an integral part of the album, McMorrow explained. The physical act of moving from place to place, of being removed from places and things I felt comfortable with. I dont ever intentionally seek out left of center album making processes, but looking at it now I realise that I thrive when I put myself in these less than comfortable positions. We Move marks a stark change in how McMorrow worked on a record, as well as a stark change in his musical sound. Going into this album I knew I had a way of working that worked. But at the same time I think it was unsustainable, and ultimately wouldnt have allowed me to get to the level I wanted to as a musician, he explained. So for his third release he worked with a host of stellar producers that hed met whilst travelling. Big names like Nineteen85 (Drake, DVSN), Two Inch Punch (Sam Smith, Years & Years), and Frank Dukes (Kanye West, Rihanna) all contributed. The whispering vocals and whimsical folk influences that earned McMorrow a legion of devoted fans have been developed into something else. We Move is more richly textured, and comes laden with soul, electronica and R&B influences. Bringing in outside voices to the album created that foundation whereby I could focus on the songs and the arrangements, the key things that were motivating me, and trust that these other people would be able to bring those other elements. I still came with these vast arrangements, so it was about trusting those 3 guys with the ideas, if they chose to dismantle them, erase ideas, change things, then I had to believe in their vision as much as I believed in mine. It was through one of these producers, Nineteen85 that McMorrow was featured on the latest Drake record, Views - a huge step in his musical career. He [Nineteen85] mailed me one day to say hed put some vocals of mine in a Drake record he was working on and that they were going to stay in. I didnt hear the song until the rest of the world did, thats how they roll, theyre very low key and keep to themselves, incredibly professional. So that really had nothing to do with me, Im just a grateful passenger on their enormous ship!Its not just musically that McMorrow has developed over the past two years; Moves lyrics are some of McMorrow's most honest. 'I Lie Awake Every Night' sees him address the eating disorder he has battled since he was a child, 'Evil' questions whether you could be a bad person if you see the world in a different way to everyone else. That confessional, to the point, directness of people like Neil Young has been the thing Ive dreamt of doing my whole life but been too afraid to fully possess up until now. A large part of that was down to this self-imposed notion that in order to be confessional it needed to be me with a guitar or me with a piano, because how could I meld together the lyrics I wanted to write with the sonics I choose to pursue, how do you put a plain spoken and direct lyric on top of a synth and an 808?... The key was just not thinking about it, again - part of why I traveled, it removed the opportunity to overthink. So lyrically I wasnt letting myself off the hook, if I wrote something down the job wasnt then to find metaphors and images to replace the direct lyrics, instead it was to try and find the poetry and the rhythm within the words I had, so no heavy replacement of words, just refining it down. Even before the release of new music, 2016 has been a huge year for McMorrow, with over 100 million streams, and his version of Chris Isaaks Wicked Game being featured in the trailer for Game of Thrones series 6 trailer (It was cool to be even tangentially involved in that show, big fan); but arguably one of the pinnacles of his year came in the form of his collaboration with superstar house producer Kygo. Wed been talking a long time about trying to make something together, McMorrow told us,it was very much a collaborative thing. Looking to the future, 2016 will continue to be exhaustingly busy for McMorrow, as following the release of We Move he heads out on some of his biggest shows to date in October, culminating in a night at the Roundhouse in London. I try and really put everything Ive got into the live show, not just sonically but visually, anyone who came to the Post Tropical tour shows will be well aware of that. I think we created something really special on stage and Id like to go even further with this album. And whats next for McMorrow, beyond the autumn tour? I havent thought about it. he answered honestly.At this point in my life Im always working on something new, but with no real intent at this moment. I always hear musicians say theyre working on 3 new albums and then none of it ever comes out, so I dont want to be that guy. All Id say is with We Move I feel like Ive created the best thing Ive made up to this point, its the closest to how Ive always wanted to be musically.
Labour members have received their ballots to vote in the partys leadership election they must choose between the embattled incumbent Jeremy Corbyn or the challenger Owen Smith.
Corbyn has lost the backing of most of the parliamentary party but retains support among grassroots members.
We spoke to four such supporters to find out where they stand on the main issues, and controversial topics, facing the Labour Party today.
Is Jeremy Corbyn electable?
Jeremy Corbyn (Danny Lawson/PA)
Corbyn critics argue that supporting him hands power to the Tories because he is an unelectable leader, committing the poorest and most vulnerable to years more of Tory rule.
Matthew Turner, a 21-year-old student from Cardiff, disagrees, saying Corbyn was the best candidate the Labour Party has fielded.
If a centrist Labour prime minister was any more likely or possible than a Corbyn government, of course I would rather that than a Conservative prime minister, he said.
However, if a centrist Labour candidate had any strategy, any policies, or any real vision for the country that would be capable of defeating the Tories, I dont think they would have lost to Jeremy Corbyn last year and the truth is I dont think they do still.
Liz Kendall seems very comfortable smearing Corbyn and misrepresenting his position. She is last. A lesson to be learned, perhaps? #JezWeCan Matt Turner (@MattTurner4L) July 26, 2015
Turner was interested in politics from a young age, but said the 2010 election turned him off.
He recently got back into politics after Corbyn stood for leader in 2015 until then he was an apathetic, uninterested member of the Labour Party. Corbyn reignited his interest in politics, and he continues to support him today.
Other supporters say it does not matter if Corbyn is unelectable, the existence of the principles of socialism in mainstream politics is more important in the long-term.
Steve Topple, writer at left-wing media outlet the Canary, said he would prefer to have an unelectable Corbyn remaining in opposition than a centrist Labour prime minister.
Steve Topple (Steve Topple/PA)
Weve been there before. It was called New Labour and all it did was continue the ideology of Thatcher, he said.
Real change in the way UK society is operated has to begin to happen.
That is, the fundamentals of the financial system that governs us have to be changed, the distribution of wealth has to be dramatically realigned, our foreign policy needs to be completely overhauled and the relationship between multinational corporations and those we elect to parliament has to be severed.
I believe that anyone other than Corbyn would not bring about change in any of these areas. So what is the point in having a Labour government if they only tinker around the edges?
What about the MPs who resigned en masse in June?
Heidi Alexander (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Many supporters say Corbyn gives them a voice, and the opportunity to be involved in a movement.
Those supporters feel like the participation of everyday members is under threat from Labour MPs who do not back Corbyn, which is why they see the resignations of many members of his shadow cabinet in June as a coup of self-serving politicians.
Tina Savage, a 36-year-old radio presenter from Darlington, supports Corbyn because she has seen everyone, of all genders, ages and groups, be motivated by the politics of hope.
She said: [The coup is] being staged because they dont like that people are getting more involved, that people are having a say about the party.
They want us to get back in our box. Shut up, youre not entitled to have an opinion, we run the party and youd better get used to it, thats basically what theyre saying.
The rebels couldn't organise I coup, how could they be competent running a government? #CorbynStays #JezWeCanAgain tina the trot (@savage_tina) June 30, 2016
Postgraduate student Owain Gardner said Labour MPs who have quit and resigned need to compromise.
The 27-year-old from North Yorkshire added: The problem is some people appear to think that their opinions are more important than others and that is the height of arrogance.
Most of the resigning MPs did so believing that Corbyn was ineffective a man incapable of running the party and winning a general election.
Heidi Alexander, former shadow secretary of state for health, wrote in her resignation letter: As much as I respect you as a man of principle, I do not believe you have the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding and I believe that if we are to form the next Government, a change of leadership is essential.
Funny, the strong & competent leader we have took us ahead in polls for first time in March, next day coup begins https://t.co/wRy4b5KUMZ Owain Gardner (@Odbe34) August 5, 2016
Many Corbyn supporters are at odds with the resigning MPs over the question of whether Corbyn is electable and where the future of the Labour Party lies.
Considering this, Topple said he thought a split within the Labour Party was looking inevitable but favoured mandatory reselection (the policy of constituency Labour parties having to re-choose their constituency candidate, with no MP being automatically reselected) to prevent a split.
Topple isnt actually a member of the Labour Party at the moment, and until Corbyn makes members the driving force over policy rather than MPs, he wouldnt consider it.
Some MPs value the gravy trains theyre having a ride on. Getting shot of them as representative MPs of the Labour Party is, of course, preferable to a split, he said.
How can Labour win more votes in 2020?
Nigel Farage (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Most supporters agree that many of Labours traditional voters have been haemorrhaged to the Conservatives and Ukip, but theres a mixed reaction when asked how to get them back.
Savage said it was the job of the local MP.
People always say its Jeremy Corbyn who must do this, she said. It is the job of the MP in that area to go out and speak to people.
Turner criticised Ed Milibands immigration mugs, saying that Labour should not be swayed by the Tories and Ukip to be tough on immigration.
Im here to win, and that doesnt involve taking back a lot of Tory voters but it does involve appealing to the working class Tories in swing seats and I think you can do that without trying to out Ukip Ukip, he said.
I think we can kind of make the argument that it is by and large Conservative austerity that has put public services under pressure [rather than immigration] and I think it is an argument we can win.
Matthew Turner (Matthew Turner/PA)
Gardner briefly considered backing Yvette Cooper in the 2015 Labour leadership election, but chose to vote for Corbyn as seeing him engage with people from across the spectrum of backgrounds led him to realise he most reflected his views.
The soon-to-be PhD candidate said that now Ukip have lost their reason for being, after the Leave campaign won the Brexit vote, Labour should find those voters coming back to the party.
Weve won a council seat back in Thanet from Ukip, so it shows something is happening, he said.
We won all 4 Mayoral Elections, overtaken Torys re: Cllrs and taken a seat off UKIP in Thanet... https://t.co/Bn7U9H7m0Y Owain Gardner (@Odbe34) July 26, 2016
Topple, 35 and from Ipswich, said Corbyn shouldnt get into the policy debate just yet: he needs to get people to believe in the left-wing ideology first.
He needs to inspire, to get people to think, to get people to feel and believe that a different future might be possible. He needs to dream a dream, and get the masses to invest in it.
What about accusations of misogyny within the party?
Jess Phillips (Yui Mok/PA)
Some Corbyn supporters we spoke to politely declined to answer questions on accusations of misogyny, or were keen to downplay the reports.
Jess Philips calling him [Corbyn] a misogynist, oh come on, its ridiculous, said Savage , arguing that the reason Labour had so far not had a female leader was because there hasnt been a decent female candidate yet.
She said Liz Kendall was patronising and she likened Cooper to a primary school teacher.
Turner said misogyny does come from both sides, referring to Smiths comment that he would smash PM Theresa May back on her heels.
And bullying?
Conor McGinn (Jonathan Brady/PA)
statement Conor McGinn MP wrote apublished in July which accused Corbyn of bullying.
After saying in an interview that Corbyn faced a challenge in reaching out to traditional Labour voters, McGinn claimed Corbyn said that he intended to ring my father to discuss it with him and ask him to speak to me about it.
McGinn wrote: I am afraid I could no longer tolerate the hypocrisy of him talking about a kinder, gentler politics when I knew for a fact that he had proposed using my family against me in an attempt to bully me into submission because he didnt like something I said.
Savage called it that stupid story.
What a load of nonsense, she said. Does he realise how pathetic he sounds saying that? Good grief. Elected members of parliament behaving like school children.
We didnt get the leader we wanted so we are just going to storm off in a huff.
The pathetic attempts to turn people off Corbyn are ridiculous. They can't disagree with his politics so just smear. pic.twitter.com/0ZnJCcy2HE tina the trot (@savage_tina) July 22, 2016
Savage also argued that Corbyn is not always in the right place or able to fight misogyny and bullying.
Gardner said: I think its very difficult for Jeremy to get anything out at the moment.
He said the mainstream media concentrate on the negative aspects of Corbyns leadership, rather than his messages against bullying within the party.
So what?
Jeremy Corbyn (Jane Barlow/PA)
Corbyn supporters might have very different opinions from many people in Britain but they might be choosing the next leader of one of the countrys largest political parties.
Even if you think theyre wrong about things ignoring them helps nobody.
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Beating the back to school blues at KIS with fresh and tasty food
Students of Kajonkiet International School (KIS) returned from their summer holidays on Wednesday (August 24) and to combat the inevitable back-to-school blues, new executive chef Kitipong Paul Jaramorburapong will be cooking up a storm in the school's newly renovated cafeteria kitchen.
health
By The Phuket News
Thursday 1 September 2016, 12:11PM
Kajonkiet International School's (KIA) new executive chef Kitipong Paul Jaramorburapong
Chef Paul, previously Executive Chef at the Courtyard by Marriott at Surin Beach (since rebranded as the Novotel Phuket Surin Beach) and before that at Phuket FantaSea, says he is looking forward to the challenge of cooking healthy meals for as many as 500 students a day.
I was looking for a change and I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to utilise all of the nutritional knowledge I gained during my training, said Chef Paul.
Although he was born in Bangkok, Chef Paul spent his formative years in America, his family having moved there when he was 12 years old. He attended high-school in Virginia, and after graduating, enrolled in an electrical engineering course at university.
But it was his part-time job as a kitchen hand while at high school that helped spark his true passion. He decided to change his career direction, leaving university to train at the prestigious Culinary Institute of New York.
It was a big decision at the time to leave university, but I have never regretted it, he said.
After completing his training, he honed his skills at several restaurants in New York where he mastered a range of cuisines including Italian, Japanese and Mexican.
But six years ago it was an offer to become the Executive Chef of the then newly opened Marriott at Surin Beach that finally drew him back to his homeland. Here in Phuket he met his future wife and they have recently started their own family with the birth of a baby girl.
As a new father, Chef Paul says he found himself thinking about how to make food that children would love to eat, but that was also healthy and nutritious. These considerations where the inspiration for the schools new menu, which will feature a variety of six or seven fresh, well balanced main dishes every day, with an emphasis on utilising locally sourced produce.
These main dishes will be accompanied by a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables to help give students the sustained energy they need throughout the day in order to perform at their best.
Cooking for kids can be very challenging and I think the new menu will be a big change for them. I want prepare everything fresh each day and avoid having pre-prepared ingredients in my dishes, he said.
Its not just about feeding the students though, Chef Paul is also hoping to foster an appreciation of the joy of cooking and pass on his extensive knowledge with after-school cooking classes. He also plans to have a livecooking station during meal times so students can watch and learn as their food is prepared each day. With this in mind, the recently expanded and renovated kitchen has been tailor made to facilitate the cooking classes and Chef Paul says he is looking forward to getting students into the kitchen and sharing his love of food.
Food is my passion and I get the most satisfaction from my work when I see peoples faces light up with a smile when they taste my cooking, he said.
Distraught mother seeks help repatriating slain relatives
BANGKOK: The mother of Pimsiri Song-ngam yesterday (Aug 31) sought help from the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women to bring back home the bodies of her daughter and her grandchild who were found dead in a house in Kirkenes, Norway.
deathcrimehomicide
By Bangkok Post
Thursday 1 September 2016, 09:50AM
Pimsiri Song-ngam and her Norwegian husband pose for a photo. Photo: Pongpat Wongyala
Sarapee Song-ngam, 60, met foundation chairwoman Paveena Hongsakul at her office in Pathum Thani to ask for help in bringing back home the bodies of Pimsiri, 37, and Petch Song-ngam, 12. She said she wanted to bring their bodies home to hold a funeral in Thailand.
Ms Sarapee said on Monday (Aug 29) that she was told by one of Pimsiris friends that Pimsiri and Petch were found dead in a house in Kirkenes.
Pimsiris husband, a Norwegian national, is suspected of killing her and her son, who is from a previous marriage, Ms Sarapee said, adding he tried to commit suicide but police foiled the attempt.
The husband sustained severe gunshot wounds and was admitted to hospital for treatment, she added.
Ms Sarapee said Pimsiri divorced her ex-husband and married a Norwegian man she identified only as Hazzan and moved to Norway to live with him.
Pimsiri had worked as a custodian at a school and took her son from Thailand to live with her in Norway.
Pimsiri and her Norwegian husband had often argued about his drinking habit, she added.
Ms Sarapee said she had sought help from the Protection of Thai Nationals Abroad Division of the Consular Affairs Department which told her to wait as an investigation into the killing is under way.
Ms Paveena consoled Ms Sarapee as she was speaking to her yesterday.
Ms Paveena said she would ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to step up efforts to bring the bodies back home.
She would ask Interpol to help follow up on the investigation, she added.
Ms Paveena said she will take Ms Sarapee to meet the director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (Sept 1) to ask for help.
She said she is confident that officials there will work on visa procedures for Ms Sarapee and her son to travel to Norway to receive the bodies.
Read original story here.
Diver hit by boat propeller north of Phuket, boat captain sought by police
PHUKET: Police are searching for a boat captain who is alleged to have hit a female diver with an engine propeller while she was taking part in a sea clean operation yesterday (Aug 31) at Koh Kai Nok in Phang Nga, north of Phuket.
accidentscrimemarinepolice
By Eakkapop Thongtub
Thursday 1 September 2016, 11:07AM
Ms Patcharin Petlohlein, 31, is currently in Vachira Hospital Phuket where she will still need further treatment for her injuries. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub
Officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources were notified at 2pm yesterday that 31-year-old sea cleaning volunteer, Ms Patcharin Petlohlein, had been taken to Vachira Hospital Phuket after being slashed by a boats propeller during a sea cleaning dive near Koh Kai Nok.
Mr Noppadon, an official from the Phang Nga Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office, said that Ms Patcharin had already received treatment for injuries sustained to her shoulder, right hand and leg and was recovering in hospital. However, he also said that she would require further treatment.
Ms Patcharin was one of many volunteers from the Phang Nga Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office that had joined a sea clean activity in the area.
A group of volunteers who found Ms Patcharin with her injuries said that while she was picking up rubbish in the area a passing tour boat struck her with its engine propeller, the boat didnt stop, it just kept on going, Mr Noppadon explained.
We have not yet been able to find out what boat was involved in this incident, but we believe it is a speedboat that brings tourists to Koh Khai Nok. We have reported the incident to Koh Yao police and they are investigating the matter.
A lot of divers and swimmers have been hit by boat propellers in this area between Phang Nga and Phuket. Officials have attempted to solve the issue, but they have not yet found a way of preventing it, he added.
Doctor dismisses DSIs theory into former Phuket land office chiefs death
PHUKET: The director of Mongkutwattana Hospital denied the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) theory that hospital staffs resuscitation attempts on Tuesday (Aug 30) might have killed the former Phuket land office chief who was being held by the DSI in connection with issuing illegal land titles.
deathcorruptioncrimepoliceland
By Bangkok Post
Thursday 1 September 2016, 03:48PM
The Department of Special Investigation shows the cell where the former land official was allegedly found dead on Tuesday (Aug 30). Photo: Tawatchai Kemgumnerd
He also revealed that the DSI had failed to inform the hospital that the suspect had hung himself. Rienthong Nanna, director of the hospital, wrote on his Facebook page today (Sept 1) that the DSI had informed his hospital at 1:10am on Tuesday that Tawatchai Anukul fell unconscious and sought an emergency team from the hospital, which is around 5 kilometres away from the DSI office in Bangkok.
The team reached the DSI office at 1:15am and found Tawatchai in a critical condition. They started doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him and brought him to the hospitals emergency room at 1:33am. The resuscitation was successful but he remained unconscious, the director said.
At 2:40am the man was moved to the critical care unit. His condition kept deteriorating. They continued to do CPR, but the man was pronounced dead at 4:45am.
Dr Rienthong said it was impossible that the CPR had caused liver injuries since the procedure involved the heart and lungs and had nothing to do with the liver.
The resuscitation did not cause a ruptured liver or abdominal bleeding... Mongkutwattana Hospital has no idea why Tawatchais liver was ruptured. The question must go to the doctor who examined the body, Dr Riangthong said.
On Wednesday, DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang said an autopsy found the man had died of ruptured liver. He also said the CPR might have caused it.
On Tuesday, Col Paisit told reporters that Tawatchai committed suicide in his cell at the DSI headquarters due to tension from the prospect of prosecution.
The man was arrested for allegedly issuing land right documents illegally for about 1,000 plots in Phang Nga, Phuket and Surat Thani provinces.
The 66 year old, a native of Phuket, was a land official in southern provinces including Phang Nga and Phuket and was suspected of issuing illegal land rights documents to wealthy people.
He had been detained on the sixth floor of the DSIs head office in Laksi after his arrest in Nonthaburi province on Monday (Aug 29). The DSI earlier said the man hung himself with socks tied to the hinge of his cell door.
Read original story here.
MahaNakhon is in breach of Thai laws
BANGKOK: Thailands tallest building, the MahaNakhon, is at the centre of a sky-high row after claims the structure, designed by a German architect, breaches Thai labour laws.
construction
By Bangkok Post
Thursday 1 September 2016, 09:18AM
MahaNakhon, the tallest building of Thailand, is officially launched with a light and sound show on Monday (Aug 29). Photo: screen grab
Laws prohibiting foreign architects from working in Thailand may be outdated, architects say, after the controversy erupted as the building was officially opened on Monday night (Aug 29).
German architect Ole Scheeren, who designed the building a 77-storey high-rise structure has drawn criticism for allegedly breaching a rule imposed by the Ministry of Labour.
The regulation reserves 39 professions for Thai nationals among them, architecture and civil engineering as well as several traditional crafts.
These restrictions are a thing of the past, said Jedkamchorn Phromyothi, president of the Architects Council of Thailand (ACT). With globalisation, it becomes harder to restrict a profession and allow only Thai nationals to exercise it, he said.
Nonetheless, Mr Jedkamchorn acknowledged professionals fears that projects and contracts could go to foreign companies if restrictions are lifted.
The ministrys rule became a pressing issue after activist Srisuwan Janya filed a petition with the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday (Aug 31), asking it to examine whether Mr Scheeren and the projects developer, Pace Development, had breached Thai laws.
Mr Srisuwan, a lawyer, is well known among activists with a pro-nationalist agenda, and heads his own so-called Association of Organisations Protecting the Thai Constitution.
Before taking up the MahaNakhon case, he was involved in dispute last October with the military regime when he filed, also at the Ombudsmans office, charges of nepotism and ethics failure against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for allegedly hiring family members of Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
Prior to that, as president of a separate group he calls the Stop Global Warming Association, he was known as a fighter against big business firms he accused of polluting, especially in the Map Ta Phut area of Rayong.
In the petition he filed yesterday, Mr Srisuwan questioned whether the German architect breached the 1999 act drafted to control the commercial activities of immigrants or another act passed in 2008 to control work activities of immigrants.
Mr Jedkamchorn added the council had filed a complaint with police against Mr Scheeren in 2010 after hearing news the German national would lead the iconic buildings design.
According to the Architecture Act, architects must hold a licence issued by the ACT to legally design buildings. That was not the case with Mr Scheeren, he said.
In 2015, however, Mr Scheeren became a shareholder in a Thai company that went on to obtain such a licence from the council. Mr Jedkamchorn declined to comment on the complaint.
Meanwhile, Pichai Wongwaisayawan, former chairman of the Association of Siamese Architects argued that Thai architects could benefit from a transfer of technology and know-how when working in collaboration with foreign counterparts.
Following the launch of the Asean Economic Community, architecture became open to recognised professionals from other Asean member countries.
Its a first step. We must progress gradually, Mr Pichai said. The government must help architects in this transition period, he added.
Read original story here.
Sister City proposes more direct flights from China to Phuket
PHUKET: Direct flights and marine and medical tourism were the main topics of discussion when representatives from the southernmost Chinese province, and Phukets Sister City, Hainan, met with the Phuket Governor at Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 31).
Chinesemarinetransporttourism
By The Phuket News
Thursday 1 September 2016, 03:00PM
Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada (left) and Hainan Vice Governor Lu Junhua. Photo: PR Dept
Gov Chamroen Tipayapongtada, along with Vice Governor, Chokdee Amornwat; chief of Phuket Provincial Administrative Office (OrBorJor), Mr Saranyu Saema, and representatives from Phuket Provincial Public Health Office, Tourism Authority Thailand Phuket office, Phuket International Hospital and the private sector were all on hand to welcome Hainan V/Gov Lu Junhua and his team at Provincial Hall.
Phuket Governor Chamroen revealed that the Chinese delegation came to Phuket to seek support in medical tourism, cruise tourism development, and to propose having direct flights from Haikou, Poao and Sanya in China to Phuket.
Gov Chamroen said, V/Gov Lu Junhua explained to us that Hainan and Phuket have been in a long-standing relationship and both provinces are well known for their tourism industries. He said that the majority of Chinese, especially lovers, are now choosing Phuket as the main choice for their honeymoon destination, while a large number are also coming for medical services.
V/Gov Lu also said that China has a policy of promoting medical tourism at Poao City in the Hainan prefecture, he said.
Hospitals in Phuket, both government and private, are ready to provide the best quality services to residents and tourists, and many Chinese people are now wanting flights from alternative prefectures which will come direct to Phuket so they can receive medical treatment.
In view of this, we will propose the idea of having more direct flights from China to relevant officials within the government. This will also ensure that our relationship with Hainan, our Sister City, is kept strong, he added.
Last year we had meeting with the yacht associations from Hainan, Jeju in South Korea, Phuket, Bali and Miami in an attempt to push for ideas which will help support cruise business and develop the yacht associations.
Hainan and Phuket are both members of the Inter-Island Tourism Policy (ITOP) Forum, and as part of this forum last month I visited Jeju and attended the Asia Cruise Forum 2016 where representatives from China, Korea and Japan discussed the idea of expanding cruise routes in the area.
Phuket already has a plan to develop its deep sea port into a marina hub for big cruise liners. In addition, our government has a policy of promoting Phuket as a marina hub in an attempt to attract tourists and investors from around the world, he concluded.
Thai kingpin get 35 years for Rohingya trafficking
BANGKOK: A Thai man accused of masterminding the smuggling and trafficking of Rohingya migrants fleeing Myanmar has been jailed for 35 years, a court today (Sept 1).
immigrationMyanmarreligioncorruptioncrimetransportpolicemilitary
By AFP
Thursday 1 September 2016, 04:50PM
Migrants who were found at sea on a boat stand in line as they are repatriated across the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in Rakhine in June 2015. Photo: Ye Aung Thu/AFP
Southern Thailand has long been known as a nexus for lucrative smuggling networks through which persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, and Bangladeshi economic migrants, pass on their way to Malaysia.
For years Thailand turned a blind eye to and was even complicit in the well-worn trafficking trade in the deep south.
Last year, Thailands junta launched a belated crackdown, a move that led smugglers to abandoned hundreds of victims on boats and in squalid jungle camps, but also brought much of the trade to a halt.
Yesterday (Aug 31) Sunand Saengthong, an alleged trafficking kingpin, was jailed for overseeing smuggling networks.
Overall he was sentenced to 35 years and fined B660,000, a spokesman at Pak Phanang Provincial Court said.
Two other accomplices were sentenced to one year and six months in jail respectively.
Police arrested Sunand after a raid in January last year that uncovered 97 Rohingya, the court said in a statement.
Witness testimonies in court found that money from the human trafficking gang was transferred to Sunands bank account, the statement said, adding that he was a mastermind of Rohingya trafficking in the south.
The Asian Human Rights Commission, which has followed the prosecution, said police searched five vehicles during their raid and discovered desperate migrants crammed in so tight that some had suffocated to death. More than 40 of those Rohingya were minors.
Around one million Rohingya live in western Rakhine state, where they are forced to live in apartheid-like conditions and are denied citizenship.
For years they have fled their homeland by sea, looking for work in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
Most victims crossed the sea in rickety boats to be held in remote jungle camps where they were beaten, raped and abused until relatives paid release ransoms. They would then be moved to Malaysia.
Thailands image has been battered in recent years by a series of human trafficking scandals including in its lucrative fishing and food production sectors.
The kingdoms junta have vowed to clean up the countrys image.
Last years crackdown on southern smuggling routes saw more than 100 alleged traffickers arrested including a senior army general. He and most of those detained are currently being tried in Bangkok.
World's largest pearl emerges in Philippines
PHILIPPINES: A poor Philippine fisherman found what is thought to be the worlds largest pearl, but hid it under his bed for a decade without knowing its worth, local authorities said.
natural-resourcesmarineenvironment
By AFP
Thursday 1 September 2016, 11:34AM
A poor Philippine fisherman found what is thought to be the worlds largest pearl, a decade earlier, and now could be worth tens of millions of dollars. Photo: Handout/AFP
The man found the 34-kilogramme pearl inside a giant clam that was snagged by his anchor as he waited out a storm at sea, according to local tourism department chief Cynthia Amurao, who is also his aunt.
Not knowing it could be worth tens of millions of dollars, he kept the 30-centimetre by 60-centimetre pearl in his thatch hut on the western island of Palawan, tucked under a wooden bed as a good-luck charm, Amurao added.
With the fishermans consent, the pearl was put on display at the city hall of Puerto Princesa, the provincial capital, and photos were posted on the governments Facebook page.
Local officials are hoping gemmologists will visit the city to assess its quality and value.
The 14-kilogramme Pearl of Allah, also known as the Pearl of Lao Tzu, is often referred to as the worlds largest. It was also found off Palawan, in the 1930s, and has been appraised by gemmologists at tens of millions of dollars.
Puerto Princesa city information officer Richard Ligad confirmed Amuraos account and said the man who found it could be in for a massive change in his lifes fortunes.
He has not signed any deed of donation (to the city) so it remains his property, Ligad said.
World Tourism Day all work and no play
BANGKOK: Thai government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd says there have been no discussions at Cabinet level on the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recommendation to declare September 26 and 27 special holidays.
tourismeconomics
By TTR Weekly
Thursday 1 September 2016, 11:14AM
Celebrating tourism with a trip to the beach on Sept 26-27 might be off the agenda. Photo: TAT
According to TAT a press release on August 15, the authority said it would seek Cabinet approval to recognise September 26-27 as special one-off holidays to celebrate World Tourism Day that is being officially hosted in Thailand on September 27.
Declaring a long-weekend holiday from Saturday, September 24 to Tuesday, September 27 would promote domestic tourism, the agency argued.
The proposal was one of three TAT measures to boost tourist confidence after the bomb attacks in seven southern provinces, 11 to 12 August, according to TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
However, government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern told local media that the government would not declare more public holidays.
According to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-chas earlier remarks, additional public holidays must be kept at appropriate level and that they should not be just for tourism promotion, but should take into account other aspects as well such as their economical, historical and cultural significance, he said.
TAT initially estimated tourism would lose between 100,000 to 200,000 international visits cutting tourism earnings by B5.08 billion, down to B10.16 billion, following the bomb attacks on August 11-12.
This year, the country estimates tourist arrivals will reach 33 million and generate B1.84 trillion in revenue. Last year, the country attracted 29.88 million international travellers and circulated B1.44 trillion in tourism revenue.
Read original story here.
4 candidates seek two four-year terms on Codington County Commission
Two of the three Codington County Commission seats have challengers this year. Here's what you need to know.
By PTI: Kolkata, Sep 1 (PTI) The Kolkata Police today said it will deploy around 3000 personnel to check any untoward incident in and around the city during tomorrows nation-wide strike called by central trade unions (TUs).
"We (Kolkata Police) have taken all precautionary measures to keep daily life smooth in and around the city tomorrow. Extra police personnel, numbering around 3000, will be there in duty tomorrow," a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.
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"We will not let anybody disturb peace in the city and people who will try to disrupt the situation will face strict action," the officer said.
Altogether 357 police pickets ? North Division (21), East South Division (35), Central Division (52), South Division (56), Port Division (48), South East Division (35), South Suburban Division (48) and South West Division (62) would be set up at important crossings in the city tomorrow to control any untoward situation, the officer said.
Heavy Radio Flying Squad (25), Special Divisional Mobiles would also be on duty as each police station would get Reserve Force which would be under the supervision of Divisional Reserve Senior officers, he said.
"Arrangements have been made at bus terminus, bus depots, tram depots, Metro railway stations, ferry ghats and KMC garages, fire stations for tomorrows bandh," the IPS officer said.
Police pickets would be there at market places, government offices and central business district establishments, the officer added.
The measures were taken in the backdrop of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having cautioned that her government would not allow any shutdown in the state on September 2.
"If vehicles and shops are damaged (by bandh supporters), we will take strong action. We will also give compensation," Banerjee had said. PTI SCH SUS MRJ
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By PTI: Visakhapatnam, Sep 1 (PTI) The third national-level joint disaster management exercise will be held in Gujarats Bhuj from September 15, a senior Navy official said.
The second such exercise titled Prakampana is presently going on here and it will conclude today. Around 250 delegates are participating in the exercise.
"The three-day third national level disaster management exercise will be held at Bhuj in Gujarat from September 15," Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice-Admiral HCS Bisht told reporters here yesterday.
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The first such exercise was conducted by the Army in Guwahati of Assam. The second one is being conducted by the Navy and the third exercise will be organised by the Air Force, a Defence release said. PTI COR NRB DIP JMF
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By Michael Cummings and Emma Friedlander
Cummings@grinnell.edu and Friedlan@grinnell.edu
JRC 101 played host to two town halls on Tuesday, August 30. The first, at 11 a.m., held by College administration in order to discuss Grinnells recent alcohol policy changes, came in an effort to promote dialogue and answer students questions about the changes, which have left many feeling angry and confused. The second, at 7 p.m., was student-only and served as a forum in which student voices could respond to the earlier town hall as well as the policy changes overall.
The first town hall began with statements by President Raynard Kington and Andrea Conner, Vice President of Student Affairs. They addressed each of the new policies, including guaranteed sub-free housing, regular walkthroughs by residence life staff, mandatory registration of parties in dorm lounges and the reconstruction of alcohol-focused traditions like 10/10. Conner then laid out the three-pronged approach for the administrations implementation of these policies, which include open communication, assuming the best of others intentions and adjusting the policy if necessary. The floor was then opened up for questions.
Justin Leuba 18 asked the first question, which addressed the fear that the changes would only move drinking into more harmful environments such as dorm rooms and off campus.
I definitely agree that the College hasnt been doing enough in terms of providing a good context for safe and harm-reductive substance consumption, not only for the individual but for the community at large, Leuba said. I think that by creating impediments to consuming alcohol in common spaces, [the administration is] effectively pushing it into private spaces such as dorm rooms, such as houses off-campus, which is fundamentally not harm-reductive.
The administrators were adamant that there is no evidence that those concerns were valid.
This has been raised repeatedly for 15 years at least in conversations about preventing alcohol use in college theres actually no evidence base that that in fact happens regularly, Kington said in response.
Ella Williams 19 brought up specific concerns about the possibility of a heightened police presence on campus.
I would like to talk about the broader implications of this policy and put it in a context outside of Grinnell, specifically with the RLC and Campus Safety walkthroughs, Williams said. Whether you mention it or not, that will inevitably lead to increased Grinnell Police presence on campus, and I feel like any time you are increasing police presence on campus you are responsible for the trauma that can inflict. Id like to talk about this in the context of our militarized state of police in this country and how that will disproportionately affect students of color, trans students and Id like you to be accountable for that.
In response, President Kington stressed the importance of following the law, while affirming his awareness of possible biases of police officers.
All I can say is we have no exception to the law, Kington said. I know we think were above it but were not actually. You know, all were talking about is complying with law, and promoting healthy behaviors. Believe me, Im as attuned as anyone in this room to concerns about police brutality I have two little black boys that I have to raise, that I have to talk to all the time about these issues.
Students were not the only ones who expressed concerns, although they were responsible for fourteen of the fifteen questions asked. Professor Samuel A. Rebelsky, Computer Science, brought up one of the causes for alcohol abuse on campus academic workload.
Andrea [Conner], you mentioned that this is part of a constellation of actions recommended by the task force, Rebelsky said, Ive looked at that constellation, one of the things that it doesnt seem to address is the student workload and stress that some of the drinking is clearly in response to. Were expecting our students to work 12 hours in each course, minimum, and many are working 20-hour a week jobs, and doing extra-curriculars. Is there a group on campus that is talking about this workload actively?
In response, Michael Latham, Dean of the College said that students should be looking for healthier ways to relieve stress than drinking.
My hope, to be honest, is as we think about workload, as we think about ways in which students seek to relieve stress, that not only do we have questions about the magnitude of workload, we have questions about how students can study smarter as opposed to always studying harder, Latham said. But I think there are also other ways to relieve stress, so I think broadening the extent to which students are capable and encouraged to think of other ways to relieve stress is also one of the things we have to do.
At the second town hall led by SGA president Anita DeWitt 17 that evening, student leaders from SGA Cabinet, ACE, residence life and other campus groups convened with concerned students to discuss the policies. The conversation largely focused on the current livelihood of Self-Gov, with students expressing varied views on what Self-Gov means, its role in the alcohol policies and whether the concept is still active at Grinnell. DeWitt also took the opportunity to clarify that a committee comprised of only students will reconstruct 10/10, though the committee has not yet been formed.
While many expressed the belief that the administration has limited Self-Gov at Grinnell, others stressed the need to remind students that Self-Gov also means respect and harm reduction in the Grinnell community, not only freedom in their own actions. Students also discussed concerns related to the implementation and practice of the new alcohol policies, especially the mandated walkthroughs.
I dont want campus security walking through my floor at any time of day when Im not expecting it. I dont want some stranger old man walking through my living quarters that doesnt make me feels safe, that makes me feel very unsafe, Williams said. I was at party the other night and there were a couple of CAs doing walkthroughs in the hallway. But they had cookies, and they were very much just making sure everyone was safe and okay. It was one of the most incredible things to see. These policies sound so harsh, and I think they are when theyre implemented by strangers that we dont know.
Some students who had been present at the mornings town hall expressed dissatisfaction with the administrations conduct.
Something I found really upsetting about this mornings town hall was the lack of dialogue on the administrations part, Williams said. I thought that a lot of very important comments and questions were said by students and faculty but I didnt feel like any of them really got an adequate response from the administration.
Following the town hall, SGA compiled a list of the changes students want to see, including informing the student body of major changes during the semester instead of breaks, involving more student input, addressing mental health causes for alcohol abuse and improving relationships between RLCs and their residents. With this resulting list of remaining questions and concerns, the conversation between students and administration may be far from over.
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia alleged that Jung and his handpicked bureaucrats were involved in digging irregularity in file approved by them instead of clearing roads of Delhi.
By Mail Today Bureau: At the time Delhi came to standstill due to water-logging and traffic jam following two hours of heavy shower, the AAP government blamed Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and the BJP-led civic bodies for the chaos.
HERE COMES THE BLAME
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia alleged that Jung and his handpicked bureaucrats were involved in digging irregularity in file approved by them instead of clearing roads of Delhi. Sisodia also said the bureaucrats handpicked by the L-G are neither attending meetings nor listening to their ministers.
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Jung on Tuesday formed a three-member panel to scan 400 files to check "irregularities" and "infirmities" in the files approved by the Delhi government in last 18 months. Sisodia said the Delhi government has had to focus on appeasing L-G's officers and not the welfare of its residents. Jung has deployed officials starting from peons to the Chief Secretary to scrutinise the files of the last one-and-a-half-years and due to that three of my meetings had to be cancelled, Sisodia said.
STILL LOOKING INTO FILES?
He also questioned the role of L-G and his officers when the city's civic infrastructure crumbled due to rain. "What is the L-G doing when the entire Delhi is drowning? At a time like, this L-G is giving instructions to his officers to look into our files. His officers are not working on solving water logging, jam and PWD but to check on what occasion rules were violated," Sisodia said.
He said Modi through the LG has stalled all the development work of Delhi. "Why is the LG not speaking on water-logging and traffic jam? Your officers are neither coming to the meetings called by ministers, nor listening to them. Few even say that they have been barred to do so. I request the L-G to go out like the ministers, taking along officers appointed by him, and solve the waterlogging and traffic woes," Sisodia said.
ALSO READ
Kejriwal accuses Jung of spying on Delhi government on behalf of PMO
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The AAP MLA was later granted bail by the court to appeal against the order in the higher court.
By Kumar Kunal: AAP MLA Pawan Kumar Sharma has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by a Delhi court for negligently causing the death of an employee in his steel factory.
Metropolitan Magistrate Virender Singh awarded the jail term to Sharma, MLA from Adarsh Nagar constituency in North Delhi and imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on him. The legislator has been convicted for offences under sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC.
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CHALLENGING JUDGEMENT
When contacted, Sharma said he would file an appeal in the sessions court challenging the judgement.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place in August 2009, when a worker at his steel factory in Samaipur Badli in Northwest Delhi was injured due to the flying chips from a rolling machine. A case was registered against him on August 5, 2009, at north Delhi's Samaypur Badli police station.
Sharma was later granted bail by the court to appeal against the order in the higher court.
ALSO READ:
AAP minister sacked for sex scandal had said he touches his wife's feet every morning
Jung, Centre made Delhi world's crime capital: AAP
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"Why can't someone with minimal money enjoy sitting in a cafe?" asks Amin Sheikh, who recently inaugurated a cafe called Bombay to Barcelona for the homeless in Mumbai. Here's his inspiring story.
By India Today Web Desk: The story of 25-year-old Amin Sheikh's journey from being a street child to a proprietor of one of the most unique cafes in the country is nothing short of incredible. The Humans of Bombay posted the inspiring story of Amin Sheikh who beat all odds to live his dreams.
Amin Sheikh was 5 years old when he ran away from home and started working at a tea shop. He had broken tea glasses in the tea shop and was terrified. But he had no way out. At home, he faced the wrath of abusive parents. He ended up in Malad Station, in the suburbs of Mumbai, where he eked out a living. He said "I stayed there until I was 8, polishing shoes, eating from the bin and singing in the train."
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After three years of struggle, Sheikh found his way into an orphanage called Sneha Sadan. In the post he said, "Sister Serafina came up to me and said, 'come to Sneha Sadan, we will take care of you', but I was scared because previously, people had lured me into their homes and raped me."
Facebook/Bombay to Barcelona
Sister Serafina's insistence completely changed his life. Today Sheikh is not just the owner of a cafe but also an author and a successful tour operator.
Amin Shiekh's experience as a homeless made him come up with the idea of cafe that can be inclusive. His cafe named Bombay to Barcelona, which was inaugurated on the Independence day this year, breaks stereotypes in a class-conscious country, where the misconception about cafes being meant exclusively for the upper middle class is rampant. Here at Bombay to Barcelona, even the servers at the cafe are former street children.
Facebook/Bombay to Barcelona
After spending 10 years with Seha Sadan, he moved on to work as a driver/manager for Eustace, who was a creative director in an advertising company. This is where he drew inspiration for his Barcelona themed cafe. The post reads, "it was from him that I learned to speak fluent English, and understood the importance of creating my own identity. Every year he would gift me something for Christmas, so during my 4th year, when he asked me what I wanted -- I said a trip to Barcelona. I told him that here, people would always look down upon me as a street child, but I wanted one opportunity to travel the world and discover -- and he gave it to me."
"Open to all-- he has poured his life savings into this dream. His question resonates with us as he asks, 'why can't someone with minimal money enjoy sitting in a cafe?' The caf allows any and everyone to afford its services and has little artifacts made by these street children for sale-- all of which goes directly to them. Quaint, quiet and full of love, this caf is testimony to a man's vision to make a difference to the world," reads the Humans of Bombay post.
Facebook/Bombay to Barcelona Facebook/Bombay to Barcelona
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Bombay Mumbai: Life is Life: I Am Because of You is the title of Sheikh's autobiography, published in 2012, and each and every penny that he earned from the twelve thousand copies he sold was saved up for the cafe.
Sheikh who learned how difficult it was to get food while on the streets, designed the menu in Bombay to Barcelona cafe in such a way that everyone from rickshaw drivers to an office worker can afford a cup of coffee. Apart from that, his cafe offers sumptuous items like sandwiches, quiches to tortillas at affordable prices.
Read the full post below:
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The delegation said app-based taxi services are affecting their business and they cannot remain silent.
By Press Trust of India: A delegation of autorickshaw and taxi unions today met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and demanded that app-based taxis plying in the national capital be reined in.
Rajendra Soni, general secretary of Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union, affiliated to Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, said the delegation also demanded creation of "halt and go" stands for autos and taxis in market areas.
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Soni said app-based taxi services are affecting their business and they cannot remain silent. The Delhi government should stop their services as most of app-based cab operators are not following rules, he said.
Arun Sharma and Pawan, officer-bearers of airport taxi union, were also present in the meeting.
"We have demanded setting up of 'halt and go' stands in market areas so that autos and taxis can pick up passengers.
In the meeting, we have also urged the LG to direct transport department to issue 10,000 new auto permits," Soni said.
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The reality of UFO incursions at American nuclear weapons facilities has been convincingly established. Hundreds of U.S. military veterans now openly discuss these ominous incidents and thousands of declassified government documents affirm their revelations.
Over the past 43 years, I have sought out and interviewed more than 150 of those veterans, seven of whom participated in my September 27, 2010 UFOs and Nukes press conference in Washington D.C., which CNN streamed live.
By Robert Hastings
The UFO Chronicles
9-1-16
By Robert HastingsThe UFO Chronicles9-1-16
Regardless, after five months online, the documentary has received near-unanimous praise from persons living all over the planet. And the audience is growing ever larger by the week, now far surpassing the number of readers who tackled my 600-page book. In short, things are moving in the right direction, in terms of public education, which is my overarching goal.
My 48-minute documentary film,, is now available at Vimeo On Demand . The evidence presented in it makes clear that humans deadliest weapons have been, since their development and use during World War II, under intense scrutiny by still-unidentified observers operating tremendously advanced aerial craft.Several of the U.S. veterans say that UFOs have repeatedly hovered over American ICBMs, resulting in the missiles malfunctioning. Furthermore, Soviet UFO documents, secured by Western journalists in the 1990s, confirm that the Russians nuclear missiles were also monitored and even tampered with during the Cold War era. However, due to ongoing secrecy by both governments, the vast majority of people worldwide are completely unaware of these amazing, historic developments.The film has been available online since April 12, 2016, and yetas of this datenot one of the high-profile UFO debunkers has publicly commented on it. Oh, they all were vocal enough over the past two years, after I announced that my four-decade quest to interview U.S. military veterans about UFO activity at nuclear weapons sites would soon culminate in a documentary. Predictably, their comments ranged from dubious-to-scathingabout a film they hadnt even seen. Now that it is finally available to view, there has not been even one peep from any of those guys. Why?Given that the film presents several authenticated documents and on-camera interviews with vetted military witnesses, all discussing the reality of the decades-long UFO-Nukes Connection, perhaps the skeptics have finally realized the futility of their unceasing efforts to debunk the UFO-nukes link.Nah, that cant be it. This crowd will never admiteven to themselvesthat their misguided, weak arguments are now untenable. Maybe they are just lying low, realizing that they have nothing to gain by critiquing the film, in light of the overwhelming evidence it presents. (Now that I have written this article, look for some of them to claim that they didnt want to pay five bucks to support my nonsense, which gives them a convenient excuse not to comment.)
Organization: National
Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO)
Duty Station: Abi ZARDI
Kawanda, NaCRRI Namulonge, NaFIRRI Jinja, and NaCORI, Mukono Kituza,
Uganda
About NARO:
The National Agricultural Research Organisation is established by the
National Agricultural Research Act 2005 as a body corporate with the mandate to
provide strategic direction for publically funded agricultural research in Uganda.
The organisation is composed of the Council as its governing body, Committees
of Council, a Secretariat for its day-to-day operations with semi-autonomous
Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARIs) under its policy guidance.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
The jobholder will design and implement quantitative and qualitative socio-economics
research
Collect
and analyze a broad range of primary and secondary social, economic, market
value chain and policy research data using standard statistical software
Establish
and regularly update baseline, crop production, sector actors, policies,
markets and marketing, and post-harvest/utilization information
The
incumbent will design and study profitability, technical and financial
viability, markets, adoption and impacts of crop innovations, interventions,
including associated drivers and dynamics, and dis-aggregated by various
socio-economic parameters
The
jobholder will also evaluate demand and supply of crop production inputs
such as seed and other innovations
Spearhead
monitoring, evaluation and learning pertaining to crops research for
development interventions
Actively
contribute to clear articulation of impact pathway to achievement of project
goals
Compile,
summarize, document, publish research and secondary data into reports,
policy briefs, peer reviewed journal articles, newsletters and strategy
documents to strengthen research for development
Support
engagement with key stakeholders and strategic partners
Develop
marketing and promotional strategies for different crops /products in
collaboration with key partners
Actively
participate in the development of market linkages and business models that
enhance market access of smallholder farmers, in collaboration with market
value chain actors
Translate
research findings into practical priorities for development, policy decisions
and strategies that facilitate adoption, stimulate scaling up and out of
project outputs, and enhance social inclusiveness.
Publish
research findings in international peer reviewed journals and contribute to
dissemination of results to stakeholders
Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:
The applicants should hold a Bachelors Degree
in Agriculture or Agricultural Economics plus a Masters Degree in Agricultural
Economics, Economic Policy and Development Economics. Possession of a PhD
degree will be an added advantage.
At least three years experience in a relevant
field in reputable organization, with good skills in qualitative, quantitative
research method, report writing.
Possession of strong skills in qualitative,
quantitative analysis of data and information process appropriate software such
as R, STATA and SPSS, and econometric models
Demonstrated knowledge of programming tools for
planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Age: Below 50 years
How to Apply:
All candidates who wish to join NARO are encouraged to send their
applications to the Director General, NARO, P.O. Box 295, Entebbe, Uganda.
The complete applications should include three copies of your Curriculum
Vitae and one copy of certificates, transcripts and other relevant documents.
The application should bear the title of the post as well as the reference
number specified against the vacancy (Check at top of the advert). The
applicants should not apply for more than three posts.
th
September 2016 Deadline: 16September 2016
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For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com orfind us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
From Richard Curtis's About Time to Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, here's your fix of Sci-Fi romance right here.
By Tatsam Mukherjee: Time-travel romances are still unchartered territory for Bollywood and Nitya Mehra's Baar Baar Dekho starring Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif seems to be challenging it. They're a tricky genre to tackle, since you need the warmth in the romance and yet keep the time-travel element fresh enough to keep the audiences engrossed.
This genre has been successfully explored in the West, and given us quite a few heart-warming films. Here are 5 time-travel romances you should watch before you see Baar Baar Dekho:
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1. About Time (2013)
Directed by the same man who made Love Actually, is this quirky love story of an Irish family comprising of Domnhall Gleeson and Bill Nighy playing son and father respectively. This family has a peculiar tradition when the men, generation after generation, acquire the ability to manipulate time and 'rewind' life. How Gleeson uses it to charm the girl he loves (played by Rachel McAdams) forms the rest of the story. The movie is warm and gooey and will definitely find appreciation among the romantics.
Domnhall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams in About Time.
2. Groundhog Day (1993)
Even though romance is only one of the tracks of the film, Bill Murray's Groundhog Day fills you with all the good feels. Part romance, part coming of age, the film benefits from an outstanding central performance from Bill Murray, who is exemplary as the once-hotshot know it all, and how one assignment in a faraway town changes his life forever and teaches to appreciate the deeper things like caring for your loved ones, spreading goodness in general.
A still of Bill Murray from Groundhog Day.
3. Midnight in Paris (2011)
This one is for the dreamers. This surrealist Woody Allen film sees its protagonist Gil (played by Owen Wilson), a writer by profession catch a midnight ride back to the 50s among his favourite writers like F Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway and even famous painter Pablo Picasso. The film basically speaks for those who choose to dwell in the past and are fascinated about living in the same time as their heroes. With an ensemble cast including actors like Tom Hiddleston, Marion Cotillard, the film is just so lovely to watch.
Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris.
4. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
Starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams, this film is based on the book of the same name. It follows the life of a couple (Bana and McAdams) as the husband has the ability to manipulate time and therefore change events in his life and make minor differences to world events too. It follows how the couple's relationship evolves as Bana goes back and forth in time.
Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams in The Time Traveler's Wife Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams in The Time Traveler's Wife
5. Winter's Tale (2014)
Written and directed by acclaimed screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, Winter's tale stars Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay and Jennifer Connelly in lead roles. The story follows a thief (Farrell)as he falls in love with a girl which allows him to travel through time.
A still from Winter's tale A still from Winter's tale
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Authorities on Thursday imposed curfew at three places in the Kashmir Valley as separatists extended their protest shutdown till September 8.
"Curfew has been imposed in areas falling under the jurisdiction of Nowhatta and M.R.Gunj police stations in Srinagar city along with Baramulla," a senior police official said.
Authorities had lifted curfew from the entire Valley on Wednesday after 53 days since the unrest started on July 9.
One youth identified as Danish Ahmad, 18, was killed in firing by the security when a mob pelted stones at a passing army convoy in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district on Wednesday.
Mobs also torched the house of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rajya Sabha member, Nazir Ahmad Laway in Chawalgam village in Kulgam district.
Reports here said the mob first torched the guard room at his house and then set fire to the main building.
A stone pelting mob engaged security forces in clashes in Sopore town on Thursday morning while another mob torched a three-wheeler in Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar city for defying the shutdown called by the separatists.
The separatists have issued a fresh protest calendar through which they have asked people to continue the shutdown till September 8.
For the last 55 days, life has remained totally paralysed in the Valley due to curfew and protest shutdown called by the separatists.
Educational institutions have remained closed for the last 55 days as shops, markets and public transport have also remained suspended.
A total of 72 people -- 69 civilians and three policemen have killed and over 11,000 others injured in the Valley during this period.
In the wake of another embarrassing goof up by the crucial foreigners division of the Union Home Ministry, the MHA has suspended two under secretaries and one section officer for negligence in handling the request for FCRA renewal by televangelist Zakir Naik's NGOsIslamic research Foundation and Islamic Research Foundation Educational Trust .
Despite the MHA and intelligence agencies scrutinising Naik's activities and the foreign funding to his NGOs, the foreigners division gave a five-year extension to Naik's NGOs for receiving foreign aid for its activities in the country.
Foreigners division oversees Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) which monitors NGOs in India that receive foreign funding for its activities.
Swinging into action to curtail the damage done, the MHA has now cancelled this extension till the inquiry is under way. The FCRA licences to Naik's NGOs had expired on December 31.2015.
"The action against two under secretaries and one section officer was due to their negligence in clearing the renewal while a case is still pending. We had made the process of FCRA renewal online," Minister of State Kiren Rijiju said .
The fresh goof up has come only four months after another official of the foreigners division was arrested by the CBI. Anand Joshi was arrested in May after he was accused of stealing a file related to Teesta Setalvad's Sabrang Trust and arbitrarily issuing notices to 60 to 70 NGOs in the country.
Naik has been under scanner by various security agencies for allegedly brainwashing youth to join ISIS.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hailed the Supreme Court's order setting aside the land acquisition for the Tata Motors' Nano project as a "landmark victory", adding that she had "tears of joy" on learning about the decision and can now "die in peace".
"This is a landmark victory. We have been waiting for this day for ten long years, This is a victory of the people, victory of Ma, Mati Manush (Mother, land and people -- Banerjee's pet slogan)," an elated Banerjee told media persons at the state secretariat Nabanna.
"The people of Singur suffered so much, they endured so much torture, but they never left me. I have tears of joy in my eyes. Returning land to the farmers of Singur was one promise my government could not fulfil so far. But now we can return the land," she added.
Earlier in the day, the apex court set aside the acquisition of land by the previous Left Front government in the state for the Nano car plant in Singur of Hooghly district, saying due processes and procedures were not followed. it also decreed that land has to be given back to the farmers within 12 weeks.
Then the state's principal opposition leader, the Trinamool Congress chief had undertaken a 26-day hunger strike in Kolkata in December 2006, against the "forcible land acquisition" in Singur, and demanding 400 acres taken from farmers unwilling to part with their land be returned to them.
She later travelled to the rural pocket and laid siege on the factory for 14 days in 2008.
The Tata group then moved the project out of the state and finally set it up in Sanand in Gujarat, on land assigned to them by the state's then investor-friendly Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
"The acquisition was wrong and it was a historical suicide," Banerjee said, attacking the erstwhile Left Front regime.
In contrast, Banerjee said her government never acquired land forcibly, and even for public purposes like roads and railway infrastructure it negotiated with all stakeholders.
"It was because of our movement that the draconian 1894 law on land acquisition was changed. Now this verdict has yet again proved the success of our anti-land acquisition movement," she said.
Banerjee said her government would obey the court order fully and a strategy meeting has been called on Thursday to decide on the follow-up action.
The next administrative meeting of the government will be held on September 14 in Singur, followed by the main victory rally of Singur farmers the same day.
Banerjee said "Singur festival" will be organised in all blocks of the state on September 2 to show respect to the peasant movement, and called for cultural programmes to be organised as part of it.
The date September 2 is significant as 17 central trade unions, with the left parties in the forefront, has called a nationwide general strike on that day.
A nostalgic Banerjee said she had coined her slogan of Ma, Mati, Manush inspired by the Singur movement.
She recalled her hunger-strike and how she was beaten up in the Singur Block office as also at a petrol pump for leading the protests.
"I wasn't allowed to move freely. Peasants were tortured."
Banerjee said the first decision of her cabinet after the Trinamool came to power in 2011 was to return the land, but the matter got dragged in court battles after that.
She said she did not want to make a distinction between "unwilling" and "willing" farmers. The "unwilling" farmers are those who had complained that the land was taken against their will and joined Banerjee's anti-acquisition movement, the "willing" farmers gave the land and took compensation cheques from the Left Front government of the day.
"I am not vindictive. It was a matter of principle. I want to reach government services to all. We will talk to the locals and take people into confidence," she said.
US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's image is at its record low with Americans in her 25-year national public life, according to a new poll.
According to the Washington Post/ABC News poll on Wednesday, 56 per cent of Americans now hold unfavorable views of Clinton with 41 per cent regarding the former secretary of state with favorable views, Xinhua news agency reported.
The previous low watermark for Clinton's unfavorability rate was 55 per cent in June's version of the poll.
Meanwhile, the poll on Wednesday found that Clinton's Republican counterpart Donald Trump continued to be more unpopular of the two presidential nominees, with 63 per cent having an unfavorable opinion of him.
However, Clinton's image is as bad as that of Trump among registered voters, the poll found.
Only 38 per cent of registered US voters view Clinton positively while 59 per cent say they dislike her, compared to the 37/60 split for Trump.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has stated clearly that there would be "no amnesty" for undocumented immigrants living in the US and would be deported if he was elected in the November 8 elections.
"For those here illegally today who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only. To return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined," Trump said while delivering his major speech on immigration in Arizona on Wednesday night,
"There will be no amnesty," CNN quoted the Manhattan real estate magnate as saying.
"People will know that you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalised -- it's not going to work that way. Those days are over," Trump said.
He did not commit to deporting every undocumented immigrant living in the US as he previously had, but vowed that immigrants living in the US illegally would never have a path to legal status under his presidency, CNN noted.
Trump also pledged to create a "deportation task force" within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division "focused on identifying and quickly removing the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens in America".
"Maybe they'll be able to deport her," Trump said, joking the task force could deport his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Just hours after meeting with the Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier on Wednesday, Trump reasserted his pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and force Mexico to pay for the wall.
"Mexico will pay for the wall. 100 per cent. They don't know it yet but they're going to pay for the wall," CNN quoted Trump as saying as his supporters roared.
The wall, Trump said, will be "beautiful" and "impenetrable" and will include high-tech technologies to prevent illegal border crossings.
However, Trump and Pena Nieto did not discuss who would pay for the wall during the mogul's short visit.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," CNN quoted Pena Nieto as saying later in a tweet.
Trump noted that any undocumented immigrants who are caught crossing into the US will be "detained until they are removed from our country" and sent back to their country of origin.
Having earlier said that PM Modi crossed the "red line" by raising the issue of Balochistan, Pakistan responded to the AIR attack by banning all Indian TV channels.
By India Today Web Desk: After the Indian government boosted the signal capacity of All India Radio (AIR) transmission by installing a new transmittor in Jammu and Kashmir, the radio programmes are now flawlessly audible across Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), areas of Pakistan's Punjab province and beyond. The government has also given a green signal to AIR to broadcast programmes in Balochi language to express solidarity with the Balochistan freedom movement.
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To counter this move of the Indian government and as a response to the increasing popularity of AIR, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned Indian TV Channels through DTH services, ANI tweeted citing Pakistan media reports.
Pakistan-based news outlet Geo News quotes PEMRA chairman Absar Alam saying that no Indian channel has landing rights in the country. He is said to have stressed that a complete ban against Indian TV channels is now being enforced and a crackdown is underway with the help of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other intelligence agencies.
Pakistan's total clampdown comes as no surprise - it had earlier said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi crossed the "red line" by discussing Pakistani atrocities on people of Balochistan.
ALSO READ:
Pakistan says Modi crossed red line by mentioning Balochistan, India says it's your own fault
Modi's Balochistan attack on Pakistan now up in the AIR
Baloch Nation welcomes PM Modi's Balochistan comment, hopes US and Europe join to hold Pak accountable
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By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times
Elul is upon us, and it is perhaps proper to study the dynamics of the Hatfields and McCoys in order to best prepare ourselves for Yom HaDin.
The Hatfields and McCoys were two rural families from the West Virginia/ Kentucky area that were part of the greatest machlokes ever in the history of the United States. It is said that the debate was fueled over the debate about the ownership of a pig.
Floyd Hatfield had physical possession over the pig, but Randolph McCoy claimed it was actually his. His proof? The notches or markings on the pigs ears were clearly McCoy, not Hatfield, marks.
The matter was taken to the local Dayan or, lehavdil, Justice of the Peace. Preacher Anse Hatfield (negiyos, anyone?) ruled for the Hatfields by the testimony of Bill Staton, a relative of both families.
Subsequently, Staton the witness, was killed by two McCoy brothers, Sam and Paris. They, however, were later acquitted on the claim that they had shot Staton in self-defense.
The feud lasted some 38 years in the late 1800s and resulted in lost time, money, energy, and tragically the loss of dozens of lives on both sides of the feud.
THE GEMORAH
The Gemorah in Sanhedrin (110a) tells us, Whoever persists in a machlokes is in violation of a Torah prohibition as it states, Do not be like Korach and his group. Indeed, Rav Ashi states that one who persists in a machlokes is worthy to be stricken by leprosy.
The Sheiltos (131), the BaHaG (Mitzvah 166 Jerusalem edition), and the SMaG (Lo Saaseh 157) understand this Gemorah in its plain meaning that it is a biblical prohibition to persist in a Machlokes. And while the Rambam (Sefer HaMitzvos Shoresh 8) indicates that the Gemorah is a Rabbinic asmachta, even according to him the prohibition is subsumed under another Torah Mitzvah #45. lo sisgodedu.
The Ksav Sofer writes (Responsa OC #36) of the very horrific sin or fire that is a machlokes drabim a public feud involving many people.
The Kesef Mishna writes (Hilchos Talmud Torah 7:1) that in order to stop machlokes in Klal Yisroel, the sages were very stringent regarding the rulings of Rabbi Eliezer in order to ensure that there not be machlokes within Klal Yisroel.
PATHWAY TO GEHENAM
Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum ztl (the author of the Nesivos) in his peirush on Chumash, explains the Gemorah in Eiruvin (19a) that machlokes leads one directly to the doorway of Gehenam.
The Shla (Shaar haOsios #2) writes: Take this principle in your hand the sin of machlokes is worse than the sin of Avodah sin.
He cites the Mishnas Rabbi Eliezer (chapter 4) that there are three places where we see that Hashem is forgiving in regard to Avodah Zarah but not so in regard to the sin of holding onto Machlokes.
WHEN A FEUD HAS ALREADY OCCURRED
If, heaven forbid, a feud has already occurred, a truly G-d-fearing person should make every attempt to make peace and resolve the machlokes. Certainly, he should not attempt to convince people to involve themselves and spread the feud. Doing so, the person can mitigate hatred and rather cause shalom to spread.
Rav Elyashiv zatzal advised that if someone sees that he is about to become involved in a feud or machlokes, he should begin the process of Teshuvah. The reason is that Machlokes is usually caused by some incorrect or evil matter within ourselves and we are misdirecting ourselves to seek out fault in others and thus involve ourselves in machlokes.
WE HAVE OUR OWN HATFIELDS AND McCOYS
It is unfortunate, that we in the Torah community are also not immune to the Hatfield and McCoy phenomenon. Machlokes creates horrible situations where families are no longer united or together. It makes no difference what the original cause was whether it was a debate over a pig or a piece of jewelry or a property. The origins of the Hatfield/ McCoy moshol is quite clear and has a resounding message: We should look at money and all matters goshmius as if they are chazir treif.
The Midrash in Vayikrah Rabbah (26:2) tells us that Achav was victorious in battle, because he had unity. Shaul HaMelech, conversely, was defeated in battle, because he had disunity and machlokes. Lets digest this for a moment. Shauls Judaism was blemish free there was no Avodah Zarah. Achav, on the other hand, was an oved Avodah Zarah.
WHY WE ARE CALLED KNESSES YISROEL
The Shla explains that we, the Jewish nation, are called Knesses Yisroel because of our unity and oneness, which reflects the Unity of Hashem above (see also Rashi Tehillim 133:1). When we cause factions, splits and disunity, we cause tremendous tremors up in the Heavens and cause us to be unworthy of our name.
How sad it is when families are torn apart because of Machlokes. How sad it is to see cousins who once played together now apart. What a chilul Hashem it is to see borthers and sisters not talking to each other. What a grave chilul Hashem it is when politicians are aware of feuds within our own communities and thus develop keenly honed political skills that will not alienate them from one part over the other.
Is there no greater chilul Hashem than this?
THE VERSE IN TEHILLIM
The pasuk in Tehillim (133:1) tells us, Hinei ma tov umah naim sheves achim gam yachad Behold what is good and what is pleasant is when brothers sit together in unity. There are two important things in which we can take note of when we study this pasuk. And both are remarkably pertinent.
Firstly, the plain simple meaning is that parents take great nachas in seeing children together. Seeing brothers helping each other, looking out for each other, as every parent knows creates a remarkable combination of feeling of pride, happiness and nachas swelling within the parent. This is true for both parents alive as well as those who are no longer with us. When we think about this, how can we not make up with a brother or sister?
Secondly, the meforshim all point out that the posuk refers to both the first and second beis Hamikdash, the achim referring to the Kohen Gadol and the like. There is deep significance in that the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdahs is associated with the pasuk of brothers being together.
Elul is the time where we can and should attempt to resolve all of these differences within us. Former business partners, brothers, sisters, brothers. Lets reach out and send a favorite gift for Shabbos with a small card or so.
Ultimately, the Hatfields and McCoy families resolved their differences. We too have our own Hatfields and McCoys, but we, Knesses Yisroel, should try to resolve our own feuds in a significantly shorter time frame.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
Jerusalem Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Aryeh Stern Shlita has published a letter containing his bracha, addressed to teachers and students alike ahead of the opening of the 5777 school year.
The rav wishes everyone hatzlacha, citing that while there are many subjects being studied, an emphasis must always remain on loving one another, Torah and Eretz Yisrael.
The rav then chooses to add what he views as essential for Israeli society in Eretz Yisrael, the need to seek ways to strengthen the Jewish identity of the state which is so dear to us.
I am certain the education system will contribute greatly and have a major influence on all avenues of society Rabbi Stern added.
Rabbi Stern concludes with wishes of a Kesiva Vchasima Tova to all students, teachers and their families together with all of Israel.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
What now appears to be a bit of muscle flexing by the Ministry of Education and principals of the seminaries (frum girls high schools) may indeed escalate to a conflict that precipitates a strike of all ninth grades in the frum girls schools.
Earlier YWN-ISRAEL reported the principals of ten girls schools from the chareidi system were summoned to a hearing by the Jerusalem District director of the Education Ministry amid reports of ongoing discrimination against some 50 girls, whom have yet to be assigned a school.
It is reported that the head of the Union of Seminaries, Rabbi Yitzchak Ostalitz has sent a letter to member schools informing them the union may call to strike all ninth grades with the opening of the school year in response to municipalities assigning girls to schools in line with ministry directives, against the wishes of the schools and daas torah.
The rav explains he has already consulted with Gedolei Yisrael Shlita, and has been instructed to possibly strike ninth grade in response. Kikar Shabbos quotes the rav adding This is a declaration of war against the chareidi seminars blatant intervention in our education system and compelling us to accept girls.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
There is a political storm surrounding remarks made on Tuesday 26 Menachem Av by Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich in his address to an Israel Bar Association conference in Eilat. Not too much time passed before Alsheich issued a clarification amid an awareness his remarks had offended Israels Ethiopian community.
Alsheich was asked to respond to a question of alleged police violence against Israels Ethiopian community following a number of high profile cases this year in which police are accused of using unjustifiable brutality against Ethiopians.
Alsheich stated that worldwide statistics show that migrants and the young are more involved in crime, extrapolating when one brings these two factors together, then a particular community is statistically more involved in crime than others and therefore, a policeman is more likely to view a person from this community as a suspect and view these people with a suspicion and concern.
Representatives of the Ethiopian and Arab communities both accuse Alsheich of racism, stating clearly his remarks reflect his true position and that of Israel Police and this is why there is a disproportionate number of cases of police brutality involving Ethiopians and Arabs. There are calls for the commissioners resignation.
The clarification on behalf of the commissioner stated he was simply quoting facts and studies regarding crime and migrant communities, nothing more, and by no means was he pointing an accusing finger at any community in Israel.
The statement added that since Alsheich assumed his post several months ago, the department has conducted a self-examination and revealed that there was over-policing when it comes to the Ethiopian community and corrective actions are being taken including sensitivity training.
Despite the outcry, Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan gave his commissioner total backing, explaining he was not justifying over-policing of any community but simply stating facts. Erdan rejected the attacks against Alsheich as being unjustified, emphasizing Ethiopian Israelis are an integral component of Israeli society today.
Erdan added that in cases in which there is fear of over-policing the case is investigated and appropriate actions taken
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
With the increase of hostilities on the Russian-Ukrainian border in recent weeks, 211 new olim from Ukraine landed in Ben-Gurion International Airport on Tuesday morning 26 Menachem Av, most of them from the embattled regions in the Eastern part of the country. The olim arrived on a flight sponsored by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), and it is the IFCJs 19th flight since the hostilities broke out between the two countries.
They will join the roughly 4,000 olim from Ukraine who have already made aliyah with the IFCJ, beginning in December 2014. Among the Olim there are 37 children who will begin their studies in Israeli schools in two days, and out of the 37, nine of them will be starting first grade.
One of the immigrants, Natalia S., who arrived in Israel with her mother and son, said that she was forced to leave the city of Marinka in the Donetsk region in Eastern Ukraine after the extensive bombing in the city that began in April 2014. The building where her family lived was bombed and some of their neighbors were killed. Natalia explained that her familys Jewishness was kept secret by her grandmother who had survived the Holocaust, while her husband, Natalias grandfather, was in a concentration camp. As a result, she says, we knew we had Jewish roots but did not have the documents to prove it.
According to Natalia, one of the times the family visited the Holocaust Museum one of the employees at the site advised her as to what archive she should search in to find documents that would prove their Jewish roots. Because of the advice we were given, we went later to the archive and found my grandmothers documents. In the documents, we read that she had changed her name and her fathers name, from Alia and Avraham to Lisa and Peter. Natalia, her mother, and her son are planning to settle in Akko.
Among the arrivals were seven babies, two of them only a half-year old. The oldest person on the present flight in 82-years-old and the average age of the olim is 34. The preferred destination for the olim is Haifa, which will absorb 42 of the new arrivals. Most of the olim come from the Dnipropetrovsk region, which has become one of the preferred destinations for refugees escaping the embattled areas in Eastern Ukraine because of its proximity and the fact that it is still in Ukrainian hands.
The IFCJ assists the Olim to Israel with special grants of $1,000 for each adult immigrant and $500 for each child, in addition to financing the flight to Israel. This support given by the IFCJ is in addition to the basket of benefits that olim receive from the Ministry of Aliyah & Absorption. Additionally, before they arrive in Israel the IFCJ arranges the absorption of the olim families in various local authorities. These local authorities are recruited to accompany the olim while finding housing and employment for them and continuing to accompany them even after they are absorbed in their new homes.
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, President of the IFCJ: With all my heart, I want to wish each and every child on the flight a successful and fruitful school year and an easy adjustment to their new school. Due to the increase of hostilities on the Russian-Ukrainian border, there is a significant increase in calls from potential olim to the IFCJ representatives in Ukraine and we are doing everything to give them the best possible service so that they can begin new and secure lives in Israel, which was and still is the home for any person who is part of the Jewish people.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: IFCJ)
A blood drive sponsored by Ezer Mizion in Bnei Brak in cooperation with Magen David Adom Blood Bank Services yielded 170 units of blood.
MDA officials explain that during the summer months, Israelis are busy traveling and vacationing, many out of the country, and generally speaking, these are difficult months for the blood services unit which is responsible for maintaining an ample supply of blood.
Officials explain the 170 units donated via Ezer Mizion can actually save over 500 lives since blood is broken down at times and the components used independent of one another.
Ezer Mizion CEO Rabbi Chananya Tzulich explains We thank the tzibur at large for setting aside time and coming forward to donate blood. Thanks to the 170 donors, EMTs and other volunteers who assisted in the blood drive, especially the blood bank officials.
MDA Blood Bank officials are calling on people with type O and persons with all types with a negative Rh (including A, B and AB) to please step forward and donate as there is a serious shortage.
Anyone wishing to arrange for a blood drive in ones community for over 30 people to donate is asked to call 03-530-0400/69.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Fifteen years after the Sept. 11th attacks, Lower Manhattan has been reborn.
The revitalization of the citys downtown, powered by $30 billion in government and private investment, includes not just the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site, but also two new malls filled with upscale retailers, thousands of new hotel rooms and dozens of eateries ranging from a new Eataly to a French food hall, Le District.
The statistics alone are stunning. There are 29 hotels in the neighborhood, compared to six before 9/11. More than 60,000 people live downtown, nearly triple the number in 2000. And last year, the area hosted a record 14 million visitors, according to the Alliance for Downtown New York.
And while theres plenty to do downtown for free, including seeing the 9/11 memorial park, visitors have also shown a willingness to pay relatively steep prices for certain attractions. The 9/11 museum, which charges $24, has drawn 6.67 million visitors since its May 2014 opening. The observatory atop One World Trade Center, which charges $34, has drawn 3 million people in the 15 months since it opened. In comparison, the Statue of Liberty gets about 4 million visitors a year.
I dont think anyone would have expected that we would have rebounded so robustly, so quickly, said Jessica Lappin, president of the Alliance for Downtown New York. Theres the physical transformation at the site itself, but theres also the neighborhood. Theres an energy here. People could have given up after 9/11 and nobody would have blamed them. Instead there has been a tenacity, a dedication that is inspiring.
The Alliance for Downtown New York was founded before 9/11, in 1995, when the neighborhood was on its heels, Lappin recalled. The vacancy rate was going through the roof. At the time, downtown was a strictly 9-to-5 area, keyed to the workday rhythms of Wall Street and City Hall, deserted at night and on weekends. Revitalization efforts were just getting underway when 9/11 hit and changed everything.
But as government funding for disaster recovery began to pour in, private investment followed, spurring a massive rebuilding that continues to this day. For blocks surrounding One World Trade, half-built towers and cranes still clutter the sky, barricades and scaffolding line the streets, and the whine and clatter of jackhammers fill the air. Construction workers in hardhats are as ubiquitous as tourists. The recession hampered efforts to bring businesses back, but Lappin says private sector employment 266,000 workers is finally nearing pre-9/11 numbers. Conde Nast and Time Inc. have relocated downtown. Group M, one of the worlds biggest advertising firms, will move into Three World Trade Center when its complete.
So far, three towers have been built with plans for more.
The neighborhood is also becoming a shopping destination. Brookfield Place opened last year with luxury retailers like Gucci and Diane von Furstenberg. It also houses Le District, a French food hall with a creperie, cafe, bar and more, as well as Hudson Eats, with outposts of popular local eateries like Mighty Quinns BBQ and Num Pangs Cambodian sandwiches.
A second shopping center, Westfield, opened in August inside the Oculus, a striking white structure designed by famed architect Santiago Calatrava. The curves of the Oculus two ribbed wings are silhouetted by One World Trade rising behind it. Inside the Oculus, retailers range from Apple to Kate Spade to The Art of Shaving. The complex connects to Four World Trade, where the new Eataly NYC Downtown offers a bounty of bread, cheese, coffee, produce, pasta and more. Below ground a massive transit center houses subways and a New Jersey PATH train station.
Elsewhere in Lower Manhattan, a Tom Colicchio restaurant is planned for the just-opened Beekman Hotel; the soon-to-open Four Seasons hotel will host a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, and the storied Nobu restaurant will move downtown from Tribeca. Other downtown attractions include Alexander Hamiltons tomb in the graveyard of Trinity Church, the National Museum of the American Indian and the SeaGlass Carousel, which opened last year near where boats leave for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
But near the top of many visitors New York itineraries these days is a pilgrimage to the place where planes turned the twin towers into smoking piles of twisted steel and rubble. The tranquil park formally known as the National September 11 Memorial features tree-lined walkways and reflecting pools in the footprints of the twin towers. Bronze parapets around the pools bear the names of the nearly 3,000 dead.
On Monday, park visitors included three siblings from Barcelona, Arantxa, Meus and Pau Saloni, on their first trip to New York. Its really sad to see all the names, but its nice to remember them, said Meus.
Also visiting Monday were Su-Ting Fu and his family, in town from suburban Westchester. We lived in New York City when 9/11 happened, he said. But we hadnt come to see this until today. Its nice to see everything theyve done to memorialize it, but I also love the greenery, and how it feels very much like a living type of memorial.
Lappin said the neighborhoods rebirth is a fitting tribute to the 9/11 tragedy. We honor those who were lost, but we also celebrate life and move forward.
(AP)
YWN-ISRAEL recently reported on a Betar Illit mother and veteran teacher who was fired from her teaching post after getting a drivers license. It was explained the mother got the license after consulting with their rebbe, explaining it is to assist their 100% disabled daughter. The school however was not interested in her reason, promptly dismissing her from her job.
Kikar Shabbos News reports the teacher, who was fired from Beis Yaakov-Reishis Chachma in Betar Illit left on her own, according to what the school told the Education Ministry. The school reportedly explained she decided to leave because of being too busy.
The school has been contacted by the officials from the Chareidi Unit of the ministry seeking an explanation. They contacted Binyamin Herschler, who holds the education portfolio in the Betar Council. Herschler was instructed by the ministry to probe the matter. He was told by the school the teacher was not fired, but left on her own.
The ministry has tried to speak with the teacher and family members, who to date have not cooperated, fearing retaliation. A relative however is quoted telling Kikar Shabbos that the teacher and her family are under enormous pressure not to cooperate with ministry inspectors. The relatives insist the teacher was fired and she did not leave on her own as those who know her know with absolute certainty. They add the woman however will never begin a public battle with the school.
Other teachers have apparently also been warned not to comment on the case publicly but one teacher spoke to Kikar, quoted anonymously confirming the teacher was fired and the case is most unfair as the teacher was treated harshly for simply trying to care for her child.
The Education Ministry Chareidi Unit advises it is continuing the probe. Councilman Herschler is not available for comment.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman opted to visit a school in the Southern Hebron Hills on the first day of the school year and he was questioned regarding the Supreme Court order to destroy Amona on the way.
Lieberman visited Sussia to wish the little one success in the new school year. When asked about Amona, he stated there is a high court ruling on the matter and that we are a nation of law and will comply with the ruling. The High Court has ordered Amona removed no later than the end of December 2016. He emphasized that the law will be obeyed in Amona and everywhere else as well.
The government has been working to persuade the approximately 40 families who live in Amona to agree to a new location, where the state promises to build a larger community, however residents reject the plan.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
By PTI: From Anisur Rahman
Dhaka, Sep 1 (PTI) Bangladesh police have arrested two alleged operatives of banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from south-eastern port city of Chittagong.
"Detectives have arrested two alleged members of banned militant outfit ABT," a police spokesman said.
ABT is blamed for a series of attacks on individuals, including secular writers, activists and followers of minority religious faiths. Independent security analysts believe that the banned outfit members are inclined to al-Qaeda.
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ABTs top leader, Ziaul Haque, a renegade army major is on the run with a bounty on his head.
Police last month announced bounty leading to arrests of the fugitive major alongside Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury describing the latter as the top leader of Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen (neo-JMB).
The neo-JMB, known to be linked to ISIS, carried out the July 1 terrorist attack at Dhakas Holey Artisan restaurant, killing 22 people including 17 foreigners and an Indian girl.
Chowdhury, however, was killed in a security raid at a militant hideout at Narayanganj on the outskirts of the capital along with two other alleged terrorists on August 27. PTI AR AMS
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Police have opened an investigation into a Thursday afternoon incident in which swastikas were found drawn on the mailbox of an 85-year-old Ashkelon resident and Holocaust survivor.
The man told police who arrived at his home that he went downstairs during the afternoon hours and saw the swastikas on and near the mailbox. Police found more painted near the building entrance.
(YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Police spokesman unit)
Australias prime minister warned Thursday against fomenting distrust of Muslims as he outlined tougher measures against supporters of the Islamic State movement.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australian laws will soon be amended to give Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet pilots the same legal standing as their coalition partners when conducting airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.
The Australian legal definition of combatants will be expanded to include people supporting armed fighters and will become consistent with international norms.
Turnbull, who is resisting pressure from lawmakers to ban Muslim immigration and relax hate speech prohibitions, described the Islamic State group as the most pressing national security threat that Australians face.
But he also warned there had been an increase in far-right extremism directed against Muslims in Australia. The latest alleged militant plot disrupted by police led to the arrest of an anti-immigration campaigner who was charged last month with preparing a terrorist attack in the city of Melbourne.
We cannot be effective if we are creating division, whether by fomenting distrust within the Muslim community or inciting fear of Muslims in broader society, Turnbull told Parliament.
Division begets division. It makes violence more likely, not less, he said.
The government plans to introduce legislation to Parliament this month that would enable courts to keep prisoners convicted of terrorist offenses behind bars for indefinite periods.
Legislation is to be introduced in November that will create a new offense of advocating genocide. The crime will enable police to make an earlier arrest when someone is radicalizing others.
Control orders that can force suspects to wear tracking devices and obey curfews could apply to 14-year-olds. Currently the minimum age is 16.
The burden of evidence would also be reduced for a court to jail a suspect with a preventative detention order on the basis that a terrorist attack could occur within two weeks.
Turnbull is resisting demands from several senators to stop Muslim immigration, and also resisted pressure this week from lawmakers in his own conservative government to water down laws that ban offending anyone because of race or nationality.
Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Sydney man was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for helping seven men travel to Syria to fight with Jabhat al-Nusra and other al-Qaida affiliates.
At least two of the fighters have died. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Parliament on Thursday that 110 Australians were fighting with the Islamic State group and other militant groups in the Middle East and up to 65 Australians have been killed.
The passports of 213 suspected militants have been canceled, she said, while the government has refused to issue passports to another 24 people to prevent them from joining the fight in Syria and Iraq.
A Melbourne man whose passport had been canceled was denied bail Thursday by a magistrate who ruled he posed a risk to public safety because of his Islamic State ideology.
Paul Dacre, 31, is one of five suspects who have been in custody since May, when they were charged with planning to leave Australia in a 7-meter (23-foot) power boat to fight with Islamic State militants in Syria.
Prosecutors alleged on Thursday the five planned to travel by boat to Papua New Guinea, Australias nearest neighbor, before joining Islamic State supporters in the Philippines.
(AP)
For weeks, Donald Trump flirted with a self-described softening of the hard-line immigration policies that propelled him to the Republican nomination, raising the hopes of party officials, some Hispanic leaders and skeptical voters unnerved by his presidential candidacy.
On Wednesday, he appeared on the brink of embracing that shift as he traveled to Mexico for a dramatic visit with President Enrique Pena Nieto. Against the backdrop of grand diplomatic pageantry, Trump lavished praise on Americas southern neighbor and pointedly avoided insisting publicly that Mexico pay for the wall hes pledged to build along the U.S.-Mexico border.
He was measured and soft-spoken, almost deferential as he read carefully off prepared notes.
Within hours, Trump wiped it all away.
In a lengthy and fiery address on immigration in Phoenix, the Republican nominee said in no uncertain terms that Mexico would indeed pay for his border wall. He lambasted millions of immigrants as violent criminals and a drain on the U.S. government. And he vowed that no person living in the United States illegally could chart a path to legal status without first leaving the country.
There will be no legal status or becoming a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country, Trump declared, even has he sidestepped the dilemma about what to do with those who might stay in the country anyway failing to address the major question that has frustrated past congressional attempts at remaking the nations immigration laws.
Even for Trump who has made an art of straddling both sides of an issue and playing to the preferences of the audience hes standing before the political whiplash was astounding. It reflected the tortured debate between Trump and his advisers over how to position the unconventional candidate in the general election a debate that rages on, even with just over two months until Election Day.
To be sure, Trumps daylong foray across the border and back was a bold gamble, reflecting his urgent need to shake up his race against Democrat Hillary Clinton. While polls have tightened nationally and in some key battleground states, Clinton has a massive advantage over Trump in what it takes to turn votes out in key swing states.
She also has multiple paths to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House, while Trumps roadmap is far narrower.
The hastily announced visit to Mexico seemed intended to remind voters of Trumps brash, play-by-my-own-rules approach to politics. Trump was willing to risk traveling to a country where he is deeply unpopular and to meet with a leader who has been sharply critical of his views, going so far as to compare him to Adolf Hitler.
The reward? Voters now have an image of Trump in a presidential setting, standing side-by-side with a world leader behind a lectern, listening patiently to a translator relay his counterparts remarks.
Trump advisers were jubilant after the visit, as was the candidate. One aide described the businessman as very, very pumped as his plane traveled to Phoenix for the days final event.
But while Trump was in the air, the drama that never seems far from his campaign resurfaced. While Trump had told reporters in Mexico he and Pena Nieto did not discuss who would pay for the proposed border wall, the Mexican leader after staying silent as Trump did so tweeted, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
By the time Trump took the stage in Phoenix, any expectations for a softer immigration position or a more restrained candidate were squashed.
Trump raged against what he called President Barack Obama and Clintons open borders policy, accusing the Democrats of caring more about immigrants living in the U.S. illegally than American citizens. Feeding off the energy of a wholly supportive crowd, he said any person in the country illegally who is arrested for any crime whatsoever will be immediately placed into deportation proceedings.
And in the nights most emotional moment, he invited relatives of people killed by such immigrants to the stage, encouraging them to each stand before the microphone to say their loved ones name aloud.
Clintons campaign was unshaken by Trumps attempt. Campaign chairman John Podesta first declared Trump choked by not raising the issue of payment for a border wall with Pena Nieto, then later accused the Republican of having lied about the meeting.
And in a show of confidence, Clintons campaign announced early Thursday morning that it planned to run its first television advertisements in Arizona, a state with a large Hispanic population that has been at the center of the nations immigration debate. Only one Democrat Bill Clinton has won Arizona since 1952.
(AP)
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In March of 2016, Daniel Lansky was the 40-year- old father of three adorable boys, developing his business and resettling his family in Baltimore after having lived in Lakewood for a number of years. Together with his wife Elana, they were the typical young frum couple, involved in their childrens chinuch, attending simchas, helping out friends and becoming vital members of their kehillah. Then the truly unimaginable happened; Daniel was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and their typical lives went into upheaval.
Daniel and Elana consulted with doctors, researchers, experts and others who had confronted their situation. Daniel struggled with the first line chemotherapies and treatments which he found debilitating and often sent him to the hospital. So they travelled across the country in search of the best treatments and cutting edge therapies. They left no stone unturned in their attempt to beat this disease, and throughout every challenge and hurdle they remained pillars in their belief in Hashem.
They also sought out the advice and brachos of many Gedolim and Talmedei Chachamim. Elana asked Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, what she could do to help her and her familys situation. His response was to use her koach to increase Shmiras HaLashon among the women of Klal Yisroel. What happened next went beyond her or anyone elses expectations. Elana sent out a text to her and family that she would learn two halachos of the sefer Purity of Speech daily, as suggested in the sefers introduction, and post a recording of her learning on a WhatsApp group. She asked women to listen at some point in the day and learn with her. That small circle of friends and family spread Elanas request and in a couple of days, over 7,000 participants in numerous WhatsApp groups were listening to Elana and learning with her. She had women learning all over the worldIsrael, Australia, Europe and all across the United States. And those were sharing what they learned with their husbands, who were then discussing the halachos among themselves. Without exaggeration, thousands of people in Klal Yisroel were motivated to think about and change their speech because of the daily Shmiras HaLashon learning done by Elana in the merit of a refuah shlaima for Daniel.
Tragically, Elana is no longer the devoted and hopeful wife learning with 7,000 women as hospital monitors beeped in the background. With the heartbreaking and untimely passing of Daniel Mordechai ben Rav Nachum Meir HaLevi last Thursday August 25th, Elana, at age thirty-four, has been left with three beautiful children to raise on her own. The shiva house was a constant, unending stream of people who had never met or spoken to Elana who came from all over to tell her and Daniels family how Elana and her learning had effected a change in how they spoke. An email was set up for women to express their heartfelt condolences and express how learning with Elana had made a difference in their lives, and those messages were read throughout the shiva.
The future of Elana and Daniels three children is truly now in Klal Yisroels hands. As the only remaining parent, it is vital that Elana remain a stay-at- home mother. Guaranteeing the familys financial health is crucial to enabling Kobi (9), Ahron (6) and Gavi (3) to grow into healthy, strong members of Klal Yisroel. The children must have stabilityto remain in their home, continue with their activities and interests, and have access to the support and help they will require for many years to come. These youngsters have a future of challenges and needs that one can barely even imagine. In the wake of this unfathomable tragedy, Rabbanim and Balei Batim in Baltimore have undertaken to raise funds to make that future manageable and secure for this family. A website has been set up at www.thechesedfund.com/cause/lansky-children-fund to raise money for the family. Please open your hearts, visit the website and donate as generously as you can.
By PTI: From Anisur Rahman
Dhaka, Sep 1 (PTI) Bangladesh police today said they have identified 10 people who hatched, planned or provided weapons and money to militants for storming a Dhaka cafe on July 1, days after the key mastermind of the countrys worst terror attack was killed.
"We have gathered data about 10 people who planned or provided money and weapon for the attack," polices Counterterrorism and Transnational Crime unit chief Monirul Islam told reporters, confirming a media report.
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His comments came as the mass circulation Prothom Alo earlier today carried a report quoting "investigation sources" that they have identified the 10 suspected culprits and "unearthed the current location" of six of them.
Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury, who is believed to be the mastermind of the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery here was killed on August 27 along with two other militants in a security raid at a hideout in suburban Narayanganj on the outskirts of the capital.
The July 1 attack had killed 22 people, including 16 foreigners and an Indian girl.
Police earlier said the operational commander of the attack, Marzan, was one of the nine militants who were killed in last months raid on their hideout in the capital. PTI AR SAI AKJ SAI
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Fat cat male bosses have long protested that their leadership skills are worth millions in the highly competitive world of the City. But new research suggests it is actually female pay bosses who get the best out of chief executives.
The study by advisory group Pearl Meyer found female directors appointed as the chair of remuneration committees were better at squeezing value out of chief executives than their male counterparts.
Researchers examined the performance of bosses at Britains 149 biggest public companies and revealed leaders delivered the best value for shareholders when their pay was set by a woman.
It came as a separate far-reaching report backed by City grandees and fund managers demanded a further boardroom shake-up.
In broad terms, companies where theres a woman in charge of setting pay are more productive, said Pearl Meyer managing director Simon Patterson.
Its difficult to draw specific conclusions but you could surmise that women are less inclined to go along with the group and more inclined to think about what could go wrong.
The research focused on companies remuneration committees, which decide how much bosses are paid.
It found the best female committee chairs were able to earn 822 for shareholders for every 1 awarded on their chief executives pay. The best male chairmen, however, only secured 561 for each 1 spent.
The researchers also found that 35 per cent of remuneration committees were led by a woman even though only 26 per cent of FTSE 100 board members are female.
It suggests women have a taste for what is often a deeply unpopular and controversial task in setting the pay for board members.
Being the chairman of the remuneration committee is a very tough job, Patterson said.
The new normal is a powerful female chair of the remuneration committee tackling difficult issues of executive pay, highly motivated to understand what is going on and focused on solutions.
But it is not just about keeping costs down. Female pay setters are not simply spending less on bosses salaries the study found that chief executives actually earned 400,000 more on average when a woman set their salary.
Pearl Meyer suggested the better performance might instead be because women made sure bosses aimed for the right targets.
Companies with female remuneration heads also tended to be larger and Patterson argued that as supporters of women, their more progressive stance might have helped them get more bang for their buck.
Top pay setters include Lesley Knox at brewer SABMiller, who made investors 2,479 for every pound spent on chief executive Alan Clark.
He and predecessor Graham Mackay shared 10.1m between them in the last four years, according to Pearl Meyers estimates.
Cambridge-educated Knox, 62, is a senior banker and chairman of property giant Grosvenor Group.
The married mother-of-one has a reputation of competence, but has previously spoken about the difficulties of being a woman in the often sexist business world.
The City is certainly a very tough environment. Ive had lots of experiences that these days you could sue for if you chose to write them down, she said in a previous interview.
Inappropriate remarks ad nauseam, invitations to inappropriate events, not being invited to events. Did I ever bring a complaint? No.
As many times as someone has said, Im not dealing with a f****** woman, someone else remembers you, and when you do a good job is more likely to say so.
The success of female directors will be hailed as a rare example of something going right in the boardrooms of corporate Britain.
But in a separate report released today, politicians and City grandees demanded a far-reaching shake-up.
Written by Conservative MP and Treasury Select Committee member Chris Philp for the High Pay Centre, it argues top business are becoming ownerless as shareholders refuse to take control.
The research points out that the average chief executive of a company in the blue chip FTSE 100 index earns 6m a year or 150 times the average worker. This ratio has doubled in the last ten years due to stagnant staff salaries.
The report backed by star fund manager Neil Woodford and former Treasury minister Lord Myners calls for annual binding votes on pay. If a chief executive lost their vote, they would not be entitled to the cash.
And the study recommends forming committees of the top five shareholders and a staff representative to beef up governance.
Woodford, who last month scrapped bonuses at his firm, said: Many fund managers do not behave or think like owners because they are borrowing stock rather than investing in it.
Former Marks & Spencer chairman Lord Myners said that non-executive directors meant to keep companies on the straight and narrow were elected with North Korean-like majorities and rarely meet with shareholders until something bad has happened.
Lush exodus
Cosmetics maker Lush is relocating 18 staff from Britain to Germany.
Lush, which makes cosmetics by hand, said uncertainty caused by the EU referendum in June had forced it to accelerate plans to increase production at its factory in Dusseldorf.
While this was always the plan, the reality of the Brexit vote has meant we have done it with a bullet, the company said.
On the move: Lush employs about 1,400 workers at its factory at Poole in Dorset
Lush said more staff could move in the future. Lush employs about 1,400 workers at its factory at Poole in Dorset.
Insurance claim
Workers at the insurance giant Prudential have begun industrial action in protest at the offshoring of skilled jobs to Mumbai.
Members of the union Unite have said they will not co-operate or undertake any work related to the move of 76 roles from Reading to India.
This will include refusing to answer emails or phone calls, attending meetings or training new staff.
Unite regional officer Ian Methven said: Unite has repeatedly challenged the business case for this offshoring as there will not be any benefit to customers and the cost savings are also questionable.
Pension uplift
Canada Life has become the first investment firm to lift the suspension on its property fund.
Some 14.5bn of savers cash was locked into funds after the EU referendum as managers looked to avoid a rush for the exit amid economic uncertainty.
Savers are now able to take money in and out of the 450m Canlife UK Property life and pension funds, although a 7 per cent markdown on the value of its assets still stands.
Gas deal
BP has signed a second production-sharing contract for shale gas exploration in China.
The deal, with China National Petroleum Corporation, covers an area of approximately 1,000 square kilometres (386 square miles) at Rong Chang Bei in the Sichuan Basin. The energy giant and CNPC signed their first shale gas contract on the adjoining Neijiang-Dazu block in March.
Bond sale
Saudi Arabia is considering a second bond sale following massive demand for its maiden issue.
The nation is set to release 11.3bn of bonds next month to fund a string of social and economic reforms.
An American appetite for Irish whiskey has driven sales at drinks giant Pernod Ricard, which has reported strong growth in the United States.
The owner of Absolut vodka and Malibu the worlds second-biggest spirits group behind Diageo reported sales of 7.3bn for the year ending June 30, up 1 per cent on 2015.
But it was a taste for Jameson, up 16 per cent, which helped lift takings. Some 5.7m nine-litre cases of Jameson left its Irish distilleries last year. Operating profit reached 1.9bn.
It is part of change in drinking tastes across the globe which has seen consumers switch from light spirits, such as vodka, to dark drinks like whiskey.
Pernod Ricard also said double-digit growth in India offset a disappointing performance in China down 9 per cent which has been hit by a government clampdown on corruption and extravagant spending.
Chairman and chief executive Alexandre Ricard said it was a strong and encouraging year with champagne Perrier-Jouet also up 9 per cent.
Tejaswi said central ministers were using the natural disaster in the state as occasion for photo-opportunity.
By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar's deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav attacked the Central government and alleged that the union ministers hailing from Bihar, who are regularly visiting flood affected areas, are indulging in flood tourism.
Tejaswi said central ministers were using the natural disaster in the state as occasion for photo-opportunity. He said the Centre had failed in water management but was instead blaming the Bihar government for the same. He said that the act of the union ministers during the floods was shameful. It may be noted that union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan, Ram Kripal Yadav, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Radha Mohan Singh have been regularly flying down from Delhi to visit flood affected areas in the state and take stock of the relief camps.
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"The ministers from the Centre are only indulging in flood tourism and photo-op. They should be shameful of their act. The Centre is unnecessarily blaming the state government when the Centre itself has failed in water management", tweeted Tejaswi.
"MINISTERS HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY HELP"
The deputy CM alleged that despite several ministers in the Cabinet hailing from Bihar and also several NDA MPs in the Centre, they have failed miserably to help Bihar get any sort of special flood assistance package from the Narendra Modi government.
"Ministers and MPs from Bihar have failed to provide any assistance to the flood-hit state", tweeted Tejaswi.
He further said that the ministers and MPs from the state have also failed to convince PM Narendra Modi that people from Bihar were suffering due to poor central policies.
"Union ministers and MPs from Bihar have not been able to convince PM about the woes of the flood affected people", tweeted the Deputy CM.
Tejaswi further attacked the union government asserting the Centre did not have any foresight, preparation and planning on water management.
23 DISTRICTS OF BIHAR SUBMERGED UNDER WATER
On Wednesday, Tejaswi has hit out at the Centre alleging that despite 23 districts of Bihar submerged under water and a population of 65 lakh affected, the Centre was not serious about the Bihar floods. He alleged central government was not even sending a specialised team of experts to carry out assessment of the damage that has been caused due to floods.
Also read:
Bihar floods: 23 districts, 65 lakh people affected, says Tejaswi Yadav
Bihar floods: Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav asks opposition not to indulge in politics
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Chatter among traders suggested FTSE 100 engineering firm GKN could be about to be wooed by a big bid.
The talk was that the global company is rumoured to be the likely target of a takeover by a Chinese company. It is thought the bid could be for as much as 450p a share well above the price it started the day at, 311p.
The tittle-tattle was enough to make it the greatest riser on the FTSE as shares climbed 4.8 per cent, or 14.9p to 325.9p their highest price since July 2015.
If GKN is about to be preyed on, it would fulfil speculation that the aerospace and defence industry could be the next in line for a round of merger and acquisition activity.
Last month activist investor Elliot Advisors built up a 5.2 per cent stake in Meggitt, which helped push the share price up almost 12 per cent over August. Yesterday Meggitt crept up 0.8 per cent, or 3.5p to 471.8p.
Or perhaps the tech sector takeovers are not yet done. Intellectual property firm IP Group gained 5.3 per cent, or 10p to close at 200p, while Imagination Technologies advanced 5.7 per cent, or 13p to 241.25p. Ascential took a tumble as it announced an accelerated book build a speedy share sale which was to close at midnight on Thursday. The sale was initially announced by Bank of America Merrill Lynch on Wednesday night.
It was thought that some 70m shares in the business-to-business media and exhibitions company could come to market, representing some 17.5 per cent of those in issue.
Actually 80m or 20 per cent of shares were to be sold. The shares were being offloaded on behalf of private equity firm Apax and Guardian Media Group for a price of 250p, which was a discount of 5.6 per cent to the share price at Wednesdays close.
GMGs stake in the business will fall from 22.4 per cent to 14.9 per cent after it offloads around 56.9m shares. It is the largest shareholder in the business. Apax and GMG will reduce their representation on Ascentials board after the placing. Apaxs Tom Hall and David Pemsel of GMG will step down from September 5. Peel Hunt has a buy rating on Ascential with a target price of 280p. Ascential shares fell 3.8 per cent, or 10p to 255p.
Self-storage firm Safestore climbed on a strong third-quarter trading update. A website relaunch has driven the number of new enquiries up 10pc. Safestore said like-for-like revenue was up 6.6 per cent to 28.6m in the quarter.
Revenue growth was stronger in the UK division than in Paris, and overall storage occupancy is 74.8 per cent at 3.7m square feet. Safestore completed its acquisition of Space Maker in July for 40.9m and opened a newly redeveloped store in Wandsworth in August. Four more openings are set for the coming weeks in Birmingham, Altrincham, Chiswick and Paris. Shares were up 4.8 per cent, or 17.7p at 390p.
Morses Club offers loans, which it collects from customers at their home. Shares slumped yesterday despite a confident update after Numis reduced its rating on the stock. Morses has increased its customer numbers by 2.4 per cent to 208,000, largely driven by acquisitions by building its territory.
The firm issued 66m in credit in the 26 weeks to August 26, some 16pc more than the same period a year ago. Morses said it has started to focus on higher quality lending. The firm, which listed on the stock market in May this year, is set to announce its maiden dividend in its interim results, due October 7.
Chief executive Paul Smith said the firm was well placed to benefit as uncertainty caused by the EU referendum outcome is likely to cause mainstream lenders to tighten their underwriting criteria further. Shares fell 2.6 per cent, or 3p to 114p.
AIM-listed 600 Group plunged as it reported profit had halved to 1.2m in the year to April 2. Revenues at the engineering company, which designs machine tools and laser marking systems, were up 3 per cent to 45.3m in the period, but the net operating margin had slipped 0.4 percentage points to 5.2 per cent. The group said it continued to implement structural changes.
Rynair boss Michael O'Leary has urged the Irish government to tell the EU to 'f*** off' over its landmark tax ruling that ordered Apple to pay 11billion in back tax.
The European Commission was heavily criticised for the ruling, which accused the US tech giant of unduly benefiting from Ireland's attractive tax breaks over the last two decades.
Outspoken Irish businessman Mr O'Leary dubbed it 'bizarre' and advised the Irish government, which opposed the ruling, to defy the EU, insisting each country has its autonomy to make its own tax decisions.
Rynair boss Michael O'Leary (pictured) has urged the Irish government to tell the EU to 'f*** off' over its landmark tax ruling that ordered Apple to pay 11billion in back tax
He said: 'Frankly the Irish government should turn around - they shouldn't even appeal the decision - they should just write a letter to Europe and tell them politely to f**k off.
'The idea that you have the state aid mob - who've had more court verdicts overturned than any other department in Europe in the last 20 years - come along 10 years after the fact and say, 'no we didn't like that, we think you should have done something else', is frankly bizarre.'
Yesterday Europe's antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager slapped the maker of iPads and iPhones with a 11.1 billion tax bill.
She claimed Apple paid just 1 per cent tax on its European profits in 2003 and 0.005 per cent in 2014, and said its arrangement with the Irish government is illegal under state aid rules.
Apple is set to challenge the decision, and Mr O'Leary added: 'I think there's no chance of this surviving a court ruling in Europe. There's certain things that Europe has no competence in.'
Apple, which has a base in Cork, pictured, must repay 11billion ($14.5bn) in unpaid tax because the EU says its sweetheart tax deal with Ireland amounted to state aid
The Irish government has also vowed to fight the decision and held a crisis cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Enda Kenny calling his ministers back from their summer holidays to discuss the crisis.
British MPs have urged Theresa May to take advantage of the ruling by attracting Apple and other US tech firms to the UK with low taxes after Brexit.
They joined Silicon Valley firms in venting their fury against the EU for the decision, which accused Apple of unduly benefiting from tax breaks in Ireland over the last two decades.
The move will lead many tech firms to 're-evaluate their relationship with Europe,' one Silicon Valley company said.
Jacob Rees Mogg, Tory MP and member of the influential Treasury select committee, told MailOnline that the UK could win lucrative investment by offering multinationals 'certainty' after cutting ties with Brussels.
APPLE CUTS IN EUROPE COULD BE DEVASTATING More than 22,000 people in Europe are employed directly by Apple and around 1.4million more rely on them for money, the tech giant claims. Parts for its phones, tablets, computers and watches are put together with the help of 4,700 suppliers based in 23 countries. More than 6,500 people in Britain are employed directly by Apple - the highest number in the EU - followed by 5,500 each in Germany and Ireland. In Europe there are more than 100 official Apple stores employing an average of 100 people each and there are 600 smaller Apple Premium Resellers across Europe that offer the complete range of Apple products. Away from direct sales Apple also has more than one million registered app developers making money through the App Store. Advertisement
'We'll be able to collect tax from who we want rather than who the EU tells us to,' he said.
'What we can do is give people certainty, which is what businesses want, because if we did a deal with a multinational that we really, really wanted to come to the UK, nobody could overall us and the company would know that this is the law.
'Whereas Poor Ireland made this deal in good faith with Apple years ago and now discovers that they're not in charge of their own tax affairs.'
On Brexit, Mr O'Leary, who backed the Remain campaign during the EU referendum, expects the UK to suffer 'significant economic damage' as a result of its decision to quit the single-bloc. However, he added that it is too soon to revise the company's financial guidance.
In July Ryanair said it would 'pivot' growth away from UK airports and instead focus on hubs in the European Union following the Brexit referendum result.
The firm said its growth rate in the UK is expected to slow from about 15% to 6% next year.
However, with long-term growth in mind, Mr O'Leary is now calling on the UK Government to approve three new runways in a bid to end Britain's airport capacity conundrum for 'the next 50 years'.
He urged Theresa May's government to be 'radical in its decision making' and rubber-stamp new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
The proposal would mean ending the battle between Gatwick and Heathrow for a new runway.
'Ryanair calls on the new UK Government to be radical in its decision making on new runways for London instead of picking just one (Heathrow or Gatwick) and calls on Prime Minister Theresa May to approve 3 new runways - one each at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, which will finally resolve the runway capacity issue for the next 50 years, while ensuring competition between airports delivers efficient facilities and prevents airlines and passengers being ripped off by gold-plated monopoly runways,' he said.
Last year, the Government's Airports Commission said a third runway at Heathrow is the best route to expanding airport capacity.
David Cameron stalled on backing the recommendation, saying the Government required more time to assess the environmental impact. A decision is now expected before the end of the year.
Mr O'Leary said that expanding only one airport would allow airlines to justify raising prices for customers, who might subsequently help foot the bill. But competition between three airports would be a boon for travellers and benefit Ryanair long-term, he claimed.
'We'll have more capacity to grow, fares will fall and in a declining fare environment, we'll win,' O'Leary said.
Mr O'Leary made the announcement as he trumpeted new routes to Strasbourg and Faro and more flights to Sofia and Nuremberg from Stansted, Gatwick and Luton airports.
The encounter began in the evening hours on Thursday in the jungles of Panchrukhiya, Jhanj and Langurahi.
By Rohit Kumar Singh: Encounter between security forces and Maoists is going on along the Gaya-Aurangabad border in Bihar. The place where the encounter is taking place is also bordering Jharkhand. The encounter began in the evening hours on Thursday in the jungles of Panchrukhiya, Jhanj and Langurahi.
According to police sources, several gun shots were fired from both sides. Sources say that many cadres of the red forces are believed to have been killed by the security forces.
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It may be noted that the Maoists had given a call for Magadh bandh on August 31 and despite bandh passing off peacefully, search operation was underway in the entire Magadh region in Bihar. The encounter began when the security forces during search operation reached a village and Maoists opened fire at around 4 pm on Thursday.
Also read: Maoists call for Magadh bandh on August 31 in Bihar
Elite COBRA battalion of the CRPF is also part of the security forces taking on the Maoists which also includes jawans from the Special Task Force and local police. It has also been reported that COBRA battalion from Jharkhand have joined the security forces in the encounter as the areas where the gun battle is taking place is very close to Jharkhand border.
Gaya SSP, Garima Malik has confirmed to India Today about the encounter going on and huge recovery of arms and explosives from the Maoist bunker that has been unearthed during the encounter. Security forces have also recovered Maoist literature and blood stained clothes from the place.
However, there is no report of any casualty or injury from the security forces end.
On July 19 this year, in a similar sort of an encounter with Maoists, 10 commandos of COBRA were killed.
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Nitish Kumar will now launch a prohibition drive in Madhya Pradesh from September 16 onwards with the theme 'nasha-mukt MP yatra'.
Nitish Kumar will now launch a prohibition drive in Madhya Pradesh from September 16; Photo: PTI
By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, after launching prohibition drive in neighboring Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Delhi, is now eyeing Madhya Pradesh.
Bihar CM will be launching the prohibition drive from Indore on September 16. Madhya Pradesh will be the second BJP-ruled state after Jharkhand to be on Nitish Kumar's radar to start the prohibition drive.
The prohibition drive will begin in Indore's Barwani area from where Nitish will be flagging off a bicycle yatra and will also be addressing a public meeting.
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The theme of the prohibition drive will be "Nasha-Mukt MP Yatra" and it will cover 24 districts of Madhya Pradesh during the next 12 days.
The drive would end on September 28 in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh.
"Nitish Kumar, starting a prohibition drive in Madhya Pradesh, is a manifestation of the fact that various states in the country are slowly gearing for prohibition. This issue will be becoming a challenge for the BJP which speaks about character building but does nothing in their states to impose prohibition", said Neeraj Kumar, JD (U) spokesperson.
NITISH'S IDEA OF INDIA
On September 16 itself, Nitish will be attending a seminar in Gwalior's ITM University where he will be interacting with students from engineering and management disciplines.
The theme of the seminar is "Nitish's Idea of India". Nitish will be delivering a lecture at the institute, followed by an interaction with the students.
Nitish Kumar is also scheduled to meet social activist Medha Patkar the same day in Indore. Patkar has been sitting on hunger strike for the last fews days against the Gujarat government's decision to release water from the Sardar Sarovar dam.
CM Nitish Kumar, after imposing complete prohibition in Bihar, has been touring other states for last five months.
He has been demanding states like Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh to impose prohibition on the lines of Bihar.
Ahead of the 2019 general elections, sources say, Nitish Kumar is nursing Prime Ministerial aspiration and the plank of prohibition may go a long way in consolidating his position as a national leader who can take on the might of PM Narendra Modi.
Also Read:
Bihar: 10 police officers suspended for not implementing prohibition law
Bihar: JD(U)-RJD face-off over stricter prohibition laws in upcoming monsoon session
Prohibition has failed to check crime in Bihar, says Sushil Modi
Quit job and at sit home if you can't enforce liquor prohibition in Bihar: Nitish Kumar tells cops
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A 65-year-old man had allegedly raped two sisters in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. However, the matter was reported to the police on Wednesday when the mother of rape survivors lodged an FIR with the local police.
By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Panchayat today offered a compensation of Rs 82,000 to family two rape survivors.
A 65-year-old man had allegedly raped two sisters in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. However, the matter was reported to the police on Wednesday when the mother of rape survivors lodged an FIR with the local police.
On Saturday, in Jibazor village in Muzaffarpur, sisters Rama (6) and Geeta (5) left their house to bring back their goats from the farm in the evening. While they were going to their farm, they were intercepted by Harichander Sah, a 65-year-old person who lured them to a nearby house with biscuits.
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Thereafter, Sah forced himself on the girl and raped them. Sah first raped the elder sister and later the younger one. He then released the girls and told them to go back home. He also threatened them not to speak about the incident to anyone or else they will be face dire consequences.
The rape survivor sisters on returning home narrated the entire horror to their mother.
Next morning, the local Panchayat was convened and when the parents of the girls demanded justice, the Panchayat offered Rs 41,000 compensation each for the rape of their two daughters. The parents were also warned not to highlight the case further or approach the police. The parents, however, refused to take the compensation.
The Panchayat which included Sarpanch, Mukhiya and a local lawyer offered Rs 41,000 each for the rape of my two daughters," said the mother of the rape survivors.
Three days later, the baffled parents mustered courage and reported the matter to the police. Immediately, a senior police officer was rushed to Jibazor village to investigate the matter. After the police prima facie found the matter to be true upon initial investigation, an FIR was registered against four persons including the main accused Harichander Sah, Raju Mishra and Gudar Mishra, both Panchayat members and a local lawyer.
We have set up a police team led by the DSP to apprehend the accused and the members of the Panchayat. Soon we will be able to arrest them??, said Vivek Kumar, SSP Muzaffarpur.
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British Airways had terminated its flights to Iran in October 2012.
By Indo-Asian News Service: British Airways will resume direct flights from London to Tehran starting from Thursday night after a gap of four years, the UK flag carrier has announced.
A British Airways (BA) Boeing 777 will take off at about 8.00 pm from London's Heathrow Airport bound for Tehran heralding six BA flights per week to the Iranian capital, the airlines said.
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The relationship between Britain and Iran has improved in recent years, following the lifting of sanctions on Iran earlier this year and the reopening of the British embassy in Tehran in 2015, EFE news reported.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
British Airways, which first started flights to Iran in 1946, terminated its thrice-weekly flights to Iran in October 2012, a year after the British embassy closed.
Diplomatic relations between London and Tehran were suspended after the embassy was attacked by protestors following sanctions imposed on Iran regarding its nuclear programme.
The embassy was reopened in 2015 to mark the nuclear deal reached then between Iran and the P5+1 major powers which comprised the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.
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By Patrick Donachie
A neighbor was arrested and charged this weekend in the Aug. 31 murder of a 60-year-old Muslim woman in Jamaica Hills, police said. The man, who admitted to fatally stabbing her, lived half a block from where the killing occurred, according to police.
The arrest came as religious and community leaders urged the authorities to consider the possibility that the attack was a hate crime, even though police were saying the suspects motive was robbery.
We welcome the fact that a person has been arrested so quickly and are waiting to see what develops through the court process, said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations. Were being told this was a robbery and that will need to be determined based on the facts presented at the trial.
Yonatan Galvez-Marin, 22, was arrested Saturday and charged with murder in the second degree, attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Queens district attorney..
Galvez-Marin allegedly approached Nazma Khanam, 60, as she was walking home outside 160-12 Normal Road at 9:15 p.m. Aug. 31, according to police. He allegedly demanded money from Khanam, who was in Islamic dress, and when she refused, he stabbed her once in the chest and fled, police said.
Khanam was found after the attack by her husband, Shamul Alam Khan, 67, who had been walking in the same direction a short distance behind his wife. She was taken to Jamaica Hospital but was pronounced dead.
Afterwards, police released surveillance video of a man walking down Normal Road around the time of the attack, calling him a person of interest. According to NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce, police continued to canvass the scene when they came across Galvez-Marin. Police said he lived on Normal Road about half a block from where the stabbing occurred.
Galvez-Marin accompanied officers to the 107th Precinct, and after questioning him Boyce said Galvez-Marin admitted to attempting to rob Khanam, and then stabbing her once in the chest. According to Boyce, Galvez-Marin worked as a busboy or a messenger at an unnamed Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, and police uncovered no prior criminal or emotional incidents with the suspect. Boyce said he had traveled to the United States from Colombia about a year ago.
The stabbing followed the shooting death of the imam of a South Ozone Park mosque last month, along with his associate. Oscar Morel, 35, of East New York, Brooklyn, was arrested and was in court to plead not guilty last week, but police have not yet uncovered a motive and he has not been charged with a hate crime.
A funeral service and community gathering was held for Khanam Friday outside of the Jamaica Muslim Center. A blue tarp was laid in the street so hundreds of mourners could kneel and pray in the punishing sunlight. Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest), who represents the area, Public Advocate Letitia James and state Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens), attended the event along with community and religious leaders and family members of the slain woman.
According to Jamaica Muslim Center President Mohammad Rahman, Khan and Khanam emigrated from Bangladesh seven years ago. She was an educator and a mother of three. He defended the local Muslim community, saying they had helped to improve the area during the prior decades.
We came here to build houses and establish businesses, he said. I would like to tell the evil peoplewe are here to stay. We are here to build this community.
Khanams son and her nephew, NYPD Transit Officer Humayun Kabir, also spoke, telling the audience that Khanams body would be returned to Bangladesh for burial. Amidst impassioned cries and calls for justice from the assembled crowd, Khalid Latif, a chaplain for New York University and the NYPD, excoriated the media for ignoring Khanams religion in its reporting of the murder and said hate crimes were escalating due to Donald Trumps rhetoric during his presidential campaign.
This is direct increase in Islamophobia due to this presidential election, he said. Bigotry against Muslims will only be deemed unacceptable when people speak out about it.
In Jamaica Hills, community members conducted a vigil Sunday at the spot where Khanam was killed, and Bangladeshi Muslim leaders from across the city were in attendance. Marin had been arrested the night before, and community members who called for a hate crime charge expressed anxiety about what they said was the increased threat of violence posed to Muslims.
Galvez-Marin was due back in court Friday.
Shivam is suffering from Hydrocephalus and his abnormally large head has become a subject of inquisitiveness in the local area.
Shivam is suffering from a medical condition where the victim suffers from a state of enlarged head. (Photo: Sujata Mehera)
By Manogya Loiwal : A child from Burdwan district of Bengal is suffering from a unique disorder of "enlarged head".
The infant's abnormally large head has become a subject of inquisitiveness and enquiry in the local area.
Shivam is suffering from "Hydrocephalus", a medical condition where the victim suffers from a state of "enlarged head" due to the abnormal accumulation of fluid inside the brain.
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Shivam's family went in shock out of disbelief when they first discovered that their son's head has expanded after a month of his birth.
Unable to understand the disorder they also blamed the hospital authorities for the mishap.
(Photo: Sujata Mehera)
Shivam was born fine but developed the complications later.
His father Rajesh Das is the only bread earner of the family who sells sandal straps for a living and resides in a shanty at the Goods Shed Road. Three years ago his wife Chhavi Das gave birth to their younger son Shivam at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.
The family claimed that the child was born healthy but the doctors put him in ICCU for nearly two months.
No sooner they were informed that their son is unwell however the doctors never disclosed the facts to them.
Rajesh said "Shivam was born healthy. He is not suffering from this problem since bith. But the doctor kept him in ICCU saying he was ill. Later they asked for our permission to kill him. But we can't let this happen. He is our son. So we brought him back."
(Photo: Sujata Mehera)
Colloquially known as "water on the brain" the rare medical condition affects one out of every two thousand people.
The accumulated fluid creates a pressure on the skull which causes progressive expansion of the head along with severe headache.
The disease is curable and surgery is the only permanent solution.
Dr. Asraful Mirza, a paediatrician shared, "Treatment is there. Through a shunt surgery called Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt the excess water can be pulled out of the brain into a tube placed inside the stomach. After that gradually the size of the head becomes normal."
Belonging to the socially backward section the family lacks both education and money.
With his meager income of rupees 150/- to Rs. 200/- per day Rajesh manages hard to feed his family and spending thousands for surgery is beyond his capacity.
Shivam's mother Chhavi said, "People suggested that if we can go to Vellore for treatment then perhaps we can save him but we don't have the money. We have also approached the local party leaders but till now no help has been received."
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Hopewell Community Park remains a 'labor of love' for local community
The lush green park is a product of the combined efforts of the Hopewell Township community and a symbol of decades of conservation efforts in Beaver County.
Lil Pike and Rider seniors enjoy dominant 56-7 victory over Plainview
Rider's 56-7 victory against Plainview on Friday was a senior showcase, which included a touchdown for one of the team's most endearing characters.
City and county offices will be closed Monday for Labor Day.
The city of Wichita Falls trash pickup schedule will be adjusted as follows: Monday's trash pickup will move to Tuesday, Tuesday's will be moved to Wednesday. There will no curbside compost pickup on Wednesday. Regular service will resume on Thursday. The city transfer station and landfill will also be closed on Labor Day.
League to discuss voter registration
The League of Women Voters of Wichita Falls will discuss voter registration and voter ID laws at its meeting Sept. 7 at Luby's Cafeteria.
Paul Reyes and Gonzalo Robles of the Zavala Historic Hispanic Cultural Initiative will speak. Guests are welcome. For more information, go to lwvofwftx@gmail.com.
Frank and Joe's Coffee shop opened this summer with great success, but there is one last furry piece of the puzzle that would make the owners dream a reality.
While the new coffee shop in Parker Square was still under construction, mother-daughter co-owners Carol Murray and Jessica Edwards envisioned a patio area where people could enjoy a cup of coffee with their favorite furry friends.
'This all started because we saw in Wichita Falls there was no place to go and bring your animals,' Edwards said.
'The younger crowd, college students, empty nesters they really see pets as their children and they want to leave them at home,' she said.
Thinking that the dog-friendly patio was a go, they planned accordingly, complete with pet offerings on their menu. About two weeks before they opened, Edwards said the city's health department told them current city regulations do not allow animals in restaurants or enclosed patio areas. Edwards, family, friends and loyal customers wrote letters, called city leaders, and met with city manager Darron Leiker. After months of discussion, Edwards said Leiker agreed to place the item on the council agenda in September.
A Facebook event was created for people to come to the council meeting and voice their opinion about an ordinance change to allow pets on patios. So far the event has gathered 114 interested people and 30 who plan on showing up at the meeting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at council chambers.
A change in the law would allow pets to sit with their owners outside on the patio with specific guidelines such as cleanliness and vaccine regulations. Edwards said a local veterinarian even offered to act as an informal code enforcer to make sure dogs were not aggressive, coming in sick or with other concerns.
'You go to cities like Houston, Dallas and see pets hanging out with their owners, owners are working on their computer, and it's no big deal. We were shocked that this city never allowed it,' Edwards said.
Edwards said the health department is investigating at least 15 cities that allow dogs in food establishments to learn what does and does not work when creating these rules.
'If want to keep young people in city, why not have more fun places where you feel welcome, the animals feel welcome, it feels more progressive,' she said.
For the time being dogs are not allowed at Frank and Joe's, but you can take your pup through the drive-thru for a Puppy Parfait (yogurt, crushed handmade doggie biscuits). Recently, the shop also participated in a doggie date day where volunteers picked up shelter dogs and came by for a free parfait for the pups.
Pups on the Patio group will be at the Wichita Falls City Council meeting at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 6.
AUSTIN Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos plans to travel the state over the next two months to help educate voters about the forms of identification they'll need to cast ballots in November.
The outreach effort has taken on added urgency now that a federal appeals court has ruled that Texas' 5-year-old voter-identification law is racially discriminatory.
'Texans have another option if they don't have one of the seven approved forms of voter ID,' said Cascos, Texas' chief elections official, after speaking to a class Wednesday at the University of Texas at Austin. 'They still have to some kind of a document with their name and an address on it.'
And, affected voters must also sign a document that explains why they were unable to acquire an approved photo ID, said Cascos, a former Cameron County judge appointed in 2015 by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
This month, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of Corpus Christi signed an agreement between state officials, the federal government and civil rights plaintiffs that clears the way for voters without photo ID to cast their ballots as long as they sign a declaration stating they have a 'reasonable impediment' to obtaining one of the types of photo identification required in Texas' voter ID law.
The agreement stems from Ramos' 2014 ruling that the law 'creates an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote, has an impermissible discriminatory effect against Hispanics and African-Americans, and was imposed with an unconstitutional discriminatory purpose.' The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals this year agreed that the law unconstitutionally impedes voting rights.
Speaking to the undergraduate students in a U.S. history class, Cascos sidestepped questions about why Texas adopted its strict law governing voter ID.
'I'm going to have to punt that to the Legislature,' he said.
His main message was to encourage young Texans to participate in the upcoming elections and to make voting a lifelong habit.
Texas' voter ID law was enacted in 2011 and put into effect in 2013. Democrats, outnumbered in the Texas Legislature, argued unsuccessfully that the measure undermines the voting rights of minorities and elderly Texans. Republicans argued that the law was necessary to combat voter fraud.
Cascos said his stop at UT, where he graduated in 1974, was his first of many he and his office plans during the run up to the Nov. 8 elections. While he said he wants to carry the message to as many Texans as possible, he declined to commit to meeting with any specific groups in any specific region of the state.
Lawmakers have allocated $2.5 million to educate Texas voters about all aspects of election law and to encourage voter registration and participation.
'We're still planning our schedule,' he said. 'But, you know, there's 254 counties in this state and it's a huge population. We're going to try to be as efficient with our time to make sure that we try to reach out to as many voters as possible during the next two months.'
Democrats spent eight years watching in dismay as President George W. Bush expanded the limits of presidential power, claiming his right to do so in time of war. 'The biggest problems we're facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch, and not go through Congress at all,' Barack Obama said in 2008. 'That's what I intend to reverse when I'm president of the United States of America.'
But wholesome intentions, sincere or not, are no guarantee of performance. As it happens, Obama has been different from Bush. While Bush asserted broad authority in the realm of war and national security, Obama has also done it in domestic affairs. What he has not done is look for ways to curtail the options available to him or his successors.
He intervened in Libya without asking Congress for permission and insisted the War Powers Resolution didn't apply to the U.S. bombing campaign. He effectively granted permission for children of foreigners who live in the U.S. illegally, and parents of American citizens who live in the U.S. illegally, to stay in this country. He issued executive orders requiring federal contractors to pay a higher minimum wage and accept various workplace requirements. He did all these things despite persuasive arguments that he was overstepping his bounds.
Even Obama himself once took that more limiting view notably in 2010, as he was being criticized by Hispanic groups for not acting to protect immigrants who are in the U.S. without legal permission. 'The main thing we have to do to stop deportations is to change the laws,' he told Univision. 'I'm president, I'm not king.'
Yet he wound up behaving as if he had a scepter and throne. A federal appeals court ruled against him on his immigration measures, and the Supreme Court left that ruling in place.
Those workplace regulations? In his first term, his own lawyers said they were beyond his authority. In his second term, his lawyers found a way.
Obama's appetite for control is typical of recent presidents. In 2001, Elena Kagan, now on the Supreme Court, noted that Ronald Reagan started something when he claimed and exercised new powers over federal regulatory agencies. 'By the close of (Bill) Clinton's presidency, a fundamental and, I suspect, lasting transformation had occurred in the institutional relationship between the administrative agencies and the Executive Office of the President,' Kagan wrote.
What Democrats of the Clinton era realized is what Republicans would realize under Bush: When you're out of power, you want a weak presidency, and when you're in power, you want a strong one.
Obama and his recent predecessors deserve only part of the blame. The rest lies with Congress, which has the means to curb an overambitious president any time it wants but which has generally been content to impersonate a wax dummy.
When Congress shirks responsibility, or when it resists any cooperation with the White House on matters of great importance immigration being a prime example it practically dares the president to act unilaterally. Doing their jobs should not be optional for elected lawmakers.
But regardless of where the fault lies, in the long run, the steady accumulation of power in the Oval Office undermines the design of the Constitution, which relies on checks and balances to restrain government action. It also assures that if an especially dangerous person wins the presidency say, Donald Trump he will have an array of weapons at hand to make his malignant vision a reality.
Thanks to Obama, Cato Institute analyst Gene Healy says, 'the most powerful office in the world is even more powerful now.' In the next four years, whatever the outcome of the election, that trend is sure to continue. And Republicans and Democrats not to mention the American people will sooner or later come to regret it.
Chicago Tribune
Bedford, Mass.
iRobot co-founder, chairman and CEO Colin Angle says he's ready to take his company beyond vacuum cleaners to the future of helpful robots we've all been waiting for.
Angle this year prevailed in a bruising fight over the direction of the Bedford, Mass., company after activist investors sought to shake up the board. He also sold off iRobot's military robot division in an attempt to focus the company on consumer home robots such as the Roomba, the robot vacuum cleaner sold to millions of customers around the world.
Angle says he sees vacuum cleaners as the beachhead of practical robotics.
He says the mapping software on the latest Roomba is a step toward smarter homes and more advanced robots that could help sustain an aging population's quality of life.
Associated Press
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) The government today said commercial surrogacy has become a USD 2 billion illegal industry and a means to exploit vulnerable women even as it vowed not to let women in India become "baby factories".
Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said commercial surrogacy has also become a means of exploiting children also, when they get abandoned.
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"We want to communicate that surrogacy should be the last option and we in no way are going to promote the idea of commercial surrogacy," Patel told NDTV.
The minister also spoke on Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016, which was recently approved by the Union Cabinet, and has drawn criticism from several quarters.
She said the government is "conscious and sensitive" and various issues which has not been touched so far may be addressed in the course of discussions in the parliament.
The bill is yet to be tabled in Parliament and there will be many more rounds of deliberation, Patel said.
"Its a long process. I believe that the outcomes are going to be in the larger interest of the nation," she said.
She said 80 per cent of the total child births taking place through surrogacy in India are for foreign nationals.
"Women in India are not baby factories. If you consider the total number of births of children which are taking place through surrogate mothers, 80 per cent of such births have been for foreign nationals.
"Why are they doing this? Are Indian women only made for this purpose? They are trying to escape the tough laws of surrogacy in their own homeland and therefore they are coming to India because poor, vulnerable tribal women are easily available. They give them petty money," she said.
The bill proposes a complete ban on commercial surrogacy and allows only legally-wedded Indian couples to opt for it.
It also seeks to bar unmarried couples, single parents, live-in partners and homosexuals from opting for surrogacy. PTI TDS TIR SC TIR
--- ENDS ---
Famished after a two-leg, cross-country flight rife with delays and scarce on nutrition, I tapped open Google Maps on my phone and scanned the area around my Los Angeles International airport hotel for some place interesting to eat.
At the get-go, two white circles with fork-and-knife symbols appeared: McDonald's and Denny's. Not for me. I typed in "restaurants," and a few red circles with similar symbols appeared like Carl's Jr. and a hotel cocktail bar. Pass. Mariscos Moni ("Simple shack for seafood and Mexican grub") sounded promising, but was closed.
OK, I wasn't in Koreatown or Silver Lake, but was this the best Los Angeles could do? Only after zooming in, block by block, did some tiny red dots appear, representing Thai, Somali and Greek spots. And then Melo Burger, an "old-school, 24/7 burger stand." Bingo.
But why had chains popped up first? Isn't my smartphone supposed to know me better than that? Could they have paid for exposure? Had an algorithm gone awry?
As travelers, we're ever more dependent on apps and online services that show us what to eat or where to sleep. Yet we (or at least I) often forget those sites are not public utilities that exist to make us happy but for-profit businesses trying to make a buck.
I decided to look at four food-finding apps with maps Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor and the much-improved MapQuest, each of which produced wildly different results for that area around LAX. I also looked at the websites of some big players in hotel searches: Booking.com, Expedia and TripAdvisor again. The goal: to examine if companies can pay to gain visibility.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, as long as it's transparent.
The food side was more straightforward. All four companies said there was no direct way for restaurants to pay for higher visibility in their listings or on their maps, except through clearly marked advertisements. A Google spokesman, Joe Osborne, was unequivocal: Search results "have nothing to do with any sort of commercial relationship."
So why McDonald's?
In short: It's the algorithm, stupid. Or in this case: It's the stupid algorithm.
Google doesn't share many details about its search results, but it shares enough. "Local results are based primarily on relevance, distance and prominence," reads a support page called "Improve your local ranking on Google." Review scores play a role, but brands "that are familiar to many people are also likely to be prominent in local search results." Congratulations, McDonald's. Sorry, Banadir Somali Restaurant.
MapQuest also said businesses cannot pay for a boost. Its clean, attractive results are a mash-up of more than 40 data sources. Yelp and TripAdvisor base their choices largely or entirely on user reviews and also said it was impossible for businesses to pay to raise their visibility.
But restaurants can influence their success with customers indirectly by paying for what Yelp calls an "enhanced profile" and TripAdvisor a "business listing." Such companies don't appear higher; they appear better. In Yelp's case, improvements include a photo slideshow, the elimination of competitor ads from their profile page and the capacity to insert "call-to-action" buttons to print a coupon, for example.
Despite similar setups, Yelp and TripAdvisor searches yield different results. Darnell Holloway, a spokesman for Yelp, said the site cultivates community participation, leading to more reviews by locals than you might find on TripAdvisor.
Which is better? That's up to you. An adventurous visitor to Taipei might use Yelp to seek local favorites; less daring types might prefer TripAdvisor reviews written by travelers with similar tastes.
Lodging sites were far more complicated. When you plug in a destination and dates on Booking.com and Expedia, the order of results is largely determined by how frequently customers reserve a particular property once they've clicked on it, the "conversion" rate.
Whether that is beneficial to the consumer is up for debate. It is definitely beneficial to Booking and Expedia, which would prefer closing the sale before you try another site (or take a nap).
But hotels can also pay, one way or another, to nudge their way up the list.
Luckily, users can escape some of the manipulation by personalizing results, sorting by review score or price and applying filters.
One last thing: Google Maps and Yelp and their competitors show just about every restaurant that's out there, whether it's a paying partner or not. But most lodging sites are incomplete: For example, hotels and inns not willing to pay a commission on bookings won't be listed.
Some innkeepers and independent hoteliers pay, others opt out. You won't see two of my favorite lodgings Bowen Farm Bed & Breakfast in Stanton, Ky., or Friendly Bike Guest House in Portland, Ore. on either Booking or Expedia. Their customers must find them through other means.
Bottom line: The pickiest among us (those who strive to find that homey Kentucky inn or local Los Angeles burger joint) need to be more diligent. For the rest, Yelp and Booking and the like are miracles of convenience and will usually lead you to pretty good choices, especially if you keep in mind that their bottom line is always the bottom line.
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The Capital Region's Italian-American community is reaching out to help after an earthquake that has killed more than 260 people in Italy.
In Schenectady, a group of restaurateurs and civic leaders are organizing "Schenectady Loves Italy: A Pasta Fundraiser," said Phillip Morris, CEO of Proctors.
The event's sponsors will include two restaurant families: the Mallozzis, owners of their namesake restaurant as well as Villa Italia, Belvedere Inn, Treviso, Johnny's and The Clubhouse; and the Mazzones of Mazzone Hospitality, owners of eight restaurants including Aperitivo Bistro in Schenectady, Angelo's 677 Prime in Albany and Angelo's Tavolo in Scotia.
Others sponsors are Fundabilities, Proctors and the Daily Gazette.
The event will be a small-plate fundraiser on the State Street sidewalk outside Proctors, from 4:30-7 p.m. Thursday.
"One hundred percent of the sales will go to the Italian Red Cross," Morris said. "We are inventing it as we go. We want to do it quickly at a time when it's foremost in everyone's minds."
The event will cost $5 for a small plate, Morris said, and he hopes to attract 2,000 to 3,000 participants.
The 6.2-magnitude quake struck Wednesday in central Italy, leveling centuries-old homes and destroying mountain communities that may be permanently destroyed.
One of the hardest hit towns, Amatrice, is known for its foods especially a particular pasta dish with a pork shoulder flavor that will be among those served at the Schenectady event, Morris said.
"This is a devastating thing. This is the slow destruction of human lives and the slow destruction of an ancient physical plant that can never be rebuilt the same way," he said. "It's a human tragedy and a cultural tragedy."
The Italian American Community Center in Albany is also raising funds and has set up a GoFundMe page with a goal of $10,000.
"It's only been up five or six hours and we've already got a couple of hundred dollars," said James Sano, vice president of the community center, early Friday.
Throughout the summer, the center also offers food and music to its members every Friday night. There are three more of the events to go, he said, and donations will be accepted at each.
"We're going to put out a jar and do a 50/50," he said.
All proceeds will be donated to the National Italian American Relief Fund, Sano said.
Sano, who traveled through the region last year on his way from Venice to Rome, said he was struck by how fragile homes are in the sparsely populated region.
"It's heart-wrenching. I've actually been there," he said. "The way they built these homes, some of them still exist from the 1500s, 1600s. They are not built to handle any kind of shock."
The Italian-American Community Center sent out an alert to see if any local residents have relatives directly affected, he said. So far, none have come forward. The area affected by the quakes has mountain communities, some of which are not expected to survive the disaster.
Louis Fazzone, president of the Sons of Italy in Rotterdam, said he expects to do fundraising.
Frank Zeoli is president of the Italian American Community Center Foundation, the nonprofit arm that oversees voluntarily, cultural and educational events. Both the center and foundation's memberships are filled with people with ties to Italy, he said.
"Some are from Italy. Others are first and second generation. We always have a deep connection to Italy," he said.
"When you're Italian, we're all family," he said. "We have a concern for the families that were devastated by the earthquake. Regardless of the fact we don't have anyone directly who was affected. We are all Italians. We are all paesans. That's what we try to celebrate, the Italian spirit, the Italian way of life."
tobrien@timesunion.com 518-454-5092 @timobrientu
SCHENECTADY - A sofa inside a vacant home on Germania Avenue was set on fire Thursday but firefighters were able to limit the damage to the apartment where the blaze occurred.
Deputy Fire Chief Kurt Gerfin said neighbors told them two children were in the building earlier in the day but firefighters searched it and found no one inside.
Albany
A Florida man stole over $180,000 in his late brother's government pension benefits and pretended to be the dead man when the deception was discovered, state officials said Thursday.
Robert Schusteritsch, 71, faces charges of felony grand larceny and misdemeanor criminal impersonation in Albany County Court, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said.
Schusteritsch allegedly stole pension benefits from the state and local employees retirement systems sent to his late brother Martin Petschauer between July 2008 and September 2015.
According to court documents, Petschauer retired as chief of the Pooling and Audit Review Section of the New York Metro Milk Marketing Area in about 1986. His pension benefits were deposited in a bank account held in a trust for Petschauer. Schusteritsch was the sole trustee for his brother and had exclusive access to the bank account.
When Petschauer died on July 9, 2008, officials said, Schusteritsch concealed his brother's death from the bank and the retirement system and kept the trust account open to maintain the direct deposits. He routinely spent the money for his own benefit a total of over $180,000 until October 2015, when the retirement system discovered Petschauer's death.
Prosecutors also said Schusteritsch called the customer help line on Nov. 2, 2015, pretended he was Petschauer and claimed he was not dead in an effort to maintain eligibility for the pension benefits.
Schusteritsch was arrested by the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office in Florida and brought to Albany County. He was arraigned and pleaded not guilty on Thursday before Judge Peter Lynch in Albany County Court.
His bail was set at $10,000 and he was sent to jail.
If convicted, Schusteritsch faces up to 5 to 15 years in state prison.
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Holding back tears, neighbor Teresa Jones described how she sheltered Sean Moreland's family after a 2013 fire in their home.
"Now it feels like this act of kindness was seen as an opportunity for Sean to case our home and items," she said while making a victim's statement in court Thursday.
Moreland, a drug user accused in an unrelated killing, entered Jones' home last summer wearing surgical gloves and stole thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry.
"Sean took something more precious to me than jewelry," Jones said. "He took my son's sense of safety in our own home."
Moreland, who awaits trial on charges in the 2015 killing of Colonie barber Jacquelyn Porreca, was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday for the unrelated burglary case. The break-in occurred three weeks before the slaying.
Albany County Judge Stephen Herrick also ordered Moreland to pay more than $10,000 in restitution, which includes a base amount of over $8,100 and an additional $2,000 restitution to the State Farm insurance company.
On June 27, Moreland, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary for the break-in at Kim Drive at 9:05 a.m. on July 27, 2015. Jones' victim statement described the pain her family has suffered since the crime.
She spoke specifically about how her 11-year-old son no longer feels secure. He recently asked her, "If Sean breaks into our house again will he hurt us because he took all your jewelry and there is nothing left?"
She described the items taken during the burglary in her statement as gifts from family, "symbols of their time with me in their life." Jones highlighted the loss of her grandmother's 1920s watch, a cousin's sapphire ring meant to be worn in remembrance after a move, an opal ring given to Jones by her sister after acting as her maid of honor, and a necklace from her husband on the day her son was born.
Jones also spoke about the traumatic loss of a gold charm bracelet she and her husband have been adding memory charms to for 15 years. "The bracelet is a symbol of all the memories Sean stole from me in the summer of 2015," she said.
Moreland spoke, briefly. He apologized to the Jones family and to his own family. "I want them to understand the power the drugs had over me," he said.
Assistant District Attorney Linda Marie Griggs said Moreland sold the jewelry for "pennies on the dollar" at a local pawn shop.
"He repaid that kindness by using the Jones' home as a piggy bank to fund his drug habit," Griggs said.
Moreland's attorney, Stephen Coffey, asked for a more lenient sentence of seven years. "If Sean was selling jewelry for pennies on the dollar, it shows you how out of control his heroin addiction was," he said.
Herrick said it was his intention to sentence "based on all the facts and circumstances." He said, "Basically it's almost a violation of trust that she has in you as a neighbor."
Moreland must pay a $325 surcharge fee and $50 DNA fee. He also had three orders of protection against him.
Moreland's arrest for the burglary helped him in the Porreca case because he was already represented by an attorney. In a decision issued Monday, state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin threw out the allegedly incriminating statements made by Moreland in connection with the Aug. 21, 2015 killing of Porreca, 32, at a Colonie salon.
>SEE THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE JUDGE'S DECISION>
The judge tossed Moreland's Nov. 10 videotaped statements to police because Colonie police obtained the information after Moreland asked for his lawyer, John McFadden, when police first spoke to him Nov. 3 after arresting him for driving with a suspended license. At the time, McFadden was representing Moreland in the unrelated burglary case.
"I think I should have my lawyer here for this," Moreland told an investigator. "It seems pretty intense, you know. I thought I was brought in just for some vehicle stuff."
McFadden faxed a letter to Colonie police and called their station asking them cease questioning his client.
While Breslin's ruling weakened the prosecution's case against Moreland, the alleged driver, the case against the victim's alleged killer, Michael Chmielewski, remains strong. The judge ruled Monday that jurors can hear the statements made by Chmielewski, 23, of Colonie, including an alleged confession to police and an informant, drawings about where the alleged murder weapon was tossed into a lake in Washington Park and written apologies to Porreca's family and to his own daughter.
>SEE THE ARTICLE ON THE GUILTY PLEA IN THE BURGLARY CASE> >SEE THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE JUDGE'S DECISION>
The Breslin ruling could have a major impact on the future legal decisions of Moreland and Chmielewski. Both men have court dates scheduled for next week at which they could accept plea bargains in the Porreca case; Chmielewski on Sept. 6 and Moreland on Sept. 8.
emasters@timesunion.com 518-454-5467
Phoenix
Seeking to end confusion over his aggressive but recently muddled language on immigration, Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to remove millions of people living in the country illegally if he becomes president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardize the "well-being of the American people."
But Trump didn't address what he would do about millions more who might remain under his approach the major question that has frustrated past congressional attempts at remaking the nation's immigration laws.
Instead, Trump repeated the standard Republican talking point that only after securing the border can such a discussion begin to take place.
It was a retreat in the rhetoric for the billionaire from the GOP primaries, when he had vowed his "deportation force" would seek to remove all who didn't have permission to live and work in the country.
The Republican presidential candidate insisted than any of the estimated 11 million such immigrants who want to seek legal status or citizenship in the United States must return to their home countries in order to do so. And he outlined plans to create a special task force that would prioritize the deportation of criminals, people who have overstayed their visas and other immediate security threats.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," Trump charged in the highly anticipated speech, which took place hours after he met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
He added, "There will be no amnesty."
The aggressive tone during his speech in Phoenix marked a shift from the New York billionaire's demeanor earlier in the day, when a much more measured Trump described Mexicans as "amazing people" as he appeared alongside Pena Nieto in Mexico's capital city. It was his first meeting with a head of state as his party's presidential nominee.
Shortly after the joint appearance, a dispute arose over the most contentious part of the billionaire's plans to secure the U.S. southern border and fight illegal immigration his insistence that Mexico must pay to build his promised wall.
Trump told reporters during the afternoon appearance that the two men didn't discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions. Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
With the meeting held behind closed doors, it was impossible to know who was telling the truth. But clash cast a cloud over Trump's first meeting with a foreign dignitary.
Trump began his campaign by deriding Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals, and piled on in the months to come as he attacked Mexico over free trade, illegal immigration and border security. Pena Nieto responded by condemning Trump's language, saying those were the sort of words that gave rise to Adolf Hitler.
Pena Nieto did not repeat such criticism Wednesday, but acknowledged Trump's comments had "hurt and affected Mexicans."
"The Mexicans deserve everyone's respect," he said.
Trump stayed on script after the meeting, reading a statement from notes and politely answering shouted questions from reporters about his promise to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border between the two countries. "We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall," Trump said.
Writing later on Twitter, Pena Nieto said the subject was among the first things the men discussed. He has for months said "there is no scenario" under which Mexico would pay for the wall.
"From there, the conversation addressed other issues, and developed in a respectful manner," he added.
Trump's presence Wednesday, his first meeting with a head of state abroad as a presidential candidate, sparked anger and protests across Mexico's capital city. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome. "We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt."
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences and defended the contribution of Mexicans working in the United States, but he described the conversation as "open and constructive." He and Trump shook hands as the session ended.
Pena Nieto's performance came in for immediate condemnation from his many critics in Mexico.
"Pena ended up forgiving Trump when he didn't even ask for an apology," said Esteban Illades, the editor of Nexos magazine. "The lowest point of the most painful day in the history of the Mexican presidency."
Siena College welcomed 770 new Saints to campus Thursday, Sept. 1, for Freshman Move-In Day. Students and staff helped members of the Class of 2020 bring their belongings into their residence halls before joining in several days' worth of orientation activities. Classes begin Tuesday.
Siena set a freshman class record this year for number of diverse students (24%) and number of transfers (160). The College received 9,691 applications - 16 shy of breaking its all-time application record.
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We hoofed it to downtown Albany to The Hollow Bar & Kitchen on the suggestion of a colleague. More specifically, a restaurant critic who gave a little nod in their direction, noting the success of new(ish) executive chef Anna Weisheit, a Rising Star Chef winner at the 2016 Albany Chefs' Food & Wine Festival.
He could have equally mentioned their farm-conscious menu that names names and italicizes a line on Temple Grandin's ethical animal welfare and slaughterhouse rules, rustling my faded farm-to-table cape that once billowed behind me at mere mention of wild-poached rabbit or antebellum veg brought back from the dead.
I wasn't entirely excited. The Hollow, which opened in 2013 following the closure of the testosterone- and beer-soaked Bayou Cafe, also topped Metroland's "Best Of" list in the category of Best New Club in 2014. On my last visit, we sat long enough to scan the menu before the odor of industrial floor disinfectant overpowered thoughts of food and we left. It's a tall order to be an all-day eatery, a late-night, live-music powerhouse and a bar for all hours in between.
To that end, owners Dora and Michael Philip have nicely crystallized their spaces into bar (with bar menu), live music and dining rooms through which staff cycle, popping out of hidden doorways like Whack-a-Mole. I was instantly in love with the fabulous mason-jar light installation suspended in such density it refracts light over the brick walls a poor man's chandelier gently swaying like a Newton's cradle.
More Information The Hollow Bar & Kitchen 79 N. Pearl St. Albany Phone: 426-8550 Web: www.thehollowalbany.com Cuisine: Mix of burgers and bar standards, a strong vegetarian showing and a farm-fresh dining menu with creative sparks. Catering available. Ambiance: Varies by time of day. Popular barroom with TVs, live music room and pool table. Outdoor patio and a small pleasant dining space in exposed brick and wood with tabletop fresh flowers. Price: $-$$$ Hours: 5 p.m. till late Monday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. till late Tuesday to Friday, closed Sunday. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., happy hour 4 to 7 p.m., dinner from 5 p.m. Credit cards: All major. Parking: Street. Handicapped accessible: Yes. Price ratings for inexpensive eateries based on average of entree costs: $: $9.95 and less $$: $9.95-$15.95 $$$: $15.95 and higher See More Collapse
There are still a lot of men. Midday or late afternoon, they're at the bar, playing pool or eating in. That's not to say there aren't families having lunch or couples pairing burgers with champagne like our neighbors one night, just that there's a notably high quota of the heterogametic sex.
Luckily, menfolk eschew that window table (too prominent? too romantic?), so it's ours both times. And with the bar floor exuding only the faintest mopped smell, the delightful menu is a tease: one side smart, one side casual. A culinary mullet.
The front is all business with artisanal cheese (oh, Taleggio!) curated by the Cheese Traveler in Albany, Bonfiglio bread from Hudson and lush plum chutney, plus Weisheit's housemade pickles, pestos, compotes (her Indian-inspired fig chutney is smashing) and fancy compound butters (the avocado-chili sounds good). The back of the menu is a blue-collar party that pits a saucy three-bean ale chili ($9) and eclectic meat and vegetarian sandwiches against barroom nachos and burgers that require two hands to eat.
Winners emerge from both sides: signature gnocchi and arugula ($17) soft little piglets luxuriating among shiitake slices in toasty brown butter and truffle oil (is anything not better in brown butter and truffle oil?) and a hand-formed Creekstone Farms beef Hollow Burger ($13) with pink house-pickled onions and a shiner of a sunny-side-up egg ready to deliver a runny can of whoop-ass.
For all that's good, the missteps are confusing. One night, dishes flew out of the kitchen black as soot. Sweet potatoes and beets with harshly seared sea bass ($27)? Burnt. Pan-seared sea scallops ($15/$27)? Cremated. And I mean charred to the sort of alarm-raising bitterness that destroys tissue and permeates any unscathed flesh. Our concerned waiter brought word: "The chef says that's how Chef Anna likes them seared: no oil, just a hot pan." I'm pretty sure Chef Anna didn't mean incinerated. And execution shouldn't go to hell in a handcart on her one night off.
Despite lavish attention from our waiter (whose constant check-ins had me worried until I noted his commitment to other tables), problems stem from a lack of focus. An asparagus and arugula salad ($12) packing soft goat cheese, roasted edamame and crisp asparagus glistens so slickly with Weisheit's inspired mint pesto it's more Jheri curls than fluffed bouffant. And there's gobs of the stuff underneath.
Minted pea and asparagus soup ($7) sounds summery fresh, though I'm surprised it's warm, not chilled, and is muddy, reminiscent of that great British chip-shop classic, minted mushy peas. Maybe it needed sweet fresh peas or thinning with broth. And when a second chance on the scallops proves they can be perfectly seared, they're so dangerously encrusted with garlic and salt we get to work and wipe it off.
Handsome things appear. A shredded lemon-thyme chicken salad, oddly named as a chicken "board" ($13), is bright and perky with grilled naan and house-pickled carrots (recently pickled, judging by the raging bite of vinegar and their rock-hard crunch). Organic pesto chicken sits pretty in a brioche sandwich ($12), and young, sweet fingerling potatoes roasted with olive oil a $5 side or $3 extra to substitute for perfectly fine crispy frozen fries raise the bar. Vegetarians will rejoice at a pork-free menu, Berben and Wolff's seitan wings ($8) and a tangy tempeh Reuben ($11) gloopy with vegan Russian dressing and braised in ale for a slightly funky edge.
The Hollow is still a bar first, with creative cocktails (try the rye whiskey Frisco, $10) and an arsenal of beer including 24 on tap. Dining success fluctuates by day, time and busy-ness, so Weisheit's reign hasn't yet transformed the kitchen as much as infused it with farm-fresh color. Hopefully two new additions to her tiny team will free her up to more tightly man the pass.
Dinner for two including three starters, one board, two mains and two drinks came to $125.76, including tax and 20 percent tip. During a second visit, lunch for two plus two sandwiches to go came to $78 total.
Susie Davidson Powell is a freelance writer from East Greenbush. Follow her on Twitter, @SusieDP. To comment on this review, visit the Table Hopping blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping.
The Hollow Bar & Kitchen
79 N. Pearl St.
Albany
Phone: 426-8550
Web: www.thehollowalbany.com
Cuisine: Mix of burgers and bar standards, a strong vegetarian showing and a farm-fresh dining menu with creative sparks. Catering available.
Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.
Ambiance: Varies by time of day. Popular barroom with TVs, live music room and pool table. Outdoor patio and a small pleasant dining space in exposed brick and wood with tabletop fresh flowers.
Price: $-$$$
Hours: 5 p.m. till late Monday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. till late Tuesday to Friday, closed Sunday. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., happy hour 4 to 7 p.m., dinner from 5 p.m.
Credit cards: All major.
Parking: Street.
Handicapped accessible: Yes.
Price ratings for inexpensive eateries based on average of entree costs:
$: $9.95 and less
$$: $9.95-$15.95
$$$: $15.95 and higher
THE ISSUE:
The price of the popular EpiPens soars; Congress feigns surprise.
THE STAKES:
Any quick fix is just another Band-Aid on a broken health care system.
More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse
The company that makes EpiPens certainly deserves public scorn for its avaricious price hike, but the blame isn't Mylan's alone. The same Congress that professes to abhor this exploitative greed shares the blame, too.
This is, after all, a Congress that refuses to allow the federal government to use its buying power to rein in pharmaceutical prices, much less consider a single payer, "Medicare for all" health care system. And even as many of its members campaign on reducing burdensome regulations, they can't address obvious ones in their midst.
But let's keep the spotlight momentarily on Mylan and its CEO, Heather Bresch, whose compensation rose from $2.5 million in 2007 to almost $19 million last year as the price of EpiPens soared from about $57 to almost $318. All while Mylan has been spreading the use of EpiPens, which deliver an emergency dose of epinephrine to stop potentially fatal allergic reactions. The reach of Mylan's marketing has been extended by legislation, regulation, and government grant programs, making our government a partner in this soaking of consumers and taxpayers.
Yet again, investment in Washington pays off for the health care, pharmaceutical and insurance industries, which pour around $400 million annually into lobbying and in the last presidential election year racked up almost $109 million in political spending.
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No wonder Congress ignores alternatives like a single-payer system that would streamline health care, eliminate the billions that go to profit and duplicative overhead, and enable the government to negotiate more reasonable prices for drugs, devices and services. Some of that negotiating could be accomplished without a single payer system, but Congress refuses to allow it.
The EpiPen saga is one of those stories that doesn't square with the myth that America's health care system is a shining example of free enterprise at work. As Forbes found, even when there was a competing product on the market Auvi-Q, sold by Sanofi from 2013 until last year the two companies engaged in a reverse price war increasing their prices every few months. That's hardly how competition is supposed to work.
Sanofi pulled its own product off the market in 2015 because of dosing problems. The best the free market can offer now is Mylan's plan for a generic version at three times what the EpiPen cost when Mylan acquired it. Meanwhile, Congress isn't even talking about a free market solutions that might help: looking at the Food and Drug Administration's approval process for products like the EpiPen, or the regulations that put various private intermediaries between consumers and health care products.
Holding up Ms. Bresch as the latest poster child for medical corporate greed may take a bit of the sting out of the price hikes, but if that's all Congress can do, the EpiPen won't be the only thing for which the public is overpaying.
Many of the arrested accused are employees of detective agencies.
Delhi police have so far arrested eight persons, including a sub-inspector who worked in Jaipur police's cyber cell. Photo: PTI
By Tanseem Haider: Delhi police has arrested two persons, including a former army officer, over their alleged involvement in the illegal procurement and sale of call detail records (CDRs).
ARMY OFFICER RUNS DETECTIVE AGENCY
The former army officer, Captain D K Giri, has been running a detective agency in Hyderabad since 1978. He had allegedly been procuring CDRs illegally for the last five years for his customers.
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According to the website of Giri's agency, Sharp Detectives Private Limited, he graduated from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. He was commissioned in the Indian Army, in 11 Gurkha Rifles Brigade, in 1972, as a 2nd Lieutenant.
Delhi police have so far arrested eight persons, including a sub-inspector who worked in Jaipur police's cyber cell, for their alleged involvement in the CDR racket. They have been accused of procuring call detail records illegally and selling them to customers for a hefty price.
Many of the arrested accused are employees of detective agencies.
--- ENDS ---
When Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul first ran for Congress in western New York six years ago, she found herself in the crosshairs of a vicious series of campaign ads.
"Literally millions of dollars were spent against me in negative campaign ads," Hochul says. They dredged up "the worst, most horrible pictures they could," casting her to look like a witch. It got bad enough that the 7-year-old girl living next door asked her mother to turn the TV off whenever the ads came on. "Mrs. Hochul looks too scary," she cried.
Those kinds of deeply personal attack ads can deter other women from running. Women can also be hampered by misperceptions about what women are capable of accomplishing, according to interviews with 30 women who hold elected office in New York. And those perceptions can lead them to make difficult choices between emphasizing their gender in their campaigns or going to great lengths to de-emphasize it.
"I was at the grocery store the other day and I saw one of those tabloid magazines had pictures of Hillary [Clinton], and it said she had gained 105 pounds," says Dina Refki, director of the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society at the University at Albany. The standard for how women should look is different, she says, than the standard for how men should look. "If Chris Christie was a woman, he would never have gotten elected because of his weight," she says.
Refki says there are still pervasive double standards for women in politics. "There's still a lot of commentary about how (a woman candidate) looks and how she dresses and her weight," she says. "It's all about the body and image of women, not their intellect."
"We are definitely scrutinized a little differently," Albany County Legislator Joanne Cunningham, D-Delmar, says. "What we wear, what we sound like, our voices, how we communicate. It's a real dynamic that exists for women."
More Information Women in Politics is a four-part series exploring the lack of female representation at all levels of politics and what keeps them away, through a sampling of 30 women who hold public office. Part 1: Will there be a Hillary Clinton effect for women in politics? - Hillary Clinton has already made history, even if she doesn't become president. But why do we still see underrepresentation of women in elected office at most levels? Part 2: Gender remains a political issue - War stories. Women talk about how they're viewed on the campaign trail and beyond. Part 3: It's not easy to shatter glass ceiling - How does the culture change when women get elected? Women find quest to transform legislative assemblies takes time. Part 4: Making politics attractive again - The obstacles to women's political participation are many. But how do we get women to run? Find interviews with all 30 women who hold elected office, as well as videos and interactive graphics at timesunion.com/womenpolitics. Women in Politics, a four-part series exploring the lack of female representation at all levels of politics and what keeps them away, was born out of a feature on women in politics that first appeared in the September/October edition of Women@Work magazine, which also featured U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on the cover. Women@Work is a bi-monthly magazine, a network of more than 1,400 working women in the Capital Region and a movement, which seeks to highlight issues facing women in business, in the community and at home and offers insight and inspiration for overcoming the challenges. Join us today at tuwomenatwork.com. See More Collapse
It's easy to find clips of newscasters criticizing Hillary Clinton, for example, of sounding "shrill" or like a "nagging wife." When she discusses policy, she's criticized as "boring." When she's rehearsed, she's called "inauthentic."
Refki sees hope, though. "Younger people are more progressive toward social issues," she says. "Gender relations and gender roles are definitely changing."
That doesn't mean old attitudes about women don't continue to have influence. Several of the women we interviewed said constituents explicitly told them they wouldn't vote for a woman. When women hear that, they become "hesitant to play up their gender," according to Zoe Oxley, a professor of political science at Union College in Schenectady. "Women candidates have to decide: Am I going to emphasize certain feminine qualities or typically masculine qualities?"
Oxley points out the contrast between Clinton's campaign in 2008 and her campaign now. "Hillary Clinton decided to run strongly on her national security credentials and not talk very much about her role as a wife or a mother or her historical candidacy as the first woman [president]," Oxley says. Clinton and her campaign were "heavily criticized," Oxley says, for "downplaying her gender in 2008." "It appears that by her running the more masculine campaign that she opened herself up to criticism that we didn't really know who Hillary Clinton was because she was ignoring big parts of her identity." Those kinds of dilemmas can add stress to the already stressful process of trying to get elected.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, the first woman to hold that office, spent most of her career working as an attorney. The Democrat was elected Albany's city treasurer before she became mayor.
But she's frequently assumed to have gotten her political start on the school board.
"I find it really interesting that it's a common misunderstanding that people make," she says. Although she points out that women do often get their start in politics on the PTA. "We tend to be on the front line when it comes to our kids and their education."
When women do break into the political scene, they're subject to various misconceptions. Sheehan worries that women are too often seen as more ethical than men. "It's not fair that women get held to that standard," she says. It can be seriously damaging for the women who don't live up to it; studies have shown that women lawyers who violate bar association standards, for example, are punished more harshly than men who commit the same transgressions.
Albany Common Councilwoman Dorcey Applyrs says she hasn't just suffered sexism from men. Women, too, betray their own biases.
"I had two men running against me in the primary," Applyrs, the Democratic 1st Ward representative, says. She'd be asked, "Do you think you're tough enough?"
"Those questions primarily came from women," she says.
"When I campaigned, there were a few difficult people who didn't understand why I was out and not home with my kids," says Cathy Gatta, a Democratic Schenectady County legislator representing Scotia, Niskayuna and Glenville. "When you hear that, it's hard to respond to because [at the time] it was 2013, not 1950. ... The first time it was said to me, I wanted to cry. I was flustered because I just wanted to do what I could for the county and village." She discovered, though, that if she turned it around on them "My kids are great. How are yours?" she was able to dodge the implication. "The first time [I was asked that] it was a man," she says. "The next time, it was a woman."
"I don't want to downplay the historic nature of [Obama's] candidacy," says Oxley. But, "breaking the sex barrier is more difficult than breaking the race barrier, just because of the nature of the office and the expectations of the office consistent with our beliefs about masculinity. I do think the challenges that Clinton is facing are more substantial and more significant. [Obama has] even alluded to that."
And for women of color, the challenges of politicking are manifold: Albany County Legislator Lucille McKnight, who represents the South End, says one person told her, "Oh, no, not another black leader." "I have to work twice as hard," she says. "That's how you always feel when you're black or African-American."
When Carmella Mantello, who is white, ran for mayor of Troy four years ago, her opponent Photoshopped her head onto a man's body. "You have to have tough skin," Mantello, a Republican who now serves as the Troy City Council president, says. "I would love to not have to deal with that, but you do have to deal with it."
When Karen Johnson, vice chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature, ran for mayor, her Republican opponent, Frank Duci, "said if I was a man he would punch me in the nose, and I should stay home with my children. ... It was a private conversation that ended up in the newspaper, and it didn't look good for him." (The newspaper account has Duci telling his Democratic opponent to stay home and "wash the dishes.")
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says the first time she ran for office her opponent disregarded her as "just a pretty face."
"He used the ugliest picture of me he could find ... and put a green wash over it so I looked like a crazy witch," the Democrat says. "It's a tactic that actually does work. When you talk about a woman's appearance, it undermines her. It distracts voters from what she stands for, why she's running, what she cares about."
And once the campaign is over, women say they continue to face discrimination in office.
State Sen. Liz Krueger, D-Manhattan, says women should brace themselves for blowback if they're outspoken. "Women need to understand that some people will attack them because they are seen as strong, opinionated women," Krueger says. She says she noticed that after she and other women legislators began to advocate for stricter gun legislation, they received "threats of violence and death threats."
"I just thought everybody who was outspoken against the NRA and strongly in support of stronger gun-control laws got threatened by the gun crazies," she says. When she and several other women legislators talked to their male counterparts who'd also been outspoken on guns, they discovered a big disparity: "It turns out only the women get death threats," Krueger says.
State Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, said when she first got into politics, she noticed "a difference in friendliness." "The men were chummier with each other," she says. "They would all plan where they were going out to lunch and leave me out."
"When I became supervisor and stepped out of the roles people were used to seeing me in, I encountered gender bias," says state Sen. Kathy Marchione. "I ran meetings and off-color jokes were made, jokes I know were meant to distract me."
"I was criticized initially for being a young woman," says U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Essex County. In fact, security on Capitol Hill didn't initially believe she was actually a congresswoman, asking to see her lawmaker badge.
"A lot of the advice," Stefanik says, "turned out to be bad advice." She says she was encouraged to downplay her age. They told her to "try to be something you're not and sound like everybody else."
"But I realized pretty quickly that authenticity and embracing the fact I was young, a woman, and not a traditional candidate ended up being a real strength," Stefanik says.
Matthew Hamilton, Leigh Hornbeck, Michaela Kilgallen and Jennifer Gish contributed to this report.
bsnyder@timesunion.com 518-454-5884 @BriannaLSnyder http://facebook.com/briannaleighsnyder
Tributes have been paid to former EU Commission staff member and FG stalwart Rickard Deasy, who died last week.
Mr Deasy from Carrigahorig, Terryglass, was a long serving member of Fine Gael in Tipperary and was a substitute for the party for the EU Parliament after sitting MEP John Cushnahan decided against running again in the 2004 European elections.
The Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District Council, Cllr Phyll Bugler described Mr Deasy as a great Statesman.
He was very intelligent and full of integrity. He would always do the right thing, said the Fine Gael councillor
Mr Deasy was very much into green energy and the environment and was a strong supporter of making sure the Ballybrophy branch line remained open as he was a big believer in public transport, she said.
Mr Deasy had canvassed for her when she was first elected to the then North Tipperary County Council in 2004. Cllr Bugler said he would be missed by Fine Gael in Tipperary.
She passed on her condolences to Mr Deasy's wife, Ciara; daughters, Louisa, Hannah; sons, Rickard and Morgan; brothers, Ruaidhri and Robin and sister, Lucila.
Ireland South MEP for Fine Gael Sean Kelly, who also offered his condolences to the family, described Mr Deasy as a man before his time.
During Mr Deasy's time in Europe, he was head of financial services with the European Economic and Social Committee as well as its head of computing and telecommunications. Before returning to Ireland to farm, he was deputy to the director of the Common Organisational Structure of the Committee of the Regions and the ESC.
He was well qualified, said Mr Kelly. We have a dearth of people like Rickard in the Commission at present. Hopefully, people will be inspired to follow in his footsteps.
Mr Kelly recalled Mr Deasy as an extremely intelligent and sensitive man, with whom he had had wonderful discussions.
He recalled canvassing with Mr Deasy in last February's general election and said Mr Deasy had a logical and well formed view on all issues.
He will be fondly remembered, said Mr Kelly.
The chairman of North Tipperary IFA, Tim Cullinan, said Mr Deasy had been born into a family steeped in politics and farming politics.
Mr Deasy's father, also Rickard, was the second president of the IFA from 1962 to 1967 and his brother Ruaidhri was its deputy president in 2001.
He was a perfectionist. He was totally devoted to his family, said Mr Cullinan.
The IFA chairman said that Mr Deasy was a committed European who had dedicated his life to working in the EU. He was one of the most efficient officials while he was there. He worked professionally for the good of the EU and wanted all countries to work together, he said.
Politics broke out in him when he returned home and he was 100 per cent involved in Fine Gael, said Mr Cullinan.
He said Mr Deasy also had a huge love of nature and was deeply involved with the local Lough Derg diving group.
Mr Deasy was the eldest son of the second IFA president, also Rickard. Known as Rickardo, he died in the early hours of Sunday morning August 21.
He served in the European Commission for up to 20 years before returning home some 10 years ago. As well as being able to speak multiple languages, Mr Deasy received an economics degree from Trinity College Dublin.
Mr Deasy's funeral Mass was held in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Terryglass, on Saturday, August 27, with burial afterwards in thelocal cemetery.
The death has taken place of one of Nenagh best known characters, veterinary Jack (Ginger) Powell, who was in his 102nd year. Mr Powell, who lived in Ballinaclough, died last Friday and his funeral will be held this Friday from St Marys Church of Ireland Church, Nenagh
The death has taken place of one of Nenagh best known characters, veterinary Jack (Ginger) Powell, who was in his 102nd year. Mr Powell, who lived in Ballinaclough, died last Friday and his funeral will be held this Friday from St Marys Church of Ireland Church, Nenagh
Jack Powell was born in 1913 and educated first in Toomevara National School before spending a year in Ballymackey Church of Ireland Diocesan School and had his second level education at a boarding school in Sligo.
He attended veterinary college in Dublin and graduated in 1936. Mr Powell practised first in England where he took a post with the British Ministry for Agriculture during the 1937 Foot and Mouth epidemic. He married his late wife, Sheila, in 1943, the same year he joined the Canadian Air Force, serving as a flying instructor during WWII.
He returned to Nenagh in 1947 and established a veterinary practice at 26 Summerhill, from which he retired only a couple of years back. He became Europes longest-serving vet when he completed over 75 years in practice in 2011 and was persented with a gold medal by then President Mary McAleese.
Born into a farming family at Blean, Toomevara, on May 29, 1913, Jack Powell the youngest of five children of Bob and Ellen Powell lived through the War of Independence, the Civil War and two world wars.
Jack was also involved in the very first testing of animals for TB when the British ministry started its Tuberculosis (Attested Herds) Scheme to wipe out TB in 1938.
When I came back to Nenagh in 1947 they were almost TB free in England. We hadnt even started here. I tested my first herd in 1954 when the scheme was launched. It was quite common to have all the cows and calves test positive for the disease, along with one or two members of the family, he recalled on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
Jack was renowned for being a great horse man, dealing with difficult horses and turning them around as well as having a great memory for pedigree.
He also owned a horses, among them Royal Frolic, which he bought as a foal for 400. He was a winner at the RDS Horse Show before going on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1976 by five lengths at 14/1 after being sold to a British trainer.
Jack was always associated with his trademark VW, a make of car he drove from 1953. His bought his last one to mark his 100th birthday from Tom Harvey Motors in Thurles, And wherever you saw Jack and his VW you would always find one of his beloved terriers, Trudy or Trixy.
He was honoured by the Irish Shows Association, which he helped found and served as its first chairman. Jack also took a lifelong interest in the preservation and improvement of Irish bloodstock as a member of the Hunter Improvement Society and the Traditional Irish Horse Association.
On the eve of his 100th birthday, he said that he would gladly do it all again. I loved the work, I loved meeting the farmers and I loved having a bit of banter with them. I didnt do it for the money. I feel very lucky and very proud to have seen and witnessed so much in his life, he said.
Jack was the third member of his family to notch up a century. His mother turned 100 in 1970 and his brother turned 100 in May 2012.
Jack Powell is survived by his sons Charles, John and Richard; daughter-in-law Mary; grandchildren Rebecca, Sarah, Richard and Nicole, nephews, nieces, carers Elizabeth, Jean and Liam, a host of family and many friends.
He is reposing at his residence on Wednesday from 2pm to 6pm and again on Thursday from 2pm to 6pm. Reception into St. Marys Church of Ireland, Nenagh, at 7pm. Funeral Service on Friday at 11am, followed by burial in Toomevara Church of Ireland Graveyard.
'Culture Night' is an annual all-island public event which celebrates culture, creativity and the arts. This year 'Culture Night' will take place on Friday, September 16th. On 'Culture Night' arts and cultural organisations and venues of all shapes and sizes, including the National Cultural Institutions, will extend their opening hours to allow for increased access to the public. Special and unique events and workshops are specially programmed at participating locations and everything is available free of charge.
'Culture Night' has grown from a relatively small scale cultural event staged only in Dublin in 2006 to the significant national event it now is with some 350,000 people visiting museums, galleries, historic houses, artists studio and cultural centres across the county. The initiative has captured both the public imagination and the enthusiasm of artists and cultural organisations.
This year, as part of 'Culture Night', local arts offices are appointing an honorary ambassador to help promote the event locally both as participants and advocates for culture. In Tipperary Nora Butler has been appointed as Tipperary's 'Culture Night' ambassador.
Nora Butler is one of Irelands leading exponents in the art of traditional singing and has achieved five all-Ireland titles. A member of the world renowned Bru Boru group Nora has toured all over the world promoting Irish song. Nora has released two solo albums to date and has performed on numerous radio and television programmes. A native of Toomevara Nora has resided in Nenagh for many years and will participate in the Irish Music event taking place at Bru Boru in Cashel on 'Culture Night' from 8pm-10pm.
Organising groups and venues are now putting final plans in place for the thirty-two free events which are planned to take place the length and breadth of County Tipperary on Friday, September 16th next.
This annual national celebration of our culture and the arts sees cultural buildings, organisations and groups throughout the county come together to remind us of the fantastic cultural facilities and resources we have locally and invites us to take part.
With twenty-six venues participating in twelve locations across Tipperary and events ranging from the visual arts and crafts to music, film, discussion, talks, literature and puppetry there is something for everyone.
Check out the full programme of events to see what is happening near you on tipperarycoco.ie/arts/culture-night-2016 or www.culturenight.ie. The 'Culture Night' programmes are also available in all Tipperary Libraries and cultural venues and all events are free.
[September 01, 2016] Axalta Employees' Back-to-School Drive Helps Thousands of Philadelphia-area Students
With thousands of children on their way back to school, many without basic tools such as pens, pencils and notebooks, employees of Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, organized a school supply drive at Axalta's North American headquarters in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. The drive took place over a three-week period in July and August. Employees donated hundreds of items including notebooks, rulers, calculators and more. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006087/en/ Families wait in line in Chester, Pennsylvania at City Team's Backpack Day to receive backpacks filled with school supplies from donors including Axalta employees who organized a Back-to-School drive. (Photo: Axalta) Axalta is dedicated to giving back to the communities in which we work and live. In this spirit, we partnered with City Team, a nonprofit in Delaware County, Pennsylvania focused on meeting the needs of the less fortunate i the community, to help future scientists, teachers, business leaders and more return to school prepared with the essentials. City Team and its force of volunteers sorted, placed items into backpacks, and distributed them to families at its annual "Backpack Day" collection event in Chester, Pennsylvania on August 27.
"Our annual Backpack Day is one of the biggest highlights of our year here at City Team. Seeing so many children smiling and happy and witnessing the joy that brings to their parents is priceless," said Kwinn Tucker, City Director of City Team Chester. "We couldn't do what we do here without the support and generosity of partners like Axalta who make it possible to serve over 2,000 children in need of backpacks and school supplies. We are so grateful for what all Axalta employees did to help people in need." "Axalta is excited to contribute to a program that helped fill backpacks so kids can start the school year with the supplies they need to succeed," said Steve Maley, Axalta Human Resources Director-North America. "We are incredibly proud of our employees, who took it upon themselves to give to this excellent community cause. An investment in a child's future is an investment well spent."
About Axalta Coating Systems - Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings Industry Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the approximately 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us @axalta on Twitter (News - Alert) and on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006087/en/
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[September 01, 2016] Confie and Its Employees Rally to Aid Colleagues, Residents Impacted by Louisiana Floods
Confie today announced a donation of nearly $24,000 - a sum of employee cash contributions matched by Confie - to assist its employees affected by the catastrophic flooding in south Louisiana. In addition, Confie has contributed $10,000 to the American Red Cross to assist with their relief efforts. "The disaster in Louisiana is nothing short of devastating - and this one hits especially close to home," said Valeria Rico, Chief Executive Officer of Confie. "The floods have caused many people, including some of our colleagues, to lose everything. Fortunately, the Confie family's overwhelming desire to help has mobilized us and demonstrated our core values as a company and community." Employees based in south Louisiana suffered major losses. 28 were impacted in total, with 19 losing their car, home, or both. Nearly 100 Confie employees nationwide rallied to the aid of Louisiana residents and their colleagues, raising nearly $12,000 through payroll deductions which the company matched. Confie employees also donated 660 hours of paid time off (PTO) to clleagues in need.
"My family and I cannot thank Confie enough for all the help that we have received," said Laron Sanders, a Confie premium finance specialist who works in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "I am truly blessed to work for an awesome company." Confie, which has had a presence in the Louisiana insurance market since 2013 when it acquired USAgencies, began deploying its relief funds to affected employees as of August 26.
An anonymous employee in Louisiana, who gave both money and a portion of their PTO to help flood victims, commented: "Thank you for setting this program up for our employees. It means a lot to work for a company who reaches out and helps when [people] need it the most." About Confie Established in 2008, Confie is a leading, California-based national insurance distribution company primarily focused on personal lines and small commercial insurance. The company has over 700 retail locations and generates annual revenues approaching $500 million. Confie has leading market positions in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois, Alabama, Kansas, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Missouri, Louisiana, and Indiana and expects to continue its expansion in those and other states, including Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina. Confie is a portfolio company of ABRY Partners. For more information about Confie, please visit www.confie.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006271/en/
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Justice SN Dhingra yesterday submitted the report on irregularities in the grand of land licenses in Haryana. The state government is likely to hand over the probe to CBI and ED.
By Atir Khan: A day after submission of Dhingra Commission Inquiry report on irregularities in grant of land licenses, Haryana government is now likely to hand over the investigation to the state vigilance department and central investigative agencies.
The government is also considering taking legal action in this regard.
In the 182 pages long report that was submitted to Chief Minister ML Khattar on Wednesday, Justice SN Dhingra pointed out irregularities in the grant of land licenses to private persons in alleged connivance of some state bureaucrats and politicians.
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Sources said that he had recommended registration of at least six cases under irregularities and advised investigative agencies to conduct further probe.
Haryana government is likely to hand over investigations of some of the cases to the state vigilance department and remaining to CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
The report recommends action against the builder-government official nexus on whose orders the changes were made. The report also mentions possible criminal conspiracy of government officials and real estate companies.
WHAT HAPPENED
Investigative agencies are likely to examine Town & Planning Revenue Officials who before granting licenses issued a notice to villagers in Gurgaon, under Section 4 of Land Acquisition Act 2013, stating their land would be acquired.
This led to panic among the farmers, who sold their land to real estate developers at very low rates. Interestingly after the land was purchased by the developers, the government issued another notification saying their land will not be acquired. Thereafter the land use pattern was changed from agricultural to residential/commercial. This led to loss for farmers and revenue department as well.
NEED FOR ACTION
Sources said the commission has also recommended action against former Haryana chief minister BS Hooda, some officials of state Town & Planning, Revenue department and Robert Vadra's company. The report says rules were set aside and there was an alleged criminal conspiracy to benefit influential people. Land use certificates were changed to benefit a few.
The changes led to abnormal increase in land rate with property worth Rs 7 crore being sold for Rs 50 crore. It has been alleged that the land use certificate was changed due to image of Robert Vadra during Congress government's reign in the state and the Centre.
Irregularities were found in allotment of land in several sectors including Sector 83, Gurgaon. During the inquiry people linked with those dealt with Robert Vadra's company were questioned. A questionnaire was also sent to his company. However his lawyer Suman Khaitan claimed there is no irregularity on the part of his client.
Former chief minister BS Hooda said the Commission had been constituted with a malafide intention to tarnish his political image and that it had no legal validity as cabinet sanction was not taken before constitution the inquiry commission.
Also Read
Robert Vadra cornered? Justice Dhingra submits report, wants FIR registered
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Vadra land row: Dhingra panel seeks more time from Haryana govt to submit report
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[September 01, 2016] Digital Transformation Takes Hold In New York
NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To help New York City area companies accelerate their digital transformations, DocuSign, the global eSignature and Digital Transaction Management (DTM) leader, will host Momentum X on Tuesday, September 27 at the W Hotel Union Square. The complimentary half day event will feature top thought leaders sharing their insights and experiences on going digital to accelerate speed to results, reduce costs, decrease risk in increased security and compliance, and delight their customers. Individuals may register at https://momentum.docusign.com/en. The event underscores the shift from manual, paper-based processes to faster, easier, more convenient and secure digital business among organizations of every size and industry. Today, the vast majority of C-level executives have digital transformation among their top three strategic objectives. For many, it's the top priority as going digital positively impacts nearly every area where businesses are measured, including revenues, efficiency, costs, security, compliance, customer experience, and sustainability. "We expect that the most successful businesses will be fully digital by the end of the decade a trend we're seeing mirrored here in Manhattan," said Neil Hudspith, president of worldwide field operations at DocuSign. "Across the DocuSign Global Trust Network, we're finding organizations of all sizes are advancing their digital agendas to be the disruptors in their industry, rather than the disrupted. The time has never been better to start or advance a company's digital journey to drive competitive advantage before it's too late." DocuSign's Momentum X events bring together key learnings, insights and best practices on going paperless from thought leaders and industry luminaries around the world. Attendees will discover the leadership, technology and culture requirements for taking their business fully digita, learning from other digital heroes who've led their industries, companies and departments through transformation.
As the world leader in capital raising, listings and equities, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) delivers data to companies and individuals that helps them manage their business in real time. NYSE has made the digital transformation with DocuSign to automate client communications, contracting and transactions. "The New York Stock Exchange standardized on DocuSign to increase efficiency and better serve our clients," said Margaret (Peggy) Sullivan, director of strategic analysis & market data, NYSE. "DocuSign's turnaround time facilitates faster, easier connections for our clients and employees to accelerate business decisions." For more on NYSE's digital transformation with DocuSign, view the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU0m3heQsl8.
Based in Jersey City, New Jersey, TD Ameritrade Institutional is a leading provider of comprehensive brokerage and custody services to more than 5,000 fee-based independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs). TD Ameritrade delivers an advanced technology platform and personal support from dedicated service teams that enable RIAs to grow and manage their practices more efficiently while optimizing time with clients. DocuSign has helped TD Ameritrade Institutional automate agreements to reduce contract cycle times and eliminate "Not In Good Order" documents, all to create a world-class experience for RIAs and their clients. "By embedding eSignature directly into our processes with the DocuSign API, we were able to replace what was once a manual, paper-based account opening process with a fully digital experience that empowers advisors and their clients to sign agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with a single click," said Bob Mahoney, director of technology product management, TD Ameritrade Institutional. "DocuSign helped us create an industry-leading experience for the advisors on our platform so that they can do the same for their clients." As the host of the Momentum X events, DocuSign has unique expertise in helping more than 250,000 companies and 100 million users complete nearly one million digital transactions a day across 188 countries. Organizations who use DocuSign achieve faster speed to results, lower cost, increased security and compliance, and better customer experiences. On average, 84% of transactions are completed via DocuSign in less than one day; 62% in less than one hour; and 51% in 15 minutes or less dramatically faster than the days or weeks typically required with paper. On average, DocuSign delivers $36.44 in value per document to customers including hard dollar savings, productivity improvements and revenue gains over paper methods. Beyond NYC, announced Momentum X tour dates include Philadelphia (September 29), Los Angeles (November 15 and 16), and Seattle (November 17), with additional locations to be announced. For more information and to register for a Momentum X event, visit https://momentum.docusign.com/en. For more information on DocuSign, visit www.docusign.com. About DocuSign, Inc.
DocuSign is changing how business gets done by empowering anyone to send, sign and manage agreements anytime, anywhere, on any device with trust and confidence. DocuSign and Go to keep life and business moving forward. For more information, visit www.docusign.com, call +1-877-720-2040, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Copyright 2003-2016. DocuSign, Inc. is the owner of DOCUSIGN and all of its other marks (www.docusign.com/IP). All other marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. Contact:
Gregor Perotto
DocuSign
[email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151102/283113LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-transformation-takes-hold-in-new-york-300321243.html SOURCE DocuSign, Inc.
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[September 01, 2016] INVESTOR ALERT: Investigation of Genesco Inc. Announced by Law Offices of Howard G. Smith
Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf of investors of Genesco Inc. ("Genesco" or the "Company") (NYSE: GCO) concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. Genesco retails and wholesales footwear, apparel, and accessories. On September 1, 2016, Genesco issued a press release announcing its second quarter results and lowered its full year uidance. In the announcement, the Company disclosed that its second quarter Fiscal 2017 comparable sales were down 1%, while its Journeys Group experienced a 4% decrease. Genesco Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Robert J. Dennis attributed the Company's poor performance in part to a "sudden shift" away from many of the core styles that have fueled Journey's performance in recent years.
On this news, shares of Genesco fell over 30% during intraday trading on September 1, 2016, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Genesco securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at http://www.howardsmithlaw.com.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006402/en/
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[September 01, 2016] Lombard International Announces Expansion of its Bermuda Based Life Business
Lombard International, a global leader in wealth structuring solutions for the high net worth market, today announced the appointment of Phil Trussell as Senior Managing Director to lead the expansion of its life insurance operations in Bermuda. "As we continue to implement our strategy to serve the global high net worth market, our organization in Bermuda is ideally positioned to bring our platform of new private placement life and annuity products to the market," said Ken Kilbane, Head of Global Distribution at Lombard International. "Bermuda has an excellent global reputation, strong regulatory environment and robust insurance legislation, which makes it a key strategic business center. We are pleased to have Phil, who has significant experience in the high-net worth insurance field, join us and direct our Bermuda activities." The expansion of the Bermuda based life business follows a string of recent developments by Lombard International including the opening of its brokerage office in Hong Kong to serve the Asia market and the firm's recent opening of a representative office in Paris. "I'm delighted to join Lombard International during this exciting expansionary time," said Mr. Trussell. Together with my colleagues, I look forward to delivering an idustry-leading range of products and services for our business partners."
Phil Trussell brings over 20 years of experience as an insurance professional. He joins Lombard International from The Argus Group in Bermuda where he most recently served as VP & Managing Director, International Life, specializing in private placement universal life insurance and annuities for the global marketplace. About Lombard International
Lombard International is a leading global life insurance-based wealth solutions provider, combining the strength and expertise of two specialist life insurance companies with over 20 years' experience and market leadership in their respective fields. Lombard International provides wealth-structuring solutions using private placement life insurance and annuity products to high net worth individuals, their families and institutions around the globe. The global group, branded as Lombard International, launched to market in September 2015. With head offices located in Luxembourg and Philadelphia, a combined global presence enables Lombard International to serve clients' complex needs on a global basis while being sensitive to local cultures and attitudes. The firm is an industry leader in providing multi-jurisdictional wealth planning solutions through its partner networks across the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Global assets under administration are in excess of USD 75 billion with a global staff numbering over 500, including more than 60 technical experts specializing in 20+ jurisdictions. Funds managed by Blackstone own Lombard International. Blackstone is one of the world's leading investment firms with assets under management of over USD 350 billion. For further information about Lombard International visit: www.lombardinternational.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901005274/en/
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[September 01, 2016] Middle East Data Centre Market Report 2016-2019 - Analysis, Technologies & Forecasts - Key Vendors: Equinix, Etisalat, Injazat - Research and Markets
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Data Centre Middle East 2016 to 2019" report to their offering. The Data Centre Middle East 2016 to 2019 report provides a unique survey of 85 Data Centre Providers with over 120 Data Centre facilities over ten countries (including Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & the UAE). From the survey, the author calculates that the region almost 140,000 m2 of Data Centre raised floor space and 176 MW of DCCP as of the end of 2016. But the rate of growth in the region has slowed with just over 7,400 m2 of new raised floor space added in total during 2015, with the Telecom Provider accounting for the majority of new Data Centre facilities launched over the past year - with the main growth taking place in Saudi Arabia. The report uses primary reserch and information from the unique Data Centre pricing database.
The largest markets in the Middle East include the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Additionally Iran has the potential to become one of the largest markets, with some 16 Data Centre facilities, and a need for new domestic IT infrastructure investment, with additional capacity for international communications also required. For the six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries the third party Data Centre provider faces competition from the in-house Data Centre - with financial institutions, hospitals, universities & other Government institutions building their own Data Centre facilities in the region.
Companies Mentioned: Equinix
Etisalat (News - Alert)
Injazat
Mobily
Oman Data Park
Ooredoo
Pars National Data
STC
Report Structure: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Data Centre Middle East Country Market Profiles Chapter 3: Outlook for the Middle East Data Centre from 2016 to 2019 Chapter 4: Outlook for the Middle East Data Centre from 2016 to 2019 Chapter 5: Conclusions - Data Centre Middle East - 2016 to 2019 For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xvc7l5/data_centre View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901005633/en/
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[September 01, 2016] Minnesota School District Selects Hikvision Equipment for Security Overhaul
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /CNW/ Hikvision USA Inc., the North American leader in innovative, award-winning CCTV and IP video surveillance products, has provided Becker Public Schools in Minneapolis, Minn. a multi-step security upgrade to protect its students, staff, and facilities. Shortly after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December of 2012, Becker Public School District decided that their older surveillance system was in need of a serious overhaul and selected Hikvision video surveillance equipment for the project. "We were really looking to expand our camera system following Sandy Hook," said Sumre Robinson, network manager for Becker Public Schools. "It wasn't necessarily to increase the numbers of cameras, but to eventually be able to provide access to the cameras to police in an emergency situation." Becker School District called on local integrator Security & Sound to complete the installation, and Hikvision surveillance products were selected. A rigorous implementaion process ensued and the critical nature of the project propelled the work. Phil Otto, CFO of Security & Sound in St. Bonifacius, Minn., proposed using a multiple-phase installation with Hikvision surveillance cameras to complete the system. The first stage of execution improved visibility around exterior entries. The second stage saw upgrades to interior areas with IP cameras and expanded coverage of hallways and rooms. Challenges to this project included finding cameras that were both durable and unobtrusive, selecting vandal-resistant products for outdoor areas, and securing zero-light areas at night with infrared cameras.
"As with most schools, the Becker School District had concerns about their parking lot surveillance coverage and video capabilities after dark," Otto said. "We recommended Hikvision's DarkFighter line of PTZ cameras in key outdoor areas where evening lighting was an issue but color video was desired. Hikvision's DS-2DF8223I-AEL 1080p PTZ camera was chosen to cover the parking lots due to its color lux rating of 0.002 and built-in tour and auto tracking features. The camera's low light capabilities coupled with the ambient light from the parking lot allow the camera to stay in full color at all times regardless of cloud cover or inclement weather." "Hikvision works to create versatile solutions for diverse applications and vertical markets," said Jeffrey He, president of Hikvision USA and Hikvision Canada. "Video surveillance in educational facilities is essential, which is why we offer solutions to meet the requirements of these applications. It is satisfying to know that our products help school safety and city officials provide safer educational environments for students and staff."
In the end, Hikvision's extensive product line provided a full range of networked cameras that fit every requirement from the administration. On top of that, the Hikvision products also met budget requirements a crucial piece of the puzzle for most schools and school districts. To learn more about Hikvision's cutting edge video surveillance solutions, visit Hikvision's booth at ASIS, #1811, in Orlando, September 12-15. About Hikvision Hikvision is the world's leading supplier of video surveillance solutions. Featuring the industry's strongest R&D workforce, Hikvision designs, develops, and manufactures standard- and high-definition cameras, including a variety of IP cameras, analog cameras, and cameras featuring the latest in high-definition analog technology. Hikvision's product suite also includes digital video servers, hybrid and standalone DVRs, NVRs, and other elements of sophisticated security systems for both indoor and outdoor use. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160831/403259 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/minnesota-school-district-selects-hikvision-equipment-for-security-overhaul-300321077.html SOURCE Hikvision USA
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[September 01, 2016] New StratX Lung Analysis Platform from Pulmonx Enables Confident and Rapid Patient Selection for Zephyr Endobronchial Valve Treatment
Pulmonx Corporation today announced the commercial availability of the StratX Lung Analysis Platform in countries requiring CE Mark. The StratX Platform is designed to help physicians quickly and reliably identify patients for treatment with Zephyr Endobronchial Valves (EBV). The Zephyr EBV is the most studied minimally invasive treatment for severe emphysema and is proven to improve patients' breathing function, exercise capacity and quality of life when patients are properly selected. Previously, physicians ruled out many patients for EBV treatment based on a subjective review of their lung fissures (the divisions between the lobes) on computed tomography (CT) scans. This subjectivity left many patients untreated who might have benefited. In fact, up to 50 percent of emphysema patients who are eligible for some form of intervention may benefit from EBV treatment. Furthermore, before the StratX system, all potential patients had to undergo an additional procedure to evaluate their eligibility. The StratX service now enables physicians to reliably and efficiently identify patients with complete fissures (above 95 percent complete) who will likely benefit from EBV treatment, and those with incomplete fissures (below 80 percent) who will likely not benefit, reserving additional diagnostic procedures for patients with ambiguous fissure completeness (between 80 to 95 percent complete). "The Zephyr EBV should be considered a first-line treatment for properly selected patients with severe emphysema based on its robus clinical evidence, minimally invasive approach and reversibility. However, despite its proven effectiveness, it has been time intensive to identify the right patients for treatment," said Professor Felix Herth, MD, of the Thoraxklinik at the University of Heidelberg. "The StratX service provides measurements that will make it easier to identify the patients most likely to benefit from EBV treatment."
To use the StratX service to pre-screen patients, a physician uses a web browser to securely upload an anonymized CT scan to the cloud. The StratX service then uses validated algorithms to produce a user-friendly report identifying patients as likely responders for EBV treatment and likely non-responders. For patients with partially complete fissures, the CT scan is considered inconclusive and a screening procedure using the Chartis System is recommended. A study recently published in Respiration showed an accuracy of 90 percent in determining likely responders and non-responders using StratX as a pre-screen and selectively using Chartis for patients with partially complete fissures. This is more accurate than using the StratX technology or Chartis system alone. The retrospective study of 217 U.S. and European EBV-treated patients is the largest study to date using quantitative CT analysis to estimate the expected outcomes of EBV treatment.
"Emphysema patients with few therapeutic options who could benefit from EBV are unnecessarily excluded from treatment due to the imprecision of visual CT review or QCT-only screening," said Pulmonx Chief Executive Officer Glen French. "A combined approach using StratX and Chartis will enable more patients to benefit from what has been shown to be the best minimally invasive treatment available today." The Zephyr EBV is a tiny, one-way valve placed in the lungs to block airflow to diseased regions in order to achieve lung volume reduction. The Chartis System is a proprietary assessment system utilized immediately prior to the Zephyr EBV procedure to identify those patients with low or no collateral ventilation, who are the most likely to respond to the treatment. Zephyr EBVs have been implanted globally in more than 12,000 patients. To view a video of the Zephyr EBV procedure, click here. About Pulmonx Based in Redwood City, California, and Neuchatel, Switzerland, Pulmonx is an interventional pulmonology company focused on developing life-changing, cost-effective technologies that improve the lives of patients suffering from lung disease worldwide. For more information, visit www.pulmonx.com. StratX and the Zephyr EBV are available for sale in the European Union. The Zephyr EBV is an investigational device in the United States and limited by U.S. law to investigational use. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901005322/en/
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[August 31, 2016] SMART CHINA is Changing the World with its Best and Brightest
SINGAPORE, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This September, join hacker Josh Klein as he explores some of China's most innovative experiments, technologies, and teams that are pushing the boundaries of human ingenuity, in the new three-part series from Discovery Channel. Find out how China is leading a wave of global innovation on SMART CHINA, premiering on Discovery Channel on September 3rd as part of the channel's HOUR CHINA programming block which features the best of China. Josh Klein is a hacker. He loves examining things - from systems to processes to animal behavior - then, taking them apart and putting the pieces together again to produce something better and more efficient. On each episode of SMART CHINA, Josh delves into how China - once known as the world's biggest factory - transforms into the world's biggest laboratory of entrepreneurship and invention, to help us live cleaner, greener, and smarter as we move into the next century. The series will introduce unique new products and technologies such as the supercapacitor tram, food safety tracking systems, visible light cmmunication, a price comparison app, and autonomous drive technology. It will also examine how these innovations could help address a number of environmental and lifestyle challenges faced in China, such as air pollution, water scarcity, traffic congestion, and food safety.
Smart Move
Premieres 3rd September
Josh travels thousands of kilometers to meet with some of China's smartest minds, learn about their unique innovations, and joins forces with a panel of experts to search for innovations that could radically solve the world's transport problems. A super powered tram packed with supercharged capacitors is capable of travelling almost ten kilometers on only ten seconds of charge. An incredible innovation has the potential to transform commercial air travel. An innovative travel tool could make daily commutes more convenient. The future of transportation is here! Smart Life
Premieres 10th September
In this episode, Josh unearths innovations that could radically transform our lives. An incredible tech uses naked light to transmit digital data 10,000 times faster than today's Wi-Fi and it's near impossible to hack; an advanced food safety tracking system ensures safety of produce from farm to table; and when self-propelled liquid metal robots find their feet and walk into our daily lives, this could well usher in a new century where science fiction becomes science fact.
Smart Planet
Premieres 17th September
Creating a smarter planet for the future doesn't mean negating the past. In fact - quite the opposite, combining traditional wisdom plus future tech equals a smart future. Josh investigates technology that could transform our lives and create a clean, green Smart Planet. This episode unveils groundbreaking futuristic projects: an elegant innovation harnesses the power of the sun like never before, maximizing plant growth and generating solar energy; a vehicle connected to the smart world around could make our futuristic life safer and more efficient; coal - an ancient energy - is being revolutionized and transformed into a clean green power source; and a living, breathing, cleaning machine has the ability to filter up to 2,400 cubic meters of polluted water a day. SMART CHINA is produced by Discovery Channel in cooperation with the China Intercontinental Communication Center (CICC).
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[September 01, 2016]
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions launches advanced cyber risk protection insurance product in Germany
ZURICH and MUNICH, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss Re Corporate Solutions expands its cyber offering with the launch of CyberSolutions Germany, a new, market-specific primary insurance product. This advanced cyber risk protection solution provides tailored coverage to mid-sized and large companies, enabling them to defend themselves against increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.
CyberSolutions Germany combines comprehensive insurance protection with risk mitigation and remediation services. The product helps companies become more resilient by managing their exposure to cyber risks.
"With our large capacity, combined with IBM's security expertise, we will provide a compelling solution to German clients," states Reto Collenberg, Swiss Re Corporate olutions' Head Central and Eastern Europe. "The insurance cover encompasses pre- and post-event services, which helps clients prepare for and recover from a cyber attack."
The new product's preventative services, provided by IBM, include cyber security training and optional annual IT security testing. CyberSolutions Germany provides clients access to a dedicated data-breach response network available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The team comprises Swiss Re Corporate Solutions' legal, forensics and communications partners. In the event of a cyber attack, the network interacts seamlessly with Swiss Re Corporate Solutions' claims team.
CyberSolutions Germany is available as primary or excess coverage.
About Swiss Re Corporate Solutions
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions offers innovative, high-quality insurance capacity to mid-sized and large multinational corporations across the globe. Our offerings range from standard risk transfer covers and multi-line programmes, to highly customised solutions tailored to the needs of our clients. Swiss Re Corporate Solutions serves customers from over 50 offices worldwide and is backed by the financial strength of the Swiss Re Group. For more information about Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, please visit www.swissre.com/corporatesolutions or follow us on Twitter @SwissRe_CS
Purdue Pharma L.P. to Present Data from Research Studies at PAINWeek 2016 Annual Conference
Purdue Pharma L.P. will present results from nine clinical and non-clinical research studies as well as host two satellite events during the 10th Annual PAINWeek Conference, taking place Sept. 6-10, 2016 in Las Vegas.
Purdue Pharma will present the following posters, including one oral presentation at the conference. Jaren Howard, PharmD, BCPS, Associate Director, Medical Affairs Strategic Research will present, "The economic burden of opioid abuse and its drivers: evidence from a payer perspective" during the poster podium presentations on Fri, Sept. 9 from 7 - 7:55 a.m. PDT at The Cosmopolitan on level 3, room Gracia 5.
The posters will be available for viewing beginning Wed., Sept. 7, at 3 p.m. PDT. Authors will be available at the Scientific Session reception on Thurs., Sept. 8 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. PDT. The abstracts may be accessed online here.
TITLE AUTHORS POSTER # "An Evaluation of the FDA-Recommended Abuse Potential
Questions in Chronic Pain Patients Without a History of
Recreational Opioid Use" Palsgrove AC, Cole JC, Trivedi B,
Alfieri T, Mayne T 4 "Analysis of Pre-Screening Data from Pediatric Pain
Trials" Baldridge S, Wallace L, Folta T 12 "Changes in Nonmedical Use of OxyContin After
Reformulation With Abuse Deterrent Properties (Encore)" DeVeaugh-Geiss A, Coplan P,
Chilcoat H, Sessler N, Singh R 32 "Impact of abuse-deterrent properties of Hysingla ER on
rates of abuse and diversion monitoring internet postings" DeVeaugh-Geiss A, Chilcoat H,
Coplan P, Harikrishnan V,
Besharat A, Green J 33 "The Long-term Analgesic Effectiveness of Opioid Therapy in
Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Patients: A Literature Review of
Randomized Controlled, Open-label, and Epidemiologic
Studies" Gudin J, Nalamachu S, Wallace
L, Matsuno R, Coplan P 49 "The Costs and Cost Drivers of Opioid Misuse by Diagnosis:
Abuse, Dependence, and Overdose/Poisoning" Howard J, Kirson NY, Scarpati
LM, Dincer AP, Hanway J,
Zichlin M,Birnbaum HG 59 "The Economic Burden of Opioid Abuse and Its Drivers:
Evidence From a Payer Perspective" Howard J, Kirson NY, Scarpati
LM, Dincer AP, Hanway J,
Zichlin M,Birnbaum HG 60 "Buprenorphine Transdermal System (Butrans) Utilization" Wallace L, Kadakia A 134 "Are Immediate-Release (IR) Opioids Really Safer Than
Extended-Release (ER) Opioids?: A Case Study Using Data on
ER and IR Oxycodone (Encore)" Wallace L, Coplan P, DeVeaugh-
Geiss A, Kadakia A 135
In addition, Purdue Pharma will also sponsor two educational, satellite presentations:
The PAINWeek exhibit hall will be open from Wed. to Fri., Sept. 7 to 9. You will find the Purdue Pharma representatives in the following locations:
Exhibit hours may be accessed here: http://www.painweek.org/attendees/exhibit-hall.html
A map of the PAINWeek Exhibit Hall floor plan may be accessed here: http://www.painweek.org/assets/documents/general/pw_16_fp-7-11-16.pdf
Purdue Pharma is proud to sponsor the following PAINWeek special events:
Advanced Practice Provider Day - Thurs, Sept. 8
Opioid Awareness Day - Fri, Sept. 9
Exhibit Hall Closing Reception - Fri, Sept. 9 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. PDT
WARNING: ADDICTION, ABUSE AND MISUSE; LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION; ACCIDENTAL INGESTION; NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME; and CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 INTERACTION
Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse
OXYCONTIN exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. Assess each patient's risk prior to prescribing OXYCONTIN and monitor all patients regularly for the development of these behaviors or conditions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].
Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression
Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur with use of OXYCONTIN. Monitor for respiratory depression, especially during initiation of OXYCONTIN or following a dose increase. Instruct patients to swallow OXYCONTIN tablets whole; crushing, chewing, or dissolving OXYCONTIN tablets can cause rapid release and absorption of a potentially fatal dose of oxycodone [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Accidental Ingestion
Accidental ingestion of even one dose of OXYCONTIN, especially by children, can result in a fatal overdose of oxycodone [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
Prolonged use of OXYCONTIN during pregnancy can result in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, which may be life-threatening if not recognized and treated, and requires management according to protocols developed by neonatology experts. If opioid use is required for a prolonged period in a pregnant woman, advise the patient of the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and ensure that appropriate treatment will be available [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Cytochrome P450 3A4 Interaction
The concomitant use of OXYCONTIN with all cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors may result in an increase in oxycodone plasma concentrations, which could increase or prolong adverse drug effects and may cause potentially fatal respiratory depression. In addition, discontinuation of a concomitantly used cytochrome P450 3A4 inducer may result in an increase in oxycodone plasma concentration. Monitor patients receiving OXYCONTIN and any CYP3A4 inhibitor or inducer [see Warnings and Precautions (5.14) and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
Full prescribing information for OxyContin (oxycodone HCl) extended-release tablets, including Boxed Warning, is available at http://app.purduepharma.com/xmlpublishing/pi.aspx?id=o.
WARNING: ADDICTION, ABUSE, AND MISUSE; LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION; ACCIDENTAL INGESTION; NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME; AND CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 INTERACTION
Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse
HYSINGLA ER exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. Assess each patient's risk prior to prescribing HYSINGLA ER, and monitor all patients regularly for the development of these behaviors or conditions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].
Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression
Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur with use of HYSINGLA ER. Monitor for respiratory depression, especially during initiation of HYSINGLA ER or following a dose increase. Instruct patients to swallow HYSINGLA ER tablets whole; crushing, chewing, or dissolving HYSINGLA ER tablets can cause rapid release and absorption of a potentially fatal dose of hydrocodone [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Accidental Ingestion
Accidental ingestion of even one dose of HYSINGLA ER, especially by children, can result in a fatal overdose of hydrocodone [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
Prolonged use of HYSINGLA ER during pregnancy can result in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, which may be life-threatening if not recognized and treated, and requires management according to protocols developed by neonatology experts. If opioid use is required for a prolonged period in a pregnant woman, advise the patient of the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and ensure that appropriate treatment will be available [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Cytochrome P450 3A4 Interaction
The concomitant use of HYSINGLA ER with all cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors may result in an increase in hydrocodone plasma concentrations, which could increase or prolong adverse drug effects and may cause potentially fatal respiratory depression. In addition, discontinuation of a concomitantly used cytochrome P450 3A4 inducer may result in an increase in hydrocodone plasma concentration. Monitor patients receiving HYSINGLA ER and any CYP3A4 inhibitor or inducer [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11), Drug Interactions (News - Alert) (7.1), and Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
Full prescribing information for Hysingla ER (hydrocodone bitartrate) extended-release tablets, including Boxed Warning, is available at http://app.purduepharma.com/xmlpublishing/pi.aspx?id=h.
WARNING: ADDICTION, ABUSE, and MISUSE; LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION; ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE; and NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME
Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse
BUTRANS exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. Assess each patient's risk prior to prescribing BUTRANS, and monitor all patients regularly for the development of these behaviors or conditions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Overdosage (10)].
Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression
Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur with use of BUTRANS. Monitor for respiratory depression, especially during initiation of BUTRANS or following a dose increase. Misuse or abuse of BUTRANS by chewing, swallowing, snorting or injecting buprenorphine extracted from the transdermal system will result in the uncontrolled delivery of buprenorphine and pose a significant risk of overdose and death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Accidental Exposure
Accidental exposure to even one dose of BUTRANS, especially by children, can result in a fatal overdose of buprenorphine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
Prolonged use of BUTRANS during pregnancy can result in neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, which may be life-threatening if not recognized and treated, and requires management according to protocols developed by neonatology experts. If opioid use is required for a prolonged period in a pregnant woman, advise the patient of the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and ensure that appropriate treatment will be available [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Full prescribing information for BUTRANS (buprenorphine) Transdermal System, including Boxed Warning, is available at http://app.purduepharma.com/xmlpublishing/pi.aspx?id=b.
About PAINWeek
PAINWeek is the largest U.S. pain conference for frontline practitioners with an interest in pain management. Convening at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for its 10th year on Sept. 6-10, 2016, PAINWeek expects to welcome more than 2,300 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals for a comprehensive program of course offerings, satellite events, and exhibits. Over 120 hours of continuing medical education activities will be presented. To learn more and register for PAINWeek 2016, visit www.painweek.org.
About Purdue Pharma L.P.
Purdue Pharma is a privately-held pharmaceutical company and is part of a global network of independent associated companies that is known for pioneering research in chronic pain and opioids with abuse deterrent properties. The company's leadership and employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers quality products and educational resources to support their proper use. Purdue Pharma is engaged in the research, development, production and distribution of both prescription and over-the-counter medicines and hospital products. With Purdue Pharma's expertise in drug development, commercialization, and life-cycle management, the company is diversifying in high-need areas to expand through strategic acquisitions and creative partnerships. For more information please visit www.purduepharma.com or follow the company on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901005439/en/
[September 01, 2016] Sequans' LTE Cat 1 Technology Selected by Wivity For Industrial IoT Modem
LTE for IoT chipmaker Sequans Communications (News - Alert) S.A. (NYSE: SQNS) announced that Wivity Inc. has chosen Sequans' Calliope LTE Cat 1* chipset platform to power its swappable LTE modems for industrial IoT. The Wivity platform enables IoT and M2M devices to connect to any wireless network in the world using interchangeable wireless modems. "As we begin to implement our vision of a single platform for Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite, and LPWAN, it is important to have technology partners that stay current with new standards as they are commercialized," said Alfred Tom, CEO of Wivity. "Sequans offers best-in-class LTE connectivity with an aggressive road map that matches the expectations of our customers." "The Wivity solution is unique in the industry and offers IoT device makers plug-and-play options for connecting to wireless networks as needed," said Craig Miller, Sequans' VP of marketing. "It's a solution that solves a key problem for device makers and we are excited to be chosen by Wivity to be part of it." Wivity is using Sequans' Calliope LTE Platform, an-IoT-optimized chipset solution designed specifically for LTE Cat 1 applications such as smart meters and home automation solutions. Calliope comprises baseband and RF, an integrated IoT applications processor running Sequans' carrier-proven LTE protocol stack, an IMS client, and a comprehensive software package for over-the-air device management and packet routing. * LTE Category 1 (Cat 1) technology is the lowest throughput category of the existing LTE standard and is compatible with today's existing LTE networks. Cat1 LTE has been optimized for IoT use and recently deployed by major LTE operators, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and NTT (News - Alert) DoCoMo. LTE Cat 1 is ideal for certain IoT applications, including vehicle telematics, security systems, industrial IoT modems, and smart meters, and is expected to be used for these types of applications even when new narrowband LTE-M and NB-IoT (Release 13) networks are launched. For more about LTE Cat 1 and its applications, please see this blog.
The Wivity device will be on display at CTIA's (News - Alert) Super Mobility Week, Las Vegas, in Sequans' meeting room, September 7-9. To make an appointment, please contact [email protected]. About Wivity
Wivity enables IoT devices to connect anywhere in the world. With Wivity's platform, manufacturers can build devices that allow installers, and even end-consumers, to plug in modems for any wireless network. WiFi (News - Alert), cellular, satellite, and any future network- all are accessible with Wivity. Wivity is a privately-held company headquartered in San Francisco, California. www.wivity.com: twitter: @wivityinc About Sequans Communications Sequans Communications S.A. (NYSE: SQNS) is a 4G chipmaker and leading provider of single-mode LTE chipset solutions to wireless device manufacturers worldwide. Founded in 2003, Sequans has developed and delivered six generations of 4G technology and its chips are certified and shipping in 4G networks, both LTE and WiMAX (News - Alert), around the world. Today, Sequans offers two LTE product lines: StreamrichLTE, optimized for feature-rich mobile computing and home/portable router devices, and StreamliteLTE, optimized for M2M devices and other connected devices for the Internet of Things. Sequans is based in Paris, France with additional offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Visit Sequans online at www.sequans.com; www.facebook.com/sequans; www.twitter.com/sequans View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901005276/en/
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By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi arrived here today on a three-day visit and will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow with an aim to step up engagement in areas of security, counter-terrorism and trade.
Later in the evening, Sisi is expected to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry who has extended his stay here.
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Kerry, whose official engagement ended here yesterday and was scheduled to return to Washington, is likely to leave for Hangzhou in China for the G-20 summit beginning Sunday.
Sisi is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, top officials and business leaders.
He will hold wide-ranging talks with Modi tomorrow and both sides are set to sign a number of MoUs thereafter.
India and Egypt have a strong economic relationship. India is the sixth largest trading partner of Egypt -- the second largest export destination. Indias imports from Egypt were worth USD 1.74 billion during 2014-15.
Indian businessmen have invested nearly USD 3 billion in about 50 companies in Egypt and have given employment opportunities to around 35,000 Egyptians. PTI MPB ZMN
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[September 01, 2016] Verizon Digital Media Services brings OTT capabilities to existing Volicon Media Intelligence broadcast customers
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Volicon Media Intelligence service from Verizon Digital Media Services has been enhanced with the integration of Verizon's Slicer application, an essential software element of the Uplynk Video Streaming service. This integration allows users of the Volicon Media Intelligence service to launch over-the-top (OTT) offerings quickly and efficiently by leveraging their existing Volicon hardware infrastructure. The Volicon Media Intelligence service, deployed at over a thousand broadcast locations worldwide, records broadcast content across interfaces including SDI (serial digital interface), TS (a digital container format for transmission), and analog for purposes of monitoring, compliance and review. The Uplynk Video Streaming service offers a comprehensive solution for broadcasters to stream linear channels, live events and on-demand clips to online viewers on an array of mobile phones, tablets, web browsers and streaming devices. The addition of the Slicer application to the Volicon Media Intelligence service puts industry-leading compliance, monitoring and OTT delivery in a single footprint within a broadcaster's facility. Activated as quickly and easily as flipping a switch, the Slicer application gives broadcasters the ability to ingest video, encode it into multiple bitrate profiles, encrypt it and distribute it via OTT or VOD (video-on-demand) services, as well as through web and social media sharing platforms. "The Uplynk Video Streaming service is ideal for TV networks, stations, affiliates and any other Volicon Media Intelligence service-enabled operation looking to light up new OTT channels quickl and economically," said Ted Middleton, chief product officer at Verizon Digital Media Services. "The worlds of traditional broadcasting and over-the-top delivery are converging, and in this case, we're actually combining workflows from both worlds in one location for our customers."
In addition to streaming, Volicon Media Intelligence service users will have access to all other Uplynk Streaming service features enabled by the Slicer, including targeted server-side ad insertion, unified content and user analytics, and scalable content delivery via the Edgecast Content Delivery Network. Unifying encoding for compliance as well as monitoring OTT encoding simplifies broadcast workflows, resulting in fewer overall encoding requirements, improved technical efficiency and fewer vendors to manage.
Monitoring and compliance tools within the Volicon Media Intelligence service's single unified interface will also make it easy for broadcasters to keep an eye on new OTT offerings and ensure the integrity and quality of audio and video. It allows users to identify problems earlier, validate the presence and accuracy of closed captions, confirm proper ad insertions, and review for loudness and decency as needed. The service empowers broadcasters to ensure a better quality of experience, regardless of the distribution platform. Visit Verizon Digital Media Services (Stand 14.C17) and Volicon (Stand 7.G23) at the IBC convention in Amsterdam from Sept. 9 13. For more information or to book a meeting, visit www.verizondigitalmedia.com/ibc-2016. About Verizon Digital Media Services
Verizon Digital Media Services is the industry's only single, end-to-end digital media platform that can prepare, deliver, display and enable the monetization of online content. The platform is built on the world's largest, most connected network, and has over 90 points of presence on five continents, ensuring high-quality viewing of digital content on any device, anytime, anywhere. The company provides the foundational components in the websites, apps and OTT video services for many of the world's largest publishers, media companies and enterprises. Verizon Digital Media Services is part of AOL Inc. Learn more about how Verizon Digital Media Services continues to change the way the world watches at www.verizondigitalmedia.com. Verizon's Online News Center: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts and other information are available at Verizon's online News Center at www.verizon.com/news/. The news releases are available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/. Media contact:
Amber Wilson
213.264.4924
[email protected]
Twitter: @AmberWilsonLA Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160527/373129LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/verizon-digital-media-services-brings-ott-capabilities-to-existing-volicon-media-intelligence-broadcast-customers-300321384.html SOURCE Verizon
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[September 01, 2016] Climate Summit of the Americas - Mexico, Ontario and Quebec agree to increase their cooperation in the fight against climate change
JALISCO, Mexico, Sept. 1, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Meeting at the Climate Summit of the Americas in the State of Jalisco, Mexico, the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico (SEMARNAT) Rafael Pacciano Alaman, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change of Ontario Glen R. Murray and the Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change of Quebec David Heurtel yesterday signed a joint statement that bears witness to their cooperative spirit in implementing the December 2015 Paris Agreement. In their statement, the three partners affirm their desire to widen their collaboration on cap-and-trade systems and share winning practices for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. Quebec, Mexico and Ontario also agreed to jointly promote carbon markets in North America. Secretary Pacchiano Alaman stressed the urgency of acting collectively to address the harmful effects of climate change. He also underlined the importance of the participation of sub-national governments in the worldwide climate agenda, "because the most important opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are at the local level." "Quebec is a very active player in the field of fighting climate change and adapting to its impacts and believes in concerted, consistent action by a maximum number of partners in order to successfully tackle this worldwide challenge," affirmed Minister David Heurtel during the signing ceremony. "On behalf of the Government of Quebec, I would like to assure Ontario and Mexico that Quebec will fully cooperate with them in the implementation of efficient carbon markets. Together, let us work towards a more prosperous and responsible low-carbon world for our children and the generations of the future," he added. "Ontario is excited to be participating in the second Climate Summit of the Americas in Jalisco, Mexico and encouraged by Mexico's steps toward a pilot project to establish a carbon market," stated Minister Murray. We recognize that there is a global movement, especially across jurisdictions in North America, towards adopting a carbon price and we are confident that the implementation of carbon market instruments is the most effective way to guarantee emission reductions while simultaneously growing the economy." It is worth recalling that Quebec linked its carbon market to California's on January 1, 2014, and that a bilateral agreement has been signed between the Government of Quebec and SEMARNAT aiming to strengthen environmental and climate change cooperation. Also, Ontario adopted a law and regulation in May 2016 that enabled it to set up its own carbon market by January 1, 2017, while Mexico already had the legislative powers it needs to implement a cap-and-trade system on its own territory and is aiming to set up just such a pilot project this fall. In making this joint statement, Secretary Pacciano Alaman and Ministers Glen Murray and David Heurtel reaffirm the need to work in concert with other partners to fight climate change, particularly through the use of carbon markets, in order to reduce GHG emissions while maintaining an economy that is both competitive and fair.
SOURCE: INFORMATION:
Emilie Simard Press Officer Cabinet of the Quebec Minister of
Sustainable Development, the Environment
and the Fight Against Climate Change Tel.: 418 521-3911 Media Relations Ministere du Developpement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte
contre les changements climatiques Tel.: 418 521-3991
SOURCE Cabinet du ministre du Developpement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques
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[September 01, 2016] Hatch-Zhongshe joint venture to target environmental challenges in China
SHANGHAI, Sept. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a commercial signing ceremony in Shanghai today which marked the formal establishment of a new joint venture between Hatch and the Zhongshe Baiqi Joint Investment Development Co. Ltd. The newly-formed Hatch Beijing Environment & Technology Co. Ltd. (HBET) will focus on providing solutions to some of the most serious environmental issues facing China today. The HBET joint venture will draw on Zhongshe's financial strengths and Hatch's deep technical expertise and decades of environmental experience in the resources, energy, infrastructure and municipal sectors. The signing ceremony for Canadian and Chinese companies was held in conjunction with the Canada China Business Council annual gala, which was attended by Prime Minister Trudeau during his inaugural visit to China, and by Canada's Minister of International Trade, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland. "Today, we're building on Hatch's strong commitment to China and moving forward to deliver a new level of environmental services and innovation," said Joe Lombard, Hatch Global Managing Director for Metals. "Hatch is now uniquely positioned to help advance China's environmental priorities, bringing together our top technical and environmental experts from around the globe." Lombard emphasized the close working relationship with Zhongshe as a key to future success. "We're deeply gratified to have Zhongshe as our partner, one of China's preeminent companies with involvement in multiple sectors and industries across the country. Through this partnership, Hatch will introduce clean technologies and execute world-leading environmental remediation and management programs that support China's policies to protect and improve the environment." "The Hatch Beijing Environment & Technology Co. Ltd. is a new player in the field of Chinese environmental protection," said Mr. Ma Jian Fei, Chairman, Zhongshe. "Through the joint efforts of the Canadian and Chinese company, it will play an important role in water treatment, soil remediation, solid waste disposal, river and lake recovery, and new, environmentally-friendlymaterials in China. We look forward to bluer skies, cleaner water and a better environment in China."
For Hatch's global team, HBET will open up new opportunities to supply and implement best-in-class environmental methods and state-of-the-art technologies, both acquired and developed in-house. The joint venture builds on Hatch's 40-year history in China during which the company has provided engineering, project management, and technology transfer to some of China's major state-owned and private enterprises, notably QSLIC, Baosteel, Galaxy Lithium, and Angang Steel. Based in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area, HBET will provide environmental management, evaluation, planning, consultation, and delivery of environmental projects, including cleanup, technical training for engineers, and the promotion of new environmental technologies.
Hatch in China Hatch's long-standing history in China and with Chinese companies involves major industrial projects and clients in the mining and metals sector. Hatch's presence on the mainland is reflected by over 150 employees and offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenyang. With the formation of HBET, Hatch now has four joint ventures with Chinese companies and has provided over half a billion dollars in services over the last 20 years. Since 2009, Hatch has played a key role in the development of the QSLIC industrial complex in Golmud, which today features the world's largest, state-of-the-art magnesium smelter and calcium carbide furnaces, engineered and built using Hatch technology. Chinese leaders recently visited QSLIC and commended the complex facility's industry-leading design, environmental safeguards and exemplary contribution to the development of China's resources and circular economy. Hatch holds a Class A Design License from Chinese authorities, which provides the same status as other design institutes in the country to directly design, manage, and deliver projects in the Chinese metallurgical industry. About Hatch Whatever our clients envision, our engineers can design and build. With over six decades of business and technical experience in the mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors, we know your business and understand that your challenges are changing rapidly. We respond quickly with solutions that are smarter, more efficient and innovative. We draw upon our 9,000 staff with experience in over 150 countries, including China, to challenge the status quo and create positive change for our clients, our employees, and the communities we serve. About Zhongshe Baiqi Joint Investment Development Co. Ltd. Zhongshe Baiqi Joint Investment Development Co. Ltd. was founded in 2006. This group of diversified, independent companies engages in emerging industries and in acquiring the scarce resources China needs. Zhongshe's strategic initiatives involve project financing and investment, asset and business management, and consultation and information services. Known for employing the best resources, talents and technologies in China, Zhongshe focuses on community and public welfare in industries that include unconventional oil & gas, environmental services, finance, health care, sole concession lottery operations and security. Photo - http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160901_C3121_PHOTO_EN_764140.jpg
Photo - http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160901_C3121_PHOTO_EN_764142.jpg
For further information: Nancy White, Director, Marketing & Communications, Hatch, Tel: +1 905 491 7585, Email: [email protected]; Simon Dai, Manager, Marketing & Communications, Hatch China, Tel: +86 (21) 6119 5926, Cell: +86 (138) 1789 9360, Email: [email protected]
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Eight years after the death of Dr. Richard Grossman, a legal fight over his $18-million estate is just now getting underway. His sons allege the burn treatment pioneer was duped into writing them out of the will by his wife and her attorney.
https://www.toacorn.com/articles/opening-statements-heard-in-grossman-estate-civil-litigation/
The Islamic Research Foundation of Zakir Naik on Thursday claimed that the ministry of home affairs renewed its foreign fund license only last week.
By Mustafa Shaikh: Under the scanner for radicalizing Muslim youths and getting foreign funding from wrong sources, Islamic Research Foundation of preacher Zakir Naik has denied any wrongdoing. IRF said that its foreign fund license was renewed only last under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
"IRF had applied for a license which was renewed last week by the Home Ministry. After renewal of license we were sent questionnaire by the concerned authority asking for clarifications on our source of income to which we have replied," said an IRF spokesperson.
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IFR UNDER CLOSE WATCH
It is also learned that a scrutiny of IRF's accounts by the Home Ministry did not reveal any violations of foreign funding norms. Meanwhile, the Law Ministry has given a go ahead for registering a case against Naik and IRF but also asked for more evidence.
Earlier, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar advised the government to book Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and his IRF under anti-terror law. The SG maintained that Naik's ideology was divisive and against the social fabric of India.
IRF's CLARIFICATION
"We don't agree with the opinion of respected Solicitor General that Dr Zakir Naik is spreading enmity between religions. Though, we appreciate the fact that he asked for more evidence because there is not an iota of evidence against the IRF and Dr Naik. He has always spread the message of peace and harmony," said IRF's lawyer Mobin Solkar.
In the records of FCRA accessed by India Today, IRF Education Trust received total cash/kind worth Rs 9.58 in 2015-16. One contributor from USA has donated Rs 92 thousand.
ALSO READ:
Book Zakir Naik under anti-terror law: Solicitor General advises Home Ministry
Employee of Zakir Naik's IRF arrested for allegedly brainwashing youths to join ISIS
India Today Investigation: Zakir Naik's converts were paid to change beliefs, say aides
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A tourist who visited Iceland couldn't figure out what address to use to send a letter to someone, so they drew a map. Their letter was mailed to a farm in Hvammsveit, West Iceland, with a cute little drawing instead of an address, and the intended recipient still got it.
According to a local newspaper account, this just proves anything is possible in Iceland.
In Iceland, this wonderful story made the rounds back in May. Today, it resurfaced on a Reddit thread on August 30, captioned Without an address, an Icelandic tourist drew this map of the intended location (Buardalur) and surroundings on the envelope. The postal service delivered!
The envelope includes country, village name, and A horse farm with an Icelandic/Danish couple and three kids and a lot of sheep.
On the lower right hand corner, The Danish woman works in a supermarket in Buardalur.
From Conde Nast Traveler:
The letter was mailed in Reykjavik by a tourist who had visited the Holar farm earlier in the year, but couldnt seem to find an exact address, according to West Iceland news service Skessuhorni. The farm is considered a small tourist attraction in the area as it boasts a mini zoo where the owners encourage visitors to pet their horses, goats, sheep, pigs, and other animals. It does have an address, but when you search for the one listed on its Facebook page, you're placed smack dab in the middle of a lake.
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A whopping 370 kilograms of cocaine stash has been discovered by French Coca-Cola factory workers inside an orange juice shipment from Costa Rica.
By India Today Web Desk: Coca-cola factory employees in southern France were stumped when they found a massive stash of cocaine in a orange juice shipment from Costa Rica.
The cocaine haul weighing 370 kilograms is worth more than 50 million USD.
That is approximately Rs 3,34,82,50,000.
The factory located in the town of Signes, near the Mediterranean coast, produces concentrates for Coca Cola's various drinks.
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The spokesman for Coca-Cola immediately alerted the police when the sacks containing cocaine were discovered in the shipping container, reports The Telegraph.
Var: 370 kilos de cocane saisis dans un container de Coca-Cola https://t.co/VZYweY9pWC pic.twitter.com/8b2o63Sol6 20 Minutes (@20Minutes) August 30, 2016
Authorities at the Marseille prosecutor's office have launched an investigation into the trafficking and importing of illegal narcotics.
According to reports, back in the 19th century when the company kicked its production, coca leaves were used in the original Coca-Cola drink. But they insist that cocaine, a derivative from coca, has never been an 'added ingredient.'
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By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Aug 31 (PTI) Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafizur Rehman today criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks on human rights situation in PoK and Balochistan.
Addressing a conference on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said Modis remarks were a "manifestation of growing Indian frustration over cooperation between China and Pakistan."
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"India feels isolated in the region after the CPEC as part of greater One-Belt One-Road (OBOR) was launched to link 3 billion people of South Asia, Central Asia and China," he claimed.
He said Prime Minister Modi was under pressure due to the situation in Kashmir and his "anxiety has increased due to successful execution of the CPEC".
Rehman said that people of Gilgit-Baltistan would defeat any conspiracy against the CPEC project which offered great opportunity for the regions development since 1970 when the historic Karakoram Highway was constructed.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi highlighted human rights violations in Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan. PTI SH ZH AKJ ZH
--- ENDS ---
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are getting older, but they're worth considering if you want an iPhone under $400.
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .
Now that they've been around for a few years, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are no longer sold by Apple directly, but these phones are available through carriers as well retailers as unlocked phones. The iPhone 7 now starts at $349, while the larger iPhone 7 Plus costs $449, making them a good choice for anyone looking for a cheap iPhone.
And for that money, you get pretty solid cameras (especially on the dual-lens iPhone 7 Plus), bright displays, responsive performance for apps and games from Apple's A10 Fusion chip and water-resistant bodies. The battery life is good, too, though the iPhone 7 Plus lasts longer on a charge.
The newer iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus offer better cameras, more storage, faster processing and perks like wireless charging, but those on a tight budget should be satisfied with the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus.
See our best phones page to see all of our top picks for every budget.
iPhone 7 design and water resistance
With the exception of two new color options, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus look nearly the same as their predecessors, but at least they can take more abuse.
Apple banished the unsightly antenna bands on the back of the handset, relegating them to the edges. It makes for a cleaner look, but if you want an iPhone that actually looks new, youll probably want to skip the Silver, Gold and Rose Gold and opt for the Black or Jet Black option.
The high-gloss Jet Black iPhone 7 I tested is a real head-turner, like a flattened, shiny Darth Vader helmet. The back does show finer scratches and fingerprint smudges more readily than other finishes, so you'll want to pick up a case (go with clear). The regular matte black iPhone 7 Plus I reviewed has a no-nonsense, executive-chic vibe.
I enjoyed maybe too much spilling a lot of water on the iPhone 7 and then dunking it in a pitcher.
Thanks to its IP67 water resistance, the iPhone 7 can survive being submerged in 1 meter (or about 3 feet) of water for 30 minutes. That's not quite as good as what Samsung promises for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge 5 feet of water for 30 minutes but it's better than previous iPhones, which could be done in by an unexpected splash.
Photo: Nick Bush / Tom's Guide
I enjoyed maybe too much spilling a mug of water on the iPhone 7 and then dunking it in a water pitcher. After wiping off the screen it worked just fine. Just keep in mind that Apple designed this feature not as a party trick but as a way to prevent accidental damage.
Up front, Apple upgraded the display on the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch Plus to be up to 25 percent brighter than last year's iPhones, while showing a wider color gamut. A group of reds, yellow, light greens and purple heirloom tomatoes looked more vibrant on the new display versus the iPhone 6s. However, the iPhone 7 doesn't support HDR like the Galaxy Note 7, which delivers more natural colors and higher contrast in services like Amazon Video.
Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
My issue with the iPhone's design is that it doesn't look as fresh or as sexy as the curved Galaxy S7 Edge or Note 7. Just as important, there's more bezel around the iPhone 7's screen, so l had to stretch my thumb farther across the screen on the Plus to reach app icons and type with one hand. The bezel is less of an issue with the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 7.
Is the missing headphone jack a big deal?
At the risk of sounding like an iApologist, no, it's not. Or at least, it won't be for long.
Left: iPhone 7 Plus. Right: iPhone 6s Plus. Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
Wireless is the future, and Apple is clearly trying to push us in that direction with the AirPods and AirPods Pro. And there are several other great options on our best wireless earbuds list.
Image: Apple
So what about everyone else who hasn't gone wireless? First, Apple includes EarPods in the box that connect to the iPhone 7's Lightning port (the same you use for charging). They're hard and not very comfortable to wear, but they also deliver pleasingly balanced audio.
MORE: Best Smartphones on the Market Now
Just keep in mind that you can't charge your iPhone and listen at the same time unless you use an accessory like the iPhone Lightning Dock ($49) at your desk or Belkin's Lightning Audio + Charge Rockstar ($39) on the go.
Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
Second, Apple also throws a Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone adapter in the box, which you can just leave attached to your favorite wired headphones. Just don't lose this little sucker; it's $9 to replace.
Speaking of audio, I'm glad Apple added a second speaker on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus one speaker is at the top of the phone, while the other is on the bottom. The pulsing beat and vocals on "Don't You Want Me" came through much louder on the newer phone than my iPhone 6.
Good cameras, but the optical zoom on the Plus rules
Both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus feature a new 12-megapixel camera that delivers excellent performance in low light a weakness of the iPhone 6s. There's two reasons for this: a wider f 1/1.8 aperture lets in more light, compared with f 2/2.2 on the previous phones, and Apple finally gave both the 7 and 7 Plus optical image stabilization, which improves exposure while minimizing hand shake. (Previously, only the Plus phones had OIS.)
Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
In a low-light photo I took of some colleagues using both my old iPhone 6 and the iPhone 7 Plus, the latter shot exhibited much less grain when I zoomed in, and colors were more natural-looking. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus also benefit from a new Quad-LED flash, which is 50 percent brighter than the flash in the iPhone 6s.
Photo: Mark Spoonauer / Tom's Guide
Outdoors, the iPhone 7 really shined, such as in this shot of a pink hibiscus flower. When I zoomed in, I could easily make out the veins in the petal and individual drops of water. I also appreciated the new wide color aperture capability in the camera, which faithfully recreated the darker and lime green leaves that surrounded the flower. However, the Galaxy S7 did a slightly better job of also keeping the pistil in focus.
Photo: Samuel Rutherford / Tom's Guide
The reason to get the iPhone 7 Plus over the iPhone 7 isn't the bigger screen, but the second telephoto lens that gives you true optical zoom. In the live-camera view on the iPhone 7 Plus, you'll see a 2x button; press it, and you'll be able to get much closer to your subject without the typical digital zoom noise.
Optical zoom on the iPhone 7 Plus. Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
A shot I took of the Empire State Building with and without the 2x zoom resulted in completely different photos. It's like cropping without the work, and the close-up looked more dramatic with the late-day sun bouncing off its facade, contrasting against the clear blue sky. You can zoom in even farther from there to 5x or 10x by sliding your thumb on the screen, but it will be digital.
Photo: Mark Spoonauer / Tom's Guide
Soon, Apple will release a camera update for the Plus that will add a special Portrait mode for taking photos that leverage the dual-camera setup. Youll be able to artfully blur the background for a dramatic "bokeh" effect.
The reason to get the iPhone 7 Plus over the iPhone 7 isn't the bigger screen, but the second telephoto lens that gives you true optical zoom.
Apple also graced both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with a sharper 7-megapixel front camera, an upgrade over the 5-MP camera in the previous iPhones. The camera did a fine job capturing my weekend stubble, as well as the folds on my gray O'Kellys Pub T-shirt. The flash accurately captured my skin tone without blowing out the background.
Photo: Mark Spoonauer / Tom's Guide
The new home button feels weird, but it's effective
When trying out the iPhone 7 for the first time, my wife was convinced that the Home button was a real button. "The whole bottom of the phone feels like it's vibrating," she said. That's Apple's Taptic Engine in action, which provides feedback that makes the Home button feel like it's being depressed when it's not.
Then I turned off the iPhone 7 and she tried pressing again. Nothing. My wife called it "sorcery." There's a learning curve, but I'm glad Apple made this move, because you'll no longer have to worry about lint or other gunk getting behind that button.
Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
Plus, because more than just the Home button vibrates, developers can tap into the Taptic Engine to make games and other apps feel more immersive, building on last year's 3D Touch experience. I got a taste of this capability when I played the Zombie Gun Ship shooting game and could feel each shot and explosion. Here's hoping developers give the Taptic Engine more love than 3D Touch got and update their apps.
A new speed champ
We'll get to the benchmark results, but what I appreciate most about the A10 Fusion chip in the iPhone 7 is how much more responsive it makes the iPhone 7 feel versus the iPhone 6. That nagging lag between opening an app and stuff appearing on screen, such as in the Settings menu, is practically gone. Exiting to the home screen is also faster, as is launching the camera, which takes a half second less.
That may not seem like much. Over the course of a day, though, and certainly a couple of years, all of those momentary delays add up.
MORE: Best Cheap Unlocked Smartphones
Apple says that the four-core A10 Fusion processor is the most powerful chip ever in a smartphone, and our test results back that up. On the new Geekbench 4 benchmark, the iPhone 7 notched 5,507, compared with 3,917 for the Galaxy S7. The OnePlus 3 and LG G5 also trailed Apple's flagship.
Those who care about gaming will love the advantage the iPhone 7 has over the competition. The iPhone 7 turned in a score f 37,810 on the 3D Mark Ice Storm Unlimited Test. That demolishes the OnePlus 3 (29,957), Galaxy S7 Edge (27,851) and LG G5 (27,118).
Last but not least, the iPhone 7 also beat the field on the JetStream browser test, which measures JavaScript performance. (Higher numbers are better.) The iPhone 7 hit 169.04 in Safari, compared with the low 50s for the LG G5 and OnePlus 3 and 44 for the Galaxy S7 all in Chrome.
When it comes to storage, I'm glad that Apple finally stopped ripping people off by starting with just 16GB. Now both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus offer your choice of 32GB, 128GB and 256GB of storage. Each tier adds $100 to the price tag.
A big endurance boost
You'll have much less of a need to slap a bulky battery case on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. They benefit from bigger batteries than the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (according to iFixit), and the A10 Fusion chip has two low-power cores that kick in when you don't need intense performance.
The larger iPhone 7 Plus' battery endured for 1.5 hours half longer than the iPhone 7, lasting 10 hours and 35 minutes.
On the Tom's Guide Battery Test, which involved continuous web surfing over AT&T 4G LTE network, the iPhone 7's 1960 mAh battery lasted 9 hours and 3 minutes. That's a huge improvement over last year's iPhone 6s 1715 mAh battery on the same network, which lasted just 6:46. The smartphone average is 8:54, and the Galaxy S7 lasted a slightly less 8:43.
The larger iPhone 7 Plus' 2900 mah battery (up from 2750 mAh on the 6s Plus) endured for 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 7, lasting 10 hour and 35 minutes. That's longer than the lowly 8:16 from last year's iPhone 6s Plus and it also beats the Galaxy S7 Edge (10:09). However, several Android phones last 11 hours or longer.
MORE: Smartphones with the Longest Battery Life
iOS software
The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus both support iOS 13, so you can enjoy features like Dark Mode and much-improved Photos app.
Apples software makes the iPhone more visually appealing and more open than ever before. For example, the Messages apps lets you share GIFs in your texts, as well as fun visual effects like Fireworks. Theres also lots of new apps that integrate with Messages, including OpenTable for booking restaurant reservations and Square Cash for sending money directly from within the messaging app.
Image: Nick Bush / Tom's Guide
Swiping to the left of the home screen brings up a Today screen that lets you quickly check the weather, news headlines, your next appointment and more. You can customize the order these widgets appear in and download more from the App Store as developers update their apps to take advantage of this iOS 10 feature.
Photo: Jeremy Lips / Tom's Guide
Another highlight is that Siri is now open to apps. For instance, you can ask Apples assistant to book you a car via Lyft or Uber or send messages to contacts via LinkedIn with your voice.
Photos gets a welcome makeover in iOS 10, too, serving up curated Memories that consist of your best photos and videos over certain time periods. You can also search for images based on the People in them. And Photos now supports facial recognition, automatically grouping together photos featuring the same people.
Theres a lot more to this update, including proactive suggestions in Maps and when youre typing, so check out our full iOS 10 review.
Bottom line
I would have liked to see Apple up the screen resolution on its flagship phones and shave away some of the screen bezel to make the Plus more one-hand friendly. But I really don't mind the missing headphone jack because I've already gone wireless. Between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, I'd go with the Plus. You get longer battery life, a bigger screen and a second telephoto lens that lets you get closer to your subjects.
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The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra isnt the top performer in every category, but it gets enough right to be a viable smartphone option. And it's much cheaper than comparable phones from Samsung or Apple.
Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra specs Starting price: $749/649
Display: 6.7-inch FHD AMOLED (1080 x 2400)
Refresh rate: 60Hz/90Hz/120Hz/144Hz, adaptive
Rear cameras: 64MP main (f/1.9), 64MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 64MP portrait (f/1.9), 8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom (f/3.4)
Front camera: 16MP selfie
Chipset: Snapdragon 888
RAM: 8GB/12GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Battery: 4,600 mAh
Charging: 66W wired
Operating system: Android 11 with MyOS 11
Size: 6.36 x 2.87 x 0.31 in (161.5 x 73 x 8 mm)
Weight: 6.6 ounces (188 grams)
The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra is a pretty surprising phone. Its not that the features are out of the ordinary everything youd expect from a flagship-class handset is here. Its just that youll be surprised at just how capable this phone is while costing hundreds less than high-end phones from Apple and Samsung
The Ultra badge has become increasingly common for the best of the best Android phones. However, the Axon 30 Ultra is the cheapest of these handsets while still offering excellent hardware to back it up. Compared to the OnePlus 9 Pro or the iPhone 12 Pro, its a great deal, as I found when testing the device for my ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Price and availability
ZTE will sell the Axon 30 Ultra from May 27 via its web store. Although you cant get it via any carrier in the U.S. or U.K., it is sold unlocked in both regions.
The basic Axon 30 Ultra costs $749/649, while the version with more RAM and storage costs $849/739. This is incredibly cheap for an Ultra phone. The iPhone 12 Pro starts at $999/999, and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra at $1,199/1,149. Even the competitively-priced OnePlus 9 Pro costs $969/829 for the base model.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Design
You arent going to get many curious stares if you go around with the Axon 30 Ultra in your hand. The only distinguishing features on the back of the phone are its rectangular camera bump with four large lenses in the top left corner, a small Neovision Photography badge attached to the bump, and the ZTE 5G logo on the bottom right. For an Ultra phone, the ZTE sure doesnt shout about it.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
The ZTE Axon 30 Ultra only comes in black right now, which also causes the phone to blend into the background. Meanwhile on the front, a central punch-hole notch and curved display edges give the phone a sleek symmetrical face.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Theres no under-display camera on the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra like there was on last years Axon 20 5G, because ZTE has accepted that the technology isnt good enough yet. The phone maker continues to work on under-screen cameras though, suggesting that this feature will return in future devices.
After holding the Axon 30 for a while, I began to notice the phone has weirdly prominent side rails. They dug into my palm when holding the device with any force, and while its not painful, I do worry that this could get annoying after using the phone long-term. At least, you can dispense with some of the awkwardness by turning to a soft case that fits the 6.36 x 2.87 x 0.31-inch phone.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Display
The Axon 30 Ultras 6.7-inch display requires a modest trade-off. The screen refreshes at a 144Hz rate, higher than even the increasingly common 120Hz rate found on premium Android phones. But youll have to settle for FHD resolution, instead of the sharper QHD resolution of phones like the OnePlus 9 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
To save you some battery life, the Axon 30 Ultra uses an adaptive refresh rate system that can swap the refresh rate down as low as 30Hz when youre engaged in more static activities. While the Axon 30 features a stepped system rather than the fully variable displays found on the S21 Ultra or OnePlus 9 Pro, it still works just as youd want it to.
Watching the latest Miss Minutes trailer for the Disney Plus Loki, I loved how bright the Axon 30s display was, plus how the dual speakers brought out the best in the punchy orchestral score. However when I swapped back to the OnePlus 9 Pro, it became clear that the colors were not quite as rich on ZTE's phone. And the higher QHD resolution on the OnePlus flagship made a notable difference when looking at details on the TVAs monitors or the numerous establishing shots throughout the trailer. The Axon 30 Ultras display is solid, but other phones boast more impressive panels.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Cameras
In true ultra fashion, there are four potent cameras on the back of the Axon 30 Ultra main, ultrawide and portrait cameras, all with 64MP sensors, plus an 8MP telephoto camera capable of 5x optical zoom and 60x maximum zoom. On the front, the selfie camera uses a 16MP sensor.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
I captured images of the entrance to Camden Market with the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra and the OnePlus 9 Pro. Both photos look crisp, even with the bright sky taking up a large amount of the background. The OnePlus does better with colors, since the Axons shot is a little too bright and loses some richness in the metal and brickwork.
I used the superior night mode of the iPhone 12 Pro as the yardstick for this nighttime shot of Kings Cross station. The Axon 30 produces a cooler image that doesnt handle the bright sources of light as skilfully as the iPhone. The ZTEs night mode uses longer exposures than the iPhone, and as a result, raindrops turn into streaks. Thats at least a cool-looking effect that may be of interest to some users.
Swapping back to the OnePlus 9 Pro for an ultrawide comparison looking over the Regents Canal, we can see it again offers better colors than the Axon 30 does. Theres not much difference in overall quality though, since the OnePlus also uses a larger than average 50MP ultrawide camera sensor.
I zoomed in on a pigeon posing on the roof of a Camden Market food stall to test the Axon 30 Ultras 5x telephoto lens. As expected, the higher magnification means you end up with a brighter, clearer image than the OnePlus 9 Pro, which can manage 3.3x magnification before having to crop in digitally.
The most unique camera on the Axon 30 is its 64MP portrait camera While most phones with portrait lenses are fitted with a low-level optical zoom lens, such as the Galaxy S21 Ultra, ZTE has instead fiddled with the lens focal length to give you the ability to fit in your subject without needing to back away several steps.
When trying the portrait shooter out against the iPhone 12, I was able to position the ZTE far closer to myself, which certainly made it easier to get a good shot. While the iPhone offers more pleasantly warm colors and a neater separation between me and the trees in my backyard, the narrower angle of the Axons photo and more gradual depth-of-field effect makes it feel more like a portrait rather than just me against a blurred background.
Our last comparison pits the OnePlus 9 Pro against the Axon 30 Pro in a selfie shot contest. The ZTE disappoints again with its less vivid image, plus its portrait cut-out algorithm has struggled to separate the top of my head from the tree behind me. Id say the OnePlus does a better job with its bokeh effect, too.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Performance
In line with its Ultra claim, ZTE has fitted this phone with a Snapdragon 888 chipset, and either 8GB RAM and 128GB storage or 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. That rivals all but the few phones that offer 16GB RAM, and for substantially less money.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Bearing in mind that my review unit is the 8GB/128GB base model, the Axon 30 Ultra managed 1,124 single core and 3,637 multi-core scores on the Geekbench 5 general performance test. Thats a touch lower than the 1,126 and 3,685 scored by the OnePlus 9 Pro, and far worse than the class-leading iPhone 12 Pro Maxs results of 1,603 and 4,111 thanks to its A14 Bionic processor.
However, testing the Axon 30 Ultra with the 3D Mark Wild Life Unlimited benchmark produced more encouraging results. ZTEs phone scored 5,860 points in this test, and managed an average frame rate of 35.1 fps. It beats the OnePlus 9 Pros 5,755 and 34.5fps, even with its RAM handicap. The Axon 30 still cant match the iPhone 12 Pro Max though, which scored 9,113 and 54fps on the same test.
My experience while gaming on the Axon 30 Ultra backed up these test results. As I played Marvel Contest of Champions, the graphics looked crisp and smooth as I directed Wolverine to lay a beat-down on Captain America. While not touted explicitly as a phone for diehard mobile gamers, the ZTE could be one to short-list for best gaming phones, considering the power youre getting for the price.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: 5G
The Snapdragon 888 chipset comes with 5G compatibility built-in, so the Axon 30 Ultra is ready for the new network standard. At least in theory. Having examined ZTE's list of 5G bands compatible with the phone, U.K. users are able to use a SIM from any currently active 5G carrier and have it work with the ZTE. It's more complicated for U.S. users though.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
Mobile carriers in the U.S. are much more fragmented, which is bad news for finding a compatible network for the Axon 30 Ultra. At the time of writing, only T-Mobile appears to be compatible with the Axon's available bands, and even then, only one of them, which could mean unreliable reception. AT&T, Verizon and U.S. Cellular's 5G offering aren't compatible at all.
If you're an American customer, and 5G connectivity matters to you, the Axon 30 Ultra is a bad pick. Going with a OnePlus 9 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra or iPhone 12 Pro will offer a much more reliable 5G experience.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Battery and charging
Sporting a 4,600 mAh battery, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra has an average-sized battery for a phone of its size, though its a small power pack for a top-tier phone. On the Tom's Guide custom battery test, which drains a phone by constantly browsing the web on mobile data, the ZTE managed 11 hours and 38 minutes when fixed at a 60Hz refresh rate. That's exactly an hour longer than the OnePlus 9 Pro managed when set to 60Hz (10 hours and 38 minutes), so ZTE's done a good job here.
Theres no wireless charging on the Axon 30 Ultra, but you might not miss it since you get rapid 66W wired charging. This gets you to 41% in 15 minutes, 70% in 30 minutes and to 100% in 47 minutes. This is fairly fast, and reduces the sting of the poor battery life quite a bit. However it's not as fast as the OnePlus 9 Pro, which manages 61% in 15 minutes and 99% in 30 minutes, thanks to its dual-cell battery design.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Software
ZTEs MyOS 11 isnt my favorite version of Android 11, but theres not much to complain about. ZTE pre-installs only a few non-Google apps, and the UI elements it has customized are sharp and cleanly designed.
I did notice that ZTEs not done the best job of translating descriptions and other longer explanatory captions when it comes to menus and settings. It doesnt get in the way of operating the phone, but its a refinement issue that Ive never come across while using Samsung or OnePlus phones.
ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review: Verdict
Having completed my ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review, its safe to say that ZTE has earned the right to call its phone ultra. The majority of its hardware is up to par with the best phones around right now.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)
That said, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra wont top any best lists, as its dragged down by its less refined features. Had the phone offered a little more battery capacity, a QHD resolution display or some consistent photography software, it would easily be equivalent to the OnePlus 9 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Fortunately, the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra doesnt have to be. Its current price is low enough that it's easy to overlook those shortcomings. ZTEs made a real flagship-killing phone with the Axon 30 Ultra, and it should be your top choice if you want the ultimate hardware for the cheapest price you can get.
Steel Wool Studios is getting ready for the launch of its second virtual reality product. The company's first VR release, Quar: Battle For Gate 18, was an HTC Vive launch title that met with positive reaction from the Steam community. The studios next release is called Mars Odyssey, and it promises to take you to the red planets surface.
Steel Wool Studios went the extra mile to recreate Mars as accurately as possible, recreated using the terrain and height map information that NASA released to the public domain. (Like the data these guys use for creating VR and HoloLens experiences.) The company described the experience as an interactive simulation that challenges players to repair NASAs Mars Exploration Rovers.
You will be tasked with repairing the derelict Viking, Pathfinder, Spirit, and Opportunity rovers, which were all recreated using NASAs engineering schematic information. The developer even took the care to place the rovers in the exact locations where they reside today. As you progress through the simulation, youll learn about the exploration of each rovers covered region.
The Steel Wool Studios team carries an impressive pedigree of creative talent that has already proven its ability to build cutting-edge content for the nascent VR category, said Cher Wang, CEO, HTC Corporation. Taking a look at Mars Odyssey and Steel Wools other projects under development, its immediately clear that this studio will drive VR adoption with great content that balances amazing visual fidelity with strong storytelling.
Mars Odyssey will be available on September 9 through Valves Steam platform, but that wont be the last announcement we hear from Steel Wool Studios. The company secured a $5 million investment from HTC Corporation to help fund its other ongoing projects.
After earning our stripes with Quar, we went all-in on creating content for VR, a medium weve been waiting for our whole lives, said Andrew Dayton, co-founder, Steel Wool Studios. HTCs investment gives us the ability to explore and push the limits of VR through the completion of projects we hope will excite everyone as much as weve enjoyed building them.
Steel Wool Studios hasnt revealed any details about the other in-progress projects, but it said we should expect some announcements in the coming months.
A defining feature of rising 24-year-old Remi Kolawole is his laidback personality, offset by a rich view of the world that has permeated his songwriting since starting out five years ago with producer Sensible J.
The hip hop artists easy demeanour shines through as he contemplates the release of his sophomore album Divas and Demons in just over two weeks, and hes quick to admit just how excited he is about the new record.
I really just hope people enjoy it, J and I put a lot of time into it (laughs). Were keen to see how people receive it. So its more of an excitement on that side, and the fact that well be able to make new music after this as well.
The whole album is about the last couple years of my life and how those people and times have affected me. So its going to be interesting to see how people take and relate to it, and it was an awesome process of being able to write in a very different way.
The duo are set to take their fresh beats across the country in a few short months time, and Remi reflects on touring back in May being incredible and heaps of fun. The talented rapper had a particular blast in Perth and, as he remembers it, We got to spend a bit of time staying with friends that we dont get to see, so it was great, and we were also able to go back down to Victoria as well and catch up with a few more people.
That early tour was in support of first album single For Good, featuring Sydney soul-stirrer Sampa The Great, someone who Remi truly believes elevated the new record on many, many levels.
I mean, just having her around in general in your life elevates you. She was the first vocalist that we collaborated with on the new record, and I was in a weird, control freak-y kind of domain When Sampa came into the studio, it was just so easy. She was so incredible that it just added this new energy to the track, and a totally new spin on it which made me love it in a new way.
Thats all you can really ask for, any time youre dealing with someone whos collaborating with you on your music. So for me it was awesome in every single way, and thats my sister as well, so well probably be doing a lot more stuff together.
On a high from thinking about working with the blossoming fellow hip hop artist again in the future, Remi reveals how he feels inspired pretty much any time Ive hung out with Baro, Sampa, and just a lot of cats that are a lot younger than me.
Every time I hang out with them, they offer me a new perspective on not just music but the globe, their style all these kinds of things. I think there are a lot of young kids that are coming up in music now who have just lived so far outside of the scene, whether its hip hop or whatevers considered to be the normal western Australia, that theyre not influenced by it. Theres just a beautiful and very different outlook on the world, and that inspires me on many different levels.
Im all for being inspired by cats that are of all ages, but definitely the youths all the time.
A point of solidarity binding socially-aware musicians such as Remi together is their understanding that the social climate, or the way people are expected to look or act, can either make or break you. Brisbane-based roots and hip hop artist Jordan Rakei is one of those socially-conscious songwriters, who Remi collaborated with on recent track Lose Sleep. Here, the 24-year-old thoughtfully reflects on the need to have empathy in life, a quality that for Remi is intrinsically what humans want to be.
It feels weird to me that we dont live in a world where that is just basic. But at the same time, that is the world that we live in, and were just going to have to roll with the punches, and try and add a little more empathy. Hopefully adding songs like this will start conversations that will eventually lead to people opening their minds or eyes up a little bit. But at the same time, were just making music, so its not like were here really changing shit (laughs). Were just saying what we think, and hopefully a few people will listen to that.
Remi and J are certainly no strangers to bringing out the brutal honesty in their music, and that threads through their entire record label House of Beige, home to like-minded artists including Hau, Nfa and Syrene. Considering all of his friends hard work, the rapper admits that its an honour that they feel comfortable enough to let us put their records out.
House of Beige is just a really big family, and were really happy that weve been allowed access to such a strong team. Even though they are our friends and family, it doesnt take away the fact that were huge fans of what they do, or else we wouldnt be putting it out. To have put out records like Haus The No End Theory (2015) These are really amazing to me.
However, even though being able to roll with a team is the best, Remi is adamant that its really been J and I the whole way.
We definitely have a mad understanding of how we roll with this, and cats have always been supportive. But the one person whos always been there and talked me through each move that we need to make has to be J, without a doubt (laughs). Im so lucky.
Its really hard to believe that its only been five years, in the wake of whats happened since then. I think both J and I have grown a lot, I mean his beard is at an incredible length, which was not the case five years ago (laughs). But for real, its very hard for me to process that we get to do a lot of things that we do. Even just being a full-time musician Thats what we dreamed of but it feels like it came very quickly, at least for me (laughs). Js been in bands for a while and been working in a hospital for 16 years pushing papers, so his dues were paid. I guess its very hard to take stuff in when youre always trying to move forward and make sure you can keep doing it.
Its definitely been an amazing and educational time ever since I met J, which is an awesome thing.
If youre in Victoria on 16th September, hang with Remi and Sensible J at their free, all ages album release party in Fitzroy, hosted by Northside Records. RSVP here, otherwise gear up for their upcoming national tour by pre-ordering the new album.
REMI NATIONAL TOUR DATES
Friday, 18th November 2016
Karova Lounge, Ballarat
Friday, 25th November 2016
Railway Club, Darwin*
Saturday, 26th November 2016
Rocket Bar, Adelaide
Wednesday, 30th November 2016
Transit Bar, Canberra
Friday, 2nd December 2016
Newtown Social Club, Sydney
Friday, 9th December 2016
Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
Saturday, 10th December 2016
Republic Bar, Hobart
Saturday, 17th December 2016
Howler, Melbourne
Sydney pop-punk group Stellar Addiction are releasing new single Are You Ready? in anticipation of their upcoming Japan tour later this month, a whirlwind tour which will see them play five shows in five nights.
To celebrate, the group have released Are You Ready?, a catchy anthem about the second chances that life can throw at you, backed by a memorable music video full of their signature charm.
Before the group head off to bring the party to Japan, theyll be playing Sydneys King Street Crawl on Sunday, September 4th.
Stellar Addiction Live Dates
Sunday, 4th September 2016
King Street Crawl
The Townie, King Street, Newtown, NSW
Felix Riebl is set to release his eagerly-anticipated second solo album Paper Doors tomorrow, and weve got an exclusive first listen.
Having already become a household name due to his highly-celebrated work as the frontman for The Cat Empire, Felix Riebel has stepped out to again make an album full of the emotion, variety, and wonder that his work has become known for.
To shed a bit more light on this gorgeous work, Felix has given us a track-by-track rundown, which youll find below with dates for his Paper Doors tour that all kicks off next week.
Paper Doors is out tomorrow through My Shore Productions, and will available on iTunes and streaming platforms.
PAPER DOORS
I want to dive into its moment like a seal that swims beneath the storm
I feel most alive when Im calm, but I only really get to that feeling when all around me is noise, movement, colour, chaos. I think this song is partly about that.
WASTING TIME
Maybe one day then we wont look back, maybe one day before the heart attack
This one started as a regular ballad, then I got stuck, and in frustration banged my left hand on the low octaves. Something sparked, then the hook followed. Its the lucky shock. Later, Katy Steeles completely distinct voice brought a special edge to the performance.
SNOWFLAKES
And in all our difference, were just snowflakes turning to snow
There were moments on this album, and this track is one of them, where the air changed, and I found myself in a space where the atmosphere of the song seemed far more important than its meaning. Its only a subtle difference, but I often find songs like this more interesting in the long run.
IN YOUR ARMS
You call me liar then say lie beside me always
Theres a lot of wordplay in this song. I love it when it happens like that. Its one of the reasons why Brel or Gainsbourg can never really be successfully translated. Anyway, this one is a midnight ballad; heartfelt, but tongue in cheek as well. Martha Wainwrights duet brings a breath of fresh air to the performance, I think she shares some of that whim or humour in her songwriting. I was happy when she said shed sing on it with me.
OUT WHERE YOU ARE
Going deeper than before, going deeper than December
This was the last song we recorded. I hand wrote the chart in the lunch break, the same 3 chords over and over. I hadnt finished the lyrics, but sang it live anyway, so the second verse is more or less gibberish. It made us laugh, so we kept it. The song has a real charm for me, its swampy and lighthearted, and you can hear the musicians cooking.
ALL I CAN SAY
So send me away tonight, I dont want to hear, answers to problems that bring me closer to you my dear
We wanted to make the choruses leap out on this album and make the dynamics hyper-pronounced. On this one, we kept the verses swampy and close, and brought in a big gospel, wall-of-sound for the choruses, I think we made Give Peace a Chance our reference there. Theres also a Barry solo in the middle played by Melbournes Paul Williamson, reminiscent of the outro of Walk on the Wild Side, which was one of the first songs I fell in love with when I was a kid.
SHADOWS
You wind me like a tape to the reel
This is by far the rockiest moment on the album. For me it evokes a crossroads between analogue and digital, a space Ive had to navigate in my music career so far. Its a changing werewolf, but its hard not to get tangled in the physicality of the past.
CROCODILES
Into the jaws of a crocodiles dream
I wrote this song after travelling in Timor Leste. I went there to visit Arte Morris in Dili, and found myself surprised, edgy, uplifted, estranged. Its a wild place. The song is psychedelic and political; it evokes an internal landscape and an actual one. The words as sounds grate up against each other and keep coming, its dreamy and dark, bluesy and cinematic.
ECSTASY
Elvis evil eyes, shining endlessly, no that aint love, no man thats ecstasy
My girlfriend thinks this one is emotionally manipulative. I suppose a songwriter might consider this a success. I wanted to turn love or whatever on its head with Ecstasy. There are violent images, and there are peaceful ones, and some are just strange. The music just rolls by, calm as ever.
WAGER
Some find a lover or friend, some find a ghost is more comforting than a firm shoulder on which to depend
This is a sad song in a major key. It features an 808, a vocal and keys performance, and a beautiful string arrangement by Roscoe James Irwin. Ross and I have been working together for years, in bands, on films, fireworks, albums, and his work on Paper Doors is sublime.
We recorded, mixed, and mastered all the songs in just over 10 days, which required the arrangements and the communication to be killer. As usual, he delivered, often working late the night before, then arriving fresh as a daisy for the session next day.
Felix Riebl Paper Doors Tour
Wednesday, 7th September 2016
The Producers Bar, Adelaide, SA
Thursday, 8th September 2016
Lizottes, Lambton, NSW
Friday, 9th September 2016
Newtown Social Club, Newtown, NSW
Saturday, 10th September 2016
Black Bear Lodge, Fortitude Valley, QLD
Sunday, 11th September 2016
Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne, VIC
By Kiran Tare: Former Goa RSS chief Subhash Velingkar has become the second prominent victim of the BJP's opportunist politics. The RSS relieved him from his responsibility as Vibhag Sanghchalak for choosing politics as a medium to take its ideologies forward. However, it is the BJP, especially Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who compelled Velingkar to choose a political path over the RSS ideologies by not keeping his major poll promise which had won the Goans' hearts in 2012 Assembly elections.
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On RSS instructions, Velingkar has joined a NGO Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), floated in 2012, to press a demand of primary education in Konkani and Marathi, as its convener. Parrikar, then chief minister, had promised Velingkar that he would discontinue the grant given to English medium schools and promote primary education in Konkani and Marathi. However, he not only continued the grants but also "betrayed" Velingkar, keeping him in dark on his decision.
Parrikar singed a file to continue the grants on his last day as the CM in November 2015. He had told Velingkar that he was going to announce that the grants will be stopped. However, he did the exactly opposite leaving Velingkar, his senior in RSS, furious.
Since the Velingkar vowed to defeat the BJP in the upcoming Assembly election in March 2017. He organised five well attended rallies under the BBSM banner in the constituencies of prominent BJP leaders including CM Laxmikant Parsekar. "He (Parrikar) stabbed us in the back. Let us teach them (BJP) a lesson. If they don't listen to us be ready for an alternative," he said in the rallies.
Later, he had told India Today at his residence that the BJP's downfall will begin from Goa. "Goa was pioneer in introducing seven-day training camps and student full timers in the RSS. Now, Goa will defeat the BJP and it will be just a beginning of its end across the country," he had said.
THE TALLEST RSS LEADER
A retired teacher, Subhash Velingkar has been the RSS' tallest leader in Goa. A devoted worker he dedicated his time and money for the RSS growth only since the organisation launched its first shakha (unit) in the state in 1962 after the state was liberated from the Portuguese. He groomed and shaped many workers including Parrikar and Parsekar.
"No one in Goa RSS or the RSS-affiliated organisations can defy him out of the respect he has earned in so many years," said an RSS official from Mumbai. He said that Velingkar himself had expressed a wish to be relieved from RSS responsibilities as he wanted to join the politics. Konkan Prant karyawah Sunil Sapre had called on Velingkar at the latter's house in Panaji a day after he announced that he will launch a political outfit on October 2 to press the BBSM demands.
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"Sapre ji pointed to him that Sangh has never appreciated its cadre to take active part in the politics. He appealed Velingkar to rethink on his decision which he overturned. At this juncture, Velingkar only suggested that he should be freed of his responsibility as he had already made up his mind to join the politics," the official said.
SEPARATE ENTITY FORMED
The followers of Velingkar on Thursday announced the formation of Goa RSS as a separate entity with Velingkar as its chief. They also declared that they will not report to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur till the Assembly elections are over.
An RSS leader Pravin Nesvankar reiterated that the cadre will not resume their work till Velingkar is reinstated. "Henceforth, we will work full time for the BBSM. We will resume working for Sangh when he (Velingkar) will be reinstated."
"The RSS inspired people say that RSS is the parent body of their respective organisations. RSS never says that they are the parent body. It is the feeling among the workers. We cannot pressurise them to take a certain decision but we definitely have a right not to abide by their decision," Nesvankar said.
Velingkar said that he will not stop working for RSS. "Now, we are a separate Prant. We will report to whomever as per our conscience. We have emerged stronger than before." He called Parrikar as a "liar". "He has dragged the BJP behind us. He is the liar number one," Velingkar said.
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REPEAT OF MAHARASHTRA CRISIS
Velingkar's abrupt exit has reminded many in the RSS of former Maharashtra karyawah Surendra Thatte, who also had to face the heat for the BJP's flip-flops. The RSS had empowered Thatte to lead an agitation against the Enron power project in Ratnagiri district in 1993. But after the BJP came into power along with Shiv Sena in 1995 they not only refused to discard the Enron project but also facilitated its smooth functioning. Thatte gave up his position from the RSS and stopped working for the organisation after that.
"The BJP people should not be happy after I am relieved. I can tell them that the RSS is still with me. We are the people who work for the ethics," Velingkar said.
--- ENDS ---
In 2016 BISOUND organisers announced what has to be their biggest live calendar to date. Featuring mainly local talent with a sprinkle of international visitors, the annual Brisbane music conference features a whopping 150 artists who will perform across 15 venues.
The event sees Brisbanes Fortitude Valley play host to two nights of non-stop music from September 7-9, giving tastemakers, industry members, and the general public one of Australias most unique festival experiences.
With so many incredible acts and only two nights to cram it all in, it can all seem a little overwhelming so weve decided to put together a little cheat sheet / guide featuring an assortment of both emerging and more established acts we think will be making waves next week at BIGSOUND.
30/70
Delivering one of the most diverse mixes of genres on the BIGSOUND lineup, 30/70s soul, blues, rock, hip-hop and acoustic sounds make 30/70 one of BIGSOUNDs must-see artists. The Melbourne collectives groove-based sound is going to make for one of the biggest parties youll see at the event this year.
A.B. Original
A group that need no introduction, A.B. Original have been making waves for all the right reasons lately. Alongside bringing much needed attention to the issues of race and indigenous rights in Australia, A.B. Original are continuously pumping out socially conscious tunes that are a perfect mix of politics and Aussie hip-hop.
Alex Lahey
Alex Lahey has been ticking all the boxes lately, from getting a glowing review from Pitchfork, to appearing at Splendour In The Grass, and to being the third recipient of the Josk Pyke Partnership. This Melbourne musician is impressing all the right people at the moment, and with a debut EP in the works, she is sure to become a new favourite for many after her appearance at BIGSOUND.
BUOY
Charmian Kingston, better known as BUOY, is making some of the most inventive and innovative electronic music in Australia right now. With BUOYs tracks being a huge mix of samples, synths, and haunting vocals, these seriously intense soundscapes are sure to capture the attention of all in attendance at BIGSOUND.
Ceres
Hard-hitting, genuine, fun, but with an air of darkness, Ceres are making one of Australias most unique brands of alternative rock at the moment. With a refreshing approach to their music and their highly popular live shows, Ceres have been gaining legions of fans all over Australia, a trend that is sure to continue worldwide soon enough.
Columbus
Describing themselves as a hybrid mixture of punk, emo, and hardcore, you can almost expect what youll get with Columbus music, but the chances are good that youd be way off. With clear influences from the early days of punk, and the lyrical content of early emo music, Columbus are taking these established genres and making their own hybrid that will draw you in and definitely make you a fan.
Dorsal Fins
Dorsal Fins have been kicking goals all over the place lately, with their debut album receiving glowing reviews from everyone, and their Like A Version cover being one of the most fun performances of 2015. The Melbourne 10-piece have been winning fans all over the country with their genre-exploring party vibes, and with a BIGSOUND appearance imminent, who knows how many more fans theyre about to make.
HABITS
For a band who describing themselves as purveyors of sad goth party jams, you already know that HABITS are going to be some fun. The best part is that they deliver on this promise by providing some of the kookiest and enjoyable tracks that youve heard in a while. If youre a fan of good times, good tunes, and a lot of fun mixed into your music, HABITS are definitely going to be on your list at BIGSOUND this year.
Hot Spoke
Indie rock groups can occasionally be rather forgettable as they blend into the background. This is not even close to being the case with Sydneys Hot Spoke. This four-piece cites bands such as The Smiths and Fairport Convention as their influences, and with a fragile, haunting sound that is reminiscent of bands such as Cowboy Junkies, this group is certain to take you on an emotional ride with every performance.
Mallrat
Mallrats been making music for a little while now, and for someone whos worked with a producer like Tigerilla, cites Allday as an influence, and makes mention to INXS in her tunes, you know that you can expect nothing but bangers. The Brisbane 17 year old is getting attention from all over the place recently, and with BIGSOUND looming, you know that shes bound to go from strength to strength after her performance.
Mosquito Coast
After winning triple js Unearthed High competition last year, Mosquito Coast have been a little on the quiet side; touring here and there, but clearly working up to something big. Now, with a BIGSOUND appearance in the middle of their single tour, this is the perfect opportunity to catch this Perth duo while theyre still on the rise.
MOSSY
I Oh Yous latest signee, MOSSY is providing us with some of the most riveting tunes heard for a while. With a background in acting, MOSSY clearly has a knack for the theatrical, and thats exactly what hes putting forward in his music. Inspired by the likes of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, MOSSY will be laying with a live band at BIGSOUND, providing a rare opportunity to see some of the most seductive, enthralling vocals in Australia performed live.
Oh Pep!
Oh Pep! have been together for seven years now, and the Melbourne duo have been making some glorious folk music in that time. After gaining glowing reviews from outlets such as The New York Times and NPR Music, Oh Pep! released their debut album in June of this year. The band has been impressing fans all over the world with their unique blend of folk, pop and indie-rock sensibilities, making them an act definitely not to be missed.
Polish Club
Polish Club describe themselves as writing pop songs fifty years too late at twice the speed, and frankly, not much more needs to be said. With one of the most intriguing, and most fitting, voices in blues-rock, Polish Club are one of the finest indie rock groups out at the moment. If blues music done the right way is something youre a fan of, then Polish Club are surely going to give you one of the most enjoyable experiences at Bigsound this year.
Rebel Yell
The solo project from Brisbanes Grace Stevenson (one half of electro-pop duo 100%), Rebel Yell sees her veer sharply into fantastically dark, industrial techno. Grace has just dropped an excellent debut EP in Mother of Millions and, having already shared the stage with the likes of Lucy Cliche and Pillow Pro, shes primed for an unmissable set on her hometown stage.
Sampa The Great
The last year or so has seen the Australian hip hop scene blessed by one of the best gifts it could have asked for in Sydneys Sampa The Great. Since announcing herself in 2015 with her stunningly fresh The Great Mixtape, Sampa has gone from strength to strength, dropping great tunes with Remi and supporting giants like Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat and Hiatus Kaiyote. Backed by the equally-talented guitar man and producer Godriguez, Sampa is on track to be a giant herself.
Tash Sultana
There will be few acts at BIGSOUND this year with more buzz than Tash Sultana. Starting out busking on the streets of Melbourne and streaming her music from her home, shes grabbed eyeballs from across the country and the world with her undeniable multi-instrumental talent. Having already casually sold out a world tour and three consecutive shows at her hometown venue The Corner, you dont need us to tell you that shes one to watch but good luck squeezing into the venue.
Tkay Maidza
Tkay Maidza is easily one of the biggest names in Australian music at the moment. Not bad for someone who is yet to release her debut album. Fresh from a couple of years of releasing huge tunes, collaborating with artists such as Martin Solveig and Troye Sivan, and coming straight from playing festivals like Pukkelpop in Belgium, Reading & Leeds in the UK, Tkay is becoming huge worldwide. Her performance at Bigsound may be one of your last chances to see her before shes headlining festivals all over.
Vera Blue
Its been a rapid ascension for Sydneys alt-folk gem Vera Blue, selling out an array of venues across the country off the strength of her debut EP and Matt Corby support slots. Not one to rest, shes jumped back into the fray with another national tour, but the eager industry hub of BIGSOUND will be the ideal place to catch her if youre one of the few who hasnt already.
Young Tapz
Young Tapz may only be 19 years old, but hes already going places. Born in Zimbabwe before relocating to New Zeland at 8 years old, his self-produced and self-released single Killa has amassed more than 1.25 million plays on Spotify and hes just inked a tripartite global management deal with G.O.O.D Management, Control Music, and Winterman & Goldstein.
Dune Rats have been real busy lately. After partying down Mexico way with good pal Drapht, the boys hit the ground running as soon as they touched back down in Australia, immediately getting to work on new music.
Theyve been busying themselves with writing sessions with touring buddies DZ Deathrays, with whom theyll soon be taking on North America and Europe, and have even been working on some new music of their own.
LAST DAY POLISHIN CHUNES AT MACS. CHEERS TO ALL THE FELLAS HELPIN US OUT!!! CANT WAIT TO DROP NEW SHIT ON YALL, the band wrote on Instagram last month. But apparently theres still some new tunes left to record.
Clocking back in to the studio with Zac [Carper, FIDLAR] in Melbourne! Racking up some overtime for some high quality shit out soon, the band wrote on Instagram. Theyve since gone on to share several updates.
The Dunies last single, Bullshit, was the culmination of their newly minted working relationship with Carper, whom the trio met when they supported FIDLAR across North America for two months last year.
Carper took the boys from recording sessions staged inside an RV en route to Joshua Tree, California to a Melbourne studio where the latest stash of new Dunies gear was cooked up.
According to triple js 2016 Aussie Release Schedule, a new EP is scheduled for release some time this year via Warner and the bands own Ratbag Records.
Clocking back in to the studio with Zac @fidlar_la in Melbourne! Racking up some overtime for some high quality shit out soon A photo posted by dunerats (@dunerats) on Aug 29, 2016 at 6:31pm PDT
This thing's practically recording itself. Psyched for @stonecuttersfestival soon with all the legends in Adelaide!!!! #smoko A photo posted by dunerats (@dunerats) on Aug 30, 2016 at 9:10pm PDT
Day 3. Fucking stoked and excited A photo posted by dunerats (@dunerats) on Aug 31, 2016 at 2:32am PDT
McClatchy announced today the launch of excelerate (exceleratedigital.com), a full-service digital agency designed to offer local and regional advertising clients marketing solutions that drive results. Excelerate uses data-driven principles to design customized digital marketing plans for businesses, then tracks and measures success every step of the way.
Another reason why McClatchy is a penny stock and the Star is on life-support . . .
"They have made the conscious decision to compete with their customer base of ad agencies. Were I an ad agency, knowing that McClatchy media properties offer nothing that I cant get at a dozen other places, I would pull everything immediately. What business goes into competition with its customers?"
An important move in the local media game reveals a shift toward a changing biz model for the parent company of Kansas City's largest daily newspaper and competition for local firms . . .Here's the word from a Kansas City expert:Developing . . .
The bureau on Thursday unveiled the results of its first-ever Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs. The report, which canvases only the nations firms with employees, is designed to provide a socio-economic portrait of businesses in the years between the Survey of Business Owners.
Of the 50 most-populated U.S. metros, Kansas City ranks a low 42nd in percentage of minority business owners. Minorities own only 9.5 percent of metro firms, compared to a national average of 17.5 percent.
The executive world of tech is mostly white despite the fact that a great deal of their goods are manufactured by Asian toddlers and services are designed and maintained by low-paid workers in India.Closer to home, this report reminds us that people of color in the local tech community are often excluded from so much political biz community hype . . .Deets . . .The bright side to this is that there are a great many minority-owned tech firms operating independently and without the community of propagandists who are forced to buy into streetcar and downtown development hype in exchange for paltry payouts and pointless affiliations.You decide . . .
German air travellers are flocking to Spain, Greece and Italy this year and turning their backs on Turkey and North Africa
German air travellers are flocking to Spain, Greece and Italy this year and turning their backs on Turkey and North Africa, according to new official figures.
Strong growth for Spain, good increases for most European destinations and a surge in long-haul travel to the Caribbean and parts of Asia were confirmed in the German federal statistics offices half-year figures for outbound passengers departing from German airports. (By using outbound/departing figures each airline passenger is counted only once.)
Total passenger numbers increased by 3% to 51.8 million from January to June 2016, with international passenger volumes up by 2.9% to 40.2 million and a 3.4% rise in domestic passengers, the figures showed. The number of passengers flying to a European destination increased by 3.9% to 31.5 million.
Spain was the clear winner in the first half-year. The number of German airline passengers to the country, which is by far the largest destination in terms of air travel, increased by nearly 11% to 6.2 million. There was an 11.6% rise to just over 2 million passengers to the Balearics and a 9.3% increase to 1.5 million visitors to the Canary Islands.
In contrast, passenger numbers to Turkey, the second-largest destination, dropped 13.4% to 2.76 million travellers. This included a 29% drop in travellers from German airports to Antalya.
Good news for Greece
There was good news for Greece where German air arrivals increased by 6% to 1.1 million, including a 3.7% rise to 0.5 million for the Greek islands. Among European air destinations with a mix of business and leisure travel, there was a 3.6% rise in outbound passengers to the UK, a 4.5% increase to Italy and a slight 1.8% rise to France.
There were diverse trends for intercontinental destinations (covering all destinations outside Europe). Asia saw good growth with a 3.9% increase, led by a 28.7% surge in travel to Thailand and a 7.3% increase for the UAE.
Air travel to the Americas grew by 2.8%, with strong increases to the Dominican Republic (+15%) and Mexico (+11%), while the USA saw a moderate 1.2% increase and Brazil welcomed 1.4% more arrivals from Germany.
But air travel to Africa slumped, including a 36% drop to Egypt (which had 0.4 million arrivals from Germany) and a 47% fall to Tunisia, with just 97,000 passengers in the first half-year.
Read more here.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Two police officers and one foreign tourist have been injured in a shooting in Copenhagen. Copenhagen Police posted an alert on Twitter on Wednesday (31 August) as the incident unfolded in the neighbourhood of Christiania.
One officer is believed to be in critical condition after being shot in the head and the second in the leg. The officers were fired at while engaged in routine work in Christiania. In a statement Copenhagen Police confirmed that a foreign citizen was injured. The shooting victim told police that he has no relatives in Denmark. The Copenhagen Police clarified in a further tweet that the civilian was not injured by the officers.
The officers have been rushed to hospital and their families have been informed of the incident.
Speaking at a press conference outside Copenhagen Police Forces headquarters, the director of Copenhagen police force, Thorkild Fodge provided an update on the situation.
He said: This is very serious. It affects us when one of our officers is so severely and critically wounded. He is in mortal danger. There is no place in our society for when a young officer in his prime is hit in the head.
Massive police presence
He confirmed police know who the shooter is, saying: We know who you are. Give yourself up. We will find you. Witnesses reported hearing up to nine shots being fired during the incident near Fredens Ark (Peace Arch), the largest building in Christiania, rt.com reports.
Local newspaper Ekstra Bladet has reported a massive police presence in the area. According to Danish television channel TV2, all roads into Christiania have been cordoned off by heavily armed officers. Trains from Copenhagen to Malmo have also stopped running as police secure the area.
Police have urged the public to stay away from the area as the suspect remains at large.
A motive for the shooting is not yet known.
Christiania, is known locally as Freetown Christiania, and is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood of about 850 residents, located in the borough of Christianshavn in the Danish capital Copenhagen.
Source: ibtimes.co.uk
Read more here.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Bjoertvedt License: CC-BY-SA
Turkey has confirmed an incident with a Cypriot flagged ship in the Mersin, Antioch, and Famagusta triangle
Turkey has confirmed an incident with a Cypriot flagged ship in the Mersin, Antioch, and Famagusta triangle, Turkish press reports said on Thursday.
Specifically, Turkish media have cited sources in the navy who informed them about an incident concerning the ship Royal Flash.
The same sources said that Ankara sent a ship to the area where the Cypriot ship was conducting research on August 21.
The Turkish frigate monitored the movements of the Royal Flash, which was in the area researching energy reserves Turkish media said.
On August 25 and 26 the Turkish frigate sent warnings to the Cypriot ship.
However, the same sources mentioned that Royal Flash ignored the warnings and continued its research in a larger area.
The Cypriot ship has since been continuing its research as planned, and Cyprus police have said that the ship did not enter foreign waters.
Read more here.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 1 (PTI) Ways to combat terror, implementation of connectivity projects and a host of other crucial issues were discussed at a trilateral meeting of India, Iran and Afghanistan in Tehran.
The Director-General level meeting, which took place yesterday, is a follow up to the First Round of the trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, India and Iran held in New Delhi last April.
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"In the meeting a wide range of issues of common interest were discussed by the three parties including the recent developments in the region and the trilateral political, economic, transit and cultural cooperation," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
He said, discussing the situation in the region and Afghanistan, the three parties emphasised the need for regional cooperation to counter current and emerging threats of terrorism and extremism.
The meeting also deliberated upon various aspect of the the trilateral agreement signed by the three countries in May in Tehran on development of transit routes to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port.
The meeting agreed to have some specialized meetings and seminars for experts and representatives from trade and industry so that their recommendations can be reviewed in the next Meeting of the Director-Generals, which will be held in Kabul.
"The three parties also explored possible grounds for cooperation in the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process," said Swarup.
Asked about the coming US-India-Afghanistan meet, he said India as an immediate neigbhour of Afghanistan, is a stakeholder in peace and stability in that country.
"The US is among the leading countries of the world working for the same objective. Therefore, it is natural that we consult each other and also Afghanistan on the current situation as well as the continued support that Afghanistan requires from the international community," said Swarup.
The Trilateral Dialogue was earlier held in 2012 and 2013 at Joint Secretary level.
The Dialogue may take place on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September at similar official level. PTI MPB RG
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The Saudi Ministry of Housing has signed an agreement with the Chinese government for the construction of 100,000 housing units in the Al Ahsa province of the kingdom, said a report.
The deal was signed by Majed Al Huqail, Minister of Housing, and Chinese Deputy Minister of Trade Qian Keming in the field of housing on the sidelines of the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence, reported the Saudi Gazette.
Al Huqail also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with officials of the Ningxia region in China to help develop the Al Asfar outskirts in the Saudi province.
These agreements are in line with the Housing Ministrys strategic aim in stimulating the real estate development and raising productivity, the report added.
The top 10 construction projects in Kuwait are worth $12 billion, with healthcare investments one of the major drivers of the building industrys growth in 2016, according to a BNC Report commissioned by The Big 5 Kuwait 2016.
Out of these, six projects are in fact devoted to the development of new or existing hospitals and valued at $5.5 billion, it said.
It is boom time for Kuwait's construction industry with infrastructure developments, educational facilities and new housing projects propelling the sector, which is set to reach $15.6 million in 2020, stated the report.
According to BNC, the size of the healthcare economy in the GCC was around $40.3 billion last year, and is expected to increase at a projected rate of 12 per cent per year, reaching $71.3 billion in 2020.
BNCs GCC Kuwait Healthcare Report 2016 revealed that 133 healthcare projects in the GCC were each worth over $100 million. These projects make up almost 80 per cent of the total value of all healthcare projects in the region.
Dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, the organisers of Kuwaits largest construction event, The Big 5 Kuwait 2016, released the BNC list of the countrys Top 10 Projects, while investigating major opportunities and trends within the local construction industry. It includes:
*Expansion of Kuwait International Airport (KIA) - Terminal 2.
The $4-billion expansion of the passenger terminal stands on top of the BNC list. With completion estimated in 2022, the new terminal building will allow the airport to accommodate 13 million passengers per year.
The project involves the construction of a new terminal building comprising of a basement level, a ground floor, two additional floors, a 400 bed transit hotel, waiting rooms and parking areas with a capacity of 4500 cars.
*Jaber Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah Hospital - South Surra.
With estimated completion this November, the $1.6 billion project includes the construction of a hospital complex over an area of 47,000 sq m. It also features a dental building on an area of 5,000 sq m, a staff and doctor's residency building, and a three-storey underground car park with a capacity of 7000 cars.
*New Farwaniya Hospital Expansion - Al Farwaniya
Valued $1 billion and due for completion by the end of 2019, the project involves the construction of a hospital complex, a dentistry building with 100 specialised clinics, 27 operation theatres and 233 ICU beds.
*Childrens Hospital - Al Shuwaikh
The hospital will feature a total of 792 beds, 2,000 car parking spaces, a helipad and a free-standing day care centre. Valued at $850 million, the project is due to be completed in the last quarter of 2018.
*Kuwait Maternity Hospital - Sabah Medical Area
Although still at the tender stage, the $790-million hospital is due for completion in 2018. The maternity hospital is expected to accommodate 36,000 annual births.-TradeArabia News Service
US-based ASTM International, an international standards organisation, has announced that it will hold its board meeting and dozens of events in the UAE, from October 16 to 20.
ASTM International is an organisation that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services.
Ralph Paroli, board chairman who directs research and development in measurement science and standards at the National Research Council of Canada, said: Gulf leaders in business and government increasingly demand ASTM International standards to help them drive growth in industries such as petroleum, construction, and more.
"Our board is excited to be hosting our meeting and related events in such a dynamic region, he added.
Paroli will lead the board meeting on two days in Dubai, said a statement from ASTM International.
On one of the days, board members will hold about 25 events and meetings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This events will include:
Meetings with companies and trade associations from many fields (oil and gas, steel, concrete, corrosion, building facades, piping, 3D printing, nuclear energy, and more).
Roundtables with representatives from leading laboratories.
Meetings with government leaders, including the UAE's standards body (ESMA).
Discussing metrology topics with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Standardisation Organisation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GSO), and ESMA.
Speaking engagements with students and others at top universities.
A workshop with amusement park industry leaders, and more.
Additionally, ASTM International and the International Code Council will co-host a Sustainable Construction workshop in Dubai, supported in part by the US International Trade Administration, added a statement.
Board member Nabil Molla is helping organise the events. As secretary general of the GSO, he helps coordinate standards and conformity assessment activities across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
He said: ASTM International is building on its already strong commitment to serve as a partner to the Gulf.
I welcome organising this event in the UAE as a member of the GSO and I wish to have a very productive and positive discussion. I look forward to this opportunity to showcase how high-quality standards support businesses and people throughout our region, he added.
This year, ASTM International and GSO are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their memorandum of understanding (MoU). ASTM International also has memoranda of understanding with the standards bodies in every Gulf nation. Hundreds of experts from the region serve on ASTM International's technical committees, and ASTM standards have been cited more than 4,000 times in the region's regulations and codes.
"I believe that this meeting can identify further areas for cooperation and mutual information exchange under the MoU," he Molla.
In recent years, ASTM International and GSO have held many joint workshops and virtual events, while also providing many experts, exchanging of information, and sponsoring events such as ARABLAB, the Dubai Fire Safety Forum, and other major conferences that relate to standardisation.
Since 2000, ASTM International Board meetings have been held in Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the US, it said. TradeArabia News Service
Topaz Energy and Marine, a leading offshore support vessel company, has announced the renewal of its long standing contract with ABB for the Topaz Installer, Topazs specialised cable laying vessel.
Under the terms of the contract, the Topaz Installer will provide ABB with cable-laying services in support of wind farms in the North Sea for a period of one year plus options of at least 12 months, said a statement from the company.
The contract was first signed in 2010, it added.
Rene Kofod-Olsen, chief executive officer, Topaz Energy and Marine, said: We are pleased to be renewing our partnership with ABB which is built on many years of close cooperation.
We are looking forward to continuing our work with ABB and the continued provision of exceptional and cost-effective services, he added. TradeArabia News Service
National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) has launched a series of initiatives aimed at harnessing the power of data innovation to enhance and transform existing operations model in the shipping industry.
As the pioneer and foremost exponent of data-driven decision-making in the maritime industry, Bahri has created a dedicated Big Data platform called BahriData as part of its efforts to improve its operating performance and drive data innovation within the global shipping industry, and has assembled a team of specialists to embed sustainable analytics into the fabric of the organisation, said a statement from the company.
Bahri is also actively supporting the development of an ecosystem of partners from the maritime industry, academia and industry labs to drive data-driven advancements and enable their application in the shipping industry, it said.
Ibrahim Al Omar, CEO of Bahri, said: Big Data is already playing a larger role in shaping the future of the maritime industry than previously imagined.
By embracing analytics and turning data into actionable insights, shipping and logistics players have an opportunity to drive improved efficiency and quality. In the long run, this will help transform their organizations into smarter, more dynamic entities that have a more informed picture of market trends and demands and are better prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow, he said.
Bahri has pioneered the use of Big Data technologies in the regional maritime industry to achieve sustainable growth and facilitate the overall development of the sector. We have already seen how, by maintaining a sustained focus on Data Innovation, we are able to eliminate or mitigate many of the risks typically associated with the shipping industry, while gaining a clearer understanding of how the market is shaping up and how challenges can be turned into opportunities, added Al Omar.
Bahris cross-functional team of experts comprising maritime industry professionals and technology specialists is working on developing several Big Data models that will help streamline and enhance all aspects of the companys operations, said a statement.
The models cover a number of key business areas including chartering, voyage management, fleet operations, connected ship, maintenance, customer control tower and customer service, it added.
With a current owned fleet of 88 ships and carriers and a diverse service offering that includes shipping of crude oil, oil products, chemical, bulk and general cargo, Bahri is relying on the competitive advantage it expects to gain from its steadfast focus on Data Innovation, to diversify its reach across all lines of business and emerge as the leading global operator by 2017, it stated. TradeArabia News Service
Dubai-headquartered STME, a leading IT solutions provider and systems integrator in the Middle East, has acquired three companies in Saudi Arabia.
The companies will operate under the STME umbrella (called STCOM) and broaden its portfolio of services, solutions, and products.
The three companies acquired are Integrated Security Solutions (ISS), which has over 12 years of experience, mainly operating in the physical security domain (CCTV and IP camera systems, surveillance, detectors and scanning machines, and communications equipment); MEST, which has over two years of experience in cyber security (encryption, anti- eavesdropping, and electromagnetic shielding); and Jawa, which has over 12 years of experience in infrastructure solutions.
By acquiring ISS, MEST and Jawa, we have expanded our portfolio of services and products, and profile by adding on over 50 specialists. We are delighted of the outcome of our negotiations and look forward to serving our clients, both existing and new, with our expanded range and expertise, said Ayman Al Bayaa, CEO of STME.
The acquisitions in Saudi Arabia will assist STME in achieving its corporate mission of being a full system integrator with a SSS (security, storage and system integration) focus. - TradeArabia News Service
Raising Canes Chicken Fingers, the award-winning Louisiana-based restaurant brand known for its premium chicken tenderloin meals, has made its official debut in Bahrain.
The new restaurant at at City Center Bahrain is Raising Canes second outlet in the Middle East, and follows the opening of its first store in Kuwait last year by leading international franchise operator M H Alshaya Co.
This is another important moment for Raising Canes. Our partnership with Alshaya is helping us grow in international markets, especially the Middle East. I hope that a growing number of customers in the kingdom will share our ONE LOVE for premium chicken and enjoy the outstanding service of our crew, said CEO of Raising Canes, Todd Graves.
The restaurant company was founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, US, by Todd Graves, and today has more than 275 restaurants across the US.
The Raising Canes menu is known for its ONE LOVE - serving premium chicken tenderloins that have been marinated for 24 hours and are then hand-cooked to order to ensure a great-tasting meal served hot and fresh every time. Accompaniments include fresh crinkle-cut fries, grilled Texas toast, and the signature Canes sauce. - TradeArabia News Service
Motorcity, the exclusive dealer of Isuzu vehicles in Bahrain, has launched a new Isuzu N-Series sales campaign offering multiple benefits to its customers.
The campaign, titled fully loaded, will offer free Insurance, registration, rust proofing and an extended warranty, said a statement from the company.
The N-Series truck brings higher performance on every level, with styling, power, economical operation, and robust safety features, making it one of the best choices for business, it said.
The trucks next-generation diesel engines incorporate technologies from Isuzu power plants, with the same level of cleanliness and fuel-efficiency, it added.
They also offer outstanding power while being cost-effective for business operations. The cabin has been designed based on advanced digital analysis for maximum utility, safety and comfort, said a statement.
The N-Series truck comes with a wide choice of GVW/ Payload /Chassis length / Engine size which are well suited to a variety of different applications and can also be tailored to the specific requirements to any business needs, it added. TradeArabia News Service
Iraq's oil exports from the southern ports rose to 3.230 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, from 3.202 million bpd in July, as crude production increased, two sources at state-run South Oil Company said on Thursday.
The West Qurna 1 field, developed by Exxon Mobil, and South Oil's Luhais and Artawi fields contributed most to the increase, they said.
Iraq, Opec's second-largest producer after Saudi Arabia, exports most of its crude from the southern fields. Increased supply is adding to a global glut of crude, putting pressure on oil prices.
Opec's oil output is likely in August to reach its highest in recent history, a Reuters survey found on Wednesday, as extra barrels from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf members make up for losses in Nigeria and Libya.
The gains could add to scepticism about renewed Opec talk of freezing output to support prices.
Exports from Iraq southern ports reached a record 3.37 million bpd in November last year, but was the result of an accumulation of crude that could not be exported in the previous month.
Iraq also exports oil through a pipeline to a Turkish Mediterranean port, carrying crude produced in the northern Kurdish autonomous region and from the Kirkuk field operated by Iraqi state-run North Oil Co.
A dispute between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over oil revenue sharing is restraining the exports from Kirkuk.
North Oil resumed pumping in the pipeline to Turkey two weeks ago, after a five-month halt, but at a reduced rate.
Total Iraqi production, including output from the Kurdish region, averaged 4.6 million bpd in July. The KRG exported about 460,000 bpd last month and it is yet to announce the figures for August. - Reuters
Saudi Aramco and the Japanese government are set to agree on a roughly 2 million barrel expansion of crude storage capacity in Okinawa, used by the state-run firm to store oil, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said on Thursday.
Under an agreement with Tokyo, Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) each store up to 1 million kilolitres (6.3 million barrels) of crude oil in Okinawa, southwest of mainland Japan.
In return for providing free storage space, Japan gets a priority claim on the stockpiles in case of an emergency.
"It would be in the best interest for Saudi Aramco and Japan to increase the capacity," Nasser told reporters in Tokyo. "We are looking at a couple of million (barrels) more than what we have now."
A senior Japanese government spokesman confirmed the two sides had agreed to expand and extend the current storage deal, though details had not been decided.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters the deal was set to be signed in October.
Nasser is accompanying Saudi Arabia's powerful Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on his visit to Japan this week, along with Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih and other ministers.
Japan treats the crude oil stored at Okinawa as quasi-government oil reserves, counting half of the barrels stored by Aramco and ADNOC as national crude reserves.
Saudi Aramco has stored crude in Okinawa since February 2011, and has used the facility to supply oil to China, Japan and South Korea among others.
Also on Thursday, Aramco signed memorandums of understanding on business cooperation in Tokyo with Japanese companies including three major banking groups.
The storage pact comes as part of a broad cooperation agreement between Saudi's Prince Mohammed and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who met on Thursday to discuss the kingdom's drive to cut its reliance on oil exports among other issues.
The two countries agreed to set up a ministerial forum, called "joint group for Japan Saudi vision 2030", to discuss their collaborations in industry, finance and energy to contribute to Japan's growth strategy led by Abe as well as Saudi's economic reforms driven by Prince Mohammed.
The first meeting will be held in Riyadh in October.
Under the agreement, Saudi's top sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF) and state-owned Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and state-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) will also consider jointly investing in, and jointly financing, projects. - Reuters
By PTI: From Harinder Mishra
Jerusalem, Sep 1 (PTI) Israeli Air Force planes returned from the US this week after participating in the "Red Flag", considered to be the biggest and best war simulation exercises in the world, with countries like Pakistan and the UAE with whom Israel does not have diplomatic relations.
The website of the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada, where the Red Flag advanced combat training exercise was held, stated that the Spanish Air Force participated in the large-scale military exercise alongside planes from Israel, Pakistan, the UAE and the United States.
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The head of the Israel Air Forces (IAF) training department, Colonel Amit, while talking to military correspondents refused to discuss the identity of the nations that participated in Red Flag but confirmed that it was done jointly with other countries, Haaretz reported.
"We train together with anyone who attends the exercise. We have no say in the matter," he said.
"In a group it is impossible to hide your level. If you did not carry out the mission given to you, everyone sees it," said the defence official to emphasise the importance of the thorough preparedness.
Earlier in response to a question on Israels participation in the prestigious exercise alongside Pakistan, a Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson had said that "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", she had said.
Eight Israeli F-16I (Sufa or Storm) fighter jets took part in the exercise this year, along with Israeli refuelling planes, all of which retuned here yesterday.
All 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.
Col. Amit said the exercise, which ended on August 26, lasted for two weeks and included daily flights, in daylight as well as at night.
Some 50 warplanes from the five countries participated in the exercise, alongwith helicopters, aerial defence units, and intelligence and special forces units.
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.
However, relations between the two countries have been rather strained since the 2008 attacks in Mumbai when Pakistan-backed terrorists also attacked the Jewish Chabad house in the city, killing six people. PTI HM ASK ASK
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Former child soldier turned electrician, George Bull buys electrical wires from shop to connect power in a home in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, Liberia, on August 31. The 34 year old former child soldier joined the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) in 1998, after he was abducted as a 16-year-old by fighters.
As part of the Disarmament and Demobilization package for ex-combatants, he enrolled at a Junior high school to continue his education in Monrovia. George learned electricity from a church member, and has now become a professional electrician, providing services to residents in his community. According to reports, the Liberian civil war claimed the lives of more than 250,000 Liberians and further displaced a million into refugee camps in neighboring countries in the West African sub region. EPA/Ahmed Jallanzo
Two years after triggering an oil price war, Saudi Arabia has seemingly had enough of cheap crude amid budget pressures, fear of a future supply shortage, and as it seeks to offload a stake in state-owned producer Aramco.
The change in tone comes as Opec and other producers such as Russia may resume talks on stabilising output when they meet in Algeria later this month, after a similar effort to boost oil prices collapsed in April due to Saudi-Iranian tensions.
"The Saudis are going to Algeria for a freeze," said a source in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries who is familiar with the matter and declined to be identified.
"More and more ministers are now talking among themselves to evaluate their production position."
Opec in November 2014 made a landmark policy shift, led by Saudi Arabia, refusing to cut production by itself in the hope that lower prices would discourage higher-cost competitors that had eroded the group's market share.
Further cementing the impression of a production free-for-all, OPEC ditched its last remaining supply-management tool, an output ceiling, in December 2015.
From 2014 until earlier this year, Saudi Arabia's then-minister for oil, Ali Al-Naimi, offered little verbal support for prices. The market determined them, Naimi said, but he gave no preferred range or any indication of what levels could be sustained in the long term.
Since Khalid Al-Falih took over as energy minister, the tone has visibly shifted. He says the world needs oil above $50 per barrel to achieve a balanced market, and raised the prospect of Saudi Arabia resuming its role of balancing supply and demand.
Outwardly, there is no sign yet of a definite change in policy. But behind the scenes, Saudi Arabia has been working towards boosting prices, rather than leaving that job to market forces.
At Opec's last meeting in June, held in Vienna, Al-Falih surprised some of his counterparts by proposing Opec set a new output ceiling, according to several people familiar with the matter.
PRICE-BOOSTING ACTION AIRED
In Vienna, Al-Falih floated a number of ideas in private meetings on how best to manage the supply glut, and questioned independent Opec analysts during separate meetings as to the possible price impact of a production freeze or even a cut.
At private talks with the Nigerian oil minister before the June 2 Opec meeting, Al-Falih was willing to revive the idea of a production freeze while showing more tolerance towards Iran, which is raising output post-sanctions, sources said.
"The Saudi minister met with the Nigerian minister and discussed a ceiling of 32 million barrels per day with flexibility towards Iran," one source said.
More talks with Iran led by Qatar, which holds the Opec presidency in 2016, took place privately but they failed to get Tehran on board because Iran argued it needed to regain market share lost during years of Western sanctions, the sources said.
On the day of the Opec meeting, Gulf members proposed discussing a ceiling.
"But Iran said no, so the ministers moved quickly to discuss the secretary-general nomination," the source said. Opec agreed to appoint Nigerian Mohammed Barkindo to the position.
ARAMCO VALUATION
Saudi Arabia is by far the largest Opec producer, pumping more than twice as much as the second-biggest, Iraq.
Even so, plunging oil prices since mid-2014 have put stress on Saudi Arabia's finances, causing a big budget deficit last year and forcing the kingdom to seek new sources of income, including taxes and other fees and to cut spending.
The government is trying to boost non-oil revenue and modernise the economy through a reform plan called "Vision 2030", championed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, of which the centrepiece is the sale of a stake in Saudi Aramco.
Sources in the oil industry say this partly explains the shift in tone on prices.
The Saudis "want higher oil prices for a better Aramco valuation", one industry source said, adding that some think Aramco could be valued as high as $4 trillion.
Prince Mohammed has said he expects the initial public offering (IPO) to value Aramco at at least $2 trillion, but that the figure might end up being higher. Any valuation would account for oil price expectations and the size of Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves.
Another industry source familiar with the matter agreed.
"A stable oil price at a moderate level would help an IPO. I don't know if the IPO is the major factor - but it's certainly a factor," he said.
"Saudi Arabia does not want to crash the price. Their target indeed would be somewhere north of $50 - $60 or so."
Saudi officials have also discussed the possibility that too much future supply could be curtailed by investment cutbacks if prices remain lower for longer, and are wary of the risk of a price spike, the second industry source said.
Al-Falih has talked about the issue publicly, saying in June that even $50 oil would not create a rush back to investment.
"There's a real fear," the source said. "So many conventional oil projects are being cancelled."
NOT FLOODING THE MARKET
Saudi production stands near a record high of 10.7 million barrels per day (bpd) - on a par with Russia and the United States.
But some market insiders have suggested Saudi Arabia cannot afford to push output any further and sustain it for a long period because despite official affirmation it can produce as much as 12.5 million bpd if needed, Riyadh has never really tested such levels.
The change in Saudi tone has been welcomed by Opec delegates from non-Gulf nations - many of which privately blame Riyadh for the price crash.
"The Saudis have to play differently. They cannot sell 10 percent of Aramco if the price of oil is miserable," an Opec source from a non-Gulf country said.
But despite the behind-the-scenes talks, Opec delegates and industry sources are sceptical that the tone shift will be backed with concrete action either by the Saudis or producers collectively.
"I don't think anything Al-Falih says means they are going to cut production," said the industry source. "It means Saudi will be cautious in doing things that might flood the market."
Al-Falih, in an interview with Reuters in August, tempered expectations of any production cut, saying significant intervention in the market was not necessary. But he did not dismiss the idea of a production freeze.
"If there is consensus that emerges between now and the Algiers meeting, Saudi Arabia as always will be a constructive player in these discussions and we will be willing to participate," he said. - Reuters
Turkish Airlines has expended its operations in Romania with flights to Cluj-Napoca, it's third destination in the country.
Beginning from today, Cluj-Napoca flights will be operated four times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in both directions.
Introductory trip fares are available from Istanbul to Cluj-Napoca, starting from $99 and from Cluj-Napoca to Istanbul $110.3, inclusive of taxes and fees.
Additionally, for the first six months of operation to the new destinations, there is a special offer for Miles&Smiles members, with a 25 per cent reduction in the miles needed to redeem either award tickets or upgrades. - TradeArabia News Service
Celebrating 30 years of commitment to Jordan, Emirates has announced a special sale of up to 30 per cent off fares to select destinations in its Economy and Business Class cabins for the Jordanian market.
Emirates will operate a special one-off A380 service to Amman on September 25, and will make history when it becomes the first-ever scheduled A380 service to Queen Alia International Airport.
The 30th anniversary special fares apply to more than 20 destinations across the Emirates network when booked between September 1 to 10, 2016 - for travel from September 18 until October 31, 2016.
Emirates will also be offering 3,000 bonus Skywards Miles for its members travelling on the special one off A380 flight from Amman to Dubai and beyond.
Emirates operates 21 weekly flights between Amman and Dubai. - TradeArabia News Service
Vikas Swarup also slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's appointment of 22 special envoys to the United Nations to raise the Kashmir dispute.
By Maha Siddiqui: Pakistan can write as many letters as they want to the United Nations but this will not change the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said today.
Addressing the media over Pakistan's attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, the spokesperson said that a part of Jammu and Kashmir was illegally occupied by Pakistan and was a concern for India.
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"The ground reality is that part of Jammu and Kashmir is under illegal occupation of Pakistan. Any third party collaboration will be our concern," Vikas Swarup said.
The MEA spokesperson also slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's appointment of 22 special envoys to the United Nations to raise the Kashmir dispute.
"Sending out 22 envoys is not going to make untenable claims legal. They should have sent just one envoy with the right message of putting an end to cross-border terrorism," Vikas Swarup said.
Vikas Swarup's remarks came after Nawaz Sharif sent a letter to the UN chief for the second time and sought its intervention in the Kashmir issue. Sharif urged the UN to probe alleged human rights violations in the Valley.
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakariya said that Sharif sent the letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon apprising him of the deteriorating situation in Kashmir. Sharif sent the letter in response to UN Secretary General's call for making efforts to avoid further violence in Kashmir, he said.
"The Prime Minister mentioned that while 'Azad Jammu and Kashmir' cannot be compared in terms of the grim and tragic situation of human rights in Kashmir, it remains open to any UN mission for a visit as it has always facilitated the UNMOGIP, foreign diplomats and tourists," the FO said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj slammed Pakistan for providing a safe haven to terrorists.
During his visit to India, US Secretary of State John Kerry too agreed that Pakistan needed to take adopt more measures to take action against the perpetrators of terror.
Also read: PoK a thorn in our flesh, would have been India's if we had opted for military solution: Air Chief
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Each month, the U.S. Travel Association sends its members the U.S. Travel Outlook, which provides insight into the current state of the travel economy and related industry trends, plus other relevant data and information on the travel and tourism sector.
Each month, the U.S. Travel Association sends its members the U.S. Travel Outlook, which provides insight into the current state of the travel economy and related industry trends, plus other relevant data and information on the travel and tourism sector.
U.S. Employment Better Than Expected; Travel Jobs Surge
U.S. employment overall grew more than expected in Julyand travel job growth surged right along with it for the second month in a row.
According to U.S. Travel estimates, all major travel-related industries experienced job growth, totaling 17,100 travel jobs added in July. So far this year, the travel industry has added an average of 7,300 jobs per month, a rate on par with 2015. Overall, the travel industry remains a consistent job creator for the current U.S. economy, adding new jobs 15 out of the past 20 months. Since the post-recession employment recovery began in early 2010, job creation in the travel industry has outpaced that of the rest of the economy by 17 percent.
Where in the U.S. Do Americans Want to Travel?
This months National Park Centennial has likely inspired more Americans to see what their country has to offer. In fact, nearly four in ten respondents to a recent AAA survey said they were more likely to visit a U.S. national park in the next year compared to recent years. How do domestic travel intentions for the coming months based on lodging searches stack up against this trend?
According to Julys U.S. Travel Barometer, it appears that greater numbers of U.S. residents would prefer to stay closer to home. Nearly eight in 10 (79 percent) of U.S. residents with near-term travel intent searched for lodging within the U.S. in the September through October timeframe. Cheaper gas prices and instability overseas are likely motivating Americans to use their vacation time to explore destinations in their own backyard.
As it has done consistently the last few months, the Southeast region of the U.S. (which includes Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and the Carolinas) captured one-third (33 percent) of domestic searches, followed by the Far West (which includes California, Alaska and Hawaii) with 19 percent, and the Mideast (which includes New York and Washington, D.C.) with 13 percent. The Far West and Mideasts share of domestic travel searches declined somewhat compared to July of last year.
New Yorkers were the top source of travel searches to the Southeast region, followed by Florida. New York was also a top source state with travel intent to the Mideast.
International Interest in U.S. Destinations Post-Brexit
According to the latest U.S. Travel Barometer, Americas share of international travel searches increased to 14.6 percent in Julythe highest since January this yearwhile searches to European countries have experienced a decline in recent months. This is likely a result of a combination of factors, including the summer travel season winding down, Europeans staying closer to home post-Brexit, growing numbers of visitors from areas like China and India, and some avoidance of European destinations due to terrorism fears.
However, the softening European travel marketa top inbound market to the U.S. Mideastpushed that region into second place, with 26 percent of international searches, behind the Southeast, which claimed 31 percent. Canada and Germany were the top sources of travel searches to all regions in the U.S., while India notably moved into the top five sources of travel intentions to the Great Lakes, Plains and Southwest regions in July.
However, it remains to be seen whether an unprecedented Zika-related travel warning for the Miami area will affect tourism to the Southeast region.
A deeper dive into the data available in the August 2016 U.S. Travel Outlookwhich includes the latest data releases on travel employment, transportation, lodging metrics and more - is online here.
U.S. Travel Association members receive the full U.S. Travel Outlook, plus a myriad of other cutting-edge research reports with information relevant to the travel industry. Learn more about the benefits of becoming a member here - or simply continue to enjoy a small taste of U.S. Travels research insight each month here, with the Research Round-Up.
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2022 Travel Industry Wire
"The report was completed in January 1956 and submitted to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but since it was a classified document, neither side released it," website Bosefiles.info said.
By Press Trust of India: A classified 60-year-old Japanese government document on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's death made public today clearly concludes that the legendary freedom fighter died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, backing the official version.
Bosefiles.info, a UK website set up to document evidence on the circumstances surrounding Netaji's death, today said this is the first time the report titled 'Investigation on the cause of death and other matters of the late Subhas Chandra Bose' has been made public because it remained classified by Japanese authorities and was kept a secret by the Indian government.
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"The report was completed in January 1956 and submitted to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but since it was a classified document, neither side released it," the website says.
The seven-page report in Japanese and a 10-page translation in English reaches the conclusion that Netaji met with an air crash on 18 August, 1945 and died at a Taipei hospital the same evening.
"Immediately after taking off, the airplane in which he (Bose) rode fell to the ground, and he was wounded," the report notes in its 'Outline of the result of the investigation'.
It further records that at "about 3.00 pm he entered the Nanmon Branch of Taipei Army Hospital"; and that at "about 7.00 pm he died".
The findings also state that on "August 22, he was cremated (at the Taipei Municipal crematorium)".
In a more detailed description of the incident, the report says: "After the plane had taken off and risen about 20 metres above the ground, one petal of the three-petaled propeller of the left wing was suddenly broken, and the engine fell off.
"The airplane, subsequently unbalanced, crashed into ballast piles, beside the strip of the airport" and "was wrapped in flames in a moment.
"Mr Bose, wrapped up in flames, got off the plane; Adjutant Rahmin (Colonel Habibur Rehman) and other passengers exerted themselves to take his clothes off... his whole body was seriously wounded by burns."
The Japanese government report on the death of Netaji, who was 48 years old then, backs the Shah Nawaz Khan-led inquiry instituted by the then Indian prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, which had investigated the matter later in 1956, according to a press release issued by the website.
The report provides salient features relating to his condition and the treatment administered to him at the hospital.
It then reads: "Until about 7 p.m. he kept clear consciousness, and had talks with Adjutant Rahmin, but suddenly his consciousness was lost, and his heart ceased to move. In spite of several injections of heart stimulant and artificial aspiration (respiration), he could not revive."
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The document adds: "By his side were Military-Surgeon (Toyoshi) Tsuruta, Colonel Rahmin, Interpreter Nakamura and a gendarme (as a guard) at the moment of his death."
The report also includes four sketches: of the airport and where the plane crashed; of the plane and where each passenger sat, including Bose; of the hospital and the room where Bose was treated; and a more detailed one of the same room and the bed in which Bose breathed his last.
The investigation obtained evidence from 13 Japanese officials who, the report asserts, were "considered to have had some relations with the matter". These included survivors of and eye-witnesses to the crash besides two doctors who treated Netaji at the hospital.
Ashis Ray, creator of Bosefiles.info, said: "This is yet another decisive breakthrough. There is now no reason why the government of India should not accede to Bose's daughter Anita Pfaff's request to transfer her father's ashes from Tokyo to India."
"An unimpeachable authority like the Japanese government has independently corroborated and vindicated bosefiles.info's previous chronicling of events."
"I am reliably informed Japan's diplomatic archive plans to release the document at the end of September. A copy of the document has been given to the Indian government. The fact is the Indian embassy in Tokyo and the ministry of external affairs in Delhi had misplaced the copy given to it in 1956," Ray said.
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So what is with all the dying bees? Scientists have been trying to discover this for years. Meanwhile, bees keep dropping like... well, you know.
Is it mites? Pesticides? Cell phone towers? What is really at the root? Turns out the real issue really scary, because it is more complex and pervasive than thought.
Quartz reports:
Scientists had struggled to find the trigger for so-called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) that has wiped out an estimated 10 million beehives, worth $2 billion, over the past six years. Suspects have included pesticides, disease-bearing parasites and poor nutrition. But in a first-of-its-kind study published today in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists at the University of Maryland and the US Department of Agriculture have identified a witchs brew of pesticides and fungicides contaminating pollen that bees collect to feed their hives. The findings break new ground on why large numbers of bees are dying though they do not identify the specific cause of CCD, where an entire beehive dies at once.
The researchers behind that study in PLOS ONE -- Jeffery S. Pettis, Elinor M. Lichtenberg, Michael Andree, Jennie Stitzinger, Robyn Rose, Dennis vanEngelsdorp -- collected pollen from hives on the east coast, including cranberry and watermelon crops, and fed it to healthy bees. Those bees had a serious decline in their ability to resist a parasite that causes Colony Collapse Disorder. The pollen they were fed had an average of nine different pesticides and fungicides, though one sample of pollen contained a deadly brew of 21 different chemicals. Further, the researchers discovered that bees that ate pollen with fungicides were three times more likely to be infected by the parasite.
The discovery means that fungicides, thought harmless to bees, is actually a significant part of Colony Collapse Disorder. And that likely means farmers need a whole new set of regulations about how to use fungicides. While neonicotinoids have been linked to mass bee deaths -- the same type of chemical at the heart of the massive bumble bee die off in Oregon -- this study opens up an entirely new finding that it is more than one group of pesticides, but a combination of many chemicals, which makes the problem far more complex.
And it is not just the types of chemicals used that need to be considered, but also spraying practices. The bees sampled by the authors foraged not from crops, but almost exclusively from weeds and wildflowers, which means bees are more widely exposed to pesticides than thought.
The authors write, "[M]ore attention must be paid to how honey bees are exposed to pesticides outside of the field in which they are placed. We detected 35 different pesticides in the sampled pollen, and found high fungicide loads. The insecticides esfenvalerate and phosmet were at a concentration higher than their median lethal dose in at least one pollen sample. While fungicides are typically seen as fairly safe for honey bees, we found an increased probability of Nosema infection in bees that consumed pollen with a higher fungicide load. Our results highlight a need for research on sub-lethal effects of fungicides and other chemicals that bees placed in an agricultural setting are exposed to."
While the overarching issue is simple -- chemicals used on crops kill bees -- the details of the problem are increasingly more complex, including what can be sprayed, where, how, and when to minimize the negative effects on bees and other pollinators while still assisting in crop production. Right now, scientists are still working on discovering the degree to which bees are affected and by what. It will still likely be a long time before solutions are uncovered and put into place. When economics come into play, an outright halt in spraying anything at all anywhere is simply impossible.
Quartz notes, "Bee populations are so low in the US that it now takes 60% of the countrys surviving colonies just to pollinate one California crop, almonds. And thats not just a west coast problemCalifornia supplies 80% of the worlds almonds, a market worth $4 billion."
By PTI: Chennai, Sep 1 (PTI) Slamming the latest increase in fuel prices, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today once again pressed for revising the price fixation mechanism for petrol and diesel.
"I have often pointed out that determining prices of petrol and diesel based on international fuel rates is not right," she said in a statement here, and sought rollback of the hike.
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"Such a price fixation mechanism paves the way for oil marketing companies making profit," she said, adding, in the past the government had not completely passed on the benefit of fall in oil prices on consumers by revising excise duty.
Opposing the latest hike, Jayalalithaa reiterated that fuel prices should be based on factors such as cost of imported crude and its refining.
Effecting the latest revision citing global trends was "not right", she said.
The hike will result in increase in prices of goods which will "severely impact" the poor and middle classes, she said. PTI SA BN DIP DK
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Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 31
With 200 students on the roll, the newly-established Khalsa University (KU) set its current academic session rolling by kicking off inaugural classes for various subjects here today.
Presently, the primary subjects in focus are education, pharmacy, physical education and law, said varsity office-bearers. They emphasized that the KU will emerge as centre for research and higher learning within a few years.
The university, which has opened PhD programmes for all subjects, will also focus on agriculture, engineering and nursing in days to come, said Vice-Chancellor, Dr SS Chahal, while inaugurating the classes today. Pro-Chancellor Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina was also present on the occasion.
The Vice-Chancellor (VC) said, The KU will not be purely commercial entity as are various private universities. Being run by elected body of a public society, the varsity will realise its dream of making education an approach of a common man.
Earlier, while welcoming Chhina on the campus the VC said he was proud to be associated with the historic Khalsa College Charitable Society. Talking about his association with various universities of the world, the VC promised to focus on credible research and upkeep topmost educational standards in the institution.
He thanked faculty members, including Dr JS Dhillon, Principal of Khalsa College of Education.
Earlier, Chhina reiterated societys resolve to make the university a professional institution of higher learning. He added that the number of students would go up from the next session as they would be rolling on more faculties and programmes.
Addressing students during inaugural class sessions, both Chhina and Chahal spoke about new challenges before education and remedies for the quality dissemination of knowledge.
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, August 31
Volunteers and dissenters of the Aam Aadmi Party today protested against the AAP candidate and state womens wing in charge Baljinder Kaur over corruption in Talwandi Sabo. They said she was involved in a land grab case.
They claimed that the AAP leader, in a short span of time, had managed to get about four new luxury cars and a bungalow.
Expelled from AAP a long time ago, Jassi Jasraj had earlier taken a jibe at AAP leaders on social media.
He has levelled same allegations against Baljinder Kaur.
He raised objections over AAP candidates, including Mohan Singh Falianwala, Anu Randhawa from Ghanaur, whose father Jagsir Singh Randhawa was a Congress leader.
Jasraj has alleged that Chhotepur went to a function of Sanjay Singh in Delhi by air but during his return, he uploaded pictures of travelling by train to project himself as aam aadmi.
Jasraj also took a jibe at Gurlabh Mahal, who allegedly conducted a sting on Chhotepur, maintaining that Mahal was expelled after he slapped another AAP leader but later he was made a joint secretary.
He added that Baljinder Kaur was facing many allegations that were also doing rounds on social media but even then she was allotted a ticket.
While speaking over phone, Jasraj said, Baljinder Kaur doesnt deserve the ticket. Arvind Kejriwal had always said that common and honest men should come and fight elections to bring nepotism to an end. But there is a huge difference in the statements and reality as near and dear ones of politicians are being allotted party tickets.
Jasraj Singh Jassi fought 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda against MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and PPP-turned-Congress leader Manpreet Badal.
He alleged that no one, including Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal, came to his support then, despite Bathinda being known as Badals citadel.
AAP has made Bhagwant Mann a pawn in Punjab. The people of Punjab are hurt with as they wanted a third front but now, they feel cheated after people who are on the radar of suspicion are getting party tickets, he added.
Baljinder Kaur said, People who are protesting against me are not volunteers of the party. They are either expelled from the party or planted by rivals. If they are party volunteers then they should follow the party directions. Its very easy to level allegations and say anything but they should prove it. Everyone knows about my property and I have made it public. All I want to say is that they have personal interest behind the protests or the social media campaign launched against us.
AAP volunteer Nahar Singh said, We staged a protest today against Baljinder Kaur, who is allegedly involved in corrupt practices. We chose AAP to get rid of both Akalis and the Congress, who had looted Punjab, but AAP is no different.
Washington, September 1
India has received nearly $11 billion in remittances from the US in 2015 ranking third after Mexico and China, according to a report released by an American research centre.
As such, India ranks third after Mexico ($24 billion) and China ($16 billion) in remittances from the US in 2015, Pew Research Centre (PRC) said in its latest report.
Worldwide, an estimated $582 billion was sent by migrants to relatives in their home countries in 2015, a 2 per cent decline from 2014, when the amount was $592 billion.
This is the first drop in global remittances since 2009, when they fell by $8 billion amid the global financial crisis.
Despite this recent decline, remittances sent by migrants are still about double what they were a decade ago, before the sharp decline in the global economy during the late 2000s.
And, with the exception of 2009, migrant remittances worldwide have steadily climbed since the World Bank began releasing estimates in 1970.
In all $133.5 billion in remittances was sent from the US to other countries in 2015. Interestingly Pew Research Centre said in the year 2015, about $8.4 billion in remittances was sent from India to other countries.
The top remittances recipients countries are Indias neighbours lead by Bangladesh which received $4.4 billion followed by Pakistan ($2.34 billion), Nepal ($1 billion), Sri Lanka ($492 million), Burma ($41 million) and China ($40 million).
Curiously enough, the US received $6 million in remittances from India in 2015.
Pew has based its report on data collected from the World Bank.
According to Pew in 2015, India received nearly $69 billion in remittances from overseas, with the UAE leading with more than $12.5 billion.
UAE was followed by the US and Saudi Arabia (about $10.5 billion). Notably India received remittances of more than $4.69 billion from Pakistan, which was followed by Kuwait ($4.5 billion), Qatar (about $4 billion), the UK ($3.6 billion), Oman ($3 billion) and Nepal (about $2.7 billion).
Pew said in 2015, $5.1 billion in remittances was sent from Pakistan to other countries, of which India alone accounted for nearly $4.7 billion, followed by Bangladesh (252 million), Afghanistan ($107 million) and Myanmar ($72 million).
On the other hand, Pakistan received remittances of more than $19 billion from other countries in 2015.
The list was topped by Saudi Arabia ($5 billion), the UAE ($4.7 billion), India ($2.3 billion), the UK ($1.4 billion) and Kuwait ($981 million). PTI
Manish Sirhindi
Tribune News Service
Patiala, September 1
The defence counsel in the RRS chief Rulda Singh murder case today moved an application before the court of Additional Sessions and District Judge seeking a meeting with Jagtar Tara inside the Burail Jail premises in accordance with the provisions of the jail manual.
Counsel for Tara, Brijinder Singh Sodhi, brought to the notice of the court that recently he had gone to meet Tara at the Burail Jail, but the authorities arranged the meeting in the hall where general public was meeting with their relatives.
He contended that as per the jail manual, a lawyer could meet his client inside the jail within site but out of hearing to ensure their privacy under elaborate security arrangement.
Tara, who also appeared before the court through videoconferencing, also told the court that he was unable to discuss his case with his lawyer as they were not allowed to sit out of hearing.
Sodhi said following this, the court ordered the jail authorities to rearrange a meeting of Tara with his lawyer as per the provisions of the court.
Rulda Singh, head of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, an affiliate of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was gunned down by assailants outside his house in 2009. The investigating agencies had zeroed in on a dozen suspects, including UK-based Khalistan supporters in this case.
In February last year, the court had acquitted five persons, including Darshan Singh Makaropur, Jagmohan Singh, Daljeet Singh, GurjantSingh and Amarjeet Singh, in this case. However, the hearing against two other accused in the case, Jagtar Singh Tara and another Khalistan Tigers Force terrorist Ramandeep Singh Goldy, is still pending. While Goldy had been extradited from Malaysia in November 2014, Tara was arrested in Thailand and brought to India in January, 2015.
Rulda Singh was shot at outside his residence in Patiala on July 28, 2009. He was rushed to the local Rajindra Hospital. From there, he was shifted to the PGI, Chandigarh, where he died on August 15, 2009.
The police had initially registered a case against unidentified persons on July 29, 2009, and arrested four persons, but they were let off.
Later in September 2009, the police named Darshan Singh Makaropur, Jagmohan Singh, Daljeet Sing, Gurjant Singh and Amarjeet Singh in the FIR on the charges of assisting Rulda Singhs assailants who had come here from the UK. They were later placed they under arrest.
The police also suspected role of Paramjit Singh Pamma and four other UK-based activists in the murder. The West Midlands Police had put Pamma under house arrest in July 2010, along with three other suspects, including Gursharan Bir Singh, Piara Singh Gill and Amritbir Singh, who were detained.
As nothing concrete was established against the four during their investigations, an eight-member team of the WIP investigators under detective superintendent George Tracy had visited Punjab in December 2010 and separately interrogated Jagmohan Singh and Darshan Singh, who were arrested in connection with the same case. The two were lodged at Patiala and Nabha jails, respectively, at that time. Later, the WIP investigators had given Pamma and others a clean chit.
THE CASE
Tribune News Service
Mohali, September 1
Chandigarh University (CU) has signed MoU with nine universities from Philippines and Taiwan. The universities included University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao City, University of Philippines Los Banos, University of San JoseRecoletos (USJ-R), Philippines, Pampanga State Agricultural University, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Taiwan, Chang Jung Christian University, Taiwan, National Central University, Taiwan, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST), Taiwan and I-Shou University, Taiwan.
We would offer student exchange and faculty exchange programmes, summer internships, semester abroad and joint research initiatives to students in their respective field of expertise, said Dr RS Bawa, Vice-Chancellor, CU.
The mutual areas of interest where joint research would be carried out by the partner universities included agriculture, agri-business, economics, law, science and technology, business management, film studies, nano-technology, space science and media, said Dr Bawa.
Tribune News Service
Patiala, August 31
Vikas Partap, IAS, Secretary, Medical Education and Research, today visited the Government Medical College, Patiala, for the first time after becoming the secretary of the department.
Vikas presided over a high-level meeting with faculty members and asked for suggestions for the betterment of the medical education and research as well as to provide better patient care.
College principal BL Bhardwaj said he also learnt about the problems faced by the faculty and assured to resolve them at the earliest.
During his visit, he also reviewed the working of different departments and visited the state-of-the-art medical research unit and virology lab.
He also reviewed the development works of new hostels for boys and girls, state-of-the-art auditorium, five new lectures theatres and new library complex for medical students. He also visited new mortuary building at Rajindra Hospital.
After reviewing the developments works, he expressed his satisfaction about the way the work was progressing and assured every possible help for these works.
Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi, Director, Research and Medical Education, and other senior doctors also accompanied him.
The times are bleak for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Just when infighting rocked its Punjab unit, supremo Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi had to sack his third minister. Since AAP has kept the moral bar high by frequently setting upon its opponents for even minor infractions, it was forced to walk the talk. To its credit, instead of hanging on to technicalities, the party did show the door to the minister. In Punjab, AAP has painfully discovered that the high commands whims and orders do not resonate well with people endowed with a permanent streak of autonomy in thought and action. Punjab may be willing to experiment with AAP, but the party is not getting a handle on its own revolutionary instincts.
Its facade of being a party of volunteers has taken a beating as cadres have literally crossed swords with each other in some places. The Chhotepur episode would have awakened the leadership to the reality that it is easier to ease out gentlemen-politicians like Dharamvir Gandhi than the ones who have made their way from the wrestling pits of grassroots politics. Its leadership has also failed to display the necessary intellectual bandwidth to debate volatile issues and instead opts for a high-pitched denunciation or total surrender. That is why AAP allowed Vishal Dadlani and Jignesh Mewani to leave the party rather than take a stand against entrenched beliefs and interests.
AAPs victory in Delhi was a romp though the challenge was spearheaded by the Prime Minister himself. In Punjab, it is now facing up to the realities of the rough and tumble of the countryside and the money-draining challenge of maintaining a functional party apparatus in every nook and corner. All this while, the huge legislative majority in Delhi has given it no respite from the Centres game plan of steady strangulation with the help of ever-willing security agencies and uncooperative municipal departments. AAP is not unique in facing this awkward moment. When a heady movement matures into a political party, the existing forces try their best to discredit it. It will have to reinvent its organisational structure while ensuring that its founding principles remain intact.
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 1
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today lambasted Haryana for maintaining silence before the Bench on its decision to tie former IPS officer Prakash Singhs hands on police reforms.
The rap came after the Bench took a serious view of the fact that an action-taken report filed before the court by Haryana Personnel Department Secretary Neerja Sekhar was totally silent on asking Prakash Singh not to undertake the second part of his assignment on police reforms for preventing the recurrence of violence in the state during the reservation agitation. Asking Haryana to clarify its stand, the Bench gave it time till September 22.
After Additional Solicitor-General of India Tushar Mehta read out the contents of an affidavit on action against police personnel on the basis of the Prakash Singh panel report, the amicus curiae or the friend of the court Anupam Gupta stood up to say he wanted to address the Bench on the letting down of the illustrious IPS officer.
Referring to his appointment order, Gupta said the second part of the assignment was on studying the existing structure/procedures and the systems for maintenance of law and order. He also read out a portion from Prakash Singhs biodata earlier placed before the Bench, which appreciated him for his efforts on bringing about police reforms.
Gupta added the state went back on its initial decision as its Additional Chief Secretary Ram Niwas sent a letter, saying the government has decided against his continuing with the second part of his assignment since many of his recommendations in the report already touch upon these matters.
Gupta also placed before the Bench a newspaper clipping on Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattars statement that Prakash Singh had offered to prepare a second report on police modernisation. The report quoted Khattar as saying that Prakash Singh forcibly gave an offer for his appointment, which was refused.
Gupta said the entire world knew about the development, but the court monitoring the matter was kept in dark. The state did not consider itself accountable to the High Court. He added the state was not too happy with his (Prakash Singh) first report on the role of officers in the police and civil administration and did some rethinking.
The Bench asserted something new was coming up on every date of hearing, and state counsel was at sea. You had told the court that you would implement the report in toto. Why did you not bring this to our notice? What was the need to issue the letter and why was the Advocate-General not aware? You should have informed him.
In an attempt to justify its stand, Additional Advocate-General Lokesh Sinhal said the court was not informed as it was not the issue before the Bench. Refusing to accept the argument, the Bench said modalities for preventing the recurrence of such incidents was an issue before the court. You have to inform the court, Justice Saron asserted.
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 31
On the last day of the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha, the Haryana legislators today unanimously voted for themselves a hefty pay hike over 60 per cent which will take their monthly salary to Rs 1.5 lakh from the current Rs 95,000. The hike will be effective from April 1.
Moving the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members) Amendment Bill, 2016, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma cited the rise in the cost of living as the reason for the substantial hike in the monthly salaries, allowances and fringe benefits to the legislators. The hike will put an additional burden of over Rs 9 crore on the state exchequer per year.
After revision, the salary and allowances would include the monthly salary (Rs 40,000, up from Rs 30,000), constituency allowance (Rs 60,000, up from Rs 30,000), office allowance (Rs 25,000 from Rs 10,000), telephone allowance (Rs 15,000, without any increase) and sumptuary allowance (Rs 10,000 from Rs 5,000 at present).
However, the tax-free salary excluded daily allowance of Rs 2,000 per day (up from Rs 1,500 per day at present) and Rs 3 lakh per annum free travelling allowance (up from Rs 2 lakh currently paid to the members).
A committee constituted by the Haryana Assembly under the chairmanship of BJP chief whip Gian Chand Gupta had recommended an over 100 per cent hike in legislators pay and perks in the last budget session.
The salary hike, ironically, came on a day when the ruling BJP MLAs made quite a show of coming to the House on bicycles and rickshaws to promote eco-friendly travel, and also as a symbol of frugality.
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 1
The Special Investigating Team (SIT) of the Haryana Police, it seems, has inched closer towards cracking the Murthal case. Just over a fortnight after Haryana admitted surfacing of evidence suggesting rape, it today told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that developments had taken place and the probe was at a sensitive stage.
As the suo motu case based on The Tribune reports came up for resumed hearing this morning, Additional Solicitor-General of India Tushar Mehta told the Bench of Justice SS Saron and Justice Lisa Gill that SIT in charge Mamta Singh was seeking personal audience and she may be permitted to address the Bench in chamber for just about 10 minutes in larger interest of justice.
Appearing for the state, Mehta said some developments had taken place. His assertion came as the Bench was about to question him on audio recording of a victims mother by a web-portal journalist. The court, on the previous date of hearing, was told that the journalist was no-cooperating.
Mehta reiterated that Mamta Singh wanted to address the Bench in camera on certain issues, while adding that the journalist was now co-operating. Amicus curiae or friend of the court Anupam Gupta also told the Bench that he had informed the journalist about the court orders on fair investigation in accordance with law.
The Bench then proceeded inside the chamber to hear Mamta Singh. The interaction lasted for about 20 minutes. Speaking for the Bench after the conclusion of the in chamber proceedings, Justice Saron said the SIT in charge had told them that the probe had reached sensitive stage and more time was required, which was granted.
The state, on the previous date of hearing, had told the Bench that undergarments strewn in the fields of Murthal could be of rape victims, though the incident could have taken place prior to the agitation.
The Bench was also told that five accused arrested in connection with the case were being subjected to DNA mapping. The state had also, for the first time, quoted eyewitnesses as saying women were molested and dragged out of vehicles plying on the highway during the reservation agitation a statement amicus Gupta interpreted as suggestive of rape.
The matter was placed before the Bench after two Judges of the High Court had separately taken suo motu cognizance of a news report carried in these columns on the alleged sexual assault on women.
Tribune News Service
Shimla, September 1
The Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to launch the 24x7 water supply and sewerage rejuvenation plan in three wards in the city on a pilot basis under the revised Rs 1,000 crore Kol Dam water supply project which is being considered for funding by the World Bank.
This decision was taken here today during a meeting on the Kol Dam, project attended by the Irrigation and Public Health Secretary Anuradha Thakur, Municipal Commissioner, Pankaj Rai and six-member team of the World Bank.
The SMC has selected two municipal wards - Krishnanagar and Totu and the third one is being considered on the pilot basis.
The World Bank inspected the status of the water supply and sewerage system in these two wards, Rai said.
These three wards will have 24x7 water supply under the project. After the success of this pilot project, the IPH Department will include all areas of Shimla, including Shoghi, Ghanati, Durgapur and Fagu, said officials.
The pilot project will also rejuvenate the old water and sewerage connectivity in three wards that is expected to start in December, Rai said.
Firstly, the pilot project will be funded under the AMRUT scheme before the World Bank gives its fund for the project, he added.
On the Chanshal gravity scheme, IPH engineers said the Chanshal project was put in cold storage as it involved construction of over 100 km pipeline that involved forests areas.
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, September 1
The site selection committee of the Union Ministry for HRD today inspected the site proposed by the state government for establishment of Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) campus at Jadrangal in Dharamsala Assembly constituency.
The committee had as its members University Grants Commission (UGC) Secretary JS Sandhu, Joint Secretary Jitender Tripathi, Assistant Inspector General, Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) Kamal Preet, AIG Rajagopal Prashant, Principle Secretary (Education) Himachal, RD Dhiman, Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Jammu Ashok Aima, CUHP Vice-Chancellor Kuldip Chand Agnihotri and Superintendent Engineer, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Shimla circle PK Aggrawal.
Sources here said the committee has asked the state government to get geological study of the site at Jadrangal done to check its susceptibility to landslides. It also asked about the source of water supply to the institute. The IPH Department officials submitted a detailed plan of providing water scheme at CUHP campus at Jadrangal from Echo rivulet.
Some of the members raised queries regarding the connectivity of different patches of land that were being offered for the CUHP campus in Jadrangal.
The members from the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests asked the officials concerned to make a detailed map of the university campus so that the minimum number of trees are felled. Almost the entire stretch being offered to the CUHP at Jadrangal was forest land.
The state government has offered 600-hectare land for the development of CUHP campus at Jadrangal. The sources here said that though the visiting team was satisfied with the land being offered some of the members objected to the fact that it was available in pieces and joint chunk of land was not available.
The members of the committee, after carrying out a detailed inspection of the land, offered obeisance at Mata Chamunda Devi temple and also held a meeting there.
The committee would submit its report to the Union HRD Ministry that would take a final call over the matter.
Since the CUHP campus is already delayed by more than six years now the authorities were expecting that the land inspected would be approved so that the institute can have its permanent campus.
If the present site was approved, the case will go to the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests for diversion of forest land offered for the project for construction of university. While the university is being offered 600-acre land the actual campus is expected to be built on 44-acre land.
Our Correspondent
PALAMPUR, September 1
Despite regular check by the police and the local administration the mining mafia again reconstructed one more road near Thural in Bharnata Khud. Official sources told The Tribune that last week SDM Palampur Ajit Bhardwaj with the help of police had dismantled this road but the mining mafia restored the road again and started illegal mining.
Police today registered another FIR under provisions of HP Forest Act, HP Mining Act and Indian Penal code (IPC) against unknown person for illegally constructing a road to mining site in Balla village, 10 km from here, through forest land.
The FIR was registered on the directions of SP Kangra Sanjeev Gandhi, who personally visited the site. A team of forensic experts also visited the site and collected some samples. Till the filing of this news item no arrests could be made as villagers are not cooperating the police and shielding the accused.
The police are also investigating the role of mining inspector, forest guard and ranger for their alleged convenience with the mining mafia. A case under Prevention of Corruption Act has already been registered in Palampur police station in this regard.
The SP said it was not possible for the mining mafia to construct dozen of illegal roads on the forest land without the help of forest and mining departments. Both the departments failed to maintain any vigil and allowed the mafia to flourish.
He said these roads could not be constructed in a day. It obviously took several days, raising eyebrows about the role of both the departments. He did not rule out the possibility of more arrests.
Meanwhile, the local court today remanded both the accused arrested in connection with illegal mining to 15 days of judicial custody and sent them to district jail at Dharamsala. Both had reconstructed the roads dismantled by the SDM Palampur and again started illegal mining in Neugal river.
Tribune News Service
Kullu, September 1
Facing difficulty in intensifying its campaign for destroying cannabis, especially in higher reaches at inaccessible areas of Kullu, the district administration has engaged Sashastra Seema Bal. The force is equipped with modern equipment like brush cutters to accomplish the task. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kullu Rohit Rathor flagged off a group of 60 soldiers of the seema bal in Parvati valley yesterday. The area is notorious for cannabis production. Official sources told The Tribune here today that satellite images showed that cannabis was cultivated on high-altitude areas in the valley on large tracts of forest land. Destroying cannabis plants in the area could be a daunting task for the authority to accomplish.
Commander of SSB Shamshi at Kullu Anil Kumar Pathania was monitoring the group of personnel deployed in the area for cannabis destruction. He said in Pulga, Rasol and few other places Barshaini ahead in Parvati valley, the plants of cannabis grown in the area were probably of hybrid variety and cultivated deliberately by offenders involved in illicit trade.
Superintendent of Police Padam Chand stated that around 3,000 bighas of forest and agriculture land had been identified under cannabis cultivation in Manali, Banjar, Nagar, Manikaran and Parvati valley this year, while last year the area under cultivation was 2,700 bighas.
Since August 22, district police authorities have deployed 50 police personnel, 50 Home Guard jawans, personnel from the Public Works Department, Forest Department and local mahila mandals for cannabis eradication. The drive will continue till September 3, he added.
Famous for its scenic beauty, Kullu district has earned bad name on account of cannabis production trade.
Tribune News service
Srinagar, September 1
A teenager drowned in the Jhelum when a group of protesters was being chased by the police at Noorbagh in Srinagar today. He was identified as Danish Sultan, 13.
Reports said he jumped into the water along with two others to escape the police. While the two others swam to safety, Danish could not come out and drowned, residents said. The police said there was no deployment in the area and the reports were being verified.
Meanwhile, nearly 50 civilians were injured today in clashes between protesters and police across Kashmir as tension prevailed a day after the death of a youth in Baramulla district. Restrictions remained in force in various parts of the Valley and a complete shutdown continued across the region today.
Ahead of the eighth crucial Friday and separatists call for azadi march to the tehsil headquarters tomorrow, the authorities this evening decided to enforce curfew and restrictions in Srinagar tomorrow.
Intense protests have been witnessed after the Friday prayers across Kashmir, prompting the authorities to impose curfew in several areas, particularly in downtown Srinagar, where Jamia Masjid is located. No Friday prayers have been offered at Jamia masjid due to curfew during the past six Fridays.
The police said the overall situation remained under control throughout the Valley today, barring some incidents of stone-throwing.
Three stone-throwing incidents were reported from Srinagar and Kupwara and one each from Anantnag, Shopian, Ganderbal, Budgam and Sopore, a spokesman said.
Miscreants came on roads and attempted to disturb normal traffic and movement of people by throwing stones on vehicles and on police and security forces, he added.
Protests continued in north Kashmir today.
At least 20 civilians were injured in clashes in the Mazhama-Kanihama area, while three others got injured in clashes at Ompora, Budgam district. Tension also gripped Kaloosa and main town of Bandipora after clashes erupted following alleged harassment by security forces.
Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, September 1
A small hope is in the air that this time the all-party delegation of parliamentarians will bring some substantive message to enable Kashmir to come out of the current bloodletting crisis. But, there is a severe rider, too, that if it is going to be a repeat of the failed exercise of the past then there may be no early end to the unrest on the streets which flows from homes and mosques.
The scene in Kashmir is gloomy at the moment, with none having any clue about who all are behind the trouble and what would they settle for short of azadi, the catchphrase floated by the anti-India elements in the Valley.
However, now there is a universal acknowledgement of the fact that Pakistan has backed the whole trouble in a big way. The trouble had started after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, whose father Muzaffar Wani met with spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in Bengaluru last week.
It is a blasphemy to say here that azadi is not reachable, but people hard-pressed by the gloom in their lives argue that something should be delivered by the delegation which is landing here for two days from Sunday.
We have been adversely affected by the stone-throwers, curfew and the loss of economic activity, Gulzar, a fruit vendor near Dal gate, told The Tribune. We have pinned our hopes on the delegation, and hope that there is something substantive to lift us out of these unprecedented crisis.
This trepidation has an explanation because in the past all-party delegations had ended up with zero follow-up action on their recommendations or that of the interlocutors appointed by them.
It is expected that the delegation will throw light on its engagements on Saturday, and it has been made clear to them not to stand on prestige and meet separatists in the form of a delegation and not individuals. Others could be having grievances of economic nature, but the real symbol of the trouble are separatists and those who have decided to keep their businesses shut to give impetus to the cycle of protest calendars and shutdowns, announced by Islamabad through the separatists.
Do you think the all-party delegation would be able to make any breakthrough. I pray, it should (break the ice) because we cannot allow ourselves to live this condemned life in this Valley-wide prison, where pre-teen groups insult and humiliate elders and children have taken to the streets, said Nazir Ahmad, a businessman. It is not necessary that we explain our pain by meeting the delegation, it should understand our pain when they (delegation members) move around, he said.
They must visit or talk to separatists, he insisted. Although many believe that the separatists dont hold the key this time for different kinds of complexities are involved now, but they only are symbolism of what they call resistance.
The general mood here is that this is not the time to commit any error. If things are taken as usual then it might turn out to be a historic error.
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, September 1
While curfew has been lifted from most parts of the Valley, the administration is gearing up for the crucial Friday and the two-day visit of the all-party parliamentary delegation from Sunday.
The current unrest entered day 55 on Thursday as the death toll has reached 71.
There has been relaxation in the curfew-bound areas of the Valley--Anantnag and Pulwama towns and Nowhatta and MR Gunj areas in Srinagar--in the past three days. Curfew was lifted from all areas of the valley on Wednesday, an official spokesman said.
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Ahead of the eighth crucial Friday since the trouble started in early July, a decision to impose curfew and restrictions in vulnerable areas would be taken by Thursday evening, officials said.
The government is also taking preventive measures in view of the latest protest calendar issued by separatist organisations, which have called for shutdown from September 2 to 8. It has called for an Azadi march to the tehsil headquarters on Friday and occupying the Srinagar airport road, Lal Chowk and district headquarters for two days on September 3 and 4 when the members of all-party delegation would arrive here.
After the lifting of curfew and restrictions from most areas of the Valley since Monday, there has been near normal vehicular movement on roads. Public transport continues to be off the road and shops and business establishments are closed. There is thin attendance in government offices and the educational institutes are closed.
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, September 1
The main opposition partythe National Conference here on Thursday staged a dharna outside the Civil Secretariat to protest the use of excessive force by the security personnel.
The dharna was led by the partys general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar in which more than 50 legislators, former legislators and ministers and provincial leaders participated. As the NC leaders were holding the dharna outside the main gate of the Civil Secretariat they were detained and lodged in a police station for about one hour.
Despite the Home Ministers assurance that there would be an alternative to pellet guns, there is no decline in the use of pellets and the bullets, said senior party leader Nasir Aslam Wani. Even after 55 days of the crisis, one youth was killed due to a bullet in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district in North Kashmir yesterday, he lamented.
It was a peaceful dharna but the police did not spare us and lodged us in the police station, Shaheed Gunj, Wani said adding that other people were being harassed by the police and security forces.
Azhar Qadri
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, September 1
The Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including National Conference and Congress, are planning to list demands and talk in one voice before the all-party parliamentary delegation that is scheduled to visit the state on Sunday.
The Opposition parties were planning to meet the delegation and give a list of demands, sources said. The sources said the parties, which had earlier met at former Chief Minister Omar Abdullahs residence last month, were framing a unified list of demands that would be presented before the high-profile delegation.
The all-party delegation is scheduled to visit the state on Sunday as a part of an effort to find a solution to the ongoing unrest in the region. The Kashmir valley is simmering for the past eight weeks as widespread protests were sparked by the killing of a militant commander on July 8.
The Opposition parties had united on August 17 at Omars residence. The senior leaders and legislators of National Conference, Congress, CPM, PDF, AIP and DPN had met and appealed to the Union government to initiate dialogue and recognise the anger to address it. The parties, which have come together during the ongoing unrest, have a total strength of 30 in the 87-member strong Legislative Assembly.
A joint delegation of all Opposition parties had later visited New Delhi where they met President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and apprised them of the crisis.
Hold talks with all stakeholders, demands NC
Srinagar: Senior leaders and legislators of the National Conference on Thursday held a sit-in outside the civil secretariat here, asking the Central government to hold talks with all stakeholders, including separatists and militants.
NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, who led the protest, said New Delhi should hold broad-based and meaningful talks with all stakeholders, including the separatist leadership as well as militants.
New Delhi should talk to Hurriyat leaders and other separatist leaders. It should also engage in talks with militants as has been done in the past, Sagar said. There is no alternative to a credible dialogue and no further time should be wasted as the Valley is on the brink of complete chaos, he said.
Hope for lasting solution: Tarigami
Jammu: CPM MLA from Kulgam MY Tarigami, while appreciating the forthcoming visit of the delegation, said it should not just remain a cosmetic exercise. We hope that the all-party delegation will be the first step towards a lasting solution for Kashmir, said the CPM leader in a press conference here on Thursday.
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, August 1
Two suspected local militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were arrested in north Kashmirs Baramulla district.
Sources said Showkat Ahmed Ganai and Mohammad Parvez Mir were arrested in a joint operation by police and Army at Andergam Pattan, 30 km from here.
Their questioning led to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition. The recovery included an AK-47 rifle, and AK-56 rifle, ammunition, grenade-launchers and grenades, sources said.
The two militants were arrested at a time when security forces have resumed anti-militancy operations after a 50-day-hiatus. The anti-militancy operations were halted in the region following widespread protests and clashes across Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Police sources said militants had taken advantage of the current situation and consolidated themselves in various parts of Kashmir.
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, September 1
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi told the Supreme Court on Thursday that he would stand trial for his remark RSS ke logon ne (Mahatma Gandhi ko) goli maari, instead of issuing clarifications adding or subtracting anything.
Rahuls senior counsel Kapil Sibal took the stand while rejecting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist Rajesh Mahadev Kuntes offer for withdrawing the criminal defamation case if the Congress leader clarified that the RSS was not involved in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
Read: (RSS slams Rahul for his U-turn in SC)
I stand by every word of what I said, Sibal told the Bench on behalf of Rahul. At the last hearing on August 24, Rahul had informed the Bench that he had filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court, clarifying that he had never blamed the RSS as an organisation for the crime.
At this, the Bench had sought Kuntes consent for quashing the criminal case against Rahul. Kuntes senior counsel UR Lalit, however, sought time to consult his client, prompting the Bench to defer the hearing till Thursday.
On Thursday, Lalit said his client was willing to drop the case if Rahul was ready to give a clean chit to the RSS. Kunte wanted such a statement as the Congress was in the habit of RSS-bashing, particularly at the time of elections, for political gains.
Kunte and another RSS activist had filed the defamation case in Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra for Rahuls remark at an election rally on March 6, 2014. Despite the fact that he was already facing a case, Rahul repeated his remark during his poll campaign in Assam, Lalit pleaded.
Taking strong exception, Sibal said Lalit was giving a political speech and sought to withdraw his appeal seeking quashing of the defamation case as his client would rather face trial instead of making clarifications.
Accepting Sibals plea, the Bench dismissed the appeal as withdrawn and asked the Bhiwandi trial court to resume the proceedings without getting influenced by the remarks made by the Bombay High Court while rejecting Rahuls plea for quashing the case and the summons issued to him. Rahul had come to the SC challenging the HC order.
Lalit told the Bench that his conditional offer to withdraw the case was no longer valid in view of Rahuls rejection.
At the hearing on July 19, the Bench had remarked that Rahul should not have made collective denunciation of an organisation for the act of one of its members. Rahuls counsel had not informed the Bench then about his stand in the HC.
On November 26, 2015, Sibal had told the apex court that there was no question of Rahul regretting his remark. The criminal defamation case against his client was based on a frivolous complaint aimed at harassing the Congress leader, Sibal had pleaded.
New Delhi, September 1
Three Indians stuck in a war zone in Libya have been evacuated and are being brought back home, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said late on Thursday.
She said they had been brought to Benghazi, which is a port city in Libya.
We have brought them in military vehicles 650 Kms away to Benghazi. We will now fly them from Benghazi/Tripoli /1 https://t.co/wIexk9aMut Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 1, 2016
We have brought them in military vehicles 650 Kms away to Benghazi. We will now fly them from Benghazi/Tripoli.
Two of them were evacuated by the Government earlier also. However, they returned to Libya on 28.4.2016 ignoring our advisories./2 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 1, 2016
Two of them were evacuated by the Government earlier also. However, they returned to Libya on 28.4.2016 ignoring our advisories.
They are being evacuated from war torn Libya at the public expense for the second time, Swaraj said in a series of tweets.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had requested Swaraj to help the three men in returning to India. PTI
New Delhi, September 1
AAP MLA Pawan Kumar Sharma has been sentenced to 18-month imprisonment by a Delhi court for negligently causing the death of an employee in his steel factory.
Metropolitan Magistrate Virender Singh awarded the jail term to Sharma, MLA from Adarsh Nagar constituency in north Delhi, and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him. He was later granted bail by the court.
The legislator has been convicted for offences under Sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC.
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When contacted, Sharma said he would file an appeal in the superior court challenging the judgment.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place in August 2009, when a worker at his steel factory in Samaipur Badli in northwest Delhi was injured due to flying chips from a rolling machine.
Victim Ram Kumar, who was working as machine operator, was taken to a hospital in Rohini where he succumbed to the injuries.
Police had alleged that the workers, including Ram Kumar, had complained about the defective machine to the factory owner, Sharma, who did not pay heed to it and asked them to leave the job.
It had also alleged that no safety cover was provided to the workers at the mill.
An FIR was lodged against the factory owner at Samaipur Badli Police Station. During the trial, Sharma had claimed innocence and pleaded that it was a false case. PTI
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 1
The government was at its wits end as it made desperate efforts to stop government nurses across India from going ahead with their strike which they began on Thursday.
The All India Government Nurses Federation had given a call for strike from September 1, unless nine of their demands, including some which did not fall in the Health Ministrys domain, were met.
With the vector-borne diseases reaching alarming proportions across India, mainly in Delhi (around 500 dengue and 600 chikungunya cases), the Health Ministry again reached out to nurses on Thursday and told them it had made positive recommendations to the Ministry of Finance in respect to their demands on pay scale revision and upward revision in a range of allowances.
The nurses had nine demands. We have agreed to seven and have even communicated this to them. The remaining two--pay scale revision and allowance revision--do not fall under us. These pertain to the Finance Ministry and are part of the Central Pay Commissions recommendations. The Health Minister has still, keeping the stress season in view, forwarded to the Finance Ministry even the remaining two demands for approval. The ball is now in the Finance Ministers court, Health Secretary CK Mishra said.
The strike will affect health care services across government hospitals in India and involves all nurses serving in central government institutes like the PGI Chandigarh and other state government hospitals.
The number of nurses on strike is estimated at 70,000.
In Delhi government hospitals alone, 25,000 nurses have gone on strike in favour of their demands. This at a time when the dengue and chikungunya cases are going through the roof and poor patients are reeling under a health care crisis.
The Supreme Court has time and again urged essential health service cadres to keep public welfare before personal interests.
That has, however, not stopped doctors or nurses in the past from striking work.
Recently, the SC asked the MCI to come down heavily through state medical councils on doctors who went on strike without care for patients.
Save the Punjab Medical Council which put some doctors on notice in the past for striking work, no other state medical council has acted in this direction.
New Delhi, September 1
Delhi Police have arrested two more persons, including a former Army officer, in its ongoing investigation in the pan-India call snooping racket case, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Former Army officer Captain D.K. Giri along with another person was arrested a week ago.
The police said they were allegedly involved in the illegal procurement and sale of call detail records (CDRs).
This is the third major breakthrough within two months.
Delhi Police had busted the racket on July 19 by arresting four persons, including two owners of detective agencies, one police official and one expert hacker, who used to work with the Jaipur police.
According to police, the accused had obtained over 2,000 CDRs in the last two years.
The four were identified as Aniket Prakash Dhamle, 25, a resident of Pune, and Abhinav Kumar, 35, a resident of Mumbai - both ran detective agencies; Gajraj Singh, 23, a student and hacker, who had been assisting the Jaipur polices Cyber Crime Cell officers since 2013; and an officer of the Jaipur police cyber crime cell, Mukesh Kumar Meena, 38.
On July 10, the Delhi Police had also cracked an inter-state gang involved in illegally getting CDRs and then selling these to various people, mainly detective agencies.
Five persons Uttar Pradesh police constable Narender; Jaiveer Singh Rathore, 46; Pankaj Tiwari, 26; Aditya Sharma, 32; and Sanjeev Chaudhary, 42 were arrested for illegally obtaining CDRs. IANS
New Delhi, September 1
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday conveyed to India that he wants to take anti-terror cooperation between the two countries to a whole new level and pitched for strong collective action against radicalisation.
President al-Sisi, who arrived here today on a three-day visit, said this when External Affairs Minister called on him.
The Egyptian President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks on Friday with an aim to further expand the bilateral ties.
At the meeting, Swaraj told Sisi that his visit provided an opportunity to upgrade security ties and anti-terror cooperation between the two countries. In this context she mentioned the need for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN.
President Sisi concurred, and said that he wanted to take anti-terror cooperation to a whole new level. In particular, he urged strong collective action against radicalisation and recruitment for terrorism, offficial sources said.
Talking about Egypts ties with India, the visiting President remained very resilient and conveyed to Swaraj that his visit will lead to a quantum leap in bilateral ties.
He recalled his previous meetings with Modi and expressed his desire to take the bilateral relationship to a new level.
Al-Sisi spoke about his governments efforts to upgrade infrastructure and said Egypt was keen on working in partnership with all those who want to work with us.
The sources said he positively assessed the role of Indian investment in Egypt which had touched USD 3 billion and sought greater trade and investment ties with India.
He also expressed appreciation for Indias recent supply of 20,000 tonnes of rice, at very short notice, when Egypt was facing shortage of the commodity.
Swaraj said bilateral trade was still below potential and outlined some of the far reaching economic reforms and flagship initiatives taken by the government.
She said, apart from rice, Egypt could import wheat and milk, in both of which India was a world leader.
The two leaders also discussed cooperation in tourism and enhancing people-to-people ties.
Swaraj recalled how the India by the Nile and Tagore Festival in Egypt had seen large-scale participation by the people of Egypt.
President al-Sisi recalled the popularity of Indian films in Egypt. PTI
London, September 1
A classified 60-year-old Japanese government document on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's death made public on Thursday clearly concludes that the legendary freedom fighter died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, backing the official version.
Bosefiles.info, a UK website set up to document evidence on the circumstances surrounding Netaji's death, today said this is the first time the report titled 'Investigation on the cause of death and other matters of the late Subhas Chandra Bose' has been made public because it remained classified by Japanese authorities and was kept a secret by the Indian government.
The report was completed in January 1956 and submitted to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but since it was a classified document, neither side released it, the website says.
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The seven-page report in Japanese and a 10-page translation in English reaches the conclusion that Netaji met with an air crash on August 18, 1945 and died at a Taipei hospital the same evening.
"Immediately after taking off, the airplane in which he (Bose) rode fell to the ground, and he was wounded," the report notes in its 'Outline of the result of the investigation'.
It further records that at "about 3 pm he entered the Nanmon Branch of Taipei Army Hospital"; and that at "about 7 pm he died".
The findings also state that on "August 22, he was cremated (at the Taipei Municipal crematorium)".
In a more detailed description of the incident, the report says: "After the plane had taken off and risen about 20 metre above the ground, one petal of the three-petalled propeller of the left wing was suddenly broken, and the engine fell off.
The airplane, subsequently unbalanced, crashed into ballast piles, beside the strip of the airport and was wrapped in flames in a moment.
"Mr Bose, wrapped up in flames, got off the plane; Adjutant Rahmin (Colonel Habibur Rehman) and other passengers exerted themselves to take his clothes off... his whole body was seriously wounded by burns."
The Japanese government report on the death of Netaji, who was 48 years old then, backs the Shah Nawaz Khan-led inquiry instituted by the then Indian prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, which had investigated the matter later in 1956, according to a press release issued by the website.
The report provides salient features relating to his condition and the treatment administered to him at the hospital.
It then reads: Until about 7 pm he kept clear consciousness, and had talks with Adjutant Rahmin, but suddenly his consciousness was lost, and his heart ceased to move. In spite of several injections of heart stimulant and artificial aspiration (respiration), he could not revive."
The document adds: "By his side were Military-Surgeon (Toyoshi) Tsuruta, Colonel Rahmin, interpreter Nakamura and a gendarme (as a guard) at the moment of his death."
The report also includes four sketches: of the airport and where the plane crashed; of the plane and where each passenger sat, including Bose; of the hospital and the room where Bose was treated; and a more detailed one of the same room and the bed in which Bose breathed his last.
The investigation obtained evidence from 13 Japanese officials who, the report asserts, were "considered to have had some relations with the matter". These included survivors of and eyewitnesses to the crash besides two doctors who treated Netaji at the hospital.
Ashis Ray, creator of Bosefiles.info, said: "This is yet another decisive breakthrough. There is now no reason why the government of India should not accede to Bose's daughter Anita Pfaff's request to transfer her father's ashes from Tokyo to India."
"An unimpeachable authority like the Japanese government has independently corroborated and vindicated bosefiles.info's previous chronicling of events."
"I am reliably informed Japan's diplomatic archive plans to release the document at the end of September. A copy of the document has been given to the Indian government. The fact is the Indian embassy in Tokyo and the ministry of external affairs in Delhi had misplaced the copy given to it in 1956," Ray said. PTI
Washington, September 1
The key logistics defence pact signed between India and the US earlier this week will make joint military operations between the two countries more efficient, the Pentagon has said.
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook also asserted that strong defence ties between the two countries would help enhance regional security.
We think it will make the conduct of our operations with the Indian military that much more efficient and effective.
And again, its very consistent with agreements we have with other countries, Cook told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.
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Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and said it will facilitate opportunities for practical engagement and exchange.
Asked about the adverse reaction to the agreement from Indias neighbourhood, Cook said no country needs to worry about the pact.
I would speak to the positive nature about this agreement, which is to enhance the security relationship between our two countries, and security in the region. This agreement and our relationship with India should not be cause for concern for others, he said.
We see this as an opportunity to strengthen out ties with India, our defence ties. And that those enhanced relations represent a security enhancement for the region as a whole, he asserted.
Department of Defence spokesperson, Commander (US Navy) Gary Ross told PTI that the LEMOA agreement facilitates mutual logistical support between the US and Indian Armed Forces by permitting the exchange of authorised supplies and services on short notice without requiring advance payment.
The agreement becomes especially important given the increasing number of military-to-military exercises that the countries two countries conduct, he said. PTI
New Delhi, September 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday set off on a bilateral visit to Vietnam and to attend the annual summit of powerful G-20 grouping in China's Hangzhou where India is likely to seek concrete measures to check terror financing and crackdown on tax evasion.
Modis first destination will be Vietnam from where he will leave for Hangzhou on September 3 to attend the G-20 summit on September 4 and 5. The Prime Minister will return to India on September 5 and will again leave for Laos on a two-day visit to attend the annual India-ASEAN and East Asia Summits.
In Vietnam, Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with top leadership of the resource-rich country to deepen ties in key areas of defence, security and trade, and ramping up India's engagement in oil exploration.
Indias ONGC Videsh Limited is engaged in oil exploration projects in Vietnam for over three decades and there may be announcements about new projects in the sector during the bilateral visit, which is taking place after a gap of 15 years.
At the G-20 Summit, India is likely to raise a host of issues ranging from choking terror funding and checking tax evasion to cutting cost of remittances and market access for key drugs.
On the sidelines of the Summit, Modi will have bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a BRICS leaders meet. A number of other bilaterals are being finalised, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujatha Mehta told reporters.
She said issues like global tax reform, climate friendly financing and market access for antibiotics are some of the issues likely to be discussed at the meetings. Niti Ayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya is India's sherpa for the G-20 and some of the issues were already discussed in the run up to the summit.
Mehta said there will be deliberations on containing terror financing at the G-20 summit.
There are likely to be detailed deliberations on automatic exchange of tax information at G-20, besides discussion on ways to tackle slowdown of the global economy. India has already agreed to the Automatic Exchange of Information Convention of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organisation of around 35 countries.
During the Vietnam visit both countries may announce new oil exploration projects for which negotiations were going on.
The South China Sea issue may figure in the talks.
China wants India to refrain from undertaking oil exploration in the Vietnamese blocks in order to ensure "peace and stability" in the South China Sea.
At the 14th India-ASEAN summit on September 8, Modi is expected to pitch for expanding trade ties with the powerful grouping besides enhancing overall cooperation.
India-ASEAN trade and investment relations have been growing steadily, with ASEAN being New Delhi's fourth largest trading partner. The annual trade registered an average growth of 22 per cent per annum in the decade upto 2011-12, but has stagnated thereafter.
It stood at approximately $76.53 billion in 2014-15.
The two-way investment flows are also substantial, with ASEAN accounting for approximately 12.5 per cent of investment flows into India since 2000.
FDI inflows into India from ASEAN between April 2007 and March 2015 was about $32.44 billion. ASEAN members include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The ASEAN summit will be followed by 11th East Asia Summit which is likely to deliberate on issues relating to security and threat of terrorism.
The leaders at East Asia Summit are expected to discuss the situation in South China Sea and as well as a host of other issues.
East Asia Summit is a forum for cooperation between various countries of the region with ASEAN and includes Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US, in addition to the ten ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries. PTI
London, September 1
A classified 60-year-old Japanese government document on Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses death made public today clearly concludes that the legendary freedom fighter died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, backing the official version.
Bosefiles.info, a UK website set up to document evidence on the circumstances surrounding Netajis death, today said this is the first time the report titled Investigation on the cause of death and other matters of the late Subhas Chandra Bose has been made public because it remained classified by Japanese authorities and was kept a secret by the Indian government.
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The report was completed in January 1956 and submitted to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but since it was a classified document, neither side released it, the website says. The seven-page report in Japanese and a 10-page translation in English reaches the conclusion that Netaji met with an air crash on August 18, 1945 and died at a Taipei hospital the same evening.
The Japanese government report on the death of Netaji, who was 48 years old then, backs the Shah Nawaz Khan-led inquiry instituted by the then Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, which had investigated the matter later in 1956, according to a press release issued by the website. The report provides salient features relating to his condition and the treatment administered to him at the hospital.
The document adds: By his side were Military-Surgeon (Toyoshi) Tsuruta, Colonel Rahmin, Interpreter Nakamura and a gendarme (as a guard) at the moment of his death. The report also includes four sketches: of the airport and where the plane crashed; of the plane and where each passenger sat, including Bose; of the hospital and the room where Bose was treated; and a more detailed one of the same room and the bed in which Bose breathed his last.
The investigation obtained evidence from 13 Japanese officials who, the report asserts, were considered to have had some relations with the matter. These included survivors of and eye-witnesses to the crash, besides two doctors who treated Netaji at the hospital.
An unimpeachable authority like Japan government has independently corroborated and vindicated bosefiles.infos previous chronicling of events, said Ashis Ray, creator of Bosefiles.info.
This is yet another decisive breakthrough. There is now no reason why the government of India should not accede to Boses daughter Anita Pfaffs request to transfer her father's ashes from Tokyo to India, Ray said. PTI
Kanpur, September 1
More than 100 students of a private engineering college here in Uttar Pradesh reported sick after having meal at the hostel mess, the police said on Thursday. At least four are in critical condition.
The district administration of Kanpur Dehat (rural) has ordered a probe into the matter and is testing the food served at the hostel of Prabhat Engineering College in Akbarpur.
Four of the 16 admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private nursing home are said to be critical, an official said. Students started vomiting and complained of loose motion after the lunch on Wednesday afternoon.
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The hostel accommodates 365 boys and 30 girls. The food served in the last round of lunch was either apparently stale or was laced with something, owing to which the students had food poisoning, an official said.
A college official said:We are looking into all aspects, as such a thing has never happened in our premises, may be something fell in the food. Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM-Sadar) Jai Nath Yadav said students had told officials that the food was stale and after consuming it they started having loose motions and vomiting.
A team of government doctors is camping with the students at the private nursing home and we are keeping a close watch on the situation he added. IANS
Simran Sodhi
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick start the month with a three-nation tour starting late tomorrow night when he heads to Vietnam for a one-day visit. From Vietnam, he will head to China to attend the G20 Summit on September 4-5. On his way back, he will stop in Laos for the ASEAN Summit to be held from September 6 to 8.
Modis one-day visit to Vietnam has strategic significance and will be watched by China very carefully. China is also the reason why both India and Vietnam have, in the recent past, pressed for a stronger relationship. Chinas growing aggression in South East Asia, particularly its actions in the South China Sea, has brought both nations closer.
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India is increasing its military cooperation with Vietnam and the highlight of the PMs trip, sources said, was likely to be the signing of a contract for the supply of four patrol boats to the Vietnamese military under the $100 million line of credit that India has extended to that country.
Modi will then head to Hangzhou in China where he will attend the G20 Summit. He is expected to have bilateral talks with United States President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit.
This is the first time that China is hosting the G20 Summit and it is expected to be an event that China will use to showcase its growing global clout. Russian President Vladmir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will also be in attendance. Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Putin, too.
The last leg of the PMs trip will be Laos. The ASEAN Summit to he held there is the first regional meeting since an international tribunal on July 12 rejected Chinas claims to most of the South China Sea.
Kathmandu, September 1
Nepal on Thursday nominated Deep Kumar Upadhyay as its envoy to India, nearly four months after he was recalled by the previous Oli government over charges of 'non-cooperation' and indulging in 'anti-government' activities.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by new Prime Minister Prachanda at his office in Singha Durbar today nominated Upadhyay as ambassadorial candidate for India and Chief Secretary Lila Mani Poudel for China, sources said.
However, their nomination should be endorsed by the Parliamentary hearing committee before they can be formally appointed to the top diplomatic posts.
Upadhyay, who was serving as Nepal's ambassador to India since April 2015, was suddenly recalled by the erstwhile K P Oli-led government on May 6.
Upadhyays nomination comes less than fortnight before Prachanda's maiden visit to India after assuming office last month.
The Oli-led government had levelled three charges against Upadhyaya to justify its decision to recall him and officials had said he was working 'against national interest'.
"Envoys should follow government's directives and maintain diplomatic decorum," Minister for Defence Bhim Rawal had said after the move at that time.
Upadhyay, a leader of opposition Nepali Congress who was appointed as Nepal's envoy to India in April last year, was being seen as the first casualty of the cancellation of Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari's planned visit to India.
The diplomat was also charged with siding with the Nepali Congress opposition in supporting a threat by the Maoist party led by Prachanda to topple Oli's government.
Besides, he was accused of breaching his jurisdiction without informing the government and visiting some western Nepal districts accompanying India's ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae, Rawal had said. PTI
Washington, September 1
The US appeared to be favouring status quo in Jammu and Kashmir and maintaining the Line of Control, but made it clear that it was entirely up to the two countries to determine the pace, scope and character of any discussions on Kashmir.
We acknowledge Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan as territories governed by Pakistan. We acknowledge the 1972 Line of Control as separating the administration of Jammu and Kashmir, a State Department spokesman said.
The spokesperson was responding to a question on the US position on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) along with that of Gilgit-Baltistan, which has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.
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Recently, India had asked Pakistan to vacate the territory.
The spokesperson insisted that there had been no change in Americas policy on Kashmir.
As we have said many times, our policy on Kashmir is this: The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations, the official said. PTI
Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 1
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday came down heavily on the Centre for not making the Chandigarh international airport CAT III-compliant for landing during poor visibility.
A division bench of the high court warned the Centre of prosecution of its officials for filing a false affidavit. The Bench observed that the land acquired should be handed back to farmers.
The Centre thought high courts were its colonies, the Bench observed.
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The Centre said tenders would be floated for re-carpeting of the runway in September; and the runway would be made CAT-III compliant after re-carpeting.
Meanwhile, the PIL seeking quashing of order of Secretary, Haryana Vidhan Sabha, and for stopping pension to convicted ex-MLAs Om Parkash Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala has been fixed for hearing on September 15. It will come up for hearing with a similar PIL seeking stopping of pension to ex-speaker Satbir Singh Kadian.
Tribune News Service
Haridwar, September 1
Sugarcane growers of Haridwar district under the aegis of Bharatiya Kisan Union started an indefinite dharna in front of the District Magistrates camp office at Mayapur here today. The farmers are demanding immediate release of their payment. ninety-year-old farmer Sumant Singh Arya is also sitting on dharna.
Arya termed the delay in payment as unfortunate. He has been witnessing this laxity or bias by successive state governments in Uttar Pradesh and the Uttarakhand government was following the malpractice for more than a decade.
He said farmers were the base of the nations economy. He remarked that corporate houses and industrialists were getting subsidies but when it comes to farmers sugarcane payment or subsidy, government, political parties, media and bureaucrats all neglect the peasant community.
Bharatiya Kissan Union leader Raj Pal Singh said the farmer community instead of working in their fields was staging protest outside the District Magistrates office.
City legislator and former sugarcane minister Madan Kaushik, rural Legislator Swami Yatishwaranand have lended their support to the peasants agitation.
Madan Kaushik termed the state government as anti-farmer. He said during the BJP rule as sugarcane minister, he tried to provide highest minimum support price for sugarcane to the farmer, which was higher than the then Uttar Pradesh government MSP rate.
Swami Yatishwaranand said despite assurances given by Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Sugarcane Minister Surendra Singh Negi ,Sub Divisional Magistrate Jeevan Singh Nangiyal and Assistant Sugarcane Commissioner BS Verma, no action has been taken in this regard.
Peasant leaders Dushyant Rana, Virendra Rathi, Uday Veer Singh and Mohan Sharma have warned the state government of intensifying their agitation, if payment is not released to the farmers.
Jakarta, September 1
Indonesia is screening travellers from neighbouring Singapore for the mosquito-borne Zika virus as the city-state reports a growing number of infections and its first case of a pregnant woman testing positive.
Indonesian Health Ministry spokesman Oscar Primadi said on Thursday that health officials are recommending that the Foreign Ministry issue an advisory against travel to Singapore, particularly for pregnant women.
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Singapore issued a statement on Wednesday evening saying it had identified 22 new Zika cases in one particular area of the city and its first case involving a pregnant woman.
Zika has mild effects for most people, but doctors believe infection during pregnancy can result in babies with small heads, which is known as microcephaly, and other serious developmental disorders. Singapore had 155 cases as of yesterday.
Primadi said thermal imaging equipment to detect abnormal body temperatures was installed at eight Indonesian ports with routes serving Singapore, including the capital Jakarta's airport.
He said travelers will also be given a health questionnaire so they will recognize symptoms and know to immediately report to health authorities.
On Thursday, Malaysia's Health Ministry said a 58-year-old woman who travelled to Singapore had become that country's first Zika case.
Health Minister S Subramaniam said the woman and her husband visited Singapore for three days from August 19. The woman developed a rash a week after her return and later tested positive for Zika in her urine, he said. Her daughter in Singapore tested positive for Zika on Tuesday.
"We can conclude that it is rather easy to get infected by the virus when visiting places that has outbreak, including Singapore," he said.
"Proactive action from the community can help stop the spread of Zika virus in Malaysia." Subramaniam said the virus was believed to be imported from Singapore because the woman started experiencing symptoms on the same day as her daughter.
The ministry has started control activities such as eliminating mosquito breeding sites and fog spraying in her residential area and other places that the patient had visited.
Indonesia has not yet reported any Zika infections. AP
Rio de Janeiro, September 1
He is a President few Brazilians want, replacing a leader hardly any saw fit to stay.
The Senates dismissal on Wednesday of Dilma Rousseff, the least popular President since Brazil returned to democracy three decades ago, handed power to a politician almost as unpopular, Vice-President Michel Temer.
For much of his five decades in politics, the softly-spoken Temer has worked in the shadows, building alliances within his fragmented Brazilian Democratic Movement Party and rising to become one of the leading dealmakers in Brazils Congress.
His discrete manner and impeccable dress earned him the nickname The Butler.
Now the 75-year-old, who will serve out the presidential term through 2018, must win the confidence of a nation bitterly divided by the impeachment process and frustrated by the worst recession in decades. He must also overcome Brazilians disillusionment with the political class, which many see him embodying, after a sweeping corruption scandal at the state oil company Petrobras that has ensnared his party.
It is time to reunite the country and put national interests above those of groups, Temer said in his first televised address as President. Temer has already shown he will steer Latin Americas largest nation to the centre-right since he took over as interim president when Rousseff was suspended in May, unveiling plans to curb public spending and reform the generous pension system and welfare benefits. Reuters
Rousseff appeals against losing presidency
Brasilia: Impeached Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff filed a Supreme Court challenge on Thursday to her removal from office in an early blow to new President Michel Temer's bid to stabilise the country. The appeal, filed by Rousseff's lawyer Jose Eduardo Cardozo, demands the immediate suspension of the effects of the Senate decision. Cardozos appeal seeks a new trial during which Temer, who was sworn in as President until the end of 2018, would be downgraded to interim president. afp
Mexico City, September 1
Mexican President rebuked Donald Trump as a huge threat to his country just hours after painting a positive picture of talks the two held on Wednesday to try to defuse tensions over the US presidential hopefuls anti-Mexican campaign rhetoric.
President Enrique Pena Nieto had on Wednesday afternoon hailed as open and constructive the impromptu meeting he held with Trump, who later referred to the Mexican leader as his friend and a wonderful president.
But in a late evening television interview, an angry-looking Pena Nieto sought to defend himself against a broad swathe of criticism for his decision to invite the Republican candidate despite his repeated verbal attacks on Mexico.
His policy stances could represent a huge threat to Mexico, and I am not prepared to keep my arms crossed and do nothing, Pena Nieto said. That risk, that threat, must be confronted. I told him that is not the way to build a mutually beneficial relationship for both nations.
Trumps quick acceptance of an invitation sent last Friday took Mexicos government by surprise, and his visit to Mexico City came just hours ahead of a keynote speech on immigration as he sought to close the gap on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
The real estate moguls accusations that Mexico sends rapists and drug runners to the United States, and his threats to build a border wall and tear up trade deals, have angered the government but his meeting with Pena Nieto on Wednesday gave him a chance to present himself in a more moderate light.
He spoke of Mexican-Americans in glowing terms and stressed the areas of common interest between the two countries even as he stuck to his message that he would put up the wall.
Pena Nieto had likened Trump to dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini earlier this year. But his government said Trump understood its concerns at the meeting, making Pena Nietos tense appearance on television the more surprising.
What we saw was a respectful attitude and discourse from Donald Trump, presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez had said earlier, arguing that progress was made on the issue of trade after prior threats by Trump to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
I think there was an advance in general, he added.
Still, Trump laid out a series of tough policies to tackle illegal immigration when he delivered his speech in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday night.
He told a cheering crowd that Mexico would pay for the wall 100 percent and that if he wins the election anyone living illegally in the United States would be sent back to their home country and made to apply for re-entry.
That would include millions of Mexicans.
Opposition politicians in Mexico rounded on Pena Nieto for hosting Trump.
Instead of making him apologize, the government allowed (Trump) to complete the humiliation of the Mexicans, Ricardo Anaya, leader of the center-right opposition National Action Party, said on Twitter.
Wall to wall
Some Mexican officials also privately expressed reservations about the meeting with one former diplomat saying Pena Nieto had done Trumps campaign a favor.
During a joint news conference after their meeting, Trump said he and Pena Nieto had not discussed his demand that Mexico pay for the border wall.
But Pena Nieto later contradicted Trump, saying he had told the American that Mexico would not foot the bill, and he bristled during his television interview when asked why he had not made that clear at the news conference.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Mexican government official said the two men spoke English during the meeting and that Pena Nieto clearly explained to Trump the offense his comments had caused.
Hes a candidate that offended a lot of Mexicans, so thats the chemistry there was (between them), the official said. Reuters
Phoenix, August 31
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday that anyone who is in the United States illegally would be subject to deportation if he is elected, sticking with his hardline position after flirting with a softer approach.
In a major speech in the border state of Arizona, Trump took a dim view of the 11 million people who crossed into the United States illegally, a week after saying many were great people who had lived in the country for years and contributed to American society.
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He said all people in the United States illegally would have only one route to gain legal status if Trump were to win the November 8 presidential election: To return home and apply for re-entry.
Our message to the world will be this: You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country, Trump said.
People will know you cant just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized, he said. Those days are over. Trump again vowed that Mexico would pay for construction of a great border wall between the two countries. He spoke hours after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting in Mexico City that Mexico would not pay for it.
We will build a great wall along the southern border, Trump said. And Mexico will pay for the wall - 100 percent.
They dont know it yet, but theyre going to pay for the wall. Trump said at a joint news conference with Pena Nieto that he and the Mexican leader did not discuss who would pay for the wall. Pena Nieto remained silent on the issue at the event, but said later on Twitter he did raise the issue.
At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall, Pena Nieto said in a tweet.
Hardline return
Trump used the Phoenix speech to clarify his stance on illegal immigration after prevaricating on the issue last week.
He returned to the hardline rhetoric that powered him to the Republican presidential nomination over 16 rivals, heartening those conservatives drawn to Trump by the issue.
Ann Coulter, a conservative activist who had fretted that Trump might be softening, tweeted: I hear Churchill had a nice turn of phrase, but Trumps immigration speech is the most magnificent speech ever given.
Correct The Record, an organisation supporting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the Nov.8 presidential election, slammed Trump.
Tonight confirmed what we knew all along - there is no softening, Correct The Record spokeswoman Elizabeth Shappell said.
Trumps America First positions are aimed at rallying middle-class people who feel they have lost jobs to illegal immigrants or to the outsourcing of jobs abroad.
However, he may have put himself at risk of limiting his ability to broaden his base of support to include more Hispanic-Americans and more moderate Republican voters who do not think it is possible or practical to crack down on all illegal immigrants.
In his speech, Trump emphasized that his priority would be to quickly deport those among the undocumented population who have committed serious crimes.
As with any law enforcement activity, we will set priorities, Trump said. Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have a country.
He said he would form a commission to study which regions or countries he would suspend immigration from, saying Syria and Libya would be high on his list. This would be his way of carrying out his proposed ban on Muslims from some countries without getting into their religious affiliation.
Trump said he would also establish a deportation task force to identify criminals subject to deportation, would triple the number of federal deportation officers, and increase the number of border patrol stations.
Mild rebuke, protests
Trump is trailing Clinton in opinion polls and the New York businessmans aides hoped the trip would make him look presidential and show he was willing to deal head-on with thorny issues such as relations with Mexico.
Pena Nieto said at the joint news conference with Trump in Mexico City that the many millions of Mexicans in the United States deserved respect. However, he offered only a mild rebuke of Trump for his rhetoric.
The Mexican people has felt aggrieved by comments that have been made, but I was sure his interest in building a relationship is genuine, Pena Nieto said.
A few dozen demonstrators gathered beneath a monument to Mexican independence in the center of the capital to protest against the visit, some holding placards emblazoned with captions such as: You are not Wall-come and Trump and Pena out.
Trump has been pilloried in Mexico since he launched his White House campaign last year.
Clinton, a former secretary of state, said on Wednesday Trump could not paper over his previous harsh language against Mexico.
It certainly takes more than trying to make up for more than a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again, she told a convention of the American Legion military veterans group in Cincinnati. Reuters
OKLAHOMA CITY The state of Oklahoma once again will take a stab at criminal justice reform, officials said Wednesday.
The announcement comes after years of unsuccessful efforts to reduce the prison population.
Gov. Mary Fallin said Wednesday she expects a task force she appointed in July to come up with recommendations in December that can be used as the basis for legislation in the 2017 legislative session.
Criminal justice reform is a priority for my administration, and I am confident that we can find ways to make our communities safer and cut the growing cost of our states corrections system, Fallin said.
With the task force, we have the right people and the right process to generate reforms that will improve public safety by keeping violent and career criminals behind bars and directing resources to programs that reduce rates of re-offending, she said.
Fallin said Oklahoma spends close to half a billion dollars annually on corrections. The state has the second-highest incarceration rate in the nation, and the prison population has increased 10 percent since 2011, she said.
Oklahomas prison population has grown to more than 27,000 people, Fallin said.
And since 1991, the state has had the highest female incarceration rate in the nation, she said.
Oklahoma prisons, as we all know, are over capacity right now, Fallin said. Looking at our projections, they are going to continue to grow unless we change the dynamics in our state.
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater, a member of the task force, blamed lawmakers for the situation.
He said their constituents want reform and support it, but lawmakers need the courage to implement it.
The attitude at the Capitol needs to change, Prater said.
Prater said he didnt know whether the task force will make a difference, but encouraged people to be vocal about the need for reform.
A few years ago, then-House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, led an effort to develop a series of highly publicized reforms called the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.
The bill was passed and signed by Fallin, but it was not fully implemented or funded.
Steele, a member of the new task force, said criminal justice reform needs to be looked at every year, adding that he appreciates the work that has been done in the past. He is now director of the Education and Employment Ministry.
The task force will receive assistance from the Crime and Justice Institute and the Pew Charitable Trusts, Fallin said.
She said four criminal justice reform measures were approved in the past legislative session.
I think one of the things we have worked hard to do over the last several years is to continue to educate our legislators and the public about why this issue matters, Fallin said. It is matter of a growing prison population, of spending and priorities for the state.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey will continue to do its part for a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue.
Cavusoglu's remarks came during a press conference in Lefkosa, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), alongside TRNC Prime Minister Huseyin Ozgurgun.
"Turkey will support Cyprus peace talks as it always has," Cavusoglu said, adding that Turkey is closely following developments on the Cyprus issue.
Reunification talks between the Greek and Turkish communities on the island resumed in May 2015 and are expected to be resolved by the end of this year with the formation of a federal administration.
Previous negotiations stalled in October 2014 due to a dispute over gas exploration.
The eastern Mediterranean island was divided into a Turkish Cypriot state in the north and a Greek Cypriot administration in the south after a 1974 military coup was followed by the intervention of Turkey as a guarantor power.
For his part, Prime Minister Ozgurgun said that Turkey and Northern Cyprus are two states but one nation.
Referring to the July 15 defeated coup in Turkey, blamed by Turkish officials on the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Ozgurgun said the TRNC recognizes the group as a terrorist organization.
"Northern Cyprus will not tolerate any negative development in our homeland Turkey, he said, adding, Because we know that a powerful Turkey means a powerful Northern Cyprus."
News conference with President Akinci
After Ozgurgun, Cavusoglu met Mustafa Akinci, the president of the TRNC.
"We will continue to give support to a solution that would be accepted by both parts [of the island]," Cavusoglu told reporters alongside Akinci.
Cavusoglu said the aim is to ensure a "permanent" peace and solution, adding: "We are ready to make any kind of contribution, including trust-building steps and measures."
Akinci said they set this year as the target year for a solution. "This is the aim for us all. Turkey supports this aim all the way," he added.
He said: "We strive for a solution that both sides can accept."
Anadolu Agency
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has strongly condemned accusations that Turkeys Operation Euphrates Shield is against Kurds in Syria or an attempt to block Kurdish achievements in the region.
Speaking at a news conference in Ankara on Wednesday, Kalin said Turkey had no problem with Kurds at home, Iran, Iraq or Syria -- or with any Kurd in any part of the world.
We strongly condemn such initiatives that portray this [Operation Euphrates Shield] as an action against the Kurds in Syria [or] as an operation to block Kurds achievements, he said.
Kalin said Turkeys problems were with terrorist organizations such as the PKK/PYD.
We have a problem with the PKK; we have a terrorist organizations problem, he said.
The spokesman reiterated that Turkey considered the PYD to be the Syrian offshoot of the terrorist PKK organization.
Ankara considers the PKK/PYD and its armed wing, the YPG, to be the Syrian offshoots of the PKK terror group which has waged war on Turkey for decades.
However, the U.S. sees the PYD as an ally in the fight against Daesh.
Agreement with the PYD is out of question, Kalin said. The main purpose of the operation is to ensure security of our borders and thoroughly clean out terrorist elements there.
Operation Euphrates Shield, which was launched last week, is aimed at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkeys border through Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery and jets.
International coordination
Kalin said all necessary coordination and briefings had been made with the international anti-Daesh coalition, the U.S. and Russia.
He also said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would meet international leaders, including the Chinese, U.S. and Russian presidents, at an upcoming G-20 summit in China.
Referring to a planned meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Kalin said that two leaders will discuss many topics, including Turkeys request for the extradition of Fetullah Gulen, sought on charges of leading a bloody coup attempt last month.
Kalin also repeated criticisms about the failure of European leaders to visit Turkey to express solidarity following the defeated July 15 coup.
"It is not acceptable that [since today], still not a single European head of state has visited Turkey," Kalin said.
The spokesman said Turkey was fighting three different terrorist organizations, including Daesh, the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, adding: Turkeys security is also the region's security.
Anadolu Agency
Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Omer Celik refuted allegations Wednesday that there had been a cease-fire agreement between Turkey and the PKK/PYD terror groups.
"The Republic of Turkey is an independent, lawful state," said Celik, answering journalists' questions at Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk. "It cannot be evaluated as if they [Turkey and PKK/PYD] were equal and there was an agreement between them.
"PYD's activities in northern Syria benefit terror groups, not Kurdish people," he added.
Several media reports on Tuesday, citing U.S. officials, had said a cease-fire had been agreed between Turkey-backed Syrian rebels and the PYD/PKK forces.
Ankara considers the PYD and its armed wing, the YPG, to be the Syrian offshoots of the PKK terror group, which has waged war on Turkey for decades, and has declared their presence west of the Euphrates a red line.
While Turkey considers the PYD to be the Syrian offshoot of the terrorist PKK organization, the U.S. sees the group as its ally in the fight against Daesh.
Operation Euphrates Shield, which was launched last week, is aimed at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkeys border through Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery and jets.
When asked about his evaluation on PKK/PYD's ongoing activities in Euphrates River region, despite the call from the U.S. that the terror group would retreat to the river's east, Celik said the issue formed the center of discussion in the fight against terrorism.
The minister said Turkey wanted to protect Syrias territorial integrity and allow its different ethnic groups decide the countrys future jointly.
"From the beginning, when we called for a buffer zone in the region, it was unfortunate that no one agreed to it," Celik said. "If a buffer zone had been established, today these massacres would not have happened and there would be no migration, refugee problem."
Celik also said the Bashar al-Assad regime had installed the PKK/PYD" to prevent the opposition from taking over certain areas in Syria. He added the regime's motivation had facilitated an environment for the PYD/PKK to control such areas.
"PYD tries to gain control by claiming to fight against Daesh and getting help from the U.S., collaborating with Assad regime and cooperating with Russia in the east of River Euphrates," Celik said.
The minister also refuted claims the Turkish government was against Kurdish people.
"The western media uses this claim and I see some leaders also use this claim as well," Celik said. "Kurdish people, Syrian Kurds are our brothers."
Celik said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during his tenure as prime minister of Turkey, had suggested to Assad to allow free political elections and give Kurds a legal status.
"Our president tried to encourage Assad to do reforms, to prepare themselves to the changes in the region," he added.
Anadolu Agency
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has blamed the U.S.-led coalition for failing to provide air support in time to them and the Turkish armed forces during an attack in northern Syria's western Jarabulus late Tuesday.
"We could have lost many people," an FSA source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to safety reasons, told Anadolu Agency Wednesday.
"Americans had promised to provide air support in case of an emergency, but they did not.
"They should have helped; however, the air intervention came in late because of them. Turkish jets arrived in the last minute," the source added.
On Tuesday evening, Turkish soldiers were wounded and a tank was also slightly damaged in a rocket attack carried out by terrorists in western Jarabulus at around 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Turkish military.
According to the FSA source, Turkish soldiers had sought air support from coalition forces at the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey immediately following the attack. However, no help arrived from Incirlik, where the U.S.-led coalition forces are based. Coalition forces appeared to carry out strikes three hours after Turkish jets started shelling terrorist targets in Jarabulus, the source said.
Last week, Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield, which is aimed at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkeys border through Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery and jets.
Turkish authorities repeatedly said the operations would continue until the terrorism threats in the region are completely eliminated.
Anadolu Agency
The CEO of Ramps Logistics says he is "really really disappointed" with the Guyana Revenue A
GO! kids series Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs has been sold to the UK, to screen on kids channel, POP.
The Aussie made series from SLR Productions is based on picture books by Author / Illustrator duo Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto.
It has also been sold to Chinas JY Animation Inc, Vietnam Content JSC, MediaCorp in Singapore, Portugals Radiotelevisa o Portuguesa (RTP), SVT Sveriges Television AB in Sweden, and CSC Media Group for Africa.
Executive Producer and CEO of SLR Productions, Suzanne Ryan said, I am excited for the UK premiere of Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs on POP. The popular kids channel is the perfect home for this piro-dino comedic adventure series as it brings to life the fantastic award winning picture books by Giles Andreae and Russel Ayto. Having launched in Australia on Nines GO! the series will soon premiere in other popular territories confirming the global appeal of pirates, dinosaurs and good old fashioned fun.
Packed with pirate talk and swashbuckling fun each episode follows four kids: Flinn, Pearl, Tom and Violet as they set sail on a pirate ship to keep despicable, prehistoric, pirate dinosaur baddies Captain T Rex, Stig the stegosaurus, Dippy the diplodocus, Tricky the triceratops and Terry the pterodactyl from cowardly wrong-doings across the Seven-and-a-half Seas. These four seafarers boldly go where no young ones have gone before in silly pirate adventures full of magic, singing, curses and superstitions but only very silly ones.
The series has previously won the Gold Pixie Award at the 7th Annual Pixie Awards and Best TV Pilot and the Arlecchino Award at the Cartoons On The Bay Pulcinella Awards, International Television and Cross Media Animation Festival held in Italy.
The SLR Productions team behind the series included Executive Producer Suzanne Ryan, Producer Yasmin Jones, Creative Director Jo Boag and Script Producer Melanie Alexander with Paul Cummins as Executive Producer and Cathy Ni Fhlaithearta as producer on behalf of Telegael. The series was directed by Greg Ingram at SLR Productions.
Judge Judy could be getting her own drama series, or at least a drama based on her life story.
CBS is developing Her Honor, which follows the youngest judge in New York, who cuts through the chaos in Family Court, but cant seem to maintain control of her own life outside the courtroom.
Writer Michael Chernuchin (Law & Order, Chicago Justice) is penning the pilot with Sheindlin as story co-writer.
Sheindlin remains the most profitable star on US television, thanks to her long-running series renewed until 2020. Variety notes her new deal is reportedly worth more than her previous contract, under which she was making a whopping salary of over $47 million per year. Her Queen Bee Productions banner is also behind another court show, Hot Bench.
Whether Her Honor reflects her current TV fame and mega-wealth remains unclear. And that lace doily collar.
Elsewhere Michael Weatherly will star in Bull, a legal drama for CBS based on the early life of Dr. Phil.
Militants launched 25 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine over the past day.
This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center.
"The situation in the ATO area remains tense in all directions. The illegal armed groups launched 25 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in last day, reads the statement.
As noted, in Donetsk direction the enemy used 120mm mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms to shell Ukrainian positions in Avdiyivka (18km north of Donetsk).
In Mariupol area, the terrorists used small arms to fire at Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk). Ukrainian servicemen came under heavy machine gun and small arm fire in Novotroitske (32km south of Donetsk) and Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol).
In Luhansk direction, militants shelled Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), using small arms.
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One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and one soldier was wounded in ATO area in eastern Ukraine over the past day.
Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the ATO, Colonel Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and one soldier was wounded as a result of military operations over the past day, Lysenko said.
He added that six militants had been killed and eleven militants had been wounded in last day.
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From the beginning of the day a silence mode in ATO area is being observed.
Defense Minister of Ukraine the Army General Stepan Poltorak said this during a briefing on September 1, the Governments portal reported.
"I get the prompt information on the situation in the East of Ukraine every 15 minutes. This morning we are pleased to note the fact that since the beginning of the day of September 1, there has been no shelling in the area of the ATO, both sides maintain the "silence mode", the minister said.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine are stronger, than they were in 2014, and now Armed Forces are ready for any scenario. Soldiers monitor changes in a situation, realistically assess the situation and ready to respond to any threat," he said.
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The Armed Forces of Ukraine have received more than 1,000 night vision devices from the United States.
Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the ATO, Colonel Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine have recently received more than 1,000 night vision devices from the United States. The same number of devices will come in the near future," he said.
According to him, since the beginning of 2016 Ukraine has received the international technical assistance in the amount of USD 62 million and the humanitarian aid worth USD 7 million.
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The system of electronic declaration of Ukrainian government officials' income and assets was launched at midnight September 1.
Starting from today, all the Ukrainian officials, including MPs, ministers and the President must submit extended income tax return via the Internet. All senior officials, without exception, must file a declaration of income and property of their families within 60 days.
A refusal to submit a declaration or concealment of property worth over UAH 362,500 is considered to be a crime under Article 362 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
E-declarations can be viewed at www.nazk.gov.ua
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Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman announced the intention of the Cabinet of Ministers to increase funding for education sector by almost UAH 10 billion in 2017.
He wrote this on Facebook, congratulating the pupils, students, and teachers on the Knowledge Day
"I sincerely congratulate you on the Knowledge Day! The investment in education is the investment in the future. We have identified education as one of the priorities in forming the budget for next year, and we plan to increase funding by about UAH 10 billion," the Head of Government noted.
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On September 1, 2016, Belarus has temporarily banned pork imports from Volyn Region and Vinnytsia Region due to African swine fever (ASF).
The Veterinary and Food Control Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus has stated this on its website, BELTA news agency reports.
According to the data from the World Organization for Animal Health, Ukraine keeps recording new outbreaks of ASF in Volyn Region and Vinnytsia Region.
In view of this, the Veterinary and Food Control Department introduced temporary restrictions for import deliveries of live pigs, pork meat and derived products from the aforementioned regions. All previously issued permits for exports from the said regions to Belarus were revoked, the report states.
A reminder that similar bans have already been imposed by Belarus on pork imports from Kirovohrad Region and Khmelnytskyi Region in 2016.
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The United Kingdom calls on Russia to respect international standards of human rights and to immediately release Ilmi Umerov, who is forcibly held in a psychiatric hospital in the annexed Crimea.
This is noted in the statement of the British Embassy in Ukraine, posted on its official site.
As noted, the detention and treatment of the Deputy Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimea Tatar People, Ilmi Umerov, is a cause of deep concern in the UK.
"We call on the Russian authorities to respect international human rights standards; to release Umerov without delay; and to allow him access to the medical care that he needs," the statement reads.
The British Embassy states that human rights standards are not being met in Crimea and calls on the Russian Federation to allow immediate, unfettered access to all international human rights monitoring bodies.
In addition, the Embassy once again confirmed the non-recognition of Russias illegal annexation of Crimea.
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September 1, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will take part in an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the OSCE participating countries "Facing common challenges together" in Potsdam (Germany).
This is reported by Government portal.
The meeting participants will discuss the issues of European security and the role of OSCE in it.
The foreign ministers are expected to pay considerable attention to settlement of the situation in Ukraine amid ongoing aggression of Russia.
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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has no "secret prisons", in particular, in Kharkiv.
Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak said this at the briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"We have no secret prisons. Moreover, having met with human rights organizations, we signed a number of documents, orders, which I signed personally... If I'm not mistaken, we have 13 representatives of foreign organizations, primarily from the United Nations, on the list, who will get access to all SBU facilities, without exception," he stressed.
Hrytsak noted that admission to those facilities would be carried out exclusively in accordance with the requirements of current legislation of Ukraine.
In addition, he said, the delegation of human rights activists will soon arrive in Ukraine, and the SBU is ready to accept it.
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A Berlin family is hosting Kinan, a Muslim from Damascus, Syria. UNHCR/Aubrey Wade
BERLIN, Germany Every Friday evening, a Berlin family gather for dinner at their home in the centre of the city. Chaim*, his wife Kyra and three of their four children sit around a candlelit table to recite blessings over wine and good food.
This year, their weekly tradition has included an unlikely guest. Twenty-eight-year-old Kinan, a Syrian Muslim, has been living with the family since November 2015. He joins them most Fridays and often cooks Syrian meals that he has learned to make by watching videos on YouTube.
Kinan, who prefers to be known only by his first name, used to work in marketing and pharmaceuticals in Damascus. He left Syria in July 2015 to avoid military service because, he said, he did not want to take up arms against his own people.
He went first to Turkey and then Greece. After arriving in Germany in August 2015, he initially stayed in motels and an accommodation centre for asylum-seekers. Then he met Chaim through an organization called Freedomus, co-founded by Chaim, 59, a general practitioner with his own clinic.
The organization publishes an informational handbook and offers some basic services for people seeking asylum, such as accompanying them to the immigration office or helping with translations.
The two met just as the Chaim and Kyras 20-year-old son, Bela, moved out to pursue a career in acting. They offered his room to Kinan.
Kyra, 51, said their family set-up had hardly changed since Kinan moved in. "Everyone does what they feel like doing. Hosting a refugee is a win-win situation. Integration is much easier."
The experience has been smooth so far. Kinan studies German every day. Daughters Rosa, 18, and Lilli, 8, help him with his homework. Kinan's only frustration is that he wishes he was learning the language more quickly so he can start working.
"Integration is not something that we should only ask from people coming into our country. We should ask this of ourselves too."
"Integration is not one-sided work," Chaim said. "Integration is not something that we should only ask from people coming into our country. We should ask this of ourselves too. We must accept different food, different culture, behaviour. It's a process from both sides."
Kinan now introduces himself as a Berliner. He said he loves Germany and believes his fellow Syrians need to look forward more.
"People I meet are always comparing life in Germany to life in Syria. You cannot compare," he said. "If people just forget the past a bit and only look forward, I think integration will be faster and better."
*Chaim passed away on 27 May, 2017.
This story is part of a series entitled No Stranger Place, which was developed and photographed by Aubrey Wade in partnership with UNHCR, profiling refugees and their hosts across Europe. One year on from the drowning of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, thousands of people have come together to bridge cultural divides and language barriers, embracing compassion, hope and humanity even as some European governments continue to build obstacles. Their generosity is an example to the world.
Meet more refugees and their hosts
Find out how you can host refugees in Germany
Edgar, Amelie and their two children have been living with Bilal since September 2015 in Berlin. UNHCR/Aubrey Wade
BERLIN, Germany It took Bilal Aljaber almost two years to reach Europe. However, when the 27-year-old refugee from Syria finally arrived in Germany in January 2015, he had serious misgivings.
"I had this very strong feeling of regret and I wanted to go back home but I couldn't, he said. I missed my family so much."
Fortunately, he has since found a second family in Germany, Berliners Edgar and Amelie Rai and their children.
Originally from Damascus, Bilal, his parents and two brothers fled to Jordan in July 2013, when he was one semester away from qualifying for his degree in English literature at Damascus University. Most of his friends were getting arrested, and running daily errands had become too dangerous. Then he was called up to serve in the military.
"There was no way I was going to kill my own people," he said.
After a year-and-a-half in Jordan, where he was unable to work or study, he left for Europe despite strong opposition from his parents.
At first, he stayed for seven months in an accommodation centre for asylum-seekers in Berlin, where he helped with English-Arabic translation. When he asked some of the workers he had befriended there if he could move out on his own, the director introduced him to Edgar and Amelie.
"They are like my second family," said Bilal. "Anything they can help me with, they do it wholeheartedly. We have a very close friendship and this is one of the most beautiful things that has happened to me. I feel I have someone here, someone supporting me, helping me. I am not all alone."
"I feel I have someone here, someone supporting me, helping me. I am not all alone.
Edgar, who is an author and bookstore owner, jokingly described their first meeting as "love at first sight." The trio talked over coffee, and Edgar offered Bilal the room of his eldest daughter, who had just moved out.
"There is no way of pretending that this was not everybody's problem anymore. Edgar said. You have to take a stand somehow."
Bilal said the room looked like "a castle" after having to share one with five other men in the accommodation centre. He moved in with the Rai family in September 2015.
Edgar and Amelie have two other children at home: Moritz, 12, and Nelly, 10. Bilal plays with the children and sometimes looks after them if the Rais come home late or go out for the evening. Edgar helps Bilal with translation and in dealing with migration officials.
A few months after Bilal moved in, his younger brother, Amr, 17, came to Germany without Bilal's prior knowledge. The Rais did not hesitate to make room for him, too. Initially, Amr stayed with Bilal in his room, but then 12-year-old Moritz offered Amr his room and moved into his younger sister's room.
Amelie said the Syrian brothers were so well mannered that it was easy to live together.
"I call them kitchen Nazis," Amelie said. "I am a bit of a control freak, but when they cook the kitchen is spotless afterwards. We never had to make any house rules we're really lucky."
Amr has received a full two-year scholarship at the renowned Robert Bosch United World College, several hours away in Freiburg, and is preparing to move out shortly before the school year begins. The family held a celebration for him, and Edgar presented him with a gold coin, handed down from an uncle who served in the army.
"Wherever you go, there can be a new start," Edgar told Amr as he handed him the coin. Amr wants to become an architect. "I want to study architecture so I can help rebuild my country one day," he said.
Bilal is also eager to continue his studies. Now that his German has improved, he works part time at the centre that first took him in, translating between German, English and Arabic.
Every time he thinks of moving out, the Rais assure him he is welcome to stay as long as he wants.
"We have a contract, but it has no expiration date," said Bilal.
This story is part of a series entitled No Stranger Place, which was developed and photographed by Aubrey Wade in partnership with UNHCR, profiling refugees and their hosts across Europe. One year on from the drowning of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, thousands of people have come together to bridge cultural divides and language barriers, embracing compassion, hope and humanity even as some European governments continue to build obstacles. Their generosity is an example to the world.
Meet more refugees and their hosts
Find out how you can host refugees in Germany
Manuela and Jorg Buisset, and daughter Noemi, host Nourhan, who just delivered her second child. UNHCR/Aubrey Wade
BERLIN, Germany Manuela and Jorg Buisset knew they had to help when they saw hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving in their hometown of Berlin during summer 2015.
Images in the news showed long queues of people, many living on the streets without shelter. The Buissets had just finished renovating their modern basement apartment and were planning to rent it out.
Instead, they signed up to offer temporary housing for refugees with the non-profit Berlin Refugee Council.
A few weeks later, Manuela, 54, received a call saying there was a family in need of a place to stay. Ahmed, 28, his wife Nourhan, 20, and their two-year-old daughter, Alin, had recently arrived from Syria. They had vouchers for motels, but there were no vacancies.
Manuela said they did not expect to be hosting a family. "We would have preferred a young woman alone, but in this situation you cannot say no," she said.
She and Jorg, 51, picked up Ahmed and his family, and the two small plastic bags that contained all their belongings.
"It was a strange encounter," Manuela recalled. "Ahmed was very insecure and shy but we thought he was stubborn. He wouldn't make eye contact with us, which we thought was so impolite, but he thought it was rude to make eye contact since he didn't know us. He later told me he was just completely lost."
"She is like my mom, she is so good to us."
The Buissets welcomed the family into their new basement room, and what was supposed to be a 10-day stay became an open-ended arrangement. It has been a little over a year since they moved in, but both families are happy and admit it took time to trust and get to know one another.
"We are so happy here," said Nourhan, who gave birth to her second baby, Laith, in July 2016. "When Manuela went to Paris for 10 days I couldn't live without her. She is like my mom, she is so good to us."
During her pregnancy, Manuela accompanied Nourhan to all her medical appointments.
"I was never keen on babies, but this little guy is so sweet," Manuela said. "I was with Nourhan in the hospital when she delivered and I always went with her to the doctor. I didn't want her to be alone and scared. She is like my daughter."
Every night, Nourhan takes up some of the Syrian food she makes to share with her German hosts.
Nourhan and Ahmed, who only want to be identified by their first names, are from Al Quneitra, a small town near the Golan Heights. Ahmed was a truck driver and is now taking German language classes five hours a day. Nourhan looks after the children but dreams of becoming a hairdresser.
They are both eager to return to Syria. They follow the news closely, and when world leaders met in Vienna last November for talks on peace in Syria, Ahmed and Nourhan started packing their bags.
"It's more than sympathy," said Manuela. "At first I was scared, but we really, really like each other now."
This story is part of a series entitled No Stranger Place, which was developed and photographed by Aubrey Wade in partnership with UNHCR, profiling refugees and their hosts across Europe. One year on from the drowning of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, thousands of people have come together to bridge cultural divides and language barriers, embracing compassion, hope and humanity even as some European governments continue to build obstacles. Their generosity is an example to the world.
Meet more refugees and their hosts
Find out how you can host refugees in Germany
Single mother and librarian Linnea hosts Alqumit, a Syrian refugee and artist. UNHCR/Aubrey Wade
MALMO, Sweden Alqumit Alhamad is Syrian, Muslim and gay. He arrived in Sweden on a snowy day last February with a small backpack containing a change of clothes, some art supplies and CDs of Lady Gaga, Bjork and Barbra Streisand.
"Guards across Europe always looked at me weird when they searched my bag," he said. "But I don't care. I can't live without my music."
The 24-year-old artist fled Raqqa, in northern Syria, in 2012 when extremists made the city their headquarters. Alqumit and his family went first to the port of Latakia, and he commuted to Aleppo to finish university. After missiles landed on campus he fled to Turkey, then to Europe via Greece in November 2015.
When he arrived in Sweden, he stayed at an LGBT certified camp in Vasteras. Three months later, he met Linnea Tell through a friend and an organization called Refugees Welcome, which helps connect refugees with local hosts. The two hit it off, and Linnea invited him to stay with her and her nine-year-old son, Vidar, in Skurup, 38 kilometres from Malmo.
Alqumit moved in with her in May this year.
"I can't tell you how much my life changed and how free I feel," he said. "Every day I wake up and say Oh my God, I am in Sweden. It's magical. I can say what I like, do what I like. The people here, the support, the culture, the safety it's a whole other world, especially for a gay person from the Arab world."
"I can't tell you how much my life changed and how free I feel."
Alqumit and Linnea have formed an unlikely friendship. He is flamboyant and she is quiet. Linnea is studying for a master's degree in library and information science at Lund University and working part-time as a librarian.
The two spend most evenings together after Linnea finishes work, studying and putting her son to bed.
"She has her green tea and I make my dark Arabic tea and we talk. We talk about everything our ex-boyfriends, our families, our work," Alqumit said. "She is like an older sister. When I go on dates, she takes down the guy's name and number just in case."
Linnea, 29, said she always wanted to help with the refugee crisis but did not have time to volunteer. Offering her extra bedroom seemed like a simpler alternative.
"A friend told me she had someone perfect for me, she said. We Skyped and I instantly knew this would work because it was so easy to talk to him."
Alqumit uses art as a coping mechanism. He began sketching when the war started, and always includes butterflies. "For me, butterflies represent immortality and rebirth.
Alqumit now speaks openly about the trauma he endured in Syria. He talks about how he was abused as a child, how a bomb killed his neighbour and he saw a dead body for the first time, how some of his friends were tortured by militants. Many homosexuals were thrown off buildings in his hometown, he said.
Now he is preparing for his next art exhibition, which will take place in Nykoping in May 2017.
This story is part of a series entitled No Stranger Place, which was developed and photographed by Aubrey Wade in partnership with UNHCR, profiling refugees and their hosts across Europe. One year on from the drowning of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, thousands of people have come together to bridge cultural divides and language barriers, embracing compassion, hope and humanity even as some European governments continue to build obstacles. Their generosity is an example to the world.
Meet more refugees and their hosts
Find out how you can host refugees in Sweden
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has welcomed news of the arrival in the United States this week of the 10,000th refugee from the conflict in Syria, and calls for greater global solidarity ahead of summits next month that will look at ways to increase efforts to deal with the unprecedented refugee crisis worldwide.
The United States has long been a leader in welcoming people fleeing global persecution and the arrival on Monday of the 10,000th Syrian refugee is a further expression of this leadership, said UNHCR Regional Representative in the United States, Shelly Pitterman.
We thank the communities in the United States that have kept their doors open and also our civil society partners for their tireless humanitarian efforts. Much more needs to be done for Syrian refugees and for the global crisis that has seen more people flee persecution than at any time ever recorded.
At the end of 2015, war, conflict and persecution had forced 65.3 million people globally to flee for their lives, an all-time high. The Syrian refugee crisis is the worlds largest and more than 4.8 million have fled mostly to neighbouring countries whose resources are stretched thin so that increasing numbers of refugees live below national poverty lines.
To aid the most vulnerable refugees and to share the tremendous burden of these refugee-hosting countries, UNHCR has called on governments to resettle those most at risk. So far resettlement countries have pledged a total of more than 220,000 places for Syrians under resettlement and other humanitarian admissions programmes. Around 478,000 Syrians are considered to be in need of resettlement close to 40 per cent of the 1.19 million people who are in need of resettlement globally.
UNHCR recognizes that opportunities for resettlement are extremely limited and so reserves this for persons who are most at risk, such as unaccompanied children, women-headed households, victims of torture, and persons with special medical needs. UNHCR identifies and carefully screens all refugees before they are referred to a country for resettlement. In the case of the United States, all refugees who are referred then undergo extensive face-to-face interviews with Department of Homeland Security officers, along with multiple layers of identity and security checks in a thorough process undertaken by US authorities.
UNHCR calls for increased efforts to provide Syrian refugees with additional safe and regular pathways for admission. The United Nations General Assembly Summit for Refugees and Migrants on 19 September and the President of the United States Summit on Refugees on 20 September will provide opportunities for countries to show solidarity with refugee-hosting countries across the globe by giving Syrian and other vulnerable refugee groups legal opportunities to access safety and protection through resettlement and other pathways for admission.
Resettling refugees, along with continued humanitarian funding, is a critical form of solidarity with refugee-hosting countries and it needs to be expanded worldwide, said Pitterman.
NEW YORK, 1 September 2016 In the top 10 countries with the highest rates of children missing out on primary education, nearly 2 in every 5 children 18 million - are out of school, UNICEF said today.
Liberia is home to the highest proportion of out-of-school children with nearly two-thirds of primary-aged children not accessing school. The second highest is South Sudan, where 59 per cent of children are missing out on their right to a primary education and 1 in 3 schools is closed due to conflict.
Afghanistan (46 per cent), Sudan (45 per cent), Niger (38 per cent) and Nigeria (34 per cent) also feature in the top 10 countries with the highest primary out-of-school rates, painting a clear picture of how humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises are forcing children out of school.
The UNICEF data analysis, which comes as millions of children return to school this month, highlights the extent of an education crisis affecting countries already blighted by conflict, prolonged periods of drought, flash floods, earthquakes and high rates of extreme poverty.
UNICEF fears that without education, a generation of children living in countries affected by conflict, natural disasters and extreme poverty will grow up without the skills they need to contribute to their countries and economies, exacerbating the already desperate situation for millions of children and their families.
Education continues to be one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals. In 2015, humanitarian agencies received only 31 per cent of their education funding needs, down from 66 per cent a decade ago. Despite a 126 per cent increase in education requirements since 2005, funding increased by just 4 per cent. Moreover, education systems equipped to cope with protracted crises cannot be built on the foundations of short-term and unpredictable appeals.
During the World Humanitarian Summit, held in May 2016, a new global funding platform, Education Cannot Wait, was launched to bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions during crises and long-term development afterwards, through predictable funding.
Though not one of the top 10 countries with the highest rates of out-of-school children, Syria is home to 2.1 million school-age children (5-17) who are not in school. An additional 600,000 Syrian children living as refugees in the surrounding region are also out of school.
Recent, reliable data from countries including Somalia and Libya are not available either from administrative or survey sources partly due to the continuing conflicts.
"For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over, and in the short-term it provides them with the stability and structure required to cope with trauma. Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them. When children are not in school, they are at an increased danger of abuse, exploitation and recruitment into armed groups, said UNICEF Chief of Education Jo Bourne.
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Download broadcast quality photos and video: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFZ3CJN
Spain's acting PM Rajoy loses first confidence vote to win second term
MADRID, Aug 31 (Reuters) Spain's acting prime minister lost a parliamentary confidence vote for a second term today, as expected, after he failed to win enough support from the opposition, bringing the country closer to a potential third election in a year.
Mariano Rajoy, of the centre-right People's Party (PP), secured the backing of only 170 representatives in the 350-strong assembly, six seats shy of the majority he needed.
Liberal newcomer Ciudadanos voted in favour of Rajoy, as did a small party from the Canary Islands. The Socialists, anti-austerity alliance Unidos Podemos, and regional parties from the Basque Country and Catalonia voted against him.
Islamabad, Sep 1 (UNI) Pakistan has held that the US changes its stance over terrorism and efforts being made for fighting it out, with time and the place. Reacting to US Secretary of State John Kerry's recent statement on terrorism during his visit to New Delhi, Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that while in India, Mr Kerry would state something, yet in Pakistan his statement would be different from what he would have said in India. "Mr Kerry's statements were not defaming Pakistan and maintained that Islamabad took indiscriminate action against all militant groups including the Haqqani Network", Geo news quoted Mr Aziz as saying in his interview to British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). "We achieved in three years in the war on terror, what the no one in world could," he said, noting that Pakistan imposed restrictions on Hafiz Saeed and Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. On India-US relations, he said Washington is acting on its policy to contain China's growing influence in the region and this is why the US-India cooperation has increased in recent times. Mr Aziz also sought to dispell the impression that Pakistan is increasingly facing isolation in global community. UNI XC SV SS
#StopWhitePeople2K16, a conference for Residential Assistants at the Binghamton University, New York's highest-ranking public college held on August 12 created controversy due to its title.
In such a short period of time, the conference has caught the attention of many an even raised some eyebrows. Many of those whose attentions were caught believed the title is racist. Some even believed the consultation is clearly opposing the white race and considers the meeting to be anti-white.
To prevent the controversy from creating anymore confusion to the public, the Binghamton University immediately responded to clarify the query.
Brian Rose, Vice President of Student Affairs at Binghamton University elucidated that the program is not anti-white but simply a discussion with the goal of taking the next step in understanding privilege and diversity in the society people are functioning within.
Rose explained that the conference is exploring reverse racism, community relationship and segregation in a dialogue. He further added that the #StopWhitePeople2K16 is a titular hashtag commonly and ironically used.
Urenna Nwogwugwu, Nicholas Pulako and Ciaran Slattery, residential assistants at the Binghamton University are the presenters of the consultation which is also a course offered to residential assistants in the university. They also confirmed that the course is not anti-white and that its purpose is to unveil the overview in the disabilities of higher education, The Clash Daily reported.
Another set of Residential Assistant who requested to keep their identity and were some of those who attended the conference revealed that he found the discussions completely harmless and that he did not find any idea intended to offend the whites. They stated that some of the topics discussed during the #StopWhitePeople2K16 were inclusion, effective communication and mindset as a Residential Assistant.
Apparently, Binghamton University remains mum over public's reaction to the conference title as Rose firmly believes that the title itself was no intended to offend anyone, The Binghamton Review reported.
Watch this video for more of the story.
Zealous "DBS" fans reckon "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 57 dubbed as "The Birth of the Invisible God, Zamasu" will be the best part of the series as it will unveil a couple of things. First off, the true identity of Zamasu and second, who will emerge victorious in an epic match between Goku and Black.
The title of the impending chapters of "Dragon Ball Super" stirred conversations as Todd Blankenship - one of "DBS" fans - took to his Twitter handle(@Herms98) and tweeted that "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 57 is likely to center on descending of the Supreme Kai apprentice of Universe 10-Zamasu.
Jump preview for DBS ep.57 pic.twitter.com/yTe9n5WJRL Todd Blankenship (@Herms98) August 29, 2016
The title for "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 57 hint at a never-before-seen transformation, which is hard to even predict citing that the intentions of Omni King Zeno continues to remain a mystery, Australia Network News reported.
Optimistic fans are hopeful that episode 57 and 58 will center on Zamasu, as the title of ""Dragon Ball Super" episode 57 "The Birth of the Invisible God, Zamasu" allude to. To expand on this theory a bit, the episode seems to revolve around the history of Zamasu's existence, including how he racked up his power and transformed into an immortal God.
Zamasu's appearance at the end of episode 56 sparked speculations among fans regarding what upcoming episodes have in store for them. The recently-surfaced trailer showed that the battle between Son Goku and Black continued to where it left off in "DBS" episode 56, with addition of Future Trunks squaring off against Zamasu. The trailer concluded showing Zamasu grinning and celebrating at the battle.
Several fans believe that Zamasu and Black Goku in "Dragon Ball Super" are one and the same, while others consider this to be highly impossible.
That being said, episode 57 is expected to shed more light on the link between Zamasu and Black Goku, and their history is likely to be carried forward to "Dragon Ball Super" episode 58 which is dubbed as "The Mystery of Black and Zamasu."
"Dragon Ball Super" episode 57 will air on September 4 on Fuji TV; "Dragon Ball Super" episode 58 is slated to follow on September 11 on Fuji TV.
In other news, "Dragon Ball Super" English version, which was anticipated to be released this year, is not coming anytime soon.
Avid "DBS" fans have been waiting with bated breath for the English release for "Dragon Ball Super," however latest buzz reveals that fans might be in for a really long wait, Forbes reported.
Despite the anime show's huge popularity outside of Japan, a widespread Western release is still up in the air.
According to NCRB figures, more police personnel were injured than civilians in the incidents of lathicharge in the last two years.
By India Today Web Desk: The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data presents a restraint and humane face of police in the country when it comes to deal with protesters. According to the NCRB figures in instances of lathicharge in the last two years, more cops were injured than the protesting civilians. The cops' injuries were almost twice the number of civilians injured in police action.
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In 2014, 557 police personnel were injured during the clashes with protesters while 262 civilians received injuries in 382 incidents of lathicharge. In 2015, 298 civilians were injured in 327 instances of lathicharge while the number injured policemen stood at 696, more than double the civilian count.
HIGHEST INJURIES IN J&K
The highest number of injuries of policemen was reported from Jammu and Kashmir. In 2015, 411 police personnel were injured in the state compared to 24 civilian injuries.
Uttar Pradesh was only state, according to NCRB figures, where more civilians were reported injured than the policemen. In 2015, 197 civilians were injured in the state compared to 90 police personnel.
This year's figures are vastly different from the last year as more than 5,000 people have been injured in the Valley in the ongoing protest following the killing of Hizbul Mujaheedin commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Around 3,000 policemen and paramilitary forces have been injured in this year's clashes.
MORE CIVILIANS KILLED
Although, more police personnel were injured in clashes with protesters, fatalities were high on the civilians' side. Seven civilians were killed in the instances of lathicharge in 2015, while no fatality was reported from the police side.
However, in 2014 two police personnel were killed while one civilian's life was lost.
POLICE FIRING
In the cases of police firing more civilians lost their lives in the last years. NCRB figures show that in 2015, 42 civilians were killed in 156 incidents of firing. Eight police personnel also lost their lives. However, here again, more police personnel were injured, 177 as compared to 39 civilians.
With 35 incidents, Rajasthan reported the highest number of firing in 2015 followed by 33 in Maharashtra and 29 in Uttar Pradesh. Maximum, 9 fatalities of civilians were reported from UP.
ALSO READ:
When J-K cops refused to use force against protesters
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Coursera is one of the top online education platforms today. It is founded by Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng.
Coursera aims to make education attainable by the masses. It is now possible to get a Stanford-quality course for free. Each course has two components. First is when education is moved away from the constraints of a classroom and its content is intentionally formatted and designed for online use. Second is making sure that students practice with the material to fully understand the concept.
This time, Coursera is reaching more students through a new initiative called Coursera for Business. The Next Web reported that the online education platform has already partnered with BNY Mellon, Boston Consulting Group, L'Oreal and Axis Bank to let their employees learn remotely. The companies are also able to choose which disciplines should be made available to their employees.
"We believe in learning for all, and our goal is to touch 100% of L'Oreal's employees every year whether they work in our corporate offices or one of our factories," Laurent Reich, L'Oreal's Governance and Digital Learning Director, said. "In order to achieve that, we aim for 50% of an employee's development time to happen through digital or self-directed learning. We love that the Coursera platform will allow us to provide a breadth of high quality programs and a learning experience that our employees can self-select into to drive their own personal development."
One of Coursera's key features is that it lets users start with one course. If they want to learn more, students can broaden their scope and earn an accredited degree or specialization that is co-branded by a university.
Coursera for Business allows companies to track their employees' progress. It also has centralized billing and group communication features, which is great for large businesses. Aside from tracking tools, reporting is also made easier so that companies can measure the impact that a course has on an employee's career development.
The City College of New York has announced details for its Freshman Convocation this year. The official ceremony will be held on Sep. 15, Thursday.
According to CCNY's official website, the annual Freshman Convocation is the City College President's official welcome to the freshman class. The ceremony will include caps, gowns and academic regalia.
All freshman students are required to attend the Freshman Convocation 2016. It will be from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Sep. 15 at the Great Hall inside the Shepard Hall building.
The event will feature an academic procession of deans, faculty and members of the President's cabinet. After the ceremony, there will be a reception held in the Beaver Quad. Incoming students will receive information about Freshman Convocation 2016 in early fall.
"The Freshman Convocation is the official induction ceremony for first year students at The City College of New York by the President, the Academic Deans, Faculty, and Staff," the website read. "The Convocation celebrates the start of a new academic year and commemorates the beginning of their collegiate experience."
Last year, Kenny Soto, who studied biology at the City College of New York but later became a music major, gave a speech at Freshman Convocation 2015. He talked about how the school has great resources that will challenge students.
"Your purpose here besides getting a degree is to learn," he said. "And this does not mean simply going to class and then going to work or hanging out with friends. This means as VP Reina said, look to your left and look to your right and realizing you can learn from your fellow student body as well."
First Lady Michelle Obama also went to the City College of New York last June to join the class of 2016 in celebration of their commencement rites. It was memorable for Michelle Obama since it was her last commencement address as First Lady of the U.S.
"So I want you all to go out there. Be great," she told the graduates. "Build great lives for yourselves. Enjoy the liberties that you have in this great country. Pursue your own version of happiness. And please, please, always, always do your part to help others do the same."
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UW Religion Today: Coming Soon to a Beach Near You
By Paul V.M. Flesher
Thanks to the mayors of French Riviera beach towns, the burkini has received international attention, and sales are skyrocketing. They banned Muslim women from wearing this three-part (four-part?) swimming costume at their beaches but, after photographs of three, large French policemen were shown making a Muslim woman take off her outer tunic (to the accompaniment of her crying children) went viral, women around the world are seeing the burkini as a possible fashion choice for beachwear. After all, if it is too hot for the French Riviera, it must be cool.
The name burkini comes from a combination of the words burka and bikini, and it is actually a brand name that becomes synonymous with a new type of clothing. A burkini looks like a snorkelers wet suit with a tunic and hoodie, often brightly colored. It is the fashion creation of an Australian Muslim woman named Aheda Zanetti. Her company has been slowly garnering international market penetration for several years, but sales have spiked since the French controversy started several weeks ago.
Zanetti designed the burkini to enable Muslim women to enjoy beach and ocean activities like other Australians while keeping their modesty. It was quickly taken up in Australia, not without controversy, but that countrys Surf Rescue society adopted the burkini as one of its official uniforms, with the international shipping company DHL sponsoring it. And, if you think that burkini style cant be fashionable, just google burkini surfer.
The point of the burkini is to provide women with another option for action wear. Zanetti says that about 40 percent of her customers are non-Muslims; some are women with health issues such as cancer, pale skin that burns when exposed to the sun or other body issues. Burkinis also are purchased by members of other religions, from Mormon women to Buddhist nuns.
For women with a strong sense of modesty, the burkini enables them to participate in water sports. Most just swim, play beach games and have a good time. But, others pursue activities requiring more dedication, such as surfing or snorkel diving. The number of Southern Californian Muslim surfer girls is on the rise; after all, thats what Southern Californians do, right?
So, whats going on? Unfortunately, this is another instance of men telling women what to wear and to shame them into conformity with the use of morals. In the 1950s, the two-piece bikini was banned in Italy. Male officials told women they were showing too much of their bodies. They sent out policemen to fine women and eject them from the beaches. Young women needed to be more modest, the authorities said.
Now, the mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, says that women in burkinis cannot enter beaches, because they are wearing improper clothes that are not respectful of good morals and secularism. In his view, apparently showing lots of feminine skin is good morals and that proper secular women wear bikinis. Talk about a turnaround!
To be fair, the mayors are responding to fights erupting on beaches over women wearing burkinis. There have been several incidents where burkini-wearing women on a beach have been harassed by young men for being anti-France. One claimed purpose of the ban is to prevent such incitements against public order. In other words, authorities address male behavior by telling women what to wear.
The French mayors ban and its aftermath have blown this matter out of proportion. French beaches are not about to be overrun by women in burkinis. There are rarely more than one or two women on a beach in a burkini, and often not even that. They stand out because they are so rare. It is more common to see nuns in full costume dipping in the sea.
Flesher is a professor in the University of Wyomings Department of Religious Studies. Past columns and more information about the program can be found on the web at www.uwyo.edu/RelStds. To comment on this column, visit http://religion-today.blogspot.com.
Adventurer, Writer to Speak in Six Wyoming Communities
Mark Jenkins
National Geographic and University of Wyoming writer-in-residence Mark Jenkins, from Laramie, will discuss his North Face teams attempt to climb Burmas highest peak during free public presentations scheduled Sept. 19-30 in six Wyoming communities.
The UW Center for Global Studies presents World to Wyoming Tour with Mark Jenkins, where he will discuss Burmas Resurrection: An Expedition Deep into a Forbidden Land. His scheduled stops include Casper, Cheyenne, Douglas, Riverton, Rock Springs and Torrington.
Last year, Jenkins, with a team of North Face athletes, attempted to climb the highest peak in Burma -- Hkakabo Razi at 19,300 feet. The peak lies in the far north of the country on Tibets border.
Taking trains, buses, motorcycles and a boat up the Irrawaddy River, then hiking for two weeks through almost impenetrable jungle, the team battled leeches, poisonous spiders and venomous snakes. From base camp, they set out to ascend the serrated, heavily glaciered West Ridge of Hkakabo Razi.
Featured in the September issue of National Geographic magazine as the story Point of No Return, and in the Renan Ozturk documentary Down to Nothing, Jenkins presentation provides the complete account of this unrivaled expedition to Burma -- stories of hardship and hilarity, bear hunters and Buddhist monks, fear, failure and freedom.
The program schedule:
-- Sept. 19: Laramie County Community College Center for Conferences and Institutes, Union Pacific Centennial Room, 6:30 p.m.
The Cheyenne presentation includes What in the World international studies fieldwork presentations by two UW students at 5:30 p.m. preceding the Jenkins talk. Guy Litt, doctoral candidate in hydrology, will present Panama Canal Watershed Management; and Megan Dudenhoeffer, a senior in zoology and Russian, will discuss Addressing an Invasive Cactus in Laikipia, Kenya.
-- Sept. 21: Western Wyoming Community College, Lecture Hall, Room 1302, Rock Springs, 7 p.m.
-- Sept. 27: Lander Valley High School auditorium, 7 p.m.
-- Sept. 28: Casper College, Music Building Wheeler Concert Hall, 7 p.m.
-- Sept. 29: Eastern Wyoming College, Douglas, 7 p.m.
-- Sept. 30: Eastern Wyoming College, Fine Arts auditorium, Torrington, 7 p.m.
Rocky Mountain Power Foundation and Wyoming Humanities Council support the World to Wyoming Series.
For more information, contact Jean Garrison, UW Center for Global Studies director, at (307) 766-6119 or garrison@uwyo.edu.
UW Art Museum to Host Wyoming Rocks! The After Party Oct. 22
Wyoming Rocks! The After Party will take place Oct. 22 from 10 p.m.-midnight at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, following the UW Art Museums gala fundraiser. Follow The After Party on social media, and post with the hashtag #WRtheafterparty. (UW Art Museum)
The University of Wyoming Art Museum will host its inaugural Wyoming Rocks! The After Party following the 23rd annual gala fundraiser, Wyoming Rocks! Celebrating Wyoming Resources & Wonders, Saturday, Oct. 22. The After Party will take place from 10 p.m.-midnight at the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center.
The After Party is planned as a fun-filled, Wyoming-themed event with food, libations, live music and dancing. The J Shogren Shanghaid band, with special appearance by Laniece Mama Lenny Schleicher, will play a blend of catawampus American music. Cocktail attire is requested.
Tickets to Wyoming Rocks! The After Party are $50 per person and available in advance only to persons 21 and older. Limited to the first 200 verified purchases, they are available at http://wyoalumni.uwyo.edu/2016-TheAfterParty.
Presented by the National Advisory Board of the UW Art Museum, The After Party will conclude the Art Museums gala, a premier black tie event to support Art Museum exhibitions, collections, education and outreach programs.
The Art Museums programs are anchored on a comprehensive and growing collection of more than 8,000 objects, and a diverse exhibition program that ranges from innovative artists of the present time to art of the American West, and art from other times and cultures. Its original art resources form the basis for education and outreach programs that serve the state of Wyoming and enable academic and community engagement opportunities.
For more information, call the Art Museum at (307) 766-6622, visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum, or follow the museum on Facebook.
Through its Museum as Classroom approach, the UW Art Museum places art at the center of learning for all ages. Located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 Willett Drive in Laramie, the museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday hours are extended to 7 p.m. February through April and September through November. Admission is free.
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On Saturday, Sept. 17, Ri Ra Las Vegas celebrates Halfway to St. Patricks Day with a grand celebration featuring drink specials, giveaways, live Irish music and a special Irish-inspired menu benefitting HELP of Southern Nevada.
During the event, Ri Ra will offer guests $5 Guinness drafts and Guinness foreign extra stouts from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Additionally, the pub will give away engraved Guinness glasses to the first 50 guests who order a beer from the pubs Victorian bar. Throughout the evening, attendees will enjoy live Irish music from The Black Donnellys, a folk band consisting of Guinness World Record holders Dave Browne and Dave Rooney.
Located next to Ri Ra, the Guinness Store Las Vegas will also join the party by offering customers 15 percent off all in-store purchases totaling more than $20.
As part of the halfway mark celebration, Ri Ra will raise money for HELP of Southern Nevada from Sept. 11 17. All week long when guests order off of the pubs special HELP menu, Ri Ra will donate 20 percent of all proceeds to the local nonprofit. The Irish-inspired menu features Guinness Beer Cheese and Pretzels ($9.95), Hot Irish Beef Sandwich ($13.95), Rasher and Leek Chicken ($21.95), Kilbeggan Salmon ($23.95) and Guinness Sundae ($6.95).
Nearly 5,000 people risked having their homes destroyed in Dinh Cong Ward, Hoang Mai District in Ha Noi to build a complex containing an ecological park, villas, high-rise residential quarters and a plaza. Photo laodong.com.vn
The information was reported in a story in the Lao dong (Labour) newspaper, published on August 19. According to the story, nearly 1,000 households, in which 5,000 people resided, in Dinh Cong Ward, Hoang Mai District in Ha Noi, were asked to tear down their houses.
The land on which their homes were constructed would then be transferred to the Sao Vang Joint-stock Company.
The company would use the land to build a complex containing an ecological park, villas, high-rise residential quarters and a plaza.
The story said nearly 1,000 households were unhappy with the project because many of them had been issued land use right certificates and had lived there for dozens of years.
Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh asked the Ha Noi Peoples Committee to verify the facts and report to the Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc before September 15.
Research of the Lao dong (Labour) newspapers correspondent showed that in May 1972, the Ha Noi Peoples Committee licensed for the Dinh Cong vegetables farm to widen the farm in Dinh Cong Ward, Hoang Mai District.
In June 2003, the Sao Vang Company signed contract with the Ha Noi Agricultural Development and Investment Co Ltd to use land of the Dinh Cong vegetable farm to build parks, ecological areas and amusement area.
In May 2004, the municipal peoples committee asked the Ha Noi Fruit, Vegetable and Technology Centre, which managed the Dinh Cong vegetable farm, to set up projects of ecological park.
In December 2005 the Ha Noi Peoples Committee approved a detailed scheme of Hoang Mai District. And concerned organisations joined hand with the Sao Vang Company to set up related scheme.
After many years of delaying, by the end of June this year, deputy chairman of the Ha Noi Peoples Committee Nguyen The Hung said that setting up scheme of the ecological park was too slow.
But local residents said that the scheme was not suitable to the lands function which was approved by former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in the Decision 108/1998/Q-TTg issued on June 20, 1998.
According to the contract, in August DAG is going to export $1.5 million worth of aluminium composite panels (DAG Alu) and Hiflex PVC banner materials to Brazil.
DAG currently produces Hiflex at a capacity of 10 million square metres per year. The material is a mixture of PVC and synthetic fibres, especially fire-resistant synthetic fibre that is waterproof and slow to burn, produced using German technology.
The aluminium composite panel is produced using Taiwanese technology and is consistent in thickness and makeup, making it very flexible and resistant to sudden shocks and impacts. It is therefore a very popular choice in construction.
According to Al Importacao e Exportacao Eireli Epp, Latin Americas demand for building material is very high and it is still growing as people want to build new and renovate old houses and the country is carrying out a large number of sizeable construction projects.
DAG plans to start operating an additional 30 plastic profile production lines, raising its plastic profile production capacity to 50,000 tonnes per year. DAG is now the biggest Vietnamese producer of profiles, competing with imports from the EU and China. Besides selling on the domestic market, DAG is going to increase exports in order to create a momentum for growth.
Malaysian activists hold placards denouncing the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) during a protest in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP/Manan Vatsyayana)
Neither the Trans-Pacific Partnership nor the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is dead, but analysts say the hurdles to getting either completed by the end of Obama's term next Jan 20 are now almost insurmountable.
For the TPP, already negotiated with 11 other Pacific Rim countries and only needing ratification by the Congress, the political atmosphere has been soured with both presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, pitching for votes, saying they are opposed to it.
As for TTIP - a treaty with the entire European Union - negotiations are stuck on the toughest issues and European politicians, facing elections next year, are likewise declaring opposition.
French President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday that TTIP talks "will not lead to an agreement by the end of the year," and hours earlier his junior minister for trade Matthias Fekl called for an end to the talks.
"There is no more political support in France for these negotiations," he said.
And in Germany, vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel said the talks "have de facto failed."
While negotiators from both sides quickly responded that the talks were certainly alive and making progress, analysts said both TTIP and TPP would likely be stalled to at least 2018.
"The clock has basically run out," said Gary Hufbauer, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. "I agree more with the 'more dead than alive' camp in this debate," he told AFP.
Not a big free trade advocate before he was first elected in 2008, Obama has strongly pursued what he has called "trade deals for the 21st century."
Each would dwarf any previous free trade treaty, going beyond cutting goods tariffs to establish rules governing data trade, investment rights, intellectual property rights and other issues not covered in past deals.
Both deals were set up to be negotiated largely in secret and be presented to respective governments and legislatures as completed deals for up-or-down votes.
The 12 TPP countries reached agreement in October 2015, and the main challenge to implementing it is ratification by the US Congress.
But with opponents arguing that previous trade deals have cost US jobs, TPP has become a hot issue ahead of the US presidential and congressional elections coming on Nov 8.
TTIP has not figured much in the US campaign, but this week's comments show it will in the French and German elections next year.
"Election periods are always not good times for trade agreements," Hufbauer told AFP.
Moreover, relative to TPP, the TTIP talks have been rushed, and have been tripped up by Britain's June vote to withdraw from the European Union, potentially removing a key US ally fromt he deal.
"It was never going to be easy between the US and the EU because basically you have the two elephants (of global trade) negotiating with each other," said Frances Burwell at the Atlantic Council.
Obama has a chance to move both deals forward before leaving office.
He could submit TPP to Congress for ratification after the election, and before the new Congress takes office in early January, when legislators could vote with less political pressure.
But Daniel Ikenson, a trade expert at the Cato Institute, gives that "about a one percent chance" of succeeding. "I think the votes are really not there," he said, with the normally pro-free trade Republican Party deeply divided.
Obama could also drive his chief trade negotiator, Michael Froman, to finish a TTIP deal before he exits. But that could require big US compromises, which coud create a political firestorm for his successor.
"There is some chance that we will be very close to what is known as a political agreement by the end of Obama's term, but it's dicey. It's not a sure thing," said Burwell.
Both deals, then, are almost certain to be left to the next president, widely expected to be Clinton. As Obama's secretary of state she supported the negotiating effort but has opposed TPP on the campaign trail.
Never mind that, said Ikenson. "Presidential candidates tend to be more populist and more anti-trade. Presidents themselves see the light ... Clinton will find a way to support it."
Trump is more of a cipher, with his campaign advisors including some anti-trade ideologues, noted Ikenson.
But even then, existing laws and industry pressure could force a president Trump into supporting the deals, he posited.
During an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Parvathaneni Harish has given some insight into the trip of Prime Minister Modi, scheduled for September 2 - 3.
This is the first visit to Vietnam of an Indian head of government in 15 years, Ambassador Harish stated, adding that many significant documents are expected to be signed between the two parties.
The Indian leadership has focused on its Act East Policy in which our Strategic Partnership with Vietnam is a major pillar, he said.
Collaboration between Indias M/s Larsen & Toubro Company and Vietnamese Border Guard is highly anticipated for the construction of high-speed patrol boats based on the Line of Credit of US$100 million, according to the diplomat.
We expect conclusion of many agreements and MOUs in important economic, social and strategic sectors including in the fields of science and technology, information technology, defense and security, health, and especially cooperation in traditional medicine systems in our two countries, he continued.
Vietnamese public servants and students will also be granted 200 scholarships to support their studies and research in India, Harish added.
Regarding the disputes in the East Vietnam Sea, the ambassador stated that the maritime area played an important apart in Indias global trade.
Mumbai supports the freedom of navigation and overflight, and unimpeded commerce in the seaway in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), he asserted.
The South Asian country believed that relevant parties should settle their differences using peaceful measures and not to apply force or the threat of violence for the sake of regional peace and stability.
Addressing the prospects of defense and security ties between India and Vietnam, Harish said there had been strong cooperation between the two militaries, primarily navies and coast guard forces.
The diplomat mentioned the successful visit to Vietnam of Indian defense minister Manohar Parrikar in June under the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart Ngo Xuan Lich.
Vessels from the Indian naval force have also made frequent visits to Vietnams seaports, he said, adding that the current naval ties will also be fostered during the Indian Prime Ministers visit.
Illustration photo - source: Nguoi lao dong
The MoT has so far only approved pilot project applications submitted by two companies, namely GrabTaxi Co., Ltd. (Grab) and Anh Duong Vietnam JSC (Vinasun). As reported by newspaper Lao Dong, the official letters, both of which were signed by Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong, said the MoT had issued guidance documents to assist Grab and Vinasun to implement their pilot projects in selected provinces. Grab and Vinasun started implementing the MoTs Decision No. 24/QD-BGTVT to pilot using technology to support management and connection in contractual passenger transportation in January and July 2016, respectively.
The MoTs official letters said that the projects have improved the ability of provincial Departments of Transport to track the number of transport entities and the number of participating vehicles actively using e-hailing apps, At the same time, it lead to an increase in the number of participating vehicles satisfying technical and e-contract application content requirements, but perhaps most importantly, the pilot programmes created a far more transparent framework for passenger payments and tax collection from transport companies and cooperatives.
Meanwhile, there have been several cases where vehicles using e-hailing apps and other entities have not complied with current regulations, including operating without contract-car badges, cooperating with e-hailing transportation apps that have yet to be approved for the pilot project status, and by failing to fulfil tax obligations.
One of the official letters singled out Uber and its drivers for violating requisite tax regulations. Despite registering as household business entities and having monthly income that could reach a few thousand dollars, most Uber drivers do not pay personal income tax and value-added tax (VAT), while the application service provider operates outside of the governments control in terms of tax collection.
There are approximately 4,000 Uber taxis currently operating in Ho Chi Minh City alone. Subtracting drivers wages, Uber can earn up to VND30 billion ($1.35 million) per month from its 20 per cent service fee, which is transferred to the Netherlands and cannot be subjected to tax.
In many countries, Ubers operations are considered illegal and are suspect of competing unfairly with traditional taxi companies. It has been reported that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transportation is considering requesting the City Peoples Committee to designate Ubers operations illegal.
One of the MoTs official letters also shared that the MoT has yet to receive a pilot project submission from Uber that meets its requirements despite the MoTs repeated efforts to provide guidance to the company on the matter.
The MoT has requested that the departments of Transport in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City continue providing guidance to transportation entities, including Grab and Vinasun, on how to implement the approved pilot projects in compliance with relevant regulations. In particular, the MoT has emphasised the need for participating entities to cooperate with tax authorities by furnishing accurate vehicle participation data to enhance tax collection and to avoid cooperating with e-hailing transportation apps that have yet to be approved for the pilot project status.
According to the official letters, the departments of Transport in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City shall order their inspectorate divisions to coordinate with local police and tax authorities to enhance the inspection and handling of violations.
Furthermore, the MoT asked the departments of Transport in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to submit a report by September 20 on cases involving e-hailing transportation apps that have yet to be approved for the pilot project status and that are found in violation of the law, as the press has reported several times before.
High waves triggered by Typhoon Lionrock crash on a coast of the city of Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. (Photo: Reuters)
The bodies were discovered in a riverside care complex half buried in mud and rubble after Typhoon Lionrock ripped through the region, dumping torrential rain over a wide area.
"We are trying to confirm the identities of these bodies," Iwate prefectural police Shuko Sakamoto told AFP, confirming that nine corpses were found inside the care home in the town of Iwaizumi, which suffered flooding.
Police found the bodies after rushing to the facility to rescue people who were trapped because of flooding caused by Typhoon Lionrock, public broadcaster NHK reported.
NHK footage showed a helicopter hovering over the care complex, half buried in mud and rubble, and rescuing people.
Typhoon Lionrock slammed into northern Japan on Tuesday evening, dumping heavy rain, causing flooding and triggering power outages.
The death toll from the powerful storm rose to 10 after an elderly woman was found dead in her flooded home nearby, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters.
NHK also reported another body had been discovered not far from the nursing home, but there has been no official confirmation.
Aerial footage showed a wide swath of flooded land, with parked cars half submerged in murky water.
Lionrock slammed into northern Japan on Tuesday evening, dumping heavy rain that caused flooding and triggered power outages.
Japan's Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) has sent rescuers to Iwaizumi, spokesman Takenori Ueushiro told AFP.
The typhoon, which was packing winds over 160 kilometres (100 miles) an hour when it made landfall, also caused flooding on the northern island of Hokkaido.
"In Minamifurano town, the water level is still very high with a current, and rescue workers are using helicopters now to try to evacuate several people who are left on the roofs of their houses or their cars," said Hokkaido official Terumi Kohan.
Lionrock's path -- hitting northeastern Japan from the Pacific Ocean -- was unusual.
Typhoons usually approach Japan from the south and southwest before moving northward across the archipelago.
Authorities on Tuesday had warned of up to eight centimetres (three inches) of rain per hour, and said they expected flooding and landslides.
The typhoon's landfall came at high tide, which exacerbated the flow of water.
Lionrock comes on the heels of two other typhoons that hit Japan in the past nine days, resulting in two deaths, the cancellation of hundreds of domestic flights and disruptions to train services.
The intention was announced by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai at the governments regular press conference on August 31.
Accordingly, the state will auction 82 per cent of Habeco, equalling VND9 trillion ($403.57 million), later this year. The divestment from Sabeco will be divided into two phases. The first phase will be implemented in 2016 with 53.59 per cent stake worth VND24.5 trillion ($1.09 billion), the remaining 36 per cent, worth VND16 trillion ($717.47 million), will be issued in 2017 after Sabeco completes its listing on the stock exchange.
Hai said that domestic and foreign investors alike can join the sale. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will hire consultancy companies to build specific divestment plans as well as verify the prices of the two enterprises shares. In case the two beer giants are listed on the stock exchange, their listed prices will be used as a basis to calculate the initial prices offered at the auctions.
The MoIT will ask the two companies to list their shares on the Vietnamese stock exchanges and draw up a divestment schedule identifying stages and deadlines, after receiving official directions from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
According to the Vietnam Association of Financial Investors, both Habeco and Sabeco have been equitised for eight years, however, both have been delaying getting listed on the stock markets.
According to the Vietnam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association (VBA)s statistics published in January, Sabeco and Habecos beer products make up 60 per cent of the domestic market. Sabeco is the largest beer firm, having produced 1.38 billion litres in 2015, making up 46 per cent of the market. Habeco ranks third with 667.8 million litres, equalling a 17.3 per cent market share.
In early 2015, Thai Beverage, owned by Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, made a $1 billion offer to buy a 40 per cent stake in Sabeco, however, the necessary government authorisation for the deal is yet to be issued.
In 2008, Carlsberg became a strategic partner of Habeco after buying a 17.23 per cent stake. Carlsberg expressed interest in buying a further 13 per cent, but the deal, yet again, hinges on the approval of the MoIT.
Despite the surge in numbers this week, migrant arrivals in Italy are running slightly below last year's levels. (AFP Photo)
The three dead bodies were recovered from a stricken rubber dinghy by Malta-based NGO MOAS, whose boat the Phoenix rescued a total of 410 people during the day.
Italian navy and coastguard boats were also in action along with a merchant tugboat that happened to be in the area.
Despite the surge in numbers this week, migrant arrivals in Italy are running slightly below last year's levels.
According to Interior Ministry figures, a total of 112,097 people had landed at Italian ports by Wednesday morning, compared with 116,149 for the same period in 2015.
Thousands more will be registered in the coming days, putting more pressure on Italy's already rammed reception centres.
Among those arriving on Wednesday was a three-month-old Nigerian baby girl who was born in Libya and baptised Noa Mary on an Italian navy boat on Tuesday.
Rear Admiral Alberto Maffeis, who acted as the little girl's godfather on board the Virginio Fasan frigate, told RaiNews her mother had asked the onboard chaplain to carry out the ceremony.
"It was like becoming a father again, I had a lump in my throat," he said.
Flavio di Giacomo, the Italy spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said that despite this week's high numbers, the profile of departures from Libya remained similar to last year with regular spikes in numbers attributable to favourable weather conditions.
"What is astonishing is that there have been so few casualties thanks to the expertise of the rescuers," he said.
Di Giacomo said the new arrivals were manageable. "There is not a a critical situation on the Italian side, the system of reception and identification is working smoothly."
Italy is however having to house ever greater numbers of would-be refugees as its neighbours to the north move to tighten their borders and make it harder for migrants to travel to their preferred destinations in northern Europe.
According to the Interior Ministry, Italy now has 148,000 asylum seekers in reception centres, compared with 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014.
The Greek coastguard said Wednesday it rescued roughly 30 migrants on a stricken vessel as they attempted to reach Italy.
The programme aimed to teach university students about the importance of financial concepts such as budgeting, saving, and spending. In 2016, the programmes fifth year, students have been tasked with creating phrases and posters that promote the merits of prudent financial management, with a particular focus on using both creative wordings and imagery to engage their peers.
In each year of our Practical Money Skills programme, we present the participating students with new tasks, and without fail, every year they demonstrate the utmost creativity in meeting these challenges. This year, weve seen very inspiring submissions from our entrants, which have spanned styles as diverse as propaganda style, graphic design, and many others, said Sean Preston, Visas country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
This years programme serves a dual purpose: the students who have chosen to verbally or visually present their ideas have to think deeply about the value of financial literacy, while the art exhibition is designed to take the best representations of these concepts right across the country. This kind of peer-to-peer learning and communicating is crucial to ensure these important messages are reaching the young people of Vietnam in a tone and discourse that truly speak to them, rather than at them, he said.
This years programme consists of two phases. The first phase started on April 7, and saw students across the country developing and submitting engaging catchphrases that capture the importance of financial literacy. Students who are more artistically inclined were then given the opportunity to draw on these pieces of writing to design posters, interpreting the financial concepts and turning them into eye-catching visuals.
Phase one attracted nearly 839 entries from 87 different universities across the country. For the first time, this years competition is open to students across Vietnam.
The second phase will see the 50 best posters and taglines submitted in the first phase exhibited at five universities across Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Haiphong and Quang Ngai.
To conclude the programme, the ten winning taglines and ten winning posters will be brought to Hanoi for a finale event in October where finalists stand to win a range of exciting prizes worth up to VND38 million ($1,700) in Visa prepaid cards.
A range of programme resources are available on the Facebook page and YouTube channels (which have 15,600 likes and 1923 subscribers respectively), teaching students how to budget, save and spend responsibly. The official programme website (www.practicalmoneyskills.com.vn) has achieved 28,430 unique visitors to date, and continues to provide useful advice from programme mascot Mr. Pocket, together with handy financial formulas and other tools.
This also marks the second three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Visa and the CCVSA for the ongoing delivery of the programme. Since 2012, Visa and the CCVSA have jointly organised road shows to promote financial literacy awareness and to teach students the basic concepts of spending responsibly while learning to save and budget wisely.
Exhibitions will last for a week in each school during the last two weeks of September. The full list of exhibition locations is as follows,
- Hanoi: Hanoi Architectural University
- Haiphong: Haiphong University
- Quang Ngai: Pham Van Dong University
- Ho Chi Minh City: Foreign Trade University in HCMC Campus
- Danang: Danang University of Architecture
Vice Chairwoman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Thi Thu and Deputy Governor of the RoKs province Woo Byung Yoon discussed preparations for the event at a meeting in HCM City on August 30.
The festival will help the two countries and people exchange culture, Woo Byung Yoon said, adding senior officials of the two countries are expected to attend the event.
The RoK will host Kpop music performances to treat Vietnamese audiences, he said.
Thu highlighted sound relations between the two countries and noted that HCM City is leading nationwide in cooperation activities with the RoK.
RoK is currently the fourth biggest investor in HCM City with 1,252 projects worth over US$4.3 billion.
In 2015, two-way trade reached nearly US$3 billion. The city is also partnered with RoKs Busan and Daegu cities, she noted.
Gyeongsangbuk-do is home to many destinations recognised by UNESCO as world cultural heritage with traditional cultural festivals and special cuisine, Thu said.
That the joint hosting of the festival is significant in increasing cultural exchanges between the two nations, she added.
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Its time for a change: Cara Castronuova on Her Race for District 22 in the NYS Assembly
On Oct. 25, Cara Castronuova, who is vying to unseat longtime Democrat incumbent Michaelle Solages as representative for District 22 in the New York State Assembly, sat down with Vision Times to discuss why voters should vote for her, and not her opponent, in the upcoming election on Nov. 8.
President Barack Obama will face a broad range of pressing issues on his 11th trip as president to Asia, with the future of his strategic rebalance to the Asia Pacific and his legacy in that region still uncertain.
With less than five months in office, Obama will travel there for the last time as president, after working throughout his two four-year terms to bolster Americas power and influence in the region.
The U.S. president will join other world leaders for the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, China, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and the East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos from September 2-8.
The foreign policy rebalance is critical to Americas future security and prosperity, according to Obama.
White House officials said that while in Asia he will repeatedly make a forceful case for ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The trade deal, signed by 12 Pacific rim nations, is the economic foundation of the so-called pivot.
TPP is a litmus test for U.S. leadership, said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security advisor. Without ratification the U.S. would be ceding the region to countries like China, who do not set the same types of high standards for trade agreements, he argued.
But whether the U.S. Congress will ratify the deal is very much in doubt during a presidential election year in which trade has been blamed for lost jobs.
Both major party candidates, Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, have spoken against it.
Obama is expected to make a final push for ratification after presidential elections in November.
The chances of doing that are growing slimmer by the day, said Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. If we dont have that, the rest of the rebalance to Asia looks hollow.
On the agenda
Obama also will face a long list of tough issues during the G20 summit.
Leaders of the worlds 20 largest economies are expected to have a robust debate about how best to stimulate the sluggish global economy and push ahead against climate change.
Key meetings include talks between Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Ergodan.
He also likely will speak on the sidelines with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The U.S.-China talks will cover U.S. concerns about Beijings cyber activities, economic practices and aggressive actions in the South China Sea, where it has claimed disputed territory, raising tensions with its Southeast Asian neighbors.
With leadership changes set for next year, it is critical to stabilize the U.S. relationship with China as they go through simultaneous political transitions in both countries, Paal said.
I think the important thing for Obama during his meeting with Xi Jinping is to establish some red lines, things that we will not tolerate, he added.
White House officials said it will be the last such meeting between Obama and Xi.
The two will review the state of U.S.-China relations and to try to see where we can make progress, said Rhodes.
Obama and Erdogan will discuss Turkeys crackdown since a failed coup attempt, which the Turkish president has blamed on the U.S. Also on the agenda are the fight against Islamic State, instability in Syria and the refugee crisis.
Possible talks between Obama and Putin are expected to focus on the conflict in eastern Ukraine and Moscows role in Syria.
The U.S. has urged Russia to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to abide by a cessation of hostilities agreement and allow the flow of humanitarian aid.
Obama will be the first U.S. president to visit Laos when he travels to Vientiane for the ASEAN and East Asia summits on September 5. He will hold talks with that countrys leaders as part of the ongoing effort to build ties with people and develop more trade and investment.
After the meeting, the U.S. leader will deliver a speech on his Asia policy and his vision for Americas future in the Asia Pacific. I think he'll speak to the fact that we've significantly upgraded our commercial and economic diplomacy in the region, our security presence in the partnerships that we're building, both with allies but also with emerging partners on issues like maritime security and disaster response, said Rhodes.
He again will press for U.S. ratification of TPP during the remarks.
Obama is scheduled to meet with the Philippines' new president, Rodrigo Duterte, to discuss an international court ruling at The Hague against Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea.
President Obama will seek to reassure Southeast Asian nations about the U.S. commitment to the rebalance.
But progress on the security and diplomatic fronts are not enough, said Matthew Goodman, William E. Simon Chair in Political Economy and Senior Adviser for Asian Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The future of the rebalance and Obamas legacy rest on TPP.
If it doesnt get ratified then I think his legacy will be seen as mixed at best in Asia, said Goodman.
Analysts and political observers have decried a recent announcement by leading military figure General Kun Kim in which he said that the military would ensure the arrests of prominent members of the opposition.
In a video published in local media, Kim, who is deputy commander-in-chief and a permanent member of the ruling Cambodian Peoples Partys central committee, said that the militarys job, while remaining officially neural, was to protect government interests and prevent attempts to change the government.
Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha must abide by the law because I am the law enforcer. The armed forces protect the government. If there was an order, I would enforce [the order] and defend [the government]. I must take action if the court requests. Our armed forces will ensure their arrest to face legal punishment. We must do it no matter how much it would cost, he said in the video.
Ou Virak, head of the Future Forum think tank, said it was illegal for a government to command the armed forces to act against civilians.
Its dangerous for Cambodia when officials keep seeing the shadow of a color revolution, he said, referring to the governments belief that opposition forces are planning a coup detat.
Meas Ny, a social analyst, said Kis remarks showed that the military was firmly in support of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Regarding the arrests, the army must not show up because it is an armed confrontation. Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy would be unarmed. Thus, its not necessary to bring armed soldiers and tanks to arrest them, he said.
Kim could not be reached for comment.
Yim Sovann, a spokesman for the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, called for a peaceful resolution to the stand-off.
The problem is a political problem and this problem is that the immunity of members of parliament has been violated, he said.
Rainsy went into self-imposed exile in France in November to avoid a two-year prison term for defamation. He is now facing a new charge related to comments he made that linked Hun Sen to the murder of popular government critic Kem Ley.
Sokha has missed several court appearances since proceedings were initiated against him over an alleged affair he had with a mistress.
On Wednesday, several military helicopters were seen repeatedly circling over the CNRP headquarters in Phnom Penh in an apparent show of strength.
Tim Cook, Apples chief executive, called a recent tax bill handed to the company by the European Union total political crap, and claimed that a bias against the U.S. led to the decision.
In an interview with the Irish Independent Thursday, Cook vowed to stand with Ireland to fight the ruling and said it had no basis in law or fact.
"It's total political crap," he told the paper. "They just picked a number from I don't know where. In the year that the Commission says we paid that tax figure, we actually paid $400 million. We believe that makes us the highest taxpayer in Ireland that year."
Cooks comments come two days after the EU's antitrust regulator ordered the technology giant to repay Ireland $14.5 billion in back taxes, saying the world's most valuable company received an unfair tax break from Dublin and managed to avoid almost all corporate taxes across the 28-nation bloc for more than a decade.
The EU's competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager said, "Tax rulings granted by Ireland have artificially reduced Apple's tax burden for over two decades, in breach of the EU state aid rules. Apple now has to repay the benefits." She questioned how anyone might think that Apple's 2014 Irish tax rate of 0.005 percent was fair.
Cook denied that his company received any special treatment, though, and said Apple would win the case on an appeal. He called the ruling politics at play and accused the EU of overreaching in an effort to change tax laws across the whole of Europe.
"There are other possibilities too, but I think it's clear that there is a desire to harmonize tax rates across the EU. Doing it this way doesn't seem like the right approach to me. There should be a public discussion about it," he said.
Cook went on to say he believes Apple was targeted because it is a U.S. company operating in Europe, and people in leadership positions in several countries told him as much.
But what I feel strongly about is that this decision was politically based, of that I'm very confident, he said. There is no reason for it in fact or in law."
In Washington, U.S. officials seemed to agree with Cook and voiced their disappointment in the decision.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said U.S. taxpayers could eventually bear the brunt of the decision, if Apple is forced to make the payment, because the company then could deduct the billions its pays Ireland from the U.S. taxes it owes.
"We are concerned about a unilateral approach," Earnest said, adding that it "threatens to undermine progress that we have made collaboratively with the Europeans to make the international taxation system fair" for both taxpayers and companies. The U.S. Treasury called the ruling "unfair, contrary to well-established legal principles."
The technology giant, the maker of the popular iPhones, was able to legally funnel its international sales revenue through Ireland in order to lower its tax payments; however, the commission ruled that European law makes it illegal for a company to receive state tax aid, and would require Apple to pay back Ireland for the tax breaks it received.
Vestager said that Apple illegally benefited from a tax deal with Ireland that no other business received.
Member states cannot give tax benefits to selected companies this is illegal under EU state aid rules, she said in a statement. The commission's investigation concluded that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to Apple, which enabled it to pay substantially less tax than other businesses over many years."
Apple took all of its profits from European sales and recorded them in Ireland. From there, the majority of Apples European profits were allocated to a head office within the company that had no physical presence or employees in any country. Only a small fraction of Apples profits was allocated to its Irish branch so only those profits were taxed by Ireland.
That allowed Apple to pay just over $11 million in corporate taxes in 2011 an effective tax rate of less than 1 percent. In the following years, Apples profits continued to increase, but its tax payments continued to decrease.
In an interview Thursday with Irish radio station RTE, Cook said the company will most likely repatriate billions of dollars in global profits back to the U.S. next year, though he didnt specify how much, exactly, would be returned.
"We paid $400 [million dollars] to Ireland, we paid $400 [million dollars] to the U.S. and we provisioned several billion dollars for the U.S. for payment as soon as we repatriate it and right now I forecast that repatriation to occur next year," Cook said.
A study published last year showed that Apple had more than $181 billion worth of profits stashed in offshore accounts a move some critics say helped Apple avoid paying U.S. taxes.
The European Commission ruling marks Europes largest-ever tax penalty though Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan immediately indicated the country will appeal the ruling.
"The decision leaves me with no choice but to seek Cabinet approval to appeal the decision before the European courts," Noonan said in a statement. "This is necessary to defend the integrity of our tax system, to provide tax certainty to business, and to challenge the encroachment of EU state aid rules."
Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department criticized the European Commission, accusing it of unfairly singling out U.S. companies for punishment under its new approach to dealing with legal tax breaks given to multinational corporations operating within its member states.
The commission denied that it is targeting U.S. businesses, and instead said that EU rules ban member states from offering tax breaks that are not available in other European countries.
"This is a standard feature of EU state aid rules," the commission said in a statement.
Australia's prime minister warned Thursday against fomenting distrust of Muslims as he outlined tougher measures against supporters of the Islamic State movement.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australian laws will soon be amended to give Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet pilots the same legal standing as their coalition partners when conducting airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.
The Australian legal definition of combatants will be expanded to include people supporting armed fighters and will become consistent with international norms.
Turnbull, who is resisting pressure from lawmakers to ban Muslim immigration and relax hate speech prohibitions, described the Islamic State group as the most pressing national security threat that Australians face.
But he also warned there had been an increase in far-right extremism directed against Muslims in Australia. The latest alleged militant plot disrupted by police led to the arrest of an anti-immigration campaigner who was charged last month with preparing a terrorist attack in the city of Melbourne.
We cannot be effective if we are creating division, whether by fomenting distrust within the Muslim community or inciting fear of Muslims in broader society, Turnbull told Parliament.
Division begets division. It makes violence more likely, not less, he said.
The government plans to introduce legislation to Parliament this month that would enable courts to keep prisoners convicted of terrorist offenses behind bars for indefinite periods.
Legislation is to be introduced in November that will create a new offense of advocating genocide. The crime will enable police to make an earlier arrest when someone is radicalizing others.
Control orders that can force suspects to wear tracking devices and obey curfews could apply to 14-year-olds. Currently the minimum age is 16.
The burden of evidence would also be reduced for a court to jail a suspect with a preventative detention order on the basis that a terrorist attack could occur within two weeks.
Turnbull is resisting demands from several senators to stop Muslim immigration, and also resisted pressure this week from lawmakers in his own conservative government to water down laws that ban offending anyone because of race or nationality.
Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Sydney man was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for helping seven men travel to Syria to fight with Jabhat al-Nusra and other al-Qaida affiliates.
At least two of the fighters have died. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Parliament on Thursday that 110 Australians were fighting with the Islamic State group and other militant groups in the Middle East and up to 65 Australians have been killed.
The passports of 213 suspected militants have been canceled, she said, while the government has refused to issue passports to another 24 people to prevent them from joining the fight in Syria and Iraq.
A Melbourne man whose passport had been canceled was denied bail Thursday by a magistrate who ruled he posed a risk to public safety because of his Islamic State ideology.
Paul Dacre, 31, is one of five suspects who have been in custody since May, when they were charged with planning to leave Australia in a 7-meter (23-foot) power boat to fight with Islamic State militants in Syria.
Prosecutors alleged on Thursday the five planned to travel by boat to Papua New Guinea, Australia's nearest neighbor, before joining Islamic State supporters in the Philippines.
The streets of the Belgian town of Bruges were not as crowded with tourists at the start of the summer as in other years. Bruges is a popular spot because it's an UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the location of the Colin Farrell movie In Bruges. Tourism is the second most important industry for the town, but 2016 has been tough on the sector.
Europe has experienced several terror attacks since last year. Bombings in March at the Brussels Airport and a metro station killed 32 people. Armed military service members still patrol the streets of the Belgian capital.
Bruges Mayor Renaat Landuyt says several bookings agencies cut Belgium from their itineraries after the attack.
"We have seen fewer tourists coming in from the United States and Japan, Landuyt said. The financial impact is biggest on the hotels. The big hotels lowered their rates, but small hotels can't afford that."
About 20 percent fewer foreign tourists came to Bruges, according to Landuyt, but the good August weather attracted more local tourists to the medieval town.
Bruges is not the only place suffering. Brussels saw its tourism industry decline by one quarter in the months following the attacks. Brussels now relies more on visitors from Belgium and surrounding countries, as tourists from other parts of the world have stayed away.
Geert Cochez is the deputy CEO of Visit Brussels, a tourist agency promoting the capital city. Cochez says it was extremely difficult to start the tourism season.
"We made a huge effort convincing organizations not to cancel big events in the months after the attacks, Cochez said. Even though all summer activities continued, business tourism got back on its feet much faster than leisure tourism."
Janet and Chin Wong from Sydney, Australia, have been on a European tour this summer. They visited Paris, France, are now in Belgium to see Brussels and Bruges, and then will explore other European countries. Unlike her husband, Janet Wong says she was nervous about the trip.
"I was scared because of what happened, but we had already planned everything last year," she said.
Many souvenir shops are located around the corner from tourist attractions such as the Grand Place and Manneken Pis in the center of Brussels. Stephanie Blancard is a student working in one such souvenir shop. Blanchard says she feels lucky she found the job.
"I applied to many stores, but everywhere said they didn't need extra people for the summer months, she said. And I heard that other shops fired their summer staff because business is so slow."
The neighborhood of Molenbeek is the one place in Belgium that is attracting new tourists. Molenbeek made headlines after some of the terrorists from the November Paris attacks were linked to the neighborhood. Tour organization Bruksel binnenstebuiten held only five Molenbeek tours in 2015. But since the Paris attacks, it started offering English-language tours, as well. Now it has done more than 50 tours in the infamous borough.
Tour organizer Bert de Bisschop says the Molenbeek tours do not actually focus on the terrorists.
"We don't ignore it, but we try to give a more representative image than what has been reported in the media, de Bisschop said. People do not even ask to see the houses where the terrorists were living or hiding, they want to understand the area and the people."
Belgium is not the only country being shunned by tourists. The Paris attacks in November and the assault in Nice in July left more than 200 people dead and more than 500 injured. The Paris region tourist board says it is losing out on $850 million in revenue this year because tourists have been scared away.
The one year anniversary of Angela Merkel's fateful decision to open Germany's borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees has brought scrutiny, criticism and a flurry of new questions about her leadership.
What was she thinking when she welcomed a flood of migrants with the casual promise "we can do this", German media are asking.
Will she run for a fourth term next year in the face of unrelenting attacks from her Bavarian sister party and sagging popularity ratings? And, more immediately, can she weather regional elections this month in which voters may punish her conservatives and deliver new gains for the far-right?
If Merkel is feeling the pressure, she is doing her best not to show it. On a trip to her Baltic coast electoral district in eastern Germany this week, she visited a yacht maker, listened attentively to scientists at a plasma research institute and ate sausages with locals in the town square in Greifswald.
The trip to the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which holds an election on Sunday, followed a week of intense diplomacy in which Merkel met with a total of 15 European Union counterparts to discuss the bloc's response to the Brexit vote in Britain.
Germany, Europe and the world may be undergoing dramatic changes, but Merkel, the message from her camp goes, remains a constant solid, a bit boring, but unflappable and above all hard-working.
To her fans, this remains her biggest strength.
"I admire her backbone, her long-term vision, the fact that she doesn't bend when the political winds blow in her face," said Cordula Arlt, 46, a Waldorf school teacher who was shopping in the Greifswald market square when Merkel visited.
But to her growing list of critics, including the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) and rising anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, she is seen as stubborn and tone-deaf to the concerns of ordinary Germans.
A series of attacks in Germany over the summer, two by refugees, have only deepened outrage in the anti-Merkel camp.
"People are very unhappy with her refugee policies," said Helmut Schroeder, a 61-year-old unemployed locksmith in Greifswald. "It's astonishing that one woman could take such a momentous decision on her own. We are not a monarchy."
Polarizing figure
As the voices of these voters testify, the refugee crisis, and Merkel's response to it, have turned her from a unifying, reassuring figure in Germany who was fondly referred to as "Mutti" or Mum, into a polarizing figure who elicits head-scratching and even fury.
A poll this week showed that 50 percent of Germans don't want her to run for a fourth term next year. Two in three say they are unhappy with her handling of the crisis.
Despite that, she is expected to run for and win a fourth term in 2017, a feat that only Helmut Kohl, the father of German reunification, has achieved in the post-war era.
Merkel has been coy about her intentions, in part because CSU allies are pressing her to disavow her refugee stance in exchange for their endorsement.
But her advisers suggest she will run because she sees her biggest challenges -- refugees, Europe after Brexit and the digital transformation of the German economy -- as unresolved.
"It would look like negligence if she said she didn't want to continue in the current situation," one of her close advisers told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Merkel's backers note that despite the turmoil of the past year, her conservatives still enjoy a double-digit poll lead over their center-left rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD).
And while Merkel's popularity is down sharply, it still compares favorably with leaders in other big countries. Nor is there an heir apparent on the German right.
Still, Merkel has looked uncharacteristically vulnerable over the past 12 month. She has admitted mistakes -- in failing to foresee the tide of refugees and in her handling of an EU migrants deal with Turkey that has halted the influx but, critics say, left her susceptible to blackmail from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Major lapse
Oxford historian and author Timothy Garton Ash sees that past year as evidence Merkel may be losing her political touch.
"Merkel is Europe's indispensable leader, because of the position of Germany, but also her standing and experience as a leader," he told Reuters.
"But there is a universal law in politics that says 10 years is enough. When leaders stay longer they start making mistakes. It happened to De Gaulle, Kohl, Thatcher and to Erdogan and Putin. Now it seems to be happening to the pragmatic, cautious Angela Merkel."
Over the past weeks, German media have painstakingly reconstructed the events that led to Merkel's decision in the night of Sept. 4 last year to suspend EU immigration rules and allow thousands of refugees camped out in Hungary through to Austria and on into Germany. By the end of 2015, a million migrants had entered the country.
The consensus, one year on, is that she was right to allow the refugees into Germany on that night to avert a humanitarian crisis, but was slow to recognize the consequences of her decision and flat wrong in her assumption other European countries would help share the burden.
"There was no realization that the mood in Germany would eventually turn, nor any preparation for that day," said a senior CDU lawmaker who has worked closely with the chancellor. "For months, Merkel just dug herself in. It was a major lapse."
The political tremors are still being felt. On Sunday in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the anti-immigrant AfD could win more support than Merkel's CDU for the first time ever in a state vote. Two weeks later, support for her party is expected to slide to a record low in an election in the capital Berlin.
"Neither vote will be pretty for the CDU," the Merkel adviser said. "But we will move on. It won't distract her from the challenges we face in Germany and in Europe."
Senior United Nations officials acknowledge that efforts to resume deadlocked Syrian peace talks and gain humanitarian access to besieged areas in that war-torn country remain unsuccessful, as fighting continues to escalate with no let up in sight.
Senior U.S. and Russian military, security, and diplomatic experts are meeting in Geneva to try to finalize a cessation of hostilities agreement, which would make it possible for U.N.-mediated intra-Syrian peace talks to go ahead.
The meeting is a followup to last week's day-long meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, aimed at sealing a deal. U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said much hinges on the ability of experts to overcome the few remaining differences.
"We are supporting those discussions because we are very keen, as you can imagine, in ensuring that type of cessation of hostilities being renewed," he said. "Everything else is marginal comparing to that because even aid is being stopped or not reaching places because of the intensified fighting."
A stock-taking meeting by the International Syria Support Group's Humanitarian Access Task Force found that U.N. aid convoys were able to reach only three of Syria's 18 besieged areas. U.N. special adviser Jan Egeland said U.N. relief convoys are ready to go to those places, but are being prevented from doing so.
"We also were expecting today to get an answer back from the government on our request to reach 1.2 million people in September," he said. "... It is the first of September and we have not even got an answer back yet on that."
The United Nations has been asking for a 48-hour pause to allow desperately needed food supplies to reach people trapped in Aleppo.Egeland said time is running out and that the trucks have to start rolling now.
"We were informed today that there are now 4,000 food rations left," he said. "That would be enough to is enough to put 20,000 people and the population of East Aleppo is a quarter of a million."
U.N. officials had hoped to restart the Syrian peace talks, which broke off in April, by the end of August. Officials say they now have set a new target date of September 21 for the resumption of negotiations.
Georgetown University, a prominent Jesuit school in Washington, D.C., has announced how it plans to atone for the historical role it played in America's institutionalized system of slavery, including the sale of 272 slaves of African descent.
University President John DeGioia presented a series of recommendations Thursday, including giving preferential status during the admissions process to descendants of the slaves who were sold in 1838 to help keep the university solvent. The proposal, similar to admissions advantages offered to family members of alumni, may be groundbreaking.
Craig Steven Wilder, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology historian and author of Ebony & Ivy: Race, Slavery and the Troubled History of America's Universities, is not aware of any other university with historical ties to slavery offering such preferential status. Wilder attributes this, in part, to Georgetown's being a Jesuit institution that is run like a corporate body, giving it the unique ability to keep very detailed historical records.
"The record-keeping of the Jesuits actually allows you to trace the names of the people who were enslaved and also the places to which they were sold, and you can kind of do a genealogy and a biography for many of the Jesuit slaves," Wilder told VOA.
Additional recommendations
The university also plans to issue a formal apology, create an institute devoted to the study of slavery, and build a memorial to the slaves who labored for the university, including those who were sold. Also, two buildings on campus will be renamed for an enslaved man and a Catholic African-American educator.
The recommendations came after DeGioia met earlier this year with descendants in Washington state and Louisiana, to which the slaves who were sold were transported from Jesuit farms in Maryland.
Wilder applauded Georgetown for engaging with the descendants in an attempt to address their pain and suffering.
"I think it will add to the necessary discussion that we still have to have as a society about the role that slavery played in the creation of the United States," he said.
But Wilder is concerned that many of the university's proposals, such as making admissions considerations, could take years, even decades to achieve, making it harder to keep the commitments.
"We're very good at advertising our benevolence. We're not as good at keeping our word," he said. "And so what I'd like to see is the ways in which Georgetown is going to institutionalize those commitments to make sure that they're kept over time, and to make sure that they're real."
Reparations
University of North Carolina School of Law professor Alfred Brophy, who has studied universities and slavery, said, "This is not just an issue of descendants of 272 people owned by the Jesuits and then sold south into further slavery. It's a question about how the issues of slavery are connected to the present. And what is very positive and important is that Georgetown is not limiting the discussion to those descendants, but is trying to do something that builds out and is more comprehensive."
The proposals unveiled by the university are just the beginning. In addition to engaging directly with the descendants of the enslaved people and with those associated with the university, Georgetown says it will prioritize issues such as reparations.
"While we acknowledge that the moral debt is slaveholding and the sale of the enslaved people can never be repaid, we are convinced that reparative justice requires a meaningful financial commitment from the university," Georgetown said.
Wilder agreed that Georgetown should explore the issue of reparations as it navigates what he described as an intellectual, political and moral crisis.
"This is actually a necessary consequence of any honest engagement with the history of slavery and, particularly, with an institution like Georgetown," he said.
Wilder said Georgetown's moral crisis was created by the fact that it's a Catholic institution confronting its history with slavery and, as a result, cannot escape the moral consequences of its past.
The U.S. Department of Justice has sentenced a Romanian hacker nicknamed "Guccifer" to 52 months in prison, for hacking into the email accounts of about 100 Americans, in a case that exposed the private account used by Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state.
The Justice Department says 44-year-old Marcel Lehel Lazar was sentenced for unauthorized access to a protected computer and aggravated identity theft, committed between 2012 and 2014.
Lazar pleaded guilty to the charges in a federal court in Virginia on May 25.
Lazar admitted to releasing private emails, photographs, and medical and financial information belonging to his victims.
Now-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's private email server became the subject of an FBI investigation.
The hacker was found to have breached the account of former Clinton political adviser Sidney Blumenthal, where he accessed emails sent to Hillary Clinton. He was also found to have hacked into the account of former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Dorothy Bush Koch, sister of former U.S. President George W. Bush.
A separate hacker whose identity is not yet clear, nicknamed "Guccifer 2.0" and also claiming to be Romanian, has been taking credit for data breaches within the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Tropical Storm Hermine picked up strength and was expected to be a hurricane when it reached Florida's north Gulf Coast on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rains and high winds that forecasters warned could cause catastrophic flooding.
With as much as 20 inches (51 cm) of rain expected, schools several Florida coastal counties were closed on Thursday and some low-lying areas already have seen floods from Hermine.
After battering the coast, the storm is expected to move across the northern part of the state and then barrel toward southern U.S. coastal regions on the Atlantic.
"Take this storm seriously," said Bryan Koon, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency to free up state resources to battle the storm, with 49 of Florida's 67 counties covered by the declaration.
As of 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), the storm was about 195 miles off the Florida coast and packing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). In addition to heavy rains, it was expected to cause isolated tornadoes and bring storm surges of up to 6 feet
(1.8 meters), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
"There is a danger of life-threatening inundation within the next 36 hours along the Gulf coast of Florida," it said.
Large parts of Florida's panhandle coast were under a hurricane warning, while flash flood watches stretched from Florida into South Carolina.
On its current path, the storm also could dump as much as 10 inches (25 cm) of rain on coastal areas of Georgia, which was under a tropical storm watch, and the Carolinas.
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal on Thursday signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency for 56 counties that extends through midnight on Saturday.
A tropical storm warning also was issued for the U.S. East Coast from Marineland, Florida, to South Santee River, South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said.
U.S. oil and gas producers removed workers from 10 offshore platforms in the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, moved drilling rigs and shut some output because of the storm.
As of Thursday morning, the storm had not caused any major disruption to U.S. air travel, according to tracking service FlightAware.com.
The hurricane center also said in an advisory that another storm, Hurricane Gaston, will move near the Azores on Friday.
In the Pacific, Hurricane Madeline weakened to a tropical storm as it passed south of Hawaii's Big Island, where officials had opened shelters and shuttered offices and schools on Wednesday.
Before the tropical storm moves westward out of reach of Hawaii, it is expected to dump as much as 15 inches (40 cm) of rain on parts of the Big Island, the National Weather Service said.
Hurricane Lester, currently a major Category 4 storm, could affect Hawaii during the weekend.
Hawaii Governor David Ige signed an emergency proclamation freeing up state resources which runs through Sept. 9.
A new study has concluded that white nationalists and self-identified Nazi sympathizers, mostly in the United States, are using social media with "relative impunity," often far surpassing the Internet interest in pronouncements of Islamic State militants.
The report, by George Washington University's Program on Extremism in Washington, showed Thursday that major American white nationalist movements added about 22,000 followers on Twitter since 2012, about a 600 percent growth. The study said the white nationalists surpassed Islamic State's usage "in nearly every social metric, from follower counts to tweets per day."
The research center said the most popular theme among the Twitter postings related to the concept of "white genocide," the suspicion that the "white race" is "directly endangered by the increasing diversity of society." It said white nationalist activists tweeted hundreds of times a day using repetitive hashtags and slogans advancing the notion of the diminishing fortunes of whites.
The university study described the followers of white nationalists on Twitter as "heavily invested" in the U.S. presidential campaign of Republican Donald Trump, a real estate mogul seeking his first elected office in the November contest against Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state. The report said that in April, three of the top 10 hashtags for both white nationalist and Nazi sympathizers related to Trump's campaign.
Trump has centered his campaign on strict enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country and construction of a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico to thwart the stream of migrants from entering the country. He has disavowed the support of David Duke, the one-time imperial wizard of the white-supremacist Ku Klux Klan group, but Duke praised Trump's speech Wednesday calling for tough border control measures if he is elected president and assumes office next January.
"White nationalist users referenced Trump more than almost any other topic," the report said, "and Trump-related hashtags outperformed every white nationalist hashtag except for #whitegenocide."
It said that white nationalists and Nazis had "substantially higher follower counts" than those following Islamic State supporters and tweeted more often. But it said that some of the white supremacists' numerical advantage was attributable to the fact that managers of some social media accounts have aggressively sought to purge links to Islamic State networks.
The report said that white nationalist terrorism has increasingly been linked to online activity. It cited two horrific mass killings in which the suspects had made extensive use of Internet accounts, Dylan Roof, a white nationalist charged with killing nine black people at a South Carolina church in 2015, and Anders Breivik, the right-wing Norwegian terrorist who killed 77 people in 2011.
However Republican lawmakers view their party's chances of winning the White House, a key senator is speaking in terms that would seem to presume Democrat Hillary Clinton will become America's next president.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley told Iowa constituents the panel could consider President Barack Obama's long-stalled Supreme Court nominee after the November elections in what is known as Congress' lame duck session.
"I don't feel that I could stand in the way of that," Grassley said earlier this week, stipulating that confirmation hearings for Merrick Garland, a federal appellate judge, would only be held if enough Republicans join Democrats so there is majority support to proceed.
For months, Grassley and other top Republicans insisted that the next president, to be sworn in January 20, should nominate the successor to Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. Obama tapped Garland in March, but the nomination has been ignored by the Republican-led Senate.The Supreme Court has operated with eight justices since, deadlocking 4-4 on several major decisions.
Political analysts say Republicans hoped a new Republican president would nominate a right-of-center judge to replace arch-conservative Scalia and preserve the high court's ideological center of gravity, a prospect that seems remote as Republican Donald Trump consistently trails Clinton in national polls and many battleground states.
"Hillary Clinton's substantial lead in the race for the White House may be encouraging Senate Republicans to reconsider their resolute opposition to Judge Garland's nomination for the Supreme Court," said Sarah Binder of the Washington-based Brookings Institution.
"It's certainly possible that a Clinton nominee could prove far more liberal than the moderate Garland, and my hunch is that some softening of GOP opposition to Garland could reflect that calculation."
Grassley, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others have insisted that their opposition to considering a Supreme Court nominee during the final year of the Obama presidency is a matter of precedent and principle. They argued the process should not go forward in the heat of an election year, and that waiting would allow the American people to register their voice on the matter at the ballot box.
Only two Republican senators, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Susan Collins of Maine, bucked their party and called for hearing and a vote on the Garland nomination.
"It would be ironic if the next president happens to be a Democrat and chooses someone who is far to Judge Garland's left," Collins said after meeting with Garland in April.
Others have been resolute in opposing Garland.
"This person will not be confirmed," declared Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas shortly after Obama nominated Garland."It's not going to happen."
"The GOP position, that only the next president can fill a Supreme Court vacancy created during a presidential election year, was more politics than principle," Binder said."So we shouldn't be surprised to see some reconsideration of that position as the political context changes."
As committee chairman, Grassley can call for confirmation hearings if he chooses.But McConnell holds the key to a final vote by the full Senate, and the majority leader has yet to say a vote this year is possible.
"McConnell seemed to close the door to considering any Obama nominee for the Supreme Court, so Scalia's seat might yet still be vacant when the next president is sworn in in late January," Binder said.
Should Clinton win, Senate Democrats would face a choice, continue advocating for Garland's confirmation or hope that Clinton might nominate a younger, more liberal jurist.
"That's a tough call," Binder said. "Garland has strong defenders among Senate Democrats.But I also think that they'll likely to defer to Clinton on the nomination if she wins in November."
"My hunch is that Democrats' clearest priority is to put a Democratic appointee into that lifetime position to anchor the shift the center of the court to the left, no matter how slight the shift," she added.
Kosovos government on Thursday withdrew a controversial draft law on a border deal with Montenegro, saying a vote on the measure would be postponed indefinitely.
Prime Minister Isa Mustafa told lawmakers that the measure had been withdrawn because of the tension surrounding the issue.
"This is not the situation in which we should discuss and vote on the law for ratification of the agreement with Montenegro," he said. "Today, the government withdraws this law from the agenda and parliament procedures."
Mustafa insisted this "does not mean that the government will change or renegotiate the agreement."
He announced the postponement after deputies from Kosovo's Serb minority failed to attend the session.
About 2,000 protesters, led by the Self-Determination party, a staunch opponent of the measure, gathered on the streets of the capital, Pristina, ahead of Thursday's parliamentary session, chanting, "[Border] agreement will not pass."
Mustafas announcement was met with cheers of "Victory!" and "Down with the government!" by protesters. Opponents of the proposed deal say Kosovo would lose thousands of hectares of land. Demonstrators held posters reading, We do not want land from Montenegro; we do not give land to Montenegro.
The European Union has made border demarcation with Montenegro a condition for Kosovo to secure visa-free travel.
Kosovo's opposition deputies, who used tear gas at the parliament and have organized violent protests in the streets since late 2015, had said the deal would give Montenegro some 8,000 hectares, a claim rejected by the government and the United States, Kosovo's strongest ally.
Every year, the breakaway republic of Somaliland, in east Africa, exports millions of livestock to Saudi Arabia to feed the millions of Muslim faithful making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
From the hinterlands to the Somaliland capital, Hargeisa, millions of sheep and goats are on the move in the small Horn of Africa republic.
The animals are en route to Saudi Arabia for use as sacrificial offerings for millions of Muslims making the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca known as the Hajj.
The livestock trade to the Middle East accounts for 60 percent of Somaliland's gross domestic product and 70 percent of its jobs.
Some Muslims consider the black-headed sheep to have religious significance relating to the prophet Abraham.
Mowlid Hassan Jama has worked at Hargeisa's livestock market for ten years.
He said he earns his livelihood from this livestock and that he feels he is supporting the Islamic community in having a good Hajj festival.
Once sold in the markets, the animals are trucked to the Red Sea port of Berbera, where they wait in quarantine for weeks receiving blood tests and vaccinations.
Past accusations of disease among Somaliland livestock led Saudi Arabia to temporarily ban imports of Somaliland animals.
Government veterinarian Ali Mahamud Gulled said the Berbera quarantine holds over a million animals at the height of the Hajj.
"It's very, very important we guarantee that no disease is carried and infected to the imported country ... because then that will affect us economically, drastically. It could result in a ban of our livestock, so we make sure that each and every animal leaving here is free of diseases," said Gulled.
After quarantine, the sheep and goats load onto ships holding between 20,000 and 120,000 animals. The animals are often loaded at night when the air is cooler.
Somaliland now faces competition from Sudan, Australia, and other countries who also export livestock to the Hajj.
Abdi Osman Haji, a researcher with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, which supports the livestock sector, said Somaliland must modernize its industry to stay ahead.
"The market facilities are very dilapidated and they are not up to date ... I am sure Somaliland cannot maintain its current position if we don't improve the whole export value chain," said Haji.
Haji said Somaliland lags behind in terms of treatment of the animals too.
"Animal welfare is not on the agenda here and that has to be introduced. Animals, when they are deported via ships and via trucks, they are not according to international standards. They should comply [with] animal welfare conditions," said Haji.
Even so, the annual export of animals from Somaliland to Saudi Arabia remains vital for both countries.
Germany and France are "extremely concerned" about the situation in eastern Ukraine, especially along the line of contact between pro-Russian separatists and government forces, the two countries' leaders said on Thursday.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande spoke ahead of an expected meeting next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a joint statement, Merkel and Hollande strongly endorsed a cease-fire deal to take effect at the start of the new school year that was brokered by the trilateral contact group of Germany, France and Poland.
They said the accord should lead to a lasting stop to the fighting that began in 2014.
Merkel, Hollande and Putin agreed earlier to meet to discuss the situation in Ukraine on September 4-5 in China on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, the Kremlin said last week.
A recent surge in fighting in eastern Ukraine and fresh tensions in Crimea, the Ukrainian region annexed by Russia in 2014, have raised concern that a much violated truce agreed in Minsk in February 2015 could collapse irretrievably.
The 12-point Minsk peace deal was engineered by Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France. Its aim was to end a conflict that the U.N. rights office said on Wednesday had killed more than 9,550 people, including soldiers, civilians and members of armed groups, since April 2014.
Conditions including a complete cessation of fighting, a pullback of heavy weapons from front lines and release of prisoners of war have not yet been fulfilled, raising concerns the Minsk truce pact will not survive.
If you have secretly been wanting one of those naked Donald Trump statues that popped up in several U.S. cities last month, one is going up for sale.
The life-size statue is expected to go up for auction in Los Angeles in October with an estimated price tag of between $10,000 and $20,000.
Some of the money raised from the sale will go to the National Immigration Forum, which advocates for immigrant rights.
The Trump statue is not the only piece with a political angle. One piece shows the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton wearing a tuxedo. It is expected to go for $15,000.
The statue was the creation of a group of anonymous artists calling themselves INDECLINE.
One of the statues placed in New Yorks Union Square showed a naked Trump, hands crossing a large stomach. It was later removed by city officials. Other statues were seen in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco and Cleveland. The Los Angeles version is the one for sale in the auction.
Its known by many names - fila, hula or yaudi. Whatever name you use, its still a Bama cap, a distinctive hat made by the Bama people of Nigeria's Borno State.
Prized across West Africa for their intricate embroidery, the hats are now being woven into Nigerian pop culture, worn by young and old, from politicians to music celebrities.
Nigerian rapper Naeto C made a stunning fashion statement when he wore a Bama cap with urban streetwear in the music video for his 2011 hit single 10 over 10.
President Muhammadu Buhari is rarely seen without his Bama cap. Women are also rocking the style, led by creative female music celebrities.
The Bama people have been making their caps for hundreds of years, but not too many people know the full story.
Survivors of terror
The Bama cap began in Yaudi, thats the town in the Bama area of Borno state. It was worn by the leaders of the community, explains Ahmed Isa Ghondi.
Ghondi is a promoter of the Bama cap and has written up to 40 unpublished books on the tradition. But there is also a dark side to the story.
Bama was nearly wiped out by Boko Haram, the violent Islamic extremist group that has left a trail of bloodshed through northeastern Nigeria for years. Those who survived the carnage flocked to Maiduguri. The state capital, Borno's largest city and commercial hub, also has been wracked by Boko Haram's attacks, but it is still safer than Bama.
Theyll take your wife," Bama native Dunoma Gambo says of Boko Haram. "Theyll take your child and theyll also force you into joining them.
Gambo escaped such a fate by fleeing to Maiduguri, where he now is part of a collective of internally displaced Bama people. They kept up their cultural tradition of sewing Bama caps after arriving in the state capital, and the collective has flourished.
Traditional techniques and designs
I grew up and saw people sewing and thats how I learned," Gambo says. "You will be practicing and you will make many mistakes, but with time, you will do it right. Ive now been an expert in it for 12 years.
Each cap starts with a design template that is sketched by hand, using a ruler and colored markers.
Templates can be bought for less than $10. Once theres a template, the sewing of the cap's base begins. The white centerpiece on the top goes on last.
Depending on the number of layers in the design, a cap can take anywhere from two to five weeks to sew. Everything is done by hand.
In Maiduguri, the caps sell for about $20. In Abuja, Nigeria's capital, they sell for at least $50, and on up to $180.
The Bama caps are now popular across West Africa.
Caps symbolize national unity
The caps, they are very strong. Thats why people from different parts of the country buy them," says Sani Mohammed, who traveled from Kaduna state to buy caps for his upcoming wedding.
"The cap brings unity among Nigerians, Sani Mohammed says. Even though he is not from Bama, he wants to wear a Bama cap on his wedding day.
Everyone comes here, all the tribes - from Yoruba to Igbo to non-Nigerians, says 25-year-old Mohammed Fantami. At his fashion shop in Abuja, he says, the Bama caps sell out quickly, in part because they are a symbol of prestige.
Wearing a cap brings respect," Fantami says. "Between two people, if one is wearing a cap and the other is not, there is a difference. Even if you see a small kid with a cap, you will respect him."
Once the caps arrive from Maiduguri, they are hand-washed and starched. After drying in the sun for at least 12 hours, the caps are pressed with a charcoal iron.
Bama cap promoter Ahmed Isa Ghondi wants to expand the cap-making industry. He drives around, telling people about what makes the caps so special.
Because of the hand stitching, the fact that it was made by hand, he says. You know, the carpets in Uzbekistan are famous because they are hand-stitched. So these caps must also be famous.
Men from Bama like Dunoma Gambo will continue to sew their traditional caps in Maiduguri. They say Boko Haram fighters may have destroyed their homes in Bama, but they have not destroyed the Bama cap.
Nomadic cattle herders say regulations enacted by a Nigerian state this week wont end clashes between farmers and herdsmen that have left dozens dead in the West African country.
The governor of southwestern Ekiti state, Peter Ayodele Fayose, signed a law Monday that limited cattle herders to grazing on state-designated reserves during daylight hours.It also banned herdsmen from carrying weapons.
Farmers blame herdsmen
The governor's spokesman, Lere Olayinka, said the law is a reaction to a series of clashes between farmers and nomadic herdsmen that have erupted in Nigerias south and middle belt.
Its a way of finding answers to the question of all these issue of herdsmen invading peoples farmlands, destroying farmlands at will and killing almost everywhere in the country, Olayinka said. There will be designated area where you can have you ranch, probably pay some amount of money to the state government, have your ranch, and the ranch belongs to you where you can keep your cattle.
Herdsmen regularly move cattle from the countrys arid north to the countrys lusher south in search of grazing land.
Most of the time, they co-exist peacefully with local farmers. Recent clashes between the two groups are rooted in competition for arable land, experts say.
The causes of the individual clashes vary, but often are the result of longstanding animosity and tit-for-tat killings between the two groups.
Farmers blame herdsmen for allowing cows onto fields, where they trample or eat crops. Herdsmen say hostile villagers attack them in rural areas and steal their cattle.
Herdsmen blame hostile villagers
The nomads have shouldered most of the blame, with politicians accusing them of burning down villages and killing civilians. Herdsmen groups say they are being unfairly blamed.
The law has found little support among Ekitis cattle herders.
Zaiyanu Mohammade, secretary of the state branch of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, said the regulations are an effort to rid Ekiti of cattle herders.
Particularly objectionable was the laws ban on herders carrying weapons. Many herdsmen carry knives for self-defense in the bush, he said.
We use it for our animal and where were [entering] our bush and [dangerous] place, we can meet any bad animal, Mohammade said. We use that cutlass and go defend ourselves.
A former national chairman of the cattle breeders association, Sale Bayari, said the bill would only heighten competition for land by pushing herdsmen to find other places to graze.
He said Nigerias federal government needs to come up with a plan to demarcate areas where herdsmen can graze.
Without the cattle ranches and without the grazing reserves, [and] there are state governors like Ekiti that are already banning grazing, it simply means that the herdsmen will have to know how to survive, Bayari said.
He expected the law would face a challenge in court.
Gabon's interior minister says more than 1,000 people have been arrested since the capital erupted in violence Wednesday, after officials announced the re-election of President Ali Bongo.
Thursday, police patrolled the streets of Libreville, after a night of clashes in which demonstrators set fire to the National Assembly and buildings nearby, and government forces stormed the headquarters of the opposition.
In Washington, the U.S. State Department urged all sides to come together peacefully to avoid future unrest, while not ruling out that appropriate actions might be considered going forward.
We deplore the escalation of violence" following the release of provisional election results by the government, spokesman John Kirby said Thursday. We call upon the security forces to respect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of all Gabonese citizens and of all residents of Gabon.
Meanwhile, a security message was issued Thursday by the U.S. Embassy in Libreville to inform American citizens of widespread, violent demonstrations, rioting and looting there, and to ask Americans to remain in safe locations.
Security forces have responded to the situation with tear gas and have placed roadblocks at major arterial roads, cutting off transportation across the city. There is also debris and burned cars blocking the roads in some areas, the message said.
At least one fatality
Gabon government officials said at least one person was killed and 19 others were injured when government forces stormed the headquarters of the opposition. Opposition leader Jean Ping said earlier that two had been killed.
Ping is disputing the official election results that showed him losing by about 5,000 votes to Bongo. He said his campaign has evidence the election was rigged and plans to present it to Gabon's constitutional court.
At issue are the results from one province where the results show nearly 100 percent voter turnout, with Bongo receiving 95 percent of the votes.
Some members of the electoral commission resigned as the results were announced Wednesday.
While not commenting on whether Washington would ask for a recount, the State Department called on the Gabonese government to release results for each individual polling station.
The State Department said those were provisional results that still needed to be certified by Gabons constitutional court.
We are asking that the legal procedures for certification of the results be followed according to Gabonese law in a fair and transparent manner, Kirby said.
U.N. chief urges calm
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for Gabon to remain peaceful in the aftermath of the hotly contested poll.
The secretary-general urges all concerned political leaders and their supporters to refrain from further acts that could undermine the peace and stability of the country, his spokesman said in a statement. He also calls on the authorities to ensure that the national security forces exercise maximum restraint in their response to protests.
A spokesman for the government said the security forces raided the opposition building in search of people who had set fires near the parliament building earlier in the night.
"Armed people who set fire to the parliament had gathered at Jean Ping's headquarters along with hundreds of looters and thugs. ... They were not political protesters but criminals," Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze told AFP.
The U.S. Embassy called for all individual polling station results to be published after it said observers witnessed "many systemic flaws and irregularities" in the voting. The irregularities included polling stations opening late and "last-minute changes to voting procedures."
Both candidates declared victory after Saturday's vote, and each side accused the other of fraud during the vote count.
Gabon does not have a runoff system, so the candidate with the most votes in the 10-candidate field wins the election.
Ping was running to end a half-century of Bongo family rule. Ali Bongo succeeded his father, Omar Bongo, who died in 2009 after 42 years in office.
VOA Afrique contributed to this report.
Pakistan says it reopened a busy border crossing with Afghanistan for routine traffic after Kabul apologized over the burning of the Pakistani flag by angry Afghan protesters.
The southwestern Chaman crossing was closed two weeks ago after the anti-Pakistan rally on the Afghan side of the border turned violent and demonstrators attacked the entry gate, setting fire to the flag.
We are all aware Afghanistan has already tendered an apology and the Chaman gate has been opened today, Pakistani Army spokesman Lt.-General Asim Bajwa said Thursday in Rawalpindi.
The border closure stranded thousands of travelers and trade convoys, causing heavy financial losses to Afghan and Pakistani traders. Bajwa explained the delay in reopening the facility for traffic.
It was a very sad incident and the reasons being given [by Afghan officials] were not, I think, sufficient enough to be accepted, Bajwa said in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan's military is headquartered.
The general also said authorities have increased efforts to strengthen security along the Afghan border to prevent extremists linked to the Taliban and Islamic State terrorist group from entering the country.
He added that Pakistan is building gates at 18 crossings on what he referred to as the porous 2,600-kilometer-long frontier with Afghanistan. Immigration and other required staff also will be deployed there as part of Pakistans border management system, Bajwa said.
Afghan officials opposed Pakistani border construction plans because Kabul traditionally does not recognize the frontier as an international boundary.
The government in Kabul also alleges covert support Taliban insurgents receive from the Pakistani military spy agency has enabled them to prolong the war in Afghanistan.
Bajwa rejected as incorrect U.S. and Afghan assertions that Pakistans counterterrorism operations spare Afghan Taliban and militants linked to the Haqqani Network, which are accused of using Pakistani soil for staging deadly attacks in Afghanistan and India.
There is no concept of good or bad Taliban, General Bajwa reiterated while responding to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerrys skepticism of Pakistans counterterrorism operations.
During his trip to neighboring India, Kerry said Islamabad has made progress in the fight against terrorism, but urged Pakistan to push harder against the Haqqanis and other militants.
But Bajwa said, Terrorists of all terrorist organizations, including Haqqanis, including Afghan Taliban, have been killed and some apprehended and their disposal of course has been worked out with Afghan authorities, or with [NATOs] Resolute Support mission [in Afghanistan]. So, if you say that actions have not been taken, or not being taken, [it] is wrong.
He also said Pakistani forces have arrested more than 300 militants linked to the Syria-based Islamic State, including its senior leader to forestall for the time being the threat the group poses to the country.
He noted that presence of IS militants in border regions of Afghanistan is a cause of concern for his country. IS is active in at least two eastern Afghan provinces, namely Nangarhar and Kunar, and both are adjacent to the Pakistani border.
The border tensions and mutual allegations of supporting terrorist attacks on each other's soil are primarily responsible for the deterioration in bilateral ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Islamic State forces have been reduced to just three neighborhoods in Sirte, Libya, a city once considered to be a stronghold for the group, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday as the U.S. extended its air campaign over the city for up to another 30 days.
The U.S. military estimates that IS forces in Sirte now number fewer than 200, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.
Theyre literally with their backs against the ocean at this point, Davis said. Libyan ships have secured the waters around Sirte in case IS fighters try to escape by sea, he added.
The U.S. started conducting airstrikes in and around Sirte on August 1 at the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA). These strikes 108 in total as of Thursday have aided forces aligned with the U.N.-backed government in Libya as they push IS out of the city.
Unlike strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq, each and every one of those strikes was requested by the GNA, Davis said.
U.S. authorization to conduct the strikes over Sirte initially lasted until August 30, but a defense official told VOA the strike authorities had been extended into September.
Two U.S. Navy warships, the USS Wasp and the USS Carney, will remain off the coast of Libya to continue striking IS targets, an official told VOA.
One of the U.S. warships had been scheduled to begin airstrikes against IS in Iraq and Syria from the Persian Gulf, according to a U.S. official who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity. The other ship had been scheduled to deploy to the Black Sea before the extension of Libyan airstrike authority, the official said.
A week after Turkey's military launched an incursion into northern Syria, observers at home and abroad are wondering when it will end. But the stated objective of operation Euphrates Shield to remove "terrorists" from the Turkish border is vague, prompting growing speculation over Ankaras long term intentions.
Turkish forces backing elements of the Free Syrian Army are continuing their operations against both Islamic State and U.S. backed Syrian Kurdish militia (YPG), inside Syria.
Ankara has given little indication when the operation will end. The operation is aimed at fighting against Daesh [IS] and all other terrorist organizations, including the YPG, and cleansing our borders of terrorists and thus ensuring our border security," Ibrahim Kalin, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, said on Wednesday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the operation was also aimed at preventing the YPG from taking more territory with the aim of linking the Kurdish cantons of Kobani and Afrin, which would create a continuous corridor of territory under YPG control running along Turkeys border.
Ankara considers the YPG an extension of the outlawed PKK, which is fighting the Turkish state.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter this week urged Turkey to "stay focused" on IS and not the Kurdish forces.
The declared goals and history of previous Turkish military deployments in neighboring Iraq suggest "Euphrates Shield" will be a long-term operation, said Aydin Selcen, a retired senior Turkish diplomat who served in Iraq and is now a regional analyst.
Judging by the recent example of Bashiqa and the... northern Iraq experience, and also [that] the number of tanks has increased to 40 in Syria, I see no exit strategy," he said. "I think the main target here is to stop, or have the ability to stop at a moments notice, a possible union of Afrin and Kobani [Kurdish] cantons. I see a long-term presence. But if you ask me to define long-term, I don't think I will be able to do that.
Bashiqa is a large Turkish military base in northern Iraq, ostensibly set up to train Iraqis to fight Islamic State. But Ankara has ignored the calls to withdraw by Baghdad, which was angered by the large deployment of tanks.
Observers say Ankara uses the Bashiqa base to undermine the activities of the PKK, which operates in the region. But open-ended operations are fraught with danger.
Moving into Syria is the easiest part; it's about coming back, warns retired Turkish brigadier general Haldun Solmazturk, a veteran of cross-border operations against the PKK who now heads the Ankara-based political research organization 21st Century. Once you are in, its like a chess [game]. You cannot control the developments, because you are not the only player; there are other players. The key is the lessons learned by the Americans, by the British, by the Israelis, by others the Russians in Afghanistan.
Turkey had a ringside seat for the protracted U.S. occupation of Iraq and its painful fallout. The lesson many analysts in Turkey drew from Iraq is that there must be a clear exit strategy.
For now, Turkeys presence remains relatively small roughly 40 tanks and several hundred soldiers, many of whom are drawn from special forces.
But the Turkish military is steadily reinforcing its presence in Syria, with its forces expanding to the west and south. Analysts say Ankara is likely seeking to carve out a region under its control along the border about 100 kilometers long and 30 kilometers deep, running between the Syrian border towns of Jarabulus to al-Rai. That, say analysts, would provide Turkey with a base to prevent further YPG gains.
According to retired diplomat Selcen, Ankara may also believe a presence in Syria will give it a greater say in international deliberations on the future of Syria. But he said the price of an indefinite Syrian operation will likely be very high.
The main risk is ISIS' response inside Turkey, like they did in Antep, Suruc, in Ankara," he said. "I am afraid they... will attack in Turkey. The PKK has already increased their attacks inside Turkey. The PKK attacks also will increase. And also diplomatically, in the mid- to long-term, it... will weigh Turkey down, because there is no exit strategy that I can define.
Tehran and Moscow have expressed concerns about when Ankara will withdraw its forces from Syria a question President Erdogan will likely be asked during next week's G-20 summit in Huangzhou, China, where is expected to meet presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.
But observers say the Turkish military has the reputation in region of being reluctant to withdraw its forces once they are deployed.
Human Rights activists accuse Syria and Yemen of illegally using cluster munitions in violation of an international treaty. Documented evidence appears in the latest edition of the Cluster Munition Monitor 2016, which tracks the global use, production, stockpiling and trade of these banned weapons.
The Cluster Munition Monitor has recorded the use of such ordnance by Syrian government forces since mid-2012. It also has documented the use of ground-launched cluster munitions by Islamic State militants during its advance on the city of Qurbani a couple of years ago.
Human Rights Watch advocacy director and editor of the Monitor, Mary Wareham, says attacks in Syria involving these weapons have increased since Russia began its joint military operation with that country at the end of last September.
We have seen an increase in the number of cluster munition attacks on opposition held areas in Aleppo, Idlib and elsewhere ," said Wareham . "And, at the moment, we see evidence of cluster munition attacks every week, if not almost every day, which is highly disturbing.
The Monitor reports about 13 different types of air-dropped and ground-launched cluster munitions are being used in Syria. It says all but one have been manufactured by the former Soviet Union or by Russia, but none since 1992.
It reports there also is clear and compelling evidence that such weaponry continues to be used in Yemen. The Monitor records at least 19 attacks involving at least seven different types of air-dropped and ground-launched cluster munitions.
Wareham says many civilians have been harmed by these weapons since the Saudi Arabian-led coalition began its air operation against the Houthi rebels at the end of March 2015, breaching an agreement with the United States.
The Saudis specifically agreed as part of the transfer deal with the United States not to use them in civilian areas, only to use them against military targets," said Wareham . "And, we found evidence that the Saudi Arabia coalition was using cluster munitions in civilian areas. Probably one of the best examples of that was the attack on the capital Saana in January of this year.
Wareham says the Obama administration in May announced it was halting the sale of such ordnance to Saudi Arabia, apparently in response to the large number of civilians reportedly being killed and maimed by their use.
Most casualties reported last year from cluster munitions were in Syria and Yemen. The Monitor, which recorded 245 casualties in Syria and 104 in Yemen, says these figures are underestimated.
A leading international human rights group released a report this week detailing what it says is an intensifying crackdown on dissent in Chechnya, the republic in Russia's North Caucasus region ruled with an iron fist by Ramzan Kadyrov, its Kremlin-appointed leader.
The 56-page report by New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), titled Like Walking a Minefield: Vicious Crackdown on Critics in Russias Chechen Republic," describes how local authorities punish and humiliate people who show dissatisfaction with or seem reluctant to applaud the Chechen leadership and its policies, and the increasing threats, assaults and detention of journalists and human rights defenders, HRW said in a press release Thursday.
On September 18, Kadyrov, whom the Kremlin has appointed and re-appointed to lead the republic, will participate in direct elections for the top post for the first time.
The increasingly abusive crackdown seems designed to remind the Chechen public of Kadyrovs total control, the report states, and to prevent any negative information from Chechnya that could undermine the Kremlins support for Kadyrov.
HRW's report is based on more than 40 interviews, with victims of abuses in Chechnya as well as human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and other experts.
It cites the case of Khizir Ezhiev, an economics professor at Grozny State Oil Technical University, who was abducted by unidentified gunmen last December after making derogatory comments about Kadyrov during a closed discussion on a Russian social media site. On New Years Day, Ezhievs body was discovered with multiple fractures in a forest approximately 40 kilometers from the Chechen capital, Grozny.
The report on Chechnya was prepared by Tanya Lokshina, HRW's Russia program director and Moscow-based senior researcher. She told VOAs Russian service that the scale of the repression perpetrated by Chechen authorities against the republics inhabitants is striking.
"It is important to emphasize that over the past six years, the level of repression against even the mildest critics of the situation in Chechnya has gone flat-out off the charts, she said. We all understand that Kadyrov is very dependent on the Kremlin politically and financially. And, apparently nervous knowing that there is a certain degree of dissatisfaction on the part of the Kremlin leadership Kadyrov has tried to purge the information space completely, apparently assuming that if no negative information spills out of Chechnya, the problem will be solved. No information no cause for dissatisfaction.
According to Lokshina, the federal authorities have expressed some dissatisfaction with Kadyrov over the last half-year.
"This must not be underestimated," she said, "because it was the first time that it happened in Kadyrovs political career."
Lokshina, who has frequently visited Chechnya, said that persecution for the slightest criticism of its leadership has created an unbearable atmosphere for many people in the republic an atmosphere even worse than during the republics two wars against the Russian military, in which tens of thousands of people were killed.
I was strongly driven to start work on this report by the fact that over the past year, I have increasingly heard from people from Chechnya the same opinion, expressed in different words: The war was horrible the bombing, shelling, abductions and disappearances, the dreadful federal operations but we somehow survived this nightmare without losing our dignity. But now the fear is so suffocating that we can do nothing; our dignity has been taken away. And the fact that we have been robbed of our dignity is even worse than war.'
The chairman of the board of the Memorial Human Rights Center, Alexander Cherkasov, told VOAs Russian service that people are persecuted in Chechnya not only for political dissent.
We, Memorial, also released, in June, a report analyzing the situation in the North Caucasus over the last two [or] three years, he said, noting that the report included cases in which residents of Chechnya complained directly to Kadyrov, often via social media, about such problems as corruption on the part of local officials.
"There were stories about extortion, about kickbacks demanded in return for the reconstruction of housing," Cherkasov said. "And after these stories were told, those who recounted them found themselves in less than comfortable circumstances, to put it mildly. They were subsequently shown on television expressing contrition which was, to say the least, not really voluntary they took back their words and declared their love for the head of the Chechen Republic.
According to Cherkasov, the violations of political rights in Chechnya detailed in HRWs report and violations of socioeconomic rights are inextricably linked.
People in Russia often say that civil rights are not so important, that economic and social rights are more important, and that we can somehow get by without civil rights. However, experience both in Russia generally and Chechnya in particular says otherwise."
Dilma Rousseff, ousted this week as Brazil's president, has filed an appeal with the country's highest court to challenge the Federal Senate's decision to remove her from office for breaking budgetary rules.
Brazil's senate voted Wednesday to dismiss the leftist leader and confirm her conservative vice president, Michel Temer, as president for the remainder of her term through 2018.
The appeal before Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, filed by Rousseff's attorney, Jose Eduardo Cardozo, demands "the immediate suspension of the effects of the senate decision."
Cardozo's appeal accused the opposition attorneys of violating her right to due process. If the court grants the injunction, Temer would return to being interim president while the senate trial is repeated.
So far, all requests made by Rousseff's defense on the merits of the impeachment process against her have been rejected by the high court, whose chief justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, presided over her impeachment trial.
Millions took to the streets across Brazil this year to demand Rousseff's removal, less than two years after she was re-elected, as Brazil slid into its deepest recession in decades and a graft scandal at state oil company Petrobras tarnished her coalition.
Serbia has declared it will maintain a neutral position toward the controversial Bosnian Serb referendum that has challenged the international community in Bosnia and heightened ethnic tensions more than 20 years after the war.
President Tomislav Nikolic and Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in a statement Thursday that Belgrade neither supported nor objected to the Bosnian Serbs' referendum on whether to mark January 9 as Republika Srbska's Statehood Day also the anniversary of the 1992 Serb declaration of independence from Bosnia.
"I will tell them what I think, but I will not try to pressure anyone," Vucic said before a meeting with Bosnian Serb leaders Thursday. "Everyone is capable of making the decision within their authority."
"They will not meddle, and will neither support nor contest the decisions we made, that it is up to us to evaluate all the dangers, all the problems that may emerge from the decisions we make," Republika Srpska's President Milorad Dodik said after the meeting.
Mladen Ivanic, who shares the collective presidency with Bosniak and Croat counterparts, hinted that the Serbs could back down, but only if the opposing side did the same.
"There will be very complex situations and occasions in the coming few days. I think that with a sort of understanding, Sarajevo needs to accept the fact that the Serbs care about January 9," Ivanic said.
In their statement after the meeting, Vucic and Nikolic also sharply criticized Western policies in the Balkans, complaining of an alleged anti-Serb campaign in the region and a weak international response.
Serbia continues to have a strong influence on Serbs in Bosnia, and there have been hopes it will join international efforts to avert the September 25 referendum.
There also have been fears that Belgrade could be moving away from the West and closer to Russia, its traditional ally.
Tanzanias main opposition Chadema party has called off Thursdays Day of Defiance protest against the government of President John Magufuli.
The police had declined to grant permission for the protest, accusing Chadema of trying to disturb the peace of the nation. Also, there were fears the protest could result in violence.
Protest against President Magufuli postponed
Peter Msigwa, a Chadema Member of the Parliament, said the protest was not cancelled but rather postponed after Tanzanias spiritual leaders agreed to mediate between the government and Chadema.
Actually its not canceled. We just postponed it for another one month because yesterday spiritual leaders decided to meet with our team to try to be a mediator between us and the government because they feel that they needed to the president before we continue with our plan.
Government accused of being close to a dictatorship
Msigwa said the protest was called for Tanzanians to come together to demand the rule of law in the country because the president does not respect the constitution.
President Magufuli, who came to power in 2015, gained popularity domestically and throughout Africa for his war against corruption and inefficiency in government.
Magufuli's reforms
Some of the presidents reforms have included cutting unnecessary government spending and firing unproductive government employees. He visited a hospital unannounced and fired management and the board after being appalled by the conditions he found there.
Magufuli fired the entire management at the port of Dar es Salaam for its mismanagement. He also cancelled independence anniversary celebrations and directed that the money be used for health services, and cut foreign trips by government officials, saying ambassadors can do the work.
Opposition says reforms have come at the expense of democracy
But Msigwa said the presidents international image is cosmetic. Domestically, he said Magufulis leadership style is intolerant of the views of those who disagree with him.
Msigwa said the president cannot fight corruption or grow the economy at the expense of democracy and human rights in the country.
We cannot stop corruption at the expense of democracy; we cannot restore the growth of our nation at the expense of human rights; at the expense of good governance. What we are asking from him is good governance, democracy and human rights, Msigwa said.
Msigwa said the nation's spiritual leaders have asked the opposition to give them at least two to three weeks to meet with President Magufuli. But he said if the spiritual leaders come back to say the president has refused to meet, then the demonstrations will resume.
He disagreed with the police for saying the opposition is trying to disturb public peace.
The police are using that we are disturbing peace as a political gimmick, but in reality we are not causing any trouble in the country. Its a peaceful demonstration that we are trying to do. We are challenging the president that actually hes not leading our country according to our constitution. Hes leading us in a dictatorial way, Msigwa said.
The big space headlines recently have been about the asteroid 2016 QA2, how close it came to Earth and how it was discovered just a few hours before its fly-by.
The media were a bit emphatic in their concern. "Earth Just Narrowly Missed Getting Hit by an Asteroid," was the headline in Popular Mechanics, and a close match for other media reaction to QA2's close shave.
Perspective is important
Keeping an eye on the skies isn't a new hobby. NASA has been doing it since 1998, when the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Program Office was established at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to "coordinate NASA-sponsored efforts to detect, track and characterize potentially hazardous asteroids and comets that could approach the Earth." And less than a year ago, the space agency formalized the program, naming it the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO).
It's a matter of record that we've been pounded by our share of space rocks over the millennia. One of the most recent was the meteor of 2013 that came roaring into the atmosphere at 18 kilometers a second and exploded 22 kilometers above the Russian town of Chelyabinsk.
It carried the force of 30 of the atomic bombs that leveled Hiroshima, Japan, in World War II. The shock wave terrified the locals, and more than 1,000 people were treated for injuries caused primarily by windows blown in by the force of the blast.
This safely qualified as a space boulder, fully 18 meters across, but just to give a sense of scale, the Chicxulub asteroid that likely ended the reign of the dinosaurs was 10 kilometers across.
2016 QA2 runs an estimated 15 to 45 meters in size. But if a meteor that big hit Earth's atmosphere, it could cause some serious damage to a populated area.
But asteroids are a fact of life on Earth. NASA estimates that about 100 tons of "stuff" rockets into our atmosphere every day everything from dust to gravel to rocks and the only impression they makes on us is if we look up into the sky on a clear night and make wishes on the ones that burn up in the atmosphere.
But, it is a thing
But if there was "nothing" to worry about, NASA wouldn't have a Planetary Defense Program. The space agency has discovered more than 14,000 Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) buzzing around in space. Of those, almost 900 have a diameter of one kilometer or more. Asteroids that size would do significant damage if they hit Earth.
Nearly 4,000 other NEOs on NASA's radar have a diameter of 300 to 1,000 meters. These could do significant local damage, and create potentially deadly tsunamis if they hit the ocean. And they do enter our atmosphere. About 100 years ago, an asteroid exploded in the air above the mostly uninhabited Tunguska region in eastern Siberia and flattened trees in a 2,000-kilometer area. That rock was 36 meters across.
If that same meteorite had struck in a metropolitan area, former NASA astronaut Ed Lu told Congress in 2013, it could destroy "an area roughly the size of metropolitan Washington, D.C."
So, it's in our best interest to keep a watchful eye on the NEOs. Next week, NASA is scheduled to launch the OSIRIS-REx mission that will visit one the of biggest Near-Earth Objects an asteroid called Bennu. It has a reasonably high probability of hitting our planet sometime in the 22nd century.
At nearly 500 meters in diameter, it's one of the larger NEOs out there. NASA is hoping the OSIRIS-REx flight will gather enough information about Bennu, and asteroids in general, to help plan for how to deal with them in the future.
Is there a plan?
So, what happens if we find a dangerous asteroid on a collision course? There's no coordinated strategy at the moment, but there are two real options: Blow it up way out in space, or get people out of the way. Both options are possible.
NASA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are gaming out ways to do both. The United Nations has recommendations on the table to create worldwide warning networks and advisory groups to plan for what is, ultimately, the inevitability of something big hitting the Earth.
And NASA is moving forward with something it calls the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). The goal is to "move" a multi-ton boulder headed to Earth into a safe orbit around the moon, and they're planning this project for the 2020s.
When all is said and done, getting killed by an asteroid is incredibly unlikely. Keep in mind that not a single human has been killed by an asteroid in all of recorded human history. And according to NASA, "no large object is likely to strike the Earth any time in the next several hundred years." So, relax, go outside and wish on a falling star; don't worry about one.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump Wednesday night laid out an immigration policy prioritizing border security and ensuring that those who enter the United States share the country's values.
He spoke to supporters in the southwestern state of Arizona in much more forceful language than he did hours earlier in Mexico City where he held what he called "important and straightforward" talks with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
A prime example of the divide was Trump's longstanding pledge to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border. Trump said after the meeting that he and Pena Nieto discussed the plan, but not Trump's assertion that Mexico will cover the cost. Pena Nieto, however, said he made clear Mexico will not pay for it.
But when Trump revealed his 10-point immigration plan in Arizona, the "tall, powerful, beautiful" wall was first.
"They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall," he said. The crowd enthusiastically chanted, "Build that wall!"
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta said Trump "choked" by not fully addressing the issue with Pena Nieto.
"What we saw today from a man who claims to be the ultimate 'deal maker' is that he doesn't have the courage to advocate for his campaign promises when he's not in front of a friendly crowd," Podesta said.
After weeks of reports that Trump might be softening his immigration platform, he proposed Wednesday night hiring 5,000 new border patrol agents, tripling the number of immigration enforcement officers and immediately deporting anyone caught illegally entering the country. He said crime and border crossings would plummet and gangs would disappear.
"People will know that you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," he told the crowd in Arizona.
The issue of what to do with the estimated 11 million people already living in the United States illegally is a divide between Trump and Clinton. Both want to deport those who have committed crimes, but Trump objects to executive orders signed by President Barack Obama offering deferred enforcement to certain categories of people with no criminal record. Clinton wants to protect them, which Trump has labeled as "amnesty."
"No one will be immune or exempt from enforcement," he said.
Trump called for the completion of a biometric entry and exit system to better track those who enter the country, and for the expansion of e-verify systems to help employers avoid hiring illegal immigrants.
He also reiterated plans to suspend the issuing of visas to those living in countries where people cannot be adequately screened to ensure they are not a security risk. Those admitted to the U.S. would have to pass ideological tests as well.
"We also have to be honest about the fact that not everyone who seeks to join our country will be able to successfully assimilate."
Trump said he does not want to accept refugees from places like Syria and Libya, instead proposing "resettlement zones" in their home region paid for by Gulf states. In short, he described his policy as taking back the country.
"We will treat everyone living and residing in our country with great dignity," Trump said. "We will be fair, just and compassionate to all, but our greatest compassion must be for our American citizens."
Lorella Praeli, Clinton's Latino vote director, said after the speech that the only immigrants allowed under Trump would be those he finds desirable.
"Donald Trump once again showed us that he will continue his decades-long record of divisiveness and campaign of hate by pledging to forcibly remove every single undocumented immigrant from our country," Praeli said. "He showed us, very clearly, what's at stake in this election by painting a picture of his idea of America: one in which immigrants are not welcomed and one in which innocent families are torn apart."
At Clinton's own rally Wednesday, she described the U.S. as a global force for "freedom, justice and human dignity," saying people look to the country as a leader. The former secretary of state criticized Trump's visit to Mexico by saying building relationships requires consistency and reliability.
"It certainly takes more than trying to make up for a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again. That's not how it works," she said.
Later Clinton tweeted that Trump had failed his first test of foreign policy.
"Diplomacy isn't as easy at is looks," she wrote.
Pena Nieto has invited Clinton for talks in Mexico City as well, but her campaign has not commented on whether that will happen.
The Mexican president said during a news conference with Trump that his priority is protecting Mexicans wherever they may be and that those living in the U.S. are talented and honest people who respect family, their communities and the law.
Pena Nieto also called the border an asset for both countries. He said Americans who see it as a path for drugs and illegal immigrants are getting an "incomplete picture" and that the U.S. must do what it can to stop weapons and money from flowing to drug cartels in Mexico.
Miguel Tinker Salas, a professor of Latin American studies at Pomona College, said the meeting in Mexico City was a largely symbolic event in which both sides could claim they defended their interests.
"For Trump, it shows him as someone willing to fly to Mexico and engage with these issues so that actually Trump will in some ways attempt to utilize this to appear presidential," he told VOA. "Pena Nieto I think is the larger loser in this process because he gets really very little out of this except to say that he was defending Mexico's honor and interests."
Recent polls of registered U.S. voters have shown that immigration matters much more to Trump's supporters than to Clinton's.
Tinker Salas said there is no chance Latinos will vote for Trump in large numbers in November, but noted that many have reservations about supporting Clinton because her pledge to introduce immigration reforms in the first 100 days of her administration sounds like a pledge that Obama made but did not fulfill. He also cautioned against portraying Latinos as solely interested in immigration, saying that it is only the fourth or fifth most important issue to most people.
"They are very similar to every other group in the U.S. They want a good education, want good employment, good housing opportunities and a good life in the U.S. It's not a one-issue community," Tinker Salas said.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has ended his flirtation with softer immigration policies, declaring he would deport millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country and renewing his vow to build a wall on its southern border and make Mexico pay for it.
"There will be no amnesty!" leading to citizenship for immigrants already in the U.S., Trump wrote on Twitter Thursday. "Mexico will pay for the wall -- 100%."
Trump laid out his tough immigration plans if he wins the November election against Democrat Hillary Clinton in a speech late Wednesday in the southwestern border state of Arizona, long one of the focal points of U.S. efforts to stem the stream of illegal immigration into the U.S. from Mexico and Central America. Hours earlier, Trump made a quick visit to Mexico City for talks on immigration and other issues with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
U.S. officials believe there are about 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. and Trump's plans could lead to the deportation of more than six million of them, as many as two million who have committed crimes and another 4.5 million who have overstayed their visas to enter the U.S. Trump left unclear the fate of other immigrants who entered the country without documentation but have not committed crimes.
"There will be no legal status or becoming a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country," Trump told cheering supporters.
Upholding laws of the nation
On Thursday, speaking at the annual convention of a veterans' group, the American Legion, Trump said, "We are going to uphold the laws of the nation and defend our sovereignty and security and we are going to defend our border."
Trump said that he and Mexico's Pena Nieto "can work together to accomplish great things for both countries," but their differences remain over Trump's border wall plan.
Trump, a real estate mogul making his first run for elected office, said after the Mexico City meeting that he and Pena Nieto discussed the plan, but not Trump's assertion that Mexico will cover the cost. Pena Nieto, however, later said he made clear Mexico would not pay for it.
"They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall," Trump told the Arizona rally. The crowd enthusiastically chanted, "Build that wall!"
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta said Trump "choked" by not fully addressing the issue with Pena Nieto.
"What we saw today from a man who claims to be the ultimate 'deal maker' is that he doesn't have the courage to advocate for his campaign promises when he's not in front of a friendly crowd," Podesta said.
No one will be immune
After weeks of reports that Trump might be softening his immigration platform, he proposed hiring 5,000 new border patrol agents, tripling the number of immigration enforcement officers and immediately deporting anyone caught illegally entering the country. He said crime and border crossings would plummet and gangs would disappear.
"People will know that you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," he told the crowd in Arizona. "No one will be immune or exempt from enforcement."
Trump called for the completion of a biometric entry and exit system to better track those who enter the country, and for the expansion of e-verify systems to help employers avoid hiring illegal immigrants.
He also reiterated plans to suspend the issuing of visas to those living in countries where people cannot be adequately screened to ensure they are not a security risk. Those admitted to the U.S. would have to pass ideological tests as well.
"We also have to be honest about the fact that not everyone who seeks to join our country will be able to successfully assimilate," he said.
Clinton also wants to continue current U.S. policy to deport those who have committed crimes, but Trump objects to executive orders signed by President Barack Obama offering deferred enforcement to certain categories of people with no criminal record.
Clinton wants to protect them, which Trump has labeled as "amnesty." Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state, has also called for a comprehensive overhaul of U.S. immigration policies similar to legislation that has stalled with Republican opposition in the House of Representatives after being approved by the Senate.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump left little doubt about his tough stand on illegal immigration during a speech in Arizona Wednesday. Some moderate Republicans had hoped for a softening of Trumps immigration position, which polls have shown has hurt him with minority voters. But Trump appears to be doubling down on his vow to protect the U.S. border with Mexico, as we hear from VOA national correspondent Jim Malone in Washington.
If you are waiting for a kinder, gentler Donald Trump on immigration, dont hold your breath. In what may have been a pivotal day in the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump doubled down on his tough stance on illegal immigration in Phoenix, Arizona late Wednesday, just hours after presenting a more presidential persona in a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Trump outlined an aggressive 10-point plan to stop illegal immigration during his rally, reminding voters of the central issue in his rise to claim the Republican Partys presidential nomination. Trumps main focus was on removing criminal elements who had entered the country illegally, and he reiterated his pledge to build a border wall with Mexico and have that country pay for it.
Looking for a softer reboot
Some moderate Republicans have been pushing Trump to soften his tone on immigration, especially his previous vow to deport the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants who have come into the country over the past several years. Illegal immigration has been Trump's signature issue since he launched his presidential campaign in June of last year. His sometimes divisive rhetoric has also alienated large numbers of Hispanic voters, according to numerous public opinion polls. At the moment, Trump is running behind the levels of support from Hispanic voters accorded to the 2012 Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, and the 2008 nominee, John McCain.
Trump seemed to take a firm line in his speech on Wednesday, harkening back to his tough rhetoric during the primary season. For those here illegally today who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only - to return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else. We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. We will break the cycle.
Abrupt about-face
Trumps aggressive stance was a swift change from hours earlier when he met with President Pena Nieto in Mexico City. Trump said they discussed the border wall but not who would pay for it. Pena Nieto did not challenge Trumps account during their joint press appearance but later said on Twitter he told Trump at the outset of their meeting that Mexico would not pay for the wall.
The Hillary Clinton campaign blasted Trumps Arizona speech in a written statement and accused Trump of doubling down on his anti-immigrant rhetoric and attempt at demonizing immigrants.
Candidate Clinton has also been warning voters of late to beware of any Trump efforts to moderate his rhetoric or policy positions.
And now Trump is trying to rebrand himself as well. But dont be fooled. There is an old Mexican proverb that says, tell me with whom you walk and I will tell you who you are. Well, we know who Trump is, Clinton told supporters at a recent rally in Reno, Nevada.
Clinton continues to lead Trump in national and key state polls, although some recent national polls have grown tighter. Trump, however, appears to be struggling to broaden his base of support beyond the groups he appealed to in the Republican primaries, according to Georgetown University analyst Stephen Wayne.
Because he appealed to an angry segment of the Republican Party, which is not necessarily the country as a whole. This general election seems to be a referendum for or against Trump. And he won it in the primaries and hes losing it in the general election because of the very appeals he made in the primaries.
Clinton's high negatives
Clinton has some problems of her own. The Trump campaign hammers her on a daily basis for refusing to hold a news conference. And recent polls show an increase in voters who dont consider her trustworthy, another factor that may explain why Clintons lead may be slipping.
Hillary Clinton has massive flaws, said Jeremy Mayer, an assistant professor of government at George Mason University in Virginia. And had the Republicans nominated a typical Republican, not a former President Ronald Reagan but just your average politician, the race would probably be neck-and-neck right now, given her vulnerabilities.
Trumps latest affirmation of his strong stand against illegal immigration may buttress his support among his political base; but, Georgetowns Stephen Wayne argued that Trump has yet to unify the Republican Party behind his candidacy. So he has to solidify the Republican base, and he has not done that as yet, and two, he has to reach beyond that base because Republicans have not won a majority in a presidential election since 2004.
Clinton has built a lead since the party conventions in July; but, with the race tightening once again, Gallup pollster Frank Newport cautions there could be more surprises to come in the final two months of the campaign. If you look at history, things do change between now and election day, so you cant say everything is frozen at this point.
Both candidates increasingly are likely to focus on the coming presidential debates with the first one scheduled for September 26.
A U.S. federal court is due to open proceedings Thursday against the eldest son of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The case is tied to Cambodian opposition party spokesman Meach Sovannara, who has alleged wrongful imprisonment. The opposition activist also holds U.S. citizenship.
A complaint filed in April alleges Lieutenant General Hun Manet and Cambodian government officials are guilty of crimes against humanity, including torture, illegal detention, terrorism and illegal imprisonment.
Judge George H. Wu of the Central District Court of California will hear a second defense motion to dismiss the case, while the plaintiff's lawyers will argue that it should move to trial.
In April, as Hun Manet toured parts of the United States that are home to large Cambodian diaspora communities, he was greeted by Cambodian-Americans protesting Phnom Penh's human rights violations and domestic property seizures.
On the last day of Hun Manet's visit, he was served with court documents by American private investigator Paul Hayes, who was hospitalized after allegedly being thrown to the ground by one of the general's bodyguards outside a restaurant in Long Beach, California.
Hayes' subpoena was tied to the wrongful imprisonment lawsuit brought in court by Meach Sovannara.
Meach Sovannara is currently serving a 20-year sentence for taking part in a protest in Phnom Penh in late 2014; he is one of 11 activists jailed on insurrection charges for clashing with police over the closure of a protest site in the capital.
"My husband has suffered some mental difficulties and has been sick a lot," his wife, Jamie Meach, told VOA's Khmer service.
Hun Manet said in a statement to the court that he would not be in the United States while the case is being heard. He has denied being served papers on the day in question, claiming tight security and protests outside the restaurant caused him to be accidentally pepper-sprayed.
"At no time on April 9 was I aware there was a man approaching me to hand me any legal papers," he said.
According to California's guidelines on civil procedures before trial, Hayes' attempt to bring the subpoena to Hun Manet's attention were sufficient to qualify as having served the documents.
The United States on Thursday announced additional sanctions aimed at Russia over its continuing support for Ukraine's rebels and the 2014 annexation of Crimea.
The Treasury Department said in a statement that it had designated 37 new individuals and companies operating in Crimea and Ukraine for the sanctions list.
"Russia continues to provoke instability in eastern Ukraine despite its Minsk commitments," said John Smith, acting director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, in charge of levying sanctions.
"Treasury stands with our partners in condemning Russia's violation of international law, and we will continue to sanction those who threaten Ukraine's peace, security and sovereignty," he said.
According to the Treasury, the move followed the recent extension of European Union economic sanctions, and that together these steps demonstrated "continued international unity in opposing Russia's actions in Ukraine."
Russian companies, including construction firms PJSC Mostotrest and SGM-Most, were added to the U.S. list for their assistance in construction of a bridge from Russia to the Crimean Peninsula.
Russian engineering firm OMZ OAO was sanctioned for its connections to Gazprombank, which was itself sanctioned in 2014.
Several subsidiaries of Russian gas giant Gazprom were also added to the sanctions list.
Newly listed was CJSC ABR Management, an asset management firm closely linked to already-sanctioned Rossiya Bank, often called the personal bank of President Vladimir Putin and members of his closest circle.
Six officials of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine were entered into Treasury's list as well.
The U.S. also sanctioned 11 Crimean officials, including top ministers.
Russian officials have said in the past that sanctions levied over its actions in Ukraine have undermined efforts to resolve the conflict.
Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov missed the countrys Independence Day celebrations Thursday, remaining hospitalized since suffering a stroke.
A state TV anchor read Karimovs speech in his place.
The speech, attributed to Karimov, encouraged the countrys citizens to continue to move forward, after independence gave them the opportunity to build a free and prosperous life.
The sudden stroke and hospitalization of Uzbekistans only president since independence has formed a dark cloud over the country as the most populous former Soviet republic in Central Asia marks 25 years since breaking from the Soviet Union (Aug 31 & Sept 1).
Instead of Karimov, who has not been seen in public for days, Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyayev, a possible successor, is leading ceremonies. A concert the president usually attends for the occasion was cancelled.
Uzbek authorities rejected a report that Karimov is already dead. One of his daughters said Wednesday he remains in stable condition in a hospital.
No clear successor
Regardless, the mood of celebration is muted by the uncertainty over the presidents health and, more importantly, the lack of a clear successor.
This is a huge test, one that has been anticipated for some time, says Deirdre Tynan, who is based in Bishkek as the Central Asia project director for the International Crisis Group. But if Uzbekistan stumbles, if the transition turns to political chaos, the risk of violent conflict is high; and in a region as fragile as Central Asia, the risk of that spreading is also high, she wrote in e-mails to VOA's Moscow bureau.
Karimov has led Uzbekistan with an iron fist since 1989, just before the Soviet Union split apart. He has been heavily criticized for using law enforcement and the courts to repress political opponents, activists and the media as well as forcing millions to labor in cotton fields.
In 2005, security forces fired into a crowd of protesters in the eastern Uzbek city of Andijan. While Uzbek authorities put the death toll at 187, independent journalists and human rights groups say as many 1,000 people were killed.
Human rights
The New York-based group Human Rights Watch says the Uzbek government has jailed thousands of people on politically motivated charges, many of whom have been subjected to torture.
Political analysts in Moscow say his heavy-handed approach has kept Islamic militants at bay and maintained stability. But, they warn any power struggle among Uzbekistans ruling clans could see that threat exposed or exploited.
"Karimov for many years was a very serious defender of not only his country, but also the whole region from this radical Islamic threat, said Alexander Golts, an independent defense analyst in Moscow and deputy editor of Yezhenedelny Zhurnal (Weekly Journal).
And, unfortunately, everything was based on his personality, as is usual in all authoritarian regimes, Golts said. "Karimov managed to establish security service[s] that can control everything in Uzbekistan.
But God knows how these people from security will behave when Mr. Karimov disappears."
Other regional analysts say most of Uzbekistan's elites want to avoid a nasty fight for Karimovs throne.
The beneficiaries in this struggle, the winners, may lose more in the course of struggle if they allow chaos and loss of control in the country during it, Central Asia expert Arkady Dubnov said. So there are limits beyond which the elites cannot afford a severe struggle using unconventional methods of political struggle."
Moscow watching
The Kremlin will be watching closely to see who comes next, Tynan said, as Uzbekistans stability and security is in Russia's interest. Karimov was a highly unpopular figure among Russian diplomats, she said.
Moscow will want someone who is amenable, at least in public, to their policies," Tynan said. In an ideal world, thats someone who would have Uzbekistan re-join the CSTO (Collective Treaty Security Organization) and be open to the EEU (Eurasian Economic Union). In practical terms though, they would probably settle for someone who is not antagonistic and willing to at least go through the motions of mutual respect."
Regional expert Dubnov thinks Moscow may have a favorite contender to replace Karimov: Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyayev. The prime minister is "supported by the head of the Internal Security Service, Rustam Innoyatov, who has been a KGB officer for a long time during the Soviet period and an unchangeable head of Uzbek security, Dubnov said. His idea of security that he got in the Soviet times can facilitate finding common language in dialogue between Tashkent and Moscow.
Russian officials have said little since Sunday, when Uzbekistan announced the president was hospitalized.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday said they had no fresh information on Karimov and could not confirm reports about his death. Russias Interfax news agency reported Russian neurosurgeons are treating Karimov.
If Karimov dies, the head of Uzbekistans Senate becomes temporary leader for three months while new elections are arranged.
Hanoi has officially reacted to Phnom Penhs request to identify and take strong action against Vietnamese nationals who purportedly left insulting comments on Cambodian Premier Hun Sens Facebook page, criticizing him for supporting Beijings claims over the South China Sea.
In a written statement, Le Hai Binh, spokesman for the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the personal opinions apparently posted by Vietnamese writers do not reflect Vietnams stance.
We ... do not support those who used freedom of speech to make personal insults and provocative attitude in order to drive a wedge between the peoples of the two countries, the spokesperson said.
Last week, the Cambodian government condemned the verbal attacks accusing Hun Sen of betraying his eastern neighbor as immoral and highly offensive.
Huynh Ngoc Chenh, a Vietnamese media expert, said he was surprised by Vietnams response.
It shows the increased impact of social media Facebook in particular on the ruling authorities, especially the Vietnamese ones, said Chenh, adding that even Vietnamese Premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc was recently forced to publicly apologize after his motorcade swept through narrow Hoi An streets reserved for pedestrians, resulting in widespread rounds of condemnation on Facebook.
Premier's response
The Cambodian premier on Monday took to the social network to hit back at his South China Sea detractors, calling on Vietnam to respect Cambodian sovereignty and "[educate] their people not to bother me anymore."
"Again, I want to reaffirm with you that I am not a Vietnamese puppet serving the benefits of Vietnamese country, and Im also not a boss of Vietnam," the Cambodian leader posted. "Im not asking Vietnam to serve Cambodian political interest either. The South China Sea conflict should [be resolved] ... peacefully by the Chinese and Vietnamese governments. Its better than [resolving] it through war, as youve mentioned in your comment on my Facebook.
Ou Virak, founder of the Phnom Penh-based Future Forum think tank, told VOA's Khmer service that although he agreed the criticism of his premier didn't reflect the stance of Vietnamese officials, he questioned Hun Sen's political prudence in personally responding to the slights of random internet users, let alone in the manner of a formal diplomatic statement.
"I believe there are people who build the premier's Facebook page," he said. "If he does not like how people comment [on his posts], he can just ignore them."
Vietnamese spokesperson Binh told VOA's Vietnamese service that the foreign ministry attaches importance to friendly, neighborly and comprehensive relations with Cambodia, and that it has "made efforts to maintain these ties for the common interests of two peoples.
Border dispute
On Tuesday, Vietnam and Cambodia concluded closed-door discussions on a territorial border dispute, jointly agreeing to "seek international consultants to advise on ways to demarcate the border.
Var Kim Hong, leader of the Cambodian delegation, told reporters that the two sides failed to reach an accord.
Tran Cong Truc, a former Vietnamese official in charge of border affairs who has repeatedly engaged with Cambodian counterparts, struck a slightly more optimistic tone.
"Vietnam has shown its willingness to solve the border issue by agreeing to have a third party, especially France, joining in the demarcating process," he said, adding that France prepared the original map delineating the shared border during the colonial era.
The head of the Cambodian delegation, however, said Phnom Penh observes the border with Vietnam as it was set in 1983, according to maps of Indochina the former French colonial territory that now comprises Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Tensions have mounted in recent weeks as Phnom Penh has accused Hanoi of illegally digging ponds and building outposts inside Cambodian territory assertions that Vietnam denies.
This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Vietnamese and Khmer services. VOA's Ith Sothoeuth and Hul Reaksmey contributed reporting from Phnom Penh.
Other Leaders Forced to Stand Down
Paraguay: Fernando Lugo was forced from the presidency in 2012 for dereliction of duty following his handling of a land dispute that left 17 people dead.
Lithuania: Rolandas Paksas was ousted in 2004 after being charged with granting Lithuanian citizenship to a Russian businessman in exchange for money. He was banned from standing for office in Lithuania, but was elected to the European Parliament in 2009.
Indonesia: Abdurrahman Wahid, accused of incompetence and corruption, was dismissed in 2001.
Peru: Alberto Fujimori resigned from the presidency by fax from Tokyo in 2000, claiming Japanese nationality through his parents.
Ecuador: Abdala Bucaram, accused of siphoning off public funds, was ousted in 1997 for "physical and mental incapacity," six months after his inauguration as president.
Venezuela: Carlos Andres Perez, accused of embezzlement and illegal enrichment, was dismissed in 1993. Current President Nicolas Maduro is now battling a proposed referendum on holding a recall vote.
Guatemala: Otto Perez, accused of being part of a ring of officials who took bribes to allow companies to import goods without paying import taxes, was stripped of his presidential immunity by parliament on Sept. 1, 2015. Facing impeachment, he stood down two days later.
Germany: Christian Wulff resigned from the federal presidency in February 2012 after being stripped of his immunity following an accusation of influence peddling. He was later cleared.
Israel: Following a tax fraud and corruption scandal, President Ezer Weizman resigned in July 2000, rather than face impeachment proceedings. In June 2007, President Moshe Katsav resigned as part of a plea bargain after being accused of rape and other sexual offenses. In 2011, he was handed a seven-year prison term.
Brazil: Fernando Collor de Mello, accused of corruption, resigned in 1992 at the beginning of his impeachment hearing before the Federal Senate.
United States: Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974 to avoid almost certain impeachment over the Watergate scandal.
Three Zambian church groups have called for peace ahead of an anticipated court ruling on the opposition's challenge to the results of the August 11 presidential election.
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, the Council of Churches in Zambia and the Catholic Bishops Conference called on leaders of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) and the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party to ensure their supporters do not engage in acts of violence after the court's ruling.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia declared Edgar Lungu the winner of the presidential election with 50.35 percent of the total votes cast, compared to 47.67 percent for the main opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, of the UPND.
But the UPND petitioned the Constitutional Court to reject the result, citing alleged voter irregularities and fraud.
Many Zambians have expressed concern about possible clashes between supporters of the two parties after the court's ruling, which is expected Friday.
In an interview with VOA, Father Cleophas Lungu, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference, said the church groups have appealed for calm.
"We also indicated that we are concerned that there hasn't been enough commitment from the political leaders both from the Patriotic Front as well as the UPND with regard to accepting the outcome of the ruling," he said.
UPND candidate Hichilema has reiterated his call for a meeting with President Lungu to help resolve post-election tensions and violence. But Lungu dismissed the call, saying he would only meet the opposition leader if Hichilema renounces violent acts allegedly perpetrated by UPND supporters.
Father Lungu says the church groups are working behind the scenes to arrange a meeting between the two leaders.
"The church did receive a request for such a meeting and for the church to be the mediator, and efforts have been ongoing in terms of bringing the two sides together," he said.
He said President Lungu and Hichilema must demonstrate that their parties respect the rule of law and will respect the decision of the court.
"Now is the time for people to avoid talking in a manner that would provoke people, who may be aggrieved by the Constitutional Court ruling," he said.
Zimbabwe's government on Thursday banned protests in the capital, Harare, for the next two weeks. The ban was announced a day before opposition parties were to hold an anti-government demonstration.
Immediately after the release of the statutory ban, which says anyone who organizes a protest may be sentenced to up to 12 months in prison, opposition parties issued a statement postponing a planned Friday protest by two weeks.
In a telephone interview, Thabitha Khumalo, a leader of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais MDC party, said her party and others were saddened by the banning of protests in Zimbabwe.
Khumalo said the opposition had no time to challenge the ban before the now-aborted Friday march.
It is a violation of Zimbabwe's constitution, which gives every Zimbabwean the right to express themselves. Anyway, their ban does not mean they are stopping the wheels of the struggle, because the social and economic problems that are affecting Zimbabweans are still there. It will not create jobs; it will not turn around the economy," she said.
In the past two months, Zimbabwe has been hit by a wave of protests against President Robert Mugabes government. Zimbabweans have been calling for the 92-year-old leader to embark on democratic reforms and fix the country's moribund economy or step down.
But police have reacted with a heavy hand to the protests, arresting demonstrators and firing tear gas and water cannons, which has resulted in injuries.
Southern African governments are backsliding on human rights, as nations repeatedly violate basic rights and defy their own constitutions, Human Rights Watch says.
The situation is being thrown into sharp relief as Swaziland, the continent's last absolute monarchy, takes over this week as chair of the Southern African Development Community.
Southern African leaders were expected to focus on development, trade, and political reforms in member countries as they met at the two-day SADC summit in the mountainous kingdom.
But rights violations are grabbing headlines around the region, most recently in Zimbabwe, where protests have escalated against the increasingly autocratic government of President Robert Mugabe, and police hit back by beating, gassing and arresting demonstrators.
Human Rights Watch says they estimate that at least 74 people have been arrested in the aftermath of a protest last week that police dispersed, even though demonstrators had a court order allowing their march.
Serious discussion needed
Human Rights Watch Senior Africa Researcher Dewa Mavhinga says Zimbabwe should be at the top of the agenda as leaders meet.
Unfortunately, it does not seem that SADC leaders appreciate the seriousness of the situation in Zimbabwe, because they appear not to be looking or to be seeing what is happening, he said during a briefing in Johannesburg.
"This is why we are raising this matter for the attention of SADC leaders to say, You cannot behave like the ostrich and bury your head in the sand when Zimbabwe is burning. There is need to quickly deploy human rights monitors so at least you know for yourself what is happening independently and you take appropriate action or corrective measures, before its too late.
Zimbabwes government-backed Herald newspaper blithely reported on the presidents departure from Harare and arrival in Mbabane (Swaziland) in detail, without mentioning the protests, the arrests or the controversy around his 35-year rule.
Critics say Mugabe has destroyed the once-promising economy, rigged elections, and trampled on human rights.
Absolute ruler
But Human Rights Watch's Mavhinga says SADCs new leader is unlikely to challenge an entrenched leader. For the next year, the organization will be headed by Africas last absolute autocrat.
Swaziland's 48-year-old King Mswati III has numerous wives, cars and jets. He has described his nations unique government, in which opposition political parties are banned and the government has been accused of suppressing dissidents, as a marriage between the monarch and the ballot box.
It is not the right sort of message that should be coming from SADC leaders to have Swaziland as chair, Mavhinga said. But one hopes that perhaps it would be an opportunity for Swaziland, in terms of the spotlight being on Swaziland for the next 12 months, to highlight the abuses that are taking place in that kingdom.
Observers say the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will intervene in Zimbabwe if public protests intensify and refugees start streaming in large numbers to neighboring nations like South Africa.
They say at the moment it is unlikely that SADC, under the chairmanship of King Mswati of Swaziland, would table the Zimbabwe crisis characterized by mass public protests against the deteriorating social and economic situation in the country and calls for President Robert Mugabe to step down.
One of the observers, Mlamuli Nkomo, an independent political analyst based in South Africa, says SADC appears to be haunted by its previous interventions in Zimbabwe, which may have failed to deliver the desired results for the regional block.
SADC mediators, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, temporarily stabilized Zimbabwe following the formation of a unity government in 2009, which ended after the country held general polls that were won by President Robert Mugabes Zanu PF party.
Opposition parties condemned the elections as a gigantic fraud though SADC described them as free and fair. In this Studio 7 political panel, Nkomo and Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Pelandaba-Mpopoma, Joseph Tshuma, discuss possibilities of another SADC intervention in Zimbabwe.
Nkomo says SADC should take immediate steps to end the crisis in the country but Tshuma believes that there is no political crisis in Zimbabwe.
The National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) demonstrations that were scheduled to be staged countrywide tomorrow have been postponed to Friday next week in the various cities and towns in Zimbabwe.
In a message posted on his Facebook page, Obert Gutu, spokesman of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai said, The ZRP have demanded that all the political parties that are signatory to NERA should have given them adequate notice to stage the afore - mentioned demonstrations.
As such, it has been agreed that the political parties will continue with the demonstrations on September 17, 2016. It is the constitutional right of all citizens of Zimbabwe to stage peaceful demonstrations.
There was no immediate comment from the police.
Section 59 of Zimbabwes constitution states that every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but these rights must be exercised peacefully.
Photo: Andrew Toth/Getty Images
On August 28, trans actress Jen Richards took to Twitter to share her thoughts on why she disagreed with actor Matt Bomer being cast as a transgender sex worker in the new movie Anything, which is being produced by his Normal Heart co-star Mark Ruffalo. But her issue isnt with Bomer, specifically. Its with cis men being cast to play trans women at all. Over the course of many tweets and several days, Richards explained that cis men playing trans women results in trans women not being given the opportunity to play trans roles, and that the pattern runs the risk of inciting violence against trans women by perpetuating the notion that trans women are in fact just men pretending to be women, and not a legitimate gender class of their own.
Let's be more direct: They have sex with us, worry that makes them gay, then reassert their masculinity through violence aimed at us. Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016
Because culture as a whole still thinks trans women are "really" men. Decades of showing us that way in shows. It's been internalized. Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016
She went on to cite Jared Letos casting in Dallas Buyers Club as a problematic case, in addition to lauded performances by actors like Jeffrey Tambor and Eddie Redmayne. Richards then called out Mark Ruffalo, who recommended his former co-star for the part in Anything, and Bomer specifically for their role in perpetuating what she asserts is Hollywood not so much being accepting of trans people as much as its cashing in on the trans story and then pushing cis actors for awards campaigns.
You will exacerbate the cultural belief that trans women are really men, which is the root of violence against us. @MarkRuffalo @MattBomer Jen Richards (@SmartAssJen) August 28, 2016
Richards apparently auditioned for the part in Anything, which she clearly did not get, and said in her tweets that she has even lost out on roles for not being trans enough in the past. So she asked the actors for an audience by tweeting out, I would love to sit down with @MattBomer & @MarkRuffalo to talk this through, clearly, honestly, & compassionately. And today, Ruffalo responded with tweets of his own and acknowledged her concerns.
To the Trans community. I hear you. It's wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It's time. Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making "The Normal Heart". Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
Richards is the writer, producer, and star of the web series Her Story, which has been nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category. She responded to Ruffalos tweet with thanks, and said she was ready to start a dialogue about the concerns of her community, so now it looks like the ball is in Ruffalos court to make good on his calls for compassion.
Jackie Chan. Photo: Don Arnold/Getty Images
Sing it again, yall: Jackie Chan is getting an honorary Oscar! The Rush Hour star will receive the honor at the Academys Governors Awards in November, as part of a class that also includes Anne V. Coates, the editor whos worked on films as varied as Lawrence of Arabia and 50 Shades of Grey; Lynn Stalmaster, the casting director behind Harold and Maude and Deliverance; and documentarian Frederick Wiseman, whose stripped-down style has been a major influence in his field. Coates won a competitive Oscar for Lawrence, while the other four have never been nominated.
Did you enjoy Netflixs Chefs Table with its long lingering shots of food and Great Chefs waxing poetically about fire and food and the elements? Did you think, in your half-baked haze, that this show should really be in French, because then it would feel really authentic? Your stoned cries have been heard. Chefs Table: France is now on Netflix, so call up your dealer, order some takeout, and settle in because the long weekend starts now.
More than 80 people have submitted applications to become the next Waco police chief, and city officials plan to interview finalists in mid-December, Waco city officials said Tuesday.
A total of 83 applications have been turned in to the citys human resources department, which is working with an outside firm to search for qualified candidates to lead the department with more than 240 sworn officers, city spokesman Larry Holze said.
Salvin Management Consultants, based in Norcross, Georgia, is assisting the city with a nationwide search. The city has not named a list of finalists, but interviews and tours of the city for candidates not familiar with Waco will take place in December.
Meetings were hosted by the mayor with stakeholder groups on Oct. 3, and additional meetings have continued to take place with stakeholders that were unable to attend the meetings, Holze said. Interviews for the police chief position will take place in Waco on Dec. 13 and 14.
Holze said city administrators and City Manager Dale Fisseler, who chooses police chiefs with the councils consent, hope to find a permanent chief by the end of the year.
Former Waco Police Chief Brent Stroman, a 39-year law enforcement veteran, retired from the Waco Police Department on Aug. 1, and Assistant Chief Frank Gentsch was named as acting chief during the citys search for a permanent replacement.
Holze said he is unsure how many local candidates have applied for the leadership role.
Officials have said Gentsch is not interested in taking the chief position permanently.
Stroman started his career with the department as a beat cop in 1977 and was named police chief in 2007. During his tenure as chief, Stroman oversaw the start of the investigation into the fatal Twin Peaks shootout between two rival motorcycle clubs on May 17, 2015, and postponed his plans to retire that year.
During his retirement ceremony this July, Stroman said after serving 8 1/2 years as police chief, his plans include spending time with his family and traveling.
Its been five years since writer/producer/director Del Shores returned to Waco to perform his standup show Sordid Confessions and a lot of new sordid has passed under the bridge for the Baylor University graduate since then.
Like his divorce from actor Jason Dottly after eight years of marriage and finding himself single, in his 50s and sorta famous. When youre a minor gay celebrity, its hard to be anonymous, he said.
Like discovering a dating scene made wondrously strange by social media and technology making introductions on apps like Tinder, Grindr, OkCupid and Scruff. Like shooting the latest edition of his Sordid Lives series, the film A Very Sordid Wedding, which takes his characters 16 years into the future for a marriage in his hometown, Winters, Texas. It asks the question, What happens in rural Texas when marriage equality marches in? he explained.
All that sordidness and, likely, a lot more gets wrapped up in Shores standup act SINgularly SORDID, which hell perform at 9 p.m. Saturday at Connect Nightclub.
Theres also celebrity dish about Leslie Jordan and Dolly Parton; more P.S.F.U. responses to haters letters: and personal stories like five dates with Del Shores. For those who remember his last Waco show, this one pushes a little bit, he said.
The Waco and Baylor that Shores came back to in 2011 was admittedly different from what he knew as a Baylor student majoring in journalism and Spanish in the 1970s. He hadnt come out then that wouldnt happen until he was in Los Angeles, married and with two daughters but chafing and a little rebellious, the son of a Southern Baptist pastor.
Shores was on the staff of the Baylor student paper The Lariat when it clashed with then-president Abner McCall when he announced that any Baylor students who had posed for Playboy magazines Girls of the Southwest Conference issue wouldnt be allowed to graduate. Lariat editors criticized his stand and were fired; Shores avoided punishment in part, he thinks, because his father was a pastor.
He went on to find success as a writer and playwright, beginning with his 1987 comedy Daddys Dyin (Whos Got The Will). His 1996 Sordid Lives play went on to become a movie, then a 12-episode television series and Shores televison credits include writing for Dharma & Greg, Touched By An Angel and Queer As Folk.
Shores experience growing up Baptist and gay turned into his prize-winning play Southern Baptist Sissies, which had a 2013 film adaptation. Hes been busy since then, mixing writing, directing and his standup comedy.
The latter will bring him to perform in Orlando, Florida, the site of the mass murder of 49 people in a gay nightclub on June 12. His Sordid Lives is running at a theater this month and he appreciates the chance to bring some laughter to a city and community still in mourning. Still, he admits such incidents of violence targeting gays is concerning.
Its not just Orlando, but every event I go to, my daughters 23 and 26 worry about me, he said. It makes me sad.
His memory of his last Waco performance, however, is far from sad. Shores packed the downtown Waco nightclub Trix with more than a few familiar faces in the crowd.
It was really wonderful a great night, he recalled. There were so many people there from college and from church. I felt a lot of love that night.
Scott & White Health Plan, which is part of Baylor Scott & White Health, has dropped its plans affiliated with the Affordable Care Act, which is commonly referred to as Obamacare, the company said.
The plans were available on the Healthcare Marketplace.
The market for our individual Marketplace plans carries higher risk than other plans, according to a question-and- answer post on the Scott & White Health Plan website. Like many other health insurers, we have determined that we cannot currently service Marketplace plans on an effective and financially sustainable basis.
Customers with Scott & White Health plans bought through the exchange will have to choose different options when their current plans expire.
Action by Scott & White Health Plan follows similar decisions by national heavyweights including Aetna and UnitedHealth Group.
More than 44,000 people in Texas have Marketplace plans that Scott & White will discontinue in 2017, spokesman Scott Clark said.
Franklin Potts, who teaches in the department of insurance, finance and real estate at Baylor University, said carriers leaving Obamacare was inevitable.
Thats not really surprising to anybody who knows anything about insurance, Potts said. No private insurance company would want to insure anybody with a pre-existing condition. But when this was offered, people already sick rushed to get on the bandwagon. Thats what crashed the enrollment website the very first day.
He said government backers of Obamacare thought revenues generated by young, healthy clients would offset losses created by insuring those in poor health.
Highly predicted
Many people soon discovered it would be less expensive to pay the penalties for not taking out insurance than to enroll in one of these exchanges, especially considering the way they were being administered, Potts said. That was a highly predictable response, obvious to anyone who understands insurance.
During tax year 2015, the penalty for not having health insurance stood at 2 percent of the total household adjusted gross income. This year, the fine rose to 2.5 percent of total adjusted gross income.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 found that Obamacare can compel individuals to buy insurance, but the law has no authority to force insurance companies to take part in the exchanges.
Since its passage in 2010, Obamacare has brought insurance to about 20 million people who previously lacked it, pushing the uninsured rate in the U.S. to a record low. Yet, as Bloomberg reports, it is beginning to show its limitations as it approaches its fourth year, particularly when it comes to lowering prices.
Insurers are looking to raise premiums by about 24 percent in 2017, according to Charles Gaba of ACASignups.net, a website that tracks the health-care law.
McLennan County leaders are searching for a new home for the Precinct 4 justice of the peace office in McGregor because the office has outgrown the building, and most of the structure fails to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Commissioners also are planning to renovate offices belonging to the justices of the peace in Precincts 2, 3 and 5 as the county works to fix more than 350 ADA violations cited by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The justice of the peace precinct offices are among many county facilities with ADA violations listed in a 145-page agreement issued to the county in November, after the Department of Justice surveyed county property in 2011.
The agreement, which was reached after discussions between the county and the Department of Justice, details the violations and the deadlines for them to be fixed. The deadlines range from three months to 30 months after the report was issued.
County Administrator Dustin Chapman said the county could work with the Department of Justice to seek an extension to the 24-month deadline for the Precinct 4 building, now that its clear commissioners would like to move out of the building instead of repairing it.
Theyve been very willing to work with us on issues like this, Chapman said of DOJ officials.
$147,000 price tag
The propertys tax value is $83,510, according to county records. Correcting the ADA violations would cost about $147,000, Precinct 4 Commissioner Ben Perry told the other commissioners this week after meeting with firms that reviewed the buildings needs.
The building also is too small for the growing precinct and needs improved security measures, Perry said.
He told commissioners it makes more sense to relocate than make upgrades to the building at 307 S. Madison Ave.
Theres just about nothing right in the building, Perry said.
Commissioners gave county staff approval to search for a vacant building in McGregor the county could use as a new Precinct 4 office. The replacement would need to meet ADA requirements, have a layout that would provide additional security and be large enough to meet the precincts needs.
About 10 months after receiving the report on the countys violations, commissioners have not put a final price tag on the fixes.
Staff has worked to perform the smaller projects inhouse and are beginning to award contracts for the larger projects. Some of the larger projects listed in the agreement include work needed at the McLennan County Courthouse and the Extraco Events Center fairgrounds and coliseum. Officials expect to have spent $246,766 by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
County Judge Scott Felton said the county included a $1 placeholder in the fiscal year 2017 budget for all ADA work.
Its hard to tell what were going to end up spending, Felton said.
Commissioners expect to cover some of the costs with a recently issued $10 million bond. Its the first of several bonds planned for the next three years that will total $50 million.
Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Brian Richardson said he regularly has elderly residents and residents who use wheelchairs coming into his courtroom. A wheelchair can make it to the back of the 1,920-square-foot building, but just barely, Richardson said. The hallways are too narrow for proper accessibility, and both bathrooms are too small.
Weve squeezed by with centimeters to spare, Richardson said.
Perry said the building served its purpose at one time, but the precinct has outgrown the space and its two parking spots.
The county bought the building for $18,000 in 1994, when it was the Lone Star Gas Building, according to county documents. The building was purchased specifically as an office for the then-Precinct 5 constable and justice of the peace.
Perry said the county does not need to grow its inventory of buildings, so once a new location is secured, the current one could be sold.
Richardson said he hopes to find a building that is about 3,000-square-feet to meet future growth needs.
The office also offers more services than it once did, making the need for more space more pressing. The office is able to issue vehicle license plates, which has driven foot traffic, Richardson said.
And people are well aware now, and the word is getting out now, that we do tags here, Richardson said. Once a friend tells a friend, tells a friend, and they say, Im not standing in that two-hour line (at the courthouse). Everybody says, Its a two-hour line. Im going to come out here and even if I wait 30 to 45 minutes, its still quicker. We get an incredible amount of foot traffic just to give car tags.
As part of the settlement between the county and the Department of Justice, the county has to retain an independent licensed architect to provide architectural services regarding the violations.
County Purchasing Director Ken Bass said they have been working with The Wallace Group Inc. to review the properties.
Precinct 2 office
Bass said the Precinct 2 office needs its counter lowered and security window modified. At the Precinct 3 office, significant modifications will be made to the courtroom, including removing the platform under the witness stand and jury box and adding wheelchair accessible seating, Bass said. Restrooms will need to be modified, and the sidewalk in front of the building will need to be completely removed, he said.
Bass said the Precinct 5 office changes include fixing the elevated platform that the witness stand and judges bench rest on.
Work in all three offices could cost about $64,500, he said. Bids will be presented to commissioners before any decision is made, he said.
Rep. Bill Flores, R-College Station, affirmed his support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday during a town hall meeting at Texas State Technical Colleges John B. Connally Technology Center Auditorium.
I felt like we owed it to our candidate, particularly because he had begun to be self disciplined, Flores said. In particular, when he picked Mike Pence to be his running mate, I thought that showed a lot of wisdom. So based on those things, I went ahead and endorsed him.
Flores district also includes Waco.
Flores said he thinks Trump will pick a better nominee for the Supreme Court than Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate. Flores first announced his endorsement of Trump during the Republican National Convention.
About 75 people attended Flores town hall meeting Wednesday evening. He fielded questions ranging from immigration to foreign policy and economic challenges, and many people who asked questions also expressed general frustration with the government.
I feel the same frustration, Flores said. Theres so many things the executive branch is doing, and sometimes I just feel powerless to stop it. Again, weve got an administration that doesnt follow the Constitution or the law.
Flores is chair of the Republican Study Committee, which includes more than 170 House Republicans.
The founders of this country did a wonderful job when they crafted the Constitution, Flores said. But one of the things they never envisioned is that you would have an administration that would openly ignore this and consider Congress to be an inconvenience.
Concerning immigration, Flores said neither deportation nor amnesty are solutions.
So the solution most people think works is to come out of the shadows. Were not going to arrest you, Flores said. Register with the government. Submit to a background check. If youre a criminal on the background check, youre out of here . . . Then after that, pay back taxes, pay a fine, and well give you a temporary residency card and you can be here legally. And if you keep your nose clean for five to ten years, then you can have a permanent residency card.
Flores also said Obamacare has failed and he hopes the future of health care for veterans changes. He said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs should provide centers of excellence focusing on specific needs for veterans, and the rest will have an insurance card and take it to a provider of his or her choice.
November challenger
Flores has a November challenger in Democratic congressional candidate Bill Matta, chairman of the McLennan Community College Language, Literature and Communication Division.
Its hard to imagine anybody who knows anything about politics or about responsible leadership endorsing Donald Trump, Matta said. Hes a failed businessman and he doesnt speak like a normal politician. He speaks like a schoolyard bully. Hes showing some signs that his handlers are giving him some advice that hes finally listening to a little bit. Certainly there wont be any Democrats supporting him. A lot of Republicans wont be supporting him either, and that will be a deciding issue in this election.
Matta said investments in infrastructure will pay off.
The economy has been sputtering along, he said. At least its been moving upward, but we could do a lot more to help it. Small businesses need more help, and I think investing tax money in infrastructure would help a lot.
The presidential election could be crucial to the future of democracy and not just in the United States. The global impact of a Donald Trump presidency would be disastrous. But even a Hillary Clinton win wont help reverse the worldwide retrenchment in democracy and human rights unless she brings a change in policy from the current administration.
If all of that strikes you as a bit too breathless, consider whats happened over the past decade.
The leading authoritarian powers of the world China, Russia and Iran have tightened the screws at home while becoming far more aggressive beyond their boundaries. They have proven that the Internet, contrary to earlier expectation, can be turned into a weapon of control. They have proven, again contrary to earlier assumptions, that a country can enter the global economy while squelching free speech, worship and assembly at home. They have formed a loose dictators alliance, working together to undermine and discredit the principles of liberal economics and individual rights.
Meanwhile, nations that were assumed to be safely in the camp of democracies, including many U.S. allies, have slipped toward authoritarianism. In some, such as Thailand, reversion has come through old-fashioned military coups. In others Poland, the Philippines, Hungary, Turkey, Nicaragua elected governments are undoing the protections of democracy.
Still other nations, soft authoritarians that had promised greater openness, have unapologetically gone the other way: Egypt, Ethiopia, Bahrain, Malaysia, to name just a few.
Freedom House, the nonprofit organization that has been keeping track of these things since Eleanor Roosevelt helped found it 75 years ago, has the dismal numbers. Over the past decade, the level of freedom has declined in 105 countries and advanced in only 61, the group says and last year was the worst yet, with 72 nations losing ground.
Trump would stoke the dictators momentum in at least three ways. Most obviously, just the fact of his presidency would serve as a four-year indictment of the democratic system. If an unqualified bigot could rise to the top of the worlds oldest democracy, how could Freedom House or anyone else plausibly urge other nations to adopt our system of government?
Trump also would undermine democracy abroad by virtue of his disrespect for democratic norms at home. He has endorsed torture and other illegal acts of war, disparaged freedom of the press, undermined a free judiciary, campaigned by invective rather than debate and warned critics that they will suffer if he is elected. And if all that is not enough to give comfort to authoritarian rulers with similar values, Trump has expressed open admiration for the worlds worst thugs, from Russias Vladimir Putin to the butchers of Tiananmen Square.
Even if he loses, democracys reputation will have taken a hit: How could such a man have become a major party nominee? But perhaps another story line will emerge, too: Even in times of economic dislocation, even faced with an alternative that many voters disliked, Americans were too wise to let the worst befall them.
But a Clinton presidency will shift the global momentum only if she adopts goals that President Obama enshrined as a candidate but largely abandoned as president.
When he was campaigning, Obama cited as models Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy who ensured, he wrote in the magazine Foreign Affairs, that America stood for and fought for the freedoms sought by billions of people beyond our borders. But democracy promotion faded as a goal once Obama moved into the White House. In negotiations with China, Iran, Cuba and North Korea, human rights were never a priority.
How far the administration evolved from Obamas 2007 vision can be measured in an article by Vice President Joe Biden in the current issue of the same magazine that barely mentions democracy or human rights. Biden sets tasks for the next administration to achieve a more peaceful and prosperous future, none explicitly related to freedom: deepening alliances in Asia and the Western Hemisphere, addressing climate change and terrorism, improving ties with regional powers.
Those are all important. But they will all be far more elusive if democracy continues to dwindle away.
Fred Hiatt is editorial page editor of The Washington Post.
The school year has only begun, yet already Waco Independent School District administrators, principals, teachers and possibly even students have learned two critical lessons. At least, we hope. Both lessons each in its own way suggest that the white noise of our media-mad, loud-mouth culture distracts way too many of us from the broader truths of our tumultuous and uncertain times.
Surely, the first lesson about a teachers imprudent use of social media to sound off on matters of race is obvious enough. Blame the incendiary remarks of Black Lives Matter advocates or blame Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, but is there anyone who doesnt know that discussions involving race require restraint, respect and perhaps a little wisdom?
And especially on Facebook where the most idiotic of posts can live forever?
Thats the hard lesson being learned by Karen Fitzgibbons, a teacher who landed in trouble with her June 9, 2015, Facebook post regarding a tempest in which a white McKinney policeman wrestled a black, bikini-clad teen to the ground after a pool party devolved into arguments brimming with racial overtones. Fitzgibbons angry post blames blacks for racial problems and suggests segregation so they can hurt each other and leave the innocent people alone.
Words matter because words can provoke. Its a danger inherent in a land where the First Amendment gives you the right to speak out, even to absurd and inflammatory degrees. But this right also carries risks ranging from vilification, deserved or not, to sweeping societal judgment, fair or not. So it was with Fitzgibbons, whose wildly insensitive comments went viral, compelling her to resign her Frenship ISD job in dusty West Texas.
Fitzgibbons lesson is definitely one for our times, but no one should blame her now for trying to rebuild her career and life. However, Waco ISD leaders are also right that the districts hiring of Fitzgibbons in July to teach Hillcrest Professional Development School students represents a bungled learning curve for administration.
Whether through indifference about the need for prudent and discriminating background checks or ignorance of flaring racial tensions all about us these days, certain administrators clearly faltered in their duties. Ironically, a simple Google search would have revealed just how much notoriety Fitzgibbons Facebook post caused last year.
Second lesson: When a job applicant has been honest enough to at least note that he or she was compelled to leave a previous job under pressure (and Fitzgibbons was that honest), common sense demands a responsible manager investigate the situation thoroughly and that all pertinent information be passed along to others also involved in the hiring process. Somewhere along the line that wasnt done here.
District officials, who learned the full weight and consequence of Fitzgibbons posting a day before a Meet-the-Teacher event (and just ahead of classes), have placed Fitzgibbons in a non-teaching post in the administration building. Whether she should ever teach in any school heavily minority or all white is debatable, but district officials are right to keep her out of the classroom for now.
If theres a terrible irony to all this, its that the political and social sentiments of our times continue to register red-hot when it comes to race, even amidst this latest fallout. When the Trib posted its online version of this story, some readers immediately launched into fiery rage, trading mean-spirited posts with one another, complete with insults alleging racism and lots else.
At a time when so many of us worry about who the next president will be, we would do better to question what we ourselves have become and resolve to do better.
WAHOO Time clock usage for all county workers continues to hit some speed bumps.
The use of time clocks was suspended temporarily for the Saunders County Sheriffs Department at the Aug. 26 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Some county offices have been using time clocks on a trial basis over the last six months so that each office can move from an office-by-office approach of keeping track of vacation, sick time and hours worked to the universal system.
Saunders County Clerk Patti Lindgren addressed time clock usage with the Supervisors, stating most of the bugs have been worked out by her office, as they complete payroll for the county.
In the last few months, improvements have been made, specifically applauding the cooperation of public works employees, Lindgren said.
Highway and roads are doing excellent. Theyre clocking in and out and giving notice for vacation, she said.
While the bugs are being worked out, there is still not a specific policy for time clock usage adopted by the board.
Its only a trial basis so the board can make the policy, said Supervisor Ed Rastovski.
Not all offices are using the new system, even under the trial basis.
The original motion at the meeting was to suspend all use of the new system until the policy was adapted, but Lindgren said this would be a terrible step backwards.
The recent progress made with many offices might be completely undone if theyre asked to stop for an unknown amount of time and then asked to resume, she said.
The board approved suspending the sheriff and corrections offices from participating in the trial time clock period, until a policy is put into place.
No timetable was given for when a time clock policy would be completed or implemented by the board.
In other business, the board approved a resolution agreement with the Nebraska Department of Roads for federal aid funding for advanced railroad pavement marking.
The agreement is for the county to contribute 10 per-cent of the cost of the marking project, but it is not yet known how much the project will cost, said Public Works Director Steve Mika.
Supervisor Leroy Hanson said the project pertains to safety and motioned to approve the resolution.
The board also approved a resolution for flat levy rates for townships, rural fire districts and the agricultural society.
The levy rate total is 15 cents, 10 cents per $100 property valuation to the town-ships, four cents to the rural fire districts and the remaining penny will go toward the agricultural society.
ASHLAND Merlin Davis will be the featured speaker at the Men in Mission breakfast meeting on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Word of Hope Lutheran Church in Ashland.
Davis was born in Moville, Iowa and graduated from Woodbury High School. He studied piano tuning at Western Iowa Tech. He was drafted into the Army from 1969 to 1972 and served in Vietnam, where he began a downward spiral of using drugs.
After the Army, he married and began a family. He worked as a handyman and piano tuner while completing a degree in business administration from Nettleton Business College.
While participating in a drug program, he came into contact with a godly caliber of men who drew him to desire ministry education. He studied at Grace College of the Bible, graduating with a bachelor of arts in business.
Within a year he began serving as a pastor of a small church in Syracuse while working part-time in Omaha. He helped the congregation join with another church so they could maintain another full-time pastor.
The family moved back to Omaha and began home schooling their children during a time when the legality of home schooling was being debated in Nebraska. They were one of four couples to be prosecuted for home schooling their children. The case was eventually set aside and they were free to continue to home school their growing family.
Over the next 18 years their little congregation grew from two to 13 children. He served as principal and pastor of their small home school, Living Stones Academy, for 18 years. He was also self-employed and worked on the maintenance staff at Grace College of the Bible, retiring in 2010. He retired from piano work in 2014. Now he enjoys spending time with family, working in his shop and growing in the Lord with the men in Ashland as well as their church.
The Men in Mission Romans Bible Study will be held Saturday, Sept. 17 at 7 a.m. at Ashland Bible Church.
BOARD PROCEEDINGS SAUNDERS COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS/EQUALIZATION
As per Nebr. State Statute 23-122, the following is a brief statement of the proceedings of the Saunders County Board of Supervisors and Board of Equalization August 23, 2016 meetings.
Members present were Breunig, Rastovski, Mach, Sukstorf, Hanson, Lutton and Karloff.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
PROCEEDINGS
Chairperson Karloff called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
1. M-Sukstorf, S-Mach to set a bid letting date/time of September 13, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., for approximately 63 miles of Centerline Striping and approximately 126 miles of Edge Line Striping. Yes all.
2. M-Hanson, S-Lutton to adopt Resolution #26-2016 for an Interlocal Agreement with the Nebraska Department of Roads for Project No. HRRR-78(32); Control No. 00869M for Advanced Railroad Pavement Marking. Yes all.
Budgetary Workshop - Reviewed and made recommendation of changes to the proposed 2016-2017 Fiscal Year Budget from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., will continue with budget work after the competition of the meeting agenda.
3. M-Mach, S-Hanson to approve the request of the Saunders County Veterans Memorial Foundation to install a 360 Security Cameras (with the Foundation paying for the camera) for the Memorial and the County to cover the cost of electricity. Yes all.
4. M-Lutton, S-Hanson to adopt Resolution #27-2016 setting the allocated levies for the Ag Society, Rural & Suburban Fire Districts and Townships for taxing year 2014. Yes all.
5. M-Breunig, S-Mach to convene as an Equalization Board at 9:40 a.m. Yes all.
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
PROCEEDINGS
Chairperson Sukstorf called the meeting to order at 9:40 a.m.
1. M-Karloff, S-Rastovski to approve Tax Corrections #5457 thru #5459. Yes - Karloff, Breunig, Rastovski, Mach, Sukstorf and Hanson. Lutton abstained.
2. M-Hanson, S-Rastovski to authorize the mailing of (2) Change of Value notices, as presented by the County Assessor. Yes - Karloff, Breunig, Rastovski, Mach, Sukstorf, and Hanson. Lutton abstained.
3. M-Mach, S-Hanson to approve the minutes of the August 16th Board meeting. Yes all.
Chairperson Sukstorf declared the meeting adjourned Sine Die at 9:42 a.m.
****************
Upon the adjournment of the Equalization Board, the Saunders County Board of Supervisors reconvened in their Regular schedule Board meeting.
6. M-Lutton, S-Breunig to continue Trial Period of County Employees using the Time Clock System for tracking the time and attendance, with the County Sheriff and Corrections Employees not being part of the Trial Period. A Policy for the use of the Time Clock System be established and considered for adoption prior to the action taken prior to the implantation of all county Employees using the System. Yes all.
7. M-Breunig, S-Rastovski to approve the Countys Payroll for the September 2nd pay period. Yes all.
8. M-Sukstorf, S-Hanson to approve the Vendor Claims against the County for the month of August. Yes all.
9. M-Breunig, S-Lutton to approve the minutes of the August 16th Board meeting; to approve the Farmers and Merchants Bank, Ashland withdrawals and additions of Pledged Securities; and to accept the Fee/Activity Reports for the month of July from the various County Officials. Yes all.
Chairperson Karloff declared the meeting adjourned at 11:03 a.m. A complete copy of the Saunders County Board of Supervisors & Equalization proceedings is on file in the Saunders County Clerks office for review by the Public or can be seen on the Countys Web Site at www.saunderscounty.ne.gov.
NOTE: This is a draft of the minutes from the meetings; they are subject to change or correction(s) upon the approval by the Boards at their next regular scheduled meeting.
SCOTT SUKSTORF
Chairperson Board of Equalization
DORIS KARLOFF
Chairperson Board of Supervisors
PATTI J. LINDGREN
Saunders County Clerk
12086783;Sep 1
CERESCO Favorable winter temperatures have yielded in the return of peaches for this falls harvest at Martins Hillside orchard in rural Ceresco.
Barbara Martin said that winter temperatures in 2015 froze off all the peach buds entirely. She said this year they survived the winter, but they were in full blossom when the unusually chilly springtime weather hit the crop.
We probably have half a crop, Martin said. It got down to 19 degrees the coldest night this past April. That took a lot of the apple and peach blossoms.
According to the orchards webpage, the peaches were in high demand, as an Aug. 27 crowd picked the orchard clean until other varieties are expected to ripen around Labor Day.
During the first big fall harvest weekend at the 20-acre orchard on 2024 Ashland Road, Alex Martin told guests during a hayrack ride across the orchard that the unpredictable Nebraska weather is why they raise a wide variety of produce, especially apple varieties.
Guests can now pick their own Gala apples at the orchard. Honeycrisp, Fuji Jonathan Jonagold, Sonata, Melrose, Cameo and Winesap apples are all expected during future fall harvest dates.
Empire, Haralson, Red Delicious, Jonalicious and Braeburn trees wont bear any fruit this fall, as the late spring temperatures froze the buds.
Hillside Orchard also has raspberries and pumpkins this season.
Another fruit is being harvested in the area too. James Arthur Vineyard in rural Raymond is wrapping up their grape harvest.
Owner Jim Ballard said this years crop has been better than he anticipated after a late frost.
He added that after two consecutive years of a struggling crop, hes pleased to see the quality from this years crop.
Fruit quality is very good. So sometimes that makes up for lack of yield, Ballard said.
Despite some difficulty with spray drift damage, this years crop was a welcomed surprise, and Ballard hopes it will begin to replenish the vineyards wine stock.
Weve lost four or five of our top selling wines. Thats just mother nature, he said.
James Arthur Vineyard grows and harvests its own grape vines on the vineyards 400 acres. Other individual growers are contracted to produce grapes used by the winery.
WAHOO Construction is wrapping up on the Saunders County Veterans Memorial, and it is time for dedication.
A dedication is being planned for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25. The memorial, located on the lawn of the Saunders County Courthouse in Wahoo, wont be completely finished. But the committee overseeing the project didnt want to chance weather later in the year, and they certainly didnt want to wait another year for the dedication.
Groundbreaking for the $700,000 memorial took place in July 2014. But the seed for the tribute to all Saunders County military veterans started long before that, and the fundraising efforts began in late 2013.
Its been a goal that the memorial is funded by donations, not by tax dollars, said Saunders County Veterans Memorial Committee Co-Chairman Erik Alm. Outside of a minimal light bill and a slight increase in insurance moving forward, we have done that.
Outstanding that is the word that Saunders County Veterans Memorial Committee Co-Chairman Paul Eddie used to describe the support the project has had since the get go.
That support has come in the form of dollars and pledges, as well as contributed labor.
Another goal of the committee was to hire local contractors to construct the memorial. Many of those contractors have donated labor or reduced the cost of labor.
It would be hard to get a dollar estimate on the amount of money we saved from what those people donated to us, Eddie said.
Three bronze statues are still being finished. Those probably wont be in place by the dedication later this month.
However, there are other bronze statutes and items of interest ready at the memorial site. In all, the memorial will boast 11 bronze statues, 11 flag poles and numerous black marble markers and memorial benches.
There is also a black marble wall of pavers engraved with more than 900 names and messages.
Ninety-nine percent of those are names of veterans, Alm said.
There is still room on the wall for more pavers.
Well sell pavers as long as there is room on the wall, Eddie said.
The Wahoo Community Foundation has provided the financial oversight and collection for the project.
Wahoo Community Foundation Member Jennifer Woita said once construction on the wall began, there was an increase in interest. People continue to come to her office to purchase pavers, and the list of names keeps growing.
It just grows everyday, she said.
One of the more unique aspects of the memorial sits towards the north end of the site and also draws a lot of interest.
A lot of questions I get are about the tombstones and what it is all about, Eddie said.
There are 110 gray, military-style tombstones that rise out of a red rock base. Each one bears the name of a man or woman from Saunders County who was killed in service to their country.
Eddie said a few blank tombstones were also placed, but hopefully they will never have to have more names engraved on them.
Just like the question of whose names are on the tombstones, there is also a background that goes with each flag and bronze statue.
Alm said the next goal would be to get information panels next to the items at the memorial. He said having that educational component as a part of the memorial is important.
We want it to be something of a history lesson for the people, he added.
Equally important is helping those who visit the memorial find the paver or tombstone they sponsored. Woita said a directory has been assembled.
That directory is available at the Wahoo Chamber of Commerce office or on the memorial website, www.saunderscountyveteransmemorial.com.
Having a directory on-site has also been discussed. Eddie said options to do this have a considerable price tag attached, so it has been reserved as a possible future project.
Future projects, as well as the oversight of ongoing maintenance of the memorial, will be tasked to a foundation that will be set up in the near future.
Eddie said foundation membership will come from VFWs and American Legions from across the county. The group will meet several times a year so there is a little check and balance on an on-going basis, he added.
An endowment fund will also be established to assist with any future maintenance needs.
One of the benefits of the memorial, Alm said, is that it is concrete, granite and bronze, and its going to be minimum maintenance. Its going to last a long time.
The Sept. 25 dedication will start off with a P-51 flyover. County, state and federal officials have also been invited to the event. The keynote speaker will be past National American Legion Commander Mike Helms.
Indigenous WA Labor Senator Pat Dodson has delivered his maiden speech to parliament calling on members to resist any push to create laws that oppress or discriminate against race, religion or sexuality.
The 68-year-old Yawuru man from Broome spoke of the difference of opinions within the chamber - but says any debate needs to informed by respect for Australia's diversity. He spoke amid the backdrop of a challenging week in Australian racial relations, with a riot taking place in Kalgoorlie's main street on Tuesday after alleged manslaughter of indigenous teenager Elijah Doughty.
Senator Pat Dodson has made his maiden speech in parliament. Credit:Peter Eve / Yothu Yindi Foundation
"We must exercise the greatest diligence in making sure that every action, every word we speak, has as its object building consensus and not distracting," Senator Dodson told parliament.
"We know, as a fact, that some Australian legislation in the past was founded on outmoded patterns of thought and belief. Our laws have, at times, been based on ingrained paternalism and racial superiority, denying our shared humanity.
San Francisco: Like so many bright, young entrepreneurs these days, Isaac Choi arrived here last year, set up shop and promised employees that he would lead them to the Silicon Valley dream.
That dream is turning out mostly to be a mirage.
Isaac Choi.
This week, Choi's company, WrkRiot, began unravelling in a highly public fashion. Its former head of marketing revealed that the startup had been mired in chaos and had sometimes paid employees in cashier's checks before delaying payment altogether. She also alleged that Choi had forged wire transfer documents to make it look as if compensation were on the way. By late Tuesday, WrkRiot had taken itself offline. The veracity of Choi's credentials are also in question.
While WrkRiot is not widely known, the startup's collapse has gripped Silicon Valley. Choi's situation may be extreme, but the company's implosion has a familiar ring to many who came west to be the next Mark Zuckerberg - but ended up instead at the next WrkRiot. Silicon Valley is eager to celebrate its success stories, but the reality is that numerous tiny startups that few ever hear about form the tech industry's dysfunctional underbelly.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump shake hands. Credit:AP Eager to show that he can be statesmanlike, Trump emerged from his one-on-one with Pena Nieto subdued and with notes from which he read there would be no running off at the mouth. Suddenly, Donald "I alone" Trump wanted to work cooperatively with Pena Nieto on border control and security. And when a reporter was rude enough to ask about the barmiest element of Trump's policies that he'll be making Mexico pay for the wall he says he'll build the 3200-kilometre length of the border Trump bit his lip and, if truth be told, it seems he lied. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Phoenix. Credit:AP The question of payment hadn't been discussed, Trump assured the hacks.
Pena Nieto had the good manners to not contradict Trump as they stood side by side. But as Trump jetted to Phoenix, the Mexican leader tweeted: "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I said clearly that Mexico will not pay for the wall". Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Phoenix. Credit:AP And so to Phoenix, where the most fascinating element of Trump's speech was the manner in which he sliced and diced his hairy-chested proposals, to have his core supporters believe that he stands by them all; and at the same time, to give moderate and independent voters an impression that he's not so heartless as to deport 11 million illegals and/or that he now gets that the whole mass deportation thing is whacky. At times yelling, Trump first played with the figures. In the past he has suggested there might be as many as 30 million illegals, but here's the new pitch - "The truth is, the central issue is not the needs of the 11 million illegal immigrants, or however many there may be - and honestly we've been hearing that number for years, it's always 11 million, it could be 3 million, it could be 30 million, our government has no idea."
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, looks at Donald Trump during a joint conference in Mexico City. Credit:Bloomberg And get this: "[The number] will never be a central issue." But in talking up his plan for day-one action to rid the US of illegals with criminal records - and who could object to that? - Trump shot past the most informed estimates of their number think tank experts say 690,000; in Phoenix, Trump plucks a figure of 2 million from the air. See how it works? If the total of the illegals is only three million and two million of them are heartless criminals, the Donald is two-thirds of the way to resolving a crisis that he estimates costs the US $US131 billion ($173 billion) a year though no one quite knows where that figure comes from. The Trump sleight-of-hand was at work in his parsing of his much vaunted "deportation force". In earlier speeches the force would be rounding up the whole 11-million illegal community; but in Phoenix, its assigned task was to round up only the "most dangerous criminal illegal immigrants".
All that left The New York Times' Julia Preston scratching her head as she participated in the Times' live-blog analysis of Trump's speech "between the two million immigrants he says are criminals, and the visa overstays, and others he says used federal benefits, he did not leave many undocumented immigrants out of his deportation plans". The lingering suspicion is that the Phoenix speech is a classic in the Trump genre of sending different messages to different audiences. This is confirmed by reports from within Team Trump that the candidate's aides were reassuring political allies that a new immigration template was to be wheeled out one that would keep the focus on Trump's exaggerated law-and-order themes and nationalistic passions, but which would quietly abandon that bedrock commitment to quickly deport 11 million people. All the horrible rhetoric was there, some of it even more strident than in earlier outings the wall and forcing Mexico to pay for it; and a deportation force to hunt down illegals in the US. Which The New York Times finds risible, editorialising: "A President Trump wouldn't have the resources to deport 11 million people. He has no workable plan to seal the border, build a wall or repair the economy once he destroys it by devastating the immigrant workforce. He would, however, be able to make millions of immigrants miserable, and break up their families, and damage the country".
WSU Sponsors Privilege to Vote Concert, Constitution Week to Motivate Millennials
September 1, 2016
OGDEN, Utah In the 2014 midterm elections only 19.9 percent of voters age 18 to 29 cast a ballot the lowest youth turnout rate ever recorded in a federal election.
Weber State University will host several events and initiatives during Constitution Week to inspire the campus community, particularly students, to get engaged in the democratic process and exercise their right to vote in every election. The university has pledged this year to become a Voter Friendly Campus a national designation and part of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.
Events begin Sept. 14 with a Constitution Day address and continue through the evening of Sept. 16 with the Bob Moses Privilege to Vote concert and discussion at the Ogden Amphitheater. All events are free and will include voter registration opportunities.
Constitution Week
Every year Weber State participates in Constitution Week, emphasizing voter engagement, voter education and voter registration. This year the university will tackle the issue of Americas continuing history of voter suppression.
The public is invited to the free Constitution Day address by renowned scholar and activist Laughlin McDonald, Sept. 14 at 11:30 a.m. in the Shepherd Union Wildcat Theater.
McDonald will discuss voting rights litigation nationally, how various groups have been left out of voting and what citizens can do to remedy disenfranchised voters.
In 1972, McDonald became the director of the Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union and is currently special counsel and director emeritus of the project. Previously he practiced law and taught at the University of North Carolina School of Law. He has represented minorities in numerous discrimination cases, specializing in the area of voting rights. He has argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and numerous other courts. Laughlin has testified frequently before Congress and written for scholarly and popular publications on numerous civil liberties issues. He is the author of several books, including A Voting Rights Odyssey: Black Enfranchisement in Georgia and American Indians and the Fight for Equal Voting Rights.
Voter Registration Simulation
Weber State students will get an understanding of the difficulty and impediments that citizens of certain states face when trying to vote, during a voter registration simulation event in the Wasatch Stewart Hall Rec Center, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.
Utah has relatively easy registration rules, so students will try to register as though living in states where registration is difficult. Students will then participate in a facilitated discussion on how registration can impede voting and why that matters.
We know from data about our students that if they are registered to vote, they are more likely to vote, said Leah Murray, political science professor. Any effort the university can make to register young people is important. We teach our students the habits of citizenship while on campus, and they will carry these habits through their lifetime.
Bob Moses Rock the Vote Constitution Day Concert
Constitution Week events will conclude with a voter registration concert and conversation the evening of Sept. 16 at the Ogden Amphitheater (343 E 25th Street, Ogden, Utah).
The event begins at 6 p.m. with a moderated, casual community conversation about voting. Those in attendance will be asked to share their passion for civic engagement and voting.
The free concert begins at 7 p.m. with The Brocks warming up for the headliner band Bob Moses, who appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in August. Visit this link to see the performance.
The Brocks Facebook page provides four reasons to attend the concert.
1. Its free. 2. Bob Moses. 3. Bob Moses. 4. Bob Moses.
The concert event is sponsored by Weber State University, the Olene S. Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service, WSU Student Association, Ogden City, Weber County, Rock the Vote, United Way and Alleged.
The purpose is to bring together the influence of the university, community and government to boost voter registration, to encourage civic education and democratic participation, and to celebrate Constitution Day, said Carol McNamara, Walker Institute director. Voting is the great equalizer among American citizens and is truly the bedrock of our democracy.
Volunteers who would like to help with voter registration can sign up at tinyurl.com/privilegetovote.
Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff
Aug. 31, 2016 | AURORA, KY
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 31, 2016 | 02:40 PM | AURORA, KY
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet hosted a Bridge Day event Wednesday to celebrate the opening of four-lane traffic on the new Eggners Ferry Bridge.
About 2,000 people took the opportunity to walk along the bridge to get an up close and personal look at the new structure. There was also a brief ceremony and ribbon cutting on the bridge.
While the addition of two eastbound lanes of traffic is completed on the new bridge, westbound traffic is expected to remain one lane for several days while crews remove temporary traffic striping and new permanent traffic stripes are added.
Trail connections for a multi-use path along the bridge are expected to continue for another six to eight weeks. KYTC says a tourism-oriented event is also planned at that time to emphasize the new recreation opportunities the trail system will provide. Additional finish work, including architectural lighting on the bridge structure, is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Kentucky State Highway Engineer Patty Dunaway said the new $133 million structure is expected to last for 75 to 100 years.
By The Associated Press
By The Associated Press Aug. 31, 2016 | 09:43 PM | FRANKFORT, KY
A Kentucky judge says he is reconsidering his order to reinstate the former chairman of the Kentucky Retirement Systems board.
Republican Gov. Matt Bevin removed board chairman Thomas Elliott earlier this year. Elliott sued, and Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd temporarily reinstated Elliott on the board.
But Elliott did not attend a special meeting of the board last week. His attorney said Elliott had scheduled work meetings. Shepherd issued his ruling two days before the retirement board's special meeting. Shepherd called Elliott's reason for missing the meeting "wholly inadequate."
Shepherd said the retirement system, one of the worst-funded systems in the country, requires an "all hands on deck approach." Shepherd invited Bevin to file a motion to change the court's order.
A Bevin spokeswoman said the governor's lawyers are reviewing their options.
Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) Native Alaskans have been dealing with land allotments more than forty years. Dating back to the early 1970s, Alaska natives were told they were entitled to 160 acres of land. However, the deadline to apply for the land fell during a time when many Alaskans were serving the country during the Vietnam War.
They were serving their country at a time when a lot of Americans were avoiding military service, said Republican Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan. He says nearly 3,000 natives missed the deadline, but its not their fault.
Theres no Internet-- if you werent in Alaska you almost certainly didnt know how to apply for our allotment.
Sullivan drafted legislation more than one year ago that would cover those who missed the deadline. It would allow them to apply for the land he says theyre entitled to.
Ric Davidge of the Alaska Veterans Foundation says that some people who originally applied for the land back in the 70s still havent gotten their land. Those who were serving he says, are enormously frustrated.
Davidge believes many people would use their land to build homes and cabins, and they would acquire land theyve already used.
Most of them dont go out and find something theyve never been to before.
The bill has not made it out of the Senates Energy and Natural Resources Committee, chaired by fellow Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski. Sullivan says he is considering bringing the bill to the Veterans Affairs Committte.
The Obama Administration is opposed to the bill. We reached out for comment but never heard back.
Opinion
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With the busy polar bear tourism season approaching and so much uncertainty enveloping the northern Manitoba economy, it is not hard to imagine jittery nerves getting in the way of better judgment.
A suspicious locomotive fire on an out-of-the-way service line in The Pas a unit that may have been out of commission in the first place made some people worry the now-infrequent rail service from The Pas to Churchill would be further compromised.
It turns out the fire might have caused a one-day delay in shipments, but it brings to the surface the grim realities northerners are facing and the fact there are no quick-fix solutions.
Churchill Gateway Development Corp. The closure of Churchill's port affects more than 70 people of the northern towns workforce, almost 10 per cent of the town of 800.
There are not many who believe there is an obvious money-making strategy for the operation of the Hudson Bay rail line or the Port of Churchill. Grain shipments have dried up, and efforts by Omnitrax over the last 19 years to diversify the commodities shipped from the port have failed miserably.
In a recent interview, Adolf Ng, the director of the Transport Institute at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba, said even if there were new owners of the facilities, they would still have to work within the same poor market conditions that Omnitrax has proven to be unprofitable.
He wondered about the possibility of the port and the northern railroad eventually becoming linked to a global logistics and supply chain, especially if the melting polar ice means a longer and less-risky shipping season.
While there have been examples of large, busy ports being created over the past several years around the world, they have required massive injections of capital. Few have been located so far from populated markets.
Michael Benarroch, the dean of the Asper School of Business, said the port is important to Manitoba and Canada. He also understands its viability must be questioned.
I think both the provincial and federal governments have to decide whether Churchill (the port and the railway) is strategically important for northern economic development and security, whether they believe the port might have viability in the future and whether they want to invest scarce resources, because governments are all running big deficits and are stretched in so many different ways, he said.
Its a complex set of issues.
Whatever the solutions, it is not something that is going to happen tomorrow, said Benarroch. It will take some significant work.
Thats cold comfort for anxious northerners who now rely on one train per week for many communities, including Churchill, rail is the only means of surface transport for supplies such as fresh food and produce, building materials and other day-to-day necessities, to say nothing about the servicing of tourists, a crucial business for Churchill.
Both Ng and Benarroch expressed sympathy for Omnitrax, a sentiment that would be hard to come by in the north these days, where Omnitrax is almost universally viewed as a pariah.
If it were any other enterprise whose business was failing, it would be treated differently. The fact Omnitrax has been the recipient of tens of millions of dollars of public-sector support to date means it should be treated differently.
The fact it also delivers an essential service adds another wrinkle.
The fact the company refuses to respond to any kind of public request for information other than one interview with the Free Press in the last month means it has relinquished any goodwill it might have built up.
Finally, the fact both the federal and provincial governments are relatively newly elected and the Churchill situation was not an election issue for either of them means they both have to figure out what they want to do.
Unfortunately, that does nothing to lessen the anxieties northerners are experiencing about the short- or long-term future of their communities.
martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
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THE CRTC has begun public consultations in the latest stage of the process to sell MTS to BCE.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission must give the OK for the transfer of Manitoba Telecom Services television distribution business to Bell Canada Enterprises Inc.
Public submissions, interventions or comments have to be filed with the CRTC by Oct. 4.
The Winnipeg-based telco received overwhelming shareholder support for the $40 per share offer from BCE at the end of June, with 99.66 per cent of shareholders voting in favour of the deal.
In addition to CRTC approval for the transfer of the television licence, for the deal to close MTS and BCE also need clearance from the Competition Bureau, which will rule on the general competitive landscape for consumers, and from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, which will determine whether the wireless-spectrum distribution in Manitoba meets its competitive threshold.
Company officials have said they expect to get those rulings by the end of the year or early 2017. BCE has said part of its commitment to buy MTS includes plans to spend $1 billion over five years to improve the broadband and wireless infrastructure in Manitoba.
The two companies have jointly announced a number of network projects since the deal was unveiled, including an upgrade to the broadband network and general service offerings in Churchill, expansion of mobile and wireline broadband communications networks in northern Manitoba, and expansion of enhanced wireless service in the western Manitoba community of Glenboro.
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Provincial officials are still in the dark about Omnitrax Canadas plan for the Port of Churchill.
It has been more than a month since the Denver-based company announced it was shuttering Canadas only deep sea Arctic port and Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen says they are no closer to an answer from Omnitrax.
The biggest question? Whether Omnitrax is prepared to sell its assets in northern Manitoba, explained Cullen Wednesday.
Churchill Gateway Development Corp. The closure of Churchill's port affects more than 70 people of the northern towns workforce, almost 10 per cent of the town of 800.
Lets say we would prefer to have more open dialogue with Omnitrax, said Cullen. From a provincial perspective, we are not sure where they are at.
Tensions have been high between the province and the private company after Premier Brian Pallister publicly denounced the company, saying its closure of the Port of Churchill was a threat designed to leverage a bailout from the government.
The closure affects more than 70 people of the northern towns workforce, almost 10 per cent of the town of 800.
A request for comment from Omnitrax Canadas president Merv Tweed was not returned.
Cullen said various sources have talked about the idea of nationalizing the Port. OmniTrax has operated the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay rail line since 1997 after the privatization of Canadian National Railway Ltd.
But we have never heard that from Omnitrax, Cullen said, adding he is unclear about the federal governments stance on the issue.
Lack of communication is always problematic, in this particular case if there are people who want to invest in this particular asset, they would like to put them in touch with Omnitrax, so they can have that discussion as well.
Cullen and Navdeep Singh Bains, the federal minister of innovation, science and economic development, spoke Wednesday afternoon after Cullen spoke with the Free Press.
I am going to ask him if there has been an approach by Omnitrax to the federal government to see what role they (the feds) are going to play in this, but we hope for better communications from Omnitrax, just so we are clear on what they are trying to accomplish, Cullen said.
Cullen later told the Free Press in a prepared statement after the conversation with Bains it was clear our federal partners share our views for a long-term permanent solution to the problem without offering any further detail.
kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca
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OmniTrax may have cut its northern rail service, but passenger traffic on Via Rail is way up.
Travel on the Winnipeg to Churchill line was up 20 per cent last year, totalling 25,948 trips, and is running another 10 per cent higher this year.
Belugas is the biggest single reason, said Michael Woelcke, Via general manager of regional services.
POSTMEDIA NEWS FILES Above: Via Rails dome cars have proven popular on its service to Churchill. Below: An aerial view of Churchill. Provincial and federal officials discussed the future of the port Wednesday.
Beluga whales in Churchill are becoming a major tourist attraction. People are seeing them from Zodiac boats, kayaks or while snorkelling. Its drawing a different demographic to Churchill, too, in young families, said Woelcke.
Peak travel on the northern line used to be just October to mid-November during polar bear season. Now its from mid-June to mid-November, Woelcke said.
Thats pretty exciting news for Via Rail, Woelcke said.
Its really grown into an exciting tourism opportunity.
Via has helped those figures grow by enhancing service, such as adding its dome car, he said.
Via ran its dome car on half a dozen runs two years ago, then for five weeks last year. The response was so positive that it used the dome car from June 28 to Aug. 15 this year. It will run it again during polar bear season.
Via Rail plans to operate its dome car for aurora borealis viewing in 2017.
Were going to call it Aurora Season. People come from all over North America to see aurora borealis, and Churchill is a great place to see it from.
Via also brought back its diner car two years ago. Dropping the diner car drew major criticism from passengers. The diner is not just a place to eat, but to meet other travellers and socialize.
The increased traffic is not just from out of country. More Canadians are going to Churchill. Some of that can be attributed to the weaker Canadian dollar. Thats drawing more American tourists, and helping convince Canadians to vacation in Canada.
This July 2016 photo provided by Explore.org shows a view of a beluga whale from a webcam gathered in the Churchill River in Hudson Bay.
There is also more local traffic to Thompson. Thats because some flight service has been cut, funnelling more local people onto trains.
Via Rail is mandated to provide basic transportation service to remote, landlocked communities. For example, its Winnipeg to Churchill line cost about $26 million in a year, but ran a $3.7-million shortfall last year. Its responsible for five other similar train runs, including Jasper, Alta., to Prince Rupert, B.C., and Sudbury to White River, in Ontario.
If not for train service, how do you provide things like medical services and grocery shopping to northern residents, things we take for granted? Woelcke asked.
The Winnipeg to Churchill train runs three times a week. The ownership situation with the Hudson Bay line, which runs from Hudson Bay Junction in Saskatchewan, through The Pas and Thompson, and ends at Churchill, is not affecting Via service, Woelcke said.
Omnitrax wants to sell, and has closed its grain terminal in Churchill, and cut cargo service down to one train per week. Omnitrax is looking to sell its Manitoba operation.
Via Rail pays Omnitrax to operate trains on its infrastructure. Omnitrax inspects and maintains the track. An increase in passengers does not increase Omnitraxs revenue.
bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
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Lloyd Axworthy is heading to Germany this month to help the country deal with its massive influx of refugees.
Axworthy was selected by the Robert Bosch Academy to participate in its flagship program, the Richard von Weizsacker Fellowship, beginning this month and continuing throughout the fall. Axworthy was chosen as one of eight current fellows, set to work with a team of 24 in total, and the only Canadian in the bunch.
Theyre being asked to tackle a global issue Axworthy said is positioned to be a defining problem of our time: global refugee migration, catalyzed by escalating conflict in the Middle East as well as the ongoing impacts of climate change.
WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Lloyd Axworthy
This is not a one-time phenomenon, Axworthy said of the issue. This is something that is now becoming, probably, next to climate change and others, one of these gigantic international problems that has to be solved collectively and together.
Axworthy served as immigration minister in Pierre Elliott Trudeaus cabinet in the early 1980s, and oversaw the arrival of tens of thousands of Vietnamese boat people. His CV also includes positions in several federal cabinets as head of various ministries, and more recently his decade-long position as president of the University of Winnipeg.
He and other fellows will travel the country speaking to German leaders, citizens and refugees, he said, comparing notes and trying to glean some kind of consensus on how Germanys policies should evolve.
While the fellowship will focus on the German approach to refugees and immigration, Axworthy said he was selected for his expertise on what European policy makers call the Canadian model: a network of policies he said is built on our multiculturalism, our diversity, our ability to provide a place where people of different backgrounds and origins and languages have clearly been able to settle.
Jannik Rust, project manager at the Bosch Academys Berlin office, said receiving Axworthy is a great honour, and his extraordinary personality, combined with his resume, made him stand out for the role.
The Canadian migration policy is not directly comparable to the German model, Rust said. That is why it will be interesting to hear the Canadian view from someone who has actively shaped migration policies in Canada.
Axworthy said despite challenges, hes optimistic about the future, and hopes the trip will lay the groundwork for future German-Canadian partnership on the refugee issue.
Im certainly not a pessimist, he said. I look at history, see that after the First World War theres something like four million Russians escaping from the Bolshevik revolutions and Europe was able to absorb them I was immigration minister over three or four years when we moved in (several thousand) boat people, and theyve just become terrific citizens.
I think the Canadian model is very positive because you can go to the country and say Look, were not saying as Canadians that were exceptional people, its just that weve learned to figure out that diversity is actually in our interest and respect works for us, and this is how to build our country in a very prosperous way.
The Free Press will run weekly updates from Lloyd Axworthy throughout his stay in Germany.
aidan.geary@freepress.mb.ca
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The CancerCare Manitoba Foundation is cautioning city residents that a man going door to door asking for money for a cancer-related event is running a scam.
The charitable organization said it does not canvas door-to-door and doesnt encourage its event participants to fundraise door-to-door. Anyone in the public who is approached with such a request is encouraged to contact the Winnipeg Police Service.
In a press release, the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation stated it has received several reports of suspicious fundraising in the St. James, Maples and River Heights areas.
One person alleged to be involved is a Caucasian male in his late 30s to early 40s who says he is a colon cancer survivor who is fundraising for a CancerCare Manitoba Foundation event that occurred several months ago.
The Foundation has no known relationship with this individual and is concerned the activity is fraudulent, the statement said.
CancerCare Manitoba Foundation stated that it is the only charitable organization exclusively raising funds for CancerCare Manitoba. All funds raised stay in Manitoba.
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Brian Bowman has unleashed a storm within the citys development community over the potential for new hefty fees on residential and non-residential projects but it might have all been for nothing.
The consultant hired by the city hall to conduct the growth study and determine costs to city services as a result of new development had already concluded Winnipeg doesnt have the authority to impose new fees on development.
Hemson Consulting had been hired in 2015 to do a similar growth study for the City of Saskatoon. Hemsons Saskatoon study stated that the City of Winnipeg Charter doesnt give the city authority to impose new fees contradicting Bowmans repeated assertions that city hall does have that power.
PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mayor Brian Bowman told reporters if city hall chooses to proceed with the new growth fees, it will work within its existing authority.
Winnipeg is bound by the Winnipeg Charter, which restricts development fees only to the immediate infrastructure roads, sewers, sidewalks, drainage, intersection improvements directly connected to a new development, the 2015 study states.
The Saskatoon findings contradict the repeated claims by Bowman that city hall does have the authority to impose new fees.
Hemsons Winnipeg study is due at city hall today. Councillors are getting a closed-door briefing Thursday morning and its expected to propose hefty new fees for residential and non-residential development.
Bowman first went public with his claim that the city needs new development fees in his State of the City address to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce in February. Bowman said the existing fees only cover the provision of services for that specific development but new growth puts pressure on existing infrastructure transit, roads, sewers, water, recreation, leisure, police and fire that are unfairly being covered by property taxes. Bowman wants a fee to cover what he said is the cost of growth.
City hall raised the same issue three years ago under former mayor Sam Katz but civic officials then admitted city hall didnt have the authority to impose new fees and needed changes to legislation, which the then-Selinger government refused to consider.
Bowman has repeatedly maintained that the type of charge hes proposing to impose on development is different than what Katz had proposed three years ago, but a comparison of the claims then and now found Bowmans reasoning exactly the same as what was put forward under the Katz administration in the fall of 2013.
Bowman has never offered an explanation as to why city hall believes it now has the power to impose new development fees. When asked again this week, Bowman said the administration will provide a report to council after the Hemson study is released.
If we choose to proceed, wed work within the authority council has right now, Bowman told reporters Tuesday. Ultimately, well be looking to the administration to provide clarity on how that would occur but I believe we have the authority to proceed but we need to have that report from the administration.
We will be asking the public service to provide that clarity on how we can proceed and what options are available to us under our current regime.
The civic administration will be in tough to explain how its understanding of the legislation has changed in three years. Mike Moore, president of the Manitoba Home Builders Association, said hes familiar with the Saskatoon study and is eager to hear Winnipegs revised position on the issue.
Moore has hinted the development community will take legal action against city hall if they impose new fees and any court battle may rest on the administrations revised position.
When the mayor receives from his administration with the proof of authority (to impose new fees), wed like to see that, Moore said, adding the provincial government also does not believe city hall has the ability to impose new fees.
The bad news for the local development industry is that Hemsons Saskatoon study found new development does exact a price on existing city services and that Winnipeg, among most major Canadian cities, recovers the least amount from developers to pay for the impact to civic services from the new growth because it doesnt have the authority to recover those costs.
Moore said once city hall admits it doesnt have the authority to unilaterally impose new fees, city officials should re-start discussions with local developers to reach a consensus on any new charges the city wants to impose, as has been done in other municipalities.
aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
Financing-Growth-Report_April-2015
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Getting in to any of Manitobas provincial parks wont cost you a dime this weekend.
Manitoba summers are a wonderful time to get outdoors, Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox said Thursday. Late summer is the perfect time to enjoy cooler evenings, comfortable sleeping, and the chance to create memories by the campfire.
Vehicle permits are not required in provincial parks from Friday through Monday. Regular camping fees and entrance fees to national parks still apply.
JOE BRYKSA / FREE PRESS FILES The Whiteshell Fish Hatchery on Provincial Road 312 near Caddy Lake is open this weekend.
A variety of special interpretive programming is being offered this weekend:
A back-country caravan tour to the unique bowl-shaped valley of sand called the Hogsback in Spruce Woods Provincial Park.
Guided tours of historic houses at St. Norbert Provincial Park.
Meeting wildlife ambassadors from the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre at Birds Hill Provincial Park.
The Whiteshell Fish Hatchery on Provincial Road 312 near Caddy Lake is open on the long weekend, and the Alfred Hole Goose Sanctuary Visitor Centre near Rennie is open weekends through to Thanksgiving, offering unique viewing of Canada geese in fall migration.
Cox encouraged school teachers to book free interpretive programs for their students this fall in Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks. Interpretive programs offer engaging, curriculum-based outdoor learning experiences in natural and cultural environments. For details on interpretive programming, visit www.manitobaparks.com or email ParkInterpretation@gov.mb.ca.
Several provincial park campsites, cabins and yurts remain open through the fall, allowing campers to stay as late as Thanksgiving. To make a reservation, or see the full list of campgrounds open in the fall and their operating dates, call the Parks Reservation Service at 1-888-482-2267 or visit www.manitobaparks.com.
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
OTTAWA Federal Status of Women Minister Patti Hajdu said a major part of the promised national strategy on gender-based violence will be an updated and comprehensive survey to determine what the problem looks like in Canada.
There is just this lack of data on what kinds of violence women are experiencing, what kinds of responses they get, said Hajdu, in an interview Wednesday with the Free Press before a Winnipeg meeting on the strategy.
The deeper dive on gender-based violence is just not there.
Hajdu is spending the summer leading consultations with local regional leaders and stakeholders, hoping to produce a report and a plan in 2017.
She said getting more and better data is one of the most frequent discussions at the events she has attended so far.
From university campuses to womens groups to health professionals, anecdotal evidence suggests women are very unlikely to report assaults.
Its believed fewer than one in 10 sexual assaults is reported to police and 70 per cent of domestic violence incidents go unreported.
It means statistics available from police do not illustrate the depth of the problem.
Hajdu said 1993 was the last time there was a national survey on the issue.
That gives you a sense of just how hard it is to even create a baseline and whether what were doing will even have an effect, she said.
Hajdu said her department has been discussing the issue with Statistics Canada as well as other departments to figure out the best way to proceed.
I cant say when, she said.
Were still in the listening stage. We know we need to have a more comprehensive approach to data. How that happens is still to be determined but it will be a key feature (of the gender-based violence strategy.)
Nicole Chammartin, executive director of Klinic Community Health Centre and the Sexuality Education Resource Centre in Winnipeg, was among the invitees to the Winnipeg consultation Wednesday.
She said its nice to see federal leadership on this issue and developing a national strategy to address gender-based violence will also help at the provincial level.
Chammartin said she would like to see a universal comprehensive sexuality education in Canada.
She noted children get exposed to troubling messages about gender and sexuality at an early age, from movies and television shows and from adults.
Its boys dont cry, and boys will be boys, she said.
We start that messaging really young. How do we teach our men and boys that violence isnt OK?
mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The University of Winnipeg will present Gerry Price, chairman and CEO of the Price Group of Companies, with the 2016 Duff Roblin Award.
The university said Thursday that it will honour Price in recognition of his many contributions to education and community through visionary business leadership, volunteerism and philanthropy. Price will receive the award at the 10th annual Duff Roblin Award Dinner at The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre.
Gerry Price is an exceptional industry leader whose generosity and dedication to community have greatly benefitted our province, U of W president Annette Trimbee said. That community mindedness, coupled with his commitment to shaping our future leaders, exemplifies the spirit of the Duff Roblin Award.
FREE PRESS FILES Gerry Price
Price has served with Price Industries (formerly E. H. Price Ltd.) since 1977, including 30 years as CEO.
Proceeds from the dinner tickets and sponsorships go to academic and community programming at the University of Winnipeg, including Community Learning initiatives, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Scholarship Fund and the Duff Roblin Scholars Fund.
Established by The University of Winnipeg and its Foundation in 2007, the Duff Roblin Award recognizes outstanding Manitobans who, like the former premier and inaugural recipient its named for, have made lasting and meaningful contributions to their community and especially to the advancement of education.
Price was born in Winnipeg and holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Manitoba as well as a PhD in mechanical engineering and applied mechanics from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.
Opinion
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
As Canada tiptoes toward closer trade ties with China, the opening round in what could become a bitter campaign has emerged in one of the most unexpected places: the Prairies golden fields of canola.
How the two countries resolve the canola dispute will say much about whether Canada will have an equal relationship with China.
To get through this crisis and build a prosperous relationship, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to learn from the nations long trading relationship with the United States, and how Canada overcame hurdles its southern neighbour put in its way.
Bruce Bumstead / Brandon Sun files Canola fields are divided by green space running through a small creek bed south of Hamiota.
China wants to cut the allowable dockage foreign material such as weeds, other crops and detritus in Canadian canola exports to one per cent from 2.5 per cent, and demanded that standard be met by Sept. 1. Trudeau won an extension that provides breathing room but the dispute still threatens the viability of Canadas canola industry.
On the surface, the issue has to do with blackleg, a canola disease; China says it is trying to protect its domestic crops. The Canola Council of Canada, using research it and independent scholars have conducted, argue it is barely possible for blackleg to spread from dockage. Further, it is difficult to process canola down to one per cent dockage, according to the council.
Because most canola simply will not make it down to that level, industry experts predict China will demand a reduced price for the product. If that is true, the dockage dispute is a long play by China to reduce prices.
Any price cut would be particularly damaging to the Prairies, where canola is king. In 2015, canola was more than 36 per cent of the Wests total crop cash receipts, roughly $8 billion. Because China consistently buys one-third or more of Canadas canola, any price hit farmers would take puts the viability of the canola industry in jeopardy. The damage could be devastating to jobs, livelihoods and communities.
The stakes are even higher. Canada is hoping to reach a trade deal with China that could significantly grow trade beyond the $20 billion that occurred in 2015. As Canada seeks to diversify its markets, it cannot afford to push China away.
In some respects, the difficulties with China echo Canadas trade relationship with the U.S., a powerful trade partner that has jerked Canadians around from time to time. One such case was the country-of-origin labelling requirement the U.S. imposed in 2002.
But just as Canada navigated that and other disputes and prospered in trade with America, so, too, could it find a path forward with China.
Playing hardball on the canola issue will not work. Chinese authorities know Canada relies on China to buy its canola. At the same time, rolling over on the issue is equally unacceptable, because it would establish Canada as an unequal partner.
In seeking a solution, Trudeau should learn from history. Canada and the U.S. have a prosperous trading relationship because they have shared institutions built on shared interests that mitigate the variabilities of the more powerful partner. Canada can do the same with China, as it signalled it is willing to do by applying this week to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
China still needs Canadian canola crops, and Canada still needs to sell them. That reality suggests a mutually beneficial agreement with China can be found as long as Canada plays it right.
Above all, it is crucial the Canadian government keeps perspective on this issue and trade issues to come. Trade with China opens Canada up to the potential for higher levels of economic prosperity.
The canola dispute will signal exactly how Canadas relationship with China is going to progress and how Trudeau is going to build that relationship. All eyes are on canola.
Carlo Dade is the director of the Centre for Trade & Investment Policy. Sarah Pittman is a research intern at the Canada West Foundation.
Opinion
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Earlier this week, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre described the National Energy Board hearings into the Energy East pipeline project as a circus, and walked out of one in Montreal. The comparison seemed to touch a nerve as pundits and politicians across Canada echoed it.
But, if pipeline hearings are a circus, maybe its time we take a hard look at who the ringmaster is.
Just under a year ago, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised people across Canada a do-over on pipeline reviews. Specifically, he promised a new, comprehensive, timely and fair process that restores robust oversight, ensures decisions are evidence-based, and allows the public to meaningfully participate.
PAUL CHIASSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS Demonstrators in Montreal Monday disrupt the National Energy Board public hearing on the $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project proposed by TransCanada Corp.
Not only has this not happened, but Trudeaus promised overhaul is looking less and less like real change and more and more like Stephen Harpers reviews slapped with a fresh coat of paint.
In 2012, prime minister Stephen Harper gutted the energy board after lobbying from the fossil fuel industry. But even before that, the NEB rejected exactly none of the pipeline applications that crossed its desk. It could be that every single one of these pipelines was sound and supported by communities, but it could also be that, for most of its existence, the board has had Mariana Trench-depth ties to the fossil fuel industry.
Knowing this, the latest scandal involving NEB members having off-the-books meetings with former Quebec premier Jean Charest while he was working as a consultant for TransCanada Corp., the company behind the proposed project, seems pretty par for the course. But, even if this isnt new for the NEB, meeting with a pipeline lobbyist for advice doesnt exactly look like the new pipeline reviews promised by the prime minister. That might be why, when the two NEB members involved in the meeting with Mr. Charest were questioned about the meeting, they were less than truthful.
But, even if the Charest scandal werent serious, one would have to assume Trudeaus promise of a new day for pipeline reviews would mean the era of people protesting at pipeline reviews would be at an end. Its not. In fact, the chorus of disapproval for pipelines has only grown bigger and louder.
During the recently completed Kinder Morgan pipeline panel sessions in British Columbia, more than 90 per cent of people who showed up opposed the project. Most of them took time out from their day jobs to make sure their voices were heard. In Vancouver and Victoria, hundreds of people turned out to midday rallies and overflowed panel sessions opposing the pipeline.
On the opposite coast, even before the Energy East hearings showed up in Montreal, they were met with protests. In New Brunswick, Mr. Trudeaus promise to allow the public to meaningfully participate hit a major speed bump when the NEB refused to hear from the Bay of Fundy Inland Fishermens Association. Either public doesnt include more than 1,000 fishermen whose livelihoods could be ruined by an oil spill, or meaningfully participate means send in a letter.
The same marginalization has happened to all environmental groups from Manitoba who applied to participate, including the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition.
Even louder than these moments of protest is the deafening silence heard at the Vancouver First Nations roundtable on Kinder Morgan. In total, three indigenous people showed up, including Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, who told the panel were not confident in the process we do not believe this process that is in place here at the moment goes far enough to address the very serious concerns that not only indigenous people, but the general public have about the fundamentally flawed NEB process.
Chief Ernie Cray of the Cheam First Nation was blunter, calling the process drive-by consultation. Here in Manitoba, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has condemned the NEBs consultations with First Nations and the inadequacy of the climate test.
In January, Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna stood with Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr to announce all pipelines would now face a climate test. The caveat was this test would ignore the majority of climate pollution produced by a pipeline, which comes from burning the oil the pipeline is built to carry, thereby increasing extraction.
Even more confusing, the prime minister himself stood up and claimed pipelines would fuel the transition off fossil fuels, ignoring the stark science that says we wont have a shot at meeting our Paris climate commitments if we build any new pipelines. The numbers, instead, say we need to slow down oil production.
Absence of First Nations support, excluded community voices, protests and ignored climate science are all hallmarks that Mr. Trudeaus pipeline reviews share with Mr. Harpers.
If pipeline reviews are a circus, that makes Mr. Trudeau our very own P.T. Barnum, with Mr. Carr and Ms. McKenna trading off as ringmasters. The ringmasters need to give the public the credible review they were promised in the last election.
Alex Paterson is with the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition. Daniel Cayley-Daoust is the Council of Canadians energy and climate campaigner and Clayton Thomas-Muller is a Stop it at the Source campaigner with 350.org.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Election Day, voters will head to the polls and stand up for what matters most in Winona and the surrounding area. Election Day is our opportunity to support our community, state, and country, and to have a say in our future by voting. Now is the time to learn more about candidates and to have the opportunity to ask questions about current issues that matter to you. You can do this by attending upcoming League of Women Voters Winona Voter education forums.
The League is sponsoring seven public educational forums throughout the fall in anticipation of the general election ballot in November.
The first forum is Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. and is for city of Winona mayor and city council races.
The City of Goodview mayor and council race candidates forum will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 8.
On Sept. 12 at 7 p.m., the forum will cover the candidates of the Minnesota Senate 28 and 21 districts and House districts 28A, 21B, and 28B.
On Sept. 14, Winona County 3rd and 4th District commissioner race candidates will participate in the forum at 6 p.m., and then at 7:30 p.m., the forum will cover the Winona County Soil and Water Conservation District 2nd, 3rd, and 5th district candidates.
The Winona Area Public Schools board forum will be held Sept. 20, along with referendum information.
Finally, the League is pleased to announce that a general election educational forum featuring 1st Congressional District candidates Tim Walz and Jim Hagedorn will be held Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
All educational forums will be held at Winona City Hall, located at Fourth and Lafayette streets. They will be broadcast live on government access channels HBC 19 and Charter 987. All League public forums are free and open to the community. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
The League is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing communities with opportunities for citizen empowerment and voter information that help residents stay informed. The League encourages informed and active participation in government.
Please be informed by attending our voter education forums and please vote!
ITProPortal 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.
Zion Lutheran Schools free early childhood program SonBEAMS will begin on Thursday, Sept. 8. This program is for children ages 2 to 4 years along with their caregiver; siblings are welcome.
SonBEAMS is a six-week session that meets on Thursdays from 8 to 9:15 a.m. in the gym at Zion Lutheran School, 822 Western Ave., Columbus. Participants do not have to attend all six class dates.
SonBEAMS stands for Bible, Education, Activity, Music and Social. The purpose of this program is to learn about Jesus, participate in educational activities, and have some fun.
Drop-ins are welcome; however, for planning purposes, pre-registration is appreciated. For more information, call Becky Weidner at 920-319-6956 or Zion School at 920-623-5180.
Elected officials have different ideas about how to spend nearly $1 million in funds Sauk County government will receive due to the installation of a high-power transmission line.
A discussion Tuesday among one of the county committees that has a say in how the money will be spent elicited criticism of two nonprofit conservation groups.
Following that discussion, the Sauk County Boards Highway and Parks Committee voted 4-1 to recommend the county pull funds from crane and land conservation projects and instead spend them on a bike trail between Baraboo and Reedsburg.
Two of the committees members were critical of the International Crane Foundation, saying the organizations efforts are unnecessary and dont help the average Joe. One supervisor questioned whether the nonprofit group had intentionally misled county officials in its application for public funds.
ATC funds
In May, representatives of American Transmission Company and Xcel Energy informed county officials they would receive a one-time payment of $908,662 before the end of 2016.
The money is part of millions of dollars local governments will receive to compensate them for the environmental impacts resulting from construction of the 345,000-volt Badger-Coulee transmission line from La Crosse to Madison.
According to state law, the money may be used only for park, conservancy, wetland or other similar environmental programs, unless the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin grants special approval for an alternative use.
Various government agencies and local organizations have submitted funding requests to the county, and officials have created a list of 18 projects that qualify for the money. The requests totaled nearly $3.2 million, so the county will have to prioritize how to use the funds.
Four county committees have a say in how the money will be spent: the Highway and Parks Committee; the Conservation, Planning, and Zoning Committee; the Property and Insurance Committee; and the Finance Committee.
But only one committee will have the final say. Members of the Finance Committee are expected to review feedback from the other three committees during a Sept. 13 meeting before making a formal recommendation to the board.
Requests criticized
Some of Tuesdays discussion centered on the efforts of two nonprofit organizations one that seeks to boost threatened crane populations worldwide and another that works to maintain and restore biological diversity and productivity through land acquisitions.
The International Crane Foundation, located north of Baraboo, submitted funding requests for three projects totaling $165,000. The Nature Conservancy submitted funding requests for two projects totaling $248,000.
In a 4-1 vote, the Highway and Parks committee voted to make two suggestions to the Finance Committee. The committees recommendations included removing $85,000 from ICF and TNC projects and diverting it toward a bike trail between Baraboo and Reedsburg. Newly appointed Supervisor Richard Flint of Reedsburg cast the only no vote.
If the Finance Committee accepts that recommendation, ICFs request for $100,000 to build a new sandhill crane exhibit would be reduced by $50,000 and The Nature Conservancys request for $70,000 to improve forest biodiversity within the Baraboo Hills would be reduced by $35,000.
Two members of the Highway and Parks Committee were critical of ICF. Supervisor Tim Meister of Lyndon Station, the committees chair, said efforts to revitalize crane populations have gone far enough.
We never used to have any cranes, Meister said. Now the damn fools come out in the corn rows and theyre eating every kernel.
Supervisors have been asked to rank each of the project proposals in terms of their importance. Meister said he rated a separate request from TNC for $178,000 to acquire land in the Baraboo hills a zero.
I cant see spending money on that at all, he said.
Flint said he disagreed with several supervisors criticisms of nonprofit land acquisitions, saying they are important for building a legacy, and preserving nature for the generations to come.
Another committee member, Brian Peper of Loganville, said the return on investment for the ICF project is low because it wont do anything for the average Joe in rural parts of the county.
Peper also said he noticed conflicting information in ICFs application documents.
In one application, the nonprofit disclosed that it has 58 employees, including 47 at its Baraboo headquarters. But in a separate application for a different project, ICF said it employs 80 people, and that 64 of them work out of Baraboo.
That irritated the (obscenity) right out of me, Peper said. He questioned whether the conservation group fudged its numbers in application documents.
ICF responds
ICF Vice President of Headquarters-Operations Kim Smith said the nonprofit did not intend to mislead anyone. The discrepancy likely was due to the fact that the worldwide organization has different staffing levels at various times of year, depending on which projects are underway.
It wasnt anyone trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes, she said.
Smith said she respected Meisters view of sandhill cranes as a nuisance to farmers. However, she said, ICF takes a more global view of crane conservation, and has worked to restore threatened populations, such as whooping cranes.
She said ICF trusts county officials and will respect whatever decisions they make regarding project funding.
Theft Wednesday at 11:36 a.m., a manager at Gamespot, 106 Frances Lane, told police that a 28-year-old man stole from the store.
Accident Wednesday at 12:10 p.m., a 57-year-old woman and a 56-year-old woman were involved in a vehicle accident in the 1300 block of North Spring Street.
Accident Wednesday at 1:15 p.m., a 34-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were involved in a vehicle accident near the East South Street and South Roosevelt Drive intersection.
Suspicious Wednesday at 3:45 p.m., a woman came into the Beaver Dam Police Department building, 123 Park Ave., to report that a man was following her all over the city.
Theft Wednesday at 4:45 p.m., a man told police that a laptop computer and a passport were stolen in the 100 block of North University Avenue.
Traffic Wednesday at 10:03 p.m., someone reported that cars were racing around in a parking lot in the 1600 block of North Spring Street. Four drivers were cited with loitering.
Traffic Wednesday at 10:22 p.m., someone reported that trucks were racing up and down the 500 block of North Spring Street.
Disorderly conduct Thursday at 12:48 a.m., someone in the 100 block of North Spring Street told police that people were yelling.
Sometimes theres no good alternative to a tough approach to crime.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and a large, bipartisan group of legislators collectively have decided that too many people are being held in state prisons and that the numbers should be reduced.
That may well be true, although one would have to go over each individual case to know for sure.
But the ugly reality of life on the murderous streets of big and small cities, like Chicago and Champaign-Urbana, has a way of upending even the best legislative intentions and prompting elected officials to take action that appears contradictory.
Heres an example. Last week, Gov. Rauner signed legislation passed by large bipartisan majorities to get tough on gun runners.
Blamed by law officers in Chicago for their role in the ongoing slaughter in minority neighborhoods, gun runners are those who purchase guns legally in other states and then pass them to outlaws in Illinois. Authorities say that more than half the firearms recovered by police in Illinois come from another state. Indiana, Mississippi and Wisconsin are among the top three states whose firearms sales affect Illinois.
This is a deadly business, one that requires a strong public response. Whether the new legislation meets the standard of effectiveness necessary to address the problem remains to be seen.
But it appears to be a serious attempt. Whether it is or not depends on how aggressive police and prosecutors are in taking advantage of this new tool.
Under the old law, gun runners could be charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm or not having a permit.
Under the new law, individuals found to have the intent to deliver face a sentence of from four to 20 years for a first offense and up to 30 years for a second defense.
Republican state Rep. Jim Durkin said the legislation represents a new attack on gun violence, one that for the first time puts a major focus on who arms the shooter.
Whats also important about this legislation is that it represents common ground for those on both sides of the gun issue.
Pro-Second Amendment people have no sympathy for those who purchase firearms for the purpose of selling them to criminals. Gun-control advocates want to see effective criminal penalties put in the place for the same reason.
The overall problems, at least from Illinois perspective, is that some states are more restrictive than others when it comes to gun sales.
In Illinois, citizens must have a firearms owners identification card to make a purchase. That process is designed to screen out people with criminal records or a history of mental illness.
But other states, like Indiana, do not require a permit as a condition for purchase. So its easy to see why those with suspect intentions would go to Indiana to obtain their weaponry and bring it back.
The new law wont have any impact on what occurs in other states. But it puts real bite in the effort to discourage and penalize those who choose to traffic in firearms.
It would be nice to think that legislation of this kind would put a major dent in the problem. But no one should be so naive as to expect grand results.
This represents a small step forward on a monumental problem.
Big cities are awash in illegal guns, and too many people think nothing of using them for even the slightest provocation.
Guns, drugs and gangs drive murder rates. Chicago had 468 homicides in 2015, and it was up to 442 as of roughly a week ago for 2016. Most were gun-related, and its a fair bet that almost all of them were illegal, whatever the state of their purchase.
Payment of money owed shouldnt be seen as a ransom
Iran got its $400 million cash back; the United States got five prisoners back. Did our government pay ransom to Iran? The salient dictionary definition of ransom is the sum or price demanded for the release of a prisoner. The obvious question begged by this bare-bones definition is Does it matter whose money it is?
I think it does.
Is ransom money
1) only that money legally owned by the provider?
2) any money, regardless of who legally owns it?
3) money legally owned, not by the provider, but by the recipient?
Obama administration critics subscribe to definitions 2 and 3. Hence, in their eyes, the United States government did pay ransom.
The Obama administration subscribes to the first definition. The money had been a down payment on military equipment purchased 35 years ago by the then Shah of Iran and frozen by the United States government. The equipment was never delivered. Consequently, it may be argued, the United States government did not pay ransom.
One mans ransom is anothers leverage, anothers quid pro quo, anothers tit for tat. The question is not Whats in a name (or, in this case word)? The question is Whats in that words definition?
Robert Reid, Wisconsin Dells
Wits tops global research rankings in Africa
An increase in Wits research output has paid off with an improvement in the Universitys global ranking.
Wits University has moved into the top position in Africa in the latest Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai rankings.
Wits is now ranked 203 in the 201 to 300 category. ARWU has also ranked Wits in the Top 200 in the world in the field of Social Sciences.
At Wits our research output has increased substantially in the last few years noting, though, that this achievement is a culmination of work done over many years by our researchers. We are truly appreciative of this recognition, and we are particularly appreciative of our researchers, scientists, students and alumni to whom these accolades really belong, says Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research at Wits.
Vilakazi commended the Universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and KwaZulu-Natal, which have also been ranked among the top 500 universities in the world in the prestigious Shanghai rankings, saying it clearly demonstrates the strength of the South African higher education system.
Our research output as a country is at one of its highest levels to date, and this bears testament to the high quality of research emanating from South Africa, he adds.
While rankings are one indicator of the quality of education at universities, it is not the only one. Wits is mindful that different ranking systems use different methodologies.
For this reason and others, we believe that as a university we should not be driven by ranking systems. Rather, our focus should be on building a nationally responsive and globally competitive institution. This means concentrating on research and teaching, and embedding the institution in the work that is necessary to South Africa, the continent of Africa, and the rest of the globe, Vilakazi says.
The ARWU scores were released on 15 August by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, an independent organisation which publishes global academic rankings for more than 1 200 universities.
The ranking is based on the number of Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (a high honour for mathematicians), the number of highly cited researchers selected by Thomson Reuters, the number of articles published in the journals Nature and Science, and the number of articles in the Science Citation Index-Expanded and the Social Science Citation Index. The score also takes into account the number of academic staff at an institution.
Wits is also ranked highest among South African universities in 2016 by the Centre for World University Rankings. It was placed 79th in the world for quality of education.
A comparison of Wits and UCT in the ARWU table:
WITS UCT Alumni with awards 18,5 18,5 Academics with awards 0 0 Highly cited individuals 14,5 10,3 Nature and Science articles 15,7 12,6 Research output 35,2 38,1 Per capita performance 21,3 21,4 TOTAL 17,06 16.19
Dr Mahomed Moolla, Head: Strategic Partnerships Office at Wits, explains that all scores are compared to the highest score attained. The highest score is given a value of 100 and all other institutions scores are then adjusted accordingly.
Wits University has shown remarkable improvement over the past 13 years in the ARWU rankings, as this graph shows:
Source: ARWU
This stone is ugly, but we want to buy a few tons just like it
Plans and samples: Drawings for reconstruction of the Brafferton steps weighed down by samples of the existing, 18th century steps (left) and some of the stone available from English quarries. Susan Kern hopes to find the original quarry, though. Photo by Joseph McClain
Stone under glass: Susan Kern examines some of the grain of a sample from the 18th century steps of the Brafferton, held by Chuck Bailey. The two lower courses on the south side are original stone. Photo by Joseph McClain Photo - of - Hide Caption
Chuck Bailey says it is some of the ugliest stone hes ever seen.
Bailey has looked at a lot of stone. Hes professor and chair of William & Marys Department of Geology.
But what Bailey found in his mailbox one day in the summer of 2016 was so drab, so geologically lackluster, that he thought for a minute he was holding a chunk of concrete in his hand. First impressions can be deceiving, though, as Bailey found out that he was holding a sample with an illustrious pedigree, a stone that would spark a transatlantic search for its origin.
Susan Kern was the person who put the samples in Baileys mailbox. Kern, the director of William & Marys Historic Campus, has been working with restoration stonemason Ray Cannetti on a long-term project to replace the exterior steps of the Brafferton.
The Brafferton is the second-oldest building on the campus of Americas second-oldest university. It was constructed in 1723, using funds from the estate of the Anglo-Irish scientist Robert Boyle. Its original purpose was to house William & Marys Indian School. The Brafferton now contains the offices of the universitys president and provost and its early history is a subject of an exhibit at the Muscarelle Museum.
The building underwent extensive restoration work in 2011-12, work that was preceded by archaeological investigation, a collaboration between William & Marys Department of Anthropology and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. But now the Braffertons steps need attention, particularly those on the south side, facing Jamestown Road.
The steps were holding moisture. They were constantly wet, Kern said. And so we tried to figure out why. The thought was that the steps were sinking toward the building. In fact, we discovered that theyd been repointed with a cement mortar that was trapping moisture, and the front was rising, rather than the back sinking.
She added that the steps are perfectly sound and safe to walk on now, but their condition prompted Kern to set into motion a project that would see both sets of Brafferton steps completely reconstructed. And if at all possible, Kern said she would like to use sandstone from the original quarry that supplied the early 18th century steps. She enlisted Baileys assistance in tracing the stone.
Sourcing the stone requires a history-geology detection collaboration. Both Bailey and Kern believe that the original stones were quarried and dressed in England, then shipped here to Virginia to be assembled on site.
These blocks of sandstone were quarried in the early 18th century. That didnt happen around here, Bailey said. The Coastal Plain is rich in sand and mud, but not lithified stone that we can quarry. And at that point in time, we hadnt expanded far enough west into the Appalachians for people to be quarrying stone in any significant way.
Kern said that most of the stone in the Brafferton steps today is Pennsylvania bluestone, dating to the 1932 Rockefeller restoration of Williamsburg. Kern said the Rockefeller restoration had to use the Pennsylvania bluestone throughout Williamsburg, because the American sandstone quarries had been idled by the Depression.
The two lower courses on the south side steps date to the 18th century and provided the samples that Bailey used for the microscopic analysis that was the start of a history-geology detection collaboration. He presented what the microscope reveals about the Brafferton steps at a meeting in Kerns office in the Wren Building.
Mineralogically, its got a lot of stuff in it, Bailey explained. If you were to put a name to this, I would call it a fine-grained arkosic sandstone.
The stuff in the Brafferton sandstone is mostly quartz, he said, but more interestingly, the stone contains a considerable portion of feldspar a mineral thats much more common in igneous rocks than in sedimentary stone such as sandstone. Baileys analysis revealed other content, chiefly muscovite and iron oxide.
The rock is very well sorted, that is, all the bits are about the same size. It is glued together by a bit of a silica and iron cement, Bailey continued. He went on to say that a geologist might call it dirty sandstone, or more formally, first cycle sandstone, rock that hasnt had its mineral content removed by weathering and erosion.
One of the great things about sandstone is that whats in it gives you a lot of information about ancient environments, he said. The fact that this is mineralogically heterogeneous suggests to me that the source area was a heterogeneous terrain, probably something underlain by granite, because we have a lot of feldspar and mica.
Bailey pointed to geological maps of southern Britain, explaining that the Brafferton sandstone seems wrong for the southeast corner of Britain, home of the famous White Cliffs of Dover, which he noted are a kind of limestone.
In this region of England, the sandstone is almost all second- or third-cycle sandstone. Its cleaner than our sandstone, he said. Bailey showed another map, this one depicting another corner of England that offered a more fitting geological profile for the Brafferton stone.
My hunch and its only a hunch right now is that it came from the west or the southwest of England, he said.
Kern points out that the English quarries of centuries past were almost all small affairs and often did business by renting out the quarry to builders as needed. There is still plenty of English stone being quarried; Kern showed some samples of sandstone on offer by English quarries, included one marketed as Dunhouse Blue. But theres only a slim chance that the very same 18th century quarry that produced the original Brafferton steps remains in business.
It could be under a car park, Kern said. Like Richard III.
Working with Cannetti, whom she called the best restoration mason in the business, Kern has prepared a set of drawings for the step restoration, a project that should be completed in about two years.
She said if they cant find the original quarry, Dunhouse Blue, quarried in Lancaster, and other options are close enough to provide a satisfactory substitute. Bailey said that a geologist would describe Dunhouse Blue as a Paleozoic sedimentary rock. He also said the Dunhouse Blue samples offer a distinct advantage: Theyre much more attractive than the original Brafferton stone.
To me, its a very bland-looking rock, he said. Im not giving it high marks for appearance, and Im sorry the provost has to walk over them twice a day.
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Tourists avoid terrorist-hit destinations
A series of recent terror attacks in France has triggered a decreasing trend in international arrivals there.
Holidaymakers are avoiding destinations after terrorist attacks, data suggests.
Both Turkey and France are seeing a fall in flight bookings.
Tourists choose alternative destinations
Turkey is set to be the hardest hit as flight bookings for September to December are expected to be down by 52% on the same period last year.
Over the same period, bookings to France are down by almost 20%.
Travel data company Forward Keys analysed flight reservation data for Radio 4's You and Yours programme.
Its findings suggest that people are travelling to Spain, Portugal and Italy instead.
A series of recent terror attacks in France starting with the Charlie Hebdo shooting, triggered a decreasing trend in international arrivals there, which was worsened by the Paris shootings in November 2015, according to Forward Keys.
France is suffering from an accumulated year-on-year decrease of 5.4% between August 2015 and July 2016, with Paris suffering a worse decline, down 7.5% over the same period.
Bookings to Turkey were down by 15% between August 2015 and July 2016 compared with the same period a year earlier due to a series of terror attacks and July's attempted coup which left 270 people dead.
Terror in Tunisia
International arrivals into Tunisia fell by 39.4% between August 2014 and July 2015, when a series of terror attacks - including the beach massacre in Sousse - targeted tourism destinations in the country.
However, figures from the Tunisian Tourist Board show there has been an increase in the number of visitors from Algeria and Russia.
The number of Russian tourists visiting Tunisia has more than doubled from 63,054 to 131,434 in the period between July 2014 and July 2016. The number of Algerian tourists has tripled from 65,000 in 2014 to 194,370 over the same period.
A cut in hotel prices, from around 45 to 25 have encouraged tourists from these areas to visit Tunisia.
Hichem Driss, vice-president of the National Hoteliers Federation in Tunisia told You and Yours that since the attacks hotels have lost the biggest part of their turnover which used to come from European customers.
He said: "We now receive more visitors from North Africa, and Eastern Europe, particularly Russia. They do not spend as much as the Europeans. We offer them special offers because it's important to have a little business to try and save jobs."
Tourists are always advised to take out trusted travel insurance if they are taking a trip abroad.
Hong Kong
The tax system in Hong Kong is favorable as taxes are relatively low, which attracts foreign investors. There is minimal interference by the government in businesses; as such, competition among businesses is highly encouraged. Hong Kong has ease of access to the airport, markets, industries, and the rest of the world due to its centralized location.
Malta
Malta operates a free market system, where prices are determined by the market and consumers; hence, there is no government intervention. There is an availability of good infrastructure such as communication systems and electricity which facilitate business operations. Malta also provides adequate security for foreign investors. In factors like rent, the cost of starting and operating a business in Malta is comparatively low.
New Zealand
New Zealand also operates a free market economy; businesses are protected by the government, but there is little to no interference by any authority. The low level of corruption in New Zealand also makes businesses thrive. Furthermore, the country's adequate infrastructure, especially in the field of ICT is a key contributor to starting and maintaining a business.
Estonia
Due to the fact that this is a Coastal region, there is unlimited access to trade channels such as ports, and this facilitates foreign trade. There are also qualified professionals that help to manage businesses for individuals and corporations after start-up. Due to the presence of good communication networks, entrepreneurs do not have to be physically present to conduct businesses in the region as businesses can be run from all parts of the Globe. Estonia's deregulation policy equally reduces government involvement in businesses.
Australia
Australia has transparent political and social policies which attract foreign investments. Business relationships are easily fostered due to the multicultural nature of the country, especially in the area of language. Business venture is also flexible in the sense that various forms of businesses are encouraged; whether sole proprietorship, partnership or joint business venture. This flexibility provides a wide range of ideas for entrepreneurs.
Cyprus
Cyprus has a favorable tax system, where taxes are relatively low. The country operates a free-market economy as well, hence the minimal bureaucracy involved in the business start-up. The presence of skilled and affordable labor facilitates entrepreneurship, as business owners can be assured their businesses are in good hands. Access to credit/loans for business in Cyprus is relatively easy.
Botswana
Botswana's economy supports all kinds of businesses; as such, anyone can own a business: rich, poor, young, elderly, etc., due to the highly diverse economy. There is also no VAT on imported machinery to be used for production. Botswana's tax system is simple thus making taxes predictable and relatively low. The country's investment in the area of ICT also aids the operation of businesses from anywhere in the world.
Latvia
The processes involved in registering a business in Latvia is easy and straight-forward, thus can be easily comprehended by both literates and the less-educated. There are also various policies such as laws which protect businesses and employees. Latvia's zero-tolerance for corruption eg., bribes makes the registration process less of a hassle. In addition, the cost of operating a business in Latvia is relatively low.
Singapore
Singapore's proximity to seaports and airports facilitates foreign investments and subsequently huge profits. The low tax system also makes starting a business less difficult. Furthermore, the policies required to start a business in Singapore are flexible: a person as young as 18 is liable to operate a business. It also takes a small amount of time to register a business in Singapore hence business establishment is not time-consuming.
Iceland
Access to finance in Iceland, in term of loans is easy, as commercial banks are operationally involved in lending. This makes capital readily available for business establishment. Competition among businesses in the country is also boosted due to the favorable tax system. In Iceland, entrepreneurs can register and operate their businesses from the comfort of their homes, and anywhere else in the world, due to effective ICT systems.
Commercial Profit Taxes
Commercial profit taxes, or corporate taxes, are the taxes charged on profits earned during a specific time period. National governments typically implement these taxes although state and city level governments may also enforce them. Generally speaking, the more profit an organization makes, the more it is able to grow. Charging a tax on this minimizes the amount of money that can go back into the business. While this general concept is the same everywhere, profit taxes vary greatly around the globe. This article takes a look at some of the highest commercial profit tax rates in the world.
Consequences of High Profit Taxes
When companies are faced with extremely high profit taxes, they may take certain measures to avoid or minimize such costs. Some corporations may save their earnings in offshore accounts so as not to pay exorbitant taxes while others may look to move to countries with lower tax rates. High corporate tax rates often equate to low gross domestic product (GDP) for all socioeconomic statuses. These taxes have also been linked to low employment opportunities. Investors are discouraged from investing in these countries as the tax eats into their profit thereby lowering their return on investment. A lack of investors can hinder the economic development within a country. For existing companies, high taxes means insufficient funds to improve equipment and technology which results in reduced productivity and decreased worker wages. With these hindrances to economic growth, its not surprising that the top ten countries with high profit taxes are all considered developing economies.
Countries With the Highest Profit Taxes
By far the highest corporate profit tax in the world is found in Palau. At 65.8%, this country is setting itself up for economic failure. The economy here is reliant on the tourism industry and other jobs are found in the public sector. The majority of the population practices subsistence farming. The high tax has deterred external investment that could provide much needed jobs in the private sector.
Liberia comes in second place with a 35.4% business profit tax. The economy in this country depends on rubber and iron exports which decreased significantly with the global economic crisis. Its only other major source of production is in agriculture which suffered decreased production during the ebola outbreaks. With such high levels of unemployment or informal employment, the country cannot rely on individual taxes so they charge businesses high levels of taxes instead.
The third highest commercial profit tax is the 33.9% rate seen in Bhutan. Ensuring this tax is collected is the responsibility of the Department of Revenue and Customs. While attempting to increase the public financial funds, this government may be inadvertently obstructing economic development.
Other countries with high business profit taxes include Comoros, where 32.1% of profits go towards taxes, followed by Chad (31.3%), Honduras (31.1%), Mozambique (30.8%), St. Kitts and Nevis (30.5%), St. Vincent and the Grenadines (30.2%), and Malta (30.1%).
Reducing Business Profit Taxes
Evidence has shown that a reduction in businesses' profit taxes can help stimulate the economy. It contributes to job growth, wage increases, and reduced unemployment. Although it may seem counter-intuitive to these countries, lowering the business profit tax may actually be helpful. Investors may become interested in investing where they can bring home more profit. By making business ownership more affordable, those individuals with informal businesses may also be encouraged to formalize. All of these things would contribute to a broader tax base for increased public revenues.
There are a lot of things that make the United States an amazing country, and its rivers are definitely one of them! There are countless rivers in the US, but today we're focusing on the 10 longest. From coast to coast, these rivers provide major routes for transportation, commerce, and recreation. So read on to learn more about each of these impressive waterways!
Contents:
1. Missouri River
Historic railroad Katy Bridge over Missouri River at Boonville.
The Missouri River is one of the longest rivers in the United States. It is located in the midwestern region of the country and runs through the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. The river is approximately 2,341 miles long.
The Missouri River starts at the confluence of the Jefferson and Madison rivers in Montana. It then flows north through North Dakota and South Dakota before turning east and flowing through Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. The river finally empties into the Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri.
It is a major source of water for irrigation and drinking water for millions of people living in the Midwest. The river is also a popular destination for recreation, such as fishing, boating, and swimming.
The Missouri River has been an important part of American history since the early 1800s. Lewis and Clark explored the river as part of their expedition to the West Coast. The river was also an important transportation route for settlers moving west during the 19th century. Today, the Missouri River is still an important part of life in the Midwest.
Read MoreThe Missouri River
2. Mississippi River
Skyline of St. Louis along the Mississippi River.
At 2,340 miles long, the Mississippi River comes in second only to the Missouri River. And it's not just long - it's also incredibly important, playing a vital role in both transportation and commerce.
The Mississippi River originates in Minnesota, at Lake Itasca, and flows all the way down through 10 states before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, it picks up water from a number of tributaries, including the Ohio River. In fact, the Mississippi is so massive that its watershed covers nearly all of 41 states!
There are a lot of interesting facts about this mighty river. For example, did you know that the Mississippi River is home to 0one of the world's largest inland ports? Located in Memphis, Tennessee, this port handles more tonnage than any other river port in the United States.
The Mississippi River is truly a remarkable natural wonder. It plays an important role in our nation's history and economy and is a beautiful sight to behold. If you ever have the chance to see it for yourself, be sure to take it! You won't regret it.
Read MoreThe Mississippi River
3. Yukon River
Yukon River in Alaska
The Yukon River runs through the states of Alaska, the territory of Yukon, and the province of British Columbia. The river is 3,185 miles long.
The Yukon River begins in the Yukon Territory of Canada. It flows north into Alaska then the river then turns west and southwest and empties into the Bering Sea.
The Yukon River is an important waterway for transportation. People use it to ship goods between Alaska and other parts of the world. The river is also a popular destination for recreation, such as fishing and rafting.
The Yukon River is home to many different kinds of fish, including salmon and trout. The river is also home to bald eagles, ospreys, and other bird species.
The Yukon River is an important part of the culture of the people who live near it. The name Yukon comes from a Native American word that means great river. The river has been an important part of the lives of the people in the region for centuries.
Read MoreYukon River
4. Rio Grande River
Canoeists paddle down the Rio Grande River through Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend Texas. Editorial credit: Mark Taylor Cunningham / Shutterstock.com
Spanning a distance of over 1,900 miles, the Rio Grande River winds its way through New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. Along its journey, the Rio Grande provides essential water resources for millions of people and is home to a diverse array of plant and animal life.
The Rio Grande has been an important waterway for centuries. Ancient Native American cultures depended on the river for transportation, irrigation, and sustenance. Today, the Rio Grande continues to play a vital role in the economies of both countries it traverses. In the United States, the river is a key source of irrigation water for farmers in New Mexico and Texas. In Mexico, the Rio Grande provides water for cities, industry, and agriculture.
The Rio Grande is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. More than 1,000 species of plants and animals are found along the river and in the surrounding floodplain. The Rio Grande is an important stopover for migrating birds, and its waters support populations of fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
The Rio Grande is one of the most iconic rivers in North America. Its long history and importance to the people and wildlife of the region make it a truly special place.
Read MoreRio Grande River
5. Colorado River
Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River.
The Colorado River is one of the longest rivers in the United States, stretching 1,450 miles from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to its mouth at the Gulf of California in Mexico. The river and its tributaries provide water to over 40 million people, making it an important resource for both human and ecological communities.
The Colorado River basin is home to some of the most iconic landscapes in the country. It also supports a wide variety of plant and animal life, including several endangered species.
Despite its importance, the Colorado River is under threat from a number of human activities. Overuse of the river's water resources has led to serious drought conditions in recent years, and climate change is expected to exacerbate the problem. In addition, the construction of dams and other water infrastructure projects has altered the river's flow, putting additional stress on the ecosystem.
Protecting the Colorado River is essential to ensuring the health of the millions of people and countless species that depend on it. We must work together to find ways to use this important resource without damaging it for future generations. With careful management and a commitment to conservation, we can ensure that the Colorado River remains a vital part of our country for years to come.
Read MoreColorado River
6. Arkansas River
Rafting on the Arkansas River in Bighorn Sheep Canyon, Colorado, USA.
The Arkansas River stretches some 1,460 miles from its headwaters in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to its confluence with the Mississippi River. Along the way, it flows through the states of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas.
It is a major tributary of the Mississippi River and is one of the most important rivers in the American Midwest.
The Arkansas River is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including several species of fish, birds, and mammals. The river's watershed also supports a thriving agricultural industry, making it an important part of the American economy.
The Arkansas River is one of the most popular destinations for recreation in the United States. People come from all over to fish, canoe, kayak, and raft on its waters. The river is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, and picnicking.
Whether you're looking to enjoy a leisurely float down the river or an adrenaline-pumping white-water adventure, the Arkansas River has something to offer everyone. So come on out and explore one of America's great rivers!
Read MoreArkansas River
7. Columbia River
View of Crown Point and the Columbia River, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.
Measuring 1,243 miles from its headwaters in British Columbia to its mouth at the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River provides vital hydration for the arid regions it traverses and supports a wide variety of plant and animal life. It's also an important source of hydroelectric power, providing electricity to millions of people in the Northwest.
The Columbia River has been an important part of human history for millennia. Native Americans have long depended on the river for sustenance and transportation, and early explorers used it as a key route to the Pacific Ocean. Today, the river is a popular destination for recreation, including fishing, boating, and swimming.
If you're looking for an amazing natural wonder to explore, the Columbia River is definitely worth a visit!
8. Red River
Red River at the border of Oklahoma and Texas along Interstate 35.
The Red River runs for 1,290 miles from its headwaters in North Dakota to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, it passes through the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.
The Red River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River and is one of the most important rivers in the central United States. It is home to a large number of species of fish, including bass, catfish, and paddlefish. The river is also popular for recreation, with people canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming in its waters.
The Red River has been an important waterway for centuries. Native Americans used it for transportation and trade, and early settlers used it as a route to the west.
9. Snake River
View of the Snake River in Idaho from a hot air balloon.
The Snake River runs through Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming before joining the Columbia River in Washington state. The Snake River is 1,078 miles long.
The Snake River is a very important river for people and wildlife in the western United States. It provides water for irrigation, drinking, and industry. The river is also home to many different fish, birds, and other animals.
People have been living along the Snake River for thousands of years. Native Americans used the river for transportation and trade.
Read MoreColumbia River
10. Ohio River
Aerial View of the Ohio River between Jeffersonville, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky.
The Ohio River extends 981 miles from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cairo, Illinois. The river is also the largest tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. Along its journey, the Ohio River passes through or borders six states including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois.
The Ohio River has been an important part of American history since early Native American civilizations. The river was used for transportation and trade by Native Americans long before Europeans arrived in North America. In the 1600s, European explorers began using the river as a route to the interior of the continent. The Ohio River was a major factor in the westward expansion of the United States during the 1800s.
Today, the river is used for shipping and recreation. Many cities along the river have been developed as commercial and industrial centers. The Ohio River is also a popular destination for boaters, fishermen, and swimmers.
Read MoreOhio River
In Summary
We hope youve enjoyed learning about these amazing rivers as much as we enjoyed writing this post. Do you have any tips or tricks for exploring them? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to check out our other posts on Americas rivers for more information and inspiration. Happy kayaking!
A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took
The City of Wrangell is applying to the United States Forest Service to give a historic boat a new home.
The M/V Chugach was one of 11 ranger boats operating in the state during the first half of the 20th century. Built at the Lake Union Dry Dock and Machine Works in Seattle in 1925, the vessel was assigned to Cordova for work in the Tongass and Chugach national forests. It remains the last of its kind in the USFS fleet, continuing service until last year.
The boat was restationed in Petersburg in 1953, it served from there more than 60 years. Over its 91 years in the water the Chugach has undergone periodic upgrades to its engine, onboard amenities and exterior, but its Douglas fir planking and white oak ribs and stem have remained a constant feature. The vessel is 62 feet long and 14.5 feet wide, and displaces around 40 tons. Its current engine is a Detroit 6-71 diesel, with a 1,100 gallon fuel capacity.
The Chugach most recently arrived in Wrangell the first week of May for a needed overhaul, with work on its hull and decking. Nolan Museum director Terri Henson would like it to remain here, taken out from the water and stored for display next to the museum.
I thought it was kind of a neat project to take on, she said.
Due to cost considerations to operate and maintain the vessel, in June the Forest Service announced it would be taking proposals from the public to lease, adaptively reuse and preserve the Chugach. With its lengthy local history, Henson thought the boat would make a fine addition to the museums collection.
She has proposed that it be housed outside the Nolan Center along its westward greenway, overlooking Zimovia Strait. The historic vessel would be kept in dry storage, which Henson explained would help reduce the deterioration of its materials.
Signage on the boats historical significance and specifications would be placed for visitors benefit, and Henson thought the Chugach display could also showcase activity at the boatyard next door.
People love boats and history, she said. It would make a good transition. If done right, it would be a good way to highlight the boatyard.
In the citys waterfront planning sessions last year, one of the features residents proposed was an observation area there beside the museum, allowing visitors to view activity in The Marine Service Center without being in the way of workers. Though interesting to watch, contractors at the site voiced concerns about individual tourists and guided buses visiting the yard at the Port Commissions June meeting. Their primary worry was safety, with heavy equipment and machinery posing a risk.
Henson has suggested the possibility of building a raised platform around the Chugach, which would give visitors a good look inside the boat and make it easier to view the boatyard.
People would be able to view the boatyard without actually being in it, she said.
The proposed site could also incorporate display of the M/V Emerald, the 19-foot boat belonging to former Gov. Frank Murkowski which is already on exhibit outside the museum. Also on loan, that boat has been on display since 2012.
Wrangells proposal is among a dozen received by the USFS, and is currently under consideration. Ranger Bob Dalrymple explained the Chugachs future will be decided in a joint effort. It would remain the property of the USFS, which would still cover its maintenance costs. As it has been included since 1992 on the National Register of Historic Places, storage and upkeep of the vessel will need to meet conditions which would contribute to its continued preservation.
Henson said the application is still under consideration, but if approved the city would work with the USFS to find grant funding for a display. There were several sources she had in mind, but if those proved unavailable and the federal agency was unable to fund the plan, the city was not in much of a position to do so either.
If theres not money available, then we wouldnt get to do it, said Henson.
I think the ideas good, Jabusch commented. I think it would be a neat thing to have over there.
Electrical Fault Causes Vehicle Fire in Supermarket Car Park
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 1st, 2016
Fire crews were called to a supermarket car park this afternoon following reports of smoke coming front of a car.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called to Plas Coch retail park at 3:14pm following reports of smoke coming from a car in a supermarket car park.
The fire was caused by an electrical fault in the engine compartment, with damage confined to the vehicles engine.
A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire was out on arrival.
The fire crew made sure the vehicle was electrically safe.
Weaker Signal Than Usual Sees Return of Wrexhams 4G Problems
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 1st, 2016
Wrexhams infamous issues with mobile coverage have returned for some users with an investigation into a local fault due to take place.
Despite Wrexham seemingly moving into the 21st century, over the past week there have been a number of complaints about the lack of phone signal and 4G coverage across the area.
The problems have mainly affected the town centre, however residents from areas such as Brymbo, Rossett and Gwersyllt have also struggled with connection outside of wifi.
@wrexham @EE anyone know the best mobile service in Wrexham. EE is awful, rarely 4G except in centre, 3G slower than T-Mobile 5 yrs ago Jonny (@Jonsonton) August 29, 2016
@wrexham in tanyfron/Brymbo. On EE. In and around town can get 4g, in the house can get 3g, H. Outside can only get g. How does that work? Chris Bradshaw (@cbradshaw1984) August 30, 2016
@wrexham no 3G on EE in Tanyfron, never mind 4G. But the mobile phone companies still charge us for these services and get away with it Michelle parsonage (@michellequo) August 30, 2016
Issues with network connection and lack of service in Wrexham have been well documented, with initial problems first raised early in 2014. At the time it was explained that the problems had been caused by a technical fault, with applications later submitted to upgrade several masts across Wrexham.
The problems has generated support from local politicians from various parties, who have all called for more to be done to ensure reliable coverage in Wrexham.
In January 2015 Conservative campaigner Andrew Atkinson held a meeting with the then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Sajid Javid to address Wrexhams 4G woes.
More recently Clwyd South AM Ken Skates called on on regulators and phone companies to act urgently to address loss of services in Wrexham and the Dee Valley
Despite more problems recorded locally with masts, in spring 2015 Wrexham finally moved into the 21st century with many mobile users finally having access to 4G and somewhat reliable coverage.
However for residents in some parts of the county borough the problems have persisted, with the past few weeks causing particular problems for some mobile users.
Speaking to Wrexham.com about recent coverage issues in the area, an EE spokesperson said: Were aware that residents in the Wrexham area are receiving a weaker signal than usual.
Our engineers are visiting a local site to investigate a fault and they will be working to restore a normal service as quickly as possible. We apologise to any of our customers who are affected.
Wrexham Microbrewery Continues to go From Strength to Strength
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 1st, 2016
A popular microbrewery based on Wrexham industrial estate is going from strength to strength, the towns MP has said.
Wrexham MP Ian Lucas called in at Big Hand, on the Redwither Business Park on Wrexham Industrial Estate, to meet with Dave Shaw and Andy Benson who run the Big Hand microbrewery.
The company, which was established in 2013, is a family run microbrewery which supplies hand crafted real ales to Wales and the North West of England.
During the visit, he discussed the challenges and successes that Big Hand had had since his last visit to their Wrexham premises shortly after they set up in the town.
Mr Lucas said: I first called in at Big Hand shortly after they had opened, and weve kept in touch since then I was delighted to welcome them down to the House of Commons and get their beer served in the Strangers Bar.
However, I wanted to pop in for a catch up in Wrexham and we had a very interesting discussion during our visit. Dave and Andy are expanding and have some very interesting plans coming up, which we discussed.
We also had an interesting talk about prospects for Wrexham Town Centre and I will be following up on that chat in the coming weeks.
More information on Big Hand Brewing Co can be found here
The European Unions decision to fine US tech giant Apple up to 13 billion (US$14.5 billion) for failing to pay taxes at its European corporate headquarters in Ireland, has prompted a major crisis in Irish ruling circles that could lead to the collapse of the government.
The total amount due to the Irish government is around 19 billion, when interest is taken into account.
Shortly after Tuesdays announcement directing the Irish government to collect legally due taxes from Apple, the right-wing Fine Gael party, which is in a coalition with the Independent Alliance, announced it would appeal the decision. In doing so, it fell into line with Apple, which immediately announced it was appealing. However, Independent Alliance ministers, fearful of mounting public anger, are delaying backing an appeal and are seeking the recall of parliament to discuss the issue.
In a statement summing up the role of governments as servants of big business, Fine Gael Finance Minister Michael Noonan said an appeal would be made to defend the integrity of our tax system; to provide tax certainty to business; and to challenge the encroachment of EU state aid rules into the sovereign member state competence of taxation. He added that to collect the taxes owed by Apple would be destroying the future for short-term advantage.
Noonans comments were a refined version of the apoplectic response from Irish business leaders. Ryanair CEO, Michael OLeary, declared the ruling bizarre, adding, Frankly the Irish government should turn aroundthey shouldnt even appeal the decisionthey should just write a letter to Europe and tell them politely to f**k off.
Following a three-year investigation, the European Commission (EC)the EUs executive armconcluded that Apple had effectively paid a maximum of just 1 percent tax on its European profits in 2003, which had diminished to about 0.005 percent by 2014. Over that entire period, Apple paid just 50 million in tax.
Due to lucrative tax deals granted to it by successive Irish governments, Apple was able to avoid tax on almost all the profit generated from its multi-billion euro sales of iPhones and other products across the EUs single market.
The EC investigated the activity of two of Apple Inc.s subsidiariesApple Operations Europe (AOE) and Apple Sales International (ASI), both of which were incorporated in Ireland and therefore permitted to record profits in the country. Both subsidiaries had a Head Office and an Irish branch, which were known as Double Irish schemes. In 2011, ASI made a profit of 16 billion, yet only 50 million of this was allocated to the Irish branchequivalent to a tax rate of just 0.05 per cent.
To put that in perspective, European Commissioner for Violation of EU Treaties, Margrethe Vestager, declared, it means that for every million euros in profit, it paid just 500 in tax.
According to Vestager, the vast remaining amount of profit was allocated to what was in reality a fictitious Head Office with no employees, no premises and no real activities where it remained untaxed. If the profit had been taxed under Irelands corporate rate, the figure of 13 billion plus interest would have been payable.
Apple first set up operations in Ireland in 1980 after the then government offered the company a deal allowing it to operate virtually tax-free in exchange for locating its European headquarters in the country. Some 7 million was invested and 700 jobs created.
Even though Irelands membership of the European Economic Community, (the EUs predecessor) meant it had to levy taxes on companies operating on its territory, Apple continued to be offered preferential treatment.
The ECs ruling points out that the selective treatment given to Apple by Ireland through two tax rulings in 1991 and 2007 were illegal under EU guidelines.
The first of these sweetheart deals in 1991 resulted in Apple only being taxed on a certain bracket of its earnings. In 2007, the year that Apple first launched the iPhone, the previous deal was renewed giving the corporation access to further tax loopholes.
The courting of Apple was part and parcel of the whole system of subsidies and tax breaks handed out by Irish governments to attract transnational entities and global investment that made Ireland into the so-called Celtic Tiger. The country functioned as an offshore financial centre and tax haven. At the same time, Irelands membership of the EEC in 1973 was utilized by firms globally to access to the Single European Market and a base from which to avoid and evade taxation.
As of 2016, Ireland hosted over half of the worlds top 50 banks and half of the top 20 insurance companies. In 2013 it hosted nearly 14,000 funds (6,000 of these were Irish-domiciled) administering an estimated 3.7 trillionup from $840 billion a decade earlier. Today, corporate tax rates are 12.5 percent, compared to 50 percent in 1988 and the top rate of income tax is just 40 percent, compared to 65 percent.
The Double Irish strategy and other deals have enabled Apple to dodge US taxes on an estimated $181 billion in profits, contributing to the company amassing a cash hoard of over $230 billion. The 13 billion owed in Ireland equates to just 27 percent of the profit Apple made just in 2015.
The worlds major conglomerates and super-rich are up to their necks in similar financial swindles. Another Double Irish scheme saw an Irish subsidiary of Facebook shift profits of 1.75 billion in 2012 to another subsidiary in the Cayman Islands and post a pre-tax loss of 626,000 instead. Google dodged $2 billion a year in taxes using a Double Irish scheme via the Netherlands and Bermuda.
The cost to the Irish working class and society is staggering. It is estimated that the 13 billion tax withheld from the public purse by the Apple deal equates to 2,500 for every man, woman and child. It would cover the cost of Irelands annual healthcare budget, used by 4.5 million people, two-thirds of the social welfare budget or 20 new hospitals.
This pillaging of vast public resources must be understood in the context of the even larger bailout of the banks and super-rich that took place in Ireland following the 2008 global financial crash.
The EU, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank arranged an 85 billion bailout in 2010 for the Irish financial elite to avoid the collapse of the major banks. The borrowing undertaken as part of the bailout has already cost the Irish state almost 9 billion to service.
The Irish population was made to pay for this, plunging millions into poverty. With the collaboration of the trade unions, savage cuts to jobs, wages and conditions have been imposed. Eight austerity budgets were passed between 2008 and 2014, involving 18.5 billion in public-spending cuts. Nearly 40,000 public sector jobs were lost and health spending cut by 27 percent. On top of this, 17 billion of Irelands national pension reserve was seized to pay off the bailout.
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What makes the Celtic Tiger run?
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A report by the US-based RAND Corporation in early August has sparked renewed discussion among strategic analysts in Australia on the prospects and consequences of a war between the US and China. The most striking feature of the views expressed in these circles is that they accept RANDs conclusion that war is highly possible.
The RAND report was headlined War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable. In the context of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing, it assessed four scenarios of a conflict, based on combinations of mild or severe intensity and short or protracted duration. It contrasted the impact if the war had been fought in 2015 compared with one fought in 2025. Based on highly questionable assumptions, the report discounted the prospect of a conflict escalating to the use of nuclear weapons. It recommended that war had to be prepared for, and implied that the longer the conflict was delayed, the more catastrophic it would be for the United States (see: RAND Corporation lays out scenarios for US war with China).
Australian imperialism is bound to the US by the ANZUS military alliance. Australia hosts some of the most critical US satellite, communications and spying bases. It provides access to northern Australian airbases for long-range US bombers and naval bases are regularly visited by US warships and submarines. Since November 2011, when the Obama administration launched its pivot to Asia in the Australian parliament, a contingent of US marines has been based for six months of the year in the northern city of Darwin. The extent of the military ties and integration poses the prospect of direct Australian involvement in any US conflict with China, its largest trading partner and export market.
Since the RAND report was published, it has been reviewed by the government-funded Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), the Lowy Institute and by foreign policy analysts writing for the Murdoch-owned press, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Fairfax media.
The August 23 review by ASPI, authored by Mike Scrafton, a former defence official and advisor to the Howard Liberal Party government (19962007), began with the question under what circumstances would Australia join in a war against China?
Scrafton drew from the RAND report: Australias 2016 Defence White Paper says that a major conflict between the United States and China is unlikely. Maybe so, but the US is preparing for a high intensity battle. He asked: Is Australia now inextricably entwined with the US military planning in East Asiabecause of ANZUS, or as a consequence of US expectations created through combined planning, capability cooperation, intelligence sharing and exercising, and US basing? He concluded that it would politically difficult for any Australian government not to join [a US-led war with China] in most circumstances.
Scrafton ended his comment by noting the ruinous consequences for Australia and the region of a calamitous war. In conclusion, he suggested: The government might be inclined to elevate the avoidance of an East Asian war to the highest national interest. And to make it the prime objective of Australias foreign policy.
An August 24 review by the Lowy Institute, authored by Crispin Rovere, a Labor Party figure and commentator on nuclear policy issues, was even more alarmed.
Rovere dismissed RANDs arguments that nuclear weapons would not be used in a major war as dubious assumptions. He described RANDs assertions that the US economy could withstand the impact of such a war as unrealistic and its assessment that political stability would break down in China in the event of a prolonged conflict as wishful thinking.
Rovere also dismissed the reports conclusion that land forces would not become involved as incorrect. He pointed to the prospect of a Chinese-backed attack by North Korea on South Korea that would compel the US to come to the Souths aid. As a result, hundreds of thousands of US land forces would be engaged against an enormous number of enemy combatants, supported by vulnerable supply lines in highly contested waters near the Chinese mainland. Indeed, it is perfectly likely a war that started in the Spratlys could be lost by the US at Busan.
Rovere concluded: [I]t is entirely possible that in a lengthy high-intensity conflict, economic losses would be equivalent, decisive military engagements would be elusive, and Chinas post-war recovery would be faster. The possibility of a Chinese strategic victory in 2025 or beyond cannot be excluded. He did not point out that such a possibility would makes the use of nuclear weapons more or less inevitable.
Concern over Australias ties to the United States was the theme of a speech delivered on August 30 by Paul Keating, the former Labor prime minister from 1991 to 1996. Since leaving parliament, Keating has built up a sizeable personal fortune, above all through business and connections in Asia. He currently holds an advisory position with the state-owned China Development Bank.
Keating told a seminar in Sydney sponsored by the Australia-China Relations Institute that we cant afford a world war provoked by US-China tensions. Calling for a nuanced foreign policy, Keating asserted: We cant ever be caught up in some containment policy of China ... to assist the Americans in trying to preserve strategic hegemony in Asia and the Pacific. US dominance in the Asia-Pacific, he declared, was incapable of preservation in the face of Chinas economic expansion.
The stark reality of Australian foreign policy, however, is that it is based on involvement in the US preparations for war in Asia precisely to preserve its regional and global dominance against a perceived challenge from China.
While a debate is raging behind the scenes in ruling circles, every effort is being made to prevent workers and youth from understanding the very real dangers of war and its root cause that lies in the contradictions and crisis of global capitalism. In the recent July 2 Australian election, any discussion on the prospect of war with China was consciously suppressed by all the pro-capitalist parties and the media and raised only by the candidates of the Socialist Equality Party.
In opposition to the war preparations being made by the ruling class, the SEP insisted that the working class had to develop its own responsethe fight for a unified international anti-war movement based on the working class and the program of socialist internationalism.
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Socialism and the Fight Against War: Build an International Movement of the Working Class and Youth Against Imperialism!
Statement of the International Committee of the Fourth International
[18 February 2016]
In the wake of threats of repression from President Enrique Pena Nieto and other top Mexican officials, federal security forces have been sent into the impoverished southern state of Chiapas, one of the centers of the three-and-a-half-month-old teachers strike that has seen the blockading of highways and government buildings in protest over the governments reactionary education reform and the withholding of salaries.
Teachers in the state, members of the National Committee of Education Workers (CNTE), declared themselves on a state of alert after reports were confirmed of a caravan of buses and trucks carrying hundreds of members of the Federal Police into the state. Aircraft were used to fly additional forces into the states international airport.
The deployment of the repressive forces to Chiapas follows a warning Monday by the Secretary of the Interior Osorio Chong that the Mexican state was prepared to act to preserve the rule of law, justifying the use of force in the name of schoolchildren in Chiapas and the neighboring state of Oaxaca who have not returned to their classrooms because of the strike.
He also reaffirmed that changes to the education reform are not on the table in the governments negotiations with the CNTE leadership. In addition, Chong announced that any further meetings with CNTE officials are to be held publicly, claiming that this was in the interests of transparency, and so that Mexicans are aware that we are not negotiating the law. When federal security forces are sent in to forcibly suppress the blockades and encampments of demonstrators, Chong added, they will be accompanied by observers from the governments human rights commission to ensure that the repression unfolds with full respect for human rights.
Chongs statements echoed similarly thuggish remarks by President Pena Nieto, who threatened in a an interview with Televisa a week earlier that should its half-hearted dialogue with teachers prove insufficient, the government of the Republic will have no qualms whatsoever, no reservations whatsoever, in resorting to the use of force to restore order and above all to make good on the rule of law.
In pursuit of the rule of law federal police shot dead a dozen protesting teachers in the Oaxacan town of Nochixtlan on June 19. A number of CNTE leaders remain in prison, and striking teachers now face a range of punitive actions from the government for defending their social interests.
The Secretariat of Public Education has announced that 44,486 workers will face disciplinary action, including wage garnishment and layoffs for supposed breach of contract. The secretariat is already overseeing the layoffs of hundreds of teachers as a direct result of their role in the protests and blockades and for skipping more than four days of school since classes resumed on August 22. This includes 1,239 in Oaxaca, 570 in Chiapas, 80 in Michoacan, and 16 in Guerrero.
Amid the continuing mass demonstrations of teachers, the CNTE has entered into negotiations with the legislative fraction of the PRD (Party of the Democratic Revolution) with the stated goal of producing a citizens initiative that can then be presented directly to either chamber of the legislature to curb aspects of the governments education reform.
From the outset, the PRD played a key role in ramming through the raft of right-wing counter-reforms collectively known as the Pact for Mexico. As it relates to education, this includes the implementation of a regime of onerous teacher evaluations and a shift towards privatization of education along with increased standardized testing. All of it has been introduced under the guise of professionalization and teacher accountability, along similar lines as the attacks carried out on education under the Bush and Obama administrations in the United States.
Now the PRD claims it is planning to reform the reforms beginning with the opening up of the new legislative session on September 1.
As the principal left bourgeois parties in Mexican politics, the PRD and Morena occupy an important place in the defense of the existing political and economic set-up. They act to confer legitimacy to an increasingly reviled social ordera survey conducted by the newspaper Reforma found Pena Nietos approval ratings currently stand at an abysmal 23 percent. Those surveyed indicated overwhelming concerns over violence, poverty, corruption and a worsening economic situation.
The PRD and Morena, under the leadership of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (the former presidential candidate of the first party and current leader of the second), cynically appeal to this rising opposition to the generalized deterioration of social conditions the better to dissipate and safely channel it in anticipation to the 2018 elections.
The PRD and Morena express the interests not of the working class, but of a section of the capitalist class opting for a more nationalist course based on renegotiating the terms of subordination to Washington, particularly in relation to the Pact for Mexico.
Cesar Camacho, head of the ruling PRI legislative fraction, spoke on the possibility of minor modifications to the reform, stating that no theme is prohibited, everything can be submitted to discussion. He continued, We dont see legal changes to the education reform happening; the law proper is sufficiently broad in areas such as [teacher] evaluation that dont require a change to the law.
It is no coincidence that the CNTE and PRD enter into negotiations in the run-up to the opening of the legislative session and the beginning of classes. The move is calculated to shunt the teachers struggle into a parliamentary blind alley by continuing to sow illusions in bourgeois parties such as PRD and Morena, who all bear political responsibility for the Pact for Mexico.
All the while, the union bureaucracy has deliberately isolated striking teachers, ensuring eventual demoralization and exhaustion. The CNTE continues to plan for further demonstrations, but so long as teachers remain within the straitjacket of the corporatist CNTE teachers union and the dissident CNTE and isolated from broader layers of the working class, the preconditions for betrayal and defeat are fulfilled.
The intransigence of the government is above all directed against the Mexican working class. For the CNTE bureaucrats, the PRD and Morena, a seat at the table can be negotiated. Narrow tactical differences aside, the ruling elites class instinct detects in these leaderships a basic social affinity, a shared fear of any independent movement of the working class.
If the government has demonstrated its intransigence and the thousands of teachers who remain on strike have met it valiantly, the same cannot be said of the CNTE leadership. The demands of striking Mexican teachers are unambiguous: rejection of the framework of the education reform and its attendant secondary laws. In contrast, the basic aim of the CNTE since the initial mobilization of teachers in 2013 has been to put sufficient pressure on the government to establish a dialogue and secure a role in for itself in implementing state policy.
The CNTE knows that the government will yield on nothing they werent already prepared to cede, but continue to foster false hopes in the possibility of a reversal of the attack of the working class signified by the Pact for Mexico within a capitalist framework.
There is no constituency within any section of the political establishment for a defense of education, and the PRDs stated approach of reforming the reforms addresses none of the fundamental issues facing teachers and the working class generally.
The whole of the Mexican pseudo-left has offered uncritical support to the CNTE. By and large, they maintain a guarded silence on the CNTEs preparations for a betrayal by collusion with the PRD and Morena.
In recent decades, it has been the stock in trade of the pseudo-left to explain the continual pattern of sell-outs and concessions authored by the trade unions as merely a question of conservative leadership. But if it is merely a question of individual weaknesses, what accounts for the increasingly universal character of conservatism and continual acquiescence to management? No serious account of the objective basis for the phenomenon of the universal betrayal by the trade union bureaucrats is ever developed by these outfits.
Just as seriously, no attempt is made to make sense of the class character of Morena, which coalesced in 2014 out of AMLOs exit from the bourgeois PRD. In truth, Morena and what passes for the socialist left in Mexico are hostile to any prospect of workers acting independently. The political content of their perspective, shorn of its left or even Marxist trappings, comes out to little more than a return to a version of the left- priismo of the mid-20th century. In other words: the same basic perspective that animated various left-nationalist and ex-Stalinist currents through a series of splits and fusions that culminated in the formation of the now-discredited PRD in 1989, which included founding member of the CNTE Teodoro Palomino.
The CNTE has moved a great distance rightwards from its professed independence from the bourgeoisie and the state. Just last week, Section 22 of CNTE held a roundtable titled Towards a Fourth Republic: Morena together with the teachers alongside an assortment of left political commentators and Morena officials.
Mexican teachers must reject Morena and CNTEs empty bluster, including their demagogic calls for a fourth republic. Opportunistically adopting the language of a revolutionary break with the past, this partys agenda is based on the rather staid goals of alternation and an orderly transition. A potential Morena government in 2018 will take electoral advantage of growing anger and militancy within the working class only to immediately acquiesce to the dictates of capital, little different from the course of Syriza in Greece or Podemos in Spain.
Wayne State University Professor Peter J. Hammer submitted a document serving as written testimony to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission last month claiming, the water crisis in Flint needs to be understood from a perspective of strategic and structural racism. This is not a new premise. Hillary Clinton made this assertion early in the Democratic Party primary campaign, and the capitalist press, most notably the New York Times and the Huffington Post, have in recent months been increasingly promoting this position. However, Hammers is perhaps the most explicit attempt to divert popular outrage over the Flint disaster along the lines of racial politics.
The theory of strategic-structural racism is being advanced in order to obscure the real nature of the crime committed against the people of Flint and narrow the focus of public anger. The poisoning of the entire population of the seventh-largest city in Michigan is a crime of capitalism.
The social gains made by the working class through mass struggles since the 1930sincluding the General Motors sit-down strike in Flintare being clawed back systematically. This social counterrevolution goes far beyond Flint, extending to every capitalist country on the planet, affecting workers of all races and nationalities.
Professor Hammer is the Director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University Law School. His document, The Flint Water Crisis, KWA [Karegnondi Water Authority] and Strategic-Structural Racism, is published under the auspices of his department. It presents evidence proving that the decisions made in relation to Flints water by state authorities were driven by the political considerations of an elite clique. Much of the evidence has already been made public, and some new facts are revealed. None of these facts, however, back up Hammers claims that racism is at the root of the crisis.
Hammer simply asserts that Flints financial distress was the consequence of decades of structural racism, deindustrialization, white flight, economic deprivation and isolation. The paper is peppered with racially-charged concepts, such as white privilege, in order to blow smoke around its selective presentation of the historical background to the Flint water crisis.
A review of the background of this crisis makes clear that it is the product of a class policy, with representatives of the ruling class, both black and white, implementing measures to benefit a corporate and financial elite.
Flint, a racially diverse city56.6 percent black and 37.4 percent white, according to US census figureswas systematically poisoned starting in April 2014. The citys 44-year-long source of treated Great Lakes water was suddenly disconnected and switched to the Flint Riverlong known to be contaminated with industrial pollutantsand then piped into homes without proper treatment. When residentsboth black and whiteprotested the foul-smelling and discolored water that was coming from their taps and demanded a return to their original water source, they were ignored.
Residents were told that the water was perfectly fit to drink and met all the standards of the federal Safe Drinking Water statutes. Only later was it revealed that sampling was falsified to cover up the real state of the lead-tainted water. State-appointed emergency managersfinancial dictators with the power to unilaterally make decisions overriding elected officialsdeclared that it was a financial impossibility to return to the citys original treated water source.
To present this, as Hammer does, as a product of structural racism is to obscure the underlying class character of capitalist society. The shutdown of Flints auto industry and the economic devastation visited on the city as a consequence was part of a wholesale assault on the working class as a whole.
The collapse of the housing bubble further exacerbated the crisis in Flint, with foreclosures soaring in the period between 2005 and 2009.
After the 2008 crash, speculators aimed at new sources of easy cash: municipal debt. In the state of Michigan, a shadowy project involving the utilization of municipal bankruptcy and emergency management was hatched. Detroit, the states largest city, had been ravaged for years by deindustrialization, and, more recently, its municipal economy was victim to corruption and predatory lending practices.
Flint was also part of this process, with a string of state appointed emergency managers brought in to slash city services and attack city workers.
Detroits forced bankruptcy reorganization in 2014, which paralleled the Flint water crisis, was made possible by antidemocratic and conspiratorial political and legal chicanery. It was endorsed at every step by the capitalist media and both political parties at the highest levels, along with predominantly African American local politicians. Indeed, the Obama administrations justice department even sent an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief to make clear that the proceedings had the blessings of the president.
The citys three major assets were targeted for plunder: the pension funds of city workers, the artwork of the Detroit Institute of Arts and, most significantly for the people of Flint, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), one of the largest public water systems in the country.
The DWSD system served approximately 4 million residents in the metropolitan Detroit area, with the city of Flint being its largest customer. Its revenues were approximately $1 billion each month. Detroits emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, was determined to monetize all these assets. Because Detroits city charter prohibited profits being made from the operation of the DWSD, Orr and his fellow conspirators regionalized the system under a newly created Great Lakes Water Authority to do an end-run around the legal protections for the public.
The DWSD could be considered the crown jewel of Detroit, including its 70-mile pipeline and Lake Huron treatment facility, completed in the early 1970s to provide treated water to Flint. Cutting Flint off from the DWSD would create conditions to weaken the system and prepare a future privatization of either all or parts of it, falling in line with the plans of the conspirators.
Professor Hammer indeed notes the determination of well-placed individuals to commit the city of Flint to the construction of the KWA pipeline, pointing out that the emergency manager at the time, Ed Kurtz, signed the contract for an unnecessarily larger daily volume than the city council even agreed to in March of 2013. The conspirators behind KWA needed that larger commitment to get bond authorization to build the pipeline they wanted.
Because Flints credit rating was so bad, it was necessary to find a loophole to allow KWA funding to not count toward the citys debt limit. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality was recruited to issue what was referred to internally as a sweetheart ACO (Administrative Consent Order) to push the deal through.
As these facts demonstrate, the decision to shift the Flint water source from the DWSD to the Flint River, setting in motion the Flint tragedy, was not a product of racism, but cold economic and business calculation on the part of a rapacious financial elite and their political servants, a large portion of whom in Flint and Detroit were African American. This is what Hammer seeks to cover up.
Along these lines it should be noted that Hammer himself cut his legal teeth in the Exxon Valdez oil spill case in 1993defending Exxon Oil Company.
Now that the KWA pipeline construction is completed, the question of how the untreated water from Lake Huron will be treated is yet to be decided. Upgrades and improvements to Flints water treatment plant (WTP) are needed costing millions of dollars. Months of testing will be required before KWA water can be delivered into the Flint system. However, state and local politicians, including Flints mayor, Karen Weaver, who is African American, insist there is no choice but to proceed with this irrational and reckless plan.
In addition, according to the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee set up by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, water rates for residentsalready the highest in the USare poised to double over the next two years. This outrageous situation, predicated on the capitalist free market, not racism, is completely unacceptable for Flint residents. However, Hammers elaborate theory contributes nothing to an understanding of the Flint water crisis and is in fact no more than an attempt to change the narrative.
The promotion of racial politics by individuals is aimed at undermining class-consciousness and fueling divisions within the working class. It is also aimed at fostering illusions in the Obama administration and the Democratic Party through a narrow focus on issues such as race and gender.
The Flint disaster is a crime of capitalism. It can only be answered by the independent mobilization of all sections of the working classblack, white and immigrantin a struggle for the socialist reorganization of society.
Tens of millions of workers across India will join a one-day general strike this Friday to voice their opposition to the socially incendiary austerity measures and pro-investor reforms being implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
The strike is a clear sign of mounting social anger among workers, youth and rural toilers. But the Joint Trade Union Committee (JTUC) that has called this protest is comprised of union congresses that have systematically suppressed the class struggle and are directly affiliated to political parties that have played a pivotal role in the bourgeoisies drive to make India a cheap-labour haven for world capitalism. This is true not only of the Congress Party-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), but also of the ostensibly left unions that lead the JTUC: the Congress of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All-India Trades Union Congress (AITUC)which are, respectively, the union affiliates of the Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and the Communist Party of India (CPI).
For the union apparatuses and the Stalinists the September 2 strike is a maneuver, a means to contain and defuse growing social opposition and to block the development of an independent political movement of the working class against the BJP government and the entire capitalist social order.
Modi and his Hindu supremacist BJP were brought to power by Indian big business in May 2014 to accelerate pro-investor reformthat is, the assault on the working classand more aggressively assert its predatory, great-power ambitions on the world arena.
The Modi government has slashed subsidies and social spending, including funding for healthcare and the National Rural Employment Guarantee. It has accelerated disinvestment (the privatization of state-owned industries); eliminated or reduced caps on foreign investment in numerous sectors; imposed a regressive Goods and Sales tax that will be used to further shift the tax burden onto working people; and is conniving with the BJP-led state governments to gut restrictions on job cuts and labour standards.
At the same time, Modi has integrated India into the US war drive against China. On Monday, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar signed an agreement that gives US combat planes and warships day-to-day access to Indian military bases.
Social polarization and the failure of bourgeois rule
The claim of the Stalinist-led Joint Trade Union Committee that the BJP and Indias ruling elite can be pressured into pursuing pro-people policies is a lie.
The entire seven decade-long history of independent India demonstrates the opposite: the impossibility of realizing even the most elementary democratic and social aspirations of the workers and toilers under the rule of the bourgeoisie. Until 1991, Indias bourgeois elite pursued a strategy of state-led, national capitalist development that they tried to palm off as socialism. During the past quarter century, they have transformed India into a cheap-labour producer and back-office for world capitalism and, in lock-step with this closer partnership with imperialism, emerged ever more openly as clients and satraps of Washington.
While the wealth of the bourgeoisie has grown exponentially, Indias rise has produced only increased social deprivation and economic insecurity for the mass of the workers and toilers. After 25 years of so-called reform, tens of millions are unemployed, under-employed or eke out a precarious existence as contract labourers, while hunger stalks rural India. Moreover, India now risks being embroiled in a catastrophic war, whether due to the bourgeoisies transformation of the country into a frontline state in American imperialisms confrontation with China, or its reckless drive to assert itself as the regional hegemon of South Asia.
The Stalinist Communist parties, their names notwithstanding, have been an integral part of the bourgeois political establishment for decades. Since 1991 the CPM and CPI have supported a succession of governments at the Centre that have implemented the ruling elites neo-liberal reform agenda and pursued closer ties with Washington and Wall Street. And where they have led state governments, most notably in West Bengal and Kerala, the Stalinists have themselves pursued what they frankly call pro-investor policies, including banning strikes in IT and IT-enabled industries, and bloodily suppressing peasant opposition to the expropriation of their land for big business projects. Signaling that the Stalinists intend to work even more directly as errand-boys for big business, Keralas new Chief Minister and CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan has promised to develop a new paradigm wherein an investor is welcomed with open arms.
The Stalinists have justified their repeated electoral alliances with a host of right-wing, caste-based and regional parties and their support for the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance government on the grounds that this is the only way to block the right, and especially the communalist BJP, from coming to power. In reality, the Stalinists systematic subordination of the working class to the parties of the bourgeoisie has greatly strengthened the Hindu right, opening the door for it to exploit the popular anger over the mounting social crisis produced by capitalist development. In the 2014 elections the BJP stormed to power, as the first party to win a majority in the Lok Sabha (Indias lower house of parliament) since 1984.
Now in the face of mounting outrage over the manifest failure of their phony election pledges of jobs and development, Modi and his BJP are whipping up Hindu chauvinism with the aim of splitting the working class and mobilizing the most backward and reactionary elements. This goes hand in hand with the increasing resort to authoritarian forms of rule. Political opponents are routinely labeled as anti-national, if not charged with sedition.
These developments point to the breakdown of democratic forms of ruleas the bourgeoisie seeks to make the workers and toilers pay for the gravest crisis of world capitalism since the Great Depressionand the urgency, therefore, of the working class intervening as an independent force in the fight for a socialist solution to the crisis.
The Stalinists response, however, has been to redouble their efforts to subordinate the working class to the Indian bourgeoisie, its state and parties. In the name of defending secularism and democracy they are once again seeking to harness the working class to the Congress Party, which itself has a long history of adapting and conniving with the Hindu right. In the April-May West Bengal state assembly elections, the CPM forged, for the first time ever, an electoral alliance with the Congress, the bourgeoisies traditional party of government and the party that during the past 25 years did most of the heavy-lifting in imposing neo-liberal restructuring and forging of an Indo-US global strategic partnership. The Stalinists also continue to promote the creation of a Third Front comprised of a host of regional and caste-ist parties, like the JD (U), BJD and DMK, that not only support neo-liberal reform and Indias hosting US warplanes, but also have repeatedly allied with the BJP.
While broad sections of the working class undoubtedly view a one-day national strike as a means of asserting their class interests, for the Stalinists it is political theater, a means of putting on a left face so as to bolster their political control on the working class. In virtually every year since 1991, including from 2004-2008, when they were in a de facto coalition with the Congress and daily contact with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the CPM and CPI have mounted one-day protest strikes.
In recent years, in the name of working class unity they have enlisted the support of the Congress-affiliated INTUC and in Tamil Nadu, the Labour Progressive Front, the trade union wing of the big business DMK. The Stalinists, in a further maneuver that underscores their virulent opposition to genuine class struggle, have even appealed for the support of the BJP-aligned Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh or BMS.
A socialist-internationalist strategy
To assert their class interests, Indian workers urgently need to adopt a socialist-internationalist strategy based on the independent political mobilization of the working class against the bourgeoisie and in the struggle for workers power.
The past quarter century has seen a massive growth in the size and social power of the working class. This class strength must now be mobilized to rally the rural toilers and all the oppressed, in the fight for a workers and peasants government that would bring the decisive economic levers under public ownership and workers control, so that production could be organized to meet social needs, not bloat the wealth of a tiny business elite. Such a government would also take radical measures to eradicate landlordism, caste oppression and otherwise complete the tasks historically associated with the democratic revolution, but which under the misbegotten rule of the Indian bourgeoisie have festered, serving as a bulwark of social reaction.
The September 2 strike is part of an international resurgence of the class struggle. Around the world, from this past springs strikes in France and Belgium against the gutting of worker rights to the growing rebellion of American workers against the pro-capitalist unions that for decades have imposed wage and job cuts, workers are seeking a means to resist the corporate elite
a means to oppose its never-ending austerity drive and its use of globalized production to pit worker against worker and site production wherever labour costs and taxes are the lowest. The objective unity of the working class must find conscious expression in the unification of the struggles of workers around the world. This must be combined with the building of a working-class led, global movement against war and imperialism.
The unions and Stalinist parties are mechanisms for politically suppressing the working class. They cannot be reformed or pressured to the left. To oppose the bourgeoisie, workers must build new organs of struggle, workplace rank-and-file action committees and above all a mass revolutionary socialist party.
Such a party must be an integral part of a world party of the working class. It must be based on the assimilation of the great strategic experiences of the international working class, above all the lessons of the 1917 Russian Revolution and the struggle subsequently led by Leon Trotsky, the revolutions co-leader with Lenin, against its Stalinist degeneration and in defence of the program of world socialist revolution. That struggle is carried forward through the Fourth International, the World Party of Socialist Revolution founded under Trotskys leadership in 1938, and now led by the International Committee and its international organ, the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS).
Workers, youth and intellectuals who recognize the urgent need to blaze a new socialist path for the working class and toilers should join the fight to build the Indian section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). As a first step, they should contact the ICFI and WSWS so as to initiate discussion on the program and principles upon which a genuine revolutionary socialist party can be built.
This author also recommends:
Hurtling toward the precipice of war, Modi cements Indo-US alliance
[10 June 2016]
Indian Stalinists abet US war plans against China
[31 May 2016]
Sydney College of the Arts students and staff are continuing their protests against the University of Sydney administrations attempts to transfer the highly-regarded fine arts institution onto another campus. Students spoke to WSWS reporters about the impact on their studies and their artistic work.
Cecilia, one of those occupying the SCA administration building, spoke with WSWS reporters last week. She is a sculptural ceramicist and studying for a masters degree in fine arts.
Im supposed to finish in February this year and this has caused immense stress on myself and in my work, she said. How can you be reading and writing your thesis paper with all of this going on? Am I going to have a studio to finish my work, to fire my vessels, my sculptures in the kilns? Am I going to have a supervisor, to supervise my research? What am I supposed to do?
We have about 160 post-graduate studentsPhD and masterswho will be in a similar position. We were told on June 21 that they were going to shut us down and that was just when the holidays started for everyone. Were art students, how are we supposed to be thinking whats happening with my degree?
My work talks about poverty and indigenous issues. I want people to help us save our school, save ceramics, jewellery and glass. The glass studio is the only studio in Australia! Our ceramic studio is the only one in Australia where you can make sculptures in ceramics and do research as part of the work. Theres nowhere else!
A student who wanted to remain anonymous said: Im a research student doing a PhD in screen [moving image] arts. Im not sure if my supervisor is going to be in place. He doesnt know either. Sixty percent of the staff are going to be cut. We dont know where we are going to be on the main campus in two or three months time.
I use 16mm film and dont know if the equipment is going to be there [at the University of Sydney] or if there is going to be space for me to finish my research practice. I dont know and no-one can tell me. This is so disturbing and unnerving. None of us can do our work, none of us.
Alana is a former honours student from UNSWs art school. She decided to complete her course at SCA because the conditions were very cramped at the UNSW facility.
We had very supportive teachers but increasingly they were changing the program. I think the idea was to get more students in, basically more money, and a lot more international students but sadly that made the structure worse. A lot of people were against the changes to the honours program and students ended up leaving. I had to share a desk even though my work is very large scale. The great thing at SCA is I get to have my own studio and have such big inspiring grounds to create my work in.
I think its a really sad for the arts in general and with all these changes happening to COFA [UNSW arts and design faculty], the SCA and the threat to close down the NAS. Whats this going to do to the Sydney arts scene? People are going to go to Melbourne or to another country. Where are they going to study?
Young artists might leave and the drain is going to affect art culture quite badly, I guess it already is affecting the arts community. Theres a strong sense of doom and gloom among students and I know a lot of people arent even coming into the studio out of protest, especially in ceramics and glass-making because theyre getting completely cut. Its about $5,000 a year to study here so do you really dont want to have to move to main campus because you may not be receiving the same services or teachers.
The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) has announced it will call an open-ended strike by 4,800 nurses on Labor Day, September 5, against Allina Health hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The strike was called after rank-and-file nurses rejected the latest three-year contract proposal from the hospital chain, which includes demands for deep cuts to health benefits and the refusal to discuss safe staffing ratios.
Nurses, who overwhelmingly voted to authorize the walkout, are determined to fight back against increases in out-of-pocket costs that would make medical coverage far less affordable to the healthcare providers themselves. In addition, like nurses throughout the United States, and for that matter internationally, Allina nurses face dangerously high patient-to-nurse ratios and relentless demands that they take on extra duties.
The MNA has suggested, however, that it would call off the planned strike if a federal mediator orders the parties back to the table and progress was supposedly made. A statement on the unions web site declared, It is likely our MNA negotiators will be called back to the table by the federal mediator prior to the start of strike. Should this occur, your negotiating team will be working to get a settlement and will keep you updated.
The MNA has presented the intervention of a federal mediatorwho the MNA claims is trying to help us get a dealas if it would bolster the nurses chances of winning a good contract from Allina. Any such intervention by Obamas Labor Department and a federal mediator, however, would entirely be at the expense of nurses. The Obama administration has repeatedly intervenedfrom the 2015 lockout of 20,000 West Coast dockworkers to the shutdown of the nearly two-month strike by 50,000 Verizon telecom workers earlier this yearto prevent any unified struggle by the working class against the government-backed attack on wages and health and pension benefits.
Far from defending the working class, Obama and the Democrats have overseen the greatest transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top. Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, has been a boon to the pharmaceutical giants, insurance monopolies and hospital chains while healthcare has become increasingly unaffordable for working people. ACA also includes the so-called Cadillac Tax on supposedly overgenerous healthcare plans, which employers have used to force workers into inferior, higher-costing plans.
Finally, the increased workloads nurses are fighting are the direct product of the cost-cutting drive initiated by the ACA. Obamacare has produced an influx of recently insured patients on low-quality health plans, but hospitals have not responded by any corresponding increase in staffing levels. While maximizing the profits of the industry, this has increased workloads and endangered patients.
The unions are particularly opposed to any strike that could undermine their effort to elect Hillary Clinton, a warmonger and the favored candidate of Wall Street. The Solidarity Rally Wednesday afternoon highlighted the unions efforts to subordinate the jobs and livelihoods of nurses to their alliance with the Democratic Party. Far from mobilizing nurses and workers throughout the Twin Cities for a real struggle against Allina, the event was used to parade a pack of false friends in front of the nurses. This included union bureaucrats from the AFL-CIO and affiliated unions who all have a record of betraying workers struggles, along with Democratic US Congressman Keith Ellison.
Ellison bemoaned the increasing price of drugs like the EpiPen as part of the attack on nurses workloads and healthcare. He failed to mention, however, that Obama and his own party have done everything to protect the interests of the for-profit healthcare industry.
Thus the solidarty between the union bureaucrats and the Democratic Party is in fact a conspiracy against the Allina nurses and the working class as a whole. Over the next several days, the union bureaucrats and the federal mediator will do everything to block a strike by nurses, and if that is not possible, to strangle it as soon as possible.
After the one-week strike in June, the MNA began the process of compromise with management by offering to abandon two of its traditional healthcare plans in order to accede to managements cost-cutting demands in July. The MNA further surrendered to management by taking safe staffing ratios off the table. Nurses have repeatedly stated on social media and in conversations with reporters of the World Socialist Web Site that staffing ratios are a key issue in their battle.
Allina Health executives have taken full advantage of this and remained entirely intransigent, insisting that nurses must give up their quality health plans before an agreement can be reached.
Nurses have remained opposed to this for the duration of the struggle. Speaking to the World Socialist Web Site, Emily, an Allina nurse at the rally, agreed that the outcome of the nurses struggle would have a direct impact on the coverage for all healthcare workers. "It's not just nurses, but all healthcare workers. This is a testing site, and what happens here will set a precedent for nurses and healthcare workers around the state and the country."
When WSWS reporters explained the need for Allina nurses to appeal to the entire working class to win their demands, she replied, That would be amazing."
Among nurses who turned out in support of Allina nurses was Aaron who works at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). He agreed with the necessity to mobilize Twin Cities health workers behind the Allina nurses fight. "If the Allina nurses were to lose their healthcare plans, HCMC and hospitals all over the country would follow."
The months-long struggle by nurses has demonstrated that the biggest obstacle to a fight against Allina and the powerful financial and political interests behind it is the MNA and National Nurses United that are allied with the Obama administration and the Democrats. Rank-and-file nurses must take the conduct of the struggle into their own hands by electing committees to mobilize the broadest sections of the working class behind their fight.
This must be the beginning of a political counter-offensive against both big business parties and to put an end to for-profit healthcare and replace it with socialized medicine.
Eighty years have passed since the first Moscow Show Trial, one of the most sordid frame-ups in world history. Also known as the Trial of the Sixteen, the Case of the Trotskyite-Zinovievite Terrorist Center took place in Moscow from August 19 to August 24, 1936. All sixteen defendants were sentenced to be shot and their personal property confiscated.
Beyond those at the trial, Lev Davidovich Trotsky and his son, Lev Lvovich Sedov, were declared in absentia to be subject to immediate arrest and trial by the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR, i.e., if captured, they too would be tried and executed in mockery of the most elementary judicial standards.
Of the sixteen defendants, eleven were prominent Old Bolsheviks who had joined the party prior to 1917, organized and led the October Revolution, founded the Communist International in 1919, fought heroically in the Civil War (1918-1921), and established the Soviet Union as the worlds first workers state. Five other defendants were agents of the Soviet secret police, forming a grotesque amalgam with the genuine revolutionaries sitting beside them on the defendants bench.
Let us take a brief look at the biographies of some of the victims. Grigory Zinoviev, age 53, had been a Bolshevik since 1903 and one of Lenins closest collaborators. He participated in the antiwar Zimmerwald and Kienthal conferences. He was a member of the Central Committee, 1907-1927; chairman of the Petrograd Soviet after October 1917; chairman of the Executive Committee of the Comintern, 1919-1926. He participated in the Joint Opposition in 1926-1927; capitulated to Stalin in 1927. After the assassination of Sergei Kirov on December 1, 1934, Zinoviev was arrested, tried and convicted on January 16, 1935 of moral responsibility for the murder. He was sentenced to ten years in prison, where he remained until the 1936 show trial.
Lev Kamenev, age 53, joined the Social Democratic Party in 1901; he was a Bolshevik from 1903. He worked closely with Lenin. A member of the Central Committee from April 1917 to 1927. Chairman of the Moscow Soviet, 1918-1926. Member of the Joint Opposition in 1926-1927, capitulating in December 1927. Tried in January 1935 for Kirovs murder and sentenced to five years in prison. Tried again in July 1935 and sentenced to ten years.
Ivan Nikitich Smirnov, age 55, in the party since 1899; repeatedly arrested, imprisoned and exiled under the tsar. Led the Red Army in crushing Kolchaks forces in Siberia during the Civil War. A member of the Central Committee; in the Left Opposition from 1923 to 1929. Arrested and imprisoned in 1933.
Sergei Mrachkovsky, age 53, a Urals worker; a Bolshevik from 1905; hero of the Civil War, in the Left Opposition from 1923 to 1929. Exiled in 1933.
Vagarshak Ter-Vaganian, age 43, a Bolshevik from 1912. Founding editor of the journal Under the Banner of Marxism in 1922; first major work on Plekhanov (1924); in the Left Opposition from 1923 to 1929.
Grigory Yevdokimov (52), Ivan Bakaev (49), Efim Dreitser (42), Rikhard Pikel (40), Isaak Reingold (39) and Eduard Goltsman (54) also had distinguished, if less prominent, party careers.
The charges at the trial were fantastic: aside from killing Kirov, the defendants supposedly attempted (but failed) to assassinate Stalin, Kaganovich, Voroshilov, Zhdanov, Ordzhonikidze and several other Soviet leaders. They allegedly worked with the Nazi Gestapo in developing these murderous plans. Other charges of espionage and sabotage were also levied.
What was the evidence? Nothing except the confessions of the accused. To those who approached the trial with the slightest degree of critical judgment, the confessions alone would have raised severe doubts about the legitimacy of the proceedings. But many journalists and political figures (New York Times reporter Walter Duranty; US Ambassador Joseph Davies; British jurist D. N. Pritt, who called the proceedings an example for the whole world) vouched for the validity of the frame-up. There were, however, dissenting voices: Thomas Mann, Stefan Zweig, others who subsequently served on the Dewey Commission, which heard exhaustive testimony in Mexico in 1937 and, finding Trotsky innocent of all charges, declared the show trial a frame-up.
In later years, the means of obtaining the confessions emerged through the testimony of various participants in preparing the trial. Zinoviev and Kamenev resisted confessing for weeks. Finally, they requested an audience with the Politburo. Stalin and Voroshilov met them as a commission of the Politburo and promised that if Zinoviev and Kamenev cooperated, their lives would be spared, their families would not be touched, and no former oppositionists would be executed. Zinoviev and Kamenev agreed, but were nevertheless executed on August 25, 1936.
With other defendants, torture was used. Mrachkovsky, for instance, was interrogated for 90 straight hours several times over several weeks. Lev Sedov noted that several figures who had cases opened against them did not appear at the trial; it is likely that several died under torture or were shot due to their intransigence.
Although the trial produced the convictions that Stalin desired, there were embarrassing moments that exposed the fraudulent nature of the testimony. Goltsman, for instance, testified that he had traveled to Copenhagen in 1932 to meet with Trotsky and Sedov at the Hotel Bristol. As it turned out, the hotel had been torn down in 1917 and rebuilt only in 1936. No such meeting ever took place.
Goltsman also testified that Trotskys call in an open letter to remove Stalin could only mean to kill him, rather than remove him through political means. As a Marxist, Trotsky had been a life-long opponent of individual terrorism; individual acts, no matter how heroic they seemed, could not serve as a substitute for the revolutionary action of the working class led by a revolutionary party. Claiming that Trotsky had embraced individual terrorism in the 1930s was a sign, as Trotsky explained, of totalitarian idiotism.
When the first Moscow Trial began, Trotsky was under virtual house arrest in Norway. Under pressure from the Soviet Union, the Norwegian Labor Party was attempting to muzzle Trotsky and prevent him from answering the slanders of the trial. A new voice soon emerged, however; Lev Sedov, Trotskys son, published in the Bulletin of the Opposition what was to become The Red Book on the Moscow Trial. Sedov meticulously examined the details of the trial and exposed them as a fraudulent attack on genuine revolutionaries.
By April 1937, Trotsky had organized a counter-trial in the form of the Dewey Commission in Mexico, where Trotsky was now located after expulsion from Norway. The voluminous refutation of the first two Moscow show trials (a second occurred in January 1937) is presented in the book Not Guilty. The two concluding points state: (22) We therefore find the Moscow trials to be frame-ups. (23) We therefore find Trotsky and Sedov not guilty.
In carrying out these trials, Joseph Stalin was launching an assault on the legacy and the actual leaders of the first successful socialist revolution. As the Bonapartist leader of an increasingly counterrevolutionary social layer, the Soviet bureaucracy, it was not enough for Stalin to expel these Old Bolsheviks from the party and persecute them with exile or imprisonment.
Opposition to the Stalin regime had been steadily growing throughout the 1930s in the wake of the reckless and unplanned collectivization of agriculture, break-neck industrialization, Hitlers coming to power in Germany in 1933, and increased social differentiation manifested in the unjustifiable privileges of the ruling Soviet and party bureaucracy. These were some of the disastrous consequences of Stalins repudiation of socialist internationalism and adoption of the nationalist and anti-Marxist program of socialism in one country.
By 1936, revolutionary conditions were emerging in France and Spain (the Spanish Civil War broke out on June 18) that could reawaken the long suppressed aspirations of the working class in the Soviet Union. The first Moscow Trial and the ensuing Great Terror were a preemptive strike against not just the Old Bolsheviks in general, but particularly against anyone associated with the Left Opposition that had been led by Leon Trotsky.
Stalin had organizationally defeated the Left Opposition by the Fifteenth Party Congress in December 1927. Some oppositionists capitulated soon after the congress, but thousands were expelled from the party and exiled to remote regions of the Soviet Union. Trotsky was exiled to distant Alma Ata in 1928, and then expelled from the Soviet Union in 1929. Stalin believed that, without an apparatus and with few material resources, Trotskys influence would rapidly fade. He could not have made a more profound error.
With the catastrophic defeat of the German working class marked by Hitlers coming to power in 1933the result of the opportunist and nationalist policies dictated by the Soviet bureaucracy and carried out by the leadership of the German Communist PartyTrotsky declared that the Third International under Stalins leadership was dead as a revolutionary organization. He issued the call to build a new, Fourth International, which was founded in September 1938.
In the five years leading up to 1938, Trotsky acknowledged that the work he was doing in preparing a new international was the most important of his entire life. In article after article, he exposed the bankruptcy of the Stalinist regime in order to educate advanced layers of the working class.
In 1936, just days before the first Moscow Trial, he finished his monumental book, Revolution Betrayed, which remains the most important Marxist analysis of the contradictions of Soviet society. In it, he explained that the working class would have to overthrow the Soviet bureaucracy in a political revolution and restore the program of world socialist revolution if the Soviet Union was to advance towards socialism. If the bureaucracy remained in power, the eventual result would be the restoration of capitalism, throwing the working class back decades. Above all, these battles would be fought out on the world arena in mass struggles of the international working class. Anticipating the revolutionary upheavals that would follow the impending world war, Trotsky was confident that Stalinism would be overcome.
The Moscow Trials, and the blood purges that followed, had a devastating impact, virtually annihilating the socialist elements in the working class and intelligentsia. The trials paved the way for the betrayals and defeats that followedthe suppression of the French general strike, the defeat of the Spanish Revolution, the Stalin-Hitler pact, the suppression of the postwar revolutionary upsurgeall of which culminated in Stalinisms final betrayal, the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the restoration of capitalism.
Today, all the unresolved political and social issues that led to the October revolution of 1917 are reemerging on a world scale. Understanding that Stalinism is not the continuation of October, but a counterrevolutionary reaction against it, is crucial to preparing for the revolutionary battles that lie ahead.
To learn more about the Moscow Trials, this author recommends the following works: Leon Sedov, The Red Book on the Moscow Trial (1936/1980); Max Shachtman, Behind the Moscow Trial (1936/1971); Vadim Rogovin, 1937: Stalins Year of Terror (1996/1998); Vadim Rogovin, Stalins Terror of 1937-1938: Political Genocide in the USSR (1997/2009) and David North, The Russian Revolution and the Unfinished Twentieth Century (2014).
In the third week of August, forces of United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), one of the main US military commands leading the pivot to Asia aimed to prepare for war with China, staged Operation Pacific Angel in Jaffna. Seventy military experts led by US soldiers from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Maldives joined the Sri Lankan Air Force in symbolic medical assistance and the repairing of schools.
Before this operation, in July, the USS New Orleans docked in Colombo harbour. The ship operating under USPACOM is deployed in a seven-month manoeuvre in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. During the stay in Colombo, US Marines conducted workshops and seminars with the Sri Lankan Navy on assisting victims of natural disasters. The USS New Orleans was the second ship to visit Colombo this year, after a March visit to Colombo by the US Seventh Fleet flagship, the USS Blue Ridge.
Under the pretext of medical assistance and reconstruction, Operation Pacific Angel is the first joint operation between the US and the Sri Lankan military, which slaughtered civilians and seized civilian lands in the North in fighting at the end of the Sri Lankan civil war against the Tamil-nationalist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Seven years after the end of the civil war, nearly 10,000 soldiers still occupy the North.
US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap, who launched the operation in Jaffna, invited Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Sampanthan and Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Chief Minister C. Wigneswaran to the event. In his speech, Kesap said, I am extremely honoured and grateful that my distinguished and learned friend, the Honourable Leader of the Opposition Mr. Sampanthan, is here tonight.
The TNA made use of this operation to spread illusions that US imperialism is promoting the welfare of the Tamil people.
TNA leader Sampanthan hailed the ouster of President Mahinda Rajapakse and his replacement by President Maithripala Sirisena in a US-backed regime-change operation last year: [The] Mahinda Rajapaksa regime could not remain in power due to its confrontation with the UN and the international community. The present government must keep that in mind. We would support the government only if it accepts the UN resolution.
In fact, Sampanthans warning is not directed against the government, for whom the TNA is a partner, but at Rajapakse, who is more closely oriented to China and is stoking ethnic Sinhala communalist politics to divert popular discontent with the government.
Sampanthan was sending a blunt message that, should any force in the Sri Lankan ruling elite emerge as an obstacle to US interests, the TNA would support a political attack on it by pointing out their role in the war crimes carried out at the end of the civil war. Sampanthans position is utterly hypocritical, however, insofar as it backs the Sirisena government, whose top officials were deeply implicated in the mass killings.
In his remarks, Sampanthan made no comments on serious allegations made by rehabilitated former LTTE fighters, that they were poisoned by the Sri Lankan state during their rehabilitation in military detention. At this time, they were injected with unidentified substances based on false pretencessuch as claims they were receiving an AIDS vaccine. At least 103 of them have died, and many have reported that they are sick.
These allegations are credible. The Sri Lankan government and military brutally massacred thousands of fleeing civilians and LTTE fighters during the final phase of the war in 2009; they would have had no compunction about poisoning prisoners in the rehabilitation outfits.
At the NPC meeting, C.Wigneswaran tried to exploit this issue to promote the US military, announcing that the visiting US medical team would examine the rehabilitated former LTTE fighters.
The real face of the humanitarian mission of Operation Pacific Angel came to light when one of Wigneswarans secretaries produced a group of rehabilitated fighters for examinations. The doctors refused to examine them. Later, the US embassy announced that the doctors did not possess proper medical equipment for such examinations.
The TNA and the Tamil nationalists are increasingly unpopular, and massive opposition is developing against their slavish support to the austerity politics of the government. They therefore tried to exploit popular concern about the former LTTE fighters to spread illusions in the humanitarian character of US imperialism and its puppet regime in Colombo.
Over 20 months in power, Sirisena and his United National Party (UNP)-led government unleashed a series of attacks against the working people of the island. They proposed a series of economic reforms that will devastate the working class and the poor. Already, farmers, students and unemployed graduates have protested against austerity. There were widespread protests against the increase of the Value Added Tax (VAT). The Sri Lankan Supreme Court ordered the proposed bill to be stopped, but the government plans to reintroduce it soon.
The East Asia Forum writes in its website that Colombo requires credible economic reformthat is, doing directly the bidding of the banks and international corporations. It suggests first, no more big public-sector salary hikes, no more price controls, and no more ad-hoc taxes. Second, the government must deliver tax reforms to increase tax revenues and radically simplified business regulations to speed up approvals for investment and project permits.
The TNAs hailing of Operation Pacific Angel comes amid escalating tensions in Colombo as Washington and Beijing struggle for influence on the island. Initially upon coming to power last year, the Sirisena regime tried to break ties with Chinasuspending the Colombo Port City project and cutting Chinese investment, despite the economic crisis. At the beginning of August, however, the government signed a new deal with the Chinese consortium to proceed.
The decision came after the visit of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to China in April. His visit primarily aimed to write off part of Chinas $8 billion dollar loans to Sri Lanka. This debt ballooned to 75 percent of Sri Lankas $82 billion gross domestic product during the last decade.
The struggle between the US and China for influence in Sri Lanka, and in particular the Sirisena regimes close ties to Washington, have become so manifest that they are even commented upon in the bourgeois media.
In an opinion piece, the Daily Mirror wrote, this Government has a foreign policy that can be written in a sentencesay aye to whatever India or the USA proposes to further their strategic, economic and other interests and submit to Chinas economic diktat.
Gadsden County activated its Emergency Operations Center this morning at 8am. The following information is in regards to preparedness as this storm should be taken very seriously! Governor Scott has issued an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency which includes Gadsden County.
We are asking all non-essential personnel and all citizens to be off the roads and in a safe environment by 7 pm today. GADSDEN COUNTY IS UNDER A HURRICANE WARNING and very strong winds are expected!!! Please ensure that your families are in a safe environment that has the ability to sustain very strong winds.
If you are preparing to endure the storm at home, please gather enough provisions for your entire family for at least three days. Food, water, emergency medical supplies and battery powered devices should be amongst the essential items.
We will respond to all emergencies that are safe enough to send personnel. Two additional ambulances for emergency response have been added. No emergency personnel (law enforcement, ambulance or fire) will respond to any emergency where winds are in excess of 45 mph.
COMMISSIONERS:
ERIC F. HINSON District 1 ANTHONY O. VIEGBESIE, PhD District 2 GENE MORGAN District 3 BRENDA A. HOLT District 4 SHERRIE D. TAYLOR District 5
ROBERT M. PRESNELL County Administrator
DAVID J. WEISS County Attorney
GADSDEN COUNTY Board of County Commissioners EDWARD J. BUTLER GADSDEN COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL COMPLEX
Once the storm has passed, we are poised to do what is necessary for a swift recovery. Again, please take this storm and the advisories very seriously and seek shelter immediately in a local shelter if needed.
ALL STATE AND COUNTY OFFICES WILL CLOSE TODAY AT 12PM AND WILL REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH OUT THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. ONLY ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL WILL BE AVAILABLE.
Gadsden County has activated shelters and we encourage everyone needing safe shelter to utilize these services. We strongly advise that if you live in a mobile home that you seek safe shelter as soon as possible.
SHELTERS
Gadsden County Shelters will open at 4 pm today. Currently the following shelters will be open:
East Gadsden High School o Serves Special Needs Patients o Transportation for Special Needs Patients should call (850)875-8672 o ALL SPECIAL NEEDS TRANSPORTATION WILL END AT 7PM
West Gadsden High School
No pets are allowed at any shelter and security will be on site.
TRANSPORTATION
The Gadsden County School Board will be providing transportation to the shelters. Buses will run at 4pm and 6pm at the following locations:
HAVANA o Old Havana Elementary Hwy 27 o Harveys Parking Lot Hwy 27
QUINCY o Piggly Wiggly Parking Lot Ben Bostick Road o Roses Parking Lot (Old IGA Parking lot) Hwy 90
GREENSBORO/CHATTAHOOCHEE/GRETNA o Sawdust Park Providence Road o Chattahoochee Elementary Maple Street o Mt. Pleasant Post Office Hwy 90 o Gretna City Hall Hwy 90
MIDWAY o Midway City Hall
SANDBAGS
Sandbags are being provided at the County pit located at Post Plant Road and Powerline Road Only 20 bags will be provided per person
9-B East Jefferson Street P. O. Box 1799Quincy, Florida 32353-1799 (850) 875-8650 (850) 875-8655 FAX www.gadsdencountyfl.gov
Again, we ask that everyone take this storm seriously and consider seeking safe shelter. We are expecting very strong winds that could produce falling debris, down power line and loss of power. All outdoor items should be secured or tied down to prevent from becoming airborne. Do not approach any downed power lines!!! Gadsden County Emergency Operations Center will provide information as it becomes available. For non-emergencys please call (850)875-8642.
For all emergencies please call 911
###
WAKULLA COUNTY, FL (WTXL) - The Wakulla County Emergency Management Team in coordination with County Administration is urging all residents in flood prone areas including those along the Sopchoppy and St. Marks Rivers to monitor flooding.
Steps should be taken to protect property. Significant rainfall is predicted by the National Weather Service Tallahassee. All residents in low lying areas should pay close attention to conditions and protect property as necessary.
PROTECT AGAINST LIFE-THREATENING RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE EXTENSIVE IMPACTS ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA AND SOUTH GEORGIA. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE:
- RIVERS AND ASSOCIATED TRIBUTARY CREEKS AND STREAM WILL RISE AND
OVERFLOW INTO THE FLOOD PLAIN. RUNOFF WILL PUT STRESS ON AREA
HOLDING PONDS AND DRAINAGE DITCHES, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD
OF WIDESPREAD URBAN FLOODING.
- FLOOD WATERS WILL IMPACT STRUCTURES IN LOW LYING AREAS, AS WELL
AS THOSE IN THE FLOOD PLAIN, POSSIBLY ENTERING BUILDINGS. URBAN
FLOODING WILL RESULT IN SEVERAL ROAD CLOSURES AND SOME
WASHOUTS DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE VERY DANGEROUS.
The state is again asking growers to submit information on the wages they are paying farmworkers so that fair wages can be set for temporary g
Washington State Court of Appeals decision on Daniel Blizzard's appeal of a murder conviction in the death of real estate broker Vern Holbrook.
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Officers searching for a suspect involved in a stolen handgun case closed several Yakima streets to traffic on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 31 2016
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LIBREVILLE- Gabon's president has narrowly won re-election, election officials said Wednesday, keeping alive a family dynasty in this oil-rich Central African country that reaches back to the 1960s. Clashes quickly broke out in the capital as opposition supporters claimed election fraud, looting and burning buildings.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba beat leading opposition candidate Jean Ping by just 1.57 percentage points, setting the stage for an almost certain challenge to the results.
Flames and smoke rose in the night sky from a large fire set to cars on a street in front of the National Assembly, according to residents nearby, who said that by late in the evening people had left the streets. Demonstrators in several other districts vandalized a mall, looted a bank and burned buildings, including one belonging to the vice prime minister, witnesses said.
ISBA has announced that Director General Mike Hughes will step down in the first quarter of 2017 after 10 years heading up the advertiser representative body.
ISBA President, Simon Litherland, CEO of Britvic plc, said: The ISBA Council is extremely grateful to Mike for his astute leadership of ISBA over the past decade. He has overseen growth of membership to its highest-ever level, with a significant expansion of benefits flowing to ISBA members. He has maintained ISBAs unique focus on protecting and furthering the interests of advertisers while ensuring that ISBA plays its full part in industry-wide initiatives. We wish him well.
Mike Hughes said: Ive really enjoyed the past 10 years and its now time to pass the torch and move on to the next chapter of life. I am immensely proud of the dedicated, professional ISBA team who deliver value day in, day out and particularly the execution of an ambitious growth strategy which has resulted in record membership and expansion of member benefits. I look forward to my successor taking ISBA on to the next level.
Mike joined ISBA in 2007, having spent over 30 years in senior marketing and general management roles at Unilever, Coca-Cola, Guinness and Bulmers plc, followed by involvement in a number of digital start-ups. He is also a member of the Brussels-based World Federation of Advertisers Executive Committee, where he holds the posts of Treasurer and Chair of the National Associations Council, as well as key UK industry bodies. He intends to take on non-executive roles in addition to helping an existing business to achieve an AIM listing.
The search for a successor has already been initiated under the auspices of the ISBA Nomination Committee reporting to the President, and is being handled by Hunter-Miller. An announcement is expected before the year-end.
CARACAS - White-clad opposition supporters from all corners of Venezuela were descending on Caracas on Thursday for rallies intended to press for a recall referendum this year against unpopular socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
With protesters coming in from the Amazon jungle to the western Andes, the opposition coalition hopes a million people will gather in a show of anger at Maduro and Venezuela's deep economic crisis.
Maduro, 53, says the opposition-dubbed 'Takeover of Caracas' disguises a US-fomented coup plan, akin to a short-lived 2002 putsch against his mentor and predecessor Hugo Chavez.
SYDNEY- Australia will expand its military action against ISIS in Syria and Iraq after amending its domestic laws, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday.
Australia joined the US-backed coalition against Islamic State in September 2014, and has steadily increased its military participation against the group that has repeatedly called for attacks against the United States and other Western countries.
However, Turnbull said Australia's role had been hamstrung by differences between domestic and international law, a loophole that his government would close with new legislation.
As 16 busses filled with people going to pray at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, their IDF escort got attacked by Molotov cocktails, rocks, and burning tires early Thursday morning.
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One of the soldiers was moderately wounded as a result of gunfire. The troops responded with crowd dispersal measures.
Prayers continues as planned, and the worshipers left once the prayers concluded.
The IDF force included soldiers from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Judea and Samaria Division police officers, and Israel Border Police.
Worshippers at Joseph's tomb
The soldier was injured at the entrance to Balata refugee camp which is located next to Joseph's tomb. He was evacuated to Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva and is in stable condition.
Meanwhile, IDF troops arrested six people in the West Bank overnight, including Hamas terrorists. Three were arrested in Hebron.
Israel also returned the body of terrorist Baha Aliyan, a terrorist who murdered three people and injured 20 on a bus in Jerusalem last October . According to Palestinian sources, the body was sent under the condition that only 25 family members would be present at his funeral, alongside a bail of NIS20,000. He will be buried in the Mujahidin cemetery in east Jerusalem.
Approximately 2.2 million Israeli students are returning to school Thursday, with 159,000 entering first grade. Meanwhile, 123,000 are ending their K-12 career.
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Education Minister Naftali Bennet (Bayit Yehudi) said that the new year has begun as usual, and only noted minor disruptions. He also spoke about his desire whereby there will be less than 30 students per classroom in first and second grades.
"Since the state was founded, the standard has been to have 40 students per class. We then set an upper limit whereby there would be up to 34 students per class, and 32 in weaker communities."
Naftali Bennet and his family on the first day of school
Only a few schools aren't starting on Thursday. Two schools in Jerusalem Beit Ya'akov in the Neve Ya'akiv neighborhood and Beit Ya'akov in the Givat Shaul neighborhood will open on Sunday due to repairs being done to the buildings. Other schools which aren't starting today are in Kiryat Motzkin where the school will only have three first grade classes as opposed to four and the parents have instituted a strikes and in Tira and Segev Shalom.
Additional schools not opening are in Tira, Daburriya, Kafr Kuseife, Kiryat Atta, and Rehovot.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai takes his grandkids to school (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Approximately 180,000 educators work in the Israeli school system, including 9,000 of whom who are teaching for the first time; 4,000 will be primary school teachers, 2,600 will be high school teachers, and 1,300 will be kindergarten teachers. About 7,500 of the new teachers are women.
The new school year will start under the theme of "United Jerusalem," and will include several statements by the education minister himself.
Ashdod Mayor Yehiel Lasri opens up the school year
The new school year will see a new initiative to improve English education, and will see several of the Biton Commission recommendations be put into place. There will also be more classes in high school about the history of Jews of Arab decent. Students will also tour development towns and Moshavs.
Education Minister Bennet said in his year opening statement to Israeli students that "we've worked hard over the last summer and we're well prepared. Starting last year, we've made a sharp turn to try to make the education system more personalized via smaller class sizes, teachers' aides, a revolution in teaching math, and with national programs in English language instruction. We did all of this in conjunction with the Biton Commission to connect the different sectors of Israeli nation, and in conjunction with the Year of Jerusalem, which will begin soon.
LIBREVILLE/ACCRA, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping said on Thursday one person was killed and many wounded when the presidential guard and police attacked his party's headquarters overnight after an election narrowly won by President Ali Bongo.
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Ping called for international assistance to protect the population of the oil-producing state and said Saturday's election was stolen by
Bongo, who was declared the winner on Wednesday.
The result gives the president a further seven years in power in the country of 1.8 million people. Bongo took power in 2009 on the death of his father, who had ruled for 42 years.
Opposition supporters greeted the election result with anger. Demonstrators in the capital Libreville clashed with police and set part of the parliament building on fire.
Gabonese military suppressing opposition riots (Photo: AFP)
Police also fired teargas in clashes with around 100 opposition supporters, according to a Reuters witness.
Spokesmen for the police and the presidential guard were not immediately available for comment.
"Everybody knows that I won the election," Ping said in a telephone interview, adding that the electoral commission's figures were based on false documents.
"The (Bongo) family are repeating same scenario for almost half a century. The opposition can win the elections but they have never had access to power... We need assistance from the rest of the world to protect the population of Gabon from a clan of mercenaries, a rogue state," he said.
Gabonese soldiers looking for revolting opposition supporters (Photo: AFP)
France, the United States and the European Union all urged calm and called upon Gabonese authorities to release the results of individual polling stations for greater transparency, while the United Nations also urged restraint.
Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes against 48.23 percent for Ping, on a turnout of 59.46 percent, according to results given region by region by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.
"This victory by such a tight score obliges ... each of us to respect the verdict of the ballot box and our institutions," Bongo said in the text of a victory speech distributed to reporters.
Ping, a political insider who has served as foreign minister and African Union Commission chairman, was a close ally of the late president and fathered two children with his daughter.
Gabonese opposition supporter lies on the ground injured (Photo: AFP)
His avenue for contesting the result appeared uncertain. Elections in Africa are frequently disputed but it is unusual for results to be overturned.
Ping said he was not calling on his supporters to protest because they were already under so much pressure from authorities. He said he feared arms would be planted in his party headquarters and he could be arrested as a result.
There was no independent confirmation of events at the headquarters.
"LACK OF TRANSPARENCY"
Voting was peaceful but the election followed a bitter campaign in which both sides traded accusations of fraud. Several Libreville residents said social media, including Facebook and Twitter, were not functioning.
An EU observer mission criticised a "lack of transparency" among institutions running the election and said Bongo had benefited from preferential access to money and the media.
The Gabonese capital Libreville burns following disputed elections (Photo: AFP)
Former colonial ruler France's foreign ministry said the way in which the results were announced was a source of concern.
"We think it is necessary to publish the results of all the polling stations. The credibility of the election as well as Gabon's international reputation are at stake," it said.
The statement was echoed by the US Department of State, which urged all sides to "temper their rhetoric and encourage their supporters to remain calm". It also called upon Gabon's security forces to exercise restraint.
A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he called "on all political leaders to address their differences peacefully and to address any disputes they may have through existing constitutional and legal channels".
Gabon and Israel established diplomatic relations upon the former's independence in 1960. Following a brief cut in ties due to OPEC pressure during the Yom Kippur War, Israel and Gabon re-established relations in 1993, and have since established warm relations. Gabon was a member of the UN Security Council in 2011 and abstained from voting on Palestinian statehood.
The school year began on Thursday morning with a protest at the Shevah Mofet high school in Tel Aviv against plans to turn it into an educational facility for asylum seekers, a decision that also led to a clash between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai.
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The Tel Aviv municipality announced last week that starting the next school year, the school, with 75% of its students coming from outside Tel Aviv, will stop accepting students who are not residents of the city. This will be done to make room for students who live in southern Tel Avivmost of them children of asylum seekers and illegal migrantsto attend the school.
The school's students and teachers decided to protest the decision, calling out "You don't close a school with 100 percent graduation rates." They waved signs that said: "We won't evacuate our home" and "Don't replace a winning team." The protest ended at 10am, allowing classes to begin.
Students protest at Shevah Mofet (Photo: Lior Paz)
"There is a bad atmosphere, but on the other hand we also know how to put this aside and begin the school year," said Max Sivan, the principal of Shevah Mofet. "This isn't just a school. There's a culture here, a long history, including a history of international achievements. This needs to be protected, this is a national asset. It's not just another school. I'm willing to take in any student, but don't ruin what we have."
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his objection to turning the school into "an educational institution for infiltrators," supporting the position of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
This angered Tel Aviv Mayor Huldai, who responded with a harsh statement. "Unfortunately, despite the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality's requests to the prime minister, he chooses to release messages like a common internet commentator, instead of dealing with the problem of foreigners that he himself was among those responsible for," he said.
Netanyahu visiting a school in Tamra on the first day of school (Photo: Zohar Shahar)
The Prime Minister's Office responded to this, saying "The Tel Aviv mayor and municipality need to be ashamed of the of the fact such an excellent educational institution is set to close, and for the inappropriate language of their statement. Thanks to the prime minister's policy, over 20,000 infiltrators willingly left Israel over the past decade. The prime minister will continue with this policy."
The Tel Aviv municipality responded to that, by saying "it was him (Huldai) who nurtured Shevah Mofet, as a way to help the immigrant populationand this he had done without help from the government.
"Huldai believes a different place can be found so Shevah Mofet can continue its praiseworthy activity, and there has already been a request made to the Education Ministry and the Amal school chain on the matter. Such a solution will not come to be on Facebook, and that was the reason for the mayor's harsh response.
"The municipality understands the parents' concerns, but the school is not going to close its doors in the coming years anyway, and all students currently attending it could graduate. There is also no objection to having the school continue its operations from another location."
Tel Aviv Mayor Huldai accompanies his grandson on the first day of school (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
A close confidant of Huldai accused Netanyahu of "not even knowing the facts. We don't know where the 20,000 infiltrators that left thanks to the prime minister's policies left fromcertainly not from Tel Aviv."
Culture Minister Miri Regev, of Netanyahu's Likud party, decided to join in on the exchange of accusations, opining that "Huldai has abandoned the neighborhood and its residents."
Education Minister Naftali Bennett sided with Huldai, telling Ynet on Thursday morning that "It's important to clarify that there is no demographic change at the school at the moment. There are certain intentions or ideas from the municipality in that regard. The goal we all stive for is to keep Shevah Mofet running in the same way as it has been so far. On the other hand, we're obligated to follow the law and provide education."
Elvyra Kolihman, a member of the school's parents' committee, explained the decision to hold their protest on the first day of school. "We want to stress that until the mayor sits with us and we reach an agreement that the school won't change in the coming yearsthe fight will continue. This is a fight for the future of the school. We want to ensure that every child in the State of Israel that wants to go to this schooland feels like this is the best educationcould do so. This is an excellent school that must not be closed or change its way of operations. The prime minister made it clear that the best solution is to leave the school as it is, and that's what should happen."
Parents also protest at Shevah Mofet (Photo: Avi Mualem)
Students also took part in the protest. "We're protesting because we don't want them to change our school," says Itay Morbiya, who is starting his final year of high school. "I want my brothers to have the same education I had, with teachers who don't give up on you. I have friends who come here from Ashkelon and Ariel because they want to succeed; they want a good high school diploma. We shouldn't ruin this."
On Wednesday night, dozens of protesters arrived in south Tel Aviv to demonstrate against Huldai, calling him a "traitor" and carrying signs with his photo and the writing "Criminal." The protesters eventually took to burning photos of the mayor.
Protesters burn signs with the likeness of Mayor Huldai (Photo: Yariv Katz)
Protesters burn signs with the likeness of Mayor Huldai (Photo: Yariv Katz)
On Thursday morning, the CEO of the Ort school chain Tzvi Peleg turned to the head of the Tel Aviv municipality's Education Department, Shirley Rimon, suggesting a framework for Ort to take in asylum seekers' children this year.
"Ort Israel believes in giving equal opportunities in education to every child in Israel," Peleg said. "We're prepared to take in these students."
Efforts are being made to arrange a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama in September after the Israeli leader addresses the UN General Assembly.
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Netanyahu is scheduled to land in New York on September 21 and, in addition to his speech at the General Assembly, is expected to meet with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and participate in a meeting between European heads of state.
The Israeli embassy in Washington is currently discussing with the White House whether it would be possible for Netanyahu to fly from New York to Washington and meet with President Obama.
Netanyahu and Obama meet at the White House (Photo: AFP)
The idea was also raised that if such a meeting were to take place, Netanyahu could sign a military aid package deal for the next decade. Indeed, the Israeli prime minister has already declared his inetrest in signing the agreement prior to the conclusion of Obamas presidency.
The US and Israeli discussions on the deal have already been underway for a number of months. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman met with US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter in Washington in June and despite acknowledging disagreements, he has estimated that the deal could be signed before The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana) on October 2.
Whether the outcome of the deal could be adversely affected by Israels Wednesday announcement to retroactively approve hundreds of new housing units in the West Bank, is yet to be seen.
Netanyahu and Obama meet at the White House (Photo: AP)
The Obama administration did, however, makes its opinion known when a White House spokesperson, Josh Earnest, heaped criticism on Israels decision.
This significant expansion of the settlement activity poses a serious and growing threat to the viability of a two state solution, said Earnest on Wednesday
We are particularly troubled by the policy of retroactively approving illegal outposts and unauthorized settlements, he continued.
Seventy years after the most daring attempt of Jewish Holocaust survivors to seek revenge against their former tormentors, the leader of the plot has only one simple regret that to his knowledge he didn't actually succeed in killing any Nazis.
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Joseph Harmatz is one of the few remaining Jewish "Avengers" who carried out a mass poisoning of former SS men in an American prisoner-of-war camp in 1946 that sickened more than 2,200 Germans but ultimately caused no known deaths. A recently declassified U.S. military report obtained by The Associated Press has only added to the mystery of why the brazen operation did not kill Nazis, because it shows the amount of arsenic used should have been fatal to tens of thousands.
Still, the 91-year-old Harmatz says the message echoed into a rallying cry for the newborn state of Israel that the days when attacks on Jews went unanswered were over.
"We didn't want to come back (to pre-state Israel) without having done something, and that is why we were keen," Harmatz said in a hoarse, whispery voice from his apartment in north Tel Aviv.
Despite a visceral desire for vengeance, most Holocaust survivors were too weary or devastated to seriously consider it, after their world was shattered and 6 million Jews killed during World War II. For most, merely rebuilding their lives and starting new families was revenge enough against a Nazi regime that aimed to destroy them. For others, physical retribution ran counter to Jewish morals and traditions. For even more, the whole concept of reprisals seemed pointless given the sheer scope of the genocide.
Former Avenger Joseph Hameratz in his Tel Aviv home (Photo: AP)
But a group of some 50, most young men and women who had already fought in the resistance could not let the crimes go unpunished and actively sought to exact at least a small measure of revenge. The Nuremberg trials were prosecuting some top Nazis, but the Jewish people had no formal representative. There was a deep sense of justice denied, as the vast majority of Nazis immersed themselves back into a post-war Germany that was being rebuilt by the Americans' Marshall plan.
While there were some isolated acts of Jews harming individual Nazis after the war, the group, codenamed Nakam, Hebrew for vengeance, sought a more comprehensive form of punishment.
"We didn't understand why it shouldn't be paid back," said Harmatz, who was nicknamed Julek, and lost most of his family in the Holocaust.
So the group set out with a simple mission.
"Kill Germans," Harmatz said flatly.
How many?
"As many as possible," he quickly replied.
The first plan of action described by Harmatz was audacious. Initiated by the resistance fighter and noted Israeli poet Abba Kovner, the idea was to poison the water supply of Nuremberg, a plot that could have potentially killed hundreds of thousands.
But there were deep reservations even among the Avengers that such an operation would kill innocent Germans and undermine international support for the establishment of Israel. Either way, when Kovner sailed for Europe with the poison, he drew suspicion from British authorities and was forced to toss it overboard before he was arrested.
Following that setback, attention shifted toward Plan B, a more limited operation that specifically targeted the worst Nazi perpetrators. Undercover members of the group found work at a bakery that supplied the Stalag 13 POW camp at Langwasser, near Nuremberg, and waited for their chance to strike the thousands of SS men the Americans held there.
It came on Apr. 13, 1946. Using poison procured from one of Kovner's associates, three members spent two hours coating some 3,000 loaves of bread with arsenic, divided into four portions. The goal was to kill 12,000 SS personnel, and Harmatz oversaw the operation from outside the bakery.
While the mass death count of the first plan would have been disastrous for the Jewish people, the second's more direct route was easier to accept, since its targets were the worst of the worst, said Dina Porat, the chief historian at Israel's Yad Vashem memorial. She has written a biography of Kovner and is about to publish another book on the Avengers themselves.
"The terrible tragedy was about to be forgotten, and if you don't punish for one crime, you will get another," she explained. "This is what was driving them, not only justice but a warning, a warning to the world that you cannot hurt Jews in such a manner and get away with it."
Even if they were ultimately unsuccessful, she said, the Avengers' act was seeped with symbolism for a burgeoning state of Israel fighting for its survival in a hostile region.
"What is Zionism? Zionism is the Jews taking their fate in their own hands and not letting the others dictate our fate," she said. "This is what they wanted to show. You cannot get away with such a terrible deed."
Under German regulations, authorities in Nuremberg later investigated Harmatz and Leipke Distal, who worked undercover in the bakery for months, after they appeared in a 1999 television documentary and revealed details of the operation.
The prosecutors, in the uncomfortable position of having to investigate Holocaust survivors trying to kill Nazis, eventually concluded that even though there was an attempted murder they would not file charges because of the "extraordinary circumstances."
According to previously classified files from the U.S. military's Counter Intelligence Corps, which investigated the 1946 incident and which the Nuremberg prosecutors did not have access to, the amount of arsenic used should have been enough to cause a massive number of deaths. The files were obtained by the AP through a Freedom of Information Act request to the National Archives.
In one memo from 1947 stamped "confidential," investigators write that at the bakery they found "three empty hot water bottles and a burlap bag containing four full hot water bottles." An analysis of the contents "revealed that they contained enough arsenic mixed with glue and water to kill approximately 60,000 persons."
Another confidential report said a chemist called in to help in the investigation had determined "10 kilo of pure arsenic was present, mixed with water and glue for adhesive purposes."
The bread factory where the Avengers worked (Photo: AP)
Laboratory investigators found arsenic on the bottom, top and sides of the bread, and reported that doctors said the SS men exhibited symptoms "similar to cholera and included vomiting, diarrhea and skin rashes." The report added that the most amount of arsenic found on a loaf was 0.2 grams which fell well within the range of 0.1-0.3 grams that would be 'in most cases lethal."
To this day, it remains a mystery as to why the poison failed to kill Nazis. The prevailing theory is that the plotters in their haste spread the poison too thinly. Another is that the Nazi prisoners immediately sensed something was off with the bread and therefore no one ingested enough of it to die.
After the attack, Harmatz, Distal and others had to flee quickly. At the border of Czechoslovakia they were met by Yehuda Maimon, an Auschwitz survivor from Poland who lost his parents in the camps and decided to join Nakam shortly after escaping a death march. He was responsible for smuggling the group out safely and bribing officials at the border. From there, they slipped into Italy before migrating for good to the Holy Land.
From the retirement home outside Tel Aviv where his grandchildren frequently visit him, the 92-year-old Maimon, who goes by the nickname Poldek, fixes a steely gaze with his piercing blue eyes. He looks back with satisfaction at carrying out his "duty" for revenge before starting anew in Israel.
"It was imperative to form this group. If I am proud of something it is that I belonged to this group," he said. "Heaven forbid if after the war we had just gone back to the routine without thinking about paying those bastards back. It would have been awful not to respond to those animals."
Sgt. Elor Azarias defense teams continued to call witnesses to the dock Thursday morning as legal proceeding continued in a special military court in Jaffa.
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Azaria was indicted for manslaughter after he was captured on camera shooting the already- neutralized Palestinian terrorist Abed al Fatah al-Sharif to death in Hebron.
Sgt. Elor Aazaria in court (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
The first witness called to the stand was Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic, Zahi Yahav, who was present at the scene. Yahav described the scene as chaotic, noting that during his 22 years in MDA he could not recall an incident of comparable disorder.
There were screams of life-threatening danger, the terrorist is moving, knife, he could be boobytrapped, dont go near him until the sappers arrive, stand back, Yahav said.
MDA paramedic Zahi Yahav (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Theses are the shouts which I remember hearing. They caused me to speed up and escape from the area as quick as possible. I was under a lot of pressure...I ran because I was frightened that I would be blown up. I was genuinely scared of an explosion.
Elaborating on the fear of an explosive device, Yahav said that warnings were published every day about potential strikes of this kind: The threat exists all the time and we, as paramedics, cannot ignore it," he continued.
"In this intifada, or however you refer to it, I was always waiting for this kind of explosion and I wondered why 14-year-old children were sent to fight against a large and strong army with soldiers and guns. I thought that this boy must be the opening of a larger ambush of terrorists or explosions planted in the area. That is what was in my head and that is why I feared that there could be an explosion.
The testimony comes four days after the proceedings resumed and Azarias defense team called Lt. Col. (res.) Eliyahu Liebman, who has served as the Chief Security Officer in Hebron for the last 22 years and has been the recipient of a medal of honor from former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, to the witness box. Liebman too, described concerns of the terrorist exploding.
One day later, the first military officer, Lt. 'M' also corroborated Azarias defense claims, recalling how he had instructed his soldiers to stand away from the terrorist fearing that he might explode himself.
DIYARBAKIR, TURKEY - On Aug. 24, Turkish tanks crossed into Jarablus, a Syrian border town, to drive out ISIS militants. The Kurds, however, believe this action, called Operation Euphrates Shield, is actually targeting them. Caglar Demirel, the parliamentary group deputy chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), said in an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth that she believes Turkey is not sincere in its fight against ISIS.
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They claim they are fighting ISIS across the border, but if they were actually doing this, they would first do something about the ISIS network on our (Turkish) soil, she said. Turkish officials stated that the Syrian operation aims to clear all terrorists. Ankara has long accused the Syrian Kurdish YPG, or the Kurdish People's Protection Units, of being linked to the PKK, where it considers a terror organization.
ISIS has targeted Kurds in Turkey at least four or five times since the June 2015 general election. The latest was a horrific attack on a wedding party in Gaziantep just a week ago that killed more than 50 guests, including 29 children. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Gaziantep on Sunday to pay his condolences, but Demirel argues, it is an empty gesture.
This dishonest approach is deeply troubling to the Kurdish psyche. Though Erdogan never accepted the HDP as a partner to peace during negotiations with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, Kurds were happy about the talks in general, and fighting ceased for a while.
But Erdogan didnt seem to get what he wanted, and the talks derailed. What really happened is still something of a mystery, but HDP vowed not to help Erdogan transform the countrys government into the presidential system he wants. The PKK lost by bringing the fight into urban areas, even though the HDP topped the 10-percent national threshold for parliamentary representation for the first time ever. Then things got out of control.
Kurds believe those behind the coup, known as the Fethullah Gulen Terror Organization (FETO), targeted the peace talks early on. They leaked voice recordings of the Oslo talks between Hakan Fidan who was serving as Erdogans special representative - and the PKK. Kurds believe the FETO establishment invited Fidan to testify about the leaked recordings, effectively ending the first round of the talks. The second round started to go badly when members of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella organization controlled by the PKK, were arrested.
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Since the failed coup on July 15, thousands in state institutions from the military to the judiciary, from media to academia, have either been arrested or had their contracts suspended. The government blamed a long list of events on the Gulenists, including the downing of a Russian jet for briefly violating the Turkish air space.
The one thing Ankara did not blame on the Gulen terror group, however, is the deadly devastation in Kurdish towns since the last general election. For 90 days, we watched the Sur neighborhood get demolished by tank fire, said Murat Akincilar, head of the Diyarbakir Institute for Political and Social Research (DISA). The irony is that it was Adem Huduti, the commander of the Second Army, who ordered the flattening of these neighborhoods. Today, he's getting arrested as a member of the Gulen terror group. He was called a hero for doing what he did in the Sur neighborhood or in Yuksekova up until just a week ago."
"Kurds had already been living poorly long before the attempted coup, which is why they didnt hit the streets to protest," Akincilar continued. "Many have grown indifferent to violence, unable to bear any more. When it turned out that Gulenists were behind the plot and that the violence was illegal, Kurds became convinced that Turkey will never be free of the coup threat until the Kurdish issue is resolved.
The government has imposed curfews six times on Diyarbakir's Sur neighborhood since September 2015, when about 50 young men affiliated with the PKK dug ditches and declared their autonomy. The last of the curfews began on Dec. 2, 2015 and lasted for 103 consecutive days though some of these affected neighborhoods suffered much longer, and were finally freed on May 22, 2016.
"(My) shop was closed for over six months," said Ahmet Erdem, a shop owner in this neighborhood. "I take care of three families including my two sons and their families. Thank goodness all of us are alive, but we are near dead economically. The PKK should not have brought this fighting here."
Kurdish soldiers fighting ISIS (Photo: MCT)
In the end, Akincilar says over 300 people have been killed in Sur alone 84 of them children and almost 2 million people in the surrounding area have been forced to leave their homes and are now facing winter with no place to live.
The Kurdish view of the events of July 15 from Diyarbakir is that they lost many lives and suffered scores of wounded months ago, only to have no one in Ankara admit that they too are victims of FETO.
Kurds feel let down by their fellow Turkish citizens. The people in Ankara dont care about us; they want us all killed or to disappear, said Hidir, a street vendor. You seem to care, but how much? Do the rest give a damn what happens to us? Does anyone really care what it means for us to live free as Kurds?
Diyarbakir was mysteriously calm and uneventful during the two days I was there, but unlike my previous visit in June to observe what happened after the curfew for the Sur neighborhood was lifted; police and riot control vehicles were at every square and corner almost every 10 feet. A heavy state presence was signified by Turkish flags all over town on these police vehicles.
No one in Ankara sees things as we see them from here, Demirel said during an interview at the HDPs Diyarbakir office. We lived it, and we paid the price. The moment they accept there is a link between the arrested commanders and the events here, we will ask them to lift the curfews in places like Sirnak and elsewhere. We will ask the government to claim responsibility for what happened. But, of course, they wont do that.
Second Army Commander Adem Huduti, Diyarbakir Gendarmerie Regional Commander Samil Turkozkan and Diyarbakir Gendarmerie Commander Ceyhun Keles were arrested after the coup attempt, and charged with treason as members of the Gulen terror group. They have played key roles in executing militarist policies in Kurdish towns.
Protests in Diyarbarkir (Photo: AFP)
We told the government numerous times before July 15 that if you strengthen militaristic forces, if you make them immune from any sort of accountability, it will come to bite you in the end, HDP deputy Demirel said. They ignored our warning and now they pay the price. They published a new law in the Official Gazette on July 14 which giving commanders free reign to kill people without any fear of accountability. They went beyond the events of the 1990s. At least we knew then when these things happened it was against the law. The law provides legal protection to soldiers taking part in anti-terror operations and grants the Turkish army to launch military operations in urban areas.
Diyarbakir businessman Sah Ismail Bedirhanogullari, however, has been critical of HDP policies. They all need to understand that Erdogan is here to stay, he said. Whoever tried to bring him down has been unsuccessful. We the Kurds are not part of this, and there is no reason for the HDP to constantly go against him and bring his fire down upon us. The state has always tried to use scare tactics by lifting the immunity of the Kurdish deputies. But they are doing just enough to take the heat off the publics expectations.
Demirel said they demand that immunity should be lifted for all deputies except their privileged status of openly expressing their views at public parliament meetings. With these cases against our co-chairs, they are trying to punish a form of thinking, and that cannot be acceptable in a democracy, she said.
Bayram Bozyel, Deputy Chair of pro-Kurdish Rights and Freedoms Party (HAK-PAR), is also critical of HDPs policies. According to Bozyel, HDP ignored the rest of the Kurdish voices in the peace process and the government made a big mistake by putting Ocalan at the center of the negotiations. You can talk with the PKK about the ending the fighting, but the Kurdish issue was there before the PKK was founded, and will be there until we decide to resolve it, he said. This issue cannot be boiled down to one man or one party.
One way or the other though, everyone who discussed this issue said the government could send a big message to Kurds by ending the sp;itary confinement of Ocalan since April 2015 and allowing him to see his family and lawyers. It will help a lot to ease the tension on the streets, Demirel said.
Kurdish protests in Diyarbarkir (Photo: AP)
Many seem to have adopted a sort of forced optimism, reading every single statement as though theyre tea leaves. Privately, a number of people expressed hope for a renewed peace process. It will certainly happen sooner or later, and what the sides are doing now is trying to achieve the best bargaining position, said one Kurd who asked to remain anonymous. They will find a way in the darkest moment and we will take it from there. I just hope that enough funerals have taken place already before we get there.
Despite all the pain and suffering, I believe the Gulenist cleansing will help to tamp down future provocations in the next round of peace talks, said Akincilar of DISA. The Gulenists needed government backing to kill as many Kurds as they could here, and then once all resistance is broken, they would find a way to win peoples hearts. They did a similar negotiation with the Erdogan camp; they would introduce a kind of New Age religion to take control of the state and rule by this religious doctrine. If the Erdogan camp said no to this kind of bargaining, whatever mistakes Erdogan has made until now are irrelevant he is on the right path now.
Kurds seem to be unsure what to feel about Erdogan, as though their approach toward him could change even with one small conversation. The only thing they know for sure is that they dont want their hopes for peace to perish. The best resolution to the Kurdish issue will be to settle the country under a federal system, and that is not the same as accepting Erdogans presidential system, Bozyel said. We all need to really sit down and talk together to find a common path to strengthen our unity and the well-being of our people.
Over 60 Kurdish intellectuals recently released a written statement saying they are willing to assume responsibility for ensuring peace talks resume. In the words of Akincilar, Kurds dont feel comfortable criticizing the PKK, in the same way that Turks feel limited in criticizing the army. But everyone who spoke about this issue to Yedioth Ahronoth openly resented the PKK bringing fighting to urban areas and the deaths of their loved ones. People are looking for a new way forward.
Call for Papers/Presentations for the Academic Forum organized by the St. John's University's School of Risk Management, in collaboration with IAIS
The Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation (CSIR) of St. John's University's School of Risk Management, in collaboration with the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), hosts a one-day academic forum to discuss the IAIS Risk-based Global Insurance Capital Standard (ICS) and would like to invite academicians for presentation of their research findings.
Once adopted, the ICS will apply to internationally active insurance groups (IAIGs) as part of the IAIS' common framework (ComFrame) for the supervision of IAIGs.
This forum is open to invited speakers and guests only. Interested professors and industry researchers may refer to ICS documents at http://www.iaisweb.org/page/supervisory-material/insurance-capitalstandard and submit a letter of intent to present research findings related to the ICS.
The letter of intent must be submitted by September 9, 2016.
The organizers will notify successful applicants by September 30, 2016.
Presentation based on a (working) paper is recommended but not required.
Submissions and inquiries should be directed to Prof. W. Jean Kwon at KwonW@stjohns.edu.
Priority will be given to research focused on the questions contained in the ICS consultation document, particularly those related to calibration, valuation issues (eg discount options and reference methods), specification of margins, risk aggregation/diversification and technical aspects of the specifications for capital requirements and qualifying capital resources.
About the IAIS . Established in 1994, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors is a voluntary membership organization of insurance supervisors and regulators from more than 200 jurisdictions in nearly than 140 countries. It is the international standard setting body responsible for developing and assisting in the implementation of principles, standards and other supporting material for the supervision of the insurance sector. The IAIS also provides a forum for Members to share their experiences and understanding of insurance supervision and insurance markets. In recognition of its collective expertise, the IAIS is routinely called upon by the G20 leaders and other international standard setting bodies.
About the School of Risk Management and the CSIR . Located in Manhattan, the School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (formerly, The College of Insurance) is one of the oldest and most distinguished insurance education and research institutions in the world, housing the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Library, one of the world's largest collections of risk and insurance materials. Its Center for the Study of Insurance Regulation, established in 2013, offers a forum for candid discourse on the subject of insurance regulation among business leaders, government officials, educators and others involved in developing and implementing public policy affecting the business of insurance in the U.S. and globally.
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ISLAMABAD- Pakistan's military says a key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has reopened nearly two weeks after it was closed in response to Afghan protesters burning the Pakistani flag at a border rally.
At a Thursday news conference, army spokesman Lf. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa says the decision to reopen the border was made after Afghan officials apologized over the incident near the Pakistani border town of Chaman.
The Chaman border crossing is used by thousands of people daily to visit relatives.
Police Commissioner Roni Roni Alsheikh is expected to meet Thursday evening in Tel Aviv with leaders of the Ethiopian community in an effort to calm tension which ensued following his controversial statements made Tuesday
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During an Israel Bar Association (IBA) conference, Alsheikh told listeners that it was natural for police to suspect someone of Ethiopian descent more than somebody from a different ethnic background.
However, it is not yet clear whether anybody will actually show up to the meeting in light of Alsheikhs persistent refusal to apologize for his remarks. Indeed, a large number of those asked to attend have already declined the invitation.
Roni Alsheikh (Photo: Tzvika Tischler)
I dont see the point in meeting with the police commissioner until he understands the consequences of his words. I am one of the people who think that he doesnt need to be fired but he tarnished us all with the same brush, said former Yesh Atid MK Pnina Tamano-Shata.
The commissioner has to understand that we are not new immigrants and it is time to change the discourse, she added.
One person who has agreed to attend the reconciliation meeting is Fantun Asfa-Duyet, the director of the NGO Tebeka, whose mission statement is Advocacy for Equality and Justice for Ethiopian-Israelis.
I asked the police commissioner to apologize to the community during a personal conversation that he had with me and I told him that if he says sorry then the story will be put behind us. But instead of doing so, the commissioner said to me that his words had been taken out of context, said Asfa-Duyet.
Alsheikh did undertake efforts to minimize the damage caused by his words by calling a number of activists from the Ethiopian community to clarify his words. However, remained adamant that no apology would be forthcoming.
Illustration: Ethiopias protests against racism (Motti Kimchi)
I do not intend to say sorry. Indeed, the things that I said and the style in which they were said were perhaps not the best but I feel that I am being ambushed, he is reported to have said. I am not in a depression but I believe that the injustice needs to be fixed for the community and we are doing this.
An individual close to Alsheikh came to his defense Wednesday night: It seems to me that someone was looking to cause trouble for the commissioner at the IBA conference and tried to cause a storm, he said.
Following Alsheikhs comments, Ethiopians demonstrated outside the home of Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan who immediately signalled his support for the police chief. The police commissioner did not justify the phenomenon of over-policing against Israelis. He has done the exact opposite and boldly stated that there is a problem and the police is working to fix it.
JARABLUS- The silhouette of an ISIS fighter on a rearing horse, a black flag in his hand and a saber by his side is among the disappearing traces of the jihadists' grip on this Syrian border town a week after Turkish-backed rebels swept in.
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Murals scrawled on walls by the ultra-hardline Islamists who ran Jarablus for three years are gradually being covered with blue paint.
Children play again in dusty streets, their hair matted with sweat and dirt, while women hang laundry outside buildings on the edge of
town, some of them half-destroyed.
"It is ecstasy," said Husyein Kakmaz, 46, a Jarablus resident who made his living as a driver before ISIS seized the town, nestled in hazelnut and olive groves on the border with Turkey.
Turkish soldier in Jarablus (Photo: AP)
"Life was not life. There were so many prohibitions, no smoking, women couldn't show their faces," he said, speaking Turkish and describing life under the jihadist group.
Syrian rebels, mostly Arab and Turkmen, swept into Jarablus last Wednesday in an incursion backed by Turkish special forces, tanks and jets, an operation meant to drive ISIS from the town and surrounding territory and to prevent Kurdish militia fighters from seizing control in their wake.
A week on, there is little sign of the Turkish military presence. Syrian rebel fighters, some in camouflage fatigues and sandals, others in civilian clothes, are the ones in control, patrolling on motorbikes and in flat-bed Toyota trucks.
Celebratory gunfire rang out as some of the young rebels shot into the air and flashed victory signs, wanting their pictures taken and showing off for a gaggle of mostly Turkish TV cameras on a visit facilitated by the Turkish government.
The rebels and their Turkish backers announced they were in control of Jarablus within hours of mounting their operation last week, but the town still sits on the edge of a highly active war zone. Three Turkish soldiers were wounded on Tuesday after their tank came under fire west of Jarablus.
Turkish tanks going into Jarablus (Photo: AFP)
Yasin Darvish, a doctor in a small, dingy clinic, said the jihadists had taken everything as they fled, leaving barely enough supplies to treat the wounded. Food and medical aid have been brought in from Turkey.
"They took every piece of equipment so the hospital is empty. There are just emergency supplies and not even an X-ray machine," he said, adding 30 patients had been brought in on Wednesday alone, some with injuries from landmines.
"They even took the oven."
Bread and drinkable water are in short supply in the once-thriving trading town and there is little sign of commercial life. Children burned a pile of rubbish on a street corner under the blistering heat.
"There's no bread, no electricity, because they took everything when they fled. They took the generators," said one resident, Adil, 47, who had worked as a lawyer before the war.
"There was one oven in the bakery and they even took that," he said. Residents were afraid to draw water from the Euphrates river on the town's eastern fringe, he said, because the jihadists had laid landmines there.
Turkish tanks outside of Jarablus (Photo: AFP)
Jarablus sits on the northeastern edge of a rectangle of Syrian territory some 80 km (50 miles) long, seized by Islamic State as it carved its self-declared caliphate out of a swathe of Syria and Iraq.
Turkey and the United States have long hoped that by sweeping Islamic State from this border zone, they can deprive it of a smuggling route which has seen its ranks swollen with foreign fighters and its coffers boosted by illicit trade.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Wednesday the aim of the military incursion, dubbed "Operation Euphrates Shield", was to "cleanse" the strip of territory of all militant groups and threats to Turkish security.
But this is a complex corner of Syria's five-year war.
Just to the east, over the Euphrates, lies territory controlled by a US-backed Kurdish militia also fighting the jihadists, but seen by Turkey as a hostile force, an extension of militants who have fought a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy in southeastern Turkey.
Turkish forces have clashed with Kurdish fighters as they push deeper into Syria south of Jarablus, meaning the town and its surroundings remain on the edge of an active frontline.
"I am not against the Kurds, they are good guys, they give us cigarettes," said Adil, adding Kurdish fighters had come within a few kilometres south of the town.
"Big countries are fighting. We are just the people under their boots."
Following the new security agreement between Israel and the US, which is estimated to cause considerable damage to Israels security industry, US defense contractor General Atomics is now looking to foil a substantial defense deal between Israel and Germany. Specifically, it is trying to block the Israeli Air Force from leasing the Heron TP unmanned air vehicle to Germany, worth around 560 million.
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Reuters reported that the German Defense Ministry has informed German legislatures that the deal with Israel was being put on hold, since the General Atomicswhich also manufactures UAVshas begun legal proceedings against the ministry due to claims that it reached a deal to lease the Israeli UAVs over the US ones without opening it up for other companies to submit a tender.
The Israel Air Force UAV Heron TP
General Atomics is a major player in the US defense arena that enjoys a great deal of support in Washington, which has also put pressure on Germany to prefer US-made products due to the two countries NATO ties.
While the Israeli Heron TP (also called Eitan in the Israeli Air Force) is considered one of the largest UAVs operating today and is able to remain in the air for up to 70 hours, the General Atomics Predator B UAV is substantially smaller and can only stay aerial for 14 hours. However, the Predator B is priced at half the price of the Heron TP.
It should be noted that General Atomics case was already dismissed by a lower German court in May, a fact that was stressed by the German Ministry of Defense. In a letter retained by Reuters, the ministry assumed that the appeal will be once again be dismissed, but expected it to postpone the closing of the deal between Germany and Israel by three to nine months.
General Atomic released a statement regarding their legal action, explaining that it was meant to ensure an open and fair competition on the matter.
The United States is poised to sell $7 billion worth of Boeing Co fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait after years of delays, and it may start notifying U.S. lawmakers as early as next week, four U.S.- and Gulf-based sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
US officials have criticised Qatar for alleged ties to armed Islamist groups. The sales have been pending for more than two years, amid concerns raised by Israel, considered Washington's closest Middle East ally, that equipment sent to Gulf Arab states would be used against it.
Boeing said it was encouraged by continued progress and hoped to see movement on the two big arms sales soon. The State Department said it could not comment on any ongoing government-to-government arms sales.
President Reuven Rivlin expressed his support on Thursday for Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh following the latter's controversial statements of Tuesday.
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During an Israel Bar Association conference, Alsheikh told listeners that it was natural for police to suspect someone of Ethiopian descent more than somebody from a different ethnic background.
Reuven Rivlin at the school (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)
Speaking from a school in Kiryat Motzkin that he was visiting, Rivlin commented, "What the commissioner said is the same thing that I said on Jerusalem Day, at the Jerusalem festival of immigrants from Ethiopian Jewry: We apparently didn't integrate this ethnic group properly."
Rivlin said that he met Alsheikh once and understood from him that he attached great importance to integrating Ethiopian Jews. "He meant well," said the president. "He really tried to address the trend that's caused as a result of some reason or another that objectively he tried to analyze and he said, 'We're obligated today to understand that this thing must beextracted from the root.'"
An Israeli and a Palestinian-identified filmmaker have won the Student Academy Awards. The winners were announced earlier this week in anticipation of the Student Academy Awards ceremony that will take place on September 22 in Los Angeles.
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Maya Sarfaty, a student at Tel Aviv University, won the award for her documentary the Most Beautiful Woman. The film tells the story of Helena, a young Slovakian Jewish woman who had an affair with Franz, an SS officer while held in Auschwitz concentration camp. In return for granting him sexual favors, Helena managed to secure the survival of herself and her sister Rosa, though not the lives of her sisters two children.
From the film 'Ayny My Second Eye'
Ahmad Saleh, who was born in Saudi Arabia to a Palestinian family (Saleh identifies as Palestinian), also won a Student Academy Award with his stop-animation film Ayny My Second Eye. The movie details the dangers of war as seen through the eyes of two young boys who share a love for music.
Saleh studied Electrical Engineering in the West Bank between 1998 2003, following which he went to study Film in the University of Cologne, where Ayny My Second Eye was made. The films main storyline is based on a tragic story that his own family in Nablus went through. As part of their research, the films German producer traveled to Nablus to interview the two people who the films two main characters were based on.
Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh apologized on Thursday night to Israelis of Ethiopian descent for his controversial comments of Tuesday, despite his insistence earlier in the day that he would not do so.
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In a meeting with the joint steering committee for the police and the leadership of the Ethiopian community in Israel, Alsheikh promised that encompassing work would be done in all police districts to evaluate if existing cases were due to over-policing and to continue to promote the closing of as many cases as possible.
The steering committee raised hard questions regarding the amount of cases opened for minors of Ethiopian descent. At their request, the police presented data showing a decrease of about 20% in the opening of cases this year when compared to the parallel period of last year.
Roni Alsheikh (Photo: Zvika Tishler)
The commissioner apologized to anyone who felt insulted from the publications of his statements and added, "There was no intention, Heaven forbid, to offend, but rather to raise the problem to promote agreed-upon solutions."
During the meeting, a dialogue took place relating to continued cooperation between the police and the Ethiopian community with a goal of restraining over-policing and reducing crime amongst youth.
In addition, to avoid incidents of friction between police and the Ethiopian community, "intensive work of the police to attain the appropriate tools for police to work with all strata of Israeli society will continue."
A message from the police stated that "The steering committee noted positively that police activity is a leading example that has no parallel in any other ministry in its scope and effectiveness in reducing the gaps regarding the Ethiopian community in Israel."
During an Israel Bar Association conference on Tuesday, Alsheikh had told listeners that it was natural for police to suspect someone of Ethiopian descent more than somebody from a different ethnic background.
A trademark application will be published no later than 10 days after filing.
Oppositions must be filed within 30 days after publication.
Oppositions may be based on absolute and/or relative grounds.
All arguments and possible evidence must be included in the opposition, as there will be no opportunity to file further arguments or evidence. The Opposer will not be recognised as a third interested party.
The examination of the application will continue alongside the opposition, i.e. the application will not be suspended.
The Examiner is not obliged to take into consideration the arguments of the opposition.
Mexican trademark practice has been amended to allow for a form of opposition system. Laura Collada , of the firm of Dumont Bergman Bider & Co ., in located in Mexico City, suggests that these changes may not have achieved the purposes for which they are intended."Kat readers may be aware that Mexico has been working on the creation of a Trademark Opposition system for some time, in order to help bring the country in line with global best practices for trademark examination. On June 1, 2016, an amendment to the Mexican IP law was published in the Federal Official Gazette, which will implement this long-awaited opposition system, as of August 30, 2016. However, the system that was ultimately approved seems more akin to the EUIPOs so-called observations process for third parties (with or without any legal interest) than to a standard opposition proceeding. Key provisions of the opposition system are as follows:Against this backdrop, this amendment will allow third parties to submit information as to why the trademark should not be registered, but such persons will not become a party to the opposition proceeding. Indeed, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) will have no obligation to even consider the information submitted. As such, this would seem to constitute an exception to the general rules of procedure applicable in Mexico, because the so-called opposition will not be binding upon IMPI. The wording of the amendment says that the examiner may take into consideration the information submitted, rather than shall take into consideration, thus implying that the examiner may choose to disregard it. It further remains unclear whether the opposing party will have a right to file an appeal against the registration of a mark against which an opposition was filed, inasmuch as no formal opposition decision will be issued.At a recent event organized by the Mexican group of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), IMPI officials advised that promptly after granting registration of an application against which an opposition was filed, the certificate will be issued and the registration published in the Gazette, upon which the opposing party will be informed about the grant by means of an official accord. At this point, one would have to seek cancellation of the registration, as there is no possibility of revoking registration once it is published in the Gazette, except by way of a cancellation. It still remains unclear whether the opponent or the applicant, will have access to the right of appeal. Finally, the period for filing an opposition is only 30 days, while most systems provide for at least 60 days.While the amendment is a first step that may ultimately allow for more thorough examination, one cant help but wonder what was the point of it. In particular, U.S. and European brand owners may well be disappointed, since they are accustomed to more robust opposition proceedings. It is clear that IMPI did not want to sacrifice examination timelines, but a quality trademark register seems more important in the long run. Nevertheless, now that the amendment has been approved and the new provisions will be effective, as of August 30, 2016, there is little hope of changing it, at least for the time being. Still, filing an opposition under this new scheme will be less expensive and more potentially more efficient than trying to invalidate a mark that has already been registered. As far as providing a sure fire means of thwarting attempts to register confusingly similar marks though this does not seem to do the trick."
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Atut: Dodatkowe dochody z paczkomatow InPostu, a juz niedugo i z myjni samoobsugowej.
Tradycyjny zakup nieruchomosci, mozliwosc wykupienia uzytkowania wieczystego.
All work and no play makes a dull Kat
. Of course, if anyone has expertise in this case, Id love to chat and potentially collaborate on some work."
IP addict looking for a last minute summer holiday? Look no further than the Association Litteraire et Artistique Internationale congress running 14-15 September in Rome. The organisers say: "these two days focused on Applied Arts and the Law find their epitome in Fontana di Trevi, just a few steps away from the Congress venue. ALAI Congress proposes to analyze the different forms of protection granted to arts applied to the industry, with reflections on the 3D Technology and its impact on IP paradigms." Registration details here . The event coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Italian Copyright Act, enacted on April 22, 1941, one of the world's longest standing copyright lawsWith apologies for the last minute nature of the invitation: "Managing IP invites IPKat readers to attend the MIP European Patent Reform Forum, taking place on 6 September in Munich at the Charles Hotel and on 8 September in Paris at the Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower Hotel. Members are invited to join over 200+ patent counsel and private practice to discuss the latest in European patent developments and there's even more reason for IP professionals to join the event this year. With a momentous couple of months in the UK post-Brexit, there are of course many questions and concerns from patent owners regarding the introduction of the UPC." Registration is still open - see here Registration is still open for this event at the University of Southampton on 23 September. The aim is to bring together academics, practising lawyers, data scientists and industry actors to explore current and future data mining and data sharing practices in the European Union. More information here The UK Intellectual Property Office has released its third Intellectual Property Awareness survey. The 2015 report spans a cross section of UK businesses covering all industry sectors and business sizes. This year, researchers posed the same questions to businesses that have engaged with the IPOs outreach program (IP engaged businesses). 66% of the IP engaged respondents had protected some sort of IP (either through a single right or a combination). This compares with 52% for respondents in the wider business population. 28% of firms in the IP engaged community provide staff training on IP. This is 10% for firms responding to the main survey.The Cancer Moonshot Challenge aims to enlist the publics help in leveraging patent data to reveal new insights into cancer research through visualization and interactive mapping. The competition challenges participants to use the Cancer Moonshot Patent Data, a data set of roughly 270,000 cancer-related patent documents, to build meaningful visualizations and analytical tools that can guide public policy and research. The competition will conclude on September 12, 2016, and winners will be announced September 26, 2016. You can find information about how to enter here Jonathan Liddicoat, Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, writes:"Earlier this year, the Bundesgerichtshof decided a case on the patentability of methods for detecting a biomarker (FLT3). Although the warm weather has motivated this researcher to stretch his paws out to the wonderful world of German patent law, the language barrier is a little too high to jump. There are a few commentaries on this case in English, but what I really need is an English translation of the whole thing. Readers of the IPKat have a well deserved reputation for depth of knowledge and erudite discussion, but can anyone help me by sending through an English translation of this case? The German version can be found here
Passion Made Possible
Singapore is more than its tourist attractions. Its constantly evolving, reinventing, and reimagining itself, with people who are passionate about creating new possibilities. Its not just about what you can do here, its about what you can be.
The footage appears to show a birthday party at the home of Sattar Beheshti (a dissident blogger who was tortured and killed by regime officials in 2012), according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
Najafi said that the 1988 massacre laid the foundation for lawlessness and the fear of questioning the law of the Islamic Republic.
He said: The same bad foundation that we laid occurred in the chain murders [in the 1990s, at least 120 dissidents, writers and intellectuals were abducted and brutally murdered]. No one was held accountable, because since the beginning of the chain murder cases, officials explicitly said that they deserved it. I mean that fatwas were issued by religious leaders that these men deserve death and should be killed. Exactly the same method was used in 1988 massacre and in University alley [killing of the students on campus] and in murders of 2009 uprising and in recent killings when our Kurdish brothers were executed and some people said that legal procedures were not followed.
The question is, that if Iran does not follow its own laws; how can anyone be expected abide by them? The legality of actions appears to be determined by the will of the powerful rather than the rule of law.
Latest News
Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Trinidad and Tobago as you celebrate the 54th anniversary of your nations independence on August 31.
"Trinidad and Tobago is a valued partner in advancing peace and development in the CARICOM region. My government looks forward to building upon the progress made during Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowleys productive visit to Washington this past spring, and to working with you to promote Caribbean energy security, support democratic governance, and combat public health threats.
"On this joyous day, I offer my best wishes for your prosperity and happiness in the year to come."
Latest News
Washington, DC - The Department of State has designated Abdiqadir Mumin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons and groups determined to have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States. As a result of this designation, all property subject to U.S. jurisdiction in which Mumin has any interest is blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with Mumin.
Abdiqadir Mumin is the head of a group of ISIL-linked individuals in East Africa. Mumin, a former al-Shabaab recruiter and spokesman, pledged allegiance to ISIL, along with around 20 of his followers, in October 2015, and has set up a base in Puntland, Somalia. Since then, Mumin has expanded his cell of ISIL supporters by kidnapping young boys aged 10 to 15, indoctrinating them, and forcing them to take up militant activity.
The imposition of sanctions by the United States against terrorists is a powerful tool. Todays action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Abdiqadir Mumin is actively engaged in terrorism. Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist or complement the law enforcement actions of other U.S. agencies and other governments.
The face of Omran Daqneesh has become instantly recognizable all over the world through social media. His is the face of the suffering children living through the terrible conflict of the civil war in Syria. People are reminded that the Syrians are just like them, that this could be their child, except that their children have few worries. They dont live in a war-zone. Tragically, stories like Omrans are quite common, and they happen in large part because of a regime who has followed the same playbook for years, yet has escaped media attention.
According to Williams, The current Iranian regime and its face, Hassan Rouhani is not covered in dirt or blood, he is well groomed, and according to the public perception forged by some western media outlets, a moderate. However, it is Hassan Rouhanis Iran that has helped the Assad regime in Syria to target civilians like Omran and is directly responsible for the scenes of devastation that Omrans photo gave a small glimpse of. It is the same regime, who carried out the systematic slaughter of approximately 30,000 political prisoners in 1988.
The Massacre of 1998 occurred during a few short weeks of summer. Its unimaginable, the horror of innocent civilians, who were forced to appear before the Death Commission to determine their sympathy to the Peoples Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (also known as PMOI or MEK). Williams writes, While not a dramatic air strike, the judges words had a similarly deadly effect. Men were joined by women of all ages and even those in pregnancy, were questioned on their sympathies to the PMOI. Even an admission that the group had some intellectual appeal carried a death sentence. Children were ripped from their mothers arms, screams and cries for forgiveness were left unanswered and in the end 30,000 innocent lives were taken.
Social media has allowed a window into the realities of these outrages, but in 1988, those innocent men and women were faceless, mere numbers, and not our problem. Today, as President Rouhanis regime involves itself in Syria, the same people who oversaw the slaughter of 30,000 innocents in Iran are condemning those who do not believe in their radical ideology: the Syrians, Iraqis and many others, to the same fate. However, now we cannot look the other way.
Critics will argue that this Iran is different, that they have abandoned nuclear activities and that change does not come overnight. According to them we will have to wait and see. Yet we have waited decades since the 1988 massacre and after that long wait, we have only seen those murderers and extremists who perpetrated the slaughter get promotions. A newly available audio recording of the late Ayatollah Montazeri, who was Khomeinis heir and the Supreme Leader in-waiting at the time of the massacre, censuring the Death Commission proves this fact. One of the main figures in the death tribunals of 1988 was rewarded for the bloodshed by Rouhanis government of moderates and is currently Justice Minister, writes Williams.
The truth is that Iran has the highest execution rate in the world, statistically speaking. and its spreading to places such as Syria and Iraq. It is spreading because of inaction, because of indifferent populations who see issues in far off places as not their problem. But, Omran and others like him, remind us not to forget our humanity, according to Williams, who adds, If we do not stand up for Omran and others like him, who will be there to stand up for us when fundamentalist and terrorists attack us? We can never allow ourselves to forget our humanity.
Action must be taken, and policies toward Iran must change. Justice must intervene on Tehrans human rights abuses and its intervention in the affairs of the region. We must stand with the Iranian regimes victims.
Williams concludes with a powerful quote from the great parliamentarian Edmund Burke, The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Libreville: Gabon security forces were attempting to storm the opposition headquarters early Thursday, leaving several people injured, party leaders said, hours after President Ali Bongo claimed victory in contested polls.
"They attacked around 1:00 am (0000 GMT). It is the republican guard. They were bombarding with helicopters and then they attacked on the ground. There are 19 people injured, some of them very seriously," said opposition presidential candidate Jean Ping, who was not at the party headquarters himself.
The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling tear gas canisters and had opened fire.
"For nearly an hour the building has been surrounded. They want to enter the building... it is extremely violent," he said.
A government spokesman said security forces had stormed the opposition headquarters to catch "criminals" who had earlier set fire to the parliament building as anti-government protests swept the capital Libreville.
"Armed people who set fire to the parliament had gathered at Jean Ping`s headquarters along with hundreds of looters and thugs... they were not political protesters but criminals," said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze.
Results of the presidential election were announced Wednesday afternoon, handing Bongo his second term by a thin margin over a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official Ping.
Angry protesters took to the streets shortly after the announcement, accusing the government of stealing the election.
They set fire to parliament and clashed with heavily armed security forces, leaving at least six injured.
The opposition has described the election as fraudulent and called for voting figures from each of Gabon`s polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of overall result -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union.
Brasilia: Brazil`s Senate ousted President Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday, ending an impeachment process that polarized Latin America`s biggest country amid a massive corruption scandal and brutal economic crisis.
Senators voted 61-20 to convict the country`s first female president for illegally using money from state banks to bankroll public spending, marking the end of 13 years of leftist Workers Party rule.
Rousseff`s opponents hailed her removal as paving the way for a change of fortunes for Brazil. Her conservative successor, Michel Temer, the former vice president who has run Brazil since her suspension in May, inherits a bitterly divided nation with voters in no mood for the austerity measures needed to heal public finances.
In his first televised address to the nation after being sworn in as president through 2018, Temer called on Brazilians to unite behind him in working to rescue the economy from a fiscal crisis and over 11 percent unemployment.
"This moment is one of hope and recovery of confidence in Brazil. Uncertainty has ended," Temer said in the speech broadcast after his departure for a G20 summit in China.
Until just a few years ago, Brazil was booming economically and its status was rising on the global stage.
The country then slid into its deepest recession in decades, and a graft scandal at state oil company Petrobras tarnished Rousseff`s coalition. Millions took to the streets this year to demand her removal, less than two years after she was re-elected.
A string of corruption scandals, led by the Petrobras scheme, has engulfed vast swaths of Brazils political class and business elites over the past 2-1/2 years.
Temer will likely face tough opposition from the Workers Party both on the streets and in Congress to his agenda of privatizations, reforms to Brazil`s generous pension and welfare laws and a public spending ceiling he hopes lawmakers will pass this year.
For the third straight day, pro-Rousseff demonstrators in Sao Paulo, Brazil`s largest city, clashed with riot police, who used tear gas to clear the streets.
Defiant to the end, Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla who was tortured and jailed under military dictatorship in 1970, vowed to fight on in defense of Brazil`s workers.
Standing outside the presidential residence flanked by supporters, she insisted on her innocence and said her removal was a "parliamentary coup" backed by the economic elite that would roll back social programs that lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty over the last decade.
"They think they have beaten us but they are mistaken," Rousseff said, adding that she would appeal the decision using every legal means. "At this time, I will not say goodbye to you. I am certain I can say `See you soon`."
The end of the Workers Party`s long grip on power sparked angry reactions from leftist governments across the region.
Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador withdrew their ambassadors, and Brazil responded by recalling its envoys for consultations. Cuba`s Communist government branded Rousseff`s ouster part of an "imperialist" offensive against progressive governments in Latin America.
The U.S. State Department voiced confidence that strong bilateral relations with Brazil would continue, adding the country`s democratic institutions had acted within the constitutional framework.
In an unexpected move, Brazil`s Senate voted 42-36 to allow Rousseff to retain the right to hold public office - a break with Brazilian law that specifies a dismissed president should be barred from holding any government job for eight years.
The move appeared to demonstrate unease among some senators, notably within Temer`s own fractious Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), over whether a budgetary sleight of hand that is common in Brazil was truly an impeachable offense.
Visibly annoyed in televised remarks at his first cabinet meeting, Temer said he would not tolerate divisions in his coalition as he quickly tried to quash the first sign of splits that could grow as allies press him to deliver on austerity.
Aecio Neves, leader of the center-right PSDB party that backs Temer, said the divisions had caused acute concern among his allies, but he denied there was any prospect of a split.
"Brazil has given itself a new chance, to look to the future and construct an agenda for reform in line with the economic crisis," said Neves, who narrowly lost the 2014 election to Rousseff.
HONKING HORNS, FIREWORKS
Motorists honked car horns in the Brazilian capital to mark the removal of a president whose popularity had dwindled to single figures since winning re-election in 2014. In Brazil`s largest city, Sao Paulo, fireworks exploded in celebration after the vote.
Temer has vowed to boost an economy that has shrunk for six consecutive quarters and implement austerity measures to plug a record budget deficit, which cost Brazil its investment-grade credit rating last year.
An upturn in corporate investment in the second quarter provided a glimmer of economic hope for Temer and economists expect a return to growth before the end of the year.
Brazil`s stocks and real currency slightly accelerated gains following the Senate`s decision but the reaction was muted as most traders were already counting on the result. Market analysts said investors would now be looking to Temer to quickly deliver on his promises of reform, notably a constitutional change to limit spending increases in coming years.
"What changes now, with Temer definitively confirmed, is that the pressure will increase on him to deliver," said Newton Rose, chief economist at Sulamerica Investimentos. "The honeymoon is over, and the market wants to know now how capable he is to govern and put the government accounts in order."
Temer`s government risks entanglement in the ongoing investigation into kickbacks at Petrobras, which ensnared dozens of politicians in Rousseff`s coalition. Three of Temers ministers have already had to step down due to links to the scandal, which could hobble efforts to restore confidence.
Rousseff became the first Brazilian leader dismissed from office since 1992, when Fernando Collor de Mello resigned before a final vote in his impeachment trial for corruption.
Arizona: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Wednesday to people intent on sneaking into the United States, saying those who enter illegally would never obtain legal status.
"Our message to the world will be this: you cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country," he said in a speech in Phoenix as he laid out a tough, 10-point plan to crack down on illegal immigration.
"You can`t just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," Trump added. "Those days are over."
The fiery speech confirmed Trump`s hard line on immigration just hours after he met in Mexico with President Enrique Pena Nieto and insisted he would order that a giant wall be built on the US-Mexico border if he is elected.
The billionaire candidate`s plan includes deporting immigrants with criminal records, cancelling President Barack Obama`s executive orders protecting millions of undocumented migrants, and blocking federal funding to so-called "sanctuary cities" that bar discrimination against undocumented workers.
While he insisted, as he regularly does on the campaign trail, that Mexico will pay for the wall, Trump said in Mexico that he and Pena Nieto did not discuss who would fund the construction.
But Pena Nieto contradicted Trump by tweeting that he told the Republican nominee in their meeting that Mexico would not pay for such a wall.
"At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto wrote after Trump departed Mexico City for Phoenix.
Trump`s measured, calm tone in Mexico City was dramatically different from the loud rhetoric in Phoenix that served as red meat to his mainly white supporter base.
In his speech, Trump laid out a grim, sweeping plan to dramatically slash illegal immigration, a main plank of his presidential campaign.
"Our enforcement priorities will include removing criminals, gang members, security threats, visa overstays, public charges -- that is those relying on public welfare or straining the safety net along with millions of recent illegal arrivals and overstays who have come here under this current corrupt administration," he said.
Trump demanded an end to what he called "catch-and-release" programs along the country`s southern border, enforcement of existing immigration law, and "zero tolerance for criminal aliens."
Seeking to end his ambiguity on his immigration positions, he said he would be "fair, just and compassionate" in his plan.
But he remained unclear on exactly what would become of the 11 million people currently living in the shadows, other than to suggest they would need to leave and come back legally if they wanted legal status.
Mexico City: Mexico`s President rebuked Donald Trump as a threat to his country just hours after painting a positive picture of talks the two held on Wednesday to try to defuse tensions over the US presidential hopeful`s anti-Mexican campaign rhetoric.
President Enrique Pena Nieto had on Wednesday afternoon hailed as "open and constructive" the impromptu meeting he held with Trump, who later referred to the Mexican leader as his friend and a "wonderful" president.
But in a late evening television interview, an angry-looking Pena Nieto sought to defend himself against a broad swathe of criticism for his decision to invite the Republican candidate despite his repeated verbal attacks on Mexico.
"His policy stances could represent a huge threat to Mexico, and I am not prepared to keep my arms crossed and do nothing," Pena Nieto said. "That risk, that threat, must be confronted. I told him that is not the way to build a mutually beneficial relationship for both nations."
Trump`s quick acceptance of an invitation sent last Friday took Mexico`s government by surprise, and his visit to Mexico City came just hours ahead of a keynote speech on immigration as he sought to close the gap on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
The real estate mogul`s accusations that Mexico sends rapists and drug runners to the United States, and his threats to build a border wall and tear up trade deals, have angered the government but his meeting with Pena Nieto on Wednesday gave him a chance to present himself in a more moderate light.
He spoke of Mexican-Americans in glowing terms and stressed the areas of common interest between the two countries even as he stuck to his message that he would put up the wall.
Pena Nieto had likened Trump to dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini earlier this year. But his government said Trump understood its concerns at the meeting, making Pena Nieto`s tense appearance on television the more surprising.
"What we saw was a respectful attitude and discourse from Donald Trump," presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez had said earlier, arguing that progress was made on the issue of trade after prior threats by Trump to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
"I think there was an advance in general," he added.
Still, Trump laid out a series of tough policies to tackle illegal immigration when he delivered his speech in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday night.
He told a cheering crowd that Mexico would pay for the wall "100 percent" and that if he wins the election anyone living illegally in the United States would be sent back to their home country and made to apply for re-entry.
That would include millions of Mexicans.
Opposition politicians in Mexico rounded on Pena Nieto for hosting Trump.
"Instead of making him apologize, the government allowed (Trump) to complete the humiliation of the Mexicans," Ricardo Anaya, leader of the center-right opposition National Action Party, said on Twitter.
WALL TO WALL
Some Mexican officials also privately expressed reservations about the meeting with one former diplomat saying Pena Nieto had done Trump`s campaign a favor.
During a joint news conference after their meeting, Trump said he and Pena Nieto had not discussed his demand that Mexico pay for the border wall.
But Pena Nieto later contradicted Trump, saying he had told the American that Mexico would not foot the bill, and he bristled during his television interview when asked why he had not made that clear at the news conference.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Mexican government official said the two men spoke English during the meeting and that Pena Nieto clearly explained to Trump the offense his comments had caused.
"He`s a candidate that offended a lot of Mexicans, so that`s the chemistry there was (between them)," the official said.
Nellore: In a tragic incident, a pregnant woman was set ablaze in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore area.
According to reports, the woman was set afire by her in-laws, after an astrologer predicted she would give birth to a girl child.
Meanwhile, police have registered a complaint against the family members. The hospital authorities informed the cops about the incident.
The Police have registered an attempt to murder case against the accused.
The accused family members are absconding.
He states that Iran had previously plotted to assassinate then-Saudi ambassador to the US Adel al-Jubeir; they planned to blow up a restaurant he was in and the Saudi embassy. US officials arrested Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri and tried them in New York for the attempted assassination of Jubeir.
A short history of Irans treatment of ambassadors, diplomats and embassies
1979: Held 52 Americans hostage for over a year in the US Embassy in Tehran
1980: Assassinated Mustafa al-Marzouq, the first secretary at Kuwaits embassy in India
1982: Assassinated Najib al-Refai a Kuwaiti diplomat in Madrid
1983: Blew up the US embassy in Beirut; detonated a bomb against the French embassy in Kuwait; blew up a truck in front of the US embassy in Kuwait, killing 17 people
1987: Attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran detaining 275 diplomats
1990: Saudi diplomats killed in Thailand.
2011: Saudi diplomat Hassan al-Qahtani killed in Pakistan
Aldakhil said: Iran does not recognize international conventions regarding embassies and consulates, does not hesitate to assassinate any political figure, and intervenes everywhere at any timeIran has tried to intimidate diplomats who are making rare efforts to communicate with the different spectra of societies where they work.
He asserts that Saudi diplomacy has found its way into areas of influence that Tehran could not compete with which angered Iran.
He said: Iran proves daily that it acts outside the context of an institutional state, and is closer to having a bloody revolutionary status as it does not recognize international conventions regarding embassies and consulates, does not hesitate to assassinate any political figure, and intervenes everywhere at any time. Iran is more a militant organization than a state how can a state plan to assassinate an ambassador by blowing up a restaurant?
New Delhi: A brutal crackdown seems to have taken place in Pakistan`s disturbed border province of Balochistan after Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the human rights violations there in his August 15 Independence Day address.
The toll of dead and missing people has witnessed a sharp surge, with at least 67 dead and over 150 reported missing in August alone, local activists and multiple well-informed sources with access to inside information have averred.
According to these sources, the latest death was of 10-year-old Sudees of Khuzdar tehsil on August 30. Earlier, a youth named Amaan from the Mand area of Kech district, was shot on August 28 in a Pakistan Army offensive. Fifteen bodies, some "mutilated beyond recognition", were recovered over the August 27-28 weekend from different areas of Dera Bugti.
"We had documented total 66 extra judicial killings as of Sunday (August 28) evening. Forces buried bodies of three civilians in Sui region on Sunday night. Twelve more bodies were buried without any last rites by Pakistani forces in Anayat Shah Darbar area of Dera Bugti a night before. The bodies were later recovered by locals," Zamuran Baloch, a journalist-activist working underground and a member of the banned Balochistan Journalist Forum (BJF), told IANS.
Adding that none of the deaths or abductions were reported by a "widely censored" Pakistani media, he said dozens, including Aslam Majeed, a student from Atta Shad College in Turbat city of Kech district, were taken away by Frontier Corps (FC) of the Pakistan Army on Saturday.
"Frontier Corps generally abducts people while the Death Squad, a religious militia that has the army`s support, often kills people in full public view," Hafsa Baloch, another BJF activist, told IANS.
The figures of dead, however, varied among activists. Some who did not want to be named claimed the toll to be around 60 and others put it at more than 65 so far in the month they called "bloody August".
Activists and journalists in Balochistan recorded over 20 deaths in July and 32 in May. There was no way of independently verifying these figures, but activists are ready to give names and full details of the dead and missing persons.
"These numbers are not accurate, there must be more. We don`t know exactly how many had died or were taken away from New Kahan, a small town of Marri tribe situated about 15 km from Quetta (the provincial capital). The place is often referred as the `Gaza Strip` by Baloch people," Zamuran said.
According to the US-based activists from the international arm of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), more than 25 mutilated bodies had been recovered in August. "But if we include people ambushed or killed in battle, then it could be much more," Farzana Majeed, General Secretary of international VBMP who was given asylum by the US in December 2015, told IANS.
Sources in Baloch Republican Party had identified about 26 victims in Dera Bugti district alone before August 19. Activists from the Free Balochistan Movement also believe that the figure could be around 60 or more.
Meanwhile, the crackdown on influential Bugti tribal leaders had also intensified since August 27. "Two elders of Bugti tribes from Sui, Wadera Elahi Baksh Bugti and Wadera Mohammad Baksh Mondrani Bugti, have been abducted by FC," Hafsa Baloch said.
Activists on the ground said that over 20 mutilated bodies of previously missing Baloch, including women and children, were found dumped by the roadside between August 14 and 20.
Mutilated bodies of three men with "missing organs" were recovered by locals from Lasbela district on August 24. "They were Razaq Marri, Sharif Baloch and Karam Khan. I knew Razaq personally, he was bold and would debate over the human rights situation here with anyone. All three bodies had their organs missing," Zamuran said.
Zamuran, who like many others activists and journalists had adopted a `pen-name`, speaks of a complete blackout on the media in Balochistan following the recovery of the mutilated body of Baloch journalist Haji Razzak from Karachi on August 24, 2014.
Razzak, a sub-editor of the now shut Baloch newspaper "Daily Tawar", was abducted in March 2013. About 33 Baloch journalists, including Irshad Mastoi, Hameed Baloch, Manzur Bugti, to name a few, have been killed in Balochistan in recent years.
"To do journalism or activism in Balochistan is to invite death. Most of us had either gone underground, left the country or died," Zamuran said.
He added that while August has always been "macabre" for Balochistan, this August is severe due to intensified anti-Pakistan protests with Indian flags.
"We mark our independence on August 11 and Pakistan on August 14, which is opposed by Baloch. This year, on the Indian Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi`s call on human right situation has given courage to people, so Pakistan is more aggressive," UK-based Baloch activist Faiz Muhammad Marri told IANS.
Sources in Balochistan said that on August 11 Pakistani forces rounded up around 2,000 people from Quetta and Mastung while about 40 Marri Baloch were picked up from New Kahan, Quetta. He added that a crackdown also followed the August 8 attack on a Civil Hospital in Quetta.
Dhaka: Bangladesh police on Thursday said they have identified 10 people who hatched, planned or provided weapons and money to militants for storming a Dhaka cafe on July 1, days after the key mastermind of the country's worst terror attack was killed.
"We have gathered data about 10 people who planned or provided money and weapon for the attack," police's counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit chief Monirul Islam told reporters, confirming a media report.
His comments came as the mass circulation Prothom Alo earlier today carried a report quoting "investigation sources" that they have identified the 10 suspected culprits and "unearthed the current location" of six of them.
Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury, who is believed to be the mastermind of the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery here was killed on August 27 along with two other militants in a security raid at a hideout in suburban Narayanganj on the outskirts of the capital.
The July 1 attack had killed 22 people, including 16 foreigners and an Indian girl.
Police earlier said the operational commander of the attack, Marzan, was one of the nine militants who were killed in last month's raid on their hideout in the capital.
Tel Aviv: Israel will carry out a court order to demolish the wildcat Jewish settlement of Amona in the West Bank by the end of the year, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday.
However, a proposed plan to simply move the settlement nearby has raised international concern.
"I have said before and I say again to the settlers of Amona, there is a judgement of the (Israeli) Supreme Court and we shall honour it," Lieberman said at a Jewish school in the occupied West Bank on the first day of the new school year.
Amona, home to about 40 families, was built on lands privately owned by Palestinians, who successfully petitioned Israeli courts for the outpost`s removal.
After repeated delays, the Supreme Court ordered the settlers` eviction and the demolition of their homes by December 25 this year.
Last month, Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said that Lieberman`s defence ministry was working to transplant Amona residents to confiscated Palestinian land a few metres (yards) from the present site, effectively legalising the rogue outpost.
"We proposed a lot of alternatives and I hope we can find an option that the Amona settlers will also accept," Lieberman said on Thursday.
The United States has said it is "deeply concerned" by the relocation plan.
"This would represent an unprecedented and troubling step that`s inconsistent with prior Israeli legal opinion and counter to longstanding Israeli policy to not seize private Palestinian land for Israeli settlements," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said last month.
Washington issued a fresh rebuke Wednesday over what it said was Israel`s accelerated settlement building, in the face of mounting international concern.
"This significant expansion of the settlement activity poses a serious and growing threat to the viability of a two-state solution," President Barack Obama`s spokesman Josh Earnest said.
"We are particularly troubled by the policy of retroactively approving illegal outposts and unauthorised settlements," Earnest added.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday re-opened a friendship gate with Afghanistan at a key border crossing in Balochistan, two weeks after Afghan protesters burned the Pakistani flag at a rally leading to its closure.
The border crossing, also known as Bab-e-Dosti (Friendship Gate), was closed on August 18 after some Afghan nationals gathered near the border gate and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
A large number of people from both sides of the border today welcomed the reopening of the gate.
The two sides held several rounds of talks and the matter was finally resolved yesterday when Afghanistan offered an apology and assurance that such incidents will not happen again, an official of Frontier Corps said.
"We decided to open the gate from today after Afghanistan submitted a written apology over burning of flag," Lt. Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa said at a press conference.
The decision to open the gate was reached in the 15th flag meeting between chief Lt Col Muhammad Changez who led talks from Pakistan with the Afghan officials led by Col Muhammad Ali.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been adversely affected since the closure of the gate causing severe hardships for traders on both sides as vehicles were stranded and commercial activities came to a halt.
Chaman is one of the busiest crossing points along with Torkham. More than 50,000 people, mostly Afghans, travel across the two facilities each day.
New Delhi: BJP on Thursday accused the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar of "total failure" in providing relief to flood victims, alleging that they were not getting food and medicine leading to a rise in death toll.
The party fielded Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy and its spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain to launch a counter-attack on the state's ruling JD(U)-RJD alliace, which has accused Union ministers hailing from Bihar, of doing little to get central help to the flood-hit region.
The state administration is suffering due to the "battle of one-upmanship" between Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, they said, alleging that "two" chief ministers are ruling the state.
"Bihar has faced more severe floods in the past. But the kind of crisis people are facing this time has cause terrible anger among the masses. The state government has been a total failure," Rudy said, claiming there were few boats to rescue the people and lack of medicine was causing deaths.
Hussain also attacked Kumar for blaming Farakka barrage for the floods and said if he was sincere, then he should have taken up the matter with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before taking up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"He has given an opinion without any scientific study. The fact is all gates of the barrage are open this time, so it is not appropriate to link floods with it," he said.
The Centre had rushed NDRF teams but for whom the death toll, currently at 168, would have been much higher, Rudy said.
"There is no shortage of funds. But there is no arrangement in the state," he said.
Hussain said the attack by the ruling alliance leaders on Union ministers over allegations, including that one of them ate food meant for the flood affected, showed their petty- mindedness.
"To stop others from going to Bihar is not only disgraceful but also inhuman. It also amounts to questioning the constitutional scheme of things," Rudy said.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday held a demonstration outside Arvind Kejriwal's residence at 11 am, a day after the Delhi Chief Minister removed his Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar over an alleged sex tape.
According to ANI, the BJP workers protested against Kejriwal and his expelled minister Sandeep Kumar and shouted slogans against the AAP government in the national capital.
The police had to use water canons to disperse the agitating protesters from Delhi CM's rersidence.
Delhi: BJP protest outside CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence, on Sandeep Kumar issue. Water cannon used on protesters. pic.twitter.com/8MeUNyeOHa ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2016
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said that Kejriwal is a `unique` chief minister who doesn`t do any work besides focussing on `allegations and conspiracy theories from morning till night.`
"The reasons questions are asked from Arvind Kejriwal and his party is because they are the ones who set the standards and may be his promises that `we will ensure that we do a complete analysis, a background check and bring the finest of people into politics`," Kohli said.
Kejriwal had on Wednesday said that he had received an "objectionable" CD on Kumar and there cannot be any compromise with propriety in public life.
Soon after the action against the legislator, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has "zero tolerance" towards any such act and action was taken within half-an-hour of receiving the CD.
The BJP and Congress mounted an attack on the Kejriwal government over the purported "sex CD" involving Kumar.
Kumar is the third minister who has been removed or forced out of the cabinet by Kejriwal since the formation of the government in February 2015.
Jitender Tomar was asked to resign as Law Minister in June 2015 after he was accused of forging his college degree. In October last year, Asim Ahmed Khan was removed as Minister for Food and Environment following allegations of taking bribe from a builder.
(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested two more persons, including a former Army officer, in its ongoing investigation in the pan-India call snooping racket case, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The former army officer, Captain DK Giri along with another person was arrested a week ago.
Police said were allegedly involved in the illegal procurement and sale of call detail records (CDRs).
This is the third major breakthrough within two months.
The Delhi Police had busted the racket on July 19 by arresting four persons, including two owners of detective agencies, one police official and one expert hacker, who used to work with the Jaipur police.
According to police, the accused had obtained over 2,000 CDRs in the last two years.
The four were identified as Aniket Prakash Dhamle, 25, a resident of Pune, and Abhinav Kumar, 35, a resident of Mumbai - both ran detective agencies; Gajraj Singh, 23, a student and hacker, who had been assisting the Jaipur police's Cyber Crime Cell officers since 2013; and an officer of the Jaipur police cyber crime cell, Mukesh Kumar Meena, 38.
On July 10, the Delhi Police had also cracked an inter-state gang involved in illegally getting CDRs and then selling these to various people, mainly detective agencies.
Five persons -- Uttar Pradesh police constable Narender; Jaiveer Singh Rathore, 46; Pankaj Tiwari, 26; Aditya Sharma, 32; and Sanjeev Chaudhary, 42 -- were arrested for illegally obtaining CDRs.
New Delhi: In more trouble for sacked Aam Aadmi Party MLA Sandeep Kumar, his former colleague, Thursday, revealed that the 'Sex CD' was filmed by the ex-Delhi minister himself.
Kumar's former colleague Lokendra Rana told ABP News that the CD was made by the former AAP minister for exploitation purpose.
Revealing more, Rana said his former colleague Sandeep always used to say that he wanted to become a minister and earn Rs 600-700 crore and quit politics thereafter.
Rana claimed to have informed the AAP about wrongdoings of the ex-AAP social welfare minister.
Kumar was sacked after an "objectionable" CD surfaced in which he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman.
Kumar, who represents Sultanpur Majra constituency, is the second AAP minister to be sacked after Asim Ahmed Khan who was Minister for Food and Supplies.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said he was "very pained" by what Kumar had done, leading to his sacking on grounds of morality.
Meanwhile, Kumar, who was sacked over an "objectionable" CD, today alleged that he was being targeted under a "conspiracy" as he was a dalit and demanded a probe into the issue.
New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday sought details from the Delhi government on its action plan to combat climate change.
According to news18.com, the NGT in its notice to the Kejriwal government sought details of its action plan to tackle the challenges of climate change.
In the recent past, the NGT had taken strong exception to the polluting vehicles, particularly those run on diesel, plying on the Delhi roads.
It directed the transport department, Delhi Police and other agencies of the Delhi government to send their teams to check vehicles at entry points.
At least five important climate change agenda were identified for the national capital to be implemented by various departments of the Delhi government.
The action points were in the areas of enhanced energy, sustainable habitat, water mission, strategic knowledge and solar mission.
New Delhi: In a new twist to the AAP sex tape scandal, Pornhub - the world's largest pornography website on the internet had described sacked Delhi government minister Sandeep Kumar as one of its employees.
Pornhub, which largely depends on user uploaded content, wrote on its Twitter handle: "We love all our employees including Sandeep Kumar."
We love all of our employees, including @SandeepKumar Pornhub ARIA (@Pornhub) August 31, 2016
The development was reported on Thursday by DNA, which said that the Pornhub, famous for its social media activities, also did not forget to tag the former minister's official Twitter handle in its tweet .
As expected, the Pornhub tweet triggered sharp reactions from the Twitter users.
While Sandeep Kumar has alleged that the "objectionable" CD on him is nothing but a conspiracy and it needs to be investigated, both BJP and Congress have stepped up attack on Delhi Chief Minister and demanded his immediate resignation.
All this comes hours after Kejriwal sacked Sandeep Kumar, the minister for Women and Child Development, Language, SC and ST, with immediate effect after receiving a sex CD, which purportedly showed the latter in a compromising position with two women.
Sandeep, the youngest minister in the Kejriwal cabinet, was fired after the 9-minute sex video showed him in what the AAP leaders now describe as a 'compromising position with two women'.
The CD reportedly reached CM's office around 8 PM on Wednesday.
The social media users are divided on the issue with some saying AAP has taken a swift, strict action, while others saying it's only 'damage control'.
In a video message, Kejriwal too had expressed his disappointment over the sex tape scandal.
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As claimed by The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has spent billions in hardware for its ally Bashar al-Assad in the last five years. The Iranian HQ, which plays a pivotal role in supporting Assads regime alongside Russia, contains intelligence and counterintelligence operations, and has vaults packed with millions of dollars in cash flown in from Tehran, according to the NCRI.
A dossier of reports was allegedly leaked by senior sources inside Irans Revolutionary Guards, which was then collated by the dissident activists. The dossier, which could not be independently verified, is described as credible by intelligence experts.The allegations contained in it claim that Iran controls the largest fighting force in Syria; has military bases throughout the state; and has amassed an enormous war-chest in support of the Syrian president.
According to Simmons, If the activists claims are accurate, this would mean that the fundamentalist Tehran regime and its Shia proxies are far more powerful than has been estimated. Western analysts have so far placed the total Iranian-led Shia force at just 16,000. The dissidents make the claim that Iran now commands about 60,000 Shia troops in Syria 15,000 more men than Britain took into the 2003 Iraq war while Assads army has been reduced to just 50,000 soldiers.
The intelligence that the NCRI passed to MailOnline claims that a staggering $100 billion has been spent by Iran to assist in the conflict since 2011, in support for Assads regime. This figure surprised Western analysts, whose estimates have been far less.
Millions of dollars in cash is regularly delivered at the Iranian airstrip before being transferred to the HQ nicknamed the Glasshouse, the dissidents claim. The money is allegedly stored in the basement under the care of, Brigadier General Seyyed Razi Mousavi, formerly commander of the elite Quds Force in Syria. It is principally used to pay fighters salaries.
The NCRI is the Iranian opposition group committed to the overthrow of the Rouhani regime. It has leaked intelligence in the past, exposing the existence of secret nuclear facilities at Natanz and Arak, which made Western powers more cautious in negotiating with Tehran.
Kamal Alam, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said that the leaked intelligence was, entirely plausible. I go quite regularly to Syria and visit the battlefields, and Ive seen how the Iranians try to keep their operations as secret as possible. Their troops tend to speak Arabic rather than Farsi in public, and generally dont wear Iranian uniforms. This makes it very hard for observers to know how many are in the country. He added that analysts have been forced to use conservative estimates of troop numbers, because Tehran does not release reliable figures. Syrias President Assad, downplays Irans support to avoid the impression that he is a puppet of the Islamist regime, according to Alam.
The activists key claim is that Iran operates a major HQ close to Damascus airport, which the NCRI say is nicknamed The Glasshouse (Maqar-e Shishei in Farsi). The NCRI say that the 180-room building is nicknamed Muhammad Ali, and that anti-blast walls form a square around the perimeter, which is heavily guarded. According to the NCRI, up to 1,000 personnel work at the secret base, and all must undergo an intensive security screening. A number of departments are based inside including the feared Iranian intelligence services, who are in charge of the base.
Simons says, The revelations come after Tehran took the extraordinary step of allowing Russia to use its airbases to launch attacks in Syria, demonstrating its expanding role.
It also follows reports that Iran has deployed a Russian-made S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system at its uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, northwestern Iran.
Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, an Iran specialist at RUSI, said: It is very difficult to know about numbers because Iran is so secretive. Its something we struggled with throughout our research. Its no secret that Iran has a heavy presence on the ground that is not based exclusively on advisers and consultants. This data reinforces our assumptions and suspicions about Iranian involvement in Syria, but takes it much further in terms of numbers. It amplifies our view that because of the heavy political, financial and military investment in Syria, Iran is unlikely to withdraw its presence on the ground without a major shift in the power balance.
Irans role in fostering instability in the Middle East, including ongoing support for proxy groups and the Assad regime, and the activities of the Quds force, remains a source of serious concern, a Foreign Office spokeswoman told MailOnline.
The NCRI also claim Tehran has military in 18 locations from northern to southern Syria, pointing out that it it intends to control large swathes of the country even if Assad is defeated.
One security source told MailOnline, Iran is getting itself into a position where whether Assad stands or falls, Tehran is in the best position to dominate whatever comes next.
Such is the scale of Tehrans involvement in Syria that the war has been taking its toll domestically, the dossier claims. Last year, just 5,000 Iranians were in action in the country; today, this number stands at 16,000.
According to Rusis Iran specialist Dr Tabrizi, the massive Iranian presence raises the danger of regional escalation. The Gulf countries are already scared about Iranian power projection in the region. This may hasten [the Gulf states] support for rebel groups, or even lead them to think about the deployment of ground troops to Syria, Dr. Tabrizi said.
According to activists, the role of Iran goes even further, who also claim that the state encouraged Russia to commit significant resources to bolster Assad in 2015.
During a secret meeting with Moscow in July last year, Major General Qasem Soleimani apparently requested greater Russian air support and a huge shipment of weapons, including MiG, Sukhoi and Antonov aircraft, Kamov and Mil helicopters, and T90 tanks, according to Simons. Dissidents citing Revolutionary Guards sources claim that a deal was done on condition that Iran paid $3 billion towards the $10 billion cost.
Youre talking about a very orchestrated, emboldened and well-planned Iranian presence, one security source told MailOnline. They are thinking very clearly and wisely, and are putting down deep roots, creating pockets of power in places with strategic importance. The Iranians are masters in meddling in different political functions abroad. It is exactly what many in the region are afraid of. Its their biggest nightmare.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said, The Iranian government has said that it wants to see a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict. But as thing stand, Iran is a long way from playing a constructive role. Iran continues to send fighters, including the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, to Syria, subsidises the Assad regime and is actively supporting the Assad regimes suppression of innocent people.
New Delhi: A plea was today filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre and the poll panel to debar convicts from contesting elections for life and stopping them from entering judiciary and the executive.
The petition also sought a direction to fix minimum educational qualification and a maximum age limit for persons to contest elections.
"Apart from terrorism and naxalism, the most serious problem our country is facing is extensive corruption and criminalisation of politics.
"In the Executive and Judiciary, when a person is convicted for any criminal offence, he/she is suspended automatically and debarred from his services for life. However, this rule is applied differently in case of convicted person in a legislature," the petition, filed by advocate and Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, said.
"Even after conviction and undergoing sentence, a convicted person can form his own political party and is eligible to become the office bearer of any political party.
"In addition, a convicted person is eligible to contest the election and eligible to become Member of Legislature and even Minister after expiry of six year period from the date of conviction," the plea said.
The petition further sought to implement electoral reforms proposed by Election Commission, Law Commission and National Commission to review the working of the Constitution.
Upadhyay also submitted that decriminalisation of the polity ws impossible without debarring convicted persons from electoral politics for life, as done in the case of convicted person being barred from the executive and judiciary.
"We cannot apply different rules to debar convicted person from judiciary, executive and legislature," he said.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will on Thursday hold a demonstration outside Arvind Kejriwal's residence at 11 am, a day after the Delhi Chief Minister removed his Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar over an alleged sex tape.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli told news agency ANI that Kejriwal is a `unique` chief minister who doesn`t do any work besides focussing on `allegations and conspiracy theories from morning till night.`
"The reasons questions are asked from Arvind Kejriwal and his party is because they are the ones who set the standards and may be his promises that `we will ensure that we do a complete analysis, a background check and bring the finest of people into politics`," Kohli said.
"And when the opposite has happened, they sack their own party members. Look at for what their ministers have been sacked - one with a forged degree, another one in a corruption case and now somebody in a sex scandal. And for anything you will ask a question to Mr Kejriwal, he will always blame Prime Minister Modi or the BJP. So, is the BJP responsible for the sex life of a minister and the sex scandal he is involved? This is amazing. Mr Kejriwal is only interested in politics of allegations, excuses and blame game," he added.
Kejriwal on Wednesday said that he had received an "objectionable" CD on Kumar and there cannot be any compromise with propriety in public life.
Soon after the action against the legislator, Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has "zero tolerance" towards any such act and action was taken within half-an-hour of receiving the CD.
The BJP and Congress mounted an attack on the Kejriwal government over the purported "sex CD" involving Kumar.
Kumar is the third minister who has been removed or forced out of the cabinet by Kejriwal since the formation of the government in February 2015.
Jitender Tomar was asked to resign as Law Minister in June 2015 after he was accused of forging his college degree. In October last year, Asim Ahmed Khan was removed as Minister for Food and Environment following allegations of taking bribe from a builder.
(With Agency inputs)
Berlin: One year after opening Germany`s doors to a mass influx of refugees, Chancellor Angela Merkel insists she was right and has stuck to her message that "we can do it".
But while the bold move won her the gratitude of those fleeing war and misery, and broad praise for her principled humanitarian stance, she has also been accused of sowing discord in Europe and exacerbating the migrant crisis.
Here are three questions on the momentous events since Merkel decided, on September 4, 2015, to keep open the national borders in the face of the growing influx that would swell arrivals in Germany to over one million asylum seekers in a year. Merkel, usually described as cool-headed and rational, apparently took a decision strongly guided by emotion when she decided to allow into Germany tens of thousands of refugees who were stranded in Hungary.
The move surprised the world and saw the German leader hailed as `Mama Merkel` by grateful migrants.
When refugees from the overcrowded Budapest railway station headed on foot through Austria towards Germany on September 4, Vienna and Berlin agreed to let them through, rather than to shutter the borders.
At the time, the public was reeling from the jarring photo of three-year-old Syrian refugee boy Aylan lying dead on a Turkish beach, and the discovery in Austria of 71 dead migrants in a truck.
A German minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that "Merkel was right to open the borders because otherwise there would have been deaths, and the German population would have forced us to open the borders anyway."
Merkel had also been infuriated by vulgar insults from xenophobic protesters during a visit to a refugee shelter in Heidenau in the former communist east.
It was a "traumatic experience" for her, said Hajo Funke of Berlin`s Free University.
Speaking after over 20,000 migrants crossed German borders during a single weekend, the pastor`s daughter said that if Germany couldn`t help those in desperate need, it would "not be my country anymore".Supporters compared Merkel to Mother Teresa, for standing up for Europe`s humanist values and the core principle of the free movement of people in the Schengen area.
This week, she told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily: "Do we stand by what our constitution says about human dignity? ... That`s what this is about."
But critics charged that Merkel`s actions, including appearing in a `selfie` picture with a migrant, created a pull factor that, in the smartphone age, encouraged tens of thousands more to make the dangerous trek.
Merkel, who usually seeks European consensus, had decided to "go it alone" -- according to the front cover of this week`s Stern news magazine -- by suspending the Dublin rules that say refugees must seek asylum in the first EU country they enter.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls later declared that Merkel`s policy was "untenable in the long term".
Countries that had looked to German leadership during the eurozone debt crisis would largely ignore Berlin`s demands for them to share the refugee burden under a binding quota system.
Eastern European countries closed their borders and refused to take in mostly Muslim migrants, with hardliners painting them as potential jihadists.
Merkel`s migration policy "revealed a lack of solidarity in Europe," said Andreas Roedder of Mainz University. "Whichever way you look at it, the consequences are dramatic for Europe."
As a result, Merkel is now more "isolated in Europe", he said, adding that the crisis was "not without effect" on the Brexit campaign.Germany faces the challenge of caring for the asylum seekers living in shelters across the country, including providing housing and language training and finding jobs for them.
The influx has sharply slowed, thanks to the closure of the Balkans route and a controversial deal with Turkey to halt the inflow which was signed in March.
Nonetheless, tens of thousands more have arrived this year, and Germany has witnessed a sharp rise in racist hate crimes and xenophobic sentiment, heightened by several bloody jihadist attacks this summer.
The rightwing populist AfD party is represented in half of Germany`s 16 state assemblies and looks like to enter two more through elections this month, while Merkel has also faced open rebellion from her conservative Bavarian allies.
Next year Merkel, who has been in power for 11 years, faces federal elections. She is yet to declare whether she will run for a fourth term as head of EU`s biggest economy.
Panaji: Describing BJP MLAs in Goa as 'asuras' (demons) and holding Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar responsible for the degeneration of the saffron party in the coastal state, expelled Goa RSS leader Subhash Velingkar on Thursday warned the BJP once again, that it would lose the upcoming state legislative assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference to announce the formation of a new Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Goa unit, Velingkar said that he as well as the RSS members and conscientious BJP workers had resolved to vote against the Bharatiya Janata Party in the assembly polls.
"No place in the world deserves such MLAs. People need MLAs who speak from their conscience. Whatever we may be on the outside, inside we have a god in all of us, a conscience. If the conscience is not clear, ill befalls and one becomes an avatar of asura," said Velingkar, whose unceremonious sacking as Goa division sangh chalak on Wednesday, has triggered a unprecedented rebellion against both the RSS top brass and the state BJP by the local Sangh cadre.
"We believe we have done no wrong, while the BJP represents falsehood. Manohar Parrikar is one of the biggest liars. He has dragged BJP down with him. The BJP has become a party of sheep. The aspirations of people who have elected them, mean nothing to them. They need their ministership, chief ministership, deputy chief ministership. Their mouths are tied shut on issues," he also said.
Velingkar, as well as the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Samiti which he is convenor of, has been campaigning against the BJP for the last few months, accusing its state leadership of betraying its promise of fully backing regional languages as a medium of instruction in state's primary schools.
Velingkar, as well as the Manch, have been demanding the scrapping of government grants to English medium schools, most of which are run by an education society backed by the influential Roman Catholic Church in Goa.
Velingkar also blamed Parrikar for betraying Hindus and Christians of Goa, for taking a cabinet decision in 2012, which allowed the continuance of the financial grants.
"Parrikar has cheated both Hindus and Christians. On the language issue, he did a U-turn. Regional languages are spoken by everyone, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Parrikar is responsible for all this. Parrikar is responsible for this degeneration. The agitation is because of his volte face decision contrary to his promise," Velingkar said.
Velingkar also said that in his last 55 years as a Sangh member, he had never seen the organisation as "weak and helpless". The senior Sangh leader said that the RSS had not faulted him in 2011, when he had led a 'Congress hatao' campaign in the run up to the 2012 state assembly elections.
"The BJP betrayed the people of Goa and the way we taught the Congress a lesson (in 2012), we have resolved to teach the BJP a lesson now. We will not withdraw from this," Velingkar said.
The RSS leader said that this was the first such experiment in the country, where the local Sangh unit was taking on a BJP government on matters of principle.
"A government which does not care for the people, respect it, ignores its demands and tramples people, should be taught a lesson. It may be the Congress or the BJP or any other party. We have to weigh every political parties on the same scale," Velingkar said, adding that he along with state RSS workers had pledged not to vote for the BJP during the upcoming state assembly elections.
"We all belonged once upon a time to that committed vote bank (of the BJP). Now we will not vote for the BJP even by mistake. That is our conviction," Velingkar said, exhorting the rest of the RSS cadre and conscientious BJP workers to not vote for the saffron party.
"Goa BJP will lose lock, stock and barrel," Velingkar said.
Panaji: Former RSS Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar on Thursday floated new state unit and appointed all his supporters, who had resigned from the right-wing body expressing solidarity with him, as the new office bearers.
Velingkar had this morning accused Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar of cheating the Hindus in the state.
Velingkar, who has been a vocal critic of the BJP dispensation here, was relieved apparently over his plans to launch a party, according to a Hindustan Times report.
He was chief of Goa wing of the RSS for nearly two decades.
Velingkar, who denies having any political ambitions, was quoted as saying that he intends to take on the BJP in a political battle.
Apparently, at least 400 RSS volunteers have already quit in his support, in a move that could raise concerns in the ruling BJP ahead of next years state elections.
Hindus who put their faith in the BJP and Parrikar, a former Goa chief minister and the BJPs most prominent face in the state, feel cheated, Velingkar said.
Velingkar, a former teacher who has been demanding education in mother tongue, said the RSS cadre was upset with Parrikars intent to seek voting rights for minorities who have opted for dual citizenship.
He further alleged that Parrikar micromanages the administration of the state and has not allowed current chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar to withdraw grants to schools with English as the medium of instruction.
Velingkar further stated that the RSS cadre in the state was not pleased with the minority appeasement by the current dispensation.
Ahmedabad: In yet another blow to Patidar leader Hardik Patel, a key functionary of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) Nikhil Sawani has quit the organization in protest against the "autocratic and politically motivated" style of functioning of its firebrand leader.
The development comes after three close aides of Patel snapped ties recently on similar allegations and that of financial bungling. Hardik Patel is at present in exile in Rajasthan on orders of the Gujarat High Court.
Sawani, who had played a key role during the quota stir last year in Surat and elsewhere and participated in long drawn fast demanding release of Hardik Patel from jail, has resigned from all the posts of the outfit alleging that the PAAS leader was taking all decision unanimously without consulting others and taking the agitation on a political path.
This has come as a surprise since Nikhil Sawani was recently appointed as convenor of Vadodara, Bharuch and Narmada districts, besides already holding the fort at key agitation centre Surat, as well as included on a dedicated panel to represent that PAAS in TV discussions and programmes.
Earlier, Chirag Patel and Ketan had alleged that Hardik, who is now camping in Udaipur for six months as per bail condition, was misusing the funds collected in the name of the agitation for a personal luxurious lifestyle. The two were later suspended from the outfit.
Meanwhile, PAAS leader from Morbi in Saurashtra, Nilesh Ervadiya, who was the first to be booked under sedition charges during the quota stir, also alleged that Hardik was going wayward and the agitation was losing direction. He also alleged that Hardik was being misled by certain political leaders.
In his resignation letter addressed to Hardik, Savani has alleged that the PAAS leader who used to decide everything by consensus is now taking unilateral decisions. He rued that the leader had forgotten the cause of the agitation and was playing into the hands of certain politicians.
Chandigarh: Haryana's former Chief Minister (CM) Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday demanded that the Manohar Lal Khattar government make the Justice SN Dhingra Commission report public, and accused it of indulging in "witch-hunt" and "sensationalising facts".
The one-man inquiry commission, which went into the controversial land deals in Haryana also allegedly involving Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, had submitted its 182-page report to the state government yesterday and apparently found irregularities in the deals.
"I demand that the Government make the Dhingra Commission report public soon and stop this witch-hunt and sensationalising of facts," Hooda , who was the chief minister when the deals were signed, told reporters here today.
He said while the report was yet to be made public, its contents were being "selectively leaked to the media".
"I can comment on its contents only when the report is made public," the two-time former CM said.
Asked if he would move court, the Congress leader said, "Let them first make the report public, then we will see".
When asked about the commission having reportedly hinted at irregularities in the deals, Hooda said, "But that does not necessarily mean that there is an illegality".
Hooda hit out at the government for getting only a handful of land licences probed, including the one granted to Robert Vadra's firm.
Giving details of the licence granted to Vadra's firm Skylight Hospitality, Hooda said the firm was alloted 2.7 acres as per entitlement.
The firm purchased land on January 28, 2008 by paying Rs 7.95 crore, including stamp duty, he said.
"The company also paid commercial colony charges of Rs 7.43 crore to the government. An amount of Rs 73 lakh was deposited for renewal of licence. Thus, total amount paid for purchase of land and statutory charges comes to Rs 16.11 crore."
"After a gap of five years, this piece of land was sold by Skylight to DLF for Rs 58 crore on September 18, 2012. Even on this amount, the company paid an additional tax of Rs 8 crore and thus they paid a total amount of Rs 24.11 crore which includes the Rs 16.11 crore against the receipt of sale price of Rs 58 crore," Hooda said.
New Delhi: US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday after addressing students at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi and cracking a joke at the rains in Delhi.
Did you come in boats? This was the question Kerry had raised at the IIT-Delhi last morning. The US Secretary of State was 40 minutes late for the event at the IIT as his carcade waded through the waterlogged roads from his hotel, otherwise a 15-minute ride. On Monday also, on his way to a hotel from the airport, Kerry was stuck for almost an hour in traffic due to waterlogged roads.
When Kerry met PM Modi, monsoon floods in New Delhi became a talking point at the meeting.
"It looks like the rains this time have warmly welcomed you," Modi said as he greeted Kerry and the US delegation on Wednesday for talks.
As the US delegation approached Modi`s office, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker fell when her heel got caught in a crack on the sidewalk. Kerry came to her aid, picking up a binder she had dropped, and steadying her as they made their way into the meeting.
Pritzker looked shaken but was unhurt.
The India-US Strategic Dialogue was upgraded to Strategic and Commercial Dialogue last year at the initiative of Modi and US President Barack Obama.
Islamabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Balochistan seemed to have hit Pakistan where it hurts the most.
Rattled by PM Modi's remark, Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif on Thursday said that his country understands the ploy of its enemy.
Allaying concerns over the security of its flagship CPEC project, he said that the China-Pakistan joint venture will be protected at all cost.
The war against terror is a matter of Pakistan's survival, he said during a seminar on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gilgit.
Beijing wants to develop the Gilgit-Baltistan region like the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi, Geo TV quoted him as saying.
Though he didn't mention why there has been apparently more emphasis on the security of CPEC, Pakistan suspects that India may create trouble, particularly in the backdrop of New Delhi raising the Baloch and the PoK issues.
General Sharif stressed that his Army will eliminate the nexus between corruption and terrorism at all cost.
He added that the security forces have made significant progress in the anti-terror operation Zarb-e-Azab and the nation's borders are secured.
The way we tackled the menace of terrorism, no one has been able to replicate that, he said.
New Delhi: Four officials of the Home Ministry were Thursday night suspended for their alleged goof-up in renewing the FCRA licence of the NGO of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is under the scanner of security agencies for his alleged radical views.
The officials, whose names and ranks were not known immediately, were suspended after the Home Ministry found that Naik's NGO Islamic Research Foundation's FCRA licence was renewed recently despite several ongoing probe against him.
"The four officials were suspended with immediate effect for their alleged role in the renewal of the FCRA licence of Naik's NGO," a Home Ministry official said.
Naik has come under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' had reported that one of the attackers of the July 1 terror strike in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran a propaganda on Facebook last year quoting Naik.
He in a lecture, aired on Peace TV, an international Islamic channel, had reportedly "urged all Muslims to be terrorists".
The popular but controversial Islamic orator is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speech aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia.
He is popular in Bangladesh through his Peace TV, although his preachings often demean other religions and even other Muslim sects.
Srinagar: The authorities on Thursday ordered suspension of five local cable TV networks in the Kashmir Valley for inciting violence.
The district magistrate has asked the Srinagar police chief to ensure that these channels stopped airing.
The police chief had in a report said the channels were transmitting content that was inciting violence and instigating people to breach peace.
All the transmission operations of these local channels were carried out from Srinagar. As a result of the official order, no cable network operator can carry these channels to viewers in the valley.
The crackdown comes as internet facility on mobile phones, both post and prepaid, continue to suspended in the valley for almost two months in the wake of the deadliest unrest Kashmir has suffered in six years.
All outgoing call facilities were also suspended on prepaid phones after the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Chennai: Fulfilling yet another election promise, the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu on Thursday increased the maternity leave of government employees from six months to nine months.
"In 2011, my government increased the maternity leave from 90 days to six months. Now, the government is increasing the maternity leave from six months to nine months," Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said in the state assembly.
Besides this the Chief Minister also announced mega plans involving several crores of rupees for government hospitals across the state.
The government proposes to construct more buildings at Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital, Kilpauk Government Hospital in Chennai and Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital to set up vascular, cardio thoracic, plastic surgery, kidney, ENT and operation facilities for children.
The government would upgrade general hospitals in Salem, Vellore, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Trichy and Tuticorin. Equipment for mammography, CT scan, imaging, ultrasound and others will be provided in these hospitals at a cost of Rs 75.10 crore.
Jayaliathaa also announced plans totalling Rs 131.43 crore to upgrade facilities in several small government hospitals.
The announcement was made a day after Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government completed 100 days in office.
New Delhi: A three-day crucial meeting of the RSS full-timers presently working in the BJP will be held in Surajkund on September 10, 11 and 12.
The key posts of general secretary, organisation, in BJP is held by RSS full-timers (pracharak) who are on loan to the party. Some of them occupy other posts in the party across its state units as well.
RSS general secretary Bhaiyya ji Joshi, the second in command of the outfit, and its joint general secretary Krishna Gopal will be the key persons who will present at the three day exercise, a senior BJP leader said.
Asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will also address these office bearers, he said it was not certain yet.
RSS full-timers working in the BJP, especially its general secretaries in charge of the organisation in the central body as well as state bodies, spearhead party activities and are perceived to be reliable feedback as they generally, though not always, do not participate in electoral politics and owe their allegiance to the top brass of RSS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also a RSS 'pracharak' looking after the organisational matters in the BJP before he was chosen to lead the party in Gujarat in 2001.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes in the wake of three crucial party meetings involving its state core committee leaders, chief ministers and Rajya Sabha members.
Modi and Shah had addressed all three meetings.
New Delhi: Pakistan's Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned Indian TV channels through DTH (direct-to-home) services with immediate effect, apparently over India's plans to telecast some of its radio programmes also in Balochi language.
"Adequate time is being given to the cable operators and satellite channels to adjust their timings as per the legal requirements.
Otherwise, punitive action will be taken against the two important segments from October 15," Dawn quoted PEMRA chairman Absar Alam as saying.
Pakistan media reports that the country's Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has banned Indian TV Channels through DTH services. ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2016
He said action against the dealers of Indian DTH would be launched with immediate effect.
A PEMRA board meeting also decided to stop the airing of any Indian channel in the country since none of them had landing rights in Pakistan.
Alam said the PEMRA would write letters to the Federal Board of Revenue, the State Bank and agencies, including the Federal Investigation Agency, for curbing the sale of Indian DTH decoders in the country.
"Around three million Indian DTH decoders are being sold in the country. We not only want this sale stopped but will also ask the relevant agencies to trace the money trail to determine the mode of payments made to Indian dealers selling these decoders to Pakistanis," he said.
He said that all the stakeholders, including cable operators and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, had been forewarned that steps would be initiated in near future against the airing of excessive foreign content.
Under PEMRA rules, only 10 percent of airtime (two hours and 40 minutes in a 24-hour transmission) is allowed for foreign contents.
Alam also warned of punitive actions, including suspension and revocation of licences, for repeated violations.
The All India Radio (AIR) is soon expected to start programmes in Balochi language.
According to AIR sources, the Narendra Modi-led government has given its approval for the same.
New Delhi: Taking on Pakistan, Indian Air Force Chief Arup Raha on Thursday recalled 1947 era saying, raiders supported by military and the government across the border tried to overrun Jammu and Kashmir.
Giving further details on the Pakistan-backed raid, the IAF Chief said, large number of troops, military equipment, weapons and logistics were brought into many areas of J&K in 1947.
IAF played a great role in stopping the advancing raiders, the IAF Chief added.
At that time we went to the United Nations for a peaceful solution; it was out of moral high ground. But the problem still continues and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir remains a thorn in our flesh even today, Raha asserted.
Raha's statement comes at a time when PoK region has been witnessing huge protests. The locals in large numbers are regularly hit the streets to protests against the Pakistani establishment and its Army.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, had advocated for freedom of PoK and Balochistan, which unnerved Islamabad.
Pakistan Army had launched Operation Gulmarg in early October 1947 using tribals to annex J&K.
On October 22, 1947, about 5,000 tribals, supported by Pakistan Army, invaded the Kashmir Valley from Abbottabad. Maharaja Hari Singh, the then ruler of the state, signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, thus making Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India and Indian Army was thereafter ordered to evict the invaders.
New Delhi: Hitting out at Pakistan over attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that part of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan.
They can write as many letters as they want to the United Nations but this will not change the fact that J&K is an integral part of India, it said.
MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "The ground reality is that part of Jammu and Kashmir is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan and any third party collaboration will be our concern.
He also slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's decision to send 22 special envoys to world capitals to raise the Kashmir issue.
"Sending out 22 envoys is not going to make untenable claims legal. They should have sent just one envoy with the right message of putting an end to cross-border terrorism," Swarup said.
Meanwhile, PM Sharif has shot off another letter to the UN chief seeking his intervention in the Kashmir issue.
Pakistan on Thursday banned the Indian TV channels in the country and asked its cable operators and DTH dealers to comply the with order immediately.
The move is seen as a retaliation to India's plan to transmit some of the All India Radio (AIR) programmes in the Balochi language.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently raised the issue of human rights violations in Balochistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and extended all possible help.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets off on Friday on a bilateral visit to Vietnam and to attend the annual summit of powerful G-20 grouping in China's Hangzhou where India is likely to seek concrete measures to check terror financing and crackdown on tax evasion.
PM Modi's first destination will be Vietnam from where he will leave for Hangzhou on August 3 to attend the G-20 summit on September 4 and 5. The Prime Minister will return to India on September 5 and will again leave for Laos on a two-day visit to attend the annual India-ASEAN and East Asia Summits.
In Vietnam, PM Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with top leadership of the resource-rich country to deepen ties in key areas of defence, security and trade, and ramping up India's engagement in oil exploration.
India's ONGC Videsh Limited is engaged in oil exploration projects in Vietnam for over three decades and there may be announcements about new projects in the sector during the bilateral visit, which is taking place after a gap of 15 years.
At the G-20 Summit, India is likely to raise a host of issues ranging from choking terror funding and checking tax evasion to cutting cost of remittances and market access for key drugs.
On the sidelines of the Summit, Modi will have bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a BRICS leaders' meet. A number of other bilaterals are being finalised, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujatha Mehta told reporters.
She said issues like global tax reform, climate-friendly financing and market access for antibiotics are some of the issues likely to be discussed at the meetings. Niti Ayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya is India's sherpa for the G-20 and some of the issues were already discussed in the run-up to the summit.
Mehta said there will be deliberations on containing terror financing at the G 20 summit.
There are likely to be detailed deliberations on automatic exchange of tax information at G-20, besides discussion on ways to tackle slowdown of the global economy. India has already agreed to the Automatic Exchange of Information Convention of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organisation of around 35 countries.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets off tomorrow on a bilateral visit to Vietnam and to attend the annual summit of powerful G-20 grouping in China's Hangzhou where India is likely to seek concrete measures to check terror financing and crackdown on tax evasion.
Modi's first destination will be Vietnam from where he will leave for Hangzhou on September 3 to attend the G-20 summit on September 4 and 5. The Prime Minister will return to India on September 5 and will again leave for Laos on a two-day visit to attend the annual India-ASEAN and East Asia Summits.
In Vietnam, Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with top leadership of the resource-rich country to deepen ties in key areas of defence, security and trade, and ramping up India's engagement in oil exploration.
India's ONGC Videsh Limited is engaged in oil exploration projects in Vietnam for over three decades and there may be announcements about new projects in the sector during the bilateral visit, which is taking place after a gap of 15 years.
At the G-20 Summit, India is likely to raise a host of issues ranging from choking terror funding and checking tax evasion to cutting cost of remittances and market access for key drugs.
On the sidelines of the Summit, Modi will have bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a BRICS leaders' meet. A number of other bilaterals are being finalised, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujatha Mehta told reporters.
She said issues like global tax reform, climate friendly financing and market access for antibiotics are some of the issues likely to be discussed at the meetings. Niti Ayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya is India's sherpa for the G-20 and some of the issues were already discussed in the run up to the summit.
Mehta said there will be deliberations on containing terror financing at the G 20 summit.
There are likely to be detailed deliberations on automatic exchange of tax information at G-20, besides discussion on ways to tackle slowdown of the global economy. India has already agreed to the Automatic Exchange of Information Convention of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organisation of around 35 countries. .
New Delhi: IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Thursday indicated that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK) would have been India's had the country gone for a military solution rather than taking a "moral high ground".
Raha also rued that air power had not been fully utilised by the Indian government till the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
In unusually candid remarks, the Air Force chief termed PoK as a "thorn in our flesh" and said India did not follow a "pragmatic approach" to security needs.
He said India's security environment is vitiated and aerospace power, as part of the military power, would be required to deter a conflict in the region and also ensure peace and tranquillity.
"Our foreign policy was enshrined in the charter of the UN, charter of the Non-Alignment Movement as well as Panchseel doctrine.
"We have been governed by high ideals and we really did not follow a very pragmatic approach, to my mind, to security needs. To that extent, we did ignore the role of the military power to maintain conducive environment," Raha said at an aerospace seminar here.
He said India as a country was "reluctant" to use military power, especially air power, in deterring adversaries, in deterring a conflict and when involved in conflict the country has been drawn into several times in the past.
He said when hordes of raiders attacked Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, it was the transport planes of the IAF which helped Indian soldiers and equipment to reach the battleground.
"And when a military solution was in sight, taking moral high ground, I think we went to UN for a peaceful solution to this problem. The problem still continues. PoK remains a thorn in our flesh today," he said.
Raha said that in 1962, air power went under-utilised because of the fear of a skirmish.
"In 1965 conflict, we did not use air power against East Pakistan because of political reasons despite Pakistani Air Force operating from East Pakistan attacking our air bases, infrastructure, aircraft on ground. We had severe setbacks but we never retaliated," he rued.
The IAF chief said the only time when air power was fully utilised was in 1971 war and the three forces blended completely resulting in the creation of Bangladesh.
"But the situation has changed. We are ready to use air power to defend ourselves and deter a conflict," he said.
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Thursday questioned the Justice Dhingra Commission report and said that it was an attempt to defame the Congress Party.
"He (Justice Dhingra) said that he would not reveal any details about the report. He said that it is up to the state government to public the report. So, how there is a leak of the report? All this is happening just to defame the Congress Party. It is similar to that of hit-and-run of a person," Kharge told ANI here.
"Why is he not publicising the content of the report? This is nothing but a conspiracy to defame the Congress and its people who think about the welfare of the party. It is all politically motivated," he added.
The one-man commission set up by the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP Government in Haryana to investigate land deals in Gurgaon signed under the state`s erstwhile Congress administration (2005-2014) has hinted at irregularities.
One of the deals in question involved a firm owned by Congress president Sonia Gandhi`s son-in-law Robert Vadra.
Retired High Court judge SN Dhingra, who conducted the inquiry, submitted his 182-page report to the Haryana Government yesterday.
"If there were no irregularities, there were no reasons for me to write a 182-page report. I would have finished with a one-line statement," he told the media later.
Dhingra said that his report consists of complete details of irregularities in granting licences, the manner in which irregularities were committed and the persons involved.
"I have named each and every person involved, including government (employees) and private individuals," he added.
When asked if he had found the same irregularities in the Vadra-DLF deal as pointed out by the CAG, Dhingra said that his report was more comprehensive.
He added that he did not summon whistleblower Ashok Khemka because he had not felt it necessary.
Khemka had cancelled the DLF-Skylight deal in 2012 after pointing out irregularities.
Khattar on his part said that there was "no question" of sparing anyone indicted in Dhingra`s report.
Vadra`s lawyer Suman Khaitan, however, yesterday claimed that the businessman had done no wrong and that neither he nor his representatives had been summoned by the Dhingra panel.
New Delhi: Rich tributes were paid to former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma on his birth anniversary at a function in the Central hall of Parliament House on Thursday.
Lok Sabha deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, Rajya Sabha deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, members of Parliament and former MPs paid floral tributes to Sangma.
Secretaries-General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Anoop Mishra and Shumsher K Sheriff respectively also paid the tributes.
Born on September 1, 1947 in Chapahati village in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, Sangma was a man of many parts - having been a lecturer, a lawyer and a journalist before joining politics.
He was unanimously elected Speaker of the Eleventh Lok Sabha on May 23, 1996, winning the support across all political parties.
As the Speaker, Sangma ensured that rules were observed by the members even in the midst of stormy debates.
For him Parliamentary democracy meant free debate, objective deliberations and healthy criticism and it was for the Speaker to ensure that these objectives were achieved.
He had nine terms in Lok Sabha and served in the Union Cabinet in important ministries like Home Affairs, Commerce, Industry, Labour, Information and Broadcasting and Coal.
Sangma passed away on March 4 this year.
New Delhi: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, who arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, described his country's ties with India as old and "very resilient".
He said this when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on him here on Thursday evening.
This is the first presidential visit from Egypt to India since 2013 when then President Mohamed Morsi visited New Delhi.
"President Sisi said India and Egypt had centuries old ties which had remained 'very resilient'," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media after the meeting
He said the Egyptian President recalled his previous meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed his desire to take the bilateral relationship to a new level
Sisi spoke about his government's efforts to upgrade infrastructure and said that Egypt was keen to work in partnership with all "those who want to work with us".
"He positively assessed the role of Indian investment in Egypt which had touched $3 billion and sought greater trade and investment ties with India," Swarup said.
"He also expressed appreciation for India's recent supply of 20,000 tonnes of rice at very short notice when Egypt was faced with a shortage."
According to the spokesperson, Sushma Swaraj recalled her own association with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry whom she had met in Bahrain as well as Cairo and said she would be inviting him shortly to India for the meeting of the joint commission between the two countries.
She said that India-Egypt trade was still below potential.
"In this context, she outlined some of the far reaching economic reforms and flagship initiatives which the Modi government had launched which offered enormous potential for further diversification of trade and investment ties with Egypt," Swarup said.
"She said that apart from rice, Egypt could import Indian wheat and milk, in both of which India was a world leader."
The issue of fighting terrorism also came up with Sushma Swaraj saying that the visit of Sisi also afforded an opportunity to upgrade security ties and anti-terror cooperation with Egypt.
"In this context she mentioned the need for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN," Swarup said.
"President Sisi concurred, and said that he wanted to take anti-terror cooperation to a whole new level. In particular, he urged strong collective action against radicalisation and recruitment for terrorism," he said.
According to the spokesperson, apart from cooperation in tourism and people-to-people ties, there was also a brief discussion on consular issues between the two leaders.
Sushma Swaraj also agreed with Sisi's assessment that his visit would lead to a "quantum leap in bilateral ties", according to Swarup.
Sisi, who is being accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, officials and business leaders, will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday which will be followed by signing of agreements.
The Egyptian President will be hosted for a banquet by President Mukherjee later in the evening.
New Delhi: Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has once again openly come out in support of 'gau rakshaks'.
VHP on Wednesday said the Centre should ask states not to harrass authorised people and agencies engaged in cow protection.
VHP's international president Praveen Togadia also lauded the government for issuing an advisory to states for ensuring a complete ban on beef exports.
Also, Togadia expressed confidence that the "gau-bhakts" in the Central government and BJP have taken a pledge for cow protection.
"VHP welcomes the government of India's action to ensure a complete ban on beef exports. We are confident that there are many 'gau-bhakts' in the Central government and BJP who have taken a pledge for cow protection. The meaningful steps taken by the BJP-ruled states in this direction are also laudable.
"We suggest that the Union Home Ministry's advisory to state administrations should also clarify that authorised people and entities working for the important task of cow protection should not be harassed. We are confident that the Centre will take the work of saints and organisations towards cow protection to newer heights," Togadia said in a statement.
He had earlier taken strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against cow vigilantes, saying by dubbing them as "anti-social" he had insulted them and demanded that the government talk to them.
Togadia said that Modi's directive to states to create dossiers of cow vigilantes amounts to "racial profiling" of Hindus as they are the ones who give their lives for protecting the animal.
Expressing "utmost dissatisfaction and agony" over Prime Minister's remarks, he also questioned as to why the "head of the country" has given a clean chit to "cow butchers" and victimised cow protectors, who have been his avid supporters and helped him getting elected.
Rather than appreciating efforts of Hindus to save cows and initiating a sincere dialogue with "these simple, non-fancy gau-rakshaks", Modi had termed 80 per cent of them as "anti-social", he said.
That was an "insult not only of Mother cow but also of Hindus and all those who gave their lives for protecting cows," he told reporters.
In a strong rebuke to cow vigilantes, some of whom flogged Dalits in his home state Gujarat, Modi had this month said that he felt enraged at such "anti-social elements" who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors during the day.
Jammu: BJP legislator Surinder Ambardar on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the stone-pelting incidents at the transit camp of Kashmiri pandits in Kupwara yesterday.
"The reports of mob attack on the Nutnusa Kashmiri Pandit Migrant camp in Kupwara, Kashmir are disturbing.I condemn it and demand a thorough judicial probe of the incident" BJP MLC, Surinder Ambardar said.
Earlier in July, Kashmiri Pandit employees posted under Prime Minister's special employment package in Kashmir migrated to Jammu after their transit colonies in Vessu (Kulgam), Mattan (Anantnag), Nutnasu (Kupwara), Baramulla, Haal (Pulwama) and Sheikhpora (Budgam)were attacked as protests erupted in the Valley in the aftermath of militant commander Burhan Wani's encounter killing.
Several Kashmiri Pandit organisations in Jammu came out in support of the community and condemned the incidents.
Terming the incident of stone pelting as a deep rooted conspiracy to "halt" the rehabilitation of the community in the valley, the All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) has said the attack vindicates its stand that minorities are not safe in the valley.
"It's a conspiracy of the separatists and others to halt the rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community in the Kashmir valley, we want a proper probe a judicial enquiry into the incident," Vinod Pandit Chairman APMCC said.
"The attack vindicates our stand that minorities are not safe in Kashmir, it also vindicates the stand of over 1600 employees from the community who have refused to return to valley to join their jobs after their transit camps were attacked," he said.
Another organisation of Pandits, Sampooran Kashmir, said the life and property of these community members working there are not safe.
"We have extended our support to the protesting employees in Jammu and that nobody can force them to return to valley, where their life and property are not safe. We demand that the government of India and the state government must immediately release the salaries of these protesting employees," Anoop Kaul chairman of the Sampooran Kashmir said.
Reacting to the incident, King Bharti, president of the Citizens for Peace and Harmony said minorities in Kashmir have become the major sufferers of the ongoing unrest that was triggered after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Bharti demanded the state government to immediately release a compensation of Rs 5 Lakh to each employee whose residence was attacked and looted by the mob during the unrest.
"Failure to put balm on the wounds of the Kashmiri Pandit community would force the entire community to come on roads."
Srinagar: Cable TV operators in Kashmir were on Thursday directed by the authorities to stop airing five news channels as their programmes had allegedly caused law and order problems in the unrest-hit Valley and were promoting "enmity against the sovereignty of the state."
"Whereas SSP Srinagar has informed that cable operators operating in district Srinagar are transmitting various programmes which has created law and order problem in the Valley in general and Srinagar in particular as these cable operators transmit programmes which promote hatred, ill-will, disharmony and a feeling of enmity against the sovereignty of State," an order issued by District Magistrate Srinagar to the cable TV operators read.
According to the order, the TV channels - KBC, Gulistan TV, Munsiff TV, JK Channel and Insaaf TV - have started to telecast programmes which have potential of causing mental and physical harm to particular functionaries of the government.
"These programmes have caused feeling of prejudice to the maintenance of harmony and public peace," the order said.
Invoking the Cable Television Network (Regulation Act, 1995), the District Magistrate said the act provided a mechanism to regulate the operation of television network and to prevent the breach of peace and stop incitement and instigation of the public to cause mental and physical threat to particular functionaries of the government.
You are directed to stop telecasting/transmitting the programmes of these channels failing which action as contemplated under the provisions of Cable Television Networks (Regulation Act, 1995) will be taken against you, the order said.
Expressing surprise over the order, the cable TV operators said the government should at least make a distinction between a cable and a satellite channel.
"These are all satellite channels which are being aired from outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Cable TV Networks Act does not apply to these channels," said one of the cable TV operators.
Srinagar: In a major development, the Modi government is readying to stop all the government facilities meted out to separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir.
A report published in Amar Ujala said the Centre plans to stop providing air tickets, hotel and taxi services to the separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Farooq and Yasin Malik during foreign tours.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led regime has also asked J&K government-led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to stop the same provided by the state government, the report stated.
Notably, around Rs 100 crores are spent annually on separatist leaders. While the Centre shares 90 percent of the burden, the state spends only 10 percent.
The decision to remove remove the security cover provided to the separatist leaders has to be taken by the state government. At present, 950 cops are on duty to guard the leaders.
For the last 55 days, life has remained totally paralysed in Kashmir due to curfew and protest shutdown called by the separatists, ever since Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani's encounter.
A total of 72 people -- 69 civilians and three policemen have killed and over 11,000 others injured in the Valley during this period.
The government is tightening its noose over Hurriyat hardliner Geelani.
Naeem Geelani, the elder son of Geelani, was recently summoned by National Investigating Agency (NIA) for recording his statement in connection with a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) registered by the probe agency.
The case pertains to a PE registered by the NIA to probe flow of funds into various bank accounts from overseas which in turn is allegedly being used for anti-national activities in the Valley.
However, NIA said the allegations levelled against the probe agency were totally baseless and that the agency was probing a legitimate case where funds were being received in the state and diverted towards terrorism and anti-national activities.
Jammu: Two terrorists were apprehended in Pattan city of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramullah district in a joint operation.
The security personnel seized two AK-47 rifles, ammunitions, grenade launchers and grenades.
A police constable was shot dead by the terrorists in Pulwama district in the wee hours of Saturday last week.
The police constable, Khurshid Ahmed, was killed outside his house in Koil village at around 3:00 a.m.
As per reports, he was leaving his home for duty when the militants shot him from a close range.
Nagpur: In a horrifying incident, a retired scientist from Nagpur has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing three minor girls whom he had reportedly adopted.
As per a report in NDTV, Maqsood Ansari, 72, a former scientist with NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) was arrested after the 16-year-old girl, whom he had adopted, filed a police complaint.
She alleged that the scientist had been abusing her since she was in Class 1. She also said that two younger girls, aged 11 and six-and-half-years, were also sexually abused.
The report further said that the man had offered to marry the girl and had threatened all three of them against informing the authorities.
The media house quoted the police as saying that Ansari was married at least twice, but could not father a biological child.
Both his wives had left him and later he had adopted the girls at a young age.
The girls were rescued by the police after the eldest girl approached a non-profit organisation through a friend's family.
They were shifted to a government shelter.
Meanwhile, Ansari is said to have been charged with rape and under provisions of Protection of Children From Sexual Offences or POCSO Act.
Chandigarh: It's final, the former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, is not joining Congress.
This was made evident by none other than Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur, who targeted Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh saying, if he had been honest to his party and the people of Punjab, there would've been no vacuum left in Punjab to be filled by a third party.
Kaur's reference to third party is a clear indication that there are no chances of Sidhu joining the grand old party.
People will see us with the party which is ready to have honest leaders for Punjab. Mr Amarinder Singh, we want to shake the system, which has ruined the state, Kaur said.
Sidhu, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha as a BJP leader on July 18, was likely to join AAP on August 12. Since then, Sidhu has been in talks to join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Punjab.
However, those talks had reportedly faltered on a few demands that Sidhu made, though Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal clarified that his party is waiting for the 52-year-old commentator to take a decision.
AAP national convener Kejriwal had then publicly welcomed Sidhus decision to quit Rajya Sabh and expressed his hoped that the latters presence could be used to accelerate AAPs campaign in Punjab.
Lucknow: Maulana Anwarul Haq, the head Imam of Jama Masjid in Bijnor, who offered Rs 51 lakh to behead Kamlesh Tiwari, has been arrested on charges of rape.
Haq, who had courted huge controversy over Tiwari case, was held after husband and neighbours of the victim caught the Imam, who had been sexually assaulting the woman on pretext of curing her from evil spirits.
According to police, the husband of the alleged rape victim, had approached the head Imam of Jama Masjid to help cure his wife's illness.
Haq told him that his wife was possessed by evil spirits and should be taken to Kaliyar Sharif dargah in Haridwar to perform some rituals.
However, when they were staying in Haridwar, the Imam called the woman to his room on the pretext of performing rituals, but instead raped her.
After returning from the holy town, Haq again tried to rape the woman, when her husband was not at home.
The Imam was caught red-handed on August 19, when he along with his associate were at the alleged victim's place. But to his shocker, the husband arrived and sensing some mischief he called the neighbours, who in turn assaulted Haq.
The family didn't filed a police complaint. Later, the Imam started harassing them to give him the video clips of the August 19 day, which some locals had shot.
Unable to get the video clips, which would have exposed his true nature, Haq approached police and filed a complaint against the couple saying, they had robbed his wife's jewellery.
However, when the police called the rape survivor's husband, the whole story got unfolded.
Last year, Haq had shot to fame, after he had issued a fatwa to behead Kamlesh Tiwari.
Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari has been on the line of fire after his controversial statment that Prophet Muhammad was the first homosexual in the world.
Varanasi: Police have filed a case against students and doctors at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) after friends of an injured student clashed with doctors, a police officer said on Thursday.
The violence broke out between attendants of a patient and doctors at the BHU on Wednesday night, leaving many injured. The incident occurred after friends of an injured student alleged that doctors didn`t attend to him.
They resorted to stone pelting and ransacked official property even as police was called in. It took the officers more than three hours to contain the mob.
As soon as news of the doctors-students clash spread, students staying in hostels too pitched in. Outnumbered, the doctors beat a hasty retreat. Heavy police reinforcements were sent to the spot.
An official told IANS that by Thursday morning the situation was brought under control and a case was registered against students and some doctors.
Farrukhabad (UP): If records at a fair price shop here are to be believed, Deepika Padukone, Sonakshi Sinha, Jacqueline Fernandez and Rani Mukherjee receive subsidised food grains distributed through ration cards.
A distributor at Sahabganj village in Qayamganj tehsil has names of these actors on the list of beneficiaries and ration is being taken on these names for quite a long time.
The matter came to light when villagers filed a complaint against the distributor and a probe was ordered, officials said.
In the registration form, several names of actors and their 'spouses' cropped up.
As per the list, Jacqueline's "husband" is Sadhu Lal and Deepika's spouse is Rakesh Chand. Similarly, Rani Mukherjee's "husband" is Ram Swaroop, while Sonakshi is shown as married to Ramesh Chand.
Deepika is placed under 'general' category and others are shown as OBC members.
The district magistrate has ordered a probe into the alleged irregularity and directed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Qayamganj to identify the guilty and take stern against them, official sources said today.
Kanpur: District authorities on Thursday sent an inquiry report to PMO and Chief Minister office in connection with the death of a 12-year-old boy due to alleged negligence of doctors in Kanpur Medical College.
"Strict actions will be taken against guilty doctors and hospital staff on the basis of the report submitted by a two-member committee, including Additional City Magistrate and Additional Chief Medical Officer," District Magistrate Kaushal Raj told PTI.
He said copies of the report have been sent to the PMO in Delhi and Chief Minister's office in Lucknow.
Sunil Kumar brought his son Anshu, who was suffering from fever, to the emergency ward of Hallet hospital of JSVM Medical College in Kanpur on August 28 and alleged that doctors asked him to go from one department to another which he did while carrying his son on his shoulders and the boy died later, a charge which the hospital authorities have refuted.
Following the death of the boy, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav suspended the Chief Medical Superintendent of the Medical College.
Kaushal said officials of the district administration are inspecting all government hospitals in the city and apprising him of the situation on a daily basis.
"I personally have visited several hospitals to understand the everyday problems faced by the patients visiting there," the DM said.
He yesterday asked all government hospitals to improve their facilities within three days, failing which they could face action.
He admitted that government hospitals in the district lack in facilities to match the rush of patients with dengue and viral and said the administration is making efforts to provide immediate help.
Kolkata: Opposing the country-wide strike on September 2 called by central trade unions, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her government will take strongest possible action against "miscreants" who try to disrupt public life and will ensure compensation for any damage to shops or vehicles.
"Bengal will not be stopped on September 2, 2016. On September 2, all educational institutions, shops, institutions, offices and factories will remain open. Vehicles will ply normally and public transport will not be hindered. There will be strongest possible action against any miscreant who will try to disrupt public life," Banerjee tweeted.
"The government will arrange for due compensation for any damage caused by miscreants to any shop, vehicle or establishment," Banerjee tweeted.
The Chief Minister had last week asserted that her government would not allow any bandh in the state on September 2 and said, "If they (central trade unions) want they can go to Delhi and stage dharna to register their protest."
The central trade unions have given a call for a countrywide general strike on September 2 to protest the "anti-people, anti-national and anti-worker" policies of the NDA government at the Centre.
Libreville: Police arrested 1,000 people as security forces fanned out across Gabon`s capital Thursday after a night of riots and looting that erupted when President Ali Bongo was declared winner of disputed polls.
Thousands of angry protesters poured onto the streets of Libreville late Wednesday, accusing the government of stealing the election after Bongo won a second term by a razor-thin margin over rival Jean Ping.
His victory is set to extend the Bongo family`s almost 50-year rule over the small oil-rich nation.
Gunfire crackled across the city and plumes of smoke billowed from the torched parliament building as protesters clashed with heavily armed security forces.
Ping said two people were killed and 19 hurt in a raid against his headquarters early Thursday, and the national police chief told AFP that more than 200 people had been arrested across the city for looting.
Police reported continued pillaging in outlying districts at midday Thursday.
But by mid-morning, security forces had sealed off the city centre, which was calm and otherwise deserted, with troops, police and anti-riot squads patrolling the streets.Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya said between 600 to 800 people had been detained in Libreville and 200 to 300 in the rest of the country.
As Gabon descended into chaos, the EU called for calm, former colonial power France urged "maximum restraint" and Amnesty International warned against "excessive force."
Police chief Jean-Thierry Oye Zue said six officers had been injured in the post-vote riots and agreed there were "very probably" civilian injuries "given the violence with which they attacked us".
But he declined to give a total number of fatalities, saying "I cannot tell you that."
A Red Cross worker who gave his name as Gildas said one of 15 people injured who was brought in by an army truck had died on Thursday.
It was not immediately clear where Ping -- a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official who had earlier declared himself the poll winner -- had taken refuge.
A European diplomat said he was safe, however.
Internet communications remained cut and the capital scarred by the night of rioting.The parliament building`s facade was blackened by fire and its windows were smashed. Protesters had torn down its huge main gate and torched a sentry box at the entrance.
"Democracy doesn`t sit well with an attack on parliament," Bongo said Thursday.
On the city`s main artery, the Boulevard Triomphal -- the location of numerous government institutions and foreign embassies -- burnt-out buildings and cars could be seen, while makeshift barricades were still smouldering.
The army searched Ping`s headquarters "from top to bottom," said an opposition leader, Didjob Ding Duvungui, who was being held for questioning.
Between 500 to 600 people were arrested there, he said.
A government spokesman said the operation was to catch "criminals" and "looters and thugs" who had earlier set fire to the parliament building.
"We have said that the people of Gabon are in danger. They (the international community) should come and help us against the clan (of Bongo)," Ping told AFP.The results of the presidential election -- which gave Bongo 49.8 percent to Ping`s 48.23 percent (a gap of less than 6,000 votes) -- remain "provisional" until approved by the constitutional court.
The opposition described the election as fraudulent and called for results from each of Gabon`s polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of the overall outcome -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union.
Ping told France`s Europe 1 radio early Thursday: "Everyone knows that he (Bongo) cheated. Ask in Europe. Everyone knows."
Any appeal by Ping would likely focus on disputed results in Haut-Ogooue province, the heartland of Bongo`s Teke ethnic group.
In Saturday`s vote, turnout was 59.46 percent nationwide but soared to 99.93 percent in Haut-Ogooue, where Bongo won 95.5 percent of votes."It`s going to be difficult to get people to accept these results," one member of the electoral commission told AFP, asking not to be named.
"We`ve never seen results like these, even during the father`s time," he added.
Bongo took power in 2009 in a violence-marred election that followed the death of his father Omar Bongo, who had governed the oil-rich former French colony for 41 years.
One third of Gabon`s population lives in poverty, though the country boasts one of Africa`s highest per capita incomes at $8,300 (7,400 euros) thanks to pumping 200,000 barrels of oil a day.
Bongo, 57, campaigned under the slogan "Let`s change together", playing up the roads and hospitals built during his first term and stressing the need to break with the bad old days of disappearing public funds and suspect management of oil revenues.
Ankara: The Turkish Defence Ministry on Thursday said 820 military personnel were dismissed as part of an ongoing probe into the July 15 coup attempt, media reported.
The ministry said 648 of those dismissed were under arrest, Xinhua news agency reported.
Thousands of high-ranking military personnel, including around 200 generals, were suspended earlier under the state of emergency, declared following the failed coup attempt.
About 590 Colonels retired last week from the army in line with decisions taken at Turkey's Supreme Military Council, reports said.
On August 17, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 40,029 persons were detained and 20,355 remanded in custody, including police officers, soldiers, judiciary members, local administrators and civilians.
Beijing: China`s newly appointed Communist Party chief of Tibet called for stronger denunciations of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, state media said on Thursday, signalling Beijing`s hardline is unlikely to change under his leadership.
China on Sunday named Wu Yingjie as Tibet`s next party secretary, the region`s top official, considered one of the country`s most politically sensitive positions due to periodic anti-Chinese unrest in the devoutly Buddhist Himalayan region.
Communist troops marched in and took control of Tibet in 1950 in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising against the Chinese.
In excerpts of a speech carried on Thursday by the official Tibet Daily, Wu said, without elaborating, that the government must "deepen its exposure and criticism of the Dalai Lama".
Representatives of the Nobel Peace laureate held rounds of talks with China until 2010, but formal dialogue has stalled amid leadership changes in Beijing and a crackdown in Tibet.
Beijing denounces the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist who wants an independent Tibet. He denies espousing violence and says he only wants genuine autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.
Wu added that freedom of religion must be followed, but that there must be "positive guidance on Tibetan Buddhism and socialism adapting themselves to each other" so as to promote religious harmony.
China says its rule has bought prosperity and stability, rejecting claims from Tibetan exiles and rights groups of widespread repression.
Washington: Sticking to his harsh immigration rhetoric, Donald Trump on Thursday vowed "no amnesty" for millions of undocumented migrants living in the US and threatened to deport them if he becomes president.
Delivering his eagerly awaited immigration policy, hours after meeting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City, Trump articulated a strong and tough immigration policy, which is quite opposite to that of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, which is based on compassion and providing a pathway to nearly 11 million illegal immigrants.
Constructing a strong wall along its southern border, immediate deportation of criminal aliens, no amnesty for undocumented immigrants, extreme vetting along with ideological certifications for those seeking into the country and a merit-based legal entry system were some of the key parts of the 10-point immigration policy announced by Trump.
Trump vowed that Mexico would pay for construction of a "great border wall" between the two countries.
"Mexico will pay for the wall. 100%. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall," he said, speaking hours after the Mexican President told him in a face-to-face meeting in Mexico City that Mexico would not pay for it.
In the highly anticipated speech in Phoenix in Arizona, Trump said, "anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation".
He said any person living in the country illegally who is arrested for any crime whatsoever will immediately be placed into deportation proceedings.
"We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. There will be no amnesty. Our message to the world will be this: you cannot obtain legal status, or become a citizen of the United States, by illegally entering our country. This declaration alone will help stop the crisis of illegal crossings and illegal overstays," Trump said.
Asserting that he will reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers, Trump said the "time has come for a new immigration commission to develop a new set of reforms to our legal immigration system in order to achieve the goals to keep immigration levels, measured by population share, within historical norms."
"The goal would be to select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in US society, and their ability to be financially self-sufficient," he said.
"We need a system that serves our needs ? remember, it?s America First, to choose immigrants based on merit, skill and proficiency and to establish new immigration controls to boost wages and to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first.
"We want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally and properly-vetted, and in a manner that serves the national interest," he said.
Mexico City: President Enrique Pena Nieto's decision to meet with possibly Mexico's most-disliked man is turning into a public relations disaster for him, with social media posters and politicians calling it a national humiliation likely to lower the president's already historically low popularity ratings.
Not only did Pena Nieto not demand that Donald Trump apologise for calling Mexican migrants rapists and criminals, but he stood silently by in their joint press conference while the Republican candidate repeated his promise to build a border wall between the countries.
"This is an insult and a betrayal," said artist Arturo Meade as he joined a protest against yesterday's meeting in Mexico City. "What can this meeting bring us except surrealism in all its splendor?"
Televisa news anchor Carlos Loret de Mola marveled that Trump would dare come to Mexico and reiterate his intention to build the wall. "The humiliation is now complete," he tweeted.
Particularly irksome to Mexicans was that Pena Nieto appeared to do little to push back against Trump's earlier negative statements about Mexican migrants and unpopular proposals.
Pena Nieto "did not even take a really strong stand and talk to Mr. Trump directly to his face and tell him exactly why his stances are not acceptable to Mexicans," said Tony Payan, director of the Mexico Center at Rice University's Baker Institute.
"He sounded tepid and too soft. He essentially rolled over and allowed Mr. Trump to get away with his own goals without getting anything in return."
Pena Nieto did say that Mexicans felt "aggrieved" and had disagreements with Trump, but most felt that it was not enough.
Javier Urbano Reyes, a professor in the department of International Studies at the Iberoamerican University in Mexico City, said he thought Trump gained a little with the meeting but Mexico's president lost a lot.
"Without a doubt, my perception is that it is going to make it even worse, even stronger the drop in approval," he said, referring to Pena Nieto's near 20-per cent approval rating, according to recent polls.
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox said Trump was trying to boost his sagging campaign. "He fooled him (Pena Nieto)."
Pena Nieto and Trump even appeared to disagree about what was said in the meeting.
Standing next to Pena Nieto, Trump said the topic of who would pay for the wall would be discussed later. Pena Nieto, at the time, said nothing about the wall.
London: Britons favour banning of the Islamic veil or burqa by an overwhelming majority of more than two-to- one, a recent UK poll, commissioned in the aftermath of banning of burkini swimwear on a number of French beaches, has found.
The poll by YouGov found that as many as 57 per cent of Britons supported "a law that bans people from wearing the burqa in the UK", whilst just 25 per cent were against outlawing the dress worn by many Muslim women.
The survey of 1,668 adults also showed that some 46 per cent of British people would also support a similar ban on the burkini, against 30 per cent who were opposed to it.
The survey was commissioned in the aftermath of heated debate in the UK after the mayors of more than 30 seaside French towns instituted a ban on burkinis at their beaches.
The ban was later struck down by the country's highest court, but many conservative mayors have vowed to continue the ban. Former French president and current presidential candidate Nicholas Sarkozy has even promised to change the Constitution to ban burkinis should he be elected next year.
The poll showed that an overwhelming majority of British men have no qualms about telling women what to wear, though women were about as likely to support the ban as men (56 per cent and 58 per cent respectively).
Support for a ban rises as people get older, with just 34 per cent of 18-24 year older supporting the ban, rising to 78 per cent of those aged 65 or older.
The support for banning the burqa also cuts across party lines with 84 per cent of all 2015 UKIP voters, 66 per cent of Conservative voters and as many as 48 per cent of Labour voters supporting the ban.
Burqa was also a topic of discussion in the UKIP leadership contest recently after candidate Lisa Duffy called for a ban on wearing burqa in public places.
A similar YouGov survey in Germany had found that 62 per cent were in favour of a burqa ban.
A number of European countries have legislated to ban or restrict things associated with the Islamic faith.
In 2009 the Swiss public voted in a referendum to ban the construction of Islamic mosques with minarets, while France has banned full face coverings since 2010.
Washington: The US State Department said that the Haqqani network and other terror groups that operate inside Pakistan and along the Afghan border were a continued security threat to the entire South Asian region and beyond.
"We all recognise the continued security threat that is posed by the Haqqani network and by other terrorist groups that operate inside Pakistan and along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Dawn online reported on Thursday quoting spokesman John Kirby as saying at a news briefing.
"The Pentagon is obviously well aware of that, as we are here, and it`s a conversation that we continue to have and will continue to have with our partners in the region. I`m not aware that there`s any dissonance here in terms of the way we`re seeing it," said the US official.
Kirby said the US had held "a constant conversation" with its Pakistani partners about the threat posed by the Haqqani and other extremist groups "there in the region and certainly operating inside Pakistan".
And "we make these decisions routinely and they`re based on active, fluid, dynamic conversations that we have with Pakistani leaders," he added.
"I don`t know of any difference. I think the United States government is viewing this very much all in the same light," Dawn online quoted Kirby as saying.
Kirby said that Secretary John Kerry has held several conversations with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif over this issue.
At an earlier briefing at the Pentagon, India`s Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar described the Indian narrative of the current trouble in the Kashmir Valley, claiming that it was primarily because of Pakistan`s use of "terrorist proxies", an allegation Islamabad has rejected.
Mr Carter did not contest the Indian narrative, saying that Pakistan-based terrorist groups had targeted both Indian civilians and military.
"Terrorism is one of the many missions on which we cooperate...We oppose terrorism affecting anyone and us. That`s certainly true with respect to terrorist acts perpetrated against the Indian people, and also I should mention the Indian military," he said.
Defence Secretary Ash Carter did not contest the Indian narrative, saying that Pakistan-based terrorist groups had targeted both Indian civilians and military.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday re-opened a friendship gate with Afghanistan at a border crossing in Balochistan that was closed for two weeks after Afghan protesters burned the Pakistani flag at a border rally.
The border crossing, also known as Bab-e-Dosti (Friendship Gate), was closed on August 18 after some Afghan nationals gathered near the border gate and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
A large number of people from both sides of the border today welcomed the reopening of the gate.
The two sides held several rounds of talks and the matter was finally resolved yesterday when Afghanistan offered an apology and assurance that such incidents will not happen again, an official of Frontier Corps said.
"We decided to open the gate from today after Afghanistan submitted a written apology over burning of flag," he said.
The decision to open the gate was reached in the 15th flag meeting between chief Lt Col Muhammad Changez who led talks from Pakistan with the Afghan officials led by Col Muhammad Ali.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been adversely affected since the closure of the gate causing severe hardships for traders on both sides as vehicles were stranded and commercial activities came to a halt.
Chaman is one of the busiest crossing points along with Torkham. More than 50,000 people, mostly Afghans, travel across the two facilities each day.
Geneva: Evidence is growing that Russian forces are using cluster bombs in Syria, campaigners said on Thursday, as they released a report showing more than 400 people were killed or maimed by the munitions in the world last year.
Human Rights Watch blamed a sharp increase in the use of the banned bombs on Russian forces who are carrying out air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad`s regime.
"Russia appears largely responsible for the significant increase in cluster munition attacks on opposition-held areas of Syria since it began its joint military operation," HRW said in a statement, launching the latest Cluster Munition Monitor report.
Russia has repeatedly denied using cluster bombs, which spray bomblets indiscriminately.
But the report said there was "compelling evidence that Russia is using cluster munitions in Syria and/or directly participating with Syrian government forces in attacks using cluster munitions."
"Victims of these notoriously indiscriminate weapons deserve assistance and a better response than denials, dismissals, and obfuscation," said Mary Warenham, HRW`s arms advocacy director and editor of the report.
A total of 248 people were killed or injured by the munitions in Syria alone last year. The munitions also killed or maimed 104 people in Yemen.
The annual report, co-authored by a coalition of rights groups and NGOs, provides an overview of how countries are implementing the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of the weapons.
Syria and Russia are not among the 100 signatories of the landmark convention, but HRW says they remain bound by international law, which bans the indiscriminate attacks that are the hallmark of cluster bombings.
Attacks in Syria using the illegal weapons fell significantly in late 2014 and early 2015, but rose again after Russia began carrying out air strikes, resulting in "near-daily reports of cluster munition attacks", HRW and its partners said.
In the four years since the Syrian regime launched its first air strikes in July 2012, at least 360 cluster munition attacks have been recorded, with 76 since Russia`s intervention began last September, it said.
"The actual number is likely far higher," it said.
The report, which was co-authored by several groups including Handicap International, said there was "compelling evidence" that Russian forces were using cluster bombs "on opposition-held areas of governorates such as Aleppo, Homs and Idlib, and on armed opposition groups".Syrian government forces have used at least 13 different types of cluster munitions produced by Russia and Egypt and some date from the Soviet era, the report said.
Several of the cluster bombs dropped since Russian forces entered the Syrian war last year were produced in 1989-91, it added.
The report said this appeared to be "a noticeable shift" from before the Russian intervention, "when production markings on the cluster bombs used in Syria showed they were produced in the 1970s and 1980s."
The other country where cluster bomb attacks have been documented since July 2015 is conflict-torn Yemen.
The report said the Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign in support of Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi`s embattled government carried out at least 19 cluster munition attacks between April 2015 and last February.
Saudi Arabia has denied using cluster munitions against civilian targets.
"The best way to ensure that cluster munitions don`t harm civilians in Syria and Yemen is to stigmatise their use and press countries that are using them to stop the attacks," report editor Warenham said.Syria and Yemen accounted for the majority of the 417 deaths or injuries from cluster munitions worldwide last year.
But six other countries recorded casualties, mainly from unexploded submunitions from attacks that took place years ago, the report said.
Many of these devices fail to explode on impact, meaning countries such as Cambodia, Iraq, Laos and Vietnam often find it impossible to clear what become de facto landmines.
Furthermore, many bomblets are brightly coloured, attracting children and exploding when they are picked up.
Civilians accounted for 97 percent of all cluster munition casualties around the world in 2015, the report said.
Bangkok: Talks between Thai government negotiators and southern insurgents will go ahead Friday in neighbouring Malaysia, a senior junta official said, despite a recent spate of bombings defying the regime`s call to curb violence.
Thailand`s southernmost tip, a Muslim-majority region known as the "Deep South", has been at the heart of a 12-year revolt against the Buddhist-majority state with more than 6,500 people, mostly civilians, killed.
For years the bloodshed has largely been contained to the remote border region, where bombings and shootings are a near-daily occurrence.
But analysts believe the shadowy ethnic Malay insurgents dramatically expanded their campaign last month by orchestrating a string of blasts that struck tourist towns further north and killed four.
The junta is desperate to avoid linking the southern militants to the tourist town attacks as any expansion of the southern conflict would undercut its much-vaunted claims to have slowed violence in the region.
However analysts say insurgents are the most likely culprits and a police investigation has identified three Muslims from the conflict zone as its only suspects behind around a dozen blasts spread across five provinces.
"Talks will definitely take place, there has been no cancellation," defence minister Prawit Wongsuwon said Thursday, clarifying a suggestion he made last week that negotiations might be shelved after a powerful car bomb that killed two people in insurgent-torn Pattani province.
That bomb, which wounded dozens, was detonated outside a hotel in a popular nightlife district -- a less frequent target for rebels who more often attack security officers and symbols of the state.
Prawit stressed there was no plan to produce any concrete agreement on Friday.
"We will try to prevent violence, and only if there is progress can we sign anything," he told reporters.
The junta has struggled to revive peace talks with the insurgents since its 2014 grab.
Analysts say progress is unlikely while a tight security net remains over the region, which has been governed by emergency laws for the past decade and is awash with soldiers and volunteer rangers.
Critics have also cast doubt on the ability of the rebels` representatives to control their foot soldiers on the ground.
The insurgents never claim their attacks and little is known about the inner-workings of their murky network.
The deep south region, which was annexed by Thailand over a century ago, is the only Muslim-majority area in the kingdom and home to ethnically Malay people.
Karkamis: Turkey said Thursday it had made gains against Islamic State jihadists on the ninth day of an offensive in neighbouring Syria to clear the border area of IS fighters and a Kurdish militia.
The Turkish army said it had cleared "terrorist elements" out of three villages west of Jarabulus -- a border town taken from Islamic State militants by Turkish-backed Syrian rebels last week.
The villages -- Zavgar, Tal al-Agbar and Kiliyeh -- lie in territory where Turkish-backed forces have been fighting IS.
The military said it had carried out artillery strikes on Zavgar and Kiliyeh.
Turkey says it has cleared dozens of villages of "terrorists" since the start of its unprecedented Syria operation on August 24.
After taking Jarabulus without much resistance on the first day of the offensive, Turkey carried out strikes against a Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a terror group.
A Turkish soldier was killed last week inside Syria when his tank was hit by a rocket fired by the YPG. Turkey responded with bombardments it said killed two dozen "terrorists".
The strikes on the Kurdish People`s Protection Units militia (YPG) caused alarm in Washington, which regards the group as an ally in the fight against IS.
Turkey on Wednesday denied a US claim it had agreed a truce with the YPG but the Turkish-backed fighters confirmed there was at least a lull in the fighting.
While pressing its Syria offensive, Turkey has also been reinforcing its defences to prevent cross-border attacks.
NTV television said Turkey was building a wall between Jarabulus and Karkamis on the Turkish side of the border.
Jarabulus residents who fled the town when it was taken over by IS in 2013, have meanwhile have begun to return, television images showed.
Turkish forces have also been clearing the area of mines planted by the jihadists.
Controlled explosions on Thursday sent huge clouds of dust and smoke into the sky, an AFP photographer said, adding that artillery fire could also be heard on the other side of the border.
Washington: The United States and its negotiating partners agreed "in secret" to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year`s landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions, according to a report reviewed by Reuters.
The report is to be published on Thursday by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, said the think tanks president David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector and co-author of the report. It is based on information provided by several officials of governments involved in the negotiations, who Albright declined to identify.
Reuters could not independently verify the report`s assertions.
"The exemptions or loopholes are happening in secret, and it appears that they favor Iran," Albright said.
Among the exemptions were two that allowed Iran to exceed the deal`s limits on how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) it can keep in its nuclear facilities, the report said. LEU can be purified into highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium.
The exemptions, the report said, were approved by the joint commission the deal created to oversee implementation of the accord. The commission is comprised of the United States and its negotiating partners -- called the P5+1 -- and Iran.
One senior "knowledgeable" official was cited by the report as saying that if the joint commission had not acted to create these exemptions, some of Irans nuclear facilities would not have been in compliance with the deal by Jan. 16, the deadline for the beginning of the lifting of sanctions.
The U.S. administration has said that the world powers that negotiated the accord -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- made no secret arrangements.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the joint commission and its role were "not secret." He did not address the report`s assertions of exemptions.
Diplomats at the United Nations for the other P5+1 countries did not respond to Reuters` requests for comment on the report.
The report`s assertions are likely to anger critics of the nuclear deal. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to renegotiate the agreement if he`s elected, while Democrat Hillary Clinton supports the accord.
Albright said the exceptions risked setting precedents that Iran could use to seek additional waivers.
Albright served as an inspector with the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team that investigated former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein`s nuclear weapons program.
While Albright has neither endorsed nor denounced the overall agreement, he has expressed concern over what he considers potential flaws in the nuclear deal, including the expiration of key limitations on Iran`s nuclear work in 10-15 years.
EXEMPTIONS ON URANIUM, "HOT CELLS"
The administration of President Barack Obama informed Congress of the exemptions on Jan. 16, said the report. Albright said the exemptions, which have not been made public, were detailed in confidential documents sent to Capitol Hill that day -- after the exemptions had already been granted.
The White House official said the administration had briefed Congress "frequently and comprehensively" on the joint commission`s work.
Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, a leading critic of the Iran deal and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters in an email: "I was not aware nor did I receive any briefing (on the exemptions).
As part of the concessions that allowed Iran to exceed uranium limits, the joint commission agreed to exempt unknown quantities of 3.5 percent LEU contained in liquid, solid and sludge wastes stored at Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the report. The agreement restricts Iran to stockpiling only 300 kg of 3.5 percent LEU.
The commission approved a second exemption for an unknown quantity of near 20 percent LEU in "lab contaminant" that was determined to be unrecoverable, the report said. The nuclear agreement requires Iran to fabricate all such LEU into research reactor fuel.
If the total amount of excess LEU Iran possesses is unknown, it is impossible to know how much weapons-grade uranium it could yield, experts said.
The draft report said the joint commission also agreed to allow Iran to keep operating 19 radiation containment chambers larger than the accord set. These so-called "hot cells" are used for handling radioactive material but can be "misused for secret, mostly small-scale plutonium separation efforts," said the report. Plutonium is another nuclear weapons fuel.
The deal allowed Iran to meet a 130-tonne limit on heavy water produced at its Arak facility by selling its excess stock on the open market. But with no buyer available, the joint commission helped Tehran meet the sanctions relief deadline by allowing it to send 50 tonnes of the material -- which can be used in nuclear weapons production -- to Oman, where it was stored under Iranian control, the report said.
The shipment to Oman of the heavy water that can be used in nuclear weapons production has already been reported. Albright`s report made the new assertion that the joint committee had approved this concession.
S&P 500 3,901.06 DOW 32,861.80 QQQ 281.22 Elon Musk takes over Twitter but where will he go from here? The Safest Option in Trades! (Ad) When Will This "Suckers Rally" End? Shopify Stock Price Surges as Losses Narrow, Investments Pay Off Is it a Skyrocket? (Ad) Poland chooses US to build its first nuclear power plant Will Demand from EV Makers Drive Up Freeport-McMoRan stock? The New King of EVs (Ad) MarketBeat: Week in Review 10/24-10/28 Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean
S&P 500 3,901.06 DOW 32,861.80 QQQ 281.22 Elon Musk takes over Twitter but where will he go from here? The Safest Option in Trades! (Ad) When Will This "Suckers Rally" End? Shopify Stock Price Surges as Losses Narrow, Investments Pay Off Is it a Skyrocket? (Ad) Poland chooses US to build its first nuclear power plant Will Demand from EV Makers Drive Up Freeport-McMoRan stock? The New King of EVs (Ad) MarketBeat: Week in Review 10/24-10/28 Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean
S&P 500 3,901.06 DOW 32,861.80 QQQ 281.22 Elon Musk takes over Twitter but where will he go from here? The Safest Option in Trades! (Ad) When Will This "Suckers Rally" End? Shopify Stock Price Surges as Losses Narrow, Investments Pay Off Is it a Skyrocket? (Ad) Poland chooses US to build its first nuclear power plant Will Demand from EV Makers Drive Up Freeport-McMoRan stock? The New King of EVs (Ad) MarketBeat: Week in Review 10/24-10/28 Ahead of harsh winter, tourism roars back in Mediterranean
S&P 500 3,901.06 DOW 32,861.80 QQQ 281.22 Elon Musk takes over Twitter but where will he go from here? The Safest Option in Trades! (Ad) When Will This "Suckers Rally" End? Shopify Stock Price Surges as Losses Narrow, Investments Pay Off Under $5 a Share (Ad) Poland chooses US to build its first nuclear power plant Will Demand from EV Makers Drive Up Freeport-McMoRan stock? 4 Down Market Stocks (Ad) MarketBeat: Week in Review 10/24-10/28 Dominion, AG reach proposed agreement in offshore wind case
S&P 500 3,901.06 DOW 32,861.80 QQQ 281.22 Elon Musk takes over Twitter but where will he go from here? The Safest Option in Trades! (Ad) When Will This "Suckers Rally" End? Shopify Stock Price Surges as Losses Narrow, Investments Pay Off Under $5 a Share (Ad) Poland chooses US to build its first nuclear power plant Will Demand from EV Makers Drive Up Freeport-McMoRan stock? 4 Down Market Stocks (Ad) MarketBeat: Week in Review 10/24-10/28 Dominion, AG reach proposed agreement in offshore wind case
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel says the TTIP trade agreement between the EU and US would create urgently needed jobs
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Thursday demanded a "clear halt" to negotiations towards an ambitious US-EU trade agreement as Germany's leader stressed her continued support for the contentious pact.
The European Commission and US negotiators began work on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in 2013, aiming to create the world's biggest free trade market of 850 million consumers.
But the talks have become bogged down as widespread suspicion abounds in Europe that the deal would undercut the 28-nation bloc's standards in key areas such as health and welfare.
Earlier on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her support for the deal, saying it was not in Europe's interest "to fall behind other regions" such as Asia which had inked similar deals with the United States.
"I believe that such an agreement would mean job opportunities for us and we urgently need jobs in Europe," she said.
But the French premier demanded a halt to the talks, saying the agreement in its current state was not good enough.
"The agreement on the table is, under these conditions, unacceptable. We need a clear halt in order to resume from a new basis," he said during a speech to French ambassadors, according to France's foreign trade department.
"Since the beginning, France has made its demands very clear. But when we look where we are, none of these have been taken into account.
- 'No progress' -
"But where we are now, these have absolutely not been met. And there has been no progress."
France's junior trade minister who negotiates trade deals on behalf of France made similar comments earlier this week.
Merkel's intervention came just days after her own deputy, centre-left vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel said the talks on the so-called TTIP agreement, were effectively dead.
Asked about Gabriel's comments, Merkel said it was "at least unusual" to declare the talks a failure just as they were entering their final stretch.
Story continues
The talks were supposed to be in the final phase with a deal set to have been inked before US President Barack Obama leaves office in January.
Instead, the treaty has become a "hot potato" as key elections approach in the United States, as well as in France and Germany -- the Eurozone's two largest economies.
- 'Barely afloat' -
While the European Commission wants to continue the talks, experts said it was unlikely the negotiations would continue without the support of Germany or France.
And even if EU foreign ministers decided to press ahead with talks when they meet later this month, chances of a deal are now slim, ING Bank economist Daniel Bosgraaf told AFP.
"After all, neither (Donald) Trump nor (Hillary) Clinton support the trade deal. For now, TTIP remains barely afloat," he said.
Sylvie Matelly, deputy director at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), told AFP it would be difficult to successfully conclude talks which have "repeatedly broken down over... different viewpoints, and a lack of public preparation, and transparency over what will be negotiated."
Poland's Solidarity trade union wants a ban on Sunday trading to apply to foreign-owned hypermarkets as well as other non-Polish players
Poland's Solidarity trade union will table a citizens' initiative bill to ban Sunday trading in the staunchly Catholic EU country, threatening employers who flout the law with prison terms of two years, the union said Thursday.
The proposed ban would apply to foreign-owned hypermarkets as well as other non-Polish players, but would still allow smaller locally-owned shops including bakeries and petrol stations to do business.
"We've collected 350,000 signatures under our citizens' bill for a Sunday shopping ban and we'll table it in parliament on Friday," Solidarity official Alfred Bujara told AFP.
A minimum of 100,000 signatures are required in order for citizen-proposed legislation to be considered by parliament.
The law would seek to jail non-compliant employers for up to two years as its backers believe fines may not be enough to deter some store owners who Solidarity say could choose to pay penalties in order to keep their doors open.
Bujara said he expected the bill to sail through parliament.
"We have the political support of Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, President Andrzej Duda and... (ruling) party chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski," Bujara said, adding that the "legislation should take effect in the spring".
The right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government is also close to Poland's powerful Roman Catholic Church, which has long lobbied for shops to shut on Sundays.
But Bujara said the law was "not just about Christian values".
"Hypermarket employees are poorly paid, over-worked, and their family life suffers as a result," he said.
"In Poland, capitalism and consumerism have gotten out of control."
Hungary recently backtracked on a similar ban after it proved widely unpopular.
Sunday shopping became a popular family pastime in Poland with the advent of the free market after the 1989 collapse of communism.
A recent survey suggests that most Poles oppose a ban, with 62 percent wanting to shop on Sundays, compared to just 30 percent who want stores to keep their doors shut.
This is the third attempt in 20 years to impose a Sunday trading ban. In Poland stores remain closed for 12 days a year for major national or religious holidays.
The United States and Cuba took their efforts to build better ties into the skies on Wednesday, with the first regular commercial flight between the two countries in more than 50 years.
JetBlue Flight 387 landed in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara a little before 11:00 am (1500 GMT), about an hour after leaving Fort Lauderdale in southeastern Florida with 150 passengers on board.
The plane was greeted with a water cannon salute, an aviation tradition in which aircraft pass under arcs of water before flying to their destinations for the first time. Its departure from Florida was celebrated the same way.
The first two passengers off the plane carried US and Cuban flags as they descended the stairs onto the tarmac, where they symbolically exchanged the banners in a sign of friendship.
"It is very exciting to come here because it is so hard to travel to Cuba," said American Leanne Spencer, accompanied by her 17-year-old daughter Natalie, both traveling to the Communist-run island for the first time.
"In the aircraft, we had drinks and celebrated. It was very fun, we had a good time and we took pictures with the Cuban flag," said Spencer, who works in the travel industry.
The flight was the first of 110 expected daily trips connecting US cities to airports in Cuba, many of them in or near tourism hotspots.
Regular air service between the neighbors was severed during the Cold War, and charter flights have been the only air links since.
"Another step fwd," US Secretary of State John Kerry wrote on Twitter.
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, who was on the JetBlue flight, will meet with local officials during his visit, Cuba's transport ministry said.
- Party in Florida -
The Fort Lauderdale airport was in full party mode near Jet Blue's departure area -- a live salsa band blared Cuban favorites as passengers and bystanders broke into spontaneous dances.
There were cheers, applause and a sea of balloons as boarding for the historic flight got underway.
Story continues
For some, there were also tears of joy.
"I am so proud, so overcome with emotion," said Domingo Santana, 53, who left Cuba when he was just six years old.
Since then, he said, "I've never been in my country. I don't know my country," adding: "It's a great opportunity."
- Milestone -
The JetBlue flight was flown by Captain Mark Luaces and First Officer Francisco Barreras, both Americans of Cuban descent, the airline said.
The last regular commercial flight between the two countries took place in 1961, when air links fell victim to the Cold War.
Air travel between the United States and Cuba has been restricted to charter flights since 1979.
Washington and Havana agreed in February to restore direct commercial flights -- one of several watershed changes initiated in December 2014, when US President Barack Obama and Cuba's Raul Castro announced a thaw after more than 50 years of hostility.
Diplomatic relations were restored in July 2015.
Washington still bans Americans from visiting Cuba as tourists, but travel is permitted for 12 other categories, including cultural and educational exchange.
The renewed links are a "milestone" in relations between the United States and Cuba, said Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.
Regular flights "will allow more fluid movement of people, goods, information and ideas between two places that are very close geographically but distant politically," he said.
- Cuba: 'Hot' travel destination -
Of the 3.5 million tourists in Cuba in 2015, only 161,000 were Americans.
However, that number was up 77 percent from the previous year and Americans are now expected to become a major component in a growth industry expected to reach 6.8 million visitors in 2018.
"There's a lot of interest in Cuba. It's the hot, 'in' place right now," said Frank Gonzalez, owner of the Mambi travel agency which offers packages to the island from the United States that include cultural workshops.
Flights departing from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Minneapolis and Philadelphia will head to the Cuban cities Camaguey, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Manzanillo, Matanzas, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba.
The airlines designated to fly to the nine Cuban airports -- not including Havana -- include American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, according to the US government.
For Havana, the US Department of Transportation said Wednesday that eight airlines would operate daily flights to the capital: Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, and United Airlines.
The US cities operating the links are Atlanta, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, Orlando, and Tampa.
After a very weird day in Mexico with President Enrique Pena Nieto, then a Twitter shitstorm in which Trump was accused of lying about the content of that meeting, the Republican Presidential candidate gave a long-awaited speech in Arizona that was to put forth his policies on immigration.
This looks like it could be a still from some 90s spoof movie. pic.twitter.com/oiT9Y2KGKz BH (@hedofthebloom) September 1, 2016
You can watch the speech in entirety at CSPAN.
Some semblance of an immigration policy was there, to the extent that Trump is capable of conceiving of or describing actual government policy that some version of the American government can carry out. But what will be rememberedand Trump commanded his audience to "remember" the nightis how much this garbage sounded like the same old garbage he's been spewing all along.
In the speech, Trump called for "Ideological certification" of all would-be immigrants, and said we should only let people in who "love us." This is fine. Not fascist at all.
He then promised to "triple the number of ICE deportation officers" needed to enforce his mass deportation master plan. It is a beautiful plan, and he explained that it would be accompanied by a big, huge, beautiful, "impenetrable," tall proud wall that sounded very phallic.
Then, he said of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, "Maybe they'll deport her."
This is fine.
Trump's new plan to send his political enemies into exile is substantial softening of his earlier plan to have them killed. Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) September 1, 2016
His on-stage hype men wore "Make Mexico Great Again Also" hats, which reports say Trump came up with himself and made Rudy Giuliani wear on stage.
Al Jazeera:
He opened his speech by detailing the stories of undocumented immigrants who committed violent crimes, telling thousands in the convention centre in downtown Phoenix that he had "met with many of the great parents who lost their children to sanctuary cities and open borders". Later, he pledged to impose "ideological certification" for immigrants seeking to enter the US, to include questions about so-called honour killings, women, gays and "radical Islam". He said immigration would be suspended from countries like Syria and Libya. "We have no idea where they're coming from, we have no idea who they are," he said of Syrian refugees. He raged against low-skilled undocumented immigrants who compete with US citizens for jobs and pledged to "remove criminal aliens immediately". He also reaffirmed his pledge to build a wall on the country's southern border with Mexico, as supporters chanted "Build a wall".
I swear #DonaldTrump sounds just like the High Chancellor Adam Sutler from V for Vendetta right now. ? pic.twitter.com/F1RyYlWxqI Jasmyne Cannick (@Jasmyne) September 1, 2016
Earlier in the day, news pundits described Trump's posture during the Mexico City photo op as "presidential." Tonight in Arizona, the tone was pure nationalist, fascist, xenophobic red meat. Comparing him to Hitler is too easy he's more V for Vendetta villain.
You can read a detailed analysis of the Trump Arizona speech here. God bless all the fact-checkers and hot-takers tonight. Theirs is a hard job.
Below, some of the voices of reason in my Twitter feed, while I was watching the speech.
Trump in Mexico: Sedative
Trump in Arizona: Meth Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) September 1, 2016
REMEMBER THIS PHRASE TRUMP JUST USED: "Ideological certification." Emily Flitter (@FlitterOnFraud) September 1, 2016
To all the pundits who said Trump seemed so presidential 6 hours ago. pic.twitter.com/F3s7MW5cbQ igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) September 1, 2016
Trump just confirmed that all 11 million are subject to immediate deportation if they are picked up for anything. Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) September 1, 2016
Ideological certification ideological certification ideological certification ideological certification ideological certification ideologica Emily Flitter (@FlitterOnFraud) September 1, 2016
Trump surrounded on Phoenix stage by "Angel Moms" who say their kids were murdered by illegal immigrants. This is pretty much a hate rally. Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) September 1, 2016
This speech proves no softening. So the only possible reason Trump didn't confront Mexico's president about the wall is he chickened out Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) September 1, 2016
Trump will visit Mexico but not a black neighborhood in America Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) August 31, 2016
Trump: "We're going to remember this evening." Emily Flitter (@FlitterOnFraud) September 1, 2016
"That's tough stuff, I will tell you." That's how Trump, a man who wants to be president, reacted to the Angel Moms. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) September 1, 2016
Trump wants to select immigrants "based on their likelihood of success." What if they filed for bankruptcy four times, Mr. Trump? Gabe Ortiz (@TUSK81) September 1, 2016
This address may not have been designed to attract suburban independent voters in swing states. Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) September 1, 2016
MS13 an example of this. And the US backed & orchestrated military coups in Central America that created perma chaos https://t.co/rOxXLlz6UQ Xeni?Jardin (@xeni) September 1, 2016
This Trump use of Angel Moms seems to emphasize that immigration reform is about Americans' mortal safety, not economics or migration policy Todd Zwillich (@toddzwillich) September 1, 2016
This "angel mom" stuff is so deeply cynical. And dangerous. Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) September 1, 2016
The way they call people "illegals" so dehumanizing. Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 1, 2016
"Ideological certification" is for those who hate political correctness because it lacks a heavily-armed bureaucracy https://t.co/5WXLWQQPB4 Daniel Lin (@DLin71) September 1, 2016
Trump is filibustering America right now Michael Rusch (@weeddude) July 22, 2016
I repeat: Donald Trump has insulted people of color from the start, & it's people of color who are going to save America from Donald Trump. Gabe Ortiz (@TUSK81) September 1, 2016
Classic bully. Confronted with the humanity of his enemy, he falters. Surrounded by safety of followers, he strikes from afar. #TrumpSpeech Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) September 1, 2016
Well, there goes the black vote, the Latino vote, the college educated vote, the Romney-Bush vote. But he's keeping the Paul LePage vote. Stuart Rothenberg (@StuPolitics) September 1, 2016
"Get out and vote on Nov. 8. It's our last chance." Donald Trump Matt Viser (@mviser) September 1, 2016
Donald Trump is like a DDOS attack on fact-checkers Dan Hon is ing (@hondanhon) July 29, 2016
Trump positioning himself as the "last chance"that's the kind of shit that's going to get people physically hurt when he loses. Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) September 1, 2016
I wish I loved anything as much as Trump hates immigrants. Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) September 1, 2016
It's really hard to see from these seats in the back #TrumpAZ pic.twitter.com/23UAqfcZq2 JoeMyGod (@JoeMyGod) September 1, 2016
Ideological Certification. Martial Law. Cult of Personality. Ethnic Cleansing. Totalitarianism. Here and now. A clear and present danger. David Carroll (@profcarroll) September 1, 2016
In case you can't make out the small type: yes, Giuliani's hat reads "MAKE MEXICO GREAT AGAIN ALSO" pic.twitter.com/lxypF9MVhL Rebecca Sinderbrand (@sinderbrand) September 1, 2016
Shouts from the crowd: "You suck, media!" "You all are fools!!" "Liars!" "Tell the truth!!" And about a few middle fingers Nick Corasaniti (@NYTnickc) September 1, 2016
This was fascinating jujitsu-We don't want ill immigration from Mexico, but hey, you don't want it from C America https://t.co/bRvT9itILW Domenico Montanaro (@DomenicoNPR) September 1, 2016
This isn't about immigration. Trump wants to round up Latinxs. Not scary to you? Imagine if this speech was about a group you're part of. Tracey Ross (@traceylross) September 1, 2016
1. Got nothing in face to face meeting. 2. Lied about it. 3. Talked tough back home. 4. Small hands. You do the math. Dave Pell (@davepell) September 1, 2016
Speech in Mexico Twitter for iPhone.
Speech in Arizona Twitter for Android. Brendan Nyhan (@BrendanNyhan) September 1, 2016
"ideological certification" worries me because I always tended to choke on important exams and worry that I'll be deported for thoughtcrime. John Schwartz (@jswatz) September 1, 2016
If you wanna know how Trump's speech is landing, David Duke is livetweeting it. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) September 1, 2016
Fact: "The crime will stop. It will be over."
Check: First-generation immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans. Kate Linthicum (@katelinthicum) September 1, 2016
This is easily one of the most grotesque speeches he's given. Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) September 1, 2016
You will be shocked to know that mandatory detention/deportation of all border crossers violates the UN Convention on Refugees. Dara Lind (@DLind) September 1, 2016
Trump's brand of virulent, overt, aggressive racism doesn't usually make its way to the national stage. (((Toure))) (@Toure) September 1, 2016
This is how I imagine highly coked-up TV producers in the 1970s talked all the time. Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) September 1, 2016
The facts: Illegal immigration fell from '07 to 2014
Border patrol doubled form '04 to 2012
Border crossings neared historic lows in '15 Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) August 24, 2016
A wall that will never exist financed by a country that will never pay for it pic.twitter.com/E2hwj0ZnSY pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) September 1, 2016
This is is not a general election speech. It's pure id to id communication. jelani cobb (@jelani9) September 1, 2016
I've had acid trips that lasted longer than these trump pivots Xeni?Jardin (@xeni) September 1, 2016
"Believe me" is one of Trump's constant verbal tics. Experience shows it's usually said by someone who's dissembling. Clyde Haberman (@ClydeHaberman) September 1, 2016
Reality check: This is what deporting 11 million people would actually look like. https://t.co/KfFEShVsdA pic.twitter.com/c4p4cR48lC Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 24, 2016
.@realDonaldTrump Just give me a hint on how we get rid of you. Does it involve solving a riddle Bridger Winegar (@bridger_w) September 1, 2016
New NY Times Jerusalem bureau chief's first column portrays Israel as repressive
More substantively problematic was the incomplete and deceptive framing of Minister Regevs efforts related to taxpayer funding of cultural events. Readers might assume her actions as characterized by Baker compel Orwellian public expressions of fealty to the state.
But the "Loyalty in Culture" legislation seeks to remove public funding for extreme anti-Israel projects. It permits a retroactive reduction in the budget for "actions against the principles of the state." Among these are cultural events that entail: "Denying the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state; incitement to racism, violence, and terror; support for an armed struggle or terror act by a hostile country or terror organization against the State of Israel; marking Independence Day as a day of mourning; an act of vandalism or physical degradation that dishonors the countrys flag or state emblem."
The Minister is calling for what she terms "freedom in funding" along with freedom of expression. She and those who support passage of the law believe Israel is free not to fund cultural events that promote terror, incite racism, denigrate Independence Day and so on.
In a related story from January 2016, another Times piece cited criticism of Regevs initiatives but, importantly, also provided a balancing counter-voice. Reporter Steve Erlanger wrote:
"... Mr. Leibler, The Jerusalem Post columnist, defended Ms. Regev and Mr. Bennett as trying to restore a climate that nurtures love of Israel and promotes pride in Jewish heritage after years when far-leftists, postmodernists and even post-Zionists took over the Education Ministry."
Thats a piece of information that readers deserve to have. Readers must hope that going forward they will get some sense of the full context even if the reporters default viewpoint is to fault Israel.
For those of you who thought Jodi Rudoren was difficult, you may yet find yourself pining for her return. Meet Peter Baker, the New York Times' new Jerusalem bureau chief, whose first column is, to put it mildly, troubling Baker's first story went all over the map, mixing religion, politics and freedom of expression in a dishonest effort to portray Israel as a repressive society, and Culture Minister Miri Regev (who, as far as I know, is secular) as a religious fascist.This is from the first link.That makes perfect sense to this Republican. Let the Arabs mourn their 'naqba' all they want, but why does the State of Israel have to pay for it? The answer is, we shouldn't. And it's not like the Times doesn't know it.If this is the foot on which Baker has chosen to get off, one has to wonder how much objectivity we can expect from him going forward.
Labels: CAMERA, Israeli culture, Jodi Rudoren, Miri Regev, naqba, New York Times, Peter Baker
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Transport Ministry has asked the European Commission to investigate exhaust emissions of Fiat Chrysler vehicles for potential illegal manipulation devices, German government documents showed on Thursday. Germany's motor vehicle authority KBA began testing the vehicles of several manufacturers, including Fiat, after Volkswagen's admission in September last year that it had cheated emissions tests with motor-management software. The direct approach to the European Union executive comes after the German transport ministry raised concerns over Fiat vehicles with Italian authorities earlier this year and a subsequent rejection by Italian authorities of claims that Fiat and Chrysler vehicles used illegal exhaust manipulation devices. This week's letter to the European Commission, which was seen by Reuters, said that tests by German authorities on the Fiat 500X, Fiat Doblo and Jeep Renegade could prove the "illegal use of a device to switch off exhaust treatment systems" and urged the Commission to consult with Italian authorities to resolve the issue. A Fiat spokeswoman said on Thursday that the company's cars conform to current emissions rules and do not contain defeat devices. The Commission, meanwhile, said that it is the responsibility of the Italian authorities to remedy wrongdoings. "It is first and foremost a dialogue between the two member states concerned, with an obligation to keep the Commission informed and the possibility for the Commission to facilitate a solution if no agreement can be found," the Commission said in a statement. A source at the Italian infrastructure ministry, which includes the national motor vehicle authority, said Italy had not received any communication from the German government on the matter. The source said Italian tests had shown Fiat 500 cars conformed to emissions rules and did not contain defeat devices, adding that the KBA had never said it disagreed with Italy's findings. As part of a widening clampdown on health-threatening nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution levels in the wake of the VW scandal, the KBA tested 53 different vehicles and found that carmakers were making liberal use of what they described as a thermal window. This refers to the time when carmakers are allowed to throttle back exhaust emissions management systems to protect engines from potential damage from condensation when cars are started in very cold conditions. During their investigations, the KBA found that a very wide range of temperatures was used by carmakers for thermal windows. (Reporting by Gernot Heller and Barbara Lewis; Additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; Writing by Michael Nienaber, Edward Taylor and Isla Binnie; Editing by Maria Sheahan and David Goodman)
Naturopathic doctors in N.W.T. may soon need licences to practise
Naturopathic doctors may soon need licences to practise in the Northwest Territories.
The deadline for feedback on the territorial government's proposal for regulating the naturopathic profession is on Wednesday. The 45-page proposal is a starting point in a conversation with the public and professionals that will lead to future legislation under the Health and Social Services Professions Act.
"In the N.W.T. right now, physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, nobody has regulations... this is a problem," said Dr. Nicole Redvers, a naturopathic doctor in Yellowknife.
She said regulation is overdue and she welcomes new legislation.
"Anybody can come up here right now and call themselves a massage therapist or whatever they want."
The legislation would protect the title of naturopathic doctor by defining training and education requirements for the designation, while also outlining the scope of practices allowed by the profession.
Gaps in proposal
While Redvers is eager for regulation, she also noted gaps in the current proposal that would limit her ability to practise in the territory. She said the proposal would not allow her to operate a lab for blood tests, or perform acupuncture.
"Acupuncture is a controlled act in many jurisdictions and that was one item missed," Redvers said.
"We just want to be able to do our own lab work in-house. Which is standard for naturopathic doctors across the country, aside from Ontario... which has been a little bit of an inconvenience for patients."
Redvers said the difference in Ontario is easy access to private labs labs that do not exist in the N.W.T.
She also said public labs run by the territorial government have had difficulty processing and taking payments from patients. She wants the lab in her clinic to be allowed to continue to operate.
"We want the North to be equivalent to southern jurisdictions," Redvers said.
"We are not trying to go out and do things that we are not trained to do. That would be self-defeating."
Story continues
'No intent to surprise the profession'
Redvers provided feedback to the territorial government and said she received a promising response.
"We are quite satisfied in terms of the response, mainly because it comes down to patient safety and we all have that in mind," she said.
A spokesperson with the Department of Health and Social Services said in an email that "there is no intent to surprise the profession with unnecessary restrictions on their practice."
"Once our deadline passes, the Department of Health and Social Services will review and analyze all the responses to address the questions and concerns that are raised."
The N.W.T. could be the first territory to regulate the naturopathic profession.
Regulations exist in six provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
[Alan, left, and his brother Galib Kurdi, who died along with their mother while trying to reach Greece by boat, are seen in an undated family photo courtesy of their Canadian aunt, Tima Kurdi. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO]
The image of the lifeless body of three-year-old Alan Kurdi face down on a Turkish beach a year ago Sept. 2 stirred the world to the suffering of Syrians.
It shocked European nations into action, and became a turning point here in this country, which until then had welcomed few Syrians trapped in a civil war that displaced millions.
Take our news quiz and learn more about the Syrian refugee crisis and Canadas aid efforts.
Read more from our original series on the Kurdi family and Canadas refugee policy:
Apple Inc.AAPL has been making headlines over the last couple of days owing to the Irish tax issue. In a ruling this Tuesday, the European Commission said that Apple will have to pay $14.5 billion (and interest) in taxes to Ireland.
The European Commission alleged that Apple received undue tax benefits so far in Ireland, violating EU state aid rules. Apple inked a deal with Ireland nearly two decades back, which allowed the company to compute taxes only on its sales in Ireland instead of paying taxes on its global sales, per media reports. As such, Apple pays a small portion of taxes to Ireland while a major portion goes to the U.S. treasuries as Apple claims that most of its research and development (R&D) is done in the U.S. office.
Media reports even state that the U.S. government is taking initiatives to repatriate the tax that Apple paid to the European Union.
Per the latest updates, both Ireland and Apple intend to appeal against the European Commissions ruling.
What Does Ireland Say?
Ireland is considered a tax haven as it is known for giving waivers to companies in return for job creation and economic development in the region. Not only Apple, other major tech companies like Alphabet GOOGL, Amazon AMZN, Facebook FB, HP, Dell, IBM and others have their operations or even European headquarters in the region.
Though Irelands economy will tremendously benefit from over $14.5 billion received in taxes from Apple, it does not bode well for the company as it puts in stake the jobs generated. This ruling may set a precedent for other companies and might even lead some of them to alter their base. This is a serious concern, especially if we consider Brexit.
The response to this ruling in the country has been mixed with several influential people willing to appeal against it. Per reports, the countrys finance minister Michael Noonan disagreed profoundly with the ruling against Apple.
While the countrys cabinet members ponder over the line of action, the government has adjourned the cabinet till Friday when a decision will likely be reached. The country does have another couple of months to make an appeal.
Story continues
Apples Response
Tim Cook in an open letter has stated that The opinion issued on August 30th alleges that Ireland gave Apple a special deal on our taxes. This claim has no basis in fact or in law. We never asked for, nor did we receive, any special deals. We now find ourselves in the unusual position of being ordered to retroactively pay additional taxes to a government that says we don't owe them any more than we've already paid.
Apple defended itself by saying that as most of its core work, R&D, takes place in California, the maximum share of its profit is taxed in the U.S. Though the issue remains to be settled, Cook affirmed that he plans to continue investing in Ireland.
Bottom Line
The tax issue is far from being resolved at present. Though Apple has the resources to pay the tax amount, it will weigh on its bottom line. Moreover, it will likely increase concerns about growth of the Irish economy.
Meanwhile, Apple is gearing up for its key event this month where it is expected to launch the iPhone 7 (and start a new growth cycle).
Apple currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
APPLE INC Price and Consensus
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Think tank: P 5+1 secretly allowed Iran to evade nuke restrictions to allow sanctions to be lifted
Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security reports that the United States and its partners
agreed " in secret " to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year's landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions.
Among the exemptions were two that allowed Iran to exceed the deal's limits on how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) it can keep in its nuclear facilities, the report said. LEU can be purified into highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium.
The exemptions, the report said, were approved by the joint commission the deal created to oversee implementation of the accord. The commission is comprised of the United States and its negotiating partners -- called the P5+1 -- and Iran.
One senior "knowledgeable" official was cited by the report as saying that if the joint commission had not acted to create these exemptions, some of Irans nuclear facilities would not have been in compliance with the deal by Jan. 16, the deadline for the beginning of the lifting of sanctions.
The U.S. administration has said that the world powers that negotiated the accord -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- made no secret arrangements.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the joint commission and its role were "not secret." He did not address the report's assertions of exemptions.
As part of the concessions that allowed Iran to exceed uranium limits, the joint commission agreed to exempt unknown quantities of 3.5 percent LEU contained in liquid, solid and sludge wastes stored at Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the report. The agreement restricts Iran to stockpiling only 300 kg of 3.5 percent LEU.
The commission approved a second exemption for an unknown quantity of near 20 percent LEU in "lab contaminant" that was determined to be unrecoverable, the report said. The nuclear agreement requires Iran to fabricate all such LEU into research reactor fuel.
If the total amount of excess LEU Iran possesses is unknown, it is impossible to know how much weapons-grade uranium it could yield, experts said.
And there's more:
The draft report said the joint commission also agreed to allow Iran to keep operating 19 radiation containment chambers larger than the accord set. These so-called "hot cells" are used for handling radioactive material but can be "misused for secret, mostly small-scale plutonium separation efforts," said the report. Plutonium is another nuclear weapons fuel.
The deal allowed Iran to meet a 130-tonne limit on heavy water produced at its Arak facility by selling its excess stock on the open market. But with no buyer available, the joint commission helped Tehran meet the sanctions relief deadline by allowing it to send 50 tonnes of the material -- which can be used in nuclear weapons production -- to Oman, where it was stored under Iranian control, the report said.
The shipment to Oman of the heavy water that can be used in nuclear weapons production has already been reported. Albright's report made the new assertion that the joint committee had approved this concession.
TheThe group's president David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector, said that, "the exemptions or loopholes are happening in secret, and it appears that they favor Iran."The report says that Congress was notified of the exemptions... after they went into effect. But two key Senators - Republican Bob Corker and Democrat Robert Menendez deny being briefed on the exemptions.But it gets worse. You see, not only was Iran exempted from the requirement to reduce its LEU... but no one even knows by how much.Wow....You can bet that now that it's more than a year and a half later, Hillary Clinton's response will be 'what difference does it make now?' But it still does make a difference. Clinton supports the deal. Trump says he will 'renegotiate' it. Okay, I will grant that renegotiating the deal after all that money is out the door only has a chance of solving the nuclear weapons problem, and not the terror money problem. But at some point, actions have to have consequences.
Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Bob Corker, Hillary Clinton, Iran Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, John Kerry, Robert Menendez, uranium enrichment
TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This bill will hurt everyone except insurance companies, Dr. Jane Orient, executive director for the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), states in a letter asking California Governor Jerry Brown to veto Assembly Bill 72, sent today following approval of the measure by the California legislature.
The letter continues: Promoted misleadingly as a means to end surprise billing, AB 72 will actually enrich insurance companies while creating shortages of care for patients. Patients are increasingly being forced into narrow networks, in order to cut costs for insurers. The care they need is often not available in the network. Many physicians stay out of network because the extremely low in-network fees they are allowed to charge wouldnt cover the costs of keeping their doors open. [T]his bill will exacerbate Californias current physician shortage. Hospital call panels that provide emergency and also safety-net care for uninsured and under-insured Medi-Cal patients will be unable to deliver adequate specialty services.
AAPS also informed the Governor of significant legal questions about AB 72, including concerns raised by AAPS General Counsel Andrew Schlafly that the bill is unconstitutional. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit recently held that the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution prevents a legislature from granting authority to a private company to impose rules that adversely affect its competitors, in Association of American Railroads v. U.S. Dept. of Transp., 821 F.3d 19 (D.C. Cir. Apr. 29, 2016). AB 72, if signed into law, will authorize insurers and managed care plans to impose price controls on its competitors: out-of-network physicians.
Dr. Orient concludes, Independent doctors throughout California respectfully request that you stand up for patients and veto AB 72 on the grounds of the bills negative impact on the availability of lifesaving medical care, its constitutional infringement, and its cost to taxpayers.
The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) is a national organization representing physicians in virtually all specialties and every state. Founded in 1943, AAPS has the motto omnia pro aegroto, which means all for the patient.
PETERSBURG, Alaska, Sept. 1, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Petersburg Borough Police Department went live with Spillman Technologies' flagship system, Flex, on July 19. The agency will utilize Flex's comprehensive Records Management (RMS), Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), Jail Management (JMS), and mobile capabilities to streamline its data entry and case management processes. Petersburg PD will host the Spillman system and share it with the borough's fire department. The two Petersburg public safety agencies will join four other Alaska agencies using Spillman software.
Petersburg PD signed with Spillman in September 2015. Police Chief Kelly Swihart said that, with its integrated database and vast array of connected modules, Spillman Flex will provide a convenient and efficient way for public safety officials to access needed information in one spot, instead of having information across multiple platforms.
"It's a fairly comprehensive system, so I think it's a one-stop shop for us to maintain all of our files and records," Swihart said.
The police department was previously using a FileMaker Pro-based program to track all their records, but it was not robust enough to fit the agency's needs and created inconsistencies when personnel entered data, Swihart said. Petersburg PD needed a system that could clean up their data by streamlining the data entry process, as well as provide safety nets to ensure all important information is included in each case.
"I wanted some safeguards in place to make sure that we were standardizing the way we captured information and to make the information easily accessible when we needed it in the future," he said. "I also wanted to update our case management practices to make sure we know what happens with a case from start to finish."
Using Flex's intuitive workflow processes, agency personnel will be able to create new records knowing that all pertinent information is being captured from the very beginning. Agency administrators can determine which fields will be required when filling out a record, helping to create a habit of complete and consistent record keeping.
Although the police department has been able to share information with nearby agencies through a central dispatch center in the past, the new Flex system will create a more efficient way for all parties to access critical data.
"Before, there was always direct communication back and forth from their guys, whether out in the field or in the office, to dispatch to pull that information out," Swihart said. "Spillman will let the fire, EMS, and Search and Rescue folks have immediate access to the information they need."
Swihart said the software's integration will also help personnel accurately track individuals all the way to their state-contracted community jail.
"It's nice to be able to track our jail requirements in the software and have that information be linked through the Hub back to the other modules," he said. "We can mine some useful data there."
The Petersburg agencies will also use other Flex modules, like Evidence Management, to track information on evidence from start to finish. Spillman also has established interfaces with the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN), allowing agency personnel to access and query the state database directly from the Spillman system.
In addition to reducing redundant data and streamlining the data entry process, the agency also chose Spillman as a software vendor because of the great customer service, Swihart said.
"They sent some folks up to do demos that the other companies didn't do," he said. "The customer service was just outstanding and customer service holds a lot of weight with me."
Swihart said he wanted community members to know that the police and fire departments would be able to better serve the public with the Spillman software in place.
"It's going to allow us to do our jobs more efficiently and there are safeguards in place so that every case is addressed completely and thoroughly so that nothing falls through the cracks," he said.
Spillman Technologies serves police departments, sheriff's offices, communication centers, correctional facilities, fire departments, and security organizations nationwide. Spillman specializes in integrated on-premises and cloud based software solutions, including Computer-Aided Dispatch, Records Management Systems, Mobile Data & Field Reporting, Mapping & GIS, Jail Management Systems, Fire, Data Sharing, Personnel & Resources, and Analytics & Intelligence-Led Policing. For more information about Spillman, visit www.spillman.com.
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[August 31, 2016] Trusted Computing Group Brings Cybersecurity Seminar to Korea October 18 for IT, Security and Developer Professionals
Trusted Computing Group (TCG), a global security standard organization and an approved Publicly Available Specification Submitter for ISO/IEC (News - Alert) JCT 1, will host an educational conference for members and non-members on Tuesday, Oct. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in Seoul, Korea. Attendees will learn how and why trusted computing can be used to secure devices, networks and data in various applications, including Internet of Things (IoT), government and the enterprise systems. "South Korea and the Asia-Pacific region continue to play critical roles in information technology and the growing network of connected devices," said TCG Executive Director Mark Schiller. "We welcome the opportunity to talk with professionals in Korea and the region about the use and benefits of trusted computing." TCG has taken an inclusive approach to engage with worldwide security standard communities. Its current membership includes experts from industry, academic and government institutions. Apart from multinational enterprise participants such as Samsung, Intel, AMD, Microsoft, CISCO, IBM, Juniper, Huawei, Infineon, Dell, Google, Fujitsu (News - Alert), Lenovo, HP Enterprise and HP Inc., TCG also includes regional forums in Japan and the Greater China Region to serve local membership, advocate trusted computing and gather market specific requirements for continued innovations.
The conference will feature a keynote speech by Mr. Jungsu Song, Director General of Cybersecurity Policy Bureau in the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP). As the head of Korea's government agency that is responsible for developing cybersecurity policy, Mr. Song will share the country's cybersecurity vision and strategy. TCG experts will discuss with attendees the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 standard (ISO/IEC 11889:2015), self-encrypting drive and network security specifications; and the deployment of TCG technologies in automotive, IoT and embedded systems. TCG members GlobalSign and Infineon will demonstrate deployments of trusted computing. Microsoft (News - Alert) will demonstrate a prototype of new technology under development in TCG.
For event details, go to https://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/event/trusted_computing_in_action/. About TCG TCG is a not-for-profit organization formed to develop, define and promote open, vendor-neutral, global industry specifications and standards, supportive of a hardware-based root of trust, for interoperable trusted computing platforms. More information is available at the TCG website, www.trustedcomputinggroup.org. Follow TCG on Twitter and on LinkedIn. Brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160831006481/en/
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[August 31, 2016] Vector Capital Sells Gerber Technology to American Industrial Partners
Vector Capital, a leading private equity firm specializing in transformational investments in established technology businesses, today announced the sale of Gerber Technology, a leading provider of integrated software and automated systems for the production of flexible materials, to American Industrial Partners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Tolland, CT, Gerber Technology provides integrated software and system solutions to more than 78,000 customers across 130 countries in the aerospace, construction, furniture, fashion & apparel, transportation, technical textiles, packaging, wind energy, and sign & graphics industries. Gerber Technology's products and services are used by more than one-fifth of the Fortune 500. In 2011, Vector Capital completed the take-private of Gerber Technology and simultaneously divested Spandex, a non-core distribution business segment, in order to focus on Gerber Technology's core technology offering. Over the past five years, with the support of Vector Capital, Gerber Technology has undertaken significant growth and operating enhancement initiatives, including investing heavily in innovation to release new products across the solutions suite, streamlining supply chain and manufacturing operations, and significantly expanding its international presence. Commenting on the strategy, Michael Elia, CEO of Gerber Technology, said "With the full support of Vector, we have invested to broaden our product offerins and expand our global reach to provide customers with automation solutions that reduce their time and expense to market. Vector has been a great partner in transforming Gerber into a world-class leader in automation solutions."
Aalok Jain, Principal at Vector Capital, said "We are proud of what Gerber has accomplished under the leadership of Mike Elia and wish American Industrial Partners and the company continued success. Gerber is emblematic of Vector's long history of identifying strong, innovative businesses and partnering with management to grow and transform them in attractive niche markets." Robert W. Baird & Co. acted as financial advisor and Dechert LLP acted as legal advisor to Gerber Technology and Vector Capital.
About Gerber Technology Headquartered in Tolland, CT, Gerber Technology provides solutions that enable the entire value chain for the production of flexible materials. Gerber Technology's products are used by companies in aerospace, automotive, apparel, and industrial markets to speed production, improve product quality, and lower manufacturing costs. Gerber Technology's solutions include CAD software for pattern design and grading, PLM software for product portfolio management, and automated systems for material preparation and production. Gerber Technology has over 78,000 customers in over 130 countries worldwide. About Vector Capital Vector Capital is a leading global private equity firm specializing in transformational investments in established technology businesses. Vector identifies and pursues these investments in both the private and public markets. Vector actively partners with management teams to devise and execute new financial and business strategies that materially improve the competitive standing of these businesses and enhance their value for employees, customers, and shareholders. Among Vector's notable investments are 20-20 Technologies, Aladdin Knowledge Systems, Allegro Development, Cambium Networks (News - Alert), Certara, ChyronHego, CollabNet, Corel, Emarsys, IPVALUE Management, LANDesk Software, Niku, Gerber Technology, RAE Systems, Register.com, Saba Software, SafeNet, Technicolor (News - Alert), Teletrac, Tidel, Triton Digital, VFO, and WatchGuard Technologies. For more information, visit www.vectorcapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160831006491/en/
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Itongadol.-Earlier this year, a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that Israelis were very happy with their quality of life, but new data reveals the same is not true for all areas of the country.
The OECD checked well-being in six different geographical areas of the country.
The Tel Aviv region leads in overall well-being, with a mark of 8.9 out of 10. The Center and South regions are tied in second place with 8.5, while the Jerusalem and Haifa regions were ranked at 8.1. Lowest on the scale was the North region, which received a mark of 7 out of 10.
The well-being in Israel was measured across the 11 dimensions of the OECD Well-Being Framework, which include, under quality of life: Health status, work-life balance, education and skills, social connections, civic engagement and governance, environmental quality, personal security and subjective well-being. The dimensions measuring material conditions were: income and wealth, jobs and earnings and housing.
When looking at the average of all 11 dimensions, the Tel Aviv region was found to be leading with a score of 6.44, followed by the central region with 6.36. At the end of the list is the northern region, with an average of only 4.60.
The OECD\s Health Index relied on two parameters: life expectancy and the age-standardized mortality rate. In this section, most of the regions in Israel scored high compared to regions in other countries in the OECD. However, there was still a considerable variance found between the different regions in Israel.
Israel\s Center region scored highest on the Health Index, with 9.3 out of 10. The high mark is a result of an average life expectancy of 83 and the fact there are 6.7 deaths on average for every 1,000 people.
On the opposite side of the scale is the South region, which received a 6.9 score, with a mortality measure of 7.7 and a life expectancy of 80.8 years. A close second was the North of Israel, which scored a 7.2.
The OECD did not find large regional differences regarding education. This is likely due to the fact that its education score reviews working citizens who with a minimum of a high school education.
Despite not finding very different results, the Center of Israel was also found to lead in the field of education, with 90.4% of those employed in the region having at least a high school education. The North comes in last, with only 83.3% with a high school education.
A large percentage of variability was found in employment. While Tel Aviv takes the lead with a 9.4 out of 10 employment measure, Jerusalem only got a 5.2 rating. The OECDs employment rating is based on two parameters: an employment measure and an unemployment measure. While Tel Aviv was found to have an 81.9% employment rate and a 5.4% unemployment rate, Jerusalem scored a 56.1% employment rate and a 7.5% unemployment rate. A possible explanation for this difference is the percentage of members of the Jerusalem ultra Orthodox community who do not work. The North also did not fair well in this measure, gaining an overall 6 based on a 61.4% employment rate and a 7.3% unemployment rate.
And what about the difference in pay? The Tel Aviv region leads with an albeit low score of 2.7, based on a global comparison that considers all the local regions in the world. In Tel Aviv, the average disposable income rate per person in Tel Aviv stands at $12,775 a year.
The North was found to be the lowest in this measure, scoring 1 out of 10 with an average disposable income of $6,723 a year.
Israel scored low scores regarding environmental concerns, as well. Tel Aviv still lead the pack with a 1.9 score, while the South, Jerusalem and North regions all scored a perfect 0. The one relative surprise was the Haifa region, which scored a 0.5 despite being notorious for its high level of air pollution.
Housing and particularly the number of rooms per person comprised another issue that the OECD reviewed. Haifa and Tel Aviv lead with an average of 2.2 rooms per person, with Jerusalem scoring a 0 in this measure.
This was a two sided bench at the Pier 2 Art Center. This Art Center is amazing because without a doubt you can tell Kaohsiung has made a HUGE commitment to the arts and artists in the area with the the revitalization of the warehouse district. This place showcases the the work of local artists, special exhibitions, sculpture, graffiti, murals, statues and is truly one of the best art experiences I've ever had.
CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- Police are still investigating a report of an armed robbery that took place at approximately 2:35 p.m. Wednesday at Prairie State Bank & Trust, located at 1820 18th St. near Casey's General Store, according to the Charleston Police Department.
According to an Alert EIU (Eastern Illinois University) message sent at 3:10 p.m, Charleston police responded to the reported robbery at the bank at 2:40 p.m.
The Alert EIU message says the suspect of the alleged robbery was described as a short white male wearing a dark green or black shirt and khaki pants. Later, he was described to have had a dark red shirt on, according to police officials. He was wearing glasses and a Nascar hat with the number 88.
The message notes that he fled on foot west bound in the direction of the EIU campus.
Following the alleged incident took place, Charleston High School and Middle School were placed on a "soft" lock down from roughly 2:50 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Jim Littleford, Charleston superintendent, said.
Littleford said it ended soon after once police gave the assurance that the suspect was not in the area of the schools. He said the students were able to leave school on time.
As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, the suspect has not been identified or arrested, Lt. John Bennett of the CPD said.
Those with any information regarding this incident, are urged to contact the Charleston Police Department at 217-345-0060.
CHARLESTON -- Coles County cornfields may yield an estimated average of 174.80 bushels per acre during the upcoming harvest, a slightly smaller estimate than the one for last fall.
The 174.80 figure was tallied on Wednesday at the conclusion of the annual county yield estimate conducted by the Coles County Farm Bureau and the University of Illinois Extension, with support from Farmers Grain Co. of Dorans and Total Grain Marketing. Volunteers sampled crops in more than 60 fields throughout the county.
Farm Bureau Manager Mary Cox said this figure is just an estimate but it gives farmers and other interested parties an idea of how the corn crop is doing in Coles County.
"Overall, I think we should have a decent crop," Cox said of the fall harvest. Last year's estimate was 177.0 bushels per acre.
Cox said there was significant variation on Wednesday in yields per acre estimated for the 12 townships in Coles County, ranging from 150.72 for East Oakland to 216.39 for Morgan. She said a lot of variables, particularly the weather, can cause yields to differ throughout such a large county.
Oakland agriculture teacher Jeff Coon said some of the fields that he and his sophomore ag science students sampled were near the Embarras River, where the yield potential is not as good as other areas of East Oakland Township. These five students, who are all FFA members, were also assisted by local farmer Andrew Dowden.
"I figured it would be a good learning experience for them," Coon said of his students. "It's the beginning of their class experience as far as growing corn."
Oakland student Cody Hall said Wednesday's event was a good chance to learn about yield estimating, adding that it involves a lot more math skills than he expected. Classmate Jayden Redfern said farmers and related businesses support Oakland school ag program, so the estimate was a chance for the students to give back.
Farmer Pat Harrington, who is one of the directors of the Coles County Farm Bureau, said the bureau's annual yield estimate helps farmers plan for marketing their crops and gives them an indication of how much grain local storage facilities will be handling in the fall.
Harrington said he is pleased with the look of the corn crops that he sampled on Wednesday in Mattoon Township, where the estimated yield was 176.11 per acre, and is optimistic about the outlook for the county as a whole. He said the weather has been good this year, other than some warmer than usual temperatures this summer.
The local farmer said he is hoping for a big harvest in Coles County to help offset corn prices that had dipped to $2.89 per bushel on Tuesday.
Cox said the results of the corn yield estimate will be posted on the Coles County Farm Bureau page on Facebook and will be printed in the Illinois Farm Bureau's Agriculture Advocate magazine.
CHARLESTON Official 10th-day numbers are still days out from being released, but international student enrollment is expected to be higher this semester.
According to an EIU press release, projections indicate an enrollment of more than 430 international students, both undergraduate and graduate, for this fall semester.
If these projections are correct, the International Students and Scholars department have seen an increase of more than 100 students since 291 enrolled a year ago.
More than 40 countries are represented by these Fall 2016 students from India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, China, Nepal and Nigeria, Bill Elliott, interim director of the department, said.
This increase is consistent with recent past enrollments that break records for the university in terms of international enrollment. Elliott said the international student enrollment has seen a significant and steady growth over the past three to four years.
These increases fall in line with national trends as more and more universities seek out more students internationally, Elliott said. He said like at Eastern, universities are understanding the merits of tapping into the international market.
Despite these trends, Elliott attributed one factor of Easterns particular success in attracting international students to the entire campus staff and students working together to make the transition to Eastern a relatively seamless and exciting process.
Certainly, weve put forth an aggressive international engagement effort, Elliott said in the release. But I believe the true key to our success has been the campus community working so well together.
Elliott said a bulk of the students, roughly 60 percent are enrolled in graduate programs, most notably the technology and business programs. As previously reported, international students have had a hand in boosting graduate numbers as well for the university.
The success does not completely lie in with the creation and management of the various academic programs offered, either, he said.
While faculty have developed attractive academic programs to bring these students to Eastern, others on our campus Housing and Dining, New Student Programs, and more have identified and implemented programs of their own that we believe will make these students feel comfortable and welcomed at the university, Elliott continued in the release.
Elliott also said the welcoming EIU community and Charleston community at large had a hand in enticing students from the various countries. The interim director said he thinks the community has done a great at making the students feel like a part of the community.
He noted more than once, students have said they would love to come back, possibly even live in the area.
Aside from producing higher enrollment numbers, the growth in international students on campus also adds a different component of cultural diversity to campus.
Its good for Eastern as a whole, Elliott said in the release. In addition to introducing different cultures to our campus community, these visiting students bring a completely new perspective to the classroom. Their presence is a big boost for our commitment to diversity for all students.
Some students organize events opening other students up to their culture, specifically their celebrations, most notably Holi, a celebration where participants are doused in water and throw colored powder at one another.
While both graduate and international numbers are seeing increases, that success will likely not be shown in the final enrollment numbers.
University officials have said the university is expecting a drop, however, big or small, in enrollment, in part because of external issues, namely the state budget impasse that placed a shadow on the several universities in Illinois.
My colleague Joe Heim wrote a fun piece on the subject a year ago, based on the epic lines outside Rose's Luxury on the Hill. Turns out folks can make anywhere from $30 to $65 or more an hour as human place holders. Since then, I've seen people holding spots for customers at several other popular no-resevations restaurants, foremost Bad Saint.
I'm curious what chatters think about the practice. The democratic (lower case d) in me dislikes the idea, but I can also understand why busy Washingtonians with some cash to spare sign up for the deal.
Happy Wednesday, gang. What's on your mind today? Talk to me.
Apple (AAPL) chief executive Tim Cook has hit back angrily at the European Commission's Tuesday tax ruling in an interview with the Irish Independent.
"It's total political crap," he told the newspaper. as he rejected the EC's assertion that Apple paid 0.005% tax in Ireland in 2014.
On Tuesday, the EC ruled that Apple would have to pay 13 billion ($14.5 billion) in back taxes to Ireland. The EC said that "undue benefits" granted to Apple amounted to illegal state subsidies, and will need to be recovered.
Cook said, "They just picked a number from I don't know where. In the year that the Commission says we paid that tax figure, we actually paid $400m. We believe that makes us the highest taxpayer in Ireland that year."
Both Apple and Ireland said they will appeal the decision in a process that Apple warned could take several years but with no impact on its cash balance or future tax rate.
"This is a huge overreach that represents retrospective activity and is completely unfair," he told the newspaper, adding that Apple was being targeted by the EC as part of political play.
"This conclusion that the Commission has reached has no basis in law or in fact. So I think it clearly suggests that this is politics at play."
Cook said it he felt the ruling was an attempt by the EU "to reallocate taxes that should be paid in the U.S. to the EU."
He added the move reflected anti-U.S. company sentiment. "People in leadership positions in several countries tell me that this is the agenda. I don't know where that comes from. But what I feel strongly about is that this decision was politically based, of that I'm very confident. There is no reason for it in fact or in law," Cook said.
Cook said that on a worldwide level Apple pays 26.1% tax.
"I'd be the first to say that the tax system needs to be reformed and that it should be made simple and straightforward. But it should be talked about going forward, not in a way that retrofits the law to what others wish it was," he said.
Apple shares moved marginally lower to $105.99 in after-hours trading after edging up slightly during the Wednesday business day to close at $106.00.
Apple are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now.
#VPPPA32 Speaker Answers Temp Worker Questions
Both the host employer and the staffing agency may be held responsible for safety violations, Norman R. Deitch, OHST, explained during a session at the conference.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Many people don't understand that temporary work, in today's U.S. economy, isn't part-time work. Temporary employment is now a cornerstone of the economy, with 3 million people working for staffing companies and 11 million temporary and contract workers hired annually by staffing companies, Norman R. Deitch, OHST, senior vice president of EHS Excellence Consulting (Iselin, N.J.), explained during an Aug. 30 session at the 32nd Annual National VPPPA Safety & Health Conference here.
"Temporary doesn't mean part time," Deitch explained. "Temporary means full time for a lot of people." To illustrate, he asked his audience to raise their hands if their companies use temporary or contract workers, and more than half of those in the audience raised a hand.
Temporary work has expanded fast: There were 1 million workers doing it in 1990, about 1 percent of the U.S. workforce, but the number had risen to 2.3 million by 2008, and more workers in higher-skilled occupations were temporarily employed than in prior years, he said. The allure of temporary labor is clear: USing them may cut costs, lower a company's liability, and filled needed slots when permanent help is unavailable.
But there are downsides, he said:
New employees are at greater risk than seasoned ones, and many temporary workers are new to a job site several times a year or even several times a week.
Some host employers don't want to spend the needed resources on training.
Temporary workers often are placed in the most hazardous jobs.
Temporary workers are more vulnerable to (and fearful of) retaliation.
Both the host employer and the staffing agency may be held responsible for safety violations, Deitch said, adding that communication between host and the staffing company is vital. Staffing agencies have a duty to inquire about the conditions of the workplace to which they are sending workers and to verify that the host has fulfilled its responsibility to provide a safe workplace, he explained.
He recommended reading OSHA's resources on temporary workers and its enforcement actions taken against staffing companies in the wake of some worker injuries.
"The big key is, who is supervising the work?" Deitch said. "Who is directing and supervising the work?"
What Should You Know When Purchasing a WBGT Instrument?
In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Wet Bulb Globe Temperature more directly measures temperature as it relates to a person's risk of heat illness by measuring factoring the effects of air temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, and radiant heat. Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, WBGT, is the weighted of average of Wet Bulb, Black Globe and Air Temperature in which WBGT=0.7T w +0.2T g +0.1T d .
Employers with workers who are at risk of heat illness are required by OSHA to establish a complete heat illness prevention program. Pursuant to such a program, an employer must have an adequate means by which it can measure and monitor heat stress factors.
OSHA has published guidance documents such as the 42-page "Using the Heat Index: A Guide for Employers." However, the specific regulation under which heat stress is governed is OSHA 29 U.S.C. 654, 5(a)1.
"Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees."
A total of 3,442 people died from heat-related illness in the United States from 1999 to 2003, and from 1992 to 2006, there were 423 deaths among U.S. workers. In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
During 2012-2013, the heat illnesses of 20 people, 13 of whom died, resulted in federal enforcement citations. Thirteen of the 20 employers were found to have not incorporated an approach to identifying heat illness risk (e.g., heat index) into their heat illness prevention program, according to CDC.
Heat illness is caused by uncompensable heat stress. This occurs when the rate of heat generated exceeds the rate at which it is dissipated. "Combustion" of oxygen and adenosine triphosphate is the primary means by which the human body converts chemical energy into kinetic energy. As much as 80 percent, however, is converted into heat. In a similar manner, when oxygen and gasoline combust in an engine, the majority of energy is also converted into heat.
This article originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
DENVER, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ Like the cannabis holiday on April 20th (4-20) and the Fourth of July, Labor Day marks one of the highest grossing sales days in the cannabis industry. Once again, MJ Freeway takes a look at holiday trends in the cannabis market and gives some advice for what retailers can do to prepare for higher foot traffic in the coming weekend.
MJ Freeways retail data set, which accounts for 40% of the legal cannabis market and includes nearly $5 billion in retail sales transactions, helps businesses across the industry understand everything from sales cycles to inventory management and more.
MJ Freeway, which created the first seed-to-sale tracking software in the cannabis industry, continues to lead the industry in tracking capabilities and software solutions for clients in the US and abroad.
Cannabis is a young industry and its important to track trends early and often, which is why weve made it a priority to provide businesses with a full picture of high-volume sales days, said Amy Poinsett, CEO of MJ Freeway. The more we understand about the industry as a whole, the better we are able to provide our clients with solutions that they need for smooth and efficient business practices.
Labor Day by the Numbers
In 2015, total cannabis retail sales exceeded $32M on Labor Day weekend ( Sept 3-6, 2015 ), which represents a 43% daily increase from an average sales day. This also represents average daily retail sales growth of 23% in 2015 over average daily sales for Labor Day weekend 2014 ( Sept 4-7, 2015 ).
on weekend ( ), which represents a 43% daily increase from an average sales day. This also represents average daily retail sales growth of 23% in 2015 over average daily sales for weekend 2014 ( ). In 2016, we expect Labor Day weekend retail sales ( Sept 1-4 ) to reach $41M
weekend retail sales ( ) to reach Sales spikes begin the Thursday before Labor Day with Friday being the highest grossing sales day.
with Friday being the highest grossing sales day. In 2015, individual cannabis licensed retail locations* dispensaries and delivery services sold on average $5,694 in retail sales on September 3 , $7,266 on September 4 , $5,985 on September 5 , and $5,100 on September 6 in 2015, the four days of Labor Day weekend.
*Note: One physical cannabis retail location may operate with two individual licenses medical and recreational.
in retail sales on , on , on , and on in 2015, the four days of weekend. *Note: One physical cannabis retail location may operate with two individual licenses medical and recreational. Same-store cannabis retail customer traffic increased by slightly more than 11% on Labor Day weekend 2015 compared to Labor Day weekend 2014. This year its expected to rise even more.
weekend 2015 compared to weekend 2014. This year its expected to rise even more. Customer traffic increased on average by 20% during Sept 3-6, 2015 as compared to a non-holiday sales day.
as compared to a non-holiday sales day. Individual customers spent on average $69.14 per trip Labor Day weekend 2015, a rise of 3% compared to customers visiting retail locations on an average day.
About MJ Freeway: MJ Freeway is the industry-leading software and consulting solution for cannabis businesses, processing $5B in
Statewide Adoption
Utah universities look to security best practices to implement IP video
Schools should be safe havens for education. New developments in video surveillance based on IP technology are helping primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities improve security, enhance operations and minimize losses in commercial areas such as bookstores, cafeterias and vending machine halls. Compared to traditional analog video systems, IP-based solutions are more versatile and cost effective. It is also a cost advantage to be able to leverage previous investments in analog cameras by connecting them through inexpensive video encoders in an IP video surveillance system.
UPGRADING EXISTING SOLUTIONS
For these reasons, two Utah universities wanted to significantly upgrade their existing surveillance systems. Utah State University (USU) and Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) both had stand-alone analog systems with just a few cameras in different campus buildings with viewing capabilities limited to single locations. Officials wanted more comprehensive campus-wide solutions that could be operated from single command centers for each school. Campus staff had not always kept cameras operable so efficient video playback also became a major issue, especially as it pertained to police investigations.
Each school decided on an open platform, IP-based solution centered around Milestone XProtect VMS, and network cameras from Axis Communications.
USU is located in Cache Valley, and is the land grant school for Utah. There are campuses in every county in the state. At the end of 2015, USU had nine locations managed with XProtect corporate software, with the Milestone Federated Architecture feeding back the video data to the main campus in Logan.
USU has 435 cameras deployed at all of its locations and SLCC has 235 cameras. SLCC has recently standardized on Axis cameras, while USU has purchased Axis cameras almost exclusively for the past several years in addition to using Axis encoders to integrate older analog cameras into the Milestone IP video platform. SLCC currently has 180 cameras deployed through Axis encoders for incorporating their older, analog cameras.
With the adoption of the software, each campus has been able to centralize their video monitoring and greatly improved coordination with on-campus police, reducing incidence response time and mitigating the theft of student valuables and in the campus bookstores. The cameras give each campus high-resolution images that provide comprehensive coverage through seamless integration with the VMS.
LARGE POPULATION, MULTI-SITE CAMPUSES
Salt Lake Community College is Utahs largest college with the most diverse student body. It serves more than 60,000 students on 10 campuses and hosts online classes. SLCC offers flexible scheduling with an exceptional range of academic and career-oriented options. SLCC offers more than 200 degree and certificate programs in academic, technical and vocational fields. It is accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges.
Since its founding in 1888, USU has evolved from a small-town college tucked away in the Bear River Mountains, part of the Wasatch Range, to a thriving research university respected around the world. Students choose from an array of academic and social opportunities at a university known for its intellectual and
OPEN PLATFORM BUILDS IN FUTURE GROWTH AND SCALABILITY
When it comes to surveillance for higher education, the universities were looking to invest in a future-ready platform that could evolve and scale with the growth of the schools. Both saw enormous benefits in the Milestone open platform, which provides a unified management approach with the flexibility to deploy a wide variety of camera models and third-party integrations.
Eric Allen, systems administrator at USU, said the university maintains servers and storage in a single, centralized location, a primary reason USU migrated.
We now have the ability to leverage our existing infrastructure across campus, Allen said. We can now plug in a new camera, have it immediately pop up in the Milestone system and monitor it from our desk, instead of running around to different locations to check on and manage cameras.
CHOOSING RESOLUTION
While Milestone supports numerous camera choices, USU and SLCC now rely almost exclusively on Axis cameras.
Nathan Howard is an IT project manager at SLCC who highlights the Axis ease-of-use. You can configure all your camera settings at one time in the Milestone software, from frame rates to your password, which is an incredible time saver, Howard said.
MILESTONE MAKES CAMPUSES MORE SECURE
Travis Dunn, a sergeant with the USU Police Department, said that the solution has allowed him and his deputies to initiate proactive safety protocols.
When it snows in our higher elevations, we can see it in the camera system and call out snow removal staff to clean sidewalks faster, Dunn said. So were not waiting for someone to slip and fall.
Dunn also cites the reliability of the technology in facilitating the police department investigations.
We use it to get statements from people in our interview rooms, said Dunn. Its important that the video works the first time, because we dont often get a second chance with criminals.
Howard pointed out that a huge advantage in the switch to IP video was the clarity of the images and the ability to share them with the police for investigatory purposes.
With the old analog system, we had a lot of blurry images, Howard said. It made it difficult on our police to conduct investigations. When there is an incident now, we have crystal-clear image quality as well as the ability to zoom in on the views as we need to with the software. The image quality has made our investigations more efficient and more effective.
MILESTONE MAPPING FEATURES OFFER BIG BENEFITS
The mapping features have proven particularly useful for the universities. Howard works in concert with the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP), the Utah state police. He created default camera views for UHP, to ensure officers are only looking at the necessary cameras.
I can go into the UHP group on the platform and easily modify their views if they need eyes on a new area, Howard said. In addition to all the buildings they have access to view, I have set something up for them called a blank view. Its a 2x2 or a 2x6 blank grid. If they have evidence they need to submit to court, they can scroll down to a camera and pull in only the pertinent feeds. Its a fantastic feature.
ESTABLISHING SYSTEM UNIFORMITY, OPEN COMMUNICATION AND BEST PRACTICES
In 2008, USU partnered with Utah-based Stone Security to help choose a system that best met its specifications. Stone Security has won numerous awards as an installation partner and is a diamond-rated reseller.
Based in Utah, Stone Security had the advantage of being familiar with the various universities structure and requirements. This allowed Stone to sell the significant benefits of the non-proprietary, open platform architecture that offers clients who need to protect their investment over the long term. As USU moved forward with standardization, other educational institutions saw their success and followed suit.
David Tidwell, IT manager at USU, commended Stone Security for its extensive knowledge of Milestone and Axis products, as well as exemplary customer support.
Stone Security has been a great partner in this process, said Tidwell. Theyre available at a moments notice, they take the time to troubleshoot problems and they are always calling us with the latest and greatest product rollouts. Its been a great and fruitful relationship from the outset.
Five of the seven major universities in Utah are now using a security solution similar to to the one at USU. Since 2011, Stone Security has organized the annual Campus Security Conference, which provides a forum for the universities to hear about new offerings, and to discuss challenges, solutions and best practices with each other.
Mike Hussey, who was recently named the chief information officer (CIO) of the state of Utah, was the keynote speaker in 2015. He was responsible for the recent installation of similar solution at the state capitol, and said that the conference is a great way for him to continue the learning process.
We are in the middle of our security installation, Hussey said. Many of my colleagues and I at the Capitol are new to the software and the cameras. Attending this conference is a great way for me to learn more about the companies whose products the state has invested in, and hear from Utahs higher learning institutions about exactly how they are using these products to not only keep their campuses safe, but create smarter, more efficient communities.
To have this network of individuals with years under their belt is invaluable, Howard said. When I didnt know what frame rate to set up my live views versus my recording views, all it took was one phone call.
AN EASY-TO-USE VIDEO SYSTEM
USUs software user base is diverse, including the IT departments monitoring data centers and network equipment, USU police responding to on-campus incidents, researchers supervising labs and department managers handling the flow of building traffic and watching out for thefts.
Training sessions were really easy, Allen said. We only have to sit down with the users for five to 10 minutes, show them the system and they run with it.
Howard used the numerous online tutorials to generate a reference guide for himself. When it came to the point of installation, he already had a good working knowledge of the system.
The user interface is so intuitive, Howard said. And it couldnt be easier to add a camera or click over one on a map and pull it up on my screen.
Allen said there are only two administrators running the entire system at USU, and thats never been a problem. The ease of use means we can get in, do what we need to do and never worry about system glitches, said Allen.
UNEXPECTED BENEFITS
USU has leveraged Axis and Milestone beyond traditional campus security. The college has a farm on campus where animal science professors and their students conduct research with cows and goats. David Tidwell said that in the past when a cow was far along in her pregnancy, researchers were forced to sleep at the farm to ensure they didnt miss the birth.
We have a couple of cameras monitoring the pens, said Tidwell, who is a team coordinator at the university. Now, the researchers can watch the cows on from the comfort of their homes. If they see an animal start to go into labor, they can make sure someone gets there.
This article originally appeared in the September 2016 issue of Security Today.
One of Africa's largest oil producers and one of its wealthier nations, small lush Gabon is facing a wave of post-election violence after President Ali Bongo was declared the winner of disputed polls. - Central Africa's oil 'emirate' - In the 1970s, Gabon discovered abundant oil reserves offshore, allowing it to build a strong middle class and earning it the moniker "central Africa's little emirate". Oil accounts for 60 percent of the country's revenues. It became a full member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1975 but terminated its membership two decades later. But as world oil prices slid, forcing layoffs in the sector, Gabon rejoined the cartel in July this year. It is also the world's second-largest producer of manganese, and its vast forests provide 12 percent of global timber exports, including coveted tropical hardwoods. - Wealthier than most Africans - Gabon in 2015 was ranked 110 out of 188 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index -- among the top 10 African nations listed. Per capita gross national income (GNI) in 2015 was estimated at $9,210 (8,130 euros) by the World Bank -- about four times greater than in most sub-Saharan African nations. But because of income inequality, about a third of Gabon's population of 1.8 million people still live below the poverty line. Between 2010 and 2014, the economic growth rate was about six percent but it has fallen to 3.9 percent this year, according to a World Bank forecast, because of the slump in global oil prices. - Forests and chimps - Straddling the equator on Africa's Atlantic coast, forests cover about 80 percent of Gabon, hosting a wealth of wildlife. In 2002, then president Omar Bongo created 13 new national parks that cover around 11 percent of Gabon's territory to protect its wildlife and forests from excessive logging. Gabon has sought to cash in on eco-tourism by showing off its wild gorillas, chimpanzees, panthers, elephants and hippos. At 267,667 square kilometres (103,346 square miles), Gabon is slightly larger than the UK, or two-thirds the size of Japan. - Stable rule, but at a price - The country has enjoyed relative political stability, mainly because former colonial power France helped Omar Bongo rule for 41 years, the third longest reign in modern Africa after Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Moamer Kadhafi of Libya. After he died in June 2009, his son Ali won an election but opposition media claimed he had essentially been installed by France. The population is roughly 80 percent Christian, while Muslims and animists account for the other 20 percent. - Africa Cup host - Gabon will next year host the finals of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), starting in January. Record seven-time champions Egypt and first-time qualifiers Guinea-Bissau are among 10 countries which have so far booked places at the 2017 Africa CAN. Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Senegal and Zimbabwe have also secured places and Gabon are automatic participants as hosts of the 16-nation tournament.
Gabon security forces were attempting to storm the opposition headquarters early Thursday, leaving several people injured, party leaders said, hours after President Ali Bongo claimed victory in contested polls. "They attacked around 1:00 am (0000 GMT). It is the republican guard. They were bombarding with helicopters and then they attacked on the ground. There are 19 people injured, some of them very seriously," said opposition presidential candidate Jean Ping, who was not at the party headquarters himself. The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling tear gas canisters and had opened fire. "For nearly an hour the building has been surrounded. They want to enter the building... it is extremely violent," he said. A government spokesman said security forces had stormed the opposition headquarters to catch "criminals" who had earlier set fire to the parliament building as anti-government protests swept the capital Libreville. "Armed people who set fire to the parliament had gathered at Jean Ping's headquarters along with hundreds of looters and thugs... they were not political protesters but criminals," said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze. Results of the presidential election were announced Wednesday afternoon, handing Bongo his second term by a thin margin over a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official Ping. Angry protesters took to the streets shortly after the announcement, accusing the government of stealing the election. They set fire to parliament and clashed with heavily armed security forces, leaving at least six injured. The opposition has described the election as fraudulent and called for voting figures from each of Gabon's polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of overall result -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union.
MATTOON -- Ulysses S. Grant was a newly re-enlisted captain without a uniform when he arrived in Mattoon in May 1861 to muster men into the Union Army.
His role at this muster site, later dubbed Camp Grant, helped Grant begin a Civil War military career in which he ultimately he rose to the rank of commanding general of the U.S. Army. He later served as 18th president of the United States.
Grant's ties to Mattoon will be celebrated during the Sept. 22-25 General Grant Days. This new event has been organized to raise awareness about the Mattoon Civil War Memorial Ellipse and Camp Grant Municipal Park project. The event will feature a nationally known Gen. Grant presenter and Civil War re-enactors.
On May 15, 1861, Ulysses S. Grant swore the 21st Illinois Infantry Regiment into State of Illinois service in Mattoon one month before assuming command of the same regiment in Springfield and heading south into history, event coordinator Steve Thompson said in a press release. The Sept. 22-25 events reinforce how important Mattoon is to telling the story of Grant and Illinois in the Civil War.
Thompson said presenter Ken Serfass, a Marine veteran who now lives in Gettysburg, Penn., will portray Grant during several appearances at the event, including school visits. He will give free public presentations at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Mattoon train depot, and at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sept. 25 at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site near Lerna.
Serfass, as Gen. Grant, also will interact with the assembled troops and visitors during a Civil War encampment from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Memorial Ellipse, located at North First Division Street and Shelby Avenue near the former Camp Grant site.
Thompson said Downs-based Company D, 21st Illinois Infantry Regiment re-enactors will perform Civil War-era drills and camp duties. He said Company D was comprised of soldiers from Douglas County and was sworn into service by Grant. Entry to the encampment is free and open to the public.
In addition, Serfass will portray Grant during a free public presentation at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield and then review re-enactors on the grounds at 5:30 p.m. Afterward, he will attend a private reception sponsored by the Illinois State Historical Society and Landmarks Illinois.
The Old State Capitol includes the Adjutant General's Office where Capt. Grant helped with the recruitment effort in May 1861. Thompson said Grant's success there helped him secure a colonels commission in the 21st Illinois and begin his rise through the ranks, earning a reputation for being "doggedly determined" in the field.
Like another famous Illinoisan (Abraham Lincoln), Ulysses S. Grant began his march into the history books at the Old State Capitol, Thompson said in the press release. The Sept. 23 events will highlight the lesser-known part of Grant's early career, when he was a recruiter, and a good one at that, for the Union Army.
Thompson said General Grant Days will help raise awareness in Coles County and in Springfield for the Memorial Ellipse and Camp Grant Municipal Park project. Plans call for a bronze Civil War infantryman statue to be added to the ellipse and a history-focused park to be developed to the north on part of the former Camp Grant site.
General Grant Days will provide a demonstration of the types of Civil War re-enactments and other history programs that could be held at the planned park, Thompson said. More information is available online at https://www.facebook.com/Mattoon-Civil-War-Memorial-Ellipse.
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor Thursday welcomed Colombia's peace deal with FARC rebels, but called for "genuine" prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes. "The peace agreement acknowledges the central place for victims in the process and their legitimate aspirations for justice," Fatou Bensouda said. "These aspirations must be fully addressed, including by ensuring that the perpetrators of serious crimes are genuinely brought to justice," Bensouda said in a statement, issued from the ICC's headquarters in The Hague. Former ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in 2006 opened a preliminary probe into Colombia's violent struggle between its military, guerrillas and paramilitary forces during the 52-year conflict. Its aim was to check whether a full-blown ICC investigation was justified as a result of Colombian courts being unable or unwilling to try crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide that may have been committed in the South American country. Bensouda said the responsibility now rested on a five-person panel entitled the Special Peace Jurisdiction, which will be tasked with trying and sentencing individuals accused of committing war crimes during the conflict. "The promise of such accountability must become a reality if the people of Colombia are to reap the full dividends of peace," she urged. "The ends of sustainable peace are intrinsically linked to justice being done and seen to be done," Bensouda said. The Gambian-born prosecutor added that her office will continue to support peace efforts in Colombia during the peace deal's implementation phase. The ceasefire in Colombia came into effect on Monday, and the government and the FARC are due to sign a peace agreement this month which will then be put to a referendum on October 2. The conflict has left 260,000 dead, 45,000 missing and 6.9 million uprooted from their homes since it erupted in 1964.
If you were to ask most Singaporeans about what they must savour and imbibe while in Taiwan, eats like fried chicken fillet, oyster omelette and bubble tea tend to come to mind.
Beyond these usual suspects, however, there are plenty more street food finds and cafe eats for foodies to suss out. While youll find some of the popular Taiwan-style street foods already in Singapore, there are still more that have yet to make it to our shores.
Previously, we had these Korean street snacks on our wishlist; here, we take a look at some of the street eats and cafe finds from Taiwan that we hope to see in Singapore soon.
(Picture: @tingwei_eat/ Instagram)
Rainbow juices, smoothies and milk teas: While Singaporeans rushed for bottled milk tea from this Taiwanese beverage brand, the Taiwanese have moved on to their next drink fad. Take a snap of these photogenic drinks before shaking them; theyre made with a mix of fruity flavours, milk, tea and food colouring, making for some psychedelic hues. Find them at the popular Dream Cool drink stall in the Ximending district, as well as other similarly colourful beverages at the Ningxia night market.
(Picture: @peggy.cheng/ Instagram)
Peanut and ice-cream roll: This dessert crepe consists of ice-cream, caramelised peanut shaving and coriander wrapped together in a spring roll. The combination works like a charm to create a sweet and savoury treat; ice-cream flavours that its typically paired with include peanut, taro or pineapple. Youll find easily it at the Tonghua and Raohe night markets, as well as other popular street food stops in Taipei.
(Picture: @goingkookies/ Instagram)
Taro (yam) fritter with salted egg custard: If you feel that your love for anything and everything thats salted egg-flavoured will never die, this fritter is definitely a must-try. These dough fritters are made with taro, with a molten salted egg centre that oozes up within a bite. Seek this snack at the Ningxia, Tonghua and Raohe night markets in Taipei.
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(Picture: @cheryltvxq/ Instagram)
Mashed potato with bacon and cheese: Drenched in a warm cheese sauce, this potato dish is the ultimate indulgence for any cheese fanatic. Its garnished with toppings such as bacon bits, bread crumbs and corn. Join the queue for Prince Cheese Potato, a food stall located along a small alley in Taipeis bustling Ximending shopping and recreation district; youll also find one of its other stalls at the Shilin night market.
(Picture: @gohchewyeng/ Instagram)
Quail egg prawn ball: Its Taiwans answer to the Japanese street snack takoyaki (octopus ball). Watch as the street stall vendors deftly pick and turn these dough balls of quail eggs and shrimps, over a hot griddle pan. This street snack is then doused in sauces such as mustard, cheese or yogurt before being served.
(Picture: @smey/ Instagram)
Deep fried milk custard: The Taiwanese knack for deep fried snacks makes as good use of dairy too, by adding frozen milk custard to a doughy batter. Skewers of these milky cubes are deep fried to create a snack thats crispy on the outside and creamy within. Once fried, these turn into the ball-shaped fritters on a stick.
Egg waffle ice-cream sandwich at Revel Eatery & Juice Bar. (Picture: @ang_shih/ Instagram)
Egg waffle ice-cream sandwich: This egg waffle may be a common sight at street stalls in Taiwan and Hong Kong alike. But have you tried this modern take on the street snack yet? One inventive eatery has paired the popular snack with ice-cream and even slabs of fried chicken. Head to this foodie stop before exploring the area; its situated close to Zhongxiao Fuxing station in Taipei, where youll find alleys lined with indie stores and plenty of cafes.
Watermelon toast from Jimmys Bakery in Yilan, Taiwan. (Picture: @gu0920/ Instagram)
Watermelon toast: It may look like a watermelon but it doesnt taste anything like one. This breads vivid colours come from tea powder, strawberry and red dye; the seeds that you see are bits of bamboo charcoal.
The unusual find originates from the humble Jimmys Bakery in Yilan, a county in north-eastern Taiwan. Grab a loaf if youre visiting the city but be sure to do it early. According to The Telegraph, the bread shop bakes up to 2,000 loaves a day but is still unable to keep up with the demand for its best-selling item.
Dilma Rousseff's impeachment doesn't just mark the end of 13 years of Workers' Party rule in Brazil, but a new low for the so-called "pink tide" of leftist leaders in Latin America. It's been nearly two decades since the left began sweeping to power, promising a new politics for a new century in a region often characterized as having the world's greatest inequality. The pink tide -- more moderate than the communist red of Fidel Castro and other Cold War-era revolutionaries -- reached 15 countries in all, starting with the late Hugo Chavez's election in Venezuela in 1998. Eight remain now that Brazil's Senate has convicted Rousseff. Giant Brazil was a leader in the regional movement, providing two of its most emblematic presidents: Rousseff and her once hugely popular predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. They brought radical street cred from the bad old days in Latin America. She was an urban guerrilla jailed and tortured by the military regime installed after Brazil's 1964 coup. He was a rabble-rousing steelworker who helped lead the fight for democracy. But they also brought business-friendly economic policies to blend with revolutionary social programs. - Boom to bust - Lula took office in 2003 with a mission to turn Brazil into a middle-class powerhouse driven by consumer spending. He was lucky to arrive just in time for the emerging markets boom, when demand from a ravenous China fueled soaring prices for the region's oil, minerals and other commodities. When he handed over to Rousseff after two terms, economic growth stood at 7.5 percent. More than 29 million Brazilians had escaped poverty. Across the region, 75 million Latin Americans exited poverty in a decade. "There was this sense that Latin America's finally emerging," said William LeoGrande, a political scientist at American University in Washington. "The illusion was that it would be easy." But it all came crashing down, not just for Rousseff but the entire region, which is facing its second year of recession this year. "Clearly the commodity dependency remains greater than some people thought," LeoGrande said. - Bad news - Latin America's left has been on the run since the business-friendly conservative Mauricio Macri won Argentina's election last November. Other setbacks followed in Venezuela's legislative polls and Peru's presidential race. Now Venezuela is teetering on the brink of economic collapse, leaving Chavez's successor, Nicolas Maduro, fighting for his political life. In Bolivia, indigenous labor leader Evo Morales lost a February referendum to allow himself a fourth term. In Ecuador, radical economist Rafael Correa flirted with a third term before dropping the idea as his approval ratings sank. A string of corruption scandals has fed the malaise. Even squeaky-clean moderate Michelle Bachelet of Chile has watched her poll numbers dive as her son has been caught up in a scandal. - Too pink? - Rousseff is charged with using unauthorized state loans to plug budget holes. Unofficially, she is taking the blame for Brazil's worst recession in 80 years and a multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal at the state oil company Petrobras. Lula, still seen as potential comeback material in 2018, faces corruption charges in the scandal and risks watching the election from jail. Some supporters say the Workers' Party (PT) turned too pink for its own good, cozying up to parties that wanted only the keys to the government pork barrel, and forgetting its roots. The PT "slowly alienated its base, stopped training new leadership, allied with centrist and right-wing parties to guarantee 'governability' and had leading party figures involved in corruption," Jose Oscar Beozzo, a Brazilian leftist theologian, told AFP by email. The party "was devastated by pragmatism and alliances," said the openly critical PT veteran Tarso Genro, who served in Lula's cabinet. - New right - If the start of the 21st century represented a new beginning for the Latin left -- after a 20th century marked by numerous US-backed right-wing coups, invasions and military rule -- the region may now be seeing the birth of a new right. Despite Rousseff's argument that her impeachment is a "coup," the region has come a long way since the Cold War, when coups meant tanks in the streets. The emergence of a Latin American right committed to democracy and a social agenda is new, says John Coatsworth, provost of New York's Columbia University a noted historian of the region. "For more than two centuries, the Latin American right was deeply suspicious of democratic institutions and conspired whenever it was convenient to overthrow them or to undermine them," he said. The good news for the left in the new democratic era, he added, is that the right has never proved any better at managing economic crises. "All of the center-right parties and right-wing parties that are benefiting from the collapse of the left everywhere in Latin America themselves suffered a similar collapse a decade ago," he said. "Democracy is a wonderful thing."
AFP News
Russia on Saturday suspended its participation in a landmark agreement that allowed vital grain exports from Ukraine, blaming alleged drone attacks on Russian ships in Crimea. Russia made the announcement after its army accused Kyiv earlier Saturday of a "massive" drone attack on its Black Sea fleet, while Britain bluntly rejected Moscow's claims its specialists were involved. The Turkey and UN-brokered deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine in July is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict. The agreement already allowed more than nine million tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19. "In light of the terrorist act carried out by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea fleet and civilian vessels involved in the security of grain corridors, Russia suspends its participation in the implementation of the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports," the Russian defence ministry said on Telegram. Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea, which has been targeted several times in recent months, serves as the headquarters for the fleet and a logistical hub for operations in Ukraine. The Russian army claimed to have "destroyed" nine aerial drones and seven maritime ones, in an attack in the port early Saturday. Moscow's forces alleged British "specialists", whom they said were based in the southern Ukrainian city of Ochakiv, had helped prepare and train Kyiv to carry out the strike. In a further singling out of the UK -- which Moscow sees as one of the most unfriendly Western countries -- Russia said the same British unit was involved in explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month. Britain strongly rebutted both claims, saying "the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale." Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday Moscow would raise the blasts and the alleged drone attack at the UN Security Council. The British defence ministry said this "invented story says more about arguments going on inside the Russian Government than it does about the West". Moscow's military said ships targeted at their Crimean base were involved in a UN-brokered deal to allow the export of Ukrainian grain. Russia had recently criticised the deal, saying its own grain exports have suffered due to Western sanctions. - 'Massive' attack - Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, said Saturday's drone attack was the "most massive" the peninsula had seen. The city's services were on "alert", but he claimed no "civilian infrastructure" had been damaged. City authorities said that the harbour was "temporarily" closed to boats and ferries and urged people "not to panic". Attacks on Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, have increased in recent weeks, as Kyiv presses a counter-offensive in the south to retake territory held by Moscow for months. Moscow-installed authorities in Kherson, just north of Crimea, have vowed to turn the city into a fortress, preparing for an inevitable assault. On Thursday, Razvozhayev said a thermal power station had been attacked in Balaklava, in the Sevastopol area. He claimed there was only minor damage and no casualties. In early October, Moscow's bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland -- personally inaugurated by President Vladimir Putin in 2018 -- was damaged by a blast that Putin blamed on Ukraine. The Russian fleet stationed in the port had also been attacked by a drone in August. Russia's allegations Saturday came as the Ukrainian army reported fighting in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions in the east, including near Bakhmut -- the only area where Moscow's forces have advanced in recent weeks. Pro-Russian separatists fighting alongside Moscow also announced a new prisoner exchange with Kyiv, saying 50 will return home from each side. Both sides were gearing up for the battle for the city of Kherson, the regional capital that fell to Moscow's forces in the first days of their offensive. bur/raz/jmm
Gabon's opposition leader said security forces killed two people and hurt 19 in a raid against his headquarters Thursday, as violence erupted after President Ali Bongo was declared the winner of disputed polls. Thousands of angry protesters poured onto the streets of Libreville late Wednesday, accusing the government of stealing the election after Bongo won a second term by a razor-thin margin over rival Jean Ping. Gunfire crackled across the city and plumes of smoke billowed from the torched parliament building as protesters clashed with heavily armed security forces. Police deployed near the parliament building fired tear gas canisters on Thursday to stop people gathering there. As the country descended into chaos, the EU called for calm, former colonial power France urged "maximum restraint" and Amnesty International warned against "excessive force." By mid-morning Thursday, security forces had sealed off the city centre, which was calm and otherwise deserted, and were making arrests around the opposition headquarters, AFP journalists said. Two trucks packed with dozens of detainees who raised their fists and chanted the national anthem were seen being driven off for questioning, they said. - Ping's whereabouts unknown - Police chief Jean-Thierry Oye Zue told AFP that more than 200 people had been arrested across town for looting. He said looting was "currently continuing in the poorer districts." Telephone and internet communications were cut. It was not immediately clear where Ping -- a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official who had earlier declared himself the poll winner -- had taken refuge. The parliament building's facade was blackened by fire and its windows were smashed. Protesters had torn down its huge main gate and torched a sentry box at the entrance. On the city's main artery, the Boulevard Triomphal -- the location of numerous government institutions and foreign embassies -- burnt-out buildings and cars could be seen, while makeshift barricades were still smouldering. - Helicopters used in raid - Security forces had surrounded the opposition headquarters overnight and stormed the building, killing two and injuring more than a dozen there, Ping told AFP. "They attacked around 1:00 am (0000 GMT). It is the Republican Guard. They were bombarding with helicopters and then they attacked on the ground. There are 19 people injured, some of them very seriously," said Ping, who was not himself at the party headquarters. The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling tear gas canisters and had opened fire. "For nearly an hour the building has been surrounded. They want to enter the building... it is extremely violent," he said shortly after the siege began. A government spokesman said the operation was to catch "criminals" and "looters and thugs" who had earlier set fire to the parliament building. "We have said that the people of Gabon are in danger. They (the international community) should come and help us against the clan (of Bongo)," Ping told AFP. A Red Cross worker who gave his name as Gildas said one of 15 people injured brought in by an army truck had died on Thursday. - 'He cheated' - The results of the presidential election, announced earlier Wednesday, handed Bongo a second term and extended his family's nearly five-decade-long rule. The results -- which gave Bongo 49.8 percent to Ping's 48.23 percent (a gap of less than 6,000 votes) -- remain "provisional" until approved by the constitutional court. The opposition described the election as fraudulent and called for results from each of Gabon's polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of the overall outcome -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union. Ping told France's Europe 1 radio early Thursday: "Everyone knows that he (Bongo) cheated. Ask in Europe. Everyone knows." Any appeal by Ping would likely focus on disputed results in Haut-Ogooue province, the heartland of Bongo's Teke ethnic group. In Saturday's vote, turnout was 59.46 percent nationwide but soared to 99.93 percent in Haut-Ogooue, where Bongo won 95.5 percent of votes. - 'Let's change together' - "It's going to be difficult to get people to accept these results," one member of the electoral commission told AFP, asking not to be named. "We've never seen results like these, even during the father's time," he added. Bongo took power in 2009 in a violence-marred election that followed the death of his father Omar Bongo, who had governed the oil-rich former French colony for 41 years. One third of Gabon's population lives in poverty, though the country boasts one of Africa's highest per capita incomes at $8,300 (7,400 euros) thanks to pumping 200,000 barrels of oil a day. Bongo, 57, campaigned under the slogan "Let's change together", playing up the roads and hospitals built during his first term and stressing the need to break with the bad old days of disappearing public funds and suspect management of oil revenues.
DECATUR Millikin University has been named one of the Midwest's best colleges according to The Princeton Review's 2017 College Selection Guide. The well-known education services company lists Millikin University among its "Best in the Midwest" recommended schools in its "2017 Best Colleges: Region by Region" website feature accessible at princetonreview.com/bestMWcolleges.
Only 156 colleges in 12 Midwestern states made The Princeton Review's "Best in the Midwest" list for 2017.
Millikin University President Dr. Patrick White says, "Millikin is a great university where everyone is committed to Performance Learning, through which every student is challenged and supported to learn and do, to act and perform, in a way that builds confidence, competence, and success. Millikin is a special place, and it is always good news when others like The Princeton Review acknowledge what we know and place Millikin where we belong among the best colleges and universities in the country, based on the life changing education that is enacted here."
The Princeton Review editors made their selections based on data the company collected from its survey of administrators at several hundred colleges in each region, as well as its staff visits to schools over the years, and the perspectives of college counselors and advisors whose opinions the company solicits.
"We chose Millikin University and the other outstanding institutions on this list primarily for their excellent academics," said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's Senior VP-Publisher. "We also gave careful consideration to what students enrolled at the schools reported to us about their campus experiences on our student survey for this project. We designed our 80-question survey to include questions that prospective applicants might ask on a campus visit."
The Princeton Review survey asks students to rate their colleges on several issues, from the accessibility of their professors to the quality of their science lab facilities, and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.
"It's great to see Millikin again recognized as one of America's best colleges by The Princeton Review," said Millikin Provost Dr. Jeff Aper. "These rankings stand out because they are based entirely on what students have to say about their institutions. 'True north' on the values compass that guides our university is always going to be student learning and development, so when students tell a third party like The Princeton Review that we are among the top quarter of all institutions in the United States it really means something."
The Princeton Review also scores the schools on its "Best Colleges: Region by Region" lists in six categories: Academics, Admissions Selectivity, Financial Aid, Fire Safety, Quality of Life and Green. Collectively, the 649 colleges on The Princeton Review's "regional best" lists constitute about 25 percent of the nation's 2,500 four-year colleges.
Provost Aper notes, "Above all, this very positive feedback from our students is a tribute to the faculty and staff who work hard every day to make Millikin a jewel in the crown of American higher education."
For more information on The Princeton Review, visit princetonreview.com.
Fumigation being conducted at Bedok North Avenue 3. (Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran / Yahoo Newsroom)
Almost a week after the first locally transmitted Zika cases in Singapore were announced, the threat of the virus arrival in Bedok North Avenue 3 has left residents there worried and uncertain.
On Wednesday (31 August), the Ministry of Health announced that the number of confirmed Zika cases in Singapore had hit 115, including the first pregnant woman to be diagnosed.
Three cases were also diagnosed in Bedok North Avenue 3, which led to the start of vector control operations on Thursday (1 September).
National Environment Agency (NEA) personnel were seen fumigating the area in the morning, while East Coast-Fengshan Town Council staff went door-to-door distributing insect repellent and informational flyers.
In contrast to Aljunied Crescent and Sims Drive residents the day after 41 Zika cases there were announced, those living in the new cluster told Yahoo Singapore that they were worried by new developments.
At Block 404, NEA personnel entered the flat of Mardina Ng, 17, to spray insecticide in the toilets and other areas. After hearing that there are cases in the area, its kind of scary. It can happen to anyone, and we have to do our part, said the polytechnic student.
East Coast-Fengshan Town Council staff were seen going door-to-door in the area giving out mosquito repellent and informational flyers. (Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran / Yahoo Newsroom)
Vector controls
The proximity of the virus made residents such as Koo Quee Huay, 74, nervous. Koo, who works at a laundry shop and lives at Block 413, said, Of course I am worried since now Zika is so close to my home. I think its good that the government is fogging this area because it will reduce the risk of Zika.
Others like retiree Maisie Khng, 70, questioned the effectiveness of fumigation. She pointed out, Mosquitoes are very hard to control. I dont know how useful fogging is, because they do it all the time but there is still dengue.
Khng had her own scare, as she contracted a viral fever and rashes before the first Zika cases were announced over the weekend. She returned to a doctor to check on her condition, but was told she did not have Zika.
Businessman Alan Teo, 67, said he had been taking precautions at home such as keeping pails overturned and covering laundry pole holders. But the father of two questioned if the authorities were getting to the root of the problem.
I think they are doing all they can, but I cant understand how there can suddenly be so many cases, he said.
Father of three Chan Pui Yee, 50, also noted that despite the first Zika case being reported in July, we heard about the other cases only a week ago. I guess Im not that surprised because Bedok North is quite close to Aljunied, he said.
No panic yet
But it is not quite time to panic yet. A quick check with 10 clinics in the area showed that they had not seen patients with Zika symptoms of late, nor were there any pregnant patients who were symptomatic.
Residents such as housewife Chee H. M., 34, who lives at Block 413, were also unperturbed. She said, I have kids and we are not planning to have more, so Im not very concerned. We also live on a high floor, so there are not many mosquitoes.
A retiree who wished to be known only as Mr Leong, 70, said in Mandarin, I was not sure about it at first, but I think the governments response is quite fast. Whether its enough, I dont know. We are used to this kind of thing, because people here do get dengue.
Additional reporting by Sharlene Maria Sankaran
The premiere of this years WITC edits will be taking place this Sunday the 4th of September at Manchesters Fallowcafe, alongside a last minute pre-premiere jam/BBQ at Platt Fields Skatepark from 3pm until its time to head to the venue. Ingest the necessary details from the flyer below, and check out some of the efforts from previous years to realise why you should go!
Weekend in the City returns to Manchester this coming weekend, with three days to film a five minute edit in the Greater MCR area and...
Following on from the recent Weekend in the City event, a last minute follow up has been organised in the form of a flash mob...
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Legislation
Ed Department Proposes ESSA Spending Rules
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released proposed rules Wednesday to implement federal funds allocated by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The ED is focusing on the provision that federal funds must supplement, and may not supplant, state and local funds.
The Ed Department wants to ensure that federal funds are additive and do not replace state and local funds in low-income schools, maintaining the longstanding commitment under Title I of ESSA that the countrys highest need students receive the additional financial resources necessary to help them succeed. The proposed regulation would mean up to $2 billion in additional state and local funding for high poverty schools, the ED said in a news release.
While civil rights groups, such as the National Urban League, and Democratic supporters hailed the EDs proposals, others, including Republicans, teachers unions and superintendents, criticized the draft rules as an overreach of executive authority, a waste of precious taxpayers funds and a recipe for chaos in the schools.
Rep. John Kline (R-MN), chairman of the House education committee, called the proposal an unlawful multibillion dollar regulatory tax that would unleash havoc on schools and their students at a time when education leaders should be focused on helping children succeed in the classroom, according to the Washington Post.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate education committee and the original sponsor of ESSA, said he would block the rules from going into effect.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said the draft rules represent an unfunded mandate from Washington that forces districts to increase spending without showing them how to do so, according to Education Week. Daniel Domenech, executive director of AASA, the School Superintendents Association, also opposed the proposed regulations.
But Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said in a statement, Plainly put, our system of funding education is unfair and unwise and this draft rule is an important step toward improving an intolerable status quo. Our states and districts routinely spend less money to educate children facing greater challenges. This rule doesnt solve this massive problem no single rule could but its a step in the right direction and brings us closer to a more just education system.
Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said in a statement, The Supplement-not-Supplant rule released today by the Department of Education gets the nation one step closer to making an excellent and equitable education a reality for every American child. The National Urban League looks forward to working with the administration to strengthen the final rule to ensure that all schools are funded fairly and every student succeeds.
A handful of Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) voiced support Wednesday for the EDs proposals.
The Ed Department, lawmakers, teachers unions and other groups have been sparring for months about how funds designated under ESSA will be allocated. This latest set of proposed rules will probably not satisfy those who have been critical of the EDs original approach of a negotiated rulemaking process initiated earlier this year.
For more on this story, read the news release issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Education. The Washington Post and Education Week also have detailed synopses of the proposed rules, as well as reactions from critics and supporters.
Science & Math
Charter STEM Schools Growing in Nevada
A Nevada STEM school system has just expanded by opening additional locations in the Las Vegas area. Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas (CASLV) is a free public charter school that emphasizes science, technology and math. Coral Academy's students take college-prep courses with an emphasis on advanced placement classes and compete in numerous engineering and science fairs, robotics tournaments and math and science contests, regionally and nationally.
The initial Las Vegas site, opened in 20072008, replicated the original school, which began in 2000 with 67 students in a Reno location and eventually grew to 1,200 students at three schools. The Las Vegas school grew to three campuses and now has been expanded with the addition of two new facilities.
The new campuses are serving K5 and can accommodate up to a thousand additional students, bringing Las Vegas enrollment up to about 2,700 students. Clark County School District, which serves Southern Nevada, is one of the largest districts in the country with 320,000 students at 357 schools. The Coral Academy schools aren't included in that count.
In 2010 President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology recommended that the federal government promote the development of 1,000 new STEM-focused schools over the next decade, especially in areas that could serve high-poverty neighborhoods. At that time, a council report noted, the country had about 100 such schools. As of last year a study by the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools had identified 949 STEM-focused high schools alone.
E-Rate
Louisiana School District Benefits from E-Rate Discount
A Louisiana school district that used to restrict access to the internet because its service wasnt strong enough is now completely online and preparing for an ambitious 1-to-1 initiative by 2020, thanks to federal E-rate funds.
The Lafayette Parish School System, located an hour from the Gulf of Mexico, used to limit streaming websites to music teachers only, or to teachers who had special requests, according to the publication District Administration. Others in the district would be blocked during those times, and during state testing, the parishs schools would disable streaming to ensure exams were not affected.
But a 2015 rule change in the FCCs E-rate program, which provides discounts to schools and libraries for internet upgrades, has changed everything for the school district. Lafayette received an 80 percent discount on $3.5 million, the total cost of upgrading its infrastructure.
I would not be able to accomplish this without E-rate funds, LaShona Dickerson, district technology director, told District Administration.
The E-rate program paid for additional bandwidth, helping Lafayette prepare for the statewide move to online standardizing testing, which would require more devices, Dickerson said.
E-rate is also allowing the school district to move forward on a 1-to-1 initiative that will give Chromebooks and iPads to all students in the districts 42 schools by 2020.
It allows us to create personalized learning opportunities for students, Dickerson said.
E-rate discounts range from 20 percent to 90 percent, based on a schools economic need. The average national discount is 74 percent. Applicants typically receive funding as long as proper protocols are adhered to, such as completing competitive bids for installation or upgrade work.
Nearly 70 percent of Lafayettes 31,000 students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, according to District Administration. So the district certainly qualified for the discount.
Some districts find the E-rate application process difficult. In 2014, $245 million in E-rate grant money was left on the table, as schools and libraries in 30 states did not apply for available funds, even though they were eligible.
Digital Literacy
South Carolina School Districts Access Digital Literacy Tools
South Carolina students returning to school this year will be using a number of new tools that seek to improve their digital literacy skills. Through the Palmetto Digital Literacy Program (PDLP), students can use popular digital literacy solutions from Learning.com to learn keyboarding, word processing, digital citizenship and other skills.
The PDLP initiative aims to prepare students for college and career success by providing comprehensive digital literacy skills curriculum and assessments that can identify technology challenges. Learning.com partnered with the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee and the Department of Education to the create the program, which is funded by the South Carolina Legislature.
The partnership provides access to the following resources:
EasyTech, a self-paced curriculum for grades K8 that offers interactive lessons to help students develop technology skills needed for academic success, including keyboarding, word process, online safety and coding.
EasyCode Basic, an EasyTech plugin that provides coding challenges;
Inquiry, a project-based approach to integrate technology into core subjects, including math, science and social studies;
21st Century Skills Assessment, which tests students in grades 58 on technology operations, information literacy, digital citizenship, critical thinking, decision making and more; and
WayFind, an ISTE-aligned teacher assessment.
To participate, each district can fill out a registration form, or they can obtain the tools through their membership of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.
To learn more about the Palmetto Digital Literacy Program, visit the Learning site.
- Opposition leader Raila Odinga is set to host a goat eating party at Laico Hotel for KSh 6,000 a plate
- The dinner will attract all ODM MPs' governors, senators and party members
- Former President Mwai Kibaki held a KSh 1 million-a plate luncheon in 2007 while seeking re-election
An exclusive dinner is being planned to celebrate Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) 10th anniversary.
The dinner and goat eating party which will be held at Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi will host all ODM loyal supporters.
Those invited will pay KSh 6,000 a plate and get an opportunity to meet the party leader Raila Odinga and share their ideas.
READ ALSO: Why Uhurus 2013 victory should be credited to the Luo community
ODM nominated Senator Agnes Zani (left), CORD leader Raila Odinga
Acting Secretary General, Agnes Zani said Raila Odinga and other members will meet and share ideas on how to popularise the party.
The dinner is part of the plan by Raila Odinga to relaunch his presidential campaign.
Raila Odinga with Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria eat at the Ranalo restaurant on
All partys MPs, Governors, Senators, MCAs and life members have all been invited to the dinner.
The nominated senator said that the party was celebrating the achievements. Similar dinners will also be held in different counties.
READ ALSO: Raila Odingas sister publicly differs with him
In 2007, the former President Mwai Kibaki hosted a luncheon for KSh1 million-a-plate seeking support for his the presidential campaign.
The luncheon which was held at Nairobi's prestigious Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi had a menu representing Kenya's different regions.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Kenyan men have gone crazy over the beautiful female inmates at Langata women's prison after the facility held a beauty contest dubbed Miss Langata prison 2016
On Wednesday, August 31, Langata women's prison held a colourful beauty contest that generated excitement among Kenyan men.
The beauty contest at the prison became a talking point for Kenyans on social media after photos of the pageant circulated online.
Wanjiru Kamande and other inmates at Langata women's prison. Wanjiru was crowned Miss Langata 2016.
Wanjiru Kamande, a murder convict, was declared the winner of the beauty contest.
Wanjiru had stabbed to death her boyfriend 22 times after finding out he was cheating on her.
Wanjiru Kamande on the catwalk during the Miss Kenya 2016 event, Wanjiru won the crown and is incarcerated at the prison for the murder of her boyfriend in 2015.
Wanjiru beat 19 other candidates to be crowned Miss Langata Prison. The event was held to support the rehabilitation of female prisoners at the institution.
Wanjiru Kamande was crowned Miss Langata 2016 and has set the internet on fire with her beauty with men admitting they are ready to date her even if she is a murderer held at the prison.
Administration police officers pose for a picture with Wanjiru Kamande who was crowned Miss Langata 2016.
The buzz created by the beauty contest led to some crazy comments by smitten Kenyan men regarding the beautiful women confined at the prison.
Kenyan men on social media have even claimed they are ready to be imprisoned at the jail just to be close the beautiful female inmates.
The dazzling Wanjiru Kamande was convicted of murdering her boyfriend was crowned Miss Langata 2016, Wanjiru has created buzz among Kenyans for her beauty.
Langata women prison inmates strut their stuff on the catwalk during the Miss Langata 2016 event. Kenyan men have been drooling over the beautiful women held at the prison.
Kenyan men have gone crazy over the beautiful women held us prisoners at Langata women prisons.
One of the beauties at Langata women prison shows her stuff on the catwalk during the Miss Langata women 2016. Men have gone wild over the beautiful incarcerated at the prison.
READ ALSO: Buruburu lady who stabbed boyfriend to death wins beauty contest
On Wednesday, August 31, Langata women's prison held a colourful beauty contest that generated excitement among Kenyan men.
Female inmates at Langata women prison have caused excitement among Kenyan men after photos circulated of the women participating in a beauty contest being held at the prison.
READ ALSO: Meet the five notorious criminals in Kenyan history
Cover photo: Magereza Facebook
Source: TUKO.co.ke
By Luis Jaime Acosta and Helen Murphy
BOGOTA, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Colombia's largest coal mine, Cerrejon has restarted loading and exporting from its Bolivar port after a suspension last week due to suspected contamination, the company said on Wednesday.
Work at the port began again on Tuesday, Cerrejon said in a statement.
The suspension occurred last Friday after local government agency Corpoguajira issued an order for airborne emissions to be checked due to evidence that contamination had impacted the health of local indigenous communities.
Cerrejon presented a plan to keep emissions in check and Corpoguajira accepted it, the company said.
Cerrejon's mine produces 32 million tonnes of coal a year, or 37 percent of Colombia's total output. Earlier this year union workers voted in favour of a strike, but the two sides were able to reach agreement.
Cerrejon is a joint venture between Australia-based BHP Billiton Ltd, London- and Johannesburg-based Anglo American Plc and Swiss-based Glencore Xstrata.
Colombia is the world's fifth largest coal exporter. The country's output fell 3.5 percent in 2015 to 85.5 million tonnes. (Writing by Nina Chestney, editing by Louise Heavens)
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY--(Marketwired - August 31, 2016) - Uruguay's President Tabare Vasquez recently announced that $12 billion has been allocated for use in a four-year infrastructure investment program. International broker Pablo Soria de Lachica believes that this program will not only boost the country's economy through the creation of jobs and new industry, but will also promote progress, development, and growth throughout this region.
"Ambitious but achievable," is how Uruguay's Economy and Finance Minister Danilo Astoi describes this massive endeavor. Moneys for this investment program will come from public funds (66%) and private sector investments (34%) and will not include a hike in taxes nor the use of loans. As it now stands $4.33 billion will be set aside for the energy sector, $2.36 billion will go towards the development and rebuilding of roads; $1.87 billion has been earmarked for social infrastructure -- which encompasses health care, education, and citizen security -- and $1.32 billion will be used for housing upgrades. Smaller amounts have been set aside for revamping and modernizing communications, water and sewer projects and overhauling the nation's ports and railroads. Pablo Soria de Lachica has a deep understanding of world economies and how lacking or subpar infrastructure can greatly affect the country's gross domestic product (GDP), stagnate its growth, and inhibit the ability to attract new industries to the region. He agrees with President Vazquez that this investment will help to optimize Uruguay's productive capacity and will allow for the advancement of the country's long term strategic goal which is to become a logistics hub for the region.
Despite almost ten years of continuous economic growth heightened by the strong global demand for the country's commodities, the national budget has been unable to move out of the red, particularly during the last five years. This is a strong indicator that a more aggressive and long term economic solution is needed which is exactly what the infrastructure investment initiative is. In a press release announcing their partnership and pending investment in this project, Jaakko Sarantola, Senior Vice President of the Finnish company UPM, stated: "Uruguay could accommodate a third pulp mill with proven environmental performance, if the logistics infrastructure would be rebuilt to support large scale export-oriented businesses." He went on to say, "if these challenges can be solved in the coming few years, Uruguay could be a competitive alternative for addressing UPM's opportunities in the 2020's." The leaders of this country do not see the impending project as a mere remodeling effort or a face lift for the city but as an investment its future and legacy.
Story continues
Pablo Soria de Lachica has an extensive and sophisticated knowledge of the intricacies involved in global economics making him a world leader in international investments and foreign exchange markets. After graduating from the Universidad Tecnologica de Mexico (UNITEC), he went on to become an expert in forex trading and offers his clients an impressive array of trading options, competitive terms and expert financial analysis. His ability to consider and synthesize international intel and conduct quick market analysis has enabled him to develop online trading tools for his clientele and create individualized investment plans tailored to suit every investor. In his free time he supports a plethora of worthy community and environmental causes and generously contributes to various organizations such as the local Boy Scouts, Delta Epsilon Sigma programs, Barnardo's, and Bridges for Peace.
Pablo Soria de Lachica -- Foreign Exchange Specialist: http://pablosoriadelachicanews.com
Pablo Soria De Lachica -- Outlines Consequences of Mexican Loan to Pemex: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pablo-soria-lachica-outlines-consequences-034249342.html
Pablo Soria de Lachica -- Describes Mexican Budget Plans For 2017: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pablo-soria-lachica-describes-mexican-063547078.html
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/8/31/11G112445/Images/mw1arfaedqe1re1l8p190c1q7t1hou2-d6a852abe14fa54a9fc6358dc7da4f7e.jpg
JOHANNESBURG, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Troubled South African coal producer Optimum Coal Mine Proprietary Ltd has been released from "business rescue", which is similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in the United States, its business rescue practitioners said on Wednesday.
In April, Oakbay Investments concluded a 2.1 billion rand ($145 million) deal to buy Optimum from Glencore (Frankfurt: 8GC.F - news) in a transaction criticised by local media.
Oakbay is owned by the wealthy Gupta family, who are accused of undue political influence with President Jacob Zuma.
Business rescue practitioners Piers Marsden and Peter van den Steen said in a statement that they were "satisfied that Optimum Coal Mine is no longer financially distressed and can be discharged from business rescue".
"The mine will now continue to trade under the management and control of the board of directors of Optimum Coal Mine," they said.
Business rescue allows a financially distressed company to temporarily delay creditors' claims against it or its assets. (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Ed Cropley)
By Elizabeth Piper and Kylie MacLellan LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May and her top ministers on Wednesday agreed Britain would seek a unique relationship with the European Union, involving controls on immigration as well as a good trade deal. After a summer of political earthquakes followed by a few weeks of holiday calm, May gathered her cabinet team for the first time since she asked them to use the break to come up with options for Britain's future ties with the bloc after a divorce. For many in the EU, it is not before time. They have given May breathing space to devise a negotiating stance before triggering the exit procedure, but are keen for Britain to begin the talks and end uncertainty that has hurt investment. "The PM said that there were two related imperatives: getting the best deal for people at home, and getting the right deal for Britain abroad," a spokeswoman for May said. There was a "decisive view" that the model Britain was seeking would be unique rather than an "off-the-shelf solution". "This must mean controls on the numbers of people who come to Britain from Europe but also a positive outcome for those who wish to trade goods and services," the spokeswoman added. May told the cabinet meeting, held at her country residence, that there would be no second referendum and "no attempts to sort of stay in the EU by the back door". The British leader has said she will not trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon treaty to start the exit procedure until next year so she has time to come up with a negotiating stance. Her spokeswoman said cabinet agreed this could be done without seeking the backing of parliament, or the devolved nations of the United Kingdom. Ministers also agreed on Wednesday the Brexit process should confirm Britain's place "as one of the great trading nations in the world". Signs of economic confidence are rising after the initial shock of Britain's June 23 vote to leave the EU. A spokeswoman for May said her ministers had reiterated the government's commitment to fiscal discipline and living within its means. IMMIGRATION May's aides say that after considering her ministers' views, she will be the ultimate arbiter of what proposals Britain takes to divorce negotiations with the EU. She will expect the cabinet to overcome divisions on whether Britain should leave the EU's single market to ensure control over immigration, or find some kind of a compromise. May has stacked her three ministries for Brexit, trade and foreign affairs with some of the most active campaigners for Britain to leave the EU. But she has balanced them by appointing to vital positions lawmakers who campaigned for Britain to remain in the bloc, such as Philip Hammond at the finance ministry, or Treasury. The Telegraph newspaper reported that the two sides have disagreed over Hammond's view that access to the single market could be maintained "on a sector-by-sector basis", with Britain retaining a favourable status for its big financial sector. Asked whether that was Hammond's stance, the Treasury declined to comment. If it was, that would go against so-called Brexit minister David Davis, who heads the new Department for Exiting the European Union, and trade minister Liam Fox. Citing senior government sources, the Telegraph said both believe Britain can only curb immigration if the country leaves the single market. On Tuesday, French President Francois Hollande seemed to back up that point, underlining that Britain could not opt in to certain parts of the single market without upholding the EU's four freedoms, including freedom of movement. (Additional reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Andrew Roche)
Reuters
The world's top central bankers are beginning to fear that an already weak global economy will stall if they keep pressing on the brakes, unnerved by plunging commodity prices, turmoil in emerging markets and potential flashpoints at home. Central bankers in the euro zone, United States, Canada and Australia have all been hinting that the bigger part of their series of aggressive rate hikes may be behind them even though inflation remains high. This has fuelled market speculation that central banks may be heading for a "pivot", market parlance for a change in direction towards smaller rate hikes that would lower inflation without wreaking havoc in the economy and markets.
By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Gabon's Ali Bongo has been re-elected as President, according to official results released on Wednesday, setting the stage for a potentially violent post-election showdown after his rival Jean Ping had already claimed victory. Opposition members of the Central African oil producer's electoral commission rejected Saturday's first-past-the-post election result, which could extend nearly 50 years of Bongo family rule. Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes, compared to 48.23 percent for Ping, with a turnout of 59.46 percent, according to results announced by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya. "This presidential election projects us into a new era, a new dimension of our democracy," Bongo's spokesman Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze said in a statement. Ali Bongo was first elected in 2009 after the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who ran Gabon for 42 years. He benefited from being the incumbent in a country with a patronage system lubricated by oil. But Gabon's economic troubles, caused by falling oil output and prices, have fuelled opposition charges that its 1.8 million people have struggled under Bongo's leadership. Gabon's main cities had been on edge since Tuesday, with residents stockpiling food and the security forces increasing their presence on the streets ahead of the expected announcement, which was later postponed by one day. Results from the poll began leaking out from a meeting of the elections commission even before the interior minister's official declaration. Commission members belonging to the opposition abstained from a vote that validated the result. "We tell the people of Gabon not to let their victory be stolen from them. Ali Bongo does not own this country," Paul Marie Gondjout, a commission member for Ping's party, told Reuters. Gabon's capital Libreville was calm immediately after the announcement of the election outcome, which was broadcast on state-owned television, though police and soldiers were stationed at most crossroads and petrol stations. (Additional reporting by Matt Bigg in Accra and Tim Cocks in Dakar and Joe Bavier in Abidjan; Writing by Edward McAllister and Joe Bavier; Editing by Catherine Evans and Alexander Smith)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The intelligence wing of Irans Revolutionary Guard arrested an Iranian-American dual national in late July on charges of plotting against national security and working with hostile governments, the news site of the Iranian judiciary said. Mizan Online said on Wednesday the person was arrested in the province of Golestan. At least half a dozen other dual-national Iranians, including at least three other Iranian-Americans, have been arrested on similar charges in the past year. In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a news briefing: "Weve seen reports of detentions of U.S. citizens, and we continue to raise our concerns about that, continue to use all the means at our disposal to advocate for their release." He said he could not provide details. News of the latest arrest came on the same day that the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy committee met members of the intelligence wing of the Revolutionary Guards. The meeting, titled "the infiltration project," covered subjects including the potential of dual-national Iranians to be recruited as spies, Hussein Naqavi Husseini, the committees spokesman, said, according to the website of Iranian state TV. "In this meeting it was brought up that dual-nationals are under the serious scrutiny of the enemies' intelligence services and they are used in the infiltration project," Husseini said. He said that a member of Iran's nuclear negotiating team, a dual national who he did not name, was under investigation. The Iranian judiciary said on Sunday that a member of the nuclear team had been arrested and released on bail but did not confirm whether that individual is a dual-national. Hamid Baidinejad, a member of the nuclear negotiating team, posted on Instagram a defence of fellow member Abdul Rasoul Durri Esfahani, who was criticized as a foreign agent by hardline websites, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Baidinejad said in his post that Durri Esfahani has worked for Iran in international relations for more than two decades. "Insisting that he is a spy is an open insult to the intelligence and security services of Iran," Baidinejad wrote. (Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish)
By Aidan Lewis SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - Behind the front lines in the Libyan city of Sirte, ageing tanks crunch through the debris of battle to new positions and resting fighters drink sweetened coffee waiting for orders to advance. Ahead, Islamic state militants besieged in a single residential neighbourhood and targeted by U.S. air strikes deploy mines, snipers and suicide bombers to defend their shrinking area. After three-and-a-half months, the campaign to recapture the coastal city is in its final stages. "The fact that they're using mines to such an extent shows they are weak now," said Ahmed Alramali, a field commander. "This is their last chance." Islamic State exploited Libya's divisions to seize Sirte and rule it largely undisturbed for more than a year. But after a bloody campaign, brigades from the nearby city of Misrata stand poised to win back what became the militant group's most important base outside the Middle East. The loss of Sirte would compound Islamic State setbacks suffered in Syria and Iraq. But the Sirte campaign has been halting, with onslaughts followed by long pauses as forces regroup and hospitals struggle to clear the wounded. The brigades operate under command centres in Sirte and Misrata, aligned to a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, but on the ground, formations are fluid, fighters are ill-equipped, and progress has been costly. Ismail Shukri, head of military intelligence in Misrata, said brigades recovered copies of instructions for Islamic State fighters to stage tactical withdrawals before launching car bombs. "When our forces gather, Daesh (Islamic State) fighters stage a retreat in order to send a car bomb. When our fighters advance on foot they have been an easy target," he said. "Daesh have relied on mines, snipers and shelling, but they never use defensive lines to directly engage." On Sunday, 35 brigade fighters were killed as forces moved forward several hundred metres among emptied residential blocks in Sirte's neighbourhood Number One, near the sea front, and towards the last Islamic State holdouts in Neighbourhood Three. On one street corner, fighters jumped out to fire automatic rifles above their heads alongside blasts from armed cars and anti-aircraft guns as they tried to dislodge a sniping position. Just back from the front line a few blocks away, a group of fighters gathered casually near an abandoned car thought to be rigged with explosives. One rode up the street on a child's bicycle, and another sat reading on top of a tank. AIR STRIKES, WHEELBARROWS Fighters have welcomed U.S. air strikes that began Aug. 1, saying they helped dislodge snipers, foil suicide attacks and prevent Islamic State from moving. But some said the strikes came too late and were not intense enough. One fighter said IS resorted to using wheelbarrows to transport equipment at night because their vehicles were being targeted from the air. Several barrows could be seen abandoned in Neighbourhood One. Ibrahim Baitulmal, the head of Misrata's military council, said some requests for strikes had not been granted, possibly due to concerns over civilians. Almost all of Sirte's estimated population of 90,000 fled the city after Islamic State took over or as the battle began. Any families that remain are those of Islamic State fighters, Shukri said. However, he said it was feared that up to 50 hostages were still in Sirte, including foreign nationals, a reason for caution in the battle's final stages. Officials and commanders say they do not know how many Islamic State fighters retreated into neighbourhood Three, nor how many of the group's senior commanders who Shukri said were predominantly Tunisian, Egyptian and Sudanese are among them. But Shukri and Baitulmal said it was likely that a body found recently was that of Hassan al-Karami, a leading Libyan militant and preacher. By most estimates, Islamic State had 2,000-5,000 fighters before May in Sirte. Some are thought to have escaped near the start of the campaign and hundreds have been killed, though no figures are available. Not more than 15 have been arrested, none of them major figures, Baitulmal said. On the side of the fighters from Misrata, a port city about 230 km (145 miles) west of Sirte which bears the scars of a drawn out battle in the revolution against late dictator Muammar Gaddafi five years ago, casualties have steadily mounted. From an estimated force of 6,000, hospital officials say more than 500 men have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded. Individual fighters insist they are fighting for Libya, not their city. They say they hope victory will help end the conflict and political strife that Islamic State, which has struggle to win support elsewhere in Libya, exploited. "We want to fight to defend our religion and our land," said Abduwahab Abdelati, a 30-year-old commander who lost a cousin and a neighbour in a mine explosion on Sunday and had accompanied five wounded fighters to Misrata's central hospital. "These people are foreigners who came from outside and distorted our religion. But above all we want to free the people of Sirte from repression." (Editing by Patrick Markey and Anna Willard)
By Dustin Volz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Romanian hacker nicknamed "Guccifer" who helped expose the existence of a private email domain Hillary Clinton used when she was U.S. secretary of state was sentenced on Thursday to 52 months in prison by a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia. Marcel Lazar, 44, who used the alias online, had pleaded guilty in May to charges including unauthorized access to a protected computer and aggravated identity theft after being extradited from Romania. Lazar's public defender, Shannon Quill, was not immediately available for comment. Lazar has said in interviews he breached Clinton's private server at her home in Chappaqua, New York, but law enforcement and national security officials say that claim is meritless. Lazar is believed to have hacked into email accounts of about 100 victims between 2012 and 2014. They include prominent political figures such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a relative of former President George W. Bush and Sidney Blumenthal, a former Clinton White House aide and an unofficial adviser to Clinton. Clinton is now the Democratic nominee for president. Lazar leaked online memos Blumenthal sent Clinton that were addressed to her private email account, which was used during her time as secretary of state to conduct both personal and work business in lieu of a government account. Clinton's email arrangement, which became the subject of an FBI investigation, has drawn intense scrutiny from Republicans attempting to sow doubt about her honesty ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. An entity calling itself "Guccifer 2.0" and claiming to be a Romanian hacker emerged in June and began taking credit for data breaches at the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. U.S. intelligence officials and cyber security experts believe Guccifer 2.0 is a front for Russian intelligence services intended to spread confusion about the hacks against the Democratic Party. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by James Dalgleish)
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September 01 2016 Matthew Pitt Editor
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TEHRAN, Iran Irans former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a letter on Monday to President Barack Obama, asking him to quickly fix a U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing families of people killed in attacks linked to Iran to collect damages from some $2 billion in frozen assets.
While writing that his letter is by no means of (a) political nature, Ahmadinejads message to Obama arrives amid swirling speculation that the hard-line politician may run as a candidate in Irans presidential election next year.
It also comes as average Iranians largely have yet to see the benefits of Irans nuclear deal with world powers something a discontent Ahmadinejad and other hard-liners could mine in any potential campaign against moderates.
In the letter, posted on a website associated with the former presidents office, Ahmadinejad focuses on the Supreme Courts decision in April. The courts 6-2 ruling allows families of victims of the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut and other attacks linked to Iran to collect monetary damages from Iran.
At risk for Iran is $1.75 billion in bonds, plus accumulating interest, owned by Irans Bank Markazi and held by Citibank in New York.
It is the clear expectation of the Iranian nation that the particular case of property seizure be quickly fixed by your excellency and that not only the Iranian nations rights be restored and the seized property released and returned, but also the damaged caused be fully compensated for, the letter said.
I passionately advise you not to let the historical defamation and bitter incident be recorded under your name, Ahmadinejad added.
Ahmadinejads letter was delivered to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which has overseen Americas interests in the country in the years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and U.S. Embassy takeover. Embassy officials declined to comment.
Its unclear what steps Ahmadinejad expects Obama to take. There was no immediate comment from the White House regarding the letter.
The timing of the letter, however, is interesting as Ahmadinejads name continues to circulate as a possible challenger to moderate President Hassan Rouhani in Irans coming May 19 election. Rouhanis administration negotiated the nuclear accord, which put limits on Irans atomic program in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
While Ahmadinejad previously served two four-year terms, Iranian law calls only for a one-term cooling-off period before hes eligible to run again.
How Iranians would react to another Ahmadinejad run, however, remains to be seen if and when it happens.
Under his presidency, Iran found itself heavily sanctioned over the nuclear program as Ahmadinejad questioned the scale of the Holocaust and predicted the demise of Israel. His disputed 2009 re-election saw widespread protests and violence. Two of his former vice presidents have since been jailed for corruption.
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Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
Joseph Perea was reportedly picking on 22-year-old Devon Martinez at a party Monday night.
Martinezs friend had to wrestle Perea out the front door, and after slashing the doors security gate, Perea got in his Chevrolet Camaro with his girlfriend to leave, according to court records.
He came back angry, police say.
Perea, 21, drove down the block then made a U-turn and accelerated into the driveway of the home in the 600 block of Martha NE. He slammed into Martinez, pinning him between his car and another, killing him, according to court records.
After Martinez was struck, Martinezs friend dragged him inside and called 911, but it was too late.
Perea is now charged with an open count of murder.
He has a string of previous driving-related arrests, according to court records. Just two weeks before Perea allegedly killed Martinez, he was arrested for aggravated DWI after he crashed into a median near Wyoming and Interstate 40 and his blood alcohol content was at least twice the presumed level of intoxication, according to court records.
In May, Perea crashed into a mans parked vehicle and fled. After officers tracked him down the street because fluid had leaked from his damaged vehicle, Perea told them he had planned on returning to the crash scene and didnt think it was that big of a deal that hed left, according to a complaint in that case. That case was later dismissed.
A few weeks before that incident, he had been arrested and charged with child abuse for allegedly driving drunk with his 1-year-old stepson in the car.
During the investigation into Martinezs death, detectives interviewed Pereas father, who said Perea told him he might have hit someone with his vehicle and planned to flee from Albuquerque, according to the complaint.
Police caught up with Perea around 11 a.m. Tuesday and he was arrested.
Hes being held without bond for violating probation in a different case, and on a $1,000,000 cash-only bond in the murder case, according to jail records.
Note: This story has been updated to include the victims correct name and age based on information from a family member.
SANTA FE The New Mexico Environment Department has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Nuclear Watch New Mexico that seeks invalidation of a new agreement between the state and federal governments over cleanup of radioactive and hazardous waste from nuclear weapons work at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Nuke Watch maintains that a June consent order agreement between the Environment Department and DOE was executed without a formal public hearing, as required by terms of an original 2005 cleanup deal between the state and the feds.
In its motion filed Wednesday, the Environment Department says the June consent order is not a modification of the 2005 document and instead completely supersedes it. So anything required by the 2005 order is void and no longer in effect, says the NMED filing.
NMED also says provisions of the Hazardous Waste Act requiring a public hearing for an environmental permit modification also dont apply, because NMEDs agreement with DOE is not a permit as defined by law.
The new consent order does away with specific deadlines for cleanup at Los Alamos. Instead, it calls for a series of campaigns to achieve specific goals, such as remediating a chromium plume in the Los Alamos aquifer. The agreement says it establishes an effective structure for accomplishing work on a priority basis through cleanup campaigns with achievable milestones and targets.
The Nuke Watch litigation also alleges DOE and the private contractor that runs LANL owe hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for missing cleanup deadlines set in 2005. NMEDs filing Tuesday says those claims are now moot, since the new consent order signed in June settled all outstanding violations. NMED wasnt named as a defendant in the Nuke Watch suit but intervened in the case.
Nuke Watch director Jay Coghlan said via e-mail Wednesday theres great irony in that NMED intervenes against us, raising the question whose side is it on, the environment or the polluter (in this case a $2.3 billion/year nuclear weapons facility). Coghlan also noted state governments budget woes, which include a $600 million deficit. Yet by our tally NMED forgave more than $300 million dollars in potential fines for missed milestones in the 2005 Consent Order, he said.
The 2005 agreement, which ended a court fight between New Mexico and DOE, was supposed to have required cleanup of the labs entire 40-square-mile site by last year. The work didnt come close to completion as the lab failed to receive sufficient federal appropriations.
Over the past 14 months, Donald Trump has been telling anyone within shouting distance that he will not only build a big, beautiful border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but also that Mexico would somehow be made to pay for it.
Its among the most brazen claims he has made as a presidential candidate the idea that a foreign country would fund the construction of a wall built mostly to protect the United States. And yet, Trump said that this did not come up during Trumps meeting Wednesday with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Trump said that the small matter of who pays for his massive border wall at an estimated cost of between $15 billion and $25 billion, per The Washington Posts Glenn Kessler somehow wasnt mentioned during his meeting with the man whose government would be footing the bill.
We did discuss the wall, Trump said during a brief Q&A session. We didnt discuss payment of the wall. Thatll be for a later date. This was a very preliminary meeting. In what was otherwise a positively received visit drawing praise even from some Trump critics such as Bill Kristol and former Hillary Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson it stuck out like a sore thumb.
Theres just one catch: Pena Nieto tweeted out that the subject did come up and that hed raised it.
At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
In another tweet: More from President Pena Nieto: From that point forward, we moved on to other topics in a respectful fashion.
Its not clear whos telling the truth here. Pena Nieto could have corrected Trumps comments during the Q&A, but didnt. But it makes sense (as we explain below) that he would have raised the subject, and Trump does have something of a reputation for contradicting other peoples accounts of meetings he was in.
The wall holds a special place for Trump, even as he is clearly softening his stance on illegal immigration. The wall is not negotiable, and he has said Mexico will pay for it about as often as he has brought it up. Its a call-and-response line at his rallies maybe his most iconic pledge.
Given the frequency with which he has used this line, the idea that he wouldnt bring it up when he is given the chance suggests a softness we havent seen before.
Trump supporters will say that this meeting is merely the first step in a relationship between Trump and Mexico, just as Trump himself did. But for a guy whose proposal to have Mexico pay for the wall has largely been dismissed as a ridiculous assertion, not bringing it up in a meeting with the Mexican president will only further that perception.
This wasnt the first time that Pena Nieto has said Mexico will not pay for the wall. There is no way that Mexico can pay [for] a wall like that, he told Fareed Zakaria last month.
It was probably inevitable that Pena Nieto would raise the topic. The potential next U.S. president, who has labeled illegal immigrants from your country as rapists and criminals, is in your country, and you have the chance to talk to him about anything. Its perhaps understandable that you wouldnt get into a back-and-forth over the rapists and criminals comment keeping things cordial, after all but Trump has been saying for more than a year that he is going to force you to pay for something very, very expensive that your citizens will probably not like having to pay for.
Whats more, the method by which Trump has said he would force Mexico to pay for the wall by preventing immigrants from sending billions of dollars home to Mexico would have serious economic consequences. As Bob Woodward and Robert Costa reported:
The proposal would jeopardize a stream of cash that many economists say is vital for Mexicos struggling economy. But the feasibility of Trumps plan is unclear both legally and politically, and it would test the bounds of a presidents executive powers in seeking to pressure another country.
In the memo, Trump said he would threaten to change a rule under the USA Patriot Act anti-terrorism law to cut off a portion of the funds sent to Mexico through money transfers, commonly known as remittances. The threat would be withdrawn if Mexico made a one-time payment of $5-10 billion to pay for the border wall, he wrote.
Its an easy decision for Mexico, Trump said in the memo, on campaign stationery emblazoned with TRUMP Make America Great Again!
This is a serious economic threat with big-time consequences, should Trump become president. It made sense for Pena Nieto to reiterate where he stands on this and urge Trump to knock it off (in a diplomatic way, of course).
Whats more, this was a moment of strength for Pena Nieto: Trumps immigration proposals have been wavering.
Trump will detail his latest immigration policy in a speech on domestic soil Wednesday night, and reporters will be watching like hawks for what he says about the wall.
There are two options: If he doesnt say Mexico will pay for it, it will look like another flip-flop as though he is backing off that signature promise, too. If he does bring it up, it risks overshadowing whatever diplomatic progress he might have been made during this meeting progress being credited to Trump.
Trumps over-the-top rhetoric, of course, is what put him in this position. He is being made to either deliver on a promise that could cause serious strain on diplomatic ties between the United States and a neighbor, or to look like a guy who talks a big game but cant put his money where his mouth is cant close the deal.
And with the late accusation by Pena Nieto, hes looking like something even worse: A politician.
Update: The Clinton campaigns John Podesta sent out two responses to Trumps meeting, one before and one after Pena Nietos statement that the wall had come up. The first one said that Trump choked by not raising the subject. The second, after the Mexican president weighed in, was even less generous: It turns out Trump didnt just choke, he got beat in the room and lied about it.
trump-wall
A great wall along the southern border, some 5,000 more Border Patrol agents and zero tolerance for criminals living in the U.S. illegally.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump filled in the details of his immigration platform Wednesday during a policy speech in Phoenix, hardening his stance against illegal immigration.
Trumps tough talk in Arizona stood in contrast to the softer note he struck in Mexico City earlier that day after meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Trump has made a border wall the drumbeat of his campaign, and he doubled down on that idea during his policy speech in Arizona.
We will build a great wall along the southern border, he said to cheers. And Mexico will pay for the wall 100 percent. They dont know it yet but theyre going to pay for it.
Trump kicked off his presidential run by vilifying undocumented Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists and has proposed deporting more than 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
On Wednesday, he proposed creating a deportation task force, enlisting state and local law enforcement in efforts to round up criminal undocumented immigrants, and said he would block funding for so-called sanctuary cities that try to protect unauthorized immigrants from deportation. He said he would triple the number of ICE deportation officers.
If he was trying to get closer to a Latino or immigrant community, I think he did not achieve that goal tonight, said Fernando Garcia of the Border Network for Human Rights, an immigrant advocacy group in southern New Mexico. In general, there is too much deportation in his policy and there is no immigration reform and no serious attempt to fix the system.
On border security, Trump proposed adding 5,000 more Border Patrol to the current force of 20,000-plus agents and said he would put more of them on the border instead of behind a desk.
Tricia Elbrock, who ranches in New Mexicos remote Bootheel region and supports Trump, said she approved of that idea. Elbrock and other ranchers in the area have been calling for more agents on the border ever since one of her ranch hands was allegedly kidnapped, then let go, by drug runners last December.
As for the wall, It has to be manned for it to work, she said.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump met with Pena Nieto in Mexico City a meeting that enraged many Mexicans who have felt thoroughly offended by Trumps rhetoric on the U.S. campaign trail.
The candidate and Mexican president described the meeting as cordial; they spoke about immigration and trade and the deep ties shared by the U.S. and Mexico. But scandal erupted after Trump told reporters after the meeting that the two men didnt discuss who will pay for the wall, and hours later Pena Nieto contradicted that account on social media.
We didnt discuss who will pay for the wall, Trump said during a press conference in Mexico City alongside Pena Nieto. Were saving that discussion for a later date.
Hours later, Pena Nieto who did not refute Trumps comment during the press conference posted on Twitter, saying At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
With the election roughly two months away, Trump has been trailing Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the polls.
But a new national poll by Fox News on Wednesday showed Trump chipping away at Clintons lead: 48 percent of respondents supported Clinton, while 42 percent favored Trump. That was a smaller gap than the 10-point spread in the same poll earlier this month.
Red Nation, a University of New Mexico Native American rights organization, and activists from New Mexicos northern pueblos announced in a news release Wednesday that they plan a march in Santa Fe on Sept. 9 to protest the Entrada, a reenactment of whats often described as a peaceful reconquest of New Mexico by Spanish colonists 12 years after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
The Entrada is traditionally held at Santa Fes historic Plaza as part of Fiesta de Santa Fe, one of the citys premier events.
Last year, more than a dozen people, most of them wearing T-shirts with 1680 printed across the front and black tape across their mouths to symbolize the Native American voice being silenced, staged a protest during the event. They say the reconquest led by Don Diego de Vargas was anything but peaceful and that many Native Americans died in the aftermath or were enslaved by the Spanish. Organizers of last years protest said they werent against the staging of the event so long as it was historically accurate.
Organizers of the Entrada say the event is meant to celebrate the moment in time when the Spanish and Native Americans came together and agreed to live in peace.
The Entrada is scheduled to be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9.
United Way of Santa Fe County has a long and honored history in Santa Fe. Our mission is to engage the whole community, bringing together people and resources to create increased opportunities for children and families to achieve their dreams and aspirations.
We envision a community where all children succeed in school and life. Our strategy is to provide high-quality early childhood care and education opportunities to children and families in Santa Fe County.
Each local United Way is licensed to serve the needs of a specific community, as directed by a volunteer board of directors. Our board and our staff proudly reflect and celebrate the diversity of Santa Fe.
We are grateful to have received overwhelming support from the Santa Fe community. Thank you for your belief and faith in us.
Recently, we have been thrust into the discussion of guns in our community. A United Way organization in southeastern New Mexico has launched a fund-raising event that includes raffling over 100 firearms, including a military-grade assault rifle and a sniper rifle. We adamantly oppose United Way fund-raising efforts that include this type of raffle.
Increased access to guns, especially military-grade weapons, is in direct conflict to our mission.
Gun violence in America is a public health hazard that adversely impacts children. National childrens health advocates recognize this and have joined together to support the safety of our children and families.
The American Academy of Pediatrics supports a number of specific measures to reduce the destructive effects of guns in the lives of children and adolescents. We share their concerns.
Each United Way organization is governed by a local board. Please know that United Way of Santa Fe County remains firmly committed to fulfilling our mission. Together, we can all work to realize the full promise of children and families in Santa Fe.
Katherine Freeman is president and CEO and Stacy Quinn is chair of the United Way of Santa Fe County Board of Directors.
In todays technically sophisticated and globally connected world, we assume life has been completely reinvented. In truth, it has not changed all that much.
Facebook and Google may have recalibrated our lifestyles, but human nature, geography and culture are nearly timeless. Even as ideologies and governments come and go, the same old, same old problems and challenges remain.
Compare what dominated the news in 1966, 50 years ago.
Abroad, Israel was constantly fighting on the West Bank against Palestinian guerrilla groups and in the air over Syria. It is likely that in another 50 years the story will remain about the same.
The Middle East in 1966 was going up in flames, just as it is today and in many of the same places. The Syrian government was overthrown in a coup. The Saudis, Jordanians and Egyptians were involved in a civil war in Yemen. The Egyptian government executed Islamists charged with planning a theocratic takeover.
Africa, as today, was wracked by wars or coups in places such as Chad, Ghana, Nigeria and Sudan.
American relations with Russia were tense. Moscow clamped down on dissidents and opposed almost all U.S. initiatives abroad.
The Castro government in Cuba was railing against the United States, outlawing free expression and alleging American interference in Cubas affairs.
Nothing has much changed elsewhere in the world either. Just as Cyprus today remains a bone of contention between Turkey and Greece, 50 years ago Greeks and Turks were meeting to resolve tensions on the divided island. Ditto the ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan, whose leaders met frequently during 1966 following outright war in 1965.
There were also the sorts of rifts within NATO that have become so familiar. Today, the U.S. worries that the alliance is unraveling due to bickering and the unwillingness of European countries to increase their defense budgets. Fifty years ago, the problem was France. In 1966, the French actually quit the alliance, which suddenly had to transfer its headquarters from Paris to Brussels, Belgium.
Nor were things that different at home than they are today.
Fifty years ago, Walt Disney died while working on an animated version of Rudyard Kiplings The Jungle Book, whose remake this year was a summer hit. In 1966, a new science-fiction series, Star Trek, premiered on television. Yet another installment in the Star Trek movie series (Star Trek Beyond) just came out in July.
For all our new computer and video technologies, millions of young Americans still watch The Jungle Book and Star Trek not that much differently from the way their grandparents did a half-century ago.
Pop hits today do not sound all that much different from those that swept America in 1966, performed by groups such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Jefferson Airplane. Even fashion tastes come full circle. A man at work in a coat and tie looked about the same then as now. In 1966, miniskirt hemlines hit the mid-thigh similar to the retro miniskirts of 2016.
We often worry that 2016 America has become a violent society, with unprecedented mass killings at schools and universities. But unfortunately, nothing much has changed here either.
In July 1966, mass murderer Richard Speck was arrested for butchering eight student nurses in their dorm in Chicago. The next month, Charles Whitman climbed up into a tower at the University of Texas at Austin and fatally shot 14 innocents, wounding another 32.
The United States has dealt with racial unrest this year from Dallas to Milwaukee, after rioting in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014 and in Baltimore last year. The so-called Division Street Riots broke out in Chicago in 1966, and there was also rioting in Lansing, Mich., that year following the Watts Riots of 1965.
The protest group Black Lives Matter has sprung up to galvanize popular support against the perceived mistreatment of African-Americans by police. In 1966, Bobby Seale and Huey Newton founded the Black Panther Party in a similar context.
America and the rest of the world have made enormous progress in technology, science and social relations. But beneath the veneer of 2016, human nature remains the same, and life often operates on principles similar to those from a half-century ago and even before that.
That persistent continuity of the human experience is why studying history remains about the only way to understand who we were, are, and will be.
One takeaway from the incomprehensibly tragic death of 10-year-old Victoria Martens is that the states agencies and systems dont take domestic violence against women and children seriously enough.
Victoria was raped, strangled and stabbed before her body was dismembered and burned, allegedly at the hands of her mothers boyfriend and his cousin, Jessica Kelley, while her mother, Michelle Martens, watched.
The boyfriend, Fabian Gonzales, had two prior convictions for violence against women, yet he had managed to game the catch and release judicial system and be free to allegedly perpetrate this horrific crime.
Although he served time in prison for violating probation in a prior domestic violence case, he managed to dodge jail time in another case because bond was posted for him while he was still in prison. After he cut a plea deal, the judge ordered more probation but the paperwork was lost in the system and he never served it. Some system.
Since Victorias cruel death last week, the lives of an 11-year-old girl, Nhi Nguyen, and her mother, Cam Thi To, were taken by the mothers new husband, Trinh Tran Van. To was attempting to leave Van because he abused her. After shooting the mother and the girl, Van turned the gun on himself.
The mother, who brought her daughter to the U.S. from Vietnam for a better life, had reported his abuse earlier this year, but the wheels of justice turned too slowly for these victims.
In the case of 9-year-old Omaree Varela, who died in December 2013 after his mother, Synthia Varela, beat and kicked him, there were warnings. But the states policy is to keep families together if at all possible.
That was a terrible call for Omaree, whose mother was recently sentenced to 40 years.
Since Omarees tragic death, the state has stepped up efforts to hire more social workers and to be more responsive to potential child abuse and violence. Those are good moves.
It is understandable that when another child dies a tragic death or is horribly abused, there are impassioned calls for something to be done to address child abuse, and the drug and alcohol abuse that often fuels the violence. Parents, communities, governor, lets put our children first, because they are our future, Laura Bobbs, a minister and friend of the Martens family, said at a news conference Monday.
But, the state Children, Youth and Families Department had no reports of abuse involving Victoria or her mother. So how can that agency be held responsible for removing Victoria from harm if it had no idea she was in jeopardy?
A fair question, though, is where was the system when Gonzales was loosed on society?
One component of this miserable stew is the criminal gangster lifestyle. Some career criminals want to cruise the streets and internet dating sites, where Gonzales met Victorias mother. They dont want substance abuse treatment. They dont want jobs. They want government assistance checks or they want to deal drugs and steal.
How does society change that?
Certainly not by shutting down the domestic violence unit as District Attorney Kari Brandenburg did in October after a deputy district attorney who had overseen it resigned. The unit was merged with violent crimes, but domestic violence and child abuse are big enough problems in Bernalillo County to get a more direct focus in the DAs Office.
All the calls for more child safety programs, treatment programs, lock em up and throw away the key sentences wont protect all women and children from evil, but it may save some.
We cannot ignore the consequences of domestic violence or fail to address it. For starters, the system and all within it can start taking domestic violence against women and children much more seriously.
This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Absent a massive and highly unlikely increase in the global price of oil and natural gas, New Mexico state government must come up with $700 million or more in spending cuts very soon.
Budgeted spending in fiscal year 2017, which began July 1, is expected to exceed revenue by $458 million. The state had to empty its reserve fund to pay its 2016 bills, money the government wants to replace so it can cover future deficits, including a projected $211 million deficit in the 2018 fiscal year. A special legislative session is expected to convene soon to balance the current budget and replenish the reserve fund.
Since Gov. Susana Martinez is adamantly opposed to tax increases and new taxes and since our constitution forbids the state from running a budget deficit, legislators will have to cut spending in this fiscal year.
At times like these, Im reminded of the Gospel of Matthew, where it is written, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. A government budget is an expression of the values elected officials believe the citizenry shares. In a perfect world, there would be the time, energy and political maturity to review what our state values and then carefully cut those things that we the people do not value.
There doesnt seem to be enough time to make those value judgements during the states regular biennial 60-day legislative sessions. There certainly isnt going to be time in a special session that might last a week at most. Expect across-the-board cuts.
Conveniently, the state of New Mexico publishes its own gospel every January in which one can read the value judgements our state has made in the past few years. It is the Report of the Legislative Finance Committee. Its print version comes in three dense volumes. It explains what legislators were thinking when they consolidated state police agencies and why they have increased spending on early childhood education. If you want to find our heart, the LFC report tells you where our treasure is.
In general terms, the LFC says that New Mexicans value public and higher education; health care for lower-income families, public employees and retired employees; and public safety, including State Police, corrections and the judiciary. That is where 80 percent of our general fund is spent.
For years, health care providers, insurance companies and policy thinkers pleaded with state government to do something about New Mexicos large uninsured population. There were years when almost a quarter of our population had no health care coverage.
Because people get sick and injured even if they dont have insurance, our hospitals and medical professionals treated thousands of people each year who did not pay their bills. The cost of their care was shifted to people who did have coverage, which raised premiums on those who had insurance.
The Affordable Care Act gave New Mexico federal funds to provide Medicaid to cover any citizen earning 138 percent of the federal poverty level or less. Until then, most Medicaid recipients were children, the disabled and the elderly. Our uninsured rate went down to 14.5 percent at the end of 2014, compared with a national rate of 11.7 percent.
There are now almost as many people on Medicaid in New Mexico as there are in the states workforce. The problem is that while the federal government paid 100 percent of the cost to expand Medicaid, its share of spending goes down to 95 percent of the cost, leaving New Mexico with a $41 million tab.
We said we valued getting more people coverage. Now that we face the bill, have our values changed?
We complain that our prisons should be equipped with revolving doors, since it seems that no sooner is a criminal released than he is arrested again. The LFC says New Mexico has a higher recidivism rate than the surrounding states. Of the 4,000 people entering prison in 2014, 26 percent were there for parole violations.
It turns out we can lower recidivism by 12 percent if we spend $600 per inmate on education programs, according to the LFC. That means 12 percent fewer released prisoners get into trouble again. Is that worth $600 per inmate to us?
New Mexicans are appalled at our high public school dropout rate and the thousands of kids who do graduate but are academically unprepared to do college work. The LFC says there are proven ways to help kids at risk of academic failure, but while some states provide as much as 50 percent more funding for at-risk students than for other kids, New Mexico spends only 10 percent more, even though it ranks 25th among the states in per-student spending.
Assuming the LFC is right and those programs do work, are New Mexicans willing to spend what it takes to solve a problem we have complained about for years?
The cuts required amount to more than 10 percent of the 2016 budget. If we arent going to pay for the state services we want with new taxes, we are going to have to develop an unprecedented level of self-awareness to make sure we cut only those things we decide we dont value.
UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Winthrop Quigley at 823-3896 or wquigley@abqjournal.com. Go to ABQjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
Albuquerque Public Schools complied with all child abuse reporting requirements before the brutal murders of two elementary school students, according to district administrators.
On Wednesday, Superintendent Raquel Reedy said privacy laws prevent her from providing specifics about Victoria Martens, a 10-year-old who was raped, stabbed and dismembered, or Nhi Nguyen, an 11-year-old shot by her stepfather in a murder-suicide.
But a review of district records showed that staff followed all policies and procedures on the books, Reedy said.
APS directives outline a process for reporting possible physical, sexual or psychological abuse to the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. District police become involved if the crime occurred on a school campus. Last year, they looked into 53 suspected child abuse cases.
Carla Gandara, APS Police deputy chief, said there is no record that her department ever investigated abuse claims involving Martens.
All APS employees complete mandatory training on the signs of abuse, but district counseling staff said they can be hard to detect among students who are happy and comfortable at school.
Reedy urged community members to come forward and alert authorities if they believe a child is in danger.
In the case of child abuse, that old idea that everyone needs to mind their own business goes out the window it goes out the window for every single one of us because we have a moral duty to protect the innocent, she said. I know the community will bond with us and we will move forward to make things safer for our children.
The superintendent called the recent slayings two of the worst crimes in the districts history.
Staff from the District Stress Management and Recovery Team helped break the terrible news at Petroglyph Elementary and S.R. Marmon Elementary, where Martens and Nguyen were students.
Reedy praised the DSMART team, counselors and support staff for their skill and compassion.
The pain and shock has been visceral, she said. We werent sure what or how to tell the girls classmates, their teachers, the people that cared for them. How do you explain something like this to children?
Report possible child abuse
Suspected child abuse can be reported to the state 24 hours a day by calling 1-855-333-SAFE, or #SAFE (#7233) from a cellphone.
Wheelchair ramps are among the home modifications that older adults may need to stay where they live. Several states have considered bills that would give tax credits to residents who make their homes more accessible.
Most seniors and aging baby boomers want to remain in their homes as they grow older. But to do that, many will have to retrofit their homes to accommodate them if they become frail or disabled and that can be prohibitively expensive.
It can cost $800 to $1,200 to widen a doorway to accommodate a wheelchair, $1,600 to $3,200 for a ramp, and up to $12,000 for a stair lift. Major remodeling, such as adding first-floor bedrooms or bathrooms, can cost much more.
Virginia and at least three counties in the U.S. have approved tax credits for residents who make their homes more accessible. Modifications include adding ramps to create step-free entrances, widening doorways and putting grab bars in bathrooms.
For states, giving tax credits to allow people to stay in their homes may be a money-saver, since its much more expensive for Medicaid, the joint state-federal program for the poor and disabled, to pay for nursing home care.
Violet Peyton, of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, said her states Livable Homes Tax Credit is available to homeowners of all ages, but its especially important to seniors and baby boomers now between the ages of 52 and 70 who want to remain at home as they grow older.
Often, this is the home where they raised their families or spent most of their lives, she said. If there is any way they can retrofit it, they want to do that and remain in that environment.
In Virginia, homeowners or contractors can get a tax credit to retrofit a house for 50 percent of the costs up to $5,000. Or they can get as much as $5,000 in credits to buy or build a new home with accessibility features.
The state allocates $1 million a year for the tax credits, which have been given to more than 1,100 homeowners and nearly 400 contractors since 2008. Recipients got on average $3,536 in credits for the 2015 tax year.
This year, legislators in more than a half dozen states, including Maryland, South Carolina and New Mexico, considered tax credit measures modeled after Virginias. None were approved.
In Rhode Island, John DiTomasso, an associate state director for the AARP, said a similar bill failed there this year because of the cost to the state up to $500,000 a year.
He said he thinks the bill will be refiled next session and is optimistic about its passage because it faced no opposition and had strong support from a coalition ranging from disability advocates to real estate agents.
Rhode Island is facing a huge increase in the 65-plus population in the next decade. We have baby boomers every day who are moving into that age group. This is where are future housing needs are going to be.
In Illinois, a tax credit bill that would have applied only to seniors and people with disabilities also failed this year. Its sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Linda Holmes, said it had bipartisan support but died in a subcommittee as legislators wrangled over an 18-month budget impasse with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Holmes called her bill a simple fix that made sense both fiscally and from a quality of life perspective.
Ultimately, its more cost-effective for us as a society. It makes more sense to help people who are aging make their own home a little more accessible so they can maneuver, rather than end up in a nursing facility, which ultimately could cost the state a lot more money in Medicaid spending.
The senior population in the U.S. is expected to explode in the coming decades, as the number of those 65 and older jumps from 48 million in 2015 to 77 million by 2035. Many live in multistory single-family homes that have lots of stairs, front entrances with steps and no full bathroom or bedroom on the first floor.
As people age, they often grow feeble and start falling, aging experts say. Home safety modifications can help keep older adults living independently and stop them from getting hurt.
A report in May concluded that there would be an increase in housing that is accessible to an aging population if state and local governments created more tax credits for home modification.
In many cases, its less expensive to retrofit than it is to move to another house or condo or apartment, said Kathy Robertson, an associate director of the Virginia housing agency.
Livable home tax credits also are available in Howard and Montgomery counties, in Maryland, and Allegheny County, Penn. Participants can get a break on their county property taxes, and as in Virginia, they dont have to be a certain age or have a disability to qualify.
In Howard County, homeowners can get a tax credit of $2,500 or 50 percent of eligible costs, whichever is less. The county applies any credit above what is owed in property tax to future tax years.
Some communities also have changed zoning laws to encourage developers to build single-family homes using universal design, with features such as no-step entry and wider hallways and doorways. Those standards are mandatory in a few areas, such as Pima County, Ariz., and Bolingbrook, Ill.
A livable housing tax credit proposal also has been pitched in the U.S. Congress.
In May, U.S. Reps. Patrick Murphy, a Florida Democrat, and Bruce Poliquin, a Maine Republican, introduced a bill that would give federal tax credits to people 60 and over who spend up to $30,000 to make home modifications so they can grow old there.
This isnt an individual problem; its a national housing issue, said Louis Tenenbaum, a former contractor from Maryland who recently started a group, Homes Renewed, that advocates for more housing that meets peoples needs as they grow older.
Tax credits are a good way to help middle-class seniors who dont qualify for government programs, Tenenbaum said. The better you prepare your home, the better it will be for you, and you wont be forced to move because you can no longer stay there.
The push to create home modification tax credits was started by disability advocates. People with disabilities often need expensive retrofitting in their homes and many cant afford it, said Karen Mariner, a vice president at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Mariners group has made tax credits a policy priority in the last three years and advocated for legislatures to offer them as a way to give financial relief to people with disabilities who wanted to maintain their independence and mobility.
People with MS are younger, and as they progress, it becomes a safety issue, she said. They have a high number of falls, and this (the retrofitting) minimizes the number of (emergency room) visits they may have to make.
A handful of states, including Kansas and Missouri, have enacted laws granting tax credits for people with physical disabilities. This year, Maine passed legislation offering up to $9,000 for homeowners to retrofit if they meet certain disability and income requirements.
Recently, the MS society started working with AARP in some states to push for homeowner tax credit measures not only for people with disabilities but also for seniors, Mariner said.
This year, legislators considered tax credit bills in at least a dozen states. Most were drafted broadly, with no age or disability requirements. Some were targeted only for people with disabilities. And a few applied only to that group and to older adults.
Mariner said she expects most of the measures will be reintroduced in 2017.
We feel confident were going to see more states recognize that these types of programs end up benefitting them. Its cheaper to keep people in their homes. And thats what we want.
2016 Stateline.org
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Donald Trump tried to appeal to a crowd full of military veterans on Thursday with a speech that contrasted sharply with the one Hillary Clinton delivered in the same setting a day earlier.
At the American Legion convention in Cincinnati, the Republican presidential candidate talked of promoting Americanism, not globalism. He emphasized his commitment to ridding the Veterans Affairs Department of its problems. And he mostly stuck to his plans, issuing only a handful of direct attacks against his Democratic rival.
Clinton, who spoke Wednesday, repeatedly went after Trump, casting his trip to Mexico as a too-little-too-late gesture that wont wash away his controversial rhetoric about illegal immigrants. She focused much of her speech on American exceptionalism, the idea that the United States should assume some global responsibilities.
Trump, as he often does, attacked Clinton over her use of a private email server as secretary of state and the overlapping questions about the Clinton Foundations influence.
In this future, we will have an honest government and that includes an honest State Department, not pay for play, Trump said, accusing Clinton of granting improper government access to people with ties to her family foundation, a charge her campaign has denied.
She probably didnt mention that to you yesterday, he quipped. He also said that important email records will no longer be deleted and digitally altered, or bleached, a reference to the personal emails Clinton said were deleted from her server.
Trump also accused Clinton of being too welcoming to Syrian refuges.
Aside from those two critiques, he stuck to his own message for fixing the VA, securing the U.S.-Mexico border and fighting terrorism.
We are going to end the era of nation-building, and create a new foreign policy, joined by our partners in the Middle East, that is focused on destroying ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism, said Trump, whose foreign policy views have been at odds with traditional Republican hawks who have voiced more interventionist views and more skepticism of Russia. ISIS is another name for the Islamic State.
His views have scrambled the traditional battle lines in presidential elections. They are also at odds with Clintons, setting the stage for clashes at the upcoming debates. Clinton has often taken heat from the Democratic base for being too hawkish, in the eyes of many activists.
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Duke Rodriguezs plan to build a statewide chain of cannabis retail stores has hit a snag.
Rodriguez, owner of Ultra Health LLC, contends that state regulators have slow-tracked his request to open at least 14 new stores, most located in communities that now lack dispensaries.
Were just caught in this limbo with no formal response, Rodriguez said this week. We have met every single request that they have presented, including evidence that we were able to secure product.
Ultra Health, which operates a medical cannabis growing site in Bernalillo, has purchased cannabis from two other producers, and has agreements to buy from four others, he said.
Ultra Health, which now operates six dispensaries in four cities, submitted requests in May, June and July for additional dispensaries in 13 cities.
Most are located in communities with no existing cannabis retailers, including Silver City, Deming, Carlsbad, Socorro, Truth or Consequences, Truth or Consequences, and Bernalillo Countys South Valley.
The New Mexico Department of Health this week denied that it has delayed Ultra Healths requests, saying the agency carefully reviews and evaluates applications for new dispensaries.
Ultra Healths applications are among 18 requests for new dispensary locations now under review, DOH spokesman David Morgan said in a written statement.
The agencys concerns about Ultra Healths expansion center on the issue of adequate supply, according to an email sent by the DOH to Ultra Health officials.
Your amendments for additional dispensaries center on one issue, adequate supply, according to the July 22 email, which Rodriguez provided to the Journal.
DOH last year increased the number of cannabis plants producers can grow to a maximum 450 plants, up from the previous cap of 150.
Because of the 450 plant maximum, it would be extremely difficult, even under optimal conditions and an ideal production cycle, to adequately serve the needs of even six dispensaries with that plant count, the email said.
Rodriguez said he subsequently provided DOH with agreement letters with six other cannabis producers that he said show that Ultra Health could obtain adequate supplies.
To date, Ultra Health has purchased a total of 22 pounds of cannabis from two other New Mexico producers, he said. Rodriguez declined to identify his suppliers.
Ultra Health and a cannabis patient filed a lawsuit against DOH last month alleging that the 450 plant maximum has created a dire situation for medically fragile patients who cant find the products they need.
State records show that since June 2012, plant production has increased 174 percent through June 30, but the number of cardholders increased 280 percent to 26,568 in the same four-year period.
Hillary Clintons nonstop schedule of high-dollar fundraisers in August paid off, helping raise $143 million for her campaign and the Democratic Party her biggest monthly haul yet.
Campaign officials announced Thursday that donors contributed about $62 million to her campaign committee and another $81 million to the Democratic National Committee and state parties in August. Thats a huge growth from the $90 million that Clinton and the party jointly raised in July. However, her campaign fundraising stayed flat in both months, she raised about $62 million indicating that the increase was driven by large contributions to the party.
Clinton is beginning September with $68 million in her campaign coffers. The hefty war chest means the Democratic White House hopeful has the resources to continue an expensive ad blitz against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, while also investing in an expansive field operation.
Since launching her second presidential bid, the former secretary of state has raised $413 million in all for her campaign. Trump has not yet released his fundraising totals for August, but as of the end of July, he was lagging far behind, with nearly $126 million for his campaign committee. However, his fundraising in July almost matched hers, largely because of a surge of small-dollar contributions suggesting Trump could also post a large number for August, as well.
The Democratic candidates cash bonanza last month was fueled in part by a spree of pricey fundraisers. Together, she and her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine (Virginia), headlined more than 70 events from Nantucket, Mass., to Beverly Hills, Calif.
One single event last week raised an estimated $4 million: a dinner for 20 people who paid at least $200,000 each to attend the gathering at the Woodside home of Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former chief executive of Apple. The price of admission was even higher at least $250,000 per donor for a dinner Tuesday in Sagaponack, New York, hosted by Susie and Michael Gelman, a Washington-area couple long active with charities including the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.
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DENVER A man who testified as a DNA expert in the Casey Anthony trial in Florida and helped overturn the murder conviction of a Colorado man wasnt allowed to testify at a trial in Denver this week after being discredited, Denver prosecutors said Thursday.
The Denver District Attorneys Office said Judge Brian Whitney barred Richard Eikelenboom from testifying at a sex assault trial after he admitted he had no direct DNA extraction or analysis experience, that his lab was not accredited in the United States, that he failed basic proficiency tests in 2011 and 2012 and that he admitted he was self-trained in running DNA profiles.
I appreciate Judge Whitney recognizing that Mr. Eikelenbooms opinions about DNA have no basis in science and that he was not qualified to testify as an expert, District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said in a statement.
Eikelenboom could not be reached to comment because his phone rang unanswered and did not accept messages.
But he told KMGH-TV (http://bit.ly/2bNynpP) that he has been accredited in the Netherlands and received U.S. accreditation on Monday by the American Society of Crime Lab Directors the same day he was questioned by the prosecutor.
I would not get that if I was not a solid scientist, he said.
Eikelenboom was called to testify in the trial of two men who were convicted Wednesday of sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman in 2013. He told KMGH-TV that the defense lawyers were not well prepared and the prosecutor questioning him did not allow him fully answer questions.
The ruling isnt expected to affect previous cases, but experts say it could make it harder for Eikelenboom to be qualified as an expert in other trials.
Its going to be an issue that will haunt him for quite some time, said Dan Krane, a DNA expert at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
Eikelenbooms DNA tests helped overturn the conviction and life sentence of Timothy Masters in the 1987 slaying of Peggy Hettrick in Fort Collins.
Masters, freed in January 2008, was the first person in Colorado released from prison because of DNA evidence. Hettricks slaying remains unsolved.
Masters attorney, David Lane, said it is not unusual for the competence of expert witnesses to be questioned.
The district attorney said there was no evidence, Lane said. The DNA expert confirmed what the district attorney said. It wasnt critical, but it was very important.
A frequent critic of the Iran nuclear deal said Thursday that the United States and its negotiating partners have allowed Tehran to exceed agreed-upon caps for stockpiles of enriched uranium and other materials.
David Albright, the founder and president of the Institute for Science and International Security, said key exemptions to the deals limits were made in what he characterized as secret meetings of the Joint Commission. That is the body established to decide issues that arise in implementing the deal. Its members are Iran and the countries that negotiated the agreement the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia, as well as the European Union.
These decisions, which are written down, amount to additional secret or confidential documents linked to the JCPOA, said the report that Albright wrote with senior policy analyst Andrea Stricker, referring to the deals official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Moreover, the Joint Commissions secretive decision making process risks advantaging Iran by allowing it to try to systematically weaken the JCPOA. It appears to be succeeding in several key areas.
The White House and the State Department swiftly denied Albrights charges, saying Iran has not exceeded the cap of 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium.
Waving a blue, bound copy of the voluminous agreement that took effect Jan. 16, State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters there had been no moving of the goal posts.
There has been no loosening of the commitments, Kirby said, repeatedly refusing to use the word exemptions that Albright used to describe the Joint Commissions work. Iran has not, and will not under the JCPOA, be allowed to exceed limits spelled out in the JCPOA.
The assertions immediately became campaign fodder. The National Republican Congressional Committee issued news releases citing the report and criticizing Democratic candidates who supported the nuclear deal.
Albright is a physicist who participated in U.N. weapons inspections in Iraq, and he has become a watchdog over the deal that imposes curbs on Irans nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Albright has repeatedly raised doubts about whether it is being implemented as promised.Under the agreement, the Joint Commissions deliberations are confidential. Although the commission could make decisions public, it has not. As a result, it is difficult to verify the criticism or the administrations denials.
Albright said he first heard of the exemptions from a government official from a country involved in the negotiations but would not name the country. He said the official was responsible for assessing Irans compliance but heard of the exemptions third-hand, not from his government.
The fundamental issue, theres a lot more happening in secret than we ever signed up for, Albright said in a telephone interview.
The report said that if the Joint Committee had not granted exemptions, some of Irans nuclear stockpiles and facilities would have exceeded permissible levels when the deal was implemented.
But Iran was allowed to go over the 300 kilogram limit of low-enriched uranium that is collected as scrap material and also as lab contaminant, the report said. In addition, it continued operating 19 hot cells, which are used for medical purposes but also for plutonium separation, at four sites.
Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, said that the agreement permits hot cell exemptions with commission approval and that the existence of hot cells is not necessarily evidence of Irans evading limits.
When implementing any highly technical agreement, ambiguities will arise from time to time, she said. What is critical is that the Joint Commission established by the nuclear deal remains vigilant in overseeing implementation of the agreement, and distinguishes between attempts to circumvent the deals restrictions and technical issues.
Robert Einhorn, a nonproliferation scholar at the Brookings Institution, said the confidentiality surrounding the Joint Commission is understandable but potentially problematic.
A case can be made for keeping the deliberations of the Joint Commission private, he said. Although when those deliberations produce decisions materially affecting the implementation of the JCPOA, then a case can be made for making those results public.
us-iran
Two registered nurses in Albuquerque have been indicted on drug trafficking charges because, officials said, they were diverting and distributing prescription pain pills ordered for patients in a hospice.
Desiree Ulibarri, 30, and Annabel Debari, 35, have each been indicted on conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone.
The Drug Enforcement Administration launched an investigation into Ulibarri in July when her employer, Alliance Home Health and Hospice, reported to authorities that Ulibarri was behaving suspiciously.
Her supervisors said she was documenting her patients medications in a way that made them difficult to track and she was picking up patients medication herself at the Federal Express shipping facility instead of having the medications delivered to the patients homes, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint said that during an interview with a DEA agent, Ulibarri admitted to picking up medications instead of having them delivered to her patients and distributing the drugs to other people.
It also said that during a search of her home, agents found 80 oxycodone pills and that during a search of her phone agents found evidence that Ulibarri and another nurse were conspiring to traffic prescription pain pills.
Authorities believe about 3,870 oxycodone pills were missing from Alliance. That number of pills contains about 42,150 milligrams of the painkiller, according to the complaint.
Ulibarri was arrested July 25 and pleaded not guilty to the charges during her arraignment Thursday. Debari is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
The case is being prosecuted as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education Initiative, or HOPE Initiative.
WASHINGTON The Latest on the U.S. presidential election (all times EDT):
9 p.m.
Donald Trump says a lot of people didnt quite understand part of his immigration speech because of the enthusiastic crowd.
Trumps speech Wednesday night fired up his base but disappointed many Hispanic supporters who were hoping hed tone down his divisive rhetoric on immigration.
He was asked Thursday on Fox News Channels The OReilly Factor what exactly he would do with the millions of people living in the country illegally who havent committed other crimes.
He says that after he strengthens the border and gets rid of all the bad players, like gang members and drug dealers, were going to make a decision at that time.
He says he wants to see, before we do anything further how it shapes up when we have strong, impenetrable borders.
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8:00 p.m.
Donald Trump has tapped Citizens United President David Bossie to serve as his deputy campaign manager.
Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway confirmed the hire to The Associared Press Thursday evening.
Bossie has know Trump for years, and has advised him informally.
The GOP nominee told the Washington Post that Bossie is: Solid. Smart. Loves politics, knows how to win.
Trump recently re-shuffled his campaign leadership team, promoting Conway to campaign manager and bringing in former Breitbart News head Steve Bannon as CEO.
Citizens United is best known for bringing the Supreme Court case that dramatically scaled back regulations on unions and corporations regarding political spending independent of campaigns for Congress and president.
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6:55 p.m.
Melania Trump has filed a lawsuit against a British news website and a Maryland blogger, saying the two published false statements about her alleged involvement with an escort agency.
The wife of the Republican presidential nominee filed the suit Thursday in state court in Montgomery County, Maryland. Thats the home of Webster Tarpley, who publishes the Tarpley.net blog. The Daily Mail Online also is named as a defendant.
The suit seeks a minimum of $75,000 from each defendant.
The suit says the Daily Mail Online published an article about Trump that referred to Trumps very racy past. The suit also says Tarpley.net published a post referring to Trumps time as a high-end escort.
Trump lawyer Charles Harder represented Hulk Hogan in his defamation suit against the now-defunct website Gawker.
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6:30 p.m.
Vice President Joe Biden is declining to give a direct answer to a reporters question asking whether he thinks the Clinton Foundation had been 100 percent ethical.
Biden took questions from a reporter for MSNBC after the vice president campaigned for Hillary Clinton at a union hall outside Youngstown, Ohio. Biden said the foundation established by Bill Clinton after he left the White House is like other foundations that find they need to make changes in how they operate because of how complicated it has become.
Biden said he expects the foundation to stop taking foreign contributions. The Clintons have said they will no longer accept such contributions if Clinton is elected president.
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5:00 p.m.
Some Hispanic leaders who have been advising Donald Trump say they feel betrayed after Trumps big immigration speech.
They used words like crushed, disappointed and confused after Trump on Wednesday definitively ruled out a pathway to legal status for people living in the U.S. illegally.
Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles president Alfonso Aguilar had prominently endorsed Trump after initially opposing his candidacy. He said Trump had signaled a willingness to moderate some of his plans.
But Agular said Thursday: Im withdrawing my support. I was expecting something very different last night.
Aguilar said the speech does not bode well for Trumps campaign. Aguilar said he now thinks Trump is definitely going to lose.
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4:00 p.m.
Bad weather in Florida has forced Tim Kaine to scrap plans in one closely fought state and campaign in another.
The Democratic vice presidential candidate is stopping by two popular New Hampshire locales Thursday for some retail campaigning on his last-minute trip to the state.
Kaine was accompanied by wife Anne Holton as he picked apples at Carter Hill Orchard in Concord and chatted with voters at the Puritan Backroom restaurant in Manchester.
His original plans to campaign in Florida were cancelled due to weather.
Kaine joked to one couple visiting from Florida that he didnt care where they lived as long as it was a battleground state.
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3:40 p.m.
Hillary Clinton hauled in a combined $143 million in August for her presidential bid, her best month yet in a fundraising push that lays the groundwork for her fall campaign.
The Democratic nominee brought in $62 million for her campaign last month and another $81 million for the Democratic National Committee and state parties.
Clinton begins September with more than $68 million in the bank to use against rival Donald Trump.
Clinton raised a combined $90 million in July.
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2:50 p.m.
Donald Trumps aggressive rhetoric on illegal immigration has obscured a potentially historic policy shift.
The Republican presidential nominee is the first major party candidate in modern memory to propose limiting legal immigration.
In his speech on immigration late Wednesday, Trump capped a list of steps to combat illegal immigration, with a final pledge to completely revamp the countrys legal immigration system in order to lessen the number of people allowed into the United States.
Trump talked about limiting immigration to its historic norms. By making the case in a nationally televised address that immigration overall has to be limited, Trump has embraced the ideals of a small group of activists who, for decades, have sought to sharply reduce all forms of migration to the United States.
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12:45 p.m.
Vice President Joe Biden says Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is irresponsible and shouldnt be given access to the United States nuclear codes.
Biden was speaking to about 250 people at a United Auto Workers union hall near Youngstown in Ohios Mahoning Valley, an area of this bellwether state where Trump showed considerable strength during the Republican primary.
Its the second time Biden has campaigned for Clinton.
While Biden repeated throughout the speech that Clinton gets it when it comes to the middle class, he largely concentrated on the role of unions in revitalizing the American auto industry. He also talked about his familys struggles growing up and Trumps inability to connect with working-class Americans.
Biden is scheduled to appear at a UAW union hall later Thursday outside of Cleveland.
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12:25 p.m.
A day after delivering a hard-line speech on immigration, Donald Trump is continuing to stress his America-first approach.
Speaking at a rally in Wilmington, Ohio, Trump says that, as president, he would treat everyone with dignity, respect and compassion.
But the Republican presidential nominee says, our greatest compassion will be for the American citizen.
Trump on Wednesday night said that he would immediately force out immigrants living in the country illegally whove committed crimes, as well as expel people whove overstayed visas.
Trump says that he expects to win the crucial battleground state of Ohio in November.
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11:55 a.m.
Tim Kaine says Donald Trump caved and choked by failing to discuss his demands that Mexico pay for a border wall during his meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Kaine, campaigning in New Hampshire, is casting Trump as gutless. He says Trump shouldve looked Pena Nieto in the eye and honestly discussed the wall.
Trump says discussions about the border wall did not come up during the meeting, but hes still insists that Mexico will pay for it. Pena Nieto says he made clear to Trump that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
Kaine says Trump choked, he caved, he lost his confidence, he lost his will.
Kaine also says Trumps casting of Mexican immigrants as criminals is similar to past discrimination against Irish and Jewish people.
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9:45 a.m.
Donald Trump says that that, if hes elected president, hell work on promoting American pride and patriotism in Americas schools.
Trump, speaking at the American Legions annual convention in Cincinnati, says he wants to work with the group to ensure that the children learn about Americas common values.
He says, we will stop apologizing for America. And we will start celebrating America.
Trump is also vowing to invest more money in the military to make sure soldiers have the best equipment and medical care.
Hes telling veterans, I will never let you down.
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7:40 a.m.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine says Donald Trump choked by not demanding to Mexicos president that his country pay for a border wall.
The Republican presidential nominee has made the wall and Mexico paying for it a core element in his campaign. Trump said it didnt come up in his meeting Wednesday with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. But Pena Nieto tweeted that he had told Trump that Mexico wouldnt pay for the wall.
Kaine said Wednesday on NBCs Today that even if Trumps account is accurate, it showed he folded under pressure and didnt have the backbone to discuss the issue with the Mexican president.
Kaine said: When hes looking the leader of Mexico in the eye, he cant bring himself to say it.
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3:10 a.m.
Donald Trumps back-to-back immigration-focused events in Mexico and Arizona were an astounding display of political whiplash.
During a surprise visit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump lavished praise on Americas southern neighbor and pointedly avoided publicly insisting that Mexico pay for the wall hes pledged to build along the U.S.-Mexico border.
But in a lengthy and fiery address on immigration in Phoenix hours later, the Republican nominee asserted in no uncertain terms that Mexico would indeed pay for a border wall.
He lambasted millions of immigrants as violent criminals and a drain on the U.S. government. And he vowed that no person living in the United States illegally would have a path to legal status without first leaving the country.
We can help you make sense of the agribusiness industry, extending from chemicals and fertilizers used as inputs into agriculture, to the commodities, food and by-products that are an output to farming, with policy and regulation applied at every step of the value chain.
Modified On Sep 01, 2016 11:50 AM By Nabeel for Jeep Wrangler 2016-2019
The Jeep brand has entered India and one of its offerings is the Wrangler Unlimited. This Jeep is an off-road weapon and can tackle almost everything you throw at it. And as an added advantage, it will make you look awesome while it does all the hard work for you. To further improve your 'Jeep-ing' experience, the American brand offers accessory packs to customise your Wrangler Unlimited. These accessories come from a very well-known aftermarket parts manufacturer Mopar. These packs use body kits and special alloys to transform an ordinary Wrangler into your very own custom Wrangler Unlimited. Let's have a closer look what each of these packs has on offer.
Wrangler Black Pack
Black Fuel Filler Door Cover
Black Front Grille
Satin Black Taillight Guard Kit
Satin Black Front Tubular Bar
Satin Black Rear Tubular Bar
Bonnet Cowl Cover
Semi-Gloss Black Alloy Wheels
Wrangler Outoor Pack
Black Fuel Filler Door Cover
Bead Lock Wheel
Steel Hood
Spare Wheel Cover
Front Applique-Decal Kit
Rear Applique-Decal Kit
Wrangler Chrome Pack
Chrome Bonnet Latches
Chrome Door Handle Inserts
Chrome Fuel Filler Door Cover
Chrome Black Taillight Guard Kit
Chrome Grille
Chrome Mirror Covers
Chrome Front Tubular Bar
Chrome Rear Tubular Bar
Wrangler Protection Pack
Bonnet And Grille Protection Cover
Front Mud Flaps
Rear Mud Flaps
Spare Wheel Cover
Rear Window Air Deflectors (Tinted)
Front Window Air Deflectors (Tinted)
Premium Floor Mats
Entrance Sill Guard Stainless Steel
All of these packs are useful to add the right touch of personalization to your Wrangler Unlimited. However, with the SUV being priced at Rs 71.59 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), adding one of these packs will only increase the cost further. But you cant really put a price on happiness, can you? So, if you have some big bucks in your bank to buy one of these, you can probably cough up a little more to add a custom touch to your ride. And if that is not enough for you, sky's the limit. Have a look at some of these insane customization jobs of the Wrangler Unlimited that we found online.
Also Read: Know Your Jeep: Grand Cherokee, Grand Cherokee SRT And Wrangler Unlimited
Read More on : Jeep Wrangler price
Modified On Aug 10, 2017 06:01 PM By Raunak for Hyundai Verna 2017-2020
The next-generation Hyundai Verna will have its world debut at the 2016 Chengdu Motor Show on September 2, in China. The sedan has been spotted in posters at the venue of the show.The concept version of the 2017 Verna also made its world debut in China at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show. It will go sale later this year in China and is expected to be launched in India in 2017.
In India, the current-generation Verna was once the segment best seller, until the fourth-generation Honda City came into the picture. Its sales took a further blow when Maruti Suzuki introduced the Ciaz and later on the mild-hybrid version of the same. Even the mid-life update of Verna (came out in 2015) was unable to boost its sales figures. The sales figures cloaked by the current-gen Verna are no match to the figures attained by the older model. Hyundai also changed its name to Verna 4S from Fluidic Verna with the introduction of the facelift. The automaker soon added features such as a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment, shark-fin antenna and others to the facelifted version, but Vernas sales never really picked up.
Now, the 2017 Verna is coming with all guns blazing. The 2017 sedan has now adopted Hyundais latest Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, making it look similar to the latest Hyundai sedans such as the recently launched 2016 Elantra and the global Sonata. The new Verna was spied without any camouflage in July. Check out more pictures and what it has to offer in terms of design, features, and mechanicals: 2017 Hyundai Verna This Is It!
Watch The First Look Of The New Verna
Source: Autohome
Read More on : Hyundai Verna india
CDC adds Singapore to interim travel guidance related to Zika virus
Media Statement For Immediate Release: Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Contact: Media Relations,
(404) 639-3286
CDC is working with other public health officials to monitor for ongoing Zika virus transmission. Today, CDC posted a Zika virus travel notice for Singapore. CDC has issued travel notices (level 2, practice enhanced precautions) for people traveling to destinations with Zika. For a full list of affected countries/regions, visit http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-travel-information.
As more information becomes available, CDCs travel notices will be updated. Travelers to areas with cases of Zika virus infection are at risk of being infected with the Zika virus. Mosquitoes that spread Zika are aggressive daytime biters. They also bite at night. There is no vaccine or medicine for Zika virus. The best way to avoid Zika virus infection is to prevent mosquito bites.
Some travelers to areas with Zika will become infected while traveling but will not become sick until they return home and they might not have any symptoms. To help stop the spread of Zika, travelers should use insect repellent for three weeks after travel to prevent mosquito bites.
Some people who are infected do not have any symptoms. People who do have symptoms have reported fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. The sickness is usually mild with symptoms that last from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and the number of deaths is low. Travelers to areas with Zika should monitor for symptoms or sickness upon return. If they become sick, they should tell their healthcare professional when and where they have traveled.
CDC has received reports of Zika virus being spread by sexual contact with sick returning travelers. Until more is known, CDC continues to recommend that pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant take the following precautions.
Pregnant women
Should not travel to any area with Zika.
If you must travel to or live in one of these areas, talk to your healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
If you or your partner live in or travel to an area with Zika, use condoms or other barriers*, the right way, every time you have sex or do not have sex throughout the pregnancy. Sex includes vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
*Barriers that prevent passing Zika through sex include male and female condoms and dental dams. Dental dams are latex or polyurethane sheets used between the mouth and vagina or anus during oral sex.
Women trying to get pregnant
Before you or your partner travel, talk to your healthcare provider about your plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection.
You and your partner should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
For additional information on preventing the sexual transmission of Zika, visit www.cdc.gov/zika/transmission/sexual-transmission.html. Current CDC research suggests that Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is strongly associated with Zika; however, only a small proportion of people with recent Zika virus infection get GBS. CDC is continuing to investigate the link between GBS and Zika to learn more.
For more information on Zika, visit www.cdc.gov/zika .
###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon
CDC works 24/7 protecting Americas health, safety and security. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, stem from human error or deliberate attack, CDC is committed to respond to Americas most pressing health challenges.
Factory activity in China expanded at its fastest pace in nearly two years in August, an official survey showed Thursday, although analysts cautioned that the world's second-largest economy wasn't out of the woods yet.
Workers operate machinery on the assembly line at a Lyric Robert factory, operated by Guangdong Li Yuanheng Intelligent Automation Co., in Huizhou, Guangdong province, China, on Monday, April 18, 2016.
The official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which mainly tracks large state-owned companies, rose to 50.4 last month, the highest reading since October 2014. August's print was well above Reuters estimates for a 49.9 result and beating July's reading of 49.9 and the 50.0 logged in June.
A number above the 50-level indicates growth, while one below 50 suggests contraction.
"The latest manufacturing PMI reading is encouraging, with caveats. While light manufacturing has improved, heavy manufacturing apparently remains in contraction. Given the latter is slightly larger in industrial output, it mutes the potential upside from the most recent improvement," commented Brian Jackson, China economist at IHS Global Insight.
Another PMI survey focused on small and mid-sized firms by Markit/Caixin came in at 50 last month, slightly missing estimates for 50.1 and below July's 50.6 reading. A third survey meanwhile revealed the official services PMI fell to 53.5 in August, down from 53.9 in July.
Market reaction was mixed following the data. Benchmark equity indices in Shanghai and Hong Kong were modestly lower but the Australian dollar ticked up 0.3 percent against the greenback.
While economists cheered the fact that all three figures were above 50, they warned China-watchers to contain their excitement.
July's number was unusually weak so that helped to explain the pick-up in August, Zhu Haibin, chief China economist and head of Greater China economic research at J.P. Morgan, told CNBC's Squawk Box.
"The big question is where growth momentum on a sequential perspective is going over the next few quarters. There's still a lot of uncertainty," Zhu said.
My hometown of Towanda, Pennsylvania, is part of the hydraulic fracking boom. Or was.
As natural gas prices have dropped, many of the drillers have left.
When the boom started, many complained about the traffic. The damage to the roads. And the effects on the environment. That was the bad news. But for local business owners, the change was all good news as the drillers and the exploration brought a much-needed shot in the arm to the local economy.
Now that traffic isnt as bad, many see it as good news. But not for those folks who made business investments thinking the increased demand for restaurants, housing and more would continue.
My town is not alone.
I read an article about in the Post recently about lower food costs. Good news? Sure, if youre shopping for groceries. But bad news for farmers. And John Deere, as farmers will put off new purchases until better times return. And bad news for credit unions that serve agricultural areas hit by low commodity prices.
Spot oilseed rape prices fell by 2.70/t in the week to 31 August, to average 308.80/t ex-farm, as expectations of a record US soya bean output weighed on the market.
The latest US Department of Agriculture crop report confirmed that high yields should lead to a record crop of 110.5m tonnes in 2016-17, with 73% of the crop in good to excellent condition. This weighed on oilseed prices, essentially capping any price gains that could have been seen in the European market due to poor harvest results, said a report by AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds.
See also: Most shoppers want to pay farmers a fair price
Even so, rapeseed prices were cushioned somewhat by Oil World revising its global oilseed rape production forecast down for 2016-17 to an eight-year low of 60.6m tonnes.
Lower than average carryover stocks and revisions to EU production suggested global rapeseed supplies could be tight, said the AHDB report. This could potentially push prices further above other oilseeds such as sunflower seed and soya beans.
Chicago soya bean (Sep-16) and Paris rapeseed futures (Nov-16) also fell in the week to Tuesday (30 August), down almost $25/t (19/t) to $354.94/t (270.19/t) and 7.75/t (6.57/t) to 370.25/t (313.98/t), respectively. This added to the pressure on UK oilseed rape prices.
British farmers are being encouraged to get involved in the annual Red Tractor Week, which runs from 12-18 September and aims to help promote British food.
Now in its fifth year, Red Tractor Week includes a range of activities designed to highlight the provenance of Red Tractor food, and remind shoppers of the stringent standards used to produce it.
The NFU, NFU Scotland and Ladies in Pigs have mobilised members to ensure a strong presence at in-store retailer events, talking to shoppers about Red Tractor and what it means.
See also: Farm leaders to launch British food and farming campaign
Further support is being provided by the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, National Pig Association, Ladies in Beef and the National Sheep Association.
Red Tractor is also launching its biggest ever on-pack sticker promotion, giving shoppers the chance to win 300 of Premier Cottages UK mini-break vouchers every day for 70 days.
This, it said, is designed to give them a taste of what it is like to live close to where their food comes from.
The AHDB will feature this promotion in television advertising during its four-week beef and lamb mini-roast campaign, starting in mid-October.
Free materials to help farmers talk to the public are also available to order through the Red Tractor Marketing Tool Kit, as well as a guide to engaging with shoppers through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
For farmers wanting to get involved in Red Tractor Week, information is available online on the Red Tractors website.
LIBER Ensemble to Present Recital
Sept. 1, 2016
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. LIBER, an ensemble interpreting late Medieval music, will perform Sept. 11 at Illinois Wesleyan Universitys Evelyn Chapel. Assistant Professor of Music William Hudson is the founder and artistic director of LIBER.
For over a decade, LIBER has been the leading interpreter of late Medieval music in the United States. Hudson said those unfamiliar with Medieval music often consider it exciting and fast paced. Unlike Renaissance music, which begins to contain vertical harmonies and sonorities created with multiple voices, Medieval music was conceived one line at a time, so there are two or three distinct horizontal melodies occurring simultaneously, he said.
In 2009, LIBER was awarded the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society. Other awards include First Prize at the International Young Artists Presentation Early Music, the Professional Development Award from Early Music America, and semifinalist status at New Yorks prestigious Concert Artists Guild Competition. LIBER has performed throughout the United States and internationally.
The concert will be held Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. at Evelyn Chapel, 1301 N. Park St., Bloomington. The concert is free and open to the public.
By Reilly Kasprak 17
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- Apostle Chukwusom Okoli sent a message to witches and wizards all over the world
- The religious cleric challenged them to a spiritual battle
- He also described Igbos as devil worshipers
Apostle Chukwusom Okoli has challenged witches, wizards and spiritualists all over the world to a spiritual contest.
Vanguard reports that the apostle who is the founder of New Covenant Christian Fellowship which is located in Nnobi in Anambra state said he wants to use the contest to re-enact the feat of Prophet Elijah in Mount Carmel, where he challenged the prophets of Baal to determine whether God or Baal was supreme.
READ ALSO: Mother kills daughter trying to exorcise Satan out of her body
The 83-year pastor said: For a long time now a lot of people believe in occultism, charms, witchcraft, wizardry and all sorts of satanic manipulations instead of believing in the Almighty God. I want this contest to determine who is supreme: God or all those witches, occults and their likes.
All these groups should come together against the Apostle of Christ. From 12 noon they can do everything. After then, the Apostle will do his own to bring down the power of God.
This challenge has gone into internet and social media; it involves the universe: India, United States of America, Europe, China, among others. I insist that there must be a clear demarcation of who the Supreme Being is.
Okoli also lashed at Igbo people whom he described as idol worshippers who take orders from the devil.
READ ALSO: See pictures of the man who had surgery to get horns
He said: We take orders from the Devil. Igbo are used to obeying shrines. You can see a professor sitting in front of idols, yet they made Igbo believe they are serving Almighty God.
The issue of Christianity has been muddled up. Most bishops, general overseers, pastors, two-third of people who claim to be Christians may not be Christians at all.
Meanwhile, a witch allegedly turned into a owl recently in Enugu. An eye-witnesses claimed that the owl alleged to be a witch fell on the altar and died instantly during a prayer session.
The owl allegedly came to attack the reverend father pictured above at a vigil crusade which held at Nkwo Umuiyida Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze local government area of Enugu state.
Source: Legit.ng
- All eyes are on Edo election as the state prepares for a major political battle
- The acting Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has spoken on the police plans for the election
- He said the helicopters and vehicles would be deployed to the state for effective policing of the election
Ahead of the September 10 governorship election billed for Edo state, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has concluded plans to deploy helicopters and 200 vehicles to monitor the election.
According to the acting Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, the helicopters will provide aerial surveillance during the election, while the vehicles will logistics for Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel, as well as marine police.
Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris
Idris made the disclosure yesterday, September 31 at the NPF headquarters in Abuja, during a meeting with senior police officers.
He charged the NPF personnel who will be deployed to the state for the election to be professional in their conducts, and also ensure the safety of electoral materials and officials.
READ ALSO: Oyegun declares PDP is dead as Tony Anileh, 3000 PDP leaders defect to APC
His words: In Edo state, we are coming up with a very, very strategic order. We are going to deploy the marine police in the waterways; we are going to deploy our helicopters in the air for surveillance.
We are re-enforcing the state with thousands of policemen. In addition to that, we are now re-enforcing them with vehicles; we are going to deploy over 200 vehicles.
I want to call on the commissioner of police in the state and all other personnel in the state to conduct this election, to use these items meticulously, so that we have a very, very peaceful election.
Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to import thugs from other states into Edo state for the September 10 governorship election in the state.
Oshiomhole made the allegation when he received the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, Mr Adeyinka Kolawole Sodipo at the Government House, Benin recently.
READ ALSO: Edo election: Tension as monarch threatens voters with ancestral curse over Obaseki
In a related development, the Edo state chapter of the PDP has declared that the All Progressives Congress candidate in the forthcoming election, Godwin Obaseki forged one of the academic credentials he submitted for the election.
According to the Edo PDP, Obasekis secondary school certificate examination result to gain admission to the University of Ibadan as submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission is fake.
Source: Legit.ng
- Militants seem to have renewed their activities in Lagos as three landlords were kidnapped
- The police confirmed the kidnapping and promised to rescue the victims
- The suspected militants disguised as soldiers and led the victims away through the creeks
The New Haven Estate has been gripped with fear following the abduction of three landlords by armed men who disguised as soldiers and suspected to be militants.
The Punch reports that the militants invaded the estate located in Igbelaju, in the Iba area of Lagos on Saturday and on Monday.
During the first attack on Saturday, the suspected militants abducted one Mrs. Nwoche from her residence and she has yet to be released.
READ ALSO: Open letter to President Buhari
Two days after, they struck again and abducted two landlords who were driving out of the estate and ordered them to the creek at gunpoint.
Ebuka who is a motorcyclist in the estate said the militants pretended to be soldiers the following morning after they abducted Mrs. Nwoche.
The road used by the militants to escape after abducting three landlords
I did not witness the Saturday incident because it was around 9pm and people only heard some gunshots and ran inside their houses. The gunmen went away with a woman who stayed in a luxury apartment. She has yet to return.
On Monday, the hoodlums came out in the morning. You would think they were soldiers who came to inspect the area. I saw them in military uniform standing near the plank bridge and holding a rifle.
I was passing by with a passenger, but I saw that one of them held a pump-action rifle. Seconds later, they stopped two men who were driving out of the estate. The men were in different Sport Utility Vehicles, but were behind each other.
They ordered them to come out and follow them. That was how they led the victims away into the swamp. We have yet to see either of them. Everyone is afraid. We suspect that the hoodlums are the militants who escaped from the military bombardments of the creeks.
A worker at a building site who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed the incident.
I was going to the site when I saw the soldiers standing by the bridge. They looked as if they had come to make an arrest.
No one knew they were kidnappers. The family members of the victims have not been contacted. They are still in the dark. Some residents have fled from the estate for fear of abduction.
Policemen in three vans came after the incident to patrol the area. They have been patrolling the estate since Monday, but the abducted landlords have yet to return.
READ ALSO: Buhari, Alaafin of Oyo meet over Avengers, BHaram
Dolapo Badmos who is the spokesperson of the Lagos state police command confirmed the abduction and said rescue mission was already underway.
The command received the report that some men in military camouflage came under the guise of making an arrest and whisked away a landlord.
Effort is on to ensure his release and subsequent arrest of the suspects.
Militants have been terrorising some parts of Lagos in recent weeks especially the areas close to the waterways.
Military offensive against the militants in the Arepo area of the state had forced them to flee.
Source: Legit.ng
- The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state, Mr Eyitayo Jegede has dismissed claims that he is going to be Mimikos lackey if you are elected
- Mr Jegede said he read reports written about me on a number of occasions in the new media and maintains that each person is entitled to his own opinion
Mr Eyitayo Jegede
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo state, Mr Eyitayo Jegede has dismissed claims that he is going to be Mimikos lackey if you are elected.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos yesterday, Mr Jegede said at my level, at my age, Im not a young man, I think it will also be insulting to say that you are somebody who is a lackey or you are somebody who is hushed.
READ ALSO: Controversy: Miniskirts and jeans trousers banned
Speaking further, he added; "Ive seen that written about me on a number of occasions in the new media and I said that well, each person is entitled to his own opinion.
Mimiko has a right to want good governance for his people. He has a right to say look, I will support someone I know will sustain the vision of the Mother and Child Hospital, someone who will preserve those globally compliant Mega schools that dot the landscape of Ondo State.
About two years ago, I, on my own, was trying to look for a site where we would build shopping malls and I was talking to some people who are developers about Shoprite and I drove round and I did this for about three months until I met the governor who said he has also been thinking about it.
READ ALSO: Finally, Buhari adopts Goodluck Jonathans strategy in fighting corruption
"Today, the Mall is a reality and apart from the revenue it gives to government, it also opens a vista of employment and later on, it will revert and become Ondo State property. The story of the Mall is just by the way but I raised that because my concern is for us to have an improvement in the way we design and implement our policies.
I am saying this so that people will know that I am not anybodys lackey; I have added value to this administration, Mr Jegede noted.
Source: Legit.ng
Mark's Zuckerberg's visit to Nigeria, is more than a random visit by a billionaire to a country he is interested in. The visit will have far reaching positive implications for Nigerians, far more than can be seen right now.
From meeting with Andela, a company which the Zuckerberg-Chan initiative has invested about 24 million dollars in, to visiting with the kids at the coding camp, he has been up and about since he landed in Lagos and obviously loving it, as he himself said here.
Here are at least 5 ways his visit will change Nigeria forever:
1. Financial Boost
When the Zuckerberg-Chan initiative in June 2016 invested $24 million in the Nigerian company Andela, it caused quite a stir in the software and IT companies. Mark Zuckerberg was betting on something big, coming out of Nigeria.
Now the visit is buttressing that fact. he met with various others running small-scale businesses in connectivity, software development and other technologies and when one of them asked for a way to pitch, Mark said: "We need to get your email after this."
Nigeria is blessed with ideas and energetic entrepreneurs and if Mark invests more, we should expect that in the next few years, the tech and software companies in Nigeria will see positive growth.
2. Security Concerns
Recently, the Global liveability index ranked, Lagos, Nigeria as the 3rd worst city in the world to live in. The problem stated was not infrastructure, but security.
Continued threats from groups like Boko Haram acts as a constraint to improving stability in Lagos, the report stated.
However, pictures of Mark Zuckerberg jogging without a security detail on the Lekki bridge and walking down the road in Yaba, like any other person, is one way to say to the world, that Lagos is as safe as any other city in the world.
3. Morale Booster
While speaking at the developers workshop in Lagos, Mark Zuckerberg's speech was a huge morale booster to the entrepreneurs and developers gathered. Here was a man who had made something so huge for himself with little financial backing, out of nothing.
He urged them to make mistakes, and bounce back from them to keep learning and keep growing. He also said that there was something n Lagos, Nigeria, an energy that gets things done, that the entire continent should emulate.
The beaming faces, the applause, the body language of the audience as the Town Hall meeting came to a close, shows that they had all being re-energized to do better.
4. Putting Nigeria on the map
When the news of Mark Zuckerberg's arrival first came out, the CNN an international news body used the headline: "Mark Zuckerberg makes first-ever visit to Sub-Saharan Africa," Nigerians took to Twitter in reaction to the post.
Over time the conversation around international news media, lumping the entire Africa together as one destination as continued. Certainly, now that Mark Zuckerberg has visited Nigeria, it will be clearer that any news media that cannot locate Nigeria on the map, is doing that for reasons best known to them.
5. Nollywood
Nigeria's film industry is also a recipient of the good PR that came with Zuckerberg's visit. During his speech, he said that Nollywood was a great resource for local content, in fact, one of the best in the world.
He then visited with Nigeria's biggest stars at Afrinolly, pictures of him hanging out with them has flooded social media, a very good image booster for the Nigerian film industry.
Nigerians are grateful to Mark Zuckerberg for this visit and its many blessings.
Source: Legit.ng
- A 55-year-old guard rapist has been brought before Ikeja magistrate court for molesting a 14-year-old for four days in Lagos state
- The accused person, Yekini Ogunjobi was said to have abducted the victim, Blessing and kept her hidden in his apartment, where defiled several times
-It was one of the victim's relatives who was said to have been passing by in the area that saw her and raised an alarm
A 55-year-old security guard, Yekini Ogunjobi, was arrested by the Lagos state police command for alleged unlawful detention of a teenage girl in his apartment for four days.
Ikeja Magistrates Court
The police said Ogunjobi raped the 14-year-old victim, Blessing (pseudonym) during her incarceration before she was rescued from the apartment at Esuola, Oko-Oba, in Agege area of the state.
Punch reports that Blessing, an apprentice tailor in the neighborhood, was sent on an errand in the area, when the suspect summoned her.
READ ALSO: Police arrests security guard for sexual assault
It was said that Blessing was reportedly hypnotised and lured into a room by the suspect, who allegedly raped her for four days.
It was gathered that Blessings family, who had declared her missing, had reported to the police.
It was said that the rapist was arrested on Thursday, July 28, when one of the victim's relatives was passing by in the area. She sighted her and raised the alarm.
The relative reported to the police, who rescued the girl and arrested Ogunjobi.
Police source said: ''The man had told his neighbours that the girl was his relative and had come to live with him. Probably, he charmed the girl so that she would not resist the abduction. He had sex with her against her consent for four days. She was sent on an errand on the day he abducted her.''
On Tuesday, August 30, Ogunjobi was brought before an Ikeja magistrate court by a police prosecutor, sergeant Rafael Donny, on two counts bordering on abduction and rape.
READ ALSO: Rapists arrested after blackmailing their victims
Donny told the court that the accused abducted the victim for four days and sexually molested her. He added that the offences contravened sections 141(a) and 259 of the criminal law of Lagos state, 2011.
The charge read: ''...you, Yekini Ogunjobi, between July 25 and 28, 2016, on Esuola Street, Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos, in the Lagos magisterial district, did commit felony to wit: abduction.
''That you, on the same date time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did unlawfully detain a 14-year-old girl and have sexual intercourse with her against her consent, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.''
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected summary trial.
The presiding magistrate, Tajudeen Elias, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Elias adjourned the case till October 6, 2016 for mention.
Source: Legit.ng
- President Muhamamdu Buhari has ordered experts redraw the Lagos to Kano rail line so that it can pass through Ekiti state
- The president stated this during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, August 31
President Muhamamdu Buhari has ordered experts who presented Lagos to Kano rail line plan to redraw the line so that it can pass through Ekiti state.
The president stated this during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, August 31, through his special adviser on political matters, Senator Babafemi Ogudu in a release titled: President Buhari, Ekiti And The Proposed Lagos To Kano Rail Line.
He said: Something remarkable happened at the Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) today. The experts working on the proposed rail line running from Lagos to Kano came to present their master plan. The president gave full attention as they narrated how the line will go through OGUN, Oyo , Osin , Kwara , Kogi etc .
READ ALSO: Senate passes Nigeria railway corporation act
The lines meandered and avoided Ekiti. After they were through the President called the experts back to the map and asked them why they avoided Ekiti. They had no convincing explanation . He firmly told them to go and redraw the line to pass through Ekiti.
It is a mark of a man with a large heart. A different being would have done otherwise considering what the Ekiti governor has done to the President and his family. Generations of Ekiti indigenes will be grateful to Mr President for this act of magnanimity.
Meanwhile, on Monday, August 29, a Chinese company stated that its directors had gotten a provisional letter of award from the Nigerian government on constructing a light rail system valued at $1.851billionto be built in Kanostate.
It is learnt that rail will have a full stretch of 74.3 kilometres and is expected to travel at a speed of 100 kilometres per hour.
Source: Legit.ng
The peace in Nigeria is very fragile and in as much as we want to say that God holds everything in his hands, the fate of this nation tends to rest on the existence of some certain individuals.
Below are 5 people who we must pray do not die at this time in the nation's history, not that they are above death, but because of so much that is stringed to them.
It must be noted that the chaos feared would only come if the circumstances surrounding their deaths are controversial.
5. Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky
This embattled leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria has been in detention for quite a while and there is so much pressure on the government and security agents to release him.
If you think the massacre in Zaria is something to reckon with, then think of what might happen if this cleric ends up dying in detention. Already threats are beginning to emerge regarding his health.
Members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria have issued a warning to the Nigerian Army that tragedy will occur if their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky goes blind in prison.
4. Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai
It might come to you as a surprise however many do not really know how much this army chief means to this nation, but if for any reason he falls in battle, it is as almost the entire Nigerian army has been defeated.
A tragedy such as this which we do not pray for can lead to great disorder, in the sense that the Nigerian army will stop at nothing to see that the region and the perpetrators of the act, will be ousted from the annals of history. Remember the sad story of Odi and picture something worse. It would be bloody!
3. President Muhammadu Buhari
The list would definitely not be complete if this name does now come up. When you are the leader of the most populous black nation in Africa, then there is a lot that rests on your shoulders.
In the case of a controversial situation leading to his death, Nigeria might end up in ruins, because President Buhari stands for a lot. He is the beacon of a hope promised by the All Progressives congress (APC), he is the face of the fight against corruption, he is also from the north and if due process does not lead to his leaving the seat, a lot of chaos might spring up, especially within the northern region of Nigeria.
There have been many cries regarding the safety of the president, both from security experts and even down to clerics. There were fears regarding his health, however, the health issues tend to have been properly dealt with. Nigerians can only prayer that this leader leaves out all that he has promised. In some quarters, he is already heralded as a leader who history will definitely not forget.
2. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
Prominent ex-president of Nigeria, who is popularly known for his gesture at the last presidential election which saw the then opposition party take over.
Goodluck Jonathan is seen as the embodiment of peace and has been in the fore as regards trying to keep the peace not only in Nigeria but also around Africa. He has led the Africa Union team to observe elections in various countries and to enlighten leaders on how to loose gracefully.
Jonathan is seen one whose intervention will help still the storm raging within the South-south region where aggrieved militants threaten to cripple the Nigerian economy.
A controversial event leading to Jonathan's death will stir serious turbulence especially from the South-south and South-eastern region. As the people who for too long have claimed they have been cheated, would show their grievances in violent attacks that will shake this nation to its very foundation.
1. Nnamdi Kanu
Embattled director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the pro-Biafra group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). His is a very dicey case which the Nigerian government has handled with great care because they understand the volatile nature of the case.
The quest for Biafra has been on for quite sometime, many have been killed and others injured in the heat of the struggle. With many court cases adjourned, many believe that justice might not be served.
There are fears that the pro-Biafra leader who refused to eat whatever was served him in prison, might not make it out alive, especially with the current wave of attempted prison breaks at Kuje.
If by any error, Kanu is killed without getting what many will term a fair hearing, then one can be sure that the agitation for Biafra will be fueled in manifolds that will cause great catastrophe across the country.
Nigerians must continue to pray for the fragile peace of this nation, so many things are threatening to steal the peace away. It takes on wrong move, one extrajudicial killing and the feared implosion will be set into motion.
There is great strength in numbers, we have the numbers, but our cultural differences and religion tends to be our greatest problem. We must find a way to tolerate and respect eachother, there is great room for peaceful co-existence.
Source: Legit.ng
Fashion is a popular practice, every individual has a sense of style which best describes their personality. Fashion is a never-ending craze. Society has built a world around fashion and so the industry is unsurprisingly booming for many workers in the realm.
In Nigeria, the love for fashion originated as a lifestyle choice as its people are member of a variety of cultures. Rich in fabrics, such as asooke, ankara and unique materials that birth breath-taking pieces, fashion designers are usually very well patronized.
READ ALSO: 9 reasons why MADE IN AFRICA is the next world fashion trend
Known more for their work than the money in their bank accounts, here are the richest fashion designers in Nigeria.
1. Yinka Arolambo (Moofa)
Formerly called Yinka Fashola, Mrs Arolambo is a talented and dedicated fashion designer. The recent mother of triplets has always been a fashion enthusiast but only took it up as business in 2008 when she launched House of MOOFA, which later became MOOFA (her initials put together).
The pretty lady is both creative and unique with her styles. Using fabrics, her environment and people as inspiration, MOOFA designs are created to be timeless pieces. Haven featured in some of the biggest fashion shows home and abroad, this pretty woman is said to be one of the top earners in the fashion industry.
2. Folake Folarin Coker (Tiffany Amber)
Folake Folarin Coker is the creative director of Tiffany Amber. Her fashion brand was launched in 1998. Ever since then she has been an unstoppable force in the industry. In 2008, she made history as the first African-based fashion designer to stage a show twice at the New York fashion week.
With a couple of "firsts" under her belt, including, designer of the year award in 2009 at the African fashion week. The Petroleum law graduate made the Forbes Power women list. It is safe to say this woman is worth hundreds of millions.
READ ALSO: 9 Nigerian celebrities who ALWAYS slay on any red carpet (photos)
3. Deola Sagoe
Deola Sagoe has always had a different angle in creating her styles. Notorious internationally for her lively and colourful designs this top Nigerian fashion design is an expert in her field. She began designing in 1989 and hasn't stopped turning heads ever since.
Recently appointed to represent Nigeria in an international campaign organized by United Nations, she is contending with the likes Rachel Roy, London-based designer Ozwald Boateng all in a bid to raise money, through the campaign, to half the number of hungry people in the world. Empathetic and rich this mother of three girl made our list.
4. Lanre Da-silva Ajayi
Lanre Da Silva Ajayi has a strong passion for fashion which she mentioned is her Major driving force, pushing her to work harder everytime. The designer who started out a career in the banking industry made a switch when she kept getting positive feedback from her designs, which then, was majorly done for friends and family.
She was asked to design a dress for Vlisco, an internation dutch wax brand and nailed it by creating two amazing designs that featured in the campaign. Rich, flawless and talented, we know she must have a fat bank account.
5. Olakunbi Oyelese (April by Kunbi)
Designer with a purpose, Olakunbi Oyelese attended the renowned New York Fashion Institute of Technology. Launching April 2010, she decided to call her fashion line, April by Kunbi. Her label specialises in custom made and ready to wear attires.
She is aimed to be the one stop source and a lifestyle brand for everything from wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, evening and cocktail dresses to casual/active wear, sleepwear, footwear, accessories and lingerie. Recently married to Lanre Tomori, this designer is as rich as her creative designs.
6. Zizi Cardow
Zizi cardow launched her label in 2000, just after her first year of breaking into the Nigerian fashion scene, she won the prestigious designer of the year award at the premier event, Nigerian fashion show (NFS) in 2001. Being the recipient of such prestigious award opened the doors of the African market, where her designs were hugely received.
In 2002, her fashion house staged a fashion show tagged jungle Renaissance which got rave reviews from both local and international critics in fashion industry. Loaded and ambitious, Zizi Cardow is a well known name around the country.
READ ALSO: Top Nigerian designer weds in glamour (photonews)
7. Lisa Folawiyo ( Jewels by Lisa)
The beauty and brain behind the former Jewels by Lisa, Lisa Folawiyo is a all-round global women's wear and accessories collection designer.
She redesigned the art of wearing ankara prints through the use of ornate embellishment, transforming the fabric, creating a worldwide accepted design, that turned the label into a coveted luxury brand. She is beautiful and reigning in cash.
Source: Legit.ng
- Founder and CEO of popular social media platform, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg has arrived in Kenya
- The worlds seventh wealthiest man arrived Kenya to meet with entrepreneurs and developers, and to learn about mobile money
Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg in Kenya
Founder and CEO of popular social media platform, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg has arrived in Kenya.
The worlds seventh wealthiest man arrived Kenya on Thursday, September 1, to meet with entrepreneurs and developers, and to learn about mobile money where Kenya is the world leader.
His first point of call was at iHub, where entrepreneurs can build and prototype their ideas.
READ ALSO: Mark Zuckerberg talks Whatsapp, Nigerian Jollof, Nollywood
Zuckerberg was recently in Nigeria for the Facebook for Developers Workshop for Nigerian engineers, product managers and partners in Lagos, which took place on Wednesday, August 31.
The Facebook founder while in Lagos revealed that he has no plan to change the mode of operations of Whatsapp, an instant message app recently acquired by Facebook.
Source: Legit.ng
Flatwater Shakespeare Company plans to hold discussions after select performances of The Merchant of Venice, and they may contain just as much drama and intrigue.
Merchant, with its anti-Semitic themes, is, arguably, Shakespeares most controversial play.
The Washington Post even ran a guest editorial from Washington D.C. attorney Steve Frank this summer prior to the Kennedy Centers successful run of the play calling for theater companies to stop producing it.
It is time to say 'never again' to this historical aberration, Frank wrote. Every time it is produced, the play introduces new audiences to vile medieval tropes of Jew-hatred that we should have long ago left behind.
Flatwater begins a three-weekend run of Merchant Friday in Swan Theatre in Wyuka Cemetery.
The plays plot involves Antonio, the merchant of the title, who borrows money from Shylock to help his friend Bassanio in courting Portia, an heiress. The terms of the loan include the forfeit of a pound of flesh, which Shylock can collect if the funds are not repaid at the agreed time.
Shylock already has suffered persecution for being Jewish, and later his daughter, Jessica, elopes with Lorenzo, one of Bassanios friends, taking much of her fathers wealth with her and converts to Christianity.
When Antonio cannot pay, Shylock seeks revenge through the bond. Having already won Portias heart, Bassanio passes the test devised by Portias late father to determine the worthiest husband. After learning of the danger facing Antonio, Portia tries to save Bassanios friend.
Guest director Tom Crew is sensitive to the controversy, yet still feels the play is relevant and worth doing. When Flatwater artistic director Bob Hall asked Crew for a list of shows he wanted to direct, Merchant was his No. 1 choice.
I think its still powerful, Crew said. Theres a balance between mercy and justice and bigotry and hypocrisy. Shylock is depicted poorly. But hes depicted poorly by the Christians in the play. Today, (the Christians) would come across as bullies. I think its an interesting dynamic.
Patrick Lambrecht, who portrays Shylock, agrees with Crew.
Its hard to tell how people will react to it, Lambrecht said. Shylock is considered the villain of the play, but I consider him the victim of the play as well. The way Shakespeare writes it, people are cruel to him. He becomes a product of his environment at the time.
For Lambrecht, it will be the second time hell play the character. He and Crew acted in an early 1990s production of the play in Lincoln when both were in their 20s. Crew played Bassanio.
Ive always wanted a chance to redo this, Lambrecht said. Back then, it was a great opportunity, but I had no right to do the role. I didnt understand the nuances of being a father or understand the social aspects to it.
Other principal cast members include Richard Nielsen as Antonio, Christian Munoz as Bassanio and Megan Higgins as Portia. Crew is setting the play in Venice in the 1890s.
I really love this play, Crew said. Its full of three-dimensional characters, and theres so much conflict in the show. Its kind of an actors dream because there is so much going on.
- Major General Lucky Irabor, Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, says that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is dead
- He says that the individual originally identified as Shekau has indeed been killed
- Major General Irabor says the Army does not make statements that are not based on facts
The Nigerian Army has again declared that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is dead.
However, Major General Lucky Irabor, Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, is the one announcing Shekaus death this time.
Major General Lucky Irabor, Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, has declared that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is dead.
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Speaking during a tour of Adamawa state on Thursday, September 1, Major General Irabor insisted that Shekau is dead, Vanguard reports.
He said that the individual originally identified as Shekau has indeed been killed.
His words: I can confirm to you that the original Shekau was killed, the second Shekau was killed, and the man presenting himself as Shekau, I can also confirm to you that few days ago, he was wounded. We are yet to confirm whether he is dead or not.
According to Major General Irabor, the Army does not make statements that are not based on facts.
He said the Nigerian troops fighting insurgency in the northeast, will continue the military operations until the last terrorist is taken out, as there is division among the Boko Haram members.
He added: They released videos to prove that they are still active, but thats just a facade.
Since his emergence in 2009, Shekau has been declared dead by the Nigerian Army on several occasions, though it has never been solidly confirmed.
READ ALSO: Controversial death: 5 times BH leader Shekau has been killed
Shekau took over as leader of Boko Haram after the founder, Mohammed Yusuf, was paraded and then executed in front of a crowd by Nigerian security forces.
The Boko Haram leader has been reported killed but manages to return with video clips to show hes still alive.
Under his leadership, Boko Haram has killed thousands of people and displaced more than 2 million.
Recently, report surfaced on Tuesday, Augusts 23, that Shekau was fatally wounded during an unprecedented and spectacular air raid.
Those Boko Haram terrorists commanders confirmed dead include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman, amongst others, while their leader, the so-called Abubakar Shekau, is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders. Several other terrorists were also wounded, Sani Kukasheka Usman, spokesman of the army, had said.
Source: Legit.ng
A visit to a heurigenwine tavernis a Viennese summertime tradition dating back to the 18th century, when Emperor Joseph II granted vintners the right to sell products from their own recent harvests. On a hot day, a visit to one of the many excellent heurige that lie on the fringes of the city are not only a peaceful way to sample local Gruner Veltliner and Zweigelt offered up by the vintners themselves (most have vineyards nearby). Theyre also great places to enjoy a casual meal, because any heurigen worth its salt offers a large selection of excellent hot and cold classic dishes cooked in-house and sold by the kilo. Be prepared: theres a lot of meat.
To make sense of the daunting offerings of a typical heurigen buffet, on a quiet, sweltering Friday afternoon we took the number 31 tram to the last stop, to the Stammersdorf neighborhood at the outskirts of the 21st district. We consulted a list of open tavernscalled a rauschbaum, literally, tree of intoxicationon a dusty corner. After a brief walk, we chose to park ourselves at Haus Schmidt, which announced it was open with the traditional hanging of fir branches over the front door and a sign announcing ausgsteckt. We settled onto a green-painted picnic table under the backyard grape arbor, ordered up drinks from the waitress, then headed inside to choose our food:
This is a salad made from enormous, dense runner beans, tossed with scallions and pumpkin seed oil, a specialty of southern Austria that gives the dish a mild but distinctive earthy flavor.
Meat salads are about as Germanic as you can get in the cuisine department, and this was a favorite of the Austrian men in our party, who gobbled it right up. Its made from very thinly sliced extrawurstusually made from the cheapest leftover bits of meatthat has the consistency of good-quality boloney, and a generous toss of diced red bell peppers and scallions.
Visible here on the cold side of Haus Schmidts buffet case, this is the Austrian version of a simple coleslaw, made with shredded green cabbage, caraway seeds, oil and vinegar. Not visible: Schwartzwurzel, aka poor mans asparagus, which our Austrian friends called a heurigen must. Salsify is peeled and boiled in salted water, then dressed with sour cream, oil and vinegar, and scallions.
Spreads are big at heurige buffets and this is the most famous of them all. There are lots of different configurations but fundamentally, its made of mild fresh cheese not unlike cottage cheese thats mixed with margarine and paprika.
Seen on the far left, this is another fresh cheese spread, this one with a consistency thats more like a cross between ricotta and cream cheese, pungent with garlic and onion.
Not for the faint of heart, this spread is made from pure pork fatwed call them pan drippingswith tiny, crispy fat bits folded in. It may sound dubious, but when its done right, the taste is extremely clean and slightly addicting.
Slices of rye bread and special small loaves called Salzstangerl (salt sticks), are sold by the piece. Youll want them for your spreads, but also for sopping up the juices left at the bottoms of the heartier dishes you pile onto your tray.
Considered both a warm salad and a vegetable side, this cabbage dish (seen behind the roast chicken) is briefly boiled in broth till its cooked through but still slightly crunchy, then sprinkled with diced speck.
A very slightly, pleasingly chewy dumpling made from potatoes that are boiled, mashed and shaped, then cooked again in rich, fatty broth.
A generous slice of caraway-roasted pork belly served in its own cooking juices, with a very slightly crisp crust.
These are garlicky meatballs coated in a light cornmeal crust, then either baked or fried. Chances are high that youll head back inside for a second helping of these.
Lela Nargi is a cookbook author and freelance journalist who lives in Brooklyn, NY. Find her at lelanargi.com.
Photos by Bernadette Reiter, except top photo, by Andrew Nash CC BY-SA
Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers said Wednesday he will request a federal investigation into a recent incident in which inmate Nikko Jenkins tried to slit his own throat.
Jenkins has been a high-profile inmate since he was released from prison in 2013, directly from solitary confinement, and proceeded to murder four people in Omaha. He is awaiting sentencing on those crimes.
There have been disagreements between independent and state psychiatrists, and prison psychologists, as to whether Jenkins is mentally ill or faking mental illness. He has repeatedly mutilated his face and body, including his penis, and Chambers said he has no doubt Jenkins is mentally ill.
He also has accused prison officials, including Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes, of allowing the inmate, who is in segregated confinement 23 hours a day and under surveillance every hour, to obtain implements with which he harms himself.
In what Chambers said was a suicide attempt in early August, Jenkins used a razor blade to slit his throat. At a hospital, it took 42 sutures to repair the damage, he said.
Frakes confirmed that Jenkins alleged the razor blade was given to him by a staff member in the prison, who has since left its employment.
But even though he is in restricted housing and is watched 24 hours a day, Frakes said, he has access to a shower and recreation yards used by other inmates.
The State Patrol is investigating the incident, Frakes said.
At a hearing of the Department of Correctional Services Special Investigative Committee Wednesday, Chambers read from an April transcript in which he questioned Frakes about the last time Jenkins had obtained objects -- an officer's badge and a set of keys -- and used them to harm himself.
Chambers said then and repeated Wednesday that he thinks the objects are deliberately being made available by staff to Jenkins hoping he'll kill himself. Frakes should be held responsible for that, he said.
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***@usmediastudios.com Kyra Burton
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-- US Media Studios' producers are pleased to announce air dates for Honolulu, Hawaii.The capital city of the U.S. 50th state is one which is famous for its awesome beaches, shopping dining and nightlife, all of which are within walking distance of the spectacular Hawaii Convention Center. The city is well-established as a hub for international business, and an area where east meets west through culture, cuisine and traditions. Honolulu ranks high on world livability lists and is often given high ratings for being a safe city. Business visitors on the island will find an abundance of hotel rooms overlooking the famous beaches, along with traditional business-related services conducted with a Hawaiian approach and taste. The business, finance and technology-related programming from the Florida media company will air on ABC KITV-TV.US Media Studios delivers award-winning content through a variety of media, including television, social networks, websites, and in-person events. The fully-integrated communication solutions are designed to increase the value of a brand and help businesses reach success. The experienced team of producers, designers, consultants, and editors work with individuals from leading companies across the world.For more than thirteen years, US Media Studios specialized in developing, producing, and distributing programming for diverse audiences. Today, from the corporate headquarters in Coral Springs, Florida, the editorial and business teams collaborate to provide new and exciting programming, as well as social media marketing, public relations campaigns, Internet marketing, consulting, and other multimedia services. To learn more or connect with the studio on popular social media platforms, please visit http://www.usmediastudios.com
Labsystems Diagnostics Oy, from Finland, a Trivitron Healthcare enterprise, has entered into a dealership relationship agreement with UK-based Oxford Biosystems for the UK and Ireland markets.
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-- Labsystems Diagnostics Oy, from Finland, a Trivitron Healthcare enterprise, has entered into a dealership relationship agreement with UK-based Oxford Biosystems for the UK and Ireland markets. With this engagement, Fabrizio Radice LDx Global Sales & Mktg Director said: I am proud that Oxford Biosystems will sell and support Labsystems Diagnostics products which will enhance Labsystems' presence in the UK and Ireland markets for its Infectious Disease, Point of Care, PCR, Gastro and Newborn Screening products. The synergetic effect will provide better local support for end user laboratories, clinics, reference centers and large IVD portfolios.The agreement will benefit Labsystems Diagnostics and Oxford Biosystems leverage their respective leadership and long term experience in respiratory infectious diseases like Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Bordetella pertussis. Labsystems Diagnostics has long history of satisfied customers using company's high quality EIA kits for laboratories. The company has also created unique Point-of Care tests for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae which allow the getting the results in 10 minutes from one fingertip blood drop. Labsystems Diagnostics is also a pioneer in the Newborn Screening (NBS), and was the first to develop fluorometric PKU (Phenylketonuria)test in microplate format. Company has recently created fully automated high-throughput platform for the NBS which facilitates testing of over 2000 babies' samples in one run. Tests can also be combined, to run all the commonly used assays together. The Trivitron enterprise has an extensive R&D pipeline of over 35 products under development.Mr. Mark Upton - Managing Director, Oxford Biosystems quoted - 'Oxford Biosystems was established in 2001 with the aim of sourcing reliable, high quality in-vitro diagnostic products and research tools for clinical, industrial and research laboratories. Based in Milton Park, Oxfordshire, Oxford Biosystems offer a wide range of products incorporating a variety of technologies. Product specialists are trained in the application of the products and ensure that end-users are offered a highlevel of customer service and technical support.'Mrs. Fiona Alcock Marketing Director, Oxford Biosystems quotes 'We are very pleased to be working with Labsystems Diagnstics Oy, a company with an excellent reputation for innovation and high quality products. The Labsystems range offers some exciting opportunities with some unique products and tests ideally suited for our demanding market. We are looking forward to introducing these products to our customers. Laboratories and hospitals will have a great benefit from the synergetic combination between the two companies' expertise and strong technical and Sales support into the field.'
Contact
Melissa Lippa
***@kjtgroup.com Melissa Lippa
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-- KJT Group is pleased to welcome Michelle Soto as Senior Vice President. Michelle comes to us from Segmedica where she was Senior Director of Research, responsible for overall research management, client relationship development and staff mentoring. Prior to her time at Segmedica, Michelle spent thirteen years at Harris Interactive (now Nielsen), most recently as VP of Healthcare Research.Michelle's extensive healthcare market research experience includes projects spanning the product life cycle, from early stage exploratory, to product and communications development, to post-market surveillance involving large, multi-million dollar cross-franchise trackers. Michelle is a RIVA trained focus group moderator and has conducted extensive in-person and online qualitative research with physicians, patients and other healthcare respondents across a variety of issues and therapeutic areas."Michelle joins KJT Group with nearly 20 years of experience working in international healthcare market research. Her strong customer focus and experience building long-term collaborative relationships with clients will be crucial to supporting KJT Group's continued growth," said Lynn Clement, MPH, President, and Global Research at KJT Group.Michelle received a Master of Science degree in Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology. She also holds a Bachelor of the Arts degree in French from the University of Rochester.KJT Group ( www.kjtgroup.com ) is an evidence-based research firm. Established in 2007, KJT Group employs 40 full-time staff in the United States, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. KJT Group is a member of the European Pharmaceutical Marketing Association (EphMRA), International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), and Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Group (PMRG).
Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development, the Hon. Kayode Fayemi, will deliver the welcome address at the much anticipated launch of the Nigeria Mining Week, taking place in Abuja from 25-28 October.
By: iPAD Nigeria Mining & Quarrying Forum
Key Nigerian mining projects showcased by leading experts
Media Contact
iPAD Nigeria Mining & Quarrying Forum
annemarie.roodbol@ spintelligent.com
+27217003558 iPAD Nigeria Mining & Quarrying Forum+27217003558
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-- Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development, the Hon. Kayode Fayemi, will deliver the welcome address at the much anticipated launch of thetaking place in Abuja from 25-28 October.Following the enthusiastic response from the mining community and the Nigerian government to the inaugurallast year, the organisers have joined forces with the Miners Association of Nigeria to create an all-encompassing meeting place for the sector."Diversifying the Nigerian economy is currently in the spotlight" says Cyril Azobu, PwC Nigeria's Mining Sector Leader and Head Consulting, "and the new Government has highlighted the potential of the solid minerals sector in achieving this."Mr Azobu adds: "thewill be hosted by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and provide the opportunity for the government to unveil the next phase for the growth of the mining industry leading to the industrialisation of Nigeria. It will also open the door to an exclusive investment and networking opportunity for mining stakeholders towards propelling the mineral sector reform, and deliver key information for the creation of new business ventures and partnerships."The Nigeria Mining Week will comprise a grand opening, the iPAD Nigeria Mining and Quarrying Forum in partnership with PwC conference and exhibition, as well as a workshop for artisanal and small scale miners and a grand closing.The event will welcome the entire mining ecosystem comprising of artisanal and small scale miners, junior mining operators, exploration companies, local and international investors, financial institutions, traders, solution providers as well as government bodies, to meet and discuss the current state of the market.Nigeria's economy was valued at $510billion in 2014 (The Economist), and is considered the largest economy in Africa and one of the fastest growing economies in the world with a long-term average growth of 7.7%. Nigeria's vastly underexploited natural resources include about 44 varieties of minerals in over 500 locations.In March 2016, the Roadmap for the Development of the Solid Minerals Sector was launched and following the inaugural iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum in partnership with PwC in 2015, recommendations were given to Government and the private sector.Programme highlights will include: Keynote and opening session - Ministerial address and leaders panelTheme: "Towards a new paradigm in natural resource management"Chairperson:Uyi Akpata, Country Senior Partner and Regional Senior Partner West Africa, PwC Nigeria, NigeriaConfirmed keynote speakers:- Hon. Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Nigeria- His Majesty the King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi, South Africa- Dr. Toni Aubynn, Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Commission, Ghana- Dr Frank Udemba Jacobs, President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), NigeriaOther programme highlights during the iPAD Nigeria Mining & Quarrying Forum include: Key Nigerian mining projects showcaseThis session aims to provide stakeholders with an update on viable projects that Nigeria can in order to attract investment.Chairperson:Nere Teriba, Managing Director, Kian Smith Trade, Nigeria- Why Nigeria, why now? A brief overview of the mining sector's potentialProf. Ibrahim Garba, Vice Chancellor of Amadou Bello University, NigeriaInvestor showcase snapshot of some key Nigerian projects:- Symbol Base Metal: Carmie Olowoyo, General Manager Corporate, Australia- Promethean Resources: Demola Gbadegesin, Managing Director, Nigeria- Kogi Iron: Kevin Joseph, Chief Executive Officer, KCM Mining, Nigeria- ETA Zuma: Dr. Innocent Ezuma, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Licence to mine interactive panel to understand Nigeria's geology and how to access permitsChair: Prof. Gbenga Okunlola, President of the Nigerian Mining & Geosciences Association, NigeriaPanelists:- Alhaji Mohamed Amate, Director General, Mining Cadastral Office, Nigeria- Alex Nwegbu, Director General, Geological Survey Agency, Nigeria- Nere Teriba, Managing Director, Kian Smith Trade, Nigeria- Prof. Muhammed Tawfiq Ladan, Department of Public Law of the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria- Olubukola Ashaolu Shopeju, Director, Bukabella Global Services, NigeriaThe country's mining industry is showing its buy-in again with Akabogu & Associates, Nigachem Nigeria Ltd, Advocaat, Kian Smith Trade & Co, Palladium Mining Ltd and SBOG already confirmed as sponsors.is organised by Spintelligent in partnership with PwC and the Miners Association of Nigeria. Spintelligent is a well-known trade conference and expo organiser on the continent. The company has particular expertise and experience in mining and infrastructure development events; including the long running flagship shows such as the iPAD series, the DRC Mining Week, CBM-TEC in Zambia, the Kenya Mining Forum in Nairobi and African Utility Week in Cape Town.Nigeria Mining Week dates and location:Conference and showcase: 25-28 October 2016Event location: Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, NigeriaWebsite: http://www.ipad- nigeria.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ iPAD_Nigeria Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/iPAD-Nigeria-Mining-Forum-8262267/aboutSenior communications manager: Annemarie RoodbolTelephone: +27 21 700 3558Mobile: +27 82 562 7844Email: annemarie.roodbol@spintelligent.com
Collinsville, Illinois agency joins alliance that serves both Missouri and Illinois
By: Valley Insurance Agency Alliance
Bell Insurance Solutions' owner JR Bell
Contact
Elizabeth Powers
***@viaa4u.com Elizabeth Powers
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-- Bell Insurance Solutions recently joined Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of over 100 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois.Bell Insurance Solutions is a full service insurance agency that specializes in business, life, home and auto insurance. The company was founded this year by owner JR Bell, who has been in the insurance industry since 2008. Bell Insurance Solutions is located at 250 Regency Centre in Collinsville, Ill."We joined the alliance so we would be able to offer our clients the best and broadest range of insurance solutions," said Bell Insurance Solutions' owner JR Bell. "I believe VIAA will help us achieve my goal of fitting our customer's needs at the fairest prices."Founded in 2006, VIAA generates more than $150 million in written premium and is the regional founding member for the Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA), a $6 billion national alliance.For more information about Bell Insurance Solutions, visit http://www.getBellInsurance.com or call (618) 882-7194.
By: Kent State University
Contact
Joni Bowen
***@kent.edu Joni Bowen
End
-- Kent State University's College of Business Administration's Center for Information Systems (CIS) will celebrate its 30anniversary with a special event on Thursday, October 6 in Room 306 of the Kent State Student Center.Prominent alumnus Pawan Verma, CIO of Foot Locker, will be the keynote speaker for this event. Verma's immense background in retail systems strategy, mobile and retail software development and ecommerce culminated in his success at Foot Locker.Verma has been Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President at Foot Locker since 2015. He has served as Vice President, Digital and Marketing Technologies and Services Platforms at Target Corporation since 2013. He has an extensive background in retail systems strategy, design and implementation with ecommerce, mobile and retail software experience."I'm very excited that CIS will have the opportunity to celebrate its 30anniversary with our corporate and university friends. I am also looking forward to learning about our keynote speaker's experience at Target and Foot Locker," said Cathy Bakes, Ph.D., professor emeritus in management and information systems. "I am delighted that the proceeds from the event will enable us to fund additional scholarships for our students."Donations will be used to recognize high-achieving students with tuition scholarships and leadership awards.The Center for Information Systems combines IT professionals, Kent State faculty and current students to ensure relevance of Kent State's Information Systems curricula. Student success and participation are rewarded through scholarships, facilitation of internships, venues for public speaking and interaction with corporate members."The ultimate goal is to produce confident, intelligent and well prepared graduates who are highly sought out by a broad range of hiring organizations,"said Robert D. Smith, Ph.D., professor emeritus and the founder of CIS.Tickets for this event are $50 per seat ($22 is tax deductible) or $1,500 for a table for eight ($1,276 is tax deductible). Companies who purchase a table of eight will receive recognition on the CIS website, special acknowledgement at the event and an invitation to be a guest speaker at a CIS class or MISA meeting.For more information about the College of Business Administration, visit http://www.kent.edu/ business ###is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and one of the largest colleges of business in Ohio. The College has more than 4,300 students representing 50 countries with over 106 full-time faculty from 16 countries.The college grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, and is one of only three public business colleges in Ohio with a comprehensive Ph.D. program. The MBA program is offered with nine concentrations and five dual degree options. The Executive MBA program offer two tracks: one targeting corporate professionals and the other healthcare executives. The M.S. in Accounting, M.S. in Business Analytics and M.A. in Economics are specialized master's degrees for those seeking advanced study in these disciplines. The college boasts nine undergraduate majors, 12 minors and a Professional Sales Certificate program.The college is listed as a, ranked as a, one of only 23 accounting programs worldwide to be(Institute of Management Accountants), rankedand(Sales Education Foundation)The college boasts an onsite Career Services Office and International Programs Office dedicated to business students, and operates the Global Management Center, the Center for Information Systems and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation all propelling scholarly research, establishing innovative industry partnerships and providing outreach to Northeast Ohio and beyond.Joni Bowen, Public Relations and Media Specialist, (330) 672-1279, jbowen1@kent.edu Michelle Parrish Manning, Director of Marketing Communications, (330) 672-2717, mparris3@kent.edu
Bahama House Hotel Is the Recipient of the 2016 Experts' Choice Award
By: Bahama House Hotel
Media Contact
Bahama House Hotel
blaine@daytonabahamahouse.com
1-888-687-1894 Bahama House Hotel1-888-687-1894
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-- The Bahama House Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida is the recent recipient of the 2016 Experts' Choice Award. TripExpert.com selects winners based on reviews written by professionals for major travel guides, magazines, newspapers, and other respected publications. TripExpert.com provides consumer information for making informed decisions on where to stay, eat, and visit based on reviews from travel professionals.Blaine Lansberry, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Bahama House Hotel, states, "We are honored to be the recipient of the 2016 Experts' Choice Award. Our staff works very hard to maintain our property, make guests feel welcome and provide outstanding customer service. It's a privilege to be recognized by these publications."The Bahama House Hotel is an oceanfront resort located at 2001 South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach, Florida. Travelers can enjoy a view of the ocean from most rooms at this family friendly resort. This hotel never charges a resort fee and several amenities are included in their affordable rates. Guests can enjoy a daily deluxe continental breakfast, state of the art Wi-Fi, free parking, a nightly cocktail reception, and fresh baked cookies.This oceanfront resort caters to families, solo travelers, and groups. Room options include those with two queen beds or a king bed and rooms with efficiencies. Lansberry adds "With a variety of room options available guests are able to customize their accommodations whether they are traveling with children, as a couple or solo. Our rooms with the full kitchen are widely popular for families, while those "empty nesters" staying with us typically take in the local restaurants."The Bahama House's direct and easy beach access is a boon for all travelers. Being able to walk directly from their hotel room to the beach makes for a positive experience, especially for families with young children. Lansberry explains, "our prime oceanfront location is just one of the many reasons guests choose to stay with us year after year. We have guests from all of the world that flock to our hotel just to sink their feet in the sand and relax. We make it very easy for travelers to go from their hotel room to the beach. No dealing with packing and unpacking the car or having to dash across traffic to get to the beach."There are many local attractions near the Bahama House Hotel. The Daytona Beach International Speedway, the Daytona Flea & Farmers Market, and the pier are all nearby. Guests that fly into Daytona Beach International Airport are just a short ride from the hotel.The Bahama House Hotel offers the lowest rate guarantee when booking directly through their website. To book a room, travelers are encouraged to visit online at: https://daytonabahamahouse.com/ rooms/ or call reservations at: 1-888-687-1894.
Freddy Silva's research has uncovered connections between Inca ceremonial sites and similar "tombs" in Egypt, China and Greece. These new findings will be revealed on a tour of megalithic sites of Peru organized by Sacred Earth Journeys.
By: Sacred Earth Journeys
Freddy Silva in Peru
Contact
Widness & Wiggins PR
***@travelnewssource.com Widness & Wiggins PR
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-- Why is a non-functioning "doorway" carved from an entire hillside near Peru's Lake Titicaca nearly identical to a sculpted plateau in Anatolia, Turkey? Best-selling author and ancient mysteries researcher Freddy Silva says the answer involves secret mystery schools and near-death experiences.Silva's research has also uncovered connections between Inca ceremonial sites and similar "tombs" in Egypt, China and Greece. These new findings will be revealed on a tour of megalithic sites of Peru organized by Sacred Earth Journeys (http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/)Unlike most group tours that spotlight Machu Picchu, this October 25 - November 2, 2016 program, "Hidden Faces of the Power Places of Peru" (http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/current-tours/welcome-to-the-world-of-megalithic-revelation-with-freddy-silva)will concentrate on the lesser-known megalithic sites such as Ollantaytambo, where cyclopean stones too massive for modern cranes to lift were somehow transported across a river and up a near-vertical mountainside.Of course the group will visit Machu Picchu, but they will experience it from a different point of view. They'll whiz through the citadel at sunrise and climb 1,200 feet to the top of nearby Huayna Picchu for a birds-eye view of the surroundings, postponing exploration of the more famous Inca city until afternoon, when most of the tourists will have left.Other seldom-visited sites include the cave art and stone carvings at Killarumliyoq, the mysterious doorway to nowhere at Naupa Iglesia, and the Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca, where villagers live on floating islands made from reeds."This is truly a tour that goes beyond the typical site visits," said Sacred Earth Journeys President, Helen Tomei. "It focuses on details few people get to see and hear, such as an underground chamber used for living resurrection rituals and a portal that some people believe leads into the Otherworld."See: http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/ current-tours/ welcome-to-the- world-of-megalithic- revelation-with- freddy-silva Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sacred Earth Journeys has been offering small group tours to the world's culturally rich destinations since 2003.Freddy Silva will also be leading a nine-day journey to Maya sacred temples in Mexico and Guatemala ( http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/ current-tours/ maya-temp... ) for Sacred Earth Journeys departing January 28, 2017.For more information, program availability and reservations please visit http://www.sacredearthjourneys.ca/, email: info@sacredearthjourneys.ca, or call toll-free: 1.877.874.7922 (Local number: 1.604.874.7922)Freddy Silva is a bestselling author, and a leading researcher of alternative history, ancient knowledge, sacred sites and the interaction between temples and consciousness. He is also the world's leading expert on crop circles. His books have been published in five languages. For over 15 years he has been an international keynote speaker, and appeared in documentaries and national and international radio shows. Described by the CEO of Universal Light Expo as "perhaps the best metaphysical speaker in the world."Books:For additional information see his website: www.invisibletemple.com.Since 2003 Sacred Earth Journeys has offered spiritual journeys around the world as well as custom sacred tours, and retreats to countries as diverse as Peru, Mexico, India, Ireland, England, Bali, Greece, Turkey, Bhutan and beyond. They are dedicated to providing a more meaningful and rewarding travel experience, specializing in sacred sites tours and spiritual travel. Curated journeys combine respect and reverence for ancient wisdom traditions with the joy of exploring some of the planet's most beautiful and captivating landscapes. Sacred Earth Journeys works closely with passionate tour leaders to create sacred travel programs that will further one's inner journey while guiding travelers through the mythic heart of each country visited. Hand-crafted itineraries are infused with personal contacts and resources that draw on years of experience and local knowledge. On many journeys, participants have the honor of meeting local wisdom keepers, traditional healers, shamans, musicians, artists, authors, or other local experts to learn from their immense wisdom and knowledge.Sara Widness / sara@widnesspr.com / Phone: 802.234.6704Dave Wiggins / dave@travelnewssource.com / Phone: 720.301.3822
Engineering consulting firm's fully redesigned site has an updated look and enhanced functionality
Tata & Howard's newly redesigned site
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-- Tata & Howard, Inc. , a leading innovator in water stormwater , and environmental engineering solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website, which will provide clients and visitors with an improved interface and greater ease of use. The site is also fully responsive, providing users on any platform with a fully functional site."Tata & Howard has experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years, including new services such as comprehensive dam engineering and Business Practice Evaluations, geographic expansion, and a significantly enhanced talent base," said Karen Gracey, P.E., Vice President. "We wanted our website to reflect the progressive nature of our company and to allow visitors to quickly and easily navigate all we have to offer, both in terms of engineering services and company culture."Enhancements to the site include an improved user interface, easier navigation, and an updated design. In addition, users are now able to easily search projects from the firm's database by keyword, service, project type, and market, as well as quickly find and view content such as newsletters and videos.To learn more about Tata & Howard or to see the redesigned website, visit www.tataandhoward.com Founded in 1992, Tata & Howard, Inc. (http://www.tataandhoward.com)is a 100% employee-owned water, wastewater, stormwater, and environmental consulting engineering firm dedicated to consistently delivering cost-effective, innovative project solutions. Working with clients as a trusted partner, Tata & Howard provides a full range of environmental engineering services, from concept to completion, as well as sustainable solutions. Tata & Howard has gained a solid reputation as an industry leader in the Northeast by bringing knowledge, integrity, and dedicated service to all sized markets, both public and private. With offices in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Arizona, and Texas, Tata & Howard's national expansion has included projects in Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.tataandhoward.com.
At any given time, Nebraska's prisons are short by up to 200 protective services workers, Department of Correctional Services Director Scott Frakes told a legislative investigative committee Wednesday morning.
An extra 138 new positions -- in addition to those already authorized -- would be needed to get the prisons to minimal staffing, according to a staffing audit completed by the department over the past year, and those positions would come at a cost of $6.5 million.
An earlier draft of the same report, completed by a department team led by Omaha Correctional Center Warden Barbara Lewien, had recommended 254 positions be added, at a cost of $12 million. The numbers were changed in the final report after its authors consulted Frakes.
That information came out as Frakes was questioned by former Sen. Steve Lathrop, the Department of Correctional Services Special Investigative Committee's attorney. Lathrop had led a different version of the committee before leaving the Legislature at the end of 2014.
Senators have been concerned the department would not request enough money or positions to fix the prisons' staffing problems. Part of that concern stems from the focus on tax relief by the current and former governors.
Frakes offered that he was not given "outside instructions" by the governor's office or anyone else to reduce the number of positions or the cost of beefing up the staff for the final recommendation.
Frakes explained later the draft was part of the process of getting to what correct staffing should be for the department. He compared it to the brainstorming done before putting together a plan. Much of the brainstorming always gets left out of a final plan, he said.
In the end, he said, the report calls for a 10 percent increase in the approximately 1,300 protective services staff, which is substantial.
Frakes spent much of the hearing with the investigative committee answering questions about why the prisons are "treading water" on keeping enough staff.
Lathrop said his questioning was aimed at getting an idea of the staffing problem in the prisons and what it would take to fix it.
Throughout the agency, the department has a turnover rate of about 24 percent, Frakes confirmed, but individual prisons have higher rates. For example, Tecumseh State Correctional Institution turns over about 32 percent of staff every year, according to documents supplied to the committee.
Frakes has said anything at or above 15 percent is a problem, creating instability and management issues.
High turnover has been blamed on inadequate pay, mandatory overtime, safety questions and low morale.
Recruiting hasn't been the problem with staffing, retention has, Frakes said. In fiscal year 2016, 400 staff were hired but 287 left, he said.
Gov. Pete Ricketts' office noted that the governor requested and the Legislature funded 59 new Corrections positions in 2015.
The number of positions the department will ask for this year and the cost of those positions will be revealed in the department's budget request, to be submitted Sept. 15.
Frakes also said he will submit a pay proposal Thursday to union officials, a month ahead of the normal start of the negotiation process. That proposal cannot be revealed until negotiations are complete, he said.
Compensation has been a major complaint among prison workers. About 220 employees answered an informal email survey sent out last week by Inspector General for Corrections Doug Koebernick. It asked what things workers would change to improve their jobs. Most answers focused on pay, including beginning pay and pay increases.
Some workers are scheduled to get $500 bonuses in September. Koebernick said he has suggested the department use part of the $1.5 million provided by the Legislature to award bonuses to more staff.
The committee also questioned Frakes on a recent increase of assaults on prison staff. Lack of adequate staffing, and thus a lack of programming and social activities for inmates, has been a factor, he said.
Violence results when there is nothing productive for inmates to do, Frakes said.
He said gangs also have played a part in the violence. A large number of inmates have an affiliation with what the prison calls "security threat groups."
Frakes said after the hearing he understood the committee was looking for insight into the department's lingering problems.
"Is it comfortable? No not always," he said. "Is it a process that is important to good state government? It is."
Celebrating five years of service, Eastern Oklahoma County Partnership opens new doors to a new era of economic development in the East Oklahoma City Metro.
By: Eastern Oklahoma County Partnership
Contact
Tim Hight
***@eocpartnership.com Tim Hight
End
-- Five years ago, the five communities east of the Oklahoma City metro formed a unique partnership for the development of the region. On August 25, Eastern Oklahoma County Partnership celebrated its fifth anniversary and officially launched its new location and new plans for the next five years.The open house, sponsored by TDS Telecom, was hosted at EOCP's new location at 17311 NE 23rd Street in Choctaw, OK. Approximately 70 business and community leaders attended, including new EOCP chairman and Jones Mayor Ray Poland. Choctaw and Harrah Chambers of Commerce conducted the official ribbon cutting.EOCP executive director Tim Hight spoke about important benchmarks for EOCP in the first five years. He said he's specifically grateful to EOC Technology center which provided EOCP office space for the first five years. The new office, made possible through strong support of corporate and community partners, is a part of the aggressive EOC Excellence 2021 campaign to advance the regional economy.Hight said, "We look forward to continuing to serve our communities and corporate partners. For people looking to grow their families and their economic outlook, there's no better place than eastern Oklahoma County."EOCP's new location is open weekdays during regular business hours. EOCP plans to launch a new website within two weeks. For immediate inquiries or to learn more about business expansion, call Tim Hight at 405-390-GROW (405-390-4769)The EOCP mission is to catalyze the creation, promotion, and retention of jobs and investment in Eastern Oklahoma County. Priorities include business attraction, supporting existing business, and improving transportation and infrastructure.Questions related to economic development or future investment along the corridor may be directed to Tim Hight at tim@eocpartnership.com. For more information, visit http://www.eocpartnership.com
Fayetteville Residents Jason and Wendy Olsen to Open Lumberton Location of Florida-Based Authentic Southern Barbecue Chain in September
By: Woody's Bar-B-Q
Olsen Family to Open Woodys Bar-B-Q of Lumberton NC in September 2016
Contact
Kasie Bolling - Content Specialist
Out of Her Mind, LLC
***@outofhermindfreelance.com Kasie Bolling - Content SpecialistOut of Her Mind, LLC
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-- After more than 35 years of serving up its signature recipes of slowed smoked meats and comfort food sides to adoring fans, Florida-based barbecue chain Woody's Bar-B-Q is preparing to bring a taste of the Old South to the Old North State. Conveniently located just off of I-95 at 4880 Kahn Drive, the company's newest franchise location Woody's Bar-B-Q of Lumberton will feature barbecue classics such as baby back ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken and more in a warm and welcoming interior with two Carolina natives at the helm, Fayetteville residents Jason and Wendy Olsen."Opening our own restaurant has been a dream on Jason's heart for many years," explained Wendy. "We were drawn to Woody's Bar-B-Q because we felt a personal connection with the story of how Woody Mills and Yolanda Mills-Mawman first launched their company in Jacksonville with a similar dream and some dog-eared recipes. We also really like the fact that Woody's is based on the philosophy that the guest comes first, which will truly resonate in a town where Southern Hospitality reigns supreme. Of course, what finally sold us on the concept was the food. It's fresh and consistently phenomenal. We can't wait for folks in Lumberton and the Fayetteville area to taste it."No strangers to hospitality, Wendy's father built portable pig cookers by hand and catered to many organizations and individuals as a hobby. She grew up watching how good food and great relationships were made through her mom and dad. Jason had a similar experience through a family-owned food packaging store in Clinton, Iowa. The couple has lived in Fayetteville for over 30 years and is excited to be a part of the recent growth in neighboring Lumberton."Jason and Wendy are extremely tapped into their community, which is something we seek in an ideal franchisee,"said Yolanda Mills-Mawman. "It demonstrates a desire to please their neighbors, to serve as good hosts and to have their new restaurant become a valued part of the fabric of that community. Add excellent food, a great location, and service with a smile to the mix, and we believe that's the recipe for success. The Olsen family will represent us well in our first North Carolina franchise."As far as their guests' first visit to Woody's Bar-B-Q of Lumberton is concerned, Jason recommends his personal favorites off the menu: The Texas Beef Brisket and Woody's Signature Baby Back Ribs, while Wendy suggests the Smoked Turkey Breast, Smoked Wings, Barbecue Chicken or Pulled Pork, capped off with a slice of Sky High Pie. In addition to great food and superior service, Woody's Bar-B-Q of Lumberton will offer a family-friendly fun atmosphere, full bar, flat screen TVs throughout, and special promotion nights on the event calendar such as Kids Eat Free Mondays, All-You-Can-Eat nights and Live Music just to name a few.Woody's Bar-B-Q of Lumberton is scheduled to open in mid-to-late September 2016 and a Grand Opening complete with live music is already in the works for sometime this Fall. When not hard at work at their new restaurant, locals can expect to see Wendy, Jason, and their son, J.T. at Freedom Biker Church of Fayetteville or tending to the needs of area homeless through the group HD (Homeless Disciples).In addition to its first North Carolina location, Woody's Bar-B-Q recently opened new franchises in Middletown, New York and Augusta, Georgia. Additional franchises are set to open this Fall in Dallas, Texas and Starke, Florida. For more information about Woody's Bar-B-Q and its list of locations throughout the U.S., barbecue fans and prospective franchisees are invited to visit www.woodys.com After opening their first Woody's Bar-B-Q in 1980, partners Woody Mills and Yolanda Mills-Mawman have spent the past three decades setting the "bar" higher for great Southern Bar-B-Q. From the humble beginnings of just one location in Jacksonville, Florida, a shared passion for Bar-B-Q, and a dog-eared collection of recipes, Mills and Mawman have grown the Woody's Bar-B-Q brand to locations reaching from the Deep South where Bar-B-Q is king to the Northeast and Western fronts. Perhaps best known for their legendary melt-in-your-mouth slow-smoked Signature Baby Back Ribs, Woody's has also built quite a following among patrons with their secret recipe Bar-B-Q sauces and meats, as well as their freshly prepared comfort food-inspired side dishes. Individuals who wish to learn more about becoming a Woody's Bar-B-Q franchisee are encouraged to visit http://www.woodys.com/ franchise/
In H1 2016, total modern retail stock in Poland rose to more than 13.5 million sq m GLA. The key trends include new shopping centre and retail park openings in cities below 100,000 inhabitants and the growth of the outlet centre sector in agglomerations with 200,000400,000 inhabitants. Cushman & Wakefield,
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Following Govt of Indias announcement to reduce import duty on CBU bikes, BMW Motorrad today revealed that they will pass on the benefits to customers. Effective immediately, prices of all BMW bikes on sale in India has been reduced by 10%.
Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, said, BMW Motorrad has already become the most anticipated and exhilarating brand to enter India. With the new attractive price-value proposition, we will offer bike enthusiasts an opportunity to experience unrivalled and exceptional motorcycling. Our commitment to deliver unique experiences and amazing ride quality gets further strengthened as the engagement with the Indian market grows stronger through enhanced value offerings.
New Price List
Motorcycle Variant Price BMW F 750 GS Standard 12,20,000 BMW F 850 GS Standard 13,70,000 BMW R 1200 R Standard 14,90,000 Exclusive 15,40,000 Style 15,50,000 BMW R nineT Scrambler Standard 15,40,000 BMW R nineT Racer Standard 16,50,000 BMW R nineT Standard 17,30,000 BMW R 1200 RS Standard 15,40,000 Dynamic+ 16,40,000 BMW R 1200 GS Standard 15,70,000 Pro 18,90,000 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure Standard 17,10,000 Pro 20,80,000 BMW S 1000 R Standard 16,30,000 Sport 17,20,000 Pro 18,10,000 BMW S 1000 XR Standard 17,50,000 Pro 19,90,000 BMW S 1000 RR Standard 17,90,000 Pro 20,60,000 BMW R 1200 RT Standard 18,20,000 Pro 21,50,000 BMW K 1600 GTL Pro 28,30,000 BMW K 1600 B Pro 28,10,000
Though this is great news, it saddens those fans who continue to wait for the G310R and G310GS. Both these bikes are made in India and are on sale in many countries around the globe. As per latest reports, both these bikes will be launched together in India, by Diwali 2018.
Once launched, G310R will be the most affordable BMW bike on offer with price expected to start in the INR 2 to 2.5 lakh range. Powered by an all new 313 cc, four stroke single cylinder engine generating 34 bhp power at 9,500 rpm and 28 Nm torque at 7,500 rpm, via a 6 speed gearbox. Features on offer includes, dual channel ABS, upside down forks, digital instrument control, Michelin tyres, monoshock rear suspension, LED taillights and side blinkers, and much more. The bike has already entered production at the TVS Motor plant in Hosur.
News Release
A research team including developmental biologist Stephen A. Duncan, D. Phil., SmartStateTM Chair of Regenerative Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), has found a better way to purify liver cells made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Their efforts, published August 25, 2016 in Stem Cell Reports, will aid studies of liver disease for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)'s $80 million Next Generation Genetic Association Studies (Next Gen) Program. The University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) and the Medical College of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) contributed to the study.
This new methodology could facilitate progress toward an important clinical goal: the treatment of patients with disease-causing mutations in their livers by transplant of unmutated liver cells derived from their own stem cells. Previous attempts to generate liver-like cells from stem cells have yielded heterogeneous cell populations that bear little resemblance to diseased livers in patients.
NHLBI's Next Gen was created to bank stem cell lines sourced from patients in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The goal of the NHLBI Next Gen Lipid Conditions sub-section -- a collaborative effort between Duncan and Daniel J. Rader, M.D., and Edward E. Morrisey, Ph.D., both at the University of Pennsylvania -- is to help determine the genetic sources of heart, lung, or blood conditions that also encompass the liver. These GWAS studies map the genomes in hundreds of people as a way to look for genetic mutation patterns that differ from the genomes of healthy individuals.
A GWAS study becomes more powerful -- more likely to find the correct genetic mutations that cause a disease -- as more genomes are mapped. Once a panel of suspected mutations is built, stem cells from these individuals can be "pushed" in culture dishes to differentiate into any of the body's cells, as for example liver-, heart-, or vascular-like cells. The cells can be screened in high-throughput formats (i.e., cells are expanded and cultured in many dishes) to learn more about the mutations and to test panels of drugs that might ultimately help treat patients harboring a disease.
The problem arises during the "pushing." For example, iPSCs stubbornly refuse to mature uniformly into liver-like cells when fed growth factors. Traditionally, antibodies have been used to recognize features of maturity on the surfaces of cells and purify cells that are alike. This approach has been crucial to stem cell research, but available antibodies that recognize mature liver cells are few and tend to recognize many different kinds of cells. The many types of cells in mixed populations have diverse characteristics that can obscure underlying disease-causing genetic variations, which tend to be subtle.
"Without having a pure population of liver cells, it was incredibly difficult to pick up these relatively subtle differences caused by the mutations, but differences that are important in the life of an individual," said Duncan.
Instead of relying on antibodies, Duncan and his crew embraced a new technology called chemoproteomic cell surface capture (CSC) technology. True to its name, CSC technology allowed the group to map the proteins on the surface of liver cells that were most highly produced during the final stages of differentiation of stem cells into liver cells. The most abundant protein was targeted with an antibody labeled with a fluorescent marker and used to sort the mature liver cells from the rest.
The procedure was highly successful: the team had a population of highly pure, homogeneous, and mature liver-like cells. Labeled cells had far more similar traits of mature hepatocytes than unlabeled cells. Pluripotent stem cells that had not differentiated were excluded from the group of labeled cells.
"That's important," said Duncan. "If you're wanting to transplant cells into somebody that has liver disease, you really don't want to be transplanting pluripotent cells because pluripotent cells form tumors called teratocarcinomas."
Duncan cautions that transplantation of iPSC-derived liver cells is not yet ready for translation to the clinic. But the technology for sorting homogeneous liver cells can be used now to successfully and accurately model and study disease in the cell culture dish.
"We think that by being able to generate pure populations, it will get rid of the variability, and therefore really help us combine with GWAS studies to identify allelic variations that are causative of a disease, at least in the liver," said Duncan.
Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of cardiometabolic conditions, may be a biological mechanism linking posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to structural brain abnormalities, according to a new study in Biological Psychiatry. The findings highlight the need to develop effective interventions for PTSD to treat not only the symptoms associated with the disorder, but also potential ensuing metabolic and neurodegenerative consequences, which may be suggestive of premature aging.
"The results of this study have important implications for our newest cohort of veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan," said first author Erika Wolf from the National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System in Massachusetts. "They suggest that it might be appropriate to view PTSD as a risk factor for metabolic disease and as such, to screen young veterans with PTSD for metabolic problems."
Stress has been thought to be a contributing factor to the development of metabolic syndrome, which occurs about twice as often in patients with PTSD than in the general population. Additionally, metabolic syndrome increases risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other medical conditions that often accompany PTSD, and is associated with neurodegeneration.
In the study, jointly funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, senior author Mark Miller, also from the National Center for PTSD, and colleagues examined the associations between PTSD, metabolic syndrome, and structural integrity of the brain. They assessed 346 United States military veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan who participated in the Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) for PTSD and metabolic syndrome, of which 274 also had magnetic resonance imaging measures of cortical thickness, an index of the neural integrity of the brain.
Consistent with previously published rates, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among veterans with PTSD was nearly twice as high as those without PTSD. Structural brain images revealed an association between greater metabolic syndrome severity and reduced cortical thickness. In an analysis with multivariate statistical models, the researchers then found an indirect effect of PTSD on cortical thickness via metabolic syndrome severity.
"Our finding that PTSD-related metabolic syndrome was associated with reduced thickness in large regions of the cortex of the brain is alarming, particularly given that veterans in this study were, on average, quite young and in their early 30s," said Wolf.
The question of how PTSD and metabolic syndrome affect brain structure remains unanswered and additional research will be needed to rule out the possibility that reductions in cortical thickness are actually a risk factor, rather than consequence, of PTSD and metabolic syndrome.
Still, according to Wolf, this association raises concern about the possibility of subsequent neurocognitive decline in this population. "The effects observed in this study may be part of larger PTSD-related accelerated cellular aging process that is manifested in premature health decline," she said..
"This important study suggests a link between PTSD, metabolic syndrome, and brain health," said John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "By implication, this study suggests that effective treatment for PTSD is needed to reduce emotional distress and to preserve overall health."
Even though the Defense Secretary Ash Carter earlier this year formally opened all combat jobs to women, two University of Kansas researchers say the U.S. military needs to work on changing significant cultural aspects to fully integrate women in the armed forces.
"The challenging work begins during policy implementation, which includes breaking down assumptions that are part of leadership within the organization and working on shifting the mindset of the military," said Alesha Doan, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration and Department of Political Science. "Ultimately we argue that the military should consider implementing training that directly addresses the pervasive stereotypes and cultural understandings of gender."
Doan and co-author Shannon Portillo, also an associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration, published their findings recently in the journal Sex Roles. Based on 28 focus groups, they interviewed 198 soldiers and conducted surveys with 1,701 men and 214 women all involved in jobs with the U.S. Army Special Forces, an elite component of Special Operations Command commonly known as the Green Berets. The research was conducted from October 2013 to February 2014 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Leavenworth in Kansas.
Female participants in the study came from units that all serve as support for Special Forces when they are deployed. For example, Civil Affairs personnel focus on engaging with local populations and building strategic connections with local leaders.
The researchers found that ascribed gender identity was fluid for female soldiers and static for male soldiers. Many female soldiers reported being scrutinized due to their gender by fellow male soldiers, based on stereotypes about their job performance, while populations outside the United States they worked with on deployment tended not to do so.
Male soldiers, though, still acted to reinforce strict gender hierarchies.
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"Female soldiers' experiences are important because they often refute some of the stereotypes and assumptions their male colleagues may hold about women's ability to serve in combat units," Portillo said.
The researchers said these attitudes could cause military leaders to rely on assumptions and hypothetical scenarios to guide certain decisions on gendered policies and practices rather than evidence-based reasoning.
"As combat forces integrate, it is important for soldiers to understand the experience of women fighting alongside them, rather than relying on stereotypes or assumptions about gender," Portillo said.
The researchers said military men are often positioned as gatekeepers to women's acceptance within Special Forces specifically because men still hold a majority of the leadership positions throughout the military, and traditionally leaders' experiences have mirrored the identity and experience of soldiers coming after them. But with recent changes, that is often no longer the case.
"It is important for leaders to recognize and understand perspectives and experiences from vantage points other than their own," Doan said.
Most of the military's gender integration occurs at the unit level, the researchers acknowledged, so male soldiers can create an environment that is either hostile and excluding of women or not.
In revamping how the military trains soldiers to address underlying assumptions of male soldiers, leaders could look to how women soldiers were viewed overseas as a potential point to emphasize.
Through deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan, many female participants in the study mentioned their experiences of accessing women in the Middle East and how indigenous people there often see them as Americans and soldiers first instead of a woman first.
"American female soldiers have the ability to add a new perspective and increase access for the military," Portillo said. "Traditional assumptions about gender were displaced for American women by their identities as soldiers and Americans. This allowed them to serve as additional assets to the military, without the assumed burdens based on their gender."
Two newer epilepsy drugs may not harm the thinking skills or IQs of school-aged children whose mothers took them while pregnant -- but an older drug is linked to cognitive problems in children, especially if their mothers took high doses -- according to new research from The University of Manchester.
Valproate, one of the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic medications, has been associated in the past with birth defects and developmental problems. However, two newer drugs -- levetiracetam and topirimate -- have had little or no investigations into their developmental impact until this latest research, published published in the August 31, 2016, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Lead researcher and author of the paper Dr Rebecca Bromley, of The University of Manchester's School of Biological Sciences, said expectant mothers had to know the possible impacts their drug regimes may have on unborn children.
"Over the past few years, doctors have been moving away from prescribing valproate to pregnant women, shifting them to the two newer antiepileptic drugs. But, until now, there hasn't been any definitive research to understand what implications for IQ and development these two drugs may have.
"Working with funding from Epilepsy Research UK, our team was able to undertake a rigorous set of tests on the children of 171 women who had taken one of the three drugs while pregnant. From the results, we have concluded that -- at the moment -- levetiracetam and topiramate have no discernable impact on childhood intellectual development.
"However promising a start our findings are, we do acknowledge larger studies need to be carried out regularly to ensure these drugs do not change the thinking abilities of children in the future."
The 171 mothers were identified using the UK Epilepsy and Pregnancy Register; each had a child between five and nine years old. Of these 171 women, 42 had taken levetiracetam, 27 had taken topirimate and 47 had taken valproate while pregnant -- an additional control group of women with similarly-aged children who had not taken any antiepileptic drug while pregnant was also included in the study.
Dr Bromley and her team performed tests on their children to measure IQ, verbal and non-verbal comprehension, and the speed at which they could process visual information.
Regardless of the level of dose of medication, the topirimate and levetiracetam-prescribed group showed no discernible difference in IQ or thinking skills compared to the control group.
However, the valproate group had an average IQ 11 points lower than the control, levetiracetam and topirimate cohort.
"Expectant mothers with epilepsy may need to continue their drug regime during pregnancy; this research may give them some reassurance that -- provided they are prescribed topirimate and levetiracetam -- they will a statistically good chance of normal, healthy development in their children," concluded Dr Bromley.
A judge sent a 24-year-old Lincoln man to prison Wednesday for 3 to six years for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and misdemeanor domestic assault.
Detrick Smith pleaded guilty. Lancaster County District Judge John Colborn sentenced him Wednesday.
Because the gun charge carries a mandatory minimum, Smith won't be eligible for parole until after serving three years and three months.
Around 4 a.m. Dec. 28, Lincoln police were sent to a woman's home about a man refusing to leave. When officers got there, Smith agreed to leave. But less than 5 minutes later, they were sent back after the woman got a text from Smith saying he had hidden his "hammer," slang for gun, under a couch cushion. Police found a loaded 9mm handgun there.
Smith cannot legally possess a firearm because he is a convicted felon.
The woman also told police he had threatened to pistol-whip her with it during an argument earlier that morning.
In an extraordinary find, a team of Australian researchers have uncovered the world's oldest fossils in a remote area of Greenland, capturing the earliest history of the planet and demonstrating that life on Earth emerged rapidly in the planet's early years.
Led by the University of Wollongong's (UOW) Professor Allen Nutman, the team discovered 3.7-billion-year-old stromatolite fossils in the world's oldest sedimentary rocks, in the Isua Greenstone Belt along the edge of Greenland's icecap.
The findings are outlined in a study published in Nature, with co-authors Associate Professor Vickie Bennett from The Australian National University (ANU), the University of New South Wales' (UNSW) Professor Martin Van Kranendonk, and Professor Allan Chivas, from UOW.
The discovery of the Isua stromatolite fossils provides a greater understanding of early diversity of life on Earth and researchers said could have implications for our understanding of life on Mars. Professor Nutman, from UOW's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, said the Isua stromatolite fossils predated the world's previous oldest stromatolite fossils -- which were found in Western Australia -- by 220 million years.
The discovery pushes back the fossil record to near the start of Earth's geological record and points to evidence of life on Earth very early in its history. The Isua stromatolites, which were exposed by the recent melting of a perennial snow patch, were laid down in shallow sea, providing the first evidence of an environment in which early life thrived.
For much of Earth's history, life was just single cells, and stromatolite fossils are mounds of carbonate constructed by these communities of microbes.
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"The significance of stromatolites is that not only do they provide obvious evidence of ancient life that is visible with the naked eye, but that they are complex ecosystems," Professor Nutman said.
"This indicates that as long as 3.7 billion years ago microbial life was already diverse. This diversity shows that life emerged within the first few hundred millions years of Earth's existence, which is in keeping with biologists' calculations showing the great antiquity of life's genetic code."
Co-lead investigator Associate Professor Vickie Bennett, from ANU, said this study provided a new perspective into the history of Earth.
"This discovery turns the study of planetary habitability on its head," Associate Professor Bennett said.
"Rather than speculating about potential early environments, for the first time we have rocks that we know record the conditions and environments that sustained early life. Our research will provide new insights into chemical cycles and rock-water-microbe interactions on a young planet."
Professor Martin Van Kranendonk, Director of the Australian Centre for Astrobiology at UNSW, of which Professor Nutman is also an Associate Member, said it was a groundbreaking find that could point to similar life structures on Mars, which 3.7 billion years ago was a damp environment.
"The structures and geochemistry from newly exposed outcrops in Greenland display all of the features used in younger rocks to argue for a biological origin," Professor Van Kranendonk said.
"This discovery represents a new benchmark for the oldest preserved evidence of life on Earth. It points to a rapid emergence of life on Earth and supports the search for life in similarly ancient rocks on Mars."
The investigation, conducted by the Australian science team in collaboration with a UK partner, was funded by a grant from the Australian Research Council.
What happens when a picture is not worth 1,000 words?
That's the question Katie Stofer, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, explored in a newly published study, as she talked to scientists and lay people about images presented by scientists.
Artwork and graphics can help augment the written words in articles and verbal presentations, particularly if the audience is scientists. But lay people are not likely to understand those graphics, according to the study by Stofer, a UF/IFAS research assistant professor in agricultural education and communication.
Stofer conducted the study to find out the differences in what "experts" and "novices" gleaned when they viewed visuals produced by scientists. She showed graphic elements to 12 scientists and 17 lay people. Participants were shown versions of global satellite data visuals about sea surface temperatures and chlorophyll.
The upshot of the small experiment? For the most part, the experts could interpret the graphics; the novices gleaned very little information from them. While the novices did not understand the graphics very easily when they were not changed from the original ones used by scientists, they understood much more of the content after graphics were translated to use more familiar colors and labels, Stofer said.
"Just like with jargon, images can have cultural meanings that are not obvious to people outside that culture, and people creating scientific graphics need to be aware of that and do their best to translate and distill their messages," said Stofer, who conducted the study while a doctoral student at Oregon State University. "Just because it's a visual, people don't automatically understand it if the graphics are 'jargony' themselves. Just as scientists need to use different words for audiences with different backgrounds, so, too, do scientists need to consider using different images for different audiences."
Examples abound as to why the scientists need to explain themselves in easier-to-understand ways, Stofer said.
Scientists increasingly use data visualization to convey information, especially through rapidly spreading technologies such as Science on a Sphere from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, according to the study. Science on a Sphere is a room-sized global display system that uses computers and video to display planetary data on a 6-foot diameter sphere. Researchers at NOAA developed the sphere as an education tool to help illustrate earth science to people of all ages.
Additionally, teachers sometimes feel uncomfortable presenting classroom versions of spherical globes, Google Earth or even documentary films because they don't have the time or resources to align un-translated visuals to their students' learning levels, Stofer said.
Stofer's new study was published in the Journal of Geoscience Education.
New research by the Center for Hunger-Free Communities at Drexel University shows that participants in a federal assistance program for families living in poverty have overwhelmingly high levels of adversity and exposure to violence that can limit their success in the workplace. In spite of that, employment is a requirement to qualify for many of these programs.
Providing monetary assistance to those living in poverty, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program requires each family's head of household to work at least 20 hours per week unless they are exempt. But the Center's study -- which looked at Philadelphia families with children under the age of six who are participating in TANF -- made it clear that such safety net programs need to take the difficulties of poverty into account.
The research team from Drexel found that an extremely high number of participants witnessed or have been subject to violence, and roughly a third had an adverse childhood experience (such as abuse or neglect). Additionally, nearly half of the fathers of the participants' youngest child spent time in prison.
"Programs like TANF require participants to overcome overwhelming stress without proper support. Participants face adversity in their childhoods that cause lifelong mental health challenges and can be barriers to success, "said Mariana Chilton, PhD, MPH, director of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities and professor in Drexel's Dornsife School of Public Health. "By acknowledging exposure to trauma and toxic stress and by building in peer support into TANF, programs like our Building Wealth and Health Network can better prepare families for the workforce and help them to break out of poverty."
Families who were part of the Center's study were participants in the Building Wealth and Health Network, a demonstration project out of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities that began in 2014. The Network offers trauma-informed peer support groups and financial empowerment classes. As part of the class, the participants open savings accounts and -- through grant funding -- the Center matches their deposits.
According to the study's data, of the 103 participants (94 percent of whom were women), 65 percent had seen someone who was seriously wounded by violence and 27 percent saw someone being killed. On top of that, 60 percent said they'd been slapped, punched or hit, 30 percent said they'd been beaten up or mugged and over 17 percent said they'd been attacked or stabbed with a knife.
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When it came to adverse experiences from their childhood, 43 percent of the participants in the study reported substance abuse by a household member, 37 percent reported emotional abuse and 18 percent had been sexually abused.
Almost 60 percent of the participants reported depression and just over half said they felt their food situation was threatened or unsecure.
All of these numbers were significantly higher than a representative sample of the population of Philadelphia.
The study, which was published in BMC Public Health, was led by Chilton and co-authored by Seth Welles, PHD, ScD, a professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health. Jing Sun, a now-graduated doctoral student in the Dornsife School of Public Health, analyzed the data and was the first author on the paper.
Although their findings indicate that those on TANF face many challenges when trying to gain steady employment, the study team found that, on a scale established to measure employment hope, most participants were rated at the high end. In fact, a little more than 20 percent had the top score. On a scale for self-efficacy, the participants again ranked relatively high, slightly exceeding the national average.
"These results prove that people receiving TANF benefits are highly motivated and confident in their career readiness, but face many obstacles in achieving their goals," said Falguni Patel, research manager of the Building Wealth and Health Network. "Our public assistance programs need to improve those programs so more people can be successful."
With so many challenges faced by young families in poverty, safety net programs like TANF need to integrate programs and services that address trauma. The research shows that TANF participants want to work but need access to programs that address financial and psychological adversity, like the Building Wealth and Health Network, to ensure potential success in the workforce.
"Our research shows that the adversities faced by families in poverty can be overcome. Through a trauma-informed approach, families can gain the skills and support they need in order to break the cycle of poverty," said Patel. "Our goal is to see these findings inform TANF and other programs so they are more focused on the needs and therefore success of the participants."
Approximately one-third of apprentices in Germany are at elevated risk of occupational asthma, allergies, and dermatitis. In this edition of Deutsches Arzteblatt International, Katja Radon et al. use a systematic search of the literature as the basis for investigating the advice doctors should give to young people with allergic sensitization or a manifest prior allergic disorder, regarding their future careers.
Internationally, approximately 16% of asthma cases and probably a high percentage of hand eczema cases in adulthood are attributed to occupational exposure. However, the predictive value of a personal history of allergic diseases for the later development of an occupationally induced disease is limited, so only young people with severe asthma or allergic eczema should be advised against higher-risk occupations. These include work as hairdressers, zookeepers, bakers/pastry chefs, nurses, and others.
The authors believe it is important that young people predisposed to allergies be informed of their individual risk and appropriate preventive measures. They should receive follow-up at regular intervals for 2 to 3 years after the beginning of occupational exposure, so that any early treatment and individual protection measures can be implemented. If sensitization or allergic symptoms arise, it should be carefully considered whether exposure reduction will enable the apprentice to stay on the job.
At first glance, it might seem like an all-too typical scene from a long-running tradition of bloodsport. A man stands in an arena, baiting and goading a bull. When the terrified animal finally charges his antagonist, he's met with a sword.
PACMA
More swords follow, each thrust accompanied by a roar from the crowd. Except this isn't an ordinary bullfight. This is a grown man killing a baby animal. The bull, according to The Mirror, hadn't been weaned off his mother's milk before being thrown into an arena. This is a baby bull fight. No, not the kind we've seen before where a bullfighter, inexplicably, brings his own baby into the arena. But the kind where someone's else's child, a calf, is brought into the ring to die in a theatrical flourish of swordplay and unabashed cruelty. Last week, Spain's Animal Rights Party (PACMA) released a video of the so-called becerrada, the name given for this particularly sad spectacle involving young bulls. Warning: Graphic images below The event, according to PACMA's Facebook page, took place in the Spanish city of Valmojado this month, at the height of the country's summer festival season. It ends with the bull, whose horns haven't even fully grown yet, coughing up blood and collapsing.
Dodo Shows Little But Fierce Pocket-Sized Kitten Grows Up To Be A Wild Woman
PACMA
"The team that has had to make this video have had their hearts broken while working with these images," PACMA president Silvia Barquero told The Mirror. "Although we are used to facing these kinds of acts, we were completely unable to hold back the tears, we will never forget it."
When Colleen Hegarty went to Bahrain, a tiny country off the coast of Saudi Arabia, on a Fulbright scholarship, she had no idea she'd end up bringing a dog back home to Florida with her. But during her 10-month stay in Bahrain, Hegarty discovered Cooper in the most shocking place. He hadn't been a street dog or a shelter dog.
Cooper before and after Hagarty rescued and adopted him. | Colleen Hegarty
He was a zoo dog. "In late April of 2016, I stumbled upon this zoo," Hegarty told The Dodo. "I was initially shocked upon entering the zoo - animal abuse had been completely normalized and visitors not only enjoyed, but made animals' conditions worse by banging on cages, throwing rubbish at animals, provoking animals and poking animals with sticks through the cages." But most surprising of all at the Arman Zoo were the cats and dogs in cages, just beside caged baboons and alligators.
Jasmine was rescued and adopted by a family in Bahrain. | Colleen Hegarty
"Cats, ribs visible and missing large patches of fur, were starving and clinging on to the sides of the cages, begging for a morsel of food," Hegarty said. "Large-breed dogs hid in the backs of their cages hoping to not attract attention while visitors paid the equivalent of $3 to 'walk' smaller breeds around." Temperatures were scorching and the dogs and cats were often seen panting. "The skin on their paws was burnt and their tongues hung out without any access to water," Hegarty said.
Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life
Guillermo was rescued and now lives with his forever family in Virginia. | Colleen Hagarty
When Hegarty spoke to the zoo manager, she convinced him to let her facilitate adoptions for the zoo cats and dogs. The manager agreed first to let the "mixed breeds" go, since he couldn't profit from breeding them anyway. Hegarty ended up rescuing all the 24 cats out of the zoo, and 20 of the dogs, and adopting them out as pets.
One of the dogs still suffering at the zoo | Colleen Hagarty
But before she could do that, she had to get them medical care. She raised funds to spay and neuter the animals and treat them for illness and injury. "The dogs taken out of the zoo had tick fever and were covered in ticks and matted," Hegarty said. "Some dogs were malnourished, and had colitis from severe cases of worms; some had to have oral surgery on their rotten teeth." Many of the dogs also had broken knee caps, broken tails, broken jaws, and severe anxiety and food aggression disorders stemming from the abuse they suffered.
Graciela is now up for adoption in Florida. This is her when she was still at the zoo. | Colleen Hegarty
The cats "were so skinny that you could feel every bone in their spine and ribs," Hegarty said. "They were starving and developed mouth ulcers as a result. They were malnourished. They were covered in fleas and anemic from the fleas and in addition suffered from other conditions like ringworm and eye infections." Some didn't make it.
One of the dogs still suffering at the zoo | Colleen Hegarty
Miraculously enough, thanks to Hegarty, every single surviving cat has now been rescued from the zoo. Eighteen cats and five dogs found homes in Bahrain, and those who didn't were flown to the U.S. Four dogs are still up for adoption in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami, Florida, area.
Estrella before and after her rescue. She now lives with her forever family in Virginia. | Colleen Hegarty
But there's still work to be done for the other animals Hegarty had no choice but to leave behind, including the wild animals she couldn't get adopted out - for now.
One of the dogs still suffering at the zoo | Colleen Hegarty
"Animal rights in Bahrain are nonexistent and the government has not been responsive in dealing with the issues at the zoo," Hegarty said. "Since the government is unresponsive, I'm trying to raise awareness of the conditions at this zoo and prove to the government that the international community cares about these animals."
Four Paws
An emergency relief mission has arrived at a zoo of horrors - where starving animals share ramshackle cages with their poorly preserved dead companions - in the city of Khan Younis in war-torn Gaza. Warning: Disturbing images below
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"The surviving big cats - one lioness and a tiger - are penned up in their destroyed enclosures and are highly emaciated. Many other animals have already starved," Dr. Amir Khalil, a veterinary surgeon heading the Four Paws International mission, said in a statement Tuesday. On April 15, Four Paws became the first animal welfare organization granted entry to Gaza, representative Claire LaFrance told The Dodo.
The zoo's animals - including lions, tigers, primates, birds and reptiles - were smuggled through Egypt via underground tunnels. Those who die of neglect are gutted, stuffed with sawdust and preserved with homemade formaldehyde.
Known as South Forest Park, the zoo opened its gates with 65 live animals in 2007 - the year Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic political party, seized Gaza. During Israel's airstrikes against Hamas in 2008, the zoo grounds were abandoned for three weeks, owner Mohammed Awaida told the Associated Press in 2012. That's when Awaida, using how-to guides he found online, began mummifying animal carcasses.
"We have more variations and different species as preserved animals than we have living," a zoo official said. "If there will be more [Israeli border] restrictions we may end up calling it preserved animals zoo." For the languishing animals who remain, Four Paws represents hope. Khalil treated a lioness, baboon and llama - who suffered from severe infections - and vaccinated many more animals.
A 63-year-old Iowa man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of child enticement after authorities say he traveled to Lincoln to have sex with an underage girl, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Attorney General's office said.
Dennis Ray Ragan, of Moville, responded to an online ad he believed was posted by a 15-year-old girl, a news release said.
Ragan exchanged 170 emails in August with an undercover investigator from the Attorney General's Office who was posing as the girl, the release said.
Lincoln police helped take Ragan into custody outside of a laundry mat on Cornhusker Highway.
He remained at the Lancaster County jail Wednesday night.
For nine years, all Laziz knew was life inside of a small cage at a zoo in Khan Younis, a town in war-torn Gaza.
Laziz, Gaza's last tiger | Four Paws International
The zoo first opened in 2007, but earned its reputation as the "worst zoo in the world" after dead, mummified animals were seen propped up next to living ones in 2008. The horrifying discovery came after the zoo's animals had been abandoned for three weeks due to airstrikes from Israel. It wasn't until mid-April of 2015 that the remaining, living animals of the zoo would get the help they desperately needed. Four Paws was the first welfare organization allowed to enter Gaza to check on the animals, and plans to free them were set in motion.
Four Paws International
"The surviving big cats - one lioness and a tiger - are penned up in their destroyed enclosures and are highly emaciated," said Dr. Amir Khalil, a veterinarian leading the Four Paws rescue effort, said in a press release at the time. The zoo had opened with 65 animals, though that number dwindled down to 16 - including Laziz, the last tiger in all of Gaza. Then, just last month, the best possible outcome finally came to fruition.
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Four Paws International
"After long negotiations, a daring rescue mission finally has the green light," Four Paws wrote in a press release. "Four Paws is finally going to be able to rescue the 16 animals from Khan Younis Zoo in the Gaza Strip and not only transfer them to new homes, but close the so-called 'worst zoo in the world' for good!"
Laziz during a break in his transport to South Africa | Four Paws International
Birds, monkeys, tortoises, porcupines, an emu and Laziz were all rushed to safety - most of the animals found a new home in Jordan's New Hope Center. Laziz was transported to Four Paws' Lionsrock Lodge & Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. It seemed Laziz was more than ready for a new start in life. According to Four Paws, Laziz's new home features two acres of grassy land and a swimming pool. "Laziz made a start and went into his transport crate without hesitation," Four Paws wrote on Facebook in late August. "He even seems to behave more calm in the crate now than he ever has in his desolate cage." Throughout his transport, Laziz was pampered with fresh water, food and "air conditioning" - his crate was kept cool with ice and a fan.
Laziz in his new home at Lionsrock in South Africa | Four Paws International
The tiger arrived safely in South Africa and was released into the sanctuary just a few days ago. He's been using his time to soak up the new sights and smells of his tranquil surroundings since, Four Paws said.
Four Paws International
"We had the impression that he was so relaxed and confident when he arrived , but he is actually quite sensitive and will take more time than expected to come out of his shell and feel safe in his new home," Fiona Miles, country director of Four Paws, told The Dodo.
In his new home, Laziz will finally get to eat proper meals. | Four Paws International
He mostly keeps to himself for the time being, but is finding security and comfort within the structures of his new enclosure - which is all normal behavior for newly arrived rescued animals.
Lionsrock Lodge & Big Cat Sanctuary
"I can also imagine that the silence around him at Lionsrock compared to the noisy and violent environment in Gaza is very new for him," Hildegard Pirker, head of animal welfare at Lionsrock, told The Dodo. "He is barely reacting when we are talking to him or calling his name, but I am sure this will eventually change."
Lionsrock Lodge & Big Cat Sanctuary
In the meanwhile, Laziz continues to enjoy his new life, stretching lazily in the warm African sun, surrounded by caretakers who will be there for him every step of the way - a far cry from the sad and isolated life he once lived in Gaza.
Lionsrock Lodge & Big Cat Sanctuary
Basil the rescue rabbit is the ultimate beach bunny.
Amelia Perez
Basil and her mom, Amelia Perez, went to the Delaware shore for a couple of weeks, with family.
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Amelia Perez
There, Basil had two main activities. One, making people stop in their tracks and smile, as harness-wearing rabbits frolicking by the sea aren't so common. And two, digging about a thousand holes in the sand. "The excitement of digging holes was overwhelming almost," Perez tells The Dodo. "Basil would run in one direction, dig a hole, run again, dig another hole, and the cycle kept on going until she found a place where she thought it was appropriate to dig her final hole to lie down in."
Amelia Perez
These days, life is pretty fantastic for Basil back in the real world, too. Though things weren't always so great. She was handed over to the Washington Humane Society/Washington Animal Rescue League, D.C.'s municipal shelter, this past the spring, because "no one in the household was taking care of her," spokesperson Alix John Tolley tells The Dodo.
WHS/WARL
Perez had never had a rabbit companion before. A beloved guinea pig, Chester, introduced her to the joys of little companions. But Chester died last year of kidney stones. "I loved having a small animal, so I inquired at my local shelter about their small animals," Perez says.
Amelia Perez
Basil came home in April. She was fearful at first, not used to being held. Perez also quickly noticed that her new friend didn't run around much inside, so she thought: Why not try putting her on a harness and leash, and maybe she'd be more active with a change of scene? A trip to the store yielded all the necessary supplies, and out they went. "The first time I put her outside she just sat there, her ears were going in all sorts of directions so I could tell she was listening to everything around her," says Perez. "It took her about 10 minutes to get the idea to start hopping, but once she did she ran up my street."
Amelia Perez
Basil now loves affection and attention - so much so, that she'll nip Perez's phone if she dares let it distract her during a cuddle session.
Amelia Perez
Perez and Basil regularly stroll/hop around the neighborhood, getting some exercise and showing off how great rabbits are. Perez lets her little pal choose their direction and pace, and pretty much everything else, on these outings. "I like to think of the time I walk her as her time to be a bunny, and hop wherever she pleases," Perez says.
Amelia Perez
The pair gets lots of questions - Perez hopes they lead to more bunnies being adopted and taken on adventures - and lots of people asking for pictures. "I've had as many as 10 children come and pat her all at once," says Perez. "She just loves all of the attention and showed no signs of being afraid."
Amelia Perez
The Ontario-based owner of the Swiss Chalet, Milestones, East Side Marios and other restaurant chains is strengthening its position in Western Canada through a $93 million deal to acquire majority ownership of the Original Joes group.
Cara Operations Ltd. of Vaughan, Ont., said Thursday it will acquire an 89.2 per cent stake in Original Joes Franchise Group Inc., which has 99 corporate, franchise and joint-venture restaurant-bar locations.
The Calgary-based group is anchored by 66 Original Joes restaurants. It also has 23 State & Main locations, 10 Elephant & Castle pubs and a small general contracting company that designs and builds restaurant and retail locations.
Original Joes corporate head office will remain in Calgary under the leadership of president and CEO Derek Doke, who will also be a minority owner of Original Joes Franchise Group through Franworks Franchise Corp., a management company founded in 2000.
Cara CEO Bill Gregson told analysts on a conference call that Original Joes is a natural fit because of its strong management team, the opportunity to grow profit margins through increased size and its presence in Western Canada.
We have been, historically, very heavy in Ontario and underrepresented in some of the other provinces, Gregson said.
Cara has about one restaurant per 21,000 people in Ontario compared with one per 59,000 people in Western Canada and one per 140,000 in Quebec, he said.
The Original Joes acquisition will improve Caras penetration in Western Canada to one per 41,000 people and the pending acquisition of St-Hubert, announced in March, will raise its Quebec presence to one in 49,000.
So over the long term, that evens out the risk we have in any one area, Gregson said.
He added there will also be opportunities for Cara and Original Joes to improve their efficiencies.
We know we can help them, Day 1 after closing, on food costs without changing anything they do because of our purchasing power, he said.
He also noted there may be ways to lower Original Joes labour costs through Caras management techniques and to lower Caras building costs especially in Western Canada with Old Joes contracting company.
Original Joes Franchise Group will use $90 million from Cara to re-acquire its trademarks and royalty rights from Diversified Royalty Corp. This will allow Original Joes to retain about $12.6 million in annual royalty payments.
Doke said the opportunity to partner with Cara was attractive from a strategic and synergistic perspective, and puts Franworks in a solid financial position.
Cara Operations, which currently has about 1,000 restaurants in its network, says its total system sales will reach about $2.7 billion after adding the Original Joes group and the St-Hubert chain.
The Original Joes transaction, subject to approvals, has a targeted closing date of late 2016.
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MONTREALOrganizers of a Montreal-area puppet show found themselves apologizing to the public after a song about prison rape was performed during a family-friendly show where children were present.
They said a series of errors led to the song, Prison B----, being played during the open-air festival in the Verdun borough last weekend.
We sincerely regret the discomfort experienced by the parents who were present, as well as for having lacked vigilance over the entire contents of our show, Promenade Wellington said in a statement.
A video posted online shows several children watching and one dancing along to the song as two puppeteers manipulate a puppet onstage.
Ronit Milo, who posted the video after attending the show with her 3-year-old son, said she was surprised the song was chosen for an all-ages event.
There was no disclaimer before the performance that there would be any adult content, she told The Canadian Press on Wednesday.
She said her son was too young to understand the songs lyrics and she was satisfied by the festivals response.
In a lengthy statement apologizing for the incident, the organizers promised to pay more attention to their programming choices.
For future editions, we will make sure the selected shows will be presented in appropriate locations, it read. We will show greater vigilance and tighter constraints over what content will be presented to which members of the public.
The group that presented the skit also posted a message on Facebook apologizing for the incident.
Cabaret Decadanse said the show is usually performed for an adult audience and that it was sorry if the lyrics offended anyone.
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Since arriving in China on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been relatively quiet on his typical social media platforms but hes chatting up a storm on Weibo.
Trudeau has had his account for the Chinese microblogging app since February 2013, when he was running for leader of the Liberal Party. His messages are clearly aimed at Chinese-Canadians who use the app at home in Canada.
Trudeau was posting multiple times a day in the lead up to the 2015 federal election, but his account has been silent since he won in November.
He picked it up again, along with social app WeChat, when he landed in China, where the government severely restricts access to social media. Both apps are run through servers based in the country and subject to surveillance and censorship.
Theyre enormously popular. Weibo, which is owned by Sina, functions a bit like a longer-form Twitter and has more than 100 million daily users. WeChat, akin to Facebook Messenger, was developed by Tencent and has more than 700 million active users.
Heres what Trudeaus been saying on Weibo today, translated from Chinese:
In the afternoon, the Canadian delegation met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. We agreed to further our exchange and build on our relationship.
Thank you, Premier Li Keqiang, for your personal welcome to Ella-Grace!
In the morning of Aug. 31, Premier Li Keqiang welcomes the Canadian delegation at the People's Assembly. I'm so encouraged by the meeting conference. Building a stable and constructive bilateral relationship is our priority.
Arriving Beijing the night before, I'm glad to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at Forbidden City. We gave him a special present from Canada: a Norman Bethune commemorative badge my father Pierre Trudeau presented during his visit to China in 1973.
Aug. 30, 2016, arrived Beijing to begin a six day state tour and attend the G20 conference. Immediately, I attended Chinese Enterpreneur Club forum's Q&A: It's time to make new partnership to boost Canada economic growth.
With files from Nicholas Keung
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The wiring at 24 Sussex Drive posed a major life safety risk to the occupants of the residence when former prime minister Stephen Harper and his family lived there, says a recently surfaced 2011 report marked secret.
The report identified a number of issues associated with the official residence, including mould in the pool building and structural problems. But it stressed the area that posed the greatest risk was the 60-year-old wiring in the walls.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to live in Rideau Cottage when he was elected last year. The 148-year-old Sussex Drive residence was found to be in need of expensive repairs, which were initially identified by the auditor generals office in 2008 as well as in previous reports by engineering firms.
The rent-free mansions issues piled up as prime minister after prime minister cycled through the home. All were reluctant to vacate and have the necessary repairs done, and spending the public money necessary to do so during their terms.
The National Capital Commission (NCC), the Crown corporation that oversees federally owned lands and buildings around Ottawa (the capital region), stated in 2011 the repairs would take more than a year to complete and could cost up to $10 million.
The maintenance challenges are exacerbated by the fact that the building has not been able to be vacated for a sufficient period of time to implement the long list of the major repair and rehabilitation projects needed, reads the report drafted by J.L. Richards & Associates, an architectural and engineering firm.
The company was commissioned by the NCC to assess what needed to be done to bring the home up to par with current housing standards.
It found more than half of the electrical wiring inside was 60-year-old RH-BX cables, well past its normal service life of 30 to 40 years.
Complete replacement of the wiring (is) the only prudent way to eliminate the potential fire hazard associated with these old conductors, the report said, citing discussions the firm had with an engineer with the cable manufacturer.
Though the cables still work fine, its their fabric and rubber coating that becomes brittle and worn throughout the years, thereby creating an opportunity for arcing to occur should the bare conductor come into contact or near contact with a metal surface, the report says.
High electrical loads causing overheating of the cables and moisture penetrating those cracks are all fire hazards, the document says. It deemed the state an unacceptable risk to life safety.
Some of the cables were replaced while Harper was living there, but not to the full extent they could be if hed vacated, the report and NCC say.
The NCC said in an emailed statement that it installed arc fault breakers in response to concerns raised by a 2005 report drafted by Stantec. It also said the residence is equipped with a 24-hour fire monitoring system.
In addition, the NCC conducts regular inspection and maintenance of all life safety systems including the fire detection system and emergency generator, it said, adding its in the midst of developing plans for the residence.
In its summary, the document says the general state of repair at 24 Sussex Drive is unsatisfactory for an asset of such national significance.
John Graf, J.L. Richardss chief electrical engineer, helped draft the report and had examined the mansion at the time. Reached by the Star Wednesday, he said the risks posed by the electrical system were not necessarily imminent, though he cautioned he was speaking from memory.
The likelihood of (a fire) is not very high, he said, explaining the wirings casing wasnt as damaged as it could have been because it hadnt been moved since it was installed.
But the report said the repairs could take up to two years because the walls were found to have asbestos in them. It added it had avoided some testing with the cables because of their fragility. With the unavoidable security considerations and heritage building of this age (and having undergone at least two major renovations and many minor ones over its lifetime) surprises and delays can be expected.
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SHANGHAIThe Canadian government will open seven additional visa application centres in China to help serve a growing number of Chinese tourists who are crossing the Pacific to explore Canada.
The two countries confirmed the agreement Thursday in a joint statement that followed the first leg of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus official visit to China.
Over two days in Beijing, Trudeau held several meetings with Chinese leaders at the highest levels, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.
Trudeaus in China to strengthen Canadas business and cultural ties with the worlds second-largest economy and an expanding middle class.
On Thursday, the government announced that Canadian and Chinese companies signed 56 new commercial contracts and agreements worth $1.2 billion.
Boosting tourism is also part of the governments plan to create closer links.
The Canadian envoy to China told reporters that until now, visa offices for Chinese tourists were limited to cities where Canada has a diplomatic presence.
This is an important element that Prime Minister Trudeau is promoting in his visit to China, said Guy Saint-Jacques, who joined Trudeau at the Great Wall of China for an announcement that the countries would co-operate on the development of Chinese national parks.
As of this summer, you can fly to Canada from 11 cities here in China thats why (we) need to have more visa application centres.
Saint-Jacques said Chinese tourist travel to Canada rose 24 per cent in the first six months of this year. He noted that now only Americans and Brits visit Canada more than the Chinese.
The number of Chinese tourists who visited Montreal this year has spiked 200 per cent since a direct Air China flight from Beijing was added in September 2015, he added.
After the national parks announcement, Trudeau explored a section of the Great Wall with his wife Sophie Gregoire and their daughter, Ella-Grace.
The portion of the Wall they walked was temporarily closed to the public providing them with a peaceful section to stroll, away from the usual hordes of visitors.
Trudeau also met Thursday with Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National Peoples Congress at the Great Hall of the People.
I do believe that your current visit to China will have an important influence on further deepening the strategic partnership between our two countries, Zhang told Trudeau through an interpreter, shortly after they sat in a massive meeting room.
Mr. Prime Minister I know that you came to China a long time ago . . . But I know this visit to China first time as prime minister of Canada will certainly leave you a deep and new impression.
Trudeau told Zhang that his visit was an opportunity to continue to build on the strong friendship between Canada and China, and talk about how we move forward in ways that will benefit both of our peoples.
Later Thursday, Trudeau travelled south to Shanghai.
He is scheduled to deliver what one senior government official described as an important speech Thursday at a gala hosted by the Canada China Business Council. His address is expected to focus on economic investments, clean technology and trade.
Later in the eight-day visit to China, Trudeau will attend the G20 leaders summit in Hangzhou.
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OTTAWAThe former chief of Canadas electronic spies is calling on Ottawa to develop an arsenal of cyber weapons and give defence and intelligence agencies the green light to attack.
Cyber war is still in its infancy, John Adams argued in a July paper, but computer viruses could soon cause as much damage to a country as conventional bombs and bullets.
Canada has traditionally at least officially focused cyber efforts on defending against espionage and attacks from both hostile states and hackers.
But Adams, the chief of the Communications Security Establishment between 2005 and 2012, is calling on the federal Liberals to rethink that approach and allow Canada to go on the offensive.
Some people think that cyber war will sooner or later replace kinetic war. More frequently, cyber war is presented as a new kind of war that is cheaper, cleaner and less risky for an attacker than other forms of armed conflict, Adams wrote in a paper published by the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
In either case, the Canadian Armed Forces have a responsibility not only to protect their own systems but they also need to have the authority to direct offensive action . . . if that is what it takes to blunt an ongoing catastrophic attack on critical infrastructure.
Adams argued that if a hostile state were attacking Canadas networks, Canada should be able to respond in kind to stop that attack. But in an interview with the Star Tuesday, Adams was clear that hes envisioning a much wider range of actions for Canadas defence agencies.
Lets say weve got A, B, and C. A owes C money, and we want to make sure that money does not get to C. You can take steps to make sure, even though A may intend that (the money) goes to C, in fact it goes to B.
And C says, Well, that son of a gun and he goes and shoots A in the head.
To most, Adams said, that would seem like an offensive action Canadian spies misdirecting money, which ultimately results in someone getting killed.
That sort of action is very troublesome to governments, and certainly to politicians, Adams said.
(Because) that would be judged to be an offensive action . . . (rather than) simply a defensive action, (where) youre trying to stymie a whatever it might be, a nefarious action, and in so doing you take that kind of action and guess what? The bad guys are killing one another rather than doing the things youd rather them not be doing.
Adams is making his argument as the Canadian government is in the middle of a massive re-think of defence and cyber security policy. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan launched a review of defence policy in April, and is expected to release the new policy in 2017.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale has also launched a review of Canadas cyber security posture, in addition to a promised comprehensive look at the countrys national security framework. Goodales office deferred comment to the Department of National Defence. Calls to Sajjans office were not returned as of Wednesday.
In a written response, the Communications Security Establishment simply said that they have no authority to conduct offensive cyber operations.
CSE does not have a mandate to conduct offensive cyber activities, agency spokesperson Ryan Foreman wrote in a statement.
The government of Canada is currently engaged in a defence policy review, which includes consulting Canadians on defensive and offensive military cyber capabilities.
Part of the difficulty in discussing cyber attacks is how often that term is used to describe everything from minor website disruptions (a favoured tool of hacktivist groups like Anonymous) to serious hacks aimed at stealing secrets or sabotaging networks.
The lines between attacking, defending, and espionage can also be blurry. Wesley Wark, a professor at the University of Ottawa specializing in national security and intelligence issues, said while limited attack capabilities might be desirable, he thinks Canada needs to prioritize defence and intelligence gathering.
Before we leap ahead to far in investigating computer network attack capabilities and policies, we have to have a foundation in place . . . network defence capabilities, and the intelligence gathering capabilities, Wark said.
If you dont have those two, you cant do the network attack . . . Im afraid that this debate about lets invest in cyber attack capabilities is going to drain resources, and time and attention, from those two foundational pieces.
Wark also cautioned that cyber weapons should be used sparingly, or countries risk escalating an already busy exchange of attacks and counterattacks.
The last thing you want is to get into a round of escalating, out of control cyber aggressions, tit for tat, across international boundaries between state actors, Wark said.
Proliferation and escalation are valid concerns, Adams conceded to the Star. But he said that hes equally concerned about Canada not having the capacity to respond at all.
I simply say that its time for the debate. Lets have the discussion, Adams said.
Lets get on with it, because I think its now time.
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There was good news for long-suffering parents in the Star on Wednesday: the city is improving the registration process for recreation programs. For years, it has been an annual trial by frustration on registration day, as people needed to note long lists of program codes and then use multiple devices at once to manically try to sign into overwhelmed servers fast enough to get their kid in swimming lessons or whatever. As Ive written before, it was a semi-annual ritual that united the city in rage at its government.
Six months ago, Mayor John Tory promised to fix it. Wednesday, Jennifer Pagliaro reported here that the Parks and Recreation department has been upgrading servers to cut waiting times, making some tweaks to the system to make it easier to store the programs you want (rather than needing to input codes in a flurry on the spot) and is planning a complete overhaul of the registration process that should launch at the end of next year.
But the progress looks less impressive when, in the same story, you read about how one frustrated parent, Phil Vlatch, has already created a free mobile phone app (called The Toronto FUN Guide) that streamlines the process for parents. Most significantly, it allows them to search programs without resorting to leafing through the paper FUN Guide listings the city publishes. Vlatch told me it took him about three months to program the app initially, and it takes him about a week of seven-hour days to update it each season with new listings.
This prompts an immediate question, of course: why does it take the city years to do the task Vlatch did by himself in a few months as a hobby project? The answer is no doubt complicated. The city has accountability processes in place that suck up time and money, but prevent taxpayer money from being wasted or corruption from taking root; an independent operator like Vlatch has no one to answer to but himself in deciding how to build software and what features to give it, while government staff have their political masters to answer to and must consider how to serve all of the people of the city; if Vlatchs project is a failure or doesnt impress people, hes only wasted his own time, while if the governments official project doesnt work, we all scream for them to be fired.
The point isnt that Vlatch is good at something and the governments staff are not. The point is that there are some ways, especially where technology is concerned, where the government is not very well equipped to develop its own products to the public fast enough to make any sense. And in some of those cases, hobbyists, activists, and private independent developers are well-equipped to do it better, faster, and at no cost to the government.
And yet, the city did not and is not making it easy for Vlatch. In order to make his application work, he needs to scrape information out of the PDF files of the printed Fun Guide. The city has denied Vlatchs requests to provide that information in raw form the kind of text file that they almost certainly already have on hand because they use it for their own web registration site.
The concept of providing raw information to the public so they can use it, called Open Data, is not new. The city has an Open Data office, and the mayor has talked a good game about harnessing it to encourage innovation and modernize the government. But the case of the scraped Fun Guide PDF shows how far we have to go its a case where the most basic, existing, explicitly public information is not shared, even though the city is desperately aware of how phenomenally crappy its existing service on this file is.
Open Data activist Mark Richardson, who has been working for years to get Torontos government to release more, says cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago are way ahead of Toronto. Our government is very proud to remind us constantly that it is bigger than Chicagos, but Richardson says that Toronto has released only 200 datasets in the past five years, while the Windy City has released more than 1,400.
It isnt like Toronto doesnt have reason to know how useful Open Data can be. In 2011, the TTC realized it didnt have the capacity to build a good application to tell people, in real time, when their next bus or streetcar would arrive. So it made its GPS vehicle-tracking information available as a data stream to the public. Dozens of independent developers, almost right away, created apps some worked better than others, some served different niche markets, a few have become everyday tools for commuters. Customer service was radically improved quickly at virtually no cost to the TTC.
In the case of rec programs, theres reason to think Open Data could actually turn a profit for the city. Using available data about actual program registrations, Vlatch found that those famously oversubscribed programs the ones parents were always frustrated to find full, moments after registration opened werent all actually full. 105,000 spots almost a fifth of all those available in various programs went unfilled in 2015. But someone trying to register for a full program at one community centre today has no easy way to know that the same program is offered at a community centre four blocks away and has space available. If an app like Vlatchs that allows people to search for similar programs filled even a quarter of those vacant spots, it would mean $1 million in revenue for the city, Vlatch estimates. (For his own part, Vlatch has made his scraped data available on his website redandwhitedesign.com if others want to use it.)
There is a whole untapped army of developers in Toronto who could create programs, websites, and applications to help people interact with the government better for fun, for bragging rights, out of a sense of public service. Providing the data to allow that to happen is among the easiest, lowest-cost ways the city could improve its service to residents.
Vlatch just wanted to make things easier for parents. Realizing how the government pointlessly made it hard for him to do that and makes it hard for others like him to do it in all kinds of areas of city life is almost as enraging as the familiar Rec signup process.
Edward Keenan writes on city issues ekeenan@thestar.ca . Follow: @thekeenanwire
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Still grieving the loss of three family members in a house fire, Yvonne LeBlanc says she is lost for words about the help her family continues to receive weeks after the tragedy.
Shes desperately trying to pick up the pieces; to make life seem normal for her surviving family members. Without a house to call home or insurance, Yvonne is relying on the kindness of strangers, overwhelmed by the love and support she and her family have been given locally and nationally.
Weve had donations from across Canada and even the U.S., she said. There are too many people to thank I cant name them all and I dont want to forget anyone.
A fire broke out at her 70 Niagara St. home the morning of Aug. 6. It spread to the neighbouring house number 74 owned by her son, Daniel, who was renovating it and living with his mother at the time of the blaze.
The fire took the lives of Victoria Forrest, 26, her son, Robert Sheaves, 9, and daughter Abagail LeBlanc, 18 months. Forrest was Daniels close friend and the mother of two of his kids Abagail and their surviving son Dantay LeBlanc, 5.
The Ontario Fire Marshals office has been investigating and said it could take months before details are released about the cause of the fire; however, criminal intent is not suspected.
Almost immediately after the fire, family members launched a GoFundMe page, which has now surpassed its goal of $25,000. At the same time, community members from the Keith Neighbourhood Hub rallied to bring in donations of food, clothing and financial assistance. They also threw a surprise birthday party for Dantay, who turned 5 less than a week after the blaze.
The North End community has always been there for everyone. Were always close and look after each other, Yvonne said. Im going to miss this neighbourhood.
Yvonne and Daniel were sitting at a picnic table under a large shade tree at Eva Rothwell Centre, watching young Dantay play on the grass with his toy dump truck, a donated gift. It was warm and sunny but the mood was melancholy as they talked about what life is like now.
We didnt have insurance, Daniel said of both homes. We are staying at the Good Shepherd Family Centre We have a hard time calling it home.
Even though the Good Shepherd Family Centre usually allows people to stay only up to five weeks, the space has been made available as long as the family needs it.
Daniel, who describes himself as a country boy, said he plans to buy a home in the country large enough for his parents, his brother Shane LeBlanc and Dantay.
Seventy Niagara Street will always have a place in my heart, he said holding back tears. I will call a new place home.
Despite the move, Daniel said Dantay will continue attending school at Cathy Wever on Wentworth St. North. Missing will be Dantays older brother Robert, who died in the fire, and his half-brother Tayshaun.
Tayshaun, 6, will now live with his biological father and attend a school close to his new home. Plans have been made to keep regular play dates with his sibling.
Daniel said he believes Dantay should adjust fairly quickly because hes such an outgoing kid.
Staff at Cathy Wever reached out to the family to offer condolences upon hearing about the fatal fire. In anticipation of school starting Sept. 6, the Critical Incident Response Team met to build a plan leading up to the first day of class.
The flag will be lowered and social workers will be on site to support staff and individual students, said social work services manager David Hoy, of the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board. Its a tragedy. The loss of a student is very impactful because the teachers form close relationships with the children.
Vulnerable children have been identified those who were related or may be close friends. Children who have experienced loss recently have also been considered and will be closely monitored by school staff.
We stay until things stabilize. Younger kids are very resilient and some will struggle more than others, Hoy said. We give kids an opportunity to ask questions and we have prepared messaging to respond based on the age level of the students.
Yvonne has lived in the Keith community for more than 25 years. She has fond memories of getting to know new neighbours, seeing people come and go. She raised her kids there. She loved Robert Land School. She has developed friendships in the neighbourhood. She walked her grandchildren to and from school and has watched them play in the nearby park. Shes delivered the paper and flyers for years with her grandkids in tow. She said she doesnt want to leave, and neither does Daniel, but the scars left on their lives are too deep.
Its been hard, she said, her eyes fixed on Dantay. I dont want a house with an attic Never again will there be an attic. Everything has to be on one floor.
Stephen Rowe, chair of the Keith Neighbourhood Hub, said there have been many challenges along the way, but the family is taking them in stride.
They really wanted to get back into the house to try and rescue what memories they could, he said. We made arrangements for a forensic engineer to tell us where its safe to step and not to step.
Rowe also worked with the family and community partners to organize logistical issues, including where to store the numerous donated items.
They were our neighbours and Id like to think we would do it for everybody, he said. We tried to develop a whole life-support system here in the community, from prenatal to this a new step into a realm nobody wants to get into, which is death.
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The state this week agreed to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by an inmate against the state prison's medical director for refusing to provide hormone therapy.
But the details of the agreement between the Nebraska Attorney General's office and Riley Shadle aren't being released by either side, citing confidentiality.
"I can tell you that Riley does have a serious medical condition that the prison is agreeing to treat as is its obligation to treat any serious medical condition," Shadle's attorney, Jeanelle Lust, said in an email Tuesday.
When asked about the state's decision to settle, Attorney General spokeswoman Suzanne Gage said: "By law, inmate medical records are private."
Neither she nor a spokeswoman for the Department of Correctional Services would say whether Shadle's case created a path for how the state's prisons will deal with medical requests by transgender inmates going forward.
Shadle, who was convicted under the name Dillon Shadle and later legally changed her name, was born male but identifies as female, according to court records.
In a lawsuit filed last year, Shadle said Dr. Randy Kohl was denying her hormone therapy treatment for gender identity disorder, "without regard to my mental and emotional pain and anguish and treatment needs."
Kohl is the deputy director of health services at the Department of Correctional Services.
In a letter dated July 13, 2015, the warden at Lincoln Correctional Center, where Shadle is serving a 37- to 66-year sentence on child sexual assault and child pornography charges out of Sarpy County, told Shadle the request was denied because it was considered an elective treatment.
Shadle asked the court to order prison officials to treat her with "feminizing hormones" and a gender reassignment surgery.
"The pain is constantly having to feel uncomfortable in a body that doesnt match who I really am inside," she wrote last year.
In February, Chief U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp allowed the case to go forward on an Eighth Amendment claim alleging prison officials had failed to provide adequate care for a serious medical need.
In April, Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf appointed an attorney to represent Shadle, since it appeared Shadle was diagnosed with gender identity disorder before going to prison and since the law in the circuit appears to be uncertain "with respect to the obligation of prisons to treat the disorder with hormones and gender reassignment surgery."
On Monday, Lust and Assistant Nebraska Attorney General David Lopez signed a stipulation saying Shadle's claims against Kohl should be dismissed "pursuant to an agreed treatment plan," with each party paying their own costs.
Lust said she couldn't comment on her client's medical condition or treatment or on how they got to a settlement because that's privileged.
But she pointed to the U.S. Department of Justice's policy guide for correctional administrators and medical and mental health staff addressing the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in custodial settings.
The guide says denying inmates with gender dysphoria the ability to fully adopt a gender role that matches their gender identity can constitute a denial of necessary medical care and an Eighth Amendment violation, citing a 2010 Wisconsin federal court decision.
Medical treatment for inmates with dysphoria also cannot be denied because it is expensive or might be unpopular or controversial, according to a 2002 decision by a Massachusetts federal court.
The stork paid a visit to the Toronto Zoo last week, delivering another bundle of cute-and-cuddly. This time, its a baby camel.
The zoos 20-year-old female Bactrian camel, Alice, gave birth to a male calf last Tuesday.
According to a post on the zoos Facebook page, Alice gave birth after a 13-month gestation. Thats typical for the two-humped Bactrian camels, which are native to the rocky deserts of Central Asia.
The male calf, whose name has not yet been announced, has an important month ahead. According to the zoo, the first 30 days are critical for baby camels, but the calf appears healthy and is feeding well.
Zoo staff are bottle-feeding him with his mothers milk and will be closely monitoring him.
New parents Alice and mate Goober will remain on exhibit in the Bactrian camel habitat at the zoo, but their baby wont be joining them just yet.
However, you might be able to catch some glimpses of him during exercise periods out in the paddock.
The baby camel is the latest addition to the zoos babies.
He was born almost one month after a rare Burmese star tortoise hatched following a 230-day incubation the second such hatchling for the zoo, after one in 2014.
The tortoise, named for the star pattern that appears on its shell, is a critically endangered species that has suffered in its forest habitat in Burma (also known as Myanmar) because of mass harvesting for food, supposed medicinal properties, and the illegal pet trade.
That same day, July 26, the zoo also welcomed a new Grevy zebra, Rey. According to a post on the zoos Facebook page, Rey began to walk just 10 minutes after she was born.
She has already begun to develop her own strong and confident personality, the zoo said.
A video from the zoo shows Rey running around her outdoor habitat two weeks ago.
Grevy zebras, the largest of the three zebra species, are considered endangered, with only 2,000 of them left in their wild habitats in Kenya and Ethiopia.
With files from the Scarborough Mirror
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Ontarios worker compensation board will start naming the members of its Drug Advisory Committee and is exploring how to make the full list of prescriptions it covers publicly available, following concern that secretive drug policies are putting injured workers at risk.
In a letter to the Star, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board chief Tom Teahen called that criticism misleading but said the organization was committed to examining how its drug programs could be even more responsive to the needs of injured workers.
As first reported by the Star, advocates claim the lack of transparency surrounding the Workplace Safety and Insurance Boards Drug Advisory Committee (DAC) and its overall drug policies compromise the care of often-vulnerable accident victims. Although the DAC makes recommendations to the board about which prescriptions it should cover for tens of thousands of injured workers across the province, no minutes are taken at its meetings, possible conflicts of interest are not publicly reported, and its members were previously unknown.
We are in the process of reconstituting the committee, and will be conducting an open and transparent procurement for new committee members in the coming weeks. The names of the new committee members will be posted to the WSIBs website, said Teahen, who said planning for those reforms began in June.
Teahen said the boards new chief operating officer, who joined the organization in August, will also examine how we can enhance transparency and service orientation in relation to our drug benefit program and all of our operations.
Injured worker advocates also want the board to make its formulary or the list of medications the WSIB will cover publicly available, as the Ontario Drug Benefit Program does. Currently, critics say workers often have no idea whether a prescription will be covered by the board until they show up at the pharmacy.
As part of increased transparency, we are exploring how to make the formulary public in a way that will best assist injured workers and their physicians, the WSIB said in an emailed statement.
Toronto-based legal clinic, the Industrial Accident Victims Group, has sought to obtain details about the DAC and the WSIBs formulary through freedom of information requests, which were denied by the board. The Star also asked for the names of DAC members and the boards complete formulary last week, but the information was not provided.
Maryth Yachnin, a lawyer with the legal clinic, called the proposed reforms a step in the right direction, but said the board should not stop there.
The WSIBs spending on drug benefits has dropped by more than 30 per cent since 2009, statistics requested by the Star show, down from $93.63 million seven years ago to $62.34 million last year. The board attributes that to the shrinking cost of generic drugs, a decrease in the number of claims and a crackdown on narcotics prescriptions.
Critics say many injured workers struggle to get even non-narcotic prescriptions recommended by their doctors covered especially if the drugs are not listed on the boards internal formulary.
Fundamentally, we think the board should pay for drugs if a workers doctor reasonably believes they require them, Yachnin said.
The number of workers who have sought help from the clinic for drug prescription denials is likely in the hundreds, she added although the organization does not have the resources to pursue all of them.
In an emailed statement, the board said last year approximately 1 per cent of appeals about WSIB decisions were related to drug claims. It added that doctors may call the board if a prescribed drug is not covered, and the board may suggest an alternative drug that would be suitable to help the injured worker.
Teahen said the boards formulary currently covered over 15,000 medications and the WSIB was committed to ensuring injured workers have the right medication, at the right time, for the right purpose.
No injured worker should be denied medication necessary to treat a work-related injury or illness, he said.
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Confusion over why Tarion, the corporation created to protect Ontarios new homebuyers, does not publicly disclose all deficiencies it warrants in new homes has caused many homeowners to lose faith and trust in the overall system, according to a new report released Wednesday.
Former associate chief justice J. Douglas Cunningham noted in his interim report, an update to the government on his ongoing review of Tarion and the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act, that many homeowners believe Tarions online builder directory misleads consumers about builder performance by not disclosing all instances when deficiencies are found in new homes and deemed warrantable.
Maintaining as complete and accurate a builder directory as possible, is an important role to be carried out by Tarion as regulator, and as an organization entrusted with protecting new homebuyers, writes Cunningham.
Tarion spokesperson Nicole Lippa-Gasparro said the corporation continues to welcome Cunninghams review and sees it as an opportunity to make improvements in how Ontarios new homebuyers and new homeowners are protected.
Concerns over builder performance transparency echo those raised in a 2013 Star investigation that found Tarion was keeping secret the records of poor or incomplete work by builders.
The disclosure of builder track records is just one issue highlighted in the report, which does not make recommendations. Rather, the report presents a wide range of potential options to address concerns Cunningham has heard from more than 200 people since he was appointed to undertake the review by the province last November. He will present his final report, with recommendations, to the government in the fall.
In an interview with the Star, Cunningham said Tarion is increasingly aware of consumer issues and thinks the corporation is working very hard to be responsive.
Whether theyve succeeded or not remains to be seen but I think theyre very much alive to the concerns and I think theyre doing their very best right now to try to deal with those issues, he said.
Tarion was created 40 years ago by the province to manage the warranty program. Most of the corporations revenue comes from home enrolment fees that are usually passed on to buyers by builders. There were just over 366,000 homes under warranty in 2015.
Other areas of concern addressed by Cunningham include consumer education, Tarion board governance, and resolving disputes between homeowners and builders.
The report touches on the fact that homeowners, when reporting a defect, have an onus to prove it. Cunningham notes that he sees an opportunity to make the reporting system more like dropping your car off at the garage.
In this case, the consumer only has to describe the problem and is not required to provide any additional evidence or technical expertise. Many stakeholders believe the same procedure should be applied to a new home, he writes.
Karen Somerville, president of the consumer group Canadians for Properly Built Homes, said she was disappointed not to see the case of builder Urbancorps insolvency used as a case study to assess Tarions effectiveness as an industry regulator. Somerville says she has met with Cunningham and raised the issue.
Earlier this year, Urbancorp, a Toronto condo and townhome developer, announced it was seeking to restructure under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, leaving hundreds of homebuyers wondering how this could have happened.
Cunningham told the Star the Urbancorp situation developed about three-quarters of the way through his review and he doesnt know enough about it quite frankly to make a comment.
Somerville said her group is also very concerned that this Tarion review process is dragging on for so long, while far too many consumers continue to suffer.
Government and Consumer Services Minister Marie-France Lalonde said she looks forward to seeing Cunninghams final recommendations in the fall. We know this is something that I would say has very strong public interest, she said.
Lippa-Gasparro noted that while Tarion sees many interesting and helpful ideas in the report, we also have some reservations about some of the observations and believe that there are some areas in the report that will benefit from additional facts and details. We look forward to providing that input to the Justice in due course.
Cunninghams review remains open to public input until Oct. 14.
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Patrick Brown was bound to lose his political virginity at some point, on some point of principle. But who knew he would fumble over sex-ed, laying bare his lack of experience?
The sex education of Ontarios Opposition leader has been a long time coming.
Ahead of Thursdays provincial byelection in Scarborough, 13,000 letters signed by him were sent out claiming he would scrap the provinces sex-ed curriculum. The morning after, Brown remained unrepentant.
But as word got out, phone calls were made, conference calls were convened, and second thoughts came to the fore. Chastened, the social-media-savvy politician turned to that old standby, the mainstream media, to apologize for acting dishonourably.
It was a mistake for a letter to go out to Scarborough-Rouge River voters saying that I would scrap the updated curriculum. This is not my view. This is not what I will do. In fact, the opposite is true. I apologize, he wrote in the Toronto Star.
Manning up to his misstep, Brown sought recourse in remorse. Now he has endorsed, unequivocally and explicitly, the explicit terminology in the updated sex-education curriculum.
Good on him for fessing up under his own byline this week, after messing up under his own signature last week (he now claims his name was affixed in error by overzealous party activists). Too bad he tried to have it both ways until now.
The problem with sucking and blowing at the same time is that it rarely clears the air. Second thoughts are fine, but third and fourth afterthoughts are hard to follow.
Never mind that Brown spent the weekend tapping out tweet after tweet defending the letter which letter also bore the imprimatur of the Chief Financial Officer of his party, and was parsed by his own office at Queens Park.
To wit, on Twitter: Ive been perfectly consistent on this point and make no apologies for it.
A politician can change his mind, can he not? It is a point Brown has been making again and again this week, just as he changes his tune, again and again, in this area.
To recap: Brown made his mark as a social conservative during his years of obscurity in Ottawa as a backbench Tory MP. He voted against gay marriage and was heralded by the Campaign Life Coalition meriting their top Green Light rating after controversially backing a bill to revisit abortion rights in Canada.
Brown has been trying to downplay his past as a passing phase, implying that he merely did what he had to do to fit in with Stephen Harpers Conservatives. Its true that many have moderated their views on gay marriage over time, but his vote to reopen the abortion debate was opposed even by Harper, who as PM understood it departed from a social consensus.
During the race to become provincial party leader, Brown courted social conservatives who assumed he was of the same mind, voting for him massively and decisively. But after winning handsomely, Brown quickly distanced himself from his past voting record, and abruptly ceased his flirtation with opponents of an updated sex-ed curriculum.
That wasnt who he really was, Brown insisted in the aftermath, pointing to his subsequent appearances at gay pride parades. Or so it seemed, until the latest byelection race. In Scarborough-Rouge River, where 90 per cent of voters are visible minorities, the Tories couldnt resist the temptation to tap into traditional values, casting the sex-ed update as an abomination.
Sensible Progressive Conservative MPPs, most of whom support the updating of a scandalously outdated sex-ed curriculum, were furious. The media were incredulous.
Yes, Brown was wise to apologize, but one can hardly make a virtue of mea culpas that are so self-inflicted. Damage control was his only option after such a blunder, and the bigger question being asked by many Tories is why it took so long for the leaders office to sort out the confusion over an issue that was already ancient history.
Politicians often make U-turns that make sense. Premier Kathleen Wynne has reversed course on fundraising reforms, autism funding, and drug co-payments. Brown has come out in favour of carbon pricing (inevitable, perhaps, though he studiously avoided the topic until after winning the PC leadership).
Many Ontarians, including me, have been reserving judgment on Brown a political unknown who often seems unknowable. They have been waiting, in the year since he became leader, for him to find his feet.
Not play footsie with flip-flops.
Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn
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Put the T.O. back in Tory.
The Progressive Conservatives have secured a foothold in Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynnes electoral fortress of Toronto with a stunning victory in the Scarborough-Rouge River byelection.
Raymond Cho, 79, a veteran city councillor, easily won Thursday, giving the Tories their first seat in the 416 area code since losing Etobicoke-Lakeshore in 2014.
Chos campaign survived a self-inflicted wound by rookie Conservative Leader Patrick Brown to secure a seat that had been held since 2005 by Liberal MPP Bas Balkissoon, who retired unexpectedly in March.
Tonight theres a blue wave thats crossed the Rouge River. Tonight, we made history . . . and won a seat the Liberal party has never lost in the city of Toronto, Brown told scores of cheering supporters at the Tories Sheppard Ave. E. campaign office.
Ontarios newest MPP credited Doug Ford for his success.
Without his help, I dont think I would win this election, said Cho.
Its a political blow to Wynnes Liberals, who have represented the vast majority of Toronto ridings since taking power in 2003.
Lagging in public-opinion polls, the governing Grits had hoped the Conservatives internal troubles would boost their candidate, Piragal Thiru, 37, a York Region transportation planner vying to be Ontarios first Tamil MPP.
On Aug. 24, the Tories distributed 13,000 copies of a letter in English and Chinese and signed by Brown that promised to scrap Wynnes updated sex-education curriculum that remains controversial in some cultural and religious communities.
After blowback from centrist Tories and members of his own caucus over the flip-flop, the leader apologized for the error in an online piece for the Star on Monday.
It was a mistake for a letter to go out to Scarborough-Rouge River voters saying that I would scrap the updated curriculum. This is not my view. This is not what I will do. In fact, the opposite is true. I apologize, he wrote.
But that move infuriated the social conservatives who had helped him win the Tory leadership in May 2015 amid hopes he would axe the curriculum and curb abortion rights.
There is also lingering confusion over who in Browns office authorized the missive and why it took so long to correct the problem even though it didnt derail Cho.
Some Liberals were crying foul on Thursday night, believing the Tory chiefs English-only apology was not heard by the ridings large Chinese community.
Former Toronto mayoral candidate Doug Ford, who helped run Chos campaign, said he wasnt behind the letter.
No, no. The hydro rates, the jobs, these pieces of literature came out of here, he told reporters Thursday night.
Ford insisted those pocketbook issues were the most important to voters in Scarborough-Rouge River.
However, in a riding where 90 per cent of residents are visible minorities, sex education was a hot-button topic with some Chinese-Canadians.
Cho, who was born in Korea and does not speak Chinese, was hearing that on some doorsteps, which is why the Tories circulated the letter.
Fearing that any electoral gain locally could cause political pain provincially, Browns team did a U-turn after five days of hemming and hawing.
The sex-education debacle ended up dominating a campaign that had been seized by more pressing matters like soaring electricity rates this hot summer and Scarboroughs need for better public transit.
But even with that snafu, Thiru could not shake being saddled with almost 13 years of Liberal baggage. New Democrat Neethan Shan, a local school board trustee, was third.
Voters may not have seen the last of Shan he is a mentioned as a potential successor to Cho at Toronto city council.
Chos Ward 42 (Scarborough-Rouge River) council seat, which he has held since city boundaries were redistributed in 2000, must now be declared vacant by council.
With more than two years left in the term, council has the choice on how to fill the seat: it may appoint a new councillor or hold a byelection to fill the vacancy.
Thursdays result means the 107-member legislature will have 57 Liberal MPPs, including Speaker Dave Levac; 29 Tories; 20 New Democrats; and one vacancy.
While the Tories won a 2013 byelection in Etobicoke-Lakeshore held by former councillor Doug Holyday for nine months before losing in 2014 they have not triumphed in a Toronto riding in a general election since 1999 when Mike Harris was premier.
Wynne will call a byelection to fill the former Ottawa-Vanier seat of retired Liberal minister Madeleine Meilleur later this year.
There will also be a byelection before the end of March in Niagara West-Glanbrook after former Tory leader Tim Hudak resigns his seat on Sept. 16.
.
With files from Jennifer Pagliaro
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WASHINGTONDonald Trump went to Mexico and spoke in a hush and called Mexicans spectacular, and it seemed, for another fleeting moment, like he might be trying to execute the immigration softening he was said to be considering.
And then he took the stage in Phoenix, and there was the same old Trump.
After a respectful visit to Mexico City on Wednesday afternoon, during which he declared Mexicos president a friend, the Republican presidential candidate delivered an angry evening speech in which he again depicted illegal immigrants as a violent horde and threatened to deport all 11 million.
Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation, Trump said. That is what it means to have laws.
For two weeks, he had floated the idea of taking a gentler line. Instead, he gave perhaps the farthest-right speech of his entire campaign the spiritual heir to his dystopic July convention speech, except less restrained.
Returning to his trademark shout, he said the plight of the 11 million doesnt matter. He said he would begin deportation proceedings against any illegal immigrant arrested, not only convicted. Speaking at length about citizens killed by illegal immigrants, he called them dangerous, dangerous, dangerous criminals and thugs.
He concluded by calling to the stage the parents of murdered citizens. One by one, he invited them to the microphone to tell the story of their loss at the hands of people they called illegals or aliens.
We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. We will break the cycle. There will be no amnesty, Trump said. You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country. Cant do it.
Trump also promised an ideological certification test to screen out would-be Muslim terrorists. Adding specifics for the first time, he said they would be tested on their views about honour killings, gay people, radical Islam, and minorities.
Trumps hard line propelled him to the top of the Republican primary. But it has proven unpopular with the general electorate not only with Hispanics but with Independents and moderate Republicans. Trump had publicly mused about adopting a more humane stance.
Instead, he returned to his previous form just hours after he traded pleasantries and shook hands with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in a respectful surprise visit that seemed to have gone off without a hitch until after it was over.
In their joint post-meeting appearance, Trump said they had not discussed his outlandish pledge that Mexico would pay for his proposed wall on the Mexican border. Pena Nieto did not correct him from the podium. But, in a tweet later, he wrote that he had told Trump at the beginning of the conversation that Mexico would not be footing the bill.
Mexico will pay for the wall. One hundred per cent. They dont know it yet, but theyre going to pay for the wall, Trump said in Phoenix.
The dispute, which raised more questions about Trumps truthfulness, marred a day during which he had tried to quell concerns about his behaviour and temperament.
Gone, for one afternoon, was the shout. Gone was the candidate who accuses Mexico of stealing jobs and calls Mexican immigrants rapists.
I happen to have a tremendous feeling for Mexican-Americans, not only in terms of friendships, but in terms of the tremendous numbers that I employ, said Trump, standing beside Pena Nieto. First-, second-, and third-generation Mexicans are just beyond reproach. Spectacular, spectacular, hard-working people.
Trump did address what he sees as the threat posed by the humanitarian disaster of illegal immigration. And he called again for a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
But he declined to use the vitriolic language to which he returned at night. At one point, he said he merely wanted to keep jobs in the hemisphere, away from China, rather than in the United States.
Several anti-Trump pundits said he performed well in Mexico, though others lamented a lowering of expectations.
If you believe Trump needed to pivot, moderate and look more presidential, that event was a home run, Howard Wolfson, a former aide to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, said on Twitter.
News of the visit prompted fury at Pena Nieto in Mexico, where he is widely unpopular and Trump is an arch-villain. Analysts on both sides of the border speculated that the joint appearance only made political sense for Pena Nieto if he was planning to attempt a public humiliation.
Instead, Pena Nieto said he had respect for both Trump and Clinton, whom he has also invited to Mexico. And he gave Trump the benefit of the doubt, saying he was sure Trump wanted to build a productive relationship.
Esteban Illades, an editor for the Mexican magazine Nexos, called it the most painful day in the history of the Mexican presidency.
Everybody sees this in Mexico as a sign of: Youre going to be on your knees in front of the enemy. Thats the way its perceived. Youre betraying your country, youre betraying your people, because this person has disrespected Mexicans so much, said Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley professor who was visiting Mexico City on Wednesday.
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CANBERRA, AUSTRALIAAustralias prime minister warned Thursday against fomenting distrust of Muslims as he outlined tougher measures against supporters of Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australian laws will soon be amended to give Australian F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet pilots the same legal standing as their coalition partners when conducting airstrikes against Daesh targets in Iraq and Syria.
The Australian legal definition of combatants will be expanded to include people supporting armed fighters and will become consistent with international norms.
Turnbull, who is resisting pressure from lawmakers to ban Muslim immigration and relax hate speech prohibitions, described Daesh as the most pressing national security threat that Australians face.
But he also warned there had been an increase in far-right extremism directed against Muslims in Australia. The latest alleged militant plot disrupted by police led to the arrest of an anti-immigration campaigner who was charged last month with preparing a terrorist attack in the city of Melbourne.
We cannot be effective if we are creating division, whether by fomenting distrust within the Muslim community or inciting fear of Muslims in broader society, Turnbull told Parliament.
Division begets division. It makes violence more likely, not less, he said.
The government plans to introduce legislation to Parliament this month that would enable courts to keep prisoners convicted of terrorist offences behind bars for indefinite periods.
Legislation is to be introduced in November that will create a new offence of advocating genocide. The crime will enable police to make an earlier arrest when someone is radicalizing others.
Control orders that can force suspects to wear tracking devices and obey curfews could apply to 14-year-olds. Currently the minimum age is 16.
The burden of evidence would also be reduced for a court to jail a suspect with a preventative detention order on the basis that a terrorist attack could occur within two weeks.
Turnbull is resisting demands from several senators to stop Muslim immigration, and also resisted pressure this week from lawmakers in his own conservative government to water down laws that ban offending anyone because of race or nationality.
Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Sydney man was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison for helping seven men travel to Syria to fight with Jabhat al-Nusra and other Al Qaeda affiliates.
At least two of the fighters have died. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Parliament on Thursday that 110 Australians were fighting with Daesh and other militant groups in the Middle East and up to 65 Australians have been killed.
The passports of 213 suspected militants have been cancelled, she said, while the government has refused to issue passports to another 24 people to prevent them from joining the fight in Syria and Iraq.
A Melbourne man whose passport had been cancelled was denied bail Thursday by a magistrate who ruled he posed a risk to public safety because of his Daesh ideology.
Paul Dacre, 31, is one of five suspects who have been in custody since May, when they were charged with planning to leave Australia in a 7-metre power boat to fight with Daesh militants in Syria.
Prosecutors alleged on Thursday the five planned to travel by boat to Papua New Guinea, Australias nearest neighbour, before joining Daesh supporters in the Philippines.
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This year marked the 70th anniversary of the bikini, invented in France by a designer whod noticed women on the beach rolling up the edges of their two-piece swimsuits to get a better tan.
When Louis Reard by profession a mechanical engineer but at the time running his mothers lingerie business called a press conference to unveil the daring new navel-revealing high-cut minimalist costume, no model would agree to wear it. Reard hired a 19-year-old nude dancer from the Casino de Paris for the ogling event. The rest is itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie-yellow-polka-dot-bikini history.
More recent history: Last Sunday, women in major cities, including Toronto and New York, bared their breasts on Go Topless Day, part of an annual international protest calling for women to have the same right as men uncovered chests in public. In Ontario, topless has been legal since Gwen Jacobs won her court challenge of an indecent act charge more than two decades ago. But topless has never caught on, even on sweltering summer days.
As the sand runs out of this summers hour-glass in Toronto, ownership of female bodies has come full circle, back to France, where the ugly burkini a pseudo-shroud adopted mostly by conservative Muslim women but also famously spotted swathing the voluptuous curves of British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson (she said it was to protect her sensitive skin) was first declared swimsuit-not-grata and then, last week, restored to OK status when the ban was overturned by that nations highest administrative court.
And now a lot of commentators on both sides of the burkini divide have their knickers in a knot, each faction twisting feminist ideology to suit their agenda.
Bottom line: Women should have the right to wear what they please. No government should be sticking its nose in a womans closet.
Hemming up and down: Women do so at their peril in almost every patriarchal Muslim country. Dare to uncover your head in Afghanistan, for instance, and youll be beaten with a stick.
So, spare me the inside-out canard that burkinis or burqas or abayas or chadors or niqabs or hijabs, the whole gamut of garments foisted on females by males to preserve family honour are actually feminist in manifestation because they liberate women from assault-by-looking in hypersexualized Western societies. The burkini is no more feminist tackle than the G-string. Rationalization on feminist grounds hangs by even a slighter thread.
French authorities overstepped by sending cops out to patrol the beaches, resulting in those disturbing photos of burkini-clad females cowering under the disapproving finger-waggle of gendarmes. It seemed an unnecessary crackdown on a problem of flimsy merit, since so few women actual wear the burkini, and anyway who cares? But France, with its passionate adherence to laicite their term for secularism, as prescribed under Article 1 of the 1905 law on Separation of the Churches and the State has bravely gone where many conflicted, timid and offending-averse Western cultures dare not tread.
While a country of magnificent cathedrals and martyred saints, testament to a Catholic heritage, France has for more than a century aspired to secular ideals which have shifted in intent over time from what was originally a prohibition against the state showing any religious preference, to proscription against individual citizens overtly expressing their religion in public. A crucifix worn on a necklace, for instance, is not considered overt. Veils covering the face are, and fundamentally in conflict with French creed because Article 1 is interpreted as ensuring a public sphere where all citizens could be free from religion. Thus the burkini is an extension of the veil, even though the burkini doesnt cover the face.
France, with about 5 million Muslims the largest Muslim minority in Western Europe was the first European country to ban the full-face Islamic veil in public places. Not welcome in France, said then-president Nicolas Sarkozy when the ban took effect in 2011. That ban was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in 2014. Belgium has a similar ban.
In Spain, where no national ban exists, municipalities are permitted to pass local ordinances against full face-veils in some public spaces such as markets, city offices and libraries. The same is true in Italy and Germany, where at least half of the nations states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves.
Its disputable how effective the veil law has been in France. Data from 2015 showed that 1,546 fines had been imposed and, of the women fined, many were repeat offenders. One woman was fined 33 times. Its been reported that one French businessman, Rachid Nekkaz, claims to have paid at least 1,165 of those fines, at a cost of around $278,000 U.S., including attorney fees.
France also controversially more from without than from within banned the hijab in all public schools two years ago. Banned as well were Jewish kippahs and Sikh turbans.
If nothing else, the French have been consistent. The veil is contrary to fundamental principles of equality between the sexes. Its also an affront to open-faced culture and cant be justified by citing the right to religious expression. Piety doesnt give anyone a pass. Veiling, even the hijab which is in todays world worn as political statement also, just like the Palestinian keffiyeh divides women into the chaste and the un-chaste, the modest and the immodest, the submissive and the resistant. That reinforces the perceived lesser value of women who dont cover up. Go ahead and grope em, the tarts.
The burkini may be a compromise allowing conservative women who otherwise might not have ventured to the public beach to bask in the sun. But the emphasis should be on why they cant show their legs and their arms, rather than the extremes to which theyve gone in appeasing those who would prevent such a mild pleasure.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls, a firmly left Socialist, characterized the burkini as a symbol of enslavement, the subjugation of women to a patriarchal religion, and he is right, though his ramblings on Monday about the republican virtue of Mariannes exposed breast Marianne, the French goddess of liberty was weird.
Its all weird and discomfiting, applauding the French courts decision while deploring the odious thing that exemplifies female body-shaming.
From bikini to burkini: Evolution in reverse.
Correction - September 2, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the number of years since the bikini's 1946 invention.
Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
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ISLAMABADPakistan has foiled a bid by Daesh to expand its network into this predominantly Muslim country, with the military arresting 309 suspects, including members from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Thursday.
The remarks by Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa were a rare admission of Daesh presence in Pakistan, where officials have long insisted that the extremist group has no footprint. Earlier, Pakistani officials had insisted Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, has no presence in the country.
Bajwa told reporters at a press conference in the capital, Islamabad, that among those arrested were 25 foreigners, all from countries where the Sunni militant group has an established presence.
He did not provide details of when and where the arrests were made but he said they came during military operations. Pakistan had stepped up military operations across the country and specifically in the northwestern tribal regions bordering Afghanistan after the 2014 Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar that killed 156 people, mostly children.
The suspects had planned attacks on diplomats in Pakistan as well as Pakistani officials, Bajwa said.
Daesh tried to make an ingress into Pakistan, but they failed, he added. Pakistan is also taking steps to strengthen border control with Afghanistan to prevent militants from entering the country from Pakistans war-torn neighbour.
Since launching military operations in the North Waziristan and Khyber tribal regions in 2014, Pakistan has killed 3,500 militants and lost over 500 soldiers, Bajwa added.
Also Thursday, Pakistan reopened the key Chaman border crossing with Afghanistan, nearly two weeks after it was closed in response to Afghan protesters burning the Pakistani flag at a border rally.
Bajwa said the border was reopened after Afghan officials apologized for the incident. He also said Pakistani security forces on Thursday arrested six militants, including two Al Qaeda operatives, in Faisalabad, a city in Punjab province.
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CINCINNATI Crushed. Disappointed. Confused.
Some Hispanic leaders who have been advising Donald Trump say they feel betrayed after his long-awaited immigration speech that definitively ruled out a pathway to legal status for people living in the country illegally.
Trump stopped short of calling for the mass deportation of millions of people who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offences. But he also ruled out what he dismissed as amnesty, saying those who want to live legally in the U.S. will need to leave and head to the back of the line in their home countries.
People will know that you cant just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized, Trump declared in his hard-line speech Wednesday night. Those days are over.
The language caught off guard a group of Hispanic faith and business leaders who have been advising him, often in the face of criticism from their own communities. In closed-door meetings and phone calls, Trump had given many the impression that he was prepared to soften his stance on immigration as he tries to court more moderate, general election voters and boost his standing with Hispanics and other minorities.
Now, some feel Trump misled them.
Theres several of us who have gone out on a limb, if you will, to try to at least be at the table of reason with him, and thats left us confused and disappointed, said Tony Suarez, the executive vice-president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Hes been among those pushing Trump to moderate his stance.
As recently as Monday, he said, the GOP presidential candidate had signalled on a conference call with faith leaders that they could expect to see a gentler, more compassionate Trump in the speech. Trump, Suarez said, was asked explicitly whether they would see a softening or any hope for at least some of the people currently living in the shadows.
He said, Yes, and he thought we would be very pleased on Wednesday, said Suarez. The impression given on the call was not what we heard last night.
Alfonso Aguilar, president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, had prominently endorsed Trump after initially opposing his candidacy. He, too, said Trump had signalled a willingness to moderate some of his immigration plans, including limiting his call for deportations to those convicted of crimes.
At this point, I just dont see how I can support him. So Im withdrawing my support, Aguilar said. I was expecting something very different last night. Im not naive, I knew who I was dealing with. I knew this could happen. It was a risk.
From a political perspective, this is the end of Donald Trump. I really think now hes definitely going to lose.
Trumps campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
But Pastor Darrell Scott, CEO of Trumps National Diversity Coalition, said there was no way for the candidate to please everyone.
If he backs off they accuse him of flip-flopping. If he doesnt, hes disappointing, Scott said, praising the speech.
Those speaking out against Trump also included Jacob Monty, a Houston-based attorney and member of the candidates National Hispanic Advisory Council. In a Facebook post, Monty said he was finished supporting Trump after hearing the speech.
I gave Donald TRUMP a Plan that would improve border security, remove hardened criminal aliens and most importantly give work authority to the millions of honest, hardworking immigrants in the US. He rejected that tonight and so I must reject him, he wrote, adding that Trump had at one point been moving toward a compassionate immigration plan.
Tonight he was not a Republican but a populist, modern-day Father Coughlin who demonized immigrants, he continued, referring to an anti-Semitic priest who gained prominence as a radio personality in the 1930s. He must want to lose. He can do that without me.
Another member of the advisory council, Texas pastor Ramiro Pena, wrote a scathing condemnation of the speech in an email to the Trump campaign, Politico reported. I am so sorry but I believe Mr. Trump lost the election tonight . . . The National Hispanic Advisory Council seems to be simply for optics and I do not have the time or energy for a scam, he wrote.
Mark Gonzalez, founder of the Hispanic Action Network, had also expected Trump to go in a different direction.
We didnt see compassion last night so were extremely disappointed, he said. We were anticipating something a lot more favourable.
He definitely didnt help himself with the Latino community last night.
Suarez, who had never endorsed Trump personally, said he would now be focusing his attention on Congress and on electing lawmakers who are more amendable to immigration reform.
Were disappointed and its only raised more questions than answers, he said of Trumps speech. We tried, he said. You dont always win. We tried.
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A three-story apartment building for homeless and near-homeless veterans should begin rising out of the dirt at Lincoln's VA hospital campus this fall.
The federal Department of Veterans Affairs and local redevelopment partners have reached an agreement on a long-term lease for the VA campus near 70th and O streets, according to news releases from several Nebraska congressional offices.
The VA lease clears a big hurdle. But smaller hurdles remain, including an amendment to the redevelopment agreement with the city, before construction can begin, said George Achola of America First Real Estate Group.
"We are probably looking at vertical construction in the fall," said Achola of the 70-unit apartment building, the first private project on the VA campus.
The 57-acre campus could eventually become Victory Park, home to a new VA clinic, private medical office building, rental town homes for veterans and seniors, and a remodeled VA hospital, including offices and apartments, based on the original concept.
After months of hard work from many stakeholders, we have secured a final agreement to allow the redevelopment of the Lincoln VA to continue, said Sen. Deb Fischer in a news release Thursday afternoon.
The agreement addresses the location of a new VA clinic and strict energy standards for the project, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver standards, said Roger Lempke, with Fischer's staff.
Veterans Affairs is looking for a site for a new VA clinic in Lincoln, a separate project from the private redevelopment of the VA campus. That decision will likely not occur until next year.
The VA campus is one of the potential sites for the new clinic, and the local redevelopment group was seeking a clause in the long-term lease to allow its dissolution if the new clinic was to be built elsewhere.
The development team had determined that the larger VA campus project is only feasible if the new clinic is built on the VA campus.
The lease gives the redeveloper flexibility, with the federal decision on a clinic site likely determining "how quickly and if we build out," Achola said.
The strict energy standards are no longer required, he said.
Congressmen Jeff Fortenberry and Brad Ashford were also instrumental in working with the VA on the lease, Achola said.
Fortenberry expressed his satisfaction with the agreement in a news release. "It is an extraordinary example of intergovernmental and public-private cooperation," he said.
The Seniors Foundation of Lincoln and Lancaster County, a nonprofit group, initiated the plan and will hold the lease. Sampson Construction of Lincoln is building the apartments.
The Seniors Foundation has been negotiating a long-term lease for the VA campus for five years.
The redevelopment group has an agreement with the city of Lincoln to use tax-increment financing on the project, including up to $1.4 million on work in the first phase. TIF is generated from property taxes paid over 10 years on the increased vale of the redeveloped site.
The first phase now involves only the apartment building, with other projects, including renovation of the VA hospital, shifted to a second phase, Achola said.
The group also has an agreement for federal low-income housing tax credits to help build the initial apartment complex.
The developer also received Housing and Urban Development approval for housing vouchers that will be used to subsidize the rent of homeless and near-homeless veterans living there. The apartment building is often referred to as a VASH, or Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, project.
Fischer thanked VA Secretary Robert McDonald and his staff for working to resolve the issue.
"After months of hard work from many stakeholders, we have secured a final agreement to allow the redevelopment of the Lincoln VA to continue," she said.
"Delays and outdated requirements threatened this project, even as the final negotiations were underway. Todays announcement is a victory for Nebraskas veterans and our community in Lincoln, who have waited patiently for this project to proceed."
Since thousands of Hong Kong students blocked city streets two years ago to protest a restrictive plan for promised elections, the governments response to democratic demands hasnt wavered: Put aside the political fights, enjoy being part of China, prosper together.
That take-or-leave-it approach to managing Hong Kong will be put to the test Sunday, with almost four million voters eligible to choose 70 members of the former British colonys Legislative Council. The once-in-four-years election has drawn almost 300 candidates as a new crop of more radical activists seek a platform to challenge Beijing and others urge a more accommodating approach to bridge widening political divides.
A strong showing by a handful of so-called localist contenders associated with advocacy for self-determination or even independence from China risks reviving tensions that spurred the failed Occupy protests in 2014. The results may also impact the future of unpopular Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying a target of criticism from a loose coalition of candidates before a panel of 1,200 political insiders meets in March to select a leader for the next five years.
There are Hong Kong people totally frustrated and they see the situation as one where moderate approaches dont work, said Michael Davis, a former law professor who taught at city universities from 1985 until retiring this year. There is simply a radicalization of Hong Kong politics very much caused by the behaviour of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments.
Since the last legislative election in 2012, the Asian financial hub has been rocked by a series of political clashes over whether China is preserving the high degree of autonomy it promised before regaining sovereignty almost two decades ago. Student rallies forced the government to abandon a plan for patriotic education in schools, protests against cross-border traders prompted a reduction in mainland visitors and localists were charged in connection with a riot that injured scores of police officers last February.
Even so, the emergence of more-radical parties has fragmented the pro-democracy side, which already faces steep odds to capturing a legislative majority since 30 seats are set aside for members of professions and industry groups. Further fractures could cost the opposition its veto power, allowing the government to push through a controversial election plan or long-dormant national security legislation.
Starry Lee, the head of Hong Kongs largest pro-Beijing party, urged an end to political divisions in a recorded message as she waved to passersby in Hong Kongs Central district Wednesday. A pamphlet handed out by Hong Kong Television Network Ltd. Chairman Ricky Wong, an independent calling for Leung to be replaced, says a powerlessness and helplessness has permeated every section of society regardless of age, wealth and education.
The Lunar New Year riot revealed how much political lines have hardened even if enthusiasm for the masses rallies has waned. Leung refused to speak to leaders of the 79-day Occupy protests and offered no changes to Beijings plan for electing his successor next year, which wouldve required a pro-establishment panel of insiders to screen candidates before a citywide vote.
That proposal died in the Legislative Council last year after democracy advocates denied Leung the two-thirds majority he needed to make it law. Whether the opposition can maintain or expand their current 27 seats in the chamber and preserve their veto power Sunday will be closely watched.
Leung hasnt said if hell seek an extension when his term ends next year, and told the South China Morning Post in June that he might not make up his mind before September. The chief executive stressed that any decision on standing for re-election has nothing to do with the LegCo election, the government said in June.
A lack of reliable polling and a system in which lists of candidates vie for multiple seats in each district makes predicting the outcome difficult.
This is the first widespread test of public opinion since the street occupations, said Danny Gittings, an associate law professor at HKU Space and author of Introduction to the Hong Kong Basic Law.
The vote will indicate the future direction of Hong Kong and whether people do still support the pro-democracy cause in as large numbers as they used to, Gittings said.
The independence movement presents an explosive challenge to both camps. Chinas top representative in Hong Kong, Zhang Xiaoming, blamed the riots on radical separatists who were inclined toward terrorism. The government banned six candidates from running on the grounds they advocated violating the citys Basic Law, which holds that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China.
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ANCHORAGE, ALASKARough terrain complicated efforts Thursday to recover the bodies of four Alaskans and a Montana man who were killed when two small planes collided in western Alaska, authorities said.
On one plane, pilot Harry Wrase, 48, of Wasilla and his passengers, Steven Paul Andrew, 32, of Kenai and Aaron Jay Minock, 21, of Russian Mission, were killed in the Wednesday morning crash.
In the other plane, pilot Zach Justin Babat, 44, of Montana and his passenger, Jeff Thomas Burruss, 40, of Haines, were killed. A hometown for Babat was not immediately disclosed.
Wrase was flying a Ravn Alaska Cessna 208 Caravan from Russian Mission to the nearby village of Marshall, troopers said. Babat was piloting a Renfros Alaskan Adventures Piper Super Cub and heading for a hunting camp.
There were no survivors in the crash 6 miles (10 kilometres) northwest of the village of Russian Mission, 375 miles west of Anchorage. Troopers were heading to the scene Thursday to retrieve the bodies, agency spokeswoman Megan Peters said.
Rough terrain and the technically complicated nature of mid-air collisions are making the investigative response and recovery of the bodies difficult, said Clint Johnson, the head of the National Transportation Safety Boards Alaska division.
The plane wreckages are about half a mile apart at the crash scene, which covers a large area accessible only by helicopter, Johnson said. An NTSB investigative team and troopers reached the scene late Wednesday afternoon, landing a quarter-mile from the Cessna, then hiking through woods thick with alder trees. There was no time for troopers to recover the victims Wednesday before responders had to depart before night fell, Johnson said.
This is a very challenging area for what we need to do, he said, adding the NTSB investigators were heading out again Thursday.
Piecing together what caused the planes to slam into each other means considering multiple variables, including what electronic equipment was on board and what frequencies were being monitored, Johnson said. Each plane had high wings located above its fuselage, raising the question of possible blind spots. The weather was clear, so its possible the sun might have temporarily blinded at least one of the pilots. In the non-radar area, pilots follow the rule of see and avoid, Johnson said.
What we need to do is be able to re-create basically what took place during the accident sequence, he said.
Given the vast role of aviation in the vast state, there are occasional mid-air collisions, including a nonfatal one in early August at the Wasilla airport, Johnson said. I wouldnt say that theyre rare, but theyre not common, he said.
Representatives of Renfros did not immediately respond to requests for further information Thursday. Ravn said in a statement issued Wednesday that its flight was operated by Hageland Aviation Services doing business as Ravn Connect.
On behalf of all the employees of the Ravn family we are deeply saddened by this news, the commuter company said. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends.
Fatal Hageland crashes in 2013 and 2014 played a part in the NTSB issuing an urgent recommendation in 2014 that Ravn companies undergo a comprehensive safety audit.
Ravn has since made positive changes, Johnson said. As far as the NTSB is concerned, thats history at this point right now, he said.
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On Sunday morning, the South Carolina honey bees began to die in massive numbers.
Death came suddenly to Dorchester County, S.C. Stressed insects tried to flee their nests, only to surrender in little clumps at hive entrances. The dead worker bees littering the farms suggested that colony collapse disorder was not the culprit in that odd phenomenon, workers vanish as though raptured, leaving a living queen and young bees behind.
Instead, the dead heaps signalled the killer was less mysterious, but no less devastating. The pattern matched acute pesticide poisoning. By one estimate, at a single apiary Flowertown Bee Farm and Supply, in Summerville 46 hives died on the spot, totalling about 2.5 million bees.
Walking through the farm, one Summerville woman wrote on Facebook, was like visiting a cemetery, pure sadness.
A Clemson University scientist collected soil samples from Flowertown on Tuesday, according to WCBD-TV, to further investigate the cause of death. But to the bee farmers, the reason is already clear. Their bees had been poisoned by Dorchesters own insecticide efforts, casualties in the war on disease-carrying mosquitoes.
On Sunday morning, parts of Dorchester County were sprayed with Naled, a common insecticide that kills mosquitoes on contact. The United States began using Naled in 1959, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which notes that the chemical dissipates so quickly it is not a hazard to people. That said, human exposure to Naled during spraying should not occur.
In parts of South Carolina, trucks trailing pesticide clouds are not an unusual sight, thanks to a mosquito-control program that also includes destroying larvae. Given the current concerns of West Nile virus and Zika there are several dozen cases of travel-related Zika in South Carolina, though the state health department reports no one has yet acquired the disease from a local mosquito bite Dorchester decided to try something different Sunday.
It marked a departure from Dorchester Countys usual ground-based efforts. For the first time, an airplane dispensed Naled in a fine mist, raining insect death from above between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The county says it provided plenty of warning, spreading word about the pesticide plane via a newspaper announcement Friday and a Facebook post Saturday.
Local beekeepers felt differently.
Had I known, I would have been camping on the steps doing whatever I had to do screaming, No you cant do this, beekeeper Juanita Stanley said in an interview with Charlestons WCSC-TV. Stanley told the Charleston Post and Courier that the bees are her income, but she is more devastated by the loss of the bees than her honey.
The county acknowledged the bee deaths Tuesday. Dorchester County is aware that some beekeepers in the area that was sprayed on Sunday lost their beehives, Jason Ward, county administrator, said in a news release. He added, according to the Charleston Post and Courier, I am not pleased that so many bees were killed.
Spraying Naled from the air is not unprecedented, particularly when covering areas that cannot be reached by truck. In a single year in Florida, more than 6 million acres were fumigated with the chemical, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency argued in January that the technique should be used to curb Zika in Puerto Rico.
But the insect neurotoxin cannot discriminate between honey bees and bloodsuckers. A profile of the chemical in Cornell Universitys pesticide database warned that Naled is highly toxic to bees.
Although the insecticide was known to kill bees, to South Carolina beekeepers spraying had not been as significant a concern as parasites, disease and other hive threats. As South Carolina Beekeepers Association President Larry Haigh told the Post and Courier in June 2015, many counties will spray at night, when honey bees do not forage for pollen. Plus, given sufficient warning, beekeepers will shield their hives and protect the bees food and water from contamination.
Sunday was different. Summerville resident Andrew Macke, who keeps bees as a hobby, wrote on Facebook that the hot weather left bees particularly exposed. Once temperatures exceed 90 degrees, bees may exit the nest to cool down in what is called a beard, clustering on the outside of the hive in a ball. Neither Macke nor Stanley had covered their hives.
And then came the plane.
They passed right over the trees three times, Stanley said to ABC 4 News. After the plane left, the familiar buzzing stopped. The silence in its wake was like a morgue, she said.
As for the dead bees, as Stanley told the AP, her farm looks like its been nuked.
A Summerville resident started a Change.org petition calling for Dorchester County to halt aerial Naled spraying. It is unclear whether those who lost bees are pursuing other recourse.
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LOS ANGELES A NASA spacecraft has spied what appears to be an inactive volcano on the surface of Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The volcano is about half as tall as Mount Everest and likely last erupted several hundred million years ago, scientists reported Thursday.
Its totally cool and unexpected, said chief scientist Christopher Russell of the University of California, Los Angeles.
Evidence of past volcanic activity has been spotted on many planets and their moons, but whether there ever was similar activity on Ceres remained unclear until the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft.
The dome-shaped mountain appears to be made of salt and mud, unlike volcanoes in the outer solar system, which are icy, said Ottaviano Ruesch of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre who led the team that analyzed the images.
Dawn observed the dome for several months and didnt detect any eruptions, Ruesch said.
The volcano discovery was published in the journal Science along with five other studies that examined impact craters, minerals and ice on Ceres surface.
Dawn, which slipped into orbit around Ceres last year, is the first mission to a dwarf planet. Dwarf planets are similar in shape to planets, but they share the same celestial neighbourhood with other, similar-sized bodies. Ceres was once considered a planet before it was downgraded to an asteroid. Since 2006, Ceres has been classified as a dwarf planet like Pluto, the former ninth planet.
Ceres is the second and last stop for Dawn, which paid an earlier visit to the asteroid Vesta. Both bodies are in the asteroid belt thats littered with rocky debris from the formation of the sun and planets some 4 billion years ago.
Dawn wrapped up its prime mission in June, flying as close as 386 kilometres above Ceres surface. NASA approved a mission extension, but engineers need to move the spacecraft higher to save fuel. Dawn on Friday will begin spiraling away until it reaches 1,465 kilometres above Ceres to begin a fresh round of observations.
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BEIRUT, LEBANONSyrias government secured a deal to restore its authority over another rebellious Damascus suburb on Thursday, while Syrian rebels captured new ground in a lightning advance on the central city of Hama and suspected government airstrikes killed 25 civilians in the surrounding province.
The Syrian capitals western suburb of Moadamiyeh, which a UN report said was gassed with toxic sarin in 2013, has suffered a three-year government siege that left its estimated 28,000 residents with dwindling food and medical supplies.
On Thursday, Moadamiyehs residents agreed to let President Bashar Assads government restore its security presence and political institutions in the area, according to Hassan Ghadour, a resident and leading negotiator of the deal.
Ghadour said 200 gunmen who did not wish to give up their arms would be allowed safe passage to rebel-held areas in Syrias northwestern Idlib and Aleppo provinces. The implementation to the agreement is expected to begin on Friday.
A local activist in the suburb, Dani Qappani, said the residents had no desire to negotiate with Assads government but that their circumstances grew too difficult.
The development came as an uneasy truce continued to hold on Thursday between Turkish troops and Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria, despite Ankaras vow that it would never negotiate with what it calls a terror organization. The U.S. has called on both sides to stop fighting each other following Turkeys incursion into the area last week, and instead focus on defeating Daesh, also known as ISIS or the Islamic State.
Elsewhere in Syria on Thursday, at least 25 civilians, including six children, were killed in suspected government airstrikes on Hama province as rebels made new gains there, activists said.
The Hama-based Syrian Press Center, an activist group operated by Ahmed al-Ahmed, said at least 10 people were killed when warplanes struck a crowd of people displaced from Suran, a town north of the city of Hama, which was seized by opposition fighters. Another 15 people were killed further to the west, the centre said.
The rebel offensive is led by an ultraconservative Islamic group, Jund al-Aqsa, and several factions from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army. In the past three days, the insurgents have pushed their way from the north of the province, where they are usually based, south toward government-held areas.
Al-Ahmed said the rebels were only eight kilometres away from the provincial capital, Hama. They have taken over a government military base and control several towns along the highway linking Hama to Damascus, following a surprising government retreat, he said.
The advances in Hama are significant because if rebels control the city and the highway, they can sever government supply lines and deprive Assad of a traditional stronghold. Fighting is now concentrated around a hill outside the city of Hama, al-Ahmed added.
Al-Ahmed, who spoke from Turkey, said government forces in Hama province may have been weakened because many troops were transferred to the city of Aleppo, where they have gotten bogged down in vicious fighting with advancing rebels.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the insurgents advance and said a series of airstrikes since early Thursday killed at least 25 civilians, including six children, in northern Hama province.
Syrias state news agency, SANA, said government warplanes killed 10 terrorists in northern Hama.
At a press conference in Geneva, the UN envoy to Syria warned of Syrian governments use of siege tactics to force evacuations of residents from specific areas, citing the example of Daraya, a neighbouring suburb of Moadamiyeh from where residents were evacuated after it was surrendered to the government.
After Daraya, we may have other Darayas, Staffan de Mistura said.
Government forces kept Daraya under tight siege for four years after the suburb evicted security forces in 2012, and ultimately secured an agreement for the estimated 6,000 remaining civilians to leave the area last week. De Mistura acknowledged such examples, if repeated, could be a strategy that is taking place.
De Misturas humanitarian adviser, Jan Egeland, says the UN humanitarian task force for Syria had failed the people of Daraya. He warned that sieges on al-Waer in Homs and Madaya, near Damascus, could force similar exoduses.
The UN envoy also said he was preparing a quite clear political initiative to help revive the stalled Syria peace talks aimed at resolving the countrys devastating civil war, now in its sixth year. De Mistura said the important initiative will come ahead of a planned Sept. 21 meeting on Syria during the UN General Assembly ministerial meeting in New York.
The UN envoy had hoped to resume talks between Assads government and the main opposition group in August, having set two target dates during the month. He suspended the talks in April amid renewed fighting.
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Jonathan Clarkson, a black trans resident who attended Tuesday nights Pride Toronto town hall meeting, had a simple message when I interviewed him: sign language interpretation is important for accessibility at Pride. But since I dont know American Sign Language, I had to rely on another gracious attendee at the event space in Regent Park to translate Clarksons words. Without interpretation, our interaction would likely not have happened.
The meeting billed as an event to create a safe and inclusive Pride festival in 2017 and beyond is the result of Black Lives Matter Torontos disruption of the Pride parade this summer. BLMTO made nine demands, but most media and critics fixated on the groups call to eliminate police floats and booths from the festivities. Most casual observers dont know that two of the nine demands involve better ASL services at Pride. Beyond the cop question, BLMTOs beef with Pride is, literally and figuratively, about amplifying the voices of a diversity of people who deserve much greater access to the festival.
We need queer, gay, and lesbian interpreters its important to have interpreters who identify as we do, Clarkson told me. He and others who addressed Pride Toronto board members complained that organizers couldnt employ queer-identified interpreters this year because they sought out the service at the last minute. Another resident who is hearing impaired introduced herself, and immediately said she was going to exceed the 2-minute time limit provided for all speakers. Such a limit was inadequate for people who need to speak through interpreters, she explained to boisterous applause.
If such requests seem simple and uncontroversial, its because they ought to be. But Pride has consistently failed to consider basic accessibility for queer people with hearing impairments and physical disabilities. The non-profit seeks out artists and entertainers, many of whom live in poverty and belong to racialized groups, but frequently doesnt offer funding or honorariums. Meanwhile, the presence and sponsorship of self-aggrandizing corporations grows with every festival.
One passionate speaker summed up the sentiments of many others when she said, theres no Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us! The shows of solidarity between people whose different identities and experiences make them more likely to be left out was inspiring. Many participants spoke of intersectionality, the idea that people face oppression based on multiple identities, not just one. People who have been excluded stood together and supported one another beautifully.
The meeting included dissenting voices, including an overt racist who cussed out BLMTO attendees after making his remarks. When the mans behaviour was reported to event moderator Tanya de Mello, and she declined to throw him out, a chorus of voices condemned her. The unwillingness to remove the agitator, who is also well-known for making transphobic remarks online, seemed to explain the need for such a meeting in the first place. This is why we are here, thundered activist Akio Maroon at the silent, stoic row of Pride board members seated at the front of the room. Because you are useless!
BLMTOs decision to halt this years parade is a culmination of such unresolved frustrations. Marginalized community members have been attending these sorts of meetings with Pride Toronto for years, and have repeatedly come away without basic accommodations: funding for Pride events and stages organized by racialized people, broader representation among Pride staff and board members, accessibility for people of different abilities to enjoy themselves, accountability for Pride officials and volunteers who engage in discrimination.
But the mainstream conversation, when we are forced to have it, centres around the police and their ability to participate. Particularly, people are defensive about the polices ability to march in the Sunday parade in uniform. On that score, participants of Tuesdays meeting talked about how police brutality and discrimination against LGBTQ2SI people is still systemic, especially among immigrants and racialized members of the community. They also pointed to the recent death of Abdirahman Abdi, a black, mentally ill Somali man, at the hands of Ottawa police. No Pride for some without liberation for all, they said.
After the meeting, a woman stopped me to chat. She said shes an OPP constable, and that she came after her 12-hour shift to quietly listen and learn. As we discussed the subject of police participation at Pride, I asked if she believed her attendance in plainclothes, rather than her OPP uniform, had any impact on community members comfort and accessibility at the meeting. She paused, then nodded sagely and said, I see where youre coming from.
Desmond Cole is a Toronto-based journalist. His column appears every second Thursday.
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My first job in journalism was at the New Statesman magazine in Britain in the early 1980s. I was new and shiny and one of the first people I met was a man who was not new and shone in an entirely different way. Christopher Hitchens he didnt like Chris was as generous as he was gifted. But he didnt suffer fools or frauds.
One of the most famous of the latter was, in his opinion, a woman who is about to be acknowledged as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Mother Teresa, born in Skopje, now Macedonia, to Albanian parents, as Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, and someone whom to many embodies the best in Christianity. Hitchens disagreed, wrote a book about her called The Missionary Position and insisted that she was a force for evil rather than good.
I would not be as bold, and could not be as brilliant, as the exquisite Hitch but Good God and I do believe Him to be good and great he had a point. Hitchens argument, among others, was that Mother Teresa provided sub-standard medical care, took money from dictators and criminals and often cozied up to them, pushed her faith on the vulnerable and sick and encouraged western Catholic journalists to paint her as divine.
There are indeed many unanswered questions about the level of aid the poor of Calcutta actually received and its beyond dispute that Teresa was heavily funded by brutes such as Jean-Claude Duvalier of Haiti, who stole a fortune from his own people while they lived in poverty. Not only did she take the mans cash, she lionized him as a great leader. She also praised the repugnant Albanian despot Enver Hoxha and laid flowers at his grave and welcomed donations from British publisher and criminal Robert Maxwell.
The case of the anti-pornography zealot and businessman Charles Keating is particularly disturbing. He gave millions of dollars to Teresa and the use of his private jet when she visited the United States. Although he was sent to prison for more than four years for fraud, and thousands of people were hurt by what he did, Teresa refused to refund any of the money he had donated.
There are also ideological and systemic problems. She campaigned against contraceptive use in a country ravaged by over-population and it almost goes without saying that she vehemently opposed abortion rights. Her motivation was conservative Catholic rather than progressively human. I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ, she said. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people. That is not how the poor feel as they watch their babies die in their arms.
Its important to emphasize that there are countless Catholic and other Christian groups performing outstanding work in India and elsewhere who do not adopt Teresas reactionary views and dubious ways, and do not have or want the public relations machine that she enjoyed. Some of the most successful social programs in India are funded internationally by western governments who also urge family planning, LGBTQ equality and divorce rights, all opposed not only by the new saint but by her church. More than this, the bulk of the good and selfless work being performed in India is by Indian Hindus and Muslims, not white Christians.
The ceremony announcing to the world that Mother Teresa can be prayed to and revered will take place in a Vatican in possession of wealth through paintings, manuscripts, statues and investments that is beyond comprehension, and in spite of a few utterly cosmetic changes by Pope Francis there is no indication that this will ever change. The glaring juxtaposition between what the tiny Albanian woman was at least supposed to represent and the Roman reality is, frankly, scandalous.
It was another Catholic, the Brazilian archbishop Dom Helder Camara, who said, When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist. But he and his liberation theology were not popular with a Papacy that embraced a woman who refused to ask the right questions, apologized for the culprits and ignored the causes.
Michael Corens latest book is Epiphany: A Christians Change of Heart & Mind over Same-Sex Marriage (Random House). mcoren@sympatico.ca
Correction - September 6, 2016: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Mother Teresa was born in Albania.
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Its a colourful reminder of a dark day in labours history.
The mosaic Breaking Ground: The Hoggs Hollow Disaster, 1960 by fabric artist Laurie Swim permanently hangs in a glass case in the York Mills subway station. The two-by-six-metre quilt, set in place in 2010, illustrates workers crouched in a tunnel.
That tunnel was 11 metres underground and five of those seven workers were Italian immigrants who lost their lives on March 17, 1960.
Pasquale Allegrezzo, 27, John Correglia, 30, Giovanni Fusillo, 23, and brothers Alessandro, 25, and Guido Mantella, 23, were trapped when a fire broke out while they were digging a water main that passed under the Don River in Hoggs Hollow, near Old York Mills Rd. and Yonge St.
The sandhogs were working overtime without safety equipment in the cramped space when the blaze occurred and the tunnel filled up with water and silt.
Hope gone for four trapped under Don, announced the headline in the Toronto Daily Star on March 18, 1960, the day after the accident.
(Allegrezzos body was pulled out earlier that morning and a two of the seven men trapped in the tunnel managed to escape or be rescued.)
Its no use, said job foreman and member of the rescue team Frank Kubas, of any chances of the finding the remaining men alive.
What this unfortunate event did was to put in place a royal commission that addressed all the concerns of the worker in the workplace and his safety, Michael OBrien, an executive member of LIUNA Local 183, representing North American construction workers, told the Star in 2010.
Following the tragedy, unions pushed for the Ontario government to take workplace health and safety seriously. This resulted in the Industrial Safety Act, the foundation on which the Canada Labour (Safety) Code, which passed later in the 1960s, was built upon.
One of the earliest labour movements in Toronto dates back to April 12, 1871, when the Toronto Trades and Labour Assembly was founded by representatives of Hogtowns emerging economy, such as printers, bakers, barrel makers, cigar makers and metalworkers.
This organizations power would be put to the test close to a year later. On March 25, 1872, printers with the Toronto Typographical Union went on strike to fight for a nine-hour workday instead of their gruelling 60-hour, six-day work week. The Assembly led the printers strike of 1872 and three weeks into the strike they organized a march to support the cause. The parade on April 15 swelled from 2,000 to about 10,000 by the time it reached Queens Park where a plaque now commemorates their actions.
Striking was illegal and Toronto Globe publisher George Brown who had hired replacement workers had the 24 leaders of the printers strike committee arrested the next day on charges of conspiracy to restrain trade. Canadas first Prime Minister, Conservative Sir John A. Macdonald (who cared little for Liberal George Brown) saw the political benefit in the strike and the protestors were soon freed.
Although the Nine-Hour Movement was unsuccessful, it led to the passage of the Trade Unions Act on June 14, 1872, which legalized and protected unions. This was the first piece of legislation to recognize the right of labour to organize.
The printers march became an annual spring event. In 1894, Ottawa declared Labour Day as an official holiday and designated it as the first Monday in September.
The Toronto Star itself was created almost overnight on Nov. 3, 1892 by 21 striking Toronto News printers and four teenage apprentices. The future mayor of Toronto, social reformer Horatio Clarence Hocken, founded the newspaper, originally known as the Evening Star and then the Toronto Daily Star. Another later Toronto mayor, Jimmy Simpson, would also have a hand with Hocken in the Stars creation. But the paper faltered, going through several owners.
On Dec. 13, 1899, journalist Joseph E. Atkinson, 34, was appointed editor of the paper. Atkinson, who came from humble beginnings, made the Star a Paper for the People with his burning social conscience. The Evening Star became the Toronto Daily Star in January 1900 and Atkinson was editor and publisher of the paper until his death in 1948.
Atkinson defended workers and argued in favour of trade unions. His many causes that he championed have their modern equivalent in welfare, old age pensions, unemployment and health care.
Sometimes a strike resulted in better working conditions. Sometimes it took time for a domino effect to ensue.
In February 1907, about 400 female telephone operators in Toronto walked off the job after Bell Telephone planned to cut wages and increase their work hours.
William Lyon Mackenzie King, the future prime minister, was assigned to investigate the circumstances leading to the walkout and due to the womens insistence and organization, they did get improvements to their working conditions and eventually a union, David Kidd, a CUPE member and labour historian, told the Star in 2015.
Twenty-four years later, on Feb. 25, 1931, more than 500 women of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) walked out of their Toronto garment shops and large factories, including those owned by Eatons, reported the Torontoist website. Thus began a long fight for a 15 per cent wage increase. Despite growing knowledge of poor working conditions, sexual harassment and pay that had declined for needle workers, the strike didnt elicit much sympathy. This was, after all, the Depression and many Torontonians felt that the wage demands were greedy during the Dirty Thirtys.
Polish immigrant Rose Edelist recounted the 1931 strike of garment workers in Katrina Srigleys article in Labour/Le Travail (spring 2005, issue 55). All my life I will never forget this strike. It was so terrible that the police protected the shops, and they treated the workers like garbage you believed in unions when you saw what was [happening], Edelist said.
The garment workers strike lasted two and a half months. It failed and was given up at a mass rally that drew 1,000 supporters on May 5.
However, in mid-February 1934, the biggest news story of the year broke, says the Torontoist. A select committee investigated the causes of a large spread between the prices that major retailers received for commodities by the producer and the prices paid by the consumer. For 18 weeks, testimonies were heard before the Royal Commission on Price Spreads.
We cannot, in frankness, the committee concluded, refrain from stating that the labour and wage conditions in [the needle trades] are such as to merit the most emphatic condemnation.
The inquiry ignited increased public resentment toward big business and more sympathy for the garment workers.
By the Second World War and after, a new generation of labour unions (including the Congress of Industrial Organizations) were more effective at securing equal working conditions for those who laboured in the needle trades, as well as other factory workers, notes the Torontoist.
One of the reminders of Torontos union action still stands at 167 Church St. The Athenaeum Club was known as Labour Temple from 1904 to 1968. The club was purchased by the Toronto Trades and Labour Assembly by selling shares to members of associated unions. A library was set up, many unions had their offices located here and for the 64 years it operated as the centrepiece of the Toronto labour movement, and many meetings [were] held here to discuss the key issues of the day, CUPE member David Kidd told the Star.
These discussions included public ownership of the TTC and Toronto Hydro, and whether to support conscription during the two World Wars.
Today the facade is preserved as part of the Jazz apartments.
In April 1956, a Star editorial proclaimed a great week for organized labor around the merger of two labour organizations. The Trades and Labor Congress of Canada (founded in 1883) and the Canadian Congress of Labor (founded in 1940), united to form the Canadian Labor Congress.
It can look back over years of achievement during which the TLC organized the trades and the CCL organized workers in the mass-production industries, the editorial read.
It can look back over years of rising wages and living standards for Canadian workers, attributable in large measure to the efforts of the union.
But, With greater power goes greater responsibility, the Star cautioned.
Today the Canadian Labour Congress is the largest labour organization in Canada, with which most labour unions are affiliated.
The Toronto Trades and Labour Assembly, which organized the printers strike in 1871, was renamed the Toronto Trades and Labour Council in 1881. It evolved into the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, which represents more than 200,000 men and women working in every sector of the economy.
The Council also organizes Torontos annual Labour Day parade. The largest parade of its kind in North America begins Monday at 9:30 a.m. and travels along Queen St. from University Ave., entering the CNE grounds around 11 a.m.
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Today could've been a lot worse, Jim Cramer told his Mad Money viewers Wednesday. Fears over oil prices once again took control of the stock market. Fortunately, Cramer found the good, as well as the bad, as he analyzed the action.
Cramer said today's weakness was largely driven by a decline of crude prices to $44.67 a barrel, weakness that's likely to continue again tomorrow. The problem? We just have too much oil.
America is still using nearly one million barrels of oil per day less than it did before the recession. But while some traders view that as a sign of economic weakness, Cramer called it innovation. From better drilling technologies to more fuel efficient cars to buildings that use 40% less energy to heat and cool to better-performing jet engines, the fact is our economy just runs on less gas than it used to, Cramer said. The innovation is only just getting started.
What does that mean for stocks? Cramer said the industrials and other cyclicals will likely continue to do well, but the oil stocks will be hurting as oil retraces to potentially $39 a barrel. The markets will also be hurt by money managers making their portfolios look better through a process called "mark up," which will depress stock prices for the rest of the month.
Finally, Cramer said the markets will be hurt by "high multiple-itis," or stocks with high multiples, like Palo Alto Networks (PANW) , which disappoint on earnings.
Executive Decision: Oscar Munoz
For his "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer sat down with Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Continental (UAL) , the airline that just snapped up Scott Kirby, former CEO of American Air Lines (AAL) .
Munoz, former CEO of railroad CSX (CSX) , said that Kirby was a great addition to the United team and brings both intellect and a deep understanding of the airline puzzle. Munoz credited the rest of his management team as being crucial to United's success and also offered a tip of the hat to his board of directors, whom he called the best in the industry.
When asked about pricing and capacity, Munoz said the airlines operate in a dynamic world and pricing is just one of the differentiators they use to compete. In the end, airlines are a people business, Munoz added, and service and performance matter more than price.
Munoz said he's keeping a close eye on the spread of the Zika virus, but so far doesn't see it hampering travel. He was also cautiously optimistic on business travel, saying the energy sector remains weak, but banking is seeing moderate gains.
Cramer Losing Taste for Buffalo Wild Wings
After peaking near $200 a share a year ago, shares of Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) have been having a tough time, falling to a low of $134 in mid-July. The company's fortunes seemed to change after it was learned that activist Marcato Capital had taken a stake in the company, news that sent shares rebounding to $162, up 19% from their lows.
But Cramer said the news of an activist's involvement doesn't necessarily mean investors should pile into the stock. In fact, Marcato has had a lackluster track record of moderate successes that included Sotheby's (BID) and Goodyear Tire (GT) .
After taking its stake in Wild Wings, Marcato offered no specific suggestions for improving the company's business, which has been suffering from higher labor and chicken wing prices. Cramer said the company's letter to Wild Wing's board of directors read more like a general statement to "just do better."
Cramer said until he sees evidence of concrete plans for improvement, he doesn't care that there is an activist involved. Buffalo Wild Wings, he concluded, should be avoided for the time being.
Executive Decision: Marc Benioff
In his second "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer spoke with Mark Benioff, chairman and CEO of Salesforce.com (CRM) , which reported better-than-expected top-line earnings, but fell short in some key metrics like billings and cash flow, news that sent shares plunging in after-hours trading.
Benioff said Salesforce still delivered a great quarte, but saw earnings dramatically affected but what he characterized as "brutal" foreign exchange rates that lowered earnings by $150 million. He added that Salesforce did see some softness at the tail end of the quarter, which he attributed to "internal issues" that were neither competitive nor macro-economic in nature.
Sluggish sales were only a U.S. problem, Benioff said, and sales remained robust in other areas of the globe including Europe, Asia and Japan. The sales pipeline remains full, he added.
When asked about future growth, Benioff said Salesforce is working hard to add artificial intelligence to all of its cloud offerings and will be debuting some of the technology at the company's developer conference in October.
Lightning Round
In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Potash (POT) , NovoCure (NVCR) and Yelp (YELP) .
Cramer was bearish on Incyte (INCY) and Cheniere Energy (LNG) .
No Huddle Offense
In his "No Huddle Offense" segment, Cramer opined as to why September has historically been such a bad month for the markets, losing on average 1%.
Cramer said a 1% loss doesn't warrant the fear it typically generates. That said, there are downward pressures in the market that help make bad Septembers a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The first reason for weakness is tech. Not a lot of business gets done in July and August, Cramer said, and September is when the markets get their false optimism corrected. Case in point: today's weakness in both Palo Alto and Salesforce.
The second reason September is typically weak is, well, October. With so much volatility in October, some investors scale back in September just in case.
Finally, there are the money managers, Cramer said. When funds are beating the averages handedly in September, many will lock in their gains for the year to preserve those profits. That puts even more downward pressure on stocks.
To watch replays of Cramer's video segments, visit the Mad Money page on CNBC.
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At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had no position in stocks mentioned.
Though autonomous driving -- or rather, the promise of it -- has been making headlines for years, 2016 might go down as the year the auto industry got self-driving religion. The year that nearly every big automaker, as well as some other notable industry players, decided autonomous driving is a matter of "when" rather than "if," and that they needed a serious strategy to guarantee they aren't caught flat-footed.
This of course doesn't assure the efforts of newer entrants will pan out. It's entirely possible that a decade from now, self-driving pioneer Alphabet (GOOGL) will have a role in the autonomous driving market similar to the one Intel (INTC) and Microsoft (MSFT) have long held in the PC industry.
Working in Alphabet's favor: The company launched its self-driving car project roughly a decade ago with the help of some very smart Stanford and Carnegie Mellon engineers, and since then, its cars have logged more than 1.5 million miles in autonomous mode in California, Texas, Arizona and elsewhere. That's given Alphabet a big lead in collecting real-world info on how self-driving cars function, one that could grow further as more miles are logged.
The Google parent has also made big investments in Lidar and other technologies used by its prototype cars to understand the world around them, and in algorithms that decide how a car should act in various situations. Google's broader investments in machine learning help out with the latter.
Alphabet has insisted it has little interest in being a fully-fledged automaker, but rather wants to act as a technology supplier to existing ones. For now, the company has a goal of bringing self-driving cars to market by 2020.
It's unlikely Tesla Motors (TSLA) will be one of Alphabet's partners: Elon Musk's company has arguably made bigger strides towards autonomous driving than any other existing automaker, courtesy of the well-received Autopilot features supported by its Model S sedan and Model X SUV. In addition, Autopilot use is helping Tesla narrow Alphabet's driving data lead.
On Wednesday, Musk promised that "major improvements" to Autopilot's software will soon be announced, and -- with the caveat that Tesla has often missed deadlines for launching new products -- said in December 2015 his company is two years away from providing fully self-driving cars. Autopilot uses a mixture of cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors.
Working in Alphabet and Tesla's favor as they try to stay ahead of auto industry giants: Both companies have long had a knack for hiring elite engineering talent. For many a talented engineer, the allure (and quite possibly also the financial payoff) of working for Google or Tesla remains much greater than that of working for, say, GM or Mercedes-Benz.
Still, the list of companies devoting huge resources to autonomous driving is a lot higher than it was a year ago. Ford (F) recently proclaimed it wants to bring a self-driving car to market by 2021 -- the product will target ride-sharing fleets -- and announced a string of acquisitions and investments meant to help realize that ambitious goal. BMW announced last month it also wants to launch an autonomous car in five years, and that Intel and top advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) processor vendor Mobileye (MBLY) will aid its efforts.
Mobileye is also working with auto parts giant Delphi (DLPH) to create an off-the-shelf self-driving system for third parties by 2019. The investments made by Mobileye over the years in computer vision algorithms for its ADAS processors, along with the data taken in by those processors, could help it play catch-up.
Then there's Uber, which has been experimenting with self-driving cars for a while but recently dialed up its efforts: This month, the company bought self-driving trucking startup Otto for $680 million, and announced a $300 million partnership with Volvo to field self-driving cars by (drumroll...) 2021.
In an interview following the Otto deal, Uber chief Travis Kalanick underscored the seriousness of his company's self-driving push by declaring the technology to be an existential threat, should a third party deliver superior offerings to power its own ride-sharing fleets. Analyst Ben Thompson observes the routing algorithms Uber has developed for its fleets of human drivers could be a big competitive advantage once autonomous ride-sharing fleets become a reality.
Baidu (BIDU) is a notable dark horse: The Chinese search giant just showed off a new self-driving car prototype, and has been doing road test for its self-driving systems via modified BMWs. Like Google and Tesla, Baidu has a history of recruiting elite engineering talent. It also has the backing of a Chinese government that's actively supporting local self-driving car projects.
Last but not least, there's Apple (AAPL) , whose widely reported electric car initiative is believed to include autonomous driving investments. Bloomberg reported in July Apple's project, codenamed Titan, is now "prioritizing the development of an autonomous driving system," thus leaving the company's options open if it decides to partner with an existing automaker.
Alphabet and Apple are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells GOOGL or AAPL? Learn more now.
Needless to say, the race to commercialize self-driving cars is still in its early innings. Chances are bringing cars to market that can fully take over for humans will be much tougher than creating ones that can often do so, as Tesla has done.
That could give Uber, Mobileye, Apple and the rest a decent amount of time to catch up to Alphabet and Tesla. But it still won't be easy.
A story published in South Korea this week confirmed what the family of former Lincoln resident David Sneddon has long believed: that their son had been abducted and was being held in North Korea.
Its not anything new or interesting, frankly, said Kathleen Sneddon, Davids mother. I guess it wasnt a big surprise.
But, it brings attention to David, and that's important, she said.
Kathleen and Roy Sneddons son, the 10th of 11 children and East High graduate, disappeared during an extended hiking trip to China in 2004. He would now be 36.
The Sneddon family has long believed their son, fluent in Mandarin, was taken as he hiked in the Yunnan Province before he returned to finish college at BYU and enter law school.
On Tuesday, they posted about the story on a Facebook page dedicated to finding David.
News out of Yahoo Japan this evening!! Confirmation of what the Sneddon family has always either known or felt. ... According to the article ... David Sneddon had been abducted, is now in Pyongyang teaching English and married with two children. The article further claims that one of David's students include the current NK dictator Kim Jong-un.
Sneddons parents live in Providence, Utah, and along with his siblings have spent the last 12 years searching for their son.
Our faith has never wavered that hell be found, his mother said.
Right now, the family is focusing on getting a pair of resolutions voted on in Congress. The resolutions introduced by the Nebraska and Utah delegations are aimed at bringing government intelligence community efforts to the search, and attention to Davids disappearance.
Thats why the news from South Korea is good news, she said.
This is an important part of that -- it has to help those resolutions.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Boeing (BA) were increasing in mid-afternoon trading on Thursday as the U.S. is poised to approve the sale of $7 billion worth of the aerospace company's fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait, Reuters reports.
The deal surrounds a potential sale of 36 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Qatar valued at about $4 billion and 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, plus options for 12 more, to Kuwait in a transaction worth approximately $3 billion.
The sales have been pending for more than two years as the U.S. ally Israel had concerns the arms might be used against it.
Additionally, U.S. officials have criticized Qatar for alleged connections to armed Islamist groups, Reuters noted.
The delays have frustrated some U.S. defense officials and industry executives who said the stalling could cost them billions of dollars and result in the buyers taking their business elsewhere.
A Kuwait spokesperson told Reuters that the deal was "imminent" and that a decision is expected next week.
One of the last steps is for the White House to give approval, which it's expected to do soon, sources told Reuters. Once the White House gives approval, U.S. officials will notify U.S. lawmakers.
Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. TheStreet Ratings has this to say about the recommendation:
The team rates Boeing as a Hold with a ratings score of C+. The primary factors that have impacted the rating are mixed - some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, notable return on equity and increase in stock price during the past year. However, as a counter to these strengths, the team also finds weaknesses including deteriorating net income, generally higher debt management risk and weak operating cash flow.
You can view the full analysis from the report here:
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Allegiant Air, a budget carrier that advertises fares as low as $29, has found a profitable niche in serving airports in small-to-midsize cities. Its safety and maintenance practices have come under scrutiny after a series of operational incidents. (DAVID BECKER/AP)
Just over a year ago, Allegiant Air pilot Jason Kinzer was sitting in the cockpit of a 24-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft bound for Hagerstown, Md., having just taken off from St. Petersburg, Fla.
As the plane climbed through 2,500 feet, a cabin attendant alerted Kinzer to a strong burning smell. Alarmed, Kinzer turned Allegiant Air Flight 864 back toward the airport. Fire and rescue crews met the plane on the runway as smoke wafted from an engine. Kinzer told the 144 passengers to disembark. He then helped a flight attendant carry a paraplegic passenger to the exit.
It seemed to be model behavior. But Allegiant Air did not praise Kinzer. It fired him.
In a dismissal letter, the airline called the evacuation of the plane unwarranted and faulted Kinzer as not striving to preserve the Companys assets, aircraft, ground equipment, fuel and the personal time of our employees and customers. Later, the companys attorneys would call Kinzers account an inaccurate and self-serving recitation of events.
Kinzers saga, now the subject of a court case in Nevada, involves one of dozens of incidents that have prompted scrutiny of the safety and maintenance practices at Allegiant Air, a low-cost carrier that has found a profitable niche in serving airports in small-to-midsize cities.
In an industry that has habitually struggled to make money, Allegiants soaring earnings stand out. Last year, its profits jumped 154 percent, to $220.4 million, as the carrier relying heavily on cheaper, previously used planes flew more than 300 routes. In June, Allegiant announced a dozen new routes and three new cities, for the first time competing with major carriers at airports in Newark and Denver.
[Flights are about to become cheaper]
But observers with various interests and viewpoints are asking whether Allegiant has pursued fast growth and financial success at the expense of other considerations.
Unwanted attention has come from federal regulators worried about safety, investors betting against the stock, a pilots union concerned about maintenance, and corporate governance experts who fault the airlines cozy board of directors as not doing more to head off problems.
About 300 pages of Federal Aviation Administration records for Allegiant show a pattern of safety problems that triggered a relatively large number of aborted takeoffs, emergency descents and emergency landings from Jan. 1, 2015, through this March. The Allegiant records were obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Robert MacArthur, owner of Alternative Research Services, a consultancy that caters to short sellers investors who benefit when company share prices drop.
Allegiant had about nine times as many serious incidents over that period as Delta Air Lines had with similar types of planes of similar vintage even though Delta was flying about three times as many such planes, according to a Washington Post analysis of FAA documents relating to both companies.
I dont think theres a safety problem, Allegiants chief operating officer, Jude Bricker, said in an interview. Our unscheduled landings in particular are a result primarily of an abundance of caution, and our pilots are entitled to put their planes into landing anytime they feel unsafe.
But leading experts said Allegiant needs to pay closer attention to its aging aircraft.
They just have a lot of problems with leaks, doors not closing properly, things not working properly, said Mary F. Schiavo, an aviation lawyer who served as inspector general for the Department of Transportation from 1990 to 1996. They have electrical smells every day, which means theyve got old wiring. Its just kind of a poorly maintained fleet.
Allegiant said that its safety protocols emphasize putting the safety of passengers foremost. And in July, the company said it had agreed to depart from customary practice and buy 12 new Airbus A320s for delivery by 2018.
The fortunes of chief executive Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. are tied to Allegiant Airs performance. Higher maintenance spending could cut into profits and hurt the companys stock price. Gallagher, who does not take a base salary, owns about 20 percent of the company and received more than $4 million in dividends last year. On March 9, he sold shares of Allegiant worth $47.8 million. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News)
A swift ascent
The chief executive of Allegiant Air is Maurice Maury J. Gallagher Jr., who ran ValuJet until one of its planes plunged into the Florida Everglades in 1996, killing all 110 people aboard. In 1999, after ValuJet was merged into AirTran, Gallagher started building a new carrier, Allegiant Air, which now has about 80 planes serving about 113 airports.
The Las Vegas-based company became the darling of Wall Street. It was the subject of a glowing article in Fast Company. It made Fortunes list of fastest-growing companies. Aviation Week in 2013 named it the top-performing small carrier in the world. Although the stock has lost nearly half its value since its peak of $234 a share last year, it has increased more than fivefold in the past decade.
Analysts hailed Gallaghers strategy of buying older MD-80s, often for a tenth of the $40 million to $50 million its competitors were paying for new aircraft. The average age of Allegiants MD-80 fleet is 26.49 years; recently added Airbus planes also are used, with an average age of 14.2 years.
But Allegiant Air has run into trouble.
Allegiant aircraft this year made unscheduled landings on Feb. 28; on March 2, 3 and 14; and twice on March 13, according to FAA documents.
On March 5, a crew aborted a takeoff after a loud bang, warning signs from the right engine and smoke in the cabin. One flight attendant was treated by emergency medical technicians for smoke inhalation.
All airlines must file reports about safety and maintenance incidents with the FAA. After Allegiants spate of midair incidents, the agency moved up a periodic evaluation of the airline that had been scheduled for 2018.
The purpose of these reviews is to verify a company is complying with the applicable regulations; determine whether it is operating at the highest possible degree of safety; and identify and address any operational/safety issues, the FAA said, although it would not comment on Allegiant.
Later, in a July 18 letter to Allegiant, the FAA said it had identified several element design and element performance deficiencies such as software that did not meet FAA specifications and a failure to notice fractures in a right-engine pylon and ordered the airline to come up with a mitigation plan by Sept. 30. The FAA said two findings revealed possible regulatory issues but did not describe them.
Schiavo author of Flying Blind, Flying Safe, a book critical of the FAA said the agency needs to take a tougher stance.
I think that the FAA bears some responsibility for this horrible track record, said Schiavo, who works at the law firm Motley Rice, which specializes in class-action lawsuits but has not been involved in any cases involving Allegiant. The FAA sees its job as promoting the airlines and keeping them flying. They really try to keep just about any hunk of junk flying.
The FAA documents suggest that the agency had expressed concerns before. When Allegiant Air sought FAA approval of a new safety chief, the agency in a Feb. 1, 2016, report described qualifications for the position the education and vast experience needed to help lead the airline in providing the public with the safest means of commercial travel and then said it approved the appointment with concern and trepidation.
An Allegiant spokesman, Hilarie Grey, referred The Post to the FAA for comment. The FAA did not elaborate.
Gallagher said the findings of this years FAA inspection were minor or less than minor.
So when you send 30 people around for 90 days in any organization, theyre going to find stuff, as well they should. And well respond and adjust it, Gallagher said in a July 29 conference call with securities analysts. But he said theres nothing that operationally were going to do substantially different.
The FAA said it will closely monitor the carriers efforts.
Allegiant told the FAA that for the 15 months ending in March, its 50 McDonnell Douglas planes including DC-9s and MD-80s had 50 unscheduled landings, five emergency descents and eight aborted takeoffs. (Michael Fiala/Reuters)
Operational incidents
The FAAs Service Difficulty Reports cover issues ranging from a burned-out light bulb on a cabin exit sign to an engine failure.
The Post examined FAA reports from Allegiant for 15 months ending in March and focused on the three types of operational incidents that aviation experts deem most significant: emergency descents, unscheduled landings and aborted takeoffs.
The Post then compared Allegiants record with Deltas by obtaining and reviewing reports filed by Delta for the same aircraft models for the same period. Delta flies more than twice as many MD-80s and MD-88s and more than four times as many of the Airbus models, but Allegiant had many more serious incidents.
Allegiant told the FAA that its 50 McDonnell Douglas planes including DC-9s and MD-80s had 50 unscheduled landings, five emergency descents and eight aborted takeoffs. From Jan. 1, 2015, through the end of March 2016, Delta reported that its 117 MD-88 aircraft had six unscheduled landings, one emergency descent and no aborted takeoffs.
For its 30 Airbus jetliners, Allegiant reported five unscheduled landings, two aborted takeoffs and one emergency descent. Delta reported that its 126 Airbus planes had one unscheduled landing, no aborted takeoffs and no emergency descents.
Allegiants Bricker said that the reporting criteria [to the FAA] is open to interpretation and therefore is vastly different from fleet to fleet.
In less than a year, a single Allegiant MD-88 had almost as many incidents as the entire Delta fleet of MD-88s, FAA records show. In August 2015, that plane took off from Memphis and was at 16,000 feet, climbing to cruising altitude, when one of its two engines shut down. The crew declared an emergency and landed the plane.
In November, the same plane made an unscheduled landing after flight attendants said the air in the cabin had grown hazy and they smelled something burning.
Three weeks later, the planes pilot made another unscheduled landing after a gray haze filled the cabin.
During a flight 12 days after that, the plane had reached cruising altitude when the cockpit crew noticed the odor of evaporating oil, which led to the replacement of the left engine before the plane was flown again.
Repeated problems with other Allegiant MD-88s were common. One aircraft made three unscheduled landings. Another was met by firetrucks this year after an engine failed in flight. Six months earlier, the same plane made an emergency descent and an unscheduled landing after its instrument panel started to smoke. That incident occurred 10 days after the same plane made an unscheduled landing when the tail compartment next to the planes engines overheated.
I just dont like the look, feel or smell of their track record, Schiavo said.
[I have peoples blood on my feet: Severe turbulence on Allegiant Air flight lands passengers in hospital]
A caller to the FAAs hotline said that an Allegiant DC-9-83 suffered engine failures twice, on July 31 and Aug. 3, 2015, both times en route to Richmond from St. Petersburg. On one of those flights, the crew reported the smell of burning rubber and a grinding noise followed by the failure of an engine. A maintenance crew later found a compressor severely damaged, and the engine was replaced, the FAA said.
Bricker said that Allegiant takes older airplanes to isolated areas, where we dont have our own mechanics and therefore they are more likely to turn back if theres trouble.
Allegiant says it will spend more on maintenance this year. (Michael Fiala/Reuters)
Clashes with union
Allegiant says the controversy about its safety record is due in large part to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The airlines pilots voted to join the Teamsters in 2012 and, after prolonged negotiations, reached an agreement with the company on June 21.
A company spokesman said the union had made a significant effort to create negative media coverage of Allegiant. The company said that one of those tactics was to issue safety reports about the fleet.
Theres never been any denial or doubt or rebuttal by the company to refute the number of engine failures, aborted takeoffs or near crashes, said Daniel C. Wells, president of Teamsters Local 1224. No one ever said those were false reports.
The union has issued safety reports on Allegiant for the past three years that are based on what its members have reported. Wells said the contract would not lessen our concern about getting the safety issues fixed with Allegiant, first for our members and, of course, the flying public.
The company said in a statement: Allegiant is a very safe airline. We have robust internal and external auditing programs and are investing heavily in new training programs and technologies that are industry leading.
Allegiant says it will spend more on maintenance this year. According to the MIT Airline Data Project, Allegiants maintenance spending hit $72.7 million in 2011, then fell to $33.6 million and $38.7 million the next two years, less than in any other year since 2008, when it was a much smaller company. Maintenance spending climbed again, to $62.3 million, in 2014.
Allegiant spokeswoman Wheeler said the fluctuations were largely driven by scheduled maintenance events. She said that in 2011, the airline underwent a large-scale engine overhaul project.
The company said that it is in regular contact with the FAA and that its maintenance programs are in accordance with all standards of the airline industry. On Aug. 5, it cut the ribbon on a new training center in Florida for pilots, flight attendants and mechanics.
Higher maintenance spending could cut into profits and the companys stock price.
The fortunes of chief executive Gallagher are tied to that performance. Although he does not take a base salary, he owns about 20 percent of the company and received more than $4 million in dividends last year. On March 9, he sold shares of Allegiant worth $47.8 million.
Despite the string of safety incidents in 2015, the companys board also gave him a nearly $3 million bonus, putting his total compensation for that year at the same level as his counterparts at low-cost rival JetBlue, which is about four times larger.
Waiting for a resolution
Kinzer isnt flying these days. Broke and unable to get a job in aviation, he is trying to start a photography business and is waiting for the court case to begin.
Bricker and Wheeler declined to comment on the litigation. Allegiants attorneys in Nevada moved in federal court to have the case dismissed. A judge rejected the motion and sent the case back to state court.
On July 18, Kinzers attorneys filed depositions, including one by Capt. Cameron Graff, a witness for Allegiant, who in reply to a question said: Its my opinion that Capt. Kinzer was terminated to quell the pilot group, to silence the pilot group, to in a way take one out to keep the pilots from reporting safety events, emergencies, those types of events.
Steven Rich contributed to this report.
Reinhard Selten, a German economist and mathematician who won the 1994 Nobel Prize for his work on game theory, died Aug. 23 in Poznan, Poland. He was 85.
The University of Bonn, where he had taught since 1984, announced the death. No cause was reported.
Germanys only Nobel laureate in the field of economic sciences, Dr. Selten shared the prize with John F. Nash Jr. of Princeton University and John C. Harsanyi of the University of California at Berkeley, both of whom developed concepts to explain human behavior through game theory.
Applied to fields as diverse as international relations, business-negotiation standoffs and biology, game theory attempts to predict human action based on the conflicting strategies of different parties. The academic study focuses largely on experimental methodology that requires participants to respond to various sets of circumstances in real-world situations, such as wars and political stalemates.
Predicting human actions is also a goal of game theory, but it is more the question of, what would rational players do in a game? Dr. Selten said in a 2004 interview with journalist Marika Griehsel.
Dr. Seltens work involved refining Nashs equilibrium concept by removing unlikely scenarios in which two or more players have nothing to gain by changing their strategies unilaterally.
He applied his theory of bounded rationality whereby individuals make decisions based on limited information to the war in Kosovo and to superpower rivalry in the Persian Gulf during the 1970s. He said the emergence of mass movements can weaken the theorys accuracy, as shown by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeinis unexpected rise to power in Irans 1979 revolution.
Reinhard Justus Reginald Selten was born on Oct. 5, 1930, in Breslau, a German city before World War II and now called Wroclaw in present-day Poland. His father ran a magazine-lending business, which the Nazi regime forced him to sell because he was Jewish.
Dr. Selten and his mother were Protestant, but his fathers Jewish roots forced Dr. Selten to leave school at 14, and he was refused entry to a trade. The family left Breslau and became refugees in the German states of Saxony and Hesse and in Austria, where he worked as a farm hand after the war.
While living in a village in Hesse, he had to walk 3 hours to and from school. He used the time to solve mathematical problems, he said in his biography for the Nobel Foundation.
My situation as a member of an officially despised minority forced me to pay close attention to political matters very early in my life, he said in the Nobel biographical essay. I had to learn to trust my own judgment rather than official propaganda or public opinion. This was a strong influence on my intellectual development.
Dr. Selten received a masters degree in mathematics from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt in 1957 and a doctorate four years later. After posts at the University of California and the Free University in Berlin, he was a professor of mathematical economics at the University of Bielefeld for 12 years.
Dr. Selten and his wife, the former Elisabeth Langreiner, were proficient in Esperanto, an invented language devised in the 19th century to assist international communication. Both were diagnosed with diabetes in 1991, and his wife later lost both legs below the knee because of the disease. They had no children.
Nash, the subject of the book and Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind, died last year in a car crash. Harsanyi died in 2000.
Actually, the headline "Big families, squeezed out?" referred to a story about the dearth of affordable multi-bedroom apartments in Washington. (Bob Staake for The Washington Post)
(Click here to skip down to the winning neologisms from Week 1187.)
Real Washington Post headline: Big families, squeezed out?
Fake bank head: Plus-size patrons sue Six Flags over small seats on roller coaster (Brendan Beary)
Real headline: Lucy, the worlds most famous fossil, may have met her demise in a fall
Bank head: Museum technician regrets texting while carrying skull (Dave Prevar)
The Post, in recent years, has put a welcome emphasis on writing lively, engaging headlines, with less of the headlinese language (missing the or to be verbs; cliches like raises ire). But lively or no, there should be plenty to choose from in this weeks contest: Reinterpret (or comment wryly on) a headline appearing in The Post (print or online) and dated Sept. 1-12 by writing a bank head, or subtitle, as in the examples above from the Aug. 30 Post (a few days ago I invited the Loser Community, on the Style Invitational Devotees page on Facebook, to contribute ideas for this weeks sample head/bank combos).
In the print paper, you may use an articles main headline, or a significant part of it (for example, everything before or after a colon); the storys bank head; or the jump head (the headline on the storys second page). Online, you may use not only headlines (or significant parts) above an article, but also headlines on the home page and elsewhere that serve as links to the article. And for both, you may use headlines in ads. See the Style Conversational column for further guidelines at bit.ly/conv1191. (The Conversational will be published late in the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 1.)
Eternally Patient Royal Consort Mark Holt displays this week's second prize, a fleece cap topped with a whale fin. We will call it (not the RC) the Dorca. (Pat Myers/The Washington Post)
Submit your entries at this website (note, Mr. and Ms. I Have No Use for Computers: This is a website, not an email address): bit.ly/enter-invite-1191 .
Winner gets the Inkin Memorial, the Lincoln statue bobblehead that is the official Style Invitational trophy. Second place receives yet another in a series of prize hats that would surely add dignity to any Loser, while subtracting it from anyone else: This week its a fleecy whale-motif hat, complete with big flippery tail at the top. We will call it the Dorca. Donated years ago by Universal Prize Donor Cheryl Davis.
Other runners-up win their choice of a yearned-for Loser Mug, the older-model This Is Your Brain on Mugs mug or our new Grossery Bag, I Got a B in Punmanship. Honorable mentions get one of our lusted-after Loser magnets, Magnet Dum Laude or Falling Jest Short. First Offenders receive a smelly tree-shaped air freshener (FirStink for their first ink). Deadline is Monday night, Sept. 12; results published Oct. 2 (online Sept. 29). You may submit up to 25 entries per contest. See general contest rules and guidelines at wapo.st/InvRules. Both Snip Judgment and the honorable-mentions subhead are by Tom Witte. Join the lively Style Invitational Devotees group on Facebook at on.fb.me/invdev. Like the Style Invitational Ink of the Day on Facebook at bit.ly/inkofday; follow @StyleInvite on Twitter.
The Style Conversational The Empresss weekly online column, published late Thursday afternoon, discusses each new contest and set of results. Especially if you plan to enter, check it out at wapo.st/styleconv.
And from The Style Invitational four weeks ago . . .
SNIP JUDGMENT: THE INKING NEOLOGISMS FROM WEEK 1187
In Week 1187 we asked you to drop the last letter from any word, name or phrase, then describe the resulting neologism. In the late-summer deluge of more than 2,000 entries, the Empress received 23 separate ideas for Faceboo, suggesting everything from Unlike-buttons to zits, none of them quite inkworthy.
4th place:
World Wide We: Oneness and harmony with all humankind. Mutually exclusive with Internet use. (Daniel Galef, Montclair, N.J., a First Offender)
3rd place:
Prince Charmin: A seemingly debonair gentleman who turns out to be a complete wipe. (Matt Monitto, Bristol, Conn.)
2nd place
and the figurine of a teddy bear grabbing Mother Goose around the neck:
GrateFU: Thanks for the foreign aid, but youre still the Great Satan. (Mark Raffman, Reston, Va.)
And the winner of the Inkin Memorial:
Obamacar: The glitchy second-rate vehicle your partner made you get because it was cheaper, and now constantly complains about. (Danielle Nowlin, Fairfax Station, Va.)
Clip flops: honorable mentions
The Nuclear Butto: Someone whod ask: If we have all these atomic weapons, why couldnt we use them? (Robert Schechter, Dix Hills, N.Y.)
Swimming poo: Going off the Depend. (Rob Huffman, Fredericksburg, Va.)
Billie Jean Kin: Son of Michael Jackson though he denied it (Kevin Tingley, Vienna, Va.)
Invertebrat: One as spoiled as he is spineless. (Nathanael Dewhurst, Lynn, Mass.)
Capture the Fla.: All-or-nothing game played by Bush and Gore in 2000. (Larry Gray, Union Bridge, Md.)
Canada goos: Hazards in the grass near any large pond. (Larry Gray)
VuLGA: Language used by New Yorkers whose flights have been canceled. (Pete Kinsella, Glen Allen, Va.)
Humble pi: 3.1 is close enough. (Howard Walderman, Columbia, Md.)
Equipmen: Guys who get a fourth date (Tom Witte, Montgomery Village, Md.)
Achilles hee: The one little spot youre ticklish. (Danielle Nowlin)
Finge: The shortest digit on the shop teachers hand. (Sylvia Betts, Vancouver, B.C.)
PharMac: A burger made with no natural ingredients. (Dudley Thompson, Cary, N.C.)
Beltwa: Cry of despair at 10 miles of brake lights. (Ellen Ryan, Rockville, Md.)
Blunderbus: Metros alternative transportation solution during SafeTrack work. (Mike Gips, Bethesda, Md.)
Universit: The traditional four-year waiting period before a student graduates to debt. (Lawrence McGuire, Waldorf, Md.)
Militar: An invisible substance that keeps America mired in a war. (Lawrence McGuire)
Chevrole: Yay! That new manufacturing plant is going to bring a lot of jobs here! (Danielle Nowlin)
Unequa: Native American tribe vanquished by the U.S. Cavalry. (William Liss-Levinson, Great Neck, N.Y., a First Offender)
Heavy Meta: Aggressive style of music with lyrics that focus on describing an aggressive style of music (Josh Feldblyum, Philadelphia)
Websit: Why American rear ends have expanded since 1993. (Ellen Ryan)
Outloo: The software Hillary used to dump her email. (Kevin Dopart, Washington)
Asphal: The outcome of my extremely brief attempt at skateboarding. (Pam Sweeney, Burlington, Mass.)
LaundroMa: Not my preferred job description, son. (Ann Martin, Falls Church, Va.)
Unloade: Loaded, as in Dont worry, this gun is unloade . . . (John Glenn, Tyler, Tex.)
The Dead Poo: The number two movie of the year! (Mark Prysant, Silver Spring, Md., a First Offender)
Parent-hoo: Any kid knows that If you make that face, its going to freeze that way is pure parent-hoo. (Frank Osen, Pasadena, Calif.)
Gobbledegoo: turkey-flavored Jell-O. (Beth Morgan, Palo Alto, Calif.)
Confederat: Someone who uses heritage to excuse bigotry. (Joanne Free, Clifton, Va.)
Labore: The first-time mom who never stops recounting the agony and ecstasy of childbirth. (Amy Harris, Charlottesville, Va.)
Ketchu: A sneeze with a bloody nose. (Mark Raffman)
Stupid as. . . : Someone so clueless you cant even describe how clueless. (Burt Freiman, East Amherst, N.Y., a First Offender)
Your call is very important to u: But not to us! (Jamie Martindale, newly relocated to Riga, Latvia)
All the worlds a stag: And the men merely playas. (Susan Geariety, Menifee, Calif.)
A tooth for a toot: Worst. Deal. Ever. (Gary Crockett, Chevy Chase, Md.)
Grind to a HAL: What your computer sometimes does clearly with spite when youre on deadline. (Drew Bennett, West Plains, Mo.)
Running mat: The lesser half of a presidential ticket. (Chris Doyle, Denton, Tex.)
Newscaste: The mainstream media or, as I call them, the lowest form of life. D. Trump (Chris Doyle)
Washington POS: Any op-ed piece that I disagree with (G.T. Bowman, Falls Church, Va.)
The beaten Pat: A contest judge after reading hundreds of entries from folks who think instructions are for the less gifted. (Lawrence McGuire)
Still running deadline Monday night, Sept. 5: our name-chain contest. See bit.ly/invite1190.
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1 of 30 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad The penguins of the Falkland Islands View Photos Caption As the sunlight fades, thousands of cormorants, with a sprinkling of rockhoppers, nest along the clifftops on Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands. Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.
I was bouncing around in the back seat of a Land Rover, heading toward a beach on East Falkland. My eyes swept over a desolate landscape of dirt patches punctuated by green lumps. I searched for signs of life. In the distance, I noticed a cluster of dark smudges.
Those are penguins, Esther Bertram said from behind the wheel.
I asked her to please stop the car and ran half-mad toward the birds. I stared; they stared. I couldve cried with happiness; they couldnt have cared less. I climbed back into the vehicle, giddy.
Youll see more, she assured me.
If my projections were accurate, four species more.
Most birders aspire to see hundreds if not thousands of species in their lifetime. My number is set at 17, and they all belong to the same family: Spheniscidae or, in non-ornithologist parlance, penguins.
Why the fixation on penguins, you might ask. Obviously, theyre cute and silly, waddling around like little Charlie Chaplins. But I also admire their fortitude in the face of such odds as Arctic blizzards and menacing sharks. And I applaud their lifelong commitment to their mates, though I later learned that the females will flirt (and possibly more) for nest-building material. They move me in every which way, from giggles to tears. I am hopelessly hooked.
Since embarking on my penguin quest years ago, I have witnessed four species in the wild. (Zoos and aquariums dont qualify.) I have seen little blue, or fairy, penguins in Australia and New Zealand; Humboldt penguins in Patagonia; and African penguins in Namibia. On a January swim in Ecuador, I nearly smashed a Galapagos penguin with my head when I darted to the surface for air.
If you do the math, you will realize that my progress is slow.
The number is low not for a lack of commitment or obsession. Its logistics. Most of them live in inhospitable places: on glaciers, remote islands or rocky cliffs accessible only by ocean vessel or climbing gear. In addition, the flightless birds inhabit less surface area than other winged creatures. Land and sea, no sky.
To speed up my count, I had to find a destination dense with penguin species. Chile is home to four kinds, but the macaronis live offshore, outside the tourist cone. Six species reside in Antarctica; however, turbulent weather and restrictions on cruise ships can impede viewings. The Falkland Islands has five species and more than a million penguins, including the worlds largest breeding population of gentoos and nearly 40 percent of the worlds southern rockhopper population. The birds inhabit beaches, craggy cliffs, heathland and coastal grasslands, all within reasonable reach.
On a summery February morning, Esther, chief executive director of Falklands Conservation, and Andy Stanworth , a conservation manager, showed me how easy it was to commune with penguins: as simple as driving to the beach.
They are everywhere, Andrew said as we stood among several groupings of the birds on the sand and in the dunes. Theyre part of the scenery.
Hearing that news, I broke out in a Happy Feet dance.
Groups of King penguins hang out on the beach on Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands. King penguins are the largest of the Falklands penguins, at an average height of just over three feet tall. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)
The Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic, is a broken puzzle with more than 778 island pieces. (Opponents to U.K. sovereignty refer to the country as the Malvinas, the Argentine name.) One commercial flight flies weekly between Punta Arenas, Chile, and Mount Pleasant Airport, a military station on East Falkland, the largest island. The Royal Air Force also provides service twice a week from England. Flight time is about 18 hours, including a refueling stop on Ascension Island.
Photography is not permitted at the airport, so I dont have proof of the stone penguin statue that greets passengers after disembarking. But I can reveal that I patted the bird on its head, a reflexive move. I can also share that a serviceman informed me of an island tradition: Anyone who touches the statue improves his or her chances of returning to the islands.
The penguin breeding season coincides with the tourist invasion. Both occur during the Southern Hemispheres late spring and summer months, roughly September to March.
The southern ocean is large, and there is very minimal land mass for breeding, said Megan Tierney, a marine ecologist with the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute in Stanley, the capital.
During this period, the archipelago transforms into a giant maternity ward (and docking station for cruise ship passengers). The adults lay and incubate their eggs. The chicks hatch. The weeks-old fledglings gather in protective creches while their parents forage for food in the ocean. The youngsters wait for dinner, vocalizing their hunger and impatience loudly.
Its the sound of the Falklands, said Andy.
Two species, the gentoo and the king, inhabit the Falklands year-round. The southern rockhopper, Magellanic and macaroni are seasonal guests. When the weather starts to cool, they depart for waters up the South American coast and around South Georgia Island and Antarctica. But even in the offseason, the penguins outnumber the humans.
I couldnt imagine a better ratio, and place, on Earth.
A partially sunken fishing boat rests in the Stanley Harbor in Stanley, Falkland Islands. While oil exploration has started in the waters around the islands, fishing remains the country's main economic contributor. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)
The tourist map is adorable. Eric Carle-like illustrations of whales, sheep, foxes, sea lions and penguins dot the coves and coastlines of the two largest islands as well as the smaller ones, such as Carcass, Flat and Lively. But the navigational aid is deceiving. The uninitiated might mistakenly think that they can hop into their rental car and zoom off to Cape Dolphin or Bull Point or Berthas Beach and cavort with the wildlife. What they wont know until they set off is that there is only one main two-lane road on East and West Falkland (a ferry connects the two sections), a few intersections and no traffic lights. The paved portions sometimes dissolve into a crumble. Most of the excursions require a four-wheel-drive vehicle and steely nerves. Instead of signs, drivers rely on the topography. Cattle grids, roving sheep and haphazard rabbits intensify the driving experience.
The majority of penguins live on private land that is often part of a working farm. (A few exceptions: Gypsy Cove, a Magellanic habitat near Stanley, and a gentoo colony near the ferry port on East Falkland.) The locals are typically generous and will unlock the gate if you call and ask. But you need to know the phone number and catch the owners at home.
Whenever possible, I hitched a ride with Falklands Conservation. The nonprofit organization frequents wildlife sites for research, such as seabird monitoring, and outreach activities, like a Sunday outing to Elephant Beach Farm with Watch Group, an environmental program for children.
The caravan of cars parked near the beach, a banner of white sand speckled with rocks. The kids grabbed garbage bags to collect litter and zoomed by a pack of penguins. The birds looked curiously at the strange creatures, who were equally clumsy and clownish.
On Elephant Beach, three species mingled as if they were at a social mixer. I couldnt tell them apart, so Esther and Andy described their distinguishing features.
The gentoo are inquisitive, Esther said, and the most elegant, with their orange lipstick, white eye shadow and red shoes. The Magellanic are quite quirky, and their behavior is odd, Andy said. They wear the traditional tuxedo colors, decorated with black bands, and emit a sound that resembles a donkeys heehaw hence their nickname, jackass. The rockhoppers stand out from the crowd with their red eyes and beak, yellow feather headdress and feistiness.
They are the most amazing, Esther said. They boing along like bouncy balls.
Theyre aggressive little balls of angst, added Andy.
As if on cue, a rockie pogo-ed over to a posse of gentoos and Magellanics and started fussing. Its molting feathers flapped around like a dislodged toupee. The group fired back with pecks and pushes. I watched the squabbling species with fascination and amusement. I crossed the three kinds off my list but knew that we would see each other again.
The Falklands largest colony of king penguins about 1,000 adults and 500 chicks resides at Volunteer Point, a toe of land three hours from Stanley. The site draws crowds on cruise ship days who arrive on pre-arranged tours. Signs point this way to the gentoos, that way to the Magellanics, over here for the kings.
Wow, theyre good-looking, Andy said of the kings congregating in a cordoned-off breeding area.
The second-largest penguin, after the emperor, is indeed stunning. They are statuesque and look haute couture in velvety black hoods splashed with citrus colors. But I also found them disturbing. Measuring three feet tall and weighing 35 pounds, they are the size of a 3-year-old.
They walked to the ocean single file, wings flapping the same formation as the Beatles crossing Abbey Road. They babbled in an eerie voice. On the shore, they lined up facing the water and stood as still as statues. One by one, they dove into the water, a flash of black feathers glistening in the waves.
Of the five species, the macaroni is the most elusive. It doesnt even appear on a local map highlighting wildlife-viewing sites. According to Falklands Conservation, about two dozen breeding pairs nest among the rockhoppers, which look like the macaronis runtier twin. Both are crested penguins with plumes that spring from their heads like streamers. Experts differentiate the two by the location and color of the feathers and the size and hue of the beak. Macaronis also are huskier and have a unibrow.
Kidney Island, a nature refuge accessible by boat from Stanley, is a roofless aviary. Falkland steamer ducks bob on wavelets by the beach. The endemic Cobbs wren hides in the towering tussock grass. Every evening, hundreds of thousands of sooty shearwaters fly circles around the island. Once the sun sets, they drop like hailstones onto the ground and scurry into their burrows.
Our group included Nick Rendell, an environmental officer with the governments Environmental Planning Department. Nick last spotted a macaroni several years ago.
We climbed a steep slope, stepping gingerly to avoid disturbing slumbering sea lions. I was slightly terrified each time I set a foot down in the tall grass, not knowing what my toe would touch.
We crossed over to the other side of the island and peered through scrubby brush at a sheer rockface. Rockhoppers perched on dizzying ledges.
Down below, the waves crashed against the islands rough edges, carrying adult penguins returning from a fishing expedition.
Up ahead, I heard a rustle followed by an excited shout.
We have a macaroni, Nick announced.
I crept up to Nick and leaned over the precipice. The danger was worth it: I saw the unibrow fluttering in the breeze, and it was a spectacular sight.
A Magellanic penguin sits at the mouth of its burrow on Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)
I had completed my task in the Falklands in six days, an unimaginably speedy time frame. But I wasnt over the penguins. Instead, I had fallen even deeper.
Despite my obsession, my understanding of penguins was as slight as Penguins of Madagascar. But I could use my second week to observe and learn, to really get to know the birds.
At Gypsy Cove, the trail to the Magellanic penguins is open day and night. A rope on both sides of the pathway protects their burrows from an ill-placed boot. The barrier also safeguards visitors from the buried mines left over from the 1982 war with Argentina. (A lightweight penguin wont set off the explosives, but a person could.)
I visited several times, never tiring of watching their daunting fish-and-feed routine. How at dusk the adults would return from sea and assemble along the shoreline with the familys meal. How one penguin would break rank and head for the hill. How it would teeter upward, sometimes stopping, retreating, starting again. How the parent and the chicks would reunite outside the burrow, high above the lapping waves. How the sky would blacken and the stars would sparkle, and still the youngsters would wait.
On Sea Lion Island, a 35-minute flight from Stanley, several of the lodges rooms overlook a colony of gentoos. If I opened the curtains and craned my neck to the right, I could eye a few penguins without leaving bed. Their white breasts glowed in the dark.
The manager, Micky Reeves, leads a guided tour of the island, a nature reserve with one hotel and no rodents. The land measures only three square miles, but we spent several hours driving around. Our first stop was on a windy cliff that buffeted a beach occupied by the islands eponymous resident. A bull lay with his harem, groaning with contentment.
Before dinner, I ventured out to a gathering of juvenile gentoos a few yards from the lodges front door. I entered the circle of birds and plopped down on the dirt. A few penguins slowly approached. More came over. Nearly a dozen formed a loose embrace around me. They tilted their heads as if asking, Who or what are you?
One brazen gentoo pecked at my boot. Noticing a strap on my coat sleeve, it leaned in closer, beak ajar. It tugged on the fabric and chewed a little. It then took a small step back, turned its head and threw up regurgitated fish.
As the sunlight fades, thousands of Imperial Cormorants, with a sprinkle of Rockhopper penguins, nest along the cliff tops of Sea Lion Island, the southernmost part of the Falklands. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)
At Port Stephens, Peter and Ann Robertson waited at the landing strip in their dusty pickup truck. They had driven over for several reasons: to pick up guests and supplies from Stanley and to extinguish a fire in case of an emergency. Their grandson, the pilot, took off without incident.
The couple he grew up in the Falklands, she in Argentina own 58,000 acres at the camp settlement on the southwest coast of West Falkland. They rent out a self-catering cottage steps from their house and encourage visitors to ramble around their property.
On the drive to the beach, Peter provided me with detailed instructions on where to hike. He also pointed out landmarks, such as a mountaintop radar site on a neighboring property that the Brits use to keep an eye on the Argentine coast.
Next stop is the South Pole, said the vivacious 83-year-old. Just over the ridge.
Over the loud rattle of the truck, he chatted about his life. His grandfather had managed a farm on West Falkland in the early 1900s, back when it was owned by the British conglomerate Falkland Islands Co. Peter had spent eight years in Europe and Argentina but returned in 1969 the third generation of Robertsons to work the land and the first to own it.
This job was beckoning, he said. This was my home.
Peter has since retired, though he still wears a boiler suit. His son now oversees 9,500 sheep and 70 cows that roam so far and wide I never saw them.
Port Stephens is remote and isolated, especially during winter, when harsh weather conditions can wreck the only road and the local airline reduces service to the area. In the warmer months, the Robertsons will stock up at the twice-weekly store at Fox Bay, 45 miles away. During the colder season, the families supplement bought goods with stockpiled sundries and produce they have grown and pickled and preserved. The islanders reliance on natures bounty goes back many generations, though tastes have changed, as have positions on wildlife.
We would take 2,000 penguin eggs as a kid, he said. The penguins are just part of the landscape. You never think about them.
Since 1999, the Falklands government has banned the harvesting of seabird eggs. However, islanders can buy a license to collect gentoo eggs on their own land. Bakers say the whites make tasty meringue.
When Peter dropped me off, gentoos were thronging the beach. He pointed to a knoll where a dozen pairs of kings lived. Pockets of Magellanics occupied a surrounding crust of earth. He told me to go around the mountain to find the rockies.
A sea of birds parted as I waded in, some running hard on their graceless legs. I noticed several decomposing gentoos that had either died from red tide or because their parents had never returned with food.
Close to the water, I stumbled on large smudgy prints that looked as if a body had been dragged across the sand. As I was studying the shapes, a sea lion bull surfaced and thumped up the beach. The gentoos fled for higher ground. Behind the predator, penguins waited to surf to shore.
The sea lion eventually returned to the water. He swam back and forth, daring the penguins to cross the line.
I looked around and realized my potentially perilous situation. I was in the middle of a penguin colony, normally a prime position but not when a sea lion is looking for his next meal.
Just after sunset, patrons gather for food, fun, dancing and drinks at the Globe Tavern in Stanley, Falkland Islands. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)
I heard rumors. Somewhere in the Falklands were other penguins. Maybe even an 18th species-in-the-making.
Over the years, islanders have reportedly spotted an Adelie and a chinstrap. Most likely, the Antarctica-based penguins lost their bearings and drifted too far north. Residents have also discovered penguins with aberrations. Tim Wilson, a police officer and penguin aficionado, has seen an albino rockhopper and is searching for a coffee-colored rockie. He has evidence of its existence: an online photo.
I also picked up a buzz about hybrids the progeny of a macaroni and a rockhopper. I started asking around.
Ive seen pictures from Saunders Island, said Peter.
Theres always hope, said Micky, of Sea Lion Lodge. Just look at every penguin and make sure they are who they are.
I visited Megan at work. The marine ecologist tracks penguins for her job, so I asked her to tell me all about the hybrids. She said the mac-ockie (or rock-aroni) is larger than the rockie and slightly smaller than the macaroni. It dons a crest of feathers similar to the rockie. The chunky beak and dab of pink on the corner of its lip, however, are inherited from the macaroni.
They look different enough that you can pick them out, she said.
And where could I find one?
The rockies and macaronis revisit the same colony and breeding site every year. Last summer, Megan discovered a hybrid that had returned to its nest and partner on Berkeley Sound. The couple had laid eggs, but unfortunately the chicks didnt survive and the pair departed for the winter migration.
The odds of seeing a hybrid were low. But I knew I would have another opportunity. I had a return visit in my future. A prophecy foretold by a stone penguin.
Andrea Sachs is a Washington Post staff writer. To comment on this story, email wpmagazine@washpost.com or visit washingtonpost.com/magazine.
James Rhee, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Ashley Stewart, the plus-size fashion brand that he led from bankruptcy to profitability by giving his customers clothes for work, church and date nights. (Yana Paskova/For The Washington Post)
Three years ago, Ashley Stewart was a retail nightmare. It was an unprofitable mess of 189 stores buried in unglamorous malls and inner-city business districts. It was also operating in the digital Stone Age with outdated e-commerce and no social-media strategy. It had already suffered through one bankruptcy and was headed into another.
All the while, it was selling clothes to some of fashions most disrespected customers: Plus-size women. African American women.
For James Rhee, recounting this litany of woes and sins is now a form of bragging. How bad were things? God -awful. Which means that, by comparison, things are now pretty great.
It had no value, says Rhee, who stepped in as chief executive when the company hit rock-bottom in 2013.
Today, Ashley Stewart, which is privately owned, has risen from the depths of financial despair to ride a cultural, social and demographic wave. It has become a streamlined and profitable 21st-century brand with an e-commerce business accounting for 40 percent of its revenue, as well as a lively social-media presence. A brand kept on life support by the loyalty of black women now has an online customer base that is 40 percent white. And instead of losing $7 million a year, Rhee says, the brand is ringing up profits of $20 million annually.
The upswing is, in part, because of better management and improved technology. It is surely a victory for math geeks. But Rhee also made several bets that are paying off. He put his faith in Instagram, body pride and diversity.
Part of my thinking during the first six months was, when you look at the world over the next 10 years, are you going to bet on social media? That women over size 12 will have their day? Will nonblack women look at black women as emblems of beauty?
I believe the time has come for this woman.
He may be right.
[Yet another way fashion is unfair to plus-size women and one entrepreneurs solution]
The average American woman is about 5-foot-3 and weighs a smidgen over 166 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Her waist circumference is 37.5 inches, which means that at the Gap she wears a size 18 and at Gucci she does not exist.
The variety of fashion available to plus-size customers has expanded significantly in the past decade. Brands such as Lane Bryant are upping their fashion savvy with the help of designers Sophie Theallet and Prabal Gurung. Christian Siriano, who has also worked with Lane Bryant, has gained a reputation as a Seventh Avenue designer who not only is eager to dress non-model-size celebrities but is also particularly adept at it. Most recently, he designed the gown Leslie Jones wore to the premiere of her film Ghostbusters. And when Fashion Week begins in New York on Sept. 8, designer Byron Lars will present a collection that ranges from size 0 to 18.
Plus-size models such as Ashley Graham are more prominent in glossy magazines, and the understanding of precisely what plus-size customers want from the fashion industry has shifted: They arent searching for clothes to make them look thinner; they want clothes to help them realize the sexy and glamorous vision they already have of themselves. Indeed, Graham will present her unabashedly sexy lingerie line on the fashion week runway in partnership with the Canadian plus-size retailer Addition Elle.
Ashley Stewart is exploiting all those cultural shifts to get its share of a $20 billion segment of the fashion business.
We never talk plus. We never talk race. We want to make . . . clothes that are affordable, on-trend and make her look great, Rhee says.
Race, however, was part of the original Ashley Stewart business model and part of what made it different.
(Ashley Stewart )
(Ashley Stewart / )
***
The company was founded in 1991 by New York real estate developer Joseph Sitt, who believed money was to be made by bringing mainstream retail to underserved urban neighborhoods. He was not a fashion guy; he was a bricks-and-mortar guy. But to convince national brands that they could build profitable businesses in predominantly African American communities, he had to show them what was possible.
His market research revealed that among the many businesses these neighborhoods were lacking, there was a particularly glaring omission: womens apparel. Sitts research also showed that many of those potential customers were plus-size. As Sitt noted in a 2006 interview with Inc. magazine, he came up with the stores name by merging Laura Ashley with Martha Stewart, two brands that he thought were icons of upscale Americana, and we wanted to bring that upscale shopping experience the antithesis of what youve seen in the inner city.
He built tremendous goodwill for the stores within the communities by participating in local fundraisers and handing out discount coupons. But mostly, he gave his customer the fashion that she craved.
She wants it to be tight and sexy. She wants to be noticed, says Kristen Gaskins, president and chief merchant officer. Shes conservative; she goes to church. But she also has an active nightlife.
The result was a brand that grew from one store to more than 350, spread out over 100 cities, and that was hailed as a symbol of urban renewal. Sitts company branched out to speak to Latina women with the Marianne brand. The enterprise eventually brought in a reported $400 million in annual sales.
In 2000, he sold the company to the first of many private equity firms that would preside over a downward spiral one caused by overexpansion, poor management and a shift into basic, boring clothes that gained speed during the recession.
Ashley Stewart filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and again in 2014.
It was as the second bankruptcy was looming that Rhee, who was on the board of the parent company, resigned from his position and took the reins of Ashley Stewart.
Rhee is first-generation Korean American a Harvard-educated lawyer who never practiced law. He spent two years teaching high school history before settling into a career in finance. The learning curve was steep and humbling, says Rhee, 45, who also holds an ownership stake in the company. I told everyone that on paper, I was the least qualified person to run the company.
But he had unlikely emotional connection to Ashley Stewarts customer base, which has a history of not being served well by the fashion industry.
The brand reminds me of my mom, he says. She didnt grow up here or speak the language. She was an educated woman, but she didnt always feel comfortable. But shed go into a Korean grocer and theyd be speaking her language, and I could see that shed feel comfortable. I could see it in her shoulders.
One of the things our brand stands for, Rhee says, is not judging people, but being accepting.
[Full Figured Fashion Week draws plus-size crowd]
James Rhee, CEO of Ashley Stewart. We never talk plus. We never talk race. We want to make . . . clothes that are affordable, on-trend and make her look great, he says. (Yana Paskova/For The Washington Post)
***
During the first six months of Rhees tenure, he visited stores and watched customers shop.
He noticed that many of the black women who browsed during the week were focused on getting a good deal. But when they came in on the weekend, they were often searching for something special for an evening out. And they were willing to pay full price. He also learned that a lot of the women were not just devoted customers, but also devout churchgoers.
Id go shopping every Sunday after church, says Connie Holmes, a D.C. police officer. One Sunday, I was looking at the line, and it was so long. I said, I cant wait all day; I have to go home and cook dinner! You all need more help in here! So the stores manager suggested she fill out an application. Shes been working as a part-time clerk for five years.
Rhee took what he learned about the customers and applied it to a business plan. While every company uses social media to sell products, to build a network Rhee added church to the conversation. The company promotes #churchflow a hashtag that the Sunday-morning community uses when posting pictures of their church fashion. The brand also promotes its more modest offerings as perfect for Sunday service or a fellowship hall dinner.
In an industry regularly criticized for its lack of interest in diversity, Ashley Stewart has aggressively reached out to black women with block parties in Brooklyn, panel discussions on black entrepreneurship and cross-promotions with Carols Daughter, a brand specializing in products for natural and chemically relaxed hair.
Rhee also made fundamental organizational changes. He closed about 100 stores. He decreased the payroll from 1,800 employees to 1,000. He upgraded the website and revamped the merchandising team. He sped up the production cycle so the company can get fresh goods into stores within four to six weeks.
The Ashley Stewart shop in Largo, Md., survived the purge. Its tucked into an open-air mall that includes Foot Locker, Shoe City, Sprint and a lot of empty storefronts. Tyrone Holland, the store manager, has been with Ashley Stewart for about 10 years. Before that, hed spent two decades working in fast food.
He has gotten to know a lot of his customers because a lot of them come in regularly. Janice Berry estimates that she shops at the store about 15 times a month, which is to say that she is the kind of customer that retailers dream about. Berry is a 69-year-old black woman with a lineless face, a pixie haircut and rimless eyeglasses. She wears a size 14, perhaps a 16. I like sporty things, but sexy, she says. They have something for the younger crowd, but nice, sexy stuff for the older woman.
Ashley Stewart is not a runway brand with fashion cachet. It is not especially inventive or luxurious. But it no longer traffics in basics. It sells styles that were once presumed to be taboo for women of a certain size. In addition to business attire, the racks are filled with jersey jumpsuits, off-the-shoulder blouses, jeggings, tulle skirts and denim cutoffs that barely look long enough to cover the tush. All of this is available in size 12 to 26, some of it as large as a 32.
People think its so much harder to service this customer than it is, Gaskins says. She really isnt a separate customer. If I wake up tomorrow as a size 22, Im still going to be me.
[The fashion industry wants to disrupt the runway. Its missing the real problem.]
(Ashley Stewart )
(Ashley Stewart )
***
The fashion industry is at a crossroads. As it looks forward to its twice-yearly ritual of runway shows, it mulls multiple questions: Do catwalk productions geared to the trade make sense when shoppers are accustomed to direct access to pretty much everything? How do fashion brands monetize Instagram followers? Can Seventh Avenue continue to ignore women larger than a size 14?
In June, Ashley Stewart got a new owner: the Invus Group. The investment firm also owns Weight Watchers, which is either a grand contradiction or perfect synergy. The stores, most of which are about 3,500 square feet, have not been remodeled. They are not glittering showcases. And while plenty of customers have noticed improvements, others have not. I think its the same, shrugs Tonie Anstead, 59, as she browsed the sale racks. But adds: If you want color, this is the place to be. Oh, and she likes the shirts.
How bad were things? The company sold scrap metal from its warehouse to help make payroll. By comparison, that makes even a lukewarm customer assessment practically a rave.
Hotels may be willing to grant your minor requests, but are more likely to balk at the major ones. (Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)
When Jim Reid checks into a Westin hotel, he inevitably catches a whiff of a woody cedar and vanilla scent called White Tea. Its a pleasant smell to most guests, but not to him.
I have [had] a headache for about a day, says Reid, who works for a transportation services company in Washington, D.C. He suspects hes having a reaction to a chemical in the hotels signature scent, but he isnt sure, because the hotel wont tell him whats in the diffuser, beyond cedar and vanilla.
He has a simple request for Westin: Lay off the White Tea, please.
Customers like Reid ask hotels to change the way they do business every day. They complain about everything from the smells in the lobby to refund policies. Normally, hotels are happy to accommodate small requests. But theres a bright red line that they almost never cross, and you need to know where it is before you start asking favors of your hotel.
Smells, it turns out, are non-negotiable for Westin. It would not unplug the scent, probably because these trademark smells are proven to elevate the mood of guests and prod them into spending more.
If the scents at Sheraton and Westin properties are uncomfortable, a representative wrote Reid in an email, we would encourage you to try another one of our brands.
Not all hotels turn up their nose at guest requests, though.
[How online travel agencies are dimming results on hotel searches]
Hotels are happy to comply with small, relatively inexpensive changes. For example, when guests told innkeepers at the Claiborne House bed-and-breakfast in Virginias Blue Ridge Mountains that they didnt like having a 10 p.m. curfew, the owners responded by installing a keypad, which allowed guests to come and go as they pleased.
They did not want to be treated like they were staying at Grandmas house, says Shellie Leete, the Claibornes co-owner. (As a bonus, it meant that she didnt have to wait up for the guests, either.)
At the Normandy Hotel in the District, customers griped about the closets. Guests were having trouble hanging clothes in the closets, explains hotel general manager John Paul Wood. The rooms safe was in the way. So the hotel relocated the safes to a top shelf.
And at the Seaport Hotel in Boston, travelers asked for dark washcloths for makeup removal, according to Jim Carmody, the propertys general manager. The hotel complied. We are changing many of our exterior doors to sliders for easier entry and exit in response to guest comments, too, he adds.
How do you get a hotel to grant your wishes? You have to say something at the right time and in the right place.
In some instances, weve made changes based on feedback from guests who are still at the property, and in other instances, weve made changes based on guest feedback provided in online reviews, says Stephen Fofanoff, the innkeeper for Domaine Madeleine Bed and Breakfast in Port Angeles, Wash. The hotel recently loosened its refund policy, reversing the room charges if a room is resold. (Most hotels have cancellation fees or charge for a full night.)
But bigger requests from guests are routinely denied or ignored by hotels. For example, when properties are asked to change their restrictive refund policies, they rarely do what the Domaine Madeleine did. If the fees are considered to be nonrefundable, it doesnt matter whether the property can resell the room the hotel keeps the money.
Indeed, if theres a common thread in the dozens of interviews I conducted with hoteliers, its that they are proud to comply with smaller requests. But generally, theyre not open to larger ones.
[There may be an end in sight for controversial and often invisible resort fees]
There are workarounds. Reid could still stay at a Westin, but away from the smell. While Westin refuses to unplug its diffusers, it offers allergy-friendly rooms at some of its properties for travelers that suffer from asthma and allergies triggered by seasonal and environmental microscopic allergens. At the Westin Southfield Detroit, for example, the rooms have filtration systems. They also treat surfaces to minimize the growth of bacteria.
Unhappy guests can also take to social media and ask a hotel to stop a practice or policy, but the request has to be reasonable. A property making millions of dollars a year with a restrictive refund policy isnt about to surrender that revenue, even if it is called out on Facebook and Twitter every day.
However, if Reid and some of his friends banded together to create the Concerned Guests Against White Tea movement, they might be able to persuade Westin to dial down the smell.
Bottom line: Hotels listen to their guests but, like any good businesses, draw the line when it comes to interfering with the ability to earn money. So if you want something from your innkeeper, make sure it isnt too expensive.
Read more from Travel:
If your flight is canceled, is your airline obligated to get you to your destination?
Airline computer outages like Deltas are bound to repeat themselves. Heres what to know.
Read past Navigator columns here
Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Email him at chris@elliott.org.
This weeks best travel bargains around the globe.
Land
Deep Water Cay, a private island resort in the Bahamas, is offering a free night, plus other perks, for a savings of up to 20 percent. Book the Adventure Package for four nights or longer and receive a free night plus a full day of guided activities and meals for no extra cost. The deal starts at $3,783 per person double and includes five nights in an ocean-view cottage; four days of guided flats fishing or other activities, such as reef fishing, snorkeling or scuba diving; all meals; and taxes. Book by Oct. 1; travel by Dec. 31. The resort is off the east end of Grand Bahama Island. Info: 888-420-6202, deepwatercay.com.
Ride & Seek Bicycle Adventures is offering 20 percent off the Oct. 4 departure of its bike tour through Provence in France. The seven-night Les Plus Beaux Villages tour starts at $2,918 per person double a savings of $730. Price includes lodging, most meals, guides, van support, bike rental and several tours. The trip departs from Saint-Remy-de-Provence and ends in Mazan. Info: rideandseek.com/local/provence.
Sea
Abercrombie & Kent has a sale on its 15-night luxury expedition cruise in Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands. For the Dec. 13 departure, families save 25 percent on suites (categories 4 and 5) and 50 percent on the price for the first child. The second child sails for free. A family of four pays $58,700, including taxes, a savings of nearly $30,000. On the Dec. 13 and 19 sailings, couples save $6,000 in a category 1-3 cabin. Rates are from $15,995 per person double, down from $18,995. Info: 800-554-7016, abercrombiekent.com.
With Adventure Life, save 20 percent on four departures of a seven-night cruise through the western islands of the Galapagos. The trip aboard the 20-passenger M/V Origin starts at $5,040 per person double, plus $225 fees and taxes a savings of $1,260. Depart Sept. 25, Oct. 9, Oct. 23 or Nov. 6. The cruise travels round trip from San Cristobal Island. Info: 800-344-6118, adventure-life.com/galapagos/cruises/4687/western-islands.
Air
Air France has sale fares from Washington Dulles to Paris in premium-economy class, a separate cabin with about 40 percent more space than economy. Round-trip fare starts at $1,286, including taxes. Other airlines are matching, but fare typically starts at about $1,700. Travel through May 7. Some dates are sold out. Restrictions include 28-day advance purchase, seven-day minimum stay and holiday blackout dates. Book by Sept. 9 at airfrance.us.
Package
Travelocity has a sale on packages to Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Save $150 on vacations of four nights or longer that cost at least $1,500 per booking. For example, in January, a seven-night package to Norway starts at $2,057 per couple and includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Oslo, accommodations at the four-star Hurdalsjoen Hotel and taxes. Book by Sept. 7; travel by July 31. Use promo code 150Scandinavia. Info: 855-201-7800, travelocity.com.
Club Med is offering savings at select resorts, including air credits, up to 50 percent off lodging and free stays for children ages 3 and younger. For example, a seven-night stay in late November at Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic starts at $3,504 for two adults and one 3-year-old child a savings of $2,195. Price includes round-trip nonstop air from Washington Dulles, lodging, all meals and drinks, airport transfers, membership fees and taxes. Book the Break Free sale by Oct. 26 for travel through April 27. Restrictions vary by property. Info: 888-932-2582, clubmed.us/escape.
Carol Sottili, Andrea Sachs
Submit travel deals to whatsthedeal@washpost.com. Prices were verified at press time Thursday, but deals sell out and availability is not guaranteed. Some restrictions may apply.
Living History: Part of a series tied to the African American Museum of History and Culture.
ALelia Bundles, 64, of Washington, is a descendant of Madam C.J. Walker, who was the first black female millionaire in the United States. Bundles looks at two pictures of Walker sales agents during a convention at Walkers mansion, Villa Lewaro, the home designed for her in Irvington, N.Y., by Vertner Tandy, the first black architect registered in New York. Walker moved into the Westchester County home in May 1918, a year before her death; her daughter then lived there. Today it is a national historic landmark as well as a National Trust for Historic Preservation national treasure. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)
She remembers the smells of the hair pomades in the factory, where women stirred ointment by hand in great, black vats.
She remembers her mother taking her to Madam C.J. Walkers beauty school in Indianapolis in the 1960s to have her hair styled in an Afro.
She remembers growing up with remnants of the black wealth created by Walker, who built an empire in the early 1900s selling hair scalp ointments and whose accomplishments will be on display at the Smithsonians new African American Museum of History and Culture, which opens Sept. 24.
The china we ate on for special occasions belonged to Madam Walker, says ALelia Bundles, Walkers great-great-granddaughter and the author of the biography, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker.
The cloth napkins placed on her childhood dining-room table were stitched with Walkers monogram; the baby grand piano on which Bundles learned to read music had belonged to Walkers only daughter, ALelia Walker, a wealthy patron of the arts who threw lavish parties in her mansion in Harlem and Walkers 20,000-square-foot estate, Villa Lewaro, in Irvington, N.Y.
Langston Hughes once called ALelia Walker the Joy Goddess of the Harlem Renaissance.
[Thurgood Marshalls interracial love: I dont care what people think. Im marrying you.]
The saying was that Madam Walker made the money, and her daughter, my great-grandmother, spent it, says Bundles, 64, a former producer and Washington bureau chief for ABC News.
Sunlight pours through her window as ALelia Bundles places a large gift box on her dining-room table in her Northwest Washington home. She lifts the lid and unfolds thin, crinkled paper, unwrapping delicate memories. Inside the box lies a pearl and silk wedding underdress that once belonged to her grandmother Mae Walker, the granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker.
Madam Walker was born Sarah Breedlove on Dec. 23, 1867, on a Louisiana plantation. The daughter of former slaves, she was orphaned at the age of 7, wed at 14, a mother at 17 and widowed at 20.
She worked in cotton fields of Louisiana and Mississippi. Her only daughter, Lelia, who later became known as ALelia Walker, was born in 1885. After Madam Walkers husband died, she moved to St. Louis, where her brothers worked as barbers.
Walker worked as a washerwoman, making as little as $1.50 a day. She suffered from hair loss. It was in St. Louis in her brothers barbershop that she got the idea to create a shampoo and a scalp ointment.
She called it Wonderful Hair Grower, and in 1906, she founded her company and turned it into an empire, becoming the first black female millionaire in the United States. She traveled throughout the country, selling hair ointments door-to-door. In 1908, she moved the company to Pittsburgh, where she opened Lelia College, which trained hair culturists. By 1910, Walker moved to Indianapolis, where she built a manicure salon, hair training school and factory, the headquarters of the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Co. The company employed as many as 3,000 black men and women including sales agents.
Madam C.J. Walker, top, in an iconic photograph taken by Addison Scurlock in 1913. Walker, below, was photographed in 1912 driving a car outside her Indianapolis home. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)
Its admirable and amazing that she became a millionaire just one generation out of slavery and at a time when Jim Crow laws ruled the land, Bundles says. But what is more important for me is that she used her wealth and her influence to empower and enrich others by employing thousands of women who otherwise would have been sharecroppers, maids, cooks and laundresses so they could provide opportunities for their children, be leaders in their communities and support their churches and community organizations.
ALelia Bundles did not grow up with great wealth in the suburbs of Indianapolis. The Great Depression had drained the Walker fortune decades before her birth. The company was sold in 1985. Bundles now works for the current owner, Sundial Brands, as the historian and consultant for the Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture line.
Bundles describes her parents as middle class. But being financially comfortable didnt protect them from the indignities of racism.
[He tried to check out a Robert E. Lee book from the library. He got jailed instead.]
Her father, S. Henry Bundles, was a veteran, but he was unable to get a loan from major banks to buy a new home in an all-black neighborhood in 1958. When he traveled on business, as president of Summit Laboratories, a different black hair company, blacks had limited options for hotels.
When Bundles visited her great-aunt in Pine Bluff, Ark., she was taken to play in a segregated park, she recalls. And a few white parents threatened to pull their children from her high school after she was elected student council vice president in 1968.
Like everybody else, we navigated through it so we wouldnt be paralyzed, says Bundles, who graduated from Harvard and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. If anything, like most black kids, I was not told of every incident because my parents didnt want to make me bitter. But its not because things didnt happen.
She began learning bits of the family history when she visited her grandfather, the husband of Mae Walker, who had been adopted by ALelia Walker.
I remember looking up at this big green, lacquer secretary with all these little drawers and cubbyholes, Bundles says. In his bedroom, there was a dresser. And this dresser had fans and opera glasses and clothing that had belonged to my grandmother [Mae Walker]. And these amazing little charms that were from ALelia Walkers trip to Egypt in 1922.
Many years later, in the summer of 1982, Bundles took another trip to visit her grandfather, Marion P. Perry Jr., who was 90 then and had moved back to Pine Bluff.
Papa, you used to have this trunk, Bundles recalls telling him.
Her grandfather told her the trunk was in the closet. She found it, dragging it around his stacks of Wall Street Journals and ticket stubs from horse races.
The trunk held her history, but it was locked. Her grandfather had long lost the key. They called a locksmith.
There were all kinds of things inside that trunk, clothes and photographs, silverware and linen, Bundles says. First, I pulled out a peach-colored negligee that had belonged to ALelia Walker.
Her grandfather described meeting ALelia, who had traveled to Paris, Monte Carlo, Rome where she attended the popes coronation Cairo, Djibouti, the Holy Land and Addis Ababa, where she met the empress.
He told stories about when he got married to my grandmother [Mae], coming up to the beautiful mansion, Villa Lewaro, in his tuxedo when he was a business student at Columbia. He had a big green Pierce-Arrow car.
ALelia Bundles holds a November 1923 wedding picture of her grandmother, Mae Walker, Madam C.J. Walker's granddaughter. Under the photo is part of the beautiful silk wedding dress. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)
In the trunk lay her grandmothers beautiful handmade wedding underdress. There were sepia photos of the wedding, a huge event in Harlem, orchestrated by ALelia Walker, who sent out 9,000 wedding invitations, Bundles says.
I would take things out, and he would tell me a story about each thing and about the people, she says.
The afternoon passed into night.
Sometimes her grandfather would doze off mid-story, then wake up and continue.
He would tell me something more, Bundles recalls. And the next thing I knew, the sun was coming up. For me, it sounds a little hokey. But for me, it was really like passing the baton. It was a magical moment.
A small group of protesters demanded an apology from Southern Management founder and CEO David Hillman on Thursday after remarks he made to The Washington Post regarding the cultural preferences of immigrant tenants. (Arelis R. Hernandez/TWP)
The founder and chief executive of one of the largest residential property management companies in the region said Thursday that he regrets comments he made to The Washington Post last month regarding immigrant tenants.
David Hillman, chairman of Fairfax County-based Southern Management Corp., had told The Post that overcrowding that occurs in many immigrant apartments is a matter of cultural preference, rather than financial need. He also said immigrants are often paid cash for their work and are not as strapped for money as many people assume.
The remarks were included in a report about the difficulties immigrants displaced by a deadly gas explosion at a Silver Spring apartment complex may face in finding a new place to live in the regions expensive marketplace.
[Finding a new home may not be easy for immigrants displaced by explosion ]
After a small protest by the Virginia-based Legal Aid Justice Center outside Southerns company headquarters on Thursday, Hillman told The Post that his remarks were not intended to disparage or offend any group.
My printed comments in the Washington Post on August 20th regarding immigrants and their housing challenges were part of a much longer and comprehensive conversation with the reporter, Hillman said in statement that was emailed to the newspaper in response to a request for comment. I regret that anyone has taken offense to them and I certainly apologize for any misunderstanding of the intent.
At the protest, about a dozen demonstrators raised neon-colored signs reading Solutions not stereotypes and Housing is a right, in Spanish and English, and pointed them toward the windows of the towering Southern building on Old Gallows Road.
Multiple households sharing a single apartment is not a cultural preference, said Edgar Aranda-Yanoc, a community organizer. It is a necessity.
Hillman said he had not been in direct communication with the Legal Aid center.
But Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, director of the groups immigrant advocacy program, said he welcomed Hillmans apology and hopes he will be part of a greater effort to provide quality housing to those on the low end of the income spectrum.
The organization, which helps bring legal cases on behalf of low-income and immigrant families, said it was important to draw attention to Hillmans remarks because his views reflect a broader sentiment that they believe is shared by apartment developers in the area.
When someone in the community expresses racism, we have to respond, Jerrold Foltz, a retired clergyman, said during the protest.
Immigrants without legal status or with a status shy of a green card are ineligible for most, if not all, types of housing assistance from the government. Many therefore share space in poorly maintained complexes, which advocates say was the case with the destroyed Flower Branch apartments in Silver Spring.
Angela Reyes, 61, shares a two-bedroom apartment in Falls Church, Va., with four other adults, who together pay nearly $1,800 a month in rent and utilities.
If I could, I would live alone, said Reyes, who also attended the demonstration. But I dont have that luxury.
An 18-year-old man is being held in jail on a $5 million dollar bond after being accused of stabbing a pregnant woman because he didn't want to be a father. (WUSA 9)
An 18-year-old man is being held in jail on a $5 million dollar bond after being accused of stabbing a pregnant woman because he didn't want to be a father. (WUSA 9)
An 18-year-old Montgomery County man was ordered held on $5 million bond Thursday after he allegedly used a kitchen knife to repeatedly stab a pregnant woman because he didnt want to be a father.
The suspect, Dakota Brothers, tried to kill the 19-year-old and end the pregnancy during an attack Wednesday afternoon in a wooded area, according to a police affidavit and Montgomery prosecutors.
The woman had been six months pregnant with their child, according to authorities. She was taken to a hospital and underwent two operations. During the second procedure, the babys heart rate was lost and an emergency Caesarean section was performed, according to the court records and prosecutors.
The condition of the baby girl remains extremely critical. It is literally minute-by-minute, Assistant States Attorney Sherri Koch said in court Thursday.
She said that under Maryland statute, there are laws against manslaughter or murder of a viable fetus. We may have more than one victim as it relates to more charges, Koch said.
Dakota Brothers was charged with attempted murder in the stabbing of a pregnant woman. (Courtesy of Montgomery County Police)
The 19-year-old mother has stabilized in the hospital, Koch said.
Koch asked District Judge James B. Sarsfield to set no bond in the case, meaning Brothers would not be allowed out of jail pending further court proceedings.
Katherine Mathews, a public defender representing Brothers, asked for a $100,000 bond. She noted that Brothers had turned 18 just five days before the incident and had no prior criminal record. She told Sarsfield that her client was a high school student and part-time lifeguard. He was enrolled at Albert Einstein High School, which is close to the scene of the attack. She said that his mother and one of his eight siblings were in the courtroom in support of him.
He comes from a very close family a family that has grown up here in Montgomery County, Mathews said. Speaking with his family, this is a complete aberration and a shock.
Mathews said her office is looking into her clients possible mental-health issues.
Sarsfield set the bond at $5 million.
Police caught Brothers on Wednesday shortly after the incident. He was charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of first-degree assault in connection with the 19-year-old.
The police affidavit, filed with the court, lays out the plan that detectives contend Brothers executed, in which he allegedly lured the victim into a wooded area several blocks northwest of downtown Wheaton. The detectives based their affidavit on statements from the victim in the hospital and from Brothers after he was apprehended.
The exact relationship between Brothers and the victim remained unclear. She told detectives that he was the father of the child. He told detectives that they were no longer dating. Police officials said they were known to be in a relationship of some kind.
According to the affidavit, Brothers learned over the summer from the woman that she was pregnant with his child. Other people contacted him as well and harassed him about the pregnancy, he allegedly told detectives. He began to contemplate killing the pregnant woman and ending the pregnancy, according to the affidavit.
On Wednesday, Brothers armed himself with a green kitchen knife from his home along Lydia Street, in the countys Aspen Hill area met with the woman and walked with her to a path in the wooded area, according to court records. They had consensual sex, according to the affidavit, before Brothers allegedly choked the woman, strangled her unconscious and then stabbed her several times about the upper body and neck region, detectives wrote.
During the assault, Brothers saw several people he thought were members of the MS-13 gang, became frightened and fled, according to the court records.
Around this time, police and medics received a 911 call about a woman being stabbed in the area. She was taken to a hospital. Before going in to emergency surgery, the affidavit states, she identified Brothers as the assailant.
The police placed a lookout for Brothers and found him near his home. As officers approached Brothers, he attempted to flee. After a brief struggle, he was taken into custody, police said in a statement.
Detectives took him to a station and interviewed him.
Brothers stated multiple times that he is not ready to be a father, has no interest in having a child, and has expressed this to the woman, detectives wrote. Brothers stated he wanted [her] and the baby to die as he is unprepared to be a father.
Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.
The Romanian hacker who first revealed that Hillary Clinton used a private email address while she was secretary of state was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison Thursday by a U.S. district judge in Alexandria, Va.
Marcel Lehel Lazar, 44, known online as Guccifer, was extradited in 2014 to the United States and pleaded guilty in May to one count each of aggravated identity theft and unauthorized access to a protected computer.
Lazar admitted to victimizing about 100 Americans from his home overseas over 14 months. They included celebrities, business executives and political figures such as Sidney Blumenthal, an adviser with whom Clinton corresponded using her personal email account; confidantes of former president George W. Bush; and former secretary of state Colin L. Powell.
U.S. District Judge James C. Cacheris imposed a 52-month sentence, saying a tough penalty was needed to deter future hacking. He cited reports of escalating cyberattacks against Americans in recent years, including this weeks FBI warnings of intrusions into state election systems.
This epidemic must stop, Cacheris said.
The State Department released 52,000 pages of Hillary Clintons emails as part of a court-ordered process. Here's what else we learned from the publicly released emails. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)
[Hacker who revealed Clinton email address admits to other intrusions]
Hacking passwords and employing social-engineering tactics including fraud, identity theft and harassment, Lazar stored megabytes of victims stolen private documents and turned them over to media outlets. He also leaked pictures of Bushs paintings.
The extent of the harm caused by defendants conduct is incalculable, federal prosecutors wrote in seeking a maximum penalty of 41/2 years under U.S. sentencing guidelines.
A maximum punishment would also help address any false perception that unauthorized access of a computer is ever justified or rationalized as the cost of living in a wired society or even worse, a crime to be celebrated, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya D. Song wrote.
[Cyber researchers confirm Russian government hack of DNC]
Prosecutors said a stern sentence could deter other violators. They cited the case of Guccifer 2.0, an individual or group of hackers who U.S. officials say is tied to Russian intelligence services and who claimed credit for hacking the Democratic National Committee this year.
The online publication of DNC emails by WikiLeaks led to the resignation of the committees chair, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), in July. Guccifer 2.0 was branded in homage to Lazar, Song wrote.
Contrary to Lazars claims, authorities say he never obtained access to Clintons email account.
[Guccifer 2.0 claims credit for DNC hack]
In court documents, Lazars public defense counsel asked for a sentence of three years, calling his hacking expeditions an addiction of sorts.
Despite his admittedly brash on-line personality, public defender Shannon S. Quill wrote, Lazar is actually a devoted father and husband who was frustrated by his inability to find work in the computer sector.
We need him because life is very hard in Romania, his wife, Gabriela Violeta Lazar, wrote in a letter to the court.
He was also motivated, Quill wrote, to expose what he saw as hypocrisy, especially in those connected to the defense and intelligence sectors.
A high school graduate, Lazar had no formal training or computer expertise. He told the New York Times that he obtained access to the email and social-media accounts of high-profile people by reading their Wikipedia pages and guessing passwords based on their personal information.
Once he had access to one persons account, he sometimes impersonated them to gain more passwords and personal information.
Although he told the FBI that he was interested in politics and a better world for our children, he targeted a seemingly random mix of politicians and celebrities. Along with Bush and Powell, he exposed the personal information of magazine editor Tina Brown, author Candace Bushnell and actor Jeffrey Tambor.
In his 2014 interview, Lazar told FBI agents that he trawled more or less randomly through the online accounts of important people, looking for weak spots. He succeeded only about 8 to 10 percent of the time, he estimated.
Prosecutors argued that although Lazar confessed, he showed no remorse and probably will return to hacking. He was on probation for a hacking offense in Romania when he began targeting American celebrities in 2012 and has been sentenced to seven years in prison there.
If he could go back in time and talk to his 2012 self, prosecutors say that he told one FBI agent, Id say, All right, you have done a good job.
Cacheris said Romanias Justice Ministry requested that Lazar be immediately released to his home country to serve his time there and indicated that he would be conditionally released in 2018 and returned to the United States to serve his prison term here.
CHICAGO -- After flipping and flopping on the topic of immigration, perhaps Donald Trump has learned this lesson: His fans are not thirsting for a more humane, welcoming Republican candidate.
Trump's supporters like him when he is at his most bigoted and most xenophobic. They adore his finger-pointing rants. And they love him specifically because he called Mexicans "rapists" and "murderers" -- normalizing open hostility toward all immigrants, legal or not. They sure don't want Trump backing off of his signature issue and striking a softer tone when it comes to illegal immigration.
Since the beginning, Trump has been peddling a border wall, a "deportation force" to remove unlawfully present immigrants from the country and a push to strip their U.S.-born children of citizenship. Trump's strongest supporters have lapped it up.
No surprise then that there was an immediate backlash from his disciples when Trump made a distinction between illegal immigrants who are violent criminals and those who are not "the bad ones." These, Trump told Fox News, will have to pay back taxes in order to stay in the U.S. "There's no amnesty," he said, "but we will work with them."
What, really, is the point here? What possible upside is Team Trump imagining by this so-called "pivot"?
Maybe there are a few Republicans who, previously turned off by his hard-line stances on illegal immigration, might now be willing to stand by the party's nominee. But compared with the outcry of those who are horrified by Trump's change in tone, it hardly seems worth it.
Ann Coulter, the conservative critic and author of a new book "In Trump We Trust," was as infuriated as anyone trying to sell a book about a particular politician's stance on immigration -- after he pulls a 180.
"I am trying to encourage Donald Trump to dump whomever the moron is who told him Americans are staying up at night worried about how people who broke our laws entering, broke our laws staying here, broke our laws taking jobs, how comfortable they are," Coulter told ABC News. "We have to take care of Americans first. And that's what [Trump] should be saying, not going back and saying one thing in his speech and then using the crazy Gang of Eight [the senators who supported an immigration bill in 2013] nonsense when he's talking to [Fox News host Sean] Hannity."
It has been implied -- by both Trump and others -- that this putative change of heart is at least in part due to highly publicized meetings with his "Hispanic Advisory Council," which was called "game-changing" by Helen Aguirre Ferre, the Republican National Committee's director of Hispanic communications.
But it is simply inconceivable that this superficial change in tone could succeed in winning over Latinos -- both newly arrived immigrants and those who were born in this country and have been here for at least half a century -- who have felt the sting of this election season's normalization of bigotry and nativism.
Trump has sold his most fervent supporters a bill of goods that includes a very specific pledge to "make America great again" by doing all he can to get rid of "Mexicans," which he seems to think all Latinos are, and Muslims.
Those of us who actually are Mexican or Muslim -- or merely look like we are -- have heard this promise loud and clear. Trump has dragged us through the mud for over a year before this sudden "pivot" toward not sounding like his presidency's first 100 days would be devoted to rounding us up and making us disappear. We aren't going to forget his slurs against us.
Trump can "soften" his tone, but the great majority of Hispanics and other minorities whom he has vilified aren't going to buy it -- and neither are those who love Trump when he's spreading hatred.
A pedestrian was fatally struck Tuesday night by a Lexus in Potomac, police said.
About 9 p.m., officers responded to Bells Mill Road at Windsor View Drive after the report of a collision involving a pedestrian, Montgomery County police said in a statement. An investigation revealed that 65-year-old Simon Saikmon Eng of Potomac was walking west on the eastbound side of Bells Mill Road when he was struck in the area of Windsor View Drive by a Lexus LS 430, the statement said. The Lexus was driven by 50-year-old Guy Wassertzug of Potomac and was traveling east on Bells Mill Road at the time, according to the statement.
Eng was transported to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening but he died, the statement said, and the incident remains under investigation. Police asked anyone with information about the collision to call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.
Federal prosecutors in Virginia allege that these seven men have aided the Islamic State. Here are brief descriptions of each case.
Joseph Hassan Farrokh
Woodbridge, Va.
Farrokh, 29, was born in Pennsylvania but moved to California when he was in middle school. Raised by a Christian mother and an Iranian-immigrant Muslim father who were often at odds, he struggled to fit in. He followed his father to Northern Virginia in 2012 to try to kick an opiate addiction, and finding Islam helped him do so. In 2015 he met Mahmoud Elhassan, who authorities said encouraged him to become more radical, and he began watching propaganda videos. In January, he attempted to travel to Syria to engage in jihad and was arrested at the Richmond airport.
Farrokh in March pleaded guilty in pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorist organization.
Mahmoud Elhassan
Woodbridge, Va.
Elhassan, 26, was born in Sudan and became a legal U.S. resident in 2012. According to his brother, he was a Northern Virginia community college student and a cabdriver. He is accused of planning with Farrokh to join the Islamic State abroad and driving his co-defendant to the airport. Farrokh has said that Elhassan knew the Koran well, spoke Arabic and shared with him outrage over the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Mohamad Jamal Khweis
Alexandria, Va.
Khweis, 26, was unknown to law enforcement until he was picked up by Kurdish forces in Iraq in March. According to court documents, the son of Palestinian immigrants began researching the Islamic State in 2015. He traveled to Turkey in December and found his way to Islamic State territory, he has said. He ended up in Mosul, Iraq, undergoing religious and military training. But he found it hard to live there, he told Kurdish television, and soon escaped into Kurdish territory.
Mohamed Bailor Jalloh
Sterling, Va.
Jalloh, 26, a U.S. citizen and native of Sierra Leone, was allegedly inspired to quit the Army National Guard last year after listening to the sermons of deceased radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. In March, he was introduced to an FBI informant, according to court documents, and began discussing a possible domestic terrorist attack. He was arrested in July after buying an assault rifle.
Yusuf Wehelie
Fairfax, Va.
Wehelie, the 25-year-old son of Somali immigrants, was detained in Egpyt six years ago with his brother after a trip to Yemen. He was arrested in July on a charge of possessing a weapon as a felon, after allegedly making comments about his desire to join the Islamic State or commit a domestic terrorist attack to undercover agents.
Haris Qamar
Burke, Va.
Qamar, a 25-year-old born in Brooklyn, allegedly tried to join the Islamic State in 2014 but was stopped because his parents took his passport. According to court documents, Qamar came to the attention of the FBI because of his enthusiastic Twitter promotion of the Islamic State. He was befriended by an FBI informant, who he allegedly told of his desire to kill enemies of the Islamic State here or abroad. At the informants suggestion, according to authorities, Qamar took footage for a video encouraging attacks on D.C.-area landmarks.
Nicholas Young
Fairfax, Va.
Young, 36, a convert to Islam who grew up in Northern Virginia, has been watched by the FBI for the past seven years after concerns were raised by his co-workers in the D.C. Metro police. Young had been in and out of touch with undercover informants and agents, according to court documents, and was arrested in August after buying gift cards he thought would be used for mobile messages in support of the Islamic State.
Noe Sanchez Amaya, 27, who is a relative of Giovanny Martinez, holds a flier with a photograph of Martinez on Aug. 23, 2016 in Annandale, Va. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)
The Fairfax County Sheriffs Office on Thursday released the name of the deputy who shot and killed a man wielding a signpost outside Inova Fairfax Hospital in mid-August, police said.
Deputy Patrick McPartlin, an 18-year veteran assigned to the confinement division, opened fire after Giovanny Martinez charged him with the object as the man appeared to be in the midst of a mental health episode at a bus stop. McPartlin was also one of six deputies who were involved in a violent encounter last year with mentally ill inmate Natasha McKenna, who died after being restrained and Tasered at the county jail.
[He sought an officer because he was suicidal, but was killed by a deputy. A family wonders: Why?]
McPartlin, who the Sheriff's Office said has received training to respond to the mentally ill, is on routine administrative leave as county police investigate Martinezs death. In Fairfax County, the Sheriff's Office provides security at the jail and courthouse but also has the authority to respond to police calls.
Relatives said Martinez approached a Fairfax County police officer on Aug. 15 in the Annandale area and told the officer that he wanted to die. They said he had been struggling with mental health issues in recent months.
Police said that the officer thought that Martinez was suffering mental health or medical distress and that he was transferred to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church. Police said hospital staff determined that Martinez was not having a mental health issue. Inova spokeswoman Tracy J. Connell and other hospital officials have declined to answer questions about Martinezs care.
Martinez was later escorted by hospital security to a bus stop. He began acting erratically and security returned, police said. At that point, Martinez struck one of the guards with a metal signpost, and they called 911. McPartlin, who was at the hospital guarding a patient, responded to the call.
Police said that Martinez charged McPartlin with the signpost and refused the deputys commands to drop the object. McPartlin opened fire, striking Martinez, who later died at the hospital.
[$15.3 million lawsuit filed in inmates death at Fairfax County jail]
In February 2015, McPartlin was among a team of deputies who tried to remove McKenna from her cell to transport her to another jail.
The 37-year-old woman, who suffered from schizophrenia and other disorders, wrestled with the deputies and was shocked with a stun gun four times to bring her under control. She stopped breathing for a short time and died several days later at a hospital.
County prosecutors cleared McPartlin and the other deputies of any criminal wrongdoing in the case. McKennas death drew protests and angered mental health advocates, who said the Sheriff's Office should have de-escalated the situation.
Two men have been charged after BB gun pellets were fired at pedestrians near Metros Van Ness stop in Northwest Washington, authorities said Thursday.
Hudson Edmund Taylor, 19, and Daniel Eduardo Hernandez, 22, both of Northwest Washington, face charges that include two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.
One of the incidents happened Tuesday just before 10 p.m. on Veazey Terrace near Connecticut Avenue NW. Three pedestrians including a special police officer were hit by pellets and suffered minor injuries, according to police.
About noon Wednesday, a person walking along Van Ness Street also near Connecticut Avenue NW was hit by a pellet. Police said he had minor injuries.
Investigators traced the pellet fire to a nearby home in the 3000 block of Van Ness Street NW.
Correction: An eariler version of this story incorrectly stated the number of people who died at the Pentagon. In all 125, people were killed when American Airlines Flight 77 hit the west side of the building. This version has been corrected.
TSA officers and others line up to photograph a 31-inch-long, 110-pound chunk of limestone recovered from the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon 15 years ago at Dulles International Airport on Sept. 1, 2016. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)
The piece of limestone made its trip from the Pentagon to Dulles International Airport in the back seat of a four-door sedan accompanied by a Transportation Security Administration analyst who was just 11 years old the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Preston Mika and his partner, Stephen Diggs, drove slowly and deliberately, avoiding any bumps or potholes that could unintentionally jostle the stone that had been recovered from the Pentagon after the terrorist attacks. Once they arrived at Dulles, they found a special place to store it until it could be made into a proper monument.
For Mika, the 110-pound slab of limestone carefully wrapped in blankets and nestled in the back seat of the car that day served as a reminder of why he joined the TSA. On Thursday, as he gathered with fellow TSA employees at Dulles for a ceremony to dedicate the piece, he grew emotional as he recalled his role in bringing it to its permanent home.
It was nerve-racking, but it was an honor, said Mika, now 26.
He hopes the 31-by-14-by-4-inch-slab of stone, which now rests on blue cloth in a clear rectangular case, will remind others of the lives that were lost that day and of the importance of remaining vigilant in a post-9/11 world.
We are honored and humbled to be able to unveil this part of history here today, said Bobby Humphrey, transportation security manager at Dulles. Along with Newark Liberty International Airport, Boston Logan Airport, Washington Dulles will forever be known as the 9/11 airports.
Added Dulles International Airport Manager Chris Browne: This simple yet profound display will strengthen our collective resolve to never lower our guard or compromise the safety and security of those we are charged to protect.
The unveiling of the monument comes less than two weeks before the 15th anniversary of attacks on Washington and New York. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in what is the worst act of terrorism on U.S. soil.
Because a permanent place for the monument has not been found, it will be on display in the lobby of the TSA office at Dulles.
The piece has special meaning for the people at Dulles one of three departure airports for the four 9/11 planes.
In remarks, Federal Security Director Scott Johnson, quoting from the 9/11 Commission Report, recalled the day was temperate and nearly cloudless in the Eastern United States.
For those heading to the airport, weather conditions could not have been better for a safe pleasant trip, he read.
American Airlines Flight 77 left Dulles at 8:20 a.m. with 64 people aboard. Thirty-four minutes later, the Boeing 757 veered off course. Just after 9:37 a.m. it hit the western side of the Pentagon. All the passengers, along with five hijackers and six crew members, were killed, in addition to 125 people at the Pentagon.
Even though he was only in grade school, Mika remembers watching the events unfold on television at his school in suburban Colorado. The images stuck with him, he said, and were why he joined the TSA.
I joined the TSA to protect this country, he said, his voice cracking slightly.
As years pass, the memory of 9/11 grows more distant, speakers at Thursdays ceremony said, so items such as the piece of limestone serve as a powerful reminder.
When the voices from witnesses like me one day fall silent, our personal recollections will become a distant tale if were not deliberate in preserving and honoring the memories from that day, they will be forgotten and lost to history, said Browne, the airport manager. We cannot let that happen and that is why this limestone is so important. It is a hallowed remnant from September 11, 2001, and it will serve as a permanent reminder to all of us now and in the future that the victims from 9/11 did not die in vain and are not forgotten.
Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr., left, has opposed Gov. Terry McAuliffes sweeping proposal to restore the vote to felons who have completed their sentences. (Bob Brown/AP)
A Republican state senator who sued Gov. Terry McAuliffe over the governors efforts to restore voting rights to felons filed legislation Thursday to automatically grant political rights to certain nonviolent criminals.
Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) filed the proposed constitutional amendment one day after he and other Republicans announced that they were taking McAuliffe (D) back to court over his latest attempt at rights restoration.
Norments move seemed intended to push back against McAuliffes claim that Republicans had racist motives for opposing his voting-rights actions. But his plan triggered a fierce backlash from McAuliffe and other Democrats, who said it would close off any avenue for violent felons to vote ever again short of a gubernatorial pardon. GOP legislative leaders have said they objected to McAuliffes methods, which they and the states Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional.
Norments proposal would automatically restore civil rights to a limited category of felons who Republicans say deserve a second chance: those convicted of nonviolent crimes who had completed their sentences and paid all restitution, court costs and fines.
McAuliffe wants to restore rights to all felons who have served their time or completed parole, including those convicted of violent offenses, with no requirement that they settle court-related debts before voting.
This amendment would guarantee those who have their right to vote restored are truly deserving of that second chance, Norment said in a written statement.
McAuliffe criticized Norments plan for requiring restitution payments, something the governor likened to a poll tax.
This cynical proposal unmasks Republican leaders true motive, which is to permanently disenfranchise men and women and condemn them to a lifetime as outcasts from our Commonwealth, McAuliffe said in a written statement. While no one condones violent felonies, enlightened societies believe that all men and women are capable of redemption. As such, we remain committed to giving them a path to full citizenship in our Commonwealth.
U.S. Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-Va.) noted that Norments plan calls for completely removing the governor from the rights-restoration process. Since felons would no longer be able to individually petition the governor as they may now, those convicted of violent offenses would have no mechanism for regaining their rights, he said.
They are permanently disenfranchised without the authority of the governor to restore their rights, Scott said. Thats a major step backwards.
Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) said he would oppose Norments plan, likening the restitution requirement to a poll tax.
It seems to me a constitutional amendment written like that would make it even more onerous than it is today, Saslaw said. What they want to do is make it constitutionally impossible for these people to ever vote.
[McAuliffe restores voting rights to 13,000 felons]
Amending the state constitution is a complicated, multiyear process. The proposal must be passed by the General Assembly in two separate sessions with an intervening election and then be approved by voters in a general election. The earliest the question could appear on the Virginia ballot is November 2018 long after the current presidential contest that Republican critics say McAuliffe was trying to affect with his original rights-restoration order.
House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford), who has fought McAuliffe alongside Norment, said he agreed that the time has come for Virginias policy on restoration of rights to change.
Virginia is one of only four states the others are Iowa, Kentucky and Florida that ban ex-felons from voting. McAuliffe has called the 1902 law, which disenfranchises 1 in 5 African Americans in Virginia, a vestige of Jim Crow-era segregation.
But Howell did not commit to supporting Norments approach.
The House of Delegates is ready and willing to actively discuss the merits of a constitutional amendment, Howell said in a written statement. Senator Norments proposal will certainly be part of that discussion. I am also asking several members of the House to begin developing proposals that can be discussed when the General Assembly convenes in January. We very much hope the governor is willing to work with the General Assembly in a productive way.
In April, McAuliffe issued an executive order that restored voting rights to more than 200,000 felons who had completed their sentences.
Republicans said the move was really a bid to add Democratic voters to the rolls ahead of Novembers presidential election, when the governors close friend and political ally Hillary Clinton will be on the ballot. They also contended that the governor had overstepped his authority by restoring rights en masse rather than individually, as every previous governor had done.
GOP legislative leaders sued, and in July, the Supreme Court agreed that McAuliffe had exceeded the authority. Because 13,000 of the 200,000 felons already had registered to vote, the court ordered the state to again put their names on its list of banned voters.
Last week, McAuliffe announced that he had restored voting rights to the 13,000 felons individually and said he would do the same for the remainder of the 200,000, though he offered no timetable.
The difference between McAuliffes original action and his current approach is largely procedural. Instead of simply announcing that any felon whose sentence is complete is eligible to vote, the administration is mailing each person a notice to that effect.
McAuliffes Republican predecessor, Robert F. McDonnell, had instituted a similar approach, automatically sending a letter to felons who met his criteria. But McDonnell did so only for nonviolent felons and required that they pay any fines or restitution.
On Wednesday, Norment and Howell announced that they had filed a contempt-of-court motion against McAuliffe, contending that his workaround is as unconstitutional as his original, sweeping clemency order.
NORTH CAROLINA
Man convicted of 1991 strangling exonerated
A North Carolina man was freed from jail Wednesday after a judge tossed his conviction in a double-murder case tried 21 years ago by the prosecutor who was later disbarred for lying and misconduct in the Duke University lacrosse rape case.
The judge threw out the convictions and ordered Darryl Howards release because of DNA evidence unavailable at Howards 1995 murder trial.
The former district attorney in the Duke case, Mike Nifong, had been expected to testify Wednesday afternoon about his handling of Howards case and whether misconduct from police and prosecutors helped win a conviction. But prosecutors decided not to appeal the judges order tossing the conviction, which meant Nifong did not have to take the stand and cleared the way for Howard to be freed.
Howard left the jail hand in hand with his wife, Nannie, whom he married three years after he was imprisoned. Howard credited her with pursuing lawyers who work on wrongful conviction cases; his conviction and 80-year sentence eventually was taken up by the New York-based Innocence Project.
Howard was convicted of the 1991 strangling and sexual assault of Doris Washington, 29, and her 13-year-old daughter, Nishonda. But DNA evidence shows Howard did not rape the women, and no other physical evidence connected him to the crime. Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson said Wednesday that evidence would have created a reasonable doubt for jurors.
Darryl Howard listens as one of his attorneys speaks during a hearing Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, at the Durham County Courthouse. (Kaitlin Mckeown/AP)
Associated Press
NEVADA
Medical pot users still cant buy firearms
A federal government ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana cardholders does not violate the Second Amendment, a federal appeals court said Wednesday.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco applies to the nine Western states that fall under the courts jurisdiction, including California, Washington and Oregon.
It came in a lawsuit filed by S. Rowan Wilson, a Nevada woman who tried to buy a firearm in 2011 after obtaining a medical marijuana card. The gun store refused, citing the federal rule on the sale of firearms to illegal-drug users.
Marijuana is illegal under federal law, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has told gun sellers they can assume a person with a medical marijuana card uses the drug.
The 9th Circuit in its 3-0 decision agreed that it is reasonable for federal regulators to assume a medical marijuana cardholder is more likely to use the drug.
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Because truth in labeling laws are among the laws from which Washington feels exempt, the titles of congressional legislation often take liberties with the facts (e.g., the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). The Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act, however, precisely names the ailment for which it is the remedy.
The Justice Department has negotiated "bank settlement agreements" whereby banks make restitution to the government for the damage they allegedly did in connection with the creation and sale of residential mortgage-backed securities in the subprime mortgage crisis. Our subject here is not, however, whether the sums extracted from the banks (e.g., Citigroup $7 billion, Bank of America $16.65 billion, JPMorgan $13 billion) are proportionate to their alleged culpabilities. Rather, our subject is what Justice does with millions of these dollars.
Justice allows banks to meet some of their settlement obligations by directing "donations" to various nongovernmental advocacy organizations that serve Democratic constituencies and objectives -- organizations that were neither parties to the case nor victims of the banks' behaviors. These donations are from money owed to the government, money that otherwise would go to the U.S. Treasury, money the disposition of which is properly Congress' responsibility.
So the donations are, in effect, appropriations of public money. The pesky Constitution, however, says: "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law." As a congressman allied with Grover Cleveland once said to a fellow legislator who considered one of his initiatives unconstitutional, "What's the Constitution between friends?"
Progressives, who favor expansive notions of executive discretion, and hence the marginalization of Congress, regard the "donations" as just another anodyne manifestation of inherent presidential discretion in enforcing laws. At a May congressional hearing, three constitutional scholars -- Georgetown University law professor Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz, The Heritage Foundation's Paul Larkin, and Boyden Gray, White House counsel to George H.W. Bush -- disagreed.
"Congress," Larkin reminded Congress, "does not give the president a credit card or a cashbox that he can use to purchase goods and services or disburse appropriations as he sees fit. Congress identifies precisely who may receive federal funds." With the "donations," Justice rewards congenial groups without any direction from Congress or judicial oversight. Although it is, Larkin said, "a federal offense for a government officer to spend money in excess of the sum that Congress has appropriated," he noted that the donations represent executive lawlessness known at the state level: When Chris Christie headed the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, he "negotiated a nonprosecution agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb in which the company agreed, among other things, to make a $5 million gift to Seton Hall University's law school -- Christie's alma mater -- in order to avoid prosecution for securities fraud."
Woodrow Wilson, a former New Jersey governor and the Democrats' first progressive president, was the first president to criticize the American Founding. He was particularly hostile to the separation of powers, which he considered an anachronistic impediment to executive efficiency. The bank settlement donations are another step nullifying the Appropriations Clause's 16 words, which buttress the separation of powers.
"In the end," Gray testified, "every other constitutional power runs into the appropriations power." This is why presidents have "consistently endeavored to seize the appropriations power from Congress." The Constitution was just 20 years old when, in 1809, Congress felt the need to enact "legislation designed to prevent the president from repurposing appropriated funds from one object to another." Subsequent presidents have obligated funds in excess of appropriations, thereby forcing Congress to choose between appropriating the funds or impairing the country's credit. Congress often has been complicit in its own diminution, as when it empowered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to commandeer funding from the Federal Reserve System.
Base motives of self-aggrandizement have impelled many presidents to disregard the separation of powers. Progressive presidents do this as a matter of principle, which is worse.
Eden Oyelola, who has an aggressive brain tumor, holds a unicorn coin bank given to her by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Earlier this year, she was part of a clinical trial at Childrens National Medical Center that is testing a new immunotherapy drug. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
Bald but beaming, 5-year-old Eden Oyelola yanked the long rope to ring the victory bell at Childrens National Medical Center last September. She was finally done with her treatment for brain cancer surgery followed by months of radiation and chemotherapy that made her terribly ill.
At a bell party at her home in Upper Marlboro, Md., later that week, she gobbled down ice cream with friends and rode a pony around the back yard. Her parents exhaled in relief. We thought she was in the clear, her father said.
The relief was short-lived.
In January, the little girl who loved gymnastics started having seizures and losing control of her left side. She frequently stumbled. Whats wrong with my legs? she asked. A second surgery followed after an MRI showed that the tumor had returned, forcing her doctors at Childrens to ask whether there was anything else that would give Eden a chance to survive.
The team ultimately turned to the hottest field in medicine and a new class of drugs that has had stunning success in some adults, including former president Jimmy Carter, with even hard-to-treat malignancies. Growing ranks of pediatric oncologists are considering immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors to try to save desperately ill children.
But young patients with cancer present a special challenge. Research can seem more dangerous because of their age, and drugs that work in adults may fail for the same reason. No one can yet say with certainty whether or to what degree these treatments hold equal promise for children.
That allows for hope as well as, in Edens case, devastating disappointment.
Its a new horizon that we need to explore and see if it can help these kids, said Brian Rood, Edens neuro-oncologist. But were still learning how to use it.
[Immunotherapy shows promise in a growing list of cancers]
Immunotherapy, which one specialist calls the fourth pillar of cancer treatment after surgery, radiation and chemo, marshals the bodys immune system to fight a malignancy. As part of that approach, checkpoint inhibitors disrupt a cloaking device tumors wield to evade and suppress T cells, the foot soldiers of the immune system. Once T cells can see the cancer, they attack it just as they would other foreign intruders such as bacteria.
Four checkpoint inhibitors have been approved for adults, but they are only now undergoing broader testing in children. The lag reflects the many significant hurdles of conducting clinical trials with this age group.
Edens doctors set their hopes on a first-of-its-kind clinical trial led by Childrens, a study testing a checkpoint inhibitor treatment in children who have aggressive brain tumors. The complex strategy has its own set of risks; the treatment often causes inflammation and swelling, a dangerous combination in the contained space of the brain.
In describing the trial to Edens parents, Rood was cautious. Their daughter would need yet another surgery to reduce the size of her tumor, and there was no guarantee she would be eligible for the trial after that, or that the treatment would work.
About the best we can say, Rood acknowledged, is that we dont know that it doesnt work.
Eden will be a guinea pig, thought Edens mother, Sara Amare. But like her husband, Toks Oyelola, she was eager to press ahead. Both knew that the study medication, Keytruda, also called pembrolizumab, was the same one that Carter received after advanced melanoma spread to his liver and brain. Last December, following surgery, radiation and the immunotherapy, the former president announced that his cancer had disappeared.
He was 91, Amare said. I thought, Surely, this will work in a 6-year-old.
As a child with cancer, Eden belongs to a relatively small group. An estimated 16,000 children up to age 19 will be diagnosed with the disease in the United States this year, and it will kill fewer than 2,000. By contrast, about 1.6 million adults are expected to get a diagnosis, and more than 590,000 will die of the disease.
Pediatric oncologists complain that medicines for children are too few and too toxic, largely because drug companies focus their efforts on the adult market. Only one immunotherapy drug has been specifically approved for pediatric cancer.
Over the last 30 years, we have had very, very few new drugs in our clinics, and we still rely on radiation and chemo, said Michael Jensen, director of the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research at Seattle Childrens. When a drug is developed for prostate cancer or breast cancer or colon cancer, they will say, Here, try this for kids with brain tumors. It really doesnt help these underserved kids.
Six-year-old Eden likes drawing, ponies, and the toy babies and pets called Twozies. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
Researchers have long known that children are not simply miniature adults; they are biologically different. They tend to get different cancers than adults leukemia rather than lung cancer, for example and even the same cancer can play out differently in their bodies.
So, perhaps, may immunotherapy. Many adult tumors have mutations caused by cigarette smoke, sunlight and other environmental insults. Once unmasked by a checkpoint inhibitor, such mutations can be seen by the immune system as foreign and deserving of attack. Childrens cancers, however, generally have far fewer mutations and thus may offer fewer targets, according to one theory.
[Checkpoint inhibitor helps melanoma patients survive longer ]
Another kind of immunotherapy, called CAR-T cell therapy, is being widely tested in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common and once universally fatal childhood cancer. It has shown extraordinary effectiveness in treating recurrent disease.
By contrast, checkpoint inhibitors in children may not be the home run they are in adults, said Crystal Mackall, head of the cancer immunology and immunotherapy program at the Stanford University School of Medicine. But its too early to know.
The Oyelola family lives in a comfortable house in Prince Georges County, with a back yard big enough to accommodate pony rides on special occasions. Eden, who is obsessed with unicorns, has a 7-year-old sister, Sade, and an 18-month-old brother, Tobi.
He chases me, then I chase him, Eden said on a recent afternoon as the children raced around. Dressed in a shirt decorated with lions, tigers and zebras, she showed little sign of being sick, other than a little puffiness in her face and slightly shorter hair where she had surgery.
Eden and her sister, Sade, 7, look at a picture book of animals and insects as they play in their home in Upper Marlboro, Md. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
Edens father is a consultant for Ernst & Young whose parents came from Nigeria decades ago. Her mother is a native of Ethiopia who moved to the United States as a little girl. A wall of photographs in the family room shows a handsome and happy family.
On Halloween 2014, Oyelola remembers, a new normal took hold. Amare was driving their daughters home from a school parade Eden had been dressed up as the country of Russia. Suddenly, Sade cried from the back seat: Mommy, Eden is shaking! Saliva foamed on her lips.
Doctors at Childrens diagnosed a febrile seizure, a not-uncommon event in childhood. But several weeks later, another seizure followed. This time, Childrens did a scan. We see a mass, the doctors told Amare. Brain surgery was scheduled for Christmas Eve.
Edens family decorated her intensive-care room with lights, wreaths and a tree. When she woke up on Christmas, she was amazed by the presents, sneaked in by nurses, and by a visit from Santa Claus himself.
Those would be the only bright spots of the holiday.
The ultimate diagnosis was that Eden had a primitive, very rare, very unusual tumor, Rood said, with many of the characteristics of glioblastoma. This deadly type of cancer arises from glia cells, which support brain function.
Months of radiation and chemo followed, ending with the bell party in September 2015. Late last year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged for the family to go on an all-day scavenger hunt that culminated in a ride on a unicorn at Verizon Center. Yes, its a real unicorn! Eden declared, caressing the big white horse.
The tumors return in January was a crushing blow. Eden quickly had surgery and eventually entered a clinical study involving pomalidomide, a thalidomide derivative that is thought to interfere with tumor growth. She began getting violent headaches. She could wake up in the morning and be hysterical for two hours, her father said. And she was having three to four seizures an hour.
Edens father, Toks Oyelola, wears a variety of inspirational wristbands. As her tumor grew, he pushed her doctors hard for treatment alternatives. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
The doctors took her off the medicine and talked to her parents about the immunotherapy trial and another operation. It was nerve-racking, Rood said. Yet they had no other options.
In late May, Eden had her third surgery, which succeeded in sharply reducing the tumor and the swelling, and in easing her pain. A few days later, she celebrated her sixth birthday.
Not long after, she got a spot in the Childrens trial.
Brain and central-nervous-system tumors are the second-most-common type of childhood cancers, after leukemia. A patients prognosis depends on the type of malignancy, whether cancer cells remain after surgery and whether the tumor recurs.
Given the success seen with checkpoint inhibitors for some adult cancers, there is intense interest in trying them in brain tumors in patients of all ages. The hope is that the immune system will be effective at attacking the tumor and breaching the blood-brain barrier, a kind of security system that protects the brain yet also prevents many treatments from getting through.
Several pediatric trials are underway or in development, including one trying a combination of checkpoint inhibitors that New Yorks Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has set for next year.
[How cancer gets around the new immunotherapy drugs]
The safety-and-feasibility trial at Childrens and other institutions is co-sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, a network of childrens hospitals and academic medical centers that conducts early-stage studies of novel treatments. Up to 70 patients will be enrolled, ages 1 to 21, with participants given infusions of Keytruda for 30 minutes every three weeks. The treatments are slated to extend over two years.
Sara Amare has relied on her faith during the nearly two years since her daughter Eden was diagnosed with cancer. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)
Eugene Hwang, a pediatric neuro-oncologist at Childrens, and the other investigators are proceeding carefully because of the risks, frequently pausing the study to examine results and decide whether changes are needed. One of the toughest challenges in using checkpoint inhibitors or any immunotherapy for brain tumors, Hwang said, is figuring out how to produce the right level of immune response. Too weak and it wont affect the tumor. But too strong and the swarm of T cells could trigger lethal swelling.
I have desperation in my back yard, where kids are dying, and theres hope the next yard over, where adults who have failed trial after trial are surviving, said Hwang, the study chairman. There is nothing that is going to dissuade me from trying something that has really revolutionized care for many adults.
Eden got her first dose of Keytruda on June 22, and everything seemed fine for the first two weeks. But shortly before her planned second dose, she again began having headaches, and numbness in her left arm. An MRI showed that the mass in her head had doubled in size in barely a month.
That raised a critical issue for her physicians: Did the larger mass mean the drug had triggered the robust immune response they wanted? Or was the treatment failing and the cancers growth accelerating? Or some combination of both?
It was impossible to tell from the scan. Yet the answer would determine whether Eden could continue in the trial.
The doctors delayed the second dose and gave her steroids to reduce the brain swelling. That effectively negated the effects of the immunotherapy, but it was the only way to figure out what was happening as they chose how to proceed.
Her family tried to carry on with life. They all took a vacation to the beach, making sure they visited Assateague Island to see the wild ponies.
Eden seemed to be doing well, and her parents were increasingly sure she would soon get her second Keytruda dose. But on July 28, she awoke in intense pain and was rushed the 20 miles to Childrens. The tumor had gotten significantly bigger in just a few weeks and was starting to push the brain from the right side of her head toward the left. Blood and fluid also appeared to be leaking into the space between the brain and the skull.
Doctors treated Eden with high levels of painkillers and higher levels of steroids. And they sat down with her parents. Rood told them that the tumors fast growth was making it impossible for Eden to stay on the trial.
Take her home, Rood suggested, and make her as comfortable as possible.
I cant accept that, Amare said later, even as she talked about going the God route. At her request, pastors from her Ethiopian Orthodox church have come to pray for her daughter.
Her husband is similarly torn. The doctors, he said, dont expect a miracle to happen. But I do.
Eden still romps through the house and plays with her dogs, Winter and Summer. On a recent afternoon, bored for the moment, she climbed onto her fathers lap and whispered in his ear to take her to Target.
She wanted to get more Twozies to add to her already sizable collection of the toy babies and pets.
Okay, Oyelola said with a smile. Lets go.
GABON
Clashes break out over presidents reelection
Gabons president has narrowly won reelection, officials said Wednesday, keeping alive a political dynasty in this oil-rich Central African country that reaches back to the 1960s. Clashes erupted in the capital as opposition allies claimed fraud.
President Ali Bongo beat leading rival Jean Ping by just 1.57 percentage points, setting the stage for an almost certain challenge to the results.
Police fired tear gas at hundreds of opposition activists who converged near the Constitutional Court in the capital, Libreville. Witnesses said demonstrators in several districts vandalized a mall, looted a bank and burned buildings as army helicopters flew overhead.
Looting and clashes also followed Bongos win in 2009, when he came to power after the death of his father, longtime ruler Omar Bongo.
Bongo won this election with 49.8 percent of the vote, while Ping had 48.23 percent. The constitutional court must finalize the electoral commissions provisional results.
The results came a day later than expected, prompting fears of a tainted process.
Associated Press
EGYPT
Penalties toughened for female circumcision
Egypts parliament on Wednesday toughened penalties for female genital mutilation, adopting amendments that punish perpetrators with up to 15 years in prison if a child dies and up to seven years for performing the procedure.
The centuries-old practice, misguidedly believed to control womens sexuality, was criminalized in Egypt in 2008. But it remains widespread in the country, where an estimated 90 percent of women have undergone some form of the forced procedure.
The adopted amendments change female genital mutilation from a misdemeanor, with offenders typically receiving up to two years in prison, to a felony, which incurs tougher sentences.
Suad Abu-Dayyeh, Middle East and North Africa consultant for Equality Now, lauded Egypts lawmakers on passing the amendments but said the measures could apparently still let doctors approve the procedure.
The U.N. childrens agency estimates that at least 200 million girls and women in 30 countries have undergone the procedure, with half of them in Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Associated Press
ISRAEL
New units approved for West Bank settlements
Israel on Wednesday approved plans for hundreds of new housing units for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, Israeli media reported.
The development underscored that Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has continued amid a freeze in peace efforts. The international community regards settlements as a key obstacle to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the latest approvals, an Israeli military planning committee advanced plans for 463 housing units in settlements in the West Bank, according to the Israeli news site Haaretz and the watchdog group Peace Now.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the development poses a serious and growing threat to the viability of a two-state solution to the conflict.
Associated Press
Saudi-led strikes allegedly kill 16 in Yemen: Airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition hit a house in the northern city of Saada, killing at least 16 civilians, Yemens rebel-controlled news agency reported. Saudi Arabia is leading a campaign to dislodge Shiite rebels from Yemens capital and northern regions. Meanwhile, officials in the south said the death toll from Mondays suicide attack by the Islamic State in Aden had risen to 72.
Typhoon kills 11 in Japan: Heavy rain from Typhoon Lionrock flooded towns across Japans north and killed nine residents at a nursing home, officials said. Two bodies were found elsewhere in Iwate prefecture. Farther north, on the island of Hokkaido, at least two rivers broke their banks.
Rajoys bid to form government fails: A majority of Spanish lawmakers rejected conservative party leader Mariano Rajoys bid to form a government, signaling that Spains eight-month-long political deadlock is unlikely to end anytime soon. Rajoy, the acting prime minister, was voted down by 180 lawmakers, with 170 in favor. He had needed 176 votes.
From news services
A Hindu devotee stands in the Bagmati River beside the Gokarna Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, during the celebration of Kuse Aunsi, or Fathers Day. The annual festival honors fathers, including those who have died. Devotees, who gather at the temple from across Nepal, offer prayers in the river and perform other religious observances. (Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)
SYRIA
Suburb of Damascus capitulates to Assad
Syrias government on Thursday secured a deal to restore its authority over another rebellious Damascus suburb, while rebels captured new ground in a lightning advance on the central city of Hama and suspected government airstrikes killed 25 civilians in the surrounding province.
The Syrian capitals western suburb of Moadamiya has suffered a three-year government siege that left its estimated 28,000 residents with dwindling food and medical supplies.
On Thursday, residents agreed to let President Bashar al-Assads government restore its security presence and political institutions in the suburb, according to Hassan Ghadour, a resident
and leading negotiator of the
deal.
The development came as an uneasy truce continued to hold between Turkish troops and Kurdish-led forces in the north .
Elsewhere in Syria, at least 25 civilians were killed in suspected government airstrikes on Hama province as rebels made new gains there, activists said.
The Hama-based Syrian Press Center, an activist group, said at least 10 people were killed when warplanes struck people displaced from Suran, a town north of the city of Hama that was seized by opposition fighters. An additional 15 people were killed farther west, it said.
Associated Press
SOUTH AFRICA
Free HIV treatment to be given to all infected
South Africa said it will provide free treatment to all people infected with HIV, regardless of the condition of their immune system. The country leads the world in infections.
Earlier, people were eligible for free treatment based on a certain measure of their white blood cells, which fight infection. This new policy extends this to all people living with HIV, the Health Department said.
The change is based on World Health Organization guidelines adopted in late 2015 after it was found that treating those with HIV as early as possible improves their health.
South Africa has one of the worlds largest treatment programs, with more than 3.4 million people receiving HIV medication.
The United Nations has said about 7 million people in South Africa were thought to be infected with HIV in 2015.
Associated Press
GERMANY
Human bones found near former Nazi site
Archaeologists in Berlin have unearthed a large number of human bones from a site close to where Nazi scientists carried out research on body parts of death camp victims sent to them by sadistic SS doctor Josef Mengele, officials said.
Experts have been examining the site in Berlins Dahlem neighborhood since a small number of bones were found there in 2014 during road work on a property belonging to the Berlin Free University.
In the dig, they uncovered numerous fractured skulls, teeth, vertebrae and other bones, Susan Pollock, a professor of archaeology at the university and one of the leaders of the team, said in a statement.
The bones found in 2014 were never identified, and the new discovery provides researchers
a new possibility to illuminate the unusual find and the circumstances under which they were buried, said Joerg Haspel, the leader of a Berlin office that oversees memorial sites.
The site is about 100 yards from what was the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Anthropology, Human Heredity and Eugenics in the Nazi era.
Associated Press
Turkey discharges 820 military personnel: Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said more than 800 military personnel have been discharged in the latest crackdown after Julys coup attempt. It reported that the 820 personnel were dishonorably discharged. Of those, 648 were already under arrest. About 35,000 people have been detained since the coup attempt, with about 17,000 of them formally arrested. Tens of thousands have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs, including thousands from the military.
2 American mountaineers missing in Pakistan: Two American mountaineers have disappeared in northern Pakistan, more than 10 days after they set off to climb one of the steepest peaks in the regions Karakoram range. The Alpine Club of Pakistan said Scott Adamson and Kyle Dempster, both reported to be from Utah, were missing in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. A club spokesman said they were trying to climb the 23,000-foot Ogre-II peak but did not return on the expected date.
From news services
Regarding Tom C. Korologos and Richard V. Allens Aug. 28 op-ed, For the GOP, start thinking 2018 and 2020:
Instead of recognizing the dramatic political and demographic changes that have swept the nation, the authors seem mired in the world of 1965, when Republicans had to rebuild the party after the debacle of Barry Goldwaters landslide loss. If, indeed, Republicans are planning for a comeback in the next two elections, then they should begin by facing up to the fact that the party of Melvin Laird, John J. Rhodes and Gerald Ford no longer exists, at least not as any meaningful force.
Mr. Korologos and Mr. Allens four-point plan for reform smelled an awful lot like warmed-over cabbage. It seemed blind to the shifts in the racial makeup of the country, in attitudes on gender identity, in globalization and in economic inequality. It failed to acknowledge the restlessness behind the Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders movements, which were inflamed by congressional gridlock. Unless the Republican Party reaches out to an electorate more ethnically, economically and ideologically diverse than anything that existed in the 1960s, its reforms will represent, as Samuel Johnson once observed about a second marriage, the triumph of hope over experience.
Frank W. Fletcher, Reedville, Va.
The recent op-ed on the future of the GOP mistakenly proposed a post-election Republican strategy based on the same obstructionist tactics of the past: Sometimes doing nothing in the Senate is doing something.
The catastrophic split in the Republican Party marks an evolution. The Republican Party was born in 1854 out of the Whig Party; it adopted a platform of increased federal power and an anti-slavery ideology. It evolved to its present position favoring small federal government in opposition to the New Deal. The Republican Party now appears unable to keep pace with changing U.S. demographics and to move beyond its infatuation with the vestigial demographics of the white-dominated United States of the 1950s.
Powerless to get beyond this impasse, the Republican Party is splitting into two ideologies: the first led by classic constitutional and economic conservatives such as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.); the second led by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who unabashedly appeals to those few who would sacrifice constitutional guarantees to keep people of color from changing the face of America. This minority has moved from ordinary partisan politics to the tactics of hate, encouraged by Mr. Trumps rhetoric.
If Mr. Trump wins the election, Republican leaders will see the virtues of his fascist-like rhetoric, and the party will evolve in that direction. If Mr. Trump loses, continued obstructionist tactics, as proposed in the op-ed, will only strengthen a hateful minority.
Marvin M. Cohen, Bethesda
With all due respect to political professionals Tom C. Korologos and Richard V. Allen, I suggest adding one more point (the most urgent one ): The Republican-led Congress needs to start governing.
Ellen Swecker, Harrisonburg, Va.
The recent op-ed by Tom C. Korologos and Richard V. Allen displayed amazing ignorance of the reasons Donald Trump is the Republican presidential nominee.
The authors wrote that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is going to win, so Republicans should be ready to pounce on her future administrations every mistake. Republicans, they said, should hold hearings every week to capitalize on inevitable missteps in a Clinton administration, expose the views of the most egregious liberals and delay confirmations for Clinton administration appointees. And, Republicans should change the primary rules so a candidate with the backing of the majority of the electorate cannot win the GOP nomination.
News flash: Mr. Trump is the nominee because a majority of Republican voters are fed up with the attitudes expressed by Mr. Korologos and Mr. Allen and are willing to try anything else. How about this for a Republican Party strategy: Put the United States first and your party and egos last.
Mike Mercer, Vienna
I am deeply disturbed by the advice offered by veteran Republican officials Tom C. Korologos and Richard V. Allen to GOP politicians faced with the likely prospect of Democrat Hillary Clinton winning the presidency in November. They counseled Republicans to follow the example of post-Goldwater Republicans in the 1960s. What they advised would instead result in more of the tea-party-infused partisanship and governmental gridlock of recent times: stonewall the Democratic presidents legislative plans and presidential appointees to gain partisan advantage for the next elections.
Conspicuously absent were calls to Republicans to forcefully renounce the racist-tinged rhetoric spouted by their presidential nominee and to make a sincere effort to expand their political base through thoughtful revision of policy prescriptions, and an acknowledgment that Democrats have won the presidency in recent elections because a majority of the voters actually favor their policies.
Mr. Korologos and Mr. Allen could have advised Republicans in Congress to be team players, where the team is the American people and not GOP partisans. Republican leaders of the 1960s and 1970s worked with Democratic congressional majorities to negotiate legislation that, if not to the GOPs liking, was at least palatable to the party.
If Republicans hope to win presidential elections again, they need to demonstrate that they can be a loyal opposition and responsible partners in government rather than hyperpartisan obstructionists.
David Goldberger, Herndon
I enjoyed reading the op-ed by Tom C. Korologos and Richard V. Allen up to the last sentence.
Their discussion of a four-point strategy for Republicans to raise their sights beyond the current hysteria over Donald Trump and focus on concrete steps to breathe life and common sense back into the party of Lincoln seemed very logical. Enlist the partys elders as had been done in the past todays versions of Melvin Laird, John J. Rhodes, Paul W. McCracken and Gerald Ford. Yes, yes and yes.
And then I came to the concluding sentence, which referenced the last time such self-described desperate measures for desperate times were employed, resulting in Richard Nixon winning the presidency.
Oh, my. Richard Nixon?
Hopefully, even Republicans arent that desperate.
R.H. Friedman, Alexandria
The Lincoln City Council should say no to a legal battle on whether it has the power to set a tax rate lower than required for the budget that has been officially been set for next year.
The four Republicans on the council who fought to avoid a tax increase have achieved everything they could under the rules set by the voter-approved city charter.
Their attempt to hold the line on the city property tax rate was thwarted by a veto by Mayor Chris Beutler.
Now, in the opinion of City Attorney Jeff Kirkpatrick, the council has the ministerial responsibility under the charter to approve a tax rate that will cover the budget.
The matter is scheduled to come to a vote on Sept. 12.
But some council members, including Jon Camp and Cyndi Lamm who are attorneys, said they disagree with Kirkpatricks memo on the question of whether they are required to approve the tax increase for the mayors budget.
So the prospect of a legal battle looms.
If the council fails to pass the requisite tax rate, the mayor would be forced to seek a writ of mandamus from a court specifically ordering the council to fulfill its responsibility.
Since the city attorney represents both the council and the mayor, private attorneys would be required for both sides.
This would be an unnecessary drain on the taxpayers. The dispute could drag on for months.
At this point its perfectly clear to the public that Mayor Chris Beutler owns this tax increase, which amounts to an increase of about $18 a year on a $150,000 house. Beutler proposed the tax increase and he issued a veto to ensure that it went into effect.
No one is going to blame the Republican members of the council.
But if the council members force a money-sucking legal battle, they will own that. And if they lose the legal battle in court, theyll own that too.
In his memo to the council Kirkpatrick relied on an opinion from former Nebraska Supreme Court Justice john Hendry, who took the job with City Hall in an unusual coda to an extraordinary career.
Admittedly, the language of the charter was tweaked since Hendry issued his opinion by a voter-approved amendment that moved City Hall to a two-year budget.
But from the perspective of the editorial board, an attempt by the council to battle against a writ of mandamus would be a steep uphill battle.
The public would be best served if the council chose against dragging the issue into court. The four Republicans on the council should put on their ministerial hats and join Democrats in a unanimous vote in accordance with the recommendation from their official legal counsel.
Catherine Rampell was right to point in her Aug. 26 op-ed, Dont blame the feds for all that small-business red tape, to a web of state and local rules that limit business growth. And she was right, also, to suggest such strictures are often sustained by powerful groups preserving their members businesses with high entry barriers.
It is an interesting time in occupational licensing, as the Supreme Court noted in its North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners opinion last year, warning states to remain closely involved in professions oversight; otherwise, the groups would face antitrust litigation for acting mostly to restrain trade rather than to protect the public.
Last month, the American Bar Associations Commission on the Future of Legal Services urged action in response to the continuing flood of unrepresented people in the nations courthouses. The commission found examples of providers other than lawyers who are delivering cost-effective and competent legal help but found that the legal professions resistance to change hinders additional innovations.
In the District, the D.C. Court of Appeals Committee on Unauthorized Practice of Law invited comments on its rules this year, a welcome step toward a promised broad review. With an active Access to Justice Commission here bringing stakeholders to the table from the courts, the community and the profession, there is a good opportunity to consider whether less red tape in licensing attorneys could protect the public while also yielding the sort of innovation Ms. Rampell called for in the governments approach to regulation.
Tom Gordon, Washington
The writer is executive director of Responsive Law.
Regarding the Aug. 29 Metro article Officials are at a loss for explanation for 90-minute outage in 911 service:
Apparently the 911 outage extended beyond just the 911 call center. Capitol Hill and other federal enclaves were on high alert and had barriers up. There may have been no ability for on-the-ground law enforcement and emergency medical services to communicate with each other. The District may need to revisit its Y2K contingency planning protocols. Granted, the Y2K threat was long ago, but perhaps, with adjustments for advances in technology, the District can avoid reinventing the wheel on basic procedures.
We must explore how to prevent this from happening again. The District has many retired high-level police and fire department officers who could serve on a commission to address such challenges, either under the umbrella of a D.C. board or commission or the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
We need more information from local government. At the very least, we need a public hearing to explore this 911 emergency ; a meeting could prove helpful to the public and those involved with implementing public safety.
Residents, workers, businesses and visitors can ill afford such 911 and Enhanced 911 challenges to our local, regional and federal security.
Julie Rones, Washington
The writer was the D.C. interagency
representative to the Citywide Y2K Contingency Planning Task Force.
Jerry A. Coyne is professor emeritus in the department of ecology and evolution at the University of Chicago. He is the author of Why Evolution Is True and Faith vs. Fact: Why Science and Religion Are Incompatible.
Tom Wolfe is known for two things: his trademark prose, liberally studded with exclamation marks, italics and ellipses, and the way he wields it to demolish pompous, status-seeking, class-conscious Americans. Who can forget his skewering of Leonard and Felicia Bernstein in the essay Radical Chic, or his takedowns of modern art and architecture and their critics in The Painted Word and From Bauhaus to Our House?
But sometimes his style shrouds both a mean-spiritedness for Wolfe has the talent to make anyone look bad and a superficial take on his subject. Painted Word and Bauhaus for instance, were criticized for their ignorance of art. Sadly, his latest book, The Kingdom of Speech, suffers from the same mix of sarcasm and ignorance, this time in attacking the claim that human language is partly a product of biological evolution.
Here Wolfes victims are two renowned scholars, Charles Darwin and Noam Chomsky, whom he considers the most vocal exponents of the hardwired school of language. But Wolfes argument ultimately backfires, for the book grossly distorts the theory of evolution, the claims of linguistics and the controversies about their connection. Finally, after misleading the reader for nearly 200 pages, Wolfe proposes his own theory of how language began a theory far less plausible than the ones he mocks.
Using the surgical kit of New Journalism, Wolfe flays Darwin and Chomsky as imperious, self-aggrandizing snobs, each humiliated by a lower-class clueless outsider who crashes the party of the big thinkers. In Darwins case it was the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who not only hit on the idea of natural selection at roughly the same time as Darwin, but then argued that it couldnt explain important aspects of humanity. Hunter-gatherers, Wallace said, have brains far bigger than required to support their lifestyle. Why would they need the neural equipment to play chess, do higher mathematics or express complex, abstract ideas? But with the right environment and training, they can do those things. It appears, Wallace said, that somehow our brains got much bigger than evolutionarily necessary. Since selection cant give you traits useful only in the future, Wallace saw our overachieving brains and their ability to produce and comprehend language as impossible products of evolution and probably vouchsafed by a higher power.
(Little, Brown )
Wolfe agrees that our big cranial payload is a fatal flaw in evolutionary theory, though hes too savvy to invoke divine intervention perhaps remembering that Wallaces spiritualism led him right off the deep end, as he spent the rest of career trying to communicate with the souls of the dead. But his and Wallaces logic is off base. Hunter-gatherers certainly put their big brains to good use: They were sophisticated naturalists, toolmakers, huntsmen and politicians, not least because they could pool their knowledge and coordinate their actions through language.
And its not as if modern Westerners are born with the ability to produce the Principia Mathematica, airplanes and skyscrapers these cultural inventions depend on millennia of accumulated discoveries, and no single brain could produce them from scratch. Just as a computer programming language, even if originally designed to help solve one kind of problem, can support an unlimited number of other programs, so the brain may have been selected with a cognitive tool kit that can be applied to endless new challenges.
By agreeing with Wallace, Wolfe joins those creationists who, if they cant personally and immediately see how evolution could produce something complex, declare that the problem is insoluble and that an entire scientific edifice has crumbled.
But in fact Wolfe doesnt even understand the theory he so despises. Evolution, he argues, isnt a scientific hypothesis because nobodys seen it happen, theres no observation that could falsify it, it yields no predictions and it doesnt illuminate hitherto unknown or baffling areas of science. Wrong four times over. Weve seen evolution via real-time observations and ordered series of fossils; evolution could be falsified by finding fossils out of place, such as that of a rabbit in 400 million-year-old sediments; and evolution certainly makes predictions (Darwin predicted, correctly, that human ancestors evolved in Africa). As for evolutions supposed failure to solve biological puzzles, Wolfe might revisit Darwins description of how evolution not only unlocks enigmas about embryology and vestigial organs, but clarifies some perplexing geographic ranges of animals and plants. Or he could rouse himself to read recent biology journals, which describe multitudes of evolutionary riddles being solved.
The story then jumps to Chomsky, the famous linguist, who had the temerity to claim that aspects of human language were genetically encoded in the human brain though not necessarily installed by natural selection. Evidence for that genetic program was Chomskys universal grammar, whose main feature, supposedly seen in all languages, was recursion: the embedding of one sentence or phrase inside another. (An example: John told me that he was down on his luck, describing both telling and bad fortune.) In true Wolfeian style, Chomsky is repeatedly portrayed as a nasty and arrogant twit, reigning smugly as the King of Linguistics in an air-conditioned office at MIT, spick and span.
And as Darwin had his Wallace, so Chomsky had his Everett: Daniel Everett, a missionary turned anthropologist who studied the small Piraha tribe of Brazil. As Wolfe tells it, Everett discovered that the stripped-down Piraha language lacked recursion, comporting with a simple, here-and-now lifestyle that ignored the past and the future. And so, says Wolfe, Everett destroyed the universality of universal grammar and Chomskys reputation with it.
But every part of this story is wrong. Chomskys views were influential but hardly, as Wolfe maintains, a universal paradigm perhaps not even the majority view. And Everett didnt slay universal grammar: Later linguists found that the Piraha language indeed had recursion (e.g., I want the same hammock you just showed me). Finally, the technical notion of recursion was never the totality of Chomskys theory anyway. He highlighted the idea in a brief paper in 2003, but his theory always consisted of operations for merging words into bigger and bigger phrases, something no one disputes.
A few weeks ago, Dear Science answered a question about evolution that sparked a flurry of more questions. The Post's Sarah Kaplan answers them here. (Gillian Brockell,Julio Negron,Sarah Kaplan/The Washington Post)
Although Wolfe haughtily dismisses the idea of universal grammar, he does so without considering the facts. In reality, all languages, including Piraha, have common elements. For one thing, they use words (not just sounds), which are made from groups of sounds subject to language-specific rules. We can end an English syllable, for instance, with a group of consonants, like frisks, but thats verboten in Japanese, whose syllables end with a vowel. And these words may be combined into more complex words and in turn into phrases that can be joined to express ideas. This structure is found not just in long-existing spoken languages with writing systems, but in sign languages that arose in a single generation in communities of deaf Bedouins and Nicaraguans.
The upshot the universality is that languages are generative, with rules that help us merge sounds into words, and words into sentences, yielding a creativity of communication far beyond what other species can manage.
Determined to reject the idea that any part of language is hard-wired, Wolfe chooses again to rely on sarcasm rather than data. He therefore ignores the observation that circuits of our brains are devoted to processing language, while different parts deal with non-linguistic sounds and with general reasoning and problem-solving. Further, the configuration of the human larynx is novel among primates: The voicebox has evolved downward, and half the tongue is lodged in the throat, giving us an exquisite ability to articulate particularly the vowels so important for speech. There are genes that, when mutated, cause disorders of language, speech and comprehension, and statistical analyses of our genomes show that these genes were targets of Darwinian natural selection.
Most striking is the ability of human babies to selectively attend to language, spontaneously babble in syllables and quickly pick up the grammar of the surrounding language to produce novel sentences like We holded the baby rabbits and Hey, Horton heared a Who. No other animal even comes close: Chimps have to be laboriously taught over years to use a rudimentary set of signs, and only when another species decides to train them.
All this grammatical structure, genetic data and uniquely human behavior implies something Wolfe cannot abide: that our language is horrors! the result of . . . evolution! But why would evolution do that? If the good Mr. Wolfe thought about it for a minute, maybe hed see some advantage in our group-living, problem-solving ancestors producing and comprehending language and realize that any mutually intelligible language needs, well, rules and conventions! And those who most effortlessly understand and follow such conventions might they not have a reproductive advantage? And wouldnt that produce genetic change? But of course he cant bear to think about that . . . for it leads him back to bearded old Darwin. Still, Wolfes not wrong to view all the rather swell hotels he sees from his air-conditioned uptown digs and many other amenities of New York culture as nongenetic byproducts of language. Yet the Big Question keeps buzzing around like a pesky mosquito . . . where did language come from?
Wolfe has an answer! White suit unsullied by any real research, he proposes . . . yes . . . his own theory of language. And its a doozy! Language arose as . . . wait for it . . . a MNEMONIC DEVICE! Yes, thats right: We devised words to help us remember objects and facts and then poof! we had language!! All from memory tricks like 30 days hath September! No matter that this ignores languages function not just in private reveries but for communication between people. Or that languages have . . . rules the same rules for everyone in a community! But Wolfe must be Wolfe, and if that involves smacking evolutionary biology and linguistics on the tuchas, then potch! smacked they must be.
Im not sure why Wolfe bears such animus against evolution and the use of evidence rather than bluster to support claims about reality. Perhaps his social conservatism has bred such a discomfort with the implications of modern science that the universe works by natural rather than supernatural or divine laws that hes compelled to snicker at one of the foundations of modern science: Hes called another one, the big bang, the nuttiest theory Ive ever heard.
At the end, Wolfe places Darwin in company with five others whose words changed history: Jesus, Muhammad, John Calvin, Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud. The first four offered hope, and Freud offered sex, but, Wolfe says, Darwin offered nothing at all. Most thoughtful people, pondering the depth, beauty and far-reaching implications of modern evolutionary theory, would beg to differ. Somewhere on his mission to tear down the famous, elevate the neglected outsider and hit the exclamation-point key as often as possible, Wolfe has forgotten how to think.
There really is nothing new under the sun. The folks in the Pacific Northwest who anticipate societal collapse may think their back-to-the-woods approach will make them nearly self-sufficient with their guns and solar panels [A fortress against fear, front page, Aug. 28]. Theres nothing wrong with that, except they have forgotten about interdependent cooperation, otherwise known as civilization. And, fresh gasoline to run those SUVs, available only in towns. No one is going to go back to horse-and-buggy days. They wont get you to the hospital in time to save your life, especially as people age.
Civilization is the only bulwark against anarchy and the perceived need for those guns. Read the first chapter of Kenneth Clarks Civilisation. If things really break down, these Redoubt preppers and everyone else will shut up with all the criticism of the U.S. government and thank God for the National Guard, the U.S. Army and the Red Cross.
Neil Williamson, Greenbelt
Because truth-in-labeling laws are among the laws from which Washington feels exempt, the titles of congressional legislation often take liberties with the facts (e.g., the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). The Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act, however, precisely names the ailment for which it is the remedy.
The Justice Department has negotiated bank settlement agreements whereby banks make restitution to the government for the damage they allegedly did in connection with the creation and sale of residential mortgage-backed securities in the subprime mortgage crisis. Our subject here is not, however, whether the sums extracted from the banks (e.g., Citigroup $7 billion, Bank of America $16.65 billion, JPMorgan $13 billion) are proportionate to their alleged culpabilities. Rather, our subject is what Justice does with millions of these dollars.
Justice allows banks to meet some of their settlement obligations by directing donations to various nongovernmental advocacy organizations that serve Democratic constituencies and objectives organizations that were neither parties to the case nor victims of the banks behaviors. These donations are from money owed to the government, money that otherwise would go to the Treasury, money the disposition of which is properly Congresss responsibility.
So the donations are, in effect, appropriations of public money. The pesky Constitution, however, says: No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law. As a congressman allied with Grover Cleveland once said to a fellow legislator who considered one of his initiatives unconstitutional, Whats the Constitution between friends?
Progressives, who favor expansive notions of executive discretion, and hence the marginalization of Congress, regard the donations as just another anodyne manifestation of inherent presidential discretion in enforcing laws. At a May congressional hearing, three constitutional scholars Georgetown University law professor Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz, the Heritage Foundations Paul Larkin, and C. Boyden Gray, White House counsel to George H.W. Bush disagreed.
Because everything government does costs money, the appropriation power, Rosenkranz testified, is Congresss most potent check on executive overreach the ultimate backstop against a willful president. If presidents could disburse money without an appropriation, the careful constitutional separation of powers would be thrown into disequilibrium. The current president relies on disbursements that circumvent the appropriations clause: The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has held that his administration has, in supposedly enforcing the ACA, illegally disbursed billions of dollars to insurance companies without a congressional appropriation.
Congress, Larkin reminded Congress, does not give the president a credit card or a cashbox that he can use to purchase goods and services or disburse appropriations as he sees fit. Congress identifies precisely who may receive federal funds. With the donations, Justice rewards congenial groups without any direction from Congress or judicial oversight. Although it is, Larkin said, a federal offense for a government officer to spend money in excess of the sum that Congress has appropriated, he noted that the donations represent executive lawlessness known at the state level: When Chris Christie headed the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Jersey, he negotiated a nonprosecution agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb in which the company agreed, among other things, to make a $5 million gift to Seton Hall Universitys law school Christies alma mater in order to avoid prosecution for securities fraud.
Woodrow Wilson, a former New Jersey governor and the Democrats first progressive president, was the first president to criticize the American founding. He was particularly hostile to the separation of powers, which he considered an anachronistic impediment to executive efficiency. The bank settlement donations are another step nullifying the appropriations clauses 16 words, which buttress the separation of powers.
In the end, Gray testified, every other constitutional power runs into the appropriations power. This is why presidents have consistently endeavored to seize the appropriations power from Congress. The Constitution was just 20 years old when, in 1809, Congress felt the need to enact legislation designed to prevent the president from repurposing appropriated funds from one object to another. Subsequent presidents have obligated funds in excess of appropriations, thereby forcing Congress to choose between appropriating the funds or impairing the countrys credit. Congress often has been complicit in its own diminution, as when it empowered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to commandeer funding from the Federal Reserve System.
Base motives of self-aggrandizement have impelled many presidents to disregard the separation of powers. Progressive presidents do this as a matter of principle, which is worse.
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Donald Trump has warned us about those Mexican rapists. Apparently the country also has body snatchers.
The Republican presidential nominee immigrated briefly to Mexico on Wednesday for a hastily arranged visit with the leader of the country he has made his No. 1 scapegoat. He spent all of an hour with President Enrique Pena Nieto but when the two men emerged, whoever was occupying Trumps body sounded nothing at all like the bombastic billionaire.
In the United States, first-, second- and third-generation Mexicans are just beyond reproach spectacular, spectacular, hard-working people. I have such great respect for them and their strong values of family, faith and community, this Trump look-alike declared in Mexico City.
The impostor gushed about a common interest in keeping our hemisphere safe, prosperous and free, and waxed poetic aboutjoint operations between our two countries. He pledged cooperation toward shared objectives, a deep and sincere bond, and a close and honest relationship between the two countries in pursuit of mutual good. Trump said the countries should be working beautifully together, and that, I am sure, will happen.
And the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump had called a disaster and promised to rip up? This Trump doppelganger spoke instead about improving NAFTA and making sure its updated. He voiced a wish for a strong, prosperous and vibrant Mexico, and he pronounced Pena Nieto a friend.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly called for Mexico to pay for a border wall among other concessions during his 2016 campaign. But that all changed when he actually visited Mexico. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
A reporter asked: Did they talk about his constant vow to get Mexico to pay for the border wall he wants to build?
We didnt discuss that, warm-and-fuzzy Trump said.
What had they done with Trump?
Alas, within hours, he was back to his xenophobic self. The bickering began even before he cleared Mexican airspace, as Pena Nieto, contradicting Trump, said he had told Trump at the beginning of the meeting that Mexico would not pay for a wall.
But Trump, having completed his photo op with the Mexican president, discarded the friend he had apparently just used as a prop. Trump landed in Phoenix for what was supposed to be a detailed policy address on immigration but was a familiar, nativist rant. Preceded at the lectern by Joe Arpaio, the Arizona sheriff and anti-immigration hard-liner, Trump launched into a lament for the countless Americans who are victims of violence by illegal immigrants who are dangerous, dangerous, dangerous criminals.
We will build a great wall along the southern border! he said to an enormous cheer.
And Mexico will pay for the wall! One-hundred percent. They dont know it yet, but theyre going to pay for the wall.
1 of 14 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Photos from Donald Trumps trip to Mexico to meet with President Pena Nieto View Photos In his first formal international trip as the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump visited a country where he is broadly despised for his vilification of illegal immigrants. Caption In his first formal international trip as the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump visited a country where he is broadly despised for his vilification of illegal immigrants. Aug. 31, 2016 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, right, shake hands with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto after their joint statement at the Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City. Dario Lopez-Mills/AP Wait 1 second to continue.
So much for working beautifully together.
This was the Trump we all knew, the Trump who questions the judicial independence of an American-born judge because of his Mexican heritage, who fights with Mexican American journalists, claims that Spanish-language broadcaster Univision takes its marching orders from Mexico, and asserts that Mexico is killing us.
Trumps trip to Mexico was something of a Hail Maria, as polls show Democratic rival Hillary Clinton with a yuuge advantage and Democrats with a better than even chance of taking back the Senate. And from Arizona and Florida on Tuesday came new signs that Trumps rebellion has fizzled.
In Arizona, Kelli Ward, a pro-Trump primary challenger, had been trying to oust Sen. John McCain, whose war heroism Trump famously belittled, with a defeat the establishment theme like Trumps. She lost by 13 points. In Florida, Carlos Beruff said that he supports Donald Trump 100 percent, while his primary opponent, Sen. Marco Rubio, did not. Beruff lost by 54 points. Insurgent Democratic candidates in Florida did no better against their partys establishment.
But Trumps attempt at appearing diplomatic was only a feint. If his core supporters were worried and if the rest of Americans were reassured that he was softening his hard-line position, they had to wait only until he spoke in Phoenix on Wednesday night.
In Mexico City, Trump endured without complaint a lecture from the Mexican president, who said that NAFTA has been good for the U.S. as well as Mexico and that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce thinks that more than 6 million American jobs rely on trade with Mexico. Pena Nieto said that immigration from Mexico to the United States peaked 10 years ago and is now at a net negative. Mexican nationals in the United States are honest people, working people, he said. Mexicans deserve everybodys respect.
Trump almost seemed to agree. Illegal immigration is a problem for Mexico as well as for us, he said. We will work together and we will get those problems solved.
But back on American soil, he returned to his familiar lines: Its called America First! . . . There will be no amnesty! . . . You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country.
The real Donald Trump was back. Alas.
Twitter: @Milbank
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Only the naive have ever believed that democracy is solely a noble contest over competing ideas, proposals and solutions. Emotion looms large in every human decision, including how we cast our ballots, and smart politicians have always blended appeals to the heart and the gut with their entreaties to reason.
We cherish what might be called the Lincoln-Douglas approach to politics, inspired by the 1858 debates between Honest Abe and The Little Giant, Stephen Douglas, when the two candidates went from place to place in Illinois arguing with great eloquence about the future of slavery. But we forget that even in those debates, emotion was often in the saddle. Racism was at work, and so was a passionate anger at the Slave Power, the popular term in the North for the domination of the federal government by Southern planters.
For decades, political scientists have blasted away at electoral models based primarily on the idea of rational choice. In the most recent and sophisticated entry in the field, Democracy for Realists, Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels argue that even well-informed and politically engaged voters mostly choose candidates based on their social identities and partisan loyalties. Judging from the 2016 polls, that theory looks pretty good.
And in a brilliant article for Vox, Lee Drutman of the New America Foundation shows how Donald Trump, far from being an aberration from the trajectory of Republican politics, is instead a historical culmination of a strategy rooted in racial feeling. The irony for Republicans, he notes, is that this strategy reached its full completion at precisely the moment when it was no longer a winning national strategy.
In an increasingly nonwhite country in which the younger and better educated are relatively liberal on matters of diversity, Trump has divided voters on race and immigration in a way that worked in the Republican primaries but is failing him with the broader electorate.
Speaking after meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto Aug. 31, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said they did not discuss the payment for the border wall that he has pledged to build and have Mexico pay for. (The Washington Post)
Drutmans insight explains Trumps whirls and twirls over his approach to immigration, as well as his sudden visit to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and his evasively anodyne statement afterward. Trump is asking some to believe that he is an authentic nativist and racist who really thinks Mexican immigrants are rapists, and more middle-of-the-road voters to see him as a fake nativist and racist willing to adjust to whatever position will make them breathe easier.
One way or the other, how can anyone with strong commitments on any issue now support Trump? Rarely has a candidate embarked upon such an extended public negotiation with himself over the core promise of his campaign and Trumpism has been about immigration if it has been about anything. Imagine the campaign manager for any other candidate saying what Kellyanne Conway said this month about Trumps position on his signature issue. It was, she said, to be determined.
What would have happened to Ronald Reagans campaign manager if, at this point in the 1980 campaign, he had said that the Gippers views on communism or taxes were to be determined? Or if a top Barack Obama aide had said the same in 2008 about his view of the Iraq War?
Have a candidates political strategists ever before treated their candidate like a rambunctious child and spoken of their pride that they finally coaxed him to stay on message? The high-spirited boy may send out the offensive tweet now and again, but look how much better hes being! And dont you have to admire his gift for large gestures, like suddenly throwing a trip to Mexico on his schedule?
Trumps indifference to truth and consistency is what happens when the honest efforts of political scientists to grapple with the balance between the rational and irrational in politics become an excuse for absolute cynicism about voters, their attention spans and democracy itself. Return to Lincoln and Douglas: Yes, they used emotion, but each also had carefully considered, strongly held views about slavery and the Union. The politicians we most respect try to persuade their fellow citizens not simply to vote for them but also to share at least some of their view of the world.
Political realists are right to challenge purely idealistic views of politics that mislead us into ignoring the role of power, group interest and the imperfections of all of us who vote. But the democratic idea is in grave jeopardy when citizens simply shrug over being manipulated and dont expect more from their political leaders than posturing, positioning and captivating media circuses.
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On Thursday, President Obama touched down here, a sliver of land in the North Pacific so removed from other human development that it feels like the edge of the universe. For more than two years, he had been hoping to visit a place like this, even though his then-senior counselor John D. Podesta told him Americas most pristine marine reserves are the middle of nowhere.
But here, surrounded by the ocean and a population of seabirds so vast that it dictates when planes can fly certain times of the year, Obama celebrated his most dramatic action yet to safeguard the planet against climate change.
The president used the Midway visit to tout his decision last week to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument to more than half a million square miles, making it the largest ecological preserve on Earth. After touching down, he gawked at a handful of threatened green sea turtles basking in the sun as small white terns glided nearby. He zipped along in a golf-cart motorcade on an island 1,300 miles north of Honolulu that used to serve as a critical U.S. military outpost.
Teeming with life from the more than 1 million albatrosses that flock there every year to the endangered Hawaiian monk seals that haul themselves on land to pup the monument area contains some of the worlds most undisturbed habitats. Obama said that preserving it would allow us to research and understand our oceans better than we ever have before, in an era where they are under pressure from climate change.
1 of 27 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad See photos of the worlds largest marine sanctuary View Photos President Obama expanded a national protected marine area of more than 582,000 square miles of land and sea around the Hawaiian islands. The move more than quadruples the size of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which George W. Bush established a decade ago. (Thats Papa-ha-now-mow-koo-ah-kay-ah.) Caption President Obama is expanding a national protected marine area of more than 582,000 square miles of land and sea around the Hawaiian islands. The move more than quadruples the size of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, which President George W. Bush established a decade ago. (Thats Papa-ha-now-mow-koo-ah-kay-ah.) A sea turtle in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Sea turtles globally are in peril, in part because they can become enmeshed in fishing gear or accidentally caught. The area features 7,000 marine species found nowhere else. Lee Gillenwater/Pew Charitable Trusts Wait 1 second to continue.
This is going to be a precious resource for generations to come, he declared, standing on a pier.
This is an area twice the size of Texas thats going to be protected, and it allows us to save and study the fragile ecosystem threatened by climate change, he earlier told a group of Pacific Islands leaders and conservationists gathered at the University of Hawaiis East-West Center.
These animals, and these creatures, are surviving at the edge, said Aulani Wilhelm, who served as the monuments superintendent for eight years and is now vice president of Conservation Internationals Oceans Center. You see these animals in huge, massive volumes. Then you realize how theyre really on the brink, when you see the small patches of lands theyre dependent on for survival.
With less than half a year left in office, Obama may have fully entered the grand-gesture phase of his presidency the time when outgoing presidents seek to broker last-minute peace deals, finalize regulations and deliver sweeping valedictory addresses.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said it helped that Hawaii is the presidents home state.
The sense here is that theres an emotional connection to the islands and to the ocean in particular, Schatz said
As they search for opportunities to do something both big and feasible, commanders in chief often turn to the Antiquities Act of 1906. Theodore Roosevelt designated the Grand Canyon a national monument shortly before leaving office. Bill Clinton used his last appearance in the East Room on Jan. 17, 2001, to designate two monuments in Montana along the trail William Clark and Meriwether Lewis explored two centuries before and to posthumously promote Clark to captain. He also elevated Sacagawea, the legendary Shoshone woman who was crucial to the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the explorers slave, York, to sergeants in the U.S. Army.
James L. Connaughton, who led the White House Council on Environmental Quality under George W. Bush and played a key role in persuading his boss to designate the area in the northern Hawaiian islands as a national monument a decade ago, said it is the expanse of the environment that makes it special.
Its the scale, Connaughton said. Its the drama; its the biodiversity that just carries an overwhelming appeal.
Bush called Connaughton back from his Thanksgiving vacation in 2008 to pore over three maps each of which took up the entire table in the dining room off the Oval Office to strategize how to create what became the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument just weeks before he left the White House.
During his first term, Obama declared four monuments spanning less than 20,000 acres. In his second, he has established or enlarged 22, encompassing almost 550 million acres. The second-term pace has had environmentalists cheering, but it ruffled feathers among Republicans who see the presidents actions as an unconstitutional overreach.
[Obama creates the largest protected area on the planet]
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) believes that the presidents willingness to invoke his executive authority so frequently only after his reelection makes it unique, or at least questionable.
Theyre violating the letter of the law, and it doesnt seem like a legitimate effort if theyre not willing to do it if theyre going to have to face the voters afterwards, Bishop said.
Six other presidents have provided federal safeguards for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. But back then the threats poaching and overfishing seemed more straightforward.
Roosevelt dispatched the Navy there when he learned albatrosses were being slaughtered so their feathers could decorate ladies hats, and he declared the Hawaiian Islands Bird Reservation in 1909. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, Clinton and Bush broadened protections for the area.
[Why did both Obama and Bush protect a place youve never heard of?]
A few presidents have been ready to go quietly, forgoing late-stage theatrics either because they were demoralized or had little appetite left for a fight. But most push until the very end, especially those who still, in the words of presidential scholar Stephen Hess, have too much juice flowing through their veins.
Clinton was not only declaring monuments at the end. He brought Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barack and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to Camp David in the summer of 2000 to try to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Shortly before stepping down, Clinton finalized a slew of regulations, including one barring road construction in 58.5 million acres of national forests.
Obamas ambitions are just as broad. His aides are finalizing rules that would require federal contractors to provide paid sick leave and tighten energy efficiency standards for items including residential furnaces and lightbulbs. And he is eyeing additional national monuments that could include deep-sea canyons off the New England coast and an ancient Native American site in southeastern Utah.
[Facing GOP opposition, Obama weighs whether to protect sacred Utah site]
When Obama expanded the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument in 2014, he told Podesta, then a White House senior adviser, that he wanted to see the protected islands, atolls and reefs for himself.
He wanted to go there, Podesta said in an interview on Tuesday, and now, lo and behold.
Gov. Pete Ricketts offer to immediately start negotiating a better deal for prison workers didnt get off to a galloping start, what with state union leader Mike Marvin accusing him of playing a game.
Nonetheless, the governors offer is a positive step.
It came in the aftermath of an inmate attack at the Lincoln Correctional Center in which nine corrections officers and caseworkers were injured.
Perhaps its understandable that Marvin sounded irritated by the governors proposal. Marvin said he has made repeated offers to work with the governors office -- its a matter of public record without result.
It would have been even worse, however, if the governor had defended the status quo once again.
Its been obvious for months that pay for prison workers is inadequate. Understaffing and mandatory overtime have plagued the system for years and the problems are growing worse.
Its a genuine crisis.
As Lincoln Sen. Kate Bolz wrote in a Local View (LJS, Aug. 14) prison staff are are undercompensated by almost any measure - they are paid less than county jail staff in Douglas, Lancaster and Hall Counties, they are paid less than comparable staff in Iowa, and the department lacks wage increases for longevity.
In a Local View in Tuesdays Journal Star Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse, whose district includes Tecumseh, where two inmates died in a riot last year, noted that he tried last year to win legislative approval to appropriate an additional $2.5 million a year to recruit and retain quality staff. The proposal was cut down to a $1.5 million one-time appropriation.
Days after the most recent inmate attack, a six-person review team released a report after a yearlong study that the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services needs 138 new fulltime custody positions.
But, as Watermeier indicated, simply authorizing new positions wont resolve the issue. The system currently has 200 vacancies. Prison staffers are working themselves to the bone. Doug Koebernick, the Legislatures inspector general for corrections found one prison employee who worked the equivalent of 90 hours per week for the entire 2015-16 fiscal year.
It ought to be perfectly obvious to both the executive and legislative branches of state government by now that they are going to have to spend more money on the prison system. Thats not the only answer to recruiting and retaining workers, of course, but its a fundamental part of the problem and one of the first issues that should be addressed.
Once Marvin gets over his irritation, we hope hell be willing to take yes for an answer.
Afghan supporters ride in a convoy carrying the coffin containing the remains of former Afghan king Habibullah Kalakani during a funeral ceremony Thursday in Kabul. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images)
A procession of several thousand marchers attempting to rebury the remains of a controversial Afghan king here Thursday came under attack from gunmen loyal to Vice President Abdurrashid Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek militia leader. Two marchers were wounded before police and other officials intervened, Afghan news outlets reported.
The clash, which erupted around a hilly graveyard in a residential area of the capital, underscored the seething ethnic tensions that continue to roil the country after 15 years of democratic rule, and the potential for violence that can involve rogue officials of a weak civilian government that is already battling a persistent Taliban insurgency.
On one side of the confrontation were ethnic Tajik supporters of King Habibullah Kalakani, a former bandit, conservative Muslim and shrewd populist leader who overthrew a moderate Afghan monarch in 1929 and crushed many of his reforms before being captured and hanged after nine months on the throne.
Kalakani has lain in an unmarked grave in Kabul for 87 years, but after it was identified several years ago his supporters began to demand that the government allow his remains to be unearthed and transferred to a more honorable setting. When President Ashraf Ghanis office failed to respond last month, they vowed to move the body without permission.
But other Afghan ethnic groups, who view Kalakani as a thief and a despot, opposed honoring him. Dostum, who often behaves more like an Uzbek militia leader than a national vice president and has led his private army in fighting against the Taliban in northern Afghanistan, reportedly said he would not allow the Tajiks to build a tomb for Kalakani at the cemetery because it was the burial site of a historic Uzbek leader.
[The fight over a shrine for a tyrannical Afghan king ]
The marchers, many from the Shomali Plain north of Kabul that was Kalakanis home, moved all morning toward Shah Rara hill, accompanied by a bulldozer to prepare the gravesite. But when they arrived, the procession was blocked by gunmen in the pay of Dostum, some of whom had taken up positions around an old fort above. Shots were fired, wounding two of the marchers, in a scene shown live on TV.
Security officials had anticipated that the event might spark violence, because of the extreme ethnic sensitivities involved and the participation of former Tajik militia leaders in the reburial movement. Police and army troops moved in quickly to defuse the situation and negotiate, Afghan news outlets reported, and no further violence was reported. By late evening, officials said Dostums men had withdrawn and the marchers were starting to prepare the gravesite.
But the incident was sure to be seen as an embarrassment to Ghani on several fronts; first for failing to seek a solution to the mounting contretemps over Kalakanis legacy, even though his chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, had expressed support for the reburial; and second for being unable to prevent the spectacle of Dostum, a former rival Ghani asked to join his administration, sending armed men into the streets of Kabul.
The president knew about this, and he could have made a decision about it, Noor Agha Sharifi, a member of the Tajik-led Jamiat-i-Islami party, told Tolo TV news Thursday afternoon. If he didnt know, he does now, and he should fix it.
The incident was the second case of a violent attack on peaceful ethnic protesters in Kabul in recent weeks. On July 23, suicide bombers attacked a rally by minority ethnic Hazaras who were demanding access to electricity in their provincial homelands. The attack, claimed by Afghan affiliates of the Islamic State, killed 80 people.
Read more:
U.S., European military advisers work to boost lagging Afghan combat readiness
11 killed, 30 injured as gunmen target American University in Afghanistan
Afghan ID cards were meant to stop voter fraud but instead stoked ethnic division
Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
The story of her surprising cure has been carved and softened by years, but Monica Besra can still recite it by heart.
Besra, who is from a tribal community in eastern India, was so sick she could barely walk when nuns from the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, helped her to a small prayer room one day in 1998.
She paused by a photo of the nun and suddenly felt a blinding light emanating from the portrait, and it passed through her body. Later, other nuns pressed a religious medal on her belly, swollen from a tumor, and prayed over Besra as she lay in bed.
She says she awoke at 1 a.m., her body feeling lighter, the tumor seemingly gone.
I was so happy at that moment I wanted to tell everyone: I am cured, Besra recalled Wednesday during an interview at her home.
Monica Besra prays in front of a portrait of Mother Teresa on Sept. 27, 2003. (Deshakalyan Chowdhury/AFP/Getty Images)
In 2002, the Vatican certified Besras case as a miracle, the first milestone in the journey to sainthood for Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Albanian nun who will be canonized Sunday at the Vatican.
[Why Mother Teresa is still no saint to many of her critics]
Mother Teresa was considered a living saint by many believers during her lifetime, but Besras story has always been treated with skepticism in India because doctors and the state health minister debunked it at the time.
They have long maintained that Besra had been suffering from a cyst, not a cancerous tumor. The doctors have said she recovered after she received tuberculosis treatment for several months at a government hospital in Balurghat, about 270 miles north of the city where Mother Teresa spent decades ministering to the destitute and dying.
Ive said several times that she was cured by the treatment, and nothing has happened, one of the doctors involved, Ranjan Mustafi, said in a brief telephone interview.
For the Catholic Church to declare someone a saint requires an investigation into that persons life, faith and good works that can take years. Two miracles credited to prayers to the prospective saint must be recognized one before the beatification rite, the penultimate phase of the process, the second before sainthood.
Catholic Bishop Salvatore Lobo, who chaired the local committee that investigated Besras case for the Vatican, said they repeatedly asked Mustafi and the two others to testify but they never appeared. Meanwhile, he said, several other doctors involved in her treatment confirmed Besras version of events. He declined to provide their names.
She was very sick, and she had a tumor and that tumor was cured after the intercession of Mother Teresa, he said. That is what is believed, and those are the facts.
Prabir Ghosh, the president of the Science and Rationalists Society of India, based in Calcutta, now known as Kolkata, called the case false and said that encouraging stories of mystical healings could be detrimental to public health.
Mother Teresa who was born in Skopje, now the capital of Macedonia came to India as a young nun and began working with the poor in the slums around Kolkata. She became known as the saint of the gutters for her work with the poor, orphaned children and the terminally ill.
She went on to found a religious order that has spread to more than 130 countries around the world, and in 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Near the end of her life, she traveled the globe as a staunch supporter of the Catholic Churchs position against abortion and contraception. She died in 1997 at age 87.
Besra, who says she is about 50 years old now, was flown by the Missionaries of Charity to attend Mother Teresas beatification in St. Peters Square in Rome in 2003, presided over by an ailing Pope John Paul II. She will not be attending Sundays canonization.
The Vatican later credited Mother Teresa with a second miracle when a Brazilian man recovered from a life-threatening bacterial infection of the brain after his wife prayed to the nun, paving the way for Sundays sainthood ceremony.
As evening fell Wednesday, Besra, her husband and members of her extended family gathered outside her modest concrete home as she recounted her story.
She is a slight woman with her hair wound in a bun who still wears a silver Mother Teresa medal around her neck. She says its the same medal the sisters once pressed against her distended belly.
The family had endured financial hardship and long separations during her protracted illness, so her husband, Selku Murmu, 60, said he was relieved when Besra recovered so quickly. Although he once told reporters he believed his wife recovered after medical treatment, he now says he was misquoted.
It happened due to the blessings of Mother Teresa, he said. She prayed a long time to her. I went to many doctors and she was not getting well. After that day, she was cured.
The couple, who own about three acres of rice paddy, have gotten a bit of support in the intervening years from the Missionaries of Charity, including assistance with school expenses for their five children. Last year, a local priest built a small green chapel opposite their home where the related families worship most Sundays. They all converted to Catholicism more than a decade ago.
Besra has been healthy since her illness and says she still doesnt quite understand the significance of what the Catholic Church thinks happened to her.
I cant explain why I was chosen, Besra said. Im normal just like other people.
Kalpana Pradhan contributed to this report.
Read more:
For Brazilian man, Mother Teresa worked a miracle
Indias prime minister calls Hindu cow protectors fake
Angry mobs are attacking doctors at hospitals in India
Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
A view of the Passu Cones in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan on June 28, 2015, in Passu. (Mian Khursheed/For The Washington Post)
Two American mountaineers have gone missing in northern Pakistan, more than 10 days after they set off to climb one of the steepest peaks in the regions Karakoram range. Officials said bad weather is hampering rescue efforts.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan announced Thursday that Scott Adamson and Kyle Dempster, both reported to be from Utah, were missing in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. Karrar Haidri, the clubs spokesman, said they were trying to climb the 23,000-foot Ogre-II peak but did not return on the expected date. He said the club is in touch with their families.
[Pakistan has more glaciers than almost anywhere. But theyre at risk.]
The American climbers arrived in Pakistan on July 24 on a two-month expedition. They started up Ogre-II on Aug. 21, planning to spend five days to reach the summit and descend.
When they did not return on the expected date, the base camp team informed the local tour operator, after which we started communication with all concerned local authorities and the climbers families, Haidri said. The climbers are still missing, and the weather has prevented our rescue efforts. We are hoping for good weather to continue our search and helicopter rescue.
Read more:
Energy shortages force Pakistanis to scavenge for wood, threatening tree canopy
High up on a Pakistani mountain, a success story for moderate Islam
Pakistans mountain boatmen fear loss of livelihood
Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world
A man walk past a barricade after an election protest in Libreville, Gabon, on Thursday. (Joel Bouopda/Associated Press)
Gabons newly reelected president sought to assert authority Thursday as the presidential guard attacked his rivals party headquarters overnight amid fiery protests. At least three people have been killed, hundreds detained and the Internet blocked.
The opposition alleged election fraud after results announced Wednesday showed that a political dynasty stretching back to the 1960s would remain in power in this oil-rich Central African country.
President Ali Bongo narrowly beat opposition candidate Jean Ping in Saturdays vote, 49.8 percent to 48.2 percent, according to the electoral commissions provisional results.
Pings supporters have taken to the streets in protest, setting fire to cars and buildings, vandalizing and looting. They burned cars in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday night, after police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators.
Security forces detained 800 people in this city, the capital, and 400 people in other areas of the country, said Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.
The unrest killed at least three people, he said, without giving details.
The president said he was sad about the deaths of citizens and thanked Gabons security forces, who he said did all they could to avoid using live bullets.
In a statement, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the response by security forces disproportionate and urged the government to immediately restore communications, especially the Internet.
About 1 a.m. Thursday, soldiers in green berets, who are known to be part of the presidential guard, fired live rounds during an attack on Pings headquarters, injuring at least 20 people, said Paul Marie Gondjout, an opposition official who was there.
Security forces later surrounded the building and remained there Thursday night, detaining more than a dozen members of the National Union opposition party inside, said party spokeswoman Sandrine Akere. Ping was not in the building.
Government spokesman Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze confirmed the presidential guard operation on the opposition headquarters.
It was a part of securing the headquarters of Jean Ping, because all of the operations for the capital had been planned there, Bilie-By-Nze said, referring to the protests. He said at least 16 people were injured and were being treated.
The spokesman called on people contesting the vote to do so through proper legal channels.
Looting and clashes also followed Bongos previous election win, in 2009, when he came to power after the death of his father, longtime ruler Omar Bongo.
A frequent critic of the Iran nuclear deal said Thursday that the United States and its negotiating partners have allowed Tehran to exceed agreed-upon caps for stockpiles of enriched uranium and other materials.
David Albright, the founder and president of the Institute for Science and International
Security, said key exemptions to the deals limits were made in what he characterized as secret meetings of the Joint Commission. That is the body established to decide issues that arise in implementing the deal. Its members are Iran and the countries that negotiated the agreement the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia, as well as the European Union.
[JCPOA exemptions revealed]
These decisions, which are written down, amount to additional secret or confidential documents linked to the JCPOA, said the report that Albright wrote with senior policy analyst Andrea Stricker, referring to the deals official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Moreover, the Joint Commissions secretive decision making process risks advantaging Iran by allowing it to try to systematically weaken the JCPOA. It appears to be succeeding in several key areas.
The White House and the State Department swiftly denied Albrights charges, saying Iran has not exceeded the cap of 300 kilograms of low-enriched uranium.
This image made from video broadcast on Iranian State Television shows trucks outside Fordo nuclear facility in Iran. (AP)
Waving a blue, bound copy of the voluminous agreement that took effect Jan. 16, State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters there had been no moving of the goal posts.
There has been no loosening of the commitments, Kirby said, repeatedly refusing to use the word exemptions that Albright used to describe the Joint Commissions work. Iran has not, and will not under the JCPOA, be allowed to exceed limits spelled out in the JCPOA.
The assertions immediately became campaign fodder. The National Republican Congressional Committee issued news releases citing the report and criticizing Democratic candidates who supported the nuclear deal.
Albright is a physicist who participated in U.N. weapons inspections in Iraq, and he has become a watchdog over the deal that imposes curbs on Irans nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Albright has repeatedly raised doubts about whether it is being implemented as promised.
Under the agreement, the Joint Commissions deliberations are confidential. Although the commission could make decisions public, it has not. As a result, it is difficult to verify the criticism or the administrations denials.
Albright said he first heard of the exemptions from a government official from a country involved in the negotiations, but he would not identify the country. Albright said the official was responsible for assessing Irans compliance but heard about the exemptions third-hand, not from his government.
The fundamental issue, theres a lot more happening in secret than we ever signed up for, Albright said in a telephone interview.
The report said that if the Joint Committee had not granted exemptions, some of Irans nuclear stockpiles and facilities would have exceeded permissible levels when the deal was implemented.
But Iran was allowed to go over the 300 kilogram limit of low-enriched uranium that is collected as scrap material and also as lab contaminant, the report said. In addition, it continued operating 19 hot cells, which are used for medical purposes but also for plutonium separation, at four sites.
Kelsey Davenport, director of nonproliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, said that the agreement permits hot cell exemptions with Joint Commission approval and that the existence of hot cells is not necessarily evidence of Irans evading restrictions.
When implementing any highly technical agreement, ambiguities will arise from time to time, she said. What is critical is that the Joint Commission established by the nuclear deal remains vigilant in overseeing implementation of the agreement, and distinguishes between attempts to circumvent the deals restrictions and technical issues.
Robert Einhorn, a nonproliferation scholar at the Brookings Institution, said the confidentiality surrounding the Joint Commission is understandable but potentially problematic.
A case can be made for keeping the deliberations of the Joint Commission private, he said. Although when those deliberations produce decisions materially affecting the implementation of the JCPOA, then a case can be made for making those results public.
Read more:
Assessing the Iran nuclear deal, one year after it was reached
Sanctions lifted against Iran as part of nuclear deal
How can we celebrate our state's 150th birthday next year in Whiteclay, population 14 with no village board, city council, police or fire department?
On July 25, its beacon of hope, Arrowhead Foods, the newly purchased, renovated and the only native american family owned and operated business in town burned ("Native-owned store burns in Whiteclay," July 27) The nearest fire hydrant was 23 miles away and 240,000 gallons of water could not save the grocery store where the owner Martin Pilcher, worked as a kid.
A governor appointed task force has been working on solutions and met just recently in a closed session ("Ideas for Whiteclay taking shape," Aug. 22).
In 1882, with Pine Ridge Indian Reservation borders in place, by Executive Order, the United States government added a 50-square mile stripe of land to serve as a buffer zone to prevent the sale of alcohol to the residents on the reservation. It was to be used until no longer necessary.
In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an Executive Order removing 49 of the 50 square miles from the extension without any consultations with the Oglala Tribe as to it's usefulness. Soon, traders established a post and started selling alcohol.
The resulting chapters reveal the embarassing history of pain and despair.
The issues are complex but I would hope that discussion goes beyond the smoke of beer cans to the fire of history and human rights and respect.
I feel now is the time to re-evaluate the unauthorized Executive Order of 1904 and open meetings to discuss the buffer zone.
What better way to celebrate 2017 than knowing neighboring states in an ethically sound joint effort are working toward restoring the Sacred Hoop?
Who would have thought Harney Peak would be renamed Black Elk Peak ("Feds rename S.D. peak after Black Elk," Aug. 12), as per a federal board, recently?
Yogi was right, as, 'it ain't over till it's over!"
Randy Lukasiewicz, Omaha
What is likely to be US President Obamas final trip to Asia, which began today, takes place amid acute geo-political tensions, especially between the United States and China, for which his pivot to Asia aimed at maintaining American hegemony bears direct responsibility. Both forumsthe G20 in Hangzhou, China and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits in Vientiane, Laoswill be overshadowed by the worsening global economic breakdown and the growing danger of war.
The White House has already flagged that Obama intends to use the international gatherings to make a forceful case for ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) which is the economic spearhead of US efforts to subordinate China to American interests. The TPP agreed last year between 12 Asia Pacific nations is a comprehensive trade and investment pact to ensure, as Obama has stated, that the US, not China, writes the economic rules of the twenty-first century.
Speaking prior to Obamas trip, deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes declared: The TPP is a litmus test for US leadership. If it is not ratified by Congress, the US would be ceding the [Asia Pacific] region to countries like China, who do not set the same types of high standards for trade agreements.
Both US presidential candidatesDemocrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trumphave publicly expressed their opposition to the TPP on the basis of economic nationalist claims that it would destroy American jobs. With strong opposition in Congress, Obama is desperate to find political levers to push ratification through prior to the end of his term.
The TPP, however, is far more than an economic deal. The Obama administration has regarded it as a vital component of the pivota diplomatic offensive and military build-up throughout Asia against China. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter last year openly drew the connection between the TPP and the Pentagons war plans, declaring that the deal was as important to me as another aircraft carrier.
Failure to ratify the agreement would be a blow to American efforts to reassert its dominance in Asia and undermine US economic and military ties throughout the region. Speaking in Washington last month, Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged the US to stay engaged and maintain its indispensable role in the Asia Pacific. He warned that ratification was a test for your credibility and seriousness of purpose.
For Obama to use the G20 to push the TPP will only exacerbate tensions with the host country, China, which is effectively excluded from the agreement and thus any discussions surrounding it. During the summit, Obama will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bid to extract concessions on a range of issues. US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew flagged American demands for cutbacks to excess capacity, particularly in steel, as one of the items on Obamas agenda in talks with Xi.
Amid a deepening global slump and rising trade war tensions, the TPP is not the only agreement that is in doubt. The US-European equivalentthe Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)is under a cloud after Germanys economy minister Sigmar Gabriel declared that negotiations had effectively failed. A bitter dispute has now erupted after Lew accused the EU on Wednesday of reaching into the US tax base after it ordered the American mega-corporation Apple to pay $13 billion in back taxes.
Also in the background to the Xi-Obama talks are the maritime disputes in the South China Sea between China and its South East Asian neighbours. Over the past five years, the US had deliberately exacerbated these disputes including by backing and assisting the Philippines to mount a legal challenge China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. The PACs politically-driven ruling in July negating all of Chinas claims has set the stage for the US to further exploit the issue to isolate Beijing and justify the American military build-up around the South China Sea and the region.
The Hague ruling will likely be a focus of discussion at the ASEAN summits in Laos where Obama next week will become the first US president to visit the country. As is the case throughout the region, Washington has engaged in strenuous diplomatic efforts to press Laos, which has had longstanding ties with China, to tilt its foreign policy more towards the US. A change of government in Vientiane in April has seen an apparent shift away from Beijingas indicated by the stalling of a major $7 billion rail projectand towards Vietnam, which has moved closer to the US over the past two years in particular.
Since taking office as Philippine president in July, the fascistic Rodrigo Duterte has attempted to steer a less confrontational course with China than his predecessor Benigno Aquino, raising concerns in Washington as a result. While he has indicated his support for the military basing agreement with the US reached under Aquino, Duterte has suggested that a negotiated solution to territorial disputes with China could be possible.
Obama is due to meet with Duterte in Vientiane. In his comments this week, White House deputy national security advisor Rhodes indicated that Obama intends to raise the issue of human rights during the talks. Duterte is notorious for unleashing a wave of extrajudicial killings of alleged drug dealers by police and vigilantes that has resulted in more than 1,800 deaths. The Obama administration, which has promised funds for this anti-drug campaign, intends to use the issue as a threat. If Duterte does not fall into line on the South China Sea, he will confront an increasingly strident, and utterly hypocritical, human rights campaign against him.
While Duterte said last week that he does not intend to raise the South China Sea at the ASEAN summits, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay signalled a harder line against Beijing on Tuesday. When we start formal negotiations or bilateral engagements with China, we will have to do it within the context of the arbitral decision [in The Hague]. There are no buts or ifs insofar as our policy on this matter is concerned, he said. The comments put Manila on a collision course with Beijing which has refused to recognise the court or its ruling.
A comment this week in Chinas state-owned Global Times, which usually adopts a hawkish stance, suggested that the meeting of the Chinese and American presidents in Hangzhou was a crucial opportunity to bring bilateral relations back on a steady footing. What is far more likely is that the Obamas trip to Asia will only heighten tensions between the two countries including in dangerous flashpoints for conflict such as the South China Sea.
Around a dozen students from the Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), which is connected to the University of Sydney (USYD), are occupying the top floor of the colleges administration building at Callan Park in Rozelle.
The occupation, which began on August 22, is part of a series of protests by staff and students against last months announcement by Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence that USYD would combine the SCA with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the universitys overcrowded Camperdown/Darlington campus.
The SCAs extensive work spaces and studio facilities are located in Callan Park, which was originally constructed in 1878 as a mental health hospital. SCA moved to the heritage-listed area in 1996. Successive state governments, Liberal and Labor alike, have sought to sell-off Callan Park, which consists of 60 hectares of prime property in Sydneys inner west.
The new USYD merger plan will be disastrous for the colleges staff and 700 students. If implemented, an estimated 60 percentor about 50 fulltime and part-time jobswill be axed. The ceramics, jewellery and glass-making studios shut down and Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) courses not offered next year.
The protesting students have called for the immediate dismissal of SCA Dean Colin Rhodes; demanded that the SCA remains at Callan Park; there be no further job, studio or course cuts; that BVA courses be retained; and there be an independent review of the SCAs financial and constitutional status.
University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence and the universitys financial administrators have declared that the SCA is running a $5.1 million annual deficit, including $2 million in maintenance costs, the highest of any USYD faculty. The merger, administration insists, would reduce the colleges debt to between $500,000 and $1 million a year.
The so-called deficit, however, is a direct result of the universitys corporate University Economic Model program which was imposed on all faculties in 2012 and includes a per metre space tax. This heavily impacts on the SCA, which prior to 2012 had no such debt.
Vice-Chancellor Spence has responded to the ongoing student occupation by declaring that the university administration would not negotiate or withdraw its merger plans. Closed-door discussions about how to merge the SCA have been underway for years, despite denials by university officials.
Emails between the SCA dean and University of Sydneys deputy vice-chancellor published in the Inner West Courier this week revealed that discussions about staffing changes and the establishment of strategy, timeline and plans for the merger have been underway since 2014.
The SCA occupation coincided with a protest march to the NSW state parliament last week by 500 people opposing separate plans to merge the National Art School (NAS) with the Art and Design faculty at UNSW.
The NAS is located on the other side of Sydney and like the SCA is a heritage-listed property on prime real estate. It is the only art school in the city not attached to a university. Students, staff and their supporters presented a petition of 14,000 signatures to the state government opposing the imposition of a merger on the National Art School.
NAS director Michael Lynch has publicly denounced attempts to merge the NAS with the UNSW Arts and Design faculty and has spoken out against USYDs plans for the SCA. Lynch said he supported student and staff protests against the attacks on the fine arts education facilities. He told the media that the colleges required extra injections of money, rather than reductions.
Well-known artists and former art school graduates including Mike Parr, Ben Quilty, photographer Rex Dupain, Fiona Hall and others, along with gallery owners have all spoken out against the merger plans.
Veteran gallery owner Damien Minton explained that the majority of teachers at the colleges were working artists. Shut the schools and you also shut down the primary source of income for artists, he said.
The attempts to merge and restructure the three tertiary art schools in Sydney is part of a broader process of cost-cutting, downsizing and corporatisation of the entire tertiary sector in line with government and big business demands.
USYD plans to reduce 122 undergraduate degrees to just 20 and to reduce the current 16 faculties and school down to just 9. Similar restructuring has taken place at the University of Melbourne, resulting in hundreds of job losses as well as Flinders University and Adelaide University in South Australia. The University of Western Australia began the destruction of 300 jobs in June.
In early August, the Turnbull governments federal education minister Simon Birmingham declared that tertiary student enrolments and courses should be more closely geared to the demands of business. We need to find a method that drives an outcome more attuned with what the employment market demands, he said (see: Mounting calls for Australian universities to slash enrolments).
The Turnbull government, with bi-partisan support from Labor, intends to cut $3.2 billion from university funding and deregulate flagship courses, creating the conditions for a two-tier degree system in which certain course will only be available to the wealthiest layers of society.
The last federal Labor government cut $6.6 billion from total university and research funding between 2011 and 2013. It also removed the cap on student enrolments so that universities could ramp up enrolments while cutting costs. The result has been a restructuring of university degrees on the basis of their profitability.
While art students and academic staff in Sydney have come forward to fight the escalating attacks on their right to education, this can only be taken forward in a political struggle against Labor, the Greens and union bureaucrats who are working to isolate the protests.
A rally last Sunday at Callan Park was dominated by speakers from Labor, the Greens and the unions, including from Unions NSW and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
While all proclaimed their solidarity with students, hailed the occupation and led chants of SCA, here to stay, no mention was made of Labors assault on tertiary education and arts funding, or the active involvement of the education unions with successive Labor and Liberal-National governments in imposing these cost-cutting measures.
Setting the tone, Labor MP Anthony Albanese praised the student protests and hypocritically declared, Education is not just about business, it is not just a commodity. It is about society. None of the other speakers pointed out that it was the Hawke and Keating Labor governments that transformed it into a businessabolishing free tertiary education in 1987, imposing fees for domestic and international students and introducing the HECS student loan scheme.
University of Sydney NTEU president Michael Thompson demagogically declared that the SCA debt could be resolved by cutting the salaries of the deputy vice-chancellor and vice-chancellor. The NTEU has been instrumental in blocking any opposition to the restructuring of university campuses across Australia that has resulted in over half of all teaching work being carried out by casuals.
Turkey has flatly rejected US demands that it halt its attacks on Syrian Kurdish militia serving as Washingtons proxies in the fight to dislodge the Islamic State from northern Syrian regions along the Turkish border.
Since Turkey launched its invasion of Syria on August 24, mobilizing Syrian Sunni militia funded, armed and trained by the CIA, it has increasingly directed its firepower not against ISIS, but rather against the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Pentagon-backed formation dominated by the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG).
As a result, two groups of US proxy forces in Washingtons five-year-long effort to topple the pro-Russian and pro-Iranian government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are at war against one another within Syria. The explosive contradictions of US policy are underscored by the fact that US Special Operations forces are embedded within the SDF, which is an American creation in the first place, and could come under attack from Sunni militia organized by the CIA under the rubric of the Free Syrian Army.
Less than two weeks ago, the US was scrambling jets against Syrian government war planes and threatening to attack if Syria did not halt the bombing of YPG forces involved in an offensive against Syrian government troops in the northern Syrian town of Hasakeh. The US at the time warned that its Special Operations troops deployed with the YPG were endangered by the bombing.
Washington characterizes its CIA-backed Sunni proxy forces as moderate and democratic. It is, however, indicative of their real character that they include the group Noureddine al-Zinki, which has received covert aid from the United States and its allies despite having ties to Al Qaeda-linked groups. A group of its fighters achieved notoriety by videotaping themselves beheading a young prisoner.
The Turkish invasion was launched with the full and public support of the United States, including air cover for Turkish tanks and troops and allied Sunni militia provided by US warplanes. US Vice President Joseph Biden, visiting Ankara for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the day of the incursion, hailed the attack and ordered the YPG to immediately accede to Turkeys demand that it pull its forces back to the eastern side of the Euphrates River.
However, once the Turkish-led invasion force had expelled ISIS from the Syrian border town of Jarabulus, Turkey began to attack Kurdish militia and towns to the south, with the near-term aim of dislodging the YPG from the city of Manbij. Earlier this month, after weeks of fighting against ISIS forces in Manbij, the YPG, backed by constant US bombing that claimed hundreds of civilian lives, took control of the strategic town.
Over the weekend, Turkish-led forces reportedly killed some 40 Kurdish civilians in air and artillery attacks on villages near Manbij controlled by the YPG.
Now the US is demanding of the Kurds that they cede control of the town, which they deem central to their goal of establishing a Kurdish enclave in northeastern Syria, while simultaneously denouncing the Turkish government for attacking its Kurdish proxies.
The government of President Erdogan on Wednesday responded to a series of demands from US officials the previous day that it halt its attacks on Kurdish forces in Syria by reiterating its intention to continue its invasion until all terrorist forces, Kurdish as well as ISIS fighters, had been eliminated. Ankara considers the YPG and its political arm, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), to be extensions of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey, which it brands a terrorist organization and against which it has been fighting for decades.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that military operations will continue until all terrorist elements have been neutralized, until all threats to our borders, our lands and our citizens are completely over.
This followed a speech Sunday by President Erdogan in the southeastern town of Gaziantep, where 54 people were killed the previous week in a suicide attack on a Kurdish wedding. Erdogan declared, We cannot tolerate any terror organization within or close to our borders. Thats why we are in Jarabulus. And, if necessary, we will not flinch from taking on similar responsibilities in other areas. He added that operations against terrorist organizations will continue until the end.
Turkey dismissed reports of a temporary cease-fire between Turkish-led forces and Kurdish militia in Syria issued Tuesday by the US military and the Kurdish-backed Jarabulus Military Council.
To underscore Ankaras defiance, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic called US criticism of the scale and goals of the Turkish offensive unacceptable and announced that US Ambassador John Bass had been summoned to the ministry to discuss the matter.
Of immediate concern to Washington are the implications of the Turkish attack on the Syrian Kurds for the planned assault on the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa. In a Washington Post column published Tuesday, headlined The USs Syria policy rests on a treacherous fault line, David Ignatius cites his own visit to a secret US training camp in northern Syria to vouch for the Pentagons view of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces as the backbone of the coming campaign to take Raqqa. He frets that the nasty fight between Turkey and the Syrian Kurdish militia might delay the Raqqa operation.
Bella Hadid shared a snapshot of what her life is like with Lyme disease. (Photo: Getty Images)
Model Bella Hadid offered her fans a glimpse into her everyday reality.
On Monday, the 19-year-old daughter of Yolanda Foster underwent an IV treatment for Lyme disease and documented the experience via Snapchat. She did not identify the type of treatment she was receiving.
Last year, Yolanda, who also suffers from this illness, revealed that Bella and her younger sibling, Anwar, were diagnosed with the condition in 2012.
Approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported each year to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Bella shared a Snapchat video of herself getting an IV infusion apparently to help with her Lyme disease. (Photo: Bella Hadid via Snapchat)
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that people get from the bite of an infected tick, Jennifer Caudle, a family physician and assistant professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, tells Yahoo Beauty.
The typical initial symptom is a rash the bulls-eye or the target rash, notes Caudle. But people can also get additional Lyme symptoms since Lyme can affect many different parts of the body, not just the skin.
Other common symptoms include fever, headache, joint pain, stiff neck, and fatigue. Ive also seen Lyme arthritis, meaning that the disease can affect the joints, Caudle says.
In the majority of cases, Lyme disease is treated successfully with antibiotics over the course of two to four weeks. However, Caudle who frequently treats patients with this condition at the Rowan School of Medicine Department of Family Practice in Stratford, N.J., being that the northeast is one of the most highly concentrated areas of this vector-borne illness states that some patients will complain of fatigue, joint pain, and/or muscle aches after the antibiotic regiment has been completed.
The CDC refers to this as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, Caudle says. While the exact cause is still unknown, these lingering symptoms can last for more than six months. Long-term antibiotic treatment has been associated with other complications, which is why doctors may treat these patients similarly to those suffering from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, according to the CDC.
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The good news? Many of these patients will get better with time, Caudle says.
As far as what type of treatment Bella is getting, that remains a mystery. Nowhere does the CDC recommend IV infusions, which is where my concern and questions come from, Caudle says. So I cannot speak to what [Bella] is getting because honestly, I have no idea.
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One woman made her dream of becoming a pilot come true and now hopes to inspire other women to pursue their goals. (Photo: Stocksy)
Maria Pettersson, a 32-year-old pilot for Ryanair, has become an Instagram sensation with nearly 300,000 followers by posting cheery selfies of herself on a plane, doing yoga, swimming, and basically living a happy, healthy life. Pettersson, who worked hard to achieve her dream of becoming a pilot, hopes to use her platform to inspire other women to pursue their goals.
Selfie with my metal bird. Wish you all a great start of the week A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on Feb 22, 2016 at 5:29am PST
Pettersson, who is originally from Sweden and now lives in Sicily, became a pilot at just 25 years old. She started posting selfies for friends and family to document her life as a pilot, and things grew from there. I loved the positive feedback I was getting and all the curious questions from young aviators asking about how to become a pilot or flight simulator pilots asking about a specific procedure, she told the Daily Mail.
Life is like a mirror, it will smile at you if you smile at it ???????????????? A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on May 30, 2016 at 2:11pm PDT
Since becoming a pilot is expensive, Pettersson thought her dream was out of reach at first. I never thought becoming a pilot was an option for me due to the high costs and the fact that most pilots were men, she said. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it, and I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I was 24 at the time. I worked hard to save for the costs of flight training and studied even harder. Hard work pays off and my dream became reality.
Braids for messy hair days ???????? Note the registration FOY one of our brand new aircrafts, so clean and fancy to fly ???????? A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on Jun 10, 2016 at 11:07am PDT
She added: For me so far the toughest challenge has been to get that first flying job. Competition was tough and many unemployed pilots fighting for the same job. It took me years. Im very lucky to be where I am today flying a young fleet of Boeing 737 around Europe.
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These kind of days at work when you go home with pain in the stomach after all laughter. Happy crew, happy flight A photo posted by Maria (@pilotmaria) on May 7, 2016 at 10:35am PDT
Pettersson hopes to encourage other women to go for their goals and to realize that the skys the limit. My story is about strong females in a male dominated environment, she said. Proving that we are just as good as them. Believing in ourselves and keeping a positive attitude towards life.
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From Cosmopolitan
Donald Trump, shunner of immigrants and builder of walls, has centered his entire campaign on the idea America needs to ban Muslims and deport undocumented immigrants. But, according to a new report in Mother Jones, the Republican presidential nominee does not seem to take issue with illegal immigrant labor when the workers are attractive women who help make him richer. The report comes weeks after Politico questioned the visa status of Trump's wife, Melania, at the time of her early modeling work in the United States.
Trump has an 85 percent stake in Trump Model Management, which was founded in 1999, Mother Jones reports. Mother Jones interviewed four women who moved to America to work for Trump Model Management. The models were allegedly brought to America without work visas, meaning any work they did for Trump Model Management was illegal:
Canadian-born Rachel Blais spent nearly three years working for Trump Model Management. After first signing with the agency in March 2004, she said, she performed a series of modeling gigs for Trump's company in the United States without a work visa. At Mother Jones's request, Blais provided a detailed financial statement from Trump Model Management and a letter from an immigration lawyer who, in the fall of 2004, eventually secured a visa that would permit her to work legally in the United States. These records show a six-month gap between when she began working in the United States and when she was granted a work visa. Two other former Trump models - who requested anonymity to speak freely about their experiences and who we are giving the pseudonyms Anna and Kate - said the agency never obtained work visas on their behalf, even as they performed modeling assignments in the United States. (They provided photographs from some of these jobs, and Mother Jones confirmed with the photographers or stylists that these shoots occurred in the United States.)
Mother Jones reports a fourth model, Alexia Palmer, also "worked in the United States without a work visa after being recruited by Trump's agency from her native Jamaica."
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Some of the models allege they were forced to lie to federal authorities about the nature of their visits to the U.S.:
Two of the former Trump models said Trump's agency encouraged them to deceive customs officials about why they were visiting the United States and told them to lie on customs forms about where they intended to live. Anna said she received a specific instruction from a Trump agency representative: "If they ask you any questions, you're just here for meetings."
"I was pretty on edge most of the time I was there," said Anna, about working for Trump's agency without a work visa in 2009. "I was there illegally," she said. "A sitting duck."
"He doesn't want to let anyone into the U.S. anymore," Kate told Mother Jones. "Meanwhile, behind everyone's back, he's bringing in all of these girls from all over the world, and they're working illegally."
The agency did not respond to Mother Jones for comment. Hope Hicks, the Trump campaign's spokesperson, "declined to answer questions about Trump Model Management's use of foreign labor," and said, "that has nothing to do with me or the campaign."
Read the full report here.
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Libreville (AFP) - President Ali Bongo of Gabon poured scorn Thursday on opposition supporters who rioted overnight after he was declared the winner of a weekend election his main rival said was rigged.
Three people were killed in the unrest and around 1,000 arrested, the interior minister said.
"Democracy does not fit comfortably with self-declared victory, with small groups trained in destruction," Bongo said in a short speech from the presidential palace.
"Democracy does not sit well with an attack on parliament," he said, referring to the national assembly building that was set ablaze Wednesday night.
"The elections have delivered their verdict... Who lost? A small group whose only plan was to take power to make use of Gabon rather than serve it."
Soon after Saturday's poll, opposition candidate Jean Ping, 73, said he had won and that any results to the contrary would be fraudulent.
Thousands of angry protesters poured onto the streets of the capital Libreville late Wednesday, accusing the government of stealing the election after Bongo won a second term by a razor-thin margin over Ping.
His victory is set to extend the Bongo family's almost 50-year rule over the small oil-rich nation.
Ping said two people were killed and 19 hurt in a raid on his headquarters early Thursday.
Another opposition leader, Didjob Ding Duvungui, claimed that between 500 and 600 people had been arrested there. He spoke as he waited to be transferred to police headquarters for questioning along with ten others.
But by mid-morning, security forces had sealed off the city centre, which was calm and otherwise deserted, with troops, police and anti-riot squads patrolling the streets.
- 'Excessive force' -
Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya said three people had died in the violence and that between 600 and 800 people had been detained in Libreville, and 200 to 300 in the rest of the country.
As Gabon descended into chaos, the EU called for calm, while former colonial power France urged "maximum restraint" and Amnesty International warned against the use of "excessive force".
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Police chief Jean-Thierry Oye Zue said six officers had been injured in the post-vote riots and said there were "very probably" civilian injuries "given the violence with which they attacked us".
A Red Cross worker who gave his name as Gildas said one of 15 people who were injured and brought in by an army truck had died on Thursday.
It was not immediately clear where Ping -- a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official -- had taken refuge.
A European diplomat said he was safe, however. Internet communications remained cut-off across swathes of the country.
In Libreville, the parliament building's facade was blackened by fire and its windows were smashed. Protesters had torn down its huge main gate and torched a sentry box at the entrance.
On the city's main arterial road, the Boulevard Triomphal -- the location of numerous government institutions and foreign embassies -- burnt-out buildings and cars could be seen, while makeshift barricades were still smouldering.
A government spokesman said the security operation was to catch the "criminals" and "looters and thugs" responsible for the parliament blaze.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said police had used "disproportionate" force and called for the release of "political detainees immediately and unconditionally".
- 'He cheated' -
The results of the presidential election -- which gave Bongo 49.8 percent to Ping's 48.23 percent, a gap of less than 6,000 votes -- remain "provisional" until they are approved by the constitutional court.
The opposition has called for results from each of Gabon's polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of the overall outcome -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union.
Bongo's spokesman, Alain-Claude Bilie-Bye-Nze, dismissed the demands, saying they broke the country's election law, which states that results should be broken down by region.
Any appeal by Ping would likely focus on disputed results in Haut-Ogooue province, the heartland of Bongo's Teke ethnic group.
In Saturday's vote, turnout was 59.46 percent nationwide but soared to 99.93 percent in Haut-Ogooue, where Bongo won 95.5 percent of the votes cast.
"It's going to be difficult to get people to accept these results," one member of the electoral commission told AFP, asking not to be named.
"We've never seen results like these, even during the father's time," he added.
Bongo took power in 2009 in a violence-marred election that followed the death of his father, Omar Bongo, who had governed the oil-rich former French colony for 41 years.
One-third of Gabon's population lives in poverty, though the country boasts one of Africa's highest per capita incomes at $8,300 (7,400 euros) thanks to pumping 200,000 barrels of oil a day.
LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Authorities in Gabon have made up to 1,100 arrests over two days of violence that erupted after President Ali Bongo was re-elected in polls that the opposition rejected as fraudulent, the interior minister told a news conference on Thursday. Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said that between 600 and 800 people were arrested in the capital Libreville, while 200 to 300 arrests were made elsewhere in Gabon. He said that protesters had used grenades and police had seized AK-47 assault rifles. (Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Tim Cocks and Louise Ireland)
From Cosmopolitan
The summer finale of Pretty Little Liars aired Tuesday and was without question one of the most eventful episodes of the show to date. Though a few loose ends were tied up - Nicole is alive, Noel is dead - there are still a few mysteries left to be solved in the final 10 episodes. Who, for instance, is Uber A, and why are they so hell-bent on making the Liars' lives miserable? Here are the remaining questions the show needs to answer in season 7B:
1. Is Mary Drake really Spencer's mother? And if so, how? At the end of the summer finale, Mary told Spencer that she was the mysterious second child the Liars have been searching for. But if that's true, who is Spencer's father? We know that Spencer's dad Peter Hastings had an affair with Mary's twin sister Jessica (which produced Jason DiLaurentis), so it seems plausible that he slept with Mary thinking she was Jessica. But if Spencer really is Mary's child, why was Veronica Hastings so willing to take her as her own when she was so put off by the existence of Jason? This looks like a case for Hanna's easily bribed DNA doctor.
2. If Spencer isn't the second child, then who is? It's not Noel, per Hanna's DNA test. So is it one of the other Liars? Is it Mona? Jenna? Mike Montgomery? Sara Harvey? Better order DNA tests for the whole town just to be safe.
3. Will Spencer pull through? A teaser for season 7B shows Spencer getting wheeled through a hospital on a gurney, so someone at least thought to get her some medical attention. Add that to the fact that Troian Bellisario's IMDb page has her listed as a cast member for the remaining 2017 episodes, and it seems safe to guess she'll be fine.
4. Who or what caused Toby and Yvonne's car accident? Given A.D.'s far-reaching ability to ruin lives, it seems highly likely that their accident is the result of some Uber A machinations. Marlene King told TVLine that the spring premiere will pick up "moments" after the end of "The DArkest Knight," so a status update on their health might come sooner rather than later.
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5. Who killed Sara Harvey? Signs pointed to Noel for a while, but as regular PLL viewers know, the most obvious answer is usually not the right one. So maybe it was Jenna, and Noel was just helping her by taking the phone. Stay tuned!
6. Who killed Charlotte DiLaurentis? The Liars thought it was Ali for a while, but once she confirmed it wasn't her, they ran out of leads. A.D. is torturing them because he or she thinks they know who did it, but clearly they don't.
7. What does Wren have to do with all this? He's coming back at some point in season 7B, and according to Marlene will be in "more than one episode." Whatever he's up to, it can't be good.
8. Who's having the #PLLWedding(s)? Marlene said in May that there would be a wedding in season seven, then said this week that "more than one" would happen in 2017. The recently reunited Haleb seems like a sure bet, but the second couple could be anybody - Jaria, Ezria, Emison, Paily, Spoby (if they're not dead), and many more. Hopefully whoever it is registers for a decent home-security system.
9. Who is the real Uber A, aka A.D.? This is of course the major mystery that's been in play since the second half of season six, and the one that will likely take the longest to solve. It's not Jenna, because Uber A kidnapped her at the end of Tuesday's episode and carted her away to an unknown location. It's not Noel, because he's definitely dead and Uber A is still doing stuff. So who is it then (and is this person also the real second child of Mary Drake)?
10. Can Aria please get back together with Jason DiLaurentis now that Ezra is back with Nicole? The whole "elope to beautiful Tuscany" plan had me shipping Ezria more than I usually do, but once Jason DiLaurentis rolled back into town with his biceps and his Jesus hair, it was like Ezra had never even been born. No wonder Ashley Marin couldn't resist! Dude even looks good in cargo pants. Since Ezra is back in South America with his previously missing girlfriend, would anyone fault Aria for rekindling her romance with the silkiest locks in all of Rosewood? No. No, they would not.
Photo credit: Freeform via Getty
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From Delish
Generally, California brings to mind fancy avocado toast, green juice and more healthy eats-but it's also the birthplace of one of the great fast-food joints of our time. The regional chain known for killer burgers, fries and milkshakes wrangles major points in the West Coast vs. East Coast debate, and at this point, In-N-Out is basically a tourist attraction for visitors from around the world. Here's everything you need to know before you get to the drive-thru window.
1. In-N-Out has been in the burger game since the 40s.
The chain's founder, Harry Snyder, opened the first In-N-Out in 1948 in Baldwin Park, CA. The original spot, California's first drive-thru hamburger stand, was just barely 10 square feet. Harry bought fresh meat and produce for the restaurant daily, while his wife Esther handled the accounting out of their home around the corner.
2. The business is still family-run.
Harry Snyder's sons Rich and Guy took over the chain when their father passed away in 1976, keeping it running with help from their mother, Esther. Today, Harry and Esther's only grandchild is the owner.
3. It revolutionized drive-thru dining.
Instead of hiring carhops like other quick-service joints, Harry Snyder built his own two-way speaker box to allow guests to order and receive their meals without leaving the car. Most restaurants had just two lanes for drive-thru customers and a few tables outside-the first dining room restaurant didn't open until 1979!
4. The palm trees outside are symbolic.
In addition to signs with the iconic yellow arrow, customers can also spot In-N-Out from a distance thanks to the crossed palm trees planted out front of most locations. The founder was inspired by one of his favorite movies, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," in which the characters race to find treasure buried under four crossed palm trees. Burgers and golden fries are just the kind of treasures we want to hunt for!
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5. The burgers are super fresh.
At the beginning, all In-N-Out burgers were ground and formed into patties using a manual press-now the patties are made at company-owned facilities in California and Texas so the burgers don't need to be frozen. The two-patty Double-Double is a favorite that was added to the menu in 1963. They're tasty enough that one dude at them every day for a month.
6. Anyone can order off the secret menu.
In-N-Out embraces many of the burger variations that have become popular over the years, so it's totally okay to switch things up from the classic. You can order a Double Meat (two patties) or really load up on beef with the 3x3 or 4x4 (that's three and four patties, respectively), plus all the usual fixings. Vegetarians can opt for a Grilled Cheese (complete with lettuce, tomato, spread and onions) and those watching their carb intake might want the Protein Style, wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. But there's one secret menu item that reigns supreme...
7. Customers invented the "Animal Style" burger.
Thanks to requests from diners, the chain introduced the uber-popular, specialty burger back in 1961. It's a mustard-cooked beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, extra spread and grilled onions. We even hacked the recipe so you can make Animal-Style Burgers at home.
Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons / vagueonthehow
8. You can even customize your fries.
Ordering the hand-cut French fries to go with your burger is a must, but there's not just one way to do it. In addition to the regular side, you can ask for fries light (less time in the fryer), well done (fried until extra-crispy), smothered in cheese, or Animal-Style, with cheese, special sauce and grilled onion bits.
9. In-N-Out fans are kind of a big deal.
The chain's devotees are a star-studded group. Beyonce can't get enough of the burgers, Kim Kardashian chowed down on the cheese fries when she was pregnant, and Gigi Hadid once even turned the drive-thru into a runway when she placed an order on-foot in a full sequined gown.
Photo credit: Giphy
10. There are only a few places where you can get it.
The company got it's start in Cali, but eventually expanded over the years. Today there are locations in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas and Oregon-but that's it. Fans on the East Coast will just have to wait patiently until the day they can bite into a Double-Double on their own turf!
Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons / Mike Mozart
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Rome (AFP) - The Italian coastguard said that 1,725 migrants were rescued off the Libyan coast Thursday, bringing the total number saved since Sunday to at least 14,000.
Those plucked from the Mediterranean Thursday were on 16 small boats, mostly dangerous inflatables, and were rescued by Italian naval vessels, ships from the EU's "Sophia" anti-trafficking mission, NGO boats and two passing merchant ships, the coastguard said.
Good summer weather has caused spike in attempted migrant crossings, including a record 6,500 people picked up on Monday. Three people were found dead on a boat on Wednesday, the coastguard said.
Italy is sheltering growing numbers of would-be refugees as its neighbours to the north move to tighten their borders and make it harder for migrants to travel to their preferred destinations in northern Europe.
According to the interior ministry, Italy now has 148,000 asylum seekers in reception centres, compared with 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014.
Despite the large numbers arriving in recent days, the total number of new arrivals so far this year remains similar to 2015, with 116,149 migrants registered by the Italian authorities from January to August.
Nearly all are from sub-Saharan Africa.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed Wednesday to step up efforts to send migrants with no right to asylum in Europe back to their homelands.
Jameyanne Fuller is used to living life with no limits.
Blind since birth, Jameyanne has scaled an Andean mountain, earned a perfect 800 on her math SATs (despite her elementary school claiming blind children couldn't learn math), used Braille to graduate Kenyon College with the highest of academic honors and was awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to teach in Italy. Oh, and she's also written two novels.
During the first month of her Fulbright in September 2014, Jameyanne was dining with members of an Italian Lion's Club, whose mission was to promote independence for blind people. As Jameyanne cut the vegetables on her plate, the room erupted in applause.
"I didn't think it was an impressive thing that I am cutting my own food, it was embarrassing and infuriating," says Jameyanne, 25, who mastered a knife and fork as a little girl, just like children who could see.
When she got home late that night, "I thought, 'I could be angry or upset, but I could do something about this,' " Jameyanne recalls.
She soon discovered that in the region of Italy where she was living, Umbria, "they kept their disabled children in the home and they were almost embarrassed." The idea of a blind person shopping, using a Braille watch, even navigating the streets on her own with her guide dog, Mopsy, leading the way was just about unheard of.
It took a few more months of other slights, including officials at the Leaning Tower of Pisa forbidding Mopsy, entry to the tourist site despite a law allowing it, for her to take action.
25-Year-Old Blind Woman Inspired to Become Disability Rights Lawyer: 'I Had to Advocate for Myself Every Day'| Real People Stories
Jameyanne decided to forgo her acceptance to a master's degree program in comparative literature at Dartmouth to become a disability rights lawyer.
She applied to the top law schools in the U.S., and on Aug. 24, she begins her first year at Harvard Law School.
"Jameyanne, she can do anything," her mother, Mary Fuller, 64, tells PEOPLE. "There are no boundaries and there shouldn't be."
It's not known how many blind men and women have completed Harvard Law School its media relations department won't release figures due to privacy concerns. But Jameyanne doesn't think it's exceptional that she got in despite not being able to see.
"I feel like it's amazing that aanyonea goes to Harvard Law School," she says. "I don't know what it's like to see, I don't know what I am missing. For me, the fact I'm blind isn't a big deal."
Jameyanne has been honored for her achievement, along with 16 other exceptional blind undergraduate and graduate students, who each recently received a $10,000 scholarship from Lighthouse Guild of NY, a not-for-profit vision and health care organization.
Another recipient, Emely Recinos, 18, of New York City, began losing her sight at 6 years old due to a rare degenerative vision loss disease called cone-rod dystrophy. Still, she is an accomplished pianist and drummer who also hopes to attend law school to better help the disabled.
"We believe that when you provide people with the right tools and support," says Dr. Alan Morse, president and CEO of Lighthouse Guild NY, "there is no limit to what they can achieve."
Jameyanne was born without irises a condition called aniridia glaucoma. Growing up in Concord, New Hampshire, Jameyanne's parents expected the same from her as from her two brothers.
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25-Year-Old Blind Woman Inspired to Become Disability Rights Lawyer: 'I Had to Advocate for Myself Every Day'| Real People Stories
"No one was going to pity me or my child," says Mary, a former chemistry teacher. "That was a word that would not enter my house. We expected her to do everything and surely we were sometimes challenged."
When Jameyanne's elementary school didn't want to teach her math because, the school said, "blind children didn't do well at math," Jameyanne's parents filed a lawsuit, says Mary, noting both she and her physician husband have advanced degrees involving math. "My children were going to learn math."
25-Year-Old Blind Woman Inspired to Become Disability Rights Lawyer: 'I Had to Advocate for Myself Every Day'| Real People Stories
Jameyanne indeed ended up learning math using a specialized code for the visually impaired and earning a perfect score on her math SATs as a high school junior.
She also learned how to use BrailleNote, a computer that transforms emails, documents and electronic books into Braille right on the screen.
At Kenyon, the double English and Italian major wrote several novels, and interned at the prestigious literary journal the Kenyon Review.
"I could teach creative writing for a million years and never again encounter someone as extraordinary as Jameyanne," Katharine Weber, Jameyanne's college honors advisor and professor of creative writing, tells PEOPLE.
"What a joy to have been her teacher and what a privilege to know her. She is going to make her mark on the world."
25-Year-Old Blind Woman Inspired to Become Disability Rights Lawyer: 'I Had to Advocate for Myself Every Day'| Real People Stories
Jameyanne believes she already has. When she first arrived in Italy, store owners, markets and restaurateurs in her small town of Assisi forbid Jameyanne and Mopsy from entry, despite laws allowing the black lab to accompany Jameyanne everywhere.
"I had to advocate for myself every day just to live," Jameyanne says. "I just wanted to get into a grocery store to get my milk."
Over time, however, people learned to not only welcome her but were "coming out of the woodwork saying, 'I have a friend or a cousin or a niece who is blind and I'm going to tell them what you did this year,a " she says.
"And I sort of realized that I really made a difference in this town, and I was just trying to live there. So what kind of difference can I make if I was seeking to make a difference?"
Say this for the summer of 2016: at least Russia didnt invade anywhere. These are the geopolitical stories to pay attention to this fall. Its your back-to-school edition of 5 Facts.
1. Turkey, Syria and the Middle East
Aside from Brexitmore on that belowthe most serious geopolitical developments of the summer centered on Turkey. Turns out that failed coups can be almost as destabilizing as successful ones. Since the attempt, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has imprisoned, detained or otherwise punished more than 40,000 individuals and cracked down further on free speech. The government announced it would release nearly one-fifth of its current prison population, apparently to make room for the new arrivals.
Read More: These 5 Facts Show Things in the U.S. Arent as Bad as They Seem
On top of the domestic upheaval, Turkey is in an impossible geopolitical positionand its not getting better anytime soon. Turkey has become ground zero for both ISIS terrorism and the Syrian refugee crisis, housing 2.7 million refugees at last count. And while some progress has been made against ISISthe jihadi group has lost 40 percent of the territory it held in Iraq and 10-20 percent of its territory in Syriait continues to pose a considerable threat both at home and abroad. That spells trouble for Turkey and the entire Middle East.
(New York Times, UNHCR, BBC)
2. Brexit Fallout
The ongoing Syria tangle also spells trouble for Europe. It may feel like Europe is in trouble every year, but now that Brexit is officially coming, its truer than ever. As British officials try to decipher what Brexit actually means to them, deliberations will drag well into the fall and beyond. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has no plans to trigger Article 50, the official mechanism to begin exit proceedings, until 2017.
Its clear that Brexit will have very real costs for the British economy when it finally comes to pass. But the intervening uncertainty is a boon to Eurosceptic and nationalist partieslike Frances Front National and Germanys Alternative fur Deutschlandthat point to the referendum as proof theres life after the E.U. Both countries have national elections upcoming in 2017. Also pay attention to Austria, which is getting ready to rerun presidential elections in a month and is expected to elect the E.U.s first far-right leader ever; polls show Norbert Hofer winning by a 53 to 47 percent margin.
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(Reuters)
Read More: These 5 Facts Explain Hillary Clintons Foreign Policy Evolution
3. China
It was a relatively sleepy summer for China, especially compared to last summers stock market roller coaster. But things are getting serious as the country gears up for its 19th Party Congress, scheduled for the fall of 2017. Xi Jinping is widely expected to stick around for a second stint as president after his term ends next year, but five of the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committeethe ultimate decision makers in the countryare set to be replaced.
Leadership transitions always bring a certain amount of risk, but Chinas is compounded by slowing economic growth. Chinas slowdown is admittedly by design, as Beijing transitions from its breakneck manufacturing-based economy to a more sustainable consumption-oriented one. But a plunge in private investments has already seriously unnerved central government authorities, according to reports. All the while, Xis anticorruption push is picking up steam as he consolidates power. It has had an impact, with more than 750,000 individuals swept up in corruption investigations over the last three years. The fight over slowing growth will only get more challenging. And given the size and global connectedness of Chinas economy, the ripple effects will be felt widely.
(The Economist, Wall Street Journal)
Read More: These 5 Facts Explain the Decline of Once-Dominant Parties like South Africas ANC
4. Brazil
As the afterglow following the Rio Olympics fades, the ugly politics have begun to set in for Latin Americas former economic powerhouse. Dilma Rousseff was impeached and formally kicked out of office this week, bringing to an end this particular chapter of Brazilian politics. But corruption in Brazilian politics isnt going anywhere. After all, of the 81 senators who ultimately determined Rousseffs fate, 45 have been convicted or investigated for serious crimes themselves. The same is true of 273 (out of the 513 total) members of the lower house of Congress. Rousseffs ouster will do little to change the corrupt climate. Her successor and former vice president Michel Temer has been convicted of corrupt electioneering himself, and is actually prohibited from running for office for the next eight years. All this as the Brazilian economy stumbles and government debt soars.
(Quartz, Vox)
5. U.S. Elections
And then, of course, there are the U.S. elections. Given Donald Trumps surprise visit to Mexico this week, its nearly impossible to predict all the twists and turns that await the American electorate between now and election day on Nov. 8. And while the polls show a commanding lead for Hillary Clinton at the momentNate Silvers FiveThirtyEight Polls-only forecast gives Clinton a 73.8 percent chance of victoryits inevitable that the race will draw tighter as we approach the close.
Still, Donald Trump remains a long shot to pull out an actual victory. But his candidacy will play an outsize role in shaping American politics for years to come, from what will be considered acceptable for national politicians to say and do on the campaign trail, to the composition of the Republican Party going forward.
Its going to be an interesting fall.
(FiveThirtyEight)
It is essential to assert the value of stocks before investing. Following this principle, investors always compare the value of stocks using various valuation metrics at disposal. While Price-to-Earnings is the first to cross ones mind when using valuation metrics, Price-to-Sales has emerged as a useful measure in narrowing down the list of valuable stocks.
Price-to-Sales helps to determine the value of stocks that are suffering losses or are in the early cycle of development, generating meager or no profits.
While a loss-making company with a negative Price-to-Earnings ratio falls out of investors favor, its Price-to-Sales ratio could indicate the hidden strength in its business. This underrated ratio is also used to identify recovery situations or ensure that a company's growth is not overvalued.
Price-to-Sales is often preferred over Price-to-Earnings, as companies and managements can fiddle with their earnings using various accounting measures. However, sales are harder to manipulate and are relatively reliable.
A stocks Price-to-Sales ratio reflects how much investors are paying for each dollar of revenues generated by the company.
If the Price-to-Sales ratio is 1, it means that investors are paying $1 for every $1 of revenues generated by the company. So it goes without saying that a stock with Price-to-Sales below 1 is a good bargain, as investors need to pay less than a dollar for a dollars worth.
Also, a stock with a low Price-to-Sales ratio is a more suitable investment choice than one with a high ratio.
However, one should keep in mind that a company with high debt and a low Price-to-Sales ratio is not an ideal choice. The high debt level will have to be paid off at some point, leading to further share issuance and a rise in market cap and ultimately a higher Price-to-Sales ratio.
In any case, the Price-to-Sales ratio used in isolation cant do the trick. One should also analyze other ratios like Price/Earnings, Price/Book, Debt/Equity before arriving at any investment decision.
Screening Parameters
Price to Sales less than Median Price to Sales for its Industry: The lower the Price-to-Sales ratio, the better.
Price to Earnings using F(1) estimate less than Median Price to Earnings for its Industry: The lower, the better.
Price to Book (common Equity) less than Median Price to Book for its Industry: This is another parameter to ensure the value feature of a stock.
Debt to Equity (Most Recent) less than Median Debt to Equity for its Industry: A company with less debt should have a stable Price-to-Sales ratio.
Current Price greater than or equal to $5: They must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to #2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.
Value Style Score equal to A: Our research shows that stocks with a Value Style Score of A or B when combined a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 offer the best opportunities in the value investing space.
Here are five of the 11 stocks that qualified the screening:
Headquartered in Aurora, Canada, Magna International Inc. MGA is a producer and seller of automotive products. The stock, with a Zacks Rank #2 and a Value score of A, currently has a projected 35 year EPS growth rate of 11.7%.
Korea Electric Power Corp. KEP, also known as KEPCO, is an integrated electric utility engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity as well as development of electric power resources in South Korea. This Zacks Rank #2 stocks 35 year EPS growth rate is pegged at 25%. The stock has a Value score of A.
Celestica Inc. CLS is a supply chain solutions provider in the communications, consumer, aerospace and defense, industrial, healthcare, energy, semiconductor equipment, servers, and storage end markets in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Value score of A.
Comfort Systems USA Inc. FIX is a national provider of comprehensive heating, ventilation and air conditioning installation, maintenance, repair and replacement services in the U.S. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Value score of A. Also, 35 year EPS growth rate for the stock is estimated at 10%.
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation NTT provides a variety of telecommunications services, including telephone, telegraph, leased circuits, data communication, terminal equipment sales and other services. The stock, with a Zacks Rank #1 and a Value score of A, currently has a projected 35 year EPS growth rate of 9.5%.
You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your trial to the Research Wizard today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.
Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: In addition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free
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1. Her roots are Indian: Padma Parvati Lakshmi was born in Chennai, India, in 1970. Lakshmis parents divorced when she was 2 years old. Her mother moved to the United States to escape the stigma of divorce in India.
This Indian-born American wears many hats; she is a model, an author, an actress, a television host of one of the most popular cooking show, a producer, a jewellery and kitchen-ware designer, a philanthropist and a mother.
As the stunning beauty turns 46 this year, heres looking at what makes Padma Lakshmi so talented and popular in the West.
- Saloni Dhruv, images from Getty
Opinions and policy positions evolve as people age and learn, but voters can be unforgiving of politicians who radically change their stances. In the 2016 election, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton seems to have switched at least one position after coming under pressure from progressive supporters of primary challenger Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. In other instances she has moved to a different place on her own or just backpedaled in the face of vocal opposition.
Here are seven of Clintons biggest flip-flops:
1. Gay Marriage.
For almost a decade and as late as 2010, Clinton opposed gay marriage but backed civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, as this video makes clear. In 2002, Clinton was asked by Chris Matthews of MSNBC, Do you think New York State should recognize gay marriage? Clintons answer: No. In 2004, as New York senator, she said: I believe that marriage is not just a bond, but a sacred bond between a man and a woman.
Related: Is Trump v. Clinton the Baby Boomers Last Hurrah?
By 2013, she was saying: I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples personally and as a matter of policy. But in a 2014 interview with Terry Gross of NPRs Fresh Air, she denied having changed her stance and suggested that Gross was trying to twist her words.
2. The Iraq War.
In 2002, explaining her vote for invading Iraq, Clinton said: It is clear that if left unchecked Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage chemical and biological warfare and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons This is probably the hardest decision Ive ever had to make. Any vote that might lead to war should be hard, but I cast it with conviction.
On Meet the Press in 2008, Clinton defended her vote authorizing the war, telling the late Tim Russert: it is absolutely unfair to say that the vote as [former Senator and Defense Secretary] Chuck Hagel, who was one of the architects of the resolution, has said, was a vote for war. It was a vote to use the threat of force against Saddam Hussein, who never did anything without being made to do so.
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Last May, she changed her tune about the vote, saying: I made it very clear that I made a mistake, plain and simple. And I have written about it in my book.
3. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
As secretary of state under President Obama, Clinton backed this ambitious 12-nation trade agreement, which was never concluded and is now in jeopardy. But Sanders and Republican nominee Donald Trump have denounced trade deals such as TPP as detrimental to American workers. Now Clinton opposes TPP, which she once called the gold standard of trade deals.
4. North American Free Trade Agreement.
As first lady, Clinton was credited with helping her husband, President Bill Clinton, secure passage of NAFTA, a major trade deal that has since been criticized as a killer of U.S. manufacturing jobs. As a senator in 2004, she said: I think on balance, NAFTA has been good for New York and America. In her unsuccessful primary battle against then Senator Barack Obama in 2008, she said she was one of the voices within Bill Clintons administration warning about NAFTA.
Related: What Happens If Neither Clinton Nor Trump Get Enough Electoral Votes?
5. The Keystone Pipeline.
In 2010, Secretary of State Clinton said the administration was inclined to support the building of the controversial pipeline, which would transport heavy crude oil from Canada to the U.S. She now flat-out opposes Keystone, saying I never took a position on Keystone until I took a position on Keystone. PolitiFacts calls that a No Flip, but others see it as a decision based on which way the political windsock was blowing.
6. Criminal Justice.
In 1996, Hillary Clinton spoke in New Hampshire in support of a law signed by Bill Clinton, the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which has since been blamed in part for America having the highest mass incarceration rate in the world. She said: "We also have to have an organized effort against gangs. Just as in a previous generation we had an organized effort against the mob. We need to take these people on They are often the kinds of kids that are called super predators no conscience, no empathy. We can talk about why they ended up that way, but first, we have to bring them to heel." Clinton has been criticized by Bernie Sanders and most recently Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus for calling African-American youths super predators. Though she didnt make a direct connection, Sanders said, it was a racist term, and everyone knew it was a racist term. Clinton has said she regrets using those words. Her website now says: This mass incarceration epidemic has an explicit racial bias, as one in three black men can expect to go to prison in their lifetime. A significant number of those incarcerated are held for low-level, nonviolent offenses. We must end the era of mass incarceration.
7. Illegal Immigrant Children.
In 2014, Clinton discussed the influx of children from Central America illegally crossing into the U.S. with Christiane Amanpour of CNN. She said: We have to send a clear message that just because your child gets across the border, that doesnt mean your child gets to stay. But in an MSNBC/Telemondo Town Hall in February, Jose Diaz-Balart asked if those children should be treated like a message. Well, Clinton said, the children themselves need to be taken care of. They are children. They should be given every help that we can.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
The U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) has finally granted eight U.S.-based carriers the permission to initiate commercial flights to the Cuban capital of Havana.
Following the final go-ahead, carriers will be able to start operations from as early as this fall. The verdict has confirmed the tentative approval awarded on Jul 7, 2016. The carriers that have gained the final approval are Delta Air Lines DAL, American Airlines Group AAL, United Continental Holdings UAL, JetBlue Airways Corp. JBLU, Spirit Airlines SAVE, Southwest Airlines Co. LUV, Alaska Air Group ALK and Frontier Airlines.
Havana Verdict Coincides with First US-Cuba Flight
The announcement was made by Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox on the same day when the first commercial flight to Cuba from the U.S. touched ground in more than 50 years. JetBlue had the honor of operating the first flight (387) which landed in Santa Clara, Cuba, from Fort Lauderdale on Aug 31. Prior to this, U.S. carriers have been operating only charter flights to the region. We remind investors that this June, the DOT granted approval to six U.S.-based carriers, including JetBlue, to operate scheduled flights to nine Cuban cities (excluding Havana).
We note that diplomatic ties between the countries were severed way back in 1961. However, President Obamas call for restoration of diplomatic ties with Cuba in 2014 granted an approval to resume commercial flights to the region.
Havana- A much Sought After Destination
US carriers were eagerly awaiting the final nod of approval to operate flights to Havana- a favorite tourist spot. That the route was in high demand can be made out from the fact that US carriers had collectively applied for the approval to operate nearly 60 flights to the Cuban capital on a daily basis. However, the agreement granted permission for only 20 daily roundtrip flights on the route.
According to a Reuters report, American Airlines was the biggest winner, clinching four daily flights on the MiamiHavana route and one on the Charlotte, North CarolinaHavana route (i.e. 35 weekly flights in total). Meanwhile, Delta stated that it intends to initiate daily flights connecting Havana to Atlanta, Miami and New York starting Dec 1, 2016, subject to approval from the Cuban government. Alaska Air Group has received the permission to operate commercial flights between Los Angeles and Havana.
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The report further stated that United Continental has been granted permission to operate daily flights connecting Havana to Newark, New Jersey and weekly flights between Houston and Havana. Southwest Airlines has also obtained permission to fly from Fort Lauderdale and Tampa to Havana. JetBlue has apparently secured the go-ahead to operate 27 weekly flights from New York, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.
TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index
TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index
A Bright Spot amid Multiple Headwinds
The latest authorization is quite a breather for U.S. carriers that are currently grappling with multiple headwinds. The challenges range from a surge in terror attacks, uncertainty following the Brexit vote, unit revenue issues to technological glitches. The struggles are reflected by the bearish Zacks Industry rank of 231 (among 260+ groups) carried by the Transportation-Airline segment.
In such challenging times, the approval to operate commercial flights to Havana is a blessing. However, the extent of the benefit can be gauged only after the service is initiated. Meanwhile, we expect investor focus to remain on this issue for the time being.
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Buying a home can be a precarious business. When money and emotions are involved, things can get dicey (and ugly). So when issues pop up during a home inspection or initial walk-through, its important to request some repairs especially if theyre related to safety concerns or would cost a mint to fix once the property is yours. But when youre bidding on a prime piece of real estate in a competitive market where multiple offers are the norm, choosing what repairs to ask for can become even more strategic. After all, requesting too many fix-ups could potentially tank the sale if there are less-high-maintenance offers waiting in the wings.
There is no magic number of repairs, but if you are in a sellers market or the property is in high demand, you probably want to ask for as little as possible and stick to four-point items such as roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC items, explains Liane Jamason, a broker with Smith & Associates Real Estate in St. Petersburg, FL. When requesting additional repairs, make sure you have realistic expectations, you present your requests in an appealing way (read: not overwhelming), and youre ready to prioritize and negotiate your requests.
From easy fixes to issues that might give you a reason to walk away, here are eight requests you should never make.
1. What you know youll renovate anyway
Every time you request a property repair, you walk a fine line with the seller, who is hoping for an easy, quick sale and repairs only lengthen the process. If you know a kitchen renovation is at the top of your to-do list, it may not be worth it to bring up the damaged baseboards in the kitchen hallway or the pantrys warped door. Instead of asking for flat-out repairs, try to negotiate with the seller they may be willing to give you a credit for these damages that you can use when you do renovate the kitchen.
2. Purely cosmetic issues
Its tempting to ask a seller to repair a tile thats cracked or add a fresh coat of paint to a fence, but do so at your own risk. Most real estate agents recommend buyers overlook cosmetic repairs that they are able to afford fixing after the sale, explains John Lazenby, president of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association. Its important to weigh how much the buyer wants or needs a repair completed by the seller against how much they want the home, and how many other buyers are out there who also want the home.
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An added benefit to addressing cosmetic issues on your dime (and time) is that you can pick the contractor you want to use and repair the issue to your level of taste and quality. Staining a deck, replacing a window, or similar little items might be better to address afterwards, so the new owners can choose their own company to do the work, explains Rachel Hillman, founder of Hillman Homes, a real estate firm located in West Newton, MA.
3. Missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Yes, you need them in most every room in your home, but if theyre missing, dont bring it up. Depending on where you live, it may be required [of] the seller to replace smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, says Ross Anthony, a real estate agent with Willis Allen Real Estate in San Diego, CA. But if they dont, make a mental note to replace them yourself after closing. This is an easy, inexpensive update and in most cases, not worth risking the sale.
4. Termites
These little critters can wreak havoc on a home and even make a house uninhabitable. Plus, if youre taking out a mortgage, a termite infestation could put your loan at risk. If you encounter this problem, it might be better to walk away than request remediation. Termites are a big issue, says Jamason. Some lenders or insurance companies will not write on a property that does not have a clean termite inspection report. This is one such item that most sellers are going to have to fix for any buyer who needs mortgage financing in most cases. But seek the advice of your real estate agent and lender, because if the property had multiple offers, the seller could easily just say no, put the property back on the market, and sell it to someone else who isnt asking for repairs.
5. The $10 repair list
No matter how badly you want that jammed window repaired, if the home inspector doesnt flag it as a safety concern or code violation, it may not be worth bringing up to the seller. Remember, sellers have real estate agents on their side too. If a seller gets a huge punch list of minor repairs that have to be made in a short time span to meet a closing deadline, their agent may suggest that a better offer could potentially be down the road, with fewer repair requests and with a less-aggressive (read: more affordable) time frame. Keep calm, and remember: You can always hire a contractor or handyman to do some work after you close.
6. Minor electrical issues
A nonworking light switch or faulty electrical socket that pops up in an inspection may seem like a fix you should request but if its truly a minor issue and not a sign of larger problems, skip it, advises Lazenby. Minor electrical issues can easily be repaired postclosing, he says.
7. Water damage
This is a tough issue to sort out during the homebuying process, as signs of previous water damage like a water spot on a ceiling could indicate a larger, chronic issue. But it could also simply equate to a spot thats an unfortunate leftover from a repaired water issue. With water damage, rely on the expertise of your home inspector, advises Jamason. If there is minimal cosmetic damage, thats probably something that can be repaired postclosing. However, if the damage appears to be deep or is unknown, it may be something you wish to request be fixed prior to closing if you cant tell how deep the damage goes or whether there is mold behind a wall. Again, some lenders may require that active water damage or wood rot be repaired prior to closing.
8. Loose railings
The front porch of the home could look as if its straight out of the pages of a magazine, but if you take one step up the front stairs and realize the railing is wobbly and loose, it seems like a no-brainer to ask for a fix. But even if its not up to code per the inspection, think twice before asking for repairs, says Jamason.
It may depend on your lender if they will allow closing to proceed with an issue like this, she says. If the items are minor, or if the buyer is particular about the way an item is being repaired, it may be advisable to just ask for a credit from the seller in lieu of repairs and do the repair themselves postclosing.
Have you ever regretted requesting a repair? Share your tips and experiences in the comments below!
Retired Australian judge Jim Macken has, for the past 88 years, led a pretty remarkable life. Hes served as a union organizer, presided over an industrial court, and was appointed to the Order of Australia in 2003.
Now hes prepared to give up everything including his Australian citizenship to move to a decrepit offshore holding center for refugees. Theres just one caveat: A refugee will need to take his place on the mainland in return.
If it gets just one refugee off one of those islands, and gives them a chance at a life in Australia, Im prepared to do it, he told the Guardian this week.
Macken proposed the swap in a letter penned to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, who has faced intense criticism this summer after reports emerged that migrants and refugees who tried to reach Australia were being held in unsafe and inhumane conditions in offshore detention centers.
Australia houses asylum-seekers on nearby Manus Island, which is part of Papua New Guinea, and on the Pacific island of Nauru. Critics say the centers are overcrowded and lack government oversight, leading to dangerous conditions for people who have already risked their lives to try to reach Australia.
I understand this is an unusual request but I offer it in complete sincerity, Macken wrote to Dutton. I would consider it a privilege to live out my final years in either Nauru or Manus Island in his or her stead.
Macken sent his offer to the immigration minister last month and has yet to hear back. But it sounds like this request is not entirely out of Mackens character.
A 2014 article in an online news site from the town of Pittwater called him rapscallion, generous to the core, with integrity as high as summer days can be long.
Photo credit: Chris Hopkins/Getty Images
The girl was given an in-school suspension for wearing a T-shirt that clung. (Photo: Getty)
Does my nieces round belly offend you? asks proud uncle Robbie Nettles in a post published to his Facebook page last week. The Missouri native goes on to explain that his niece was given an in-school suspension for wearing a formfitting top and the girl is only 9.
According to Nettless post, which has gone viral, his nieces second outfit was not approved by school officials, either. Nettles published photos of the girl wearing both outfits so readers could see for themselves that her clothing was not revealing. In one photo, the girl is wearing a V-neck Minnie Mouse T-shirt with the word LOVE emblazoned across it, and in the second shes wearing another tee with an even higher V-neck.
Both of these outfits were deemed inappropriate at the girls school. (Photo: Courtesy of Facebook/robbie.nettles3)
Nettles attributes the discrimination to the girls weight and the fact that her clothing clings to her body. My niece may not be the ideal weight, but she was not showing anything inappropriate. It sickens me to imagine my sweet niece going to a school that cares more about her weight than whats in her mind, he wrote. He added that a second student with the same body type was also called out for what was deemed an inappropriate outfit, suggesting size discrimination that goes beyond just his niece.
The post hit a nerve in the Facebook community. Hundreds of users came forward to express their outrage.
Another Facebooker admitted shes going through something similar with her daughter, who is only 4 years old. Obviously there are different body types, and, obviously, they are genetic, the mom said, referencing a weight bias. No one can change what they are predestined to have. And punishing a child for that is f*****g ridiculous.
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Nettles revealed in the comments that his niece is so upset about the situation, which she probably cant fully grasp at her age. Apparently, it is acceptable to body-shame a 9-year-old, Nettles concluded. We are really trying to encourage her.
In the post, Nettles suggests that if the school is so concerned with nitpicking students attire, officials should implement a school uniform. Dress codes are open for interpretation and abuse, Nettles wrote. This abuse was demonstrated by the faculty at Brookhaven Elementary School.
Fellow Facebook users encouraged one another to keep sharing the post so it could go viral and it looks like they got their wish. As of this storys publication, the post had more than 46,000 shares.
You can read the full post below.
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Paris (AFP) - French fashion designer Haider Ackermann was named Thursday as the new artistic director of Berluti, the luxury brand said.
The historic Paris men's shoe and leather house, which once counted artist Andy Warhol and European royalty among its loyal clients, moved into men's clothing five years ago.
Ackermann, 45, who is best known for his richly coloured bohemian designs for women, said Berluti "represents the essence of luxury for men and I am inspired by the thought of this new adventure."
The Columbian-born creator, a product of the famous Antwerp fashion school in Belgium alongside Dries Van Noten and Anne Demeulemeester, replaces Alexandro Sartori who parted company with Berluti, which is part of the LVMH luxury group, in February.
Ackermann will continue to design for his own women's line, Berluti told AFP.
Those little cheeks! King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan is taking a page from Kate Middletons parenting book and sharing snapshots of his adorable 6-month-old son but the Dragon King went one step further, using the images for the royals official calendar.
In the photos, which were released by cultural organization Yellow Bhutan, Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck is decked out in traditional garb a checked robe with cream-colored cuffs, tiny navy shoes, and a round yellow button bearing his fathers face.
The toddler is laughing at something off-camera in one image and looking straight at the lens in another with an endearingly serious face.
PHOTOS: Prince George's Baby Album: Kate Middleton and Prince William's Firstborn Son
Our September calendar is a treat, featuring these adorable images of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey, as photographed by His Majesty The King, the accompanying Facebook message on Yellow Bhutans page reads. It is a joy to see our little Prince growing up so quickly, and touching to see him already begin to carry our Royal Duties.
Princess Charlotte at 6 Months Old: Who Does She Look Like Most?
The Bhutanese king and his wife, Queen Jetsun Pema, welcomed the Duchess and Prince William to their country during the British royals tour through India and Bhutan in April. There, the Duke and Duchess had the honor of taking part in a Chipdrel, a traditional welcome procession, complete with music and ceremonial dress.
In May, the Duchess of Cambridge shared images of daughter Charlotte in honor of the royal tots first birthday, capturing the little fashionistas curious and playful nature.
PHOTOS: Kate Middleton and Prince William Visit India and Bhutan: Photos of Their Royal Tour
The Duke and Duchess are very happy to be able to share these important family moments and hope that everyone enjoys these lovely photos as much as they do, the palace told Us Weekly in a statement.
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa is set to reappoint the chairwoman of its loss-making national airline, an ally of President Jacob Zuma, despite objections from some Treasury officials, a Finance Ministry source said on Thursday. South African Airways (SAA) has failed to submit financial statements for the past two years, with results for 2015/16 held back by the Treasury's refusal to grant the carrier 5 billion rand ($340 million) in additional loan guarantees. Word of the reappointment of SAA chair Dudu Myeni came a day after asset manager Futuregrowth said it had halted lending to state-owned firms over concerns of political interference in their administration. "An announcement is to be made either today or tomorrow," the source said, adding that ministry officials opposed to Myeni's selection had however managed to push through some preferred candidates to the cash-strapped airline's new board. Zuma last December denied rumours that he had an affair with Myeni. Local media had speculated that their ties had led to the sacking of then-finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, who had rebuked Myeni for mismanaging a 1 billion rand deal with Airbus. Zuma's office at the time also criticised as a "malicious fabrication" reports that Nene was removed because Myeni was not happy with instructions from the respected ex-finance minister. The presidency has defended a plan to form a new committee that would oversee state-owned enterprises like SAA, and be supervised by Zuma. Critics say that move would limit current Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's control over the firms. Responding to speculation on Thursday that Myeni's contract would be extended, the main opposition Democratic Alliance said such a move would be "bad for SAA, bad for our economy and bad for Pravin Gordhan". The rand has taken a knock this past week as investors fretted that Gordhan could be charged over the activities of a surveillance unit set up when he was head of the tax department. Police say the surveillance unit illegally spied on politicians. Zuma has reaffirmed his support for Gordhan but cannot stop the investigation. ($1 = 14.6867 rand) (Reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Because of the generosity of Lincoln and surrounding communities, Bridges to Hopes warehouse is bursting at the seams. We would like to open our warehouse to the rest of the community by sharing our overflow during a sale Sept. 8-9, asking only for free-will donations.
Pick out as much as you would like and pay as much as you feel you can. We will have clothing, furniture, office chairs and other miscellaneous household items to choose from and plenty of greeting cards. Hours are 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 8 and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Bridges to Hope Warehouse, 3107 S. Sixth St
Money raised will be used to cover overhead costs of maintaining Bridges to Hopes warehouse, a non-profit agency serving men and women soon to be or recently released from correctional institutions throughout Nebraska. The goal is to create and sustain joint efforts to prevent re-entrants from falling back into their criminal behaviors and to lower the recidivism rate. This is done by providing re-entrants with everything they need to start up a new home. Furniture, clothing, household items and hygiene products are a few of the items provided to them at no cost. All items are donated by community members.
To learn more, call (402) 420-5696.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African state-owned power firm Eskom will not be affected by asset manager Futuregrowth's decision to stop lending it money, the utility said on Thursday. Futuregrowth, which manages client assets of around $12 billion, said it would no longer lend to six state-owned firms, including power utility Eskom, citing political turmoil in the face of the investigation on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. "The announcement by Futuregrowth Asset Managers does not place Eskoms funding plan at risk," Eskom said in a statement. Eskom said it has liquidity of about 38 billion rand ($2.6 billion) and had more than 57 percent of its borrowing requirement of 69 billion rand for the 2016/17 financial year. ($1 = 14.7231 rand) (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by James Macharia)
Hermine bears down on Floridas Gulf Coast. (Photo by NOAA via Getty Images)
Today, thousands of travelers who made Labor Day weekend plans are scrambling to rebook trips, as Tropical Storm Hermine makes its way to Florida and other states on the Southeast coast. The storm is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reaches land on Thursday night. Out in the Pacific, Hawaii is currently battling Tropical Storm Madeline, and Hurricane Lester is expected to hit the chain of islands over the weekend. All of this goes to show once again that no matter how much time you spend planning the perfect vacation, theres one thing you can never control: the weather.
Several airlines are stepping up to assist frustrated travelers in salvaging what they can of their trips.
Here is a list of airlines waiving fees to change, rebook, or cancel flights due to the weather.
Alaska Airlines (ALK)
Due to Hurricane Madeline, the airline is offering a waiver if youre traveling in or out of Kona International Airport (KOA)in Hawaii and want to postpone or cancel your travel plans. Tickets must have been purchased before Aug. 30, 2016, and original travel dates must be between Aug. 30 and Sept. 1.
Alaska Airlines will waive the change fee and the difference in the price of the ticket if the new travel is booked to, from or through the affected cities. The new flight must be in the same cabin as the original ticket and travel must occur on or before Sept. 10.
More details here.
American Airlines (AAL)
American Airlines will waive the change fee for passengers affected by both storms if you purchased your original ticket by Aug. 30, 2016.
To get a waiver for travel in the Southeast, you must be scheduled to travel on Sept. 3-4 to/from/through the following airports: Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fla.(VPS); Gainesville, Fla. (GNV); Jacksonville, Fla. (JAX); Pensacola, Fla. (PNS); Sarasota, Fla. (SRQ); Tallahassee, Fla. (TLH); Tampa, Fla. (TPA); Savannah, Ga. (SAV); Fayetteville, NC (FAY); Wilmington, NC (ILM); Charleston, SC (CHS); Florence, SC (FLO); Columbia, SC (CAE); Hilton Head Island, SC (HHH); Myrtle Beach, SC (MYR).
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To receive a waiver for travel to the Hawaiian islands, you must be scheduled to travel Aug. 31- Sept. 1 to/from/through the following airports: Hilo, Hawaii (ITO); Honolulu, Hawaii (HNL); Kahului, Maui, Hawaii (OGG); Kona, Hawaii (KOA); Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii (LIH).
More details here.
Residents of Holmes Beach, Fla. survey rising water associated with Tropical Storm Hermine. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
Delta Air Lines (DAL)
Due to the tropical depression approaching Southeastern US, Delta is waiving the fee to rebook, reschedule or cancel flights. Impacted travel dates are Sept. 1-2, 2016, and rebooked travel must occur no later than Sept. 6. When rescheduled travel occurs beyond Sept. 6, 2016, the change fee will be waived. However, a difference in fare may apply.
Affected cities include: Brunswick, Ga. (BQK); Charleston, SC (CHS); Destin Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. (VPS); Gainesville, Fla. (GNV); Jacksonville, Fla. (JAX); Myrtle Beach, SC (MYR); Panama City, Fla. (ECP); Pensacola, Fla. (PNS); Sarasota, Fla. (SRQ); Savannah, Ga. (SAV); Tallahassee, Fla. (TLH); Tampa, Fla. (TPA); Valdosta, Ga. (VLD); Wilmington, NC (ILM)
If you want to cancel you itinerary due to a flight cancellation, you are entitled to a refund for the unused portion of your ticket.
Hurricane Madeline is expected to impact travel to and from parts of Hawaii. Passengers scheduled to fly to/from/through Kahului, Hawaii (OGG) or Kona (KOA) from Aug.31 Sept. 1 can rebook their itinerary with no penalties if the ticket is reissued on or before Sept. 6. When rescheduled travel occurs beyond Sept. 6, 2016, the change fee will be waived, but a difference in fare may apply.
More details here.
JetBlue (JBLU)
JetBlue will waive the ticket change fee and fare difference for passengers flying through the Southeastern US on Sept. 1-3, 2016. Original travel must have been booked on or before Aug. 30.
Fees will be waived for passengers traveling to/from/through: Charleston, SC (CHS)
Daytona Beach, Fla. (DAB); Fort Myers, Fla. (RSW); Jacksonville, Fla. (JAX); Orlando, Fla. (MCO); Sarasota, Fla. (SRQ); Savannah/Hilton Head, Ga. (SAV); Tampa, Fla. (TPA).
Customers may rebook their flights for travel until Sept. 9, 2016. If your flight was canceled, you can opt for a refund.
More details here.
Southwest Airlines (LUV)
Customers who are concerned about Tropical Storm Hermine are eligible to reschedule their flights as long as the changes fit in Southwests standard accommodation procedures. Southwest, which never charges fees to change flights, will allow customers ticketed between Aug. 31 and Sept. 3 to reschedule their flights within two weeks of the original travel date without paying a difference in fare.
Cities where travel might be affected include: Charleston (CHS), Ft. Myers (RSW), Jacksonville (JAX), Orlando (MCO), Panama City Beach (ECP) and Tampa (TPA).
More details here.
Madeline weakened to a Tropical Storm as it passes by Hawaiis Big Island, but Hurricane Lester isnt far behind.
Spirit Airlines (SAVE)
If youre planning to fly Sept. 1 and need to change your travel plans, Spirit will waive the change fee and the fare difference. The only airport affected is Tampa, Fla. (TPA), and customers can modify their reservations through Sept. 7. After that date, the modification charge will be waived, but the fare difference may apply.
More details here.
United Airlines (UAL)
Its a crazy travel week for weather, and United is prepared to assist passengers flying to all of the areas affected by tropical storms or hurricanes.
The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for customers traveling Sept.1-3 through the following airports: Charleston, SC; Columbia, SC; Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Fayetteville, NC; Jacksonville, Fla.; Myrtle Beach, SC; Panama City, Fla.; Pensacola, Fla.; Savannah, Ga.; and Tampa, Fla.
United is also offering waivers for those traveling to destinations in the path of Hurricane Madeline. If your original travel date was Aug. 31- Sept. 1, United will waive the change fee and any difference in fare for new flights departing on or before Sept. 6. Affected Hawaiian airports include Hilo (ITO), Kahului (OGG) and Kona (KOA).
The airline is also waiving fees for customers traveling to Hawaii on Sept. 3 4, whose flights may be affected by Hurricane Lester.
More details here.
Virgin America (VA)
Both Hurricanes Madeline and Lester are forecast to impact the Hawaii area, so Virgin America has issued a travel advisory for the state.
People with flights to or from Maui on Aug. 31Sept. 1 are allowed to change their travel dates by Sept. 3 without paying a change fee or the difference in fare. Guests can switch to available flights from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2016. Passengers who wish to cancel their itineraries can do so without paying a cancellation fee.
More details here.
Brittany is a writer at Yahoo Finance.
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The struggle for Aleppo poses an awful threat for the United States. The ongoing battle for what was once Syrias second-largest city has united two of the most prominent opposition coalitions. Their goal is to defeat Bashar al-Assads regime. But theres one more thing they have in common neither has ever received significant help from Washington in their joint effort to break a nearly month-long siege of opposition-controlled areas of the city and conquer the rest of it.
The groups that have been trying to protect civilians in Aleppo from the siege tactics and indiscriminate attacks of the Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian allies may succeed nonetheless. But Washingtons inaction may inadvertently be paving the way for Syrias next Islamic State.
Thats because al Qaeda has filled the breach left by the absence of the United States. Al Qaeda is resurgent globally, exploiting American blind spots, and building a popular local vanguard to oversee the transformation of local populations in countries where the state has collapsed. Syria is its current focus. The United States now has little choice but to reorient its strategy in Syria to focus on the threat posed by al Qaeda.
Al Qaedas presence and influence in Syria was never confined to its formal affiliate, the Nusra Front. It dispatched numerous senior leaders and strategists to oversee the creation of a vanguard for al Qaeda within the Syrian revolutionary movement after the start of the civil war in 2011. These operatives, which the U.S. government calls the Khorasan group, not only advised the Nusra Fronts top leadership, but also leaders of other Syrian opposition groups. Al Qaedas intent was to cultivate a series of rebel groups sympathetic to its aims while building a formal affiliate to normalize and diffuse its ideology. Al Qaeda probably also intended to establish a buffer against the possibility that an American intervention could destroy al Qaedas entire network by eliminating one organization.
The Syrian war now involves U.S.-vetted and armed moderate groups, but also includes a significant component belonging to either Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the successor of the Nusra Front, or its close ally, Ahrar al-Sham. Both are now vital components of the largest opposition coalitions operating in Aleppo, Jaysh al-Fatah, and Fatah Halab.
Ahrar al-Sham epitomizes how al Qaeda is developing a network of sympathetic local revolutionary forces: The Syrian opposition group is a key node in the al Qaeda network that has nonetheless achieved the image of a mainstream Syrian opposition movement. It is the largest and most powerful recipient of al Qaedas tutelage after Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.
There is a common perception that Ahrar al-Sham never fully absorbed al Qaedas ideology, despite al Qaedas intent to use the group as part of its Syrian vanguard. Current U.S. policy assumes that Ahrar al-Sham can be split from al Qaeda and reconciled to a future Syrian state. Defenders of Ahrar al-Sham further argue that al Qaeda does not exert operational control over the organization and conclude that Ahrar al Sham can be dealt with separately from al Qaeda. This is little more than wishful thinking.
The most prominent mentor for Ahrar al-Shams original leadership, Abu Khalid al-Suri, was a veteran fighter in Afghanistan who worked closely with al Qaeda. He was also a student of Salafi jihadi strategist Abu Musab al-Suri, a leading al Qaeda ideologue who argued that in the near-term, al Qaeda should tolerate a range of actors within the Muslim community. Nor did al Qaedas influence over Ahrar al-Sham end with his death in 2014: A Khorasan cell member named Rifai Taha subsequently took his place as the liaison between Ahrar al-Sham and the Nusra Front.
Ahrar al-Shams activity demonstrates that its strategy is joined at the hip with al Qaeda, and represents a local vanguard for the transnational jihadi group in Syria. Al Qaedas signature is apparent in Ahrar al-Shams campaign to transform the religious identity of Syrians. The group governs through a series of sharia courts throughout the northern Idlib and Aleppo provinces, operating in parallel to the Nusra Front, which enforces hard-line rulings such as veil requirements for women and restricts freedom of the press.
Ahrar al-Shams goal is to replace the Assad regime with a theocracy. This vision is a fundamental change from the initial demands of the Syrian opposition in 2011 for a democratic and pluralistic system. Syrian opposition groups nonetheless view Ahrar al-Sham as a mainstream actor, because of its major contributions to the war against the Assad regime. It serves as the mortar that binds opposition groups together in northern Syria and is well-positioned to merge these forces with Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and solidify sharia-based governance all without the world realizing that the result would be a major win for al Qaedas aims in Syria.
Ahrar al-Sham intentionally serves as the Syrian connective tissue for the global Salafi jihadi movement. It is networked into the global Salafi jihadi movement and sees itself as such outwardly identifying with major ideologues in the global Salafi jihadi movement and explaining its jihad as a continuation of the jihad begun by Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar. This mirrors the narrative of al Qaeda affiliates. Ahrar al Sham also accepts foreign fighters into its ranks and is featured prominently in Nusra Front-linked propaganda calling for Muslims to immigrate to Syria to wage jihad.
Ahrar al-Sham has also supported al Qaedas operations to attack the West from Syria. In November 2014, U.S. airstrikes targeted an al Qaeda cell that then-Attorney General Eric Holder said has entered the execution phase of an attack; the strikes hit the Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham bases in Idlib province.
The strikes were a deliberate targeting operation, which means that before striking, the United States carefully developed intelligence tying Ahrar al-Sham to the al Qaeda attack node planning an imminent attack on the American homeland or Europe. The physical presence of Khorasan operatives or infrastructure at an Ahrar al-Sham base suggests that, while some of its members may not support external attacks, al Qaeda is confident enough in the loyalty of the groups leadership to entrust it with some of al Qaedas most valuable assets.
The battle for Aleppo stands to solidify Ahrar al-Shams influence over the local population in Syria. The groups leading role in breaking the regimes siege of over 250,000 civilians in the eastern districts of Aleppo has secured its place in the hearts and minds of Syrian people. Ahrar al-Sham will continue to deepen its military partnerships with the opposition in Aleppo while developing local support by providing aid and other services to those remaining in the city. It will be in a strong position to increase its governing role inside the city alongside Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which is reaping similar rewards for its role in breaking the siege.
Meanwhile, Turkey is using its intervention in northern Syria against the Islamic State and the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces to position itself as a power broker and is empowering its strongest opposition ally, Ahrar al-Sham, to play a key role. Ahrar al-Sham participated in the Turkey-backed offensive near the Euphrates but did not publicize its role, as American air support for the initial operation incentivized Turkey to emphasize the role of Free Syrian Army-affiliated groups. Ahrar al Sham has long called for Turkeys direct involvement in the Syrian Civil War, including publicly advocating for a Turkey-implemented safe zone in northern Aleppo in August 2015.
The United States risks losing the war against extremism in Syria if it continues to allow Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham to be seen by the Syrian people as the victors in Aleppo. Ahrar al-Sham is as much a part of al Qaedas long game in Syria as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. It shares the same goal to shape Syrias population in a way that facilitates global jihad, and its pragmatic approach advances al Qaedas aim to build a durable safe haven in the Levant.
Ahrar al Shams window to disavow al Qaeda and work against Jabhat Fateh al-Sham should be closing rapidly. The United States must take action to provide Syrian civilians and opposition groups with an acceptable alternative to the al Qaeda network. Washington must also focus on preventing the further development of sharia-based governance structures in opposition-held areas in order to combat al Qaedas subversive strategy. If Ahrar al-Sham does not act decisively to counteract al Qaeda in Syria, it must be treated as, and targeted as, an equal threat.
For the time being, U.S. policymakers must resist the temptation to drift into an alliance with Russia and Assad to accomplish this goal. Any such partnership would ensure remaining mainstream opposition groups will turn away from the United States and toward hard-line elements of the Syrian opposition, effectively removing any potential Sunni partners against the Islamic State and al Qaeda from the battlefield. An alliance with Russia or Assad would only accelerate al Qaedas victory.
Photo credit: ALICE Martins/AFP/Getty Images
VENICE Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender, one of the worlds most fashionable couples, hit the Lido Thursday and insisted on talking, of all things, about the subject of their press conference: Derek Cianfrances The Light Between Oceans, in which they star and which world premieres at the Venice Festival.
Shot in 2014 on Cape Campbell, a tiny, wind-buffeted peninsula in New Zealand, The Light Between the Oceans was the film where the actors met, fell in love and have remained a couple ever since.
Fassbender and Vikander were keen to talk about their onscreen characters in The Light Between Oceans, an adaptation of M.L. Stedmans bestseller of the same title. In it, they play an upstanding but shell-shocked WWI vet-turned-lighthouse keeper and his young wife, who is desperate to have a child after two miscarriages and after losing her two brothers in WWI. She and her husband have both, in a sense, been traumatised by death, by WWI.
One bright day, a rowing boat washes up on the beach right outside the lighthouse with on board a dead man and a live two-month baby girl, which they decide to pass it off as their new-born daughter. That decision leaves huge hostages to fortune.
But Fassbender and Vikander were less keen to talk about their private life together, despite some good-humored prompting..
I have a question for Mr. Fassbender because I would like him to look into my eyes, a bubbly Italian journalist started off the press conferences questions to laughter. She continued: I think this is the very first role in which you play a family man. Is this a rehearsal?
Everything is a rehearsal, Fassbender answered, but didnt answer the more private question.
That said, they were candid about the challenges and pleasures of the film. The one biggest challenge of playing Isabel, Vikander said, was that she wasnt a mother, She realised that acting wasn-t playing characters that were not herself. But though Isabels yearning was so profound that she could understand it, though she felt under pressure when playing the role that half the audience would think she was playing emotions she hadnt experienced.
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I loved Tom, his moral compass, his strength. Its a love story, but really a story about life. WWI was such a horrific war, though all wars are horrific. So we-re started with a place where war and death is coming with us. Isabels character is so full of life, future.
If there was one thing to take away from the film it is forgiveness, he added. Another, Fassbender said, about the question of parenting in a film where it is such a large issue, is: What you can offer the child, as opposed to what the child can offer you.
I knew I had to come in and work with these guys and give it my very best. But I was up for the game, but I was very nervous. I got people that picked me up when I fell and who pushed me. One of the first things Derek told me when I got into the room was: I expect my actors to fail and I expect them to surprise me, Vikander recalled.
She continued: Michaels support in those scenes were a big part of me daring to go all the way, which was needed for the role of Isabel.
Fassbender admitted of Vikander, who had yet to win her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award when she played Isabel, that I was kind of scared when Alicia came. She was so fierce and hungry. It was something that its always a great thing to see in an actor who is coming on, getting an opportunity who hasnt been well known yet.
He went on: I remember that from when I was starting, that hunger when really fresh actors come on the scene makes more established actors up their game. he said. I really felt like I had to get my shit together and just be there and be as present as she was and Derek is somebody who demands more and more and more.
Cianfrance called The Light Between Oceans a battle between truth and love.
In Cianfrances third feature after he broke out with Blue Valentine, then followed up with The Place Beyond the Pines, the ocean stands as a multiple metaphor, for forces beyond the star-crossed lovers control, a primal force and larger immensity, the director argued.
This is a primal landscape where human nature and mother nature are one. There was a passage in the book that really devastated me, where Tom, the lighthouse keeper was holding his daughters hand and looking out into the ocean and seeing rocks that had been beaten by the ocean for hundreds of thousands of years, Cianofrance said.
Nothing that came before, in the eternity of time, or would come after, was more important to him than his daughter at that moment. Such moments may be insignificant over the course of time, but when you are living them they are momentous. I wanted to try and create that juxtaposition of scale.
Ive taken it as my mission to tell human, family stories, Cianfrance said at the press conference.
He had already talked eloquently to Variety about how he set out with The Light Between Oceans, a addict of documentaries, to become a documentarian of fiction. Cianfrance shot 209 hours of footage for the film, searching as he shot for a revelatory moment of truth.
He commented: I have a real problem with fakery. When I work with my actors even the greatest actors in the world like Fassbender, Rachel Weiss, and Vikander, Im looking for the acting to stop and life to begin.
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Two years ago, Netflix launched in France, vowing to sign up more than 1 million customers and to turn a profit by its second anniversary. But the streaming giant has struggled to meet those goals, and its decision last week to close its Paris office has reinforced impressions that Netflix is flailing in France just as Amazon is getting ready to roll out its video-on-demand service by years end.
Many analysts say Amazon is better-positioned to capture the Gallic market, boasting greater access to local content and stronger relationships with local industry figures and institutions. Netflix, by contrast, has been hampered by a flawed acquisition strategy, strict regulations on release windows, and, some say, arrogance.
Netflix wont reveal its subscription numbers in overseas markets, but industry sources estimate them at between 850,000 and 1 million in France. Thats far short of the companys initial goal of 1.6 million French subscribers or 10% of all French households in order to reach profitability in the territory within two years. Netflix declined to comment, but a company source acknowledged that France is a loss-making territory.
Netflixs difficulties are due in large part to insufficient access to local content with mass appeal. That puts it at a disadvantage versus domestic competitors such as pay-TV channel Canal Plus and free-to-air networks.
Emmanuel Durand, head of marketing at Warner Bros. France and author of a book on digital disruption, says Netflix is looking to cut spending on catalog titles in individual territories in order to concentrate investment in prestige shows like Stranger Things, in the hope that those shows would drive up subscriptions worldwide.
French Figures Neither company releases such data, but sources give Amazon the edge. 2m Amazon Prime Now subscribers 18m Visitors to Amazon.fr in Q1 >1m Estimated Netflix subscribers
Netflix is a company driven by engineers who think a good product will work across 130 markets. Its a bit naive, and it doesnt work that way in France, Durand says. He adds that it is a mistake for Netflix not to have a regional boss in France in charge of acquisitions; those decisions are handled from inside the U.S. (The Paris office was a small outpost that employed six marketing and communication staffers. Those functions will be conducted out of Netflixs European headquarters in Amsterdam.)
Story continues
France is unique because of the prevalence of local content, and Netflix has struggled to acquire the necessary quantity, unlike in other markets such as Spain where theyve been able to provide a wealth of local content and leverage it in Spanish-language markets, says Richard Cooper, an analyst at London-based consultancy IHS.
Netflixs only French-language series, Marseille, earned mixed reviews, but the company has commissioned a second season.
Frances strictly timed release windows, which make streaming services wait 36 months to offer a title after it debuts in cinemas, has been another challenge for Netflix. For example, French film Divines, the Cannes Camera dOr winner for which Netflix acquired worldwide rights, will be available to the companys subscribers in France roughly three years after almost every other market. Discussions between the French industry and authorities to cut the waiting period in half have stalled.
Amazon will have to comply with the same 36-month wait before offering a new title to subscribers of its streaming service. But, unlike Netflix, it offers the option of pay-per-view, under which a movie can be available just four to six months after its theatrical release.
Aside from Divines, Netflixs other French acquisitions, such as Sacha Wolffs Mercenary and Sebastien Betbeders comedy Journey to Greenland, are perceived as too low-profile to boost subscriptions.
Netflix hasnt been aggressive enough, says an executive at a prominent film company who asked not to be identified. France is dominated by free-to-air and pay-TV channels that still spend big bucks on content, and Netflix hasnt been able to rival the money they put on the table.
Charles Gillibert at CG Cinema, the company behind Olivier Assayas Personal Shopper and Deniz Gamze Erguvens Oscar-nominated Mustang, finds Netflixs focus on video releases problematic. Netflix is all about VOD, but thats not attractive to many filmmakers and producers because it locks films in secondary markets without giving them theatrical exposure.
Amazon has earned a reputation as being more filmmaker-friendly than Netflix. Amazon Studios had five movies at Cannes in May, and execs Ted Hope, Bob Berney, and Scott Foundas have been cultivating ties with French industry players. Amazon has a much more qualitative approach than Netflix, says Gillibert. Theyre interested in auteur cinema from around the world, value theatrical, and people we interact with at Amazon are true film lovers.
Amazon has been in touch with French institutions such as Unifrance and the National Film Board. At Cannes, Amazons head of worldwide film, Jason Ropell, attended a panel hosted by Frances Culture Ministry on the financing of French creative work. Netflix, which was also invited, was MIA and people noticed.
Netflix has made some communications faux pas that have been interpreted as arrogant, Durand says.
And while Netflixs early jump into France allowed it to seal deals to put its service on the set-top boxes of all but one major French telecom operator, Amazon doesnt need as much access to those boxes; it has a built-in consumer base in France through website Amazon.fr, which launched 16 years ago. Amazon.fr had an estimated 18 million French visitors per month during the first quarter of 2016.
Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Now, which bowed in the spring, already has about 2 million subscribers, according to an industry source. Those subscribers will automatically have access to the Amazon video service when it debuts instantly giving Amazon more customers than have signed up with Netflix in the past two years.
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Ryan Harrison had plenty to be happy about, as he pulled off a huge upset over Milos Raonic. (Getty Images)
The third day of US Open action delivered the tournaments first big shocker as world No. 120 Ryan Harrison stunned Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic in the second round.
The 24-year-old Texan prevailed 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 over the fifth-seeded Raonic to make his first-ever appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam.
It was extremely physical out there but I was playing on adrenaline, Harrison told reporters after the match. This is a big win for me. I have been playing well all summer.
Raonic struggled with injuries and cramps throughout the match. He took a medical timeout in the third set to tend to an ailing left wrist, but the heat and humidity seemed to take a greater toll on the Canadians body. Raonic looked completely spent as the match grew on, wincing with every movement and barely putting up a fight in the fourth and final set.
Harrisons performance highlighted a strong day for the American men, as Jack Sock and John Isner also advanced to the third round.
Sal Valentinetti may only be 21 years old, but the America's Got Talent crooner is really an old soul.
Backed by an orchestra, (Aug. 30) on the NBC talent competition, Valentinetti once again channeled his hero, Frank Sinatra, and brought swagger to the Chairman of the Board's "That's Life" in the AGT semi-finals.
"Sinatra to me was an all around entertainer. I try to use my personality as much as can and I think that is what Sinatra did so effortlessly," he tells Billboard. "It's good to be able to channel Frank and be that guy up there. That's the same guy I am. Frank was a confident, larger than life person, and I try to be the same style of entertainer."
Grace VanderWaal Impresses with Another Original on 'America's Got Talent': Watch
Tonight, Valentinetti will discover whether or not he made it through to the finals of AGT, but he said that either way, he plans to continue singing "win, lose or draw."
"For me, no matter what happens tonight this is what I am doing for the rest of my life," he says. "I'm 21 years old, I'm in college, and it's the most stressful time. You are only in this world two decades and you have to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. That question, that stressful question, was asked of me up on that stage the first time, and that first audition. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life, so this is happening either way."
Valentinetti said the encouragement from the judges, particularly Simon Cowell who said he now feels like the Bethpage, New York native is ready for the title.
"I felt absolutely great when Simon "now I feel like you are here to win,'" he says. "Simon Cowell is a titan in this industry."
Judge Heidi Klum, who catapulted Valentinetti into the competition by pushing the Golden Buzzer, almost made Valentinetti tear up when she praised his "heart of gold."
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"I almost got a little emotional up there," he says. "I feel like they see me singing up there on stage, and really I am as you see me. I try to be nice to everybody and as good as a person as I can. My parents raised me a certain way, and clearly if I acted any other way I wouldn't be doing them justice. Making them proud of me is paramount, too. To hear that from Heidi was really special and it opened America's eyes to an aspect they don't get to see on the stage."
To think America almost never got to hear the former American Idol contestant sing is unfathomable at this moment, but Valentinetti said his initial audition in front of Adam Lambert in Brooklyn was a "goof."
Watch Brian Justin Crum Earn a Standing Ovation on 'America's Got Talent'
"I did it on a bet. I never thought I was any good," he says. "If I thought I was any good, don't you think I would have worked harder to get out of that pizza joint?"
Valentinetti was delivering pizza for his cousin's restaurant and singing at a friend's restaurant for "$100 a week," just to put gas in his Cadillac to take his girlfriend out on dates. His beloved Uncle Joe -- who sadly passed away in 2015 -- encouraged him to take a shot and audition for the Fox competition. Valentinetti was at first resistant to trying out for a "pop show," but his uncle offered his Range Rover for the summer in the event he auditioned and did not come through with a Golden Ticket. He earned the ticket (and the car) after that audition and high praise from Lambert, who predicted that audiences would love him.
"He is really cool, actually," Valentinetti says of Lambert. "He is a larger than life performer and entertainer, but a down to earth person."
That Golden Ticket was his first introduction the live television, he says.
"I got on the show, was able to sing, and hit on J Lo [judge Jennifer Lopez] a little bit. We had a thing going," he says, adding that he made a friend for life with fellow season 14 alum, Jax.
"She is a great friend," he says. "Her family, they are great people. I met them in the holding room at American Idol. They gave me this little camera to interview people. I looked around and saw this girl with the 'X' on her cheek and her father is wearing an FDNY hat and I thought they seemed like cool people. I sat down and spoke with them and that kicked off a life-long friendship. She is constantly calling and asking about my well being, even with everything she is going through right now with thyroid cancer."
When he was eliminated from the show after Hollywood week, his uncle passed away and he felt like the voice that was pushing him to continue was now silenced forever.
Watch 'America's Got Talent' Singer Grace VanderWaal Crush It, Again
"I lost my best friend," he says. "I gave up on that dream because I didn't think I had the push in me anymore."
Then, out of the "clear blue sky," Valentinetti got a call from America's Got Talent.
"They saw something in me that they could bring out. I didn't see it. I was on [Idol] for a hot second," he says. "When I got kicked off the show, there was all this negativity on Twitter and Instagram, 'oh you deserved to get canned,' and you start to believe it and when you no longer have that voice pushing you to go further."
But Valentinetti believes that the call from AGT was from beyond.
"It was almost a year to the day that he passed when they called," he says. "I like to think that he was still pushing me along, and he is still there for me even though he is not around."
As for his future career, Valentinetti said he plans to not only continue standards, but hinted he would like to do a little bit more with re-imagining pop standards like he did with One Direction's "Story of My Life." Perhaps a duet with Postmodern Jukebox is in the future?
"I think bridging the gap between the generations is important, as well as working on originals and trying to get our own stuff out there," he says. "What I tried to do there is prove to people is I am not a one trick pony. I'm an all around guy. I am what I am."
America's Got Talent airs Wednesday (Aug. 31) at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.
Watch Valentinetti below:
With crisp temperatures, few crowds and beautiful amber and gold leaves draping parks and small towns across the country, finding a reason to plan a fall drive is easy. But with a wide range of iconic routes to pick from, choosing where to take your epic drive can be a challenge. From leaf-peeping along Virginia's unspoiled backcountry roads to crisscrossing the vineyard- and orchard-strewn Hood River County Fruit Loop in Oregon, there are plenty of little-known yet spectacular drives featuring stunning seasonal displays. For a memorable road trip that packs plenty of scenery at a low cost, enjoy these legendary drives.
[See: Most Scenic Road Trips.]
Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Virginia
If you want to catch sight of changing leaves, hop on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, says Rebecca Warren, Lonely Planet's eastern U.S. destination editor. Start your journey at Front Royal, Virginia, the entryway to the Shenandoah Valley. Along the way, you'll take in striking scenery, "with a 105-mile road tracing the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains," Warren explains. Plus, there are a wealth of marked trails that are ideal for admiring the "rich jewel-toned leaves during peak season," she adds. Even better, the park offers plenty of lodging options, Warren adds, making it easy to plan a relaxed and affordable getaway. Andrew Young, Travelzoo's editorial director, North America, points to the Mark Addy Inn, which sits just off Skyline Drive, as an ideal lodging choice for price-sensitive visitors, with two-night stays starting at $199.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Driving on the 18-mile route (accessible from Route 101 off Interstate 95), you'll pass through Hampton Beach at Route 1A and cruise by picturesque Odiorne Point State Park before continuing on to Route 1B, which takes you along New Hampshire's scenic coastline to Portsmouth . In downtown Portsmouth, expect a mix of cobblestone streets and colonial buildings, along with "must-sees like the John Paul Jones House, the preserved colonial buildings at Strawbery Banke and the exceptional RiverRun bookstore," says Robert Firpo-Cappiello, editor-in-chief of Budget Travel. When it comes to accommodations, Firpo-Cappiello recommends the Port Inn, which offers rooms for less than $250 nightly in September and less than $200 in October. You'll also find a variety of budget chains, including Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott.
Story continues
Route 100, Vermont
As the fall leaves start to turn and Mother Nature puts on a dazzling display, Route 100's picturesque byway is a sight to behold, with the gorgeous Green Mountains, meandering hills and clear lakes punctuating its landscape. Wrapping through 20 towns and covering 138 miles, the route offers ample opportunity for recreational pursuits such as boating, fishing, biking and hiking. Breaks along the way can include hitting the links, checking out Vermont's vibrant towns, such as Stowe and Weston, or exploring Gifford Woods State Park. Plus, "this autumn, leaf peepers can take in panoramic mountaintop views from Okemo Mountain Resort," Young says, noting that Travelzoo.com currently lists stays for $99 this fall, making this New England getaway easy for price-conscious road-trippers.
[See: 7 Family-Friendly Fall Trips You Can Afford.]
Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee and Mississippi
Steeped in history and Southern charm, the Natchez Trail Parkway comes alive in the fall. The road starts roughly 17 miles southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, at Tennessee Highway 100 and spans 444 miles to Natchez, Mississippi. And "with bucolic views and zero commercialism," Warren says the Natchez Trace Parkway offers a chance to leisurely take in the gorgeous surroundings and enjoy some time in the great outdoors. "There are a wealth of interesting stops along the way, from trails through cypress swamps to local craft markets to Civil War sites," she adds. Plus, eating and lodging options in communities near the parkway are inexpensive and low-key, she adds. You can find plenty of affordable places in Nashville, with hotel deal site goSeek.com showing three-and-a-half-star properties for $180 in October.
The Berkshires, Massachusetts
New England has long been synonymous with gorgeous fall foliage and romantic cottages, and this year it's easy to plan a road trip through the region without leaving a dent in your wallet. For an unforgettable drive, hop on U.S. Route 7 for a 57-mile trip that weaves through Great Barrington and extends all the way to Lenox and Williamstown, Massachusetts. Travelzoo.com is featuring a promotion at the 1862 Seasons on Main Bed & Breakfast in Stockbridge for $229 for a two-night stay that includes free gourmet breakfast and high tea or wine in the afternoon, Young explains. Plus, the inn sits just over 2 miles east of the Norman Rockwell Museum, which showcases the world's largest original collection of Rockwell works. "New England has earned the reputation as the best region in the U.S. for leaf peeping with good reason," Warren says. "The vast swathes of pristine forests and idyllic country roads, complete with rustic covered bridges, are hard to beat," she adds. For Warren, the Berkshires are a personal favorite: "walking around the quaint shops of Great Barrington provides all of the autumnal delights that I crave after long, hot, humid summers -- crisp, clean air, impossibly blue skies, the smell of roasting nuts and a cup of apple cider to warm your hands."
Harbor Country, Michigan
A quick and convenient escape from the Windy City, Harbor Country in southwestern Michigan appeals to urbanites, Firpo-Cappiello says. Known for its white-sand beaches, picturesque views overlooking Lake Michigan, spectacular fall foliage and charming inns, Harbor Country's vibrant communities beckon to nearby Midwesterners, he adds. Points of interest along the 90-mile route along Interstate 94 and Route 12 (also known as the Red Arrow Highway) include Warren Dunes State Park, trendy art galleries and notable wineries like Tabor Hill. Firpo-Cappiello points to the Lakeside Inn for affordable accommodations, with rooms available for under $200 a night.
[See: America's Best Family Road Trips.]
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
If you're yearning for a quick and affordable escape from Portland, Oregon, head about 20 miles east to the Columbia River Gorge. Start on the west side of the gorge, accessible from Interstate 84, and wind your way past inspiring lookouts until you reach Hood River. Standout spots include Vista House at Crown Point, which offers a dramatic view of the Columbia River, and the 611-foot Multnomah Falls. "Taking a drive on the whimsically named Fruit Loop steers you through 35 miles of orchards, vineyards, forests and farmland," Firpo-Cappiello explains. As you snake along this route in Hood River, stopping at fresh farm stands and wineries along the way, you'll catch sight of majestic Mount Hood and Mount Adams in the backdrop, Firpo-Cappiello adds. And with an abundance of budget-friendly bed-and-breakfasts to pick from, it's easy to pull off an inexpensive trip. He points to Seven Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Hood River as an enticing lodging choice, with rooms available for $145 a night.
More From US News & World Report
With crisp temperatures, few crowds and beautiful amber and gold leaves draping parks and small towns across the country, finding a reason to plan a fall drive is easy. But with a wide range of iconic routes to pick from, choosing where to take your epic drive can be a challenge. From leaf-peeping along Virginia's unspoiled backcountry roads to crisscrossing the vineyard- and orchard-strewn Hood River County Fruit Loop in Oregon, there are plenty of little-known yet spectacular drives featuring stunning seasonal displays. For a memorable road trip that packs plenty of scenery at a low cost, enjoy these legendary drives.
[See: Most Scenic Road Trips.]
Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Virginia
If you want to catch sight of changing leaves, hop on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, says Rebecca Warren, Lonely Planet's eastern U.S. destination editor. Start your journey at Front Royal, Virginia, the entryway to the Shenandoah Valley. Along the way, you'll take in striking scenery, "with a 105-mile road tracing the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains," Warren explains. Plus, there are a wealth of marked trails that are ideal for admiring the "rich jewel-toned leaves during peak season," she adds. Even better, the park offers plenty of lodging options, Warren adds, making it easy to plan a relaxed and affordable getaway. Andrew Young, Travelzoo's editorial director, North America, points to the Mark Addy Inn, which sits just off Skyline Drive, as an ideal lodging choice for price-sensitive visitors, with two-night stays starting at $199.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Driving on the 18-mile route (accessible from Route 101 off Interstate 95), you'll pass through Hampton Beach at Route 1A and cruise by picturesque Odiorne Point State Park before continuing on to Route 1B, which takes you along New Hampshire's scenic coastline to Portsmouth . In downtown Portsmouth, expect a mix of cobblestone streets and colonial buildings, along with "must-sees like the John Paul Jones House, the preserved colonial buildings at Strawbery Banke and the exceptional RiverRun bookstore," says Robert Firpo-Cappiello, editor-in-chief of Budget Travel. When it comes to accommodations, Firpo-Cappiello recommends the Port Inn, which offers rooms for less than $250 nightly in September and less than $200 in October. You'll also find a variety of budget chains, including Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott.
Story continues
Route 100, Vermont
As the fall leaves start to turn and Mother Nature puts on a dazzling display, Route 100's picturesque byway is a sight to behold, with the gorgeous Green Mountains, meandering hills and clear lakes punctuating its landscape. Wrapping through 20 towns and covering 138 miles, the route offers ample opportunity for recreational pursuits such as boating, fishing, biking and hiking. Breaks along the way can include hitting the links, checking out Vermont's vibrant towns, such as Stowe and Weston, or exploring Gifford Woods State Park. Plus, "this autumn, leaf peepers can take in panoramic mountaintop views from Okemo Mountain Resort," Young says, noting that Travelzoo.com currently lists stays for $99 this fall, making this New England getaway easy for price-conscious road-trippers.
[See: 7 Family-Friendly Fall Trips You Can Afford.]
Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee and Mississippi
Steeped in history and Southern charm, the Natchez Trail Parkway comes alive in the fall. The road starts roughly 17 miles southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, at Tennessee Highway 100 and spans 444 miles to Natchez, Mississippi. And "with bucolic views and zero commercialism," Warren says the Natchez Trace Parkway offers a chance to leisurely take in the gorgeous surroundings and enjoy some time in the great outdoors. "There are a wealth of interesting stops along the way, from trails through cypress swamps to local craft markets to Civil War sites," she adds. Plus, eating and lodging options in communities near the parkway are inexpensive and low-key, she adds. You can find plenty of affordable places in Nashville, with hotel deal site goSeek.com showing three-and-a-half-star properties for $180 in October.
The Berkshires, Massachusetts
New England has long been synonymous with gorgeous fall foliage and romantic cottages, and this year it's easy to plan a road trip through the region without leaving a dent in your wallet. For an unforgettable drive, hop on U.S. Route 7 for a 57-mile trip that weaves through Great Barrington and extends all the way to Lenox and Williamstown, Massachusetts. Travelzoo.com is featuring a promotion at the 1862 Seasons on Main Bed & Breakfast in Stockbridge for $229 for a two-night stay that includes free gourmet breakfast and high tea or wine in the afternoon, Young explains. Plus, the inn sits just over 2 miles east of the Norman Rockwell Museum, which showcases the world's largest original collection of Rockwell works. "New England has earned the reputation as the best region in the U.S. for leaf peeping with good reason," Warren says. "The vast swathes of pristine forests and idyllic country roads, complete with rustic covered bridges, are hard to beat," she adds. For Warren, the Berkshires are a personal favorite: "walking around the quaint shops of Great Barrington provides all of the autumnal delights that I crave after long, hot, humid summers -- crisp, clean air, impossibly blue skies, the smell of roasting nuts and a cup of apple cider to warm your hands."
Harbor Country, Michigan
A quick and convenient escape from the Windy City, Harbor Country in southwestern Michigan appeals to urbanites, Firpo-Cappiello says. Known for its white-sand beaches, picturesque views overlooking Lake Michigan, spectacular fall foliage and charming inns, Harbor Country's vibrant communities beckon to nearby Midwesterners, he adds. Points of interest along the 90-mile route along Interstate 94 and Route 12 (also known as the Red Arrow Highway) include Warren Dunes State Park, trendy art galleries and notable wineries like Tabor Hill. Firpo-Cappiello points to the Lakeside Inn for affordable accommodations, with rooms available for under $200 a night.
[See: America's Best Family Road Trips.]
Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
If you're yearning for a quick and affordable escape from Portland, Oregon, head about 20 miles east to the Columbia River Gorge. Start on the west side of the gorge, accessible from Interstate 84, and wind your way past inspiring lookouts until you reach Hood River. Standout spots include Vista House at Crown Point, which offers a dramatic view of the Columbia River, and the 611-foot Multnomah Falls. "Taking a drive on the whimsically named Fruit Loop steers you through 35 miles of orchards, vineyards, forests and farmland," Firpo-Cappiello explains. As you snake along this route in Hood River, stopping at fresh farm stands and wineries along the way, you'll catch sight of majestic Mount Hood and Mount Adams in the backdrop, Firpo-Cappiello adds. And with an abundance of budget-friendly bed-and-breakfasts to pick from, it's easy to pull off an inexpensive trip. He points to Seven Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Hood River as an enticing lodging choice, with rooms available for $145 a night.
Liz Weiss is the Travel editor for Consumer Advice at U.S. News & World Report. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, circle her on Google+ or email her at eweiss@usnews.com.
Dear Doctor K: My husband had cataract surgery 10 years ago. Now it's my turn. Have there been any advances in the past decade that I should know about?
Dear Reader: A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye. It commonly causes poor vision and blindness among older adults. But cataracts can be surgically removed and replaced with artificial lenses. In fact, cataract surgery has become fairly routine. The vast majority of people who undergo this procedure have excellent outcomes.
I spoke to my colleague Dr. Christian Song. He is a cataract and refractive surgeon at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He noted that advances in imaging and measuring, and of the lenses themselves, are making cataract surgery even better.
Typically, cataract surgery is an outpatient procedure. To remove the cataract, the surgeon makes a circular incision around the eye's lens. Then he or she uses ultrasound to break up and remove the cloudy lens. After that, a new lens is slipped into the eye.
Some surgeons still use a scalpel for the incision. But more and more, surgeons are using an ultra-short-pulse laser. This allows doctors to make more precise incisions than they can by hand, and softens the cataract for easier removal. The laser also helps to ensure better centering of the implanted lens. Another advance: These days, 3D imaging is used with the laser, allowing still greater precision.
Once the cataract has been removed, a device attached to a microscope measures the total refractive error of the eye. (A refractive error occurs when the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing directly on the retina. As a result, vision appears blurred.) A sophisticated new technology called "intraoperative wavefront aberrometry" allows doctors to more accurately calculate the right lens power for the eye. This has been especially helpful for people who have had previous laser vision correction, such as LASIK.
This technology has also improved the ability to reduce or eliminate the effect of astigmatism. This is an imperfection in the shape of the cornea or lens, causing images to appear distorted or blurry.
Despite these advances, cataract surgery is not without risks. Complications are rare, but they can include severe vision loss, bleeding and infection.
That may sound scary, but the important thing to remember about rare complications is that they're rare. I'm not being flip; I'm having cataract surgery in a few weeks, well aware of the possible complications. But I've balanced the benefit from the surgery against the risk -- and it's an easy call for me.
Cataract surgery won't necessarily give you the vision you had when you were much younger. I'm not expecting that, and neither should you. But it is very likely to improve the vision you and I have now.
Cataract surgery today is so much more successful, and complications are so much rarer, than when I went to medical school. You and I can look forward to a very good outcome.
On March 2, 2016 Berta Caceres, a prominent Honduran environmental activist, was shot to death in her home. For many who followed her work, fighting against hydroelectric projects that imperil the livelihood of Lenca indigenous communities, the news was shocking, but not exactly a surprise. Caceres had long received threats: her activism was so contentious, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights had ordered the Honduran government to implement precautionary measures to protect her last year. But the harassment continued unabated.
Caceres wasnt alone. An Amnesty International report released Thursday paints a picture of pervasive hostility toward environmental campaigners in both Honduras and Guatemala, calling them the worlds deadliest countries for environmental activists on a per-capita basis. Last year eight activists working on environmental and territory issues were killed in Honduras, and 10 were killed in Guatemala. According to the NGO, so-called precautionary measures afforded to activists like Caceres often fail miserably to make any progress in limiting harassment and intimidation.
The tragic murder of Berta Caceres seems to have marked a deadly turning point for human rights defenders in the region, said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International, in a statement. The lack of a transparent and effective investigation into her killing has sent the abhorrent message that shooting someone, point blank, for standing up to powerful economic interests is actually allowed.
Indeed, the trend lines point to a deteriorating climate for activists in the region. According to a report earlier this year from Global Witness, an NGO, the number of people killed for environmental activism worldwide in 2015 jumped 59 percent from the previous year, to 185. Almost two-fifths of those were indigenous people trying to protect their own ancestral lands. Fueling the uptick in Honduras and Guatemala are a tangle of factors: The increase of extraction projects in the region; the intensification of the drug wars, pushed from Colombia and Venezuela into Central America; the militarization of policing; and a judicial system rife with impunity and corruption.
In their report, Amnesty catalogued a bevy of failures by the state: Weak protective measures for activists facing threats, intimidation, and a widespread failure to carry out independent investigations into their deaths. The NGO also pointed to the stigmatization of human rights workers, often victims of smear campaigns, as contributing to the increase in violence.
How many more human rights defenders like Berta have to die until the authorities take action to protect people who defend our planet? asked Guevara-Rosas.
Photo credit: ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images
By Rania El Gamal and Alex Lawler
DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - Two years after triggering an oil price war, Saudi Arabia has seemingly had enough of cheap crude amid budget pressures, fear of a future supply shortage, and as it seeks to offload a stake in state-owned producer Aramco.
The change in tone comes as OPEC and other producers such as Russia may resume talks on stabilising output when they meet in Algeria later this month, after a similar effort to boost oil prices collapsed in April due to Saudi-Iranian tensions.
"The Saudis are going to Algeria for a freeze," said a source in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries who is familiar with the matter and declined to be identified.
"More and more ministers are now talking among themselves to evaluate their production position."
OPEC in November 2014 made a landmark policy shift, led by Saudi Arabia, refusing to cut production by itself in the hope that lower prices would discourage higher-cost competitors that had eroded the group's market share.
Further cementing the impression of a production free-for-all, OPEC ditched its last remaining supply-management tool, an output ceiling, in December 2015.
From 2014 until earlier this year, Saudi Arabia's then-minister for oil, Ali al-Naimi, offered little verbal support for prices. The market determined them, Naimi said, but he gave no preferred range or any indication of what levels could be sustained in the long term.
Since Khalid al-Falih took over as energy minister, the tone has visibly shifted. He says the world needs oil above $50 per barrel to achieve a balanced market, and raised the prospect of Saudi Arabia resuming its role of balancing supply and demand.
Outwardly, there is no sign yet of a definite change in policy. But behind the scenes, Saudi Arabia has been working towards boosting prices, rather than leaving that job to market forces.
At OPEC's last meeting in June, held in Vienna, Falih surprised some of his counterparts by proposing OPEC set a new output ceiling, according to several people familiar with the matter.
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PRICE-BOOSTING ACTION AIRED
In Vienna, Falih floated a number of ideas in private meetings on how best to manage the supply glut, and questioned independent OPEC analysts during separate meetings as to the possible price impact of a production freeze or even a cut.
At private talks with the Nigerian oil minister before the June 2 OPEC meeting, Falih was willing to revive the idea of a production freeze while showing more tolerance towards Iran, which is raising output post-sanctions, sources said.
"The Saudi minister met with the Nigerian minister and discussed a ceiling of 32 million barrels per day with flexibility towards Iran," one source said.
More talks with Iran led by Qatar, which holds the OPEC presidency in 2016, took place privately but they failed to get Tehran on board because Iran argued it needed to regain market share lost during years of Western sanctions, the sources said.
On the day of the OPEC meeting, Gulf members proposed discussing a ceiling.
"But Iran said no, so the ministers moved quickly to discuss the secretary-general nomination," the source said. OPEC agreed to appoint Nigerian Mohammed Barkindo to the position.
ARAMCO VALUATION
Saudi Arabia is by far the largest OPEC producer, pumping more than twice as much as the second-biggest, Iraq.
Even so, plunging oil prices since mid-2014 have put stress on Saudi Arabia's finances, causing a big budget deficit last year and forcing the kingdom to seek new sources of income, including taxes and other fees and to cut spending.
The government is trying to boost non-oil revenue and modernise the economy through a reform plan called "Vision 2030", championed by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, of which the centrepiece is the sale of a stake in Saudi Aramco.
Sources in the oil industry say this partly explains the shift in tone on prices.
The Saudis "want higher oil prices for a better Aramco valuation", one industry source said, adding that some think Aramco could be valued as high as $4 trillion.
Prince Mohammed has said he expects the initial public offering (IPO) to value Aramco at at least $2 trillion, but that the figure might end up being higher. Any valuation would account for oil price expectations and the size of Saudi Arabias proven oil reserves.
Another industry source familiar with the matter agreed.
"A stable oil price at a moderate level would help an IPO. I don't know if the IPO is the major factor but it's certainly a factor," he said.
"Saudi Arabia does not want to crash the price. Their target indeed would be somewhere north of $50 - $60 or so."
Saudi officials have also discussed the possibility that too much future supply could be curtailed by investment cutbacks if prices remain lower for longer, and are wary of the risk of a price spike, the second industry source said.
Falih has talked about the issue publicly, saying in June that even $50 oil would not create a rush back to investment.
"There's a real fear," the source said. "So many conventional oil projects are being cancelled."
NOT FLOODING THE MARKET
Saudi production stands near a record high of 10.7 million barrels per day (bpd) - on a par with Russia and the United States.
But some market insiders have suggested Saudi Arabia cannot afford to push output any further and sustain it for a long period because despite official affirmation it can produce as much as 12.5 million bpd if needed, Riyadh has never really tested such levels.
The change in Saudi tone has been welcomed by OPEC delegates from non-Gulf nations - many of which privately blame Riyadh for the price crash.
"The Saudis have to play differently. They cannot sell 10 percent of Aramco if the price of oil is miserable," an OPEC source from a non-Gulf country said.
But despite the behind-the-scenes talks, OPEC delegates and industry sources are sceptical that the tone shift will be backed with concrete action either by the Saudis or producers collectively.
"I don't think anything Falih says means they are going to cut production," said the industry source. "It means Saudi will be cautious in doing things that might flood the market."
Falih, in an interview with Reuters in August, tempered expectations of any production cut, saying significant intervention in the market was not necessary. But he did not dismiss the idea of a production freeze.
"If there is consensus that emerges between now and the Algiers meeting, Saudi Arabia as always will be a constructive player in these discussions and we will be willing to participate," he said.
(Editing by Dale Hudson)
Grammy-nominated R&B artist Andra Day will hit the America's Got Talent stage with season nine alum Blue Journey on the Sept. 7 results show, Billboard has exclusively learned.
Blue Journey -- a shadow dance act comprised of dancers Nick Mishoe and Rachel Kivlighan -- competed in 2014, memorably dancing to Radiohead's "Street Spirit" in auditions and later to the band's "Exit Music (For a Film)" in the semifinals.
Grace VanderWaal Impresses with Another Original on 'America's Got Talent': Watch
Day has her own AGT connection. Earlier this season, contestant Jayna Brown earned a Golden Buzzer from guest judge Louis Tomlinson of One Direction after her performance of Day's "Rise Up."
Day will kick off her Cheers to the Fall tour Sept. 10 at the Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Five acts were put through to the finals on the Aug. 31 show: Grace VanderWaal, Sal Valentinetti, Tape Face, Jon Dorenbos, and Laura Bretan. Part two of the semifinals will air next week.
Simon Cowell Returning as 'America's Got Talent' Judge
America's Got Talent is broadcast Tuesday (Sept. 6) at 8 p.m. and Wednesday (Sept. 7) at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Watch Blue Journey below:
Luanda (AFP) - An Angolan activist rapper who spent nearly a year behind bars has vowed to step up his vocal campaign against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, despite the risk of returning to jail.
"There's a lot to be done in Angola and I'm trying to do my part," Luaty Beirao told AFP two months after his release from prison where he was held on charges of plotting a rebellion against dos Santos.
Beirao, a well-known rapper, was arrested during a book club meeting in June last year where one of the titles up for discussion was about non-violent resistance to repressive regimes.
He and his 16 co-accused maintained they were peaceful campaigners lobbying for dos Santos, 73, to step down.
In June this year, the Supreme Court ordered their release under restrictions.
Sitting on a black leather couch in his home in a trendy Luanda suburb, Beirao has regained the weight he lost during a 36-day hunger strike in prison last year.
But he hasn't changed his stance and his message to dos Santos is this: "Leave power, you have nothing left to give your people."
Beirao's freedom is conditional: monthly appearances at a police station and a ban against leaving the country.
An amnesty law passed last month for non-violent offenders sentenced to 12 years or less could see his record wiped clean.
- Opposing 'a dictator'-
But the dual nationality Portuguese-Angolan, who has always maintained his innocence, says he has no intention of fleeing the country.
"I flatly reject the amnesty," he told AFP. "I want to go through with this farce and show that our judicial system is a tool in service of a dictator."
Earlier this year, dos Santos, who has been in power since 1979, announced he would leave politics in 2018 after his current mandate ends at the close of 2017.
But many critics are sceptical given he has made similar claims in the past.
"It's not the first time he's said that -- it means nothing," said Beirao.
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At the ruling MPLA's congress in August, dos Santos was re-elected unopposed as party leader, paving the way for him to once again stand for president in the general election next year.
"A mandate lasts five years," said the rapper. "What sane person would vote for someone who says he'll leave after one year?
"Electoral fraud is well documented. It will happen in this election, as it happened in all the others."
- Shattering the illusion -
Angola in 2002 emerged from a 27-year civil war, and the country has held few elections since independence from Portugal in 1975.
Beirao warned that the continent's leading oil producer can no longer hide behind its miracle post-war boom of the 2000s.
The drop in oil prices has strangled Angola's currency reserves and hit the economy.
Growth, which soared to over 20 percent in 2007, has collapsed to less than two percent, and about 40 percent of the population live below the poverty line.
"During those first few years after the civil war, the rise of oil created the illusion of an economic boom," said Beirao.
"But that growth was not accompanied by improved quality of life for most citizens.
"And all it took was for the oil price to drop to shatter that illusion."
Reports keep coming in about the Comedy Central Roast of Rob Lowe. As you may have heard, conservative pundit Ann Coulter was there and seems to have been insulted more than the guest of honor. On Conan, Roastmaster General Jeff Ross said that Coulter was awful and that she didnt enjoy the evening.
She came to the roast and participated, and Ive only read press accounts, and Im told maybe it wasnt her best decision, host Conan OBrien said. She was awful, responded Ross. She hated every second of it. She wouldnt laugh. I got her to laugh one time.
Ross then shared what Comedy Central has made available via a preview clip. Dressed as the late music legend Prince, Ross said, Ann Coulter says that she wants to help Donald Trump make America great again. You can start by wearing a burka. Ann, you have a face that would make doves cry. Youre very beautiful, actually, youre like a modern-day Eva Braun.
While Ross wasnt kind with his thoughts on Coulter, he did have something nice to say. I have to give her credit, the comedian mentioned. She was out of her element, she agreed to come, and anytime somebody puts themself [sic] out there, I think thats a cool thing.
Of course, the warmth he showed was short-lived. When I heard she was coming, I stopped writing jokes about Rob Lowe and started making Ann Coulter jokes, Ross said to OBrien. Im told its a great roast because everybody really goes after her and the jokes are incredibly intense, the late night host responded. And she can handle it, Ross agreed. You know that shes the only woman to ever sexually harass Roger Ailes?
Jeff Bridges Considered Turning Down The Big Lebowski:
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Muslim-American men pray at the annual Eid al-Adha prayer held at the Teaneck Armory in Teaneck, N.J. (Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
The days following the terrible March terror attack in Brussels, when an ISIS cell planted bombs that killed at least 35 people injured more than 300, was a tense time for the whole world, but especially for Chris Rodriguez, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.
By coincidence, Rodriguez was presiding over a regular quarterly meeting of his departments Interfaith Advisory Council, a meeting I was invited to observe. The Muslim representatives on the council about a quarter of the total were, of course, horrified by the attack. But they had another concern as well: the proposal by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, then a leading Republican candidate for president, for law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized. The idea had been praised by Cruzs rival, Donald Trump, who had already declared that Islam hates us and announced a plan for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States.
The month before, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Rodriguezs boss, had endorsed Trump for president.
Imam Mustafa El-Amin, of the Masjid Ibrahim mosque in Newark, N.J., had some questions for Rodriguez. Would there be increased security for Muslims in the state to guard against retaliatory attacks? And what was he supposed to tell members of his congregation who asked why the states governor was supporting a man who seemed to delight in taunting and making enemies of fellow Muslims?
The questions required another iteration of the delicate balancing act Rodriguez, 38 a New Jersey native, the son of a Guatemalan immigrant, and a former CIA counterterrorism analyst has been performing since Christie named him to the post in 2014. His job is to help keep the state safe from terrorists, including allies and followers of ISIS. But he also must protect New Jerseys 400,000 Muslim residents from attacks that might be directed against them and earn their trust and cooperation in the larger struggle. Its a difficult job, made more so by the political climate. Some terror experts, such as Josh Cohen, senior adviser at the Rutgers University Institute for Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security, worry that divisive rhetoric from highly visible individuals drives a wedge between those who are trying to address these issues and the very communities they need to work with.
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Dr. Chris Rodriguez, Director of New Jersey Office of Homeland Security, attends a gathering in Trenton, N.J. (Photo: Mel Evans/AP)
So he works tirelessly to keep open lines of communication, holding both regular and ad hoc briefings on terrorism, issuing regular podcasts, email newsletters and Facebook postings that make the New Jersey office a model for state homeland security departments. An expanded youth outreach program, which over the next year will enlist educators and mental health professionals, aims to identify for possible intervention those who may be at risk of radicalization. And Rodriguez makes himself available at all hours. Most of the members of the Interfaith Council, he said, certainly the Muslim members, have my personal cellphone number and they can get in touch with me at any time they want.
The next 10 days are expected to be crucial, because by a quirk of the calendar the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks will likely overlap with the three-day Muslim holiday of Eid el-Adha. The nightmare scenario is that Muslims observing Eid will be mistaken for terrorist sympathizers celebrating the attacks, leading to a confrontation which is why the OHSP has been conscientiously spreading the word about the holiday to everyone in the state. This is consistent with what we see as our role in the state, Rodriguez explains, providing the public with the awareness that, if there are Muslims celebrating during September 11, that it is important for them to celebrate their high holiday freely and securely.
The issue is particularly touchy in light of Trumps assertion that thousands of Muslims in Jersey City, across the Hudson River from the World Trade Center, publicly celebrated the collapse of the Twin Towers something he claims to have personally witnessed, although apparently no one else did. His remarks were cited in anonymous threats received by a Jersey City mosque and Islamic Center, and the New Jersey branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations, an antidiscrimination group, says it regularly hears from Muslim residents who have been threatened or harassed. National statistics show that hate crimes against Muslims everything from harassment to murder (12 cases in 2015) are on the rise.
Christies endorsement of Trump has inflicted a severe case of cognitive dissonance on many New Jersey Muslims, who generally praise the governor as fair and open-minded. The Interfaith Advisory Council on which El-Amin sits grew out of a Muslim outreach program the state initiated in 2012, in the wake of disclosures that the New York City Police Department had been conducting undercover surveillance of mosques, including some in New Jersey. Christie condemned the spying program, appointed an attorney named Sohail Mohammed as a Superior Court judge (and defended him against suspicions he would rule by Sharia), and even hosted a dinner at the governors mansion to mark another sacred Muslim holiday, the end of the Ramadan fast.
New Jersey Muslim community leaders gather in Piscataway, N.J., on Nov. 17, 2015, to condemn the Paris attacks. (Photo: Mel Evans/AP)
The result, says El-Amin, who supported Christie both in his run for governor and his presidential campaign, is that a lot of trust that was broken after the spying program has been rebuilt. But it made Christies endorsement of
Trump even more of a shock. [Trumps] language, this demagoguery, puts a lot of people at risk, he said. For the governor to stand up and say, this is the best man for president, that makes it difficult for me as a leader.
Wasim Muhammed, a minister at Nation of Islam Muhammads Temple of Islam No. 20 in Camden, N.J., said that while he too was quite surprised by the endorsement, I can only go by what my personal conversations and personal interactions with the governor have been, and its been totally different from his endorsement of Donald Trump.
After all, he asked, just because someone endorses a candidate, does that mean they agree with everything the candidate might say?
I can separate that baby from the bathwater, he said.
Mohamed Younes, president of the American Muslim Union in Paterson, N.J., and a longtime member of the Interfaith Advisory Council, shook off Christies endorsement just as easily, saying that the governor is merely looking for a job.
I know the guy personally, he told me in March. I know how he feels about Muslims. Thats not his feeling.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez is working day and night to keep open communications with the Islamic community and to reassure Muslims of his commitment to keep them, and the rest of the state, safe. He discreetly steers clear of discussing national politics, but recently admitted that the Muslims he deals with are perplexed and concerned about the direction the Trump campaign is taking. Whenever possible, he steers the conversation back to facts.
The increase in attacks on Muslims throughout the U.S. over the past year, he says, thats a fact, thats quantifiable. But it is also true that a majority of Americans not an overwhelming majority, but 60 to 65 percent believe that Muslims contribute meaningfully to American society.
Community members take part in a protest to stop hate crimes in the Queens borough of New York City on Aug. 15. (Photo: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
Tensions rose after a prominent New York City imam was shot to death, along with a friend although the police have not yet ascribed a motive to the alleged gunman, who has been arrested and charged with murder.
Rhetoric is always going to be out there, Rodriguez continues. This is not the first time that people have spoken out against a minority group or political candidates have done it. But my concern mostly is for the security of the people who I serve. At the end of the day, they also have to know that were there for them.
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Apple expects to repatriate billions of dollars of global profits to the United States next year, Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a radio interview on Thursday, but did not specify exactly how much would be returned. Apple was found to be holding over $181 billion in accumulated profits offshore, more than any U.S. company, in a study published last year by two left-leaning nonprofit groups, a policy critics say is designed to avoid paying U.S taxes. Asked about the level of tax paid by Apple on profits in 2014, Cook told Irish broadcaster RTE that $800 million had been paid and that billions of dollars more had been provisioned and would likely be returned to the United States next year. "We paid 400 (million dollars) to Ireland, we paid 400 to the U.S. and we provisioned several billion dollars for the U.S. for payment as soon as we repatriate it and right now I forecast that repatriation to occur next year," Cook said in comments broadcast by RTE. (Reporting by Conor Humphries)
RACINE Last years opening of Indian Motorcycle of Racine in a former auto dealership was just the first step at 522 Sixth St.
The next addition at the art-deco-style building will be the Thunderstroke Bar & Grill, along with building improvements that will include a new second-floor deck along the buildings east side.
Doing the project in partnership with Indian owner Mark Porcaro is Ray Stibeck, founder-owner of Route 20 Outhouse, 14001 Washington Ave., and Route 20 Chicken & Waffles, 904 S. Sylvania Ave.
Stibeck explained his connection with Porcaro and his motorcycle dealership. Mark is a good friend, he comes out to Route 20 (Outhouse) and he likes what Ive done with Route 20, he said.
Thunderstroke gets its name from the engines in Indian motorcycles, Porcaro said.
Itll be one of the few bar-and-grills in the Downtown area with off-street parking, Stibeck pointed out. It will seat about 100 people inside and up to about 40 outside, he said.
He said he sketched out his concept for the Indian building as well as the now-empty adjacent lot after Porcaro acquired it and had the former Park 6 razed. His father, architect Bob Zandi, then took that concept and refined it with renderings that Porcaro could take to city officials.
Pending those approvals, Stibeck intends to start construction as soon as possible after Party on the Pavement, Downtowns annual bash, which is Sept. 24. He hopes to open Thunderstroke in November.
Indians mezzanine offers indoor seating that will be augmented by outdoor seating on the future deck. There were several reasons to add the new 17-by-60-foot deck, or balcony, Stibeck said. The two most important:
It provides a necessary second entrance-exit to and from the bar and grill.
It allows Thunderstroke to operate outside the dealerships hours.
Also, it adds outdoor seating and provides a place from which to watch two annual parades (St. Patricks Day and holiday) that go down Sixth Street.
The decks support pillars, and all the pillars that will be used with new fencing to come, will be surfaced with bricks salvaged from the Park 6 buildings demolition.
Stibeck expects Thunderstroke to be about 65 percent food and 35 percent bar business. It will likely be open from 10 a.m. to bar close, he said, but he is also considering offering breakfasts as well, with a much earlier opening time.
Were building it as a destination, to create an economic impact for Downtown, Stibeck said. The menu will have some staples, but with some differences, such as bison burgers and possibly elk.
Stibeck also plans to add a shuttle service, at some point, between Thunderstroke and Route 20 Outhouse.
The biggest thing now is: What can you do for people who want to go out but dont want to drink and drive? he said.
Naturally, the shuttle service will use Ford vans supplied by Porcaro Ford, of which Mark Porcaro is president, Stibeck said. It could serve Racine people attending a Route 20 concert or west-enders who want to attend Downtown events, he said.
The semiconductor equipment segment has seen quite a bit of consolidation such that today there are just a handful of companies worth looking at. But this has led to some really big players such that further consolidation may be difficult due to anti-trust hurdles.
Earlier, Applied Materials AMAT proposed acquisition of Tokyo Electron fell through on anti-competitive concerns and now there is a possibility that similar issues in China, Japan and Korea will work against the Lam Research LRCX-KLA-Tencor KLAC merger.
Here is a brief analysis of the two market leaders in the backdrop of shrinking process nodes, 3D NAND production ramp up and an emerging Chinese semiconductor sector.
First, Market Position
Applied Materials remains the market leader in wafer level manufacturing equipment according to Gartner with a 19.1% share. The company has been the market leader for as far back as I can remember and it continues to take share (growing 1.3% in a market that shrank 1.0% in 2015).
But Lam Research has seen more remarkable growth of 24.7% in 2015 to end the year with a 14.3% share of the market. Lam has grown through acquisitions, most notably that of Novellus Systems in Jun 2012.
Unlike other markets, semi equipment includes lighting sources, process control equipment and other things with companies specializing in specific areas, so Gartners top 10 arent always directly comparable and share gains arent necessarily indicative of competitive strength.
Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) expects the WFE (wafer front end equipment) to grow 1.9% in 2016. Gartner expects the market to shrink by 2%.
Second, Innovation
The two major technology inflections driving semiconductor engineering at the moment are shrinking process nodes and 3D NAND. Major design breakthroughs and innovations are very positive for equipment makers in particular because they involve increased complexities that can only be taken care of with new, specialized equipment.
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Shrinking process nodes: Very simplistically, the CMOS manufacturing process for semiconductors involves the deposition of several layers of conductive and semiconductive materials on a silicon wafer and using laser light sources (now moving to extreme ultra violet or EUV) to implant the material in specific designs using stencil-like things called photomasks or reticles. The excess material on the surface of each layer is then cleaned or etched away using liquid or gaseous materials. What follows is a process of planarization, cutting, sorting and packaging the final wafers into chips. So when these chips become smaller in size, each wafer yields more, leading to cost efficiencies. Increasing wafer sizes also does the same thing because the number of chips per wafer increases but this can involve more capital because new capacity or significant upgrade of existing capacity may be required. Moreover, the need to shrink is leading to materials innovation IBM announced carbon nanotubes) because of the limitations of using silicon at the wafer level. The bottom line is, semiconductor manufacturers are therefore keen on shrinking chip size or increasing wafer size and every time this happens, they will buy fresh equipment first for designing, and then for volume production and to manage yields.
3D: As chip sizes shrink, there is the increased risk of electrostatic discharge, impacting yields and functionality. Semiconductor designing has therefore moved to three dimensional designs, thereby enabling both functionality and electrical stability in smaller areas. This again is leading to increased demand for new manufacturing equipment.
Applied Materials recently announced that it has started shipping its PROVision ebeam inspection tool offering down to 1nm resolution inspection for foundry, logic, DRAM and 3D NAND customers. The company hasnt specified the number of machines sold to date but said that it was more than 12, that two important foundry and memory manufacturers have taken delivery and that orders at existing and new customers had been received. Last year, it launched the Centura Tetra Z for etching at 10nm and below and announced earlier this year that its Selectra etching tool for design and manufacture of 3D logic and memory chips was shipping to foundry logic and memory chipmakers.
As far as Lam is concerned, the company recognizes that yield management in the more complex new processes will be linked to deposition and etch as materials used in these processes impact resistance and stress, which also affect yields. So it is trying to buy KLA-Tencor, which has historically led in process control and yield management equipment to integrate these functions in its equipment. As part of its Altus product line, the company announced that its new atomic layer deposition tool facilitating chip shrinking was already in use at several R&D sites as well as at leading 3D NAND and DRAM players. The company is particularly well positioned at memory manufacturers.
Third, Position In China
Given Chinas growing importance in chip consumption and production, it is an important market for equipment suppliers. The Chinese government is aiming to domestically manufacture 40% of domestic consumption in the next five years. But while the government is doing all it can to grow the Chinese semiconductor segment, demand continues to outpace the output from these efforts. So the government is welcoming foreign players to fill the gap. For equipment suppliers this is positive because while it will try to rely on domestic companies as much as possible and even buy up U.S. technology, it will continue to buy equipment from international players as well.
Applied Materials has for long been a major player in China, so it has important relationships and regular business from the region. China revenue has continued to grow in the last few years although the rate of growth appears to be slowing down. This could be because of the Chinese governments efforts or increased competition with Lam Research. It still accounts for around 17% of this market.
Lam Research will see increasing strength in China as both Intels Dalian fab and the Chinese company XMC (which has licensed 3D NAND technology from Cypress-owned Spansion) ramp up spending. Of these, Intel is in the tooling phase for 3D NAND, so its impact will be immediate. On the other hand, XMC just started construction, so equipping will likely be in 2017.
However, real gains for these leading equipment makers come from market share wrested from each other or if the market itself expands as a result of new semiconductor applications. Thats because even if manufacturing changes location (to China for instance), but chip volumes (and therefore capacity) doesnt increase, there is no change in equipment demand. Market expansion will likely become the most important factor over time, as growth in the Chinese semiconductor sector means gradual and growing competition from newer Chinese players that the current market leaders will increasingly be pitted against. Most of the Chinese fabs are trailing edge, so upgrading to leading edge will also be a driver.
What Do The Numbers Say
Applied Materials has topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters although the surprise percentage isnt that impressive at 5.05%. But given that revenues can be lumpy because of customer concentration and high order values obviated by the nature of the business, it isnt bad either. Moreover, estimates for this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have jumped up since it last reported. So over a 30-day period, estimates for the next two quarters are up 35.4% and 33.3%, respectively with those for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 also up a respective 13.6% and 20.9%. And if that still doesnt excite you, take a look at the PEG, which at 1.09X is still below the industry average of 1.18X. Still not impressed? Consider the VGM score of B [proprietary Zacks methodology that attributesvalue, growth and momentum weights to a stock to determine its attractiveness based on a large number of criteria that are then correlated to future stock returns].
Lam Research also has a good earnings surprise history averaging 8.66% for the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter is up 5.9% in the last 60 days (it reported some time back) and for fiscal 2017 and 2018 its up 4.0% and 6.2%, respectively. Its PEG of 1.53X is higher than the industry average of 1.18X. Lam has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and VGM score B.
Take A Look At The Price Charts
APPLD MATLS INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
APPLD MATLS INC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | APPLD MATLS INC Quote
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LAM RESEARCH Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | LAM RESEARCH Quote
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Joseph Baena doesnt just look like his famous father, Arnold Schwarzenegger, he also mastered his mannerisms.
The 18-year-old college student stars in a near shot-for-shot remake of the iconic scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day when Schwarzeneggers cyborg character steals a motorcycle and some pretty cool shades as George Thorogoods Bad to the Bone blasts in the background.
WATCH: Arnold Schwarzeneggers Son Joseph Baena Is the Spitting Image of His Dad, Playing Football on the Beach
Baena must have studied his father in this scene pretty meticulously because hes giving off major Terminator vibes.
The father-son duo appear to have become quite close this year. In July, the two were spotted riding bikes through Venice, California, in nearly identical outfits, and have also been seen at the gym together on several occasions.
Schwarzenegger fathered Baena who is majoring in business at Pepperdine University with his former housekeeper, Mildred Baena. The 69-year-old action star has four additional children with estranged wife, Maria Shriver.
WATCH: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joseph Baena Couldnt Look More Alike While on a Father-Son Bike Ride
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SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details about Paramounts Arrival: What would Arrival star Amy Adams expect if aliens suddenly landed on Earth? Id like to imagine they would be as patient as our heptapods, the actress told the Venice Film Festival press corps this afternoon. She was referring to the octopus-like giant extra-terrestrials with whom her linguistics expert character, Louise Banks, must find a way to communicate in Denis Villeneuves lyrical sci-fi drama.
The well-received film thats based on Ted Chiangs short story, Story Of Your Life, debuted for the press this morning and will land on the red carpet later this evening. Multiple Oscar-nominee Adams is particularly gaining praise for her expressive performance as a woman who becomes a bridge to the unknown when 12 UFOs being to mysteriously hover over Earth and who ends up on an emotional journey herself.
Villeneuve, who is not in town owing shooting commitments on the Blade Runner sequel in Hungary, told me that Adams was the first choice to play Louise and that she signed on essentially immediately. Today, Adams was asked why she thinks she was identified from the get-go. One question she now asks directors, she explained, is Why do you want me to play this? And if they ever tell me its because they want someone likable, I dont want to play it. Per Adams, Villeneuves response to her query was, I need to see what shes thinking, and I can see what youre thinking when you act.
A central theme in the story is communication, but its not a talky film. Renner suggested, I think the most effective communicating is without words. I always feel like I f*** up a conversation because of words. I can communicate a lot through physicality. He did note however, that his mathematician physicist character Ian is pretty far from playing an archer in reference to his Avengers Hawkeye persona.
Renner said that if aliens ended up on Earth in 2016, his guess is theyd say, Why did we land here? Turning serious, he added that a fascinating aspect of Arrival is that it touches on the idea that when humanity is at its worst, that also allows it to find itself, to find unity in that division. If we could all accept the fact that we are one but theres a lot of obstacles that get in the way.
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Arrival, which Paramount releases domestically on November 11, steers clear of the bluster and pyrotechnics of some showy sci-fi. The core beats through Adams Louise who also comes to possess the ability to know the future. Would Adams want that same ability? Not so much. I think I would be anxious, she said. A great choice we have as humans is to appreciate the moments in between the big moments. I dont want to know.
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An art installation lit up the memories of Korean refugees on London's River Thames on Thursday, in a project which artist Ik-Joong Kang said he hoped could spark the reunification of North and South Korea.
The "Floating Dreams" lantern stands three storeys high on the Thames, between two of the British capital's most famous sites -- St Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern art gallery.
Appearing like an oversized Rubik's Cube and illuminated from within, the installation is made up of 500 drawings by those who fled their home during the Korean War in the 1950s.
"I grew up in (South) Korea but I always thought, when can the two Koreas be reunited? As an artist what do I have to do? Why do we have to live separately?" said Kang.
The artist, who has lived in New York since the 1980s, said he hoped the bright light emanating from the installation would contribute to the reunification of North and South Korea.
"It has to be solved right now, now is the time...Even a big fire can be started from tiny sparks. This is a tiny spark in the Thames, because the Thames in London connects to everywhere," he said.
Kang created the "Floating Dreams" piece by transferring the drawings by the refugees, now in their 80s and 90s, onto Korean rice paper.
He returned to his native South Korea for the project and, with the help of the Red Cross, Buddhist monks and Catholic priests, encouraged participants to draw their memories of home.
"I wait and I wait and they start talking about their home town; that is the time when they draw," he said, explaining many participants cried during the process.
"It's like bumping into yourself in the drawing. Thinking about your past, your memory of the past, then you just cry," said Kang.
Towns, mountains and rivers all feature, while many people have drawn maps so their relatives can trace their origins if it becomes possible to return home.
The art work will be lit up nightly until September 30, as part of the Totally Thames programme of cultural events.
Kang said he hoped people walking along the river would take notice of the work and learn about the refugees' stories: "I hope this installation can be a small vaccine, can be spread out and cure our sadness, our scar, some day."
In jail, violence is always around the corner.
Inmates strategically use fights to settle disputes and climb the political ladder. And if inexperienced inmates cant adapt to their dangerous surroundings, theyll live in constant fear of another beating.
Thats what one participant on the A&E documentary show "60 Days In" learned during his stay at Clark County Jail in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The show follows eight volunteers who go undercover as inmates to expose problems within the system.
One of the volunteers, Ryan, observed that a strict social hierarchy governed his pod of inmates. Fights broke out between members of different social groups over virtually any perceived slight from spreading gossip or talking too loudly at night to reneging on a deal to trade hash browns.
Ryan, who did not use his last name on the show, further explained what purpose violence serves behind bars:
One thing the public doesnt know about is that in jail, violence is almost necessary. Its a way that that society, if you will, keeps peace. Its instilling fear. Its something along the lines of a political party, and violence is almost like the campaign platform they run upon. It keeps everything in check if anyone steps out of line.
In some cases, clique leaders even arranged the fights as calculated moves to address the shifting dynamics of the pod.
If there is a white guy that happens to be in disagreement with a Hispanic guy or a black guy, instead of those guys fighting, which could potentially cause a race riot to just break out, some other people would fight, Ryan told Business Insider. A black guy will fight the black guy or a white guy would fight the white guy to prevent a lot of stuff from going down.
Those higher on the ladder constantly test new inmates, according to Ryan. A new inmate can gain trust by performing "gofer tasks, like obtaining information from corrections officers or collecting debts from other inmates, usually in the form of food or commissary money.
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Inmates are sometimes asked to leave secret notes for officers or other inmates, a practice known as flying a kite. If theyre caught by members of a different social group, however the consequences can be severe.
There are internal groups that become judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one, Ryan said. Youre judged by a jury of your peers, and violence is the sentence no matter what. Its never like, You owe me packs of ramen noodles. Thats nothing.
Merely accepting the challenge of a fight is enough to earn the respect of other inmates, regardless of the outcome, Ryan explained. But refusing to participate is considered the ultimate act of cowardice among inmates. Failure to adapt to the jails unwritten rules can be devastating to an inmates chances of a relatively peaceful stint behind bars.
If you dont pick up those rules, you become an example, and youre what they call 'bad business.' Youre labeled as a b-, and you never live that down, Ryan explained. If you are labeled anything negative, you stay like that until you prove otherwise. The burden of proof is inverted its on you to prove that youre not that person, and if you dont, you will remain that person.
Ryan, an aspiring police officer and former Army Reserve medic, managed to avoid any physical confrontations during his two months at Clark County Jail. He said he surprised his fellow inmates with his experience in various martial arts, including jiu jitsu and aikido, and because of his small frame, became known as a "sleeper.
Still, Ryan learned countless tips every inmate must internalize to stay afloat: Memorize the layout of every cell. Fight behind the bathroom curtain, so cameras cant capture the action. Use the heel of your palm to strike other inmates guards can point to teeth marks on a closed fist as proof of involvement. In a pinch, a Bic pen makes a very sturdy makeshift weapon.
You should never fear violence, though, Ryan said. If you take that beating, youre more respected. So its something people shouldn't be afraid of.
The next episode of 60 Days In airs Thursday on A&E at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will expand its military action against the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq after amending its domestic laws, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday. Australia joined the U.S-backed coalition against Islamic State in September 2014, and has steadily increased its military participation against the group that has repeatedly called for attacks against the United States and other Western countries. However, Turnbull said Australia's role had been hamstrung by differences between domestic and international law, a loophole that his government would close with new legislation. Australian law currently only allows the targeting of people who were playing an active role in hostilities, which Turnbull said was more restrictive than international law. "This legal risk posed a major challenge to the effectiveness of our operations. It meant that the [Australian Defence Force's] targeting base in Iraq and Syria was restricted, and we could not operate as freely as our coalition partners," Turnbull told the Australian parliament. Turnbull said military operations could expand to target "a broader range" of Islamic State combatants once the law was changed. In addition to outlining the expansion of its offshore response to the rising threat of Islamic State, Turnbull said his government would also press ahead with measures to combat domestic acts of terror. A staunch U.S. ally, Australia has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014, having suffered several "lone wolf" assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney in which two hostages and the gunman were killed. In July, Australia proposed legislation to indefinitely detain people convicted of terrorism-related charges if it felt they posed a danger to society upon their released. The legislation would be introduced to parliament next week, Turnbull said. Turnbull also flagged stronger surveillance of potential Islamic State supporters in Australia. He said approximately 200 people were being investigated in Australia for providing support to individuals and groups in the conflict in Syria and Iraq. "There are still people outside our country, and some within it, who hate the freedoms that we enjoy and would seek to threaten them and undermine them with violence," said Turnbull. (Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Paul Tait)
SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Australian consumer watchdog said it filed a lawsuit against the local arm of German carmaker Volkswagen AG , accusing it of intentionally selling more than 57,000 vehicles with software which lied about levels of nitrogen oxide emissions. "These allegations involve extraordinary conduct of a serious and deliberate nature by a global corporation," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement on Thursday. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Richard Pullin)
RACINE COUNTY Communities are at least considering the expansion of early voting opportunities for the presidential election after court rulings removed restrictions.
Wisconsin had limited early voting officially known as in-person absentee voting to weekdays during the two weeks before an election until a federal judge, in July, ruled those restrictions were unconstitutional. Officials in the states two largest cities, Madison and Milwaukee, say they will now begin allowing voting several weeks out from the Nov. 8 election.
Local officials in Racine County say they are also looking at increasing the number of days before the election on which residents can vote, with at least one municipality already deciding to do so.
Caledonia will begin early voting Oct. 3, Village Clerk Karie Torkilsen said. Residents will be able to vote at Village Hall, 6922 Nicholson Road, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesdays.
Torkilsen believes the public will expect clerks offices to expand early voting after the court decision and that many municipalities will follow suit.
In Burlington, City Clerk Diahnn Halbach said expanding early voting could alleviate lines on Election Day and be more convenient for voters.
We are looking at doing that, definitely, said Halbach, adding the city has not yet determined when voting may start.
The City of Racine also is interested but officials have to look at how increasing early voting would affect its budget, Mayor John Dickert said, noting the city clerks office has limited funds for elections.
Do we want to give everyone every opportunity to vote? Absolutely, Dickert said. But we have to figure out how to pay for that.
In an Aug. 23 memo to municipal clerks, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said municipalities can offer early voting as soon as ballots are available up until the Monday before the election, when voting remains prohibited.
The court ruling also allows municipalities to hold early voting in locations besides clerks offices, and struck down time-of-day restrictions regarding when early voting can occur, according to the commission.
Election law changes
The early voting changes come after U.S. District Judge James Petersons July ruling striking down parts of the state voter ID law and restrictions on early and weekend voting, though the photo identification requirement remains intact.
The state is appealing the ruling but last week dropped its efforts to maintain early voting restrictions, which supporters said provided for consistent voting hours throughout the state.
Madison and Milwaukee have moved aggressively to expand early voting hours. Madisons city clerk plans to start offering early voting on Sept. 26, while Milwaukee plans to begin Oct. 10, according to an Associated Press report.
Sydney (Australia) (AFP) - Australia's consumer watchdog Thursday launched court action against Volkswagen over a massive emissions cheating scandal, saying the German car giant had engaged in "extraordinary conduct" as it sought millions of dollars in fines.
The troubled automaker, which owns brands ranging from luxury Audi to lower-end Skoda, is battling its biggest-ever crisis after admitting a year ago to a massive emissions cheating scandal affecting 11 million diesel engines.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said Volkswagen and its Australian subsidiary "engaged in conduct liable to mislead the public in relation to diesel vehicle emission claims" between 2011 and 2015.
A spokeswoman for the government regulator said it was seeking fines on emission claims.
The ACCC alleged multiple breaches of Australian consumer law, with each one attracting a fine of up to Aus$1.1 million (US$830,000) if the case succeeds in court.
"The ACCC alleges that Volkswagen engaged in multiple breaches of the Australian consumer law by concealing software in their vehicles to cheat emissions testing and misleading consumers about the vehicle's compliance with standards and emission levels during on-road conditions," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims added in a statement.
In legal proceedings lodged in the Federal Court on Thursday, it was alleged that more than 57,000 vehicles sold in Australia over the five-year period did not operate as Volkswagen advertised.
"These allegations involve extraordinary conduct of a serious and deliberate nature by a global corporation and its Australian subsidiary misleading consumers and the Australian public."
Volkswagen Australia has been contacted for a response.
The car giant last week reached an undisclosed settlement to compensate US dealers over losses from the diesel-cheating scandal, which has been dubbed "dieselgate".
Volkswagen said in October last year that more than 91,000 of its vehicles in Australia were fitted with emissions-cheating technology.
By Byron Kaye
SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Australian consumer watchdog on Thursday said it had sued the Australian arm of world No. 2 carmaker Volkswagen AG for intentionally selling more than 57,000 vehicles with software which lied about levels of toxic emissions.
"These allegations involve extraordinary conduct of a serious and deliberate nature by a global corporation," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.
The Federal Court action adds to what is already proving to be costly legal fallout for the German company as it faces class action lawsuits in Australia and around the world over emissions fraud, as well as penalties from antitrust authorities.
Already in Australia, law firm Maurice Blackburn is seeking more than A$100 million ($75 million) from the company, including the full replacement cost of some 90,0000 vehicles, while the auto giant has agreed to pay its 650 U.S. dealers $1.2 billion in compensation.
In Australia, the ACCC said it wanted the company to make public declarations of misconduct, pay unspecified financial penalties and issue corrective advertising in relation to its actions over five years.
"Volkswagen engaged in multiple breaches of the Australian consumer law by concealing software in their vehicles to cheat emissions testing and misleading consumers about the vehicles' compliance," Sims said.
"Consumers rightly expect that their vehicle's emissions would operate as advertised during their day-to-day use and we allege that this was not the case."
Volkswagen Group Australia said in a statement that it doubted the ACCC's action would benefit consumers since it planned to give them software which corrected the emissions data as soon as it was approved by the government - likely by year-end.
The Volkswagen unit, which is defending the private class action, said it was reviewing the ACCC's claims.
(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Richard Pullin, Stephen Coates and Joseph Radford)
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria is ready to confront other European Union members states over its opposition to a free trade deal with Canada, Chancellor Christian Kern said, because it sees it containing many of the same problems as one being negotiated with the United States.
Austria opposes a proposed free trade deal with the United States, and Kern said the deal with Canada, called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), had many of the same problems.
"This will be difficult, this will be the next conflict in the EU that Austria will trigger ... We must focus on making sure ... we don't shift the power balance in favour of global enterprises," Kern told broadcaster ORF late on Wednesday.
According to a recording broadcast by ORF radio on Thursday, European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker told Austria in June to stop its "clownery" around CETA, calling it the best trade agreement reached by the EU.
One diplomat in Brussels, who is in favour of finalising CETA by the end of the year, said it would have "a disastrous effect on the credibility of the EU's trade policies" if CETA fell through.
"No one would ever again engage in years of negotiations with us to see it all go south the last minute. With all the mess around TTIP, we must deliver CETA," the person said.
Trade ministers from Germany and France have also called for a halt in negotiations on the EU-U.S. deal, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday praised CETA.
"We shouldnt fool ourselves (about TTIP). We are still far away from what we achieved in the CETA in terms of standards and procedures. It will be a yardstick that other trade agreements are measured against," he told over 1,000 diplomats and business executives at a forum hosted by the Foreign Ministry.
Austria's Kern is expected to address issues surrounding TTIP and CETA at a news conference on Friday.
"We will have to see where the weaknesses of (CETA) are. Many are the same as with TTIP," Kern, a social-democrat, said, without elaborating.
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Despite the German official support for CETA, activists in Germany on Wednesday lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court with the aim of scuppering CETA.
There are widespread concerns in Austria that the TTIP could compromise food safety standards. Kern also opposes the idea that the agreement could allow companies to challenge government policies if they feel regulations put them at a disadvantage.
The European Commission hopes that the governments of the EU states can approve the trade deal before a planned EU-Canada summit at the end of October. The European Parliament would also need to vote to allow it to enter force provisionally next year.
But national, and some regional, parliaments would still need to ratify it.
(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Andrea Shalal in Berlin; Editing by Alison Williams)
Last week was relatively quiet for the auto sector. One announcement that gained significant attention was Tesla Motors, Inc.s TSLA plan to add new features to its Autopilot system via a software update. Meanwhile, Tata Motors Limited TTM finally reported earnings for the quarter ended June, bringing the earnings season for the sector to an end.
Among other developments, Toyota Motor Corporation TM opened a Lexus parts distribution center in Georgia. Further, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. HMC and General Motors Company GM announced new investment plans.
(Read the previous roundup here: Auto Stock Roundup for Aug 25, 2016)
Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories
1. Teslas Autopilot system will soon get a software update to V8.0 and 8.1. CEO Elon Musk recently revealed that the update is in the final review stage and will see noticeable improvement due to advanced processing of radar signals. The over-the-air software update is expected to be rolled out in a few weeks. Tesla has also raised the price of the Autopilot feature by $500 recently.
Per Electrek, the updated Autopilot will have off-ramp and highway interchange features that will allow it to maneuver a car from one highway to another with a simple turn signal by the driver. It will also have more responsive Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer features, better voice commands, and redesigned map and navigation interface (read more: Tesla Autopilot Becomes Costlier, Version 8.0 Expected Soon).
2. Tata Motors reported an income of INR6.57 per ordinary share (50 cents per American Depositary Share or ADS) for the first quarter (ended Jun 30, 2016) of fiscal 2017. In the year-ago quarter, the company had earned INR15.75 per share (66 cents per ADS). Consolidated revenues increased 9% year over year to INR670.56 billion ($9.87 billion). This improvement in top line was driven by strong sales in the Jaguar Land Rover business in the UK, Europe, North America, China and other Overseas markets. Strong volumes in the medium and heavy commercial vehicles segment and higher volumes in the light commercial vehicles segment in the standalone business also contributed to top-line growth.
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3. Honda announced that Honda of South Carolina Mfg., Inc. will invest $45 million in an expansion and innovation project that will increase manufacturing efficiency, parts flow and logistics related to side-by-side vehicle production. These vehicles, including the Honda Pioneer 500, 700 and 1000 series models, produced exclusively at the South Carolina plant, are witnessing rising demand.
4. Toyota opened a new Lexus parts distribution center in Lithia Springs, GA that will serve dealers in Atlanta, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee. About 27 dealerships will be able to order from a range of 43,000 Lexus parts, which will be delivered on the same day in select metro areas.
5. General Motors revealed its plan to invest in a battery assembly plant in Shanghai, China through its SAIC-GM joint venture. This plant will help it to locally produce battery packs for new energy vehicles in the nation. General Motors plans to launch the Chevrolet Malibu XL Hybrid, Buick LaCrosse Hybrid and the Cadillac CT6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in China this year.
Performance
Auto sector companies had mixed fortunes on the stock market last week. Ford Motor Co. F gained the most, while Tesla was the biggest loser among the stocks listed below.
Over the last six months, Harley-Davidson, Inc. HOG outperformed the others once again. AutoZone lost the maximum value over the longer term.
Company Last 1-Week Period Last 6 Months GM +0.4% +6.4% F +2.4% -3.7% TSLA -4.8% +13.8% TM -0.2% +13.4% HMC +0.7% +15.4% HOG -1.3% +19.6% AAP -1.9% +2.6% AZO -4.5% -6.2%
Auto-Tires-Trucks Sector Price Index
Auto-Tires-Trucks Sector Price Index
Whats Next in the Auto Space?
Later today, major automakers will report their U.S. auto sales for August.
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WHITE ROCK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / AZARGA METALS CORP. ("Azarga Metals" or the "Company") (AZR.V) announces assay results from the first two diamond core drill-holes completed at its newly acquired Unkur Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky administrative region of eastern Russia.
Significant mineralization was intersected in both drill holes, with results including:
16 meters at 84.0g/t silver and 0.79% copper from 56.5 meters in hole AM-003, including five meters at 200.4g/t silver and 1.39% copper from 59.5 meters
10 meters at 20.2g/t silver and 0.29% copper from 49.0 meters in hole AM-007
Azarga Metals' president and CEO Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol commented, "The grade and thickness of these near-surface intersections are very encouraging, particularly the high grade intersection from AM-003. The results compare favorably with historic Soviet-era drilling at Unkur and indicate that, if anything, historic exploration results have understated the size and likely the silver and copper grades of the Unkur deposit."
ASSAYS FROM DRILL HOLES AM-003 AND AM-007
Drill hole AM-003 was drilled to verify significant and relatively shallow intercepts from historical drilling at the Unkur Copper-Silver Project. AM-007 was drilled approximately 750 meters along strike to the south east of AM-003.
Assay results show AM-003 intersected 16 meters at 84.0g/t silver and 0.79% copper (ie, 144.5g/t silver equivalent or 1.89% copper equivalent using US$18.69/oz silver price and US$2.09/lb copper price and assuming 100% recoveries) from 56.5 meters to 72.5 meters. This intersection included a higher grade interval of five meters at 200.4g/t silver and 1.39% copper from 59.5 meters (ie, 306.8g/t silver equivalent or 4.01% copper equivalent using US$18.69/oz silver price and US$2.09/lb copper price and assuming 100% recoveries).
Assay results show AM-007 intersected 10 meters at 20.2g/t silver and 0.29% copper (ie, 42.4g/t silver equivalent or 0.55% copper equivalent using US$18.69/oz silver price and US$2.09/lb copper price and assuming 100% recoveries) from 49.0 meters to 59.0 meters.
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The results from AM-003 and AM-007 are extremely encouraging. Hole AM-003 was drilled to confirm the results of historic hole C-1 which reported an intersection of 15.3 meters at 0.54% copper with no silver data. This historic hole had only 40% core recovery and thus the results from hole AM-003 (which had 95% core recovery) support the contention that historic drilling may have understated thickness and more significantly grade of the Unkur mineralization. Hole AM-007, which also had about 95% core recovery, indicates the presence of mineralization at a point where there was no previous data and thus is encouraging in terms of demonstrating extent and continuity of the mineralization.
Note: Drill intercepts are reported as drilled and may not be representative of true widths. Drill holes have been sited to attempt to intersect mineralization as close to perpendicular as possible, but there is not sufficient information about geometry of the mineralization at this time to estimate true widths. A Quality Assurance / Quality Control program is part of the sampling program on the Unkur prospect. This program includes chain of custody protocols as well as systematic submittals of standards, duplicates and blank samples into the flow of samples produced by the sampling including check assays of approximately 10% of the samples by another certified laboratory. Samples were analyzed at SGS Vostok Limited in Chita, Russia. Check assays will be analyzed at ALS Geochemistry in Chita, Russia.
DRILLING UPDATE
Two additional drill-holes have been completed since the last drilling update of 22 August 2016, AM-005 and AM-009. Visual inspection concludes both new holes contain mineralized intersections.
Azarga Metals has now completed four holes at its Unkur Copper-Silver Project as per the table below.
Table 1: Details for Unkur phase one drilling program completed holes to date Hole ID East
(UTM) North
(UTM) RL Dip Azimuth
(magnetic) Hole type EOH Recovery AM-003 56.84 118.57 931m 70 254 DD 96m 95% AM-005 56.84 118.57 930m 70 242 DD 160m 95% AM-007 56.83 118.58 928m 70 239 DD 80m 95% AM-009 56.82 118.58 976m 70 236 DD 225m 95%
Two additional holes are currently being drilled: AM-001, which is now at a depth of 379 meters; and AM-011, which has just been started and is at a depth of 28 meters.
FIRST PHASE DRILLING PROGRAM
Azarga Metals is now approximately one third through its first phase drilling program, which aims to drill between eight and ten holes totaling approximately 3,000 cumulative linear meters. The two drill rigs currently at Unkur are expected to operate through the end of October. Assays for the program should continue to be received by the Company in the period through to December.
Further details of the first phase drilling program at Unkur were contained in the Company's news release of 2 June 2016.
UNKUR COPPER-SILVER PROJECT
Azarga Metals owns 60% of the Unkur Copper-Silver Project along with the right to acquire the remaining 40% in the future.
Sediment-hosted copper and silver mineralization has been identified across the 5,390 hectare project license area, in outcrops, trenches and by historical diamond drilling. The prior exploration outlined a large area of high-grade shallow stratiform sediment hosted copper-silver 20 to 50 meters thick over an area four to six kilometers long.
Further details concerning Unkur Copper-Silver Project are contained in a technical report filed by the Company as per its news release of 5 April 2016.
Qualified Person
The Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol, B.Sc. Geo, MA Geo, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the exploration information disclosures contained in this Press Release.
About Azarga Metals Corp.
Azarga Metals is a mineral exploration and development company that owns 60% of the Unkur Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky province in eastern Russia.
AZARGA METALS CORP.
"Dusty Nicol"
Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol, President and CEO
For further information please contact:
Doris Meyer
+1 604 536-2711 ext 6, or visit www.azargametals.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement:
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Corporation's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current planned exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans to continue to be refined; possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Corporation disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.
SOURCE: Azarga Metals Corp.
With so many holidays falling nearing a weekend, its the perfect time for a quick getaway!
Ganesh Chaturthi (September 5, Monday), Andhra Pradesh, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, Orissa, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana
Photograph: Sandeepachetan.com Travel Photography/Flickr (Under Creative Commons License)
This festival is celebrated in honour of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesha, the Hindu god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. One of the best-known and well-loved Hindu deities, on this day devotes install clay idols of Ganesha in their homes and in public pandals for worship. The festival usually lasts for 10 days and is a grand celebration with much fanfare, processions and music. At the end of the festival the idols are immersed in a large body of water.
Birthday of Baba Sri Chand (September 10, Saturday), Punjab
Birthday of Baba Sri Chand is the elder son of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. He chose not to marry and preferred the life of austere mediation. He travelled the length and breath of the country and founded the ascetic sect of Udasis, who believed in renunciation. His birthday is celebrated with great enthusiasm, with his devotes participating in prayers and devotional songs at gurudwaras.
Bakri Eid / Idu'l Zuha (September 12, Monday), Nationwide except for Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Lakshadweep, Orissa, Sikkim, and Telangana
Photograph: Shaeekh Shuvro/ Wikimedia Commons
An important festival for Muslims in India, it honours Prophet Ibrahims willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to show his faith in God. It is later revealed that this was a test and the sacrifice was not necessary. On this day, Muslims visit the mosque, listen to sermons and sacrifice a domestic animal in a symbolic gesture. Its also an occasion for family members and friends to come together and bond.
First Onam (September 13, Tuesday), Kerala
Photograph: Syam Subramanian/Flickr (Under Creative Commons License)
This is the first day of one of the largest Hindu harvest festivals down South. It is believed that the mythical King Mahabali arrived in Kerala on this day. This day kicks off a 10-day long jubilant celebration of Kerala tradition and culture. Houses are decorated with floral carpets, people indulge in elaborate banquet lunches, and there are snake boat dances and retelling of myths and legends through various traditional art forms. September 14, Thiruvonam, September 15, Third Onam, and September 16, Fourth Onam, are also holidays.
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Pang Lhabsol (September 16, Friday), Sikkim
A popular festival in Sikkim, its a day for honouring and revering Mt Kanchenjunga. The local Lepchas believe that Mt Kanchenjunga is their place of origin and hence their guardian deity. They accord the mountain the status of a god and worship it for safety and prosperity. The festival is famous for its colourful masked warrior dance performed in Chuklakhang Gumpa in Gangtok, along with other traditional dances and songs.
Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi Day (September 21, Wednesday), Kerala
It is on this day that that the 19th century saint and a prophet is said to have had his Samadhi ceremony. Sree Narayana Guru was also a religious reformer who promoted social equality and denounced casteism. His tomb in Sivagiri in Kerala attracts thousands of devotees every year, and there are celebrations including colourful processions, community feasts and cultural shows.
Birthday of Shaheed Bhagat Singh (September 28, Wednesday), Punjab
Photograph: Amanjeev/ Flickr (Under Creative Commons License)
Bhagat Singh is an India revolutionary who was one of the prominent faces of the Indian independence movement. He spread the revolutionary message in Punjab and was instrumental in assassinating a British Police Officer John Saunders to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai at the hands of the police. He also bombed the Central Legislative Assembly as part of his anti-Raj activities, and was executed for his deeds. His birth anniversary is celebrated with much fervour with processions and cultural programs.
Barbra Streisand should be in seventh heaven this weekend: the icon of the screen, stage and recording studio is on track to top the Official U.K. Albums Chart for the seventh time.
Streisand's 35th studio album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway (Columbia) pulled out in front at the midway point of the U.K. chart week. The LP, which includes renditions of songs from major Broadway shows, hit No. 1 on the Chart Update with a 6,000 combined sales advantage over its closest competitor, Britney Spears' Glory (RCA), according to the Official Charts Company.
Barbra Streisand Talks Trump's DNA, 'Funny Girl' Stage Fright & More at SiriusXM Town Hall
If Spears misses out on top spot, it'll be her fifth collection to do so following Baby One More Time (1999), Oops! I Did It Again (2000), Greatest Hits - My Prerogative (2004) and Blackout (2007). Britney has cracked the U.K. top 10 on seven occasions, but surprisingly never landed a No. 1.
The top five at the halfway stage is completed by Frank Ocean's Blonde (Boys Don't Cry) at No. 3, Dolly Parton's Pure & Simple (RCA Nashville) at No. 4, and Rick Astley's former chart-topper 50 (BMG) is surging to No. 5.
Hip-hop veterans De La Soul could have their first top 10 album in a quarter century with And The Anonymous Nobody (AOI), currently at No. 8. The trio's last entry to scale the top 10 was De La Soul Is Dead, which reached No. 7 back in 1991.
Frank Ocean Lands First U.K. No. 1 with 'Blonde'
Meanwhile, The Chainsmokers and Halsey are edging closer to the U.K. singles chart summit. The collaborative track "Closer" (Disruptor), a No. 1 hit in the U.S. and Australia, is 1,900 combined sales ahead of the second-placed song on the U.K. Chart Update, DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber's "Let Me Love You" (Interscope).
The top 5 is rounded out by Major Lazer, Bieber and M's "Cold Water" (Because Music) at No. 3, Calum Scott's "Dancing On My Own" (Instrumental) at No. 4 and Twenty One Pilots' "Heathens" (Atlantic) at No. 5.
The Official U.K. Singles and Albums Charts are published late Friday, local time.
By Susan Taylor
TORONTO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp, the world's largest gold miner, said Thursday it has brought back a former executive to advance a scaled-back development plan for its suspended Pascua-Lama project that will first focus on Argentina.
The gold and silver project, which straddles the border of Argentina and Chile in the Andes Mountains, was put on hold in 2013 due to environmental issues, political opposition, labor unrest and development costs that ballooned to $8.5 billion.
George Bee, who has 16 years experience at Barrick and was most recently Chief Executive at Jaguar Mining, will work on a modest 'starter' option for a phased development plan, the company said.
Gold miners are increasingly doing "bite-sized" developments that carry less risk of budget disasters and fewer of the political and environmental disputes that have derailed mega-mines in recent years.
Recent evaluation work indicates that a scalable underground mine plan at Lama may be the best option for a phased approach, Barrick said.
If successful, cash flow from Argentine operations could fund additional development "over time" on both sides of the border. Barrick said its Chilean unit was working to resolve legal, regulatory and permitting issues there.
Later, Bee will develop an integrated development plan for Barrick's Frontera district on the El Indio belt.
"We view the announcement as a positive for the shares as we believe that a phased development plan for Pascua-Lama would have the greatest potential to create shareholder value," RBC Capital Markets analyst Stephen Walker said in a note to clients.
"It would also provide sufficient technical and economic information to maximize an earn-in contribution by any potential JV (joint venture) partner."
Bee, named senior vice president for Lama and Frontera District development, was involved in Barrick's phased development of the Goldstrike mine in Nevada, the construction of the Pierina mine in Peru and development of the Veladero mine and Argentina.
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"Just as the Goldstrike mine was completed in stages over time, we see significant benefits to approaching Pascua-Lama in the same way," Barrick President Kelvin Dushnisky said in a statement.
Shares in Toronto-based Barrick were up 5 percent at C$23.40 on the Toronto Stock Exchange at mid-session.
(Reporting by Susan Taylor; Editing by David Gregorio)
RACINE Amy Pollatz was making some final adjustments Wednesday for her sixth-grade classroom at Gifford School, putting name tags on desks and looking over emergency procedures.
Not only was the public touring the new building for the first time, the next day was the first day of school.
Im excited to meet all the kids and get to know them, Pollatz said. And, obviously, teach them.
For the past eight years, Pollatz was a teacher at McKinley Middle School. But she is one of several new teachers at Gifford, 8332 Northwestern Ave., which now hosts kindergarten through eighth grade after a new building was added onto the former elementary school.
It is so fabulous, it is new, it is modern, Pollatz said. The kids are going to love it.
Pollatz said shes hoping the first day goes smoothly.
Im pretty much set. I hope the wireless connection works because we have brand new interactive wireless projectors, Pollatz said. So I hope that network works ... Im ready.
Reducing transitions
in education
Gifford Principal Mary Cline said the school will provide a unique way of educating children.
This addition allows students who attend Gifford the opportunity to spend 10 or 11 years of their educational experience in one place, Cline said. The Gifford community has long dreamed of this day.
To help celebrate the opening, the school brought back the first principal of then-Gifford Elementary from 1981 Michael Frontier, now the Racine Unified School Board president.
Frontier remembers some of the changes that happened in the classroom had a significant impact outside the school.
After six or seven years, our district had integrated our schools and we saw racial slurs dissipate as our kids got to know each other, Frontier said. Thats a powerful memory I have.
The implementation of technology at Gifford started with Frontier.
Believe it or not, in 1982 we bought a whole room full of Apple computers, Frontier said. And the kids were learning how to program through the leadership of some outstanding teachers.
Referendum money showing impact
In 2014, voters approved a referendum allowing the Racine Unified School District to collect $8.5 million in additional local taxes per year for 15 years. That money helped the district expand Gifford and construct new buildings for Knapp and Olympia Brown elementary schools.
Superintendent Lolli Haws said shes grateful for the support from the community.
I said all the right things, but I had a little quiver in my heart until that referendum passed, Haws said. You have the school that you wanted for a long time in the district you believe in.
Haws said 2,500 students across the district will start the school year in a new building.
As parents and students entered Gifford, they looked through each of the rooms with excitement for what the school year will bring.
So far, it looks great, Matthew Wandschneider said as he toured the building with his family.
Wandschneiders daughter, Sorina, will be in first grade this year.
I really like it, it has more sunlight, Sorina said. I really like the playground the most.
(Fixes typo in headline) Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Baltimore Orioles acquired outfielder Michael Bourn in a trade with Arizona on Wednesday, completing a busy day for the American League East contenders. The Orioles sent a minor league outfielder to the Diamondbacks to complete the exchange, just hours after Baltimore had claimed outfielder Drew Stubbs off waivers from the Texas Rangers. To clear a roster spot, they designated left-hander Kyle Lobstein, whom they acquired from the Pirates in exchange for minor league pitcher Zach Phillips earlier in the day. The 33-year-old Bourn hit .261 in 89 games with the D-Backs this season. A speedy player, he led the National League in stolen bases three consecutive campaigns from 2009-11. Baltimore (72-61) is in the thick of the playoff race, trailing first-place Toronto by four games and the top wild card spot by two. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)
From ELLE
With so many basics lines in the market today, it's hard to imagine that another one needs to be added to the mix. But as far as Rumi Neely, the veteran blogger behind Fashiontoast, is concerned, there simply aren't enough elevated, really thoughtfully done basics that don't run the Row-like prices. That's exactly why she created her two-year old collection, Are You Am I.
Now, Are You Am I is on every Hadid, Jenner, and wanna be Hadid/Jenner worth her salt. The possible secret to Neely's success? "Every piece is the end-all-be-all of that exact category of the thing that it is," Neely notes. "It's like everything-the silk, the leather, the softer fabrics, the T-shirts-are just like the ultimate of what they are." And prices, while far from cheap, still hover within the not too-too crazy level for really good quality ($379 for a silk dress, $499 for a lambskin mini skirt).
Read on for more from the blogger-turned model-turned mogul on why she thinks Hollywood has flocked to her designs, what it's like to design when you're your own muse, and what's next for the company.
Have you always wanted to be a designer?
In the beginning I just was dreaming about working in fashion at all, no matter what the role would be, and it just seemed so unlikely. I was living in San Diego and it seemed so far away. I started my blog-never thought that would have an audience, and that turned into such a huge, life-changing career for me. I definitely wanted it, I just didn't fully plan on it, of course. Everything kind of was leading towards that and I had so many specific ideas always about how exactly I wanted something to look. I would customize so many things in my wardrobe that were vintage or things that I was buying, and it just really all aligned and the timing was perfect.
Photo credit: Splash
Who you have in mind when you're designing Are You Am I?
It sounds insane, I know, but I think that-I'm so lucky because I basically am my own muse. [laughs] I can get into my own head [and] not have to really envision that girl. I am that girl and I know what I want something to feel like and move like. It's really inspiring, of course, to see so many girls wearing the line and I love their take on it, it almost feels like this religion or something at this point. It's really exciting. I definitely think about the types of girls that I think would like a certain thing, but at the end of the day it's the most pure expression of myself, let's say, what I'm doing and what I want to create.
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What is your process like when you are working on the collection?
It's really cool because it's all exactly my vision. I'm not watering anything down. I think that our strength is actually how niche our product is, and not that it's very commercial and very similar to things that are out there already. I have ideas on how I want everything to look-from an oversized clutch to a long maxi silk dress, and the process of that is basically just envisioning that thing, envisioning the moment that I would be wearing that piece-like what time of day, how do I want to feel, what mood am I in-and just going off of that and then explaining all of that and sketching it out with my pattern-maker, who just understands me. The way that we work together is really great. He gets me and the whole process I feel like is probably not very traditional, because I don't have that fashion school background whatsoever. I explain everything to him and how I want the finishings to be. Then everything is produced in downtown LA.
Has there ever been a time throughout this process where you've wavered on what you've designed?
I think that for the position that I'm in the strongest thing that I can do is produce pieces that are exactly the thing that I want them to be. Every piece is the end-all-be-all of that exact category of the thing that it is. It's like everything, the silk, the leather, the softer fabrics, the t-shirts are just like the ultimate of what they are. Any type of commercialization or, like I said, watering that idea down would be so damaging and frankly, be pretty uninspiring to me, because the fact that every piece is like my dream thing that I just can't get enough of and am just so excited to wear, is just the whole point of it. I've been so lucky that there's been such an intense and positive response to the line. It's one of the craziest things.
Everyone talks about the finishings on the pieces. Are you surprised by that?
I'm not surprised. When someone touches them and actually sees the attention to detail-I'm such a maniac about just having every last possible bit feel just as if so much care was put into it, and it was. It's almost like a really selfish experience to wear one of our slip dresses or one of our blouses because it's so luxurious in a secret way.
Why do you think celebrities like Kendall Jenner, Stella Maxwell, and Bella Hadid love the line?
It's just really casual but in a very purposeful [way]; streamlined when it wants to be streamlined, and undone when it wants to be undone. I feel like it's really easy to wear a billion ways. If I was one of those girls and I was being paparazzi-snapped at all random hours of the day, I feel like this is kind of a really easy, fun option to look cute. They just wear it so well and I feel like they kind of get what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, and it's really cool to see that.
The tagline on the Are You Am I site is, "For girls that get it." What do you mean by that?
Girls who care about that attention to detail. Girls who want to look cool all the time that they can, but not put too much effort into it. She's the girl who wants to be able to throw eight things into a suitcase and just be ready. The girl who wants to wear every category of our pieces is the girl that gets it.
Photo credit: Splash
You started designing almost two years ago, in December 2014. Where do you hope to see the brand going?
The options for what we can do is becoming so much more expansive, and that's really exciting to me. I feel like doing basic, casual pieces and then doing really elevated, more unexpected things is becoming more possible. I feel like I do eventually want to be able to address more categories, like active or evening. We just launched swim which is such a fun thing that I always wanted to do. Living in LA, it's just part of what you need every week. It's a small, very powerful collection which I feel was an obvious step for us.
Do you think you'd ever want to get into bags and shoes?
Definitely. Some of that is already in different stages of development. But yeah, I think that those are all in the works eventually. That'll be exciting.
Will you keep doing chokers even when they're not super trendy?
Personally, I've always been into chokers. They're definitely having a big moment right now, and that's so cool. I feel like they're borderline here permanently at this point. They're just such an easy way to make something simple so much better. So I'm obsessed, for sure. We have some really great new types of accessories that we're launching soon that I can't say much more about right now. But definitely just expanding on the accessory collection, and keeping on growing with different styles of necklaces and more. So not just chokers.
Photo credit: Splash
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Baylee Curran is already speaking out about Chris Brown allegedly threatening her with a gun.
Curran called 911 for help early on Tuesday morning, alleging Brown pulled a gun on her. Brown was arrested the same day on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and later released from jail after posting $250,000 bail.
Curran, who says she has hung out with Brown "several times before," told E! News' Ken Baker in an interview that she believed Brown's hand was on the trigger when he allegedly pointed it at her. She told the Los Angeles Times that the incident sparked after Brown saw her admiring a piece of jewelry.
"I don't think he knew what was going on at the moment and just said, 'I'm so sick of you people,' took out his gun and said 'Get the f - out. I'm going to blow your head off,'" said Curran.
When asked if Curran was friends with Nia Guzman, the mother of Brown's daughter, Curran replied: "There are manyaccusations happening at the moment."
Read more: Chris Brown Arrested on Suspicion of Assault With a Deadly Weapon
Brown has posted a series of Instagram videos saying he is innocent. Brown said in one video, "I don't care. Y'all gonna stop playing with me like I'm the villain out here, like I'm going crazy."
"I just really want to be vocal about it. I want people to know the truth," said Curran. "I don't understand why he's the victim now. Obviously he has a lot of support, a lot of fans who is going to back him up and just think I'm some random girl wanting to be in the limelight, get some fame."
Curran added, "I would just tell him he very well knows what he's done. Come out with the truth. His fans are very forgiving and very supportive. I'm pretty sure they will forgive him for this, but it's not really fair to make himself out to be the victim when I had a gun in my face."
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A court date for Brown's arraignment has been set for Sept. 20. Brown recently released a new song called "What Would You Do" following his release from jail.
Watch the interview below.
Read more: Chris Brown Drops New Song Following Release From Jail
Beach Boy Mike Love's new memoir, Good Vibrations, marries his recall of the group's rise to success with detours into the 1960s Southern California counterculture that thrived as the band emerged and climbed the musical charts.
One of the darkest twists in that story is Love's brush with the "family" of Charles Manson, who is still serving time in prison along with his followers for a Los Angeles killing spree in August 1969.
Among Love's connections to Manson: One of his "girls" babysat Love's kids, Love writes in Vibrations.
Love, now 75, writes in an exclusive memoir excerpt in this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, that the band's Manson relationship began with his cousin and fellow Beach Boy Dennis Wilson who opened his Sunset Boulevard home in 1968 to Manson and his disciples at a time when the former was an aspiring rock star with a guru-like following.
Beach Boy Mike Love Reveals One of Manson's 'Girls' Was His Babysitter| The Beach Boys, Crime & Courts, Murder, True Crime, Charles Manson
To read more about Mike Love's recollections of Charles Manson, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
The subsequent Manson-directed killings of Sharon Tate, the pregnant wife of director Roman Polanski, and four others at the former home of music producer Terry Melcher the son of actress Doris Day haunted Dennis "for the last 14 years of his life," Love writes.
But the revelations continued. Months after the murders, Love learned of another link that connected him personally to Manson's group of murderous misfits.
At the time, Love was separated from his then-wife Suzanne, who had been having an affair with Dennis. But "the worst part of Suzanne's affair with Dennis wasn't even the affair," he writes.
Beach Boy Mike Love Reveals One of Manson's 'Girls' Was His Babysitter| The Beach Boys, Crime & Courts, Murder, True Crime, Charles Manson
"Terry Melcher later told me that after we separated, Suzanne and Dennis would sometimes go out and leave our two young children with a babysitter. One one occasion, the babysitter was Manson disciple Susan Atkins," Love writes.
"Atkins testified that she held Sharon Tate who pleaded with the killers to spare her life and that of her unborn child while another assailant, Charles 'Tex' Watson, stabbed her to death," Love writes. "In a theatrical flourish, Atkins used Tate's blood to write 'PIG' on the outside of the front door."
Concludes Love: "She was convicted of participating in eight murders and was sentenced to death. And she was our babysitter."
Atkins' sentence was later commuted to life in prison. She died behind bars of natural causes on Sept. 24, 2009, at age 61, after being denied parole 13 times.
joe biden
Vice President Joe Biden isn't letting up his criticism of Donald Trump's outreach to working-class voters.
In a speech in Warren, Ohio, on Thursday, Biden mocked Trump's attempts to argue against raising the minimum wage, noting that the real-estate magnate's patrician upbringing allowed him to receive a million-dollar loan from his father to start a business.
"This is a guy born with a silver spoon in his mouth that he's choking on because now his foot's in his mouth along with the spoon," Biden said.
Touting his work bailing out the auto industry in front of the union-heavy crowd, Biden argued that wealthy Republicans like Trump would not have supported the bailout because they do not truly understand the financial concerns of autoworkers and union workers.
"He doesn't understand this any more than you understand what it's like to live in a 30,000-square-foot penthouse 80 floors up in New York. You don't understand that, I don't understand," Biden said.
"What was the mainstream center-right press saying?" Biden said of the bailout. "We could never build more than 6 million cars in America. Mainly because you weren't competent. You'd lost your desire to work hard. You'd gotten fat and happy. That was the whole story. That's still Trump's story."
While the government-assisted auto recovery is still a potent memory for many workers in Ohio whose jobs are intertwined with the success of the industry, Trump has waffled on whether supporting the bailout was a smart idea. In 2008, the real-estate magnate said that he was behind it "100%," but at a rally in Michigan last year, he said that he was ambivalent.
"You could have let it go, and rebuilt itself, through the free enterprise system," Trump said. "You could have let it go bankrupt, frankly, and rebuilt itself, and a lot of people felt it should happen. Or you could have done it the way it went. I could have done it either way. Either way would have been acceptable. I think you would have wound up in the same place."
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EVERETT, Washington Maybe it was jet lag. But the scene seemed a bit surreal: the African-American hawker selling Donald Fucking Trump buttons, the young Hispanic guy with the Build a Wall T-shirt, the grinning fellow of Chinese descent strategically placed behind the podium.
I had stepped off a flight from the United Arab Emirates just 12 hours earlier. Now, improbably, I found myself at a Donald Trump rally. I had expected the sea of white faces flecked with camo, Confederate flags, biker leather, and National Rifle Association logos in the crowds, eagerly awaiting their hero. But the fact that the majority of the Trump supporters were polite and well-dressed, not a bunch of obscenity-screaming loonies, and included a few assorted people of color, had me wondering if I wasnt suffering the effects of sleep deprivation.
I was jolted back to reality the moment the Republican nominee came into the arena. I have spent the past two weeks in Pakistan and the Middle East, steeped in the geopolitical complexities of the region, a place painted in shades of gray. Now I was back in Trumps world of black and white.
We are going to stop the Syrian refugees from entering the United States, Trump proclaimed to a thundering, foot-stamping ovation. Did you see where they announced today tens of thousands of people coming in?
In fact, the administration had announced the arrival of the 10,000th refugee the day before, meeting the target for the year. But as Trump continued to rile up the crowd, I was soon reminded that facts dont always have a place in his world order of fear and loathing. We allow people to pour into our country. We dont know who they are, but its only a matter of time before bad, bad things are going to happen, he warned.
I thought about the conversation I had with a hard-line Muslim cleric a week before, who told me that he had the solution to Trumps concerns about Syrian refugees: America should go in and stop the fighting, Mufti Muhammad Naeem said, as we sat sprawled against pillows on the pristine white carpet of his air-conditioned office. Naeem is the head of Jamia Binoria, a madrasa considered the most important center of the fundamentalist Deobandi school of Sunni Islam in Pakistan. In the dusty, flyblown 15-acre complex outside his oasis-like office, more than 5,000 students from young Pakistani children to Ph.D. students from the United States, Europe, and across the Muslim world were studying an extremely conservative interpretation of Islam.
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Naeem is no shrinking violet. Just last year, he issued a fatwa against a government minister, accusing him of apostasy, a virtual death sentence in Pakistan. Given that his fundamentalist colleagues were inflamed by the U.S. presence in Afghanistan and Iraq and the ongoing drone strikes in Pakistan itself, I asked, why would he want the United States to intervene in Syria? America is powerful; it can do anything it wants. It can solve these things if it wants to, he confidently replied.
This from a man who is banned from entering the United States because of his alleged support for attacks on Pakistani Shiites. Which is exactly why he wants the United States in Syria: to oust Shiite Irans ally Bashar al-Assad and drive out the hated Shiite militia Hezbollah, paving the way for a Sunni regime. The conversation was a reminder that nothing in what George W. Bush once dubbed the greater Middle East was straightforward.
You would never know that listening to Trump. Back at the rally, the New York businessman was now reciting lyrics to Al Wilsons song The Snake, which he said was the perfect allegory to the threat posed by Syrian refugees. In the song, a sympathetic woman rescues a half-frozen snake, only to be bitten by it in the end. When she asks why, the snake tells her she shouldnt be surprised because: You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in.
It represents the truth, Trump told the cheering and laughing crowd. The tidal wave of Muslim immigrants, he said, repeating a common theme of the campaign, could be the great Trojan horse of all time.
And, naturally, it was all Crooked Hillarys fault.
Look at the world before and after she became secretary of state, Trump continued. Pre-Hillary, in early 2009, Iraq was seeing a reduction in violence, Libya was stable, Syria was under control, the group we now know as [the Islamic State] was close to being extinguished, Iran was being choked by sanctions.
Well, kinda, sorta. Hillary Clinton certainly bears much responsibility for the chaos in Libya, in pressing for the U.S. intervention, which was launched with no serious plan for what came next. But that intervention also prevented the slaughter of countless Libyans by dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi and ultimately led to his demise. And sanctions against Iran were actually tightened in 2012, costing Iran $160 billion in lost oil revenue alone over the next few years, according to U.S. Treasury Department figures.
Trumps account of a pre-Clinton Middle East utopia leaves out the seminal events that have shaped the region today: the Bush administrations invasion of Iraq and a little something called the Arab Spring. The overthrow of Saddam Hussein tore Iraq asunder and made Iran the dominant regional power. The 2011 Arab uprising, which the United States could not have stopped even if it had wanted to, unseated two dictatorships and sparked an authoritarian counterstrike from Bahrain to North Africa. The brief flirtation with democracy gave way to todays blood-soaked Arab Winter and the rise of Islamic State.
That got me thinking about the Jordanian investment banker I had been drinking with at the in-pool bar of a luxury Dubai hotel a scant 36 hours before Trump took the stage. Between shots of tequila and bottles of Corona, he confided that although he didnt really like Trump, he thought the real estate tycoon was the only one who could save the world economy because he wont mess around hell just order people to do things, and theyll get done.
So much for wild-eyed Muslim fanatics.
That launched him into a paean to the good old days of Arab dictators. Saddam Hussein and Hafez al-Assad knew how to run a country, the former Citibank executive recalled wistfully, referring to the late dictators of Iraq and Syria. Democracy doesnt work in our culture, he continued, warming to his subject. Were used to authority. No matter how old you are, when your father tells you to do something, you do it. They hold the squabbling family together, and the dictators held those countries together. People in those countries were safe. Except, of course, for political dissidents having their genitals electrocuted, I pointed out.
But he did have a point. From Dubai, the glittering, mega-rich business capital of the Arab world, no matter which direction you look, there is chaos. In Yemen, the Saudis and Emiratis are locked in a bloody proxy war with Iran. Thirteen years after the American invasion, Iraq remains a sectarian basket case. Syria is likely to remain a failed state for the next generation.
Immersed in the sound-bite culture of a presidential election campaign particularly the stream-of-consciousness lunacy of Trump its easy to forget that the world is a really complicated place. To be fair, in one of his more trenchant foreign-policy pronouncements, Trump once proclaimed, The Middle East is one big, fat quagmire. He got that right. But then in March he said the United States needs to send upwards of 30,000 troops to the region to fight the Islamic State, only to announce this week that rather than direct intervention, he wants to set up refugee safe zones, paid for by the Persian Gulf emirates. Theres an actual policy in there somewhere.
In the region itself, the overarching confrontation between key Sunni Arab states and Shiite Iran, which plays out in all the regions conflicts, dominates the narrative. There is genuine fear in the palaces of the Gulf that some inadvertent incident will spark a direct military confrontation. But what really keeps Gulf leaders awake at night is the existential threat posed by the Islamic State, known there by the pejorative Arabic acronym Daesh.
Iran is tangible and external, a senior Arab journalist with regular access to the regions kings and emirs told me. Daesh is of them, he continued, meaning Gulf Arabs are among its recruits. Its right here in the sand. It can appear from anywhere. Among Trumps plan-of-the-week strategies against the Islamic State tossed out during the debates, the bomb the shit out of em approach is problematic, to say the least, if implemented amid the glistening skyscrapers and ornate palaces of the Gulf emirs.
Complicating the creation of a coherent Middle East strategy even further, the twin threats of Iran and the Islamic State have shuffled the deck of regional power alliances. Israel once so reviled in the Arab world that it was referred to only as the Zionist entity now regularly meets secretly with Saudi Arabia and the other Sunni states to share intelligence on their common enemies.
Just across the Gulf of Oman in Pakistan, which Trump once called the most dangerous country in the world, the government is trying hard to avoid getting caught in the middle of the confrontation between the Gulf states and Iran, which borders Pakistan to the west. Islamabad has enough problems in its own neighborhood: the endless confrontations with India (which Trump expects to be helping us out in securing Pakistans nuclear weapons if the country becomes unstable, an invitation to regional chaos); civil war with domestic militant groups (while cynically supporting others); a revolt in Baluchistan; the Kashmir conflict; open hostility from the Afghan regime; and a military operation against the political party-cum-criminal gang that runs the commercial capital of Karachi.
The complexity of it all is enough to make your head spin.
Back in Everett, the crowd was chanting, Trump! Trump! Trump! Maybe the GOP nominee is right, I thought, longing to go catch up on my sleep. Just build a wall.
Photo credit: Xinhua/Bao Dandan via Getty Images
LONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - BlackRock has trimmed the redemption charge on its 3.2 billion pound ($4.24 billion) UK Property Fund to 5.44 percent from 5.83 percent, the fund manager said on Thursday.
BlackRock had raised the charge on the fund to 5.75 percent from 2 percent in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, as UK property investors scrambled for the exits.
It increased the charge again, to 5.83 percent, at the end of July, a BlackRock spokeswoman said by email.
The redemption charge on the fund, which is aimed at institutional investors, is being reviewed on a monthly basis, the spokeswoman added.
A number of commercial property funds aimed at retail investors cut valuation levels following market volatility after the Brexit vote.
Several funds have since trimmed those valuation discounts, as capital values did not fall in July by as much as some had feared.
Six UK property funds remain suspended, however.
For a FACTBOX on suspended UK commmercial property funds, see ($1 = 0.7551 pounds) (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn; editing by Simon Jessop)
LONDON (Reuters) - BlackRock has trimmed the redemption charge on its 3.2 billion pound ($4.24 billion) UK Property Fund to 5.44 percent from 5.83 percent, the fund manager said on Thursday.
BlackRock had raised the charge on the fund to 5.75 percent from 2 percent in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, as UK property investors scrambled for the exits.
It increased the charge again, to 5.83 percent, at the end of July, a BlackRock spokeswoman said by email.
The redemption charge on the fund, which is aimed at institutional investors, is being reviewed on a monthly basis, the spokeswoman added.
A number of commercial property funds aimed at retail investors cut valuation levels following market volatility after the Brexit vote.
Several funds have since trimmed those valuation discounts, as capital values did not fall in July by as much as some had feared.
Six UK property funds remain suspended, however.
(Reporting by Carolyn Cohn; editing by Simon Jessop)
Loans fell by 5% in July.
Business loans may be plummeting, as theyre now on their 8th consecutive month of decline, but analysts are saying theyre close to bottoming out.
According to a report by OCBC, 3Q16 bank loans growth to fall by 2.9% yoy, largely due to an anticipated August drag due to a high base in August 15.
Meanwhile, OCBC added that bank loans may decline a more benign 1.5% yoy for the full year of 2016.
On the other hand, consumer loans also moderated from 2.8% yoy (+0.5% mom) in June to 2.2% yoy (flat mom) in July, as housing/bridging loans (+3.4% yoy) and credit card loans (+2.9% yoy) continued to ease in momentum, OCBC said.
Auto loans also continued to decline by 2.9% yoy in July, which is the smallest yoy contraction since March 2012, likely reflecting the gradual turnaround after the car loan rules were loosened. Given the domestic labour market is also softening, consumer loans growth may also plod rather than race along, the report added.
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By Daniel Ramos and Rosalba O'Brien LA PAZ/SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Bolivia responded to last week's murder of a government official by announcing a crackdown on mining cooperatives on Thursday, saying it would return contracts signed between them and private companies to state control. The beaten body of Deputy Interior Minister Rodolfo Illanes was found by the side of the road last week, hours after he had approached mining protesters to talk over their concerns. Having seen their income hit by the global commodities slowdown, miners had been demanding increased rights to work with private companies, relaxed environmental restrictions and more subsidies. At least two were killed in clashes with police in the run-up to the murder. President Evo Morales has accused the right-wing opposition of encouraging the protests to foment discord, and his socialist government hit back Thursday with tighter restrictions for co-operatives. Five decrees were agreed on after an emergency cabinet meeting, Mining Minister Cesar Navarro said at a press conference. They include "reverting to state control those areas in which contracts have been signed between mining cooperatives and private companies," he said. Bolivia's mining sector is dominated by 120,000 miners working in around 1,700 co-operatives, who have received tax concessions and other benefits from the government in recent years. They have 31 contracts with private firms in force, according to the mining ministry. Former deputy mining minister Hector Cordova told Reuters the ruling should not affect large companies, which have contracts with state miner Comibol. He added, "Those smaller companies who joined with cooperatives to take advantage of tax breaks and other benefits will see their interests decrease." A company called Manquiri is among those listed as having two contracts with co-operatives. It operates a silver mine and is a subsidiary of U.S. firm Coeur Mining , according to Coeur's website. Coeur could not immediately be reached for comment. One of the largest foreign-owned mining companies in Bolivia is San Cristobal, which extracts silver, zinc and lead and is owned by Japan's Sumitomo. A spokeswoman for San Cristobal said it did not use co-operative contracts. The Morales government nationalized Bolivia's natural gas industry soon after taking power in 2006 and is in arbitration with Glencore over the return of some assets, but has said San Cristobal would not be nationalized. Other measures announced Thursday include a state audit of co-operative mining areas and the banning of the use of explosives at demonstrations. (Reporting by Daniel Ramos and Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Chris Reese and David Gregorio)
MONTREAL (Reuters) - Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) will halt completion work for its Global 5000 and 6000 business jets during certain periods in 2017, the manufacturer said on Thursday, amid ongoing softness in the market for corporate planes.
The furloughs at Bombardier's global completions center in Montreal follow a decision in 2015 by the Canadian plane and train maker to cut production of Global 5000 and 6000 jets, citing weak demand from China, Latin America and Russia.
"It's a very common practice to adjust our manufacturing strategy and sequencing to ensure we manage our inventories and costs," Bombardier spokesman Mark Masluch said.
"We will work collaboratively with our union to ensure we take steps to mitigate impact to our workforce."
He said the furloughs in completion work would not have any impact on Bombardier's ability to honor customer orders.
Masluch did not specify whether Bombardier was pausing work at its completion center in Montreal to align with lower plane volumes.
An aerospace analyst who follows Bombardier said the furloughs could be an effort to lower staffing costs when business jet revenue is under pressure, or a way to match the finishing work to lower plane production.
"There could be some alignment with production," said the analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he had not yet discussed the furloughs with Bombardier.
Bombardier shares were down two Canadian cents to C$2.13 in early afternoon trading in Toronto.
(Reporting by Allison Lampert; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Paul Simao)
By Alonso Soto and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - The dismissal of Brazil's president upset relations with leftist Latin American governments on Wednesday as Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia recalled their ambassadors to protest what they called a "coup" and Brasilia responded in kind. The Brazilian Senate voted 61-20 to convict the country's first female president, Dilma Rousseff, of illegally using money from state banks to bankroll public spending. The vote ended 13 years of progressive Workers Party rule and brought to power her conservative former vice president, Michel Temer. Leftist leaders in Caracas, Quito, La Paz and San Salvador have been consistent allies of Rousseff and her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who said the United States was behind the impeachment push. "This coup d'etat isn't just against Dilma. It is against Latin America and the Caribbean. It is against us," Maduro said in a televised speech. "This is an attack against the popular, progressive, leftist movement." Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra defended the constitutionality of Rousseff's impeachment and questioned the legitimacy of Maduro's government. "The Venezuelan government has no moral standing to talk about democracy, since they don't have a democratic regime," he said in comments posted to a government website, in which he accused Venezuela of holding political prisoners. A political crisis in Venezuela has already heightened tensions with the Temer government, which took over on an interim basis when Rousseff was suspended in May to face trial. Earlier this month, diplomats from Brazil and Uruguay traded barbs over the latter's accusation that Brasilia was trying to "buy" its vote to block Venezuela from taking the rotating presidency of the region's Mercosur trade bloc. Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay have refused to allow Venezuela to take the Mercosur presidency, arguing that it has not complied with the minimum requirements to belong to the common market. Adding its voice to the criticisms, the leftist government of El Salvador said in a statement that Rousseff's removal "represented a serious threat for Latin America's democracy, peace, justice, development and integration." However, it did not say it would recall its ambassador. (Reporting by Alonso Soto and Lisandra Paraguassu and Nelson Renteria in San Salvador; Writing by Brad Haynes; Editing by Peter Cooney and Michael Perry)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - A judge in Brazil's Amazonian state of Para suspended the operating license of the controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric dam on the Xingu River for failing to provide required water and sewage services to local communities.
The decision by Judge Maria Carolina Valente do Carmo of Brazil's 1st District Federal court in Altamira was handed down on Wednesday, federal prosecutors who filed the action said on Thursday.
Prosecutors filed the case against the dam, its owner Norte Energia and Brazil's environmental protection agency Ibama.
The construction of Belo Monte was bitterly opposed by indigenous groups and environmentalists because of its scale and location.
The dam, which is ramping up production, is set to have a maximum generation capacity of 11,233 megawatts, one of the largest in the world. But as a result of a relatively small reservoir compared to other large dams, a response to concerns from environmentalists about flooding large areas of Amazon rainforest, its average capacity will only be 4,571 megawatts.
Norte Energia is 49.98 percent owned by state-led utility Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA, or Eletrobras, and two of its subsidiaries. Eletrobras is facing a severe financial crisis due to cuts in electricity rates and government insistence it operate money-losing electricity distributors.
"Norte Energia has repeatedly failed to meet deadlines to provide water and sewage services to the people of Altamira who live right in front of the dam reservoir," said a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Altamira.
"Without these services, the city's water source will be contaminated with sewage," she added. "It is an absolutely essential part of limiting negative dam impacts."
While Norte Energia has built the bulk of the water and sewage services, few houses have been hooked up to the system, missing a Sept. 1 deadline for compliance, prosecutors said in a statement.
Prosecutors said they have no information on whether Belo Monte's operations have been halted, but they say Norte Energia may not have yet been formally informed of the suspension yet.
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Prosecutors expect an appeal.
Norte Energia's press offices in Altamira and in Brasilia did not answer calls requesting comment.
Norte Energia's other shareholders include Brazil's Centrais Eletricas de Minas Gerais SA, the utility owned by the government of Brazil's Minas Gerais state and the employee pension funds of state-led oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA and state-owned bank Caixa Economica Federal .
(Reporting by Jeb Blount; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
By Brad Brooks RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - He is a president few Brazilians want, replacing a leader hardly any saw fit to stay. The Senate's dismissal on Wednesday of Dilma Rousseff, the least popular president since Brazil returned to democracy three decades ago, handed power to a politician almost as unpopular, vice president Michel Temer. For much of his five decades in politics, the softly-spoken Temer has worked in the shadows, building alliances within his fragmented Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and rising to become one of the leading dealmakers in Brazil's Congress. His discrete manner and impeccable dress earned him the nickname among political allies and enemies alike of "The Butler." Now the 75-year-old, who will serve out the presidential term through 2018, must win the confidence of a nation bitterly divided by the impeachment process and frustrated by the worst recession in decades. He must also overcome Brazilians' disillusionment with the political class, which many see him embodying, after a sweeping corruption scandal at the state oil company Petrobras that has ensnared his party. "It is time to reunite the country and put national interests above those of groups," Temer said in his first televised address as president. "I repeat my commitment to democratically dialogue with all sectors of Brazilian society." Temer has already shown he will steer Latin America's largest nation to the center-right since he took over as interim president when Rousseff was suspended in May, unveiling plans to curb public spending and reform the generous pension system and welfare benefits. That agenda will make unity hard to achieve with many blue-collar voters already angry at the loss of hard-won economic gains achieved during 13 years of Workers Party rule and unemployment running at nearly 12 million, or just over 11 percent. After Temer's swearing in on Wednesday, hundreds of youths took to the streets of Sao Paulo, smashing shop windows and hurling rocks at riot police, who responded with tear gas. "There is no single leader who can unify Brazil at this moment, certainly not Temer," said Sergio Praca, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a leading Brazilian university. "For a portion of the population, whether fair or not, he is linked to the idea that there has been a 'coup.' His challenge is not just pushing through reforms. His challenge is his political survival." CONTRASTING STYLES Rousseff, 68, was a gruff leader who minced no words with subordinates who made mistakes. Temer, who speaks in the rigidly formal Portuguese of a former constitutional law professor, could not be more different - from Rousseff or most of his countrymen. The son of Lebanese immigrants who arrived in Brazil in 1925, Temer was the youngest of eight children. He began his political career in the 1960s. He first served as an aide to Sao Paulo state's education secretary under Governor Adhemar de Barros - one of the politicians who inspired the Brazilian saying: "He steals, but he gets things done." But behind his old-fashioned demeanor and slicked-back gray locks, Temer is not entirely what one would expect from his staid public image. The father of five children is married to a former beauty pageant contestant 42 years his junior who has his name tattooed on her neck. He has also in recent years released a book of poetry titled "Anonymous Intimacy." Its terse verse was penned on airplane napkins while he traveled from the capital Brasilia to his base in Sao Paulo. It includes praise for the female form and oblique allusions to Brazil's polarized politics. He has a low-key style but is not above splashes of vanity. Several years ago, he had a nose operation that corrected a deviated septum but also, he acknowledged, improved his looks. SEEKING CONSENSUS Temer honed his craft over more than a decade in Brazil's bare-knuckle lower house of Congress, where he was an ally to both centrist President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Rousseff's predecessor and mentor. He earned a reputation for staying above the fray. Those who have worked with him say he rarely raises his voice, does not curse and refrains from the dramatic theatrics his peers employ during debates - especially the antics seen from all sides during Rousseff's impeachment. For 15 years, he led the PMDB, an amorphous group with no consistent ideology, which holds more Congressional seats than any other. Since Brazil's return to democracy in 1985, the PMDB has mostly been content to let other parties hold the presidency while it positioned itself as the legislative power broker, winning pork barrel perks and control of ministries and their budgets in return for support in Congress. Now, though, the PMDB plans to field its own presidential candidate in 2018. Although Temer himself has said he will not run, his supporters say his long career working across the ideological spectrum makes him a strong transitional leader and will help set the PMDB up for whomever it casts as its candidate. But Rafael Cortez, a political analyst at Tendencias, a Sao Paulo consulting firm, said Temer's background and cordial manner could in fact be a liability. "The economic and political crises we are facing will require confrontation with both opposition and allies alike to push through reforms," Cortez said. "The success of a Temer presidency will depend on his willingness to be confrontational." Because Temer comes from the old, elite political class, Cortez said, he does not satiate the public's deep appetite for political renewal. "For that reason, the urgency underlying his presidency is to at least deliver on economic growth. If he achieves only that, not only does the PMDB stand a better chance in the 2018 elections, but it is not unreasonable to assume that Temer himself could make a run." (Editing by Daniel Flynn and Andrew Hay)
By Jeb Blount
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors in Brazil rejected a $328.2 million (247.34 million pounds) deal on Thursday allowing Dutch oil-ship lesser SBM Offshore NV (SBMO.AS) to avoid prosecution for corruption related to its contracts with state-led oil company Petrobras.
The decision was made by a federal prosecutor review board, which said numerous problems needed to be addressed before the deal could be approved.
SBM officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The deal failed to provide authorities with enough data, documents and other information to assist in further investigations of corruption at Petrobras, the board said.
A series of widening investigations that began in 2014 have shown that Petrobras (PETR4.SA) officials conspired with major contractors to fix prices or arrange bribes, in a sweeping kickback scheme that has engulfed a vast swath of Brazil's political class and business elites.
SBM, was one of the first companies to get caught up in the scandal.
SBM is the largest lesser of floating oil production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. The company has been accused of paying bribes to officials of Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4.SA), or Petrobras to win FPSO lease contracts.
Petrobras operates the largest fleet of FPSOs in the world. Without the deal, Petrobras might be forced to cancel contracts with SBM that could cut output by 15 percent between 2016 and 2020 and cost Petrobras $12.7 billion in revenue, Brazil's transparency, regulation and control ministry (TRCM), said in a statement on Thursday.
The deal rejected on Thursday, known as a lenience accord, was completed in negotiations between SBM and the TRCM in July. It offered SBM immunity from prosecution in exchange for an admission of guilt, the provision of information and evidence that could help further an ongoing corruption investigation at Petrobras.
It also included a $163 million fine, of which Petrobras will receive $149.2 million. Petrobras would be further compensated by SBM reducing the value of its contracts by $179 million. Another $13.6 million would be paid to prosecutors to help finance additional corruption investigations.
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The review panel said prosecutors were giving up too much in exchange for the fines to be paid by SBM. It also said the company had been more forthcoming with prosecutors in the United States and Europe about crimes in Brazil than it had with authorities in the South American country.
The board sent the deal back to prosecutors in Rio de Janeiro, where Petrobras is based.
(Reporting by Jeb Blount and Marta Nogueira; Editing by Tom Brown)
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's government has recalled its ambassador to Venezuela for consultations after Caracas condemned the removal of impeached President Dilma Rousseff and recalled its envoy in Brasilia, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Brazil also recalled its ambassadors to Bolivia and Ecuador after the leftist governments of those countries criticized the Senate's decision to oust Rousseff in an impeachment trial that ended earlier on Wednesday. (Reporting by Alonso Soto; Editing by Peter Cooney)
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Demonstrations in Brazil's biggest city against the removal from office of former President Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday devolved into clashes between masked protestors and police, who fired tear gas canisters to clear the streets. Television images showed some protestors smashing windows, vandalizing stores and setting trash on fire in downtown Sao Paulo, while police arrayed in riot gear blocked major roads. (Reporting by Brad Haynes; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
Brasilia (AFP) - Impeached Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff filed a Supreme Court challenge Thursday to her removal from office in an immediate blow to new President Michel Temer's bid to stabilize the country and consolidate power.
The appeal, filed by Rousseff's lawyer Jose Eduardo Cardozo and seen by AFP, demands "the immediate suspension of the effects of the Senate decision."
The Senate voted Wednesday to convict Rousseff on charges of having illegally manipulated government accounts, stripping her of her office and replacing her with Temer, her bitter enemy and former vice president.
Cardozo's appeal asks for "a new trial" during which Temer -- who was sworn in as president up until the end of 2018 -- would be downgraded to interim president.
Temer is now in China, attending a G20 summit, while Rousseff remains in the Alvorada presidential palace in Brasilia. She is expected to leave shortly for her personal apartment in the southern city of Porto Alegre.
But the court challenge is only one of the many challenges stacking up for Temer, whose declared mission to fix the economy will require pushing painful reforms through the same hostile Congress that brought down Rousseff.
"There will be no honeymoon," said Andre Cesar, a political analyst in Brasilia.
"Temer will have to negotiate unpopular measures in Congress and being president is very different to being a legislator, which is the experience he has," Cesar said.
Rousseff was convicted by a two-thirds Senate majority of taking illegal state loans to patch budget holes in 2014, masking the country's problems as it slid into economic disarray.
Senators voting for her removal said she had contributed to Brazil's economic crisis and acted with criminal irresponsibility.
Rousseff, from the leftist Workers' Party, denied doing anything illegal and claimed to be the victim of a right-wing coup d'etat.
In a surprise move, a Senate vote on barring Rousseff from public office for eight years failed, meaning she is free to reenter political life. The ban had been considered by many to be a standard consequence of removal in an impeachment trial.
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- Challenges for new leader -
Rousseff left office with rock bottom ratings after being blamed by most Brazilians for the country's slide into double-digit inflation and unemployment. She has also been tainted by the revelation of a colossal embezzlement and kickbacks scheme at state oil giant Petrobras, although she has not been accused of participating herself.
Temer, from the center-right PMDB party, rode that dissatisfaction all the way to the presidency in an impeachment process he describes as giving Brazil a chance to put its house back in order.
Soon after being sworn in Wednesday he told the nation that his only goal was to serve until 2018, leaving behind "a country that is reconciled, pacified and growing economically."
But Rousseff, who describes Temer as a coup plotter, went down fighting.
"They have convicted an innocent person and carried out a parliamentary coup," she said after the Senate vote on Wednesday, adding, defiantly, that she'd "be back."
Rousseff's coup accusation has gained only scattered support abroad and in a boost for Temer the US State Department said that the impeachment process was "in accordance with Brazil's constitutional framework."
"We're confident that we will continue the strong bilateral relationship that exists between our two countries as the two largest democracies and economies in the hemisphere. Brazil and the United States are committed partners," said spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday.
However, Temer's struggle to consolidate power will face repeated challenges from the Workers' Party and allied leftist organizations.
Spending cuts, privatizations and attempting to curb the generous pension system -- including by setting a minimum retirement age -- are likely to provoke strong opposition both on the streets and in Congress.
"The priority for Temer will be addressing the country's fiscal deficit, which is currently at 10.1 percent of GDP and widening," said a post-impeachment vote analysis by IHS Country Risk.
However, "strikes and industrial action risks are likely to increase over the next year," the analysis said.
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Michel Temer said it was time to unite the country after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday, vowing to work to rescue an economy mired in recession. In his first address to the nation after being sworn in, Temer said Brazil needs to guarantee political stability for foreign investors. He said the policy outlook is challenging but indicators show confidence is beginning to return. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Photo credit: Courtesy of Beauchamp Estates
From Veranda
When Brigitte Bardot got divorced from her first husband, Roger Vadim, she headed to this vacation house in the French Riviera.
And who could blame her? The mansion, which is nestled in the hills of the village of Peymeinade, dates back to the 13th century. It's the definition of gorgeous and it just hit the market for $5.65 million.
According to the listing, it was renovated between 1998 and 2011. The eight-bedroom main house is a testament to the power of preservation: Its rough-hewn beams, stone and titled floors, French doors, period hardwood, and Louis XIV fireplace are beyond breathtaking.
Of course, there's a four-bedroom guest house, so there's more than enough space for when your nearest and dearest come to visit. But between the two infinity pools, vineyard, and Japanese "deco pool" we have a feeling vacationers will be spending most of their time outside.
According to the LA Times, Bardot wanted to buy the manse, but her mother encouraged her to buy a waterfront home in St. Tropez instead. Tough call, if we do say so ourselves.
If a better look at the home doesn't inspire you to play the lottery today, literally nothing will:
h/t: Luxury Listings
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Potsdam (Germany) (AFP) - British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson pledged Thursday that the UK would remain a "dedicated European power" even after it left the EU, at an international security policy meeting in Germany.
Johnson told reporters at a gathering of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the eastern city of Potsdam that Brexit would not cut Britain off from the continent.
Johnson said his attendance was "part of the broader message that we're making to the world that, whatever our relationship is going to be with the treaties of the European Union, the United Kingdom is not leaving Europe".
"Broadly conceived, we are a European country, we're a dedicated European power," said Johnson, who took office following the shock June referendum in favour of Britain leaving the EU.
"We are going to remained integrally involved in the diplomacy and politics of our continent."
Calling the OSCE a "fantastic organisation", he said the one-day informal meeting of 40 foreign ministers from its member states would focus largely on tensions in eastern Ukraine.
"I think today everybody would agree that the wide, great continent of Europe is in a much, much better place, is in a much better state than it was 30 years ago but clearly there are problems," he said.
"We'll be talking about... what we can do to make sure that the OSCE monitors are able to have the access that they need and that the territorial integrity of (Ukraine) is fully and properly respected."
OSCE monitors in eastern Ukraine have recorded regular violations of a ceasefire and a political reconciliation agreement signed in the Belarussian capital Minsk in February 2015.
The truce has done little to end the daily loss of life of civilians and fighters on both sides.
LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways resumes direct flights to Tehran on Thursday after four years of suspension due to western sanctions on Iran. The airline, owned by IAG, will become the second European carrier to resume flights to Iran after Air France. The first BA flight is due to leave Heathrow on Thursday evening. "British Airways has a long history of flying to Iran so we are very excited to be launching our new six times a week service, direct from Heathrow to Tehran, said a spokesman. The service follows the relaxation of sanctions against Iran and the reopening of the British embassy in the Iranian capital last year which was ransacked by protesters in 2011. (Reporting by Laura Gardner Cuesta; editing by Stephen Addison)
London (AFP) - Twice as many British people support a ban on women wearing a burqa than oppose one, with a majority also in favour of outlawing the burkini, according to a poll published Thursday.
Some 57 percent of the 1,668 adults polled by YouGov said they supported "a law that bans people from wearing the burqa in the UK", with 36 percent "strongly supporting" the ban compared with only 10 percent who were "strongly opposed".
The poll comes following a row in France about the banning of the burkini in around 30 coastal resorts in the Riviera.
The country's highest administrative court later suspended the ruling after it was challenged by rights groups.
Some 46 percent of British people would support a similar ban on the burkini, against 30 percent who were opposed, with 18 percent neither for or against.
Support for the ban on the burqa, worn by women in some Islamic traditions to hide the body and face, was uniform across supporters of all political parties, although strongest among Conservative and UK Independence Party backers.
The only demographics to oppose the ban were 18-24 year-olds -- by a margin of six percent -- and those who voted to remain in the European Union, but only by a margin of three percent.
The ban was also supported across the regions, with 51 percent of Londoners and 63 percent of northerners in favour.
A similar YouGov survey in Germany found 62 percent in support of a burqa ban, but another in the United States found that 59 percent believed "people should be allowed to decide for themselves what to wear."
In a rather startling move, the Burger King fast food venues in St Petersburg will offer a series of limited edition burgers, in tribute to the radical artist (and St Petersburg native son) Petr Pavlensky.
Pavlensky's radical performance work uses his own body as a political tool. This has made him a wildly controversial figure in Russia, bringing him into regular conflict with the authorities -- whom he perpetually accuses of fear-mongering through his acts.
His highly visible stunts are characterized by their extremity of self-inflicted pain and their national civic symbolism. Previously, Pavlensky has buckled his scrotum to the cobblestoned base of Red Square using a single long nail (in protest of Police Day); he climbed naked onto the roof of Moscow's Serbsky psychiatric center and cut off his right earlobe with a kitchen knife (to fight Russia's use of forced psychiatry against dissidents); he coiled barbed wire around his naked body before the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg (as an anti-government declaration), and he has quite literally sewn his mouth shut (as a show of support to Pussy Riot, the anarchic feminist band, several members of which were imprisoned for a guerrilla concert).
"His performances are not only a protest against the system, but also a protest against people's apathy," The Guardian described of his rousing acts in a 2014 article.
The artist was released from jail this past June after serving seven months in pre-trial detention, and then heavily fined, for an art/arson hybrid. Pavlensky had set the door of a building -- on the other side of which eminent cultural figures had previously been held prisoner -- on fire, and watched it burn.
Burger King customers will soon be able to retrace Pavlensky's unparalleled career on a comestible scale: they can order a burger wrapped in "edible barbed wire," a burger burnt on one side, and a burger with the bun partially sewn shut. The artist's infamous Red Square performance will be referenced with an egg speered into a burger with a toothpick.
According to The Guardian (via an article published in the Moscow Times), the PR representing Burger King in Russia announced that the aim of these meals is to bring "culture to the masses."
TX AG Sues to Allow Guns
in Courthouse Complex
By Lana Shadwick. August 30th, 2016
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Waller County, Texas, over the right to bear arms in the Waller County Courthouse complex. Advocates have protested the County's actions in preventing lawful carrying pursuant to the protection of a new state law.
In a statement obtained by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton he said, "A local government cannot be allowed to flout Texas' licensed carry laws, or any state law, simply because it disagrees with the law or doesn't feel like honoring it." He added, "I will vigilantly protect and preserve the Second Amendment rights of Texans."
Second Amendment advocates descended on Waller County on August 12th to support a fellow Texan who was sued by the County after he served notice on them alleging a violation of Texas gun rights, as reported by Breitbart Texas. In a show of support, the gun rights advocates at the open carry protest went to the Waller County Clerk's Office to file their own complaints against the County. A video of them bringing their complaints to the Clerk is included in the article.
Breitbart Texas was in Waller County for the protest and has been reporting about the conflict between gun rights activists and County officials. The gun rights advocates say officials are being "tyrannical" "bullies" and are abusing their power. .......
Here is a situation where power-hungry local beaurocrats decide to ignore a state law. Somehow it reminds one of the Windy City and Cooke County! Texas of late has been impressive with improvements to their carry laws and could well be regarded by some other states as a useful model for them to follow - contrast this with the CA situation. Bit by bit the farce of 'gun-free-zones' can and should be whittled down.
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C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. CHRW announced its intention to acquire APC Logistics for around AUD 300 million (approximately $225 million). The acquisition is dependent on customary closing conditions. Based in Australia, APC logistics is a popular name in the logistics industry, providing freight forwarding and customs brokerage services. If approved, the deal is expected to be accretive in 2016 and 2017 and will likely be financed via cash and funds from C.H. Robinsons existing revolving credit facility.
APC Logistics Background
APC Logistics, founded in 1974, is a privately held company, headquartered in Melbourne. It has seven offices in Australia and two offices in New Zealand. The company currently employs around 300 people and serves over 3000 customers and suppliers. The company, an international freight forwarder, offers ocean, air, customs brokerage and consultancy services. The companys revenues totaled AUD 334.2 million (approximately $251 million for the fiscal year ended Jun 30, 2016).
Benefits of Acquisition
C.H. Robinson expects APC Logistics commendable customer and carrier relationships to blend well with C.H. Robinsons service offerings and network. The combined entity is expected to add value to customer service while increasing scale of business for the companies. Moreover, we expect this acquisition to boost C.H. Robinsons global presence. After the transaction closes, C.H. Robinson is expected to integrate APC Logistics into its Global Forwarding division. The company will also integrate APC to Navisphere, its single global technology platform. Notably, C.H. Robinsons network covers four continents and several countries stretching from the U.S. to China.
CH ROBINSON WWD Price
CH ROBINSON WWD Price | CH ROBINSON WWD Quote
Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
C.H. Robinson currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the same space include Dynagas LNG Partners LP DLNG, Green Plain Partners LP GPP and Student Transportation Inc. STB. All carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
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A Spanish doctoral student, expelled from Cambodia two weeks ago for participating in anti-government protests, has alleged that Cambodian immigration officers physically abused her in custody before she left.
In a letter sent to the Cambodia Daily newspaper, Marga Bujosa Segado claimed this week that she was kicked in the stomach and torso by two immigration officials while five others watched, one of them shooting a video of the battering.
Bujosa Segado, 38, is a doctoral student at the University of Granada who was based in Pnom Penh. She was reportedly arrested in the Cambodian capital on Aug. 16, the day before her alleged beating and deportation, for protesting the detention of two local activists.
Senior officials from Cambodias immigration department have rubbished her claims of mistreatment, with the departments head of investigations Uk Heisela telling the Cambodia Daily that she tried to use martial arts on his staff.
He also called her a drug user and said the photos on her phone which his men deleted were removed over concerns that she would use them to do black magic, because she was a sorceress.
Everyone knows the Spanish practice magic, he said.
Bujosa Segado responded by calling Heiselas explanation ridiculous, according to the Cambodia Daily.
I think the one on drugs is him, she said.
[Cambodia Daily]
By Yawen Chen and Sue-Lin Wong BEIJING (Reuters) - Canada will apply to join the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or AIIB, Canadian and bank officials said on Wednesday, making it the latest ally of the United States to join the new international development bank. The multilateral institution, seen as a rival to the Western-dominated World Bank and Asian Development Bank, was initially opposed by the United States but attracted many U.S. allies including Britain, Germany, Australia and South Korea as founding members. Japan and the United States are the most prominent countries not represented in the bank. "This is really for us, as a new government, the earliest possibility at which we could indicate our interest," Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau said in response to a question why Canada was only applying to join the bank now. "We believe the bank is clearly showing that it's going to be a highly effective multilateral institution," he added. Morneau is on a trip to China with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seeking to deepen ties with the world's second-largest economy, a distinct change from former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's more cautious approach to China. "The Canadians' decision to join this bank will greatly strengthen the management of this institution," AIIB President Jin Liqun told reporters. "We can see that the U.S.'s attitude towards AIIB is showing signs of changing, as it's encouraging the World Bank to cooperate more with the AIIB," Jin added. White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Air Force One on Wednesday that U.S. and Canadian officials had been in touch on the issue. "We know that Canada shares our views about the importance of transparency and good governance when it comes to these kinds of international institutions," Earnest said. Ultimately it will be a "good thing" if Canada joins the AIIB, as it advocates for such governance, he added. Earnest said he was not aware of any U.S. plans to join the organization. Canada will submit its application to join the AIIB by the end of September 2016, said Daniel Lauzon, a Canadian Finance Ministry official. (The story was refiled to correct the timeframe and the name of the official in the final paragraph) (Reporting by Yawen Chen and Sue-Lin Wong; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton on Air Force One and Timothy Gardner in Washington; Writing by Sue-Lin Wong; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Peter Cooney)
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday said he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the importance of freedom of expression and acceptance of diversity, and encouraged China to do more to protect human rights. Those are "not easy conversations to have", but are necessary ones, Trudeau said at a reception held by the Canada-China Business Council in Shanghai. Trudeau is seeking deeper ties with China but a dispute over canola trade, government divisions over China policy and the case of a detained citizen could limit his gains. He said on Wednesday that he hopes for a long-term solution with China on their dispute over the safety of canola exports from Canada. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; Writing by Elias Glenn; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - When surgeons sit down with cancer patients before operations to talk through how procedures work and what they may accomplish, the conversation rarely includes mention of the possibility of a cure, a small study suggests. There are many reasons why physicians find it so difficult to discuss cure, said study co-author Dr. Timothy Pawlik, a cancer researcher at Ohio State University in Columbus who did this work while he was at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Many physicians avoid discussing cure as they believe that cure cannot be accurately estimated so they may avoid taking up the topic, Pawlik said by email. Physicians may also avoid discussing the possibility of cure because of a belief that patients already have so many other things to think about such as procedure details, risks, getting ready for surgery, etc. To explore how cancer surgeons think about discussing the possibility of a cure with patients, Pawlik and colleagues asked 551 physicians to complete surveys about these conversations. Out of that total, 205, or 37 percent, participated. While about 45 percent of participants said patients asked them about the potential for surgery to offer a cure, only 37 percent used the word in these conversations, researchers report in the journal Surgery. Surgeons varied in their definitions of a cure. Roughly one third of surgeons defined a cure in this context as five-year disease-free survival. Another third of the surgeons, however, defined a cure as the absence of recurrence over the patients lifetime. A minority, about 10 percent, defined a cure as returning patients to the same risk for this type of tumor that people have in the general population. Despite the varied definitions of a cure and differing comfort levels discussing the idea, most surgeons said that achieving a cure was among patients top priorities for their operations. The concept of a cure is difficult to discuss precisely because it is hard to define, noted Dr. George Chang, chief of colon and rectal surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. For most cancers and in most situations, the surgery itself is performed with the intent to cure the patient, Chang, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. However, for most cancers, there is a risk that the cancer will recur, either locally near the area of the original cancer or more commonly, at a distant site. Often, even when cancer has already spread to a distant site, doctors wont know if this has occurred or if theres a potential for those cells to grow until time has passed, Chang added. Thus in many cases, it is not possible to definitively state that a person has been cured, Chang said. However the fact that the treatment was performed with curative intent is important. Patients should take away two crucial ideas from the varied concepts of a cure surgeons expressed and their differing comfort levels with discussing this subject, said Dr. Marcin Chwistek, director of the pain and palliative care program at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. One, if the issue of the cure/prognosis is not brought up by the surgeon, ask directly, Chwistek, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. Do not be afraid to pose the question. Two, ask for clarifications, he added. As a patient, you cannot have a meaningful conversation about the surgery until you understand exactly what the surgeon means when he/she uses the word cure, Chwistek said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2bxcFV3 Surgery, online August 4, 2016.
* Polish, Czech PMIs show pick-up, slowdown in Hungary * Zloty resumes fall on worry ahead of U.S. payrolls data * Demand mixed at regional bond auctions, yields rise * Czech bonds outperform on record budget surplus data (Recasts with bond auctions, regional fx poll) By Sandor Peto and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk BUDAPEST/WARSAW, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Poland led a fall of Central European assets on Thursday as risk aversion ahead of key U.S. payroll figures overshadowed a pick-up in Polish and Czech manufacturing indices (PMIs).
The U.S. data, if strong, could boost the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike coming soon, which would curb demand for assets in emerging markets, traders said.
The zloty initially firmed after Poland's PMI index showed a pick-up to 51.5 from 50.3 in August.
But it touched a one-month low at 4.371 against the euro later, repeating the pattern of the previous five sessions, when it fell after U.S. markets opened.
The zloty is made vulnerable by domestic political risks, including tension between the Polish government and the European Commission over rule of law issues and a government drive to increase its influence in the banking sector.
These concerns are expected to pass and the zloty to firm by over 2 percent to 4.2684 against the euro by August next year, a Reuters poll of analysts showed.
But Warsaw's equities index, an underperformer in Central Europe this year and on Thursday too, fell by 1.2 percent after Poland's biggest lender, state-run PKO BP , said it would prefer to provide credit to the economy rather than pay out a dividend.
Government bond auctions in Hungary, Poland and Romania were mixed. Investors were picking cheaper bonds, while demand for some of the papers offered was weak.
One Polish fund manager said the auction demand made him optimistic, though credit rating downgrades for Poland remained a risk that "would be very negative, but it is too early to price that in".
Poland's 10-year bonds extended their losses, in tandem with a fall in prices in European debt markets, with their yield rising 6 basis points to 2.82 percent. Hungary's corresponding yield rose 5 basis points to 2.9 percent, even though demand for the 10-year bonds at the auction was unusually strong.
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Low-yielding Czech government bonds bucked the trend and narrowed their yield spread over Bunds, helped by data showing a record surplus for the first eight months of the year.
In the Reuters poll, 10 out of 19 analysts projected that the Czech crown would firm beyond 27 against the euro by August 2017. That would mean the central bank abandoning its cap on the crown near 27 by then.
CEE SNAPSH AT 1543 CET MARKETS OT CURRENCIES Latest Previo Daily Chang us e bid close change in 2016 Czech 0 5 % Hungary 00 50 Polish % Romanian Croatian Serbian 00 00 % Note: calcula previo close 1800 CET daily ted us at change from STOCKS Latest Previo Daily Chang us e close change in 2016 Prague 868.32 859.14 +1.07% -9.20 % Budapest 28092. 27969.
+0.44% +17.
16 24 44% Warsaw 0 6 % Bucharest 7021.1 7035.7 -0.21% +0.2 9 2 4% Ljubljana 3% Zagreb 3 9 3% Belgrade % Sofia 9% BONDS Yield Yield Spread Daily (bid) change vs Bund chang e in Czech sprea Republic d 2-year 5-year 10-year Poland 2-year s 5-year s 10-year s FORWARD RATE AGREEMENT 3x6 6x9 9x12 3M inter bank Czech Rep (PRIBO R=) Hungary (BUBOR =) Poland (WIBOR =) Note: FRA are for quotes ask prices **************************************************** ********** (Additional reporting by Luiza Ilie in Bucharest, Jason Hovet in Prague and Jakub Iglewski in Warsaw; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Brenda Goh SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday he had had difficult conversations with Chinese leaders on human rights, as his government announced the signing of 56 deals with China worth more than C$1.2 billion ($915 million). Trudeau is seeking deeper ties with China but a trade dispute over canola, government divisions over China policy and the case of a detained citizen could limit his gains. A day earlier, the family of Canadian citizen Kevin Garratt, indicted by China in January on charges of spying and stealing state secrets, expressed frustration by the lack of progress in securing his release. Speaking to businesspeople in China's commercial capital of Shanghai following meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, Trudeau said he told both men that acceptance of diverse perspectives would strengthen China. "And I remind everyone that as a country that has seen the benefits first hand of free expression and good governance, Canada encourages China to do more to promote and protect human rights," he said. "I know these are not easy conversations to have but they are necessary ones." China, the world's second-largest economy, has also tried to sell Trudeau on a free trade treaty similar to pacts China has sealed with Australia and New Zealand. Speaking earlier to reporters, Canadian trade minister Chrystia Freeland said Canadians should be proud China was interested in their country but signaled Canada was in no rush to strike a free trade agreement. "We can be a great partner for China but our government is taking our time. We believe a deep and effective economic relationship with China needs to be built consistently, thoughtfully, carefully," she said. Officials have said they need to take into account Canadians' hesitation about closer links with China. A poll for the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada think-tank released on Monday showed that while 46 percent of Canadians supported a free trade treaty with China, only 11 percent backed investment by Chinese state-owned enterprises. The deals signed on Thursday involve companies in sectors from seafood to clean technologies, Freeland added. An eleventh-hour deal on Wednesday to delay new, stricter rules on canola imports was a meaningful and important step for Canada, she said. China is Canada's top export market for the oilseed, and Ottawa has taken a strong line in talks on a new standard, which may raise costs for exporters. Canada is committed to reaching a long-term and permanent canola deal with China at an early date, Freeland said. "That's what we're working on right now and I'm confident we're going to get there." ($1 = 1.3117 Canadian dollars) (Writing by Elias Glenn and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Robert Birsel)
By James Pomfret and Venus Wu HONG KONG (Reuters) - China pressured the Hong Kong government to disqualify six candidates who advocated independence from a crucial citywide election, as part of a campaign to bolster its interests and win seats for its allies, two sources with knowledge of the matter said. Reuters was not able to independently verify their assertions, which come ahead of an election on Sunday to fill 70 legislative council seats in the city of 7 million people. In the wake of the 2014 "Occupy Central" pro-democracy protests in which tens of thousands took to the streets, it is the territory's most contentious vote since the 1997 handover. Beijing's refusal to grant full democracy to Hong Kong had prompted around 20 mostly younger activists to seek to run on platforms advocating various forms of independence or greater self-determination - anathema to the stability-obsessed Communist Party leadership. China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong did not respond to a faxed request for comment, and neither did the State Council's Information Office in Beijing. Hong Kong's chief executive's office also did not respond to emailed questions. In July, Hong Kong's Electoral Affairs Commission had ruled that all those standing in the election must sign a pledge that Hong Kong is an "inalienable" part of China. Since then, the commission has rejected applications to run from half a dozen candidates, including some who signed, on the grounds that advocating independence was incompatible with that pledge. "They laid down a direct order, that this pro-independence movement must be purged," said a source in frequent touch with Chinese officials, referring to a verbal message he said was sent from Beijing to the Hong Kong government. The source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue, did not give further details of how the message was conveyed. A second source with ties to senior Hong Kong and Chinese officials said that, given China's "zero tolerance" for independence, "the Hong Kong government has to be seen to be doing something, they couldn't just do nothing". The second source, who also declined to be identified, did not refer to a "direct order", but agreed that Beijing had sent a strong signal of what was expected to the Hong Kong authorities before the disqualifications began. ULTIMATE CONTROL Hong Kong, a former British colony, was handed back to China in 1997 under an agreement that gave ultimate control to Beijing but promised Hong Kong greater freedoms and separate laws for at least 50 years. The second source with ties to officials said China had left details of how to exclude pro-independence candidates to the Hong Kong government to decide. Beijing was displeased, however, that only six candidates had been barred, the source added, with others viewed with suspicion by China - including a group calling for a referendum on Hong Kong's future after 2047 - allowed to stand. The failure of the 2014 protests to win any concessions on greater democracy has increased calls from some activists for an outright break with China, a move some say would imperil Hong Kong's economic and political future. A poll in July by the Chinese University of Hong Kong suggested around one in six residents now support independence. Hong Kong's Beijing-backed leader, Leung Chun-ying, has issued frequent stern warnings against the nascent independence push as he eyes a second term of office next year. Opposition democrats are defending 27 seats in the legislative council - crucially above the one-third threshold that allows them to wield a veto over some legislation. Pro-democracy lawmaker Albert Ho said it would be "psychologically very bad" if the democrats were to lose their veto bloc. "They can change the electoral system," he said, referring to pro-Beijing and pro-establishment parties. "And it will be easier to force through legislation at the will of the government." Starry Lee, the head of Hong Kong's largest pro-Beijing party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), said her party aimed to assuage Hong Kong's worsening social divisions. She rejected suggestions that China were interfering in Hong Kong elections or that Beijing directed her party's strategy, although she said issues were sometimes discussed with Chinese officials. "Our election is handled by the DAB," she said. "We will discuss, we will liaise sometimes, but we have our decision-making process." (Reporting by James Pomfret and Venus Wu; Editing by Alex Richardson)
By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - China has set a Sept. 19 trial date for a U.S. businesswoman accused of spying, charges her husband in Texas said on Thursday were false, and the U.S. State Department said it was concerned about her welfare. Sandy Phan-Gillis, who was born in Vietnam and has Chinese ancestry, was arrested on suspicion of spying by Chinese authorities in March 2015 while visiting the country as part of a trade delegation from Houston. In a statement on Thursday, her husband Jeff Gillis accused Chinese authorities of suppressing evidence that would weaken the case against her. "The charges are absolutely false," he said, adding that he wants U.S. President Barack Obama to ask for her release when he attends a summit with China's leader this week. The announcement of a trial date renewed attention on her case just ahead of a visit to China by Obama, who is due to arrive on Saturday for a G20 summit in the city of Hangzhou. Obama is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. Gillis said a main contention of the charge against his wife was that she had gone on a spy mission to China in 1996. He said her U.S. passport showed she had not travelled to China at that time and accused the Chinese Consulate in Houston of refusing to acknowledge that there were no entry or exit visas from China in that passport. This, he said, prevented her passport from being used as evidence at her trial. The Chinese Embassy in Washington and the Chinese Consulate in Houston did not respond to requests for comment. Beijing officials said this week that Phan-Gillis, now a U.S. citizen, had been formally charged with spying. "We continue to monitor her case closely," State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a press briefing in Washington, adding that officers from the U.S. consulate Beijing had visited her on a monthly basis since she was detained. "We have repeatedly pressed Chinese authorities to provide further details of the case and to give our consular officers full and unrestricted access to her as required by the Vienna convention. We urge the government of China to review and consider seriously the ... views expressed by the U.N. working group on arbitrary detention, including its recommendation to release Ms. Phan-Gillis." At a regular briefing this week in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters, "Based on our understanding, Phan-Gillis, because of her suspected crimes of espionage, has been charged according to law by the relevant Chinese department." (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Alan Crosby and James Dalgleish)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that its embassy in Singapore had been informed by the island state's health ministry that 21 Chinese nationals in the country are confirmed to have been infected with Zika. In a statement sent to Reuters, the foreign ministry added that the health situation was not serious and that some of them had recovered. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's quarantine authorities said on Thursday they have been increasing health screenings of travelers arriving from Singapore amid an outbreak of Zika in the country. China is also increasing inspections of shipments arriving from Singapore, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement on its website. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
By Jake Spring
TIANJIN, China (Reuters) - By 2020, Beijing says automakers must meet tough new green standards to cut epic pollution in China's cities. As domestic firms bet heavily on electric cars to meet that goal, foreign peers are set to stay in a different, petrol-driven gear.
In the latest sign of caution from global automakers in China, Germany's Audi (NSUG.DE) last week unveiled a new factory for high-efficiency transmissions in Tianjin, to be used in petrol-powered cars. While Chinese firms go electric in the world's biggest auto market, Audi is intent on petrol engines that can run farther, cleaner, in tandem with hybrid technology.
As China's electrified vehicle production booms, some international industry officials warn in private that the ambitious electric goals of domestic firms could prove too costly, too risky, too far from what consumers actually want - and not a good fit with their operations elsewhere. Still, China doled out $4.5 billion last year alone in green car subsidies.
"In 2020, most cars we will sell will be combustion engines, so to fulfil (fuel consumption targets) you have to improve the consumption of each and every car of the Audi model range," Audi China chief Joachim Wedler said at the opening of the new plant. Wedler didn't comment on Chinese peers' electric car plans.
Automakers globally have struggled to agree on what a greener future will hold for the industry. In China, Beijing and state-linked automakers have thrown their weight behind electric vehicles - despite the fact that the electricity they need may be generated from burning coal.
Under Beijing's 2020 requirements, on average cars must consume less than 5 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres - nearly 30 percent below current standard levels.
Beijing has rolled out a raft of incentives to push domestic automakers - foreign brands generally aren't eligible - to build more electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, spurring a quadrupling in sales of these so-called "new energy vehicles" (NEVs) in 2015. Even with that surge, just 1.4 percent of cars sold in the first seven months of 2016 were NEVs, as concerns linger over driving range and home charging.
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HYBRID COMPROMISE
A powertrain manager at a major foreign automaker's China joint venture said domestic companies' smaller scale made them nimbler. Many are also state-linked, therefore obliged to support government policy, the manager said, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
For example, Geely - controlled by Li Shufu, a member of the government's political consultative body - wants 90 percent of all sales to be NEVs by 2020. Meanwhile, state-backed GAC Motor plans to be able to produce up to 400,000 green energy cars annually by the end of this year.
Foreign automakers, who must form joint ventures with local partners to produce cars in China, have to consider a different dynamic - how manufacturing strategies on the mainland correlate with their traditional businesses and customers elsewhere.
The powertrain manager said his company, like Audi, is focusing on a more gradual strategy, developing more efficient engines as well as plug-in petrol-electric hybrids: an interim solution that will please a government intent on cutting harmful emissions.
Of course, foreign automakers aren't avoiding NEVs entirely.
General Motors' (GM.N) China venture last year pledged to spend $4 billion on electrification, developing 10 new energy models by 2020.
In Tianjin, Audi China chief Wedler said the German firm and partner China FAW Group plan to launch their first locally produced plug-in hybrid vehicle this year, with a new imported car based on the same principle on the way next year.
But Wedler acknowledged that as China's massive auto market evolves, automakers alone won't determine future directions.
"The whole picture is driven by legislation," Wedler said.
($1 = 6.6791 Chinese yuan renminbi)
(Reporting by Jake Spring; Additional reporting by Shanghai newsroom; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
* Shanghai Pudong has biggest shadow portfolio at $190 bln
* China Minsheng, China Zheshang portfolios rose 86 pct in H1
* Bank regulator trying to limit use of shadow lending products
* Shadow lending disguises scale and risk of loan portfolios
By Shu Zhang and Matthew Miller
BEIJING, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Shadow lending by listed Chinese banks surged in the first half, underlining the challenges faced by the country's banking regulator as it tries to rein in the use of opaque lending structures that are seen as a threat to financial stability.
China's lenders, led by the mid-tier banks, have been increasing their use of shadow lending products for years, as they can offer higher returns and tie up less of a bank's capital than traditional lending.
But they also disguise the quality of a bank's balance sheet, and sector-wide make it harder for regulators to assess systemic risk and the volume of lending in the economy.
A Reuters analysis of bank filings shows Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, a leading joint-stock lender, increased its receivables for trust schemes and asset management plans, or so-called shadow loans, by 14 percent in the first six months of the year to 1.27 trillion yuan ($190 billion), giving it China's biggest portfolio of such products.
The shadow loan book at China's largest joint-stock lender, Industrial Bank Co, rose 4.4 percent to 1.23 trillion yuan, equivalent to 63 percent of its normal loan book, according to Reuters calculations.
China Minsheng Banking Corp, China Zheshang Bank Co, Shengjing Bank Co, Bank of Jinzhou Co and Bank of Chongqing Co also substantially increased their portfolios by 9 percent or more.
Minsheng and Zheshang both reported an 86 percent rise, the fastest among their listed peers, according to Reuters calculations.
"I'm actually a bit surprised that some smaller banks were still growing those positions," said Wei Hou, AB Bernstein banking analyst. Given the regulatory push, the trend ought to be going the other way, he added.
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The China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
NEW RULES
The CBRC has tried to address the rampant growth of these shadow lending products, particularly at mid-sized banks.
In April it issued Document 82 to lenders, which most bankers and analysts interpreted as an attempt to compel banks to increase provisioning on shadow loans and bring them in line with normal loans.
Some analysts at the time said the move could force banks to seek fresh capital to shore up their balance sheets, a prospect that has become more likely as banks' capital positions deteriorated during the first half.
Shadow loans had already reached 12.6 trillion yuan at the end of last year, according to calculations by UBS, about five times the size of China's entire annual economic output.
And credit rating agency Fitch said in July that around a third of system credit resides outside bank loan books, undermining asset quality data.
That is particularly worrying since Chinese banks' non-performing loans are already at a record high, according to official figures, and most analysts think the real figures are several times worse.
The accounting treatment of these loan-like trust and asset management plans is significantly different.
"These shadow loans are not subjected to the same rules as the loan book, despite being largely credit in nature," said UBS Securities analyst Jason Bedford.
"As a result, normal limitations in the loan books, such as single-borrower exposure limits and non-performing loan recognition rules, don't apply."
Though the impact of the CBRC intervention is not evident in most of the listed banks' first-half filings, there are some positive signs.
China Merchants Bank Co was one of the rare lenders to scale down its shadow loans in the first half, with a 23 percent decrease in receivables from trust schemes and asset management plans to 528.7 billion yuan, according to Reuters calculations.
The bank's deputy president, Li Hao, who acknowledged that "to some degree, the bank's non-standard investments are loans", indicated a change of approach was taking hold at the bank.
"For the future, the bank's practice will be more standardised when it comes to new investments," Li said. "They will no longer be put under the category of non-standard investments, but will be classified as loans," he told analysts on a post-results conference call.
Hou from AB Bernstein said he expected that mid-tier and smaller banks would scale down their investment receivable positions in the second-half of the year, else the regulator would come out with "more targeted policies".
But, he added, while stronger banks can cut their risks or increase provisions for their shadow loan holdings, it was more problematic for the weaker lenders.
"For banks facing big operational pressure, increasing provisions or bringing those high-risk investments back on their loan book would hit an already weak bottom line." ($1 = 6.6779 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting By Shu Zhang and Matthew Miller; Editing by Will Waterman)
Chloe Grace Moretz and Brooklyn Beckham's PDA-filled summer is over in more ways than one.
Moretz and Beckham have broken up, a source confirms to ET, nearly four months after the 19-year-old Neighbors 2 actress finally confirmed she was dating the budding photographer and model in May. Prior to the revelation, the two had constantly dodged romance rumors after first meeting each other at a 2014 SoulCycle class.
WATCH: Chloe Grace Moretz Adorably Gushes Over Brooklyn Beckham During Couple's First Red Carpet Appearance
On Thursday, Moretz was spotted in Paris with her older brother, actor Trevor Duke-Moretz.
AKM-GSI
Meanwhile, Beckham also appears to be doing just fine post-breakup, Instagramming a video of himself skateboarding on Thursday.
That one hurt A video posted by bb (@brooklynbeckham) on Sep 1, 2016 at 9:16am PDT
All summer, the two certainly haven't been shy about showing off their relationship on social media. Beckham, 17, posted this sweet shot on Instagram of himself carrying Moretz just two weeks ago, writing, "Keeping her safe."
Keeping her safe A photo posted by bb (@brooklynbeckham) on Aug 11, 2016 at 7:04pm PDT
Meanwhile, Moretz's last Instagram post featuring Beckham was on July 31, when the two attended the 2016 Teen Choice Awards together in Los Angeles.
When they catch u right when sweet hits after the sour in that sour patch slurpee.. A photo posted by Chloe Grace Moretz (@chloegmoretz) on Aug 1, 2016 at 6:01pm PDT
"He's a sweetie," Moretz told ET at the Neighbors 2 premiere in Los Angeles in May about her then-beau. "He's a good boy!"
However, there had been some apparent cracks in the relationships since then. Fans of Moretz called out Beckham after he Instagrammed a picture of himself wearing a shirt from Kanye West's clothing line, given Moretz's headline-making feud with the Kardashians. He later deleted the pic.
And last month, Moretz admitted how much it bothered her that she's sometimes described as just Beckham's significant other.
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"Seriously, you don't know how often I'm just described as 'his girlfriend,'" she told Glamour. "And you think: 'Well, I've also been acting for 13 years, but don't worry.'"
WATCH: Chloe Grace Moretz and Brooklyn Beckham Are Still Going Strong After Yeezy Snafu
We wonder if Beckham's famous mom, Victoria Beckham, will be bummed about the breakup news, given that she clearly approved of Moretz. The 42-year-old designer publicly praised the actress' speech at the Democratic National Convention in July, Instagramming a snap of Moretz at the podium. "That's what I'm talking about!!!.....Girl Power!!!!" she excitedly wrote.
Watch below:
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Chris Brown released a new song called "What Would You Do" on Wednesday (Aug. 31) less than 24 hours after being released from jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
Chris Brown Released From Jail on $250K Bail Following Arrest on Assault Charge
The song opens, "I've got some questions, some questions for you / I need some answers, answers from you / What do you do, fighting for your life when no one's on your side? / I can't stand to lose you, see you're in too deep with no where to hide."
Brown was arrested Tuesday following an hourslong standoff with police at his multi-million residence in Tarzana, California. Police had arrived at Brown's house responding to a call early that morning from a woman who needed assistance, saying she had been threatened with a gun.
Chris Brown's Legal Problems: A Timeline of Trouble
On Tuesday morning, police responded to a call around 3 a.m. from a woman who needed assistance. The robbery-homicide division took over the investigation and Brown emerged from his home after police served him with a warrant. He was released late Tuesday night on $250,000 bail.
The timing of the dancey track and its title seem to be in response to the well publicized incident, however the lyrics throughout feel more typical to Brown's standard romantic pop fare.
Listen here:
Kinshasa (AFP) - Police and protesters clashed Thursday in the Democratic Republic of Congo's sprawling capital Kinshasa ahead of crunch talks aimed at avoiding political chaos when the president's term expires later this year.
Tensions have been growing in mineral-rich but troubled DRC over fears that President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, will try to extend his rule with a third term, beyond the constitutional maximum of two.
Riot police and young protesters opposed to the dialogue scheduled for Thursday clashed near the site of a trade fair in the heart of the city, leaving the location in ruins, said Patrick Mulumba, a local resident.
For nearly an hour, protesters hurled stones as police fired tear gas in Lemba, disrupting traffic and businesses in the usually bustling district, said a fuel station attendant, who witnessed the clash.
Protesters chanted slogans against Kabila, who had first proposed a national dialogue in November 2015, the witness told AFP on condition of anonymity.
They also chanted down former Togo premier Edem Kodjo, who has been named by the African Union as the talks' "facilitator", he added.
Protests also erupted near the University of Kinshasa and on an avenue near the seat of parliament, where the head offices of several opposition parties are located, witnesses said.
- Boycott -
An AFP journalist saw hundreds of angry youths still gathered in the area, as the scheduled start of talks loomed.
While the government delegation was still set to take part, only a minority of the opposition will be represented.
Once fractured opposition groups recently came together in a new coalition -- "Rassemblement" (Gathering).
They have vowed to stay away from the negotiating table until political prisoners are released and legal action is halted against wealthy businessman and presidential hopeful Moise Katumbi.
Katumbi was tried in absentia in June for real estate fraud and sentenced to three years in jail.
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While the courts have approved Katumbi's seeking medical treatment abroad they say he will be detained upon his return and could face additional charges of recruiting mercenaries.
The presiding judge in the fraud case has since said the authorities pressured her into signing off on a guilty verdict to ensure Katumbi would be ineligible to run.
Thursday's violence disrupted public transport, and bus stops in flashpoint districts were packed.
"What do they want now? Let them go to the talks instead of bothering us," civil servant Berthe Nzinga said, adding she had spent an hour waiting for her bus.
By Magdalena Mis LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - More than 400 people were killed by cluster bombs in 2015, most of them dying in Syria, Yemen and Ukraine, which have not signed up to a treaty banning the weapon, an international anti-cluster bomb coalition said on Thursday. Cluster bombs, dropped by air or fired by artillery, scatter hundreds of bomblets across a wide area which sometimes fail to explode and are difficult to locate and remove, killing and maiming civilians long after conflicts end. They pose a particular risk to children who can be attracted by their toy-like appearance and bright colors. In 2015, cluster bombs killed 417 people, more than a third of them children, the Cluster Munition Coalition said, adding that the actual number of casualties was likely to be much higher. "The suffering is still continuing and civilians continue to be the predominant victims of cluster bombs," said Jeff Abramson, program manager at Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, which is part of the coalition. "Unfortunately now we're seeing a new spate of people being injured at the time of attack, which is something that needs to be condemned very strongly," he told Thomson Reuters Foundation by telephone from Geneva. Abramson did not give figures for 2014, saying data was constantly being revised due to difficulties in gathering it, especially in conflict zones like Syria. The majority of cluster bomb casualties in 2015 were in Syria (248), followed by Yemen (104) and Ukraine (19), the coalition said in a report. None of these countries are signatories of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of the weapons, it said. The Convention, which came into force in 2010, also requires the destruction of stockpiles of cluster bombs and clearance of contaminated areas. Since August 2015, five more countries - Colombia, Iceland, Palau, Rwanda and Somalia - have ratified the Convention, while Cuba and Mauritius acceded, bringing the total number of states that have signed or accepted the treaty to 119, the coalition said. Casualties were also recorded in Laos, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Western Sahara, Chad, Cambodia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The report was published ahead of the Sixth Meeting of states Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions that will be held in Geneva on Sept. 5-7. (Reporting by Magdalena Mis; Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)
(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters)
By James Saft
Sept 1 (Reuters) - Despite Facebook being locked out of China since 2009, Mark Zuckerberg can, in part, thank the Party for the healthy valuation of Facebook shares.
That's because the fewer Swiss watches corrupt officials in China buy, the more shares of Facebook the Swiss National Bank does.
Now follow along as we trace a particularly bizarre train of cause and effect in a world where China is a huge economic force and central banks are some of the world's largest equity investors. Butterflies beating their wings in the rainforest of Brazil have caused hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico easier to predict than this.
Facebook, locked out of China in the wake of rioting, has ceded the field to more compliant domestic social media platforms.
Between 2010 and 2011 exports of Swiss watches to China more than doubled while exports to Hong Kong surged by a similar amount. A fine watch is a very fine thing, no doubt, but in China they have long served as sort of currency and talisman among the nomenklatura, both a badge of power and wealth and a favored gift to those one wishes to impress or sway. They are also, especially at the high end, a portable store of value, worth more by far than their weight in gold, something officials, especially corrupt ones, value.
Immediately upon becoming General Secretary of the Communist Party in 2012, Xi Jinping launched a crackdown on corruption which is still being fought. The immediate motivations were different from those behind the ouster of Facebook, but both moves had certain themes in common, namely the desire to retain a high level of control, over the internet on the one hand and over an increasingly wealthy and powerful official class on the other.
As usual, China is not kidding: the party said it punished nearly 300,000 corrupt officials last year.
And as gift giving came in for special disfavor in the crackdown, watch sales, both in mainland China and Hong Kong, have been hit extremely hard. Exports of Swiss watches fell, and carried on falling, with 460,000 fewer watches exported last year, down 23 percent to Hong Kong and 4.7 percent to the mainland. Watch exports to Hong Kong have now been contracting for 18 consecutive months, those to the mainland for seven months.
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HOW NOW, ZUCKERBERG?
That's a problem for Switzerland, which earns half of its output via exports, of which 11 percent are watches. Until last month, Hong Kong alone was the single biggest export market for Swiss watches, though with volume down by a third in the year to July, the U.S. has now taken over top slot.
So how do Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg come in to this?
We'll get there, but first let this sink in: The Swiss National Bank now owns more of the publicly traded Facebook shares than Zuckerberg does. (http://www.reuters.com/article/swiss-snb-stocks-idUSL8N1B7383)
The SNB also owns more Facebook shares than all but about 20 U.S. mutual funds, having a stake worth $741 million, or a bit more than 0.28 percent.
The SNB has plenty of problems, and a sagging market for one of the country's principal exports feeds into a number of them.
First off, there is deflation, with prices falling for the vast majority of the past five years. Then there is sub-par growth, with the economy expanding in the past year by just 0.8 percent in real terms, less than half last year's clip. There is also the very strong Swiss franc, which makes exports that much more difficult.
One of the SNB's principal tactics in fighting its various battles is foreign exchange intervention to contain the value of the Swiss franc, a currency which, viewed as a safe haven, has attracted very large flows. This leaves the SNB holding huge amounts of foreign currency, which they must stash somewhere.
One of the places the SNB puts the money is into stocks, and though it mostly buys shares in proportion to their weight in main indices, that leaves the central bank as a very large owner of companies like Facebook. As a new and large marginal buyer of shares the SNB bears some credit, or responsibility, for their valuations. Facebook shares are up 66 percent over the past two years, the period of most heavy investment by the SNB.
Without a corruption crackdown, the SNB's job of hitting its various mandates would be easier, and while we can't say for sure their currency or investment policy would be different, it just might. It is also possible, though not proven, that some of the safe-haven flows coming into Switzerland and driving up the value of the franc are from China and are owned by people in fear of the corruption crackdown.
It is a strange and interconnected world.
Mark Zuckerberg might want to thank China for the corruption crackdown, using a Facebook post, naturally. And don't forget to tag the SNB.
(Editing by James Dalgleish)
By Benoit Nyemba KINSHASA (Reuters) - Violence broke out on Thursday between supporters of rival Congolese opposition parties, exposing deep divisions among President Joseph Kabila's adversaries over whether to engage in talks about a delayed presidential election. The talks between the government, opposition and civic leaders opened later on Thursday. Authorities said last month that the poll, set for November, could not be held before next July as they enroll millions of new voters. Kabila's opponents accuse him of stalling the vote to hang onto power, a charge he denies. Most of the main opposition parties are boycotting the talks but some prominent figures have agreed to participate, saying they will use the forum to insist on his departure this year. About 100 supporters of parties opposed to the talks threw rocks and burned tyres in front of the headquarters of the UNC and ATD parties, whose presidents have agreed to participate. Some chanted, "We're going to burn the headquarters of Kamerhe. Kamerhe is a traitor," in reference to UNC president Vital Kamerhe, who is leading the opposition delegation at the talks. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds and made about 20 arrests, a Reuters witness said. The police said in a statement that they later arrested 85 people outside a hotel where they were trying to "sabotage" the opening of the talks. In fact, the demonstrators were mistaken, as the opening ceremony was actually being held at a venue 9 km (5.6 miles) away. Addressing the delegates there, Kamerhe appealed to other factions to join the negotiations, saying the Congolese people would be watching closely to see "who is the first to violate the constitution". Kabila won disputed elections in 2006 and 2011 after succeeding his assassinated father, Laurent, in 2001. The constitution limits him to two elected terms but the country's highest court says he can remain beyond the end of his mandate in December until the election takes place. The opposition in Democratic Republic of Congo has long been divided. International powers fear an outbreak of violence in a country that has never experienced a peaceful transition of power, and where millions died in wars between 1996 and 2003. (Additional reporting and writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
In April, the leak of millions of financial and legal records from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca exposed how the firm created hundreds of thousands of shell companies by themselves, not illegal to shelter money for wealthy and politically connected individuals and corporate entities. Much of that activity was directed at shielding money from taxes. A bigger problem, current and former senior law enforcement officials have said since then, is that criminals, corrupt officials, and some terrorist groups are increasingly using shell companies to hide assets and move money through the global financial system.
Even before the leak of some 2.6 terabytes of data, known as the Panama Papers, prompted widespread global investigations leading to the resignation of Icelands prime minister and a Spanish minister the United States faced the harsh glare of its partners in Europe and elsewhere for failing to force banks to do more due diligence to thwart this activity. In early May, a week before then-British Prime Minister David Cameron hosted U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at an international anti-corruption summit in London, the White House announced that the Treasury Department had finalized a rule aimed at tightening banking requirements. Kerry told the gathering that with this rule finalized, the White House will now look to Congress to pass legislation aimed at lifting the veil on who actually owns companies when they set up shop in the United States. We have to say no safe harbor anywhere, he said.
Now, five months after the release of the Panama Papers triggered investigations into the dark corners of international finance, this pressure on Congress is growing. The White House is pushing for a law that would require any company, when it incorporates in the United States, to file accurate information on its true, or beneficial, ownership. This data would then be fed into a federal database that law enforcement agencies could access. Without it, Justice Department and Treasury officials argue that the United States will still have a significant impediment when it comes to international efforts to fight money laundering and terrorism financing.
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U.S. banks have long been required to know your customer meaning collecting basic information about a person or company when opening an account. Federal guidelines also require them to take all reasonable steps to ensure that they do not knowingly or unwittingly assist in hiding or moving the proceeds of corruption. This includes determining whether or not a customer is a foreign official or a relative or associate and filing a suspicious activity report if a customer transfers unusually large amounts of money anything over $10,000 a day.
Those bank reports are sent to the Treasurys Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which the IRS, Drug Enforcement Administration, Secret Service, and FBI have access to. That information can be run against data that FinCEN has collected, and if a case is pursued and a grand jury subpoena is issued, the FBI can request that the banks identify other accounts a person might have.
The new Treasury rule requires banks to do yet more due diligence to unmask a companys true owner at the time an account is set up. Banks will now be required to collect and verify the names of any person who owns more than 25 percent of a corporate entity, along with the identity of one individual who controls it. The Treasury has given banks and other financial institutions two years to comply.
Loopholes upon loopholes
Critics argue the measure doesnt go far enough because it doesnt address existing bank accounts. Shruti Shah, the vice president of programs and operations for the U.S. branch of Transparency International, a global anti-corruption organization, argues that it also conflates the definition of ownership with management. If nothing, what the Panama Papers proved is that some of these people are mere figureheads, she said. One Mossack Fonseca employee, Yvette Rogers, signed incorporation papers for some 20,000 companies, Shah pointed out.
Others say that the 25 percent threshold is too high, allowing a criminal network to simply nominate five people to agree to serve as equity owners to avoid having the name of a beneficial owner included in a banks records. As then-Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) argued in a letter to the Treasury when it first proposed a similar rule in 2014, listing any percentage threshold simply invites wrongdoers to arrange their affairs to come in below the cap.
But without congressional action to buttress the Treasurys move, the White House contends its trying to fight tax evasion and potentially more serious crimes with one arm tied behind its back. Its looking to Congress when it reconvenes after Labor Day to pass a uniform disclosure requirement for companies setting up shop in the United States. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sponsored a bill in February that would do this. It requires corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) registered in the United States to list a beneficial owners name, address, date of birth, and social security or passport number; forces them to keep that information up to date; and penalizes those that fail to comply. But the measure also exempts a range of businesses, including any company that employs more than 20 full-time employees, files taxes showing more than $5 million in gross receipts or sales, and has a physical office within the United States. A companion bill, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), is currently before the House Financial Services Committee.
Both bills would eliminate a patchwork of state laws now on the books. Under existing laws in Delaware, Wyoming, and Nevada, for example, people forming new LLCs are not required to declare who the real owners are or show any identification. Investigations into Mossack Fonseca have shown that its lawyers took advantage of the relaxed requirements in these states to set up shell companies for clients more than 1,000 in Nevada alone.
The American Bar Association (ABA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which helped defeat a similar bill that Maloney introduced in 2013, have both come out against the legislation. The ABA argues that it would undermine attorney-client privilege and that the House bills definition of beneficial owner is overly broad. Unlike the Treasury rule, it defines this as anyone who exercises substantial control over or has a substantial interest in or receives substantial economic benefits from the assets of a corporation or limited liability company.
Andres Gil, a director with the Chambers Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness, said the House bill and any similar measure would impede capital formation, impose onerous notice and filing requirements on almost all businesses, weaken privacy protections for law-abiding citizens, and potentially criminalize even trivial paperwork violations for small-business owners and those that help them with their business affairs.
Both lobby groups argue it would place costly burdens on legitimate businesses. The bill would make available up to $30 million from a Treasury asset forfeiture fund to help states put systems in place to meet the reporting requirements.
Law enforcement agencies have sought more transparency in banking and company incorporation laws for years as they increasingly work across governments to squeeze assets held by criminal and terrorist networks.
Busting the really bad guys
Patrick Fallon Jr., the head of the FBIs financial crimes unit, says the ease of setting up a company in the United States makes it more difficult to investigate money laundering and, by extension, to prosecute corrupt officials, drug kingpins, and terrorists. We see this as a definite impediment to our work, Fallon said.
Experts say the techniques exposed in the Panama Papers are not new. But their disclosures have shed some light on how global the problem is. This activity is expanding. Its in the trillions [of dollars], said Scott Moritz, a former transnational crime specialist for the FBI who now assists companies with anti-money laundering programs. Getting behind a companys listed ownership on paper, he said, is an essential part of cracking a case.
These offshore vehicles make everyones job difficult, Moritz said. My earlier experience was exceedingly frustrating. If you were able to [identify] the director of an offshore account that holder of assets often it was only to find out that the shareholder of the company is actually just other offshore company in yet another opaque jurisdiction.
Dennis Lormel, a retired FBI special agent, says shell companies have proliferated in recent years. He notes that after the 9/11 attacks, Washington instituted a more robust anti-money laundering system to detect suspicious activities. So the bad guys needed to get more sophisticated to mask their activities and ownership, he said. Years ago, the shell game was largely confined to really good white-collar criminals.
Theres an unremitting demand for shell companies now, Lormel said. And some have gotten progressively harder to track. Some literally sit on a shelf and start to mature so they dont look like brand-new companies and then people sell these companies and actually exchange shares. When a buyer then comes in, that entity is now buying an existing company with more value. So this is inventory that can be transferred into other peoples ownership, Lormel explained.
Mossack Fonseca maintains that when it comes to the services it provided when its lawyers set up shell companies in the United States, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, and the Seychelles, its hands are clean. The issue is how these entities can be abused, for instance, to launder criminal proceeds.
Experts say state funds siphoned by corrupt officials increasingly are finding their way into this international web of shady transactions. These are some of the biggest money laundering cases in the world, Moritz said.
Corrupt foreign officials
With Venezuelas economy in tatters, the FBI is now examining outflows of state capital, some of which is being moved through Panama and Florida, a senior FBI official said. One of President Nicolas Maduros cousins is among those being investigated for such alleged maneuvers with taxpayer money. China, which has strict export rules on capital outflows, is also on the radar given evidence, the FBI source said, that corrupt officials are finding ways to channel money out of the country.
The FBI has long examined international facilitators as part of its efforts to identify threats that could cross into U.S. jurisdiction. Much of this flight capital transits outside the U.S. financial system. One well-known corridor for such money, and criminals cash, runs between Russia and Latvia, Moritz said. Money is laundered through Cyprus, where a cottage industry of hundreds of companies exists for the sole purpose of setting up these fronts. Bloomberg has also reported that the leaked data from the Panama Papers shows at least $2 billion in transactions involving people and companies with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Money doesnt stay in Russia for long, Fallon said, adding that Russians looking to hide assets are also buying banks in developing countries, including in the Middle East. Its in the billions [of dollars], he said. The Panama Papers also revealed the use of shell companies by officials in several African nations, including Nigeria. That money has found its way into luxury properties in New York City and Beverly Hills, California.
This movement of taxpayer money out of countries by corrupt officials into the international financial system is one reason why law enforcement officials and diplomats say the United States has been under pressure to tighten U.S. banking due diligence requirements and enact laws that make it harder to set shell companies up.
The issue has taken on an added layer of urgency due to concerns over blocking flows of money by terrorist organizations. A Treasury report released last year on terrorism financing noted investigations by the FBI into people with alleged ties to Hezbollah and Hamas over a wide variety of money laundering activity within the U.S. financial system.
Hezbollah has been a king at this forever, said Lormel, citing past investigations. He said there were indications years ago that Syria helped the group set up the infrastructure to move money through shell companies. It was a lot of money, he added.
The speed and ease with which funds can be moved within the international financial system allows terrorists to move funds efficiently and effectively and often without detection between and within jurisdictions, stated a 2008 report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental body dedicated to combating money laundering and terrorist financing. It added that offshore shell companies exacerbate this, giving terrorists the cover they need to conduct transactions and launder money.
This year, as part of its regular review of members, the task force is looking at the United States, comparing how well its laws and regulations stack up against those of other countries. A report is due in October. We expect it will note the vulnerability of the U.S. There is an issue with our beneficial-ownership rules, Fallon said.
Does Congress care?
Indeed, an official at the International Monetary Fund said although the Treasury move is a positive step, a complete solution requires legislation like Sen. Whitehouses measure to address the gaps. Fallon noted that under a one-year pilot, British banks are sharing intelligence with law enforcement officials who can cross-check transactions in real time. I would never expect that here, but we want to see more, he said.
Tax officials in five European countries the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain have also banded together to share beneficial-owner information in an effort to curb tax evasion. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Treasury has asked Congress to enact legislation that would require U.S. financial institutions to provide the same amount of information to other jurisdictions as foreign companies report to the IRS.
Moritz says banks have come a long way in systematizing ways to fight money laundering, by focusing on the highest-risk products and customers. But they face an enormous challenge. Most illicit money transits through the banking system, he said. Its unrealistic to think you can prevent your institution from knowingly or unknowingly participating in money laundering. Sometimes its not that overt: An introduction is made, or the people doing this are well above average in terms of moving out of the range of tax authorities. Institutions are vessels, and you cant see whats in peoples hearts. And they, to a certain extent, take at face value what customers say.
That customer could be an attorney for a hidden entity, said Brian Berntson, a retired IRS investigator who helped create the Global Illicit Financial Team, an IRS-led task force that targets organized crime. A group looking to hide, such as a cartel, will often nominate someone with a clean background and set him or her up in an office in another location, he said. They can then go and conduct financial transactions and make representations like, Were selling widgets. But if banks looked at sales, they might spot red flags: Why are they selling widgets to Iran? Or selling to some country that doesnt use those widgets?
Moritz has observed that some banks suffer from poor coordination between private bankers on one side who are trying to offer a range of sophisticated services and compliance officers on the other. If youre fighting crime over there, but right over here you can walk right into one of these brass-plated financial institutions and open an account and no one questions the legitimacy thats a problem, he said.
Henry Komansky, a former FBI special agent who now advises clients in Bermuda, thinks the new Treasury rule will make a significant difference, more closely aligning the United States with FATF standards. There will be teething pains, and smart lawyers will exploit loopholes, he said. It wont be perfect but its a big step and significantly better than the current regime.
The ABA said it has not yet taken a position on the legislation. The two-year period before the Treasury rule takes effect, it said, along with manageable expectations for customer and beneficial-ownership identification, alleviates some of the potential burden of implementing it. In the meantime, the state of New York finalized an anti-money laundering rule on June 30 requiring financial institutions to set up programs to monitor and filter transactions for any potential violations of anti-money laundering regulations.
Those looking to peel back the layers of ownership behind the shell companies buying real estate or laundering money say they will be hampered until all countries require more transparency.
If you cant get the world to sort of follow a common set of standards that require that you dont lie, that you cant have someone act as your representative, youre not going to fix this, Moritz said.
Fallon declined to comment on specific legislation but said a uniform beneficial-ownership disclosure requirement for entities incorporating in all states would absolutely help close gaps in current investigations.
The status quo is not acceptable, he said. Other countries have put laws in place. Why cant the U.S.?
Photo credit: JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images
Midway Island (United States) (AFP) - President Barack Obama went off the beaten track Thursday -- way off -- to a newly expanded marine reserve on an atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, part of an effort to polish his environmental legacy.
Obama flew three hours west of his native Honolulu to Midway Atoll, on the far northwestern tip of the Hawaiian island chain.
The atoll is situated at the heart of Papahanaumokuakea, a vast Pacific marine reserve given protected status by then-president George W. Bush in 2006.
Obama recently quadrupled its size to make it the world's largest marine reserve, home to 7,000 marine species, including many endangered birds as well as the Hawaiian monk seal and black coral, which can live for 4,500 years.
"This is going to be a precious resource for generations to come," Obama told reporters on Midway's Turtle Beach.
All the atoll's 40 inhabitants -- mostly US Fish and Wildlife Service staff -- greeted him.
Until recently, the area was perhaps best known to military history buffs.
Seventy-four years ago, the Battle of Midway was a decisive naval fight in World War II that turned the tide of the war against Japan.
Obama praised the "courage and perseverance" of the vastly outnumbered American soldiers who repelled Japanese forces. "This is hallowed ground," he said.
Now, he added, protecting the vast ecosystem "allows us to study and research and understand our oceans better than we ever have before."
- 'Existential threat' -
The president was later set to go snorkeling with friends away from journalists, the White House said.
Since taking office in 2009, he has designated more protected areas than any of his predecessors using the Antiquities Act, signed in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt, who established the first national monuments.
For the outgoing president, the visit is part of an eight-year effort to put the environment and tackling climate change higher on the political agenda.
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Scientists would be able to undertake "critically important" study of climate change in the marine reserve, he said.
Although Bush created Papahanaumokuakea, he also earned international scorn by rejecting the global climate deal reached at Kyoto.
Obama, in contrast, has led the charge to secure the recently struck Paris climate agreement.
"Rising temperatures and sea levels pose an existential threat to your countries," he said in Honolulu earlier to representatives of Pacific island nations at the World Conservation Congress, a major conference of thousands of delegates, including heads of state, scientists and policy makers.
"And while some members of the US Congress still seem to be debating whether climate change is real or not, many of you are already planning for new places for your people to live," he added.
Asked on Midway whether he would focus on tackling climate change as part of his work after he leaves office in January, Obama said he may try to influence Republican politicians who deny the phenomenon.
"This is something that all of us are going to have to tackle and maybe I get a little more of a hearing if I'm not occupying a political office," he said.
After his Hawaii visit, Obama is set to attend a G20 meeting in China, where he is expected to announce the joint formal joining of the Paris climate accord with President Xi Jinping.
A cow made its great escape from a local abattoir in Caboolture, Queensland, on August 31, barrelling through the towns roads. Resident John Good was in his vehicle when he saw the runaway cow at a busy intersection, as this dashcam footage shows.
Police actually had to cordon off streets, because it was charging people and destroying fences, said Good.
But unfortunately for the cow, she did not make it very far.
Eventually the cow was put down, because 2 [tranquilizer] darts didnt calm it enough, said Good. Credit: YouTube/Peter Good
(Changes headline to '50 pct of a Canada office portfolio' not '50 pct of Oxford Properties' Canada office portfolio')
Sept 1 (Reuters) - Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) bought a 50 percent interest in a Canadian office portfolio from real estate developer Oxford Properties Group for about $1.18 billion.
The portfolio includes five office buildings in downtown Toronto and two in Calgary, with a combined area of 4.2 million square feet, CPPIB said.
Following the deal, Oxford and CPPIB will jointly own over 12 million square feet of office properties.
Oxford will continue to manage the properties on behalf of the partnership.
(Reporting by Nikhil Subba in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
From Delish
Pink lemonade has been part of American culture for decades, making prime time appearances at state fairs, summer barbecues, and poolside parties. But how is the drink so rosy when lemons are very clearly bright yellow? Sure, pink lemons exist, but their juice is clear. So what in the world is happening here?
Smithsonian did some historical investigating and the answer might totally freak you out. According to the magazine, conventional lemonade made its stateside debut in the 17th century thanks to European immigrants. But pink lemonade didn't come about until the 19th century at-of all places-the circus, where people would expect sensational performances like fire-breathers and sword-swallowers, and apparently wanted their refreshments to be equally as weird.
But how was it made way back then? There are a few theories about pink lemonade's origin. One is from a 1912 New York Times obituary for Henry E. Allott, who ran away to join the circus and is believed to be the inventor of pink lemonade after he accidentally dropped red cinnamon candies into a batch of lemonade.
The second story is that two brothers, George and Pete Conklin, were in a pinch to make more lemonade quickly and so they used a tub of water that had just been used to wash pink tights. Not delish.
No one really knows which of the theories is correct, but pink lemonade remains insanely popular to this day. One reasoning behind that is its "relaxing," "calming," and "youthful" color. Except today's versions don't have any cinnamon-tinged flavor. Instead, it's colored with just enough grape juice or extract to tint it and get that perfect blush hue.
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Her 20-year-old son was dead, his murder related to his suspected gang activity. Hed been shot in the face and chest in an alley in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. But three days later, rather than blame his killer, or encourage vengeance, Doris Hernandez did what might sound like the unthinkable: She forgave her sons murderer publicly.
A few years on, a debate is being waged over the nations criminal justice system, which locks up a larger percentage of its own citizens than any other major country in the world. Many states, from Utah and Texas to Georgia and Maryland, have passed reforms to reduce minimum sentencing laws while also saving taxpayer dollars. Still, legislation has stalled nationally, despite looking inevitable as recently as last December.
While lawmakers mull over the best way to achieve the prison systems primary purpose helping prisoners rejoin society while also making sure justice is served and public safety is kept a surprising group has emerged in support of a kinder incarceration system.
More than 3/5 of crime victims prefer kinder prison sentences.
In particular, they support shorter prison sentences that spend more on prevention and rehabilitation programs than sentences that keep people in prison for as long as possible.
Not every victim wants a more mindful approach toward criminals, but the majority who do are driven by more than a charitable spirit. Violence is a complex issue that requires a varied and coordinated response much like treating a cancer patient with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, Hernandez says. Others, like Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), are less convinced, and describe federal reform bills as criminal leniency. Comparing the state and federal prison populations is an apples-to-oranges comparison, Perdue spokeswoman Megan Whittemore told Politico in April, arguing that federal prisons have fewer nonviolent offenders and could put ordinary citizens at risk under less-strict laws.
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More than 800 victims were interviewed in the survey released by the Alliance for Safety and Justice in August, showing that victims overwhelmingly preferred an emphasis on rehabilitation over punishment and alternative options to prisons, such as treatment for mental health disorders and drug addictions. Its counterintuitive, says ASJ president Lenore Anderson. The majority of crime victims are saying what everyday people would say: That prisons are more likely to make people worse.
Asj facebook 02
Source Courtesy of Alliance for Safety and Justice
That sentiment matches the experience of many behind bars, says 30-year-old Christopher Zoukis, an advocate for the incarcerated who is, himself, serving out the final years of a decade-plus sentence in federal prison. We need to focus on rehabilitation, not just of drugs and alcohol, but of social [roles], Zoukis told OZY, looking to the example of countries like Scandinavia. In that model, people go to prisons, but they keep working. Its like life with training wheels, albeit monitored by supervision officers.
Asj facebook 05
Source Courtesy of Alliance for Safety and Justice
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Lausanne (AFP) - Cuban discus thrower Yarelys Barrios has been stripped of her Olympic silver medal from the 2008 Beijing Games after failing a retroactive drug test, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday.
Barrios, 33, and Qatari track and field athlete Samuel Adelebari Francis, 29, both tested positive for banned substances in tests originally taken at Beijing 2008.
Barrios, 33, won silver in the discus in Beijing. She tested positive for the diuretic and masking agent acetazolamide, and has now been ordered to return her medal. She also won bronze in London 2012.
Nigeria-born Francis, who now represents Qatar, finished 16th in the 100m event. The former Asian 100m champion tested positive for the banned substance stanozolol.
"The IAAF is requested to modify the results ... accordingly and to consider any further action within its own competence," the IOC said in a statement.
Ukrainian Olena Antonova won the discus bronze medal in Beijing behind Barrios, with China's Song Aimin finishing fourth.
Several hundred samples taken from athletes in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 have been retested at the request of the IOC. Of those 98 tested positive including 60 for Beijing.
A harrowing 911 call is exposing grim new details of a Colorado car crash that left a 2-year-old boy seriously injured, all because authorities say a driver didn't want to be a father.
Read: Toddler Left in Body Cast After His Dad Tried to Kill Him by Intentionally Crashing Car: Cops
Isaiah Weitzel was seriously hurt after police say his 29-year-old father, Nathan, deliberately crashed his car at 75 mph into two parked vehicles.
The boy was not in a car seat and wasn't even wearing a seat belt. Witnesses say they were shocked to see the father was not comfort his injured son but actually hitting him in the August 21 incident.
A bystander called 911 reporting to the dispatcher: Yes there's a person inside. His head is down. I hear a baby crying.
The 911 operator asked: Do you know how old the baby is?
It looks like two or three. The baby has blood on him. Oh! Oh! Oh! The man's hitting the child who's crying so call social services too, the shocked caller said.
The stunned operator asked: Wait. Why is he doing that?
I guess the baby's crying in his ear and he's upset so he just elbowed the child, the caller said.
Eyewitness Cindy Rosa told Inside Edition that the baby had a horrible, horrible gash on his head. He had blood all over his face. His leg was broken.
Sheriff's deputies in the Denver area say the accused dad admitted: "I was trying to kill my son."
Being a father was a big responsibility and he did not think he was man enough to raise a child, the deputies report also stated.
He has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
It's a miracle that Isaiah survived.
Read: Mom Drowns Holding Son Above Water After He Fell in Lake: 'She Was An Amazing Mother'
The child's mother, Nancy Lopez, told Inside Edition: It has been really tough on him and not be able to go play and do regular things that 2-year-olds do.
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She says the babys father needs mental help and should stay in jail for the rest of his life.
She has started a GoFundMe page and raised more than $30,000 to pay for medical and other expenses.
Watch: Toddler Found Drunk With Passed Out Underage Dad, Cops Say
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Chicago (AFP) - Dallas police chief David Brown, who came under the spotlight for his response to the fatal ambush of five officers in the US city, announced his retirement on Thursday.
Chief Brown will step down on October 22, ending a 33-year career which saw him emerge as a national figure as the Texas city reeled from last month's deadly attack.
Brown was thrust into public view after a gunman shot and killed five officers in Dallas on July 7, just as a crowd of peaceful protesters was concluding a march against deadly police shootings of black Americans.
Addressing a press conference in the assault's aftermath, Brown, who is black, was asked how people could help Dallas. "Serve your communities," he said.
"We're hiring," Brown said, "Get off that protest line and put an application in."
Following that call, the Dallas Police Department reported an "unprecedented" 344 percent surge in applications to join the force.
Brown's own story encapsulates the painful tensions surrounding policing, race and gun violence in America.
Shortly after Brown took the helm of the Dallas police force in 2010, his 27-year-old son, David Brown Jr, fatally shot an officer and another man while high on drugs, before being killed by police.
In announcing his "difficult decision" to retire, Brown said he had become a cop to solve the problems of the 1980s crack cocaine epidemic.
"I wanted to be part of the solution," he said in a written statement in which he once again praised the five officers killed in July.
"Their memory will remain with all of us forever. I know the people of Dallas will never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made on the streets of our city that awful night."
The five officers were killed by Micah Xavier Johnson, a black army veteran who confessed to wanting to kill cops in retaliation for brutality towards African Americans. Johnson died in a standoff with police.
Story continues
The United States was set on edge for weeks in July following the shootings in Dallas and a similar assault in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where three officers were shot dead by a former military veteran.
Both attacks came amid a wave of anger over the fatal police shootings of African Americans in Minnesota and Louisiana -- the latest victims of what activists say is a pattern of police brutality towards blacks.
Fresh violence erupted in the city of Milwaukee in mid-August after a police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old black man named Sylville Smith, who officials say was armed.
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is targeting the last pockets of resistance to his rule around Damascus and Homs, building on a tactic of siege and bombardment that brought him a victory last week but drew condemnation from the U.N. As the Damascus suburb of Daraya, a potent symbol of the uprising against Assad, fell last week, the army began to put new pressure on the neighboring rebel enclave of Mouadamiya and on the besieged al-Waer district of the western city of Homs. It is a strategy aimed at consolidating Assad's control over government-held areas in a many-fronted civil war that has drawn in regional and global powers and inflamed sectarian hatred while killing over 250,000 and displacing 11 million. "Daraya is a domino and after that others will fall," said National Reconciliation Minister Ali Haidar on state television. In nearby Mouadamiya the government has laid down an ultimatum: evacuate the fighters or face a military assault, according to rebels in the town. In Homs, like Daraya an early center of the uprising, two days of heavy bombing forced rebels in al-Waer to recommence stalled talks on a similar deal, fighters there say. The fall of Daraya, whose inhabitants were evacuated through a deal with the government, dealt a major psychological blow to the opposition while encouraging the army to believe it was in reach of subduing rebel bastions around the heavily fortified capital. However, the U.N.'s aid chief, Stephen O'Brien, voiced "extreme concern" over the evacuation of Daraya, emphasizing the harsh conditions that had brought it to surrender, and warning that it set a dangerous precedent. "Let us be clear, all sieges, a medieval tactic, must be lifted," he said, adding: "What happened in Daraya should not be precedent-setting for other besieged areas in Syria." Before last year's Russian intervention that helped turn the tide of war in Assad's favor, the government had used local truces to advance the limited goal of pacifying hotspots including whole towns run by rebel-controlled councils. It allowed the army and allied militias to escalate military campaigns against the large swathes of rural Syria that are held by an array of insurgent forces, but at the cost of allowing rebels to maintain enclaves around major cities. Haidar, the reconciliation minister, added a warning in his television interview that rebel-held areas like Daraya could not "remain isolated cantons that pose a threat to the state". HELL AND A HEAP OF STONES Daraya's surrender came after two months of the heaviest bombing raids since it fell from government control in 2012, the start of an unrelenting siege that left civilians eating grass and cowering from incendiary barrel bombs, residents said. Days before rebels agreed to evacuate to northwest Syria, army tanks came within meters of trapped residents and fighters, leaving them no option but to leave en masse. "The tank and air shelling now reached the basements where our families had sheltered and huddled. They turned Daraya into hell and a heap of stones. We had no option," said Abu Jamal, head of the largest insurgent group in Daraya, the Liwa Shuhada al-Islam. Authorities moved quickly after the fall of Daraya to issue an ultimatum to the rebels of neighboring Muadamiya, which had been spared similar destruction thanks to a local truce, fighters there said. Generals of the Syrian government's elite Fourth Brigade, based nearby, laid out non-negotiable terms to insurgents to evacuate within 72 hours or be stormed, said a rebel and member of the suburb's local council who asked not to be named. The deal would involve 5,000 rebels handing over their heavy weapons and leaving Muadamiya with light arms to join insurgent factions elsewhere in Syria. Any who chose to sever their links to the rebellion could join a new police force in the suburb. "It's not possible to get something better. We were given the choice of a comprehensive settlement or face the consequences," Ali Khalifa, a member of the rebel team negotiating with the army in Muadamiya, told Reuters. For Muadamiya it represents the end of the uprising inside the town of 45,000. "The portraits of Assad which we tore during the protests will now be back. This spells the end of our revolution here. I hope our sacrifices have not gone in vain," said Kinan Natouf, a former engineering student from Muadamiya and fighter there. INSURGENT STRONGHOLD In al-Waer, the army and rebels reached an agreement last year brokered by the U.N. involving the release of several thousand prisoners in return for an evacuation of the district's remaining fighters. As the last remaining insurgent stronghold in Homs, a city that was one of the first to rise against Assad, and which later became a symbol of resistance to his rule, it constitutes a valuable prize for the government. However, that agreement broke down and in March the army tightened its blockade. It has now started to target the area with rocket bombardments and intense air strikes said Osama Abu Zeid, a pro-opposition media activist there. "After Daraya the regime exploited what happened to dictate a new agreement that would oblige fighters and their families to leave within two weeks or flatten the neighbourhood," said Osama Abu Zaid an activist on the ground. "We rejected that and now negotiations are back over the old terms of the UN deal," he added. For many of the rebel groups, fearful of the consequences of surrender when so many of the area's inhabitants are wanted by the government for their part in the uprising, such a deal would be hard to accept. "Surrendering al-Waer to the Assad regime will be tantamount to subjecting most of the civilians there to imprisonment, torture and death," said a statement from the Armed Revolutionary Groups in al-Waer, a collection of rebel groups. CAPITAL DEFENSE The defense of the capital, just northeast of Daraya and where the army's best equipped forces are entrenched, is pivotal for the survival of Assad. But unlike in the symbolically important but comparatively isolated rebel pockets in Daraya and Muadamiya, the insurgents in the capital's Eastern Ghouta district of towns and farms hold a large, contiguous area under their own local administration. That has stopped successive military campaigns by the army to recapture the rebel stronghold of Duma, the area's largest urban center. The outcome of the military advances in Daraya has now buoyed government hopes that a relentless bombing campaign could ultimately bring a similar result in that area, according to military analysts. However, the opposition and aid agencies decry that policy as one of "starve or surrender", saying it will make it harder in the long run to heal wounds of the civil war. Already many within the opposition say the practice of evacuating Sunni Muslim fighters and their families from home towns where many sects once mixed was drawing new demographic frontiers that will only fuel the war's sectarian overtones. Assad's Alawite sect is more aligned with Shi'ite Muslims. "These truces are paving the way for ethnic and political cleansing on an unprecedented scale," said the head of the opposition's Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) Riyad Hijab. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting by John Davison in Beirut and Tom Miles in Geneva; Editing by Angus McDowall and Janet McBride)
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / Darnley Bay Resources Ltd. (DBL.V) ("Darnley Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a royalty, in the Nak copper-gold project, located 80 kilometres northeast of Smithers, B.C., from vendor Bernie Kreft.
The Nak project (the "Property") is road- accessible and located in the Babine Lake area of central British Columbia. The Nak project occurs in the well-mineralized Babine copper-gold porphyry belt that includes the former Bell and Granisle mines, the Morrison deposit and numerous other advanced prospects. The Bell and Granisle mines together produced 130 million tonnes of ore grading 0.4% copper (Cu), 0.15 g/t gold (Au) and 0.75 g/t silver (Ag). The Morrison project is currently the subject of a feasibility study. The Nak property was originally explored by Noranda in the 1960's and 1970's and more recently by a number of junior exploration companies through the mid 1990's. The Company cautions that the information reported above on the Bell and Granisle mines, and Morrison deposit is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on the Nak project.
Highlights from the 1995-96 Nak drilling include 70.7 m grading 0.248% Cu and 1.166 g/t Au in hole 96-55, 12.5 m grading 2.614% Cu and 0.143 g/t Au in hole 96-58, 18.0 m grading 1.318% Cu and 0.203 g/t Au in hole 96-65 and 21.3 m grading 0.295% Cu and 1.059 g/t Au in hole 96-70. In 2008, a single hole in the Southern Zone returned a drill hole mineralized from the collar to the end of the hole and returned 316.5 m of 0.115% Cu and 0.257 g/t Au gold. The 1995-96 drilling work was completed by Hera Resources Inc.
A geophysical survey in 2008 identified a low chargeability and high magnetic susceptibility zone interpreted to be associated with the gold-rich Southern Zone. This signature extends beyond the existing drilling and known mineralization. Two specific target areas, the IP Embayment and the Northeast Extension have similar geophysical signatures and have seen limited drill testing. The Northeast Zone is also supported by anomalous Cu, Au and Mo soil geochemistry. The IP Embayment area, with its irregular chargeability anomaly patterns, lies along strike from the gold-rich Southern Zone and has a coincident high magnetic signature. Both targets require drill testing. The survey was completed by Copper Ridge Explorations Inc.
Terms of the acquisition include cash payments of $150,000 over five years: $15,000 on signing, $15,000 on the next three anniversaries of signing, $30,000 on the fourth anniversary and $60,000 on the fifth anniversary. Bonus payments to the vendor will consist of $25,000 on 1,500 metres of drilling and a further $25,000 upon a total of 3,000 metres of drilling. A payment of $125,000 and 250,000 common shares will be payable upon a total of 10,000 metres of drilling. The Optionor may elect to pay $250,000 rather than issue the Common Shares or the Optionor can elect to pay a combination of Common Shares and cash equivalent of $250,000 in lieu of the obligation to issue up to 250,000 Common Shares, Darnley Bay has a work commitment of $25,000 to be completed by the end of May 26, 2017, and a total of $500,000 by the third anniversary of the agreement. The vendor will retain a 2% Net Smelter Royalty, 62.5% of which can be purchased from the vendor for $1.5 million.
This transaction is consistent with Darnley Bay's stated business strategy to acquire interests in several base metal deposits at or near the feasibility stage. On March 8, 2016, Darnley Bay announced an option to acquire the Davidson molybdenum deposit near Smithers, British Columbia and on May 24, 2016, it announced an option to acquire the Clear Lake Zinc Project in the Yukon.
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Leon La Prairie on August 23, 2016 at age 90. Leon was the co-founder of the company in 1993, and served as the CEO (25 years) and Chairman (28 years). A mining engineer by trade and a promoter at heart, he will be remembered fondly by friends in the mining industry and throughout the North, where his wit and wisdom touched many for more than 60 years. We send our condolences to the La Prairie family.
Stephen Reford, P.Eng., Chief Technical Officer of Darnley Bay, Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information presented in this press release. The Company has not independently verified the assessment reports:
Spencer, B.E., 1996, Report on the 1995 Drill Program-Nak 95-1/95-2 Mineral Claims, Omineca Mining Division, Babine Lake Area, British Columbia, Geological Survey Branch Assessment Report No. 24,273.
Bridge, D., 1997, Geological and Drilling Report on the Nak 95-1 - 95-3, Nak 4-11, Snak and Snak 1 Mineral Claims, Omineca Mining Division, North-Central British Columbia, Geological Survey Branch Assessment Report No. 24,928.5.
Jamie Levy, President and CEO
Telephone: (416) 567-2440
Fax: (416) 361-2515
E-mail: jlevy@darnleybay.com
Website: www.darnleybay.com
Forward-Looking Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that Darnley Bay expects are forward-looking statements. Although Darnley Bay believes the expectations expressed in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. These include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Darnley Bay, investors should review registered filings at www.sedar.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: Darnley Bay Resources Ltd.
Rouen (France) (AFP) - The death toll from a fire in northern France this month, sparked by birthday cake candles, rose to 14 on Thursday after a young woman died in a Paris hospital, a family lawyer said.
The fire quickly killed 13 people, most aged between 18 and 25, after it broke out during a birthday party on August 6 in the Au Cuba Libre bar in Rouen.
Six others remain injured as a result of the blaze.
"The family of Karima Ababsa is sad to announce the death of the young woman this afternoon after a month of suffering," lawyer Gerard Chemla said in a statement.
The 25-year-old's condition had deteriorated in recent days and a decision was made to "stop her treatment" in order to put an end to her suffering, the lawyer added.
The increased toll from the fire tragedy was confirmed by the Rouen prosecutor's office.
An investigation will focus on whether building safety rules were respected at the bar, particularly in relation to fire exits and flammable materials.
It is the highest death toll in a French night spot fire since November 1970, when a blaze at a disco in the east of the country claimed the lives of 146 people, most in their early 20s.
Fox News
Toni Tennille is coming out of retirement to fulfill a lifetime wish. The Grammy-winning singer, known for her bouncy 1975 song "Love Will Keep Us Together" alongside her former husband Daryl Dragon, is set to lead the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center production of "Hello, Dolly!" in Prescott, Arizona.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride at Disneys California Adventure is closing down to make way for a shiny new Guardians of the Galaxy rideor as LAist put it: The park swapping Rod Serling for Chris Pratt.
Back in July, the park announced the popular ride would be getting a makeover to incorporate the superhero franchise, to which Disney purchased the rights in 2009 for $4 billion.
At the time, they did not give a specific date for the change. But on Tuesday, the Disney Parks Blog finally announced that the final terror-filled ride will take place on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017.
Despite popular outcry and multiple onlin petitions, the long-time ride will close for good after that.
The new Guardians of the Galaxy ride will keep the fast-dropping elevator that fans know and dread from the Tower of Terror, but the rest of the attraction will be completely overhauled to incorporate 100 percent more Groot, Rocket Raccoon, and Peter Quill.
To mark both Halloween and the closing of the classic attraction, Disneyland is hosting one last promotion. To send the Tower of Terror out in style, from September 9 to October 31 the park is giving guests with nerves of steel the chance to enjoy a Late Check-Out from the Hollywood Hotel that houses the ride.
The late check-out gives brave guests the chance to experience the thrills and chills of the Tower of Terror in complete darkness, according to Disneys blog.
Those who undertake that bone-chilling twist on an already frightening ride will certainly remember the experience far into the future when the Guardians of the Galaxy ride is torn down to make way for whatever is the next shiny new thing.
In addition to the special celebration, the park will be offering photo opportunities in front of the iconic Hollywood Tower Hotel sign outside the ride, as well as offering commemorative merchandise, performances, and special food and beverage items.
The Guardians of the Galaxy ride is expected to open in summer of 2017.
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Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the Republican candidates debate sponsored by CNN at the University of Miami in Miami, Florida, March 10, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
Donald Trump's border-wall proposal has been roundly excoriated, and despite confusion over the proposal that arose during his meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier this week, Trump has doubled down, saying that Mexico would pay for it.
"We will build a great wall along the southern border," Trump said on Wednesday night. "And Mexico will pay for the wall. ... They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall."
Leaving aside the fact that there are already fences and walls along much of the 2,000-mile frontier, Trump's proposal to cordon off the entire border with a wall anywhere from 30 to 65 feet tall is still fraught with problems, not the least of which is that such a barrier would likely not only fail to stop much of the criminality he has railed against, but it may also embolden it.
"Donald Trump talks tough about the cartels, but his policies are tailor-made to increase their profits," Tom Wainwright, author of "Narconomics" and previously The Economist's reporter in Mexico City, told Business Insider earlier this year.
"He talks a crackdown at the border, but crossing the border is what they do best. It's where their advantage lies that's where they make their money. That's why drugs cost so much more in the States than they do in Mexico," he said.
colombia cocaine
Americans spent more than $100 billion on illegal drugs in 2010, according to a White House study, and many of those drugs get a substantial markup because of the difficulty involved in getting them to the consumer.
A border wall may raise the prices of drugs, but it "won't do much to reduce consumption, because people who are addicted to drugs on the whole aren't very responsive to prices," Wainwright said. "So all it will succeed in doing is inflating the value of the criminal economy."
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In the case of cocaine, the price goes from a few hundred dollars, for the coca leaves needed to make it in Colombia, to "more like $150,000 per kilo," when it retails on US streets, Wainwright told Business Insider, a price that would likely rise with a border wall.
"I think if the cartels could vote, they would vote for Donald Trump. His policies suit them down to the ground," Wainwright added.
'Punch a hole through it '
"Trump's wall would not have any impact on the movement of drugs through the US-Mexico border," Mike Vigil, a retired US Drug Enforcement Administration agent who spent time undercover in Mexico and Colombia, told Business Insider in March.
crashed drone with crystal meth
"The Mexican drug traffickers would punch a hole through it, fly over it," Vigil added. "They would be able to circumvent that with medieval technology, catapults, shooting stuff across the wall."
Suggesting that drug traffickers could fly or fling drugs over a border wall is not speculation. They have done just that.
In the past, cartels have made use of fleets of hundreds of aircraft to move shipments of drugs over the border clandestinely.
More recently, traffickers have employed ultralight crafts and drones to ferry drugs into the US.
In another, more low-tech effort, smugglers used a catapult to hurl marijuana over the Arizona border.
"They just put the drugs there and whoom! over the border fence, and then somebody picks it up on the other side," journalist Ioan Grillo told Business Insider.
Mexico drug smuggler catapault
Mexican cartels have also proved adept at transporting illegal drugs by sea in ships and on homemade narco submarines. The news of busts of seaborne narcotics in immense quantities is a sign of how lucrative this method is.
And drug cartels with more resources have made frequent use of tunnels under the US border a method popularized by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, whose Sinaloa cartel is known for its subterranean ambitions.
"Donald Trump is mentioning this wall like it's going to have an impact because he's playing to what people want to believe that he's going to do in terms of immigration," said Vigil. "But that wall would serve absolutely no purpose."
Boots on the ground
The necessity and benefits of a wall along the US-Mexico border have also been called into question by people who live there.
Ranchers and other residents near the border in southwest New Mexico have seen an uptick in incidents related to illegal border crossings, including break-ins and, late last year, a brief kidnapping, according to an Albuquerque Journal report from March.
But, despite these criminal incursions, residents seem wary of Donald Trump's promises "to close up that border and ... build a wall."
Central America migrant Mexico
"The border is not secure ... It doesn't matter how tall of a wall you put up, they are going to tunnel under it, they are going to torch through it. If they want to come across, they will," Erica Valdez, who ranches more than 40,000 acres in New Mexico's boot heel, said, in what seems to be a reference to Trump's proposed border wall.
That sentiment has been echoed by international officials. Jose Manuel Salazar, the regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the International Labor Organization, said that the world's 232 million migrants, many of whom relocate for purely economic reasons, couldn't be contained by simple physical barriers.
"They are like a big country, one of the biggest, that goes along looking for work opportunities and keeps on growing. It cannot be turned back, it cannot be halted either with walls or those kind of measures," Salazar told EFE after presenting a report, "Labor migration in Latin America and the Caribbean," in Mexico City.
New Mexico boot heel Mexico wall Trump
Rather than a static wall, residents in New Mexico's boot-heel area looked favorably on a larger US Border Patrol presence, which the agency has said it is in the process of deploying.
Trump has proposed tripling the number of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and hiring 5,000 more border agents.
A more recent survey of residents on both sides of the border found widespread rejection of Trump's proposal.
A Cronkite News-Univision News-Dallas Morning News poll found that 72% of respondents on the US side and 86% of respondents on the Mexican side were opposed to building the wall.
That same survey found that 77% of Mexicans surveyed and 70% of Americans who were asked said that a wall was not important in comparison to other issues like education, jobs, and crime.
In what is perhaps a repudiation of the Republican candidate's emphasis on the wall as a means to help the US economically, 69% of those polled in Mexico said that they depend on their neighbors across the border for economic survival, with 79% of their US counterparts saying the same.
NOW WATCH: How a Trump victory could be good for Mexican drug cartels
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Donald Trump.
Despite Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's belated insistence that he told Donald Trump that Mexico would not pay for a border wall, I believe Wednesday's trip went well politically for Trump.
I don't think the trip will sway a lot of voters in either direction, but I do believe it helped Trump more than it hurt him.
Here's what Trump got out of it:
An argument that his anti-Mexican rhetoric is forgivable. Trump's personal denigration of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans has hampered his campaign, leading many voters to reject him as too bigoted. Yet the president of Mexico invited him to meet in Mexico City, gave him a dignified platform, and expressed his interest in working constructively together on issues of importance to both countries. Pena Nieto did criticize Trump's past remarks, but in an oblique manner that suggested they were a matter for polite disagreement, not outrage. I don't think this will sway a lot of Mexican-Americans and based on the news reports I'm reading out of Mexico, Pena Nieto's bizarre magnanimity does not seem to have impressed Mexicans at all but could it help with white voters? If the president of Mexico can look past Trump's anti-Mexican bigotry, why shouldn't they? An argument that he can handle the world stage. A key feature of Trump's persona has long been the idea that you can viciously insult people and then befriend them as if nothing happened. You fire Omarosa and then hire her again, and repeat as necessary. So far during this campaign, Trump has managed this feat with figures from Marco Rubio to Megyn Kelly, and now he's trying with the entire country of Mexico. The anti-Trump argument has always been that international relations are not a reality show and that Trump's loose talk would do dangerous and sometimes irreparable damage to America's relations with its allies. I believe this argument is, by and large, true. But Pena Nieto seemed willing to let bygones be bygones. He expressed disagreements with Trump but also a belief that the two could work constructively together. And he even allowed that NAFTA ought to be renegotiated. What was supposed to be an object lesson about Trump's incapacity for international relations turned out not to be.
On both counts, Trump should be very grateful to Pena Nieto for making him look good against both his political interests and the apparent desires of his constituents. Pena Nieto could have gravely embarrassed Trump. He chose not to.
There is the matter of Trump claiming that he and Pena Nieto did not discuss the matter of who would pay for a border wall and of Pena Nieto saying hours later that he clearly told Trump that Mexico would not pay. But even here, Pena Nieto seems eager to carry Trump's water. His representative told The Wall Street Journal that Trump was "not lying" because Trump did not respond to Pena Nieto's comment, and therefore there was no "discussion."
Obviously, this is a stretch. But Trump has lied constantly, about large matters and small, for his entire public life. Doing so has cost him politically, but are voters who haven't already decided Trump is unacceptably dishonest going to abandon him over this?
Donald Trump and Pena Nieto
Then there is the question of whether Trump looks weak because he did not demand that Mexico pay for the wall. John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, asserted that Trump "choked" by not making his demand when he had the chance later revising his statement to add that Trump lied about whether payment for the wall was discussed.
But policy consistency has never been Trump's selling point. Trump has already issued, and then retracted, a tax-cutting plan. And he has faced no apparent political cost for not even waiting until Election Day to renege on a political promise.
Trump's core pitch is that he will make "good deals," whatever that means, with counterparties including Mexico. In the Trumpian conception of dealmaking, there is supposed to be some give-and-take, but you're supposed to be strong so you get the best end of the deal. Trump's display of dominance over Pena Nieto positions him to argue to his supporters that he's on the way and that he won't give up the wall payment without something good in exchange.
Plus, it's somewhat bizarre for the Clinton campaign to criticize Trump for not making an absurd demand on a trip to Mexico. To some voters, Trump's choice not to demand payment for the wall might look like an uncharacteristic display of discretion, rather than weakness.
On Wednesday, among some political operatives and commentators on Twitter, I saw a lot of derision and outrage at the idea that Trump could have helped himself by going to Mexico. There is a sense that the press is setting an absurdly low bar for Trump, either out of an impulse for false equivalence or out of a desire to see a close, exciting election.
I think my writing over the past few months has made clear I am not a water carrier, either for Trump or for a close election.
Obviously, I am arguing here that Trump has cleared some very low bars. But that's the point: Many voters who usually vote Republican are rejecting Trump because he fails to clear some very low bars that would normally be expected of any presidential candidate from either party. Clearing some very low bars can help him get some of those voters back.
Rather than working the refs, I think Clinton's supporters should worry about groupthink: An assumption that just because Trump's behavior looks ridiculous from New York and Washington, or just because Trump has made inept campaign decisions in the past, or just because Trump would in fact be a terrible president, that must mean a stunt like Wednesday's cannot work.
My guess is Trump's stunt will not have strongly positive effects. Most voters have already formed their impressions of Trump, based on his antics over the past 15 months or the past 40 years. Few voters will be swayed either way by the trip.
But I do think Trump helped himself more than he hurt himself by going to Mexico.
NOW WATCH: Trump clearly not 'softening' on immigration with his uncompromising 10-point plan
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Donald Trumps incendiary immigration speech set cable news ratings on fire last night. Fox News lead the pack and its 10 PM Sean Hannity show bagged its biggest crowd ever, 5.24M viewers.
FNC delivered 5.2M viewers and 1.1M in the key 25-54 demo during the Republican presidential candidate speech in Phoenix, which ran from 9:30-10:45 PM ET.
CNN delivered 2.2M viewers and 661K news-demo viewers during that block of time; MSNBC nabbed 1.9M total viewers and 437K news-demo viewers.
In primetime, 8-11 PM, FNC logged in at 4.3M viewers and 856K news demo viewers. Thats a jump of 65% and 77%, respectively, compared to same day last year.
CNN scooped up 1.9M viewers and 541K in the demo up 211% and 189%, respectively.
MSNBC posted 1.8M viewers and 403K in the demo jumping 129% and 230%, respectively.
Trumps speech followed his quick trip to Mexico to meet with that countrys president, Enrique Pena Nieto a public relations move pundits are calling a big win for The Donald and an epic fail for Pena Nieto.
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Late night TV joined TV News in going nuts over Donald Trump the day he made his visit to Mexico and delivered his double immigration speech. While TV news pundits mulled Trumps quick trip to Mexico and his fiery rhetoric in Phoenix, ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live sent a Lie Witness News correspondent to ask people what they thought of Trumps performance on Dancing with the Stars.
Trump visited Kimmels show in May, during which he explained how he came up with all those nicknames for his political opponents.
Dancing with the Stars new season starts on September 12. Trump has not been cast this season. Former Texas governor and GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry has. Perry was early Donald Trump flotsam, dropping out of the race after just 100 days, while insisting the conservative movement has always been about principles, not personalities, though some might argue, based on how the election cycle has played out.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtmM3q9cotU&w=620&h=340]
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Donald Trump left no doubt Wednesday that he would end his campaign as he began it, promising to build a wall paid for by Mexico, deport millions of people in the U.S. illegally and stoking fears about those in the country without legal status. Outlining in the finest detail yet his immigration plans in Phoenix, Trump made clear that there would be no general-election pivot, none of the softening he promised just weeks ago.
Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation, Trump told a rowdy crowd of supporters in the Republican-leaning state. That is what it means to have laws and a country.
The speech capped a head-spinning month for the Republican nominee, who has struggled to appeal to the more diverse general electorate without upsetting the hawkish base that propelled him to the top of the GOP ticket. After spending the month of August publicly pondering a shift on immigration, Trump outlined a 10-point plan Wednesday evening that was a greatest-hits compilation of his most polarizing and by his own admission extreme statements, including creating a deportation task force, suspending immigration from certain countries and creating an ideological test for potential immigrants.
Rather than trying to expand his appeal to new voters, his immigration plan was a paean to the same fervent base that had begun to doubt his commitment to his signature campaign issue.
The speech was delivered the same day as Trumps hastily organized meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, which was designed to help supporters and swing voters envision him as President. The tone of the two statements, hours apart, could hardly have been more different, as the previously sedate Trump, who espoused respect for Mexican Americans as spectacular hard-working people who are beyond reproach, later that same day suggested that many were criminals and called once again for the forcible removal of those in the U.S. illegally.
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Hours after being told by Pena Nieto that Mexico would not pay for a border wall, Trump repeated the promise to his crowd in Phoenix. Still, he changed his tune in other ways after the meeting. In the end, were all going to win. Both countries. Were all going to win, Trump said Wednesday night of negotiations with Mexico. During his announcement speech in June 2015, however, he had cast the relationship as a zero-sum game. When do we beat Mexico at the border? he said. Theyre laughing at us, at our stupidity. And now they are beating us economically. They are not our friend, believe me.
Read More: Rudy Giuliani and Jeff Sessions Wore Make Mexico Great Again Also Caps
Along with the deportation force and the border wall, the plan Trump outlined includes limits on legal immigration and the prioritization of deportations for millions who have committed other crimes, benefit from government-assistance programs, or who have overstayed their visas. Trump, who said he is opposed to amnesty, said there would be no legal status for any of the 11 million undocumented people in the U.S. unless they first return home and reapply for entry. No one will be immune and exempt from enforcement, he said. Trump also proposed detainers to allow law enforcement to hold and initiate deportation proceedings against any person in the U.S. illegally who is arrested even before they are convicted. He also suggested he would model his plan on the Eisenhower-era Operation Wetback, which saw the deportation of more than 1 million people in the U.S. to Mexico, often without due process.
Trumps new plan came after weeks of confusion and mixed messaging on his immigration policies. Starting after Trump all but tied-up the Republican nomination in May, advisers surrounding the candidate began pushing for him to moderate his hard-line immigration stance and support for forced deportation. His brash, anti-immigrant rhetoric may have helped propel him to a primary victory, but top aides wanted him to adopt a more centrist tone to win over a more diverse general electorate.
At the Republican convention in Cleveland in July, Trump struck his usual nativist tone, emphasizing stories of undocumented immigrants who had committed violent crimes in the U.S. But weeks later in August, the message started to change. Trump began making overt pitches to minority voters in his campaign speeches, and on Aug. 20 he met with Hispanic leaders in a newly announced Hispanic advisory council. The following day, Trumps campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, who was promoted specifically to help stabilize and manage Trump, said on CNN that his support for forced deportations was to be determined.
Two days later, after a frenzy of headlines about Conways remark, Trump sparked even more speculation about a serious reconsideration of his position: he told Fox Newss Sean Hannity that hed be open to softening his stance. There certainly can be a softening because were not looking to hurt people, Trump said in the taped town hall on Aug. 23. But even Trump seemed confused about what to say; he polled the audience at the taping about what he should do. After asking the audience who wanted undocumented immigrants thrown out and who wanted to allow them to stay, he said, This is sort of like a poll. And this is what Im getting all over the country, please, please we are going to come out with a decision very soon.
His softening comment drew the ire of even his most devoted fans like conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who, in a cruel twist of fate, had published a book released that very day which said in the opening pages, Theres nothing Trump can do that wont be forgiven. Except change his immigration policies. (Still, she did forgive him after Wednesdays speech.) Trumps team resorted to awkward verbal gymnastics to maintain order. Spokesperson Katrina Pierson told CNN, He hasnt changed his position. He has changed the words he is saying.
Despite Trump telling Hannity he would have a decision very soon, his campaign had already canceled his immigration speech, which was due to be held that Thursday, and postponed it for a week. Then, in one final shake-up hours before he was set to deliver it, Trump announced the trip to Mexico.
But the speech Trump ended up delivering Wednesday brought him back to where he started, with discussions of a deportation force and Mexico paying for a border wall. The pivot hed been hinting at for weeks turned him back 360 degrees, and a muddled summer turned out to have been mere misdirection. It was as though the past few weeks had never happened.
If you only read one thing: Donald Trump gave Dr. Jekyll a run for his money Wednesday as he delivered two drastically different statements on immigration and the role of immigrants in American society. Speaking in Mexico, Trump tried to pretend the first 15 months of his campaign, beginning with calling many Mexican immigrants to the U.S. rapists, never happened, saying he held immigrants beyond reproach. On policy, he tried to soften his to hardline stance of trade, arguingseemingly in contradiction to his entire campaign to datethat it isnt a zero-sum game. Too bad Make the Western Hemisphere Great Again doesnt have quite the same ring to it. But just hours later in Phoenix the same old Trump was back. He reinstated his call for a border wall and claimed Mexico would pay for it. He also called for a deportation force, promising to remove millions, if not all, of the 11 million people in the U.S. illegally starting on his first day in office. It was the sort of hawkish rhetoric that won him the GOP primary, but didnt reflect his promised softening on the issue. In the end, Trumps waffling over the last three weeks on the issue only seemed to aggravate his core supporters and won him few converts.
Trump, a political and geopolitical neophyte, is often graded on the curve by the pressand while many are touting that he appeared presidential in Mexico Wednesday, the reality is less clear. Trump seemed uncomfortable on stage standing next to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, never looking at him while an interpreter stood at his side whispering in his ear. Trump also found himself at odds with Pena Nieto after claiming that the pair didnt discuss who would pay for the proposed border wall. Pena Nieto, who previously compared Trump to Hitler, has publicly stated that Mexico wouldnt pay for it, and tweeted after the meeting that he reiterated the same to Trump. Trump may be trying to hide behind the implication that a discussion mutual, but he is the candidate whos supposed to tell it like it is. The controversy ended up overshadowing the trip.
Story continues
Hillary Clinton spent Wednesday delivering a foreign policy address, in which she sought to turn eight years of GOP attacks against President Obama against Trump. Arguing that Trump didnt believe in American exceptionalism, Clinton advocated for a stronger and involved U.S. on the global stage, accusing her rival of being a stooge of Russian President Vladimir Putin and attacking his isolationist foreign policy proposals. It comes as Clinton is seeking to somewhat reverse the party divide on foreign policy as she seeks to appeal to hawkish Republicans unsettled by Trump.
Some Trump Hispanic surrogates walk after his day of whiplash. How Trumps visit played in Mexico. (Hint: not well.) And the new politics of gun control.
Here are your must reads:
Must Reads
Donald Trump Pivots Back to Hardline Immigration Stance
It is as it ever was [TIME]
Donald Trump Tones It Down for Meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto
Tries to white-wash 16 months of criticism of Mexico in last-minute visit [TIME]
Former U.S. Commanders Take Increasingly Dim View of War on ISIS
As conflict enters its third year, endgame still elusive, TIMEs Mark Thompson writes
If Pena Nieto Was Trying to Distract Mexican Voters by Meeting Donald Trump, He Failed
Discontent over the meeting has been voiced by Mexicans across the spectrum, Ioan Grillo reports for TIME
Bill Clinton Used Tax Dollars to Subsidize Foundation, Private Email Support
Program for ex-presidents paid salaries and benefits to Clinton aides at the center of controversies [Politico]
A Candidate In Utah Blazes a Trail Just by Being Herself
TIMEs Katy Steinmetz profiles the first openly transgender candidate running as a major partys nominee for the U.S. Senate
The New Politics of Gun Control
Democrats are finally leaning in, while Republicans talk compromise, TIMEs Philip Elliott reports
Sound Off
My opponent in the race has said very clearly that he thinks American exceptionalism is insulting to the rest of the world. In fact, when Vladimir Putin, of all people, criticized American exceptionalism, my opponent agreed with him saying, and I quote, If you are in Russia, you dont want to hear that America is exceptional. Well maybe you dont want to hear it, but that doesnt mean its not true. Hillary Clinton to the American Legion Convention Wednesday
Who pays for the wall? We didnt discuss that. Trump in Mexico on his meeting with Enrique Pena Nieto, who later tweeted that he reaffirmed that Mexico would not pay for the wall
Bits and Bites
Hillary Clinton Turns Old Attack on President Obama Against Donald Trump [TIME]
President Obama Says Conservation More Important Than Ever at Lake Tahoe Summit [TIME]
Enrique Pena Nieto Says He Told Donald Trump Mexico Wont Pay for Border Wall [Associated Press]
Rudy Giuliani and Jeff Sessions Wore Make Mexico Great Again Also Caps at a Donald Trump Rally [TIME]
Several Hispanic Trump surrogates reconsider support [Politico]
Joe Klein: Dont Believe the New Myths About Americas White Working Class [TIME]
Donald Trump Dealt With a Series of People Who Had Mob Ties [Wall Street Journal]
Donald Trump's controversial trip to Mexico to meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto was met with a mixture of bemusement, mockery and anger in Hollywood.
During Wednesday's visit, Trump defended the right of the U.S. to build a massive border wall between Mexico and the U.S., the core of his immigration plan. The GOP presidential candidate said he and Nieto did not, however, discuss who would pay for the wall, which is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars.
According to the Associated Press, Pena Nieto said Mexicans felt "aggrieved" and were angry that Trump did not apologize or back down from his plan to build a border wall. After Trump and Pena Nieto's meeting, the Mexican president clarified the outcome, tweeting, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
Al inicio de la conversacion con Donald Trump deje claro que Mexico no pagara por el muro.
- Enrique Pena Nieto (@EPN) August 31, 2016
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox told CNN that Trump "is using Mexico, using President Pena Nieto to boost his sinking poll numbers."
Former Mexican President: Donald Trump "using" Pena Nieto "to push his sinking poll numbers" https://t.co/7bYqsS1NW0 https://t.co/6357obEGVy
- CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 31, 2016
Read more: Donald Trump Defends U.S. Right to Build a Border Wall During Mexico Visit
Hillary Clinton tweeted, "Trump has been perfectly clear about his intentions for millions of immigrants," along with a statement from the Hillary for America chair John Podesta.
Judd Apatow and Larry Wilmore were among several Hollywood figures that tweeted about the Mexico visit, which became a trending topic with the hashtag #TrumpEnMexico. Wilmore tweeted "Trump's in Mexico? Quick, let's build that wall NOW so he can't get back in! I've got a lot of free time right now, who's with me?"
Story continues
See more reactions below.
Trump didn't tell Mexico they were paying for the wall. Is this the type of tough negotiator he is? He didn't want to be told to fuck off.
- Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) August 31, 2016
Many mistakes are made by all politicians. Trump is a dangerous sociopath. He doesn't mean most anything he says. https://t.co/nRXnqGFGh7
- Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) August 31, 2016
Mexico is the first country to tell Trump to fuck off. Next-- the rest of the Earth.
- Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) September 1, 2016
What a surprise! The pathological liar lied. Said the wall was not discussed. Pena Nieto said it was and he wouldn't pay for it. Go Liar!!
- Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 31, 2016
Trump's in Mexico? Quick, let's build that wall NOW so he can't get back in! I've got a lot of free time right now, who's with me?
- Larry Wilmore (@larrywilmore) August 31, 2016
Dear Presidente Nieto,
You can tell Donald Trump, "Mexico IS sending their best. Just look at Rob Schneider's wife!" pic.twitter.com/iC0JBQl9qp- Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) August 31, 2016
The REAL deal is Mexico did NOT benefit from NAFTA! It only INCREASED POVERTY on both sides of the border.@realDonaldTrump @HillaryClinton
- Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) August 31, 2016
Trump saying, "We didn't discuss who pays for the wall" is like McDonald's saying, "We don't know if we make hamburgers."
- Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) August 31, 2016
"It turns out Trump didn't just choke, he got beat in the room and lied about it." - @JohnPodesta pic.twitter.com/YgGN3HG7Hx
- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 31, 2016
HE CANT HELP HIMSELF. A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR! https://t.co/xG8QZG3Gu0
- Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) August 31, 2016
U.S.President Donald Trump? Is this a joke, a nightmare, a catastrrophic suggestion, a national dissgrace, a conjecture or all of the above?
- carl reiner (@carlreiner) August 31, 2016
My Spanish isn't great, but my rough translation of this is "Hell no. We aren't paying for Trump's wall." https://t.co/RbqRjJFzio
- Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) August 31, 2016
"Mexico is not our friend. Believe me." ~Trump
I believe that he believes this. His little trip changes nothing. #DemagogueChronicles- yvette nicole brown (@YNB) August 31, 2016
He's down in the polls, so he changes what he says about the Mexican people & all is supposed to be magically forgiven?#DemagogueChronicles
- yvette nicole brown (@YNB) August 31, 2016
"They have to go."
Trump has been perfectly clear about his intentions for millions of immigrants. pic.twitter.com/kZ6hdDWrFt- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 31, 2016
Trump just failed his first foreign test. Diplomacy isn't as easy as it looks. -H
- Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 1, 2016
The one take away from the Trump speech in Mexico - No questions was the plan.All Trump had to do was not answer. He couldn't help himself
- Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 1, 2016
"Make Mexico Great Again Also" hats at Trump rally. We have officially crossed over into the #upsidedown. Help us Eleven. #StrangerThings
- Josh Gad (@joshgad) September 1, 2016
By Noah Barkin GREIFSWALD, Germany (Reuters) - The one year anniversary of Angela Merkel's fateful decision to open Germany's borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees has brought scrutiny, criticism and a flurry of new questions about her leadership. What was she thinking when she welcomed a flood of migrants with the casual promise "we can do this", German media are asking. Will she run for a fourth term next year in the face of unrelenting attacks from her Bavarian sister party and sagging popularity ratings? And, more immediately, can she weather regional elections this month in which voters may punish her conservatives and deliver new gains for the far-right? If Merkel is feeling the pressure, she is doing her best not to show it. On a trip to her Baltic coast electoral district in eastern Germany this week, she visited a yacht maker, listened attentively to scientists at a plasma research institute and ate sausages with locals in the town square in Greifswald. The trip to the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which holds an election on Sunday, followed a week of intense diplomacy in which Merkel met with a total of 15 European Union counterparts to discuss the bloc's response to the Brexit vote in Britain. Germany, Europe and the world may be undergoing dramatic changes, but Merkel, the message from her camp goes, remains a constant - solid, a bit boring, but unflappable and above all hard-working. To her fans, this remains her biggest strength. "I admire her backbone, her long-term vision, the fact that she doesn't bend when the political winds blow in her face," said Cordula Arlt, 46, a Waldorf school teacher who was shopping in the Greifswald market square when Merkel visited. But to her growing list of critics, including the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) and rising anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, she is seen as stubborn and tone-deaf to the concerns of ordinary Germans. A series of attacks in Germany over the summer, two by refugees, have only deepened outrage in the anti-Merkel camp. "People are very unhappy with her refugee policies," said Helmut Schroeder, a 61-year-old unemployed locksmith in Greifswald. "It's astonishing that one woman could take such a momentous decision on her own. We are not a monarchy." POLARIZING FIGURE As the voices of these voters testify, the refugee crisis, and Merkel's response to it, have turned her from a unifying, reassuring figure in Germany who was fondly referred to as "Mutti" or Mum, into a polarizing figure who elicits head-scratching and even fury. A poll this week showed that 50 percent of Germans don't want her to run for a fourth term next year. Two in three say they are unhappy with her handling of the crisis. Despite that, she is expected to run for and win a fourth term in 2017, a feat that only Helmut Kohl, the father of German reunification, has achieved in the post-war era. Merkel has been coy about her intentions, in part because CSU allies are pressing her to disavow her refugee stance in exchange for their endorsement. But her advisers suggest she will run because she sees her biggest challenges -- refugees, Europe after Brexit and the digital transformation of the German economy -- as unresolved. "It would look like negligence if she said she didn't want to continue in the current situation," one of her close advisers told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Merkel's backers note that despite the turmoil of the past year, her conservatives still enjoy a double-digit poll lead over their center-left rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD). And while Merkel's popularity is down sharply, it still compares favorably with leaders in other big countries. Nor is there an heir apparent on the German right. Still, Merkel has looked uncharacteristically vulnerable over the past 12 month. She has admitted mistakes -- in failing to foresee the tide of refugees and in her handling of an EU migrants deal with Turkey that has halted the influx but, critics say, left her susceptible to blackmail from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. "MAJOR LAPSE" Oxford historian and author Timothy Garton Ash sees that past year as evidence Merkel may be losing her political touch. "Merkel is Europe's indispensable leader, because of the position of Germany, but also her standing and experience as a leader," he told Reuters. "But there is a universal law in politics that says 10 years is enough. When leaders stay longer they start making mistakes. It happened to De Gaulle, Kohl, Thatcher and to Erdogan and Putin. Now it seems to be happening to the pragmatic, cautious Angela Merkel." Over the past weeks, German media have painstakingly reconstructed the events that led to Merkel's decision in the night of Sept. 4 last year to suspend EU immigration rules and allow thousands of refugees camped out in Hungary through to Austria and on into Germany. By the end of 2015, a million migrants had entered the country. The consensus, one year on, is that she was right to allow the refugees into Germany on that night to avert a humanitarian crisis, but was slow to recognize the consequences of her decision and flat wrong in her assumption other European countries would help share the burden. "There was no realization that the mood in Germany would eventually turn, nor any preparation for that day," said a senior CDU lawmaker who has worked closely with the chancellor. "For months, Merkel just dug herself in. It was a major lapse." The political tremors are still being felt. On Sunday in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the anti-immigrant AfD could win more support than Merkel's CDU for the first time ever in a state vote. Two weeks later, support for her party is expected to slide to a record low in an election in the capital Berlin. "Neither vote will be pretty for the CDU," the Merkel adviser said. "But we will move on. It won't distract her from the challenges we face in Germany and in Europe." (Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
Donald Trump, voter, Hillary Clinton (Yahoo News photo illustration: AP, Brendan McDermid/Reuters, AP)
Down Ticket is Yahoo News complete guide to the most fascinating House, Senate and governors races of 2016. Coming to you every Tuesday and Thursday until Nov. 8. What you need to know today.
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Could split-ticket voting save the Senate for Republicans? And could the reverse-coattail effect really help them win back the White House?
Unlike some past presidential nominees Ronald Reagan comes to mind Donald Trump is unlikely to sweep down-ballot Republicans into office on his coattails this November.
That much we know. In January, before the nominations were decided, 46 percent of voters said that they were planning to vote Republican for president; 39 percent said they were planning to vote Democrat. By the end of July, however, the Democratic number had shot up to 44 percent, and the Republican number had plummeted to 36 percent. The reason? Someone clinched the GOP nod in May and his name was Donald Trump.
As it became clear that Mr. Trump would be the nominee, the pattern changed and the [generic] Democratic candidate went ahead, Lynn Vavreck, a professor of political science at UCLA, recently explained. One way to view this reversal is as the price for nominating Mr. Trump.
Republicans appear to be accepting this reality; a majority now say Trump wasnt the partys best choice for president.
Yet some are also beginning to argue that the situation isnt as dire as it seems.
Trump may not help the rest of this years Republican candidates win on Election Day, they concede. But because he is who he is a sui generis figure unlike any other major-party nominee in recent memory he may not wind up hurting them, either. In fact, down-ballot Republicans could even help Trump do better in November than the naysayers expect.
To support these silver-lining arguments, Republicans are pointing to a pair of established concepts from political science. The first split-ticket voting is what happens when a voter chooses one partys candidate for president and another partys candidate for some lower office. The second the reverse-coattail effect is what happens when the popularity of a particular down-ballot candidate boosts the partys presidential nominee as well.
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Is this just spin? Or do these people have a point? Could split-ticket voting actually help Republicans keep control of the Senate? And could the reverse-coattail effect really help them win back the White House?
Down Ticket is skeptical.
Lets start with the reverse-coattail effect. On Wednesday, CNNs Dana Bash and Abigail Crutchfield reported that Republican operatives are starting to wonder, as their headline put it, whether Donald Trump [might] ride GOP senators coattails to victory in places like Ohio and Florida.
The long-time concern among many Republicans who are very nervous about losing GOP control of the Senate, is that Trump will drag other Republicans down, Bash and Crutchfield wrote. The worry is that Republican voters who are turned off by Trump wont show up on Election Day, and that will hurt GOP Senate candidates.
Presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson during a whistle-stop tour of the Midwest in the 50s. (Photo: Bert Hardy/Picture Post/Getty Images)
Yet others studying the data say theyre seeing something different, they continued. In states where the GOP senators are well-known and well-liked, especially among Republicans, it could end up drawing GOP voters to the polls, even if theyre skeptical of their presidential nominee. And once theyre there, [theyll] feel compelled to vote for the guy at the top of the ticket, too.
In their story, Bash and Crutchfield went on to speculate that there are enough GOP senators currently outperforming Trump in enough key battleground states Rob Portman in Ohio, Marco Rubio in Florida, John McCain in Arizona, Johnny Isakson in Georgia, Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania to pave the way for some real reverse-coattail action on Nov. 8. A USA TODAY/Suffolk poll out Thursday noted 52 percent of Clinton supporters saying they were at least somewhat likely to split their vote.
In some cases, Republicans told CNN, hatred for Hillary Clinton could be the deciding factor. There are a lot of Republicans who think Trump is crazy, Sen. Lindsey Graham said. But once they get in [the voting booth] to vote for Congress they will be driven by their aversion to [Clinton]. The hope is that they would then reluctantly pull the lever for Trump.
In other cases, geography could make the difference. In Florida, the thinking goes, Rubio could bolster Trump in the southern part of the state; Toomey could do the same in Pennsylvanias Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia suburbs.
The only problem? Reverse coattails arent really a thing.
The dream of a reverse-coattail effect is nothing new. In 1956, Adlai Stevensons presidential campaign manager, James Finnegan, noticed that when Stevenson had run for president four years earlier, hed consistently received fewer districtwide votes than the incumbent Democratic congressmen running down-ballot. To Finnegan, the answer was obvious, Time magazine reported. Stevenson must associate his campaign more closely with those of the state candidates and attract voters to himself through their local popularity. Unfortunately, Operation Reverse Coattails failed to propel Stevenson to the presidency; he lost that November to Dwight D. Eisenhower by 384 electoral votes.
In 2008, political scientist David E. Broockman, now a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, set out to answer a simple question: Do congressional candidates have reverse coattails?
His findings were unambiguous. By feeding congressional district-level data from 1952 to 2004 into a sophisticated statistical model, Broockman discovered no evidence that presidential candidates perform better when they appear on the ballot with more popular congressional candidates.
Incumbent congressmen can expect much higher vote shares than their rivals when running for reelection, Broockman explained. Yet presidential candidates do not appear to receive any spillover benefits.
Sen. Rob Portman greets people at an event along Ohios Cuyahoga River at the Republican National Convention in 2016. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
In other words, Portman probably cant help Trump in Ohio this November.
The question remains, however: Is the reverse still possible? Could Trump wind up hurting Portman and other senators like him? Or will voters in Ohio and elsewhere decide to split their votes between Clinton and down-ballot Republicans?
Given that Trump is on track to lose Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Illinois, Nevada, and Wisconsin i.e., nearly every state with a tossup Senate contest Republicans are praying for the latter. As Karen Tumulty and Mary Jordan recently reported in the Washington Post:
Portmans embattled reelection campaign had dispatched a squad of volunteers to Clinton-Kaine rallies in Columbus and Youngstown. There, they passed out literature touting his endorsements by several traditionally Democratic unions, signed up 400 new supporters and gathered more than 100 requests for yard signs, said Corry Bliss, Portmans campaign manager. The campaign also featured Portmans outreach to Clinton supporters on its Facebook and Twitter accounts.
This sort of outreach, Tumulty and Jordan conclude, may be key to the survival of some endangered Republicans and possibly to the GOPs hopes of maintaining control of the Senate even though its a clear acknowledgment of the fear that Republican nominee Donald Trump is pushing away some voters.
Split-ticket voting is a lot more plausible than the reverse-coattail effect, if only because it has actually happened before. In fact, voters used to be pretty willing to bounce back and forth between the two parties as they worked their way down the ballot. In 1972, for instance, 44 percent of congressional districts voted for one party in the presidential race and another in their local House contest.
Thanks to polarization, this doesnt tend to happen as much anymore; by 2012, the number of split congressional districts had declined to 6 percent.
But that doesnt mean, at least in theory, that it couldnt happen again especially when the GOPs presidential nominee has a historically high unfavorable rating and is barely even a Republican. As Toomey himself recently put it, Pennsylvania voters are really quite sophisticated, and they know for sure that Donald Trump is in a category unto himself. So they will make their decision about the presidential race, and then they will make a completely separate decision about the person they want representing them in the United States Senate.
To some degree, this may already be happening. Check out the RealClear Politics polling averages. In Pennsylvania, Trump is trailing Clinton by 7.3 percentage points; Toomey is trailing his Democratic opponent, Kate McGinty, by 1.2 points. In Florida, Trump is behind by 2.7; Rubio is ahead by 5.7. In Ohio, Trump is losing by 3.8; Portman is winning by 7.5. And the same is true in nearly every other tossup state.
Ultimately, however, the issue for Senate Republicans wont be whether some voters split their tickets. Itll be whether enough voters do. If Clinton wins, Democrats need a net gain of four seats to regain control of the Senate. According to RCP, the polls currently show them poised to pick up five (Indiana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania) and lose one (Nevada). Unless even more Clinton voters in exactly the right places decide to vote for down-ballot Republicans between now and November, the GOP wont be able to save the Senate from Trump.
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How the establishment won Tuesdays primaries
Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Marco Rubio, John McCain (Photos: Johnny Louis/FilmMagic/Getty Images, Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS/Getty Images, Ross D. Franklin/AP)
If you wanted to test the theory that 2016 is an anti-establishment, anti-status-quo kind of year the year that brought you both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders then it would have been difficult to design a better experiment than Tuesdays primaries in Arizona and Florida.
The ballot was packed with exemplars of establishment politics. John McCain, the GOPs 2008 presidential nominee. Marco Rubio, this years consensus choice for president among Beltway conservatives. And Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee.
All three were facing insurgent challengers in the Trump-Sanders mold. For McCain, it was Kelli Ward, a 47-year-old doctor of osteopathic medicine who slammed the five-term senator as a pro-immigrant, pro-war Hillary Clinton clone, while openly speculating that he might die in office. For Rubio, it was Carlos Beruff, a rich, bombastic Manatee County developer whod been nicknamed the Cuban-American Donald Trump by the Miami New Times. And for Wasserman Schultz, it was Tim Canova, a law professor whod become a cause celebre among Sanders supporters nationwide.
So what happened Tuesday? The insurgents lost and the establishment won.
It wasnt even close. Rubio defeated Beruff 72 percent to 18.5 percent. Wasserman Schultz defeated Canova 56.8 percent to 43.2 percent. And McCain defeated Ward 51.7 percent to 39.2 percent.
And Rubio, McCain and Wasserman Schultz werent alone. Only one incumbent lost in Tuesdays primaries: Florida Rep. Corinne Brown. She was also the only incumbent currently under indictment in a federal corruption case.
How is this possible? How can voters gravitate toward Trump and Sanders, then reward their down-ballot establishment foes? Amy Walter, the national editor of the Cook Political Report, has a theory:
Voters arent as angry as the narrative has led us to believe. AsI wrote back in May, the percent of Americans who say they are angry at the federal government has remained rather consistent over the last six years, ranging from a high of 32 percent in October 2013, to a low of 13 percent in March 2011. Today, 22 percent of Americans say they are angry. Even when asked their feelings about the broader category of politics just 21 percent say they are angry. What Pew found as well was that voters who were the angriest were, not surprisingly, Trump supporters. Those who supported other GOP candidates werent as angry. Meanwhile, those who supported Clinton defined themselves as basically content. In other words, the Trump effect has been greatly overstated.
Walter goes on to note that while many have pointed to the fact that just 32 percent of Americans think the country is headed in the right direction as a sign of voter anger and interest in shaking up the system, the truth is, the right direction/wrong track number has been terrible for years.
This isnt about Trump or even Obama, she concludes.
Sounds about right to us. One thing wed add: In July, only 11 percent of likely U.S. voters said Congress is doing a good or excellent job. But a majority (59 percent) added that either their local representative deserves to be reelected, or theyre not quite sure yet versus 41 percent who said theyd rather kick the bum out. Thats the highest level of support for reelection in five years.
The establishment is bad unless its your establishment. Then its tolerable.
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The best of the rest
Hurting for support in her own party, Sanchez tilts her Senate campaign to the right https://t.co/IN598d3LPu pic.twitter.com/keQXKdCyyW Los Angeles Times (@latimes) September 1, 2016
Turns out Year-of-the Outsider is pretty much limited 2 Trump. GOP Estab thumped conservatives in Hill primaries https://t.co/UdzcO1vkX6 Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) September 1, 2016
25 years ago, prominent Louisiana Repubs formed anti-David Duke PAC. Now theyre doing it again as he runs for Sen https://t.co/rWhc6TDxee Reid Wilson (@PoliticsReid) September 1, 2016
Rs are defending 7 Senate seats in states voted 2x 4 Obama. HRC now leads clearly in 4 & so do D Senate https://t.co/kkhNdvjuEW Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) September 1, 2016
NEW POLL: Feingold holds narrow lead in Wisconsin Senate race https://t.co/5oRZGsoUvb pic.twitter.com/cDNnUy0zI0 The Hill (@thehill) August 31, 2016
Rating Change: New Hampshire House Race Swings Toward Democrats https://t.co/OY7WHfj7Dl pic.twitter.com/MhyQ3qDVyA Roll Call (@rollcall) August 30, 2016
Florida one step closer to having its first Puerto Rican congressman https://t.co/baZcUFHDFA Ed O'Keefe (@edatpost) August 31, 2016
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Countdown
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Kinshasa (AFP) - A long-awaited "national dialogue" to avert political chaos opened in Democratic Republic of Congo Thursday despite the absence of many opposition figures who described the event as a government "trap".
The crunch talks between the government and opposition groups are aimed at averting a crisis when President Joseph Kabila's term expires later this year as fears grow that he will try to stay in power for a third term
Protestors clashed with police near the talks as they were opened by African Union mediator Edem Kodjo. The talks will last for two weeks.
"I didn't come here to serve partisan causes, I came here to serve Congo," said Kodjo, a former Togolese prime minister.
While some opposition figures joined the government and civil society groups for the event, a newly-formed opposition coalition -- "Rassemblement" (Gathering) -- did not.
The coalition said it would not take part in the dialogue until political prisoners were released and legal action against wealthy businessman and presidential hopeful Moise Katumbi was halted.
Katumbi was tried in absentia in June for real estate fraud and sentenced to three years in jail.
- 'The alternative is violence' -
While a court approved Katumbi travelling abroad to seek medical treatment, authorities say he will be detained if he returns and could also face charges of recruiting mercenaries.
The presiding judge in the fraud case has since said that authorities pressured her into endorsing a guilty verdict to ensure Katumbi would be ineligible to run.
"We are here to talk about Congo... we must discuss the organisation of elections for a democratic transition here and now," said Vital Kamerhe who headed up the opposition delegation at the talks.
Maman Sidikou, the head of the UN's mission in DRC, said that "democracy remains the only route out of the current impasse. The alternative is violence, destruction and the deaths of innocent civilians".
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Police fired teargas and were pelted with stones during violent clashes in the capital Kinshasa that lasted almost an hour.
Tension has been building for months in the vast mineral-rich nation of 71 million over fears that Kabila will follow in the footsteps of neighbouring heads of state and change the constitution to extend his rule into a third term.
The country's highest court earlier this year ruled that Kabila could stay in office beyond the scheduled December date if no election were held.
Under the constitution Kabila must call elections three months before the end of his term on December 20.
USA TODAY Sports
Budding trick shot artist Drake is back at it again. The rapper took time out of his busy tour schedule and away from courting Rihanna to nail another half court shot while laying on his back.
The Miami Heat posted a video of Drizzy at their team practice facilities on Thursday evening where he can be seen stretched across the floor before tossing towards the goal. The ball hits the backboard before falling into the hoop and being quickly celebrated by those in the building. The Heat account wrote, This is how you warm up for Night 2 of the #SummerSixteenTour in Miami. First attempt @Drake called glass!
This is how you warm up for Night 2 of the #SummerSixteenTour in Miami. First attempt @Drake called glass! pic.twitter.com/0FJF6iYesU Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 1, 2016
Sure he did.
But, this is the second shot of its kind weve seen from Drake after he pulled off a similar shot days ago at the Hawks facility in Atlanta a week or so ago. If he did pull the shot off in one attempt, its the kind of thing that signals just how his luck is going right now. Hes making these shots, and hes finally landed Rihanna so his luck is running red hot. If Drakes smart, hell go play the numbers, hit the Powerball and never ever work again.
The truth is he must really be practicing these things to try to erase all memories of that infamous Kentucky air ball from a few years back.
Some guys have all the luck.
After hitting an unbelievable half-court shot from his back while on tour in Atlanta last week, Drake repeated the incredible feat during his Summer Sixteen tour stop in Miami on Wednesday.
WATCH: Watch Rihanna and Drake Adorably Kiss and Cuddle On Stage in Miami
"This is how you warm up for night 2 of the #SummerSixteenTour in Miami," the Miami Heat tweeted along with a video of the trick shot. "First attempt ... @Drake called glass!"
This is how you warm up for Night 2 of the #SummerSixteenTour in Miami.
First attempt... @Drake called glass! pic.twitter.com/0FJF6iYesU Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 1, 2016
The GRAMMY winner calmly rebounded the ball after the insane three-point shot, acting like he's done it before (because in fact he has!).
We first saw Drake channeling a Harlem Globetrotter in an Instagram post from Aug. 24.
FOR THE KIA!!!!! @highlighthub @bleacherreport A video posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Aug 24, 2016 at 8:59pm PDT
"For the Kia!" he wrote, along with a video of him making a 43-footer with no help from the glass.
These two baskets bookend an incredible seven-day stretch for the 29-year-old rapper. After boldly declaring his love for Rihanna, 28, at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, the two officially came out as a couple. On Tuesday, a source close to Rihanna told ET that the pair are "fully dating."
WATCH: Rihanna and Drake Are Officially 'Dating,' Decided to 'Stop Hiding It From Everyone'
On Thursday, Rihanna made her own gesture to her beau with an Instagram post showing a tattoo of a camouflage shark on her left ankle by celeb tattoo artist Bang Bang. The ink is a nod to a stuffed animal a source tells ET Drake bought for her during a romantic date last month at the Ripley's Aquarium of Canada in his native Toronto.
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Related Articles
In people with Alzheimer's disease, a new investigational drug can dramatically reduce the amount of amyloid beta plaque, the tangled clumps of proteins that form in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, according to a new early study of the drug.
The drug works by spurring the immune system to recognize and clear the plaques.
"We believe that's a hint of efficacy," study co-author Dr. Alfred Sandrock, a neurologist and an executive vice president at Biogen, said during a news briefing. "We believe that needs to be confirmed with further studies." Biogen is the Cambridge, Massachusetts, company that funded the trial and applied to patent the drug. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain]
However, the study was too small to show whether there was an effect on the patients' symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. And the drug can also cause fluid accumulations in the brain in some genetically susceptible people, the researchers reported today (Aug. 31) in the journal Nature.
Cause of dementia
Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, affecting more than 5 million people in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The hallmark of the disease is aggregation of an abnormal protein called amyloid beta, which looks like clumps of tangled fibrils on brain scans. Many scientists believe the amyloid beta fibrils are toxic to brain cells and are directly responsible for the memory loss, mood changes and loss of function that occur as the disease progresses, according to the paper.
There is no cure for Alzheimer's, and the few treatments on the market have only modest, transient benefits.
Targeting amyloid beta
To find a better treatment, Sandrock and his colleagues at Biogen turned to older people who do not have dementia or Alzheimer's. They analyzed the chemicals present in healthy older people with no cognitive decline, as well as people whose cognitive decline had progressed very slowly. The team identified one immune compound, and made a drug that mimicked it, called aducanumab. In earlier animal studies, the drug seemed to target amyloid beta and spur other structures in the brain to engulf and clear the plaques, Sandrock said.
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In the new study, researchers gave 165 patients with mild Alzheimers monthly infusions of either aducanumab or a placebo, and did a series of brain scans. The people taking aducanumab showed a sharp decrease in the amount of amyloid beta in their brains. The higher the dose of aducanumab they received, the greater the amyloid clearance revealed in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
"After one year, you can see no red on the image, meaning the amyloid has almost completely disappeared," said Dr. Roger Nitsch, a co-author of the study and the director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Zurich. He is also a founder of the biopharmaceutical company Neuroimmune.
However, people who took the drug, and also carried a genetic change called the APOE gene variant, which is linked with Alzheimer's disease, were also more likely to experience a potentially dangerous side effect known as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, or ARIA. This side effect showed up in brain scans as small pockets of fluid in the brain.
Although most people in the study who developed ARIA were asymptomatic, a few patients reported headaches. Studies in other Alzheimer's drug candidates have shown that in rare cases, ARIA can increase the risk of stroke or cerebral hemorrhage, the researchers said. ARIA, if it does occur, usually shows up early in treatment and can be managed and cleared by lowering the drug dose, Sandrock said.
Cognitive benefits unclear
The study was not designed to show whether the drug can actually produce cognitive benefit; however, the team found hints of cognitive benefit that did not reach statistical significance.
"We're encouraged that, there appeared to be a slowing of cognitive decline at a dose-dependent manner, and also a dose-dependent slowing in functional decline," said study co-author Dr. Stephen Salloway, a neurologist at Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.
Much larger follow-up studies are needed to confirm that the benefit is real, Salloway said.
Indeed, the larger question is whether clearing amyloid beta will lead to dramatic improvements in cognitive decline, Dr. Eric Reiman, a psychiatrist and researcher at Banner Alzheimer's Institute, a research and patient care center in Phoenix, wrote in an editorial accompanying the new study in the journal. Some researchers believe beta amyloid is a byproduct of the destructive brain process, and not the cause, noted Reiman, who was not involved in the new study.
If larger trials of the drug show improvement in patients' cognitive function, that will help settle the debate on whether amyloid beta causes Alzheimer's, Reiman said.
"It would be prudent to withhold judgment about aducanumab's cognitive benefit until results from the larger trials are in," Reiman wrote in the article.
What's more, by the time people begin to show symptoms, it's thought that they have been accumulating plaque for 15 years and much of the cognitive damage may have already occurred, Sandrock said.
So eventually, this drug or another one like it, could be most effective when people first show signs of plaque accumulation, but have no cognitive symptoms, he speculated.
"I still think that treating early is going to be the key," Sandrock said.
Original article on Live Science.
Editor's Recommendations
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By David Bailey
Sept 1 (Reuters) - Duke Energy Corp's board must face a shareholder lawsuit over its abrupt 2012 firing of its newly installed chief executive, a Delaware judge has ruled.
In a decision on Wednesday, Delaware Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock denied Duke's bid to end the case, finding the shareholder plaintiffs plausibly argued that the defendants might have concealed information about their actions from the public and regulators.
As part of its $18 billion deal to acquire Progress Energy, Duke had agreed to install Progress head William Johnson as CEO of the combined company. But within hours of the acquisition's closing in July 2012, the new Duke board met and fired Johnson, reinstating former Duke CEO James Rogers, in a vote along company lines.
Johnson left with a pre-negotiated $44 million severance package. Shareholders almost immediately sued Duke, arguing the decision to terminate him was reached in May 2012 and concealed from the public, investors and regulators. Duke's share price subsequently fell and the S&P lowered the company's credit rating.
Duke and the executives and directors named in the lawsuit strongly deny the lawsuit's allegations and any wrongdoing related to the CEO change after the 2012 merger, Duke said in a statement on Thursday.
Duke said the company, executives and directors would continue to vigorously defend themselves in the litigation.
In his decision, Glasscock said the plaintiffs plausibly alleged the holdover Duke board members had second thoughts about Johnson in the 18 months between the deal's announcement and its closing. According to the lawsuit, the board decided to conceal its plan to oust Johnson because it did not want to risk trying to renegotiate the merger terms or face further questions from state regulators that could delay its approval.
They chose instead to wait until a meeting after the acquisition closed to say Johnson was not a good fit to lead the combined company, the lawsuit alleged.
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The abrupt CEO change brought other federal and state claims in North Carolina and an investigation by the state utilities regulator in North Carolina, where Duke and Progress were headquartered.
A settlement with regulators formalized Rogers' exit in 2013. Duke in 2015 settled a securities class action related to the merger in North Carolina federal court for $146 million. Duke and the named executives and directors denied the class allegations of misrepresentations related to the CEO change.
(Reporting by David Bailey in Minneapolis; Editing by Anthony Lin and Peter Cooney)
With so much attention paid to the nation's largest cities, it's easy to forget that a significant portion of the population lives in rural areas. Thankfully, students in these sparsely populated regions aren't overlooked when it comes to scholarship opportunities. There's a plethora of aid available for them.
One of the largest initiatives to help rural students pay for college is the America's Farmers Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. Applicants must live in one of 1,326 approved counties in 40 states, be under age 23 and have at least three farmers endorse them.
Applicants must also have a minimum 2.5 GPA and be pursuing or intending to pursue an agriculture-related degree. In the last scholarship cycle, Grow Ag Leaders awarded students more than $500,000, with each applicant earning a $1,500 scholarship.
[Harvest college cash with agriculture scholarships]
The Foundation for Rural Service is another great option for students from the countryside who plan to return to the rural community following graduation. FRS and a sponsoring company will contribute $2,500 toward the winners' freshman year of college or vocational-technical school.
In addition to other requirements, applicants must be high school seniors and U.S. citizens with a minimum C grade-point average. The scholarship application is available every October with a March 1 postmarked date. Winners are announced May 1.
The Hagan Scholarship was designed for high-achieving students with financial need from counties with fewer than 50,000 residents. Applicants must live in one of 20 approved states and have graduated from an eligible public high school.
[Explore resources on how to pay for college.]
Those applying must have an ACT score of at least 23 and a minimum 3.5 GPA. The Hagan Scholarship also mandates students work at least 240 hours in the 12 months prior to the start of the college. Students who meet these requirements could win up to $5,000 per semester to help cover unmet financial need.
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Students from certain rural areas of New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia have the opportunity to apply for the McKelvey Foundation Gold Scholarship. To qualify, students must demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit, attend an approved high school and plan to enroll in a qualifying college or university. Applicants must also be of low or middle income to win the award.
High-achieving scholars from rural Indiana who want to attend college in their home state and return to their hometowns to practice medicine have the opportunity to win the Rural Health Scholarship. This partnership between Indiana State University and the Indiana University--Indianapolis School of Medicine allows applicants to earn their bachelor's degree and admission to medical school.
Ten freshmen will receive an award that covers their full in-state tuition for up to four years. Applicants must must have a strong academic history with a minimum 3.5 GPA and at least a 27 on the ACT.
Gay men under age 35 who have completed high school and are U.S. citizens can apply for one of the Gamma Mu Foundation scholarships. Preference is given to students who come from, are living in or plan to attend school in rural or underserved locations.
[Discover these college scholarships for LGBT students.]
The scholarship committee will consider other key factors, including applicants' strong academic history. Applicants should also be enrolled full time in an accredited college or university. Awards range between $1,000 and $2,500 and can be used for undergraduate and post-graduate studies or vocational programs.
Graduate students living in rural areas who are pursuing a career in counseling can apply for the The National Board of Certified Counselors Rural Scholarship. Five $8,000 awards are available. Applicants must be enrolled in a master's counseling program that is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Following graduation, award recipients must work in a rural area.
Jessica Zdunek is the content marketing manager for Cappex.com, a free resource that helps match students with their best-fit colleges and provides thousands of scholarships. Cappex.com is also the parent company of College Greenlight, which helps traditionally underrepresented students achieve their educational goals.
From Esquire
It's a fact: our planet is getting hotter, and scientists are getting desperate (prompting them to come up with batshit ideas like pumping water to the coldest places of the Earth and freezing it there). And now, NASA is giving us some pretty terrible news: It's worse than we thought.
Earth is warming at a pace "unprecedented in 1,000 years," according to Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies:
"In the last 30 years we've really moved into exceptional territory. It's unprecedented in 1,000 years. There's no period that has the trend seen in the 20th century in terms of the inclination (of temperatures). Maintaining temperatures below the 1.5C guardrail requires significant and very rapid cuts in carbon dioxide emissions or co-ordinated geo-engineering. That is very unlikely. We are not even yet making emissions cuts commensurate with keeping warming below 2C."
According to Schmidt, there's a 99% chance that this year will be the warmest on record, beating last year's record (and 2014's before that).
"It's the long-term trend we have to worry about though and there's no evidence it's going away and lots of reasons to think it's here to stay," Schmidt said. "There's no pause or hiatus in temperature increase. People who think this is over are viewing the world through rose-tinted spectacles. This is a chronic problem for society for the next 100 years."
Maybe we'll solve global warming by continuing to deny it exists!
(H/T The Guardian)
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Berlin (AFP) - The father of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian refugee boy whose body washed ashore on a Turkish beach a year ago, on Thursday denounced the world's failure to stop the bloodshed in his home country.
"The politicians said after the deaths in my family: Never again!" the bereaved father, Abdullah Kurdi, 41, told Germany's Bild daily.
"Everyone claimed they wanted to do something because of the photo that touched them so much. But what is happening now? People are still dying and nobody is doing anything about it."
Kurdi was speaking on the eve of the anniversary of the tragedy in the Mediterranean, in which he also lost his wife Rehab, 35, and their other son, five-year-old Galip.
The haunting picture of the toddler's lifeless body went viral as one of the most searing images of the migrant crisis.
Kurdi, who hails from Syria's Kurdish community, told Bild that it was right for the photo of his son to be published worldwide.
"These things must be shown to make clear to people what is happening," he said. "But in the end the picture did not change much. The horror in Syria must finally stop."
Kurdi now lives alone in an apartment in Arbil in Iraq's Kurdish north, in a compound guarded by the local authorities' peshmerga forces.
He has kept his late son's stuffed toys in a cabinet in the living room and he chainsmoked during the interview, said Bild, adding that he broke into tears as he recalled the tragedy.
"Now I'm probably safer than I've ever been in my life," he said. "But for what?"
England make it four from four as they and Pakistan rotate for the fourth ODI. Heres what we learned from Headingley
MAN OF THE DAY BEN STOKES (69 OFF 70)
I suppose its not much of a score given the monsters weve been entertaining over the last few matches, but it was a knock that told us a lot about how Stokes is evolving. Specifically, in terms of how he deals with responsibility. England and Eoin Morgan dont want to curb his attacking instincts but here he displayed good composure to push singles around and still fire out boundaries to keep England comfortably above water. He came in at a crucial juncture, just as Joe Root had been dismissed and Pakistan had their tails up with England 59-3 in the 12th over. Morgan would fall three overs later but Stokes didnt panic. Together with Jonny Bairstow (61), who came in as a last minute replacement for Jos Buttler, put on 103 in under 20 overs.
ENGLAND RING THE CHANGES
Out came Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler (injured in the warm-up) and in came David Willey, Chris Jordan and Jonny Bairstow. For context, Willey and Jordan were Englands two go-to quicks during their run to the World T20 earlier this year. As for Bairstow, no one in the country has scored more first class runs in 2016 that him. It might have been a tad arrogant, but England are in such good shape when it comes to depth. Even batting alone, you only need to see what is going around the country today, with another century for Ben Duckett, a double hundred for Tom Westley and another score for Sam Billings to realise just how well-stocked the cupboards are.
IRFAN BRINGS THE NOISE
And, well, the competitiveness. After such a competitive Test series, the first three ODIs have been a damp squib. Of course, Englands performance with the bat thus far have eclipsed anything Pakistan have been able to muster and rightly, stole the headlines in the previous ODI. However, today saw the man mountain that is Mohammad Irfan drafted in to give a bit back, as Pakistan made some alterations of their own. Not only did he see off openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales, but he gave Eoin Morgan a proper working over, with some brilliant short-pitched bowling and a packed cordon for company. He would limp off with England required 77 at just over four an over and, with him, limped this match as a contest.
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POWDER PUFF PAKISTAN
How often can you accuse a Pakistan side of lacking any power or bite? Sadly, that is exactly what they have been missing from their white ball sides recently. Focus on their Test side, for all its merits, has let the other two spinning plates crash to the ground with a wimper. Is it the lack of Boom Boom? Well clearly not seeing how effective Sharjeel Khan can be. But there is a tentativeness to their game that is characterised by the fact that, today, Pakistan played out 69 dot balls in their first 20 overs. Frankly, that is appalling in the modern game.
GREEN LININGS
While this is Pakistan side is in desperate need of a revamp, there have been some worthwhile performances. Azhar Alis 80 may have taken 104 balls, but he did steadily accelerate his scoring rate during his knock. It makes sense for someone in his position to act as the fulcrum of the innings, much like Joe Root does for England. Imad Wasim, too, has shown pluck down the order that could perhaps be rewarded with more responsibility up the order. Coming in at 169-6, with 38 overs done, he hit 57 off 41 to give the score some respectability. He also hit seven of the 15 boundaries Pakistan managed.
From Cosmopolitan
Seven weeks ago, Canadian national Melina Roberge, 22, and her traveling partner, Isabelle Lagace, 28, boarded the Sea Princess, a luxury cruise ship, and set sail on a 68-day cruise around the world. The girls took lots of selfies along the Princesss route, because thats almost certainly of thing youd do when on a world cruise:
They enjoyed formal dinners on the ship.
Waded in the turquoise waters of Bermuda.
Took bikini pics in caves.
#NoFilter.
They got acquainted with some parrots.
And cuddled with cats in Peru.
Strolled through colorful city streets.
They rode ATVs.
Hiked through a jungle.
Got tattoos in French Polynesia.
Drank coconut water right out of coconuts.
And wrote captions like, Let the #sea set you #free, which now seem very ironic.
Because on Sunday, the Sea Princess berthed in Sydney, where they encountered a photo opportunity they probably werent into: mug shots, courtesy of Australian federal police! A raid of their cabins led to two suitcases filled with 209 pounds of cocaine the monetary equivalent of roughly $23.2 million.
The girls were arrested and charged with attempted drug-smuggling (as was another Canadian passenger, 63-year-old Andre Tamine). A spokesperson for the Australian Border Force told the Sydney Morning Herald they believe the trio had been working with a very-well organized syndicate and are now facing life imprisonment.
Well, at least theyll always have the Instagram likes.
Follow Diana on Twitter.
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(MEXICO CITY) On Mexican soil for the first time as the Republican presidential nominee, a firm but measured Donald Trump defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, standing up for the centerpiece of his immigration plan in a country where he is widely despised.
But within hours of Trumps visit, a dispute arose over the most contentious part of the billionaires plans to secure the U.S. southern border his insistence that Mexico must pay to build that wall.
When answering questions from adjacent lecterns before a Mexican flag after his meeting at the official residence of the countrys president, Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump said Wednesday the two men didnt discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions.
Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
With the meeting held behind closed doors, it was impossible to know who was telling the truth. But the difference in how Trump and Pena Nieto recalled their talk was an example of the political risk taken on by two unpopular politicians who arrived at the meeting having spent months quarreling from afar.
Trump began his campaign by deriding Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals, and piled on in the months to come as he attacked Mexico over free trade, illegal immigration and border security. Pena Nieto responded by condemning Trumps language, saying those were the sort of words that gave rise to Adolf Hitler.
Pena Nieto did not repeat such criticism Wednesday, but acknowledged Trumps comments had hurt and affected Mexicans.
The Mexicans deserve everyones respect, he said.
The trip and the later dispute, arriving 10 weeks before Americas presidential Election Day, came just hours before Trump was to deliver a highly anticipated speech in Arizona about illegal immigration. That has been a defining issue of his presidential campaign, but also one on which hes appeared to waver in recent days.
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Trump stayed on script after the meeting, reading a statement from notes and politely answering shouted questions from reporters about his promise to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border between the two countries.
We did discus the wall. We didnt discuss payment of the wall, Trump said.
Writing later on Twitter, Pena Nieto said the subject was among the first things the men discussed. He has for months said there is no scenario under which Mexico would pay for the wall.
From there, the conversation addressed other issues, and developed a respectful manner, he added.
Those issues included the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has called the worst trade deal in history. Pena Nieto suggested there was room to improve the trade deal, while the New York businessman promised to promote trade deals that would keep jobs in the Western Hemisphere a departure from his standard America First rhetoric.
Trumps presence Wednesday, his first meeting with a head of state abroad as a presidential candidate, sparked anger and protests across Mexicos capital city. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nietos hospitality, he was not welcome.
We dont like him. We dont want him. We reject his visit, Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a political stunt.
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences and defended the contribution of Mexicans working in the United States, but he described the conversation as open and constructive. He and Trump shook hands as the session ended.
Pena Nietos performance came in for immediate condemnation from his many critics in Mexico.
Pena ended up forgiving Trump when he didnt even ask for an apology, said Esteban Illades, the editor of Nexos magazine. The lowest point of the most painful day in the history of the Mexican presidency.
After saying during his Republican primary campaign he would use a deportation force to expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, Trump suggested last week he could soften that stance.
But he still says he plans to build a huge wall paid for by Mexico along the two nations border. He is under pressure to clarify just where he stands in the Wednesday night speech, which had been rescheduled several times.
Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told CBS earlier in Wednesday that Trump would make clear that there will be no path to legalization, no path to citizenship. People will need to leave the country to be able to obtain legal status or obtain citizenship.
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton jabbed at Trumps Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nations chief diplomat.
People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you wont say one thing one day and something totally different the next, she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
Her campaign jumped on Pena Nietos later tweet, too.
It turns out Trump didnt just choke, said Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta in a statement, he got beat in the room and lied about it.
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday dismissed claims that a Syrian Kurdish militia had retreated east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria following Turkish strikes against the group.
"Right now, people say they have gone to the east but we say no, they haven't crossed," he said during a speech at Ankara's Esenboga airport, referring to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which Ankara sees as a terror organisation linked to separatist rebels in southeast Turkey.
Erdogan said he did not believe what others, including the United States, said about the YPG crossing the river, adding that Turkey would be aware if the militia had moved.
Erdogan's remarks appeared to be in reference to comments made by a US defence official to AFP Monday that Kurdish forces had "all" moved east of the Euphrates.
The president also said he would prevent the YPG from creating a Syrian Kurdish region on Turkey's southern border.
"No one can expect us to permit a terror corridor to be created. We will not allow it," referring to a desire by Syrian Kurdish groups to unite the three "cantons" already in place in northern Syria.
His comments come more than a week after Turkey launched an unprecedented military operation to clear the border area of Islamic State (IS) jihadists and halt the westward advance of the YPG.
On Thursday, Ankara said it had cleared dozens of villages of "terrorists" after taking the town of Jarabulus without much resistance on the first day of the offensive on August 24.
During the operation, dubbed "Euphrates Shield", Turkey has also carried out strikes against the YPG.
It regards the YPG as a sister organisation to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency that has left over 40,000 dead since 1984.
The PKK is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the US, but the YPG is allied with the latter against IS.
Washington has given training and equipment to the group while it retakes areas from the extremists.
As interest in sustainable investing has increased, U.S. exchange-traded products have moved to offer more diversified options. For years, the vast majority of ETPs in the space were alternative energy and water portfolios, virtually all of which were launched between 2005 and 2009. Those 17 offerings today have $2.3 billion in assets (see Exhibit 1) but have experienced modest flows in recent years. Given recent performance issues and the general difficulty of fitting them into a traditional allocation, net flows to alternative energy are modestly positive and net flows to water are negative.
While the two largest diversified sustainable investment options have been around for a decade, the diversified set now totals 20 funds, with 17 launched in just the past two years, nine of them so far in 2016, reflecting growing demand for sustainable investment products as well as more general investor interest in passive portfolios. This group now has $1.9 billion in assets, and with about $500 million of that coming in over the past year alone, it is poised to surpass the alternative energy and water portfolios in terms of assets.
Diversified Sustainable ETPs
The 20 diversified sustainable ETPs are aimed at investors who want to incorporate sustainability into their equity allocations. There is one allocation fund in the group and no bond funds. On the equity side, investors could use these options for their allocations to U.S., international, or global large cap, as well as emerging markets.
The portfolios in the group encompass several different approaches to sustainable investing. The first approach emphasizes companies that are considered strong sustainability performers relative to their peers, an evaluation based on how well a firm manages the environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, risks and opportunities it faces in its industry. This is also the thrust behind the Morningstar Sustainability Rating for funds, which provides a measure of how funds stack up with their peers. Not surprisingly, of the nine funds in this subgroup that have Sustainability Ratings, seven have a rating of High (5 globes) and the other two have a rating of Above Average (4 Globes).
The two oldest and largest diversified ETPs share this approach. IShares MSCI KLD 400 Social (DSI) is based on what was originally called the Domini 400 Social Index, launched in April 1990 as the first socially responsible index and conceived as an alternative to the S&P 500. The index, now called the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, has returned 10.06% annualized from inception through June 2016, outperforming the S&P 500's 9.64% annualized return. DSI focuses on companies with higher ESG ratings and excludes companies whose products have negative social or environmental impacts based on a set of screening criteria. IShares MSCI USA ESG Select (KLD) also focuses on companies with strong ESG ratings but uses fewer exclusions and is optimized to minimize sector tilts and tracking error relative to the MSCI USA Index. DSI and KLD have performed generally in line with conventional index funds (see Exhibit 2).
So-called "impact" investments may represent the next wave of sustainable investing.
Impact portfolios focus not only on companies with strong ESG performance but also attempt to advance certain environmental or societal development goals through their investments. That's the idea behind iShares MSCI Global Impact MPCT, launched in April 2016, which invests in companies that are addressing the environmental and societal challenges outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while also requiring holdings to meet certain ESG standards. (The two just-launched FlexShares funds have "impact" in their names but are focused on company ESG performance rather than measuring impact.)
The second approach within the diversified group is for investors who wish to reduce the carbon footprint of their portfolios and is reflected in three U.S.-focused and two global options that have all launched in the past two years. All three U.S. options aim to be fossil fuel-free. SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free (SPYX) avoids companies with fossil fuel reserves but otherwise has some exposure to energy equipment and service providers, while ProShares S&P 500 Ex-Energy (SPXE) simply avoids the entire energy sector. Etho Climate Leadership U.S. (ETHO) not only excludes the energy sector, it selects stocks primarily based on their carbon footprints relative to their industries. The global options, iShares MSCI ACWI Low Carbon Target (CRBN) and SPDR MSCI ACWI Low Carbon Target (LOWC) both track the same MSCI low-carbon index, which is an optimized version of the MSCI ACWI that emphasizes companies across all sectors with low carbon emissions.
Four recently launched options--two exchange-traded funds and two exchange-traded notes--have gender or workplace equality themes as an overlay on diversified U.S. stock portfolios. SPDR SSGA Gender Diversity Index (SHE) is based on a market-cap-weighted index of large-cap U.S. companies that rank in the top 10% in their sectors for their ratio of women in high-level positions.
Alternative Energy and Water Exchange-Traded Portfolios
The 17 alternative energy and water offerings were launched in the 2005-10 period, with the exception of one launched in 2012. Two water funds, Guggenheim S&P Global Water (CGW) and PowerShares Water Resources (PHO) take up nearly half of overall assets. A sustainable investor may be interested in a water fund as a long-term investment in companies that are helping solve the planet's water problems through better infrastructure and technology. As niche players in a portfolio, water funds have posted competitive returns over the trailing 10 years but have underperformed broad markets in four of the past five years.
Alternative energy offerings, such as VanEck Vectors Global Alternative Energy (GEX), have a somewhat wider purview. They could be used in a diversified portfolio that is low-carbon or fossil fuel-free. It makes sense in theory--divest in carbon, invest in alternatives--but from a traditional sector-exposure perspective, adding an alternative energy fund to an otherwise diversified portfolio will result in overweightings to industrials, technology, and even utilities, increasing tracking error and volatility. Such funds have suffered in 2016 because of low oil prices and, in particular, their exposure to solar stocks, which are reeling from overcapacity in an industry still reliant on government subsidy. Similar to an investment in a water fund, an alternative energy investment is a way to direct capital to companies that are moving the world away from its reliance on fossil fuel, but investors should expect volatility and have a long-term view.
Three funds in this group account for virtually all the positive flows. None of them are the broader-based alternative energy options, however; Guggenheim Solar (TAN) focuses on solar, First Trust ISE Global Wind Energy Index (FAN) on wind, and CGW on water, an indication that investors may be using them as narrowly targeted industry plays rather than long-term investments.
Diversified Sustainable ETPs Are Meeting Investor Demand
For investors interested in sustainability, the U.S. ETP universe now has a number of diversified options emphasizing positive ESG selection, low- or no-carbon, and gender-aware approaches, rather than being limited to the thematic quasi-sector plays in clean energy or water that used to characterize the group.
Many of the newer diversified ETPs remain small, with only six of the 20 having more than the $75 million or so in assets generally seen as necessary to attract the attention of larger investment platforms. Three of the newer portfolios that pass that threshold have been developed with institutional investors, an effective model for getting a new ETP to scale quickly. SHE was seeded in March 2016 with $250 million from the California State Teachers Retirement System. Both CRBN and LOWC were seeded in late 2014 by the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.
Overall flows reflect significant growth. In addition to the $250 million in seed capital that went into SHE, $236.7 million has flowed into the diversified group in the past year, based on Morningstar's estimated net flow data through July 2016, significantly more than the estimated net flows of $153.2 million over the previous two years combined.
Diversified sustainable investment ETPs should continue to grow, in terms of assets if not also the number of offerings, because of the broad and still-growing interest in passive investing generally, the widespread development of strategic-beta strategies within the exchange-traded universe, and the growth in demand for sustainable investment products from both institutional and retail investors.
Jon Hale does not own shares in any of the securities mentioned above.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union said on Thursday that the official announcement of election results in Gabon had plunged the African country into a "deep crisis" and said that verification of each polling station result was required. "It is important that all actors reject violence and call for calm. Any protest must be peaceful means to prevent the burning of the country; the police must react responsibly," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement. "Confidence in the election results can only be restored by a transparent verification polling station by polling station," she continued. Demonstrators have clashed with police and set part of the parliament building on fire as anger boiled over among opposition supporters at President Ali Bongo's re-election in polls that his main rival, Jean Ping, claimed to have won. The European Union, Mogherini said, was in contact with its partners, particularly in Africa, to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis. (Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Toby Chopra)
14 CNP rhinos died last year
Chitwan National Park (CNP) has been celebrating zero rhino poaching years for the past two years. However, death of the endangered rhinos is very alarming in the park area.
The European Union on Thursday cleared a mobile phone tie-up between Hong Kong's Hutchison and Russia's VimpelCom in Italy after they agreed to sell some of the business to boost competition.
Hutchison, owned by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, and VimpelCom agreed last year to merge their 3 Italia and Wind networks but the European Commission demanded they make room for new entrants in the Italian market.
In July, France's Iliad, parent company of low-cost operator Free, said it would acquire frequencies and radio towers from Hutchison and VimpelCom.
The Commission, which polices European Union competition policy, said "the effective structural remedies offered by Hutchison and VimpelCom fully address the Commission's competition concerns."
"They will ensure the market entry of French telecom operator Iliad as a new mobile network operator in Italy," it said in a statement.
"This means that the parties can grow and reap the benefits of combining their assets, whilst Italian mobile customers will continue to profit from effective competition."
Approval was particularly important for Hutchison after the Commission decided in May to block its 14-billion-euro ($15.6-billion) acquisition of Telefonica's O2 mobile unit in Britain on the grounds it would harm competition.
VimpelCom's Wind business currently ranks third in the Italian market and Hutchison fourth, but together they will become the largest entity ahead of Telecom Italia's Tim and Britain's Vodafone.
When they announced the tie-up last year, they said the new venture would have some 31 million mobile phone clients and sales of more than six billion euros.
The two companies welcomed the announcement.
"Today is a good day for businesses and consumers across Italy. This joint venture will unlock major investment in Italys digital infrastructure," Hutchison said in joint statement.
"The combined business will not only be good for consumers, businesses and the economy in Italy but will also deliver longterm value to its shareholders," VimpelCom added.
VimpelCom is controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman while Norwegian telecoms group Telenor holds a third of the company.
The European Union: Give them an inch and theyll take a kilometer.
The EU has targeted Americas top tech companies with one controversial ruling after another, on every issue from privacy rights and unfair competition to hate speech and tax evasion. Each time they get away with it, the wacky bureaucrats (my description) in Brussels become more emboldened than the last.
With Tuesdays unprecedented $14.5 billion levy against Apple, the commission has officially left the realm of reality and landed in crazy town.
Even though Apple has been operating lawfully in Ireland and dutifully paying its taxes for more than 35 years, the EUs antitrust regulator has unilaterally determined that the tech giant should pay more a lot more for taxes it says Apple should owe Ireland from the past decade.
Under a bizarre antitrust rule that is supposed to keep member nations from cutting special deals that give one company a competitive advantage over another, the commission concluded that Ireland granted illegal tax benefits to Apple. The funny thing is, Ireland says thats nonsense and Apple doesnt owe it a penny in back taxes.
Apple agrees. According to a statement from CEO Tim Cook, The European Commission has launched an effort to rewrite Apples history in Europe, ignore Irelands tax laws and upend the international tax system in the process. He said the claim has no basis in fact or in law, rather the commission is retroactively imposing its own view of what the law should have been.
Were witnessing the birth of a new kind of government bureaucracy that just wants to make up the rules as it goes.
Youd think Britains historic Brexit vote might have been a wakeup call that maybe, just maybe, Brussels has been overstepping its authority and riding herd over member nations, but that does not appear to be the case. Rather, it looks like the commission is just getting started. And its going after Silicon Valley with pen and paper in hand.
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In 2014, the EUs highest court ruled that people and events have the right to be forgotten. Individuals could now demand that Google and others remove certain links from search results, even if they refer to content that accurately and lawfully represents events that occurred.
Granted, the content itself remains, but without search engine links to its location, for all practical purposes, it may as well cease to exist. For example, politicians, executives and others found guilty of a crime could ask to have links to articles or legal filings deleted from Googles European search results. And Google would be forced to comply.
While some viewed the landmark decision as a victory of an individuals privacy rights over the publics right to know, others saw it as the first step toward dismantling the historic freedom of information and integrity of the internet. And I see it as a start down the slippery slope from a free society to a censored one.
Meanwhile, the EUs antitrust commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, has taken aim at Google, Amazon, Facebook and other U.S. giants, including Apple-style tax grabs against Starbucks, McDonalds, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Fiat Chrysler.
In May, the EU somehow managed to induce Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and YouTube to agree to delete what it calls illegal, online hate speech from their sites within 24 hours of being notified. Keep in mind that there is no such distinction between hate speech and free speech in the U.S.
The commissions Code of Conduct defines criminal online content as that which promotes incitement to violence and hateful conduct directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin.
In case youre wondering who gets to decide what constitutes promoting incitement to violence and hateful conduct, Ill give you one guess. Thats right, the commission, in all its subjective wisdom. As for why the EU wants to eradicate hate speech, they think that racism and xenophobia cause terrorism. They think terrorist attacks like those in Paris and Brussels were caused by hate speech on social media. See what I mean? Crazy town.
As for why the commission is going after tech giants, some call it a blatant money grab while others say this is what happens when the disruptors meet the disrupted. Im sure both are true, but I see it as a case of bureaucrats seeing successful entrepreneurs as the enemy. And their only weapons are legislation, regulation and taxation.
Is it any wonder that the U.S. and Asia dominate the tech world? The EU is shooting itself and its member nations in the foot.
Maybe something good will come of this and our own political leaders will finally get up off their collective behinds, fix the tax code, and entice corporate America to repatriate the $2.1 trillion they have parked overseas and quit doing tax inversion deals. Wait, what am I saying? Thats just crazy talk.
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Germanys Augenschein Filmproduktion and Portugals Terratreme Filmes have boarded Chilean Marcela Saids Los Perros, which is being produced by Frances Cinema Defacto and Chiles Jirafa, the production house behind Christopher Murrays Venice competition player, The Blind Christ.
Augenschein and Terra Trema join Argentinas REI Cine as international co-producers.
Co-production helps distribution around the world, permits us to work with talent all over and the director to make a film with the resources required, and it avoids risk, allowing us to earn income from early distribution and first sales, said Jirafas Augusto Matte.
A Venice Gap Financing Market title starring Antonia Zegers (The Club) and Alfredo Castro (From Afar), Los Perros is shaping up as one of the highest-profile projects now moving towards production in Chile.
Thats partly because of its subject: the sexual attraction between an upper-class woman and her horseback riding instructor, despite his being prosecuted for his part in the Pinochet regimes torture and murder of dissidents. Like Jirafas Much Ado About Nothing, which played at both Sundance and Berlin, Los Perros is also likely to prove inflammatory for its vision of a Chile where far more people are guilty of complicity with Pinochets dictatorship than they would like to admit.
Matte will present Los Perros at the Venice Festivalss Gap Financing Market on Friday along with a second project,The Cow That Sang Its Song About the Future, on the same day that The Blind Christ world premieres in competition.
Cow, a magical realist film, turning in part on technology, and a very 21st century tale, said Matte, will be directed by Francisca Alegria, whose short film And the Whole Sky Fit in the Dead Cows Eye will screen at Toronto. That short was produced by Chiles Forastero (The Maid) and Jirafa.
Singled out by Venice director Alberto Barbera as the big discovery of this years festival, The Blind Christ follows Michael, a mechanic who walks barefoot over the northern Chile desert to perform a miracle, curing his best friend. On the way, he tells stories, parables of hope that empower people, with the idea that everyone has Christ inside themselves, Murray told Variety.
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(ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets)
* STOXX 600 rises 0.6 percent
* Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank lead banks higher
* Commodity stocks rebound from weakness
* Elekta jumps after results
By Alistair Smout
LONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - European shares rose at the open on Thursday, buoyed by a rally in banks and a recovery by commodity stocks after recent falls.
Banks gained 1.6 percent, the top sectoral risers, with talk over M&A in the sector combining with hopes of improved growth.
Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank both rose 3 percent, the top gainers on the German DAX, after reports the banks had held talks about a tie-up. Deutsche Bank's CEO on Wednesday called for more consolidation in the sector, although he said his bank would not do any big deal-making any time soon.
"Comments from DB on more mergers in the sector has helped expectations that we may see the potential for more cross-border M&A. That coupled with confirmation they had talks with Commerzbank is helping," said Atif Latif, director at Guardian Stockbrokers said.
The STOXX Europe 600 kicked off September with a rise of 0.6 percent, after finishing August with a 0.4 percent fall on Wednesday as commodity prices slumped.
Oil prices stabilised and metal prices recovered, leaving the energy and mining sectors up 0.5 percent and 1.2 percent respectively.
Miners benefited after activity in China's manufacturing sector unexpectedly expanded at its fastest pace in nearly two years in August as construction boomed, suggesting the economy may be steadying in response to stronger government spending.
Euro zone PMI surveys were also in focus. The figures showed manufacturing growth in the bloc slowed during August and much of the expansion remained focused in the north.
Italian and French blue chip stocks were off highs after national figures showed that manufacturing slowed in both countries.
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Germany's DAX ticked up as growth there remained solid.
Elekta rose around 5 percent, a top gainer in early deals, after the maker of radiation therapy equipment posted profits above forecast and said demand had been good in emerging markets, with China particularly strong.
Ackermans & Van Haaren rose 5.5 percent to the top of the STOXX 600 leaderboard after an upgrade to "buy" from "hold" by KBC.
Recruiting firm Hays dropped 4.5 percent, the top faller, after it said hiring in Britain weakened significantly shortly after the June 23 vote to leave the European Union.
(editing by John Stonestreet)
By Alastair Macdonald and Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Other multinationals which do not employ as extreme Irish tax schemes as Apple but shift profits via the country to tax havens could also be breaching EU rules, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday.
She handed the iPhone maker a record 13-billion-euro bill for Irish registered units that Dublin authorities accepted were liable to tax in no country on Tuesday.
She told Reuters in an interview that other firms' arrangements, which involve routing profits to Irish registered subsidiaries tax resident in paces like Bermuda, might fall foul of the Commission on similar grounds.
"Taxes have been paid nowhere due to the Irish tax code," she said.
Asked if the bill would have been different if the head office of Apple's Irish unit been registered and paid tax in Bermuda, Vestager said: "not much".
Vestager said the core of the case against Apple was that it had an Irish registered company that booked most of the profits generated across Europe.
However, since Ireland didn't deem the subsidiary tax resident there, the unit was able to report just a small taxable income at an Irish 'branch'.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook and Washington have denounced the Commission ruling as an unjust raid on tax that should be paid in the United States.
Vestager said if Washington chose to tax the profits reported by Apple's Irish operation, she would reduce her demand accordingly.
The U.S. could do this by forcing Apple to have its Irish units pay more in fees to Apple in California for the right to license Apple patents.
"If the U.S. tax authority found that the monies paid due to the cost-sharing agreement were too few ... so that they should pay more in the cost-sharing agreement, that would transfer more money to the States and that may change the books and the accounts in the States," Vestager said.
Vestager said, however, that the bill would not be affected if Apple next year moved funds from its Irish units to the United States by paying dividends, even though in this case, the dividends would be taxed.
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She declined to discuss which other companies' affairs were being looked at by her staff beyond two publicly announced and outstanding investigations into Amazon and McDonald's in Luxembourg.
She said that since being alerted to Apple's methods and other cases by a U.S. Senate probe in 2013, the Commission has been looking through about 1,000 such instances in the EU.
She dismissed accusations from Apple CEO Tim Cook and others that her decision was politically motivated or driven by anti-American populism. While U.S. companies have been investigated, she said, most of 35 firms probed over tax in Belgium were from Europe, and those still being looked at were a broad sample.
(Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; @macdonaldrtr; editing by Anna Willard)
By Alastair Macdonald and Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Other multinationals which do not employ as extreme Irish tax schemes as Apple but shift profits via the country to tax havens could also be breaching EU rules, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said on Thursday. She handed the iPhone maker a record 13-billion-euro bill for Irish registered units that Dublin authorities accepted were liable to tax in no country on Tuesday. She told Reuters in an interview that other firms' arrangements, which involve routing profits to Irish registered subsidiaries tax resident in paces like Bermuda, might fall foul of the Commission on similar grounds. "Taxes have been paid nowhere due to the Irish tax code," she said. Asked if the bill would have been different if the head office of Apple's Irish unit been registered and paid tax in Bermuda, Vestager said: "not much". Vestager said the core of the case against Apple was that it had an Irish registered company that booked most of the profits generated across Europe. However, since Ireland didn't deem the subsidiary tax resident there, the unit was able to report just a small taxable income at an Irish 'branch'. Apple's CEO Tim Cook and Washington have denounced the Commission ruling as an unjust raid on tax that should be paid in the United States. Vestager said if Washington chose to tax the profits reported by Apple's Irish operation, she would reduce her demand accordingly. The U.S. could do this by forcing Apple to have its Irish units pay more in fees to Apple in California for the right to license Apple patents. "If the U.S. tax authority found that the monies paid due to the cost-sharing agreement were too few ... so that they should pay more in the cost-sharing agreement, that would transfer more money to the States and that may change the books and the accounts in the States," Vestager said. Vestager said, however, that the bill would not be affected if Apple next year moved funds from its Irish units to the United States by paying dividends, even though in this case, the dividends would be taxed. She declined to discuss which other companies' affairs were being looked at by her staff beyond two publicly announced and outstanding investigations into Amazon and McDonald's in Luxembourg. She said that since being alerted to Apple's methods and other cases by a U.S. Senate probe in 2013, the Commission has been looking through about 1,000 such instances in the EU. She dismissed accusations from Apple CEO Tim Cook and others that her decision was politically motivated or driven by anti-American populism. While U.S. companies have been investigated, she said, most of 35 firms probed over tax in Belgium were from Europe, and those still being looked at were a broad sample. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; @macdonaldrtr; editing by Anna Willard)
By Nate Raymond
Sept 1 (Reuters) - A former Harman International Industries Inc executive was sentenced to eight months in prison on Thursday after he admitted to trading on inside information before the company released a stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings report.
Dennis Hamilton, a former vice president of tax at the maker of car audio systems, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin Thompson in New Haven, Connecticut, after pleading guilty to one count of securities fraud in March, prosecutors said.
Thompson also ordered Hamilton, 46, of Norwalk, to spend four months in home confinement during a year of supervised release that will follow his prison term and to pay a $131,958 fine, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly said.
A lawyer for Thompson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Prosecutors said on Oct. 30, 2013, a day before Harman released quarterly results, Hamilton illegally bought 17,000 shares of the company through a Charles Schwab account belonging to him and his wife.
Hamilton bought the stock after reviewing drafts of Harman's quarterly report and news release announcing the results, and listening to a conference call with Harman's audit committee during which the results were discussed, prosecutors said.
After the Stamford, Connecticut-based company made its results public, Harman shares rose 12.5 percent on Oct. 31, 2013, enabling Hamilton to make about $131,000 in profits, prosecutors said.
He was arrested on Feb. 5. According to prosecutors, when Federal Bureau of Investigation agents showed Hamilton the trades at issue in the case and the timeline of events surrounding them, Hamilton said: "Looks like I did something stupid."
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has also sued Hamilton, and on Tuesday filed an amended civil lawsuit saying he conducted insider trading on four other occasions, resulting in more than $977,000 of additional illegal profits.
The case is U.S. v. Hamilton, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, No. 16-cr-00058.
(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Swe Win NAUNG CHO TOWNSHIP, Myanmar (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - In the sweltering midday heat, several dozen convicts shackled at the ankles hacked with hoes at shrubs and grass in a field in Myanmar's northern Shan State. "One! Two! Three! Four!" one of the men shouted, waving a long bamboo cane to the beat of the hoeing. A prison warden looked on with a rifle slung over his shoulder and holding an umbrella for the blazing sun. Wearing blue shirts and sarongs, the convicts were from Kaung Hmu Labour Camp, seen in June as they cleared wasteland along the Mandalay-Lashio Road for the expansion of a sugarcane plantation. The man barking orders - known in Burmese as a "dote-kai", or a stick-holder - was a prisoner appointed to supervise the labor in return for avoiding backbreaking work himself. Such stick-holders routinely flog prisoners to make them work harder and aren't afraid to use violence to crush dissent, former prisoners say. "The stick-holders would beat us at will," said Zeyar Lin, an ex-convict released from Kaung Hmu Labour Camp in early June. "We worked at the front and they beat us from the rear. Even if a tiny plant was left after clearing weeds in the sugarcane plantations we were beaten." A months-long investigation by Myanmar Now, an independent website supported by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, reveals that brutal beatings are just one of many rights abuses common in Myanmar's penal system, which activists describe as a form of state-sponsored slavery. Dozens of interviews with ex-convicts and former prison officials painted a picture of dire working conditions and rampant corruption among guards who force prisoners to pay bribes to escape beatings and heavy labor. The investigation also showed that prisons profit by selling convict labor to private companies for hefty fees, in violation of international conventions on forced labor that Myanmar has ratified. The Ministry of Home Affairs said it would look into Myanmar Now's findings but declined to comment further. BRIBERY AND PRIVILEGES Myanmar has 48 labor camps, holding some 20,000 prisoners, according to the Correctional Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The practices at labor camps uncovered by the Myanmar Now investigation continue months after Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) came to power in March, after sweeping 2015 elections. Many of the ruling party's members themselves spent years in jail as political prisoners during their decades of struggle against military rule, while Suu Kyi was kept under house arrest for some 15 years. "Personally, I think the new government should work toward shutting down all these prison labor camps as a political priority," said Khin Maung Myint, a former chief jailor who retired in 2002 after 25 years at the Correctional Department and is now a legal consultant on Myanmar's penal system. "Prisoners at these camps are being punished in a way that violates existing laws," he said, adding that prisoners receive inadequate food and healthcare while prison authorities "are trying to extract all their labor in all sorts of ways". Among the 48 labor camps, 30 are dubbed "agriculture and livestock breeding career training centers" where prisoners work on plantations run by the Correctional Department, or are put to work at private plantations and local farms. At 18 sites, mostly in Mon States in southeastern Myanmar, thousands of convicts are deployed in rock quarries - officially called "manufacturing centers" - where they break granite and limestone boulders and crush them into gravel with sledgehammers. The gravel is sold to government agencies or private companies for infrastructure and construction projects, bringing in the equivalent of millions of dollars for prison authorities, according to prison sales records seen by Myanmar Now. A Myanmar Now reporter took photo and video evidence of harsh labor conditions at nine prison labor camps in Shan and Mon States, and in Mandalay and Sagaing Region. In interviews, ex-inmates from camps in Shan State's Naung Cho Township and Sagaing Region's Kalay Township consistently described being forced to pay bribes to avoid abuse and hard labor. Kaung Hmu Labour Camp is one of five camps in the mountains around Naung Cho, at an altitude of around 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) where the nights are cold and the days are hot. Around 200 men are held in Kaung Hmu and work six days a week on the camp's 140-acre (57-hectare) sugarcane plantation, or in private sugarcane and cornfields and rice paddies that dot the green, fertile valleys. Zeyar Lin, 25, arrived at Kaung Hmu in early 2015. He was a former policeman from Bago Region who was serving a two-year sentence for fighting with his superintendent. On his way to the camp, wardens put iron shackles on his ankles, he said. Once there, regular beatings and a crushing workload quickly took their toll. "I was accused of being slow at work, so my back was beaten, my buttocks were beaten - at least 30 strokes every day," he said. After a month, he had his mother pay around $500 to the deputy chief jailor to stop the beatings. He was then assigned to boil water and prepare tea or coffee for prison officials, a task he performed until his release. "WE WERE ALL SLAVES" Zeyar Lin said the poorest prisoners had no such option, and some resorted to offering sex or other services to wealthy convicts or the stick-holders to seek protection. "You will bribe to get a better task, you will sacrifice your body, or you will toil as an animal," he said. "You had no other options we were all slaves." Khin Maung Myint, the former chief jailor, said the prison labor system encouraged abuse and corruption because it gave authorities full power to assign tasks and enforce corporal punishment. "You can bribe officials for what kind of iron shackles you want to be put on: lighter ones or heavier ones," he said. "Or you have to bribe more if you want to have the shackles taken off. Some who can't afford it will have to wear them until they are released." According to prison rules, an inmate cannot be kept shackled longer than two months after arriving at a camp. Aung Soe, 51, served 17 years in Myanmar's prisons and was released from Hokho Labour Camp in Naung Cho in 2014. "The reason prisoners are beaten is to make everyone fear the prison staff. When prisoners lose all hope, they will bribe officials," he said, adding that those who pay $1,000 might become clerks while $700 is enough to become a stick-holder. During a brief visit to a camp in Naung Cho, Myanmar Now exchanged a few sentences with a prisoner convicted for murder. The man, 37, was deeply tanned from daily toil in the fields, which he said he had done for the past year-and-a-half. "I was beaten just yesterday," he said, pointing at scars on his legs. "If I could get 300,000 kyats ($250), I could buy the position of water-boiler (to escape labor), but none of my family members have ever visited me." He added: "You can clear the weeds for one acre, then the next day you are asked to do two acres. I cant stand it anymore. I try to control myself so I dont I fight back." Current and former prison officials say the practice of raising revenues from private companies comes from a Correctional Department directive stating that camps must generate enough funds to cover their running costs. Rock quarries supply construction firms with thousands of tonnes of gravel per day. Agricultural camps sell the produce from state-owned plantations and hire out convicts to private plantations and local farms, officials and former inmates said. Any deals putting prisoners at the disposal of companies would violate the 1930 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Forced Labour Convention, which Myanmar ratified in 1955. The convention says convicted prisoners can only work if "the said work or service is carried out under the supervision and control of a public authority, and the person is not hired to or placed at the disposal of private individuals, companies or associations". Piyamal Pichaiwongse, deputy liaison officer with the ILO's Myanmar office, said she couldn't comment on whether forced labor was taking place in the Myanmar prison labor system as there had been few complaints and little evidence of wrongdoing. After being interviewed by Myanmar Now, Zeyar Lin, the former convict, contacted the ILO to complain about his prison treatment in Naung Cho Township. Piyamal Pichaiwongse said the ILO was looking into his case as a "forced labor complaint", adding that Zeyar Lin's prison sentence didn't include hard labor. AUTHORITIES PLAY DOWN ALLEGATIONS Htay Lwin Tun, superintendent of Htone Bo Labour Camp in Mandalay, was previously in charge of five camps in Naung Cho. He denied that beatings and bribery were common, saying just one case of violent conduct was reported in 2014. "Since the case didn't lead to lethal injury, I just gave a verbal warning to the prison officer involved," he said in an interview at Htone Bo Labour Camp. Min Tun Soe, a deputy director of the Correctional Department, told Myanmar Now that severe abuses and extreme labor conditions were a thing of the past, and that reforms initiated by the government of former President Thein Sein between 2011 and 2015 had improved conditions for prisoners. "I don't claim that the beatings have completely stopped, but general conditions regarding food and accommodation have improved," he said. In August, a Lower House lawmaker for the NLD asked the Ministry of Home Affairs, which remains under military control, whether it would allow lawmakers to investigate prison conditions, including reports of corruption and abuse in labor camps. Deputy Minister Gen. Kyaw Soe responded that the Correctional Department had effective mechanisms to investigate such complaints, adding that no violations had been reported. He said the Myanmar Human Rights Commission and the International Committee of the Red Cross were also monitoring prison conditions. Zaw Win, the Myanmar Human Rights Commission member, said violent abuse in labor camps was limited to isolated cases and was not an institutional problem. "There is some scolding and slapping, but no more torture and cruel beatings like in the past," said Zaw Win, whose commission is appointed by the President's Office. David Mathieson, a senior Myanmar researcher with Human Rights Watch, said government officials and the commission were turning a blind eye to abuse. The Home Affairs Ministry should order a review of the prison labor system with the aim of ending it, he said, while the NLD-dominated parliament should announce an immediate investigation into the Department of Corrections ... that includes a thorough accounting of all the prisoners thought to have disappeared into abusive labor camps." STUCK IN THE PAST Myanmar Now has obtained hundreds of internal Correctional Department documents that stretch back decades and shed light on junta-era policies for managing prison labor camps. A document from 1993 refers to a statement by then-Minister of Home Affairs Lt-Gen. Phone Myint, who said prisoners' labor was "wasted" if they only remained incarcerated. Their free labor should be used instead for state-owned plantations, infrastructure projects and to generate funds that cover running the prisons, it said. As late as October 2014, junta-era language was still in use by Thein Sein's government to explain prison labor policies. Former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Brig-Gen. Kyaw Kyaw Tun told parliament at the time that the camps "use the prisoners' labor, which is going to waste in the prisons, for state-level agriculture, livestock breeding and rock quarry projects, and to ensure that the prisoners learn about agriculture and livestock breeding techniques and have attained a vocational profession upon their release." After the NLD assumed power in March, it urged all departments and ministries to come up with reform priorities for their first 100 days in office. The Correctional Department's reform plans for this period came to a single sentence: "To increase the duration of family visits in prison from 15 minutes to 20 minutes, and allow family members to visit any day of the week." (Reporting by Swe Win; editing by Paul Vrieze, Ros Russell and Timothy Large. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land and property rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories. Myanmar Now is an independent website supported by Thomson Reuters Foundation. Visit https://we.tl/82PJd0GSgo to download free-to-use pictures to go with this story within seven days of publication.)
Book rooms in sorry state as country marks 9th Library Day
As the country celebrated the ninth National Library Day on Wednesday, the majority of the big libraries in the Capital which were devastated by last years earthquakes are struggling to resume operations.
By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's two biggest cities Sydney and Melbourne canceled concerts commemorating the death of former Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong, with one citing safety concerns, after Chinese Australians complained the content was insensitive. The incident signifies the continued divisiveness of Mao among Chinese, both at home and abroad, four decades after his death. In China there is a quiet resurgence in popularity toward Mao, with his image adorning banknotes and his embalmed body attracting hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors a day to Beijing. But there is also continued criticism among Chinese of his reign, under which tens of millions died. For weeks, Chinese in Sydney and Melbourne complained that the "Glory and Dream" concerts, scheduled for September in both cities' town halls, lionize a leader they see as responsible for millions of deaths. On Thursday, a spokesperson for the City of Sydney said in an email that after consulting police, the council had "concerns regarding the potential for civil disturbance, patron-to-patron conflict and staff-to-patron conflict" and canceled the event. The spokesperson said the concert organizers, who booked the venue and arranged the concerts without council involvement, had also determined that the event was "at high risk of disruption and elevated risk to personal safety". A spokeswoman for City of Melbourne said the concert was also canceled in that city, but declined to give a reason saying it was the decision of the organizers. An organizer of the events, Sydney property developer Peter Zhu, said in a telephone call that he was only the "sponsor" and declined to comment further. The other organizer, a group called the International Cultural Exchange Association, did not respond to emails and calls. Mao, who died in 1976, remains a polarizing figure in China. While the ruling Communist Party has acknowledged Mao made mistakes, there has yet to be an official accounting for the chaos of the Cultural Revolution or the millions of deaths from starvation during the 1958-61 Great Leap Forward. But he has also become a potent symbol for leftists within the Communist Party who feel that three decades of market-based reform have gone too far, creating social inequalities like a yawning rich-poor gap and pervasive corruption. The divisions over Mao are especially pronounced in Australia, home to one of China's biggest offshore communities, where more than a million of the country's 24 million population are either Chinese-born or identify as having Chinese heritage. In Australia, an online petition calling for the councils to withdraw the venues for the concerts, attracted support from about 3,000 people by Thursday afternoon. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Michael Perry)
By Greg Roumeliotis and Liana B. Baker
(Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) (HPE.N) is in talks with buyout firm Thoma Bravo LLC to sell its software division, hoping it can fetch between $8 billion and $10 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
The negotiations come as HPE Chief Executive Meg Whitman seeks to focus the U.S. company's strategy on networking, storage, data centers and related technology services, after its separation last year from computer and printer maker HP Inc (HPQ.N).
HPE has received offers for the software unit of as much as $7.5 billion in a sale process managed by investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N), the sources said this week.
Thoma Bravo has made the highest offer for the assets among the private equity firms that held discussions with HPE, though significant discrepancies in valuation expectations persist and no deal is certain, the people said.
Other private equity firms that made offers for the software assets include Vista Equity Partners Management LLC, Carlyle Group LP (CG.O) and TPG Capital LP, the people said. It was still possible that HPE would turn to a buyout firm other than Thoma Bravo to pursue a deal, or that Thoma Bravo would buy only some of the assets, the people said.
A sale of HPE's entire software division to a single private equity firm would be easier if the latter already owns some related companies, the people said. Thoma Bravo owns several software companies, including Dynatrace LLC and Compuware Corp, which could produce cost savings and efficiencies if combined with some of HPE's software assets, the people added.
The sources asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. HPE, Goldman Sachs, Thoma Bravo, Vista Equity, Carlyle and TPG declined to comment.
HPE shares rose as much as 4 percent on the news and ended Thursday's New York trading up 3.2 percent at $22.16, giving the company a market capitalization of $36.8 billion.
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HPE's software unit generated $3.6 billion in net revenue in 2015, down from $3.9 billion in 2014. The company has said revenue growth in its software unit has been challenged by a market shift toward cloud subscription offerings.
HPE acquired part of its software portfolio as a result of its ill-fated $10.3 billion acquisition of Autonomy Corp in 2011 and the $4.5 billion acquisition of Mercury Interactive in 2006.
The software assets also include Vertica, a big data analytics platform, ArcSight, a cyber security firm as well as products for IT operations management.
HPE is the latest technology company looking to slim down a large portfolio of noncore software assets that are struggling to generate growth. In June, Dell Inc [DI.UL] agreed to sell its software division to buyout firm Francisco Partners and the private equity arm of activist hedge fund Elliott Management Corp for more than $2 billion.
In May, HPE agreed to merge its IT services and outsourcing unit with Computer Sciences Corp (CSC.N) to create a $9 billion company in a tax-free all-stock transaction known as a Reverse Morris Trust.
(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis and Liana B. Baker in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
WARNING! If you haven't binge-watched all eight episodes of Netflix's newest original '80s-influenced gloriousness that is Stranger Things, beware -- major spoilers ahead.
July 15 marks the day our lives changed forever.
The day the supernatural thriller Stranger Things was released on Netflix.
The day the Internet was turned upside down (pun super intended).
The day we met Barb.
The day we met that idiot, Steve Harrington.
NEWS: 'Stranger Things' Officially Renewed for Season 2!
From the array of breakdowns, breakouts, and think-pieces running rampant on the Internet about all things Stranger Things, the most talked-about topics were undoubtedly #Justice4Barb and Steve Harrington's glorious head of hair.
Netflix
Earlier this month, ET sat down with Steve Harrington himself, actor Joe Keery, to chat about the incredible response the show has received, what he hopes for Steve in season two, and of course #Justice4Barb.
ET: What was life like for you pre-Stranger Things?
Joe Keery: I went to DePaul University Theatre School in Chicago, Illinois. I graduated in 2014 and just started auditioning out there and booked this and shot it, and this all kind of came out.
What was it about this role that made you want to audition?
I read the script and I was like, "This is one of the best scripts I've ever read." It was great. It was just an amalgamation of all these great movies that I really grew up loving, and they attached this really cool trailer that they cut together of all these source movies. I think it was pieces from Jaws and Goonies and Super 8, Stand by Me -- they made this kind of trailer of what the vibe of it would be [] I guess that was when I was most excited about starting this.
Are you being recognized everywhere you go?
It's been pretty wild, it's been fun! One person at most places will at least give me a sort-of look.
You are still sort-of rocking the Steve hair.
I had the Steve sort-of hairdo before I did [Stranger Things]. People have always been like, "You've got a wild head of hair!"
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How long does it take to get the Steve 'do down?
We got it down to I think 30 minutes actually, towards the end. It was good. It was a lot of shampoo, and then we would blow dry it out and then hairspray it back and then they had to get the little curl going. It took kind of a while.
(Psst: Keery told us during our live Q&A below that he doesn't use any product in his daily life)
We assume you've heard the comparisons to Jean Ralphio from Parks and Rec and the theory Steve's his father?
Yeah! That should be a whole spinoff, just me as Jean Ralphio's dad. That would be a hell of a show.
What has been your favorite meme or reaction to the show that you've seen?
Someone edited a picture of me with no hair, totally bald! And also, the Barb mural. That's so cool.
Did you anticipate the entire Internet would be talking about Barb and Steve?
It's crazy! No, I didn't really expect it at all. I went to set and saw some of the other stuff, but for the most part, I wasn't around for everything that they shot and I didn't see the show or anything before it came out. I was really pleasantly surprised. I sat down, watched it like everyone else. It was really cool.
So many celebs have tuned in. Was there anyone that shocked you?
The whole Stephen King tweet was the sickest ever. The Long Walk is a book he wrote a while ago, but I've read a couple times and I love it. I can't even imagine being Matt and Ross Duffer. They were probably freaking out.
Watching STRANGER THINGS is looking watching Steve King's Greatest Hits. I mean that in a good way. Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 17, 2016
STRANGER THINGS is pure fun. A+. Don't miss it. Winona Ryder shines. Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 18, 2016
Let's talk about the ending. What were your thoughts on Nancy going 'Team Steve'?
I remember reading that. Me, Charlie [Heaton] and Natalia [Dyer] all sat down. We got the final scripts and we read it and I remember just being like, "What? Really?" I was pretty shocked.
But I think it's a really interesting direction that they went in. They kind of built on this trope, at least for Steve's character for the first half of the series -- and then towards the last two or three episodes, they kind of turned this character around and it's a refreshing take on the '80s bully I guess.
Netflix
Are you Team Steve or Team Jonathan?
First and foremost, I'm Team Barb.
What do you hope for Steve in season two?
I really like the whole, like what we were talking about, reversal at the end.
I'm interested to see [what happens] now that everybody knows what's been going down with the whole supernatural elements, because Steve was in the dark until the end of episode eight. So the entire time, I was kind of playing catch up with all these other characters.
I'm just interested to see, now that everybody's in on it, what happens now and where do we go from here?
And obviously, his relationship with Nancy as well. I think it's what got him into the whole thing and I think he really cares about her.
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By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its negotiating partners agreed "in secret" to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year's landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions, according to a think tank report published on Thursday. The report, which was released by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, is based on information provided by several officials of governments involved in the negotiations. The group's president David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector and co-author of the report, declined to identify the officials, and Reuters could not independently verify the report's assertions. "The exemptions or loopholes are happening in secret, and it appears that they favor Iran," Albright said. (Link to the report: http://isis-online.org/isis-reports/detail/jcpoa-exemptions-revealed) The report ignited a chorus of Republican criticism, including from the campaign of presidential nominee Donald Trump. His campaign sought to link the findings to Trump's Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, who was secretary of state when secret talks were held with Iran but had left office before formal negotiations began. "The deeply flawed nuclear deal Hillary Clinton secretly spearheaded with Iran looks worse and worse by the day," said a statement issued by retired Army General Michael Flynn, a top Trump adviser. "Its now clear President Obama gave away the store to secure a weak agreement that is full of loopholes." The Clinton campaign did not immediately comment on the report. The White House said it took "significant exception" to some of the report's findings, saying that the easing of sanctions was always dependent upon Iran's adherence to the agreement. "The implementation date was driven by the ability of the (International Atomic Energy Agency) to verify that Iran had completed the steps that they promised to take," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters at a briefing on Thursday. "That is what precipitated implementation day. Since then Iran has been in compliance with the agreement," Earnest said. Among the exemptions outlined in the think tank's report were two that allowed Iran to exceed the deal's limits on how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) it can keep in its nuclear facilities, the report said. LEU can be purified into highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium. The exemptions, the report said, were approved by the joint commission the deal created to oversee implementation of the accord. The commission is comprised of the United States and its negotiating partners -- called the P5+1 -- and Iran. One senior "knowledgeable" official was cited by the report as saying that if the joint commission had not acted to create these exemptions, some of Irans nuclear facilities would not have been in compliance with the deal by Jan. 16, the deadline for the beginning of the lifting of sanctions. The U.S. administration has said that the world powers that negotiated the accord -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- made no secret arrangements. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the joint commission and its role were "not secret." The official did not address the report's assertions of exemptions. State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Iran was not granted "exceptions" to limits on low-enriched uranium or heavy water "that would allow them to have a usable amount of material in excess of what they're supposed to have towards the production of fissile material." He repeatedly declined to directly address the report's findings on the exemptions, saying the joint commission's work is "confidential." Diplomats at the United Nations for the other P5+1 countries did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the report. Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment. Albright said the exceptions risked setting precedents that Iran could use to seek additional waivers. Albright served as an inspector with the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team that investigated former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's nuclear weapons program. While Albright has neither endorsed nor denounced the overall agreement, he has expressed concern over what he considers potential flaws in the nuclear deal, including the expiration of key limitations on Iran's nuclear work in 10-15 years. EXEMPTIONS ON URANIUM, "HOT CELLS" The administration of President Barack Obama informed Congress of the exemptions on Jan. 16, said the report. Albright said the exemptions, which have not been made public, were detailed in confidential documents sent to Capitol Hill that day -- after the exemptions had already been granted. The White House official said the administration had briefed Congress "frequently and comprehensively" on the joint commission's work. Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, a leading critic of the Iran deal and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters in an email: "I was not aware nor did I receive any briefing (on the exemptions). As part of the concessions that allowed Iran to exceed uranium limits, the joint commission agreed to exempt unknown quantities of 3.5 percent LEU contained in liquid, solid and sludge wastes stored at Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the report. The agreement restricts Iran to stockpiling only 300 kg of 3.5 percent LEU. The commission approved a second exemption for an unknown quantity of near 20 percent LEU in "lab contaminant" that was determined to be unrecoverable, the report said. The nuclear agreement requires Iran to fabricate all such LEU into research reactor fuel. If the total amount of excess LEU Iran possesses is unknown, it is impossible to know how much weapons-grade uranium it could yield, experts said. The draft report said the joint commission also agreed to allow Iran to keep operating 19 radiation containment chambers larger than the accord set. These so-called "hot cells" are used for handling radioactive material but can be "misused for secret, mostly small-scale plutonium separation efforts," said the report. Plutonium is another nuclear weapons fuel. The deal allowed Iran to meet a 130-tonne limit on heavy water produced at its Arak facility by selling its excess stock on the open market. But with no buyer available, the joint commission helped Tehran meet the sanctions relief deadline by allowing it to send 50 tonnes of the material -- which can be used in nuclear weapons production -- to Oman, where it was stored under Iranian control, the report said. The shipment to Oman of the heavy water that can be used in nuclear weapons production has already been reported. Albright's report made the new assertion that the joint committee had approved this concession. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Arshad Mohammed, Roberta Rampton and Amanda Becker; editing by Stuart Grudgings)
By Tom Finn and Andrea Shalal
DOHA/BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States is poised to sell $7 billion worth of Boeing Co (BA.N) fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait after years of delays, and it may start notifying U.S. lawmakers as early as next week, four U.S.- and Gulf-based sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The sales had stalled amid concerns raised by Israel, Washington's closest Middle East ally, that equipment sent to equipment sent to Gulf Arab states would be used against it.
U.S. officials have criticised Qatar for alleged ties to armed Islamist groups.
Boeing said it was encouraged by continued progress and hoped to see movement on the two big arms sales soon. The State Department said it could not comment on any ongoing government-to-government arms sales requests.
A senior U.S. administration official said it was U.S. policy not to comment on proposed U.S. defence sales until they had been formally notified to Congress, but Washington remained committed to the security and stability of the Gulf region.
"For decades, we have demonstrated this commitment through continual efforts to enhance our diplomatic relationships and build defence capacity across the region, particularly through promotion of security agreements, foreign military sales, exercises, training, and exchanges," the official said.
Delays in the process have caused frustration among U.S. defence officials and industry executives, who have warned that Washington's foot-dragging could cost them billions of dollars of business if buyers grow impatient and seek other suppliers.
The expected approval of the fighter jet sales comes as the White House seeks to shore up relations with Gulf Arab allies who want to increase their military capabilities. They fear Washington is drawing closer to Iran, their arch-rival, after its nuclear deal with world powers earlier this year.
"It is imminent. We expect a decision next week," said an official from Qatar's defence ministry, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Story continues
An adviser to Qatar's military also said the deal was moving ahead.
Neither commented on the cost or number of jets that would be delivered.
The Pentagon and the State Department have been considering the sale of 36 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Qatar valued at around $4 billion. They are also considering the sale of 28 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornets, plus options for 12 more, to Kuwait in a deal valued at around $3 billion.
Sources said officials at both agencies had largely agreed to the deals some time ago, but had been awaiting final approval from the White House, which is now on board.
"A decision by the administration is very close," said one of the sources, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Once the White House gives its formal approval, U.S. officials will start to informally notify U.S. lawmakers before sending a formal notification to Congress 40 days later, at which point the deals will be publicly announced.
A third deal, the sale of F-16 fighters built by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) to Bahrain, remains under consideration, but approval is not as far along, said one of the sources.
Qatar - home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East - and Kuwait have ramped up military spending after uprisings across the Arab World and amid rising tensions between Gulf Arab states and Iran.
Both Qatar and Kuwait are part of a 34-nation alliance announced by Saudi Arabia in December aimed at countering Islamic State and al Qaeda in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Tom Finn; Editing by Larry King and Andrew Hay)
By Tom Finn and Andrea Shalal
DOHA/BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States is poised to sell $7 billion (5.28 billion pounds) worth of Boeing Co (BA.N) fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait after years of delays, and it may start notifying U.S. lawmakers as early as next week, four U.S.- and Gulf-based sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The sales had stalled amid concerns raised by Israel, Washington's closest Middle East ally, that equipment sent to equipment sent to Gulf Arab states would be used against it.
U.S. officials have criticised Qatar for alleged ties to armed Islamist groups.
Boeing said it was encouraged by continued progress and hoped to see movement on the two big arms sales soon. The State Department said it could not comment on any ongoing government-to-government arms sales requests.
A senior U.S. administration official said it was U.S. policy not to comment on proposed U.S. defence sales until they had been formally notified to Congress, but Washington remained committed to the security and stability of the Gulf region.
"For decades, we have demonstrated this commitment through continual efforts to enhance our diplomatic relationships and build defence capacity across the region, particularly through promotion of security agreements, foreign military sales, exercises, training, and exchanges," the official said.
Delays in the process have caused frustration among U.S. defence officials and industry executives, who have warned that Washington's foot-dragging could cost them billions of dollars of business if buyers grow impatient and seek other suppliers.
The expected approval of the fighter jet sales comes as the White House seeks to shore up relations with Gulf Arab allies who want to increase their military capabilities. They fear Washington is drawing closer to Iran, their arch-rival, after its nuclear deal with world powers earlier this year.
"It is imminent. We expect a decision next week," said an official from Qatar's defence ministry, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Story continues
An adviser to Qatar's military also said the deal was moving ahead.
Neither commented on the cost or number of jets that would be delivered.
The Pentagon and the State Department have been considering the sale of 36 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Qatar valued at around $4 billion. They are also considering the sale of 28 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornets, plus options for 12 more, to Kuwait in a deal valued at around $3 billion.
Sources said officials at both agencies had largely agreed to the deals some time ago, but had been awaiting final approval from the White House, which is now on board.
"A decision by the administration is very close," said one of the sources, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Once the White House gives its formal approval, U.S. officials will start to informally notify U.S. lawmakers before sending a formal notification to Congress 40 days later, at which point the deals will be publicly announced.
A third deal, the sale of F-16 fighters built by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) to Bahrain, remains under consideration, but approval is not as far along, said one of the sources.
Qatar - home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East - and Kuwait have ramped up military spending after uprisings across the Arab World and amid rising tensions between Gulf Arab states and Iran.
Both Qatar and Kuwait are part of a 34-nation alliance announced by Saudi Arabia in December aimed at countering Islamic State and al Qaeda in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Tom Finn; Editing by Larry King and Andrew Hay)
(Adds Expedia CEO comments, Trivago background)
By Arno Schuetze and Robert Venes
FRANKFURT/LONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Online travel firm Expedia is preparing to list its Trivago hotel search platform through an initial public offering that could value it at more than $1 billion, sources familiar with the matter said.
Expedia, one of the world's largest online travel services firms, has asked banks to pitch for roles in an initial public offering (IPO), which will likely take place in the United States later this year or early in 2017, the sources said.
The founders still own nearly a third of Trivago's equity and are seeking to sell out through the IPO listing, they said.
Bank pitches will take place as early as next week in New York, one of the people said.
Expedia Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi told investors in July that management and Trivago's founding team had agreed to an IPO to value Trivago as a stand-alone company.
"This is an IPO and not a spin-off," Khosrowshahi told investors on the July conference call, adding that Expedia did not plan to sell its own shares during the flotation.
In 2012, Expedia paid 477 million euros ($531 million) for a 62 percent stake in Trivago. The hotel search platform was founded in 2005 in Duesseldorf, where it remains, and has become one of Germany's most successful start-ups of the past decade.
On a stand-alone basis, Trivago generated $200 million in revenue in the second quarter, up 38 percent on a currency adjusted basis from a year earlier, according to Expedia.
Trivago has grown six-fold since Expedia bought it and has been expanding into Japan, Brazil and the Middle East.
Expedia owns a stable of well-known travel properties including Orbitz Worldwide, Hotels.com, Hotwire, as well as Airbnb rival HomeAway among other brands.
Its primary competitors are Priceline, owner of Booking.com and Kayak, and TripAdvisor.
($1 = 0.8982 euros) (Additional reporting by Eric Auchard, Pamela Barbaglia, Alexander Huebner and Liana Baker; editing by Victoria Bryan and David Clarke)
By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - An explosion destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket belonging to Elon Musk's SpaceX and its cargo during preparations for a routine test firing at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Thursday, two days before it had been due to blast off and place a satellite in orbit. SpaceX said there were no injuries and that an "anomaly" during the static fire test resulted in the loss of the rocket and a communications satellite owned by Israel-based Space Communication which was going to be used by Facebook to expand internet access in Africa. Video showed a fiery blast ripping through the upper part of the rocket before the vehicle collapsed in flames on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station just after 9 a.m. ET (1300 GMT). A plume of black smoke poured into the air. The rocket's loss occurred while the first and second stages were being filled with propellant, the company said late on Thursday in a statement. "Cause still unknown. More soon," Musk, a billionaire entrepreneur who helped found Tesla Motors, said on Twitter. It was not immediately known to what extent SpaceX's launch pad was damaged or what the impact would be on the dozens of NASA and commercial satellite missions on its launch schedule. The company has a second launch site at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, and it has also leased one of the old space shuttle launch pads adjacent to its Cape Canaveral site. A fourth launch site is being built in Texas. Several customers expressed support for SpaceX while saying they were not sure of the impact of the explosion on their own plans. "Were confident in SpaceX and that they will find and resolve any issues causing this incident, and we will be ready to go once that occurs," Iridium Communications Inc said in a statement. SpaceX had been due to launch its 29th Falcon 9 rocket, which carries a list price of $62 million, before dawn on Saturday, carrying the Spacecom-owned AMOS-6. Facebook would have been among the customers for bandwidth on that satellite. Last year, it said it was partnering with Eutelsat Communications to boost data connectivity to large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The explosion could derail the sale of Spacecom for $285 million to Beijing Xinwei Technology Group <600485.SS>. The companies unveiled the agreement last week, but said it was contingent on the successful launch of the satellite and completion of its in-orbit tests. In a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Spacecom said the loss will have "a significant impact" on the company. Its shares closed down 8.9 percent at 38.95 shekels. The commercial space office of the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees commercial rocket launches in the United States, has inspectors at the launch site who were overseeing the preflight engine test, and the agency is collecting information about damage to the pad," spokesman Hank Price said. People in buildings far from the facility felt shock waves, but local authorities said residents were not at risk. Robin Seemangal, a space reporter with the Observer newspaper, quoted a source at the facility who said it felt like the office they were in had been hit by lightning. "We actually thought the building was collapsing, it shook us so bad," Seemangal wrote in a tweet, quoting his source. FACEBOOK 'DISAPPOINTED' In a post from Africa, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said he was deeply disappointed at the loss of the satellite which he said would have provided connectivity to many entrepreneurs and others across the continent. "We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided," he wrote. Eutelsat said it also regretted the loss but remained committed to growing broadband in Africa. The potential impact on its revenues was estimated at up to 50 million euros by 2019, the company said in a statement. SpaceX had planned to dispatch as many as nine more missions before the end of the year, including two flights to place a 20-member satellite network into orbit for Iridium. It was due to launch its next mission in November to fly cargo to the International Space Station for NASA. SpaceX is one of two companies that transports cargo to the orbiting laboratory, which flies 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. "NASA still is assessing what impacts, if any, the incident will have on future missions," spokesman Michael Curie said. Shares of Musk's companies Tesla Motors and SolarCity closed down 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively. R.W. Baird analyst Ben Kallo said those share price moves were in response to a disclosure on Wednesday by Tesla, which has agreed to buy SolarCity, that it would need to raise additional funds, and not to the explosion in Florida. SpaceX says it has a backlog of more than $10 billion in launch orders from customers including NASA and commercial companies. On Wednesday, it said it had signed its first customer to use a previously flown Falcon 9 rocket, but that launch was not due until later this year. The rocket that blew up on Thursday had never been flown before. SpaceX was founded by Musk in 2002, and the Hawthorne, California-based company began launching its Falcon 9 rockets in June 2010. Since then, it has racked up 27 successful flights and one launch accident in June 2015 that destroyed a load of cargo headed for the space station. Earlier this year, it broke a monopoly by United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin and Boeing , to win a military satellite launch contract. Musk set up SpaceX with the goal of slashing launch costs to make travel to Mars affordable. The company plans to fly its first unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2018 and to send humans to the red planet as early as 2024. Musk is expected to unveil details of his Mars program at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, next month. (Additional reporting by Laila Kearney in New York, Tova Cohen in Tel Aviv, Alwyn Scott in Seattle and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
Buddhist Janaadhikar officials held
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested officials of an NGO for allegedly swindling over Rs30 million donations meant for earthquake victims.
LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - More than 400 people were killed by cluster bombs in 2015, most of them in conflict-hit Syria, Yemen and Ukraine, according to the Cluster Munition Coalition. Over the past year seven nations have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions banning them. Here are some facts about cluster munitions and efforts to end their use around the world: * Cluster munitions, usually called cluster bombs, weredeployed for the first time in 1943 by Soviet and German forces.Since then, over 200 types of these munitions have beendeveloped. * Each bomb's hollow case can contain up to several hundredbomblets. Designed to be fired from the ground or dropped fromaircrafts, cluster munitions open in mid-air and spread thebomblets over a wide area. That makes them inaccurate and likelyto harm civilians and soldiers alike. Unexploded bomblets remainon the ground, becoming de-facto landmines. * According to the 2016 Cluster Munitions Monitor report, in2015 Syrian and Saudi forces used cluster bombs in Syria andYemen. Russia and the United Arab Emirates denied using them.None of these countries has signed the convention banningcluster munitions. * In 2015, civilians made up 97 percent of casualties causedby cluster bombs. * Since the 1960s, more than 20,000 cluster bombs casualtieshave been documented. This is probably a conservative figure,since many deaths caused by these devices have not been recordedor properly documented. It is estimated that, since their firstdeployment, cluster munitions have killed at least 55,000people. * Vietnam and Laos are the most contaminated countries,followed by Iraq and Cambodia. At least 24 countries have areascontaminated by cluster munitions. * On May 30, 2008, more than 100 countries adopted theConvention on Cluster Munitions, which banned the use,production, stockpile and transfer of cluster munitions. It alsoset deadlines for destroying stockpiles and cleaningcontaminated areas up. * The Convention has been signed by 119 countries, but theUnited States, China, Russia, Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina,Israel, Greece, Egypt and Iran are among the countries that havenot signed the treaty.(Sources: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, Convention on Cluster Munitions, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs) (Reporting by Pietro Lombardi; 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)
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Some U.S. oil and gas producers in the eastern parts of the Gulf of Mexico are returning workers to offshore facilities and restarting operations as hurricane Hermine moves toward Florida. Anadarko Petroleum Corp on Thursday said it was returning non-essential personnel to its Marco Polo, Constitution and Heidelberg facilities. Non-essential staff will return to Anadarko's Independence facility on Friday, a company representative said. Hess on Thursday said it was preparing to return personnel to its Gulf of Mexico facilities. Royal Dutch Shell and Enbridge Inc on Wednesday returned personnel to offshore assets as the storm moved away from its operations, and Shell's Coulomb field, which ties back to the Na Kika platform, will remain shut until downstream assets resume operations. BP Plc said on Wednesday it had reopened its Atlantis platform, one of three it had idled on the storm threat. On Thursday, BP said it was moving to reopen the Destin pipeline it operates on Friday. Other operators who have pulled workers off platforms include BHP Billiton Ltd . Other companies that moved rigs and said they were monitoring the storm, which is expected to make landfall in Florida early Friday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. Chevron on Thursday said it would shut its Panama City, Florida terminal overnight as a precaution, with plans to reopen on Friday. It said its refinery in Pascagoula, Mississippi would monitor the storm. The U.S. government said on Thursday that so far operators have shut output equal to 242,836 barrels per day of oil equivalent and 307 million cubic feet per day of natural gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico due the storm. The closures represent 15.18 percent of normal oil output and 9.03 percent of natural gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) said. The government's estimate for oil outages were slightly higher on Wednesday. The shut-ins, while relatively small, represent the most significant weather-related outages for the offshore energy sector since at least 2013 in the United States. Based on data submitted to BSEE, personnel have been evacuated from 1.3 percent of the 750 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico accounts for about 20 percent of U.S. oil production and around 5 percent of natural gas output, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About 30 percent of U.S. natural gas processing plant capacity and 40 percent of the country's refining capacity is also on the Gulf Coast, mainly around Louisiana and Texas, the EIA has said. Below is a list of shut-ins confirmed by companies: -BP has shut two of its four operated platforms in the U.S. Gulf, which have the following design capacities: Thunder Horse, 250,000 b/d oil, 200 mmcf/d gas Na Kika, 130,000 b/d oil, 500 mmcf/d gas -On Wednesday, BP said Atlantis was online after being idled. Its rated capacity is 200,000 b/d oil, 180 mmcf/d gas -Shell has shut in its Coulomb field, which ties back to the Na Kika platform. - Destin Pipeline on Thursday said it was planning to re-man its MP 260 platform, pending weather conditions, on Friday. All receipt points, including the Okeanos Gas Gathering System, Marlin and Horn Mountain have been shut in due to the storm threat. Delivery points, including VKGS have also been shut in. Destin is majority-owned by BP with Enbridge Inc a minority partner. (Reporting By Terry Wade and Liz Hampton; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Andrew Hay)
This fashion girl on Instagram has us craving french tomboy style, too
This fashion girl on Instagram has us craving french tomboy style, too
Sometimes you come across someones style, and they just make you want to be your best self. Instagrammer Virginia Calderon describes their vibe as french tomboy, and were 1000000% on board. You will be, too, once you get a glimpse of these perfect outfits, and youll wonder why you didnt become a style convert sooner!
Here are some of our faves for fall:
1. This high waisted skirt
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 29, 2016 at 6:58pm PDT
Heck yes.
2. This denim on denim pairing
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 28, 2016 at 1:18pm PDT
Who said denim on denim isnt on trend?!
3. This bit of oversized glam
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 27, 2016 at 12:14pm PDT
Oversized forever.
4. This jumpsuit
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 26, 2016 at 1:24pm PDT
The easiest of outfits.
5. This midi dress
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 25, 2016 at 2:14pm PDT
The coziest of dresses.
6. This flawless look
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 23, 2016 at 11:12am PDT
MAJOR heart eyes.
7. This flowy top
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 22, 2016 at 7:37pm PDT
Just screams ~lazy girl~ vibes.
8. This lovely hat
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 21, 2016 at 3:30pm PDT
Well never give up hats!
9. This bold skirt
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 20, 2016 at 10:49am PDT
Love the pop o color!
10. This old lady chic
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 19, 2016 at 5:25pm PDT
Because grammas know best.
11. These overalls
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 17, 2016 at 3:37pm PDT
Because theyre not just for kids!
12. This feminist tee
A photo posted by virginia calderon (@_chicadeoro) on Aug 10, 2016 at 11:30am PDT
Feminism for life, for real.
The post This fashion girl on Instagram has us craving french tomboy style, too appeared first on HelloGiggles.
From Good Housekeeping
On the morning of August 21, 2016, Colorado father Nathan Weitzel, 29, took his 2-and-a-half year old son, Isaiah, to the park. Sounds innocent enough, right? But Weitzel, who had taken cocaine that day, had a devious and downright sickening thought in his head as he watched his son play: what would be a good way to kill him?
WBIR.com reports that Weitzel, who mostly saw his son on weekends, was supposed to return Isaiah to his mother that afternoon. When got into his car, he put on his own seat belt, but intentionally didn't put his son in a car seat or restrain him in any way. Weitzel then drove into several cars at 75 miles per hour.
An eyewitness, Sam Schulte, said that he ran out to help when he heard the crash, pulling the car door open and taking out the toddler, who was crying and fading in and out of consciousness. Another eyewitness, Cindy Rose, called 911, while watching Weitzel hit the child with what appeared to be his elbow.
Weitzel confessed that he had intentionally driven into traffic in an attempt to kill Isaiah. He told Arapahoe County investigators, "the reason he wanted to kill Isaiah was because being a father was a big responsibility and he did not think he was man enough to raise a child."
He has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, child abuse, assault, criminal mischief, possession of a controlled substance and vehicular assault.
Isaiah was taken to Children's Hospital Colorado, where he was treated and released after a few days. Isaiah survived his injuries, which included a concussion, a broken leg and laceration, but has to wear a cast on half his body and stitches on his head.
His mother, Nancy Lopez, who takes care of Isaiah full-time, described him as a "caring" and "compassionate" boy who loved stuffed animals, Spiderman, "Finding Nemo," cars, and dinosaurs. His favorite color is green.
"He used to be a really good climber," Lopez said. "He loves to play and run around. He can't walk now; he's not going to be walking for another two months."
Story continues
As for Weitzel, Lopez said that, despite his comments about not wanting to be a father, Isaiah was planned.
"He needs to be in jail for a long time," she said.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help pay for Isaiah's recovery.
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Three men from the same South Carolina family have each allegedly been linked to different crimes against young women including, with the father and son, the alleged slaying of spring break teen Brittanee Drexel but they have never been prosecuted, according to court records.
In explosive new court testimony, the FBI, citing informants, implicated Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor and his father, Timothy Shaun Taylor, in Drexel's disappearance and death. Court records show the elder Taylor and his brother, Randall Keith Taylor, have also been arrested in previous abductions or attempted abductions, though the charges were later dropped in both cases.
At the center of it all, now, is what happened to Drexel.
Since 2009, authorities have been trying to figure out exactly that after Drexel, a 17-year-old high school student from upstate New York, vanished during a spring break trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Drexel had gone on the trip with friends, without her parents' permission, and was last seen on a surveillance video on April 25, 2009, leaving the Blue Water Resort on Ocean Boulevard, the resort town's busy main drag.
"All I want is justice for my daughter, Brittanee," her father, Chad Drexel, has told PEOPLE. "I'm begging anyone out there who knows who killed our daughter to please help us bring her remains back home to her family."
Father and Son Allegedly Implicated in Brittanee Drexel's Deadly Disappearance Have Been Arrested Before| Crime & Courts, Murder, Sexual Assault/Rape, True Crime
Over the years, authorities have revealed little about the investigation, but they said at a June press conference that they believe Drexel was abducted and held against her will for several days in the area of McClellanville, South Carolina, before she was killed.
And then, on Aug. 15, came disturbing new details in an FBI agent's court testimony, revealing more about Drexel's alleged abduction and murder and who authorities believe may have been involved.
During a federal detention hearing for 25-year-old Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor, of McClellanville, for an unrelated robbery case, FBI agent Gerrick Munoz testified that a prison informant told authorities that in 2009 he saw Taylor allegedly "sexually abusing" Drexel with other men at a "stash house" in the McClellanville area in South Carolina's low country, about an hour south of Myrtle Beach.
The informant, Taquan Brown, said that while he was there, he allegedly saw Drexel try to escape, before he allegedly heard two gunshots, Munoz said.
Brown, who is serving a 25-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter, said he believes that Taylor's father, 43-year-old Timothy Shaun Taylor, allegedly pulled the trigger on Drexel, Munoz said.
Story continues
Father and Son Allegedly Implicated in Brittanee Drexel's Deadly Disappearance Have Been Arrested Before| Crime & Courts, Murder, Sexual Assault/Rape, True Crime
After Drexel was allegedly shot, Brown said her captors allegedly wrapped up her dead body, took it out of the stash house and threw her remains in an alligator pit in a nearby swamp, Munoz alleged.
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.
Munoz also testified that investigators have received corroborating information about the case, including secondhand information from another jailhouse informant, who claims Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor allegedly picked up Drexel in 2009 in Myrtle Beach and brought her back to the McClellanville area. There, he allegedly "showed her off, introduced her to some other friends that were there," Munoz said.
"They ended up tricking her out with some of their friends, offering her to them and getting a human trafficking situation," he alleged.
Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor was in court facing new charges for a 2011 crime. He had received a suspended youth offender sentence and served two years' probation as the getaway driver in a 2011 robbery of a McDonald's in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, according to court records.
He was at the fast food restaurant with two others, who held up the McDonald's, according to records. One of the other two shot the store manager, who sustained non-life threatening injuries, according to the court records.
In June, he was indicted on federal charges of interference of interstate commerce by threat or violence for his involvement in the 2011 robbery.
Father and Son Allegedly Implicated in Brittanee Drexel's Deadly Disappearance Have Been Arrested Before| Crime & Courts, Murder, Sexual Assault/Rape, True Crime
Through his lawyer, David Aylor, Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor issued a statement Wednesday to PEOPLE, saying, "I had no involvement with anything to do with Brittanee Drexel. I don't know Taquan Brown and I don't know why he would call my name.
"I am being prosecuted again for a crime I already helped them solve and already did my time for, all because some guy in prison is trying to cut a deal. It's not fair to be charged for the same crime twice and that's not how our system is supposed to work."
Aylor said at the August hearing that the government is zeroing in on his client based on testimony from a "jailhouse rat," in an attempt to "squeeze" him into cooperation with their case.
Drexel's father begs to differ. "The evidence the FBI has and the Georgetown law enforcement have is solid evidence and will be out in court soon," he tells PEOPLE.
Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor, he says, "is one piece to this horrible story."
Taylor Family's Previous Run-ins with the Law
In 2010, the elder Taylor was arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap a 20-year-old woman on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, close to where authorities believe Drexel was taken, according to court records.
The woman had picked him out of a lineup, alleging he was one of three men who pulled up in a pale blue van, grabbed her and tried to throw her in the vehicle, according to court records.
She alleged she fought back and was able to escape.
Police dropped the charges when they found surveillance video showing that the elder Taylor was "40 miles away" at the time of the alleged abduction, his lawyer, Scott Joye, said in a statement at the time.
Calling Drexel's death "tragic," the elder Taylor's new lawyer, Stephen Schmutz of Charleston, South Carolina, said his client "was cleared of the allegations by video evidence."
"He was a suspect and then they found out it was impossible for him to do what [the woman] alleged, so that one had a definitive resolution," Schmutz said
"He is under the glare of the light now because somebody who is serving 25 years in prison has made some accusation about my client.
The elder Taylor had been questioned about Drexel's abduction and murder after she vanished but denied any involvement.
When contacted by PEOPLE, Joan Taylor, Timothy Da'Shaun Taylor's mother and Timothy Shaun Taylor's wife, had no comment.
She had testified in court that her son "is a great kid." She told the Post and Courier that her husband and son had nothing to do with Drexel's disappearance or death, calling the government's accusations "craziness."
Taylor and his son are not the only family members who have been criminal suspects. Court records show that in 2001, Timothy Shaun Taylor's brother, Randall Keith Taylor, was arrested and charged along with four other men for the 1998 abduction and murder of 19-year-old Shannon McConaughey.
Prosecutors later dropped the charges against all five men because of insufficient evidence, according to court records.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney declined to comment on the August testimony or the Drexel case. Calls to the FBI were not returned. The Myrtle Beach police referred all inquiries to the FBI.
The FBI said in June it is hoping other witnesses come forward to corroborate information about Drexel's disappearance. But sources tell PEOPLE they believe that has not yet happened since McClellanville, which has a population of 520, is "very tight knit."
The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Drexel's disappearance and death. Anyone with information is asked to call 800-CALL-FBI.
Jimmy Richardson, the solicitor for Horry and Georgetown counties, which includes Myrtle Beach, says he hopes anyone with any kind of information about the case no matter how small comes forward.
"They can do it anonymously if they like," he tells PEOPLE.
Anyone criticizing the Federal Election Commission as toothless must now reckon with this: Today, the agency took on God and Satan plus nearly 250 other officially registered presidential candidates it believes are bogus.
Dear Candidate, began the letter the FECs Reports Analysis Division sent to God for President, H. Majesty Satan Lord of Underworld Prince of Darkness!, Captain Crunch, Rocky Balboa and a cast of other characters seeking to challenge Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
It has come to the attention of the Federal Election Commission that you may have failed to include an accurate name of the candidate and an accurate principal campaign committee when you filed FEC Form 2.
The FEC didnt say exactly how the potential inaccuracies came to its attention. But it asked the recipients to submit additional paperwork confirming their candidacies or to withdraw the filings.
Credit the FECs awareness of these fictional presidential candidates in large part to Deez Nuts, the fake candidate created by a 15-year-old boy from Iowa who made national headlines when his support crested in an online poll.
This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.
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He immediately sparked a rash of imitators yet another crazy sideshow during what, by most any measure, is a bonkers 2016 election cycle.
Perhaps FEC analysts also lifted their eyebrows when they saw God was operating His presidential campaign from a Staten Island shopping center that shares an address with Beach Bum Tanning and the Divine Furniture & Mattress Outlet.
Or maybe they were tipped off by the Everdeen 2016 Committee (Effie Trinket, treasurer), which put forth Katniss Everdeen for president with the address 101 E Avenue of Tributes The Capitol, CO. Any fan of The Hunger Games know Katniss Everdeen hails not from the Capitol, but from District 12.
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Possibly its because Darth Vader so rarely files paperwork.
Either way, the FEC announced a week ago that it was sick of the flood of fake filings and was planning to take action, beginning with the sternly worded letters, which note there are penalties for false filings. The agencys letters to presumably fake candidates note that if the recipients dont respond by confirming the truthfulness of their filings, the agency will withdraw them from the database.
The rush of prank filings left the agency between an Alexander Hamilton and a Butt Stuff.
Related story: 'Deez Nuts' puts Federal Election Commission on bozo patrol
"The agency has no authority over and makes no judgement on an individual's qualifications or eligibility to run for office or obtain ballot access," FEC spokeswoman Judith Ingram wrote last year in a statement to the Center for Public Integrity.
Once a presidential candidate filing is submitted, the FEC is required to make it public.
Asked for a comment on the letters sent by the FEC yesterday, Ingram referred a reporter to the agencys policy, announced last week.
Of course, those filing false, erroneous, or incomplete information open themselves up to FEC fines and, in theory, criminal penalties, though the government would have to devote resources to going after them.
The FECs letters specifically note that removing the filings doesnt mean its waiving its right to seek penalties.
So Donald Drumpf, Pepe Le Frog, Obi Wan Kenobi and Reagans Ghost: youve been warned.
This story was co-published with TIME, NBC News, Philly.com and the Huffington Post.
This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.
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Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Fabien Westerhoffs London-based Film Constellation has sold David Lynch: The Art Life to Italy ahead of its premiere at Venice Classics.
The documentary biopic, which delivers an intimate portait of Lynch through the formative years of his life, has been acquired by Italys Wanted Cinema.
This movie is the new gem of our line up this year, said Anastasia Plazzotta, managing director of Wanted Distribution (which runs Wanted Cinema).
Plazzotta said the company looked forward to bringing the docu feature to Italian audiences who will queue up for this.
Directed by Rick Barnes, Jon Nguyen and Olivia Neergaard-Holm, the documentary charts Lynchs upbringing from the small town America to the streets of Philadelphia, depicting events that have helped shape his enigmatic personality as a man and an artist.
I think every time you do something, like a painting or whatever, you go with ideas and sometimes the past can conjure those ideas and color them, even if theyre new ideas, the past colors them, said Lynch, who shares personal stories from his past in the feature which is dedicated to his daughter.
Deal was negotiated between Fabien Westerhoff of Film Constellation and Anastasia Plazzotta of Wanted Cinema.
David Lynch: The Art Life will premiere at Venice Classics on Sept. 4.
Film Constellations current slate boasts the stylish horror hit Lake Bodom from Finland which opened in theaters on Aug. 19 and topped the local B.O. over its first weekend, and Steven Caple Jr.s Sundance-premiering urban crime thriller The Land which features an original hip-hop soundtrack released globally on NAS Mass Appeal label.
Film Constellation is also selling the British drama Cross My Mind with Sally Hawkins and Jack Lowden, now in pre-production.
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Cannes: Fabien Westerhoff, Films Distribution Launch Film Constellation
Delhi 'sex tape' minister Sandeep Kumar removed
A minister of the state government in the Indian capital, Delhi, has been removed after the emergence of what appears to be a sex tape.
From Good Housekeeping
Get ready for news that will make your dog-loving heart oh-so happy: An Irish Wolfhound in South Africa has given birth to the world's first-ever documented pair of identical twin puppies, and of course, they're absolutely adorable.
The BBC reports that South Africa veterinarian Kurt de Cramer was performing a routine Caesarean section on an Irish wolfhound when he spotted something unusual - two of the pregnant dog's fetuses had umbilical cords that were attached to the same placenta.
"When I realized that the puppies were of the same gender and that they had very similar markings, I also immediately suspected that they might be identical twins having originated from the splitting of an embryo," de Cramer told the BBC.
If his suspicions were correct, de Cramer knew this would be the first time in his 26 years of practice that he had delivered a living pair of twin pups. The veterinarian began seeking out reproductive specialists who could help confirm his hunch, and when the wolfhounds were two weeks old, the team collected blood samples for testing. Sure enough, they found that the two pups were genetically identical.
So, these two little wolfhounds are the first pair of identical dogs known to man, and even though they were born small, they've grown to match the size of their other siblings and continue to be healthy pups today. Still, we're left wondering if identical twin dogs are really all that rare. Is it possible that, until now, we've just never known that two pups from the same litter were twins?
Reproductive specialist Carolynne Joone of James Cook University in Townsville told the BBC that yes, it is possible that there have been other identical twin dogs before, and yes, it's hard to know if this really is the first case. Because this particular mother happened to have a C-section, the vet was lucky enough to be able to see the shared placenta - but after most dogs give birth, the mother will eat the placentas, which means there would be no clear evidence that any two puppies were twins, Joone explained.
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With that said, the fact that we haven't spotted a pair of twin pups until now is a sign that this pair of Irish wolfhounds are, indeed, pretty darn special. "It has taken so long for us to find a monozygotic pair, so they are probably rare," Joone told the BBC. "But so many of them will have been born naturally and blissfully unaware... People don't see these things unless they know to look. Perhaps now they will, and more will appear."
[h/t BBC]
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Jetblue prepared to make history Wednesday as the company readied the first scheduled commercial passenger airline to fly from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years.
The 9:45 a.m. flight, from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Santa Clara, Cuba, was set to be the first of a regular route for the airline.
8/31/2016:The 1st US commercial flight to #Cuba since 1961, just over a year after raising the flag at US Embassy Havana. Another step fwd. John Kerry (@JohnKerry) August 31, 2016
Doors closed! The first scheduled flight between the USA and Cuba is officially on! #HelloCuba @JetBlue #JetBlueSNU pic.twitter.com/Dje9GlhBg0 Airways Magazine (@airwaysmagazine) August 31, 2016
We do think its an important part of history, Marty St. George, the executive vice president of JetBlue, told the New York Times. From a challenge perspective, we know the drill. Cuba has some unique elements because of 50 years of history between the U.S. and Cuba, but were ready to go.
JetBlue celebrated the new route with celebrations at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale, including singing and salsa dancing.
Salsa party @JetBlue gate in #FLL! First commercial flight to Havana in yrs to depart shortly @CCTV_America pic.twitter.com/mmfNXF6Jd0 Nitza Soledad Perez (@NitzaSoledad) August 31, 2016
Todays flight to Santa Clara, #Cuba on @JetBlue is operated by N834JB (Keep Blue and Carry On). pic.twitter.com/bxb9nRm3Fa AirlineGeeks.com (@AirlineGeeks) August 31, 2016
Relations between the U.S. and Cuba have been warming since President Barack Obama began rebuilding diplomatic relations with the country in December 2014.
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At least six airlines won permission to start or resume flights to Cuba in a landmark moment in June 2016, including American, Frontier, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Southwest and Sun Country. JetBlue will be the first carrier to begin regular service, and American will be the second on Thursday.
For adventurous travelers who have long wanted to visit the U.S. neighbor to the south, the wait is not quite over, however: The law still prohibits U.S. travelers from going to Cuba strictly for tourism, and those who want to visit must qualify under 12 reasons sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury, which include business, religious and educational travel, as well as visiting family.
"While all of the flights are unlikely to operate at capacity, the airlines want to plant their respective flags," John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council Inc., told Reuters.
Jetblue flight 387 landed in Santa Clara, Cuba, just before 11:30 a.m. local time.
JetBlue 387 is on the ground in Cuba - first commercial US flight in more than 50 years. pic.twitter.com/Vxf7XKpihD Brian Ries (@moneyries) August 31, 2016
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By Eric M. Johnson
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Two small planes collided in mid-air over southwest Alaska on Wednesday, killing all five people aboard both aircraft, authorities said.
The crash occurred around 11 a.m. local time (1900 GMT) about 60 miles (96 km) north of the city of Bethel, Alaska National Guard spokeswoman Candis Olmstead said in a statement.
The single-engine planes were a Cessna 208 Caravan with three individuals on board, and a Piper PA-18 Super Cub carrying two people, Olmstead said.
The Cessna belonged to Hageland Aviation Services, a regional airline, and the Piper was operated by Renfro's Alaskan Adventures, she added. Renfro's offers wilderness hunting and fishing trips out of Bethel, according to its website.
Alaska is a sparsely populated U.S. state more than twice the size of Texas, and residents in remote areas rely on small planes for travel, recreation and mail delivery.
Alaska State Troopers said in a statement that rescue workers searching the crash site found no survivors aboard either aircraft, and said an investigation was continuing.
Olmstead said the crash occurred about 6 miles northwest of Russian Mission, a remote community in the southwest of the state along the Yukon River.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, authorities said.
Neither Hageland nor Renfro's immediately responded to requests for comment.
An Alaska Army National Guard helicopter ferrying medics have arrived at the crash site, Olmstead said.
(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle and Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by James Dalgleish and Richard Chang)
Dilma Rousseff, Brazils first female president, was thrown out of office by the countrys senate on Wednesday following after an impeachment trial that ended the leftist Workers Party 13 years in power.
She has been replaced by her former vice president and coalition partner Michel Temer of the centrist Democratic Movement party (PMDB).
Temer has been running Brazil since Rousseffs suspension in May, and is set to continue as president until the next election in 2018. Here are five things we know about the 75-year-old:
1. He is nearly the opposite of Rousseff
Temer, who has been elected to Congress four times, is nearly the opposite of Rousseff in terms of his political views and experience, according to The Economist.
The magazine described him as a multitalented politician; a charming, elegant and conciliatory man who believes in a blend of economic and social liberalism that is unusual in Brazil. An example of this is his belief that abortion should be legal, which is at odds with the view of most of Brazil, which has some of the toughest abortion laws in the world.
Temer has a reputation for being a successful dealmaker and he has helped the PMDB form coalitions with every president in the past two decades.
This has led the BBC to describe Temer in the past as always a kingmaker, but never king.
2. But like Rousseff, he has been accused of corruption
Temer is not free from scandal; hes currently being investigated for receiving an illicit $400,000 campaign donation in 2012 from the state oil company Petrobras.
This has implicated him in the countrys biggest ever corruption scandal, known as Operation Car Wash, which has led to the jailing of dozens of executives and politicians and contributed to Brazils worst recession in decades.
Sergio Machado, a former Petrobras executive who has been giving evidence to prosecutors as part of a plea bargain, said Temer asked him for illegal campaign contributions for a political ally. The President has denied doing this.
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3. He is pretty unpopular in Brazil
A poll in April by Brazils Folha de S.Paulo newspaper found that 60% of respondents supported Rousseffs ouster, and 58% wanted to get rid of Temer too, USA Today reports.
His unpopularity is partly to do with his implication in Operation Car Wash, but it hasnt been helped by his controversial decision to create a cabinet made up solely of white men in a country where 53% of citizens are mixed race and 52% are female. It is Brazils first all-male cabinet since the end of the military dictatorship in 1985.
4. His wife is a 33-year-old former beauty queen
Temers wife of 13 years, Marcela Temer, is former Miss Sao Paulo and more than 40 years his junior.
She has been criticized by media outlets for her Marie Antoinette spending during times of Brazils economic uncertainty, with MailOnline reporting that she has a nanny, a cook and two maids, as well as her mother and sister, to help her look after her only son, Michelzinho, who is seven.
Marcela has her husbands name tattooed on the back of her neck, which was first spotted in 2011. She recently appeared on the cover of the conservative magazine Veja where she was described as Bela, recatada e do lar (Beautiful, demure and homely).
5. He is a keen poet, to the amusement of some Brazilians
Temer is the author of a book of poems, titled Anonymous Intimacy, as well as a textbook on constitutional law.
According to the New York Times, the president began writing poetry when he found himself jotting his thoughts on cocktail napkins in airport lounges when working as a lawmaker a few years ago. He has mused on the themes of letter-writing in the text-messaging era, lust and radicalism the latter being a one line poem that simply read No. Never again!
Temers poetry has not been particularly well received in Brazil and there is even a Twitter account with over 33,000 followers that frequently mocks the presidents creative expressions.
LIBREVILLE (GAB) (AFP) - One of Africa's largest oil producers and one of its wealthier nations, small lush Gabon is facing a wave of post-election violence after President Ali Bongo was declared the winner of disputed polls.
- Central Africa's oil 'emirate' -
In the 1970s, Gabon discovered abundant oil reserves offshore, allowing it to build a strong middle class and earning it the moniker "central Africa's little emirate".
Oil accounts for 60 percent of the country's revenues.
It became a full member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1975 but terminated its membership two decades later. But as world oil prices slid, forcing layoffs in the sector, Gabon rejoined the cartel in July this year.
It is also the world's second-largest producer of manganese, and its vast forests provide 12 percent of global timber exports, including coveted tropical hardwoods.
- Wealthier than most Africans -
Gabon in 2015 was ranked 110 out of 188 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index -- among the top 10 African nations listed.
Per capita gross national income (GNI) in 2015 was estimated at $9,210 (8,130 euros) by the World Bank -- about four times greater than in most sub-Saharan African nations.
But because of income inequality, about a third of Gabon's population of 1.8 million people still live below the poverty line.
Between 2010 and 2014, the economic growth rate was about six percent but it has fallen to 3.9 percent this year, according to a World Bank forecast, because of the slump in global oil prices.
- Forests and chimps -
Straddling the equator on Africa's Atlantic coast, forests cover about 80 percent of Gabon, hosting a wealth of wildlife.
In 2002, then president Omar Bongo created 13 new national parks that cover around 11 percent of Gabon's territory to protect its wildlife and forests from excessive logging.
Gabon has sought to cash in on eco-tourism by showing off its wild gorillas, chimpanzees, panthers, elephants and hippos.
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At 267,667 square kilometres (103,346 square miles), Gabon is slightly larger than the UK, or two-thirds the size of Japan.
- Stable rule, but at a price -
The country has enjoyed relative political stability, mainly because former colonial power France helped Omar Bongo rule for 41 years, the third longest reign in modern Africa after Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Moamer Kadhafi of Libya.
After he died in June 2009, his son Ali won an election but opposition media claimed he had essentially been installed by France.
The population is roughly 80 percent Christian, while Muslims and animists account for the other 20 percent.
- Africa Cup host -
Gabon will next year host the finals of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), starting in January.
Record seven-time champions Egypt and first-time qualifiers Guinea-Bissau are among 10 countries which have so far booked places at the 2017 Africa CAN.
Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Senegal and Zimbabwe have also secured places and Gabon are automatic participants as hosts of the 16-nation tournament.
Social media users in Recife, Brazil, shared photos and videos of bright lights in the sky from an electrical fire on the evening of Tuesday, August 30. The fire started in a transformer at a substation belonging to Brazilian power company Energy Company of Pernambuco (Companhia Energetica de Pernambuco). At least three fire engines worked to put out the fire in the Peixinhos district of Olinda, which is located four miles north of Recife.
The fire department said the fire was caused by a leak of mineral oil from one of the transformers, according to Diario de Pernambuco. No injuries were reported. Credit: Facebook/Adriano Oliveira
A hurricane warning for a part of Northern Florida remained in effect Thursday as federal officials warned that a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico had strengthened into a hurricane.
Officials said the storm, known as Hurricane Hermine, could make landfall on the Florida coast as early as late Thursday. Herminecurrently moving Northeast with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hourwould be the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 2005, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report. A tropical storm warning covers other parts of Florida and South Carolina.
Officials warned that storm surge may be particularly threatening for coastal residents as a result of Hermine. Storm surge, a key factor in devastating storms like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, occurs when storm wind pushes sea water ashore that has already been elevated.
Weather forecasters predicted earlier this year that 2016 would see an uptick in the number of hurricanes after several years of relative calm.
Essential drugs shortage in Siraha
Most of the state-run health institutions in Siraha are facing shortage of essential medicines that the government have been providing for free.
By Jeremy Gaunt LONDON (Reuters) - A pink inflatable pig the size of a bus floated above London's venerable Victoria and Albert museum on Wednesday but unlike an infamous outing above Battersea Power Station in 1976 it did not break free and ground planes at Heathrow. Instead, it perhaps slowed traffic a bit, but most certainly caused passers-by to exclaim: "The pig!". One of the many globally recognizable emblems of Pink Floyd, along with prisms and marching hammers, the pig was flying to mark the launch of "The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains", a retrospective to be hosted at the museum next May. That date marks 50 years since the band released its first single "Arnold Layne". The group then went on to massive worldwide acclaim, including two of the most successful albums of all time, "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall". The exhibition is designed to celebrate that, along with Pink Floyd's achievements in graphics, design, architecture, staging, lighting, film and photography. Nick Mason, drummer and a founding member, said the exhibition is really a paean to the band's longevity. "It's the fact that we still sort of exist and we still seem to interest people after 50 years in an industry that was seen as entirely ephemeral by all of us when we first started," he told Reuters at the launch. "I'm fond of reminding people that Ringo thought that he'd open a chain of hairdressers when the Beatles came to an end ... I don't think we saw any 50 years ahead of us when we kicked off." The V&A is promising an immersive experience when the exhibition opens, with concert footage not seen before, a laser light show designed for the event, new stage designs, 350 different objects plus some items from the museum's own collection. It will be the museum's third recent foray into the rock world. It held a critically acclaimed exhibition on David Bowie in 2013 and opens "You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels 1966-1970" in September. All three shows relate to a period of unprecedented creativity in music, which some people believe will never be matched. Mason said he did not know how people could make it in today's music business where songs are shared for free and there are so many people trying to make it big. When asked if Pink Floyd could succeed if it were starting out today, he replied: "I don't think we'd even get on The X Factor." (Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Samsung was in such a hurry to launch the Galaxy Note 7 well ahead of its expected debut, and to beat Apples iPhone 7 to market, that it may have missed a thing or two during quality testing. The company on Wednesday confirmed that it had to delay shipments of the phone so it can perform additional tests. The report follows a story from Korea that said the recent Galaxy Note 7 explosions are what convinced Samsung to halt shipments.
DONT MISS: This is the huge iPhone 7 leak weve been waiting for
The Galaxy Note 7 is a flagship device that has been highly praised in reviews. People loved its features, its design and build quality. In our Galaxy Note 7 review, we called it the best Android phone that has ever existed.
"Shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 are being delayed due to additional tests being conducted for product quality," Samsung told Reuters.
Thats a major admission from Samsung that somethings not right with the Galaxy Note 7, even if the company would not offer any specifics. Samsung also didn't say which markets are affected we can confirm that the Note 7 is still being sold by all US wireless carriers and major electronics retailers. But whatever the problem is, the issue seems to be serious enough to warrant a quality control check after the phone started shipping around the world.
Comparatively, Apple faced plenty of criticism for its Antennagate (iPhone 4) and Bendgate (iPhone 6) quality issues in the past, but the company did not halt shipments at any point, even as it worked to resolve the problems.
Itll be interesting to see whether Samsung does admit battery issues are to blame for the temporary halt in shipping, and whether or not the company will be forced to issue a recall. You can still order the Galaxy Note 7 in all markets where the phone has been released other than South Korea, but you might be better off waiting to see what Samsung discovers.
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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
From Cosmopolitan
A former student and Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity brother at the University of Minnesota was sentenced to 74 months in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to raping two women in 2014.
According to the Star Tribune, Daniel Drill-Mellum, 22, assaulted the first woman in the laundry room of his fraternity house during a Halloween party and the second woman a week later in his apartment. During the trial, both victims gave extremely visceral accounts of how Drill-Mellum had attacked them, detailing at length the horrific violence they'd endured.
"I thought I was going to die," one of the women said, according to Fox9. "I kind of hoped I was going to die."
"Sometimes I passed out because I wasn't breathing steadily enough," the other woman said. "I would come to terrified and confused."
The woman who had been attacked at Drill-Melum's apartment also spoke at length about the awful, victim-blaming treatment she'd received during the investigation. In particular, she said one detective told her the case "probably wasn't gonna go anywhere," and that "Mr. Drill-Mellum had insisted that I wanted what happened to me, because I 'liked rough sex.'"
Despite his apologies in court, both victims said they did not believe Drill-Mellum was actually remorseful for his actions or that he would change his behavior. The Star Tribune reports he never once looked at the women he'd raped while they read these statements.
"He knows what his actions were," the second victim said in her statement. "All of this is permanent for me. I wonder how permanent it is for [him]?"
Drill-Mellum was convicted of two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and will remain a registered sex offender for the rest of his life. The woman who was attacked on Halloween said the sentence was "a victory for women and daughters everywhere" - which rings especially true in light of how similar cases of assault have recently been treated in court.
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Life on Earth is even older than we thought, Australian scientists said Thursday as they unveiled fossils dating back a staggering 3.7 billion years.
The tiny structures -- called stromatolites -- were found in ancient rock along the edge of Greenland's ice cap, and were 220 million years older than the previous record holders.
They show that life emerged fairly shortly -- in geological terms -- after Earth was formed some 4.5 billion years ago, said lead researcher Allen Nutman of the University of Wollongong.
And, he added, they offer hope that very basic life may at one point have existed on Mars.
"This discovery represents a new benchmark for the oldest preserved evidence of life on Earth," Professor Martin Julian Van Kranendonk, a geology expert at the University of New South Wales and study co-author, said in a statement.
The structure and geochemistry of the rock in which they were found provided clues to a biological origin for the microfossils, he said, which in turn "points to a rapid emergence of life on Earth".
The one-to-four centimetre (0.4-1.6 inch) high Isua stromatolites were exposed after the melting of a snow patch in the Isua Greenstone Belt of Greenland.
Stromatolites are formed when microorganisms, such as certain kinds of bacteria, trap bits of sediment together in layers. These layers build up over time to create solid rock.
These rocks themselves were never alive, but their existence suggest that the very simple single-cell organisms that made them were present on Earth hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought, said the team.
- Life on Mars? -
Another scientist was more skeptical.
Structures that look just like stromatolites can form without the presence of any living organism, Abigail Allwood of the California Institute of Technology wrote in a comment on the study.
"The interpretation of stromatolite-like structures has been notoriously difficult in Earth's oldest rocks," she wrote, and predicted the study findings would "spark controversy".
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"The case for a biological origin of the Greenland structures is limited by the information available in the tiny outcrop," she argued.
But Vickie Bennett from the Australian National University, who also worked on the study, said the research "turns the study of planetary habitability on its head".
"Rather than speculating about potential early environments, for the first time we have rocks that we know record the conditions and environments that sustained early life," she said.
The discovery could help the hunt for life on Mars, considered the most likely location for microbial life-forms among other planets in the Solar System.
The Red Planet is believed to have once run with water and had an atmosphere, which together with warmth, could provide the right conditions for bacterial life.
"The significance for Mars is that 3,700 million years ago, Mars was probably still wet and probably still had oceans and so on, so if life develops so quickly on Earth to be able to form things like stromatolites -- it might be more easy to detect signs of life on Mars," Nutman told AFP.
"Instead of looking at just the chemical signature, we might be able to see things like stromatolites in images (from Mars) sent back to Earth."
The earliest evidence of life on Earth ahead of the Greenland discovery came from near-3.5 million-year-old stromatolites found in western Australia in 2006.
The new findings were published in the journal Nature.
PARIS (Reuters) - France on Thursday called on the Gabon government to release details of local vote tallies after the opposition said President Ali Bongo's election victory was rigged. "The election result must be perfectly clear and transparent," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on RMC radio, adding that the election results should be published bureau by bureau. Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes, compared with 48.23 percent for his main rival Jean Ping, with a turnout of 59.46 percent, according to results announced region by region by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya. (Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau; Writing by Geert De Clercq Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called for an immediate end of violence in Gabon on Thursday, following the disputed re-election of President Ali Bongo that triggered clashes between the police an opposition supporters. "Within the framework of a political process, there's no room for violence," Ayrault said in a written statement. "I'm calling, therefore, all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid additional victims." Gabon opposition leader Jean Ping said on Thursday that two people were killed and many wounded when the presidential guard and police attacked his party's headquarters overnight. (Reporting by John Irish, writing by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Paris (AFP) - The leak of secret technical data on French submarines designed for the Indian navy was a "malicious act", Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Thursday.
"We will use every means at our disposal to learn the truth" in the affair, which came to light last week, Le Drian told reporters.
"Obviously, it was a malicious act," he added.
The Sydney-based newspaper The Australian said last week it had seen the leaked papers detailing the combat capability of the Scorpene-class subs made by French defence contractor DCNS for the Indian navy.
Variants of the submarine are used by Malaysia and Chile, with Brazil due to deploy the vessels from 2018.
Australia has also tapped DCNS, inking a deal in April worth Aus$50 billion (US $38 billion, 34 billion euros) for the design and construction of its next generation of submarines.
The Australian said the leaked documents totalled 22,400 pages and were marked "Restricted Scorpene India".
They included thousands of pages on the submarine sensors and thousands more on its communication and navigation systems as well as nearly 500 pages on the torpedo launch system alone.
French prosecutors launched an investigation into the leak on Friday, and DCNS said unspecified "national security authorities" were probing the matter.
The Australian said DCNS implied that the leak may have come from India rather than France.
The daily, however, said the data was thought to have been removed from France in 2011 by a former French naval officer who at the time was a subcontractor for DCNS.
The newspaper said the data was believed to have passed through firms in Southeast Asia before eventually being mailed to a company in Australia.
Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar ordered a probe into the newspaper report, saying the documents could have been obtained through hacking.
Australian Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne said last week that the leak was "embarrassing" for the DCNS and the Indian navy but had "no bearing on the Australian government's future submarine programme".
Nice (France) (AFP) - A Nice court finally suspended the burkini ban on Thursday after authorities in the French Riviera resort had defied a ruling by the country's highest administrative court.
Judges in Nice said the July 14 terror attack on the French Riviera city gave insufficient grounds to justify such a ban.
The decision Thursday follows last week's ruling by France's highest administrative court to suspend the bans introduced by around 30 towns, mainly in the sun-drenched southeast.
Nice and several other towns had ignored the ruling and kept their bans in place in the midst of a raging debate over religious clothing in secular France.
Nice was one of the first French towns to ban the Islamic swimsuit this summer, with city authorities claiming there was a risk to public order from wearing the garment after a jihadist in a truck ploughed into crowds on the city's waterfront, killing 86 people.
But the city's administrative court ruled Thursday: "In the absence of such risks, the emotions and the concerns resulting from terrorist attacks, and especially from the attack on July 14, are insufficient grounds to legally justify the contested ban."
The court also found that burkinis posed no risk to "hygiene, decency or safety when swimming".
The emotive issue of the burkini was further inflamed last week when photographs taken on a beach in Nice showed police surrounding a woman in a headscarf and a long-sleeved top.
Nice authorities denied the woman had been forced to remove clothing. They told AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken.
At least 30 fines have been issued in Nice since the burkini ban was introduced.
France's Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group challenged the ban.
The chief lawyer for the city authorities had argued on Wednesday that the burkinis did pose a risk of public disorder.
She said the city was "almost on the brink of civil war".
Five arrested with automatic weapon in Jumla
Five persons have been arrested with a Short Machine Gun (SMG) and its bullets from Bumramadi Chaur in Jumla district.
PARIS (Reuters) - The European Commission was right to order Apple to pay 13 billion euros ($14.48 billion) in back tax, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Thursday, backing Brussels as tensions flare with Washington over the ruling.
"The European Commission treated it as abnormal state aid... the European Commission is doing its job," Sapin told a news conference. "It's normal to make Apple pay normal taxes."
The United States has accused the European Union of grabbing revenue intended for U.S. coffers with the decision, comments that could cause friction at an international summit in China next week.
(Reporting by Leigh Thomas and Yann Le Guernigou; Editing by Andrew Callus)
PARIS (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Michel Sapin, who has also taken on the economy portfolio following the resignation of Emmanuel Macron, confirmed the government's support for state-owned utility EDF's plan to build nuclear reactors in Hinkley Point, Britain. Macron, who was one of the strongest supporters of the Hinkley Point project in the Socialist government, resigned on Tuesday. Sapin aid that EDF's board had given its green light for the UK project with the support of the French government. "It is now up to the UK government to take its responsibilities and I hope it will," Sapin told reporters. Following EDF's final investment decision on project last month, The British government has said it wanted more time to review it and would decide this autumn. (Reporting by Yann Le Guernigou; Writing by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Andrew Callus)
Paris (AFP) - G20 states must work harder to ensure a swifter transition to a low carbon economy, NGOs urged Thursday, notably deploring continued EU finance for fossil fuel-powered projects.
Major powers should revise upwards by a factor of six greenhouse gas reduction targets by 2030 to meet their commitments of limiting temperature rises to two Celsius under last year's Paris Accord on climate change, Climate Transparency said.
"Our report shows that while global emissions growth may be coming to an end, there is not yet the necessary dynamic to transform the 'brown' fossil-fuel based economy and into the 'green', said Climate Transparency, a grouping of international research centres, in a report released ahead of a weekend G20 summit in China.
- Brown to green -
"The G20 is responsible for 75 percent of global emissions, and its energy-related greenhouse gas emissions increased by 56 percent from 1990-2013," the report said.
"While the positive news is that this growth has now stalled, the negative is that there is still more brown than green on the Climate Transparency G20 scorecard," the report said, highlighting a 2009 pledge by G20 states to end fossil fuel subsidies.
Climate Transparency co-president Peter Eigen nonetheless praised summit host China for "taking more action than many countries.
"Climate leadership from China at the G20 Summit could help set the world on the right path to a future safe from the worst ravages of climate change," said Eigen as the report rated China, India, France, Germany, the United States and Britain best "in terms of investment attractiveness" while urging Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to do better.
The Hangzhou summit will push for the early entry into force of last year's Paris Agreement.
The global NGO group Climate Action Network expressed concern that the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development had assigned some 12 billion euros ($13 billion) to fossil fuel projects between 2013 and 2015 and that Brussels had earmarked some 1.6 billion euros for fossil fuel infrastructure from 2014 to 2020.
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CAN Europe coordinator Maeve McLynn said EU policies such as the Emission Trading Scheme were also supporting controversial fossil fuel projects.
"The EU proudly stipulates that it has been a leading voice in advocating for strong climate action internationally. It has also pledged to phase out environmentally harmful subsidies, including fossil fuel subsidies by 2020," said McLynn.
- EU 'way off track' -
But she said the evidence suggested "the EU is way off track to achieve this goal" while "its public funding is out of sync with the Paris Agreement.
"The Hangzhou summit is (therefore) an opportunity for all G20 leaders to pave the way for a smooth and prosperous transition to zero carbon economies," McLynn said
Last week, organisations including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth wrote to US President Barack Obama to express their concern that the mooted Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership could pose a threat to environmental protection standards.
LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Loud explosions and gunfire resounded through the Nkembo neighbourhood of Gabon's capital on Thursday as security forces clashed with protesters angry at an election victory for President Ali Bongo they said was rigged, witnesses said. Clashes over the election result started on Wednesday when the parliament was partially set on fire. Overnight, security forces assaulted the headquarters of opposition leader Jean Ping, according to Ping and witnesses. (Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Toby Chopra)
By Gerauds Wilfried Obangome LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Three people were killed and up to 1,100 were arrested in Gabon on Thursday, the government said, in a second day of rioting over the announcement of President Ali Bongo's re-election and his main rival's accusation that the vote was rigged. Opposition challenger Jean Ping accused the elections commission of inflating Bongo's score to hand him a slim victory and extend his family's nearly half-century rule in the oil-producing Central African country for another seven years. Ping called on Bongo to step down. Violent protests raged in at least nine neighborhoods of the capital Libreville, two witnesses and a police source said on Thursday, a day after demonstrators set fire to the parliament building following the results announcement. "We want everyone to see, to tour the city, to witness the level of devastation, destruction, violence organized by certain politicians who do not want to recognize their defeat," Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya said. He told a news conference that several television stations, supermarkets, shops, and private homes had been looted in Libreville and the city hall was targeted by arsonists. Violence erupted in several other cities and provinces as well, he said. Moubelet Boubeya said protesters had used grenades and police had seized AK-47 assault rifles, an accusation an opposition spokesman rejected. Gabon's sovereign dollar bonds fell across the curve with the 2024 and 2025 issue hitting a seven-week low on the back of the violence. Ping told Reuters in an interview that two people were killed and others wounded when the presidential guard assaulted his party headquarters overnight. He called for international assistance to protect the population against what he described as "a rogue state". "The only solution is that Bongo recognizes defeat, because he was beaten," Ping later told France's BFM TV. He said that contesting the results through Gabon's constitutional court, the official channel for complaints, was pointless. "The constitutional court, like Gabon's electoral commission, is a tool of the governing authority. They do what they are told to do," he said. Bongo's office accused the Ping camp of planning "coordinated attacks on symbols of the state", adding that security forces had in response encircled Ping's headquarters and clashed with his supporters, resulting in one death. WHO WON? WHO LOST? "The elections gave their verdict. I know who won and who lost," Bongo, first elected in 2009 upon the death of his father Omar Bongo, Gabon's president for 42 years, told reporters on Thursday. "Who lost? A small group whose only aim is to take power for themselves." The United Nations called for restraint. Former colonial ruler France, the United States and the European Union urged the authorities to release polling station results for greater transparency. Bongo's spokesman rejected the request. "Transparency exists," Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze told BFM TV. "Those who want a bureau by bureau count will only be able to do this by going through the constitutional court." On Thursday, a witness reported hearing gunfire and blasts in the Nkembo neighborhood, near Libreville's city center, while another saw protesters pillage shops, turn over rubbish bins to block streets and smash cars in the Avea neighborhood. A heavy police and army presence was visible on the streets throughout the city. "This is just a consequence of the current situation. This is because of the victory of Bongo against Jean Ping," said witness Alex Mbadinga, 32. Libreville residents said the internet was cut on Thursday. Social media networks including Twitter and Facebook stopped functioning overnight. Earlier in the week, customs officials seized satellite telephones they said had been imported illegally. PATRONAGE SYSTEM French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said there was no room for violence within the political process. "I'm calling, therefore, all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid additional victims." The office of French President Francois Hollande also called for calm, which "means a process to ensure transparency in the election results". Bongo won 49.80 percent of votes in Saturday's election against 48.23 percent for Ping, according to results read by Moubelet Boubeya on Wednesday. The announcement had been delayed by one day. Bongo benefited from a patronage system lubricated by oil money ahead of the vote. But economic headwinds caused by falling oil prices and crude production have led to budget cuts in one of Africa's statistically wealthiest nations, providing fuel for opposition charges that many ordinary Gabonese citizens have not enjoyed the fruits of oil wealth and suffered under his rule. The government says it plans to diversify the economy through investments in manganese mining and cash crops like palm oil and rubber. Ping, a political insider who has served as foreign minister and African Union Commission chairman, was a close ally of the late president and fathered two children with his daughter. An EU observer mission criticized a "lack of transparency" among institutions running the election and said Bongo had benefited from preferential access to money and the media. (Additional reporting by Matthew Mpoke Bigg in Accra, Tim Cocks in Dakar, Joe Bavier in Abidjan and John Irish in Paris; Writing by Joe Bavier and Tim Cocks; Editing Mark Heinrich)
LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - The office of Gabon's President Ali Bongo on Thursday accused the camp of his rival in a disputed election, Jean Ping, of planning "coordinated attacks on symbols of the state", after the capital Libreville erupted into rioting. "These were not protests but coordinated acts intended to incite fear amongst the citizens who voted the 'wrong' way," the statement said, saying that security forces had in response encircled Ping's headquarters and clashed with his supporters, resulting in one death. (Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Alison Williams)
Libreville (AFP) - Gabon security forces were attempting to storm the opposition headquarters early Thursday, leaving several people injured, party leaders said, hours after President Ali Bongo claimed victory in contested polls.
"They attacked around 1:00 am (0000 GMT). It is the republican guard. They were bombarding with helicopters and then they attacked on the ground. There are 19 people injured, some of them very seriously," said opposition presidential candidate Jean Ping, who was not at the party headquarters himself.
The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling tear gas canisters and had opened fire.
"For nearly an hour the building has been surrounded. They want to enter the building... it is extremely violent," he said.
A government spokesman said security forces had stormed the opposition headquarters to catch "criminals" who had earlier set fire to the parliament building as anti-government protests swept the capital Libreville.
"Armed people who set fire to the parliament had gathered at Jean Ping's headquarters along with hundreds of looters and thugs... they were not political protesters but criminals," said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze.
Results of the presidential election were announced Wednesday afternoon, handing Bongo his second term by a thin margin over a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official Ping.
Angry protesters took to the streets shortly after the announcement, accusing the government of stealing the election.
They set fire to parliament and clashed with heavily armed security forces, leaving at least six injured.
The opposition has described the election as fraudulent and called for voting figures from each of Gabon's polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of overall result -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union.
Formulate laws for polls pronto: House committee
The Development Committee of Parliament on Wednesday directed the government to formulate all the necessary laws regarding elections and submit them to the Cabinet at the earliest.
Beirut (AFP) - A garbage crisis has returned to Lebanon with trash piling up in regions north of Beirut months after the government headed off a political crisis over uncollected waste.
The local council in the suburb of Bourj Hammoud, where a temporary dump is located, have for the past week denied access to garbage trucks on the grounds that the authorities had failed to honour a commitment to open a waste-treatment plant.
In March, after an eight-month crisis which led to mass street protests, the government approved a "temporary plan" to open two new landfills, one in Bourj Hammoud to the north and another south of the capital.
But recycling plans have failed to take shape.
A landfill in Naameh, 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Beirut, opened in 1997 and was meant to be a temporary dump but an alternative site was never found.
For 20 years, the waste generated in Beirut and Mount Lebanon -- the country's most populous areas -- was dumped in Naameh.
The verdant valley swelled into a trash mountain of more than 15 million tonnes.
Furious residents forced the closure of the site in July 2015, saying it was leading to high cancer rates, skin diseases and breathing problems.
Uncollected rubbish began piling up around Beirut and its suburbs, emitting a horrible stench that sparked protests in downtown Beirut demanding a long-term solution.
After months of political wrangling, Lebanon's cabinet announced a four-year plan to end the waste crisis -- and its first step was reopening Naameh for two months.
Georgetown University will treat descendants of 272 slaves in the schools past as they would treat legacy applicants in the admissions process, the university announced Thursday as one in a series of steps it will take to address its associations with slavery.
The Jesuits who founded Georgetown sold 272 slaves in 1838 and used the proceeds to pay off the universitys debts.
Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia announced the measures in response to a report from the schools Working Group on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation, which DeGioia convened in 2015 to examine Georgetowns association with slavery, and how it should respond now.
The descendants of those 272 people have been involved with the working group in the last year, and the university today said they will get the preferential admissions status that descendants or siblings of other Georgetown students and alumni currently have.
As we join the Georgetown community we must understand that part of our history is this history of slaveholding and the slave trade, said working group chair David Collins. And that opens our eyes to broader social issues that are still unhealed in our nation. History matters up to the present and into the future.
Georgetown is also renaming two buildings, Freedom Hall and Remembrance Hall, to Isaac Hall and Anne Marie Becraft Hall (respectively), after one of the enslaved men sold and a free woman who founded a Georgetown school for young black women in 1827. The university also said it will create a memorial on campus.
Historian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Steven Wilder told the New York Times that he isnt aware of any other school that has ever given an edge to the descendants of slaves during admissions.
Nearly 200 years after Georgetown University profited from the sale of 272 slaves, the universitys president urged the Georgetown community and institutions of higher education across the country to act on a special responsibility to repair racial divisions.
We need to address, in our time, the consequences of the original evil of slavery, which were never ameliorated in any previous time, President John DeGioia said on Thursday, noting the role universities play in providing historical context and shaping constructions of race.
He urged the community to recognize its past. We have been able to hide from this truth, bury this truth, ignore and deny this truth, he said.
DeGioias address elaborated on the universitys plan to acknowledge and address its ties to slavery, based on the recommendations of a working group on slavery, memory and reconciliation. Georgetown will rename two campus buildings in honor of two African-Americans: Isaac, a 65-year-old man who was the first slave to be sold by Georgetown in 1838, and Anne Marie Becraft, a free African-American woman who opened a school in the Georgetown neighborhood. The university will also give slave descendants the kind of admissions advantage offered to children of Georgetown faculty, staff and alumni.
Students who participated in the working group and pushed for changes through campus demonstrations said they were pleased with the universitys actions.
Crystal Walkera 2016 Georgetown alumna who was part of the working groupwas one of the students who organized demonstrations on campus last fall, pushing for the buildings to be renamed and adding urgency to the working group efforts.
Slavery and racism were tied so intimately, the protests were not just about name change but the overall culture of race and diversity at Georgetown, she said, adding that shes excited to see the report be put into action, when its not just words on a page.
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Connor Maytnier, a Georgetown senior who was a working group member, said hes most impressed by the universitys financial commitment to the effort, which includes plans to erect a memorial dedicated to slaves and establish an institute for the study of slavery.
I think it sends a strong signal that the university is committed to it, he said.
The university did not establish a specific scholarship for the descendants but said they would benefit from Georgetowns practice of admitting students on a need-blind basis and meeting the full financial need of enrolled students.
I hope universities will look at Georgetown as a model, Walker said. Its OK to get uncomfortable and kind of be among this history in a way that makes people feel kind of uneasy because were all affected by it, so since were all affected by it, we might as well engage with it.
Georgetown University 1861
Georgetown University will award preferential status in the application process to descendants of slaves whose labor benefited the university, The New York Times reported.
In 1838, the school sold 272 men, women, and children for about $3.3 million in todays dollars. The money helped keep the university open during a period of financial difficulty.
The school also plans to build a memorial for the slaves, create an institute on slavery, and name two campus buildings after African-Americans.
In addition, John J. DeGioia, the president of Georgetown University, will offer a formal apology for the university's participation in slavery.
The announcement follows months of discussion on the proper steps the university should take to make amends for the benefits it reaped from slavery. No other university appears to offer the same advantage, according to The Times.
Still, on the issue of financial repayment, the university has remained tight-lipped. Georgetown has not indicated if it will award scholarships to the descendants of the enslaved a possibly raised by the Working Group on Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation, a committee DeGioia constructed last year to address the university's relationship with slavery.
In June, DeGioia spoke with Patricia Bayonne-Johnson, a descendant of two slaves it sold in 1838.
"He asked what could he do and how could he help," Bayonne-Johnson told The Times in June. "It was a very good beginning."
Historians believe that was the first time the leader of a prestigious university has met with the descendants of slaves it sold, according to The Times.
"I came to listen and learn," DeGioia told The Times and described the meeting as "moving and inspiring."
Georgetown University students
In a letter to the university community in April 2016, DeGioia outlined archival research to search for decedents of slaves as a primary focus over the last year.
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While many universities across the US benefited from slavery, Georgetown has perhaps one of the most direct links.
In April, The New York Times editorial board published a blunt condemnation of the role that slavery played in the formation of Georgetown University.
"Georgetown is morally obligated to adopt restorative measures, which should clearly include a scholarship fund for the descendants of those who were sold to save the institution," the board wrote.
The Times put this number at 12,000 to 15,000 descendants of the 272 enslaved Americans, citing figures from the nonprofit Georgetown Memory Project's statistical model.
NOW WATCH: Wall Street's unbelievable secret history
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By David Beasley
ATLANTA (Reuters) - A white former Atlanta police officer was indicted for murder and other charges by a grand jury on Wednesday in the shooting death of an unarmed black man in June, the former officer's attorney said.
Criminal charges of aggravated assault, making a false statement and two counts of violating his oath of office were also brought against James Burns, attorney Drew Findling said by telephone.
Burns has said he shot Deravis Caine Rogers in self-defense but prosecutors have contended Burns' life was not in danger when he fired into the vehicle Rogers was driving.
The case sparked protests in Atlanta, with many saying race was a major factor in the shooting. It was one in a series of incidents nationwide where unarmed black men were shot by police, raising questions of racial bias in U.S. policing.
Prosecutors were not immediately available to comment on the reports of the indictment from the grand jury, which met behind closed doors.
Burns was one of three Atlanta police officers who responded to a report of a suspicious person at an apartment, the Fulton County district attorney's office previously said. Burns tried to block Rogers, 22, who was leaving the scene in his car, prosecutors said.
Even though Rogers "made no attempt to strike the officer and Burns was safely standing at the rear of his own patrol vehicle," the officer shot Rogers in the head, killing him, prosecutors said.
Findling said Burns shouted for Rogers to stop and, when Rogers did not, it caused the officer to fear for his life and he opened fire.
(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Peter Cooney and Paul Tait)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Gernot Erler, the German governments point man on Russia, urged the United Nations on Thursday to seek sanctions against Syria for two chlorine gas attacks on civilians, despite Moscows threat to veto such a measure. "The United Nations should prepare clear sanctions, despite the Russian veto threat," Erler told Germany's Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung in an interview. "Moscow is obviously more concerned about being seen as a friend of the criminal Assad regime than in taking joint action and sanctions against this provocative treaty violation," Erler, a member of the Social Democrats, the junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, told the newspaper. An inquiry by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), unanimously authorized by the 15-member Security Council, also found that Islamic State militants used sulfur mustard gas. "The findings are clear," Erler said. He added that Russia needed to decide if it wanted to risk international isolation in this case. Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his war with rebels fighting to topple him, and China have previously protected the Damascus government from Council action by blocking several resolutions, including a bid to refer the conflict in Syria to the International Criminal Court. The Security Council on Tuesday began to discuss whether to impose sanctions on people or entities linked to two chlorine gas attacks on civilians that the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog blamed on the Syrian government. The report's results have set the stage for a Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, likely pitting Russia and China against the United States, Britain and France over how to respond. Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he is prepared to work with the United States on a response, but that first the council members must exchange analyses of the report, which he described as very complicated. Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington. The Security Council passed a resolution that said in the event of non-compliance, including "the use of chemical weapons by anyone" in Syria, it would impose measures under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which deals with sanctions. The Security Council would need to adopt another resolution to impose targeted sanctions - a travel ban and asset freeze - on people or entities linked to the attacks. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Frankfurt (AFP) - The German government has accused Fiat-Chrysler of building emissions cheating technology into some vehicles, in a letter to the European Commission seen by AFP on Thursday.
"From our point of view, evidence has been provided of the use of an illegal defeat device" in some diesel-powered Fiat-Chrysler vehicles, the letter from the German transport ministry reads.
Germany launched an investigation into emissions cheating earlier this year after Volkswagen's September 2015 admission that it had added so-called "defeat devices" into 11 million vehicles, designed to make them appear less polluting under regulatory tests.
German government sources have now told AFP that the affected Fiat-Chrysler vehicles include two Fiat 500x models, a Jeep Renegade and a Fiat Doblo.
"Step-by-step reduction of the exhaust treatment and a related step-by-step increase in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions" was found in testing by both German and Italian authorities, the letter continues.
Affected vehicles deactivated their storage catalytic converters and exhaust recuperation systems after six test cycles or a 22-minute delay -- two minutes longer than the standard length of an emissions test -- resulting in NOx emissions "9 to 15 times higher than the legal limit", it said.
But Italian authorities saw the shutting-off of exhaust treatment as a permissible exception designed to protect the engine -- sparking a disagreement with the Germans.
The transport ministry said it wrote to the Commission after the Italians refused to demand that Fiat-Chrysler recall and modify the affected vehicles so that they would conform to European emissions standards.
"We ask the European Commission to carry out a consultation with the Italian authorities to bring about a solution," the message concludes.
In the wake of the VW scandal, German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt in June said that a swathe of other carmakers' vehicles had showed irregularities in testing, ranging from France's Renault to Fiat to Japan's Nissan.
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He called on his counterparts from other EU nations to toughen emissions testing rules and require carmakers to explain why they included the technology in their engines.
- Blind eye to excessive emissions -
Fiat denies any wrongdoing. A spokesperson on Thursday refused to comment on the latest development in the saga, saying the carmaker had "nothing to add" to a press release on the matter issued in February.
In that statement, Fiat said it complied with emissions regulations and that its vehicles were not equipped with devices that could detect when they were being tested.
Under EU law, each manufacturer earns approval from its national regulator, allowing it to sell vehicles Europe-wide.
But critics say the system means that regulators can go easy on their own country's auto-makers.
Berlin has been under pressure from a German parliamentary inquiry set up in July, which is looking into whether the federal government could have turned a blind eye to excessive emissions.
The European Commission has so far downplayed the need for new rules.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has written a letter to the European Commission accusing Fiat Chrysler Automobiles of using an illegal device to switch off exhaust treatment systems in diesel engines, German magazine WirtschaftsWoche reported on Thursday. Germany's car watchdog KBA began testing vehicles of several carmakers after the diesel emissions scandal that engulfed Volkswagen , Europe's biggest car manufacturer. WirtschaftsWoche said the German Transport Ministry sent a letter to the European Union's executive body in late August in which it said the KBA tests found evidence that Italian-American carmaker Fiat had illegally used a device to switch off exhaust treatment systems. In addition, it found a "special nitrogen oxide catalyst which is being switched off after a few cleaning cycles", the report said, adding the affected brands were Fiat 500X, Fiat Doblo and Jeep Renegade. "Germany does not share the Italian car type approval authority's opinion that the device to switch off exhaust treatment systems is used to protect the engine," the magazine cited the letter, which was also sent from Berlin to Rome, as saying. The German Transport Ministry and the Italian Transport Ministry were not immediately available for comment. A Fiat spokesman in Germany declined to comment. In May, Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt criticized Fiat for not showing up for a meeting to discuss emissions irregularities of its diesel vehicles. Italian Transport Minister Graziano Delrio replied at the time that German authorities should address the issue by contacting Italian car regulators and not the company directly. Following German media reports that irregularities had been found, Delrio said in June that Fiat diesel engines had been tested and found to comply with emissions regulations. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Rome, Valentina Za in Milan and Edward Taylor in Frankfurt; editing by Susan Thomas)
Govt may pick envoys for India, China today
The government is planning to send Deep Kumar Upadhyay again to New Delhi as the ambassador. Upadhyay, who was serving as Nepals ambassador to India since April 2015, was suddenly recalled by the erstwhile KP Sharma Oli-led government in May.
* Transport ministry urges Brussels to contact Italian authorities
* Says tests could prove Fiat used illegal emissions devices
* Fiat denies use of defeat devices (Adds Italian infrastructure ministry source)
BERLIN, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Germany's Transport Ministry has asked the European Commission to investigate exhaust emissions of Fiat Chrysler vehicles for potential illegal manipulation devices, German government documents showed on Thursday.
Germany's motor vehicle authority KBA began testing the vehicles of several manufacturers, including Fiat, after Volkswagen's admission in September last year that it had cheated emissions tests with motor-management software.
The direct approach to the European Union executive comes after the German transport ministry raised concerns over Fiat vehicles with Italian authorities earlier this year and a subsequent rejection by Italian authorities of claims that Fiat and Chrysler vehicles used illegal exhaust manipulation devices.
This week's letter to the European Commission, which was seen by Reuters, said that tests by German authorities on the Fiat 500X, Fiat Doblo and Jeep Renegade could prove the "illegal use of a device to switch off exhaust treatment systems" and urged the Commission to consult with Italian authorities to resolve the issue.
A Fiat spokeswoman said on Thursday that the company's cars conform to current emissions rules and do not contain defeat devices.
The Commission, meanwhile, said that it is the responsibility of the Italian authorities to remedy wrongdoings.
"It is first and foremost a dialogue between the two member states concerned, with an obligation to keep the Commission informed and the possibility for the Commission to facilitate a solution if no agreement can be found," the Commission said in a statement.
A source at the Italian infrastructure ministry, which includes the national motor vehicle authority, said Italy had not received any communication from the German government on the matter.
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The source said Italian tests had shown Fiat 500 cars conformed to emissions rules and did not contain defeat devices, adding that the KBA had never said it disagreed with Italy's findings.
As part of a widening clampdown on health-threatening nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution levels in the wake of the VW scandal, the KBA tested 53 different vehicles and found that carmakers were making liberal use of what they described as a "thermal window".
This refers to the time when carmakers are allowed to throttle back exhaust emissions management systems to protect engines from potential damage from condensation when cars are started in very cold conditions.
During their investigations, the KBA found that a very wide range of temperatures was used by carmakers for thermal windows.
(Reporting by Gernot Heller and Barbara Lewis; Additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; Writing by Michael Nienaber, Edward Taylor and Isla Binnie; Editing by Maria Sheahan and David Goodman)
Girls in South Africa are protesting this insanely racist hair policy at school
Girls in South Africa are protesting this insanely racist hair policy at school
Students at Pretoria Girls High School in Pretoria, South Africa, have been protesting their schools new code of conduct that has racist undertones.
@ThomasSimpson01 Here is the #PretoriaGirlsHigh code of conduct that all enrolling children agree to. pic.twitter.com/KBu5NgCGIK I am an African (@Clint_ZA) August 28, 2016
One of the policies in the alarmingly restrictive new code outlines how students should do their hair. Many of the black students viewed this restriction as an attack on their cultural identity. According to BBC, girls with afros have been told to straighten their hair because it looks untidy.
This is about our identity as black people. Were tired of being told to be less than what we are so we can fit in, a protester told BBC.
High school girls in Pretoria, South Africa protest for the right to wear their natural hair https://t.co/BB3gzONHje pic.twitter.com/CKdE0RbMFX As It Happens (@cbcasithappens) August 31, 2016
A hashtag campaign #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh was started and showcases the incredible young girls fighting for racial justice in their school.
Her name is Zulaikha. She's 13 years old. She's been in detention for her hair before. She is the future. pic.twitter.com/xCmvVAfbnI The Daily VOX (@thedailyvox) August 29, 2016
Tiisetso Phetla former pupil at the school says, she experienced this #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh pic.twitter.com/QsTlSf9rTw Zikhona Tshona (@ZikhonaTshona) August 29, 2016
These girls have to protest their rights to wear their NATURAL HAIR at school. #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHighpic.twitter.com/9QdOrseaaS Chihiro Ogino (@WickedBeaute) August 29, 2016
Another policy tells students to not speak their native languages while at school. The Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, disagrees with the new code and tweeted in support of the protestors.
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Secondly, it is unacceptable to ban students from speaking their African languages at school. #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) August 29, 2016
To assert our language & hair, is to assert one's cultural belonging. Schools must embrace cultural diversity #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) August 29, 2016
People on Twitter are also using the hashtag to show solidarity with the courageous young girls.
My sister's afro is out and isn't here to play. Solidarity! #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh pic.twitter.com/A7EPVh1sA6 Ijeoma Opara (@_ijeomaopara) August 29, 2016
Love & solidarity w incredible South African schoolgirls & all standing up to racism #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh pic.twitter.com/QCGeWryEAG Mona Eltahawy (@monaeltahawy) August 28, 2016
(3) I stand with these amazing girls from Pretoria Girls High. It's time we stand up and speak out#stopracismatPretoriaGirlsHigh Kgomotso (@rudimental_304) August 27, 2016
The petition created to stop racism at Pretoria Girl High has almost reached its goal of 30,000 signatures in just three days. That is not surprising considering the bravery and fortitude of these young girls in their quest for justice.
The post Girls in South Africa are protesting this insanely racist hair policy at school appeared first on HelloGiggles.
His grisly propaganda empire seemed to know no limits. Filming the decapitation of journalists. Taping the immolation of a caged Jordanian pilot. Broadcasting the massacre of Iraqi troops. Nothing, it seems, was off-limits for the jihadist video empire built by Abu Muhammad al-Adnani.
As spokesman and external operations manager for the Islamic State, Adnani built a propaganda apparatus that drew recruits and inspired attacks around the globe. Now, the architect of that machine has been killed in an American airstrike, but the media apparatus he created will live on.
Fighting the Islamic States insidious, viral propaganda has proven a frustrating, uphill struggle for the United States and its allies. But the Obama administration believes it dealt a vicious blow to the groups marketing machine this week by taking out Adnani, the mastermind behind the extremists online stream of hate and Islamist mythology and architect of the groups ability to strike as far afield as Paris and Brussels.
The targeting of Adnani by American warplanes underscores how the fight against Islamic State propaganda carries as much importance for the U.S.-led coalition as the war being fought on the ground in Iraq and Syria, where the group has declared a so-called caliphate.
The 37-year-old Syrian, who was chief spokesman for the Islamic State, and later chief of a unit plotting attacks in the West and elsewhere, built up the groups propaganda arm as an influential weapon, with slickly produced videos and vitriolic social media posts that sought out online supporters and potential recruits.
Experts said Adnanis profile is reminiscent of Anwar al-Awlaki, a Yemeni-American cleric who was terribly adept at connecting with potential sympathizers worldwide while having a hand in the practical side of terrorist plotting.
Adnanis multimedia jihadist career was a repudiation of the staid techniques of an older generation of jihadi leaders, such as Ayman al Zawahiri, al Qaedas boss, who for years used smuggled cassette tapes to reach the faithful and painstakingly seek out new recruits. Adnani lived and thrived online.
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He put in place a communications apparatus that suited the times and matched the technology, said professor Bruce Hoffman, director of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University. He recognized the immense power and role of social media.
By combining the roles of spokesman and manager for operations beyond the ever-shrinking borders of the Islamic States self-declared caliphate, Adnani embodied the twin pillars of the groups global reach. As spokesman, he spearheaded a revolutionary propaganda campaign that inspired the groups followers to carry out dozens of attacks abroad and drew thousands of recruits to Syria and Iraq. As manager for external operations, he oversaw the unit that carried out spectacular terror attacks in Paris, Brussels, and elsewhere that claimed hundreds of lives.
Adnani has been a critical voice in ISIS propaganda, as well as in planning attacks outside the region, said a former U.S. official who worked on counterterrorism efforts.
It is hard to underestimate the shift in attack plotting outside of the Middle East over the last few years, and much of that shift is thanks to Adnani, the official told Foreign Policy.
The Department of Defense said Adnanis death represented a major setback for the Islamic State, as he had orchestrated its media messaging as well as a spate of deadly attacks in Europe.
But while Adnanis death may have inflicted temporary damage on the groups media jihad, its propaganda apparatus remains in place and will continue to exploit the sectarian resentments and fears of Sunni Arabs in Iraq and in Syrias civil war, experts and former diplomats said.
The brutality of the Syrian regime led by Bashar al-Assad, as well as hard-line Shiite militias in Iraq that have persecuted Sunnis, offer the Islamic State fertile conditions for recruiting, said Robert Ford, the former U.S. ambassador to Syria and a fellow at the Middle East Institute.
Its difficult to extinguish terrorist organizations like that as long as they have popular support, Ford told Foreign Policy.
Hours after his reported death, Adnani became fodder for a new propaganda battle, this time between Russia and the United States. A day after the Pentagon said it was trying to confirm Adnanis death in a precision strike in the north of Aleppo province, Moscow tried to take credit and claimed that its forces had killed the Islamic States No. 2 official.
But Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook flatly rejected the Russian claim, telling reporters Wednesday, We dont have any information at this point to support Russian claims that they carried out this strike.
Cook said the United States hit Adnani after extensive review of the target. And, in a potshot at Russian operations in Syria, Cook noted that Moscows aircraft rarely even target Islamic State objectives. Russia spends much of its time supporting the Assad regime, he said.
Adnanis death is not the first time Washington has tried to silence terrorist media by dropping bombs on the men manufacturing the propaganda.
Jihadi John, the notorious knife-wielding British executioner of foreign hostages, was killed in a 2015 airstrike. Samir Khan, an American from North Carolina who edited an English-language magazine dedicated to glorifying al Qaedas terrorism, was taken out in a U.S. strike in Yemen. And the most influential propagandists of all in the post-9/11 era, American-born Awlaki, was killed in an air raid after an elaborate effort to track him down.
Adnani, like Awlaki, sought to extend his groups reach. In a September 2014 audio recording, Adnani called for strikes on Western targets, saying, We will strike you in your homeland, encouraging Muslims to kill Americans and Europeans in any way possible. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, he said, according to a translation by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Analysts and U.S. officials consider that message a seminal moment in helping inspire a wave of attacks by individuals with little or no operational contact with the Islamic State. In San Bernardino, California, and Orlando, Florida, gunmen claiming to act on behalf of the group have carried out mass shootings. Though officials have found little or no evidence of contact between the shooters and the terror group, the Islamic State has eagerly embraced the attackers, calling them soldiers of the Islamic State. Its a strategy of inspired terror that bears the telltale signs of Adnanis fingerprints.
In May, Adnani called on the Islamic States followers to turn the holy month of Ramadan into one of calamity everywhere for the nonbelievers especially for the fighters and supporters of the caliphate in Europe and America. The shooting at an Orlando gay club, which left 49 dead, followed, in addition to bloody attacks attributed to the Islamic State in Istanbul, Bangladesh, and Baghdad.
As the Islamic State jockeyed for influence and recruits in the jihadi universe, Adnani also emerged as the primary protagonist in its war of words with al Qaeda, as he had in his formative years in Iraq after the U.S. invasion in 2003. In a message in April 2014, Adnani said the Islamic State had assumed the mantle of Osama bin Ladens campaign of jihad and that al Qaeda had deviated from the true path of fighting the unbelievers.
The U.S. government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to counter propaganda by Adnani and other radical Islamists through an array of programs sponsored by the State, Homeland Security, and Defense departments as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development. But it hasnt succeeded in preventing groups like the Islamic State from inspiring attacks around the globe.
A particular source of embarrassment for Washingtons efforts was the State Departments Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications.
The center, best known for trolling cyber-jihadists on Twitter and producing English-language counterpropaganda videos, has been widely derided as ineffective and counterproductive. Earlier this year, the center stopped producing videos in English and engaging Islamic State users on Twitter and instead started helping foreign governments run countermessaging centers such as one in the United Arab Emirates, or new ones in Malaysia and Nigeria.
Officials hope the center, newly branded as the Global Engagement Center, will produce better results by playing down its associations with the U.S. government.
Were not the most effective messenger for our message, Richard Stengel, a public diplomacy official at the State Department, told The New York Times last month. Theres no tweet from the U.S. State Department thats going to talk a young man out of joining ISIS.
The centers budget was tripled this year to $16 million after widespread complaints about its previous efforts.
Senior U.S. officials and commanders have long hoped that if the Islamic State suffered a decisive, lasting defeat on the battlefield, its propaganda appeal would fade, since it would no longer be able to sell the idea of a caliphate to Muslims seeking a return to an ancient ideal.
Although Adnani was a skilled propagandist, his track record as a battlefield commander and strategist was less impressive. While he served as the second-most powerful leader in the group, the Islamic State has suffered one defeat after another over the past year in Syria, Iraq, and, more recently, Libya.
If Adnani had survived, his propaganda campaign might have unraveled along with the Islamic States territory, Hoffman said.
A lot of ISISs setbacks lately could be laid at Adnanis feet, he said. Things have been bad and going downhill.
Paul McLeary contributed to this article.
Photo credit: Kronos Advisory
MADRID, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs and Citigroup will advise Goldman Sachs' infrastructure fund GSIP on the sale of its Spanish energy business Redexis in the next few weeks, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Spanish online news outlet El Confidencial reported on Thursday that the sale could be valued at up to 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion), citing sources close to Goldman, which bought Redexis in 2010.
Consultancy KPMG and law firm Clifford Chance are also involved in the sale, the sources said.
Representatives for Goldman and KPMG declined to comment, while those for Clifford Chance and Citigroup could not be reached.
Redexis transports and distributes gas to retail and wholesale clients in 26 Spanish provinces through a network of around 9,000 kilometres of pipelines and 600,000 supply points.
It had a core profit, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), of 136 million euros in 2015 while net debt stood at 840 million euros.
($1 = 0.8937 euros) (Reporting by Andres Gonzalez; Writing by Angus Berwick; Editing by Mark Potter)
MADRID (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs and Citigroup will advise Goldman Sachs' infrastructure fund GSIP on the sale of its Spanish energy business Redexis in the next few weeks, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Spanish online news outlet El Confidencial reported on Thursday that the sale could be valued at up to 2.5 billion euros (2.1 billion pounds), citing sources close to Goldman, which bought Redexis in 2010.
Consultancy KPMG and law firm Clifford Chance are also involved in the sale, the sources said.
Representatives for Goldman and KPMG declined to comment, while those for Clifford Chance and Citigroup could not be reached.
Redexis transports and distributes gas to retail and wholesale clients in 26 Spanish provinces through a network of around 9,000 kilometres of pipelines and 600,000 supply points.
It had a core profit, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), of 136 million euros in 2015 while net debt stood at 840 million euros.
(Reporting by Andres Gonzalez; Writing by Angus Berwick; Editing by Mark Potter)
While Salt Lake City, Utah is home to many wonderful things, chili oil like the kind that Jason McClure grew to love in Mexico was not one of them. Left with no choice but to make his own chili oil to satisfy his craving, Jason and his wife Giselle began recipe testing at home, creating a bold and flavorful chili oil versatile enough to add to anything they could think to put it on.
[tiImage is_image="1" image_id="223310" image_style="500x500" align="right"]
Each batch of their Chili Beak chili oil is still roasted and bottled by hand, using just a few carefully sourced ingredients. Unlike many other hot sauces, Chili Beak chili oil does not contain vinegar, which allows for the flavor of the chilis to shine through, balancing out the heat. After perfecting their original chili oil recipe, Jason and Giselle created an even spicier version by adding habanero peppers into the mix. This chili oil is not for the faint of heart, with the bright and fruity flavor of the habanero giving way to a lingering heat.
Chili Beak Habanero Chili Oil is available online and in stores across the country. Chili Beak is a proud member of the Good Food Merchants Guild, national association uniting American craft food businesses to connect, convene and promote Good Food businesses of all sizes.
Justin Bieber's credit card declined
Grammy award winner Justin Bieber was left embarrassed after his credit card was not accepted at a Subway outlet.
Anyone criticizing the Federal Election Commission as toothless must now reckon with this: Today, the agency took on God and Satan plus nearly 250 other officially registered presidential candidates it believes are bogus.
Dear Candidate, began the letter the FECs Reports Analysis Division sent to God for President, H. Majesty Satan Lord of Underworld Prince of Darkness!, Captain Crunch, Rocky Balboa and a cast of other characters seeking to challenge Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
It has come to the attention of the Federal Election Commission that you may have failed to include an accurate name of the candidate and an accurate principal campaign committee when you filed FEC Form 2.
The FEC didnt say exactly how the potential inaccuracies came to its attention. But it asked the recipients to submit additional paperwork confirming their candidacies or to withdraw the filings.
Credit the FECs awareness of these fictional presidential candidates in large part to Deez Nuts, the fake candidate created by a 15-year-old boy from Iowa who made national headlines when his support crested in an online poll.
He immediately sparked a rash of imitators yet another crazy sideshow during what, by most any measure, is a bonkers 2016 election cycle.
Perhaps FEC analysts also lifted their eyebrows when they saw God was operating His presidential campaign from a Staten Island shopping center that shares an address with Beach Bum Tanning and the Divine Furniture & Mattress Outlet.
Or maybe they were tipped off by the Everdeen 2016 Committee (Effie Trinket, treasurer), which put forth Katniss Everdeen for president with the address 101 E Avenue of Tributes The Capitol, CO. Any fan of The Hunger Games know Katniss Everdeen hails not from the Capitol, but from District 12.
Possibly its because Darth Vader so rarely files paperwork.
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Either way, the FEC announced a week ago that it was sick of the flood of fake filings and was planning to take action, beginning with the sternly worded letters, which note there are penalties for false filings. The agencys letters to presumably fake candidates note that if the recipients dont respond by confirming the truthfulness of their filings, the agency will withdraw them from the database.
The rush of prank filings left the agency between an Alexander Hamilton and a Butt Stuff.
The agency has no authority over and makes no judgement on an individuals qualifications or eligibility to run for office or obtain ballot access, FEC spokeswoman Judith Ingram wrote last year in a statement to the Center for Public Integrity.
Once a presidential candidate filing is submitted, the FEC is required to make it public.
Asked for a comment on the letters sent by the FEC yesterday, Ingram referred a reporter to the agencys policy, announced last week.
Of course, those filing false, erroneous, or incomplete information open themselves up to FEC fines and, in theory, criminal penalties, though the government would have to devote resources to going after them.
The FECs letters specifically note that removing the filings doesnt mean its waiving its right to seek penalties.
So Donald Drumpf, Pepe Le Frog, Obi Wan Kenobi and Reagans Ghost: youve been warned.
The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. Follow it on Twitter.
LONDON (Reuters) - British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Thursday condemned as "totally irresponsible" a plan by junior doctors in England to hold a five-day strike after the industry's trade union escalated a long-running dispute with the government. The British Medical Association (BMA) trade union on Wednesday backed plans for a full walkout of junior doctors from 0700 GMT to 1600 GMT for five days from Sept. 12, the longest in the near 70-year history of the National Health Service. The union later said junior doctors would also strike on Oct. 5-7 and Oct. 10-11, and for five consecutive days from Nov. 14 and from Dec. 5. Junior doctors, a term which covers recent medical school graduates right through to doctors who have been working for well over a decade, have staged a series of walk-outs over a new contract the government plans to impose next month. The government says the new arrangements are part of its plan to bring in a safer and fuller seven-day health service, but the doctors say it will result in them working longer hours at antisocial times, putting patients at risk. "The way to resolve those differences is to sit round the table to talk, it is cooperation and dialogue, it is not confrontation and strikes. That is why I think this action is totally irresponsible," Hunt told BBC Radio. He said around 100,000 operations could be cancelled as a result of the action. In May, the BMA and the government reached a deal to end the standoff but its members then voted to reject the new terms and conditions. The BMA said concerns focus on the impact the contract will have on part-time workers and those who work the most weekends. "This is not a situation junior doctors wanted to find themselves in ... but in forcing through a contract that junior doctors have rejected and which they don't believe is good for their patients or themselves, the government has left them with no other choice," BMA junior doctor committee chair Ellen McCourt said in a statement. There are some 55,000 junior doctors in England, about a third of the medical workforce. NHS services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, are managed separately from England. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and Paul Sandle; Editing by Dominic Evans)
It was on this day in 1807 that former Vice President Aaron Burr was acquitted of treason charges. The trial was truly a Trial of the Century in its time and one of the first big tests of the Constitutions Treason clause.
John Marshall
The clause reads as follows in Article III, Section 3, of the Constitution:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court. The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.
The Treason Clause was carefully worded to limit the charge to the most serious of crimes. Part of this was because of the application of treason charges, in a broader sense, in Great Britain.
The clause, as it was developed by James Wilson at the 1787 convention is Philadelphia, borrowed part of its wording from the English Statute of Treason, and it limited the ability of Congress to define treason. It also put a high burden of proof in place by requiring the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act.
Since the Constitution went into effect in 1789, treason charges have been brought fewer than 30 times. And the biggest treason trial was one of the earliest, featuring some of the same people who were at the Constitutional Convention.
Working on Burrs treason defense team in 1807 were Edmund Randolph and Luther Martin (as lead attorney), both former constitutional delegates. President Thomas Jefferson directed the prosecution from the White House, with George Hay, former attorney general Charles Lee (the uncle of Robert E. Lee) and future attorney general William Wirt assisting Jefferson.
How Burr came to be arrested in Alabama in 1807 was a long story in itself, but the brief version is that Burr was rejected by his own party, the Democratic-Republicans, for opposing Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election runoff in the House, and then shunned by the Federalists and others for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
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Burr moved west to seek better fortunes, which included an independent military adventure to seize lands belonging to Spain in Louisiana and Mexico (specifically, Texas), with the possible incentive offered to the western states joining in the adventure. His activities, to a lesser extent, had been public knowledge since 1805.
However, Burrs longtime friend, General James Wilkinson, decided to abandon the adventure. Wilkinson sent a message to federal authorities and to President Jefferson that Burr intended to entice the western states to leave the Union and join with him as he colonized new lands with the support of England. Jefferson then alerted Congress about Burrs plan and he personally ordered his arrest.
Jefferson himself never doubted that Burr was a traitor. Indeed, on January 22, 1807, he had pronounced Burr guilty of treason to Congress and the entire nationwithout a grand jury indictment, said Kent Newmyer, in his recent book, The Treason Trial of Aaron Burr: Law, Politics and the Character Wars of the New Nation.
In Jeffersons morally dichotomous calculus, Burr was a danger to the republic; in Jeffersons personalized view of the presidency, it was his responsibility to eliminate the danger, even if it meant breaking the law. Burr brought out the worst in Jefferson, and Jefferson brought out the worst in Burr, said Newmyer.
Chief Justice John Marshall, Jeffersons long-time political foe (and also his distant cousin), would preside at Burrs treason trial, since he was also the federal judge for the U.S. Circuit Court for Virginia.
At the trial, Marshall made the unusual move of issuing a subpoena to President Jefferson to deliver documents that Burr had requested to prepare his own defense. Jefferson only supplied parts of the letters to the court and never acknowledged the subpoena. More damaging was testimony that showed that Burr was 100 miles away from a scene on Blennerhassetts Island on the Ohio River, the one location where the government claimed Burr was planning an overt act of treason.
Marshall told the jury that it had to confine its analysis to testimony that an act of war against the United States had been conducted on Blennerhassetts Island. Marshall and the Supreme Court had narrowed that definition in an earlier case related to Burr called Ex parte Bollman.
No testimony relative to the conduct or declarations of the prisoner elsewhere, and subsequent to the transaction on Blennerhassetts Island, can be admitted; because such testimony, being in its nature merely corroborative and incompetent to prove the overt act in itself, is irrelevant until there be proof of the overt act by two witnesses, Marshall said. This opinion does not comprehend the proof by two witnesses that the meeting on Blennerhassetts Island was procured by the prisoner.
The jury quickly reached a verdict.
We of the jury say that Aaron Burr is not proved to be guilty under this indictment by any evidence submitted to us. We therefore find him not guilty.
Jefferson reportedly wanted the the House to bring an impeachment charge against Marshall after the Burr trial. But he had failed in a similar attempt in 1805 when the Senate tried another Supreme Court justice, Samuel Chase, after the House brought charges at Jeffersons urging.
Marshall testified at Chases trial, which saw an acquittal for Chase in a trial conducted by the Vice President at the time: Aaron Burr.
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President Vladimir Putin is reportedly a very private man, and gaining access to the Russian leader is notoriously difficult unless, apparently, youre a British schoolboy, in which case hell make room in his schedule to meet with you privately.
A group of 11 students from Eton College, one of Britains most prestigious private boys schools, flew to Moscow last week to meet Putin at the Kremlin. Photos from the rendezvous posted on Facebook have since been picked up by a number of British media outlets, including the Guardian.
It took me a total of 10 months, 1,040 emails, 1,000 text messages, countless sleepless nights, constant paranoia during A2 exam season, declining academic performance but here we are, one of the students, David Wei, wrote on Facebook. Guys, we truly gave Putin a deep impression of us and he responded by showing us his human face.
Another, Trenton Bricken, said that they met for two hours with Putin, whom he described as small in person but not in presence. (Putin is 5 feet, 7 inches tall.)
The Guardian notes that British Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have still not had the chance to meet with Putin. Johnson is himself an Eton alumnus along with a coterie of prime ministers, Princes William and Harry and the actor Eddie Redmayne.
It took me a total of ten months, 1040 emails, 1000 text messages, countless sleepless nights, constant paranoia during Posted by David Wei on Saturday, August 27, 2016
Designer Haider Ackermann has been named the new Artistic Director of the luxury menswear label Berluti.
Ackermann, a designer more widely known for the womenswear collections under his eponymous label than for his menswear pieces, will take up the position with immediate effect. He will present his first collection for the LVMH brand during Men's Fashion Week in January 2017.
The Colombian designer launched his brand in 2003, adding a menswear line in 2013.
"I am sure that his vision will bring a unique opportunity to Berluti," said CEO Antoine Arnault.
Manange sent to custody on kidnapping allegation
The Kathmandu District Court on Tuesday sent gangster Deepak Manange to judicial custody.
Hailey Baldwin isn't scared to get real.
The 19-year-old model goes on the record about her insecurities and the drawbacks to social media in a new interview with the UK's ES magazine.
"This generation has a lot of eyes on them," says Baldwin who boasts 7.2 million followers on Instragram "Everybody my age struggles with insecurities, so take that and multiply it by seven million people."
WATCH: EXCLUSIVE: Hailey Baldwin Buys A Super Cute Corgi See The Adorable Pics!
With such a large online following, Baldwin has of course waded through her share of nasty comments.
"There are people much older than me saying horrible things who have no business paying attention to what a 19-year-old does," she says before admitting, "It's not the best feeling in the world."
Ultimately, Baldwin realizes that being a public figure means opening yourself up to scrutiny. "It comes with the job. You just have to accept it and move on."
The teen, who is the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin, has learned a lot from growing up in the celebrity world, and even though motherhood isn't in her immediate plans, she refuses to raise her future children in the glare of the spotlight.
"When I have kids, they will not grow up around all this," Baldwin vows. "It's easy to become spoiled and pretentious and to have the wrong attitude."
ES Magazine
NEWS: Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin Show Off Their Killer Abs at Adele Concert See the Pic
On a lighter note, the blonde beauty also revealed her celebrity crush and no, it's not her ex-boyfriend, Justin Bieber!
There's another musician that has had her eye for a while now.
"I am obsessed with John Mayer," Baldwin gushes. "I love him. I just think he's so talented. I have his documentary in my iTunes. I watch it all the time. I know [his third studio album] Continuum start to finish, every word."
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She even met Mayer one night, while having dinner with Hailee Steinfeld at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood, California. After raving about the restaurant's "phenomenal kale salad," Baldwin detailed her chance run-in with Mayer.
"He pulled Hailee aside to say he'd heard her song and thought her lyrics were awesome," she recalls. "I was digging my nails into her arm, like, 'Oh my goodness, John Mayer told you your music is great?' I was tripping!"
Mayer may be just a crush, but Baldwin seems to have a thing for artistic men. Months before Drake proclaimed his love for Rihanna at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, the Toronto rapper was rumored to be dating Baldwin.
See more on Baldwin and Drake's hookup in the video below.
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* About 10 Hanjin vessels effectively seized at China ports
* Court says plans to start rehabilitations proceedings soon
* Hanjin ships unable to dock at S.Korea's largest port
* LG Elec cancelling orders with Hanjin, seeking alternatives (Adds graphic link)
By Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin
SEOUL, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd vessels have been seized at Chinese ports in the wake of the South Korean firm's collapse, further roiling the industry as freight rates jump and manufacturers scramble for alternatives.
Seeking to contain the fallout, a South Korean court said it would soon begin proceedings to rehabilitate the carrier - which would allow Hanjin to take legal action in other countries to keep its ships and other assets from being seized.
Rival Hyundai Merchant Marine will also deploy at least 13 of its ships to two routes exclusively serviced by Hanjin, while the South Korean government also plans to reach out to overseas carriers for help.
The court's move to rehabilitate the world's seventh-largest container shipper is seen as mainly procedural, and an eventual liquidation of assets is likely, analysts and industry officials said.
"Unlike dry cargo, liner shipping is all about marketing and service reliability - we haven't seen any large carriers come back from collapse," said Rahul Kapoor, a director at maritime consultancy Drewry Financial Research Services.
"There is a loss of faith among customers. It's very unlikely Hanjin can come back from the ashes."
Hanjin's banks decided to end financial support for the shipper this week and since then, many of its vessels have either been denied entry to ports or unable to dock as container lashing providers fret that they will not be paid. This includes the port of Busan, South Korea's largest.
The Korea International Trade Association said on Thursday that about 10 Hanjin vessels in China have been either seized or were expected to seized by charterers, port authorities or other parties. That adds to one other ship seized in Singapore by a creditor earlier this week.
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The collapse comes at a time of high seasonal demand for the shipping industry ahead of the year-end holidays.
Freight rates on some routes where Hanjin operates many ships have surged.
The cost of shipping a 40-foot container on the Busan-Los Angeles route has jumped about 55 percent, from $1,100 to around $1,700, according to South Korea-based freight forwarder Pantos Logistics. Rates between South Korea and the U.S. east coast via Panama have risen about 50 percent to $2,400, it added.
STRANDED TELEVISIONS
LG Electronics Inc, the world's No.2 maker of TVs, told Reuters it was cancelling orders with Hanjin and was seeking alternatives to ship its freight. It is also making contingency plans for cargo already on board Hanjin ships in the event the vessels are seized.
The Korea International Freight Forwarders Association said it has been inundated with calls from cargo owners worried about the fate of their shipments in transit to the United States and Europe.
While mobile phones and semiconductors are carried by air, other electronics like home appliances are shipped by sea.
"This will have an impact on the entire industry," said Cho Kyung-kyu, a director at the association.
South Korea's maritime ministry said on Wednesday that Hanjin's woes would affect cargo exports for two or three months, with about 540,000 TEU of cargo already loaded on Hanjin vessels and facing delays.
A Hanjin bankruptcy would be the industry's largest ever in terms of capacity, according to consultancy Alphaliner, exceeding the 1986 collapse of United States Lines. The shipper accounts for 7 percent of Far East-North America container trade.
South Korea's ailing shipbuilders and shipping firms, which for decades were engines of its export-driven economy, are in the midst of a wrenching restructuring.
State-run think tank Korea Maritime Institute estimated that shipping rates on Busan to U.S. routes would rise 27 percent and Busan to Europe routes would rise 47 percent in the near term, causing Korean exporters additional shipping costs of about 440.7 billion won per year.
($1 = 1,119.0000 won)
(Additional reporting by Se Young Lee in Seoul and Keith Wallis in Singapore; Writing by Tony Munroe; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump tried to solidify his statesman bona fides by meeting with Mexico's president, but the angry rhetoric he offered on illegal immigration at a later campaign rally contradicted his seeming willingness to adapt his message.
Was it a crafty political strategy to earn the Republican presidential nominee some diplomatic credibility while ensuring the loyalty of core conservatives? Or did Trump flinch under pressure from the hard right and abandon a bid to moderate his immigration position?
His speech Wednesday night in Phoenix focused in large part on proposals to crack down on illegal immigration, as well as how to handle 11 million undocumented people already in the United States, many of whom he accused of committing heinous crimes or stealing jobs from citizens.
Perhaps cognizant of the logistical and financial challenges, Trump did not commit to forcibly deporting all of America's undocumented migrants, although he starkly warned that "anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation."
The priority will focus on removing immigrants with criminal records, people who overstay visas, and those abusing America's benefits system, he said, promising additional resources to police and border units.
But he fervently ruled out any legal status for the undocumented, even after he briefly floated such an option in recent weeks.
In practice this would mean an extension of a precarious limbo status for millions of migrants, mainly of Mexican origin, who have been waiting for years or even decades to come out of the shadows.
Most Americans favor immigration reform.
Republican leaders, following their 2012 election defeat, sought to lead their party to a more conciliatory position as a way to broaden their appeal among Hispanic voters. But the effort failed, opposed by the ultra-conservative Tea Party movement.
Today, roughly 77 percent of voters support some form of legalization for the undocumented, according to a Fox News poll released Thursday. In July 2015, that figure stood at 64 percent. In 2010, just 49 percent favored legalization.
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- Who pays for wall? -
Trump, who for months has trailed Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton in most polls, is walking a tightrope on the issue, eager to expand his support but reluctant to antagonize his base.
"There's really quite a bit of softening" on Trump's immigration stance, the candidate told radio's Laura Ingraham Show early Thursday. "We do it in a very humane way."
He stressed that a decision would be made later on how or whether to conduct mass deportations, "once everything is stabilized."
Supporters of immigration reform interpreted Trump's speech differently.
"We were hopeful that Mr Trump would lay out a practical plan to stop future illegal immigration and provide a realistic solution for those currently living here without status," said Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, a group founded by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and others in Silicon Valley.
"Unfortunately, Mr Trump failed on both accounts."
The harsh speech cost Trump a defection: Jacob Monty, a member of Trump's National Hispanic Advisory Council, according to Politico. Another Latino conservative backer, Alfonso Aguilar, wrote that he felt "disappointed" and "misled" by Trump.
Democrats meanwhile said Trump's immigration rhetoric showed he is incapable of modulating his position.
"This same speech has been given throughout our history against the Irish, against Italian-American immigrants, against Jews coming from Eastern Europe. It is a deportation nation and they're all criminals and they're doing horrible things," Senator Tim Kaine, Clinton's vice presidential running mate, told MSNBC.
On Thursday during a speech to the American Legion, a large veterans organization, Trump assumed the tone of a future commander in chief, thanking Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for hosting him a day earlier.
"We can work together to accomplish great things for both of our countries," he said, while repeating their mutual goal of preserving jobs and industry "in our hemisphere."
One hiccup on his Mexico jaunt concerned whether Trump told Pena Nieto that he wanted Mexico to pay for the wall that he has insisted will be built on their shared border.
With Pena Nieto at his side, he told reporters they had not discussed the payment issue in their closed-door talks. Later Wednesday, he insisted Mexico would pay.
Hours later, the Mexican leader insisted that he had actually told Trump that his country would not pay.
Two police officers and one civilian were shot after police exchanged fires with a man during a raid in Christiania, Copenhagen, late on August 31. One police officer was shot in the head and the other was injured in the leg during the shooting, according to Copenhagen Police. The police later shot and arrested the gunman, who was in critical condition.
Christiania is a self-proclaimed autonomous neighbourhood in the borough of Christianshavn in Copenhagen. Credit: Facebook/Presse-fotos.dk
reed hastings ted sarandos
Wall Street is split on Netflix: some are unloading shares while others are calling it a "number-one buy."
Much of the controversy revolves around subscriber growth, both in the US and internationally. Netflix missed badly on Wall Street expectations for Q2, but boosters argue that this is a hiccup, and that Netflix's potential is still intact.
However, on the international front, there have been whispers that Netflix isn't doing well in markets where a high percentage of the population doesn't speak English, like Russia.
But there is one thing investors are missing about the international market, according to analysts at RBC Capital Markets.
Netflix recently disclosed that its pre-2014 international markets are on pace to bring $500 million in contribution profit in 2016. RBC's analysis pegs this at about a 20% contribution margin on 25.5 million subscribers. RBC notes that this is "very consistent with the profitability ramp of Netflix US back in 2012 and 2013." Basically, Netflix's international road map is working like it should.
"We dont believe many Netflix investors realize this, and thus, we believe that the market underappreciates the profit potential behind Netflixs international rollout," RBC analysts wrote in a recent note.
The reason is that while Netflix has maintained that its international markets could one day be as profitable as the US, there hasn't been much evidence, according to RBC. Netflix has simply had to spend too much on content and marketing in new countries for investors to give an accurate assessment of future profitability.
But RBC thinks this new $500 million number is promising, and that it signals Netflix can take over the world like it took over the US.
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From Cosmopolitan
Taylor Swift may not have been nominated for any VMAs this year, but she definitely deserves to win Godmother of the Year for her birthday present to Jaime King's son, Leo Thames.
On Wednesday, Jaime revealed in an Instagram post Taylor had made a donation to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, in honor of Leo Thames's first birthday. The donation would specifically go toward helping support the hospital's efforts in congenital heart surgery, and, in the caption, Jaime explained the heartbreaking reason why this was so significant for her and her family.
"At 20 weeks our son was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Arteries AKA TGA," she wrote. "He had a major heart surgery, that was terrifying, and traumatic for us as parents, for our family. Only a few of our best friends knew. I felt that I had to protect him in fear of the unknown, fear he would not make it. We felt isolated & confused."
She went on to explain Taylor had been there for her and Leo Thames through all of it, and had helped give them strength when they needed it the most.
"[Taylor] does so many selfless acts that go unnoticed because she does them silently, from such a great place of unconditional giving," Jaime wrote. "As the Godmother of Leo Thames for his birthday she gave an incredible donation to the people that saved his life, Dr. Alistair Phillips and his brilliant team. TS knew that by giving back in this way would be the greatest gift one could give to us, to Leo Thames and to all of those with congenital heart issues."
Wow! @taylorswift13 LT's 1st bday already?! He sends kisses & a bangin' 2 teeth smile to his Godmother in Oz. Weu! pic.twitter.com/IAmbObOnTk - Jaime King (@Jaime_King) July 16, 2016
Jaime wrote that Taylor's kindness made her and her family realize the most powerful thing they could do to express their gratitude was to be open with their story, thus raising awareness and reminding other parents they are not alone.
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"Our gift back is to share our story that anyone that is going through this is not alone, we understand & want to stand up to bring awareness in the greatest way possible," she wrote. "Leo Thames is the strongest, healthiest boy because of this team. He will live a full and whole life & never have to look back."
Follow Gina on Twitter.
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Hillary Clinton won the endorsement on Thursday of two high-ranking generals as the Democratic presidential nominee seeks to broaden her support among the countrys military leaders.
Two four-star generals, Bob Sennewald, former commanding general of the U.S. Army Forces Command and David Maddox, former commander in chief of the U.S. Army-Europe, announced their endorsement on Thursday.
Our votes have always been private, and neither of us has ever previously lent his name or voice to a presidential candidate, they said in a joint statement. Having studied what is at stake for this country and the alternatives we have now, we see only one viable leader, and will be voting this November for Secretary Hillary Clinton.
Clinton in her race against Trump has attempted to attract Republican support, reaching out to Republican donors and businessman as well as current top GOP officials. The deputy assistant secretary of defense under President George W. Bush, James Clad endorsed Clinton on Wednesday, along with others from Republican administrations including former director of national intelligence John Negroponte, former national security advisor Brent Scowcroft and former deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage.
Largely considered more hawkish than the rest of her party, Clinton supports a no-fly zone over Syria and expanded assistance to the ground effort to fight ISIS.
Clintons easiest avenue to support across the aisle has been through emphasizing her foreign policy chops. Some fifty Republican national security officials, including many top aides to former president George W. Bush, warned in an August letter that Trump would put at risk our countrys national security.
She has attacked Trump for saying the military is weak. I completely reject anyone, including my opponent, who calls the American military, and I quote, a disaster,' Clinton said in a speech to the American Legion on Wednesday. That is an insult to the men and women serving today and all who have served before who have put their lives on the line.
Trump has dismissed criticism from Republican security officials. Look at the terrible job theyve done, Trump said in August.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany and France are "extremely concerned" about the situation in eastern Ukraine, especially along the line of contact between pro-Russian separatists and government forces, the two countries' leaders said on Thursday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande spoke ahead of an expected meeting next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a joint statement, Merkel and Hollande strongly endorsed a ceasefire deal to take effect at the start of the new school year that was brokered by the trilateral contact group. The group is made up of Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Merkel and Hollande said the accord should lead to a lasting stop to the fighting that began in 2014. Merkel, Hollande and Putin agreed earlier to meet to discuss the situation in Ukraine on Sept. 4-5 in China on the sidelines of the G20 summit, the Kremlin said last week. A recent surge in fighting in eastern Ukraine and fresh tension in Crimea, the Ukrainian region annexed by Russia in 2014, have raised concern that a much violated truce agreed in Minsk in February 2015 could collapse irretrievably. The 12-point Minsk peace deal was engineered by Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France. Its aim was to end a conflict that the U.N. rights office said on Wednesday had killed more than 9,550 people, including soldiers, civilians and members of armed groups, since April 2014. Conditions including a complete cessation of fighting, a pullback of heavy weapons from front lines and release of prisoners of war have not yet been fulfilled, raising concerns the Minsk truce pact will not survive. (Story corrects contact group members to Ukraine, Russia and OSCE in paragraph 3.) (Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Manav Sewa combating problem of homelessness
Manav Sewa Ashram, a community organisation, has rescued 400 people from the streets in Chitwan, Kathmandu and Makwanpur in the last four years.
Guatemala City (AFP) - Honduras and Guatemala are the most dangerous countries in the world for environmentalists due to the persecution and even murder of activists, Amnesty International said in a report Thursday.
The London-based global rights group pointed to "an insidious wave of threats, bogus charges, smear campaigns, attacks and killings of environmental and land activists in recent months" in the Central American countries.
Amnesty's report looks at the plight of "individuals and communities fighting to protect the environment from large-scale mining, logging and hydroelectrical projects" in the region.
For AI Americas Director Erika Guevara-Rosas, the murder in March of Honduran environmentalist Berta Caceres "seems to have marked a deadly turning point for human rights defenders in the region.
"The lack of a transparent and effective investigation into her killing has sent the abhorrent message that shooting someone, point blank, for standing up to powerful economic interests is actually allowed," she said.
In Guatemala, the report said activists "have been constantly subjected to smear campaigns aimed at stigmatizing and discrediting them in order to force them to stop their legitimate work."
The smears include "being falsely accused and prosecuted as a way of keeping them silent," AI said.
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei has presented a new lifestyle-oriented model, the Nova, which has a 5-inch screen, and is trading on its ergonomic design, powerful camera, and battery life.
Russian-Swiss model, TV host and blogger Xenia Tchoumi co-presented at the event, promoting the Nova design features and camera capabilities.
It's to come with Beauty Makeup 2.0 and Beauty Skin 3.0 photo effects apps as standard, augmenting the use of a 12 megapixel rear camera on the Nova and a 16 MP equivalent on the Nova Plus.
The Nova Plus, which was announced at 429 in contrast to the Nova's 399, also comes equipped with a 3340 mAh battery for longer battery life.
Both have 3GB memory and 32GB internal storage, a fingerprint scanner, DTS Headphone:X optimized audio, fast autofocus, and will be available in Prestige Gold, Mystic Silver and Titanium Grey upon their October introduction in over 50 markets.
Hugh Jackman has paid an emotional tribute to his late mother-in-law Fay Duncan, calling her "one of the greatest women" he's ever met.
Duncan died Sunday following a long illness. She was 81.
The actor took to Instagram on Wednesday to honor Duncan, posting a sweet photo of the two together.
"I'm blessed to say Fay Duncan was my Mother in Law. She was one of the greatest women I've ever met. Wise, funny, loving, cheeky, generous, and a true leader," he captioned the above photo. "She had an incredible gift for always being right a. which must have been a true burden for her as she was also incredibly patient with us mere mortals."
"Fay, I love you more than words can express," he concluded.
On Thursday, the actor, 47, stood by his wife Deborra-Lee Furness' side as they laid Duncan to rest at her funeral in Toorak, Melbourne.
During the memorial service, Jackman performed a touching rendition of "Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage," reports the Herald Sun.
The couple were joined by a slew of their A-list friends who turned up to pay their respects to the longtime charity crusader. Eric Bana, Kerry Armstrong, Annie Peacock and more attended the funeral.
Jackman embraced his wife as they emerged from the church and walked alongside the casket before leaving the funeral together.
discovery channel
It took a tragic event to drive the business of millionaire twins Cain and Cam Roberds, stars of "Blue Collar Backers."
The Roberds brothers began their construction company in 2009. After completing several buildings from churches to retail spaces, the twins decided to add something new to the mix.
"Now, we're combining our construction skills and our business know-how to help back small business owners and help them realize their dreams," Cain says in a new video from the Discovery Channel series that Business Insider is exclusively premiering. "To be able to go out there and help someone else, I think it's just in our blood."
Being in business with a sibling isn't always easy, the brothers admit, because they're very competitive with each other. But they can agree on the importance of community, which was tested in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit. The guys explain that the towns that were hit by the hurricane are still struggling to rebuild the Mississippi coast.
"We're looking to be pioneers of rebuilding this area," Cain said. "So we're keeping our eyes open for any investment opportunities out ther."
On "Blue Collar Backers," which airs Fridays at 10 p.m., investors try to help save small businesses that have been denied loans by the big banks. But they don't just invest money into the businesses they invest their time and sweat.
For more on the show's investors, visit the show's Facebook page.
Learn more about the Roberds brothers in the exclusive video below:
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Brogan BamBrogan, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Hyperloop Technologies, speaks at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 3, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
The dramatic lawsuit between Hyperloop One's founders just got a little dicier.
The leaders still in charge of the company the defendants in the case amended their complaint on Wednesday, alleging that the plaintiffs created a fake Twitter account attempting to disparage one of them, which was then retweeted by thousands of "fake pornographic" accounts.
The LA-based startup developing Elon Musk's futuristic transportation system plans to have commercial hyperloop lines running by 2020.
If you haven't been following updates on this heated case, here's what you need to know to get up to speed:
Meet the plaintiffs
Brogan BamBrogan, co-founder and former chief technology officer
Knut Sauer, the company's former president of business development
David Pendergrast, the former assistant general counsel
William Mulholland, the former vice president of finance
Meet the defendants
Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and chairman
Afshin Pishevar, Shervin's brother and the company's chief legal officer
Joseph Lonsdale, vice-chairman
Robert Lloyd, CEO
What's new
hyperloop one
In the amended complaint, the defendants claim that the "Gang of Four," as they call the plaintiffs, met in BamBrogan's garage to launch a competing hyperloop company, illegally took Hyperloop One electronics filled with company information, and sought to "poach" employees for their new venture.
The amended complaint also claims that the "Gang" created a Twitter account to embarrass Shervin.
"The Gang's fake Twitter account does not have a single follower," the complaint reads. "The Gang has, nevertheless, caused its post to be retweeted exactly 5,000 times by similarly fake accounts, many of which are otherwise pornographic in nature."
Justin T. Berger, attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement to Business Insider that the allegations in the amended complaint were false.
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"This filing is nothing more than a thinly veiled publicity stunt. It contains nothing new of substance from the cross complaint filed by the company in July and is equally deficient as that one," Berger said. "If these employees had wanted to form their own company, they simply would have left, rather than engaging in weeks of protracted negotiations in an attempt to put Hyperloop One back on track."
The Twitter account in question does exist, and the tweet the amended complaint mentions is the only one it has:
Tweets by SiliconValleyMg
Previous accusations
bambrogan
In the initial complaint, the plaintiffs claim that the defendents misused funds and violated California labor code, among other allegations.
The complaint also alleges that Shervin Pishevar gave a vendor a raise because they were dating, and that Afshin Pishevar even placed a noose on BamBrogan's seat at work.
Their suit accuses the defendants of: violation of the California labor code, wrongful termination, breach of contract, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault, and breach of fiduciary duty.
The defendants, in their initial complaint, deny those charges, and allege that the "Gang of Four" was attempting to seize control of Hyperloop One, launch their own competing company when the coup failed, and that their lawsuit is an attempt to smear Hyperloop One.
Their answer also reads that the noose was actually a lasso that Afshin Pishevar placed next to BamBrogan's trademark cowboy hat.
Their suit accuses the plaintiffs of a breach of confidential information agreement, breach of fiduciary duty, and violation of the California business and professions code, among other things.
Timeline
May 26: Plaintiffs sent letter to defendants addressing their complaints, according to the initial suit.
June 5: Plaintiffs meet in BamBrogan's garage, the amended defendants' complaint alleges, to discuss their competing company, "Hyperloop Two" or "NewCo."
June 15: Afshin Pishevar put the noose/lasso on BamBrogan's chair.
June 16: BamBrogan, Mulholland, and Sauer resign/are fired.
July 12: Plaintiffs file suit.
July 19: Defendants reply with countersuit.
August 31: Defendants amend complaint with new information.
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IAMGOLD Corporation IAG announced that it has signed an agreement with the government of Suriname to buy an interest in the Saramacca property with plans of defining a 43-101 compliant mineral resource within the next 24 months.
The Saramacca property, also known as Anomaly M, is located in the Republic of Suriname in close proximity to the Rosebel mill and the Sarafina property optioned to IAMGOLD. The addition of the mine to Rosebel's mineral inventory is expected to support the companys future mining operations in Suriname. Also, this will extend the life of the existing infrastructure at the companys mines. This project will be a cost-effective way for achieving growth and will also provide good support to the economy of the country.
The terms of the deal include an initial payment of $200,000, which would allow immediate access to the property for Rosebel's exploration team as well as to data from earlier exploration activity at Saramacca to conduct a due diligence review of the property. Once Rosebel is satisfied with the results of the due diligence, it will pay $10 million as well as 3.125 million IAMGOLD common shares to be held in escrow, which would be released to the government of Suriname in about three equal tranches in 12-month intervals following the authorization of the agreement by Rosebel.
The adjustments to the purchase price will be calculated depending on the success of the drill program conducted by the Rosebel team over the first 24 months, but will be capped at $10 million.
The Saramacca property will require considerable future exploration to advance to a resource stage. Moreover, there is no certainty that the exploration target will result in a mineral resource being defined.
IAMGOLD CORP Price
IAMGOLD CORP Price | IAMGOLD CORP Quote
IAMGOLD currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Other well-ranked companies in the gold mining space include AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. AU, New Gold, Inc. NGD and Sibanye Gold Limited SBGL. All of them sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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Nature doesn't give a damn about your Instagrams.
While some consider a vacation in a faraway land an exercise in relaxation, we all know deep down that it's really just a chance to brag on social media with impressive photos from your trip. So when Tara Dalyntara from Thailand was visiting the UK recently, she needed to show off the scenery to all her followers.
After buying some ice cream at Brighton Beach, Dalyntara resisted immediately licking the cone for the perfect shot.
SEE ALSO: Women charged over $30 million drug smuggle; Instagrammed whole trip
But directly after taking the photo, a seagull swooped in to steal a bite.
Dalyntara shared a side-by-side photo to Facebook on Saturday, which has since racked up more than 33,000 likes at the time of writing.
Of course someone then lifted this beautiful piece of content, attempted to pass it off as their own and shared it to Twitter, where it has since racked up over 21,000 retweets.
Bonus: 100 years of kitten beauty in 60 seconds
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The head of Germany's powerful IG Metall union, Joerg Hofmann, on Thursday demanded that Volkswagen seeks talks with the United Auto Workers union (UAW) over a dispute about how to represent some workers at VW's Tennessee plant.
"IG Metall-chief Hofmann is calling for VW to no longer act contrary to American labor law, and to seek talks with UAW without delay," IG Metall said in a statement.
Volkswagen was not immediately available for comment.
In April, the United States National Labor Relations board filed a complaint against Volkswagen for its failure to negotiate with a set of employees at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee who had voted to be represented by the UAW.
(Reporting by Jan Schwartz; Writing by Edward Taylor; Editing by Christoph Steitz)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it is "very close" to concluding its latest review of Ukraine's $17.5 billion bailout and expects its board to consider releasing additional funds in the second half of September.
IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a regular news briefing that some technical issues related to the timing of further actions to be taken by Ukraine's government to meet programme requirements still needed to be worked out.
"I think we are very close to concluding" the Ukraine review, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told Reuters in an interview.
The government of President Petro Poroshenko has been "very focussed on responding to the international community requests concerning the fight against corruption, concerning the financial status of the banking system, concerning the latest reforms that were included in the programme," Lagarde said, adding that implementation of reforms was needed to sustain the programme.
Neither Lagarde nor Rice discussed the amount expected to be released to Ukraine in the next tranche.
Ukraine's finance minister, Oleksandr Danylyuk, told Reuters on Tuesday he expects about $1 billion to be released, adding that this would unlock an additional $1 billion in funds guaranteed by the United States.
The latest IMF tranche was initially envisaged at about $1.7 billion. Some Ukrainian officials have said they expected the amount to be reduced because of slower-than-expected progress on reforms aimed at limiting the power of vested interests and modernizing the economy.
MONGOLIA MISSION
Rice, the IMF spokesman, also said in the briefing that the IMF stood ready to provide assistance to Mongolia following a staff mission to Ulaanbaatar in mid-August.
He said the IMF staff discussed a range of issues with officials from Mongolia's newly elected government
"We're carefully monitoring the country's situation. We stand ready to support Mongolia and the government as it works to address the challenges that it faces," Rice said.
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He declined to say whether Mongolian officials had requested IMF funding.
Mongolia's economy, which five years ago had the highest growth rate in the world, has been hard hit by the collapse of commodity prices last year and the slowdown in commodities demand from China.
(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
Manmohan seeks two months to finalise sale
As government plans to purchase a private medical college, the members of the Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) has asked for two months time to reach a decision on the matter through their general assembly.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / Lundin Law PC (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit has been filed against Goldcorp Inc. ("Goldcorp" or the "Company") (GG) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between March 31, 2014 and August 24, 2016 (the "Class Period"). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period, should contact the Firm in advance of the October 24, 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.
The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Goldcorp made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that Goldcorp's mine in Penasquito was leaking selenium into the groundwater well near the mine as early as October 2013; that the Company informed the Mexican government about the rise of selenium levels in the groundwater in October 2014; that in August 2016 the Company informed the Mexican government of contaminated water found in other properties near the mine; and as a result of the above, Goldcorp's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When this news was disclosed to the public, shares of Goldcorp dropped 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.
This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some 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
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 2016 / Lundin Law PC (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit has been filed against Corrections Corporation of America ("Corrections Corporation" or the "Company") (CXW) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between February 27, 2012 and August 17, 2016 (the "Class Period"). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period, should contact the Firm in advance of the October 24, 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.
The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, the Company made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that Corrections Corporation's facilities lacked adequate safety and security standards and were less efficient at offering correctional services than the Federal Bureau of Prisons' ("BOP") facilities; that the Company's rehabilitative services for inmates were less effective than the BOP's services; that the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") was unlikely to renew and/or extend its contracts with Corrections Corporation; and that as a result of the above, Corrections Corporation's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On August 18, 2016, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates announced that the DOJ decided to stop using private prisons, since they are less safe and less effective than federal government-run prisons. When this news was released, shares of Corrections Corporation 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 some 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
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian power plants have enough coal on hand to operate even if nothing is mined over the next 50 to 60 days, the coal and power minister said ahead of a proposed one-day strike by some Coal India Ltd workers on Friday.
"The nation as a whole has sufficient supply of coal," minister Piyush Goyal said late on Tuesday at a conference in Mumbai, according to a government statement released on Thursday. "Even if no coal is mined for the next 50 to 60 days, the power industry can rest assured that they would get an uninterrupted supply of coal to keep their plants running".
More than a million workers across multiple sectors plan to strike in India on Friday for higher wages and to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's labour reforms.
The turnaround of Coal India has been one of Modi's main successes, and the company is producing so much these days that it is having to consider exports for the first time as there is a local oversupply.
Coal Secretary Anil Swarup told Reuters this week that a team of Coal India officials will visit Bangladesh soon to finalise terms of a possible supply deal.
India's coal-fired power plants had an average of 21 days of stocks as of last Monday, and Coal India has millions of tonnes of already-mined coal it has been struggling to sell.
(Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Guccifer
The infamous Romanian hacker known as "Guccifer" has been sentenced to 52 months in prison for a string of high-profile hacks he carried out against people including former Secretary of State Colin Powell to family and friends of former President George W. Bush.
He also exposed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, after he gained access to the email account of Sidney Blumenthal, a Clinton confidant.
The hacker, whose real name is Marcel Lehel Lazar, gained unauthorized access to personal email and social media accounts of roughly 100 Americans over a two-year period, according to the Department of Justice.
Many of those hacks led to the release of financial information, embarrassing correspondence, or personal photographs. For example, an email break-in of a Bush family member led to the release of artwork created by the president, and leaked emails between Secretary of State Colin Powell and a European Parliament member led Powell to deny an affair.
Lazar was extradited from Romania after being arrested in January 2014. He pleaded guilty to charges of accessing a protected computer without authorization and aggravated identity theft.
As The New York Times has noted, Lazar was not a computer expert. He operated on a cheap laptop and a cellphone, and used tools readily available on the web. Many of his "hacks" were the result of social engineering skill and months of guessing security questions until he got in.
"He was not really a hacker but just a smart guy who was very patient and persistent," Viorel Badea, the Romanian prosecutor who directed the case against him, told The Times.
He claimed in May that he accessed Clinton's private email server twice a charge the Clinton campaign has denied and that has not been verified by the FBI, which investigated the use of the server but found the contents "not interesting" at the time.
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NOW WATCH: It's going to be a bad year for the iPhone here's why
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IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit has been filed against K12, Inc. ("K12" or the "Company") (LRN). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between November 7, 2013 and October 27, 2015 (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the September 19, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.
If you purchased K12 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.
The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, K12 issued false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that the Company published misleading advertisements about students' academic progress, parent satisfaction, graduates' eligibility for admission into the University of California and California State University, class sizes, the individualized and flexible nature of K12's instruction, hidden costs, and the quality of the materials provided to students; that the Company submitted inflated student attendance numbers to the California Department of Education in order to receive additional funding; that K12 was open to potential civil and criminal liability due to these practices; that K12 would likely be forced to end these practices, which would have a negative impact on its operations and prospects; and as a result of the above, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details emerged, shares of K12 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.
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This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions.
Contacts
Joon M. Khang, Esq.
Telephone: 949-419-3834
Facsimile: 949-225-4474
joon@khanglaw.com
SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
Tehran (AFP) - Iran will build two new nuclear power stations with assistance from Russia, the head of its Atomic Energy Organisation said.
"Operations to build two new nuclear power plants in Bushehr will start on 10 September and it will take 10 years for the power plants to be completed," Ali Akbar Salehi said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
"We will save 22 million barrels of oil per year by building these two power plants," said Salehi, who is also a vice-president, adding that the project would cost an estimated $10 billion.
Salehi said there was a "cooperation contract" with Russia for building the plants, but did not give details of the partnership.
Tehran (AFP) - Iran denied on Thursday that a retired general had been killed in Syria, saying he was still in a coma after being shot in the head.
"According to latest news received on the brave commander... brother Brigadier Haj Ahmad Gholami is in a coma and therefore we request all dear ones and fighters to pray for his health," said a letter from his brigade published by Iran's Mizanonline news agency.
Gholami, an ex-general who served as a senior Revolutionary Guards commander in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, was reported dead by Iranian media on Wednesday after being shot in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
He was said to have volunteered to fight in Iraq and Syria.
Iran is the principal regional backer of President Bashar al-Assad, providing military as well as financial support.
It denies any of its professional soldiers are involved in combat, insisting its commanders act purely as military advisers.
But it also leads large volunteer forces, comprised of fighters from both Iran and neighbouring Afghanistan.
Mechanism on cards to curb foreign medical visits of leaders: Health Minister Thapa
Newly appointed Health Minister Gagan Thapa has said that the ministry has been working to develop a mechanism in order to curb foreign visits of political leaders for medical check-up.
ireland supporter fan irish football soccer
After the European Commission slapped Apple with a staggering 13 billion (11 billion, $14.5 billion) tax bill over its tax arrangements with Ireland, the Irish government immediately indicated its outrage and intention to appeal.
"I disagree profoundly with the commission's decision," Michael Noonan, the Irish finance minister, said. "The decision leaves me with no choice but to seek Cabinet approval to appeal the decision before the European courts."
But that decision to appeal might not be guaranteed.
On Wednesday, Ireland's Cabinet could not agree whether to fight the ruling by the European Commission the European Union's executive arm against Dublin's tax dealings with Apple, raising questions over any appeal and the government's stability.
Noonan had insisted Dublin would appeal any adverse ruling ever since the EU investigation began in 2014. But after over five hours of discussion, the Cabinet adjourned undecided until Friday, when the government said a decision would be made.
Dublin has just over two months at the latest to make an appeal against the commission's ruling that the US tech giant should give Ireland unpaid taxes of up to 13 billion ruled to be illegal state aid.
But some Irish voters are astounded that the government might turn down a tax windfall that would be enough to fund the country's health service for a year, and this appears to be complicating the Cabinet's decision whether to fight the ruling.
"Following the discussion, it was agreed to allow further time to reflect on the issues and to clarify a number of legal and technical issues with the attorney general's office and with officials," the government press office said in a statement.
Apple, one of many major multinationals that has its European headquarters in Ireland, has said it will appeal the decision, and a failure by the Irish government to join it could undermine the country's pro-business credentials.
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The Independent Alliance, a group of independent lawmakers represented in the minority coalition government, said on Tuesday that it was reviewing the EU's decision and would need to consult further with Noonan, tax officials, and independent experts.
If the Independent Alliance refused to back an appeal and pulled out of the government, Prime Minister Enda Kenny's Fine Gael party would no longer have sufficient support in Parliament to pass legislation. That would prompt the collapse of the government, analysts said.
"The government can't survive without the Independent Alliance," said Eoin O'Malley, a politics lecturer at Dublin City University.
"(But) the way the Independent Alliance appear to work is that they have Cabinet (discussions) first and then discuss it with each other. I would be more concerned if in a week's time the cabinet hadn't agreed."
There is deeply divided opinion
Tim Cook
As well as the Independent Alliance, Fine Gael also relies on an agreement with its biggest rival, Fianna Fail, to abstain on key votes to facilitate the minority government. Fianna Fail said on Tuesday it would back an appeal through the European courts.
Both parties were criticized by the left-wing Sinn Fein, the country's third-largest party. It said the government should accept the commission's ruling and impose the tax bill on the iPhone maker.
It also increased pressure on the Independent Alliance, which agreed to go into coalition in May only after an unprecedented 10 weeks of postelection talks and has already broken ranks on another vote.
"It is important that Irish taxpayers are represented," Sinn Fein's David Cullinane said in a statement. "The Independent Alliance have an opportunity to do that. They should oppose any appeal and insist that the correct tax bill is paid by Apple."
Opinion on the government's stance was split on the streets of Dublin, where some were stunned that they would give up a potential 13 billion tax windfall.
"They are doing the wrong thing. They don't care about the normal people," said Louise O'Reilly, 57, a full-time carer for her diabetic and partially blind mother. "There's two laws in this country: one for the rich and one for the poor."
At stake for Ireland is the lure of its low corporate tax rate, a cornerstone of economic policy for decades that has drawn investors from large multinational companies whose employees account for almost one in 10 of the country's workers.
The Apple decision also comes as Ireland seeks to market itself as one of the top locations for any company considering moving operations from Britain after its vote to leave the EU.
Dublin has already seen a jump in inquiries, particularly from financial services firms.
The commission's drive could check that advantage. The US Treasury warned that the move threatened to undermine US investment in Europe, and a spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said the UK would welcome any company that is prepared to invest in it.
Others on the streets of Dublin shared the government's concerns. "People need to educate themselves. If we take the 13 billion, we'll have a catastrophe jobs-wise," said Tracey Whelan, 46, an accountant for a private-equity firm in Dublin.
"Obviously we'd love it ... but it's a poisoned apple."
(Additional reporting by Conor Humphires, and Kylie McLellan in London; Editing by Andrew Roche and David Stamp)
NOW WATCH: It's going to be a bad year for the iPhone here's why
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DUBLIN (Reuters) - Growth in Irish manufacturing improved in August from it lowest in more than three years in July, but companies remained cautious after Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
The Investec Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 51.7 from 50.2 in July, when it fell below the euro zone average but stayed just above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction for a 38th successive month.
Europe's fastest-growing economy, Ireland is considered to have more to lose than any other EU member from Britain's decision to quit the bloc, which both countries joined 43 years ago.
The headline growth was driven by an increase in new orders, which bounced back to 52.5 from July's 49.9.
However, new export orders contracted for the third time in four months, and some panellists reported a drop in new work from British clients, said Philip O'Sullivan, chief economist at Investec Ireland.
O'Sullivan said companies were still willing to add to payrolls, but there were signs of cost containment elsewhere.
Stocks of finished goods contracted for a fifth successive month and pre-production inventories were down for the fourth month in a row.
"Manufacturers' preference for running down inventory levels points to a more cautious stance regarding the outlook, a sentiment that chimes with our own assessment of the sectors near-term prospects," O'Sullivan said.
Detailed PMI data are only available under licence from Markit and customers need to apply to Markit for a licence.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Larry King)
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel will carry out a court order to demolish the wildcat Jewish settlement of Amona in the West Bank by the end of the year, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday.
However, a proposed plan to simply move the settlement to a nearby location has raised international concern.
"I have said before and I say again to the settlers of Amona, there is a judgement of the (Israeli) Supreme Court and we shall honour it," Lieberman said at a Jewish school in the occupied West Bank on the first day of the new school year.
Amona, home to about 40 families, was built on lands privately owned by Palestinians, who successfully petitioned Israeli courts for the outpost's removal.
After repeated delays, the Supreme Court ordered the settlers' eviction and the demolition of their homes by December 25 this year.
Last month, Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now said that Lieberman's defence ministry was working to transplant Amona residents to confiscated Palestinian land a few metres (yards) from the present site, effectively legalising the rogue outpost.
"We proposed a lot of alternatives and I hope we can find an option that the Amona settlers will also accept," Lieberman said on Thursday.
The United States has said it is "deeply concerned" by the relocation plan.
"This would represent an unprecedented and troubling step that's inconsistent with prior Israeli legal opinion and counter to longstanding Israeli policy to not seize private Palestinian land for Israeli settlements," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said last month.
Washington issued a fresh rebuke Wednesday over what it said was Israel's accelerated settlement building, in the face of mounting international concern.
"This significant expansion of the settlement activity poses a serious and growing threat to the viability of a two-state solution," President Barack Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest said.
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"We are particularly troubled by the policy of retroactively approving illegal outposts and unauthorised settlements," Earnest added.
There has also been much international concern over Israel's plans to raze the tiny southern West Bank village of Susiya, which it says was put up without Israeli permission.
Nickolay Mladenov, the UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, made specific mention of it in a report Monday to the Security Council.
- 'Dangerous precedent' -
"It is sandwiched between a settlement and an outpost," he said. "The demolition of this community would set a dangerous precedent for displacement."
The village has been torn down before and its homes are mainly tents, caves and makeshift structures, along with a children's playground. The United States and European nations have urged Israel not to move ahead with demolition.
"The place has suddenly become a point of dispute," the ultra-nationalist Lieberman, himself a settler, told the pupils, in recorded remarks distributed by his office.
"The European Union, the USA, I get messages from all over the world. "Everybody has discovered Susiya," he said.
He said that in the same way he would obey court orders to tear down Amona he would do the same with regard to unauthorised Palestinian construction in Susiya.
"I think that the world, especially the free world... needs to respect our judicial system and it cannot be that it demands one thing of the Amona settlers and something else regarding what happens in Susiya."
He said that he had agreed to postpone demolition at Susiya pending examination of alternatives for its approximately 300 residents.
"I was asked to come up with a plan and there will be a hearing in the Supreme Court,' he said.
"We agreed to postpone a decision on Susiya for three months," he added. "There too we shall search for alternatives and solutions."
Nablus (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli troops clashed with Palestinian protesters at a flashpoint shrine in the occupied West Bank overnight, leaving one soldier shot and wounded, authorities said on Thursday.
A spokeswoman for Beilinson Hospital, near Tel Aviv, said the soldier was listed in "moderate" condition.
An army statement said the soldier was part of a detachment of troops and border police which "accompanied Jewish worshippers to Joseph's Tomb in Nablus."
Israeli media said they reached the shrine inside the northern West Bank city's Balata refugee camp in a convoy of 16 buses accompanied by military vehicles.
"During the activity, shots were fired at the forces, wounding a soldier," army spokesman Peter Lerner said.
Palestinian medical officials said they had no reports of any serious Palestinian casualties.
They said a number of people suffered from inhalation of tear gas fired by the Israeli forces as the Jewish visitors' buses came under attack from Palestinian stone-throwers.
Israeli media said petrol bombs were thrown at troops and police, who responded with "riot dispersal means", which generally refers to tear gas or rubber bullets.
Last week, Israeli security forces were called to Joseph's Tomb to rescue about 60 ultra-Orthodox Jews who had been targeted by stones by Palestinians when they made an unauthorised pre-dawn trip.
Many Jews belive the tomb holds the remains of the patriarch Joseph.
The Old Testament says he was a son of Jacob, sold into slavery by his brothers, before rising to become vizier of Egypt.
Palestinians believe an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef Dweikat, was buried there two centuries ago and the Palestinian office of religious sites considers it to be an Islamic archaeological monument.
Once a month, the Israeli army runs escorted nightime visits to the tomb by Jewish pilgrims but there are frequent attempts at wildcat pilgrimages.
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The tomb, which has been the scene of repeated clashes, was torched in October 2015 and later repaired.
In October 2000, at the start of the second intifada, or uprising, Palestinians partly destroyed it after driving out an Israeli border police detachment stationed there.
Six Palestinians and one of the policemen died in the fighting.
I want to make this very clear, Issa Rae says as she describes Insecure, the HBO comedy she created and stars on. This is not the quintessential black-woman experience. Its a very specific experience.
The emphasis is unnecessary. Rae, whose popular web series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl and memoir with the same title helped establish her as a rising star, has no trouble getting her points across. And her show, based in large part on conversations between Rae and her real-life friends, crash-lands into a TV landscape where there are finally more than a few nonwhite characters who are not just tokens. Insecure, which premieres Oct. 9, is about as far from a generic idea of the black-woman experience as it gets.
Raes character, also called Issa, shares a sharp wit with her creator but lacks direction in work and in her relationship. Shes me if I didnt know what I wanted to do, says Rae. Working at a nonprofit for inner-city kids, Issathe characteris fatigued by her white co-workers, who treat her with a mix of condescension and curiosity. Issa, one asks, looking for a definition, Whats on fleek? She shares a close but at times uneasy friendship with high-flying corporate lawyer Molly (Yvonne Orji), and seems to stay in her relationship with live-in boyfriend Lawrence (Jay Ellis) more out of inertia rather than love. Both serve to remind her that shes not getting what she wants out of life.
Its a surprising vein to tap into for a person whod appear to be in among Hollywoods more enviable positions. How does one make a show all about youthful unsteadinessless about the fear of failure than the active knowledge one is failingwhen, with your own half-hour on HBO, youre closer to superstardom than most could dream? But Insecure hasnt dispelled insecurities for Rae, who notes that her YouTube start is seen as kind of lowbrow.
You didnt come up the traditional wayyou kind of broke in, is the perception on many fronts, she says. When Im in a room with the bigger movie stars and the television stars and the people whove been doing this for a while Even though I can call some of the showrunners my mentors, I still feel insecure about my own place in Hollywood.
Rae had already been through the TV machine by the time Insecure started filming; a past pilot, I Hate L.A. Dudes, which shed worked on for ABC with Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes, was not picked up. During that process, I was eager to please and kind of lost my own voice. I wasnt cemented in my voice in the same way, she says. (She now works with showrunner Prentice Penny, whose producing credits include Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Happy Endings.)
Larry Wilmore, who co-wrote the first episode before departing to host the recently-cancelled Nightly Show, recalls being surprised at their first meeting. I loved the fact [that] shes an entrepreneurshe did it on her own. And then when I met with her, I was even more pleased. I couldnt believe how mature an artist she was for somebody who was supposed to be green.
Whats perhaps most surprising about Insecure is its assertive specificity. This is not the work of an artist willing to compromise or lay out a road map to welcome viewers in; its a show whose laughs are built on just how well its creators understand its South L.A., hip hop-inflected milieu not often seen on TV. Raes character raps into the mirror as well as onstage, mocking Mollys broken pussy in an incendiary freestyle; the students she tepidly tries to help berate her.
I always talk about Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rae says. Im not Jewish, and theres a lot of stuff thats [culturally] specific to that show that I didnt get, that I had to look up! And thats fineI still enjoyed the show. I feel that way about our show.
Its an interesting comparison, and not the expected one, to the semiautobiographical current HBO series created by and starring a young woman. (Rae also compares her show to Entourage, saying she hopes it does for South L.A. what the bro-centric comedy did for Beverly Hillsanother unexpected comparison.) But if Girlss title and early episodes positioned the show as something of a statement about an entire generation, Insecure leans from its first moments away from archetypes and into character.
As a result, political or cultural flashpoints that find their way into the worklike Mollys code-switching, shifting effortlessly from corporatespeak to, with Issa, more relaxed vernacularseem to arise organically. I didnt think, This is an issue plaguing the community that I want to address, any more than anybody else did, Rae says. Whats refreshing about this time is that because there are so many other shows with creators of color, the onus isnt just on us. Thats a great thing.
Those shows include black-ish, Scandal, and Empire, as well as upcoming fall shows Atlanta (created by Donald Glover for FX) and Queen Sugar (Ava DuVernay for OWN). While all depict the black experience, none are solely about being black in the tokenistic way of TV history. All feature characters who are people first; viewers who cant get past that are doomed to miss out.
Still, core HBO viewers staying tuned after the upper-middle-class comedy of manners Divorce might experience whiplash. Her landscape is not crowded right now. In the world of HBO, Showtimetheres nobody doing what shes doing, says Wilmore. She gets to stand on her own, which is fantastic. Its an opportunity, and a challenge: Rae is blazing a trail on premium cable.
But if anyone has the motivation, its a writer for whom bootstrapping a YouTube series isnt far in the rear-view mirror. Rae says the possibility of being pulled back to a cubicle still drives her. Im still, to a degree, scarred by the stuff I hated about working a 9-to-5, Rae says. Any time I feel like getting lazy or procrastinating in my current situation, I always think back to that. Bitch, do you want to still be at that 9-to-5? And I act right.
By Steve Scherer ROME (Reuters) - Italy's prime minister on Thursday poured cold water on a campaign promoted by his health minister aimed at convincing couples to have more children. "I don't know of any of my friends who had kids after they saw an advertisement," Matteo Renzi said in a radio interview. He was speaking a day after the ministry announced it would host meetings in four cities to encourage couples to have children. Italy has an aging population and the fertility rate in Italy last year was 1.35 children per woman, compared with an EU average of 1.6. In 2015, fewer babies were born in Italy than in any year since the modern state was founded 154 years ago, and the population shrank for the first time in three decades. "If you want to create a society that invests in its future and has children, you have to make sure the underlying conditions are there," such as making sure the parents have stable jobs and day-care services, Renzi said. Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin launched the campaign on Wednesday with the @FertilityDay Twitter handle and a series of online ads. One pictured a woman holding an hourglass next to the words: "Beauty has no age limit. Fertility does." Another pictured a man holding a half-burned cigarette. "Don't let your sperm go up in smoke," it said. The Fertility Day campaign also set off criticism on social media for appearing to blame women for putting off child-bearing, and for appearing not to understand the real causes for Italy's low birth rate. "Before bringing children into the world, women responsibly consider the future," lawmakers from the opposition 5-Star Movement said in a statement. "There's no work. People aren't having kids because it's not possible." Lorenzin is a member of a centrist bloc, considered close to the Catholic Church, that is allied with Renzi's Democratic Party. The cities of Rome, Padua, Bologna and Catania will hold public meetings on Sept. 22 - or Fertility Day - where "Fertility Villages" will be set up to host experts, associations and scientific companies who will offer advice and screening. (Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Alibaba (: ) founder Jack Ma told CNBC on Thursday he's not worried about anti- China sentiment on the U.S. campaign trail because people will come to their senses after the election.
"I'm 52 years old now. I've seen a lot of American presidential elections, and every time before the elections, they are always anti-China," the executive chairman of the Chinese e-commerce giant said. "Many years ago [they were] anti-Soviet Union, now [they are] anti-China."
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump frequently says America will "win" against China if he is elected president, and he accuses the country for currency manipulation and intellectual property theft. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has called out China for its "aggressive actions" in the Asia-Pacific region.
Both candidates have struck an anti-globalization tone and say they oppose a trade deal among 12 Pacific Rim nations supported by President Barack Obama . China is not a party to the deal.
Ma, an outspoken proponent of globalization, will present his plan for a Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), an online exchange to help promote global trade, at this week's G-20 meeting in Hangzhou, China. The eWTP's goal, according to Ma, would be to help small businesses buy and sell abroad over the Internet and have access to special free trade zones in various countries.
"I think globalization is a great thing ... [but it] is not perfect ... we have to improve globalization. Now this period is called the growing pain of globalization," he told CNBC on the sidelines of the meeting. "The last 20 years, globalization was helping big companies, developed nations."
A key component of the anti-globalization tone seen around the world is anti-trade sentiment, which is frequently directed towards countries such as China and India, where the relative cost of production is lower.
Common arguments put forward against free trade include foreign companies undercutting local businesses by selling goods at a much cheaper price, and local jobs being outsourced by multinationals to countries where the labor cost is much lower.
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But Ma disagreed, likening trade to freedom. "Trade is something [that] killed the wars...[it is] a communication of cultures and values."
A reversal of globalization due to the rise of anti-trade rhetoric and increasing protectionism would prove to be a "disaster" for the world, according to Ma, particularly for the younger generation.
Alibaba is one of China's most valuable technology behemoths, with notable success in establishing an e-commerce service that has seen transactions carried out by third-party sellers on its platforms amount to as much as 837 billion yuan in its latest results . Globally, Alibaba's competitors include the likes of Amazon and e-Bay.
"Somebody has to stand up and say hey, we should not be anti-trade," said Ma.
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Hong Kong Chinese actor, director, producer, and stunt artist Jackie Chan is one of four members of the film industry who will receive an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards in November.
Jackie Chan has more than 130 acting credits to his name, starting his martial arts breakthrough with Jon Woo's "Hand of Death" in 1976 and later becoming known for an atypical mixture of explosive action, heartfelt intention, original stunts, and pratfall comedy.
Today he has "The Karate Kid 2," "Kung-Fu Yoga," "The Nut Job 2" and a Lego Ninjago movie among his upcoming films.
Recognized alongside him at the 8th Annual Governors Awards on November 12, 2016, will be
casting director Lynn Stalmaster, documentarian Frederick Wiseman, and film editor Anne Coates.
Stalmaster's achievements include "Gunsmoke," "Superman," "Tootsie" and "Deliverance," Coates received an Oscar for "Lawrence of Arabia" and four additional nominations over the course of her career, and Wiseman has three Emmys to his name (1969's "Law and Order" and two for 1970's "Hospital.")
Jackie Chan is getting his golden moment.
The popular international star is set to receive an honorary Oscar at this year's Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Aside from the Rush Hour actor, other honorees will include veteran documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, film editor Anne V. Coates and casting director Lynn Stalmaster.
The awards will be handed out on Nov. 12 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland.
"The Honorary Award was created for artists like Jackie Chan, Anne Coates, Lynn Stalmaster and Frederick Wiseman true pioneers and legends in their crafts," AMPAS president Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in a statement. "The Board is proud to honor their extraordinary achievements, and we look forward to celebrating with them at the Governors Awards in November.a
They'll follow in the footsteps of Debbie Reynolds, Gena Rowlands and Spike Lee, who received last year's honorary Oscars.
Despite his massive popularity, prolific output (more than 130 films) and immense box-office appeal, Chan has never been nominated for an Oscar the honorary statuette will be his first.
VIDEO: You'll Never Guess What the 2016 Oscars' Most Buzzed-About Moment Was
Wiseman has more than 40 documentaries on his resume, including last year's In Jackson Heights, about the culturally diverse New York City neighborhood.
Coates has worked on such projects as Fifty Shades of Grey and Erin Brockovich, while Stalmaster was casting director on films like Frankie and Johnny and The Bonfire of the Vanities.
James Franco is returning to the Venice Film Festival this weekend with his most recent directorial effort, In Dubious Battle. The film falls in line with the multihyphenates penchant for adapting works by classic American authors, and after tackling William Faulkner, hes on to John Steinbeck.
Originally published in 1936, In Dubious Battle is the least-known title in the authors unofficial Dustbowl Trilogy which also includes Of Mice And Men and The Grapes Of Wrath. Set during a Great Depression labor dispute, its 99% v 1% themes remain relevant today.
Franco stars alongside Nat Wolff and an impressive ensemble cast that includes Robert Duvall, Vincent DOnofrio, Bryan Cranston, Ed Harris, Sam Shepard, Selena Gomez, Josh Hutcherson, Ashley Greene, John Savage and Zach Braff.
Wolff plays Jim Nolan, a young recruit who joins Francos activist Mac McLeod to organize a group of California fruit-pickers oppressed by Duvalls ruthless tycoon. The film chronicles their infiltration of the workers world, the ensuing strike and how they help and hinder the situation and at what cost. Check out the trailer here.
Franco, who continues to straddle genres and media, says he chose the book after he had done Of Mice And Men on Broadway. The ideal medium for that, he tells me, is the play because of the setting and what actors can bring to a story that doesnt move around a lot. Steinbeck, he feels, grew as a writer with both Mice and Grapes Of Wrath. But In Dubious Battle, which was written first, shows him as more of a beginner, and in particular one of the things he learned how to do in the latter two books was develop character. There are indelible characters in the later books.
Whereas with In Dubious Battle, the characters are not as fully dimensional as the other books, but the situation is better for a movie with the action moving around on a vaster canvas. Steinbeck, by the time he got to Grapes Of Wrath, was doing a lot of research, Franco says. He was going out to these encampments. So he had seen by that point firsthand how horrible the conditions were and that people were being ripped off and all their wages were being halved. So by the time he wrote Grapes Of Wrath, he was fully on the side of the workers.
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With In Dubious Battle, it sounded like he was going for a bit more of an even tone. Francos movie version veers a bit from the book, especially the ending. He says the reason for that was not to change the intention or spirit of the novel, but I really feel like Steinbeck just wasnt on his sort of dramatic game as well as he was later in his books.
Franco himself is surprised by the folks he was able to pull together in the cast. When I step back and think about some of the guys I got in the movie, I think just wow. Its kind of crazy, he says. People like Robert Duvall are people I studied when I was in acting school, and they were held up as the greats of the profession. To work with them is a real honor.
A shift since he began directing has been a bonus. My whole attitude towards other actors changed, Franco says. Meaning, I dont know, maybe when I was a young actor I was really competitive and it was all about fighting for roles or whatever. But now as I direct, its like I want to get along with every actor. I want to love every actor so they can be in my movie, and so whenever I work with anybody, especially people that I really respect, I try to stay in touch with them.
NYU Film School also boosted his confidence. When I first started directing, I was really shy and I was a little insecure about my skills. Now Im not shy about asking actors to be in my projects; the worst that can happen is they say no.
This is Francos fourth movie as director to premiere in Venice. He says his long-lasting relationship with the festival might be something to do with being in Europe that they are better able to allow me to be a director in ways that maybe are tricky for people in the States to do. I feel like early on they sort of got on board and were very supportive of the movies I was doing.
He allows that the films are of a certain type. I understand theres not a huge call for Faulkner adaptations in the marketplace today, he says, laughing. But, he adds, I feel like Ive been fortunate. And I think my team has been really good about putting these movies together in a certain way and at a certain price so that it can be really loyal to the novels and thats really changing the ending aside I think we were very loyal to the spirit of In Dubious Battle.
Franco has recently branched out into television, directing an episode of the Stephen King/JJ Abrams miniseries 11.22.63, and two episodes of the upcoming HBO series The Deuce, which hes doing with The Wires David Simon.
Hes also just completed the Seth Rogen-produced The Masterpiece about The Room, or as Franco says, the best worst movie ever. That project is a very different kind of movie for me. It still fulfills my artistic ambitions. Its about making things and its about art and all of that and its also got a different kind of commercial side to it, Franco tells me.
Then, he adds, I think the kind of stuff Im doing is changing while Im still also very interested in these adaptations of American classics. I guess you could just say Im still doing what a lot of people say Im always doing which is a lot of different kinds of things.
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Janelle Monae is in mourning after her cousin, a mother to three teenagers, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday night (Aug. 30). Natasha Hays, 38, was shot several times in her Kansas City, Kansas, home by a gunman, who remains free according to Fox4.
The unfiltered songstress, who has long been a proponent of the Black Lives Matter movement, took to her timeline on Wednesday (Aug. 31) to remember her cousin and address the city's gun violence.
"Gun violence has struck home. My beautiful 1st cousin was murdered. She was a mother of 3. Loved by her community. #NatashaHays #sayhername," she tweeted. "#KansasCity #Gunviolence is still keeping our city in a dark place. The fear of "who is next?" never leaves. Praying4more light. Help us. Nobody deserves to lose their mother, sister, cousin, friend, etc to the hands of evil. Evil has no race. #Gunviolence #NatashaHays."
Janelle Monae Lands Role in NASA Drama 'Hidden Figures' Alongside Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer
Gun violence has struck home. My beautiful 1st cousin was murdered. She was a mother of 3. Loved by her community. #NatashaHays #sayhername
- Janelle Monae, Cindi (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
#KansasCity #Gunviolence is still keeping our city in a dark place. The fear of "who is next?" never leaves. Praying4more light. Help us.
- Janelle Monae, Cindi (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
Nobody deserves to lose their mother, sister, cousin, friend, etc to the hands of evil. Evil has no race. #Gunviolence #NatashaHays
- Janelle Monae, Cindi (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
Hearing your uncle on the phone while he tries to make sense of his daughter being murdered is the most helpless feeling in the entire world
- Janelle Monae, Cindi (@JanelleMonae) August 31, 2016
Hays was reportedly shot around 3:45 a.m. Police say there were three others -- her children ages 18, 16 and 14 -- in the home, but they were unharmed.
Monae also shared a link to the Kansas City Star story, urging her followers to "help us find the killer." She added, "Hearing your uncle on the phone while he tries to make sense of his daughter being murdered is the most helpless feeling in the entire world."
Jerry Doyle, the Babylon 5 actor and founder of the news platform EpicTimes, died as the result of chronic alcoholism, Clark County, Nevada, coroner John Fudenberg told TheWrap on Wednesday.
Doyle, who died at age 60 on July 27, died from complications from chronic alcoholism. His manner of death was deemed natural.
The actor, whose credits also included Moonlighting, NYPD Blue, JAG and Beverly Hills, 90210, was found unresponsive in his Las Vegas home on July 27.
Also Read: Jerry Doyle, 'Babylon 5' Star and EpicTimes Founder, Dies at 60
In addition to his acting career, Doyle was also the host of a nationally syndicated radio program, The Jerry Doyle Show, on Talk Radio Network.
Doyle played security officer Michael Garibaldi on Babylon 5, which ran for five seasons until 1998.
Doyle ran as the Republican candidate for Californias 24th Congressional District in 2000 and wrote a book published in 2009 called Have You Seen My Country Lately? Americas Wake-Up Call.
Also Read: Ex-Mouseketeer Marque Lynche Drank Himself to Death, Medical Examiner Says
He was funny, and dangerous, and loyal, and a prankster, and a pain in the ass; he was gentle and cynical and hardened and insightful and sometimes as dense as a picket fence and his passing is a profound loss to everyone who knew him, especially those of us who fought beside him in the trenches of Babylon 5,' show creator J. Michael Straczynski wrote in a blog post following Doyles death.
It is another loss in a string of losses that I cannot understand. Of the main cast, we have lost Richard Biggs, Michael OHare, Andreas Katsulas, Jeff Conaway and now Jerry Doyle, and Im goddamned tired of it.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Jerry Doyle, 'Babylon 5' Star and EpicTimes Founder, Dies at 60
Ex-Mouseketeer Marque Lynche Drank Himself to Death, Medical Examiner Says
'Growing Pains' Star Jeremy Miller: 'I Began Drinking at 4' (Video)
In this unprecedented U.S. presidential election year, with the two major party candidates widely disliked and viewed as untrustworthy, Vice President Joe Biden enjoys a reputation for honesty and integrity. Indeed, prior to FBI Director James Comeys announcement that his agency would not recommend that the Department of Justice bring charges against democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, some Democrats even hoped that Biden might replace Clinton as the partys candidate. Although a Biden candidacy would have brought a breath of fresh air, many hold an unduly laudatory view of his judgment. A case in point is the vice presidents sunny optimism about the achievements of the Barack Obama administrations foreign policy. He recently claimed: We are stronger and more secure today than when President Barack Obama and I took office in January 2009. These words appear in Bidens essay in the latest issue of Foreign Affairs.
In view of todays global realities, the assertion is astonishing in its depiction of administration policy and mischaracterization of where we now stand. The claim is all the more remarkable in light of Bidens accurate characterization of Americas role in the world as indispensable. To appreciate the contrast, consider a brief inventory of what has gone wrong under the two terms of the Obama-Biden administration:
In the Middle East and North Africa, as elsewhere, administration policies frequently have been marked by inaction or retrenchment, often followed by re-engagement under dire conditions. In Iraq, which Obama and Biden described as stable when U.S. troops withdrew at the end of 2011, the departure reopened the way to brutal sectarian warfare, the rise of the Islamic State, intervention by Iran-backed militias, and eventually the reintroduction of 5,000 American troops. In Syria, U.S. inaction and Obamas dramatic abandonment of his red line against President Bashar al-Assads use of chemical weapons reverberated globally, damaging the credibility on which American diplomacy and deterrence are based, emboldening our foes, and disheartening friends and allies. And in Libya, leading from behind in the overthrow of Muammar al-Qaddafi was followed by the disengagement and four years later, the reengagement of U.S. special forces in what has become a failed state.
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Then there is Iran, where rather than having removed the specter of Iran gaining a nuclear weapon, the 2015 nuclear agreement provides at most a 10 to 15 year hiatus, after which Teheran will emerge with an advanced nuclear infrastructure and the capacity to produce nuclear weapons at the moment of its own choosing. In Egypt, where abandonment of Hosni Mubaraks already faltering rule was accompanied by wishful thinking about the Muslim Brotherhood, Obama and Biden have managed to alienate not only the regime of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, but much of the population too. In Turkey, whose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was once on good terms with Obama, the United States is now denounced for its alleged support of a coup attempt and relations have soured. Meanwhile, the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states distrust Washington and what they see as Obamas efforts to achieve rapprochement with their enemy, Iran.
U.S. foreign policy in Europe has suffered too. Russian President Vladimir Putins annexation of Crimea represented the first major land grab in Europe since World War II. His military intervention in eastern Ukraine was met with limited economic sanctions, but Obama rebuffed calls from the Kiev government for defensive weapons. Though the administrations belated re-emphasis on NATO has led to modest reinforcements for the Baltic members of the alliance, the danger of intensified conflict with Russia, whose once decrepit armed forces have been modernized and rebuilt, remains very real.
Spillover from the war in Syria has sent large number of refugees into Europe. Their presence has galvanized the rise of radical populist parties, some receiving financial support from Russia. A stable, democratic, prosperous Europe has been a long-standing American national interest, but the difficulties Europe now faces have been worsened by Washingtons unwillingness to act early in the Syrian crisis when support for moderate rebels might well have forestalled the refugee crisis.
In Asia, China has rapidly developed and modernized its armed forces, developing air and naval anti-access capacities to counter U.S. forces in the region. Beijing has asserted far-flung claims in the South China Sea, created airbases on contested rocky outposts, defied Hague court rulings, and stoked anti-American sentiments at home.
Meanwhile, the U.S. defense budget remains stagnant and force capabilities have suffered. As Russia and China become increasingly confrontational, Iran develops longer range missile capabilities, the Islamic State and al Qaeda continue to metastasize, and tasks for the armed forces continue to mount. Finally, despite Bidens assurances about American values, support for freedom and human rights has been cut.
Biden is right that the world needs U.S. leadership, but the administration has largely failed to provide it. The past seven-and-a-half years have seen increasing threats to America and to the international order which it did so much to construct. As a result, the president who takes office on January 20th next year will face a daunting task in restoring the capabilities and credibility on which Americas security, its values, and the safety of our friends and allies depend.
Editors Note: This post is a guest contribution to Shadow Government.
Photo credit: AUDE GUERRUCCI/Pool/Getty Images
Paris (AFP) - Hugely popular blogger PewDiePie was back on Twitter Thursday after his account was temporarily suspended when he jokingly claimed he had joined the Islamic State group.
The Swedish internet star, who has more than 47 million subscribers to his humorous YouTube video channel, surprised and horrified some of his fans Tuesday when he tweeted that he and fellow blogger Sean William McLoughlin had joined the terror group.
PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, had been protesting at the social network's "annoying" verified accounts system which can generate automatic notifications on smartphones.
"Me and JackSepticEye have joined Isis," he tweeted, "Which is why we both got unverified."
"I said NAZIS! Not ISIS," the Irish YouTube star tweeted back at him, whose account is still verified. "God dammit Felix..."
But the exchange went down badly with some of the 26-year-old Swedish blogger's fans, who first shot to fame for his gaming videos.
"That's not something to joke about," one reprimanded him. "ISIS isn't something to take lightly. It's serious. I love Pewds but I don't like this."
Then Twitter suspended his account -- which at the time also carried a sexually graphic profile photo -- to a further howl of protest from a group of his fans.
The account was later unblocked with PewDiePie tweeting, "I'm toally fine guys, I am feeling very good today and it's actually so heartwarming to see so many people care about me."
Instead of the Twitter's blue verified account tick -- which is to distinguish real from fake accounts which are rampant on the social network -- PewDiePie had replaced his with a globe symbol, which he claims is less of a "status symbol".
In a new video blog on his YouTube channel he said that he made the ISIS joke to ridicule a tweet from "an obviously fake website called Sky News (a fake account with the same name as the British broadcaster) which had claimed that 'Popular YouTuber Pewdiepie (was) unverified due to suspected relations with ISIS'".
Pewdiepie said that "it would have taken people half a second" to check to see if the account was real, but most didn't and "so people started believing that I had joined ISIS...
"It is all so dumb. Does this s**t matter? Absolutely not. I invite you to join me and be globe-ified (on Twitter), as I call it, it is way more cool than being verified," he added.
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) has been granted a business license to operate a fully-owned fund management business in China, a Chinese regulatory notice showed, as the world's second-largest economy moves to further open its financial markets to foreigners.
The license issued to the U.S. bank, which already has a fund management joint venture in China, will enable it to set up an office in Shanghai free-trade zone, as per the notice on the website of the Shanghai Industry and Commerce Administration.
China set up the Shanghai free trade zone in 2013 as a venue to pilot economic reforms, in particular in the financial sector. The Shanghai regulator did not provide details of the proposed China unit of JPMorgan asset management business.
A spokesman for the U.S. investment bank's asset management unit in Hong Kong did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Beijing controls access to its market tightly, and overseas investors have grown increasingly concerned about its commitment to opening its financial markets after a series of heavy-handed government interventions in the stock and currency markets.
Foreign firms, who wish to distribute investment products or trade in securities in China, generally have to operate on the ground through minority-owned joint ventures with domestic companies.
China International Fund Management, a joint venture between JPMorgan Asset Management and state-owned Shanghai International Trust Co, last August received approval to raise $100 million in China to invest in overseas assets.
But China regulators have been gradually loosening the reins and the latest move comes as the country prepares to host leaders from the world's biggest economies at this weekend's G20 summit.
Beijing wants to use the meeting in the tourist hub of Hangzhou to lay out a broad strategy for global growth, though talks are likely to be overshadowed by concerns such as protectionism.
(Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee and Matt Miller; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Juan Hernandez, who was an advisor to former Mexican President Vicente Fox, weighed in on Donald Trumps meeting with Mexican President Pena Nieto and the immigration debate in the 2016 U.S. presidential race.
Well, it sounds I know kind of funny but in Mexico people are saying, Pena Nieto has a lot in common with Trump we Mexicans dont like either one. Pena Nieto is down in the 20s in his approval in Mexico, Hernandez told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney.
Hernandez explained why he is not supporting Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in this presidential election.
As Latinos, were so tired of the insults on the one hand, from the right, from the [?] and Im a Republican but from this guy Trump. But also by the way, by the unkept promises of the left. And by the way, thats why I am supporting Gary Johnson today.
Hernandez responded to the frustrations over immigrants who came to America illegally and are now taking jobs away from Americans.
Yes, of course, I understand, but weve been speaking through both sides of our mouth. We keep saying [to] immigrants, from Mexico especially and Latin America, dont come, dont come, but if you can make it, there is a great reward. And by the way, there will be later on a way for you to legalize it, become a U.S. citizen.
And Hernandez says this is a view held by Democrats as well as Republicans.
Weve done it, the Republicans have done it, Democrats have done it. I mean, Obama, he told us that he would give us Latinos a space at the table. I was with McCain against Obama, but I thought, well maybe this gentleman is going to give us a space, maybe he is going to promote immigration reform, and he did not eight years of telling us he would.
Hernandez then took on Trump over the presidential candidates assertions about illegal immigrants in the U.S.
It is so unfair what Trump is doing, that he is trying to give the image of the undocumented as being people that are criminals, that are rapists. Im sorry, but according to immigration reform and many other studies the group that least commits crimes in this nation are the undocumented. And there are of course reasons for that; theyre going to work very early in the morning, they do not have [a] drivers license, theyre staying at home during the weekends of course, because they want to stay out trouble. But they are a blessing to our nation, they do not take jobs, they help to create jobs.
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Judy Sheindlin, better known as Judge Judy, is entering the scripted court.
The famed television judge is developing Her Honor, a drama series at CBS, which is inspired by her own life, Variety has learned exclusively.
Law & Order vet and Chicago Justice showrunner Michael Chernuchin is penning the pilot, alongside Sheindlin who is billed as story co-writer.
Her Honor will follow the youngest judge in New York, who cuts through the chaos in Family Court, but cant seem to maintain control of her own life outside the courtroom.
Though the scripted arena is new territory for her, Sheindlin is certainly no stranger to TV. She is currently the most profitable star on television, thanks to her long-running court TV series Judge Judy, which debuted in 1996 and is renewed through 2020. Her new deal is reportedly worth more than her previous contract, under which she was making a whopping salary of over $47 million per year. When she inked the five-year extension deal, the pact also included a first-look production deal to develop new projects via her Queen Bee Productions banner, which is also behind another court show, Hot Bench.
CBS is the perfect home for Sheindlins project, as Judge Judy is produced and distributed by CBS Television Distribution. CBS Television Studios is producing Her Honor, and exec producers are Sheindlin, Chernuchin, Arnold Kopelson and Anne Kopelson.
Chernuchin has written more than 60 episodes in the Law & Order franchise, and began working on the flagship series in 1991, then serving as showrunner from 2002 to 2004. Aside from serving as showrunner on Dick Wolfs upcoming NBC series Chicago Justice, his other credits include Rogue, Black Sails and 24. He is repped by Paradigm.
Her Honor is not the first scripted series inspired by an unscripted television stars life to land at CBS. This fall, Michael Weatherly will star in Bull, a legal drama based on the early life of TV personality Dr. Phil.
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A survivor of the Aurora movie theater massacre said he believes everything was for naught after a failed lawsuit against theater owner Cinemark left four survivors on the hook for more than $700,000 owed to the company.
The survivors had filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the theaters security flaws had helped enable the attack that left 12 dead and more than 70 injured in 2012.
The judge first urged the plaintiffs to settle, but ruled after the deal collapsed that Cinemark was not liable for the shooting, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Colorado law allows the winning side of civil cases to seek costs, so plaintiffs were then ordered to pay more than $700,000 to Cinemark to reimburse the theater chains legal fees.
Marcus Weaver, one of the shooting survivors and a plaintiff in the case, told The Times he had been hoping a settlement would push Cinemark to implement new safety measures that could protect theatergoers in the future.
But after one plaintiff rejected the settlement offer, the remaining plaintiffs were left with no acknowledgment of liability from Cinemark, no guarantees of improved theater safety, and a colossal bill for the companys litigation costs.
Theaters arent any safer, Weaver said. We all knew they were liable. We knew they were at fault.
Weaver also said he had been approached by a federal magistrate judge who likened the failed case to the slow pace of the civil rights movement.
It was the biggest smack in the face, Weaver said. He was basically telling us, youre right, theyre basically at fault, but theres justice and then theres true justice.
For more news videos visit Yahoo View.
NOW WATCH: This incredibly detailed Batman costume just set a Guinness World Record
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Rappers A$AP Rocky and Young Thug are partnering with vapor pen brand KandyPens, which is also launching an artist partnership program this December. Queens artist Boogz Boogetz also releases his "Bodega" video, the first offering under KandyPens Artist Ambassador Program.
A$AP Rocky is the New Face of Dior Homme
The Santa Barbara-based vaporizer brand -- known for its first product, 2014's SkyCloud -- has tapped other rap acts to be brand ambassadors in the past including Florida MC Kodak Black, Chicago rhymer Dreezy and Toronto's own OB O'Brien, among others.
"We bringin' the trap to the heart of New York City," said Boogz in a release of the Nick Jr. On The Beat-produced track. "It's just representing where I come from. Everything from the lifestyle, where we hang out at, smoke weed and hustle. I was just trying to make a song that anyone from my city could relate to." The film, directed by Tymoore, was shot in different bodegas across Queens and Brooklyn.
Frank Ocean and Young Thug Star in Calvin Klein Campaign
The partnership program with A$AP Rocky, Young Thug and DJ Esco is slated to roll out this Christmas.
Its one of the most hotly contested regions in the world, and for almost two months, Kashmir has been rocked by violence between protesters and police. More than 70 people have been killed the latest victim, a teenager who was shot by Indian security forces.
Imagine throwing a wedding party in a storm of violence between two nuclear-armed adversaries and youll get a glimpse into what Kashmiri-American journalist Sana Begs life has been like in the past several weeks.
Beg and her soon-to-be husband met in New York City. They are both journalists, and they both hail from Kashmir. After a long courtship, they were engaged and decided to return home to the picturesque Kashmir Valley to hold the multiday wedding celebration of their dreams. But just as they arrived, a spasm of violence enveloped their plans.
This morning I heard tear gas outside of the house and protests, Beg told Yahoo News during a Skype interview from Kashmir. Nothing is routine, except the violence.
Triggered by the death of Burhan Wani, a popular separatist militant who was killed by Indian security forces, tens of thousands of Kashmiris took to the streets on July 9, but the mourning turned to enraged protests against Indias rule. Wani was viewed as a social-media-savvy rebel leader by his supporters and a security threat by the Indian government. Law enforcement responded with live ammunition, tear gas and pellet guns.
We have never seen such a long period of these continuous protests, curfews and shutdowns, Beg said. It seems like its only intensifying.
Beg blames the recent violence on resentment by Kashmiri youth, who are buckling under the Indian security apparatus. India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir and have fought three wars over the region. The Line of Control marks a de facto, highly militarized border that divides Kashmir between the two nations.
With 11,000 people injured in the past 50 days, and more than a hundred blinded by pellet guns, a curfew has been imposed, and Beg finds herself making last-minute wedding plans in a state of siege.
This week, things calmed down enough for her to hold a traditional henna ceremony, and cooks made it to the family home to prepare a pre-wedding feast in the backyard. But the delivery of the brides richly embroidered wedding gown is uncertain, and shell have to leave her home at the crack of dawn to avoid street clashes on her wedding day.
With family and friends traveling to the Himalayan valley from as far afield as the U.S., Beg decided against postponing the nuptials. Besides, she said, What day do you postpone the wedding to? Theres no telling when this will end.
Nepal-Japan mark 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations
A special ceremony was organised here on Thursday to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Japan.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been making the rounds lately. After several public outings in late August to promote children's mental health awareness, Kate Middleton and Prince William stepped out on Thursday for the first day of a two-day trip to Cornwall and Scilly Isles in England.
Getty Images
Middleton wore a blush Lela Rose sundress with her hair down while her hubby sported a pale blue suit jacket with navy slacks. They first arrived in Truro, Cornwall, greeting the massive crowd that waited for them outside.
Getty Images
WATCH: Kate Middleton and Prince William Promote Children's Mental Health, Speak Out About Fears as Parents: 'We Do Face Worries'
Visiting with members of the clergy at Truro Cathedral, the couple signed pieces of slate as a part of a project to help the church's roof appeal.
Getty Images
They accepted bouquets and exchanged stories with many of their fans outside of the church.
The Royals then visited the Youth Centre Zebs, a safe haven for teens to spend their time and also get support. They met with youth from the group Young People Cornwall to learn more about the services provided and the importance of a support system for kids in the area.
Getty Images
The pair then had a bit of fun touring Healey's Cyder's warehouse and production hall where they sampled some of the company's product.
WATCH: Kate Middleton Stuns in Red After Meeting James Corden's Sister at Charity Event With Prince William
Middleton herself poured a pint of Healey's famous alcoholic Rattler cider, trying the cloudy apple drink with William close by.
The Duke and Duchess try out some of @HealeysCyder famous Rattler! pic.twitter.com/a2raw8DEIi Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 1, 2016
In addition to their events in England, the Duke and Duchess will be going abroad at the end of September for their official tour of Canada.
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Kevin Bacon promotes bacon-scented cologne with James Corden, and its perfect
Kevin Bacon promotes bacon-scented cologne with James Corden, and its perfect
As far as breakfast foods are concerned, bacon is pretty great. It just smells SO good. And you know who agrees wholeheartedly with that statement? James Corden.
In fact, hes SUCH a huge advocate of bacon that he made a commercial
The cologne is called Bacon by Bacon, and the YouTube description describes it perfectly:
The only smell that captures the essence of both your favorite cured meat and favorite actor.
Yes, this really did happen. The commercial features Corden expressing his wants and needs, and Kevin Bacon explaining how his wishes can be fulfilled with bacon. You know, like this:
One of the YouTube comments suggests that Corden sell bacon cologne as a novelty, because people would buy it by the thousands. We have to admit, thats not a bad idea!
Its official, James Corden has been KILLING it this week (remember his Kanye Fade parody). Oh, and lets not forget Bacons tremendous achievement (aka his spot-on Tom Petty impersonation with Jimmy Fallon. Still laughing).
What a week to be alive!
The post Kevin Bacon promotes bacon-scented cologne with James Corden, and its perfect appeared first on HelloGiggles.
The West family sure knows how to make an entrance!
Kim Kardashian West and her husband, Kanye West, were spotted out and about in New York City on Monday, looking fashionably fierce on their way to Serendipity3 restaurant with their two children, Saint, 8 months, and North, 3.
WATCH: Kim Kardashian Sports Biker Shorts, Denim Bodice and Slippers in NYC
Kim still rocking the beachy tresses she sported at the MTV Video Music Awards one night earlier opted for a long-sleeved black top over a leather skirt, which she paired with lace-up heels. Her rapper beau kept it cool and casual in a vintage Tupac T-shirt, styled with gray jeans and white kicks.
Splash News
And it looks like their kids are already following in their stylish footsteps! All eyes were on baby Saint, who was clad in a camouflage T-shirt and shorts combo, finishing off his look with black-and-white sneakers. Nori took a style cue from mom, donning an adorable top knot, choker, silky leopard-print dress and, of course, a pair of Yeezys.
NEWS: Kim Kardashian Reveals North West Designed Her Own Dress in Kanyes Office
Kim seemingly gave the paparazzi shot her stamp of approval when she later posted it to Instagram.
I my family, the Selfish author wrote.
One week earlier, North was stealing the spotlight on her moms Snapchat. The toddler appeared to be having a blast during their family getaway to Mexico, jamming out to mariachi music in a pair of pajamas and purple fairy wings, naturally.
WATCH: Kim Kardashian Explains Her Beach-Inspired MTV VMA Look
Im eating dinner with a fairy, Kim exclaimed in one of the videos, later adding, She had to get up and dance. Doesnt take after me. Get it, girl!
See North in action in the video below!
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By Fatos Bytyci PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo's government dropped plans for a parliamentary vote on a bitterly contested law on establishing its definitive border with Montenegro on Thursday after coalition allies stayed away from the session. The row has fueled months of violent clashes in the young country, including the firing of rocket-propelled grenades at parliament. "We are taking this vote off the agenda for today," Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said after 11 lawmakers from his ethnic Serb coalition ally scuppered the law by not showing up. Mustafa's announcement was greeted with cheers from about 1,000 opposition supporters who had been facing off against police in riot gear defending the parliament building with armored vehicles. A two-thirds majority would have been needed to force the measure through. Mustafa said the government would seek to pass it later. The European Union has said the border deal, which the opposition says would see swathes of forested highland transferred to neighboring Montenegro, is crucial if Kosovars are to join their former Yugoslav neighbors in enjoying visa-free travel to the bloc. Vetevendosje, the largest opposition party, has said it will do everything it can, both inside and outside parliament, to stop the assembly approving the border deal. Since October, its lawmakers have repeatedly released tear gas inside parliament in protest against the law, while six of its supporters were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of firing a rocket-propelled grenade at parliament. They say the deal, opposed even by some of the government's own lawmakers, would give Montenegro 8,000 hectares of Kosovo's territory, though the government and others, including the United States, say this is not the case. Earlier, police said they had found 50 rucksacks containing petrol bombs in a private garage in Pristina. Two Vetevendosje lawmakers were also arrested inside parliament carrying what police described as "suspicious spray." Kosovo broke from neighboring Serbia in 1999 after a NATO bombing campaign halted a campaign of "ethnic cleansing" directed against ethnic Albanians by Serbian forces who were trying to stamp out a two-year insurgency. The majority-Albanian territory, which declared independence in 2008, has been recognized by more than 100 countries, including Western powers, but not by Serbia and its big-power ally Russia or several EU members such as Spain. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci, writing by Thomas Escritt, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Pristina (AFP) - Protesters in Kosovo cheered Thursday as the government withdrew a controversial draft law on a border demarcation agreement with Montenegro, saying a vote on the deal would be postponed indefinitely.
An agreement on the border is crucial to Kosovo's bid to win visa-free travel in the European Union and further integration with the bloc, but opponents say the proposed deal would see Kosovo lose thousands of hectares of land.
Around 2,000 protesters, led by the opposition Self-Determination party, gathered on the streets of the capital Pristina ahead of Thursday's parliamentary session, at which the deal was due to be ratified.
But after MPs from Kosovo's Serb minority -- whose votes were crucial to the law being passed -- failed to attend, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa announced the postponement.
But he insisted this "does not mean that the government will change or renegotiate the agreement".
The postponement was met with cheers of "Victory!" and "Down with the government!" on the streets.
Home to 1.8 million mostly ethnic Albanian and Muslim people, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Belgrade in 2008, but its sovereignty remains unrecognised by several countries -- including Serbia and Russia.
- Shadowy Rugovasit group -
On Tuesday, Kosovo police arrested six Self-Determination activists after a grenade was fired at parliament, one of several attacks that rattled Pristina ahead of the scheduled vote.
The August 4 blast was followed by similar attacks on the headquarters of Kosovan state TV and radio (RTK) as well as the home of its director general.
The RTK attacks were claimed by the shadowy Rugovasit group, which opposes the deal with Montenegro and accused the public broadcaster of siding with the government over the demarcation.
"Rugovasit" is a term for inhabitants of the Rugova mountains at the disputed border with Montenegro.
On August 9, a hand grenade was also planted on a balcony of the head of Kosovo's demarcation commission, but police safely detonated the device.
Self-Determination MPs have repeatedly released tear gas in parliament over the past year, in protest against the border deal and an EU-brokered agreement to give more autonomy to Kosovo's Serbs.
A Kosovo Serb leader, Slavko Simic, told Tanjug news agency that Serb MPs were not present at Thursday's session owing to security risks and because ethnic Albanian parties had "persistently obstructed and delayed" processes that were in Serb interests.
Donald Trump
The highly anticipated "pivot" in Donald Trump's immigration platform seemingly did not materialize Wednesday night, as the Republican presidential nominee doubled down on much of the hard-line rhetoric that helped him secure the party's nomination during the primary season.
Speaking in front of a large crowd of supporters in Phoenix, Trump laid out a 10-point immigration plan. That plan centered on building a massive wall along the US-Mexico border, cutting off funding to so-called sanctuary cities, and providing no "amnesty" to the more than 11 million immigrants thought to be living in the country illegally, among its other features.
The entire plan was consistent with the immigration platform posted to Trump's campaign website in 2015.
Trump also spent a considerable portion of the opening minutes of the speech lambasting President Barack Obama's administration and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, for their policies on immigration and border security.
His speech came just hours after his return from a trip to Mexico City, where he met and delivered a joint statement with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, and he insisted in his prime-time speech that the Mexican government would "100%" pay for the "impenetrable" border wall.
During an earlier news conference with the Mexican president, Trump said the pair did not discuss payment of the wall. But Pena Nieto later said he informed Trump that the Mexican government would not be footing the bill for the proposed wall.
"We will build a great wall along the southern border," Trump said Wednesday night. "And Mexico will pay for the wall. One-hundred percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall. Great people, and great leaders, but they're going to pay for the wall."
BI Graphics_Quote Card Trump
Trump also promised that his administration, should he be elected in November, would triple the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, hire 5,000 additional border agents, and, on "day one," deport anyone associated with criminal activity who does not have permission to be in the country.
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The business mogul pledged to end Obama's pair of controversial executive actions on immigration. He also said that immigrants from countries such as Libya and Syria would not be allowed to enter the US and that he would make sure countries would accept the deportees being sent back by his administration.
Legal immigration was also a subject in the speech, which lasted over an hour, with Trump saying it would be much more difficult to enter the country legally under his administration and only immigrants with "skills" who "benefit the national interest" would be embraced. He also doubled down on recent rhetoric involving "extreme vetting" for immigrants, saying they would be subject to a religious and ideological test.
"This election is our last chance to secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and reform our laws to make your life better," Trump said, according to prepared remarks. "This is it. We won't get another opportunity it will be too late."
Donald Trump
The speech served as a hit for Trump's base of support throughout the campaign. Conservative author Ann Coulter, who was recently discouraged by Trump's "softening" on his immigration policies, was thrilled by his Wednesday-night speech, calling it "the most magnificent speech ever given."
"Wow," she said on Twitter. "This doesn't sound like 'softening.' GO, TRUMP!!"
But more center-right Republican types cast doubt on its effectiveness. GOP strategist Matt Mackowiak, the founder of the Potomac Strategy Group, did not share Coulter's sentiment. He called the speech "totally unserious" and "amateurish."
"So the Trump 'softening' and desire to treat illegal immigrants 'humanely' was phony and a total waste of time," he posted on Twitter.
Mackowiak said Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and close confidant, "must be embarrassed."
"I have no inside info, but my strong suspicion is Trump intended to pivot & was persuaded to by Conway, but he couldn't take the backlash," he said.
NOW WATCH: Trump clearly not 'softening' on immigration with his uncompromising 10-point plan
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Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Dilma Rousseff's impeachment doesn't just mark the end of 13 years of Workers' Party rule in Brazil, but a new low for the so-called "pink tide" of leftist leaders in Latin America.
It's been nearly two decades since the left began sweeping to power, promising a new politics for a new century in a region often characterized as having the world's greatest inequality.
The pink tide -- more moderate than the communist red of Fidel Castro and other Cold War-era revolutionaries -- reached 15 countries in all, starting with the late Hugo Chavez's election in Venezuela in 1998.
Eight remain now that Brazil's Senate has convicted Rousseff.
Giant Brazil was a leader in the regional movement, providing two of its most emblematic presidents: Rousseff and her once hugely popular predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
They brought radical street cred from the bad old days in Latin America.
She was an urban guerrilla jailed and tortured by the military regime installed after Brazil's 1964 coup. He was a rabble-rousing steelworker who helped lead the fight for democracy.
But they also brought business-friendly economic policies to blend with revolutionary social programs.
- Boom to bust -
Lula took office in 2003 with a mission to turn Brazil into a middle-class powerhouse driven by consumer spending.
He was lucky to arrive just in time for the emerging markets boom, when demand from a ravenous China fueled soaring prices for the region's oil, minerals and other commodities.
When he handed over to Rousseff after two terms, economic growth stood at 7.5 percent. More than 29 million Brazilians had escaped poverty.
Across the region, 75 million Latin Americans exited poverty in a decade.
"There was this sense that Latin America's finally emerging," said William LeoGrande, a political scientist at American University in Washington.
"The illusion was that it would be easy."
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But it all came crashing down, not just for Rousseff but the entire region, which is facing its second year of recession this year.
"Clearly the commodity dependency remains greater than some people thought," LeoGrande said.
- Bad news -
Latin America's left has been on the run since the business-friendly conservative Mauricio Macri won Argentina's election last November.
Other setbacks followed in Venezuela's legislative polls and Peru's presidential race.
Now Venezuela is teetering on the brink of economic collapse, leaving Chavez's successor, Nicolas Maduro, fighting for his political life.
In Bolivia, indigenous labor leader Evo Morales lost a February referendum to allow himself a fourth term. In Ecuador, radical economist Rafael Correa flirted with a third term before dropping the idea as his approval ratings sank.
A string of corruption scandals has fed the malaise.
Even squeaky-clean moderate Michelle Bachelet of Chile has watched her poll numbers dive as her son has been caught up in a scandal.
- Too pink? -
Rousseff is charged with using unauthorized state loans to plug budget holes. Unofficially, she is taking the blame for Brazil's worst recession in 80 years and a multi-billion-dollar corruption scandal at the state oil company Petrobras.
Lula, still seen as potential comeback material in 2018, faces corruption charges in the scandal and risks watching the election from jail.
Some supporters say the Workers' Party (PT) turned too pink for its own good, cozying up to parties that wanted only the keys to the government pork barrel, and forgetting its roots.
The PT "slowly alienated its base, stopped training new leadership, allied with centrist and right-wing parties to guarantee 'governability' and had leading party figures involved in corruption," Jose Oscar Beozzo, a Brazilian leftist theologian, told AFP by email.
The party "was devastated by pragmatism and alliances," said the openly critical PT veteran Tarso Genro, who served in Lula's cabinet.
- New right -
If the start of the 21st century represented a new beginning for the Latin left -- after a 20th century marked by numerous US-backed right-wing coups, invasions and military rule -- the region may now be seeing the birth of a new right.
Despite Rousseff's argument that her impeachment is a "coup," the region has come a long way since the Cold War, when coups meant tanks in the streets.
The emergence of a Latin American right committed to democracy and a social agenda is new, says John Coatsworth, provost of New York's Columbia University a noted historian of the region.
"For more than two centuries, the Latin American right was deeply suspicious of democratic institutions and conspired whenever it was convenient to overthrow them or to undermine them," he said.
The good news for the left in the new democratic era, he added, is that the right has never proved any better at managing economic crises.
"All of the center-right parties and right-wing parties that are benefiting from the collapse of the left everywhere in Latin America themselves suffered a similar collapse a decade ago," he said.
"Democracy is a wonderful thing."
Nepalgunj tense after pro-monarch supporters put up late King Birendra's statue
A clash ensued between police and pro-hindu, pro-monarch supporters after the latter put up a statue of late King Birendra at Birendra Chok in Nepalgunj on Thursday.
Washington (AFP) - US lawmakers are pressing Washington to get tough on institutionalized sexual slavery of boys by Afghan forces, with some invoking a human rights law that prohibits American aid to foreign military units committing such violations.
The call follows an AFP report in June which revealed the Taliban are exploiting the entrenched practice of paedophilic "bacha bazi" -- literally "boy play" -- in the Afghan police to mount deadly insider attacks in the country's volatile south.
The revelation prompted congressman Duncan Hunter to demand US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter take "immediate steps to stop child rape" amid an American military presence in Afghanistan.
The Department of Defense replied to Hunter last week, stating in a letter seen by AFP that it was committed to holding perpetrators accountable.
The letter added that General John Nicholson, the US commander in Afghanistan, had "reaffirmed" tactical guidance "stating that when US personnel suspect members of (Afghan security forces) have violated human rights, including child sexual abuse, they must report that... to appropriate (Afghan) officials".
The response falls far short of a zero tolerance policy, Hunter said.
"At the very least, the US government should state, as a position of official policy, that child rape amid a US force presence won't be tolerated and expectations should be imposed on how allegations and evidence are handled," he told AFP this week.
"So far that's yet to occur beyond a simple reporting requirement."
That view was echoed by other US lawmakers who last year called on watchdog agency SIGAR to launch an independent probe into "predatory sexual behavior" by Afghan forces, which is still ongoing.
Many had expressed shock over media reports suggesting the US military had disciplined American personnel who tried to intervene to stop bacha bazi abuse, and urged SIGAR to focus on the implementation of the so-called Leahy Law.
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The 1997 law, named after Senator Patrick Leahy, prohibits US assistance to allied foreign military and police units against whom credible evidence of grave human violations exists.
- 'Huge problem' -
Leahy "is concerned that DoD was not treating this issue seriously enough until it was reported in the press," his office told AFP this week.
"He believes that anyone who engages in (child sex abuse) is ineligible under the Leahy Law for US training, equipment or other assistance and should be prosecuted."
The fresh call to apply the law comes ahead of a crucial donor conference on Afghanistan in Brussels in October. The war-battered country remains heavily dependent on international financial and military assistance.
"(Leahy) is the legal backstop that's intended to promote a zero tolerance policy," said congressman Thomas Rooney.
"If the law is not being administered appropriately or sufficiently... that's a huge problem, especially in places like Afghanistan where we have spent billions on training their security forces."
The ancient custom of bacha bazi, seen as a culturally sanctioned form of male rape, remains widespread in Afghanistan.
In June an AFP report cited multiple officials who said it was entrenched in police outposts in southern Uruzgan province, where the Taliban are exploiting the "addiction" to recruit victims for insider attacks.
The Taliban rejects the claim.
Kabul announced a "thorough investigation" but it has yet to pass legislation criminalizing bacha bazi and no initiatives have been publicly announced to rescue any children enslaved at security outposts.
ALMATY (Reuters) - Senior Uzbek officials failed to show up at an Independence Day event on Thursday, leaving foreign diplomats guessing who was running the country while its long-time ruler is gravely ill. President Islam Karimov, 78, who has no obvious successor, suffered a brain hemorrhage at the weekend, according to his daughter. He did not deliver an annual holiday address on Wednesday for the first time in 25 years. The government has made no statements since saying on Sunday Karimov was in hospital and has not identified any acting head of state. Official media have also carefully avoided singling out any of the senior officials as the person in charge. Diplomats had hoped to get a clearer picture from senior officials at the event on Thursday, which is traditionally attended by the foreign minister and sometimes deputy prime ministers. But none of them turned up, a person who was present told Reuters, a move that could indicate a power vacuum has paralyzed decision-making. The highest-ranking official present was a deputy foreign minister. Karimov has ruled Uzbekistan, which is rich in energy and minerals, in an authoritarian style since 1989, first as a Communist leader then as president after the Soviet Union fell in 1991. He has presented himself as a bulwark of stability in a country situated on the northern borders of Afghanistan. Critics have accused him of using the Islamist threat as an excuse to crack down on any kind of dissent. Kazakh political analyst Dosym Satpayev said key players, such as Karimov family members and top government and security officials, were likely still in talks about succession. "It seems they haven't arrived at a compromise yet," Satpayev said. "I think they will do that eventually. If the vacuum persists for too long, there will of course be nervousness among the population." (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Today, Lenovo took the wraps off the Yoga Book: A new tablet/laptop hybrid, offered in both Android and Windows 10 flavors, focused squarely on helping users be productive.
Like most tablets made in the last two years or so, the Yoga Book is taking its cues from Microsoft.
Unlike most of those tablets, the Yoga Book seems to be inspired not by the Microsoft Surface, which even Apple has imitated with its iPad Pro but rather the Microsoft Courier, a hotly-anticipated tablet that was first leaked to the press in 2008, and then killed on Bill Gates' orders in 2010, before it was even officially announced.
The Courier would have been a dual-screen "booklet" PC. Rather than a keyboard, it sported two 7-inch touchscreens, connected by a hinge. With those two screens, you could use it as kind of a so-called "infinite journal," sketching or taking notes with a stylus on one side while reading the news or making appointments on the other.
Here's a video of what the Courier's interface would have looked like:
Now meet the Lenovo Yoga Book, announced on Wednesday, and shipping in the US by the end of October.
lenovo yoga book
It's billed by Lenovo as a super-thin, super-light tablet. You may have noticed already that it doesn't have a keyboard, in the traditional sense. Instead, it's a funky kind of touchscreen, called the "Halo keyboard" by Lenovo, that basically tries to recreate the feeling of typing with a regular laptop keyboard without actually being one.
The Halo keyboard also gives the Yoga Book its best, and most Courier-esque feature:
lenovo yoga book handwriting
The Halo keyboard pulls double duty as a sketchpad, thanks to its neat wide-open hinge. If you lay down a piece of paper on top of the keyboard, and use the stylus that comes with the Yoga Book in its ballpoint pen mode (seriously, it switches), any notes you take will instantly be digitized and put on the main screen. It does the same thing without paper and with the stylus in its normal mode, but, well, that's less fun.
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Either way, as you can see, the spirit of the Microsoft Courier lives on in the Yoga Book. The second screen isn't quite the full-on touchscreen promised by the Courier (the Verge reports that Lenovo tried, but the second screen degraded battery life too much), but the core concept of a dedicated sketchpad has clearly endured.
There's a case to be made that despite the hype, the Courier was little more than a science project that deserved to be killed. But times have changed since 2010, and maybe the moment is right for a stylus-driven tablet after all these years.
The Yoga Book will be available by the end of October, starting at $499 for the Android version and $550 for the Windows 10 model. And while it remains to be seen if Lenovo's gamble on a more offbeat kind of tablet will pay off, it's very nice to see a company finally think a little different.
NOW WATCH: We tried Lenovos new $500 tablet that features a built-in projector
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By taking a look at Hillary Clintons plan to fix the deteriorating foundation of our economy, you can discern a lot about what shes getting right in this campaign, and what she isnt. (Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Its been a momentous week in politics, what with a former congressman sending more lewd pictures of himself, and Donald Trump invading Mexico, and Rick Perry joining Ryan Lochte on the cast of Dancing With the Stars, because apparently his balky back is now completely healed but his dignity is fractured in too many places to count.
But lets just pause for a moment, as this summer of silliness draws to a close, to consider how the country might actually be governed. Specifically, lets talk about infrastructure spending.
I know, infrastructure isnt sexy. But neither is Anthony Weiner, and weve talked about him plenty.
And by taking a closer look at Hillary Clintons plan to fix the deteriorating foundation of our economy, you can discern a lot about what shes getting right in this campaign, and what she isnt.
Probably nothing the candidates discuss this fall will be more important in the long term than investing in infrastructure. Contrary to what some politicians in both parties will tell you, neither trade policy nor immigration is nearly as critical to determining our economic future.
As you might have heard, the world is ruthlessly competitive now, and increasingly automated, and nothings going to roll that back. If you want to attract modern jobs, you have to anticipate and maintain a truly modern society, which is something weve only begun to do.
Democrats have talked grandly about infrastructure since at least the mid-1980s, when Gary Hart (yes, there he is again) made something called the Strategic Investment Initiative a centerpiece of his presidential agenda. But when they talk about it, they tend to lapse into New Deal nostalgia, as if the real goal of infrastructure spending was to reach full employment today, and all we had to do was hire legions of workers to go out and build the next big dam or tunnel.
Even President Obama, in successfully fighting for the most significant infrastructure investments in decades, billed his agenda as a kind of Rooseveltian jobs program. As I argued in this New York Times column back in 2010, the administration consciously conflated a short-term employment problem with long-term imperatives, which added to a misperception about what infrastructure spending should actually achieve.
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In an important 2011 column for Bloomberg View, Ron Klain, who helped oversee the stimulus spending for the administration (and later served as the Ebola czar), made the point that the kind of shovel-ready programs we associate with the Great Depression dont actually create very many jobs nowadays.
Thats because weve already built most of our bridges and roads, and even where we havent, it takes only a few workers with machinery to do today what it took hundreds of workers to do in the 1930s.
Its time to let go of the idea that a handful of marquee construction projects, even majestic and lasting ones, can solve our employment problem, Klain said. The real point, he wrote, was that long-term investments like those in clean energy and transportation were likely to pay off in the form of jobs for the next generation something with which a lot of Republicans agree.
Which brings us to Clintons $275 billion plan, which she says she will propose in the first 100 days of her presidency. In classic Democratic fashion, Clinton starts by putting infrastructure spending at the center of her short-term jobs plan and leads with building roads and bridges, as if we might literally pave our way to prosperity.
But then Clinton quickly pivots to the kinds of investments that really matter in the long run high-speed rail and public transit, state-of-the-art broadband, highway sensors for driverless cars, high-tech airport and school construction, and so on.
Its not so much a plan, really, as a sprawling statement of options; Clinton makes no hard choices and assigns no dollar amounts to anything specific. She includes every conceivable avenue of spending and doesnt get into how shed pay for any of it, other than a vague nod to business tax reform.
But her agenda tilts heavily toward the fast-approaching future, laying out a comprehensive vision of what 21st century America could look like if we made all the investments we need. Its a proposal very much like Clinton herself: solid, substantive and essentially evasive.
All of which would be fine, even laudable, in the context of a political campaign, except for the fact that she doesnt have the confidence to elaborate on her vision or sell it to anyone who isnt already converted.
If you go online to read the long, gauzy summary of the proposal, youll find that the campaign also sends you to a speech billed as Remarks on Investing in Infrastructure During the First 100 Days in Office, which is in fact a long attack on Trump with a few generic lines about infrastructure. Theres also a link to a bunch of ordinary voters reacting favorably to Clintons plan, in case thats helpful.
(Trump, by the way, has airily suggested spending trillions on 1930s-style infrastructure programs, with nothing by way of specifics. Maybe after erecting the wall with Mexico hes going to build a bridge to Cuba.)
Despite the persistent complaint among aides that campaign coverage is too often about personality and scandal, rather than substance, Clinton declined the chance to be interviewed solely about her infrastructure plan. In my exchanges with the campaign, I didnt have the sense that anyone even remotely considered it which probably isnt surprising, given that Clinton hasnt faced the press corps in 270 days and counting.
You can see the strategy here, I guess. Why risk a conversation about your actual governing agenda, which might be used against you, while your opponent is out there hemorrhaging credibility every day? Why advance a specific governing argument when all you have to do is step aside and be the less objectionable choice?
Ill tell you why. Because, as Obama quickly found in 2009, winning an election isnt an end; its a beginning. You still have to govern, and that means you need to have made a sustained public case for the things you actually want to do.
And this, as Ive pointed out before, is the vital difference between Clinton and her husband. Bill couldnt wait to convince you he had the right answer to your problem. Hillary, at her core, doesnt think she can.
If anything, Clintons situation would be more complicated than Obamas, not less. If elected, shes almost certain to become the first Democratic president in any of our lifetimes to come into office with a Republican-controlled House. Its safe bet she will not have a 70 percent approval rating or the urgency of a historic economic crisis.
The chances that Clinton would be able to raise taxes or run up the deficit to pay for her plan are pretty much zero. She will have to marshal public support for her agenda, which is more easily done if you start during a campaign than afterward, and which cant be done if you arent willing to talk to the media about the things you claim you want to talk about.
Clinton is right that the country needs a long-term, thoughtful approach to public investment. What it doesnt need is another president who campaigns on vagueness and too often governs in vain.
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Luckily, Icelandic postal workers like a good scavenger hunt.
A traveler mailed a letter to a family he had met in Buardalur, Iceland, and instead of including an address, the envelope contained a few clues and a hand-drawn map.
SEE ALSO: Missing garden gnome returns home after 8-month adventure
Image: reddit
The mailer didn't even know the name of the family he was trying to contact, so instead of a name, he wrote "A horse farm with an Icelandic/Danish couple and three kids and a lot of sheep!" and "the Danish woman works in a supermarket in Buardalur."
With a population of about 270 people, Buardalur is the epitome of a small town. The farm is clearly marked on the tiny map, and according to Icelandic website Skessuhorn, it arrived at Rebecca Cathrine Kaadu Ostenfeld's farm safely.
Hopefully the sender remembered to include a return address.
Berlin (AFP) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's party is bracing for strong gains by the populist right in two state elections this month, as voters vent their anger at her momentous decision to open Germany's borders to refugees.
Residents of the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will head to the polls Sunday to elect a new regional parliament, while the capital Berlin votes on September 18.
Sunday's election comes exactly a year after Merkel made the stunning call to let in tens of thousands of Syrian and other migrants marooned in eastern European countries.
The summer of 2015 was marked by images of German volunteers turning up with teddy bears and water to welcome weary refugees stepping off trains after their long journeys.
But the mood has turned since Merkel rallied the country with her call of "we can do it!"
The enthusiasm and optimism about Germany's newcomers have largely given way to fears over how Europe's biggest economy will manage to integrate the million people who arrived last year alone.
A series of attacks carried out by asylum seekers in July -- including two claimed by the Islamic State group -- also served to raise questions over the wisdom of allowing in so many new arrivals so quickly.
Merkel has faced harsh criticism at home, including from her own conservative allies, but has also found herself increasingly isolated in Europe over her policy.
Her popularity rating at home, which in April last year stood at 75 percent, slumped to 45 percent by August, while support for the anti-migrant upstart party AfD recorded a stunning rise.
But Merkel has been uncompromising about her stance, arguing that the EU's top economy remains well placed to manage the mass refugee influx.
- 'Compounding the problem' -
A sprawling coastal and farming state in Germany's former communist east, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is the country's least populous and poorest.
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It is also where Merkel's electoral constituency, the Baltic port city of Stralsund, is located.
Previous elections have focused on employment and economic regeneration in the state, which has lost one in five inhabitants since reunification in 1990 as many young people have headed west for jobs.
But this election is different. The issues of immigration and integration have emerged as the decisive factor for one in three voters, opinion polls show.
Yet the state hosts just a small proportion of migrants under a quota system based on states' income and population -- having taken in 25,000 asylum seekers last year.
Most of them have already decided to abandon the state, preferring to head "where there are jobs, people and shops," said Frieder Weinhold, candidate for Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
But anti-migrant sentiment runs high nevertheless.
The populist AfD is enjoying strong support, with latest opinion polls giving it 21 percent, just behind the CDU's 22 percent and the Social Democrats' 28 percent.
Sudha David-Wilp, deputy director at the German Marshall Fund, noted that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania "is not a classic bellwether state because there's higher unemployment and less integration with foreigners".
She added that "these factors compound" the refugee issue as parts of the population "project their frustrations onto foreigners".
The AfD has been feeding on such fears.
Founded in 2013 as an anti-euro party, it got a second wind as it transformed into an anti-migrant party.
After scoring strong results in three key state elections this year, it is now represented on the opposition benches of half of Germany's 16 regional parliaments.
Merkel, on the campaign trail in state capital Schwerin on Monday, voiced her determination to win back voters from the upstart party.
But she is not planning to change tack, as she defended both her refugee policy and a controversial deal with Turkey to halt the influx.
"We must draw (voters) back with solutions and actions," she said. "We can only win them back if we solve the problems."
MONROVIA (Reuters) - Liberia's parliament speaker said on Thursday that he is stepping down to face bribery charges in a case involving London AIM-listed Sable Mining's attempted acquisition of an iron ore concession in the north of the country. "If my recusal is the ultimate sacrifice that will move our country forward and end this current quagmire, I am herewith recusing myself from presiding over the plenary of the House of Representatives, Alex Tyler said in a statement. Tyler, who is free on bail, denies all wrongdoing. A grand jury in Liberia indicted Sable Mining and four Liberians, including Tyler, in May on charges including bribery, which the defendants deny. Sable Mining Chief Executive Andrew Groves said in June that the indictment was politically motivated. (Reporting By Alphonso Toweh; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Wednesday he was determined to recover the bodies of two soldiers killed in Gaza but insisted he was not keen to negotiate with Hamas.
Oron Shaul, a soldier in the 2014 war in the Gaza Strip, was believed by the Israeli army to have been killed along with Hadar Goldin, and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is thought to hold their bodies.
Channel 10 television on Monday quoted him as saying, in two private conversations, that the return of the soldiers' remains was improbable and that he does not want to negotiate with Hamas.
The report triggered an uproar with Goldin's twin brother, Tzour, telling military radio that Lieberman was ignoring "his responsibilities and the army's code of ethics".
Goldin's family later issued a statement denouncing "the abandonment of soldiers on the battlefield by the minister of the defence".
But the ultra-nationalist Lieberman dismissed the accusations against him on Wednesday.
"It is our responsibility to return the prisoners and the remains of soldiers despite difficulties," he said in remarks carried by Israeli media.
He did reiterate however that he was opposed to striking deals with Hamas, like the 2011 agreement which led to the release of soldier Gilad Shalit.
The soldier had been captured by Hamas in 2006 and released in 2011 in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.
"I was against the Shalit deal and I think I was right, seeing the number of prisoners who have carried out terrorist attacks after being set free," said Lieberman.
"But we have to recover the remains of our soldiers," he added.
NFC to import 3,000 goats for Dashain
The Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) is planning to import around 3,000 goats to meet the demand of meat in Kathmandu Valley for the Dashain festival in October this year.
Chambord Chapter Eight Games A lawn filled with flamingos, croquet and Chamboard really does sound like a whole lot of fun. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alice In Wonderland the french liqueur are opening an enchanting pop-up and we bet its going to be magical. Event takes place from 1-4 Sept. Book tickets here.
This month has a lot to celebrate in the capital, including 350 years since the Fire of London, Brazil Day and the celebration of Londons River Thames.
With plenty of free fun, as well as food and music festivals here are all the things you wont want to miss this month.
Diaries at the ready
SHANGHAI/BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's biggest airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) plans to sign a joint venture contract with Air China later this month, rounding off over two years of negotiations, two people familiar with the matter said.
Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr will travel to Beijing for a ceremony with China's flagship carrier on Sept. 20, according to one of the people who is involved in the deal and did not want to be identified before it is formally announced.
The firms signed an agreement in principle in July 2014 to work towards a joint venture allowing them to share revenue on certain routes by selling tickets for each others' flights.
Such arrangements allow airlines to work together on routes and pricing, while sidestepping foreign ownership rules that prevent them from merging.
"We are on the home stretch. We are confident that we will have this squared away soon," a spokesman for Lufthansa said, while declining to say when a deal would be signed. An Air China spokeswoman did not respond to requests for comment.
When Lufthansa signed the accord in principle in July 2014 the German carrier said it hoped the deal would improve its position in China, the world's fastest growing aviation market.
Spohr warned at the time that it could take until 2016 before the joint venture was fully up and running due to the time needed for antitrust approval.
(Reporting by Brenda Goh and Victoria Bryan; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Adrian Croft)
Donald Trump 's trip south of the border Wednesday is about more than mending fences over his inflammatory rhetoric over building a wall to keep Mexicans out of the U.S.
Among America's trading partners, Mexico is the second-largest buyer of U.S. goods.
In his campaign rhetoric, the Republican presidential nominee has railed against a supposed threat to American jobs posed by Mexican immigrants. The issue has been popular among his supporters.
But many American workers depend on continued Mexican demand for U.S. goods and services to keep payrolls and paychecks growing.
Last year, Mexico bought some $236 billion worth of American goods, or nearly 16 percent of all exports. Only Canada, at $280 billion, is a bigger customer.
The shipments came from a wide variety of American companies and industries. Among the biggest categories were cars, trucks and parts, along with chemicals and petroleum products, and computers and electrical equipment.
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No shut-down of colleges, pledges NSU
Nepal Students Union has said it will not resort to shut-down of academic institutions as a tool for its protests
By Karin Stanton KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (Reuters) - Hurricane Madeline weakened to a tropical storm on Wednesday as it advanced toward Hawaii's Big Island, while a hurricane warning was issued for another storm approaching the Gulf Coast of Florida, where the governor has called an emergency. Strong winds and driving rain pounded both northwest Florida and Big Island as residents braced for even wilder weather. Hawaii officials opened shelters and closed offices, schools and roads on Wednesday to prepare for Madeline, which is expected to pass just south of the Big Island. "We should all be hunkering down as the storm passes," said Hawaii County Civil Defense spokeswoman Kanani Aton. Madeline, as it weakened with sustained winds of about 70 mph (113 kph) on Wednesday afternoon, was about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of the Big Island, said Central Pacific Hurricane Center meteorologist Ray Tanabe. The tropical storm, before it moves westward out of reach of Hawaii, could dump as much as 15 inches (40 cm) of rain on parts of the Big Island, according to the National Weather Service. The storm already was lashing the island with rain and wind, resulting in some road closures, Tanabe said. Hurricane Lester, currently a major Category 4 storm, could affect Hawaii over the weekend. Hawaii Governor David Ige signed an emergency proclamation that runs through Sept. 9, freeing up state resources. Meantime, the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for a portion of northwestern Florida as Tropical Storm Hermine continued to strengthen over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The system was located about 315 miles (510 kilometer) west-southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), the Miami-based weather forecaster said late on Wednesday. The NHC said additional strengthening is forecast during the next 24 to 36 hours, and Hermine is expected to be a hurricane as it reaches the Florida's northern Gulf Coast by Thursday afternoon and then sweep across northern parts of the state with driving rain, then northeast along the Atlantic Coast. Florida's governor declared an emergency on Wednesday ahead of the brewing storm as many school districts along the Gulf Coast canceled after-school activities and ordered students to stay home on Thursday. Heavy rains were already pounding parts of the state on Wednesday. As much as 20 inches (50 cm) could fall over northwest Florida, the NHC said, warning of storm surges and "life-threatening inundation." On its current path, the system would dump as much as 10 inches (25 cm) of rain on coastal areas of Georgia, which was under a tropical storm watch, and the Carolinas. Lori Hebert, 40, woke up on Wednesday to flood waters seeping into her house in the Tampa Bay region. Catfish came onto her driveway as the street flooded in Gulfport, a small waterfront city. "We haven't gotten the main storm yet," she said, loading a dozen sandbags into her van. U.S. oil and gas producers in east of the Gulf of Mexico removed workers from 10 offshore platforms, moved drilling rigs and shut some output because of the storm. (Additional reporting by Leticia Stein in Tampa, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Laila Kearney in New York, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles, Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas, and the Houston bureau; Editing by James Dalgleish, Leslie Adler and Simon Cameron-Moore)
Madonna blasted Donald Trump's sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump on Instagram Thursday (Sept. 1) over a photo of the two posing with a dead leopard they killed while on a hunting trip in Africa.
Joe Scarborough Debuts Country Song About Donald Trump's (Short-Lived) 'Softening'
"How Big of. Pussy Do you have to BE to kill this Noble Animal for sport? Just ask Donald Trump Jr and his brother Eric. One more reason to vote for Hilary!" she posted, sharing the photo of the smiling men holding the massive cat's carcass.
How Big of. Pussy Do you have to BE to kill this Noble Animal for sport? Just ask Donald Trump Jr and his brother Eric. One more reason to vote for Hilary! ------
A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 31, 2016 at 11:23pm PDT
The photo reportedly dates back to 2011 when the brothers took a big game safari trip to Zimbabwe. Animal rights activists condemned the Trumps then over their trip and photos that emerged of them posing with a dead elephant, kudu, civet cat and waterbuck as well.
Ximena Sarinana, Boy George & More React to Donald Trump's Visit to Mexico
A video montage was created showing all the photos, including one in which Trump Jr. poses holding man elephants tail and a knife. In another, the brothers are shown standing with a 12' 8" crocodile hanging from a noose off a tree.
By Scott Malone (Reuters) - Maine Governor Paul LePage said on Wednesday he would not resign and was seeking spiritual advice after unleashing an obscenity-laden voicemail message on a political rival, as state lawmakers mulled whether to vote to censure the Republican. The famously combative two-term governor apologized for the second day straight to the people of Maine and to state Representative Drew Gattine after calling the Democrat a "little son-of-a-bitch, socialist cocksucker" in a voicemail message that has been widely circulated. "I will not resign," LePage told reporters in his office in the state capital, Augusta, a day after discussing the possibility in a radio appearance. LePage's angry voicemail followed an exchange with a newspaper reporter who asked about comments the governor had made blaming black and Hispanic people for the heroin trade in the Northeastern state. The reporter named Gattine as someone who had raised concerns about the comments, although both agree the Democrat never called the governor a racist. The voicemail ended with LePage urging Gattine to share it widely "because I am after you." After meeting with Gattine on Wednesday, LePage said: "He never called me racist. He said I made racially comments. Maybe in my mind it is semantics but in his mind after talking to him it was clear that there was a real difference." LePage, whose term runs through 2018, said he "will be seeking spiritual guidance with my wife and my children." 'GASOLINE ON THAT FIRE' The Republican-led state Senate is still deliberating whether to call a special session to vote to censure LePage, said Majority Leader Michael Thibodeau. "We can't continue to have the explosiveness that we've seen and so we're in hopes that he's going to find a way to correct that," said Thibodeau, who would take over as governor if LePage stepped down. "We live in a time in America when racial tensions are high and we don't need to be throwing gasoline on that fire." Republicans in the state's Democratic-led House of Representatives said they accepted LePage's apology and were ready to move on. But House Speaker Mark Eves, a Democrat, called for a meeting of lawmakers to discuss LePage's resignation or removal from office. "The governor's comments today do nothing to address his increasingly erratic behavior that demonstrates he is unfit to lead," Eves said in a statement. LePage on Tuesday morning mused on stepping down, saying he was not necessarily committed to finishing his term and adding: "It's one thing not to have one party behind you, it's another thing not to have any party behind you." Hours later, he changed his tune, paraphrasing Mark Twain as he tweeted: "The reports of my political demise are greatly exaggerated," before trying to change the subject with messages on a visit to a tissue factory. "Maybe my temperament for the poor and the underdog is over the top but I'll live my life that way. I'm comfortable fighting for the underdog," LePage said. "I'm just not a very good politician." (Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston; Editing by James Dalgleish and Peter Cooney)
By Aradhana Aravindan and Ben Blanchard SINGAPORE/BEIJING (Reuters) - China intensified its checks on people and goods arriving from Singapore on Thursday, as an outbreak of the Zika virus in the small city-state was confirmed to have spread to at least one person in neighbouring Malaysia. Authorities in Singapore, a leading regional financial centre and busy transit hub for people and cargo, said they had detected 151 people with the Zika virus, including a second pregnant woman, as of midday Thursday. The first locally-transmitted Zika infection was reported on Saturday. The government said earlier that half of the 115 cases reported previously were foreigners, mainly from China, India and Bangladesh, and most had already recovered. Many of them are believed to be among the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in Singapore's construction and marine industries. Some new Zika cases have been found beyond the cluster area where the virus was initially detected. "We have been tracking Zika for a while now, and knew it was only a matter of time before it reached Singapore," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted on his Facebook page. "Our best defence is to eradicate mosquitoes and destroy breeding habitats, all over Singapore." Singapore is the only Asian country with active transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which in pregnant women can lead to serious birth defects. Malaysia confirmed its first case of Zika infection, in a woman who had recently visited Singapore. The United States, Australia and other countries have added Singapore to the growing list of places that pregnant women or those trying to conceive have been warned to avoid. HURRICANE IN U.S. COMPLICATES EFFORT Meanwhile, in south Florida, where nearly 50 cases of Zika have been reported in non-travellers, officials said they trapped the first mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus, further confirming reports of local U.S. transmission. [nL1N1BD1HO] "This find is disappointing, but not surprising," Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam said in a statement. "Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami Beach, and state and federal partners will continue to work aggressively to prevent the spread of Zika," Putnam added. That work is likely to be seriously hampered by a hurricane expected to hit Florida overnight, as high winds will make aerial insecticide spraying impossible and standing water in its aftermath will provide added mosquito breeding sites.[nL1N1BD1C5] The Singapore outbreak and travel warnings come just two weeks before the Singapore F1 motor-racing Grand Prix, a major sporting and tourist draw. The race promoter said planning for the event is going ahead "as per normal". Singapore's Tourism Board has said it is premature to consider any impact on the tourism industry, stressing the tropical city-state remains a "safe travel destination". More than 55 million people pass through Singapore's Changi airport each year. Tourism arrivals topped 8 million in the first half of this year, around 1 million more than a year ago. China is trade-dependent Singapore's top overseas market, and the Zika outbreak coincides with a dip in overall exports and slowing economic growth in both countries. "If this continues, certainly it will have a negative impact, but it's hard to quantify in percentage terms or dollar value," said Francis Tan, an economist at United Overseas Bank in Singapore. The Zika virus, which has spread through the Americas and the Caribbean since first being detected in Brazil late last year, is generally a mild disease but can cause microcephaly, a rare birth defect that can lead to serious developmental problems, and has also been linked to other severe fetal brain abnormalities. The World Health Organization has also linked Zika to Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. MALAYSIA MEASURES The WHO, which declared Zika an international public health emergency, was holding a regular meeting of its Zika emergency committee on Thursday to review the spread of the disease. Malaysia, which has two land border crossings with Singapore, asked those going to the city-state to use mosquito repellent and to cover up to avoid bites. Tens of thousands of people travel between the two countries daily. Indonesia has also stepped up protective measures following the Singapore outbreak, intensifying checks on arrivals from Singapore and posting paramedics at airports and border checkpoints. Zika is primarily spread by mosquitoes but can also be transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected person. A case of suspected transmission through a blood transfusion in Brazil has raised questions about other ways it may be spread. Several companies and government agencies are working to develop vaccines against Zika. On Thursday, Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceuticals <4502.T> said it has joined the effort with help from U.S. funding, and it expects to begin human testing next year. [nL1N1BD1B0] (Additional reporting by Saeed Azhar in Singapore, Joseph Sipalan and Rozanne Latiff in Kuala Lumpur, Bill Berkrot in New York and Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Writing by Miral Fahmy; Editing by Ian Geoghegan, Bernard Orr)
Correction appended, Sept. 1
Deborah Pearl was driving to work in Solon, Ohio early Saturday morning when Matthew Desha plowed into her car and then killed her with his assault rifle after the accident.
Desha, 29, sent Pearls car flying across the intersection when he ran a red light at an intersection she was passing through, and his own SUV rolled over multiple times. When they both emerged from their cars, he began shooting at her while she held her hands up, a witness told Cleveland.com.
There were a number of witnesses who heard or saw the murder, with at least one person calling the police.
Paramedics called to the scene found Pearl, a mother of three, severely wounded, and later pronounced her dead at a hospital nearby. Officials later identified Desha as a Marine who had toured in Iraq, and has reportedly dealt with P.T.S.D. and drug addiction since his return.
Words cant explain what were going through, said Pearls son. Derryo Pearl, to Cleveland.com. This is the roughest patch a human being can go through. Ive gone through tough times before, but it wasnt like this.
[The Washington Post]
Correction: The original version of this story referred incorrectly to the victim. Her name is Deborah Pearl.
NRB Act forbids retired staffers from joining BFIs for up to 3 yrs
The staffers of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) are not allowed to join banks and financial institutions (BFIs) for up to three years after the retirement. This legal provision came into effect after the Legislature Parliament on Thursday endorsed the second amendment of Nepal Rastra Bank Act with a majority.
On Friday, Brock Turner is scheduled to be released from jail. The 22-year-old former Stanford swimmer was convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a Dumpster in March and has spent the past three months in a county jail. His sentence has been widely regarded as too lenient, and a group of lawmakers has set out to ensure that never happens again.
On Monday, the California State Assembly unanimously passed legislation that requires mandatory minimum sentences for those convicted of sexual assault regardless of the condition of the victim.
Current state law requires a minimum of three years prison time in cases of rape and sexual assault when the use of force is present. In cases of sexual assault in which the victim is unconscious or intoxicated, judges can invoke judicial discretion to allow some of that time to be served as probation. A.B. 2888 would prohibit suspended sentences for those convicted of rape or sexual assault against an unconscious or intoxicated person. It awaits a signature from Gov. Jerry Brown before it becomes law.
Like many people across the nation, I was deeply disturbed by the sentence in the Brock Turner case, Assemblymember and coauthor of the legislation, Bill Dodd, said in a statement. Our bill will help ensure that such lax sentencing doesnt happen again.
Although prosecutors recommended a six-year prison sentence for Turner because his victim was unconscious, Santa Clara County trial judge Aaron Persky was able to use judicial discretion and sentenced Turner to six months (he was released early for good behavior) in county jail. Had this legislation been in place, Turner would have spent a minimum of three years in prison.
To lawmakers like Dodd, the bill closes a loophole that treated the rape of an unconscious person like a lesser offense. But to some rights organizations, the bill expands a one-size-fits-all sentencing that disproportionately impacts people of color and fuels mass incarceration.
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Mandatory minimums actually increase racial disparities in our criminal justice system, Natasha Minsker, director of the ACLU of California Center for Advocacy & Policy, told TakePart. Even though the very intent here is to have greater uniformity in sentencing, the practical reality is actually the opposite.
Mandatory minimum sentences gained popularity during the height of the war on drugs, abdicating judges of their ability to consider mitigating circumstances that may warrant a lesser penalty. In part, the intention was to eliminate a persons background from being considered in sentencing. However, a 2011 report from the United States Sentencing Commission found that black and Hispanic man were subject to mandatory minimums charges most often.
Thats because the bias that can come out in judicial discretion is simply transferred to prosecutors.
If a prosecutor wants someone to not go to prison, they offer a plea deal to a different charge, Minsker explained. If a prosecutor wants someone to go to prison, they pick a change with the mandatory minimum prison sentence and then theres nothing the judge can do about it.
A 2013 report from Human Rights Watch found that prosecutors strong-armed defendants into pleading guilty to drug charges by threatening to pursue more severe charges and longer sentences if they went to trial. Without a judge being able to intervene in sentencing, many defendants simply couldn't risk a trial and the extra years in prison they'd face if convicted. Indeed, defendants who were convicted of drug charges had sentences that were, on average, 11 years longer than for those who pleaded guilty, Human Rights Watch found.
Rather than do away with judicial discretion, Minsker suggested tackling implicit bias within mitigating and aggravating factors that judges are meant to consider in sentencing.
If you have a higher level of education or you are actually in school thats considered a mitigating circumstance. You can understand in the abstract why that is, but of course that benefits white people and wealthy people, Minsker said. And, of course, African Americans have been profiled and arrested over and over again and have lengthier rap sheets and thats used against them in sentencing.
In the Turner case, Judge Persky examined mitigating factors to arrive at the set of penalties. He took into consideration Turners age, his level of intoxication at the time of the crime, and his lack of criminal history. Although many felt these factors did not warrant an absence of prison time, opponents of mandatory minimums caution that not all cases are alike.
"There are people who have severe mental illness, people who are developmentally disabled, people who themselves have a history of sexual abuse or victimization that if you know all these things and were to take them into account, there may be good reason that a person should not go to jail. But the judge has no choice, Minsker said. Its totally understandable that people want Brock Turner to go to prison and spend more time in custody, but he wont. The one person we know whos not going to go to prison is Brock Turner. And the people we dont know, the faces we cant picturethose are the people who will go to prison.
Take the Pledge: Take the Pledge to End Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws
Related stories on TakePart:
Only 16 Percent of Internet Commenters Believe Rape Victims
5 Years Later, Here Are 5 Ways the Fair Sentencing Act Changed the War on Drugs
Federal Drug Policy Softens as Whites Become Face of Heroin Addiction
Original article from TakePart
CubanLawyer_4x3
Billionaire business mogul Mark Cuban spent a significant portion of Wednesday, spilling over into Thursday, sparring with Donald Trump's top lawyer, Michael Cohen, in an extended Twitter war.
The back-and-forth started as Trump was beginning to deliver his highly anticipated immigration address in Arizona. Cuban posted a meme that outlined Trump as the more "crooked" candidate in the race between him and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Cohen fired back a response.
"Cuban...you are delusional," he wrote. "Google from Clinton travelgate to Benghazi. The reason she is deemed untrustworthy." He then added, "and you need to stop listening to the lying #MSM," or mainstream media.
"Now why is your boss considered even more untrustworthy?" Cuban shot back. "What should I Google Mikey?"
The lawyer, who has also appeared as a surrogate for Trump on television, most notably when he recently asked "which polls" Trump was trailing in to a baffled CNN host, called out those who sided with Cuban in the debate as "trolls" paid by Cuban.
"Come on Mikey," Cuban responded. "Trolls are people too! Don't you want to make America great for them too?"
The owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank" then accused Cohen of not watching Trump's bellicose Wednesday-night speech, in which he reiterated many of the points on immigration that helped carry him through the Republican primary season.
"Looks like you didn't want to watch your boss's speech either," Cuban said. "Or are you multi tasking to try to show off?"
"Some of us can do more than one thing at a time...try it sometime!" Cohen responded before accusing Cuban of being jealous of Trump.
Mark Cuban
Things continued to heat up from there.
"I'm so proud of you," Cuban wrote. "We could add more tasks and talk about the time you threatened to sue me?"
"Mikey. How nice is it to get time off from prepping for the Trump University lawsuits," he pressed on. "Can't just pay like Fla?"
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Cuban was referring to a campaign donation made from Trump to Florida attorney general Pam Bondi when she was considering investigating the controversial Trump University, now defunct, in 2013.
Cohen then continued to insist that "trolls" with "5 followers" were "all paid by Cuban" to argue against the Trump lawyer.
"I wouldn't know how to pay trolls," Cuban said. "Can you explain to me how it's done?"
"Now we will just refer to you as 'lyin Mark,'" Cohen responded, nodding toward Trump's most successful nickname of the campaign season, which was aimed at Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. "No wonder you support #CrookedHillary."
As the bout spilled over into Thursday morning, Cuban retweeted someone who said, sarcastically, that Cohen had been fired by Trump, according to "The BEST people."
"Dang @MichaelCohen212, now the best people are saying you were fired," Cuban posted. "I'll have the Breitbart link in a minute. SAD!"
Tensions appeared to soon cool off, as Cohen jokingly messaged Cuban asking whether he was "hiring," to which Cuban asked Cohen to direct message "me what job you are looking for and your salary requirements."
Cuban endorsed Clinton at a rally in Pittsburgh, his hometown, last month. In that rally, he referred to Trump as a "jagoff" a demeaning slang term frequently used in western Pennsylvania during the event. The billionaire has ripped Trump repeatedly on social media in recent months.
He expressed interest in serving as either Trump's or Clinton's running mate earlier in the cycle before souring on the real-estate magnate's candidacy. In a Monday tweet, he wrote that he knew there "was no chance" being picked as a running mate "was happening."
NOW WATCH: Trump rips a protester in Pennsylvania: 'Your mother is voting for Trump'
More From Business Insider
Several members of the transgender community were upset by the news that Matt Bomer had been cast as a trans woman in the upcoming film Anything.
Mark Ruffalo is an executive producer on the project and responded to the criticism on Twitter. "To the Trans community. I hear you. It's wrenching to you see you in this pain," he wrote. "I am glad we are having this conversation. It's time."
Ruffalo admitted he recommended Bomer for the part because of the "profound experience" he had with the actor while filming The Normal Heart. Bomer and Ruffalo played lovers in the award-winning HBO film about an HIV/AIDS activist.
To the Trans community. I hear you. It's wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It's time.
- Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making "The Normal Heart".
- Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
The transgender community has repeatedly expressed outrage at cisgender actors playing the roles of transgender characters, like Eddie Redmayne did in The Danish Girl. When Twitter users called for Bomer's part to be recast, Ruffalo said the movie had already been filmed.
He wrote, "The movie is already shot and Matt poured his heart and soul into this part. Please have a little compassion. We are all learning."
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Matt Bomer's rep for comment.
@Vodstok The movie is already shot and Matt poured his heart and soul into this part. Please have a little compassion. We are all learning.
- Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
Read more: GLAAD Calls 'Tomboy' "Disappointing": Gender Reassignment Surgery Isn't a "Sensationalistic Plot Device"
Mark Ruffalo has defended Matt Bomers casting as a transgender sex worker in the feature film Anything, following criticism by the transgender community.
Ruffalo is an executive producer on the recently wrapped project, in which Bomer portrays a transgender woman. Bomer and Ruffalo played lovers in HBOs 2014 drama The Normal Heart.
To the Trans community. I hear you, he wrote on Wednesday. Its wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. Its time.
In all honestly I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making The Normal Heart,' he added.
To the Trans community. I hear you. It's wrenching to you see you in this pain. I am glad we are having this conversation. It's time. Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
In all honesty I suggested Matt for the role after the profound experience I had with him while making "The Normal Heart". Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
Producers announced on Aug. 29 that Bomer and John Carroll Lynch are starring in Anything, with Timothy McNeil making his feature directorial debut. Ruffalo noted two days later that the movie had already wrapped in response to a suggestion that the Bomers role be recast.
@Vodstok The movie is already shot and Matt poured his heart and soul into this part. Please have a little compassion. We are all learning. Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 31, 2016
Anthing, and more movies such as Eddie Redmaynes The Danish Girl, faced backlash from the community due to the fact that a cisgender actor is playing a transgender character.
The movie also stars Maura Tierney, Micah Hauptman, Margot Bingham and Melora Hardin. Ruffalo and Great Point Medias Robert Halmi and Jim Reeve are executive producing.
Anything is based on McNeils play of the same name. Lynch plays a man who is suicidal over the death of his wife and moves from Mississippi to Los Angeles, where he can be under the watchful eye of his protective sister, played by Tierney. He then begins an intense friendship with Bomers character. The unlikely new couple must reconcile their vastly different backgrounds as they fill the void in each others lives.
Anything is being produced by Hauptman, Louise Runge, and Ofrit Peres. Bomer, Tony Lipp, and Scott Wexler also executive produce.
Great Point Media is the distributor. UTA Independent Film Group helped put the film together and is the U.S. sales agent.
Im very happy to be part of this daring project, Ruffalo said in the Aug. 29 announcement. Love is at the essence of great storytelling and transcends all discrimination and politicization.
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Before the debates get underway next week, NBC News Today co-anchor Matt Lauer will moderate the first joint candidate event of the 2016 general election. The NBC News/MSNBC Commander-in-Chief Forum on Wednesday, September 7, at New Yorks Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
The one-hour event will simulcast live at 8 PM ET on the NBC and MSNBC, and stream live on NBCNews.com.
White House hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will take questions on national security, military affairs and veterans issues from a live audience composed of service members and veterans.
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NBC's Matt Lauer is set to moderate the first joint-candidate event of the general election between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
The Commander-In-Chief Forum will focus on national security, military affairs and veterans' issues. It will broadcast on Sept. 7 from New York's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, located in the Intrepid aircraft carrier on the Hudson River.
Clinton and Trump will field questions from a live audience comprising active-duty service members and veterans. The event is hosted by service organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Lauer has appeared on the Today show since 1997. He's also a contributor to Dateline on NBC.
The joint-candidate event shouldn't be confused with the upcoming presidential debates of which a schedule or moderators have not been unveiled.
Read more: Michael Wolff on Hillary's "Self-Delusion," Trump's "S Show" and the Media's Final, Frantic 100 Days
wendy clark
"Bahdabababa. #imlovinit"
That was DDB North America CEO Wendy Clark's jubilant caption on her Instagram photo posted earlier this week to announce the ad agency had won McDonald's creative account after a grueling 18-week pitch process.
When Clark and her team visited McDonald's headquarters in Illinois that Monday, they thought it was simply for another commercial terms discussion.
Far from it. Out came McDonald's US Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl and a man dressed as Ronald McDonald, clutching a bunch of flowers and a bottle of Champagne.
The appointment of DDB or, technically, of a new, as-yet-unnamed agency with 200 staff members under Clark's remit, which will take input and support from other agencies within the Omnicom network prompted a fair amount of chatter within the ad industry. And not just because it's a huge account and the deal ends McDonald's 35-year relationship with Leo Burnett.
The new agency's pay is tied into how its work improves McDonald's business performance
McDonald's factored in a rare "pay-for-performance" aspect into the contract, as AdAge first reported.
The fast-food chain had reportedly asked agencies to operate at cost meaning they would only be compensated for their variable costs, but would be prevented from making a profit from this base pay. Instead, all the agency's profit would come from rewards tied to McDonald's business and brand performance.
Sources told Agency Spy it was one of the reasons the world's largest advertising agency holding group, WPP, balked and bowed out of the review in the spring.
Some people argue this kind of model is a good thing because it incentivizes agencies to create work that has an actual effect on their client's business.
Others say it can be difficult to directly correlate advertising with a brand's performance as brand campaigns can take years to truly take effect, which could possibly see agencies shift from wanting to produce the big, sexy branding work to more performance-led, direct-response campaigns, which are designed to boost short-term sales.
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And all this comes at a time when agency fees are being squeezed more than ever, as big advertisers look to cut costs.
Bahdabababa. #imlovinit A photo posted by wendy clark (@wendylclark) on Aug 29, 2016 at 12:42pm PDT on Aug 29, 2016 at 12:42pm PDT
Wahl has denied that the company is asking DDB to work at cost. But Clark confirmed to Business Insider there will be a performance aspect to the agency's compensation, and that she's perfectly happy with it.
She wouldn't go into detail about which data the agency's performance would be measured against, but said it would include both short-term and long-term aspects.
"There is a [key performance indicator] that we have agreed on as part of the process. We would not ever work for a client that didn't thoroughly compensate and remunerate our time," she said. "I would say I think the industry has been talking about, for a long time, is a notion of pay-for-performance and having upside when our ideas and our work builds a client's business."
"We feel positively about the potential to be measured in a way that's more correlated with the impact we will create," she said.
'Cortex' is key
The new agency will be centered on data literally.
Clark's team pitched McDonald's in the agency's unfinished building in Chicago. The team mapped out on the concrete floor what the agency would look like, as bare lighting hung from the ceiling, and placed a "Cortex" unit at the center of the open-plan space.
The Cortex unit will take in all of McDonald's data including from its stores, mobile app, and social media conversations about the brand and blend that with "human behavioral" data and "cultural foresight" from the Omnicom data units Sparks and Honey and Analect.
"A lot is written about the notion that somehow data stands in the way of creativity," Clark said. "I'd say I don't think there is any creative out there that wouldn't agree that a more intelligent brief would yield better work. It's where you input data and intelligence in the process that is the key to unlocking creativity intelligence upfront and capturing impact on the back end."
'I'm Lovin' It' is here to stay
So what was the brief? Clark can't say "it's secret stuff."
What she can tell us is that the plan is to build the 13-year-old "I'm Lovin' It" brand platform.
Incidentally, the "I'm Lovin' It" slogan was created by the DDB Network. German agency Heye & Partner came up with the "Ich Liebe Es" slogan in September 2003, and the English element featuring vocals from Justin Timberlake rolled out worldwide later that month.
"We feel we are going to be able to translate it into a lot of the plans and initiatives McDonald's has in an interesting, share-worthy, exciting way," Clark said.
McDonald's has made a big point in its recent marketing to repair its junk-food reputation by highlighting its efforts to remove artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives and introduce healthier ingredients.
That hasn't been without its criticism. Earlier this month, for example, Panera Bread's CEO, Ron Shaich, slammed McDonald's for its new "preservative-free" McNuggets commercial. He felt it was misleading because people could "generalize" that the entire menu is free of preservatives.
We asked how Clark's agency plans to tread this tricky balance when it reveals its first work for the brand in January, but she batted off the question.
"I can't talk about that. It's material to McDonald's plans," Clark said.
'McDonald's is for everybody. It's not exclusionary.'
What Clark can talk about is what draws her to the McDonald's brand, which could hint at the advertising vision.
She draws parallels between the McDonald's brand and Coca-Cola, the company she worked at for seven years before joining DDB in late 2015. Clark was one of Coke's top senior execs, working her way up to become its president of sparkling brands and strategic marketing.
McDonald's "is one of the most democratic and inclusive brands in the world," said Clark, who even worked at McDonald's as a shift manager before she embarked on her advertising career.
"McDonald's is for everybody. It's not exclusionary," she said. "It has a broad expanse around the world, availability, value, affordability you have the ability to have good food at a reasonable price around the corner from you. The brand doesn't distinguish and hold itself just for small groups. That's something I love about the brand. They are very clear on what their brand is, and it's a wonderful thing to have a brand that has that legacy."
As we're chatting, I notice out of the corner of my eye that another of Kanye West's tweets is going viral. Clark and her PR assistant immediately look it up:
McDonalds is my favorite brand KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) August 31, 2016
Clark clearly isn't the only one with a lot of admiration for the McDonald's brand. But with the chain's most recent quarterly US same-store sales growth falling short of estimates, Clark and her team have a big task in their hands to ensure more Americans start feeling the love for the brand, too.
NOW WATCH: New guidelines have led to a big change for uniforms at the Rio Olympics
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Preparation for PMs India visit in full swing
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stepped up preparations for Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahals visit to India beginning September 15. Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat on Wednesday was busy holding meetings with government secretaries to discuss details and status of India-funded projects in Nepal.
Paris (AFP) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Thursday demanded a "clear halt" to negotiations towards an ambitious US-EU trade agreement as Germany's leader stressed her continued support for the contentious pact.
The European Commission and US negotiators began work on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in 2013, aiming to create the world's biggest free trade market of 850 million consumers.
But the talks have become bogged down as widespread suspicion abounds in Europe that the deal would undercut the 28-nation bloc's standards in key areas such as health and welfare.
Earlier on Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her support for the deal, saying it was not in Europe's interest "to fall behind other regions" such as Asia which had inked similar deals with the United States.
"I believe that such an agreement would mean job opportunities for us and we urgently need jobs in Europe," she said.
But the French premier demanded a halt to the talks, saying the agreement in its current state was not good enough.
"The agreement on the table is, under these conditions, unacceptable. We need a clear halt in order to resume from a new basis," he said during a speech to French ambassadors, according to France's foreign trade department.
"Since the beginning, France has made its demands very clear. But when we look where we are, none of these have been taken into account.
- 'No progress' -
"But where we are now, these have absolutely not been met. And there has been no progress."
France's junior trade minister who negotiates trade deals on behalf of France made similar comments earlier this week.
Merkel's intervention came just days after her own deputy, centre-left vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel said the talks on the so-called TTIP agreement, were effectively dead.
Asked about Gabriel's comments, Merkel said it was "at least unusual" to declare the talks a failure just as they were entering their final stretch.
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The talks were supposed to be in the final phase with a deal set to have been inked before US President Barack Obama leaves office in January.
Instead, the treaty has become a "hot potato" as key elections approach in the United States, as well as in France and Germany -- the Eurozone's two largest economies.
- 'Barely afloat' -
While the European Commission wants to continue the talks, experts said it was unlikely the negotiations would continue without the support of Germany or France.
And even if EU foreign ministers decided to press ahead with talks when they meet later this month, chances of a deal are now slim, ING Bank economist Daniel Bosgraaf told AFP.
"After all, neither (Donald) Trump nor (Hillary) Clinton support the trade deal. For now, TTIP remains barely afloat," he said.
Sylvie Matelly, deputy director at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS), told AFP it would be difficult to successfully conclude talks which have "repeatedly broken down over... different viewpoints, and a lack of public preparation, and transparency over what will be negotiated."
By Andreas Rinke and Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - In a sharp change of tone, Chancellor Angela Merkel wants German authorities to accelerate the deportation of foreigners who are denied asylum, in response to growing public fears over the soaring numbers of migrants, members of parliament told Reuters on Thursday. Facing criticism from the public and within her own conservatives for allowing around a million migrants and refugees to enter the country last year, Merkel told her party's lawmakers that many foreigners were staying on even after their asylum applications had been denied. "The most important thing in the coming months is repatriation, repatriation and once more, repatriation," Merkel told the conservative members of parliament, sources told Reuters. It was a significant shift of emphasis for Merkel, who has previously stuck to the mantra "We can do it!" and steadfastly refused demands to introduce limits on the number of refugees. Contemplating a bid for a fourth term, Merkel could alleviate some of the pressure on her by deporting many of the 215,000 migrants who have so far been denied rights of residency -- either forcibly or by providing financial enticements. Many come from countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Ghana and Senegal. They have been turned down on the grounds that they would not be in danger if they returned, unlike most of those from places like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. A Syrian man whose application for asylum was denied killed himself in a bungled suicide attack in Ansbach last month. He had managed to fight off efforts to deport him to Bulgaria, where he first entered the European Union. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that 21,000 people had been repatriated last year and 35,000 in the first seven months of this year. He wants to repatriate at least 100,000 this year. Merkel, in office for 11 years and considering running again next year, has seen her approval ratings sink to a five-year low of 45 percent from 67 percent a year ago. Her conservatives are polling just 33 percent support, down from 41 percent a year ago, according to an Infratest Dimap poll by ARD TV. With her party facing humiliating defeats in two state elections this month, she told the lawmakers that it was important to take the public's concerns seriously. Her CDU risks falling to third place in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on Sunday behind the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been siphoning away conservative voters with its virulent anti-refugee stance. The CDU faces a rout in the city-state of Berlin two weeks later. Merkel said it was important to concentrate resources on refugees fleeing war and turmoil who genuinely needed support, and to keep up public acceptance for refugees by deporting foreigners to countries where there is no persecution. (Reporting by Erik Kirschbaum)
Breezy dresses like this one are a hallmark of the collection. Merlette Soliman Dress, $320, merlettenyc.com
Typically, Labor Day weekend signifies the final fete of summer. And that usually means the end of billowy tops, flouncy skirts, and other loose, whimsical attire synonymous with summer days.
But designer Marina Cortbawi of Merlette has a different approach to what we used to think of as summer attire. Her newly launched collection is meant for travelers. She took the name merlette from the swooping house martin in French heraldry, a medieval symbol of the wandering traveler, and she says she likes to design for women who are constantly in flight, moving from place to place. Cortbawi sees the Merlette woman as someone who likes to travel irrespective of seasons or temperatures.
The collection honors the expectations and desires of the woman wherever she is, without attention to climates and seasons. Corbawi cites California as an example of a place where someone is in little need of the heavier clothing typically seen in the Fall/Winter designer collections.
Cortbawi grew up in Sydney, of Lebanese origin, but she learned the trade in London, Paris, and New York. She studied fashion design and illustration at the esteemed Central Saint Martins and the London College of Fashion. Afterwards, she landed in New York, where she worked on the business side of the storied fashion houses Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera.
While she was there, Marina was able to travel abroad frequently, and became fascinated with understanding the various nuances between cultures and the different market needs. Meeting women around the world, she acquired a broader understanding of the kind of clothes women wore internationally. The Merlette woman has a global perspective, and she has character regardless of her age, says Corbawi.
The collection has a romantic flair, with its wide, billowy silhouettes and soft, cotton fabric. The line is brimming with gorgeous sheer wrap-tie blouses; short, off-the-shoulder eyelet lace dresses; gossamer gowns; voluminous puff-sleeve tops. The easy silhouettes convey a carefree femininity ideal for any women who likes to travel light.
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With just three colors to choose from, red, white, and black, it should make for easy packing, and avoid any headaches selecting outfit combinations. Merlette is the perfect travelers wardrobe: airy, beautiful, and minimalistic.
Merlette will debut two collections per year, on the see-now, buy-now model. Merlette made its debut online at Moda Operandi and is now available at merlettenyc.com. Items are priced between $150 and $500.
Click and see what you can scoop up from Merlette to wear all year long, as you gallivant around the world.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday dismissed criticism that his meeting with Donald Trump was a mistake, saying he invited the US presidential candidate in order to confront his views.
"I am convinced that we must confront the problems, threats and risks facing Mexico," he said during an interview broadcast Wednesday night on the television channel Televisa.
Pena Nieto said that although he doesn't consider Trump himself a threat, some of the Republican nominee's proposals are, including his promise to deport millions of Mexican immigrants illegally living in the United States, cancel the NAFTA free-trade agreement and build a wall on the US-Mexican border.
His remarks came after the billionaire real estate tycoon delivered a fiery anti-immigration speech in Arizona Wednesday following his visit to Mexico earlier in the day, when he had struck a more measured tone.
Trump repeated his central campaign promise to make Mexico pay for a wall on the border.
"Yes, we addressed the issue of the wall (at the meeting), I was very clear and emphatic that Mexico would not pay for such a wall," Pena Neto said.
"I was clear in pointing out that each government has the right to do whatever it wants and pleases on its side of the border," as long as it is acting within the limits of the law, he added.
Trump had earlier denied the two discussed who would foot the bill for a wall.
Despite Trump's incendiary speech, Pena Nieto said he believes "there is a change of tone, a recognition of Mexico's importance," adding that the meeting was a "rapprochement" that "will not change all the positions" the controversial White House hopeful holds against Mexico.
The announcement of Trump's visit to Mexico on Tuesday prompted a wave of incredulity and criticism that increased after the meeting, with many accusing Pena Nieto of weakness and humiliation.
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Trump launched his campaign last year by declaring that Mexico was sending "rapists" and other criminals across the border.
Afterward, Pena Nieto likened Trump's isolationist positions to those of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and fascist Benito Mussolini.
Among Pena Nieto's critics this week, the country's former president Vicente Fox tweeted, "Trump not welcome in Mexico, not by me nor the 130 million Mexicans."
Enrique Pena Nieto
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday called out Donald Trump on Twitter, insisting that his country will "never" pay for the Republican nominee's proposed massive wall along the US-Mexico border.
Pena Nieto was responding to a tweet from Trump earlier on Thursday claiming that "Mexico will pay for the wall!"
"I repeat what I told you personally, Mr. Trump: Mexico will never pay for a wall," Pena Nieto fired back in Spanish.
The two men met on Wednesday in Mexico City and delivered a joint statement and press conference afterward.
Asked about whether payment of the wall was discussed between the two leaders, Trump answered that it was not.
"We didn't discuss payment of the wall," Trump said. "That will be for a later date."
But Pena Nieto tweeted later that he "made it clear" to Trump that Mexico wouldn't pay for the wall at the onset of their private meeting.
"At the beginning of my conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico would not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto tweeted on Wednesday evening.
During his major immigration speech later on Wednesday night in Arizona, Trump insisted that Mexico will "100%" pay for the wall.
"We will build a great wall along the southern border," Trump said. "And Mexico will pay for the wall. One hundred percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall. Great people, and great leaders, but they're going to pay for the wall."
Trump then said during a Thursday rally in Ohio that "Mexico is going to pay for the wall," which was met with a raucous cheer from his supporters.
Late Wednesday night, a Wall Street Journal editor tweeted that a spokesman for Pena Nieto told him that the Mexican president opened the meeting with Trump by flatly saying that Mexico wouldn't pay for the wall. Trump reportedly did not respond, so there was "no discussion."
Because of that, the spokesman said that Trump wasn't lying when he said that payment of the wall was not discussed.
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NOW WATCH: Who is paying for the wall? Trump and Mexico's president contradict each other
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By Christine Murray, Ana Isabel Martinez and Dave Graham MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Donald Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday he would build a border wall to keep illegal migrants out if he wins the U.S. presidency, but Pena Nieto held fast to his position that Mexico would not pay for it. Contradicting Trump's assertion that the pair did not discuss who would pay for his proposed wall, Pena Nieto said after the departure of the Republican presidential candidate that he told him during their private meeting in Mexico City that his government would not pick up the bill. "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto said in a tweet after not mentioning the issue during their joint news conference. Trump gave a different account of the conversation, which was aimed at repairing relations damaged by the real estate mogul's attacks on Mexico and migrant workers on the campaign trail. "We did discuss the wall, we didnt discuss payment of the wall, that will be at a later date, this was a very preliminary meeting. It was an excellent meeting," Trump said. His campaign waved off Pena Nieto's statement, calling the meeting a first attempt at building a relationship. "It was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate. It is unsurprising that they hold two different views on this issue, and we look forward to continuing the conversation," Trump spokesman Jason Miller said. Many Mexicans were furious about Trump's visit, deeply offended by how Trump has labeled Mexicans as rapists and drug traffickers, and wanted an apology. That did not come. Even in private, Trump did not apologize to Pena Nieto, presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez told Reuters. Trump is trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in opinion polls for the Nov. 8 election. The New York businessman's aides hoped the trip would make him look presidential and show he is willing to deal head on with a thorny issue like relations with Mexico. The scenes of a measured Trump meeting with a foreign leader were aimed at convincing moderate American voters to see him in a more positive light as he tries to broaden his appeal. Trump's call for Mexico to fund the wall is often the central moment of his campaign rallies. He asks the crowd who will pay for the wall, and supporters shout back, "Mexico!" DEMONSTRATORS: "TRUMP AND PENA OUT" Mexican opposition politicians attacked Pena Nieto for hosting Trump. The Republican candidate first made his accusations that Mexico is sending criminals and rapists across the border and pledged to build a wall that Mexico would pay for when he launched his presidential bid in June last year. He has also accused Mexico of cheating the United States on trade. The Mexican president said the many millions of Mexicans in the United States deserve respect, but offered only a mild rebuke of Trump for his rhetoric. "The Mexican people has felt aggrieved by comments that have been made, but I was sure his interest in building a relationship is genuine," Pena Nieto said at their joint news conference after the talks. A few dozen demonstrators gathered beneath a monument to Mexican independence in the center of the capital to protest the visit, some holding placards emblazoned with captions such as "You are not Wall-come" and "Trump and Pena out." Pena Nieto has been enmeshed in his own controversies, including over whether he plagiarized some of his 1991 undergraduate law thesis. Trump's visit to Mexico City took place hours before he was due to deliver a highly anticipated speech in the U.S. border state of Arizona on how he will tackle illegal immigration if he wins the election. Trump has been pilloried in Mexico since he launched his White House campaign last year. He has pledged to renegotiate or scrap the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada. Clinton, a former secretary of state, said on Wednesday that Trump could not paper over his previous harsh language against Mexico, which helped him defeat 16 rivals for the Republican presidential nomination. "It certainly takes more than trying to make up for more than a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again," she told a convention of the American Legion military veterans' group in Cincinnati. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Amanda Becker, Caren Bohan and Ginger Gibson in Washington; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Simon Gardner and Leslie Adler)
From Cosmopolitan
On Mexican soil for the first time as the Republican presidential nominee, a firm but measured Donald Trump defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, standing up for the centerpiece of his immigration plan in a country where he is widely despised.
But within hours of Trump's visit, a dispute arose over the most contentious part of the billionaire's plans to secure the U.S. southern border - his insistence that Mexico must pay to build that wall.
When answering questions from adjacent lecterns before a Mexican flag after his meeting at the official residence of the country's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump said Wednesday the two men didn't discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions.
Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
With the meeting held behind closed doors, it was impossible to know who was telling the truth. But the difference in how Trump and Pena Nieto recalled their talk was an example of the political risk taken on by two unpopular politicians who arrived at the meeting having spent months quarreling from afar.
Trump began his campaign by deriding Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals, and piled on in the months to come as he attacked Mexico over free trade, illegal immigration, and border security. Pena Nieto responded by condemning Trump's language, saying those were the sort of words that gave rise to Adolf Hitler.
Pena Nieto did not repeat such criticism Wednesday but acknowledged Trump's comments had "hurt and affected Mexicans."
"The Mexicans deserve everyone's respect," he said.
The trip and the later dispute, arriving 10 weeks before America's presidential Election Day, came just hours before Trump was to deliver a highly anticipated speech in Arizona about illegal immigration. That has been a defining issue of his presidential campaign but also one on which he's appeared to waver in recent days.
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Trump stayed on script after the meeting, reading a statement from notes and politely answering shouted questions from reporters about his promise to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border between the two countries.
"We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall," Trump said.
Writing later on Twitter, Pena Nieto said the subject was among the first things the men discussed. He has, for months, said "there is no scenario" under which Mexico would pay for the wall.
"From there, the conversation addressed other issues and developed in a respectful manner," he added.
Those issues included the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has called the worst trade deal in history. Pena Nieto suggested there was room to improve the trade deal, while the New York businessman promised to promote trade deals that would keep jobs in the Western Hemisphere - a departure from his standard "America First" rhetoric.
Trump's presence Wednesday, his first meeting with a head of state abroad as a presidential candidate, sparked anger and protests across Mexico's capital city. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman, despite Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome.
"We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt."
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences and defended the contribution of Mexicans working in the United States, but he described the conversation as "open and constructive." He and Trump shook hands as the session ended.
Pena Nieto's performance came in for immediate condemnation from his many critics in Mexico.
"Pena ended up forgiving Trump when he didn't even ask for an apology," said Esteban Illades, the editor of Nexos magazine. "The lowest point of the most painful day in the history of the Mexican presidency."
After saying during his Republican primary campaign he would use a "deportation force" to expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, Trump suggested last week he could soften that stance.
But he still says he plans to build a huge wall - paid for by Mexico - along the two nations's border. He is under pressure to clarify just where he stands in the Wednesday night speech, which had been rescheduled several times.
Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told CBS earlier Wednesday that Trump would make clear "that there will be no path to legalization, no path to citizenship. People will need to leave the country to be able to obtain legal status or obtain citizenship."
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton jabbed at Trump's Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation's chief diplomat.
"People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next," she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
Her campaign jumped on Pena Nieto's later tweet too.
"It turns out Trump didn't just choke," said Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta in a statement, "he got beat in the room and lied about it."
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Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander have made their love red carpet official.
The notoriously private couple walked the red carpet together on Thursday at the Venice Film Festival, in support of their drama, The Light Between Oceans. The two have been dating since December 2014, when they began working together on the tear-jerking film.
Fassbender, 39, kept his arm around Vikander, 27, who looked gorgeous in a plunging floral Louis Vuitton dress. The X-Men: Apocalypse star also looked sharp in a plaid blue suit.
WATCH: EXCLUSIVE -- Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander on Their Instant Chemistry the Night They First Met
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Getty Images
Earlier in the day, the two looked equally stunning at a photocall for the movie, where Fassbender only had eyes for Vikander. The Oscar-winning actress looked lovely in a striped Prabal Gurung dress.
Getty Images
Getty Images
ET sat down with the pair in July, when they admitted they had instant chemistry the night they first met.
"We had met at Toronto Film Festival and just on the dance floor," Vikander revealed, with Fassbender recalling: "I thought [I was a good dancer] until she started dancing and then I felt like I had two left feet."
The duo later "properly" met during rehearsals for The Light Between Oceans, but their chemistry, Fassbender said, "was sort of there from the beginning."
WATCH: EXCLUSIVE -- Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender Share the Sceen for the First Time in Tragic 'The Light Between Oceans' Trailer
Fassbender and Vikander also sweetly supported one another during awards season earlier this year, when the Swedish actress won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Danish Girl. Although Vikander didn't publicly thank her beau during her acceptance speech, she did give him a sweet kiss on the lips before making her way up to the podium.
When ET caught up with Fassbender at the Golden Globes in January, he gushed that he was "very proud" of his stunning girlfriend.
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Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander in The Light Between Oceans
At first glance, "The Light Between Oceans" is just another tearjerker.
It's a sad story about a couple who fall in love and live alone in a lighthouse, but aren't able to have a child. Its sadness seems calculated.
But it isnt. Directed by Derek Cianfrance who made the most devastating romance in the past decade, Blue Valentine its a deep, nuanced, and sincere love story and morality tale.
And it has exactly the type of authenticity Hollywood is missing in most of its movies.
The Light Between Oceans is based on the best-selling book of the same name by M. L. Stedman. It stars Michael Fassbender as Tom Sherbourne, a British World War I veteran who looks for some peace and quiet after the war by working alone at a lighthouse in Australia. There, he falls in love with Isabel, a local played by Alicia Vikander, whose two brothers died in the war.
The two try to have a baby. Twice. Both attempts end in miscarriages. Its hard to give birth when youre alone on an island, without any doctors around. Though Vikander has never been pregnant in her life, her devastation is real. I cant remember the last studio movie that deals with the intimacy of pregnancy, and its potential failure, so vividly.
Shortly after the death of their second child, a small boat drifts toward the shore of their lighthouse peninsula. Its holding a baby girl, whos still alive, and her father, who is dead. Here, the movie turns into not just a film about a relationship, but a moral dilemma. Should they bring the child into their lives? Or should they report her to the authorities to send her to an orphanage?
The Light Between Oceans
The Light Between Oceans has the beauty of a big studio movie, but little of the artifice. It was made by DreamWorks, and its utterly gorgeous. Its shot on a real lighthouse peninsula off the coast of New Zealand, and the costumes and sets are delightfully detailed. But despite the sheen, it has the complexity and moral ambiguity usually associated with independently produced movies.
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DreamWorks was wise to hire Cianfrance. He knows how to build up a relationship and then find the cracks thatll tear it down. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams were beautiful together in Blue Valentine, but then the differences in their characters' personalities and ambitions made their relationship unsustainable. Gosling and Eva Mendes were perfectly believable as a couple in The Place Beyond the Pines, but differed over how to raise their son.
Cianfrance is the most convincing romance director of our time. Even the actors buy it. Mendes and Gosling became a real-life couple on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines and now have two daughters together. Fassbender and Vikander started dating on the set of The Light Between Oceans, and theyre still together.
The Light Between Oceans demonstrates exactly how studios should approach hiring directors for big movies. In the past few years, weve seen major Hollywood studios hire (always male) filmmakers with one or two low-budget movies under their belts to direct blockbusters. Colin Trevorrow made just Safety Not Guaranteed before helming Jurassic World. Josh Trank made the low-budget Chronicle before the disastrous Fantastic Four. Hollywood hires young directors, then imposes its will upon them, barely letting the filmmakers' own voices leak through.
The Light Between Oceans Michael Fassbender moustache
With The Light Between Oceans, DreamWorks let Cianfrance flex his muscles. To be sure, there are some elements that feel forced. Alexandre Desplats score weighs too heavily on the movie, threatening some of the nuance. Theres an epilogue scene thats just an enormous, sentimental mistake.
But even though Cianfrance is now working within the studio system instead of making scrappy, uncompromised indie movies, he has found ways to grow as an artist. He is still a master at communicating an idea or emotion with a twitch of a mouth, a well-placed laugh, or a turn of the head. While his main characters in Blue Valentine and Pines were largely uneducated, he's now working with characters who are actually articulate. The actors use more complicated, if spare, dialogue, not just the nuances of body language.
He does this all while pushing the ideas hes worked on in his earlier movies. Cianfrances great themes are how relationships build and break down, and how people try to fit in or escape their past. In The Light Between Oceans, Fassbender was a British soldier on the Western Front of World War I, killing Germans. When he finds out that the daughter he adopted is half-German, his feelings toward her become messy. And when he finds out her German father is dead while her mother is still alive, he feels the guilt of his killings weighing on him. As with all of Cianfrances movies, the characters dont anticipate how their pasts will creep up on them.
DreamWorks can let Cianfrance do what he wants because the budget for The Light Between Oceans is a relatively low $20 million, rather than the $200 million required for a superhero movie. And thats fine. The movie is a great representation of how a big studio can be a patron for great, popular art.
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A cider mill owner in Michigan has decided to stop holding wedding ceremonies at his venue to avoid the possibility of holding sex-same weddings, which he says conflict with his religious beliefs. (Photo: Stocksy)
Its been more than 14 months since the Supreme Courts landmark ruling on marriage equality, but the details of what that means for individual wedding vendors is still under debate. In the latest instance of a same-sex wedding running into the religious objections of a business owner, the proprietor of a Michigan orchard has decided to stop holding wedding ceremonies altogether.
In October 2014, Caitlin Ortis visited the Country Mill, an apple orchard near Charlotte, Mich., to see if she and her fiancee Liane should hold their wedding there. Though an employee told them on the phone that same-sex weddings could be held there, when Ortis visited, she discovered otherwise. Owner Steve Tennes told the Detroit Free Press that due to his religious beliefs, he didnt feel his venue was the right fit for the couple. They wed elsewhere last fall.
Last week, Ortis took to Facebook to remind friends of Country Mills practices.
As fall approaches for my Michigan friends and family, when choosing a cider mill to go to, please remember that THE COUNTRY MILL in Charlotte MI refused to let Liane and I have our wedding there because of how we identify, she wrote. Please support a local cider mill that does NOT discriminate against LGBTQIA+ folks or any folks for that matter. Please feel free to share this post.
It was in fact shared 120 times as of this writing, and many took to the Country Mills Facebook page to complain.
In response, Tennes decided not to hold any future wedding ceremonies at the orchard, except those already under contract.
After prayerful consideration, we will no longer book any future wedding ceremonies at our orchard, reads a statement on the orchards Facebook page. Tennes clarified to MLive.com that he would still rent out his barn for wedding receptions.
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The current antidiscrimination law in Michigan does not protect LGBTQ people, and the state is one of several in which a so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act is pending.
In states with discrimination protection in place, some vendors have still gone to court to protest that they have a right to refuse to provide their services for same-sex weddings. In July, Colorado Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of cake baker Jack Phillips, who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, citing his religious beliefs, and is now taking his case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the meantime, Tennes isnt the only one to decide that its better to forgo a significant portion of his income (the Country Mill holds an average of 45 weddings a year) in order to avoid serving gay couples. An Iowa gallery and a Maryland trolley operator made headlines when they announced they would no longer offer wedding services. After the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of New Mexico photographer Elaine Huguenin, who had been sued for refusing to photograph a lesbian wedding, she simply stopped doing weddings.
Interestingly, it took no such court battle for the Country Mill to make this decision. It seems social media pressure was more than enough, as he told MLive.com that some of comments hed received were extremely troubling. For her part, Ortis told MLive.com of Tennes decision, it doesnt solve the issue.
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President, PM discuss contemporary politics
President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ' Prachanda' today held talks on latest political development in the country.
#breakingnews Angels OF Mike Trout reportedly involved in crash in Tustin. 1 serious injury. Trout was not hurt. pic.twitter.com/Ejkgw6diSg Related Links:
CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) September 1, 2016
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout suffered no serious injuries after being involved in a car accident on Wednesday night in Santa Ana, CA. California Highway Patrol is still investigating the specific cause of the accident. Although Trout came away unscathed, there were two other people injured in the crash. Orange County Fire Captain Larry Kurtz revealed the extent of those injuries.
Emergency personnel had to cut one person from a vehicle using the Jaws of Life, Kurtz said. Two people were injured. One victim went to Hoag Hospital and the other was transported to Orange County Global Medical Center, Kurtz said.
Although the Angels are wandering through a mediocre season, Trout is still having a great season with 25 homers and 84 RBIs. The accident shouldnt affect Trouts season and Angels General Manager Billy Eppler isnt too concerned about Trouts availability going forward.
I have spoken with Mike this evening and he feels fine, Eppler said. He is at home with his roommate and is planning on traveling with the club to Seattle tomorrow afternoon. We will update as more information becomes available.
Hopefully the other two individuals in the crash can fully recover from any injuries they may have suffered.
(Orange County; h/t Bleacher Report)
Rabat (AFP) - The trial in Morocco of two leading Islamist figures in their 60s over an alleged "sex on the beach" incident opened Thursday with the couple submitting medical certificates for their absence.
Court sources said a brief hearing was held in Benslimane, south of the capital near the seaside town of Mohammedia, where the allegedly unmarried couple, Omar Benhammad and Fatima Nejjar, were arrested on August 20.
The trial opened in the absence of both accused, who submitted medical certificates, the sources said, and was adjourned until September 22.
Nejjar, a 62-year-old widow, faces adultery charges, which on conviction can carry a prison term of between one month and a year, while Benhammad, 63, is accused of "attempted corruption" of the policemen who arrested them.
Benhammad's legitimate wife has not pressed for adultery charges, and he has argued in his defence that he and Nejjar have a common law marriage.
The couple are both vice presidents of the religious wing of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), which has led a coalition governing the conservative Muslim kingdom since late 2011.
Nejjar, who has publicly called on young women in Morocco not to give in to "temptation and vice", has been ribbed on social media over the arrest.
New York (AFP) - French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic crashed out of the US Open as the $150 million roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium rolled smoothly into action for the first time.
Third seeded Spaniard Muguruza, who has struggled in the aftermath of her Roland Garros breakthrough in June, slumped to a 7-5, 6-4 loss to Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova, the world number 48.
A horribly out of sorts Muguruza rallied from 1-5 down in the second set, saving three match points, but Sevastova, who briefly quit the sport in 2013, held her nerve for the victory.
Having not won a match at the US Open in five years before this week, 26-year-old Sevastova now goes on to face Kateryna Bondarenko, a 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 winner in three hours over China's Zheng Saisai.
"This is why I came back to the sport for the big stages like this and night sessions at the Slams. But I was shaking a little at the end," she said.
Muguruza admitted she had been outplayed.
"It was a very tough match. I think I didn't play well. Everything she was doing was working," said the 22-year-old who has never made the third round in New York.
Meanwhile, 120th-ranked Ryan Harrison of the United States stunned fifth seeded Raonic 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 in another second round upset.
"It was extremely physical out there. I was playing on adrenaline," said 24-year-old qualifier Harrison who was as high as 43 in the world in 2012.
He goes on to face experienced Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the last 16.
Harrison has now reached the third round of a Slam for the first time after recording just a second win over a top 10 opponent in 27 meetings.
Raonic, considered as a potential title dangerman in New York, hit 69 winners but committed 62 unforced errors.
"I started cramping midway through the second set. There was a lot of nerves and stress. It was a result of over-exuberance," said 25-year-old Raonic.
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- Nadal first winner under roof -
Rafael Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion, eased past Italy's Andreas Seppi 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 in a match which became the first to be completed under the new retractable roof on Ashe.
Light rain caused the structure to be closed at 3-3 in the second set with play only held up for around seven minutes.
"It's part of history and I am very happy to be the first to play under the roof," said Nadal, who was also the first to practice beneath the roof on the cavernous 22,000-capacity arena.
Nadal beat Seppi for the eighth time in nine matches and next faces Russia's Andrey Kuznetsov.
World number one Novak Djokovic made the last 32 of a major for the 33rd successive time without hitting a ball when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm.
Djokovic will face 34-year-old Russian Mikhail Youzhny, twice a semi-finalist, on Friday for a place in the last 16.
- Konta drama -
Britain's Johanna Konta, the 13th seed, collapsed on court with heat sickness before completing a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 win over Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova.
After a medical timeout, the Briton dropped the second set before heading off on a lengthy toilet break which did little to help her opponent's composure in the decider.
"I'm a little embarrassed. I'm not a fan of drama. I did the best that I could with the cards that I had," said Konta.
Angelique Kerber, the second seeded Australian Open champion, made the last 32 by seeing off 34-year-old Mirjana Lucic-Baroni of Croatia 6-2, 7-6 (9/7).
Kerber faces 17-year-old CiCi Bellis of the United States, for a place in the last 16.
Croatian seventh seed Marin Cilic, the 2014 champion, made the last 32 by seeing off Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York man pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges that he shot dead a Muslim cleric and his associate last month on the street after they left a mosque in Queens, prosecutors said.
Oscar Morel, 36, is facing murder and weapons charges.
Imam Maulana Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, were gunned down in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens on Aug. 13 in an attack that shook the area's predominantly Bangladeshi community.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified a possible motive for the attack.
Morels lawyer, Michael Schwed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Morel, who is being held without bail, is due back in Queens state court on Oct. 18.
Akonjee, a father of seven, emigrated from Bangladesh several years ago and was described by community members as a humble and deeply religious man.
(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Watch tons of trailers, plus free full-length movies and TV shows on Yahoo View.
After being shut up in a shed with Brie Larson in last years Room, Jacob Tremblay will now play a boy who comes to live with a hermit-like child psychologist in Shut In. Its the 9-year-old actors second horror release of the fall (after Septembers sterling Before I Wake), and a film whose debut trailer suggests that this time around, he may be more villain than victim. Watch it above.
In the upcoming thriller, Tremblay plays a young boy who, during a terrible New England snowstorm, comes to stay with Naomi Watts shrink. Her non-work life consists of caring for her own teenage son (Stranger Things Charlie Heaton), whos in an irreversible coma thanks to a car accident that killed his father. When Tremblays visitor suddenly goes missing and is presumed dead, Watts grief mounts, though things get even hairier when he seems to return as a vengeful ghost? to haunt her, much to everyone elses skepticism.
Having starred in both American installments of The Ring franchise, Watts appears to be in her element navigating this spooky scenario, and Tremblay seems to be tapping into his inner demon-child. Co-starring Oliver Platt and David Cubitt, Shut In hits theaters on Nov. 11.
Rising above tyranny
Whether in government or in opposition, political parties must facilitate constitutions implementation
Here we go again!
Season 2 of Netflixs Narcos premieres Sept. 2, and the stars of the acclaimed drama promise another thrilling ride.
Even better than the first one, star Wagner Moura, who plays cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar, tells Yahoo TV.
Moura and his fellow cast members Boyd Holbrook (DEA Agent Steve Murphy) and Pedro Pascal (DEA Agent Javier Pena) talked to Yahoo TV about what to expect from the new episodes.
Season 2 is basically about Pablo on the run hunted by the CIA, the DEA, the Cali cartel, the Colombian army, Moura explains.
Related: Netflix Unveils Binge Scale With Some Surprising Results
After escaping prison, Escobar went on the run for a year and a half before being gunned down in the streets of Medellin, Colombia. The show will follow him as he goes into hiding and tries to keep his family together. But Narcos will not take dramatic license; it will kill off Escobar just as he died in real life. The big mystery is actually who took the fatal shot. The Colombian police task force called Search Bloc takes credit for killing him, but the identity of the shooter is still unknown.
The real Murphy and Pena have teased elements of the story that have never been told. Their onscreen counterparts spent a lot of time talking to the men and training just like DEA agents would.
Shot some guns, Pascal notes. Tried cocaine just kidding!
He adds, Thats the most research Ive ever done going into a part.
All episodes of Narcos Season 2 premiere Friday, Sept. 2, on Netflix.
A since deleted web page on the Clinton Global Initiative site touting several prominent TV anchors as "notable members" is creating controversy for NBC News' Matt Lauer. Several web sites have seized on the CGI's assertion ahead of a Sept. 7 forum with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, which Lauer will moderate.
In fact, Lauer has never been a member of CGI, nor has he donated any money to the organization. (ABC News' George Stephanopoulos had to recuse himself from moderating primary debates after it came to light last year that he has donated to the Clinton's foundation over the years.)
It's unclear why CGI seemingly took it upon itself to list several news personalities as "members"; Anderson Cooper, Maria Bartiromo, Thomas Friedman and Christiane Amanpour were also name-checked on the since deleted page.
But sources at NBC News tell The Hollywood Reporter that the only proximity Lauer has come to CGI was in 2011 when he interviewed Bill Clinton from the organization's conference in New York. But while the interview was done at the Manhattan hotel hosting the Clinton Foundation, it was conducted for the Today show, not as part of the conference.
"Matt Lauer was not and is not a Clinton Global Initiative member," an NBC News spokesperson tells THR. "He interviewed President Clinton from a CGI conference for the Today show's live broadcast, not for the conference."
Lauer is not the only anchor to have been dogged by the web page. Cooper's inclusion was cited last fall as he was moderating primary debates on CNN.
Lauer will host the Commander-in-Chief forum on Sept. 7 in New York. It is presented by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and have Clinton and Trump separately answering questions about national security, military affairs and veterans issues in front of an audience of members of the military.
From ELLE
Esther Mahlangu hands me a chicken feather. She teaches me how to strip it and save a little tuft at the tip. She shows me how I'm supposed to hold it, dipping it into jet black paint. I follow her example and trace a pattern onto a swatch of canvas. When she stops to examine my work, she clasps her hands together. "This is Ndebele," she whispers, referring to the centuries-old culture and traditions of the Ndebele people.
Mahlangu, 82, is an artist and a teacher. She lives in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa, where she was born; the closest town is about two hours away. Around the village, the huts and gazebos are decorated with her characteristic geometric patterns. Every wall, every door, even the windowpanes, displays another one of her masterpieces. But her works are not restricted to the Mpumalanga province. She has traveled the world, showing in museums across Europe and North America, fulfilling commissions for the likes of BMW and British Airways.
Most recently, Mahlangu has teamed up with Belvedere Vodka, John Legend, and (RED), the Bono-founded charitable organization, to raise awareness about AIDS and STIs. Belvedere tapped Mahlangu, who never drinks, to create a special-edition bottle of the vodka. Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Global Fund to eradicate HIV/AIDS.
Photo credit: Jonx Pillemer/(RED)
At least 6.6 million HIV-infected people live in South Africa, accounting for 18 percent of infected individuals worldwide. Around 380,000 new HIV infections were reported in 2015. And only 17 million of the almost 37 million HIV-positive people in the world have access to the antiretroviral (ARV) therapies they need.
Lately, South Africa has doubled down on protective initiatives for vulnerable populations and treatment plans for men and women who've already contracted the disease. The country has started to allocate resources that will ensure that every infected person has access to ARVs. At the Thembalethu clinic in Johannesburg, a specialized Pharmacy Dispensing Unit (PDU) functions like an ATM for ARVs. The machines let patients withdraw medication and teleconference with trained pharmacists, slashing the time it takes to receive their prescriptions.
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At least 6.6 million HIV-infected people live in South Africa, accounting for 18 percent of infected individuals worldwide.
Efforts are also being made to continue to reduce the transmission of HIV from mother to baby. All over South Africa, pregnant women are immediately put on ARVs, regardless of the state of their infection. Overwhelmingly, their children are born disease-free. Even at the rural Weltevreden clinic, which is less well-equipped than Thembalethu, the nurses report it's been almost eight years since a baby was born with HIV. By 2020, South Africa plans to reach "90-90-90": having 90 percent of infected people know their status, 90 percent of those people start ARVs, and 90 percent of those who've started treatment reduce the presence of the virus in their blood to imperceptible levels.
Photo credit: Jonx Pillemer/(RED)
But international funds for AIDS have started to fall, dropping from $8.6 billion in 2014 to $7.5 billion in 2015. And progress is slow. This is where initiatives like Belvedere's #MaketheDifference step in. "When the private sector gets involved and communicates that it is invested in the end of AIDS, that matters," says Jennifer Lotito, chief partnerships officer at (RED). "The world, global governments pay attention."
The combination of music and the visual arts in the service of this social good is a point of pride for Legend, who explains, when we meet weeks later in New York, that he's always admired (RED). The fact that this latest initiative has introduced him to Mahlangu is a nice bonus. "I think it's a great collaboration," he says. Mahlangu and Legend have gotten to know each other well. Mahlangu visited Legend in Los Angeles for a photo shoot a few months ago, trekking from South Africa to the United States and setting off a series of metal detectors in the process. TSA employees tend not to know how to contend with Mahlangu, who dresses in tribal clothes and wears dozens of metal rings around her neck and ankles.
"They are always trying to get me to take off my wedding bands," she says, laughing and gesturing toward the bands she was given by her late husband and parents to celebrate her wedding. "People have said to me, 'It's heavy!'" she says. "But for me, it's not heavy."
When she teaches Ndebele children, she emphasizes how essential it is that they appreciate the rich culture they've inherited, that they revere it. "It's when you know who you are-that's when you know where you are going," she says. "And they must protect themselves," she says, nodding to the AIDS crisis. "Wherever they go, they must educate and protect themselves."
"I think it would be amazing for our kids to grow up in a world where no one has to die from AIDS," Legend says. "And I think we're getting closer to it. But a lot of [the solution] is about expanding access, getting people to the services that they need." He believes that he and Mahlangu can be effective ambassadors for that effort. "We have a chance to tell stories and also bring people together and get attention for certain causes," he says. "To use that attention for good-that's the greatest."
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Paris (AFP) - A new book in which Nicolas Sarkozy launched his campaign to retake the French presidency shot to the top of the country's bestseller list Thursday.
"All for France" sold 32,000 copies in the three days after its release last week according to the magazine that publishes the list, Livres Hebdo.
Another book -- "France for Life" -- published in January by the pugnacious rightwinger who led France from 2007 to 2012, has already sold 195,000 copies.
The outspoken politician -- who had been trailing his rival Alain Juppe for the centre-right Republicans' nomination for next year's election -- has seen his poll ratings rise in recent weeks with his hard line on Islam and immigration.
In his new book, Sarkozy -- who has weighed in strongly in support of the controversial burkini ban -- also advocates massive tax cuts and vows to be a ferocious defender of France's secular "way of life".
"France demands that you give her your all," he wrote.
"I feel I have the strength to lead the fight at such a turbulent moment in our history," he added, alluding to the string of terror attacks that have rocked the country since January 2015.
"The next five years will be filled with danger but also with hope."
The centre-right is in a strong position to win the presidential race next May, with their candidate likely to face Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front (FN), in a second round run-off.
By Emily Stephenson PHOENIX (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday that anyone who is in the United States illegally would be subject to deportation if he is elected, sticking with his hardline position after flirting with a softer approach. In a major speech in the border state of Arizona, Trump took a dim view of the 11 million people who crossed into the United States illegally, a week after saying many were "great people" who had lived in the country for years and contributed to American society. He said all people in the United States illegally would have "only one route" to gain legal status if Trump were to win the Nov. 8 presidential election: "To return home and apply for re-entry." "Our message to the world will be this: You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country," Trump said. "People will know you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," he said. "Those days are over." Trump again vowed that Mexico would pay for construction of a "great border wall" between the two countries. He spoke hours after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting in Mexico City that Mexico would not pay for it. "We will build a great wall along the southern border," Trump said. "And Mexico will pay for the wall - 100 percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall." Trump said at a joint news conference with Pena Nieto that he and the Mexican leader did not discuss who would pay for the wall. Pena Nieto remained silent on the issue at the event, but said later on Twitter he did raise the issue. "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto said in a tweet. HARDLINE RETURN Trump used the Phoenix speech to clarify his stance on illegal immigration after prevaricating on the issue last week. He returned to the hardline rhetoric that powered him to the Republican presidential nomination over 16 rivals, heartening those conservatives drawn to Trump by the issue. Ann Coulter, a conservative activist who had fretted that Trump might be softening, tweeted: "I hear Churchill had a nice turn of phrase, but Trump's immigration speech is the most magnificent speech ever given." Correct The Record, an organization supporting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the Nov.8 presidential election, slammed Trump. "Tonight confirmed what we knew all along - there is no softening, Correct The Record spokeswoman Elizabeth Shappell said. Trump's "America First" positions are aimed at rallying middle-class people who feel they have lost jobs to illegal immigrants or to the outsourcing of jobs abroad. However, he may have put himself at risk of limiting his ability to broaden his base of support to include more Hispanic-Americans and more moderate Republican voters who do not think it is possible or practical to crack down on all illegal immigrants. In his speech, Trump emphasized that his priority would be to quickly deport those among the undocumented population who have committed serious crimes. "As with any law enforcement activity, we will set priorities," Trump said. "Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have a country." He said he would form a commission to study which regions or countries he would suspend immigration from, saying Syria and Libya would be high on his list. This would be his way of carrying out his proposed ban on Muslims from some countries without getting into their religious affiliation. Trump said he would also establish a "deportation task force" to identify criminals subject to deportation, would triple the number of federal deportation officers, and increase the number of border patrol stations. MILD REBUKE, PROTESTS Trump is trailing Clinton in opinion polls and the New York businessman's aides hoped the trip would make him look presidential and show he was willing to deal head-on with thorny issues such as relations with Mexico. Pena Nieto said at the joint news conference with Trump in Mexico City that the many millions of Mexicans in the United States deserved respect. However, he offered only a mild rebuke of Trump for his rhetoric. "The Mexican people has felt aggrieved by comments that have been made, but I was sure his interest in building a relationship is genuine," Pena Nieto said. A few dozen demonstrators gathered beneath a monument to Mexican independence in the center of the capital to protest against the visit, some holding placards emblazoned with captions such as: "You are not Wall-come" and "Trump and Pena out." Trump has been pilloried in Mexico since he launched his White House campaign last year. Clinton, a former secretary of state, said on Wednesday Trump could not paper over his previous harsh language against Mexico. "It certainly takes more than trying to make up for more than a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again," she told a convention of the American Legion military veterans' group in Cincinnati. (Additional reporting by Christine Murray, Ana Isabel Martinez and Dave Graham in MEXICO CITY and Alana Wise in WASHINGTON; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Leslie Adler and Paul Tait)
The Obama administration denied claims by a former U.N. weapons inspector on Thursday that the United States and other countries agreed to allow Iran to evade restrictions in last years historic nuclear deal.
There has been no loosening of Irans commitments and there have been no exceptions given, said State Department spokesman John Kirby at a daily press conference.
The comments came in response to a new paper by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security. The report claims that the United States and other countries granted Iran exemptions regarding certain aspects of the nuclear deal so that Tehran would be eligible to receive relief from punishing economic sanctions earlier this year. David Albright, the president of the organization and co-author of the study who has often voiced skepticism over provisions of the nuclear deal, says his findings are based on interviews with government officials but he declined to name them.
The alleged exemptions included allowing Iran to exceed limits on how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) it can store in its nuclear facilities, the study claimed. LEU stockpiles are monitored because they can be purified into weapons-grade uranium. The study said that the exemptions were made by the joint commission tasked with overseeing implementation of the deal a body comprised of the P5+1 and Iran.
The Joint Commissions secretive decision making process risks advantaging Iran by allowing it to try to systematically weaken the [Iran deal], said the study.
Republican critics of the deal, including Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, immediately seized on the study, calling it an alarming example of the Obama administration hiding details of the deal from the American people.
But the Obama administration flatly denied the the groups claims. Kirby said the Iran deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, set the limit of low-enriched uranium at 300 kilograms and since implementation day, Iran has been in compliance with holding to that limit.
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Albrights report also said the joint commission allowed Iran to keep 19 functioning radiation containment chambers that are larger than provided for under the deal. The chambers, or hot cells, are made for handling radioactive material but the report says they can be misused for secret, mostly small-scale plutonium separation efforts.
Kirby said that the text of the Iran deal explicitly permits Iran to use larger hot cells if approved by the joint commission.
Iran has been in full compliance of their JCPOA commitments, he said
Ever since the Iran nuclear negotiations became public, Albright has offered criticisms of certain aspects of the agreement, but remained neutral on whether or not it should be implemented. His study claims that the exemptions given to Iran were made so that it would meet a deadline to start receiving economic sanctions relief.
Non-proliferation groups and arms control experts have largely been supportive of the deal and some openly dismissed the report.
It is a bridge too far to call this a secret exemption necessary to reach implementation day, Kelsey Davenport, director of non-proliferation policy at the Arms Control Association, told Foreign Policy.
She also defended the joint commission as a necessary component to a complex agreement that involves an array of technical issues. The Joint Commission was created in part to address implementation issues and distinguish between attempts to circumvent the deals limits and technical issues, she said.
Experts said there is nothing clandestine about the joint commission which is made up of the major powers that signed the deal along with Tehran working out details on how to carry it out, especially given that Congress was briefed on those details.
Every nuclear agreement has had confidential annexes, said Jim Walsh, a contributor with the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and a research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys security studies program.
The text of the 2003 agreement in which Libya agreed to give up its nuclear weapons has never been released and key provisions in arms control deals with the Soviets were kept secret and classified, Walsh said.
Every nuclear agreement has had confidential annexes, he said. If countries had to negotiate their nuclear particulars in front of television cameras, we would have no nuclear agreements, he said.
The report seemed to imply that the Obama administration should have shared more information about the implementation details with Albright and other experts in the think tank and academic community. In that case, that would represent a criticism about how the White House handled its public relations for the deal, but it would not constitute a secret arrangement with Iran that violated the spirit of the accord, said Richard Nephew, who was on the U.S. negotiating team for the Iran agreement and is now a fellow at Columbia Universitys Center on Global Energy.
The report failed to make the case that something secret or covert had taken place, he said.
Theres no allegation there that this wasnt briefed to Congress, Nephew told FP. I find it hard to see anything nefarious in what went on here.
Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
For the seventh year in a row, G.I. Joe and G.I. Jane wont be getting much of a pay raise.
President Obama on Wednesday said he will issue an executive order putting a 1.6 percent lid on payroll increases for service members, according to a report in Military Times.
Related: The 10 Most Expensive Weapons in the Pentagons Arsenal
In a letter to Congress, Obama said: I am strongly committed to supporting our uniformed service members, who have made such great contributions to our nation over more than a decade of war. As our country continues to recover from serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare, however, we must maintain efforts to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal course. This effort requires tough choices, especially in light of budget constraints.
House Republicans had pushed for a 2.1 percent raise, but that met with resistance in the GOP-controlled Senate.
Obamas executive order comes as presidential nominee Hillary Clintons lead shrinks in important swing states with large numbers of retired and active-duty military personnel, including Florida and North Carolina, where the news of another skimpy pay increase from a Democratic administration is unlikely to thrill voters in uniform and those who know what its like to subsist on a Pentagon paycheck.
According to the website FiveThirtyEight, Clintons edge in Florida has gone from 6.3 percent on Aug. 14 to 3.1 on Aug. 31; in North Carolina during the same period, she is down from a 5.5 percent lead to 1.2 percent.
Related: Watch the Army Waste Three Humvees in Two Minutes
Military raises will fall below 2 percent for the seventh consecutive year, Military Times said, pointing out that for junior enlisted troops, the 1.6 percent increase works out to about $400 annually.
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Rs 1.832b Japanese grant for 2 projects
The government of Japan has extended grant assistance up to 1.752 billion yen (approximately Rs 1.832 billion) to the government of Nepal for the improvement of aviation safety facilities and School Sector Development Programme.
By Roberta Rampton
HONOLULU (Reuters) - Preserving natural places will help the world adapt to warming temperatures, U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday as he began a 10-day trip to stress the urgency of curbing climate change and attend a G20 meeting in China.
"No nation, not even one as powerful as the United States, is immune from a changing climate," Obama said after landing in Hawaii, the Pacific island state where he grew up.
Obama, who is racing to cement his legacy on climate change before his presidency ends on Jan. 20, will make a rare visit to Midway Atoll on Thursday, deep inside the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument where he expanded protections last week.
The tour leads up to a meeting in China on Saturday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is hosting the G20 group of leading economies.
Obama and Xi worked together in Paris last year to secure a global deal to cut carbon emissions and are expected to take the next steps soon to help bring that agreement into force.
Native Hawaiian student Narrissa Spies said she hoped Obama's trip to Midway would inspire him. Spies, 34, went there in 2010 on a "life-changing" marine studies visit.
"I saw what my ancestors must have seen on the main Hawaiian Islands 200 years ago," said Spies, a PhD candidate now studying coral resistant to stresses like warming water.
Earlier on Wednesday, Obama stopped in to a summit about the health of Lake Tahoe, the deep alpine lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains on the Nevada-California border whose average surface temperature reached an all-time recorded high last year.
"The challenges of conservation and combating climate change are connected, they're linked," said Obama, who was interrupted by protesters yelling: "Keep it in the ground," a campaign to limit fossil fuel production.
Green groups have urged Obama not to rest on his laurels. The U.S. Supreme Court put his plan to slash carbon emissions from power plants on hold earlier this year.
"Were hoping that he will actually withdraw the Arctic from his five-year plan on offshore drilling, like he did with the Atlantic, because its an even worse place to drill," said marine biologist Jackie Savitz of the Oceana conservation group.
(Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner, David Morgan and Jeff Mason; Editing by Peter Cooney and Paul Tait)
Honolulu (AFP) - President Barack Obama goes off the beaten track Thursday -- way off -- to a marine reserve in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Obama will take Air Force One three hours west from his native Honolulu, to Midway Atoll on the far northwestern tip of the Hawaiian island chain.
Until recently, the area was perhaps best known to military history buffs.
Seventy-four years ago, the Battle of Midway was a decisive naval fight in World War II that turned the tide of the war against Japan.
More recently, Midway has become a cause celebre for conservationists.
The atoll is situated at the heart of Papahanaumokuakea, a vast Pacific marine reserve.
Around 40 people live and work on Midway, mostly US Fish and Wildlife Service staff.
But the shores and waters are home to more than 7,000 species, including black coral, which can live for 4,500 years.
In 2006, President George W. Bush gave the area protected status, creating what was then the world's largest marine reserve.
That foreshadowed something of a trend, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts, which lobbies for the establishment of more protected maritime areas.
Since Bush's decision "more than a dozen large-scale highly protected marine reserves have been created around the globe, including nine larger than the original Hawaiian monument," the foundation said.
Obama recently announced his decision to quadruple the size of Papahanaumokuakea and make it the world's largest marine reserve again.
"This is an area twice the since of Texas, that's going to be protected and allows us to save and study the fragile ecosystem threatened by climate change," he said.
"Teddy Roosevelt gets the credit for starting the national park system, but when you include a big chunk of the Pacific Ocean, we now have actually done more acreage."
- Into the blue -
Obama will begin his half-day visit by meeting the humans of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
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He will then tour the island and give a statement to imported reporters on Turtle Beach.
The White House has coyly stated that Obama may "interact directly with the wildlife," likely code for trading his business suit for a wet suit and jumping in the water.
"Ancient islanders believe it contained a boundary between this life and the next," Obama said of the atoll. "Hundreds of brave Americans gave their lives there in defense of the world's freedom."
For the outgoing president, the visit is part of an eight-year effort to put the environment and tackling climate change higher on the political agenda.
While Bush created Papahanaumokuakea, he also earned international scorn by rejecting the global climate deal reached at Kyoto.
Obama, in contrast, has led the charge to secure the recently struck Paris climate agreement.
After a brief stop back in Hawaii, Obama is expected to announce the joint formal joining of that accord with President Xi Jinping during a visit to China.
- Cuban discus thrower Yarelys Barrios has been stripped of her Olympic silver medal from the 2008 Beijing Games after failing a retroactive drug test, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said. Barrios, 33, and Qatari track and field athlete Samuel Adelebari Francis, 29, both tested positive for banned substances in tests originally taken at Beijing 2008. Barrios, 33, won silver in the discus in Beijing. She tested positive for the diuretic and masking agent acetazolamide, and has now been ordered to return her medal. She also won bronze in London 2012. Nigeria-born Francis, who now represents Qatar, finised 16th in the 100m event. The former Asian 100m champion tested positive for the banned substance stanozolol.
AFP
ZURICH (AP) -- Olympic 200-meter champion Elaine Thompson ran the second fastest time in the world this year to edge great rival Dafne Schippers at the Weltklasse Diamond League meeting on Thursday.
Thompson led only in the final five meters to clock 21.85 seconds - .07 outside the new Jamaican star's gold medal-winning time in Rio de Janeiro.
Schippers of the Netherlands timed 21.86, the second-fastest of her career, after tying up in the final strides when Thompson surged.
''This is a blast. I came out to execute well,'' said Thompson, who ends her season next week in the final Diamond League meeting in Brussels. ''I have not been home since Rio and I am longing to get home to Jamaica.''
Schippers was .02 faster than her Olympic silver medal time and has only ever run quicker when winning the 2015 world title.
Allyson Felix of the United States, the 2012 Olympic champ, was third in her season-best time of 22.02.
The women sprinters headlined the storied Zurich meeting with Usain Bolt yet to return to the track after his triple gold in Rio.
In Bolt's absence, Jamaica veteran Asafa Powell went under 10 seconds yet again to win the men's 100 in 9.94.
Caster Semenya led a repeat of the Olympic podium in the women's 800, striding clear of Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Margaret Wambui of Kenya. The time of 1 minute, 56.44 seconds was more than a second outside Semenya's personal record, which is exactly two seconds behind the 33-year-old world mark.
''I was not ready for the world record this year,'' Semenya said. ''I am a bit tired. After Rio I had to go home and travel again to Europe.''
A tough women's 1,500 was won by Shannon Rowbury of the U.S. falling over the line to hold off Laura Muir of Britain, who set a world-leading time in Paris last Saturday. Rowbury's time of 3:57.78 was her season's best.
In a standout performance, shot putter Tom Walsh set a New Zealand record of 22.20 meters that is second on this year's world list behind Olympic champion Ryan Crouser's 22.52 in Rio. Crouser of the U.S. was runner-up.
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Two recent world record-setters were short of their best yet won their events: Ruth Jebet of Bahrain was a full 14 seconds outside the 3,000 steeplechase mark she set in Paris, and American Kendra Harrison's 12.63 in the 100 hurdles was .43 down on her world mark from July.
Olympic champions winning included Americans Kerron Clement in the men's 400 hurdles and Christian Taylor in the triple jump. Gold medalists Ruth Beitia of Spain, in women's high jump, and Sandra Perkovic of Croatia, in women's discus, also won.
Brittney Reese of the U.S. took the long jump honors at 6.95 to reverse her Olympic result with gold medalist Ivana Spanovic of Serbia.
In the pole vault, Sam Hendricks of the United States cleared 5.90 to edge Renaud Lavillenie of France.
Chile, Singapore and representatives from nearly 50 countries met at the end of June for the 11 th Pacific Alliance Summit hosted by Chile in Puerto Varas. The number and diversity of participating countries may confuse some to view the gathering as a mini-United Nations meeting. But it certainly was not.
The Pacific Alliance constitutes an innovative pact bringing Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru to pragmatically work together to find new ways of economic integration and engage the global economy. The grouping has made remarkable progress since it was established in 2011.
Singapore and others, piqued by the Pacific Alliance's mission and agenda, have associated themselves as Observers. There are now 49 Observers, including the United States. Seven new Observers were admitted last month. Interest continues to grow.
READ: [Asia Now Has Wealthiest Millionaires]
Singapore shares the Pacific Alliance's vision and belief in free trade and supports the promotion of regional economic integration for economic and social development. Singapore was the first ASEAN country admitted as an Observer -- in February 2014 -- with Thailand and Indonesia joining subsequently.
The recent Puerto Varas Summit in southern Chile marked yet another forward-looking step in the Pacific Alliance's intent to deepen relations with its partners. At the Summit's first Ministerial meeting with Observer countries, the top priority areas focused on cooperation around internationalization of small- and medium-size enterprises, education, innovation, and trade facilitation.
At a time when there is fundamental rethinking of the basic tenets of global economic engagement, the Pacific Alliance's open approach and successful integration offers a perspective of what happens when economic pragmatism takes priority and is center stage. The Alliance has already achieved a number of impressive undertakings, such as the integration of the four national stock markets (the Mercado Integrado Latinoamericano), the removal of inter-Alliance visa restrictions and the launch of joint international trade missions. More such initiatives are anticipated.
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For Observer countries and the globael audience, these initial strides of success are real signals that the countries of Latin America are looking beyond their immediate region and ready to engage with the world. Today, the Pacific Alliance is expanding both its commercial and diplomatic relations with its Asia-Pacific partners, demonstrated by the growth in trade and investment and the signing of free trade agreements between the two regions.
This is the Pacific Alliance's pivot to Asia. The engagement between Latin America and Asia is not new to either region, but it is gaining momentum. Gross trade flows have increased significantly since 2000, amounting to about $500 billion in 2014. Similarly, in the past decade, the number of free trade agreements between Asia and Latin America soared from two to 22, according to the Asia Development Bank Institute.
MORE: [First Self-Driving Cars Debut in Singapore]
These agreements include the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (P4) to which both Chile and Singapore are signatories, and which has been the cornerstone to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, signed early this year by Chile, Mexico, Peru, Singapore and eight other countries. TPP partners account for 40 percent of global gross domestic product and 26 percent of international trade.
Apart from the Pacific Alliance's economic agenda and free trade agreements, the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) is a complementary platform initiated by Singapore in 1998 and brings together 36 countries from East Asia and Latin America to facilitate official dialogues between the two regions on a regular basis.
With the Pacific Alliance's strong orientation toward engaging the Asia-Pacific, there is scope for more political, trade and economic exchanges to occur between the two regions. A recent report on the Pacific Alliance by the Washington-based Atlantic Council highlights the importance of regulatory harmonization for more sophisticated trade integration to occur. The report also notes that the Alliance has a "unique opportunity" to build on its ties with Asian Observers. The long-term success of this relationship will depend on the Pacific Alliance moving "beyond commodity reliance and toward integration into the intricate supply chains that generate rapid growth and development in Asia's Pacific Rim."
This is where the region's future economic direction lies. The Pacific Alliance sets the path for other Latin American countries to follow in building closer ties with the Asian region. Chile and Singapore will continue their positive and meaningful engagement in the Pacific Alliance, extending beyond the excitement of the recent Summit.
Ashok Mirpuri has served as Singapore's Ambassador to the United States since July 2012.
By Kay Johnson and Asad Hashim RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's military on Thursday said it has halted Islamic State's attempts to expand there, arresting more than 300 people, including some Syrians, who were involved in plotting attacks on government, diplomatic and civilian targets. The comments were rare acknowledgment by a senior Pakistani official that Islamic State, mainly based in Syria and Iraq, has had any active presence in a country that is home to myriad militant groups including the Afghan and Pakistan Taliban, al Qaeda and the Haqqani network. Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa, the military's top spokesman, also rejected U.S. complaints that it was not acting against the Haqqani network, suspected of carrying out suicide bomb attacks in Kabul, saying Pakistan was pursuing an "indiscriminate operation" against all militants. Pakistani authorities have so far arrested 309 people associated with Islamic State (IS) on its territory, he said. Some were involved in assaults on the media, including grenade attacks on local television outlets ARY TV News and Din News in the last year in which five people were wounded. Other attacks were also planned on a variety of targets, he added. "They tried to make an ingress, and they failed and they have been apprehended so far," Bajwa said. Most of those captured by Pakistan were established Pakistani jihadists who had switched loyalties to Islamic State's self-proclaimed worldwide caliphate, but about 25 were foreigners including Afghans and some Syrians, he said. Bajwa said that of a core group of 20 organizers, "we have captured all of them, except for one who I am sure is not in Pakistan". He said IS fighters were still present in the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar, Khost and Kunar, which lie along the border with Pakistan. The movement's leader for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed Khan, was killed last month by a U.S. drone strike in eastern Afghanistan. International concern that Islamic State was establishing an operational presence in Pakistan increased after the group said it carried out a suicide bombing at a hospital in the city of Quetta that killed more than 70 people. However, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban also claimed the hospital bombing and Bajwa said he believed the Islamic State statement was false. "We haven't got any evidence of involvement by Daesh. I think this was just an attempt to glorify themselves," he said, using the name by which IS is also known. "NO GOOD OR BAD TALIBAN" The military spokesman also dismissed U.S. concerns that Pakistan has been selectively targeting militant groups on its soil. "There is no concept of good or bad Taliban," he said. "Terrorists of all organizations, including Haqqanis, including Afghan Taliban, have been killed and some apprehended ... so if you say that you know actions have not been taken or (are) not being taken, that is wrong." He spoke a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged Islamabad to push harder against militants hiding within its borders. The United States has criticized Pakistan for not acting against those groups, and last month it refused to release $300 million in military disbursements for that reason. Critics say Pakistan has targeted only militants who attack its own state, not those active in neighboring Afghanistan and India. Pakistan has been fighting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella group fighting to impose strict Islamic law in Pakistan, since 2007. It is also home to other armed groups, such as the Haqqani network and Afghan Taliban, who fight international forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Bajwa criticized international and local security forces in Afghanistan for not sealing the border when the Pakistan army began the latest phase of its military offensive against Pakistan-based militants in July 2014. "Before the operation started, Pakistan had informed all stakeholders at all levels, political, diplomatic, military ... We told them that you will have to take action ... and that did not happen unfortunately," he said. He also released rare figures on progress in its anti-militant operation, saying more than 3,500 had been killed. He added that 516 soldiers had also been killed. It is difficult to verify those figures independently, as access to the conflict zone is heavily restricted. "We have paid $106.9 billion (on) this war ... If anyone points a finger at Pakistan or casts an eye of suspicion on Pakistan, they need to know this cost," said Bajwa. (Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Sheer variety of motor cars thrills visitors
Ram Shankar Shrestha of Thaiba, Lalitpur is planning to buy a car, and the 11th Nada Auto Show has given him a perfect opportunity to choose from a wide selection of brands and types.
A California couple mourning the loss of their day-old infant saw their living nightmare worsen when they learned their baby girls body had been cremated, allegedly without their permission.
Michael Johnston and Yvette De La Torre welcomed their newborn daughter May 27, telling CBS Los Angeles that their child was in perfect health when she came into the world at Beverly Hospital in Montebello.
Very alert, very awake she was the loudest baby in the ward, apparently, Johnston told the news station.
But by May 28, Auroaanne De La Torre-Johnston was dead, the reason unclear.
Read: Family Sues Funeral Home After Body of 25-Year-Old Woman Goes Missing
We have no clue, her devastated father said.
Her remains were sent to the Los Angeles County Coroners Office to determine the official cause of death, an answer to a question her parents were unable to comprehend.
When the couple called last week to check on the progress of the investigation, they claimed they were met with another unexpected tragedy their childs body had been cremated.
"I said Where is my daughter? What did you do with my daughter?'" Johnston told CBS.
The coroner's office reportedly told the couple that a message had been left on their answering machine stating that they had 30 days to retrieve their daughters body.
Read: Deceased Woman's Family Finds Wrong Body in Casket at Funeral Home: Report
And if they did not pick up her body within that time frame, it would be disposed of, the coroners office reportedly said in the message. The couple said they never received such a message.
InsideEdition.com has reached out to the coroner's office for comment.
A spokesperson for the agency declined to comment to CBS, citing concerns over a potential lawsuit.
Little Auroaannes cause of death is still not clear.
Watch: Family Outraged That Wrong Body Was Brought For Mom's Service and Cremation
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Kids who have a parent who has been diagnosed with certain psychiatric disorders may be at increased risk for attempting suicide or committing a violent offense, a new study of people in Denmark suggests. These kids are at even greater risk of these behaviors when both parents have the disorders, the study found.
The parents in the study had a wide spectrum of psychiatric problems, ranging from anxiety, bipolar disorder and depression to schizophrenia, substance abuse and suicide attempts.
Of all the psychiatric conditions among the parents in the study, the strongest associations were seen in mothers and fathers who had a history of abusing marijuana, antisocial personality disorder or a prior attempted suicide. Children whose parents fell into any of these three groups were at the greatest risk for suicidal behavior and violence as they got older, according to the findings, published today (Aug. 31) in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. [5 Controversial Mental Health Treatments]
During the study, 2.6 percent of the kids attempted suicide, and 3.2 percent were convicted of a first violent offense, the researchers found. This meant that the vast majority of kids whose parents had one of the psychiatric conditions evaluated in the research did not attempt suicide or commit violent offenses.
But the results also showed that when there is a history of mental illness in both parents, children have double the risk for attempting suicide and committing violent offenses, compared with kids who have only one parent affected by mental illness, said Pearl Mok, the study's lead author and a research associate in the division of psychology and mental health at The University of Manchester in England. This group could potentially benefit from early psychological interventions, the researchers said.
In the study, the researchers tracked data from about 1.75 million people born in Denmark to Danish parents between 1967 and 1997. The researchers followed the children of parents with mental disorders from when they turned 15 through the year 2012.
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The researchers dug into Denmark's national health databases to gather information about parents' mental disorders and about suicide attempts in both parents and children, as well as data on violent crimes, such as robbery, homicide and assaults.
Although the data showed that suicidal and violent tendencies appear to run in families, the reasons why this occurs are unclear, the researchers said.
The most likely explanation for the link is that people's risk of mental health disorders results from a combination of both nature and nurture, Mok said. [11 Warning Signs Help Spot Mental Illness in Children]
In other words, certain factors may run in families, such as a shared genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disorders and impulsive-aggressive traits. And these may contribute to the links seen between parental psychiatric disorders and the risk for suicidal and violent behaviors in their children, she said. But in addition to heredity, an environmental component is also a likely culprit, Mok said.
Children whose parents have a history of psychiatric disease and substance use may also be exposed to other adversities at home, such as inadequate parenting practices, abuse, neglect and financial hardship, Mok told Live Science.
Protecting future generations
Although this study looked only at people living in Denmark, it's likely that similar conclusions can be drawn for people living in other European and North American countries, Mok said.
The findings could help researchers identify ways to help prevent people in the next generation from contemplating suicide or turning to violence, she said. For example, psychiatrists and other health professionals who treat adults with mental disorders and suicidal behavior could also consider evaluating the mental health and psychosocial needs of their patients' children, Mok said. These types of early interventions could benefit parents and their children as well, she explained. [5 Myths About Suicide, Debunked]
Specifically, treatments aimed at reducing the effects and incidence of parental misuse of alcohol and illegal drugs may help to reduce their children's future risks for suicide and violence, Mok said.
An editorial accompanying the research in the journal said the new research was an "elegant study" that helps to identify "common parental mental health risk factors for suicide attempts and violent offending in their children." The editorial was written by Dr. David Brent, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who has studied suicidal behavior in teens, and his colleagues.
Brent said that further research is needed to more precisely define the vulnerabilities that parents may be transmitting to their children that may increase some children's risk of violence and suicidal behavior, while other children in the same household experience neither of these adverse outcomes.
One finding, however, already has plenty of evidence: the benefits of prevention programs to help stem rising rates of mental disorders, violence and suicide attempts, Brent argued in his article. Instead of more research, this area deserves more investment, he said.
The number for the U.S. national suicide hotline is 800-273-8255.
Originally published on Live Science.
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Within minutes of news breaking that Mexicos President Enrique Pena Nieto would be hosting U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump at his official residence Los Pinos, the first memes of the encounter hit the Internet. By the time the two politicians had given their joint news briefing on Wednesday, hundreds of satirical images were moving through both social media and top Mexican news sites. In one, Trump and Pena Nieto were portrayed as Dumb and Dumber. In another, Trump was portrayed as a big clown holding a hoop for the little clown Pena Nieto to jump through. In yet another, Pena Nieto was portrayed licking Trumps boot.
The satire reflects a wider indignation among many Mexicans at their leader shaking hands with a man who many here believe has insulted their nation. Since the Republican nominee launched his presidential bid in 2015 with a notorious attack on Mexican immigrants to the U.S. as drug smugglers, criminals and rapists, the local media have given blanket coverage to Trumps anti-Mexican comments from his demand that Mexico pay for a border wall to his statement that a U.S. judge was not qualified to preside over civil fraud proceedings against Trump University because he was of Mexican descent. Unsurprisingly, surveys show furious disapproval of the billionaire; one poll by the Reforma newspaper found only 3% of Mexicans believed he would be the best candidate to win the U.S. election.
Its like if you have a neighbor who insults you and threatens to start to a fight with you, says accountant Ricardo Contreras, 45. You dont then invite them over for dinner.
Discontent over the meeting was voiced by Mexican politicians across the spectrum.
Of course I cant welcome a person who has attacked my country, said the left-leaning Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera.
Mexicans have dignity and we repudiate your discourse of hate, tweeted Margarita Zavala, a leading member of the center-right National Action Party.
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During an afternoon session in the Mexican senate, dozens of members took to the stand to condemn Trumps visit. Meanwhile, hundreds of people participated in hastily organized street protests at two points in Mexico City, bearing banners that read, Trump Out, Pena Nieto Out.
Amid such disapproval, there was some head-scratching as to why Pena Nieto had arranged the visit at all. There is little tradition of Mexican sitting Presidents meeting with U.S. presidential candidates, so he was under no pressure to do it. The visit was all the more surprising considering that in March, Pena Nieto had compared Trump to Hitler and Mussolini. And to top it all, Trumps visit took place the day before Pena Nieto was due to give his State of the Union address.
Jorge Buendia, a pollster and political analyst, said the President appeared to want to show that he was being proactive in defending Mexicans by talking face to face with Trump. Pena Nieto has been criticized for being too passive over criticisms by Trump, Buendia said. It is likely this is an attempt to show that he is doing something to make Trump moderate his position.
During the news briefing, Pena Nieto spoke in support of the millions of Mexican immigrants in the U.S., denying that they were the criminals Trump had accused them of being.
Mexicans in the United States are honest, hard working and respect the family and the law. They help the development of your country, Pena Nieto said to Trump. As such, Mexicans deserve everybodys respect.
Political analyst Jose Antonio Crespo says the negative impressions formed by the Trump meeting will likely outweigh the positive impressions formed by Pena Nietos defense of migrants.
It looks to be counterproductive for Pena Nieto, and do him more harm than good, Crespo says.
He added that there was also a danger that Pena Nieto had helped Trump win some more Latino voters, to whom Trump made a clear pitch from Mexico.
I happen to have a tremendous feeling for Mexican Americans, not only in terms of friendships, but in terms of the tremendous numbers that I employ in the United States and they are amazing people, Trump said, as he faced a barrage of Mexican reporters.
Pena Nietos judgment on the impact of Trumps visit is also seen as reflecting wider problems in his presidency, according to Crespo.
He has poor advice and lacks direction, Crespo said. He will go one way on an issue and then he will do an about-turn.
Flak from the Trump visit merely adds to Pena Nietos pile of problems. In the second quarter, Mexicos economy shrunk for the first time in three years. July was the nations most homicidal month since 2012. And Pena Nieto has suffered from a string of allegations over conflicts of interest. One such scandal involved a mansion his wife bought from a company that had won government contracts.
A survey in the Reforma newspaper this month found that Pena Nietos approval rating had dropped to 23%. The Trump visit may have been an attempt to distract from these problems and portray Pena Nieto as fighting for the nations interest against an external threat. Judging from the initial reactions, the tactic has failed.
By Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) - A Pennsylvania regulator on Thursday reinstated a record $11.4 million fine against the popular ride-sharing service Uber Technologies Inc for operating illegally in the state in 2014.
By a 4-1 vote, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission rejected Uber's arguments that the penalty, six times larger than any it had imposed, was unnecessary and excessive.
Uber, in a statement, said it intends to appeal to a Pennsylvania state court, and overturn what it called an "absurd" fine imposed for "technical violations."
The PUC, which regulates taxi services and Uber rivals such as Lyft, had sanctioned Uber for having from February to August 2014 provided 122,998 rides in Pennsylvania without prior approval, and obstructing a state probe into its operations.
It imposed the fine on April 21, reducing it from the $49.9 million ordered by two administrative law judges.
The PUC agreed in June to reconsider the payout at Uber's request, over the objection of state officials who called the fine an "appropriate response" to Uber's "lawless conduct."
Uber offered new evidence that its service benefited Pennsylvanians, and that any fine should be capped at $1,000 per day, or roughly $200,000, and not based on the number of trips.
But the PUC said in its 77-page decision that Uber "failed to set forth any new and novel arguments that appear to have been overlooked or not addressed in our prior determination."
In its statement, Uber said the decision sends a "troubling message that Pennsylvania is unwelcoming to technology and innovation," and shows why the state needs "permanent, statewide ride-sharing legislation as soon as possible."
Based in San Francisco, Uber has drawn criticism from taxi companies losing market share, regulators concerned about driver and passenger safety, and riders upset over high prices.
The PUC previously found that Uber had in 2014 posed a risk to public safety by offering rides without proof its drivers, vehicles and insurance provisions met state standards.
It also said Uber's contention that it served only a limited customer base at the time "rang hollow," given its "persistent claim" that it provide its service to meet overwhelming demand, despite two cease-and-desist orders.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Alan Crosby)
(Adds Uber statement and planned appeal)
By Jonathan Stempel
Sept 1 (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania regulator on Thursday reinstated a record $11.4 million fine against the popular ride-sharing service Uber Technologies Inc for operating illegally in the state in 2014.
By a 4-1 vote, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission rejected Uber's arguments that the penalty, six times larger than any it had imposed, was unnecessary and excessive.
Uber, in a statement, said it intends to appeal to a Pennsylvania state court, and overturn what it called an "absurd" fine imposed for "technical violations."
The PUC, which regulates taxi services and Uber rivals such as Lyft, had sanctioned Uber for having from February to August 2014 provided 122,998 rides in Pennsylvania without prior approval, and obstructing a state probe into its operations.
It imposed the fine on April 21, reducing it from the $49.9 million ordered by two administrative law judges.
The PUC agreed in June to reconsider the payout at Uber's request, over the objection of state officials who called the fine an "appropriate response" to Uber's "lawless conduct."
Uber offered new evidence that its service benefited Pennsylvanians, and that any fine should be capped at $1,000 per day, or roughly $200,000, and not based on the number of trips.
But the PUC said in its 77-page decision that Uber "failed to set forth any new and novel arguments that appear to have been overlooked or not addressed in our prior determination."
In its statement, Uber said the decision sends a "troubling message that Pennsylvania is unwelcoming to technology and innovation," and shows why the state needs "permanent, statewide ride-sharing legislation as soon as possible."
Based in San Francisco, Uber has drawn criticism from taxi companies losing market share, regulators concerned about driver and passenger safety, and riders upset over high prices.
The PUC previously found that Uber had in 2014 posed a risk to public safety by offering rides without proof its drivers, vehicles and insurance provisions met state standards.
It also said Uber's contention that it served only a limited customer base at the time "rang hollow," given its "persistent claim" that it provide its service to meet overwhelming demand, despite two cease-and-desist orders.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Alan Crosby)
A Philadelphia police officers arm tattoo is under review after many on social media said it resembled a symbol used by Nazis, and the citys mayor called it disturbing and incredibly offensive.
The Philadelphia Police Department on Thursday said it has launched an internal investigation after a photo of an officer and his tattoos was widely circulated on Facebook and Twitter. The officer has a tattoo of on his left forearm that appears to show an eagle with its wings spread under the word Fatherland, which many say bears similarity to a Nazi symbol, according to Philly.com.
The imagery on display in the tweet is disturbing, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in a statement. I find it incredibly offensive, and I know many others do as well.
The police department said it does not have a policy that stops officers from displaying tattoos. It is working determine whether that should be changed, the department said in a statement.
The Department does not condone anything that can be interpreted as offensive, hateful or discriminatory in any form, the statement said. This is a very sensitive topic for both the citizens that we serve as well as the officers providing service to the public. We must ensure that all constitutional rights are adhered to while at the same time ensuring public safety and public trust arent negatively impacted.
Philippine equities sank more than any other regional stocks last month, completely erasing the rally that had taken place since pugnacious President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June.
According to Bloomberg, the slide was accelerated by foreign fund managers withdrawing some $248 million from the country since the middle of August. One Singaporean fund manager was quoted as saying I cant find a good stock to buy.
The news will be disappointing to a strongman leader who has been touted as good for business. It also comes days before he is expected to defend his murderous war on drugs to U.S. President Barack Obama, when the two leaders meet next week at the East Asia summit in Laos.
At least 2,000 people have been killed since Dutertes crackdown on drugs began, at least half of them by vigilantes. The extrajudicial killings have caused deep concern among rights groups, both in the Philippines and internationally.
Duterte has defended the slaughter by dismissing drug users as subhuman. He has also threatened to declare martial law if the judiciary attempts to put a stop to the killings.
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has turned down a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations and the Philippine government said on Thursday, after threatening to quit the body last month over criticism of his war on drugs. U.N. chief Ban had requested the bilateral meeting in Laos, which is hosting a summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders next week, but officials from Duterte's office said he could not fit it into his schedule. "A meeting was requested but we could not agree on a time," Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. A second U.N. official said the request for a meeting was rejected because of a "scheduling incompatibility". Two U.N. human rights experts last week urged Manila to stop a wave of extra-judicial executions and killings that have escalated since Duterte won the presidency on a promise to wipe out drugs, drawing an angry response from Manila. Philippine presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella confirmed Duterte would not be meeting Ban, but declined to comment on whether that was connected to his criticism of the U.N. "PRRD has his own reasons for not meeting up with some leaders," he said, using the initials for President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. "This is no reason to speculate about the Philippines' relationship with the community of nations." A third U.N. official, who declined to be identified, said it was "basically unheard of" for a leader to be too busy to meet the secretary general. "Drug policy and human rights would have been top of the U.N.'s list at the meeting," the official said. Following the criticism of the surge in killings that has accompanied his anti-drugs campaign, Duterte railed against the United Nations in a news conference on Aug. 21, suggesting he might pull out and invite China and African nations to form an alternative global organization. The following day his foreign minister, Perfecto Yasay, said the Philippines remained committed to the United Nations and would not be leaving, "despite our numerous frustrations with this international agency". The Philippines is due to take over the rotating chair of ASEAN from Laos in 2017. (Reporting by Andrew R.C. Marshall, Michelle Nichols and Karen Lema, Writing by Alex Richardson, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Steve Irwin letter reveals gratitude to parents
A newly released letter from Australian naturalist Steve Irwin has revealed his gratitude to his parents for building his character, ethics and happiness.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / Today, Stephan Bogner from Rockstone Research published an update on Pistol Bay Mining Inc. (PST.V) as the company announced earlier today to acquire additional zinc-copper claims, the Dixie 3 Property in the prolific Red Lake Mining District of Ontario.
This marks a perfect fit for the company's existing Dixie 17, 18 and 19 Properties located 8 km away. As Pistol Bay has recently closed a financing, the start of an exploration program is expected shortly, which comes at a perfect time as the zinc price is poised to continue its exceptional surge that started in January 2016 (+62% YTD).
Although 2016 is the fifth consecutive year of the zinc market being a deficit, the price has started to react this year due to sharply dwindling inventories, a shortage of zinc concentrate following closures of depleted mines and cutbacks from Glencore. In last years, 6 major mines reduced its zinc output by 1 million tons (7% of global supply) while demand from China rose by 5%. Accordingly, investment funds have jumped on the bandwagon. Goldman Sachs recently noted that zinc has "by far the most bullish supply-side dynamic of all base metals", raising its forecasts for the next year on tightening supply and robust demand in China. Zinc is the most exposed base metal to China infrastructure. China's infrastructure spending rose 19% in the first 4 months of 2016, the biggest amount since its response to the global financial crisis. Now China, the world's top consumer and producer of zinc, added fuel to the fire by shutting down the power of 26 zinc and lead mines in the Hunan Province due to safety and environmental concerns.
Considering that Pistol Bay currently has a market capitalization of $2 million CAD, the upcoming exploration program offers great potential for significant upside, especially if geophysics and drilling can confirm historic grades and discover new zinc-rich zones.
The full report can be accessed with the following links:
English (PDF):
http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/PistolBay2en.pdf
English (web version):
http://rockstone-research.com/index.php/en/research-reports/1594-Pistol-Bay-acquires-new-zinc-project-amidst-smoking-hot-zinc-prices
German (PDF):
http://rockstone-research.com/images/PDF/PistolBay2de.pdf
For smartphones, an APP from Rockstone Research is available in the AppStore for Apple devices and in the GooglePlayStore for Android devices.
Recently, Zimtu Capital Corp. launched the Beta Version of its Advantage APP, in which all interlisted stocks (i.e. all public companies listed in Canada and Germany) can be tracked. After a cost-free registration, the full features of the APP are unlocked, e.g. sorting all stocks with the biggest daily trading volumes on all German or Canadian exchanges (see instructions in the section "How To Use"): www.app.zimtu.com
Disclaimer: Please read the full disclaimer within the full research report as a PDF as fundamental risks and conflicts of interest exist.
SOURCE: Rockstone Research
Sidney Blumenthal, Annette Gordon-Reed, Sean Wilentz, and Jeffrey Rosen
Sidney Blumenthal, Annette Gordon-Reed, Sean Wilentz, and Jeffrey Rosen at Congress Hall
As part of PoliticalFest, a nonpartisan festival held in conjunction with the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the National Constitution Center hosted leading historians to discuss how Americas past Presidents have confronted the nations gravest constitutional crises.
This program was held at Congress Hall on Independence Mall, in partnership with the Independence National Historical Park.
Annette Gordon-Reed is the Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at Harvard Law School. She is also the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and a Professor of History in the Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences.
Sean Wilentz is the George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University. He is also the author, most recently, of The Politicians and the Egalitarians, which he discussed at the Center in June 2016; you can watch that program on constitutioncenter.org or listen to it on Live at Americas Town Hall.
Sidney Blumenthal is a political journalist and a former aide to President Bill Clinton. He is also the author, most recently, of A Self-Made Man, which he discussed at the Center in June 2016 alongside Wilentz.
This show was engineered by Jason Gregory and produced by Nicandro Iannacci. Research was provided by Lana Ulrich and Tom Donnelly. The host of We the People is Jeffrey Rosen, who will return next week.
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Warsaw (AFP) - Poland's Solidarity trade union will table a citizens' initiative bill to ban Sunday trading in the staunchly Catholic EU country, threatening employers who flout the law with prison terms of two years, the union said Thursday.
The proposed ban would apply to foreign-owned hypermarkets as well as other non-Polish players, but would still allow smaller locally-owned shops including bakeries and petrol stations to do business.
"We've collected 350,000 signatures under our citizens' bill for a Sunday shopping ban and we'll table it in parliament on Friday," Solidarity official Alfred Bujara told AFP.
A minimum of 100,000 signatures are required in order for citizen-proposed legislation to be considered by parliament.
The law would seek to jail non-compliant employers for up to two years as its backers believe fines may not be enough to deter some store owners who Solidarity say could choose to pay penalties in order to keep their doors open.
Bujara said he expected the bill to sail through parliament.
"We have the political support of Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, President Andrzej Duda and... (ruling) party chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski," Bujara said, adding that the "legislation should take effect in the spring".
The right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government is also close to Poland's powerful Roman Catholic Church, which has long lobbied for shops to shut on Sundays.
But Bujara said the law was "not just about Christian values".
"Hypermarket employees are poorly paid, over-worked, and their family life suffers as a result," he said.
"In Poland, capitalism and consumerism have gotten out of control."
Hungary recently backtracked on a similar ban after it proved widely unpopular.
Sunday shopping became a popular family pastime in Poland with the advent of the free market after the 1989 collapse of communism.
A recent survey suggests that most Poles oppose a ban, with 62 percent wanting to shop on Sundays, compared to just 30 percent who want stores to keep their doors shut.
This is the third attempt in 20 years to impose a Sunday trading ban. In Poland stores remain closed for 12 days a year for major national or religious holidays.
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli police said Thursday they have dropped their investigation into opposition Labour party leader Isaac Herzog over alleged corruption, citing a lack of evidence.
"Police have completed their investigation into suspected illegal donations during the leadership elections" of his Labour party in 2013, they said in a statement.
Authorities said in March they were probing Herzog, who refuted the allegations at the time and criticised what he called a "ridiculous slander".
The investigation centred around an undeclared gift allegedly received to fund a campaign attacking Herzog's rival for the Labour leadership.
Police found nothing to suggest that Herzog had been aware of any payment, although there was evidence that potentially implicated a campaign official.
Herzog, who took over as Labour's head in November 2013, was investigated for an alleged breach of party funding rules in 2001 but the case was closed due to lack of evidence.
VENICE (Reuters) - Portraying the joys and pains of motherhood in Derek Cianfrance's "The Light Between Oceans" that premieres at the Venice film festival on Thursday was one of the biggest challenges for 27-year-old Swedish actress Alicia Vikander. The story, set in Australia in the 1920s, is the tragic tale of a lighthouse keeper, played by Michael Fassbender, and his wife (Vikander), who have suffered two miscarriages when a baby in a boat washes ashore their remote island. They decide to raise the child as their own, until they meet the child's real mother years later. "I haven't had a child yet ... so knowing that half of the audience, or half of the women watching it will just feel like 'she doesn't really know what it's like', was something I felt a bit pressured by," Vikander, who won an Oscar for her role in "The Danish Girl", told a news conference. Cianfrance's drama, based on a novel of the same name, is one of 20 movies competing for the Golden Lion that will be awarded on Sept. 10. The director said he was immediately attracted to the book because of its battle between truth and love, and chased it for a year before he was given a chance to direct it. "I don't think any of these characters in this film are good or bad, don't think they ever meant to hurt somebody, but they make decisions with their heart and with their emotions and there are consequences to those emotional decisions," he said. Vikander said she was nervous to work with Fassbender, who she described as "one of the most brilliant actors out there", but the energy she brought to the movie impressed. "I was kind of scared when Alicia came she was so fierce and hungry ... I really felt like I had to get my shit together and really respond and just be there and be as present as she was," Fassbender said. The two are now dating. (Reporting by Agnieszka Flak and Hanna Rantala; Editing by Alison Williams)
Preity Zinta got married to her long-time boyfriend Gene Goodenough this year on February 29, 2016. The wedding ceremony was a private affair and was attended by her family and close friends Sussanne Khan and designer Surily Goel. It was reported that the Dil Se actor will be donating the proceeds generated from her wedding pictures to a charity.
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Today, a series of beautiful wedding pictures of hers went viral. The dimpled beauty wore an elegant red lehenga by ace Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra. Gene looked like a perfect groom wearing a golden heavy sherwani by Raghavendra Rathore. They both posed like a royal couple, and these pictures are a proof of their perfect big fat Indian wedding. In another picture, Preity is seen dancing her heart out and enjoying her wedding day to the fullest.
Check out the lovely wedding pictures of the cute couple.
Swaraj congratulates Mahat
Indias Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj has congratulated Prakash Sharan Mahat for his appointment as the new foreign minister of Nepal.
Sept 1 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
** Although most Canadians back the federal government's response to the Syrian refugee crisis, there is significantly less appetite for allowing temporary foreign workers to take jobs for which Canadians are eligible, a new poll has found. http://bit.ly/2bXqsHi
** The Detroit Three auto makers employed more than 24,000 Canadians last year and their output of vehicles and engines contributed C$5.8 billion ($4.42 billion) to the country's gross domestic product, says a new study done for Unifor, the union that represents hourly workers at the plants. http://bit.ly/2c6XAfv
** China's treatment of its own people has regressed under Xi Jinping, Canada's ambassador to China said, hours after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau completed a meeting with the Chinese president and his top deputy. http://bit.ly/2bEzhaU
NATIONAL POST
** Days after winning regulatory approvals for a new drug to treat Parkinson's disease, Toronto-based Cynapsus Therapeutics Inc announced it would sell itself to Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, a subsidiary of Osaka, Japan-based Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co for C$820 million ($624.29 million). http://bit.ly/2bEvnyY
** NGOs on Wednesday delivered 125,000 signed powers-of-attorney to Germany's highest constitutional court, in what they claim is the largest constitutional challenge in the country's history, with the goal to stop the proposed free trade agreement between Canada and the European Union. http://bit.ly/2bEypmQ
($1 = 1.3135 Canadian dollars) (Compiled by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru)
Sept 1 (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.
- John Cryan, the chief executive of Deutsche Bank , urged for more consolidation in the banking industry in Germany and across Europe. He said the monetary policy was eating into profits of banks even though the ECB intervened after the financial crisis. http://nyti.ms/2bDwvTd
- Brazil's first female president, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached by the Senate on Wednesday and was effectively removed from her office for the remaining of her term. http://nyti.ms/2bDuSoG
- U.S president Barack Obama left for a trans-Pacific voyage on Wednesday, marking his 10th trip to Asia as president. He hopes to announce further progress with China on climate change. http://nyti.ms/2bDuK8J
- Donald J. Trump made an audacious attempt on Wednesday to remake his image on the issue of immigration, announcing his plan to deport 11 million undocumented people and arguing that a Trump administration and Mexico would secure the border together. http://nyti.ms/2bDtLpa
- Canada said it had applied to join China's version of the World Bank. The move came during a trip to China by the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. http://nyti.ms/2bDw4bO
- On Wednesday, UK Prime Minister Theresa May called cabinet ministers to a brainstorm about Brexit, promising to examine "the next steps" for Britain. http://nyti.ms/2bDx6V0 (Compiled by Gaurika Juneja in Bengaluru)
SPOILER ALERT: This post includes spoilers from the Pretty Little Liars Season 7 summer finale, which aired on Aug. 30.
Brant Daugherty came back to Rosewood for the seventh season of Pretty Little Liars and he left just as quickly as he returned.
The actor, who plays Noel Kahn on the hit Freeform series, saw his character brutally killed off during yesterdays summer finale (Noel was decapitated by an axe). Brant stopped by Varietys Los Angeles offices Tuesday for an exclusive Facebook Live chat to discuss his gruesome send-off.
Its probably the most spectacular death on the show, Daugherty said during our Facebook Live chat, dishing behind-the-scenes details of his death scene. He explained that the head rolling down the stairs in the episode was actually not a prosthetic it was really his own head and his body was taken out of the scene by special effects.
So, even though Noel was killed off, could Daugherty return for the final 10 episodes of Pretty Little Liars when it returns in April perhaps in flashbacks?
I cannot say for certain, Daugherty teased. I would always love to explore more of Noel so well see what happens, so keep your eye out.
The actor also dished on his upcoming big screen role in the 50 Shades of Grey sequel, 50 Shades Freed.
Watch Daughertys full Facebook Live chat here.
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Facebook Live Q&A With 'Pretty Little Liars' Star Brant Daugherty -- Watch Now!
Marlene King on 'Pretty Little Liars' Future: 'We're Open To Finding Ways to Keep These Characters Alive'
Marlene King Answers 'Pretty Little Liars' Summer Finale Burning Questions: Who's Really Dead?
No more secrets. After a shocking summer finale on Tuesday, August 30, Pretty Little Liars creator Marlene King opened up to reporters on Wednesday, August 31, about the Freeform drama's upcoming final 10 episodes. Here are 10 things we learned about season 7B, premiering in April 2017:
PHOTOS: TV's 10 Most Shocking Deaths of the 2015-2016 Season
1. There is no time jump
Its one of our moments-later premieres, King said. So, Ali (Sasha Pieterse) will not be super pregnant, shell just be a little more pregnant than she was last night.
PHOTOS: Best TV Couples of All Time
2. Paige is here to stay
Shay Mitchells character, Emily, will continue her love triangle with Ali and ex-girlfriend Paige (Lindsey Shaw). Paige is not gone for good, King said. Having that triangle play out felt very appropriate for us as storytellers as we embark upon these final 10 episodes."
3. Wren is coming back
The return of Wren! "Well see him in more than one episode, which is fantastic, King teased of Melissa Hastings' ex-boyfriend. He had never had a scene with Ezra, and he and Ian [Harding] are friends in real life, so [Julian Morris] was like, 'Please, can I have a scene with Ezra?' So that was really the originator for the first scene that well see Wren in when he comes back."
PHOTOS: TV Shows Gone Too Soon!
4. PLL could eventually hit the big screen
Were very open to finding ways to keep these characters alive, King said. "I hope that down the line we find a way to bring the girls back together again. Its such a fun world to play in that were always keeping those options open. While the Liars may make it to the movies one day, King emphasized that the final episode will definitely be the show's end: The last episode is really going to be treated like a two-hour movie."
5. Family ties are figured out
After the shocking summer finale revealed that Spencer (Troian Bellisario) is Mary Drakes other child, We will find out who Charlottes father is, King said of Vanessa Rays deceased character. And we will find out how Spencer came to be with her entire family dynamic."
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6. Jenna and others are working for A.D.
"She knows A.D. exists, King said of the Liars enemy played by Tammin Sursok. She is, I would say, anonymously working for A.D. in ways that we find out moving forward; a few other people on our show are as well.
7. Melissa may be back
If King has her way, Spencers older sister, Melissa (Torrey DeVitto), will be returning to Rosewood. Shes on Chicago Med and very unavailable to us, the producer explained of DeVitto. "As much as we talk about it, Im still hoping to get her into the finale, but we havent figured out how to do it just yet. I hope she reads this and goes and talks to her producers and helps me!"
8. Toby is probably alive
While King wouldnt confirm the fate of Keegan Allens character, Toby, after his seemingly fatal car crash with fiancee Yvonne (Kara Royster), it seems likely that he will make it to 7B. People know how much I love the character of Toby, so you can read into that what youll read into that, King said. "Hes one of my favorites on the show. It would be hard for me to make that phone call to him."
9. Wedding bells will finally ring
With Hanna (Ashley Benson) and Caleb (Tyler Blackburn) getting back together, Aria (Lucy Hale) and Ezra facing one of their most difficult challenges yet, Spencer exploring a new relationship and Emily working her way through a love triangle, any of the Liars' romantic stories could drastically change in the final 10 episodes. While King remained mum about who will make it to the altar, she did reveal: There will be more than one wedding."
10. Spencer could really be dead
King wouldnt reveal Spencers fate after being shot in the chest, but did say that any character is fair game to get killed. "'A' is an equal opportunity killer, King explained. "So everybody is always subject to their demise, and its possible that well see them in flashbacks."
Pretty Little Liars returns to Freeform in April 2017.
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That's what you call cheeky!
Prince William gave royal fan Linda Moore, 62, a sweet surprise on Thursday in Cornwall.
"I asked him, 'Can I have a kiss?' " Moore told reporters outside the historic Truro Cathedral. "He said, 'You can give me a peck on the cheek.' "
When she asked if she could have a hug too, William replied: "Oh, go then," and posed for a picture before joking to Kate Middleton, "Watch that woman, she's collecting kisses!'"
Moore, a retired teaching assistant from Camborne, Cornwall, told William she had met his late mother Princess Diana about 25 years ago in nearby Redruth.
"I said to him, 'You look like your mum,' and he said, 'I think my mum was better looking.'
"He's lovely. I've just got to meet Harry now. Then I've met all of them. I met the Queen in Camborne."
Prince William Jokes to Kate: 'Watch That Woman, She's Collecting Kisses!'| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William
The light-hearted moment took place shortly after William and Kate who wore a new pink dress from New York City-based designer Lela Rose visited Truro Cathedral to support their "Sign-a-Slate" campaign for the Truro Cathedral roof appeal.
The autographed slate "will go on the roof they all do," Truro Cathedral Chaplain Jane Osborn tells PEOPLE. "But this one might take a little longer to go up!"
"It's a real privilege," she adds of the visit. "We have already got people calling us to ask if they can sign a slate too. As soon as the Duke and Duchess leave we are open for business!"
Inside the cathedral, William and Kate also met U.S. Army veteran Mike Hicks, who runs the history project Cornwall War History alongside his wife Ann.
Prince William Jokes to Kate: 'Watch That Woman, She's Collecting Kisses!'| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William
"We have so far identified about 6,500 from the county that died in WWI," says Detroit native Hicks, who served 20 years in the U.S. Army signal corps.
"Cornwall is a small county. It's a wonder they had enough people to fight World War II."
"It is a big honor to meet [the royals]," adds Ann. "We provide the Cathedral with a list of the names of the war dead and they read them in the morning service, every morning on the anniversary of their deaths. So it is something that William has a connection with because of his military background."
Want to keep up with the latest royals coverage? Click here to subscribe to the Royals Newsletter.
After visiting the Cathedral, the royals walked through the sunny streets of Truro to continue their work with children's mental health by visiting Zebs, a local drop-in center offering a range of mental health and anti-bullying projects for young people.
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Prince William Jokes to Kate: 'Watch That Woman, She's Collecting Kisses!'| The British Royals, The Royals, Kate Middleton, Prince William
The visits are part of a multi-day tour of the county, which will later include a stop at Healey's Cornish Cider Farm, and two Duchy of Cornwall sustainable housing projects in Newquay that provide training and apprenticeships for local teenagers.
There is a New Princess in Kensington Palace!
This afternoon they will round off the tour by visiting The Wave Project in Newquay the surfing capital of Britain which uses the sport as a tool to reduce anxiety in children and improve their mental wellbeing. No strangers to the waves, William is a keen surfer and regularly spent the summers of his youth surfing in the area around the small seaside resort of Polzeath with brother Harry.
Away from the crowds, the royal couple will spend a romantic evening at the historic Restormel Manor, a 500-year-old, nine-bedroom historic house in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.
The house, which costs up to $8,200 a week for tourists to rent at this time of year and sleeps 18, stands at the head of the Fowey Valley in beautiful countryside overlooked by Restormel Castle.
Having landed permission to launch the first commercial lunar exploration by 2017, Moon Express has added another great stride to astronaut Neil Armstrongs giant leap for mankind. The favorable ruling from the U.S. Government began the companys countdown to being the only private-sector institution (so far) to be able to operate out of Earths orbit. And it seems that all systems are a go for an independently operated, unmanned spaceflight to our luminary satellite for mining reconnaissance.
Based in Mountain View, Calif., Moon Express was founded in 2010 by engineer and physicist Dr. Robert D. Richards, computer scientist Barney Pell, and billionaire businessman Naveen Jain. In April, the team submitted its proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration, having worked closely with the White House, the State Department, and NASA in order to meet the onboard reviews and licensing requirements outlined by the Secretary of Transportation.
The mission of Moon Expresss robotic craft is in compliance with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (ratified by 104 nations), which stipulates only peaceful and non-exclusive extraterrestrial ventures. Along with the eventual extraction of valuable minerals (including the possibility of titanium), there is growing evidence (and hope) of lunar water deposits.
Having support from NASA, Moon Express is one of 16 teams competing for the Google Lunar X Prizethe Internet pioneer's otherworldly incentive contest with a $20 million payoff. Two flights, relying on the New Zealand firm Rocket Lab and its Electron delivery system, are scheduled for next year. Plans for any commercial passenger payload down the road, however, are still up in the air. (moonexpress.com)
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(Repeats story first published on Sept 1, no changes to text)
* IBA to expand workforce by a third
* Proton therapy said to be more precise
* Demand estimates vary, several studies ongoing
* IBA first to make cheaper, more compact systems
By Robert-Jan Bartunek
LOUVAIN LA NEUVE, Belgium, Sept 1 (Reuters) - When Yves Jongen stood at the controls of his proton therapy machine fifteen years ago to treat a cancer patient for the first time he was petrified.
Now Jongen's company IBA is hiring 400 engineers to cope with demand for the technology, increasing its workforce by a third, and expanding its production capacity to make up to 30 machines a year, from a maximum of eight now.
"It is such a responsibility to send a beam of potentially lethal particles into the body of a fellow human being. It is exciting but scary at the same time," he said.
Proton therapy made the front pages in Britain last year when five-year-old Ashya King was removed from hospital by his parents, against the advice of doctors, and flown to Prague for treatment using an IBA-made machine.
There are only 170 proton therapy treatment rooms worldwide to handle about 1 percent of radiation therapy patients.
But there is already a consensus on the technology's benefits for certain types of patients, such as children and young adults with spinal cord and base of brain tumours and a growing belief that it could also limit side effects.
King's family say he is now free of cancer.
A spin-off of the Catholic University of Louvain's nuclear physics department, IBA began life making cyclotrons to produce radioisotopes for hospitals and radiopharmaceutical companies.
"We would sell one machine a year and enjoy ourselves a lot doing it," said Jongen, 68, who founded IBA in 1986.
IBA's offices on the edges of a university campus, near a roundabout decorated with parts of Belgium's first ever cyclotron, are bursting at the seams, with offices split into ever smaller cubicles.
Proton therapy originated in the physics labs of the post-war period when scientists first described how protons could radiate tumours with more accuracy than standard x-ray therapy.
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The technology at the time was not good enough to tackle tumours deep inside the body, however, and in the late 1980s Jongen was urged by an oncologist to "revolutionise cancer therapy" by applying his cyclotron technology to proton therapy.
Jongen needed to create a cyclotron strong enough to speed up particles to two thirds of the speed of light. On a flight back from Australia inspiration struck and when he got off the plane he had sketched a basic framework for the new machines.
When IBA opened its first centre at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in 2001, it was the first to install a ready-made product outside of the big nuclear physics centres.
Nowadays, the group competes with U.S. group Varian as well as Japanese heavy industry groups Hitachi, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo, and is market leader outside of Japan, a position it hopes to consolidate with the introduction of a much more compact version of its machines.
EXPANDING MARKETS
Scientific uncertainty about where proton therapy is useful and where it is not, may in part explain why studies have shown vastly differing estimates for demand, ranging from just 1.5 percent in Britain to 20 percent in the United States.
"Researchers always assumed that there were benefits to proton therapy over traditional radiotherapy, but only over the past years have we had a string of medical studies to effectively prove this in the field," said Roderick Verhelst, analyst at private bank Degroot Petercam.
Medical studies are focusing on using proton therapy in gastric, liver, lung, and pancreatic cancers as well as left breast cancer, in order to minimize damage to the heart.
There are, however, also cases in which experts believe that proton therapy's higher cost may not be justified.
"There are examples where using proton therapy wouldn't bring an advantage as the side effects are already small with conventional therapy," said Stephanie Combs, head of radiation oncology at Munich's Rechts der Isar Hospital.
Proton therapy's costs have also hampered its growth.
The powerful cyclotrons behind the technology weigh some 220 tonnes and need to be housed in a bunker, meaning therapy centres occupy entire hospital wings.
The machines, which can take years to build and calibrate, have a price tag in excess of 100 million euros ($112 million), setting a high threshold for smaller hospitals to invest.
In response, IBA was the first to shrink the cyclotron to less than a quarter of its original weight, while still delivering the energy needed. These compact systems, which come at a quarter of the cost, allow smaller hospitals to install them alongside traditional radiation therapy machines.
"Other companies have signed contracts to install such compact systems but have yet to deliver a fully operational treatment room," Verhelst said.
According to IBA's own forecast, a worldwide increase to 20 percent of radiation patients treated with proton therapy would require the number of installed rooms to rise above 2,500.
In the first half of 2016, IBA's order intake grew by about a third to 143.6 million euros ($160 million). Since 2014 its share price has quintupled. ($1 = 0.7612 pounds) ($1 = 0.8957 euros) (Editing by Alexander Smith)
By Laura Gardner Cuesta LONDON (Reuters) - The conduct of Britain's EU referendum showed "glaring democratic deficiencies," according to a report on Thursday by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), which called for a review into how referendums are run. People felt they lacked clear information about the vote and that big personalities failed to engage or convince them, polling for the report showed. Both those campaigning to remain and to leave were seen to become increasingly negative as the debate wore on. "This report shows without a shadow of a doubt just how dire the EU referendum debate really was," said Katie Ghose, Chief Executive of the society. "There were glaring democratic deficiencies in the run-up to the vote, with the public feeling totally ill-informed." In contrast with the "vibrant, well-informed, grassroots conversation" during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Ghose said the EU referendum was seen as a top-down, personality-based debate. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on June 23 by 51.9 to 48.1 percent, but regional differences were stark. Scotland and Northern Ireland distinctly backed remain, whilst England and Wales voted to leave. The ERS, a pressure group promoting democratic reform, suggested referendums should be at least six months long and that an official public body should have the power to intervene when misleading claims were made. Both sides in the EU referendum came under fire for making claims that were widely seen as lacking evidence. These included the Leave camps statement that the UKs gross contribution to the European Union, 350 million pounds a week, could be spent on the National Health Service, and Treasury figures purporting to show that people would be 4,300 pounds a year worse off outside the EU. The intervention of important personalities on each side of the debate appeared to have a minimal effect, the ERS said. If anything, people said interventions by every personality, including United States president Barack Obamas support for remain, had made them more likely to vote leave. "Now that the dust is starting to settle after the EU referendum, we need a complete rethink about the role of referendums in the UK," said Ghose in a statement. "It's time for a root and branch review of referendums ... They are becoming more common, but the piecemeal nature of the how, when and why theyre done means we could simply end up jumping from referendum to referendum at the whim of politicians." (Editing by Stephen Addison)
Two girls killed in three days
Two girls died in separate leopard attack incidents at Khanchikot village in Arghakhanchi in the past three days.
New York (AFP) - Prince's "Purple Rain" co-star Apollonia Kotero has opened up about the pop legend's death four months later, professing a love that endured for decades.
The model and actress starred in the iconic 1984 film as a character by her own name, the competing love interest between fledgling musician Prince -- "The Kid" -- and headliner Morris Day.
Unlike many Prince contemporaries, Kotero stayed silent after the pop legend's sudden April 21 death as she asked for privacy.
But she recently made a surprise appearance at a Los Angeles screening of "Purple Rain" and followed up this week with a lengthy letter on Facebook in which she said she felt "unbearable" pain since Prince's death.
"My life has been a vortex of rage and despair. Waves of sadness washing away the pieces of my broken heart. My own personal hell on Earth. I feel like your widow," she wrote.
She recalled visiting Prince at his Paisley Park estate outside Minneapolis in June 2014 and telling him that "when you love someone so much for so long, you become as one."
"I said to you the entire world calls you Prince, but to me you are a King. We kissed. We both had tears. I leaned my head on your shoulder. You celebrated us that night. Our 30th anniversary," she wrote, referring to the three decades since "Purple Rain."
She said that Prince sat her on a stage at Paisley Park and serenaded her with a private concert backed by 3rdeyegirl, the all-female trio that played with Prince late in his life.
She said that Prince told her that "This Could Be Us," his 2014 song with echoes of his powerful early ballads, was written about them.
Prince, who was 57, died from an accidental overdose of powerful painkillers.
Prince left no will and had no recognized children, leading to disputes over who will inherit an estate valued at hundreds of millions of dollars along with a vast vault of unreleased material.
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A Minnesota judge on Thursday assigned a laboratory to administer a DNA test on Carlin Williams, an imprisoned little-known rapper who says he is Prince's son, by September 21.
Williams and his mother said that she had sex with Prince in a Kansas City hotel in 1976. He requested a new genetic test amid reports that a first examination did not ascertain that Prince was his father.
Prince had a sister, Tyka Nelson, and five half-siblings who under Minnesota law would have rights to the estate.
The family has assigned day-to-day affairs to a private administrator, which plans to open up Paisley Park -- a sprawling studio complex that held mythic status for fans who entered it -- to paid tours starting in October.
Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has kept Queen Elizabeth and the Pope waiting but recently found time to meet a group of students from Britain's elite Eton school, the Kremlin said Thursday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin held an hour-long audience with students from the school about a week ago.
He said a Russian Orthodox monk Archimandrite Tikhon, who acts as the president's spiritual adviser, set up the meeting after giving a speech at the world-famous boarding school.
"It was an absolutely private visit by the boys and the meeting was not public," Peskov told journalists, saying Putin took part in "an open discussion".
"It was interesting for both the president and for the boys but it would be wrong to give more details as it really was a private conversation which was not intended to be publicised."
British media has reported on the unlikely encounter after some of the students involved posted pictures of themselves meeting Putin and posing in the Kremlin.
One of the students, Trenton Bricken -- who apparently finished his time at Eton this summer -- wrote on Facebook that Putin was "small in person but not in presence", posting a picture of him shaking the Russian strongman's hand.
Old Etonians include Prince William and Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne as well as former Prime Minister David Cameron -- who fell out with Putin over the crisis in Ukraine -- and current foreign minister Boris Johnson.
The meeting with the public schoolboys came ahead of Putin's first encounter with new British leader Theresa May at the G20 in China -- with both sides saying they are interested in improving the dire relations between their two countries.
TRUMP: Wow. Thank you. Thats a lot of people, Phoenix, thats a lot of people.
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Thank you very much.
Thank you, Phoenix. I am so glad to be back in Arizona.
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The state that has a very, very special place in my heart. I love people of Arizona and together we are going to win the White House in November.
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Now, you know this is where it all began for me. Remember that massive crowd also. So, I said lets go and have some fun tonight. Were going to Arizona, OK?
This will be a little bit different. This wont be a rally speech, per se. Instead, Im going to deliver a detailed policy address on one of the greatest challenges facing our country today, illegal immigration.
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Ive just landed having returned from a very important and special meeting with the President of Mexico, a man I like and respect very much. And a man who truly loves his country, Mexico.
And, by the way, just like I am a man who loves my country, the United States.
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We agree on the importance of ending the illegal flow of drugs, cash, guns, and people across our border, and to put the cartels out of business.
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We also discussed the great contributions of Mexican-American citizens to our two countries, my love for the people of Mexico, and the leadership and friendship between Mexico and the United States. It was a thoughtful and substantive conversation and it will go on for awhile. And, in the end were all going to win. Both countries, were all going to win.
This is the first of what I expect will be many, many conversations. And, in a Trump administration were going to go about creating a new relationship between our two countries, but its going to be a fair relationship. We want fairness.
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But to fix our immigration system, we must change our leadership in Washington and we must change it quickly. Sadly, sadly there is no other way. The truth is our immigration system is worse than anybody ever realized. But the facts arent known because the media wont report on them. The politicians wont talk about them and the special interests spend a lot of money trying to cover them up because they are making an absolute fortune. Thats the way it is.
Today, on a very complicated and very difficult subject, you will get the truth. The fundamental problem with the immigration system in our country is that it serves the needs of wealthy donors, political activists and powerful, powerful politicians. Its all you can do. Thank you. Thank you.
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Let me tell you who it does not serve. It does not serve you the American people. Doesnt serve you. When politicians talk about immigration reform, they usually mean the following, amnesty, open borders, lower wages. Immigration reform should mean something else entirely. It should mean improvements to our laws and policies to make life better for American citizens.
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Thank you. But if were going to make our immigration system work, then we have to be prepared to talk honestly and without fear about these important and very sensitive issues. For instance, we have to listen to the concerns that working people, our forgotten working people, have over the record pace of immigration and its impact on their jobs, wages, housing, schools, tax bills and general living conditions.
These are valid concerns expressed by decent and patriotic citizens from all backgrounds, all over. We also have to be honest about the fact that not everyone who seeks to join our country will be able to successfully assimilate. Sometimes its just not going to work out. Its our right, as a sovereign nation to chose immigrants that we think are the likeliest to thrive and flourish and love us. (APPLAUSE)
Then there is the issue of security. Countless innocent American lives have been stolen because our politicians have failed in their duty to secure our borders and enforce our laws like they have to be enforced. I have met with many of the great parents who lost their children to sanctuary cities and open borders. So many people, so many, many people. So sad. They will be joining me on this stage in a little while and I look forward to introducing, these are amazing, amazing people.
Countless Americans who have died in recent years would be alive today if not for the open border policies of this administration and the administration that causes this horrible, horrible thought process, called Hillary Clinton.
This includes incredible Americans like 21 year old Sarah Root. The man who killed her arrived at the border, entered Federal custody and then was released into the U.S., think of it, into the U.S. community under the policies of the White House Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Weak, weak policies. Weak and foolish policies.
He was released again after the crime, and now hes out there at large. Sarah had graduated from college with a 4.0, top student in her class one day before her death.
Also among the victims of the Obama-Clinton open-border policy was Grant Ronnebeck, a 21-year-old convenience store clerk and a really good guy from Mesa, Arizona. A lot of you have known about Grant.
He was murdered by an illegal immigrant gang member previously convicted of burglary, who had also been released from federal custody, and they knew it was going to happen again.
Another victim is Kate Steinle. Gunned down in the sanctuary city of San Francisco, by an illegal immigrant, deported five previous times. And they knew he was no good.
Then there is the case of 90-year-old Earl Olander, who was brutally beaten and left to bleed to death in his home, 90 years old and defenseless. The perpetrators were illegal immigrants with criminal records a mile long, who did not meet Obama administration standards for removal. And they knew it was going to happen.
In California, a 64-year-old Air Force veteran, a great woman, according to everybody that knew her, Marilyn Pharis, was sexually assaulted and beaten to death with a hammer. Her killer had been arrested on multiple occasions but was never, ever deported, despite the fact that everybody wanted him out.
A 2011 report from the Government Accountability Office found that illegal immigrants and other non-citizens, in our prisons and jails together, had around 25,000 homicide arrests to their names, 25,000.
On top of that, illegal immigration costs our country more than $113 billion a year. And this is what we get. For the money we are going to spend on illegal immigration over the next 10 years, we could provide 1 million at-risk students with a school voucher, which so many people are wanting.
While there are many illegal immigrants in our country who are good people, many, many, this doesnt change the fact that most illegal immigrants are lower skilled workers with less education, who compete directly against vulnerable American workers, and that these illegal workers draw much more out from the system than they can ever possibly pay back.
And theyre hurting a lot of our people that cannot get jobs under any circumstances.
But these facts are never reported. Instead, the media and my opponent discuss one thing and only one thing, the needs of people living here illegally. In many cases, by the way, theyre treated better than our vets.
Not going to happen anymore, folks. November 8th. Not going to happen anymore.
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CROWD: Trump! Trump! Trump!
The truth is, the central issue is not the needs of the 11 million illegal immigrants or however many there may be and honestly weve been hearing that number for years. Its always 11 million. Our government has no idea. It could be 3 million. It could be 30 million. They have no idea what the number is.
Frankly our government has no idea what theyre doing on many, many fronts, folks.
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But whatever the number, thats never really been the central issue. It will never be a central issue. It doesnt matter from that standpoint. Anyone who tells you that the core issue is the needs of those living here illegally has simply spent too much time in Washington.
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Only the out of touch media elites think the biggest problems facing America you know this, this is what they talk about, facing American society today is that there are 11 million illegal immigrants who dont have legal status. And, they also think the biggest thing, and you know this, its not nuclear, and its not ISIS, its not Russia, its not China, its global warming.
To all the politicians, donors, and special interests, hear these words from me and all of you today. There is only one core issue in the immigration debate, and that issue is the well being of the American people.
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Nothing even comes a close second. Hillary Clinton, for instance, talks constantly about her fears that families will be separated, but shes not talking about the American families who have been permanently separated from their loved ones because of a preventable homicide, because of a preventable death, because of murder.
No, shes only talking about families who come here in violation of the law. We will treat everyone living or residing in our country with great dignity. So important.
We will be fair, just, and compassionate to all, but our greatest compassion must be for our American citizens.
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Thank you.
President Obama and Hillary Clinton have engaged in gross dereliction of duty by surrendering the safety of the American people to open borders, and you know it better than anybody right here in Arizona. You know it.
President Obama and Hillary Clinton support sanctuary cities. They support catch and release on the border. they support visa overstays. They support the release of dangerous, dangerous, dangerous, criminals from detention. And, they support unconstitutional executive amnesty.
Hillary Clinton has pledged amnesty in her first 100 days, and her plan will provide Obamacare, Social Security, and Medicare for illegal immigrants, breaking the federal budget.
On top of that she promises uncontrolled, low-skilled immigration that continues to reduce jobs and wages for American workers, and especially for African-American and Hispanic workers within our country. Our citizens.
Most incredibly, because to me this is unbelievable, we have no idea who these people are, where they come from. I always say Trojan Horse. Watch whats going to happen, folks. Its not going to be pretty.
This includes her plan to bring in 620,000 new refugees from Syria and that region over a short period of time. And even yesterday, when you were watching the news, you saw thousands and thousands of people coming in from Syria. What is wrong with our politicians, our leaders if we can call them that. What the hell are we doing?
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Hard to believe. Hard to believe. Now that youve heard about Hillary Clintons plan, about which she has not answered a single question, let me tell you about my plan. And do you notice
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And do you notice all the time for weeks and weeks of debating my plan, debating, talking about it, what about this, what about that. They never even mentioned her plan on immigration because she doesnt want to get into the quagmire. Its a tough one, she doesnt know what shes doing except open borders and let everybody come in and destroy our country by the way.
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While Hillary Clinton meets only with donors and lobbyists, my plan was crafted with the input from Federal Immigration offices, very great people. Among the top immigration experts anywhere in this country, who represent workers, not corporations, very important to us.
I also worked with lawmakers, whove led on this issue on behalf of American citizens for many years. And most importantly Ive met with the people directly impacted by these policies. So important.
Number one, are you ready? Are you ready?
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We will build a great wall along the southern border.
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One hundred percent. They dont know it yet, but theyre going to pay for it. And theyre great people and great leaders but theyre going to pay for the wall. On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable, physical, tall, power, beautiful southern border wall.
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We will use the best technology, including above and below ground sensors thats the tunnels. Remember that, above and below.
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Above and below ground sensors. Towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall, find and dislocate tunnels and keep out criminal cartels and Mexico you know that, will work with us. I really believe it. Mexico will work with us. I absolutely believe it. And especially after meeting with their wonderful, wonderful president today. I really believe they want to solve this problem along with us, and Im sure they will.
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Number two, we are going to end catch and release. We catch them, oh go ahead. We catch them, go ahead.
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Under my administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country and back to the country from which they came.
And theyll be brought great distances. Were not dropping them right across. They learned that. President Eisenhower. Theyd drop them across, right across, and theyd come back. And across.
Then when they flew them to a long distance, all of a sudden that was the end. We will take them great distances. But we will take them to the country where they came from, OK?
Number three. Number three, this is the one, I think its so great. Its hard to believe, people dont even talk about it. Zero tolerance for criminal aliens. Zero. Zero.
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TRUMP: Zero. They dont come in here. They dont come in here.
According to federal data, there are at least 2 million, 2 million, think of it, criminal aliens now inside of our country, 2 million people criminal aliens. We will begin moving them out day one. As soon as I take office. Day one. In joint operation with local, state, and federal law enforcement.
Now, just so you understand, the police, who we all respect say hello to the police. Boy, they dont get the credit they deserve. I can tell you. Theyre great people. But the police and law enforcement, they know who these people are.
They live with these people. They get mocked by these people. They cant do anything about these people, and they want to. They know who these people are. Day one, my first hour in office, those people are gone.
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TRUMP: And you can call it deported if you want. The press doesnt like that term. You can call it whatever the hell you want. Theyre gone.
Beyond the 2 million, and there are vast numbers of additional criminal illegal immigrants who have fled, but their days have run out in this country. The crime will stop. Theyre going to be gone. It will be over.
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TRUMP: Theyre going out. Theyre going out fast.
Moving forward. We will issue detainers for illegal immigrants who are arrested for any crime whatsoever, and they will be placed into immediate removal proceedings if we even have to do that.
We will terminate the Obama administrations deadly, and it is deadly, non-enforcement policies that allow thousands of criminal aliens to freely roam our streets, walk around, do whatever they want to do, crime all over the place.
Thats over. Thats over, folks. Thats over.
Since 2013 alone, the Obama administration has allowed 300,000 criminal aliens to return back into United States communities. These are individuals encountered or identified by ICE, but who were not detained or processed for deportation because it wouldnt have been politically correct.
My plan also includes cooperating closely with local jurisdictions to remove criminal aliens immediately. We will restore the highly successful Secure Communities Program. Good program. We will expand and revitalize the popular 287(g) partnerships, which will help to identify hundreds of thousands of deportable aliens in local jails that we dont even know about.
Both of these programs have been recklessly gutted by this administration. And those were programs that worked.
This is yet one more area where we are headed in a totally opposite direction. Theres no common sense, theres no brain power in our administration by our leader, or our leaders. None, none, none.
On my first day in office I am also going to ask Congress to pass Kates Law, named for Kate Steinle.
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To ensure that criminal aliens convicted of illegal reentry receive strong mandatory minimum sentences. Strong.
And then we get them out.
Another reform Im proposing is the passage of legislation named for Detective Michael Davis and Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver, to law enforcement officers recently killed by a previously deported illegal immigrant.
The Davis-Oliver bill will enhance cooperation with state and local authorities to ensure that criminal immigrants and terrorists are swiftly, really swiftly, identified and removed. And they will go face, believe me. Theyre going to go.
Were going to triple the number of ICE deportation officers.
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Within ICE I am going to create a new special deportation task force focused on identifying and quickly removing the most dangerous criminal illegal immigrants in America who have evaded justice just like Hillary Clinton has evaded justice, OK?
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Maybe theyll be able to deport her.
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The local police who know every one of these criminals, and they know each and every one by name, by crime, where they live, they will work so fast. And our local police will be so happy that they dont have to be abused by these thugs anymore. Theres no great mystery to it, theyve put up with it for years, and no finally we will turn the tables and law enforcement and our police will be allowed to clear up this dangerous and threatening mess.
Were also going to hire 5,000 more Border Patrol agents.
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Who gave me their endorsement, 16,500 gave me their endorsement.
And put more of them on the border instead of behind desks which is good. We will expand the number of border patrol stations significantly.
Ive had a chance to spend time with these incredible law enforcement officers, and I want to take a moment to thank them. What they do is incredible.
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And getting their endorsement means so much to me. More to me really than I can say. Means so much. First time theyve ever endorsed a presidential candidate.
Number four, block funding for sanctuary cities. We block the funding. No more funds.
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We will end the sanctuary cities that have resulted in so many needless deaths. Cities that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities will not receive taxpayer dollars, and we will work with Congress to pass legislation to protect those jurisdictions that do assist federal authorities.
Number five, cancel unconstitutional executive orders and enforce all immigration laws.
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We will immediately terminate President Obamas two illegal executive amnesties in which he defied federal law and the Constitution to give amnesty to approximately five million illegal immigrants, five million.
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TRUMP: And how about all the millions that are waiting on line, going through the process legally? So unfair.
Hillary Clinton has pledged to keep both of these illegal amnesty programs, including the 2014 amnesty which has been blocked by the United States Supreme Court. Great.
Clinton has also pledged to add a third executive amnesty. And by the way, folks, she will be a disaster for our country, a disaster in so many other ways.
And dont forget the Supreme Court of the United States. Dont forget that when you go to vote on November 8. And dont forget your Second Amendment. And dont forget the repeal and replacement of Obamacare.
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And dont forget building up our depleted military. And dont forget taking care of our vets. Dont forget our vets. They have been forgotten.
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Clintons plan would trigger a constitutional crisis unlike almost anything we have ever seen before. In effect, she would be abolishing the lawmaking powers of Congress in order to write her own laws from the Oval Office. And you see what bad judgment she has. She has seriously bad judgment.
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TRUMP: Can you imagine? In a Trump administration all immigration laws will be enforced, will be enforced. As with any law enforcement activity, we will set priorities. But unlike this administration, no one will be immune or exempt from enforcement. And ICE and Border Patrol officers will be allowed to do their jobs the way their jobs are supposed to be done.
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Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have laws and to have a country. Otherwise we dont have a country.
Our enforcement priorities will include removing criminals, gang members, security threats, visa overstays, public charges. That is those relying on public welfare or straining the safety net along with millions of recent illegal arrivals and overstays whove come here under this current corrupt administration.
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Number six, we are going to suspend the issuance of visas to any place where adequate screening cannot occur.
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According to data provided by the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration, and the national interest between 9/11 and the end of 2014, at least 380 foreign born individuals were convicted in terror cases inside the United States. And even right now the largest number of people are under investigation for exactly this that weve ever had in the history of our country.
Our country is a mess. We dont even know what to look for anymore, folks. Our country has to straighten out. And we have to straighten out fast.
The number is likely higher. But the administration refuses to provide this information, even to Congress. As soon as I enter office I am going to ask the Department of State, which has been brutalized by Hillary Clinton, brutalized.
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Homeland Security and the Department of Justice to begin a comprehensive review of these cases in order to develop a list of regions and countries from which immigration must be suspended until proven and effective vetting mechanisms can be put in place.
I call it extreme vetting right? Extreme vetting. I want extreme. Its going to be so tough, and if somebody comes in thats fine but theyre going to be good. Its extreme.
And if people dont like it, weve got have a country folks. Got to have a country. Countries in which immigration will be suspended would include places like Syria and Libya. And we are going to stop the tens of thousands of people coming in from Syria. We have no idea who they are, where they come from. Theres no documentation. Theres no paperwork. Its going to end badly folks. Its going to end very, very badly.
For the price of resettling, one refugee in the United States, 12 could be resettled in a safe zone in their home region. Which I agree with 100 percent. We have to build safe zones and well get the money from Gulf states. We dont want to put up the money. We owe almost $20 trillion. Doubled since Obama took office, our national debt.
But we will get the money from Gulf states and others. Well supervise it. Well build safe zones which is something that I think all of us want to see.
Another reform, involves new screening tests for all applicants that include, and this is so important, especially if you get the right people. And we will get the right people. An ideological certification to make sure that those we are admitting to our country share our values and love our people.
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Thank you. Were very proud of our country. Arent we? Really? With all its going through, were very proud of our country. For instance, in the last five years, weve admitted nearly 100,000 immigrants from Iraq and Afghanistan. And these two countries according to Pew Research, a majority of residents say that the barbaric practice of honor killings against women are often or sometimes justified. Thats what they say.
(APPLAUSE) Thats what they say. Theyre justified. Right? And were admitting them to our country. Applicants will be asked their views about honor killings, about respect for women and gays and minorities. Attitudes on radical Islam, which our President refuses to say and many other topics as part of this vetting procedure. And if we have the right people doing it, believe me, very, very few will slip through the cracks. Hopefully, none.
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Number seven, we will insure that other countries take their people back when they order them deported.
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There are at least 23 countries that refuse to take their people back after theyve been ordered to leave the United States. Including large numbers of violent criminals, they wont take them back. So we say, OK, well keep them. Not going to happen with me, not going to happen with me.
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Due to a Supreme Court decision, if these violent offenders cannot be sent home, our law enforcement officers have to release them into your communities.
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And by the way, the results are horrific, horrific. There are often terrible consequences, such as Casey Chadwicks tragic death in Connecticut just last year. Yet despite the existence of a law that commands the Secretary of State to stop issuing visas to these countries.
Secretary Hillary Clinton ignored this law and refused to use this powerful tool to bring nations into compliance. And, they would comply if we would act properly.
In other words, if we had leaders that knew what they were doing, which we dont.
The result of her misconduct was the release of thousands and thousands of dangerous criminal aliens who should have been sent home to their countries. Instead we have them all over the place. Probably a couple in this room as a matter of fact, but I hope not.
According to a report for the Boston Globe from the year 2008 to 2014 nearly 13,000 criminal aliens were released back into U.S. communities because their home countries would not, under any circumstances, take them back. Hard to believe with the power we have. Hard to believe.
Were like the big bully that keeps getting beat up. You ever see that? The big bully that keeps getting beat up.
These 13,000 release occurred on Hillary Clintons watch. She had the power and the duty to stop it cold, and she decided she would not do it.
And, Arizona knows better than most exactly what Im talking about.
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Those released include individuals convicted of killings, sexual assaults, and some of the most heinous crimes imaginable.
The Boston Globe writes that a Globe review of 323 criminals released in New England from 2008 to 2012 found that as many as 30 percent committed new offenses, including rape, attempted murder, and child molestation. We take them, we take them.
Number eight, we will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems, but it has never been completed. The politicians are all talk, no action, never happens. Never happens.
Hillary Clinton, all talk. Unfortunately when there is action its always the wrong decision. You ever notice? In my administration we will ensure that this system is in place. And, I will tell you, it will be on land, it will be on sea, it will be in air. We will have a proper tracking system.
Approximately half of new illegal immigrants came on temporary visas and then never, ever left. Why should the? Nobodys telling them to leave. Stay as long as you want, well take care of you.
Beyond violating our laws, visa overstays, pose and they really are a big problem, pose a substantial threat to national security. The 9/11 Commission said that this tracking system would be a high priority and would have assisted law enforcement and intelligence officials in august and September in 2001 in conducting a search for two of the 9/11 hijackers that were in the United States expired visas.
And, you know what that would have meant, what that could have meant. Wouldnt that have been wonderful, right? What that could have meant?
Last year alone nearly half a million individuals overstayed their temporary visas. Removing these overstays will be a top priority of my administration.
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If people around the world believe they can just come on a temporary visa and never, ever leave, the Obama-Clinton policy, thats what it is, then we have a completely open border, and we no longer have a country.
We must send a message that visa expiration dates will be strongly enforced.
Number nine, we will turn off the jobs and benefits magnet.
We will ensure that E-Verify is used to the fullest extent possible under existing law, and we will work with Congress to strengthen and expand its use across the country.
Immigration law doesnt exist for the purpose of keeping criminals out. It exists to protect all aspects of American life. The work site, the welfare office, the education system, and everything else.
That is why immigration limits are established in the first place. If we only enforced the laws against crime, then we have an open border to the entire world. We will enforce all of our immigration laws.
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And the same goes for government benefits. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 62 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants use some form of cash or non-cash welfare programs like food stamps or housing assistance.
Tremendous costs, by the way, to our country. Tremendous costs. This directly violates the federal public charge law designed to protect the United States Treasury. Those who abuse our welfare system will be priorities for immediate removal.
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Number 10, we will reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers, the forgotten people. Workers. Were going to take care of our workers.
And by the way, and by the way, were going to make great trade deals. Were going to renegotiate trade deals. Were going to bring our jobs back home. Were going to bring our jobs back home.
We have the most incompetently worked trade deals ever negotiated probably in the history of the world, and that starts with NAFTA. And now they want to go TPP, one of the great disasters.
Were going to bring our jobs back home. And if companies want to leave Arizona and if they want to leave other states, theres going to be a lot of trouble for them. Its not going to be so easy. There will be consequence. Remember that. There will be consequence. Theyre not going to be leaving, go to another country, make the product, sell it into the United States, and all we end up with is no taxes and total unemployment. Its not going to happen. There will be consequences.
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Weve admitted 59 million immigrants to the United States between 1965 and 2015. Many of these arrivals have greatly enriched our country. So true. But we now have an obligation to them and to their children to control future immigration as we are following, if you think, previous immigration waves.
Weve had some big waves. And tremendously positive things have happened. Incredible things have happened. To ensure assimilation we want to ensure that it works. Assimilation, an important word. Integration and upward mobility.
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Within just a few years immigration as a share of national population is set to break all historical records. The time has come for a new immigration commission to develop a new set of reforms to our legal immigration system in order to achieve the following goals.
To keep immigration levels measured by population share within historical norms. To select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in U.S. society and their ability to be financially self- sufficient.
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We take anybody. Come on in, anybody. Just come on in. Not anymore.
You know, folks, its called a two-way street. It is a two-way street, right? We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration its called America first. Remember that.
To choose immigrants based on merit. Merit, skill, and proficiency. Doesnt that sound nice? And to establish new immigration controls to boost wages and to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first. And that in particular African- American and Latino workers who are being shut out in this process so unfairly.
(APPLAUSE)
And Hillary Clinton is going to do nothing for the African- American worker, the Latino worker. Shes going to do nothing. Give me your vote, she says, on November eighth. And then shell say, so long, see you in four years. Thats what it is.
She is going to do nothing. And just look at the past. Shes done nothing. Shes been there for 35 years. Shes done nothing. And I say what do you have to lose? Choose me. Watch how good were going to do together. Watch.
(APPLAUSE)
You watch. We want people to come into our country, but they have to come into our country legally and properly vetted, and in a manner that serves the national interest. Weve been living under outdated immigration rules from decades ago. Theyre decades and decades old.
To avoid this happening in the future, I believe we should sunset our visa laws so that Congress is forced to periodically revise and revisit them to bring them up to date. Theyre archaic. Theyre ancient. We wouldnt put our entire federal budget on auto pilot for decades, so why should we do the same for the very, very complex subject of immigration?
So lets now talk about the big picture. These 10 steps, if rigorously followed and enforced, will accomplish more in a matter of months than our politicians have accomplished on this issue in the last 50 years. Its going to happen, folks. Because I am proudly not a politician, because I am not behold to any special interest, Ive spent a lot of money on my campaign, Ill tell you. I write those checks. Nobody owns Trump.
I will get this done for you and for your family. Well do it right. Youll be proud of our country again. Well do it right. We will accomplish all of the steps outlined above. And, when we do, peace and law and justice and prosperity will prevail. Crime will go down. Border crossings will plummet. Gangs will disappear.
And the gangs are all over the place. And welfare use will decrease. We will have a peace dividend to spend on rebuilding America, beginning with our American inner cities. Were going to rebuild them, for once and for all.
For those here illegally today, who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only. To return home and apply for reentry like everybody else, under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined above. Those who have left to seek entry
CROWD: Trump! Trump! Trump!
Thank you.
CROWD: Trump! Trump! Trump!
Thank you. Thank you. Those who have left to seek entry under this new system and it will be an efficient system will not be awarded surplus visas, but will have to apply for entry under the immigration caps or limits that will be established in the future.
We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. We will break the cycle. There will be no amnesty.
(APPLAUSE)
Our message to the world will be this. You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country. Cant do it.
(APPLAUSE)
This declaration alone will help stop the crisis of illegal crossings and illegal overstays, very importantly. People will know that you cant just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized. Its not going to work that way. Those days are over.
(APPLAUSE)
Importantly, in several years when we have accomplished all of our enforcement and deportation goals and truly ended illegal immigration for good, including the construction of a great wall, which we will have built in record time. And at a reasonable cost, which you never hear from the government.
(APPLAUSE)
And the establishment of our new lawful immigration system then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those individuals who remain.
That discussion can take place only in an atmosphere in which illegal immigration is a memory of the past, no longer with us, allowing us to weigh the different options available based on the new circumstances at the time.
(APPLAUSE)
Right now, however, were in the middle of a jobs crisis, a border crisis and a terrorism crisis like never before. All energies of the federal government and the legislative process must now be focused on immigration security. That is the only conversation we should be having at this time, immigration security. Cut it off.
Whether its dangerous materials being smuggled across the border, terrorists entering on visas or Americans losing their jobs to foreign workers, these are the problems we must now focus on fixing. And the media needs to begin demanding to hear Hillary Clintons answer on how her policies will affect Americans and their security.
(APPLAUSE)
These are matters of life and death for our country and its people, and we deserve answers from Hillary Clinton. And do you notice, she doesnt answer.
AUDIENCE: No!
TRUMP: She didnt go to Louisiana. She didnt go to Mexico. She was invited.
She doesnt have the strength or the stamina to make America great again. Believe me.
(APPLAUSE)
What we do know, despite the lack of media curiosity, is that Hillary Clinton promises a radical amnesty combined with a radical reduction in immigration enforcement. Just ask the Border Patrol about Hillary Clinton. You wont like what youre hearing.
The result will be millions more illegal immigrants; thousands of more violent, horrible crimes; and total chaos and lawlessness. Thats whats going to happen, as sure as youre standing there.
TRUMP: This election, and I believe this, is our last chance to secure the border, stop illegal immigration and reform our laws to make your life better. I really believe this is it. This is our last time. November 8. November 8. You got to get out and vote on November 8.
(APPLAUSE)
Its our last chance. Its our last chance. And that includes Supreme Court justices and Second Amendment. Remember that.
So I want to remind everyone what were fighting for and who we are fighting for.
I am going to ask these are really special people that Ive gotten to know. Im going to ask all of the Angel Moms to come join me on the stage right now.
These are amazing women.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: These are amazing people.
(APPLAUSE)
CROWD: USA! USA! USA!
TRUMP: Ive become friends with so many. But Jamiel Shaw, incredible guy, lost his son so violently. Say just a few words about your child.
(UNKNOWN): My son Ronald da Silva (ph) was murdered April 27, 2002 by an illegal alien who had been previously deported. And what so makes me so outrageous is that we came here legally.
Thank you, Mr. Trump. I totally support you. You have my vote.
TRUMP: Thank you, thank you.
(UNKNOWN): God bless you.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: You know what? Name your child and come right by. Go ahead.
(UNKNOWN): Laura Wilkerson. And my son was Joshua Wilkerson. He was murdered by an illegal in 2010. And I personally support Mr. Trump for our next president.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): My name is Ruth Johnston Martin (ph). My husband was shot by an illegal alien. He fought the good fight but he took his last breath in 2002. And I support this man whos going to change this country for the better. God bless you.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): My name Maureen Maloney (ph), and our son Matthew Denise (ph) was 23 years old when he was dragged a quarter of a mile to his death by an illegal alien, while horrified witnesses were banging on the truck trying to stop him.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): Our son Matthew Denise, if Donald Trump were president in 2011, our son Matthew Denise and other Americans would be alive today.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): Thank you. My name is Kathy Woods (ph). My son Steve (ph), a high school senior, 17 years old, went to the beach after a high school football game. A local gang came along, nine members. The cars were battered to like war in Beirut. And all I can say is they murdered him and if Mr. Trump had been in office then the border would have been secure and our children would not be dead today.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): Hi. My name is Brenda Sparks (ph), and my son is named Eric Zapeda (ph). He was raised by a legal immigrant from Honduras only to be murdered by an illegal in 2011. His murderer never did a second in handcuffs or jail. Got away with killing an American. So Im voting for trump. And by the way, so is my mother.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): My name is Dee Angle (ph). My cousin Rebecca Ann Johnston (ph), known as Becky, was murdered on January the 1st, 1989 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Thank you. And if you dont vote Trump, we wont have a country. Trump all the way.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): Im Shannon Estes (ph). And my daughter Shaley Estes (ph), 22 years old, was murdered here in Phoenix last July 24 by a Russian who overstayed his visa. And vote Trump.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): Im Mary Ann Mendoza, the mother of Sergeant Brandon Mendoza, who was killed in a violent head-on collision in Mesa.
Thank you.
I want to thank Phoenix for the support youve always given me, and I want to tell you what. Im supporting the man who will who is the only man who is going to save our country, and what we our going to be leaving our children.
(APPLAUSE)
(UNKNOWN): Im Steve Ronnebeck, father of Grant Ronnebeck, 21 years old. Killed January 22, 2015 by an illegal immigrant who shot him in the face. I truly believe that Mr. Trump is going to change things. Hes going to fight for my family, and hes going to fight for America.
(APPLAUSE)
TRUMP: These are amazing people, and I am not asking for their endorsement, believe me that. I just think Ive gotten to know so many of them, and many more, from our group. But they are incredible people and what theyre going through is incredible, and theres just no reason for it. Lets give them a really tremendous hand.
(APPLAUSE)
Thats tough stuff, I will tell you. That is tough stuff. Incredible people.
So, now is the time for these voices to be heard. Now is the time for the media to begin asking questions on their behalf. Now is the time for all of us as one country, Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative to band together to deliver justice, and safety, and security for all Americans.
Lets fix this horrible, horrible, problem. It can be fixed quickly. Lets our secure our border.
(APPLAUSE)
Lets stop the drugs and the crime from pouring into our country. Lets protect our social security and Medicare. Lets get unemployed Americans off the welfare and back to work in their own country.
This has been an incredible evening. Were going to remember this evening. November 8, we have to get everybody. This is such an important state. November 8 we have to get everybody to go out and vote.
Were going to bring thank you, thank you. Were going to take our country back, folks. This is a movement. Were going to take our country back.
Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
Thank you.
This is an incredible movement. The world is talking about it. The world is talking about it and by the way, if you havent been looking to whats been happening at the polls over the last three or four days I think you should start looking. You should start looking.
(APPLAUSE)
Together we can save American lives, American jobs, and American futures. Together we can save America itself. Join me in this mission, were going to make America great again.
Thank you. I love you. God bless you, everybody. God bless you. God bless you, thank you.
Theres a reason why Ariana Grande has been secretive about her Dangerous Woman tour
Theres a reason why Ariana Grande has been secretive about her Dangerous Woman tour
Ariana Grande dropped her third studio album, Dangerous Woman, May 20th a most auspicious day in our American pop culture history. Ever since that fateful day, fans have been wondering when Grande is going to go on tour with Dangerous Woman, because thats what artists do after they release their projects out into the world. But since May 20th, theres been radio silence from the pony-tailed artist about dates, locations anything and everything tour-related. That isuntil now.
hello world A photo posted by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Aug 26, 2016 at 11:16am PDT
In a Snapchat post from her official account the former Nickelodeon star did her best to quell all our fears and help us to sleep at night (thanks, Girl). The post states,
babes, I have been working endlessly to get dates to you and they are COMING I PROMISE BEFORE END OF SUMMER. Just need a little more time. You know how seriously I take what I say to you all so I had to apologize since theres only two days left of August and we are still finalizing the routing. In the meantime, I LOVE YOU and want you to know how hard Im working to get this done and right for you.
Pheww, I dont know about you guys but I feel better already. It was really quite nice of Ariana Grande to give her fans such a sweet message. Its also commendable that she is putting so much time, thought, and energy into her tour. Just because shes a huge star with cat eye on fleek, she isnt forgetting the fans and that is really wonderful. We love you too, Ari, you dangerous woman, you.
giphy (2)
Choreographing a huge tour with multiple tour dates at multiple venues in so many different states cant be easy and I cant even begin to imagine the work that goes into working with choreographers, dancers, light technicians, and the rest of the crew. Meanwhile Grande is still only 23, and ones 20s are pretty much famously known for being a bit of a shambles, so even being able to put together a tour at all is pretty cool.
In conclusion, lets all be happy were even getting a tour and that Ariana Grande has reached out to her fans to give them some consolation. Furthermore, lets all be sure to keep ourselves updated with any tour information on Grandes Snapchat and Instagram because tour news could drop any day now.
The post Theres a reason why Ariana Grande has been secretive about her Dangerous Woman tour appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Wismar (Germany) (AFP) - There's barely a refugee to be seen on the streets of northeastern Germany, but in campaigning for Sunday's regional election they feature everywhere -- particularly at rallies of the populist, anti-migrant AfD party.
"If we want to feel like we're still in Germany, we need to send a stop signal," cried an AfD candidate, Lars Loewe, on the campaign stump at Wismar, a Baltic coast town of 42,000 inhabitants.
Around 300 mostly middle-aged people and pensioners listened attentively at the rally a week before the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state, while tourists strolled by, admiring the seaside view with sailboats bobbing in the distance.
Dozens of anti-fascist activists had also gathered nearby, waving banners like "Refugees welcome" and "Fck Nzs".
The arrival of around a million asylum seekers in the country in 2015 has had a profound impact on Germany's political and social landscape.
And analysts predict a voter backlash against the influx will be amplified in the state in Germany's former communist east, the country's least populous and poorest, which in 2006 elected members of the neo-Nazi party NPD to its regional parliament.
- 'Resuscitated the AfD' -
Take a stroll around any of the state's key cities, like Rostock, state capital Schwerin or Chancellor Angela Merkel's constituency Stralsund, and there is little sign of the many refugees Germany has taken in over the past year.
After all, the state accepted only a relatively small number under a quota system based on income and population -- 25,000 asylum seekers last year.
Few of them have stayed, with most seeking greater opportunities to work and study elsewhere.
Nevertheless, up and down the state, the talk is all about Germany's refugee influx.
"The people have the impression that we have the reception of refugees under control here, but not in the rest of the country," said Gabriele Sauerbier, who was campaigning at the Wismar street market for the far-left party Die Linke.
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Juergen Joost, secretary general of Alfa, a splinter party that broke away from the AfD last year, charged that Merkel is to blame for the rise of the populist group.
With her decision a year ago to open the German borders to Syrian refugees then stuck in Hungary, "Merkel resuscitated the AfD, which had been left for dead," he said.
The AfD, or Alternative for Germany, had started life as an anti-euro party but lost steam as the single currency bloc overcame the debt crisis.
Instead it turned anti-migrant, a strategy that has helped it score strong results in three state elections this year.
In the latest pre-election opinion surveys, the AfD was polling at 21 percent, within reach of Merkel's CDU at 22 percent and the Social Democrats (SPD) at 28 percent.
- 'They listen to us' -
On the campaign trail, the CDU's candidate Frieder Weinhold sought valiantly to sell the state government's record in bringing down the unemployment rate -- which has halved in a decade to around 10 percent.
He also pointed out that start-ups and wind farms have sprouted along the coast, signs that a new and sustainable economy has been taking root.
But even he conceded that Merkel "should have been a bit more prudent" on the question of refugees.
Die Linke's politicians argue that the root of the people's concerns remains the German "east-west divide" on income, including pensions, with the east still lagging behind a quarter of a century after reunification.
That is why there is such anger when the government diverts funds to other causes, like hosting refugees, said Horst Lutz, one of the far-left party's leaders.
The AfD, unapologetic about being a one-issue party, is seeking to scoop up the protest vote from those disillusioned by the political elite.
Party supporter Hans Juergen said: "At least the AfD listens to us. If something's not right in Germany, we have to take action."
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout was reportedly uninjured after being involved in a car accident hours after Wednesdays 3-0 win against the Cincinnati Reds.
According to CBS Los Angeles, Trout was driving on the southbound 55 Freeway at McFadden Avenue in Tustin when he collided with two other cars while attempting to stop for a more serious crash further up the road. There were varying reports Wednesday night about injuries to one of other drivers in the accident, but the California Highway Patrol said in a statement Thursday, via USA Today, that a woman sustained major injuries in the accident and was transported to Orange County Global Medical Center.
The OC Register, meanwhile, notes that authorities ruled drugs and alcohol were not a factor and none of the drivers were cited. The impact happened, the CHP report says, when Trout tried to swerve to avoid the traffic ahead of him:
Trouts Mercedes Benz struck the left, rear side of the Chevrolet Sonic on the freeway near Mcfadden Avenue, the [CHP] report says. The impact pushed the Chevrolet forward and spun it in a clockwise rotation until the left side of the Chevrolet collided into the rear of the GMC, the report says. The Chevrolet then struck a fence. Trout, the report says, ran to check on the welfare of the Chevys driver, a 27-year-old woman who was taken to a hospital with injuries. All three parties cooperated with investigators, the report says. Authorities said this morning they do not believe drugs or alcohol played a factor in the crash and no drivers were cited.
This video from the scene has circulated online Thursday, showing the aftermath of the accident:
Mike Trout is reportedly uninjured after being involved in a car accident Wednesday night. (AP)
In the hours after the accident, both the Angels and Trouts agent said he was OK. The Angels released the following statement. And on Thursday morning, it was reported that he would travel with the team to Seattle later in the day:
#Angels General Manager Billy Eppler released the following statement regarding Mike Trout: pic.twitter.com/k2ElMWwYTm Angels (@Angels) September 1, 2016
. @Angels update on Mike Trout: Team has spoken with him this morning, and he will definitely travel with club to Seattle today. @MLB Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) September 1, 2016
Thats good news on Trout. Were obviously hoping to hear good news on the woman injured in the accident as well. Our thoughts are certainly with her and her family.
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More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
After six days of speculation, Islam Karimov, Uzbekistans first and only president is dead, following a stroke he suffered on August 28, the Uzbek government confirmed on Friday.
Mystery surrounded the fate of Karimov who has ruled the country with an iron-fist for over 25 years since the initial reports that he was hospitalized on Sunday. After Ferghana reported that Karimov had died following his stroke, Russian news agencies, including Interfax and the state-run RIA Novosti, cited sources within the Uzbek leadership saying that Karimov is still alive but hospitalized. On Wednesday, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, the presidents youngest daughter and an Uzbek diplomat, said on her Instagram account that her father was stable and that his health had even improved.
Reports emerged on Thursday that that preparations are already underway for a massive state funeral this weekend. According to the Russian-language, Central Asia-focused news site Ferghana, which first reported the possibility that Karimov had died on Monday, construction crews have been moving earth, clearing streets, and erecting barriers in the historic center of the old Silk Road city of Samarkand where the 78-year-old Karimov was born, suggesting plans are underway for a state funeral.
Radio Free Europes Uzbek service issued a similar report on Thursday that preparations for a large-scale event appeared to be underway in Samarkand and that Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the prime minister of Uzbekistan and one of Karimovs potential successors, flew there Thursday night.
Thursday marked the 25th anniversary since the country gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The celebrations were originally scheduled to be a two day event starting on August 31, but the commemorations were scaled back following the public acknowledgment of the presidents poor health. A holiday speech traditionally delivered by Karimov was instead read out by a state television anchor in the first person during an evening news broadcast on Wednesday.
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While Karimov was noticeably absent from the independence day festivities, the countrys state-controlled media were silent on the presidents health. Instead, TV programming this week has focused on preparations for the independence day celebrations, Uzbek athletes competing at the paralympics in Brazil, and even a recently opened a farmers market in Tashkent, the capital. With the president absent and the 25th anniversary festivities scaled back, Mirziyoyev led a commemorative event in Tashkent on Wednesday that marked the start of Independence Day celebrations.
Karimov has no apparent successor, and Central Asia watchers suggest such a decision would be made within the Uzbek presidents ruling circle of former Soviet intelligence officers and bureaucrats. In addition to Mirziyoyev, Finance Minister Rustam Azimov and National Security Committee head Rustam Inoyatov are also considered potential successors to Karimov, or at the very least will be influential in choosing who fills Karimovs shoes.
Over the course of his rule, Karimov was considered one of the worlds most brutal dictators, infamous for jailing thousands of his detractors, hunting down enemies abroad, and using harsh punishments, including boiling dissidents alive. Karimov was an unsavory ally of the United States, giving the U.S. military basing rights in Uzbekistan for operations in the the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. However, following U.S. criticism of Uzbek security forces in the 2005 Andijan massacre, in which Uzbek troops fired on unarmed protesters and killed as many as a thousand, Uzbekistan evicted the Americans from the base.
Washington and Tashkent would go on to mend diplomatic ties under the Obama administration, with Uzbekistan being used as a transport hub for the Northern Distribution Network, which allowed the U.S. military to move supplies in and out of Afghanistan for the ongoing war effort.
This post has been updated.
Photo Credit: Photo Agency/Ria Novosti via Getty Images
ROME (Reuters) - Rescuers pulled 1,725 migrants to safety from boats in the Mediterranean on Thursday, Italy's coast guard said, as seaborne arrivals to Europe's southern shores keep climbing. Sixteen separate missions were involved in rescuing the migrants, including Italy's coast guard and navy, the European Union's anti people-smuggling mission, two humanitarian organizations and two merchant ships, the coast guard said. It did not say where the migrants, who were traveling in 14 rubber and two wooden boats, originally came from. Most arriving in Italy tend to be from sub-Saharan Africa. Continued lawlessness in Libya and calmer seas this week have contributed to a spike in the number of people making the risky crossing from North Africa to Europe's southern frontier. Italy has become the main focus for seaborne migration to Europe since the European Union struck a deal with Turkey in March to stem flows into Greece. Around 105,000 people arrived in Italy between the beginning of this year and Aug. 26, according to the International Organization for Migration. (Reporting by Isla Binnie; editing by Dominic Evans)
UK provides grant aid of Rs 10.10 billion
The Government of United Kingdom has agreed to provide a grant assistance of appropriately Rs 10.10 billion to the Government of Nepal for post-earthquake reconstruction in Nepal.
Rob Kardashian is finally opening up about the reason why he skipped Kim and Kanye West's lavish Italian wedding.
The 29-year-old reality star admits that insecurities drove his decision not to attend the 2014 ceremony.
"I was doing my suit fittings in Paris right before the wedding and I just wasn't comfortable," Kardashian tells People. "I'm 6'1" and at my most I probably weighed 300 lbs."
WATCH: Rob Kardashian Hangs With Sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner After End of Blac Chyna Feud
The wedding presented a major challenge for Kardashian in that parts of the ceremony were being filmed for Keeping Up With the Kardashians, not to mention the swarms of paparazzi snapping the family's every move.
He decided to hop a last-minute flight back to the States after seeing photos of himself in the press.
"There were cameras at the airport on our trip and I was very unhappy with the person I saw in all the pictures," Kardashian explains. "I'm upset I missed my sister's wedding, but it was a personal decision."
A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on May 27, 2014 at 7:58am PDT
MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Rob Kardashian Is 'Still Filming' Reality Series With Blac Chyna Amid Split Rumors, Social Media Absence
Missing the wedding was the beginning of Kardashian's drastic retreat from the public eye. He rarely left the house, and stopped filming the family's reality series.
"I just wasn't down to have photographers follow me, so I made sure I was away from all of that," Kardashian shares. "I'm very good at disappearing."
A lot has changed in the USC grad's life since Kim K tied the knot. With the help of fiancee Blac Chyna, Kardashian got back on a weight-loss regimen, and is feeling less camera shy than in recent years.
See just how cute Kardashian is with Chyna in the video below.
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ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG, seeking to expand uses for its drug Tecentriq beyond bladder cancer, said on Thursday a study had shown the new immunotherapy helped people with lung cancer live longer than with chemotherapy. The world's biggest maker of cancer drugs is seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Tecentriq for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer as early as October. It won the regulator's blessing in May for its use in bladder cancer. The FDA has already granted the medicine accelerated review. Winning broad approval for Tecentriq, designed to help the immune system fight tumors that otherwise evade detection, is central to Roche's strategy of developing new drugs as patent expirations leave its older medicines vulnerable to cheaper biosimilars starting in 2017. "These results add to the growing body of evidence that supports the role of Tecentriq as a potential new treatment for specific types of advanced non-small cell lung cancer," Chief Medical Officer Sandra Horning said of the results of the Phase III study. Analysts estimate Tecentriq sales could top 2.8 billion Swiss francs ($2.84 billion) by 2020, according to Reuters data. Roche has eight Phase III lung studies under way evaluating Tecentriq alone or in combination with other treatments in patients with early and advanced stages of lung cancer. In the study, the Basel-based company said Tecentriq showed "significant improvement" in survival in the lung cancer patients, regardless of whether their tumours produced high levels of a protein, called PD-L1, that may help the disease evade immune system detection. Roche plans to present more detailed data at a conference later this year. ($1 = 0.9863 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and John Miller; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Adrian Croft)
spacex launch pad explosion copy
SpaceX was testing a Falcon 9 rocket at a Cape Canaveral launch pad when it was rocked by powerful explosions.
SpaceX was scheduled to do a static test-fire of a 229-foot-tall Falcon 9 rocket with no crew aboard it on Thursday morning, when it exploded shortly after 9 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, the company said. (A "static fire" is when they test-fire the rocket's engines without actually launching it into the air.)
There were no reported injuries.
The blast destroyed the rocket itself and Facebook's Amos-6 satellite it was carrying. Falcon 9 rockets cost roughly $60 million each, and Spaceflight Now has said Amos-6 cost about $200 million.
"I just heard a boom and a bang. I looked out the window, and the rocket was sort of bent at 45 degrees and I saw dirty black smoke and flames," a source who's employed at a company that does work at Cape Canaveral told Business Insider. The source asked to remain anonymous due to security concerns.
He was "within 5 miles of the launch pad" and said the blast reminded him of a giant "fuel air bomb" exploding.
"It was like a video game cut scene. I'll never forget that image."
According to Shannon Butler, a WFTV Channel 9 reporter in Florida, the test ended in what is technically called a "catastrophic abort."
The aerospace company, owned by Elon Musk, confirmed on Twitter that "in preparation for today's static fire, there was an anomaly on the pad resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload. Per standard procedure, the pad was clear and there were no injuries." Later, SpaceX specified that the problem originated in an oxygen tank while the rocket was fueling.
We contacted SpaceX for details about the blast, but representatives for the company did not immediately respond.
A representative at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral told Business Insider that its environmental health unit is "monitoring the air quality to ensure it is safe for employees."
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The Cape Canaveral employee we spoke with said the test was a standard "shot-fire test to verify proper engine functioning."
"They partially fuel it up, just to verify there are no anomalous conditions with the engine. It's on the pad, ready to go," he said. "These rockets actually have bolts that will detonate and let the rocket go once they know everything is good to go. But they don't fire the bolts with [this test]. They just get the engines good and hot, then they cut them off."
However, he said the first explosion happened at least 5 minutes before the engines were supposed to briefly ignite.
"The explosion propagated from the center of the rocket, from what I saw," he said. After the initial explosion, he said a second and third blast went off. "I'm still shaking," he said.
The rocket itself, according to one source, was not the recycled one that is supposed to carry the SES-10 satellite into orbit later this year.
'It shook our whole building'
spacex rocket falcon 9 explosion
Eyewitnesses on Twitter are reporting the test ended with several powerful explosions that rocked the area.
Scott Gustin, the national content editor for Tribune Broadcasting, had a crisp view of the huge launch pad blaze:
One eyewitness reported the blast shook his office building:
Wow, SpaceX rocket just blew up on pad. Shook our whole bldg. pic.twitter.com/PMxZA4v4IV SpaceCoastTiger (@TigernBear) September 1, 2016
Users posted video of the flames and smoke:
The smoke was so thick that it even showed up on local weather radar:
Significant smoke plume coming from the Cape Canaveral Space X launch pad in Florida, seen on radar. #Spacex pic.twitter.com/43FiZKMIXB Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) September 1, 2016
Wow. You can see the smoke from the #SpaceX explosion in Cape Canaveral on radar. pic.twitter.com/IWqL7IGpU4 Jesse Hawila (@JesseHawilaKCTV) September 1, 2016
Farther away, according to WFTV, the explosion's powerful shockwave caused some residents' sliding glass doors to come off their hinges, and caused others to think their house had been hit by lightning.
WFTV said on air: "This may have been the biggest explosion we have ever felt in central Florida."
Rebecca Harrington contributed to this post.
NOW WATCH: Watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket land upright and make history
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Imperial astromech C2-B5 will play a role in Rogue One (Photo: Star Wars/Facebook)
R2-D2s dark doppelganger is going Rogue. Along with the slew of new toys previewed over the past few hours, we now have the official reveal of a previously unknown character who will be introduced in the new Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Meet the Imperial astromech C2-B5.
The droid was formally introduced this afternoon on the weekly Star Wars Show on YouTube (you can see the announcement at the 2:10 mark of the video below).
Heres what we learned:
As you many know the Galactic Empire relies on astromech droids to maintain its machinery, but unlike the Rebel Alliance, Imperial technicians do not grant their droids independence and subject them to frequent memory wipes to keep them subservient.
Did C2s memory not get wiped? Did the little droid suddenly become independent? No ones saying.
Other than its black paint job, the droid bears a striking resemblance to the most heroic astromech in Star Wars, R2-D2. And while we dont know exactly what role C2 plays in the forthcoming film, it is worth remarking that its R2-D2 who is entrusted by Princess Leia with protecting the Death Star plans in A New Hope the same plans that are stolen during the course of Rogue One.
Related: Sneak Peek at Disneys Rogue One Action Figures and Role-Play Gear
However, we do know that C2 plays a large enough role to have a presence in the upcoming toy lines. Hasbro initially unveiled the droid at San Diego Comic-Con in July as part of its upcoming AT-AT playset. However, at the time the toymaker didnt identify the 3.75-inch droid, who is packaged along with Jyn Erso and the walkers pilot.
The Rapid-Fire Imperial AT-ACT playset comes with three action figures, including C2-B5 (Photo: Hasbro)
Imperials are big on dark-hued droids. One of Rogue Ones breakout characters appears to be K-2SO, an Imperial security droid captured and reprogrammed by the Rebellions Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). The towering, gangly, ill-mannered droid (voiced by Alan Tudyk) was described as the antithesis of C-3PO by Rogue One director Gareth Edwards during the films panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe in July.
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Meanwhile, just-released toy images highlight a couple of characters you might have seen in Rogue One sizzle clip released at Star Wars Celebration. Rebel (Yell?) Commando Pao and the Yeti-channeling Moroff.
This two-pack set features furry Rebel fighter Moroff (left) vs. a Scarif Stormtrooper (Photo: Hasbro)
Commando Pao (left) faces off against a Death Trooper in a toy two-pack (Photo: Hasbro)
Expect more toys of C2-B5 and the other exotic new Star Wars denizens to roll out as we get closer to Sept. 30, when all the new Rogue One merchandise hits stores. The film, meanwhile, takes off in theaters on Dec. 16.
[This story was updated on Sept. 1 with official images from Hasbro.]
Donald Trumps slogan, Make America Great Again, has been given a south-of-the-border twist after his visit to Mexico this week and meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Two of Trumps staunch allies former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions wore caps before Trumps speech about immigration at a rally in Phoenix on Wednesday that read Make Mexico Great Again Also.
Rudy Giuliani & Sen. Jeff Sessions wear "Make Mexico Great Again Also" hat prior to Trump #immigration speech. pic.twitter.com/mzvFqiR3zt CSPAN (@cspan) September 1, 2016
Twitter reacted with disbelief and, as always, jokes.
Please tell me the 'Make Mexico Great Again Also' hat is a photoshop. Araceli (@imaraceli) September 1, 2016
Make Mexico Great Again Also is seriously the election twist I did not see coming. #MMGAA Andrew (@Iksenpets) September 1, 2016
If you would've told me the text "make Mexico great again also" would fit on a hat I would've called you a liar Take Haver (@weave221) September 1, 2016
That thing where randos take a punchline too seriously and you realize how we ended up with a "Make Mexico Great Again Also" hat. Ethan Peretz (@MMonides) September 1, 2016
Trump reportedly coined the slogan himself.
Chukotka kuril islands
At a recent event, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that a division of troops would be stationed in Chukotka, Russia's far-east region, just slightly more than 50 miles from Alaska.
"There are plans to form a coastal defense division in 2018 on the Chukotka operational direction," said Shoigu.
He said that the deployment was "to ensure control of the closed sea zones of the Kuril Islands and the Bering Strait, cover the routes of Pacific Fleet forces' deployment in the Far Eastern and Northern sea zones, and increase the combat viability of naval strategic nuclear forces."
Japan and Russia dispute ownership of the northern Kuril Islands, where Russia plans to deploy missile-defense batteries. The Bering Strait is the narrow waterway that separates Alaska from Russia.
Broadly, Russia has taken the lead in militarizing and exploring the Arctic region, as melting ice caps open up new shipping lanes between the East and West. In that context, the deployment of a division to the sparsely populated Chukotka region makes sense.
In the past, Russia has bemoaned NATO and US troop deployments near to its borders. How the US will respond to this deployment remains to be seen.
NOW WATCH: Here's the high-tech military equipment Russia could use against the world
More From Business Insider
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Russian intelligence services are conducting 'an information war' in the Czech Republic, building a network of puppet groups and propaganda agents that could be used to destabilize the country, the BIS counterintelligence service warned on Thursday. Czech security services have long focused attention on a Russian presence that remains significant a quarter century after the country of 10.6 million broke from Moscow's orbit and became a member of NATO and the European Union. In its annual report, the BIS said Russian and Chinese intelligence remained the most active operating in the Czech Republic, and Russia particularly sought to influence Czech media over its role in the Ukrainian and Syrian conflicts. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and Kiev and the West say Moscow is arming and supporting separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. In Syria, Russia supports President Bashar al-Assad whom Western governments want to see leave power and Russian aircraft have carried out strikes on U.S.-back rebels. The BIS warned that Russian agents sought to stoke social and political tensions in the country by using puppet groups and supporting populist and extremist groups. "The infrastructure created for achieving these goals will not disappear with the end of the two conflicts," BIS said. "It can be used to destabilize or manipulate Czech society or political environment at any time, if Russia wishes to do so." Fears of Russian interference in countries along the European Union's eastern flank, especially in the Baltics, are growing in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis and NATO has been looking to beef up its defenses. Additionally a pro-Russian lobby in Czech Republic seeks to boost relations with Russia, while its popular president, Milos Zeman, expresses pro-Russian views. He has spoken out against EU sanctions on Russia and was the only Western leader to attend the May 2015 celebrations in Moscow to mark the end of WW2, when other Western heads of state stayed away. Russian intelligence agents, the BIS report said, sought to weaken Czech media through infiltration and by spreading propaganda and disinformation. The tactics included relativization of truth and objectivity, and promoting the view that all sides lie, the report said. BIS said "a large number" of Russian intelligence officers were working undercover as part of the Russian embassy in Prague, which is by far the largest foreign mission in the country with around 140 staff, twice as many as the U.S. mission. In Moscow, there was no immediate comment from the Federal Security Service to the BIS charge, nor was the Russian embassy in Prague immediately available for comment. Zeman's spokesman made no immediate comment to emailed questions. (Reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
UML stance may affect statute amendment
The governments plan to amend the constitution may suffer a setback with the CPN-UML warning against any such move without justifying the significance.
RATAN-600 radio telescope
Russian astronomers acknowledge that they picked up an interesting radio signal in the course of their search for alien transmissions, but that the signal was most probably a case of terrestrial interference.
It can be said with confidence that no sought-for signal has been detected yet, astronomers from the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences said in a statement issued Tuesday.
The signal spike at 11 GHz was detected by the RATAN-600 radio telescope in the southern Russian republic of Karachay-Cherkessia in May 2015, during a campaign thats part of the worldwide search for extraterrestrial intelligence (a.k.a. SETI).
The detection didnt come to light until last weekend, but once news started circulating, it touched off parallel observations by the SETI Institute and the Breakthrough Listen Initiative. Those groups focused on the same area of the sky that was the target of the Russian observation: a sunlike star known as HD 164595 in the constellation Hercules.
Nothing noteworthy was detected.
In their statement, the Russian astronomers said last years signal initially piqued their interest, but subsequent processing and analysis of the signal revealed its most probable terrestrial origin.
The statement provided no further details about the source. However, Russias TASS news service quoted astronomer Alexander Ipatov as saying that he and his colleagues at the Special Astrophysical Observatory had detected a similarly unusual signal during the Soviet era.
An additional check showed that it was emanating from a Soviet military satellite, which had not been entered into any of the catalogs of celestial bodies, TASS quoted Ipatov as saying.
Satellite interference is a prime suspect for SETI false alarms, as the SETI Institute found out in 1997 when a research satellite called the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory set off an alert.
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Today the SETI Institutes senior astronomer, Seth Shostak, said the failure to find a follow-up signal of interest would be consistent with terrestrial interference, including transmissions from a military satellite.
Look, you cant always be cynical, Shostak said in a video report. If a signal is looking promising, we are going to check it out.
The Russian astronomers said HD 164595 was just one of many objects targeted during their SETI campaign. As for the other objects of the RATAN-600 survey, it is too early to claim about any reliable scientific results, they said. Using the obtained measurements, we are only able to estimate the upper limit of the detection of the studied areas.
An earlier version of this report misstated the timing of the Russian statement. Thanks to Daniel Fischer for setting me straight.
More from GeekWire:
By Se Young Lee SEOUL (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Wednesday shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone are being delayed as the firm conducts additional quality control testing for the premium device. The firm also said Galaxy Note 7 shipments to South Korea's top three carriers - SK Telecom Co Ltd, KT Corp and LG Uplus Corp - had been halted. "Shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 are being delayed due to additional tests being conducted for product quality," Samsung said in a statement to Reuters. The firm did not elaborate on what potential problems it was testing for or whether shipments to other countries were being affected. South Korean media reports have said some users have claimed that the battery exploded. Quality control problems, if confirmed, could deal a major blow to the world's top smartphone maker, which was counting on the Galaxy Note 7 to help maintain sales momentum in the second half when competition is expected to intensify. The phone, which launched in South Korea and other markets on Aug. 19, retails at 988,900 won ($887.23) in South Korea. Production problems for the curved displays for the Galaxy S6 edge phone resulted in disappointing sales last year, and Samsung risks a repeat this year if it cannot address the Galaxy Note 7 supply problems quickly. Rival Apple Inc is expected to unveil its new phones next week. Hyundai Securities said in a report released on Thursday that the Galaxy Note 7's problems appeared to be related to modules or parts, and that such "malfunctions" should be resolved quickly. "Such problems can be addressed by replacing parts and modules and changing the design of circuits, so supply problems for the Galaxy Note 7 should ease within a matter of few weeks," the brokerage said, retaining its third-quarter operating profit forecast of 8.5 trillion won. It was not immediately clear when Galaxy Note 7 shipments to South Korean carriers would resume. Samsung has said demand for the new phone is far exceeding demand, creating a shortage and forcing it to push back the launch in some markets. The firm has said it is utilising all possible means to boost production. Samsung's other premium smartphone models that launched in March, the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, have been huge hits with customers and lifted earnings in the first half. ($1 = 1,114.5900 won) (Reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen Coates)
(Corrects description of Gupta in paragraph 9 to attorney working with shareholders, from shareholder)
By Tracy Rucinski
CHICAGO, Sept 1 (Reuters) -
A group of SandRidge Energy Inc shareholders is accusing the oil and gas producer of grossly understating its value, threatening to derail a prepackaged bankruptcy agreement with its lenders.
The shareholders' court filing late on Wednesday comes before a hearing next week, when the company will ask a judge to approve the Oklahoma City company's reorganization plan.
Shareholders are hoping to prove SandRidge may be the rare bankruptcy where a company's assets are valuable enough to repay creditors and have money left over for stockholders, according to their filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston.
SandRidge filed the prepackaged bankruptcy pact in May to restructure roughly $4 billion of debt, joining a long list of oil-and-gas producers hit by a deep crash in U.S. energy prices.
The company's financial adviser, Houlihan Lokey, estimated the reorganized company's enterprise value, generally a measure of market capitalization plus debt minus cash, at $1.0 billion to $1.3 billion. The shareholders said an analysis by energy consultant SSR put the value at almost three times that amount.
SandRidge, which was founded in 2006 by former Chesapeake Energy Corp executive Tom Ward, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Houlihan Lokey declined to comment.
SSR could not provide a full report on its evaluation because it was running against an Aug. 31 deadline with insufficient information from SandRidge, the shareholders said.
SandRidge had estimated its assets were worth $7 billion as of March 31, according to its Chapter 11 filing in May.
In a court filing, Sunil Gupta, an attorney working with shareholders, said he was aware of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation of a former SandRidge employee who was fired for protesting the company's improper reporting of its reserve values. Gupta said he tracked down the SandRidge whistleblower, a former director of reservoir engineering, and opponents of the plan wanted to depose him.
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A Texas school district that is a SandRidge creditor indicated it wanted the whistleblower to turn over all documents he provided to the SEC as well as information regarding SandRidge reserves.
Shares of SandRidge have generally traded below 2 cents in recent months. They had dropped to about 6 cents the day before the company filed for bankruptcy from more than $7 when commodity prices began falling in mid-2014.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Tom Hals and Lisa Von Ahn)
By Tracy Rucinski
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A group of SandRidge Energy Inc shareholders (SDOCQ.PK) is accusing the oil and gas producer of grossly understating its value, threatening to derail a prepackaged bankruptcy agreement with its lenders.
The shareholders' court filing late on Wednesday comes before a hearing next week, when the company will ask a judge to approve the Oklahoma City company's reorganization plan.
Shareholders are hoping to prove SandRidge may be the rare bankruptcy where a company's assets are valuable enough to repay creditors and have money left over for stockholders, according to their filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston.
SandRidge filed the prepackaged bankruptcy pact in May to restructure roughly $4 billion of debt, joining a long list of oil-and-gas producers hit by a deep crash in U.S. energy prices.
The company's financial adviser, Houlihan Lokey, estimated the reorganized company's enterprise value, generally a measure of market capitalization plus debt minus cash, at $1.0 billion to $1.3 billion. The shareholders said an analysis by energy consultant SSR put the value at almost three times that amount.
SandRidge, which was founded in 2006 by former Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK.N) executive Tom Ward, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Houlihan Lokey declined to comment.
SSR could not provide a full report on its evaluation because it was running against an Aug. 31 deadline with insufficient information from SandRidge, the shareholders said.
SandRidge had estimated its assets were worth $7 billion as of March 31, according to its Chapter 11 filing in May.
In a court filing, Sunil Gupta, an attorney working with shareholders, said he was aware of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigation of a former SandRidge employee who was fired for protesting the company's improper reporting of its reserve values. Gupta said he tracked down the SandRidge whistleblower, a former director of reservoir engineering, and opponents of the plan wanted to depose him.
Story continues
A Texas school district that is a SandRidge creditor indicated it wanted the whistleblower to turn over all documents he provided to the SEC as well as information regarding SandRidge reserves.
Shares of SandRidge have generally traded below 2 cents in recent months. They had dropped to about 6 cents the day before the company filed for bankruptcy from more than $7 when commodity prices began falling in mid-2014.
(The story was refiled to correct the description of Gupta in paragraph 9 to attorney working with shareholders, from shareholder)
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Tom Hals and Lisa Von Ahn)
Australias Great Barrier Reef has been hiding what scientists have discovered to be a massive reef in its nearby waters.
Scientists from James Cook University, the University of Sydney, and Queensland University of Technology utilized laser data via a naval aircraft to track down over 6,000 square kilometers of fields hosting donut-shaped circular mounds hidden in plain sight.
Thats three times the previously estimated size, spanning from the Torres Strait to just north of Port Douglas, said Mardi McNeil, a lead author of the research from the Queensland University of Technology, in a news release on the discovery.
The mounds, with are roughly 200-300 meters in width and 10 meters deep at their center, are geological structures formed by a type of green algae known as Halimeda.
There's a giant reef hidden next to Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
When the algae die, they form small limestone flakes, which eventually form into these mounds, which are known as bioherms.
Weve known about these geological structures in the northern Great Barrier Reef since the 1970s and 80s, but never before has the true nature of their shape, size, and vast scale been revealed, said Dr. Robin Beaman of James Cook University, in a statement.
The new revelation brings increased urgency to addressing the areas vulnerability to climate change, as rising ocean temperatures and increased acidification in the waters may impact the algae.
According to Beaman, the discovery has paved the way for potential new research in the area that could include sediment coring, conducting sub-surface geophysical surveys, and utilizing autonomous underwater technology to learn more about the physical and biological functioning of these submerged structures.
Talia Avakian is a digital reporter at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter at @TaliaAvak.
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Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The world Scout movement said Thursday it was investigating claims its Palestinian branch held an event in support of a man who attacked Israelis on a bus.
A Palestinian Scout troop in annexed east Jerusalem is alleged to have held a training course dedicated to Bahaa Alyan, who along with another man shot and stabbed passengers on a Jerusalem bus last October, killing three.
Alyan was killed by security forces.
"We are definitely investigating and we hope to respond as soon as possible," Srinath Venugopal, executive director at the World Scout Bureau's office of the secretary general, told AFP.
"Due to the nature of the issue it takes a little time to establish the facts.
"Please be assured that the World Organisation of the Scout Movement is not supportive of any terrorist activities."
He said it was too early to speculate on potential punishments, though the family of one of the victim's has called for the Palestinian Scout Association to be expelled.
Micah Lakin Avni, whose 76-year-old father Richard Lakin died after being shot and then stabbed on the bus, said he was calling for the "complete removal" of the Palestinian branch from the wider Scout movement.
"I am outraged," he told AFP. "To name a programme after a cold-blooded murderer is outrageous.
"The Scouts are a programme all around the world teaching millions of people how to be good citizens and how to treat people with respect," he said.
"This was not an isolated incident or a single leader, it is something that was decided by the leadership."
A spokesperson for the Palestinian Scout Association said they did not yet have a formal response.
Alyan's body was returned by Israel overnight after being held by Israel for 10 months, family members confirmed.
There were over 33,000 registered members of the Palestinian Scout Association, according to the World Scout Bureaus 2014 census.
It was only given full voting rights in February.
There are 163 national Scout organisations in more than 220 countries and territories across the world.
Unesco concerned about inappropriate rebuilding of Ranipokhari
UNESCO has expressed its concerns about the inappropriate rebuilding of Ranipokhari, a historic structure of religious importance dating back to 1670 AD, considered among the most famous landmarks in Kathmandu.
By Simon Cambers NEW YORK (Reuters) - Serena Williams will try to take another step toward a record-setting 23rd grand slam title at the U.S. Open on Thursday while Andy Murray continues his quest to complete a golden summer. World number one Williams faces fellow American Vania King in second round action and a victory would put her five match wins away from breaking the professional era record for grand slam titles that she currently shares with Steffi Graf. "I can improve a lot," said Williams, who needed just 63 minutes to get by Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in the first round. "I can get a lot better. I feel like there's much, much more I can do. That's the only thing I can do is do that." Williams came two wins away from a rare calendar-year grand slam last year only to lose in the U.S. Open semi-finals to eventual runner-up Roberta Vinci of Italy. This year, with a niggling shoulder injury knocking some speed off her usually destructive serve, Williams is not sure what she is capable of. "I had a great experience last year, she said. I was going for something that no one has done in a really long time. Yeah, it didn't end out wonderful for me or the way I wanted it to end. But it was all I could do. That's all I could do. "If I could make the semis this year, I'd be excited about that. I need to at least do something." Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, one of three women who could unseat Williams atop the world rankings following the U.S. Open, meets Britain's Naomi Broady. Fifth seed Simona Halep faces former French Open finalist Lucie Safarova while sixth seed Venus Williams meets Julia Goerges of Germany. On the men's side, Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray plays Marcel Granollers of Spain. Murray has won six of seven career meetings with Granollers and should enjoy smooth passage to the third round. In other action on the men's side, two-time grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka faces Italy's Alessandro Giannessi while Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori plays Russia's Karen Khachanov. (Editing by Frank Pingue)
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit has been filed against The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. ("Hain" or the "Company") (HAIN). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between November 9, 2015 and August 15, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the October 17, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.
If you purchased shares of Hain 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.
The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Hain made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that Hain lacked effective internal control over financial reporting; that the Company failed to properly account for revenue associated with concessions that were granted to certain distributors in the United States; and a result of the above, Hain's statements about its business, operations and prospects, were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
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.
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
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP:
To: All Persons or Entities who purchased Interactive Intelligence Group, Inc. ("Interactive Intelligence") (ININ) stock prior to August 31, 2016.
You are hereby notified that Levi & Korsinsky, LLP has commenced an investigation into the fairness of the sale of Interactive Intelligence to Genesys for $60.50 per share. To learn more about the action and your rights, go to: http://zlk.9nl.com/interactive-intelligence-inin or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Washington D.C. The firms attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
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SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
The MAS only received $22.3m in applications.
When Singapore Savings Bonds (SSBs) were first launched in 2015, the bonds received great acclaim from analysts. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) received only $22.3 million in applications for the SSB issue in June, a measly sum compared to the $300 million maximum amount on offer.
This is also a far cry from the strong investor demand seen for the maiden issue in September last year, for which the central bank received $413.1 million in applications.
Maybank Kim Eng analyst Ng Li Hiang noted that the weak appetite for savings bonds is due to sinking bond yields for Singapore Government Securities (SGS), coupled with competitive fixed deposit rates offered by local banks.
Are SSBs boring?
Rates for SSBs are determined by the average SGS yields. Yields have been coming down for the past five issuances, thereby making SSBs unappealing, Ng noted.
She added that savings bonds may be unappealing to individuals who are only looking to make short-term deposits. SSBs are positioned as safe and long-term saving products for individuals.
Early withdrawal will result in lower rates compared to banks promotional rates for FDs. As a result, individuals opt for FDs instead, she notes. UOB analyst Victor Yong echoed this sentiment.
He said yield sensitive investors will likely forgo the SSBs redemption flexibility in favour of higher-paying fixed deposit promotional rates. This is particular for incidences wherein their investment horizon is shorter than 10 years, he stated. SSBs have a maximum tenure of 10 years and a yield that steps up to match starting SGS every year.
More From Singapore Business Review
The twins and their father. (Photo: Lindsey Rabon Photography)
Many women dream of the day theyll be escorted down the aisle by their father. But what if its highly likely your dad wont survive to see your wedding day? Twins Sarah and Becca Duncan, 23, were faced with this grim scenario when their 80-year-old father, Scott, was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, according to the Star-Telegram.
After processing the news, the sisters were struck with an idea. Though neither of them has plans to marry in the foreseeable future, they decided to seize the day and have professional wedding photos taken with their dad anyway. We knew our father may not be alive for our future wedding, so we decided to capture the poignant moment before it was lost forever, Becca told the Star-Telegram.
Dressed in donated wedding gowns and holding floral bouquets, the twins posed for a series of heartwarming photos with Scott, who wore a white button-down shirt and khakis. Lindsey Rabon, the photographer, told the Huffington Post that Scott did smile for the photos, but he wasnt totally sure what was going on. Rabon said the Duncan sisters request was the most unusual one shed ever gotten for a shoot, according to the Star-Telegram, but she loved the idea from the moment they pitched it.
Photo: Lindsey Rabon Photography
It was extremely emotional. I was impressed with the girls ability to stay strong and enjoy the moment, she told the Huffington Post. The meaning behind these images is so powerful, how could you not be impacted by them? Sarah agreed that it was very emotional, especially after we put on our dresses, according to the Star-Telegram.
The family bond is very important to these sisters, who have put their lives on hold since their fathers diagnosis. The twins, based in Grapevine, Texas, took a hiatus from attending Tarrant County College to assist their mom, an elementary school teacher, as caregivers for their dad, who lives in a healthcare center in Keller, Texas. I wouldve been graduated by now with a job, but I dont regret it or resent it. We had to [do it] to take care of dad, Sarah said to the Star-Telegram.
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A few years ago, Scott, a retired businessman, started showing symptoms like forgetfulness, difficulty maintaining the familys finances, and the tendency to start petty, childish arguments. Concerned about his change in behavior, his family took him to the doctor and soon after learned of his diagnosis, according to the Huffington Post. They turned to the Alzheimers Associations North Central Texas chapter for support and advice and started attending a local support group for family members of Alzheimers patients.
Photo: Lindsey Rabon Photography
According to the Star-Telegram, the family has become so involved with the organization that the twins will soon serve as honorary co-chairs for Walk to End Alzheimers in Northeast Tarrant County. But for Sarah and Becca, volunteering for the cause was not enough. The diagnosis was personal, and they knew they needed to pay tribute to their dad before its too late.
Rabon is happy to have been able to help make that happen. I knew [the photos] would be something they could have at their wedding to show that hes with them, even if hes not there, Rabon said to the Huffington Post of the girls future nuptials. Ive worked with families who are dealing with terminal illness, but this idea was so creative and unique and definitely something the girls will treasure for a long time.
All images courtesy of Lindsey Rabon Photography.
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Messaging. Operating under the assumption that Islamic States chief of operations and propaganda, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, was indeed killed in an airstrike earlier this week, the race is on to figure out who might replace him. A team over at the New York Times identifies two men: Turki al-Binali, a 31 year-old senior ISIS cleric who is believed to be the groups chief mufti, and Abu Luqman, also known as Ali Mousa Al-Shawwakh, who was the first ISIS-installed ruler of Raqqa and one of the groups chief Syria strategists. Hes also older than Binali, having worked as a recruiter for jihadists back in the early days of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
But while Adnanis death may have inflicted temporary damage on the groups media jihad, FPs Dan De Luce, Elias Groll and John Hudson write, its propaganda apparatus remains in place and will continue to exploit the sectarian resentments and fears of Sunni Arabs in Iraq and in Syrias civil war, experts and former diplomats said.
Russia jumps in. Just hours after his reported death, Adnani became fodder for a new propaganda battle when Moscow claimed that one of its bombers hit an ISIS position in Aleppo province, killing 40 fighters along with Adnani. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook rejected the Russian claim, telling reporters Wednesday, we dont have any information at this point to support Russian claims that they carried out this strike. And, in a potshot at Russian operations in Syria, Cook noted that Moscows aircraft rarely target Islamic State objectives, anyway. Russia spends much of its time supporting the Assad regime, he said.
The problem with allies and interests. In northern Syria, Washington is caught between two rival allies: Turkey and the Syrian Kurds, who have turned their guns on one other over the past week. And both are unhappy about how the Americans are dealing with the situation. Unfortunately, as Kurdish allies fighting against terrorism and making a lot of victories, we expected more from the United States, Idriss Naasan, a former official in the Kurds self-proclaimed government in Syria told the Washington Post. We expect them to support us and not let Turkey target us.
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Things arent much friendlier in Turkey, where an editorial in a pro-government newspaper this week insisted Turkey has a right to defend itself against Kurdish militias and ISIS. US can like it or lump it. Sihanouk Dibo, a senior political adviser in the political arm of the Kurdish YPG added, America cannot have the two sides at the same time. A Turkish official said Wednesday that Ankaras goal is to cleanse the border of Kurdish influence, suggesting that the fight is only just beginning.
Phased out. The last remaining American manufacturer of cluster bombs is ending production of the controversial weapon, FPs John Hudson reports, citing regulatory scrutiny and reduced orders for the internationally banned munition. The decision by Textron Systems follows a White House order last May to block the transfer of a Textron shipment of CBU-105 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia, a move first reported by Hudson.
Libya fight extended. President Barack Obama has extended the U.S air war in Libya another month, ordering the U.S. Navy ships positioned off its coast to stay put, as opposed to moving on to the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea, as planned, FOX News reports. The move highlights how the expanding fight against the terror group in Libya has pulled resources from other missions in Iraq, Syria, and now confronting Russian moves in the Black Sea region. U.S. Marine Corps Harrier jets and Cobra helicopters have flown over 100 missions against ISIS in their former stronghold of Sirte since Aug. 1. Libyan forces on the ground there are gearing up for their last push against the remaining pockets of ISIS resistance in the city.
In other Libyan news, Danish ships, escorted by British and French vessels, hauled about 500 tons of chemicals out of the Libyan port of Misrata, and are taking them to Germany for destruction.
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
South Korea says Kim Jong Un is cracking down on North Koreas top leadership, killing one and purging two others. The Souths Unification Ministry says Kim Yong Jin, Pyongyangs countrys top education official, was reportedly killed by firing squad in July following some protocol slight in the presence of Kim Jong Un. The AP reports that two other officials, Kim Yong Chol and Choe Hwi, who held top counterintelligence and propaganda positions, respectively, were ordered to undergo revolutionary re-education.
Russia
The open source investigative outlet Bellingcat has published a report on medals issued by the Russian military for troops service in Ukraine, offering a hint at the scale of Moscows covert footprint in the countrys separatist regions. Using imagery of medals published by Russian servicemen on social media and elsewhere, the sequential numbers on the medals, and the dates awarded, researchers concluded that at least ten thousand Russian troops participated in operations in Ukraine from 2014 through 2015 and likely many more.
Syria
Over five years of war, the Assad regimes forces have increasingly shed central command and control by Damascus and descended into a patchwork of increasingly independent warlords and militias. The fracturing of central control over loyalist military forces, Tobias Schneider writes over at War on the Rocks, comes close to mooting one of the central goals of the Obama administrations policy towards Syria: preserving some semblance of Syrian state institutions in order to prevent a total collapse of order. Schneider focuses on the regime-allied Tiger Forces as a particular example, tracking their rise from enforcers against protests in Hama into a militia-cum-crime syndicate, smuggling contraband, trading with rebel groups and fighting with other regime-aligned units.
Iran
Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the countrys game shouldnt just be about defense. We have to increase our offensive capabilities as well as our defensive capabilities, Reuters quoted the Supreme Leader as saying. The statement comes at a particularly tense time for U.S.-Iranian relations with provocative encounters between American and Iranian vessels on the rise in the Persian Gulf. Khamenei was also speaking in the midst of weapons bravado season in Iran, delivering his remarks at Tehrans annual defense industry exhibition with Iranian armed forces Sacred Defense Week parade commemorating the Iran-Iraq war just a few weeks away.
Iraq
Iraqs Sunni militias are on a recruiting drive within the countrys displaced persons, signing up children to fight among their ranks in the battle against the Islamic State. A Human Rights Watch study writes that at least seven children from the Debaga camp have been recruited to fight for the militias, a figure confirmed by reporting from Reuters. At least two Sunni tribal militias have been involved in the recruiting. The Islamic State also uses child soldiers to carry out atrocities in their propaganda videos and Iraqs Shia militias have also employed underage fighters.
Army
Army Secretary Eric Fanning announced on Wednesday that the service is launching a Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO), designed to quickly field new technologies, Defense News reports. The office is a product both of the Armys attempts to keep pace with rapid technological developments amid a sluggish acquisition process and an increasing focus on Russian capabilities. In a speech announcing the RCO, Fanning pointed to Russia as major driver and pointed to the use of drones, cyber, and electronic warfare in Ukraine and Syria, as examples of the threats the office will try to stay on top of.
Bombs away
While Congress wants a debate over a fresh $1.5 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, General Dynamics is readying $39 million worth of bombs about 17,000 in total under a new contract for France, Saudi, the U.A.E. and Iraq. Munitions have been in short supply among American allies lately thanks to the Saudi-led war against the Houthi movement in Yemen and the war against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The contract will deliver bodies for the MK82-1, MK82-6, and MK84-10 bombs.
Photo credit: SERGEY VENYAVSKY/AFP/Getty Images
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd (Implats), the world's No.2 producer of the white metal, narrowed annual losses to 70 million rand ($4.77 million) thanks largely to cost cuts. Implats, along with rivals Lonmin and Anglo American Platinum, is still recovering from a 2014 strike that cost the industry billions of dollars in lost output and damaged the viability of some mines, leading to job cuts. Implats said its net loss narrowed to 70 million rand in the year to end June compared with a loss of 3.66 billion rand a year earlier. "The company has struggled to show material improvement from the impact of the 2014 strike but this performance shows that it is slowly and painfully moving in that direction," said BMO Capital Markets analyst Edward Sterck in London. Shares in Implats jumped over 13 percent to 63.85 rand as of 0947 GMT, outpacing a 5 percent gain in the JSE platinum index. As part of efforts to respond to a weaker platinum price -- down about 40 percent from its 2013 peak -- and boost profit, Implats last year launched a cost-cutting programme that included scaling back on capital expenditure and reducing staff. The company said that those efforts saved it 1.4 billion rand this fiscal year, well ahead of its stated target of 930 million rand. Platinum production increased 13 percent to 1.44 million ounces thanks to a robust performance by its Zimplats unit in Zimbabwe, which lifted output by more than 50 percent. Production in South Africa was hampered by an underground fire at Implats' key Rustenburg operation which killed four workers and caused extensive damage to conveyor infrastructure. It wiped out 39,000 ounces in 2016 and is expected to cost another 45,000 ounces in 2017 as full mining capacity will not be restored in the affected areas before March. Nevertheless, outgoing chief executive Terence Goodlace said production in 2017 was expected to rise 4 percent to 1.5 million ounces. The industry has been in wage talks with the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) trade union, which led the 2014 five-month strike and is demanding wage hikes of up to over 50 percent. Goodlace said talks so far show that AMCU was "quite reasonable" in some of their demands. "The demands that were submitted are very different from what was submitted in the past and I'm hopeful that we can reach a sensible outcome." ($1 = 14.6700 rand) (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Ed Stoddard and Alexandra Hudson)
Eight govt secys transferred, two promoted
In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the government has transferred eight secretaries and promoted two joint-secretaries to the post of secretary.
Production for Kim Ki-duk's Chinese co-production Who Is God faces troubles ahead as the South Korean director was denied a work visa for China.
The U.S.-China-South Korea joint venture is scheduled to begin shooting in October, but recent geopolitical tensions appear to be getting in the way.
In recent months, Chinese state-backed media have criticized Seoul's decision to deploy THAAD, a U.S.-made missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula. Speculation arose that Beijing would retaliate by limiting the amount of South Korean media and stars it allows into China.
The two Asian countries have actively pursued joint ventures ever since a state-backed treaty was signed in 2013 allowing co-productions to be treated as local projects, thereby avoiding China's heavy restrictions on imports. K-pop, TV dramas and cosmetics are high in demand in China, while Korean filmmakers and actors are also widely sought after by Chinese productions.
Read more: China Takes Aim at K-pop Stars Amid Korean Missile-Defense Dispute
According to media reports, Kim is looking into alternative plans for his giant project after being granted a one-month tourist visa instead of a three-month work visa. "We are currently working hard to resolve the visa issue, but did not receive any explanations for why the work visa was denied," a representative from Kim Ki-duk Films told Korea's Star News. Kim could not be directly reached due to his taking part in the Venice Film Festival for his recent film The Net.
The Venice Golden Lion-winning director told local film magazine Cine21 that he may have to serve as "executive artistic director" instead.
"Since last year I've been traveling back and forth [between China and Korea]. Production is supposed to begin in October, but I cannot go because of this sudden work visa problem," he said. "I don't know the exact reason for it but the visa approval process has simply become more difficult all of a sudden. I am entertaining the thought of serving as executive artistic director if this visa issue does not become resolved. It will most likely involve having a director on location while I provide executive directing for scenes and other details from Korea."
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Read more: 'The Net' ('Geumul'): Venice Review
Who Is God (a.k.a. Musin in Korean) is by far Kim's largest production. The $37 million project will be co-produced by Hangzhou-based Film Carnival International and Dick Cook Studios. The latter, which is the production company of former Disney head Dick Cook, is assisting with preproduction, postproduction and international marketing.
Popular Chinese actress Liu Yifei had been in talks to play the lead role, while star martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo Ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and the special effects artists behind The Lord of the Rings were to be part of the crew.
In the meantime, Kim, who also penned the script for Who Is God, had to alter the narrative in order to comply with China's notoriously strict censorship regulations. The war story delves into religious themes along with elements of romance, and the writer-director had to switch the original Japanese god Asuka to a Chinese deity. The Pieta helmer also said he had to edit details about the way in which religion or Chinese ethnic minorities were portrayed. The final version of the script was nevertheless approved by censors.
Read more: Busan: Kim Ki-duk to Tone Down Violence for $30M Chinese Epic 'Who Is God'
Washington (AFP) - Two US astronauts aboard the International Space Station successfully completed a spacewalk Thursday to make repairs and install new equipment.
"NASA astronauts completed all planned tasks + a few extra," the US space agency said on Twitter.
Americans Jeff Williams, 58, and Kate Rubins, 37, completed their mission at 1841 GMT after six hours and 48 minutes in space.
It was their first time in space in nearly two weeks. At that time, they attached an international docking adaptor in anticipation of increased private spaceship traffic.
This time, Williams and Rubins retracted one of the thermal radiators outside the space station. Astronauts unsuccessfully tried to push it back into position last year.
They also "installed two enhanced high definition cameras on the station's truss and tightened bolts on a joint that enables one of the station's solar arrays to rotate," NASA said.
The cameras will be used to monitor spaceships transporting freight and astronauts.
The mission was the 195th spacewalk undertaken to build and maintain the ISS.
It was the fifth spacewalk for Williams, a veteran astronaut who on August 19 surpassed US astronaut Scott Kelly's record for the most cumulative days in space for an American.
Kelly has 520 days in space over his career.
Williams will have 534 days in space by the time he wraps up his stint at the ISS and returns to Earth next week.
It was the second spacewalk for Rubins. She is the 12th woman to walk in space.
In their August 19 spacewalk, Williams and Rubins installed a special parking spot on the ISS and connected power and data cables for the docking adaptor.
The fittings will enable the space station to share power and data with visiting spaceships.
NASA describes the docking adaptor as a "metaphorical gateway to a future" that will allow a new generation of US spacecraft -- the first since the space shuttle program ended in 2011 -- to carry astronauts to the space station.
The second docking adaptor is expected to be launched in late 2017.
The adaptors will work with Boeing's CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon, two spaceships under construction that are planned to ferry astronauts to the space station.
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A SpaceX rocket exploded before a test in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Thursday, potentially throwing the company's ambitious launch plans into uncertainty.
It remains to be seen whether the explosion was triggered by a problem onboard the rocket or something else. Regardless of the cause, though, the incident could deal a major blow to SpaceX's ambitious launch schedule.
SEE ALSO: Facebook's Internet connectivity initiative suffers setback due to SpaceX explosion
The Falcon 9 rocket was expected to loft the Israeli-built Amos-6 satellite to orbit on Saturday after the static test. However, both the rocket and the satellite were destroyed in the explosion, which occurred during fuel loading, according to SpaceX.
The satellite was, in part, leased by Facebook as part of its project to deliver internet access to Sub-Saharan Africa, marking the social network's first foray into space-based internet delivery, in a partnership with the satellite company Eutelsat.
"As I'm here in Africa, I'm deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX's... failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post from Lagos, Nigeria.
Plans thrown up in the air
SpaceX had planned to triple the number of rocket launches in 2016 in comparison to earlier years, and now, it's unlikely that target will be met.
Even if the explosion was not caused by some kind of issue with the rocket itself, the company will have to delay its next launch, throwing the schedule into a tumbling domino effect of further delays.
SpaceX recently announced its plan to re-fly a previously flown rocket booster as the company's first true test of reusability a goal it has been aiming for since Elon Musk founded the spaceflight company in 2002.
That launch which is expected to carry a satellite for the company SES to orbit is scheduled for October or November, but in all likelihood, that will shift.
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"While there will certainly be a delay in the launch manifest as SpaceX investigates the anomaly, it might be a shorter delay than previous incidents with the Falcon 9 have caused," Hannah Kerner, executive director of the Space Frontier Foundation, a space advocacy group, told Mashable via email.
Smoke rises from a SpaceX launch site Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, at Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Image: Marcia Dunn/AP
Until this failure, SpaceX was expected to launch at least nine more missions, including the Amos-6 launch, before the end of the year, according to Space News.
Bad news for NASA
Looking further in the future, this explosion could lead to delays with the company's plans to start launching astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA.
Before the failure, SpaceX was expected to launch at least one crewed test flight to space at the end of 2017, with more missions to follow the next year.
This explosion, however, could mean that those flights will get pushed, and that presents problems for NASA.
The space agency is hoping to get astronauts flying from U.S. soil again by the end of next year, hopefully ending its reliance on Russia to fly humans to the Space Station.
The private spaceflight company Boeing also has a commercial crew contract with NASA. However, the agency is hoping that both SpaceX and Boeing will be available to fly people to the station by the end of next year or the beginning of 2018.
Kerner also stressed that if delays are minimal, the failure may not affect the commercial crew schedule "much if at all."
NASA already relies on SpaceX to bring cargo to the station on a regular basis.
The company uses its Dragon capsules and Falcon 9 rockets to loft thousands of pounds of supplies to the station under a contract with NASA throughout the year. The next launch was expected to occur in November, but it's possible that will slip because of this explosion.
That said, NASA reports that the Space Station is adequately supplied at the moment.
The Dragon is also the only spacecraft currently flying to the station which can bring materials like experiments back down to Earth.
SpaceX has come back from failure before.
One of the company's Falcon 9s exploded after launch in June 2015, destroying a Dragon cargo craft with it.
At that time, SpaceX put its launches on hiatus to get to work fixing the problem, and since then, the company has come back with multiple successful launches... until today.
"Companies that choose to fly their payloads on a SpaceX rocket know the risk," Kerner said.
"I do not think they are deterred by this incident because they know SpaceX does not make a mistake twice, and they will improve everything they can after this experience."
spacex crs8 launch
The pain may just be starting for SpaceX after a Falcon 9 rocket catastrophically exploded on a launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, during a routine test.
Although no one was hurt during the incident, Facebook's $200 million Amos-6 satellite bound to provide internet service to the developing world was destroyed.
But what could hurt SpaceX the most is damage to the company's go-to launchpad for Falcon 9 rockets, called Space Launch Complex 40, or SLC-40.
"SpaceX had six more launches from that pad scheduled between now and January," John M. Logsdon, a space policy expert and historian at George Washington University's Space Policy Institute, told Business Insider. "They were going to launch one basically once a month, one every three and a half weeks."
That ambitious schedule includes the launch of a recycled Falcon 9 rocket booster (and the SES-10 telecommunications satellite on top of it). Another rocket is supposed to launch 10 iridium mobile satellites simultaneously. Others still are slated to put into orbit dozens of tiny CubeSats, a TV satellite, and a load of cargo bound for the International Space Station.
Before SpaceX can get SLC-40 back into operation, however, it has to finish an accident investigation, clean up the site, and repair whatever damage was done.
And that means Elon Musk's aerospace company is dealing with a serious wrench in its launch schedule.
Elon Musk
"This will definitely affect their business," Logsdon said, noting it "will take a while" to assess the damage and repair it, or completely rebuild the pad. "They're building a launchpad in Texas, but they've just started."
Logsdon noted that SpaceX has another launchpad in Cape Canaveral that can lift off Falcon 9 rockets.
Called Launch Pad 39A, it's the same structure that launched Apollo astronauts to the moon on Saturn V rockets but is currently being retrofitted to send astronauts into space using the company's Dragon spacecraft.
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Launch Pad 39A is also scheduled for the inaugural launch of SpaceX's giant Falcon Heavy rocket before the end of 2016.
And long-term, SpaceX plans to launch roughly 90 rockets a year by 2019, according to WOFL Fox 35.
SpaceX has one other Falcon 9-ready launch facility in Lompoc, California. However, it's unclear at this time if the company could use Launch Pad 39A or the California facility to launch the missions affected by damage to SLC-40 in Florida.
Business Insider contacted representatives at SpaceX about damage to SLC-40 and its impact to the company's launch schedule, and they told us by email in a statement (our emphasis added):
"The pad clearly incurred damage, but the scope has yet to be fully determined. We will share more data as it becomes available. SpaceX currently operates 3 launch pads 2 in Florida and 1 in California at Vandenberg Air Force Base. SpaceXs other launch sites were not affected by yesterdays events. Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base is in the final stages of an operational upgrade and Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center remains on schedule to be operational in November. Both pads are capable of supporting Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. We are confident the two launch pads can support our return to flight and fulfill our upcoming manifest needs."
NASA spokesperson Tabatha Thompson told Business Insider by email (our emphasis added):
"NASA remains confident in our commercial partners and in the goals of the Commercial Crew Program to take astronauts to and from low-Earth orbit. It is too early to know whether Thursday's incident will impact their development schedules. Spacecraft and launch vehicles designed for the Commercial Crew Program must meet NASA's stringent safety criteria before being certified to launch crews into space. Successfully meeting those requirements has always taken precedence over schedule.
"Both companies working with the Commercial Crew Program are required to carry numerous additional safeguards including a launch abort system that can be activated while the rocket is still on the launch pad. Those systems must be proven in flight tests before NASA will certify them for missions carrying astronauts. SpaceX tested its launch abort system from the pad successfully in May 2015. Both SpaceX and Boeing plan to further test launch abort systems in 2017.
"NASA and our partners remain committed to meeting the goals of the Commercial Crew Program."
'I saw dirty black smoke and flame'
spacex launch pad explosion copy
The SLC-40 explosion occurred at 9:07 a.m. on Thursday, September 1.
The blast was heard as far as 30 miles away and reportedly shattered windows nearby and knocked sliding doors off peoples' homes, according to WLTV in Florida.
The cause of the mishap isn't known at this time. However, Musk said the explosion originated somewhere on the rocket, not near the launchpad:
Loss of Falcon vehicle today during propellant fill operation. Originated around upper stage oxygen tank. Cause still unknown. More soon. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2016
This agrees with an eyewitness account of the explosion by an employee on site at Cape Canaveral who talked with Business Insider. (He asked to remain anonymous because of security concerns.)
"The explosion propagated from the center of the rocket, from what I saw," he said, observing the blast from several miles away. "I looked out the window, and the rocket was sort of bent at 45 degrees and I saw dirty black smoke and flames."
But Logsdon said a close-up video of the explosion (shown below), uploaded several hours later by USLaunchReport.com, "rather clearly shows the first flas[h] coming from the interface between the payload and the launch vehicle."
The first detonation starts at about 1 minute and 11 seconds into the clip:
But the blast and launch schedule disruption it will cause may be the least of Musk's concerns.
"You have to put this into the context of Mr. Musk's plans in about three weeks to announce his long-term strategy and approach to colonizing Mars," Logsdon said. "This is going to put a little tweak in the excitement surrounding that."
Then again, says Logsdon, "we didn't stop going to the Moon when we had early problems with Apollo."
Lauren Friedman contributed to this post.
NOW WATCH: Watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket land upright and make history
More From Business Insider
* U.S. fund GIP in preliminary talks to buy stake -sources
* Twenty pct stake has market value of around $4.2 billion
* Gas Natural shares close up 3.05 pct at 19.07 euros (Adds details on Gas Natural stake, GIP)
By Andres Gonzalez
MADRID, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Spanish oil firm Repsol and Criteria Caixa, an industrial holding company that owns Caixabank, said on Thursday they were in talks with various investors to each sell around 10 percent of Gas Natural .
Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier that U.S. investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) was in preliminary discussions with Repsol and Criteria to buy part of Gas Natural.
Repsol and Criteria did not confirm which investors they were talking to. However, they said in separate statements to the stock market regulator that they were exploring the sale of a combined 20 percent in the Spanish gas company.
A 20 percent stake of Gas Natural has a current market value of around 3.8 billion euros ($4.2 billion).
GIP, whose executives are former Credit Suisse and General Electric employees, is already present in Spain through a 24 percent stake in the renewable energy group Saeta Yield.
The New York-based investment fund said it would not comment on speculation or market rumours, while Gas Natural declined to comment.
"Repsol and Criteria are in contact with various investors," Repsol said in a filing to Spain's stock market regulator. "This analysis is in a preliminary phase, and no decision has yet been taken."
Criteria - the holding company of Caixabank and which has stakes in other Spanish companies such as infrastructure group Abertis - holds 34 percent of Gas Natural while Repsol has 30 percent in the company.
Criteria values its Gas Natural stake at 16.2 euros per share on its books, while Repsol values its own stake at 15.8 euros. Shares in Gas Natural closed 3.05 percent up at 19.07 euros.
Repsol has sold off various assets in recent months, such as an offshore wind power business in Britain, as it looks to trim its debt.
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Criteria and its banking unit, meanwhile, are both under pressure to boost their solvency ratios in a more demanding global regulatory environment.
In last month's Europe-wide stress test, both Criteria and Caixabank were among the weakest links in the health checks.
Bloomberg earlier reported the sale could value the Gas Natural stake at about 4 billion euros, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Analysts at Banco Sabadell said this price tag would be positive for the gas company, though they added this initial stake sell-down raised the possibility of further disposals, which could weigh on the shares.
"This disinvestment would be the official declaration by Repsol and Criteria that their remaining stakes (in Gas Natural) are not strategic for either of them," the analysts said.
(Additional reporting By Jesus Aguado; Writing by Sarah White; Editing by Adrian Croft and Mark Potter)
By Dhara Ranasinghe
LONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Spanish government bond yields touched a three-week high on Thursday after the country's acting prime minister lost a vote of confidence in parliament for a second term, raising the prospect of a third election in a year.
Across the euro zone, bond yields were 1-2 basis points higher as the first trading day of a new month looked set to bring another dose of hefty supply.
Both France and Spain are scheduled to sell bonds on Thursday in a week that has seen supply in the euro area bounce back after a summer lull. An auction of up to 5.25 billion euros of Spanish debt could be a test of investor sentiment towards the country as it grapples to end months of political gridlock.
Mariano Rajoy, of the centre-right People's Party (PP), received 170 votes of support in Wednesday's parliamentary confidence vote, falling short of the minimum 176 needed to form a government. He needed the support of the Socialists, who voted unanimously against him, to win the required absolute majority.
Rajoy now faces a second vote on Friday in which delegates can abstain and a simple majority would suffice to allow him to form a PP-led minority government, but a loss is also likely if the Socialists do not cede.
"There was nothing too unexpected about yesterday's vote but there is still a feeling of dashed hopes that an agreement has not been reached," said Commerzbank rates strategist David Schnautz.
Spain's 10-year government bond yield rose to 1.026 percent, its highest level in around three weeks and underperforming top-rated German bonds. Still, after rising 6 bps on Wednesday ahead of the vote, the rise in early Thursday trade was limited.
The spread between Spanish and German Bund yields hovered around 107 basis points. It dipped below 100 bps last month on hopes that Rajoy may be able to form a new government and end months of political deadlock.
But the run-up to Wednesday's confidence vote and a perception that the political uncertainty that has dogged Spain since inconclusive elections in December and June is likely to continue has prompted some investors to price in a risk premium back into Spanish bonds.
While Spain's economy has held up well, structural reforms and economic growth will suffer as long as political uncertainty drag on, analysts say.
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 Toby Chopra)
(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur and Olympique de Marseille traded players on Wednesday, with midfielder Georges-Kevin Nkoudou moving to the Premier League club on a five-year deal and Clinton N'Jie joining the Ligue 1 side on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old Nkoudou, a France youth international capped to under-21 level, scored five goals in 28 league games last season as Marseille finished 13th. "#NkoudouSigns but I'm 40 years old now so I'm not sure to be as quick as I used to be," Nkoudou joked on his Twitter account after the protracted negotiations between the clubs finally ended on transfer deadline day. Cameroon international N'Jie, 23, joined Spurs from Olympique Lyonnais in August last year but suffered with injury and featured only eight times in the league last season. Tottenham, who have five points from three games, next visit bottom club Stoke City on Sept. 10. (Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
By Sharon Bernstein SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner will be released on Friday after serving three months for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman near a fraternity party, a sentence that has ignited fierce debate over the way California defines and punishes rape. Turner's sentence to months in county jail instead of years in state prison stoked international outrage, leading California lawmakers to call for mandatory prison time for sex assaults involving unconscious victims, and expanding the state's definition of rape. But the proposed new laws, now on the desk of Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, come as Democrats and Republicans alike are trying to move the criminal justice system away from mandatory sentencing laws and other get-tough measures that have contributed to crowded prisons and the over-incarceration of poor and minority defendants. "When we broaden those criminal definitions, it can broaden the swath of persons that can be criminalized," said Emily Austin, director of advocacy for the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which declined to take a position on the bills. "And how that works out in the justice system can vary based on your race and class." The Turner case has become the focal point of growing international outrage over campus rape. Many advocates say laws in California and elsewhere offer outdated definitions of rape that are too lenient on perpetrators if they or their victims have been drinking. Crafting a solution has proven thorny. The criticism of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky's sentence in the Turner case has been fierce, generating more than a million signatures on an online petition calling for his ouster and prompting a recall campaign. Since the sentencing, the judge, who declined to comment for this story, has recused himself from a sexual assault case and asked to hear only civil cases. LIMITING JUDICIAL DISCRETION The recall campaign and legislative responses have come under fire from many public defenders, who represent defendants unable to afford legal fees, and some judges, who say they limit judges' discretion when handling cases. In the legislature, several lawmakers who support rolling back mandatory sentencing sat out votes on the two bills. Brown, who has not said whether he will sign them, is backing a ballot initiative to ease mandatory sentences. Assembly member Cristina Garcia, whose bill expanding the definition of rape is among those on Brown's desk, nonetheless cast a dissenting vote on the mandatory sentencing bill. "We should not perpetuate practices that put an undue burden on minorities and economically disadvantaged communities like minimum mandatory sentences," Garcia said. A backer of the Persky recall campaign, the feminist group Ultraviolet, also opposed it. The Turner case initially shot to prominence last year because the defendant was a rising student athlete at Stanford. Turner, then 19, was arrested after two students saw him outside of a fraternity house on top of an unconscious woman. He was charged with sexual assault instead of rape because although he digitally penetrated the woman, he did not have intercourse with her, and California law does not define that as rape. A letter written by the victim, who remains anonymous, went viral with a moving explanation of her ordeal. In June, Persky sentenced Turner to six months in a county jail and three years probation, sparking outrage that intensified after prosecutors released a letter written by Turner's father calling the assault "20 minutes of action." Turner will be released on Friday after serving three months under rules giving time off for factors including good behavior. Stanford law professor Michele Dauber, who started the campaign to recall the judge, said while she generally opposes mandatory sentencing, she believes Persky abused the discretion that the law allowed him. Changing the law, said Assembly member Evan Low, who co-authored the bill mandating prison time for sexually assaulting an unconscious victim, would keep that from happening again. Judge Persky's ruling was unjustifiable and morally wrong, however, under current state law it was within his discretion," Low said. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Bill Rigby)
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.s HOT upscale hotel brand, Westin Hotels & Resorts, announced the opening of its first hotel in Jakarta The Westin Jakarta. The property is owned by PT. Wahana Nusantara, part of Gama Corporation, and is designed by leading hospitality interior design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA).
The company believes that the opening of the hotel is set to bring the Westin brands exceptional and inventive initiatives to the capital city of Indonesia. Starwood aims to amplify the experience with the new hotel design, fabulous views, food and beverage offerings and other facilities.
Notably, the new property is strategically located in Kuningan central business district, close to the International Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Moreover, guests will be able to shop from nearby malls and also visit the Jakarta iconic National Monument.
Westin Jakarta features 272 deluxe guestrooms and suites, a banquet area, extensive meeting and function space, a spa as well as a WestinWORKOUT fitness studio featuring modern exercise equipment. Moreover, in partnership with New Balance, the hotel will be offering the Westin Gear Lending program.
Further, the hotel features four unique dining venues serving an assortment of culinary options along with the brands healthy and scrumptious SuperFoodsRx menu.
Jarkata is one of the fastest-growing cities and the booming tourism prospects of the region make it an ideal location for the companys upscale hotel.
STARWOOD HOTELS Price
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Interestingly, apart from focusing on the lucrative domestic market, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company is consistently striving to expand its international footprint. Notably, more than half of Starwoods properties are situated outside the U.S.
Meanwhile, other hoteliers that are busy capitalizing on the growing prospects in the international markets are Marriott International, Inc. MAR, Hyatt Hotels Corporation H and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation WYN.
Also, it is to be noted that Starwood has inked a definitive agreement to be acquired by Marriott International, Inc. (MAR), which will lead to the creation of the world's largest hotel company. Both the companies are awaiting approval from the Chinese regulatory agency (MOFCOM) and will close the deal as soon as they receive authorization from China.
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The European Commission's ruling that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) should pay Ireland billions of dollars in back taxes was neither punitive nor unfair, one of the world's best-known economists told CNBC on Thursday.
Joseph Stiglitz said the European Commission (the European Union's executive arm) was right to conclude Ireland had granted Apple undue tax benefits. This is illegal under European rules and led the commission to order the Irish government to recover up to 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) plus interest from Apple on Tuesday.
The commission's ruling was a "fair warning" that he supported, Stiglitz told CNBC.
"The fundamental point here is Apple unambiguously was trying to avoid taxes and it was doing it in a dishonest way, with complicity from the Irish government, pretending that the money, the profits, the billions of profits it was making, were really being originated in some Irish company that was registered in cyberspace and therefore did not have to pay any taxes. And anybody looking at that says that is a ruse, that is an attempt at tax avoidance, tax evasion, whatever you want to call it," the 73-year-old U.S. economist said.
EU member countries are allowed to set their own tax rates and Ireland's low corporate rate of 12.5 percent has helped it attract U.S. multinationals, particularly tech and pharmaceutical giants, including Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter (NYSE: TWTR). However, the commission said Apple had received "illegal tax benefits" from Ireland that allowed it to pay far less tax than other businesses. It said Apple paid corporate tax of only 1 percent on its European profits in 2003, which fell to 0.005 percent by 2014.
"The tax treatment in Ireland enabled Apple to avoid taxation on almost all profits generated by sales of Apple products in the entire EU single market. This is due to Apple's decision to record all sales in Ireland rather than in the countries where the products were sold," the commission said in a statement on Tuesday.
Story continues
The Irish government plans to contest the ruling and Apple CEO Tim Cook has condemned the commission's decision, saying it could risk investment and job creation in Europe.
Stiglitz described Cook's behavior as "totally irresponsible" and said the European Union needed to harmonize member nations' tax rates to prevent countries vying to attract multinationals with lower corporate taxation.
"Europe can only work as a political entity if each country within Europe does not take actions that harm other countries. What Ireland was doing was harming other countries," he told CNBC.
Stiglitz is a Nobel-Prize winning economist. He is currently a professor at Columbia University and was previously chief economist at the World Bank and adviser to former U.S. President Bill Clinton .
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Stocks swinging wildly here as traders position themselves on the first day of the month. Will it be a September to remember, or forget, for investors? Catch The Final Round with Jen Rogers and markets correspondent.
Apple event next week
Apples tax issues aside, less than a week away is their big September 7th event. Were expecting a new iPhone, but what else? Joining The Final Round with the latest is Yahoo Finance tech reporter Dan Howley.
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Stocks in the green today include Wynn Resorts as Macau gaming revenue grew for the first time in more than two years, Charter Communications as the cable operator will replace EMC in the S&P 500 next week, and Nvidia shares of the chipmaker climbing after it announced a deal with Chinas Baidu to build an AI platform for autonomous cars.
The big one tomorrow
Its the event investors have been waiting for all week: Augusts jobs report comes out tomorrow morning. How will this number influence the Feds rate hike path? Joining us to discuss is Mark Hamrick, Bankrates Senior Economic Analyst.
Looking ahead
BEAUMONT-EN-VERON, France Just outside this tranquil town in the Loire Valley built of buttermilk-colored brick and stone, a narrow drive framed on either side by plane trees veers off the main road and leads to an 18th-century manor known as the Chateau de Pontourny. On an overcast morning in late June, two weary social workers stood outside chatting over cigarettes, and a Syrian teenager pulled up on a scooter. It was a final sleepy moment at Pontourny; the centers new director was arriving that morning for a brief visit. Soon, Pontourny would have a new mission.
For the past few years the manor has been a home for unaccompanied foreign minors. As of July, however, its few dozen remaining residents were transferred elsewhere and some of the staff went into a period of retraining. This month, Pontourny will reopen as Frances first Center for Prevention, Integration and Citizenship or what has otherwise been referred to as a deradicalization center.
Since January 2015, when the Charlie Hebdo murders inaugurated a string of terror attacks in France, committed mostly by people born and raised in the country, French national security policy has attempted to address the dangers of homegrown jihadism. Classic counterterrorism measures have comprised the greater part of this effort, but the government has slowly begun to direct money toward broader social initiatives to help combat radicalization as well. In April 2015, Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced a plan to open a number of residential rehabilitation centers, one in each region of France, to provide psychological, medico-social, and educational support to facilitate disengagement from radicalization, development of a critical mind, and appropriation of citizenship and of republican values, according to the plans charter.
The town of Beaumont agreed to work with Pierre NGahane, the official spearheading the new initiative, who proposed Pontourny as a laboratory for Frances new deradicalization experiment. The majority of people feel we need to do something, Bernard Chateau, Beaumonts mayor, told me in his office in the towns Hotel de Ville, three hours outside Paris. We dont want a repeat of 2015 a year bookended by devastating violence. Chateau and NGahane, who at the time was the head of the Interministerial Committee for the Prevention of Delinquency (CIPD), agreed that the young people housed at Pontourny would not include anyone dangerous. Rather, the residents would be people we are trying to save before they fall off the edge into radicalism, Chateau said. And we thought, OK, if its really this group of people, if you save the jobs at Pontourny, lets talk about it, why not. Local and national officials agreed to set the centers re-opening for September.
Then, in early March, NGahane implied in a radio interview that Frances first center for the prevention of radicalization would be hosting people who had already tried to leave for Syria but had been stopped by security forces people who are indeed considered to be at great risk of turning violent. To the media, both local and national, this sounded as if Beaumont had agreed to staff a prison with social workers. An hour and a half later, the media come hurtling into town with cameras on their shoulders, Chateau said. We thought, OK, the government is trying to pull one over on us. The media ruckus lasted only a few days. NGahane later sent out a memo clarifying that the first residents of the Beaumont center would come voluntarily and be restricted to those who had never been convicted for acts linked to radicalization.
Things have calmed down, though Chateau said there is a small group, about 100 out of 3,000 local residents, who remain opposed to the idea. But the confusion over who will be housed at Pontourny does anyone choose voluntarily to be deradicalized? how dangerous they will be, and what treatment they will undergo reflect broader uncertainty in Europe about the radicalization process and whether it can be reversed.
The centers charter notes that it is experimental, which rightly suggests its organizers dont have concrete answers. But theres reason to wonder whether France is asking the right questions.
People run after hearing explosions near Place de la Republique square in Paris on November 13, 2015. The attacks, carried out by the Islamic State, killed 130 people. AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGET
Radicalization is a murky process. Though it affects only a small number of people, that number seems to be growing in France and theres little agreement on how or why it happens. The sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar and others maintain that social factors like economic exclusion, social stigmatization, and the lack of a means for political expression may cause radical ideologies to resonate.
The internet, which facilitates easy communication, is also considered an enabling factor. As the journalist David Thomson observes in his 2014 book, French Jihadists, hardcore YouTube videos that get thousands of hits every week have exponentially expanded the audience for jihadism, including people without prior interest. The spectrum of French radicals ranges from the Nice attacker, who appears to have had mental health problems but no direct connection to a terrorist organization, to the attackers on Nov. 13, 2015, who were avowed members of the Islamic State.
If radicalization is a complicated process, deradicalization is even more ambiguous. It requires an articulation of whether the goal is to get someone to renounce violence, often referred to as disengagement, or to repudiate extremist beliefs as well; democratic governments are realizing that it may be much more reasonable to aim for the former. There is also a distinction between prevention of radicalization intervening on behalf of someone who appears to be at risk of succumbing to radical ideology and the more difficult task of deradicalization, which involves working with those who have embraced and adopted an ideology.
France remains behind its neighbors in instituting deradicalization programs. For years, Germany had been developing techniques to deal with its extreme right and neo-Nazi populations, which the country has attempted to apply to Islamist radicalism as well. Britain began to develop a response after the London Underground bombing in 2005. But until 2012, when Mohamed Merah killed seven people in Toulouse, France hadnt been affected by these kinds of attacks and had no programs in place only to now find itself seemingly ground zero for homegrown terrorism in Europe.
The French government has identified 2,073 citizens who have connections with terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq, with around 635 presently living and working in those countries, and 244 who have returned to France. (An additional 216 have left France, but their whereabouts remain unknown.) The countrys response to citizens returning from Iraq or Syria is to automatically arrest and imprison them or place them under house arrest. Unsurprisingly, a report released in June by the state agency that oversees Frances prisons noted that the system has been overwhelmed by returned fighters. Evidence from a year earlier that jailing these fighters with nonradicals was spreading radicalization led to the 2016 opening of dedicated units, where extremists are isolated from the rest of the prison population. Still, the 2015 report concluded that incarceration cannot be the only treatment method for individuals returning to France from conflict zones.
It also cant be the only option for those who have attempted to leave. At the end of July, 19-year-old Adel Kermiche was identified as one of the participants in an attack on a Catholic church in his hometown of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy. Kermiche had been released from prison on March 18. After trying twice to leave for Syria, he was arrested in Germany and spent 10 months in a French prison. This year he told a judge that he was a Muslim who stands for the values of mercy and benevolence, and that he wanted to get back to my life, see my friends, get married. Four months later, Kermiche and an accomplice allegedly slit the throat of an 85-year-old priest.
Dounia Bouzar poses in Paris, March 15, 2016 AFP / JOEL SAGET
Asiem El-Difraoui, a political scientist and the co-author of a comparative study commissioned by the French government that was published last winter on prevention and deradicalization programs in the U.K., Germany, and Denmark, told me that although there are some patterns and lessons that emerged some approaches that seem to be effective and some that clearly do not one of the takeaways is that there is no clear takeaway. All over Europe, he said, this is trial and error.
Frances experiments in deradicalization began in April 2014, even before the post-Charlie Hebdo string of attacks on French soil, when the government set up the Numero Vert, or green number. The Numero Vert is a hotline that anyone can call to receive assistance with an individual feared to be at risk of radicalization, or to notify the government if a family member has fled home unexpectedly. It has received 4,600 solicitations in two years.
The same spring, the Interior Ministry opened up a contract with the Centre for Prevention of Sectarian Drift Linked to Islam (CPDSI). The CPDSI was run by Dounia Bouzar, an anthropologist and a former youth educator who had on-the-ground experience with the radicalization epidemic. For years, she had observed young people, especially girls, being enticed by online jihadi recruiters. After publishing numerous articles and two books, she had begun to receive calls from bewildered parents seeking counsel. In 2014 by which time Bouzar had gone back to school and completed doctoral work in the anthropology of religion it was the French government that was calling for her help.
Bouzar and her associates at the CPDSI took on an immense amount of work for a modest amount of money. Hundreds of radicalization cases were referred to them, and they sent teams around France to train police prefectures. Contracting with Bouzar marked the French governments first real attempt to tackle prevention and deradicalization: The CPSDI received 900,000 euros, or $1 million, for its work over the course of two years, which included 600,000 euros for treatment and training and 300,000 euros for research and development of counter-narrative materials.
For her part, Bouzar developed a theory of radicalization, which she describes as relational and ideological indoctrination. This conception holds that recruiters exploit vulnerable young people who may be harboring feelings of exclusion, humiliation, or inferiority by offering them a worldview that can provide them with a sense of omnipotence. Because she views radicalism as a cult-like construct, Bouzar offers a largely psychology-based treatment. Her two-pronged approach involves, first, an attempt to reestablish emotional security, sometimes referred to as the Madeleine de Proust step, in which patients are aided (together with a parent or mentor who serves as an attachment figure) to recall childhood memories of happiness before radicalization, break through the grip of radicalism, and reconnect with their previous selves. This is followed by the cognitive step, which often involves the aid of former jihadis; once the emotional isolation is cracked, they can attempt to deconstruct jihadi ideology by illuminating the gaps between the myths that they have been sold and the reality.
In addition to publishing prolifically, Bouzar gave frequent media interviews and was soon being referred to in the press as Madame De-indoctrination. But her efforts to educate the public also drew criticism. Experts have noted that although Bouzars method may be effective in treating the symptoms of radicalization, it doesnt address the material factors that made the individual vulnerable in the first place. Others suggest that Bouzars approach runs up against the limits of its methods. Marik Fetouh, a deputy mayor of Bordeaux who helps run a preventive center there, told me he had worked with a family that had been referred to Bouzar. The father had attended a group discussion for parents said he was instructed to try to understand his sons new expressions of religious faith. When Fetouhs team interviewed the mans son they could tell right away that he had a psychiatric problem. He was talking a lot about religion, but in fact it was delirium, Fetouh said. Today the young man is receiving medical treatment.
The biggest scandal, however, involved a young woman known by the pseudonym Lea, who had allegedly been plotting a suicide attack against a synagogue in Lyon before Bouzars intervention. Bouzar used Leas story to publicize her own successes, filming a video about the young woman (while maintaining her anonymity) and using her narrative in a book. Then, in February, the press discovered that Lea was in prison. It turned out that after appearing to turn away from radicalism, Lea had been in communication with recruiters and had married a jihadi via Skype. It was unclear whether Lea had pretended to be better, or whether she had slipped back into old habits like an addiction, as Bouzar described it.
When I spoke with Bouzar in June, she told me that not one of the 1,075 people her associates had worked with had turned to violence or tried (again) to leave France. (She clarified that the CPDSI had originally alerted the police about Lea, expressing concern and suggesting that she be institutionalized; they were turned down, and a prosecutor later sought Leas incarceration.) But she also noted that Leas trajectory is probably not entirely unusual each individual experiences ups and downs. Nathalie Goulet, the senator who presides over a parliamentary commission on jihadi networks, demanded more detailed evaluation from the Ministry of the Interior last winter. (Bouzar has provided her own evaluations, and in June posted guidelines on her website for how to diagnose whether an individual has broken out of indoctrination.)
In February, Bouzar announced that she would not renew her government mandate because she objected to the governments proposals to rescind French citizenship from dual nationals convicted of terror-related crimes, but she said she will continue her work as a private citizen. Some observers suggested that it was, instead, a convenient moment for Bouzar and the state to part ways.
Bouzar told me she believes government money has unfairly made her a target. For 10 years, Ive been in the media and my firm was never attacked. Its just since we got money from [Interior Minister Bernard] Cazeneuve, Bouzar said. Those who criticize, they are the same ones who say the minister must find a different solution other than prison. So he gives us 600,000 euros [about $669,000] to try to work on deradicalization with families, and they still come and criticize us. Whereas what we really needed was support.
To her critics, the furor surrounding Bouzars work raises questions about her methods. To her defenders, its a testament to the elusiveness, novelty, and magnitude of her task.
An arrangement of French newspapers in Paris on November 15, 2015. AFP PHOTO/LIONEL BONAVENTURE
The French governments new center for reintegration in Beaumont-en-Veron is intended to pick up where Bouzar and other early efforts leave off. Whether it will be any more effective remains an open question.
The Beaumont center, whose annual costs are estimated at up to $2.2 million, will be run by the government on the model of Frances EPIDE (Public Establishment of the Defense Integration) military-style boarding schools, which educate marginalized young people, often dropouts, and help train them to reintegrate into professional life.
The center will be staffed by some of the same people who worked in its previous incarnation as a foster home, after some retraining to work with the new population; they will be joined by additional specially-trained psychologists, social workers, educators, and other medical professionals. It is eventually supposed to house 30 people between 18 and 30 years old, though it is reportedly having trouble meeting its opening-day target of 10 starting volunteers for rehabilitation, according to an official familiar with the plans for the new centers. Either way, it is slated to be a preventive facility, with the residents assumed to be in need of supervision but not lockdown. They will be permitted, on consultation with the staff, to go home and visit relatives on some weekends.
Still, the official told me that the government wouldnt allot a budget of this magnitude for young people experiencing a crisis of adolescence that is, the center in Beaumont may be in an experimental phase for the moment, but others like it, which are scheduled to open later this year and early next, will almost certainly be closed, higher-security facilities. If there is much greater investment it is precisely for people who are much more difficult to handle, he said. The official noted that those who returned from Syria or Iraq, abused drugs, and are completely desocialized need 24-hour care for 10 months or longer, which is what these centers are designed to provide.
The programming at the center will be laid out along four axes distanciation, which will involve group discussion sessions on such themes as conspiracy theories, history of religion and society, republican values, and laicite; citizen engagement, to include working on daily tasks in a group, first aid training, music, theater, art, a weekly newspaper, and conflict resolution; social-professional to provide pre-professional training and orientation; and health, which will largely focus on therapeutic methods, individually, in a group, and involving family.
Allegiance to the French conception of the state will be a leitmotif of the curriculum. At a colloquium on the prevention of radicalization in May, held at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, NGahane said that some vulnerable young people appear to get the impression that they do not belong to this society. They have the feeling that they are not part of our national community. It is Frances job, he said, to go retrieve these people from the bottom of the pit. A week later, he elaborated on the idea that, in addition to offering an extended hand, the government will seek to instill republican values. Residents of the centers, he said, would be required to wear uniforms and salute the French flag.
Experts I spoke to expressed profound skepticism about this, noting that an aggressively patriotic approach may be precisely the wrong response. Radicalization, for many, is defined by a decisive rejection of the authority of the state in favor of the political identity of a new community. The political scientist Olivier Roy told me that the public seems to want to see radicalization as a profoundly irrational phenomenon, which can be cured in a rational manner. They dont want to see the political dimension, Roy wrote in an email. The CIPD declined repeated requests to comment for this article.
Tareq Oubrou, the rector of the grande mosquee of Bordeaux, told me that, given the stigma surrounding Islam in France today, some young people are choosing it as a way to rebel against society. Around 40 percent of known radicals in France are converts to Islam that is to say, people with no familial connection to the religion who have chosen it for personal or political reasons. There are some people who choose communism, some who choose Maoism, some kind of ism. Now, its Islam. Its against French society, Oubrou said. There are some cases among these converts where they have a score to settle with society. Islam may, in some cases, become an identity for young people who otherwise dont have one, and jihadi ideologies reject republicanism as a heretical construct. The current French interpretation of laicite, Bouzar said, can give the impression that you dont have the right to be a Muslim; you have to choose between France and Islam. Thats exactly what Daesh says. Some of the young people she works with wont even drink from the same water fountain as unbelievers for fear of becoming impure. The idea that they will salute the French flag, she suggested, is ridiculous.
There may also be reason for concern regarding residential group treatment. Putting these young people together is a mistake, because the propaganda of radicalism is an exaltation of the group, Bouzar told me, suggesting that the centers could reinforce, rather than break down, extremist mindsets. El-Difraoui agreed. We found out from the Algerians and other experiences, if you put a couple of jihadists together, or former jihadists together, you only need to have one charismatic guy in there whos lying and cheating, and there we go, he said. He described the risk of spreading ideology as contamination, a concern that has been substantiated in French prisons. You need to treat them individually, he said.
Milena Uhlmann, a political scientist currently working on these questions for the German government, observed that the methods that have seemed most promising are those that rely on highly personalized strategies. It makes sense, as every path into extremism is a unique one. There may be patterns of radicalization, common influencing factors, but the mix is unique; they are part of the persons biography, she said. Hence, there can be no one-size-fits-all way out of extremism.
A French police officer stands guard as a Muslim woman leaves the Great Mosque of Paris on November 20, 2015. THIERRY CHESNOT/GETTY IMAGES
Part of the reason there have been so few French deradicalization efforts until now may have to do with the countrys Jacobinian conception of the state. Whereas in Germany and the U.K., for example, civil society takes on a great deal of responsibility, in France, the central government is expected to manage and regulate social interventions. Frances radicalization crisis, however, has spurred the development of new configurations for such efforts. Some of them have been among the countrys most revelatory.
I met Marik Fetouh at the headquarters of Bordeauxs Centre CAPRI, located behind the arcaded walkways that spread in a tangle off the citys golden Place Gambetta. CAPRI is a local preventive initiative that is funded with government money but engages a group of local actors psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, imams in a collaborative unit supported by a local research association that works on cults. The units are comparable to programs in Vilvoorde, Belgium; Aarhus, Denmark; and the EntrAutres association in Nice, that seem to have had some success at interrupting the process of radicalization.
CAPRIs interdisciplinary team arranges to meet each new referral, together with his or her family, to evaluate individual needs. Their recommendations for a treatment course usually involve therapy sessions and other emotional or professional assistance. CAPRI is not residential. Fetouh stressed that live-in programs are usually necessary only when the young person must be removed from a toxic family situation or a perilous social network. We dont like the word deradicalization, Fetouh told me. It implies passivity, that we are putting new ideas into peoples heads. For us treatment means listening to them, supporting them, making it so that they are the ones asking themselves questions and changing their point of view. CAPRI has a relatively small budget of $156,000, mostly from the national government.
CAPRI has taken on about 30 cases since it opened in January, and Fetouh is still hesitant to offer a concrete assessment of their work. But he is certain that they are at least making progress in understanding the problem at hand.
We started out with the idea that religion would play a significant role, Fetouh told me. They had brought local Muslim community leaders and imams to their team. Today, the young people who are radicalizing, from what weve seen, its not because jihad is inscribed in the Quran, he said. In general, they dont know Islam. Its only young people who are de-Islamized that is to say, from families that are hardly observant or atheist, not even culturally Muslim, kids who dont know religion or jihad. A frequent factor they see, he said, is family dysfunction. They want to leave. They arent well here.
The question is why they continue to believe they will be better off as members of the Islamic State. In late July, a French parliamentary committee published a report finding that the Islamic State was losing strength in almost every aspect oil revenues, recruits, territorial control except for its ability to disseminate propaganda. But according to the anthropologist Scott Atran, the Islamic States military defeats may enable the group to exhort its followers to ever-greater sacrifice.
And anyone, radical or not, may be willing to make sacrifices in pursuit of a beautiful life, as the Danish psychologist Preben Bertelsen has noted. Bertelsen, who has worked on his own countrys deradicalization efforts, has tried to construct a Danish response that keeps this aspiration in mind. Because there is no shortage of obstacles exclusion, racism, personal problems that can combine to make a beautiful life seem inaccessible. When thats the case, Bertelsen said, a person might be liable to seek out alternative means.
This article was supported by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
Top photo credit: DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustration
Michael Brown. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Alton Sterling, Philando Castile.
Anyone paying even casual attention to the news is probably familiar with the grim roster of African American boys and men whove died at the hands of police, under questionable circumstances, over the past two years. The grieving cities and communities where the deaths occurredFerguson, Staten Island, Baltimore, Clevelandhave become a kind of shorthand of the killings within the Black Lives Matter movement, which put the issue on the national agenda.
But even if the names, the cities, the circumstances have become sadly familiar, they arent the sum total of the Black Lives Matter movements agenda. Obscured by the heartbreaking cycle of breaking-news headlines, angry protests, and demands for change is a radical-sounding proposition. Its an idea that proponents say can transform entire communities where police seem less like public guardians than an occupying forceand if more places adopted it, the risk of armed, potentially deadly confrontations between law enforcement and the people theyre sworn to protect could be drastically reduced.
The proposal: In order to end police brutality, we have to end police.
Ronal Serpas, the former top cop in New Orleans and Nashville, Tennessee, sums up this complex idea in one short phrase: collaboratively producing safety. Ive seen it work in very distraught neighborhoods, said Serpas, who now studies law enforcement issues and teaches at Loyola University in New Orleans. Paradoxically, he adds, you need a strong police presence to get there. But once the community gets its footing underneath it, its powerful.
Calls for ending the police are not calls for anarchy, Wild West law and order, or vigilante justice. Its not about dismantling, or even disarming, law enforcement. Rather, the concept involves ending the confrontational, us-versus-them police cultureand the anti-cop, snitches-get-stitches ethos that exists in some neighborhoodsby both encouraging and empowering communities to police themselves. It involves using ancient social practices like restorative justicebringing crime victim and perpetrator together to work things outand modern ideas, such as hiring gang members and ex-convicts to stop street violence and keep the peace. At its heart, it involves gradually changing the unhealthy but accepted societal norms at the root of street crimewhich leads to heavy-handed law enforcement, which leads to mistrust of police.
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The way we do policing in society makes certain people feel like they have no control over their lives, said Delores Jones-Brown, an expert on the nexus of race and criminal justice, and the director of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. At the end of the day, thats all they want: some control over their lives.
Providing such control was at the center of the so-called Boston Miracle, which helped stem a rising tide of violent crime and neighborhood desperation during the 1990s. The turnaround was miraculous both in its scale and approach, which did not rely on the usual methods of increased patrols, roundup of suspects, or other strong-arm policing tactics.
By studying crime data, David M. Kennedy, a renowned antiviolence crusader who pioneered the program, found that a small, hard-core group of repeat offenders was disproportionately responsible for most of Bostons violent crime. Working with police and community leaders, they took a proposal to the perpetrators: keep killing one another, and the police will make your lives miserablenightly raids, mass arrests, a cop watching every corner. But if the gunfire stops, youll get access to housing, jobs, and other services to make everyones lives better. They chose the latter.
Kennedy, who is now the director of the National Network for Safe Communities, is widely credited with exporting the cease-fire model to Boston, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, and other tough urban areas. Today, his ideas are getting a fresh look in the wake of the police shootings over the last two years. The data, he wrote in an email interview, speaks for itself.
For example, a Group Violence Intervention strategy in New Haven, Conn., produced a more than 70 percent reduction in shootings in a steady decline over about five years, Kennedy wrote. Oakland, Calif., which people had pretty much given up on, is seeing historically low levels over about the same period. Nothing else so far can produce that sort of result.
The successes arent limited to poor, high-crime neighborhoodssuburbs are kept safe without heavy policing too. Residents have good schools and stable households, and call 911 when they see someone breaking the law, said Jeffrey Butts, director of the Research & Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. You dont see police cars cruising up and down the streets in the suburbs.
The question is whether we care enough about all communities to actually do it, Butts added.
With growing public outrage over mass incarcerations and pressure from groups like Black Lives Matter over police deadly-force killings of black men, however, its increasingly clear that the status quoaggressive police, mistrustful residents, zero-tolerance law enforcement, seemingly intractable crime, and povertyisnt sustainable. If theres an alternative to police, he said, I think it does have to be neighborhood-based, and has to be credible.
But skeptics argue that public safety is anything but a DIY matterespecially in poor, high-crime neighborhoods. And just as alternative public safety programs have had their miracles, they have had failures too.
In 2013, tensions between cops and former criminals undermined a violence prevention program launched in Chicago a year earlier. The fewer-cops concept Baltimore adopted in the late 1990s struggled after Martin OMalley was elected mayor in 1999, and his tough-on-crime approach clashed with Kennedys antiviolence program. And police advocates contend the questionable use-of-force deaths that spurred the Black Lives Matter movement are the rare exception, not the overhaul-everything rule.
It bears repeating: Unjustified shootings by police officers are an aberration, not the norm, and there is no evidence that racism drives police actions, Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of The War on Cops, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed in July.
Every year, officers confront tens of thousands of armed felons without using lethal force, she wrote. Of the 987 people in the U.S. killed by cops last year, Mac Donald contends, the overwhelming majority were armed or threatening deadly force.
During the Great Migration of the 20th century, when vast numbers of African Americans moved from the countryside to the cities, blacks replaced European immigrants as the face of the urban poor in the United States.
The increase in urban black populations led to white flight, and racist assumptions about inner-city crime quickly ensued in big-city newspapers, mayors offices, and police headquartersparticularly in the wake of riots after the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination in the 1960s, heroin and crack cocaine epidemics in the 70s and 80s, and the rise of street gangs in the 90s. As neglected neighborhoods decayed and crime spiked, even African American activists demanded city leaders do something, and that usually meant more police.
During the second half of the twentieth century, the U.S. police forces per-capita strength increased yet again; in recent decades, it grew more rapidly in cities with a sizable percentage of African Americans, according to a paper coauthored by Harvard sociologist Matthew Desmond and Nicol Valdez of Columbia University.
Around 1990, and in sharp reversal from previous years, cities began proactively and persistently policing disadvantaged neighborhoods, Desmond writes. The experience of being stopped, questioned, and frisked, cuffed, arrested, and convicted, would become commonplace for young and poor black men.
As long as there have been free black people living in an urban setting communities of color had to deal with violence that was an offspring of the socioeconomic challenges we lived under, said John Jay Colleges Jones-Brown.
Rather than represent law, order, and public safety, she said, cops in poor, mostly black neighborhoods are agents for a historically racist and oppressive system whose job was to control and contain us and protect more affluent whites from crime.
Yet with generations of poverty as a common denominator among most residents in such neighborhoods, all they have is their personal autonomy or their bodies, or maybe their sneakers, Jones-Brown said, and police dont always understand or respect that.
If there's any affront to that minimal level of status, she continuedperceived disrespect, property damage, even stepping on someones sneakersa dispute between residents can get out of hand. Violence follows, police storm in, and a no snitching neighborhood code of silence, rooted in generations of mistrust of law enforcement, makes it hard for cops to sort things out. As the cycle repeats, stereotypes on both sides calcify: Police define black men as criminals first, citizens second, while black men believe a badge and gun are tools of oppression, not justice. Those factors are considered to be unseen but common ingredients in the rash of use-of-force deaths of African American men.
Consider: Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old, was shot after a white cop, Darren Wilson, confronted him for jaywalking, a rarely enforced misdemeanor in most places but an offense that often led to fines and jail time for black Ferguson residents. New York police officers locked Garner, 32, in a banned choke hold while trying to arrest himagainfor illegally selling individual cigarettes, an everyday hustle in poor black neighborhoods. In Baton Rouge, officers caught Sterling selling bootleg CDs, another common street-corner scheme, and fatally shot him when they realized he had a gun without a permit, even though thats legal in Louisiana. Castile, a beloved elementary school cafeteria worker, had been stopped by Minnesota police dozens of times before a suburban Minneapolis cop shot and killed him during what had been a routine traffic stopuntil Castile said he was legally carrying a weapon, and reached for his ID.
Meanwhile, in 2013 the American Civil Liberties Union found that African Americans were three times more likely than whites to go to jail for marijuana possessioneven though they use the drug at about the same rate, and even though a wave of states has decriminalized pot. And a Washington Post analysis found that black men and boys are more than twice as likely as whites to die during an encounter with police.
What if these men, who were suspected of committing petty, largely victimless offensesif they were breaking the law at all, as was the case with Castilehad not been met with lethal force? Or if they hadnt encountered police at all?
Earlier this month, several organizations affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement issued a list of demands to stop the deaths and overhaul policing of poor neighborhoods. The agenda calls for a radical transformation of law enforcement, including giving residents in neighborhoods most harmed by destructive policing the power to hire, fire, and discipline officersparticularly in deadly force or misconduct cases.
But the Black Lives Matter demands went further, arguing for the kind of post-police approach Kennedy and others say is the key to reducing crime and improving public safety in tough neighborhoods.
The most prominent, and arguably most successful, tool in the collaborative-safety toolbox is unarmed community interventions: training local residents, typically gang members or former violent offenders, to patrol their neighborhoods and nip crime in the bud. Groups like Kennedys Safe Communities initiatives and programs like Cure Violence, featured in the 2012 documentary The Interrupters, are active in cities such as Chicago, Detroit, and Los Angeles.
The concept for Cure Violence and the others is simple: The interventors use their street cred as former criminals or inmates (or both) to build trust on the block, resolve petty neighborhood beefs without the cops or the courts, and steer young, would-be offenders away from a life of crime.
Ive spent time visiting these programs. Its really an appealing idea, said Butts, who once saw a Chicago interventor stroll into a gang meet-up and ask questions about what was about to go downa virtually impossible task for police.
Unlike a beat cop, the interventor is not seen as a threat, and because hes not a threat, they can share information, Butts said. They wont give up names. But theyll say, One [guy] is beefing with another, and somethings going to blow up herethings are getting hot. Theyll go talk, and find out what the issue is, rather than let it escalate into fights or gunfire.
Those programs can pay dividends for cops too, said Serpas, who was a police officer and commander for 32 years before making the switch to academia.
Neighborhoods, in my experience, know who the really bad actors are. They know them by name, in fact, Serpas said. By working in the neighborhood and helping reduce crime, he said, community intervention teams make it easier for residents to trust police, turn in lawbreakers, and talk to cops when a major crime does occur.
In addition to crime-prevention programs, restorative justice, a centuries-old concept in which residents create an alternative to courts and jails, can help to turn public safety into something more like public healing. The practice, common in schools, establishes accountability as a baseline standard for everyone, and the entire neighborhoodincluding the perpetrator and the victimcollectively works out conflicts according to the norms of the community.
They start to get the feeling of control of their space, Serpas said, likening it to controlling a pandemic by encouraging behavior that prevents a disease rather than using a pound of cure. It becomes collective.
But these programs are not panacea. Butts noted that police-free solutions couldnt be replicated on a large scale because gangs and criminals operate in a very small area. In order to penetrate that group you have to be from that area. These are small, concentrated worlds.
At the same time, There are some neighborhoods where police have to play a very active role to make the neighborhood safe enough for any public-safety alternatives, Serpas said. A community can not [always] do the collective efficacy piece of self-policing because somebodys got a gun.
Butts points to another problem: sustainability. While some cities like Chicago or Detroit have successfully used alternatives to police, and neighborhoods have improved, city leaders are uneasy about the potential for things to go wrong, and the disruption in the centuries-old status quo.
In Chicago, some police and city officials viewed violence intervention programs as a threat, according to Butts. Citing budget cuts, the city shut down nearly all the neighborhood antiviolence programs in 2013; proponents grumbled that the belt-tightening was an excuse to appease cops who were skeptical of working with people theyd once put in handcuffs.
But Butts also noted some former gangbangers couldnt leave their criminal lives in the past, including one who allegedly kept a loaded gun in his desk and lined his pockets with cash stolen from the program where he worked.
We hear these great stories about this guy who did 20 years, came back to the neighborhood and now hes helping guys keep the peace, he said. But a program can also be taken down by an anecdotea bad anecdote.
The one thing a state or local policy maker has to hear is a story like that and theyll just run away from the program, he said. Ask that same person if they [would close] a police department with one bad anecdoteOf course not.
No definitive causal link has been established, but crime and homicides have spiked since the Chicago program was shuttered, and police have launched another crackdown in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Last year, a Chicago cop shot and killed Laquan McDonald, an unarmed 17-year-old, firing more than a dozen bullets into his body even after he lay motionless on the sidewalk.
To counteract the power a bad story has to torpedo a program like Chicagos, Butts and his colleagues try to collect information thats persuasive and makes a point and relies on something other than the conventional [police] model, he said.
That includes perhaps the most impressive benefit: Participating in self-policing programs changes residents opinions of police. Asked in follow-up surveys how they view the cop on the beat, neighborhood trust in police has shown a measurable uptick, according to Buttsa small but important first step in rebuilding police-community relationships and stopping deadly-force shootings of black men.
Were not sure, Butts says, but there seems to be something there.
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How Kids Just Being Kids Became a Crime
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Original article from TakePart
hurricane hermine
Hurricane Hermine upgraded from a tropical storm on Thursday afternoon has taken aim at Florida's western Big Bend area, and should strike late Thursday night or early Friday morning.
It will be the first full-fledged hurricane to hit Florida since 2005. That's an astonishingly long run for the southeasternmost US state. Expected to make landfall as a category one storm, Hermine doesn't carry quite the same risks as a larger storm, which the Washington Post reports could cost the state as much as $200 billion.
But Hermine is still a plenty powerful storm in its own right. The NOAA warning reports gusts as high as 75 miles per hour, with hurricane-force winds extending 45 miles from its center and tropical storm-force winds as far as 185 miles from its center.
It's still unknown precisely how Hermine will behave after striking Florida.
153730W5_NL_sm
The most consistent model has shown that Hermine could move up the East Coast and spend several days fairly immobile off the coast of New Jersey and New York.
Latest (12Z) Euro still has #Hermine at or near hurricane status for 5 days off NJ/NYC/Long Island next week. pic.twitter.com/vAYSwf2evX Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) September 1, 2016
That would likely be bad news for those areas. When storms sit in on place, centered offshore, they can kick up larger and larger storm surges and high tides with their winds. That's a big part of what made Hurricane Sandy so devastating. At the same time, the NOAA does not anticipate that Hermine will retain its hurricane force at that point.
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But that's still a bit too far in the future to predict confidently.
Hurricanes and tropical storms are notoriously difficult to predict, though computer models have improved drastically in the last decade. Unlike broad patterns of warmth and cooling in the atmosphere, tropical storms can shift, shrink, or grow because of tiny events that models aren't very good at understanding.
NOAA hurricane specialist James Franklin told Business Insider that beyond three days out, hurricane models live in a kind of "fantasy land."
It's normal for models to look a bit chaotic that far in the future.
Thomas Downs, a meteorologist with Weatherbell Analytics, told Business Insider that some particular weather events in the middle latitudes are making Hermine especially difficult to precisely predict.
"What I see as a meteorologist is that the computer model's very confused right now," he said. "When there are shifts [from one run of a model to another] like this, we know something funky is going to happen because of the different, strange tracks."
Right now, there's an atmospheric "trough" over the Carolinas. Hermine could smack into it, intermingle, and move over land as a weaker storm that moves quickly and dissipates more like a typical winter storm than a cyclone.
Or it could shunt out to sea, where warm water would likely help the storm maintain its power.
"Does that mean it's going to hit Washington, DC, or New York or Boston?" Downs said. "This storm especially is one that has a mind of its own. The science of meteorology hasn't really caught up to quite the way hurricanes intensify and interact. And that's quite frankly why we're seeing this right now."
Follow along with Business Insider for updates on Hermine.
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Stranger Things is already searching for newcomers to fill out its second-season cast.
The same day that Netflix renewed the drama for nine episodes due out in 2017, series executive producer Shawn Levy told The Hollywood Reporter that some new castmembers would be added in season two.
"There's definitely a handful of really compelling new characters this season, but absolutely servicing the core group first and foremost," he said, later adding that the additions span a range of ages. "Like the show itself, it's multigenerational new characters and really, really intriguing ones."
Read more: 'Stranger Things' Producer on New Characters and Casting "Famous People" for Season 2
The show's creative team - led by creators Matt and Ross Duffer - is looking for at least three actors to board the sci-fi thriller and play characters new to Hawkins named Max, Roman and Billy. Both Max and Roman are billed as series regulars, while Billy is listed as a potential series regular.
Max is a tough and confident 13-year-old female. Billy, Max's stepbrother, is a super muscular, overconfident 17-year-old. Roman, meanwhile, is described as a male or a female of any ethnicity between the ages of 30 and 38.
Read more: Netflix Renews 'Stranger Things' for Second Season
The second season, which will pick up nearly a year later, in the fall of 1984, will shoot in Atlanta, Ga., roughly from October to April. In the upcoming installment - which Levy says the writers and producers are viewing less as a second season and more as a sequel - Hawkins residents believe that the horror from last year is finally over but quickly learn that's not the case.
"When terrifying supernatural forces once again begin to affect Hawkins, they realize Will's disappearance was only the beginning," reads an official season two logline posted online. "And so the adventure continues "
A suicide prevention bill has been passed in California to help LGBT teens
A suicide prevention bill has been passed in California to help LGBT teens
The California Assembly have passed a bill in a bid to help prevent teen suicide among LGBT teens.
The bill, AB 2246, requires that schools in the state will have to have a comprehensive suicide prevention plan in place for students in grades 7-12. It will become law if signed by the states governor, Jerry Brown.
LGBT teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than other teenagers, with The Trevor Project stating that suicide is the second biggest cause of death for young people between the ages of 10 and 24. Similarly, nearly half of all transgender teenagers have seriously thought about taking their own lives, with 25% having made an attempt.
As it currently stands, schools in California are only encouraged to have suicide prevention plans in place. If the bill becomes law, it will be a requirement. The new bill will also require the state Department of Education to devise a model plan that can be seeded out to school districts.
Speaking about the bill, Assembly member Patrick ODonnell, a Democrat from Long Beach said, As classroom teacher, I know from experience that educators often serve as the first line of defense when a student is suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts. AB 2246 will provide parents, teachers and schools with the tools they need to help save the lives of at-risk youth.
The bill will devised in collaboration with parents, school advocates, school mental health professionals, and suicide prevention experts.
Were thrilled that California can become the first state in the country to require middle and high school policies on suicide prevention for LGBTQ and other at-risk populations, said Abbe Land, executive director of The Trevor Project. Just a couple of weeks ago, the first nationally representative sample of the CDCs Youth Risk Behavior Survey was released, and it showed that lesbian, bisexual and questioning youth attempt suicide at over three times the rate of heterosexual youth. With the passage of AB 2246, California has answered this implicit call to action to drive these shocking statistics down.
LGBT Flag
If you want to talk to someone, you can contact The Trevor Project on 1-866-488-7386.
[H/T lgbtweekly]
The post A suicide prevention bill has been passed in California to help LGBT teens appeared first on HelloGiggles.
The Swedish Film Institute has nominated Hannes Holms A Man Called Ove (En man som heter Ove) to represent Sweden in this years Foreign Language Film Oscar race. The movie based on Fredrik Backmans 2012 novel became the third-highest-grossing domestic film in Swedish history after its December 2015 premiere, and Music Box Films is releasing it the U.S. on September 30.
The pic centers on Ove, a grumpy yet loveable man who finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door. The English-language version of Backmans book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 30 weeks.
Producer SF Studios is currently prepping to shoot another Backman adaptation, Britt-Marie Was Here, to shoot next year.
Heres the list of countries who have announced selections to date:
2016 Foreign Language Film Oscar Submissions
Australia Tanna Bentley Dean/Martin Butler
Belgium The Ardennes Robin Pront
Bosnia and Herzegovina Death in Sarajevo Danis Tanovic
Croatia On The Other Side Zrinko Ogresta
Cuba The Companion Pavel Giroud
Egypt Clash Mohamed Diab
Georgia House Of Others Rusudan Glurjidze
Germany Toni Erdmann Maren Ade
Hungary Kills On Wheels Atilla Till
Romania Sieranevada Cristi Puiu
Saudi Arabia Barakah Meets Barakah Mahmoud Sabbagh
South Korea The Age of Shadows
Sweden A Man Called Ove Hannes Holm
Switzerland My Life As A Courgette Claude Barras
Venezuela From Afar Lorenzo Vigas
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By David Dolan JARABLUS, Syria (Reuters) - Flashing victory signs and firing in the air, the young rebels who took this Syrian town from Islamic State a week ago may be jubilant, but their ability to hold territory will hinge on Turkey's appetite for keeping its forces inside Syria. Sweeping in to Jarablus may have been the easy part. Backed by Turkish tanks, jets and special forces, Arab and Turkmen fighters under the loose banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) drove out Islamic State in a matter of hours last Wednesday. It could prove more difficult for the rebels, who number only around 1,500 fighters, to push west and secure the 90 km (56-mile) stretch of Islamic State-held border territory that Ankara has touted as a potential buffer zone. They face not only the challenge of displacing the ultra-hardline Islamist group but of preventing Kurdish militia fighters, backed by the United States but viewed as a hostile force by Turkey, from filling the void. "Daesh and the Kurds are the same. Both of them brought these people to hunger," said Fikret Ismail, a rebel fighter in his late 20s, using an Arabic name for Islamic State. "We will fight for our land with our last blood," he said, as he patrolled a street near the Jarablus town centre, brandishing a rifle and surrounded by a group of small children. Turkey has revealed little about the strategy behind its first major incursion into Syria, beyond saying it wants to drive Islamic State and Kurdish fighters away from the border. "Operation Euphrates Shield" has drawn criticism from NATO ally Washington, which has called on Turkey to avoid confrontation with Kurdish-aligned forces and stay focused instead on the joint battle against Islamic State. The United States sees the Syrian Kurdish YPG as its strongest ally against the Sunni radicals. Turkey views them as a terrorist group and is worried that their advance in northern Syria will embolden a Kurdish insurgency at home. It has said no one can tell it which terrorist group it should fight. On Thursday, the Turkish military said it had taken three more villages around 20 km (12 miles) west of Jarablus and hit 15 militant targets with howitzers and four more in air strikes. It gave no details on the targets, but the villages were in an area still held by Islamic State. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, confirmed the takeover of 3 villages near the border. COHERENT FORCE Jarablus had been under Islamic State rule for three years and its black and white murals can still be seen on the walls. The town is slowly coming back to life. Women walk the streets, their faces uncovered. One man told Reuters one of his first acts when the group fled was to trim his beard. A week after it helped drive out the jihadists, there is no sign of the Turkish military in Jarablus itself. Instead, the town was filled with the scruffy young rebels Ankara is backing, some driving their Toyota trucks, machine guns mounted in the back, at high speed through the streets. Turkey's aim is to turn the fractured Free Syrian Army into a coherent force as a counterweight to the Kurdish YPG, said Metin Gurcan, a former major in the Turkish military and an analyst for the Al Monitor journal. Which group gained control of al-Bab, a town to the south, would be critical, he said. Al-Bab, held by Islamic State, lies on the southern edge of what Ankara sees as its potential buffer zone. Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, one of the ultra-hardline Islamist group's most prominent leaders, is thought to have been killed in a U.S. air strike there this week. "You have two forces who are very eager, highly motivated, to capture al-Bab. At the end of the day, this serves the strategic interests of the U.S., which is prioritising the fight against ISIS," Gurcan said. Turkish-backed forces have also been advancing towards Manbij, a city around 30 km (20 miles) south of Jarablus that was captured last month from Islamic State by a U.S.-backed coalition that includes the YPG. Ankara, which accuses the YPG of "ethnic cleansing" in northern Syria, has demanded that Kurdish fighters return to the east of the Euphrates river. Manbij, like Jarablus, is west of the river. Turkey has long said that a Kurdish presence west of the Euphrates is a "red line" it cannot abide. Mohammed, a 16-year-old rebel in Jarablus who had been fighting with the FSA for just a month, told Reuters he was from Manbij and had no desire to fight the Kurds. "Everything is destroyed in Manbij now," he said, blaming the ruin on Islamic State. BUFFER ZONE Turkey has repeatedly lobbied for the creation of a "buffer zone" just inside Syria to help secure its border and create a protected area for displaced civilians. But the idea has failed to resonate with NATO allies, who see such a move as requiring a prolonged intervention and whose focus is on Islamic State. Turkey has taken in nearly 3 million Syrian refugees since the start of its neighbor's five-year war, and is under pressure from Europe to stem the flow of migrants trying to travel onwards illegally from its shores. Ankara has been providing aid to tens of thousands of displaced civilians just inside Syria, effectively a step towards creating a de facto safe zone. "In order to create a 'buffer zone,' Turkey would have to keep a significant force on the Syrian side of the border," said James Stavridis, former NATO supreme commander and dean at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Such a strategy appeared immediately unlikely, he said, but added it could not be ruled out in the longer term. "Turkey will have a set of unpalatable choices ahead of it having entered into serious military operations in Syria." Colonel Ahmad Osman, head of the Sultan Murad forces, one of the main Turkish-backed rebel groups, told Reuters last week that the priority was now to advance some 70 km westward to the town of Marea, long a frontline with Islamic State. The next phase of their operation could take weeks or months, he said, and could require an increase in the number of rebel fighters from their current level of 1,200-1,500. While they did not wish to fight Kurdish forces, they would do so if necessary, Osman said. For Turkey, which has long called for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, containing advances by the Kurdish militia appears to have eclipsed all other concerns. "The fundamental Turkish red line is not Assad," Stavridis, the former NATO commander, said. "It is against the formation of a Kurdish state." (Additional reporting by Edmund Blair in Istanbul, Tom Perry and John Davison in Beirut; Writing by David Dolan and Nick Tattersall; editing by Anna Willard)
Sticking out tongue
AT&T is feeling vindicated by the recent reports of struggles at Google Fiber.
In an unusually scathing and amusing blog post, AT&T goes out of its way to gloat over its rival's struggles.
The post, titled "Broadband Investment: Not for the Faint of Heart," provides a timeline of Google Fiber's promises and setbacks, concluding with the zinger: "Well be watching your next move from our rear view mirror. Oh, and pardon our dust."
Google's service has been a big threat to AT&T and other telcos since it promised to offer faster internet speeds at lower prices. But a series of recent reports noted that Google's broadband service has garnered disappointing subscription numbers and is scrambling for a new wireless-based model as it cuts back the size of its staff.
The two corporate giants have clashed before, including ongoing legal battles over access to utility poles. But the latest salvo by AT&T, which reads as part take-down, part tantrum, stands out for the undisguised derision and sarcasm it heaps on Google, while touting what it says is its own $140 billion investment in broadband.
"Moral of the story," writes AT&T VP of federal regulatory Joan Marsh, "Building reliable, ubiquitous high-speed broadband connectivity is tough."
Broadband "experiments"
In the post, Marsh says that Fiber "will no doubt continue its broadband experiments, while coming up with excuses for its shortcomings and learning curves. It will also no doubt continue to seek favoritism from government at every level."
Despite Marsh's sanctimoniousness, Ars Technica points out that earlier this year a Tennessee senator described AT&T as "the most powerful lobbying organization in this state by far" as it battled to stop Google from using utility poles in Nashville. The two companies are locked in a legal battle in Kentucky, too.
The last paragraph of Marsh's post includes the harshest burns:
"Google Fiber still complains its too hardand costs too muchand takes too long even as its reported that Google Fiber will now try to do all this with half its current workforce. Meanwhile, without excuses or finger-pointing, and without presenting ultimatums to cities in exchange for service, AT&T continues to deploy fiber and to connect our customers to broadband services in communities across the country. Welcome to the broadband network business, Google Fiber. Well be watching your next move from our rear view mirror. Oh, and pardon our dust."
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A Google Fiber spokesperson wasn't immediately available for comment.
You can read the full post here.
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TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan has named former foreign minister Tien Hung-mao as the new head of a semi-official body responsible for conducting day-to-day business with China after Beijing cut communications with the agency in June amid political tensions. The appointment of Tien, foreign minister between 2000 and 2002, to head the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) comes as Taipei-Beijing relations remain cool since the election of Tsai Ing-wen as Taiwan president in May. China, which sees Taiwan as a renegade province, has been unsettled by Tsai's refusal to endorse Beijing's "one China" principle. As well as halting contacts between SEF and its China counterpart, contacts were also suspended between Taiwan's China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and China's Taiwan Affairs Office. China's Taiwan Affairs Office, in a statement in response to Tien's appointment, said relations could only improve if Taiwan accepts the so-called "1992 consensus". That was a deal reached between China's Communists and Taiwan's then-ruling Nationalists, under which both agreed there is only one China, with each having their own interpretation of what that means. Zhang Zhijun, head of the office, said in a separate statement that ties faced "serious challenges" due to what he called Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party's "vague" attitude on its China policy. "Taiwan compatriots are broadly worried about this," he said. Chief of Taiwan's MAC reiterated that issues related to Taiwan and China were both sides' responsibility. "There is no easy answer for cross-strait issues," MAC minister Chang Hsiao-yueh told a news briefing, referring to the narrow stretch of water between the two sides. "There are so many things on which both sides hold a different view. Both sides should sit down to talk." Observers said Tien, who currently serves as chairman of the Taiwan's Institute of National Policy Research, may find it tough to re-establish communications with China. "(The appointment) is not going to help improve the current Taiwan-China ties too much," said Alex Huang, a professor of Tamkang University, Taiwan. "Within the political circles of Taipei and Beijing, people know Tsai holds her cards very close to her chest. Whoever takes the position will have to do things at the tempo she desires." (Reporting by Faith Hung; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Nick Macfie)
(Adds Florida traps first mosquitoes to test positive for Zika in U.S.)
By Bill Berkrot
Sept 1 (Reuters) - Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co on Thursday said it is developing a vaccine to prevent the Zika virus, which has been linked to severe birth defects, and has secured funding from a U.S. government agency.
Takeda, which is also working on vaccines for other mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue, said it would initially receive nearly $20 million over the next 18 months to fund pre-clinical research and manufacturing in preparation for early human trials.
The contract is with BARDA, the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a unit within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It calls for funding of up to $312 million if the agency deems the vaccine worthy of moving through late stage testing and filing for approval, the company said.
Takeda has been conducting preclinical testing for several months and hopes to begin Phase I trials in healthy volunteers in the second half of 2017, Rajeev Venkayya, head of global vaccines for Takeda, said in a telephone interview.
The company said it was also in discussions with the Japanese government on its possible participation in the Zika collaboration.
The Takeda vaccine will utilize inactivated, or killed, whole Zika virus to promote an immune response, Venkayya said. The vaccines now in early human testing are DNA-based and contain no actual virus.
"To help protect people from Zika in the U.S. and abroad, we are aggressively pursuing the development of promising vaccine candidates around the world," Richard Hatchett, acting director of BARDA said in a statement.
BARDA said that including the Takeda funding, it has so far committed $76 million to help develop Zika vaccines, diagnostics, blood screening tests and other technologies to fight the virus.
Takeda joins several companies and government agencies in efforts to develop a vaccine against the virus that has spread across the Americas since the current outbreak was first detected last year in Brazil.
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In recent weeks, U.S. authorities determined that local mosquitoes were transmitting Zika in an area of south Florida, while the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has experienced a widespread outbreak.
More recently, Singapore identified a local outbreak.
On Thursday, officials in Florida said they had trapped in the Miami area the first mosquitoes that tested positive for Zika in the continental United States.
There is an urgent need to develop a vaccine for the virus, which in pregnant women can cause the rare birth defect microcephaly. This can lead to serious developmental problems, and has been linked to severe fetal brain abnormalities.
While the virus is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, Zika can also be transmitted through unprotected sex with an infected person.
Inovio Pharmaceuticals and the U.S. National Institutes of Health have already begun human trials of vaccine candidates.
(Reporting by Bill Berkrot; Editing by G Crosse and David Gregorio)
Bangkok (AFP) - A Thai man accused of masterminding the smuggling and trafficking of Rohingya migrants fleeing Myanmar has been jailed for 35 years, a court said Thursday.
Southern Thailand has long been known as a nexus for lucrative smuggling networks through which persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, and Bangladeshi economic migrants, pass on their way to Malaysia.
For years Thailand turned a blind eye to -- and was even complicit in -- the well-worn trafficking trade in the deep south.
Last year, Thailand's junta launched a belated crackdown, a move that led smugglers to abandoned hundreds of victims on boats and in squalid jungle camps, but also brought much of the trade to a halt.
On Wednesday Sunand Saengthong, an alleged trafficking kingpin, was jailed for overseeing smuggling networks.
"Overall he was sentenced to 35 years and a fine of 660,000 baht ($19,000)," a spokesman at Pak Phanang provincial court told AFP.
Two other accomplices were sentenced to one year and six months in jail respectively.
Police arrested Sunand after a raid in January last year that uncovered 97 Rohingya, the court said in a statement.
"Witness testimonies in court found that money from the human trafficking gang was transferred to Sunand's bank account," the statement said, adding that he was "a mastermind of Rohingya trafficking" in the south.
The Asian Human Rights Commission, which has followed the prosecution, said police searched five vehicles during their raid and discovered desperate migrants crammed in so tight that some had suffocated to death. More than 40 of those Rohingya were minors.
Around one million Rohingya live in western Rakhine state, where they are forced to live in apartheid-like conditions and are denied citizenship.
For years they have fled their homeland by sea, looking for work in Muslim-majority Malaysia.
Most victims crossed the sea in rickety boats to be held in remote jungle camps where they were beaten, raped and abused until relatives paid release ransoms. They would then be moved to Malaysia.
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Thailand's image has been battered in recent years by a series of human trafficking scandals -- including in its lucrative fishing and food production sectors.
The kingdom's junta have vowed to clean up the country's image.
Last year's crackdown on southern smuggling routes saw more than 100 alleged traffickers arrested -- including a senior army general. He and most of those detained are currently being tried in Bangkok.
Joe Silva (center) played a big role in the UFCs boom in popularity. (Getty)
Joe Silva is probably the most significant non-fighter figure in mixed martial arts history other than Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta.
No one outside White and Fertitta did more to turn the UFC from a one-night event that was essentially created to prove which fighting style was superior into a self-sustaining multibillion-dollar business.
Referee John McCarthy and UFC co-founders Rorion Gracie and Campbell McLaren also belong in that discussion, but few have had the impact upon the product you see on television today or in the arena than Silva.
Silva, the UFCs vice president of talent relations, plans to retire after earning millions as part of the companys $4 billion sale to a group headed by WME/IMG. MMAjunkie.com originally reported the news of Silvas pending retirement.
He went from winning a contest that dubbed him the UFCs SuperFan and which earned him an all-expenses-paid trip to UFC 3 to the man whose vision made the sport what it is today.
McLaren, whose title in those early days was vice president of programming, is a brilliant marketer who created the outlaw image that defined the UFC from its inception in 1993 at least through the end of the decade and perhaps longer.
He created such over-the-top slogans as Banned in 49 states, Two men enter. One man leaves, and There are no rules, that were used to great effect to position the UFC as the roughest, toughest combat sport of all.
McLaren was about making it into a big event. The first card, which was won by Royce Gracie on Nov. 13, 1993, when he submitted Art Jimmerson, Ken Shamrock and Gerard Gordeau, attracted about 7,500 fans to Denvers McNichols Arena and sold about 75,000 on pay-per-view.
Pay-per-view sales jumped to just under 300,000 for UFC 2, in large part because of all the noise McLaren created in the marketplace.
I was the guy who saw this as a spectacle, McLaren said. And I did what I could to make it the biggest and baddest spectacle there was. Joe saw it as a sport. He absolutely had that vision from the first time I spoke to him about what this could become.
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Silva referred an inquiry about his retirement to UFC public relations. The UFC declined comment.
Silva is little known to the sports large casual fan base because he wasnt permitted to speak publicly by White, the UFC president, and Fertitta, the now-former CEO whose money saved the UFC and probably the sport from extinction as the 21st century dawned.
After UFC 1, McLaren was inundated with notes from fans whod watched it and had ideas of how to make it better. Some of them, he said, were good, and many were over-the-top ridiculous.
Silva was one of the ones who wrote. McLaren noticed that Silvas thoughts were vastly different than the others. He kept up a dialogue with him about how to make improvements.
Prior to UFC 3, which was held Sept. 9, 1994, in Charlotte, N.C., McLaren held a contest to determine what he called the UFCs SuperFan. Fans were encouraged to write in and explain why they were the biggest fan.
Silva won the contest.
That didnt surprise McLaren: Hed already received a lengthy list of suggestions in the mail to improve the product from Silva prior to UFC 2.
He filled an entire yellow legal pad with notes, McLaren told Yahoo Sports. Joe was amazing, relentless, insightful and full-on crazy for the UFC long before anyone else.
By UFC 5, Silva was on the payroll. By UFC 6, he was indispensable. He understood how to match fighters to make an entertaining fight and how to turn it into a sustainable business.
Silva was not shy about sharing his opinion and was always, as he remains, brutally frank.
He was the only employee the White-Fertitta regime allowed to work from home, which was a good thing because he intimidated so many of the employees with his intensity.
Silva is an erudite, well-read man who can conduct a conversation on just about any topic and not embarrass himself.
His impact upon the UFC has been profound. The fighters are the true stars of the show, and time and again they signaled their respect for Silva with comments in the cage after fights, as well as in the media.
Nobody is irreplaceable, but White has a massive challenge in front of him. Without Fertitta, his best friend and long-time confidante at his side, White has had to take on much more responsibility himself.
Silvas departure only adds to Whites burden.
The UFC will survive his retirement, just like it survived the retirement of Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture and Matt Hughes and many other stars.
Silvas loss hurts, though, and not just a little bit.
Though he wasnt widely celebrated for it, Silva was a superstar whose efforts made the sport he grew to love a far better one than it was before he joined it.
Someone sometime soon will sit in his seat, but no one can ever replace Joe Silva.
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From Road & Track
So here's the setup: Two weeks ago, I drove a brand-new, tuned-and-prepared BMW M2 at Mid-Ohio. I'd been hoping for an opportunity to drive the M2 at Mid-Ohio ever since our four-way BMW test at the Thermal Club in Southern California earlier this year, so when the M2's owner contacted me about taking his car for a spin, it took me all of three seconds to accept the invitation.
The nice people at the Buckeye Chapter of the BMWCCA allowed me to sneak in for a session in exchange for my promise to say something nice about their program. I actually have quite a few nice things to say about their program, from the generally safe driving behavior I witnessed on-track to the low car count per session. But the nicest thing about the event was that I had a chance to drive a brand-new M2, so let's get back to that.
I drove first, with the owner in the right seat. I took a series of conservative laps, making sure to preserve the car, the tires, and the brakes. Then we swapped and the owner drove. He was a fearless young man, to put it mildly, and he nearly lost the M2 in Thunder Valley during our out lap. He was constantly on the edge of tire grip, sliding around, making last-minute corrections. Definitely the balls-out hero type.
Now here's the odd thing: Our lap times were almost identical. If you'd been in the back seat with me, you'd have sworn that we were just taking a Sunday drive, albeit one where we hit 145mph on Mid-O's back straight. If you'd taken that same seat with the owner during his stint, you'd have either thrown up or passed out.
If you're an experienced track rat, you're no doubt thinking, "Well, Jack's lines must have been better." But I'm here to tell you that my lines around Mid-Ohio are not that great for getting a low lap time. Almost all of my time around that track has been in a club race situation, so my default line is more defensive than it is fast. I think the car's owner actually had a better line than I did.
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If the owner was driving on the limit, and he had a better line, why wasn't he any faster? The answer was actually staring us in the face, kind of. The M2 has the ability to display tire temperatures on the center screen, and those tire temperatures were noticeably lower when I was driving. That was not by accident. I was on what I like to think of as "the safe side of the mountain." My M2-owning friend was on the dangerous side. I'll explain.
We can start with the fact that nobody appears to truly understand how tires generate lateral grip. We have a general idea, and there are a variety of theories that are generally reflected in real-world results, but any truly scientific discussion of lateral grip involves some genuine uncertainty. Nevertheless, there are some hard-and-fast rules on which we can rely.
The rule that we'll discuss here is the rule that governs the relationship between tire slip angle and lateral grip. When we're driving on the street, we generally enjoy a direct-ratio relationship between the two. If you're driving a Camry around your neighborhood at 25mph, turning the wheel X amount gets you X amount of grip, and turning the wheel 2X, or twice as much, gets you 2X worth of grip. This relationship holds true until we get nearly to the maximum lateral grip of the tire. At that point, turning the wheel X more gets us a little bit less than X more grip.
Finally, we hit the magic point where we are getting the absolute maximum grip out of the tire. So what happens when we turn the wheel more? Well, the grip decreases a little bit. If we turn the wheel even more, the grip will decrease a bit more, and so on and so forth until we've sailed nose-first into a trackside barrier. You get the idea.
This diagram may help. As you can see, there's a peak grip, and there's a slope on both sides. Think of it as a mountain. We can call it "Tire Mountain".
An utterly perfect driver-if there is such a thing-would always steer the car at the maximum possible grip. In the real world, most of us are lucky to get to the 95 percent grip level. But note that the 95 percent grip level can be found on either side of the 100 percent grip level. So let's imagine two different 95 percent drivers for a minute.
Driver A is a little cautious. He always stays on the safe side of 100 percent. But he's not always exactly at 95 percent. When he errs on the side of caution, he's going to get less than 95 percent of the available grip. When he gets a little crazy, he will be closer to 100 percent. His laps are very smooth and predictable.
Driver B is a little wild. He always stays on the dangerous side of 100 percent. When he errs on the side of caution, he backs up towards 100 percent. When he pushes it too far, he gets less than 95 percent grip. His laps are full of screeching tires and lurid slides.
In the case of the M2 at Mid-Ohio, I was Driver A and the owner was Driver B. So we were getting the same kind of grip in two very different ways. And that's why his tire temperatures were higher than mine. He was consistently pushing the tires past their maximum, generating a lot of heat. I was keeping the tires cool.
Which one of us was right? That's not an easy question to answer. He was certainly having more fun than I was. He was pushing the limits of the car, which was a learning experience for him. Keep in mind, too, that the M2 belonged to him, so he had far more carte blanche to wreck it than I did.
As a club racer, I'm kind of trained to drive on the safe side of Tire Mountain. The reason for that is that racing is unpredictable and you never know when you might need to crank your steering wheel a little bit more in the middle of a turn to avoid a spinning car. You can't be sure that there won't be dirt or gravel past the apex from somebody else's off-track maneuver. There's also the fact that tires live longer when you keep their operating temperature lower. As a racer, you're always managing your tire temperature, saving a little bit in reserve in case you need to make a big move on the car ahead or defend against a pass.
With that said, if you're going to race you'd better know how to handle the car when it gets to the other side of Tire Mountain and starts sliding around. And you can't learn how to handle the car in those situations without actually putting yourself in those situations. It's a Catch-22 of sorts; the less stupid stuff you do in a race car, the less prepared you are to correct stupid stuff when it happens.
If you spend any amount of time around trackday driver's education you'll hear the phrase "Smooth is fast" thrown around until you're sick of it. I'm here to tell you that the "Smooth is fast" guys live on the safe side of Tire Mountain. You can stay there for your whole career, if you like. But the party's on the other side. So take a trip there, when you can safely do so. Just make sure you're prepared for the consequences.
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.
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10. Czech Republic The language barrier in the Czech Republic contributed to its place on the list of unfriendliest countries. (Getty Images)
A new study has revealed the unfriendliest places for expats to live in 2016.
The Expat Insider, an annual survey conducted by InterNations, looked at the quality of life for expats all over the world, and found the places where new residents find it hardest to settle in.
Their findings were based on factors including feeling welcome, friendliness of people, the ease of findings friends and language barriers.
Anyone who wants to find a new bevvy of pals abroad should head to Mexico, which is the worlds friendliest country, followed by Costa Rica and Uganda.
These are the 10 places where the welcome is coolest.
By Tom Kackenhoff
DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - Thyssenkrupp agreed to intensify talks with its European steel workers in an effort to resolve a dispute over plans to merge the division with Tata Steel and possibly close plants.
Several thousand workers marched in protest at management's plans on Wednesday and labour representatives refused to approve a new management structure, part of a five-year programme to improve the performance of Thyssenkrupp's steel business amid worsening markets.
In an attempt to ease the tension, the two sides have agreed to set up a task force that will discuss the new organisational structure and present a progress report by the end of September, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe said in a statement on Thursday.
Wilhelm Segerath, who represents the works council on Thyssenkrupp's supervisory board, told Reuters that the group would discuss whether consolidation and restructuring were necessary at all, as well as Thyssenkrupp's compliance with existing labour agreements.
"But we have to keep the antennas tuned. If there is no agreement then there will be further protests," Segerath said.
Thyssenkrupp has its 19th century roots in steelmaking but the sector is now being hit by lacklustre demand and cheap imports from China. Labour representatives fear the group wants to exit the sector at any cost, under pressure from activist investor Cevian, which owns a 15 percent stake in it.
Thyssenkrupp labour leaders have said that any plan to close some plants could go ahead, irrespective of whether there is a merger deal with Tata Steel.
(Writing by Maria Sheahan; Editing by Susan Thomas and Alexander Smith)
Two turbines installed off Scotlands coast arent harnessing the countrys winds to generate power. Instead, these blades are spinning underwater, using an even more predictable renewable power source in the regiontides.
The offshore array is the worlds first tidal turbines to deliver electricity to the power grid, according to Nova Innovationthe company behind the development.
Thats a big step for green power generation, as it shows commercial viability for a marine-based power source to create renewable energy. Unlike solar and wind power, where power production stops when the sun isnt shining or when the wind stops blowing, Novas tidal arrays continuously generate electricityby using perpetual incoming and outgoing tidal currents to spin its underwater turbines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
We are absolutely delighted to be the first company in the world to deploy a fully operational tidal array, said Simon Forrest, managing director of Nova Innovations. Deploying the second turbine truly sets us apart and showcases our technology.
So far, two 100-killowatt turbines have been installed in the turbulent tidal stream of Bluemull Sound off the Shetland Islandsan archipelago about 120 miles north of mainland United Kingdom, where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. Nova is planning to construct five turbines in the region, providing power to residents and businesses on the Shetland Islands.
The islands arent connected to the U.K. grid, so its 23,000 residents rely on a diesel-fueled power station for most of their electricity. The 0.5 megawatts expected to come online from the underwater turbines would minimize the need for the tanker-supplied fossil fuels.
RELATED: Hawaii Taps the Ocean to Generate Carbon-Free Power
Lang Banks, director at World Wildlife Fund Scotland, says the tidal array is an example of how the technology can help communities reach emissions reduction goals.
Alongside energy-saving measures, marine renewablesincluding tidalwill have a critical role to play in helping Scotland reduce climate emissions as we phase out polluting fossil fuels and nuclear power, Banks said. Globally, tidal power has huge potential, which is why countries such as Japan are researching this type of energy technology.
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While the $3.9 million Shetland tidal project is small, marine energys potential looms large. Renewable energy agency U.K. Carbon Trust estimates a $165 billion global tidal energy market could be developed by 2050. The thousands of potential locations for tidal turbines could boost zero-emission energy, eliminating millions of pounds of greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise be released through fossil-fuel-burning power plants.
The U.S. Energy Department estimates tidal streams in the U.S. country could generate enough electricity to power nearly 30 million homes a year.
The industry, though, is still in its infancy. Some projects in the works include French company OpenHydro, which says it is close to linking two tidal machines off Brittany to create a 1-megawatt tidal array. U.K.-based Tidal Lagoon Power has proposed to build a tidal turbine system called the Swansea Bay project that would generate 320 megawatts.
In the U.S., companies in Oregon, Washington, and Maine are in various states of trial and testing of tidal power systems. This week, the federal government selected 10 organizations to share more than $20 million in funding to be used to explore ways to generate electricity from ocean waves and tidal currents.
The oceans constant motion is a boon for steady power production, but also a bane for engineers who must develop a cost-effective generator capable of withstanding the relentless pounding and corrosive marine environment.
On the Shetland Islands, residents are weighing the environmental impacts of a tidal array, compared with a planned wind farm. One group, known as Sustainable Shetland, has been fiercely opposed to a planned 103-turbine, 307-megawatt wind farm thats been in the works since 2008.
Sustainable Shetland Chairman Frank Hay said the project will replace environmentally important peatlands, and many of the turbines would be placed within 1.5 miles of residences.
We recognize that renewables must play a part in how we live in the future, however these schemes must be fit for scale and fit for purpose, Hay said. A wind farm of this scale is wrong for Shetland.
Hay said the group is not opposed to the smaller-scale tidal array but questions what a big project would look like.
A major problem for tidal energy is that to make it large-scale it will require a large area of seabed, and this could have issues for fishermen as well as marine life in the area, Hay said. It would appear that nearly every renewable system would have some negative aspect.
Government officials have already designated two regions south of ShetlandPentland Firth and Orkney Watersas Marine Energy Parks, aimed at streamlining the commercial-scale leasing process to get potential prototypes and projects online faster.
Those locations, Lang said, offer further opportunity for Scotland's marine renewable businesses to develop wave and tidal devices. Were already at the forefront of these important technologies and energy park status will help speed up the commercial development of marine renewable devices.
Sign the Petition: Ensure Renewable Energy Development Gives Back to the Environment
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Original article from TakePart
Before leaving The New York Times in July, I heard rumblings about a novel idea that was being floated in the newsroom about plans for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival: How about covering it from a Canadian point of view?.
Eh? In years past, that would have meant figuring out where George Clooney was hanging in Yorkville. This year, it could mean stalking Denzel Washington or Ethan Hawke, stars of Antoine Fuquas The Magnificent Seven, which has a world premiere on Thursday, September 8. Or it might demand attention to Zacharias Kunuks Maliglutit, which screens on September 12. Set in Canada and shot by an esteemed Canadian filmmaker, that one tells the story of a caribou hunter who follows his fathers spirit helper in a quest to reclaim his kidnapped wife and daughter, circa 1913. It is one of 76 Canadian films screening at a festival that counted 1,240 Canadian submissions among 6,933 entries from around the world.
A quicker way into the Canadian thing might be a stop at the Critical Drinking Pre-Fest Fiesta, sponsored by the Toronto Film Critics Association. The Toronto critics are gathering on Wednesday, September 7, at the Milagro Restaurante Mexicano y Cantina to sip theme cocktails called Akiras Tears. It might have something to do with Silent Hill and the Japanese composer Akira Yamaoka. They are a cosmopolitan lot, those Torontonians. Thats why they call it the Toronto International Film Festival.
The noodling about a Canadian point of view clearly says more about the state of The New York Times than it does about Canadians, who see their premier film festival as a window on the rest of the world, including, but not limited to, us. The nudge comes as the Times trims its coverage of local New York-area businesses and cultural institutions, as Jeremy Gerard notes, while expanding its quest for clicks, paid or otherwise.
RelatedRevamping New York Times Kills Regional Theater, Restaurant & Arts Coverage
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Increasingly, the Times and its powerful audience development team live by what some there have called the funnel. At its top, the funnel sucks in or tries to suck in tens of millions of free viewers every month via Facebook, mobile phone apps or an ungated quota of stories on the home page. At its bottom, with luck, a small percentage of those viewers, one in thousands, converts to a paid subscription. To keep the action moving, the Times needs an expanding pool of looky-loos at the top. Thats where Canada comes in: It has a lot of smart, educated, English-speaking readers who might give The New York Times an extra glance during the film festival but wouldnt have much interest in those Westchester theaters and art galleries now being cut.
Still, most of those Canadian viewers seem interested in looking at movies exactly the way audiences in the United States look at them: with an eye toward provocative subjects, hot stars and moving stories possibly including Maliglutit, which is s tribute to John Fords The Searchers. And that probably means The New York Times, along with the rest of us, will be covering the festival in pretty much the same, free-ranging way it has been covered by a large, attentive media corps for the past four decades.
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"I don't like it when people interfere in other people's business," says Sabah Abu Ghanem inThe Hollywood Reporter's exclusive clip of Gaza Surf Club. "It's my personal decision."
The documentary looks at a surprising new community, composed of a new generation of Middle Easterners who look to the waves of the Mediterranean for solace from war and political gridlock. In the clip, the 15-year-old girl notes how her hobbies - which include wearing nail polish and swimming (without a head scarf, so she doesn't choke) - stand in contrast to her society, even though that's what makes her happy.
"The film is not a report on Middle Eastern society; it's a story. We chose a small group of people for their individual aspirations and attempted to show beauty and hope in a place known by most for quite the opposite," director Philip Gnadt and co-director/producer Mickey Yamine tells THR. "If we manage to make a few people think - whether it be about the similarities and differences in cultures or how happiness is relative to what opportunities you are given - then this film has had a purpose."
Gaza Surf Club will makes its world premiere at TIFF. XYZ Films is handling the film's sales.
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Earlier this week, Apple found itself in the midst of yet another tax scandal. According to the European Commission, Apple owes Ireland $14.5 billion in back taxes after discovering that Apple had been paying a tax rate as low as 0.005%. The only issue? Apple says that the Commission is making things up.
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In an interview with the Irish Independent, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained: "No one did anything wrong here and we need to stand together. Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable." As for the assertion that Apple was offered a 0.005% tax rate by Ireland, Cook calls it "total political crap."
"They just picked a number from I don't know where," Cook continued. "In the year that the Commission says we paid that tax figure, we actually paid $400m. We believe that makes us the highest taxpayer in Ireland that year."
Cook refutes the Commission's claim, Ireland is refusing to accept the "owed" taxes, the US government might consider launching an appeal against the ruling. In other words, a truly epic war is brewing between several massive entities, but through it all, Cook says that Apple is still committed to Ireland:
"It has not been diminished one iota, we are completely committed to Ireland. We view the team there is world-class. They do such incredible work for Apple and were moving forward with the planned investments."
We'll be keeping a close eye on this case in the coming weeks and months.
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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Australia has for years worried it might have to choose between China, a huge economic partner, and the United States, Canberras main defense partner. Now a U.S. Army Colonel has waded right into the middle of that debate, telling Australian radio that the country has to choose between trade with China and its long-term alliance with the United States.
I think the Australians need to make a choice, U.S. Army Col. Tom Hanson told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio on Thursday. Its very difficult to walk this fine line between balancing the alliance with the United States and the economic engagement with China. He went on, theres going to have to be a decision as to which one is more of a vital national interest for Australia.
Asked about the comments, Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Gary Ross told Foreign Policy that Hanson, the U.S. Army Pacific Assistant Chief of Staff, was expressing a personal view and his comment does not represent the views of DOD or the U.S. government.
The idea that Australia, or any country, needs to choose between its longstanding ties to the United States and its emerging links with China presents a false choice, Ross said. Australia has strong, multifaceted ties with its Pacific neighbors, including China, just as we seek the same.
But the notion isnt entirely fallacious. Australias natural resource export boom for years has fed Chinas industrial maw deepened the economic interdependence between the two countries, at least until Chinas recent slowdown. But an increasingly assertive China, especially its expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, has also sparked alarm throughout the region, including in Australia, which has beefed up its navy and is acquiring top-of-the-line submarines from France.
And Australia has long been a steady ally for the United States in Asia, sending troops to fight alongside American forces in Vietnam, and participating in more recent military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Aussies have also agreed to host about 1,500 Marines along with their helicopters and other heavy equipment in Darwin in northern Australia.
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The comments come at a critical time for the Australians, as the country is in the midst of a debate over how to navigate the transformation of China from a backward country to regional and even global powerhouse. The tricky balancing act is clear in terms of Chinese investment in Australia: Beijing has sought to assuage Aussie fears over its lease of the port of Darwin, next to where U.S. Marines will be stationed, but was just rebuffed from purchasing an electricity company due to national security concerns.
Former Prime Minister Paul Keating this week has lamented Canberras lack of a policy to accommodate Chinas rise.
Lately, Chinas heavy-handed style of diplomacy and willingness to play hardball with international laws and conventions in the South China Sea have complicated Canberras efforts to thread the diplomatic needle with Beijing.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop tried to play down Hansons comments, saying in a statement Thursday that we are balancing relationships between our largest strategic ally and our largest trading partner with deft diplomacy, consistency and pragmatism.
Photo Credit: JASON REED/AFP/Getty Images
When world leaders touch down in early September in the city of Hangzhou for this years G20 leaders summit, which China will they see? The one of glossy skylines, enviable growth statistics, and perfectly choreographed diplomatic exchanges? Or the one in which Chinas prominent human and civil rights lawyers are detained, forcibly disappeared, and prosecuted on charges of subversion? The one in which civil society groups aiding survivors of domestic violence and sexual harassment are abruptly shut down?
And will they see the ominous international trend emerging, of Chinese authorities and their agents abducting critics outside the mainland, then broadcasting some of their confessions on national television, while often denying their lawyers, family members, and in the cases of those who hold other citizenship even embassies access to them? To be fair, governments and international institutions have expressed concern about these trends. These actions undermine Chinas claim to be a rule of law society and run contrary Chinas human rights commitments and hinder its attempts to build a more transparent and effective justice system, commented the United States Department of State. The European Union agreed: These cases are part of a worrying trend and call into question Chinas respect for the rule of law and for its international human rights obligations, not least freedom of speech. And in March 2016, a dozen governments made a rare public joint statement to the U.N. Human Rights Council, claiming that these actions are in contravention of Chinas own laws and international commitments. Yet increasingly, these expressions of concern read more as statements of the painfully obvious. What they lack is clarity about what the United States, the European Union, or others will actually do in response to Chinas sharply escalating repression.
For more than a decade, the strategy of governments with an interest in human rights in China has been persuasion and even chumminess, punctuated periodically with public outrage at some particularly negative development, such as the imprisonment of the democracy advocate Liu Xiaobo, who was later awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. And sometimes, these governments have put forward logically coherent and instrumentally compelling arguments to appeal to Beijings interest in long-term stability. They cite the need for an independent judicial system, and the value of differing views to reach good policy decisions and of a predictable legal system for foreign and domestic investors. And, critically, they try to find, engage, and support the work of more reform-minded elements in the Chinese government, government representatives have told me privately.
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But those elements are much harder to identify under the harsh, doctrinaire rule of Chinese President Xi Jinping. And as sympathetic as those reformers may have been to more rights-respecting rule, since Xi ascended to the top of the ruling Communist Party in late 2012 they have not been in a position to see meaningful liberal reforms through the stifling one-party system.
Moreover, Beijing simply does not believe that respecting human rights will produce more peaceful, stable outcomes in the regions of Tibet or Xinjiang, or that tolerating peaceful criticism is critical to Chinas future. Increasingly, it construes all manner of behavior it does not like as a threat to national security. And while many governments recognize Beijings abusive trends, few are willing to consider leveling meaningful consequences in response, often privately lamenting their lack of leverage.
But the United States, the E.U., and others are able to find their voices and their leverage when Chinas conduct on national security or economic issues proves problematic. Do they wring their hands, fretting about Chinese leaders face as they often do when privately explaining why they dont engage in stronger public diplomacy on human rights issues when discussing Chinas sovereignty claims in the South China Seas? No; the U.S. deploys guided missile destroyers through those waters, proving a point about freedom of navigation. When Beijing or its agents hack large government-run databases of critical information, do governments limit themselves to raising these issues on the sidelines in a closed-door meeting? No; they summon to their capitals senior Chinese government officials and explain that, on the eve of a state visit, sanctions against individuals and organizations will ensue if the attacks dont stop. And indeed the attacks abate. Do major businesses and industries settle for their governments making statements about the investment and trade secrets hemorrhaged in China, or Chinese policies that disadvantage foreign companies? No; they take cases to the World Trade Organization, add requirements for reforms in China into bilateral investment treaties, and collectively push back against proposals such as indigenous innovation. These tactics require tenacity, confidence, and unity among companies and governments. While they certainly do not always work, in many cases they lead to changes in Chinese government policies, showing that it is possible to change Chinese officials calculus and behavior.
Decades of experience should make clear to Washington, Brussels, and others that Beijing responds only to the expectation of unpleasant consequences. Its hardly only their fault that the human rights situation in China has deteriorated, but its equally clear that their standard tools primarily private persuasion, occasionally public condemnation or modest engagement with Chinese officials have not produced the desired results.
For those countries who wish to effect positive change on human rights in China, Beijings desire for cooperation on issues ranging from counter-terrorism to anti-corruption and its integration into global economic and governance systems provide opportunities. If governments, the E.U., the U.N., and others are as serious about trying to improve the human rights situation in China as they claim to be, and are not just happy with a strong political or trade relationship, they should rethink their approach and consider the following entry points:
Beijings desire for international cooperation with its anti-corruption campaign: This signature campaign of Xis is made possible by systemic human rights violations. While some of those affected have engaged in massive corruption, the campaign is also a political one, aimed at Xis opponents in the Party. Beijing is increasingly pressuring governments around the world to hand over alleged fugitives. Yet a system of fair trials, particularly for those the government has determined to be guilty, is not on the horizon. Other governments should publicly decline all anti-corruption-related cooperation with China until it shows that it can provide due process consistent with international human rights standards.
Beijings desire for international cooperation with its counter-terror campaign: China has legitimate concerns about terrorism. But as organizations like Human Rights Watch (at which this author works Ed.) and others have pointed out for many years, Chinas abusive practices in the western region of Xinjiang may be a self-fulfilling prophecy, with both the local ethnic minority Uighurs and the majority Han paying a high price. While Beijing is using the fears of terrorism globally to persuade other countries to legitimize and cooperate in its domestic efforts to hand over alleged terrorists a term Beijing frequently applies to refugees and peaceful critics of the government and Party other governments should make it publicly clear that they will refuse to return any accused until China institutes effective and durable rights reforms in its justice system for dealing with these kinds of cases. Government officials have privately admitted that bilateral counterterrorism dialogues with China, its participation in summits on countering violent extremism, and engagement with the Ministries of Public and State Security accomplish little or nothing to change Beijings policies and practices. Nonetheless, Chinese authorities are eager to show off their purported cooperation with foreign governments as evidence of support for their approach. There is little to lose in conditioning such cooperation on Beijing making critical reforms to meet key standards: a willingness to provide credible evidence that terrorism suspects have committed genuine criminal offenses; that those charged, prosecuted, and convicted have enjoyed basic fair trial rights; and that significant progress toward eradicating torture and other ill-treatment of terror suspects has been made, among other things.
Beijings concerns about its long-term rule: While some aspects of Xis rule, including the anti-corruption campaign, are popular domestically, the Party faces growing internal dissent and public dismay about the slowing economy, income inequality, and a failure genuinely to tackle corruption. More than six decades into its rule, the Party has shown no intention of subjecting itself to a democratic election. Other governments that say they promote democracy and political participation should demonstrate this commitment and put pressure on Beijing by matching each meeting with a high-ranking Chinese official with a meeting with a civil society figure from China. Democracies should end their policy of China exceptionalism and start calling for free and fair elections at every opportunity, just as they do for countries like Burma and Cambodia. At the same time, governments should resist Beijings efforts to intimidate them into abandoning support for independent civil society across China as Beijing tries to remake that sector in its image. Some governments have underwritten technology that allows Internet users in China to vault over the Great Firewall of censorship; this helps access information about developments in China, such as information about the anti-corruption campaign, or major events like the 2015 protests in Hong Kong or Taiwans recent election.
Beijings dislike of public embarrassment: Why do governments fret so much about Chinese officials face? Chinese officials do not concern themselves with the face of the people they are torturing, imprisoning, or harassing. And why do those governments not seek to help those unlawfully detained and at risk of torture, by confronting their tormentors? From Xi downwards, the prospect of being publicly confronted in high-level meetings about the egregious treatment of specific individuals has proven an effective deterrent. No senior official from any rights-promoting government should fail to publicly call on his or her Chinese counterpart to release or cease the ill-treatment of a specific individual unjustly held. Heads of government considering attending the September G20 summit should publicly stipulate as a condition of their participation the release of high-profile political prisoners, such as Liu or Ilham Tohti, a Uighur economist serving a life sentence on baseless charges of separatism. Chinese ambassadors around the world should be called in regularly and asked explicitly to provide explanations about the missing Hong Kong booksellers and human rights lawyers, and about the ongoing harassment and prosecution of labor activists and feminist advocates. Conversely, like-minded ambassadors serving in Beijing should meet with civil society representatives from China who have sought respite in those countries. Such governments could also urge local parliamentary debates about existing human rights-related sanctions on China mostly stemming from the June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre to refresh the debate about tools available to governments.
Beijings quest for pomp to protect its power: Contemporary international politics offer few optics stranger than Xi presumably no great fan of monarchies alongside Queen Elizabeth II. Few of the Chinese officials at the September 2015 White House state dinner appeared eager to actually engage in discussions with other guests. Nevertheless, Beijing sees these kinds of high-wattage diplomatic interactions as essential to cementing Chinas status as a world power. Again, this creates an opportunity for governments concerned about human rights violations: dial down the pomp for the abusers, and dial it up for those trying to combat it. Imagine state dinners or summits in which China was represented not by abusive authoritarians who have never deigned to submit to a popular vote, but by individuals who work on legal and political reform, environmental policy, transparency, and genuine efforts to combat corruption; the images and the possible policy outcomes are compelling. Similarly, like-minded governments should carefully review their people to people initiatives to ensure that the participants are not exclusively those vetted by Beijing. Often, these exchanges matter far more to Beijing than they do to the other government in question, and are therefore a useful tool.
Beijings need for the rest of the world: For all the hostility directed toward the West, senior Chinese officials still urgently need and want regular access to the outside world. They need access to markets governed by robust institutions, they need access to free-thinking institutions of higher learning, they need second passports should blame for some domestic infraction come their way, and they need international banks in which to stash ill-gotten gains. There are numerous possibilities of more fine-grained approaches here. Many senior Chinese officials with long track records of presiding over human rights abuses have bank accounts outside the country that could be frozen; investors around the world should demand that Chinese companies investing abroad perform human rights due diligence and demonstrate they are addressing problems or otherwise face civil actions; known human rights abusers could be blocked from obtaining visas to travel abroad. Similarly, requiring greater transparency outside China of investments by Beijings sovereign wealth fund, the China Investment Corporation (CIC), might illuminate opportunities for leverage. From Burma to South Africa, tactics like these have helped stimulate positive change.
This more assertive stance on human rights may prompt a backlash of hostility from Beijing, or a wave of anti-Western sentiment. But its bluster should not obscure the extent to which China is already globally enmeshed and cannot simply withdraw in a fit of pique witness the volume of cash flooding out of the country, the long lines for visas at many embassies in China, and the numbers of people who have quietly obtained second passports or homes abroad.
No matter how well-intentioned, no matter how consistent, and no matter how passionately argued, efforts to persuade Beijing that its self-interest depends on better respect for human rights have failed. The regime in Beijing is bent on systematically crushing independent civil society, producing laws that provide the thinnest of legal veneers to the worst rights violations, and exporting its lawless behavior. Absent immediate, painful consequences to Beijing for its actions, no number of statements will stem the tide of abuse. And that leaves the country at greater risk of instability a frightening prospect for everyone.
Feng Li/Getty Images
Monrovia (AFP) - Liberia's parliamentary speaker stepped down on Thursday as police investigate allegations that he took a bribe worth $75,000 to facilitate the passage of legislation favourable to a British mining firm.
Speaker of the lower house Alex Tyler has been out on bail since his May arrest by police over the accusations, which were first made by campaign group Global Witness.
"The people of Liberia whom we serve, are looking to us for leadership and their interest and welfare should reign supreme above any individual or personal consideration," Tyler told journalists at a press conference.
"I am herewith recusing myself from presiding over the plenary of the House of Representatives so that the business of the Liberian people can be fully addressed," he added, describing his decision as the "ultimate sacrifice".
Global Witness alleged that Tyler was a key player in pushing through a 2010 law allowing the mining minister to declare some mineral concessions "non-bidding" areas that could be handed out without a tender process.
A payment was made to Tyler the same year by London-listed Sable Mining in return for his help, with the aim of securing potentially lucrative iron ore deposits, the group has claimed.
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 had until now refused to leave his post.
Since the allegations surfaced, at least half the members of Liberia's House of Representatives have refused to recognise Tyler's authority, and held separate sessions without him to register their discontent.
On Tuesday the disgruntled group of lawmakers were close to achieving the two-thirds super-majority of votes required to remove Tyler, placing extra pressure on his continued presence in the lower chamber.
"There are no winners when the nation's pride is at stake... For me it is not about Alex Jenekai Tyler," he told journalists.
Unity Party Chairman Varney Sherman and the former head of Liberia's National Investment Commission Richard Tolbert are also facing charges in connection with the affair.
Old Havana
Its the day many American travelers have been waiting for.
For the first time in more than 50 years, a scheduled commercial flight from the United States landed in Cuba. JetBlue (JBLU) flight 387 took off from Fort Lauderdale Airport at 9:45 am Wednesday with 150 passengers on board. The plane landed 51 minutes later at the Santa Clara airport, about 180 miles from Havana.
This historic moment comes about 20 months after President Obama announced that the US and Cuba were beginning the process of normalizing diplomatic relations. Since that announcement on Dec. 17, 2014, small changes have been made. Both countries opened embassies, direct mail service returned and cruises are now stopping in the small island nation. In fact, Carnivals May 1 cruise from the US to Cuba was the first since 1959.
JetBlue will fly from Ft. Lauderdale to Santa Clara three times a week until Oct.1. After that, the route will be available once a day. As for fares, they seem to be pretty affordable. After a quick search, we found several round trip tickets from Ft. Lauderdale to Santa Clara for around $300. Altogether, JetBlue plans to have up to seven daily flights to Cuba, including routes to cities like Havana, Camaguey and Holguin, which will begin in the fall.
The next major US carrier flying to Cuba will be American Airlines (AAL), which will begin service on Sept. 7 to Cienfuegos and Hoguin. American will add three more Cuba destinations by the end of the year.
The number of Americans visiting Cuba has steadily increased since the two countries started normalizing relations. In 2015, 161,000 American tourists visited the tiny island, up 77% from 2014. This year, 94,000 Americans visited Cuba from January to May alone.
With all of the headlines and hoopla, many of you might be thinking about planning a trip to Cuba. I had the opportunity to travel to Cuba in April, and had a memorable and eye-opening experience. Other than the lack of Wi-Fi, there are some things you should know about the island before you go. As you plan, here are some things to remember.
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Who can go:
The quiet streets of Camaguey
Before the US normalized relations with Cuba, travel to the island was only allowed under strict guidelines. Today tourist travel to Cuba is still prohibited for US citizens, which means you cant just go to Cuba to relax and sip rum and cokes on the beach. However, Americans can apply for a Cuban visa if their reason for travel fits in one of these 12 categories:
Family visits Official business of the US government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations Journalistic activity Professional research and professional meetings Educational activities Religious activities Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions Support for the Cuban people Humanitarian projects Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials Certain authorized export transactions.
Who determines what category you fall under? You do. When booking a trip, your airline or your travel agent will ask you to pick one of the 12 reasons for travel its kind of like an honor system. Some of the categories are obvious, like visiting family, and some like support the Cuban people are more vague. As someone who has gone through this process, I will say that none of the border agents in either country seemed concerned with why I was traveling. With that said, its always good to travel with documentation that can back up your story, like a letter from your church, flyer for an event, or the itinerary for your conference. Border agents are also more comfortable when you can provide an address for where youll be staying.
What to know:
Plaza Vieja in Havana
1. Obtain a tourist card
Every American traveler needs a visa, a.k.a. a tourist card, to travel to Cuba. JetBlue is offering tourists cards at check-in for $50 (this does not include visas for business or journalism).
American Airlines will also have Cuba ready booths located inside and outside of security at Miami International Airport where passengers can obtain a visa for a fee. The same service will be available when the airline starts flights from Charlotte to Havana.
Another easy way to get a visa is to book through a travel agency, like Cuba Travel Services, that will get one for you.
And finally, you can apply for a visa by sending photocopies of your travel documents and payment to the Cuban Consulate.
2. Cash is king
Currently, US-issued credit and debit cards do not work in Cuba. This means that tourists need to bring enough cash to cover expenses for the entire trip.
Its important to note that Cuba uses two forms of currency, the Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC), and the Cuban peso (CUP). CUCs are the more popular currency for travelers, and tourists can exchange dollars for them at any Cuban airport. Money can also be exchanged at Cadeca money exchanges within the city or at the front desk if youre staying at a hotel.
Know that exchanging US dollars will incur a 10% exchange fee. This fee doesnt apply to euros, pounds, or Canadian dollars, so if you want to avoid the surcharge, it might be strategic to convert your dollars to one of those currencies beforehand, and exchange it to CUCs once you arrive in Cuba.
Checked luggage thrown in a pile at Havanas airport
3. The airports are kind of a mess
US airlines are ramping up service to Cuba, but that doesnt mean the airports there are prepared for the additional traffic. In April I flew out the airport in Havana and was shocked at how chaotic the check-in process was. The lines were long, and it was hard to determine which queue belonged to which airline. When we finally got up to the counter, there was a mountain of checked luggage piling up behind the counter. It was unclear how they were going to ensure each bag would get to the appropriate destination on time. This experience taught me that its wise to avoid checking a bag if possible. And if you have to check, make sure to carry on anything valuable.
However, there is a silver lining. Earlier this month, Cuba announced its working with France to modernize the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. Officials from Aeroports de Paris, which runs Charles de Gaulle airport, will operate the airport under a concession contract, and the French company Bouygues Batiment International will handle construction. So while things might be a little chaotic now, the future of traveling to Cuban airports is looking better.
4. Choose souvenirs wisely
Cuban cigars are a luxury in the US, so its natural to want to stock up on them when visiting Cuba but dont get out of control. According to the US Department of Treasury, travelers can bring up to $100 worth of cigars back into the US. I stuck to this rule during my trip, but when I went through customs, it was very uneventful. The agent asked what I was bringing back, I said cigars, and he didnt ask how much or how many. He just let me pass. The rule may not be strictly enforced, but its probably a good idea to follow it anyway. In addition to $100 worth of tobacco, travelers can bring back up to $400 in personal goods and souvenirs.
My eclectic accommodations in Cienfuegos
5. Stay local, bring extra toiletries
There are plenty of hotels in Cuba, but many tourists opt to stay in B&Bs for a more local feel. In Cuba, these accommodations are called Casa Particulares (guest houses), and they are available in most major cities. Every casa particular I stayed in charged about 30 CUCs a night ($30 USD), and they threw in breakfast for an extra $5. Airbnb has exploded in Cuba, and many casas can now be rented on the site. There are other listing sites as well.
The accommodations are homey and simple, so dont expect much in the way of amenities. Bring your own toiletries, including soap and shampoo, because there wont likely be any in your room. Its also a nice gesture to bring extra toiletries and necessities for locals you meet along the way. The country still rations food and consumer products, so many people still struggle getting everyday household items. Bringing along a couple extra travel-size soaps, shampoos, lotions, shaving cream, and toothpaste can be a nice way to say thank you.
6. You wont be lost in translation
I traveled to six different cities in Cuba, and language was never really an obstacle. Most of the people I met knew at least a few words in English, and were able to point me in the right direction if I asked for a certain landmark. With that said, knowing some basic words in Spanish will be extremely helpful if youre traveling to Cuba. Id suggest brushing up on Spanish verbs with the app Duolingo, and using Google Translate when you get stumped.
7. Consider travel health insurance
Cuba has required visitors to have travel medical coverage since 2010. Cuban authorities wont let you leave the country if you have outstanding medical bills, so having coverage will protect you if you have a medical emergency. Every health insurance company has different rules concerning Cuba, so its important to check your plan before you leave the country. If you book a chartered flight through a travel agency, they often include coverage in the fare. JetBlue also has a similar policy.
If you do need to buy travel health insurance, find the right plan for you by checking out comparison sites like Squaremouth or InsureMyTrip.
Brittany is a writer at Yahoo Finance.
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PHOENIX After days of hints that he might soften his approach to appeal to more moderate voters, Donald Trump reiterated his hard-line proposals for tackling illegal immigration, insisting there would be no amnesty for those who come into the country illegally and proposing restrictions to limit legal immigration as well.
In a highly anticipated policy speech delivered before several thousand supporters packed into a convention hall here, the Republican presidential nominee bucked predictions that he might move to the middle on a divisive issue, reviving an aggressive approach to a policy issue that has driven his unlikely bid for the presidency.
Lamenting a broken system that has put Americas safety at risk, Trump doubled down on controversial proposals hes stated before, including his pledge to institute a values test for those seeking entry into the country to determine whether they truly love America and are willing to assimilate. He also vowed to crack down on those who overstay their visas and aggressively deport illegal immigrants who have been arrested for crimes even before they are convicted.
And contradicting aides who suggested he might dial back his proposal for a mass deportation of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country, Trump vowed there would be no citizenship offered to those who enter the U.S. illegally.
For those here illegally today who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only: To return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined today, the GOP presidential nominee declared. There will be no amnesty.
People will know that you cant just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized. Its not going to work that way. Those days are over, Trump later added.
And just hours after he sounded a more diplomatic tone during a quick jaunt to meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump reiterated his proposal to build a wall along the southern border of the U.S. and insisted, as he has at nearly every campaign rally in recent months, that Mexico would foot the bill 100 percent.
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They dont know it yet, but they are paying for it, Trump declared.
The GOP nominees comment came after he insisted during a press availability in Mexico City that he had not broached the subject of who would pay for the proposed border wall during his sit-down with the Mexican president.
His statement was later contradicted by Pena Nieto, who said in a message on Twitter that he had told Trump Mexico would not finance the wall. Trump did not directly mention the controversy, instead lavishing praise on the Mexican leader. But he appeared to hint at the dustup. Great people, great leaders, he said. Paying for the wall.
Trumps speech came after days of uncertainty during which the candidate and his aides appeared to waffle on his immigration approach. Over the past two weeks, Trump has publicly wavered back and forth about whether he would allow illegal immigrants already here a path to some form of legal status. In a Fox News interview last week, Trump notably softened his view, telling host Sean Hannity there would be no amnesty, but we will work with them.
Among other things, he suggested hes considering a plan that would allow those in the U.S. illegally to stay if they pay back taxes a proposal similar to those suggested by former GOP rivals Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio and even President Obama. Asked for clarification, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and other aides danced around the issue, insisting the GOP nominee plans to enforce the law, but do so in a humane way.
But in Arizona, Trump was back to being Trump, offering a rowdy crowd plenty of red meat in what was clearly a speech aimed at energizing his base. Even so, he seemed to offer mixed signals at times. After listing a litany of reforms hed like to accomplish, including building the wall and establishing a system of extreme vetting, which he said would weed out potential terrorists, Trump suggested only then would the country be able to consider how to address illegal immigrants in the nation contradicting his earlier statement of no path to citizenship for those already here.
In several years, when we have accomplished all of our enforcement goals and truly ended illegal immigration for good, including the construction of a great wall and the establishment of our new lawful immigration system, then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those who remain, Trump said. That discussion can only take place in an atmosphere in which illegal immigration is a memory of the past, allowing us to weigh the different options available based on the new circumstances at the time.
The back-and-forth suggests continued tension inside the Trump campaign as it plots a pathway to victory in November. A Trump adviser said the candidate and his aides are split over how to appeal to the independent and swing voters Trump desperately needs if he is to defeat his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, versus energizing his conservative supporters in what some believe could be a purely base election for both sides.
Since shaking up his campaign team earlier this month, Trump has tried to stay on message, delivering prepared remarks via teleprompter that included lines designed to appeal to African-Americans and Latinos two voting blocs where polls show he lags far behind Clinton. On Wednesday, Trump offered a few appeals to those groups, repeating his suggestion that Clintons lax policies toward immigration reform translate into fewer jobs and opportunities for blacks and Hispanics.
But mostly the speech, which was largely crafted by senior aide Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon, the former Breitbart News chief who is now CEO of the Trump campaign, was an address aimed at Trumps base.
At one point, Trump warned ominously of an influx of lawlessness if the nations borders arent strengthened, and he warned that he is the nations last hope.
This election is our last chance to secure the border, stop illegal immigration and reform our laws to make your life better, Trump said. This is it. We wont get another opportunity. It will be too late.
~
Several of Donald Trumps most prominent Hispanic supporters are reconsidering their support following his major speech on immigration Wednesday.
Jacob Monty, an attorney based in Houston, resigned from the Republican candidates National Hispanic Advisory Council after hearing the speech in Phoenix, Politico reported early Thursday morning.
I was a strong supporter of Donald Trump when I believed he was going to address the immigration problem realistically and compassionately, Monty told the news site. What I heard today was not realistic and not compassionate.
After weeks of toying with softening his deportation-based approach to illegal immigration, the GOP nominee on Wednesday gave a speech in which he embraced the hard-line policies and incendiary rhetoric that defined his primary campaign. He said that anyone in the United States illegally would be subject to deportation and vowed to bolster security at the U.S.-Mexico border.
For many Hispanic conservatives like Monty, who had advocated passionately for Trump, the speech was not merely a disappointment, but a betrayal. They hoped the candidate would lay out a plan for dealing humanely with the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country, especially those with no involvement in violent crime.
Trumps support among Latino voters is far beneath that of past Republican candidates, according to public polls, which presents a unique challenge for the mogul as he seeks to win key states like Florida, Nevada and Colorado with large Hispanic constituencies. On Thursday, Democrat Hillary Clintons campaign began to run ads in Arizona, a historically Republican state but with a large number of Latino voters.
Monty told the Texas Tribune that Trumps speech was a complete betrayal to Republican ideals and his [commitments] made and that Republicans need to reclaim our party from the [nativist] elements.
When asked if hed continue raising money for Trump, Monty replied, No way Jose It is pouring money down the drain.
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Monty was one of the Latino leaders who attended the Aug. 20 meeting in Trump Tower where the billionaire mogul reportedly softened his tone on illegal immigration.
When we met [earlier in August], he was going to approach this issue with a realistic plan, a compassionate plan, with a plan that was not disruptive to the immigrants that were here that were not lawbreakers, Monty told Politico. He didnt deliver any of that.
Similarly, Alfonso Aguilar, the president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, told Politico that he was inclined to drop his support for Trump after this weeks big speech.
Its so disappointing because we feel we took a chance, a very risky chance, he said. We decided to make a big U-turn to see if we could make him change. We thought we were moving in the right direction were disappointed. We feel misled.
Data analyst Leslie Sanchez, who specializes in public opinion research for elections and the Hispanic-Latino marketplace, works closely with the Republican Party. She said sources told her that half of Trumps Hispanic advisory board was eyeing the door on Thursday.
Hispanic leader who advises Trump camp telling me half of Trumps Hispanic advisory board is ready to resign today (15 of 30) Leslie Sanchez (@LeslieSanchez) September 1, 2016
Massey Villarreal, a businessman in Houston, told NBC Latino that he was finished supporting Trump after Wednesday nights awful speech.
As a compassionate conservative, I am disappointed with the immigration speech, he said. Im going to flip, but not flop. I am no longer supporting Trump for president, but cannot with any conscience support Hillary [Clinton].
~
Donald Trump, a crafty businessman and negotiator, has shown a knack over the past year for shifting his views to capitalize on the political zeitgeist and getting himself out of a sticky thicket.
He bobbed and weaved after publicly suggesting that women should be punished for undergoing an illegal abortion. He backed down after calling for a total ban on Muslims entering the country to reduce the threat of a terrorist attack. And he modified his idea of prioritizing the governments payments to creditors to get a better handle on the burgeoning public debt.
Related: The Big Winners in the Trump-Clinton Race: Hatred, Prejudice and Voter Disgust
Its possible, of course, that Trumps speech Wednesday night against illegal immigration and his doubling down on tracking down and deporting the 11 million or so undocumented aliens living in this country could be modified or amended before the Nov. 8 election.
Trumps tone and rhetoric shocked some at times, as the former reality TV superstar railed against illegal immigrants who mooch off government programs. He denounced refugees from Syria and Libya for posing a dangerous terrorist threat. He called for the extreme vetting of immigrant applicants, including what amounts to a loyalty test of sorts, by investigating their politics and religious beliefs. And he piled up more proposals for tightening border enforcement and rooting out immigrants who have overstayed their visas.
Trump is capable of turning on a dime and toning down his rhetoric, as he did during his high-profile meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City yesterday afternoon and again this morning during a speech to the American Legion in Cincinnati.
But with fewer than 70 days remaining in his campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton, time is quickly running out, and it may be too late for another redo of his policies before voters go to the polls. With so much media and campaign hype about his Phoenix address, Trumps speech must now be viewed as the definitive statement on his immigration policies and how he would proceed as the next president.
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Related: Trumps New Plan for Illegal Immigrants: Like Obamas, but With More Energy
By encouraging and even fueling that buildup with TV appearances and a town hall, Trump has finally set his often elusive immigration policies in concrete. Now he must live with the political consequences, for better or worse.
Already there are indications that in his eagerness to placate activists in his largely white conservative political base who fretted for days that Trump may be waffling on immigration, the billionaire may have shot himself in the foot.
Whit Ayres, a veteran Republican pollster and political adviser who backed Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida during the GOP presidential primaries, said that it may now be impossible for Trump to piece together a winning coalition in November, even while the polls show him closing in on Clinton.
He went back to square one, where his uncompromising tone on immigrants and illegal immigration is locked in even more so than before, Ayres said in an interview today. Thats going to make it virtually impossible to expand his Hispanic support. Consequently, it will also make it difficult for him to expand his vote among African Americans, Asians, and other non-white minorities.
Related: Is Trump Dumping His Plan to Deport 11 Million Illegal Immigrants?
He spent the entire time in his Phoenix speech preaching to the converted, Ayres added.
In his speech to a wildly enthusiastic gathering of supporters in Phoenix, Trump outlined in detail his ten-point plan for ridding the U.S. of what he characterized as the scourge of illegal immigration.
The shorthand summary of his proposals includes:
Build a security wall along the 2,000-mile southern border and forcing Mexico to pay for it.
Cut off federal funding to sanctuary cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco that provide aid to illegal immigrants.
End catch and release practices of border security forces that allow illegal immigrants repeated tries to enter the country.
Deport an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, many who have lived in the U.S. for years without causing trouble.
Rule out amnesty or a path to legal status or citizenship.
Trumps plan also would target hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants convicted of crimes for immediate expulsionan exact replica of the Obama administrations deportation strategy. Of the 4.4 million illegal immigrants deported between 2001 and 2014, 67 percent were criminals. (See chart below.)
Related: Why the Stock Market Is Rooting for Hillary Clinton to Win
For a while last week, Trump generated considerable buzz in appearances with Sean Hannity of Fox News in which he seemed to hint that he was suddenly flexible on the deportation question and whether some generally law-abiding undocumented immigrants who paid back taxes and kept their noses clean might be allowed to remain in the U.S. and qualify for legal status.
But during his rousing hour and a half speech last night in Arizona a hotbed of pro-Trump, anti-immigration Republican activism Trump swept away any serious suggestion that he would compromise. That immediately put him at odds with the increasingly powerful bloc of Hispanic voters and more moderate Republicans and GOP-leaning independents who have steadily grown more alarmed by Trumps inflammatory, nationalistic rhetoric and threats.
As with any law enforcement activity, we will set priorities, he said last night. But unlike this administration, no one will be immune or exempt from enforcement. Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation -- that is what it means to have laws and to have a country. Otherwise, we dont have a country.
On the question of whether any illegal immigrants would have a chance to gain legal status or citizenship without having to leave the country and formally apply for re-entry from their country of origin, Trump made it clear they would be out of luck. Those seeking legal status have one route and one route only, Trump said, and that begins with leaving the U.S.
We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration, he said. There will be no amnesty. Our message to the world will be this. You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country. Cant do it.
Related: Are Stocks Ready for a Trump Victory?
For more than a year, Trump has been talking about ridding the country of illegal immigrants especially those who have committed violent crimes and even murder of innocent Americans. During his speech last night, he called to the stage a half dozen or so people who lost their children or other relatives to the violent acts of illegal immigrants.
His declarations and proposals overshadowed the more reasonable policy prescriptions of many of his GOP primary rivals, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former Sen. Marco Rubio (now running again for Senate) and even arch-conservative Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Immigration reform became Trumps signature issue, and he rode it to victory across the country and all the way to the GOP national convention in Cleveland this summer.
That hard-edged served Trump well during the primaries, especially in border states such as Arizona and Texas, as well as throughout the South and Midwest. But his scorched earth approach to immigration became problematic as a strategy in the general election campaign, as both parties attempt to cast as wide a net as possible.
Related: 5 Reasons the Trump Immigration Plan Doesnt Pass the Reality Test
In 2013, Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus produced a 100-page autopsy of what went wrong for the GOP in the 2012 election when President Obama soundly defeated Republican nominee Mitt Romney. The problem, he concluded, was that the number of white voters in the party was shrinking and that it was unlikely the Republicans could win another election without substantially more support from Hispanics and blacks.
By far, George W. Bush had the best showing among Hispanics in 2004 when he won 44 percent of the Latino vote on his way to a reelection victory. In 2012, Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, won just 27 percent of Hispanics in his losing bid against Obama.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center shows that in a two-way race against Clinton, just 24 percent of Hispanic registered voters would support Trump. And Trump has done worse in other similar surveys.
Even if Trump were able to match Bushs showing among Latinos, it wouldnt be enough to win the popular vote and carry the election in light of fast-changing demographics.
Related: Could the New Zika Outbreak Sink Trumps Chances in Florida?
Whats more, most Americans including Republicans strongly disagree with Trumps heavy-handed approach to immigration reform. A new Fox News poll shows that when voters are presented with a choice, they favor the creation of a system for illegal immigrants working in the U.S. to become legal residents instead of deporting them by a whopping margin of 77 percent to 19 percent.
That same poll shows that those who support a path to legalization favor Clinton over Trump by 18 percentage points. Clinton led Trump narrowly, by two points, in the overall contest.
Finally, Politico is reporting that several of Trumps most prominent Hispanic surrogates say they are reconsidering their support in the wake of the Phoenix speech, while Jacob Monty, a member of Trumps National Hispanic Advisory Council, has resigned.
I was a strong supporter of Donald Trump when I believed he was going to address the immigration problem realistically and compassionately, said Monty, a Houston lawyer. What I heard today was not realistic and not compassionate.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Thursday insisted his country would not relax its contested anti-terror laws, a key condition laid down by the European Union for giving Turks visa-free access to the bloc.
Yildirim pointed to the series of terror attacks that have rocked Turkey in the past year in telling visiting EU Parliament chief Martin Schulz the government would maintain its hardline stance.
"We have made it clear to the European Union and Mr Schulz that we cannot amend our anti-terror laws under the current circumstances. It is a matter of life or death for us," Yildirim told a joint news conference with Schulz.
The EU in March reached a deal with Turkey to halt the mass flow of migrants across the Mediterranean in return for a set of incentives, including billions of euros in aid for refugees on Turkish soil and visa-free EU access for Turkish citizens.
But before scrapping the visa requirement, the EU says Ankara must amend its draconian security laws, which have been used to carry out a sweeping crackdown on critics of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In quotes translated from German to Turkish, Schulz admitted to differences on the issue but said a workaround could maybe be found.
His visit to Ankara was the first by a top EU official since Turkey's bloody July 15 failed coup, which the authorities have blamed on supporters of US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Ankara's relations with Brussels have deteriorated sharply since the coup attempt.
The EU has expressed particular alarm at the mass purges of the security forces, judiciary, media and academia that followed the putsch. Tens of thousands of civil servants have been fired and dozens of journalists have been detained.
- 'Unwavering support' -
Schulz said that the EU was surprised by the speed with which Turkey rounded up thousands of suspects but said some of his questions had been answered during the Ankara talks.
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A frustrated Turkey has lashed out at Europe for what it sees as its lack of solidarity in the wake of the coup.
Erdogan accused the West of supporting the "terrorist" coup plotters who sought to unseat him.
Ankara also reacted angrily to an EU warning that any move by Turkey to reinstate the death penalty would jeopardise EU membership talks. Erdogan suggested he could bring back capital punishment but the government later rowed back from the threat.
Schulz said the quality of a democracy was measured by its respect for freedom of the press and free speech and urged Turkey to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights.
On his official Twitter account, he lauded his "constructive discussions" with the Turkish premier and reiterated the European Parliament's "unwavering support" for Turkey's democracy.
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish jets killed three Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in southeastern Turkey near the border with Iraq in air strikes on Thursday, the military said. The strikes near the town of Cukurca in a mountainous part of the border province of Hakkari come after a series of attacks launched by the PKK, which has fought a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy in southeastern Turkey. A ceasefire broke down just over a year ago. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Nick Tattersall)
In todays TV news roundup, Netflix released the first images for the upcoming series Haters Back Off starring Colleen Ballinger as Miranda Sings. Also, Disney XD greenlit the second season of MECH-X4 ahead of the series premiere.
DEVELOPMENT
Disney XD has ordered a second season of the sci-fi adventure series MECH-X4, ahead its two-episode debut on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. Newcomer Nathaniel James Potvin stars as Ryan Walker, a student who discovers he is able to control technology with his mind. The series also includes Raymond Cham (Teen Beach 2), Kamran Lucas (Girl Meets World), Pearce Joza (Lab Rats) and Alyssa Jirrels (Girl Meets World). MECH-X4 is created and executive produced by Steve Marmel (Sonny with a Chance), with Anupam Nigam (Defiance) and Brian Hamilton (Robson Arms) also serving as executive producers.
ABC announced on Thursday that the network will air a two-hour program of music, dance and the spoken word called Taking the Stage Changing America to honor the unveiling of the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture. Executive produced by Don Mischer and Quincy Jones, along with Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare, the broadcast will include dignitaries, athletes and artists from around the world to explore and celebrate African-American contributions to the global landscape. The program will also feature exclusive footage at some of the museums collections. Taking the Stage Changing America will be filmed Sept. 23 and will air during the 2016-17 television season.
FIRST LOOK
The first images of the upcoming Netflix series Haters Back Off were released by the company on Thursday. The series stars Colleen Ballinger as her iconic YouTube persona Miranda Sings, and explores the peculiar life of the self-proclaimed quadruple threat. The show will also include Steve Little (Eastbound & Down), Angela Kinsey (The Office) and Erik Stocklin (Mistresses). Haters Back Off is scheduled to premiere on Friday, Oct. 14.
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Libreville (AFP) - Two people were killed and more than a dozen injured as Gabon security forces stormed the opposition's headquarters early Thursday, as violence swept the capital after President Ali Bongo was declared the winner of contested polls.
Thousands of angry protesters took to the streets of Libreville accusing the government of stealing the election after Bongo won a second term by a thin margin over rival Jean Ping.
Gunfire crackled across the city and plumes of smoke billowed from the torched parliament building as anti-government protesters clashed with heavily armed security forces, injuring at least six other people.
Security forces surrounded the opposition headquarters overnight and stormed the building, killing two and injuring more than a dozen there, a source inside the building told Ping.
"They attacked around 1:00 am (0000 GMT). It is the Republican Guard. They were bombarding with helicopters and then they attacked on the ground. There are 19 people injured, some of them very seriously," said Ping, who was not at the party headquarters himself.
The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling tear gas canisters and had opened fire.
"For nearly an hour the building has been surrounded. They want to enter the building... it is extremely violent," he said shortly after the siege began.
A government spokesman said the operation was to catch "criminals" who had earlier set fire to the parliament building.
"Armed people who set fire to the parliament had gathered at Jean Ping's headquarters along with hundreds of looters and thugs... they were not political protesters but criminals," said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze.
A heavy military and police presence had brought large parts of Libreville to a standstill and internet access has also been cut.
"We have said that the people of Gabon are in danger. They (the international community) should come and help us against the clan (of Bongo)," Ping told AFP.
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Results of the presidential election were announced Wednesday afternoon, handing Bongo a second term and extending the nearly five decade-long rule by his family.
The results -- which gave Bongo 49.8 percent to Ping's 48.23 percent -- remain "provisional" until they are approved by the constitutional court.
- Lack of transparency -
The opposition has described the election as fraudulent and called for voting results from each of Gabon's polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of overall outcome -- a demand echoed by the United States and European Union.
"This will help give the people of Gabon -- as well as the international community -- confidence the announced vote tallies are accurate," US State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
EU observers, who were barred from the meeting of the electoral commission on Wednesday, said the vote on Saturday was "managed in a way that lacked transparency".
Opposition delegates in the electoral commission have vowed to fight for a recount.
Any appeal by Ping -- a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official who had earlier declared himself the poll winner -- would likely focus on disputed results in Haut-Ogooue province, the heartland of Bongo's Teke ethnic group.
In Saturday's vote, turnout was 59.46 percent nationwide but soared to 99.93 percent in Haut-Ogooue, where Bongo won 95.5 percent of votes.
"It's going to be difficult to get people to accept these results," one member of the electoral commission confided to AFP, asking not to be named.
"We've never seen results like these, even during the father's time," he added.
Bongo took power in 2009 in a violence-marred election that followed the death of his father Omar Bongo, who had ruled the oil-rich former French colony for 41 years.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for calm and expressed concern over the clashes and reports of arson, urging political leaders "to address their differences peacefully and to address any disputes they may have through existing constitutional and legal channels", the UN said in a statement.
Gabon is a former French colony that has been hit by the global slump in the price of crude oil, its biggest export.
One third of Gabon's population lives in poverty, despite the country boasting one of Africa's highest per capita incomes at $8,300 (7,400 euros) thanks to pumping 200,000 barrels of oil a day.
Bongo, 57, campaigned under the slogan "Let's change together", playing up the roads and hospitals built during his first term and stressing the need to break with the bad old days of disappearing public funds and suspect management of oil revenues.
TLC is staying in the scripted space.
The Discovery-owned cable network has renewed its first scripted original series, Too Close to Home, for a second season, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The series hails from prolific producer Tyler Perry and was picked up to series at TLC in March. The series launched last month on TLC as well as sister network OWN, which is home to four of Perry's original series, grabbing a combined 4.2 million viewers for the premiere airings.
Read more: TLC Greenlights Tyler Perry Drama as First Scripted Series (Exclusive)
"Our audience was ready for a move into the scripted space, and Too Close to Home has whet their appetite to see more. More twists, more heartbreak and certainly more of Tyler Perry's notoriously dramatic writing," TLC president and general manager Nancy Daniels said.
The series centers on a successful young woman working in Washington D.C. who must confront her checkered past after an alleged affair with the president. The series stars Danielle Savre, Brock O'Hurn, Kelly Sullivan, Brad Benedict, Brooke Anne Smith, Alpha Trivette, Trisha Rae Stahl, Robert Craighead, Annie Thrash, Curran Walters and Derrick Gilbert, with Heather Locklear recurring as the first lady. Perry exec produces through his Tyler Perry Studios.
The second season of Too Close to Home will bow sometime in 2017.
The success of Too Close to Home is a needed win at TLC, which has seen its ratings fall in the last year.
Daniels specifically reached out to Perry -- after getting the OK from the executives at OWN -- about a series with the belief that his knack for soapy stories would be a good fit for the network. "This is an experiment for us, but when you go with somebody like Tyler it's a safer bet," Daniels told THR in March.
Too Close to Home airs Mondays at 9 p.m.
(Recasts throughout)
By Timothy Mclaughlin and P.J. Huffstutter
CHICAGO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which closed offices in five states on Tuesday after receiving anonymous email threats, said all of its facilities would be reopened by Thursday.
The agency opened most of the offices on Wednesday after security was beefed up at the locations, department spokesman Matthew Herrick said in a statement.
The USDA continues to work with local and federal authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to determine the seriousness of the threats, Herrick said.
The Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices in Hamden, Connecticut, as well as the USDA office in Leetown, West Virginia, would reopen on Thursday, Herrick said.
He said the reopening of those offices was delayed because additional time was needed to get "security enhancements in place for a safe and secure opening or to make official notifications to union representatives."
Herrick added that he would have no further updates and referred questions on the investigation to the FBI. Carol Cratty, an FBI spokeswoman, declined to offer further information.
The closures were triggered by one email message sent to multiple employees at USDA offices in Hamden and Leetown, along with offices in Fort Collins, Colorado; Beltsville, Maryland; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Kearneysville, West Virginia, Herrick said on Tuesday.
In West Virginia, Jefferson County Sheriff Pete Dougherty told Reuters that his office was notified of the threat on Monday by a USDA employee in the Kearneysville facility in the northeastern part of the state.
"They were going to break into the building," Dougherty said.
He said the emailed threat did not name the facility specifically, and was similar to, or the same as, electronic threats sent to other facilities.
A number of universities were also threatened this week, school officials said.
(Reporting by Timothy McLaughlin and P.J. Huffstutter in Chicago; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Tom Brown)
By Alex Dobuzinskis
(Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld federal regulations that prevented a woman with a medical marijuana card from buying a firearm in Nevada, in a ruling that cited the government's interest in preventing gun violence.
In upholding a lower-court ruling, a three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals set a legal precedent that lower courts in the western U.S. states under the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit must follow in similar cases.
The lawsuit was brought by S. Rowan Wilson, who in 2011 obtained a medical marijuana card in Nevada and a few months later sought to buy a firearm in the small town of Mound House.
The firearms dealer, who knew Wilson had a medical marijuana card, refused to sell her the gun, according to court papers.
Like other firearms dealers, he had received a directive from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) advising dealers against selling guns to medical marijuana users, according to court papers.
Medical marijuana is allowed in Nevada and more than 20 other U.S. states, but the drug remains banned under federal law.
Wilson, who claimed she had a medical marijuana card but did not use the drug, filed a lawsuit in Nevada against the federal government, claiming her rights under the U.S. Constitution were violated by the ATF letter to gun dealers.
In 2014, a district court judge granted a motion from federal attorneys to dismiss the case, prompting Wilson to appeal the decision. The Ninth Circuit panel upheld the lower-court's decision to throw out the case.
The appeals court, in a 30-page opinion from Judge Jed Rakoff, acknowledged Wilson's right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution had been infringed to some extent.
But it said the government had a "substantial interest" in preventing gun violence by seeking to prevent drug users from possessing firearms and that it was reasonable to assume someone with a medical pot card would use the drug.
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"It is beyond dispute that illegal drug users, including marijuana users, are likely ... to experience altered or impaired mental states that affect their judgment and that can lead to irrational or unpredictable behavior," Rakoff wrote in the opinion.
A representative for the National Rifle Association could not immediately be reached for comment.
"Seriously ill patients who use medical marijuana should be treated the same as patients who use any other doctor-approved medication," the Marijuana Policy Project said in a statement.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Bill Rigby)
By Laurie Goering LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - China and the United States are expected to give the Paris climate change agreement a big push forward as the world's largest economies gather for the G20 summit this weekend, including potentially jointly announcing their ratification of the deal and action to curb fossil fuel subsidies, experts say. With China which has shown growing international leadership on climate change hosting the summit for the first time, "we can expect climate and energy to be front and center", said Joanna Lewis, a specialist at Georgetown University on energy and environmental issues in China. The Sept. 4-5 summit is also the last for U.S. President Barack Obama, who hopes to cement action on climate change as one of his legacy issues, experts say. China and the United States, the worlds two biggest contributors to climate change, have made a joint political push to drive action on the problem since 2014, when they made their targets for the Paris agreement public at the same time. "The U.S. and China are poised to lead the way in the G20 (on climate action) so other countries will follow, Lewis told journalists by telephone. But with China still accounting for more than half of the worlds coal use, and G20 countries so far committed to only a sixth of the emissions cuts needed to hold global temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius, as agreed in Paris, much more needs to be done, said Lutz Weischer, head of international climate policy at Germanwatch, an advocacy group that tracks climate action. In particular, planned new coal-fired power plants within the G20 would nearly double coal capacity if built, and would make it "virtually impossible" to keep warming even to 2 degrees, said a report issued Thursday by the Climate Transparency consortium. In the real world, there is still a long way to go, particularly for the G20, and they need to reflect that in a more serious way, Weischer told journalists. Li Shuo, a climate and energy specialist with Greenpeace East Asia, said China in particular should commit to more ambitious carbon-cutting goals under the Paris agreement, as the countrys progress suggests it could start decreasing its emissions by 2020 rather than 2030, its current goal. Climate change will be far from the only issue on the G20s plate at talks on Sunday and Monday. Other challenges - from the slowing world economy to terrorism, refugees and political uncertainty in members such as Britain, the European Union and Brazil will likely be at the forefront. But with China expected to meet its Paris climate commitment to peak emissions ahead of schedule, as it slowly reduces its use of coal and pushes hard on renewable energy investment, experts say it is likely to use the summit as a way to highlight its successes and pressure others. PARIS MOMENTUM G20 countries produce about 80 percent of climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions, with China and the United States alone responsible for 38 percent, noted Andrew Steer, president of the World Resources Institute (WRI). Getting more G20 members to ratify the Paris climate deal could boost momentum for it to take effect early, perhaps even by the end of this year or early next, he added. That is considered increasingly important as the world continues to break temperature records on an almost monthly basis and struggles with more extreme weather, worsening coral bleaching, and other impacts that suggest climate change is advancing faster than anticipated. For the milestone Paris climate agreement to come into effect, 55 countries representing 55 percent of the worlds emissions must ratify it. So far 23 countries have done so, but 55 nations accounting for 58 percent of emissions have indicated they will approve the deal by the end of the year, said Andrew Light, a senior fellow at WRI and a former U.S. State Department climate adviser. The U.S., China and others have said they will meet this timeline. The question is whether all G20 countries will make a similar commitment, he said. Countries such as Brazil and Ukraine are now going through domestic steps toward ratification, he said, though getting the deal approved in the European Union will be more complex, as every member state needs to agree first. SUBSIDIES DEADLINE? G20 countries which represent 82 percent of the worlds GDP - are also facing pressure to declare a deadline to phase out the fossil fuel subsidies they provide, which critics say hurt investment in clean energy and slow efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels. In recent days, investors managing $13 trillion and insurers handling more than $1.2 trillion in assets have called for G20 countries to announce a deadline to end the subsidies. Climate change... represents the mother of all risks to business and to society as a whole, warned Mark Wilson, CEO of insurer Aviva, in a statement. And that risk is magnified by the way in which fossil fuel subsidies distort the energy market. Leaders in the G20 agreed in 2009 to phase out fossil fuels, but are yet to set a firm date, although G7 leaders have said they would do so by 2025, as part of a broader agreement announced last year to decarbonize the global economy. Some 30 countries around the world have taken steps to cut subsidies in the last three years, from India, which eliminated diesel subsidies in 2014, to Germany, which aims to remove coal subsidies by 2018, said Helen Mountford, programme director for the New Climate Economy initiative and a WRI economist. China is also expected to push at the summit for broader action on green finance, to help ensure that more of the anticipated $90 trillion-worth of new infrastructure to be built by 2030 is low-carbon, Steer said. If were to move from todays high-carbon, low-efficiency world economy to tomorrows high-efficiency, low-carbon world economy, quite a lot needs to shift, he said. (Reporting by Laurie Goering; editing by Megan Rowling; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate)
By Lawrence Delevingne
NEW YORK, Sept 1 (Reuters) - TPG-Axon Capital Management is shutting its office in Hong Kong, where it employs 10 people, and ending its presence in Tokyo in the coming months, according to a letter sent to investors that was seen by Reuters and a person familiar with the situation.
The stock-focused hedge fund firm, led by Dinakar Singh, has approximately 45 staff in total, spread between Hong Kong and New York, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the information is private. Of the staff, 15 are investment analysts or traders. No employees are based in Tokyo.
"The increasing volatility of the environment for fundamental investing means that the negatives of having too many people and too much exposure have increased dramatically, tipping the balance towards 'smaller and simpler,'" Singh wrote in the letter, which was sent Wednesday evening.
The firm will retrench to New York, though Singh wrote that he remains committed to global investing, including in Asia. The firm previously shut an office in London.
TPG-Axon managed approximately $1.6 billion in assets as of July 31, the person said. That is down from $2.4 billion in July 2015 and about $13 billion in early 2008. The firm was founded in 2004 by Singh, a former co-head of the principal strategies investment unit at Goldman Sachs.
Returns for TPG-Axon's hedge funds this year were unclear, but Singh noted "performance deterioration" in the portfolio in the letter, implying losses.
"Despite the turbulence of this year," he wrote, "I remain convinced that our fundamental analysis has led to a portfolio of stocks that are highly dislocated and with significant return potential."
Top U.S. stock holdings as of June 30, according to a public filing, included Allergan, Adeptus Health and GNC Holdings Inc.
(Reporting by Lawrence Delevingne; Editing by Carmel Crimmins and Leslie Adler)
By Joseph Ax
NEW YORK (Reuters) - For weeks, some U.S. Islamic leaders worried that the Eid al-Adha holiday would fall on Sept. 11, raising the possibility that some non-Muslims would misinterpret celebrations occurring on the solemn anniversary of the al Qaeda attacks of 2001.
Those fears dissipated on Thursday when Saudi Arabian religious authorities announced that the holiday would take place on Sept. 12.
"At least it doesn't give an excuse for the Islam haters to falsely claim that Muslims were celebrating on 9/11," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on Islamic Relations. "That was the concern."
Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice the life of his son for God. The timing of the holiday depends on when the new moon is seen at the start of the Dhu al-Hijjah month, according to the Islamic calendar.
CAIR and other Muslim groups have repeatedly expressed concern about a surge in hate crimes against Muslims in the wake of attacks by extremists in San Bernardino, California, Orlando, Florida, and elsewhere.
"The safety concerns are almost daily issues now," Hooper said, noting the recent killing of a New York imam and the stabbing of a Muslim woman in the city on Wednesday night.
The suspect in the imam slaying pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday to murder charges.
(Editing by Frank McGurty and Dan Grebler)
By Katy Migiro NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The La Nina weather phenomenon is likely to worsen drought and hunger in Somalia, especially in the north where many people and their animals are migrating in search of water after four failed rainy seasons, the United Nations said on Thursday. La Nina, characterized by unusually cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, is predicted to bring further hardship to swathes of east and southern Africa already hit by the El Nino weather phenomenon. El Nino, a warming of the Pacific Ocean, brought severe drought to northern parts of Somalia, like Puntland and Somaliland, and floods to southern and central areas. "The situation could further worsen in the likelihood of a La Nina event," the United Nations (U.N.) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest bulletin. "The outlook for Puntland compounds an already dire situation with the food security situation for southern and central Somalia also increasingly worrying." Somalia's 2011 famine, in which 260,000 people died, was partly the result of a significant La Nina following El Nino. Four out of 10 Somalis -- some 4.7 million people -- already need humanitarian aid, the United Nations said, amid conflict between the Islamist militant group al Shabaab and the African Union-backed government. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) predicts La Nina will last throughout Somalia's October to January short rainy season, known as the Deyr. This could increase hunger and migration, the United Nations said, as poor rains have already destroyed crops and reduced the opportunity for people to earn money as farm laborers. The August harvest is likely to be 30 percent to 50 percent below average in southern and central Somalia due to poor Gu rains between April and July, the United Nations said. "The food security situation in southern and central and northeastern parts of Somalia is expected to deteriorate in the coming months with more people facing acute food insecurity," it 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.)
By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats would not agree to postponing completion of this year's spending legislation until 2017, the chamber's top Democrat said on Thursday, warning the majority Republicans against considering such an approach when Congress returns next week. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid spoke after some conservative groups outside Congress earlier this week said it would be better for lawmakers not to finish a government appropriations bills until early 2017, when there will be a new president who could work out a deal with a newly elected Congress. The lawmakers return to work next week from a lengthy recess with appropriations bills unfinished for the coming fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. By law, lawmakers must act by Sept. 30 to approve the spending bills, or the government shuts down, as it did for two weeks in 2013 when appropriations bills had not been enacted in time. In a conference call with reporters, Reid said he worried that "we're headed straight for another unnecessary government shutdown" unless action is taken. Congress could pass a stop-gap continuing resolution that would keep the government running at current spending levels until next year, postponing final appropriations decisions until then without shutting down the government. Reid said Democrats favored approving a shorter stop-gap bill that would let lawmakers return to Washington later this year - presumably after the Nov. 8 election - to finish spending bills. "But we are not doing anything into next year," he said. "And the Republicans should be made aware of that right now." Reid said he had met with President Barack Obama on Wednesday, implying Obama endorsed his stance. Although Democrats are in the minority in both the Senate and House, rules requiring a supermajority for many Senate actions give Democrats significant leverage. More than two dozen conservative groups wrote to lawmakers this week saying they were worried that Congress would use what is called a "lame duck" session immediately after the election to tack on additional spending and corporate welfare provisions to the appropriations bills. Among other things, Congress has not been able to decide how much to spend to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The Republican leadership has not announced its plans for finishing work on spending bills. Staff members for both Republican leaders in the House and Senate said they would discuss the issue next week. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Julia Edwards and Bill Trott)
By Tom Finn and Andrea Shalal
DOHA/BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States is poised to sell $7 billion worth of Boeing Co fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait after years of delays, and it may start notifying U.S. lawmakers as early as next week, four U.S.- and Gulf-based sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The sales had stalled amid concerns raised by Israel, Washington's closest Middle East ally, that equipment sent to equipment sent to Gulf Arab states would be used against it.
U.S. officials have criticized Qatar for alleged ties to armed Islamist groups.
Boeing said it was encouraged by continued progress and hoped to see movement on the two big arms sales soon. The State Department said it could not comment on any ongoing government-to-government arms sales requests.
A senior U.S. administration official said it was U.S. policy not to comment on proposed U.S. defense sales until they had been formally notified to Congress, but Washington remained committed to the security and stability of the Gulf region.
"For decades, we have demonstrated this commitment through continual efforts to enhance our diplomatic relationships and build defense capacity across the region, particularly through promotion of security agreements, foreign military sales, exercises, training, and exchanges," the official said.
Delays in the process have caused frustration among U.S. defense officials and industry executives, who have warned that Washington's foot-dragging could cost them billions of dollars of business if buyers grow impatient and seek other suppliers.
The expected approval of the fighter jet sales comes as the White House seeks to shore up relations with Gulf Arab allies who want to increase their military capabilities. They fear Washington is drawing closer to Iran, their arch-rival, after its nuclear deal with world powers earlier this year.
"It is imminent. We expect a decision next week," said an official from Qatar's defense ministry, who declined to be named as he was not authorized to speak publicly.
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An adviser to Qatar's military also said the deal was moving ahead.
Neither commented on the cost or number of jets that would be delivered.
The Pentagon and the State Department have been considering the sale of 36 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Qatar valued at around $4 billion. They are also considering the sale of 28 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornets, plus options for 12 more, to Kuwait in a deal valued at around $3 billion.
Sources said officials at both agencies had largely agreed to the deals some time ago, but had been awaiting final approval from the White House, which is now on board.
"A decision by the administration is very close," said one of the sources, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Once the White House gives its formal approval, U.S. officials will start to informally notify U.S. lawmakers before sending a formal notification to Congress 40 days later, at which point the deals will be publicly announced.
A third deal, the sale of F-16 fighters built by Lockheed Martin Corp to Bahrain, remains under consideration, but approval is not as far along, said one of the sources.
Qatar - home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East - and Kuwait have ramped up military spending after uprisings across the Arab World and amid rising tensions between Gulf Arab states and Iran.
Both Qatar and Kuwait are part of a 34-nation alliance announced by Saudi Arabia in December aimed at countering Islamic State and al Qaeda in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Tom Finn; Editing by Larry King and Andrew Hay)
By Andreas Rinke BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it was skeptical about Germany's call for a new arms control deal with Russia to avoid an escalation of tensions in Europe, given Moscow's violation of a series of other agreements. Daniel Baer, the U.S. envoy to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), told Reuters that Washington favors continued dialogue with Russia to enhance transparency, but is wary of entering into any new agreements at this point. "Our focus will remain on the existing agreements and trying to get them to function they way they ought to be functioning, and continuing to engage on the serious concerns about the issues at hand," Baer said in an interview with Reuters in Berlin ahead of an OSCE meeting in nearby Potsdam. "In the context of a situation where Russia is violating a bunch of agreements that it's made before, one should approach the idea of any new agreement with some caution," he said. Baer noted that Russia has suspended its participation in meetings of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) joint consultative group, and was not abiding by a 1992 open skies agreement or a 1990 Vienna agreement requiring information and mutual inspection of military facilities. Baer's comments marked a setback for an initiative launched last week by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the rotating chairman of the OSCE this year, who is urging a new arms control deal with Moscow. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Sunday that he supported the German proposal. Steinmeier argues that a new arms control process would offer a "proven means for transparency, risk avoidance and trust building" after Russia violated non-negotiable principles of peace by its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. Speaking ahead of the OSCE meeting in Potsdam on Thursday, Steinmeier told reporters that foreign ministers from 40 of the 57 OSCE member countries in Europe, Central Asia and North America would discuss his proposal as well as the Ukraine crisis, growing terrorist threats and other issues. "We need intensive debates at a time when trust has obviously been lost between East and West, and between the West and Russia, especially, after the annexation of Crimea and in light of the conflict in eastern Ukraine," Steinmeier said. Baer said it was critical to achieve a lasting ceasefire in eastern Ukraine's separatist conflict so that Moscow and Kiev could work toward holding free and fair local elections in the region, a pivotal part of the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. He said Moscow was the "determining variable" in achieving the ceasefire, because only the Kremlin could give the order to withdraw pro-Russian separatist fighters and their equipment from eastern Ukraine. (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal and Reuters TV; editing by Mark Heinrich)
The U.S. Treasury Department announced a series of new sanctions against Russia Thursday, which will be aimed at targets who have skirted previous penalties against Moscow that were put in place after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014.
Treasury announced the sanctions as Russian troops continue to gather on the border with Ukraine where they are conducting military drills. Putin has already annexed Crimea, and there are fears a broader invasion could occur.
The sanctions also come weeks after Russian hackers allegedly broke into the computers of Democratic Party organizations in the United States and after they breached U.S. state voting databases. In July, WikiLeaks released emails that hurt the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and Russia cyberthieves are thought to be behind that attack as well, marking the first known incident of foreign hackers trying to influence the outcome of a U.S. election.
On Thursday, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported EU sanctions would also remain in place for another six months.
In a statement, John Smith, the acting director of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), said the new penalties were related to Putins meddling in Ukraine. Russia continues to provoke instability in eastern Ukraine despite its Minsk commitments, he said, referring to the peace agreement intended to halt the war in the Donbass region of Ukraine.
Among those targeted are 37 individuals and entities that have tried to evade U.S. sanctions on Russia. In addition, 17 Ukrainian separatists, including 11 officials working in Crimea, are on the list. Some 18 companies operating in Crimea, including a number of defense and shipbuilding firms, are also subject to the new sanctions.
OFAC has added multiple subsidiaries of Russian gas giant Gazprom to its sanction list. Russian construction companies Mostotrest and SGM-Most, currently building a bridge to Russian-annexed Crimea, are also now included. Russian engineering firm OMZ was sanctioned for being linked to Gazprombank, which has been on the U.S. sanctions list since 2014.
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Treasury stands with our partners in condemning Russias violation of international law, and we will continue to sanction those who threaten Ukraines peace, security, and sovereignty, OFACs Smith said.
The announcement comes ahead of next weeks G-20 meeting, a gathering of leading rich and developing nations that President Barack Obama and Putin both are slated to attend.
In a statement, the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington praised the U.S. move.
We are confident that these new sanctions underscore American efforts to maintain additional pressure on [the] Russian Federation for brutal violation of international law by the aggression against Ukraine, illegal occupation of Ukrainian Crimea, and continuing support of pro-Russian [terrorist] forces in [the] Donbass region of Ukraine, it said.
Photo credit: MAXIM SHIPENKOV/Getty Images
By Jack Stubbs and Yeganeh Torbati MOSCOW/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Companies building a multi-billion dollar bridge to link the Russian mainland with annexed Crimea, a project close to the heart President Vladimir Putin, were targeted by the United States in an updated sanctions blacklist on Thursday. The U.S. Department of the Treasury added dozens of people and companies to the list, first introduced after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and expanded over its support for separatist rebels in the east of the country. As well as multiple subsidiaries of Russian gas giant Gazprom and 11 Crimean officials, the Treasury named seven companies directly involved in the construction of the 19 km (11.8 miles) road-and-rail connection across the Kerch Strait, dubbed "Putin's bridge" by some Russians. Chief among those were SGM-Most, a subsidiary of lead contractor Stroygazmontazh which is already under U.S. sanctions, and sub-contractor Mostotrest , one of Russia's biggest bridge builders. "Treasury stands with our partners in condemning Russia's violation of international law, and we will continue to sanction those who threaten Ukraine's peace, security and sovereignty," said John Smith, acting director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which levies sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment, but Moscow has previously said sanctions levied over its actions in Ukraine undermine efforts to resolve the conflict. Set to be the longest dual-purpose span in Europe when completed, the Kremlin sees its 212-billion rouble ($3.2 billion) bridge as vital to integrating Crimea into Russia, both symbolically and as an economic lifeline for the region. Putin has called the undertaking an historic mission. But the project has had to contend with Western sanctions since the construction contract was handed to Stroygazmontazh last year, a firm controlled by Arkady Rotenberg, a close ally of Putin's and his former judo partner. Rotenberg is already under U.S. sanctions because of his links to the Russian leader, which the Treasury says have helped him win billions of dollars in state contracts. He cannot raise capital in the West or hire Western sub-contractors to help his firm complete the project. Officials linked to the bridge's construction say they have all the skills, equipment and supplies required to build it without Western help. "The sanctions will not affect the construction of the bridge," Crimea Bridge infocentre, the organization responsible for communications about the project, said in a statement on Thursday. "The contractor has all the resources necessary for the timely completion of the project." Rotenberg and his brother Boris have denied getting help from the Russian leader for their businesses. Gazprom did not reply to a request for comment. The restrictions on the energy giant and its subsidiaries prevent U.S. firms or citizens from providing goods or services supporting the firm's deepwater, arctic offshore, or shale oil projects. The restriction does not apply to financial services, such as clearing transactions or providing insurance for such projects. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Jack Stubbs; Editing by Dan Grebler and Richard Balmforth)
By Stephen Kalin GREAT ZAB RIVER, Iraq (Reuters) - Kurdish Peshmerga forces retook a swath of northern Iraq late last month from Islamic State and days later American forces appeared in the area, the latest sign of increasing U.S. military activity in the country. The U.S. troops, numbering about a dozen, were still there this week and spent Wednesday supervising Iraqi army engineers repairing a bridge to help local forces cross the Great Zab river in their push towards Mosul, the militants' de facto capital in Iraq which Baghdad wants to retake this year. "We move around a lot. We've been all over the country," one of the U.S. servicemen told Reuters on the bridge, about 45 km (28 miles) southeast of Mosul. He said the Iraqis were making quick progress in repairing the span, and that the American troops would leave the area within days. Loath to become mired in another conflict overseas, the White House has insisted there will be no American "boots on the ground" in Iraq, but current troop levels are approaching 5,000. That is still a fraction of the 170,000 deployed at the height of the nine-year occupation that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003, sparking an al Qaeda-backed insurgency and throwing the country into a sectarian civil war. President Barack Obama withdrew U.S. troops from Iraq but they returned in 2014 after the Iraqi army fled Islamic State's advance through a third of the country despite billions of dollars in U.S. aid and training. The United States is conducting an extensive air campaign over Iraq and also covert special forces raids against the jihadists behind their frontlines. But Washington says the focus of its troops in the country is to train, advise and equip local forces - Iraqi military and police, Kurdish Peshmerga and Sunni tribal militias, which are both battling Islamic State - and that U.S. servicemen there have no combat role. Advisers from the United States and other countries from an international coalition fighting Islamic State were initially confined to a few military bases across Iraq, but as the campaign progressed and Mosul comes into focus, Americans have inched closer to the action. ROCKET ATTACK A Reuters correspondent saw coalition soldiers in May outside the northern Iraqi village of Hassan Shami, a few miles east of the frontline at the time. They spoke English but their nationality was not clear. [nL8N18Q044} While the U.S. military advisers and the soldiers who protect them do not have a combat mission, circumstances have at least occasionally blurred their role and brought them into contact with Islamic State militants. Such encounters have only been made public three times. Last October, Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler was killed in a raid in Hawija where the military said U.S. special forces acting as advisers were sucked into battle when Kurdish fighters came under fire. Then in April, a rocket attack by Islamic State killed Marine Staff Sergeant Louis Cardin at an American base near Makhmour used for protecting U.S. advisers. A few weeks later, Petty Officer First Class Charles Keating was killed in the village of Tel Asqof where the U.S. military says he was called in as part of a "quick reaction force" to help advisers who had got caught up in a firefight. The U.S. military, which tightly controls media access to its bases and no longer embeds reporters with troops like it did during the occupation, has tried to keep attention away from its activities in Iraq. The soldiers who Reuters encountered on the bridge quickly turned their backs to cameras, and a Reuters request to visit Qayyara airbase, where the Pentagon is sending several hundred troops to help set up a logistics hub for the Mosul operation, was recently denied. A military convoy heading on Monday towards the base, which was heavily damaged by fleeing Islamic State militants, contained sophisticated engineering vehicles and heavily armored transport vehicles. (Reporting by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Pravin Char)
(Adds statement from Volkswagen)
Sept 1 (Reuters) - The United Auto Workers (UAW) urged Volkswagen to accept the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) latest order that requires the carmaker to collectively bargain with UAW local union as the representative of a portion of workers at its Tennessee plant.
The NLRB on Aug. 26 ordered Volkswagen Group of America Inc among other things to recognize and bargain with UAW, Local 42, as the exclusive collective-bargaining representative of the employees in the bargaining unit. (http://bit.ly/2bTYSf7)
"This unanimous decision makes it clear that the company has been operating in violation of federal law by refusing to come to the bargaining table," said Gary Casteel, UAW secretary-treasurer, in a statement.
"We urge Volkswagen to accept the NLRB order and bargain with the local union at the earliest possible date."
Volkswagen has filed an appeal against the National Labor Relations Board's order in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the company said in an email to Reuters.
Volkswagen has said earlier that it will go to a U.S. federal appeals court in an effort to keep the UAW union from representing a portion of the company's plant workers in Chattanooga.
Late last year, a majority of the maintenance, or skilled trades, workers at VW's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to be represented by the UAW.
The vote marked a rare victory for the union in the U.S. South, where it has fought many unsuccessful battles to organize non-unionized auto plants.
Volkswagen was at one time welcoming to the UAW at Chattanooga. But that was before the union lost a closely contested election open to all of the plant's 1,500 workers in February 2014.
(Reporting by Gaurika Juneja and Aurindom Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
By Heather Somerville
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc has filed an $8 million building permit with the City of Oakland to undergo heavy-duty renovations on the old Sears building that will house its new corporate headquarters.
The ride-services giant filed the permit on Tuesday, according to BuildZoom, a company that compiles construction and remodeling contractor data. Uber must still receive approval from the city.
An Uber spokeswoman confirmed the permit, adding that $8 million is the largest permit to date in the company's effort to remodel the building at 1955 Broadway in Oakland's busy Uptown district. San Francisco-based Uber purchased the historic, now-vacant building last year for $123.5 million.
A spokeswoman for the city of Oakland did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The $8 million remodel will include gutting parts of the old building and adding new amenities typical at tech startups, such as a rooftop deck, the Uber spokeswoman said. She added that more permits will be filed over the next couple of months, and declined to give a total estimated cost for construction.
Part of Uber's remodel also includes repairing damage caused by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
A BuildZoom spokesman said the $8 million price tag is large compared to other building projects around the country, but in proportion for a company with the size and resources of Uber, valued at $68 billion in the private market.
The iconic Oakland building, which opened in 1929 as a department store, will house between 2,000 and 3,000 Uber employees across 380,000 square feet (35,303 sq. m.). About 50,000 square feet will be open space on the ground floor and the remaining will be used for offices.
Uber has pushed back its move-in date from early 2017 to October or November of next year.
Oakland leaders had been seeking to attract a tech company to the building, which is centrally located and close to arts and dining, to contribute to the revitalization of the district. Residents, however, have worried that Uber's presence will further drive up the cost of living and doing business in a city already grappling with rising rents and home prices.
Uber is also developing a 423,000-square-foot (39,298-sq.-m.) campus in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood that will house between 3,000 and 4,000 employees. That is in addition to Uber's 500,000-square-foot (46,452-sq.-m.) headquarters in downtown San Francisco.
(Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Andrew Hay)
Travis Kalanick
Uber's introduction of a "safe rides" fee years ago drew the ire of customers upset that they had to pay a fee for their safety. But for Uber, it was clearly cash cow, generating $449 million in revenue over the last two years, according to a report from Bloomberg.
The number comes to light only after Bloomberg's Joel Rosenblatt spotted the figure in an improperly redacted court filing.
Uber declined to comment.
The ride-hailing company had been sued in December 2014 over the so-called safe-rides fee after customers claimed that it misled them about their safety. The $1-per-ride fee, originally introduced in April 2014, was a way for Uber to recoup the costs of running its background checks and providing 24/7 support to its riders.
Last fall, Uber updated its safe-rides fee to as high as $2.50 per ride in some places.
But plaintiffs in two separate lawsuits argued that the company misled its customers about its safety practices in its consumer advertising when it said that it was "safer than a taxi" or had "industry-leading" background checks.
No fingerprints
Uber does perform background checks for all of its drivers, but it does not fingerprint its drivers like other transportation services, including some taxi companies. While the company initially described its background checks as "industry-leading," it's since backed away from that language and endeavors to be more precise as part of the proposal.
In February, Uber agreed to pay $28.5 million to 25 million riders to settle the class-action case surrounding its safety-practices advertisements. After expected lawyer fees, the settlement would have left riders with a whopping $0.82 each.
But a San Francisco judge ruled on Wednesday that the settlement was not enough, given that Uber generated close to half a billion dollars in revenue from the fees a number no one is supposed to know.
"Under these circumstances, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have not adequately explained why a gross settlement fund amount of $28.5 million is fair, adequate, and reasonable compared to what class members paid Uber for safety," US District Judge Jon Tigar wrote in the court order.
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This is the second time in two weeks that a court has squashed Uber's attempts to settle its outstanding court cases. The company's proposed $100 million settlement with drivers was rejected on August 18, citing the tipping policy as one change not nearly as valuable as the settlement had suggested.
NOW WATCH: These self-driving trucks may be the key to Ubers future
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Ugh, THIS is why your skin freaks out whenever you fly on an airplane
Ugh, THIS is why your skin freaks out whenever you fly on an airplane
Flying is a form of transportation that we certainly need, but most of the time, isnt all that fun. Youre usually stuffed into a tiny seat with very little leg room, snoozing comfortably becomes nothing short of a miracle, the air is somehow freezing and too hot, and you might find yourself seated next to an overly chatty human who doesnt understand that the presence of headphones means, Please leave me alone. To top it all off, flying seems to wreak havoc on your skin.
Allure recently had a few top dermatologists weigh in on the ways plane air effects your skin, and how to keep it as clear as the sky. In addition to intense UV rays at high altitudes and dry mucus membranes (ick), there are several ways plane air can mess with your complexion.
Humidity doesnt always suck.
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It turns out that the dry plane air is also making your skin dry. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, a clinical instructor in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC, told Allure, Typically, skin is comfortable when the humidity is between 40% to 70%. Most airplane cabins are at about 20%. Thats less than half of what we are used to.
And to combat the dryness, your inclination might be to whip out your refreshing facial mist, right? Bad idea. Kanchanapoomi Levin says that immediately after the water from the mist evaporates, the dry skin gets even drier.
No mo blood flow.
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Just because the plane reaches cruising altitude and you can access Wi-Fi doesnt mean itll be smooth sailing for your skin. Kanchanapoomi Levin told Allure that commercial aircrafts tend to be pressurized between 6,000-8,000 feet, which is the equivalent to what you might feel if you were standing on top of a mountain. Your skin will start to appear dull with that lack of blood flow.
Things are about to get greasy.
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When skin gets dry, it tends to work overtime to create oil to balance things out. And while the effort to keep everything neutral is much appreciated, it can also lead to excess grease. Elizabeth Tanzi, an assistant clinical professor in dermatology at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., told Allure that increased oil production is just your skins way of trying to counteract the superdry air.
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Bloat leads to puffiness.
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Flying plus sitting for long periods of time plus consuming too much sodium will inevitably equal water retention, which is just a more pleasant term for being uber bloated. Any kind of bloating can also cause facial puffiness, so Tanzi suggests aiming to get a bit of exercise, even if its just a brisk walk. Exercise can mobilize the extra fluid.
Travel stress is your enemy.
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Stress has a major impact on your skin, and since theres always a certain amount of stress that goes hand-in-hand with travel the fear of missing a flight, rushing out the door on time, thinking you left your straightener on youre destined to experience those effects. There is a level of anxiety that happens when we fly, and that can lead to an increase in the stress hormones, says Kanchanapoomi Levin, which we know increases redness and any inflammatory conditions of the skin, like eczema or psoriasis. She suggests sticking to your normal beauty and skincare routine, and remove makeup before or mid-flight with a gentle cleansing wipe.
So basically, once you get settled into your ridiculously tiny seat, make sure your skin gets settled too.
The post Ugh, THIS is why your skin freaks out whenever you fly on an airplane appeared first on HelloGiggles.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council is deeply concerned by the violence in Gabon following President Ali Bongo's narrow election victory and is calling for calm, the council president said Thursday.
The council discussed the crisis at France's request and heard a report during a closed-door meeting from UN envoy for central Africa Abdoulaye Bathily, who is working to defuse tensions.
Council members "called upon all candidates, their supporters, political parties and other actors to remain calm, refrain from violence or other provocations and to resolve any eventual disputes through established constitutional and legal mechanisms," said New Zealand's Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, who holds the council presidency this month.
The council expressed its "deep concern" and stressed the "importance of a transparent and impartial process" for the elections, he added.
Three people were killed and around 1,000 arrested during rioting overnight after Bongo was declared the winner of the election by a razor-thin margin over rival Jean Ping.
The European Union and France have called for a transparent verification of the election results.
French Ambassador Francois Delattre earlier said the council should "reiterate the critical importance of a procedure guaranteeing the transparency of the results of the election."
During the meeting, Bathily told the council that he was "hopeful" that tensions could be eased in Gabon, which has been ruled by the Bongo family for almost 50 years.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for the immediate release of political detainees, and said the United Nations supports calls for a verification of the election results.
"The Gabonese people deserve a credible electoral process," he said.
Ban said he was "deeply concerned and saddened" by the violence, "in particular the arson attacks and disproportionate response of security agencies that has led to unfortunate loss of life and property."
The UN chief called on the government to immediately restore communications, especially the internet, SMS and independent radio and television.
Bongo won victory with 49.8 percent of the vote, while Ping picked up 48.23 percent, resulting in a gap of fewer than 6,000 votes, according to provisional results.
Geneva (AFP) - The UN Syria envoy on Thursday criticised Damascus' "strategy" of forced evacuation from Daraya following a brutal four-year government siege, warning that other besieged towns could follow.
Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva that there were "indications that after Daraya we may have other Darayas," adding that "there is clearly a strategy at the moment to move from Daraya" to other besieged areas "in a similar pattern".
Long held by opposition forces, Daraya near Damascus was ravaged by constant army bombardment, and just one aid convoy reached the town since it came under siege in late 2012 -- arriving in June this year.
Rebels said last week they were forced to agree to evacuate the town because of deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
Hundreds of fighters and their families were bused north into rebel-held territory in Idlib province, with other civilians transferred to government territory near Damascus for resettlement.
The Syrian army has said it is in complete control of the town, from where roughly 8,000 civilians were still due to be evacuated.
De Mistura warned there were "indications that after Daraya we may have other Darayas," pointing to worrying signs around the besieged towns of Waer and Moadamiyat al-Sham.
"If Daraya was a shock, Al Waer is 75,000 people," he pointed out.
- 'We all failed' -
Jan Egeland, de Mistura's deputy and head of a UN-backed humanitarian taskforce for Syria, described the forced evacuation as "heartbreaking".
He insisted that the devastating sieges in Syria could not be "broken by a population giving up after starvation and after bombing".
"A siege is lifted by humanitarian access and freedom of movement in and out by the civilian population," he said.
"We all failed the people of Daraya," he said, adding that the UN was receiving "urgent pleas" from besieged communities in Waer, Moadamiyat al-Sham, Madaya, Fua and Kefraya.
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"They all fear for their future, and we need to break the sieges," he said.
The opposition High Negotiations Committee meanwhile charged that "local truce" agreements like the one agreed in Daraya were leading to "ethnic and political cleansing".
"The Syrian regime, along with its Russian and Iranian allies, is relentlessly pursuing a malicious plan to orchestrate extensive demographic shifts across Syria," HNC head Riad Hijab said in a statement late Wednesday.
Egeland meanwhile said that humanitarian aid reached just three besieged areas last month, with two convoys reaching Waer, one reaching Harasta, and continued air-drops over Deir Ezzor, which is held by the Islamic State group.
"September must be better," he said, adding that the humanitarian taskforce had yet to receive a reply to its request to access 1.2 million people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas with aid this month.
According to the UN, more than 590,000 people live under siege in 18 areas in Syria -- mostly by government forces. Nearly five million others live in areas that are difficult to access with aid.
More than 290,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011.
Geneva (AFP) - The UN Syria envoy said Thursday he was planning to present "an important political initiative" for the war-ravaged country this month, even as peace talks remain stalled and violence flares.
"We are in the process of preparing an important political initiative," Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva.
He refused to provide any details on what the political initiative might be, but said he hoped it would help the UN General Assembly "to look the problems in Syria in the eye" when it next meets on September 13.
He also said that a high-level meeting on Syria is set to be held at the UN Security Council on September 21.
"So that's the target date for making sure that everyone is actively involved in producing some positive outcome on this conflict," he said.
Successive rounds of negotiations have failed to end a conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people and forced millions from their homes during more than five years of bloodshed.
De Mistura had voiced hope of bringing the warring parties back to the negotiating table by the end of August, but that deadline slipped in the face of intense fighting on the ground.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov met in Geneva last Friday, but while they said they had taken key steps towards agreeing a new ceasefire for Syria, they failed to nail down a final deal.
To hammer out the details, "very senior military, security and diplomatic" officials from the two countries began meeting at the UN headquarters in Geneva on Wednesday, de Mistura said. Talks are expected to continue through Friday or Saturday morning, he added.
De Mistura has led global calls for a weekly 48-hour pause in fighting in Aleppo to allow desperately needed aid into Syria's battered second city.
The city has been divided between a rebel-held east and regime-controlled west since mid-2012, but fighting has intensified dramatically since mid-July.
But de Mistura stressed Thursday that "the discussions going on now between the Americans and the Russians at a very high and very operational level go far beyond the 48-hour truce".
The ceasefire being discussed is "a much (more) important and larger cessation of hostilities," he said.
electronic warfare counter IED afghanistan
On Wednesday, the US Army announced the creation of the Rapid Capabilities Office to "expedite critical technologies to the field in an effort to counter urgent and emerging threats."
Essentially that means the Army now has an office with the authority to fast track technologies through the hulking, bloated, wasteful defense acquisition system that tried and failed three times to pick out something as simple as a new handgun.
Even vital systems can take 10 years to reach the field, which has greatly hamstrung the Army and made their tactics stale, predictable, and therefore vulnerable.
Russia goes into the Ukraine and Russia goes into Syria [and] we realize that theyve been watching us and learning from us and adapting. So we see some areas where we want to have a more pronounced overmatch, Army Secretary Eric Fanning told Bloomberg News in an interview.
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Fanning told Bloomberg's Anthony Capaccio that the office would focus on "improvements to cyber operations, electronic warfare, survivability and GPS-enabled positioning, navigation and timing."
As Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work said of the US armed forces in 2015, "our greatest advantage is the vibrant technological community in the United States, and the vibrant technological communities in our defense industrial base."
However, as Daniel Goure, Ph.D., of the Lexington Institute points out, with the current lag between technology's inception to its deployment on the frontlines, adversaries like Russia and China could gain technological supremacy over the US in as little as five years.
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china hack
Theres no denying we have a troubled acquisition past, Fanning told Bloomberg. We are bringing all elements of the Army together, he said of the Rapid Capabilities Office.
"We're serious about keeping our edge, so we need to make changes in how we get soldiers the technology they need," Fanning said in a US Army release. "The Army Rapid Capabilities Office is a major step forward, allowing us to prioritize cross-domain, integrated capabilities in order to confront emerging threats and advance America's military dominance."
NOW WATCH: An Army general explains the worst thing an enemy could do to America
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Washington (AFP) - The United States warned its citizens in Gabon to stay indoors Thursday and urged the central African nation's political factions to put an end to violent street battles.
The oil-rich former French colony erupted in unrest Wednesday after provisional results implied a narrow victory for President Ali Bongo's campaign for re-election and triggered opposition anger.
US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the American embassy had sent a security notice to its nationals urging them to stay at home and had contacted Bongo's government to urge calm.
"I do want to stress that we deplore the escalation in violence," he said, after at least two people had been killed and 1,000 arrested in clashes between opposition supporters and police.
"We urge all parties to come together peacefully in this critical time to halt the slide towards further unrest," he said.
"We call upon the security forces to respect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of all Gabonese citizens and of all residents of Gabon," Kirby told reporters in Washington.
"The international community is watching these events closely and will consider appropriate action," he warned.
As he spoke, the UN Security Council was meeting on the crisis.
Two American climbers have gone missing while attempting to summit a mountain in northern Pakistan, officials said Thursday, as bad weather hampered rescue operations.
Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson began their ascent of Ogre-II, a 7,285-metre (23,900-foot) peak off the Choktoi Glacier in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan on Sunday August 21, according to a website set up to raise funds for their rescue.
"They planned on five days for the climb and descent. On Monday evening, their Pakistani cook, Ghafoor Abdul, spotted their headlamps roughly halfway up the peak," the page, which was posted on Thursday, said.
"The weather remained good until Tuesday afternoon (23/8/2016), when a storm moved in. Snowfall and cloudy conditions have persisted in the region since then.
"Kyle and Scott have not been seen since Monday, August 22, no surprise given the complexity and scale of the terrain and the vagaries of the weather."
Mohammad Iqbal, a local administration official, told AFP the government had not been able to call in helicopters so far because of adverse weather conditions, but "we will try if the weather gets better today".
He added: "A team of local high-altitude rescuers has been searching for them for the past three days but bad weather is preventing them from ascending."
A member of the Gilgit-Baltistan council that deals with expeditions in the area said they had contacted the army for help.
Pakistan has long been a draw for foreign climbers lured by some of the most spectacular mountains on Earth, including the savage K2, the world's second highest peak.
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela and Brazil on Wednesday withdrew their respective ambassadors after Caracas froze ties with its southern neighbor in response to president Dilma Rousseff's removal from office.
The leftist governments of Ecuador and Bolivia also recalled their diplomats from Brasilia, with Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa calling the senate vote impeaching Rousseff "an apology for abuse and treason."
The Venezuela-led leftist ALBA bloc, which includes Cuba and Nicaragua, condemned what they said was a "parliamentary coup" in Brazil.
However other Latin American countries - notably Argentina, Chile and Paraguay - said they "respect" the decision taken by Brazil's senate.
Chile expressed its "trust that Brazil will resolve its own challenges through the democratic institutions."
Rousseff, 68, was convicted by 61 of 81 senators of illegally manipulating the national budget.
Venezuela "has decided to definitively withdraw its ambassador" from Brazil "and to freeze political and diplomatic relations with the government that emerged from this parliamentary coup," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Hours later Brazil announced that it was also withdrawing its ambassador.
"In light of the circumstances," Brazil has "called its ambassador in Caracas for consultations," read a statement from the foreign ministry.
It also decried "the statements of misunderstanding" from the leftist governments of Bolivia, Ecuador and Cuba.
The vote in Brazil ends 13 years of leftist rule in Latin America's biggest economy, depriving Venezuela and other leftist governments of an important ally.
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro said the ambassador was withdrawn because in Brazil there was "a usurper government that no one elected," and said that he spoke with Rousseff by phone.
He blamed the United States for the move, claiming it was part of a "continental offensive."
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The leader has long tried to link the impeachment of a leftist leader in Brazil with his own dilemma, where the opposition-led National Assembly is trying to oust him through a referendum.
The opposition has called for a massive march in Caracas on Thursday, raising the stakes in a volatile showdown.
In Ecuador, President Correa took to Twitter to vent his anger about Brazil.
"Never will we condone these practices, which recall the darkest hours of our America," Correa wrote, a reference to military dictatorships of the past.
Ecuador's foreign ministry called Rousseff's removal "a flagrant subversion of the democratic order in Brazil."
Bolivian President Evo Morales withdrew his country's ambassador, and on Twitter condemned what he called a "parliamentary coup against Brazilian democracy."
"We stand with Dilma, Lula and the population in this difficult time," Morales wrote, adding Rousseff's mentor and predecessor, former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is facing corruption charges.
Caracas (AFP) - Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said around a million people joined in a rally Thursday demanding a referendum on removing him from office.
"Between 950,000 and 1.1 million people" joined the rally in Caracas, the leader of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable, Jesus Torrealba, told AFP.
(CARACAS, Venezuela) Venezuelas opposition is vowing to keep up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro after flooding the streets of Caracas with demonstrators Thursday in its biggest show of force in years.
Protesters filled dozens of city blocks in what was dubbed the taking of Caracas to pressure electoral authorities to allow a recall referendum against Maduro this year. Protesters, dressed mostly in white and carrying Venezuelan flags, chanted, Its going to fall, its going to fall, the government is going to fall.
The buildup to the protest was tense. Maduros government jailed several prominent activists, deployed security forces across the city and warned of bloodshed.
There were few immediate signs of violence, though Maduro told a much smaller rally of state workers and hard-core supporters that opponents are plotting a coup such as the one that briefly toppled his late predecessor Hugo Chavez in 2002.
He said authorities had arrested people possessing military fatigues and C4 explosives, and who had plans to fire upon the crowds dressed as national guard members.
Today weve defeated a coup attempt that sought to fill Venezuela and Caracas with violence and death, Maduro told his supporters without providing details about the accusations. Were still looking for several criminals that paid to massacre the people.
Caracas political analyst Dimitris Pantoulas said the warlike language may have actually energized opponents who otherwise might be on vacation or, at a time of economic crisis, standing in long lines for food.
The government made a big mistake by throwing fuel onto the flames, said Pantoulas.
As the rally was wrapping up, the head of the opposition Democratic Unity alliance outlined the next steps in its campaign to force Maduro from office.
Today is the beginning of the definitive stage of our struggle, Jesus Torrealba told supporters.
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He called for a nationwide demonstration of pot-banging Thursday night to protest growing hunger. There are also plans for two more street protests, including one Sept. 14 coinciding with the arrival of heads of state from around the world for a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement taking place on the Caribbean island of Margarita.
This isnt the country I grew up in and its not the one I want my children to live in, said Olga Delgado, a school administrator, who arrived to the protest on crutches following hip-replacement surgery. She was wearing a hat reading I am squalid, appropriating for herself one of Chavezs favorite taunts for his opponents.
Maduro tried to mock his opponents show of force, saying they had failed to amass more than 30,000 supporters and joking that he and First Lady Cilia Flores would go the movies at a shopping mall near where they were gathering.
The opposition had staged a half-dozen or so marches this year, some of which ended in clouds of tear gas as hard-core activists clashed with riot police, but they posed no major risk to Maduros grip on power. Even the anti-government protests in 2014 that were blamed for more than 40 deaths failed to rally the huge numbers seen Thursday.
The opposition hopes to force electoral authorities widely seen as pro-government to allow a recall vote this year. If Maduro loses, new elections would be held and polls indicate the opposition would win. But if a vote is delayed until after Jan. 10 and Maduro loses, his vice president would finish his term ending in 2019.
Electoral authorities have yet to set the date for the next stage of the complex process, in which the opposition must collect 4 million signatures over three days, with a referendum vote scheduled only once the signatures are validated.
Authorities over the weekend moved a prominent opposition leader, former San Cristobal Mayor Daniel Ceballos, from house arrest back to prison while he awaits trial on civil rebellion charges stemming from the 2014 protests. Authorities said he was plotting to flee and carry out violence during the protests.
Two other activists, Yon Goicoechea and Carlos Melo, were also detained this week, with a top socialist leader accusing Goicoechea of carrying explosives.
There have been more subtle threats as well. Government workers say theyve suffered retaliation for signing petitions seeking Maduros removal and a half-dozen foreign journalists who traveled to Venezuela to cover the protests were also deported, including a correspondent for the Miami Herald.
AP Writers Hannah Dreier and Fabiola Sanchez contributed to this report from Caracas. AP Writer Luis Alonso Lugo contributed from Washington.
In Denis Villeneuve's latest big-budget thriller, Arrival, Amy Adams stars as Dr. Louise Banks, a genius linguist recruited by the U.S. military to understand the language of alien visitors who have set up camp in Montana, as well as 11 other locations around the planet.
She works alongside a team played by Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker as they rush to discover the purpose of the alien invaders. But the more they uncover, the more they realize that the real threat may not be coming from the mysterious visitors but rather from the human race itself.
Because the chronology of the film is nonlinear, Adams was asked if she would be scared to know her own destiny in life. "Yes. Maybe it would calm me down, but I sort of cling to anxiety for some reason in my life. I wish I could let it go, but it seems to be a constant companion," she said.
"I think that I would be very anxious if I knew what was to come, assuming that it was all good," explained Adams. "But eventually we all experience sadness. I think the great choice we have as human beings is to appreciate each moment like Louise says, the little moments in between the big moments. That's what builds a life. I don't want to know."
Read more: 'Arrival': Venice Review
She said that she was drawn to the role of Louise for being a well-rounded female role that she could identify with. "So many women that I know sort of move through life with great intelligence and they have so many different roles in their life," she explained.
"She didn't feel strange to me. She felt like every woman I know who's struggling with hard things, who's working through personal issues while also heading out into the world and handling life and work," said Adams. "It's a constant balance. It's a constant juggling act."
For Renner, the appeal was playing a role completely apart from his previous body of work. "It was a departure from a lot of things I've done," he said. "Playing a mathematician and a physicist is a bit far from an archer," he joked, referring to his role as Hawkeye in the Avengers films. "So I thought there's a pretty great challenge in that."
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He also was drawn to the film for its hopefulness. "When humanity is at its worst, it [can] find itself with compassion. I think that's displayed a bit in this film. When there's a unity in that division, there's something quite powerful in that, if we could all accept the fact that we're one."
Theres a tendency among critics to heap praise on female filmmakers for withstanding the macho rigors of traditionally male-ruled genre fare though its a more unusual feat to see the rules of such films rerouted entirely by an expressly feminine perspective. Prevenge, a scrappy but excitingly singular directorial debut for British actress-writer Alice Lowe, takes the latter route. A bleakly humorous serial-killer tale in which the murderer is both eight months pregnant and under the imagined instruction of her unborn child, its a film that refreshingly couldnt have been born at least, not with quite such blunt conviction of a mans imagination. That Lowe herself was with child during the production only heightens the raw nerve of proceedings; while not every tonal downshift here is entirely fluid, this remains a smart, risky one-off, unconcerned with those (and there will be many) who cant acquire its taste.
Those who can may well be admirers of Sightseers, director Ben Wheatleys 2012 comedy of pleasantly murderous Midlanders, which Lowe co-wrote and headlined with Steve Oram. (Oram made his own solo directing debut last year with the riotous de-evolutionary fable Aaaaaaaargh!; British cinema is a more curious place for this pairs very existence.) Like Sightseers, Prevenge is heavily dependent on the tension between the banality of its setting (in this case, a featureless slab of suburban Cardiff) and the brutality of what occurs there, though the result is less broadly comic in this case. In the films latter half especially, as its over-burdened heroine wrestles with the moral weight of her bloody spree, the laughs come neither thick nor fast.
Prevenges warped humor and its vivid sense of the absurd arent always one and the same. Its a film sympathetically and often quite seriously preoccupied with the fundamental mystery of pregnancy. Like Ira Levin and Roman Polanski in Rosemarys Baby, only with more first-hand experience, Lowe appears fascinated and terrified in equal measure by the notion of growing a complete stranger inside ones own body.
You have no control over your mind or body any more, an irksomely upbeat NHS midwife (Jo Hartley) tells the dejectedly expecting Ruth (Lowe) during one of her regular checkups. She doesnt mean that quite as literally, however, as Ruth appears to experience it. The weary mother-to-be is raggedly beholden to her vengeful tyrant of an unborn daughter, who speaks to her in insidiously high-pitched tones, goading her into a series of targeted murders the motive for which Lowes casually structured script invites audiences to assemble piecemeal, as we simultaneously discover the circumstances behind the babys fathers absence. This much is clear: Ruth is carrying a whole lot of grief along with her bundle of joy.
Lowe cleverly staggers her reveals in such a way that the narratives rhetorical implications shift slightly with each one. When the first two people on Ruths hitlist turn out to be loathsome men a pervy pet-store proprietor (Dan Renton Skinner) and a schlubby, aggressively misogynistic pub DJ (Tom Davis) who comes on to her with the the line, I fing love fat birds you dont mind what people do to you it seems she might be on an extremist feminist cleansing mission. But when a chilly career woman (Kate Dickie) is next up for the chop, it turns out Ruths killing impulse is a lot more specific than that, while her general misanthropy is a lot less discriminating. Let the past be the past, its natures way, the midwife advises, attempting to counsel Ruth past her mourning. Natures a bit of a ct, comes the reply a typical Lowe line (and delivery) in its unimpressed obscenity.
But as Ruth and her foetus wind up disagreeing on crucial moral calls, their already amateur plan like a klutzier Kill Bill project goes further awry, and Prevenge emerges as a uniquely frightening, funny take on the alienating effects of prepartum depression. Having set up this terrific idea, the film runs on fumes a bit in its final third drawing out the final battle between Ruths conscience and not-so-maternal instinct, and articulating facets of her psyche that were already elegantly implicit in Lowes script. (Our heroines raddled state, meanwhile, is aptly reflected in the deliberately unpolished nature of the filmmaking of which with the icy, stabbing synths of Toydrums excellent score are the most expressive asset.)
Lowes determinedly low-key performance is a marvel even through the films few lulls: Shes dry even when anguished, with flashes of wide-eyed mania that seem to channel Isabelle Adjani in Possession. Furthermore, the director-stars own pregnancy surely makes an invaluable contribution to her characters affectingly weary comportment call it ultimate method acting if you will, but its not often that a filmmaker has quite so clearly conveyed the external and internal strain of child-carrying.
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Just in case Frozen had you thinking the chief concerns of young girls in old Lapland were building snowmen and breaking magic spells, along comes Sami Blood to set the record straight. A moving, classically rendered coming-of-age tale set against the scarring social prejudices of the 1930s, this handsome debut feature from Swedish-Sami writer-director Amanda Kernell robustly blends adolescent fears that resonate across borders and generations with a fascinatingly specific, rarely depicted cultural context: Swedens colonial oppression of Finlands indigenous Sami folk. Following a single, strong-willed teenager as she is forced to choose between remaining with her people or pursuing the education and opportunities otherwise denied her, this stirring but pleasingly unsentimental tale has all the makings of a festival crowdpleaser, and introduces a poised, intelligent young talent in star Lene Cecilia Sparrok.
That Sami Blood is an international co-production between Sweden, Denmark and Norway though not, it has to be said, Finland is indicative in itself of how much more porous cultural boundaries have grown since the era depicted in the film, which sees the rural, largely reindeer-breeding Sami people routinely dismissed as circus animals and filthy Lapps by their privileged Swedish neighbors. (Shocking scenes of racial biology exams, whereby Sami children were poked, prodded and measured like prize cattle, serve to remind viewers that the Nazis were far from the only ones promoting fascistic genetics theory in Europe at the time.) The Sami, meanwhile, respond to such racism by fiercely upholding their native customs and costumes, proudly defending a rough-hewn, land-based lifestyle to which bright, knowledge-seeking 14-year-old Elle-Marja (Sparrok) cant much relate.
Bookending Elle-Marjas story is a quietly melancholic present-day narrative in which stern nonagenarian Christina (Maj Doris Rimpi) travels reluctantly to Lapland to attend the funeral of her estranged sister, accompanied by her son and granddaughter. While the latter two delight in the now-quaint Sami practices of yoik-singing and calf-marking, Christina seems actively traumatized by the homecoming.
As we flash back 80-odd years to the troubled, pastoral childhood of Elle-Marja, viewers should swiftly work out that the child and the old-timer are one and the same though the circumstances by which she would spurn her family and change her name take a little longer to emerge. While an obedient daughter to her recently widowed mother, and sweetly protective of her younger sister Njenna (Sparroks own sister Mia Erika), Elle-Marja is showing the first signs of a hungry curiosity that extends well beyond the wild plains of her homeland, as she dreams of a cosmopolitan urban life in Uppsala, Sweden. When is violently bullied by local non-Sami boys, she responds as much with internalized shame as with self-defense.
When both sisters are dispatched to a draconian Sami-only boarding school, Elle-Marja spots a glimmer of an opportunity for escape and self-improvement, though even her outwardly kindly teacher pulls the door shut on more advanced education: Studies have shown that your people cant get by in town you have to stay here or youll die out, she is curtly told. As our young heroine everything within her power to buck the system, Kernells script sharply delineates the different layers and textures of ceiling preventing her ascent: Brutal as the films depiction of institutional abuse and male-controlled community prejudice is, the condescension of those purporting to help is no less stinging. Though the film doesnt return to the older Elle-Marja/Christinas quandary until the close, the tonal contrast between its past and present depictions of Sami living needles the viewer throughout as a bucolic way of life now regarded as sadly endangered is gradually filled out with an acute history of repression and self-loathing that Christinas bemused son can consider himself lucky not to understand.
On screen as in memory, however, the pain of this impossible childhood is tempered with flashes of tenderness and lyricism: a halting first dance with a boy, for example, or a nervous introduction to lipstick. Kernells filmmaking resists both one-note austerity and rose-tinted adolescent nostalgia: Even the most ravishing sections of the films landscape are shot by cinematographers Sophia Olsson and Petrus Sjovik in a rich range of blues that can connote idyllic tranquility or lowering threat with a subtle shift of the light. But its Sparroks quiet, searching debut performance that deserves substantial credit for Sami Bloods delicately modulated tone. Blessed with a still gaze that can look hopefully defiant and utterly adrift all at once, she knots and loosens her body language according to whos watching Elle-Marja, and how: When she slips on a drab house dress than nonetheless camouflages her ethnic-clothed Sami identity, she walks, however hesitantly, like one who has grown from being looked at to being seen.
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Kim Ki-duk on Thursday addressed China's decision to deny him a work visa for the filming of his next movie, Who Is God, which is a South Korea-China-U.S. co-production.
"Yes, it's true, I confirm," said Kim during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival for his film The Net. "The business working visa to China has not been accepted, nor [been] given to me, so at the moment all the programming activities of working with this next film have been stopped."
Continued the Korean filmmaking veteran: "Personally, however, I can't say anything as regards to the visa, if there is a solution to the visa. It's something the two states have to deal with, my government of South Korea and the government of China. It's a problem the two governments have to solve. I certainly can't resolve it myself."
He added: "Probably there were problems in China because of the title of the film I intended to shoot there ... means 'There Is No God,' or divinity, which is how it's translated from the Korean."
Concluded the director: "But the fact that the activity of this film is suspended, doesn't mean I won't continue to prepare the film." He added, "I'm not sure which countries I'll shoot this film in, but I'll continue as I did with The Net."
The planned co-production has been scheduled to begin shooting in October, but recent geopolitical tensions have emerged. In recent months, Chinese state-backed media have criticized Seoul's decision to deploy THAAD, a U.S.-made missile defense system, on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim said that his new film, The Net - a pic about the unintended consequences of a straying fishing boat, which premiered out of competition in Venice - was a reaction to the escalating tensions between North and South Korea.
"Several people thought we were on the brink of a new war," he explained of the tensions in Asia. "With this film, my idea was to give the idea of a possible wise solution that could see the two Koreas solve the problem by themselves, a problem which for years has afflicted them."
Read more: South Korean Director Kim Ki-duk Denied Work Visa for Chinese Co-Production
The Venice Film Market, which runs during the festival, is morphing into the Venice Production Bridge in a multi-pronged effort to broaden its scope while also refining its raison detre to become an important international production platform, says its director Pascal Diot.
Four years after launching as a light market with its European Gap Financing Market and Final Cut in Venice initiatives, which provide matchmaking opportunities for works in advanced stages, the informal Lido mart has now expanded the Gap Financing event beyond Europe. Its also gone beyond just movies to feature 40 selected international projects, including TV and web series and virtual reality content, all with at least 70% of funding in place. Final Cut is dedicated to six projects from the Middle East and North Africa region in post.
The VR offerings will include a 40-minute preview of Jesus VR The Story of Christ, produced by Autumn VR and VRWERX and shot in Matera, Italy. It will screen in Venices new state-of-the art VR theater, which has seats that pivot 360 degrees.
The rebranded Venice Production Bridge which runs Sept. 1-5 is also launching a Book Adaptations Rights Area, which appears to be well-attended, though the literary entities, among which London-based agency Andrew Nuremberg Associates, are all European.
The Toronto Intl. Film Festival, which kicks off Sept. 8, is a sellers and buyers market, noted Diot. We will never be able to do that, he added. Thats why they are focusing on production.
Diot claims Venice is the perfect setting for producers to engage in in-depth conversations that they just dont have a chance to have in Cannes, Toronto or Berlin. This, he says, can prompt the Lido to become a leading catalyst for new productions.
Venices new push towards becoming a prestigious platform for unfinished product complements its Biennale College initiative dedicated to development and production of micro-budget feature films from all over the world, which over the past four years has spawned 13 features, many of which have gone on to gain kudos on the international fest circuit.
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In terms of attendance this year, there are more U.S. producers and broadcasters disembarking on the Lido, including execs from Netflix and HBO.
There is also a greater Chinese presence despite the absence of Chinese films in the main competition.
In a first, several Chinese titles, including Wanda Pictures local hit Detective Chinatown, directed by Chen Sicheng, are having Venice market screenings. And there are two events in Venice dedicated to China: a high-powered Focus on China organized by Italys motion picture association ANICA and a session of the Sino-European content lab/workshop run by the Bridging the Dragon platform which is being hosted by the fests independently run Venice Days section.
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Monza (Italy) (AFP) - Sebastian Vettel apologised to Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen for their first corner collision at last Sundays Belgian Grand Prix and played down talk of a simmering row with Dutch teenager Max Verstappen.
Speaking at Thursdays news conference ahead of this weekends Italian Grand Prix, the four-time world champion conceded that he had not allowed enough space when all three men crashed.
"There is not so much to talk about," said Vettel. "It is clear what happened. I thought there was Kimi on the inside, but it turns out there were three cars.
"The room I gave Kimi was not for three cars. Max was out of the fight, but then he thought he was not.
"I cannot see much in the mirrors. I could see Kimi was there and I was slightly ahead. If I had to do it again, of course, I give a bit more room and we make it.
"It was a pity for all three to be involved and not to come out of the corner being able to race for the podium because of that."
Raikkonen said: "Obviously, it was unfortunate. He said sorry and I said ok. We go forward. It wasn't ideal for us all three to be involved, but that is how it goes sometimes."
Raikkonen was more concerned with Red Bull driver Verstappens attitude and comments.
He said that talk of "payback" was inappropriate and said a Grand Prix race was "not the place" for it.
- 'Nothing personal' -
"Personally, I have nothing against Max," said the Finn.
"He is doing a good job. He is fast, but there are certain things, in my feeling, that are not correct -- if you have to slow down, or brake, at full speed.
"Everybody is allowed to say what they feel. Like I said, I have nothing personal against him, but certain things are not correct.
"If somebody says that, during the race, he does something because of what happened at the first corner -- that it is payback -- I don't think it is the correct sport to be purposefully paying back.
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"It can end up in a very bad way. Yes, people make mistakes, everybody has made them and it will happen to all of us. You just have to accept it, but its not the place to start acting silly, in a way, and paying back something."
Vettel and Raikkonen have combined for nine podium finishes this year, although none in their past four races has created extra pressure ahead of the contest at the team's home track.
Ferrari's last victory was a year ago, at the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix, but Vettel has fond memories of Monza after claiming his first F1 win at the circuit in 2008 while racing for Toro Rosso.
He collected two further wins with Red Bull, in 2011 and 2013, and no longer is he the target of jeering fans as he was when he romped to four successive titles.
"Last year, in my first time in the red (Ferrari)suit, they made me realise that they dont really hate me so much, as when I was with Red Bull," said Vettel.
"So, for me, it would be a dream if I could win this race here in red."
MediaWorks has partnered with Vevo to become its exclusive premium video sales partner in New Zealand. The partnership means MediaWorks will sell ads on Vevo's content, which was streamed more than 50 million times in July 2016 in the island nation.
Glen Kyne, MediaWorks' acting chief commercial officer, said the partnership "will allow us to reach more New Zealanders than ever before, and be the prime location for any advertiser looking to purchase premium digital content and connect to engaged audiences."
Australia-based market research firm Roy Morgan found that 83 percent of New Zealanders now access one or more types of on-demand content.
No Beyonce, But Plenty of Official VMA Videos Are on Vevo Now
"We're excited to partner with Media Works and having a partner on the ground will extend the reach of Vevo as we look to drive new growth opportunities in New Zealand," said Nic Jones, Vevo's chief revenue officer. "The digital advertising outlook for New Zealand is poised for continuing double-digit growth over the next five years and this collaboration will allow us to capitalise on the ever increasing demand for music videos in the local market."
Vevo has been doing a lot of dealin' of late. The partnership with MediaWorks comes on the heels of Vevo's recent content pairing with MTV's VMAs, as well as the high-profile signing of a deal with Warner Music Group, the platform's last major label holdout.
Three Russian fraudsters, including one who tried to escape prison using a spoon and a toothbrush to dig a tunnel, have been jailed in Vietnam for using fake ATM cards to steal $13,400.
The men, aged between 30 and 43, were detained last October pending trial when one of them made a last-ditch attempt to flee.
"He was discovered by the jailor while trying to dig a hole from the room," using a toothbrush and a spoon, according to an online report from Ho Chi Minh City's official law newspaper.
The men were each jailed for six years for making fake bank cards and stealing from cash machines in southern Ho Chi Minh City and Khanh Hoa province.
The would-be escapee was given an extra six months for the attempted jail break.
The men confessed to their crime and were sentenced Wednesday in Khanh Hoa after a one-day trial, a court clerk told AFP, without providing further details.
According to the legal newspaper, the trio arrived in Vietnam in mid-October and were arrested later that month while they were withdrawing money from an ATM in Khanh Hoa.
Earlier this week, two Turkish men were jailed in a separate case for five years each in Ho Chi Minh City on a similar charges after also stealing about $13,400 dollars using 130 fake ATM cards originating from Turkey, state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.
Police in the communist country say cybercrime by both Vietnamese and foreign thieves is on the rise.
In nearby Thailand, police are also hunting for ATM hackers who made off with $346,000 by inserting cards installed with malware into multiple cash machines run by Thailand's state-run Government Savings Bank (GSB) in late July.
Thai authorities have issued an arrest warrant for one Russian man who they believe belonged to a gang of foreign criminals behind the theft.
RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / September 1, 2016 / Viratech Corp. (VIRA), the first open source biotech research social network platform is pleased to update shareholders regarding its current activities.
The Company previously launched www.cancer.im a social network resource site for cancer patients, survivors, advocates, and volunteers. Cancer.im harnesses social collaboration utilities to develop what Viratech believes will become the first experience-based search engine powered by social collaboration.
In May, Cancer.im, released and documented its REST API which consists now of more than 700 pages, giving implicit programming details, to the developer community on how they can now build new applications and functionalities, to the Cancer.im social network platform including:
1. Login - (Http Verbs, Member Login, Login, Single Sign On, Logout);. 2. Member Sign Up - (Sign Up Form, Validate Sign Up Form); 3. Members - (Browse Members, Member Search Form, User Profile, Edit Profile Fields, Edit Profile Photo, Get User Info, Get Friends, Create New List, Add Friend To List, Remove Friend From List, Delete List, Suggest Friend); 4. Member Actions - (Add Friend, Cancer Friend Request, Accept Friend Request, Reject Friend Request, Remove Friend, Block Member, Unblock Member, make Profile Photo); 5. Member Settings - (General Settings, Privacy Settings, Network Settings, Notification Settings, Change password, Delete Account); 6. Notifications - (Get Notifications, Get Friend Request, Get New updates Count, Mark All Notifications as Read, Mark a Notification As Read); 7. Messages - (Get Inbox Messages, Get outbox Messages, Mark Message As Read, View Messages, Compose New Messages, Delete Message Conversations); 8. Likes and Comments - (Get Likes and Comments, Like, Unlike, Post Comment, Delete a Comment); 9. Activity Feed - (Get Activity Feeds, Post New Feed, Delete Feed and Comment, Delete Feed and Comment, Like, Unlike, Post feed Comments, Tag Friends in Feed); 10. Photo Albums - (Browse Albums, My Albums, Browse Search Forum, Create Album, Album Profile, Edit Album, Delete Album, Photo's List, Photo's View, Edit Photo Info, Delete Photo, Rotate Photo, Flip Photo); 11. Blogs - (Browse Blogs, Manage Blogs, Blogs Search Form, create a Blog, Blog Profile, Edit Blog, Get User's Blog Categories, Blogs Subscribe, Blogs Unsubscribe, Delete Blog); 12. Classifieds - (Browse Classifieds, My classifieds, Classifieds Search Form, Create Classified, Classified profile, Edit Classified, Open/Close Classified, Delete Classified); 13. Groups - (Browse Groups, Manage Groups, Group Search Form, Create Group, Group Profile, Edit group, Delete Group); 14. Group Members - ( Member List, Invite Members, Accept member Request, Ignore Member request, Leave group, Join Group, Group Membership Request, Approve Membership Request, Cancel Membership Request, Remove Members, Edit Member Staff, Promote Group member, Demote Group Member); 15. Photo View - (Photo View, Edit Photo title & description, Delete Photo); 16. Group Discussions - (Discussions List, Create Discussions, Discussions Profile, Post Discussions Reply, Make Sticky/Remove Sticky, Open/Close, rename Discussion, Watch Topic/Stop Watching Topic, Delete Discussion); 17. Events - (Browse Events, My Events, Events Search Form, Create Event, Event Profile, Edit Event, Delete Event, Event Organizer Profile, Event Categories Listings, Events Guest List, Join Event, Leave Event, Invite members, Accept Members Request, Ignore Members Request, Event Membership Request, cancer Membership request, Remove Member, Publish Event, Open Close Event, Tell a Friend); 18. Diary - (Browse Diaries, Diary Search Form, Create Diary, Edit Diary, Diary Profile, Delete Diary, Add Event to Diary, Remove Event From Diary, Tell a Friend, Message Owner of Diary); 19. Video - (Browse Video, My Videos, Video Search Form, create Video, Video profile, Edit Video Rate to Video, Delete Video); 20. Music/Voice Sharing (Browse Playlist, My Playlist, Playlist Search Form, Create Playlist, Playlist Profile, Edit Playlist, Delete playlist, Delete Song, Move Song to Other Playlist); 21. Polls - (Browse Polls, Manage Polls, Poll Search Form, Create Poll, Poll Profile, Edit Poll, Vote on Poll, Delete Poll); 22. Forums - (Forums Listings, Browse Forum Listings, Get member Forum Posts, Create Forum Posts, Create Forum Topic, Forum Topic Profile, Delete Forum Topic, Make sticky/remove Sticky, Open /Close, Watch Topic/Stop Watching Topic, Rename Forum Topic, Move Topic to Forum, Topic Post's Reply, Delete Post); 23. Geo-Location - (Proximity Search, Suggest Locations).
Cancer.im has been positioning itself to have the first mover advantage by becoming the primary resource on the Web that people affected by cancer will turn to in order to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others. Members can use Cancer.im to:
Create and mobilize their own Patient Support Network;
Learn from the wisdom of cancer survivors;
Research all aspects of cancer;
Organize their medical records, insurance, and research;
Create a customized strategy based on their educated beliefs, values and resources;
To create a proactive cancer prevention strategy.
Cancer.im was founded by people who have firsthand experience with cancer. The network continues to grow thanks to individuals who continually donate their time, resources and experiences to help cancer patients navigate the obstacles they face. Our driving principles to create an internet-based support system are based on clinical data which has shown that cancer patients who have an active support network live longer than cancer patients who do not and increasing a cancer patients quality of life directly lowers the incidence of morbidity.
The Cancer.im social network has the potential of changing the way in which patients view and manage their disease, thus allowing them to take back control and being more proactive in their treatment decisions.
Cancer.im is also seeking new cancer researchers who wish to leverage its intellectual property and social network platform for the purpose of creating new distribution and engagement channels. Books on cancer have been written and the Company has gathered a large data base of research and knowledge.
Through its experience-based search engine and next-generation technology, Cancer.ims goal is to become the primary resource on the web for people affected by cancer, for the purpose of making a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.
The Company is continuing to expand the use and features of the technologies in its Social Network, software, and business platform.
Biotech Division
Cancer.im Inc. signed an exclusive agreement to commercialize a device that analyzes a small amount of urine for markers that are found in breast and other forms of cancer. This device and the use of biomarkers allow for rapid, point-of-care tests for early screening of cancer that noninvasively monitors levels of pteridine biomarkers in urine. Its unique design delivers superior sensitivity to mass spectrometry at a fraction of the cost of comparable analytical platforms. There are many other advantages to this technology.
New frontiers for health care
Dr. Kevin Buckman MD, Chief Medical Officer of Cancer.im, Inc., authored a Best Selling Book on Breast Cancer called Find and Stop Breast Cancer. He states, "The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task suggests not doing a first mammogram until age 50. This is a real dilemma for women under 50 and for those who want a noninvasive means of breast cancer screening." Dr. Buckman continues, "Screening with sensitive biomarkers may have advantages over expensive imaging technologies such as CT Scan, x rays, PET scans, mammograms, ultrasounds and other tests. Urine biomarkers for Cancer Detection is a non-invasive cancer test that is rapid. There is a need to find a new way to discover breast cancer at all stages and to have new ways to monitor cancer treatment."
Further clinical studies are needed and the Company will need to attain regulatory approval before the device and tests can be used clinically.
Medical Advisory Board and Technical Advisors
To facilitate the above activities, the Company has been meeting with Doctors and other experts with the bodies of knowledge needed to make the Companys goals and business ventures successful. The Company will be announcing these new members of its team over the next sixty days.
"The hard work and efforts of the management team of the Company is finally coming to fruition" states Fred Schiemann, CEO of Viratech Corp.
About Viratech, Corp. and Cancer.im, Inc.
Viratech and its subsidiary are a software company focusing on developing disruptor based applications in the communication broadcasting, work flow management, crowd sourced labor and social media fields. Additionally, Viratech and its wholly owned subsidiary develop medical products for the early detection of cancer and other diseases.
Forward-Looking Statements
Our press releases may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the actual results of operations. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding our belief about the market applications. The following important factors, among others, have affected and, in the future could affect, the our actual results: the effect of new branding and marketing initiatives, the integration of new leadership, the introduction and acceptance of new products, the levels and particular directions of research and product development by our customers, the impact of the growing number of producers of biotechnology research and diagnostics products and related price competition, general economic conditions, the impact of currency exchange rate fluctuations, and the costs and results of our research and product development efforts and those of companies in which we have invested or with which we have formed strategic relationships. For additional information concerning such factors, see the section titled "Risk Factors" in our annual report and quarterly reports. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements we make in our press releases due to new information or future events. Investors are cautioned not to place undue emphasis on these statements.
Contact information:
Chris Ryan CEO Cancer.im, Inc. www.linkedin.com/in/cancer
Contact: Fred Schiemann, CEO/Director Email: fschiemann@yahoo.com
SOURCE: Viratech Corp.
By Bernie Woodall
DETROIT (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) said on Thursday it has filed an appeal of a federal labor board decision on its dispute with the United Auto Workers union in Tennessee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
The National Labor Relations board on Aug. 26 sided with the UAW in the union's effort to get VW to negotiate wages and benefits for about 160 of the 1,500 hourly workers at a VW plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Thursday's filing was expected. The NLRB decision for the UAW in the dispute was highly anticipated, and VW had previously said it would appeal if the ruling went against the German-based company.
The union sought to represent only a portion of the plant's workers after it in February 2014 narrowly lost an election to represent all 1,500 hourly workers at the Chattanooga plant.
In December 2015, the union handily won the right to represent about 160 skilled trades workers who maintain machinery at the plant.
The UAW has never been able to win an organizing vote at a foreign-owned auto assembly plant in the U.S. south. A victory, even for only a portion of workers at the VW plant, would give the union a stronger foothold in the south, where most foreign-owned auto plants are located.
On Thursday, VW said in a statement that it "respects the right of all of our employees to decide the question of union representation. This is why we disagree with the decision to separate Volkswagen maintenance and production workers and will continue our effort to allow everyone to vote as one group on the matter of union representation."
UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel said in a statement on Thursday evening that the union is "disappointed that Volkswagen is continuing to thumb its nose at the federal government. The federal courts have consistently upheld the NLRB labor standard that enabled the skilled-trades vote in Chattanooga."
The UAW has for several years been assisted in its effort to organize workers in Tennessee by the powerful German union IG Metall, which has members on the VW Supervisory Board.
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Earlier on Thursday, the head of IG Metall, Joerg Hofman, demanded that VW enter talks with the UAW-represented workers.
IG Metall in a statement said that Hofman "is calling for VW to no longer act contrary to American labor law, and to seek talks with UAW without delay."
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Bernard Orr)
By Bernie Woodall
DETROIT (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG said on Thursday it has filed an appeal of a federal labor board decision on its dispute with the United Auto Workers union in Tennessee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
The National Labor Relations board on Aug. 26 sided with the UAW in the union's effort to get VW to negotiate wages and benefits for about 160 of the 1,500 hourly workers at a VW plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Thursday's filing was expected. The NLRB decision for the UAW in the dispute was highly anticipated, and VW had previously said it would appeal if the ruling went against the German-based company.
The union sought to represent only a portion of the plant's workers after it in February 2014 narrowly lost an election to represent all 1,500 hourly workers at the Chattanooga plant.
In December 2015, the union handily won the right to represent about 160 skilled trades workers who maintain machinery at the plant.
The UAW has never been able to win an organizing vote at a foreign-owned auto assembly plant in the U.S. south. A victory, even for only a portion of workers at the VW plant, would give the union a stronger foothold in the south, where most foreign-owned auto plants are located.
On Thursday, VW said in a statement that it "respects the right of all of our employees to decide the question of union representation. This is why we disagree with the decision to separate Volkswagen maintenance and production workers and will continue our effort to allow everyone to vote as one group on the matter of union representation."
UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel said in a statement on Thursday evening that the union is "disappointed that Volkswagen is continuing to thumb its nose at the federal government. The federal courts have consistently upheld the NLRB labor standard that enabled the skilled-trades vote in Chattanooga."
The UAW has for several years been assisted in its effort to organize workers in Tennessee by the powerful German union IG Metall, which has members on the VW Supervisory Board.
Story continues
Earlier on Thursday, the head of IG Metall, Joerg Hofman, demanded that VW enter talks with the UAW-represented workers.
IG Metall in a statement said that Hofman "is calling for VW to no longer act contrary to American labor law, and to seek talks with UAW without delay."
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Bernard Orr)
When Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry assembled the crew of the starship Enterprise in 1966, he wanted to feature a staff that reflected the diversity of his utopian future. In Roddenberrys vision of the 23rd century, Starfleet officers of all cultures and colors would serve alongside each other without petty conflicts interfering with their five-year missions into deep space. The inclusion of Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Sulu (George Takei) on the Enterprise bridge as was a progressive step forward for network television, and Roddenberry upped the ante in Season 2 by adding a new character: Russian officer Pavel Chekov, played by Chicago-born actor Walter Koenig.
Introduced at a time when anti-Russian sentiment was running high, Chekov was designed to put a human face and a country and culture many Americans only knew in the context of the Cold War paranoia. Chekov was a benign character, Koenig tells Yahoo Movies. He was part of the team, not against the team. We were looking ahead to a time when all countries could coexist and work together. Starting his career as an ensign, Chekov steadily climbed the Starfleet ladder over the course of the original series and the Trek feature films, remaining a valued and trusted member of James Kirks inner circle.
Offscreen, Koenig continues to be a stalwart Star Trek advocate, regularly appearing at conventions, including Star Trek: Mission New York, a 50th anniversary celebration that will take over Manhattans Javits Center from Friday through Sunday. We spoke with the 79-year-old actor about his near-miss with a cameo on Star Trek: The Next Generation and why The Voyage Home is his favorite Trek film.
Within the Star Trek universe, Chekovs career has continued beyond the TV series and movies into spinoff novels. Do keep up with his adventures?
No, Ive never read the novels; I just feel that if I couldnt put it onscreen, than it really wasnt my character. It wasnt me. Conversely, when I appeared on Babylon 5 as Alfred Bester, my character was pivotal to the story, even though it was a recurring role. So when the Bester novels came out, I read those. I identified with the character so strongly, and my curiosity made me sit down with the books.
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Several of the original Enterprise crew appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation, including Spock, Scotty, and McCoy. Were there ever plans for Chekov to visit the Enterprise-D?
Its a strange story; I have an interpretation of it, and I underscore that its my interpretation. I was contacted by one of the writers to talk about what kind of story they could do with Chekov. We had lunch together, and couldnt come up with anything. So he asked me to come in and meet with all the writers; this was after Jimmy [Doohan] and DeForest [Kelley] had already been on and had both had very successful experiences. In the interim, I had come up with an idea [for Chekov], and was very much looking forward to sitting down with them. We were in a room, and they had pads and pens ready to take notes. But just when we finished the introductions, the phone rang and it was [a producer] telling them they had to leave, that they were needed somewhere else. Because I am who I am, and have a level of neuroticism that includes paranoia, I concluded that this may have been done purposefully, that the writers had contacted me without consulting [the producers] and they ordered them out of the room. I may be wrong; I never got the full story.
I recently spoke with David Gerrold, who wrote The Trouble With Tribbles, which had some great moments with Chekov. Do you have fond memories of that episode?
Thats a fun episode. It was done with humor, and Bill [Shatner] carried it off very well. As matter of fact, when my grandson saw his first Star Trek episode, it was The Trouble with Tribbles. He was 6 years old at the time, and knew I was an actor, but had never seen me in anything. When I had the big fight in the bar with the Klingons, he said to his mother, I cant believe my Grandpa is a table-hopping maniac! [Laughs]
What episode of the original series are you asked about the most?
My favorite from a selfish point of view is Spectre of the Gun. I got to go to down to the planet, I got the girl, and I got killed! [Ed. Note: His death wasnt permanent, of course. The episode takes place inside an Old West-themed psychic illusion.] It was an active episode for Chekov. That episode was a case of necessity being the mother of invention; we had overspent on the preceding episodes, and our budget was limited. So they had to come up with a set they could build easily and quickly, and the fact that the whole show dealt with illusion made the use of facades very advantageous. I thought it was a particularly well-conceived story.
Turning to the feature films, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
I feel thats best film we did. From my own point view, Chekov got to have some specific action, like the scene we did with the nuclear wessels and his interrogation by the FBI. He even got his own theme music! I had never shot anywhere but on a soundstage, and that was the first time I got to go out and shoot on the streets of San Francisco. I also think its the film thats most representative of Gene Roddenberrys original inspiration, to tell socio-political stories that spoke to what was transpiring in the world at the time. We addressed the topic of the environment with the storyline about the extinct whales. I feel we did a service for the world by addressing that subject in cinematic form and making it part of their consciousness.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is another installment that fans love.
Thats my second favorite. I had my worst moments with Bill Shatner on that film, so that kind of stains the experience a little bit. But I loved working with Ricardo [Montalban] and Paul Winfield. At the heart of every dramatic story is conflict, so you need a strong antagonist as well as a wonderful protagonist. Ricardo was such a strong force, it made the conflict that much greater. And the death of Spock is an extraordinary scene. Those two movies for me are furlongs ahead of the other films.
Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek film franchise, tragically died this year. The producers have said that the role wont be recast. Do you agree with that decision?
I think its the right call; its paying Anton the most respect. I was devastated and still am devastated [by his death]. I spent just a couple of hours with him, but I could tell he was a very good person. He was extraordinarily talented and versatile, and a human being that I would like to be friends with.
Were marking the 50th anniversary of Star Trek by celebrating its past, while also looking ahead to the future. What do you think the next 50 years holds for Trek?
I have no idea. [Laughs] And I had no idea when Gene Roddenberry called me in 1969 to say: Weve been canceled; hope to work together again sometime. At the time, I hung up the phone and said, What do I do with the rest of my life? It still astonishes me that this franchise has continued over five decades the way it has. Each of the incarnations have been received so enthusiastically. I cant begin to conjecture what will transpire with Star Trek from here on out. I hope it goes on; we always had good things to say about the word and our future. Were still trying to attain that future. Its such a chaotic, virulent time right now; maybe a new Star Trek will in some way heal the wounds that we have and bring us closer to the better place weve dreamed about.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f19459%2fscreen_shot_2016-09-01_at_10.37.24_am
Never smile at a crocodile, especially this cow-devouring behemoth from Australia.
The four metre (13 foot) croc was captured by Northern Territory police on Tuesday, after authorities set up a trap due to reports the crocodile had been busy eating cattle from a nearby farm.
"It was causing a ruckus and was a danger to people in the area," NT Police's Matt Phillips told ABC News.
The crocodile didn't behave, making its capture difficult, according to Phillips. Eventually it was taken to a crocodile farm, but locals believe there is an even larger crocodile still lurking about in the water.
A trap has been left in the water for this second big fella. Now it's a matter of wait and see.
Baby bat in a blanket can't drink banana smoothie fast enough
Watch what it might be like living with a climate change denier
Watch a watermelon bounce from huge drop, thanks to spray-on stuff
Humpback whale closely examines boat full of excited tourists
Georgetown University will give an admissions advantage to the descendants of 272 slaves sold by the school in 1838part of an effort to acknowledge and address the schools ties to slavery.
The university announced the step on Thursday, along with plans to rename two campus buildings in honor of African-Americans, dedicate a memorial to slaves and establish the Institute for the Study of Slavery and its Legacies.
The changes follow campus protests last year, in which students called on the university to address modern issues of racism as well as historical ties to slavery. The issue has been the subject of protests at colleges across the country, but Georgetowns response rings different because of its plans to provide descendants with preferential admissions status. The schools plan does not include a scholarship offering for the descendants.
Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia will address the new plans on Wednesday afternoon and offer a formal apology for the universitys role in profiting from slavery. Watch live at 4 p.m.
(Adds Stringer criticisms, Mylan response, EpiPen background)
By Ransdell Pierson
Sept 1 (Reuters) - New York City's comptroller on Thursday criticized what he said are "exorbitant" price increases for Mylan NV's allergy auto-injector EpiPen and said weak board oversight of management decisions had undermined the company's reputation and its stock price.
Scott Stringer said the price hikes, six times what the device cost when Mylan took it over in 2007, have prompted a public backlash and are partly responsible for a nearly 10 percent decline in Mylan's share price in the past month alone. Stringer manages about $163 billion in pension funds for the city, including 1,059,357 shares of Mylan common stock worth about $45 million, he said.
"Mylan's gross mismanagement of its EpiPen pricing strategy exacerbates the company's protracted history of weak board oversight," Stringer said in a letter to Douglas Leech, a Mylan board member who is chairman of its nominating and governance committee.
Mylan, whose tax address is in the Netherlands but with corporate headquarters in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, has raised the U.S. price of EpiPen from less than $100 when it acquired the product to more than $600.
Amid an outcry by parents, consumer groups and U.S. politicians, the company on Monday said it will soon launch the first generic version of the device for $300, half the list price of its branded product. The EpiPen jabs a dose of the drug epinephrine into the thigh to counter dangerous allergic reactions such as to peanuts, food allergies and bee stings.
Stringer said Mylan has failed to establish independent board leadership and noted the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating alleged land dealings between the company and its lead independent director, Rodney Piatt.
Mylan spokeswoman Nina Devlin, responding to Stringer's criticisms, said board members, including 10 independent directors, are highly qualified and vigilant.
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"The board has been actively engaged in overseeing the execution of Mylan's growth strategy over the past decade - a strategy which has brought hundreds of products to the market," Devlin said.
Leech and Piatt were not immediately available to comment.
Although Mylan Chief Executive Heather Bresch called the cheaper generic EpiPen an "extraordinary" commercial response, criticism has continued to rain down on the drugmaker. The U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating the company's EpiPen pricing strategy.
(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Dan Grebler)
From Esquire
Natasha Oakley (above left) and Devin Brugman met in Maui seven years ago. Oakley was from sunny Sydney, Australia; Brugman from sunny Hawaii. They became instant best friends. A few years later, Oakley was shooting photographs of bikini models on the beach for her production company in L.A., assisted by Brugman. The two friends also took photos-notable in quality and quantity-of each other in their favorite swimwear.
So there they were, on the beaches of SoCal, in their bikinis shooting bikini models. Why not make professional bikini shoots their own thing? And so A Bikini A Day started. With beautiful imagery and a bit of promotional genius, what began as a lifestyle blog is now a business.
Oakley and Brugman spoke to Esquire about their friendship, their success, and their bikini obsession. They also took a few more photos.
ESQ: Did A Bikini A Day start as a lifestyle blog?
Oakley: Yes. Basically, we got all of our bikinis we both owned, which was probably about 30 each, and we went down to the beach and shot them all, and then we would upload them one every day. Within two months of us being so consistent-and the quality of our content was pretty high compared to what people were posting at the time-people in the swimwear industry started to take notice. It organically grew into a business, because you can't realistically shoot bikinis all day as your full-time job-normally.
After about a year, we started the website, and that's when we started blogging. If you are the type that loves swimwear, and you're in swimwear all the time, you generally have the same interests as another person who's like that, so we started curating all this content relating to beach beauty and travel and swimwear style.
How does it work as a business now?
Oakley: We've worked with hundreds-probably thousands-of clients now because we upload a new bikini every single day. We collaborate with designers or brands we're really passionate about and that we love, but not in the most traditional sense. It's more about creating beautiful content in beautiful locations-things that people are inspired by. So if a brand is someone we really love and enjoy working with, we'll collaborate with them on a trip, or feature their brand in Bikini of the Day. It's like how a publication would work, but through social media.
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Do you get 365 bikinis a year?
Oakley: We'll contact a brand and say to them, "We love your suits," and then out of the collections we'll choose our favorites. Once we know the quality is amazing and they're something we would want to share with our followers, then we'll post them. We also do have Monday Swimwear, which is our own brand, and then we do designer profiles and look-books. We end up having thousands of bikinis a year. In our office, we have tens of thousands. Our entire life is surrounded with swimwear.
"You can't realistically shoot bikinis all day as your full-time job-normally."
In the beginning, in our apartment, even the kitchen cupboards were filled with bikinis. But we'd still walk into a shop and want to buy a bikini-like, "Oh my god I'm obsessed with it, we have to buy it." And that's the moment when we really realized that this truly is something that we love. It sounds a bit silly to say-"We're so obsessed with bikinis"-but when you grow up somewhere like Hawaii or Sydney, you don't wear designer bags or shoes, so your thing that you want to save up to buy is swimwear. You want to have a million different bikinis, because you live in them.
What happens to the tens of thousands of bikinis you have lying around?
Brugman: In our office, we literally have them color coordinated.
So you keep them all?
Oakley: Yes. We keep everything. And the crazy thing is we can't really wear a bikini more than once. So even if you love it that much, people will literally make comments. And we're like, Really, people? It's not realistic to wear something different every day. But I guess for us, it is.
If you had to give me a percentage, how much of your day do you spend in a bikini?
Oakley: Some days, it's 100 percent. Actually, 60 percent of the time it's 100 percent. The funny thing is, even if we don't go to the beach, we'll end up having to try swimwear on in the office. Every single day we do wear a bikini, but the percentage obviously differs based on where we are. But if we're somewhere that has a beach and we're on the beach, we'll be working on our laptops under the umbrellas in our swimwear, and then we'll go and take a few photos, and then come back and be on our laptops. We made every tropical location in the world our own office.
Have you ever had to spend extended time somewhere that isn't tropical?
Oakley: If it was only tropical islands always, you might go a bit braindead eventually. As amazing as it sounds, we've had trips where we'll be in Bali for one month, and by the end of it, we're just like, "We need to get out of here. If I take one more bikini photo, I'm going to die."
What's the most ridiculous situation you've ever put yourself in to get that photo for the day?
Oakley: I don't know if you've seen these double yoga positions-
Brugman: Oh my god.
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Oakley: But there have been multiple occasions where Devin's risked her life and I've genuinely thought I've killed her. One time we were up on this cliff in Hollywood doing this double yoga pose, and we did it a few times and it was fine, and then on the last time, my foot slipped. I was on top of Devin, kicked her right in the jaw, and I was splayed completely on top of her, straddling her around her neck. I for sure thought I had killed her. I thought she was dead. We're always putting ourselves in compromising positions. But even if it's not like, physically dangerous, the positions Devin will get into sometimes in the photo shoots...
Brugman: She'll have to come and place my arm and pull my back up and be like, "Do not move."
Do you have to deal with a lot of negative comments on your social media accounts?
Brugman: Being in bikinis-I mean we're in swimwear, and obviously we're both "sexy girls" [laughs]-those comments are going to come, and we've done our best to filter them out. We really don't let them negatively affect us at all. Any sort of inappropriate comments, we just delete them and block them right away. The amount of positive feedback from our female followers, and a lot of our male followers, is so strong.
"If it was only tropical islands always, you might go a bit braindead eventually."
What does it feel like to be two of the few people who get to turn their passion into a successful business?
Brugman: It's a really special experience for us, and it really is a dream come true, especially being able to work with your best friend. It's a fulfilling feeling, and every day we're doing stuff that we love, so it never feels like work to us.
Oakley: A Bikini A Day is something that's come from another passion of ours, which is photography. Obviously, social media has become a way to share our photography, and swimwear is incorporated into that. We feel so lucky, but at the same time, we know how hard we've worked to get here. This isn't something we fell upon. We saw an opportunity, and we've worked every day for four years to harness that and make it what it is today. As glorious as it looks, I'm away from home 10 months out of the year traveling. We wear all the hats in our business. We don't have investors, we don't have business partners. We handle every single part of it. We don't even have an agency, so it is a lot of hard work, and it is something you have to be passionate about or it won't be possible at the end of the day.
We owe a lot of it to our friendship-we really are each other's yin and yang. There are a lot of factors that have gone into creating this dream life and this dream career that a lot of people wouldn't realize just based on our beautiful photos in Bora Bora.
Photography by The Collaborationist
Hair by Richard Collins
Makeup by Kindra Mann
Jewelry by Ashley Carson
Special Thanks to Charter LA Yachts
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Image: By Abhilash Pattathil - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48774004
A new campaign has been taking social media by storm countering the campaign #Right to Pray is #Ready To Wait, which has been triggered by the recent judgment passed by the Bombay High Court allowing women entry into the Haji Ali dargahs inner sanctum. The campaign takes on an issue which has remained highly contentious that of granting women the right to pray at any religious place, irrespective of her age. While the Right to Pray campaign is fighting against the restrictions that are placed on women who are of menstruating age, from entering the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, and other such similar bans on women from entering places of religious importance, the Ready to Wait group is fighting against, what a campaigner Anjali George calls, atheists, feminists and Godless commies, and is asking for the matters of religion, customs and rituals to be left to the temples and not to the Courts.
The debate
In a recent hearing, the Supreme Court, which is in the process of hearing a PIL that had been filed by the Indian Young Lawyers Association against the gender inequality in the temple, questioned why women should not be allowed inside the temple premises, and wondered if the temple authorities have any right to prohibit women from praying. While the Sabarimala Temple does not bar all women from entering, it has an age restriction and bans women between the ages of 10 and 50 from entering it. According to temple rituals, and those who are fighting against allowing women entry, the pilgrimage to Sabarimala involves a 41 day period of celibacy and fasting, and a woman who is menstruating will not be able to undergo the fast. Secondly, with Lord Ayyappa being a celibate deity, many devotees and the management believe that the entry of women in the menstruating age, will defile the temple. Also, since every temple has its own pratishta, or temple deity, with its own rules, these must be respected.
However, those who are fighting for the Right to Pray debate that women should be given the fundamental freedom to pray at any religious place she wishes to, without restrictions being placed on her age or state of being. Menstruation is a natural factor of life, and one that has to be respected and not shunned as being unclean. Also, the whole argument about how the journey to the temple itself is an arduous one, holds no ground now, since a major part is covered in a vehicle, and devotees no longer need to traverse through forests filled with wild animals. Similarly, while many devotees and those who believe that the status quo should remain, argue that there is no blanket ban on women entering the temple, and that the restriction is only for a certain age group, those who are advocating the right to pray say that the restriction is applied on a major part of a womans life, and hence has the affect of discriminating against women.
Reclaiming the right to pray
Going against the norm, some women have tried to enter and pray at the temple, leading to major backlashes. While in 2011, a priest reportedly performed a purification ritual after a 35 year old woman entered the Sabarimala temple premises, in 2006, a controversy broke out when yesteryears Kannada actress Jayamala claimed to have entered the temple premises and touched the idol, while in her prime youth. A crime branch probe later found out that it was a conspiracy hatched by the actress and an astrologer.
Similarly, at the Shani Shignapur Temple in Maharashtra, where women were not allowed entry, a woman entered the temple in 2015, after which the authorities suspended the security guard and a ritual cleansing was carried out. In protest of the discrimination, on January 26 this year, the Bhumata Brigade, a gender equality activist organisation, headed by activist Trupti Desai, tried to enter the temple, but was stopped by police. Post an active campaign against the ban, the Bombay High Court passed a directive stating that it is a womens fundamental right to go into places of worship and the government is duty-bound to protect it. Maharashtra has a law that prevents discrimination against devotees, and under the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorisation) Act 1956, if any temple or person prohibits another person from entering into a temple, he or she faces six months imprisonment. Thus, the 400 year old tradition which barred women from entering the inner sanctum of the temple, was broken on April 9, when two women entered the premises, after the temple authorities, complying with the orders of the state government, lifted the ban.
The Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik, where women were not allowed entry into the inner sanctum, also lifted its ban amid a sustained campaign against gender inequality, by Pune based Swarajya Sanghatana, spearheaded by Vanita Gutte. However, the lifting of the restriction came with a rider that many criticised women would be allowed entry only for an hour from 6 am to 7 am, and only if they wore wet cotton or silk clothes. Similarly, Lucknows Aishbagh Eidgah also witnessed history in July, this year, after the mosque allowed women to offer Namaz on Eid-ul-Fitr, with the provision of a separate enclosure for women to offer their prayers.
However, while these places of worship may have finally opened their doors to women, regardless of their age, there are other religious institutions where women are still not allowed entry. The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, located in Thiruvananthapuram, and considered to be the richest temple in the world, allows women to pray at the temple, but bars them from entering the inner sanctum. Inventory officials, who were women, were also not allowed entry into the treasure vaults. The ban is said to have been enforced during the rule of the erstwhile Travancore ruler, Sree Moolam Thirunal.
A Jain shrine at Ranakpur in Rajasthan, which is one of the five major pilgrimage sites, also does not allow the entry of menstruating women into the shrine, and requires that women must cover their legs. The Lord Kartikeya Temple at Pushkar, which worships the brahmachari form of Lord Kartikeya, also bans women from entering. According to myth, Lord Kartikeya curses women entering the temple, hence the ban. The Patbaushi Satra in Assam, founded by 16th century saint philosopher Srimanta Sankaradeva also has a tradition of restricting women from entering the sanctum sanctorum, though there is no written rule against the same.
It is paradoxical that a country which places women on a pedestal, and worships them as goddesses, also has restrictions on its women from entering and praying where they wish to. While the question over the fundamental Right to Pray remains, the issue is also about the right to movement. By barring women from entering certain places of worship, a womans right to move or to go somewhere is also being encroached upon. The Right to Pray is not a fight over religious traditions, it is just a reinforcement of a constitutional right.
By Dustin Volz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White nationalists and self-identified Nazi sympathizers located mostly in the United States use Twitter with relative impunity and often have far more followers than militant Islamists, a study being released on Thursday found. Eighteen prominent white nationalist accounts examined in the study, including the American Nazi Party, have seen a sharp increase in Twitter followers to a total of more than 25,000, up from about 3,500 in 2012, according to the study by George Washington Universitys Program on Extremism that was seen by Reuters. The study's findings contrast with declining influence on Twitter Inc's service for Islamic State, also known as ISIS, amid crackdowns that have targeted the militant group, according to earlier research by report author J.M. Berger and the findings of other counter-extremism experts and government officials. White nationalists and Nazis outperformed ISIS in average friend and follower counts by a substantial margin," the report said. "Nazis had a median follower count almost eight times greater than ISIS supporters, and a mean count more than 22 times greater. While Twitter has waged an aggressive campaign to suspend Islamic State users - the company said in an August blog post it had shut down 360,000 accounts for threatening or promoting what it defined as terrorist acts since the middle of 2015 - Berger said in his report that "white nationalists and Nazis operate with relative impunity." Reuters was unable to independently verify the findings. Asked about the study, a Twitter spokesman referred to the company's terms of service, which prohibit promoting terrorism, threatening abuse and "hateful conduct" such as attacking or threatening a person on the basis of race or ethnicity. The company relies heavily on users to report terms of service violations. The report comes as Twitter faces scrutiny of its content removal policies. It has long been under pressure to crack down on Islamist fighters and their supporters, and the problem of harassment gained renewed attention in July after actress Leslie Jones briefly quit Twitter in the face of abusive comments. Berger said in an interview that Twitter and other companies such as Facebook Inc faced added difficulties in enforcing standards against white nationalist groups because they are less cohesive than Islamic State networks and present greater free speech complications. The data collected, which included analysis of tweets of selected accounts and their followers, represents a fraction of the white nationalist presence on Twitter and was insufficient to estimate the overall online size of the groups, the report said. Accounts examined in the study possessed a strong affinity for U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, a prolific Twitter user who has been accused of retweeting accounts associated with white nationalism dozens of times. Three of the top 10 hashtags used most frequently by the data set of users studied were related to Trump, according to the report, entitled "Nazis vs. ISIS on Twitter." Only #whitegenocide was more popular than Trump-related hashtags, the report said. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Jonathan Weber, Peter Cooney and Bill Rigby)
Partway through Moana, an animated musical due out Nov. 23, the titular characters traveling companion, a tattooed demigod named Maui (voiced by Dwayne The Rock Johnson), refers to her as a princess. I am not a princess, Moana says. If you wear a dress and you have an animal sidekick, youre a princess, he counters. But Disneys latest heroine, a 16-year-old Polynesian voiced by newcomer Aulii Cravalho, puts an end to this mansplaining. She doesnt do it with a witty retort; instead she does it by navigating the ocean, defeating a pissed-off lava monster and saving the world with a dimwitted pet chicken in tow.
The newest Disney character to join the ranks of Belle and Ariel is, in fact, just what she says she is: a heroine. Thats the point, say directors Ron Clements and John Musker, who helmed such classics of the genre as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. We saw this as a heros journey, a coming-of-age story, in a different tradition than the princess stories, says Clements. Adds Musker: I dont know that any of the other princesses weve been involved with wed describe as badass.
The idea for an animated feature set in the Pacific Islands was conceived five years ago by Musker, who was inspired by the novels of Herman Melville and Joseph Conrad and paintings by Paul Gauguin. Recognizing that all of these perspectives on the region came through the eyes of westerners, he began a deep dive into Polynesian mythology, culminating in a trip, along with longtime partner Clements, to Tahiti, Samoa and Fiji.
During the trip, Musker and Clements rendezvoused with archaeologists and linguists, choreographers and village chiefs. By the time they left, a central theme was beginning to come into focus: navigation. We learned about dead reckoning, where they sailed by their knowledge of the stars and the currents, explains Musker. It was very much a source of pride to them that they were the worlds greatest navigators in doing so.
But mixed up with that pride was a mystery, one which historians have struggled for ages to solve. About 2,000 years ago, Pacific navigation came to a halt. A thousand years later, the transoceanic voyages picked up again, and Polynesian explorers went on to settle Hawaii and New Zealand. The basis came out of a sort of fantasy of how they got started again, says Clements. What if it were all because of a 16-year-old girl?
There were several months, however, where it looked like Disneys next big bet would not be about a girl at all, but instead would focus on the mythical Maui. Folklore around the demigod abounds in several cultures, painting him as a shapeshifter, a trickster with the story of his life tattooed across his body. He pulled islands up out of the sea with his magical fishhook. His bigger-than-life exploits and personality really seemed like it could be rich to see in animation, and I had never seen anything in film of that character before, says Musker.
Ultimately, they cast Maui in a significant supporting role but shifted focus to the teenaged girl. We thought it would be very appealing to do a female empowerment story that didnt center on any sort of romance, says Musker. We saw it as sort of a True Grit-type story: the determined girl who teams up with a washed-up guy. They have this adventure and she finds her true callingand saves the world in the process.
In addition to lacking a love interest, unlike nearly all of her predecessors in the Disney canon, Moana looks different from her forebears. No strutting waif, she has a sturdier build, one which would believably allow her, in Muskers words, to hold her own in the demands of this physical environment. As her physique evolved in the studio, animators put her form to the test, ensuring that her musculature lent itself to a girl who could credibly, single-handedly, survive the perils of the open sea.
Moana is a new kind of character, and the movie is also a first for Disney, as its only animated film set in the Pacific Islands. The influences that informed its language, styles of dress and foundational folklore are pan-Pacific, a pastiche of Fijian, Tongan and Samoan cultures, among others. A first version of its script was penned by New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi, who boasts the two top-grossing films produced in his country and left his mark on another popular export, the comedy-band-cum-TV-show, Flight of the Conchords.
The movie is also a first for its directors, as their inaugural foray into an almost entirely computer animated film. (Some elements, like a living tattoo on Mauis left pectoral muscle that serves as an external representation of his conscience, are hand-drawn.) Technology enabled elements of the visual storytelling that would otherwise have been a stretch, most notably a living ocean which reacts to the movements of Moanawhose name means ocean in several languageswith a sort of anthropomorphized gesticulation. Other aspects, perhaps surprisingly, are more complicated with a keyboard than they are with a pencil. A few months from release, Clements sighs, Theyre still having a few nightmares about the ropes.
Moanas chances of taking hold of American children in the manner of 2013s Frozenand implanting in their minds, as that movie did, a fierce desire for millions of dollars worth of themed merchandise is closely linked to its capacity to have them singing along. In pursuit of anthems as mercilessly unforgettable as Let It Go, they brought on Lin-Manuel Miranda, before his hit musical Hamilton launched him into megastardom, in part because they admired his ability to move seamlessly between languages in his first production, In the Heights, a feat they hoped to emulate in Moana. To capture the sounds native to the movies setting, they recruited Opetaia Foai, leader of the group Te Vaka, who was born in Samoa to a Tokelauan father and a Tuvaluan mother. And to help pull it all together, they brought in veteran Disney composer Mark Mancina, who collaborated on the soundtracks of The Lion King and Tarzan.
Whether or not it ends up a purveyor of ear-worms, Moana is poised to speak to more than just the dress-up demographic. More important than what its nota princess tale or a love storyis what it is: a story of self-discovery. Early in the film, Moana is in turmoil over the clash between her desire to become a voyager and her fathers demands that she stay close to home and grow into her role as the communitys next chief. When she asks, Whats wrong with me? its hard to imagine an audience member who hasnt, at least once, thought those same words. The answer is no less poignant for our having guessed itthat is, absolutely nothing.
From Esquire
If your friend-or *cough* you *cough*-can't seem to keep up with friends at the bar, there's a new study out that explains why. (And no, the report doesn't just read "YOU'RE LAME" over and over again.)
Scientists at Washington State University studied why some people can take shot after shot of tequila without even getting wobbly on their feet while others get schwasted after a beer or two. It turns out that for the former, a certain receptor in the brain called GABAA overreacts to even small amounts of alcohol, hence slurred speech and swaying. For heavyweights, that receptor takes much longer to be stimulated...which can lead to drinking problems and alcoholism.
Photo credit: Giphy
In fact, researchers believe that increasing the sensitivity of this receptor could prevent people from binge-drinking.
"If you're sensitive to the motor-impairing effects of alcohol, you don't tend to drink much," David Rossi, assistant professor of neuroscience at Washington State, said in a statement. "You're inhibiting the circuit that executes normal motor function. If you're not sensitive, you drink more."
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Hillary Clinton is starting a daring war against Donald Trump with a six-figure advertising buy in the traditionally red state of Arizona.
The announcement by a senior campaign official comes the morning after Trump delivered a hardline immigration speech in Phoenix in which he vowed to deport undocumented immigrants and promised again that Mexico would pay for a wall on the U.S. border.
Clintons advertising buy will initially be six figures and feature the ad Role Models, which shows children watching some of Trumps more incendiary comments.
The Clinton campaigns decision to buy airtime in Arizona is a bold and unusual move for Democratic presidential candidates. The state has not been won by a Democrat since Bill Clinton in 1996, and before that, Harry Truman in 1948. In 2012, the Obama campaign began an effort to campaign and register voters in Arizona, hoping to attract Latinos dismayed by the Republican Party, but ultimately pulled out resources away months before the election.
But this year, with the unpopular Trump at the top of the ticket, flagging enthusiasm for the Republican Party in the state and a rapidly growing Latino population in Arizona, the Clinton campaign believes the state may be worth the bet. Recent polls show that Trump and Clinton are within a few percentage points in the state, with Trump taking only a slight lead.
Backlash against Trumps divisive rhetoric and dangerous campaign, including his embrace of a deportation force and the alt-right hate movement, have increased the opportunities in the state, a senior campaign official said.
Trumps position at the top of the Republican ticket has also endangered party stalwart Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, who is locked in a tight race to hold onto his Senate seat with Democratic challenger Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick. McCain has said he will support Trump, though Trump began his campaign by insulting him.
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The other senator from Arizona, Republican Jeff Flake, who is not up for reelection this year, has declined so far to endorse Trump.
Perhaps the biggest swing demographic in the state is white women, who may decide to vote against Trump in droves. The Clinton ad directly addresses some of the concerns middle-aged women have with Trump. The Clinton campaign will also need to turn out large numbers of Latinos.
The Clinton campaign also has advertisements up in Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Omaha market in Nebraska. But the campaign has pulled advertisements out of Colorado and Virginia, which in past election cycles were swing states but now are seen as relatively safe for Democrats.
For Democrats, Arizona is the new frontier.
In a stand-up race with Hillary and The Donald, I definitely say Arizona is in play, Chuck Coughlin, a Republican operative in Arizona told TIME in March.
blurred lines
Composer Hans Zimmer, crooner R. Kelly, and members of such bands as the Go-Go's, the Black Crowes, Linkin Park, and Three 6 Mafia are supporting Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke, and T.I. in their appeal in the ongoing legal dispute over the hit song "Blurred Lines."
More than 200 musicians filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles on Tuesday to express concern about the ruling last year in a case brought by the children of Marvin Gaye, who sued for copyright infringement claiming "Blurred Lines" copied Gaye's hit "Got to Give it Up."
The musicians said the ruling could have "adverse impact on their own creativity, on the creativity of future artists, and on the music industry in general."
Gaye's descendants won a $7.4 million verdict, which a judge reduced to $5.3 million.
The judgment is one of the largest damages awards in music-copyright history, and if it stands, it could have long-lasting effects on the music industry.
Rather than hinging on a particular set of notes, "Blurred Lines" was found in violation of copyright based purely on the atmospheric similarity to Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" a "vibe" that's a result of production choices and the rhythm pattern.
That distinction could set up a new legal precedent for what's stealing in music, rather than simple stylistic influence. And as the new brief attests, many in the music industry have concerns about possible detriment to creativity and a wave of more litigation.
"I think that saying that Pharrell and Thicke were inspired by a genre or a feeling that they gleaned somehow from Marvin Gaye is definitely new territory in copyright infringement," Josh Kaplan, a lawyer and manager of musicians, told Business Insider in 2015. "They were taking testimony from both Pharrell and Thicke saying that they were inspired or they wanted to come up with a sound similar to [Gaye], and that's a stretch."
Here's the original "Blurred Lines" as well as a mashup of the Thicke/Pharrell song with Gaye's "Got to Give It Up":
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NOW WATCH: 7 things you missed in the new Star Wars Rogue One trailer
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From Esquire
One of the best things about that the big empty bag of fcks that presently resides on a dusty shelf of the White House residence quarters is that, having noticed that it's empty, the president has unlimbered the clemency pen in a way it had not been unlimbered in decades. On Wednesday, for example, the man commuted 111 sentences, which brings his total for August to 325. No president has commuted that many in a year for over a century.
These acts are not only humane, but they also represent a very real example of this president thinking beyond the end of his term in office. Criminal justice reform-a vast term encompassing everything from defanging the idiotic "war" on drugs to why in the name of god can't Louisiana put air conditioners in its prisons-is going to be a very long slog. It's going to be uphill against five decades of the deep political salience accumulated by "law and order/tough on crime" rhetoric. It's going to have to be done against the prevailing political winds of the institutional racism that half the country won't even acknowledge exists. And god only knows what the next Congress is going to be like.
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This is an issue on which a president has to move the whole country first, because political calculation, caution, and cowardice are huge and immovable roadblocks. This president is doing that with every instrument at hand. That is what presidents do.
Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page.
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Sept 1 (Reuters) - Williams Partners LP said it had filed for an approval from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to expand its Transco pipeline in Texas and Louisiana.
The Gulf Connector, a 475,000 dekatherm per day expansion of the Transco pipeline, will supply to two liquefied natural gas terminals in Texas, the company said on Thursday.
One of the terminals is on the coast of Freeport Bay and another on the northern coast of Corpus Christi Bay.
Construction of the Freeport Bay terminal is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2018 and the Corpus Christi Bay terminal is expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2019, Williams Partners said.
(Reporting by Vishaka George in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey)
With a single tooth from an ancient human skeleton found in Germany, scientists have now created the most complete genetic picture yet of the bacteria that caused the world's first plague pandemic.
The Justinianic Plague killed 50 million people from the sixth to eighth centuries, and was caused by the same species of bacteria, Yersinia pestis, as the Black Death, which struck Europe during the Middle Ages.
The new genetic analysis reveals that three of the genes of this bacteria likely contributed more to the spread of the plague than previously thought. In addition, the researchers found mutations that were unique to the strain of Yersinia pestis that caused the Justinianic Plague.
The new study also confirms some findings from an earlier study, published in 2014, that involved a genetic analysis of a different human skeleton that dated to about the same time as the skeleton in the new study, the start of the sixth century. [5 Scariest Disease Outbreaks of the Past Century]
"We now have a complete Justinianic re-constructed genome, as opposed to the partial draft genome that was published in 2014," Michal Feldman, the lead author of the new study and a researcher at the Max Planck Institutes in Germany, told Live Science in an email.
That earlier study was led by David Wagner, an ecologist at Northern Arizona University. The new findings are "a validation of what we found previously with a different sample, which is exciting," Wagner told Live Science.
In the new study, the researchers looked at plague DNA found in a skeleton buried in Altenerding, near Munich, just 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the site where the skeleton analyzed in the 2014 study was buried.
When the researchers analyzed the DNA, they found that their sample yielded 17.9 copies, on average, of the regions of the genome that the researchers were most interested in studying. In comparison, the sample used in the 2014 study had yielded 7.6 copies, on average, of the regions of interest.
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The new study revealed mutations in three genes named nrdE, fadJ and pcp which the researchers said are associated with plague virulence. However, Wagner noted he was skeptical of this conclusion. "There's not a lot of background to suggest these things are associated with virulence," he said.
But the new evidence confirms the conclusions of the previous work, he said, that the strain of the bacteria that caused the Justinianic Plague is part of a lineage that can be traced back to China.
"More high-quality genomes from different locations and time periods could shed light on the disease transmission routes and the rate that it spread," Feldman said.
The research was published today (Aug. 30) in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.
Original article on Live Science.
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The Zika virus appears to be spreading rapidly in Singapore, with 115 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, according to government officials. At least one pregnant woman is among them.
The viruss emergence in the Asian city-state is raising lots of questions that will likely preoccupy experts on the World Health Organizations Zika Emergency Committee, which meets Thursday.
The most pressing: Is this a sign the epidemic virus racing through the Americas will do the same in Asia and Africa? Will pictures of Brazilian babies with microcephaly give way in coming months to images of African and Asian babies whose brains have been ravaged in the womb by this virus?
The expert committee may ask Duane Gubler, a WHO adviser and one of the worlds leading authorities on arboviruses viruses spread by mosquitoes and ticks.
STAT asked him first.
His answer: We dont know at this point.
We also asked Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, shortly after he got off the phone with the head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan.
One of the things that were really struggling with is whats going to happen in Asia and Africa? We really dont know, Frieden said. Ive been running public health agencies for 15 years. Weve done everything from post-9/11 anthrax to H1N1 [pandemic flu], SARS, MERS. This is really complicated.
Zika an oddball virus that causes little illness in most people and devastating disease in some fetuses, that is spread by mosquitoes and by sex, that did nothing for decades and then exploded in South America is one vexing little beast.
Nearly a year after it started to gain international notice, the answers to crucial questions remain frustratingly out of reach.
In the decades between Zikas first spotting in Uganda in 1947 and its big bow on the world stage in 2015, the virus was occasionally reported in Africa and Asia.
Did it spread constantly, infecting lots of people who are now immune? Or did it mostly infect primates, leaving most people alone and vulnerable to a new outbreak? No one knows.
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Answers to those questions would allow you to start to formulate an educated guess about whether and which African and Asian countries are next on Zikas global itinerary.
With many viruses, a simple blood test would answer these questions. Researchers would gather blood specimens from people in a bunch of different places and use them to pinpoint where Zika had circulated.
But theres nothing simple about Zika. The antibodies it generates are currently almost indistinguishable from antibodies to its cousin viruses things like dengue, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, and yellow fever. Theyre also quite similar to the antibodies generated by the live-virus vaccines used to protect against all those illnesses.
So its really hard to tell whether an individual with those antibodies has been exposed to Zika or to one of these cousins, said Dr. Robert Tesh, director of the World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
Nevertheless, over the years researchers have tried to determine how much immunity to Zika exists in parts of Africa and Asia. Based on the work, the WHO thinks Zika has spread widely.
The understanding we have is its been pretty much everywhere in the world, said Christopher Dye, an infectious disease epidemiologist who is director of strategy in the office of the WHO director general.
If thats true, that doesnt mean countries without current outbreaks, like Vietnam and the Philippines, or Angola and the Central African Republic, are in the clear. Zika may have infected a few people, leaving wide swaths of the population vulnerable. Or it may have come through decades ago, but not recently.
If 60 year-olds are immune in Zambia but people of child-bearing age are not, Zika is still a big threat there.
There are real fears that the strain from the Americas, where there has been a lot of microcephaly, could work its way back across the African continent, causing large numbers of cases of microcephaly or Guillain-Barre syndrome in places where Zika was present historically but hasnt been seen for a long time, Dye said.
We just cant rule that out at the moment with the information that weve got. and therefore, we need really to be vigilant about this.
Thats why the WHO has watched so closely as first Cape Verde islands west of Senegal and Guinea Bissau, in West Africa, reported cases of Zika and microcephaly, as well.
The virus responsible in Cape Verde was the Asian strain, but Dye said early word from Guinea Bissau suggests that the African family of viruses not previously associated with birth defects may be to blame there.
It would be momentous and thats not too strong a word if we were to discover that an African strain now was causing infections that led to microcephaly and possibly other severe neurological disorders, he noted.
Efforts to get to answers about Zika have been hobbled by a lack of funding, in the United States and elsewhere, Dye said.
Were working with a much smaller budget than anticipated, he said. The world doesnt perceive Zika to be such a big threat as was, say, Ebola. And I think the world is acting accordingly.
Solving another puzzle would also help to assess Zikas potential.
Does prior infection with closely related viruses make Zika infection worse? Or do those antibodies actually provide some protection that might block Zika infection, or tone it down if it occurs?
Depending on whom you ask, youll get a different theory. Some researchers are worried dengue antibodies up the ante while others say those types of prior infections could lower the risks.
So without answers, were into the realm of theories. Here are a couple:
Gubler believes Zika has spread broadly in the past. But he suspects the virus caused sporadic cases, not big outbreaks. Those would have been spotted, said Gubler, a professor emeritus in the emerging infectious diseases program at the Duke-NUS Medical School. (He recently moved back to the United States from the schools outpost in Singapore.)
His theory is that the virus circulating in the Americas, while still from the Asian family of Zika, has some small genetic changes that make it nastier. And Gubler suspects the virus causing cases in Singapore is that version.
My bet would be that this is an introduced strain that has greater epidemic potential, he said, adding he wouldnt be surprised to see it spread from Singapore to other parts of Asia and, if it reaches southern China, maybe Africa. China has substantial economic interests in and sends large numbers of Chinese workers to Africa.
Dye thinks the Singapore cases are caused by viruses from Asia, but ones that have not undergone the changes that are allowing Zika to damage fetuses and occasionally cause Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults.
Im guessing its going to be the Asian strain that has traditionally been around in Malaysia and Indonesia and the Philippines and so forth, he said.
Dr. Kamran Khans research focuses on the potential for spread of diseases using global airline travel data. An infectious diseases doctor at Torontos St. Michaels Hospital, he doesnt venture a guess on Zika immunity levels in Africa and Asia. But if there is substantial susceptibility, and if the outbreak virus is introduced, the conditions for spread are ripe, he said.
Youve got the same kinds of circumstances you saw in Brazil, which are high population density, mosquitoes, and poverty, Khan said.
Dylan Scott contributed to this article
A security researcher who hunts bugs for a living says that Google wont acknowledge one of his findings. According to Aidan Woods, the way Googles login pages are built would help an attacker either steal login information from unsuspecting users or convince them to install files which would appear to be downloading directly from Google.
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The tech giant told Woods that the issues do not qualify as bugs (and, therefore, for a payout) under its bug bounty program, so Woods went public with the information, hoping the issue would get the appropriate attention.
On his blog, Woods explains how an attacker could redirect a Google user to fake Google login page where the user could enter his or her credentials believing its the real thing.
One other attack would be to deliver a malware payload that would download to a users computer without the Google service page on the screen changing to suggest an action has been taken. The download could be malware that the user could install thinking its coming from Google.
Because of the way Googles domain is built, an attacker could redirect users to Google.com properties where its relatively easy to upload files that could then be used for malware attacks. At least thats how Woods described the entire thing.
Google, meanwhile, thinks this isnt a vulnerability that hackers can use. A full email exchange between Woods and Google, as well as his elaborate explanation, is available at this link.
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See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Marcel Lehel Lazar, the infamous hacker known as Guccifer, has been sentenced to 52 months in federal prison. Lazar pled guilty to a series of charges related to hacking a number of well-known celebrities between October 2012 and January 2014. Victims included former president George W Bush and former secretary of state Colin Powell.
DON'T MISS: Galaxy Note 7 recall is on the table following battery explosions
According to a statement issued by the Department of Justice, " Lazar intentionally gained unauthorized access to personal email and social media accounts belonging to approximately 100 Americans, and he did so to unlawfully obtain his victims personal information and email correspondence."
"Lazars victims included an immediate family member of two former U.S. presidents, a former member of the U.S. Cabinet, a former member of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former presidential advisor, he admitted. In many instances, Lazar publically released his victims private email correspondence, medical and financial information and personal photographs, according to the statement of facts filed with his plea agreement," the DOJ continued.
Lazar shot to a particular kind of fame when he revealed the existence of Hillary Clinton's private email server, a topic that's been all over the news during this election cycle. Guccifer claims to have accessed Clinton's emails, but has never provided any proof.
In recent months, a hacker or group calling itself "Guccifer 2.0" has released documents hacked from the DNC. Security researchers and the US government have said that they believe Guccifer 2.0 (which has no known ties to Lazar apart from the name) is really the Russian government.
Trending right now:
See the original version of this article on BGR.com
HP Pavilion Wave. HP Inc. photos.
This is not your beige box under the desk. HP is moving its PC business into the smart home speaker market with the Windows 10-powered HP Pavilion Wave tabletop computer promising high-quality audio for music, gaming, TV and movies, plus microphones for interacting with Microsofts Cortana digital assistant.
The Pavilion Wave, unveiled tonight, is a full-powered triangular computer with a woven-fabric exterior, and a speaker in the middle topped by a parabolic reflector designed to spread audio evenly throughout a room.
With the market for traditional PCs declining steadily, the new computer is a move by HP to grab a piece of the growing smart speaker market, which is expected to more than triple to $5.5 billion worldwide over the next four years.
Its a high-profile test for HP, which has reclaimed its title as the top PC vendor in the U.S. but still trails Dell worldwide. Its also an interesting expansion for Microsoft Cortana potentially giving the virtual assistant in Windows 10 even more of a presence in the living room, beyond its current Xbox One integration. HP says it tested the Cortana voice integration extensively in developing the new device.
HP Pavilion Wave_Rear
Think of it as a souped-up speaker or an audiophiles computer. HP says its about 15% the volume of most traditional Pavilion towers. Its HPs first-ever tower with integrated speakers and microphones.
At a starting price of $530, the device will be hundreds of dollars more than Amazons Alexa-powered Echo smart speaker but it also starts with 8GB of memory, a quad core Intel Core i5 processor, and a 1TB hard drive, along with HDMI and multiple USB ports, among other home-computer staples.
It appears more as a functional piece of furniture rather than being an electronic device, said Mike Nash, a vice president for HP Inc.s consumer PC business. The current incarnation of the company, based in Palo Alto, Calif., was one of two companies created from the 2015 split of the former Hewlett-Packard Co.
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The HP Pavilion Wave goes on sale Sept. 23. Prices range from $530 to $700 depending on configuration.
HP Elite Slice, with optional modules.
In addition, HP tonight is unveiling a new desktop business computer, called the HP Elite Slice, with optional modules for turning the PC into a Skype for Business phone, a conference call speaker phone, or a wireless device charging station, among other functions.
The HP Elite Slice runs Windows 10 Pro. It will also be released in September, starting at $699.
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Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg had his jaunt to Africa interrupted by some pretty unfortunate news Thursday: A SpaceX rocket exploded on a Florida launchpad, destroying a satellite Facebook was planning to use to offer Internet access in parts of the continent hes currently visiting.
As Im here in Africa, Im deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceXs launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent, Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook hours after the incident.
Fortunately, we have developed other technologies like Aquila that will connect people as well. We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided, he added, referencing Facebooks massive Internet-beaming drone.
Zuckerbergs statement reads like a jab at fellow technology billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX as well as electric automaker Tesla. For his part, Musk tweeted Thursday that the problem had something to do with the rockets upper stage oxygen tank, though an exact cause has yet to be determined. The SpaceX rocket, a Falcon 9, was undergoing a test at the time of the explosion; it was not set to launch until Sept. 3 at the earliest. The incident did not result in any fatalities.
At approximately 9:07 am ET, during a standard pre-launch static fire test for the AMOS-6 mission, there was an anomaly at SpaceXs Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 resulting in loss of the vehicle, said Phil Larson, a spokesperson for SpaceX, in a statement Thursday afternoon. The anomaly originated around the upper stage oxygen tank and occurred during propellant loading of the vehicle. Per standard operating procedure, all personnel were clear of the pad and there were no injuries. We are continuing to review the data to identify the root cause.
Thursdays incident marks a blemish on SpaceXs record, which had been clean since another Falcon 9 was lost during a launch in June of last year. That explosion claimed another high-tech victim: Microsoft HoloLens headsets destined for the International Space Station.
Together with a French satellite operator, Facebook spent about $95 million to rent capacity on the satellite over the next five years. The satellite, Amos-6, was built by Israeli satellite firm Spacecom.
Elliot may be walking the streets again in this weeks Mr. Robot but that doesnt mean hes smiling underneath that hoodie.
OK, fine, Elliot never smiles. But hes got a lot on his mind just the same. The episode kicked off by flashing back to the end of Season 1, when Elliot heard that knock on his apartment door. Turns out it was the cops, arresting him for hacking his therapists sleazy boyfriend and stealing his dog a dog that cost $1,200, by the way, making the canine theft a felony. So when Elliot pled guilty to the charges (over Mr. Robots protests), he was sentenced to 18 months in the county lockup.
We then got to see Elliots jail existence how it really was, not the rose-colored version he showed us in Season 2s first few episodes: Ray was actually the warden, his tough-guy sidekick was a prison guard, and Leon was a fellow inmate, raving about the unsung genius of Paul Reiser on Mad About You. (This guy really needs a blog to share all of his thoughts on 90s TV. Id read it.)
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But Elliot was suddenly on his way out, released after just 86 days. The guard signing him out told him you got lucky, but Elliot wasnt so sure. He thought the Dark Army mustve had something to do with his release, and enlisted Darlene and Cisco to put him in touch with Whiterose. Elliot managed to hack Whiteroses phone so Darlene could listen in while he and Cisco met some Dark Army henchmen in an abandoned library. Theyd been discussing moving to Stage 2 of the hack, and Elliot demanded to know what Stage 2 is but as Darlene discovered from her eavesdropping, Stage 2 was Elliots plan all along. Or, more accurately, Mr. Robots.
So yeah, Elliots mind wasnt in great shape. The line between him and Mr. Robot kept blurring, with images of Mr. Robot flickering into Elliot. Has he been off his meds since he was in jail? (He did tell the intake officer he wasnt on any medication.) Plus, we learned his mental health may have a genetic component when he paid a surprise visit to his mother! Yes, shes alive, but barely, sitting catatonic in a nursing home. Could Mom hold the key to healing Elliots split personality once and for all?
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Meanwhile, Angela was really getting into this whole hacking thing shes a natural! using Ciscos flash drive to swipe key E Corp documents related to the toxic waste dump that made her mother and Elliots dad sick. She took them to a guy at the nuclear regulatory commission, who promised to investigate, but another woman there knew Angela worked for E Corp, and seemed to be luring Angela into a trap before she escaped. Home wasnt safe, either: Dom barged in and basically announced she knows Angela is up to no good, leaving her business card in case Ang wants to confess. Time for an emergency trip to the karaoke bar, am I right?
But truthfully, this show has been missing a key element all season long: Tyrell Wellick. The slick-haired, cold-blooded exec helped make Season 1 the addictive ride it was, and so at the very end, when Elliot spotted Tyrells SUV outside his apartment, I got excited, thinking we might finally catch a glimpse of him. But no: It was just his wife Joanna, rolling down the window and calling out to Elliot, Hello, Ollie. Im still holding out hope for a Tyrell comeback this season but more scenes between Elliot and Joanna would be a nice consolation prize.
Bits and Bytes:
* Nice touch, Sam Esmail, with the RISK AHEAD poster looming just above Angelas head in her office as she copied all of E Corps incriminating documents. In related news: Angela got an office! No more cubicles for our girl!
* Whiterose took time out to visit the grave of former E Corp CEO Lester Moore and took a piss on it, too. Seems Whiterose might have had a hand in the plane crash that killed Moore. That doesnt bode well for current CEO Phillip Prices lifespan, especially since he shrugged off Whiteroses threats: I will reign chaos, even if it hurts me. Well it might.
* How did they get Nancy Grace to appear in those news clips about the Five/Nine hack? Is it a clever edit job like they did with President Obama? Or is Nancy getting into showbiz, post-Headline News?
* The song playing during Elliots prison montage: Depeche Modes Walking In My Shoes. Appropriately moody/emo stuff, dont you think?
What did you think of this weeks Mr. Robot? Hack your way into the comments.
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By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania regulator on Thursday reinstated a record $11.4 million fine against the popular ride-sharing service Uber Technologies Inc for operating illegally in the state in 2014. By a 4-1 vote, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission rejected Uber's arguments that the penalty, six times larger than any it had imposed, was unnecessary and excessive. Uber, in a statement, said it intends to appeal to a Pennsylvania state court, and overturn what it called an "absurd" fine imposed for "technical violations." The PUC, which regulates taxi services and Uber rivals such as Lyft, had sanctioned Uber for having from February to August 2014 provided 122,998 rides in Pennsylvania without prior approval, and obstructing a state probe into its operations. It imposed the fine on April 21, reducing it from the $49.9 million ordered by two administrative law judges. The PUC agreed in June to reconsider the payout at Uber's request, over the objection of state officials who called the fine an "appropriate response" to Uber's "lawless conduct." Uber offered new evidence that its service benefited Pennsylvanians, and that any fine should be capped at $1,000 per day, or roughly $200,000, and not based on the number of trips. But the PUC said in its 77-page decision that Uber "failed to set forth any new and novel arguments that appear to have been overlooked or not addressed in our prior determination." In its statement, Uber said the decision sends a "troubling message that Pennsylvania is unwelcoming to technology and innovation," and shows why the state needs "permanent, statewide ride-sharing legislation as soon as possible." Based in San Francisco, Uber has drawn criticism from taxi companies losing market share, regulators concerned about driver and passenger safety, and riders upset over high prices. The PUC previously found that Uber had in 2014 posed a risk to public safety by offering rides without proof its drivers, vehicles and insurance provisions met state standards. It also said Uber's contention that it served only a limited customer base at the time "rang hollow," given its "persistent claim" that it provide its service to meet overwhelming demand, despite two cease-and-desist orders. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Alan Crosby)
Samsungs Galaxy Note7 is one of the best smartphones on the market. Its got a big, beautiful display, fantastic camera and great stylus functionality. But the tech giant is halting shipments of its highly anticipated handset over quality control concerns, and there are unconfirmed reports that it is considering a recall.
In a statement to Reuters, Samsung representatives said the company is delaying shipments of the Note7, due to additional tests being conducted for product quality. The Reuters report, however, doesnt mention what the quality issues are.
Since the handset maker made its announcement, the companys market value has taken a $7 billion hit. The decision to halt shipments of the Note7 follows reports that two users in South Korea have seen their handsets catch fire or explode while charging. Its unclear, however, if the two incidents are linked at this time.
Reports that Samsungs considering a recall
Now there are unconfirmed reports that that Samsung is considering issuing a recall of certain versions of the Note7 that may be affected by the potential battery issue. Both ZDNet and the Korea Herald are reporting about the possibility of a recall, though the Korea Herald doesnt cite any specific sources. ZDNet says it spoke to people familiar with the matter. We reached out to Samsung for comment on the companys decision to hold shipments of the smartphone, but did not receive a response before publication.
Its not clear whether the individuals who complained about the handsets were using Samsungs official device chargers, though if they were using knock-offs, the fires would seem to make sense. Similar issues have been reported with a number of different smartphones in the past.
A delay in Note7 shipments could prove problematic for Samsung, as the device is seen as the companys second most important device behind its flagship Galaxy S7. The company already saw success in S7 sales and was hoping to see that continue following overwhelmingly positive reviews of the Note7.
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Delays could especially spell trouble as consumers unable to buy the Note7 may simply decide to purchase Apples upcoming iPhone, which is expected to be announced during a major press event on Sept. 7. If the Note7 is unavailable or consumers fear the prospect of their phone catching fire or being recalled, they may simply avoid the handset altogether in favor of Apples offerings.
via: ZDNet, Korea Herald
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Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
Last week has been quite eventful for the telecom industry despite a mixed run on the bourse. Several significant developments dominated the headlines with Verizon Communications Inc. VZ at the forefront. The U.S. telecom behemoth recently completed a major upgrade of its 4G LTE networks to LTE-Advanced technology covering 461 cities in the U.S. The LTE-Advanced network will raise the data packet transmission speed by more than 50%.
Verizon also unveiled the second round of specifications for the upcoming 5G wireless network. Last month, the company achieved a milestone by becoming the first company in the world to issue an initial radio specification for the 5G wireless network. The second round of update was primarily on the mechanics of connecting to the network.
On Aug 29, U.S. telecom giant AT&T Inc. T won a major legal battle as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California dismissed a data throttling charge issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Data throttling is the blocking or slowing of data transmission once customers hit a certain usage limit in a month. In Oct 2014, the FTC raised questions over AT&Ts data throttling practices, accusing the telecom carrier of deceiving its unlimited plan customers.
United States Cellular Corp. USM, the fifth-largest regional wireless service provider, recently launched new Shared Connect plans which offer more data, larger allotments and new tools to track data usage. The plan is being offered on its high-quality network that keeps customers connected irrespective of the area the customer is in. Moreover, Comcast Corp. CMCSA received regulatory clearance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) pertaining to the discrimination and carriage pricing charges leveled by Liberman Broadcasting Inc., the owner of Estrella TV in Apr 2016.
Meanwhile, research firm SNL Kagan recently reported that the second quarter of 2016 witnessed the highest quarterly subscriber loss in the history of the U.S. pay-TV industry. Notably, the U.S. pay-TV market comprises three kinds of service providers, namely, cable MSOs (multi-service operators), satellite TV operators and fiber-based telecom operators. SNL Kagan has estimated that in the last reported quarter, the pay-TV industry lost approximately 812,000 customers.
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According to a recent report by research firm Strategy Analytics, it is expected that 5G mobile handsets will be available for sale in the market by 2020, following a broader rollout of the technology. Though the first trial handsets are expected in 2018, they are likely to face problems such as a short battery life, no 4G handover or unstable connectivity. However, these problems will be taken care of before its actual launch in 2020. The first commercial 5G handsets are expected to be highly expensive.
Strategy Analytics forecast has revealed that the number of worldwide 5G connections will touch the 690 million mark by 2025.Major U.S. telecom behemoths Verizon, AT&T, Sprint Corp. S and T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS are all forging ahead with their 5G plans and aim to launch 5G networks in the upcoming years.
Outside the U.S., leading Canadian telephone operator BCE Inc.s BCE subsidiary, Bell Canada recently launched Home Hub 3000, which is likely to be one of the most powerful home WiFi services in Canada. This service is supposedly the world's first fully wireless IPTV (Internet Protocol television) service with Wireless 4K Whole Home PVR from Fibe TV.
In a separate development, Mexican telecom regulator, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT), announced that the countrys telecom sector has witnessed 8.4% year-over-year growth in revenues in the second quarter of 2016. This rate of growth is highest among all the other sectors of the economy. Remarkably, the telecom sectors growth rate is more than three times higher than the 2.5% overall growth rate of Mexicos GDP in the same time frame. In second-quarter 2016, the broader telecom sector of Mexico generated total revenue of around MXN 485 billion (over $26.81 billion).
Read the last Telecom Stock Roundup for Aug 25, 2016.
Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories
1. Verizon claims that its 5G network will provide a download speed of 1 Gbps (gigabit per second), which is 200 times the throughput of the currently available standard 4G LTE network. The latency period of data delivery will be in single milliseconds. Although several industry researchers have predicted that a full-fledged 5G network deployment will not commence until 2020, Verizon anticipates some level of commercial deployment in 2017. (Read more: Verizon Updates 5G Specifications, Launch Proposed in 2017.)
2. LTE-Advanced networks incorporate several technological advancements like Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP), Self-Optimizing Networks (SON), small cell enhancements, Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) and advanced Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) antenna. Verizon has used MIMO technology and is looking to deploy its advanced version in the future. According to a projection by the Global Mobile Suppliers Association, 28% of LTE network operators worldwide have launched LTE Advanced networks. (Read more: Verizon Launches Nationwide LTE-Advanced Networks.)
3. On Aug 29, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California reversed a lower court's denial of AT&T's motion to dismiss the throttling lawsuit. The appeals court identified AT&T as a common carrier. Due to this, the service provider cannot be held liable for the violations of rules that the FTC brought in its case. Notably, the FCC slapped a fine of $100 million for similar reason in Jun 2015. (Read more: AT&T Wins Legal Battle over Data Throttling with FTC.)
4. Mexico has been witnessing massive investments in its telecom sector. In Jun 2016, the countrys Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) declared that a total of more than $6.5 billion has been invested over the last three years. In addition, around $13.5 billion has been invested recently in the telecom sector. Moreover, the upcoming nationwide shared broadband network will attract around $7 billion worth of investments. (Read more: Mexico's Telecommunications Industry Flourishing.)
5. As per research firm Strategy Analytics, the commercial 5G handsets for 2020 will be first available in South Korea and Japan. The next round of launch will be in the U.S., the UK, Sweden and the UAE in 2021 with tens of millions of 5G handsets to be sold by 2022. By 2025, the sales figure is expected to exceed 300 million. The North American and European operators are focused on the Internet of Things (IoT) platform. (Read more: Will 5G Handsets Make Their Way into the Market by 2020?)
Price Performance
The following table shows the price movement of the major telecom players over the past week and the last six months.
Company Last Week Last 6 Months VZ -0.38% 1.69% T 0.02% 9.33% S 2.32% 78.10% TMUS 0.24% 19.90% VOD -2.09% -2.23% CHL -2.54% 11.07% AMX 1.52% -14.86% CMCSA -0.61% 10.20% DISH 1.29% 3.06%
Over the last five trading sessions, share price movement of the major telecom stocks witnessed a mixed trend. China Mobile (2.54%) and Vodafone (2.09%) suffered most in the same time period. On the other hand, Sprint (2.32%) gained considerably. However, over the last six months, the price performance of most telecom stocks was predominantly positive. Among the stocks that gained considerably were Sprint (78.10%), T-Mobile US (19.90%), China Mobile (11.07%), and Comcast (10.20%). In contrast, America Movil lost 14.86% in the same time frame.
Whats Next in the Telecom Sector?
We do not foresee any significant changes in the telecom industry or overall global economic factors that can affect the industry in the coming week. Therefore, we expect stocks to trade in line with the broader market movement.
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In an effort to better serve its customers, leading health insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. UNH has enhanced its mobile app, Health4Me. This mobile app is compatible with iPhone and Android devices. It is aimed at lowering costs by increasing preventative care and reducing time to access care.
The Health4Me Mobile App was first launched in 2012. It provides millions of UnitedHealthcare employer plan participants 24/7 access to a registered nurse, enabling them to locate a nearby in-network physician, hospital or other medical facility, and access to their personal health benefits information. An Easy Connect feature allows users to select the type of questions they have about their claims and benefits. Users could also request a callback from a UnitedHealthcare customer service representative.
UnitedHealth has now added new features to this app, primarily related to preventive services. These alert the customers about their health status early on, which helps them to take necessary measures to prevent actual occurrence of the disease later on. The preventive service therefore saves customers from utilizing costly medical care and ultimately saves the company from paying out claims, thereby aiding its bottom line.
The mobile app will now offer personalized care notifications, which will automatically alert members about preventive services and recommended medical treatments or tests. While reminding them about their missed medical service, such as immunization of a child or a blood-sugar test for a diabetic, it will also help people to look for health care providers and schedule appointments.
UNITEDHEALTH GP Price
UNITEDHEALTH GP Price | UNITEDHEALTH GP Quote
UnitedHealth is providing personalized care notifications to select UnitedHealthcare plan participants nationwide, including Medicaid beneficiaries in 17 states.
The app will now also enable members to pay medical bills with a credit card, debit card, bank account or health savings account. Access to a nurse or virtual physician visits 24 hours a day; a digital identification card; and wellness-related resources such as integration with wearable devices are some of the other features.
Later during the year,UnitedHealth plans to enhance its service by providing clinically focused notifications based on personalized claims data, such as alerts for prenatal care and support programs for people with back pain.
The introduction of this enhanced mobile service will help UnitedHealth to be a frontrunner in the industry by providing greater service via handheld devices. Also, customers are increasingly demanding such care services, given their ease and flexibility of use.
According to research firm Forrester, 65% of the consumers are interested in using a health plans website or app to access a physician, and 53% are interested in receiving symptom-based treatment suggestions. The company wants to leverage upon this growing demand for technology-enabled services.
UnitedHealth carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other stocks worth considering include Humana Inc. HUM, WellCare Health Plans, Inc. WCG and Nobilis Health Corp. HLTH. All these stocks carry the same Zacks Rank as UnitedHealth.
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Google has been a major force in the smartphone world since 2007, when it unveiled the Android mobile operating system. Nearly a decade later, Android powers about four of every five smartphones in the world. At least 1.4 billion people around the world use Android, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company announced last year.
Google, however, makes very few of those devices itself, instead licensing the Android software to hardware manufacturers like Samsung, LG and HTC. That has given Android one major advantage over Apples iPhone lineup: Consumer choice. Android phones are available in a wide range of sizes and formats, ranging from cheap basic models to expensive high-end handsets that can be dunked underwater or dropped without fear of damaging them. Apple, meanwhile, only sells five different iPhones, not counting color and storage space variations, and they all tend to be relatively expensive. Google recently based a major ad campaign around this very idea, featuring the slogan be together, not the same.
But this approach also hinders Android in some ways. Whereas Apple controls iPhones software and hardware, companies that make and sell Android smartphones typically supplement the operating system with their own features and apps. This has the effect of creating a fragmented experience for Android users, since the software and user interface varies between different devices. Using an Android device made by Samsung likely wont feel the same as using one created by LG or HTC, unlike different iPhone models, which dont vary much in terms of software.
It also makes the process of updating Android a slow and onerous one; pushing out a new software version requires both carriers and device makers to approve it and possibly modify it before it reaches the consumer. This is not only a disadvantage for Android device users, who must wait longer to get Googles newest features and security patches, but it also poses a challenge to developers creating new apps and features for Android. Fragmentation is [Androids] number one problem, says J.P. Gownder, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research. It holds Android back. An exception to this rule is Googles own Nexus lineup of smartphones, which usually run a barebones version of Android without modifications and are the first to get crucial software updates.
Now, Google may be showing signs of changing its approach to Android and smartphones more broadly. The move, experts say, appears motivated by a desire to make the Android experience more uniform. Technology news site The Information reported earlier this year that Google is looking to take more control of its Nexus devices, which the company typically creates in collaboration with hardware partners. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said this summer that Google would be more opinionated about the design of [Nexus] phones moving forward. And just this week, tech blog Android Central reported that Google may even go so far as to add features on top of so-called vanilla Android for its Nexus phones. A rebranding effort, possibly along with a new name besides Nexus, might follow. Google declined to comment for this story.
Why the shift? Nexus devices are Googles way of showing smartphone makers what Android is capable of being. Establishing a firmer grip on them could be a way to nudge manufacturers in a certain direction. Theyre trying to show the partners and the ecosystem what a good Android experience looks like, says Gownder.
That doesnt mean Google wants every Android smartphone maker to quit tinkering with the software. Rather, Google may be trying to streamline the various versions of Android out there, says Tuong Nguyen, a principal research analyst at Gartner. Clarifying Androids purpose and vision is even more important as the platform moves from phones and tablets to other devices, like smartwatches, televisions, and even cars. Nguyen compared the situation to children on a field trip. They may branch off and venture to different areas when exploring a museum. But the teacher will eventually wrangle them towards the next display or exhibit. I understand you have your own goals, Nguyen said. But lets all head in the same direction.
These steps would mark a significant departure from Googles approach towards smartphones. Its also a risky move. Nexus phones are popular with a subset of Android users exactly because they offer a stripped-down, clean experience. Any tweaking on Googles part might ruin that.
That said, Google could do plenty of interesting things by being more bold with Android. The companys recent focus on fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning, for instance, could result in much smarter smartphones. But fully unlocking that potential might require controlling both the hardware and software sides of smartphone design (count that as another advantage for Apple, which is reportedly making strides in smartphone-based AI). Just look at the latest Google software, like Google Assistant, a promising Siri-like tool that can understand and answer specific questions, to get a glimpse of what might be possible. Thats potential that Android fans should cheer.
Brazils Senate has voted to remove President Dilma Rousseff from office for manipulating the budget.
It puts an end to the 13 years in power of her left-wing Workers Party. Ms Rousseff had denied the charges.
Sixty-one senators voted in favour of her dismissal and 20 against, meeting the two-thirds majority needed to remove her from the presidency.
Michel Temer has been sworn in as president and will serve out Ms Rousseffs term until 1 January 2019.
The centre-right PMDB party politician had been serving as acting president during the impeachment proceedings.
During his first cabinet meeting since the vote, Mr Temer said his inauguration marked a new era.
By Ricardo Hausmann
CAMBRIDGE Donald Trump doesn't like Latin Americans and advocates building a wall to separate them from the United States. As usual with such snubs, Latin Americans tend to reciprocate the sentiment, as do Muslims and others who feel affronted by the Republican Party's presidential nominee. But many of those who dislike Trump share his passion for restrictive immigration policies.
There are probably few areas of public policy where something that is so good for society is portrayed as being so bad. Of course, projecting a society's problems onto foreign scapegoats is an old political tactic. But the extent to which hostility to immigration goes against the evidence of its salutary effects is surprising.
Recent research on immigration shows very large positive effects on the welfare of locals. Bill and Sari Kerr have shown that, while immigrants represent about 13% of the US population, they account for 26% of all entrepreneurs, and about 36% of new firms have at least one immigrant in the leadership team. This suggests that immigration is a large part of the story behind American economic vitality and job creation.
This is not a uniquely American phenomenon. On the contrary, it's pretty universal. In Chile, immigrants from non-neighboring countries are four times more likely to be entrepreneurs than natives. In Venezuela, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese immigrants, who moved there mostly in the 1950s and 1960s, and whose level of formal schooling was lower than that of the natives, were ten times more likely to be entrepreneurs. Today, Albanians returning to their country from Greece after the 2010 crisis there became entrepreneurs and increased the employment and wages of those who never left, as shown by Harvard's Ljubica Nedelkoska.
In ongoing research with Juan Jose Obach, we found that Panamanians who work in industries and regions with more foreigners earn significantly more than those who work where foreigners are less prevalent. This indicates that it is in the interest of the locals to have more foreigners around. Dany Bahar of the Brookings Institution and Hillel Rapoport of the Paris School of Economics have found that countries' comparative advantage evolves toward that of their migrants' countries of origin: the new country becomes good at producing what the old country successfully makes.
The difference is that, in general, many developing countries have more restrictive immigration and foreign employment policies than the US does. Such policies also have larger negative effects on migration, because these countries are not the most attractive destinations to begin with.
Consider Chile, one of Latin America's richest and arguably most successful countries, which likes to compare itself to Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, well-run countries that are rich in natural resources. But now Chile is in a rut: it is not catching up with richer countries, and it is having trouble diversifying its economy.
As it ponders why, it would benefit from comparing itself to its role models in terms of the proportion of the population that is foreign-born. In Chile, it is less than 2%. In Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, it is 27%, 28%, and 20% , respectively, a consequence in part of these countries' activist immigration policies.
Activist policies were also behind the almost one million Soviet Jews that Israel attracted in the early 1990s, representing 12% of the Israeli population. Studies have shown that this huge experiment had very large positive effects on the economy and on skilled locals.
The missing immigrants in Chile can help explain the dearth of entrepreneurship, innovation, and diversification. The few Koreans that Chile let in helped revive its textile industry.
Colombia is much worse than Chile in this regard. There, foreigners represent less than 0.3% of the population; indeed, there are more than 15 Colombians living abroad for every foreigner living in the country.
Are the extremely low levels of immigration in Chile and Colombia a problem of low foreign demand or high domestic barriers? This question can be answered by studying a very sad ongoing natural experiment: the massive emigration from Venezuela, owing to the country's catastrophic economic and social implosion.
Venezuelans, including the most talented, have been trying to find places to go. You would be mistaken if you imagined that bureaucrats in Chile and Colombia had more important things to do than restricting immigration. Both countries have been letting very few Venezuelans enter, proportionally fewer than Costa Rica, Panama, Canada, Spain, Australia, and the United States, countries that are at both ends of Chile and Colombia in terms of income or skill level.
Colombia, for example, has suspended a Mercosur-based visa mechanism for Venezuelans on the grounds that Venezuela does not reciprocate. This decision is not just heartless; it is patently self-destructive, for it assumes that Colombia is exchanging Venezuela's access to its country for access by Colombians to Venezuela. But the benefits to Colombia come from the skills, entrepreneurship, and diversity it attracts, not from the ones it lets go. And who would want to go to Venezuela these days, anyway? Invoking reciprocity is nonsense worthy of Trump.
The problem of bad immigration policies is not limited to Latin America. South Africa, for example, would benefit enormously from relaxing its skills and entrepreneurship constraints through more liberal immigration policies. But the country has instead moved in exactly the opposite direction
The immigration policies that Trump wants for the US bear an eerie resemblance to the policies adopted in the countries he dislikes and that dislike him. If adopted, Trump would most likely seek new scapegoats. But the current scapegoats should learn to dislike their own immigration policies as much as they appear to dislike Trump.
Ricardo Hausmann, a former minister of planning of Venezuela and former Chief Economist of the Inter-American Development Bank, is Professor of the Practice of Economic Development at Harvard University, where he is also Director of the Center for International Development. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate.
Stratatech Corp., whose human skin tissue products are used to heal severe burns, is now part of Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, based in the United Kingdom.
The acquisition was completed Wednesday; terms were not disclosed. But Stratatech will remain in Madison and will keep all of its 55 jobs, CEO and founder Lynn Allen-Hoffmann told the Wisconsin State Journal.
We are staying here in Madison, said Allen-Hoffmann, who will continue to lead the local operation. Its been a fabulous journey and were still on it.
In her first interview since the acquisition was announced nearly three weeks ago, Allen-Hoffmann talked about the future of Stratatech, and she said several companies were vying to buy the Madison biotech this year.
Mallinckrodt, which already sells its products to hospitals and burn centers, is a fabulous fit, she said.
The deal is exciting news for our state, said Lisa Johnson, CEO of BioForward, the organization representing Wisconsins health research industry. It demonstrates the value that is seen in the global marketplace on the strength of our regenerative medicine companies, Johnson said.
Wisconsin is known for its strong research base and talented workers, added Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. Those kinds of resources arent easily duplicated elsewhere. It makes sense for Mallinckrodt to keep Stratatech and its employees here, he said.
Origins in UW laboratory
Stratatechs lead product is StrataGraft, skin tissue made from human skin cells, designed to heal and close the wounds of patients with serious burns instead of using grafts of their own skin.
StrataGraft came about when a human skin cell line did not stop dividing, as skin cells usually do, in tests in Allen-Hoffmanns UW-Madison research lab. She called it serendipitous and founded Stratatech in 2000, impassioned after watching the painstaking and painful process of applying grafts of a farmers own skin to his badly burned body.
After years of development, a report released in March 2015 said clinical tests on 28 patients with deep burns showed StrataGraft completely closed the wounds of 27 of them within three months; the other patient was 85 percent healed. The tissue used on 10 of the patients had been frozen, showing StrataGraft also has an extended shelf life.
Months later, the company won a major contract with BARDA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The Project BioShield contract could pay the company up to $247 million over five years mainly because the government wants to stockpile the tissue in case of a nuclear attack by terrorists.
That contract spurred interest by potential acquirers, Allen-Hoffmann said. She declined to say how many or which ones. The courtship with Mallinckrodt was relatively quick, she said.
In fact, it was a previous contract with BARDA in 2013 that prompted efforts by some she wouldnt give names to move Stratatechs operations to an East Coast contract manufacturer. Letters from Mayor Paul Soglin, Gov. Scott Walker, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, and UW officials helped ward off the move, she said.
The human talent is right here in Madison and that has been and remains critical to our efforts, Allen-Hoffmann said.
Room to grow
Stratatech will take over a larger space at the MGE Innovation Center in University Research Park, at 510 Charmany Drive, and will start manufacturing its StrataGraft tissue there. For many years, the skin tissue has been produced at the Waisman Biomanufacturing facility at UW-Madison, she said.
She said the company will likely add staff but could not project how many or how quickly.
Stratatech will start its third round of patient tests using StrataGraft by early 2017 and expects at least twice as many sites as the six used in the last trials, Allen-Hoffmann said. UW-Madison is expected to be one of the locations.
The BARDA contract provides funds to include children and aging adults in the tests, two important populations, Allen- Hoffmann said.
While its hard to project a timeline, she said she hopes to apply for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval as soon as possible. We have a sense of urgency with getting our product to patients, she said.
Mallinckrodt will be a good partner because it is a high-caliber organization devoted to finding treatments for patients in areas of high unmet medical need, and that is part of our mission, Allen-Hoffmann said.
Publicly traded Mallinckrodt, with sales of $3.3 billion and 5,700 employees, also owns Ikaria, a company that makes treatments for neonatal critical care and has employees in Madison, as well, BioForwards Johnson said.
The final weekend get-away is just around the corner as we settle into the fall routine of school and work. In July, I had a chance to travel to Germany. It brought back many memories of traveling in my youth and also made me realize what a fast paced schedule we live in today. Simple moments. Its never too late to plan a day trip or a weekend excursion to catch the fall colors. Start your travel plans at the La Crosse County Library with locations in Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska and West Salem. The library provides access to travel guides, hiking trails, bike trails passes, magazines, national parks, audio books, music and free computer use and free, unlimited wireless access.
La Crosse County is a member of the Winding Rivers Library System, so you have 34 library collections at your fingertips. Whether your plans include domestic or international travel, we can help you track down some materials worth browsing.
For road trips, you may want to check out some audio books to listen to while cruising the scenic countryside. Did you know Wisconsin is home to four National Parks? And Thursday, Aug. 25, was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Wisconsin also has about 60 state parks. You might check out Perot State Park in Trempealeau just north of Holmen. You can bike, hike, drive or take a boat to the beautiful park.
If you are traveling overseas, you can checkout Fodors Travel to book the perfect hotels, best restaurants, maps and other valuable tips for a successful trip
I already have my fall weekend get-away planned and will be traveling to the old Firehouse and Police Museum in Superior.
Enjoy some great getaways without spending all your free-time planning. Stop by any of our La Crosse County Library locations in Bangor, Campbell, Holmen, Onalaska or West Salem or go to our website at www.lacrossecountylibrary.com to begin your adventure planning.
Hannah Scholze thinks looking through church records is like finding buried treasure.
Scholze, the president of the Holmen Area Historical Society, will share how to uncover historical treasures contained in church annals at societys September meeting.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, in the Holmen Village Hall, beginning with Scholzes program. Using and Preserving Church Records, will describe the trove of information that church records contain for historical and genealogical research.
For me, its like opening a treasure chest of information, Scholze said, or opening a church record book is like opening a gift at Christmas. From my experience as a genealogist, local historian and church historian, I have found that church records are an often overlooked, but are valuable resource for genealogists and congregation members. And its not in some archive miles away or in an online database that I have to pay to access; its right in front of me. Its history that I can see, touch and smell that helps to paint a portrait of the past.
Along with offering insight into why church records are important as a historical record, Scholze will offer tips about how to conduct a better search using the journals, as well as ways to preserve the archives.
Scholze, the self-professed history geek, became acquainted with the journals of church members lives through her grandmother, Nita Witte. Witte passed on her role as the keeper of the history of one of the oldest churches in the Holmen area to her granddaughter.
I have been the unofficial church historian for Halfway Creek Lutheran Church for most of my life, Scholze said. They (church records) contain so much information about a congregation, its members and their community.
Scholze credits her experience in dealing with church records as one of the major reasons she became a historian. Scholze was often called in to assist researchers looking for information about an ancestor in the churchs records.
Scholze originally presented her program at a church luncheon at Halfway Creek about a year ago, and is currently planning to present a workshop about the topic for Monroe County churches this fall as part of her work at the Monroe County local history room in Sparta.
According to Scholze, church records are especially useful for family and congregational historians who are looking for information dating before 1907. The state first began requiring vital statistics to be recorded by local governments that year.
In many cases, a baptism or funeral record may be the only surviving record of a persons existence, especially in the case of children who died young, Scholze said.
Other church records like treasury books, meeting minutes, organizational records and photos also provide useful information about a congregations history.
However, a large portion of older church records are handwritten and so are often hard to read, Scholze said. Plus many of them are written in a foreign language, such as Norwegian or German, depending on the ethnic ties of a congregation. Consequently, many church leaders and congregation members today lack the ability to read and decipher old church records, let alone able to assist genealogists who want to look at them and are unaware of methods for properly preserving them.
Scholzes presentation will fill a last-minute opening occurring in the monthly program schedule.
We are grateful to Hannah for stepping in with this interesting, useful program when our originally scheduled speakers, Mary and Mike Drugan, had a conflict, said society program coordinator Lynne Valiquette. Fred Heuer and Janet Schnells stories from Party Line Rubberneckers (Hometown Memories, LLC, 2014) are on tap for the Oct. 5 program.
The meeting is free and the public is encouraged to attend. For more information about the historical society or Scholzes program, email president Hannah Scholze at hscholze@centurytel.net.
Bluff Country ConservationThe Real Story was the theme of an all-day bus tour on July 22 in Houston and Fillmore counties. Native seed production and distribution, water quality monitoring and research, and award-winning conservation practices were among the topics explored during the event, hosted collaboratively by the Farm Bureau Federations of the two counties.
Among the 150 attendees were representatives of various state, district and local departments and agencies, state legislators, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Fillmore and Houston County Farm Bureau, county commissioners, farmers, sponsors and hosts.
Shooting Star Native Seeds
The first stop was west of Spring Grove at Shooting Star Native Seeds and its production fields, where for more than 20 years, the family operated company has been growing, cleaning and distributing local ecotype, native seeds.
Native plants provide important habitat for Monarch butterflies, honeybees, pheasants, and other wildlife. Once established, the plantings require little maintenance, are adapted to local soils and climates, and have deep roots that improve water quality. Natives provide erosion control and soil stabilization and are an important part of cultural, historical and ecological preservation.
Shooting Stars seeds help to restore tens of thousands of acres of native prairies and wetlands in commercial, municipal and private projects across the Midwest. The company has 1,000 acres of native grasses, wildflowers, sedges and rushes in production fields at Spring Grove and 400 acres of flowers at Blue Earth. Foundation seed for these fields was originally collected within a 50-mile radius of the intersecting borders of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The seeds are a local product and will not grow in Texas. The most popular seeds are grasses and wild flowers.
Shooting Star operates its own native seed conditioning plant, which is certified by both the Minnesota and Iowa Crop Improvement Agencies. The plants state-of-the-art cleaning equipment, combined with its seed production program, provides customers with high-quality seed at competitive prices.
Testing is done by registered seed technologists at Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota labs. It has to be the right soil for the species wet ground, sandy; some farms are more suitable. The chafe from cleaning the seeds is purchased by Pork and Plants at Altura to make pellets for use to heat their greenhouse.
Rainfall simulator
We are the roughest ag county in the state of Minnesota, said Gary Larson, Root River Soil and Water District Conservationist. Dave Walters, RRSWD manager, added, Conservation is such an important partnership with the watershed, and we need to get education out to the people.
A rainfall simulator was used to demonstrate how soil health affects rainfall infiltration on different land uses, including conventional tillage, no-till, wooded, permanent pasture and rotationally grazed pasture.
Cedar tree revetment
A cedar tree revetment project is helping to stabilize stream banks susceptible to erosion, and restoring aquatic habitat in Riceford Creek. This unique conservation project was viewed at the Dr. Robert Breitenbach property in Rooster Valley in Yucatan Township.
Researchers and work crews from Winona State University and The Nature Conservancy and Conservation Corps Minnesota have stacked red cedar trees along sections of the stream to help absorb a great deal of the energy from the flowing water, slowing it down, and creating areas where the water drops out sediment instead of carrying it away and eroding the bank.
For this very labor-intensive project of about 3,000 to 4,000 feet of stream, a cable is anchored into the stream bank and the butts of cedar trees, taken from along the road and hillside and from farmers clearing pastures, were overlapped on the outside bends of the creek. This solid mass of trees slows the velocity from the bank and to the middle of the creek, and is a woven barrier for sediment to collect.
Over time, the bank will go from vertical to a more stable angle, allowing natural vegetation to take over and stabilize the bank. A full improvement should be seen in six to eight years time.
Rip rap is a great armor for stream banks, but speeds up velocity and is not good for the neighbor downstream.
The alternative, revetment, which is one-sixth to one-seventh the cost of rip rap, will also benefit trout, which is a popular fish species in the region that thrives in healthy streams. The faster flow should help prevent sand flats and cool the water. Trout do well in cool areas of streams with rocky, gravel bottoms. Trout Unlimited and Minnesota Corn Growers are helping with the cost of the project, which is mostly just the materials.
Field to stream monitoring
Farmers and their advisers, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center; The Nature Conservancy; Monsanto; Fillmore, Mower and Houston County Soil and Water Conservation districts; and academic researchers have formed the Root River Field to Stream Partnership to work together to benefit a larger landscape. The goal is to determine the range of sediment and nutrient losses associated with runoff from representative farming systems and small watersheds in southeastern Minnesota.
The purpose of this project is to conduct intensive surface and groundwater monitoring at multiple scales in order to provide an assessment of the amount and sources of nutrients and sediment delivered to the watershed outlet and also to determine the effectiveness of agricultural conservation practices.
Monitoring, occurring at both the edge of agricultural fields and at in-stream locations, will help improve the understanding of how practices on the land affect water quality on a larger scale. Important farming practices to consider include tuning nitrogen rates, crediting legumes and manure, applying nitrogen in split applications and using nitrification inhibitors.
The Bridge Creek monitoring station has gathered a benchmark of data for an accurate representation of what comes off the field and goes into the stream. Discovery Farms Project works with growers to help fine tune their practices.
The tour group viewed an edge-of-field monitoring station at Johnson Rolling Acres farm off Hwy. 43 in Fillmore County, where 26 acres drain to this point.
Cow comfort and sand bedding
Also at Johnson Rolling Acres Dairy, Richard Johnson invited the tour group to the large, three-year-old climate-controlled building that houses 1,100 cows that are milked three times a day in a double 19 parlor. Conservation practices used in the dairy operation include a cooling system for the facility where water is pumped through a cardboard wall. Large fans on one side of the building blow the cool air at a speed of 7 mph throughout the facility, providing a comfortable life for the cattle (and the tour group on that very hot and humid day).
Graded river sand from Wabasha is used as bedding for the cattle. Manure is washed from the sand and then brought to a settling shed. The sand gradually dries out and is brought back to use as bedding over and over again.
We have the space to do it instead of buying machine equipment to dry it, Johnson said. We dont want to dump the sand on our fields.
One Watershed, One Plan
Legislation, referred to as One Watershed, One Plan, was passed in 2015 with the vision to align local water planning on major watershed boundaries with state strategies toward prioritized, targeted and measurable implementation plans. In June, the Root River was selected as one of five major watersheds across the state to pilot this program with planning partners enveloping a six-county watershed area, including portions of Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Houston, Fillmore and Mower counties that drain to the Root River, the Minnesota portion of the Upper Iowa River watershed and the Mississippi-Reno watershed in Houston County. The planning area encompasses more than 1.3 million acres and is intended to be a local plan to improve on and keep the pristine area pristine.
The pilot program will involve a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, state agencies and community members and organizations as partners in the planning process. The resulting plan will address the most significant threats to our water resources and the land-use practices that provide the greatest environmental benefits to the watersheds.
A meeting will be held on Sept. 8 at the Houston County Justice Center in Caledonia.
The Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles will provide a free photo ID for those who need one to vote in the upcoming election. People can apply for an ID online at app.wi.gov/DLGuides.
Applicants will receive a temporary ID card receipt withing six business days, or via overnight mail if applied for during election week. The receipts are acceptable forms of voter ID.
Those without all the documents required to obtain a Wisconsin ID card should visit wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/petition-process.aspx to begin the petition process.
HOLMEN Gundersen Health System is adding a primary care clinic in Holmen with the goal of providing patients care closer to their homes, CEO Scott Rathgaber said in announcing the plan Wednesday.
The 2,000-square-foot clinic, to be located in Holmen Square, in a vacant storefront that once housed the Blue Cup Coffee House and later the B.A. Burrito Co. restaurant, is expected to open early next year. It will include a physician, a physician assistant or nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, medical assistants, a radiology/laboratory technician and patient liaisons, said Rathgaber, who is a physician himself.
We already provide care to patients in Holmen and the surrounding area, Rathgaber said. This will focus on our commitment to providing patient care closer to home.
Patients who usually travel to Gundersen facilities in La Crosse, Onalaska and Galesville will benefit from the shorter drive and parking close to the clinic.
The announcement, coming the day after groundbreaking for a $4.3 million library in Holmen, reflects the villages vibrancy with a series of public and private commercial and housing developments, he said.
We are growing like crazy, Village President Nancy Proctor said at the news conference announcing the clinic.
As a Gundersen patient, I am very happy about the clinic, she said. I think this clinic will open doors for people who cannot always get to care, especially on South Avenue, Gundersens main campus.
We open our arms, she said, choking up and later admitting her tendency to wear her heart on her sleeve. Village staffers are familiar with her quick-release tear ducts, she said, laughing.
We provide care for many families in Holmen already, Rathgaber said. Being right in the community, and in such a central location, will be extremely convenient for them.
In addition to diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, the clinic also will provide health education and disease prevention information.
The clinic adds to Gundersens network of nearly 30 primary care clinics at locations throughout its 19-county service area in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
Proctor, a La Crosse native, said her family has used Gundersen ever since she and her husband, Ken, moved to Holmen with their children 40 years ago.
Life can be so confusing, especially when one shakes up the old saw, There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics and substitutes the word ratings for statistics.
For example, I never have put much stock in U.S. News and World Reports periodic Best of lists.
Some have given that best of label to one school or another that others and I considered undeserving or at least inferior to some other school. To be fair, some places have gotten a worst of label that also was unfair.
The main problem is that best of lists are very subjective and often seem like vehicles tuned more toward driving ad revenue in print and clicks on the Internet than actually pinpointing whats the best.
Several studies of hospital ratings systems lend credence to that theory, harpooning and lampooning the fact that the findings of highly vaunted rankings can end up with polar opposite conclusions.
The concern arises because this is a time when people are increasingly interested in checking up on medical providers in advance, as a modern form of tire-kicking, if nothing else.
A report in the journal Health Affairs in April said as much, noting that improving report cards instead of having them land helter-skelter would make comparisons easier.
Health Affairs also chronicled a study in March 2015, and The Wall Street Journal also reported on its findings in a story headlined What Are the Best Hospitals? Rankings Disagree.
In the ratings probe, four assessments in U.S. News & World Report and Consumer Reports, as well as from the Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades were as disagreeable as four siblings squabbling over whose turn it was to ride the one bicycle Santa left under the tree.
Only 10 percent of the 844 hospitals that one rater lauded also were on the top dogs list of another, according to the study. And not a single hospital got a clean bill of health from all four.
In fact, the measures were so divergent that 27 hospitals were simultaneously rated among the nations best by one service and among the worst by another, The Wall Street Journal reported.
You can go into most towns in America and the local hospital is on somebodys list of top somethings, the Wall Street Journal quoted the studys senior author, Peter Pronovost, as saying.
The public deserves much more transparency about what these quality measures mean so it isnt just a beauty pageant, said Pronovost, director of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore.
Speaking of transparency, consider the national Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliances recent revelation of what it labels 10 Charities That Should Raise a Red Flag for Donors.
The list is a knuckle-rap to the 10 largest charities ranked by total contributions for fiscal year 2014 that failed to disclose any of the information that the WGA sought to verify its trustworthiness. The WGA labels them as Transparency Dodgers.
Transparency is the mark of a well-run charity, said H. Art Taylor, CEO and president of BBB WGA. Failure to disclose important operations information demonstrates a complete disregard to the importance of trust.
Were not selecting these charities the public is, said Bennett Weiner, the alliances chief operating officer.
The BBB WGA goes beyond the usual 990 report forms to the IRS to check nonprofits performance regarding 20 principles it considers important to earn donors trust, including a charitys board size and compensation, potential conflicts of interest, program expenses vs. fundraising expenses, accumulated funds, audit reports, website disclosures and complaints, among others.
Two-thirds of the roughly 1,500 charitable organizations the alliance is asked to evaluate respond to the survey, Weiner said in a phone interview from his office in Arlington, Va. The alliance sends three requests, including one via certified mail, he said.
Some foot-draggers eventually respond in a quest to remove the red flag, Weiner said.
By the way, if youre wondering where this is going, here it is: Isnt it ironic that the top Transparency Dodger is the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which U.S. News & World report tapped as the top cancer hospital in New England for adults for 2016-17 and tied for No. 1 in the nation as a cancer hospital for children, and to which donors gave $403 million in 2014?
I have no doubt that Dana-Farber deserves kudos for its prowess in fighting cancer, although our own Gundersen Health System soon will be matching its technology with one of the cutting-edge machines to target treatment to each patient. And Gundersen is doing it with donations to its foundations more in the neighborhood of $25 million a year, according to its 990 form.
On one hand, I cant figure out how Dana-Farber can be so accomplished and feted it touts its Best Hospitals shields on its website while, on the other hand, it stonewalls on reporting aspects of its contributions.
A few other eye-poppers are on the Transparency Dodger list, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Shiver me timbers, those are some respectable names. Life can be confusing.
Three men have been arrested in connection with a string of 20 burglaries in four counties that targeted Amish families while they worshipped in church on Sundays, the Columbia County Sheriffs Office said Wednesday.
It was disheartening to know these families were the victims, said Columbia County Sheriffs Detective Lt. Roger Brandner. They are good people and weve never had problems with them.
The burglars used the internet and other sources to identify areas with concentrations of Amish, then broke into their homes on three straight Sundays, Brandner said.
They did a little research on the Amish and they also know about the Amish in their communities, Brandner said. The Amish dont miss church on Sundays and their services go on for a couple of hours.
The three who were arrested two Portage residents and one from Pardeeville have cooperated with deputies, who searched two homes and two cars to recover 25 guns, five safes and between $4,000 and $5,000 that had been reported stolen by the families, Brandner said.
All guns reported stolen have been secured, he said. All of the property including coins, bows, jars and difficult-to-replace land documents was being returned to owners.
The investigation is continuing, with more burglary reports coming in as recently as Wednesday, he said.
Columbia County Sheriff Dennis Richards said the investigation began Sunday, Aug. 14, when multiple burglaries were reported in the north-central part of the county.
On the next Sunday, Aug. 21, more were reported in Marquette and Columbia counties, followed by numerous additional reports last Sunday in Vernon and Monroe counties. Each case involved homes of Amish people, Richards said.
After deputies received descriptions of suspicious vehicles seen near some of the burglaries, they arrested Grant G. Pulver, 21, and Alex A. Moulton, 20, both of Portage; and Dylan J. Bartaczewicz, 20, of Pardeeville, Richards said.
The three were tentatively charged with felony burglary, Richards said. Deputies from all four counties worked jointly on the case.
UW-Madison officials say several new initiatives they have launched in a bid to improve the racial climate on campus will not stifle free speech, criticizing as a false choice the idea that making the university more inclusive means limiting the exchange of ideas that is at its heart.
But at least one professor and First Amendment advocate says he is concerned an aspect of UW-Madisons policies could have just that effect.
Many students and professors, who start classes on Tuesday, will be required to take part in inclusivity training and other programs this fall, launched after a string of protests and racist incidents last spring brought national attention to the university.
Along with a previously announced cultural competency program for 1,000 incoming students, campus officials said Wednesday that teaching assistants and dorm house fellows will also be required to take part in new training. Chancellor Rebecca Blank has directed all academic departments to hold similar diversity programs for faculty and staff, as well.
In other changes this year, UW-Madison will open a new center for black students in the campus Red Gym, and increase mental health services by hiring additional staff. Those measures were among the goals of student activists who have pushed UW administrators to improve the experiences of minorities at the predominantly white university.
The new programs, resources and training aim to make students of color and others feel more comfortable at UW-Madison, Blank said, and to prevent the kinds of high-profile incidents the campus saw last spring, which included students heckling a Native American ceremony and others taping swastikas to a Jewish students dorm room door.
What they wont do, Blank said, is limit free speech.
Im confident we can be a diverse and an inclusive community while also continuing our commitment to free speech, she said.
UW-Madison has been one of several institutions thrust into a national debate over what steps colleges should take to make sure all students feel welcome on campus, and the point at which those efforts could limit important classroom debates and veer into censorship.
At UW, where a plaque on Bascom Hall touts the universitys commitment to the fearless sifting and winnowing of ideas, free speech and inclusion are not mutually exclusive, said Patrick Sims, the campus vice provost for diversity and climate.
People who try to set those up against each other I think are not fully understanding what universities are and how they can best function, Blank said.
Tyriek Mack, a student who has taken part in several campus demonstrations, said new training programs and activists efforts do not seek to police what people can or cant say. Instead, Mack said, they are meant to show students how what they say can have an impact on marginalized groups.
I dont think you need to limit other peoples speech, Mack said. I do think people need to become more open-minded about how the things they say can affect other people.
Rather than limiting free speech on campus, Blank argued that making UW-Madison more inclusive will further open it, because faculty, staff and students must feel welcome in order to take part in the risky research or contentious debates that fuel a university.
You have to feel comfortable to engage in that conversation, she said.Donald Downs a UW-Madison professor who helped craft a statement passed by the universitys governing board last fall affirming UWs support for the open exchange of all ideas, even those that are offensive said he respects officials efforts to make the campus more inclusive.
But Downs found some of their methods troubling.
He pointed to a campus website for reporting incidents of hate and bias that defines those incidents as single or multiple acts toward an individual, group, or their property that have a negative impact and that one could reasonably conclude are based on someones race, sexual orientation, religion or several other factors.
The phrase negative impact, Downs said, is way too broad, and could be interpreted to mean that anyone who expresses certain ideas could face discipline from the university. That fear limits discussion, he said.
People are not going to be talking to each other about anything that matters, Downs said. The wrong kind of bias reporting procedures can certainly do that.UW-Madison officials also have not released details of the curriculum for their new training programs. Its those specifics, Downs said, that will ultimately determine whether those efforts fulfill administrators goal of fostering a campus of inclusion and free expression.
It really boils down to how this stuff is applied, Downs said. Theres concern there, given how these things have worked out around the country.
A police conference usually involves a gathering of police officers and police officials. But a conference this month in Platteville wont be a typical police conference.
Hosted by the UW-Platteville Department of Criminal Justice, the Sept. 16 event will assemble a diverse group of current and former police officials, academics, activists and police critics to take on the thorny issue of how to build trust between police and the communities they serve.
The intent of this thing is to start the dialogue so that police and community leaders can talk to one another, said former Madison Police Chief David Couper, a community policing pioneer who helped organize the event.
It's the second year for the conference. Couper said last year's event drew about 200 people, half of them police professionals and half community leaders.
"I think that's the power of this conference," he said. "You look around the country and its either the cops get together and talk about 21st century policing or community leaders get together and talk about 21st century policing. But they dont do it together."
Couper organized the event with Nino Amato, a well-known community activist who serves as co-chair of the Dane County NAACP and also lectures on criminal justice at UW-Platteville. The idea was to provide a public forum to discuss the recommendations from the Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing, a panel commissioned by President Barack Obama after several highly publicized incidents, including several shootings of unarmed black men, pushed police relations with African-Americans to the boiling point.
But it became more than that: a forum from which police and community members hopefully can gain a better understanding of each other and take that understanding to their communities.
The idea was not to have a conference just for cops, but lets try to involve communities out there, community leaders, people of color, people who have been critics of police, and try to bring them aboard and have a place where conversations can start, Couper said.
While building trust the first pillar of the task forces report is the topic, Couper said the focus will be police use of force.
Thats the elephant in the corner, he said. Can police agree to some changes, some modifications, some improvements in the way in which theyre using deadly force in the community, and citizens work together to help them do that.
Couper makes it clear that he thinks the onus is on police. Hes been critical of local police responses to use-of-force incidents, and hes had an uneasy relationship with current Police Chief Mike Koval, who reacted to plans for a top-to-bottom review of the MPD with public scorn.
While several speakers from Dane County are on the itinerary for the conference, Kovals name is not among them.
He certainly is invited, Couper said. He didnt come last year.
But MPD Capt. Kristen Roman, a leader in the departments efforts in dealing with people with mental illnesses, will be a speaker, as will former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, who now heads police accountability efforts at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Other officials from Dane County who will speak include District Attorney Ismael Ozanne and Sheriff Dave Mahoney.
But more in keeping with the effort to include non-official voices is the inclusion of activists Brandi Grayson and Amelia Royko Maurer.
Grayson is a founder of the local Young, Gifted and Black Coalition. Shes been an unrelenting critic of the Madison Police Departments use of force, especially after the March 6, 2015, fatal shooting of 19-year-old Tony Robinson, a bi-racial man, by a white officer.
Maurer was the housemate of Paul Heenan, who in 2012 was shot and killed by an officer after Heenan drunkenly walked into the wrong house on Madisons near east side. She has since become an activist and successfully pushed for a state law requiring review of police shootings to be conducted by outside agencies.
The idea was not to have a conference just for cops, but lets try to involve communities out there, Couper said, community leaders, people of color, people who have been critics of police, and try to bring them aboard and have a place where conversations can start.
Also included in the lineup is William Dub Lawrence, subject of the award-winning documentary Peace Officer, who founded Utahs first SWAT team, which later killed his son-in-law.
Registration for the event costs $25 in advance, and $35 after Sept. 6.
Couper said he envisions the event to be a permanent fixture in the dialogue between police and the communities they serve.
Thats the idea, to have an annual, recurring conference, he said. A chance for police and community leaders to come together and not have to yell at each other.
Mill Bluff State Park, located in both Monroe and Juneau counties in the Camp Douglas area, has a long history. For 80 years and going strong, thousands of travelers and locals alike have enjoyed the views, trails, camping and picnicking area and especially the 2.5 acre spring-fed lake with beach.
The park was first recognized in 1934 as what was then known as a wayside park. Stone steps, 223 of them, leading to the top of Mill Bluff were constructed by the WPA in 1934 and 1935. Mill Bluff was officially declared a state park in 1936. In addition, in 1971 Mill Bluff State Park became one of nine units in the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, a division of the National Park Service.
Friends of Mill Bluff will be celebrating this landmark birthday with cake and ice cream at the park gazebo Saturday, Sept. 3. People are urged to visit the park, help the club celebrate and consider joining the group. Cuts to the state parks system have made the need for volunteers more important than ever.
There is no charge for the cake and ice cream, but a valid Wisconsin State Park sticker is required to visit the park. The birthday event will be held rain or shine.
There will be a Korea War discussion group at Tomah Museum Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m.
The Tomah Historical Society & Museum invites all Korean War veterans in the area to share their war experiences. Ron Tralmer of Tomah, a Korean War combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient, will start by giving a brief talk on his participation and injuries he received in battle.
This will be a one-time opportunity to hear these men tell their story of this conflict.
North Korean troops, backed by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea in 1950. The United Nations considered the invasion an act of aggression and sent United Nations troops to defend South Korea. Eighty-eight percent of the U.N. forces were American soldiers under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. The war began June 25, 1950 and lasted until July 27, 1953.
The event will also honor soldiers with Tomah ties who died during the conflict. They are Joseph Mick, Eugene Honel, Charles Larsen, Michael D. Betthauser, Dean Sorenson and Harold (Pat) Rice.
Investigations into a string of burglaries some in Vernon County that victimized Amish families resulted in arrests of three men, Tuesday, Aug. 30.
Deputies from Columbia and Marquette counties arrested Grant G. Pulver, 21, of Portage; Alex A. Moulton, 20, of Portage; and Dylan J. Bartaczewicz, 20, of Pardeeville, Columbia County Sheriff Dennis Richards said.
The investigations began Aug. 14 after several burglaries were reported north of Portage.
More burglaries were reported Aug. 21 in Marquette and Columbia counties followed by numerous additional reports of burglaries in Vernon and Monroe counties, all involving the homes of Amish people, Richards said.
Based on description of suspicious vehicles in the areas where some of the incidents occurred, Columbia and Monroe sheriffs deputies searched two homes and two vehicles for stolen items.
Guns, cash, coins, jars, bows, documents and safes were all recovered, and investigators were working to return the property to its owners, Richards said.
Monroe County Sheriff Scott Perkins said several Amish families in the Cashton area told law enforcement they had been burglarized while they were away at church.
Perkins said in a press release that two of the suspects are being held in the Marquette County Jail in Montello, and the third has been booked and released.
Richards said deputies from all four counties worked jointly on the case.
Tomah Journal editor Steve Rundio contributed to this report.
This is Whats Trending Today....
Researchers at a university in Hungary say there is truth to what many dog owners always believed.
Dogs do understand what humans say.
The researchers made images of the brains of 13 dogs using a machine that records brain activity.
The dogs were trained to lie down in the machine for seven minutes. During that time, they listened through headphones to their trainers voices.
Dog owners may think the news is not surprising. But scientists are impressed.
Brian Hare is a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University. He called one of the findings a shocker.
The brain imaging showed dogs processed words using the left side of their brains, just as humans do. They use the right side of their brains to understand tone and pitch.
The study showed dogs understand words and how they are said. Meaningful words said in a neutral way did not have the same effect as the same words said in an encouraging way.
Attila Andics was the lead researcher on the project.
Dog brains care about both what we say and how we say it, he said.
Researchers say they think dogs are tuned in to what people say because dogs have lived with people for a long time.
Andics said he thinks other animals probably can understand human language like dogs do. But those animals are not very interested in what humans have to say.
People reacted to the story on Facebook and Twitter. They said they always knew their pets could understand them. And they were happy to see scientific support for what they experienced every day.
One reader from Virginia said she thought her dog could probably read her mind, too.
Someone in California joked that he always knew his dog ignored him.
And Greg Matos in Boston called the study fascinating!
And thats Whats Trending Today.
Im Dan Friedell.
Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
What do you think of the dog study? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
impress v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest
evolutionary adj. the way things change due to a natural process over a long period of time
tone n. a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing
pitch n. the highness or lowness of a sound
encouraging adj. causing a hopeful feeling
tune in v. to understand and be aware of a situation, other people's needs
Explorers have found a ship that is over 200 years old at the bottom Lake Ontario.
This is the second-oldest, confirmed shipwreck in the Great Lakes area between the U.S. and Canada, the explorers said.
The team of three underwater explorers that found the ship is from the western part of the U.S. state of New York. The wreck was in the deep waters of Lake Ontario near the town of Oswego in central New York.
Team member Jim Kennard said that pictures taken using an unmanned vehicle identified the ship as the Washington. The Washington sank in 1803.
The Washington was built on Lake Erie in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania in 1798. The ship was used to transport people and goods between, New York, Pennsylvania and the Canadian province of Ontario. Canadian merchants then bought the ship, took it out of the water, and transported it by land to Lake Ontario in 1802.
The 16 meter-long ship was loaded with goods from India when it left Kingston, Ontario on November 6, 1803. It was sailing to Niagara, Ontario when it was caught in a fierce storm and sank.
At least three crew members and two merchants died when the ship sank. Kennard said that records showed some of the goods and pieces of the ship were found the next day on a shore near Oswego.
The Washington is the oldest commercial ship wreck found in the Great Lakes, he added. It was also the only ship known to have sailed on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
"This one is very special," Kennard said. "We dont get too many like this." Kennard and team members Roger Pawlowski and Roland Chip Stevens have found several shipwrecks in Lake Ontario and other waterways.
Carrie Sowden is an official at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio. The museum helps pay for Kennard and his team to explore the area. Sowden said ships with only one mast, called sloops, were replaced by ships with two or three masts, called schooners, in the early 1800s. Schooners were much easier to sail.
There are no known drawings of the Washington, she added. This means the discovery will help historian of the seas learn more about the ships that sailed on the Great Lakes between the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
"Every shipwreck offers something different that adds to our knowledge base," Sowden said.
The oldest ship found in the Great Lakes is a British warship called the HMS Ontario. The HMS Ontario sank in Lake Ontario in 1780.
Kennard and another explorer found it in 2008.
Im Pete Musto.
Chris Carola reported on this story for the AP news service. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Have explorers found any interesting discoveries in your country recently? What is the oldest thing explorers have discovered in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
________________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
shipwreck n. a ruined or destroyed ship
merchant(s) n. someone who buys and sells goods especially in large amounts
commercial adj. related to or used in the buying and selling of goods and services
mast n. a long pole that supports the sails of a boat or ship
Lightning is being blamed for the deaths of 323 wild reindeer in central Norway.
The lightning storm took place in a small area of the Hardangervidda mountain plateau last Friday. Every year, thousands of reindeer travel across the Hardangervidda mountain area.
The Norwegian Environment Agency is a government agency that reports on climate and environmental issues in Norway. The agency said 70 calves were among the dead reindeer.
Kjartan Knutsen is the spokesman for the Norwegian Environment Agency. Knutsen told the Associated Press that it was unusual to have such a large number of reindeer deaths in one lightning storm.
We have not heard about such numbers before he said.
Knutsen said reindeer like to group together in bad weather. This may be a possible reason for their deaths.
He said, I dont know if it there were several lightning strikes, but it happened in one moment.
The agency is discussing what to do with the reindeer. Usually the agency leaves the body of a dead animal wherever it is found, Knutsen said. That way they can decompose in the natural way.
Im Patrick Merentie.
This story was reported by the Associated Press news service. Patrick Merentie adapted for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Have large numbers of animals died in similar recent events in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
______________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
reindeer n. a large wild animal that has four long thin legs, brown fur, and antlers if male, that lives in northern parts of the world
plateau n. a large flat area of land that is higher than other areas of land that surround it
calve(s) n. the young of various other large animals, such as reindeer or whale
decompose v. to cause something, such as dead plants and the bodies of dead animals, to be slowly destroyed and broken down by natural processes and chemicals
This week, the United States lost a beloved actor and funnyman. Gene Wilder, the wild-haired star of unforgettable comedy films, died Monday at the age of 83.
A family member said Wilder was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease three years ago. He said the actor kept the condition private so he would not disappoint fans.
"He simply couldn't bear the idea of one less smile in the world,'' his nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman said.
Gene Wilder started his acting career on the stage. However, millions of people knew him from his work in film. His movies with director Mel Brooks were especially famous. They included "The Producers,'' "Blazing Saddles'' and "Young Frankenstein.''
'Truly great talent of our time'
In a statement Monday, Brooks wrote, "Gene Wilder, one of the truly great talents of our time, is gone. He blessed every film we did together with his special magic and he blessed my life with his friendship. He will be so missed.''
Wilder was a master at playing nervous characters trapped in impossible, but funny, situations. In 1974s "Young Frankenstein,'' Wilders character sought to build a living person from the dead.
Wilder played Leo Bloom in the 1968 film "The Producers,'' about a man who tries to produce a costly failure on Broadway. The play, Springtime for Hitler, becomes a surprising hit instead.
Wilder could play cool-headed characters like the gunslinger in "Blazing Saddles.''
He also made millions of child fans with his portrayal as the main character in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.''
'But I don't think I'm that funny'
Many have posted messages on social media about the loss of Gene Wilder.
"The greatest comedic mind of my childhood is now gone,'' tweeted actor Josh Gad.
Comedian and actor Jim Carrey posted, "Gene Wilder was one of the funniest and sweetest energies ever to take a human form.''
Wilder was close friends with Richard Pryor. Their opposite personas - Wilder the worrier and the easy-going Pryor - were perfect for making comedy. They starred in four films together: "Silver Streak,'' "Stir Crazy,'' "See No Evil, Hear No Evil'' and "Another You.''
They created several memorable scenes, such as when Pryor provided Wilder with directions on how to "act black'' as they tried to avoid police in "Silver Streak.''
However, Wilder said in a 2013 interview that he was no comedian. He told interviewer Robert Osborne it was the biggest misunderstanding of him.
But I don't think I'm that funny. I think I can be in the movies.''
An early performer
Wilder was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933. His father was a Russian emigre. His mother was of Polish descent.
When he was six, Wilder's mother suffered a heart attack that left her disabled. He soon began performing comedy at home to entertain her. He started taking acting classes at age 12. In 1961, he made his Broadway debut. That is when he took on the professional name of Gene Wilder.
Wilder was married three times. His second marriage, to Saturday Night Live performer Gilda Radner, ended when she died of ovarian cancer in 1989.
Wilder spent much of his time after her death speaking in support of cancer research. He also opened a support center for cancer patients. In 1991, he spoke before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer.
Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991, and his daughter Katherine from an earlier marriage.
Im Jonathan Evans.
The Associated Press news agency reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. 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
comedy n. a play, movie, television program, novel, etc., that is meant to make people laugh
disappoint v. to make (someone) unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected
persona n. the way you behave, talk, etc., with other people that causes them to see you as a particular kind of person: the image or personality that a person presents to other people
entertain v. to perform for (an audience): to provide amusement for (someone) by singing, acting, etc.
debut n. the first time an actor, musician, athlete, etc., does something in public or for the public
Googles search app for Android has a new In Apps mode that allows you to quickly find data that may be siloed away inside of apps. For instance, instead of display results from the web, the app can show information from Gmail, Spotify, or YouTube.
To use the new feature, just type a query into the search bar, and when the results show up you should see a series of tabs that says All, News, Shopping, and so on. Scroll to the right of that bar and you should see a new In Apps tab.
I didnt actually see the tabs at first on my phone. But when I tapped a link at the bottom of my search results for in phone, the tabs showed up, complete with the brand new In Apps option.
Google says the upcoming LG V20 smartphone will also be the first with a dedicated home screen shortcut for in-app searches. The V20 is also expected to be the first phone to ship with Android 7.0 Nougat.
Only a select group of apps are currently supported, including those mentioned above and Facebook, Google Plus, and Chrome. But Google says support for additional apps including Evernote, Google Keep, and Facebook Messenger is on the way.
There are two new members of Sonys Xperia X line of smartphones. The new Xperia XZ is a 5.2 inch phone that could be the companys new flagship, thanks to slightly beefier specs than you get from the Sony Xperia X Performance.
Meanwhile, the Sony Xperia X Compact is a 4.6 inch phone for folks lamenting the fact that its hard to find a good smartphone smaller than 5 inches. Sony has released compact editions of its last few smartphones, usually with specs that are similar to those for its high-end flagship phones. This time things are little different.
Typically Sonys smaller phones have a lower-resolution display and a smaller battery than their bigger counterparts, but the same processor.
This year things are a bit different, because larger Xperia X phones come with a range of processors. The Xperia X Performance and Xperia XZ are powered by Snapdragon 820 processors. The Xperia XA has a MediaTek Helio P10. And the Xperia X has a Snapdragon 650.
So the latest Compact phone has the same processor as one of Sonys larger phones. It just happens to be the mid-range version.
That said, the Xperia X Compact does have the same 3GB of RAM and 23MP rear camera youll find on the larger phones. And while the Xperia XZ has a 2,900 mAh battery, the Compact edition has a 2,700 mAh battery which should provide similar battery life, given all the other differences between these phones.
Sony says the Xperia X Compact will be available globally in September, with the Xperia XZ coming in October.
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The poster of Priyanka Chopra's first Marathi production Ventilator has been unveiled.
The actress, who has stepped into production with her Purple Pebble Pictures production house, took to Instagram to share the first poster with her fans and followers.
The first poster of My first Marathi film! #Ventilator @purplepebblepictures congrats #ganpatibappamorya A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Aug 31, 2016 at 11:30am PDT
The film's poster says: "Fun. Family. Festival."
On Wednesday, the actress shared the audio of the first two songs from the film on Twitter. The songs 'Ya re ya' and 'Jai Deva' are both Ganpati songs.
This season of Ganesh Chaturthi, so proud to launch two Ganpati songs from our Marathi film #Ventilator! https://t.co/YI2XoXD5yi PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) August 31, 2016
Priyanka is not only making a guest appearance in the film but also lending her voice for a song.
A Mumbai Mirror report quotes, Priyanka is looking forward to recording the song, however, she is yet to zero down on the track she will sing. It is most likely to be used as a promotional track but could be included in the narrative too. Shes currently working out dates for the recording as well as the rehearsals.
The film will have several veteran Marathi film and theatre actors. The film is directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, who previously directed Ferrari Ki Sawaari starring Sharman Joshi and Boman Irani.
Hear the songs here:
With inputs from IANS
Once you have finished watching the first season of Stranger Things and are wondering what to do, Netflix has released the teaser trailer for the second season which will debut in 2017. Titled Stranger Things 2, the teaser has us eagerly waiting the 2017 release.
To initiate the unknown, Stranger Things is Netflix's new original series which is set in the early '80s to thrill hipsters who love '80s and '90s nostalgia. The science-fiction thriller is centered on the disappearance of a young boy and the way his town starts to unravel in mysterious, supernatural ways after he goes missing. The '80s setting allows it to have a great soundtrack and retro vibe which has enchanted many viewers.
Stranger Things also carriers familiar themes of a small town with a strange underbelly and kids who get entangled in supernatural things. If this is your forte, here are a few more retro shows that will ease your pain of waiting for Stranger Things till 2017:
Twin Peaks
David Lynchs Twin Peaks became a cult classic even though it was just telecast for two seasons. Though the show is getting a revival in 2017, we urge you to tune into the late '80s classic for the similarities between the plot of the series and Netflixs Stranger Things.
FBI Agent Dale Cooper investigates the murder of teenager Laura Palmer in the small town of Twin Peaks, Washington. As Cooper investigates the crime, he realises there is a supernatural and strange side to the picture perfect small town.
Watch how the mysterious small town piqued the interest of an entire nation and became a cult classic with its understated mysterious quality.
Eerie, Indiana
Marshall Teller's family moves to the small country town of Eerie, Indiana. It's the picture perfect small town, but Marshal thinks it is too perfect. Teenagers Marshall and his best friend Simon discover that Eerie, as he puts it, "is the center of weirdness for the universe".
Elvis lives there, so do a pair of twins who stay young by sleeping in Tupperware, and many other strange things. Each episode, Marshall and his friend Simon collect evidence about the creepy things that happen there.
If you miss the small town creepiness of Stranger Things, watch Eerie, Indiana. Though it is a kids show, the show deals with lots of adult themes. Case in point: There's an episode titled Foreverware
that deals with the very adult theme of how humans are trying to pursue their dream of becoming immortal.
The X-Files
With the tagline 'The Truth Is Out There' and 'I Want to Believe' the show set the benchmark for all the paranormal shows that followed. FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully investigate 'the x files'; unsolved cases with paranormal twists. While Mulder believes in aliens and the paranormal; medical doctor Scully plays the part of the skeptic, grounded in science.
Watch the episode Arcadia in season 7, which is about a creepy monster haunting the picture perfect neighbourhood of Arcadia. The neighbours are wonderful, the lawn is always mowed, but there are prices to pay if you don't follow the neighbourhood rule book.
The episode reminds us of the small town theme of Stranger Things, and is a chilling look at a society's attempt to keep it's underbelly a secret.
Les Revenants (or The Returned)
A french TV series took the whole world by storm because of its underplay of mystery and drama.
A sleepy, small town in France has all the dead people reappear without an explanation. A teenage who was killed in a bus crash, a small boy who was murdered and a serial killer all return and try to resume their lives while those around them attempt to make sense of this seemingly impossible event.
This series too carries Stranger Things' penchant of 'strange on goings in a small town' pretty well.
Freaks and Geeks
A cult classic that just ran for one season, Freaks and Geeks brings back the charm of the early '80s. The Weir siblings navigate the ups and downs of high school in the early eighties. The comedy drama is very accurate in its portrayal of kids, just like Stranger Things.
The series was also the starting point of John Francis Daley, James Franco, Seth Rogen and Jason Segel.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy and the Scooby Gang (thats a series in-joke) save the cursed small town of Sunnydale from vampires and witches. Buffy is a vampire slayer (which you can guess from the title) and with her best friend Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan or Lily from How I Met Your Mother) save the day by kicking ass. If you want to see an early 90s show about female empowerment, binge-watching this show is your calling.
Watch the first episode as strange things start to happen in the ironically named town of 'Sunnydale' and Buffy saves the say.
For Narendra Modi-government, eyeing for 8 percent growth this fiscal year, the April-June quarter GDP (gross domestic product) number comes as a clear disappointment. Not because the 7.1 percent number kills the fun of chasing a fancy GDP number--India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world beating China that grew at 6.7 percent in June quarter-- but given the fact that participation of private sector continues to be muted in the overall growth story.
The kind of GDP growth figures we see now is primarily on account of consumption and government spending, not fresh private investments that are critical for the long-term quality growth. That part remains weak.
Revival of private investments is critical for sustainable growth, said D K Joshi, chief economist at rating agency Crisil, the Indian subsidiary of Standard and Poors. But Joshi is hopeful that private investment cycle will revive once the consumption-led growth sustains for some time backed by a good monsoon this year and pay hikes to government employees thatll act as a stimulus to the consumption demand.
In short, at this stage, Indias growth is largely a consumption-led, government-funded story rather than triggered by fresh capital expenditure by companies. The evidence of this is available from the continuing contraction in the gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) numbers, which contracted further by 3.1 percent in the June quarter as compared with 1.9 percent contraction in the January-March quarter.
Details of real GDP growth disappointed, Radhika Rao, economist at Singapore based DBS bank. Defying expectations, consumption spending eased sharply to 6.7 percent year-on-year (YoY) from 8.3 percent, reflecting weak rural spending, while lead indicators had pointed to a good run for urban demand. Fixed investments extended its decline to -3.1 percent YoY from 1Qs -1.9 percent, weighed by the simultaneous pullback in private and public capex interests, said Rao.
Government consumption is what that has supported the June quarter growth with a jump of 18.8 percent Y-o-Y, up strongly from 2.9 percent in the first quarter, on efforts to frontload fiscal spending and higher subsidy disbursements, Rao said.
Overall, the lower-than-expected GDP numbers in the fist quarter would mean that there has to be substantial recovery in numbers in the approaching quarters to meet the 8 percent target for the full fiscal. The hopes would be primarily on the positives of a good monsoon and higher pays thatll help stimulate the consumption demand in the economy. The key point here is that consumption is set to become the core driver of growth, not private investments.
But, the continuing absence of revival in private investments offers reasons to worry for the Narendra Modi government. Economists point out the low capacity utilization in the economy as a drag. As Joshi of Crisil pointed out, private investments are a critical factor thatll help to achieve long-tem sustainable growth in the economy. Despite attempts to create an investor-friendly image in the economy by various structural reforms and promise of ease of doing business being undertaken by the government in the last two years, private investments continue be weak. Thats the reason why government is forced to be on a high spending mode to keep the momentum on. But, that has to be followed up by pick up in private investments sooner than later. In fact there are some early signs of investment intentions picking up in the fist half of this year going by a Care rating agency report, which cited government data. But, howmuch of it will translate into actual investments is something we need to wait and see. Why private investors are still averse to come to India? The Modi-government is indeed aware about the lack of response from the private investors as reflected in the sense of urgency shown by the Prime Minister himself in reviewing the progress of decisions taken across ministries and departments so far. P M Modi has done at least two such review meetings till now. The government has indeed progressed with several small and big reform steps to address the structural bottlenecks in the economy such as a fresh bankruptcy law, facilitating more foreign direct investments and progressing on indirect tax reforms. But, the timely implementation of the steps taken so far remains a challenge. Also, land and labour continue to be a major challenge for industries who want to set up factories in India. As we have seen in the Singur-episode in Bengal, acquisition of land continues to be a highly politically sensitive issue for industries. Similarly, a number of redundant labour laws in the country too continue to pose big challenge. The need to have better road, rail and port infrastructure is also key to attract investments. When the world economy is passing through a slowdown phase, improving on these areas is critical for India to retain the sweet spot it is in to position itself as the next big investment destination for international investors. Unless private investments come in and new factories are built, employment generation will continue to be a problematic area for the country. Experts in the past have raised alarm bells on years of high growth with no new jobs being created in the country. The counter argument here is that firms are focusing more on efficiency to maximize output with no major expansion on human resources. But, the revival of the small and medium enterprises could possibly accommodate a large number of people joining the workforce every year. But, here too lack of private investments creates a major problem. As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor, Raghuram Rajan , pointed out in his foreword to the recent RBI annual report, one of the major reasons why banks arent freely lending to small firms is weak investment scenario and high bad loan pile up. The bottomline is this: A government spending, consumption-led growth can indeed help use to retain the fastest growing economy tag. But, the government has to make sure it is followed by private sector participation for obvious reasons. Reviving private investments is the only hope for India to improve its fortunes in the long-term. As of now, the absence of it shadows the high GDP growth. (Data support from Kishor Kadam)
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New Delhi: Foreign investors bringing in at least Rs 10 crore capital will be eligible for residency status, easier visa regime and employment for family members among other benefits under a new policy approved by the Cabinet today to attract more overseas funds.
"A certain threshold if you invest in India, then there will be availability of visa, the availability of the right to purchase assets, the availability of employment for family members, there is a detailed policy that has been approved by the Cabinet today," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, here.
The scheme is expected to encourage foreign investment in India and facilitate the Make in India programme. Under the scheme, suitable provisions will be incorporated in the Visa Manual to provide for the grant of permanent residency status to foreign investors. An official statement said permanent residency status will be granted for a period of 10 years with multiple entries. This can be reviewed for another 10 years if the holder has not come to adverse notice.
The scheme will be applicable only to foreign investors fulfilling the prescribed eligibility conditions, his/her spouse and dependents.
"In order to avail this scheme, the foreign investor will have to invest a minimum of Rs 10 crore to be brought within 18 months or Rs 25 crore to be brought within 36 months. Further, the foreign investment should result in generating employment to at least 20 resident Indians every financial year," the statement said.
The permanent residency status will be granted for a period of 10 years initially with multiple entry facility, which can be renewed for another 10 years.
The status will serve as a multiple entry visa without any stay stipulation and holders will be exempted from the registration requirements. This status holders will be allowed to purchase one residential property for dwelling purpose. The spouse/ dependents will be allowed to take up employment in private sector (in relaxation to salary stipulations for Employment Visa) and undertake studies in India.
London: India has retained its position as the third largest investor in Britain, according to official figures released by the UK government on Tuesday.
The US remains the biggest source of inward investment, accounting for 570 projects, and China grabs the second spot with 156 projects, data from the UK's Department for International Trade showed.
The latest investment figures come as a boost following the Brexit vote in June, as the country emerged as the most popular destination in the European Union for overseas firms.
Patna: As many as 4,167 people were arrested in August in Bihar for violating the new Bihar prohibition law, the highest in the last five months, with a total of 13,839 arrests made and 11,679 litre of foreign liquor and 92,291.47 litre of country spirit seized over the entire period.
The Excise and Prohibition department said on Thursday August's arrest and seizure was the highest under the new liquor law since it came into force in April.
A total of 13,839 people were arrested for violation of the liquor law from April to August, Excise Commissioner Aditya Kumar Das told reporters reading out month-wise statistics.
A total of 13,805 people were sent to jail on specific charges, Das, who was accompanied by Joint Commissioner of Excise Satyendra Kumar Sinha and Assistant Excise Commissioner OP Mandal, said.
The officials said 11,679 litre of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and 92,291.47 litre of country liquor were seized during the period. They said a total of 23,651.50 litre of liquor, smuggled from other states, was seized in the last five months with the maximum amount coming from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
About 8,653.83 litre of liquor, being illegally traded from Uttar Pradesh, was seized in the last five months, they said, adding that the figures were 5,597.82, 4,973.31, 3,940.98, 470.16, 1.65 and 13.75 litre from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Haryana, Nepal, Arunachal Pradesh and elsewhere respectively.
In Uttar Pradesh, bordering Bhabua in Kaimur district accounted for the biggest seizure of 8,334.26 litre, they said.
A total of 165.44 litre of liquor from Uttar Pradesh was seized at Gopalganj and 94.16 litre at Buxar. Likewise, the biggest seizure of 4,817.97 litre from West Bengal was made at Kisanganj district.
From Jharkhand, the biggest seizure was from Rohtas at 973 litre followed by Begusarai and Madhepura. Cumulatively, 4,660.15 litre of country spirit, smuggled into Bihar, was seized during the period from various places.
The biggest amount of 2,451.05 litre smuggled country liquor came from Jharkhand, followed by 1,813.73 litre from Nepal, they said.
From Uttar Pradesh, 166.93 litre of illegal country spirit was brought into Bihar from April to August. The biggest seizure of 119.55 litre of country spirit from Uttar Pradesh was made at Gopalganj where 18 persons had died recently because of suspected consumption of hooch, they said.
The officials said a meeting of senior officials of the Excise departments of Bihar and Jharkhand has been called at Koderma in the neighbouring state on 6 September to check smuggling of liquor into Bihar.
New Delhi: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday conveyed to India that he wants to take anti-terror cooperation between the two countries to a "whole new level" and pitched for "strong collective action" against radicalisation.
President al-Sisi, who arrived in new Delhi on Thursday on a three-day visit, said this when External Affairs Minister called on him. The Egyptian President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks on Friday with an aim to further expand the bilateral ties.
At the meeting, Swaraj told Sisi that his visit provided an opportunity to upgrade security ties and anti-terror cooperation between the two countries. In this context she mentioned the need for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN. President Sisi concurred, and said that he wanted to take anti-terror cooperation to a whole new level. In particular, he urged strong collective action against radicalisation and recruitment for terrorism, official sources said.
Talking about Egypt's ties with India, the visiting President remained "very resilient" and conveyed to Swaraj that his visit will lead to a "quantum leap in bilateral ties".
He recalled his previous meetings with Modi and expressed his desire to take the bilateral relationship to a new level. Al-Sisi spoke about his government's efforts to upgrade infrastructure and said Egypt was keen on working in partnership with all "those who want to work with us". The sources said he "positively assessed" the role of Indian investment in Egypt which had touched USD 3 billion and sought greater trade and investment ties with India. He also expressed appreciation for India's recent supply of 20,000 tonnes of rice, at very short notice, when Egypt was facing shortage of the commodity.
Swaraj said bilateral trade was still below potential and outlined some of the far reaching economic reforms and flagship initiatives taken by the government. She said, apart from rice, Egypt could import wheat and milk, in both of which India was a world leader. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in tourism and enhancing people-to-people ties.
Swaraj recalled how the "India by the Nile" and Tagore Festival in Egypt had seen large-scale participation by the people of Egypt. President al-Sisi recalled the popularity of Indian films in Egypt.
Chandigarh: Haryana's former Chief Minister (CM) Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday demanded that the Manohar Lal Khattar government make the Justice SN Dhingra Commission report public, and accused it of indulging in "witch-hunt" and "sensationalising facts".
The one-man inquiry commission, which went into the controversial land deals in Haryana also allegedly involving Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, had submitted its 182-page report to the state government on Wednesday and apparently found irregularities in the deals.
"I demand that the Government make the Dhingra Commission report public soon and stop this witch-hunt and sensationalising of facts," Hooda , who was the chief minister when the deals were signed, told reporters on Thursday.
He said while the report was yet to be made public, its contents were being "selectively leaked to the media". "I can comment on its contents only when the report is made public," the two-time former CM said.
Asked if he would move court, the Congress leader said, "Let them first make the report public, then we will see". When asked about the commission having reportedly hinted at irregularities in the deals, Hooda said, "But that does not necessarily mean that there is an illegality".
Hooda hit out at the government for getting only a handful of land licences probed, including the one granted to Robert Vadra's firm. Giving details of the licence granted to Vadra's firm Skylight Hospitality, Hooda said the firm was alloted 2.7 acres as per entitlement.
The firm purchased land on 28 January, 2008 by paying Rs 7.95 crore, including stamp duty, he said. "The company also paid commercial colony charges of Rs 7.43 crore to the government. An amount of Rs 73 lakh was deposited for renewal of licence.
Thus, total amount paid for purchase of land and statutory charges comes to Rs 16.11 crore."
"After a gap of five years, this piece of land was sold by Skylight to DLF for Rs 58 crore on 18 September, 2012. Even on this amount, the company paid an additional tax of Rs 8 crore and thus they paid a total amount of Rs 24.11 crore which includes the Rs 16.11 crore against the receipt of sale price of Rs 58 crore," Hooda said.
Washington: US Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in India on Monday on a three-day visit, has cancelled his scheduled return to Washington, and will extend his stay in India before leaving for China to join President Barack Obama at the G-20 Summit.
US State Department spokesperson John Kirby on Wednesday said in his daily press briefing here on Wednesday that Kerry's official schedule for the next couple of days was "still forming up" citing logistical reasons.
After co-chairing the Second US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday, Kerry addressed a town hall meeting at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, met with Indian opposition political party leaders and visited the American embassy school before calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss climate change issues and the deepening US-India partnership.
Following heavy rains on Wednesday morning, Kerry postponed his scheduled visits to the Sisganj Gurdwara, the Jama Masjid and a Hindu temple in New Delhi.
Asked about Kerry's official schedule given his extended stay in New Delhi, Kirby said: "I didn't say that he didn't have official events. His schedule is still forming up, and as we get more information about that, we'll certainly provide it to you. But he wanted to be able to attend the G-20, and so it just made practical sense from a logistical perspective, particularly as we had to finalise arrangements as far as for his ability to join the President, to stay there in New Delhi while those arrangements were made."
The G20 summit in Hangzhou will take place from 4 to 5 September.
Srinagar: Opposition National Conference (NC) workers led by senior party leaders on Thursday staged a protest outside the civil secretariat in Kashmir.
Senior NC leaders Ali Muhammad Sagar and Chowdhary Muhammad Ramzan led over three dozen party workers who were protesting against the use of pellet guns by security forces for mob control in the Valley.
The party men also shouted slogans against alleged failure of the state government in handling the ongoing unrest.
Police later intervened to disperse the protest.
The civil secretariat houses the offices of the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, her cabinet colleagues and all top bureaucrats of the state.
In what is a clear sign of the shrinking space for mainstream politics in Kashmir, scores of political workers have left their homes and taken refuge in well-guarded hotels in Srinagar.
Most of these political workers are from South Kashmir Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian that has emerged as the epicentre of the present uprising in Kashmir.
Those who managed to escape the hostility in the Valley include political workers of all parties, former counter-insurgents called Ikhwanis, polling agents and many ex-sarpanchs. Most of them have fled their native places along with their families. Some have even brought along their children.
Majority of these people have been housed in government hostels and hotels in Rajbagh, Indira Nagar, Sanat Nagar and Jawahar Nagar in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir.
Most of the workers have been relocated to Indira Nagar near BB Cantt, as it is considered a safe place due to its proximity to the 15 corps headquarter in the city. Firstpost met with dozens of these workers at different hotels across Srinagar.
Most of these hotels and guest-houses are guarded by the CRPF. At one such hotel, a CRPF soldier stood guard inside a bunker close to the gate. He carefully crags his neck out before allowing visitors inside. After checking ID cards, the visitors are allowed to enter. Inside, cheers from children playing with broken plastic toys is the first thing one notices.
The elders, seemingly freighted, are huddled inside small rooms staring at every visitor in bewilderment.
Most of them have spent more than 30 days in guarded environs hoping for the situation to normalise. Most of them want to go back to their homes. Mansoor Khan, 43, is one of them.
A resident of Homeshalibug in Kulgam, he would arrange crowds for political rallies and mobilise voters for politicians of all hues.
Most politicians would bank on him for successful rallies. Three weeks back, a protest rally that left scores injured after clashes with the paramilitary soldiers, saw angry protesters slowly limping towards his house. Khan said that he thought that his angry neighbours, part of the rally, would try to torch his house.
"I was frightened," he said. "My two kids thought all of us were going to die." But, he said, the village head came to their rescue.
"Next day at dawn, we fled to Srinagar," Khan said, staying at a rundown hotel in Srinagars Indra Nagar locality. "We abandoned our house as the anger is rising against all politicians and their supporters."
In between deep puffs of a cigarette, Khan said that it would be a miracle if the protesters didnt burn his house down. Mainstream politics, Khan adds, is a curse in the valley for now as people look down upon political workers.
The very idea of supporting pro-India politics in the valley is fraught with not just risks but also social exclusion, said Abdul Hamid, 37, a resident of Anantnag who is camping in a hotel along with his children in the Raj Bagh locality.
Hamid is a post-graduate in Sociology from Kashmir University. When he failed to find a government job, he started working with a politician taking care of his appointment and liaising with workers.
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, despite being a towering personality, still has a guard at his grave, Hamid said. "Mufti (Sahib) Mohammad Sayeed, now has a police post guarding his grave, as well."
The hotel, where Hamid has taken shelter, is full of small time political workers, polling agents of different political parties, and those who have helped politicians garner votes in the five districts of South Kashmir.
Last month, protesters set ablaze the security guard room and a motorcycle of ruling PDP MLA Mohammad Yousuf Bhat in Shopian. Bhat, who is the chief whip of PDP in the Assembly, and his family were not present in the house at the time of the attack. A large number of people attacked Bhat's house after the police raided several houses in Meemandar locality the previous night, a police official said.
The house of a PDP Rajya Sabha member, Nazir Laway, was attacked on Wednesday in the Chawalgam area of Kulgam. The mob also torched the police picket on the front side of the compound and allegedly decamped with four service rifles of the policemen guarding the house.
The incident set alarm bells ringing and Khan was joined by hoards of others from his district, who also fled the comfort of their homes. The story is the same in almost every hotel the state government has rented.
"It is always a Sarpanch, a polling agent, or a small worker who is killed by militants, or beaten by protesters, never say a minister or an MLA," Tariq Ahmad, a political worker from Puwlama, said.
The Kashmir valley has been on an edge ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on 8 July. The death of an 18-year-old student at the Nadihal village on Wednesday has pushed Kashmir to the brink. At least, 70 civilians have been killed so far and more than ten thousand injured with 3,812 people hit by pellets, 547 by bullets and 2,343 by tear gas shells (as of 28 August) and the prospect of normalcy returning to the streets seems to be a distant dream.
Kolkata: Opposing the country-wide strike on 2 September called by central trade unions, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her government will take strongest possible action against "miscreants" who try to disrupt public life and will ensure compensation for damage to shops or vehicles.
"Bengal will not be stopped on 2 September, 2016. On 2 September, all educational institutions, shops, institutions, offices and factories will remain open. Vehicles will ply normally and public transport will not be hindered.
There will be strongest possible action against any miscreant who will try to disrupt public life," Banerjee tweeted. "The government will arrange for due compensation for any damage caused by miscreants to any shop, vehicle or establishment," Banerjee tweeted.
The Chief Minister had last week asserted that her government would not allow any bandh in the state on 2 September and said, "If they (central trade unions) want they can go to Delhi and stage dharna to register their protest."
The central trade unions have given a call for a countrywide general strike on 2 September to protest the "anti-people, anti-national and anti-worker" policies of the NDA government at the Centre.
New Delhi: IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Thursday indicated that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK) would have been India's had the country gone for a military solution
rather than taking a "moral high ground".
Raha also rued that air power had not been fully utilised by the Indian government till the 1971 Indo-Pak war. In unusually candid remarks, the Air Force chief termed PoK as a "thorn in our flesh" and said India did not follow a "pragmatic approach" to security needs.
He said India's security environment is vitiated and aerospace power, as part of the military power, would be required to deter a conflict in the region and also ensure peace and tranquillity.
"Our foreign policy was enshrined in the charter of the UN, charter of the Non-Alignment Movement as well as Panchseel doctrine.
"We have been governed by high ideals and we really did not follow a very pragmatic approach, to my mind, to security needs. To that extent, we did ignore the role of the military power to maintain conducive environment," Raha said at an aerospace seminar in Delhi.
He said India as a country was "reluctant" to use military power, especially air power, in deterring adversaries, in deterring a conflict and when involved in conflict the country has beendrawn into several times in the past.
He said when hordes of raiders attacked Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, it was the transport planes of the IAF which helped Indian soldiers and equipment to reach the battleground.
"And when a military solution was in sight, taking moral high ground, I think we went to UN for a peaceful solution to this problem. The problem still continues. PoK remains a thorn in our flesh today," he said. Raha said that in 1962, air power went under-utilised because of the fear of a skirmish. "In 1965 conflict, we did not use air power against East Pakistan because ofpolitical reasons despite Pakistani Air Force operating from East Pakistan attacking our air bases, infrastructure, aircraft on ground. We had severe setbacks but we never retaliated," he rued.
The IAF chief said the only time when air power was fully utilised was in 1971 war and the three forces blended completely resulting in the creation of Bangladesh. "But the situation has changed. We are ready to use air power to defend ourselves and deter a conflict," he said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sets off on Friday on a bilateral visit to Vietnam and to attend the annual summit of powerful G-20 grouping in China's Hangzhou where India is likely to seek concrete measures to check terror financing and crackdown on tax evasion.
Modi's first destination will be Vietnam from where he will leave for Hangzhou on September 3 to attend the G-20 summit on September 4 and 5. The Prime Minister will return to India onSeptember 5 and will again leave for Laos on a two-day visit to attend the annual India-Asean and East Asia Summits.
In Vietnam, Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with top leadership of the resource-rich country to deepen ties in key areas of defence, security and trade, and ramping up India's engagement inoil exploration.
India's ONGC Videsh Limited is engaged in oil exploration projects in Vietnam for over three decades and there may be announcements about new projects in the sector during the bilateral visit, which is taking place after a gap of 15 years.
At the G-20 Summit, India is likely to raise a host of issues ranging from choking terror funding and checking tax evasion to cutting cost of remittances and market access for key drugs.
On the sidelines of the Summit, Modi will have bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a Brics leaders' meet. A number of other bilaterals are being finalised, Secretary West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujatha Mehta told reporters.
She said issues like global tax reform, climate friendly financing and market access for antibiotics are some of the issues likely to be discussed at the meetings. Niti Ayog Vice ChairmanArvind Panagariya is India's sherpa for the G-20 and some of the issues were already discussed in the run up to the summit.
Mehta said there will be deliberations on containing terror financing at the G 20 summit. There are likely to be detailed deliberations on automatic exchange of tax information at G-20, besides discussion on ways to tackle slowdown of the global economy. India has already agreed to the Automatic Exchange of Information Convention of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental economic organisation of around 35 countries.
During the Vietnam visit both countries may announce new oil exploration projects for which negotiations were going on. The South China Sea issue may figure in the talks. China wants India to refrain from undertaking oil exploration in the Vietnamese blocks in order to ensure "peace and stability" in the South China Sea.
At the 14th India-ASEAN summit on September 8, Modi is expected to pitch for expanding trade ties with the powerful grouping besides enhancing overall cooperation. India-ASEAN trade and investment relations have been growing steadily, with ASEAN being New Delhi's fourth largest trading partner. The annual trade registered an average growth of 22 percent per annum in the decade upto 2011-12, but has stagnated thereafter.
It stood at approximately USD 76.53 billion in 2014-15. The two-way investment flows are also substantial, with ASEAN accounting for approximately 12.5 per cent of investment flows into India since 2000.
FDI inflows into India from ASEAN between April 2007 and March 2015 was about USD 32.44 billion. ASEAN members include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The ASEAN summit will be followed by 11th East Asia Summit which is likely to deliberate on issues relating to security and threat of terrorism.
The leaders at East Asia Summit are expected to discuss the situation in South China Sea and as well as a host of other issues. East Asia Summit is a forum for cooperation between various countries of the region with ASEAN and includes Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US, in addition to the ten ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries.
Replying to a question on Vietnam's request to India to supply Brahmos missiles, the Secretary East in the MEA said both sides are engaged in "robust" conversation on stepping up cooperation in various areas including defence. On whether that country has asked for training Sukhoi fighter pilots, she said talks on it was underway.
About oil exploration projects, she said negotiations were on for Block 6.1. At the 14th ASEAN-India Summit, she said the Prime Minister and ASEAN Leaders will review ASEAN-India cooperation and discuss its future direction under each of the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern. "2017 will mark 25 years of India's dialogue partnership with ASEAN, to celebrate which a number of commemorative activities will also be announced by Prime Minister," she said.
Three days ago, a Muslim social activist posted on Facebook saying that he was on his way to attend a meeting in Gujarat. The post was in lieu of the recent attacks on Dalits in Una and focussed on other "oppressed minorities" tormented by cow vigilante groups throughout the country.
By 'other' minorities he clearly meant Muslims, because they are the only ones who have been thrashed time and again by these Hindutva fringe groups. The worst of such attacks being the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh.
But was him not naming Muslims and rather using the generic category of 'oppressed minorities' deliberate?
Probably yes. Because writing 'Muslims' instead, would have been a courageous task and he probably lacked the nerve to confront the swelling hyperbole of Muslim-baiting amongst middle-class Indians. Attaching the name Muslim to any cause might just hamper its chances as Muslims are the new untouchables, politically if not yet socially.
Massive protests are going on in Gujarat by Dalits against the cow vigilante groups, but the first to be affected by the groups were none other than the Muslims.
However, a deafening silence is prevalent within the Muslim community. The community could not ever garner the courage to raise its voice and come out on the streets even after the reported killings of at least four of its members recently.
Whatever little condemnation of the attacks came was from the liberal sections of the Indian society, that too on humanitarian grounds. This clearly depicts the vulnerability of Muslims in the Indian political discourse, 69 years after they chose a secular India over a religious Pakistan.
But why is it so that Muslims as a community have failed to depict any resistance against this ideology of cow protection? An ideology which encrypts within itself a malicious politics of discerning against the 'other', largely affecting two sections of the Indian society Muslims and Dalits.
Different factors can be attributed to this silence and lack of resistance among Muslims. Unlike the Dalits, the Muslim community never had any stalwarts like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Kanshiram, and Mayawati who could work from outside the ambit of mainstream secular parties and develop a political agency of their own.
Any attempts to form the same have been thwarted time and again by both communal and secular outfits. Maulana Nasir Maudany from Kerala, who was trying to forge a Muslim-Dalit unity in the nineties, was put behind bars for years on flimsy charges of terrorism.
Similarly Asaduddin Owaisi, who is known for articulating the constitutional rights of the community and their daily concerns, has been asked time and again why he only talks about Muslims. He is often reduced to a religious fanatic and a fundamentalist by the secular outfits. Journalists like Barkha Dutt have written columns on how dangerous the rise of Owaisi is for secular India.
In brief, Muslims were never given the breathing space to develop their own political agency and their leadership has largely rested with the Congress, the Left and other regional parties. Time and again these hegemonic political forces have represented Muslims as a religious category rather than a sociological group, where the matters of Islam take precedence over everything else.
Dalits, on the other hand, have registered their own path of struggle and developed a counter-narrative which has efficiently questioned the foremost upper-caste narrative. Even the Left, which ruled a state with a substantial Muslim population for almost three decades, failed to evolve a counter-narrative among Muslims. It rather colluded with reactionary Muslim forces as a policy of appeasement of the masses, instead of practicing politics of any ideological conviction.
If Mayawati can be the representative of the Dalits, Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad Yadav can be the representatives of the Yadavs, then why can't a Muslim represent their own community? Why is it that only identity politics of Muslims is considered bad or that the emergence of any Muslim political force is reduced to merely a fundamentalist organisation by secular outfits?
Probably because the idea of Muslims having their own political force marks a dent in their political constituency. And hence, any attempt to forge social engineering with Muslims as the dominant force haunts their electoral fortunes.
It is because of this very dependence on other political outfits that today, Muslims have not been able to come out and protest against cow vigilante groups in the open, as the Dalits have been doing. And above all, Muslims have over a period of time internalised this image of a religious community. The dominant Indian politics has taught them that they will be heard only when they invoke Islam.
It is time that the Muslim intelligentsia should come out of the apologist mode and assure that it does not remain to be a mere constituency for the mainstream secular parties. Rather, they should focus on consolidating themselves as a political force capable of deciding their own initiatives, leading their own struggles and bargaining with the larger secular outfits for their socio- economic advancement.
New Delhi: Three Indians stuck in a war zone in Libya have been evacuated and are being brought back home, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday.
She said they have been brought to Benghazi, which is a port city in Libya.
"We have brought them in military vehicles 650 Kms away to Benghazi. We will now fly them from Benghazi/Tripoli. "Two of them were evacuated by the Government earlier also. However, they returned to Libya on 28.4.2016 ignoring our advisories.
We have brought them in military vehicles 650 Kms away to Benghazi. We will now fly them from Benghazi/Tripoli /1 https://t.co/wIexk9aMut Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 1, 2016
"They are being evacuated from war torn Libya at the public expense for the second time," Swaraj said in a series of tweets.
Two of them were evacuated by the Government earlier also. However, they returned to Libya on 28.4.2016 ignoring our advisories./2 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 1, 2016
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had requested Swaraj to help the three men in returning to India.
A week from now will a process be set in motion, by which a wife, hearing the dreaded words "talaq, talaq, talaq", could turn around and tell her husband: "Sorry, sir, Im still your wife, the highest court has said so?"
On 6 September, the Supreme Court takes up the plea filed by Shayara Bano of Uttarakhand in February, to hold unconstitutional the practices of "triple talaq" unilateral instant divorce pronounced by a husband, halala (remarriage to the same spouse after the divorced woman consummates her marriage with another man and gets divorced by him), and polygamy.
Two women divorced through triple talaq from Jaipur and Kolkata have also approached the Court. Their petitions and a number of supportive pleas filed by Muslim womens organisations, as well as by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, have all been bunched together.
Opposing these petitions in court are the Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).
This is at heart a fight between women wanting change and religious heads opposing it. Its reached the Supreme Court primarily because a golden opportunity to end the practice of triple talaq prevalent among Sunnis, and acknowledged even by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board as "sinful", has presented itself.
In December, a bench headed by the Chief Justice, refusing to entertain a PIL demanding a Uniform Civil Code, stated: "If a victim of triple talaq comes to the court and questions the validity of the procedure, we can surely examine the legality of triple talaq and find out whether it violated her fundamental rights." It would have been silly indeed, if such victims had not seized this opportunity.
However, this isnt the first time Muslim women have gone to court against the way their husbands have interpreted their personal laws. But every time theyve done so, its after having failed to get their rights from their religious heads.
Its not as if solutions within the community havent been tried. Muslim groups have drawn up model nikahnamas (marriage contracts), forbidding triple talaq. But who will ensure they are implemented? The Boards own model nikahnama, drawn up a decade ago under pressure from women, prescribes talaq according to the Quran, wherein divorce is a properly thought-out procedure requiring arbitration. But the Board has done nothing to propagate this nikahnama, which anyway doesnt lay down punishments for husbands who flout it.
Courts have done more justice to women, and to Quranic injunctions regarding them, than the religious establishment. In 2002, the Supreme Court (Shamim Ara vs State of UP), held that only a talaq which follows the Quranic procedure is valid. High Courts have followed suit.
Yet, men continue to divorce their wives using these three words, with full support from religious heads. Only a few women thrown out like this have the inclination and means to challenge these talaqs in court and render them invalid in accordance with precedents.
But what is expected of the Supreme Court this time isnt just a reiteration of the Shamim Ara judgment. The practice of triple talaq per se is sought to be banned. The argument against it this time in the many pleas is not just religious, but also Constitutional: Do these provisions of Muslim Personal Law, as practiced in India, violate the fundamental right of equality to all guaranteed by the Constitution?
The JUH and AIMPLB say that the court cannot ban triple talaq as that would be a violation of the Muslims fundamental right to freedom of religion. But theres enough material to prove that this practice is nowhere approved of in the Quran. Indeed, it is banned in most Islamic countries.
Interestingly, in the recent Haji Ali judgment, the Bombay High Court dealt with both aspects: religious and Constitutional. It held that the trustees of the Haji Ali dargah had failed to prove that their decision to forbid women from entering the shrines sanctum sanctorum was an "essential and integral part" of Islam. Additionally, their decision violated the fundamental right to equality.
The current triple talaq case cant be viewed as a sudden phenomenon of Muslim women rushing to court. A plea to the Supreme Court to declare the entire Muslim Personal Law unconstitutional had been made 30 years back by young Shahnaz Shaikh, who headed a Muslim womens organisation in Mumbai. Her plea however, got lost in the furore raised by the Supreme Courts Shah Bano judgment of 1985, which granted an old Muslim divorcee a monthly maintenance for life under a secular law.
The Shah Bano decree was no different from others made in similar cases. But the remarks on Prophet Muhammed made at the end of the judgment were used by Muslim politicians and religious heads to whip up a frenzy. Shah Bano was attacked till she voluntarily gave up her legal right. Parliament enacted a law aimed at depriving Muslim divorcees of the protection of the secular law. (In 2001, the Supreme Court laid down a liberal interpretation of this law.)
The few Muslim voices in support of Shah Bano were drowned in the din of "Islam in danger" created by the communitys male leaders. A survey done by this writer at that time, of those actually affected by this development, ie, Muslim divorcees claiming maintenance, most of them poor and illiterate, had shown that they were, to a woman, against triple talaq and the move to remove them from the purview of a secular law that gave them lifelong maintenance. But none of the saviours of Islam cared to ask them, and they had no forum to express their opinion.
The day the new law was enacted, Shah Banos supporters wore black badges. When would the day come, they wondered, when Muslim women would acquire the strength to influence new legislation that affected them?
Well, that day has come. Shah Bano had little support; Shayara Bano has tons. The organisations supporting Shayara Banos plea are based in Kozhikode, Mumbai, Chennai, Lucknow. Whether reformist, wanting change within the ambit of the Quran, or radical, invoking only the Constitution, they represent a new generation of women who arent afraid to study and interpret the Quran by themselves, to run legal centres for women, and to come out on the streets to demand their rights.
Expectedly, the Ulema characterise these women as not representative of the average Muslim woman. But like in Shah Banos time, even today it is the Ulema who remain disconnected from the women of their community. A survey of 4,710 women in 10 states by the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan found that 88 percent of them wanted a ban on triple talaq. The Andolan has sent 50,000 signatures in support of such a ban to every authority.
Its not women alone, or even intellectuals. The all-male Sunni Ulema Council recently asked the AIMPLB to treat the pronouncement of triple talaq by a husband as just one pronouncement, as done by the Ahl al-Hadees sect. This way, the pronouncement doesnt become irrevocable. The Board refused.
The women whove petitioned the Supreme Court are being termed by the Ulema as RSS agents. The credentials of these organisations (except one) rule that out. Whether in Shah Banos time, when the Congress was in power, or now, Muslim women whove spoken out against their leaders have always been told that the community is under siege, nows not the time to speak up as women; doing so would mean supporting "the enemy". This time, "the enemy" is ruling the country.
The question is: how long should Muslim wives allow their lives to be ruined by their husbands right to divorce them at a drop of a hat? With even the Supreme Court having ruled against it, when will the time be right for Muslim women to demand that this practice be legally abolished?
India has a long list of politicians who lost their Cabinet berths after losing an election. But, AAP's Sandeep Kumar would go down in record books as the first minister to get kicked out of a ministry because of something that just rhymes with, er, election.
On Wednesday night, he was sacked by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal just before the media started playing tapes, of Kumar's alleged escapades in a house that looked like his hunting ground, on loop.
In a CD sent anonymously to media houses, Kumar, minister of women and child welfare, allegedly figures with two different women. In one of them a nine-minute video he is seen in an "objectionable" position with a woman, whom he later advises to meet him "only after 9 pm" and never in public. The CD also contained still pictures allegedly showing Kumar with another woman in varying degrees of proximity.
Allegedly, instead of helping women in need, a job mandated by his ministry, Kumar was helping himself to women to satiate his needs.
Making a virtue out of necessity, AAP claimed that it had set high standards of probity in public life by taking quick action against Kumar. "AAP is a party of ideals. AAP has a zero tolerance policy towards corruption, scandals," deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said. "Ministers found taking bribes were removed immediately as soon as it was found. Action will be taken swiftly against any member irrespective of status or position," he told the media.
Sisodia's hypocrisy would have sounded more comic had he not been competing with the sacked minister, a self-proclaimed patni-vrata aam aadmi.
In a speech that went viral last year, Kumar told his audience on International Women's Day (8 March) that he takes his wife's blessings almost every day before venturing out.
"Main roz subah inke pair choo kar ghar se nikalta hoon (I touch her feet before leaving the house every morning)," he said, bringing the packed auditorium at Delhi's secretariat down with a thunderous response.
He later told the The Indian Express about his blissful marital life and how he was grateful to his wife for being with him through thick and thin.
If the video is right, the minister was obviously fooling a lot of people at the same time, both in private and in public.
The only silver lining, if any, in Kejriwal's conduct is that he has been quick to act on complaints of impropriety. Unlike the BJP that first inducted Nihal Chand as a minister in the Union government in spite of the lawmaker facing allegations of rape and then continued to protect him despite public outrage and the Congress that has a history of protecting tainted politicians, Kejriwal has at least taken quick and decisive action.
But, the Delhi CM's penchant for alacrity in such matters has been deprived of its novelty and moral underpinnings because the AAP is now being routinely exposed as a party low on scruples that were promised by Kejriwal. "If politics is keechad (muck), we will have to get deep into it to clean it," Kejriwal had said, explaining the raison d'etre of AAP. Ironically, his AAP now looks like keechad a mini replica of Indian politics.
For a party that made such a song and dance of its selection process, owes its birth to an anti-corruption movement and public clamour for clean politics, it is indeed a shame that every few months the AAP gets into trouble because of legislators with gaping moral and ethical lacunae.
In October, Kejriwal had publicly sacked Asim Ahmed Khan, the then minister of food and environment for allegedly seeking bribes. Before that, after defending him publicly, Kejriwal had to sack law minister Jitendra Tomar for faking a degree.
Delhi has a sanctioned strength of seven ministers. Three bad apples in less than 18 months is indeed an alarming sample for Kejriwal's lot. Either his party is guilty of not performing the advertised due diligence or Kejriwal and his team have a problem judging people. Either way, these are signs that erode Kejriwal's base.
Like patni-vrata Kumar, the AAP has betrayed people's faith and blessings.
Panaji: Upset with the removal of Subhash Velingkar as Goa RSS chief, over 300 Sangh workers have announced that they will quit the organisation, and vowed to "defeat" BJP in the Assembly polls next year if he is not reinstated.
RSS on Wednesday removed Velingkar, who had crossed swords with BJP government over the issue of medium of instruction (MOI) in schools, with members of his outfit BBSM even showing black flags to party chief Amit Shah recently. The Sangh said he was trying to engage into "political activity" which is contrary to its tradition.
"We want that either Velingkar should be reinstated or we (over 300 volunteers) all should be relieved along with him. Since the Sangh has not reinstated him (Velingkar) during the entire day, we have decided to tender resignations," Sangh member Pravin Nesvankar told reporters late Wednesday night here.
A large number of RSS workers from the state last night held an 'emergency' meeting for over three hours at Bambolim near here in the backdrop of Velingkar's removal.
Velingkar, the convener of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) which is fighting for withdrawal of grants to English medium schools and for the cause of promoting regional languages as MOI in the coastal state, has been at loggerheads with the saffron party as well as Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
"RSS workers will now work for a new political front that will contest the Goa Assembly polls," said Nesvankar in the presence of members like Ratnakar Lele and Krishnaraj Sukerkar.
"We will defeat the BJP in the upcoming elections," Nesvankar added.
Sangh's South District head Ramdas Saraf said the volunteers will not work for RSS until the decision to relieve Velingkar is withdrawn.
New Delhi: A three-day crucial meeting of the RSS full-timers presently working in the BJP will be held in Surajkund on 10, 11 and 12 September.
The key posts of general secretary, organisation, in BJP is held by RSS full-timers (pracharak) who are on loan to the party. Some of them occupy other posts in the party across its state units as well. RSS general secretary Bhaiyya ji Joshi, the second in command of the outfit, and its joint general secretary Krishna Gopal will be the key persons who will be present at the three day exercise, a senior BJP leader said.
Asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will also address these office bearers, he said it was not certain yet. RSS full-timers working in the BJP, especially its general secretaries in charge of the organisation in the central body as well as state bodies, spearhead party activities and are perceived to be reliable feedback as they generally, though not always, do not participate in electoral politics and owe their allegiance to the top brass of RSS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also a RSS 'pracharak' looking after the organisational matters in the BJP before he was chosen to lead the party in Gujarat in 2001. The meeting assumes significance as it comes in the wake of three crucial party meetings involving its state core committee leaders, chief ministers and Rajya Sabha members. Modi and Shah had addressed all three meetings.
Panaji: Unfazed by the RSS workers' move to split from Konkan region in the wake of the removal of Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar, the Sangh on Thursday said a new committee will be announced for the state in a day or two.
"Goa prant (region) cannot be different from Konkan prant (region). No one can disassociate from Konkan prant and then after some time urge RSS to take them in main fold," RSS All India Prachar Pramukh, Manmohan Vaidya told PTI on Thursday.
His comments came hours after RSS workers in Goa announced their detachment from the parent body and formed a separate Goa prant of Sangh, which was earlier under Konkan region.
"Last night several RSS workers resigned their posts. We have now split from Konkan 'prant' forming a separate RSS Goa 'prant'," Velingkar told reporters earlier in the day. He said the RSS office-bearers will detach themselves from the parent body until Goa Legislative Assembly elections are over and would approach for re-affiliation thereafter.
However, Vaidya said, "Konkan prant will announce new office-bearers for Goa in a day or two. There is no system of dissociating themselves for some time in RSS," Vaidya said. "Velingkar continues to be a RSS 'swayamsevak', but he has been relieved as Goa Vibhag Sangh chalak," Vaidya added.
Playing down the resignation by 300 RSS members last night, including some office-bearers, Vaidya said, "It is not possible that such a huge number of 'swayamsevaks' or office-bearers would resign from Sangh. If someone has resigned, they can withdraw their resignation."
Velingkar, who was removed from the key post by the RSS on Wednesday, said the workers have "reinstated" him as the Goa Prant Sangh Chalak.
He was sacked in the wake of his forum Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) persistently challenging the BJP and its government in the state as part of its campaign and even showed a black flag to the party chief Amit Shah during a recent visit to the state.
BBMS has been demanding that primacy be given to regional languages like Konkani and Marathi as the medium of instruction in schools and also wants the grants given to the English-medium institutes stopped.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has told the Supreme Court that he stands by his comment on the RSS and is ready to face a trial in the defamation case. Rahul's counsel in the case, and senior Congress leader, Kapil Sibal, withdrew his plea of quashing the defamation case against him from the Supreme Court, and told the court that Rahul will face trial in a lower court, according to ANI.
Rahul had, on 6 March, 2014, said, "In logo ne mara unhe... RSS ke logo ne Gandhi ji ko goli maari, aur aaj unke log Gandhi ji ki baate karte hain (These people shot Mahatma Gandhi and now their organisation talks about Gandhi ji)," according to a file video clip of CNN-News 18. His comments raked up a controversy, leading to a defamation case against him in the matter.
Rahul, however, sought exemption from personal appearance in the lower court during the course of the suit, but the apex court has refused the request.
Meanwhile SC refuses to grant Rahul Gandhi exemption from personal appearance before lower court in the defamation case. ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2016
Following this, the RSS lashed out at rahul, alleging lack of clarity in his stand. Questioning Rahul over his remark that he stood by every word he said about the outfit, RSS asked whether the Congress leader was talking about his affidavit or the "lie" in his public speeches, and demanded an apology from him. "Stand by everyword I said about RSS: R Gandhi. Which words, in affidavit filed in court or the 'lie' uttered in public speech?," RSS Communications department head Manmohan Vaidya said on Twitter recently, according to a PTI report.
Stand by every word I said about RSS: R.Gandhi. Which words, in affidavit filed in court or the "lie" uttered in public speech?
Dr Vaidya RSS (@RSS_Org) August 28, 2016
Meanwhile, the Congress party has backed Rahul Gandhi's stand on the issue. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala addressed a press conference after the court hearing and said that the Congress party unequivocally supports Rahul on his statement. He told the reporters that for the Congress party, this is "a battle of ideologies and ideas." Terming the ongoing case as a myopic view of the overall fight, Surjewala said that the Congress party has always stood against the divisive forces and will continue to do so.
"We believe that no case of defamation is made out and the summoning order is incorrect. But this is a smaller issue. The larger issue is the battle of ideologies," Surjewala said. Surjewala also said that anybody is welcome to fight any litigation on the issue and Rahul would be happy to fight that battle, both in a legal setup and in the people's court.
Reiterating Rahul's remark on the RSS, Surjewala said that Nathuram Godse was Mahatma Gandhi's assassin and the fact that he was a follower of the RSS ideology is common knowledge. "We have sufficient historical evidence to back the facts," he said. He also alleged that the "same divisive ideology" is guiding the RSS and many people in BJP even today. Surjewala also brought up BJP leader Sakshi Maharaj's comments wherein he allegedly called Godse a 'martyr'.
Kapil Sibal also briefed the press reiterating the Congress party's stand. He said that the Congress party doesn't believe there is a valid case of defamation and they will fight it in a court but the overall issue is of ideologies. "If RSS is an ideology, we will fight it." He also sought to clarify that RSS does not stand for Hinduism and that party is against the ideology that RSS represents. Taking a potshot on the RSS, he called it the 'divisive forces'. "This battle will decide who are the real Hindus," Sibal added.
Ye ladayi adaalat ki nahin hai, iss ladayi mein yeh faisla hoga ki asli Hindu kaun hai: Kapil Sibal, RG's counsel on Rahul Gandhi-RSS ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2016
According to CNN-News 18, the RSS had said that it was ready to withdraw the case if Rahul tenders a public apology and retracts his words. The report said that the RSS' counsel had submitted a written statement that if Rahul ratified, they will withdraw the case.
However, the Congress second-in-command had for now chosen to stand by his statement and go ahead with the case.
Earlier on 24 August, Rahul had told the court that he had never accused RSS as an institution that killed Mahatma Gandhi. However, a day after this comment, clarifying his stance on the matter, the Congress V-P tweeted out that he stands by his word.
I will never stop fighting the hateful & divisive agenda of the RSS. I stand by every single word I saidhttps://t.co/bUWzTHrgHW Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) August 25, 2016
In May 2015, the Congress V-P had moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea for quashing a defamation case against him for allegedly blaming the saffron organisation for the killing of Mahatma Gandhi.
New Delhi: As Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told the Supreme Court that he stood by every word he said about people associated with RSS being behind the killing of Mahatma Gandhi, the Sangh family fountainhead questioned the Congress leader's U-turn and asked why he avoided trial in the case for two years. "Then why Rahul Gandhi avoided the trial for two years under one pretext or other? Is he scared to face truth? He keeps on taking U-turns," RSS Communications department head Manmohan Vaidya said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul told the Supreme Court that he stood by every word of his statement against RSS for the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and was ready to face trial before a Maharashtra court which had issued summons to him as an accused in the case.
"I stand by each and every word. I will never take my words back. I stood by it yesterday, I stand by it today and I will stand by it in future. I am ready to go to trial," senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Rahul, told a division bench of the court.
The Congress vice president had told an election rally in Bhiwandi near Mumbai during the last Lok Sabha polls that RSS people had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi following which a local Sangh functionary had filed a defamation case against him for allegedly tarnishing the image of the organisation. The Congress leader later moved the apex court for quashing the case.
"I will never stop fighting the hateful and divisive agenda of the RSS. I stand by every single word I said," he tweeted earlier this week.
Questioning Rahul over his remark that he stood by every word he said about the outfit, RSS asked whether the Congress leader was talking about his affidavit or the "lie" in his public speeches, and demanded an apology from him. "Stand by everyword I said about RSS: R Gandhi. Which words, in affidavit filed in court or the 'lie' uttered in public speech?," Vaidya said on Twitter recently.
In his affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Congress leader had earlier said he had never blamed RSS as an institution for the killing of Gandhi. The official facebook page of RSS said, "Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party should stop lying and apologise." In a post titled "Satyamev Jayate - The Truth Triumphs", it cited an apology tendered by 'The Statesman' in 2003 after a legal battle over an editorial in 2000. The RSS had said, "Do Rahul Gandhi and the Congress have respect for truth to give such an apology in writing and guarantee that he or his party will never utter the 'lie' again in future."
Panaji: Chief of the Goa unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Subhash Velingkar, who was removed from his post on Wednesday for going against the ruling BJP government, expressed surprise over his removal, reported The Indian Express.
The report said that he has been associated with RSS for 54 years and had guided many BJP leaders like Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Union Minister Sripad Naik. Talking about Parrikar, he told The Indian Express, "Parrikar used to accompany me during my political visits and he was a keen observer."
The report further added that Velingkar accused Parrikar of "cheating" him and his organisation and said that he has failed to deliver on the poll promises.
Velingkar, the convener of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), which is fighting for withdrawal of grants to English medium schools and for the cause of promoting regional languages as Medium of Instruction (MOI) in the coastal state, has been at loggerheads with the saffron party as well as the Goa chief minister.
After his removal, the members of his outfit showed black flags to party president Amit Shah recently, for trying to engage into "political activity", which is contrary to Sangh tradition.
According to The Times of India, the decision to remove him from his post came after he announced forming a new party ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls. The RSS, however, said that they will continue to support BBSM "to strengthen the system for primary education in mother tongue".
"He (Velingkar) has been relieved from his responsibilities. He wanted to get into some political activity. Being a Sangh leader, he cannot do that," RSS' All India Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya told PTI.
Vaidya said the decision on new organisational head for the coastal state, where elections are due next year, is yet to be taken.
RSS' Konkan prant Sanghachalak Satish Modh said, "As part of the agitation, BBSM had announced formation of a political party. RSS, since its inception, has never been involved in politics and hence, RSS would have no role in the political endeavour of BBSM. With this background, it has been announced at a recent meeting of senior RSS office-bearers in Goa that convener of BBSM, Subhash Velingkar has been relieved from his responsibility as Goa Vibhag Sangh chalak."
Modh, however, said that RSS will continue to support BBSM in its cause. As part of their agitation, BBSM had announced formation of a political outfit to contest the polls due next year. Velingkar courted controversy earlier this week by reportedly saying that BJP may not win the election in Goa since it has "betrayed" people's trust by going back on its promise of making regional languages as a medium of instruction in schools.
Shah had reportedly raised the issue with RSS top brass at a meeting last week in Bhopal which was attended by the RSS second-in-command Bhaiyaji Joshi and joint general secretary Krishna Gopal.
The BJP, however, distanced itself from the controversy, with Parsekar terming it as Sangh's "internal matter".
Senior BJP leader Rajendra Arlekar, who had claimed to be a Sangh volunteer in past, told PTI, "Every organisation decides whom they want on what post. It is totally their (RSS') internal matter."
BBSM leader Pundalik Naik said the development was anticipated as one of the possibilities by the outfit.
"It's not that we had not anticipated this kind of situation. While deciding to agitate on the medium of instruction issue, we had considered all possibilities," Naik said.
With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: Days after accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of insulting "gau rakshaks" for dubbing them as "anti-socials", Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday said that the Centre should ask states not to harrass authorised people and agencies engaged in cow protection.
VHP international president Praveen Togadia also lauded the government for issuing an advisory to states for ensuring a complete ban on beef exports and expressed confidence that the "gau-bhakts" in the central government and BJP have taken a pledge for cow protection.
"VHP welcomes the government of India's action to ensure a complete ban on beef exports. We are confident that there are many 'gau-bhakts' in the Central government and BJP who have taken a pledge for cow protection. The meaningful steps taken by the BJP-ruled states in this direction are also laudable.
"We suggest that the Union Home Ministry's advisory to state administrations should also clarify that authorised people and entities working for the important task of cow protection should not be harassed. We are confident that the Centre will take the work of saints and organisations towards cow protection to newer heights," Togadia said in a statement.
He had earlier taken strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against cow vigilantes, saying by dubbing them as "anti-social" he had insulted them and demanded that the government talk to them.
Togadia said that Modi's directive to states to create dossiers of cow vigilantes amounts to "racial profiling" of Hindus as they are the ones who give their lives for protecting the animal.
Expressing "utmost dissatisfaction and agony" over Prime Minister's remarks, he also questioned as to why the "head of the country" has given a clean chit to "cow butchers" and victimised cow protectors, who have been his avid supporters and helped him getting elected.
Rather than appreciating efforts of Hindus to save cows and initiating a sincere dialogue with "these simple, non-fancy gau-rakshaks", Modi had termed 80 per cent of them as "anti-social", he said.
That was an "insult not only of Mother cow but also of Hindus and all those who gave their lives for protecting cows," he told reporters.
In a strong rebuke to cow vigilantes, some of whom flogged Dalits in his home state Gujarat, Modi had this month said that he felt enraged at such "anti-social elements" who indulged in crimes by the night and masqueraded as cow protectors during the day.
Sangh Parivar's ideological fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh very late on Wednesday took to Twitter to issue a clarification on the Subhash Velingkar issue which was fast turning out as a public bickering between the BJP and RSS in Goa.
The RSS tweeted that state unit chief Subhash Velingkar has only been relieved from the organisational post and not from any other responsibilities that he might be holding as a Swayamsewak of the Hindutava outfit.
Along with the tweet, there is also a statement by Manmohan Vaidya, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, which was posted for additional clarity. However, while his statement may give some clarity to those within the RSS but to an ordinary citizen it only confuses more.
https://twitter.com/RSSorg/status/771038458080956416
"RSS has supported and will support the cause (primary education in mother tongue) of agitation by BBMS, which is in consonance with the aforesaid opinion of the RSS...Goa Vibhag Sanchalak Subash Velingkar has been relieved of his post following his declaration floating a party. Any Swayamsewak cannot hold any post simultaneously in RSS. Nevertheless he remains a Swayamsweak of RSS." The statement adds that the RSS will have no role in the political endeavours of BBSM.
The statement essentially means that Velingkar will remain part of the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM). It could also mean that he is thus free to ridicule and challenge the BJP government in Goa as an active RSS and BBSM convener. Will that be supported by the RSS, if it is supporting the ongoing agitation by BBSM? There is no word about what RSS thinks of his idea to float a new party to fight with the aim to dislodge the BJP from power.
There are reports that hundreds of the RSS activists at various levels have been agitating, demanding their sacked chief's reinstatement, else they would quit the "cultural" organisation (RSS) they currently belong to and take a plunge into politics with the hope to become rulers of the state.
There is clearly a war going on within the Sangh Parivar in Goa, replicating a kind of situation that was seen in Gujarat ahead of the 2012 assembly elections. As Goa RSS chief Velingkar has foul mouthed the state BJP leadership, calling Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Union Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar, albeit without naming them as "bluff-masters...professional bluffers..It was our mistake to trust him, we got bluffed."
According to a report in Zee News, his men held protest and waived black flags at Amit Shah, an unheard of a situation in a supposedly disciplined cadre based organisation.
Consequent to this behaviour, the BJP raised strong objections and sought the removal of Velingkar. Although the Goa unit RSS chief has been removed from his organisational post, the organisation has still retained him at a considerably honourable level. The action by the RSS has ended up in sending mixed signals creating more confusion.
Politically, the scenic coastal state of Goa is very important to the BJP. After all, the party had distinction of winning a clear majority (winning 21 out of 28 seats it contested) on its own in 40-member state Assembly in 2012. This happened in a state whose one-third population is minority Christian. The BJP for long boasted this achievement to claim that it could not be perceived as a anti-minority party. Parrikar still has that big feather in his hat although he has now moved to the Central government.
When Modi was anointed to be the lead 2014 parliamentary poll campaigner, the BJP chose Goa to be the place. Earlier, it was here that he had survived the onslaught of his rivals within the BJP and those in the NDA. When Modi had to look for talent outside the existing bench strength to appoint someone as Defence Minister with impeccable integrity he turned to Goa to pick up Parrikar. Modi, Parrikar, Shah and rest of the BJP can ill afford to lose Goa.
The BJP could not have got that kind of numbers in the state Assembly without riding on support of the Christian population. It was thus only natural that Parrikar and his successor Parsekar adopted a liberal policy towards the church and English medium primary schools run by them. The statecraft couldn't be guided by Hinduvata only philosophy. The former state RSS chief Velingkar and affiliate BBSM wanted the state to stop grants to them, give it only to those institutions which had Konkani/Marathi as medium of instruction.
More so, it also had to do with the question who controls the real string of power. Some in the RSS still believe that the BJP and its leaders exist or are in position of prominence because of them. In the umbilical cord relationship, RSS is mother and BJP is child, even at individual relationship the perception remains the same. The BJP leaders, a good number of them think that even as they respect the RSS and hold meaningful interactions, they can't forever remain beholden to whims of the parent organisation.
That was the reason why Modi-Shah have asked an astute former party president and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari to be party's central election in-charge of Goa. Gadkari has the stature and right proximity with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to deal with any emerging situation there.
The RSS's previous experiments, overt or covert, by a section of it or by the outfit to make its presence felt by floating a regional party in a state has so far failed badly. Take for instance, the RSS floating a political outfit Jammu State Morcha in 2002 with the purpose of contesting elections to seek trifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh against the wishes of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and rest of the BJP.
In 2012, RSS stalwarts in Gujarat openly supported Keshubhai Patel's outfit Gujarat Parivatran Party with the stated objective to overthrow Narendra Modi's regime. The result and subsequent turn of events are known to everyone.
Afghanistan: Two people were killed in a bomb attack in front of the district governor's office in Logar province east of the capital, Kabul, on Thursday, Afghan officials said.
Salim Sallhe, spokesman for the provincial governor, said that the Taliban were behind the massive explosion in front of the district governor's compound in Charkh district, 60 kilometers (about 40 miles) east of Kabul, that shook buildings in the area.
The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to The Associated Press. He said the attack was a truck bombing.
Abdul Wali Wakil, a member of the provincial council, said the bomber was on foot and wearing police uniform. The bomber detonated his explosives outside the main gate of the compound, after which a group of Taliban fighters began shooting at the building.
Sallhe also confirmed the bomber was on foot, and said that fighting broke out between Afghan police and the Taliban. Six militants were killed and eight were wounded, and two policemen were wounded in the firefight, Sallhe said.
Brasilia: Dilma Rousseff survived torture as a guerrilla opposing Brazil's military dictatorship before rising to become president, but plunged from the heights to end up fired in an impeachment trial Wednesday.
The last time she faced trial is immortalized in a classic black and white photograph from 1970. Rousseff, then 22, sits with a defiant look on her face as a military court judges her for belonging to a Marxist underground group.
Few would have imagined at the time that the young rebel in jeans and t-shirt would become Brazil's first female president. Or that later she would be back on trial, this time in the Senate, sternly looking her accusers in the eye.
Brazil's 68-year-old "Iron Lady" stood accused of breaking accounting laws by letting her government take unauthorized loans to fill holes in the budget during her re-election race in 2014.
True to her fiery past, Rousseff called the impeachment a "coup."
During mostly measured testimony at her trial, she briefly faltered and looked close to tears while recalling her suffering as a young leftist guerrilla and during a later battle with cancer.
"Twice I have seen the face of death close up," she said. "When I was tortured for days on end, subjected to abuses that make us doubt humanity and the meaning of life itself, and when a serious and extremely painful illness could have cut short my life," she said.
"Today I fear only for the death of democracy, for which many of us here in this chamber fought."
'Sense of humor'
Rousseff came to power in a 2010 election as the handpicked Workers' Party candidate to succeed the hugely popular Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the left-wing party's founder.
Whether as Lula's chief of staff or energy minister, the economist Rousseff had won a reputation for laser-like attention to detail -- a talent she is said to have carried over into her own cabinet meetings.
Critics however say Rousseff is not a natural politician. Her brusque manner made her unable to wheel and deal in Brasilia as Lula had done.
But her supporters say that image is unfair.
"People always say about women in power that they're hard, managerial. But Dilma is a person with a great sense of humor, fun, extremely caring and generous," said Ieda Akselrud de Seixas, who was jailed with Rousseff in the 1970s.
At Lula's prompting during her re-election campaign, Rousseff opened up publicly. She once confessed to escaping the presidential palace on the back of a friend's Harley-Davidson and cruising through the streets of Brasilia incognito.
She is a keen bicycle rider, too, and was frequently photographed doing exercise, even at the height of the current crisis.
Rousseff also tapped into a national obsession with cosmetic surgery, having wrinkles lifted from her face. She also had her teeth whitened and her hair redone.
The relatively fresh look was in contrast to the visible toll exacted during her battle against lymphatic cancer that was first diagnosed in 2009. At one point, she wore a wig to hide hair loss from chemotherapy.
She has since made a complete recovery, doctors say.
Twice married, Rousseff has a daughter, Paula, from a three-decade relationship with her ex-husband, fellow leftist militant Carlos de Araujo.
'Priestess of subversion'
Born 14 December, 1947 to a Brazilian mother and Bulgarian businessman father, Rousseff grew up comfortably middle-class in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte.
She cut her political teeth as a Marxist militant opposed to the 1964-1985 dictatorship. She was sentenced to prison in 1970 on the grounds that she belonged to a group responsible for murders and bank robberies.
Her exploits during her time in the Revolutionary Armed Vanguard Palmares group remain shrouded in rumor. But most reports agree that she played more of a support role than taking part in violence.
The judge who found her guilty dubbed her the "high priestess of subversion," journalist Ricardo Amaral wrote in a biography featuring the iconic photo of Rousseff.
She spent nearly three years behind bars, during which she says she was repeatedly tortured, including with electric shocks. Rousseff was released at the end of 1972.
Petrobras: The slippery slope
As chairwoman of oil giant Petrobras from 2003 to 2010, she was at the helm of the country's biggest corporation a role that has come back to haunt her.
The courts are probing a massive embezzlement scheme at the company that has implicated Lula and many other senior Workers' Party members, as well as opponents.
Rousseff herself is being investigated for alleged obstruction of justice. Unlike many of her peers, however, she has not been accused of seeking to enrich herself personally.
The statue of liberty may not weep because she is used to the wretched and the poor slinking past her but the 11 million undocumented illegals, mostly from across the border Mexico watched their hopes of a stay (in more ways than one) shot down this morning by presidential hopeful Donald Trump.
The man, who parodies the presidency and yet has a way of manipulating half truths to create a volatile combination with the same qualities that made him a billionaire, ensured rapt attention on two fronts and revved up his sagging campaign.
For one, he whacked the ball out of the park with the bases loaded when he took immigration as an issue and reiterated his aggressive stance against it. The way Trump went about it was Machiavellian. He built up the suspense allowing the media to paint him as a vacillating, shilly-shallying going soft on his main plank ditherer until even his ardent supporters began having doubts. Did Donald Trump have feet of clay? Trump played them all.
Having built the tension to a peak he then added a cherry on the top by jetting off to Mexico to meet President Pena Nieto. The not so popular Mexican leader told Trump in a face-to-face meeting in Mexico City that Mexico would not pay for the wall but looked pretty much beaten at the press conference like no way he would last fifteen rounds.
Riding on that financial rejection which must have come as no surprise to Trump, the magnate Republican candidate, now had the country enthralled. Had he gone to Mexico to make peace? Was this the whipped woos everyone had backed for saying it like it is?
The stage set to perfection, Trump went directly to Phoenix, Arizona and came on stage with all guns blazing. It was high noon, high drama and a very cleverly designed strategic move to put some air back into the final sprint. Trump was fighting fit and the brawl has only just begun.
If he wins, and let me tell you that having introduced to the American public the unholy trinity of fear, suspicion and a target to blame, Trumps screechy symphony played on these notes could easily get him into shouting distance of Hillary Clinton whose campaign has the feel of a party where someone sat on the cake.
Watch Trumps numbers climbing again.
Be afraid, he has said. Americans love circling the wagons. Be suspicious of those who are not like you, he has said.
Board the windows keep your powder dry. That alien is the reason we are not great. Lets get rid of him/her. Independence Day 3 and 4 ad infinitum, Will Smith. There is something so Fourth Reich about it. And in small town America it will resonate.
While the attack on the Muslim community came a little more guardedly by specifically naming Syria and Libya from a yet undisclosed list gives you an idea of how flexible or comprehensive that list is...as well as being open to interpretation by Homeland Security which will have Hitlerian powers if Trump gets into the White House.
No great lover of south Asia, he will reduce outsourcing drastically. What he might not touch is the Indian student influx into universities because that is big money and to his training and his mind the bottom line counts. Besides which, Indians are not criminally inclined (as compared to Mexicans in Trump's warped mind) even though Indians themselves might find the atmosphere hostile and stressful.
Look at this statement: "I will establish a deportation task force" to identify criminals subject to deportation and would triple the number of border patrol agents.
Perhaps lady liberty could begin searching for her tissue box.
Do you hear the sound of the jackboots?
Knock knock, who is there.
Guess.
Guess who?
Gestapo, open the door and get into the truck.
Watch Donald Trump's full speech at Arizona:
Phoenix: Seeking to end confusion over his aggressive, but recently muddled language on immigration, Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to remove millions of people living in the country illegally if he becomes president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardise the "well-being of the American people".
But Trump didn't address what he would do about millions more who might remain under his approach the major question that has frustrated past congressional attempts at remaking the nation's immigration laws.
Instead, Trump repeated the standard Republican talking point that only after securing the border can such a discussion begin to take place.
It was a retreat in the rhetoric for the billionaire from the GOP primaries, when he had vowed his "deportation force" would seek to remove all who didn't have permission to live and work in the country.
The Republican presidential candidate insisted than any of the estimated 11 million such immigrants who want to seek legal status or citizenship in the United States must return to their home countries in order to do so. And he outlined plans to create a special task force that would prioritise the deportation of criminals, people who have overstayed their visas and other immediate security threats.
"Our message to the world will be this: you cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country," he said in a speech in Phoenix, as he laid out a tough, 10-point plan to crack down on illegal immigration.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," Trump charged in the highly-anticipated speech, which took place hours after he met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
His immigration plan will not offer a path to legal status or citizenship: "There will be no amnesty."
Those here illegally have "one route and one route only: To return home and apply for reentry like anybody else".
Trump summed up a nearly hour-long talk without effectively changing his overall position, the crux of his campaign for more than a year.
He said that the United States welcomes immigrants but that "they have to come into our country legally and properly vetted and in a manner that serves the national interest".
Trump claimed that 13,000 people in the US illegally, who were ordered back to their home counties, remained in the US between 2008 and 2012, and committed more crimes, including killings, sexual assaults and "some of the most heinous crimes imaginable."
Donald Trump also continued to insist that Mexico will pay for the wall he wants to build along the length of the southern border. Trump said that Mexico will pay for the wall, "100 percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for" it.
The aggressive tone during his speech in Phoenix marked a shift from the New York billionaire's demeanor earlier in the day, when a much more measured Trump described Mexicans as "amazing people" as he appeared alongside Pena Nieto in Mexico's capital city. It was his first meeting with a head of state as his party's presidential nominee.
Shortly after the joint appearance, a dispute arose over the most contentious part of the billionaire's plans to secure the US southern border and fight illegal immigration his insistence that Mexico must pay to build his promised wall.
Trump told reporters during the afternoon appearance that the two men didn't discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions. Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
With the meeting held behind closed doors, it was impossible to know who was telling the truth. But clash cast a cloud over Trump's first meeting with a foreign dignitary and threatened to overshadow the evening address.
With inputs from agencies
Mexico City: Standing alongside the President of Mexico, a measured Donald Trump defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, but he declined to repeat his frequent promise to force Mexico to pay for it.
Trump, the US presidential candidate who is widely despised across Mexico, also sidestepped his repeated
criticism of Mexican immigrants following a closed-door meeting on Wednesday at the official residence of the country's president, Enrique Pena Nieto.
Trump and Pena Nieto, who has compared the New York billionaire to Adolf Hitler, addressed reporters from adjacent podiums flanked by a Mexican flag. "We did discus the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall," Trump said.
In his announcement of his presidential candidacy last year, Trump derided Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals coming to the US, and his presence sparked anger and protests across the capital city.
A former Mexican president bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome. "We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," former President Vicente Fox told CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt."
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences, but he described their conversation as "open and constructive." They shook hands as the session ended.
The trip, a politically risky move for Trump 10 weeks before America's presidential Election Day, came just hours before the Republican nominee was to deliver a highly anticipated speech in Arizona about illegal immigration.
That has been a defining issue of Trump's presidential campaign, but also one on which he's appeared to waver in recent days.
After saying during his Republican primary campaign he would use a "deportation force" to expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, Trump suggested last week he could soften that stance. But he still says he plans to build a huge wall paid for by Mexico along the two nations' border.
He is under pressure to clarify just where he stands in a speech that's been rescheduled several times as he and his staff has sent varied and conflicting messages on the issue.
Washington: Sticking to his harsh immigration rhetoric, Donald Trump on Thursday vowed "no amnesty" for millions of undocumented migrants living in the US and warned that those living in the country illegally would be deported if he becomes president.
Delivering his eagerly awaited immigration policy, hours after meeting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City, Trump, articulated a strong and tough immigration policy, which is quite opposite to that of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, which is based on compassion and providing a pathway to nearly 11 million illegal immigrants.
Constructing a strong wall along its southern border, immediate deportation of criminal aliens, no amnesty for undocumented immigrants, extreme vetting along with ideological certifications for those seeking into the country and a merit-based legal entry system were some of the key parts of the 10-point immigration policy announced by Trump.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," Trump said in the highly anticipated speech in Phoenix in Arizona.
He said any person living in the country illegally who is arrested for any crime whatsoever will immediately be placedinto deportation proceedings. "We will break the cycle of amnesty and illegal immigration. There will be no amnesty. Our message to the world will be this: you cannot obtain legal status, or become a citizen of the United States, by illegally entering our country. This declaration alone will help stop the crisis of illegal crossings and illegal overstays," Trump said.
Asserting that he will reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers, Trump said the "time has come for a new immigration commission to develop a new set of reforms to our legal immigration system in order to achieve the goals to keep immigration levels, measured by population share, within historical norms."
"The goal would be to select immigrants based on their likelihood of success in US society, and their ability to be financially self-sufficient," he said.
"We need a system that serves our needs remember, its America First, to choose immigrants based on merit, skill and proficiency and to establish new immigration controls to boost wages and to ensure that open jobs are offered to American workers first.
"We want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally and properly-vetted, and in a manner that serves the national interest," he said.
Washington: Donald Trump's attempt to clarify his immigration policy instead muddied some of the actual circumstances for people in the country illegally or for the US economy.
A look at some of his statements after a meeting with Mexico's president Wednesday and his immigration-focused night rally:
Trump on people illegally in the US: "They're treated better than our vets."
The fact: People in the country illegally do not have the right to work, vote or receive most government benefits. A modest number have been exempted from deportation because of an Obama administration action but most live under the risk of being removed from the country.
Veterans are guaranteed government health care and because almost all are citizens, the right to vote and other government benefits.
The quality of their care has been criticized by Trump and others but people in the country illegally do not have equivalent rights to health care, except for emergency treatment. Public hospitals are required to provide emergency medical care regardless of immigration status.
Trump: "When politicians talk about immigration reform they usually mean the following: Amnesty, open borders, lower wages ... It should mean improvements to our laws and policies to make life better for American citizens."
The facts: No politician of either party who supports overhauling immigration laws supports "amnesty," but the meaning of "amnesty" varies depending on who is talking.
The sweeping and bipartisan immigration bill that passed the Senate in 2013 was derided by opponents as amnesty, but supporters including GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida disputed that, noting numerous requirements imposed on immigrants in the country illegally along a 13-year path to citizenship, including paying penalties.
The bill proposed spending tens of billions of dollars to double the number of border patrol agents and greatly increase border security. And the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office studied the bill and projected that it would lower wages for the entire workforce slightly over the first 10 years after becoming law, but would then increase wages for the entire workforce by even more, at the same time boosting economic output and increasing the GDP.
Trump after meeting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto: "I shared my strong view that NAFTA has been a far greater benefit to Mexico than it has been to the United States and that it must be improved upon. ... I expressed that ... we must take action to stem this tremendous outflow of jobs from our country. It's happening every day, it's getting worse and worse and worse, and we have to stop it."
The facts: The loss of manufacturing jobs is generally attributed to China, not Mexico.
Some US companies have moved jobs to Mexico the Carrier Corp. recently decided to relocate an air conditioning factory there from Indiana. But there is little data to show that the trend is getting "worse and worse."
No reliable annual measures exist of job flows between the US and Mexico. The United States hemorrhaged manufacturing jobs from 2000 to 2010, when more than 5.5 million were lost, but most economists blame the emergence of China as a manufacturing powerhouse and the increasing automation of many factories.
Recently, manufacturing has done a bit better: Since 2010, US manufacturing jobs have increased by about 900,000. And many economists credit NAFTA with helping the US auto industry by providing a cheap source of parts that otherwise might have been sourced in China. A report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research argued that imports of subsidized US agricultural products put as many as 2 million Mexican farmers out of work. And since NAFTA's implementation in 1994, Mexico has grown more slowly than many of its Latin American counterparts.
___
Trump: "We didn't discuss that. We didn't discuss who pays for the wall, we didn't discuss." ... "We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date."
Pena Nieto on Twitter, in Spanish: "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
The facts: The facts may depend on what your definition of a discussion is. If the Mexican President opened with a comment that his country won't pay for the wall and Trump did not respond to it, that may not have been a discussion in his mind. But the subject, it seems, came up. The Trump campaign's brief statement on the meeting did not quibble with Pena Nieto's account. It said the meeting "was not a negotiation."
Spain: Thousands of people pelted each other with tons of ripe tomatoes on Wednesday, creating a red, mushy mess in the annual "Tomatina" street battle in eastern Spain.
At the fiesta in Bunol, 160 tons of tomatoes were offloaded from six trucks into the crowd packing the town's streets for the hour-long battle that attracts many foreigners among the around 20,000 participants.
People cheered and jumped in the party atmosphere, with some people wearing fancy dress but most in T-shirts. As the trucks pulled into the narrow streets, the revelers chanted, "Tomato! Tomato!"
To avoid injuries, revelers are instructed to squelch the tomatoes before throwing them. Even so, many donned swimming goggles to protect their eyes. People on balconies overlooking the festivities also were pelted, and tomatoes left red blotches on buildings' white walls.
Canadian photographer David Trattlas said it was his 15th year at the festival.
"The last week of every August is the best week of the year, the most social week of the year. I can't think of being anywhere else except here, in this village, with this group of people," he said.
After the fight, the participants and the town's streets were drenched in a sea of red pulp. Organizers hose the streets down within minutes of the event ending at noon, while participants could use public showers.
The paid-entry event was inspired by a 1945 food fight between local children in the tomato-producing region.
Singapore: Malaysia on Thursday reported its first suspected case of Zika, a 58-year-old woman believed to have contracted it in neighbouring Singapore where more than 100
cases have been confirmed.
The Malaysian woman had made a brief trip in late August to visit her daughter, who has already been confirmed as having the Zika virus, Malaysia's health ministry said in a statement.
After returning to her home near Kuala Lumpur, the woman fell ill and was diagnosed with "suspected" Zika, based on a urine test. Full confirmation via blood tests is pending. "The source of infection is suspected to have occurred in Singapore," the statement said.
The Aedes mosquito-borne Zika has been detected in 67 countries and territories, with Brazil the hardest hit. It causes only mild symptoms for most people such as fever and a rash, but pregnant women who catch it can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads. Singapore is one of Asia's cleanest cities with high healthcare standards, but is a densely populated tropical island with heavy rainfall and has a chronic problem with dengue fever, also spread by the same Aedes mosquito.
Authorities say 115 people have now tested positive for the virus, including a pregnant woman and 57 foreigners living and working in the city-state. Singapore depends heavily on foreign labour, and industries like construction and the marine sector are dominated by workers from China and South Asia.
Among the foreigners infected, 23 are from China, 15 are from India and 10 from Bangladesh, the health ministry said today. The rest are from Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Taiwan.
Singapore health officials on Thursday sought to reassure the international community that the disease is under control after the United States and Britain joined Australia and Taiwan in advising pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to the city-state.
"I don't think there's a need for us to press the panic button," said Derek Ho, director-general for public health at the National Environment Agency (NEA). NEA workers have been ramping up efforts to eradicate mosquitoes, expanding a fumigation campaign centred around several eastern suburbs. Since the first locally-transmitted case was reported on Saturday, some 5,800 homes and shops have been inspected for mosquito breeding sites with 49 habitats destroyed, the NEA said.
"Our best defence is to eradicate mosquitos and destroy breeding habitats, all over Singapore," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post on Thursday. Indonesia and Malaysia have intensified monitoring of border points for passengers arriving from Singapore. Tropical Malaysia - which already has also struggled in recent years to control the spread of dengue fever - hasbeen bracing for Zika after Singapore last weekend reported a surge in cases.
Despite the rise in Zika cases, a spokesman for the Singapore Grand Prix told AFP yesterday the Formula One race will go on as scheduled from 16-18 September.
Mexico: Mexico will not pay for any border wall built by the United States, President Enrique Pena Nieto told visiting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday.
A partir de ahi, la conversacion abordo otros temas, y se desarrollo de manera respetuosa. Enrique Pena Nieto (@EPN) August 31, 2016
"At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto wrote on Twitter after meeting with Trump, in reference to a wall on the countries' shared border that the real estate magnate has vowed to build if elected US president.
Trump had told reporters after the meeting that the issue of who would pay for a wall did not come up during the conversation, despite him saying persistently throughout his campaign that Mexico would bear the financial burden for the highly controversial project.
The provocative billionaire candidate made a surprise visit to Mexico in the heat of the presidential race, seeking to seize control of the narrative and portray himself as a capable statesman on the international stage
Islamabad: In yet another attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has written to the UN chief for the second time in a month to intervene by sending a fact finding mission to probe alleged human rights violations in the Valley.
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakariya said that Sharif sent the letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon apprising him of the deteriorating situation in Kashmir. Sharif sent the letter in response to UN Secretary General's call for making efforts to avoid further violence in Kashmir, he said.
"The Prime Minister mentioned that while 'Azad Jammu and Kashmir' cannot be compared in terms of the grim and tragic situation of human rights in Kashmir, it remains open to any UN mission for a visit as it has always facilitated the UNMOGIP, foreign diplomats and tourists," the FO said.
The letter called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Balochistan and PoK as unwarranted and in complete contravention of the UN charter.
It said the remarks were aimed at diverting the world attention from the ongoing atrocities in the Kashmir valley. Sharif welcomed the UN Secretary General's offer of his good offices and said that Kashmir is the main dispute between India and Pakistan.
The spokesperson also said that Pakistan would continue its efforts to raise the Kashmir dispute at all international levels. "The Kashmir issue will figure prominently at the upcoming annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) meetings on the sidelines of the UN session," Zakaria said.
He said Pakistan wants peaceful resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute through the dialogue process but rejected any preconditions for the talks.
Commenting on the just inked US-India defense pact, the spokesperson said that Pakistan will like to see that such arrangements do not contribute in polarising the region by disturbing the strategic balance and escalating the arms buildup in the region.
Talking about Secretary of State John Kerry's statement on Pakistan's anti-terror efforts, the spokesperson said Pakistan draws no distinction in the terrorist groups. Earlier in August, Sharif had sent letters to UN secretary general and UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging efforts to end "persistent and egregious violation of basic human rights" of the Kashmiri people and also to implement UN Security Council resolutions.
A day after India gave its nod to All India Radio (AIR) to broadcast programmes in Balochi language, Pakistan has hit back by imposing a cap of less than six percent air-time to telecast Indian television channels from 15 October,2016, reported PTI.
However, ANI and Times Now reported that according to Pakistan media, the country's electronic media regulatory authority has banned Indian channels airing through DTH services.
Pakistan media reports that the country's Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has banned Indian TV Channels through DTH services. ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2016
Pakistan's electronic media watchdog warned of a crackdown on local channels as well. The decision was prompted by complaints from the different TV owners and common citizens, according to an official of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), PTI reported.
The government gave its nod to the state-owned radio broadcaster to include Balochi language among the 14 foreign languages that it currently broadcasts in on Wednesday, ANI had earlier reported.
All India Radio(AIR) too soon start programs in Balochi language. Govt gives approval : AIR sources ANI (@ANI_news) August 31, 2016
The development came after the Centre boosted the signal capacity of AIR transmission by installing a new transmittor in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a PTI report.
Several Baloch activists had thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to be the "voice of the Baloch people" since his Independence Day remarks. Even the Balochistan nationalist movement sought support from the United States after being encouraged by Modi's words.
"Baloch nation hopes that the United States and Europe will join Prime Minister Modi and hold Pakistan accountable for the crimes against humanity and the war crimes it has committed against the Baloch nation in 68 years of its occupation of Balochistan and during the five wars that the Baloch nation has fought with Pakistan to win its national freedom," Khalil Balo, chairman of the Baloch National Movement, said in a statement.
As Seema Guha points out in this Firstpost piece, "The move to directly communicate with the disaffected citizens of Pakistan will be a moral booster to the Baloch nationalists, already overjoyed with Prime Minister Narendra Modis public support for them in his Republic Day speech."
With this latest move, Pakistan has clearly expressed its displeasure with India's attempt to communicate with the Baloch people. It has earlier said that Modi crossed the "red line" by talking about Balochistan.
Rawalpindi: Pakistan's military on Thursday admitted for the first time that the Islamic State group had a presence in the country but said it had apprehended hundreds of its militants and prevented them from carrying out major attacks.
The army's spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said forces had foiled planned attacks by IS on foreign embassies and Islamabad airport, but denied the group was behind last month's suicide blast on a hospital that killed 73, as it had claimed.
IS gained its first toe-hold in the country in January 2015 when six Pakistani Taliban leaders switched their allegiance over from Al-Qaeda, but has since struggled for traction in the face of competition from well-established groups.
Pakistan has been battling an Islamist insurgency since shortly after it decided to ally with the US following its invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. In 2007, Pakistani jihadists formed their own Taliban faction that has deep ties to Al-Qaeda, IS's main rival.
"Daesh tried to make an ingress into Pakistan, but the core of its group have now been apprehended," army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa told a press conference, using the group's Arabic acronym.
Bajwa added that a total of 309 militants from both its planning wing (Kutaiba Haris) and fighter wing (Kutaiba Mubashir), including its "mastermind" Hafiz Umar and top commander Ali Rehman had been held and the group had been contained.
The group's leader in Pakistan and Afghanistan was killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan last month.
The spokesman said IS had carried out several small-scale attacks including the killing of human rights activist Sabeen Mahmud in Karachi in 2015, clashed with and killed security personal, as well as committing several grenade attacks on TV channels that had injured journalists.
But he denied it had been behind an attack on a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta last month that killed 73 people, including most of the city's senior lawyers, in the second deadliest attack of the year. The suicide bombing was also claimed by Taliban faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.
"We haven't gotten any evidence of any linkage with Daesh (the claim) was an attempt to glorify themselves".
An attack on a bus in Karachi in May, 2015 that killed 46 people was the first major incident officially claimed by IS in Pakistan, but Bajwa stated that one of the militants involved had pledged fealty to the group only when in custody.
Analysts have previously said the group's de-centralised command structure encourages elements not in communication with its leaders to carry out attacks and then pledge their allegiance.
Colombo: UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who is on a Sri Lanka visit focused on reconciliation efforts, on Thursday faced a protest by around 50 people at the UN office in Colombo who questioned where was the world body during the LTTE insurgency.
At least two opposition groups handed over petitions to the UN Resident Coordinators office in Colombo protesting against the Secretary-General, who arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday on a three-day visit focused on reconciliation efforts.
This is Ban's second visit to the country since 2009, when the Lankan troops defeated Tamil Tigers, following which the country has come under close UN scrutiny for its war crimes accountability.
Protesters held placards with messages like "Where were you, UN?" and have accused the world body of interfering in the country.
A handful of Buddhist monks representing the nationalist group 'Ravana Force' gathered opposite the UN compound defying a police order to protest while the Joint Opposition, the backers of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, handed over a petition.
"We urged the UNSG to stop interfering in Sri Lanka," Sisira Jayakodi, an opposition legislator and a Rajapaksa supporter, said.
Ban was in the compound at the time which was tightly guarded by the police to prevent demonstrators entering the premises.
He is scheduled to travel to the Sinhala-majority southern city of Galle later to attend a youth reconciliation event. On Friday, he is set to visit Jaffna, the Tamil-dominated northern district and a former LTTE bastion, and inspect camps of persons displaced by the nearly three decade-long conflict.
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BOISE (AP) Idaho wants to take over regulating pollution discharge into the states lakes and rivers from the federal government.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality on Wednesday submitted an application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift control of permitting and enforcement aspects under the federal Clean Water Act to the state.
Its a pretty big day for us, said Barry Burnell, administrator for the Idaho Department of Environmental Qualitys Water Quality Division.
Idaho is one of only four states where federal authorities manage pollution discharge into surface waters, the others being New Mexico, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Idaho officials say a state-run program will have more responsive local experts better acquainted with Idaho making decisions.
If the authorization process moves forward as expected, the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System in the summer of 2018 will phase in responsibility for issuing pollution discharge permits to cities, industrial businesses, mining operators, animal feedlots and others.
This is a priority for the state because it allows the state to be in charge of its own destiny, said Mary Anne Nelson, the systems program manager. We cannot make our permits less stringent than the federal government, but we can be clearer and faster.
State officials will manage the program but federal authorities will be looking over their shoulder.
While EPA delegates authority to implement the program, we retain both oversight authority and responsibility over the program, the EPA said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Idaho lawmakers in 2014 directed the state Department of Environmental Quality to seek authorization for a state-run program. A public process called rulemaking followed, culminating with the application on Wednesday.
The six-part application posted on the state agencys website includes a letter from Gov. C.L. Butch Otter requesting approval, a 325-page program description, an 80-page memorandum of agreement between Idaho and the EPA, and a statement from the Idaho Attorney Generals Office certifying that Idahos laws provide the authority to carry out the program.
The added duties mean the state will have to more than double the number of workers in the program to have the equivalent of 29 full-time positions at a projected cost of $3 million annually.
The funding will have to be approved by state lawmakers, many of whom routinely vote against spending bills they perceive as an expansion of government and others who might find spending money on environmental regulation and enforcement distasteful.
We expect the State to provide IDEQ with the resources and people they need to run a strong, protective program, the EPA said.
The Idaho Conservation League has participated in the rulemaking process and said that, besides adequate funding, it has a number of other concerns.
Among them, said the groups Justin Hayes, is that the Idaho State Department of Agriculture will lean toward compliance rather than enforcement, that urban centers are paying for the program and subsidizing industrial permits, and that some groups will think the state getting control lifts Clean Water Act protections altogether.
In general, he noted, most Idahoans expect clean rivers and lakes, and that a public process involving what is put into those water bodies remains in place.
I think some in the Legislature think that once the state gets control of this it changes radically and organizations such as my own will no longer be able to participate in the development of permits and the enforcement of permits, Hayes said. Theyre wrong about that.
Nelson said shes aware that the EPA will still be able to come in and take enforcement action, but that she expects the state to be able to handle the new responsibilities.
TWIN FALLS That man staring at a patch of blooming goldenrod beside the road is wildlife biologist Ross Winton.
His butterfly net and his sheet of tiny stickers are tools in a massive effort to map the flyways of the monarch on its spectacular, multi-generational migration between central Mexico and as far north as Canada.
It seems like its boom or bust, Winton said Monday, hoping to tag five monarchs that day among nectar-rich plants near Shoshone Falls Park. He might see 20 or 30 monarchs in a day, or perhaps just two. So if I spot one, Im just going to take off.
The pollinators populations fell significantly over the past two decades, in part because of a decline in milkweed monarch caterpillars sole source of food.
Environmental groups in August 2014 petitioned for the monarchs protection under the Endangered Species Act, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service launched a review of the butterflys status. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in November announced a $4 million conservation effort to help agricultural producers provide food and habitat for monarchs in 10 Midwest and southern Great Plains states. And the Center for Biological Diversity and Center for Food Safety in January filed a notice of intent to sue Fish and Wildlife, saying it wasnt moving quickly enough to protect the monarch.
Its not just about milkweed.
The most recent research, Winton said, points to other factors limiting the species population: nectar availability along the monarchs annual migration routes and illegal logging in the Mexican forests where it overwinters.
Butterfly tagging efforts have documented those migration routes in the Eastern U.S., the Midwest and California. But anyone who watched Flight of the Butterflies at the Faulkner Planetarium or looked at the monarch migration map on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services website might conclude that monarchs bypass much of the Great Basin.
The butterflies are here, but tagging efforts havent put their flyways on the map yet.
Idaho and Nevada are kind of an unknown, said Winton, a Jerome-based regional nongame wildlife biologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
The Idaho agency is participating in a Wisconsin State University study of Pacific Northwest flyways and survival. This summer it allotted Winton 75 white stickers each slightly larger than a hole punch and bearing a WSU email address and a unique number to affix to the right hind wings of monarchs emerging from their pupae and starting to migrate south.
One or two generations of monarchs are produced in Idaho each year. Its the second one that heads south, Winton said, but scientists dont know how these monarchs cross the vast deserts and whether they migrate to Mexico or to Southern California. At hibernation sites in both places, people with binoculars will try to read the tiny numbers on those stickers and report the data.
By Monday morning, Winton had been tagging monarchs off and on for a month, with help from relatives, colleagues and some Bureau of Land Management interns assigned to a botany project. And he still had 22 of his tags left.
So he stationed himself beside blooming goldenrod and delicate purple asters both native nectar sources in Shoshone Falls Park and beside the canyon grade that leads to the park. He also had his eye on blooming tangles of Scotch thistle, an invasive plant which Idaho lists as a noxious weed, because hes found the monarchs like it, too.
The newer the blooms, the better the nectar, he said.
His technique: Dont take the first swipe with the net until the butterfly lands within range.
Once they see you as a threat, they take off, he said.
If he misses, hell be running.
When Winton posted a slow-motion video of a tagged monarchs release on the regional Fish and Game offices Facebook page in early August, a couple of commenters complained about spending money on butterflies.
The office posted a response: This project is primarily funded through the state Nongame trust fund which is possible through donations, tax checkoffs, and bluebird license plates not tax or license dollars, it wrote. Each state does also receive federal dollars state wildlife grants to work on species of greatest conservation need of which monarchs are one.
And, the agency pointed out, many people involved in monarch tagging across the country are volunteers.
The WSU project doesnt have any Magic Valley citizen scientists signed up to tag butterflies this summer, but Winton hopes to recruit some next year.
With lovely nectar available, Wintons go-to spots near Shoshone Falls should have shown more flashes of orange-and-black wings on Monday morning. But after the first two hours effort, Winton still had those 22 unused tags.
Where were the monarchs?
We dont know enough about their biology, he said, to understand all those micro-decisions they make.
On June 11, 2016, Jessica Alexandria Brice was awarded a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine. Dr. Brice will soon be heading to San Diego, CA to begin her Emergency Medicine residency at UC San Diego Medical Center.
Graduating from medical school with honors, Dr. Brice was accepted into the Washington Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) national Honor Medical Society. Here is what her peers and faculty said about her for the AOA awards dinner:
In late May, Dr. Brice, one of 17 graduating students from Idahos WWAMI Medical Education Program, a partnership with the UW School of Medicine, participated in the annual hooding ceremony in Seattle with the 202 UW School of Medicine graduates from across the WWAMI region. The Hooding Ceremony formally acknowledges the achievements of the students and, through the administration of the Hippocratic Oath reminds the students of the high standards of performance and behavior to which each aspires and with which each is challenged as they enter upon professional careers as physicians.
WWAMI is an acronym for the states served by the UW School of Medicine: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. The 2016 graduates are the 67th class to receive the degree of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the University of Washington.
Dr. Brice hails from Burley, Idaho. She is the daughter of Robert and Xana Brice, granddaughter of Charles and Billie Park and Gene and Marvis Brice. She was class valedictorian at Burley High School, and completed her undergraduate degree at Whitman in Walla Walla, WA.
Volunteers Interlink Volunteer Caregivers (IVC) provides volunteers to help elderly, disabled and chronically ill people to live safely and independently at home. Volunteers are needed in the Mini Cassia area and Magic Valley to help build wheelchair ramps and install grab bars. Volunteers are also needed to help with light housekeeping. Volunteers are reimbursed for mileage and covered with excess auto liability insurance. Commitment is flexible with no minimum hours required. Information: Edie, 208-733-6333 or ivcofmv@gmail.com
Drivers The Twin Falls Senior Center needs drivers to deliver meals to homebound seniors in Twin Falls Monday through Friday, and the routes take an hour or less to complete. Commitment is based on your availability. Volunteers must be 18 years of age with their own car, and have proof of liability insurance and a background check. Drivers receive 54 cents a mile fuel reimbursement. Information: 208-734-5084.
Volunteers The Senior Companion Program at the CSI Office on Aging needs volunteers, age 55 and older, to assist homebound seniors by providing friendly visits and transportation as needed. Information: Marisol, 208-736-2122, or toll free, 800-574-8656.
Volunteers The Foster Grandparent Program at the CSI Office on Aging has openings for volunteers, age 55 and older, to read to children ages 2 to 9 and assist with their academic and social skills. Placements are available throughout the Magic Valley in Head Start programs and public elementary schools. Information: Marisol, 208-736-2122 or toll free, 800-574-8656.
Volunteers Hospice Visions Inc. is looking for volunteers to visit with patients and their families, do minor home modifications such as grab bars, and also volunteer Light Touch Massage therapists, hair dressers, meal assist volunteers, and to play music and games with hospice patients. Volunteers are needed with licensed certified therapy animals to love our hospice patients in their own homes or assisted living centers. Hospice Visions is looking for volunteers interested in doing art projects with patients or filming and creating a Life Legacy Video, or to take someone to the store, run an errand or out for a drive. Veterans can become a Vet-to-Vet Volunteer and visit with other veterans. Volunteers are also needed to assist with fundraising events and provide office assistance. Information: Nora at 208-735-0121 or nwells@hospicevisions.org.
Volunteers St. Lukes Home Health and Hospice is looking for new volunteers to join its team to share compassion and care and increase the quality of life for patients and their families. The program is designed to offer companionship and socialization to patients as well as respite and support for the caregivers. Information: Marie Sharp, 208-814-7603 or sharpm@slhs.org.
Volunteers The Fifth Judicial District CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Program is seeking community volunteers to become advocates for abused children. Advocates receive training and support to investigate, report, monitor and advocate for children involved in the child protection system. Advocates are needed in all eight counties of the district, but it is critical to the program to recruit volunteers in the Mini Cassia area. Information: Tahna, 208-735-1177.
Volunteers The Twin Falls Senior Center has a ladies group (The Crazy Quilters), who are looking for individuals to put finishing touches on quilts as a group while socializing. The group meets from 9 a.m. to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. All quilt project proceeds are given to the Twin Falls Senior Center. Information: 208-734-5084.
Volunteers The Twin Falls County Historical Society is seeking volunteers for various programs and general support. Volunteers are needed to paint, weed, clean or work on docent projects and fundraising. No minimum amount of hours, commitment is flexible. Fill out an application at the Twin Falls County Historical Museum (Union School at Curry), open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Information: 208-736-4675.
TWIN FALLS A long-awaited trial has been delayed again in the case of Tigre Darin Martinez, who was found dead last year after being beaten
TWIN FALLS Its down to seven finalists for the two Fish and Game commission vacancies, and the governor says he has already made a decision on one of them, but he isnt saying who.
Micah Austin, Burke Garner and Gregory Clark Cameron are the finalists for the Magic Valleys seat on the commission, according to Gov. C.L. Butch Otters office, and Merrill Beyeler, Robert Price, Steve Zettel and Jerry Meyers are the finalists for the Salmon region seat.
The seats have been vacant since the terms of Mark Doerr of Kimberly and Will Naillon of Challis expired at the end of June. Otter opted to accept applications for both seats rather than reappoint them. Both men stepped down rather than reapply, saying a dispute with legislators over hunting tags was at the heart of Otters decision not to reappoint them.
Otter said in a brief interview Tuesday he has already interviewed the four finalists for the Salmon region seat and has made his decision, although he wouldnt say who he picked. He said he would likely interview the Magic Valley finalists in the next couple of weeks. Otter said he wasnt sure when he would announce his decision. Whoever he appoints will have to be confirmed by the Senate during the 2017 legislative session.
The dispute with Doerr and Naillon has pitted sportsmens groups against lawmakers and landowners over disagreements on the sale of hunting tags. In 2015 some lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, and Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, sought to tie an increase in hunting and fishing licensing fees that Fish and Game was seeking to a proposal to let landowners sell the tags they obtain as part of the Landowner Appreciation Program.
The program allocates some tags by lottery to large landowners as a reward for providing habitat for deer and elk. Both Doerr and Naillon publicly spoke against the idea at the time, and the proposal to raise fees died.
And this year, the commission came out against a bill introduced by Sen. Steven Bair, R-Blackfoot, chairman of the Senate Resources and Environment Committee, to auction a handful of tags every year to raise money for the Fish and Game department. The bill never got a hearing.
Opponents of these changes say they would undermine the idea of managing fish and wildlife as a public resource, often pointing to the voter initiative in 1938 that created the commission in the first place the stated purpose at the time was to reduce the role of politics in wildlife management.
The commissioners were looking for, we want them to continue the trend of representing public values and scientific management, said Brian Brooks, executive director of the Idaho Wildlife Federation.
Brooks said the state should explore other ways to raise money for Fish and Game and other ways to reward landlords who take care of habitat and provide access to hunters. He worries letting landowners sell LAP tags and mandating auction tags could be a slippery slope leading to a future where the best hunting opportunities favor those who can pay.
We believe there should be a way to reward landowners for being good stewards of the land, but that should not include the privatization of our wildlife, he said.
Idaho Conservation League spokesman Jonathan Oppenheimer said the group has concerns about essentially privatizing wildlife.
Idahos fish and wildlife belongs to all of us, he said.
Supporters of changing the rules, though, point to the section of that 1938 code that states the commissions role is to administer the policies set by the Legislature, not to set policy itself.
Otter didnt say when asked Tuesday whether he has an opinion on letting landowners sell Landowner Appreciation Permit tags I dont have a sense of where the Legislature is going on that, he said but he echoed the logic of some lawmakers who support the idea, stating the commissions job is to implement what the Legislature decides.
They establish policy, Otter said.
Brackett said he wasnt planning to re-introduce his LAP tags legislation in 2017, and he wasnt aware of any of his colleagues planning to sponsor anything similar.
Where were at now, its so polarized that Im not going to try to pursue that again at this point, he said.
Brackett said his legislation would have been a win-win both for landowners, who would get more flexibility, and for sportsmen, who would get more access out of it, as well as saving the state money, because landowners selling the tags wouldnt have been able to take part in the Access Yes! program the state uses to compensate for providing access. Also under the current system, some landowners charge hunters for access even though they cant sell the tags themselves, which Brackett called essentially a distinction without a difference.
The other part of my thinking was, its happening right now rather than going around it, lets just do it upfront, he said.
Sixteen people applied for the Magic Valley seat, according to Otters office, and a smaller interview panel weeded it down to the three finalists Otter will interview. The panel included Stephen Goodson, Otters special assistant for Fish and Game; Dustin Miller, head of the Office of Species Conservation; and Doug Pickett, a sportsman and landowner from Cassia County, said Otter spokesman Jon Hanian.
Gary Welch of Buhl was one of the applicants for the Magic Valley seat who didnt make the final cut. Welch said he is a longtime hunter and fisherman and that he urged Doerr to reapply for his seat when Otter announced in May he would be accepting applications.
Welch was interviewed about three weeks ago and said he was concerned both because there wasnt a specific sportsmens representative on the interview panel and with the questions, which he said included how the commission can improve its relationship with Otters office, and also his opinion on auction tags.
The questions were all the issues that the Legislature was trying to shove down Fish and Games throat, he said.
Welch said he worries about the commission getting filled with people who support the management changes some lawmakers have been advocating.
They just keep trying to (get) more and more politics involved, he said.
Austin is the city of Ketchums planning and building director, Garner is a former Cassia County planning and zoning commissioner, and Cameron is a sugar beet farmer from Rupert. Both Austin and Cameron also applied for the job in 2013, when Otter ended up appointing Doerr.
As for the Salmon region candidates, Beyeler is a rancher and state representative from Leadore who will not be returning to the Legislature in January, having lost the Republican primary to Dorothy Moon. Price, of Salmon, is a former supervisor in the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Zettel runs the Idaho Wilderness Company, a guide service in Challis, and Meyers is a rafting guide in Lemhi County who is involved in outdoors groups.
Are we watching an American presidential campaign or the pilot episode of a bizarre new TV series? Or both? The hallmark of reality TV, of course, being its extreme unreality.
On a daily basis, the Trump campaign invites sheer disbelief. Recently, Ivanka Trump, the statuesque daughter her father talks about dating, posted an Instagram photo of herself sightseeing in scenic Croatia with Wendi Deng Murdoch.
The New York Daily News explains that Deng, who was divorced from Rupert Murdoch in 2013 ... has been linked romantically to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. The newspaper adds that the optics of the photo could raise further questions about the relationship between Ivankas father and Putin.
Geez, you think? Maybe Ill ask Boris and Natasha. Those are my pet names for the Russian operatives who started sending me obscene emails after a recent column critical of Trump. The subject line in Boris latest reads, TRUMP SHOULD (DEFECATE) IN YOUR TRAITOROUS MOUTH!
With impressive tradecraft, Boris calls himself Jason Larenzen, a name that appears not to exist in the United States.
Anticipating the latest Fox News fantasy theme, Natasha (masquerading as Karyn) asks, Will lying c Hillary last to the election before brain blood clot ruptures? Her IP address links to Yandex.com, which a Google search locates in Moscow, within walking distance of the Kremlin.
They arent even subtle about it.
Of course, in Putins Moscow, offending journalists get shot dead in the street, so I shouldnt complain. Besides, having grown up in New Jersey, profanity makes little impact on me.
Yo, Natasha, you eat with that mouth?
But think about it: Russian operatives are openly intervening in an American presidential election: hacking Democratic Party emails and harassing obscure political columnists.
Always on Donald Trumps side. Youve got to ask yourself why.
One possible answer may have appeared in the New York Times. Trump campaign manager Paul Manaforts name turned up 22 times on a secret ledger detailing $12.7 million in illegal payola handed out under deposed Ukranian president Viktor Yanukovych.
Supposedly, Manafort was also involved in a murky $18 million deal to sell Ukrainian cable TV to a partnership put together by Mr. Manafort and a Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, a close ally of President Vladimir V. Putin.
Him again.
The information was given to Times reporters by the Ukranian governments National Anti-Corruption Bureau, no doubt tasked with putting as many of the current regimes political rivals as possible in prison.
At the expense of being a spoilsport, Ive learned to be highly skeptical of New York Times blockbusters. From the Whitewater hoax onward, the newspaper has produced a series of Clinton scandal stories, culminating in last Aprils abortive attempt to hint that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had corruptly engineered the sale of a Wyoming uranium mine.
Look, I wrote last April, theres a reason articles like the Times big expose are stultifyingly dull and require the skills of a contract lawyer to parse. Murky sentences and jumbled chronologies signify that the Clinton rules are back: all innuendo and guilt-by-association. All ominous rhetorical questions, but rarely straightforward answers.
So it comes as no great surprise that Ukrainian investigators have yet to determine if (Manafort) actually received the cash.
So is Manafort a victim of the Clinton Rules? Could be.
But theres no doubt about this: Before he fled to Russia two years ago, Mr. Yanukovych ... relied heavily on the advice of Mr. Manafort and his firm, who helped them win several elections.
On evidence, little things like democratic institutions and the rule of law dont appear high on Manaforts priority list. Among his previous clients were Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Zaires infamous Mobutu Sese Seko, aptly described as the archetypal African dictator. Both regimes were essentially kleptocracies, characterized by nepotism, brutality and extreme corruption.
Comparatively speaking, Vladimir Putin would appear to be one of Manaforts more savory associates.
So when candidate Trump expresses a Russia-friendly foreign policy agenda musing aloud about recognizing Putins illegal occupation of Crimea, and hinting that President Trump might refuse to defend NATO allies against Russian attack, its reasonable to wonder whats being said behind closed doors.
Or when Trump invites Boris and Natasha to conduct cyber-warfare against his Democratic opponent. Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, Trump said in July.
Later, of course, the candidate alibied that he was being sarcastic. Hes a great kidder, Trump. Something blows up in his face, it was a joke.
Washington Monthlys David Atkins poses the million ruble question: How much does (sic) Trump and his team need to do before we start asking serious questions about whether theyre a Manchurian Candidate campaign actively working on behalf of a foreign nation?
Basically, that depends upon how big a piece of Trump Russian oligarchs own one big reason well never see his income taxes.
Here is my latest Bloomberg column:
The winner is President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski of Peru, also known as PPK. He was sworn in on July 28, and so it is too early to judge his job performance. But there are reasons to be hopeful.
Lets consider the qualities that might matter in a national leader. Experience? PPK has plenty, having led two ministries (Energy and Mines and Economy and Finance) and served as general manager of the Central Reserve Bank and as prime minister (in Peru the president stands above the prime minister). Energy and mines are especially important sectors for the Peruvian economy.
Peru has a dynamic export economy with trade and investment connections to China, the U.S. and the EU, so you might think a Peruvian leader would need global experience and be well-connected internationally. PPK has worked for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Hes extremely well-traveled, lived in Washington for many years, is married to an American and speaks fluent English.
Academic credentials? He has a masters degree from Princeton, studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford, and, among numerous other publications, has written a first-rate Princeton University Press book on the history of Peruvian economics and politics during the 1960s. The study focuses on why Perus earlier economic boom was not sustained, exactly the issue he faces as president today.
The Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Lassina Zerbo is expecting Tel Aviv to ratify the treaty by 2021.
Zerbo, who had met Prime Minister Netanyahu in June, said Im putting five years as the longest it should take now based on the positive sign that Im seeing from Israel.
The anti-nuclear diplomat linked his optimism to the 2015 comprehensive nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the so-called P5+1 as he thinks that it had helped in creating the confidence-building conditions in the region to help others to move forward.
Israel has not openly stated a timeframe within which it intends to ratify the treaty although Prime Minister Netanyahu, after his meeting with Zerbo, reportedly stated that the ratification is dependent on the regional context and on the appropriate timing.
Israel, which reportedly possesses an atomic stockpile estimated at some 200-400 warheads, is also refusing to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and denies international access to its atomic arsenal.
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CNTBT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996. Yet, during the past two decades, 183 of the 196 UN member states have signed the pact and only 164 of them have ratified it. The impact of the treaty is still limited as nuclear armed countries such as China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, North Korea and the U.S. are yet to ratify it.
Most of the countries that are reluctant to sign or ratify the treaty are mainly concerned by the policies of neighboring states at regional level and for world military powerhouses their concerns are focused on their counterparts.
The first commercial direct flight from England to Tehran has landed on the tarmac on Thursday after a suspension of almost four years.
London suspended flights to Iran in October 2012 due to deteriorating bilateral ties and to the instability that was marring the region.
A spokeswoman for the British company said that the Iranians have been extremely helpful in setting up this important new route and have been as keen as we are for the service to start. It will become the second Western airline after Air France to resume direct flights to the Iranian capital this year since the nuclear agreement was reached with the so-called P5+1 in 2015.
The BA spokeswoman described the return to the Iranian skies as an important destination for the company that will be doing six return flights per week from the Heathrow Airport with plans to make daily take-offs before the end of the year.
The resumption of the flights sends a positive message regarding the improving ties between Tehran and London. In August last year, the British embassy reopened after it was ransacked by a mob in 2011.
Irans domestic airlines are however still struggling to make an impact in the international civil aviation sector because most of their fleets are old amid difficulties to acquire spare parts from companies like Boeing due to U.S. sanctions.
Algeria has decided to build a wall along its lengthy border with Libya in a bid to stop crossing of terrorists into the Algerian territory, reports say.
News reporting a movement of the Islamic State militants edging towards Algerian desert emerged as Libyan forces fighting under the banner of the Government of National Accord are close to defeat the terrorist group in the city of Sirte, Muammar Gaddafis hometown.
The Algerian Defense Ministry is planning to build a 3-meter high barrier-wall that will be equipped with barbed wire, reports say.
The country shares over 1,000 km (600 miles) of border with Libya.
Algeria, which faced incursion of terrorists and arms smugglers from Libya, beefed up security presence at the border with its neighbor.
Tunisia, which faced repetitive incursions from terrorists coming from Libya, built a natural barrier along its border with the lawless country. Tunisian authorities assisted by the U.S., France, UK and Germany equipped the wall with detection devices that help spot incursion attempts.
The Stanford researchers collaborated with colleagues at the University of California-Berkeley, who devised a way to use a technique called quantitative mass spectrometry to measure the retinoic acid in intestinal tissues of mice treated with one or both of two chemicals: a chemical that causes intestinal inflammation, and a chemical that stimulates the development of colorectal cancer. Mice who received both chemicals develop intestinal tumors within nine to 10 weeks of treatment; those treated with just the first chemical develop intestinal inflammation but not cancers.
Engleman and his colleagues found that the mice that developed colorectal cancer had significantly lower-than-normal levels of retinoic acid in their gut than those whose intestines were inflamed but not cancerous. Further investigation showed the intestinal tissue of the animals with cancer made less of a protein that synthesizes retinoic acid and about four times more of a protein that degrades retinoic acid, leading to a rapid net decrease in levels of the metabolite.
Restoring retinoic acid levels
The researchers then tested whether it was possible to affect the disease progression by bringing the levels of retinoic acid in the tissue back into a more normal range.
When we increased the amount of retinoic acid in the intestine, either by supplementing the animal with retinoic acid or by blocking the activity of the degradation enzyme, we were able to dramatically reduce the tumor burden in the animals, said Engleman. Conversely, inhibiting retinoic acid activity significantly increased the tumor burden.
Its become very clear through many studies that chronic, smoldering inflammation is a very important risk factor for many types of cancer.
The researchers next investigated the levels of the synthesis and degradation proteins in stored samples of intestinal tissue obtained from people with either ulcerative colitis or colorectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis. Because the samples had been stored, rather than freshly collected, it was not possible to directly measure the retinoic acid levels in the human tissues.
The researchers found that, similar to what they had seen in the mice, human colorectal cancer tissue had higher levels of the degradation protein and lower levels of the synthesis protein than were found in tissue that was simply inflamed. Furthermore, they saw an inverse correlation in the amount of degradation protein and how long the patient had lived. In other words, those patients with increased amounts of the degradation enzyme in their intestinal tissue tended to fare more poorly than others with less of the enzyme.
Because the researchers also observed similar changes in protein levels in tissue samples from patients with colorectal cancer but with no prior history of ulcerative colitis, they wondered if there could be another cause of intestinal inflammation that affects retinoic acid levels. They knew that naturally occurring bacteria in the gut can sometimes cause local inflammation and hypothesized that they might contribute to the development of retinoic acid deficiency and colorectal cancer. Depleting these bacteria by treating mice with broad-spectrum antibiotics dramatically reduced tumor formation in several colorectal cancer models and prevented the alteration in retinoic acid metabolism that was seen in mice with colorectal cancer and in the human intestinal tissue.
'Massive inflammatory reaction'
We found that bacteria, or molecules produced by bacteria, can cause a massive inflammatory reaction in the gut that directly affects retinoic acid metabolism, said Engleman. Normally retinoic acid levels are regulated extremely tightly. This discovery could have important implications for the treatment of human colorectal cancer.
Further investigation showed that retinoic acid blocks or slows cancer development by activating a type of immune cell called a CD8 T cell. These T cells then kill off the cancer cells. In mice, lower levels of retinoic acid led to reduced numbers and activation of CD8 T cells in the intestinal tissue and increased the animals tumor burden, the researchers found.
Its become very clear through many studies that chronic, smoldering inflammation is a very important risk factor for many types of cancer, said Engleman. Now that weve shown a role for retinoic acid deficiency in colorectal cancer, wed like to identify the specific microorganisms that initiate these changes in humans. Ultimately we hope to determine whether our findings could be useful for the prevention or treatment of colorectal cancer.
Other Stanford co-authors of the work are graduate student Tyler Prestwood; former clinical fellow Michael DiMaio, MD; postdoctoral scholars Nathan Reticker-Flynn, PhD, Justin Kenkel, PhD, Yaron Carmi, PhD, and Hweixian Leong Penny, PhD; clinical assistant professor of pathology Tho Pham, MD; lab manager Lorna Tolentino; research assistant Okmi Choi; and undergraduate student Reyna Hulett.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants U01CA141468 and R01CA163441).
Stanfords Department of Pathology also supported the work.
A school in South Africa has been ordered to suspend allegedly racist hairstyle regulations after black pupils were reportedly forced to chemically straighten their hair.
Government authorities gave Pretoria High School for Girls a 21-day deadline to re-assess its rules pertaining to black pupils hair.
According to Gautengs Department of Basic Education spokesperson, Oupa Bodibe, the girls are generally complaining that they have been ill-treated, that the school does not accommodate how they look and are calling for a policy change; although it is a matter of hairstyles, the issue is really about racial discrimination, victimization and abuse.
Over the weekend, defiant black students with afro hairstyles and braids held a protest at the school against the long-standing regulations.
On Monday, Panyaza Lesufi, the minister of education in Gauteng province, visited the government-run school for talks with senior staff and students. I really want to stop the situation before it gets out of control, Lesufi said.
The prestigious school in Pretoria was historically attended by whites only but now admits black children following the end of apartheid in 1994. The schools code of conduct has a detailed list of rules about hair, but does not specifically mention the afro hairstyle, BBC reported.
The founder and Chief Executive Officer of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg arrived in Nigeria on Tuesday, part of a visit to several African countries to drive engagement on how to make Facebook better.
Zuckerberg who addressed entrepreneurs and software developers at the Co-Creation Hub in the Yaba neighborhood of Lagos said in a post on his Facebook page that the energy here Nigeria- is amazing and Im excited to learn as much as I can.
Our first stop is the Co-creation Hub Nigeria (CcHUB) in Yaba. I got to talk to kids at a summer coding camp and entrepreneurs who come to CcHub to build and launch their apps. Im looking forward to meeting more people here! Zuckerberg told his 42-million followers on Facebook.
He also spoke about starting a free WiFi network in Nigeria, local media reported.
Zuckerberg is expected to host a Q&A session sharing Facebook strategic plans in Africas largest economy.
Facebook has a keen interest in Africa, which is seen by many as the new growth market as more and more consumers come online using mobile devices.
With 16 million people visiting the social media platform monthly, Nigeria remains Facebooks biggest market in Africa.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Juba on Tuesday part of his mediation efforts in the South Sudan conflict and bids to accelerate peace implementation in the worlds youngest nation.
We are here to offer any kind of support, moral or otherwise, that we could give to accelerate the peace process, he said after a closed-door meeting with South Sudans President Salva Kiir.
He stressed the need to establish peace and stability in the country to work ultimately together as a region for the prosperity of our region and our people, he said.
He did not mention anything on the proposed deployment of 4000 strong protection forces in the country.
Five-day gun battle earlier last month left 300 people dead and forced thousands to flee to neighboring countries.
Kenyatta, who was accompanied by his foreign affairs minister, Amina Mohammed, and other dignitaries, said implementing the peace agreement topped the agenda of his talks with President Kiir.
Kenya will support you to restore peace in the country. This is the country you fought for for decades and we will help you, the Kenyan leader told reporters in capital Juba.
As a reminder, Kiir formed a transitional government with ex-rebel leader Machar in April to stop the fighting that forced 2 million people out of their homes since late 2013. In the fighting in July, Kiirs troops drove out Machar and his forces from Juba.
Skin bleaching with the use of glutathione is on the rise, despite the potential ethical issues and adverse side effects associated with the practice, warns a doctor in The BMJ this week.
Ophelia Dadzie, a consultant dermatologist at The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Founder and Director of London Ethnic Skin Limited, says that "there is a lack of authoritative public health information in the UK about the efficacy and safety of this practice."
Skin bleaching is a cosmetic procedure that involves lightening constitutive skin colour, and one such agent used is glutathione, an antioxidant that can be administered orally or intravenously.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that there has been an increase in the use of intravenous glutathione for skin bleaching in the UK. This practice is usually provided by beauty and aesthetic clinics, and in some cases non-medical practitioners administer the treatment.
Potential adverse side effects include toxicity of the nervous system, kidney and liver, headaches, and rare, but serious skin conditions such as Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Other potential risks include transmission of infection, such as HIV, hepatitis C and Bof particular concern when non-medical practitioners administer the treatmentand there are theoretical concerns about long term skin cancer risk.
"The cost of this treatment can be very high", adds Dr. Dadzie, "yet there is no explicit approval for the use of glutathione for skin bleaching."
In contrast, both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Dermatology Society in the Philippineswhere the practice is commonhave issued advisory warnings about the treatment.
No published clinical trials have evaluated the use of glutathione for skin bleaching, and no published guidelines exist for appropriate dosing regimes, or guidance for treatment duration.
"Clear public health information and advisory warnings in relation to this practicefrom governmental agencies such as the Medicines Health Regulatory Agencyare needed in the UK," she warns.
Explore further FDA issues warning about skin lighteners
More information: Unethical skin bleaching with glutathione, The BMJ, www.bmj.com/content/354/bmj.i4386 Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Unethical skin bleaching with glutathione, The
It can be challenging for regulators to keep up with advances related to medical drugs and devices. A new analysis and editorial published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology provide insights on how officials are working to support accelerated access to new therapies while also ensuring their safety.
Advances in science and technology have led to the development of therapies such as biosimilar medicines; personalized treatments; and products that sit on the borderline between medicines and other sectors, such as food and cosmetics. In their editorial, Natalie Richards and Ian Hudson, MD of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in London note that regulatory agencies need to support innovation with a flexible approach that ensures access to new therapies while also strengthening vigilance and monitoring risks and benefits. International collaboration will be key to achieving these goals.
In a related analysis, Bernd Jilma, MD, of the Medical University of Vienna, and his colleagues looked closely at how regulators have dealt with biosimilars. Biologic therapies are large, complex molecules generally made from human and/or animal materials. Like generic drugs that are cost-effective replacements for trade-name medications, biosimilars offer a less-expensive alternative to costly branded biologic therapies once patents expire; however, approval of biosimilars is much more complex than for generics. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the leading regulator in Europe, approved the first biosimilar in 2006 (Omnitrope by Sandoz) and since then, the landscape of authorized biosimilars in Europe has widened considerably. Currently, there are 21 products for seven different biologics on the market.
"There are many papers published describing the regulation and guidelines of the biosimilar approval pathway in Europe; however, it was not clear how these regulations were put into practice," said Dr. Jilma. "Our work closes this gap by presenting the results of a systematic comparison of all clinical development programs of biosimilars that were approved by the EMA, therefore offering insights on the implementation of biosimilar regulations in practice."
When the investigators compared clinical trials undertaken to get market authorization for biosimilars, they found considerable variability between the clinical development programs that were submitted to the EMA for approval. "While some differences can be explained by the characteristics of the different reference products, even for biosimilars to the same reference product, the development strategies could not be considered comparable," said Dr. Jilma. For example, some companies conducted studies that focussed on the activity of biosimilars in the body whereas others put emphasis on phase III clinical trial results in patients with the target disease. "We concluded that the details of the development programs are negotiable with the EMA, and companies that produce biosimilars have some flexibility when deciding how best to show biosimilarity," said Dr. Jilma. The researchers also noted that detailed information about the EMA's approval process is publicly available so that clinicians and patients can examine information on different biosimilars' efficacy and safety.
Explore further Biosimilarsclinical perspectives in rheumatology
More information: "Clinical trials for authorised biosimilars in the European Union: A systematic review." Johanna Mielke, Bernd Jilma, Byron Jones, and Franz Koenig. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Published Online: September 1, 2016, "Clinical trials for authorised biosimilars in the European Union: A systematic review." Johanna Mielke, Bernd Jilma, Byron Jones, and Franz Koenig.. Published Online: September 1, 2016, DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13076 Editorial:"UK Medicines Regulation: Responding to Current Challenges." Natalie Richards and Ian Hudson. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Published Online: September 1, 2016, DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13077 Journal information: British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
Credit: Cancer Research UK
Every year, 57,100 children who started primary school in England at a healthy weight end up obese or overweight by the time they leave, according to new statistics published today (Thursday) by Cancer Research UK.
This worrying statistic adds to the fact that one in five children are already overweight or obese when they start primary school. And by the time they leave, that figure rises to one in three.
To highlight the staggeringly high level of children's obesity and epidemic of rising ill-health, Cancer Research UK has transformed a shop front into an XL school uniform shop to show the new norm of larger school uniforms.
The Government has reneged on its commitment to publish a robust strategy to tackle the crisis of children's obesity. Encouraging exercise and a sugar tax alone won't curb the rise of ill-health which could cost the NHS billions. Commitments to protect children from junk food marketing and mandatory targets to reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt in food are also vital.
We know that obese children are around five times more likely to grow into obese adults, and carrying too much weight increases the risk of cancer as well as other diseases.
Sarah-Louise Bridgewater from Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, mother of two, said: "As a mum, my number one priority is to make sure my children are healthy. Seeing these outsize school uniforms has really worried me.
"As much as I want to, I just can't watch my children 24 hours a day and it's hard to stop them spending their pocket money on junk food. We've got to pull together to stop kids stuffing themselves with fatty sugary food that's going to make them ill later in life."
Being overweight or obese is the single biggest cause of preventable cancer in the UK after smoking and contributes to 18,100 cases of cancer every year. It is linked to 10 types of cancer including bowel, breast, and pancreatic.
Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK's director of prevention, said: "The Government has failed children. More than 57,000 children will become overweight or obese during primary school each year in England, and the Government had a chance to prevent this. The childhood obesity plan is simply not up to the task of tackling children's obesity. Instead, the next generation faces a future of ill health, shortened lives, and an overstretched NHS.
"It will take more than encouraging exercise and a sugar tax to tackle the obesity epidemic. The Government has already recognised the influence of junk food marketing on children's health by banning junk food advertising during children's programmes - it's time to close the loop hole during family viewing time.
"Young waistlines have been expanding steadily over the last two decades. With so many overweight and obese children in England, we are seeing a greater need for larger school uniforms. And it's a shame the Government has missed an opportunity to save lives."
Explore further Junk food advertising is too tempting for children
More information: Visit Visit cruk.org/ChildhoodObesityStrategy
Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. The virus is associated with cellular membranes in the center. Credit: NIAID
Parts of Africa and the Asia-Pacific region may be vulnerable to outbreaks of the Zika virus, including some of the world's most populous countries and many with limited resources to identify and respond to the mosquito-borne disease, a new study says.
The study, published online today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, said India, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Bangladesh may be at greatest risk of local outbreaks. These countries receive a combination of high volumes of travelers from Zika-affected areas, have mosquitos capable of transmitting Zika virus, climate conditions conducive to local spread, and limited health resources.
Study author Dr. Kamran Khan of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto said that identifying where and when populations would be most susceptible to local transmission of Zika virus could help inform public health decisions about the use of finite resources.
"An estimated 2.6 billion people live in areas of Africa and Asia-Pacific where local Zika virus transmission is possible," said Dr. Khan. "The potential for epidemics in those regions is particularly concerning given that the vast numbers of people who could be exposed to Zika virus are living in environments where health and human resources to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks are limited."
The research team, which included scientists from Toronto General Hospital, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Oxford University, analyzed airline passenger traffic data from 689 cities with commercial airports in the Americas. They then mapped the monthly destinations and volumes of travellers arriving into Africa and Asia-Pacific to identify countries at greatest risk of Zika virus importation across seasons. Health expenditure per capita was used as a proxy of a country's capacity to detect and effectively respond to a possible Zika virus outbreak.
Countries with populations at risk for Zika virus importation and subsequent spread include India (67,422 travellers arriving per year; 1.2 billion residents in potential Zika transmission areas), China (238,415 travellers; 242 million residents), Indonesia (13,865 travellers; 197 million residents), the Philippines (35,635 travellers; 70 million residents) and Thailand (29241 travellers; 59 million residents).
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, another author of the study and an infectious disease specialist at University Health Network's Toronto General Hospital, said the health consequences of Zika in Africa and Asia-Pacific will depend not just on local ability to diagnose and respond to a possible outbreak, but also on levels of existing immunity to Zika virus. Even though Zika virus was first identified in Africa, and sporadic cases have been reported in both Africa and Asia-Pacific, little is known about whether the Asian strain of the virus (now circulating in the Americas) will affect individuals differently if they have previously been infected with the African strain.
Explore further Zika virus has potential to spread rapidly through Americas
Respiratory tract infections (RTI) with cough are the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics by their doctors, but up to a third of prescriptions may be unnecessary. A new study of over 8000 children has identified seven key predictors which could help general practitioners (GPs) and nurses in primary care identify low risk children who are less likely to need antibiotics, according to new research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
The authors estimate that if antibiotic prescribing in this low risk group was halved, and even if it increased to 90% in high risk patients, the new tool could reduce antibiotic prescribing to children with RTI and coughs by 10% overall, similar to other interventions used to combat antibiotic resistance.
The proposed tool called STARWAVe uses seven predictors of future hospitalisation that can be easily identified by doctors and nurses during a patient visitshort illness (less than 3 days), high temperature (?37.8C on examination or parent reported severe fever in the previous 24 hours), aged under 2 years, respiratory distress, wheeze, asthma, and moderate/severe vomiting in the previous 24 hours. Children presenting with no more than one of these items are deemed at very low risk of future complications. The authors say that the rule now needs externally validating in a randomised trial, but could be a useful tool to improve the targeting of antibiotics to reduce the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.
Respiratory infections with cough is the most common reason people go to the doctor and the most frequent reason given for primary care antibiotic prescribing in children. Yet it is challenging for GPs and primary care nurses to easily identify serious respiratory infections, and up to a third of antibiotics prescribed in primary care are considered unnecessary.
"Excessive antibiotic use has contributed to the development of resistance to these drugs", explains lead author Professor Alastair Hay from the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. "The aim of our study was to develop a simple, usable prediction tool based on symptoms and signs to help GPs and nurses identify children presenting in primary care at the lowest and highest risk of future complications and hospitalisation, so that antibiotics can be targeted accordingly."
To create the tool, Hay and colleagues analysed data collected between July 2011 and May 2013 from almost 8400 children aged between 3 months and 16 years with acute (less than 28 days) cough and respiratory tract infection symptoms (eg, fever) who were seen at 247 GP practices across England. They used modelling to determine which of the 50 demographic characteristics, parent-reported symptoms and physical examination signs measured might be most useful and accurate in distinguishing good from poor prognosis illnesses, defined as those resulting in hospitalisation for respiratory infection in the month following a visit to primary care (table 1).
Modelling showed that seven characteristics were independently linked with hospitalisation short (?3 days) illness; temperature; age (<2 years); recession (signs of respiratory distress); wheeze; asthma; and vomiting (mnemonic "STARWAVe") (table 2).
Using these findings, the authors then developed a seven-item scoring system for a child's risk of future hospitalisation (table 3). For example, a child showing 0-1 of these characteristics would be at very low risk of hospitalisation (0.3% risk; 67% of children in the study); a child with 2-3 of these characteristics would be at normal risk, similar to the general population (1.5% risk; 30% of children in the study); whilst a child showing 4 or more would be a high risk candidate for future hospitalisation (11.8% risk; 3% of children in the study).
According to the authors, a 'no antibiotic' prescribing strategy would be appropriate for low risk children; whilst a 'no antibiotic or delayed antibiotic' treatment strategy would be best for normal risk childrenas recommended by NICE; and children deemed at high risk of hospitalisation should be closely monitored for signs of deterioration and followed-up within 24 hours.
The accuracy of the rule was measured by a figure called the 'area under the receiver operating characteristic curve', or AUROC. An AUROC of 0.5 would mean the rule is about as good a predictor as flipping a coin. An AUROC of 1.0 is perfect. The new STARWAVe rule gave an AUROC of 0.81, which indicates it should predict the risk of hospitalisation with high accuracy.
The authors note that the results are likely to be applicable to primary care systems similar to those in the UK, but as only 78 children were hospitalised during the study, further research is needed to externally validate the tool.
According to Professor Hay, "This is the first study of its kind, based on a large representative sample of children who visit the doctor with respiratory illness. We hope that our proposed clinical tool might eventually enable doctors to quickly and easily identify their lowest and highest risk patients, although more research will be needed to determine just how effective it is in clinical practice. The rule should supplement not replace clinical judgement, and doctors and nurses should still advise parents about the symptoms and signs they should look out for, and when to seek medical help."
In a linked Comment, Professor David Price, Chair of Primary Care Respiratory Medicine at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK and colleagues discuss the need to test the tool in whole study populations and not just those recruiting and consenting to enter a study. They write, "Notwithstanding the inclusion of patients prescribed an antibiotic and the absence of an independent validation cohort, STARWAVe promises to achieve better targeting of antibiotics in primary care. There are few efficacious interventions for respiratory tract infection available to primary care clinicians beyond offering reassurance and self-management advice, so the modest benefit offered by antibiotics can persuade general practitioners to prescribe them. STARWAVe offers primary care clinicians an evidence-based practical tool to help guide antibiotic prescribing decisions and, through shared decision-making, has the potential to reduce prescribing based on prognostic uncertainty or on nonmedical grounds."
Explore further Researchers aim to improve the use of antibiotics in primary care
More information: Development and internal validation of a clinical rule to improve antibiotic use in children presenting to primary care with acute respiratory tract infection and cough: a prognostic cohort study. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(16)30223-5 Development and internal validation of a clinical rule to improve antibiotic use in children presenting to primary care with acute respiratory tract infection and cough: a prognostic cohort study.
An analysis performed by scientists studying the worlds first marketed dengue virus vaccine (Dengvaxia) has identified the need for a better understanding of how it should be deployed on a global scale, perhaps in conjunction with a diagnostic tool to identify individuals most at risk of negative effects. Credit: Val Altounian / Science (2016)
These infections are also more likely to need hospitalisation, suggests the study, by scientists from Imperial College London, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Florida.
The research, published in the journal Science, analysed all publicly available clinical trial data for the vaccine. The results suggest that in people who have never been exposed to dengue before, the vaccine primes the immune system so that if they are subsequently infected, the infection is more severe.
However in people who are have been exposed to the virus before vaccination, the vaccine reduces the severity of future infections.
The researchers recommend testing people before they receive the vaccine, to establish if they have previously been exposed to the dengue virus. This would help avoid triggering an increase in serious cases of the disease.
Dengue is a viral infection that causes just under 400 million cases per year. According to the latest estimates, around half of the world's population are thought to be at risk. The virus is spread by mosquitoes, and causes fever, headache, muscle and joint pain. In some cases, it can lead to a life-threatening condition called haemorrhagic fever which is a leading cause of death and serious illness among children in some Asian and Latin American countries.
Unlike most infectious diseases, the second time a person is infected with dengue is usually far more serious than the first. This may be why the vaccine appears to amplify the illness in some individuals, particularly young children.
Normally, when a person is infected with a virus their immune system builds defences against it. This means when they are infected a second time, the virus is destroyed before triggering symptoms. However, with dengue, the virus primes the immune system to work against the body. So when a person is infected a second time, a component of the immune system - called antibodies - help the virus infect the cells, leading to a more severe infection.
This has serious implications for the vaccine, explains Professor Neil Ferguson, co-lead author, who is the Director of the MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling at Imperial College London: "If someone has never been exposed to dengue, the vaccine seems to act like a silent infection. The initial exposure to the virus from the vaccine primes the immune system, so when they are infected again, the symptoms are more likely to be severe."
The vaccine, produced by the company Sanofi-Pasteur, is available in six countries and has been trialled on around 30,000 people from ten countries.
After analysing the data, the research team formulated a computer model to predict the effectiveness of the vaccine if used more widely.
Professor Neil Ferguson said: "Having a licensed dengue vaccine available is a significant step forward for dengue control. However, we should be careful in considering where and how to use this vaccine as there is still uncertainty about the impact."
The team stress the vaccine stills holds benefits - but only if used in areas heavily affected by dengue, where individuals being vaccinated are likely to have encountered the virus before.
Derek Cummings, Professor of Biology at the University of Florida and co-author of the study added: "In places with high transmission intensity, most people have been already exposed to dengue at the time of vaccination, and the vaccine has higher efficacy on average. However, in places with lower transmission intensity, were individuals haven't been previously exposed, the vaccine can place people at risk of severe disease and overall, increase the number of hospitalized cases."
Dr Isabel Rodriguez-Barraquer, joint first author of the research from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explained: "Our results indicate that screening potential vaccine recipients could maximize the benefits and minimise the risk of negative outcomes."
The World Health Organization recommends that countries consider introduction of the dengue vaccine only in geographic settings (national or subnational) where data suggests a high burden of disease.
Professor Ferguson added: "Our model refines estimates of which places would see a decline in dengue incidence with large scale vaccination programmes, and which places should not implement programmes at this point in time. These results present the first published, independent predictions of the potential impact of vaccination that take account of recent data showing that the vaccine can increase the risk of severe dengue disease in young children."
The authors hope their analysis can help inform policy-makers in evaluating this and other candidate dengue vaccines.
Explore further Dengue fever: what you need to know
More information: "Benefits and risks of the Sanofi-Pasteur dengue vaccine: Modeling optimal deployment," Science, science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aaf9590 Journal information: Science "Benefits and risks of the Sanofi-Pasteur dengue vaccine: Modeling optimal deployment,"
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NATO Secretary General visits Georgia in September
By Messenger Staff
Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg, is scheduled to take part in the North Atlantic Council (NAC) meeting in Georgias capital city on September 7-8.It will be the Councils fourth meeting in Georgia, which is the principal political decision-making body within the Alliance."During the Council meeting, the implementation of the NATO Warsaw Summit results may be discussed. We believe that the country's progress in terms of democratic and economic development will also be addressed, Georgias Prime Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, stated at todays Governmental meeting.This will be a very important visit. The NAC is the supreme decision-making body within NATO, hence this visit carries particular importance, Kvirikashvili added.Georgias Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikheil Janelidze, also commented on the visits and also evaluated them as of utmost importance.The Minister stressed that Georgia had all practical instruments that were necessary for the countrys NATO integration and membership.It is naturally beneficial for Georgia that such an important NATO body is holding its meeting in Georgia, and a sign Georgia and NATO are becoming closer.However, during the Alliances summits Georgia is consistently refused genuine results, despite the fact Georgia already has all practical instruments to at least earn a NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP).The September meeting is very likely to praise Georgia for its continued efforts to the Euro-Atlantic space and for its contribution in foreign missions.The meetings will also repeat that NATO's closed door remains open.All of this will happen when 20 percent of the Georgian territory is still occupied by Russia and the hungry occupants harvest the crops of locals on territory controlled by Georgia, kill Georgian citizens, kidnap them, and violate their human rights on a daily basis.It has also been voiced that Georgias visa-liberalisation with the EU may be further postponed despite the fact that the country has already met all the necessary requirements.Georgia needs to see genuine steps from international organizations in response to the big achievements - as the country's foreign allies say - Georgia has demonstrated.
The News in Brief
NATO-Georgia Substantial Package: The Netherlands supports implementation of support package
The Kingdom of the Netherlands has vowed to support Georgia implement several projects within theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)-Georgia Substantial Package, which is aimed at strengthening Georgias defensive capabilities and bringing the country closer to NATO.
As well as providing tangible support for Georgia to implement certain aspects of the support package, the Dutch Embassy also promised to allocate funds for a new Defence Institution Building in Georgia.
This agreement came after yesterdays meeting between Ambassador of the Netherlands to Georgia Johannes Douma with Georgias Deputy Foreign Minister David Dondua at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tbilisi.
The NATO-Georgia Substantial Package is a set of measures and initiatives aimed at strengthening Georgias defence capabilities and developing closer security cooperation and interoperability with NATO members.
The support package was adopted at the NATO Wales Summit in 2014.
The package outlined extra support for Georgia in 13 different areas of the defence and security-related sectors including strategic level advice and liaison, defence capacity building and training activities, multi-national exercises and enhanced interoperability opportunities with NATO members. (agenda.ge)
Georgia pipeline plot suspect denies link to Ukraine
One of the seven men arrested in Georgia for planning to blow up a Russian gas pipeline has denied any links to Ukraine.
The suspect, Beka Bekauri, is still in hospital after suffering serious head trauma. He has had an operation and his condition is now stable.
His confession to being part of a plot to blow up a part of a Russian gas pipeline which transits through Georgia was brought into question by suspicion that the confession had been extracted under duress.
His family claims that he was beaten during his interrogation in order to force him to confess.
The counter-intelligence service claims that the beating took place as he was trying to escape arrest.
Lawyer Maia Chrelashvili said her client said he was beaten by special forces at the moment he was arrested.
None of the detainees tried to escape or use a weapon as they were arrested according to Chrelashvili, who also said there was no violence during Bekauris interrogation.
The State Security Service (SUS) said earlier that one of the suspects had been traveling frequently to Ukraine, but beyond that no actual link had been found.
Through his lawyer, Bekauri denied that he had any links to Ukraine.
The implication would be that the plot was connected to the many exiled National Movement politicians who are in Ukraine, some of whom are involved with the new Kiev government and others also with the war against Russian-backed separatists in the southeast of the country.
According to the lawyer, Bekauris motive was personal. He hates Russian aggression, she explained, and thats why he wanted to organize the blowing up of the pipeline, which carries Russian natural gas to Armenia. Georgia taps some of the gas as transit fee, corresponding to around 12 percent of the national supply.
His aunt, Mziana Subeliani, is convinced that he was beaten during questioning.
They didnt let him go until they had broken his skull. With his skull broken, he said what they wanted him to say.
She claimed the reason Bekauri was beaten was to give the impression that the case is being vigorously investigated.
My nephew has no ties with politics, she says.
Vladimer Rukhadze, another suspected, began a hunger strike to protest Tbilisi City Courts decision to place all of the suspects in pre-trial detention. (dfwatch.net)
Nomination of MP Soso Jachvliani as head of the state company contains elements of corruption - Transparency International-Georgia
The Transparency International-Georgia considers that the nomination of MP Soso Jachvliani as head of the state company contains elements of corruption.
According to a statement of Transparency International Georgia, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said at the government session today that a new state company is planned to be set up within the framework of the mountain resort development company, the aim of which is to develop the resort of Tetnuldi.
"The Prime Minister also said that the company will be headed by Soso Jachvliani, who is currently a Member of Parliament and deputy chairman of the Georgian Dream faction.
The existence of state companies is an approved practice in developed states, though corruption risks associated with such companies requires relevant regulations. One of the main important principles of management of state companies is prevention of political interference in the companies activities and management.
One of the main dangers is that the companies may be used as a 'reward' instrument for individuals linked with the ruling party or government at the expense of the state budget. The nomination of Soso Jachvliani for the post leads to such suspicions, says the statement.
The organization calls on the government to make decisions related to the management of state companies in a transparent way. (IPN)
TANAP pipeline's construction in line with schedule
SOCAR President meets Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.Construction of the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) continues in line with the schedule, Trend reports.It was noted during the meeting of the TANAP Consortiums management, which was dedicated to the results of the first half of 2016 and the upcoming tasks, said a message from Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR posted on its website Aug. 25.SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev, who was on a visit to Turkey on Aug. 23-24, participated in the meeting.The TANAP project envisages the transportation of gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018, and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipelines construction, gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020.After the meeting, Rovnag Abdullayev met with Turkeys Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak. The minister spoke about the status of projects implemented in Turkey and planned activities.Albayrak expressed satisfaction with the progress of construction within the framework of SOCAR projects in Turkey, in particular, the TANAP, the STAR oil refinery, petrochemical complex Petkim and Petlim container port. He noted that SOCAR is one of the important investors in Turkey; the companys activities are supported by the countrys government, and this support will be continued in the future.
Unresolved conflict not in interests of Tbilisi, Sokhumi and Tskhinvali
By Messenger Staff
Eight year have passed since the day Russia recognised Georgias two regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent republics shortly after the Russia-Georgia August War in 2008.Georgias Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, stressed that Russias attempts to promote international recognition for the territories have failed.Almost the entirety of the international community supports Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity. Two nations of the Pacific, Vanuatu and Tuvalu, withdrew their recognition of the regions as independent states, Tsikhelashvili said.The Minister said there was one issue more important than Russias failure in terms of its recognition policy.Its time that we-Georgians, Abkhazians and South Ossetians - should understand that what we have gone through, these wars and conflicts and continued occupation and unresolved confrontations, never served our common interests, Tsikhelashvili stated.The Minister also said the breakaway republics euphoria over recognition as independent states has almost vanished amongst mostOssetians and Abkhazians.Instead of the euphoria there is fright of losing independent identity and becoming part of Russia. Thus, we should look to a better future, which should be ensured through dialogue, reconciliation and the building of trust. This is the major intention of the current Georgian Government, the Minister added.Russia and Nicaragua recognised Abkhazias independence in 2008 in the wake of the Russia-Georgia war. In 2009, Venezuela, Vanuatu, Nauru and Tuvalu took the same step, but after several years Vanuatu and Tuvalu reversed their stance.It is true that the unresolved conflicts affect the whole country, including Abkhazians and Ossetians.Many Abkhazians and Ossetians have already guessed - and many will soon realise - that the only thing Russia is interested in is territory, and not the people residing there.However, by the time Abkhazians and Ossetians realise this, it may be too late.The Georgian government must also be very cautious in their policies and send relevant and effective messages to the regions without being provocative.
The News in Brief
Republicans 9 muses: More women in politics means more solidarity
Under the slogan Lets break free, the Republican Party has nominated nine female candidates for Parliament under the single-seat majoritarian system for the October 8 election.
We have to break free of a lot of things, first of all from stereotypes and old-fashioned thinking. One of the stereotypes teaches us that there is no place for women in politics, that they have to be in the kitchen, which is wholly incorrect, Berdzenishvili said during a press conference at the partys office.
He called the nine women muses and said more women in politics means more solidity.
Soft treatment, more solidarity, it means peace, more attention to the problems of children and youth, diversity.
The role of women in politics is important, he explained, which is why the party decided to select women candidates in nine majoritarian districts.
(DF watch)
Over two dozen Russian Black Sea, Caspian ships sail out as part of snap check
Over 15 combat ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and more than 10 vessels of the Caspian Flotilla have sailed out as part of ongoing snap combat readiness inspections, the Russian Defense Ministrys mass communications department has released.
"In the Black Sea Fleet, in order to carry out tasks of the snap inspection, as part of naval battle groups, anti-ship strike groups, mine-sweeping groups and detachments of amphibious ships, over 15 warships came out to sea," the department said in a Friday statement.
The statement added that more than ten warships, boats and support vessels, as well as minesweepers from the Caspian Flotilla also sailed out as part of the combat readiness checks.
The August 25-31 inspections are running across Russia's Southern, Western and Central military districts, as well as the Northern Fleet, Aerospace Forces and Airborne Troops.
(IPN)
Almost 28,000 students gain university places in Georgia
About 28,000 students have passed their national university entrance exams and are now registered as tertiary students for the 2016/17 academic year in Georgia.
Georgias National Assessment and Examinations Centre (NAEC) released final results of national university entrance exams.
The NAEC said about 38,500 people had registered for the exams and 27, 782 people had been accepted into a tertiary institute in Georgia for the upcoming academic year.
Of the 27, 782 successful students, 4,000 received full state scholarships that will cover all costs of their studies while 6,500 gained partial funding.
Meanwhile last year more than 40,000 students registered for the NAEC exams, while in 2014 there were 42,000 registered applicants a record for Georgia.
(Agenda.ge)
Georgia pipeline plot suspect denies link to Ukraine
One of the seven men arrested in Georgia for planning to blow up a Russian gas pipeline has denied any links to Ukraine.
Beka Bekauri is still in hospital after suffering serious head trauma. He has had an operation and his condition is now stable.
His confession to being part of a plot to blow up a part of a Russian gas pipeline which transits through Georgia was brought into question by suspicion that the confession had been extracted under duress.
His family claims that he was beaten during interrogation in order to force him to confess.
The counter-intelligence service claims that the beating took place as he was trying to escape arrest.
Lawyer Maia Chrelashvili said her client said he was beaten by special forcesthe moment he was arrested.
None of the detainees tried to escape or use a weapon as they were arrested, according to Chrelashvili, who also said there was no violence during Bekauris interrogation.
The State Security Service (SUS) said earlier that one of the suspects had been traveling frequently to Ukraine, but beyond that no actual link had been found.
The implication would be that the plot was connected to the many exiled National Movement politicians who are in Ukraine, some of whom are involved with the new Kiev government and others also with the war against Russian-backed separatists in the southeast of the country.
Through his lawyer, Bekauri denied that he had any links to Ukraine. Chrelashvili said on Maestro TV it was claimed that her client received USD 50,000 from Ukraine, but he denies that.
According to the lawyer, Bekauris motive was personal. He hates Russian aggression, she explained, and thats why he wanted to organize the blowing up of the pipeline.
His aunt Mziana Subeliani is convinced that he was beaten during questioning.
They didnt let him go until they had broken his skull. With his skull broken, he admitted what they wanted him to say.
She claimed the reason Bekauri was beaten was to give the impression that the case is being vigorously investigated.
My nephew has no ties with politics, she says.
Vladimer Rukhadze, another suspected, began a hunger strike to protest Tbilisi City Courts decision to place all of the suspects in pre-trial detention. His lawyer Nino Makharadze said he would rather die from hunger than have status as terrorist.
Bekauri is the only one of the accused who has admitted guilt.
Out of the seven, five are accused of being part of the plot, while two are said to have known about it.
One of those accused of having had knowledge of the plot, police employee LevanMamporia, said through his lawyer Ramaz Chincheladze that the only alleged link between him and the plot was that he registered a Facebook page promoting the idea of a united Caucasus, an idea which also former President Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a supporter of.
The pipeline which was targeted in the plot carries Russian natural gas to Armenia. Georgia taps some of the gas as transit fee, corresponding to around 12 percent of the national supply.
In spring 2015, Georgia considered increasing its import of natural gas from the Gazprom pipeline, which led to a series of protests against being dependent on Russia for energy, protests where National Movement members were particularly noticed.
In the end, the government did not increase the import of Russian gas, but left the agreement the same, which means that 12 percent of the countrys supply comes from Gazprom.
The pipeline has been hit by landslides several times.
UNM spokesperson Givi Targamadze said politicians are trying to exploit the case by making inferences about a Ukraine link at an early stage, and referred to a previous case, dubbed the tyres case, which has so far not been confirmed by the investigation.
Defense Minister Levan Izoria said on Tuesday, the day after the story broke, that he had full confidence in the counterintelligence service SUS, which he was recently deputy director of, and that the public will soon learn where the terrorists got their assignment from.
(DF watch)
I dont know about you, but it is hard for me to believe that this weekend marks what most people have come to know as the end of summer. It's Labor Day weekend, and for me summer has gone by in a blink of the eye. It doesnt seem that long ago that I was fishing trout on Holter Reservoir in April and now it is time to get ready for archery season. If you have a few days off this last three-day holiday of the summer, then dont despair, there is still a lot of fishing to be enjoyed.
The whitefish bite has slowed down on Flathead Lake but Dick Zimmer from Zimmers Tackle had a good day in east Polson Bay on Flathead lake recently with a couple of fishing partners, Joe Ferguson and Marlon Star Blanket, as they targeted perch but also caught an occasional smallmouth bass. We were positioned just north of the mouth of Hell Roaring Creek in 9 foot depth. My first cast I had a bite and reeled in two perch. After having Marlon throw in the anchor, I cast again and for two more consecutive times, I brought in two fish at a time. At the point I began thinking maybe we were in for a great day of fishing. 86 keeper perch and 7 small mouth bass up to 3 lbs. later I was correct. The water temperature where we were was 74 degrees."
The smallmouth will continue to bite until the water temperature is around 55 degrees, which normally happens late September or early October. The perch will continue to bite until the water temperature is between 45 degrees and 50 degrees, which takes place about mid-October. Zimmer likes the opportunity to catch smallmouth bass while fishing for perch and he thinks that if you want to introduce your kids to fishing, mixing perch and bass fishing might just be the ticket. Fishing these perch is a great way to introduce the younger set to a positive experience, and if they should land a big smallie, theyll definitely be hooked, he said.
Holter Reservoir might be a good body of water to fish this weekend. Troy Humphrey from FWP has this report: Rainbow fishing is good while trolling cowbells or perch colored crankbaits in the mornings from Split Rock to Holter Dam at depths of 20 to 30 feet. Shore fishing for rainbows is slow. A few walleye are being caught around Gates of the Mountains, Split Rock, Cottonwood Creek and the bays by Holter Dam. Most walleye are being caught on jigs and a worm or leech in 15 to 20 feet of water. Perch are being caught throughout the reservoir in small bays, around weedbeds and from the docks at the boat ramps in 10 to 15 feet of water while using jigs and worms.
Another popular lake to spend a long weekend is Canyon Ferry Reservoir and the walleye fishing has been good but not much for size. Fisherman are catching walleyes, most of them mid reservoir. A lot of numbers but most are in the 12- to 15-inch class, reports Sharon from the Silos RV park on the south end of the lake. She also reports that the late summer algae bloom is happening on the south end of the reservoir.
Rainbow trout fishing on Canyon Ferry continues to be slow, but some fish are being caught using cranks or cowbells, tipped with a worm, in 20 to 50 feet of water. Shore fishing for rainbows has also been slow, but anglers continue to target rainbows from shore at Confederate Bay and Duck Creek Bay using worms reports Adam Strainer from FWP.
A tax relief fund for low-income, senior or disabled Missoulians received near-unanimous support Wednesday from the Missoula City Council Administration and Finance Committee.
The tax fund proposal, sponsored and prepared by Ward 5 representative Julie Armstrong, suggested a donation-based relief fund for residents who are disproportionately affected by property tax increases. It would include those who qualify for Montana State Property Tax or Low Income Energy Assistance Programs, as well as Disabled Veteran/Surviving Spouse state tax credits.
Im hoping people will see the importance of helping their neighbor out, Armstrong said.
The fund would apply a 20 percent discount to the homeowners city tax bill. Because its donation-based, the city will not and cannot guarantee a level of assistance, or that any aid would be recurring, the proposal said.
Im not disillusioned that theres going to be a lot of money in this account, Armstrong said, but hoped the fund would be supplied mainly by local businesses at first, before eventually building up enough money to fully help anyone in need.
This is something that would start slowly, but a culture could be created around it and it sounds, frankly, like its a good match for Missoula, Ward 3 representative Gwen Jones said.
Ward 1 representative Heidi West asked to make sure the tax break took dependents into account, something she said the state PTAP doesnt do.
She also was concerned that the tax break wouldnt address the overall housing affordability issue in Missoula, saying while the proposal was a good goal, it wasnt comprehensive enough.
Its something, which is better than nothing, Ward 5 representative Annelise Hedahl responded.
Online tax forms would have an added box for residents to add a tax-deductible donation to the relief fund, and Missoula Chief Administrative Officer Dale Bickell said an envelope might be put in tax bills to send donations back to the city.
Ward 4 representative Jon Wilkins asked Bickell how much the cost of processing those donations and providing receipts needed for a deductible donation would cost.
I dont expect that to be a huge administrative burden, Bickell said, but promised to research that before the committee discussed the proposal again.
Following further research, the proposal will be scheduled for a second discussion.
A five-part, federally aided construction project is set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 6, between Missoula and Lolo on U.S. Highway 93, according to Riverside Contracting.
The Montana Department of Transportation will assist with the project, which includes new signs and sidewalks, as well as signals and intersection improvements in Missoula, Lolo and Hamilton.
The operation will last for the next several weeks including weekends, the contractor said in a release. Expect lengthy traffic delays and slow-moving traffic in these areas.
One southbound lane on U.S. 93 will be closed from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m., while one northbound lane will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m, the release stated.
Riverside asked that any motorists who can use alternate routes to decrease delays on the 7.5-mile stretch.
Light installation from the Buckhouse Bridge to Reserve Street and sign upgrades at the intersection of Grant and Brooks streets also are set to begin next week. If weather allows, paving will be done at night.
HAMILTON In his 23 years of practicing criminal law, Josh Van de Wetering said he has never seen a case with 400 separate felony counts.
Late Wednesday, the Missoula-based lawyer filed a motion asking the trial for Dr. Chris Christensen be delayed a year to provide the time hell need to build a defense for his client.
Van de Wetering formally took on Christensens case last week. The Florence physician faces hundreds of charges for allegedly providing his patients with illegal prescriptions.
In his motion, Van de Wetering said any discussion about a continuance in a trial depends on the nature and size of the underlying case.
This one is as big as they come, he wrote.
Van de Wetering said the state has had more than four years to compile its case, which so far includes close to 11,000 pages of discovery and 28 expert witnesses. The case was investigated by county, state and federal authorities.
The case is also legally highly unusual, if not unique, Van de Wetering wrote. Merely the number of counts puts the case in a class by itself.
Beyond that, Van de Wetering said the issues in this case have not been debated in court before.
There does not appear to be another case in Montana that has been brought under a legal theory that doctors can be criminally liable for the deaths of their patients, that their prescribing practices can open them to criminal charges under the criminal endangerment statute, or that doctors can be charged with drug distribution for writing prescriptions, he wrote.
Christensen was arrested August 2015 after he allegedly provided hundreds of illegal prescriptions to his patients, including to two who died from overdoses.
He had been without an attorney since December after the state Public Defenders Office asked to be taken off the case when it was determined Christensen had too much money to qualify for state-funded counsel.
Van de Wetering was hired after members of Christensens wifes family agreed to pay the lawyers fees.
In his motion, Van de Wetering said Christensens sole source of income was his Social Security retirement and his wifes earnings after he was forced to close his clinic.
Van de Wetering said his client has not been dilatory in failing to obtain private counsel.
Christensen contacted the nine lawyers recommended to him by his OPD counsel. Six of the nine said they couldnt handle his case.
The other three agreed to take the case, but required an upfront retainer that Christensen said ranged from $200,000 to $500,000.
Van de Wetering said Christensen didnt have the money to retain competent counsel or anywhere close to it. He had borrowed from friends and family simply to make bail.
The motion said Christensen also had attempted to file bankruptcy with the hope that once that was accomplished, he could ask again for a public defender.
A bankruptcy lawyer told him that he couldnt file for bankruptcy until he filed his 2014 taxes. Van de Wetering said Christensen was unable to accomplish that task because all of his computerized financial information was seized by law enforcement. When the computer server was returned, it no longer worked.
An IT expert hired by Christensen said he couldnt retrieve the data. Apparently the governments process of mirroring the hard drives had somehow corrupted them, according to the motion.
Given the unique circumstances presented by this case, Van de Wetering said his client could have asked for a longer delay.
He is asking for 12 months, Van de Wetering wrote. It is both reasonable and necessary and of only minimal burden to the State.
At a court hearing a week ago, Ravalli County Deputy Attorney Thorin Geist said he would file a response quickly to the motion to delay the trial.
If convicted on all charges, Christensen, 67, faces a prison sentence of up to 388 life terms, plus 135 years and a fine up to $20 million. He remains free on a $200,000 bond.
South Hills residents animal and otherwise will have more protected open land to play in soon, as the county approved spending on the 83-acre South Hills Spur on Wednesday.
The South Hills Spur borders city-owned open space between Dean Stone and Pattee Canyon drives, home to several species of birds, elk, deer, mountain lion and bears, Open Space Acquisitions Attorney Elizabeth Erickson said in the Missoula County commissioners administrative meeting.
There was a lot of development pressure, Erickson said of the land near Mansion Heights Drive. It would protect those open space views and vistas.
Those views and vistas in the spur are owned by Five Valleys Land Trust, who pulled together the 83 acres, valued at $1.2 million, from three different owners last year. The trust is going to sell the land to Missoula for $565,000.
Its a great deal for the city in terms of what this lands actually worth, Pelah Hoyt, Five Valleys Land Trust lands director said.
The trust is impressed with the citys management of conservation and open space lands, Hoyt said, and is excited to offer south side Missoulians the same recreation opportunities that those near the North Hills have.
The city would like to establish a trail off of Pattee Canyon Drive that winds through the open space land to the upper part of Mount Dean Stone, taking advantage of the forested land and open views of the Missoula Valley, Erickson said.
The project meets four established purposes of the open space bond, Erickson said: protecting wildlife habitat, providing open space and scenic landscape, providing a recreation trail, and managing for growth, which she explained as a broad standard balancing the need for housing and development with open space protection in the city.
I like to think of this whole valley as a sort of crossroads of different wilderness corridors, Erickson said.
Purchasing the land would give residents of the area easy access to their own trails and wild space, she said.
A quorum of county commissioners Cola Rowley and Jean Curtiss Stacy Rye was absent approved a document qualifying funding for the purchase as part of the county and citys decade-old open space bond spending.
The projected cost of $575,000 includes the purchase cost plus $10,000 toward initial cleanup and weed control. The document approved Wednesday is the first in several planned consultations with City Council, the county commissioners and the public over the next two months, Erickson said.
Its nice to have some open space near your subdivision, Rowley said. Thats why people love Missoula.
Half of the $10 million open space bond, approved in 2006, went to the city and half went to the remainder of the county, according to the Missoula City website. The city has about $1.7 million left of its share.
We are really sensitive to using taxpayer dollars, Hoyt said. The end of that funding program is in sight, so we want to be able to stretch these dollars as far as possible.
Missoula Food Bank executive director Aaron Brock said he fears someone is targeting the Food Bank after a pair of fires burned the back wall of the building.
The first fire happened around 2 a.m. on Aug. 19, while the most recent, in the same spot on the wall facing the alleyway, occurred around the same time Sunday.
"In the same spot just nine days apart, it seems like it was deliberate," Brock said.
The Missoula Fire Department is investigating the fires. Sgt. Travis Welsh with the Missoula Police Department said law enforcement officers would help in the investigation if requested by the fire department.
"I guess if we have an ask of the community it's for watchfulness, not just for the Food Bank but for all of our neighbors," Brock said.
For the past 20 years, Brock said, the Food Bank has stored broken-down cardboard boxes in front of the wall where the fire happened. The cardboard had to be kept outside because of a lack of space inside the Food Bank's Third Street home. The Food Bank is building a new, 22,500-square-foot facility at the corner of Wyoming and Catlin streets, expected to open in April.
An insurance adjuster surveyed site after each fire, but has not given a dollar figure for the damage, Brock said.
The fires have made the Food Bank consider more exterior lights or surveillance cameras at both the new location and potentially the current Food Bank as well.
"It definitely has us thinking about it in a different way," Brock said.
Montanans are hunters and anglers. Its what we do. Its how we fill our freezers, and some of the best time we spend all year with family and friends.
The numbers bear this out. Montana has the highest number of people in the country who buy a hunting and/or fishing license. Its helped us maintain our world-class wildlife populations and fisheries. Were truly blessed.
Any Montana hunter or angler will say that our public lands play a huge role in our outdoor heritage. We enjoy these world-class fish and wildlife populations in the mountains, forests, prairies and streams of our incredible state.
Thats why Gov. Steve Bullocks public lands and access agenda is so important to our future as Montana hunters and anglers. The plan calls for protecting our public lands from efforts to take over and eventually sell it off, ensuring the public can get to public lands, and encouraging others to come enjoy our natural wonders. At the same time, Bullock supports sound forest management and has stepped up with efforts like the Forests in Focus initiative to conduct thinning and restoration in key areas near communities.
First and foremost is protecting our federal public lands. Proponents of the idea to transfer these lands to state management paint a rosy picture of generating revenue for state coffers, continued public access for hunting and fishing, and better forest health. Sounds too good to be true and thats because it is.
Our national forests have a mandate for multiple use and that includes considering wildlife habitat and clean streams, along with resource development. State lands have a mandate to generate revenue for our public education system. We dont want federal lands managed like state lands. And of course, a big fire year would be a budget buster for the state and require either massive state tax increases or a sale of lands.
Bullock has consistently stood up against these efforts and pledged to continue to do so. Without these lands, everyday Montanans would lose their favorite elk hunting spot or trout stream. And private land hunters would lose out too, because wildlife comes from these areas onto private farms and ranches.
Second, the access component. Montana has struggled in recent years as some people have gated public roads that lead to public land. It cuts off large swaths of public land for hunters, anglers and hikers, turning some of these areas into exclusive playgrounds for a few.
To address the problem, Bullock has proposed to create an access specialist position who can investigate cases of people blocking public roads that access public land. This can help when these closures are challenged.
Third, Bullock has proposed to fully restore the popular Habitat Montana program, which uses hunter license dollars to buy or protect through easement vital wildlife habitat throughout the state. The program is one of our greatest conservation success stories, yet the last legislature restricted its use to projects already in the works. We need Habitat Montana to protect habitat as well as provide access for hunters, wildlife watchers and others.
Finally, Bullock has proposed to create a position to promote our outdoor recreation economy. As Montanans we know that our public lands add incredibly to our quality of life. But they also help bring people to our state, adding an important element to our states overall economy.
Bullocks plan will help us maintain our incredibly outdoor heritage while boosting our states economy. Future generations will thank us for having such foresight.
When Gov. Steve Bullock took office he inherited a general fund balance of $537 million; now he has spent it down to an expected $100 million and the next legislative session faces a deficit where revenues will not exceed expenses!
It will take strong leadership to right the ship next session, both in the legislature and the governors office. Unfortunately, our current governor seems not to be invested in our base Montana industries that are all seeing a downturn.
Actual revenue for fiscal year 2016 dropped $141.5 million below projections.
At the end of the 2015 session, and the beginning of fiscal year 2016, the state had $455 million in the bank and, at one point, we were projected to have more than $300 million left in the bank by the end of the current biennium. Projections have steadily been revised downward. Now, we could be looking at an ending fund balance of just $100 million. Thats a $200 million decline.
Yet, as hes running for re-election, Bullock continues to try and paint a rosy picture of Montanas economy and fiscal situation. He is still saying that Montana has a $300 million rainy day fund. With all due respect to the governor, we had a $300 million ending fund balance, but you spent it.
The governors handling of state finances may have now put the state in deficit position.
The reality is that our natural resource industries are struggling and its causing problems in for our state budget. Coal production in Montana is down by one-third this year. We just saw the closure of two major timber mills in Columbia Falls. The Bakken boom has faded. Hundreds of Montanans in these industries have lost their jobs. If President Obamas Clean Power Plan is fully implemented, Montana could lose more than 7,000 jobs and $145 million in revenue by 2025.
With Montana facing these headwinds, we need strong leadership that will stand up for Montanas interests. Bullock has not taken strong action to defend natural resource jobs. He says he supports coal, but he has endorsed the anti-coal Hillary Clinton for president. As attorney general, he voted against the Otter Creek Coal Mine that would have created 4,400 jobs and provided Montana with millions in revenue.
On timber, the governor has yet to release the entire $5 million that the legislature provided him in Hazardous Fuel Reduction Funds. He also waited more than two years to enter into a Good Neighbor Agreement with the federal government under the current farm bill. Both of these tools could be used to increase timber harvests.
Besides seeking to help the natural resource industries, the legislature has attempted to leverage increased revenues and a large rainy day fund by passing legislation designed to help grow Montanas economy. We passed three tax relief bills during the last session. These bills would have meant more money in your pocket to spend and stimulate the economy. Bullock vetoed those bills.
The legislature, in the last two sessions, has passed much-needed infrastructure bills that also met the governors veto. While he tries to cite fiscal responsibility as the reason for those vetoes, that hasnt stopped state spending from increasing more than 20 percent during the governors term.
Governor Bullock came into office with revenues on the rise, but has squandered opportunities to defend our natural resource industries and grow Montanas economy. Now revenues are declining. Its time for a new chief executive.
Throughout the 20th century the United States has led the world welcoming refugees. President Obamas goal of accepting 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of September is reckless. U.S Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power has stated that the number of new entrants should be further expanded while Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, wants the United States to accept 100,000 Syrian refugees. There seems to be no end in sight to this blatant irresponsibility.
Candidate for governor Greg Gianforte, along with other sitting governors, is objecting to the Obama administrations resettlement surge because they feel it lacks adequate vetting and jeopardizes the security of our nation and their home states. Among those governors objecting to this policy is New Hampshires Maggie Hassan, a Democrat.
FBI Director James Comey, testifying before Congress, pointed out that the federal government does not have the necessary background information to conduct proper security checks on Syrian nationals. CIA Director John Brennan has also warned that ISIS is using refugee streams to move operatives around the world.
Gianforte understands that a governors legal authority on this issue is somewhat limited. However, I agree with his position that to ensure the safety of Montana citizens, a state must push back against wrongheaded federal policy with every legal tool available. As governor, Greg Gianforte would fight and bring people together to resist adverse policies that do damage to Montana. Legal options available to a governor include the courts, his influence with congress or leadership from the bully pulpit. As I see it, our current governor seems willing to allow proper vetting and national security to take a back seat to partisan politics.
Edward Regan,
Townsend
HELENA The Montana Supreme Court has unanimously overturned a Great Falls man's incest conviction, saying he should have had access to crucial information about his daughter's mental illness that would have allowed him to challenge whether she was telling the truth.
The court ordered a new trial last week, noting a prosecutor heavily redacted a report written by the child's neuropsychologist before turning it over to the defense, and that the judge sealed the child's medical records without reviewing them.
Justices said Deputy Cascade County Attorney Jennifer Quick did not tell the judge or the defense that the medical records contained evidence clearly favorable to the man's defense. The records stated that the girl suffered from psychosis, lied because of a mental disorder and may have made and recanted another allegation of sexual abuse.
The court said the prosecution should have disclosed the details from the records to the father so the judge could have ruled whether they were admissible.
"We realize that child abuse is one of the most difficult crimes to prosecute," Justice Laurie McKinnon wrote in a 5-0 ruling issued on Aug. 24.
McKinnon suggested the prosecution may have been trying to protect the girl from an alleged abuser and the release of deeply personal information about her but said the defendant had a right to due process, adding that justices "are not convinced that this has occurred here."
Chief appellate defender Chad Wright said the father, who is serving a 50-year prison sentence, will be turned over to the custody of Cascade County as the retrial process begins. County Attorney John Parker and Quick did not return telephone phone messages left Thursday seeking comment.
The girl was 5 years old and living with her maternal grandfather, who was her permanent guardian, when she visited her father in Great Falls in late 2012. Soon after she reported that he had sexually abused her, court records said.
The Associated Press is not naming the father to avoid identifying the child.
The father's lawyers sought the girl's medical records because she had been diagnosed with a disorder that made it difficult for her to establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers. She had lived with her grandfather since she was 3, but court records did not say why.
The father wanted to present expert testimony that a child with that diagnosis might also lie. The court ordered the state to turn over the medical records.
Just before the start of the May 2014 trial, Quick said the state was not comfortable turning over the records until the judge reviewed them. Then the state moved to seal them. District Judge Kenneth Neill granted the state's motion without reviewing the records, justices said. Neill is now retired.
The record given to the defense contained just one statement about the attachment disorder diagnosis, saying it was mostly likely caused by "early neglect or even possible abuse."
The only direct evidence against the father was the daughter's testimony.
"With the significant redactions made by the state in (the girl's) medical records, the defense was unable to seriously challenge her testimony and the jury had little reason to doubt her memory or truthfulness," the justices wrote.
The ruling added that "the prosecutor exploited this throughout her closing argument" by saying the girl was in a stable and loving home and there was no evidence she exhibited any symptoms of lying.
The records that the father obtained after the trial said the girl's living situation was not stable and that she was taking a mood stabilizing medication.
A psychiatrist had considered prescribing the girl an anti-psychotic because she lost contact with reality at times, the records said. A neuropsychologist said the child's condition was so severe she might need to be treated in a children's psychiatric hospital and the girl's grandparents had also complained about her lying, the records said.
BUTTE- A wildfire in the rugged mountains east of Elk Park expanded to 344 acres Wednesday afternoon nearly five times the 69 acres reported on Tuesday.
Thirty-seven people are fighting the blaze, which up until Tuesday was being monitored daily by the Forest Service, but didnt have manpower at the scene.
The Forest Service news release said moderate fire activity over the past few days, along with more accurate mapping aided by a reconnaissance flight, determined that acreage had increased to 344.
A hotshot crew, two engines and one helicopter making water drops are assigned to the fire, which is believed to have started during an intense lightning storm that blew through the Butte area on Aug. 7. The blaze wasnt detected until Aug. 13, when a passer-by on Interstate 15 reported it.
As of Wednesday night, containment was at zero, according to the press release. The fire, about 11 miles northeast of Butte, is burning in heavy standing and down dead timber. The Forest Service reported earlier this week that the area is steep and rocky.
The hot shot crew that arrived Wednesday worked with engine crews to assess and create defensible space around private structures to the south and north of the fire. A Type I helicopter is dropping water along the southeastern portion of the fire.
Firefighters will work to stop the fires spread to the south and west, and to protect private property and structures. Firefighters also will remove hazard trees and heavy fuels and install hose lays and pumps as part of structure protection and preparation.
No closures are planned at this time. Due to fire traffic and narrow roads, fire officials are requesting only residents travel on the Nez Perce Road.
Warm, dry weather is expected to continue over the next couple of days. By Monday, Labor Day, however, a cold front will bring showers and cooler temperatures, including a near high of 55.
BILLINGS - Yellowstone County is asking a judge to rule in its favor without a trial in a civil lawsuit filed against it by the family of Loren Benjamin Simpson, who was fatally shot last year by sheriffs deputies near Huntley.
This week, the county filed documents in U.S. District Court in Billings seeking summary judgment on behalf of the county, Sheriff Mike Linder and former deputies Jason Robinson and Christopher Rudolph.
Mediation in the case has not been successful, both parties said Wednesday.
Kevin Gillen, Yellowstone County deputy attorney, said in court records that the officers have qualified immunity from federal constitutional claims, which means they are not liable for civil damages.
Nathan Wagner, a Missoula attorney who represents Simpsons family, said he opposes the motions and will be filing a response.
Simpson, 28, died on Jan. 8, 2015, as he approached two deputies on White Buffalo Road in Huntley while driving a Ford Explorer that had been reported stolen. The two deputies fired at the vehicle with a shotgun and AR-15 rifle. Simpson was struck multiple times, including being hit by a fatal shot in the back of the head.
After the shooting, the deputies told investigators they felt threatened by the vehicle coming toward them. Both deputies resigned five days after the shooting.
A coroners inquest in February ruled unanimously that the deputies did not act criminally in Simpsons shooting death.
Gillen said the county is always interested in settling cases. And despite the countys motions for summary judgment, Gillen said, Were still in the process of discussing settlement if we can.
Even if the judge rules for the county on the federal claims, Gillen said the county still faces state claims alleging negligence, wrongful death and other allegations.
Wagner also said regardless of whether the county is successful on the federal claims, the case will go forward on the state claims.
The case began in state District Court and was moved into federal court. A trial date has not been set.
The county said the deputies have qualified immunity from federal claims.
It was reasonable for them to believe under the circumstances that the deadly force they used against Loren Simpson would not have violated Simpsons right against excessive use of force under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, the county said.
When Simpson drove his vehicle in the direction of Robinson, it was reasonable for Robinson and Rudolph to believe that Simpson posed a threat of death or serious bodily injury to Robinson that allowed them to use deadly force against Simpson, the county said.
Qualified immunity provides a government employee sued for monetary damages under federal Constitutional claims with immunity if it was reasonable for the employee to believe his actions would not violate a clearly established statutory or constitutional right, the county said.
The sheriff also is entitled to qualified immunity, the county said. Linder responded to scene of the shooting, reviewed the dash camera video of the shooting with command staff, met with county litigators and determined that the deputies actions were against "best practices" of the sheriffs office, the county continued.
Linder decided to begin disciplinary proceedings, but before that could begin, the deputies resigned.
Because it was reasonable for Linder to believe it was constitutional to do what he did, he is immune from liability, the county said.
Wagner disagreed. The county, he said, is trying to excuse the conduct of the officers by relying on recent case law indicating that if there is any benefit of the doubt, it will be given to officers. We dont think that applies, he said.
Qualified immunity is intended to give officers the benefit of the doubt if they were acting reasonably, Wagner said.
The deputies were not in danger, Wagner said. The only one in danger was Loren, he said.
The video, Wagner said, shows how Simpson swerved to avoid the deputies. They emptied their rifles into the vehicle. That is not a qualified immunity situation in our view, he said.
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After more than two years of planning, Anaconda has a new urban renewal agency and its ready to start funding projects.
The Anaconda Urban Renewal Agency also known as the Anaconda Central Business Tax Increment Finance District formed in January 2014 after a previous URA ended in 2012.
Jim Davison, the executive director for the Anaconda Local Development Corporation and also the URAs expectant administrator, said 2016 is the first year the URA will use money it has generated from tax increment financing to fund infrastructure improvements in an area than runs along Park and Commercial avenues.
Simply said, tax increment financing is a system that local governments use to finance projects in an area they have designated as blighted and want to target for revitalization.
While the funding systems contains the word tax, TIF districts do not mean tax increases.
Instead, officials that oversee TIF districts measure how much tax revenue is generated within their district in a baseline year. Afterwards, they make projections on how much additional revenue they think the district will generate beyond the baseline as a result of infrastructure improvements. Using these projections, TIF districts borrow money and allocate funds toward projects they think will revitalize their target area. Projects can include everything from a business owner who wants to repaint the facade of a building to as in Buttes case the construction of a multi-million-dollar parking garage.
Davison said so far the URA has generated a lot of interest.
Already the agency has received about 32 applications for funding from organizations and business owners, representing $155,000 in requested funds and $460,000 in total project costs. (The URA offers up to a 50-50 match, so some of that $460,000 would be supplied by the applicants).
The URA has a 2016 budget of $82,000, so not all of the applicants will get money. But Davison and URA Vice Chair Jamie Roessler said there have been two lucky winners so far, including the citys Ancient Order of Hibernians, which received $6,000 to repaint its hall on the 300 block of Commercial Avenue, and the new Smelter City Brewing, Main and Commercial, which retrieved $30,000 for basic infrastructure improvements and roof repair.
TIF funding may seem well intentioned, but does it really work?
Davison says yes, pointing out that there are URA districts across the United States that have a proven track record of success.
Theres too much history in not only the state but the nation, said Davison.
TIFs first started being used in California in the 1950s. They became legal in Montana in 1974.
The beauty is here youre reinvesting tax money into the district, Roessler added.
For Davison and Roessler, revitalizing Anacondas downtown is worth it because it means keeping the heart of the town intact.
Even when youre a small town When your school and your gas station and your little store and maybe even your bar goes away, then the core of your community goes away, said Davison.
Davison and Roessler say Anacondas URA is part of a larger strategy of revitalizing the downtown.
Like Butte and many post-industrial towns across the United States, Anaconda has experienced economic woes over the years, including in the 1980s when the Anaconda Company shut down the smelter, putting hundreds of people out of work.
To revitalize their downtown, Davison said Anaconda has been employing several strategies, including beautifying the district with trees to encourage foot traffic and funding popup businesses using a $12,000 USDA grant.
Davison added that the city has received another USDA grant to the tune of $16,000 to help retiring business owners sell their business to a family member or investor. The idea is to help them get the most out of their business and to keep the businesses capital within the community, he said.
TEEN REPORTS ATTACK
A 14-year-old male reported two males jumped from a vehicle and one of the suspects attacked him on the 5100 block of South Warren Avenue on Tuesday. The teen suffered a bloody nose. The suspect has blonde hair and was wearing green Nike sweats. The vehicle was possibly a maroon three-quarter-ton Dodge Ram.
BOOKED ON ASSAULT
Brandon Bricker, 33, of Butte was arrested and booked on misdemeanor assault after he allegedly attacked the male cousin, 46, of a former girlfriend. Police say Bricker showed up at a home on the 2600 block of Harvard Avenue looking for the female. Police say the victim was punched and the two men scuffled before the suspect fled. Bricker was found in the area of Lowell Avenue and George Street.
ASSAULT WITH WEAPON
Chandra Fury, 32, and Emilio Lopez, 23, both of Butte, were arrested for allegedly wielding weapons in a dispute over a vehicle about 10 p.m. Tuesday. Fury told police she had a stun gun, but she didnt use it on a female behind the wheel of a green Honda in the area of Oregon Avenue and Marcia Street. The vehicle's owner was unknown.
Police say the victim, who was not injured, believed Lopez had a gun under his shirt and felt threatened. The suspects were caught in the Honda on Missouri Avenue and arrested. They were each booked on felony assault with a weapon. Fury was found with suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in her purse, and faces drug charges. Lopez was wanted on a misdemeanor warrant for theft.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
+ Alan Griego, 37, was arrested for disorderly conduct at the St. James Healthcare emergency room on Tuesday after he allegedly attempted to punch and kick staff and police. Police said the homeless man used profanity and was intoxicated.
+ Theresa Stenger, 35, of Butte was taken into police custody late Tuesday on misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Police say she was intoxicated and arguing in a hallway of the Lincoln Hotel, 207 W. Park St.
THEFT
A Taurus 9mm pistol was reported missing from the console of a 2014 Chrysler 200 parked on the first block of West Park Street about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The owner estimated the value at $900.
A Butte judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a former state doctor who was stripped of his license for alleged drug use after failing to appear for a court hearing in August.
Meanwhile, Mark Jay Catalanello, 56, pleaded guilty earlier in August in Anaconda district court to DUI and drug possession charges.
City court judge Glen Granger issued a bench warrant Aug. 10 for Catalanello, who faces two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, also a misdemeanor, stemming from separate incidents in Rocker in March.
The Anaconda man denied on March 8 in Butte city court that he made threats and used profane language at Living Water Coffee Co. and the It Club. Prosecutors also allege that after Catalanellos arrest he was found with less than 60 grams of marijuana in the county jail, according to the complaint.
An attorney for Catalanello was not listed in city court records.
In a plea deal with Anaconda-Deer Lodge County prosecutors Aug. 3, Catalanello pleaded guilty in district court to felony criminal endangerment and misdemeanor counts of aggravated driving under the influence and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, according to court documents.
Catalanello, who has a long history of substance abuse, was arrested March 10, after Anaconda police found him attempting to hide in a culvert after fleeing the scene of a two-car collision.
In exchange for his guilty pleas, prosecutors dismissed misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of drug paraphernalia and two traffic violations. As part of the agreement, the state also dismissed two counts each of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors, in justice court.
The latter charges were in connection with a May 25 arrest at the Anaconda jail, where he arrived to post bail for a woman, Victoria Ray Lindley, according to police.
A presentence investigation was ordered by Judge Ray Dayton, with a sentencing date to be determined.
Catalanello was released on his own recognizance, court documents state.
He came under fire last fall when staff at the Butte-based Montana Chemical Dependency Center reported erratic behavior they suspected was in connection to illegal drug use.
At the time, Catalanello served as the medical director of MCDC and as a staff physician at Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs.
The Montana Board of Medical Examiners suspended Catalanellos license in October 2015. In March, the board unanimously voted to permanently ban him from practicing medicine in the state.
According to a press release: What is encaustic? Fifty years before the time of Christ, people used encaustic to seal the wooden hulls on their boats. It is a mixture of beeswax and tree resin. Artists add pigment to this medium and developed it for painting images. A classic case of its use is in ancient Italy where artists used encaustic to paint portraits of the dead on their coffins. Today encaustic suits a fast-paced livingstyle because it dries fast. It is brushed on and together with a heat process it flows like watercolors. Its colorful and long-lasting and lends itself to all manner of experimentation.
After two years of talk, Butte-Silver Bow will soon stream council meetings live on the internet so people can watch them from afar.
But thats only part of a nearly $90,000 upgrade in technology that will bring the council and its workings into the modern era and allow more people to see local government as it works.
It will bring us into the 21st Century, Nate Watson, a systems support specialist for the county, said Wednesday as he and Public Information Officer Jeremy Gatz-Miller demonstrated the new system pushed by Chief Executive Matt Vincent and some commissioners.
There are now two 75-inch TV screens in council chambers of the courthouse so those attending can see presentations and documents being discussed.
All 12 commissioners are getting new Dell laptops that will show those same presentations. The table in the center of the room has a new digital projector that will allow any document to be seen by everyone.
For example, if a citizen gets up to complain about a ticket she got the other day, it can be placed under the projector for all to view.
No longer will county officials and the public have to rely on an antiquated projector - the kind used in grade schools decades ago - or watch the presentations on an old, faded screen that showed the shadows of anyone crossing into the light.
Many presentations over the past few years were scrapped because something did not work right, leaving officials to explain things without charts, pictures or graphics.
There are several cameras in the room now, all showing different views. One shows the left half of the semi-circle of commissioners, another the right half. One shows the whole room, including the audience.
The views can be switched depending on who is speaking.
The meetings will be streamed live on the countys website - www.co.silverbow.mt.us - hopefully in the next few weeks. There might be a trial run at the next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7.
For those watching on the Internet, half their computer screen will show the live proceedings and half will show the meeting agenda so people can follow along.
But perhaps the coolest feature is one that can be used after the meetings are over and from then on.
Not only will the recordings be available any time, people can click to the topic on the agenda or minutes that they are interested in and that part of the meeting will be called up.
Also going by the wayside is an ancient board in council chambers that shows how commissioners vote on this matter or that. It is more than 30 years old and relies on an antiquated punch card to record votes.
Malfunctions often force commissioners to cast their votes again so the board lights up correctly. And the tallies must be removed quickly so another punch card can be put in place for the next vote.
Because of that, citizens and the media must often ask staff for roll calls after the meetings so they know how each commissioner voted.
Tallies will now be recorded digitally and can remain up on the video screens and on outside computers for some time so people can review them that night.
Commissioner Cindy Perdue-Dolan requested early last year that meetings be streamed live and said it could be done at minimal cost.
But Vincent and some commissioners wanted to wait so all the upgrades could be made at once in tandem instead of piecemeal.
In last years budget, commissioners set aside more than $700,000 for upgrades to the countys computer network, including the council improvements. For months now, audio of the meetings has been broadcast live on Butte radio station KBMF-LP 102.5 FM.
Four years ago this was a pipe dream, Gatz-Miller said. It was made pretty clear that some of the commissioners really wanted this to go out (quickly), but it wasnt an overnight deal.
We worked with them to get the radio going first and then we continually pushed this project, he said. Its important for local government, for transparency and engagement. We feel this is going to be a great tool.
Watson said training sessions will be held for staff and commissioners so everyone can get up to speed. It will still take a few weeks to roll out and adjust, he said.
BILLINGS -- ExxonMobil is denying a published report that it has begun seeking a potential buyer for its Billings refinery. The Tuesday report by Reuters even speculated that the 60,000-barrel-per day plant would be worth between $500 million and $700 million.
Reuters, quoting sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reported that potential buyers have even visited the refinery this summer.
In response, ExxonMobil spokesman Dan Carter said the company would not comment on rumors or speculation about the Billings refinery. However, Carter said the company regularly evaluates its global portfolio of businesses and opportunities for growth, restructuring or divestment, in accordance with the companys overall strategic business objectives.
ExxonMobils statement said the company remains committed to conducting business in Montana, as it has for more than 40 years.
Industry sources quoted by Reuters said that major refiners, including Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil, are seeking to unload their smaller refineries that arent associated with petrochemical manufacturing, which can be more profitable.
The Billings ExxonMobil refinery is the companys smallest and it isn't associated with petrochemical manufacturing.
Rumors that ExxonMobil is interested in selling its Billings refinery have surfaced in industry publications in past years, but so far have proven unfounded.
Exxon sold its refinery in Torrance, Calif., to PBF Energy last month. Last year, PBF bought the Chalmette, La., refinery from ExxonMobil and Petroleos de Venezuela, which had owned it jointly, Reuters reported.
The refinery is one of the highest quality plants in the Rocky Mountains, with a fluidized coking unit for refining heavy oil, Reuters reported.
The plant primarily processes crude either imported from Canada or transported from nearby Wyoming.
DEER LODGE Gordon Sellner, the anti-tax protester who shot Missoula County Deputy Sheriff Bob Parcell in 1992, will remain in prison for at least another three years, the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole ruled Wednesday.
Parcell, a deputy based in Seeley Lake, traveled to Deer Lodge to speak against parole for Sellner, as did Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott, Undersheriff Jason Johnson, and former sheriff Doug Chase.
No one at the hearing spoke in support of parole.
Sellner "is a fanatical, delusional individual," Parcell told the parole board Wednesday.
In prison, Sellner "is cared for, he is housed, he doesn't have to worry about that nasty, bad government," Parcell said.
Sellner was convicted in 1996 of attempted deliberate homicide in Parcell's shooting. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years for the use of a weapon.
On June 27, 1992, Parcell stopped the vehicle in which Sellner was riding to talk to him about an assault Sellner had witnessed. Sellner got out and ran into the woods before turning and shooting at Parcell with a .41-caliber pistol, hitting him once in the chest. Parcell was wearing a protective vest.
Sellner lived at his home in the Swan Valley until he was arrested more than three years later in July 1995. Law enforcement officers were hesitant to raid Sellners property, because they feared possible injury to his family members, including several children, who lived on the property.
In September 1997, U.S. District Court Judge Don Molloy sentenced Sellner to an additional three years in federal prison after he was convicted of illegal weapon possession charges for a variety of firearms recovered from his home. That three-year sentence will be served if Sellner is paroled or if his attempted homicide conviction is otherwise discharged.
The Montana Board of Pardons and Parole denied Sellners parole request during his first hearing in August 2011. He will be eligible for parole again in another three years
Residents welcome steps taken in hopes of slowing down speeding motorists on Granite Street near Montana Tech but say theres one problem: They arent working.
Its just a matter of time something bad is going to happen, said Wally Butt, who operates a day-care center with his wife, Lea Ann, at 1223 West Granite St.
County officials say the only added step that makes sense is increasing police presence, and even then, manpower is limited.
But, said Sheriff Ed Lester, We will do what we can.
Butt was among several people who urged commissioners last week to do more to slow down motorists on a hilly stretch of West Granite that includes an intersection with Western Avenue.
After residents and parents of children at the day-care center voiced concerns late last year, the speed limit there was lowered from 25 mph to 15 mph. A cross-walk also was painted where a walking trail goes over the street at Western.
But that hasnt curbed the problem of motorists going 35 mph to 40 mph and even faster, those folks say. They fear it will get worse when apartments being built on West Granite between Ophir and May streets are completed. They will be marketed to students.
Even though the speed limit was lowered, Lee Ann Butt said this week, there are only two dinky signs noting that. She and her husband posted their own official looking sign in a tree on their property hoping it would help.
She suggested that Western and Granite become a four-way stop, with signs also posted on Granite. There are stops signs on Western at that intersection. Perhaps they could put up flashing signs, she said.
Glen Southergill, an engineering professor at Tech and a parent, said children are often in the area.
When it comes to the welfare of our children, what arent we willing to do? he asked commissioners. We know there is a safety issue, we know the location, please help.
Commissioner Cindi Shaw, whose district includes the area, says more needs to be considered. She found out that a speed bump is not allowed there, but steps such as more police patrols should be explored.
Obviously what we did is not working and Im not satisfied, said Shaw, who talked with Lester about the issue. Now we need to find out what else we can do.
Lester said he has two officers who work exclusively on traffic, including enforcement and investigating accidents.
They are spending time this week monitoring the West Granite stretch, but they cant spend it all there. Butte Central started school this week, Lester noted, and Butte High and other schools start next week. School zones are always a priority.
Lester said his department has one squad car that is parked around town with a mannequin at the wheel. It often gets motorists to slow down and it might be parked along Granite, he said.
Officers are often posted intermittently in those same locations keep people guessing. You cant tell if the driver is the real deal until youre real close.
If people are willing to gamble that its a mannequin, then theyre willing to get a citation, Lester said.
Nick Sandford, road manager for Public Works, said a four-way stop at Granite and Western might cause additional problems.
Stop signs should not be used to slow or restrict traffic, he said in an email.
Unwarranted signs often leads motorists to driver faster between intersections to save time; increases chances drivers will disregard pedestrians or other vehicles; and lead motorists to establish other routes through adjacent neighborhoods.
Public Works has looked at this situation and the best solution for compliance would be some concentrated police patrols, he said.
Riverside Contracting of Missoula has applied for a permit to open cut 24 acres in Paradise Valley to extract gravel. They also plan to operate a crusher and asphalt plant at this site 3.5 miles south of Emigrant. Such an operation would endanger the economic viability of Paradise Valley, and here is why:
The largest Park County employment sector is food and accommodations. Recreation and tourism account for 22 percent of labor income in Park County. According to the Yellowstone Gateway Business Coalition, Park County experienced $196 million in non-resident tourism revenue in 2014.
In 2015, 760,166 visitors traveled via the Paradise Valley Highway 89 corridor en route to Yellowstone National Park, making use of area restaurants, retailers and lodging. As the only year-round park entry point, and being strategically placed near I-90, Livingston and Paradise Valley experience a high rate of vehicular traffic. Yellowstone National Park had 4.1 million visitors in 2015, and 2016 visits have increased by 5.6 percent, year to date.
According to Public Opinion Strategies: Montana Business Survey, 73 percent of business owners say we can protect land and water and have a strong economy with good jobs. Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research data show that the majority of vacationers are attracted to Montana for mountains and forests, open space, and rivers.
These statistics demonstrate the viability of recreation related business in Paradise Valley. Within a 1.5-mile radius of the proposed gravel pit and asphalt plant site lie five lodging operations. Within 3 miles are two restaurants with outdoor seating. All of these facilities may suffer economically should a noisy, odor producing industrial operation be allowed so near.
Local property values may deflate. Why would anyone want to buy a home within earshot of a gravel pit with a noisy crushing operation?
At risk are not only the aesthetics, health, purity of air and water but also the values of personal homes and viability of businesses. In 2012, the Park County taxable property value was $38 million. Opposite the proposed site, 14 Yellowstone River waterfront parcels are valued at $9.45 million. There could be a substantial reduction in this value, and in the value of business revenues, should the proposed gravel pit and asphalt plant be allowed to operate. The long-term stability and economic viability of the Emigrant area of Paradise Valley is of greater value than the profits to be made by an out-of-town extraction company that will leave the open-cut area exposed for 20 years.
-- Jerry Ladewig writes on behalf of Emigrant Neighbors, who expect a Department of Environmental Quality decision on the gravel pit permit request soon.
I am supporting Steve Bullock for governor because he has the skills, experience and policy positions to foster a robust economy that allows entrepreneurs to create high-wage jobs across Montana and to make Montana a great place to live and work.
I spent 13 years at RightNow Technologies working closely with Greg Gianforte as chief financial officer, chief operating officer and senior vice president for customer experience. I am proud of what we built at RightNow and give Greg enormous credit for founding the business. That said, I dont believe that his success in business translates to success in public service.
Under Bullock, Montana is ranked as the No. 1 state for entrepreneurship four years in a row. Our wages are the sixth fastest growing in the nation, and more Montanans are employed today than ever before. In the past four years under Steve Bullock, Montana has created 20,000 new jobs. Our unemployment rate is about a full percentage point below the national average. This is because Bullock understands what attracts companies, big and small, to Montana -- a strong public education system, access to public lands, fiscal discipline, responsible investments in infrastructure, and a culture that welcomes all perspectives.
Greg has a record of opposing these things. Regardless of where he is from or how long he has been in Montana, he doesnt share those values or support those policies. Technology companies in particular rely on employees who arent discriminated against. Yet Greg personally fought a non-discrimination ordinance in Bozeman and has donated more than $1 million to extreme anti-LGBT organizations. Many of the organizations Greg helps fund are behind the job-killing discrimination laws in Indiana and North Carolina. These harmful policies cost those states tens of millions of dollars. Let me be clear, those out of touch positions would deter companies, especially technology companies, as well as technology employees, from moving to Montana.
We have seen Gregs position when it comes to public access near his house. He hasnt committed to keep Montanas public school funds in public schools or to expand our public school system to the Pre-K level, something almost every other state in the country already has implemented. His tax proposals would eliminate Montanas fiscal surplus. That surplus has been the underpinning of Montanas highly favorable credit rating, which has translated to very strong bond ratings.
While Greg is spending millions of his own fortune to tout his business credentials, he should be clear with Montanans about RightNow Technologies business model. The purpose of our business was to cut costs for companies, by eliminating and outsourcing jobs overseas with technology solutions for customer service. In conversations with RightNow investors, Greg explained that one of the biggest drivers in our business has been the movement toward outsourcing. In fact, Forbes Magazine actually praised RightNow Technologies for taking the concept of outsourcing to new levels. And while it is true that we had approximately 500 employees in Montana we had another 700 employees in other states and countries as well as outsourced jobs in Armenia and India. This was a very successful business model and produced profits for our owners, including Greg and myself, but it just doesnt provide a model for governing our state.
Montanas business climate is strong and getting stronger. Im proud to have been a part of it and will continue to help it grow. And Im proud to support Steve Bullock, the candidate who has a proven record of getting things doneespecially when it requires putting political differences aside and supporting common sense policies and investments to keep Montana great for future generations.
-- Susan Carstensen is the former Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President for Customer Experience of RightNow Technologies, a fifth generation Montanan and resides in Bozeman.
Civil #: 16-001495
Special Execution
U.S. Bank National Association, As Trustee For Residential Asset Mortgage Products, Inc., Mortgage Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2006-SP4
VS.
Arturo C. Lopez; Maria G. Lopez A/K/A Maria Guadalupe Lopez; U.S. Bank NA S/B/M To U.S. Bancorp Consumer Finance Of Kentucky Inc S/B/M To Firstar Finance S/B/M Mercantile Consumer Loan Company; Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC; H & R Accounts; Ismael Lopez, ET AL.
As a result of the judgment rendered in the above referenced court case, an execution was issued by the court to the Sheriff of this county. The execution ordered the sale of defendant(s) Real Estate Described Below. To satisfy the judgment. The property to be sold is
The North 213.8 feet of Lot B, of Graham Subdivision of a Part of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 28, in Township 76 North, Range 2 West of the 5th Principal Meridian, situated in the County of Muscatine, State of Iowa.
Property Address: 2406 57th St., Muscatine, IA 52761
The described property will be offered for sale at public auction for cash only as follows:
Sale Date: 10/04/2016
Sale Time: 9:30 am
Place of Sale: Muscatine County Jail Lobby, 400 Walnut Street, Muscatine
This sale not subject to redemption.
Property exemption: Certain money or property may be exempt. Contact your attorney promptly to review specific provisions of the law and file appropriate notice, if applicable.
Judgment Amount: $46,653.69
Costs: $9,377.62
Accruing Costs: Plus
Interest: $13,270.61
Sheriffs Fees: Pending
Date: 08/24/2016
Attorney:
Hally Ryherd
1401 50th St., Ste. 100
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515)223-7325
C.J. Ryan
Muscatine County Sheriff
Melissa Hurlbut
Civil Deputy
MUSCATINE, Iowa One of Muscatine Power and Water's power plants will be out of operation for few days while fire damage is repaired the Board of Water, Electric, and Communications Trustees were told during Tuesdays meeting.
General Manager Sal LoBianco said that the small fire resulted from bearing lubrication and occurred Tuesday afternoon in Unit Number 9.
"It's not the first time we've had this situation," LoBianco told the board. "No one was hurt."
An equipment failure just after noon Tuesday caused lubricant to leak onto hot pipes which caused the fire. Firefighters used three different types of fire extinguishers to put out the fire since water would have caused further damage to the plant.
Power Production and Supply Director Gage Huston added that the Muscatine Fire Department responded "quickly and accurately."
Customers will not see a decline of service as a result of the fire.
The board was also informed during the meeting that all three utilities performed well in July with expenses lower than expected. Another bright spot was in the Defined Benefit Employee Pension Plan at Muscatine Power and Water which also reported a positive gain through July.
Plans for Public Power Week are being put together with the board authorizing a request to the City Council to proclaim Oct. 2-8 as Public Power Week. A 5K run will be part of the week long event.
The board also presented a plaque to former board member Warren Heidbreder for his 12 years of service and acknowledged the approximately 125 employees who took part in a successful Customer Appreciation Day last Saturday.
FINANCIAL REPORT
All three utilities at Muscatine Power and Water performed well into the black during July as well as the year to date through July.
The Electric Utility was budgeted to post a July profit of $700,812, but the actual profit was $1,042,341. Finance and Administrative Services Director Jerry Gowey said July revenue was 2.2 percent below budget, but expenses were down six percent. For the year to date, the Electric Utility bested the budgeted loss of $1,737,464 by posting a profit of $676,087.
A July profit of $39,042 was budgeted for the Water Utility, but the actual profit was $138,412. Gowey said revenue was half a percent below budget while expenses were 17.5 percent below budget. For the year to date, a loss of $179,399 was budgeted, but a profit of $450,207 was posted.
July profit of $118,766 was budgeted for the Communications Utility with the actual profit $198,553. Revenue was 2.5 percent above budget while expenses were 2.8 percent below, Gowey reported. For the year to date, profit of $807,758 was budgeted, but the actual profit was $1,195,795.
PENSION PLAN REPORT
The Defined Benefit Employee Pension Plan at Muscatine Power and Water continues to recover from the economic crisis that embroiled the nation in 2008. After that economic downturn, the board has required regular reports from the plan administrator, Principal Financial Group of Des Moines. At the end of July, the account stood at $62.3 million.
"We have eked out about a $2.5 million gain for the year," Principal Senior Investment Consultant Steve Geadelmann reported.
Geadelmann said the year has been marked by a lot of volatility, record low yields internationally, and record high yields in the United States following Brexit.
"We think our base case is for continued slow growth," he said.
PUBLIC POWER WEEK
A five kilometer run/walk will return as part of the celebration of Public Power Week. The board unanimously approved a request to the mayor and city council to designate Oct. 2-8 as Public Power Week, and LoBianco said the 5K is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 8.
"This year our employees want to bring back the power run," LoBianco told the board.
LoBianco also praised the approximate 125 employees who volunteered to assist with last Saturday's Customer Appreciation Day, the first since 2008.
PAST TRUSTEE HONORED
The board paid tribute to one of its former members. Warren Heidbreder, who stepped down from the board in June, was presented with a plaque Tuesday evening.
"Warren had a great way of keeping other board members out of the weeds," said Board Member Doyle Tubandt, who presented the plaque.
Heidbreder joined the board in July of 2004.
"It's really been an honor to serve the customer owners of Muscatine Power and Water," he said Tuesday evening. "It's been fun. Thank you all very much."
Keith Porter, Heidbreder's replacement on the board, commented he is "humbled and honored" to succeed Heidbreder.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
The board ratified payment of July expenditures and transactions totaling $10,136,535.
The board approved a recommendation to rebuild the Wiggins Road Station transformer at a cost of $457,500. Utility Service Delivery Director Tim Reed said a new transformer would cost $600,000-$659,000.
The board went into closed session to discuss personnel matters, collective bargaining negotiation strategy, and real estate appraisal/land purchase.
MUSCATINE, Iowa A cardboard boat successfully crossed the Muskie Pond and made it back Wednesday afternoon.
Muscatine High School seniors and Advance Placement Physics II students Josue Oyervides, Ben Reznicek, Scott Schafer and Eric Patino built the boat using mainly cardboard and PVC pipe.
MHS students, teachers and parents gathered on the shores of the pond to see if the boat could successfully cross and return.
After crossing to the other side of the pond and turning around, a hole began to open along the rear seam of the boat.
"Paddle, Paddle!" the four students shouted.
Onlookers cheered when they reached the shore.
Schafer said he had his doubts when the students began the project, but he was glad they succeeded.
"I felt a lot more reassured until we got in the water and then it was iffy until we finished, so finishing it felt really good," he said.
The teacher for the class, Pam Joslyn, said the boat project has been part of her curriculum for several years, and the hands-on learning has been important to her classes.
"I have to try to coordinate with the physics to do a lot more real world, we're trying to do a lot more engineering practices with all of the students in physics," she said.
Joslyn said she has been working to ensure that standards are met, while continuing to do projects.
"So this works really well with the AP II curriculum, because we kick off right away with fluids and buoyancy," she said.
Joslyn said the activities outside the classroom are important for her students, keeping them engaged while they learn.
"This allows them to basically apply what they're learning and have a little bit of fun at the same time," she said.
Jodi Reznicek said she is glad her son, Ben Reznicek, has opportunities like building the boat.
"It's just a great opportunity for them to take everything that they learn in school and be able to apply it, and actually make something real so that they can test what they've learned," she said.
Schafer said he enjoyed spending time outside of class with the boat, and Patino said the activity helped him apply what he had learned.
The four said they spent around three hours per day for a week building the boat, but the process was fun.
Oyervides said he has enjoyed hands-on activities in physics classes.
"I love them," he said.
MUSCATINE, Iowa A Muscatine man has been sentenced to 72 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
Adam Randal Shouse, 31, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose Monday, Aug. 29, according to a press release from United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel.
Shouse was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund, according to the press release.
On March 3, 2015, officers conducted a search warrant at Shouses residence in Muscatine, and located five stolen firearms in the residence. Shouse has a felony conviction for Possession with Intent to Deliver in 2003.
According to the plea agreement, on February 23, 2015, officers were notified of a burglary in Bennett, Iowa, where a safe containing approximately fifteen firearms was stolen. The safe was taken to a residence in Moscow, Iowa, where it was cut open and the guns were divided among the participants, including Shouse.
This matter was investigated by the Muscatine Police Department, Muscatine County Sheriffs Department, Muscatine Drug Task Force, Wilton Police Department, Cedar County Sheriffs Department, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Scott County Sheriffs Department, Whiteside County Sheriffs Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Project Safe Neighborhood initiative.
After an impressive 81.8% increase in applications, Texas State University increased its enrollment by a healthy 21.9%. With 98% of the student body from in-state, the school has done well in appealing to local Texans.
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 Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has published its take-down statistics for the last decade, which reveal that copyright and trademark infringement are the main reasons for taking down content in South Africa.
ISPA has a Take-Down Notice (TDN) process in place to allow for unlawful content to be reported operating the TDN process on behalf of all ISPA members.
The take-down notice process is simple and free, and works as follows:
ISPA receives a take-down notice from a concerned party.
ISPA checks if the complaint includes all needed information and if the service provider against whom the complaint is being made is an ISPA member.
ISPA forwards the complaint to the service provider and provides guidelines on what their options are.
The service provider decides whether to take the content down or to reject the notice.
ISPAs take-down notice system has many benefits, which includes protecting hosts against legal action for the content they host.
ISPA take-down statistics
ISPA publishes the number of TDNs filed with it each year and certain information about the outcome and categories of the notices.
The majority of accepted TDNs relate to copyright and trademark infringement, fraud, malware, and phishing.
Defamation, hate speech, harassment, and invasion of privacy also feature prominently as reasons for TDN requests.
The graphs below provide details about South Africas TDNs over the last decade. (Click to enlarge.)
More on ISPA
ISPA 20 years old and going strong
Net neutrality in South Africa must be protected: ISPA
How ISPA pioneered Internet Exchanges in South Africa
MEXICO CITY On Mexican soil for the first time as the Republican presidential nominee, a firm but measured Donald Trump defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, standing up for the centerpiece of his immigration plan in a country where he is widely despised.
Trump, who previously derided Mexico as a source of rapists and criminals, praised Mexicans Wednesday as amazing people following a closed-door meeting at the official residence of the countrys president, Enrique Pena Nieto. Trump and the Mexican president, who has compared the New York billionaire to Adolf Hitler, addressed reporters from adjacent lecterns before a Mexican flag.
The trip, 10 weeks before Americas presidential Election Day, came just hours before the Republican nominee was to deliver a highly anticipated speech in Arizona about illegal immigration. That has been a defining issue of his presidential campaign, but also one on which hes appeared to waver in recent days
With political risks high for both men, Trump stayed on script, declining to repeat his promise to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border between the two countries when pressed by reporters.
Having a secure border is a sovereign right and mutually beneficial, he said, reading from prepared remarks. We recognize and respect the right of any country to build a physical barrier or wall on any of its borders to stop the illegal movement of people, drugs and weapons. Cooperation toward achieving this shared objective and it will be shared of safety for all citizens is paramount to both the United States and to Mexico.
Trumps presence on Wednesday, his first meeting with a head of state abroad as a presidential candidate, sparked anger and protests across Mexicos capital city. A former Mexican president bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Pena Nietos hospitality, he was not welcome.
We dont like him. We dont want him. We reject his visit, former President Vicente Fox told CNN, calling the trip a political stunt.
Pena Nieto was less combative as he addressed reporters alongside Trump. He acknowledged the two men had differences and defended the contribution of Mexicans working in the United States, but he described the conversation as open and constructive. He and Trump shook hands as the session ended.
After saying during his Republican primary campaign he would use a deportation force to expel all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally, Trump suggested last week he could soften that stance. But he still says he plans to build a huge wall paid for by Mexico along the two nations border. He was under pressure to clarify just where he stands in the speech that had been rescheduled several times.
Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, told CBS earlier in the day that Trump would make clear that there will be no path to legalization, no path to citizenship. People will need to leave the country to be able to obtain legal status or obtain citizenship.
The buildup to the speech was abruptly interrupted Tuesday night by the news that Trump would visit Mexico, accepting on short notice an invitation offered last week by Pena Nieto. The newspaper El Universal wrote in an editorial that Trump caught Mexican diplomats off guard.
Campaigning in Ohio earlier in the day, Democrat Hillary Clinton jabbed at Trumps Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nations chief diplomat.
People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you wont say one thing one day and something totally different the next, she told the American Legion in Cincinnati. And it certainly takes more than trying to make up for a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again.
He has promised, if elected, to deport millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally, force Mexico to build a wall to secure the nearly 2,000-mile border and renegotiate the NAFTA trade agreement to make it more favorable to the United States.
Pena Nieto suggested there was room to improve the trade deal, which Trump described as unfair to American workers. The New York businessman promised to promote trade deals that would keep jobs in the Western Hemisphere.
Pena Nieto made his invitation to both Trump and Clinton, who met with him in Mexico in 2014. The inclusion of Trump puzzled many in Mexico, who said it wasnt clear why their own unpopular president would agree to meet with someone so widely disliked in his country.
Pena Nieto has been sharply critical of Trumps immigration policies, particularly the Republicans plans to build a wall and have Mexico pay for it. In a March interview, he said that there is no scenario under which Mexico would do so and compared Trumps language to that of dictators Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
Pena Nieto did not repeat such criticism on Wednesday, but acknowledged Trumps comments had hurt and affected Mexicans.
The Mexicans deserve everyones respect, he said.
LOS ANGELES Tarantulas are out looking for love, and hikers in Southern Californias Santa Monica Mountains are warned to watch out for the hairy spiders.
Tarantula mating season has begun, and it will last through the end of October, the National Park Service said Thursday.
That means the giant arachnids will spend the next two months weaving webs just above ground, outside the females burrow, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Because females typically stay inside, if a hiker comes across a tarantula on a footpath, its probably a male on the lookout for a mate, experts say. Males have been known to search for up to four miles to find a female.
Though they have fangs and carry poison, tarantulas are not considered a serious threat to humans.
The spiders move slowly so hikers can take pictures, but humans shouldnt touch or otherwise harass the creatures, said Kate Kuykendall, a spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Mountains.
While female tarantulas can live for up to 25 years, the average lifespan of the male is only seven or eight years, so their annual chances to spread their genes is limited. To make matters worse, female tarantulas have been known to eat the males if they linger too long after copulation, the Times said.
In todays fast-paced world where many businesses seem to be growing more detached from their communities, with distant corporate ownership and generic products and services, Alans in St. Helena is bucking the trend.
Located between Main Street and Oak Avenue, just behind St. Helena Hotel at 1310 Oak Ave., Alans has provided framing, photographic and design services to Napa Valley customers since 1977.
We often have long-term relationships with those we serve, said Alan Fowler, founder of the company.
Were a small community without many of the big-box stores, and I think thats always been one of the attractions of this place. What we try and offer is one-on-one personalized service, working with our customers, understanding their unique needs, dreams and time frames.
Fowler grew up in Southern California, married and eventually migrated to St. Helena in the mid-1970s. After completing his degree in small-business management at Sonoma State University, he took what might have seemed an odd job at the time.
My wife and I were struggling, we were on food stamps and the whole shooting match, said Fowler.
But lo and behold thats when a friend told me about a possible job, saying there was a guy, Homer Denton, who owned the local yarn shop. Homer had a framing business and he needed help. So I took the job and absolutely fell in love with the business. Later, I bought the framing business from Homer.
The frame shop remained at its original location on Main Street until 2008, when increasing rents drove Fowler to relocate to the current address, which is a beautiful and ivy-covered stone building with few windows and heavy-hung doors.
We think the building was built in the late 1880s and was used for grain storage, Fowler said.
But for us, we have found the space to be an ideal location and environment with a nice large parking lot. Inside, the space is intimate and friendly Its not your typical retail space. The stone and wood structure provides warmth and a welcoming environment, kind of like coming home. We have color balanced the lighting to provide very similar lighting to what you might find in your own home. Proper lighting is very important to our work.
Beyond Alans framing business, he has partnered with graphic-design expert Angela Lagle to create a place where customers who are looking for solutions for nearly any creative project can come.
Of course, we can help our customers with their custom-framing needs, but we also offer the ability to print photos, process film, scan slides, even restore old or new photographs, said Fowler.
With our 44-inch printer with 120-foot rolls we are also able to create prints ranging from small to large, even long-mural-styled printouts. We also have the largest selection of frame and matting samples in all of Northern California. And with Angelas expertise in graphic design, we help clients with web and logo creation, develop marketing materials for print and web, and design packaging and style guides. We can even help develop brand identity.
Working with Alan has been a wonderful experience, said Lagle.
And our customers, many of whom are longtime clients, bring in such interesting projects that we are kept on our toes. We also provide other services, too, including taking passport photos, notary services we even have an instant photo kiosk where customers can print photos directly from their smartphones. For those who need professional product photographs, such as those of wine bottles or labels, we provide this service, too.
Beyond the many useful offerings, what makes Alans especially compelling seems to be the exceptional service and level of quality.
Alans has a way of taking a project to the next level, transforming it into a record of a moment in time, said Jordan Felling, owner of Pollinate, an experience-design firm, and former chief of staff for Garen Staglin, owner of Staglin Family Winery.
After many of our wine events, the Staglins might say, Just take this down to Alan. Id bring down a pile of menus and photos from a wine event, and when Id come back hed transformed it into a stunning record of a moment in time. And now, working with Angela, weve even come up with the marketing imagery and material for my new company, Pollinate. For wineries, many bring in a wine bottle for a professional photo but then have them create tasting sheets, collateral and even get info ready for the website. This is basically a one-stop shop.
As if on cue, during a recent interview, a woman entered the shop and Fowler excused himself to greet her warmly, as one might welcome an old friend.
I just wanted to give you this, the woman said, thrusting out a box of locally made Woodhouse chocolates.
Thank you, but what is this for? he asked, taking the box.
Just a small gift to thank you for that rush job you did for me last week, she said.
You didnt have to do that, said Fowler, obviously touched by the encounter.
I know, but neither did you, she said.
The woman was Napa Valley resident Stephanie Gamble.
Whenever I come into the shop Alan is so kind and friendly, which I am always grateful for, said Gamble.
Just last week I came in with a special-rush request. I knew they were really busy, but somehow they were able to get my project completed in time and I was able to take a special gift to my cousin, whod lost her mother. And it was this gift, the gift that Alan preserved and framed for me so beautifully, that meant so much. He came through for me and it made all the difference for both me and my cousin.
One of my earlier Local Taste columns, The number of wine producers in the Napa Valley, found nearly 1,200 wine producers that one can visit.
The number is staggering, considering most references list around only 500 wineries, but this smaller number does not include the army of producers selling wine from off-grid tasting rooms that may or may not be permitted.
So how many actual tasting rooms are there throughout the Napa Valley that are not at a winery or hidden away in someones home or vineyard?
First, a little background. Stand-alone tasting rooms are a relatively new phenomenon. Up until the late 1980s visitors to the Napa Valley looking to taste wine would most often do it in the confines of a winery, the wine often being poured by one of the owners to great effect. You may have heard stories that went something like the one a friend of mine likes to tell nearly every new acquaintance or old acquaintance, for that matter. Ive heard it 20 or 30 times.
My wife and I drove up to the Heitz Cellar winery in 1978, and when we did I wasnt even sure it was an active winery, Arthur says. It looked more like a barn then what I imagined a winery should look like.
He explains that they driven past Robert Mondavis winery in Oakville, where a young man had been standing on the highway holding a sign that read Free Tastings Today. Hed looked so earnest they considered stopping but kept driving because the building had a distinctly Spanish-style facade and enormous, industrial-looking silver tanks, which seemed nothing like the classic chateaux they were used to seeing in photos of wineries in France.
So they drove on, eventually passing the majestic Beaulieu Vineyards winery in Rutherford with its stone facade seeming grand and European and its enormous wooden wine barrels clearly visible through the open archways. They didnt stop at Beaulieu Vineyards because it was closed, so they drove on to a small, relatively unknown winery, Heitz Cellars in St. Helena.
My friends wife, Betty, worried that they should knock before entering it didnt seem much more than a one-room house to her. But Arthur knew he had the address right and pushed open the door, where they were warmly greeted by a man with a bright smile and slightly graying temples who stood behind a counter ready to pour wine with his purple-stained hands. The man was Joe Heitz, the proprietor and winemaker.
There was no fee to taste wine, and the three of them stood at a rough wood counter while they sipped the 1974 Marthas Vineyard cabernet, arguably the first vineyard-designated wine in California. They tasted the wine without much fanfare and certainly no T-shirts or hats with the winerys logo available for sale. That experience made a deep impression on my friend, who has been a lifetime fan of that particular wine and winery since, but he also gained a reverence for the land and hardworking farmer-ethos of the place.
Today, tasting rooms are ubiquitous in the Napa Valley. Why? Partly because of a general increase in wine consumption. About 15 years ago a new phenomenon entered the world of winemaking: custom crush, which allows would-be vintners to create their own wine brand to sell without having to own a winery.
Of course, this has always been an option for making wine. Even the now ultra-high-end vintner Harlan Estates wine was once made using a sort of custom-crush facility, and the history of wine production in Northern California and around the world is full of such tales.
But it used to be less common. In the early 2000s, businesses found ways to make custom crush simple, catering to the general populations growing desire to create their own wine, tweaking levels of oak and designing personalized labels. Often it was made with grapes sourced from some of the most exclusive and expensive vineyards in the Napa Valley, like Beckstoffers To-Kalon, with the wines made by expert winemakers and the newly minted vintners overseeing the entire process.
This new accessibility, coupled with the rising price of high-end wine, resulted in even more would-be vintners entering the wine market.
Additionally, grape farmers who historically had little interest in winemaking found that they could increase the value of their own grapes if theyd make a few barrels from their best selection, hoping that these wines might receive high scores in the press, increasing the value of their vineyards.
The combined result was an ever-increasing number of wine brands, many without a tasting facility to showcase the wine. This was a dilemma because selling a few bottles of wine to friends and family is one thing, but if they made more than a barrel or two of wine (each barrel produces about 20 to 25 cases of wine, depending on technique), each producer needed to find more buyers.
Layer on to this that selling direct to consumers is the most profitable channel for any winery and this confluence of factors led to the advent of remote tasting rooms. Beyond this, even existing wineries competing for customers found downtown tasting rooms a way to access a new breed of customers looking for a downtown experience. Blend all these elements and it makes sense that we now have more tasting rooms in the Napa Valley.
According to the same source who is in the middle of documenting the nearly 1,200 wine producers in the Napa Valley one can visit, David Thompsons Napa Wine Project (www.napawineproject.com), there are now at least 55 legitimate non-winery tasting rooms in the Napa Valley. This includes 21 in Napa, 13 in Yountville, seven in St. Helena and 14 in Calistoga. According to my spot check of his numbers, they seem correct, but it also seems that these numbers are changing almost weekly.
Napa County supervisors decided the Bell Wine Cellars expansion issue in part, a tale of two neighbors who disagree seemed too much like a repeat to take up again.
On May 24, the Board of Supervisors declined to reverse a Planning Commission decision approving the Bell project south of Yountville granting more visitors, wine production and remodeling. On Tuesday, it declined a neighbors request to revisit the case.
Its got to be really, really strong for me to reconsider, Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht said. Something brand new has to happen, and I dont see that here.
He and other supervisors decided to avoid revisiting what Wagenknecht called a controversial and painful decision for everyone involved.
Clearly, pain still exists. Michael Clark lives across Hopper Creek from Bell Wine Cellar in an 1840s-era farm house. He has said such noises as the winery chiller/compressor running are simply too noticeable amid the peace and quiet of the country.
Clark told supervisors that he does not believe any of them would want thousands of visitors a year within 160 feet of their homes.
He also expressed a regret involving Bell Wine Cellars co-founder Anthony Bell.
Anthony Bell and I were once very good friends, Clark told supervisors. I will always miss my wonderful conversations with Anthony and Sandra Bell. But friends, to me, are people you can trust and are sympathetic for not only your own needs ...
Board Chairman Alfredo Pedroza interrupted Clark. Stick to the grounds for reconsideration, please, he interjected.
After Tuesdays hearing, Anthony Bell had only a few comments to make on a project that had its first Planning Commission hearing scheduled in August 2014.
We have always for 19 years been a very good neighbor and we dont intend to change that, Bell said.
Bell Wine Cellars is located at 6200 Washington St. It won county permission to increase production from 40,000 gallons annually to 60,000 gallons, increase annual visitation from about 4,000 people to close to 15,000, including marketing events, and to do remodeling.
Attorney John DeMeo on behalf of the appellants urged the county to rehear the case. He described noise problems with the chiller dating back to the early 1990s and said an environmental impact report is needed for the latest proposed changes.
Clark said he had issued two invitations to supervisors to visit him, with only Wagenknecht making an effort to follow through. He would really like a one-on-one conversation with each of them.
DeMeo said the Board of Supervisors should try to avoid another needless lawsuit.
Lets try to use some common sense and work this out the best we can, he said.
But county officials said that, to win a rehearing, Clark had to satisfy at least one of three conditions. He must show that the evidence that supervisors considered doesnt support their decision, show the findings of facts supervisors adopted doesnt support their decision or provide newly discovered evidence.
Supervisors ruled that the appellants didnt satisfy any of these conditions. Given that, they didnt reopen the Bell case.
A new path toward a possible building and construction career will soon open in Napa.
The Trades Introduction Program, conducted by a partnership of construction groups and community colleges, will debut on the Napa Valley College campus with an orientation Oct. 8. Students who attend the meeting and pass an interview will be eligible for the free 10-week program, which runs from November to February and seeks to prepare candidates for state-certified apprenticeship programs in building-related trades.
The program is geared toward preparing people seeking careers in carpentry and the pipe, electrical, sheet-metal and related trades, according to Bill Scott, manager of the Marin County Building and Construction Trades Council that secured a state grant for pre-apprentice training in Napa, Marin and Solano counties.
Providing newcomers a straighter path into construction businesses where numerous workers of the baby-boom generation are nearing the end of their careers is an essential element of adult education, according to Beth Pratt, dean of technical education at the College of Marin. The College of Marin hosts a pre-apprenticeship class that produced its first 19 graduates Aug. 25.
Were seeing the tsunami of people in the building trades who are retiring, and we need to take a better look at what were doing in the K-12 schools and community colleges to rebuild those trades and give people better opportunities at higher wages, said Pratt, who previously served as NVCs associate dean of career technical education.
Five two-year schools are among the sponsors of the Napa training program, including Santa Rosa Junior College and Solano and Mendocino colleges.
NVC is providing classroom space for the pre-apprenticeship course, but not faculty members. Crafting a full-scale vocational program that awards certificates would require two to three years, as well as approval from California Community Colleges and the state Department of Apprenticeship Standards, Erik Shearer, interim vice president of instruction, told NVC trustees during a board meeting last month.
Even in its more limited form, however, building-trades education on the Napa campus could give students a leg up, argued trustee Dan Digardi even those who end up pursuing a different line of education.
There will be 30 candidates who sign up in October, and of those, maybe only a half dozen will have a successful life in the building trades but most of those 30 people may not have felt comfortable walking onto a college campus before, he said. Once theyre here, and they go to the library and the student services (office), they can see what else is offered. Something else will strike, and this is an opportunity for that to happen.
In addition to receiving trainer-led demonstrations in the construction trades, students will be instructed in blueprint reading and technology, math, first aid, CPR and work-safety certification. Candidates also will make connections with Bay Area apprenticeship programs and listen to guest speakers from the industry.
After the October orientation, qualifying students will begin their schooling with a five-day boot camp Nov. 7-11 at the college, followed by evening classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Nov. 3 to Feb. 2. The program also will include a job-site field trip on Jan. 14. Students will receive tools and materials for use during the program, according to organizers.
PHOENIX - Politicians and voting rights advocates continue to clash over whether photo ID and other voting requirements are needed to prevent voter fraud, but a News21 analysis and recent court rulings show little evidence that such fraud is widespread.
A News21 analysis four years ago of 2,068 alleged election-fraud cases in 50 states found that while some fraud had occurred since 2000, the rate was infinitesimal compared with the 146 million registered voters in that 12-year span. The analysis found only 10 cases of voter impersonation, the only kind of fraud that could be prevented by voter ID at the polls.
This year, News21 reviewed cases in Arizona, Ohio, Georgia, Texas and Kansas, where politicians have expressed concern about voter fraud and found hundreds of allegations but few prosecutions between 2012 and 2016. Attorneys general in those states successfully prosecuted 38 cases of vote fraud, though other cases may have been litigated at the county level. At least one-third of those cases involved nonvoters, such as elections officials or volunteers. None of the cases prosecuted was for voter impersonation.
"Voter fraud is not a significant problem in the country," Jennifer Clark of the Brennan Center told News21. "As the evidence that has come out in some recent court cases and reports and basically every analysis that has ever been done has concluded: It is not a significant concern."
Lorraine Minnite, a political scientist at Rutgers University-Camden who wrote a book on the phenomenon in 2010 called "The Myth of Voter Fraud," said in an interview that she hasn't seen an uptick in the crime since. "Voter fraud remains rare because it is irrational behavior," she said. "You're not likely to change the outcome of an election with your illegal fraudulent vote, and the chances of being caught are there and we have rules to prevent against it."
Christopher Coates, former chief of the voting section in the Department of Justice, disagrees. "The claim by the liberal left that there is no voter fraud that is going on is completely false," he told News21. "Anytime that there are people voting that are not legally entitled to vote that's a big issue. It carries with it the potential for deciding elections a way that is contrary to the voting majority of people."
Coates, who now works as the general counsel for the American Civil Rights Union, pointed to a list of voter fraud allegations kept by the Heritage Foundation, a think tank in Washington, D.C. The list, based largely on news clippings and news releases, counted more than 100 allegations of voter fraud in the United States since 2012, only a handful of which were allegations of voter impersonation that could have been prevented by voter ID. The Republican National Lawyers Association also has a list of more than 200 allegations of election fraud of all kinds reported by news outlets since 2012.
The 2016 Republican platform, adopted in July, urges states to require proof of citizenship and photo ID out of concern that "voting procedures may be open to abuse." At the same time, in the summer, several federal courts struck down or revised a number of the state laws requiring specific forms of photo ID at the polls.
In July, U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson struck down parts of Wisconsin's strict voter ID law, concluding that there is "utterly no evidence" that in-person voter impersonation fraud is an issue in Wisconsin, or in the rest of the United States.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told News21 that the number of fraud cases is beside the point. "All it takes is one person whose vote is canceled by someone not voting legally and that's a problem," he said. "I always tell folks who oppose (the ID law) tell me whose vote they want canceled out."
A similarly strict voter ID law was weakened by a federal appeals court in Texas, after a panel of judges determined that the law violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act by discriminating against minority voters. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found that African-Americans were 1.79 times more likely - and Latinos 2.42 times more likely - than whites to lack the required identification.
Kim Strach, director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, testified in a recent court case about North Carolina's voter ID law that she has referred two cases of voter impersonation to prosecutors since 2013.
In July, a federal appeals court for the 4th Circuit decided that the North Carolina law intentionally discriminated against minority voters and ordered the state to make voter ID requirements less strict. In attempting to "combat voter fraud and promote public confidence," the state ignored the issue of absentee ballot fraud, instead cracking down on voter impersonation, a problem "that did not exist," according to the court decision. Absentee ballots are "disproportionately used by whites," the court said, while the voter ID restrictions enacted "target African-Americans with almost surgical precision."
To vote repeatedly in person on election day, someone would have to steal another voter's ballot. Minnite, the Rutgers professor, says that's as difficult as "pickpocketing a cop."
A voter would need to know names, addresses and other identifying information about whoever they were impersonating, she said. Then they would have to show up to the polling place and pretend to be that other person in front of the same elections officials who had likely seen them vote in their own name. Beyond that, they'd have to hope that nobody in the polling place knew the person they were impersonating. That's not to say fraud doesn't happen at all.
In Arizona, 13 cases were prosecuted for double voting. One of those was Mesa resident Regina Beaupre, who was convicted in 2015 after voting in Michigan and Arizona. She was 71 years old. Carol Hannah was similarly caught for voting in Arizona and Colorado. She argued in court that both cases involved local races and didn't constitute double voting, because no candidates appeared on both ballots. An appeals court agreed and threw out the 2015 conviction. Neither of these cases would have been prevented with voter ID.
In 2014, Verna Roehm, a 77-year-old from Waxhaw, N.C., pleaded guilty to voting twice. Roehm voted once at the polls and a second time with an absentee ballot in the name of her dead husband. She told prosecutors she had fulfilled her husband's dying wish to cast his ballot for Mitt Romney in November 2012.
Since only one of Roehm's ballots was cast in person, her crime also would not have been prevented with voter ID.
Local dignitaries and Caltrans representatives gathered in St. Helena Thursday for a ceremonial ribbon cutting celebrating improvements to Highway 29.
The project included a new center turn lane to make left turns safer, wider shoulders, new railroad crossings, new underground utility lines to replace unsightly power poles, a long-planned traffic signal at Grayson Avenue, and safety improvements for cyclists.
The work took place along three miles at the southern entrance to St. Helena, from Mee Lane to Charter Oak Avenue.
This was an amazing example of cooperation at every level the federal, the state, the county and the local governments, Rep. Mike Thompson said during a ceremony outside Louis M. Martini Winery.
The Highway 29 Channelization Project was funded by $16.7 million in federal money set aside for state highway improvements. It will take about a week to put the finishing touches on the project.
About 22,000 people use the corridor every day, said Bijan Sartipi, director of Caltrans District 4.
This is the main artery for the valley, and we have to make sure that the traffic flows in a safe and efficient manner so that the goods and products from this area can flow all over the world, he said.
Sartipi thanked the contractor, Ghilotti Bros., for finishing the job ahead of schedule. Construction of the Caltrans portion of the project broke ground in June 2015, and had originally been scheduled to end in early 2017.
Good collaboration among local agencies and property owners leads to successes like this, said Supervisor Diane Dillon, who kept in close touch with Caltrans and the Napa Valley Transportation Authority before and during construction.
Dillon said the project has been in the works since 1983, and a portion south of Rutherford was completed in 1998. However, the northern stretch was delayed by right-of-way issues that took years of negotiations to resolve.
Dillon said one of the most important components of the project was the undergrounding of utility lines. PG&E poles on the east side of Highway 29 were replaced with underground lines on the west side of the road. Dillon thanked the property owners who donated easements to make that possible.
She also thanked the Napa Valley Wine Train for being flexible during construction, which avoided a potential two-week-long closure of Highway 29 at Whitehall Lane.
St. Helena Mayor Alan Galbraith said left turns onto the highway used to be downright scary at rush hour so scary that some drivers would instead turn right, then turn left off the highway, turn around, and make another right turn onto the highway so they were going in the direction they wanted to go.
Hopefully those days are coming to an end, he said.
Galbraith also praised the improvements that made the highway safer for cyclists, including new shoulders and a new bike crossing at Whitehall Lane that makes it safer for cyclists to cross the train tracks.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will travel to Berlin on Friday, 2 September 2016 to address the annual meeting of the Leaders of the Parliamentary Group of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) at the German Bundestag.
During his visit he will also have meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier and with the Minister of Defence, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen.
Media Advisory
08:30 - Joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Still and video images will be available from the NATO website after the event.
Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @jensstoltenberg)
Its a great pleasure to be back in Helsinki and to participate in FIIAs third annual conference.
Helsinki has always held a special attraction for me and not only because my wife and I spent several enjoyable weekends here during our first posting to Moscow in the 1970s, when this was the nearest oasis from the bleak Soviet Union of the late Brezhnev period.
Since my graduate school years in the mid-1970s, I have associated Helsinki with the Helsinki Final Act, signed on August 1, 1975 in Finlandia Hall after three long and difficult years of negotiation.
This far-reaching agreement marked a major turning point in the Cold War. It did much more than recognise the post-World War II borders in Europe. It also represented a sharp break from the concept of an ideologically divided Europe enshrined by the Yalta Conference in 1945, and served as the foundation for East-West detente and reconciliation.
Most importantly, Helsinki committed all signatory nations to respect important values like the peaceful resolution of disputes, human rights and the rule of law many of the same values, in fact, that have animated the NATO Alliance since our founding in 1949.
And that pledge helped to unleash the pro-democracy transformation of Eastern Europe that ultimately culminated in the fall of the Berlin Wall, the demise of the Warsaw Pact, and the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Very impressive achievements by any standard!
Throughout my diplomatic career, the Helsinki Final Act has represented something close to the gold standard of the positive good that can be achieved through dogged, determined and enlightened diplomacy.
And so, with that in mind, I am very pleased that one of my final acts as Deputy Secretary General of NATO is to speak here in Helsinki at this important conference.
I appreciate the opportunity to share a few thoughts with you about the evolving challenges that confront NATO today; about the steps NATO has been taking especially at our two most recent summits in Wales and Warsaw to address those challenges; and about the enduring values that continue to unify our Alliance, along with our many partners, including, of course, Finland.
On that last point, I want to express my deep appreciation to Finland for being such a valued and effective NATO partner over the years. Among many other things, Finland has contributed to a wide spectrum of activities, including NATO-led operations and missions in the Balkans and Afghanistan, participation in the NATO Response Force, valuable training for the forces of NATO partner countries, and human security.
Finland has also supported several concrete NATO-led Trust Fund projects including with Ukraine and Georgia aimed at promoting defence and security reforms in these strategically important countries.
Following our Wales Summit in 2014, Finland became one of NATOs Enhanced Opportunities Partners (or EOPs), which means more co-ownership, more dialogue on cooperative security, and more interaction together. Since the launch of the EOP initiative, we have been working more closely with Finland on many challenges, including Baltic Sea security.
NATO values this relationship very highly. And Allies were extremely pleased that both Finland and Sweden participated so extensively in the Warsaw Summit notably at the heads of state dinner where leaders discussed relations with Russia.
As Secretary General Stoltenberg quipped at the dinner itself: Its up to Finland and Sweden to decide if theyre interested in more than dinner. There are many options on the menu.
EOP status enables NATO and Finland to consult politically at the highest levels, to share intelligence and develop joint situational awareness both militarily and politically, and in a broader sense, to work in concert to address common security challenges.
Ill come back a bit later to the vital role partners play within NATO. But first, I want to turn to the evolving security challenges that NATO and our partners face today and discuss the steps NATO has been taking to address them.
It is no exaggeration to say that NATO is confronting the most dangerous and unpredictable security situation since the height of the Cold War: from an evolving set of challenges right here in the Baltic Sea region, to the Black Sea area, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and to the arc of instability and turmoil across much of the Middle East and North Africa.
2014 stands out as a watershed year. Looking to the east, with its illegal annexation of Crimea, Russia effectively tore up the Helsinki-based international rulebook and challenged our post-Cold War vision of a Europe whole, free and at peace.
For the first time since 1945, a European power sought to change international borders by force. Two years later, we face continued Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine, as well as brutal efforts to consolidate control over the occupied Crimean peninsula of Ukraine.
The difficulties in our relations with Russia did not, of course, begin in 2014. Over the past decade Russia has been conducting a substantial military buildup, and it showed a willingness to use force against its neighbours in 2008, in its war with Georgia. Moreover, Russia has employed subversion, propaganda and cyber-attacks to test our readiness and resolve.
Together with its aggression against Ukraine, Russias decision to abandon the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty and its dismal record of implementing the other long-standing international security agreements including the Vienna Document, the Open Skies Treaty, the Helsinki Final Act and the NATO-Russia Founding Act have raised tensions to a level not seen since the 1980s.
To the South, terrorism and chaos clearly didnt begin in 2014 either. But that year witnessed a step change for the worse with the emergence of the so-called Islamic State or Daesh, and its declared ambition to establish a caliphate, beginning in Iraq and Syria.
ISILs seizure of territory and its reign of terror contributed to the escalation of the civil war in Syria, a worsening string of crises across the Middle East and North Africa, a series of terrorist attacks in several NATO countries, and the biggest migrant and refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
In addition to these major challenges to the East and South, NATO continues to face longstanding threats such as cyber attacks, hybrid warfare, nuclear proliferation, and the spread of long-range ballistic missiles.
Our Wales Summit in 2014 was NATOs initial response to these evolving threats, under the banner of the Readiness Action Plan (or RAP). For example, the NATO Response Force is now three times bigger, with a brigade-sized high-readiness Spearhead Force (the VJTF) at its core, able to move within a matter of days wherever it may be required.
In the two years since Wales, we also set up a series of small headquarters in the eastern part of our Alliance, increased the number and scope of our exercises, and sped up decision-making in order to respond to potential hybrid forms of aggression, as seen in the annexation of Crimea.
But as I said, Wales was just the initial response. At the Warsaw Summit two months ago, we took additional decisions to strengthen our deterrence and defence posture for the longer term, reflecting the enduring nature of the threats and challenges we face to the east and to the south.
As has been widely reported, we decided to enhance the forward presence of NATO forces in the eastern part of the Alliance, with four battalion-sized battle groups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. These defensive battalions will be rotational and multinational, and robust enough to make clear that an attack against one Ally will be met by forces from across the Alliance. They will ensure we have sufficient time for the Spearhead Force and other reinforcements to arrive.
In addition, we agreed on a tailored forward presence for our south-eastern flank, with a land element built around a multinational framework brigade in Romania. This will be supplemented by steps to strengthen the readiness and interoperability of air and maritime forces in the Black Sea region.
We also took steps to enhance our resilience, both within our nations and collectively. This includes modernising our capabilities, improving civil preparedness, and ensuring we have the right mix of military and civilian capabilities to meet evolving security challenges, including hybrid and cyber warfare.
Some fear many of these measures represent a dangerous tit-for-tat military escalation with Russia. I disagree. The simple fact is all of NATOs measures are defensive, proportionate, transparent and fully in line with our international obligations.
These efforts are meant to deter aggression to prevent conflict, not to provoke it. NATO poses no threat to Russia or to any other country. We do not seek confrontation or a new arms race. But we have an obligation to protect our people and defend our allies. That, after all, is our main raison d'etre.
Despite our differences with Russia, it is essential that we engage constructively. Thats why we are pursuing a two-track approach: defence combined with dialogue not to return to business as usual, while Russian aggression against Ukraine continues, but to address our differences and to prevent tensions from getting out of hand.
In the two NATO-Russia Council meetings held this year, Allies have put particular stress on the need for Russia to agree to measures to increase military transparency and risk reduction. At the second NRC meeting in July, Russia raised the issue of the use of transponders by military aircraft in the Baltic. While we welcome Russian willingness to discuss risk reduction, ensuring air safety is far broader than this one issue. Its also about following the rules we already have and behaving in a safe, responsible and predictable manner.
Were looking at how we can build on this proposal while also making clear to Russia the importance of making progress in other areas relating to transparency and risk reduction, including amendments to the Vienna Document, such as closing the loophole for no-notice snap inspections that Russia has been conducting with increasing regularity.
In addition to strengthening our defence and deterrence posture, at the Warsaw Summit we also decided to project greater stability beyond our borders, to the east and south. The way we see it, if our neighbours are more stable, then we are more secure. We have begun to adapt our strategy on cooperative security, partnerships and capacity building to the new reality we confront today.
To this end, we re-affirmed our commitment to our partners in the east Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova to help them resist outside pressure and advance crucial defence and security reforms. In the case of Ukraine, we agreed on a Comprehensive Assistance Package, similar to the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package adopted at Wales two years ago.
In the Middle East and North Africa region, NATO is stepping up support for our partners to help them better secure their own countries and fight back against violent extremism. NATO is already training hundreds of Iraqi officers in Jordan, and this programme will now expand into Iraq itself. NATO stands ready, if requested, to help Libya develop effective defence institutions, to stabilise the country and better fight the Islamic State. We will also provide more support for Tunisia and Jordan, and we hope to establish closer institutional links to regional organizations such as the Gulf Cooperation Council and the African Union.
Afghanistan has been NATOs largest operation outside Europe, and its now our largest defence capacity building mission. At the Warsaw Summit, NATO leaders agreed to continue our Resolute Support mission beyond 2016 and our contribution to funding the Afghan forces until 2020.
Needless to say, modernising our defence capabilities across the board requires investment and all NATO countries understand this. At the Wales Summit, we agreed to stop the cuts in defence spending and to start spending more, with a goal of spending 2% of GDP on defence by 2024.
We are on the right track defence spending among the European Allies plus Canada is slated to increase by 3% this year but we have a long way to go. This is true for NATO members and NATO partners alike, which brings me back to the theme of partnerships and NATOs special relationship with Finland within the EOP framework.
Im convinced that our close association over the years with dozens of partners has helped to consolidate peace and stability in Europe, and to extend stability beyond our borders. It has been an integral part of the Alliances adaptation to changing circumstances and to meeting our primary obligation to defend our territories and our populations.
Today, I believe partnerships are a necessity, not a luxury. And we want our partners including Finland to be even more involved in what we do at a sensitive time, and on subjects very close to our core business.
So let me take a few moments to describe in more detail how NATO has deepened our cooperation with Finland and Sweden on security in the Baltic Sea region, and where this cooperation might go in the future.
Following the first political-military assessment of the Baltic Sea region completed earlier this year as a 28+2 project our objective is to continue to consult politically, share intelligence, develop a better situational awareness on evolving threats in the region, and work more effectively together to meet those threats.
An important priority for cooperation is to develop capabilities and maintain the ability of the Finnish armed forces to work with those of NATO and other partner countries in multinational peace-keeping operations whether in a NATO, EU or UN context.
Interoperability is not just a military concept. Its also important to achieve political interoperability through deeper cooperation on crisis management and contingency planning. Towards this end, Finland as well as Sweden participated in our annual Crisis Management Exercise, CMX 2016, earlier this year. This exercise included a simulated Article 5 collective defence response with challenges posed by hybrid warfare threats in the Baltic Sea area, complete with a range of realistic overt and covert military, paramilitary and civilian measures.
The inclusion of key partners reflected our shared security interests and demonstrated the potential added value to the Alliance of Finnish and Swedish contributions to defence and security in the Baltic region, even though these partners are not bound by NATOs Article 5, mutual defence obligation.
Looking to the future, we could more closely integrate our defence and contingency planning, strengthen intelligence exchanges, and collaborate even more on transparency and risk reduction measures aimed at restoring predictability to our relations with Russia. We could also involve Finland and other close partners more intimately in our operational, training and exercises planning, and in our defence capacity building programmes for Ukraine and Georgia and for our Middle Eastern neighbours.
Finland can also play an active role from inside the European Union in expanding NATO-EU collaboration, building on the Joint Declaration signed in Warsaw by Secretary General Stoltenberg and Presidents Tusk and Juncker. And Allies could continue to benefit from Finlands expertise in important areas such as civil preparedness, crisis management and hybrid warfare.
Of course, all of this cooperation would always be pursued in the spirit of a real co-ownership, respectful of Finlands goals and desires as a militarily non-aligned country.
There will always be a line between members and partners, but theres a great deal NATO and partners can do short of crossing that line to our mutual benefit. NATO looks forward to exploring these possibilities with Finland in near future.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In the preamble to the 1949 North Atlantic Treaty, NATOs founding document, the twelve original signatory nations expressed their determination to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.
Since 1949, NATO has helped to keep the peace in Europe by working closely with our partners and by forging an unbreakable bond of friendship and cooperation between Europe and North America. Our unity has been strengthened by our commitment to a common set of core values.
In a world with no shortage of challenges and a host of real and present dangers, the role NATO plays as a defensive bulwark of cooperative security cannot be underestimated. In the spirit of the Helsinki Final Act, let us do everything we can to strengthen our Alliance and our partnerships, to uphold our fundamental values, and to preserve the peace for future generations.
President discusses latest foreign political developments around Artsakh
Azerbaijan officials considering opening embassy in Israel
Armenia PM, EU Special Representative for South Caucasus discuss regional security and peace
Nikol Pashinyan, Garo Paylan exchange views on Armenia-Turkey normalization process
Quake hits Armenia-Turkey border zone
Armenia ruling party adopting new vision regarding Karabakh conflict settlement
Russia MOD: Ukraine carried out terrorist attack on Black Sea Fleet ships, civilian ships in Sevastopol
Premier: CSTO should plan force operation, restore Armenias territorial integrity
Armenia PM: All countries consider Karabakh to be part of Azerbaijan
Armenias Pashinyan: CSTO does not exist
Kremlin responds to question on extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh
Armenia premier: We need to know, ultimately, what Russian peacekeepers are doing in Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia PM: Im ready to sign document, accept that Russian peacekeepers term in Karabakh be extended 10-20 years
Armenias Pashinyan: We are ready to delegate border guard service operation to Russian border guards
Finland, Sweden promise to join NATO together
European Parliament calls on Armenia to consider diversifying its security partnerships
Visiting Armenia MPs brief Canada lawmaker on recent Azerbaijan military aggression
Armenia PM at ruling party congress: We declared repairing states foundation our primary task
Karabakh President: Russia leaders statement inspires certain hopes
Armenia ruling party congress kicks off
Man breaks into US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home, demands to speak with her, beats husband with hammer
EU-Armenia Joint Committee on Research and Innovation first meeting to be held in November
Provincial governor of Armenias Gegharkunik: EU monitoring mission already started
US accuses Russia of disinformation regarding Washington intentions towards Armenia, Azerbaijan
Mexico fully legalizes gay marriage
Newspaper: Azerbaijan not inclined to sign anything with Armenia in Russias Sochi
Armenia ruling party convening closed convention
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
Armenian serviceman Hovhannes Poghosyan, who was seriously injured in Talish village of Karabakh in May, can already speak and walk on his own.
His mother, Ms Gayane, told the aforementioned to Armenian News NEWS.am.
Hovhannes can already walk on his own and speak freely. He has memory lapse, but he gradually remembers everything. Hovhannes even remembered the face of the young man who took him down the military positions after his injury. The doctors say this is a miracle, she said.
According to Ms Gayane, her sons only problem is that he cant move his right hand. But the doctors say that this problem will also be solved with time.
The 21-year-old soldier is in the Cross Rehabilitation Center of the Red Cross. In a few days he will complete the second course of his treatment and return home.
As reported earlier, Hovhannes Poghosyan got injured on May 13 in one of the military positions located in the northern direction of Karabakh Defense Army.
Poghosyan is one of the soldiers who was to receive rehabilitation treatment abroad at the expense of state funds. However, no official information has so far been received on this.
Knowledge Day and the start of new academic year are marked on September 1 in Armenias border villages, just as in the rest of the country.
The border villages, however, have their peculiarities (PHOTOS).
The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporters visited such villages in Tavush Province, and they participated in the First [School] Bell celebrations in Aygepar village.
The village is noteworthy for the fact that two children, twin brothers Arshak and Artak Anikyan, will be going to Grade 1 this year.
Their father, Arman, is a graduate of the same school.
As per the twins mother, Hermine, the boys all summer long dreamed of when they finally will go to school.
Their younger brother, 4-year-old Aram, was following with interest, and stretching toward the school bag.
Even the shots that were regularly fired from Azerbaijan have not dampened the joyful enthusiasm accompanying the First Bell event.
I heartily wish patience to the teachers, and new knowledge to the children, school principal Arev Arzumanyan said in her welcoming remarks. [And] I wish peace to our village.
The award ceremony for children who have excelled in their studies was held under the continuing sounds of sporadic shooting by the adversary. After the ceremony, however, the principal invited everyone inside the school building.
Its not safe here in the yard, she explained.
The school, as well as the entire village, is under constant tension because of the border with neighboring Azerbaijan.
The school walls and windows bear the traces of shooting by the neighbor.
They practically fire shots every day, not only today, the teachers responded when asked whether these shootings are linked to September 1. Our schoolchildren, including the girls, can quickly disassemble and reassemble a rifle.
This year, the school had three graduates, said Principal Arzumanyan. One was accepted into an institution of higher education.
There are two girls, Lilit Avagyan and Ani Arzumanyan, in the current graduating class of the school.
And they walked toward the symbolic first class, holding the hands of the twin first graders.
Another border village of Paravaqar has 28 first graders. The total number of students is 210, nine graduates of this school have entered universities. Angin Nighoyan, the principal of the school, says they are happy that the number of first graders has not reduced. Fourteen pupils are in the graduating class.
Angin Nighoyan has been working as a principle since 2001. Her son and daughter-in-law are also working at the school.
Today is a double holiday. It is not only a professional, but a family day, because my eldest granddaughter is a first grader, Angin says.
Paravaqr, just as many other border villages, are periodically becoming a target for the adversary. There are no signs after repair works, but there were signs of the mortars before, said Suren Bulgadaryan, Angins husband who is also working at the school.
Russian President put forward seven conditions to his Turkish counterpart, Turkish newspaper Sozcu reported quoting the Kremlin.
1. Turkey should recognize Assad
Turkey had started to carry out a wrong policy towards Syria. According to Turkeys calculations, Assad would go, but they were wrong. Russia supports Assad and from now Turkey has to recognize it.
2. Turkey should be constructive on Karabakh issue
Karabakh is important for us. For Turkey this issue is of great importance because of Azerbaijan. Opposing us, you complicate the solution of this issue even more.
3. Turkey should leave Crimea and Caucasus
Turkey supports anti-Russian activities in the Crimea and in some parts of the Caucasus. Russia is closely monitoring this. You are wrong. This worsens rather than improves relationship.
4. Turkey should keep hands off from 4 countries
Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are the countries that are members of our union. We see that your agents try to incite enmity towards us among people of these countries. Stop it. We will not allow this.
5. Kurdish PYD movement of Syria is important for Russia
The main threat is ISIS and other similar terrorist organizations in Syria, Turkey is fighting against Kurds. PYD is important for us. Undertaking something, you have to remember the fact, otherwise undesirable events can occur in the region.
6. Turkey should close borders for terrorists
From now and on, stop the supply of arms and ammunition to Syria. Your borders are open for representatives of terrorist organizations which act against the interests of Russia. Close your borders and prevent the movement of terrorists.
7. Turkish ministers should be careful in their statements
Statements of some ministers and officials are worrying. And statements of some ministers which were made after the crash of the Russian plane are simply unforgettable. Be more attentive choosing words.
Small member states of the EU are dissatisfied that they are facing to dictatorship from larger countries led by Germany, RIA Novosti reported quoting Politico.
The newspaper noted that the general complaint for all small member countries about the EU is that the big countries led by Berlin bigfoot them in the EU decision-making process.. These concerns are strengthened by various regional groupings within the EU such as the Scandinavian, Baltic, or the so-called Visegrad Group of four Central European states.
In the run-up to the informal EU summit on September 16 in Bratislava which for the first time will pass without participation of the UK, the prime minister of Belgium Charles Michel stated that the top officials are required to abandon the idea of old and new countries (members of the European Union) for success of a meeting.
Belgian Prime Minister hopes that the summit in Bratislava will give new necessary momentum to the European project, in particular, on safety issues and economic policy.
Romania has a special duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide, adviser in the Romanian ex-president Traian Basescus administration, political and moral philosophy specialist Catalin Avramescu wrote the aforementioned in his article, published on Romanian bursa.ro site.
In an article on the Armenian Genocide, the author points out to the silence of the Romanian authorities and political elite with regard to this crime against humanity.
In particular, Catalin Avramescu wrote: This happened in 1915. Over one and a half million people were killed. The pictures are horrifying. Women and children were killed. Death convoys were organized on the way through the desert. The rest were killed in concentration camps. The property of Armenians was robbed and seized. The witnesses immediately understood the genocidal intentions of the Turkish authorities. The German Ambassador informed in 1915: There is no doubt that the Sublime Porte is going to eliminate the Armenian people in the Turkish Empire.
Where are we now, a century later? Even now the Romanian authorities havent acknowledged that that was a genocide. Whereas this is important, very important. A lot can be perceived about the government if we consider how it treats the historical truth. This is exactly one of the reasons why the 1989 socialist regime was so curved. Lying was like breathing. Stories were made up about waywodes, who governed Romania before the secretaries of Central Committee of Romanian Communist Party. Silence was kept on the participation of Romanian troops in the pogroms on Eastern front. Lies were disseminated on the takeover by communists. Photos were falsified in the History Museum of the Communist Party.
Modern Turkey has always refused to accept that a genocide was committed. I remember, 10 years ago I published an article, after which I suddenly received an invitation from Turkey. I went and talked politely to one of the diplomats (I think the Deputy Ambassador). They wanted to present their position and gave me lots of materials; this was the state propaganda.
Many civilized countries of the world Germany, France, Canada, etc. have recognized the Armenian Genocide. Pope Francis [also] condemned the Armenian Genocide.
[But] Romania has a special duty to recognize the Armenian Genocide: part of the Armenians, who fled the Genocide in 1915, found shelter in Romania.
However, the search for truth is not included in the priorities of the current authorities. The reason is mentioned in whisper: Lets not offend Turkey. But now there is no room for offences. The regime in Turkey has grown into a dictatorship and cooperates with Russia.
Starting from 1989, the socialist administration of Romania showed contempt for the historical truth. It classified the state security materials and refused to take measures in connection with the robbery of the Greek-Catholic church.
At the same time, the Romanian authorities knelt before all kinds of dictatorship. The park in Bucharest got decorated with a cheap alley named after the Azerbaijani dictator, former KGB general Heydar Aliyev. Ataturks bust was installed in Calea Victoriei avenue. And this is actually the alley which symbolizes victory in the liberation struggle against the Ottoman Empire and through which entered the victorious soldiers returning from the South Danubian crusade. What a historical amnesia and lack of respect towards the history of a nation! And one should put up with this? Genocide does not refer to one or several peoples: this is an offense with regard to civilization values.
During the Panglong World Conference at Myanmar capital Naypyidaw the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Myanmar leaders to follow a path to democratization and create a federal state, based on equal rights and self-determination.
The UN Secretary-General noted that the current conference was the first peace initiative in the last 70 years in the country, where the conflict and disagreements between the government and the armed ethnic groups had been raging.
Ban Ki-moon recalled the tragic consequences of the protracted civil war in Myanmar, as well as the fact that in many parts of the world tragedies are caused due to refusal of the authorities to listen to their peoples and take into account their desire for democratization. He called on Myanmar leaders to prevent the military methods of settling disputes.
The Secretary General said that the UN will continue to support Myanmar's peace-building process and efforts proceeding from the interests of all the residents of the country, directed at the maintaining of legality and human rights.
Speaking with National Assembly correspondents at the Advisory Council office on Wednesday, the embattled former Chairman, Appropriation Committee, House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, said his anti-graft war will lead to massive reforms in the National Assembly.
Jibrin made his comments after being grilled for four hours, by the Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Council against corruption.
The former Committee Chairman said that the essence of his anti-corruption crusade was to rid NASS of all forms of corruption.
Jibrin emphasised that after his anti-corruption crusade, the National Assembly would never be the same again.
Asked whether his mission was to rubbish his colleagues, the Kano lawmaker said: "No, I specifically mentioned those that should be probed and I never at any point dragged my colleagues into this.
"As for me, I'm equally ready to answer queries from any of the anti-graft agencies because, as we speak, none of my colleagues has written anything against me as a person.
"Rather, all the allegations I leveled against the four principal officers and nine others, I have not got any response till date.
"As for Yakubu Dogara, he has no moral right to continue to parade himself as number four citizen of this country. I stand by my earlier call that he should resign as Speaker of the House of Representatives".
"As you are aware, I got invitation from the Presidential Committee against Corruption because I had earlier submitted a petition to them. They graciously granted my requests and we had a very fruitful meeting that lasted about four hours.
"I have taken them through all the allegations against Mr Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Whip of the House and, of course, the minority leader and nine other members.
"It's been a challenging six weeks and some of my colleagues that we share the same vision within the House of Representatives, we have remained resolute, we have remained focused. We would do all within the laws of our land to ensure that justice is served on these corrupt members of the House of Representatives.
"But most importantly, to ensure that a very comprehensive reform is carried out in the House of Representatives to clean up the budgeting system and to clean up the activities of the House.
"I keep saying this is beyond the House, the country would be the biggest beneficiary and the winner at the end of the day."
02:02
Rajasthan government on Thursday justified Jaipur Development Authority's move to seal the gates of former Jaipur Royal family's hotel Raj Mahal Palace and said it was 'completely legal and bona fide' as the action was taken for public land.
"The gate which was sealed is located in Khasra number 194 which is a government land and the acquisition is already upheld by Supreme Court so there is nothing worth controversy. The step was taken in the interest of public and the land will be use accordingly," UDH Minister Rajpal Singh said.
He said the decree which the former royal family is showing has nothing to do with the said Khasra number.
"If they have any problem or confusion with regard to demarcation of the land, there are certain agencies to get the land demarcated but the JDA has taken this action for its own land," he said.
"The action of the JDA is to ensure possession of its land and this is also the concern of the government," he said.
The minister informed the JDA had served notice for action on August 22 and the action was taken on August 24.
On a rally by Padmini Devi of the former royal family, the minister said this was an all-community rally not by Rajput community.
He said that he was approached by Devi or her daughter Diya Kumari, who is a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA.
"Diya Kumari is our party MLA, a law abiding citizen and she is like my younger sister but such actions are the part of administration, not a political matter," he said.
IMAGE: Rajmata Padmini Devi with her son Prince Padamnabh Singh and supporters take out a protest rally against the dictatorial action at Rajmahal Palace by the Jaipur Development Authority, in Jaipur on Thursday. Photograph: PTI Photo
Media scholars from Pakistan, Slovenia to visit SIU
by Pete Rosenbery
CARBONDALE, Ill. Southern Illinois University Carbondales College of Mass Communication and Media Arts and the Global Media Research Center will host three visiting scholars this month.
Sammer Rizwan and Sheezah Taimouri of the Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore, Pakistan, will be on campus Sept. 6-15. Their presentation, Interpretive Reporting in Pakistan, will be at 4 p.m., Sept. 14, in the Communications Building, Room 1032.
Ilija Tomanic-Trivundza of the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia will be on campus Sept. 12-23. His lecture, Tyranny of the empty frame: Online news, symbolic images, and the hollowing out of visual journalism, is at 4 p.m., Sept. 20, also in Communications Building, Room 1032.
The lectures are free and open to the public.
Jay F. Needham, professor and center interim director, said the visits, which will include speaking in classrooms, are an opportunity for faculty, students and the public to hear unique perspectives on global media. The visiting scholars will also have an opportunity to discuss research and learn more about how the university delivers its curriculum, he said.
We are hoping to learn a great deal from them and their unique perspectives on the media that range from todays global practices in photojournalism to how representations of gender are taught in media programs in South Asia.
Rizwan is head of the Media Studies Department at Kinnaird College for Women, a position she has held since September 2010. She has worked on various media projects that examine how a person can improve their life by recognizing their own potential and using it as a catalyst for positive change, Needham said.
Taimouri, a lecturer in the department, has been teaching photography, videography, media culture and society, magazine production, and development communication.
Tomanic-Trivundza is an assistant professor in the Department of Media and Communication Studies at Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. His primary research spans across the field of visual communication with a special focus on the social and political role of photography in contemporary culture.
Established in 2004, the Global Media Research Centers mission includes assembling a core group of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students to research global media issues, establish national and international partnerships to promote research, and play host to visiting scholars and artists as it seeks to develop new courses addressing global media issues.
The IS leader for Pakistan Hafiz Omar and 309 of its members, including 25 foreigners having Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationalities, have been detained across the country, Xinhua news agency quoted Army spokesman Lt. General Asim Saleem Bajwa as saying.
"There is no organised presence of IS here," Bajwa said, adding that six members of the Pakistani Taliban were the first to switch loyalty to IS in January 2015 in Afghanistan and operates at the Afghan side of the border.
"The IS was born, centred and funded in the Middle East but it spread its tentacles in the entire world," Bajwa added.
Giving update on achievements of operation code-named "Zarb-e-Azb" in the tribal region of north Waziristan, he said 3, 500 terrorists have so far been killed and 992 hideouts destroyed.
--IANS sm/dg
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2016-09-01-19:56:02 (IANS)
"Thank you for the unflinching trust in the company. Today I start with the youngest member of the Reliance family, Jio," said RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani.
"Jio is dedicated to PM Modi's Digital India dream," said Ambani stating that the world is at the beginning of the digital revolution, where India is ranked at 155th position of Mobile Internet Accessibility.
"Jio is a data-strong network built to serve the needs of a digital India. It will cover 90 percent of India's population with 4G coverage by March 2017," he added.
"Offering the most lowest data rates anywhere in the world, Jio is the future proof for 5G, 6G," said Ambani.
Announcing the data tariffs, Ambani said the rates will go down further as usage for Jio increases.
"These will be the lowest data rates anywhere in the world. No voice call will ever be charged on the Jio network along with free roaming," announced Ambani.
The RIL chairman also said the customers, who have signed up already will get complementary access to the Jio ecosystem worth Rs. 15,000 till December 2017. (ANI)
Fastest growing private players in the energy efficiency segment Advance Metering Technology Ltd (AMTL) has announced its foray into the EPC business segment with the award of work order for a multi-storey green building in Noida. AMTL will execute the project on turnkey basis. As part of the contract, the company will be responsible for implementing the entire package for the project which will include civil and electrical works, designing, engineering as well as water treatment, waste disposal and Solar PV. Work on the seven-storey building has already begun and will be completed in a period of six to eight months. Compared to conventional buildings, this green building being constructed by AMTL will incorporate the latest energy-efficient technologies to minimize the use of water, optimize energy efficiency, conserve natural resources, recycle waste and provide healthier spaces for occupants. Across the world, increase in consumer demand has pushed the green building market to a trillion dollar industry, as a result of which there has been a corresponding increase in the scope and size of the green building material market, which is expected to reach USD 234 billion by 2019. In India, the Green building industry in India is projected to grow by 20 per cent in the next three years. "I am glad to announce our foray into the turnkey EPC business, whereas in the past we have executed only solar projects. We are confident of our in-house abilities to execute big projects for our clients across geographies. The market for green and energy efficient technologies is seeing a spurt in demand due to the government's regulations on clean energy and sustainability. Consequently the demand for green buildings is on the rise and we are all set to make full use of this opportunity," said Chairman and Managing Director AMTL, PK Ranade. The EPC division of AMTL was incorporated in 2015 to leverage its in-house expertise to execute solar turnkey projects for several of its prestigious clients. The division will now serve as a one-stop shop providing complete range of building products and solutions. With this order, AMTL will also be offering turnkey and retrofit solutions to IT business buildings across the country. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], Sep 1 (ANI-NewsVoir): PACL Chit Fund fraud has been in news for a long time now. With the arrest of founder of the company Nirmal Singh Bangoo and other PACL directors in January the investors saw some light of hope. But so far no action has been taken in order to refund the money of investors. It must be noted that Supreme Court had formed LODHA Committee to sale off all properties of PACL and return back the money of the investors within six months from Feb 2nd, 2016. But as on today the committee has not started the refund. The company has duped around six crore investors in India and the refund money amounting to be around 50,000 crore. All the investors are highly disappointed with the pace at which the case has been followed. Anil Choudhary (Former PACL Director) has been advocating the rights of the investors for a long time now. When he came to know about the fraud, he resigned and formed Parls Worker V Gharak Social Society. The society is actively voicing the concerns of the investors and organized a huge rally, the Jan Aakrosh Rally at Ram Leela Maidan. Investors and effected citizens around the country attended the rally. He spoke in details about how PACL has diverted the funds outside India and in personal and individual accounts of friends and families to purchase 'Benami' properties. Thousands of crore is diverted in different modes for personal benefits. "The society has been working very closely with the LODHA committee for the sale of the seized properties. We promise that within few months fund proceeding will start and all investors will be refunded there hard earned money. We will not rest in peace till all investors get their money back," said Anil Choudhary. The majority of the investors and affected citizens are from the Middle income and the Lower middle income group. Spearheading the concerns of the investors the Parls Worker V Gharak Social Society is working persistently to help them get their dues at the earliest. (ANI-NewsVoir)
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been invited to make the inaugural address in the conference. The event will be held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore and the day after.
The conference is organized by the Indian Foundation while the Sri Lankan Institute of Policy Studies, Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies as well as the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore will be the co-hosts.
Leaders of the Indian Ocean nations have been invited to attend the event.
The conference will focus on the defence, economic, cultural and environmental matters of the region. A large number of persons including politicians, intellectuals, experts and officials are scheduled to take part in the event. (ANI)
Gandhi will be staying at the Munshigunj Guest House in Amethi and is scheduled to attend several political and non-political functions. He will chair a meeting of party leaders at Munshiganj.
Gandhi tweeted on his official account, "Will be in Amethi from 31st Aug-2nd Sept. Looking forward to meeting everyone!"
During the visit to Amethi, he is expected to rake up the issue of multiple development projects which have been stalled by the BJP-led NDA regime at the Centre.
According to reports, these developmental projects were introduced during the former UPA regime.
The Congress vice-president will also launch a month-long "mahayatra" in Uttar Pradesh covering 39 districts from September 6, the party announced on Monday.
Congress General Secretary and state in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad had said the yatra would start from Rudrapur in the state's Deoria district and would culminate in Delhi.
Gandhi's visit to his parliamentary constituency assumes significance as Uttar Pradesh goes to polls next year. (ANI)
The Manipur Tribals Forum (MTFD), Delhi observed the historic "Tribal Unity Day" at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of Outer Manipur hill/tribal peoples' movement against the Manipur Government for passing three anti-tribal bills and justice for the nine tribal martyrs. In a press release, the MTFD stated that the act of attempting to pass a new bill by the Manipur Government under Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, without any justice for the nine martyrs, clearly indicates the state government's intention to completely suppress and silence the voice of the tribal people of the state. Hence, MTFD and the hill/tribal people have no option but to conclude that the state government is only for the valley people and not for the hill people. The tribal forum has further pointed that the tribal people of the state would oppose any bill that would affect the hill areas. The root cause of many problems in the state lies in the fact that the value of one valley vote is equivalent to three tribal votes. This is against the Constitutional provision of Article 332 which provides for equal representation. MTFD is convinced that equal representation of the tribal/hill people vis-a-vis the valley people is sine qua non for successful functioning of democracy in Manipur and appeals to the Government of India to address this critical issue without further delay. The nine tribal martyrs who lost their lives fighting against the anti-tribal bills are still lying unburied, awaiting justice. The state government has not allowed even the filing of an FIR despite orders from the High Court. MTFD appeals to the conscience of the Government of India and in order to give justice to the tribal martyrs, immediately accede to the long-standing demand of extension of Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India in the hill districts of outer Manipur. The powers and provisions of the Sixth Schedule should be powerful enough to protect the interests of the tribals in the state so as to free them from the exploitative hands of the valley people and the Manipur Government. Any political party or entity that negates the legitimate and constitutionally mandated safeguards to the tribal people of the State would be construed as anti-tribal party or entity. It is pertinent to mentioned here, Manipur is the only state in the north-east, which has never governed by the provisions of either the Fifth Schedule or the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The autonomy granted to the district councils under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 is only in name". However, the issue of Sixth Schedule has always been a contentious issue in Manipur as the majority Meiteis opposes the Sixth Schedule on the ground that this will be precursor to the attainment of Kuki state and Nagalim (Greater Nagaland). The district councils of Manipur had received an inadequate amount of fund from the state government in the forms of 'grant-in-aid', non-release or late-release of the fund. These made the district councils could not function its general administration; forget about various other developmental works. This system of administration continued for until the boycott of district council elections in 1980s. The council elections were held in 2010 after successfully boycotted for more than two decades. MTFD strongly urges the Indian Government to seriously consider the hill/tribal peoples' aspiration for total separation from the state of Manipur. The conduct of the Manipur Government as well as the valley people has, time and again, proven that the hill and the valley people cannot coexist under one administrative unit. Therefore, total separation of hill and valley people/areas is the only lasting and permanent solution to the problem of hill-valley divides. Unless the above legitimate concerns of the tribal people are addressed by the concerned authority, the hill/tribal people will continue with the ongoing democratic movement. MTFD reiterates its unwavering commitment for the tribal cause and would not give up until justice is achieved and our problems are resolved once and for all. (ANI)
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly today paid tributes to former Governor AR Kidwai, former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul and three of its former members. An obituary reference was made in the House for condoling the death and recalling services of Dr Kidwai, who besides functioning as Governor of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana, had also held additional charge of the post in the Rajbhawan here for sometime.The House also condoled demise of Pul, former Minister Harlal Singh Kharra and former MLAs Hari Singh and Kansingh. The House also observed two minute silence as mark of respect to the departed souls.UNI XC SV -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0103-913711.Xml
Led by Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay and Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta, the BJP workers called the ruling party 'anti-women' and demanded Kumar's expulsion from the party and the Assembly.
Raising banners and slogans against the AAP regime, the protestors said its real face was coming out in the open and demanded that all AAP MLAs, accused in crime against women, must be stripped off their membership.
Mr Gupta said Mr Kejriwal always shielded his corrupt and immoral MLAs and recalled the Soni suicide case to substantiate his charge.
"As they did in the Soni case, they tried to protect Kumar till the CD got leaked. Most unfortunate is this, since now he has been caught red handed, Sandeep Kumar is playing caste card," he said.
"An FIR must be registered against the sacked Minister for destroying woman's modesty by recording that objectionable CD," Mr Gupta added.
Kumar today termed the CD a 'conspiracy' to malign him and said he was paying a price for being a Dalit.
Taking the high moral ground on sacking of Kumar, Mr Kejriwal said Kumar had betrayed the AAP movement. UNI RG/AR SW RSA 1537
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He assumed charge from Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat, who has proceeded to Delhi to assume duties of VCOAS.
On assuming command of the largest geographical formation of the Indian Army, the General laid a wreath at the National War Memorial and paid homage to the martyrs.
Thereafter the General was given a Guard of Honour. UNI GV CS 1551
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During the visit, Vice Admiral A R Karve AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, interacted with the Navy Commander Tanzania Navy (NCTN) and discussed the subjects of common interest to both navies including issues related to naval training.The delegation visited SNC training facilities at Dronacharya, Joint Operation Center, Radar Operating Station and Naval Offshore Patrol vessel INS Sunayna, a defence statement said here today.
Rear Admiral R S Laswai and his spouse Ms. Ancilla accompanied by Tanzania Navy Delegation would be visiting places of cultural interest at Fort Kochi, SNC Maritime Museum, Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets and Kerala Folklore Museum during their stay at Kochi, it said adding that the delegation was also visiting Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala.
The delegation would be departing Kochi on September three.
Rear Admiral R S Laswai, arrived India on August 29 and his visit was intended to consolidate bilateral naval relationship between India and Tanzania and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.
The Admiral assumed Command of the Tanzania Navy on November 23, 2015.UINI CGV CS 1701
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The All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) and the RML Hospital today advised Delhiites not to panic over the attack of a viral which was causing severe and prolonged fever and joint pains, but was not so dangerous as its symptoms might suggest. "This fever might be crippling but it was not fatal,'' said AIIMS spokesperson Dr Amit Gupta and Dr Nutan Taneja and Dr V K Mahajan of the RML. Though experts of the two hospitals said the virus had not been identified, they held that the usual virus like that of influenza might have mutated but it was not deadly. In fact, the AIIMS has written to the Delhi Government for transferring its patients suffering from the fever caused by this possibly mutated virus to its over a dozen hospitals which come under the catchment area of the Institute. "After we determine that the patients were not suffering from either Chikungunya or Dengue, we do not think that there is any need to keep them here. They might get the treatment for this "unidentified virus'' at any other government hospital as well,'' AIIMS Spokesperson Dr Amit Gupta told UNI. Chickungunya and "mystery'' fever caused by the ''mutated'' virus has struck the capital with a vengeance while Dengue has relented this year . "Chikungunya like fever is not fatal as dengue, but of course it entails complications and severe pains in joints,'' says Medical Superintendent of RML Hospital Gadpayle. He ascribed the increase in Chikungunya cases and also brain fever, which were earlier confined to the eastern part of the country, to the good amount of rains this year, a migrating population in the capital and unhygienic conditions caused by the pressure on urban infrastructure . However, dengue this time is very mild. There are three forms of DengueDen F, Den HF and Den SS, and of these last two are lethal while the first one is manageable and it is luckily this one Den F which is most prevalent this time, Dr AK Gadpayle and Dr Gupta said. The reason that the virus causing the crippling fever of this season was proving elusive might be the fact it was evading the detecting techniques which were developed for the existing virus, said Dr Gupta. "The influenza virus might itself have undergone a change,'' he said. He said the AIIMS had earmarked two beds in every ward for patients of these fevers and so a total of 44 beds were available, out of which 39 beds were occupied. "We are fully prepared and equipped to meet any patient rush due to the spell of viral attack,'' Dr Gupta said. Special blood collection points had been set up for patients of this fever and capacity of labs had been augmented with both equipment and technicians. The RML was admitting 150 to 160 fever patients a day. However, one thing that has come to light during the present crisis was the sheer lack of staff in government hospitals like RML etc. Hospital authorities are finding it an uphill task to cater to the growing Delhi population and increasing incidence of diseases with such a meagre staff. "We badly need more staff, especially technicians as their job cannot be done by any substitute from any other department,'' said a hospital official. UNI NAZ-RBE PS RSA 1741 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-914267.Xml
Railways signed a joint venture agreement with the Kerala government for developing railway infrastructure in the state here today.The agreement was signed in the presence of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Mr Prabhu said the signing of the agreement with state governments was a farsighted step of the Railways by which it wanted to work hand in glove with states for the development of railway infrastructure. He said these agreements were the best example of cooperative federalism for development of the nation as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mr Prabhu pointed out that Kerala had been neglected for too long and now concerted efforts were needed to develop its railway infrastrucutre. The Railway Ministry had given maximum allocation to Kerala during 2014-15 and 2016-17 and was also working on the re-development of Kochi and Ernakulam stations, the Railway Minister added. The present railway network density in Kerala was 2.70 km per 100 sqkm which was above the national average of 2.01 km per 100 sqkm. However, it was an established fact that the railway network density in the country as a whole needed to be improved and the states coming forward in this regard was a welcome step.Signing of these JVs would go a long way in developing infrastructure in Kerala.The average outlay to Kerala in Railway Budget was Rs 821.0 crore during 2014-15 to 2016-17 which was an increase of 121 per cent over the average outlay of 371.9 crore during 2009-10 to 2013-14.The governments of Odisha, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat have already signed JV agreement with Railways for the same.UNI RBE AE RSA 1841 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0427-914477.Xml
UP BJP spokesperson Chandramohan said here today that Mr Shah would reach Lucknow at noon of September 3 and chair a meeting of the regional media in charges of the party at the state headquarters in the afternoon.
Later at 1645 hrs, the BJP president along with Union Minister Nirmala Sitaraman would address the training camp of the assembly level representatives of the BJP social media at the B R Ambedkar auditorium of the Lohia Law University, Dr Chandramohan said.
During the interaction the Union Minister will make the social media representatives aware about the achievements of the Narendra Modi government. Over 2,000 members of the social media would attend this programme.
Each of the 403 assembly constituencies of UP will send a team of five members of the social media to this training camp.
Mr Shah is expected to return to New Delhi on September 4 morning after having a night stay in the state capital.UNI MB CJ AE 2040
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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today had a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi who arrived here this evening on a two-day visit. President Al Sisi will hold formal talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow during which all bilateral, and major regional and global issues are expected to be discussed. ''Ahlan wa Sahlan President Sisi! EAM @SushmaSwaraj calls on President of Egypt for his first engagement in Delhi,'' Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. ''Cooperation in anti-terrorism is an important part of relationship and we are hoping for more exchange of views on it during the visit,'' Secretary Economic Relations Amar Sinha had said here while media briefing about the visit of Mr Al Sisi whose country is also battling the IS threat. This will be Mr Modi's third meeting with the Egyptian President and second visit to India in less than a year. He had come here in October last year to take part in the third India-Africa Summit. The visit is in continuation of Mr Modi's agenda for deepening engagement with the West Asian and African region. He had visited the UAE and went to Qatara, Saudi Arabia and Iran this year. There have been regular exchange of high-level visits between the two countries over the last few years. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had visited Egypt last year. This was followed by Union Minister for Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari 's visit to participate in the opening of new Suez Canal. Besides the grand mufti of Egypt had come here this year to attend the World Sufi Conference. Mr Sisi, whose visit is taking place at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Ministers, officials and business leaders. India is Egypt's sixth largest trading partner. Mr Mukherjee will receive the Egyptian President at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan tomorrow morning and host a banquet in his honour in the evening. Mr Sisi will also meet Vice-President Hamid Ansari tomorrow. UNI NAZ AE 2048 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-914881.Xml
Youth National Conference, Jammu Province today expressed concern over obtaining grave situation in the Kashmir Valley and called for carrying forward the initiatives taken by the opposition of the state led by Omar Abdullah, which met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of other political parties in New Delhi recently, for solving political problems in order to herald lasting peace. ''We are deeply grieved over the death of young boys during the 54 days shut-down and injuries to thousands,'' Provincial Youth National Conference President Ajaz Jan said while addressing block-level functionaries of Mandi and office-bearers of the YNC. In a resolution, the party functionaries noted that ultimately Mr Modi agreed to the contention of the Jammu and Kashmir opposition that the Centre will have to move beyond development agenda, as problems in Kashmir were of political in nature, and hoped that these need to be resolved earnestly. In yet another resolution, the YNC sought immediate ban on pellet guns, saying these have caused enormous sufferings to the people, with over 71 killed and hundreds of boys and girls rendered physically challenged. Mr Jan also expressed anguish over acute shortage of essentials in the curfew bound valley and called for effective measures in making available essential commodities to the people. The Provincial President assailed the ruling dispensation for creating mess in the Valley and hoped that the people will foil the PDP-BJP agenda of polarising the situation by whipping up communal and regional passions. He said unity, amity and tranquility had to be maintained to isolate these forces, who may try to create mistrust in the society to divert the attention of people from their failure on all fronts.UNI VBH CJ AE 2141 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-914963.Xml
French submarine manufacturer DCNS on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court of the State of New South Wales' (Australia) confirming the preliminary decision it had rendered August 29 against 'The Australian'. The Australian newspaper, which has already withdrawn all leaked data of India's Scorpene submarine from its website after the first decision, will now provide DCNS with all the documents in its possession and is prohibited from publishing any additional document, claimed a DCNS statement released on its website. In parallel to this action, DCNS has filed a complaint against unknown persons for breach of trust, receiving the proceeds of an offence and aiding and abetting before the Paris Public Prosecutor. Reacting to the leak, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said, "We have to be more careful so that such leaks do not take place, there are so many party involved in it. Every party, every stake holder, has to play its role and prevent such leaks." Last week, a report in the Australian media revealed that sensitive information related to India's Scorpene submarines has been leaked, with French shipbuilder DCNS, which designed the submarine, facing a leak of documents spreading over 22,000 pages. According to The Australian, the leak details the entire secret combat capability of the six Scorpene-class submarines that French shipbuilder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy. As per reports, the leak includes details of the submarine's underwater sensors, above-water sensors, combat management system, torpedo launch system and specifications, communications system and navigation systems. The Indian Navy has said the source of the leak appears to be from overseas and not in India. "The available information is being examined at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy), and an analysis is being carried out by the concerned specialists," the Indian Navy said in a statement. "It appears that the source of leak is from overseas and not in India," the statement added. (ANI)
Islamic State said one of its most prominent and longest-serving leaders was killed in what appeared to be an American air strike in Syria, depriving the militant group of the man in charge of directing attacks overseas.A US defense official told Reuters the United States targeted Abu Muhammad al-Adnani in a strike yesterdy on a vehicle travelling in the Syrian town of al-Bab. The official stopped short of confirming Adnani's death, however.Such US assessments often take days and often lag behind official announcements by militant groups.Adnani was one of the last living senior members, along with self-appointed caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who founded the group and stunned the Middle East by seizing huge tracts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.As Islamic State's spokesman, Adnani was its most visible member. As head of external operations, he was in charge of attacks overseas, including Europe, that have become an increasingly important tactic for the group as its core Iraqi and Syrian territory has been eroded by military losses.Advances by Iraq's army and allied militia towards Islamic State's most important possession of Mosul have put the group under new pressure at a moment when a US-backed coalition has cut its Syrian holdings off from the Turkish border.Those military setbacks have been accompanied by air strikes that have killed several of the group's leaders, undermining its organisational ability and dampening its morale.A U counter-terrorism official who monitors Islamic State said Adnani's death will hurt the militants "in the area that increasingly concerns us as the group loses more and more of its caliphate and its financial base ... and turns to mounting and inspiring more attacks in Europe, Southeast Asia and elsewhere".Under Adnani's auspices, Islamic State launched large-scale attacks, bombings and shootings on civilians in countries outside its core area, including France, Belgium and Turkey.The official said Adnani's roles as propaganda chief and director of external operations had become "indistinguishable" because the group uses its online messages to recruit fighters and provide instruction and inspiration for attacks.Islamic State's Amaq News Agency reported that Adnani was killed "while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo." Islamic State holds territory in the province of Aleppo, but not in the city where rebels are fighting Syrian government forces.Amaq did not say how Adnani, born Taha Subhi Falaha in Syria's Idlib Province in 1977, was killed. Islamic State published a eulogy dated August 29 but gave no further details.INROADS INTO ISLAMIC STATERecent advances by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias, and by Syrian rebels backed by Turkey, have made inroads into Islamic State holdings in Aleppo province, cutting them off from the Turkish border and supply lines along it.Iraqi army advances against the jihadist group mean Baghdad is on track to retake Mosul by the end of this year, the head of the US military's Central Command General Joseph Votel said yesterday.Among senior Islamic State officials killed in air strikes this year are Abu Ali al-Anbari, Baghdadi's formal deputy, and the group's "minister of war", Abu Omar al-Shishani. Adnani had joined the group under its founder Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.There were conflicting reports earlier yesterday as to where and how he died.A senior Syrian rebel official said Adnani was most probably killed in the Islamic State-held city of al-Bab in an air strike. Citing unconfirmed reports, he said Adnani was in the Aleppo region to raise morale in the face of mounting pressure.Islamic State's territory around Aleppo is of particular significance to the group because it is also the location of Dabiq, where an Islamic prophecy holds the last battle between Muslims and infidels will rage, heralding the end of time.FACE OF GROUPIraq said in January that Adnani had been wounded in an air strike in the western province of Anbar and then moved to the northern city of Mosul, Islamic State's capital in Iraq.Adnani is a Syrian from Binish in Idlib, southwest of Aleppo, who pledged allegiance to Islamic State's predecessor al Qaeda more than a decade ago and was once imprisoned by US forces in Iraq, according to the Brookings Institution.He was from a well-to-do background but left Syria to travel to Iraq to fight US forces there after its 2003 invasion, and only returned to his homeland after the start of its own civil war in 2011, a person who knew his family said.He had been the chief propagandist for the ultra-hardline jihadist group since he declared in a June 2014 statement that it was establishing a modern-day caliphate spanning swaths of territory it had seized in Iraq and neighbouring Syria.Adnani had often been the face of the Sunni militant group, such as when he issued a message in May urging attacks on the United States and Europe during the holy month of Ramadan.The United States designated him a "global terrorist" this year and said he was one of the first foreign fighters to oppose US-led coalition forces in Iraq since 2003 before becoming spokesman of the militant group.There is a 5 million dollars reward on his head under the US "Rewards for Justice" programme. 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US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed that anyone who is in the United States illegally would be subject to deportation if he is elected, sticking with his hardline position after flirting with a softer approach.In a major speech in the border state of Arizona, Trump took a dim view of the 11 million people who crossed into the United States illegally, a week after saying many were "great people" who had lived in the country for years and contributed to American society.He said all people in the United States illegally would have "only one route" to gain legal status if Trump were to win the Nov. 8 presidential election: "To return home and apply for re-entry.""Our message to the world will be this: You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country," Trump said."People will know you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," he said. "Those days are over."Trump again vowed that Mexico would pay for construction of a "great border wall" between the two countries. He spoke hours after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto told Trump in a face-to-face meeting in Mexico City that Mexico would not pay for it."We will build a great wall along the southern border," Trump said. "And Mexico will pay for the wall - 100 percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall."Trump said at a joint news conference with Pena Nieto that he and the Mexican leader did not discuss who would pay for the wall. Pena Nieto remained silent on the issue at the event, but said later on Twitter he did raise the issue."At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto said in a tweet.HARDLINE RETURNTrump used the Phoenix speech to clarify his stance on illegal immigration after prevaricating on the issue last week. He returned to the hardline rhetoric that powered him to the Republican presidential nomination over 16 rivals, heartening those conservatives drawn to Trump by the issue.Ann Coulter, a conservative activist who had fretted that Trump might be softening, tweeted: "I hear Churchill had a nice turn of phrase, but Trump's immigration speech is the most magnificent speech ever given."Correct The Record, an organisation supporting Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the Nov.8 presidential election, slammed Trump."Tonight confirmed what we knew all along - there is no 'softening'," Correct The Record spokeswoman Elizabeth Shappell said.Trump's "America First" positions are aimed at rallying middle-class people who feel they have lost jobs to illegal immigrants or to the outsourcing of jobs abroad.However, he may have put himself at risk of limiting his ability to broaden his base of support to include more Hispanic-Americans and more moderate Republican voters who do not think it is possible or practical to crack down on all illegal immigrants.In his speech, Trump emphasized that his priority would be to quickly deport those among the undocumented population who have committed serious crimes."As with any law enforcement activity, we will set priorities," Trump said. "Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have a country."He said he would form a commission to study which regions or countries he would suspend immigration from, saying Syria and Libya would be high on his list. This would be his way of carrying out his proposed ban on Muslims from some countries without getting into their religious affiliation.Trump said he would also establish a "deportation task force" to identify criminals subject to deportation, would triple the number of federal deportation officers, and increase the number of border patrol stations.MILD REBUKE, PROTESTSTrump is trailing Clinton in opinion polls and the New York businessman's aides hoped the trip would make him look presidential and show he was willing to deal head-on with thorny issues such as relations with Mexico.Pena Nieto said at the joint news conference with Trump in Mexico City that the many millions of Mexicans in the United States deserved respect. However, he offered only a mild rebuke of Trump for his rhetoric."The Mexican people has felt aggrieved by comments that have been made, but I was sure his interest in building a relationship is genuine," Pena Nieto said.A few dozen demonstrators gathered beneath a monument to Mexican independence in the center of the capital to protest against the visit, some holding placards emblazoned with captions such as: "You are not Wall-come" and "Trump and Pena out."Trump has been pilloried in Mexico since he launched his White House campaign last year.Clinton, a former secretary of state, said yesterday Trump could not paper over his previous harsh language against Mexico."It certainly takes more than trying to make up for more than a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again," she told a convention of the American Legion military veterans' group in Cincinnati.REUTERS VS RK1040 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-913476.Xml
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, speaking to a US veterans group today, made an open appeal to Republican and independent voters concerned about rival Donald Trump's national security credentials and his fitness for office."This election shouldn't be about ideology. It's not just about differences over policy," Clinton told an American Legion convention in Cincinnati. "It truly is about who has the experience and the temperament to serve as president and commander in chief."Clinton, a former secretary of state and former US senator, at times sounded like the Republican candidates Trump defeated to win his party's presidential nomination. She highlighted the United States' role as a global superpower and celebrated "American exceptionalism," a term frequently used by conservatives in a foreign-policy context."When we say America is exceptional ... it means that we recognize America's unique and unparalleled ability to be a force for peace and progress," Clinton told the veterans. "When America fails to lead, we leave a vacuum."She harshly rebuked Trump, accusing him of advocating a retreat from global affairs and suggesting that his calls for US forces to torture terror suspects and threaten their families would make the country less safe.The speech came on the same day that Trump was slated to meet with Mexico's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, in Mexico City in an attempt to bolster his own foreign-policy profile before delivering a speech on immigration policy Wednesday evening in Arizona.In her speech, Clinton cited the endorsements of dozens of members of the Republican foreign-policy establishment. On Wednesday, she secured another one from James Clad, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President George W. Bush.In a comment that has sparked criticism from many Republicans, Trump has called the US-led NATO military alliance obsolete, although he has since pledged to work with NATO to defeat Islamic State. He has also vowed to build a wall along the US border with Mexico and to make Mexico pay for it.Brian Katulis, a national-security analyst at the liberal Center for American Progress think tank in Washington, said Clinton's remarks were in line with "a bipartisan consensus about how we can best keep America safe and secure."Trump, he said, stands outside that consensus - something the Clinton campaign has attempted to exploit in courting Republican voters concerned about his rhetoric and lack of government experience.John Feehery, a Republican strategist in Washington, said Clinton's approach could peel off some wavering voters, but could cost her support from liberals and others who are wary of overseas conflicts after protracted wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."It could lose her votes on the left from folks who are tired of us blundering into any more wars," he said. "Most voters think we should focus on the home front." REUTERS RSD 0005 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-913368.Xml
Donald Trump traveled to Mexico today to meet President Enrique Pena Nieto in an unexpected trip to a country which the Republican presidential candidate has frequently vilified as the main source of illegal immigration and drug smuggling to the United States.Trump's visit to Mexico City took place hours before he was due to deliver a highly anticipated speech in the border state of Arizona on how he would tackle illegal immigration if he wins the November 8 election.True to Trump's flair for the dramatic, the trip south of the border will guarantee news coverage for the New York businessman and former reality TV star. But it also took him to a country where he is widely disliked because of harsh comments he has made during his White House campaign.Mexican opposition politicians and academics expressed disbelief that Pena Nieto would host Trump, who has accused Mexico of sending criminals and rapists across the border and cheating the United States on trade.Trump arrived at Mexico City's airport and headed for a meeting with Pena Nieto at the Los Pinos official residence, Mexican news media reported.A few dozen people gathered beneath a monument to Mexican independence in the center of the capital to protest the visit, some holding placards emblazoned with captions such as "You are not Wall-come" and "Trump and Pena out."Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence said Trump would speak to the Mexican leader about border security, including his signature pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border to counter illegal immigration.The meeting, which Trump and his advisers began considering after an invitation from Pena Nieto last week, will be Trump's first official interaction with a foreign leader since he began his presidential campaign more than a year ago, stirring up frequent controversy both at home and abroad.Pena Nieto has dismissed Trump's demand that Mexico pay for the proposed border wall and likened his tone to the ascent of dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, asked by NBC's "Today" show if he would speak to the Mexican president in the same blunt terms he has used at home, Conway said Trump would be "very presidential."A source close to the Trump campaign said he expects the candidate might apologize in Mexico for some of his rhetoric but say that illegal immigration has to stop.Trump trails Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in most opinion polls nationally and in most battleground states with 10 weeks to go until the election.Clinton said Trump could not paper over his previous harsh language against Mexico, which helped him defeat 16 rivals for the Republican presidential nomination."It certainly takes more than trying to make up for more than a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again," she told a convention of the American Legion veterans' group in Cincinnati.'DESPERATE MOVE'Trump has been pilloried in Mexico since he launched his White House campaign last year.He has pledged to renegotiate or scrap the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada.Former Mexican President Vicente Fox, who has been fiercely critical of Trump, blasted the visit, saying Trump was untrustworthy and that Pena Nieto's invitation appeared aimed at boosting his own flagging popularity at home.Pena Nieto has been enmeshed in his own controversies, including over whether he plagiarized some of his 1991 undergraduate law thesis."It is a desperate move by both sides," Fox told CNN.Gabriela Cuevas, a senator with Mexico's conservative opposition National Action Party and head of the Senate foreign relations committee, said the visit was degrading for Mexico."Mexico looks weak as a country wanting to receive ... bullies, abusers, those who discriminate and confront. You don't invite them to come over for coffee," she said.The head of a group of US Republicans in Mexico, Larry Rubin, said Trump would spend about 90 minutes in Mexico City.The last-minute trip contrasted with the usual style of foreign visits at the presidential level, which are long-planned and carefully scripted.And foreign trips by White House hopefuls can be tricky to navigate. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican candidate, made a number of gaffes during a trip to London, Israel and Poland four years ago.Clinton was also invited to meet with Pena Nieto, but it was unclear whether she has accepted.After leaving Mexico, Trump was scheduled to make his speech on immigration at 0630 IST tomorrow in Phoenix, Arizona, a state at the heart of the debate over the US border.Aides said he would reaffirm his determination to build a border wall and to quickly deport illegal immigrants who have committed crimes in the United States.But the central question was how he would treat the majority of the 11 million illegal immigrants who have set down roots in their communities and obeyed US laws. That issue has bedeviled the immigration debate in the United States for years.Trump has shown signs of indecision on whether to go ahead with his previous proposal for a "deportation force," saying there are some "great people" among the immigrant population and that he would like to work with them.Conservative allies like former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin have warned Trump against rolling back on deporting illegal immigrants.But a more moderate immigration stance could help him attract some critical swing voters in his uphill drive to win in November.REUTERS RSD 0018 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-913373.Xml
Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff pledged today to appeal her impeachment, which she called a parliamentary coup, and called on supporters to fight a conservative agenda empowered by her dismissal."Right now I will not say goodbye to you. I am certain I can say, 'See you soon,'" she told supporters in Brasilia.REUTERS RSD 0032 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-913374.Xml
UN peacekeepers have deployed to monitor a standoff between Moroccan forces and Western Sahara's Polisario Front that risks escalating into one of the worst flare-ups in the disputed region since a 1991 ceasefire.Polisario, which declared an independent republic in the desert land in the 1970s, accuses Morocco, which claims sovereignty of the region, of breaking the terms of the ceasefire by building a road in a UN buffer zone.UN peace-keeping observers are watching Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie personnel and a unit of Polisario fighters face off in a narrow patch of no-man's land in the far south where Morocco has begun what it calls "clearing operations" to stop smuggling and other criminality.The buffer zone is in an area between the Moroccan-built berm - a mostly sand wall that stretches through Western Sahara, separating government-controlled areas from Polisario territory - and a Mauritania frontier post.According to a confidential note to the UN Security Council by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, seen by Reuters, Morocco this month launched air and ground patrols and began laying a road south of their wall in the buffer zone in the Guerguerat region."We are not going to allow Morocco to advance with a roadway outside the wall, this is a violation of the ceasefire," Bechraya Hamoudi Sidina, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic's envoy in Algiers, told Reuters."We are not beating war drums, but the UN must assume its duty and oblige Morocco to return to it original position."Moroccan officials did not respond to requests for comment."DEEPLY CONCERNED"Polisario had informed the UN mission it would dispatch troops if Moroccan activities did not stop.In the August 28 peacekeeping note, UN observers noted 32 Polisario military in the buffer zone, where they said they would establish a checkpoint to stop Moroccan activities, but not impede local traffic. Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie were also in the buffer zone.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement he was "deeply concerned" and called on both sides to withdraw armed elements from the area.Western Sahara, which is rich in phosphate, has been at a diplomatic impasse for more than 20 years since the UN-sponsored ceasefire came into force on the understanding a referendum would be held on self-determination.But the two sides never agreed on the terms of the referendum. Morocco's king has proposed an autonomy plan instead and invested heavily in the region in an attempt to calm independence claims.Tensions were already high before the Guerguerat stand-off. Earlier this year Morocco expelled part of the UN observation mission in protest after it said Ban had compromised the UN's neutrality.Polisario is also in transition after its long-time leader and founder Mohammed Abdelaziz died in May. New leader Brahim Ghali must manage frustrations of a younger generation of the Western Sahara's Sahrawi people who have lived their lives in refugee camps in southern Algeria. REUTERS RSD 0040 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-913376.Xml
Donald Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto that the United States has the right to build a border wall to halt illegal immigration, but the Republican presidential candidate did not bring up his signature demand that Mexico pay for it.In an unexpected trip to a country that he has vilified for causing illegal immigration and drug smuggling into the United States, Trump held talks with the Mexican leader at his Los Pinos residence for about an hour."We did discuss the wall, we didn't discuss payment of the wall, that will be at a later date, this was a very preliminary meeting. It was an excellent meeting," Trump said.Trump is trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in opinion polls for the November 8 election. The New York businessman's aides hoped the trip would make him look presidential and show he is willing to deal head on with a thorny issue like relations with Mexico.But his omission of asking Mexico to pay for the wall during Wednesday's talks was notable.Trump's call for Mexico to fund the wall is often the central moment of his campaign rallies. He asks the crowd who will pay for the wall, and supporters shout back, "Mexico!"Mexican opposition politicians attacked Pena Nieto for hosting Trump. The Republican candidate first made his accusations that Mexico is sending criminals and rapists across the border and pledged to build a wall that Mexico would pay for when he launched his presidential bid in June last year. He has also accused Mexico of cheating the United States on trade.The Mexican president said the many millions of Mexicans in the United States deserve respect, but offered only a mild rebuke of Trump for his rhetoric."The Mexican people has felt aggrieved by comments that have been made, but I was sure his interest in building a relationship is genuine," Pena Nieto said at a joint media event after the talks.A few dozen demonstrators gathered beneath a monument to Mexican independence in the center of the capital to protest the visit, some holding placards emblazoned with captions such as "You are not Wall-come" and "Trump and Pena out."Pena Nieto has been enmeshed in his own controversies, including over whether he plagiarized some of his 1991 undergraduate law thesis.Trump's visit to Mexico City took place hours before he was due to deliver a highly anticipated speech in the US border state of Arizona on how he would tackle illegal immigration if he wins the election.Trump has been pilloried in Mexico since he launched his White House campaign last year.He has pledged to renegotiate or scrap the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada.Clinton, a former secretary of state, said Trump could not paper over his previous harsh language against Mexico, which helped him defeat 16 rivals for the Republican presidential nomination."It certainly takes more than trying to make up for more than a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again," she told a convention of the American Legion military veterans' group in Cincinnati.REUTERS RSD 0431 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-913397.Xml
India plans to purchase the 'Kalibr' cruise missiles from Russia, daily newspaper Izvestia reported today.The 'Kalibr' export version will have a significantly reduced flight distance as short as 300 kilometers , in order not to violate the provisions of international agreements that prohibit the export of missiles with a greater flight distance, the newspaper said."These will be, essentially, the same missiles as the ones used in Syria," a diplomatic source told the newspaper. RIA Novosti reported last week quoting a source that the Russian Black Sea warships equipped with 'Kalibr' cruise missiles will remain in eastern Mediterranean at least until September. The missile ships have carried out several 'Kalibr' launches against the 'Jabhat Fatah al-Sham' (also known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front) terrorist group in Syria.UNI XC JW ADG SS 1325 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-913638.Xml
France today called on the Gabon government to release details of local vote tallies after the opposition said President Ali Bongo's election victory was rigged."The election result must be perfectly clear and transparent," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on RMC radio, adding that the election results should be published bureau by bureau.Bongo won 49.80 per cent of votes, compared with 48.23 per cent for his main rival Jean Ping, with a turnout of 59.46 per cent, according to results announced region by region by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.REUTERS SDR VN1457 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-913887.Xml
Areas of Syria's Hama province captured by Syrian insurgents came under heavy air attack today as government forces sought to counter a major rebel assault in an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad.The rebel thrust in Hama marks a new challenge to Assad and his allies in a part of Syria where he has tried to consolidate his grip on power against a more than five-year-old insurgency.The attack that began on Tuesday is the biggest coordinated rebel offensive in Hama province since 2014, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.The Observatory said at least 25 people including six children had been killed in the air strikes overnight.Syrian state television said the air force had carried out "concentrated strikes" against what it described as terrorists in the area, saying tens of them had been killed.An official in one of the rebel factions waging the attack, Jaish al-Nasr, said both Syrian and Russian jets were involved in what he described as heavy air strikes. Russia has been bombing anti-Assad forces for almost a year.The rebel groups taking part include the jihadist Jund al-Aqsa and factions fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Jaish al-Nasr, one of the FSA groups, said in a statement released overnight that two commanders and three other of its combatants had been killed in the Hama battles.Rebels have captured a number of towns and villages in the attack. The targeted area is populated by Christians and Alawites loyal to the government and is close to the mountain heartland of Assad's Alawite sect.The Observatory said the air strike that killed 25 people hit a road between the town of al-Latamenah and Idlib province, an area of northwestern Syria mostly under insurgent control.A Syrian military source said the air force had destroyed dozens of insurgent vehicles and the militants riding in them on a road from al-Latamenah to Idlib.REUTERS SDR PR1727 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-914263.Xml
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today said he spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the importance of freedom of expression and acceptance of diversity, and encouraged China to do more to protect human rights.Those are "not easy conversations to have", but are necessary ones, Trudeau said at a reception held by the Canada-China Business Council in Shanghai.Trudeau is seeking deeper ties with China but a dispute over canola trade, government divisions over China policy and the case of a detained citizen could limit his gains. He said yesterday that he hopes for a long-term solution with China on their dispute over the safety of canola exports from Canada.REUTERS SDR PR1747 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-914313.Xml
Talks between senior Russian and American officials aiming for a broad ceasefire in Syria are likely to last into the weekend, as the conflict intensifies further, the United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura said today."We hope negotiations which have lasted too long, reach an outcome. Time is short," he told reporters in Geneva.There was still hope of agreeing a 48-hour truce in the northern city of Aleppo to allow aid deliveries, his humanitarian advisor Jan Egeland said. De Mistura called on major and regional powers including Iran and Saudi Arabia to help smooth the way for a weekly halt in the fighting there.As an end-August target for restarting peace talks slipped away, de Mistura said he planned a new political initiative to bring the conflict to the attention of the UN General Assembly later this month, without elaborating.REUTERS SDR PR1749 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-914349.Xml
A group of Kurdish politicians and activists in Turkey said today they would start a hunger strike next week to demand the right to visit the jailed the Kurdish PKK militant leader, who has been isolated since a peace process collapsed last year.Abdullah Ocalan, who was jailed in 1999, has not been allowed visits by pro-Kurdish lawmakers since April 2015. The leader of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has also not seen any family members since 2014 or his lawyers since 2011.The PKK has been waging an insurgency seeking autonomy for the southeast region of Turkey for more than three decades. It has claimed responsibility for a spate of attacks since a two-year ceasefire deal broke down last year.A group of 50 people, mostly activists and up to four lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), would refuse food from Monday unless Ocalan was allowed visits, a politician from a Kurdish umbrella organisation told Reuters."We demand the lifting of isolation imposed on Ocalan. Our strike will continue until a meeting with Ocalan is provided," said a politician from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party.Pervin Buldan, a senior HDP parliamentarian, said three or four lawmakers from the party would join the hunger strike by the group in Turkey's largest Kurdish city Diyarbakir.Ocalan is serving his life sentence in an island prison in Turkey's northwestern Marmara Sea.Last week, a suicide truck bombing at a police headquarters in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast killed at least 11 people, two days after Turkey launched an incursion in northern Syria against Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters.The PKK said on its website that the truck bombing was in retaliation for Ocalan's "continued isolation" and lack of information about his welfare. It warned of more attacks.The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. REUTERS SDR PR1755 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-914376.Xml
More than 12 million French children went back to school under heightened security today after a summer vacation marked by further deadly attacks in a country that is one of the prime targets of Islamic State militants.Armed police patrolled outside schools around the country as children, parents and teachers converged at entrance gates.Eight months from elections, the government is under pressure to reassure a wary population of 65 million haunted by the July truck attack in Nice that killed 86 as well as the killing of a priest.At the Bernard Palissy primary school in Joinville-le-Pont east of Paris, extra security measures included a blanket ban on parents entering school buildings and the presence of local police at opening time."The difference is we can unfortunately no longer access the school," said Faiza Teaboui, whose young son was going to school for the first time."But I tell myself that it is a very positive thing because it means no unknown adult can get in. You never know, security is very important for the town and our children above all. It's important to feel reassured."Olivier Dosne, mayor of Joinville-le-Pont, said a budget of 111,000 dollar had been allocated to improve school security.Some of that funded installation of one-way glass at school entrances to prevent outsiders peering in. More was being spent on evacuation and crisis-containment training for school staff in line with nationwide guidelines."They will have more equipment such as whistles, walkie-talkies, intercoms," Dosne said.Another directive to school directors is that they arrange training in first-aid and life-saving drills for pupils and staff, as well as training in how to respond under attack - such as hiding and staying silent.The spate of killings over the past few months took place despite emergency rule imposed after attacks last November in which Islamist militants killed 130 people in and near Paris.That attack stunned the country, already on edge after Islamist militants in January 2015 killed 17 people, most of them at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper and a kosher supermarket.The Islamic State group, whose strongholds in Syria and Iraq are being bombed by French jets, has called on its followers to attack in France, notably its secular state schools.REUTERS SDR NS1846 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-914522.Xml
HOHHOT, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Disassembly work began on a major blast furnace in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Wednesday, marking the beginning of the end of more than half a century of operation.
The demolition team set to work just before noon, preparing the Baogang Group's No. 2 Blast Furnace for a dismantling project that will take over two months.
With an annual production capacity of 1.33 million tonnes of iron, the furnace, which was built in 1959, is the largest to be demolished since China initiated supply-side reform to tackle industrial overcapacity last year.
Wang Shengping, executive deputy general manager of Baogang, said it was once capable of producing enough iron to build an Eiffel Tower in three days.
"It has contributed a lot to economic development in the border and minority regions," said Wang.
Now that the furnace has been decommissioned, emissions of dust will be reduced by 2,800 tonnes and carbon dioxide by 57 tonnes annually, he said.
Seeing the crane move in to begin the demolition work, Wang Guizhong, 48, had mixed feelings. He worked for the furnace for 14 years, advancing from furnace man to gas fitter and eventually chief of his team.
"I really hated saying goodbye," he said. "But I support the decision, for the sake of the company's development and structural upgrading."
Wang and 130 of his colleagues will be reposted to other furnaces owned by the group, while those who were employed on the material supply and down-stream product manufacturing departments will be transferred to the group's other companies, which are not related to iron and steel.
Because of the demolition, more than 2,400 workers will be transferred or retire, according to the group.
In 2015, more than half of China's steel companies reported total losses of 65 billion yuan (9.7 billion U.S. dollars). Once a profit engine for China, iron and steel boomed while infrastructure investment fed demand for commodities such as steel and cement. As the economy cools, the production glut has become as burdensome as it was once bountiful.
Thus, China will cut steel capacity by 100 to 150 million tonnes by 2020, including 45 million tonnes in 2016. As of late July, 47 percent of the annual target had been achieved, according to data released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
The central government has organized 10 inspection teams, which will be sent to provinces, regions and municipalities to promote the cut.
Moreover, the Ministry of Finance in May announced 100 billion yuan in aid for steel and coal companies to find new jobs for its laid-off workers.
FORCED TRANSFORMATION
Iron and steel, coal mining, cement making, ship building, aluminum and flat glass have the ominous titles as having the most excess capacity in China. According to a UBS report earlier this year, the six industries account for around 12 percent of industrial employment, and a 20 percent reduction in capacity may result in the loss of 3.56 million jobs.
An Zhongping still remembers the day when his cement plant was razed to the ground in 2013. The firm he worked for was among the first 18 cement plants to be demolished in the city of Luquan, Hebei Province.
"Many of us couldn't hold back the tears," he recalled.
With some 100 workers with families to support, An felt the calling; he should start his own business, and be his own boss. Inspired by the vast tracts of walnut trees in his local area, he decided to build a walnut milk factory on the former site of his cement plant.
"I had to learn from the ground up," he said.
To encourage entrepreneurs to start their new businesses, local governments have organized tours to Beijing, Tianjin, and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui. With the government offering to be a guarantee, An secured a 3-million-yuan loan from the bank, and imported the production equipment he needed from Taiwan.
The plant currently produces 800 cans of walnut milk per minute, making 600 million yuan in annual output value -- 20 times the annual sales revenue the cement plant made. The workers he hires has also increased to 500.
Guo Keming, who works at An's factory, has self-taught himself food industry management and sales skills. In his words, he is growing and transforming together with the plant.
Guo, 45, had worked at the cement plant for over two decades, and had, initially, considered finding another job in cement production when the plant closed.
"I quickly realized that other cement plants may also face the same fate as my old firm," he said.
ONWARDS, UPWARDS
While some factories in sectors struggling with overcapacity are looking to transform, their employees have been encouraged to start their own businesses.
In Shanxi Province, the provincial government in late July released a circular offering subsidies to coal workers-turned-entrepreneurs.
Each startup will be granted 2,000 yuan a year for three years to go toward office space fees, and 1,200 yuan per trainee if the business will re-train ex-coal workers.
Existing coal firms have also been encouraged to set up startup centers where workers can explore their business ideas with the support of preferential conditions, according to the circular.
Shanxi Coal Electricity Group Co., Ltd. established such a center this year, welcoming workers to test their business proposals. Every business has free office space, and receives a grant of 2,000 yuan if it employs a laid-off worker for more than a year.
Wang Jun, a former worker of the coal company, decided to try his hands at opening a cleaning business after his salary halved to 2,000 yuan per month.
"With a pair of twins to raise and my mortgage, I did not want to have to keep asking my parents for help," he recalled.
Wang invested over 60,000 yuan in the cleaning company in 2015, hiring five cleaners. It now has an app, and he is planning to expand business via the Internet.
Although he has yet to turn a profit, he is confident about the future of his business. "It must be better than the pittance I brought home at the coal company," he said.
BRUSSELS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- As Brussels and Washington are struggling to conclude a landmark bilateral trade talks by the end of this year, recent intensified critique from European politicians, along with year-long protests, cast doubt and uncertainty over the deal's future.
Matthias Fekl, France's minister for foreign trade, tweeted on Tuesday morning that his government demanded a halt of negotiations on the deal, known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
French President Francois Hollande later the day told French ambassadors that the deal was "clearly unbalanced" and "a positive conclusion" over the deal was unlikely to be clinched by the end of this year.
France is not alone to voice doubt and concerns. On Sunday, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said TTIP had "de facto failed" in an interview with German ZDF television which later drew clarification from Gereman government.
It is not surprising that many European politicians expressed disappointment and pessimism over a deal about which three-year negotiations have failed to generate fruitful outcome and, as Gabriel said, had not lead to any agreement on the 27 chapters opened.
Brussels and Washington are still at odds over several critical issues at current stage although both sides are committed to concluding the deal by the end of this year before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in January.
Among Europe's major concerns is that the deal would allow multinationals to sue a European government when there is disputes. Trade unions as well think that the deal would harm the continent in fields such as agriculture, medicine and culture.
A wave of protests has taken place across Europe since the beginning of the talks in 2013. In Germany, critics have called for a nation-wide demonstration on Sept. 17.
With Britons voting to leave the European Union (EU), the cloud of uncertainty hanging over TTIP negotiations have become even thicker. Many worry that without Britain, a very important free trade supporter, the ongoing talks would be more difficult. The complicated separation process between Britain and the rest of the EU will cost much political capital thus delay the free trade talks.
However, the European Commission said Monday the ongoing TTIP negotiations are making "steady progress" and the "the ball is rolling" right now.
"Talks are now indeed entering crucial stage as we have proposals for almost all chapters on the table and a good sense of the outline of the future agreement," Chief Spokesperson of the Commission Margaritis Schinas told a news conference.
TTIP comprises of three main blocks, market access for EU and U.S. companies, cooperation on regulatory issues and global rules of trade such as sustainable development or competition policy.
Since July 2013, when the EU and the United States started negotiations on the free trade deal, 14 rounds of talks have been held. Both sides have been seeking to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year.
(From L to R) Producer Jordan Horowitz, director Damien Chazelle, actress Emma Stone, producers Fred Berger and Marc Platt pose during a photocall for the opening movie "La La Land" presented in competition before the opening ceremony of the 73rd Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Aug. 31, 2016. The annual Venice Film Festival lasts from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10 this year. (Xinhua/Jin Yu)
by Alessandra Cardone
VENICE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Surrounded by tightened security measures, the 2016 Venice Film Festival kicked off here on Wednesday amid high expectations of a top quality event.
Some 43 countries overall were participating in this 73rd edition, with 20 movies playing in the main competition, some 11 films and eight documentaries out of competition, and 19 movies in the "Horizons" section devoted to new cinema trends.
The festival will run on Venice Lido until Sept. 10, and opened with a premiere of musical "La La Land" by Damien Chazelle, starring Emma Stone and Ryan Goslin.
The 31-year-old Award-nominated director of Whiplash this time put on screen an intense story of love and dreams between a jazz pianist (Goslin) and an aspiring actress (Stone) set in contemporary Los Angeles, yet openly hinting to classical Hollywood musicals.
After a preview very well received by the press, "La La Land" was screened after the opening ceremony on Wednesday evening.
"We need hope and romance on the screen, now more than ever," Chazelle explained a press conference earlier on Wednesday.
"There is something about musical that just gets at what only movies can do," the American director added. "That idea of movies as a dreamland, as the language of our dreams, and as a way of expressing a world in which emotions can break the rules of reality."
Many here at the festival wondered if this year's opening premiere would again lead to major recognition overseas.
Indeed, Venice brought luck to the opening movies in its three previous editions: "Spotlight" and "Birdman", after premiering here in 2015 and 2014 respectively, were both awarded the best picture Oscar, while space-drama "Gravity" had won seven Academy awards the year before.
Yet, the rich line-up of this 73rd Venice Fest included several outstanding auteurs and movies stars, which might as well be seen as possible contenders of the Golden Lion.
That would be the case, for example, of domestic drama "The Light Between Oceans" by American director Derek Cianfrance, filmed in a remote lighthouse and starring actor Michael Fassbender.
There was also Tom Ford's thriller "Nocturnal Animals" with Amy Adams starring as a woman who receives the manuscript of a new, troubling novel from her ex-husband.
This will be Ford's second film after "A Single Man" which premiered at Venice in 2009.
Other major contenders would include: Chilean Pablo Larrain's "Jackie", a biographical drama with Natalie Portman starring as Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy in the days immediately after the killing of the U.S. president, and American Terrence Malick's documentary on the universe "Voyage of Time."
Also seen as strong competitors were "Frantz", a drama by French Francois Ozon set in the aftermath of World War II, "The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez" by German Wim Wenders, and "On The Milky Road" by Serbian Emir Kusturica.
Three Italian films were playing in the official contest: movies "Questi Giorni" (These days) by Giuseppe Piccioni and "Piuma" (Feather) by Anglo-Italian director Roan Johnson, and documentary "Spira mirabilis" by Massimo D'Anolfi and Martina Parenti.
At the official opening ceremony, festival director Alberto Barbera awarded Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, for "the extraordinary movies he realized throughout his life."
Barbera and Paolo Baratta, head of Biennale di Venezia organizing the festival, also officially presented the jury panels to the press earlier in the day.
British director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, James Bond) will be chairing a main jury of nine awarding the Golden Lion, the Silver Lion, and other key prizes.
His fellow judges included Chinese actress and director Zhao Wei, Italian screenwriter Giancarlo De Cataldo, French-Italian actress Chiara Mastroianni, British-American director Joshua Oppenheimer, and English actress Gemma Arterton.
Meanwhile, tightened anti-terror security measures were visible all around the festival.
The festival director acknowledged such measures were necessary, after the terrorist attacks that hit Europe this year. Yet, Barbera stressed security checks were as much as possible limited to the inner village hosting the event in order not to disturb audience and professionals.
As announced, the traditional gala dinner scheduled for Wednesday evening on the Lido beachside was cancelled as a sign of respect towards the over 290 victims of a major earthquake that struck central Italy on Aug. 24.
VIENNA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- While debate about the "burkini" swimwear continues on in European politics, skin cancer experts gathered for a congress in Austria claim the full-body swimming costume may actually save lives.
Gathered at the 16th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin (WCCS) in the Austrian capital that kicked off Wednesday, the experts pointed out that potentially fatal skin cancers such as melanoma or basal-cell carcinoma are caused by UV light exposure, Austria Press Agency has reported.
The instances of these forms of cancer have escalated dramatically since the Second World War, and are projected to increase further in the decades ahead.
Sunscreens are not a particularly effective means of protecting against skin cancers, with one German study shown by the experts indicating that the development of melanoma precursors are not reduced by use of such creams and lotions.
German dermatology expert Claus Garbe said clothing, such as in the form of the burkini, is currently the best means of protection against skin cancers.
He noted that the swimwear was initially developed in Australia, where skin cancers occur at a very high rate, and that at present half of those who wear them are non-Muslims.
CHICAGO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures closed lower Wednesday, declining amid the prospect of record harvests in the Farm Belt and expanded crop stockpiles.
The most active corn contract for December delivery was down 0.25 cents, or 0.08 percent, to 3.155 dollars per bushel. December wheat delivery fell 4 cents, or 1.02 percent, to 3.8825 dollars per bushel. November soybeans fell 7.75 cents, or 0.82 percent, to 9.43 dollars per bushel.
Soybean prices fell to the lowest level in more than four months, sliding as expectations grow that average U.S. soybean yields could come in higher than the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest estimate due to favorable weather toward the end of the growing season.
Some private forecasters are now calling for an average yield over 50 bushels per acre, analysts said, which tops the government's projection earlier this month for 48.9 bushels. The USDA already is anticipating farmers will collect a record soybean crop this year, and higher yields could result in an even bigger harvest.
Corn prices declined to a fresh seven-year low, buffeted by expectations that U.S. farmers will collect a history- setting crop this year. Prices for the grain have so far dropped 16% this year and some market watchers believe they could fall to as low as $2.50 a bushel, traders said.
Wheat posted the biggest percentage decline as the market struggled to find support after prices fell to 10-year lows.Additional pressure stemmed from news that Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, canceled its latest wheat purchase tender after receiving just one offer.
Wheat futures fell despite the U.S. Department of Agriculture's confirmation that private exporters in the last day sold 138,000 tonnes of U.S. hard red winter wheat to unknown destinations.
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on Wednesday told the Security Council that the current military escalation in Yemen is facilitating the expansion of terrorist groups.
"Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) continue to wreak havoc in significant parts of Yemen," said Ould Cheikh Ahmed, adding that the absence of the state in many parts of the country will fuel the spread of terrorism.
On Monday, a suicide bombing that targeted an army recruiting compound in Yemen's southern port city of Aden has left at least 65 people killed and 55 injured. The IS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ould Cheikh Ahmed noted that the dangerous escalation in military activities has followed the collapse of the UN-sponsored peace talks in host Kuwait, which aimed to end the country's 18 months of fighting.
Since then, fighting escalated between foes inside Yemen and on the southern borders with Saudi Arabia. UN statistics show that the number of internally displaced persons has risen to over 3 million.
Ould Cheikh Ahmed said though the talks did not yield an agreement, the architecture of a roadmap had emerged, which would be expanded upon in the coming weeks and both parties had agreed to continue consultations separately and to reconvene direct talks at a later stage.
Therefore, he called on all parties to resume cessation of hostilities at this moment and accelerate the path to renewed talks.
Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active insurgencies in the Middle East.
Militant extremists took advantage of the current security vacuum and the ongoing civil war to expand its influence and seize more territories in southern Yemen.
Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.
More than 6,400 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, half of them civilians.
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Dilma Rousseff's removal as president of Brazil for fiscal irregularities had a clear political motive but was not a coup, as Rousseff has stated, according to an expert.
Mario Torrico, a political expert from the Latin American School of Social Sciences (Flacso) in Mexico City, told Xinhua that the impeachment "was used a mechanism to remove her from power for political reasons. However, to go from that to saying that a coup d'etat is happening in Brazil is going too far."
"There is no coup d'etat in Brazil, it's a process which follows the constitutional rules for removing a president," he added.
The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favour to 20 votes against.
This means Rousseff is immediately and permanently removed from her role and Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, will become president until the end of this term in 2018.
For Torrico, the seeds of Rousseff's impeachment sprouted when her Workers' Party (PT) saw its alliances with other political parties fell apart.
"I am certain that, if it had not been this accusation, it would have been another. The reason for this trial is political," he stated.
According to Torrico, the fiscal manipulations Rousseff stood guilty of were used by "previous presidents and governors of states." However, he believes her acts were certainly illegal since she needed the approval of Congress.
Furthermore, Torrico predicts that Temer's policies will not be easy to be implemented in Brazil, as he will have to make "important and painful fiscal adjustments." He has less than two years to do so since Temer is ineligible to stand for election during the next presidential race in 2018.
"Brazil is facing a very complicated landscape over the next two years, when there will be new elections for president," said Torrico.
Rousseff's impeachment should teach two lessons for Latin America, as a whole, he noted. First, people are beginning to demand stiff accounts from left-wing governments that do not meet their promises. Second, national economies can no longer be dependent on raw materials, since Brazil's economy tanked as oil prices did the same.
"Today, left-wing governments have to pay the costs. Beforehand, the right-wing governments paid the costs but we have not learned our lesson. I hope we learn it now," he concluded.
HELSINKI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua)-- Finnish police have completed the pre-trial investigation on a man who wore a Ku Klux Klan costume in an anti-immigration protest, and transferred the case to the prosecutor's office for prosecution.
In late September 2015, a group of up to 40 demonstrators threw fireworks, stones and lighted torches when two buses carrying about 100 asylum seekers drove up to a refugee reception center in the southern Finnish town of Lahti.
One of the protesters wore an iconic white hood and robe of the Ku Klux Klan, a typical racist organization in the United States. The man was also holding a Finnish national flag.
During the pre-trial investigation, the 20-year-old young man was suspected of illegal masquerading, public incitement, and national flag desecration, reported Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday.
Jari Kiiskinen, detective chief inspector at Hame Police Department, told the daily that the police also investigated the case as a racist crime, as the suspect allegedly had racist motive.
The case was transferred on Wednesday to the Prosecutor's Office of Western Uusimaa for prosecution. The prosecution of the case will be finished in October this year at the earliest, estimated Pasi Palsi, district prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office.
The incident happened when an increasing number of asylum seekers were swarming into Finland. According to the Finnish Immigration Service, about 15,000 had arrived in Finland at the end of September 2015.
BRASILIA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- As Brazil and Latin America reeled from the impeachment of Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday, reactions quickly began pouring in, mostly from her saddened supporters.
Brazil's Central Union of Workers (CUT), a stalwart Rousseff ally behind many of the protests in her favour, was indignant. In a statement, it said Dilma had faced "a coup" and predicted that unions and workers' associations would unite against any attempt to "strip them of their rights."
"This is not a simple change of mandate but the usurpation of Brazil's destiny by a wing of the political class, the judiciary and the press that desire power at any cost," said CUT President Vagner Freitas.
Taking the opposing line, the National Confederation of Agriculture (CUA) hailed the impeachment as "a victory for the nation." The CUA, which represents many private land-owners, said its members had been impressed with "Temer being fair in relation with other powers and with society. He transmits the hope that the country's economic crisis can be overcome."
Internationally, left-wing governments in the region were quick to blast what they saw as a coup.
The government of Ecuador released a statement, in which it condemned "the political events in Brazil...which have deposed from her position the constitutional President Dilma Rousseff."
Quito rejected "the flagrant subversion of the democratic order in Brazil, which can be considered an underhanded coup d'etat."
Venezuela followed suit, with its government writing that "the political and corporate oligarchies, in alliance with imperial forces, led the coup against President Dilma Rousseff, through anti-juridicial trickery. They have reached power in the only way possible: fraud and immorality."
On Tuesday, Bolivia's President Evo Morales wrote on Twitter that he would recall his country's ambassador to Brazil if Rousseff was impeached. On Wednesday, Morales confirmed that the ambassador, Jose Kinn, was being called to La Paz for "consultations" although there was no word if this was a permanent move.
In a statement, Morales condemned this decision by the Brazilian Senate "which ignores the will of the people expressed in the popular vote. This harms democracy in a brother country like Brazil and ignores the 54 million votes which took Dilma Rousseff to the presidency."
Cuba also condemned the impeachment, writing that "the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Cuba strongly rejects the parliamentary coup that has been accomplished against President Dilma Rousseff," in an official release sent to local media.
In Argentina, the government of President Mauricio Macri issued a statement to say it "respected the verified institutional process" in Brazil and expressed its desire to work with the Brazilian government on issues of common concern, such as Southern Common Market (Mercosur) integration.
However, Macri's predecessor Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner threw her support behind her fallen friend, writing on Twitter that "Latin America is once again a laboratory for the most extreme right."
VENICE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Polish renowned director Jerzy Skolimowski was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievements at the 73rd Venice Film Festival, which kicked off here on Wednesday.
The top prize was given by Festival director Alberto Barbera at the official launching ceremony of the 2016 edition in the evening, before the opening premiere of musical "La La Land" by American Damien Chazelle.
The 78-year-old veteran director, scriptwriter and actor, Skolimowski enjoyed a long carrier through a troubled life.
"All of his life has been marked by travels and transfers, from his native Poland to Belgium, from the UK to the Unites States," Barbera told a press conference earlier on Wednesday.
"Each and every time, he was able to make an unforgettable movie, after having given a crucial contribution to the nouvelle vague (of Polish cinema)," said Barbera.
"And after returning to his homeland some 10 years ago, he still directed three film of amazing originality and freshness," Barbera added.
Achievements in Skolimowski's long carrier include "Identification Marks: None", "Walkover", "The Barrier" and "Hands Up", all of them filmed in the 1960s; then, "The Departure", "Deep End", "The Shout", "Moonlighting", "Torrent of Spring", and "Four Nights with Anna".
He won a jury special price at Venice with "Essential Killing" in 2010, and was selected in the main competition with "11 Minutes" in 2015.
Asked about what issues would draw his attention as director, the Polish auteur answered: migrants.
"Generally speaking, most of my movies have dealt with outsides," Skolimowski explained.
"I care about people who live on the margins of society, those who cannot find their own place in life ... I was an immigrant myself, and I know how it feels to be forced to leave your country," he added.
As such, migrants and refugees should be a main subject for movies in the near future.
"I believe these people really deserve to be looked at in a sympathetic way," Skolimowski said.
At the press conference, Barbera also noted Venice festival from this year on would be awarding two Golden Lions for lifetime achievement each edition: one to a director, and another to an actor.
"We decided to select actors, because they are the very substance without which most of the movies could not be done ... they are 'mediators' between the director and the audience," Barbera said.
The second Golden Lion for career achievements this year will be awarded to French actor Jean Paul Belmondo later in the festival.
This photo taken Sunday, April 24, 2016, in Talkeetna, Alaska, shows Denali partially obscured by clouds. The U.S. Army helped set up base camp on North America's tallest mountain. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Two small airplanes collided mid-air over western Alaska on Wednesday, and the condition of the total five people on board is unknown.
The Alaska National Guard said the collision just before 11 a.m. took place about 60 miles, or 97 kilometers, north of Bethel, where a Guard helicopter with medics on board left around noon to head to the crash site.
Lt. Col. Candis Olmstead, a spokeswoman for the Alaska National Guard, was quoted as saying by reports reaching here that the aircraft involved are a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan carrying three people and a Renfro's Alaska Adventures Piper PA-18 Super Cub carrying two people.
While the Alaska Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was expected to arrive about 1:30 p.m., Olmstead said Alaska State Troopers sent a Cessna Caravan aircraft to Russian Mission, about 6 miles, or 9.7 kilometers, from the crash site.
Clint Johnson, the lead Alaska investigator of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTBS), told Alaska Dispatch News that the NTSB was notified about the crash and that "this is an active rescue right now, and we are standing by to find out what the outcome of that rescue is."
Somali security forces patrol the scene of a suicide car bomb blast on August 30, 2016 in Mogadishu. At least seven people were killed on August 30 when jihadists exploded a suicide car bomb outside a popular hotel close to the presidential palace in Somalia's capital Mogadishu. (AFP Photo/Mohamed ABDIWAHAB)
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The special representative of the UN secretary-general in Somalia, Michael Keating, strongly condemned a truck bombing of the SYL Hotel in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, that killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20 others, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Wednesday.
Keating said that "the SYL Hotel provides powerful evidence of the extraordinary resilience of the Somali people, who refuse to be cowed by al-Shabaab's campaign of terror."
The bombing marked the third such attack on the SYL Hotel since the beginning of 2015, Dujarric noted.
"On each previous occasion, its management and staff have repaired the damage and reopened its doors for business in short order," Keating said.
Meanwhile, Keating also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a full and speedy recovery.
According to a statement issued by the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), at the time of the blast on Tuesday, several senior government officials and members of the Horn of Africa country's federal parliament were attending a meeting inside the hotel, which is located near the presidential palace and the federal parliament building, but none were among the fatalities.
The militant group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. UNSOM highlighted that greater loss of life was averted as security guards halted the explosives-laden vehicle as it was approaching one of the gates.
Passengers step down from the first commercial flight from U.S., at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, Aug. 31, 2016. The first regular direct commercial flight from the United States arrived in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, marking an important new step in thawing ties between the former Cold War foes. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
HAVANA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx met Wednesday with his Cuban counterpart Adel Yzquierdo and Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
Foxx was in Cuba to mark the restart of scheduled commercial flights between the two countries.
"The meeting (with Rodriguez) took place just hours after the arrival of the official, who was among 150 passengers aboard U.S. airline JetBlue's Airbus A320, which inaugurated regular flights between the two countries, after more than half a century," the Cuban News Agency (ACN) said.
Rodriguez and Foxx discussed issues of common interest, and agreed resuming commercial flights marked a positive step in the process of improving bilateral ties, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
However, U.S. laws barring its citizens from traveling to Cuba for tourism, as well as the existing U.S. trade embargo, will dampen the effects of resuming the flights, Cuba's top diplomat said.
Foxx later met with Cuban Transportation Minister Adel Yzquierdo, and the two discussed the possibility of expanding cooperation in the area of transport, particularly in civil aviation, the ministry said.
Foxx was the first passenger to disembark after Wednesday's historic flight, which took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, landed in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara just before 11 a.m. local time, and he immediately headed to Havana.
JetBlue will be covering that route with three weekly flights until the end of October, and then increase frequency to daily flights.
Foxx was previously in Cuba in February, when he signed an agreement with Cuba to reestablish commercial air links.
Commercial flights were suspended in 1961 following one of the more serious incidents in U.S.-Cuban history, the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion, which was thwarted by Cuban troops.
A worker counts Chinesecurrency Renminbi (RMB) at a bank in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 11, 2015. The central parity rate of the Chinesecurrency Renminbi, or the yuan, weakened by 1,008 basis points to 6.3306 against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trading System. (Xinhua/Zhang Chunlei)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew said on Wednesday that China's current RMB exchange rate fluctuations reflect market forces, pointing to the G20 forums as important mechanism to foster global commitments.
Market forces are now putting downward pressure on the RMB, and the U.S. needs to accept that, Lew said in the question and answer session at the G20 Hangzhou summit preview event held by the Brookings Institution.
China has made it clear that it will move in an orderly way towards a more market-determined exchange rate, and is prepared to do that, said Lew.
But he added that China needs to allow the RMB to appreciate when the market forces are driving the RMB up.
In the upcoming G20 Hangzhou summit, Lew said that the U.S. will call on G20 members to use fiscal and other policy tools to support strong growth, and take measures to make sure working and middle class families can share benefits of growth and global economic integration in response to the rising skepticism about the globalization.
According to Lew, the U.S. will also press for action on excess capacity as well as fiscal measures to smooth the transition and increase short-term demand in tackling the excess capacity.
The Chinese have acknowledged for themselves that they have a problem with excess capacity, Lew said in the Q&A session.
He said the U.S. recognized it's hard for China to implement overcapacity reduction policies, as it involves not only economic, but political and social systems.
The U.S. will also urge more G20 members to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies over the medium term in order to address the climate change, said Lew.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Researchers with two U.S. universities have discovered a mechanism of intercellular communication that helps explain how biological systems function properly most of the time.
The work, by physicists from Oregon State University (OSU) and Purdue University, shed light on the interaction between cells and suggested that some of the damage done by cancer cells can be seen as what the researchers call a "failure to communicate."
Cells are known to have various types of sensory abilities that are key to their function, such as sensing light, heat, nerve signals, damage, chemicals or other inputs. In the process, which is fundamental to the function of life, a chemical stimulus called ATP functions as a signaling molecule, which, in turn, causes calcium levels in a cell to rise and decline, and tells a cell it's time to do its job -- whether that be sending a nerve impulse, seeing a bird in flight or repairing a wound.
"We've understood for some time the basics of cellular sensory function and how it helps a cell respond to its environment," said Bo Sun, an assistant professor of physics in OSU's College of Science and a corresponding author on the study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"The thing is, individual cells don't always get the message right, their sensory process can be noisy, confusing, and they make mistakes," Sun was quoted as saying in a OSU news release.
"But there's strength in numbers, and the collective sensory ability of many cells working together usually comes up with the right answer. This collective communication is essential to life."
In the study, researchers found that when cells meet, a small channel usually forms between them what is called a gap junction. On an individual level, a cell in response to ATP begins to oscillate, part of its call to action. But with gap junction-mediated communications, despite significant variability in sensing from one cell to another, the sensitivity to ATP is increased. Oscillation is picked up and becomes more uniform.
This interactive chatter continues, and a preponderance of cells receiving one sensation persuade a lesser number of cells reporting a different sensation that they must be wrong.
By working in communication and collaboration, most of the cells eventually decide what the correct sensory input is, and the signal that gets passed along is pretty accurate. With this accuracy of communication, cells in a heart chamber collectively decide to contract at the appropriate time, and blood gets pumped, dozens of times a minute, for a lifetime. Neuron cells send accurate signals. Photoreceptor cells see clearly.
Acknowledging that research was done with fibroblast cells, which are used in wound healing, the researchers said the results should apply to many cellular sensing mechanisms.
Cancer cells, by contrast, are poor communicators. The cells resist the process of collective communication, and when enough of them are present, the communicative process begins to lessen and break down, causing biologic damage.
"These processes of collective sensory communication are usually accurate, but sometimes work better than others. Mistakes are made," Sun said. "Even so, this process makes life possible. And when everything goes just right, the results can be remarkable."
CANBERRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have found what are believed to be the world's oldest fossils, and along with them, signs that diverse life forms lived on Earth up to 3.7 billion years ago.
The discovery of the fossils occurred on Greenland, and the Australian National University's (ANU) co-lead investigator, Associate Professor Vickie Bennett, said the breakthrough would not only give scientists a greater understanding of the history of the Earth, but remarkably could also help researchers in the hunt for life on Mars.
"This discovery turns the study of planetary habitability on its head," Bennett said in an ANU statement on Thursday.
"For the first time we have rocks that we know record the conditions and environments that sustained early life. Our research will provide new insights into chemical cycles and rock-water-microbe interactions on a young planet."
Colleague Professor Allen Nutman from the University of Wollongong said the fossils, known as stromatolite fossils, were found in Greenland's icecap, and "predated" the world's previous oldest fossils found in Western Australia by up to 220 million years.
"This indicates that as long as 3.7 billion years ago microbial life was already diverse. This diversity shows that life emerged within the first few hundred million years of Earth's existence, which is in keeping with biologists' calculations showing the great antiquity of life's genetic code," Nutman said.
Meanwhile, Professor Martin Van Kranendonk from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) said the fossil discovery points to strong evidence that life thrived on Earth extremely early in its history and development.
"This discovery represents a new benchmark for the oldest preserved evidence of life on Earth. It points to a rapid emergence of life on Earth and supports the search for life in similarly ancient rocks on Mars," Van Kranendonk told the ANU.
Dilma Rousseff delivers a statement at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2016. The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favor to 20 votes against. This means Rousseff is immediately and permanently removed from her role and Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, will become president until the end of this term in 2018. (Xinhua/Wilton Junior/Agencia Estado)
BRASILIA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was impeached by the Senate on Wednesday morning, with 61 votes supporting the impeachment and 20 votes against the move.
The following is a chronology of the nine-month impeachment process.
-- October 2014: The Workers' Party candidate Rousseff won reelection in a tightly contested runoff, defeating her conservative opponent Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). However, her relatively slight lead led the opposition to contest the outcome. The electoral court confirmed Rousseff's win.
-- January 2015: Rousseff began her second four-year term by making concessions to the opposition, designating conservative economist Joaquim Levy finance minister. Levy cut public spending in a bid to address fiscal and economic challenges, much to the dismay of Rousseff's power base.
-- February 2015: Eduardo Cunha of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and an ally of Brazil's Vice President Michel Temer, was elected President of the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower House).
Maria das Gracas Silva Foster, president of the state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileno Sociedad Anonima (Petrobras), resigned following revelations of corruption uncovered by Operation Car Wash, an investigation into widespread graft involving company executives and lawmakers.
-- March 2015: Mass protests took place in the South American country's main cities against government corruption, and a campaign to impeach Rousseff started to take shape.
-- May 2015: The political group Free Brazil Movement filed for impeachment against Rousseff, submitting its case to Cunha, president of the Chamber of Deputies.
-- June 2015: Brazil's Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), which has the power to audit fiscal statements, asked the government with a deadline to explain delays in payments to state banks, or what was called "tax pedaling" or "fiscal pedaling."
-- July 2015: An informant for Operation Car Wash accused Cunha of receiving millions of reais (Brazil's currency) in bribes from Petrobras. Cunha announced his split from the government.
-- August 2015: Opinion polls showed 71 percent of those surveyed disapproved of Rousseff's government at a time when Brazil's economy was entering into a recession and anti-government demonstrations resurfaced. ' -- September 2015: The government made its case before the TCU, concluding there was no violation of Brazil's Fiscal Responsibility Law.
Standard and Poor's lowered its credit rating and Brazil lost its "investment grade" status.
-- October 2015: Rousseff restructured the coalition government with a new majority in Congress.
The TCU recommended Congress reject the government's explanations regarding tax pedaling and a group of lawyers presented a petition to impeach the president for fiscal irregularities.
-- Dec. 2, 2015: The ruling party faction in the Chamber of Deputies voted in favor of investigating Cunha for suspected corruption. Later the same day, Cunha authorized the lawyers' impeachment petition, officially starting the impeachment process against Rousseff.
The Federal Supreme Court (STF) outlined the steps Congress must follow and Vice President Temer delivered a letter to Rousseff confirming he would maintain "institutional" ties to the government.
-- Dec. 16, 2015: Finance Minister Levy stepped down. Brazil lost its "investment grade" status from credit rating agency Fitch.
-- March 4, 2016: Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010), Rousseff's mentor, was taken into police custody for questioning regarding the Petrobras case.
-- March 13, 2016: Mass anti-government protests fueled by the opposition called for impeachment.
-- March 17, 2016: The Chamber of Deputies formed a Special Commission to analyze the process.
-- March 18, 2016: Mass pro-government protests took place.
-- March 22, 2016: Rousseff claimed the impeachment process was in effect a "coup d'etat" to seize power.
-- March 29, 2016: Vice President Temer's political party, the PMDB, abandoned the government coalition, followed by other smaller parties.
-- April 12, 2016: The Chamber of Deputies' Special Commission recommended impeachment, citing "criminal responsibility" on the part of Rousseff.
-- April 17, 2016: The full Chamber of Deputies approved the impeachment process, and the proposal was passed to the Senate.
-- April 25, 2016: The Senate installed a Special Commission to analyze the impeachment case.
-- May 5, 2016: The Federal Supreme Court removed Cunha from his position for obstructing the investigation into his alleged corruption.
-- May 6, 2016: The Senate's Special Commission recommended the impeachment process to go ahead.
-- May 11, 2016: The Senate voted to hold an impeachment trial, and suspended the president for up to 180 days from office, during which the trial must take place. Vice President Temer took over the presidency on an interim basis.
-- June 6: The special Senate commission drew up an impeachment timetable.
-- June 8: A published poll showed 61 percent of Brazilians believed the impeachment process was "legitimate," and 50 percent supported early elections.
-- June 27: Senate investigators concluded Rousseff played no role in tampering with the fiscal accounts.
-- Aug. 2: Despite their findings, the special Senate commission's point man Antonio Anastasia claimed Rousseff "violated the Constitution."
-- Aug. 9: Anastasia's report was approved by a vote of 59 to 21 at the Senate, paving the way for the impeachment trial.
-- Aug. 25-26: The impeachment trial began, and witnesses for and against Rousseff were heard at the Senate.
-- Aug. 29: Rousseff was questioned by senators on charges of breaking budget laws. Rousseff denied any wrongdoing.
-- Aug. 31: Senators voted to out Rousseff.
MELBOURNE, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A West Australian zoo is celebrating the birth of the 1,000th baby of an iconic marsupial species once thought to be extinct.
The Perth Zoo has been working to re-establish colonies of the Western Australia (WA) Dibbler, a small breed of marsupials only found in the state's southwest, since 1997 when habitat loss severely reduced the population. But the Dibbler breeding program faces a particular difficulty - the marsupial is only able to mate for three or four days of the year.
Zookeeper Lesley Shaw said the zoo marked the 1000-baby milestone by giving its latest Dibbler a name - Miles.
"It's always very exciting when you get to a milestone and this is certainly one of those," Shaw told the ABC on Thursday.
"Miles weighed 33 grams so he was the biggest one of the litter. Very robust little fellow."
The zoo has released 850 of the Dibblers from the program, the only one of its kind in the world, back into their natural habitat.
"They're strong and tough little creatures and they deserve a lot of credit," Shaw said. "They're very little but in the scheme of things they're a pretty big thing out there.
"They're not with us for long and that's good because they need to get back into the wild and display their natural behavior."
Cathy Lambert, supervisor of the native breeding program, said the small window of opportunity for mating was the main difficulty the program faced.
"It was really important for us to be able to work out exactly when they're supposed to be mating so we could get them together at the right time," Lambert told the ABC.
"The end goal is to do ourselves out of a job.
"That's happened with a couple of other species we've worked with in the past and we're hoping it will go the same way with the Dibblers as well."
BRASILIA, Aug. 31, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Michel Temer (C) receives greetings following his swear-in ceremony as President of Brazil in Brasilia, Brazil, Aug. 31, 2016. Temer was sworn in as the new president of Brazil on Wednesday afternoon, after Dilma Rousseff was stripped of the presidency by the Senate in an impeachment trial. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
BRASILIA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency. Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, was quickly sworn in as president of the country. He will serve until the end of 2018.
Since his interim government took office on May 12 this year, Temer has avoided making drastic changes. The most remarkable measure it took was the appointment of a strong economic team to tackle the country's recession, attract foreign investment and undertake reforms in the taxation and labor sectors.
Facing low levels of popularity, Temer has tried to build links with all political parties at the federal and state levels. He now faces the challenges of strengthening the country's economy and improving relations with different parties.
Temer was born in Tiete in the state of Sao Paulo on Sept. 23, 1940, as a son of a Lebanese immigrant family who moved to Brazil in the 1920s.
The youngest of eight brothers, Temer grew up a devout Christian and was bestowed a doctorate degree of law by the Pontifical Catholic University in San Pablo.
He is one of Brazil's foremost constitutional law experts and author of the books "Constitution and Politics" and "Elements of Constitutional Law." Over 200,000 copies of the latter have been sold.
He began his political career as an advisor to Ataliba Nogueira, the secretary of education of Sao Paulo in the later years of the military dictatorship.
In those years, Temer joined the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB), which was in opposition to the regime and became the country's main centrist party by claiming a number of municipalities.
In 2001, he was elected president of the PMDB and brought the party into the government headed by former President Lula da Silva, in the second mandate of the Workers' Party leader.
He then became vice president to Rousseff in 2011. However, during Rousseff's second presidential term, Temer and Rousseff had a political falling out.
After the impeachment process against Rousseff was initiated, Temer led the PMDB's exit from the government coalition and joined opposition parties.
(Xinhua photo)
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Activity in China's manufacturing sector expanded in August due to a recovery in market demand and a rebound in production, official data showed Thursday.
The purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 50.4 in August, rising from 49.9 in July and beating the market expectation of 49.8, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe said both production and demand picked up in August.
The sub-index measuring production stood at 52.6, up 0.5 percentage points from July and also the highest level since the start of the year.
The sub-index for new orders settled at 51.3, 0.9 percentage points higher than the previous month.
Company confidence generally improved in August, especially in high-tech manufacturing and consumer goods. Business expectation indices for the two sectors both rose to over 60 percent, showing optimism on future growth.
However, Zhao noted that China still faces mounting export pressures as global economic growth remains tepid.
The sub-index for new export orders was 49.7, up from 49 in July but still in contraction.
In U.S. dollar-terms, China's exports contracted 4.4 percent year on year in July, a slight improvement on June's 4.8 percent contraction.
More than 40 percent of companies complained about capital strains. Higher labor and logistics costs also added pressures to operations, Zhao said.
The PMI survey showed larger companies were outperforming smaller ones, reflecting imbalances in the economy. A sub-index for smaller firms stood at 47.4, while one for larger companies was 51.8.
"China's economy showed signs of resilience in August, as the main business surveys showed the manufacturing sector between stability and moderate expansion," said Bloomberg Chief Asia Economist Tom Orlik.
"Policy has already started to swing away from all-out stimulus, toward a slightly greater focus on containing financial risks. Today's data should provide policymakers with cover to continue that trend."
The Caixin General China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index, an indicator of manufacturing activity based on a private survey, dropped to 50 in August from 50.6 in July.
"Downward pressure on China's economy remains, and government support to stabilize growth must continue," said Zhong Zhengsheng, a macroeconomic analyst at CEBM Group, a subsidiary of Caixin.
NBS data released Thursday showed that activity in the non-manufacturing industry continued to expand in August, but at a slightly slower pace than in the previous month.
The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index stood at 53.5 in August, down from 53.9 in July but above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction.
China is counting on growth in services to offset weakness in manufacturing and exports. The economy is widely expected to follow an L-shaped path as downward pressure continues and new growth momentum is yet to pick up.
China's GDP expanded 6.7 percent in the second quarter, the lowest growth rate since the global financial crisis in early 2009 but still within the government's target range of 6.5-7 percent for 2016.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Communication between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will improve if the latter agrees to adhere to the 1992 Consensus, which endorses the one-China principle, a mainland official said Thursday.
Currently, relations between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) have been suspended.
"The reason for suspension of talks between the ARATS and the SEF is well-known. Our attitudes toward the issue are clear and consistent," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, in response to the appointment of new head of SEF.
Tien Hung-mao has been appointed the new chairman of SEF, a spokesperson of the island's leader's office said Wednesday.
SEF's top position had been left vacant after Lin Join-sane resigned as chairman in May. Tien is currently chairman of the board of the institute for the island's policy research.
Founded in 1991 and 1990, respectively, ARATS and SEF are authorized by the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait affairs.
PUL-E-ALAM, Afghanistan, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least two persons were killed after a Taliban car bombing and ensuing clash rocked the district headquarters of the eastern Logar province on Thursday, sources said.
The attack started roughly at 05:00 a.m. local time after a Taliban suicide car bombing struck the centre of Charkh district, where the district governor office and police station are located.
"One militant detonated the car bomb, killing two security force members. The second group of gunmen seized a building and began a clash with the security forces," a provincial security source told Xinhua anonymously.
The massive blast damaged several buildings and houses near the site in the provincial capital Pul-e-Alam, 60 km south of Afghan capital of Kabul.
Security forces have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures.
"We have no more details about the casualties as the exchange of fire was still going on. The special operation force units also arrived and further details will be released later on the day," the source added.
Taliban militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
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 has 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.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- In his first TV speech after swearing-in as president on Wednesday, Brazil's Michel Temer defended government reforms of labor laws and social security system.
According to Temer, without a reform, the government will soon be unable to pay retirement pensions.
"In order to ensure the pension payments, we must reform the social security system. Without the reform, in a few years the government will be unable to pay the retired citizens' pensions," he said.
"Our goal is to ensure a system in which pensions are paid on the right day, without defaults and tricks ... a system which protects the elder without punishing the young," he added.
Temer's team has been working on a proposal for a social security reform since he took over as interim president in May.
However, the proposal is criticized by labor unions and the opposition, which believe the government wants to make it harder for timely retirement and pension collection in the future.
Temer said that it is necessary to "modernize" Brazil's labor laws, but labor unions believe the president intends to take away historical rights such as the year-end bonus and annual paid vacations.
They said the government is replacing the laws which guarantee free negotiations between company and workers.
The TV speech was recorded before Temer embarked on his first official foreign trip as president. He is expected to soon travel to China for the G20 summit.
File photo taken on Aug. 29, 2016, shows the suspended President Dilma Rousseff walking away from her defense for the impeachment trial against her at the Senate, in Brasilia, Brazil. The Brazilian Senate voted on Aug. 31, 2016 to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favor to 20 votes against. This means Rousseff is immediately and permanently removed from her role and Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, will become president until the end of this term in 2018. (Xinhua/Edilson Rodrigues/Fotos Publicas/TELAM)
BRASILIA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Dilma Rousseff, once Brazil's first female president, was stripped of her presidency by the Senate on Wednesday morning, with 61 votes supporting and 20 votes against her impeachment.
A few short hours after her impeachment, her former vice president and political ally-turned-enemy, Michel Temer, was sworn in as her successor until the end of 2018.
The following is some major information about Rousseff.
Born on Dec. 14, 1947, Rousseff was raised in an upper middle class family in the state of Minas Gerais. Her farther was a Bulgarian immigrant.
In her youth, Rousseff participated in the armed resistance known as Colina (an acronym for Command of National Liberation) and VAR-Palmares (Armed Revolutionary Vanguard), fighting against the de facto regime. She was imprisoned, tortured and spent three years in prison in the early 1970s.
After her release, she participated in the founding of Democratic Labor Party (PDT) in Brazil's southern region. After studying economics, she became in the late 1980s the secretary of mines and energy of the government of Rio Grande do Sul, which made her known in the whole country.
Affiliated with Workers' Party since 2001, she was the minister of energy during the first term of Lula da Silva as of January 2003, and in June 2005 she assumed the post of chief of staff after the former chief of staff resigned. As a former energy minister, she also holds a seat on the board of directors of the state-owned oil company Petrobras.
As chief of staff for the president, Rousseff was responsible for the major executive actions in Lula da Silva's second term as president. During her tenure as chairman of the Board of Directors of Petrobras, Brazil reached self-sufficiency in oil production and mega reserves were discovered in the pre-salt layer of Brazil's seabed, which may turn the South American country into a large oil exporter.
In 2010, Rousseff was hand-picked by then President Lula himself to run for his succession and in April that year she left the post as Chief of Staff.
She was elected president in the run-off on Oct. 31, 2010, with 56.09 percent of votes against 43.9 percent for her opponent Jose Serra, from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). On Oct. 26, 2014, she was re-elected with a narrow second round victory over Aecio Neves also from the PSDB.
Divorced, she has a daughter named Paula Rousseff. In 2009, Rousseff had to undergo treatment for a cancer in the lymphatic system, from which she recovered quickly.
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea posted a current account surplus for 53 straight months through July on faster fall in imports than exports, central bank data showed on Thursday.
Current account surplus, the broadest measure of trade in goods and services, reached 8.71 billion U.S. dollars in July, staying in the black since March 2013, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
It marked the longest monthly decline in history, boosting concerns about a so-called "recession-type" surplus. The surplus usually puts upward pressures on the South Korean currency, which in turn, worsens price competitiveness of domestic exporters.
The July surplus, however, was the lowest in three months due to weaker exports.
Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, slumped 10 percent from a year earlier to 42.51 billion dollars in July, while imports tumbled 15.1 percent to 31.7 billion dollars.
Trade surplus for goods amounted to 10.81 billion dollars in July, down from a 12.71 billion-dollar surplus in the previous month.
Display panel exports tumbled 26.5 percent in July from a year ago. Shipments of oil products declined 10.4 percent, with those for cars and auto parts sliding 11.9 percent.
Services account balance, which measures the flow of travel, transport costs and royalties, logged a deficit of 1.53 billion dollars in July, expanding from a 1.38 billion-dollar deficit in June.
Travel account deficit expanded to 1.28 billion dollars in July from the previous month as more residents went abroad for summer vacations. The deficit in June was 740 million dollars.
Construction account posted a surplus of 770 million dollars in July, up from a surplus of 740 million dollars in the previous month.
Primary income account, which gauges investment and interest income as well as salary, was a surplus of 50 million dollars in July, tumbling from a surplus of 1.26 billion dollars on lower dividend income from overseas.
Financial account, which measures cross-border capital flow without transactions in goods and services, registered an outflow of 9.39 billion dollars.
Overseas direct investment by local residents increased 2.2 billion dollars in July, while foreigners invested 1.25 billion dollars overseas.
Portfolio investment, which includes stock and bond transactions, recorded an outflow of 90 million dollars in July. Local investment into foreign securities expanded 4.62 billion dollars, while foreign investment into local securities gained 4.53 billion dollars.
Local residents invested 3.3 billion dollars into foreign bonds in July, almost doubling compared with the previous month. During the January-July period, foreign bond investment amounted to 22.12 billion dollars.
HO CHI MINH CITY, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Natural disasters, especially three storms, between January and August in Vietnam left 90 people dead or missing, and injured 223 others, the country's Agriculture and Rural Development said Thursday.
The disasters also destroyed over 1,600 houses, damaged 81,800 others; seriously damaged 200,300 hectares of paddy rice, 49,700 hectares of other crops, and 18,800 hectares of aquaculture ponds; and killed 36,000 cattle, 198,000 fowls and over 854 tons of seafood.
In the first eight months of this year, 243,500 households with over 1 million people suffered from between-crop hunger, up 14 percent against the same period last year, said the ministry. Meanwhile, they were given 16,000 tons of food and some 600 million Vietnamese dong (27,000 U.S. dollars) for assistance.
Passengers step down from the first commercial flight from U.S., at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, Aug. 31, 2016. The first regular direct commercial flight from the United States arrived in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, marking an important new step in thawing ties between the former Cold War foes. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
by Raimundo Urrechaga
SANTA CLARA, Cuba, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- After 55 years of interruption, Cuba and the United States on Wednesday re-established regular commercial direct flights, marking a concrete step in thawing ties between the former Cold War foes.
The JetBlue Airways plane took off Wednesday morning from Fort Lauderdale, Florida with 150 passengers on board and arrived at Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central city of Santa Clara shortly before 11 a.m. local time.
Among the passengers are U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, airline executives as well as Cuban Americans.
The entire flight took about an hour but inaugurated a new stage in bilateral ties and provided a new way for families from both shores to reunite frequently.
After landing, the Airbus A320 received traditional water-cannon salute that greets special flights on the tarmac.
HISTORIC FLIGHT IN OVER 50 YEARS
"This first flight is definitely historic and it's a good way for Cuban-Americans to reconnect with our families in the island, learn from our past and visit incredible sights in this beautiful country," Yara Erosa, a passenger on the plane, told Xinhua.
Emotions were running high for this 42 year-old Orlando resident who will meet her cousins and uncles in her very first trip to Cuba.
"It's important for us to know about our heritage and roots. I will visit as many places as possible in Santa Clara, the city where my parents were born," she said.
The restart of commercial travel between the two countries is one of the most important steps of President Barack Obama's two-year-old policy of normalizing relations with the island and will leave a significant impact on the large Cuban community living in that country.
"This is one of the most visible examples of the president's activities to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba," Foxx told reporters.
Foxx, the first to disembark the flight, was greeted by Cuban Deputy Transportation Minister Eduardo Rodriguez and airport staff before heading to Havana to meet with other Cuban officials.
Meanwhile, JetBlue executives were "thrilled" to be the first airline to fly into a Cuban airport for regular commercial flights after more than half a century.
Robin Hayes, JetBlue chief executive officer, said, "Cuba has been our most talked about destination for some time and we are thrilled to be the first U.S. airline to Cuba with commercial service and our purpose is also to be the best airline."
JetBlue has been operating charter flights to Cuba for five years, making it the natural choice for the inaugural flight.
"We want to build a solid and lasting relationship with Cuba's civil aviation authorities and at the same time expand our presence in the Cuban market," Hayes added.
LOW COST, MULTIPLE DESIGNATIONS
JetBlue will now fly three times a week to Santa Clara until Oct. 29 before scheduling a daily flight.
The low-cost carrier offers one-way fares to Cuba starting at 99 U.S. dollars and round-trip fares at around 210 dollars, including taxes and health insurance required by the Cuban government. The round-way fare is almost 250 dollars less than the standard charter flights that have flown to the island for decades.
Other carriers, including American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, will begin flying in coming months to Cuban destinations such as Holguin, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and renowned beach resort Varadero.
"This is a big first step because U.S. airlines can once again have regular commercial flights to numerous cities in Cuba connecting a broad community with its roots and bringing thousands of Americans to the island," said Ian Deason, vice president of airport operations at JetBlue.
Deason said the company "highly values" the Cuban market as one of the most important destinations it has in the Caribbean.
"We're offering flights to Cuba with competitive prices which will definitely have an impact on the Cuban people," he said.
Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation finalized its selection of eight U.S. airlines to operate scheduled flights to Havana as early as this fall.
AMERICANS BANNED TO VISIT AS TOURISTS
However, restrictions still apply for U.S. citizens to freely travel to the island.
U.S. laws bars its citizens from traveling to Cuba as tourists, but they can apply to travel there under 12 narrowly defined categories, including family visits, educational or religious activities, and humanitarian projects.
U.S. visitors to the island have increased substantially since both nations declared detente in their relations in December 2014 and formally restored diplomatic ties in July 2015.
Over 94,000 Americans had arrived in Cuba in the first four months of this year.
Despite an existing U.S. trade embargo, the resumed regular commercial flights between the two countries are expected to bring more wealth and opportunities to the Caribbean country.
COPENHAGEN, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Police are hunting for a gunman who shot two police officers and a civilian during a police routine task late Wednesday night at a notorious drug-dealing community in Copenhagen, police confirmed on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. local time on Pusher Street in the self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood of Christiania where drugs like hash and skunk weed are sold.
According to police sources, someone suddenly pulled a gun and fired at the officers during their routine operation.
One police officer, who was hit in the head, was "badly injured," while the other officer, who was hit in the leg, and the civilian are out of danger, Copenhagen police director Thorkild Fogde was quoted by Danish news agency Ritzau as saying.
Fogde said the suspect is considered "dangerous." Copenhagen police said they know the identity of the perpetrator, who is thought to be involved with drugs in Christiania.
Copenhagen police have called in extra forces and is collaborating itself with the Swedish police to search for the gunman.
HOUSTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- A pilot was killed on Wednesday after his single-engine plane crashed into a hangar at a municipal airport in Bentonville, a city in the northwestern part of the U.S state of Arkansas.
A spokesman for the Bentonville Police Department said that the crash, which happened Wednesday morning during take off, killed 70-year-old Rex L. Grimsley, the only person on board, according to the website of ArkansasOnline.
No other persons on the ground were injured, nor any other aircraft was damaged in the incident.
The airport has been closed, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators are rushing to the scene to determine the cause of the crash.
The aircraft, a 1983 Beechcraft Bonanza, could carry six passengers. The airport, which houses 41 single engine and two multiple engine aircraft, has eight hangars, including two owned by Bentonville.
Bentonville, the 10th-largest city in Arkansas, is the headquarters of the world's largest retailer Walmart.
A press conference of the Business 20 (B20) summit is held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)
HANGZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A summit of business leaders from G20 members are scheduled to be held on Saturday and Sunday, Jiang Zengwei, chair of the Business 20 (B20) China, said at a press conference on Thursday.
The gathering of business elites marks the entry into "G20 time" for the scenic city of Hangzhou in east China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the B20 summit and deliver a keynote speech, Jiang said.
Leaders of Argentina, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and Canada as well as heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the World Trade Organization will also be present at the summit, said Jiang, also chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Focusing on promoting robust, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy, the B20 meeting will gather more than 800 business leaders from 32 countries and 26 international organizations.
The business leaders are set to submit B20 2016 Policy Recommendations to the Chinese president during the meeting, Jiang said.
A worker sprays insecticide at a residential area in Singapore, Sept. 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia confirmed its first case of the Zika virus on Thursday in a woman who had recently travelled to Singapore, which had a sudden increase in new Zika cases in recent days.
The virus, which has caused alarm among Malaysian health authorities, was detected in a 58-year-old woman from Bandar Botanic, Klang in Selangor, said Malaysia's health minister Dr. S.Subramaniam at a press conference. She has been admitted to the hospital.
It is suspected that the woman got infected while visiting her daughter in Singapore from Aug. 19 to Aug. 21. She began to exhibit symptoms of rash on Aug. 28 and was tested positive on Aug. 30, according to a press release from the ministry.
The woman's husband and family members who lived in the same house with her, have yet to show any symptoms of Zika infection, said the minister, but the husband also went to Singapore during the same period to visit their daughter.
The health ministry has already started "vector control" operations to control the mosquito population in the residential area of the case and other places that the patient had visited.
Such operations include fogging and eliminating breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes, which were found to carry the Zika virus in affected countries.
Subramaniam urged residents to allow vector control officers to enter their house to make such measures successful.
Zika may cause a viral fever similar to dengue and chikungunya, with mild fever, rash and red eyes. However, most people infected with Zika virus infection do not develop symptoms, posing a problem for the prevention of the virus. At present, there is no vaccine or treatment for the virus.
Study on the some infected Zika cases in America showed that the virus may also have the ability to spread via sexual transmission.
Zika can increase the risk of birth defects among new born babies if their mothers are infected. One major defect is microcephaly, who can lead to smaller heads than normal kids in babies. It is reported that the virus has caused more than 1,800 microcephaly cases in Brazil since last year.
There are five Malaysians residing and working in Singapore that has been confirmed to be infected with Zika virus, said the ministry, citing information from Singapore's Ministry of Health. Since its first locally-transmitted Zika case on Aug. 27, Singapore has confirmed 115 Zika cases, including a pregnant woman.
Malaysia's first Zika infection case is a reminder that the virus, which was detected on a large scale in Brazil last year, has made inroads in Southeast Asia countries, with other countries being affected including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore.
SYDNEY, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Experts in Australia's Queensland tourism and agriculture sectors say uncertainty around the federal government's proposed backpacker tax is scaring away the working holiday-makers.
Travellers currently working in Queensland have told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Thursday that they would stay clear away from Australia if the tax for backpackers were to be imposed.
The proposal to tax those on working holiday visas 32 cents in every dollar earned was flagged in this year's budget but was delayed as it is subject to a parliamentary review.
Central Queensland pineapple grower Ben Clifton said he relied on backpacker workers and was concerned that he will not have access to the quality of staff once the tax ruling was imposed on working holiday makers.
"We can go up to anywhere up 15 to 20 backpackers during the peak harvesting season," Clifton said.
"We've had a lot of success with our backpackers over the years, we usually find if they've got enough get-up-and-go to come out here and be looking for work, they want to do the work, get the money so they can further their travels," he said.
He said they relied on local staff for core business operations and hired backpackers when short-term extra staff was needed.
Swaziland visitor Ben Vincent, 27, who is on a working holiday visa, said he would have travelled to another country once the backpacker tax came into effect.
"If I had heard coming here and working here I would get nailed for 30 percent of my wage, I probably would have chosen Canada," Vincent said.
A spokesperson for the Assistant Minister for Agriculture, who is managing the review told the ABC that the concerns were being considered before a final decision on the law is due in October
COLOMBO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's in-house expertise on defeating terrorists can be of immense benefit for the rest of the world especially in the face of terrorist threats, Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said here on Thursday.
Addressing the inaugural session of the "Colombo Defence Seminar - 2016" which kicked off in the capital on Thursday, Hettiarachchi said that seven years after the end of war on terrorism, the country's leadership had realized how important it was to share the knowledge gained over the decades with the international community.
Sri Lankan forces fought a 30-year civil war against Tamil Tiger rebels which ended in May 2009 with the defeat of the rebels.
Hettiarachchi said that in today's world "soft power" was more critical than ever to securing national interests since building of friendship and understanding between peoples enhances a state's security, underpinning peaceful co-existence.
Hettiarachchi said having deterred terrorism by hard power, Sri Lanka was still in the process of reconciliation.
He said it was important to transform the Sri Lankan identity from a "soldier of a 30-year war" to an advocate of values, culture, institutions, art, tourism, education and economic and military capabilities in informing, influencing and shaping ideas in the global stage.
TEHRAN, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has arrested an Iranian-American dual national in the country's northeastern province of Golestan on spying and security charges, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.
The IRGC identified the unnamed individual upon arrival in the country in July and arrested him later; the report did not say when exactly he was arrested.
He was charged with cooperating with hostile countries, acting against national security, and having links with anti-revolutionary elements and media, the report said.
Last month, Iran reportedly arrested another person, also with dual citizenship, who was accused of being linked to Britain's foreign intelligence service MI6.
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- During a flying visit to Mexico on Wednesday, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump highlighted the need to make changes to the U.S.-Mexico border to tackle illegal immigration, weapons and drugs.
After meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for over an hour, the U.S. tycoon said at a joint news conference that it is a shared obligation for the two countries to counter illegal border activities.
"Nobody wins, neither of the two countries would, when drug traffickers take advantage of people, when there is cartel violence, when there are illegal weapons and money flowing from one country to the other, or when Central American migrants make the dangerous journey towards Mexico or the United States without legal authorization," Trump said.
Trump described his first private meeting with the Mexican president as positive and called Pena Nieto "a friend."
Trump said the meeting allowed him to discuss with Pena Nieto some interests and necessary issues relevant to his country and the well-being of the U.S. citizens, as well as the needs of Mexico and its citizens.
To improve U.S.-Mexico relations, Trump presented five concrete points, including stemming illegal immigration, securing border, dismantling drug cartels, updating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and keeping manufacturing wealth in the Western Hemisphere.
The NAFTA between Canada, Mexico and the United States came into play in January 1994, but in Trump's opinion, it does not "reflect the realities of today."
"The two nations should work together for mutual benefit," Trump said, adding that he has "great respect" for Mexican-Americans and Mexicans.
Since the start of his campaign, the Republican candidate has made aggressive statements against immigrants and has called Mexicans drug traffickers, rapists and murderers.
Trump has also said the remittances from the United States to Mexico would be blocked if the Mexican government refuses to pay for a border wall estimated to cost billions of U.S. dollars if constructed.
The wall designed to separate the U.S. and Mexican territories along a 2,000-mile border was a signature campaign proposal of Trump's.
Trump's visit came as Pena Nieto extended invitation to both U.S. presidential candidates. Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton still has not confirmed if she will be travelling to Mexico.
The meeting between Pena Nieto and Trump took place a few hours ahead of the U.S. candidate's speech on immigration policy back in the United States, where Trump reiterated his hard-line rhetoric on immigration.
The United States is Mexico's main trading partner, the first destination for Mexican exports and a main contributor to foreign direct investment within the Latin American country, with bilateral trade reaching over 530 billion U.S. dollars in 2015.
Around 11.4 million people who were born in Mexico currently live in the United States, while around 1 million U.S. citizens live in Mexico.
Related:
GOP nominee Donald Trump pledges border wall amid speculation on softening immigration stance
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated his stance on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border amid speculation that he may soften his hard-line position on immigration in the upcoming speech on the issue.
"From day one I said that I was going to build a great wall on the SOUTHERN BORDER, and much more. Stop illegal immigration," the New York billionaire developer tweeted. Full story
News Analysis: Clinton Foundation scandal hurts Hillary Clinton's campaign by shifting attention away from Trump
By Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is seeing yet another scandal piling on top of others scandals, which hurts her campaign by shifting attention away from Republican candidate Donald Trump, experts said.
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The first son of South Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho was summoned by prosecutors on Thursday for his alleged corruptions, becoming the second member of the founding family to be summoned for questioning.
Shin Dong-joo, 62, appeared in the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office for questioning over alleged embezzlement of tens of billions of won (tens of millions of U.S. dollars), according to local media reports.
He has been suspected of receiving about 40 billion won as a stipend from seven to eight affiliates of the group in the past several years by being listed just as a board member of the companies while doing nothing special for their businesses.
The summoning was the second time that Lotte's founding family member appeared in the prosecution office for questioning.
Shin Young-ja, 74, the founder's eldest daughter, was detained and indicted in July for receiving some 3.5 billion won in kickbacks from local companies in return for offering business favors in the group's duty-free shops and department stores.
Prosecutors have reportedly ordered the founder's third wife and her daughter, who are staying in Japan, to return to Seoul for investigation into charges of evading hundreds of billions of won in taxes in the process of being gifted with borrowed-name stakes in Lotte Holdings from the founder.
The Japan-based Lotte Holdings is regarded as the group's de-facto holding company. The South Korean court designated a legal guardian for the group founder aged 94 on Wednesday due to his lack of ability to make judgments for his old age and mental health problems.
The founder's second son Shin Dong-bin, 61, incumbent chairman of the group, is expected to be summoned in the near future as part of the prosecution's broad probe into the group's slush funds, embezzlement and breach of trust.
Lee In-won, vice chairman of the group and closest aide to chairman Shin, was found dead last week. Police had concluded that Lee committed a suicide.
TEHRAN, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Russia have agreed to build two nuclear power plants in Iran's southern city of Bushehr shortly, Press TV reported on Thursday.
"Operations to build two new nuclear power plants in Bushehr will start on Sept. 10," Press TV quoted Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), as saying.
Construction of the power plants, with an estimated cost of 10 billion U.S. dollars, will be completed in 10 years, Salehi said.
By building these two power plants, Iran will save 22 million barrels of oil per year, Salehi said without detailing on the specifications of the projects.
Iran's first nuclear power plant, the Bushehr plant, was first constructed in 1975 by several German companies. However, the work was halted when the United States imposed an embargo on high-tech supplies to Iran after the 1979 revolution. Russia signed a contract with Iran in 1998 to complete the construction.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a running campaign at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix of Arizona Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday pledged to begin building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and deporting undocumented immigrants on the first day of his presidency, if elected.
"On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful southern border wall," Trump told a crowd at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona.
The hardline speech effectively defied any expectation that the New York real estate developer would soften his tone as the election heats up.
"We will use the best technology, including above and below ground sensors ... towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall. Find and dislocate tunnels and criminal cartels, and Mexico will work with us," he continued.
"And Mexico will pay for the wall ... 100 percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall," Trump said, just hours after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced his country would not pay.
Trump earlier in the day paid his first foreign visit as Republican presidential nominee to Mexico at the invitation of Pena Nieto.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto tweeted after their one-hour meeting.
At the Phoenix rally, Trump also promised that his administration would have zero tolerance toward criminal undocumented immigrants, vowing to create a deportation task force within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement division so as to identify and quickly deport them.
"Day one, my first hour in office, those people are gone," Trump claimed, attacking the current U.S. immigration system for being "worse than anybody ever realized."
He also blasted President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival, for policies such as supporting so-called sanctuary cities, a catch-and-release program on the border and visa overstays.
Trump also accused Clinton of breaking the federal budget by pledging amnesty and granting welfare to undocumented immigrants in her first 100 days as secretary of state.
"Excellent speech by Donald Trump tonight. Deport criminal aliens, end catch-and-release, enforce immigration laws and America first," former Ku Klux Klan (KKK) leader David Duke tweeted.
Raul Benitez Manaut, a professor at a Mexican university, slammed Trump's visit to Mexico. "I'm not even going to think about wasting neurons to rationalize Trump's visit," he told the online news site Animal Politico earlier Wednesday.
The New York billionaire started his campaign last year with attacks on illegal Mexican immigrants, claiming most of them are "rapists" or other kinds of criminals and proposing to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it.
"I love the Mexican people, but Mexico is not our friend," Trump tweeted last year.
Related:
News Analysis: Clinton Foundation scandal hurts Hillary Clinton's campaign by shifting attention away from Trump
By Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is seeing yet another scandal piling on top of others scandals, which hurts her campaign by shifting attention away from Republican candidate Donald Trump, experts said.
At the center of this latest in a string of Clinton controversies is the Clinton Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded by Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Full story
News Analysis: Trump trying to remake image but could be late: experts
By Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is making an effort to revamp his image, but this will be a tall order for the bombastic billionaire so late in the race, experts said.
MOSCOW, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian gas company Gazprom and the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources have agreed to grant permission to relaunch the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project as soon as possible, Russian news agency RIA Novosti said Thursday.
Commercial negotiations on the terms of Russian gas supplies to Turkey will be continued as a result of a working meeting between Gazprom chief executive officer Alexey Miller and Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak, according to RIA Novosti.
The two sides held talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Wednesday to discuss restarting the gas pipeline project, as well as the arbitration process on gas discounts and regional energy cooperation, a spokesperson of the Turkish ministry told RIA Novosti.
Turkish Stream, a natural gas pipeline running from the southern Russian region of Krasnodar across the Black Sea to Thrace, Turkey, had been suspended due to the cooling of political relations between Moscow and Ankara.
An agreement on normalizing bilateral ties after months of tension was reached on Aug. 9 during a meeting of Russia President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in St. Petersburg.
TEHRAN, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected recent anti-Iran allegations by a British official and said that Iran has played "constructive" role for the good of the region, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.
London should be well aware that Iran "as a victim of terrorism has always been at the forefront of the fight against extremism and terrorism" in the Middle East, Syria in particular, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying.
The remarks by the Iranian spokesman follow those of a British Foreign Office spokesman, in a recent interview with the Daily Mail, who accused Iran of "fostering instability in the Middle East."
The anti-Iran comments are "improper and unrealistic," Qasemi said. "The Islamic Republic of Iran, as everyone knows, is trying to help (restore) peace, stability and security to the region to the best of its ability."
Iran has military advisory presence in Syria at the request of the Damascus government, he added.
Yi Gang (C), vice governor of the People's Bank of China, attends a press conference of the Chinese delegation in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 1, 2016. Yi introduced China's position and propositions on G20 strong, sustainable and balanced growth, and reform of the monetary and financial system. (Xinhua/Li He)
HANGZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China has worked closely with other G20 members in the fields of macroeconomic policy coordination, innovative growth and more effective global economic and financial governance, a Chinese central bank official said Thursday.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) mainly participated in issues of strong, sustainable and balanced growth framework, international financial architecture, financial sector reforms, financial inclusion and green finance, PBOC Vice Governor Yi Gang said at a press conference.
G20 members agreed on an approach of "using all policy tools -- monetary, fiscal and structural -- individually and collectively" to support growth, according to Yi.
"This marks a milestone in the G20's recent history of macroeconomic policy coordination," Yi said.
China also led the efforts to build a more stable and more resilient international financial architecture, with the release of a report in this regard by the International Financial Architecture Working Group, which was resumed under China's G20 presidency, the vice governor said.
The report made several recommendations to improve the international financial architecture, including examining the broader use of Special Drawing Rights, strengthening the Global Financial Safety Net, improving debt restructuring processes and advancing the IMF quota and governance reform, Yi said.
"Global financial markets have seen bouts of turbulence since last year, but global financial system has remained sound and resilient," he said, adding that it reflected the effects of financial sector reforms since the global financial crisis.
This year, G20 members reached a consensus that financial reforms will focus on building an open and resilient financial system, summarizing elements of effective macro-prudential policies, developing robust financial market infrastructures and promoting financial inclusion.
The G20 also discussed green finance for the first time this year and established a G20 Green Finance Study Group, which released a report to identify challenges faced by green finance and provide voluntary options for countries to consider, Yi added.
On Wednesday, the PBOC and some other Chinese ministries unveiled a guideline for establishing a green financing mechanism to facilitate the economy's transition to sustainable growth.
Under the theme of "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy," this year's G20 summit is scheduled on Sept. 4-5 in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
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Commentary: Revamping global economic governance in due course
by Xinhua writer Liu Jie
HANGZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- When the Group of 20 (G20) leaders gather in China seeking a remedy for sluggish global economic growth, something equally consequential will also be on the table: revamping global economic governance.
While the global economy remains mired in prolonged weakness, advanced economies, intoxicated by "helicopter money" and saddled with secular slow growth and structural problems, are less able than they used to be to act as the world's economic engine. Full story
Commentary: More inclusive development for better globalized world
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Globalization now seems to have its best days in the rearview mirror, with voices of frustration having kept gaining volume against the backdrop of a worldwide slow-growth rut.
HANOI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security is proposing sentence remissions for some 24,826 prisoners on the occasion of the country's national Independence Day.
Nguyen Ngoc Bang, head of the ministry's General Department of Police for Enforcement of Criminal Sentences and Judicial Assistance, told the state-run news agency VNA that among the figure, a total of 2,092 inmates are proposed to reduce their remaining sentences, 11 from life sentence to 20-year imprisonment and 117 from life sentence to 30-year imprisonment.
Meanwhile, as many as 22,606 prisoners are supposed to enjoy reducing a term of imprisonment, said VNA.
Currently, all prisons and detention centers nationwide have completed procedures on sentence remissions for inmates and transferred such documents to provincial People's Courts to review and decide.
Vietnam is celebrating the 71st anniversary of National Day, which falls on Sept. 2 annually.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Communication between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will improve if the latter agrees to adhere to the 1992 Consensus, which endorses the one-China principle, a mainland official said Thursday.
Currently, relations between the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) have been suspended.
"The reason for suspension of talks between the ARATS and the SEF is well-known. Our attitudes toward the issue are clear and consistent," said Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office (SCTAO), in response to the appointment of new head of SEF.
Tien Hung-mao has been appointed the new chairman of SEF, a spokesperson of the island's leader's office said Wednesday.
SEF's top position had been left vacant after Lin Join-sane resigned as chairman in May. Tien is currently chairman of the board of the institute for the island's policy research.
The mainland's stance on ARATS-SEF talks has been reiterated by Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the SCTAO.
"The key issue (with resuming the talks) is not about people, but has political foundations," he said in an interview while attending a meeting in east China's Shandong Province.
He called on the industrial and commercial circles of the island to help maintain the peaceful development of cross-Strait ties and its political foundations to build a community of common destiny across the Strait.
He said the mainland's fundamental policies regarding Taiwan would not change, and it will continue to adhere to the 1992 Consensus, firmly oppose any form of "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities, protect Taiwanese business interests and promote cross-Strait exchanges.
Founded in 1991 and 1990, respectively, ARATS and SEF are authorized by the Chinese mainland and Taiwan to handle cross-Strait affairs.
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen will attend the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings to be held from Sept. 6 to 8 in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
Besides attending the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, Hun Sen will participate in the 19th ASEAN-China Summit to commemorate the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations, the 19th ASEAN Plus Three (China, South Korea and Japan) Summit, and the 11th East Asia Summit among others.
The statement said that the annual ASEAN Summits will review various sectors under the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, namely ASEAN Political and Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community, and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
"The ASEAN leaders and the leaders of the ASEAN Dialogue Partners will discuss a wide range of areas of cooperation with an aim to achieve higher goal of economic development as well as matters related to security in the region and beyond such as maritime security, terrorism, climate change as well as other issues of common concern," it said.
According to the statement, Hun Sen and other ASEAN leaders will sign the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region.
Founded in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Thursday started implementing the universal test and treat program where every HIV positive person is put on treatment regardless of the CD4 cell count.
Until Wednesday HIV positive people with a CD4 cell count which are less than 500 were put on treatment.
The government believes the new measure will stop the transmission of HIV and also improve life expectancy in the country.
Joe Maila, Spokesperson of the Department of Health, told Xinhua that the new initiative will lengthen the life expectancy to 70 by 2030. Currently life expectancy is at 63.
Maila said, "We have set ourselves a target as the government in line with our National Development Plan to increase life expectancy to 70 by 2030 from the current 63. This will also reduce the chances of HIV positive people to pass on the virus to others when they are on treatment. In the long run lives will be saved and money saved by this early treatment."
The country has been having stock outs in some areas, resulting with people defaulting on their treatment.
Maila said they have introduced a stock visibility system where patients can download it on their phones and report stock outs when they experience them.
About 11 percent of the females between the ages of 15 to 24 are HIV positive in the country.
The Department of Health is now targeting the group with education to reduce the number. The government has also started providing sex workers with preventative treatment, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis to fight the disease.
Maila also said, "We have integrated strategy which also targets other killer disease like tuberculosis, cancer and diabetes. We also target the vulnerable groups like the youths and women."
South Africa has the world's biggest treatment program covering over 3.4 million people.
Maila said the universal test and treat is part of government's 90-90-90 plan which is an ambitious strategy to end the andemic.
According to the plan by 2020, 90 percent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status. The same year, 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. The government also intend to ensure that 90 percent of all HIV positive people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
The World Health Organization has recommended the test and treat guidelines for HIV patients to combat HIV in the World. They also intend to have an HIV free generation by 2030.
BEIJING, Sept.1 (Xinhua) -- Following is the Joint Press Release Between the People's Republic of China and Canada issued on Sept.1 in Beijing.
Joint Press Release between the People's Republic of China and Canada
Beijing, 1 September 2016
At the invitation of His Excellency Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, is paying his first official visit to China from August 30 to September 6, 2016. Over the course of the visit, Prime Minister Trudeau will take the opportunity to visit Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Hong Kong, while also attending the G20 Leaders' Summit.
During Prime Minister Trudeau's visit to Beijing, His Excellency President Xi Jinping of China and His Excellency Chairman Zhang Dejiang of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress met respectively with Prime Minister Trudeau, and Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Prime Minister Trudeau. Leaders, reflecting on the remarkable progress that has been made since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Canada in 1970, reaffirmed their commitment to develop a robust and comprehensive strategic relationship between the two countries.
The two sides had an in-depth, sincere and productive exchange of views on China-Canada relations, and regional, international, and global issues of shared interest. Leaders discussed ways to advance China-Canada relations, including the strengthening of the high-level dialogues and expanding exchanges at all levels. The two sides agreed to act based on principles of mutual respect, equality, and shared benefit, and to deepen mutual understanding and trust. The two sides agreed to expand practical cooperation and exchanges, including on rule of law, and to address constructively differences and sensitive issues. Both sides also agreed to make joint efforts to open a new era in the China-Canada strategic partnership.
The two sides agreed on the importance of enhancing economic growth by promoting the China-Canada economic relationship. On this, both sides agreed to deepen their trade and investment relationship in the areas of energy, clean technology, agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, financial services, as well as innovation, science and technology for mutual benefit.
Recognizing the importance of people-to-people ties, both sides agreed to expand exchanges in education, culture, health, tourism and sports, to promote connections between the two peoples.
The two sides committed to deeper judicial and law enforcement cooperation, and continued military-to-military cooperation. Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and exchanges on human rights on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the upcoming G20 Hangzhou Summit and considered opportunities to promote strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive economic growth, promote innovation, create jobs, reinforce the resilience of the global financial system, and build the open world economy. Both agreed to work together to make the Summit a productive and milestone event, and will maintain close coordination and cooperation within the G20 framework on the implementation of the outcomes of the Hangzhou Summit.
On regional and global issues, both sides agreed to strengthen coordination on the provision of public goods to the international community, including seeking to strengthen cooperation on environmental protection and climate change, United Nations peacekeeping and inclusive growth. The two sides agreed to work together to promote peace, stability, and prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region through bilateral and multilateral channels.
The two sides announced a series of important developments and signed relevant agreements. These include the following:
1. Agreeing to maintain close dialogue and exchanges between leaders of both countries, and announcing the establishment of the annual dialogue between the Premier of China and the Prime Minister of Canada.
2. China's welcoming of Canada's decision to apply for membership at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
3. Establishing the China-Canada High-Level National Security and Rule of Law Dialogue.
4. Enhancing our efforts to address climate change through the full and effective implementation of the historic Paris Agreement and to work together with international partners to strengthen the global response to climate change.
5. Announcing that quarantine authorities on both sides are actively consulting and researching science-based measures related to the canola trade between China and Canada to support an appropriate solution at an early date. During this transitional period, canola trade between China and Canada can continue under current quarantine conditions (August 2016).
6. Announcing 2018 as the China-Canada Year of Tourism and agreeing to increase cooperation to boost the two-way flow of tourists.
7. Agreeing that China will authorize Canada to open seven additional visa application centres in China.
8. Establishing a working group under the China-Canada Joint Declaration on Clean Technology.
9. Signing the Statement of Cooperation between the National Development and Reform Commission of China and the Parks Canada Agency on the Establishment, Conservation, and Management of National Park Systems.
10. Announcing Canada's commitment to Phase VI of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.
11. Expanding judicial cooperation by welcoming the combined efforts of institutions to train judges and pursuing the exchange of legal practitioners and academics.
12. Welcoming further cooperation on labour and employment, including the implementation of the Cooperation Framework in the Field of Industrial Relations and Labour Standards as well as the Joint China-Canada Labour Mediator and Arbitrator Capacity Building Project.
13. Signing a bilateral Film Coproduction Treaty between the Government of China and the Government of Canada.
14. Signing the Programme of Cooperation for the Years 2017 to 2019 under the Cultural Agreement between the Government of China and the Government of Canada.
15. Enhancing collaboration in support of gender equality and the empowerment of women and children globally.
16. Agreeing to explore ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in support of United Nations peace operations, as well as dialogue and cooperation in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and military education.
17. Collaborating on global development initiatives, including supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
ANKARA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Defense Ministry said Thursday that 820 military personnel has been dismissed as part of an ongoing probe into the July 15 coup attempt, local media reported.
The ministry said that 648 of those dismissed are under arrest, local newspaper Hurriyet reported.
Thousands of high-ranking military personnel, including around 200 generals, had earlier been suspended under the state of emergency, declared following the failed coup attempt.
About 590 colonels retired last week from the army in line with decisions taken at Turkey's Supreme Military Council, reports said.
On Aug. 17, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 40,029 people had been detained and 20,355 remanded in custody, including police officers, soldiers, judiciary members, local administrators and civilians.
HANOI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The second round of talks on a new Vietnam-Cuba free trade agreement (FTA) concluded Thursday in Vietnam's capital Hanoi after four working days, announced Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
The two sides agreed on texts of the agreement and got closer to each other while discussing offers of tariff preferences.
According to the latest offer, over 90 tariffs of two countries, which cover some 99 percent of Vietnam-Cuba trade, will be removed immediately and cut down following a road map, said the MoIT on its website.
The two sides also reached a consensus on holding the next negotiation round in Cuba's capital Havana in the first quarter of 2017.
In 2015, Vietnam-Cuba trade revenue hit around 235 million U.S. dollars. Vietnam mainly exported food, rice, cereal, confectionery, footwear, pottery, construction materials, coal, garment, chemicals to Cuba while importing pharmaceutical products and functional foods from Cuba.
ACCRA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved a 15 million U.S. dollars support facility for Ghana's debt and public investment management.
The facility is to strengthen Ghana's institutional capacity in domestic revenue mobilization, public investment management, debt management, and governance of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), said a press release from the country office of the World Bank on Wednesday.
"Reforming the governance of SOEs and improving government's oversight will also help improve public service delivery and contribute to economy-wide competitiveness," the statement stated.
The facility is part of the Ghana Economic Management Strengthening (GEMS) Technical Assistance Project.
It complements a series of development policy operations meant to support reforms in debt management, public investment management, SOE governance, and capacity strengthening in domestic revenue mobilization.
"Our support to Ghana under the GEMS project will, among other things, help the Ministry of Finance build capacity to better operationalize its medium-term debt management strategy," said Henry Kelary, World Bank Country Director for Ghana.
The program, according to the bank, is closely aligned to its Country Partnership Strategy for Ghana (2013-2016), which is to deepen support for the country's transition to sustain economic growth, reduce extreme poverty, and enhance shared prosperity for all Ghanaians.
Ghana became a lower Middle Income Country (MIC) after re-basing its economy in 2010, the same year it commenced commercial oil production.
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept. 1(Xinhua) -- A send-off ceremony was held Thursday for 30 personnel of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) who will be on a peacekeeping mission to Lebanon.
These RBAF military personnel will be deployed for a one-year peacekeeping mission under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Brunei's Deputy Defence Minister Admiral (Rtd) Abdul Aziz placed berets on the UNIFIL peacekeepers and attached UN patches on their sleeves to mark their deployment during the ceremony at the Bolkiah Garrison in Bandar Seri Begawan.
The peacekeepers will leave for Malaysia Friday to join the Malaysian contingent before proceeding to Southern Lebanon.
Brunei has been part of the UNIFIL mission under the command of Malaysian Battalion since 2008, monitoring the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon and ensuring humanitarian access to the civilian population.
Since 2004, Brunei has also been sending International Monitoring Team peacekeepers to Mindanao tasked with maintaining the ceasefire agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
HANOI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO 2016) will be a good opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its role in ASEAN-China relations, said Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai on Thursday.
CAEXPO 2016 will be held in Nanning, China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Sept. 11-14.
During the event, Vietnam will act as the honorary country and also join the host China in chairing various activities to mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of the ASEAN-China dialogue relationship, said Hai.
This year, Vietnam will continue to send the largest number of businesses to CAEXPO among the 10 ASEAN nations. As many as 137 companies from 19 provinces and cities nationwide will showcase their products at 237 booths covering over 5,000 square meters, reported Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA.
Vietnam will display goods with potential for exports to China and other ASEAN countries including agro-forestry-fishery products, processed food, electric and electronic devices, wood products, handicrafts and consumer goods.
Within the Expo's framework, Vietnam will also take part in other activities such as the 13th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, a roundtable dialogue between a Vietnamese government leader and entrepreneurs of Vietnam and China, and an investment promotion workshop between ASEAN and China.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Maintaining peace and tranquility along the border area is China and India's greatest common interest, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.
China and India met under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs in New Delhi from Tuesday to Wednesday, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press conference.
During the meeting, the two sides spoke positively of the bilateral border affairs since last year, Hua said.
According to an important consensus reached by governments of the two countries, the two sides will continue to communicate and cooperate to deal with border affairs, promote various measures to enhance mutual trust,and consolidate the overall peace and tranquility in border areas, Hua said.
She said the consolidation of peace and stability in the border area will create favorable conditions for border negotiations, bilateral ties and high-level visits in the next stage.
A press conference of the Business 20 (B20) summit is held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)
HANGZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A summit of business leaders from G20 members is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Jiang Zengwei, chair of the Business 20 (B20) China, said at a press conference on Thursday.
The gathering of business elites marks the beginning of "G20 time" for the scenic city of Hangzhou in east China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the B20 summit and deliver a keynote speech, Jiang said at the press conference, the first held at the G20 news center.
Leaders of Argentina, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and Canada as well as heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organization will also be present at the summit, said Jiang, also chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Focusing on promoting robust, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy, the B20 meeting will bring together more than 800 business leaders from 32 countries and 26 international organizations.
The business leaders are set to submit the B20 2016 Policy Recommendations to the Chinese president during the meeting, Jiang said.
The policy recommendations will cover topics such as encouraging robust international trade and investment, developing more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance, and enhancing infrastructure interconnectivity.
By addressing these recommendations, the G20 will create an environment that helps the international business community boost trade and investment, develop new business models, and create new jobs, Jiang said in a speech published on the B20 official website.
All of these are critical to achieving the G20's objective of building an innovative, invigorated, interconnected, and inclusive world economy and ensuring strong, sustainable and balanced growth, he said.
Established in 2010 under the G20 framework, the B20 has become an important part of the G20. To some extent, the success of the G20 summit depends on the B20 participants reaching a consensus on major measures to promote global economic development, Jiang said on Thursday.
With the world economy mired in a prolonged downturn, China, the world's second-largest economy and largest developing country, comes to the G20 presidency with high expectations.
The theme of the G20 summit is "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy." The summit is scheduled for Sept. 4-5.
PARIS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Thursday called for an immediate end of violence in Gabon where disputed vote of President Ali Bongo triggered violent clashes between police and opposition supporters.
"Within the framework of a political process, there's no place for violence," Ayrault said in a statement.
"I'm calling, therefore, all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid additional victims. Confrontation must stop as quickly as possible and that security must be ensured," he added.
French minister asked greater transparency and impartial procedures for the contested result of an election which gave new seven-year mandate to President Ali Bongo who take office in 2009 on the death of his father.
Two people were killed and many wounded when police attacked an opposition party's headquarters overnight, according to media reports.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in Myanmar could help advance the country's peace process, enhance mutual trust and understanding among related parties, and promote national reconciliation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Thursday.
Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing that China hoped the related parties in Myanmar could resolve their differences peacefully through political dialogue, reach a ceasefire at an early date, and create possible conditions for enduring peace.
The four-day Panglong Conference began in Myanmar's capital of Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday, with the aim of securing a nationwide ceasefire by political means.
Hua said China supported all the efforts in Myanmar, and would play a constructive role in promoting peace talks among the related parties and work with Myanmar to safeguard border stability.
GAZA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Islamic resistance movement Hamas on Thursday condemned the Israeli detention of its leader Hussein Abu Kweik.
Sami Abu Zuhir, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in an emailed press statement that Abu Kweik is the movement's representative in the joint committee to prepare for the Palestinian municipal elections scheduled to be held on Oct. 8.
Israel has placed him on a six-month administrative detention.
"Hamas condemns the arrest and the detention of Hussein Abu Kweik and sending him to six-month administrative detention," said Abu Zuhri. "This is a clear and direct Israeli interference into the Palestinian elections."
Two weeks ago, the Israeli army arrested Abu Kweik from his home in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Hamas leaders warned that the ongoing arrests may oblige the movement to withdraw from the municipal elections.
The spokesperson said that Hamas leaders and supporters are not only facing detention and repression by the Israelis, but also by the "security apparatuses" of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).
Abu Zuhri accused both Israel and the PNA of trying to prevent Hamas from practicing its role in the elections.
The cabinet of the Palestinian consensus government decided in May to hold municipal elections Oct. 8 in all Palestinian territories for the first time since 2005.
Municipal elections were only held in the West Bank in 2011, where Hamas boycotted. The previous elections in Gaza Strip was in 2005.
BEIJING, Sep. 1 (Xinhua) -- China will boost support for venture capital entities to encourage entrepreneurship and support startups, the State Council, China's cabinet, announced Thursday.
Industrial leaders, startup incubators and insurance firms will be encouraged to provide investment to startups, according to a statement released after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.
Foreign investors will be treated equally with domestic players and will enjoy much easier market access and streamlined administration procedures than before, the statement added.
The government will enrich investment facilitation products and improve platforms such as over-the-counter stock trading board to enhance direct financing.
State-owned enterprises also can set up venture capital funds, it said.
Venture capital firms with long-term investment strategies will enjoy preferential policies such as tax cuts, according to the statement.
The government will improve the regulation framework, curb illegal fund raising and guard against regional and systemic financial risks, the statement added.
A mother feeds her baby using a syringe in a refugee camp in South Sudan, Aug. 13, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)
NAIROBI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The international community must galvanize financial resources and political action to contain a dire humanitarian situation in Somalia and South Sudan, an international relief agency official has said.
President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that conflicts and natural calamities have exacerbated the humanitarian crises in the two African nations.
"Civilian population in Somalia is still suffering from effects of war. At present we have continuous disruption by violence in the horn of African state and this is a major concern," Maurer remarked.
ICRC has been providing humanitarian assistance to Somalia in the last 25 years since the country erupted into civil strife.
Maurer regretted that insecurity has undermined provision of relief food, medicine and water to civilians displaced by war in Somalia.
He clarified that distribution of emergency assistance to internally displaced civilians has improved in several regions like Jubaland and Somaliland in Somalia in the last 12 months.
Maurer is also optimistic that presidential elections to be held in Somalia at the end of October will usher in a new era of peace and stability.
"We all hope that over time, the conflict in Somalia will be resolved and the situation gets better. We are determined to stabilize livelihoods in Somalia," said Maurer.
He added that ICRC will continue to support innovative programs that strengthen the resilience of Somalia people in the face of devastation caused by civil turmoil and natural calamities.
"Currently, we are supporting local farmers with inputs such as seeds and tractors. We encourage agricultural activities to feed the population," Maurer said.
Speaking of South Sudan, Maurer warned that the humanitarian crisis in the world's youngest nation could worsen unless an urgent political solution is found.
"South Sudan today is our second largest operation after Syria and Afghanistan," said Maurer, noting that a political solution to the South Sudan conflict is urgent to end suffering of civilians.
Relief agencies in 2015 made the largest humanitarian appeal since the Second World War, totaling 25 billion U.S. dollars.
COLOMBO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Maldives's largest privately owned airline, Mega Maldives, announced mass layoffs over the continued slide in Chinese tourists to the archipelago, Maldivian local media said on Thursday.
Mega Maldives, which brings in almost 30 percent of Chinese tourists to the Maldives, said the China-Maldives market has dropped almost 11 percent till June this year.
Due to decrease in total revenue, the airline said it would immediately be making 65 positions in the company redundant and put on hold 50 positions that were due to be filled this year.
In addition to the slowdown in the China market, the airline also said the delay in diversification of its routes which included South Africa, India, Thailand and Europe has contributed to the reduction in revenue.
Reports quoted tourism statistics in July as saying that the highest number of tourists had hailed from China, the Maldives' largest tourism market, with 35,456 visitors, but a decrease of 12.2 percent year-on-year.
RAMALLAH, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official on Thursday welcomed a U.S. appeals court's rejection of a 655.5 million U.S. dollar judgment against the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
Hanan Ashrawi, a senior PLO member, told Xinhua in a statement that court ruling "shows that neither the PNA nor the PLO have any link to all the lawsuits applied to the court in the U.S."
On Wednesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out the judgment by a lower court judge that required the PNA and the PLO to pay 655.5 million dollars in financial compensation to a group of Israeli-American families for their children killed and wounded in suicide bombing attacks in Israel.
"The abolition of all the lawsuits against the PNA and the PLO shows the integrity of the U.S. judicial system," said Ashrawi.
NAIROBI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan and Rwandan trade ministers on Thursday signed economic partnership agreements with the European Union (EU) that allows the two countries to export their agricultural products to Europe without tax.
A statement from Kenya's ministry of trade said the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Brussels signals a start of the East Africa Community (EAC) partner states securing the duty free market access to the EU.
Kenyan Trade Minister Adan Mohamed on Wednesday appeared at the EU Parliament where the matter to lock out Kenya from the EU market after Oct. 1 was being discussed.
"He made a concerted presentation to the EU Parliament's International Trade Committee (INTA) and assured them of the EAC partner states' commitment to the EPA as demonstrated by over nine years of consistent engagement with the EU leading to the successful conclusion of the EPA," the statement said.
All the EAC countries -- Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda -- have been negotiating the EPA since 2007.
"If the EPA is not signed and ratified by all EAC partner states by Sept. 30, Kenya stands to lose its market to the EU, having significant impact on her economy," the statement said.
The signing of the EPA, which was scheduled to happen on July 18, did not take place as a result of a request by some EAC partner states.
There are fears if the deadline of Oct. 1 for signing the agreement elapses, Kenyan exporters of horticulture crops to the EU, whose exports account for 38 percent of the European horticultural market, would be forced to pay duty on the exports, which would make their produce too expensive to sell.
Kenya has been undertaking high level bilateral consultations with EAC partner states geared toward agreeing on alternatives for signing of the EPA over the past three months.
RAMALLAH, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official on Thursday urged the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution obliging Israel to halt new settlement construction in the West Bank.
The statement by Palestinian Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeinah followed a new wave of Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank, official Palestinian news agency WAFA said.
Abu Rudeinah said the illegal settlement construction breaches all international norms and laws.
He called for an international movement to stop Israeli settlement construction in occupied Palestinian territories.
Abu Rudeinah said the Palestinian leadership and the Arab League are working together for a UN Security Council resolution on halting Israeli settlement activity.
He said the U.S. warnings against settlement expansion in the West Bank are not enough, urging practical moves that would pressure the Israeli government to stop its settlement activity, which undermines regional and international efforts to resume the peace process.
Israeli settlement construction is one of the most complicated issues in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
Peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel have remained stalled since April 2014, when U.S.-sponsored negotiations collapsed despite nine months of efforts.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China will better train its emergency medical workers and build more medical centers to cope with natural disasters and other incidents.
Within the next five years, more than 90 percent of the country's emergency medical teams at or above the county level will be professionally trained and equipped, according to the 13th five-year plan (2016-2020) made public Thursday by the National Health and Family Planning Commission.
"Our country's emergency aid response capacity has yet to fully meet the demands of natural disasters, occasional accidents and public security incidents," it said, stressing that such medical aid is a crucial part of the government's emergency management.
According to the plan, more should be done to improve coordination between road, railway, sea and air transportation entities to improve the mass transfer of the injured.
It called for more policies to help the development of medical transfer and treatment by air, better trained professionals and suitable equipment, along with the construction of more emergency aid bases near expanses of water.
Seven national emergency medical aid bases will be built across the country. Provinces will have their own regional emergency medical aid centers, and cities and counties will build emergency medical aid stations.
RABAT, Sep. 1 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan authorities said on Thursday that the two suspected extremists extradited to Morocco from France earlier this month had planned attacks on targets in both countries.
The two suspects, deported to Morocco from France on Aug. 28, were found to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group, the Moroccan Interior Ministry said in a statement.
One of the suspects had been in contact with an IS leader in the Syria-Iraq region to coordinate terrorist operations in France, the statement said.
The suspect scouted out several public and strategic sites in France, particularly those frequented by many people during weekends.
He was planning attacks that would involve firearms, ramming vehicles into crowds and arson, aiming to kill the maximum number of individuals, the statement said.
The same suspect was also plotting terrorist attacks on vital areas and security services in Morocco, it said.
The two extradited suspects will be put on trial after the completion of investigation supervised by the public prosecutor's office, the statement said.
Morocco's Interior Ministry says about 160 terrorist cells have been dismantled since 2002.
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani military said on Thursday that over 300 militants of Islamic State or the Daesh have been arrested, including a local leader.
Army spokesman Lt. General Asim Saleem Bajwa told a news conference that the IS leader for Pakistan Hafiz Omar and 309 of its members, including 25 foreigners of Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationalities have been detained across the country.
"There is no organized presence of Daesh in Pakistan and six members of the Pakistani Taliban were the first to switch loyalties to Daesh in January 2015 in Afghanistan and the group now operates on the Afghan side of the border," Bajwa said.
Afghan and the U.S. officials confirmed last month that Hafiz Saeed Khan, IS chief for the so-called Khorasan province that includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, parts of Iran and Central Asia, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Nangarhar province.
Khan earlier headed the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in Orakzai tribal region of Pakistan. The IS leadership in the Middle East had accepted the allegiance of Khan and his supporters.
IS claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in a rally in Kabul in July that had killed nearly 80 and injured over 300.
"The presence of the Daesh in Pakistan is a challenge for Pakistan," the spokesman said.
He disputed claims by IS about a dealy attack on lawyers in the Pakistani city of Quetta last month, which had killed about 70 people and injured dozens others.
He said IS was born, centered and funded in the Middle East but it spread its "tentacles to the entire world."
"Daesh was trying to enter Pakistan," the spokesman said, adding that the group would pay 1,000 rupees (9 U.S. dollars) to hired individuals for wall chalking in big Pakistani cities to show that the group has some presence in Pakistan."
"The people linked to Daesh had plans to target important personalities belonging to different walks of life and state symbols," Bajwa said.
Giving update on achievements of operation codenamed "Zarb-e-Azb" in the tribal region of North Waziristan, he said 3,500 terrorists have so far been killed and 992 hideouts destroyed.
Some 900 terrorists have been killed in another operation in Khyber tribal region, while 537 personnel of armed forces lost lives and 2,272 others injured.
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said here Thursday that stopping the outflow of population from Russia's Far East region is now one of the country's top priorities.
"This is one of the key challenges in the country today -- namely, stopping the depopulation of regions of the Far East, including the Primorsky Territory," Putin said when meeting students in Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok.
The president believed that creating an effective system of training young professionals could attract people to the region.
Putin made these remarks ahead of the 2016 Eastern Economic Forum slated for Sept. 2-3 in Vladivostok. The forum is expected to attract some 2,500 participants, including those from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Australia, the United States and Singapore.
The Far Eastern Federal District is among the least populated federal regions in Russia, with a population of some 3.29 million. Vladivostok is the second largest city in Russia's Far East, with a population of 592,034, according to a census in 2010.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's anti-dumping investigation into China-produced steel wire rods, which was launched Wednesday, is overprotectionism, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday.
Indonesia began a 3-year tax on the same product in August 2015 and the trade remedy measure is still valid, according to a brief MOC statement.
"Overprotectionism will only negatively impact on Indonesia's own economic development," it noted.
"The Chinese government backs domestic steel enterprises to communicate with Indonesian firms and investigators to seek a proper solution," said the statement.
The MOC hoped Indonesia would carry out a fair, just and transparent investigation.
TOKYO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- An investigative panel set up by the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) said Thursday that Tokyo's payment of over 2 million U.S. dollars to a Singaporean consultancy over its bid for the 2020 Olympics was not illegal.
The panel, consisting of two lawyers and an accountant, concluded in a report that the massive contracts that Tokyo's bid team signed with Black Tidings before winning the hosting of 2020 Summer Olympics were not bribery, as the team had not intended the money as a gift.
Black Tidings was led by Ian Tan Tong Han, a known associate of Papa Massata Diack, son of disgraced former IOC member Lamine Diack who had a vote in deciding the host city for the 2020 Games.
The panel said the bid team had no knowledge of the association between Tan and the younger Diack, though the team believed that Tan was in a position to gain access to secret information regarding the host city bid.
French authorities have been conducting their own investigation into whether the money led to the elder Diack.
Lamine Diack was arrested in 2015 on corruption and money laundering charges. His son Papa Massata Diack is also under investigation.
Workers arrange filters at a filter factory in Yiyuan County, east China's Shandong Province, July 5, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhao Dongshan)
BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Argentine Ambassador to China Diego Guelar on Wednesday hailed the Asian country as "a great partner."
China is "the great engine of the world. In the last decade, China has become the main trading partner of the most important countries. It is a global phenomenon," said the diplomat.
In an interview with Argentine radio El Mundo, Guelar said: "Beijing has met the conditions of the World Trade Organization and must be considered as a market economy" as the private sector is key to China's economic growth, generating about 60 percent of its GDP.
Hailing the importance of the upcoming G20 Summit on Sept. 4-5 in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, Guelar said the summit would group countries that account for "85 percent of global GDP and 65 percent of global population."
He added that President Mauricio Macri is planning a visit to China in March or April 2017.
Laborers work at a car factory March 22, 2016 in Huanghua City, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mou Yu)
During an interview with Xinhua last week, Macri said the upcoming G20 summit will provide an opportunity to review cooperation between Argentina and China, lauding China's "enormous importance" and "complementarity" to his country.
The two countries have complementary capacities for cooperation in fields like food security, energy and infrastructure construction, said Macri.
"We really value Chinese companies' capacity to build infrastructure and hope they value our capacity to produce food, to be able to increase the flow of exports to balance things out. That's our goal for the next few years," he added.
MANILA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government expressed optimism on Thursday that it can meet its target of welcoming 6 million foreign tourists this year.
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Teo said in a statement that the target could be achieved because as of July, the number of foreign tourists who visited the country was about 3 million already.
"So we will hit the target or even more," she said.
The DOT chief said her office would even be more aggressive on its campaign and it would push for more tourism infrastructure.
She also said the government's tourism slogan of "It's more fun in the Philippines," which the Aquino administration used, would be replaced by the middle of next year.
Teo said the DOT has tapped an advertising firm to come up with a proposal.
"It's more on change. We would like to show them that we have a new Philippines," she explained why the Duterte administration would change the slogan.
The Philippines is also set to host the Miss Universe pageant in January next year.
BAGHDAD, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Terrorist acts, violence and armed conflicts killed 691 Iraqis and wounded 1,016 others in August across Iraq, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said on Thursday.
The figures included 473 civilians killed and 813 wounded, with 218 security members killed and 203 wounded, the UNAMI said in a statement.
The casualties in Iraq's western province of Anbar were excluded, as the civilian casualty figures there for the month were unavailable, the statement said.
"The bloodletting in Iraq continues without letup. Casualty figures remain too high and civilians again are bearing the brunt," the statement quoted the UN envoy to Iraq and the UNAMI chief Jan Kubis as saying.
Kubis strongly condemned such acts against civilians, calling on all Iraqi factions to unite against violence.
"We reiterate our call on the parties to undertake every effort to safeguard the lives of civilians and urge Iraqis in general to show strength in unity in the face of this unrelenting violence," he said.
Iraq has witnessed intensifying violence since the Islamic State (IS) took control of parts of its northern and western regions in June 2014.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the U.S. that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country.
The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found.
Passengers from the first commercial flight from U.S., arrive at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
by Raimundo Urrechaga
SANTA CLARA, Cuba, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- After 55 years of interruption, Cuba and the United States on Wednesday re-established regular commercial direct flights, marking a concrete step in thawing ties between the former Cold War foes.
The JetBlue Airways plane took off Wednesday morning from Fort Lauderdale, Florida with 150 passengers on board and arrived at Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central city of Santa Clara shortly before 11 a.m. local time.
Among the passengers are U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, airline executives as well as Cuban Americans.
The entire flight took about an hour but inaugurated a new stage in bilateral ties and provided a new way for families from both shores to reunite frequently.
After landing, the Airbus A320 received traditional water-cannon salute that greets special flights on the tarmac.
HISTORIC FLIGHT IN OVER 50 YEARS
"This first flight is definitely historic and it's a good way for Cuban-Americans to reconnect with our families in the island, learn from our past and visit incredible sights in this beautiful country," Yara Erosa, a passenger on the plane, told Xinhua.
Emotions were running high for this 42 year-old Orlando resident who will meet her cousins and uncles in her very first trip to Cuba.
"It's important for us to know about our heritage and roots. I will visit as many places as possible in Santa Clara, the city where my parents were born," she said.
The restart of commercial travel between the two countries is one of the most important steps of President Barack Obama's two-year-old policy of normalizing relations with the island and will leave a significant impact on the large Cuban community living in that country.
"This is one of the most visible examples of the president's activities to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba," Foxx told reporters.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx (3rd L) arrives with the first regular direct commercial flight from the United States to Cuba, at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
Foxx, the first to disembark the flight, was greeted by Cuban Deputy Transportation Minister Eduardo Rodriguez and airport staff before heading to Havana to meet with other Cuban officials.
Meanwhile, JetBlue executives were "thrilled" to be the first airline to fly into a Cuban airport for regular commercial flights after more than half a century.
Robin Hayes, JetBlue chief executive officer, said, "Cuba has been our most talked about destination for some time and we are thrilled to be the first U.S. airline to Cuba with commercial service and our purpose is also to be the best airline."
JetBlue has been operating charter flights to Cuba for five years, making it the natural choice for the inaugural flight.
"We want to build a solid and lasting relationship with Cuba's civil aviation authorities and at the same time expand our presence in the Cuban market," Hayes added.
LOW COST, MULTIPLE DESIGNATIONS
JetBlue will now fly three times a week to Santa Clara until Oct. 29 before scheduling a daily flight.
The low-cost carrier offers one-way fares to Cuba starting at 99 U.S. dollars and round-trip fares at around 210 dollars, including taxes and health insurance required by the Cuban government. The round-way fare is almost 250 dollars less than the standard charter flights that have flown to the island for decades.
Personnel of the ground service pose for pictures with national flags of Cuba and the U.S., welcoming the first commercial flight from U.S., at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
Other carriers, including American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, will begin flying in coming months to Cuban destinations such as Holguin, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and renowned beach resort Varadero.
"This is a big first step because U.S. airlines can once again have regular commercial flights to numerous cities in Cuba connecting a broad community with its roots and bringing thousands of Americans to the island," said Ian Deason, vice president of airport operations at JetBlue.
Deason said the company "highly values" the Cuban market as one of the most important destinations it has in the Caribbean.
"We're offering flights to Cuba with competitive prices which will definitely have an impact on the Cuban people," he said.
Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation finalized its selection of eight U.S. airlines to operate scheduled flights to Havana as early as this fall.
AMERICANS BANNED TO VISIT AS TOURISTS
However, restrictions still apply for U.S. citizens to freely travel to the island.
U.S. laws bars its citizens from traveling to Cuba as tourists, but they can apply to travel there under 12 narrowly defined categories, including family visits, educational or religious activities, and humanitarian projects.
U.S. visitors to the island have increased substantially since both nations declared detente in their relations in December 2014 and formally restored diplomatic ties in July 2015.
Over 94,000 Americans had arrived in Cuba in the first four months of this year.
Despite an existing U.S. trade embargo, the resumed regular commercial flights between the two countries are expected to bring more wealth and opportunities to the Caribbean country.
Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff attends a Senate impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil, Aug. 29, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Dilma Rousseff's removal as president of Brazil for fiscal irregularities had a clear political motive but was not a coup, as Rousseff has stated, according to an expert.
Mario Torrico, a political expert from the Latin American School of Social Sciences (Flacso) in Mexico City, told Xinhua that the impeachment "was used a mechanism to remove her from power for political reasons. However, to go from that to saying that a coup d'etat is happening in Brazil is going too far."
"There is no coup d'etat in Brazil, it's a process which follows the constitutional rules for removing a president," he added.
The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favour to 20 votes against.
This means Rousseff is immediately and permanently removed from her role and Michel Temer, who assumed the interim presidency after Rousseff was suspended in May, will become president until the end of this term in 2018.
For Torrico, the seeds of Rousseff's impeachment sprouted when her Workers' Party (PT) saw its alliances with other political parties fell apart.
"I am certain that, if it had not been this accusation, it would have been another. The reason for this trial is political," he stated.
According to Torrico, the fiscal manipulations Rousseff stood guilty of were used by "previous presidents and governors of states." However, he believes her acts were certainly illegal since she needed the approval of Congress.
Head of the Federal Supreme Court Ricardo Lewandowski (R) talks with Senator Aecio Neves during the final impeachment session of Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff in Brasilia Aug. 30, 2016. (Xinhua/Andre Dusek/AGENCIA ESTADO)
Furthermore, Torrico predicts that Temer's policies will not be easy to be implemented in Brazil, as he will have to make "important and painful fiscal adjustments." He has less than two years to do so since Temer is ineligible to stand for election during the next presidential race in 2018.
"Brazil is facing a very complicated landscape over the next two years, when there will be new elections for president," said Torrico.
Rousseff's impeachment should teach two lessons for Latin America, as a whole, he noted. First, people are beginning to demand stiff accounts from left-wing governments that do not meet their promises. Second, national economies can no longer be dependent on raw materials, since Brazil's economy tanked as oil prices did the same.
"Today, left-wing governments have to pay the costs. Beforehand, the right-wing governments paid the costs but we have not learned our lesson. I hope we learn it now," he concluded.
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- When China's national lawmakers passed the country's first Charity Law in March, Zhou Weihong established a charity in Shanghai.
The charity has already helped over 60 impoverished children in the northwest autonomous region of Xinjiang go to school, and with the law taking effect Thursday, the charity projects that it will help more than 100 in 2017.
The new law eases restrictions on the fundraising and operational activities of charity groups, promising tax benefits, and improved supervision.
It is the first time that the way in which charities are registered has been written in to law, giving approved charities more freedom and credibility than ever before.
The law was well received by charity groups and law experts for responding to public concerns.
"The new law encouraged us and made us more determined to carry out our plans," said Zhou, president of Ailawennuan public service organization, another charity that helps impoverished children in Xinjiang access education, and urban life.
China had about 670,000 registered social organizations as of the end of June, including 5,038 foundations, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Annual donations to registered charities in China soared from 10 billion yuan (1.5 billion U.S. dollars) to 100 billion yuan over the past decade.
The charity sector will support the ongoing poverty alleviation campaign, which has the pressing goal of lifting all rural residents above the poverty line by 2020.
As of the end of 2015, 55.75 million rural Chinese were still classed as impoverished, meaning they had a per capita net income of less than 2,800 yuan a year.
Li Bian, co-founder of AIDS Prevention Education Project for Chinese Youth (APEPCY), believes the Charity Law will create more job opportunities and its impact will be similar to the passage of the Corporation Law in 1993.
"Fifteen years after China rolled out its first corporation law, it has become the second largest economy in the world and, it is expected, that in another 15 years, it will have the largest number of social organizations in the world," he said.
Take Beijing for example, the city has over 30,000 registered social organizations, which employ over 60,000 people. With total assets of about 19 billion yuan, the charity industry has become one of the major forces of social economic development in the capital, said Dong Minghui, deputy director of the municipal Civil Affairs Bureau.
The sector still has much room for improvement compared with developed countries, Dong said, adding that more detailed supportive policies are being drafted that will support the upgrade of the industry.
The implementation of the Charity Law will let social organizations play a bigger role in social governance and promote development and innovation in areas overlooked by market and government investment, said Wang Zhenyao, dean of China Philanthropy Research Institute under Beijing Normal University.
He said the enforcement of the law will upgrade China's charity industry, meanwhile, more specific measures and standards are needed from relevant administrative bodies during the actual operation process.
As to Zhou Weihong's charity group, helping impoverished children in Xinjiang and inviting them to Shanghai to broaden their world view is only a tiny part of poverty-relief work.
"We definitely have much more to do," Zhou said.
Dilma Rousseff (R) waves hello to her supporter, after delivering a statement at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Agencia Estado)
by Chris Dalby
BRASILIA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Fora Dilma. Dilma Out. The battle cry of the enraged right-wing of Brazil, which rang out around the streets for months, has come to pass. On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate voted to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes to 20.
This brings 13 years of leftist rule in Brazil to an end, leaving behind a complex legacy. Under the leadership of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010), the economy was transformed with the middle-class steadily expanding and the country's foreign debts virtually vanishing. His policies and that of his successor, Rousseff, were marked by broad public spending, through flagship programs such as Bolsa Familia (Family Grant) and Mi Casa, Mi Vida (My House, My Life).
However, the allegations which led to Rousseff's fall Wednesday began to appear. Allegations of corruption and cronyism marred Lula's terms in office before exploding into the light during the second term of his chosen successor, Rousseff.
The depth of the corruption revealed within Petrobras brought down or raised suspicions about leaders in every corner of Brazilian landscape. Last week, Lula was indicted on charges of corruption and money laundering. Today, Rousseff was brought down.
Yet, the end of this Workers' Party dynasty is unlikely to bring much respite. Operation Lava Jato continues to uncover evidence against leaders.
New President Michel Temer, who will rule until 2018, has been accused of soliciting bribes from a Petrobras subsidiary to fund his allies' political campaigns. His ally, Eduardo Cunha, has resigned as President of the Chamber of Deputies after being accused of holding illegal accounts overseas and soliciting bribes
Within a month of assuming power, three ministers had resigned from his interim government, due to facing corruption or bribery charges of their own.
Despite these challenges, Temer and his Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) have tried to portray themselves as the opposite of the Workers' Party.
The government is easing up on business regulations and loosening labor rules instead of favoring unions and tightening environmental laws. State companies such as Petrobras are seeing some of their assets privatized or are being encouraged to team up with the private sector. Markets have responded well to these moves, with investor confidence up. Convincing the Brazilian people may prove far tougher.
Michel Temer (C, Front) is seen at his investiture ceremony as President of Brazil at Congress in Brasilia, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/AGENCIA ESTADO)
However, Temer cannot ignore the part that he played as vice-president to Rousseff. Seen as the manipulator behind Rousseff's impeachment, his poll ratings are not enviable either. A poll in July showed him to have an approval rating of just 14 percent, barely above the 13 percent Rousseff enjoyed prior to her suspension in May.
The rift scarring the Brazilian landscape was laid bare in the Senate during the impeachment vote.
Prior to the vote on Wednesday, one of Rousseff's most fervent supports, Senator Lindbergh Farias, made a final, impassioned plea to save his leader.
Slamming his opponents, he said that there are "those who know there is no crime of responsibility and who vote against impeachment, and the others, who also know there is no crime of responsibility but who vote for impeachment. Those should think of history, of the legacy they leave their children ... this day will be seen as a day of infamy."
Farias vowed to the Brazilian people that "we will never forget this date. A new generation of patriots and democrats will fight to delete this session of the Senate. Senators will end up apologizing to Dilma Rousseff. "
The venom was no lesser on the other side. Ronaldo Caiado, a senator from the Democrats, stated that "the Bolivarian populism of the removed Rousseff and her predecessor, Lula, led the country to its situation... with millions of unemployed."
"It is the moment to correctly define the real crooks of the Brazilian politics, crooks who attacked Petrobras, crooks who enriched themselves illegally for public funds ... crooks who left 12 million unemployed," he continued, targeting all public officials involved in sweeping corruption investigations.
While the PMDB senators mostly voted to impeach Rousseff, however, the party made the controversial decision to not support an effort to bar her from public office for eight years. This immediately drew criticisms from other opposition parties after the vote, who said the PMDB had "trampled the Constitution" by not punishing Rousseff to the full extent.
The scenes in the Senate were a microcosm of a Brazil where the lack of trust in politicians and an absence of cooperation threaten to swallow up any new ideas proposed for the government's future.
It falls to Temer to try and mend these woes. On Wednesday evening, he will address the Brazilian people in a pre-recorded speech to begin that process.
Temer clearly has an eye on the future. Mere hours after the vote and his swearing-in, he will already be flying to China for the G20 Summit in Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5, to woo investors and convince partners that Brazil has a steady hand at the helm.
DAMASCUS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army received reinforcements Thursday to confront a widescale offensive by rebels in the central province of Hama, a military source told Xinhua.
The source pointed out that clashes are currently underway in the village of Ma'ardes, only 5 km from Hama, amid reports that the rebels have actually taken control of it.
Meanwhile, Syria's state news agency SANA said that the Syrian airforce carried out several airstrikes against rebel posts in Hama.
It added that the airstrikes targeted the cities of Mork and Tibet al-Imamand, leading to the deaths of 10 rebels.
This development comes only a day after the Syrian army killed over 50 rebels and wounded 70 others, as part of the ongoing military campaign to repel rebels out of Hama.
Hama's northern countryside has once again come under the spotlight after rebels repeatedly attacked government posts there.
The primary reason behind repeated rebel attacks is to keep the army busy on several fronts, which will reduce the army's pressure against rebels in other parts of Syria.
Recent reports indicate that rebels in the northern province of Aleppo are folding under pressure from the army, which has reportedly closed all entryways into the rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo.
CHENGDU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua)-- A group of foreign reporters, who just concluded a week-long tour of a Tibetan-inhabited area in southwest China, have said they were amazed by the experience.
The reporters from Germany, Japan, the United States and Singapore, visited monasteries, schools and homes in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, from Aug. 22 to 28.
Deeply impressed by the daily lives of Tibetans and the local infrastructure, Yohei Tada with Japan's "Chemical Daily," said the visit completely changed his opinion of the area.
He had imagined a remote, inaccessible area with neither power or Internet.
"All the people we spoke to said they hoped their children would go to a good university one day. Not necessary leave and live in a bigger city, but learn something that would enrich their own community," said Lea Simone Deuber, a reporter with a German magazine.
"I was impressed to see how much the Tibetans preserve their own culture and at the same time are open to new developments," she said.
"In addition, I was impressed about how much people value education and how hard they work to ensure their children have access to opportunities," she added.
According to a teacher-turned-official of Hongyuan County, local Tibetans value education much more than before.
In the past, herdsmen underestimated the change that education could bring and so schooling was not important, said the official.
Now, however, all families send their children to school and many better-off families will send their offspring to schools in cities like Chengdu, the provincial capital, Mianyang or Dujiangyan, he said.
The foreigners were also impressed by tourism development. Many villagers have increased their income by opening their Tibetan-style houses to tourists as homestays.
"I think that developing tourism can help raise the living standards of herders while promoting their culture at the same time," said Koh Ji Min, a reporter with Singapore's Channel NewsAsia.
Sebastian Hesse, with German broadcaster ARD, said he would consider taking his family to visit Hongyuan, saying he thought it was an excellent place for a holiday.
CAPE TOWN, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's participation in the G20 summit is to provide a strategic foresight in establishing an economic and international policy platform, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.
South Africa wants the summit to drive and negotiate the best possible outcomes for South Africa, Africa and the developing world, Zuma said in a statement before leaving for China to attend the G20 Summit in Hangzhou.
An important part of South Africa's G20 strategy is the outreach to Africa, Zuma added.
As the only permanent African member of the G20, South Africa has used its participation to raise issues of concern to Africa with other G20 members.
In addition, development is an important priority for South Africa in the G20, said the president.
In this regard, South Africa serves as a Co-chair of the G20 Development Working Group.
The summit is to be held in Hangzhou from September 3 to 5 under the theme: "Towards an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy."
Under the umbrella of this overarching theme, China, as the current President of the G20, identified specific priority areas that are aimed at addressing current global economic challenges and are intended to give a focus to the work of the G20 during 2016.
The G20 leaders are expected to discuss these specific priority areas during the Summit, namely: breaking a New Path for Growth, More Effective and Efficient Global Economic and Financial Governance, Robust International Trade and Investment and, Inclusive and Interconnected Development.
South Africa is a member of the G20, which consists of 19 countries plus the European Union (EU). G20 members have been meeting regularly since 1999 to discuss global economic policy coordination. The G20 is conceptualized to stabilize and strengthen the global economy, by bringing together the major advanced and emerging market economies.
Also on Thursday, the Presidency said South Africa's priorities in the G20 for 2016 include strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, decent employment, efficient and responsive economic infrastructure, increased investment in infrastructure, reducing illicit financial flows through coordination of international tax, coordination of international financial regulatory developments and international coordination on development, which includes domestic resource mobilization (DRM) and ensuring synergy with UN processes on the post-2015 development agenda and financing for development.
Whilst in Hangzhou, Zuma will have a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as well as meet leaders of the BRICS nations, who annually meet on the margins of the G20 summit, presidential spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said.
It is also expected that a trilateral meeting between South Africa, Chad (Chair of the African Union) and Senegal (Chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, or NEPAD) will take place on the sidelines of the summit. Zuma is also expected to interact with representatives of the Business 20 (B20), according to the spokesperson.
Following the conclusion of the G20 summit, Zuma will travel to Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, where he will attend the "2nd Investing in Africa Forum" on September 7, Ngqulunga said.
Zuma will be accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, and Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan to the G20 summit and will be joined by Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies and the Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga for the 2nd Investing in Africa Forum after the G20 summit.
GUANGZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- In another high-profile case involving telecommunications fraud, a college student committed suicide after her money was swindled by scammers.
The female student had reportedly gone missing on Sunday, and her father, surnamed Zhang, alerted police two days later, according to police in Jieyang City, Guangdong Province.
Local police found a woman's body on a beach on Monday, which was later confirmed to be Zhang's daughter.
The victim's family claims that the student's money for tuition fees and living expenses, totaling 9,800 yuan (1,467 U.S. dollars), had been lost to telecom scammers. The student committed suicide after being cheated, according to her family.
Police have launched an investigation into the case.
The news came days after six suspects were arrested in connection with a telecom fraud case in east China's Shandong Province, which is believed to have led to the death of Xu Yuyu, an 18-year-old high school graduate in Linyi City.
Xu was reported to have lost 9,900 yuan meant for university tuition fees to telecom fraudsters and, according to reports, died of cardiac arrest on Aug. 19.
ANKARA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two soldiers were killed and four others wounded on Thursday in an armed clash between Turkish security forces and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the southeastern province of Siirt, local Dogan News Agency reported.
The soldiers were specialized sergeants, and the wounded were taken to Siirt Public Hospital by helicopter, it said.
The armed clash came as government operations with aerial support against the PKK went on in the rural parts of Pervari district of Siirt Province.
The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015.
by Xinhua writers Zhang Yizhi, Lin Kai
FUZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lei Xiubin, 8, got up early Thursday eager for the first day of the new school year. After a quick breakfast, the cheerful little girl headed of down the road in her new dress.
Located in picturesque Yongtai County, east China's Fujian Province, Hexi Primary School is quite special and Xiubin is the star pupil. In fact, she is the only pupil. She receives 100 percent of the attention of Cheng Guiying, the only teacher.
With the reform of rural education and urbanization, village schools have lost many students to central primary schools in towns and cities.
Xiubin's parents moved away to find better jobs, so she was left in the village in the care of her grandparents and the local authorities decided to keep the village school open, just for her.
Teacher Cheng arrived at the school early to get things ready. Tiny as the school may be, Cheng and Xiubin go meticulously through the ritual of raising the national flag every morning, before beginning their first lesson. Today, "Autumn is coming," leaves are falling from the trees, and the wild geese are flying south.
Cheng has been working at the school for 20 years. She teaches 10 subjects, including PE, and music. Students must leave the village school after grade 2 to attend the central primary school in town, because Cheng cannot to give English or computer lessons.
When she first arrived in Hexi, there were dozens of students, and year by year, the number has dwindled until only Xiubin remains.
"I have to play the role of her classmate as well as teacher, reciting poems, singing songs and playing games with her to make her feel less lonely," said Cheng.
More than just teacher and classmate, Cheng is a kind of "parent by proxy," preparing lunch for the little girl and making sure she takes a nap afterwards.
The lonely school, however, is not alone. Of 78 rural primary schools in Yongtai County, seven have one student and one teacher each.
Dongsheng Primary School, 12 kilometers away from the county seat, enrolled one student in the new school year. The school boasts a 3-storey building, which speaks of its glorious past, but now only one classroom is used for teaching, plus another for the village kindergarten.
The disadvantages of these tiny schools are obvious: the teachers' careers are at a dead end; the pupils' personal and social development are impeded.
As a result, while some salute the county for respecting every child's right to education, others argue that it is a waste of resources as standards in rural schools lag far behind their counterparts in towns and cities.
But local people are reluctant to see their village schools shut down. She Xuedong, whose child will go to the primary school next year, would like to send her kid to the village school for as long as it exists.
Faced with a dilemma, the local government eventually chose to stand by the disadvantaged few.
"We do not like 'only-child' schools either, but they are the last resort and the only option for some students," said Zhang Yuanming, deputy director of the county education bureau. "Most are from poor families and cannot afford to rent a house in town," Zhang added.
According to Zhang, eliminating "only-child" schools and helping rural students get a better education can be expensive. The county is considering support for poor families, such as providing them with land to build houses in town so that they can live closer to central primary schools.
"The school should remain if there is a need. Students are paramount and we promise that no child will be left behind," said Zhang.
BRUSSELS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow on Thursday stressed the vital role that partners play within the military alliance, according to NATO's press release.
In a keynote speech at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs' Annual Helsinki Summer Session, NATO deputy chief said partnerships are not only an integral part of the alliance's adaptation to new challenges, but also help NATO meet its primary obligation to defend its territories and populations.
Noting the alliance faces challenges from east and south, he stressed that NATO's partnerships have helped to consolidate peace and stability in Europe and beyond borders.
He said NATO will enhance its forward presence in the eastern part of the alliance to address challenges from the east.
NATO will support partners in the Middle East and North Africa as a response to the turmoil in the south, he added.
Vershbow also praised Finland, a non-NATO country's important contributions to the Alliance in his speech.
Demonstrators wave Turkish national flags as they stand in front of giant screens on August 7, 2016 in Istanbul during a rally against failed military coup on July 15. (AFP photo)
ANKARA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 540 judges and prosecutors were dismissed from their posts over suspected links to Gulen's movement, Turkish top judicial board announced Thursday.
The general assembly of Turkish Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) decided to dismiss 543 suspended judges and prosecutors, Anadolu Agency reported.
On August 24, HSYK had dismissed a total of 2,847 judges and prosecutors under a statutory decree during Turkey's current three-month state of emergency after the July 15 coup attempt.
Meanwhile, a total of 475 members of Turkey's biggest business association have resigned since the start of the investigation into the coup attempt, Turkish Customs and Trade Minister Bulent Tufenkci said Thursday.
Tufenkci said that the members leaving the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey amounted to some five percent of the total number of association members.
The Turkish government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen's supporters in the aftermath of the coup attempt.
At least 81,000 people have been suspended or dismissed from state organizations over suspected links to Gulen's movement, referred by Ankara as Fethullah Terrorist Organization.
Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff attends a Senate impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil, Aug. 29, 2016. Brazilian senate votes to strip Dilma Rousseff of presidency in impeachment trail on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
BRASILIA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Dilma Rousseff appealed the decision of her impeachment from the presidency to the Federal Supreme Court on Thursday, a day after being stripped of office.
Rousseff's defense team submitted a "writ of security" against the Senate vote that found her guilty on Wednesday of being "criminally responsible" for fiscal wrongdoing.
A "writ of security" is a Brazilian legal tool to protect individuals from legal decisions that may violate their rights.
The head of her legal team, former Justice Minister and Attorney General Jose Eduardo Cardozo, had previously announced that they would resort to the measure, citing "irregularities in the process" of impeachment.
Rousseff was impeached by an overwhelming majority of 61 to 20 votes, for allegedly inflating fiscal accounts and downplaying a growing budget deficit to improve her chances of being elected to a second term.
Rousseff, of the left-leaning Workers' Party, has denied the charges, saying the trial was politically motivated by the right-wing opposition.
Her vice president, Michel Temer, of the conservative Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, was sworn in to serve the remainder of her term through 2018.
BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Argentina have discovered the fossil remains of a pterosaur, a flying reptile that lived some 170 million years ago.
The discovery, in southern Argentina's Chubut province, "is important because it sheds light on one of the least known stages in the evolution of pterosaurs," researcher Diego Pol told the state Telam news agency.
The fossil also "shows how much still remains to be discovered about the Jurassic in the southern hemisphere," said Pol, a researcher at the National Council of Technical and Scientific Research.
The pterosaur fossil is the oldest found to date, and was featured on Tuesday in the international biological and medical sciences journal PeerJ.
"Here we report on a new Jurassic pterosaur from Argentina ... remains of which include a superbly preserved, uncrushed braincase that sheds light on the origins of the highly derived neuroanatomy of pterodactyloids and their close relatives," the journal said.
A team of Argentine and German researchers made the discovery in the country's frigid Patagonian region, which is near the South Pole.
"The cranium was so well preserved that we have been able to reconstruct the cerebral cavity and understand the changes made to the pterosaur (brain) in adapting to its particular mode of locomotion, flight," said Pol.
Researchers named the find Allkaruen Koi, which in the language of the area's original indigenous inhabitants, the tehuelche, means "ancient brain of the lagoon," since the fossil was among the sediments at the bottom of what was a giant lagoon when South America began to break off from the African continent.
Pterosaurs are "close relatives" of dinosaurs and could have up to 13-meter-long wingspans, according to pterosaur.net, a website created and maintained by pterosaur researchers.
BEIJING, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Comprehensive guidelines are to be issued by China's State Council to ensure the healthier and more sustainable development of venture capital.
The new guidelines were approved on Thursday at the State Council's executive meeting. Premier Li Keqiang, who presided over the meeting, highlighted the importance of venture capital development.
"Encouraging venture capital development means a lot for the country's efforts in maintaining sustainable growth and creating jobs," Li said.
"Meanwhile, China's economy still faces considerable downward pressure, yet we notice that regions that perform well in the new economy have much less pressure in ensuring the employment rate than areas that did poorly in developing the new economy," he said.
Venture capital in China refers to growth equity capital, or loan capital, invested by private investors or specialized financial institutions in innovative business start-ups. Investors mainly gain profits through transferring their share of equity as these companies mature.
Temporary measures were previously put in place in 2005, when the sector was still burgeoning. Over the past decade, venture capital in China, on average, has recorded an average growth of up to 20 percent a year.
The new guidelines emphasize that the development of venture capital should prioritize the new economy, and prevent the possible risk of a capital bubble. Investors should apply a more professional approach based on their own features, use credit wisely and be aware of their social responsibilities.
The new guidelines are in line with the "mass entrepreneurship and innovation" program, created by the premier in 2014, and the government has been reinvigorating the economy by encouraging more people to start their own businesses and unleash their innovation potential.
Figures from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) show that the number of newly registered enterprises exceeded 2.62 million in the first half of 2016, up 28.6 percent compared with last year. By the end of 2015, venture capital had contributed about 2.17 million jobs.
"Developing venture capital will contribute to our country's innovation-driven development strategy and boost private investment," Li said.
"We need to encourage private investors and protect their lawful rights and enthusiasm," he said.
Venture capital has also contributed greatly to the commercialization of innovation and scientific research findings, and it plays an increasingly important role in China's economic upgrading.
However, regulation and legislation still lag behind the sector's robust growth. As pointed out during the Thursday meeting, supervision needs to be upgraded, and better credit facilities are in high demand.
Li pointed out that the development of venture capital should be guided by market demand and a wider range of international practices should be implemented.
"It is necessary to draw foreign investment into innovation and entrepreneurship efforts with more robust opening up efforts. We can also learn a lot along the way," he said.
According to the new guidelines, the country will also encourage more diversified venture capital companies, including angel investors. Financing channels for venture capital investors will be expanded, and tax policies for the sector will be better developed.
Policy coordination is necessary for the NDRC, which is in charge of the new guidelines along with various other government departments. Policies regarding venture capital need to be adjusted, in case of overlap, with various department regulations so that the sector will be more efficient.
The mechanism of equity withdrawal in venture capital will be expanded and improved, while the guidelines also call for more comprehensive legislation on venture capital.
Government funding should play a bigger role in guiding a more sustained development of the sector, the premier said.
The State Council has just given the go-ahead to a venture capital plan in July, aiming to empower entrepreneurial innovation and boost industrial upgrading.
During a news conference a week ago, Lin Nianxiu, vice chairman of the NDRC, announced that a national venture capital fund for emerging industries, totaling 40 billion yuan (6 billion U.S. dollars), is just around the corner.
"The role of government funding needs to be fully developed. State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) also need to promote mass innovation and unleash their potential so as to develop more vigorously with a wider market," Li said. "Otherwise, SOEs may lose their vitality."
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers applauded the significant progress made in higher education but stressed the need for more effective measures to tackle limitations to long-term development.
During panel deliberations on Thursday afternoon, the legislators discussed a report on higher education reform in China, and agreed that problems such as imbalances in resources and a lack of quality staff, should be addressed.
The report was submitted Wednesday to the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People' s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, China's top legislature, for review.
RESOURCE IMBALANCE
Access to higher education has expanded constantly, with 36.5 million students receiving higher education in 2015, an increase of 17.5 percent from 2010, China's education minister, Chen Baosheng, told the legislators.
The gross enrollment ratio for higher education, a gauge of education opportunities, was 40 percent in 2015, 13.5 percentage points higher than in 2010, exceeding the average level of medium-to-high income countries, Chen said.
However, some lawmakers pointed out that special attention should be given to the figures of the central and western regions, short of educational resources.
According to Chen's report, in the last five years, the government has spent 10 billion yuan (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) on improving the infrastructure and teaching quality of 100 colleges and universities in the central and western regions.
Also, this year, 5.6 billion yuan has been spent on establishing national universities in 13 provinces and autonomous regions that used to only have provincial-level ones.
"Those provinces and regions, most of which sit along the border and are inhabited by ethnic minorities, occupy 66 percent of China's land area and 34 percent of the total population. It remains an urgent task for planning authorities to allocate more resources to address the imbalance," legislator Long Zhuangwei said during discussion.
TALENT TRAINING
New majors catering to strategic emerging industries and poverty relief have been set up in universities. They include cyberspace security, Internet of things and big data, said the education minister.
On Wednesday, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences established the school of future technology, the first of its kind in China, which will focus on studies of advanced subjects, such as brain science, quantum and genome technology.
China has been striving to training more applied graduates via cooperation between universities and enterprises. More than 200 colleges and universities have programs in partnership with domestic and foreign companies, including Alibaba, Tencent and Intel.
Impressed by the progress, some lawmakers still called for improved measures to ensure college education serves the needs of social and economic development.
Lawmaker Si Jianmin suggested central education authorities give more freedom to universities in regard to majors.
"Students should be encouraged to choose majors according to social needs as well as individual interest after receiving general education in the first year of college," said Si.
Some legislator said that the government should make specific rules on internships.
At present, the higher education scheme in China does not guarantee enough time for students to work as interns before graduation, said lawmaker Shen Chunyao. "Internship for a month or two won't help the students really understand the industries they are going to work in."
Also on Thursday afternoon, top legislator Zhang Dejiang presided over a meeting of NPC Standing Committee's chairman and vice chairpersons.
The attendees of the meeting were briefed on reports on the reviews of the draft law on national defense transportation and the draft amendments to the law on foreign-invested companies, among others.
HONG KONG, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The overall quality of life of youth in Hong Kong has slightly declined in 2015/16 as compared with the corresponding period last year, a study showed on Monday.
According to the MTR-CUHK Youth Quality of Life Index, released by the Centre for Quality of Life at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the overall score in 2015/16 is 99.68, a decrease of 0.62 points from the revised figure of 100.30 in 2014/15.
The index consists of 28 indicators that are grouped into eight domains: physical health, psychological well-being, society, economics, education, politics, living environment and overall well-being.
The latest index shows the domains of physical health, psychological well-being, education, and living environment have improved, while the domains of society, economics, politics and overall well-being have declined.
Compared with last year's figures, 14 out of the 28 indicators have improved, among which the "participation rate in University Grants Committee (UGC) tertiary programs" was the most noticeable. Other indicators like "exercise participation," "rest," "mental health" and "environmental quality" have also improved in the past 12 months.
Meanwhile, 13 out of the 28 indicators have worsened, among which "youth unemployment" was the most noticeable.
2012/13 is the base year of the study, and the index for that year was set at 100. If the index of a subsequent year is above 100, it indicates that the quality of life of youth in Hong Kong in that year is better than that of the base year. If the index is below 100, it reveals that the quality of life of youth in Hong Kong in that year is worse than that of the base year.
Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff attends a Senate impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil, Aug. 29, 2016. Brazilian senate votes to strip Dilma Rousseff of presidency in impeachment trail on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
LISBON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's government said in a statement on Thursday that the country "reiterates its willingness to deepen bilateral ties with Brazil at a moment when President Michel Temer takes power.
Temer was sworn in on Wednesday after the country's first female president, Dilma Rousseff, was ousted. He will serve the rest of Rousseff's mandate until 2018.
The Portuguese government didn't comment on the move but said in the official statement that the next bilateral summit in Brasilia would be an "important framework" in which both countries could work together to achieve peace and development, as well as reinforce the community of Portuguese-speaking countries.
Temer had been in power since May when Rousseff was suspended ahead of a trial involving breaking fiscal laws.
NAIROBI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN Environment Program (UNEP) on Thursday sounded alarm on the decline of African elephant population occasioned by poaching and climatic stress.
Deputy Executive Director of UNEP Ibrahim Thiaw warned that a shrinking population of elephants portends serious threat to economies, livelihoods and ecosystems in the continent.
While reacting to results of the Great Elephant Census that indicated the population of giant mammals in Africa had declined by 30 percent between 2007 to 2014, Thiaw urged concerted efforts to reverse the grim scenario.
The findings of the census show that poaching is still decimating elephant herds across Africa.
It reveals that over 144,000 elephants were lost in the 15 African countries over a seven-year period mainly because of poaching.
Thiaw said many African countries are grappling with decline in elephant population hence the need for collective action on the crisis.
UNEP has supported multilateral initiatives aimed at combating threats to African elephants, including poaching and shrinking habitat.
Thiaw said robust public private sector initiatives launched in recent years to strengthen protection of African elephants have started paying dividends.
He added that African governments and local communities have also recognized the need to strengthen protection of elephants given their enormous economic and aesthetic value.
MOMBASA, Kenya, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday called for more efforts to exploit blue economy of the Indian Ocean.
"This region sits by the immensely promising blue economy of the Indian Ocean. We are a long way from exploiting the potential of this treasure," he said while opening this year's Agricultural Society of Kenya Mombasa International Show.
He urged the coastal region to expand fishing in the India Ocean, saying it has the potential to create many jobs for the youth.
He said the coastal region should work closely with the national government to help fishermen get bigger boats and other fishing equipment that will enable them to fully exploit the marine resources.
He noted that with the current fish production of about 9,000 metric tonnes, the sector directly employs 14,000 fishermen from the coastal communities.
"Yet the potential fish production from Kenya's exclusive economic zone is estimated to lie between 150,000 metric tonnes to 300,000 metric tonnes," he said.
Kenyatta said the government also seeks to promote large-scale public-private partnerships to boost agriculture's contribution to the country's economic growth.
He cited the livestock sub-sector as an important contributor to the coastal region's development and to the overall national economy.
To improve the livestock sub-sector, the president said the government will continue to implement disease surveillance and control program in collaboration with the counties as part of its campaign to eradicate livestock diseases in the country.
MONTEVIDEO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Uruguay on Thursday became the latest Latin American country to condemn the impeachment of Brazil's ex-President Dilma Rousseff.
Uruguay's Interior Minister Eduardo Bonomi called the trial a "coup d'etat," and as a result her successor Michel Temer "has no legitimacy whatsoever," he said.
Brazil's Senate on Wednesday impeached Rousseff for alleged fiscal wrongdoing, despite the fact that her country's judiciary had cleared her of any crime, said Bonomi.
"Dilma went to the judiciary and the judiciary declared there was no crime," said Bonomi.
"I think there is no legitimate trigger for the legal use of the constitutional recourse (of impeachment). So, if it doesn't exist, then it has the characteristics of a coup d'etat," Bonomi said in an interview with local Carve Radio.
Bonomi voiced suspicions shared by many that Rousseff was ousted to thwart an ongoing investigation into graft among Brazil's political class.
"The real motive is that from within the executive branch Dilma was asked to put a stop to the judicial investigation into corruption in Brazil, and Dilma didn't put a stop to anything, so they took her out," said Bonomi.
"So, the man who took her place has no legitimacy whatsoever either. I think it's very serious, very serious, and deeply damaging to Brazilian democracy," said the minister.
Uruguay's Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued no statement on the trial's outcome, but Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and Venezuela have condemned the impeachment. Bolivia and Venezuela said they would recall their ambassadors to Brazil for consultation.
ST. PETERSBURG, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- China ranked first in the number of tourists that visited Frantz Josef Land Archipelago and Novaya Zemlya Archipelago in the Arctic region in 2016, Russian Arctic National Park said on Thursday.
Nine round trips to these archipelagoes were organized during the 2016 tourist season, the park said, adding that 269 out of the 954 tourists were Chinese citizens.
Different animals -- whales, beluga whales, narwhals and polar bears -- were seen during practically every voyage, according to the park.
Russian Arctic National Park witnessed the largest number of tourists in 2015 -- 1,255 people. It plans to organize 10 round trips to the Arctic archipelagoes in 2017.
by Zhang Jianhua, Rong Zhongxia
VIENTIANE, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming G20 summit is a platform for China to play a steering role in seeking global cooperation, addressing international financial and economic issues, and supporting less-developed countries, Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit said on Thursday.
In an interview with the Chinese media, Bounnhang, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, said China's G20 presidency reflects the positive view of the Chinese party and government in international cooperation, adding that Laos appreciates China's leading role.
The upcoming Group of Twenty (G20) summit to be held in China's Hangzhou will discuss international economic and financial measures, which will directly affect the economic development of many countries, including Laos, he told Chinese reporters.
Laos hopes that the initiatives and plans to be discussed and adopted at the upcoming summit, including the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and industrialization development plans for Africa and less-developed countries, will be well implemented for the benefits of developing and less-developed countries.
Bounnhang said he was pleased and honored to be invited to attend the G20 summit in China.
"G20 summit is a mechanism to consult and put forward measures to address regional and international economic issues, as well as promote economic development of developing countries," he said.
"The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attaches great importance to boosting close cooperation and common development among G20 members, including China," he said.
Laos is currently holding the rotating ASEAN chairmanship this year.
"Laos believes that with the efforts of the Chinese government and people as well as cooperation of participants, the G20 summit will achieve the expected results," he told the Chinese reporters.
Talking about the Laos-China relations, Bounhang said 2016 is an important year for the two countries as the two sides are organizing a series of activities to mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
"Bilateral relations between Laos and China have been growing stronger while cooperation in various fields has been continuously deepened," he said.
"Strengthening Laos-China relations is in line with the building of community of common destiny between the two parties and governments. This is also an important part of peace, stability and development in the world," Bounhang said.
Related:
Commentary: Revamping global economic governance in due course
by Xinhua writer Liu Jie
HANGZHOU, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- When the Group of 20 (G20) leaders gather in China seeking a remedy for sluggish global economic growth, something equally consequential will also be on the table: revamping global economic governance.
While the global economy remains mired in prolonged weakness, advanced economies, intoxicated by "helicopter money" and saddled with secular slow growth and structural problems, are less able than they used to be to act as the world's economic engine. Full story
Commentary: More inclusive development for better globalized world
BEIJING, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Globalization now seems to have its best days in the rearview mirror, with voices of frustration having kept gaining volume against the backdrop of a worldwide slow-growth rut.
ACCRA, Sept.1 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's Parliament on Thursday dismissed a motion filed by the Minority calling for President John Dramani Mahama to be investigated for accepting a car gift from a Burkinabe road contractor.
Mahama came under intense public criticism for accepting the Ford Expedition SUV vehicle valued at 100,000 U.S. dollars as a gift from Djibril Kanazoe, the Burkinabe contractor, allegedly to influence him.
Addressing the House after a recall from recess, Edward Doe Adjaho, Speaker of the Ghana Parliament, directed the Minority who are members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to pursue the case at the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
He said legal and constitutional provisions indicated that the CHRAJ is the body mandated to deal with all relevant matters relating to the breach of conduct of public officers, including the matter involving the Ford Expedition vehicle.
CHRAJ has already received three separate petitions concerning the same issue and is investigating it.
More than 100 minority MPs signed a proposal submitted to the Speaker, requesting him to recall members from recess to begin the process to probe President Mahama over the car gift.
The request followed an investigative report a couple of months ago which revealed that Kanazoe had confirmed giving the vehicle to Mahama through Ghana's Ambassador to Burkina Faso.
The minority group has expressed disappointment over the Speaker's rejection of the motion.
Syrians fleeing from the town of Souran, in northern Hama, drive past burning vehicles on September 1, 2016, after fighters from the Jund al-Aqsa Islamist Brigade took control of the town from Syrian government forces. (AFP/Xinhua)
DAMASCUS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army received reinforcements Thursday to confront a widescale offensive by rebels in the central province of Hama, a military source told Xinhua.
The source pointed out that clashes are currently underway in the village of Ma'ardes, only 5 km from Hama, amid reports that the rebels have actually taken control of it.
Meanwhile, Syria's state news agency SANA said that the Syrian airforce carried out several airstrikes against rebel posts in Hama.
It added that the airstrikes targeted the cities of Mork and Tibet al-Imamand, leading to the deaths of 10 rebels.
This development comes only a day after the Syrian army killed over 50 rebels and wounded 70 others, as part of the ongoing military campaign to repel rebels out of Hama.
Hama's northern countryside has once again come under the spotlight after rebels repeatedly attacked government posts there.
The primary reason behind repeated rebel attacks is to keep the army busy on several fronts, which will reduce the army's pressure against rebels in other parts of Syria.
Recent reports indicate that rebels in the northern province of Aleppo are folding under pressure from the army, which has reportedly closed all entryways into the rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo.
This file photo taken on June 7, 2016 shows a Miami-Dade mosquito control worker dumping a barrel of standing water that can incubate the Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae at home in Miami,Florida. ( AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISE)
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. authorities said Thursday they have identified the first batch of mosquitoes infected with the Zika virus in Florida's Miami-Dade County, where the first locally transmitted cases of Zika in the continental U.S. have been found.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said in a statement that three mosquito samples from a small area in the county's Miami Beach tested positive for Zika.
The department has tested more than 2,470 mosquito samples, consisting of more than 40,000 mosquitoes, since May, and these three samples are the first to test positive.
"This find is disappointing, but not surprising," the state's Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam said. "This detection enables us to continue to effectively target our resources."
The United States now has a total of 47 local Zika cases, all in Florida. Local officials insisted that ongoing active transmission is still only taking place within small areas identified in Wynwood and Miami Beach in Miami-Dade County.
SKOPJE, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The prime minister of Macedonia accepted Thursday the resignation of Interior Minister Mitko Cavkov and submitted the proposal to appoint Oliver Andonov to replace Cavkov, the government spokesperson Aleksandar Gjorgiev told local media on Thursday.
Such government reshuffle came one day after an agreement reached between four main political parties' leaders to hold an early parliamentary election on Dec. 11.
One of the conditions was the appointment of a new interior minister, according to the report.
However, government sources said that Prime Minister Emil Dimitriev is expected to propose Cavkov to take up the post of the director of the public security bureau.
The agreement was highly praised and welcomed by several senior officials of the EU. It it is expected to put to an end the political crisis in Macedonia.
HELSINKI, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Some 200 people suffered from a gastroenteritis epidemic in the Helsinki metropolitan area of Finland after eating food supplied by a catering company, media reported on Thursday.
Eeva Ruotsalainen, deputy director of the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), told the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat that most of the infections occurred in festive occasions arranged in Helsinki about two weeks ago, and some others occurred in Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen after the events.
Laboratory results showed that more than 80 of the patients were infected by EHEC (Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli) bacteria, said Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare.
Officials contacted patients of high-risk groups, such as children under the age of five, elderly people, pregnant women and persons who work in the food industry.
Health officials suspected that the infection originated from an Espoo-based catering company which provided food services for the events.
Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported that the source of the epidemic was traced to rucola or rocket salad sold by Kesko, a major retailer of Finland.
Matti Kalervo, vice president of Kesko, told Yle that the rucola in question was grown in Denmark and packaged in Sweden. The breakout of the epidemic was caused by a single batch of rucola exclusively for industrial kitchens.
Kesko has started to perform microbiological tests on the product, said Kalervo.
EHEC bacteria, a subtype of Escherichia coli, can cause human hemorrhagic colitis. The infection of EHEC can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, which in turn may cause permanent kidney damage or even death.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 691 Iraqis were killed and another 1,016 were injured in August 2016 in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq, excluding the western province of Anbar, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said here Thursday.
A total of 473 civilians were killed and 813 others were injured, Dujarric said, citing casualty figures recorded by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
The special representative of the UN secretary-general for Iraq, Jan Kubis, strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks and other acts of violence, reiterated his call on the parties to undertake every effort to safeguard the lives of civilians and urged Iraqis to show strength in unity in the face of this unrelenting violence.
Civilians continue to disproportionately bear the burden of acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq, accounting for more than two-thirds of those killed or injured in the month of August, UNAMI said.
Of those killed, more than 68 percent were civilians, including 16 individuals who were members of the federal police, civil defence, personal security details, facilities protection police and fire department, the UN mission said.
Similarly, about 80 percent of those injured were civilians, including 21 members of the previously mentioned civil security entities, said the mission.
"The bloodletting in Iraq continues without let-up," Kubis said in a news release issued by UNAMI, which he heads. "Casualty figures remain too high and civilians again are bearing the brunt."
The mission noted that 218 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were killed and another 203 were injured.
In terms of casualties by location, the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, was the worst affected governorate with 907 civilian casualties (231 killed, 676 injured).
In the northern governorate of Ninewa, 116 were killed and 83 injured; in the northern governorate of Kirkuk 81 were killed and 13 injured; in the central governorate of Karbala 17 were killed and 25 injured; in the central governorate of Salahadin 14 were killed and four injured; and, in the eastern governorate of Diyala six were killed and five injured.
"(We) reiterate our call on the parties to undertake every effort to safeguard the lives of civilians and urge Iraqis in general to show strength in unity in the face of this unrelenting violence," Kubis said.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a running campaign at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix of Arizona Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday pledged to begin building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and deporting undocumented immigrants on the first day of his presidency, if elected.
"On day one, we will begin working on an impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful southern border wall," Trump told a crowd at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona.
The hardline speech effectively defied any expectation that the New York real estate developer would soften his tone as the election heats up.
"We will use the best technology, including above and below ground sensors ... towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall. Find and dislocate tunnels and criminal cartels, and Mexico will work with us," he continued.
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a running campaign at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix of Arizona Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)
"And Mexico will pay for the wall ... 100 percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for the wall," Trump said, just hours after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto announced his country would not pay.
Trump earlier in the day paid his first foreign visit as Republican presidential nominee to Mexico at the invitation of Pena Nieto.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto tweeted after their one-hour meeting.
At the Phoenix rally, Trump also promised that his administration would have zero tolerance toward criminal undocumented immigrants, vowing to create a deportation task force within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement division so as to identify and quickly deport them.
"Day one, my first hour in office, those people are gone," Trump claimed, attacking the current U.S. immigration system for being "worse than anybody ever realized."
He also blasted President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival, for policies such as supporting so-called sanctuary cities, a catch-and-release program on the border and visa overstays.
Trump also accused Clinton of breaking the federal budget by pledging amnesty and granting welfare to undocumented immigrants in her first 100 days as secretary of state.
"Excellent speech by Donald Trump tonight. Deport criminal aliens, end catch-and-release, enforce immigration laws and America first," former Ku Klux Klan (KKK) leader David Duke tweeted.
Raul Benitez Manaut, a professor at a Mexican university, slammed Trump's visit to Mexico. "I'm not even going to think about wasting neurons to rationalize Trump's visit," he told the online news site Animal Politico earlier Wednesday.
The New York billionaire started his campaign last year with attacks on illegal Mexican immigrants, claiming most of them are "rapists" or other kinds of criminals and proposing to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it.
A picture taken on August 28, 2016 shows damaged and collapsed buildings in the Syrian town of Daraya, as government forces moved into the town, just outside Damascus, after rebels and civilians were evacuated following a four-year siege by regime forces. (AFP/Xinhua)
DAMASCUS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- It has never occurred to Maha, a woman in her early 30s, that one day her husband and sister would get killed and she would have to marry her brother-in-law and raise four kids.
Maha's sister and husband were killed during the battles that has raged in the town of Daraya since 2012.
Since each of them had died leaving two kids behind, Maha and her brother-in-law decided to get married to raise the four kids together.
Still, her little dream of having her new husband by her side doesn't come true due to the war that has raged in Daraya, west of the capital Damascus.
Under a long-awaited deal concluded last week, the rebels in Daraya were allowed to evacuate to their stronghold of Idlib, a northwestern province in Syria. The civilians were allowed to leave for government-controlled shelters in the town of Hirjalleh, south of Damascus.
The deal allows the Syrian army to reassume control over Daraya, a main rebel stronghold on the western rim of Damascus.
However, Maha, with the four kids, was evacuted to Hirjalleh, while her husband ended up in Idlib with rebels.
The war-weary woman said the life in the new camp is completely different, or somewhat better, but that doesn't resonate with her, because her husband is away.
"We had lived under siege and suffered a lot from the malnutrition and lack of medicine. We used to stay indoors, out of fear of battles. The children suffered a lot, and we all suffered, particularly from the shelling, which had intensified in the last period," Maha told Xinhua.
Watching the four kids playing in the mud in front of their new dwelling, Maha couldn't hide her uneasiness about her new life, with the absence of her husband.
"My husband didn't come here, as he was among those who were evacuated to Idlib province. The food and the life here in the displacement shelter is different, in a good way, but we are not relaxed, and we are living nervously here, because my husband is not with us, and I feel I am going to be everything for the kids now."
Bara, the six-year-old son of her late sister, was playing in the mud, trying to shape some candy sticks.
Despite his tender age, the boy seems to have understood war, as he was born when the conflict in Syria broke out over five years ago.
"Back home there was nothing but shelling. here, we have food, drink and everything we need," the boy said, with apparent happiness to have finally found warmth in his stolen childhood.
Maram, Bara's younger sister, also didn't seem to have forgotten the war, as she described her life in Daraya as "nothing beautiful."
"Here is nicer, back home there was nothing beautiful, only siege. Here we have sweets and we play, but back there we couldn't play because the shelling was hard, which would keep us inside almost all the time," she said.
Those torn-apart families, with civilians and their men in the rebel groups seperated, reflect the tragic lives of the Syrian people.
The Syrian government has repeatedly promised freedom for the rebels if they surrender.
The government has also promised civilians a decent life in areas under its control, and from what has happened in Hirjalleh, it is obviously working to deliver its promises.
However, the war is still raging on and the scars it has left won't seem to go away anytime soon, since it has become a proxy war, where all major powers are involved.
But the government sees the truces and its willingness to pardon rebels as a bright chance to end the conflict and ease the suffering of the civilians.
Observers believe Daraya's case could set an example for possible scenarios in other major rebel strongholds, with the rebels encouraged to join the government forces to fight ultra-radical groups such as the Islamic State (IS).
Daraya, a town in the western Ghouta area of Damascus, is close to the major military airbase of Mazzeh, which had been under rebel attacks from Daraya.
The town is also home to a Muslim Shiite shrine, which was attacked and bombed out several times by the Sunni-led rebels.
It is the largest town in the Western Ghouta countryside, and the second most important stronghold for the rebels in the countryside of Damascus, after Douma, the major rebel bastion east of the capital Damascus.
But "with the liberation of Daraya, an important part of the rebels' spine has been broken," a military officer told Xinhua.
Three rebel groups, the Levant Martyr Brigade, the Brigade of the Mother of Believers and the Levant's Soldiers, had been in control of the town before the evacuation deal was reached.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- In the top 10 countries with the highest rates of children missing out on primary education, nearly two in every five children -- 18 million -- are out of school, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said here Thursday.
Liberia is home to the highest proportion of out-of-school children with nearly two-thirds of primary-aged children not accessing school, the UN agency said in a press release.
The second highest is South Sudan, where 59 percent of children are missing out on their right to a primary education and one in three schools is closed due to conflict.
Afghanistan (46 percent), Sudan (45 percent), Niger (38 percent) and Nigeria (34 percent) also feature in the top 10 countries with the highest primary out-of-school rates, painting a clear picture of how humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises are forcing children out of school, UNICEF said.
The UNICEF data analysis, which comes as millions of children return to school this month, highlights the extent of an education crisis affecting countries already blighted by conflict, prolonged periods of drought, flash floods, earthquakes and high rates of extreme poverty.
UNICEF fears that without education, a generation of children living in countries affected by conflict, natural disasters and extreme poverty will grow up without the skills they need to contribute to their countries and economies, exacerbating the already desperate situation for millions of children and their families.
Education continues to be one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals. In 2015, humanitarian agencies received only 31 percent of their education funding needs, down from 66 percent a decade ago.
Despite a 126 percent increase in education requirements since 2005, funding increased by just 4 percent. Moreover, education systems equipped to cope with protracted crises cannot be built on the foundations of short-term -- and unpredictable -- appeals.
During the World Humanitarian Summit held in May in Turkey, a new global funding platform, "Education Cannot Wait," was launched to bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions during crises and long-term development afterwards, through predictable funding.
Though not one of the top 10 countries with the highest rates of out-of-school children, Syria is home to 2.1 million school-age children (5-17 years old) who are not in school, UNICEF said, adding that an additional 600,000 Syrian children living as refugees in the surrounding region are also out of school.
Recent, reliable data from countries including Somalia and Libya are not available either from administrative or survey sources partly due to the continuing conflicts.
"For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over, and in the short-term it provides them with the stability and structure required to cope with trauma," said UNICEF Chief of Education Jo Bourne.
"Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them. When children are not in school, they are at an increased danger of abuse, exploitation and recruitment into armed groups."
HARARE, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe has announced a two-week ban of public demonstrations in the capital Harare following a series of anti-government protests in recent weeks, state radio reported.
The government announced the ban, running from Sept.1 to 16, in a statutory instrument published Thursday.
According to the statute, police imposed the ban on the grounds that provisions in the Public Order and Security Act were inadequate to prevent public disorder.
The ban comes ahead of a planned demonstration by opposition parties in Harare on Friday to push government to implement electoral reforms before the next election in 2018.
This is after the opposition parties, working under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda, failed to go ahead with the demonstration on Aug. 26 despite court permission, after a clampdown by the police who fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protesters.
The clashes resulted in looting of shops and damage of some properties in the capital.
Police have since arrested and charged 68 protesters with public violence following last Friday's violent protests.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN special envoy in Libya Martin Kobler Thursday welcomed a reconciliation agreement between Misrata and Tawergha, two Libyan cities, in Tunis under the auspices of the UN Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), a UN spokesman told reporters here.
The agreement is aimed at ensuring the safe return of more than 40,000 displaced from Tawergha scattered across Libya, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Under the deal, the victims of the 2011 conflict involving Misrata and Tawergha will also receive compensation and perpetrators will be brought to justice, the spokesman added.
Representatives from Misrata and Tawergha signed the agreement on Wednesday after they agreed on the return of the displaced people to their homes in Tawergha and on the compensations that should be given to both cities regarding the damage that was caused to both in the 2011 incidents, reports said.
"After five years in very difficult conditions, it is heartening to know that the Tawerghans have finally a real chance to return before the end of the year," said Kobler.
"Misratans were also victims of this conflict and have every right to seek compensation," he said.
Meanwhile, the UN envoy also urged the two sides to ensure that the rights of return and compensations are implemented without conditions.
UNSMIL stands ready to work with both sides and the Government of National Accord to ensure that the implementation of the agreement is fully consistent with international human rights standards.
PARIS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- French shipbuilder DCNS on Thursday welcomed Australian court decision that prevented "The Australian" newspaper from publishing leaked data on the Indian Scorpene submarines.
"The Supreme Court of the State of New South Wales (Australia) confirmed today the preliminary decision it had rendered on Monday, August 29, 2016 against The Australian," DCNS said in a statement.
"The Australian newspaper, which has already withdrawn, after this first decision, the documents published on its website, will provide DCNS with all the documents in its possession and is prohibited from publishing any additional document," it added.
Last week, "The Australian" uploaded data pertaining to the Indian Scorpene submarines. The data leak of more than 22,000 classified pages revealed detailed information about the combat capabilities and operating instructions of underwater warfare system of the six Scorpene submarines sold to India by DCNS.
The submarines are being built and integrated at Mazagon Docks Ltd. in Mumbai in India's western state of Maharashtra, with the technological and financial support of DCNS.
So far, it is unclear whether the leak occurred in India or in France and how the Australian media obtained the confidential documents.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Thursday slapped additional sanctions on 37 individuals and entities in relation to the conflict in Ukraine.
The fresh sanctions target 18 construction, transportation, and defense entities that the U.S. accused of operating in the Crimea region, which was incorporated into Russia in 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.
Also blacklisted are 17 Ukrainian "separatists" , 11 of them officials of the "so-called Republic of Crimea," according to the statement.
The action is part of the U.S. efforts to "counter attempts to circumvent sanctions on Russia, to assist the private sector with sanctions compliance, and to foster a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Ukraine," it said.
Since 2014, the United States, the EU and some of their allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia for the country's role in the Ukraine crisis.
"Russia continues to provoke instability in eastern Ukraine despite its Minsk commitments," said John Smith, acting director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
"We will continue to sanction those who threaten Ukraine' s peace, security, and sovereignty," Smith said.
Meanwhile, for the Russian side, Moscow has extended the food embargo on western countries. The sanctions will be in effect through December 31, 2017.
The extension of the sanctions by Moscow was a reprisal for the actions of the West.
HAVANA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's energy development program is based on independence, the supply of electricity and security, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) said here on Thursday.
"In Cuba, energy efficiency is the priority," said Rosell Guerra, MEM's director of renewable energy, at the start of the First Summit for Energy Investment in Cuba, being held in Havana with entrepreneurs from 11 foreign countries.
Guerra highlighted to participants the island's wind and solar power potential, saying that the country was hoping to install over 2,100MW in renewable energy projects in the coming years.
The government has a plan to ensure 24 percent of its electricity generation comes from renewable sources by 2030, up from around 4 percent today, according to the official.
At the two-day event, Cuba will reveal investment possibilities in the sector to experts and potential investors from Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK and the Czech Republic.
In terms of hydrocarbons, Cuba produces around 4 million tons of oil and gas a year. This only covers half of Cuba's domestic demand, with its ally, Venezuela, providing the rest in crude oil at subsidized prices.
LA PAZ, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia on Thursday unveiled a series of stricter regulations of mining cooperatives, following the recent death of an official at the hands of protesting miners.
Deputy Minister of Mining Rodolfo Illanes was tortured to death last Thursday while attempting to mediate a protest by Bolivia's National Federation of Mining Cooperatives (Fencomin) in demand of more rights to work with private companies.
Several decrees were agreed during an emergency cabinet meeting on Thursday, Mining Minister Cesar Navarro told reporters at a press conference.
The decrees called for the state to take back control of areas and concessions subleased to private companies, and according to the government, there are 31 such contracts, the Bolivian News Agency (ABI) reported.
"The cabinet has issued the first decree, which explicitly reverts to state control areas with ... leasing and subleasing contracts between the mining cooperatives and private national or international companies," said Navarro.
The state will also take control of sites that are not producing, he said.
"That capacity is going to allow us to verify hundreds of areas dispersed in several of the country's departments, and these areas have to be duly exploited and there has to be mining activity, but if there isn't ... they will revert to Bolivian state (control)," said the minister.
A third decree calls for regular auditing of the mining cooperatives, which will have to report annually on how many members they have, and the volume and value of their output.
The goal, said Navarro, is to identify the legitimate cooperatives from those that are merely "companies (that) exploit men."
In addition, the government announced labor protections for salaried miners, and banned the possession of dynamite and other explosives during strikes or protests.
The miners had launched violent protests to get the government to meet some 10 demands, including having more leeway to sign contracts with private mining firms as Bolivia's energy sector is nationalized.
The miners had also laid a trap with explosives in case police arrived at the site.
Some 100,000 miners are affiliated with the Fencomin.
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- One day after U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited Mexico, Mexicans on Thursday continued attacks against the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party's (PRI) decision to invite the controversial candidate.
Many, including Mexico's Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Inarritu, maker of "Birdman" and "The Revenant," were angered that the candidate most hostile to Mexico had been invited.
Mexican President "Enrique Pena Nieto's invitation to Donald Trump is a betrayal. It endorses and formalizes the person who has insulted us, spit on us and threatened us for more than a year before the entire world," Inarritu wrote in an editorial published by Spanish daily El Pais.
Mexico City Secretary of Economic Development Salomon Chertorivski echoed that sentiment.
"Donald Trump's visit seems outrageous to me. The person, perhaps, who has most offended and inundated with insults our country, is welcomed. It is painful and incongruent," Chertorivski said in an interview with MVS Radio.
Mexico's leading left-leaning opposition figure Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador considered the political implications and called the meeting a mistake, saying it appeared to give the impression Mexico was meddling in U.S. elections, according to MVS.
Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto has been forced to repeatedly defend his decision to host the controversial candidate.
"Why did I meet with Donald Trump?" Pena Nieto posted to Twitter, with a link to an editorial he published in the daily El Universal, explaining his reasons.
The president said he extended an invitation to both candidates on Friday, and Trump was the first to accept.
"It is important to meet with both candidates, but it was even more important to meet with Mr. Trump, because there are things he should hear from Mexico's president, beginning with the sentiment of the Mexicans," said Pena Nieto.
He went on to detail his private conversation with Trump, saying "I was very clear ... in stressing that in Mexico we were offended and pained by his statements about Mexicans."
On the campaign trail, Trump has frequently used derogatory language when referring to Mexicans and other Latin Americans who migrate to the United States, calling them "killers and rapists".
During his visit, Trump did not apologize or make any concessions to Mexico, as many had hoped, and just hours later repeated his assertion that he would build a massive wall along the two countries' 2,000-mile border to keep out migrants, and have Mexicans pay for it.
"Mexico will pay for the wall!" Trump Tweeted Thursday morning.
"I repeat what I told him in person: Mr. Trump, Mexico would never pay for a wall," Pena Nieto responded on twitter.
LONDON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming on Thursday urged his country and Britain to enhance cooperation in an array of areas ranging from infrastructure investment to international financial framework and build stronger political mutual trust.
In a signed article published by the Daily Telegraph, Liu said that China and Britain can enhance cooperation in a number of fields, from infrastructure investment and international financial framework, to cooperation on taxation, anti-corruption and anti-microbial resistance.
"Our joint efforts in these areas will be essential in the G20's transition from an organization for crisis control to an institution of long-term governance," he said.
His remarks came ahead of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China. The summit will see Theresa May make her first China visit since taking office as the new British prime minister.
Liu said that China and Britain have a wide range of consensus regarding the objectives of the summit and are ready to cooperate as their cooperation on G20 issues is becoming a fruitful showcase of their global comprehensive strategic partnership.
"The UK, famed for its innovative and creative spirit, chairs the G20 innovation working group that is responsible for making a G20 blueprint for innovation--driven growth," he said, adding that China and Britain can work together to push the summit to adopt the document.
On trade and investment, the ambassador said that China and Britain can work together to push the summit to approve the Strategy for Global Trade Growth and the guiding principles for global investment policies.
These concrete efforts would strengthen multilateral trade regime and reinforce the effective coordination of investment policies between different countries, he said.
Also on Thursday, a separate signed article by Liu was carried by the China Daily UK Edition inaugural issue and its website.
The ambassador in the article called on both China and Britain to make continuous efforts to build stronger political mutual trust.
"Mutual trust is the foundation for cooperation," he said. "Progress in China-UK bilateral ties is always powered by mutual understanding, support and friendship between our two peoples."
Liu also urged the two countries to stay committed to open and results-based cooperation and stay true to a global vision.
ANKARA, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish army is building a 3.6-meter-high concrete wall along the border with Syria to maintain security, Anadolu news agency reported Thursday.
Turkish Armed Forces units are erecting the modular walls along the Turkish-Syrian borderline between Suruc, Sanliurfa and Karkamis, Gaziantep.
A four-km leg of the concrete wall will be built on the west of the Mursitpinar border crossing in Suruc and a one-km section, east of Mursitpinar.
The report said the wall will help enhance border security with barbed wire and watchtowers against the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), citing the district governor of Suruc in the southeastern Sanliurfa province.
Meanwhile, Turkey's army continued to dispatch troops on the border with Syria in its ongoing support for the military operation on Thursday.
Eight tanks and two armored personnel carriers, already stationed at a military base near the town of Qarqamish, Gaziantep, were dispatched to Turkyurdu, a town near the border.
Turkey shares a 900-kilometer border with Syria, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011.
Turkish army launched a cross-border Euphrates Shield operation on Aug. 24, along with the U.S.-led coalition in Syria's northern border town of Jarablus to clear the IS.
LONDON, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Founders of the first British school to teach all its lessons in both Chinese and English have vowed to prepare their pupils for a post-Brexit world where China is expected to play a big role.
Kensington Wade, a private school in west London, is expected to open next year.
One of the founders of the dual language school was quoted on Thursday by the local media as saying that they hope pupils at their prep school will flourish in a post-Brexit world where China has "a strong influence on business, politics and international affairs."
Hugo de Burgh, one of the co-founders and China expert at the University of Westminster, told Evening Standard that he hoped a majority of the students at the school, which will accommodate up to 200 pupils aged from three to 13, would be British.
He said that British children had much to learn from Chinese teaching methods that promote concentration, focus and clarity of thought.
The latest development came one year after BBC questioned whether the Chinese-style education, which stresses unquestioning obedience and hardwork, would work on British kids in its Chinese schooling documentary.
But the founders said that their school aims to marry the best of the two countries' educational cultures to help London youngsters pick up the Chinese language from an early age.
ALGIERS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Thursday said it has evacuated nationals working in the oil field of Port-Gentil, in Gabon, after deterioration of security situation there.
In a statement by the official APS news agency, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said that the nationals were evacuated following the political crisis that hit Gabon on the aftermath of the results of the presidential election on Aug. 27.
The source added the services of the Algerian embassy in the Gabonese capital of Libreville "are in permanent contact with the other members of our community."
Algeria has taken measures to protect its nationals, concluded the source.
Massive protests have sparked in the streets of Libreville late Wednesday, after claims that the government tricked the election results that the incumbent President Ali Bongo won a second term over his rival Jean Ping.
The protesters attacked the parliament building and clashed with police, leaving 1,000 arrested, local media reported.
by Mahmoud Fouly
CAIRO, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing Asian tour of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi that includes India and China represents hope for the most populous Arab country while struggling to revive its ailing economy after several years of political instability, said Egyptian economic and political experts.
Sisi attended Thursday evening in New Delhi the Egyptian-Indian businessmen forum where he voiced Egypt's persistence to address all obstacles and resolve all issues that face the Indian investments in the country.
The Egyptian president will later head to China's eastern city of Hangzhou to attend the Group of 20 (G20) summit scheduled for Sept. 4-5 as a guest of honor at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
HEADING EAST
Egypt has been heading east towards Asia over the past few years for further cooperation seen by experts as a means to create a kind of balance in the country's economic, political and strategic relations so as not to be restricted to the United States and the West in general.
"Heading to Asia is a new world tendency for the region started to reach very high economic levels, as China has become the world's second largest economy after the United States," said Egyptian economic expert and researcher Mokhtar al-Sherif.
Sherif added that Egypt's relations with India and China are on the rise and the country is trying to learn from their development experiences that led them to rank high as giant Asian and world economies.
President Sisi met Thursday with Indian Foreign Minister Sushama Swaraj in New Delhi where he stressed the necessity for restoring strong ties between the two countries, expressing hope for Indian participation in the ongoing Egyptian national projects.
"Egypt seeks to learn from India's development experience, despite the prevailing poverty in the Asian country, as India has achieved a technological and industrial leap especially in technology and electronic based industries including remote sensing devices, computers, missiles, satellites and others," Sherif told Xinhua.
President Sisi has visited China twice since he came to office in mid-2014 and was invited to the G20 summit during Chinese President Xi's first state visit to Egypt in January. The two leaders agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2014.
"India and China has economic forums with Africa as a promising spot for economic future due to its abundant natural resources, and Egypt's distinguished location as a portal to Africa can make it a link between big Asian economies and the continent," the expert pointed out.
G20 CHANCES
The Egyptian president said his invitation to the G20 summit embodies the depth of friendship and partnership ties between Egypt and China, expressing confidence in China's successful leadership of the world event.
"Egyptian-Chinese relations grow stronger day after day and extend to include various fields of cooperation at all levels, given the technological and finance capabilities of China and the promising investment and business opportunities provided by Egypt," Sisi told Xinhua in an interview Wednesday before setting off for his Asian tour.
Ahmed Qandil, expert of Asian affairs and head of the Energy Studies Program at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said that Egypt's participation in such a world economic event whose members represent 90 percent of the world population and 85 percent of the world trade volume is "a certificate that Egypt is on the right economic path."
This year's G20 summit is held under the theme of "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy," and it is expected to redraw the map of world economy that has been facing decline over the past few years through balanced, inclusive economic development-based policies that benefit big and small economies alike.
"Egypt supports China's efforts to reach better representation of developing countries in the G20 summit that will be a chance for Egypt to present its large national projects and their development aspirations amid declining world economic growth rate," Qandil told Xinhua.
Egypt has been struggling to survive economic recession over the past few years, which saw the ouster of two heads of state in 2011 and 2013, due to security issues that caused a growing budget deficit, declining foreign currency reserves, ailing tourism and fleeing foreign investments.
The challenges led the Arab country to seek a 12 billion U.S. dollars loan recently from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to implement a tough, three-year economic reform program.
"The initial approval of the IMF loan to Egypt and the country's first participation in the G20 summit show an international recognition that the Egyptian leadership in on the right path," the expert argued.
Qandil believes that Egypt's weight in the region qualifies it to play a key role in regional security and stability and that its cooperation with the international community, including Asian and Western states, will be in favor of international and regional stability.
HOPE, CHALLENGES
Amid economic challenges, Egypt aims out of Sisi's Asian tour and participation in the G20 summit to enhance economic relations with world powerful economies and return home with a bunch of foreign investments to boost the country's economy.
"This depends on the improvement of investment environment in Egypt that still suffers bureaucracy," said Ehab al-Desouki, head of the Economy Department of Cairo-based Sadat Academy.
Desouki argued that establishing a business in Egypt requires a foreign investor to spend a lot of time to get official permits and a specified land for the project, "which are the main obstacles facing investors in Egypt, besides the new crisis of dollar shortage that cripples importers."
"Egypt should overcome the obstacles facing investors and present its investment opportunities and economic reform program agreed with the IMF to get the best results out of the Asian tour and the G20 summit," the expert told Xinhua.
For his part, economic expert Sherif said that Egypt should work hard and fast to establish technology-based cadres and raise its scientific level in order to learn from pioneering development experiences like those of China, India and some other Asian states.
"Egypt is a promising investment market and its presence in giant economic blocs like this year's G20 summit requires the country to conduct thorough and accurate studies to be qualified for copying successful economic experiences," the expert told Xinhua.
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council will have a new round of straw poll next Friday on the 10 current candidates vying to be next UN secretary-general to succeed Ban Ki-moon on Jan. 1, the president of the council, Ambassador Gerard Jacobus van Bohemen of New Zealand, announced here Thursday.
Another round of the secret council poll will be held on Sept. 26, Bohemen said while briefing reporters here on the 15-nation council's work program for September, when New Zealand, one of the 10 non-permanent council members, holds the rotating council presidency.
However, New Zealand will hand over its responsibilities to conduct straw polls behind closed doors to Russia during its council presidency this month simply because Helen Clark, a national from the Pacific island country, is in the race for the post of the world's top diplomat, he said.
After closed consultations here Thursday afternoon, all council members also agreed to hold another round of straw poll in the first week of October, the council president said.
In the October straw poll, the five permanent council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- and the 10 non-permanent council members will use different colors, a system to differentiate permanent council members from non-permanent council members.
The 10 non-permanent seats are currently held by Angola, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
The council's first straw poll was held on July 21.
The council members cast ballots which marked by three columns --"encouraged," "discouraged," and "no opinion expressed" for each candidate.
The number of candidates has been reduced by only two since the first straw poll. Vesna Pusic of Croatia withdrew her nomination on Aug. 4, the day before the second straw poll, while Igor Luksic of Montenegro pulled out of the race on Aug. 23, diplomatic sources said.
In the previous three rounds of informal, secret straw poll, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres of Portugal maintained his lead, said the sources.
The straw poll this year is actually a secret paper balloting process, but results quickly leaked out from various diplomatic sources.
These straw polls continue until there is a majority candidate without a single veto from a permanent council member. That name is then officially transferred to the UN General Assembly, whose membership historically chooses the candidate.
This year, the 193-member General Assembly took a more active role in the selection process, aiming to make it more transparent and inclusive. For the first time in history, the candidates were asked to submit their resumes and to take part in informal briefings with the General Assembly.
It is the duty of the 15-member council to forward its recommendation for the next secretary-general to the General Assembly to vote on.
There are hopes in some quarters for a first-ever woman secretary-general as well as in others quarters for a UN chief from an Eastern Europe country. It is hoped a candidate can be chosen by November.
WELLINGTON, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Residents in New Zealand North Island are urged to stay away from the water by Civil Defence following a 7.1-magnitude earthquake early Friday morning.
The quake, which occurred at 4:37 a.m. local time (1637 GMT Thursday), was centred 130 km northeast of Te Araroa in the North Island with a depth of 55 km, according to the government's GeoNet monitoring service.
GeoNet recorded strong aftershocks, including a 6.0-magnitude quake.
The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management of New Zealand cancelled a tsunami marine and beach threat warning issued shortly after the quake. The Ministry said, although the greatest tsunami activity has passed, coasts areas may still experience unusual, strong currents and sea level fluctuations lasting for several more hours.
According to the Civil Defence, the greatest wave height has already occurred, further waves are anticipated to be up to 20cm. Flooding of land areas near the shore is not expected.
The only reports of damage are power outages in the Gisborne-East Cape region, that are expected to be quickly rectified. The tsunami threat has also seen trains across Auckland grind to a halt. After the train reopened, people have been advised there would be delays.
To promote dialogue and share experiences on implementing Agroecology approaches in Asia and China, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and partners met on 29 to 31 August 2016, in Kunming, China.
The International Symposium on Agroecology for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems has been co-organized by FAO and CAAS, and in cooperation with the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, with the support of the Government of France.
In his message from the Director General of FAO, Ren Wang, Assistant Director-General stressed that: Agroecology is based on the 3 pillars of sustainable development, which is aligned with FAOs Common Vision for sustainable food and agriculture and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.The Sustainable Development Goals tell us that, by 2030, we need to shift to sustainable food systems that produce more with less environmental, economic and social costs. In this context, Agroecology offers an innovative solution.
Agroecology has a strong scientific base and is increasingly receiving attention from governments. In September 2014, FAO convened a global symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition. This was followed in 2015 by three regional meetings in Brazil, Senegal and Thailand. This year, the symposium on Agroecology in China has brought together stakeholders from academia, policy and civil society to better understand the role and potential of Agroecology.
The Chinese government attached great importance to Agroecology and a series of policies have been released in recent years. As the national leading institution, CAAS is committed to improving Chinas food security and nutrition by research and innovation, and attached great importance in Agroecology. CAAS has launched four collaborative innovation initiatives, namely heavy metal pollution control, black soil conservation, water saving for grain production, the integrated technology-based green producing, which use the principle and philosophy of Agroecology in major grain and meat producing areas to address the rampant diminishing agricultural resources, said by CAAS Vice President Wu Kongming.
During this Symposium, participants highlighted many Agroecological initiatives and practices which have a positive impact on the reduction of rural poverty, hunger and malnutrition, promotion of sustainable agricultural development, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, improving soil fertility, increasing resilience of agriculture to climate change, and expand work opportunities for rural communities all of which are essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
With the aim of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and building a future that leaves no one behind, we believe that Agroecology can contribute to improving food security and nutrition situation at global, regional and local levels and create the conditions for the emergence of the zero hunger generation, said Vincent Martin, FAO representative in China, DPRK and Mongolia.
China's 13th Five-year Plan sets a clear goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Agroecology becomes a key component of Chinas ecological civilization, a priority for the government. The symposium attracted participants from across Asia as well as Europe and North America, reaching the goal of continuing the efforts made by FAO and CAAS to promote dialogue around the scientific basis and the experiences of implementing Agroecology in Asia and China.
(Source: FAO)
A farmer sells kiwi fruits in Changputang village, Fenghuang county, Hunan province on Aug 31, 2016. (Photo Source: chinadaily.com.cn/Xiao Yi)
"If you have a daughter, don't marry her to any man from Changputang since nothing grows there except calamus."
This is a well-known saying in Fenghuang county, Hunan province for many years. However, finding a wife is no longer a concern for single men in the village now and the lands once occupied by calamus are now an orchard full of kiwi fruits, grapefruits and watermelons.
The Changputang village of Fenghuang county has a population of about 2,800. Most of the residents are of the Tujia ethnic group.
Before 1980s, the village was in extreme poverty due to limited land, lack of water and dilapidated roads. The per capita arable land was about two mu (0.13 hectares). The residents, with an annual average income of 600 yuan ($90), grew rice and corn for a living.
Since 1982, villagers began to grow crops such as watermelons and cucurbits.
"We didn't have confidence back then so we chose crops with short growing periods," said Wang Anquan, an official of Changputang. "Just in case they don't grow well, we could change to rice and corn." To his surprise, the venture was greatly successful.
Encouraged by their first experiment, farmers in the village introduced a special kind of tangerine from Zhejiang province, which brought an extra income of 2,000 yuan for every mu. Meanwhile, the income for rice was only 500 yuan per mu.
During the following years, the village further diversified its products with kiwi fruits and grapefruits.
In 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping visited Changputang during an inspection tour.
Xi said that better technology and a bigger market are needed to improve agriculture in the village. He advised villagers to keep an eye on the market and look ahead. Xi also encouraged them to work harder.
In the same tour to southern Hunan, Xi said alleviating poverty in the region should be done with targeted policies, including improving agriculture and education.
Agriculture is the key economic engine in southern Hunan. From 2011 to 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture invested 1.23 billion yuan to boost development in the area. Today, southern Hunan is the largest base for lilies and kiwis in China.
Today, the Changputang village can produce 6.5 million kilograms of fruits worth 35 million yuan. The average net income has reached 7,000 yuan per year. The net income of 90 percent of the fruit farmers is above 30,000 yuan. Every family has tap water and cement roads.
(Source: Chinadaily.com.cn)
Crowd cheers for Rowleys
The military parade which has traditionally been the centrepiece of Independence day celebrations in Trinidad and Tobago, did not fail in its ability to draw a crowd this year, as throngs of spectators packed the stands to commemorate this countrys 54th Independence Anniversary with some gathering from as early as 6 am yesterday morning. The parade, which showcased the musical talent, precision skills and vehicles of the various branches of the protective services, captured the attention of onlookers both young and old alike.
Minister of National Security, Edmund Dillon and his wife Ava, were the first dignitaries to arrive at around 7.45 am yesterday. Dillon, who together with Chief Justice Ivor Archie and wife Denise Rodriguez-Archie greeted Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Mrs Rowley, who were met with an uproarious applause from spectators as they made their way to the stands.
Dr Rowley who along with his wife arrived in the Prime Ministers official vehicle, PM 1. Accompanied by traditional military song, On the Square, members of the armed and unarmed services were met with a roar of applause from onlookers as they entered the Grand Stand, while officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), kept a close watch on proceedings. President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces, Anthony Carmona carried out his inspection of the various files of the protective services, flanked by members of the Police service mounted branch.
During the playing of the national anthem, which marked the beginning of yesterdays activities, the Grand Stand came abuzz as spectators joined in and sang together in unison, providing an atmosphere befitting of the spectacle.
Newsday understands the number of vehicles showcased during this years parade was limited to only ten vehicles per division, however this did not fail to draw cheers and applause from the audience, as the vehicles of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, stole the show yet again.
$15M to build Scarborough RC
He was speaking at a function where the sod was turned on Monday for the start of construction of Scarborough RC at Smithfield, Scarborough, in the Mt Marie area. The $60 million project is expected to take 18 months and London jokingly remarked that with more free time available to him from next year, he would be personally checking the site to observe the progress of the construction. London will be demitting office at the completion of 2013-2017 term.
He described as share relief how he felt about being able to reach the start of the project which has been labouring with the THA for quite a few years. He was happy to know that finally the children, staff and management will be accommodated in a modern, state-of-theart school that will rival many other primary schools in the country and within the region.
The school is necessary at this time, he said, because of the millions of dollars which the Assembly has had to spend over the years on school repairs every July/August vacation. London explained the THA wanted to build the school a long time ago but there was never any money for its construction.
He added the most money ever allocated from the central government was roughly $3 million until the new PNM administration came in and allocated $15 million.
It therefore meant the THA could at least start the project but the THA would have to transfer money from other sources to pay the contractor because it is committed to seeing the project completed.
Secretary of the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport, Huey Cadette noted the sod turning ceremony was a testimony of the courage and perseverance of the management and staff of the school because they have continued to perform admirably.
It is also a testimony of the patience of the members of the Parent Teacher Association who, according to Cadette, could have found ways to voice their displeasure but instead focused on supporting the management of the school.
He also credited the maturity and vision of the Catholic School Board, as they have been a significant partner in the development and delivery of education in Tobago.
The project will be managed by the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) and the contractor will be Yorke Structures Limited.
The engineer and design consulting team is Lauriston Lewis Associates Limited. ECFL was represented by its chairman, Arnold Piggott and the other four directors of the company.
Yorkes Structures was represented by two senior officials.
Piggott stated EFCL has been given the assurance that Yorke Structures will observe the project schedule for on-time, within budget delivery. He said EFCL is breaking new ground in Tobago as this was the first project it will manage outside of Trinidad.
Upon completion the school is expected to accommodate up to 750 students. Piggott indicated the school when completed will be, a modern learning edifice with the capacity to comfortably house an expanding school population.
The construction works will provide accommodation for the differently-abled, will include an administrative block, staff room, classrooms, covered walkways, an assembly area, playing field and canteen facilities. He said Tobagos rich cultural heritage and identity has been crafted into the design by Tobago born architect, Peter Phillip. Construction is expected to commence in October.
Do we really want the federal government taking over elections?
(Freedom.news) In recent days the FBI announced that two states electronic voter registration systems had been hacked, with one state reportedly Illinois actually having data on 200,000 voters stolen.
This latest hacking and theft of voter data has led federal officials to speculate that someone perhaps a foreign government is planning to hack the vote in November. Thats serious business, to be sure.
It was an eye opener, one senior law enforcement official said of the discovery, according to Yahoo News. We believe its kind of serious, and we are investigating.
Thats likely the understatement of the year.
Indeed, cybersecurity regarding state electronic balloting systems has now become a major concern of the federal government, especially after suspected hackers working on behalf of the Russian government breached IT systems belonging to the Democratic National Committee, the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton, and a few Republican lawmakers.
The FBI, in its warning to state election officials, obviously believes that someone may be planning to hijack the fall elections. For that matter, so does the Department of Homeland Security.
Earlier this month DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson held a teleconference with state balloting officials, offering to help states improve security for their electronic balloting systems. During the teleconference he suggested that U.S. elections ought to be considered critical infrastructure meaning, Uncle Sam should assume the authority to take over the voting process that has been the perview of states since the beginning of the republic.
But not all states are prepared to hand over their electronic balloting and their authority over the voting process to the federal government.
The question remains whether the federal government will subvert the Constitution to achieve the goal of federalizing elections under the guise of security, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp told Nextgov in an email. Designating voting systems or any other election system as critical infrastructure would be a vast federal overreach, the cost of which would not equally improve the security of elections in the United States.
Kemp is exactly right to be suspicious of federal efforts to take over state election systems, even in the face of potential hacking. The arrogant assumption Johnson is making that Washington knows best and can better handle cybersecurity given the numerous breaches of federal systems by hackers in China and Russia, is laughable.
Its also a dangerous precedent, and one that an administration like Obamas would love to exploit. Mr. Constitutional Law Lecturer has done more damage to the nations governing structure as president bypassing Congress with executive orders, changing treaties into agreements and stacking the Judicial Branch with sycophantic ideologues than any before him. Guys like Obama and Johnson would love nothing more than to lord over our electoral process.
They should not be allowed to get away with it. States are keenly aware now that their voting processes are in somebodys crosshairs. And states, not the bloated, inefficient and hapless federal government, are in much better positions to protect their own voting infrastructure.
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Vice President of India inaugurates the 4th phase of the Vidyadhanam project in Kochi
New Delhi, Thu, 01 Sep 2016 NI Wire
Decline in State funding in key social sector programmes, including education, is of particular concern: Shri M. Hamid Ansari
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said the decline in State funding in the key social sector programmes, including education, is a matter of particular concern. He said this after inaugurating the 4th phase of the Vidyadhanam project at Kochi, Ernakulam in Kerala. The Governor of Kerala, Justice (Retd.) P. Sathasivam and the Minister for Forests, Animal Husbandry and Zoos, Kerala, Shri K. Raju were present on the occasion.
The Vice President said that in addition to increasing the government investments in education, it is also essential to maintain the funding levels of other social welfare schemes, especially those operating in the rural sector- to ensure that that falling incomes of parents do not impact the educational prospects of in-school children.
The Vice President said that the Vidyadhanam was a unique project, as it not only provides financial incentive and scholarship to bright students from Government and aided schools, but also encourages cultivation of life skills, such as thrift and financial inclusion.
The Vice President said that the spread of education in Kerala has led to enhancement of individual freedom, created a better climate for gender equity and led to much faster reduction in income poverty than in many other States of India. Shri M. Hamid Ansari said the remarkable performance of Kerala on the various socio-economic indicators, which approximate more those of the developed countries than developing ones, is a testimony to the transformative power of mass education.
Following is the text of Vice Presidents address:
It is a pleasure to be here today to inaugurate the fourth phase of the Vidyadhanam project, piloted by Prof. K. V. Thomas Vidyadhanam Trust.
Prof. Thomas has been a member of Legislative Assembly and a Member of Parliament for the last 30 years. Throughout his public life, and in his various capacities, he has championed the cause of the socially and economically disadvantaged sections of our nation, particularly by enhancing equitable access to education. It is but natural given his love for teaching and for this beautiful land of Kerala. This audience is well acquainted with Prof. Thomas achievements. I am informed that in addition to the present Vidyadhanam project, Prof. Thomas has also spearheaded several other projects aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of education in the district of Ernakulum. One of these includes setting up of a digital library to make available online journals and books to the needy students of the district.
The Vidyadhanam is a unique project. It not only provides financial incentive and scholarship to bright students from Government and aided schools, but also encourages cultivation of life skills, such as thrift and financial inclusion. I am informed that in the fourth phase of the project, some 2,000 school children who pass their higher secondary School examinations with a grade of A+, will be provided with a corpus amount of Rs. 2,500 each, which would be deposited in an account in their name with the State Bank of India. The students are then encouraged to save and augment this seed amount, which in turn, becomes available to them when they seek to pursue higher education.
A familys financial condition should not discourage motivated youth from trying to receive higher education. Expanding financial support is indispensable in enabling students from low-income families in accessing quality education. Scholarships are a boon for students, especially for those belonging to the weaker sections of the society, who are unable to further their education for lack of resources. Scholarship programmes are, thus, a potent platform, promoting equity by offering all deserving students the opportunity to realize their potential fully.
Public services like school education are the key to nurturing participatory growth. Despite the well documented relation between spending on school education and the growth of nations, financing of Education in India remains inadequate. The total public expenditure for education, at less than 3.5% of GDP, is presently well below the 6% commitment made in various National Education Policies. At 52%, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) received more than half the money under school- education allocation in the latest budget, but over the last five years, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan budget has declined by 6%, from Rs. 23,873 crore ($4.4 billion) in 2012-13 to Rs 22,500 crore ($3.3 billion) for 2016-17. While school education is primarily the responsibility of states, the central government directly finances 60% through programmes such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. As many as 66% of Indias primary school students attend government schools or government-aided schools.
In this backdrop, the decline in State funding in the key social sector programmes, including education, is also of particular concern. The money allocated for key centrally sponsored social schemes like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and National Health Missiondeclined by about 8%, 6% and 3%, respectively, over the last two years. In addition to increasing the government investments in education, it is also essential to maintain the funding levels of other social welfare schemes, especially those operating in the rural sector- to ensure that that falling incomes of parents do not impact the educational prospects of in-school children.
The spread of education in Kerala has led to enhancement of individual freedom and capacity for asserting ones rights such as for better health care, demands for more public services and monitoring their delivery, created a better climate for gender equity, and above all, led to much faster reduction in income poverty than in many other States in the country. The remarkable performance of Kerala on the various socio-economic indicators, which approximate more those of the developed countries than developing ones, is a testimony to the transformative power of mass education.
The impressive march of Kerala on education, and other socio-economic fronts, is deeply rooted in Kerala's intellectual history that unleashed the progressive forces against backwardness, superstition, conservatism and casteism in the State. Leaders from the state, cutting across political lines, undertook the challenge of combating social inequalities through public activism and spread of education. The contribution of religious reformers such as Sree Narayana Guru, the Nair Service Society, the Muslim Educational Society (MES) and the Christian church to the expansion of educational facilities in Kerala, also helped in inculcating and sustaining spread of education as a social movement.
It is heartening, therefore, to see the spirit and passion for providing quality education for all being sustained in Kerala. New and innovative programmes are being tried and implemented. Only yesterday, I launched a programme aimed at attaining 100% e-literacy in the State. The result of these seeds being sown today will undoubtedly become manifest in the coming years, and perhaps ensure that Kerala continues to shine as an example of human development model that other states could do well to emulate.
I, once again congratulate Prof. K.V. Thomas Vidyadhanam Trust, the Central and State Government education departments, the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and the State Bank of India for taking this wonderful initiative. Moreover, I congratulate the people of Ernakulum District and the State of Kerala for selecting this enlightened path for themselves. I wish this progamme all the success it so richly deserves.
Jai Hind.
Source: PIB
Nokia Branded Device To Be Launched Soon!
New Delhi, Thu, 01 Sep 2016 NI Wire
There won't be anyone around who may not have used a Nokia device. There was a time when phone meant nothing but Nokia. The devices from Nokia were highly loved for their tough built, durability and of course, the usability.
The brand did dominate the phone market before its downfall. If you had been a fan of the Nokia devices, it's time to rejoice as the brand is soon going to comeback.
A new feature phone under Nokia brand has been reported to be certified by Telecommunications Equipment Certification Center (TENAA), China. The model has number RM 1187, and it doesn't look like a smartphone. The certification was said to be issued on August 18 and it's GSM digital mobile device.
It is notable that Nokia's feature mobile phone division was disregarded by Microsoft to Foxconn and HMD. This clearly indicates that Nokia RM 1187 will surely be the first device to come with Nokia branding, in amalgamation with Foxconn (FIH) and HMD.
Along with the model details, some of the prime features and specifications of Nokia-Foxconn-HMD device have surfaced. Let us check out what features this new device is expected to come with.
Expected Features
To start off, the device in question is said to have a 2.4-inches TFT non-touch display screen with a resolution of 320 x 240. It is anticipated that the device will have single GSM SIM-card slot. It will also possess a built-in antenna and would have the QWERTY keypad.
Furthermore, sources reveal that it will be an ultra-light device weighing 82.6 grams. The supposed Nokia RM 1187 will be backed with 16 MB RAM along with 16 MB internal storage. This internal storage would be expandable up to 64 GB using a MicroSD card slot. The device will support SMS and MMS and would have Audio/Video Player. It will also have built-in alarm clock and FM Radio. The phone is said to have a 1020mAh battery.
Nokia RM 1187 assumes importance given the very fact that Finnish company is enjoying the fidelity and support of a large user base in countries such India as well as some parts of the Indian subcontinent. These countries have yet not given to the smartphone rage and are looking for a feature phone, and at this stage this Nokia branded phone will be like a new lease of life for them.
India has a big market for smartphones, and an equally growing market for the feature phones as well. It would really be interesting to see how Nokia will fare this time around!
'Akira' Will be More Close to me Than 'Rajjo'- Sonakshi Sinha
Bollywood, Thu, 01 Sep 2016 NI Wire
The Rajjo of B-Town is coming up with kicks and punches in her upcoming film Akira'. Directed by A.R. Murugadoss, the film is scheduled for a release on 2nd September.
Sonakshi Sinha when asked about the other actress from the industry who could play her role in Akira, she replied "There cannot be a better option than me for this role. A.R. Murugadoss believed in me and I am thankful to him for giving me this role"
"He never took me as an actress in the film and we used to do action sequences as a male actor. I must say it is not easy to do action at all and it took lot of practice to give one perfect shot" she added.
The actress also revealed that Akira will be more close to her than the character Rajjo and Akshay Kumar is her favourite actor in action packed films.
Akira also features Konkona Sen and Anurag Kashyap in pivotal roles.
The trailer launch was also crafted strategically to ensure that the asset goes viral instantly . After a successful on-ground launch of the trailer in an event comprising of a huge gathering of college students along with the media, fans became impatient for the trailer to be officially released in the digital space.
Watch the trailer here: Akira Trailer Sonakshi Sinha A.R. Murugadoss Releasing 2nd September 2016
View More : 'Akira '
Bollywood Movies Releasing In September!
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Supporters of opposition candidate Jean Ping set fire to parts of the National Assembly Wednesday afternoon soon after the Interior Minister declared incumbent President Ali Bongo winner of Saturday presidential election, judged by EU as non-transparent.
Ali Bongo in power since 2009 has been credited with 49.80 per cent of the votes against 48.23 per cent for his rival Jen Ping, according to the minutes written by the National Permanent and Autonomous Electoral Commission (Cenap) as read out by Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya.
Ali Bongo beats Jean Ping with 5,000 votes in the polls where the turnout has been put at 59.46.
Jean Pings supporters did not wait long to take to the streets in the capital Libreville and in Port-Gentil, the second city of the country, to voice their frustrations.
In capital Libreville, supporters marched towards the Cenap headquarters but were met with riot police and security forces that dispersed the protestors with tear gas. The opposition announced a number of protestors had been injured.
A group of Jean Pings supporters succeeded in entering into the Parliaments compound. They set ablaze cars and set fire to a wing of the parliament, reports say.
Jean Pings camp contests the vote results in Ali Bongos stronghold of Haut-Ogooue where Ali Bongo reportedly won 95.46 per cent of the vote. The turnout in the stronghold was estimated at 99.93.
Paul-Marie Gondjout, one of the oppositions representatives in Cenap walked out of the commission as he condemned plans to validate results making Ali Bongo winner.
France, the former colonial power, called for a re-count of the votes.
We think it is necessary to publish the results of all the polling stations. The credibility of the election as well as Gabons international reputation are at stake, the French Foreign Ministry said.
The EU has questioned the fairness of the election indicating that the Saturday poll lacks transparency. The EUs election monitoring team in the country pointed fingers at state institutions being favorable to Ali Bongo.
U.S. exports to Morocco have more than tripled in the decade following the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, Global Trade Magazine says in an Article on August 31.
Citing data released by the International Trade Administration, the Magazine notes that with the entry into force of the Morocco-USA Free Trade Agreement in January 2006, U.S. exports to Morocco rose from 482 million dollars in 2003 to 2.1 billion dollars in 2015, that is a 328% increase.
The state of Texas comes at the forefront of U.S. states exporters to Morocco followed by Louisiana, West Virginia, Washington, and California, the magazine adds.
U.S. exports to Morocco include petroleum, aerospace and automotive parts, and food products.
For its part, Morocco exports to the U.S. primarily fertilizer, electric machinery, and certain agricultural products from the country, making the Kingdom Americas 69th largest trade partner worldwide in 2013, says the Magazine.
It also highlights that in recent years, Morocco has successfully positioned itself as a gateway for U.S. companies to African and European markets, and through aggressive economic reforms has become a top destination for foreign direct investment in Africa.
In this regard, the magazine notes that Morocco was listed in the 2016 Bloomberg Innovation Index among the 50 most innovative economies in the world and one of just two such in Africa.
The magazine also echoes other international reports, such as the 2014 Wall Street Journals Frontiers/FSG Frontier Markets Sentiment Index which listed Morocco among the top ten frontier markets and the only one in the Maghreb that are most favored by foreign corporations.
The KPMG International and Oxford Economics 2015 Change Readiness Index (CRI), for its part, ranked Morocco as the most change-ready country in the Maghreb, with particularly positive results in the category of enterprise capability.
In the same vein, the World Banks Doing Business 2016 report ranked Morocco first out of 20 MENA countries in terms of ease of starting a business and placed it sixth overall in the region for ease of doing business.
The U.S. agribusiness group, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), said that its Casablancas sweetener plant started operating in August with a view to boosting its footprint in the sweetener and starch market in the MENA region after expanding in Eastern Europe last year.
The announcement was made by the CEO of the Chicago-based company PDG Juan Luciano.
ADM reached an agreement, last February, to acquire from Tate & Lyle (TATE.L) the Casablanca corn wet mill plant that produces glucose and native starch.
In earlier statements following this acquisition, Chris Cuddy, president of ADMs Corn Processing business unit said that the Casablanca plant serves both global and regional customers.
The facility is the leading sweetener and starch supplier in a country that should see substantial demand growth in the coming years. It is well positioned to serve Moroccan customers as well as Mediterranean export markets. This also represents an opportunity to help introduce a wider range of ADM food and feed ingredients to the Moroccan market, he said.
ADM is one of the worlds largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with more than 32,300 employees serving customers in more than 160 countries. Its global value chain includes 428 crop procurement locations, 280 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 39 innovation centers.
I am not a sheep, I have my own mind
I have had enough of being told what and how to think
Whilst we are still allowed the remnants of free speech,
I will speak out.
I also reserve the right to discuss less controversial matters should I feel the urge.
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Seeing eye to eye? Close enough. Photo: Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images
For more than an hour, it really seemed as if Trumps unlikely meeting with Mexican president Pena Nieto came off without a hitch. Then the president began sharing his version of events.
There was obviously one question every reporter wanted to ask they were literally jumping out of their seats during the press conference following the pairs meeting in Mexico City: what about the border wall that Trump has promised to make Mexico pay for?
Trump said that they did discuss the wall but surprisingly he added that they did not discuss payment of the wall, saying that thatll be for a later date.
Then Pena Nieto turned to Twitter to share his version of events.
At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, he tweeted in Spanish, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall.
Al inicio de la conversacion con Donald Trump deje claro que Mexico no pagara por el muro. Enrique Pena Nieto (@EPN) August 31, 2016
A Mexican government spokesperson then released a statement arguing that both men were technically correct: President Nieto did make a declarative statement about Mexico not paying for the wall, but the two never discussed the payment together. In his speech on immigration later in the evening, Trump returned to his hardline positions, reiterating that undocumented immigrations threaten the physical safety of Americans and saying that Mexico would pay for the wall, even if they dont know it yet.
Whether Trump was being knowingly dishonest or not, it didnt take long for the Clinton camp to seize on the discrepancy. Within hours her campaign had released a video portraying Trump who claims to have literally written the book on negotiation as a bad negotiator.
It turns out Trump didnt just choke, said Hillary for America Chairman John Podesta in a statement, he got beat in the room and lied about it.
Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell vie to have the other one be the first to nuke the filibuster. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid told veteran New York Times reporter Carl Hulse that, if his party wins back the majority, it might completely eliminate the filibuster. This threat has been received as a revelatory and potentially explosive new development. The reality is that the filibuster is already dead de facto, and only political circumstance will dictate when the Senate formally kills it de jure.
It is widely believed that the filibuster is part of the founding design of two legislative chambers, reflecting the Senates purpose as a slower-moving chamber for lengthy debate. In fact, the filibuster was a pure mistake, arising from confusion over rules in 1806 and created by Aaron Burr. Senate leaders have struggled to deal with it on and off. Over time, they imposed different supermajority levels that could cut off debate a two-thirds vote, then 60 votes. Informal norms meant that members only used the filibuster on rare occasions during the 20th century, it was mostly used by Southern Democrats to block civil-rights legislation. Beginning in the 1990s, it had evolved into a routine supermajority requirement, something it had never been before.
Photo: The Washington Post
Republican leaders threatened to eliminate the filibuster for judicial nominations during George W. Bushs second term, a threat that forced Democrats to back down and allow Bush to appoint nearly all of the judges he wanted. During Barack Obamas second term, Democrats, now in the majority, threatened the same rule change when Republicans blocked several judges and Executive branch appointments. This time Republicans refused to back down, and the conventional wisdom held that triggering the rule change would devastate the culture of the Senate, which is why people called it the nuclear option. That conventional wisdom has held to this day. Eliminating the filibuster on legislation or Supreme Court nominees, who were not included in the 2013 changes, would be an earth-shattering transformation in the culture of the Senate, writes Hulse in the Times. Any attempt to abolish or significantly scale it back would, without doubt, provoke a furious partisan fight.
In reality, nothing of the sort happened. Democrats benefited overwhelmingly from the rules change and endured no important blowback. The only retaliation Republicans could have tried would have been to withhold cooperation, but cooperation had already been withheld.
Now, Reids rule change was narrowly tailored to address only Executive branch appointments and judicial nominees for federal courts other than the Supreme Court. Why did he eliminate the filibuster for those positions only? Senate Democrats argued that Republican obstruction of those vacancies was unusually aggressive, which is true Republicans were leaving agencies without a leader because they objected on principle to confirming anybody at all, an unprecedented use of the filibuster. But, mainly, those positions were the only places where the Republicans had a veto point over the Democrats agenda. In 201314, Democrats had the presidency but not the House. They could appoint judges and administrators to the Executive branch. Because Republicans held the House, they could not pass major legislation. And they could not confirm Supreme Court appointments because there were no vacancies during that period.
Reid changed the rules to eliminate the filibuster in the only places where the filibuster stood in the way of his party getting things done. There is no reason to think he or any other Senate leader will ever let the filibuster prevent his party from getting things done.
If Republicans win the presidency and keep control of the Senate, they will eliminate the filibuster in order to enact their agenda. Hugh Hewitt, the Republican talk-show host who has interviewed McConnell extensively, practically admitted as much:
No. I believe he would even though won't have 2, + this 8 person court far far preferable to a 5-4 liberal lock https://t.co/7NNH20Wagt Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) August 19, 2016
1 I will. He believes in the old rules but also understands Reid shattered them. Prudence argues he not declare now https://t.co/vcxGELfujF Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) August 19, 2016
When Hewitt says prudence prevents McConnell from promising this explicitly, he means that McConnell wants to be able to weep bitter tears of anguish if Charles Schumer,* who will succeed Reid when he retires this fall, happens to be in the position to change the rules for Democrats benefit before McConnell has the chance to change them for Republicans benefit.
What happens to the filibuster will be dictated by the results of Novembers election. If Republicans keep the House but Democrats gain the Senate and the White House, Democrats will eliminate the judicial filibuster for Supreme Court seats. The legislation filibuster will stay in place because it will be irrelevant any deal Democrats could make that could pass a Republican-controlled House could also get 60 Senate votes anyway. If Democrats gain control of the House and Senate along with the White House, Republicans will use the filibuster to block everything they do until Democrats eliminate the filibuster for all legislation and judicial nominations. If Republicans win the presidency, House, and Senate, they will eliminate the filibuster.
If you think Im looking at this too cynically, remember that I predicted in 2014 that, if a Supreme Court justice died during Obamas last two years and Republicans held the Senate, they would refuse to confirm any replacement. Many people dismissed this as preposterous. But that is what happened. And it happened because we have entered an era of party government.
*Update: This sentence originally said Reid would change the rules.
Tropical Storm Hermine Photo: NOAA
Tropical Storm Hermine is barreling toward Floridas Panhandle. The storm is intensifying as it approaches the coast, and forecasters predict it will strengthen into a category 1 hurricane by the time it makes landfall probably very late Thursday or early Friday morning. It would be the first hurricane to hit Florida head-on in more than a decade.
This GOES East infrared imagery shows Tropical Storm #Hermine approaching Florida on 9/1. https://t.co/qDVEGWbLd5 pic.twitter.com/0zHdHrZ7YO NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) September 1, 2016
Morning radar loop of TS #Hermine as it spins into the northeast Gulf of Mexico. Rain bands now just offshore. #flwx pic.twitter.com/wJOLFCDZJR NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) September 1, 2016
Tropical Storm Hermine is packing sustained winds of about 65 miles per hour. Even if it doesnt officially graduate to hurricane status the cutoff is 74-mile-per-hour winds those living along the coastline are bracing for fierce winds, torrential rains, and dangerous storm surges that could reach up to nine feet. Coastal flooding and downpours that will dump 5 to 10 to maybe even 20 inches of rain in some spots could inundate residents in the storms path. Floridians must also prepare for the threat of isolated tornadoes.
Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning graphic -11am - storm surge warning for Fla. Gulf Coast https://t.co/RFueMSM1Xn pic.twitter.com/Og8m4KoVzg National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 1, 2016
Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in 51 counties, which includes big cities like Tallahassee, Tampa, and Orlando. The hurricane and tropical-storm warnings and watches along Floridas northwest coast extend across the state and include southern Alabama and the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas.
BREAKING: #Tropical storm warnings issued for parts of NE FL, SC coasts. Watches extend to Surf City, NC. #Hermine pic.twitter.com/OLbUb0dzqW The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) September 1, 2016
Hermine will weaken once it touches down in Florida, but not before it ruins Labor Day weekend for most of the East Coast. Georgia and the Carolinas will get drenched with up to seven inches of rain. The storms predicted path will send it spinning up the eastern seaboard as far as New England. Hermine should start soaking the New York area Sunday and will churn up dangerous rip currents before it officially arrives.
Hermine is now forecast to strengthen to a hurricane Thursday before making landfall. pic.twitter.com/752urJ9Eud NWS Tampa Bay (@NWSTampaBay) September 1, 2016
Two other major storms are threatening the United States: rare twin tropical cyclones near Hawaii. Tropical Storm Madeline, which was downgraded from a hurricane, is skating south of the Big Island. Heavy rains and rough surf battered the island, but it was a glancing blow to what it could have been, the Weather Channels Kevin Roth told NBC News.
GOES West captured this imagery of Hurricane #Madeline approaching Hawaii on 8/31. More at https://t.co/VVDUStAr5D pic.twitter.com/RTQ2BdTX51 NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) August 31, 2016
But another system Hurricane Lester is trailing right behind. Lester is a monster storm, packing winds of up to 120 miles per hour. But forecasters expect to downgrade it to a tropical storm by the time it gets close to Hawaii its still about 900 miles away from the islands. Right now it looks as if Lester will also avoid landfall and veer north of the archipelago.
But consider all of this weather activity a possible preview for the rest of fall: Hurricane season is just hitting its peak, and its already slightly ahead of schedule. Hermine is the eighth named Atlantic storm that, according to the Washington Post, is visiting about three weeks earlier than the average H storm. Start by blaming Alex, a hurricane that came in freaking January the first in 80 years.
Photo: Ralph Freso/Getty Images
On Wednesday night, the presidential nominee of a major American political party painted the most vulnerable minority group in the United States as innately criminal and unworthy of moral concern. The Republican standard-bearer argued that undocumented immigrants commit countless homicides, degrade the quality of our nations jobs, wages, housing, schools, tax bills and general living conditions, mock and abuse our police, and still receive better treatment than our veterans even though the needs of these people matter only to out-of-touch media elites.
The candidate also promised to extort billions of dollars from an American ally, and raised the possibility of exiling his chief political rival. He concluded his remarks by inviting a series of grieving mothers to decry the illegals who stole their childrens lives.
When this macabre spectacle was finished, MSNBCs Lawrence ODonnell turned to his panel for commentary.
Gene, we listened carefully for the question everyone wanted the answer to, ODonnell began, addressing Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson. And that is the issue on which Donald Trump has been softening. And that is the mass deportation. And, apparently, the softening is now the official position.
Thats actually not the way I heard the speech, a befuddled Robinson replied. I heard him say, anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation he seemed to me to be saying, anyone who gets stopped for jaywalking gets immediately detained and deported. So it seems to me he took a hard line.
Well, I think thats what he wanted people to think he was saying, Gene, ODonnell explained. When he said, Everyone here is subject to deportation, thats the current status. And what he then went into was a list of priorities. Now, you dont have priorities if youre deporting everyone.
ODonnell was not the only journalist to frame this shift in Trumps deportation policy as the most important part of his remarks. The New York Times Patrick Healy opened his story on the speech with this lede:
(The Times revised the piece shortly after publication, giving greater emphasis to Trumps bullying tone, while still leading with the shelving of his mass-deportation plan.)
It is rare for reporting to be this irrelevantly correct: When the Republican nominee scapegoats 11 million people for all of the crime and economic hardship afflicting real Americans, the main takeaway should not be that the vague, hypothetical policies he outlined would only result in the deportation of 60 percent of them.
But it isnt a mystery why some well-intentioned reporters thought that it was. Donald Trump spent the past two weeks behaving as though he wanted to moderate his most extreme immigration policies but was afraid of alienating his base. He had spoken of a fair and humane immigration policy, and push-polled a Fox News audience on whether law-abiding undocumented immigrants deserve a pathway to legalization. Later, his campaign claimed that his immigration platform hadnt softened while the candidate insisted that people say its a hardening, actually.
Trump promised to clarify his official position in Wednesday nights speech. And so, with a normal candidate, the task for reporters would be to cut through that speechs rhetoric and highlight the actual policy being put forward. After all, a politician in Trumps position has an incentive to mislead his supporters, amping up the bluster of his words to camouflage a substantive flip-flop.
The problem is, with Donald Trump the bluster is the substance. To see why this is the case, just think about which of these things is more likely to impact peoples lives:
1. The fact that a long-shot presidential candidate who constantly changes his positions just implicitly swapped an implausible plan to deport 11 million people with an implausible plan to deport 6 million people.
2. The fact that the Republican nominee has apparently decided to spend the last two months of his campaign when national attention is at its peak running as an ultra-nationalist demagogue.
The first fact only matters, on a policy level, if we stipulate a series of unlikely hypotheticals: that Trump can mount one of the most improbable comebacks in American political history; that once he wins hell have the power to implement an exorbitantly expensive and unpopular plan to deport 11 million people; but that since he has now implicitly disavowed that plan, he will not change positions again, and thus, the future immigration policy of the United States has just been transformed.
On a political level, the GOP nominees shift only matters if we stipulate that voters who were previously alienated by Trumps immigration stance werent put off by the tone of his rhetoric, but by the precise number of people he intended to deport and that, despite the fact that Trump did everything he could to disguise his revision of that number, these voters nonetheless discerned the change.
The second fact does not rely on any hypothetical. Trumps demagogic rhetoric is an immediate reality. It has already been linked to hate crimes, increased recruitment for white-supremacist groups, and heightened bullying of minority children in schools. It is already eroding the norms of tolerance and respect for basic democratic institutions, on which our liberal democracy depends. Even viewed through the narrow lens of horse-race analysis, the tenor of Trumps speech matters more than policy nuances that shift back and forth by the day but ultimately never veer far from the draconian.
Focusing on the latter reveals little about the Republican nominee and much about how the conventions of political journalism can undermine coverage of an unconventional campaign.
Photo: Kurt De Cramer
Its been a pretty great week for dog research, but the most delightful piece of canine news to emerge in the past few days may be this: Scientists have just discovered the first known case of identical dog twins. You know whats better than one puppy? Two puppies. Dog math.
As the BBC reported earlier this week, the twins, named Cullen and Romulus, were discovered in South Africa by veterinarian Kurt De Cramer, who delivered them via Cesarean section. Multiple births in dogs are par for the course the average dog will give birth to five or six puppies in a single litter but unlike the rest of their siblings, Cullen and Romulus shared a single placenta, a condition that typically means the animals wont last long outside the womb.
It is even less likely for placenta-sharing puppies to survive, because of several complications relating to nutrient and oxygen supply from a single placenta having to do the job that is normally done by two placentas, De Cramer told the BBC. But survive they did, adding dogs to the small list of mammals that can birth identical twins right now, the only other species are humans and nine-banded armadillos, which, per the BBC, give birth to identical quadruplets, each with their own placenta.
De Cramer and his colleagues, who tested the pups DNA after birth to confirm their identical status, described their finding in a paper published last week in the journal Reproduction in Domestic Animals. But just because Cullen and Romulus are the first documented case of identical twins doesnt necessarily mean there havent been others: There have been rumours about twins in dogs before, co-author Carolynne Joone, a veterinary researcher at Australias James Cooke University, told the BBC. We just happened to be lucky enough to be able to confirm it genetically.
Lucky for the rest of us, too, that it led to photos like these:
Photo: Getty Images
Today in Home Alone 2 plot points that should definitely not be happening in real life, JetBlue put two unaccompanied 5-year-olds on the wrong flights, sending one kid to Boston and the other to New York.
Waiting for her son to arrive from the Dominican Republic, where he had been on a family vacation, Maribel Martinez was presented with a completely different child of the same age carrying her sons passport. It took three hours to locate her son, 5-year-old Andy Martinez Mercado, who it turns out had been sent to Boston instead. The other child, who has not been identified, was supposed to be traveling to New York.
I thought he was kidnapped, said Martinez, who is now suing the airline for negligence and emotional distress. I thought I would never see him again.
JetBlue gave Martinez a $475 refund and $2,100 in flight credit, which is pretty useless since she says she is never flying with the airline again. They also issued this not very reassuring statement:
Two unaccompanied children of the same age traveling separately from Santiago, Dominican Republic, one to New York JFK and one to Boston each boarded a flight to the incorrect destination. Upon learning of the error, our teams in JFK and Boston immediately took steps to assist the children in reaching their correct destinations. While the children were always under the care and supervision of JetBlue crew members, we realize this situation was distressing for their families.
In an even more tragic twist, the child who got sent to New York did not have the opportunity to stay at the Plaza Hotel and order unlimited room service before foiling an FAO Schwarz heist using a series of sophisticated booby traps, but instead got sent back home to Boston. Lame!
Kate Lanphear. Photo: Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
Kate Lanphear, the former editor in chief of Maxim, has been tapped by Google to lead its Fashion Week search project, reports Womens Wear Daily. Lanphear has reportedly been lying low since she stepped down at Maxim, but in recent weeks she joined The Editorialist as a contributing editor, and Googles announcement could mark her reemergence.
According to WWD, the search engines project involves producing specific search results during New York Fashion Week; through the project, users will be able to buy items off the runway from designers such as Burberry and Tom Ford:
Starting today, and gradually increasing throughout fashion week, Googles search capabilities will give users the ability to search photos of fashion week highlights with partners, such as BFA and FirstView, including runway looks, backstage and street-style photos, and front-row and party images. The search option also allows users to search trends and buy directly off the runway from select designers, as well as learn about designers inspirations via an experimental feature.
The new product, which will also extend through the European collections, includes a searchable calendar of shows, a feed of relevant stories, and social-media posts from featured designers and influencers.
Its not quite clear what Lanphears role in all this will be, but hey, when has a Google investment ever gone awry?
Photo: Andre Wagner
When I first began fashion blogging back in 2010, I was working in a small Middle Eastern restaurant and going to college. Id save part of my paycheck each week, go to different thrift shops, and pick out outfits to style. All I wanted to do was express myself, so every little step felt like an accomplishment. I remember before Instagram was even around, having 12 followers on Blogspot and feeling such a responsibility to those 12 people.
I had so much fun making something out of nothing that after I finished my associates degree, I applied to FIT only to get denied. I gave myself five minutes to cry and told myself, Im going to make fashion a part of my life one way or another, without school. If they dont want me, Ill still figure it out.
And sure enough, Seventeen magazine soon reached out to me to be a curvy model after seeing my pictures on the internet. I was still living in Florida, but I lied and told them I was in New York, then quickly bought a ticket. From there, I steadily got booked for editorial jobs and won a model search with American Apparel. In the end, I didnt need FIT. I ended up packing up my things and driving to New York solely on a dream that I could actually have a place in fashion.
Photo: Andre Wagner
These days, I have 487,000 Instagram followers and hundreds of thousands of people reading my blog every month. I style my own shoots and have collaborated with Pat McGrath, H&M, Boohoo, Lord & Taylor, and more magazines than I can count, from Paper to Marie Claire to Cosmopolitan. I know firsthand that theres a whole world out there of people who love fashion but feel like they cant be a part of it. My goal with this column is to change that I want to normalize in the industry what the media doesnt think is beautiful.
Throughout the years, Ive had various magazines and websites reach out to do monthly content for them, but their approaches didnt feel right. I was tired of explaining myself, tired of explaining the title plus size, and tired of backhanded compliments from headlines. Its hard for me to bite my tongue when I style a model in something fresh and fashion-forward, only to be told She shouldnt be wearing that for her body type. Didnt you hire me to challenge the whole idea of body types? After working three months with a major publication back in 2012, I was done.
So when Lindsay Peoples, the fashion market editor here at the Cut, reached out to me, I was a little on the defensive. During our conversation, I told her I couldnt do features focusing only on plus size. I like fashion, regardless of size. I dont want it to be shocking when girls with different body types and different ethnicities appear in mainstream media. It shouldnt be avant-garde or brave that I want to wear a crop top. And I certainly wont deal with an editor telling me I cant dress a model a certain way because of whatever made-up fashion rule magazines come up with.
So each month, Ill be showing off my favorite things, demonstrating different ways to wear trends, and sharing my journey along the way. There will also be more inclusive market on the site so that women will be able to buy cute clothes from a handful of stories, not just my column. Im excited to be here, and Im excited to have you join me.
Rachel Dolezal Photo: Nicholas K. Geranios/AP Photo
What are your plans this Labor Day weekend? Barbeque? The beach? How about the Naturally Isis Braid On, Economic Liberty March and Rally in Dallas? The annual event that celebrates natural hairstyles is spearheaded by Isis Brantley, a hairstylist and natural-hair advocate. Shell be at this years march and rally on Saturday. Also in attendance? Natural-hair aficionada, Rachel Dolezal.
She is a supporter, Brantley told the Cut. I wanted people who are passionate. Shes passionate. I wanted people who were advocates, who were activists. She is a fighter for justice.
Brantley launched the yearly march and rally in 2011 in part to garner support for natural-hair legislation. Shes a notable leader in the natural-hair community, with a history spanning over 20 years in the business. In 1997 she was arrested inside her salon for braiding hair without a license. At the time, braiding hair for profit in Texas required 1,500 hours of education, which could cost upwards of $10,000. Brantley played a formidable role in the passage of HB 2717, which deregulated professional hair braiding in the state in 2015. Since the deregulation legislation, several states have followed suit, including Nebraska, and most recently Iowa.
The pairing of Brantley with Dolezal, a novice hair braider best known for pretending to be black, is raising some eyebrows. After the announcement of her involvement at the march and rally, the orbit of cultural appropriation accusations that whirls around Dolezal quickly gained new momentum on social media. Brantley asserts that she was drawn to Dolezal because of her braiding skills, not her controversial history.
Sept 3. Dallas! for more info on the movement: https://t.co/GYRs3PVPkh pic.twitter.com/lx3qkTlOPn Rachel Anne Dolezal (@RachelADolezal) August 17, 2016
Though Dolezal is featured on promotional materials for the event, Brantley denies that the former NAACP branch president turned hairstylist is a headliner. Her only role is in the background, she explained, while adding: We teamed up! She is a braider and she wants to support this movement and see braiders free.
This weekend at Naturally Isis Braid On, Brantley doesnt want any drama. If I knew that teaming up with Rachel was going to bring bad energy We need to join forces with people of all nationalities that braid her. This is our gift. This is the blood.
Madonna, "Madonna" (1983)
Whitney Houston, "Whitney Houston" (1985)
Mary J. Blige, "What's The 411" (1992)
Notorious B.I.G, "Ready To Die" (1994)
Daft Punk, "Homework" (1997)
Lauryn Hill, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" (1998)
The Killers, "Hot Fuss" (2004)
Kanye West, "The College Dropout" (2004)
M.I.A.,"Arular" (2005)
Lady Gaga, "The Fame" (2008)
Kendrick Lamar, "good kid, mAAd city" (2012)
For decades, there's always been special kinds of artists who have been able to blow music fans away with how incredible their music was right out of the gate. Sometimes a killer debut album launches an artist on a career path to super stardom, and other times their debut effort remains their only good piece of work. It's impossible to narrow down the best debut albums of all time into a list under 20, but I did it anyways!Madonna's self-titled debut album succeeded in introducing the most important female voice in the history of pop. Hate her or lover her, Madonna has set the path for most pop girls who followed after her.Borderline, Holiday, EverybodyWhitney gaves us genre diversity on her self-titled debut album, from steamy r&b to bubble-pop. But this was only the beginning for the 21-year-old star in the making. But the impact of her debut had a hand in changing what we wanted from pop for the next decade.You Give Good Love, Saving All My Love, Greatest Love of All, How Will I KnowMary J. Blige's debut album earned her the undisputed title "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul." The album showed Blige was as tough as a rapper but still smooth and sweet, serving inviting but rugged songs. This album was just as much as important in its own right as some of the greatest debut hip hop albums, laying the groundwork for women like Lauryn Hill and Beyonce.Reminisce, Real LoveBiggie came out of the gate with a masterpiece with his debut album, "Ready to Die." His debut wasn't just an incredible album for hip-hop, it is one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever released. The album is raw and honest, about real-life struggles which clicked with the masses.Things Done Changed, Juicy, Big PoppaDaft Punk's debut "Homework" was an album that helped changed the pre-EDM electronic crossover landscape from trashy eurodance to something of substance while putting French house on the map. The album remains one of the best house albums ever released and still gets people dancing in the club to this day.Da Funk, Around The WorldIf an artist is going to release one solo studio album in their almost 25 year career, they can only hope it will be as good as "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Lauryn Hills only studio effort post-Fugees is so good that its kept her as an in-demand touring artist today. The album perfectly fused R&B, soul, reggae and hip hop, having sold 8x platinum in the US and 7x platinum in Canada.Ex Factor, Doo Wop (That Thing), To ZionThe Killers' "Hot Fuss" was the best album they've ever released and took them from the Vegas strip to the top 40 with a series of smash singles. When the band released their debut effort in 2004, the retro synth rock sounds mixed with dark and dirty tales from Las Vegas were refreshing and exciting.Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me, All These Things That I've DoneHe was already a Hall of Fame-worthy beatmaker - but Kanye West wanted to rap, and in 2004 debuted with one of the best hip-hop albums released. The result was hip-hop like no one had heard it before: riotous gospel, wild boudoir music and tear-jerkers. This was the beginning of a huge career for Kanye and will always have a faithful fanbase because of this album.All Falls Down, Through The Wire, Jesus Walks, Slow Jamz, Workout PlanM.I.A.'s debut album Arular was a rioting protest conducted over ironically rickety beats. The production, by M.I.A. and Diplo, commanded the spotlight with a sound like no one heard before, creating a brilliant piece of work.Galang, Bucky Done GunBy mid 2009, not even a year after her debut, Gaga was a force to be reckoned with. Her debut was a game-charger, making dark dance-pop the dominant sound of the charts. It's no surprised Rolling Stone named this album as the top debut album of all time. Not only did she change the pop music game, she put her own mark on pop culture and changed pop's fashion as we knew it.LoveGame, Paparazzi, Beautful Dirty Rich, Pokerface, SummerboyKendrick Lamars debut album "good kid mAAd city" from 2012 quickly turned the young Compton rapper into the biggest up and coming name in hip-hop that year. From start to finish, this is one of the best rap albums in years and a true throwback in terms of sound, themes and honesty. It will be interesting to see if he can top this album in the years to come.Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe, Swimming Pools (Drank), m.A.A.d. City What's your favorite debut album, ONTD? 10 + me
Angelina Jolie -- Help$ Kids Unload 8 Foot Tall Teddy Bear! (VIDEO + PHOTOS) https://t.co/nOG239w1Xx TMZ (@TMZ) 30 de agosto de 2016
The twins Allen and Brandon Alexander were being filmed by their dad as they held a sign for an 8 1/2 foot tall teddy bear, which they were trying to sell for $50 on a Toluca Lake street, in California. After an hour, they had no takers, until a Cadillac pulled up and out came Angelina Jolie and her daughter Shiloh.They helped the boys stuff the giant bear into their trunk which was not an easy task, but Angelina doubled their original asking price so it was a happy ending for all of them. Funny thing, Allen and Brandon had no idea who Jolie is, so their dad filled them in later with a "Kung Fu Panda" reference
OPECs crude production increased by 40,000 bpd in August over July to a record-high in recent times, with Saudi Arabia likely setting a fresh output record, according to the Reuters survey published on Wednesday.
The closely-followed survey is based on shipping data and information provided by industry sources. Last month, total OPEC output rose to 33.5 million bpd from 33.46 million bpd for July, with output by Middle Eastern producers offsetting oil taken offline in Africas Nigeria and Libya.
Reuters sources said that Saudi Arabia had likely reached a new production record. The survey puts the output of OPECs biggest exporter at 10.70 million bpd, up from 10.67 million bpd. Some industry sources even predict that Saudi Arabia may have pumped 10.90 million bpd in August.
According to the survey, among the Middle Eastern countries, output rose last month in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE, while Irans production was flat.
Outside the Middle East, production dropped in Nigeria due to militant attacks on oil infrastructure, in Libya amid political power struggles and militancy, and in Venezuela after being plagued by an economic crisis.
OPECs Monthly Oil Market Report, in which it will release August production figures, is due out on September 12. Related: Slave Shipyards: The Oil Industry's Shocking Secret
In July, Saudi Arabia had ramped up production to a record high, and if Reuters survey is right, it would have done so in August, too.
Just a day ago, Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said that Saudi Arabia does not have a specific target for its oil production and will continue to pursue a production policy that will maintain a large degree of responsibility.
The Saudis have been entertaining the media and oil investors with comments and hints about production as all eyes are riveted on the September 26-28 OPEC meeting in Algiers.
Iraq and Iran have also joined the chatter game. On Tuesday, Iraq said it would support a freeze in oil production, and last week, Iran laid out conditions for joining a potential OPEC output freeze. Iran will cooperate so long as fellow OPEC members recognize its right to regain lost market share, Irans Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zanganeh said.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Expectations for the success of the upcoming OPEC meeting in Algeria continue to seesaw, with comments from top officials from member countries continuing to alter oil market sentiment.
As recently as a week ago the prospects for a deal looked slim. But the favorable comments from several OPEC nations may have cracked open the door to deal just a bit. Earlier this week Iraqs Prime Minister said that his nation would support a production freeze in Algeria. Separately, Iran said that it would attend the meeting, and although it has not yet deviated from its longstanding position that it would not sign on to a deal until it reached its pre-sanctions production levels, its attendance was seen as a positive sign.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia, OPECs most influential member, also boosted the odds of a deal when its foreign minister said that OPEC members were moving closer to an agreement. "I think there is a move toward a common position, toward a common effort," Adel al-Jubeir said at a conference in Tokyo, according to Reuters. "If other producers were to agree it is reasonable to accept Saudi Arabia to go along with it."
He went on to add that OPEC members are probably more open to negotiation than they have been in the past. "If you want to have an impact then all of us have to shoulder the responsibility, and I believe over the past five or six months, I believe that there has been an increasing realization that this is a collective effort," Al-Jubeir said. Related: The Biggest Wildcard For Oil Prices Right Now
The newfound sense of congeniality between rival OPEC members has upended expectations that negotiations in Algeria were heading nowhere. All of a sudden, the stars seem to be aligning towards a production freeze, although, to be sure, such a policy will hardly limit output levels from OPEC members that are already at record highs.
In another twist, Russias energy ministry said that there was no need for talks on a production freeze at the moment. Russia had participated in the earlier iteration of the production freeze talks in Doha in April, but energy minister Alexander Novak seemed to throw cold water on this round of talks. The ministry said that Russia would reconsider resuming negotiations on a freeze if oil prices fell once again.
That is bad news for the prospects of a deal on the other hand, crude prices are down sharply this week.
By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
At the end of July, we wrote an article titled "Oil Bulls Beware: Crude Demand Is About To Slide As China's SPR Is "Close To Capacity" which explained why what until recently had been a record hoarding of oil by China, was starting to fade. The reason: according to JPM China's Strategic Petroleum Reserve was filling up.
As we said then, "as many speculated, a big source of China's demand in the past 5 months was Beijing's decision to stockpile oil for its SPR. However, that is now over as China is likely close to filling its strategic petroleum reserves after doubling purchases for it this year as prices plunged. JPM estimates that China's SPR demand was equivalent to approximately 1mm bpd. More importantly, stopping shipments for the reserve would wipe out about 15 percent of the countrys imports, according to the bank."
Storage tanks stand in China's strategic oil reserve complex in Zhoushan
For context we said that "Chinese crude imports had risen 16 percent this year, and the country was rivaling the U.S. as the worlds biggest oil purchaser. That demand, along with supply disruptions from Canada to Nigeria, has helped boost oil prices about 80 percent since January. Chinese imports surged to a record 8.04 million barrels a day in February. The nation may surpass the U.S. as the worlds largest crude importer this year with average inbound shipments of 7.5 million barrels a day, according to Zhong Fuliang, vice president with China International United Petroleum & Chemicals Co., the trading arm of the nations biggest refiner. However, if JPM is right, China's imports are about to hit a brick wall."
(Click to enlarge)
Yet while Chinese imports have indeed slowed down, the rate of decline has been less than what JPM may have envisioned. That said, the slowdown may hit any moment.
In its June calculation, JPM said that the implication to Chinas oil imports from a nearly full SPR is that "our base case assumes China continuing high volumes of (1mbd) SPR builds through August, while factoring in 7 percent domestic crude production decline and 2 percent refinery throughput increase. This means 15 percent mom decline in Chinas crude imports in September, or 1.2mbd loss from the China inventory demand. Chinas net oil imports ytd has expanded 16 percent yoy, versus a flat consumption growth."
We'll find out very soon if JPM was right.
Meanwhile, as attention turns to what is finally perceived as the biggest wildcard in global oil demand, one which could directly lead to the evaporation of up to 1 mm bpd in demand, Bloomberg writes that "the world is puzzling" over China's oil hoard, and with good reason: if 1mm barrels of oil demand were to disappear, the price of oil would plunge as the already oversupplied market would find itself with an unprecedented glut of excess production.
One part of the mystery is that while China outlined in 2009 its plans to build reserves equivalent to 100 days of net imports, since then its only provided sporadic scraps of detail on its strategic petroleum reserves.
A big reason for this is that unlike the U.S., in China stockpiled oil does not have one defined, centralized location. As a result, "from underground caverns by the Yellow Sea to a scattering of islands in the Yangtze River delta, the government has been stockpiling crude for emergencies in a network of storage sites dotted around the country."
That's the unknown - what is known, and what we reported two months ago, is that China's record purchases of oil this year "have helped oil prices recover from the worst crash in a generation. What the country plans to do next could determine where they go from here. "
As Bloomberg writes, "the difficulty is that nobody outside China really knows for certain. The government wont say how much its holding or when the tanks will be full. Energy Aspects Ltd. says the country will probably keep buying and fill up commercial tanks if it has to, while the likes of JPMorgan Chase & Co. say the purchases may soon stop. The difference in opinion is equivalent to about 1.1 million barrels a day, or more than the Asian country buys from Saudi Arabia."
China seems to feel no obligation to report on its strategic stocks, and that might confer a genuine advantage in its favor, said John Driscoll, the chief strategist at JTD Energy Services Pte, who has spent more than 30 years trading crude and petroleum in Singapore. The scope of their purchases The can dramatically affect fundamentals and prices. However, since they will likely be shrouded in secrecy, it will remain challenging to quantify the impact.
The chart below is BBG's calculation of the amount of crude oil that China imported over what it has used in recent years.
(Click to enlarge)
According to a statement on the website of the National Bureau of Statistics in December, the Asian country had about 191 million barrels of crude in its SPR as of the middle of last year. But China also said at the time that total combined capacity of seven above-ground sites and one location with underground caverns was the equivalent of only 180 million barrels. The figures havent been updated since. Additionally, China has pushed back completion of its SPR stockpile to beyond the 2020 deadline, according to a Five Year Plan released in March 2016.
What adds to the mystery is that the government has also said it has leased space in commercial sites, signaling it could buy additional oil while more of its own tanks are constructed.
This has forced watchers to estimate China's daily SPR-filling needs. SPR has been a China mystery due to the lack of government data disclosure, said Ying Wang, a Hong Kong-based analyst at JPMorgan. The bank estimates the amount of crude China is putting into stockpiles by calculating how much more oil the country is buying and producing than its using. As we reported in June, that amounted to about 1.2 million barrels a day over the first half of the year, according to JPMorgan. The bank estimates the country built up a total of about 400 million barrels by mid-2016 out of a targeted 511 million barrels.
Energy Aspects has provided a different interpretation, suggesting that there is no true limit to SPR buying: "the government may be able to increase purchases even if it runs out of its own space", said Michal Meidan, a London-based analyst for the industry consultant. "Another 150 million barrels of commercial storage space is coming online by the end of next year that can be filled," she said. That means that while reserve buying may slow, it wont fall significantly.
Even if SPR tanks only come online later in the year, more commercial tanks are starting up, Meidan said. Energy Aspects sees demand for the reserves dropping by only 100,000 barrels a day in the second half of the year to 300,000 barrels daily. In other words, with consolidated U.S. oil stocks at record highs, China merely continues to copy what the Obama administration is doing, and filling up every possible storage facility, public or private, in hopes prices will eventually turn higher while taking advantage of lower prices to warehouse as much crude as it can store.
Considering that Chinas oil imports have averaged an unprecedented 7.5 million barrels a day so far this year, the portion going to the SPR is as much as 15 percent of the daily demand, which is why the current state of China's SPR is so very critical.
China's record purchases, along with temporary production outages in Nigeria and Canada, helped rebalance supply and demand in the market, leading Brent crude to jump almost 90 percent from mid-January to June.
However, now that the recent outages have been largely resolved, with key OPEC producers pumping at or near record levels, and with both Nigeria and Algeria gradually resuming oil exports, it is all about demand. To be sure, earlier today the EIA delivered an unexpected announcement when it reported that it overestimated U.S. demand by as much as 16 percent in the first half of 2016.
Which is why should roughly 15 percent of Chinese oil demand be about to hit a wall, it's all downhill from here for oil prices.
Finally, how will the market know if China is indeed at SPR capacity? Recall from JPM's calculation:
Based on our base case of assuming another high SPR builds through August and the following three assumptions listed below, our model suggests a 15 percent mom decline in Chinas crude oil net imports in September, or a loss of 1.2mmbbl versus August and 0.8mmbbl less from the 12-month average.... We do not believe the 16 percent growth in oil imports ytd is sustainable despite a domestic oil production decline, as demand is weak (2 percent expansion in oil processing with gasoline an increased risk), if inventory capacity reaches the limit.
In other words, we should know the answer soon. For now, however, judging by today's sharp, 4 percent drop in the price of oil, the market appears to already be making up its mind.
By Zerohedge
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It has become perfectly clear by now that Russia is putting a lot of effort into building its relationship with Iran, focusing, of course, on its oil and gas industry that urgently needs development. This is perfectly convenient for Russian energy companies seeking new revenue channels after Russia was slammed by sanctions over the annexation of Crimea. What comes as a surprise is that Russia is also ready to work on energy projects with anyone in the region, even Irans arch-enemy Saudi Arabia, to advance its regional interests.
Last week produced two pieces of important news in this respect. First, Russian shipyard Krasnye Barrikady agreed with the Iranian government to build five offshore drilling rigs, to be used by the Tasdid Offshore Development Company in southern Iran. This deal also involves the transfer of rig-building know-how to the Iranian government.
Secondly, it was reported that Rosatom, the state-owned nuclear plant builder, has sealed a deal with Riyadh to take part in the construction of 16 nuclear reactors. The whole project is worth $100 billion and it will take 20 years to be completed, with the first reactor coming online in six years.
As a side note, Gazprom officials arrived in Ankara yesterday to discuss the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, which was shelved when Russia and Turkey were temporarily estranged following the downing of a Russian bomber by the Turkish army. Now that Turkey has apologized, the two are back together in the international energy game.
The cozying up between Moscow and Tehran has been explained with the overlapping political and, most importantly economic, interests of the two states. Some suggest that this overlap is temporary, judging by the history of the two countries and their certainly uneven relations, but however long it lasts, this relationship will put Russia on a firmer footing in the Middle East, to the disadvantage of other major players.
The latest demonstration of this firmer footing was the Russian air strike against IS targets in Syria carried out from an Iranian air base, which attracted a lot of probably unwanted attention and was called anti-constitutional by the Iranian opposition. According to local observers, it will probably not be the last time the Russian military uses Iranian bases, regardless of the reactions.
Yet, Russia is not carrying all its eggs in one basket: its also obviously open to co-operation with Riyadh, despite the hostility between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Theres tension between Turkey and Iran as well, as they support opposing sides in the Syrian war, but this too has been set aside as both countries have prioritized the growth of their influence in the energy dynamics in the region. After all, whoever controls the more oil and gas in the Middle East calls the shots, and not just on a strictly regional level. Related: Oil Wars: Can Russia Hold Off Middle Eastern Oil In Eastern Europe
One Russian Middle East expert, commenting on the Russia-Iran rig-building deal, said this is just the beginning, adding that Iran is the new powerhouse of the Middle East and Russia must do whatever it takes to secure long-term cooperation with it. Iran is a natural ally of Russia, and not just because both are supporters of the Assad government in Syria. Its also because both want to extend their regional influence and the best way to do it is by using their oil and gas reserves.
Things are more complicated with Saudi Arabia, where there is open rivalry in the energy field, especially on Asian markets, which are key ones for both Russia and Saudi Arabia. But then, one would say, Iran is also a rival to Russia when it comes to oil and gas. Thats true as well, but one feels this rivalry has not yet unfolded in full and might never unfold if the alliance between the two countries proves to be indeed a strategic one and they decide to play the oil market and regional politics together.
When the dust settles in Syria, it might emerge that the Middle East has an all-new balance of power, featuring a much more central part for Russia. Then again, it might not, if the idea that the Islamic State is actually good for keeping Iran in check, expressed by an Israeli scholar, gains more support.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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There are many players looking to enter the oil markets thanks to the raft of deals available as the oil price crash appears to be over. For the oil majors, this will likely mean major opportunities to snap up unconventional producers and assets at low valuations. One oil major that may not be participating is Shell. The Anglo-Dutch oil giant is increasingly turning away from its roots in oil and moving towards natural gas as an alternative.
In the year 2000, 37 percent of Shells production was from natural gas. By 2015, that number had risen to 49 percent. For ExxonMobil, those figures were 40 percent in 2000 and 43 percent in 2015. For Chevron and BP, the 2000 figures were 27 percent and 40 percent respectively, and for 2015, it was 33 percent and 38 percent. Among oil majors, only ConocoPhillips has seen a comparable shift to gas going form 33 percent to 43 percent gas production between 2000 and 2015.
Shell CEO Ben van Beurden recently told Bloomberg, Were more a gas company than an oil company. If you have to place bets, which we have to, Id rather place them there. Shells pivot towards gas became even clearer earlier this year when the form closed on its takeover of BG Group. That deal gave the company ownership of massive LNG terminals and gas fields around the world. Thanks to organic and external growth over the last decade, Shell now has 20 percent market share in the global LNG market and double the production capacity of ExxonMobil, the worlds largest privately owned (i.e. not state-controlled) oil firm. Related: Oil Slammed After EIA Reports Significant Crude Build
Indeed, one could make a case that Exxon and Shell are increasingly going in different directions. Shell is betting big on natural gas as a bridge fuel to the future, replacing coal power around the world while renewables are still not ready to take on a dominant role. Against that backdrop, its hardly surprising that Shell is supportive of efforts to curb climate change, which in turn would reduce the use of coal. By contrast, Exxon has been more measured in its support for such proposals, and more cautious about conclusions regarding the driving forces behind climate change.
Shell appears to be gearing up for a day when oil will no longer be a major fuel source. Beyond the shift to natural gas production, the firm is also forming a renewables investment unit. Over time this division will give Shell greater exposure to upside in renewables like wind and solar. Admittedly, that incremental contribution to the topline will be marginal for a long time to come, but Shell is thinking about a future beyond petroleum.
For investors considering investing in oil majors, the message is clear; not all companies are taking the same track. Oilier companies like Chevron, BP, and Exxon all stand to benefit more if the price of oil continues to rebound. ConocoPhillips and Shell have a more gas-dependent outlook. Both groups could thrive of course natural gas and oil are not typically directly competitive energy sources but the investment thesis is different between the groups. Ultimately, that means a different perspective and different growth opportunities.
Oil may have a cyclical rebound ahead, but its unlikely that it can take major market share from other fuel sources to dramatically increase demand. Natural gas might have greater secular upside. Either way, investors need to decide where to place their energy bets as the once homogenous group of oil majors starts to diverge.
By Michael McDonald of Oilprice.com
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A series of news reports coming out of Norway claim to connect a Norwegian shipping company that operates seismic vessels for the oil industry to slave labor benefitting high-level officials in North Koreas dictatorial Workers Party.
Parts of GC Reiber Shippings flagship seismic vessel, the Polar Empress, have allegedly been constructed by North Korean workers brought to Gdynia, Poland, by Armex, a local staffing company.
Oil and gas companies use seismic vessels to locate the best possible area to drill in oceans and other high seas, explains Marine Insight, a non-profit maritime training website. The Polar Empress, with its ability to tow up to 122 seismic cables at once, is recognized as one of the most advanced vessels of its kind in the world.
When Gdynias Labor Inspectorate began investigating the staffing companys operations, it found that as many as 90 percent of active workers at the shipyard had come from North Korea. In their new European home, they regularly worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, according to the Norwegian trade newspaper Teknisk Ukeblad.
The workers also reportedly had their passports confiscated and did not enjoy full freedom of movement, even in their limited free time.
The new round of local reports, and an investigation conducted earlier this year by VICE give credence to suspicions raised by major human rights organizations for decades: the North Korean government has been sending workers abroad and confiscating their wages to pay for luxury goods for Kim Jong-Un and his governments elite. Related: Ambitious Nuclear Expansion Is Causing Problems For China
"We don't receive the money personally in our hands," one worker told VICE. "We let the company look after it. When I return to [North] Korea I'll get the money. If we carried cash, there's a chance that we could lose it. Anyway we don't need any money on the way to and from work. We leave it to the company, that's safest."
The worker could not tell the investigator his hourly or monthly wage, and when asked about the name of the company that employed him, he responded: "That's a secret."
A May article by The Telegraph cited a study by the Leiden Asia Centre that identifies three North Korean companies - Korea Cholsan General Corp, Korea Rungrado General Trading Corp and Korea South-South Cooperation Corp - that have supplied Armex and a similar company called Alson laborers from the DPRK.
Teknisk linked Armex and its slave laborers to the construction of at least nine Norwegian ships built for high-tech oil exploration purposes.
The findings cast a shadow over Norways shipbuilding industry, which has prided itself on fairness and respect for human rights, Sputnik News commented, adding that Armexs CEO Cecylia Kowalska has firmly rejected signs that her company maintained close ties with the North Korean government. Related: 4 Energy Storage Options That Elon Musk Is Ignoring
GC Reiber Shipping itself is a voluntary signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, self-identified as the worlds largest corporate sustainability initiative.
The compacts labor rights section flatly rejects forced or slave labor and unsafe working conditions, including those suffered by the roughly 100,000 North Korean workers earning money for the DPRKs regime in several countries around the world.
Reiber has faced two consecutive quarters of financial losses as oil companies shy away from new ventures and exploration activity due to chronically low global oil prices.
In the second quarter of this year, the firm saw a utilization rate of just 45 percent for its 11-vessel fleet. This time last year, the ships were in use 90 percent of the time.
The market continues to see introduction and enhancement of oil companies extensive cost reduction programmes, the firms board lamented. "The cost reductions are followed by continued limited exploration, severely affecting the seismic industry.
By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com
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Clashes between supporters of Gabons opposition leader Jean Ping and security forces that began on Wednesday culminated in a fire set to the National Assembly building of the central African country. The violence followed the announcement that the incumbent president, Ali Bongo Ondimba, won the election that took place last Saturday. Ping is disputing this result.
Bongo became president of Gabon in 2009, succeeding his father, who ruled the oil-rich country for more than 40 years, giving rise to strong resentment among the people for usurping most of the countrys oil revenues at the expense of the public.
Ali Bongo has tried to distance himself from his fathers legacy, but seems to be considered by many a chip off the old block. In the Saturday election, he garnered 49.80 percent of the vote, winning by a slim majority over Pings 48.23 percent. Ping is a diplomacy vet who, before he entered local politics, was chairman of the African Union Commission, the executive arm of the African Union. He was also close to the Bongo family.
According to local sources quoted by the Guardian, crowds of Ping supporters tried to storm the headquarters of the Gabon electoral commission in the course of which three people were shot to death and many more were wounded. The fire in the national Assembly was started by one protestor who managed to get in through the back door.
Gabon is the fifth-largest producer of oil in sub-Saharan Africa, and is OPECs newest member (July 2016) after leaving OPEC in 1995. Shell, Italys Eni and Australian Woodside Petroleum are active in the country.
Gabon has recoverable crude oil reserves of 500 million tonnes, according to the World Oil Council, exploiting them at an annual rate of 12.5 million tonnes. Over the past decade, oil production in Gabon has declined by an estimated 30 percent, while the government struggles to keep production leveled for now at around 250,000 barrels per daya volume it hopes to double by 2025. According to the most recent official data available by authorities, the country was producing 240,000 bpd in 2014.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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Kirkuk will not allow the Iraqi government to ship its fuel to Iran via trucks if negotiations between the Kurdish Regional Government and Baghdad over oil exports fail to bear fruit, Governor Najmuddin Karim said in a statement on Thursday.
The Kirkuk governor put the issue in an economic context, arguing that the Iraqi government should have to pay penalty fees to Kirkuk for using an environmentally unfriendly way to transport crude - which affects the province's air quality and wears down its roads.
They [Iraqi federal government] want to send Kirkuk oil to Iran through tankers, not pipelines, the statement read. We wont let tankers take Kirkuk oil to Iran.
According to Kurdistan 24, Karim also said that Baghdad owed the province large payments for its oil. He added that he hoped the central government would follow through on its financial commitments.
The governor added that Baghdad would have to heed conditions set by Kirkuk before local officials would allow a single truck of oil to leave the provinces borders.
Iraq resumed Kirkuk crude transfers to Kurdistan earlier this month at half the volume of previous shipments.
Three tankers that shipped crude from Kurdistan were blacklisted earlier this week by the Iraqi State Organization for the Marketing of Oil (SOMO) in a move designed to increase pressure on the KRG as its bilateral talks with Baghdad continued.
Related: Slashing Dividends: The Only Option Left For Big Oil?
The KRGs Peshmarga army played a large role in freeing Kirkuk from the Islamic States grip, and the Kurdish military has assisted law enforcement in eliminating terrorist threats to the provinces oil facilities in recent weeks.
The Peshmerga have been very successful in stopping the cells from coming [into Kirkuk], Sarhad Kadir, head of Kirkuk sub-area police, told Rudaw, a local news source. ISIS had the ability to bring bombs into Kirkuk and security forces struggled to stop it [in the past].
By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com
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As if North Dakota hasnt been the topic of numerous oil news headlines in recent weeks, its making headlines againthis time for some radioactive nuclear elements that was found in oilfield dump siteselements that occur in the waste from oil and gas wells.
North Dakota has had a problem with the inappropriate disposal of this radioactive waste for years. This time, the State Health Department of North Dakota is probing an oilfield waste landfill operated by IHD Solids Management after the detection of a significant amount of illegal radioactive matter.
The radioactive material was detected twice in two separate inspections that took place in May and June. Now the HD has ordered a third-party inspection of the landfill and instructed the operator to remove 950 tons of waste and take it out of the state, after radioactivity checks of all 12 oilfield waste landfills in the state revealed levels of between 5 and 80 picocuries, the latter standing 30 picocuries above the new maximum allowed for oilfield waste.
But the 50-picocurie limit is a fairly newand quite controversialapproved in January, and oilfield waste landfill operators have yet to apply for permits under the new requirement. Currently, they have permits that dont allow them to have more than 5 picocuries of radioactivity at the landfills.
According to Steve Tillotson, assistant director at the State Health Department, IHD Solids Management was unaware of the radioactivity levels of the waste it manages at the landfill. We caught them in two inspections with different materials. Theyre supposed to know what theyre getting, and Im surprised about this, he said, adding that Somebody slipped it to em. I dont think they took this knowingly.
Tillotson said the company will not be fined for the transgression because it dealt with the problem by removing the suspicious waste, as did two other landfill operators in North Dakota, Secure Energy and Gibson Energy. They too had to remove over-radioactive material from their landfills and ship it to special nuclear waste facilities.
Prudently, if not a tad belatedly, North Dakota will soon start requiring oilfield waste landfill operators to verify the radioactivity level of every load that arrives, rather than taking the word of the company generating the waste for it.
The waste from oil and gas wells include uranium, thorium, radium, a radioactive isotope of potassium, as well as isotopes of lead and polonium. These are naturally occurring elements that are brought to the surface through fracking.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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Its not often that quality mining assets come up for sale. And its even rarer theyre given away for free.
But news this week suggests thats exactly whats happening in one of the worlds emerging diamond hotspots.
India.
Indian government officials said Tuesday that Rio Tinto is about to make an unprecedented move with its Bunder diamond deposit. And hand the major project back to the government at no cost.
Mines Secretary Balvinder Kumar told Reuters that Rio Tinto has decided to pull out of Bunder completely. With the major miner electing to return the project to the government, rather than pursue other options for the project.
The move is surprising in the utmost. Given that Rio Tinto says it has spent a full $90 million exploring and delineating a diamond deposit at Bunder over the past 14 years.
That work has been reasonably successful. Defining a diamond resource at Bunder that runs some 34.2 million carats putting the deposit on par with some of the worlds top mines.
And yet Rio Tinto is now walking away. Not selling, not joint venturing, not starting a strategic review.
Which leads to the question: why?
Related: Why Wall Street Is Throwing Billions At The Permian
Part of the answer may lie in the politics of developing a mine in India. After all, the fact that the Bunder project has now been running for 14 years speaks to the slow pace of work in this part of the world.
And government officials themselves pointed out this week that the project is located in a forest area important to tigers and other wildlife. Meaning that environmental concerns could be playing a part in Rios decision to exit the project.
All of which seems to strike a cautionary tone for large-scale mining in India. Watch to see what the next steps are for the project with officials saying they will now seek to auction the property, or allocate it to an Indian state mining company. A bid from a foreign miner would be a reassuring vote of confidence here.
Heres to giving it away now.
By Dave Forest
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There are countless Milwaukeeans who have left an indelible mark on the city, even though folks rarely utter their names. More than the Kilbourns, Juneaus and Walkers, these folks, who toiled for their town and have now been relegated to relative obscurity, have captured my attention.
One of them is Albert Kagel, who is best remembered these days for the namesake of the Milwaukee Public School on 12th and Mineral where he started his long, distinguished career in public education in the city.
With Milwaukee Public Schools traditional-calendar schools re-opening this week, it seems like an appropriate time to consider Kagels place in Milwaukee history.
Albert Ernst Kagel was born in Memel, East Prussia, in 1864 to 35-year-old Jacob Kagel and his wife Caroline Komschlieo. Memel, on the east coast of the Baltic Sea. Germany surrendered the city in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles and a few years later it became part of Lithuania, and its now called Klaipeda.
As a child settled on 8th and Orchard Streets on the South Side, Kagel apparently initially attended St. Stephens Lutheran School attached to what was likely also his familys church, at 5th and Scott Streets before transferring to the old 11th Ward School (now Forest Home Avenue School), that was called the Franklin School.
After graduating in 1881 from the old East Side High School, which was replaced by Riverside High, but was located on what is now the parking lot of Lincoln Middle School on Cass and Knapp Streets, Kagel earned a two-year degree in 1884 from the Milwaukee Normal School, graduating with honors.
Kagel spent just a single year in the classroom, working as a grade assistant at the 8th Ward School the school that would later bear his name in 1884 (though the building itself would soon be replaced with the current structure). Here he cut his teeth as a German language teacher in a district in which the study of German was de rigueur.
In 1885, Kagel was appointed principal at the First Ward Branch School on Maryland Avenue, which then occupied a two-room brick schoolhouse (pictured above) designed by architect Leonard Schmidtner, who also drew St. Stanislaus Church.
When a new building, designed by no less than Henry Koch, was erected in 1887 (pictured below), Kagel was principal. When, five years later, Schnetzky and Liebert designed a large addition and the school was renamed the 18th Ward School (because the neighborhood had now grown large enough to have its own alderman), Kagel was still at the helm.
This view of Maryland Avenue School cannot be recreated now, as a large addition
was built to this side of the building in 1893.
Could Kagel have also been the reason why Schnetzky and Liebert also erected a new schoolhouse at St. Stephens at the same time? Perhaps so.
Kagel married Milwaukee-born Elise Mathilde Ebert in April 1887 and together they had six children, all girls except for Percy, born in 1895 Edna (born in 1888), Hilda (1893), Ruth (1902), Esther (1906) and Elizabeth (1908).
Tragically, Percy would die just five days before his 14th birthday in 1909, and the Kagels lost Ruth at about the same age, in 1916.
Kagel remained principal at the school for 16 years, until 1901-02, when MPS superintendent H.O.R. Siefert tapped him and, two years earlier, Walter Allen, whose name is memorialized in the Allen-Field School on 8th and Lapham (coincidentally, right on Kagels childhood block) to serve as assistant superintendents.
In his new post, Kagel oversaw the districts kindergarten and art programs until 1910, when elementary education became his focus. Kagel remained in the position under two more superintendents, too.
In 1904, Kagel was charged with organizing Milwaukees education exhibit at the St. Louis Worlds Fair and during his tenure he traveled to other cities to study their public school systems.
When MPS superintendent Carroll Pearce resigned in 1913, Kagel spent a year running the show as acting superintendent of the district until Milton Potter was hired in 1914.
Around the same time, interestingly, Kagel became associated with the Milwaukee Mutual Building and Savings Association (which appears to survive today as Bank Mutual), where he spent five years as a director and then another five as a vice president.
Also active in civic groups, Kagel served as president and vice president of the South Division Civic Association. His youngest daughters, Esther and Elizabeth and perhaps other children attended South Division High.
By 1921, Kagel had become ill and spent the next two years battling poor health, before he died at home on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 1923. The fact that the entire Milwaukee Public Schools district closed at noon the day after his funeral is a testament to Kagels stature.
Every school in the district sent flowers to Kagels Queen Anne home at 563 Scott Street (1031 W. Scott St.). A service was held at the Kagel home, presided over by Rev. B. C. Sievers from St. Stephens.
Teachers arrived at the funeral en masse, "in a body" as did a large group of school principals, who had saluted Kagel and his contributions at a principals meeting held the same day at the Public Museum. Also on the Thursday, the school board passed resolutions celebrating the man and his work on behalf of Milwaukee children.
The mutual association and South Division Civic Association turned out, too. The list of pallbearers reads like a whos who of MPS at the time: Superintendent Potter, and the principals of Mineral Street (now Kagel), Forest Home Avenue and Scott Street (now Anna M. Doerfler) Schools. Honorary pallbearers included the top officers of Milwaukee Mutual.
Kagel was interred at Pilgrims Rest, a German immigrant cemetery on the South Side.
Soon after, a Kagel Memorial Association was organized and fundraising began for a permanent memorial. Spearheaded by Emma Gardner, principal of Bartlett Avenue School erected as a branch of Maryland Avenue School during Kagels tenure the group settled on the idea of an Albert E. Kagel Memorial Teachers Room at the Milwaukee Public Library.
Working with library director M. S. Dudgeon, the group was successful and the Kagel Room was officially dedicated on April 5, 1929. A bronze memorial plaque was erected and a portrait of Kagel was hung.
The second-floor room, which was accessed through the Science Room (now a part of the Krug Rare Books Room), actually opened in May 1928 with a collection of 3,800 books on education, as well as other printed resources.
I asked MPL what became of the Kagel Room and Tom Olson, who works in the Humanities Room, did some digging, but other than a few details, the story is cloudy.
"I have not been able to determine exactly when the Kagel Room was no longer used and its books added to the general collection," told me, noting that the science room underwent renovations in summer 1949 and was moved to the new building annex in 1950. "Since the Kagel Room and its collection had been in the library since 1928, it would seem that most if not all of the contents went to the Annex.
"After the 1956 addition was completed, the Science Department moved to the first floor west side rear end of the building," Olson added. "There is no further mention of the Kagel Room, so one could presume that it was dismantled as part of the modernization and relocation of the Science Room."
According to Olson, the plaque and portrait are held in the library's archives.
These days, when I pass the school where Kagel got his start, and when I enter the one he helped build and which has continued to serve Milwaukee children in the intervening 129 years I always think of Albert Kagel and his enduring contributions to this town.
Reprinted from Middle East Eye
The main criticism of US policy in Syria has long been that President Barack Obama should have used US military force or more aggressive arms aid to strengthen the armed opposition to Assad. The easy answer is that the whole idea that there was a viable non-extremist force to be strengthened is a myth -- albeit one that certain political figures in London and Washington refuse to give up.
But the question that should have been debated is why the Obama administration acquiesced to its allies funding and supplying a group of unsavory sectarian armed groups to overthrow the Assad regime.
That US acquiescence is largely responsible for a horrible bloodletting that has now killed as many as 400,000 Syrians. Worse yet, there is still no way to end the war without the serious threat of sectarian retribution against the losers.
The Obama administration bears responsibility for this atrocity, because it could have prevented Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia from launching their foolishly adventurous war in Syria. None of them did so out of desperate need; it was a war of choice in every case. And each of the three states is part of the US security system in the Middle East, providing military bases to NATO or to the United States and depending on US support for its security.
But instead of insisting that those three Sunni allies reconsider their options, the Obama administration gave the green light at a conference in Riyadh at the end of March 2012 for proceeding with arming those who wanted to replace the regime, leaving the United States ostensibly free to be a peacemaker. As Hillary Clinton put it at the Riyadh conference: "Some will be able to do certain things, and others will do other things."
The faction of the banned Muslim Brotherhood based in Hama adopted a decidedly sectarian line toward the Alawites, not only referring to the Ba'athist government as an "apostate regime" and sought its violent overthrow, but also demonstrated a readiness to kill Alawites, simply because they were not regarded as true believers in Islam. The policymakers responsible for Syria should have known that the seeds of violent sectarian conflict had already been planted in Syria by the early 1980s and that the present war was deeply infected by sectarianism from the beginning. They knew that the Assad regime ruled from the beginning with an iron hand primarily to protect the interests of the Alawites, but also to protect the Christian and Druze minorities against Sunni sectarianism.
After the initial failed armed struggle against the regime, the organizers were forced into exile, but in 1979 an underground member of the Fighting Vanguard faction of the Brotherhood named Ibrahim al-Yousef, who had infiltrated the Syrian army artillery school in Aleppo, separated all the Alawite cadets from the non-Alawites and then shot 32 of them dead and wounded 54 before escaping.
In 1980, after the Brotherhood made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hafez al-Assad himself, the regime took swift and brutal retribution: the very next morning, between 600 and 1,000 Brotherhood prisoners were killed in their cells.
Sectarian violence in Syria reached its climax in 1982, when the Syrian army went into Hama to break the Brotherhood's control over the city. The operation began when Syrian army troops entered the city to get individuals on its list of Brotherhood members, but were mowed down by Brotherhood machine gunners. Thousands more regime troops were sent to the city, and the Brotherhood mobilized the entire Sunni population to fight. The mosques blared the message, "Rise up and drive the unbelievers from Hama," as Thomas L. Friedman recounted in 1989.
After encountering much stiffer guerrilla resistance than it expected in Hama, the Syrian army used heavy weaponry against the areas of the city where the Brotherhood's military forces were concentrated. After the Brotherhood's resistance in the city was finally defeated the military completed the total destruction of three whole neighborhoods where the Brotherhood had been dominant, and the army continued to take retribution against families with ties to the organization. At least 5,000 Sunnis were killed; the Brotherhood itself claimed 20,000 dead.
The sectarian extremism expressed both by the Assad regime and by the Muslim Brotherhood 30 years earlier was bound to be repeated in the conflict that began in 2011 -- especially in the areas of Aleppo and Hama, where the armed opposition was especially strong. The initial slogans used by anti-Assad demonstrators were not sectarian, but that all changed after the anti-Assad armed struggle was taken over by jihadists and Salafists.
Turkey and Qatar, both of which supported the Brotherhood's exiled leaders, began funneling arms to the groups with the strongest commitment to a sectarian anti-Shiite and anti-Alawite viewpoint. A major recipient of Turkish funding and arms was Ahrar al-Sham, which shared its al-Qaeda ally al-Nusra Front's sectarian Sunni view of the Alawite minority. It considered the Alawites to be part of the Shiite enemy and therefore the object of a "holy war."
Another favorite of the US allies was Jaish al-Islam, the Salafist organization in the Damascus suburbs whose former leader Zahran Alloush talked openly about cleansing Damascus of the Shiites and Alawites, both of whom he lumped together as "Majous" -- the abusive term used for pre-Islamic non-Arabic people from Iran.
If there was any doubt that the anti-Alawite sectarianism of the past is still a major part of the thinking of the armed opposition, it should have been eliminated after what happened during the "Great Battle for Aleppo." The newly renamed al-Qaeda franchise Jabhat Fateh al Sham, which planned and led that offensive to break through Syrian government lines around Aleppo, named the offensive after Ibrahim al-Yousef, the Muslim Brotherhood officer who had carried out the cold-blooded murder of Alawite recruits at the artillery school in Aleppo in 1979. And as Syria expert Joshua Landis tweeted on 4 August, a video statement by a masked militant posted by the newly named al-Qaeda organisation threatened to do the same thing to the Alawites in Aleppo after taking over the city.
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So within the space of a few days, the United States has, first, commanded the government of Syria to keep its air force away from part of its own sovereign territory, Hasakah, occupied by American soldiers and their Kurdish "partners"; it then, with applause from other NATO countries, provided air support for a Turkish invasion of Syria and seizure of the Syrian town of Jarablus from those "partners." These are unambiguous acts of war, and Orwellian acts of doublethink aggression.
Note that Hasakah, where the incident with the Syrian Air Force took place, is not in an area controlled by ISIS. So whatever American troops were doing there, they were not fighting ISIS. Note also that Turkey's announced reason for seizing Jarablus--in order to seal the border and prevent ISIS in Syria from receiving recruits and supplies--is a flimsy excuse that, as the New York Times (NYT) reports, the Turks don't even try to maintain: "Turkish officials made little secret that the main purpose of the operation was to ensure that Kurdish militias did not consolidate control over an area west of the Euphrates River."'
As Al-Qaeda cleric Al-Muhaysin has assure d would-be recruits: "The truth is that the Turks don't prevent anyone from entering Syria." If the Turks wanted to close the Syrian border, across which they've been trafficking ISIS soldiers, arms, and oil for years, they could just close it, on their side. No need to invade Syria. In fact, ISIS was informed of the attack, and left Jarablus before the brave Turks and their Syrian rebel partners arrived. The Washington Post said: "The rebels encountered almost no resistance from Islamic State fighters, who fled ahead of the advancing force." The blogger Moon of Alabama (MoA) made the point more sharply: "There was no resistance to the move. The Islamic State, which had been informed of the attack, had evacuated all fighters and their families out of Jarablus. " As one commentator remarked: They even left mints on the pillows. The toleration of ISIS by Turkey, which includes some not so secret support, will likely continue."
Indeed, Al Jazeera reported that, "a small contingent of special forces had travelled into Syria to secure the area before the larger ground operation." And, Roger Annis cites Kurdish ANF News as reporting that "local residents, said there was little fighting. Instead, ISIS forces turned the city over to the Turkey-supported irregulars and calmly withdrew, many traveling into Turkey. Several reports said that in crossing into Turkey, ISIS cadre donned the uniform of the Syrian Free Army."
Gee, one might be excused for thinking that ISIS is a pawn that the Americans and Turks can move around the board at will. Or even, as Turkish HDP parliamentarian Hisyar zsoy, echoing a statement from the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), says: "This is not an operation to rescue the town of Jarablus from ISIS"This is an operation to rescue ISIS from Kurdish forces, who just last week captured the town of Manbij and defeated ISIS."
So this is not about the war on ISIS, although they'll be an occasional target. It's about the war on Syria--and for Turkey, the war on the Kurds above all. It certainly is not about saving any part of the world for democracy and human rights. As The Independent reports: the Syrian rebels installed in Jarablus by American planes and Turkish tanks "include the Islamist Faylaq Al-Sham militia and Nour al-Din al-Zenki movement, whose fighters decapitated a child on video in Aleppo last month." ISIS militants give their seats in Jarablus to the "moderate" headchoppers, and move on to fight elsewhere. Jihadi musical chairs. With Turkey and the U.S. playing the tune.
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by Dan Lucas
Oregons Measure 97 will significantly increase the amount of tax revenue for the state.
It is projected by the states Legislative Revenue Office to generate $6 billion in tax revenues per biennial budget cycle. Thats a lot Oregons current General and Lottery Funds budget is $19 billion per biennium, and just two budget cycles ago, in 2011-13, it was $14.5 billion.
Measure 97 began life as Initiative Petition 28, which got enough signatures to make this Novembers ballot. The $6 billion per budget cycle would be paid by corporations with sales of more than $25 million a year in Oregon. The taxes would be based on sales rather than profits, and would impact large and out-of-state corporations as well as cherished Oregon hallmarks like Powells Books.
Those taxes on businesses are then expected to be passed on to all Oregonians in the form of price increases, staggering impacts on jobs a loss of more than 38,000 private sector jobs and also a small dampening of income growth.
This push for a staggering increase in tax revenue appears to come at an incongruous time. Oregon Legislative Revenue Officer Paul Warner recently told a state senator that it was safe to say that Oregons total state tax collections are at a historical high. The Oregon budget is the highest its ever been and it has been growing rapidly.
So why we do we need these huge Measure 97 tax increases?
An editorial in the East Oregonian notes that public employee unions are heavily financing Measure 97. Supporters of the measure include public employee unions SEIU, AFSCME, OSEA, AFT-Oregon and OEA.
Why would public employee unions be pushing for the largest tax increase in Oregons history? The measures backers say the tax increase is to better fund Oregons schools, health care and senior services.
Leaving aside the fact that the Legislature can spend the new tax revenues in any way it chooses, why are public employee unions pushing this measure?
One obvious reason is that as a result of the additional tax revenue, public sector employment is expected to grow. The more pressing motivations, however, are spelled out in The Oregonian which notes that the tax revenue would cover employee raises and other personnel costs, a shortfall in the public employee pension fund [PERS] and the cost of expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
Oregon PERS currently has an unfunded liability of $21.8 billion, and PERS contributions will climb to $2.9 billion in 2017-19 for all the school districts, cities, counties and state agencies in PERS. An op-ed in the Eugene Register-Guard recently noted Of all the additional resources available to government during the next biennium, 41 percent will go to PERS.
As I noted last year One in four Oregonians is on Medicaid, the government health care payment system for the poor. That does not include older Oregonians who are on Medicare. Before the Affordable Care Act (ACA, Obamacare), Oregon split the cost of Medicaid 50-50 with the federal government. The ACA gave the states the option to expand Medicaid coverage (Oregon Health Plan in Oregon) with the feds initially paying 100 percent for the expansion population. Oregon chose to expand Medicaid coverage, and has an expansion population of around 450,000. The federal government match for the expansion population starts to decrease next year to 95 percent and then continues to decrease down to 90 percent by 2020. Oregon receives $4.4 billion per biennium in federal dollars to cover the expansion population. The reduced federal match represents a major impact to future Oregon budgets.
Oregon has total state tax collections that are at a historical high and record-high budgets, but apparently thats not enough. Oregon could look at slowing the rapid growth of government, or at least look for ways to make government more efficient and to cut all the wasteful spending and boondoggles like the Columbia River Crossing and Cover Oregon.
But thats not whats happening. Instead, with Measure 97, taxpayers and consumers are being asked to do all the work.
To read more from Dan, visit www.dan-lucas.com
Related reading: Jack Dean at PensionTsunami pointed out this column from July where Joel Fox writes no matter what local politicians tell voters, when you see tax increases, think pensions.
Vacations are meant for switching off from the internet and the rest of the world to relax, but not for Indians!
Even though three out of four Indians say they would want to be unplugged for a week-long vacation, obligations tend to come in the way.
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And even if they do, a large number of Indians are still connected to the internet while vacationing.
A study by Intel Securities 'Digital Detox: Unplugging on Vacation' among 14 countries revealed that staying connected with family and being available in case of an emergency is the reason that keeps Indians from being unplugged during a vacation.
"Findings from the survey indicate that a huge majority of Indians (84%) connect to the internet while on vacation," says Venkat Krishnapur, Head of R&D Operations for Intel Security's India Development Centre.
The study revealed that 54 per cent weren't willing to leave their smartphone at home while on vacation. It also found out that India came second worst globally at being able to hold back from social media while away from home.
Need to be vigilant
These numbers turn dangerous when tech savvy criminals come in the way.
"While [staying digitally connected] doing so, they [consumers] often access and share sensitive information without considering the potential cyber risks of divulging credit cards details, works mails and personal information on unsecured public Wi-Fi," said Venkat.
Travellers can be targets for cybercriminals who count on vulnerabilities like this. They can gain access to sensitive information via unsecured smartphones, laptops and even wearables, while also collecting data from social channels.
The study showed that 37 per cent of Indians that travel access or share sensitive information while using public Wi- Fi.
Further, Indians lead globally in willingly sharing personal information such as credit card number or log in name and password.
More than 36 per cent of Indians shared their personal data even when they realize that this will make them vulnerable, which is highest amongst the 14 countries surveyed.
"Through this survey, we wanted to raise awareness about the need to adopt safe digital habits and share security measures to prevent personal information from being compromised while travelling," Venkat added.
So next time you think of using the Hotel WiFi, think again.
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The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,
The Ghanaian attitude to time and late attendance to programmes of national importance received a backlash from the Korean Ambassador and a team of Korean engineers at a workshop in Accra yesterday.
Lyeo Woon-Ki, the Ambassador, criticized the conduct of the officials of the Ministry of Transport after waiting for almost one hour at a workshop to solicit the inputs of stakeholders for a Master Plan project for Accra, in which the Korean government had provided a $1.5 million funding with technical expertise.
The project seeks to address the traffic congestion in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area by 2035.
The Minister of Transport was expected to attend, but he sent a representative who arrived 43 minutes late.
Mr. Woon-Ki said "Ghanaians should learn to respect time, because it is a valuable and precious resource."
Hyeokjo Kweon, General Manager of Hanmac Engineering, the consultancy firm that is providing technical expertise for the Master plan, also expressed his frustration.
"This is your time. The Ghanaian Times to the VIP waiting room where the Korean Ambassador and the representative of the Eximbank of China waited for their Ghanaian counterparts to arrive.
The Programme, was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m and the Korean delegation had to wait until after 43 minutes when Mr. A. Selby and Mr. Lawrence Kumi, Chief Director and Director in charge of Research and Statistics respectively, of the Ministry of Transport, arrived, offering an apology for their lateness.
Source: The Ghanaian Times
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur on Wednesday appealed to fellow politicians to campaign on messages and ideas. He said he doesnt believe in the politics of confrontation. And that the NDC is going to this election on the back of their unmatched record of accomplishments.
He said elections are about development and the choices available to the people in the pursuit of progress. And that it was an opportunity for political parties to sell their messages to the electorates. And that the NDC party has superior records of accomplishment.
Vice President Amissah-Arthur said this at the PEACE FESTIVAL 2016 and thanks giving and prayers for Ghana by the Musama Disco Christo Church at Gomoa Eshiem in the Gomoa West Constituency of the Central Region.
He urged Ghanaians especially Christians to promote and spread peace messages during and after the forthcoming General election. More importantly Ghana First. Quoting Matthew 5.39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.
He stated that elections were about development and the choices available to the citizenry, adding that no development could take place without peace, for which reason there was the need for all to uphold the peace, especially as the country approached the election campaign period.
The event was to spread the peace messages as the country prepares for its forthcoming general election and also meet and promote the physical welfare of its members in the development of the church.
Mr. Amissah- Arthur used the occasion to congratulate the church for the success it has chalked so far in the country and urged them to continue with the work of God.
He expressed the hope that Ghanaians would leave a life of peace during and after the elections and Ghana. He also assured the church that the NDC intends to campaign on issues what they have done and want they intend to do.
Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur also called on the church and Christians to continue to pray for the country as it continues to grow in the face of challenges.
He said the church has a role in preaching the message of peace and that Ghana is blessed with peace and development.
Mr. Amissah- Arthur assured the people of the area that government would continue to partner them its development agenda as they can see the numerous infrastructure projects going on in the area and the region.
The Vice President further promised to personally contribute to the late H Q Jehu Appiah Memorial Library Project named after the former Deputy Central Regional Minister as a testimony of his good works and his love for education.
He was accompanied by two former Central regional Ministers Hon Ama Beyiwa Doe ,Hon Tawaih Quansah and the Central Regional Minister kweku Ricketts Hagan.
Source: Maxwell Okamafo Addo/ email: [email protected]
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Phuket, 31 August 2016 The biggest festival in Phuket is the annual Vegetarian Festival, which will be held from 1 to 9 October 2016.
The Vegetarian Festival is a nine-day, nine-night celebration which Phuketians eat only vegetarian food with the belief that they will be ridding themselves of harm and bringing back good luck for themselves and their families. There will be many activities throughout the festival period. For example, witness parades from all shrines in Phuket heading towards the Jui Tui the main shrine in Phuket town. The religious procession includes some worshippers who act as mediums of gods and puncture their cheeks to get rid of any harm that could happen in the future. Other interesting activities include fire-walking and blade-walking (devout worshippers walking across stepladders made of sharp iron blades).
Amari Phuket proudly invites guests to enjoy the festival with a Hot Deal package starting at 17,700 THB+++ for a four-night stay. Other add-on benefits include a complimentary round-trip airport transfer, special vegetarian dishes corner available at the daily buffet breakfast in line with the festival, 20% discount on food and beverage throughout period of stay, and unlimited Wi-Fi internet access in room. Moreover, guests who book a Hot Deal package and stay from 1 to 9 October 2016 will receive a special Vegetarian Festival souvenir to be used whilst watching the ceremonial parade in Phuket town.
This package cannot be combined with other packages and/or promotions. Terms and conditions apply.
For room reservations, please contact +66 (0) 7634 0106-14 extension 8033 or 8034,
email reservations.phuket@amari.com or visit www.amari.com/phuket.
Address: Amari Phuket, 2 Muen-ngern Road, Patong Beach, Kathu, Phuket 83150
Credit: University of Auckland
An increasingly divided Auckland of "ghettos and gated communities" is what lies ahead if the city and nation fail to tackle the widening gap between rich and poor. Solutions must come from all quarters local and central government, iwi, community grassroots, business and philanthropy and start with empathy, caring, and aroha.
Stark warnings and tangible hopes were delivered by speakers in a panel discussion last night on how to make Auckland more inclusive. The event was the first of three in the Ballot Box series, organised by the University of Auckland Business School to inform debate about top issues in the lead-up to the local body elections.
On the panel were Alan Johnson, a South Auckland-based public policy analyst and community activist; independent economist Shamubeel Eaqub; Susan St John, an honorary associate professor of Economics and adviser to the Child Poverty Action Group; and Rangimarie Hunia, chief executive of Ngati Whatua Orakei's social development company, Whai Maia.
Speakers described how the concentration of poverty into certain neighbourhoods undermined the whole city.
Eaqub predicted "an increase in ghettoization of the poor and gated communities amongst the rich" with continued status quo.
"Auckland is a city that is increasingly divided: those who have good jobs versus those who don't; those who own a home, versus those who don't. It is called the ghettoization of Auckland, and it is completely unacceptable."
St John spoke of a "two-speed city: on one hand we have Real Auckland Housewives, on the other we have desperate people living in cars in winter".
Johnson gave a view from the south that illustrated the concentration of disadvantage. Some examples:
Recorded assaults are up to twice as common in some parts of South Auckland than elsewhere in the city
55 per cent of children in South Auckland go to a decile one school
Twice as many South Auckland school leavers leave with less than NCEA Level 1 than other Auckland school leavers
Eaqub argued the twin forces of technology and globalisation are polarising the city's labour market into the "highly skilled and highly unskilled", and that the house market is "totally broken".
"Our Prime Minister was on the radio a couple of days ago saying it's always been hard for young people to buy houses in Auckland. Bullshit," he said, referencing a series he writes for thespinoff.co.nz.
"When you've got this kind of denial, when the average house price in Auckland is nearing $1 million, it's ridiculous. We've got politicians quibbling over whether this is a 'challenge' or 'crisis' - I don't care. We just have to fix it."
The "hollowing out of the middle" is evident as more and more nurses, police, teachers and other crucial service workers are priced out of Auckland.
Eaqub said that although Auckland has the highest average household income of all regions in New Zealand, once you take into account purchasing the average house, disposable income is the lowest of all regions.
"Auckland is meant to be our most competitive city, our one big hope of competing with cities around the world. How are we going to do it when there isn't enough disposable income for even people on good incomes to live their lives in dignity?"
Speakers agreed today's inequality is rooted in three decades of flawed policy and policy neglect, compounded by international forces beyond our control.
They also agreed that solutions existed, but values need to shift to set them in motion.
St John emphasised the role of central government and the need for tax reform, pointing to her and Johnson's idea for an imputed tax on housing equity above a threshold, equivalent to tax on interest from savings, as a means of arresting the housing bubble.
She also encouraged New Zealanders to celebrate the success story of universal superannuation.
Hunia argued the impetus had to come from empowered communities: "You cannot do something to a community; you must enable a community to take control of its destiny."
Ngati Whatua's story of transformation showed what is possible in a post-settlement world with "bold and courageous leadership", she said.
"In 1840 we invited Governor Hobson onto the shores of Waitematawithin five years we lost most of our tribal land; by 1951 we only had a quarter acre, and that was our cemetery. Over two generations the landscape and narrative can change: Ngati Whatua was virtually landless; Ngati Whatua was in poverty; Ngati Whatua had suffered, however today we'll post a balance sheet of over $900 million."
She described an award-winning, medium density housing development by the iwi that put 30 architecturally designed homes housing 150 people on a site that used to hold 10 state homes.
"We've seen a reduction in preventable diseases in the children. We have 150 who come from homes where employment is the norm and that is creating a ripple effect in this community that no policy ever did."
Business has a "huge part to play" in addressing some of the systemic barriers facing underprivileged children, she said.
"Government will struggle to invest in new ideas, but business and philanthropy and even the community can back some of these audaciously bold ideas, give them some wings to fly, and allow groups like us and Alan's to actually have a crack."
All speakers stressed the need for equal education.
"Health, homes and education: the combination of the three will give our children the traction to succeed," said Hunia.
Eaqub also advocated for massive investment in infrastructure, such as was last seen post-war.
"For me the mechanics of the solutions are not the problem," he said. "For me the problem is always the politics: what values to we hold ourselves to, how do we measure ourselves and what kind of society do we want to live in?
"Over the last 20 years we've put competition and individualism on a pedestal. We judge people and ourselves and society against metrics that make us extraordinarily selfish and make it very difficult to care about others
"Right now there is such a divide between the rich and poor of New Zealand that the well-off cannot empathise with the pain and suffering that's going on. They are more likely to blame [the poor] for being poor, to punish them for being homeless, to penalise, and to be happy with a system that is grudging and unfair."
He warned the widening "fault lines" of inequality threaten more than the city's economy.
"There seems to be a growing acceptance that it's OK for people to miss out. I worry because what we seeing in Auckland is that it is not going to be OK: very soon it will be the majority who are excluded.
"If we don't want to live in a society that is racked by envy and hatred and division and exclusion, the only way to avert this is not with economists, not with public policy, but with politics that engage our better values."
Hunia argued "inclusion" in Auckland really began with the partnership between Ngati Whatua and the British Crown in 1840.
"Tamaki Makaurau is translated as Tamaki, loved by many. It is the most loveable city, and it's everyone's role who chooses to live in this land, to make it so."
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Spectators had to don special protective glasses to filter out the Sun's harmful ultraviolet and infra-red rays
Stargazers in south and central Africa were treated to a spectacular solar eclipse Thursday with the Moon moving across the Sun to form a "ring of fire".
At the eclipse's peak, all that was visible was a ring of light encircling the black Moonbut the phenomenon was only fully visible to people in a narrow, 100-kilometre (62-mile) band stretching across central Africa, Madagascar and Reunion.
Anyone north, south, east or west of the band experienced only a partial eclipse, or none at all.
The phenomenon, known as an annular solar eclipse, happens when there is a near-perfect alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun.
But unlike a total eclipse, when the Sun is blacked out, sometimes the Moon is too far from Earth, and its apparent diameter too small, for complete coverage.
"I wanted to see it because even my daughters will be too old to watch the next one in 200 years," joked Jeremy Grondin, who watched the event with his two young daughters in the south west of France's Indian Ocean Reunion Islands.
It was there that stargazers had the best view of the solar eclipse, described by Pascal Descamps of the Paris astronomical observatory as a "magical moment".
On the island, the moment lasted just 2 minutes 33 seconds and took place shortly after 1000 GMT.
Spectators had to don special protective glasses to filter out the Sun's harmful ultraviolet and infra-red rays
Spectators had to don special protective glasses to filter out the Sun's harmful ultraviolet and infra-red rays.
Viewers could also use a pinhole camera, a box with a hole on one side for light to pass through, projecting an inverted image of the eclipse on the opposite side.
On the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte off the east coast of Africa, prayers were said in mosques calling for residents to be spared from harm.
2016 AFP
Call it artificial intelligence with a human touch. This week, two California universities separately announced new centers devoted to studying the ways in which AI can help humanity.
USC's Viterbi School of Engineering and its School of Social Work said Wednesday that they had joined forces to launch the Center on Artificial Intelligence for Social Solutions. A day earlier, the University of California, Berkeley unveiled its newly minted Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence.
Even as science and technology pundits (including Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Elon Musk) warn of the overthrow of humanity by advanced artificial intelligence - a prospect that appears nowhere on the horizon, experts say - scientists are increasingly looking ahead to the ways in which AI might actually aid human lives.
The UC Berkeley-led center, directed by artificial intelligence researcher Stuart Russell, will seek to understand how human values can be built into AI's design, and create a mathematical framework that will help people build AI systems that are beneficial to humanity.
One of the many questions they'll be wrestling with, for example, is how to get robots to understand what humans really want (because humans are notoriously bad at communicating their objectives). Russell called it the King Midas problem. In Greek mythology, Midas asked for everything he touched to be turned to gold. As this meant his food and drink turned to metal, he died in misery and starvation. It didn't occur to Midas that he didn't really mean "everything" until it was too late.
Scientists might get around this communication problem by designing artificial intelligence that can watch humans and learn what their values are through their actions (though even that comes with some uncertainty, as humans don't always act in ways aligned with their values, Russell added).
"My objective ... is primarily to look at these long-term questions of how you design AI systems so that you are guaranteed to be happy with the outcomes," Russell said. (And if they design some useful software or devices as they do so, even better.)
The USC center, co-directed by artificial intelligence researcher Milind Tambe and social work scientist Eric Rice, seems to operate in a mindset perpendicular to the one at UC Berkeley: It seeks to harness AI's existing capabilities to solve problems in messy, complicated human contexts.
Tambe has led a workshop sponsored by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on using AI for "social good." He has used AI to help rangers reduce the poaching of wildlife and help LAX security officials catch more weapons, drugs and other contraband. He and Rice are working on a project that exemplifies the kind of work the center could do: using artificial intelligence to identify key people in social networks to help prevent the spread of HIV among Los Angeles' homeless youth.
AI also includes a wide range of tools, including machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and game theory (though some may consider game theory part of another discipline, Tambe said). Some of these areas have analogs to aspects of human intelligence. Tambe said he hopes that as more researchers get involved in the center, more of these computational tool sets will be put to good use.
"An agreed upon definition of AI that is acceptable to everyone is very hard to come by," Tambe said. "But essentially all of the kinds of human reasoning that may be applied to problems, AI wants to be able to do that and more."
Rice said he saw potential for these techniques to be applied to a host of thorny problems in different human contexts, from the effect of global warming on impoverished communities to issues with the child welfare system, homelessness and health care access.
Although the center's founding directors have very different backgrounds, the pair's distinct skill sets complement and enhance each other, Rice explained.
"If you bring together people from social work, who have this understanding of the complexity of the real world, with people from computer science who can model incredibly complex systems, it creates a really great way of moving forward and getting traction on these complicated problems," Rice said.
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2016 Los Angeles Times
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Opening a broad vista in the search for effective pharmaceuticals, a collaboration of Chinese and U.S. chemists has laid out a highly efficient new method to convert abundant organic molecules into new medicines.
Writing Sept. 2 in the journal Science, teams led by Guosheng Liu of the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (SIOC) and Shannon Stahl of the University of Wisconsin-Madison describe a way to convert carbon-hydrogen bonds into nitriles, common components of bioactive molecules used in medicinal and agricultural applications.
Carbon-hydrogen bonds are the most common feature of the molecular building blocks used to make valuable chemicals. The new method will help break the stranglehold of carbon-hydrogen bonds present in the chemical feedstocks used to make bioactive molecules. Exchanging hydrogen atoms in such molecules for more useful elements is difficult without damaging or destroying the rest of the molecule. The new method described by Liu and Stahl gives chemists prospecting for bioactive molecules a new tool in the search for novel drugs or chemicals for agriculture.
"We need more efficient ways to convert feedstocks into useful molecules," explains Stahl, a UW-Madison professor of chemistry. "Selective functionalization of carbon-hydrogen bonds is one of the holy grails of modern chemistry."
Although chemists have ways of making biologically active molecules now, the current routes are often laborious and create large amounts of waste. The new method removes many of the intermediate steps and will make the process far easier for medicinal chemists.
An important feature of the new method is that it provides access to so-called chiral molecules that are a match for enzymes targeted in disease. Chiral molecules have mirror-image versions of themselves, similar to a pair of human hands. For drug molecules to be effective, they must fitlike a hand into a glovethe targeted molecular niche of an enzyme.
"The three-dimensional shape and chirality of molecules often correlates with the efficacy or potency of a pharmaceutical," notes Stahl.
The two mirror-image forms of drug molecules can have vastly different effects. An infamous example is thalidomide, first prescribed as a sedative in the 1950s. The reverse image of the molecule, however, was later linked to severe birth defects.
"It is important to be able to synthesize only one of two mirror images of the molecule, and development of new catalytic methods that achieve this goal, starting with carbon-hydrogen bonds, is highly desired," says Liu, a professor of chemistry at SIOC.
In their Science report, Liu, Stahl and colleagues Wen Zhang, Fei Wang, Dinghai Wang and Pinhong Chen of SIOC, and Scott McCann of UW-Madison, describe a very efficient strategy for the preparation of benzylic nitriles, which are precursors to broad classes of hormones, neurotransmitters, psychoactive and anti-inflammatory drugs.
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More information: "Enantioselective cyanation of benzylic CH bonds via copper-catalyzed radical relay," Science, science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aaf7783 Journal information: Science "Enantioselective cyanation of benzylic CH bonds via copper-catalyzed radical relay,"
Credit: Sashkin / fotolia.com
In male cells of the fruit fly Drosophila, the X chromosome is twice as active as in female cells. Researchers at LMU Munich have now discovered how the enzyme responsible recognises the chromosome.
In many species, the sex chromosomes are unequally distributed: in humans as well as in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster male cells only possess one X chromosome, unlike female cells, which contain two Xs. Male fruit flies compensate for this short-coming by doubling the activity of their single X chromosome. This vital process is controlled by the enzyme complex known as DCC (dosage compensation complex). "How this regulator distinguishes the X chromosome from all the other chromosomes has remained unsolved for a long time", says LMU biologist Professor Peter Becker from the Biomedical Center (BMC) at the LMU. Becker's team has now reported on an important conceptual and methodological breakthrough: the researchers demonstrate that a key role in the process is played by the fine detail of DNA shape. In addition, they have also identified the part of the enzyme complex that binds to the X chromosome. The insights gained from Drosophila are not only important for understanding the gene regulation in flies, but also illustrate fundamental mechanisms that affect all life forms in similar ways. The scientists have reported their results in the prestigious journal Nature.
Some 300 binding sites for the DCC enzyme complex to the X chromosome are known to date. From their DNA sequences, researchers have calculated the recognition sequence (known as the consensus sequence), in which each position is occupied by the particular DNA building block, which occurs most frequently in comparison with all binding sites. "The problem is that the consensus sequence signature that can be robustly identified at most DCC binding sites is also present some thousands of times on all other chromosomes", states Becker. "For this reason, we have previously been unable to predict whether a particular DNA sequence is actually a functional DCC binding site or not."
A novel strategy Becker describes as 'genome-wide biochemical analysis' has now provided a major step forward. The researchers were able to demonstrate that one specific building block from the DCC regulator the MSL2 protein is sufficient to reliably bind the consensus sequence. Furthermore, the MSL2 protein actually possesses two DNA binding domains, of which one binds to a DNA sequence, which extends the previously known consensus sequence. "We called this new signature 'PionX', because it turns out that these binding sites represent the first DCC contact points to the X chromosome. There are, however, some 2,700 sequences in the fly genome that resemble the PionX signature a lot, of which only 57 function as genuine MSL2 binding sites", relates Becker.
"The decisive breakthrough was achieved by BMC bioinformaticians, first and foremost Tobias Straub, who calculated how the sequence of the base pairs affected the intricate structure of the DNA, also known as 'DNA shape'", states Becker. The researchers identified a particular shape shared by PionX sequences that is preferably recognised by the MSL2 protein. This structure makes the vital difference: it distinguishes the binding sites on the X chromosome from all others, enabling a selective interaction and regulation by the dosage compensation complex. "Our work has decisively advanced the understanding of chromosome-wide regulation during the process of X chromosome dosage compensation", states Becker. "However, our current progress only explains part of the X chromosomal recognition in vivo and we still have to improve our ability to distinguish correct DCC binding sites from 'false-positive' and false-negative' sites identified by our algorithm." In the future, the researchers intend to further refine the genome-wide biochemical analysis strategy, in order to better understand the recognition of the X chromosome by the DCC.
Explore further Undoing a hairpin doubles gene activity
More information: Raffaella Villa et al. PionX sites mark the X chromosome for dosage compensation, Nature (2016). Journal information: Nature Raffaella Villa et al. PionX sites mark the X chromosome for dosage compensation,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/nature19338
Credit: University of Maine
As Maine students return to the classroom from summer vacation, many will do so in communities facing a host of economic and social challenges. Rural parts of the state have been hit especially hard by declines in the state's timber industry. When a mill closes in a small, Maine town, more often than not there's no new business waiting in the wings to hire all of the suddenly out-of-work residents. The result is poverty and all of its attendant social problems, which affect schools in a variety of ways.
Three University of Maine professors and one doctoral student have co-authored an article in the new issue of "Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership" that explores the impact of poverty, as well as institutional racism, education reform and other issues on educators and schools in rural areas. "Poverty, Privilege, and Political Dynamics Within Rural School Reform: Unraveling Educational Leadership in the Invisible America," follows John Mathieu, the newly appointed principal of Burnmont High School, as he tries to address these complex issues with his staff.
Mathieu and Burnmont are fictionalized composites of several educators and schools, but the themes should be familiar to teachers and school leaders in rural areas, says lead author Ian Mette, an assistant professor of educational leadership at UMaine.
"This case draws on many of the realities that educators in a state like Maine do experience," Mette says. "These include the rising levels of poverty, influx of heroin in communities, school consolidation and changing racial compositions of student populations."
Like many places in rural Maine, Burnmont was once home to a thriving manufacturing industry that employed a large portion of the town's residents. The community began to lose those manufacturing jobs in the 1980s as globalization began to impact the local economy, and the town has yet to recover economically.
Racially, Burnmont is predominantly white. However, pockets of minority groups exist, such as the local Native American tribe, the Dawn Waters Tribe. About five years ago, the Dawn Waters School closed, and its students were consolidated into Burnmont High School.
As a teacher and school administrator in the Midwest before coming to Burnmont, Mathieu has experience dealing with poverty and students from diverse racial backgrounds. He also grew up near Burnmont, and yet he struggles with how to address the host of issues presented by poverty and race in this rural setting.
Mette says Mathieu's case can be instructive for school leaders in rural areas.
"John (Mathieu) had 10 years to examine his own views on poverty and racial privilege while in the Midwest, which was much more diverse and apparent, and, as a result, had to address these issues. What educators might learn from the case and John's attempt to address these issues is that change takes time and that teachers should be empowered to help lead the change. All that said, the leader does need to help signal that change is coming," he says.
Mette's co-authors on the article include Catharine Biddle, UMaine assistant professor of educational leadership; Sally Mackenzie, who recently retired after several years as a UMaine professor in the educational leadership program; and Kathy Harris-Smedberg, a doctoral student in educational leadership, and an elementary principal and Title I coordinator at RSU 18 in Maine.
Biddle's contribution to the article included teaching notes on rural poverty and race in schools. The piece also includes a series of discussion questions and teaching activities, which educational leadership faculty piloted with students in UMaine's master's program. Biddle says many students felt the case accurately reflected their own experience in rural schools.
"One of the things we talked about is how difficult it is to initiate these conversations in the everyday life of the school," Biddle says. "There are just so many other things going on, and there's not that many opportunities to take a step back and to really dig into these issues."
Biddle says the case study does a good job of representing the intersectional nature of issues surrounding poverty, racial privilege and school consolidation that teachers and principals of rural schools face every day. One way faculty try to emulate that in the master's program is by setting up scenarios like the one described in the article and having students take on the roles of principals or administrators.
"We spent a class brainstorming different strategies in our small, regional groups and then when we all got together as a full master's cohort, they played this out with each other," Biddle says.
Some strategies worked better than others, she says.
"One of the things that went really well is that one of the groups did an activity called a privilege walk, where a series of statements are read out loud, and then people step forward if the statements apply to them. And each of the statements represents some type of privilege, so you can physically see in the room how those privileges compound to create a certain type of experience or give people certain types of advantages," says Biddle.
Mette says there's a need for rural educators and communities to be able to address their own issues surrounding poverty, racial privilege and school policy, which often differ from issues in more urban settings.
"Often research is very urban centric, however rural students make up a third of the national student population," Mette says. "So just being given space to address these issues is important and often neglected."
More information: I. M. Mette et al. Poverty, Privilege, and Political Dynamics Within Rural School Reform: Unraveling Educational Leadership in the Invisible America, Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership (2016). I. M. Mette et al. Poverty, Privilege, and Political Dynamics Within Rural School Reform: Unraveling Educational Leadership in the Invisible America,(2016). DOI: 10.1177/1555458916657126
It had stormed the night before, hard enough to postpone the Pirates game and scrub the air, leaving it sharp and glittering for the early morning joggers along the North Shore Trail. The bridges overhead buzzed with the aggregate sound of thousands of people going to work. Halfway between PNC Park and Heinz Field, two people slept curled on the concrete. One had a lime green blanket pulled all the way over his head, and had set his sneakers neatly to his left, heel-to-heel and toe-to-toe. The other slept below a T-shirt tied like bunting to the railing: Steelers Six-time Super Bowl Champions. Similar tent camps pitched under bridges and along the citys trails dont fit the image of Pittsburgh that has delighted the nations list makers, popping up in articles such as Most Livable City, Most Underrated American Cities, and A Best Opportunity City. In these narratives, unemployment, hunger and disadvantage are words of the past, of the catastrophic loss of steel and its related industries in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
To say Pittsburgh hit the rock bottom of the American economy is putting it lightly: Between 1980 and 1983, the region hemorrhaged more than 95,000 manufacturing jobsas well the population, tax money, and services that went with them. Its identity was shaken to the core.
Since then, countless organizations and people have forged Pittsburghs transition from an economy of heavy manufacturing to one of finance, service, tech, health, education and energy. An influx of capital signals the regions remarkable economic recovery: Billions of dollars have flowed into the regions universities, technology sector and Downtown. This year, some 8,000 housing units are proposed for construction throughout the city.
Theres a moral imperative to say we dont want to end up with two societies, two worlds, two cities; haves and have-nots. Its just wrong.
Maxwell King
But the benefits of this revitalization are not equitably enjoyed. In 2014, 12.4 percent of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area population lived in poverty, as did 17.5 percent of the regions children under 18. Research from The Pittsburgh Foundation indicates that, for at least 30 percent of residents those living in poverty and on its edgethe opportunities afforded by the new Pittsburgh are out of reach.
Thats just not acceptable, said Maxwell King, president of The Pittsburgh Foundation. Theres a moral imperative to say we dont want to end up with two societies, two worlds, two cities; haves and have-nots. Its just wrong.
For the next 10 to 12 years, the foundation will re-organize its grantmaking around a new operating principle, 100 Percent Pittsburgh. Sixty percent of unrestricted fundsmoney not dedicated to a specific organization or field of interestwill help the regions most vulnerable residents overcome barriers to opportunity.
Were not going to make it perfect, King said. But we have to turn it around and stop going backwards.
By listening to those confronting the everyday challenges of poverty, working with direct service providers, and convening other organizations, The Pittsburgh Foundation aims to change systems of inequity, hacking at the roots of regional disparity. It will take time to determine the full scope of 100 Percent Pittsburgh, but the foundation has already dedicated 51 percent of unrestricted funds for 2016 to the initiative.
None of us should be satisfied with a city or a country in which an individual who is working full time or overtime and working hard to raise a family lives at or near poverty, said King. Thats kind of basic. Its very American, isnt it?
By 9 a.m. on the Saturday before Easter there was already a line wrapped around Pittsburghs South Side Market House. The crowd was there for one of 17 monthly free produce distributions from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Banks Produce to People program. More than 15 percent of residents in the 11-county region come to the food bank or its network for help each year, and nearly 40 percent of clients are working.
A handout listing the distributions dates and locations reads, Everyday people need food every day. That Saturday morning, Tom Melton, special distributions coordinator for the Food Bank, expected 1,200 people to pick up food.
Inside, two lines of tables stretched the length of the Market House. Volunteers split 18,000 pounds of food equally between them: piles of cabbage dwarfed the 10-yearold boys stacking them; a University of Pittsburgh student group separated collard greens and apples into individual bags and grouped them next to piles of yogurt and bread. They made way for a forklift depositing a pallet of onions.
Cynthia Johnson usually doesnt take the onions, but she picked up yogurt and other snacks for her four grandchildren who spend time with her while their parents are at work. Without Produce to People, Johnson said, food would cost her too much. She works full time as a secretary at the University of Pittsburgh, but it doesnt cover her costs.
Darlene Schrello agreed. Standing in line with her family, she said she works full time in hospital administration. The cost of living keeps going up and wages arent. Eating healthy is expensive.
Justin Lee, the Food Banks chief operating officer, said more than half of clients come fewer than three times a year. Need isnt limited to a specific segment of Pittsburgh: its the suburbs, its the urban areas, its our surrounding counties. Its in all places.
In the past, people could scrape by because the Pittsburgh market just happened to provide low-cost housing. Population loss and suburban flight meant low demand and plenty of stock, said Larry Swanson, executive director of ACTION Housing, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing. But over the last decade, the city housing market has changed dramatically, losing nearly 40 percent of housing that rents for less than $1,000 a month. A recent study from the Pennsylvania Housing Alliance (PHA) found that Allegheny County now falls 30,000 units short of the affordable housing it needs.
The lack of housing is creating a lot of pressure on people of modest means, Swanson said, citing East Liberty. From 2010 to 2014, the rental vacancy rate in the city of Pittsburgh was nearly halved, dropping from 8.8 percent to 4.8 percent, according to the PHA study. Similarly, the homeowner vacancy rate dropped from 3.4 to 1.9 percent.
People who have lived in those communities for a long time can no longer afford to. They have to move, and so they feel even more disadvantaged.
The disparities are racial as well as economic. In a 2012 study by Pittsburgh Today and Pitts University Center for Social and Urban Research, 18 percent of African Americans in western Pennsylvania said they often or almost always have trouble paying for housing and other basic necessities. In the city of Pittsburgh, that number was much higher: 26.4 percent of African Americans reported they almost always had trouble paying for basic necessities, compared with 1.6 percent of other races, according to The Pittsburgh Regional Quality of Life Survey.
We need new strategies that get us to a higher volume of affordable housing units, Swanson said. The cost of new development and the cost of preservation of existing units is dramatically different. The truth is we can do a lot more with the existing housing available in our market.
The everyday costs of livingfood, housing, transitweigh most heavily on young adults, female-headed households, minorities and people with disabilities, according to 2012 research from the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The study, supported in part by The Forbes Funds, explored poverty in the region and called attention to the near-poor, people not technically living below the federal poverty levels but struggling to make ends meet. They constitute a vulnerable swath of the population, which is often left out of policy discussions and doesnt qualify for assistance. And theyre reaching out for help, said Bob Nelkin, CEO of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
We see a lot of people coming for services for the very first time, he said, particularly through the United Ways 2-1-1 helpline, which connects people with resources through text, chat, and calls. In 2013, its first year, the helpline fielded 22,000 calls; its now up to 81,000.
[Those calls] are about basic needs, Nelkin said. Twenty-five percent of the calls are How do I avoid being homeless? Twenty-five percent of the calls are How do I keep the utilities on? And 25 percent are a grouping of food, clothing, transportation.
Nelkin attributes the growing need to a collusion of factors, ticking them off on his fingers. The recession forced people to exhaust their reserves; people are living longer and are more frail and less able to produce income; and there are fewer jobs that pay well. According to a report from PennCAN, a Philadelphia-based research and advocacy group, U.S. jobs requiring a college degree have grown by 2.2 million from 2007 to 2015, while jobs requiring a high school degree dropped by 5.8 million.
[Need] isnt limited to a specific segment of Pittsburgh: its the suburbs, its the urban areas, its our surrounding counties. Its in all places.
Justin Lee, chief operating officer, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
People find ways to get along, Nelkin said. And then, through no fault of their own, something happens and it just finishes them off. As a result, they need some help. They dont want help forever; they want to get back on their feet.
The gap between need and resources is going to grow every year. There are fewer government dollars, charitable dollars are down, and human service organizations have more people in need. The things that we pay for today, maybe we cant pay for in the future. If we want to be humane as a society and as a community, were going to have to meet those needs in a different way.
One way to do that, Nelkin said, is to support people in communities who support one another.
* * *
Carla Robinson didnt hear the first knock. She was working by herself in the conference room of the Homewood Brushton Family Support Center. At the second, more insistent knock, she rushed to unlock the door for a woman whose car was parked on Tioga Street, the tank on empty.
Can I borrow $10, Carla? I can bring it to you at the Thursday meeting.
Robinson waved her back to the conference room. I know I have $10 somewhere, she said, turning out her purse. When I got home from work this morning, I stopped at the store and I think I just folded up the money with the receipt she said to herself, still rifling. Then, Here it is! she said, handing it up.
The woman hugged her and said, I told my daughter, We have to stop here. These are my people. Are you here tomorrow? No? OK, well, Ill see you Thursday and Ill have it then, thank you so much!
The $10 gas loan isnt a typical service of the Allegheny County Family Support Centers, but its indicative of the kind of community they enable. Robinson said the center meets people where they are.
Every child is different. Every mother, every father is different. Everyones needs are different. But ultimately were all trying to reach the same goal, which is to raise our children to be successful not only in school but as adults.
The 26 centers throughout Allegheny County partner with parents to create safe, healthy homes. They offer family activities, parenting techniques and child development guides, information about available resources; they help parents set and meet educational and financial goals.
Robinson volunteered at the Homewood Brushton Center long before she was hired full-time in July as a family aide and before she had her own child. When her son Devon was born two months early, with holes in his heart, she knew she needed help. Shes a single parent, and she felt overwhelmed: She worried about Devons health and cognitive development, as well as her own well-being. The center was the first place that popped into her head.
I knew they had programs and resources and people willing to help. As a single parent, you feel like youre in it all alone. But just because youre a single parent doesnt mean you have to do it singlehandedly.
According to the Institute for Womens Policy Research, 43.5 percent of single mothers in Pittsburgh live in poverty, compared to 14.4 percent of single fathers, and 4.5 percent of married couple households. Identifying what resources are available and where can be difficult; trying to balance work and childcare even more so. Full-time care for a child in Pennsylvania carries an average annual bill of $10,391 according to nonprofit Child Care Aware of America. Rather than spend thousands of dollars on childcare, 29 percent of moms choose to stay at home, according to the Pew Research Center. For single moms, thats not an option.
Robinson works two full-time jobs. She spends her days at the Homewood Brushton Family Support Center and nights as a resident advisor in a community rehab residence. Shed like to let go of her night job, but cant$600 of that monthly paycheck covers childcare. She doesnt get a lot of sleep. I set a lot of alarms, and I put everything in my calendar.
To keep everything in balance, Robinson depends on the network shes created through the Homewood Brushton Center. Beyond its official mission, the center offers what she was missing: a community of people going through the same things. She and her friends take the kids to the park or the movies; they check in on each other. Robinsons friends text her throughout the day to help her stay on track.
Devon enters kindergarten this fall, and Robinson thinks this is the summer shell have to take the training wheels off his bike, though it makes her nervous. Not the inevitable falls and bruises and tears, but what a bike with just two wheels means.
If he doesnt need training wheels, then he just goes! Thinking of Devon rolling down the street alone, she said, I dont know if Im ready for it. I guess I have to get ready. Because eventually hes going to ask me to take them off.
* * *
Robert Hoovers childhood didnt have training wheels.
I grew up with both my parents, but in a household where a lot of drugs were soldhaving my door kicked in, my house raided, stuff like that, he said. I wanted to take what I went through growing up and give back to kids.
Hoover, 21, is a youth support partner (YSP), one of 25 in a unit thats part of Allegheny Countys Department of Human Services. Each year, they work with more than 600 youth, ages 13-21, involved with juvenile detention, child welfare, homeless service, behavioral health or a combination of thoseplaces the YSPs have experienced for themselves.
On the wall by the office door is the Youth Support Partner Units vision statement: We will be positive role models who support, empower and motivate youth, families and other professionals by using our experience as a guide.
The office is staffed by young adults for whom juvenile detention is not a distant memory; for whom foster care has an address and a name; and for whom homelessness conjures up memories of time and place and people.
Being able to say to a kid, Ive been where you are and heres the other side, is crucial, said Aaron Thomas, 36, who manages professional development for the unit and is Hoovers boss. It builds hope, and helps youth learn how to advocate for themselves.
YSPs ask adolescents what they want, what they hope for (questions many of the kids are never asked). And the YSP helps them figure out how to reach those goals with concrete steps, such as applying for a drivers permit or school or a job.
Having a YSP is voluntary, but if an adolescent says yes, Hoover said developing a relationship with his kids is the most importantand hardest thing he can do. It boils down to persistence. He calls once a week. Hell show up at someones house or at someones placement. If the youth doesnt respond, hell leave a business card, leave a message, try again.
Showing a kid that youre here for the long run, youre here for the right reasons, and youre here because you want to be here, not just because hes on your caseload, is very, very important.
For Hoover, his own probation officer made him feel he could be who he wanted to be, and wasnt just a file folder of information to be moved along.
I think he genuinely cared about his kids. He always asked me what I wanted to do career-wise. He sent me listings and listings of job opportunities, job fairs.
Hoover wants to do the same. A kid who gets in trouble probably didnt get there on his or her own, and probably cant get out alone, either.
Addressing disparity in the Pittsburgh region requires collective effort, said King, of The Pittsburgh Foundation, and the time is now.
Theres a tremendous amount of anger at the fact that a lot of people have been left out. I hear more upset and anger about conditions that we need to fix. I hear people being more ambitious and excited and committed. That anger can turn into energy for positive ends. Its personally important to every one of us to tackle this.
Part 5 The Moby Dick theory of big companies Posted on June 27, 2007
There she blows, was sung out from the mast-head. Where away? demanded the captain. Three points off the lee bow, sir. Raise up your wheel. Steady! Steady, sir. Mast-head ahoy! Do you see that whale now? Ay ay, sir! A shoal of Sperm Whales! There she blows! There she breaches! Sing out! sing out every time! Ay Ay, sir! There she blows! therethereTHAR she blowsbowesbo-o-os! How far off? Two miles and a half. Thunder and lightning! so near! Call all hands. J. Ross Brownes Etchings of a Whaling Cruize, 1846
There are times in the life of a startup when you have to deal with big companies.
Maybe youre looking for a partnership or distribution deal. Perhaps you want an investment. Sometimes you want a marketing or sales alliance. From time to time you need a big companys permission to do something. Or maybe a big company has approached you and says it wants to buy your startup.
The most important thing you need to know going into any discussion or interaction with a big company is that youre Captain Ahab, and the big company is Moby Dick.
Scarcely had we proceeded two days on the sea, when about sunrise a great many Whales and other monsters of the sea, appeared. Among the former, one was of a most monstrous size. ... This came towards us, open-mouthed, raising the waves on all sides, and beating the sea before him into a foam. Tookes Lucian, The True History
When Captain Ahab went in search of the great white whale Moby Dick, he had absolutely no idea whether he would find Moby Dick, whether Moby Dick would allow himself to be found, whether Moby Dick would try to immediately capsize the ship or instead play cat and mouse, or whether Moby Dick was off mating with his giant whale girlfriend.
What happened was entirely up to Moby Dick.
And Captain Ahab would never be able explain to himself or anyone else why Moby Dick would do whatever it was hed do.
Youre Captain Ahab, and the big company is Moby Dick.
Clap eye on Captain Ahab, young man, and thou wilt find that he has only one leg. What do you mean, sir? Was the other one lost by a whale? Lost by a whale! Young man, come nearer to me: it was devoured, chewed up, crunched by the monstrousest parmacetty that ever chipped a boat!ah, ah! Moby Dick
Heres why:
The behavior of any big company is largely inexplicable when viewed from the outside.
I always laugh when someone says, Microsoft is going to do X, or Google is going to do Y, or Yahoo is going to do Z.
Odds are, nobody inside Microsoft, Google, or Yahoo knows what Microsoft, Google, or Yahoo is going to do in any given circumstance on any given issue.
Sure, maybe the CEO knows, if the issue is really big, but youre probably not dealing at the CEO level, and so that doesnt matter.
The inside of any big company is a very, very complex system consisting of many thousands of people, of whom at least hundreds and probably thousands are executives who think they have some level of decision-making authority.
On any given issue, many people inside the company are going to get some kind of vote on what happensmaybe 8 people, maybe 10, 15, 20, sometimes many more.
When I was at IBM in the early 90s, they had a formal decision making process called concurrenceon any given issue, a written list of the 50 or so executives from all over the company who would be affected by the decision in any way, no matter how minor, would be assembled, and any one of those executives could nonconcur and veto the decision. Thats an extreme case, but even a non-extreme version of this processand all big companies have one; they have tois mind-bendingly complex to try to understand, even from the inside, let alone the outside.
... and the breath of the whale is frequently attended with such an insupportable smell, as to bring on a disorder of the brain. Ulloas South America
You can count on there being a whole host of impinging forces that will affect the dynamic of decision-making on any issue at a big company.
The consensus building process, trade-offs, quids pro quo, politics, rivalries, arguments, mentorships, revenge for past wrongs, turf-building, engineering groups, product managers, product marketers, sales, corporate marketing, finance, HR, legal, channels, business development, the strategy team, the international divisions, investors, Wall Street analysts, industry analysts, good press, bad press, press articles being written that you dont know about, customers, prospects, lost sales, prospects on the fence, partners, this quarters sales numbers, this quarters margins, the bond rating, the planning meeting that happened last week, the planning meeting that got cancelled this week, bonus programs, people joining the company, people leaving the company, people getting fired by the company, people getting promoted, people getting sidelined, people getting demoted, whos sleeping with whom, which dinner party the CEO went to last night, the guy who prepares the Powerpoint presentation for the staff meeting accidentally putting your startups name in too small a font to be read from the back of the conference room...
You cant possibly even identify all the factors that will come to bear on a big companys decision, much less try to understand them, much less try to influence them very much at all.
The larger whales, whalers seldom venture to attack. They stand in so great dread of some of them, that when out at sea they are afraid to mention even their names, and carry dung, lime-stone, juniper-wood, and some other articles of the same nature in their boats, in order to terrify and prevent their too near approach. Uno Von Troils Letters on Bankss and Solanders Voyage to Iceland In 1772
Back to Moby Dick.
Moby Dick might stalk you for three months, then jump out of the water and raise a huge ruckus, then vanish for six months, then come back and beach your whole boat, or alternately give you the clear shot you need to harpoon his giant butt.
And youre never going to know why.
A big company might study you for three months, then approach you and tell you they want to invest in you or partner with you or buy you, then vanish for six months, then come out with a directly competitive product that kills you, or alternately acquire you and make you and your whole team rich.
And youre never going to know why.
The upside of dealing with a big company is that theres potentially a ton of whale meat in it for you.
Sorry, mixing my metaphors. The right deal with the right big company can have a huge impact on a startups success.
And what thing soever besides cometh within the chaos of this monsters mouth, be it beast, boat, or stone, down it goes all incontinently that foul great swallow of his, and perisheth in the bottomless gulf of his paunch. Hollands Plutarchs Morals
The downside of dealing with a big company is that he can capsize youmaybe by stepping on you in one way or another and killing you, but more likely by wrapping you up in a bad partnership that ends up holding you back, or just making you waste a huge amount of time in meetings and get distracted from your core mission.
So what to do?
First, dont do startups that require deals with big companies to make them successful.
The risk of never getting those deals is way too high, no matter how hard you are willing to work at it.
And even if you get the deals, they probably wont work out the way you hoped.
Stern all! exclaimed the mate, as upon turning his head, he saw the distended jaws of a large Sperm Whale close to the head of the boat, threatening it with instant destruction;Stern all, for your lives! Wharton the Whale Killer
Second, never assume that a deal with a big company is closed until the ink hits the paper and/or the cash hits the company bank account.
There is always something that can cause a deal that looks like its closed, to suddenly get blown to smithereensor vanish without a trace.
At day-break, the three mast-heads were punctually manned afresh. Dye see him? cried Ahab after allowing a little space for the light to spread. See nothing, sir. Moby Dick
Third, be extremely patient.
Big companies play hurry up and wait all the time. In the last few years Ive dealt with one big East Coast technology company in particular that has played hurry up and wait with me at least four separate timesincluding a mandatory immediate cross-country flight just to have dinner with the #2 executiveand has never followed through on anything.
If you want a deal with a big company, it is probably going to take a lot longer to put together than you think.
My God! Mr. Chace, what is the matter? I answered, we have been stove by a whale. Narrative of the Shipwreck of the Whale Ship Essex of Nantucket, Which Was Attacked and Finally Destroyed by a Large Sperm Whale in the Pacific Ocean by Owen Chace of Nantucket, First Mate of Said Vessel, New York, 1821
Fourth, beware bad deals.
I am thinking of one high-profile Internet startup in San Francisco right now that is extremely promising, has great technology and a unique offering, that did two big deals early with high-profile big company partners, and has become completely hamstrung in its ability to execute on its core business as a result.
Fifth, never, ever assume a big company will do the obvious thing.
What is obvious to youor any outsideris probably not obvious on the inside, once all the other factors that are involved are taken into account.
Sixth, be aware that big companies care a lot more about what other big companies are doing than what any startup is doing.
Hell, big companies often care a lot more about what other big companies are doing than they care about what their customers are doing.
Moby Dick cared a lot more about what the other giant white whales were doing than those annoying little people in that flimsy boat.
The Whale is harpooned to be sure; but bethink you, how you would manage a powerful unbroken colt, with the mere appliance of a rope tied to the root of his tail. A Chapter on Whaling in Ribs and Trucks
Seventh, if doing deals with big companies is going to be a key part of your strategy, be sure to hire a real pro who has done it before.
Only the best and most experienced whalers had a chance at taking down Moby Dick.
This is why senior sales and business development people get paid a lot of money. Theyre worth it.
Oh! Ahab, cried Starbuck, not too late is it, even now, the third day, to desist. See! Moby Dick seeks thee not. It is thou, thou, that madly seekest him! Moby Dick
Eighth, dont get obsessed.
Dont turn into Captain Ahab.
By all means, talk to big companies about all kinds of things, but always be ready to have the conversation just drop and to return to your core business.
Rare is the startup where a deal with a big company leads to success, or lack thereof leads to huge failure.
(However, see also Microsoft and Digital Research circa 1981. Talk about a huge whale.)
Closing thought:
Diving beneath the settling ship, the whale ran quivering along its keel; but turning under water, swiftly shot to the surface again, far off the other bow, but within a few yards of Ahabs boat, where, for a time, the whale lay quiescent. ...Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hells heart I stab at thee; for hates sake I spit my last breath at thee. Sink all coffins and all hearses to one common pool! and since neither can be mine, let me then tow to pieces, while still chasing thee, though tied to thee, thou damned whale! THUS, I give up the spear! The harpoon was darted; the stricken whale flew forward; with igniting velocity the line ran through the grooves;ran foul. Ahab stooped to clear it; he did clear it; but the flying turn caught him round the neck, and voicelessly as Turkish mutes bowstring their victim, he was shot out of the boat, ere the crew knew he was gone. Moby Dick
American Forest and Paper Association announced U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, received a 92 percent on the industry association's congressional vote scorecard.
The group praised Stefanik for her support of carbon neutrality and "free and fair trade," as well as general advocacy for the industry.
Stefanik is running for re-election in the 21st Congressional District against Democrat Mike Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls.
Stefanik had received $24,000 in campaign contributions from paper and lumber related political action committees so far this election cycle, as of June 30, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Contributions are as follows:
American Forest and Paper Association -- $1,000
Hardwood Federation -- $1,000
International Paper -- $11,000
Home Depot -- $10,000
Weyerhauser -- $1,000
United Steel Workers, the union that represents employees at many area paper mills, has endorsed Derrick, citing his opposition to the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.
Stefanik has said she would vote against the current version of the trader agreement.
Many local people have been following a small Arkansas city's court battle with international technology and energy giant Siemens.
The city of Monticello believed that Siemens wronged it in a water meter replacement and water system repairs project, and rather than years of protracted negotiations, the city of about 9,000 people sued, and won some court battles. The case ended last month with a $4.6 million settlement for Monticello.
Here is media coverage from Arkansas on the settlement.
Warren County has been at odds for years with Siemens over a natural gas cogeneration project at the former county nursing home and geothermal project at the county Municipal Center, with detractors believing the county was defrauded and has not seen the energy savings or financial savings that were promised. The county hired outside counsel more than two years ago to look into potential litigation, but no suits have been pursued, though there have been some settlement talks.
"You need to take a good look at what happened in Monticello," Queensbury resident Travis Whitehead, an engineer who is a frequent critic of Siemens and the county Board of Supervisors, told board members Thursday.
"There are some similarities between that suit and our municipal building," Glens Falls 2nd Ward Supervisor Peter McDevitt said.
-- Don Lehman
QUEENSBURY A Fort Edward man who is serving a prison sentence for selling heroin in Washington County has also been convicted in Warren County.
Matthew W. Phillips, 27, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, for a heroin sale in Warren County earlier this year. Warren County Judge John Hall sentenced him to 6 years in state prison, to be followed by 2 years on parole.
That sentence will run concurrently to a 5-year prison term that was imposed in Washington County for a heroin sale in the Fort Edward area.
Phillips was previously convicted of a felony drug charge in 2011 for cocaine possession.
Patti Miller had to cut her own hours as Warren Countys STOP-DWI coordinator, and she views that as good news.
Miller reduced her weekly hours by five for 2017 as the STOP-DWI program was forced to make cuts because of declining revenue.
The programs revenue comes from fines paid by drunken drivers, so the funding drop isnt necessarily a bad thing, Miller acknowledged.
My position is funded by fines and the fines are down. Thats just the way it works, she said.
Miller also serves as executive secretary of the Traffic Safety Board, and will work 16 hours a week next year instead of 21 between the two positions.
The cut comes as the region, as well as the state and nation, sees fewer drunken driving arrests.
Funds for police patrols to target drunken drivers and prosecutors to handle their cases were cut 25 percent this year in Warren County because of a 20 percent decline in fines that stems from a drop in DWI arrests.
A number of statistics show that distracted driving and drugged driving are increasing issues for traffic safety, though. Drugged driving arrests in Warren County rose from 14 in 2013 to 25 last year, Miller said. The number of drug-related crashes in 2015 in New York increased significantly, Miller noted.
Lake Luzerne Supervisor Gene Merlino said drunken driving has clearly become less of a problem while drug use continues to be an issue.
Ive had a lot of (drug) problems in my town, he said.
A state survey that was released recently also showed that fewer people are drinking at bars, based on what those arrested for driving while intoxicated tell police when they are arrested.
In 2010, 65 percent told police they had their last drink at a bar before their arrest, while so far in 2016 only 34 percent reported having their last drink at a bar.
For the first time, they reported they were drinking at home more, she said.
Overall, alcohol-related fatalities on highways across the country have fallen from over 21,000 in 1982 to just over 10,000 in 2014.
LAKE GEORGE The Lake George Town Board is expected to make a decision Thursday on a proposal to buy a firetruck to replace an aging vehicle that has cost thousands of dollars in repairs over the past couple of years and is currently out of service.
The board will hold a special meeting at 1 p.m. at Town Hall.
The Lake George Volunteer Departments ladder truck, which is a 1994 model, has been out of operation since the end of July with cracks in the aerial lift cradle. The third aerial boom section needs to be replaced. There is also corrosion and a leaking pump, according to Fire Chief Jason Berry.
The work is estimated to cost between $32,000 and $41,000, according to Berry. He said once the truck is taken apart, more repairs could be needed.
The vehicle is reaching the end of its useful life, as firetrucks are only supposed to operate for 25 years, according to National Fire Prevention Association guidelines. Berry said the department already has spent nearly $30,000 since 2014 to fix various problems including replacing the aerial swivel unit and the platform controls.
We believe putting more into this current aerial would be pointless considering the amount of repairs needed, he said Wednesday at a special meeting of the Lake George Town Board.
Berry presented a proposal to purchase a truck from Ferrara Fire for $955,000. This vehicle is a demonstrator truck, which is used to show off the vehicle across the country to prospective buyers.
This comes fully loaded ready to go, he said.
The Ferrara model was the least expensive of three demonstrator truck models he researched. A new truck would cost about $1.1 million, according to Berry.
Another important difference is the Ferrara truck would have a 100-foot ladder. The current truck has only a 75-foot ladder. Berry pointed out that buildings are getting taller in the village, with the renovated Surfside Motel and the new Courtyard Lake George. For example, the current ladder truck would only be able to reach the second floor of the Courtyard hotel with the way it is set back from the street.
Berry said a longer aerial ladder truck also could have helped out Aug. 13 when a car went down an 80-foot embankment. Luckily, the person was able to walk away from the accident. If extrication was needed, Lake George would have needed to call Queensbury to access the vehicle. That could take 30 to 35 minutes.
I think thats a ridiculously long time to have to wait, especially if someone is in need of help, he said.
Berry said if the town decides to hold off, it is rolling the dice that more repairs will not be needed.
If you want to dump fifty grand in the truck and hope we get another five years out of it, thats your call, he said. It all depends on how much risk you want to take.
Also, the price of a new or demonstrator truck will have gone up during that time, Berry added.
His proposal consists of a $150,000 down payment. Ferrara is willing to forego two years of payments, which would allow the town and village to save up the funds. When the payments kick in, $30,000 of the roughly $66,000 payment on a 15-year bond would come from the capital reserve and the rest would be split between the town and village.
Because of the current assessment ratio, the town would pay 77 percent of the cost and the village 23 percent. That amounts to $28,000 for the town and $8,000 for the village. The impact on the fire tax would be about a 5 cent increase per $1,000. On a $200,000 house, it would be an additional $10 per year.
The cost sharing would change every year based upon the assessment, according to Village Mayor Robert Blais. When the new development shows up in the new assessments, the villages share would go up.
Berry said he has also spoken to a donor who would be willing to donate up to $50,000 to help with a truck payment.
With this purchase, Berry said the departments front-line fleet would be all new, reducing the budget needed for maintenance. The truck would be under warranty.
Some board members were worried that since the department has purchased other new vehicles in the past year, the taxpayers would be uncomfortable with another purchase.
I know you need a truck. I just cant put that out to the taxpayers because you got two new trucks, you got a firehouse, said board member Nancy Stannard.
Board member Dan Hurley was in favor of repairing the current truck because the town has other expenses, such as repairing ambulances.
Board member Vincent Crocitto suggested using the savings in the repair budget to put toward the capital reserve.
From the taxpayer standpoint, they see us spending a million dollars. Its a lot of money and we have to be careful. Your argument is compelling, he said.
Marisa Muratori said it is a shocking amount of money, but she realizes expenses are going up. She said she was leaning toward purchasing the truck.
Supervisor Dennis Dickinson appeared to be the swing vote, but he did not say how he felt. The board needed more time to think about it. The subject already has generated interest.
Weve gotten some emails from a small faction of the community who is diabolically opposed to it, he said.
He pointed out that town taxes have gone up a minuscule amount in the past few years.
Dickinson said the board would decide later this week.
Berry said people with questions about his proposal could email him at jberry@lgfd.org.
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
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Christian Woman Forced to Remove Religious Headscarf at Alabama DMV, Told Only Muslims Can Cover Head
A Christian woman who was forced by DMV staff in Alabama to remove a headscarf she wore as a symbol of her faith in order to take a photo to renew her driver license is now suing local officials for violating her religious freedom rights under the U.S. and state constitutions.
Article by christianpost.com
The ACLU announced on Tuesday that it had filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the Christian woman, Yvonne Allen of Tuskegee, asking the court to order DMV officials to allow her to retake her driver license photo with her headscarf intact.
Today, the ACLU and ACLU of Alabama filed a federal lawsuit on Ms. Allens behalf, arguing that Lee Countys refusal to provide a religious accommodation to Ms. Allen violates her rights under the Alabama Constitution and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit asks the court to order Lee County officials to allow Ms. Allen to retake her driver license photo with her headscarf, the ACLU said.
Wearing a headscarf is an integral part of my Christian beliefs. In 2011, I moved with my children to Alabama after the end of a 12-year relationship with their father. I was lost, confused, hurt, and broken. But I turned to God and spent hours in prayer and study. During that time, it became clear to me that, to be obedient to Gods Word and show my submission to Him, I had to cover my hair on a daily basis. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul speaks very clearly without ambiguity about this. I have followed this command every day since and believe that removing my headscarf in public is extremely shameful and dishonors God, Allen first wrote in a statement on the issue in April.
According to the lawsuit, Allen visited the DMV office in Auburn on Dec. 29, 2015, to renew her expired license and was told she had to remove her head covering and eyeglasses in order to take the photo for the document.
No maam, I dont uncover my hair, Allen said she told the clerk.
She asked me, Is it for religious purposes?'
I smiled, Yes, maam,' said Allen.
The clerk then asked Allen if she was Muslim and when Allen told her she is Christian the clerk told her that she would have to remove the headscarf.
Ms. Allen informed the clerk that she does not uncover her hair. In response, the clerk asked her, Is it for religious purposes? Ms. Allen responded, Yes maam. The clerk then asked, Are you Muslim? When Ms. Allen explained that she is a Christian, the clerk told her, No, then you need to uncover your hair. Only Muslim women have the right to cover their hair in the driver license photos,' the lawsuit said.
A friend who had traveled with Allen tried to explain to the clerk that Allen doesnt uncover her hair ever, but the clerk remained unfazed, insisting to Allen that: You are not a Muslim, and Christian women dont cover their hair.
Research highlighted in the lawsuit argues that Christian women covering their hair as a sign of devotion to God is not an uncommon practice. It noted that before the 20th century, most Christian women kept their heads covered.
Only recently have some followers of Western Christianity moved away from the head covering, but it is still practiced today by many individuals who believe it is necessary to maintain faithfulness to scriptural teachings, the lawsuit said.
According to David Bercot of Scroll Publishing: In the West today, only the Mennonite, Amish, Brethren and Hutterite women still practice wearing a head covering at all times. However, in recent years, they have been joined by thousands of Christian women from house churches and other independent congregations who have re-discovered this New Testament practice.
Campaigns like The Head Covering Movement is also promoting a return to the practice of head covering during corporate worship, according to 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.
Bercot further noted that: Christian women in eastern churches still cover their heads in church. Some of them cover their heads all of the time. In the west, some Plymouth Brethren women still wear the prayer veil in church, as do many black women.
The lawsuit charges that it doesnt matter how common the practice is, it is a part of Allens religion.
Regardless of how widespread the practice has been historically, or how commonly it is followed today, Ms. Allen sincerely believes that her personal Christian faith compels her to cover her hair when in public, said the lawsuit.
Read more at christianpost.com
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Fulfilling scripture
Speaking to the media, Rev Samuel Mensah, Area Head Pastor for Kwashieman, said the donation was in fulfilment of a passage in the scripture that encouraged Christians to help the needy and the underprivileged in society.
According to him, the donation would enable the inmates of the leprosarium to feel a part of society and experience love.
As Christians, were mandated to help the poor and needy in society in order to fulfil the scripture, It is against this backdrop that the Good Women Fellowship of Kwashieman Area of CACI is presenting a token as its social and moral contribution to inmates of Weija Leprosarium, he added.
Rev. Mensah gave the assurance that the church would be committed to its social responsibility in helping the needy in the society.
The presentation formed part of the churchs support for the needy and the underprivileged in society, and also climax the health walk organized for all women in the church.
Call for Peace ahead of elections
Rev Mensah explained that on the part of CACI in preaching peace ahead of the 2016 December elections, members have been tasked to spread the need for maintaining peace in the country.
As an institution, we have made our members aware that as one body in Christ, we dont belong to party A or B, the party we belong to is democracy. Hence, lots of teachings and announcement are being made to ensure a peaceful election, he added.
This is because the health facility which serves as a referral centre in the Kwabre East District has no incubator.
The Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Imrana Mahama told Accra-based 3FM that if the facility had at least one incubator it would help reduce the mortality rate at the hospital.
READ ALSO: Three heads of Health institutions suspended for charging arbitrary fees
This trend has become a worrying one to the medical officers of the facility. According to them, this is a blockade to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on health especially the aspect of reducing child mortality.
Dr Mahama indicated that they have been forced to transfer premature babies to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to be incubated.
READ ALSO: GUBA foundation pledges 100 incubators for Ghana
He called for an infrastructural expansion to help reduce the rate of infant mortality and also develop the health facility to the status of a district hospital.
The Asonomaso Government Hospital has recorded an increasing number of patients. The daily basis has increased from 50 to about 200.
Dr Mahama, therefore, called for an expansion of the Out-Patient Department and wards as well.
Dancehall genre has become one of the most popular genres in Ghana, and that has made an 'Ocean' of Dancehall artistes flooding our airwaves with different styles, voices and messages. You certainly need to stand tall to be seen standing out of the multitude.
Ras Lipo seems to be gaining height ever since he made an official appearance into the Dancehall fraternity.
"Vim Dey" is a Ghanaian pijin slang which can be translated as There is hope (In this context). He talks about having hope for the future and working hard towards achieving his dreams.
The rule of natural justice was not observed because the Speaker of Parliament should have allowed the house to debate the issue and, at least, heard the minority articulate their position. But if he comes to the room with a prepared speech, where is natural justice? he said
READ ALSO:Ford Gift Saga Speaker dismisses minority motion for probe
The presidents acceptance of the SUV from Burkinabe contractor Djibril Kanazoe, who was, in turn, awarded numerous contracts by the government of Ghana, was the issue of contention, which the minority felt was wrong on the presidents part.
Mr. Adjaho stated that: After a careful study of the correspondence from CHRAJ, I have come to the conclusion that the matter is not different in material, in particular of the matter under investigation by CHRAJ.
He indicated that Article 287 of the constitution of Ghana gave CHRAJ the power to investigate matters relating to the breach of conduct involving public officers, for which reason it would not be proper for parliament to take up an issue already being investigated by another body mandated by the constitution to perform such duties.
It is my view, therefore, that CHRAJ is the institution with exclusive constitutional authority to deal with all relevant matters relating to the breach of conduct of public officers including the matter involving the Ford Expedition vehicle, he explained.
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Following the reportage, a government statement indicated that the President had received the vehicle as a gift.
Read more: Parliament recalled over Mahama impeachment
The statement, signed by the Minister of Communications, Dr Omane Boamah, stated that the vehicle had since been added to the pool of vehicles at the Presidency.
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has initiated investigations into the matter following petitions by some Ghanaians.
The Minority in Parliament sought for the motion on the Ford vehicle to be moved in the House during the last meeting of Parliament.
The Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, made it clear in the House that the Majority in Parliament was ready for a debate on the issue any day.
He said the recall of parliament by the Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho will do no good to all stakeholders involved.
Bagbin explained on Accra-based Starr FM that the recall will lead to more financial spending which will not do Ghana any good.
Doe Adjaho who single-handedly shot down the motion asked the Clerk of Parliament to return the motion to the Member of Parliament who filed it.
Doe Adjaho cited constitutional provisions and earlier Supreme Court rulings to support his stance.
Edward Doe Adjaho therefore, said "as a Speaker i am firmly convinced CHRAJ is the only mandated body to probe this case."
Background
Parliament reconvened today (Thursday), in connection with a motion to impeach President John Mahama over the controversial Ford Expedition gift saga.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, per Article 112 of the 1992 Constitution, summoned Members of Parliament to deliberate on the issue.
Some sections of Ghanaians expressed anger over reports that President Mahama was given a brand new Ford Expedition in 2012 by a Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe who won the bid to construct the $650,000 Ghana Embassy Wall in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou.
President John Mahama subsequently rubbished corruption allegations against him, saying such claims are baseless.
Some minority MPs have reportedly signed a petition to commence an impeachment process against the President for accepting the gift.
Parliament was adjourned on Friday, July 29.
Among them are NDC General Secretary Johsnon Asiedu Nketia, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah and Minister of Trade and Industry Ekow Spio Gabrah, Communications Minister, Edward Omane-Boamah among others.
The Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho dismissed the motion filed by the minority over President Mahama's Ford gift saga.
Doe Adjaho single-handedly shot down the motion asked the Clerk of Parliament to return the motion to the Member of Parliament who filed it.
Doe Adjaho cited constitutional provisions and earlier Supreme Court rulings to support his stance.
The matter and issue here is not different in material particular from the matter under investigations by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ). Article 287 of the constitution gives the CHRAJ the power to investigate matters regarding the code of conduct for persons public officers.
It is also instructive to note that the Supreme Court has made a number of pronouncements regarding the exclusive jurisdiction in terms of chapter 24 of the constitution, dealing with code of conducts for public officers including the President.
The Ford vehicle gift to the President by a Burkinabe contractor came to light following an investigative piece by Manessah Azure.
Following the reportage, a government statement indicated that the President had received the vehicle as a gift.
Following this report, the minority led by their leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu filed a motion, calling for a bi-partisan committee to probe the controversial ford gift given to the president. Already, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is investigating the matter after a petition to that effect.
The Minority in Parliament sought for the motion on the Ford vehicle to be moved in the House.
Majority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin said the recall of parliament by the Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho will do no good to all stakeholders involved.
Bagbin explained on Accra-based Starr FM that the recall will lead to more financial spending which will not do Ghana any good.
More here:
NDC are desperate because they are going to go hungry when voted out of power, if you scan through the people of NPP, they are wealthy, they dont need to be in government to be rich, but when you are sitting there and your country is been rundown, if you are a really God-fearing person, how can you shut up, you cant, you got to rise up for your country. But you can feel that the country is been run (excuse me) by people with no clue, we cannot allow clueless people run this country, you have to help save your country, its a calling for all of us to rise up and say we need people who have brains, he said.
According to him, Ghana will work again if government prevents corruption and sincerely deals with people who use their political offices to misappropriate public funds.
I am not going to tell the Ghanaian people that I am going to do something when I know I cannot do it. I will never, ever lie to the people of Ghana. I will never do that. I have too much respect and love for Ghanaians to do that to them, he reiterated.
Nana Akuffo Addo and his running mate, Alhaji Dr Mahamadu Bawumia together with some key party stalwarts were in the Northern region for a four-day campaign tour.
Having announced the 1-District-1-Factory policy, 1-Village-1-Dam policy, the diversification of the countrys agriculture, the revival of the National Health Insurance Scheme, the effective implementation of the Free SHS policy, the setting up of an Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP), the restoration of teacher and nursing training allowances, amongst others, the NPP flagbearer assured residents of Tamale that he was committed to fulfilling each and every one of these promises, when, God-willing, he wins this years election.
According to Nana Addo, I was coming to make an appeal to the people of Tamale to join this chorus, but, I can see from this massive crowd that you have joined this chorus for change already.
The change the NPP is assuring Ghanaians of, he indicated, will mean that the years of stagnation and recession under John Dramani Mahama will be coming to an end, for the years of progress and prosperity under Nana Akufo-Addo to begin.
Some of the areas Nana Addo and his team visited during the four-day tour included, Bunkprugu, Walewale and its adjourning communities in the Mamprugu enclave, Eastern Corridor areas, Yapei, Damongo, Tamale, Sawla, and Daboya.
According to Nana Addo, the nation is moving in a wrong direction under President John Mahamas watch for which reason a positive change of government is necessary.
The years of stagnation and the years of deception under John Dramani Mahama are coming to an end for the years of progress and prosperity under Nana Akufo Addo.
More here:NPP reveals how much it will spend on project
Nana Akufo vowed never to make promises he cannot fulfill and pledged saying, If God willing I win the elections in December I will fulfill all the promises I am making.
Teacher trainee and nursing students allowances are going to be restored when Akufo is elected as President.
My one district one factory and one village one dam policies are feasible. I am not going to tell the Ghanaian people or promise them things I cannot do. I am not going to lie to the Ghanaian people.
This was contained in a statement signed by the National Youth Organiser of the party Sammi Awuku and a member of the partys Gender and Social Development Committee, Ursula Owusu.
The party further described the comments as an insult to all women in Ghana and therefore demanded a retraction of the comment.
This has caused heavy criticism from many social media users and the general public at large.
Below is the full statement
NPP YOUTH WING DISAPPOINTED IN FRANKLIN CUDJOE
The National Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party has noticed with shock, totally unfortunate and insulting comments made by the President of Imani-Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe against gallant women of the NPP, including describing them as over used and smelly. This highly unacceptable and base language is an affront, not only to the women of the NPP but to all the women of Ghana.
The comment, which has received very wide condemnations from well-meaning Ghanaians, is not only disappointing and highly disrespectful, but comes at a time when many women point to indiscriminate use of harsh language as reason for staying away from politics and the public sphere. Ghana has a rich history of women in politics, but given that they form 50 percent of total population, it is a source of worry that a vast majority of women will rather not get involved in the political process, precisely because of unacceptable conduct as demonstrated by Franklin Cudjoe.
The New Patriotic Party greatly values the contributions of women, and encourages, both young and old to actively participate in our political tradition. The hardworking ladies of NPP Loyal Ladies, who form a key branch of the NPP Youth Wing*, defy all odds, carrying the message of CHANGE to the remotest parts of our country and bringing HOPE to the people. They are at the forefront of the quest to rid our beloved Ghana of this corrupt and incompetent John Mahama led NDC government, and usher in an era of prosperity and peace for all Ghanaians, in a Nana Akufo Addo led NPP government.
For their dedication and commitment, they deserve commendation and accolades, and definitely not disrespect. It is therefore appalling that such distasteful comments will come from Franklin Cudjoe, the President of IMANI, an organization that is actively involved in the public discourse around good governance, and styles itself as a watchdog organization that keeps political leaders on their toes.
The Youth Wing of the NPP, and the NPP Gender and Social Development committee unreservedly condemn the characterization of women in this foul manner. We demand a formal retraction of the offensive statement by FranklinCudjoe as well as an unconditional and unqualified apology to the ladies of Loyal ladies of NPP and to all Ghanaian women.
It is our hope that he will henceforth eschew this kind of language and significantly commit himself to the fight for equal rights and women's empowerment. Once the retraction and apology are submitted, we are happy to offer gender sensitivity training to IMANI, as our contribution to sanitization of public discourse, and the elevation of political conduct in Ghana.
Signed.
SammiAwuku(National Youth Organizer, NPP)
Hon. Mrs. Ursula Ekufful(MP)
This is according to the Majority leader in Parliament Alban Bagbin.
Bagbin explained on Accra-based Starr FM that the recall will lead to more financial spending which will not do Ghana any good.
Parliament is set to reconvene today (Thursday), in connection with a motion to impeach President John Mahama over the controversial Ford Expedition gift saga.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, per Article 112 of the 1992 Constitution, summoned Members of Parliament to deliberate on the issue.
Some sections of Ghanaians expressed anger over reports that President Mahama was given a brand new Ford Expedition in 2012 by a Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe who won the bid to construct the $650,000 Ghana Embassy Wall in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou.
President John Mahama subsequently rubbished corruption allegations against him, saying such claims are baseless.
Some minority MPs have reportedly signed a petition to commence an impeachment process against the President for accepting the gift.
Parliament was adjourned on Friday, July 29.
The on-air-personality said that N120m was allegedly raised to save Mayowa Ahmeds life but since she passed away the money should be used to set-up a cancer foundation in her name.
"This lady is gone now, what happens to the money? I have just decided to be quiet about this thing because people will turn it into another thing because I know there are questions" Freeze told Pulse.
"The European man will not donate N125m and then be quiet. Now here is the biggest clause, we have a Nigerian actor who is going through a kidney problem and we are not able to raise N10m but we have a N125m that I have been expecting the family to say 'ok this was how much we spent on the lady and the rest is going to be donated to cancer patients. There is going to be a Mayowa Cancer Foundation which I believe will make the girl immortal" he further said.
Additionally, he stated, "If you put Mayowa's name out there and affiliate it with ovarian cancer, for instance, research and development, and facilities to battle Ovarian cancer in Nigeria, Mayowa would never be forgotten."
The loving husband who was a Senior Special Adviser to former Governor of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, and father of three took to Instagram today, September 1, 2016, to celebrate 15 years of wedded bliss.
He shared a photo of the both of them writing, "Wow! time really flies. I can't believe it's 15yrs already....since my childhood sweetheart and I decided to brave the odds and give love/marriage a chance.
It has not been an easy journey. We have lost the two great fathers that gave us life.... but we have enjoyed the warmth of family and also made them proud by giving them 3 beautiful grandchildren.
Zizi, thanks for your love, trust, commitment and holding my hands through this challenging experience called #life.
I may not be the best but I'll always give my best to you and the dream we share."
The artists exhibited their works on both days of the event. Gerald Chukwuma; a renowned artist who specializes in wood panels and furniture made a guest appearance as well.
Some of the proceeds of the exhibition were donated to Mamamoni . Mamamoni is a social cause that is dedicated to empowering poor women who are living in slum communities.
Mamamoni provides different vocational skill trainings and post-training support to these women, helping them generate income and a means of livelihood.
The private viewing session on August 12, 2016 was targeted at selected members of society and lovers of art. The August 13 event was the main event open to a larger audience.
On both days, the exhibition opened from noon till 7pm. The ambiance was cool and relaxing as guests indulged in fine wine, cocktail and mocktail drinks and finger foods against soothing background music.
Guests trooped in minutes after the exhibition opened. All the exhibiting artists were available at the exhibition on both days to discuss their pieces, interact with and answer questions by guests.
Pastor Ndubisi told the court that his wife was frustrating him as she starves him of sex and food at will, always coming up with flimsy excuses anytime he wants to make love to her.
In his evidence in chief, Pastor Ndubisi said:
My wife (Seraphina) starves me of food and sex. She always gives excuses whenever I want to make love to her. Despite all my pleading, she will not allow me; my body is not a firewood or iron rod.
Apart from s*x, she also denies me food; she is a poor cook and hardly cooks. Whenever she does, it is either the food is too salty or watery. If I complain, she will take the food and dispose of it and she will never apologize. I used to buy food to eat or go hungry.
Apart from the sexual starvation accusation, the pastor also accused his wife of infidelity and having affairs with other men.
My wife is having an affair. On February 1, 2016, I called my wife with a new SIM I just bought. She never knew I who was calling and asked if it was because my wife was around that I refused to call or visit her.
It was then that I knew that my wife was having an affair. I refused to respond. I waited for her to do the talking and she started calling me sweet names and told me how much she loves and misses me."
"She insisted I should say something; I later revealed myself to her and she was shocked. Before I got home, she has packed out with our three-year-old daughter.
The Area court judge, Mr Garba Ogbede, sentenced Adewola after he had pleaded guilty on a two-count charge of housebreaking and theft.
``Having evaluated the case in line with evidence before the court, having pleaded guilty to the offence, you are found guilty of the offences of housebreaking and theft.
``You are hereby sentenced to six months in prison without option of fine, the judge held, and said the punishment would serve as deterrent to others.
``You have brought this upon yourself because you wanted fast money. Parents, guardians must watch over their wards.
"They must provide for them to guide against this kind of careless action, he said.
Prosecuting Counsel Aderonke Imana had told the court that the matter was reported by Aminu Taofic of Plot 1125 Zone 7, Lugbe, Abuja, at the Lugbe Police Station, on Aug. 26.
Imana said on the same date at about 6 a.m. the convict trespassed into Taofics house and dishonestly removed the complainant toilet seat to unknown destination.
The Prosecutor said during police investigation, the convict was caught with the toilet seat and he confessed to the crime.
Imana informed the court that the convict just completed serving a jail term for offence of theft on Aug. 25, adding that he was not a first offender.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened to sections 348 and 288 of the Penal Code.
The convict pleaded guilty and begged for leniency, saying, " I am so sorry for stealing, please sir temper justice with mercy for I just came out of jail".
Then you have to discard them all and stock your wardrobes with native attires, 'Agbadas, Ankara, Iro, Buba, and wrappers, because the new Managing Director of the government parastatal, Hadiza Bala Usman, has banned its staff from wearing miniskirts and jeans trousers.
In a memo signed by Usman and circulated to all staff, the management states that inappropriate dressings such as tight jeans trousers and mini-skirts and dresses by its staff would no longer be condoned and will attract appropriate sanctions.
The circular made available to Pulse, reads in part:
It has been observed that despite the issuance of a couple of circulars on corporate Dress Code, some employees still indulge in improper dressing to the office.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby reiterated that inappropriate dressings such tight jeans trousers, cut-off trousers, mini-skirts/dresses, tummy and navel shirt transparent/exposing outfits, spaghetti strapped dresses, mismatched clothes, rubber slippers, tattered shoes and rough hairstyles, (to mention but a few), that are unnecessary distractions would no longer be condoned and will henceforth attract appropriate sanctions.
In view of the foregoing and to further maintain a positive corporate image of a reputable organization, all divisional, departmental and sectional heads, especially heads of personnel, are once again enjoined to ensure monitoring of compliance of employees dressings with emphasis on decent, moderate and smart national and formal English wears.
This directive is coming barely a month after Usman, a former founding member of the Bring Back Our Girls group, was appointed the Managing Director of NPA, and on assuming office, she had told top management staff to join her to make the ports authority a model agency.
We will listen to our customers, importers, exporters and other agencies working in the Ports to improve on our service delivery to the nation.
A statement signed by the Command's Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, the 38-year-old Nkwocha whose is located in the Shogunle area of state, was arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), on Tuesday, August 30, 2016, during a church service, following a tip-off on his activities.
He was said to have lured the girls, who were either stranded or had no place to go, with the promise of providing them shelter, to his house and used the opportunity to take turns defiling them.
Nkwocha was reportedly taken away from the church premises along with the girls after they were rescued.
SP Badmos also stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Fatai Owoseni, has ordered a thorough investigation of the case.
The man who calls himself my father left me and my mother when I was just a few months old and had never cared about us until now that God has blessed me. He wants to reap where he did not sow.
I remember how my mother suffered to raise me up all alone with no father figure. I realized he did not marry my mother legally, only getting her pregnant and abandoning us when we needed him most.
While growing up, I know what my mother went through to see that I survived. As I write this, tears still sting my eyes when I remembered how my mother starved herself, did odd jobs, even stole to feed me. She went through so much pain just to see me live.
Back then, I suffered all forms of humiliations as people called me all sorts of names and disgraced me every time. Even my mother's relations called me a bastard and I was denied even the slightest assistant.
I remember how my mother sold her clothes to pay my school fees. Or is it the way she was beaten up by her own brother just because I plucked oranges from my grandfather's compound?
I lived a life of pains and denial, hatred and bitterness. It was so much that I developed a strong anger against the man who called himself my father.
But God was with us all the way as he lifted me up through my stepfather after my mother got married when I was about 14. The man, God bless him, saw that I went to school and never discriminated against me and his own children.
With God by my side, I graduated with a First Class degree and after my youth service, I had six job offers, two with federal government parastatals and the other with top companies in Nigeria.
I had to choose one with an oil servicing company with very good pay and other mouth-watering perks.
Fast forward to six months ago: that was when the man who claimed to be my father decided to creep back into my life and has succeeded in stirring up the hatred I have harboured in my heart for him. He first sent two of his brothers, my supposed uncles, to start a peace mission.
They just appeared in my house and told me they were from my so-called father and said he was very sick and wanted me to help with money for his treatment. I practically threw them out of my house, telling them the only father I knew was my late step-dad.
Since then, they have been on my neck and the man himself has been calling me, telling me to forgive him and accept him back. Even my mother has been begging me. The first time she did, I showed her another side of me she never knew existed.
But she has not stopped and has even vowed never to come to my house again if I refused to forgive my father.
My wife too has taken up their fight, making life difficult for me. She has insisted that the family must go and visit her father-in-law. My children have been on my neck that they want to meet their real grandpa.
I am very confused at the moment as I find it difficult to forgive that man.
Kennedy."
Yusuf said this during the NHIS management retreat in Kaduna with the theme :`Repositioning Insurance Scheme towards achieving Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.'
He mentioned that the meeting was geared towards consensus building and support among stakeholders towards repositioning the scheme for effective service delivery.
He said the aim of the retreat was to reposition the institution to deliver health care to all Nigerians, especially to the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Yusuf said the scheme had a goal to reach the pregnant women, children under five, the disabled, unemployed and the internally displaced persons.
According to him, his mandate from the presidency is to make the scheme work for all Nigerians.
``I have the law behind me, the financial muscle of the institution and the goodwill of the presidency to make things work.
``My mandate as the Executive Secretary is to be good custodian of peoples health by cleansing the institution and making it work for everybody.
``I also have the responsibility to produce an institution that all Nigerians can be proud of, he said.
Yusuf further decried the irregularities operated among the HMOs and ill-treatment enrollees encountered in receiving service at the hospitals, saying that the institution had not done well in the past.
He said the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and health service providers did not care for the enrollees, adding that enrollees needed to be treated better.
``This institution has paid so much money to the HMOs from 2005 till date and there is nothing to show for it.
``There is no way we can achieve universal coverage if we continue to give our resources to people that do not deserve it.
``I will be the face of NHIS and the voice of the enrollees, and all that we do must be in their best interest, while their rights shall be respected and defended, Yusuf added.
He said the scheme would be purged of endemic corruption, inefficiency and political patronage, adding that HMOs should be accountable in returning to the pool, resources not used by them.
The NHIS boss said the scheme would develop creative measures on how to finance health care without depending totally on the Federal Government.
He added that the institution had the potential to change the lives of Nigerians.
He said the retreat would further address existing programmes on its success and failures and how to make it better.
Yusuf commended the Nigerian Labour Congress as one of the organisations that stood for the rights of citizens.
He pledged that there would be no room for any stakeholder to take undue advantage of the enrollees.
Yusuf, however, requested the full cooperation and support of the leadership of the labour movement and all Nigerian workers, to make the scheme deliver service in top quality.
Also, the Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Dr Chike Okafor, represented by Sen. Mohammed Usman, noted that health care was part of the legislative agenda of the assembly.
He said the scheme was established in 2005 to improve the wellbeing of citizens in Nigeria, and to serve as a social security in providing financial security for the citizens against unforeseen ill health.
Irabor said on Thursday, September 1, 2016, in Adamawa state that the individual originally identified as Shekau has been killed in previous operations of the military.
I can confirm to you that the original Shekau was killed," he said.
"The second Shekau was killed, and the man presenting himself as Shekau, I can also confirm to you that few days ago, he was wounded. We are yet to confirm whether he is dead or not, he added.
He said the Nigerian troops in the northeast will continue their operations until the last terrorist is taken out.
He maintained that there had been division among the Boko Haram as a result of the constant pressure put on them by the Army.
They released videos to prove that they are still active, but thats just a facade, the military commander said.
The Nigerian Army had earlier announced that Shekau was fatally injured in an airstrike.
The President said this in Osogbo, during his visit to Osun state today, Thursday, September 1, 2016.
Buhari said We promised Nigerian people positive and progressive change during our campaign. We are not and shall not be deterred from that noble undertaking. But as we have learnt from history, change has never been attained by any nation on a bed of roses, but rather, through patience, perseverance and steadfastness.
We are quite aware of the pains and inconveniences that have been the lot of the citizenry in the past one year as we strive to faithfully implement our programmes in fulfilment of our change agenda.
We are however comforted by the real change and progress we have made in fighting corruption and restoring integrity to government; providing security for lives and property; and positioning the government for effectiveness and especially deregulating the oil sector.
We must also not forget the fiscal discipline that has now characterised government business at all levels. This indeed is how it should be and we are determined to introduce and implement actions and measures that will entrench the change mantra in our individual lives just as we are doing in curtailing excessive waste and rent seeking in governance.
We are determined to remain on track as we strive to deliver to rescue the country from past mistakes in fulfilment of our promise of improving the conditions of our people and making Nigeria a prosperous country.
The ASCSN also said that there is anger and hunger in the land due to the state of the economy.
It made the comments via a statement released by Secretary-General, Alade Bashir Lawal.
The statement reads:
We believe that since these federal civil servants and their dependents live in different parts of the country, if these outstanding entitlements are paid to them, it will have positive ripple effects on the economy and douse the tension in the land.
There is anger and hunger in the country and as a patriotic trade union organisation, we have decided to bring this situation to the notice of government so that it can take necessary measures to stem the tide by doing the needful.
The NGO's chairperson, Mrs Rachael Tyonzuul, made this disclosure in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Makurdi.
According to her, the organisation is concerned with the plight of the displaced persons to provide the facility.
She said the organisation had been supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Nigeria (UNHCR) and the Benue Government.
Tyonzuul said the UNHCR provided N25 million as counterpart funding for the project, the State Government gave N10 million while the remaining cost was borne by the organisation.
She said that the facility would take care of both the security and environmental hazards which had confronted the displaced persons.
The chairperson disclosed that other NGOs were already partnering with them to promote the wellbeing of the displaced persons in the state.
Tyonzuul said that an Abuja based NGO, OMEP, had provided beddings and food items for the displaced persons too.
She said the organisation intended to convert two blocks of the apartments for a temporary school to cater for the needs of children of the displaced persons.
Also speaking with NAN, the Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Boniface Ortese, disclosed that 10 people had died from the flood waters in the state.
NAN recalls that NIMET had predicted upsurge of flood in the state and advised evacuation of people living in flood prone areas.
Ortese explained that the victims died from the overflow of the Kereke stream during a downpour that lasted for three days.
He also disclosed that farms and valuable property had been destroyed while many families were rendered homeless.
To avert further disaster, Ortese said the government had set aside land in Agan village to construct temporary shelter for the displaced.
Ortese also said that the Presidential Committee on Flooding and Rehabilitation was already constructing houses in the state to accommodate the victims.
He said the project was being executed through the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
The governor said in a radio and television broadcast in Maiduguri on Wednesday, August 31, that the workers were uncovered after a verification to determine the actual size of the state's work force.
''You may recall that in December 2015, while presenting the 2016 budget at the House of Assembly, I promised to embark on staff verification to determine the actual size of the state civil service," he said.
"We set up a high-powered committee chaired by the Secretary to the State Government to carry out a verification of the state civil service.''
"To finalise the exercise, a consultancy firm was hired for biometric data capture of the workers.
"As of today, 11, 397 workers have been dully captured as being bonafide staff of the state.
"Others - about 7,392 workers have yet to be captured, out of which 4,000 workers have issues with their banks.
''There are also about 3,000 workers who failed to comply with the guidelines on the filling the verification forms,'' he explained.
The governor said he has directed the committee to sort out all those issues within one week to enable the state to pay those workers already captured.
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Shettima pointed out that entire salary of the 11, 397 workers captured stood at N1.129 billion as against the usual N2.7 billion.
"The entire salaries of the 11, 397 workers already captured stood at N1.129 billion; that is about N2.258 billion for the two months pending.
"I have directed the Ministry of Finance to pay the two months' salaries to those workers.
''I have also urged them to ensure weekly payment to all those to be captured and updated as we move on.
''The two months salaries of N2,258 billion are not even up to our former N 2.7 billion wage bill for one month.
"Even if the wage bill goes to N1.7 billion or even N2 billion, we can still save up to N700 million monthly'' he said.
This is contained in a statement signed by Col. Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Usman, troops of 222 Battalion, 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army involved in the field training exercise of Operation Crocodile Smile carried out patrols in Ughelli South and Isoko South local government areas of Delta.
`` Following intelligence report, a robust patrol team was dispatched to raid suspected criminal hideouts at Ehweru community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, this morning.
``The team was able to track down and arrest hoodlums known for terrorising commuters plying the East-West road between Ughelli to Patani.
``The team arrested 5 suspects which include Messrs Oruno Egbede, Atiyoyo Rewemuesere, Peter Kehinde, Wilson Godbless and Friday Odede and recovered 1 Locally made gun, 1 dagger and a cutlass from the suspects.
``As part of the training programme, the exercising unit would continue to dominate the general area with patrols and raids of reported or suspected hideouts of criminals, he said.
Similarly, Usman said at 3.45 a.m., another patrol team of the unit raided house number 4, Temile Street off Egor road in Ughelli, which served as the residence of Mr Gabriel Ogbudje, a supposedly ex-militant leader.
``Ogbudje is now leader of the Otugas Fire Force, a new militant group in the Niger Delta.
`` Although still at large, he is suspected to be responsible for the recent acts of economic sabotage perpetrated at NPDC/shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogor-oteri communities on Aug.29, he said.
However, Usman said Messrs Vincent Ekeke and Henry Koko alongside Mrs Racheal Abbah and Mrs Amaratefa Odada were found at the residence and were invited for questioning.
``The troops will continue to maintain vigilance, carry out raids and patrols as part of the training exercise in the general area as part of their routine activities to improve proficiency and professionalism.
Alhaji Demola Banu, the Commissioner for Finance, disclosed this after the JAAC meeting on Wednesday in Ilorin.
He said local government pensioners got N59.4 million in addition to the N109.2 million that was appropriated.
He added that the local government workers would share the remaining N121,154, 384 in addition to the N343,204, 644 that was released to them.
Banu said the augmentation became necessary as the August allocation was far lesser than what was required for the councils to meet their salary and pension obligations.
Giving further breakdown of the allocation distribution for August, the Commissioner said the gross statutory allocation for the councils stood at N1, 014, 706, 902.57, exchange gain difference of N400,092,205.09 and VAT of 352, 876, and 481.73.
According to him, the sum of N273, 114, 949.65 was deducted at source as repayment for the LGs previous salary related borrowings from banks.
He said after the deductions, the net statutory allocation for the LGs stood at N1, 494, 560, 639.74.
He disclosed that the sum of N1, 040, 600, 000 was appropriated for Basic Education Teachers salaries.
Banu explained that in addition, 10 per cent of the states Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for August, representing N59.4million, was added to the teachers salaries, making a total of N1.1billion.
Banu said the sum of N343, 204, 644.63 was appropriated for LG employees salaries, while N109, 255, 995.11 was released for LG pensioners arrears.
Other deductions, according to the commissioner, are 1 per cent training fund, which stands at N500,000 and 0.5 per cent JAAC budget, representing N1million.
The commissioner decried the drop in August allocation to the LGs, noting that it was far lower than the amount required by the councils to meet their monthly salary and pension obligations.
He, however, expressed optimism that subsequent allocations could improve as the Niger Delta Avengers had promised to stop attacks on oil facilities.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Media and Communications, Dr Muyideen Akorede, said the government remained committed to assisting the councils in meeting their salary obligations in the face of scarce resources.
He said the government was worried about the workers plight, assuring them that the governments commitment to assist LGs remained firm.
This is coming on the heels of the announcement by Aero Contractors that the suspension of its operations will take effect from Thursday, September 1, 2016.
Usman said The First Nation Airlines on its part is in the middle of an Engine Replacement Programme for one of its aircrafts.
Another aircraft is due for mandatory maintenance as allowed by the regulatory authority.
In these circumstances, these airlines clearly cannot continue to undertake schedule operations, hence the inevitable recourse to self-regulatory suspension.
He said The First Nation Airlines on its part is in the middle of an Engine Replacement Programme for one of its aircrafts. Another aircraft is due for mandatory maintenance as allowed by the regulatory authority.
In these circumstances, these airlines clearly cannot continue to undertake schedule operations, hence the inevitable recourse to self regulatory suspension.
Ogunlewe, who is the current Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, came to the Ibadan Zonal Office of the anti-graft agency for questioning.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that his invitation was based on alleged corruption and abuse of office at the university.
NAN recalls that the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, and a principal officer were held on similar allegations on three occasions before they regained freedom last week.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday at the inauguration of the new multimedia conference and other projects executed by the office of the Military Secretary.
He said the overhaul of the services procedures for career building and recruitment became necessary following the long years of neglect of core military traditions and customs.
Buratai decried the failure of values in the military, particularly those that were premised on professionalism, regimentation and discipline.
"I remember when we came into the service, we used to see the Military Secretarys office as a sacred and perfect place where everything comes out pure without blemish.
"Then, postings, promotions and other matters bothering on an officer and soldiers career building were done almost perfectly.
"Letters and notices coming from that office had no mistakes about names, service numbers and other details.
"But over the years all these values that were known to the military vanished into thin air, almost every notice that came from the same office was followed with corrected versions.
"Today, we are in the process of reviewing all those anomalies so as to return this department of our service to its rightful state, he said.
The Army chief urged the officers and personnel in the office of the Military Secretary to strive toward returning the Army to its glory days of professionalism and discipline.
He assured all personnel and officers of his administrations commitment to entrenching discipline by first of all providing the enabling environment for them to be professional in their conduct.
Buratai inspected the new strong room at the directorate and other structures newly constructed at the complex before inaugurating the soldiers residential accommodation at the Yar'adua Barracks.
Just like its first season, the second season will feature 22 ladies between the ages of 18 and 35 in a house for weeks.
The winner will get $10,000, a brand new car, an acting contract, a cover feature on an international magazine and one year supply of Fancy Nancy accessories.
The first season ended after 12 weeks, with
Egbules won a cash prize of four million Naira and has shot her winning movie "All of Me," which stars her alongside Ike, Deyemi Okanlawon, Kenneth Okolie and more.
Ike made her debut as a producer in the movie "Miss Teacher," which stars her alongside Liz Benson, Jospeh Benjamin among others.
The 'hard copy', which contains the names of all delegates, was given to the aspirants, some of whom were represented, at the partys National Secretariat in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party began over an allegation that one of the aspirants, Mr Olusegun Abraham, had been endorsed by the National Leader of APC, Chief Bola Tinubu.
NAN also recalls that the State Chairman, Mr Isaac Kekemeke, was at a point suspended over an allegation that he tampered with the delegates list.
The party had, at separate times, called the aspirants and the state executive to clear the matter and allay the fears of the aspirants.
The PDP had earlier called on Buhari to resign, due to the current economic challenges the country is going through.
According to the APC, 16 years of the PDPs misrule and wrong decisions contributed to the recession Nigeria is in.
The APC said The warning signs were glaring to the immediate-past administration but it choose the path of economic sabotage by looking the other way and squandering the countrys commonwealth a reckless decision that has brought the country to its knees.
Also enumerating the Presidents achievements, the party added that Happily, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has embarked on well- thought economic agendas, policy actions, appropriate fiscal, governance, and socio-political reforms to revamp the economy and tackle the nations current challenges in the short to long term.
Under the new flexible foreign exchange policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in June 2016, we now have a single market-determined exchange rate which enables suppliers of foreign currencies to bring in their money and take the same out at market-determined rates. The new foreign exchange policy being implemented will ensure our economy recovers in the medium to long term.
As contained in the assented 2016 National Budget, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is aggressively formulating and implementing policies aimed at diversifying Nigerias economy from oil to other sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
The administration is also proactively tackling increased attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region which has led to disruptions in crude production.
The Presidents shuttle diplomacy has yielded positive effects on the countrys economic policies. As a result, several agreements concluded during the visits are positively impacting on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.
The fight against corruption remains a top priority for the President Buhari APC-led administration. In spite of desperate attempts by some partisans to discredit anti-corruption efforts in some quarters, the war against corruption is being won and has been well-received and supported. The generality of Nigerians agree that the days of impunity are over.
Through the full implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration, revenue leakages have been greatly plugged.
The new petroleum products supply and pricing framework which eliminated corruption-tainted subsidy payments has among others greatly solved fuel scarcities by ensuring availability of products at all locations in the country; reduced hoarding, smuggling and diversion substantially and stabilise price at the actual product price; encouraged investments in both Refineries and Retails; provided Government more revenue to address social and infrastructural needs of the country.
In line with the critical infrastructural focus of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, an unprecedented 30 per cent of 2016 budgetary provision has been committed to capital projects.
As the administration works assiduously to build a new solid foundation, credible image and pull the country out of the present hardships, the APC appeals for patience and cooperation from Nigerians.
The statement reads in part:
The reality the President must face now is that there is too much hunger in the land. Nigerians are hungry, they are suffering and the President should listen to those more knowledgeable than him in terms of management of the countrys economy instead of seeing them as threats.
This style of sending the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS) and other agencies of the Federal Government against anyone that offers suggestions on how to rescue the country from total collapse is not in the best interest of Nigeria and its suffering masses.
Instead of adopting the usual style of trying to silence them with EFCC or ICPC, the President should listen to them and take their advice on board because they are expert in economic matters.
It is no longer about politics. Rather, it is about preventing hunger from exterminating Nigerians and I am sure the president himself knows that hunger does not understand political parties.
A bag of rice that was less than N8,000 when President Buhari assumed office is now over N20,000. How can a civil servant that is earning N18, 000 minimum wage survive when his monthly salary cannot buy one bag of rice?
Even basic drugs and medicare are getting out the reach of the common people and the resultant effect of this will be avoidable deaths. As at today, a bag of cement is N2,200, increment of N600 on one bag in just one day. Within four months, exchange rate rose with more than 150 percent."
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi on Wednesday in Abuja.
Oyekanmi reported the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Sam Olumekun, as saying this at a meeting of an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Olumekun said that total number of registered voters in the state stood at 1,925,105.
`` Edo state has 18 Local Government Areas, six of which are riverine. The state has 192 Wards, 2,627 Polling Units and 4,011 Voting points, Olumekun said.
He added that the ``distribution of the old PVC was done simultaneously with the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between June 22 and 26, while distribution was continuing at the local government offices.
``New voters, numbering135, 877 registered during the exercise, but over 400,000 PVCs remained not collected, Olumekun said.
Olumekun assured that there was adequate number of smart card readers to conduct the Sept.10 governorship election in the state.
He said that the commission was fully prepared for the election as it had carried out its preparations in line with the provision of the Constitution and the Electoral Act .
Olumekun said that both the publication of the Voters Register and the presentation of soft copies to political parties took place on Aug.11.
``To fulfill the provisions of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, congresses of political parties were monitored between June 2 and July 4, while the observation of the ongoing political campaigns started since June 2, he said.
Olumekun added that the commission had also organised an enlightenment workshop when it noticed the use of hate speeches and unethical comments.
He added that the enlightenment workshop was quickly organised to remind party leaders of the sanctions applicable and the need to maintain decorum.
On his part, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, said about 22,603 policemen would be deployed for the election, aside several officers to be deployed by other security agencies.
Ezike added that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) was advised at a recent meeting to shelve the conduct of the 2016 Nov/Dec Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), scheduled for the election day.
He said that movement would be restricted in the state, it would be impossible for candidates writing the examination to move about to their respective centres.
He added that WAEC was also advised to relocate the candidates to nearby states for the examination.
Ezike, who described the election as a litmus test for the new Inspector-General of Police, said the police in the state began preparations several months ago.
``If there is a way we can mitigate violence, our election will be conclusive.
``Since September 2015, we have made 870 arrests, while 525 suspects have been charged to court.
``Over 248 individuals have renounced cultism and some 248 small arms have now been recovered, he added.
Ezike said that a show of force would be conducted on Aug. 31, while a number of helicopters would be deployed for surveillance purposes during the election.
``For the Edo election, we are good to go. We will not give room for ballot snatching and we will enforce the no-movement order to the letter.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who chaired the meeting, commended the Police for putting a robust security arrangement in place.
``If we can implement what you have on paper and presented to us at this meeting, then we can all look forward to a successful outing in Edo.
Makarfis position is contained in a statement issued by Dr Ibrahim Umar, his Special Adviser, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Makarfi said his attention was drawn to publications that the PDP had sued Justice Ibrahim Auta and Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court for delivering judgments against the party.
``We wish to state unequivocally that we are not part of the suit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
``Therefore, we are urging any loyal party member or groups that initiated the suit in question to immediately withdraw the suit.
``The PDP under Sen. Ahmed Makarfi has no reason to sue the honourable Justices of the Federal High Court.
``The party will continue to rely strongly on the judiciary as the last hope of the common man.
``We know fully that it is only our dependence on prudent court judgment that will continue to stabilise our democracy and bring about good governance.
``In the light of the above, the PDP has not instructed anyone or group of persons to file any case on its behalf.
``And, therefore PDP is not a party to Suit N0 9V/2239/2016 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Makarfi said.
He urged the public, PDP members and its supporters to note that the party was already taking appropriate legal steps to address previous dissenting rulings.
According to the APC, the PDP has no right to criticize Buhari because it is responsible for the current state of the economy.
The ruling partys comments were made via a statement released by National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni.
The statement reads:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) assures Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration remains solidly committed to resuscitating the economy in the quickest possible time and in the best interest of the people.
The statement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday is the latest in the Partys insensitive plot to deflect attention from the voodoo economics and reckless fiscal policies the country was subjected to during its 16-year rule.
For the umpteenth time, the PDP lacks the moral basis and credibility to comment or condemn the government on the economy after the mess it left behind. Instead, the PDP must apologize to Nigerians.
The warning signs were glaring to the immediate-past administration but it choose the path of economic sabotage by looking the other way and squandering the countrys commonwealth a reckless decision that has brought the country to its knees.
Nigerians will recall that even the immediate-past finance minister and coordinating minister of the economy, confessed that the zero political will to save under the immediate-past administration is responsible for the challenges facing the country.
Happily, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has embarked on well- thought economic agendas, policy actions, appropriate fiscal, governance, and socio-political reforms to revamp the economy and tackle the nations current challenges in the short to long term.
Under the new flexible foreign exchange policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in June 2016, we now have a single market-determined exchange rate which enables suppliers of foreign currencies to bring in their money and take the same out at market-determined rates. The new foreign exchange policy being implemented will ensure our economy recovers in the medium to long term.
As contained in the assented 2016 National Budget, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is aggressively formulating and implementing policies aimed at diversifying Nigerias economy from oil to other sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
The administration is also proactively tackling increased attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region which has led to disruptions in crude production.
The Presidents shuttle diplomacy has yielded positive effects on the countrys economic policies. As a result, several agreements concluded during the visits are positively impacting on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation.
The fight against corruption remains a top priority for the President Buhari APC-led administration. In spite of desperate attempts by some partisans to discredit anti-corruption efforts in some quarters, the war against corruption is being won and has been well-received and supported. The generality of Nigerians agree that the days of impunity are over.
Through the full implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the President Muhammadu Buhari APC-led administration, revenue leakages have been greatly plugged.
The new petroleum products supply and pricing framework which eliminated corruption-tainted subsidy payments has among others greatly solved fuel scarcities by ensuring availability of products at all locations in the country; reduced hoarding, smuggling and diversion substantially and stabilise price at the actual product price; encouraged investments in both Refineries and Retails; provided Government more revenue to address social and infrastructural needs of the country.
In line with the critical infrastructural focus of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, an unprecedented 30 per cent of 2016 budgetary provision has been committed to capital projects.
Tinubu made the comments via a statement released on Wednesday, August 31, 2016.
The statement reads:
All those who have entered the contested primary have a chance to win. In the end, as with any political contest, only one person will be chosen. At the end of a fair and transparent process, our champion in the state will be selected from among this excellent field.
The key to the victory resides in how well you conduct yourselves after the primary. Joined in unified and fraternal purpose, there is no gathering or alignment of forces in the state that can best you. You must choose the history you seek. This cannot and will not be done in Abuja or anywhere else for that matter.
You all know what is at stake. You all know what your conscience is telling you. There can be no excuses or failure this time. The APC is the way of progress. Thus, let us make this progress hand in hand, united in our belief that we can make Ondo better.
The APC must win the coming election and restore democracy and the virtues of public service to the seat of governance in the state. This is what the people desire and deserve. They have waited patiently. Now is the time to answer their call. This is our duty as a party and as people who care about their fellow man.
The APC must go into the governorship as united in focus and purpose. All else is secondary to this objective. The journey to re-establishing governance for the people and for posterity begins with the primary this Saturday.
Our mission is too important and too humane to allow ourselves to be divided or side-tracked. We must remember what is truly at stake. The process leading up to the primary has been robust and energetic. We have the good fortune of having numerous renown and able party members seek the nomination. This has led to keen competition. During such tight competition, tensions always mount and often-harsh things are spoken.
But this back and forth, this committed dialogue, is an integral part of the democratic process. And it is this process that we have enshrined and shall cherish in this party.
We must close ranks to achieve victory. The future of the state and of the party in the state should never be held ransom to insignificant personal animosities and perceived slights. We all must focus on what is more precious than our personal ambitions and more durable than our individual wishes. We must dedicate ourselves to uplifting this state and the very lives of the people of this state and nation. All is minor and a distraction in comparison to this sound goal.
ALSO READ: Ondo APC leaders vow to support candidate endorsed by Tinubu
Responding to a question on Facebook's plan for media, news and publishing platforms in Nigeria who are going through the transformation from news print to digital, Zuckerberg said, "After being here for a short period of time I do believe that theres no way Nigeria will not end up shaping what is being built around the world. Once people appreciate that, I think the whole world is going to be better of."
More to the question, Zuckerberg said he believes that Facebook needs to connect everyone by making sure that there is good content representing all cultures and languages.
He said for the Internet to be useful, there has to be good content that people understand and want to interact with - before expressing his delight at being able to check out Nollywood during this Lagos trip.
Zuckerberg said he understands that Nollywood is a national treasure adding that the ability to produce video content that is moving and emotional transcends boundaries.
He said this ability will help tell stories of the amazing innovation, engineering and culture present in Nigeria to the world.
Zuckerberg is in Lagos, Nigeria, where he has taken a stroll through the streets of Yaba and jogged on the Ikoyi-Lekki link bridge.
On Wednesday, he topped it up with expressing his undying love for Nigerian jollof rice, Nollywood and pounded yam at a developer Question and Answer session in Lagos.
Techies dont come any smoother than the American at the moment. Zuckerberg knows how to work and charm a crowd and there was plenty of that on display during this hangout.
It wasnt just the charm offensive and aura about Zuckerberg that struck me as he addressed developers, techies and the media this week, it was his ambition and drive at ensuring that the company he founded from a college dormitory at just 19 years of age, surpasses its current $350bn valuation and continues to redefine the way we live, work and play.
If you want to connect everyone else in the world, making sure that everyone has access to internet is a really important thing, Zuckerberg said, dressed in a T-shirt and jeanshis signature attire.
It turns out that across the world, more than half the population dont have access to internet. And here in Nigeria, thats true too.
So whether its connecting people with their friends and family or helping people start businesses, the internet is the most fundamental part of infrastructure that needs to exist, he added.
The young billionaire has since acquired mobile phone app Whatsapp and made it clear his vision is to kill the mobile text message as we know it.
There are about a billion people who use Whatsapp every month and there are about 5 billion people in the world who have phones and we kind of think that everyone who has a phone does text messaging, he said, pausing to ask if anyone in the room still communicated with the Short Messaging Code (SMS). Only one hand went up: that of a member of his staff.
You work at Facebook well see after the session, Zuckerberg joked, to plenty of laughter from the audience.
The goal is clear: Zuckerberg wants to replace the SMS with Whatsapp and at this rate, there appears to be no stopping him.
Zuckerberg joked and laughed as he took the questions, intermittently expressing how hes been wowed by the energy levels of the average Nigerian.
He told the story of how, while sampling a Nigerian delicacy alongside friends, they stumbled on snails in the broth.
Apparently, Zuckerbergs friends didnt fancy the snails and while they contemplated their next line of action which included passing off the Nigerian cuisine and asking for something else near Western, the billionaire Facebook owner made it clear he was going to have as many snails as possible because not only was this his first visit to Nigeria, it was also his first to Africa and he was going to make every moment and delicacy count, snails and all.
"Alright guys, he recalled telling his friends, I dont come to Nigeria often. Well eat the snails!
He recounted one Facebook success story that had everyone in the room in stitches.
On a stroll in a corner of the world, a couple ran into Zuckerberg, detailing the joy hes brought into their lives. This is my wife, Zuckerberg recalled the husband saying; and look, our son! I met my wife on Facebook thanks to you.
Zuckerbergs reaction was to grab the little Facebook offspring like his life depended on him.
Now a husband, Zuckerberg boasted of his nappy changing skills and how he keeps in touch with his little daughter back home through Facebook, during his travels around the world.
It was also part of the Zuckerberg charisma during the interactive session to hug some members of the audience who asked questions, tell a guy hell like to receive his business pitch and pass across his email; and motivate young developers and entrepreneurs in Nigeria not to be discouraged by failure.
Hes failed many times as well on his way to making the Forbes billionaire list, he reminded everyone.
Asked what he thinks of the future with Facebook playing an active role in it, Zuckerberg said: One of my best quotes is this: The best way to predict the future is to create it.
Nigeria will have a say in what the rest of the world shapes into in the next couple of years, Zuckerberg declared, thanks to the zeal, creativity and energy levels hes met everywhere hes turned up during his stay in the country.
Zuckerberg left the interactive session to meet with some of Nigerias actors in the local film industry and made it clear hell be a regular visitor to Nigeria in the years ahead because he absolutely loves it here.
There were also instances when Zuckerberg suggested hell be investing in Nigeria in the nearest future.
Theres an infectious aura about Zuckerberg that lifts the spirits. For a man whos connected billions of people around the world and whose ambition is to see every human on earth sign on to his social networking site, I left the interactive session even more certain that humanity will be eating from Zuckerbergs palms and those of his team for many more years to come.
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"If my recusal is the ultimate sacrifice that will move our country forward and end this current quagmire, I am herewith recusing myself from presiding over the plenary of the House of Representatives," Alex Tyler said in a statement.
Tyler, who is free on bail, denies all wrongdoing.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered in May an inquiry into Sable's attempt to acquire an iron ore concession in northern Liberia after the watchdog group Global Witness made accusations of wrongdoing in a report.
A grand jury in Liberia then indicted Sable Mining, its Chief Executive Officer Andrew Groves and five Liberians, including Tyler, on charges of bribery and using their positions to amend Liberia's public procurement and concessions law.
The defendants deny the charges. Groves said in June that the indictment was politically motivated.
The indictment did not specify how Sable Mining was alleged to have benefited from the change to the law.
In so-called Accomarca massacre in August 1985, 71 villagers died, including 23 children.
Soldiers stormed the town near Ayacucho in search of subversive material but found no ammunition, explosives or Shining Path propaganda, according to Peru's truth commission.
Troops led by officer Telmo Hurtado then separated men from a group of women and children, before ordering them shot and set on fire. Hurtado has admitted to the massacre but says he was following higher orders.
The Court sentenced Hurtado to 23 years in jail. He was arrested in the United States on immigration violations in 2007 and extradited to Peru to face charges related to the massacre in 2011.
Four other officials were sentenced to 24 or 25 years and several soldiers will face 10 years in jail. Only Hurtado is currently in custody.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan last week declined to obey a police summons linked to the probe into whether he had used the unit at the tax service to spy on politicians including President Jacob Zuma, saying he had done nothing wrong.
Gordhan's lawyers, Gildenhuys Malatji Inc., reiterated that the finance minister had offered to help police with their inquiries. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) had urged him on Tuesday to cooperate with the police.
Zuma has said he backs Gordhan but cannot stop the investigation, and some senior ANC party members have criticised the finance minister for not obeying the summons.
The ructions in government have weakened the currency and government bonds in an economy teetering on recession. The rand has fallen more than 8 percent since Aug. 23 when the elite police unit Hawks summoned Gordhan.
"The Minister responded fully to all the Hawks' enquiries, offered to provide any further assistance they might require and scrupulously acted in accordance with the law," Gordhan's lawyers said in a statement.
Gordhan is due to accompany Zuma to the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) leaders in China next week, the presidency said.
The row widened on Monday when the Treasury accused state-owned power utility Eskom of blocking a probe into its coal contracts with a company linked to the wealthy Gupta family. The opposition accuse the Guptas of holding undue political sway over Zuma, but Eskom and the Guptas have denied the claims.
The rand currency fell further on Wednesday when Futuregrowth, which manages client assets of around $12 billion, said it would no longer lend to six state-owned firms, including Eskom, citing political uncertainty raised by the investigation of Gordhan.
The ANC said on Thursday that it was "erroneous" to conclude that the state-owned companies were beset by corporate governance problems, but the main opposition party called Futuregrowth's decision a vote of no confidence in Zuma.
South African Airways (SAA) has failed to submit financial statements for the past two years, with results for 2015/16 held back by the Treasury's refusal to grant the carrier 5 billion rand ($340 million) in additional loan guarantees.
Word of the reappointment of SAA chair Dudu Myeni came a day after asset manager Futuregrowth said it had halted lending to state-owned firms over concerns of political interference in their administration.
"An announcement is to be made either today or tomorrow," the source said, adding that ministry officials opposed to Myeni's selection had however managed to push through some preferred candidates to the cash-strapped airline's new board.
Zuma last December denied rumours that he had an affair with Myeni. Local media had speculated that their ties had led to the sacking of then-finance minister Nhlanhla Nene, who had rebuked Myeni for mismanaging a 1 billion rand deal with Airbus.
Zuma's office at the time also criticised as a "malicious fabrication" reports that Nene was removed because Myeni was not happy with instructions from the respected ex-finance minister.
The presidency has defended a plan to form a new committee that would oversee state-owned enterprises like SAA, and be supervised by Zuma. Critics say that move would limit current Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's control over the firms.
Responding to speculation on Thursday that Myeni's contract would be extended, the main opposition Democratic Alliance said such a move would be "bad for SAA, bad for our economy and bad for ".
The rand has taken a knock this past week as investors fretted that Gordhan could be charged over the activities of a surveillance unit set up when he was head of the tax department. Police say the surveillance unit illegally spied on politicians.
Zuma has reaffirmed his support for Gordhan but cannot stop the investigation.
Cluster bombs, dropped by air or fired by artillery, scatter hundreds of bomblets across a wide area which sometimes fail to explode and are difficult to locate and remove, killing and maiming civilians long after conflicts end.
They pose a particular risk to children who can be attracted by their toy-like appearance and bright colours.
In 2015, cluster bombs killed 417 people, more than a third of them children, the Cluster Munition Coalition said, adding that the actual number of casualties was likely to be much higher.
"The suffering is still continuing and civilians continue to be the predominant victims of cluster bombs," said Jeff Abramson, programme manager at Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, which is part of the coalition.
"Unfortunately now we're seeing a new spate of people being injured at the time of attack, which is something that needs to be condemned very strongly," he told Thomson Reuters Foundation by telephone from Geneva.
Abramson did not give figures for 2014, saying data was constantly being revised due to difficulties in gathering it, especially in conflict zones like Syria.
The majority of cluster bomb casualties in 2015 were in Syria (248), followed by Yemen (104) and Ukraine (19), the coalition said in a report.
None of these countries are signatories of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of the weapons, it said.
The Convention, which came into force in 2010, also requires the destruction of stockpiles of cluster bombs and clearance of contaminated areas.
Since August 2015, five more countries - Colombia, Iceland, Palau, Rwanda and Somalia - have ratified the Convention, while Cuba and Mauritius acceded, bringing the total number of states that have signed or accepted the treaty to 119, the coalition said.
Public anger is rising in the southern African nation where citizens have in the last two months used social media to organise demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe, including the largest strike since 2007 on July 6.
On Wednesday, businesses, including banks, informal markets and shops were open, ignoring the strike call by social media groups #ThisFlag led by pastor Evan Mawarire and #Tajamuka, whose leader is in custody on public violence charges.
The strike action was called to protest government's planned introduction of local bank notes in October, acute cash shortages, delays in payment of public sector salaries and a police crackdown that has seen law enforcement agents using teargas, water cannon and batons to break-up protests.
Hardlife Mudzingwa, acting spokesman at #Tajamuka, slang in the Shona language for defiance, accused state security agents of going around the central business district and townships on Tuesday threatening to withdraw licences for businesses if they heeded the strike.
Mudzingwa said three people had been arrested for carrying anti-Mugabe placards in a Harare township.
"Given the little resources that we have, police brutality and threats by state security agents to businesses and around the townships, the shutdown was a success," said Mudzingwa.
He said #Tajamuka was now preparing for Friday's march, being planned by opposition parties to press Mugabe and the national election agency to create a level playing field ahead of the 2018 vote, which Mugabe plans to contest aged 94.
Human rights lawyers said 6 people had been arrested in the second largest city Bulawayo when they tried to protest.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba was not available to comment, while Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo said he had no comment on Mudzingwa's allegations.
There were fewer uniformed police on Harare's streets compared to previous demonstrations, and residents said they could not take part in the protest as they had bills to pay.
"Schools are opening next week and I am trying to raise money for fees, how will I do that if I stay at home?" said Johanne Garikai, a 32-year-old shoe vendor in central Harare.
The suspects were round up during a reconnaisance exercise in the area.
This is contained in a statement signed by Col. Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, August 31.
According to Usman, troops of 222 Battalion, 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army involved in the field training exercise of Operation Crocodile Smile carried out patrols in Ughelli South and Isoko South local government areas of Delta.
"Following intelligence report, a robust patrol team was dispatched to raid suspected criminal hideouts at Ehweru community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, this morning.
"The team was able to track down and arrest hoodlums known for terrorising commuters plying the East-West road between Ughelli to Patani.
"The team arrested 5 suspects which include Messrs Oruno Egbede, Atiyoyo Rewemuesere, Peter Kehinde, Wilson Godbless and Friday Odede and recovered 1 Locally made gun, 1 dagger and a cutlass from the suspects.
"As part of the training programme, the exercising unit would continue to dominate the general area with patrols and raids of reported or suspected hideouts of criminals, he said.
Similarly, Usman said at 3.45 a.m., another patrol team of the unit raided house number 4, Temile Street off Egor road in Ughelli, which served as the residence of Mr Gabriel Ogbudje, a supposedly ex-militant leader.
"Ogbudje is now leader of the Otugas Fire Force, a new militant group in the Niger Delta.
"Although still at large, he is suspected to be responsible for the recent acts of economic sabotage perpetrated at NPDC/shoreline major delivery trunk line within Ogor-oteri communities on Aug.29, he said.
However, Usman said Messrs Vincent Ekeke and Henry Koko alongside Mrs Racheal Abbah and Mrs Amaratefa Odada were found at the residence and were invited for questioning.
"The troops will continue to maintain vigilance, carry out raids and patrols as part of the training exercise in the general area as part of their routine activities to improve proficiency and professionalism.
African countries hit by conflict featured prominently in UNICEF's first global out-of-school ranking, with South Sudan coming joint second with Eritrea on the list. In both countries, 59 percent of children are out of school.
Last month UNICEF said a spike in the forced recruitment of child soldiers in South Sudan could be imminent amid fears the East Africa nation was on the brink of renewed civil war.
Although school is vital for children living in crises, education is one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals, the U.N. children's fund, UNICEF, said in a statement.
"For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over," UNICEF's chief of education Jo Bourne said in the statement.
"Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them."
Classroom routines can help children psychologically after witnessing atrocities, as well as safeguarding them from abuse, experts say.
A crisis fund was launched in May at the World Humanitarian Summit to increase funding for children missing out on school due to war and natural disasters.
The West African country of Liberia, which emerged from two civil wars in 2003, temporarily shut its schools to stop the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which ended in June.
The 18 million children in the 10 worst countries for access to primary school account for almost one third of the world's 61 million primary school-aged children who are out of school, UNICEF said.
Here are the top 10 countries in the world with the highest proportion of children missing out on primary school:
1) Liberia - 62 percent
2) South Sudan - 59 percent
3) Eritrea - 59 percent
4) Afghanistan - 46 percent
5) Sudan - 45 percent
6) Djibouti - 43 percent
7) Equatorial Guinea - 42 percent
8) Niger - 38 percent
9) Mali - 36 percent
5. Last chance for Tut
"The Discovery of King Tut" exhibit at Davenport's Putnam Museum & Science Center will go dark Monday. Since March 5, the collection of over 1,000 recreated objects and replicas of Tut's tomb have dazzled museum-goers. As Tut's reign ends in Davenport, you can still see the exhibit through Monday at the Putnam, 1717 W. 12th St., Davenport. Tickets range from $7 for children to $19 for adults. For more information, visit tutnam.org.
6. Thompson Square in Clinton
Keifer and Shawna Thompson, the married couple that make up Thompson Square, are headed to the Wild Rose Casino and Resort, 777 Wild Rose Drive, Clinton, at 8 p.m. Friday. Hear country hits such as Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not and Everything I Shouldnt Be Thinking About." Tickets, $35
One of the first times Tom Walljasper met the producer of Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, he received less-than positive notes.
Walljasper was a senior at Davenport's now-closed Marycrest College, and Denny Hitchcock visited his class to recruit for Circa '21.
"The first question he asked was who in the room had a family," Walljasper said. At 23, he was married with a young daughter. He was the only one to raise his hand.
"Denny looked at me and told me, 'You're going to have the hardest time making it in show business," Walljasper said.
Now, at 49, with two more daughters, the Davenport native likes to point something out to Hitchcock.
"To this day, I remind him I am the actor that has worked here more than any other actor," he said. "And to this day, I'm so thankful he gave me a shot."
Walljasper has snagged that title by a landslide, according to Brett Hitchcock, Circa's director of audience development.
In fact, as this week's "Million Dollar Quartet" kicks off, Walljasper has officially been a part of 80 productions with the Rock Island theater.
"I had to prove myself from the beginning," he said. "For a guy to live here and say he's made a living for 25 years is pretty cool."
Walljapser has done it all at Circa '21 managed the stage, small parts in children's shows and big roles but said his favorite is always the role he's playing in the present.
In "Million Dollar Quartet," which tells the real-life story of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins singing in one room for one night, Walljasper plays the music producer that gathered those icons together Sam Phillips.
You'll hear their hits, such as Blue Suede Shoes, Fever, Great Balls of Fire, Walk the Line, Hound Dog" and more.
"Million Dollar Quarter" presents a typical situation at Circa '21, where each of the four main musicians are out-of-town actors and Walljasper is deemed the "local guy," a term he hates.
"It's a psychological thing and kind of embarrassing," he said. "If the audience reads I live in Moline and there are other actors from all over ... we get pegged a certain way."
Still, he's proud he stayed in the Quad-Cities.
"I wasn't willing to sacrifice my family," Walljasper said. "I viewed it as a little bit selfish if I was going to go away."
Walljasper met his wife, Rachelle, on the first day of acting class in college. She was 17 and he was 19. Rachelle also has a long resume in Quad-City community theater.
"We have never been rich, but what we have been is around our family and happy," Walljasper said.
And, he's made a career out of acting by taking part in 25 consecutive seasons at Circa.
"This is show business, so the directors can do whatever they want each show they don't have to hire me at all," Walljasper said. "I have to audition just like every one else around the country."
Over and over, Walljasper keeps getting hired.
"It shows me I can hang with people from around the country," he said. "Circa is really one of the only paying gigs around here and sometimes you wonder about going to Chicago for pilot season or a bunch of auditions."
That would get in the way of his other gig stay-at-home dad.
"As an actor, sometimes you think about the different places you could be," he said. "But you have to pause and say, man, look at what you've achieved right here."
A man attempting to flee sheriffs deputies with a child in his car struck and killed a construction worker Thursday morning outside of Blue Grass.
Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard said the person who was killed worked for Valley Construction, Rock Island.
The Scott Emergency Communications Center received a call at 10:10 a.m. of a reckless driver speeding on U.S. 61.
Conard said a Scott County Sheriffs deputy was in the area and saw the vehicle traveling east on U.S. 61, still at a high rate of speed. The deputy attempted to turn around and pursue the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle entered a construction zone on U.S. 61, east of Blue Grass. He attempted to turn off U.S. 61 onto Coon Hunters Road, entering the construction work area, where he struck the worker before coming to a rest off the pavement, Conard said.
Conard also said that at one point during the incident, the deputy drew her gun, but he declined to offer more details.
Blue Grass Fire Department and Medic Ambulance were immediately requested.
The driver of the suspect vehicle was detained without incident and also suffered injuries related to the crash, Conard said.
Police learned that a child was in the suspect vehicle at the time of the accident, according to updated information released Thursday afternoon by the sheriffs office.
The construction worker, suspect driver and child were all transported to the hospital. The sheriff's office was notified the construction worker was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Injuries of the driver and child were unknown. Police did not identify the driver or the age of the child.
Valley Construction declined to make a statement.
Blue Grass Police Department, Buffalo Police Department, Walcott Police Department, Davenport Police Department, Scott County Conservation, Iowa State Patrol and Iowa Department of Transportation also assisted at the scene. The Iowa State Patrol is conducting the accident investigation.
A Davenport man already on probation for felony drug and escape convictions and a known gang member was arrested Wednesday for peddling heroin and possessing a loaded firearm as a felon as he went to meet his probation officer, Scott County Sheriffs investigators said.
Eugene Williams Jr., 21, of 1111 E. 39th St., Apt. 111, is charged with one count of a controlled substance violation for possessing with the intent to deliver heroin. The charge is a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Williams also is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony. Each of those charges is a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
Authorities said they received a tip that Williams was in possession of drugs and a firearm and began an investigation.
During a search of Williams home, authorities seized a quantity of marijuana, packaging materials and a digital scale with heroin residue on it, according to the arrest affidavit filed by Scott County Sheriffs investigators.
When Williams went to see his probation officer at the Iowa Department of Corrections at 605 Main St., Davenport, he smelled of marijuana and was detained, according to the arrest affidavit. Williams was found to have $1,294 in cash and authorities seized his cellphone and vehicle.
A search warrant was obtained for Williams 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix. According to the arrest affidavit, authorities seized 0.35 of a gram of heroin and a loaded C9 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, which contained 15 rounds of ammunition plus one round in the chamber of the gun. Authorities also seized a box containing 33 rounds of 9mm ammunition. There also was a quantity of marijuana blunts for smoking.
A search of Williams cellphone showed conversations about drug sales, as well as his co-conspirators in the sale of heroin and other drugs.
According to the arrest affidavit, Williams is a known member of the Savage Life street gang. During the investigation, according to the affidavit, Williams threatened to have Savage Life members shoot police, and Williams threatened to shoot police when he gets out of jail.
Williams was convicted in 2013 for possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance, cocaine, and for escape in 2014, according to Scott County District Court electronic records.
Williams was being held Wednesday night in the Scott County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond.
A Davenport man arrested in June after police say they found crack cocaine and cocaine in a vehicle he was driving has been indicted on federal charges.
Dajuan William Parnell, 21, is charged in U.S. District Court, Davenport, with possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
A grand jury handed up the two-count indictment on July 20. Parnell made an initial appearance Wednesday. A trial has been tentatively set for Oct. 31.
According to the Iowa State Patrol:
About 3:20 a.m. June 12, a trooper saw a black 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo drive eastbound through a red light at River Drive and Brady Street and through a red light at River Drive and Perry Street and turned into a parking lot at a high rate of speed.
The trooper followed the car into the parking lot before coming back out onto River Drive. The Monte Carlo took off after the trooper turned on his emergency lights and sirens.
At West 32nd and Harrison streets, the Monte Carlo lost control, hit the troopers car twice and a telephone pole, and eventually came to a stop.
The driver, later identified as Parnell, grabbed several plastic baggies containing a white substance and fled the vehicle on foot.
His passenger, Brandon Jamal Malone, 23, of Maywood, Illinois, also fled the car. Both were arrested a short time later.
A search of the car turned up a Smith & Wesson handgun that was stolen in Davenport in 2013, 73.7 grams of crack cocaine and 12.3 grams of powder cocaine, according to the Iowa State Patrol.
Parnell was charged in Scott County District Court with possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, two counts of drug tax stamp violation, felon in possession of a firearm, felony eluding, failure to obey a traffic signal, reckless driving and no insurance.
Online court records show he has a final pretrial conference Nov. 2 in that case.
Malone pleaded guilty to interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor, and was given credit for time served in the Scott County Jail.
The East Moline Police Department is investigating a shooting Wednesday in the 600 block of 16th Avenue.
Police received a 911 call about 2 p.m. Officers who responded to the scene found several handgun shell casings in the south alley.
No injuries were reported.
The Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation Unit was called in to collect evidence. Investigators also are conducting a canvas of the area to identify witnesses.
Anyone with information is asked to call 309-752-1555 or Crime Stoppers at 309-762-9500.
-- Times staff
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.
Mark Burns has done well for himself as a Donald Trump surrogate.
The African American pastor, in his Twitter bio, says he "can be seen on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC & Fox Business Network" and provides a link to a Time profile titled "Meet Donald Trump's Top Pastor." He got a speaking slot at the Republican convention, and the Trump campaign has sent out his quotes validating the candidate.
On Monday, this Trump mouthpiece took it upon himself to tweet a cartoon of Hillary Clinton in blackface, holding a sign proclaiming "#@!** THE POLICE" and saying, "I ain't no ways tired of pandering to African-Americans."
In the ensuing (and predictable) backlash, Trump senior adviser Boris Epshteyn tried to disown the surrogate, telling MSNBC's Kristen Welker that Burns "speaks for himself." Burns, unchastened, called in to the same show to defend himself, saying "we're not playing the political PC game to make you feel good." Only hours later did he delete the offending image and tweet: "I want to Apologize for my Twit."
But there's no way to apologize for all of the twits speaking for Trump.
Trump's surrogates are a decidedly B-list group of Trump supporters who argue his case on the airwaves. Though all presidential campaigns have surrogate networks, Trump has a complication: Credentialed conservatives and elected Republicans generally won't defend him. And so the cable news outlets scrape the bottom of the barrel to find people willing to make Trump's case. Little wonder veteran GOP operative Kevin Kellems quit as head of Trump's surrogate operation earlier this summer after less than two weeks on the job.
As Burns was provoking the blackface brouhaha, CNN was dealing with an ethical morass over Trump surrogate Corey Lewandowski, whom CNN put on contract as a commentator after he was ousted as Trump's campaign manager. But it turned out Lewandowski continued to be paid $20,000 a month by the campaign; "severance," the campaign said. Late Monday, ABC News reported that Lewandowski -- still with CNN -- was back to advising Trump, talking to the candidate almost every day and "running the show" at Trump rallies.
Yet Lewandowski is hardly the most exotic animal in Trump's surrogate circus.
Al Baldasaro, a surrogate for Trump on veterans' issues, said in a radio interview that Clinton should be "put in the firing line and shot for treason." He also suggested Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who spoke at the Democratic convention, is a "Muslim Brotherhood agent."
Surrogate Scottie Nell Hughes, a TV regular, said after Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Kaine spoke in Spanish: "I'm hoping I'm not going to have to start kind of brushing up on my 'Dora the Explorer' to understand some of the speeches."
Rudy Giuliani, once revered as "America's mayor," has become a punchline as Trump surrogate for playing doctor on Fox News: "Go online and put down 'Hillary Clinton illness.' Take a look at the videos for yourself."
Surrogate Omarosa Manigault, once a contestant on "The Apprentice," defended violence against demonstrators at Trump events: "You get what's coming to you." Andrew Dean Litinsky, also a former "Apprentice" contestant, defended a 78-year-old Trump supporter who sucker-punched a black protester at a Trump event: "It looks like good exercise."
On CNN, surrogate Jeffrey Lord has distinguished himself by saying the Ku Klux Klan is "a function of the left." After Trump said the U.S.-born judge in a case against him was a "Mexican" whose heritage disqualified him, Lord said those criticizing Trump were the real racists. And young Trump surrogate Kayleigh McEnany cheerfully defended waterboarding as a "bit of discomfort."
Paid mouthpieces for the Trump campaign don't fare a whole lot better. Trump lawyer Michael Cohen last year defended Trump against an old allegation by his first wife by falsely saying "you cannot rape your spouse." Cohen recently became an Internet star when, asked on CNN about Trump's poor poll numbers, he responded repeatedly and nonsensically: "Says who?"
Then there's national spokeswoman (and reality TV star) Katrina Pierson, whose pre-Trump days include 2012 tweets asking if 9/11 was "an inside job" and lamenting that both President Obama's and Mitt Romney's fathers were born abroad. "Any pure breeds left?" she asked.
This month on CNN, she blamed the death of Army Capt. Humayun Khan (Khizr's son) on Obama and Clinton: "It was under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that changed the rules of engagement that probably cost his life."
Khan died in 2004, during George W. Bush's first term. But no matter: In Trump's surrogate circus, anything goes.
Have you ever received a suspicious call asking for credit card information or an e-mail requesting urgent financial help? Unfortunately, its likely that most of us have encountered identity theft or financial fraud in some form or another.
According to a recent Morgan Stanley poll of 752 high-net-worth investors, identity theft is a top of mind issue . More than 7 in 10 of those surveyed ranked identity theft as the issue they are most concerned about, even ahead of terrorism and major illness .
Though identity theft and financial fraud can be common issues, many people fail to take adequate protection measures until its too late. Here are a few reasons why securing our personal and financial information should be a top priority for all of us.
Everyone is at risk
Identity theft and financial fraud knows no age or demographic. While some may say that certain groups, such as the elderly, are more vulnerable, it can happen to anyone at any time. Losing your Social Security card or failing to shred confidential documents may lead to identity theft, but sometimes, it can be caused by something as simple as clicking on a link or responding to a survey. In many cases, identity thieves may hack into your personal information without you even knowing.
Technology can increase vulnerability
While there are many advantages to living in a high tech and connected world, the advances in technology have also created new avenues for identity. Failing to regularly update passwords and pins or forgetting to log out of a public computer or workspace can help identity thieves get access to your personal information more easily .
It is also important to consider the impact of social media on the security of our personal information. The ability to post photos, share updates and connect with people across the globe is fascinating, but can also carry risk . Sharing something as simple as an address, phone number and even concert or airline tickets on social media can expose personal information that may place you in the crosshairs of a hacker.
It can be difficult to keep up with the advances in technology. It seems like every day, a new program, app, gadget or system is being unveiled. While it may be exciting to own and operate these new technologies, failing to comprehend the intricacy or extent of capabilities may increase your vulnerability to identity theft.
The outcome
In addition to creating a financial headache and requiring extensive cleanup, falling victim to identity theft can impact your finances in other ways. For example, you may have trouble applying for loans, opening a new credit card or even buying a car. Much of the effort youve made to manage your finances and stay on a path toward your long term goals can be adversely affected by an incidence of identity theft.
How can I protect myself?
Always monitor your accounts and call your bank should you notice anything out of the ordinary. In addition, it is advisable to request your credit score a few times per year . Consider subscribing to either online password managers or credit monitoring services. Avoiding common pins and passwords such as your birthday and anniversary can also help to protect your information.
If you notice any unusual activity, dont hesitate to act. Getting out in front of identity theft and financial fraud early can help to mitigate the outcome.
While the risk of identity theft may always present, working diligently to keep your personal and financial information secure can not only save a great deal of time and stress, but can also help to keep your finances on track this year and beyond.
SPRINGFIELD The Illinois State Board of Elections says it will mail notices to about 700 voters whose records were viewed during a cyberattack on the states voter registration database earlier this summer.
It is strongly suspected that another 86,000 records were viewed, the board said in a statement issued Wednesday, and staff is working to identify those voters, who will be notified within 30 days. The board thinks another 3,533 records were viewed that it wont be able to identify.
If a voters records were viewed, hackers could have obtained the voters name, address and date of birth, the boards statement said. If the voter provided a phone number, email address, drivers license number or the last four digits of his or her social security number when registration occurred, that information may also have been viewed.
The board remains confident that no voter information was altered or deleted from the database during the attack, which was first detected in mid-July and led to a two-week shutdown of the states online voter registration system. The board also has confirmed that no voter history information or signature images were taken from the database.
Ken Menzel, the boards general counsel, said earlier this week that as many as 200,000 records may have been accessed, but Wednesdays statement suggests the intrusion, which was of unknown origin, was more limited.
It appears that approximately one-half of one percent of the records in the database were viewed, and many of those only contained information that is otherwise publicly available from other sources, according to the boards statement.
The elections board is cooperating with an ongoing FBI investigation. The FBI issued an alert to election authorities across the country in mid-August in the wake of the Illinois attack and another in Arizona.
The elections board says any voter who thinks he or she is the victim of identity theft should contact the Illinois attorney generals identity theft hotline at 866-999-5630.
DES MOINES A Des Moines churchs attorney told a federal judge Wednesday that Iowa is the only state that is attempting to enforce sexual orientation and gender identity public accommodations standards for religious institutions even if they conflict with the house of worships beliefs and practices.
This is unprecedented, said Steve OBan, a lawyer with Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), who urged U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose to grant injunctive and declaratory relief stopping the potential for government interference with Fort Des Moines Church of Christs exercise of its religious freedom. This has never happened before.
The church and its advocates are challenging an Iowa Civil Rights Commission position on gender identity protections they regard as intrusive, saying they fear the panels subjective interpretation of states anti-discrimination law could allow it to sift through the churchs religious practices in violation of constitutional protections.
However, Molly Weber, an assistant Iowa attorney general, said the churchs pre-enforcement challenge lawsuit was a case of unreasonable fear over hypothetical state action that has not been contemplated regarding the operation of religious institutions.
The states attorney argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed because the federal court had no jurisdiction given that no controversy currently exists over the application or enforcement of Iowas public accommodation law under the states Civil Rights Act, there is no claim on which relief can be granted, and the church failed to exhaust its administration remedies by bringing the issue before the commission rather than taking the issue straight to court.
Its a kitchen sink approach, frankly, Weber said of the churchs legal challenge to
The legal action was touched off by wording in a commission publication providing guidance for a 2007 law that expanded Iowas civil rights act to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the classifications protected from discrimination. A question-and-answer section in the commission publication asked if the law applied to churches and answered by saying: Sometimes. Iowa law provides that these protections do not apply to religious institutions with respect to any religion-based qualifications when such qualifications are related to a bona fide religious purpose. Where qualifications are not related to a bona fide religious purpose, churches are still subject to the laws provisions (e.g. a child care facility operated at a church or a church service open to the public).
Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, the commission revised its Web site to note that places of worship, such as churches, synagogues, mosques, are generally exempt from the Iowa laws prohibition of discrimination, unless the place of worship engages in non-religious activities which are open to the public. For example, the law may apply to an independent day care or polling place located on the premises of the place of worship.
During Wednesdays hearing, Weber conceded the commission language was awkward in places but generally shielded bona fide religious purposes and activities, although she said there were facts and circumstances that would have to be decided on a case by case basis such as when churches are used as polling places during elections or rent their facilities for functions unrelated to their religious tenets.
However, OBan countered that the commissions guidelines are vague and subjective, telling the judge that vagueness has had and continues to have a chilling effect on my clients First Amendment rights. While the case dealt solely with the Des Moines church, a sizable number of interested spectators who attended the court hearing as spectators were pastors of churches in other Iowa communities.
Iowa really is an outlier, your honor, OBan told the federal judge.
Michelle Mackel-Wiederanders, an attorney representing the city of Des Moines also named in the lawsuit noted the state commissions brochure was not a legal advisory opinion and said there was no concrete actual or imminent threat of enforcement based upon the wording of a leaflet or complaints from religious entities filed with the city. Were in the land of hypotheticals, she said.
Rose noted that the public accommodations issues for churches carried a different connotation when they are used as polling places where members of the public cast votes in government-run elections. She said an easy fix to that complication would be for government entities to seek out other locations to conduct the secular balloting.
Rose told the attorneys at the close of Wednesdays hearing that she would issue on opinion on the churchs request for injunctive relief as quickly as possible.
NATION
Dallas police chief to retire
Dallas police Chief David Brown announced his retirement Thursday, bringing an end to a tenure marked by clashes with police unions but perhaps most notably by widespread praise for his response to a July sniper attack that killed five officers.
Brown issued a statement saying he will retire Oct. 22 after 33 years with Dallas police and six years as chief. He was not immediately available for additional comment.
"I became a Dallas cop in 1983 because of the crack cocaine epidemic's impact on my neighborhood," he said in the statement. "I wanted to be part of the solution. Since that time I have taken great pride in knowing that we have always been part of the solution and helped to make Dallas the world class city it is today."
Hawaii dodges one storm, prepares for another
A tropical storm left parts of Hawaii's Big Island soggy but intact Thursday as residents of the island state prepared for a second round of potentially volatile tropical weather.
Hawaii Island was pummeled with heavy rains and powerful waves overnight, but residents woke to blue skies and little damage after Madeline skirted the island. Hurricane Lester remains on track to impact the islands this weekend, but possibly after being downgraded to a tropical storm.
"So, really grateful for this respite today. I saw the sun this morning when I was driving into work," Kanani Aton, a spokeswoman for the Hawaii County civil defense agency, said Thursday.
2 die in shooting at outlet mall
A shooter killed the manager of a clothing store whom he knew before turning the gun on himself Thursday at an Atlantic City outlet mall, officials said.
The shooter was alive after the shooting around noon at The Walk, but investigators didn't release additional details on his condition. The man shot the store manager of a Zumiez store before fleeing across the street and shooting himself at a second store, officials said.
The mayor said the shooter and victim knew each other, but their relationship wasn't immediately clear.
"This is not related to any other issue with gangs or terrorism," Mayor Don Guardian said. "It was a domestic."
WORLD
Pakistan foils terror group plan
Pakistan has foiled a bid by the Islamic State group to expand its network into this predominantly Muslim country, with the military arresting 309 suspects, including IS members from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, a military spokesman said Thursday.
The remarks by Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa were a rare admission of IS presence in Pakistan, where officials have long insisted that the extremist group has no footprint. Earlier, Pakistani officials had insisted that IS has no presence in the country.
Bajwa told reporters at a press conference in the capital, Islamabad, that among those arrested were 25 foreigners all from countries where the Sunni militant group has an established presence.
He did not provide details of when and where the arrests were made but he said they came during military operations. Pakistan had stepped up military operations across the country and specifically in the northwestern tribal regions bordering Afghanistan after the 2014 Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar that killed 156 people, mostly children.
Moms protest baby formula shortage
With crying babies in their arms, dozens of Egyptian mothers rallied on Thursday on a major Cairo road, blocking traffic to denounce severe shortages of subsidized baby formula, a protest underscoring how austerity measures aimed at healing the country's budget deficit are hitting ordinary Egyptians hard.
Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund granted Egypt a $12 billion loan over three years. Details have not been released but cuts in subsidies and new taxes are believed to be part of the government's reform program that was critical in securing the loan, which is still subject to approval by IMF's executive board.
The deal is aimed at helping stabilize Egypt's falling currency, reduce the budget deficit and government debt, boost growth and create jobs. But subsidy cuts have a history of stoking unrest in Egypt.
At Thursday's rally in eastern Cairo, some of the mothers broke into tears while displaying empty milk bottles to reporters as they stood for hours on the asphalt with no protection from the scorching sun.
From temperature to topsoil, it's important for farmers and ranchers to keep a weather eye on, well, the weather.
That's where mesonets, rural weather stations operated by South Dakota State University Extension, come in.
Nathan Edwards, mesonet manager with the SDSU Extension, defined a mesonet as a high-frequency, high-density weather network.
"We kind of fill in the gaps in coverage and in sampling," Edwards said.
He said many weather stations, including the National Weather Service's, are located in more populated areas at the nearest airport, for example. He said that data is usually updated hourly, and farmers and ranchers in rural areas often need more data types, and need them more frequently.
That is what the 26 mesonet stations in South Dakota, including the one in Nisland, provide. Such stations and the data they provide will be on display tonight during a free seminar Edwards is holding at 7 p.m. at the Butte Electric Co-op Conference Room in Newell.
Edwards aims to inform the general public and farmers and ranchers about how they can get more accurate weather data for their area. He said the station updates every 10 minutes and has radar, so it is useful in severe weather situations and for those in agriculture to determine things like when conditions are ideal for planting, harvesting and irrigating.
"Farmers' livelihood depends on this, so they need to know where their weather data comes from, and they need to know the strengths and limitations of the different data sources theyre using so they can leverage that for greater utility and decision making in their operations," Edwards said.
The station provides data like soil temperature, wind conditions and how much water a crop is using every day. This data is also useful for climatologists like Laura Edwards, acting state climatologist with SDSU Extension.
"One thing I use it for, from a climatologist perspective, is drought conditions," she said. "From my point of view, you can never have enough stations."
She said they use data from the mesonet for temperature and rainfall, "so we know if the drought is getting better or worse."
The Nisland station in rural Butte County, in particular, was really dry in spring and in summer, which helped verify some changes on the U.S. Drought Monitor Map. She said having that accurate, local data is especially important for agriculture because of Farm Service Agency programs that tie assistance to the drought monitor.
After a summer that was mostly hot and dry, recent rains have eased drought conditions in some parts of the Rapid City region, but not everywhere.
The moisture has helped improve drought conditions in parts of Butte, Lawrence, Meade and Pennington counties and in northern Crook County in Wyoming, said Melissa Smith, hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Rapid City. However, Fall River County's drought condition has worsened in the past two weeks.
As far as the Nisland area, drought conditions have been holding steady, Laura Edwards said. But just south of the area has received a bit more rain lately.
The rains over much of the area have been a welcome sight, Smith said. And more is in the forecast for the Rapid City area and much of western South Dakota this holiday weekend.
Increasing chances for thunderstorms start Friday and continue through much of next week, Smith said. But that also brings the potential for lightning, which has caused several large fires this summer.
"Because we have dry conditions and taller grasses, we have to watch out for lightning starting new fires," Smith said.
Several large wildfires in the area this summer were started by lightning, including the Crow Peak Fire in Spearfish that burned over 2,700 acres, the Indian Canyon Fire in Edgemont that burned over 14,000 acres and several others in Wyoming.
Smith said the data from the mesonet is especially useful, because it provides information on things like soil moisture levels that they don't get anywhere else.
"That's whats nice about those weather stations," Smith said.
Soil moisture is a factor in determining the levels of drought, which for western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming are currently in a range from D0, or abnormally dry, to D3, or extreme drought. The majority of the area falls within the D1 to D2 range, or moderate and severe drought. The scale goes up to D4 (exceptional drought).
Laura Edwards said a more long-range look for winter shows La Nina conditions, which indicate a colder than average winter, but does not provide much insight into future moisture levels.
And while we are entering the typically drier time of year, Smith is optimistic about the potential moisture in September.
"With it being early September, we can still see strong thunderstorms, which could result in a lot of moisture for the area," she said.
Information from the mesonet can be found at climate.sdstate.edu.
PIERRE | Gov. Dennis Daugaard wont make any statement about filling the legislative vacancy created by the death of a Pennington County lawmaker until after the funeral Friday, the governors spokesman said Wednesday.
Daugaard has asked that flags fly at half-staff on Friday until sunset in honor of Rep. Dan Dryden, R-Rapid City.
Dryden, 72, died Tuesday from cancer.
The governor could appoint a successor to serve the remainder of Drydens current term, which runs until the start of the 2017 session on Jan. 10. Depending on what happens in the November election, the governor could be naming a person to fill the seat for the next two years.
Dryden was seeking re-election to the House of Representatives. He has served in the House since 2011. Because the replacement deadline has passed, Drydens name will be on the 2016 general-election ballot.
He is one of two Republican candidates for the two House seats representing District 34. The other Republican is Craig Tieszen of Rapid City, who is term-limited in the Senate and trying to switch to the House.
One Democratic candidate is running. He is Steve Stenson, of Rapid City.
The top two vote getters from those three would be the winners of the two House seats. If Dryden was one of the top two, then the governor could appoint a replacement to serve the new two-year term.
Dryden finished first with 5,233 votes in the 2014 race, followed by Republican Jeff Partridge with 4,533 and Stenson with 2,735. Partridge is running for the Senate this year in a swap arrangement with Tieszen.
Dead candidates have won past elections in South Dakota.
Sen. Dick Hagen, D-Pine Ridge, died Sept. 22, 2002, while running for re-election. He won the general election with 81 percent of the vote against Republican Larry Wright.
In that instance, then-Gov. Bill Janklow didnt act to fill the vacancy before the election. Instead, new Gov. Mike Rounds appointed Republican Michael LaPointe, of Mission, on Jan. 7, 2003. LaPointe lost in the 2004 election.
Ten years ago, Jerauld County voters elected a woman who had been dead two months to a seat on the county commission, defeating an incumbent.
Janklow, who served four terms as governor, holds the South Dakota record for most legislative appointments with 20. Eight came during his first two terms 1979-1986 and 12 came during his final two terms 1995-2002.
The current vacancy would be the 12th filled by Daugaard since he took office in 2011, tying him with Janklow for most during a two-term period.
Archie Gubbrud, who served four years as governor when a term was two years, made 10 legislative appointments. Frank Farrar, who served a two-year term as governor, made nine. Dick Kneip, who served seven-plus years as governor, made nine.
Next were Janklows eight during his first eight years, followed by Gov. George S. Mickelsons seven during his five years and Rounds with seven during his eight years.
Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced Thursday that Jim Seward will leave his position as general counsel to the governor later this fall.
Seward joined the Daugaard transition team in 2010 and has served as general counsel since 2011. He said he will join Black Hills Corporation in Rapid City.
"I would say that while I will greatly miss the governor and his family and staff, I am really looking forward to getting back to the Hills," Seward said Thursday.
Amy Estes, Black Hills Corporation senior manager of community affairs, said she looks forward to working with the former Butte County state's attorney who remains active in the South Dakota National Guard as a lieutenant colonel.
The governor praised Seward's time in the Capitol, describing him as a valued member of his executive committee.
Jim led our states efforts to reform the criminal justice system and our ongoing efforts to repeal unnecessary statutes and rules," Daugaard said. "He has been a trusted confident and advisor and more importantly a good friend. I will miss him, but I wish him the very best.
Sewards last day will be Oct. 31.
I want to thank the governor for his leadership and friendship, said Seward. It has been an honor and a blessing to serve him, his staff and cabinet and the people of South Dakota.
WASHINGTON | Much of the criticism of Hillary Clinton over her emails and her family's foundation is unfairly harsh. But the Clintons themselves invite such scrutiny and suspicion.
First, the emails. Months of investigation turned up essentially nothing worthy of being called a scandal. Unless you doubt the integrity of FBI director James Comey and I don't any mishandling of classified information was so minimal that "no reasonable prosecutor" would seek to pursue a case. And the FBI found no evidence, Comey said, that foreign adversaries or anyone else ever hacked their way into Clinton's emails.
That's the bottom line, no matter what critics might claim. Ordinarily, such findings would put the whole matter to rest. But they didn't, largely because of Clinton's own actions and words.
As she has acknowledged, she never should have decided to reject an official State Department email account and instead use a personal account on her family's private server. Clinton's explanation that she took this highly unorthodox step for "convenience" is as hollow as they come.
As I have written, it seems obvious that she wanted total control of her electronic correspondence probably to make sure that no personal emails would ever become part of the public record. Did this reflect an obsession with secrecy? Did she have something to hide?
Before drawing conclusions, remember this: It's not paranoia if enemies really are out to get you. The Clintons have been doggedly pursued by their foes for decades. It's understandable that they would try to avoid giving any ammunition to their adversaries.
But rather than come out and say that, Clinton has sought to convince us she did nothing different from what previous secretaries of state had done. This came as a surprise to previous secretaries of state, not one of whom used a personal email server. Why does Clinton keep coming back to this empty rationalization? I have no idea.
Given the political trouble the emails have given her, I believe Clinton when she says that if she had it to do over again, she would just use a State Department account and forget the private server. But there is still a defensiveness in her explanations that makes me wonder if her contrition is more situational than genuine. I'm sorry this caused me such grief isn't the same as I'm sorry I did it.
The other faux scandal for which Clinton is being pilloried involving the Clinton Foundation and her State Department appointment calendar has even less substance.
Step back for a moment. Bill and Hillary Clinton established a charitable foundation that even critics say has done much good work. One signature accomplishment is making it possible for millions of people in poor countries to have access to low-cost, lifesaving anti-HIV drugs. The Clintons have donated millions of dollars from their own pockets to the foundation over the years.
In a sane world, this would be considered laudable. In fact, Donald Trump who now paints the Clinton Foundation as some kind of criminal conspiracy made a donation of $100,000 to the Clintons' charity through his own foundation. Clearly he thought highly of the Clintons' work at the time.
But now Trump and others allege a "pay to play" scheme in which big donors to the foundation got access to Clinton while she was secretary of state. To my eye, however, this charge is ludicrous because so many of the donors in question would surely have obtained an audience with the secretary of state anyway.
One foreign luminary often cited as having paid to play is Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa of Bahrain, whose nation had donated to the foundation. The prince was having trouble getting an appointment with Clinton through normal channels, but obtained the meeting after someone from the foundation alerted a top Clinton aide.
What that summary omits is that Bahrain is host to a U.S. naval base that provides our major military presence in the Persian Gulf. Having decided to stick with the Bahraini royals despite popular protests against their rule, there was no way the secretary of state would ultimately leave the crown prince cooling his heels.
Of course, Clinton could have avoided such questions by building an impermeable wall between the foundation and the State Department. But no, the Clintons do not believe in impermeable walls. I wish they would get religion.
Hillary Clinton is running against a man who is wholly unqualified to be president. So she must win. But she also must learn.
The August sun is a smoky red ball, reminding Montanans of the fires that have destroyed homes and curtailed business. It's so dry in parts of Montana, Wyoming, California and other Western states that big fires are likely to burn until autumn snow falls.
The destruction is costly, and so is the firefighting. One year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on the rising cost of fire operations and how it affected the Forest Service's other work. The USDA summed up the problem of "the depletion of non-fire programs to pay for the ever-increasing costs of fire." This has resulted in:
Less money for restoration work that would help prevent catastrophic fires.
Less protection of watersheds and cultural resources.
Reduced upkeep of programs and infrastructure that support thousands of recreation jobs and billions of dollars economic growth in rural communities.
Reduced support for the range of multiple uses, benefits and ecosystem services.
Firefighting staff has increased from 5,700 in 1998 to more than 12,000 in 2015. Meanwhile, non-firefighting forest workers have been reduced by 39 percent from 18,000 in 1998 to fewer than 11,000 last year.
Every non-firefighting program has been slashed. Forest road-building has been reduced 46 percent. Deferred maintenance funding was cut 95 percent despite a backlog of more than $5.1 billion in dam repairs, roads, sewer and water system improvements.
The report concluded with the solution that Congress has been delaying for years: Change the way we pay for wildfire fighting. Treat wildfires as the natural disasters they are.
In June, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., spoke on behalf of the Wildfire Budgeting, Response and Forest Management Act. The first thing it would do, according to a Daines news release, is "end the unsustainable practice of fire borrowing by enabling a transfer of limited funds to the Forest Service and the Department of Interior through a budget cap adjustment when all appropriated suppressions funding (100 percent of the 10-year average) has been exhausted."
Last week in Billings, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., reaffirmed his support for the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. He noted that wildfire costs consumed 52 percent of the Forest Service budget last year, compared with 16 percent 20 years ago.
The Wildfire Disaster Funding Act has 21 co-sponsors. In introducing the bill, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said its purpose is to "ensure that federal agencies have the resources and funding they need to not only fight the wildfires that erupt yearly in our nation's forests, but to effectively manage forests to prevent future infernos."
Lawmakers must stop the "fire borrowing" before another wildfire season begins. We call on Daines and Tester to work together to unite other Western senators and pass wildfire disaster legislation this year.
MOSCOW, September 1 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) The Moscow City Court has upheld the ruling of a lower court, which refused to change a suspended sentence for opposition politician Alexei Navalny in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case to imprisonment, RAPSI learned in the courtroom on Thursday.
Representative of the prosecution has supported a motion to change Navalnys suspended term to an actual imprisonment because his violations are allegedly systematic in nature. According to the penitentiary agency, Navalny has regularly failed to register at a local penitentiary inspection office.
Navalny himself did not come to the hearings.
Earlier the Lyublinsky District Court of Moscow has refused to change a suspended term for Navalny.
Navalny and his brother Oleg were convicted of committing fraud against cosmetics company Yves Rocher Vostok. Investigators alleged that the Navalny brothers embezzled over 26 million rubles (about $400,000 at current exchange rates) from the cosmetics company, as well as close to 4 million rubles ($61,500) from the Multidisciplinary Processing Company through a fraud scheme. The brothers were further charged with laundering 21 million rubles ($322,600).
In December of 2014, Alexei Navalny received a suspended sentence of 3.5 years, while his brother Oleg was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and is to be released on June 30, 2018.
Navalny has also been involved in several other cases, including a case of embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company in which he was given a suspended sentence. He has denied all the charges brought against him.
Alexei Navalny is a Russian political and public figure, leader of the Party of Progress.
Investigation into Russian border agencys ex-head completed
MOSCOW, September 1 (RAPSI) Investigation into Dmitry Bezdelov, former head of the Federal Border Development Agency charged with embezzling over 1.17 billion rubles (about $18 million), has been completed, investigator Leonid Bogdanov said in the Moscow City Court on Thursday.
The accused and his lawyer began reading materials of the case comprising 81 volumes, Bogdanov added.
Attorney Anton Kozhemyakin noted in turn that his client cooperated with investigation and gave detailed testimony.
Investigators claim that Bezdelov, then head of the Federal Border Development Agency, conspired with a range of people to embezzle public funds allocated for the construction of the railway checkpoint Adler in 2009. Bezdelov was charged with embezzlement and organizing a criminal gang with the use of his official position.
Bezdelov resigned from his post in October 2013 after a probe revealed inappropriate use of budget funds by the agency. He was arrested in Rome in October 2014 after he had been put on the international wanted list. Italy's court of appeals upheld the decision to extradite Bezdelov to Russia in October 2015. The Supreme Court left the judgment intact.
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2013 . 9 . .
All over the country, theres a breath of fresh air blowing out of the world of athletics. From San Francisco to Alabama and beyond, from the pros to the high schools, people are taking the disgusting patriotic ritual of standing and saluting the national anthem at sporting events and using it to raise questions, register dissent, and project resistance. As you might expect, this is coming under attackand opening up debate.
If you can conceive of a world without Americawithout everything America stands for and everything it does in the worldthen youve already taken great strides and begun to get at least a glimpse of a whole new world. If you can envision a world without any imperialism, exploitation, oppressionand the whole philosophy that rationalizes ita world without division into classes or even different nations, and all the narrow-minded, selfish, outmoded ideas that uphold this; if you can envision all this, then you have the basis for proletarian internationalism. And once you have raised your sights to all this, how could you not feel compelled to take an active part in the world historic struggle to realize it; why would you want to lower your sights to anything less? Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:31
There would be no United States as we now know it today without slavery. That is a simple and basic truth. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:1
Now, of course, slavery was not the only factor that played a significant part in the emergence of the U.S. as a world power, whose economic strength underlies its massive military force. A major historical factor in all this was the theft of land, on a massive scale, from Mexico as well as from native peoples. But, in turn, much of that conquest of land was, for a long period of time up until the Civil War, largely to expand the slave system. Remember the Alamo, we are always reminded. Well, many of the heroes of the Alamo were slave traders and slave chasers....And expanding the slave system was a major aim of the overall war with Mexico, although that war also led to the westward expansion of the developing capitalist system centered in the northern United States. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:2
The essence of what exists in the U.S. is not democracy but capitalism-imperialism and political structures to enforce that capitalism-imperialism. What the U.S. spreads around the world is not democracy, but imperialism and political structures to enforce that imperialism. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:3
Not only did slavery play a major role in the historical development of the U.S., but the wealth and power of the U.S. rests today on a worldwide system of imperialist exploitation that ensnares hundreds of millions, and ultimately billions, of people in conditions hardly better than those of slaves. Now, if this seems like an extreme or extravagant claim, think about the tens of millions of children throughout the Third World who, from a very, very early age, are working nearly every day of the yearas the slaves on the southern plantations in the United States used to say, from cant see in the morning, till cant see at nightuntil theyve been physically used up....These are conditions very similar to outright slavery....This includes overt sexual harassment of women, and many other degradations as well. All this is the foundation on which the imperialist system rests, with U.S. imperialism now sitting atop it all. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:4
It is not uncommon to hear these days, from government officials and others, that only 1 percent of the population is in the U.S. military but that this 1 percent is fighting for the freedom of the other 99 percent. The truth, however, is this : That 1 percent, in the military, is in reality fighting for the other 1 percent: the big capitalist-imperialists who run this countrywho control the economy, the political system, the military, the media, and the other key institutionsand who dominate large parts of the world, wreaking havoc and causing great suffering for literally billions of people. It is the freedom of these capitalist-imperialists their freedom to exploit, oppress, and plunderthat this 1 percent in the military is actually killing and sometimes dying for. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:5
Imperialism means huge monopolies and financial institutions controlling the economies and the political systemsand the lives of peoplenot just in one country but all over the world. Imperialism means parasitic exploiters who oppress hundreds of millions of people and condemn them to untold misery; parasitic financiers who can cause millions to starve just by pressing a computer key and thereby shifting vast amounts of wealth from one place to another. Imperialism means warwar to put down the resistance and rebellion of the oppressed, and war between rival imperialist statesit means the leaders of these states can condemn humanity to unbelievable devastation, perhaps even total annihilation, with the push of a button. Imperialism is capitalism at the stage where its basic contradictions have been raised to tremendously explosive levels. But imperialism also means that there will be revolutionthe oppressed rising up to overthrow their exploiters and tormentorsand that this revolution will be a worldwide struggle to sweep away the global monster, imperialism. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:6
These imperialists make the Godfather look like Mary Poppins. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:7
There is a semi-official narrative about the history and the greatness of America, which says that this greatness of America lies in the freedom and ingenuity of its people, and above all in a system that gives encouragement and reward to these qualities. Now, in opposition to this semi-official narrative about the greatness of America, the reality is thatto return to one fundamental aspect of all thisslavery has been an indispensable part of the foundation for the freedom and prosperity of the USA. The combination of freedom and prosperity is, as we know, still today, and in some ways today more than ever, proclaimed as the unique quality and the special destiny and mission of the United States and its role in the world. And this stands in stark contradiction to the fact that without slavery, none of thisnot even the bourgeois-democratic freedoms, let alone the prosperitywould have been possible, not only in the southern United States but in the North as well, in the country as a whole and in its development and emergence as a world economic and military power. Bob Avakian, BAsics 1:8
Guwahati: As the Rhino Horn Verification Committee, constituted by Assam government recently found few fake horns in the custody of the government, the issue of illegal trade of rhino horns has emerged as a burning topic for the people of Assam.
In this context, Nature's Beckon and Journalists' Forum Assam (JFA) organize a Citizen's Meet on relentless rhino-poaching, illegal rhino horn trade and also the ongoing rhino horn verification process in
Assam. The meeting, to be held at Guwahati Press Club on 1 September (Thursday), will start at 11 am and continue till 2.30 pm.
The Citizen's Meet, where everyone concerned to the conservation of forest and wildlife has been invited, is expected to prepare a memorandum to the State and Union government in New Delhi drawing their immediate attention towards the protection of wildlife in all forest reserves including the world famous Kaziranga National Park.
It may be mentioned that both Nature's Beckon and JFA raised the issue of fake rhino horns in the custody of the authority a decade back and later organized a Citizen's Meet in the city. More recently, both the
organizations wrote to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal demanding a high level probe against the poaching of one-horned rhinos in various forest reserves.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Kushe Aunshi, which is also known as the Fathers day, is being celebrated across Nepal on Thursday with much more fanfare.
As per Hindu tradition, the day is used to be celebrated as the Fathers Day, paying high respect and reverence to fathers with gifts and various delicacies.
The people who have lost their fathers use to visit Gokarneshwar Temple in Kathmandu to worshiping to the deities.
Likewise in the day people bring Kush, a grass which is regarded as a symbol of purity, into the houses to use it in various religious functions throughout the year.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Legislature-Parliament has unanimously endorsed four differ bills on Thursday.
Employees Provident Fund (Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2073, Audit (First Amendment) Bill, 2073 along with the Finance Committees report, Nepal Rastra Bank (Second Amendment) Bill, 2073 and Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund Bill, 2073 were endorsed from the parliament.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Krishna Bahadur Mahara had presented the proposal before the meeting, seeking the approval.
Minister for Health Gagan Thapa
Kathmandu, Nepal: Minister for Health Gagan Thapa has on Thursday inspected the Bir Hospital, the oldest government hospital of Nepal.
Minister Thapa not only suddenly inspected the hospital but also directed the employee and doctors at the hospital to make service effective and service orientated.
During the function he also directed the employee to present a 100-day work plan for improvement of the hospital.
He also showed a picture of restrooms in ramshackle condition in his mobile to the employees and directed to make immediate improvement. An employee from the hospital had sent me this picture on Facebook. Is this restroom usable? He questioned to the authorities.
SANA'A, Aug. 30 (Saba) President of the Supreme Political Council Saleh Al-Sammad has affirmed that Yemen will positively deal with any peace initiative stopping the aggression against the country and preserving dignity of Yemenis.
In an interview with Reuters, Al-Sammad said peace initiatives inside the country are continuing but the warring parties supporting the Saudi aggression do not own their decision.
He praised the Central Bank of Yemen for its "mighty efforts" for economic stability at a time of conflict, criticizing attempts by exiled mercenaries in Riyadh to cut off the bank from the outside world.
"This is a sovereign institution supported internationally and is not subject to bargaining from Hadi or those with him," the president Al-Sammad said.
"We have not closed the door for peace or the door to negotiations," Sammad said.
"I believe there are serious international intentions to reach peace and we will do our best to take any chance to stop the aggression and lift the suffering from our Yemeni people."
Regarding new peace talks, Al- Sammad said: "We are willing to deal positively with any initiative that is likely to lead to ending the aggression and lift the siege."
However, President Al-Sammad said Riyadh had reneged on understandings reached earlier this year to observe a truce on the border in exchange for a cessation if air raids and preventing militants of exiled ex-president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi from attacking Yemen from its territory.
"We were surprised that nothing of the sort had happened," Sammad said. "It is natural, when air strikes continue and when we have up to 100 raids a day ... and when we have no planes or the kind of deadly weapons they have, that Yemenis have the right to defend themselves," the president said.
"We just want the Saudis to feel the kind of pain and sufferings that the Yemenis feel from the aggression," he said, explaining attacks from Yemen on Saudi territories. Yemen had no designs on Saudi territory, he said.
Al-Sammad said the United Nations and a group of 18 nations that have backed U.N. talks to end the war had failed to persuade Saudi Arabia to let our nation sell oil stored in the Yemeni Red Sea port of Ras Isa to buy medicine and fuel supplies.
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Whether it's Blue Valentine's pitch perfect snapshot of a relationship in breakdown or the wonderful parallels and plot twists of The Place Beyond the Pines, one thing is for certain: Derek Cianfrance is ridiculously good at telling complex and unconventional stories in a way that feels irresistibly cinematic and compelling. So when teamed up with two insanely talented actors like Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, could Cianfrance's adaptation of M.L. Stedman's novel The Light Between Oceans possibly go wrong? Maybe.
But first, let's try to take the director's latest drama on its own terms. The Light Between Oceans opens to reveal a bristling, English-sounding Fassbender playing Tom Sherbourne - a cagey man migrating to a remote part of Western Australia after four terrible years on the Western Front. Our meeting him is accompanied by the swelling sounds of a small fishing town, and immediately we are transported to an early 20th-century picturesque landscape.
Under our eyes labours a glistening steam engine that puffs a forebodingly moody grey smoke into the air, and before long we get wind that Sherbourne has been called upon to fill a position at an impossibly isolated lighthouse on an island called Janus (in an already secluded part of the world). But that isn't until he's swept up by a social invitation to meet a number of the equally English locals, including a guffawing, light-hearted Isabel Graysmark (Alicia Vikander), who at the same time has clearly War memories brooding behind her big sad eyes too.
Whilst Vikander's character does sadly at times boil down to not much more than a hysterical baby-making factory, her role is fortunately much more than that - and her playful forthrightness soon sees her to proposing to this mysterious new lighthouse keeper. In what can only be described as a definite whirlwind romance, they retreat to the idyllic Janus and set about trying to start a family. Only their efforts sadly seem to prove as barren as much of the island's unforgiving craggy coast.
Already this sounds promising dramatic territory, then. An extremely talented cast and crew paying their respects to the centenary of the Great War, and what's more with some really great costume designing by Erin Benach. On top of that, the film seems to lend itself ideally to director's strengths; Janus (the two-headed god) is, after all, an excellent thematic starting point, seeing as the Cianfrancean protagonist is at once always looking back into a traumatic past and falling helplessly into a romantic future.
The film is equally a real To the Lighthouse experience, what with the effects of the war being quite obliquely dealt with and the focus falling heavily on a stuffy, almost Victorian community. Similar to Virginia Woolf's novel too, the lighthouse and its surroundings really become a character in their own right too, and this film is certainly full of some beautiful, repeated shots of waves and gorgeous sunsets. A very bright, yet melancholic Australian light seems to bleach many of the film's images too. But in reality, this represents a real task: how do you make a film that is set so predominantly on a postage stamp of land dramatic?
Ironically, Cianfrance manages it and this isn't what lets the film down. You do get caught up in the affections and flirtations of Fassbender and Vikander, even if they aren't really properly fleshed out enough. And that is often sort of the point with Cianfrance's films -- the characters don't even flesh out the relationships for themselves, and when honeymoon period ends, then the pain comes.
But the real problem for The Light Between Oceans is that for some reason it's almost maddeningly sentimental. There's all this cooing and crying, and it's all hammered home by the ever-prolific Alexandre Desplat's overdone piano score. At times it gets so lovey-dovey you end up wanting to punch yourself in the face.
Except, of course, nobody really watches a Cianfrance film for the romance. You watch his films for the tragedies, for the collapses, for the feeling that he is capturing your emotions so perfectly you could watch his films all day. And fortunately, that begins when the couple's barren search for a child is met by a suitably folkloric boat coming to the island baring a dead man and a young baby.
Immediately, we're back on the right ground. Much like Bradley Cooper's character in The Place Beyond the Pines, this becomes an opportunity for Fassbender to knuckle down on his compulsive need to do the right thing, while Vikander reprises Ryan Gosling character's need for a happy, undivided family in Blue Valentine. This gets even better when the excellent Rachel Weisz emerges on the scene as the missing wife and mother in this doomed jigsaw puzzle.
Then as with all good tragedies, each of these three characters clings to one flawed, desperate need. And ultimately either following or abandoning that need comes to seem equally damaging. You get a real sense that this is the reason Cianfrance chose to adapt this book. His spidey senses must have been intensely telling him that these were exactly the kinds of contractions his way able to so expertly and elegantly sew.
For some reason though, it just didn't work out. It's all so ham-fistedly done, while the relentless strikes of the piano keys repeatedly bludgeon you over the head. And it's a real pity. Certainly we'll still look out for the next big Cianfrance film, and this latest effort will find an audience, and please some. (After all, even on a hot Venetian evening, The Light Between Oceans was dampening a few critical eyes at this year's Biennale.) But this movie will unfortunately also just aggravate and dismay some other fans of the director's work.
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Governor Jerry Brown is expected to sign a bill that would make it easier for homeowners to construct secondary housing units on their property. The San Francisco Business Times reports that the measure, Senate Bill 1069, would override certain local restrictions and requirements on the developments thus hopefully encouraging their construction in a bid to ease the housing crunch.
Under the measure, the units, commonly referred to as in-laws, would no longer be required to be accompanied by additional parking. Other changes, like lowering the fees to hook the housing up to sewer lines, are also intended to spur construction.
The bill follows on local attempts to boost development of in-laws. Just last July Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Mark Farrell joined together to propose a measure that would allow for the creation of roughly 30,000 rent-controlled units. However, whether or not homeowners would actually take advantage of the legislation remained unclear.
Senate Bill 1069 was proposed by Fremont Democrat Senator Bob Wiekowski, who no doubt believes that every little bit of new housing helps.
Related: Look Inside The Smallest House On The Market In SF
The former San Francisco police officer convicted of illegally entering and searching a SRO in 2010 has been sentenced to over a year in jail. Bay City News reports that Arshad Razzak claimed he was given permission by the resident to enter the room, but that surveillance video showed that to be false. What's more, the officer then filed a false police report about the search after the fact.
You likely remember the case Razzak, who was sentenced yesterday, was one of five SFPD officers indicted in 2014. At the time, then Police Chief Greg Suhr spoke with the Chronicle about the seriousness of the accusations. "I don't know that it gets any worse than this, other than an officer-involved serious injury or death, when the public trust is betrayed by a sitting San Francisco or any police officer," he said. "This is not only a betrayal of the public's trust...but also a betrayal of all the men and women of the San Francisco Police Department who work hard every day to do what they can to keep San Francisco safe."
Razzak claimed that he had a tip about heroin sales in the Henry Hotel on Sixth Street in December of 2010. He said that when he knocked on the door, the occupant gave him verbal permission to enter making a search warrant unnecessary. This was disproved by hotel surveillance video.
The judge in the case, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg, noted in his sentencing that Razzak wasn't motivated by financial gain something that could not be said for other recently convicted SFPD officers and thus gave him the relatively light sentence of one year and two months. However, the Chronicle reports that the 12 month sentence is less than the 33-month sentence recommended by federal guidelines.
The betrayal of public trust by a sworn police officer is extraordinarily serious, explained Seeborg.
According to Bay City News, Razzak was convicted of "four counts of conspiring to violate civil rights, violating the rights of a Henry Hotel occupant during a search on Dec. 23, 2010, falsifying an informants pay slip and falsifying a police report." The 44-year-old Razzak was also fined $12,500.
Razzak has been working as an Uber driver ever since he left the SFPD. He is scheduled to begin his sentence on December 2.
Yesterday's sentencing will hopefully close the books on a scandal that has dogged the SFPD for some time.
Previously: Two SF Cops Convicted In Corruption Trial Involving Stolen Drugs And Cash
Convicted Stanford rapist Brock Turner is less than 48 hours away from his scheduled release, as reported earlier this week, after serving half his sentence just three months in a Santa Clara County jail. And, as expected, there will be protests accompanying his release, including one by the group that's been most outspoken about the leniency of Judge Aaron Persky, UltraViolet.
The womens rights organization is going to be protesting outside Santa Clara County Jail at 190 West Hedding Street in San Jose starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 2, holding bicycle billboards that read, "Thanks to Judge Persky, Brock Turner Served Just 3 Months in Jail," like the one below.
They say they plan to encircle the jail, and then encircle the County Courthouse as well, and "attend a press conference outside the Santa Clara County Courthouse later that day to highlight how Judge Persky has consistently prioritized the well-being of rapists and abusers over justice for survivors and continue their call for his removal from the bench."
Also, at the Ohio home of Turner's parents, police are expecting protests this weekend as well. Greene County Sheriff Gene Fischer tells WIAT, "Weve already seen protests by mom and dads house. Can I anticipate that happening? I would assume that they will continue. Can I tell you what day hes coming in? I cant."
Fisher says that his deputies will be monitoring the Turners' Sugarcreek Township as is their duty when a convicted sex offender takes residence. And he says that while he has not yet received Turner's file, his office will notify area residents once they do. Also, "We will send deputies to the house to make sure hes living where hes supposed to be living."
Sheriff Fischer adds, "To me, his return is no different than any other sex offender who comes in here and registers with us. Were going to treat him the same."
Previously: Brock Turner Gets Out Of Jail Friday, Three Months Early
The phones of Bay Area residents buzzed in unison Thursday morning, as an Amber Alert was issued for San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties in the case of an abducted baby.
According to the California Highway Patrol, 11-month-old William Brown was abducted Wednesday night at around 8 p.m.. Though the circumstances of his abduction are still unclear, San Francisco District Attorney's Office spokesperson Maxwell Szabo says that the DA's office "is working actively with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of this young child. More information will be provided as it becomes available."
Police say that they believe he was taken by a woman named Phoebe Haynes, who is described as a 44-year-old black woman with brown hair and brown eyes, stands 5 feet tall, and weighs 180 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, skirt, and boots.
ABC 7 reports that Police say Haynes is the boy's grandmother, and that Brown was allegedly "abducted by Haynes after his mother went into a store."
According to Szabo, "SFDA and its law enforcement partners are currently requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following vehicle in connection with this Amber Alert: A 2003 Acura TL (4 Door) California license plate #: 7HPY348"
Brown, who is black, with brown hair and brown eyes, was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and pajamas with images of sharks.
Anyone who sees the Brown or Haynes is asked to call 911 immediately.
Update: As of 2:30 p.m., the SFPD sent out a notice announcing that the infant had been found, and is safe and healthy. According to District Attorney's Office spokesperson Maxwell Szabo, "An individual who had seen the Amber Alert called 911 to report having seen the child and the suspect at a liquor store in San Mateo. The Redwood City Police Department detained the grandmother, Phoebe Haynes, at Big Lots on Broadway Street in Redwood City." The SFPD responded to the scene, and the suspect Phoebe Haynes, who is apparently the child's grandmother, is in police custody.
Are your folks headed here for the holiday weekend? Are they staying for like a whole week? Have you run out of ideas for places to take them that they haven't been? Some of the below may seem like obvious choices, but others, we hope, are destinations or activities that haven't been on your list, but should be. Because there is more to this city than cable-car rides and loud, smelly sea lions.
Baker and China Beaches
Though Ocean Beach gets a lot of visitor attention, it's Baker and China Beaches that pack the most blow-away-your-guests punch. Tucked on the north side of the city, Baker is known for its warm(ish) waters, its view of Golden Gate Bridge, and its nude side (not necessarily in that order). China is even more of a "find," a cosy secluded beach hidden past the stately mansions of Sea Cliff. For a real treat, wait until low tide and take a walk between the two beaches, marveling at the abundant sea life clinging to the cliff sides. Eve Batey
Bernal Heights Park
This one is for the lovers of great views, the outdoors, and doing something on the cheap. Everyone visiting San Francisco wants to be wowed with all the vistas our city offers and with so many wonderful hills, there's a lot to chose from. Bernal Heights Park holds a special place in many a San Franciscan's heart, though. It doesn't get the postcard treatment that so many other spots receive, however the sweeping views of the city and the Bay are spectacular. Bring a blanket (the "grass" up there is uncomfortable to sit on), some snacks, and a cheap bottle of wine and your day is taken care of. Jack Morse
access via Folsom and Ripley Streets
Bourbon & Branch
The secret password-required, speakeasy-themed Bourbon & Branch provides the perfect opportunity to entertain your tourist pals all the while showcasing some of the fancier, craft cocktails our city has to offer. The Tenderloin bar also gives you a chance to actually catch up with guests at one of the reservation-required tables, as you'll actually be able to hear each other talk over the muted din of the other patrons. Located on the site of what was once an actual speakeasy, this works as a visit for both the booze and history inclined. Plus, it's just plain fun. (And for greater cocktail geekery in an even more intimiate and quiet setting, there's also the bar within the bar called Wilson & Wilson, which also requires reservations.) Jack Morse
501 Jones Street at O'Farrell Street
Peppers at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market: James Cohen
The Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market
I hear you already, "Oh, god, the strollers! The tourists!" I know, but take a deep breath and relax, because your out-of-town guests are likely used to strollers and they, themselves, are the tourists. And, it's totally worth a trip, as folks from more agrarian locations will have PLENTY to say about how much we're willing to pay for a bunch of organic carrots, while wannabe urbanites will repeatedly ask why you don't go to this marvelous place every Saturday. The views can't be beat, the samples are plentiful, and eating Primavera's chilaquiles while sitting on one of the Plaza's outdoor benches is one of life's greatest pleasures. Eve Batey
Photo: m_travels/Flickr
Land's End and Sutro Baths
One of my favorite things about taking visitors to the far-west-side area of Land's End and Sutro Baths is the infinite customizability of the experience. Crankypants who need a cup of coffee or a snack can get one at the Land's End visitor center (also a great spot to pick up gifts to being the folks back home), antsy hikers can work some of their energy off with a lengthy hike along the Coastal Trail, and folks who want to see some sights without putting on too many miles can clamber down the hill to check out the ruins of the once grand Sutro Baths, all that's left after it burned down (under questionable circumstances) in 1966. Unlike many tourist experiences, it's not a one-size-fits-all location, making it a perfect place to split up, take a break from each other, and explore on your own. Eve Batey
The Ramp (photo credit: The Ramp's website)
The Ramp
Waterfront bar The Ramp is cool for multiple reasons. First off, any out-of-town family will immediately be intrigued when you tell them that the bar and restaurant offers you the opportunity to sit right next to the Bay (like, literally right next to it). In addition, the east of Third Street spot is blessed with some of the best weather in the city so your guests will get the sunshine and heat that is so often lacking during SF's summer months. The food works to your advantage too. It's good, but not exactly challenging, which means that any picky eaters in your group won't have anything to complain about. Lastly, and while certainly not the most important factor still a crucial one, the sixty-year-old establishment serves booze. So when mom and dad ask when you're finally going to get a place of your own and stop living with roommates, or if you're ever going to get married/have kids, you can simply smile and put back a Bloody Mary. Jack Morse
855 Terry A Francois Boulevard at Illinois Street
Photo courtesy of the Boxcar Theatre
The Speakeasy
Currently in previews in its new incarnation at a new (undisclosed) location in North Beach, and with many September performances already sold out, The Speakeasy is easily one of the more fun and unique theater offerings you can find to impress out-of-town guests. The immersive theater piece was originally produced by the Boxcar Theatre at a temporary location in 2014 (see SFist's review here), using a large cast of characters who perform a repeated cycle of scenes in multiple rooms of what is supposed to be an underground, 1920's cabaret in San Francisco. Patrons get to order drinks from waitress-actors and bartenders and wander between a cabaret area and a saloon, as well as to a small casino room where they can play actual craps with actual chips. The new version is likely to be a bit more polished and perhaps even expanded, given that the creators already had a successful original run though if your parents go more for Borscht Belt humor on current-event topics with zany costumes, you might steer toward Beach Blanket Babylon instead. Jay Barmann
The view from the Seaview Trail in Tilden Park. Photo: Adam Brin
Tilden Park in Berkeley
I had to throw an East Bay destination in here, and as far as nearby free hikes with views go, the Seaview Trail in Tilden Park can't really be beat. On relatively clear days you'll be treated to sweeping views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Bay, and if you're there on a sunny day when major fog rolls in around 4 or 5 p.m., you may even find yourself magically strolling just above it, before you have to descend down into it. This, of course, requires that your parents or out-of-town guests are in decent hiking shape, as the trails are well cleared but there's still a lot of uphill climbing involved. Jay Barmann
Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill. Photo: concept007 via Flickr
Telegraph Hill
San Franciscans who walk around a lot are way better at bounding up our many hills than our out of town guests might be. That's kind of cool, so maybe show off how fit you by exploring a prime piece of San Francisco, Telegraph Hill. Lead your heavily breathing guests on a hike up Telegraph Hill to Pioneer Park and Coit Tower, maybe starting at Washington Square Park for a taste of North Beach and then ascending via Filbert Street and the Filbert Street steps. If you're approaching from the Embarcadero, the Greenwich Street steps are lovely to, if more grueling. If you're lucky and there at the right time of day, you may even see some wild parrots. Your guests might want to know why this miniature mountain is called Telegraph Hill: It's named for a semaphore, built in 1849, that would send messages to ships. You'll also field questions about Coit Tower, so prepare some remarks on the cigar-smoking, trouser wearing, fire-chasing socialite Lillie Hitchcock Coit and the apocryphal story that the tower built with her bequest was made to resemble a fireman's hose nozzle. Caleb Pershan
neekoh.fi via Flickr
The Tonga Room
The Tiki temple beneath Nob Hill's Fairmont Hotel has been timeless since it opened in 1945, and that's the point because other than the era of its birth and Polynesian pop's popularity in the '40s, Tiki kitsch gestures to no particular era or island, just kind of all of them at once. Even so, the Tonga Room has come back into mainstream popularity, inspiring trendy new cocktail bars in the Polynesian pop category and experiencing increased popularity. Maybe your out-of-town guests have seen the place on travel programs with Anthony Bourdain, or, depending on their age and experience, they've galavanted there before and might enjoy returning to reminisce. The drinks are still sweet, though maybe less cloying than before a 2013 refresh, and it still "rains" ever hour. Caleb Pershan
California Street between Mason and Powell
Photo taken from the popular Twin Peaks lookout: Marco Hamersma
Twin Peaks
I've written enough about Twin Peaks to know that it can be a dangerous place, populated with criminals eager to prey on tourists who don't know what they're getting into. Thank god your out of town guests have you! So as you and your visitors take in the truly breathtaking views of the city, keep a close eye on your surroundings and don't leave anything of value in the car. Allow your guests to relax and enjoy the sights, as you remain vigilant on their behalf. That's life in the big city! Eve Batey
The bar at Waterbar. Photo: Facebook
Waterbar
Known for its incomparable views of the Bay Bridge (and the Bay Lights) and its $1 oysters every afternoon until 5:30 p.m., the bar and lounge at Waterbar is the perfect spot to end a day of tromping around the city especially in the late fall and winter months when the Bay Lights come on earlier, i.e. while the oysters are still cheap. The dinner menu is good, too, if on the pricey side, though visitors to San Francisco typically want to know where to go for seafood, and this is where I usually send them. But even just for cocktails and the raw bar, with a view, you can't really beat it. Jay Barmann
399 Embarcadero near Folsom
Honorable Mentions:
Night Tour at Alcatraz
The Castro (especially if you've got a gay uncle/cousin)
Ferry Ride to Tiburon and/or Angel Island
Climbing to the Tower at the deYoung Museum
Mural Tour of the Mission or Haight
The Planetarium at the Academy of Sciences
SFMOMA
SIOUX CITY | A mother's Facebook post thanking a Woodbury County deputy for his kindness during a traffic stop went viral Thursday.
Mindy Mathewson, of Sioux City, posted on the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office Facebook page describing her experience after being pulled over by Deputy Kyle Cleveringa around 3 a.m. Wednesday.
Mathewson said she was driving her 1-year-old son to the hospital because he was having a hard time breathing. While traveling, she was pulled over by Cleveringa at 19th and Nebraska streets, who told her a taillight and license plate light were out. Mathewson told him of her situation, and the three-year Woodbury County officer and father of two looked at the child in the backseat.
Cleveringa said he could tell the child was having trouble breathing so he got back into his car and followed her to the hospital.
"Once we got there, I saw she had a bunch of stuff in the vehicle, and I offered to help her out," Cleveringa said Thursday. He then carried the items with her into the emergency room. And while Mathewson was filling out paperwork, Cleveringa held the child, gave him a stuffed toy truck and "was helping to comfort him by talking to him and giving him 'hi-fives,'" the mother's post read.
The post ended, "P.S. My son is fine and I will fix those lights asap!"
As of 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Mathewson's post had over 6,400 likes, 139 comments and 770 shares on Facebook.
"I didn't realize I was going to be Facebook famous this morning. My wife called me last night right away and said, 'My phone is blowing up about you,' and I'm like, 'I hope that is a good thing,' Cleveringa laughed.
To make his act of kindness even sweeter, at the time of the traffic stop, he was filling in for a fellow deputy who had just had a child.
"I've got two boys at home, and obviously I hope somebody would do the same thing for them," Cleveringa, a native of the Orange City area, said. "There are more situations that are more important than traffic stops."
Humble Cleveringa has worked for the sheriff's department for three years and-- fun fact-- he is former Sioux City Police Chief Joe Frisbie's son-in-law.
"I work with a lot of good guys too, whether it's the (Sioux City Police Department) or (the Iowa State Patrol) I really wouldn't be surprised to hear of them doing the same thing," he said. "The only difference was, Mindy took the time to write that heartfelt response and thank you and I appreciate that 100 percent. Being a dad, it's a difficult situation, and I understand you are kind of panicked and I offered to give a little help."
"My family and I are very thankful for deputy Cleveringa and everything he did for my son and I this morning," the post stated. "He went above and beyond, and I cannot thank him enough."
Sheriff Dave Drew also shared his thoughts after reading the post.
"I was very proud of Deputy Cleveringa, as I've always been proud of the strides he's made and obstacles he's overcome," Drew, who is on vacation this week, said in a statement. "He is like many law enforcement officers who serve this great nation. We are fortunate to have the very best here in Siouxland."
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | The Experimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 291 will host its annual fly-in/drive-in pancake breakfast on Sept. 11 at Martin Airport in South Sioux City.
The event will take place from 8 a.m. to noon at the airport, located on Highway 20 West.
In addition to the fly-in, EAA helps to coordinate the local Young Eagles program. The group helps initiate children ages 8 to 17 into the world of flight. Pilots will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 11 to give free airplane rides.
The group has been hosting this event to honor the founder of Martin Airfield/Sioux Air Inc. for over 30 years. Revenues from past events were used to support aviation in the local area, including scholarships for prospective pilots.
IDA GROVE, Iowa | My introduction to Sen. Joni Ernst came on a moonlit night at the Skate Palace in Ida Grove less than three years ago.
Ernst, then a little-known state senator, received 6 of 94 votes that November evening, finishing fourth among five candidates in a straw poll that culminated a debate among GOP candidates Sam Clovis, David Young, Scott Schaben and Matt Whitaker, who all sought their party's nomination for U.S. Senate in the 2014 primary election.
Ernst said she remains friends with her primary competitors, and recently spent time with Whitaker (at Ernst's motorcycle rally) and Clovis, whom she ran into at the airport in Omaha.
"I remember sitting at a table with the rest of the candidates right there," Ernst said on Wednesday, shortly after taking questions from a crowd of 36 on issues that ranged from the federal deficit to a shortage of skilled workers to the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
I wrote a column after the 2013 event and mentioned Ernst twice, noting how she touted her military experience and inside knowledge of the government at work. Maybe I was similar to the voters in Ida Grove that night; candidate Joni Ernst didn't make much of an impression.
Clovis, a professor of economics at Morningside College, who is now working on Donald Trump's presidential campaign, received 57 votes to win the straw poll, an event held close to his base around Sioux City.
Ernst emerged victorious in the state primary, then clobbered Democratic challenger Bruce Braley in the November 2014 general election, succeeding Sen. Tom Harkin, who retired. In the process. Ernst made history with her election, becoming Iowa's first woman elected to Congress and the first female combat veteran to serve in the U.S. Senate.
The Red Oak resident on Wednesday talked about introducing five bills on the floor of the Senate, the first of which aims to expand mental health care options for veterans. Too many veterans, she said, are forced to wait too long for treatment, often limited in choices among providers. If someone else can provide a much-needed service in a more timely fashion, she said, that avenue should open.
The bill, introduced in March 2015, remains in committee.
Ernst appeared entirely at ease during the Wednesday's forum, even laughing about and apologizing for her less-than-formal appearance.
"I'm wearing jeans because I'm going to be looking at water quality issues today," she said. The day's itinerary also included tours of two local ethanol plants.
On her way out the door, Ernst was presented with six cinnamon rolls to enjoy on the morning drive, courtesy of Sheila Redenious, Skate Palace manager.
Like those rolls, the rise of Iowa's junior senator has been fast, and, for many, sweet. Joni Ernst, the U.S. Army veteran, has gone from collecting a half-dozen Ida County votes to voting in the U.S. Senate. Trump interviewed her as he winnowed the field for his choice of a running mate. Ernst turned Trump down in early July. The billionaire businessman ultimately chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
"It's been a whirlwind," Ernst said. "It was a great honor to sit with and have a discussion with Donald Trump. Ultimately, I said 'no' as I feel I'm on a roll doing important work in the Senate for Iowans. This is where I want to be."
STORM LAKE | Frederick V. Moore, president of Buena Vista University since 1995, will resign from his position, effective June 30, 2017.
In announcing his resignation to the Storm Lake-based school's board of trustees, Moore cited personal reasons related to the ongoing care of his adult son, Stephen, who has autism. Moore will be relocating to Florida to join his wife, Susan, and to be closer to the couples son, who has lived in a special-care facility near Orlando for the past three years.
The decision to leave BVU has been more than difficult; it has been gut-wrenching, Moore said in a statement. I love this university and what it does for students and the broader community.
A leading executive search firm will assist the board of trustees in the hiring of BVUs next president. The firm, which the college did not identify, has been retained for several past executive searches. An internal search committee also will be named later.
Norm Nielsen, chair of the board of trustees, praised Moore for his many accomplishments over the past two decades, from "elevating the quality of academic programs to expanding the number of remote degree-completion sites and developing an outstanding online distance learning program."
Under Freds leadership, BVU has strengthened its fiscal foundation, built a healthy endowment, and elevated its fundraising efforts," Nielsen said. "Weve also celebrated major additions and renovations of physical facilities at the Storm Lake campus, making it one of the most attractive and functional private college campuses in the nation."
Moore was instrumental in guiding the college through a comprehensive priority-setting process in 2015. The process, tied to a new strategic plan, revised mission and vision statements, and a new set of institutional values, yielded $3 million in annual budget saving to redeploy to support new strategic imperatives and positioned the school for continued strength in the face of mounting economic pressures on small colleges and universities.
This university is strong, Moore said, but we still have a number of important challenges that remain, given higher educations changing landscape."
Moore, Buena Vista's 17th president, will join AGB Search, a nationally recognized firm that specializes in higher education executive searches, in July 2017. He will move to Florida at that time.
LINCOLN, Neb. | A 63-year-old Moville, Iowa, man was arrested Wednesday after authorities say he traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska, to meet a 15-year-old girl, but ended up meeting local law enforcement instead.
Dennis Ray Ragan, 63, of Moville, Iowa, responded to an online ad he believed had been posted by a 15-year-old female, according to a news release from the Nebraska Attorney General's Office. The ad was actually an undercover investigator with the AG office.
The release said during the month of August, Ragan exchanged 170 emails with the person he believed to be the girl. The release said Ragan traveled to Lincoln with the intent of having sexual contact with the girl and was arrested Wednesday by Nebraska authorities.
The Lincoln Police Department and Nebraska Attorney General's Office worked together on the investigation, the release said.
Ragan was charged with child enticement with an electronic communication device and booked into Lancaster County Jail. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
SIOUX CITY | Dana Canfield shook the wooden box holding her husband's ashes in Devery Hibbler's direction.
It had been five years since Hibbler and two other men robbed and shot Tony "T-Bone" Canfield on the front porch of his home. Five long years, Dana Canfield said Thursday morning at Hibbler's sentencing in U.S. District Court in Sioux City.
"Here he is. Here he is right here," Canfield said, waving the box toward Hibbler, who was seated a short distance away. "This is what I wake up to every day and go to sleep to."
Hibbler, 26, of Dumas, Arkansas, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on charges of interference with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.
Robert Beaver, 35, of Sioux City, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the statutory maximum, for interference with commerce by robbery.
The sentences, Dana Canfield said, may seem long, but she lost her husband forever.
"Not only did they kill Tony that night, they killed me. Tony was all I had," she said during Hibbler's hearing.
Both sentences were spelled out in plea agreements between government prosecutors and defense attorneys. If both men had been found guilty at trial, they would have faced the possibility of being sentenced to life in prison, a fitting sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Forde Fairchild said.
But because much of the evidence against both men was circumstantial, a jury conviction was a little less certain, and Fairchild said he wanted to ensure both men went to prison. They also admitted their roles in the crime, he said, and Beaver did not handle the gun during the incident.
Beaver, who has a long history of domestic violence, earning him the nickname "Bonecrusher," turned around and faced Canfield during his chance to address the court and apologized to her.
"I apologize and ask your forgiveness for what I did," he said. "I'm sorry. I can't bring him back, and it's something I have to live with."
Hibbler also said he was sorry.
Beaver, Hibbler and Courtland Clark, 26, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, pleaded guilty in June to going to Canfield's home at 1401 George St. on May 1, 2011, to rob him of marijuana and money he had made from marijuana sales. Beaver beat and held Dana Canfield while Clark and Hibbler robbed Tony Canfield, who resisted and tried to escape from the house. Hibbler shot him once in the head on the front porch.
U.S. District Judge Leonard Strand said he had a hard time accepting the plea agreements, but understood Fairchild's reasons for not risking a jury acquittal. Strand said he believed both men deserved longer sentences, especially Beaver, who by Strand's count had 10 prior convictions for beating numerous women.
"If nothing else, 20 years in prison will save, on average, at least 20 women from being beaten by you," Strand said.
Clark, who pleaded guilty to the same crimes as Hibbler, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.
DAKOTA CITY | A Sioux City man has pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an incident in which he rammed his vehicle into a parked car and injured two men.
Ruben Vela, 47, entered his plea Wednesday in Dakota County District Court to failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death. As part of a plea agreement, he is to be sentenced to three years in prison. Sentencing was set for Nov. 4.
Charges of first- and second-degree assault and two counts of criminal mischief will be dismissed.
On June 6, Vela drove his Ford Explorer into a parked car after getting into an argument with other men at the Budget Host Inn, 1201 First Ave., in South Sioux City.
Vela forced the parked car up against the wall of the hotel and injured two men who had been standing behind the vehicle. One of the men had to have his lower left leg amputated.
SIOUX CITY | The U.S. Department of Justice held a hate crime forum Wednesday to give the public a better understanding of the crime in a comfortable space.
"Our purpose is to have a safe environment and talk about hate crimes, definitionally, at the federal and state level," U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Kevin Techau said. "We want to show how it is a priority for local, state and federal law enforcement. In an allegation of a hate crime, people feel like they have been the victim, we want them to report it, and we want to explain how it is investigated."
According to the FBI, a hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson or vandalism with an added element of bias for one's sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, gender, etc.
Police Chief Doug Young said there has not been a hate crime reported in his time in Sioux City law enforcement, "but that is not to say there hasn't been hate crimes that are going on or some biases that are going on that were not reported to us."
The community members in attendance at the forum at the Sioux City Public Museum asked questions and had a conversation with the dais about their understanding of what a hate crime is to form that level of comfort if a hate crime occurs.
"And maybe this will kind of spur that reporting if somebody is actually being a victim of a hate crime (to) come to talk to us," Young said.
Along with the police department and U.S Attorney's Office, the dais also had representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, and the Woodbury County Attorney and Sheriff's offices.
The U.S Department of Justice has held other Iowa forums in Dubuque, Waterloo and Fort Dodge this year, and there is another one planned in Cedar Rapids in September.
Techau said the call to action for this forum was after a white man assaulted a black man in a Dubuque bar in Jan. 2015. The man, Randy Metcalf, was convicted in March for a hate crime since he made it clear he was assaulting the man because of his skin color, Techau said.
The community sponsors to the event were the Sioux City Human Rights Commission, One Iowa, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa.
AKRON, Iowa | A Laverne, Oklahoma, woman is facing charges after authorities say she drove a vehicle carrying her and her 11-year-old daughter into a ditch while she was intoxicated Tuesday evening.
According to a news release, around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Plymouth County deputies received a call about a reckless driver near Akron. A short time later, they located a vehicle unoccupied in a ditch north of Akron at the intersection of C-16 and Highway 12.
Around 9 p.m., deputies located the driver, 32-year-old Tasha Whisenhunt, and her 11-year-old daughter walking on C-12 near Craig, Iowa. Whisenhunt was found to be intoxicated, the release said.
Whisenhunt and her daughter were transported to Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars, Iowa, with minor injuries.
Whisenhunt was then charged with first-offense operating while intoxicated and child endangerment.
The Department of Human Services was called to find placement for Whisenhunt's daughter.
Whisenhunt was booked into the Plymouth County Jail on $2,000 bond. She was released on her own recognizance Wednesday morning.
BOONE, Iowa | Thirty people were arrested Wednesday at a construction staging area as they protested a crude oil pipeline being built in Iowa.
It may be the first of many protests, according to the events organizer.
About 100 people joined in the protest at the staging site near the Central Iowa Expo Center. A few dozen protesters blocked four entrances to the work area that housed heavy machinery and construction workers vehicles.
Because they were on private property and were asked to move, those who would not move to make way for vehicles entering and leaving the staging area were arrested by law enforcement officials with the Boone County Sheriffs Department and Iowa State Patrol.
The 30 individuals who were arrested were transported to the Boone County jail and charged with trespassing, according to the sheriffs department.
The protest was organized by the advocacy group Bold Iowa and its leader, former state legislator Ed Fallon. Protesters want to halt construction of the pipeline being built by Texas-based Dakota Access.
When completed, the $3.8 billion, 1,168-mile underground pipeline will carry up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil daily from North Dakotas Bakken oil fields to a distribution hub in Illinois. The pipeline will cross Iowa from northwest to southeast, spanning 347 miles and 18 counties.
Those opposed to the pipeline mainly cite concerns for environmental damage caused by leaks or spills and state governments use of eminent domain to force landowners to cede land to a private company project.
Fallon called Wednesdays protest, which lasted roughly two hours, a success and a prelude of more to come.
We actually shut down traffic for a little while, and we certainly made our point, Fallon said. (Protesters) are going to continue to fight this thing. With state government failing us and our courts failing us, this is our only option.
Fallon said he plans to protest again and subject himself to possible arrest on a property through which the pipeline project is passing.
One of the people arrested at Wednesdays protest was Adam Mason, state policy director for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.
At an organizing meeting earlier Wednesday, Mason said those protesting think the state regulatory process failed them.
The project was approved by the Iowa Utilities Board, which is comprised of three gubernatorial appointees. Opponents unsuccessfully petitioned the board to overturn its ruling, and they have a lawsuit pending in district court.
Committed activists willing to take an arrest for the movement has been a way to advance our cause, Mason said. And thats what were here for today, is to send a message to more Iowans, to politicians and to Dakota Access that were not giving up. We dont want this pipeline. Its not good for our communities, and its not good for our planet.
Also arrested was Miriam Kashia of North Liberty, a member of 100 Grannies, an activist group that opposes the pipeline.
Weve actually used up all of our other options. We have had dozens and hundreds of letters and petitions and demonstrations and letters to the editor and they have not made a dent, Kashia said earlier Wednesday. So we are resorting to direct action, because history tells us thats what works. We are totally committed to nonviolent, peaceful, respectful action.
There were no violent events during the protest, and law enforcement officials at the site expressed pleasure with how the protest unfolded.
Dozens of law enforcement officials from Iowa State Patrol, the Boone County Sheriffs Department and private security kept a watchful eye on the protest.
Among the protesters was Dick Lamb, who owns land just a few miles from the protest site through which the pipeline is passing.
They are tearing through (our property), separating the precious topsoil, Lamb said. We feel betrayed by our state government, all three branches of it. They didnt stop (the pipeline). They enabled it.
The protesters stated their support for the Standing Rock Sioux, who have been protesting the pipeline in North Dakota. Hundreds have protested there, and Standing Rock Sioux chairman Dave Archambault is among the dozens who have been arrested, according to the Bismarck Tribune.
ANAMOSA, Iowa | Sen. Chuck Grassley firmly rebutted reports he might hold confirmation hearings on President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee before the end of the year.
My position has not changed. The new president should make the appointment, Grassley said in Anamosa where he completed what has come to be known as the Full Grassley. He has visited all 99 counties every year since being elected to the Senate in 1980. The Jones County meeting was his 99th this year.
The first question he fielded Thursday was about comments he made in Sioux City earlier this week indicating he would hold confirmation hearings on Merrick Garland if a large number of senators encouraged him to consider the nomination during the lame-duck session following the Nov. 8 election.
Somebody asked me to speculate I probably should not speculate, Grassley told Kathy Ulrich, a Linn County Democrat who was among about 90 people at the town-hall meeting.
As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley wrote to colleagues 10 days after Justice Antonin Scalia died Feb. 13 to say that he would honor a longtime understanding among senators that Supreme Court vacancies in the final year of a presidents term would not be filled until voters could give senators some direction through the ballot box.
I am saying that the letter I sent on Feb. 23 saying people should have a voice and the new president should make the selection has always been my position, Grassley said. Anything said beyond that was said because people asked me to speculate. Well, maybe people in office shouldnt be speculating.
He wouldnt speculate on whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell might change his position on delaying confirmation hearings until there is a new president.
Ulrich wasnt the only one with an opinion on the Supreme Court vacancy.
Charles Summers of Jones County thanked Grassley for sticking to your guns on the judges.
A president on his way out shouldnt be able to nominate a judge on his way in, he said.
Janae Stracke of Concerned Women for America, who was sporting an I stand with Grassley sticker, thanked him whole-heartedly (because) we dont need a Supreme Court full of judicial activists as we have been seeing.
We need to make sure Justice Scalias position is filled with a strict constitutionalist. she said. As a millennial, Stracke said she understands the next justice will affect her and her children for years to come.
Many people who disagree with him think his decision to delay confirmation hearings is about the next four years, Grassley said. But in the case of the Supreme Court, its about the direction of the Supreme Court for the next 40 years.
During the hour-long meeting, Grassley fielded questions and comments about members of Congress holding themselves to a different standard than whats expected of other citizens, Pentagon spending, legalizing cannabidiol oil, Zika funding, Veterans Affairs, climate change, bipartisanship in Congress and federal policies limiting the practice of Christianity.
DES MOINES | LifeServe Blood Centers, which operates a donor center in Sioux City, plans to begin testing donations for the Zika virus starting Nov. 18.
The Zika virus is an infectious disease, spread mainly through the bite of an Aedes species mosquito. It's highly dangerous because it often doesn't show symptoms, and can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus, causing severe birth defects such as microcephaly.
The testing is part of a mandate issued by the Food and Drug Administration last week that all blood centers in the U.S. and its territories implement testing within designated periods of time, based on geographical location. This is different from previous FDA guidelines concerning Zika, which required only a few pre-screening questions concerning a donor's travel history.
"There are other states that are in what I'll call the first phase of testing, and those states are states where the Zika virus is more prevalent, and/or where the mosquito that carries the Zika virus has been found," said Christine Hayes, vice president of operations at LifeServe.
States that are at a lower risk for exposure, such as Iowa and South Dakota, will continue with their pre-screening questions until the specified date. The FDA is not requiring blood centers to test blood from dates prior to Nov. 18.
If Zika were to be found in an Iowa patient's blood, the process following is pretty simple.
"In that situation, the donor is notified and most likely, the donor is deferred for a length of time. Just because you have Zika doesnt mean you're deferred forever - just that short window of time," Hayes said. "But as a unit, then hopefully with the time frame of testing, the unit is hopefully not sent to the hospital or transfused to a patient."
The period required for testing blood after it's collected is about 24 hours. As of right now, there are 14 tests donated blood has to undergo before it can be transported to hospitals for transfusions - the Zika test will be number 15.
Blood, however, doesn't have that long of a shelf life - 42 days or less - and blood donations overall have been low this summer. The FDA's mandate states that blood centers can either implement the Zika test, or stop collecting blood altogether.
"Us not having enough blood would have severe implications. Hospitals would not be able to treat their patients," said Hayes. "We dont have a choice, we have to abide by it. Its just a matter of trying to get all of our operational needs completed by that Nov. 18 time frame."
America's Blood Centers, which includes places like LifeServe, is a network of community based blood centers. There are 63 of them across the United States. The rest of the country's blood is collected by the American Red Cross.
"I always like to say, blood donation is that silent partner in the healthcare community," Hayes said. "So many situations involve the need for donated blood, and the only place we can get that is from another person."
SIOUX CITY | Woodbury and Dickinson counties ranked eighth and ninth in Iowa for tourism-related spending in 2015, according to a new study by the U.S. Travel Association.
Travelers spent more than $285 million in Woodbury County and $276 million in Dickinson County in 2015, the study said. That spending directly supported 2,260 jobs in Woodbury County and 1,980 jobs in Dickinson County.
Sioux City Events and Facilities director Erika Newton said she is encouraged by the report, which also shows an increasing amount of traveler-generated local tax receipts and a rising tourism-related employee payroll for Woodbury County.
"Every year we continue to go up," Newton said. "We see that tourism continues to provide jobs, and I think we're definitely headed in the right direction."
Statewide, the study reports Iowa saw $8.06 billion in tourism-related spending, a .06 percent increase from 2014. It was the second consecutive year tourism-related spending surpassed the $8 billion mark in the state.
The study reported the state's top five counties for tourism spending -- Polk, Linn, Scott, Johnson and Black Hawk -- comprised half of the $8.1 billion total, with Polk leading all counties at $1.9 billion.
Newton said her goal is for Woodbury County to break into the top five counties for tourism-related spending. Next year, she said, the Events and Facilities Department plans to build money into the budget for tourism-focused marketing.
In the future, she said, projects such as Cone Park, the Bomgaars Ag Expo & Learning Center, the riverfront renovation and enhancements to the Tyson Events Center will enhance Sioux City's tourism appeal.
"There are tons of projects in the works right now that could be a big boost," she said.
Dickinson County is home to the Iowa Great Lakes region, a popular summer vacation destination.
Okoboji tourism director Rebecca Peters said she has also been encouraged by local tourism numbers.
"From everything we've seen, the tourism industry is really strong right now," Peters said. "According to all indicators, we're having just as good of a year as last year, if not better."
Peters credited newer attractions like the Okoboji Classic Car Museum and the Waterfront Event Center for helping boost year-round tourism opportunities at the Lakes in recent years.
Statewide, travel-generated employment reached 67,400 in 2015, or 4.3 percent of the state's non-farm employment. State tax receipts increased by nearly 25 percent, partially due to an increase in Iowa's fuel tax.
Auto transportation, food services and lodging are the top three spending categories for domestic travelers in Iowa, the study said.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | A missing adult who was believed to be armed was located Thursday afternoon. As a precaution during the search, the Storm Lake Community School District kept students inside its buildings Thursday.
The Storm Lake Police Department said the man, 33-year-old Matthew Wilson, had been taken into custody Thursday afternoon.
Storm Lake Public Safety Director Mark Prosser said authorities had been searching for Wilson to check on his welfare since early Thursday morning. Prosser said Wilson was believed to be armed and has potential mental health needs.
Storm Lake Schools Superintendent Carl Turner said after receiving notification from the Storm Lake Police Department of the search, the school kept students from all buildings inside during recess and monitored who came in and out of the buildings until the all-clear was received.
You know what isn't fake? America's drug problem
SIOUX CITY | Kid Rock and weed go together like Creekfest and, well, weed.
A teenage girl released early from prison for a bogus bank robbery could face more time in custody after her arrest for marijuana possession.
Assistant Woodbury County Attorney James Loomis has filed an application for revocation of probation against Heaven Zevenbergen in the wake of Zevenbergen's Aug. 8 arrest on misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia in Ida County.
Zevenbergen, 19, of Holstein, Iowa, was sentenced in February to five years in prison on one count of second-degree theft for teaming with Angelica Perez to fake a robbery at the Security National Bank branch at the Hy-Vee store on Hamilton Boulevard.
In May, District Judge Jeffrey Neary reconsidered her sentence and ordered her released from prison and placed her on probation for five years. Perez also was released from prison and placed on probation.
On Aug. 8, Zevenbergen's probation officer and an Ida County sheriff's deputy visited her home and smelled the odor of marijuana. According to court documents, Zevenbergen admitted she had smoked marijuana earlier that day and led officers to her bedroom, where she turned over a plastic container of a green leafy substance and a pipe with burnt residue.
Court documents also show that a urine sample Zevenbergen provided to her probation officer on Aug. 3 tested positive for marijuana, and she admitted that she had smoked marijuana July 30 at the Creek Fest music festival near Cherokee, Iowa. She did not have permission from her probation officer to be at the rural Cherokee site, court documents said.
While arguing against a prison sentence in February, Zevenbergen's attorney said the teen had been addicted to drugs but had successfully completed a drug addiction treatment program.
Zevenbergen and Perez both pleaded guilty to an Aug. 15, 2015, plan in which Perez arrived at the bank in disguise and passed Zevenbergen, who was a bank employee, a note demanding cash and saying she was armed. Zevenbergen then gave Perez $10,000.
Twitter is going to start splitting ad revenue with content creators who post videos on its platform. The company hopes that this move will make it more competitive with other social platforms like Facebook and YouTube. And actually, Twitter is giving about 70 percent of ad revenue to content creators, making it an even better deal than YouTube.
However, YouTube is already a more established platform for those looking to raise some money through their content. So influencers and content creators already know they can make money there, whereas Twitter could be seen as more of a risk at this point.
Even so, theres no rule stating that everyone has to choose only one platform for their online videos. And a lot of influencers and online content creators already use more than one social platform to reach their audience.
So Twitter doesnt have to convince people to leave YouTube or any other platform. It just has to convince them to use Twitter in addition to those platforms.
The Takeaway on Financial Incentives
Small content creators who are already producing video for YouTube may see this an additional opportunity for revenue. All they need to do is post video they are already sharing on other platforms on Twitter as well. Twitters strategy could also inspire small businesses. Giving your community financial incentives to engage can often boost the visibility of your brand. Look for ways to reward members of your community for visiting your website or sharing your social media posts. You may be surprised by the results.
If you attend just one business conference before the end of 2016, put NextCon at the top of your shortlist.
Youll get to see high-octane speakers like Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple, and tech superstar Guy Kawasaki not to mention executives from LinkedIn and Google.
NextCon16 is a conference for entrepreneurs, small business owners, tech professionals and more. Its all about building a business, managing it well, marketing it and, of course, profiting from it.
NextCon, which takes place November 14-16, 2016, is being hosted by Nextiva, a cloud-based unified communications service.
Nextiva itself has grown rapidly over the past few years. So the company executives understand well the challenges of growth. That experience is part of what motivated this conference.
According to Yaniv Masjedi, Nextiva vice-president of marketing, who spoke with Small Business Trends in a telephone interview, the company didnt want it to be the typical brand conference focused on products and services.
Instead, Nextiva executives wanted the attention to be on helping all businesses grow and prosper regardless of whether they are Nextiva customers.
By holding the conference in Arizona, Nextiva also wants to spotlight the thriving tech and business scene there. As Masjedi says, Arizonas business environment has been instrumental in Nextivas own growth.
Ah-ha Moments
Nextiva promises that attendees will experience some genuine ah-ha moments. In other words, go with the idea of getting breakthrough ideas. Look for Ah-ha opportunities like these:
1. Professional Growth Insights
One ah-ha moment opportunity will likely occur on day one. It consists of a fireside chat with Darin Brown, CTO of Angies List; Neill Feather, president of Sitelock; and Carol Roth, TV host and CNBC contributor.
These entrepreneurs and business leaders will share how they overcame challenges and drove growth.
2. Real-world Marketing That Works
Speakers get down to brass tacks on day two. Youll hear real-world advice about paid search, brand building, SEO, social media, customer service and more. Other topics include raising capital, women in business, sales and data analytics.
3. Real Life Business Success Stories
Day three is where local business owners talk candidly about how they started and grew their businesses.
Another bonus ah-ha moment will likely occur when Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak takes the stage for his keynote.
According to Masjedi, Wozniak will share what it took to create Apples culture of innovation, and what other businesses can do to emulate it.
NextCon16 an Everyone Conference
NextCon16 is an everyone conference. Its designed for anyone to get value regardless of role, industry or company size. Students are welcome, too, said Masjedi.
At $499, the price is right for small business, particularly considering NextCon16 spans three full days. Plus, its being held in Scottsdale, Arizona, which, in November should be pleasant just as the weather starts to turn bad elsewhere.
Most sessions will be non-product specific.
There are tracks for Nextiva partners and customers but thats not the goal, Masjedi said. The bulk of the sessions will apply to any business professional.
Sessions are divided into four tracks: building, managing, promoting and profiting in business.
See Also: Celebrating the Biggest YouTube Moments of the Year
Co-hosted along with the event will be the Rule Breaker Awards ceremony.
NextCon16 takes place at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, Nov. 14-16, 2016. Learn more at: nextcon.nextiva.com.
Lets start with the bad news first. Its tougher than ever to get your content noticed.
Changes to Googles search results pages have further obscured content organically, especially on competitive commercial searches. Meanwhile, paid search CPCs are at all-time highs in established markets.
Organic reach in social media? Its pretty much dead. Half of all content gets zero shares, and less than 0.1 percent will be shared more than 1,000 times. And Facebook just announced that youre even less likely to get your content in front of people who arent related to you. (Sorry.)
Additionally, the typical internet marketing conversion rate is less than 1 percent.
How Content Marketing Doesnt (Usually) Work
How does content marketing actually work? Many people believe content marketing is basically a three-step process:
Create new content. Share your content on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) People buy your stuff.
Nope. This almost never happens.
Most content goes nowhere. The consumer purchase journey isnt a straight line and it takes time.
So is there a more reliable way to increase leads and sales with content?
Social Media Ads To The Rescue!
Now its time for the good news, guys! Social media ads provide the most scale-able content promotion and are proven to turn visitors into leads and customers.
And the best part? You dont need a huge ad budget.
A better, more realistic process for content marketing would look like this:
Create: Produce content and share it on social media. Amplify: Selectively promote your top content on social media. Tag: Build your remarketing audience by tagging site visitors with a cookie. Filter: Apply behavioral and demographic filters on your audience. Remarket: Remarket to your audience with display ads, social ads, and Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) to promote offers. Convert: Capture qualified leads or sale. Repeat.
You can use the following 10 Twitter and Facebook advertising hacks as a catalyst to get more eyeballs on your content, or as an accelerant to create an even larger traffic explosion.
Social Media Advertising Tips
1. Improve Your Quality Score
Quality Score is a metric Google uses to rate the quality and relevance of your keywords and PPC ads and influences your cost-per-click. Facebook calls their version a Relevancy Score:
While Twitter calls theirs a Quality Adjusted Bid:
Whatever you call it, Quality Score is a crucial metric. You can increase your quality score for Twitter and Facebook by increasing your post engagement rates.
See Also: Level Up Your Social and Content Marketing with These Expert Tips
A high quality score is great because youll get a higher ad impression share for the same budget at a lower cost per engagement. On the flip side, a low Quality Score is terrible because youll have a low ad impression share and a high cost per engagement.
How do you increase engagement rates? Promote your best content your unicorns (the top 1-3 percent that performs better than all your other content) vs. your donkeys (your bottom 97 percent).
To figure out if your content is a unicorn or donkey, youll have to test it out.
Post lots of stuff (organically) to Twitter and use Twitter Analytics to see which content gets the most engagement.
Post your top stuff from Twitter organically to LinkedIn and Facebook. Again, track which posts get the most traction.
Pay to promote the unicorns on Facebook and Twitter.
The key to paid social media ads is to be picky. Cast a narrow net and maximize those engagement rates.
2. Increase Engagement With Audience Targeting
Targeting all of your fans isnt precise. Its lazy and youll waste a lot of money.
Your fans arent a homogeneous blob. They all have different incomes, interests, values, and preferences.
For example, by targeting fans of Donald Trump, people with social media marketing job titles, NRA members, and the hashtag #NeverHillary (and excluding Democrats, fans of Hillary Clinton, and the hashtag #neverTrump), this tweet for an Inc. article I wrote got 10 times higher engagement:
Keyword targeting and other audience targeting methods help turn average ads into unicorns.
3. Generate Free Clicks From Paid Ads
On Twitter, tweet engagements are the most popular type of ad campaign. Why? I have no idea. You have to pay for every user engagement (whether someone views your profile, expands your image, expands your tweet from the tweet stream, or clicks on a hashtag).
If youre doing this, you need to stop. Now. Its a giant waste of money and offers the worst ROI.
Instead, you should only pay for the thing that matters most to your business, whether thats clicks to your website, app installs, followers, leads, or actual video views.
For example, when you run a Twitter followers campaign you only pay when someone follows you. But your tweet thats promoting one of your unicorn pieces of content will also get a ton of impressions, retweets, replies, mentions, likes, and visits to your website. All for the low, low cost of $0.
4. Promote Unicorn Video Ads!
Would you believe you can get thousands of video views at a cost of just $0.02 per view?
Shoppers who view videos are more likely to remember you, and buy from you. A couple quick tips for success:
Promote videos that have performed the best (i.e., driven the most engagement) on your website, YouTube, or elsewhere.
Make sure people can understand your video without hearing it an amazing 85 percent of Facebook videos are watched without sound, according to Digiday.
Make it memorable, try to keep it short, and target the right audience.
Bonus: video ad campaigns increase relevancy score by 2 points!
5. Score Huge Wins With Custom Audiences
True story: A while back I wrote an article that asked: do Twitter Ads work? To promote the article on Twitter, I used their tailored audiences feature to target key influencers.
The very same day, Business Insider asked for permission to publish the story. So I promoted that version of the article to influencers using tailored audiences.
An hour later, a Fox News producer emailed me. Look where I found myself:
The awesome power of custom audiences resulted in additional live interviews with major news outlets including the BBC, 250 high-value press pickups and links, massive brand exposure, 100,000 visits to the WordStream site, and a new business relationship with Facebook.
This is just one example of identity-based marketing using social media ads. Whether its Twitters tailored audiences or Facebooks custom audiences, this opens a ton of new and exciting advertising use cases!
6. Promote Your Content On More Social Platforms
Medium, Hacker News, Reddit, Digg, and LinkedIn Pulse call all send you massive amounts of traffic. Its important to post content here that is appropriate to the audience.
Post content on Medium or LinkedIn. New content is fine, but repurposing your content is a better strategy. This will give a whole new audience a chance to discover and consume your existing content.
Again, you can use social media ads as a catalyst or accelerant and get hundreds, thousands, or even millions of views you otherwise wouldnt have. It might even open you up to syndication opportunities (Ive had posts syndicated to New York Observer and Time Magazine).
You can also promote your existing content on sites like Hacker News, Reddit, or Digg. Getting upvotes can create valuable exposure that will send tons of traffic to your existing content.
For a minimal investment, you can get some serious exposure and traffic!
7. Optimize for Engagement for Insanely Awesome SEO
RankBrain is an AI machine learning system, which Google is now using to better understand search queries, especially queries Google has never seen before (an estimated 15 percent of all queries).
I believe Google is looking at user engagement metrics (such as organic click-through rates, bounce rates, dwell time, and conversion rates) as a way, in part, to rank pages that have earned very few or no links and provide better answers to users questions.
Even if user engagement metrics arent part of the core ranking algorithm, getting really high organic CTRs and conversion rates will have its own great rewards:
More clicks and conversions,
Better organic search rankings,
Even more clicks and conversions.
Use social media ads to build brand recognition and double your organic search click-through and conversion rates!
8. Social Media Remarketing
Social media remarketing, on average, will boost engagement by 3x and increase conversion rates by 2 times, all while cutting your costs by a third. So make the most of it!
Use social media remarketing to push your hard offers, such as sign-ups, consultations, and downloads.
9. Combine Everything With Super Remarketing
Super remarketing is the awesome combination of remarketing, demographics, behaviors, and high engagement content. Heres how and why it works.
Behavior and interest targeting: These are the people interested in your stuff.
These are the people interested in your stuff. Remarketing: These are the people who have recently checked our your stuff.
These are the people who have recently checked our your stuff. Demographic targeting: These are the people who can afford to buy your stuff.
Now you need to target your paid social ads to a narrow audience that meets all three criteria using your high engagement unicorns.
The result?
10. Combine Paid Search and Social Ads
For our final, and most advanced tip of them all, youre going to combine social ads with PPC search ads on Google using RLSA.
RLSA is incredibly powerful. You can target customized search ads only to people who have recently visited your site when they search on Google. It increases click-through and conversion rates by 3 times and also reduces cost-per-click by a third.
But theres one problem. By definition, RLSA doesnt target people who are unfamiliar with your brand.
This is where social ads come in. Social ads will help more people become familiar with your brand.
Social ads are cheap way to start the process of biasing people towards you. Although they may not need what you sell now, later when the need arises, people will either do a branded search for your stuff, or do an unbranded search but click on you because they remember your memorable or inspirational content.
If your content marketing efforts are struggling, then these ridiculously powerful Twitter and Facebook advertising hacks will turn your content donkeys into unicorns!
Republished by permission. Original here.
For better or for worse, WhatsApp has utterly redefined the way its community communicate using their smartphones. Since its inception in 2010, the intuitively-designed messaging app has exploded in popularity bursting its way into popular culture and cultivating a formidable user base of over a billion people worldwide.
But with great power comes great responsibility. And after announcing a seemingly innocent change in its privacy policy last week, its looking like WhatsApp may not be acting responsibly with your data.
Outlining a series of policy changes in a blog post Thursday, the company said that it wants to further develop the type of interactions taking place across the WhatsApp community. How? By making it easier for companies to reach you with advertisements.
In the first major overhaul since it was acquired by Facebook for the princely sum of $19 billion in 2014, WhatsApp has confirmed it will now give Facebook full access to the phone numbers that people use with their WhatsApp accounts. In turn, that means Facebook will be able to track app users and gather crucial data with which to target them with more heavily targeted advertising.
Privacy campaigners are already on the warpath. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and the Center for Digital Democracy filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission on Monday. And British authorities have launched an investigation of their own after the Information Commissioners Office raised concerns WhatsApp and Facebooks new arrangement might be breaking European data protection laws.
Yet at the end of the day, these potential legal proceedings should be the least of WhatsApps worries.
A Lesson on the Importance of Trust in Business
When Facebook purchased the wildly popular messaging service in 2014, WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum immediately came out and declared the acquisition would in no way impact the apps historically water-tight privacy policies. Citing childhood experiences growing up under the iron fist of the Soviet Union and the K.G.B in the 1980s, Koum assured users that WhatsApps fundamental values and beliefs would not change as part of the deal.
Respect for your privacy is coded into our DNA, and we built WhatsApp around the goal of knowing as little about you as possible, Koum wrote. If partnering with Facebook meant that we had to change our values, we wouldnt have done it.
Speculation to the contrary isnt just baseless and unfounded, its irresponsible. It has the effect of scaring people into thinking were suddenly collecting all kinds of new data. Thats just not true, and its important to us that you know that.
The message appeared to comfort users. But two years on, it looks like the company has completely turned its back on that promise if only indirectly via its new parent company.
Sure, messages you send and receive on WhatsApp will still enjoy end-to-end encryption. Yet by offering your phone number and all associated data up to a company that has already been slapped on the wrist for invading users privacy, its fair to say that WhatsApp has very publicly shifted its business focus from building user trust to building revenues.
While businesses certainly have the right to earn revenue, this might not bode well for WhatsApp in the long term, and there is definitely a lesson to be learned for other companies, here particularly for small businesses that gather and hold important information about their customers. But really, it can apply to any business that makes a promise to customers.
First and foremost, WhatsApps blatant pivot on privacy rules is completely off-brand. In a way, its eerily reminiscent of George H. W. Bushs infamous no more taxes promise. Users took on the fledgling app because it provided them with a cheap and dynamic alternative to standard and costly messaging platforms and stringently defended their rights to privacy. They were promised time and time again that WhatsApp would not collect or use their data in any way, shape or form.
Moving away from that promise will undeniably shake users confidence in the service and bearing in mind there are plenty of near-identical alternatives to WhatsApp, a sizable user exodus very well may be on the horizon.
Meanwhile, the legal proceedings launched against the company in response to these changes suggest that neither WhatsApp nor Facebook fully understood the potential legal implications of the policy change. If global authorities conclude the companies are now in breach of certain data protection laws, the financial ramifications could be staggering.
At the end of the day, WhatsApp should prove a cautionary tale for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Mishandling data or invading users privacy wont just lose you customers. It could put you out of business entirely. Just remember: if you betray your communitys trust, you may never get the opportunity to earn it back.
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.
Andrew MacLeod is a visiting Professor at Kings College London and a former UN and Red Cross official who served in countries like Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and others. What sloppy writing. What countries are like Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan? He has negotiated with warlords and terrorists. Is that something to be proud of? In the UK Independent Tuesday, he explains that a Muslim who screams Allahu akbar and kills people may not be a terrorist, but just a lonely publicity-seeker committing the Muslim equivalent of suicide by cop.And the never-ending mainstream media quest to exonerate Islam of all responsibility for the crimes committed in its name and in accord with its teachings grows even more absurd than it already was.MacLeods evidence? He says that Smail Ayad, the Australia jihadi who murdered two non-Muslims, Mia Ayliffe-Chung and Tom Jackson, as well as the Orlando murderer, the Sydney siege murderer, and the Nice murderer, all did not appear to be part of organised groups. We know none of the Nice, Sydney and Orlando killers had a deep religious history. All three rarely prayed in mosques. They drank, had sex out of marriage, failed to fast in Ramadan. None was a devout Muslim, according to anecdotal evidence from people who claimed to have known them.What MacLeod fails to take into account in this analysis is that they may have been trying to make up for all that sinful activity by doing a great good deed. A hadith has a Muslim asking Muhammad: Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward). Muhammad replied, I do not find such a deed. (Bukhari 4.52.44) The Quran teaches that Allah will place a Muslims good deeds on one scale and bad deeds on the other, and send them to Paradise or hell depending on which scale weighs more (cf. 21:47). A Muslim who is worried about his eternal destiny can decisively tip the scales in his favor by waging jihad, the deed that is greater than all others. He can seize the Qurans promise of Paradise for those who kill and are killed for Allah (9:111).In light of that, it is wrong to assume that Muslims who were not devout and then kill while screaming Allahu akbar have no jihadi motive. Also, the Islamic State and al-Qaeda have repeatedly called upon Muslim individuals in the West to engage in random attacks. That means that a Muslim who has no ties to any jihad groups could still be heeding their call. MacLeod appears to assume that if a Muslim killer is not a verifiable member of al-Qaeda, ISIS, or some other jihad group, then he isnt waging jihad. On what basis does he assume that an individual Muslim cannot undertake this endeavor? He doesnt bother to explain that.What really needs investigating in light of the murders of Mia Ayliffe-Chung and Tom Jackson is the psychic landscape that Islam provides for a Muslim such as their killer, Smail Ayad. Ayad may indeed have been non-devout and not interested in jihad or Islam in general. But at a moment of distress, at a time of upset and upheaval in his life, he was only able to provide a context for his anger and hatred in Islam and its call for warfare against unbelievers hence even if his motive was being rejected by Mia Ayliffe-Chung, he screamed Allahu akbar and didnt kill Mia only, but Jackson as well, and attacked police also: his rage at her became a generalized jihad against the Infidels all around him.That is a scenario worth studying, as it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. But the willfully ignorant and politically correct such as MacLeod and the Independent will never venture into such territory.The Independent says that MacLeod can be followed on Twitter @Why_slow_down, but he seems to have deleted that account. I wonder why. Did he have an inkling that he would be called out on his shoddy reasoning and attempt to keep non-Muslims complacent in the face of the advancing jihad?
LA PLATA, Md.
Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at so.md/expungeme.
(Aug. 31, 2016)The Charles County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.DETECTIVES CHARGE SUSPECT WITH TWO ROBBERIES: On August 27, members of the CCSO Criminal Investigations Division charged, in connection with two armed robberies that occurred earlier that day at a Dash-In and a CVS in Bryans Road. During the robberies, Cooks entered the store, implied he had a gun, and demanded money. Investigators were able to quickly identify Cooks as the suspect and obtained an arrest warrant. Cooks was located and arrested without incident. He was subsequently charged with two counts of robbery. Detective C. Gregory and Det. R. Johnson investigated.MAN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT INVOLVING RELATIVE: On August 27 at 9:38 p.m., officers responded to the 3500 block of Curtis Place in Brandywine for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a man with a gunshot wound to his finger. A preliminary investigation showed the victim was arguing with the suspecta relativeduring which the suspect hit him with a gun and then shot at him, striking his finger. The victim was treated for his injury, which was not life-threatening. The suspect,, was charged with first-degree assault. Detective J. Austin is investigating.DETECTIVES IDENTIFY AND ARREST SUSPECT IN CONNECTION WITH CITIZEN ROBBERY: On August 25, detectives assigned to the CCSO Criminal Investigations Division arrested, in connection with a citizen armed robbery that occurred on July 22 in the area of St. Marks Drive and Huntington Woods Drive in Waldorf. During the robbery, Sockwell approached two male victims, displayed a handgun, assaulted the victims, and stole their property. Sockwell was developed as a suspect and an arrest warrant was obtained; he was located at an address in Washington, D.C. Sockwell was charged with armed robbery, first-degree assault and second-degree assault. Detective J. Feldman is investigating.BURGLARY: Sometime between August 23 and August 24, unknown suspect(s) broke into a house in the area of Summit Court in Indian Head and stole multiple electronics. PFC J. Harley is investigating.BURGLARY: On August 22, during the day time hours, unknown suspect(s) broke into a house in the 4700 block of Mason Springs Road in Indian Head and stole electronics Officer J. Jackson is investigating.
Pictured: (left to right) Ane Gonzalez Ruiz, Sarah Couvin, and Hannes Finnern. (Photo: SMCM)
ST. MARY'S CITY, Md.
(Sept. 1, 2016)Sarah Couvin of France, Hannes Finnern of Germany, and Ane Gonzalez Ruiz of Spain, have been awarded a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program grant to serve as teaching assistants in the Department of International Languages and Cultures and take courses at St. Mary's College of Maryland for academic year 2016-17. While in the United States, the three students will share their language and culture with U.S. communities to inspire Americans to travel and study overseas, and make U.S. citizens better prepared to engage with businesses, governments, and organizations abroad. St. Mary's College enjoys a long and successful history of exchanges with the FLTA program.Couvin, Finnern, and Ruiz are among nearly 400 young educators from 50 countries who will travel to the United States in the 2016-17 academic year through the Fulbright FLTA Program to help internationalize U.S. colleges and universities, a key goal of many institutions as they prepare students for the 21st century workforce and globalized world. Recipients of Fulbright FLTA grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential. Fulbright FLTA scholarships are awarded by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.In the coming year, grant recipients from East Asia and the Pacific; Europe and Eurasia; the Middle East and North Africa; South and Central Asia; and Sub-Saharan Africa will contribute to U.S. students' foreign language acquisition in more than 30 languages at over 200 U.S. institutions. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments, universities, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support.The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. The Fulbright Program has given approximately 360,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Since 2001, more than 4,000 Fulbright awardees have been Fulbright FLTAs.Fulbright FLTA recipients are among over 50,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. The Fulbright FLTA Program is administered by the Institute of International Education.
HUGHESVILLE, Md.
(Sept. 1, 2016)With the potential heavy rains and high winds facing Southern Maryland this weekend, area residents are urged to take steps to prepare for possible weather-related power outages. Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) is monitoring weather forecasts, and co-op crews are prepared to restore power if outages occur.According to SMECO spokesperson Tom Dennison, "Whenever weather systems are expected in our area, SMECO personnel prepare to respond to outages that may result from falling trees and flooding." Dennison added, "If customers need to report a power outage, they can call 1-877-74-SMECO (1-877-747-6326). They can also go online to our website, www.smeco.coop , or use SMECO's text messaging service. The SMECO 24/7 free mobile app will allow customers to report an outage, view our outage map, or make a payment. We encourage customers to download the app or register for the texting service before bad weather hits." Customer-members can get more information about the app and text messaging service on SMECO's website at smeco.coop/SMECO247 SMECO's outage restoration policy is to make repairs that will restore service to the most people in the least amount of time. Transmission lines and substations are repaired first, followed by distribution lines that feed neighborhoods. Tap lines and individual service lines are then repaired to restore power to customers who may still be without electricity.The following is a list of helpful tips for customers. If someone in your household depends on electricity to operate life support systems, make plans for alternate sources of power or alternate lodging. If you plan to use a portable generator, use extension cords to connect what you want to power directly to the generator. Place your generator outside, not in an attic, crawl space, or basement. Carbon monoxide poisoning is deadly. Make sure your generator is connected safely; a generator that is not connected safely can cause serious injury or death. When your power comes back on, turn off and disconnect your generator immediately. Keep flashlights and fresh batteries on hand. Lanterns and candles are not recommended because they can cause fires. Never touch downed power lines or attempt to remove trees from power lines. Contact with live lines may result in serious injury or death. Let qualified SMECO crews handle the clearing and repair work. Please report downed power lines to SMECO immediately by calling 1-888-440-3311. Stock nonperishable foods and keep a manual can opener handy. The ideal choices are foods that require no cooking, such as fruit, canned tuna, peanut butter, crackers, cereals, cereal bars, canned soup, and bread. Do not stock your refrigerator or freezer with foods that may perish during a power outage. If you plan to use a charcoal or gas grill for cooking, keep the grill outdoors. If your water at home is supplied by a well, store extra water in clean jugs, bathtubs, or laundry tubs. Keep a battery-powered radio with fresh batteries and stay tuned to local news bulletins and weather reports. Make sure that you have a standard phone available. Cordless phones do not work without electricity. If you use a cell phone, an auto adapter may be needed to recharge your phone. Keep your automobile gas tank above half full. Keep fresh batteries in your smoke detectors. Open the freezer and refrigerator as little as possible. This will help food stay fresh longer. Make sure the oven and stove are off to prevent fires if the power comes back on while you're away.
PIKESVILLE, Md.
(Sept. 1, 2016)The Maryland State Police are anticipating higher traffic volume and warning drivers they can expect enforcement of speed, occupant restraint and most importantly DUI laws this Labor Day weekend.As summer ends and Labor Day weekend approaches, many celebrants will be celebrating with friends and family. In efforts to increase safety the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort team and troopers statewide will be out in force focusing efforts on impaired, distracted, and aggressive drivers. This effort is intended to reduce traffic crashes and the resulting injuries and deaths on Maryland roads. The Maryland State Police remind drivers all year, but especially during our extend holiday weekends, that drinking alcohol and driving is never a good choice."Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" is a high visibility enforcement campaign, which runs from August 19 to September 5, 2016. During this period Maryland State Police and local law enforcement will be working together to save lives and will have zero tolerance for drunk driving.Operation SHOWBOAT will be underway this Labor Day weekend, focusing on aggressive driving, crash reduction, and impaired driving. Operation SHOWBOAT will concentrate its efforts on U.S. Route 50 from Anne Arundel County to Ocean City and U.S. Route 13 in Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester counties. In addition state police will be conducting sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols.As Maryland State Troopers continue to support the Maryland Department of Transportation's campaign "Toward Zero Deaths," motorists need to be aware of the dangers of alcohol. Alcohol takes effect quickly and wears off slowly. It tends to reduce one's control, judgment, and coordination. In addition, perceptual abilities, speech and speed of reflexes can be impaired.Impaired drivers can face jail time, lose their driver's licenses, incur higher insurance rates, and dozens of other expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, to lost wages due to time off from work. Even worse, a drunk driver can claim someone's life, or even their own.Authorities ask citizens to please follow these tips to keep Maryland roads safe this Labor Day Weekend: Have a plan before you drink any alcoholic beverages. One drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk. Designate a driver. Be attentive while traveling this holiday. Ensure everyone is secured by a seatbelt. Call 911 to report drunk drivers.
GREENBELT, Md.
(Sep. 1, 2016)A federal grand jury has charged John S. Mattingly, age 70, of Charlotte Hall, Maryland, today for bank fraud in connection with a scheme to steal funds from St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, while he was the pastor. The indictment was returned on August 29, 2016, and unsealed today after Mattingly's arrest.The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Mary's County Sheriff Tim Cameron, and St. Mary's County State's Attorney Richard Fritz.According to the 20-count indictment, Mattingly was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1972 and was the pastor of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church (St. Francis), in Leonardtown, Maryland, from 1994 until September 1, 2010, when he resigned. While serving as a parish priest, Mattingly was paid a salary and stipend by St. Francis.The indictment alleges that from September 2006 through September 2010, Mattingly fraudulently deposited checks from parishioners made payable to St. Francis and to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which were intended by the St. Francis parishioners to be charitable donations, into a bank account he controlled. In order to conceal the scheme, Mattingly allegedly falsely represented that that the checks he deposited into his bank account would be used for charitable purposes and/or church maintenance and renovations. According to the indictment, Mattingly did not use the charitable contributions from the St. Francis parishioners for their intended purposes, but instead transferred the fraudulently obtained funds from his bank account to Mattingly's personal individual retirement account. The indictment further alleges that Mattingly also wrote unauthorized checks from the St. Francis bank account payable to himself and deposited those checks into his personal individual retirement account.The indictment alleges that over the course of the scheme Mattingly fraudulently deposited more than 500 checks, totaling at least $76,000, written by more than 135 parishioners and made payable to St. Francis or the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and not to Mattingly.Mattingly faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for each of the 20 counts of bank fraud. An initial appearance was held today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. Mattingly is released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial ServicesAn indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, and St. Mary's County State's Attorney's Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan E. Foreman, who is prosecuting the case.
On August 20th, Donald Trump visited Fredericksburg, Virginia. My mother and sister were verbally assaulted. Go fuck yourselves! men screamed at them as they stood outside peacefully with an anti-racism sign. Obscene gestures and shouts of Idiots! and Go home! from car windows. The latter was possibly a racist attack on my Latina sister. Build that wall! most certainly was.
Let me tell you a little about my mom. She decided while pregnant with me that she wanted to try homeschooling her kids. The public schools were struggling in our area, private school was expensive and mom wanted to do her best to help us be successful. We set up our first classroom in the downstairs playroom. Mom took her spot in front of the class to begin teaching elementary English and math.
She only had a high-school education at the time. Mom accepted help from other parents and teachers in a cooperative environment to ensure we got the best education. Dad, who earned his college degree when I was seven, administered standardized testing. Our house became a local homeschooling hot-spot for parents who needed help and wanted to make sure their childrens test scores were properly reported to the state so they could get into good colleges.
Related: Trump Campaign Office Opens Across the Street From Pulse Gay Club
Today, my sister and I are both college graduates from strong universities. My mother is in college now. Shes earned her paraprofessional counseling certificate and volunteers to help teenagers learn support strategies to assist their at-risk friends. Did I mention that shes also the full-time caretaker for my grandma, a Costa Rican immigrant whose biological family is almost exclusively in her home country?
This is the woman Donalds supporters were flipping off and calling names. I wish I could say Im surprised by the way my family was treated, but Im not at all.
Donald divides and demonizes categories of Americans while suggesting economic policies that will disadvantage the same hard-working people hes trying to energize. Honesty, hospitality and family values mean absolutely nothing to him. Id know. I now live in New York City, where his reputation for sociopathic behavior is the worst-kept secret in town.
The women in my family were attacked because Donald preys upon the worst impulses of angry people, infusing serious discussions with a bullying racism that has nothing to do with solving any of the problems our country is facing. A persuasive enough voice for hatred can get grown men to take time out of their days to disrespect two women engaged in the politest possible form of advocacy: holding a sign with smiles on their faces, ready to talk with anyone interested in learning more about their views.
Related: OpEd: An Indictment of Donald J Trump
What this hostile subset of Americans fail to realize is that Donald has absolutely no answers to improve the country. Hes a smokescreen. Even Donalds party affiliation is a fraud. Hes no more a Republican than he was a Democrat or a good businessperson. He claims to be absolutely anything necessary to increase his profile for more media attention to feed his narcissism. He runs companies into the ground, because hes really just a personal branding expert without an interest in the creation of sustainable jobs.
Thankfully, the majority of Americans roundly reject demagogues who insult both their country and intelligence. The media coverage can make us forget that hes losing badly. If we keep working hard, we can defeat him in November with a rejection of historic proportions. People like the brave women in my family are here to let everyone know theres a better way for our children than the darkness on sale from New York Citys most notorious con artist.
When he goes low, well keep going high.
Chris Sosa is a political commentator and campaign specialist based in New York City. His work focuses on animal rights, human rights and progressive politics.
Commissioner Justin Flippen doesnt want the term survivor applied to anymore LGBT youth.
Flippen, a survivor of conversion therapy, took the lead on an ordinance that bans the practice of conversion therapy within Wilton Manors. Flippen said he was not a minor at the time he went through conversion therapy and was not forced to participate by his parents. But wants to ensure the practice, which can lead to suicide, is banned.
Passed unanimously by the commission on Aug. 23, the new law prohibits licensed professionals from engaging in counseling that attempts to change a minors sexual orientation or gender identity. The penalty for violations is $200 for every day that the therapy takes place.
Related: Seattle May Ban Gay Conversion Therapy for Minors
Often called reparative therapy, the controversial practice has already been banned by Washington, D.C. and several states, including California, Oregon, New Jersey and New York.
In March, two bills in the Florida legislature, HB 137 and SB 258, that would have made conversion therapy illegal for minors in the state, failed to get out of committee. In June, Miami Beach passed a ban on the practice.
The practice is also opposed by multiple professional psychiatric and health organizations, including the American Medical Association [AMA] and American Psychological Association.
On its website, the AMA states that it opposes, the use of reparative or conversion therapy that is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that the patient should change his/her homosexual orientation.
Related: Conversion Therapy Ban Advances in Florida Legislature
Justin Klecha, director of campaigns for SAVE, an organization that fights anti-LGBT discrimination, said the citys actions sends the right message to our youth. He added that his organization was going from city to city to urge other commissions to do the same.
But not everyone thinks the commission should be focused on issues like this.
Resident Benjamin Little, at a commission meeting in July, said officials should worry more about matters that have a larger impact on the city. In 2010, he also criticized the commission for spending time on sending a resolution to state and federal lawmakers that called for banning oil drilling off of Floridas coast in response to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The electorate is getting tired of this. Dont fix things which arent broken. You have bigger fish to fry, said Little in July. They are Wilton Manors Commissioners, not people who are tasked with saving the rest of the world.
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.
citizen science app NASA
Want to be a citizen Earth scientist? All you need to contribute to NASAs studies of our home planet is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the new GLOBE Observer app.
Now available for Apple and Android phones, the app is an initiative of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program, a science and education effort that for over two decades has enabled schools and students in over 110 countries to investigate their local environment and put their observations in a global context.
With the launch of GLOBE Observer, the GLOBE program is expanding beyond the classroom to invite everyone to become a citizen Earth scientist, said Holli Riebeek Kohl, NASA lead of GLOBE Observer. Many GLOBE students have continued to pursue their interest in Earth observations as working professionals.
The initial release of the app allows users to collect observations of clouds, which are a critical part of the global climate system. Additional types of observations are planned for GLOBE Observer, including land cover and the identification of mosquito larvae. The observations encourage the public to be more keenly observant of their outdoor environment and make their own field investigations.
Once you collect environmental observations with the app, they are sent to the GLOBE data and information system for use by scientists and students studying the Earth, said Kohl. You can also use these observations for your own investigations and interact with a vibrant community of individuals from around the world who care about Earth system science and our global environment.
Clouds play an important role in the Earths energy budget and the climate system. Depending on the characteristics of clouds their type, altitude, size of droplets they reflect sunlight back to space or trap heat coming from the Earths surface in the atmosphere.
Clouds are one of the most important factors in understanding how climate is changing now and how its going to change in the future, Kohl said. NASA studies clouds from satellites that provide either a top view or a vertical slice of the clouds. The ground-up view from citizen scientists is valuable in validating and understanding the satellite observations. It also provides a more complete picture of clouds around the world.
Over the next two weeks, the GLOBE Observer team challenges citizen scientists to collect cloud observations that coincide with the overpass of a cloud-observing satellite over their location. We really encourage all citizen scientists to look up in the sky and take observations while the satellites are passing over through Sept. 14, said Kohl.
Through the GLOBE Observer app, users will be informed about the timing of the satellite overpass at their respective locations. Users can also view daily maps of the satellites path by following GLOBE Observer on Facebook or Twitter.
Ground measurements are critical to validate measurements taken from space through remote sensing, said Erika Podest, an Earth scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who is working with GLOBE data. There are some places in the world where we have no ground data, so citizen scientists can greatly contribute to advancing our knowledge this important part of the Earth system.
New app users have to create accounts and confirm them via email. On first use, citizen scientists are presented a brief tutorial and will then are ready to start making observations. From a drop down menu, the user has to determine whether the sky is clear, cloudy or obscured by things like rain, snow, fog, or dust. If the sky is cloudy, the citizen scientists then classify the clouds by height and type, including the identification of visible contrails. The app auto-fills other information such as local date and time and location coordinates.
An optional step is taking photos of the sky. The distribution of clouds in the sky is important for scientists to later analyze the images. The app helps users align their camera with compass directions and the best tilt to capture most of the sky.
An internet connection is not needed while making GLOBE Observer cloud observations. Data can be stored in the phone and users can submit them later when an internet connection is available. All photo submissions are reviewed before being displayed on the GLOBE site.
For more information on GLOBE Observer, including how to download the app, visit: http://observer.globe.gov
First Military Region (Liberated Territories), August, 31 2016 (SPS) -The Commander of the first Military Region of Saharawi People's Liberation Army (SPLA), Mr. Beidalla Mohamed Brahim, met yesterday the head of the military forces of the United Nations Mission for the referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Mr. Mohamed Tayeb Azzam, at the headquarters of the region.
During this meeting, attended by several military leaders of the region, the head of the mission of UN peacekeeping "asked the Saharawi party" patience and self-control ", highlighting the commitment of its mission to ensure that the Moroccan part respects the status quo of the Military Agreement No. 1 signed in 1991, in order to avoid any tension that may make the situation explode at any moment. "
In this regard, the POLISARIO officially informed the United Nations about the deployment of units of the Saharawi army in the area, since last August 28, 2016, to prevent any Moroccan activity outside the wall, including continued asphalt work, which aim to change the status quo prevailing since the entry into force of the ceasefire. (SPS)
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Older people showed more aversion to modern European education. While dissatisfaction rates across different age groups were mostly uniform in Italy, 66 percent in the over-35 age group in France disapproved of education in the country's schools compared to 53 percent of those under 35.
A significant gender gap in responses is noted in Germany, with half of men and 57 percent of women indicating disapproval toward German school education. The older age group was also more critical of the education system in Germany. Differences were also observed in terms of the east-west split. About 51 percent of people in western Germany were dissatisfied with the system of primary and secondary education. In eastern Germany, the figure was 61 percent, with Berlin showing the highest disapproval rate of 74 percent.
The poll was conducted by Ifop, Frances oldest opinion and market research company, from June 28 to July 4, 2016. In total, 3,006 respondents older than 18 years old took part in the poll, 1,000 of these in Germany, 1,004 in France and 1,002 in Italy. The sample was representative in terms of gender, age and location. The margin of error is 3.1 percent by country, with a 95 percent confidence interval.
The international public opinion project was created in January 2015, in partnership with leading research companies such as Populus, Ifop and Forsa. The project organizes regular surveys in the United States and Europe on the most sensitive social and political issues.
About the Sputnik.Polls Project
The international public opinion project was created in January 2015, in partnership with leading research companies such as Populus, IFOP, and forsa. The project organizes regular surveys in the United States and Europe on the most sensitive social and political issues.
Sputnik is a news agency and radio network with multimedia news hubs in dozens of countries. Sputnik broadcasts through its websites in over 30 languages, as well as on analogue and digital radio, mobile apps, and social media. Sputnik newswires, available by subscription, 24/7 in English, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese.
A spokesperson for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau verified to the Daily Beast that plans to end the search this summer may now be canceled, as efforts may need to continue through next year. Search efforts have already cost a whopping $180 million.
In June, Dutch company Furgo admitted that there were areas of the ocean floor that were not scanned by sonar.
A secondary search would focus on a southern portion of the Indian Ocean using a sonar-equipped remote vehicle. There are reportedly 6,200 square miles of the 46,332 square mile search radius that require further investigation.
The novel idea of letting people spend a day in prison has become an instant hit in India's southern state of Telengana. Anyone willing to pay Rs 500 (USD 7.4) is allowed to spend 24 hours in the Sangareddy Heritage Prison Museum.
According to museum officials, massive amounts of tourists are coming to visit since it was opened in June. More than 550 people have spent a night in this prison so far and thousands more are awaiting their turn.
V.K. Singh, Director General of Telangana prison museum told to Sputnik, "We are getting a lot of inquiries from tourists as well as travel agencies. We are in talks with the Telengana Tourism Development Corporation to include the museum in their tourist circuit. Booking can be done by sending an email to the museum headquarters, Hyderabad. But, if anybody wants to go there directly, booking will be open at Sangareddy as well."
Hiroshige Seko will take up this position, while at the same time remaining the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. The move is aimed at improving bilateral economic relations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet on September 2 on the sidelines of the Second Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok. According to the publication, Abe plans to discuss with the Russian leader the launch of negotiations for a peace treaty between the two countries.
On August 30, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Moscow passed the Japanese side the cooperation development plan consisting of 49 points. According to him, the initiatives will be discussed at the meeting of Putin and Abe at the EEF.
When asked what North Korea would look like 25 years from now and whether North and South would even become one again, Alejandro said that in 25 years' time North Korea may become a highly developed, futuristic country while preserving its socialist system and economic self-sufficiency as an alternative model for countries suffering the horrors of capitalism.
He added that North Korea will not emulate the capitalist model that currently exists in China because this would be the end of the countrys socialist system and independence.
The country will reunite, Im sure about this. We are already on the way to reunification and it now depends on the people of South Korea who should elect a progressively minded president who would not be dependent of the US, he noted.
When asked about the reason why Pyongyang had decided to develop its own nuclear arsenal, he said that the nuclear program is the guarantor of the countrys existence. Without it the country would have become another Iraq, Libya or Syria, which have lost their culture, resources and their future."
Mentioning the oft-repeated Western accusations of alleged human rights violations in North Korea, he said that it was part of the lies being spread by the CIA and US propaganda.
The military expert pointed out that the construction of the airplane is set to be done in the city of Suzhou (Sichuan province). It has been nearly 30 years since the production of the first AN-225 was done and as Kashin pointed out the manufacturing process of the new airplane still remains unclear as no details have been given out.
Kashin also said that the AN-225s engines were earlier made by the Ukrainian company called Motor Sich. But now it has been several decades since the construction of the first airplane was completed. How quickly can they resume full-scale production is extremely dubious.
In May, Antonovs deputy head said that Ukraine had been considering launching a joint manufacturing production with China and was planning to invite Chinese investors to the project.
On Wednesday, Antonov refused to make any comments on the deal and said that it will publish additional information about the negotiations with the Chinese company later, after its delegation returns from Beijing.
According to Kashin what is most likely to happen is that the AN-225 will be bought by the Chinese government through an intermediary company. The aircraft will join the PLA Air Force and the aircrafts engineering documentation will be passed on to AVIC.
Australia, however, also has a strong trading relationship with China. According to the Jerusalem Post, Beijing spent $11.1 billion on Australian assets in 2015.
As a show of loyalty, Hanson suggested that Canberra conduct a freedom of navigation patrol of its own.
"Clearly, China believes that they have an opportunity and they feel empowered to flout that, and a demonstration by Australia would be welcome," he said.
Hanson added that his statements reflect his own opinions and do not represent the official views of the US government.
In response, Canberra gave no indication that it planned to change its positions.
The official believes the new crafts are necessary as "North Korea is preparing a number of strategic ways to attack the South using its submarine fleet on top of the SLBM development. We are discussing whether to purchase the latest maritime patrol aircraft to detect North Korean submarines to prevent surprise attacks from under water."
The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) felt the need to beef up its surveillance capabilities after the DPRKs SLBM test launch landed in Japanese waters last week after flying some 500 kilometers.
Ties between Russia and the West suffered a severe blow after Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 and the West imposed political and economical sanctions on Russia. The Kremlin has repeatedly refuted the accusations and introduced countermeasures , banning a list of EU products.
"In absolute terms, foreign investments attracted by us for Rosneft projects in eastern Russia have surpassed 1.5 trillion rubles ($22.97 billion)," Sechin added.
Russian budget incomes from the Sakhalin-1 project will reach six trillion rubles ($91.9 billion) by 2055, the Rosneft head said.
"According to our estimates, incomes from the Sakhalin-1 project to the Russian Federation's budget will stand at six trillion rubles by 2055," Sechin said. "Overall, in the period up to 2021, the company plans to invest over 130 billion rubles in Far East shelf exploration," he said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Eurasian Economic Commission's (EEC) Board gave the green light to the study of prospects of the free trade area between the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Singapore, EEC Trade Minister Veronika Nikishina said.
"In August, the EEC Board approved a proposal to explore jointly the feasibility of talks on the free trade area with Singapore. In September, we are set to bring the issue to the vice prime ministers of our countries," Nikishina told RIA Novosti.
The EEU currently has a free trade agreement (FTA) with Vietnam. The economic bloc are considering signing bilateral FTAs with four more South Asian countries Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The TPP deal between the United States and 11 Pacific-rim nations aims to lower tariffs and other trade barriers on thousands of items. The 12 participant countries make up some 40 percent of the world economy. The deal was concluded in October 2015 but it has yet to be ratified by the signatory countries.
"The main adverse effect for our manufacturers may be the fact that 'the price of entry' to the TPP market will increase. They will have to produce better and cheaper goods, ensure higher quality and make the delivery faster. That means that it will be more difficult to catch up with their competitors," Nikishina told RIA Novosti.
Nikishina added that a major part of trade in the Pacific was carried out in free trade areas and that no market shocks are expected to arise from the TPP deal.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the statement, about 5,600 enterprises with German funds with an overall turnover exceeding $50 billion operate in Russia and provide job opportunities for about 270,000 people.
"Russian business is not interested in halting projects with German partners and is ready for increase in investment flow and localization of German production. The Deutsche Bundesbank's data proves this. German companies invested in Russia over $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2016 in comparison with $1.78 billion throughout 2015," the Chamber's statement read Wednesday citing Dmitriev speaking at a Russia-Germany economic conference.
In addition to political tensions, Chinas growth is restrained by the lack of natural resources. In order to increase welfare and domestic consumption, China would have to increase consumption of natural resources. But there are also problems with logistics. China does not have sufficient transportation capabilities to deliver resources to factories and plants across all the country.
Economic optimization always means slowing growth. Plus the financial efficiency of the Chinese economy is not enough. If a large number of small and medium ineffective companies are shut down, this will lead to a drop in domestic production and an increase in unemployment rate.
In order to control the situation, the Chinese government is applying noneconomic and economic tools, including correcting the fiscal and monetary policy, a banking reform, improving pension, healthcare and environmental programs.
According to Goldman Sachs, Chinas transition to a "new economy" is already giving results. The bank states that the types of goods and services exported by Beijing have changed significantly.
Moodys upgraded the outlook for Chinese growth in 2016 and 2017 to 6.6 and 6.3 percent respectively.
"The slowdown and rebalancing of China's economy is likely to be gradual. Thus we do not expect China to exert a significant drag on global growth prospects over the rest of 2016 and in 2017," Madhavi Bokil, a senior analyst at Moody's, was quoted as saying by CNBC.
On Thursday, it was reported that Chinas manufacturing sector expanded at its fastest pace in nearly two years in August. The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 50.4 in August from 49.9 in July, and above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis, according to Reuters.
Putin is set to meet the Japanese and South Korean leaders within the framework of the second Eastern Economic Forum to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation along with international issues.
The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea plan to sign a memorandum of understanding to support further opportunities for cooperation at the forum.
Russia and China are planning to sign an agreement to launch two projects during the EEF.
Agreements and Investment Projects
It is expected that 161 agreements worth up to 1.6 trillion rubles ($24.5 billion) will be signed during the EEF. The 2015 Eastern Economic Forum resulted in 80 agreements worth $19.7 billion. As of today, more than 130 agreements valued at around $15.4 billion are ready to be signed at the EEF.
Thirty-four investment projects will be pitched in the field of extraction and processing of minerals, ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, materials and innovation, agriculture, infrastructure construction, transport and logistics, with participants of the forum expecting to attract total investment of about 1.5 trillion rubles.
More than 80 contracts worth 1.3 trillion rubles ($20 million) were signed during the forum. The largest of them included an agreement between Gazprom and the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East to build the Amur Gas Processing Plant, an agreement between RusHydro and VTB Bank to refinance the debts of the RusHydro subsidiary RAO Energy System of the East, as well as a deal on cooperation in electricity generation between Rosatom and the government of the Chukotka Autonomous Area.
The Second Eastern Economic Forum will be held on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island on September 2-3, 2016. It will be attended by delegations from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Australia, the United States and Singapore, among other countries.
Participants in the forum will discuss investment opportunities, methods and instruments of business support, and infrastructure and energy projects.
Over 130 investment agreements worth over 1 trillion rubles are expected to be signed during the second EEF.
The main event on the EEF agenda will be a panel session attended by the Russian president, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and their Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) The deal took force on August 1, allowing for US firms that apply through the US Department of Commerce to be certified as meeting the Privacy Shield data protection requirements.
"Already 103 [US companies] have been certified. This means that these U.S. companies can receive personal data from the EU in full compliance with EU data protection rules," the statement reads.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Khan also stressed that the logistics for exports is imperfect currently, as Pakistan is forced to deliver products through St. Petersburg, and only then to Moscow, Krasnoyarsk and Astrakhan. As a result, average container journey time to Russia is from one to three months, which is a problem for Pakistani suppliers.
"Currently, Pakistan exports 200,000 tonnes of products to Russia per year. The major share falls on supplies of potato, bananas, rice, papaya, tangerines and oranges We are ready, thanks to the [upcoming] establishment of Trading House of Pakistan in Moscow to increase the supplies to 1 million tonnes per year," Khan said at a meeting with Chairman of the Eurasian Business Union Board Viktor Kambolov.
At the same time, Khan stressed that already this fall, the timeframe of product delivery from Pakistan to Russia should be reduced to 12 days due to the opening of a new road from Pakistan to Iran.
WASHINGTO (Sputnik) The ministry said Dion will meet with his Vietnamese and Cambodian counterparts to support security, dialogue, trade and climate action efforts.
"[Dion] today announced that he will travel to Cambodia and Vietnam from September 2 to 8 to advance Canadas bilateral relations with these two emerging economies and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)," the statement noted.
Additionally, Dion will participate in the 28th Pacific Islands Forum Post-Forum Dialogue Partners Meeting in Micronesia on September 10 and 11.
Japan is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil, with around 80 percent of crude imported from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and deeper energy cooperation with Russia may help the country diversity its sources of energy supplies.
The Eastern Economic Forum is set to open in the Russian city of Vladivostok on Friday. The forum, which is due to last through Saturday, is expected to attract some 2,500 participants, from countries including Australia, China, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States.
DONETSK (Sputnik) The new ceasefire regime that came into force in Donbass on Thursday has been generally holding, deputy defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic's (DPR), Eduard Basurin, told RIA Novosti.
"After midnight the ceasefire regime has been generally holding. There was some small arms [use] in the Donetsk direction," Basurin said on Thursday morning.
"A man called from a local phone and reported a bomb on board," he said.
Lastovsky also clarified that flight B2-881, scheduled to depart at 11:50 am local time, was delayed for an hour.
Bomb disposal technicians are on the way to the airport.
Around 700 placards in seven of the country's most widely-spoken foreign languages (including English) are to be deployed at road junctions in 31 Norwegian municipalities within two weeks. The posters explain which rights the asylum-seekers are about to lose upon refusing, thus motivating the migrants to choose assisted return over deportation. Currently, Norway is considering denying up to half of the asylum applications received last year.
"Have you been refused asylum? Without legal residence you are not allowed to either work or study in Norway. With assisted return, we pay for your journey home, so that you can get money for a new start in your home country," is the message from Norway's Immigration Service (UDI) to illegal immigrants.
"We hope to get more people to make use of the offer and go home," Christine Wilberg, department director at UDI, told Norwegian national broadcaster NRK.
Speaking at a German-Russian economic forum in Bad-Piermont, Mr. Schroeder said that Brussels should have invited Russia to take part in the talks on Ukraines association with the European Union.
Some of the conflicts that followed could have been avoided if officials in Brussels had been a bit smarter, he emphasized.
Gerhard Schroeder, who served as German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, insisted that despite all our differences, the West should resume partnership relations with Moscow, adding that Europe needs a strong Russia while the US needs a weak Russia to economically prevail over the continent.
Earlier this month, Denmark and Greenland presented a joint claim to the continental shelf off the coast of Greenland for the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) at the United Nations. The areas that Greenland and Denmark make a joint claim on lie south, northeast and north of Greenland and are said to contain large amounts of natural resources, as well as present fishing opportunities. The claim may take up to several years for consideration.
Meanwhile, Denmark spares no effort in bolstering its military presence in the area to support its demand. The Danish government's focus on the Arctic implies strengthening of the Arctic Command, bolstering satellite surveillance and launching extra ships between Greenland and the Faroe Islands. According to Defense Minister Peter Christensen, the government plans to spend an extra 120 million DKK (roughly $18.5 million) on various initiatives across the Arctic.
Additionally, the Danish government is staking on its Arctic domain Greenland to secure its defense priorities, Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation KNR reported.
A poll for the ERS found that "far too many people felt they were ill-informed about the vote" and that the leading personalities big beast' personalities including (the) Prime Minister David Cameron, former London mayor Boris Johnson and UKIP leader Nigel Farage - did not appear to engage or convince voters. The polling also shows that voters viewed both sides as increasingly negative as the campaign wore on.
No Decent Debate
A review is now needed to ensure future referendums don't repeat the errors of the EU vote in terms of failing to foster a genuine, informed discussion among the public, the ERS says.
"From a campaign period that was too short to foster a decent debate, to the fact that misleading claims could be made with total impunity, there are so many lessons to be learned and this report lays out both the facts and the way forward," Ghose told Sputnik.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Another note showed that actions of the Dutch government in the first days following the tragedy were met with a negative response on social media.
"When such anger and impotence persists, it can lead to social unrest, for example during public commemorative events," one of the documents obtained by the Dutch Broadcasting Foundation (NOS) reads.
Flight MH17 crashed with 298 people on board on July 17, 2014, in eastern Ukraine, while en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, leaving no survivors. Kiev and independence supporters in Ukraines southeast have blamed each other for the downing of the MH17 plane.
Those are the words from Icelandic author Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir, who set up a Facebook event a year ago and wrote a letter to Iceland's welfare minister, Eyglo Haroardottir. She told the minister that she knew someone who could house five Syrians and requested work permits, residence papers in exchange for paying for their flight and helping them integrate into society.
"People of whom we'll never be able to say in the future: 'Your life is worth less than my life,' " she wrote.
More than 11,000 families have since offered to open their homes to Syrian refugees dwarfing the government's cap of 50 asylum seekers a year and responding to Bjorgvinsdottir request for Iceland to "open the gates."
MURMANSK (Sputnik) Most applicants during the period of 2015-16 are said to be from Iraq, with the subsequent largest numbers of asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria.
"During last year and this year, about 9,000 applicants have received a negative asylum decision and about 6,000 [received] a positive decision," the press release read.
The landmark ruling followed months of investigations into so-called "sweet heart deals" offered by countries such as Ireland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg which offer benign tax regimes that allow companies particularly multinationals such as Apple, Amazon, Starbucks and Fiat Finance and Trade to enjoy special tax arrangements to reduce their tax obligations in other countries.
The ruling is significant in that it is the first of its kind, and other similar ruling against major companies are likely to follow and could put a strain on relations between the EU and the US where many of the companies using the special tax arrangements are based. That in turn could deal another blow to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
2011: #Apple was paying 500 in tax per 1million in profit. By 2014: 50 in tax per 1million in profit @Vestager pic.twitter.com/71eG4ppsKn European Commission (@EU_Commission) 30 August 2016
Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook denied there was a special deal between Apple and the Irish Government and said the deal was "maddening."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) European Council President Donald Tusk said Thursday he was in talks with EU leaders to prevent the migrant crisis of 2015 in Europe from repeating itself.
"I am now in the process of consulting all the leaders of the EU member states. I share with them my strong belief that the key issue is still irregular migration Obviously, we still have much work to do. But our aim must be clear: Never again should we allow the chaos of 2015 to repeat in Europe," Tusk was quoted in a press statement as saying.
He praised the progress in curbing illegal immigration to Europe that was achieved through a readmission accord with Turkey in March 2016.
Merkel has drawn strong criticism over her 'open doors' policy over refugees. In the summer of 2015, she made clear Syrian refugees would be welcome in Germany, precipitating a huge movement of migrants from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq among other nations fleeing warzones.
However, the sheer volume of migrants arriving in Germany many of them Muslims has caused major strains in many German states, with asylum-seekers creating a burden on local authorities. More than 1.1 million entered Germany in 2015 alone.
Merkel said, June 18, refugees had not brought terrorism to Germany, adding that Islam belonged in the country as long as it was practised in a way that respected the constitution. Germany has been rocked by a spate of attacks on civilians some of them connected with Daesh, or ISIL, stoking further anti-migrant sentiment within Germany.
#Merkel stands her ground on Germany's ability to cope with #MigrantCrisis: "We can do it" sentence is still right pic.twitter.com/jiy7t2JpCf DW | Politics (@dw_politics) 1 September 2016
However, Merkel came out fighting this week telling German TV that much had been achieved since she declared an open doors policy to refugees in 2015. "We have achieved a lot since then and we need to do some more. We are at a completely different position since last year," she said.
Recent terrorist attacks in Paris were carried out by young men who had grown up in France but whose parents came from North or West Africa.
"Integration is a one-way street," author of the study Chris Beauchemin said suggesting that despite immigrants wanting to be a part of French society they are always regarded as foreign and continue to suffer discrimination.
Beauchemin looked at 22,000 case studies that showed that second generation immigrants in France often fared less well than the first generation.
The exact locations and dates for the two new "humanitarian" camps are yet to be officially confirmed, while the spotlight remains on France and its efforts to integrate refugees and migrants.
However, Parisians have already reacted angrily to the new camps, as two wooden buildings were erected next to the Bois de Boulogne, where many homes are worth US$ 4.0 million each.
Paris to open two new migrant camps for thousands of UK-bound migrants Mayor Ann Hidalgo said they will be locate pic.twitter.com/pDyxxKC2rE King Robbo (@realkingrobbo) August 31, 2016
More than 50,000 people have already signed a petition calling for the units to be destroyed and it's expected the camp to house men near the Gare du Nord metro station will be met with equal hostility by residents who are concerned the refugees' numbers could swell.
According to the Minsk city executive committee, bomb disposal technicians did not find a bomb on board the Boeing 737.
The Belavia aircraft took off at 3.17 pm local time, with a delay of three and a half hours. Passengers were provided with extra food, announced the aircrafts staff.
National Airlines offered their sincerest apologies for the delay and inconvenience.
MADRID (Sputnik) During Wednesday's first round of voting, 170 members of parliament, mainly from Rajoy's People's Party and the Ciudadanos (Citizens) party, voted for the acting prime minister to remain in his post, while 180, mainly PSOE and the left-wing Podemos opposed it.
"The PSOE has to decide whether it would opt for an alternative to the acting [prime minister], Mariano Rajoy, or to allow him to rule, the investiture debate this week showed that there are two clear options on the table, and the socialists must choose," Uralde of the Unidos Podemos coalition said.
In June, Rajoy's PP won the most seats in the parliamentary election, with Spanish Socialist PSOE finishing second. None of the political forces have an absolute majority and thus cannot form a government on their own.
STOCKHOLM (Sputnik) For the last two nights, 40-50 masked youngsters have been throwing stones in police cars, passenger buses, been trying to set trash and tires on fire. No injuries had been reported, no one was detained, motives of the attackers remain unknown.
"It has been planned to increase police presence following what had happened. It is difficult to say exactly who does it, but it is no secret that it happened in an area where many migrants live, and the locals are most often among those who stage riots," Brehm told RIA Novosti.
Trollhattan had already been a scene of migrants-related violence in late 2015 when a Swedish man killed 17-year-old student with a Somali background and wounded a 15-year-old who arrived in Sweden from Syria.
DONETSK/OSTRAVA (Sputnik) A small group of people were waving Ukrainian and EU flags in protest against the office's opening. The DPR representative office is located near the Russian Honorary Consulate at Sokolska Street in Ostrava.
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic also voiced protest against the office's opening, saying that the DPR could not have any kind of diplomatic mission in the country, as Prague does nor recognize it as a state and therefore no diplomatic relations can be established between the sides.
Kiev launched a military operation in Ukraine's southeast in April 2014 against pro-independence militia in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics, after local residents refused to recognize the new government in Kiev that they viewed as illegitimate. Despite the Minsk peace accords signed in February last year by the warring sides, they continue to blame each other for ceasefire violations.
MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) Police used tear gas against the protesters on Wednesday, while the demonstrators responded by throwing stones and home-made bombs at police officers, Rede Globo TV said.
The demonstrators have blocked a road with trash bags, setting them on fire.
Justin Sane (@justinsanesolo) 31 2016 4:28 PDT
Earlier on Wednesday, Brazils former vice president Michel Temer was sworn in as the countrys new leader after the Senate voted to remove Rousseff from her presidential post.
In May, the upper house of the Brazilian parliament voted 55-22 to start impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the countrys budget deficit ahead of the 2014 election. Rousseff was suspended from office for 180 days. Michel Temer, who had been Brazil's vice president since 2011, assumed presidency during that period.
Temer will now serve as Brazil's president until 2019, when new elections will take place.
Meanwhile, Dilma Rousseffs leftist Latin American allies have lambasted the Brazilian Senators verdict. Bolivia and Ecuador said they were withdrawing their ambassadors and the Cuban Foreign Ministry condemned the move as a parliamentary-judicial coup against Rousseff.
In Washington, State Department spokesman John Kirby said that the United States would continue its strong bilateral relations with Brazil.
"Weve seen reports that the Brazilian Senate in accordance with Brazils constitutional framework has voted to remove President Rousseff from office," Kirby said. "Were confident that we will continue the strong bilateral relationship that exists between our two countries."
In a statement issued on Wednesday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon extended his best wishes to President Temer as he begins his tenure.
[I] trust that that under President Temer's leadership, Brazil and the United Nations will continue their traditional close partnership," Mr. Ban wrote.
In May, the upper house of the Brazilian parliament voted 55-22 to start impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the countrys budget deficit ahead of the 2014 election. Rousseff regards the impeachment proceedings as an illegal coup attempt.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia continues to view the events in Brazil as the country's internal affair, the statement added, stressing that the transition should not be allowed to cause a rift within Brazilian society and should remain within the constitutional framework.
"We are interested in a stable, democratic and a rapidly developing Brazil which plays an important role in the international arena. For us, Brazil is an important political, economic and trading partner," the ministry said in a statement.
Brazil and Russia are closely cooperating in the United Nations, the BRICS group and the G20 and Russia counts on Brazil's new president, Michel Temer, to continue developing ties with Russia, the ministry said.
The analyst further spoke about how for some reason Michel Timer , who allegedly has high corruption crime charges, in excess of $40 million, is likely to escape criminal prosecution.
The real criminals are escaping justice and staying in power and that is precisely what Washington wants; free access to all the countrys riches, such as hydro carbons, tropical forests and almost endless resources of fresh waters in the Amazon region and the underground. Lets not even talk about the countless amounts of mineral resources.
He further spoke about how the US plans to privatize Brazils resources and especially water which will be in shortage in the near future.
Michel Timer has already talked about the massive austerity programs, cutting off health and education benefits, pensions etc. It will create massive unemployment and poverty. The scheme is well known.
Washington is behind this coup because only a year ago secret talks between the IMF, the World Bank and the current coup organizers were held. Brazil is going to be handed over first to the IMF which will make sure that the austerity program is implemented like in Greece.
Then the World Bank will make sure that the debt level is so high that privatization of debt assets becomes unavoidable.
By controlling Brazil, Washington has its claws firmly on Latin America almost as if the renowned democratic revolution in Latin America pushing towards independence never took place. Its a shame but thats what it look like right now.
On August 31, 2010, US President Barack Obama announced,"The American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country."
Galloway called Obamas statement "a hollow and meaningless boast," and said that not only has the US continued to bomb Iraq, but, "The sectarian political system the US and Britain imposed on Iraq at the point of their bayonets and from atop their tanks in 2003 persists, and fuels the very war that the United States has ineluctably been drawn back into."
"Not just by air power," Galloway continued, "but also by boots on the ground. There are many special forces from Western countries having to fight alongside the sectarian forces that they imposed on Iraq against the people that the very same countries are assisting just across the border in Syria."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone conversation on Thursday discussed the opportunities for Russia-US coordination in the fight against terrorists in Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"The sides focused on the situation in Syria including the prospects of Russia-US coordination in the fight against terrorist groups that entrenched there. Lavrov again directed [Kerry's] attention to the need to immediately separate the US-linked Syrian opposition groups from terrorists hiding behind them, who continue active offensive and atrocities on the captured territories," the ministry's statement reads.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) As little as three besieged areas of Syria out of 18 have been reached by the United Nations' humanitarian aid in August, Senior Adviser to UN Special Envoy for Syria Jan Egeland said Thursday.
"Today is the first of September and this was a stocktaking meeting in many ways on what we have achieved in August and we were only able to reach three of the 18 besieged areas [in Syria]," Egeland told reporters.
The terrorists do not forget to post their videos on the Internet. It can be clearly seen that a certain number of militants have new body armor and wear branded clothes.
In the video, their weapons and how they operate them can be seen. But there are no videos with their faces. These are foreigners, possibly Turkish mercenaries, according to the war correspondent with the Syrian Army.
The liberation of the air force school, hence, carries a large importance. The school is situated at a strategic location. Those who own the school control the Ramus district and therefore, the main entrance to Aleppo from the south side.
Obviously, Aleppo must be liberated in the near future, before the beginning of changes in the political schemes. The liberation of Aleppo will have a major impact on the political talks. It is understood by the foreign patrons of the terrorists, Director of International Relations at the Ministry of Higher Education Akil Mahfud said during a meeting in July.
What Happened Next?
The commander for the liberation of the air force school soon afterwards reported to the group waiting near the frontline, including the RIA correspondent, that the defense line had been secured and a group of school buildings had been liberated. There was now a battle raging near the water tower which was situated on the grounds of the school.
Located in Karrada, an upper middle class district of Baghdad, the "Coffee and Book" cafe represents a branch of the city library Adnan, which is situated on Mutanabbi street, slightly north of the Karrada. Thus, visitors have a huge selection of books available to them. Even if some of the books appear to be unavailable in the cafe, a courier can deliver them from the library just in a few minutes.
The owner of the place, Yaser Alaa, told Sputnik that he had the idea of creating such kind of cafe for a long time. His main aim is to make reading popular among young people again.
"Unfortunately, my financial situation for a long time did not allow me to realize this project. After my father, the founder of the Adnan library, died in a terrorist attack in 2007 on the same street where the library is situated, I gave myself a promise that I would continue his work and reconstruct the library that suffered in that terrorist attack. At the same time, I wanted to create something new, to return the status of an intelligent and cultural place to our district," Yaser explained.
One of the few professional practitioners based in Ramallah, Yoga teacher Issa Souf, is someone who has been advocating the benefits of Yoga for some time. In addition to providing sessions for all, he had the idea to put together regular workshops for young Palestinian girls in particular, who were suffering from trauma after being imprisoned by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Souf collaborated with locally based Yoga centers, Farashe Yoga Center in Ramallah and Beit Ashams in Beit Jala, Palestine, just a short ride from downtown Bethlehem.
Speaking with local reporters, Souf described how he was aware of so many girls visibly traumatized by their experiences in prison, as well as general experiences whilst living under occupation that he wanted to use Yoga as an outlet for any individuals' memories of trauma or negative stress in both minds and bodies.
The Yoga centers are said to have seen a very popular response to the workshops being provided from people of all ages and both men and women alike.
Jasmin taught yoga in this hall in Gaza before it was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike #WorldYogaDay @Loulou d'Aki pic.twitter.com/uV6h5FZHAS Alena Jabarine (@AlenaIsabelle) June 21, 2016
He described that yoga helped him heal when he suffered a bullet in his spine. Souf also said IDF invaded his village in the Tulkarem region during the Second Intifada and that he was attempting to warn his family when he was shot. He was unable to use the lower sections of his body for quite some time and used yoga exercises as a means of alternative rehabilitation and self-healing, and it worked wonders.
How does one practice yoga amidst regular, daily military occupation, assault, & surveillance? Decolonizing yoga in Palestine #raceandyoga All Things Yoga (@AmaraMiller27) April 22, 2016
Testimonies from former inmates describe in detail the unbearable conditions Palestinian prisoners are subject to in Israeli prisons conditions that can often lead to feelings of strong trauma, and more so if the inmate is a young child. Yoga is one of many alternative approaches that can be used in making a positive difference in some way.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The statement comes after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir accused Tehran on Wednesday of destabilizing Arab countries and supplying arms to Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Saudi authorities are bogged down in a bloody quagmire of terrorism and massacre of innocent women and children in Yemen, Syria and Iraq as a result of their egregious strategic errors, Bahram Qassemi said as quoted by the Tasnim News Agency.
Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries has been carrying out airstrikes, targeting Shia Houthi rebels at the Yemeni presidents request. Numerous human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the coalition for the use of banned cluster munitions and strikes killing civilians.
It has been the second similar agreement in the past two weeks. The first was reached outside Darayya, near Damascus. Militants of the so-called armed opposition forces withdrew from the area after the agreement was signed.
Militants underwent amnesty and returned to normal life, Muhammed Al-Omry, speaker for the Ministry for National Reconciliation Affairs, told Sputnik.
He added that if militants do not want a ceasefire they are offered to leave the area to protect civilians safety. They then move combat actions to another location and the previously besieged area is liberated and normal life is restored there.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Turkish news agency Anadolu reported earlier that the US military did not provide needed air support in a timely manner to Turkish and Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces when they were attacked by Daesh terrorists on August 30. US-led coalition jets, Anadolu said, came three hours later when airstrikes were useless.
"Turkish forces requested air support from Coalition assets after a hostile vehicle attacked a Turkish tank in Jarabulus, Syria Tuesday evening," Dougherty said. "Coalition air support coordinated with the Turkish Air Force and Coalition ground forces to identify and destroy the vehicle."
When Turkish military and the FSA came under fire a rocket hit a Turkish tank and wounded three soldiers. Simultaneously, the terrorists attacked the FSA with heavy weapons.
According to him, the militants in Mosul arrested dozens of people, who somehow could be associated with her or are in contact with her.
The terrorists realized that she was an undercover spy after she left her apartment an hour before an air strike by the coalition struck her house.
When militants carried out interrogations of the surviving civilians it turned out that Um Hafsa warned residents about the air strike before leaving and asked all the residents to leave their houses immediately. She warned everyone except the militants.
In addition to this, Um Hafsa was the organizer of setting young Yezidi girls free by allowing them to escape sexual slavery from Daesh. The girls were taken as slaves following an attack on the town of Sinjar in 2014.
According to local residents, the Seth area and its surroundings are filled with Daesh militant patrols that are searching and interrogating local residents in order to find any evidence regarding whereabouts of the escaped spy.
The liberation was part of the Euphrates Shield military offensive in northern Syria against Daesh militants and Kurdish forces. The operation started last week and was backed by a US-led international coalition.
Shops are now re-opening in Karkamis and locals are getting back to their farming activities.
In an interview, Mehmet Kucukarslan, head of Keklice village, outside Karkamis, told Sputnik about the current situation at the Turkish-Syrian border, near Jarablus.
"Four of our residents were discussing the success of the army in a casual conversation about politics, when another man suddenly joined in. He casually discussed with them the defeat of Daesh and offensive operations in Nineveh," a resident told Sputnik.
"Later, all four people were caught. Right where they were standing, their mouths were sewn up with metal wire."
Daesh has executed thousands of Iraqi and Syrian civilians in Mosul since gaining control of the city in 2014.
Earlier this week, a geographical survey found up to 72 mass graves across Syria and Iraq, containing between 5,200-15,000 victims of Daesh. Many of the dead are of the Yazidi ethnic group.
In July, Deyab was detained by the Venezuelan security service in Caracas. He was reportedly intercepted after he left the Uruguayan consulate in the Venezuelan capital, where he had asked diplomats to help him travel to Turkey and reunite with his wife and three children. Deyab was then deported from Venezuela to Uruguay where he arrived earlier this week.
"These will be, essentially, the same missiles as the ones used in Syria," a diplomatic source told the newspaper on Thursday.
Last week, a diplomatic source told RIA Novosti that the Russian Black Sea warships equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles will remain in eastern Mediterranean at least until September. The missile ships have carried out several Kalibr launches against the Jabhat Fatah al Sham (also known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front) terrorist group in Syria.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian Navy will receive the first of six advanced Project 22160 patrol ships equipped with an integrated bridge system and armed with the Kalibr cruise missile, dubbed the Vasily Bykov, in 2017, the general director of the vessels shipbuilding plant said Thursday.
"According to the state contract, the Project 22160 lead ships commissioning is scheduled for 2017," Renat Mistakhov told RIA Novosti, ahead of the September 6-11 Army-2016 military and technical international forum to be held in Kubinka near Moscow.
An official spokesperson said that the Army has identified a list of products that domestic industry could help design and manufacture. The products include 125 mm smooth bore barrel guns, improved ammunition for T-72 and T-90 tanks, advanced drone target aircraft, tracked light dozers, assault trackways, aircraft refueling pumsp, expendable aerial targets, 1000hp (horsepower) engines for T-72 tanks, individual underwater breathing apparatus and auxiliary power units for tanks.
The Army Design Bureau (ADB) will be based in New Delhi and will conceive and support homegrown technology for manufacturing spare parts and other inventory.
This comes in the backdrop of delay in procurement of many products essential for the Indian Army. Procurement of arms and ammunition for assault rifles, bullet proof jackets, night-fighting capabilities for howitzers, missiles and helicopters has been waiting for years.
India targeted some equipment for indigenous production but failed or delayed it on many accounts. Indian industries alleged that the Army had set unrealistic technical parameters. Now, opinions have changed, with a Highly placed source in the Ministry of Defense telling Sputnik, Technical parameters are generally aligned to international standards. We cannot compromise quality just because industries failed to fulfill or understand our demand. Army Design Bureau is definitely a major step in right direction.
The Indian Army requires more than 5.2 billion dollars to fulfill its ongoing requirements for modernization.
GSM, also known as Global System for Mobile Communications, is the most widespread digital wireless telephony technology in the world. It is a standard developed to describe the protocols for 2g cellular networks which use base stations to relay information with radiofrequency signals creating stable electromagnetic fields.
Metal objects cause disturbances in the fields. This is what the Rubezh monitors.
"If metal objects cross the electromagnetic field, base stations record the interference," an unnamed source told the newspaper. "Using the Doppler effect and triangulation, the Rubezh determines the coordinates of the object with high precision by analyzing the signals from base stations that recorded changes in the field."
Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Company has entered into a deal with Indian Tata Power for the co-development and production of Javelin anti-armor missile systems. Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division (SED) and JVV have signed a letter of intent that envisages co-development of a new strategy, new applications and new platforms to extend Javelin to new customers.
According to the letter of intent, JVV and Tata Power SED will also create a strategy to integrate platform mounts for Javelin to meet Indian requirements. Rahul Chaudhry, chief executive officer at Tata Power SED said, Now, our partnership with the JJV will bring the worlds best technology to our soldiers enabling battlefield supremacy. Indian industry will benefit immensely from the depth and range of this planned technology transfer and co-development.
However, defense analysts see this as Lockheed Martins covert strategy to create a space for the Javelin missile system in the Indian market. This desperate attempt by the US firm comes despite the fact that India has already completed negotiations for procuring the Israeli made Spike anti-tank guided missiles at a price of 1 billion dollars to meet the armed forces requirements for the near future.
"The Marine Corps has been out in front with the F-35B. Its probably not the way we want to exploit fifth-generationWeve been after this a long time," Walsh said on Tuesday.
As the Marines prepare to send their first fleet of F-35s for operational capacity on the USS Wasp, the branch has admitted that they are waiting for real-world training missions to determine which issues still need ironing out.
"We will learn from that, and see what capabilities we need to further develop," Walsh said.
"A lot of its going to be the school of hard knocks," he added, indicating that any leftover cash in the budget will probably go to repairing and modifying the F-35s existing systems, not building science-fiction lasers.
The united nature of the drills meant that Israeli pilots conducted operations along Pakistani and UAE pilots for the first time, overcoming tense relations between the Middle Eastern countries.
Israel does not have official diplomatic ties with either Pakistan or the UAE. While Israeli officials did not comment on the cooperation, specifically, they did tout the overall success of the drills.
The EU commission wants feedback on facebook again. Have your say about the #EUgunban https://t.co/epv8GbumyG #EUgunban #EUpol EU Gun Rights (@EUgunrights) August 27, 2016
Some are asking why has there been such an interest in gun ownership in Europe and speculation has centered on the fact that there has been an increase in terrorist attacks.
"There's no official explanation for the rise, but in general we see a connection to Europe's terrorist attacks," Hanspeter Kruesi, a police spokesman in the Swiss Canton of St. Gallen, said in a recent interview.
Those thoughts were echoed by Daniel Wyss, the president of the Swiss Weapons Dealers' Association, who runs his own gun store.
"Nobody says directly: I'm buying a gun because of the attacks in Nice or Munich but the sum of these events has fostered a general feeling of vulnerability," Wyss said.
After the Charlie Hebdo attacks of 2015, the EU started to prepare legalisation to ban semi-automatic weapons.
This was a decision which many European pro-gun campaigners, such as Firearms United, fought hard to prevent. A spokesperson for the organization told Sputnik that terrorism will not be stopped if the EU decides to restrict firearms and gun ownership.
Firearms United also believes that citizens are soft targets, which is why they need to defend themselves against terror attacks.
"Charlie Hebdo and the Jewish supermarket in Paris, the cafe in Sydney, the shopping mall in Nairobi, the movie theatre in Aurora, the summer camp on the island of Utoya, the hotel in Mumbai and lots of schools and other public places all over the world are known as 'soft targets' where citizens work, study or relax," a spokesperson for Firearms United told Sputnik.
Drawing on references from a recent "active shooter" study by the FBI which was initiated in 2014 as the United States had experienced a lot of public shootings Firearms United also stressed the importance of training that should be given to police officers, as well as citizens, to help in the event that a terrorist attack takes place.
"#EUGunban: Summary to the EU weapons directive finally in German" [Click on Google Translate at top of page for EN] https://t.co/z5klKAdoZT AusGov Gun Facts (@AusGovGunFacts) August 30, 2016
The goal of the FBI study was to provide data, so local law enforcement could better understand how to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from these incidents. They concentrated on the "active" aspect, which implies that both law enforcement personnel and citizens have the potential to affect the outcome of the event based upon their responses.
"Recognizing the increased 'active shooter' threat and the swiftness with which 'active shooter' incidents unfold, these study results support the importance of training and exercises not only for law enforcement, but also for citizens. It is important, too, that training and exercises include not only an understanding of the threats faced but also the risks and options available in 'active shooter' incidents," a Firearms United spokesperson told Sputnik.
"The report, I think, made a case that an investigator readingwould say, I want to pursue this further," Graham said. "The question is, were those leads pursued, and if so to what end?"
"There are so many questions for which I believe there are answers, but we just dont know what those answers are."
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"For France, anything is better than Hillary Clinton. Anything but Hillary Clinton. Because I think Hillary Clinton means war. Hillary Clinton means devastation. It means world instability," Le Pen told CNN on Wednesday.
She pointed out her similarities with Trump, highlighting the Republican candidates independent decision-making.
Temer said after the official ceremony that he had requested bilateral meetings with the leaders of Spain, Italy, Japan and Saudi Arabia, and will go to China for the summit of the Group of Twenty (G20).
"I am traveling precisely to reveal to the world that we have legal and political stability," Temer stressed as quoted by El Universo on Wednesday, adding that Brazil needs "to show that there is hope in the country."
After the Senate vote, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia all recalled their ambassadors from Brazil.
La Nacion reported later on Wednesday that Brazil responded to the moves by calling in its ambassadors in the three countries "for consultations."
KIEV (Sputnik) A new ceasefire came into force in Donbass on September 1. The ceasefire agreement was reached between Ukraines conflicting sides during a Contact Group meeting in August.
"The situation in the area remains volatile in all directions illegal armed formation have opened fire 25 times at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," a Thursday Facebook statement posted by the press center of Kievs military operation in Donbass says. The statement does not specify the exact time of the incidents.
On Sunday, the Russian government signed a decree on lifting the existing restrictions on charter flights to Turkey. However, the government recommended Russian airlines to boost security measures.
On Tuesday, Russias Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said that the first charter flight from Russia to Turkey was expected to take place on September 3.
"Our Western partners must do a lot to restore the Russian Federation's trust in them, to restore the predictability in European affairs," Lavrov said.
Ties between Russia and the West suffered a severe blow after Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 and the West imposed political and economical sanctions on Russia. The Kremlin has repeatedly refuted the accusations and introduced countermeasures , banning a list of EU products.
US Shying Away From Cybersecurity Talks With Russia
The United States is shying away from talks with Russia on cybersecurity issues, Lavrov said.
"A year ago, through the prosecutor general's office, we offered the United States to hold talks on cooperation in the cybersecurity field," Lavrov said.
"In November last year, we suggested holding serious expert talks. There was no response. In January this year, I reminded [US Secretary of State] John Kerry that we would like to receive some sort of answer I reminded him in May, and I reminded him now, when we held a meeting on Syria in Geneva a week ago. He was surprised that there had been no response yet. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice, where the request was sent, has refused to send a written response to our direct reminder," he added.
No Legal Obstacles for West to Recognize Crimea-Russia Reunification
The West has no legal obstacles when it comes to recognizing the reunification of Crimea and Russia, but it chooses to use this issue for its own political goals, Lavrov said Thursday.
"There are no legal obstacles hindering our Western partners from recognizing Crimea becoming part of the Russian Federation. There is no political will, but a political wish to use this situation as part of a political line that was carried out under US leadership for a long time, long before Ukraine; a line to contain Russia," Lavrov said.
Crimea reunified with Russia after over 96 percent of the local population supported the move in a 2014 referendum. The Ukrainian government and many Western countries refused to recognize the legality of the Crimea referendum.
This is why Turkish authorities have changed their stance on Assad, saying that he does not have to resign to kick start the peace process. It is a major departure from Turkey's foreign policy on Syria for the past five years.
Both countries have shared interests, Orhan noted, citing the Kurds and Syria's territorial integrity as prime examples.
"Despite the fact that the Syrian government supported the Kurds at first, they have gradually turned into a 'headache' for Damascus and pose a threat to it," he said.
In mid-August, government forces and the Kurds clashed in the Syrian city of Hasakah, with Kurdish fighters attempting to take the entire city under control. The unprecedented standoff ended with both sides agreeing to a ceasefire that has held since.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia and the United States are close to reaching an agreement on coordinating actions in Syria's Aleppo, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Thursday.
"We are, I hope, a few steps from an agreement on the special situation around Aleppo. Our military officials will meet again within few hours to reach a final deal. We haven't reached it yet," Ryabkov told Tasnim news agency.
"Although Turkey has met all conditions set out by the European Union to lift visa restrictions , the issue has been stalled due to Brussels demanding that Ankara change its anti-terrorism laws. Taking into account that our country is facing terrorism daily and has been forced to wage a fight against terrorism on several fronts, we cannot change the definition of the term 'terrorism.' Terrorism poses a universal threat. It is dangerous everywhere, be it Turkey, Belgium or France," she said.
Taskesenlioglu is convinced that there is more to these comments than Brussel's implicit stance on the issue.
"Oettinger's remarks are pure and simple personal enmity to the Turkish leader. Regrettably, a hostile attitude and personal enmities affect and sometimes determine the politics of some countries and organizations," she observed.
Taskesenlioglu further said that the EU must make a final decision whether it wants to see Turkey as a member or not.
The politician also said that if Guenther Oettinger is unable to develop a balanced approach on Turkey, then Ankara will 'refrain from holding negotiations until he is replaced by a politician who will have no personal enmity, who will be guided by objective criteria and will not introduce his personal attitudes into work."
Julia Unwin, Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation believes that Britain cannot afford the "business as usual" mentality, following the vote to leave the EU. The result was a wake-up call, as for too long the country's prosperity passed some people by and they missed out on opportunities for a better life.
"With energy focused on the process of leaving the EU, there's a danger the concerns of people at home are ignored. This analysis should act as beacon for politicians who often talk about representing the concerns of ordinary people," Julia Unwin told Sputnik.
Ms. Unwin believes that the rapid change in the economy has left too many people without the skills and opportunity to get on in life and that the government must act to ensure prosperity reaches all corners of the country, providing everyone with the chance to earn a good wage in a secure job.
"Theresa May has made the right noises to overcome this and heal the divisions with a promise to make Britain work for all. The priority is making good on this promise, Ms. Unwin told Sputnik.
@jrf_uk @juliaunwin nothing to do with EU more dissatisfaction with Politicians running the country EU got blamed for everything connie sullivan (@MrConnieS) September 1, 2016
Matthew Goodwin, author of the study and a professor at the University of Kent, said that the research reveals how the referendum was not simply about our relationship with the European Union, but that it also sheds light on the deep divides that exist in society.
"The findings of our research point to the importance of both people and place. It wasn't only that people who are struggling tended to support Brexit, but also in some cases, more skilled people who reside in low-skilled areas. This is a crucial finding as it speaks as much to the debate about how to ensure that people have the same opportunities as it does to questions about poverty, educational inequality and disadvantage," Professor Goodwin told Sputnik.
POTSDAM (Sputnik) On August 23, the German minister invited his counterparts for an informal meeting in Potsdam, Germany.
"I hope we shall discuss the issue of renewing the lost trust, in particular in what I suggested last week to restart the debate, dialogue, negotiations, for example on arms control," Steinmeier told reporters.
Last week, in a commentary for German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, Steinmeier wrote that a new European arms control deal would help avoid an arms race between Russia and NATO and would contribute to "transparency, risk prevention and confidence building."
The US offered Russia to take part in 6+1 talks on Afghanistan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, and Moscow has agreed to the proposal, Kabulov said.
"As the quartet of the US, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan has actually failed, they are actively looking for other formats that could be effective. The Afghans and the Americans want to return to the 6+1 format, which originally proposed by Russia. These are closed consultations between the representatives of Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran, China and the US," Kabulov told RIA Novosti.
He added that two rounds of talks on Afghanistan were held within the last 1,5 years but then were put on hold with the emergence of the quartet format.
"There is only one way to resolve the Fatah Halab issue by adding the group to the list of organizations covered by the ceasefire," Svobodnaya Pressa said. "The group has already published a statement agreeing to deliver humanitarian aid to Aleppo through the Ramouseh suburb and the Castello Road."
Ahrar al-Sham, Jaish al-Islam and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham could also be added to the list of groups covered by the ceasefire regime that Russia and the US brokered in early 2016, Svobodnaya Pressa said.
"If leaders of these groups come to an agreement, then the plan under which al-Nusra Front opted for a rebranding will work. The organization will dissolve in the new structure that will join the ceasefire. This new group will most likely be led by Ahrar al-Sham," the media outlet noted.
The Egyptian president is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, officials and business leaders. Today he will meet Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and will discuss the bilateral issues.
On Friday, Sisi will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari. During the meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi and Sisi will discuss the issue of terrorism and economic cooperation between the two countries.
KIEV (Sputnik) The September 1 ceasefire regime was announced at the Contact Groups meeting in Minsk last Friday, August 26.
"The Trilateral Contact Group agreed on the need to continue the silence regime agreement and called on the parties to comply with this regime in the future. The parties recognized the need to continue efforts to ensure that the ceasefire acquires sustainability," Leonid Kuchmas spokeswoman Darya Olifer wrote on Facebook.
She pointed out that the three sides noted that the cessation was generally holding up on the first day of the new school year.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Putin is scheduled to meet Abe at the September 2-3 Eastern Economic Forum near Russias Far East city of Vladivostok.
"Certainly since there were contacts on the issue in Moscow there will be an exchange of views," Peskov told reporters.
POTSDAM (Sputnik) Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasized that the talks would focus on finding a way to mend the broken trust, rather than on the ongoing standoff.
"The loss of trust between the West and the East, specifically between the West and Russia after the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine, will be one of the topics we will definitely discuss today," Steinmeier told reporters ahead of the summit.
Relations between Russia and the West including Germany, deteriorated in 2014 after the eruption of the Ukrainian crisis. The United States, the European Union and some of their allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russian sanctions since Crimea reunified with Russia in 2014, and accused Moscow of meddling in the Ukrainian internal conflict. Russia has repeatedly refuted the accusations, and warned that the sanctions are counterproductive and undermine regional and global stability.
The media outlet described what happened as a "breakdown in coordination" that the US chose to keep under wraps.
Early on August 24, the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim issued a statement saying that Turkey launched an operation to free the Syrian city of Jarablus that involved "the Turkish Armed Forces and the International Coalition Air Forces," referring to the US warplanes.
Hours later an unnamed US official told Reuters that the US Air Force would provide air cover for Operation Euphrates Shield, adding that Washington was "in synch" with Ankara's initiative.
Apparently, this is not how it went down.
"Behind the scenes, cooperation between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners broke down at senior levels," the WSJ reported, citing unnamed officials from the US and Turkey. "The two countries weren't as aligned on the operation as their public statements indicated."
On August 24, the UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) and the OPCW published a report on at least two alleged cases of use of chemical weapons by the Syrian Army. According to the report, containers with chlorine gas were dropped from helicopters in Talmenes in April 2014 and Sarmin in March 2015. In addition, the report read that Daesh militants were involved in sulfur mustard gas attacks in Syria.
Rostislav Ishchenko, head of the Center for Systems Analysis and Forecasting, argued that the US is adding fuel to fire because radical groups trying to overthrow Assad are losing grounds in Aleppo.
"The defeated party in Aleppo will lose in the Syrian conflict. A defeat in Syria will lead to the US losing its status in the Middle East," the analyst observed. "It will also put an end to Washington's attempts to maintain hegemony. This is why the US is ready to raise the risk bar to the maximum," the analyst wrote in an article for RIA Novosti.
According to him, Washingtons allegations are an "attempt to replay a lost campaign in the region" by threatening large-scale combat actions.
He further added that, When hordes of raiders attacked Jammu and Kashmir in 1947, it was the transport planes of the Indian Air Force which helped Indian soldiers and equipment to reach the battleground. And when a military solution was in sight, taking moral high grounds, I think we went to the UN for a peaceful solution to this problem. The problem still continues. PoK remains a thorn in our flesh today.
Air Chief Arup Raha further pointed out that India didnt utilize air power during the 1962 Chinese war thinking that the war would escalate further while in the 1965 Pakistan war they did not use air power due to political compulsions.
In the 1965 conflict, we did not use air power against Pakistan because of political reasons. Despite several attacks by the Pakistan Air Force operating from East Pakistan, attacking our bases and infrastructure and our ground air crafts, we had serious setbacks but we never retaliated because of political reasons, Indian Air Force Chief Arup Raha said while speaking at the Aerospace Seminar in Delhi.
Raha further said that in the changing dynamics of war and conflict India is now ready to use air power to defend itself and prevent any conflict in the region.
The Indian Air Force Chiefs latest remarks on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the capability of air power to solve the conflict in the South Asian region will have significant ramifications not only for Pakistan but also for China.
India expressed serious concern over Chinas ambitious economic corridor with Pakistan and said that it passed through the Indian territory.
Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said, In so far, as the China-Pakistan economic corridor is concerned, our position has been made very clear to both the parties concerned that it passes through Indian sovereign territory under Pakistans illegal occupation. When we say PoK, it is exactly that is Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It is part of Indian Territory and India would obviously be concerned about any project happening there with any third party collaboration.
Meanwhile, news agency PTI quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying as saying, We are well aware of these concerns but as has been said before, this China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a platform for long term development. It targets no third country and we strongly believe that this corridor will work for connectivity, regional peace and development. Our position on the Kashmir issue is consistent. This issue is left-over from history between India and Pakistan. It needs to be resolved between India and Pakistan through consultation.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US authorities have added dozens of new Russian and Ukrainian entities and individuals to the sanctions list related to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
"The following entities have been added to OFAC's [Office of Foreign Assets Control] SDN [Specially Designated Nationals] List: Shipyard Zaliv Shipyard Morye Ship Repair Center ZvezdochkaFeodosia Optical Plant Uranis-Radiosistemy," the release stated.
"Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated the Specially Designated Nationals List and the Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List to target sanctions evasion and other activities related to the conflict in Ukraine," the release stated.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The ceasefire regime came into force at midnight local time at the initiative of the trilateral Contact Group, comprising of experts from Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
"In this regard, there was a general agreement [among Contact Group participants] to take additional measures in order to make the ceasefire sustainable and long-term For our part, we will strongly contribute to the achievement of this important purpose in the course of relevant contacts," the ministry said.
The ceasefire regime on the first day of the new school year was announced at the Contact Groups meeting in Minsk last Friday, August 26.
While the West has become increasingly indecisive with regard to the war in Syria, with the United States and the EU acting more cautiously than ever before, Russia "returns" to the Middle East and gains more and more influence in the region, the newspaper noted.
"Moscow again wants to talk to the United States as equals. With this purpose, Putin is building relations with the countries of the region. In principle he is ready to talk to everyone. At the same time, he knows exactly when it is the right time to demonstrate its military strength and create facts," the newspaper wrote.
The second factor is Britains withdrawal from the EU, according to the Financial Times.
"At one stroke, this [Brexit] turned the talks upside down by removing from the equation the EUs largest, most consistent supporter of a much expanded transatlantic economic relationship," the article read.
But the potential failure of TTIP is only part of souring ties between Washington and Brussels. Officials and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have accused each other of protectionism and populism. In addition, many in Europe are complaining that the EU suffers from Western sanctions against Russia, according to the article.
"Unless the US and Europe find mutually acceptable solutions to these and similar problems, more will be at stake than trade, investment and jobs. Ultimately, the accumulating transatlantic disunity will threaten the liberal, post-second world war global order on which the Wests prosperity and security have rested so heavily," the article read.
The TTIP deal has been one of the most ambitious US foreign policy projects during Barack Obamas presidency. Now, the US and EU may not agree on the deal before the end of 2016.
The European Commission has been in talks over TTIP with the US by a mandate issued by the EU Council.
"In order to halt the talks, France has to initiate the cancellation of the mandate in the Council. The decision must be approved by at least 55 percent of the Council members who represent at least 14 EU countries with 65 percent of the EU population. In addition, only four or less country members can vote against," Kirikov explained.
According to the expert, if Germany, France and Italy reach a consensus against TTIP this could almost guarantee that the talks will be stopped.
"In order to continue the talks, the US could pressure certain countries, especially in Eastern Europe, like Poland, Latvia and Estonia. If Washington persuades at least five EU countries to support the deal the vote will fail," Kirikov said.
Statements by European politicians make clear that the deal proposed by the US will not be beneficial for Europe.
POTSDAM (Sputnik) Germany took over OSCE chairmanship for 2016 in January. Steinmeier will convene a formal meeting of OSCE member states foreign ministers toward the end of his countrys term in December.
"I spoke to Russian and US representatives, and the Russian representative voiced clear support for a broader range of topics in the OSCE dialog," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told journalists.
Speaking at a press briefing after an informal OSCE foreign ministers meeting in Potsdam near Berlin, Steinmeier said the US response was the same.
Before the operation started, fierce clashes between the Syrian Army and the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPS) took place in Hasakah. The way Damascus is seeing situation in northern Syria is connected with the Hasakah events, Levent noted.
"The Syrian government sees that Syrian Kurdish forces are in a very close partnership with Washington. Some say that in order to maintain their presence in the region the Americans promised to help the Kurds with their autonomous state. Finally, Damascus agreed on a Turkish operation in Jarablus. This was a signal to the Kurds if youre not with us you will be attacked by Turkey, and the US wont come to help," Levent said.
Moreover, Ankara tried to invade Syria under different pretexts since 2011 and even tried to involve its NATO allies. Now, it seems that Damascus finally agreed on a Turkish offensive in northern Syria, according to Levent.
"However, this is a very dangerous situation for Ankara. If Turkish forces and opposition groups further advance in Syria they will be dragged in a number of clashes. Thus, Ankara will need help, maybe from Russia or the Syrian government," she suggested.
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov Following Rousseffs impeachment vote on Wednesday, former Vice President Michel Temer was sworn in as the countrys new leader.
"The EU looks forward to work together with the new Brazilian government to further strengthen EU-Brazil relations and our Strategic Partnership," the source said.
Special attention will be paid to the agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) in the fields of climate change, human rights, migration and cooperation with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), according to the source.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Central African country re-elected incumbent President Ali Bongo for a second term on Wednesday, prompting accusations of fraud by his rival Jean Ping.
"The UN supports the call of regional and international observers for a transparent verification of election results. I call on the responsible institutions to deal swiftly, transparently and fairly with all complaints," Ban Ki-moon said.
Violence erupted after the national parliament building in the capital Libreville went up in flames overnight, and several Pings supporters were reportedly killed by security forces.
And Americans view labor unions more positively. Thats good news for non-union workers who, according to a study, would see their pay increase if more Americans were unionized. We talk with one of the co-authors of that study, Washington University Sociologist Jake Rosenfeld.
Finally, the Fifteenth anniversary of 9/11 is around the corner. And just in time for it President Obama extended the State of Emergency declared by George W. Bush in September 2001. We discuss the extension in a Classified Session.
Todays main stories: Michel Temer has officially been sworn in as the President of Brazil following yesterday's impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, we'll be asking what impact this could have across South America, with the help of journalist and author Guy Burton.
The Donald Trump supporting Super-PAC Rebuilding America Now has become the de facto media voice for the Republican presidential candidate, but just how controversial are the corporations funding it? We talk to Professor of Corporate Law, Richard Painter.
You can find previous editions of World in Focus here.
VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) Stopping the outflow of population from Russias Far East region in one of the countrys top priorities at the moment, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
"This is one of the key challenges in the country today namely, stopping the depopulation of regions of the Far East, including the Primorsky Territory," Putin said at a meeting with students in the eastern city of Vladivostok.
VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) could cooperate on cybersecurity, Ilya Rogachev, the Russian Foreign Ministrys director of new challenges and threats department, said on Thursday.
"We believe that we could take a thought together on how to improve the situation in this field," Rogachev said, as he spoke at the Russia-ASEAN University Forum held ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
The Russia diplomat said that Moscow was interested in new researches in cybersecurity.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) CERT is due to start operations in October and will collect information on cybersecurity attacks, vulnerabilities, threats and conduct reviews and tests on nuclear power plants, oil refineries, defense enterprises, steel mills, chemical and other important industrial facilities, the Kommersant newspaper reported, citing a source in the IT industry.
According to the news outlet, the information was confirmed by Kaspersky Lab.
"The organization of industrial CERT is our exclusive initiative. Currently we are working with industrial and state regulators and organizations responsible for cybersecurity in Russia and beyond," Eugene Goncharov, the head of the company's competence center for the protection of critical infrastructure, told the newspaper.
Projects that we can support [include] not only [the ones] that boost the economy of Far East region, but also the regional integration. We are interested in such projects as transport corridor, port and infrastructure in a regional sense, Zhu Xian said.
According to Zhu, the bank will first check the viability of the project proposals after which it will be happy to support them.
We believe that the Far East Economy development is one of the priorities of Russia and we want to make some contribution as a new institution, the NDB vice president said.
Zhu added that he believed the region was attractive for neighboring countries such as China, Korea and Japan to launch regional integration processes.
Zhus statement comes ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum, set to open in the Russian city of Vladivostok on Friday. The forum, which is due to last through Saturday, is expected to attract some 2,500 participants, from countries including China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Australia, the United States and Singapore.
The NDB was established by BRICS member states in July 2014 to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects both in BRICS and other developing countries.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He stated that Russia and the West have no ideological differences but are bound by the common democratic principles of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
"I do not see any prerequisites for a 'second edition' of the Cold War to become a reality," Lavrov told Moscow State Institute of International Relations students, adding that modern times and the Cold War are radically different.
In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia over Crimea's secession from Ukraine and Moscow's alleged meddling in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia has repeatedly refuted the accusations, and warned that the sanctions are counterproductive and undermine regional and global stability.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Karimov was hospitalized early on Saturday after suffering a stroke. On Sunday, the Uzbek Cabinet said in a statement that Karimov's treatment would "take some time."
"I can confirm that Islam Karimov did not arrive in Moscow for therapy," Peskov told journalists.
Peskov added that he did not have any information about whether Russian physicians were involved in treating the Uzbek president, as some media reports suggested.
A Rostelecom spokesman blamed it all on a technical glitch, insisting that the situation had been corrected promptly and assured that such incidents would never happen again.
However, many said that the pornographic flicks had been played on local television for several days running.
Yesterday, as I was switching channels, I suddenly came come across a porn movie being played right on my TV screen, a local woman complained on Facebook.
During a meeting with the students of the Vladivostok School #2, the Russian President told them about what it is like to be the head of state.
"Anyone who wants to be considered a leader and get any nomination never should turn up their nose and think that they are the best. As soon as a person begins to believe in his or her superiority, from that moment, he or she becomes a loser," the Russian President said.
"Ambition is good, arrogance is bad," Putin added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the spokesman, the meeting lasted for about an hour.
During their visit to Moscow, the group also met with Bishop Tikhon of the Russian Orthodox Church, who liaised between the school and the Russian president.
It really was a private trip of boys from Eton, Peskov told reporters.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The president will be presented with information about PDAs and the functioning of their resident businesses, the spokesman added.
"The president will meet with the residents themselves, he will hold a separate discussion with them, which will also be attended by potential investors, both Russian and foreign," Peskov told reporters.
"He will be told about how investments are made, how things are going and which preferences are provided to PDA residents," he said.
Assange, who has posted troves of sensitive data online detailing the crimes of nation-states and other actors, made his comments during an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday.
The American liberal press, he stated via Facebook Live, in falling over themselves to defend Hillary Clinton, are erecting a demon that is going to put nooses around everyones necks as soon as she wins the election, which is almost certainly what shes going to do.
In July, WikiLeaks released some 20,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) that revealed how Clinton was heavily favored in the Democratic presidential primaries over rival Bernie Sanders. Following the release, the Clinton camp accused Assange of having links to entities in Russian intelligence who sought to undermine her presidential run.
An $80 million settlement between the SEC and Monsanto followed a report that the company misstated income regarding its bestselling Roundup weed-killer product. According to the SEC, Monsanto did not have sufficient internal controls to correctly report income due to unreported rebates for retailers and distributors. After stating revenue the company improperly reorganized its costs, which led to the sanction. Monsanto did not comment on the charges or admit guilt.
The anonymous tipster's identity is thought to be that of a financial executive with Monsanto. The SEC said that the person provided a "detailed tip and extensive assistance." The whistleblower's attorney, Stuart Meissner, said that his client appropriately attempted to address the problem internally, but was "stymied." The whistleblower left the company on his own accord, the lawyer said, according to Bloomberg.
Similarly, in Texas, a school principal was placed on paid administrative leave due after she announced that conversing in Spanish on school grounds was not allowed.
"When you start banning aspects of ethnicity or cultural identity, it sends the message that the child is not wanted," Augustin Pinedo, director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said to the Houston Chronicle in 2014.
Those who favor an English-only policy in American schools assert that it is crucial for immigrant students to learn and use the nation's dominant language. Although English proficiency is essential, English-only laws are seen as restricting freedom of expression as well as access to services for those who are not yet English proficient.
Her support among those highly-educated voters surveyed has also dropped. Previously 60 percent viewed her favorably, and now that rating is 47 percent.
Clinton has also lost ground among polled moderates, with 41-56 percent favorable-unfavorable, compared to a 50-48 percent balance previously, as well as among liberals where her favorability rating plummeted from 76 percent to 63 percent. Among non-whites her popularity dropped, from 73 to 62 percent including a 16-point drop among Hispanic voters.
Some 88 percent of Republicans consider Clinton unfavorably, 31 percent among independents, 79 percent among Democrats.
There have been some shifts in group popularity for Trump as well. He lost 6 points in favorability among men, and gained 7 points among women.
According to ABC News, "Clinton's and Trump's historic low scores raise uncertainties about voter turnout in the November election."
Obama pledged to further increase US federal government efforts to protect the environment and combat climate change.
For 14 months in a row the Earth has broken global temperature recordsThe [current US] droughtendangers one of the world's centers of food production in California.
In a video released by the Islamic State, Khalimov reveals that in 2003 and 2008 he travelled to the United States, where he underwent training with Special Forces at a Blackwater military base.
According to Ben-Meir, "there are about 200-500 Tajiks who actually joined Daesh in the last couple of years".
Ben-Meir noted that no matter how good the training is, the authorities might fail to control the militants and "make mistakes."
"That is not a new phenomenon at all to train foreigners and send them back to the various parts of the world. But again mistakes do happen. And the United States made a terrible mistake particularly in this case," the expert stated.
Earlier, the US State Department offered a $3 million reward for any information leading to Khalimov's arrest.
"It is a substantial amount of money and it suggests the importance and the need to capture him. Obviously not only because he has now joined ISIS, but also because of the information, the knowledge and the experience he obtained and acquired," Ben-Meir said. "I'm sure there are others like him," the expert concluded.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) In a plea agreement, Lazar admitted to accessing personal email and social media accounts of approximately 100 Americans, including two former presidents, a former member of the US Cabinet, a former member of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and a former presidential advisor, the release noted.
"Marcel Lehel Lazar, 44, of Arad, Romania, a hacker who used the online moniker 'Guccifer,' was sentenced today to 52 months in prison for unauthorized access to a protected computer and aggravated identity theft," the release stated.
The Justice Department said the hacking occurred between October 2012 and January 2014.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The Obama administration excluded the telecom giant Ericsson from sanctions against Iran after Ericsson paid former US President Bill Clinton $750,000 for a speech, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in Wilmington, Ohio on Thursday.
"I wonder why?" Trump asked, albeit without directly accusing rival candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of any impropriety.
Instead, Trump said the Ericsson connection is but one example of corruption when Clinton served as the top US diplomat from 2009 to 2013.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Fernandez emphasized that despite the toughness of his decision, he did not want to use loyalty to the Republican Party as an excuse for his presidential vote.
"Vote for Hillary Clinton and then every single Republican on the ticket," Fernandez wrote in the Miami Herald. "I harbor no illusion that Clinton is perfect; none of us is However, Clinton is, without doubt, a superior choice to Donald Trump."
The controversial web-based publisher also mocked Clintons Russian conspiracy theories.
[Its] that attempted reframing by Hillary Clinton, to declare media organizations that are publishing material that shows illicit behavior in the DNC to fix the election for her, as somehow being Russian agents. Her campaign has effectively called, or maybe even directly called Donald Trump, the opposition leader in this case, a Russian agent, Assange said.
Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, the fourth candidate effectively in terms of numbers, has also been called a Russian agent. This is neo-McCarthyist hysteria.
Responding to the article which clearly aimed to stoke fears about Russia and discredit Wikileaks Assange issued a point by point takedown of errors in the story.
The only hard news in the article is that American officials say Mr. Assange and WikiLeaks probably have no direct ties to Russian intelligence services, WikiLeaks tweeted in response.
Assange reiterated that WikiLeaks has published over 650,000 documents about Russia, most of which contain sensitive data, for the purpose of calling not just Moscow, but all governments to account. He also asserted that the book The WikiLeaks Files has an entire chapter on US diplomatic relations with Russia with numerous references to Russian corruption.
A new wave of McCarthyism is gripping the 2016 election cycle, as Clinton has repeatedly declared that Russia is behind the hack of leaked documents from the Democratic National Committee, despite explanations from officials and experts that there is no evidence Moscow is involved. The Kremlin has also strongly denied any involvement. Still, Clintons campaign has repeatedly accused critics and opponents of working for the Kremlin, to the point where her repeated hand-wringing has become fodder for internet conspiracy-theory memes.
Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 25, 2016
WikiLeaks is not aware of any assertion by the US government that the DNC emails published by WikiLeaks were 'stolen by Russian intelligence.' In fact, the head of US intelligence, James Clapper, has stated that the US government has not been able to make an attribution. The various hacks of the DNC over several years are not the same matter as WikiLeaks publication of leaked emails and it is misleading to suggest otherwise, WikiLeaks stated.
The state of Florida is now under warnings, as winds surpass 75 MPH.
Michael Lowry (@MichaelRLowry) September 1, 2016
"Were going to have storm surge, wind, rain," the governor told reporters. "Were going to have flooding. All of this together, and parts of it by itself, is life-threatening."
Scott declared a state of emergency in 51 counties on Wednesday. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal also declared a state of emergency for 56 counties in his state, beginning on Thursday and effective through Saturday.
David Sneddon, raised in Nebraska, vanished 12 years ago. His family never believed the story of his accidental death and, it turns out, their suspicions may have been correct, as it is now being reported that he was abducted and began tutoring government officials in his native language. Kim Jong-un himself is reportedly one of his former students.
It is believed that Sneddon, who was 24 at the time of his disappearance, is now married and the father of two children.
The skepticism of Sneddons family came from the fact that his body was never recovered and that he was fluent in Korean, making him useful for the nation.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Both Alaska National Guard and Alaska State Troopers have arrived on the scene for medical assistance.
Two aircraft collided mid-air 60 miles north of Bethel, the Alaska Dispatch said, citing the state's National Army Guard, on Wednesday. There are no survivors following [the] crash of two planes [in the area] this morning.
According to the reports, the planes involved in the crash are a Hageland Aviation Cessna 208 Caravan and Renfro's Alaskan Adventures Piper PA-18s. Both companies did not immediately respond with comments.
Now that many in France and Germany have all but disavowed the TTIP, the two sides [the EU and the US] find it very difficult to agree on how much they can give away to achieve what they want from it.
The ongoing talks on the unpopular treaty are not only bringing to light difficult negotiations, where each side is betting for different corporate interests, but also revealing a deep public discontent with the policy of making crucial international decisions behind closed doors.
Still, the TTIP is not completely moribund, the analyst stressed, suggesting that recent developments are just a tactical retreat. Increased effort will now be put on the Canada-EU Trade deal (CETA), Dearden opined, which is just as bad as TTIP.
Many American companies have subsidiaries in Canada and they will have an opportunity to sue Canada European regulations that they dont like.
Part of this deal says we back off from TTIP, as a way to ensure that CETA is adopted, but, according to Dearden, CETA is TTIP from the backdoor.
In an interview with Sputnik, Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior researcher at the Center for European Studies think tank in Moscow, said that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was expected to become one of US President Barack Obamas most important achievements.
The Americans never miss a chance to push their political agenda and they have every reason to do so now that the EU has been trying hard to catch up with them. I believe they want to bring their economy together with the European one in a merger where the Europeans will be playing second fiddle to theirs, Olenchenko said.
He added that Washington had apparently been unwilling to cede any ground to its European partners who, for their part, dug their heels in refusing to bend under Washingtons pressure.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He said Russia was carrying out work to provide secure Arctic navigation by establishing modern infrastructure along the Northern Sea route.
"By 2020, Russia will establish over 10 emergency rescue centers in the Arctic. [We] gradually combine the efforts of the Arctic states in creating a unified regional search and rescue system for search and rescue operations, as well as for preventing man-made disasters and eliminating their consequences," Patrushev told journalists following the sixth annual Arctic Council meeting.
He added that there were currently three rescue centers in the Russian cities of Arkhangelsk, Naryan-Mar and Dudinka.
This Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack fans of harness racing can meet double-millionaire and retired racehorse Escape The Wind.
Escape The Wind, a winner of 62 races in his career for trainer Roger Mayotte, will meet fans out front of the main entrance at Mohawk as the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society (OSAS) Meet N Greet Ambassador of the evening.
OSAS reps will also be on-hand selling merchandise.
Doors open Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and the 13-race program gets started at 7:30 p.m.
Fans will be able to meet several former Canadian Pacing Derby and Metro Pace winning drivers during an autograph session getting underway 6:20 p.m. Fans will also be able to sign up for a sulky ride (limited spots), enjoy live music and receive their First Bet on Us.
It is harness racing at its very best Friday afternoon at Saint John's Exhibition Park Raceway as Horse Racing New Brunswick and its partners and sponsors present a ten-dash action-packed race card.
First race post time is slated for 4:30 p.m. and the card features the lucrative Maritimer stake for three-year-old fillies, plus races honouring Milton Downey and Jim Doherty.
Friday's Maritimer stake has attracted 10 of the best fillies in Atlantic Canada. They will race in two elimination heats with the top eight coming back for a winner-take-all final. Co-sponsored by the New Brunswick Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, the event has a total purse of more than $22,000. Locally-owned filly Howmacscanasta has been listed as one of the favourites in her elimination.
A pair of memorial races on the program will recognize two great New Brunswick horsemen. Milton Downey and Jim Doherty will be honoured in two separate races on Friday afternoon. Both men were ambassadors and pioneers in the harness racing industry in New Brunswick and their families and supporters will be on hand to remember the two gentlemen.
In the Milton Downey Memorial, co-sponsored by Steve Downey and family, five pacers will square off for a purse of $4,000. Standout pacing mare Ramblinglily -- never worse than second in 14 starts this season -- is favoured for driver Marc Campbell and trainer/co-owner Allan Jones. Starcastic, who ships in from P.E.I. for the event, has been listed as the 3-1 second choice. New Brunswick's Gilles Barrieau will drive the pacer from post five.
The Jim Doherty Memorial will go with a solid field of five pacers competing for a purse of $2,100 and showcases one of Atlantic Canada's best three-year-olds, Jackson K Down.
Kathy-MacLean Harvey, President of Horse Racing New Brunswick would like to thank all the horsemen who will be in attendance on Friday, as well as the fans and the generous sponsors who supported the highly-anticipated racing card.
Sponsors include the Saint John Exhibition Association, N.B.S.B.O.A, Steve Downey, Fredericton Horsemen Association, Rick Armstrong, Dairytown Veterinary Hospital, and Peter & Paul Doherty.
Special thanks to the Saint John Exhibition Association for not only sponsoring one of Friday's races but contributing $4,000 to enhance the afternoon's purse offerings.
To view the entries for Friday's card, click on the following link: Friday Entries - Exhibition Park Raceway.
(with files from HRNB)
Gilles Tourigny of Ste Julie, Quebec, is the Heart of Harness Racing Calendars photographer for September. Gilles captured this image at the 2015 Brome Fair, which is an annual fall agricultural fair that takes place every Labour Day weekend.
Gilles explained he was in the infield and crouched on the ground, trying to capture a good action photo. Horses are beautiful animals. I really enjoyed the people and the racing. I had the chance to speak with the drivers and the racing fans and I met people that ended up following me on my blog.
The Brome Fair is the largest rural agricultural fair in Quebec, and has been taking place since 1856. During the fair, the tiny village of Brome with a population of 250, swells to over 40,000 people over the four days.
This year, harness racing will take place on Monday, September 5 with a 1:00 p.m. post time. Eleven races will be featured on the matinee card, which is part of the Circuit Regional. To view Monday's entries, click here.
Gilles was a project manager in the tech industry, and is now retired and dabbling in photography, which he finds relaxing. I am an amateur photographer who developed his passion late. But it is never too late to start and this activity allows me to visit areas of the country that I've never seen before,he explains.
I first took some racing photos in 2013 at Bedford. I wanted to explore the sport more and racing was interesting to me, so in 2015 I decided to follow racing that was close to my hometown. Gilles ended up traveling to Bedford, Brome and Ayers Cliff, all part of the Circuit Regional.
His favourite things to photograph are landscapes and nature. I find this calm, walking around in the woods or wherever. I have lots of time to take shots and relax.
Gilles has a blog where he posts stories and shares many of his photographs.
Model of Mercy, Mother Teresa Embraced Unseen Crosses
Contact:
Christine Valentine-Owsik,
215-230-8095,
cowsik@osv.com
MEDIA ADVISORY, Sept. 1, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Who: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing -- Gretchen R. Crowe, Editor-In-Chief -- OSV Newsweekly
What: Media commentary on life and works of soon-to-be St. Teresa of Calcutta, India (1910-1997), founder of the Missionaries of Charity in 1948, who will be canonized in Rome on Sept. 4, 2016. Mother Teresa was beatified in 2003 by Pope St. John Paul II.
As featured in Sept. 4, 2016, OSV Newsweekly, throughout her life, Mother Teresa:
Taught the poor to overcome difficulties and find joy through embracing the cross of Christ;
Fought the unjust social structures that cause and support poverty;
Lived among people of differing faiths, sharing the fullness of Catholicism and walking with people in their own faith journeys;
Boldly lived her life for God, even amidst unjust criticism and slander.
Gretchen Crowe will be available to comment on Mother Teresa's life, faith and perspective on love, service and mercy as she sought to answer the call to 'quench the thirst of Jesus' on the margins of society. Today, the Missionaries of Charity is made up of over 5,000 sisters, in 758 houses, among 139 countries.
Our Sunday Visitor publishes several bestselling books on Mother Teresa, in addition to pamphlets, prayer cards and magnets:
Mother Teresa's Secret Fire (by Joseph Langford)
Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady (by Joseph Langford)
Mother Teresa and Me: The Years of Friendship (by Donna-Marie Cooper OBoyle)
Mother Teresa's Lessons of Love and Secrets of Sanctity (by Susan Conroy)
ABOUT OUR SUNDAY VISITOR
The world's largest English-language Catholic publisher, Our Sunday Visitor serves millions of Catholics globally through its publishing, offertory, and communication services. Established in 1912, Our Sunday Visitor publishes a wide range of books including Bibles, biographies of the saints, books by Pope Francis, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, children's books, devotionals, bible studies, inspirational works, and curriculum. Our Sunday Visitor is a not-for-profit organization, returning a portion of net earnings back to the Catholic community through the Our Sunday Visitor Institute. For more information, visit www.osv.com.
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A rush-hour accident on Industrial Way involving two cars and a log truck caused a major traffic snarl Wednesday.
The accident closed Industrial Way from Alder Street to Washington Way beginning at around 5:30 p.m. Industrial Way remained closed as of 7:30 p.m.
According to Washington State Patrol, the accident sent at least one person to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
WSP is investigating the accident. Longview police officers are assisting at the scene.
Police strongly urge drivers to avoid the area.
Further details about the accident were not immediately available. Check back with TDN.com for updates
Two weeks before her 102nd birthday, Kelso resident Sophie Salsa witnessed a special moment Wednesday: the release of a rehabilitated bald eagle at Willow Grove Park.
Sha Jouwsma, the life enrichment coordinator at Highlander Assisted Living, where Salsa resides, said Salsa had been anticipating its release.
She said she wanted something good to come out of it, Jouwsma said.
The mended bird was released in front of more than 100 people, including Salsa, who gathered beneath grey skies at Willow Grove Park Wednesday.
The 5-year-old female eagle has spent the last two months at the Audubon Society of Portlands Wildlife Care Center, where it was recovering from an injured wing.
Micah Meskel, conservation field coordinator at the Audubon Society of Portland, said the bird of prey was recovered by a law enforcement officer along Highway 30 near Clatskanie. Meskel said the birds wing was overextended near its head, though there was no structural damage. He speculated that perhaps the bird was hit by a vehicle.
He said the center cares for about 3,000 injured wildlife each year, including about 30 bald eagles. He said eagles are brought to the center with injuries most often caused by either the birds colliding with a manmade object or losing a battle over territory with another bald eagle. He said the latter is becoming more common as the bald eagle population increases.
On Wednesday, the eagle which had not been given a name flew swiftly from its cage toward the Columbia River. With several flaps of its wings, it was gone.
Meskel said the eagle should have no problem readapting to the wild because it was only at the center for two months. It was released at the park because its not far from Highway 30, where the eagle was originally discovered.
Despite the upbeat nature of the day, though, Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky, a Columbia Riverkeeper senior community organizer used the occasion to criticize the proposed methanol refinery and coal terminal proposed in the Kalama and Longview areas.
The easiest thing people can do is not make our habitat worse, she said. Thats why protecting the Columbia from these fossil fuel terminals is important.
LaDern Koehler, 83, was among those who watched the eagle release. Koehler, who also resides at Highlander Assisted Living in Kelso, said it was her first time seeing an eagle released into the wild.
Im thrilled, she said between bites of cake, which was served after the release. Ive seen a lot of eagles, but Ive never seen one released.
It looked huge coming out of that cage, she added.
Russell Smith, 85, of Kelso said hed been looking forward to the birds release.
I never seen anything like that before, said the native of Virginia.
Virginias bald eagles were probably among the most abundant in North America because of its proximity to Chesapeake Bay; but like those on the lower Columbia, eagle populations there had withered to perilously low levels because of PCBs, pesticides and other pollutants in the food chain, according to the Center for Conservation Biology. Virginias eagle populations have been making a remarkable comeback since the late 1970s, as they have nationally. But they had almost vanished there when Smith was a youngster, which may explain why he was so enthralled when the national bird was set free at Willow Grove Wednesday.
They dont have anything like this in Virginia, he said with a smile.
Scientists at NASA have discovered a new galaxy cluster. Whats striking is that the newly found galaxy is the most distant galaxy ever seen. According to NASA, these galaxies are located nearly 11.1 billion light-years away from Earth which is a new record.
Scientists have used NASAs Chandra X-ray Observatory along with some other telescopes to discover the galaxy cluster named CL J1001+0220 (or CL J1001 for short).
The cluster contains 11 galaxies and nine of them are witnessing rampant star births. For scientists, it is a remarkable site as not only the galaxy cluster is farthest ever observed but it is giving birth to stars at an unprecedented rate.
Lead researcher Tao Wang from French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) said, this galaxy cluster isnt just remarkable for its distance, its also going through an amazing growth spurt unlike any weve ever seen.
Apparently, the galaxy cluster CL J1001 is a newly born cluster and is in early stages of evolution said scientists at NASA while explaining about the galaxies. Since the galaxy is located 11.1 billion light years away from Earth, it will help researchers in developing a better understanding of how galaxies evolved in the past.
In addition, galaxies should be tightly packed together to become a galaxy cluster and CL J1001 is one of the best examples of how galaxies get bound together by gravitational forces is early stages of evolution. Scientists are amazed to see how such young galaxies have formed a cluster and they want to study it thoroughly.
Previously, researchers believed that fully grown up galaxies form clusters. Observing this galaxy cluster revealed that more stars form after the cluster is made and galaxies join a cluster when they are isolated and mostly empty.
We think were going to learn a lot about the formation of clusters and the galaxies they contain by studying this object, said co-author Alexis Finoguenov of the University of Helsinki in Finland, and were going to be searching hard for other examples.
Moreover, Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) is a space observatory launched by NASA on July 23, 1999. It is nearly 100 times more sensitive to X-rays when compared to all other previous detectors. The telescope is named after astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. It has a lens that measures 1.2 meter in diameter and the CXO completes one revolution of Earth in 64 hours.
The study appeared in the Astrophysical Journal.
On Wednesday, South Korea reported that North Korea had completed vice premier for articulating disrespect amid a meeting arranged by leader Kim Jong-Un, after reports that he nodded off.
The administration additionally exiled two other senior authorities, Seoul said, the most recent in a significant number of disciplines Kim is accepted to have requested in what examiners say is an endeavor to fix his hold on force. Jeong Joon-Hee, Seouls Unification Ministry representative, said that Vice Premier for training Kim Yong-Jin was executed.
Kim Yong Jin, the vice chief of education, was cross-examined subsequent to slumping during a meeting of parliament which was held in late June and managed by Kim Jong UN, an authority at South Koreas Unification Ministry. As said by the servicing official, the 63-year-vice head was blamed for being against progressive component and executed by a terminating squad a month ago.
Whats the matter?
According to the reports that said by the officials to media, Kim Yong-Jin was criticized for his awful sitting posture on the platform during an assembly of parliament of North Korea and then went through a questioning session that exposed others.
On Tuesday, the mass-selling Joong Ang Ilbo wrote that top executive figures had been rebuffed for this mischief. However, he identified the instruction official by an alternate name. He acquired the anger of Kim after he snoozed off amid a meeting directed by Kim. He was captured nearby and seriously cross-examined by the state security service, further added by Joong Ang Ilbo.
The unification ministry also reported that two other senior figures including Kim Yong-Chol, a top official in charge of inter-Korean affairs were enforced to go through re-education sessions.
tech2 News Staff
Chief Executive Tim Cook on Thursday described the European Union's imposition of a 13 billion euro ($14.5 billion) back tax bill as "total political crap" motivated in part by anti-U.S. bias, the Irish Independent reported.
Cook told the newspaper in an interview he would work closely with Ireland to try to overturn the decision and said the U.S. tech giant was committed to its operations in Ireland.
"No one did anything wrong here and we need to stand together. Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable," Cook was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "It's total political crap."
He said anti-U.S. bias was "one reason why we could have been targeted", the newspaper reported.
The row started with The European Commission slapping Apple with a 13 billion bill on back taxes. This was over what the Commission calls unfair tax policies by some countries to attract US companies. The White House called the ruling unfair. The USA accused the European Commission of trying to grab revenue meant for US, with the ruling. Questions were raised on the stability of the Irish Government when Ireland delayed any steps it could take to question the tax ruling. An obscure 1934 law could allow the US to retaliate by doubling the taxes for European companies, but it is unlikely that the Obama Administration is willing to take such a drastic step. If Apple pays up, it could significantly reduce the national debt of Ireland.
with inputs from Reuters
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A European Commission ruling that Apple Inc should pay Ireland up to 13 billion euros of back-dated taxes could help the country cut its debt significantly but may undermine its government, Standard & Poor's told Reuters on Wednesday.
The European Union's executive arm ordered Apple to pay the bill on Tuesday, ruling the iPhone maker had received illegal state aid. Although Apple and Dublin have said they will contest the decision, economists have nevertheless been trying to calculate the possible impact on Ireland's finances.
"There are many uncertainties ahead but if we assume that the money will definitely come through, the sum of 13 billion euros is not insignificant for an economy the size of Ireland," Moritz Kraemer, the ratings agency's chief European sovereign rating officer, said. That figure constitutes more than 5 percent of Ireland's gross domestic product, and if paid would allow the country to bring its debt down to about the mid-80s percent of gross domestic product (GDP) if the government uses it for that purpose alone, he said.
Ireland's debt-to-GDP ratio is around 94 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data. Apple and Dublin say the U.S. company's tax treatment was in line with Irish and European Union law and they will appeal the ruling, which is part of a drive against what the EU says are sweetheart tax deals usually used by smaller states in the bloc to lure multinational companies and their jobs and investment.
Moody's struck a similar tone to S&P, saying it too would look at both a possible boost to Ireland's finances and the impact on its corporate tax regime, once the appeal was made and the picture was clearer. S&P's Kraemer warned that the ruling might destabilise Ireland's government and its ability to formulate and implement policy -- an important rating factor it looks at.
"If the government chooses not to accept the 13 billion euros at a time when they have stated the money is not there for other spending needs, it could undermine them in the eyes of the public and weaken their position," he said. Kraemer added that it may be that the Irish business model is being put to the legal test.
"It is clear that if (Finance Minister) Michael Noonan does not want to take the money, then it means he believes it undermines the success of Ireland's economy since the crisis. "So it might be that the Irish business model is being put to the legal test, and this may not be the end of it -- it may turn out to only be the first example of its nature." Ireland is rated A+ by S&P, with a stable outlook. Kraemer said that a 13 billion euro windfall on its own would probably not make the agency change the rating.
S&P has upgraded Ireland three times since 2014 from an all-time low of BBB+ hit on the back of a banking crisis that saw Ireland take an international bailout to avoid bankruptcy. Ireland also has an investment grade rating with Moody's, Fitch and DBRS. DBRS is due to report on Ireland this Friday, while S&P is scheduled to review it in December.
Reuters
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The European Commission rejected on Thursday Apple's criticism that an EU order to the company to pay back taxes to Ireland was political, noting the calculations were based on facts and Apple's own data. In an interview with the Irish Independent, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook on Thursday described the EU's imposition of a 13 billion euro ($14.5 billion) back tax bill as "total political crap" motivated in part by anti-U.S. bias.
The European Commission's Competition chief Margrethe Vestager, asked if she accepted that statement, told a news conference in Brussels: "No, I will not. This is a decision based on the facts of the case," she said. She said the calculations of the back tax owned by Apple to Ireland were based on data provided by Apple itself and facts presented during hearings on Apple tax issues in the United States.
Vestager said she would meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in Washington in September to further discuss the Apple tax case. This was in response to Tim Cook's comments on the tax being politically motivated. Austria welcomed EU's decision on ruling against Apple and asking the company to pay 13 billion euro in the form of back-taxes.
Reuters
FP Staff
Apple will reportedly boot Google maps off its mobile Operating system and replace it with an internally developed maps application.
A report in the Wall Street Journal said Apple would instead "release a new mapping app that runs Apple's own technology".
The report added that the plan to oust Google Maps has been in motion for years. The rapid rise of Android sales is believed to have quickened the pace of Apple's plans.
The Apple Insider website said that Apple's mapping intentions have been evident since at least 2009, when the company began acquiring mapping technology companies. It said, "The iPhone maker bought Placebase that year and then Poly9 in 2010. Last year, Apple bought Swedish 3D-mapping company C3.The company also revealed last April that it wascollecting datafor a crowd-sourced "improved traffic service" for iPhone users. Given that the revelation came as a result of a location data controversy, Apple's comments have been taken as referring to street traffic, though the company declined to provide further details."
The maps issue has taken on greater importance as the relationship between Apple and Google has become increasingly complicated. The two companies were close partners for years, but have grown apart as they have become fierce competitors in several key markets, such as smartphones, tablets and advertising.
Google has meanwhile announced that it is ready to unveil the next iteration of the maps application and have been concentrating on trying to integrate it closely with its Android OS.
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Austria welcomed the European Commission's decision to order Apply to pay 13 billion euros ($14.49 billion) in back taxes, Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern said on Thursday, echoing comments by the French Finance Minister. The United States has accused the European Union of grabbing revenue intended for U.S. coffers with the decision, comments that could cause friction at an international summit in China next week.
"We are of the opinion that anything that restricts the opportunities for multinational big companies to drastically avoid tax is positive and a step in the right direction," Kern's spokesman said. "Restricting tax deals between states and companies is the next logical step," he said.
Austrian Finance Minister Hans Joerg Schelling echoed Kern's comments, saying a case like the Irish one is not possible in Austria because Austria has no deals between the state and companies that would give them any tax advantages. "In the past years, we have done everything to prevent aggressive tax avoidance," Schelling said in an emailed statement. "That's why we welcome any efforts of the commission to strengthen fair competition in the tax sector." This comes right after Tim Cook claimed that the ruling was politically motivated.
Reuters
tech2 News Staff
Bharti Airtel issued a statement on the launch of Reliance Jio. The statement reads "We welcome Reliance Jios entry to the digital world and wish them the very best. We also welcome Jios call to leading operators to work together. As a responsible operator, we will fulfill all our regulatory obligations as we have always done. Over the last 20 years, Airtel has been contributing towards building a digitally enabled India and remains fully committed to and take leadership in supporting the Governments Digital India vision. We will continue to innovate and deliver best-in-class products and services to our customers. This comes right after Airtel announced its "Mega Saver Packs" in anticipation of the commercial launch of Reliance Jio.
Earlier in the day Reliance head, Mukesh Ambani announced the launch of Reliance Jio, the latest telecom operator to enter the market. Ambani announced the general availability of Reliance Jio SIMs from September 5, 2016, during the 42nd Annual General Meeting with company shareholders. Ambani urged the telecom operators to work together to help deliver a better user experience to the consumers. He announced plans to tie up with educational institutions to provide high-speed wireless internet access to students in addition to the Reliance Jio Tariff plans for customers. According to a report, Morgan Stanley expects the retail-to-refining major to log revenues of $1 billion from the telecom business this financial year.
Disclaimer: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost and tech2
tech2 News Staff
Thin is definitely in as Acer showcased its ridiculously thin notebook called Swift 7. The 13.3-inch laptop runs on Windows 10 and has a thickness of just 9.98mm or 0.39 inches. This makes it thinner than HPs super slim Spectre notebook which was recently launched in India.
The laptop comes with an aluminum unibody design, a Gorilla Glass covered display and thin bezels. Now such a slim laptop would mean sacrifice on hardware, but Acer has it covered. The Swift 7 features the latest 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 256GB of SSD storage, and 8GB of RAM. There is also an advanced 2x2 Wi-Fi 802.11ac and two USB-C ports. The 13.3-inch IPS panel comes with full HD (1920x1080) resolution, sadly no touch version will be available.
Acer has managed to stuff a battery that is said to last 9 hours, which sounds impressive and quite possible thanks to the lower power consuming 14nm process of the 7th-gen Core processor. The company has also mentioned about the integrated Dolby Audio speakers, but with such low depth, we doubt that they will be high-end.
The Acer Spin 7 is expected to go on sale from October 2016 starting at price of $999 (Rs 65,000 approx).
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Ireland's cabinet could not agree on Wednesday whether to fight a European Commission ruling against Dublin's tax dealings with Apple, raising questions over any appeal and the government's stability. Finance Minister Michael Noonan has insisted Dublin would appeal any adverse ruling ever since the EU investigation began in 2014. But after over five hours of discussion, the cabinet adjourned until Friday when the government said a decision would be made.
Dublin has just over two months at the latest to make an appeal against the Commission's ruling that the U.S. tech giant should hand over to Ireland unpaid taxes of up to 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) ruled to be illegal state aid. Some Irish voters are astounded that the government might turn down a tax windfall that would be enough to fund the country's health service for a year, and this appears to be complicating the cabinet decision whether to fight the ruling.
"Following the discussion, it was agreed to allow further time to reflect on the issues and to clarify a number of legal and technical issues with the Attorney General's Office and with officials," the government press office said in a statement. Apple, one of many major multinationals whose European headquarters are based in Ireland, has said it will appeal the decision and a failure by the Irish government to join them could undermine the country's pro-business credentials.
Noonan said on Tuesday he "disagreed profoundly" with what he called a bizarre order from the Commission. However, the Independent Alliance - a group of independent lawmakers represented in the minority coalition government - said on Tuesday that they were reviewing the EU's decision and would need to consult further with Noonan, tax officials and independent experts.
If the Independent Alliance refused to back an appeal and pulled out of the government, Prime Minister Enda Kenny's Fine Gael party would no longer have sufficient support in parliament to pass legislation. That would prompt the collapse of the government, analysts said. "The government can't survive without the Independent Alliance," said Eoin O'Malley, politics lecturer at Dublin City University.
"(But) the way the Independent Alliance appear to work is that they have cabinet (discussions) first and then discuss it with each other. I would be more concerned if in a week's time the cabinet hadn't agreed." As well as the Independent Alliance, Fine Gael also relies on an agreement with its biggest rival, Fianna Fail, to abstain on key votes to facilitate the minority government. Fianna Fail said on Tuesday it would back an appeal through the European Courts.
Both parties were criticized by left-wing Sinn Fein, the country's third largest party. It said the government should accept the Commission's ruling and impose the tax bill on the iPhone maker. It also increased pressure on the Independent Alliance, which agreed to go into coalition in May only after an unprecedented 10 weeks of post-election talks and has already broken ranks on another vote.
"It is important that Irish taxpayers are represented. The Independent Alliance have an opportunity to do that. They should oppose any appeal and insist that the correct tax bill is paid by Apple," Sinn Fein's David Cullinane said in a statement. Opinion on the government's stance was split on the streets of Dublin where some were stunned that they would give up a potential 13 billion euro tax windfall.
"They are doing the wrong thing. They don't care about the normal people," said Louise O'Reilly, 57, a full-time carer for her diabetic and partially blind mother. "There's two laws in this country, one for the rich and one for the poor." At stake for Ireland is the lure of its low corporate tax rate, a cornerstone of economic policy for decades that has drawn investors from large multinational companies whose staff account for almost one in 10 of the country's workers.
The Apple decision also comes as Ireland seeks to market itself as one of the top locations for any companies considering moving operations from Britain after its vote to leave the EU. Dublin has already seen a jump in inquiries, particularly from financial services firms. The Commission's drive could check that advantage. The U.S. Treasury warned that the move threatened to undermine U.S. investment in Europe and a spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said it would welcome any company that is prepared to invest in the United Kingdom.
Others on the streets of Dublin shared the government's concerns. "People need to educate themselves. If we take the 13 billion we'll have a catastrophe jobs wise," said Tracey Whelan, 46, an accountant for a private equity firm in Dublin. "Obviously we'd love it... but it's a poisoned apple."
Reuters
tech2 News Staff
Burying all speculation, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Thursday the commercial operations of Reliance Jio will start from Dec 31. The company also offered several freebies to attract customers.
The chairman gave this information while addressing the 42nd annual general meeting of the company.
Amongst a whole host of offerings Ambani made:
*Starting from September 5 till December 31, Jio's bouquet of apps, all services will available for free
*By March 2017, Jio will cover 90 per cent of India's population
*New handsets (LYF) will start at Rs 2,999
*Roaming charges will also be zero
*Jio will offer data at Rs 50 per GB (base rate) against Rs 250 per GB charged on average by other operators.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman, Mukesh Ambani addressed the Annual General Meeting of the shareholders at an event in Mumbai today. At the meeting, various announcements regarding Reliance Jio services, related tariffs and availability were made by Ambani. In the course of the announcement, Ambani added that Reliance Jio is the first 4G-only service in India.
With inputs from IANS
Disclaimer: Reliance Industries owns Network18 which also publishes Firstpost.com (tech2).
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Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's mobile recovery was under pressure on Thursday after it delayed shipments of its premium Galaxy Note 7 smartphone amid reports of exploding batteries, wiping almost $7 billion off its market value. Investors drove the stock to two-week lows after the global smartphone leader told Reuters late on Wednesday the shipments had been delayed for quality control testing, and that shipments to South Korea's top three mobile carriers had been halted.
Faults with the new flagship device could deal a major blow to the South Korean giant, which was counting on the Galaxy Note 7 to maintain its strong mobile earnings momentum against Apple Inc's new iPhones expected to be unveiled next week. "This is some major buzz-kill for Samsung, especially given all of the hard-earned excitement that products like the Note 7 have been garnering lately," IDC analyst Bryan Ma said.
"The pending Apple launch puts all the more pressure for them to contain this quickly. The timing of this couldnt have been worse." Samsung did not comment on what problem it was trying to address or whether other markets were affected besides South Korea. Sister company Samsung SDI Co Ltd said that while it was a supplier of Galaxy Note 7 batteries, it had received no information to suggest the batteries were faulty.
Several people posted images and videos of charred Galaxy Note 7s online and said their phones had caught on fire. "Be careful out there, everyone rocking the new Note 7, might catch fire y'all," one user said in a YouTube clip showing a burnt Note phone. It was not immediately possible to confirm the veracity of the clip. Samsung's shares, which hit a record high of 1.694 million won last week, dropped 2.5 percent as of 0508 GMT, and Samsung SDI tumbled 6.1 percent, versus a 0.2 percent fall for the broader market.
Last year, production problems for the curved displays for the Galaxy S6 edge model resulted in disappointing sales, and Samsung risks a repeat this year if it cannot address the Galaxy Note 7 problems quickly. Its mobile profit is on track to post annual growth for the first time in three years, thanks to robust sales of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge devices that it launched in March to critical acclaim.
The Galaxy Note 7 received similar praise, raising expectations for strong sales in the second half. Samsung said in August demand for the new handset, priced at 988,900 won ($882) in South Korea, was far exceeding supply, pushing the firm to delay the launch in some markets.
HDC Asset Management fund manager Park Jung-hoon said it now appeared inevitable that Samsung's smartphone average selling price and profits would miss lofty second-half expectations. "Apple is supposed to show off the iPhone 7 next week and this issue has emerged, so the current state of things do not look good," he said.
Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), who share power with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, has said the EU-U.S. trade deal has effectively failed, but he backs CETA. France also has doubts about the future of a U.S. agreement, although it supports CETA, which includes an EU proposal on the contentious issue of settling investor-state disputes.
Gabriels Social Democrats vote on the EU-Canada deal on Sept. 19. If they reject the agreement, it might be difficult for Gabriel, who is expected to run against Merkel in next year's election, to support it at a meeting of trade ministers in Bratislava four days later. Merkel supports continuing the TTIP talks. Though a components pick-up will buttress overall profits, Park said mobile operating profit might decline by up to 200 billion won for July-September.
The mobile division accounted for about 54 percent of Samsung Electronics' January-June operating profit of 14.8 trillion won. Hyundai Securities said in a report that the Galaxy Note 7's problems should be resolved within a "few weeks". The brokerage retained its third-quarter operating profit forecast of 8.5 trillion won.
Reuters
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U.S. tax law gives the Obama administration power to double tax rates for European companies should it choose to dramatically escalate a dispute with the European Union over Apple's tax bill. Experts said the administration was unlikely to take such a drastic measure, and even if it did, courts might strike down that action because of treaties. Section 891 of the U.S. tax code, passed in 1934 but never used, allows the president to double tax rates for citizens and corporations of any country the administration considered was discriminating against U.S. companies.
The U.S. Treasury on Wednesday declined to comment on whether Washington was considering such drastic measures, which Democratic and Republican lawmakers have proposed putting on the table due to what they see as overreach by the European Commission in a tax grab targeting American companies. The European Commission on Monday ordered the U.S. technology giant to pay up to $14.5 billion in back taxes to Ireland. "This is an option that is viable only in the minds of a handful of analysts who seem willing to put the entire global trade order at risk," said Edward Kleinbard, a professor at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has said the European Commission action appeared highly focused on U.S. companies but did not mention measures the United States might take. A Treasury spokesperson on Tuesday said the department would work with the EU to prevent erosion of tax bases. Legal scholars considered it highly unlikely Washington would take drastic measures against one of the country's closest allies and biggest trading partners. "This is crazy talk," said Daniel Shaviro, professor of tax law at New York University.
Lawmakers including Republican Senator Orrin Hatch and Democratic Senator Ron Wyden have pressed the administration to consider implementing Section 891 over the European Commission moves to scrutinize how U.S. companies minimize their tax bills in Europe. Georgetown University law professor Itai Grinberg drew attention to the obscure tax code provision in January on the website taxnotes.com. The next month Grinberg appeared before a House of Representatives committee laying out the case for invoking Section 891.
The Treasury's Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, Anne Wall, told lawmakers in a letter in March the department was reviewing the provision. It was unclear whether treaties with European countries since 1934 would supersede the provision if it were challenged in court.
IANS
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The United States has accused the European Union of grabbing revenue intended for U.S. coffers when it ordered Apple Inc to pay up to $14.5 billion in back taxes, a decision that could cause friction at an international summit in China next week. The EU executive this week retroactively scrapped a tax deal Apple had with Ireland, arguing the technology giant was effectively paying a tax rate of a fraction of 1 percent on its profits.
"I have been concerned that it reflected an attempt to reach in to the U.S. tax base to tax income that ought to be taxed in the United States," U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Wednesday at an event to discuss Washington's position ahead of a meeting of the Group of 20 industrial nations in China next week. The Apple row is the latest spat between Brussels and Washington over company regulation. Earlier this month, the Treasury issued a detailed legal argument that the EU Commission's approach went against European laws.
Lew said making Apple pay higher taxes in Ireland could let the company deduct those payments from what it owes to the United States, reducing U.S. tax revenues. The European Commission rulings appeared to be highly focused on U.S. companies, Lew said. "We think that it undermines the environment in Europe for international business because it creates uncertainty that ultimately will not be good for the European economy," Lew said at an event hosted by the Brookings Institution in Washington.
For now, other U.S. companies under scrutiny for their EU tax arrangements are staying in the background as Lew, Apple and certain industry trade groups lead the charge against the European Union action. Online retailer Amazon.com Inc, for example, declined to comment on an EU investigation of the tax treatment of royalties paid by a Luxembourg unit. In the past, Amazon has said that it received no special treatment.
However, a trade group representing U.S. technology companies said it is concerned the European Union will hit other firms with retroactive penalties. "It appears ... they've invited folks to come forward and try and claim a piece of this settlement," said Jennifer McCloskey, director of government affairs at the Information Technology Industry Council, a business group representing more than 60 global companies, including Apple. The EU has ordered coffee chain Starbucks Corp to pay more Dutch taxes while Amazon and restaurant group McDonald's Corp are still being investigated. Also, the EU has made a series of accusations that Google, part of Alphabet Inc, has abused its market power.
Apple has said it will appeal the ruling, issued on Monday. Critics in the U.S. Congress have denounced the move as a predatory money grab that would encroach on U.S. government jurisdiction and ultimately add to the federal deficit. European officials, however, have suggested that U.S. laws were encouraging companies to avoid taxes, and the EU denies it is grabbing U.S. tax receipts. It notes that the United States has chosen not to apply tax rules that would bar Apple from earning the money tax free. Since the EUs argument is based on the fact that the income in question is earned by a subsidiary effectively not liable for tax anywhere, the EU says that if the United States did tax the money, the position would be different.
Officials from the United States, the European Union and other G20 economies will meet in Hangzhou, China next week and were due to discuss how to clamp down on international tax avoidance. The G20 endorsed a package of measures last year to tackle corporate tax avoidance, but questions have remained about whether countries will follow through on the plans.
The Obama administration so far has failed to convince a divided Congress to overhaul U.S. business tax laws, which feature above-average tax rates, encouraging companies to be taxed overseas. Lew said it appeared unlikely America would reform business tax laws before Obama's term ends in January, but that progress could be made early in the next administration. The United States will hold a presidential election on Nov. 8.
Reuters
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Wednesday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders announced that Khalif Mitchell had signed with their practice roster. Normally, a player signing to a practice roster wouldnt be news in the United States, especially when the signing happens in the CFL. But Mitchell isa little different.
Mitchell was served a two game suspension back in 2012 for hyperextending an opponents arm. But more notably, he was fined by the BC Lions that same year for racist tweets using the word chink, and was released by Montreal last year after BNai Brith Canada pointed out his retweets of a Holocaust denial documentary, and described some of his tweets as, bizarre postings and outlandish conspiracy theories, comparisons of police officers to the Ku Klux Klan and hateful videos denying the Holocaust.
Even though he issued an apology and said hed be working with the group to educate himself, some of his tweets from recent months havent shown much progress in that regard.
(screencapped tweets via Yahoo)
Mitchell has also posted conspiracy theories on Twitter about Hillary Clintons health, robbing Haiti, and in whats probably the weirdest, suggesting that the Illuminati and Satanists are conducting human sacrifices near the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.
It would not be surprising for BNai Brith and many other organizations to raise concerns about Mitchells social media activity once again, but whether anything substantial is done about this remains to be seen.
[Yahoo]
Chandpur oil tanker blast injures 20
At least 20 people, including eight with burns, were injured as an oil tanker went off at Bangabandhu Road in Chandpur district town early Thursday. Identities of the victims could not be ascertained immediately. Fire service sources said a fire broke out at a dealer shop of Jamuna Oil Company as an oil tanker went off with a big bang while loading fuel around 12:30am. The fire also spread to an adjacent three-storey building, leaving 20 people, including eight with burns, injured. On information, eight firefighting units rushed in and extinguished the blaze around 3:35 am, said Masum, inspector of Fire Service Headquarters control room in Dhaka. The injured were rushed to a local hospital while six of those burnt were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition was found to be critical. -- Chandpur, Sept 1 (UNB)
IS leader Adnani killed: Russia
BBC Online :A Russian air strike in Syria killed the chief strategist of so-called Islamic State (IS), the defence ministry in Moscow has said. The Amaq news agency, linked to IS, earlier acknowledged that Abu Muhammad al-Adnani had died in Aleppo province. Russia says Adnani died on Tuesday in a Su-34 bomber raid on Umm Hawsh village. The US said earlier that its planes had targeted Adnani in al-Bab city, but that it was "still assessing results".Adnani was one of the IS group's most high-profile figures, with a $5m (3.8m) bounty on his head.The US said he had "co-ordinated the movement of Isil [IS] fighters, directly encouraged lone-wolf attacks on civilians and members of the military and actively recruited" new members.His death is considered a major blow to the jihadist group, which has suffered a series of military reverses in both Syria and Iraq. Russia's defence ministry said Adnani was one of up to 40 militants killed in air strikes by the Su-34 bomber. It said its information had been confirmed "through several intelligence channels".This is the first time Moscow has said it has killed a key IS leader. Umm Hawsh is 24km (15 miles) north of Aleppo and 28km west of al-Bab. Adnani - who was also the group's spokesman - was "martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo", Amaq said, without giving details about how he died.Fighting has escalated around the city in recent weeks, with rebels breaking a siege by government forces and Syrian and Russian warplanes bombing rebel-held areas.On Tuesday, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said of the US air strike: "We are still assessing the results... but al-Adnani's removal from the battlefield would mark another significant blow to Isil."One of the group's founder members, Adnani was born Taha Sobhi Falaha in the northern Syrian town of Banash in 1977. In June 2014, he formally declared the establishment of the IS caliphate stretching across parts of Syria and Iraq under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.He went on to release audio recordings urging lone-wolf attacks against civilians in nations that supported the US-led coalition against IS.Earlier this year, he called for attacks during Ramadan, with followers carrying out the Orlando nightclub shooting, the truck attack in the French city of Nice and a massive suicide bombing in Baghdad.
BRAC Bangladesh recognised for its client protection
Brac has been recognised with a smart certification for its demonstrated commitment to client protection through its microfinance activities.
By successfully completing the smart campaign's certification programme, Brac has become the first organisation in Bangladesh to achieve certification, said a press release on Thursday. It joins 63 other financial institutions worldwide who are proven industry leaders in keeping clients first.
Client Protection Certification is an independent, third-party evaluation to publicly recognise financial institutions that meet adequate standards of care in how they treat clients. Financial institutions awarded with Smart Certification must meet rigorous, internationally agreed standards on client protection.
Sixty-four global institutions, including BRAC in Bangladesh, have been certified since the programme's launch, which serve over 34 million clients. Commenting on the achievement, Shameran Abed, director of Brac's microfinance programme said, "We're absolutely thrilled to be smart certified. Our clients have always come first, and this achievement confirms the success of our programme's mission to provide financial services to the poor in a way that is responsible and responsive to their needs."
Muguruza, Raonic crash at US Open
AFP, New York :
French Open champion Garbine Muguruza and Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic were knocked out of the US Open on Wednesday as Novak Djokovic was handed a free pass into the last 32.
Third seeded Spaniard Muguruza, who has struggled in the aftermath of her Roland Garros breakthrough in June slumped to a 7-5, 6-4 loss to Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova, the world number 48.
A horribly out of sorts Muguruza rallied from 1-5 down in the second set, saving three match points, but Sevastova, who quit the sport in 2013 to study leisure management, held her nerve for the victory.
Having not won a match at the US Open in five years before this week, 26-year-old Sevastova now goes on to face Kateryna Bondarenko, a 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5 winner over China's Zheng Saisai.
"This us why I came back to the sport for the big stages like this and night sessions at the Slams. But I was shaking a little at the end," she said.
Meanwhile, 120th-ranked Ryan Harrison of the United States stunned fifth seeded Raonic 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 in another second round upset.
"It was extremely physical out there. I was playing on adrenaline," said 24-year-old qualifier Harrison who was as high as 43 in the world in 2012.
He goes on to face experienced Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis for a place in the last 16.
Raonic, considered as a potential title dangerman in New York, hit 18 aces and 69 winners but committed 62 unforced errors.
Harrison has now reached the third round of a Slam for the first time after recording just a second win over a top 10 opponent in 27 meetings.
"I started cramping midway through the second set. There was a lot of nerves and stress. It was a result of over-exuberance," said 25-year-old Raonic who claimed that the pain eventually spread to his back and arms and that, as a result, he was unable to carry his bags.
World number one Djokovic made the last 32 of a major for the 33rd successive time without hitting a ball when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm.
Djokovic will face 34-year-old Russian Mikhail Youzhny, twice a semi-finalist, on Friday for a place in the last 16.
Former number one Caroline Wozniacki, the US Open runner-up in 2009 and 2014 but who has slipped to 74 in the world after a season decimated by a right ankle injury, defeated 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-4.
The 26-year-old Dane recovered from 0-4 down in the first set to record a seventh win in eight meetings and third in New York over the ninth-seeded Russian.
20 injured in Chandpur oil tanker blast
A fire broke out at a dealer shop of Jamuna oil company in Chandpur as oil tanker went off with a big bang while loading fuel at noon on Thursday. 20 people were critically injured.
UNB, Chandpur :At least 20 people, including eight with burns, were injured as an oil tanker went off at Bangabandhu Road in Chandpur district town early Thursday.Identities of the victims could not be ascertained immediately. Fire service sources said a fire broke out at a dealer shop of Jamuna Oil Company as an oil tanker went off with a big bang while loading fuel around 12:30am. The fire also spread to an adjacent three-storey building, leaving 20 people, including eight with burns, injured. On information, eight firefighting units rushed in and extinguished the blaze around 3:35 am, said Masum, inspector of Fire Service Headquarters control room in Dhaka.The injured were rushed to a local hospital while six of those burnt were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition was found to be critical.
BCL men beaten to death in Khulna
UNB, Khulna :
A local leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) was beaten to death by unidentified miscreants at PTI crossing in the city early Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Shoikat Rohan,24, former executive member of the city unit of BCL and resident of Bania of the city. Officer-in-Charge of Sadar police station Khandaker Farid said a gang of miscreants swopped on Rohan on Ahsan Ahmed Road in the area while he was returning home by a motorbike around 11:30pm. The attackers beat up Rohan mercilessly, leaving him severely injured. Later, he was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead at about 12:10am on Thursday.
A case was filed in this connection.
Accused Obaidul put on remand
Court Correspondent :
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka on Thursday placed Obaidul Khan, the accused in Suraiya Akhter Risha murder case, on a six-day remand.
Magistrate Delwar Hossain of the CMM Court passed the order after hearing on a 10-day remand of Md Ali Hossain, Inspector (Investigation) and also the Investigation Officer of the case. He wanted the remand to interrogate accused Obaidul Khan in police custody. .
Meanwhile, another court, granted an appeal for filing a murder case instead of attempt to murder case and the victim's mother Tania Hossain filed the case with Ramna Model Police Station on August 24. She accused tailor shop employee Obaidul Khan of stalking, and harassing her daughter through a mobile phone.
The murder case has been filed under section 10 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and sections 302, 326, 327 and 307 of the Penal Code.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members arrested Obaidul Khan, the alleged killer of Willes Little Flower School and College student Risha, from his hometown Nilphamari on Wednesday.
Risha, 14, daughter of Md Ramzan Ali of Bangshal of the old Dhaka city, was
stabbed by stalker Obaid in front of the school at Kakrail area in the capital on August 24 in broad daylight. She succumbed to the injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on August 28.
10 Bangladeshis infected with Zika virus in S`pore
They are out of danger, says HC
Staff Reporter :At least ten Bangladeshi nationals have been tested positive with the mosquito-borne Zika virus in Singapore, according to Singapore based The Straits Times on Thursday. However, they are out of danger, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore Mahbub Uz Zaman told a transnational news agency. "We have been informed on Wednesday by the Ministry of Health of Singapore that of those tested positive, as of 12 noon on August 30, six are Bangladeshi nationals," he told the news agency by email."We have also been informed that the patients are presented with mild symptoms and have either recovered or recovering. We are in touch with the Ministry of Health in this regard," Zaman said. The national daily said, of the 115 cases tested positive for Zika virus infection so far, 57 are foreigners who live and work in Singapore, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.There are 15 nationals from Indian, ten from Bangladesh, six from Malaysia and one each from Indonesia, Myanmar and Taiwan."All had mild illness. Most have recovered while the rest are recovering well," said the Ministry of Health.A Malaysian woman living and working in Aljunied was identified as the first known case of a person being infected locally on Saturday.While the symptoms of Zika - fever, rash, joint or muscle ache, red eyes or a headache - are mild for most people, it can cause birth defects in babies if their mothers are infected during pregnancy.
Contemporary India, Its foreign policy and security strategy : Implications for Bangladesh
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, High Commissioner of India :
The theme for today's lecture is contemporary India, Its Foreign Policy and Strategy: Implications for Bangladesh. I do not wish to deliver a long lecture on the ingredients of Indian Foreign Policy. Instead, I would like to approach the theme by highlighting the synergies that exist between India and Bangladesh in various areas and how these synergies are shaping the relationship between the two neighbours today, so much so that India-Bangladesh relations has become a model relationship.
The goal of foreign policy of any country is to serve its national interest. The broad goals of Indian foreign policy are also to create an enabling environment to ensure India's growth and development. This means ensuring peace and stability in the region so that our energies are focused on development; it means pursuing relations with other countries in a manner that it serves the needs of our people. In contemporary times, there is the added dimension of working in a globalized world. This is both a challenge and an opportunity-and the objective of foreign policy is to overcome the challenges and utilize the opportunities.
Globalization affects all aspects of our lives and poses common challenges across the world. This includes the globalization of security threats; the networks of terror-financial or physical which transcend boundaries and call for states to pool their resources and co-operate with each other to overcome these challenges.
In order to do so, states need to have a mutual understanding of what constitutes a threat and the willingness to work together to tackle it. India continues to build consensus on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN. India has also called for strengthened efforts to prevent supply of arms to terrorists, disrupt terrorist movements, curb terror financing; secure our cyber space and minimize use of internet and social media for terrorism and radicalization. Bangladesh has also faced some serious challenges from terrorism and is an invaluable partner in our fight against terrorism.
Indeed, it is in this aspect that India and Bangladesh are today on the same page and this is manifested in the excellent co-operation that our security forces enjoy-whether it is in the form of sharing of information or apprehending criminals. Our border guarding forces often work under challenging circumstances guarding this 4000 kilometres plus border. They meet each other at various levels and resolve any outstanding issues amicably.
I began my lecture by focusing on security challenges and cooperation with Bangladesh only to enter into a broader subject. The goal of foreign policy is never only security but security is the pre-requisite on the basis of which foundations of a wider and deeper relationship is built. In fact, the concept of security itself has been widened beyond conventional terms to include concepts such as energy security, cyber security which call for a broad-based approach to foreign policy.
India and Bangladesh share a special relationship- a shared history, language, culture, ties of family and kinship. Both nations have fought the Liberation war together, as an integrated force, a rare example in the recent history. With our soldiers having shed blood together, the bonds we share are eternal and will always stand the test of time. India's longest border (4096) kilometres is with Bangladesh. We both have young populations with high aspirations. Like Bangladesh, India is a young country with 800 million people below 35 years of age. We are a diverse society with more than 23 official languages and 2200 dialects. Even Bangladesh is a secular society with diverse groups of people living in the country.
Our destinies are inter-linked and we are partners in progress and development. You aspire to become a middle income country by 2031 and we too want sustained levels of high growth to eliminate poverty and ensure development of our people.
India's current foreign and defence policy framework has been defined by the Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which came to power in May 2014. Our policy framework is more 'proactive', with a sense of renewed energy, vigour, and planning in India's engagement with the rest of the world. India is playing a prominent role in shaping global debates on issues ranging from global governance reform, climate change, multilateral trade negotiations, internet governance & cyber-security, and trans-national terrorism.
India has, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adopted the 'Neighbourhood First' Policy. The goals of Indian foreign policy are linked with that of the neighbouring countries and we realise that India needs to work with its neighbours for the collective development of the people of our countries.
The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's to Bangladesh in June 2015 has laid the foundation of many of the new initiatives in our bilateral relationship. During the visit, as many as 22 bilateral agreements were signed in areas as diverse as energy, connectivity, infrastructure and transportation, people-to-people contacts and 77 key decisions were taken in the Joint Declaration that was adopted between both the countries.
We have amicably resolved both our maritime and land boundaries in the recent past. Last year, India and Bangladesh amicably settled the Land Boundary issue which had been pending more than six decades. The Indian Parliament was unanimous in passing the Land Boundary Act (LBA) in 2015. For the first time, people who were living in enclaves on either side of the border got rights of citizenship. The fact that the LBA was passed unanimously in the Indian Parliament is of tremendous significance. It reflects the consensus amongst the representatives of people in India about the need to amicably resolve all outstanding issues and move ahead in our bilateral relationship.
We had also settled our maritime boundary through Arbitration in 2014. This has opened up new avenues in bilateral cooperation. Co-operation in blue economy is an emerging model where we can explore avenues of cooperation in areas such as marine biotechnology, green tourism, hospitality, deep-sea fishing, response to disasters, etc. It also allows our forces to undertake joint search and rescue operations in the Bay of Bengal region when our fishermen go missing. Recently, both Coasts Guards and Bangladesh Navy undertook a joint Search and rescue operation from 13-27 Aug 2016, wherein a large number of fishermen were rescued from each other's waters.
Connectivity is at the heart of our Neighbourhood First policy. In the context of Bangladesh, it means greater economic integration within the economic sub-region. The networks of roads, rail lines, rivers which connect our countries are like arteries which provide lifeline to our people. These bring our people closer and are the basic infrastructure on which trade and commerce is carried out.
Connectivity projects are also being worked out within regional frameworks such as BBIN, BIMSTEC and SAARC. The thrust of our Act East policy is also connectivity with South East Asia. Bangladesh, by virtue of its geographical location, can be a pivot in India's Act East policy. Not only will this bring advantages to your country, but also enable economic integration with South-East Asia. Bangladesh shares a border with five Indian states and can become an international gateway of connectivity between India and South East Asia.
Road and rail infrastructure is an important element of enhancing connectivity. Before 1965, our railway networks were connected. Many of the links were snapped as a consequence of war. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has endorsed the revival these linkages. Majority of the US $ 1 billion Line of Credit that India offered to Bangladesh earlier consisted of railway projects. With the completion of the Agartala-Akhaura rail link in due course, there will be direct rail connectivity with Tripura. Agartala in turn has been connected by rail link to Delhi and a new superfast express was inaugurated last month.
The Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal (BBIN) framework provides a new paradigm for connectivity. The Motor Vehicle Agreement has been signed between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) for easier movement of vehicles and trial runs have been completed.
It will start with cargo movement but this is just the beginning-the potential for connectivity is tremendous and has the power to transform this economic sub-region. New bus services were launched last year: Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati Bus Services, Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala Bus Services. Kolkata-Khulna bus service is in pipeline. Private airline companies have shown interest in direct flights between Dhaka and Guwahati.
Under the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA), a trial run of cargo vehicle carrying garment products for the sector Dhaka-Delhi via Benapole-Petrapole-Kolkata was initiated on 28 August 2016 from Dhaka and will reach New Delhi tomorrow, i.e. 1 September. The trial run for the Kolkata-Khulna bus service (also under BBIN MBVA) was flagged off at Kolkata on 30 August and reached Khulna, the same day. These trial runs will enable operators and transporters to understand the practical difficulties and the information/data collected will be useful for starting of regular cargo/passenger movement being proposed under BBIN MVA. The BBIN MVA was signed in June 2015.
The Phulbari-Banglabandha Immigration post was inaugurated in February 2016. This has opened up new opportunities in Bangladesh's connectivity with North-east of India. Our Prime Ministers jointly dedicated the Benapole-Petrapole Immigration Check Post through videoconferencing in July. This will help in cargo movement and trade across the land border.
23. Inland Waterways has great potential as a mode of transportation for cargo. It is relatively under-utilized in India. In Bangladesh there is an elaborate network of inland waterways. The transshipment of Indian goods at Ashuganj Port to the North-eastern states of India began in June this year. Coastal Shipping has also been operationalised and the first ship sailed from Chittagong to Vishakhapatnam in March this year.
New paradigms of cooperation are emerging in the energy and power sector. Energy security is a key foreign policy goal for any country. If India and Bangladesh cooperate to the fullest extent in this area, we can transform this region. There is tremendous potential and a bright future ahead if we work together. Renewable and civil nuclear energy also has the potential to become key elements of our energy cooperation.
Early this year, Tripura began to export 100 MW of power to Comilla district while Bangladesh has commenced export of internet bandwidth to Tripura. Earlier this month, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between both countries which allows for a temporary period carrying of petroleum goods from Assam to Tripura through Bangladesh.
In fact, the energy sector is the most dynamic area of cooperation which has become a hallmark of cooperation in South Asia. It is also an area in which the Indian private sector has shown interest, which is an extremely positive sign of growing confidence of economic prospects in Bangladesh.
Discussions on a cross-border diesel pipeline are underway; an Agreement has been signed to set up an LPG Terminal in Chittagong. India's north-east has great potential for hydro-electric power which can meet the energy requirements of Bangladesh. Earlier this year in March, a goodwill train carried 2200 MTs of diesel oil from India to Bangladesh. The possibilities of cooperation are endless.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced a USD 2 billion Line of Credit (LOC) for Bangladesh where Bangladesh is free to choose the projects as per its developmental needs and priorities.
This was in addition to the earlier USD 1 billion LOC.
People-to-people contacts are what make the relationship between India and Bangladesh special. A few days ago, our President inaugurated the Akashwani Maitree radio channel-the first channel in Bangla which gets content from India and Bangladesh. Indian educational institutions receive thousands of Bangladesh students every year and our students come to your country as well. India's premier engineering institutes-IITs are keen to receive students from Bangladesh.
Last year, with more than a million tourists, Bangladesh sent the second largest number of tourists to India. This year it may well become the highest source of tourists to India. We issue the largest number of visas as compared to any other Indian Mission in the world. In 2015, this figure was 7.53 lakhs and the numbers this year are even higher. In June, we organized an Eid Visa Camp and in a short span of 12 days, close to 60,000 persons visited the Camp with visa applications.
All these are examples of the strides we have taken in our bilateral relationship in the recent past. Our relations with Bangladesh today have become a paradigm of success we wish to replicate with our other neighbours as well. It is an example of how two neighbours can cooperate if they sit down to discuss all issues and if the leadership is committed to the development of the people. This is just the beginning; we have a long distance to cover and if we continue to work together we can transform this region to make it a model of growth and development.
(Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, High Commissioner of India delivered this lecture at the Defendence Services Communal and Staff College, Bangladesh, Dhaka on August 31)
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) While the European Commissions investigation of retroactive taxes on Apple and other U.S. companies has drawn bipartisan consternation, the official options for the U.S. to take action against their rulings appear limited.
On Tuesday, the commission slapped Apple with a $14.5 billion tax bill, saying the company had paid an effective tax rate that was at times as low as 0.005 percent over the past decade.
Shortly after the announcement, a U.S. Treasury spokesperson issued a statement saying the actions could threaten to undermine foreign investment, the business climate in Europe, and the important spirit of economic partnership between the U.S. and the EU.
Apple and Ireland, like other European countries which have agreements with U.S. corporations doing business in Europe that don't agree with the commission's rulings, have said that they will seek an appeal.
The Treasurys comments echo similar views expressed by a group of bipartisan senators, who questioned the fairness of the ECs investigation in a letter sent to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in January.
The letter asked the Treasury to consider whether U.S. companies were being subject to discriminatory or extraterritorial taxes as defined by IRS code section 891. The senators proposed that the code would allow the U.S. to impose a double rate of tax on citizens and corporations of foreign countries engaging in discriminatory taxation.
If the U.S. were convinced that they are discriminating against U.S. companies in this respect, then 891 is a weapon, Columbia Law Professor Michael Graetz, who served in the Treasury under President George H.W. Bush, told ABC News.
But, Graetz said the U.S. was right to wait before reacting because using section 891 could be an extreme move.
I think the Treasury is properly cautious about using Section 891, even though it does appear that the European Commission is singling out U.S. companies, the professor said. If the European Commissioner is discriminating, answering by discriminating yourself is not the right way to go.
The problem, he said, is that section 891 is a blunt instrument that doesn't really respond to the entity in direct conflict with the U.S. position namely the European Commissions Competition Commissioner.
891 requires imposition on European companies and theyre not the bad guys, he said. If you deploy 891, there is a question of the appropriateness of the targets.
The U.S. isnt left totally on its back foot though.
According to the professor, Congress could look at provisions within U.S. tax law that favor European companies.
Congress can create new remedies, its not like theres nothing that can be done, he said. There are some provisions in the U.S. tax code that are rather generous to foreign companies, particularly to their treatment of debt and royalties, so it may be that this will inspire Congress to tighten some of the legislation enacted many years ago.
Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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The deal marks the end of one of Louisiana's oldest convenience store brands.
Photo courtesy Cracker Barrel Convenience Stores
A Canadian gas station giant will gobble up 53 Cracker Barrel quick stop locations in Louisiana and fold them into the companys Circle K brand, the operations largest American store line. Couche-Tard North Americas acquisition will leap-frog the Laval, Quebec-based corporation to the top of its market, displacing 7-Eleven as the largest operator of convenience stores and gas stations in North America.
American General Investments LLC. and North American Financial Group LLC., the partnership that together owned the Cracker Barrel enterprise, will lease six of the 53 sites to Couche-Tard rather than selling them outright. Those six sites will still be converted to Circle K's.
Most of the Cracker Barrel stores are scattered around metro Baton Rouge, where the company was founded in 1968, but the brand has a familiar presence around Acadiana with 13 stores between Lafayette and Scott.
An early leader in partnering with fast food chains like Blimpie, Subway and Churchs Chicken to bolster its service offerings, Couche-Tards purchase includes 12 locations with on-site restaurants, according to the Baton Rouge Business Report. Cracker Barrel locations have also sited on-the-go food brands like Hunt Brothers Pizza and Landshire Fresh Sandwiches and Snacks.
With the sell-off of its store fleet, the Cracker Barrel owning partnership will exit the convenience store and gas station business.
Couche-Tard recently added more than 1,110 sites through a $4.4 billion purchase of CST Brands, a gas station and convenience store operation based in San Antonio, Tx.
Pending regulatory approval, the Cracker Barrel deal will close in 2017. The price of the sale was not disclosed.
President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war?
You voted:
SIU Department of Theater welcomes Darryl Kent Clark to the faculty as assistant professor of musical theater dance. Clark brings with him 30-plus years of experience as a dancer, choreographer and teacher, according to a press release from the theater.
Clark, from Chicago by way of Grand Rapids, Michigan, comes to SIU after six years as an assistant professor of dance at Missouri State University. He has a bachelor's degree from Columbia College in Chicago, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from SUNY in Brockport, New York, the theater department states.
Hes performed with companies such as Princess Cruises, Sesame Street Live!, Zyngara Performance Troupe and Concert Dance Inc., according to the news release. He has also has taught many forms of theatrical dance at Missouri State University, Western Carolina University, SUNY College at Brockport and the University of Amsterdam as well as at studios in the U.S. and Netherlands.
According to the SIU Department of Theater, Clark looks forward to working on shows, creating dances and helping the departments future up-and-comers with their careers. His goals also include possibly earning another degree in directing or film studies and becoming active in the local LGBTQ community.
-- The Southern
As the calendar turns to September, political advertisements will start to fill televisions and radios for Southern Illinoisan residents.
In the race for 12th Congressional seat between incumbent Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and Belleville attorney C.J. Baricevic, it is the challenger who has made the first appearance for a television ad.
Baricevics 30-second ad highlights the fact that he will fight for working families not Wall Street, as he says in the commercial.
The spot takes a shot at Congress for approving what Baricevics camp claims are unfair trade deals which ship jobs abroad and for giving tax cuts to Wall Street billionaires, while hard working families get higher tax bills and pink slips.
The ad opens with the Belleville attorney in front of Granite City Steel, where he says he worked with steamfitters to help pay for law school at Southern Illinois University.
It was hard work, a good job, and it taught me a lot, Baricevic says in the ad.
Bost was in Carbondale on Wednesday taking a tour of the Boys & Girls Club of Carbondale as part of his Congressional duties. He says the polls look good in his favor, but he doesnt trust what the polls say until the race is over.
Bost spoke about the cost of campaigning, saying that in Southern Illinois, it costs him about $60 for a poll point, knowing that his name recognition has something to do with that. However, in the Metro East, he says it is about $600 a point.
You have to be able to get the message out, Bost said Wednesday. That is an area that is more transient, so there are some people that may be the same, but there are others that may vote differently.
In the 2014 general election, Bost unseated former Democratic Congressman from Belleville Bill Enyart. He said the fact he did well in the Metro East area leaves him confident going into the November election.
Bost says his campaigns commercial will be airing soon, and it will reintroduce his message as it is necessary to do each election cycle.
It is cut and ready to roll, he said. We will be rolling it out within this next week.
CARBONDALE Bill Schroeder, described by colleagues and former students as one of this regions most brilliant legal minds and the heart of the Southern Illinois University School of Law, died on Sunday.
He was 73.
Hes been an institution at the School of Law for the full 32 years hes been here, said Chris Behan, associate dean of the SIU School of Law, and a colleague and friend of Schroeders. To start off with, he was brilliant.
Everybody who knew him knew he was brilliant. But he was very unassuming about his brilliance. He loved people. He loved students, especially.
And his students especially loved him. There has been an outpouring of support in the community and on social media in recent days by the many former students whose lives were touched by Schroeder.
Dan Kallio, a 2013 graduate of the SIU School of Law who works as an attorney for Cook County government, said Schroeder was one of the most intelligent criminal law attorneys and professors I will ever know.
Despite being a brilliant legal mind, he was incredibly down to earth and always willing to give you his input on legal issues, Kallio continued. I dont think its possible to quantify how much I learned about law, the criminal justice system and advocacy from him.
Behan said that Schroeder had retired from SIU a few years ago but was continuing to teach part-time. He was signed up to teach a class for the fall semester but did not make it to the classroom for the start of school. He was hospitalized the week classes began, he said.
The SIU School of Law posted a note on its Facebook page that reads, in part: The entire SIU Law community mourns the loss of our beloved professor, colleague, and friend Bill Schroeder To say that Professor Schroeder was a unique individual is an understatement; to say that we are heartbroken and that he was well loved seems inadequate to express what a beloved member of our community he was and how much we will miss him.
Professor Schroeder was a beloved teacher, scholar, friend, mentor, colleague, father, and brother and has left a lasting impact on everyone whose lives he touched, the note continues. That includes generations of students who adored him, hundreds of clients whose respect and gratitude he earned by giving them outstanding representation, colleagues who were touched in so many ways by his years of friendship, and, of course, his family, who came first in his life and whom he loved with all his heart.
Behan said Schroeder, throughout his life, had "a real soft spot in his heart for underdogs."
"I think thats one of the reasons he went into criminal defense," he said. "I think he felt like a lot of them had not gotten the best chance out of life."
Schroeder joined the SIU School of Law faculty in 1984. Former students say he was one of those rare gems of a professor who taught such engaging lessons with just the right mix of humor and elements that challenged and surprised that the entire class listened in rapture to words that stuck with them in some cases decades into their careers.
Bill was a friend to many, including me. He was a real joy as a professor, a friend, an advocate for civil liberties, and, for a while, as co-counsel, Rich Whitney, an attorney from Carbondale, wrote on his Facebook page. Even when he was teaching full time, he still fought many a good fight in the courts, and he always managed to find time to help out when a former student like me had a difficult criminal law or evidence problem.
It might be said that Schroeder wrote the book on evidence actually, several of them. He authored leading treatise on evidence for the state of Missouri and Alabama and was working on one for Illinois, Behan said.
Though his scholarly works were highly regarded, Schroeder also was known for introducing a note of levity when it was called for to lighten the mood.
He was always engaging and had a marvelous sense of humor, Whitney wrote. I dont think I ever left his office without a chuckle or at least a smile. This was quite a loss for our community, and we will miss him terribly, but at least his memory will live on among hundreds of people who greatly appreciate him.
Steven Bost, a lawyer based in Murphysboro and a former student of Schroeders, called him a practical/common sense genius.
He was a criminal law realist, Bost said. He had been a criminal prosecutor and criminal defense counsel. He recognized both the aspirational nature of our legal system and the limits and shortcomings of our application of it.
And he was hilarious, Bost continued. I mean just stream of consciousness comic gold. He was typically the smartest and wittiest person in the room, but he had zero ego. He seemed incapable of arrogance. A fairly rare combination of gifts in legal academia.
A visitation for Schroeder is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 2 at G. Meredith Funeral Home, 300 S. University Ave., Carbondale.
The SIU School of Law is additionally planning a celebration of life service followed by a tailgate for Saturday, Oct. 22, during Homecoming weekend, according to an announcement on the schools page. The announcement said that people interested in attending that Homecoming weekend service should check back to the Facebook page closer to the date for details on time and location.
CAPE GIRARDEAU The fiancee of Laborers Local 773 President Matthew Smith reported to police on the night of an incident leading to Smiths arrest that Smith struck her in the back of the head with a rock and then took her phone and threw it in a bush to keep her from calling for help as he left the scene, according to the probable cause statement obtained by the newspaper.
Smith, 32, of Tamms, is the president of the Laborers International Union of North America Local 773 based in Marion, one of Southern Illinois largest labor unions representing about 1,500 members who work for local governmental entities in the region, as well as other private sector workers.
The Southern Illinoisan previously reported that Smith was charged with domestic assault in the second degree in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, in connection to this alleged incident. The newspaper is providing further details that led to Smiths arrest after having obtained the probable cause statement from court files on Thursday.
The statement was what led to an arrest warrant for Smith on Aug. 10, the date of the alleged incident.
Patrolman Jacob Carter reported in the probable cause statement that he responded to the area of Cape Girardeau City Hall about 1:50 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10, to a report of a female in possible distress.
Carter reported that upon his arrival a federal security officers flashlight caught his attention. I then observed a female staggering and appeared to be distraught. I exited my vehicle and observed a white female who by now was laying in the grass and appeared to be bleeding heavily from her head, he wrote in the report.
The officer said he requested medical assistance. Through the obvious pain and apparent disorientation, the victim was able to clearly state she was struck in the head with a rock by her fiance because he was mad, he wrote.
She told police that Smith headed back to Illinois after the assault occurred, according to the probable cause statement. The officer reported in the statement that the woman showed signs of intoxication.
According to the probable cause statement, the woman was transported to St. Francis Medical Center for treatment at which time police obtained further details.
The statement says that the woman told police at the hospital that she was downtown with Smith when an argument ensued over Smith possibly being involved with a female co-worker.
The two began walking on Independence St. and made their way to the City Hall building, which she believed was the police station, the probable cause statement reads. [The fiancee] stated that is when Smith picked up a rock and struck her in the back of the head. Smith then took her phone and threw it in the bushes to keep her from calling for help. Smith then left her there and walked off.
The probable cause statement additionally reads: It should be noted that around 11/2015 [the fiancee] stated she sustained a broken neck from Smith kicking her in the head after an argument.
Judge Michael Gardner signed the arrest warrant that same day.
Smith was arrested by Cape Girardeau Police and bonded out of the Cape Girardeau County Jail in Missouri on Aug. 15, according to a representative of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriffs Office. His bond was listed as $25,000 cash, the representative stated.
A status hearing in Smiths case is scheduled for 9 a.m., Sept 12, in Jackson, Missouri.
Ordinarily, I might gloat.
Last week, a prominent conservative pundit conceded a point yours truly and countless others have been making for a long time. Namely, that in their constant assaults on mainstream news media, conservatives have wrecked the very idea of objective, knowable fact.
In effect, they broke reality. And Donald Trump came oozing out of the ruins.
Weve basically eliminated any of the referees, the gatekeepers, said Wisconsin radio host Charlie Sykes in an interview excerpt that was tweeted by Oliver Darcy of Business Insider. The net effect, he said, is that Trump will say some stupid thing Sykes knows to be false, but that his listeners still expect him to parrot. And if he doesnt, then suddenly, I have sold out.
When this is all over, he mused, we have to go back. Theres got to be a reckoning on all this. Weve created this monster. He added that, At a certain point, you wake up and you realize you have destroyed the credibility of any credible outlet out there.
As a result, he said, conservatives are reaping the whirlwind.
Sykes would want you to know he is not backing down from the idea that mainstream news media are biased against conservatism. Nor should he.
News media, like any institution created by human hands, harbor biases, including against the political right. I still remember the light that went on in my head when a conservative media critic decried the frequent use of the modifier arch to describe those who hold staunch right-wing views. After all, whens the last time you heard someone on the left called an arch liberal?
Thats one example: There are others. But instead of calling out biases in the mainstream media structure or simply creating a parallel media structure to tell their side of the story as women, African-Americans, LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities have done, conservatives sought instead to raze mainstream media to the ground.
The result has been nothing less than the unraveling of the American mind.
Sykes, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others advanced a narrative in which no institution or authoritative source not statistics, not science, not history, not polls, not CBS, CNN, The Miami Herald, or The New York Times is legitimate if it contradicts conservative orthodoxy or simply questions the latest harebrained conspiracy theory.
The result has been nothing less than the unraveling of the American mind.
We have become a nation of junk history, junk science, junk fact, junk logic, junk thought, a nation where not knowing things is no longer a bar to high office and may even be an advantage, a nation where it is necessary to debate whether a birth certificate is really a birth certificate and Donald Trump followers think the election will be rigged.
Nor are bizarre conspiracy theories limited to the right. As anyone who has ever argued the supposed link between vaccines and autism can attest, they have infiltrated the left, too.
This, then, is the legacy of modern conservatism: a nation where left and right have no real ability to communicate across the issues that divide because, in a fundamental sense, they have no language in common. We cannot confront our most pressing problems because we cannot even discuss them.
Its gratifying to hear Sykes admit conservative culpability, but any temptation to gloat is drowned by the reality of Americas plight.
Dont forget: Weve now had a generation of young people come of age with ignorance, intransigence and incoherence as their daily norm. The damage from that is profound and will not be easily fixed. It took us years to get here.
It will take years more to find our way home.
The roar of musket fire will once again shatter the morning quiet at Eutaw Springs this Saturday, Sept. 3.
Thats when the South Carolina Society Sons of the American Revolution, members of the Washington Light Infantry from Charleston and a variety of special guests will commemorate the 235th anniversary of the clash that helped seal British fortunes in the closing days of Americas war for independence.
The outcome of the Battle of Eutaw Springs convinced Cornwallis that he couldnt win the Revolutionary War in the South, says Douglas Doster, event organizer and SCSSAR member. But the battle was overshadowed by the British surrender at Yorktown two and a half months later.
The Battle of Eutaw Springs actually took place on Sept. 8, 1781, but the SCSSAR traditionally celebrates the anniversary of the event on the Saturday beforehand. This years commemoration will get underway at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Historic Church of the Epiphany in Eutawville. This portion of the morning will feature an SCSSAR Color Guard and remarks by guest speaker Jim Piecuch, associate professor of history at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Though the British held the field and captured most of the patriots artillery, the battle made it clear to Cornwallis and other British commanders that they had little chance of holding on to any large scale territorial gains in South Carolina, Piecuch said. After Eutaw Springs, the British never ventured very far outside Charleston until they eventually withdrew from the colony.
The professor added that he will provide listeners details about some of the controversies that sprang up among Patriot officers following the encounter. Gen. Nathaniel Greene, overall Continental commander in the engagement, had hoped to win an outright victory at Eutaw Springs, Piecuch said. But after pushing the British regulars back on the initial charge and repulsing an initial counterattack, the Redcoats managed to regroup -- partly because one American cavalry unit was out of position, he said. The British then mounted a successful counterattack on American troops, who had fallen into disarray when they began plundering the well-stocked Redcoat encampment, Piecuch noted.
This final British thrust drove the Americans back out of the camp, leaving Greene frustrated at the outcome and the cavalry commander in question, the professor said. Militia commander Samuel Hammond also harbored ill feelings due to the lack of cavalry support, he said. Greene mentioned none of this in official reports, but tension continued to build between everyone involved.
Piecuch will provide a more complete account of what transpired in his remarks at the church. This years commemoration activities will then move to Monument Park in the Eutaw Springs community, the site of the British encampment on the day of the battle. Activities there will include additional remarks from Piecuch, a wreath-laying ceremony and presentation of the colors by the Washington Light Infantry. The colors on display will include a replica of the Eutaw Standard flag that accompanied the cavalry unit commanded by Col. William Washington. The infantrymen will also fire a musket volley in salute to the heroes of Eutaw Springs.
Following a break for lunch, participants will journey east to the tomb of Gen. Francis Marion, near Pineville. At 1 p.m., an SCSSAR honor wreath delegation will place a wreath at Marions gravesite. Another musket volley to honor the Swamp Fox will follow.
People seem to be getting more interested in our history these days, Doster said. Were doing all we can to make sure people remember what happened at Eutaw Springs.
Piecuch noted, The Battle of Eutaw Springs provides a great deal of insight into the immense valor, gallantry and determination of those fighting in the war for independence in South Carolina.
"At Eutaw Springs, soldiers from both sides slugged it out for more than four hours on what was, by all accounts, a very hot day. Both sides took heavy casualties.
But in the end, Eutaw Springs marked the end of British hopes to hold on to a sizable percentage of the southern colonies, Piecuch said. Eutaw Springs was definitely one of the most intense examples of Revolutionary War combat.
For more information about Saturday's events commemorating the 235th anniversary of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, visit http://scssar.org/. For more information about Gen. Marions gravesite, go to http://south-carolina-plantations.com/berkeley/belle-isle.html.
ST. MATTHEWS -- He was the one that always kept the family laughing, Melissa Eisom said.
Eisom is the sister of 33-year-old Jaquan Montrell Ellis, who died Sunday after an ATV crashed into a utility pole on Liberty Street in St. Matthews.
The crash happened at 5:05 p.m. when Ellis went off the left side of the roadway while operating a four-wheel Yamaha ATV, according to S.C. Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. David Jones.
Ellis was ejected from the four-wheeler when it hit the pole, Jones said. He was not wearing a helmet.
Ellis was transported to the Regional Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries, according to Calhoun County Coroner Donnie Porth.
The father of four was honored with a candlelight vigil Tuesday evening.
Friends and family gathered to pay their respects around a memorial built in remembrance of Ellis at the site of his crash.
When you are special, God has a calling on your life and in your life, and that was to bring people together, said Virginia Dell, Ellis aunt.
Thats exactly what he did, she said.
Natalia Eisom, organizer of the vigil, felt it was important to have the ceremony for her uncle.
Even though we didnt have a close bond, every time I needed to talk he was there, always my listening ear, always gave me advice, she said.
Eisom said she will especially remember him telling his jokes.
He was a very jokey guy, always made everybody laugh, she said, adding that he was always smiling.
Ellis is survived by his wife, Latrice Ellis; four children; his mother, Sandra Ellis; one brother and two sisters.
Hes the baby, Melissa Eisom said. Hes the youngest of four so he will be greatly, greatly missed.
He was a fun person, so full of life, and anything that he could do for you, he would do it, she said.
Eisom said there should be stronger rules in place to make sure such accidents dont happen.
I just think that they need to make a law people that have four wheelers, it should be mandated that they have on a helmet, she said. In South Carolina, only children 15 and younger have to wear a helmet and goggles to ride in an ATV.
The vigil ended with the crowd singing Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.
Lets be careful on the highway, driving or walking, because you dont know what may happen or how something may happen, Dell said. Just be careful.
The collision remains under investigation by the S.C. Highway Patrol.
T&D Staff Writer Martha Rose Brown contributed to this report.
Whether a Millennial or Generation X, anyone under 40 may find it hard to believe that politicians from opposing parties can agree on anything. The idea that a Democratic president and a Republican Congress can work together, let alone pass comprehensive reform, must seem unimaginable.
Consider the 20th anniversary of the bipartisan Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, termed welfare reform. Among other things, it replaced the old cash welfare entitlement system with the work-based Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
President Bill Clinton signed it on Aug. 22, 1996, after it passed a Republican-controlled Congress. This bipartisan effort was not without controversy, but it ultimately led to a dramatic shift in how government supported poor families in America, focusing assistance on work rather than government hand-outs.
The result was a substantial increase in single mothers who worked and a decline in the number who received cash welfare from the government. At its peak in 1994, almost 60 percent of children in single-mother families were receiving cash welfare. Today, it is less than 20 percent and the vast majority are better off financially with a working mother than one receiving welfare.
As Ron Haskins wrote in his 2006 book, passing welfare reform certainly wasnt easy. It required hard work, trust, a willingness to listen, and ultimately compromise political compromise that is largely absent from our political system today.
Scholars and policy experts will use PRWORAs anniversary to debate the particulars of welfare reform; a debate that is healthy and worthwhile. But as we remember this 20-year-old law, let it also be a lesson about our current political environment and how it has ultimately failed the poor.
We have no shortage of ideas on how to reduce poverty, but the political will seems missing. Decades of research identifies unemployment, the breakdown of the family and limited education as the prime contributors. Both sides generally agree, with a consensus plan for reducing poverty produced by the Brookings/AEI working group on poverty last fall a perfect example.
Yet compromise has not translated to our federal legislators. Anti-poverty plans, such as the House Republicans A Better Way and the Republican Study Committees safety net reforms, were met with the typical partisan critique. Lacking was a bipartisan effort to bring ideas together from both sides and find consensus, similar to what was done with welfare reform 20 years ago.
Our presidential candidates leave little hope that things will change. Donald Trump has offered almost nothing on the issue of poverty. And his economic plan if executed, could actually harm the economy, especially those at the bottom. On the other side, Hillary Clinton offers a laundry list of giveaways and government mandates that may satisfy her most progressive supporters, but will do little to reduce poverty. Absent from both is an understanding that the issues of the poor require consideration of good ideas from both sides of the aisle.
As we debate the strengths and weaknesses of welfare reform on its 20th anniversary, lets also reflect on what its passage represents from a governing perspective. Can our elected officials put partisanship aside and compromise on efforts to help the poor? It happened 20 years ago, lets hope that my generation can witness the same.
A blog for students in my introductory classes in government, and any interested passersby. You'll find news items and random stories that illustrate any of the topics we cover in class. Special attention will be paid to the constitutional issues associated with contemporary issues and disputes. Feel free to send me stories you find important. Please note that due to spam, I'm limiting the ability of people to comment on these pages. My apologies.
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
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Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Be careful when you're meeting new people in the nation's capital and elsewhere, because you could be a prime target for foreign spies.
That's the warning FBI agents gave to presidential campaign staffers Wednesday during two separate security briefings in Washington, D.C., according to sources.
While the briefings were portrayed as routine, they come amid increasingly aggressive efforts by foreign governments to access U.S. secrets and potentially influence upcoming elections here.
Wednesdays unclassified briefings were held just blocks from the White House, in the building shared by rival transition teams for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the sources said.
An FBI official described the sessions as voluntary "awareness briefings" provided to "low-level staffers" of the two major-party campaigns every presidential election cycle.
Each briefing Wednesday a morning session for the Trump team and a later one for the Clinton team lasted about an hour, ABC News was told.
One campaign source said FBI agents laid out a "standard best practices briefing," emphasizing it was "not precipitated by any particular [or known] threat."
Nevertheless, the FBI official acknowledged the unique threat environment facing the United States, particularly espionage efforts from Russia.
Officials acknowledged earlier this week that suspected Russian hackers successfully stole voter-related information from the election system in Illinois. Around the same time, "a known Russian hacker" instigated a cyberattack on Arizonas election systems, but attempts to access the system failed, according to a spokesman for the secretary of states office in Arizona.
Meanwhile, the FBI is still investigating what appear to be coordinated cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and other Democratic organizations. Authorities suspect the computer-based assaults were likely launched out of Russia, according to sources.
The nations top intelligence official recently said its "not surprising" to see Russia trying to undermine the U.S. political process, especially because Russian President Vladimir Putin is "paranoid" about "the potential for a 'color revolution' to occur in Russia."
"They believe we're trying to influence political developments in Russia, we're trying to effect change, and so their natural response is to retaliate and do unto us as they think we've done to them," Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in July at the annual Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado.
Wednesdays sessions likely mirrored briefings that the FBI routinely gives to staffers working in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and to others working in government-related affairs across the country.
Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
By Azernews
By Nigar Abbasova
Azerbaijan and Iran, the two neighbor countries, which enjoy rapidly improving and friendly relations, are currently considering the issue of expanding bilateral ties.
Azerbaijan has invited Iranian entrepreneurs to actively cooperate with local businessmen, said Sahib Mammadov, Azerbaijans Deputy Economy Minister, while addressing the Azerbaijani-Iranian business meeting in Baku on August 31.
More than 80 local and Iranian businessmen participated in the meeting organized by Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO).
Mammadov said that Azerbaijan and Iran have great potential to develop the cooperation in various spheres of economy, underlining that the meeting will contribute to further improvement of ties and expansion of trade relations between the two countries.
Irans Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen, in turn, said that the two countries entered a new stage of development of relations and relations in the economic sphere are developing successfully, as in other spheres.
Chairman of the Agricultural Chamber of Commerce of Iranian North Khorasan province Mohammad Samedi, in turn highlighted certain projects implementation of which is envisaged in the areas of agriculture, tourism, healthcare, pharmaceutics, production of motor cars and spare parts for them.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran amounted to $105.7 million in January-July 2016, more than $77 million of which accounted for imports from Iran, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.
Meanwhile, Iranian delegation representing Irans North Khorasan Province Chamber of Commerce is on a visit to Azerbaijan to explore the market for more cooperation with the Azerbaijani side, Iran's embassy in Baku told Trend
Irans ambassador said that businessmen from both sides should grasp their common grounds to evermore strengthen their ties. He also mentioned that Iranian products enjoy enough quality to compete with other products in the Azerbaijani market, underlining that food and construction products imported from Iran are popular among Azerbaijani consumers.
Agriculture is one of the most important spheres for Azerbaijan and Iran, both countries have a great potential to boost agriculture cooperation. Among the top issues for the two countries in the sphere are joint use of agricultural lands, production of goods oriented for exportation to other countries, leasing of cultivation areas to Iranian farmers, promotion of investment opportunities, and import and export of agrarian goods.
Calling for the removal of mutual trade obstacles, the ambassador said that facilitating tourism, reducing tariffs, coordinating the affairs of customs administrations, and establishing peace at border areas have greatly contributed to the improvement of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.
Baku will soon host The Iran Project 2016, the second Iranian specialized exhibition, of oil and gas, petrochemicals, construction, energy, utilities and engineering and technical services of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Azerbaijan, which is scheduled for September 19-21.
Azerbaijan's exports to Iran almost doubled to $14.4 million in the first quarter of 2016, while imports increased from $19.4 million in 2015 to $27 million in 2016.
The Islamic Republic of Iran recognized independence of Azerbaijan on December 25, 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on March 12, 1992.
By Trend
Turkey and the USA reached an agreement on what militants of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Kurdish political party) must return to the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, Milliyet newspaper reported on September 1.
If YPD will not return to the eastern bank of the Euphrates, Turkey may lose confidence in the USA, Cavusoglu added.
On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force with the support of the coalition aircraft launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo city.
The operation was carried out under the name Shield of the Euphrates. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that this operation will continue until the PYD militants are completely liquidated.
Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The Islamic State (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh), the YPG and the PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
By Azernews
By Rashid Shirinov
The volume of investments made in Armenia drastically fell, while the figure is less than the volume of money leaving the country.
In the first half of 2016, the volume of foreign net direct investment made up 16.9 billion drams ($35.6 million), while this figure was 81.9 billion drams ($172.4 million) in the same period of last year, according to the data published by Armenian National Statistical Service.
Net direct investment is a balance of import and export of capital, and this means that in the first half of 2016 Armenia spent $35.6 million more investment than received.
The money were mainly exported to Russia $58.6 million, offshore in Cyprus $5 million, Luxembourg $6.1 million, the Netherlands $9 million, France $2.1 million, and Lebanon $1.7 million.
As for direct investment in Armenia, it has decreased by almost half compared to the same period of 2016. In the first six months, the volume of direct investment made up 16.5 billion drams ($34.8 million), while this figure was 30.7 billion ($64.7 million) for the same period of 2015.
The Armenian state budget, not surprisingly, also faced decrease this year. In the first seven months of the current year, revenues of the Armenian state budget made up approximately 633.4 billion drams ($1.33 billion), while the expenses were 717.2 billion drams ($1.51 billion), according to the official statistical data.
The revenues of Armenian state budget decreased by 2.2 billion drams ($4.64 million) or 0.3 percent compared to the same period of last year.
Thus, it is obvious that the public money in Armenia are misused by the government while the money leave the country, majority of Armenians, thanks to the countrys authorities, have no choice but to live under sorrowful conditions.
By Azernews
By Nigar Abbasova
Turkmenistan and Qatar, the two countries with tremendous hydrocarbon resources, are currently considering ways to expand bilateral relations.
The issue was on the highest agenda during the meeting between Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and Qatars Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah.
The sides expressed their readiness to expand productive cooperation for the development of trade and economic ties, mentioning that the two countries have good prospects for that.
Oil and gas sphere is considered to be one of the key and strategic aspects of intergovernmental relations between the two countries, which are among the world's leading exporters of natural gas.
Such spheres as investments, trade, high technologies and construction are among the most perspective in Turkmen-Qatari relations.
The Turkmen president has recently invited representatives of Qatars business communities to participate in the implementation of Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, which is expected to transport 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year.
The project is expected to provide the long-term deliveries of natural gas to the countries of South-East Asia and promote solving of economic, social and humanitarian problems of the region.
The two countries signed a number of MoUs on cooperation in the spheres of transportation, finance, tourism, sports, culture and education during the official visit of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Ashgabat in March 2016.
Being the sixth in the world for the volume of natural gas reserves, Turkmenistan produces about 70-80 billion cubic meters of gas a year, while most of its proven gas reserves are located in the Amu Darya basin in the south-east and in the Murgab South Caspian basins in the western part of the country.
Oil and natural gas account for about 55 percent of the Qatars gross domestic product. Petroleum has made the country one of the worlds fastest-growing countries with the highest level of income per capita.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1996.
Around $1.6 billion has been invested in Bahrains Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) over the past eight years thanks to a UN initiative, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.
To read further, please visit GDNonline.
The Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (Dafza) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (GDFTZ) Nansha Area of Guangzhou (Nansha FTZ), aiming to step up bilateral cooperation.
The landmark agreement was signed by Nasser Al Madani, assistant director general, Dafza and Pan Yuzhang, general director of the General Affairs Office of GDFTZ and the chief economist of the Administrative Committee of the Nansha Economic and Technological Development Zone.
The MoU signing was attended by the CEOs of several multinational corporations that were participating in the recently held China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Multi-National Corporation Summit in the Nansha District of Guangzho.
Under the terms of the MOU between Dafza and Nansha FTZ, both parties will collaborate on expanding bilateral trade exchange; promote mutually-beneficial investments and business partnerships as well as cooperation in information technology, cross-border e-commerce and shipping logistics; exchange expertise and experiences in planning, strategy, general operations and employment models; and engage in other areas of cooperation they jointly agree on.
This strategic agreement will help in further advancing the implementation of Chinas Belt & Road Initiative, a development strategy launched by the Chinese Government to foster economic cooperation among countries along the proposed Belt and Road routes.
The strategy has aided the countries engaged in the initiative in achieving USD 100 billion as value of cooperation.
Dafzas agreement with Nansha FTZ will consolidate their respective strengths as leading free trade zones to mutually pursue business and investment growth. It also positions Dafza as a major contributor to the Belt & Road Initiative which aims to extend Chinas global commercial ecosystem and reenergize the trade routes of Central and West Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
The new partnership complements the promotion of the strengths of Dafza as an effective trade and economic partner for the business community and for global investments, particularly with China and the rest of Asia. This complements Dafzas own ongoing global expansion strategy to reach new and promising markets as part of efforts to drive economic growth in the UAE. TradeArabia News Service
2017 is set to be the busiest year for hotel openings in the Middle East with 189 projects and 58,527 rooms, an industry report has revealed.
According to the Middle East Hotel Construction Overview report prepared by Tophotelprojects exclusively for The Hotel Show Dubai 2016, notable hotel openings scheduled for 2017 include: the worlds largest hotel in Makkah, Saudi Arabia with 10,000 rooms, and the worlds first Paramount Hotels & Resorts property, the Paramount Hotel in Dubai.
The report forecasts that the majority of new hotel rooms will open before 2020 with the UAE (180 projects) and Saudi Arabia (134 projects) remaining the most active hotel construction hotspots in the region.
Currently there are 541 new hotels in the pipeline across the Middle East bringing an additional 158,950 hotel rooms to the region.
That are a lot of bedrooms, bathrooms, windows, doors, terraces, restaurants, pools, spas, gyms, and much more to be fit out and equipped over the next five years, said Gary Williams, event director of The Hotel Show Dubai, taking place September 17 to 19 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). This year the 17th edition of The Hotel Show, the largest hospitality supply event in the region, will run at the same time as Windows, Doors & Facades Event and Intersolar Middle East at the DWTC, as the need for all aspects of hotel construction including its external or facade design and sustainable footprint, increases. We are providing the ultimate selection of sourcing, networking and educational forums for professionals interested in hotel construction in the Middle East.
The brand-new Windows, Doors & Facade Event (September 18 to 20) is a dedicated platform for global consultants, manufacturers and distributors of window, door and facade products, and will complement the interiors, lighting and design showcase at The Hotel Show. The event will host The Middle East Facades Summit on September 18, focused on innovation, efficiency, security, fire safety, and quality control in facade design and engineering.
A well-designed facade in a sustainable hotel will bring energy costs down considerably, and add to the building lifespan, said Muhammed Kazi, exhibition director of Windows, Doors & Facades Event.
Meanwhile, Intersolar Middle East (September 19 to 21) is focused on solar energy and sustainability, an important trend in hospitality. In 2017, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is forecast to open Dubais first 100 per cent solar-powered hotel.
Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), IHG said: Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City is a unique project designed to be integrated into an entirely sustainable community, and to meet the highest environmental, social and commercial sustainability standards. As a brand, Hotel Indigo is a direct reflection of its surroundings and in this case, the hotels first commitment to its neighbourhood was a net zero energy building where solar power will meet 100 per cent of the hotels energy needs. We see this project as a potential future trend, perhaps encouraging more hotels of its kind and more usage of solar energy.
Intersolar Middle East will also host the Global Solar Leaders' Summit (GSLS), expected to attract more than 300 regional leaders and policy makers and prestigious speakers from Tesla, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Irena, Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, and many more.
The three complementary events are providing the ultimate opportunity for professionals to source new products, network and learn about hotel construction in the Middle East, from September 17 to 21 at the DWTC. - TradeArabia News Service
International facilities management company Macro has won a four-year contract from The National Museum, Oman to provide key services to its brand new premises in capital Muscat.
Macro is the facilities management arm of Mace, a global consultancy and construction company offering highly integrated services across the full property and infrastructure lifecycle.
The National Museum, which was designed to bring Omans unique cultural heritage to life, has been built over 13,700 sq m and is located next to the Qasr Al Alam Palace, the main Royal ceremonial palace of the nation.
As per the deal, Macro will provide a host of services including technical solutions, cleaning, pest control, managed polices, a quality management system (QMS), computer-aided facilities management (CAFM), quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) and resource management.
Acting director-general of The National Museum, Jamal Al Moosawi, said: "We are pleased to be working with an internationally renowned FM provider such as Macro Group. Their flexible approach and robust processes and procedures have helped us align our FM services."
"Both the museum and the Macro teams have worked hard to ensure the opening of the facility was a success and we look forward to maintaining our high standards for this cultural landmark," he noted.
On the win, Macro Group chairman Bill Heath said: "We are honoured to be working with The National Museum - Sultanate of Oman, which is set to be a world-class museum. This builds on Macros recent successes in the arts and culture sector."
According to him, the museum covers all aspects of Omans rich cultural heritage and displays maritime history, currency, weapons and armour within its large 14 galleries.
There is an UHD standard audio-video theatre, a conservation department along facilities for collections management, graphics, interactive displays and classrooms designed for teaching children who visit the museum about the artefacts held within the facility.
The museum houses one of the largest free-standing display cabinets in the world and caters for all visitors with special needs, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
French firm Bell & Wyson will unveil its BW Bzzz LED bulb, which traps and kills harmful insects, mosquitoes in particular, at the Gitex Technology Week in Dubai, UAE, next month.
After the high-profile launch of the BW PIX+, an LED bulb with integrated camera and microphone, Bell & Wyson has announced that the BW Bzzz will be on sale as the beginning of 2017.
The BW Bzzz is the first LED bulb to include a system that traps and kills mosquitoes, which are particularly harmful to human health. This innovation is the first of its kind in the world and marks a new step forward for practical and connected LEDs.
The company plans to launch the product on every continent over the next 12 months, with priority placed on the markets of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
We chose to launch the BW Bzzz bulb during the Giex, because this is one of the regions leading fairs. Selecting the right commercial partners is a crucial factor for the optimisation of sales and our commercial success. Several versions will be available on the market to cater for all types of clientele and all budgets, declared Carol Issa, president of Bell & Wyson.
Bell & Wyson creates energy-efficient, innovative, practical and beautifully designed connected objects.
Gitex Technology Week will be held from October 16 to 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. - TradeArabia News Service
Cinnabon has introduced its fresh new brand and image at the first store of its kind outside the US, in Abu Dhabi Marina Mall.
The bakery is only the second worldwide to incorporate Cinnabons new style and is one out of over 40 across the UAE.
Cinnabon have rolled out a complete overhaul with its new look, which extends to all elements of the bakery. An extensive array of changes features a new logo, updated staff uniforms and an additional product line. A fresh design for the stylish new dining area features contemporary furniture.
Marwan Kandeel, multi-nrand manager of Cravia Group, explains: Our experience within the UAE market is that our customers desire a fashionable, stylish and modern look, in line with current high-end trends. We invested more greatly in this store than is usual, to cater to the extremely high standards of Abu Dhabi residents and visitors, and to match and exceed the competition in a market with refined offerings.
Operating under the franchise of Cravia, one of the leading food and beverage companies in the region, the fresh new store incorporates an increased menu selection, comprising of an even greater choice for those seeking out delicious treats. These include Americas favourite ice cream Carvel, and a new range of Whoopies products designed for customers on-the-go, all alongside the Seattles Best Coffee that customers have grown to love. A greater choice of seating is available for those who wish to take in Cinnabons characteristic ambience, with takeout also freely available.
Kandeel continues: Although this is only the second store to feature Cinnabons new image worldwide it is at the forefront of all our retail outlets. We applied key learnings from the first store change in the US, and we are confident we have succeeded in exceeding all expectations with this new opening. We are pleased to have already received positive feedback from our customers on the refined atmosphere and environment, on new selections tried from our menu, as well as our selection of freshly made Cinnabon rolls. - TradeArabia News Service
The iconic Dubai Opera, which celebrated its soft opening yesterday (August 31), will drive cultural tourism and reap economic dividends for the city, says Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties.
Emaar Properties has placed Dubai at the center stage in the fast-growing global arts industry with the pre-opening of its premier cultural destination, the multi-format Dubai Opera, he said.
Dubai Opera, in Downtown Dubai, hosted a sold-out concert by legendary Spanish tenor Placido Domingo last night.
Alabbar said Emaar has invested Dh1.2 billion ($330 million) to develop Dubai Opera, which will bring rich cultural and economic dividends to the city.
Dubai Opera will mark its grand inauguration later this year with many new fascinating attractions including a specially commissioned public realm art and several lifestyle choices.
Dubai Opera is our tribute to the positivity and vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to firmly underline our city as a vibrant global cultural hub that attracts talent from around the world, said Alabbar.
Great performing art venues are cultural catalysts, said Alabbar. They increase the sense of collective identity, connect people to build social capital, strengthen the values of diversity and tolerance, encourage members to participate in the arts, and promote neighbourhood cultural diversity.
With the opening of Dubai Opera, the city is now uniquely positioned to gain significant socio-economic benefits that once again highlight Emaars lasting contribution to the citys economy, he said.
The iconic Dubai Opera complements the Dubai Tourism Vision announced by His Highness to welcome over 20 million annual visitors by the turn of the decade, and supports the cultural ambitions of Expo 2020 Dubai, which is expected to host over 25 million visitors. It also fulfils the central pillar of the Dubai Plan 2021 to build a city of happy, creative and empowered people by providing rich cultural experiences, Alabbar added.
With Dubai fast becoming a global arts hub with a remarkable increase in the number of art galleries and arts events, Dubai Opera will catalyse the growth of the creative industries in the city, said Alabbar.
Alabbar says Dubai Opera is similarly creating a vibrant growth engine for the Dubai economy. A part of the US$20 billion Downtown Dubai mega-development, which is already the worlds most-visited by welcoming an annual average 80 million visitors, Dubai Operas impact is defined by two dividends: Cultural and Economic.
The performances hosted by Dubai Opera generates a huge cultural dividend for Dubai by positioning it as one of the global hubs for the performing arts industry, said Alabbar. The dividends are direct and indirect the first from the benefits associated with hosting world-class events, and the second as a result of the various economic activities that support the event.
He said that Dubai Operas cultural dividend is also earned by providing a platform for the next generation of talent in Dubai and assuring a world-class venue for locally produced shows.
The economic dividend of Dubai Opera is far-reaching, said Alabbar. Cultural events are a stimulus for tourism and in turn contributing to the aviation, hospitality and allied sectors. With its year-round calendar of high profile events by world-class performers, Dubai Opera will further attract visitors to Downtown Dubai, which has already delivered on its promise as The Centre of Now.
Typically, the economic value of Dubai Opera will come from four channels, explained Alabbar. The first channel is revenues from the performances and from F&B and other retail at the precinct; and the second are revenues from tourism resulting from visitors travelling into Dubai to watch the shows.
Aviation, hospitality and retail outside the venue comprise the third revenue stream; while the fourth is the local cultural ecosystem of local production houses and support agencies that create thousands of new jobs for creative professionals.
Legends such as Placido Domingo serve as magnets for cultural tourists with fans travelling wherever he goes. Cultural tourism is today one of the fastest-growing areas of global tourism. It is estimated that cultural or heritage activity is the sole purpose of nearly one in five European tourists, while culture forms a key feature of the trip of 80 per cent of US travellers. - TradeArabia News Service
Frankfurt airport's Terminal 1 departure hall was evacuated on Wednesday after a passenger got into the departure gate area without completing the security check, possibly by mistake, the airport's operator and police said.
All passengers had been cleared from the departure hall and would have to go through security checks again, a spokeswoman for Fraport said.
A police spokesman said it was unclear whether the person, who has not been found, had intentionally breached the security check and whether the person was carrying any forbidden items.
"The main aim of the evacuation is to ensure that the terminal is secure," the spokesman said.
The Fraport spokeswoman said the breach at Europe's fourth largest airport would lead to flight delays at the hub, airline Lufthansa's main base.
In a similar incident, a Spanish man was arrested at Cologne-Bonn airport in May after breaching security, leading to flight delays. - Reuters
Bollywood Parks Dubai, the worlds first Bollywood inspired theme park, has partnered with Shahrukh Khan to shoot the high speed chase scenes for its immersive 3D ride Don: The Chase.
Part of Dubai Parks and Resorts, the largest integrated theme park destination in the region, Bollywood Parks Dubai is set to open on October 31, with the new 3D ride premiering at the opening.
While shooting for the ride, Khan said: "The park is a mix of rides, excitement and adventure, while staying true to the ethos of Bollywood. Films are a reflection of reality where we strongly believe in our hopes, and the same will be translated to the park where you will have fun! At Bollywood Parks Dubai, we will emulate this larger than life spirit, as we want to leave our guests and families spellbound at the end of each ride.
With the fans and families of Dubai waiting for the opening of the first Bollywood inspired theme park, the fine detailing of the elements recreated from the actual movie witnessed during the chase, will cast the feel of being a part of the movie.
Getting back into his character from the movie, the star was seen reciting his famous dialogues, especially for the thrill seekers who cant wait to experience this ride. Commenting on the ride, he said, This time the chase is in Dubai, on the very famous Sheikh Zayed Road and also other famous landmarks of Dubai. As the famous dialogue of the movie goes Don ko pakadana mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai that means its not only difficult to catch Don, but impossible as well.
Directed by Reema Kagti, one of Bollywoods finest directors, this ride was completed with the support of over 100 members from the production team. Under the guidance of the Don movie producer, Ritesh Sidhwani and the lead actor Shahrukh himself, the team ensured that every aspect of the ride should exude the essence of the original movie, so that the fun begins right at the start as visitors enter the ride pre-show area and immediately become a part of the story.
He further added, A movie star is made by the team, who work behind him or her. You feel completely redundant and useless, if you dont have a good team supporting you. The star of the show carries a lot of his own notion on the set and if it is channeled in the wrong direction, then the whole set or the making goes wrong. But if it is nice, then it permeates to everyone and the hard work required does not seem like hard work at all.
Located within the Mumbai Chowk zone at Bollywood Parks Dubai, visitors will enjoy the Don The Chase ride, a 3D motion immersive tunnel, which will have visitors chasing their favourite diabolical mastermind across the city of Dubai, hoping that they will be the first to catch him. Paying tribute to Bollywoods hometown, the Mumbai Chowk zone will also provide unique offerings such as a recreation of the famous Victoria Station, built alongside a classic Mumbai suburban railway train offering typical Indian curries while showcasing performances on its roof - the Mumbai Express stage - will bring to life the colours and sounds of this vibrant city.
Ultimate theme park enthusiasts can purchase the Bollywood Parks Dubai Annual Pass which includes limitless access to the Worlds first Bollywood themed park at Dh755 ($205.4). With over 16 rides and attractions plus 20 daily live shows, spread across 1.7 million sqft, the Annual Pass will provide visitors with unlimited access to B_Spellbound, while unlocking a host of exclusive benefits and rewards.
Annual passes for Bollywood Parks Dubai are currently on sale at www.bollywoodparksdubai.com and www.dubaiparksandresorts.com. - TradeArabia News Service
Carl Chapman has joined Dubai-based luxury property developer and holding company Seven Tides as the food and beverage (F&B) director for its upcoming Dukes Dubai hotel and residences on Palm Jumeirah.
A UK national, Chapman has worked for some of Londons most respected hospitality brands with a globally recognised dining pedigree including The Savoy, Claridges and Simpsons in the Strand, as well as at the renowned Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Canada.
He joins Dukes Dubai from the high profile InterContinental London The O2, Greenwich, where he was an integral member of the opening team for this luxury flagship property under the Arora Hotel Group banner, and instrumental in the creation and successful delivery of a number of culinary concepts including a fine dining restaurant, brasserie and rooftop bar.
Carls knowledge of the UK culinary scene and years of hands-on operational expertise will add immense value to the DUKES Dubai food and beverage offering, and we are confident that, along with his executive team colleagues, he will be instrumental in positioning our unique portfolio as a one-of-a-kind dining destination for Dubai, said Abdulla bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides.
During his two decade-long career, Chapman has also held senior event director roles and led the team at Fairmont-owned iconic hotel The Savoy, as well as landmark restaurant Simpsons in the Strand, following its multi-million dollar restoration and relaunch in 2010.
The first international property for the Dukes Collection brand, the 279-room hotel and 227-hotel apartments is scheduled to open for business in Q4 2016 and Chapman will oversee the launch of six exciting dining and lounge venues as well as catering for extensive meeting and events space.
Guests can choose from the Great British Restaurant, which will serve modern British brasserie-style cuisine under the culinary watch of the hotels executive chef, Martin Cahill; West 14th Steakhouse, already an award-winning institution on Palm Jumeirah; the first international outpost for top rated Mumbai Indian restaurant, Khyber; Dukes Bar, named after its London namesake and the venue for a menu of signature cocktails; the Tea Lounge; and a gentlemans club styled Cigar Lounge.
Dubais reputation as an emerging culinary hub presents us with a unique opportunity to put the Dukes stamp on the local scene and showcase Best of British across all aspects of the hotel operation, including dining. Carl is the man to bring this vision to life, and we have extremely high expectations for our exciting portfolio of restaurants and lounges. Said Bin Sulayem.
Established in 2004, Seven Tides has developed its own portfolio of commercial, residential and resort properties in some of the worlds most desirable locations. Its award-winning flagship hotel, Dukes London, is situated in the fashionable Mayfair district and has been a hospitality icon in the capital for over a century. - TradeArabia News Service
CODY The city of Cody's gunfight show is cancelling its performances until next year as it faces new safety guidelines imposed after three spectators were hurt during a show.
Cody Gunfighters spokesman Richard Muscio says the group, which puts on a free old West show each summer, needs more time to be in compliance with the new rules.
Muscio says performances will resume in the summer of 2017.
Police are still investigating the July 29 incident that left three tourists, including a 3-year-old child, injured because of a problem with weapons.
The new guidelines require gunfighters to use blanks not supplied or manufactured by members of the show. The performers must also have a safety manager on site to inspect weapons and dispense blank ammunition.
GILLETTE The city of Cody's gunfight show is cancelling its performances until next year as it faces new safety guidelines imposed after three spectators were hurt during a show.
Cody Gunfighters spokesman Richard Muscio said the group, which puts on a free old West show each summer, needs more time to be in compliance with the new rules.
Muscio said performances will resume in the summer of 2017.
Police are still investigating the July 29 incident that left three tourists, including a 3-year-old child, injured because of a problem with weapons.
The new guidelines require gunfighters to use blanks not supplied or manufactured by members of the show. The performers must also have a safety manager on-site to inspect weapons and dispense blank ammunition.
Wyoming native Tom Bell, considered the pioneer of the conservation movement in the Cowboy State, died Tuesday in Lander at age 92, his family said.
Bell started the Wyoming Outdoor Council in 1967 because he was incensed by abuses on public lands committed by private individuals, said Bells nephew Matt Winters.
Bell received a masters degree in wildlife conservation and game management from the University of Wyoming and wrote his dissertation on pronghorn antelope migrations, Winters said. He was angered by people who had fenced off public lands on antelope migration routes, which caused herds to die.
After growing up on ranches in the Lander area, Bell served as a bombardier in World War II and lost an eye when shrapnel blew up in his face during a bombing raid over Austria. Bell believed the temperature on the plane about 40 degrees below zero froze his wounded eye socket and saved his life.
He had visions at that time of an angel coming to visit him, so he had a fairly deep religious belief based on those wartime experiences, Winters said. People talk about conservationists begin secular, but he was quite a religious man.
He received not only the Purple Heart but also the Silver Star, the militarys third-highest decoration for valor.
Bell returned to Wyoming and found solace in the states open spaces, the outdoor council has reported. After receiving his degrees, he worked for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in Jackson Hole and later taught science at schools in Lander.
He was a really popular science teacher, Winters said.
Bell, his wife Muriel and their six children lived on a ranch, where they raised short-horned Herefords. It was around this time he started the outdoor council, his nephew said. Bell was upset by the shootings and poisonings of eagles by fellow ranchers.
He wanted to stand up for a stronger conservation effort in the state, Winters said.
The conservationist also started a newspaper that would become High Country News. Bell bought a preexisting newsletter that featured stories on camping and outdoor recreation. As it became a publication focusing on conservation and environmental topics, Bell faced resistance. He received death threats. One time, his sister overheard a man at a restaurant say hed like to kill Bell because he was getting in the way of what they saw as their untrammeled rights to do whatever they wanted on public property, Winters said.
The Bell family moved to Halfway, Oregon, because, Winters speculated, Bell wanted the idyllic ranching life he remembered from being a kid.
The family moved back to Lander in the 1980s to be near Bells parents. He became interested in documenting the history of the area, especially the experiences of pioneer families.
Bell was always interested in politics, Winters said, and had once considered running for governor. He enjoyed discussing state and national politics into old age.
He won the National Wildlife Federations Award for Conservationist of the Year in 2002. Earlier this year, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Wyoming the schools highest award.
Gary Wilmot, executive director of the Wyoming Outdoor Council, said Bell inspired a generation of conservationists not just in Wyoming but throughout the West. Bell spurred others to take a stand for what they believed in, Wilmot said.
We lost a pretty amazing guy, he said. But at the same time, I think, Tom inspired hundreds more to step into the fray and fight for the things that matter most to people in Wyoming.
Bell also knew conservation was possible only if people worked together, Wilmot said. The organization he created was originally called the Wyoming Outdoor Coordinating Council.
Winters said his uncle established credibility and a home for people who shared his kind of belief of living in partnership with the land and trying to make humanitys future a long-term endeavor.
But, Winters said, Bell worried toward end of his life that society would not change enough to make a positive impact on the environment.
I think he would want his legacy to be that people really wake up and think about those things and put aside any short-term interests in favor of things that would make the planet a place where our kids and grandkids could stay alive, Winters said.
A retired Casper schoolteacher is challenging Rep. Gerald Gay in the Nov. 8 general election on the grounds that hes not representing the constituents in his Casper district.
Debbie Bovee will be on the ballot as a Democrat after a successful write-in campaign in the primary.
Gay, a Republican, said he missed several votes this year due to health issues. This year, he was absent from most of the votes on the state budget bill, including the final vote at a historic time when revenues from oil, gas and coal were down by hundreds of millions of dollars. In 2015, he was absent from some of the votes in the supplemental budget bill, too.
He did, however, sue Gov. Matt Mead and legislative leadership most of whom are members of his own party over the Capitol reconstruction project at the end of the 2016 legislative session.
Gay objected to Bovees accusations that hes not representing people in Senate District 36.
Who is going to represent the people when you have legislators gone wild and reforming the government? he said, explaining that his suit is challenging state contracts that he believes the legislature lacks the authority to approve.
Gay contends lawmakers are illegally reforming the government by performing duties that the Constitution delegates to the executive branch.
Had he been present, Gay said would have voted against the budget bill because he disagreed with spending from the rainy day fund.
Gay hopes to win another term in Cheyenne to keep an eye on what he believes is wasteful spending. He believes many state programs are frivolous and need to be cut. He also will continue to push for medical marijuana an issue he had advocated in the past noting Wyoming has a problem with addiction to opiates that are initially prescribed for pain management. He would like to search for alternatives to help the poor other than Medicaid expansion a key tenant of Obamacare that would extend coverage to an additional 20,000 low-income Wyomingites.
Bovee, meanwhile, supports expanding Medicaid, which would have brought an estimated $248 million to the state over the next two years if lawmakers had adopted it in March.
Its not the people who wont go out and get a job, as Ive heard, these are people who have jobs but theyre not well-paid jobs, and they cant afford (private insurance,) she said. It would have helped our handicapped people, our disabled people.
Economic diversification and education are also important to Bovee. She believes the state has done a good job funding education and those levels need to be maintained, even in the downturn, to help the state over the long haul.
In the Aug. 16 primary, Bovee received 68 write-in votes, said Wyoming State Elections Director Kai Schon. She needed 25 write-in votes to land on the ballot.
Bovee retired last year from a career in education. She began as an elementary school teacher. For the past 10 years, she worked in the Natrona County School District, helping special education teachers with instruction.
I was asked throughout last year if I would run for that seat, she said. And I kept saying, No, Im not a politician. I said I was going to retire and not do anything for a year. I kept saying that. Then about eight days before the primary a friend called and said, Please run. She twisted my arm, she said, You only need 25 votes. I thought, what the heck?
Gay has held the seat for HD36 on and off since 2001. He has been defeated by Democrats twice. Liz Gentile held the seat in 2003 and 2004. Mary Hales represented HD36 from 2007 to 2010.
It is winnable, Bovee said.
The district runs roughly west of Wyoming Boulevard in the neighborhoods near Beverly Street and includes most of Evansville.
Gay isnt the only lawmaker who has dealt with health issues while in session.
In 2013, Rep. Mary Throne of Cheyenne famously showed up to the Legislature nearly every day despite battling breast cancer. She wore a wig and, as the leader for the Democrats in the House, debated dozens of bills on the floor, met regularly with Mead and organized meetings of her caucus outside of times when the House or committees were convening.
More recently, Sens. Eli Bebout, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, and Cale Case, chairman of the Senate Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee, have fought cancer. They were present for most of their legislative responsibilities, scheduling out-of-state treatment around their duties and sometimes teleconferencing into meetings when they were unable to attend in person.
I would try to schedule my radiation over the lunch break or first thing in the morning or something like that so I wouldnt miss votes or miss committee meetings, Throne said. I missed a few things. But by and large I was able to keep going.
Everybody needs to evaluate for themselves if they can keep the job and face family pressures or health pressures or career pressures. Its something we all deal with.
STURGIS, S.D. A South Dakota judge has issued a final ruling confirming that the Buffalo Chip Campground of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally fame cannot be a town.
Circuit Court Judge Jerome Eckrich has issued a 30-page document with 103 findings supporting the ruling he made in May against the campground's effort to become an incorporated town.
Meade County commissioners voted in February 2015 to allow the campground to move forward in its bid to become a town. Voters confirmed it in an election months later.
However, Eckrich has ruled that the procedures the commissioners followed when they approved Buffalo Chip's petition to become a municipality violated state law.
Included in the 103 supporting findings that Eckrich issued is the fact that the campground's legal residents in February 2015 were 50, not 100 as required by law.
WEST GLACIER, Mont. A man died and his adult son was injured when the two slipped and fell while descending the east face of Mount Jackson in Glacier National Park.
Park officials say the 27-year-old son, who was able to stop his fall on a snowfield, could not find his father. He hiked back to Gunsight Campground, where he reported the accident just after 11 p.m. Tuesday. He was treated for minor injuries at the hospital in Whitefish.
Park Rangers worked with rescue helicopters to locate the man's body on Wednesday and a technical rescue team helped recover it on Thursday. Glacier spokesman Tim Raines did not release the man's name, age or where he was from.
Jackson Peak is one of the tallest peaks in Glacier National Park at just over 10,000 feet.
Editor's note: This story was originally published June 20, 2010. Tom Bell died Tuesday at age 92.
How ironic, he thought. Red, white and blue.
1st Lt.Tom Bell cocked his head to the side and stared out of a dome in his B-24 as a curtain of anti-aircraft fire exploded red and white in the bright blue sky over German-occupied Vienna.
While he was lost in momentary thought, an invisible force pushed his head back.
Then everything exploded.
Flak came through the window. Fiberglass pieces ripped into the bombardier's eye. He dropped to his knees.
When Bell awoke, all he could think was to drop the bombs. Finish the mission.
He looked down as blood poured from his wounded eye.
Still focused on his duty, he put a bandage on his eye and stumbled down to his bombardier station.
The bombs were gone. The pilot had lowered the explosives.
Now all he could do was wait.
Still bleeding, he sat down. The only thing keeping him from dying on the trip back to Italy was the freezing temperature on the plane. At 40 degrees below zero, his wounded eye socket froze.
Chunks of anti-aircraft shrapnel should have blown through Bell's head. When he turned to look at the explosion, he was in the path of the flying metal. Something pushed his head back to the side, saving his life.
What happened was simple.
"It was God's hand. That's the only explanation I have."
He believes there's a reason he was saved. A reason that an unknown force pushed his head, that the air temperature was so cold he froze instead of bleeding out, that his pilot landed the plane without flaps or brakes, that a nurse happened to see him shaking in the dark and saved him from dying of shock.
When he was 20, he didn't know why. While he still isn't sure, in retrospect his life's purpose may have been to raise awareness of the natural world. To convince people they want to conserve. To speak out against environmental degradation.
He went on to found an outdoor conservation group in Wyoming, start High Country News and speak to as many groups as would listen.
At 86, sitting at his home in Lander, he shakes his head. He did a lot of good, but worries it wasn't enough
"What a hell of a place we've passed on to our grandchildren. But it wasn't for lack of me trying."
Born in a mining town southeast of Rock Springs, Bell enlisted in the air force when he 18. By the first week of January 1944, Bell had traveled over the Sahara Desert to northern Africa and into southern Europe.
He flew long missions into eastern Europe. Twice he had to crawl above the bombs with a screwdriver and leverage them out when they were hung up.
He and his crew dropped hundreds of bombs. But by May 1944, less than five months after he arrived, he was in a hospital. In mid-July, he headed home with doctors warning him he may never see again.
Despite their predictions, his left eye recovered, allowing him to return to normal life.
Bell used his GI Bill to return to the University of Wyoming. He wanted to be director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. There he believed he could effect change.
After five years in the department, he was frustrated with politics and felt he couldn't make a difference. He left and for the next 10 years taught sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade science in Lander.
He tried working for Game and Fish once more, this time increasing Canada geese populations at Ocean Lake. But, as with the first job, he was disgusted with politics and left.
In 1965, he was back in environmental protection.
A Game and Fish friend of Bell's took him outside of Casper on horseback to show him lines of fences on public lands with "no trespassing" signs.
The signs were illegal, and he realized Wyoming lands needed help.
"If something was going to change, we needed to get together," he said.
So he and about 15 other outdoor public interest groups formed the Wyoming Outdoor Coordinating Council, to later become the Wyoming Outdoor Council.
He also started the environmental magazine High Country News, but by 1974, "things went to hell in a handbasket."
According to a story in the Star-Tribune from March of '74, Bell told the Casper Kiwanis Club that the world was "hooked on energy."
"And like a man hooked on heroin, we've got to get off of it, in order to survive."
He saved the story, and others like it from his career. He wishes people had listened to him 30 years ago.
"All my life I worked to make sure we had open spaces, wild game and clean air."
He's still on the board of the Outdoor Council and visits High Country News. Thank-you notes and plaques from government organizations and environmental groups dot his living room. He's not retiring from his mission.
For his dedication 66 years ago on that B-24, he received not only the Purple Heart, but also the Silver Star, the military's third-highest decoration for valor.
For his lifetime spent advocating for Wyoming's lands, animals and air, he's hasn't received all of what he hoped for -- a greater concern for the environment. But there are glimmers of hope.
"You have a chance at living if you are part of a community of people coming together to help each other. You need to learn to do things for yourself, by yourself, with others."
1st Lt. Thomas Bell
Age: 86
Unit: 455th Bomb Group, the Vulgar Vultures, Air Force
War fronts: Eastern European theater
Family: Married with six children, three biological and three adopted.
His words: "When I went over, I was a gung-ho 2nd lieutenant. I didn't know if I would come home. But there was hope. I could do anything, all I wanted was not to make money. Where there is money, there is greed and waste."
CHEYENNE A possible decision on a payment reform proposal for Title 25 services has been pushed to a future legislative meeting.
At Tuesdays meeting of the Legislatures Joint Subcommittee on Title 25 Issues, representatives of the Wyoming Department of Health presented a plan for reforming payment for Title 25.
But mental health industry representatives said they wanted more input on proposed changes, and lawmakers wanted more data before making a decision.
Lawmakers were also concerned about potential negative effects the Department of Health proposal could have on mental health providers in smaller counties.
Title 25 refers to the state program that allows law enforcement or medical professionals to involuntarily commit people if they are a danger to themselves or others, or if they cant care for themselves.
If officials see a need to commit someone for more than 72 hours, a court can order a patient hospitalized for longer, at which point they are transferred to the Wyoming Department of Health.
Counties are responsible for costs during the first 72 hours, and the state is responsible for amounts beyond that.
Some Title 25 patients can go to state facilities like the Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston, but that facility has a waiting list. As a result, the state must pay private hospitals, including Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, to house Title 25 patients.
If the legislative committee ends up deciding to move forward with payment reform at its next meeting in October, any changes would still need to be passed by the full Legislature in 2017.
Payment reform has been a focus for the committee.
Any reform would come in light of ballooning costs for Title 25, which have continued to rise during the last several years.
This year, the costs the state pays to private hospitals to house Title 25 patients topped $10 million. Those rising costs have caused the Department of Health to be $13 million over budget for the 2015-16 budget cycle.
On Tuesday, the Department of Health presented proposed legislation that would phase in payment reform over the next several years.
The first phase would be during fiscal years 2018-20 and would split state money between a flat fee to service providers, a capped fee-for-service system and a pay-for-performance reward system.
The latter was the most controversial to lawmakers, who worried the pay-for-performance system could negatively affect smaller centers and patients.
Pay-for-performance would reward health facilities financially if they meet certain goals, like preventing hospitalization.
The second phase of the departments proposal would be during fiscal years 2021 and 2022, and would still include base payments and pay-for-performance, but would replace the fee-for-service system with capitated, or per-person, payments for services.
A controversial plan to develop tourist attractions including a tram into the Grand Canyon will have its hearing before Navajo Nation lawmakers.
A Navajo Council member introduced legislation this week to approve the long-debated Grand Canyon Escalade project, complete with hotels above the Canyon rim and a tram to the Little Colorado River just upstream from its confluence with the Colorado.
The legislation also proposes $65 million in tribal development funds for roads and other needed improvements.
Scottsdale-based developer Confluence Partners pitched the plan as a big job creator for a largely jobless corner of the reservation. Its on Grand Canyon National Parks eastern edge, on a part of the reservation where a land dispute with the Hopi Tribe caused federal officials to place a moratorium on development for 40 years.
I cant think of a more deserving spot in the country than these folks, who get overlooked all the time by government officials and politicians, Confluence Partners managing partner Lamar Whitmer said.
The tram also would give people who cant hike, ride mules or boat into the Canyon a below-the-rim experience without overwhelming the larger wilderness, he argued.
Critics call project industrial tourism
Over the past five years the plan has worried the National Park Service, national environmental groups and a Navajo opposition group called Save the Confluence.
They argue that the tram endangers the serenity of river rafters and a sacred site, where the rivers meet just inside the national park boundary and where Navajo tradition holds that the tribe emerged into the world.
The developers and their supporters have taken their case to the tribal government instead of to the sheepherders who dont want to be displaced, area resident and Save the Confluence spokeswoman Renae Yellowhorse said.
They have never expressed respect for the traditional, customary land users, Yellowhorse said.
Neighbors are greatly disappointed that it (legislation) has come to the Navajo Nation after years of conflict dividing residents of the tribes Bodaway/Gap Chapter.
American Rivers is among the regional and national groups opposing Escalade, which it has labeled industrial tourism. Last year, in an annual list of most-endangered rivers, the group reserved the top spot for the Colorado in large part because of the development proposal.
American Rivers spokesman Sinjin Eberle called the tram plan an obnoxious intrusion into the Canyon, and rejected Whitmers case that allowing everyone a chance at the Canyon floor is a matter of fairness.
Whats wrong with sitting on the edge of the Canyon which literally anyone can do and enjoying the splendor of the place in a quiet, contemplative manner? Eberle said.
He acknowledged that the 420-acre development would be a blip in the wilderness, but its the idea.
Is that how we want to treat our national parks? Do we want to turn them into amusement parks?
Navajo Council Delegate Benjamin Bennett, of Fort Defiance, introduced the legislation, starting a five-day public comment period before council committees begin their reviews. The issue could come before the whole council in an October session, and would require a two-thirds majority to win approval.
Bennett did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Franchise fees disputed
A brief submitted with the legislation anticipates up to 1,000 jobs at a proposed Navajo Discovery Land above the Canyon rim, and hundreds more at hotels, an RV park and a convenience store.
It also envisions millions of dollars a year in franchise fees to the tribe, though Eberle challenged that assertion and said whatever money comes in would have to repay the $65 million development fund for years.
After more than five years of trying to advance the project, Whitmer said, the development partners are happy to have the legislation going before the representatives of the Navajo people.
Yellowhorse said her area needs jobs, but on its own terms.
As far as economic development? she said. The ideas should come from the people, not outsiders intent on profiting over people.
The council has ultimate authority over developments on the reservation, but the plan could face lawsuits by local herders and by the Hopi Tribe, which also considers the area sacred.
A Raytheon and Lockheed Martin joint venture has signed a letter of intent with India-based Tata Power Co. Ltd. to explore co-development and production of the Javelin anti-armor missile system.
As part of the agreement, the Javelin Joint Venture and Tata Powers Strategic Engineering Division will create a strategy to co-develop and produce the Javelin missile system for use by Indian infantry and platforms including ground-combat vehicles and helicopters, Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems said Wednesday in a news release.
This agreement brings together three world leaders in aerospace and defense technology to extend Javelin to new customers, new applications and new platforms, said John Halvey, Javelin Joint Venture president at Raytheon Missile Systems.
Separately, the Defense Department announced Wednesday that the Javelin Joint Venture was awarded a $48.3 million foreign military sales contract to provide hardware support to Australia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Iceland, Indonesia, Jordan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Taiwan, and United Arab Emirates.
Effective Oct. 30, flight arrival and departure times at Tucson and Hermosillo will be one hour later.
Northbound flights will depart Guadalajara at 8 a.m. and arrive in:
Did you know?
The designation of "international airport" has nothing to do with offering international flights. Arizona has four international airports: Yuma, Nogales, Douglas and Tucson.
By federal statute, the designation means flights coming from the south must stop at one of these airports for customs clearance. It also means the airports are required to be available 24 hours a day for international flights.
Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix holds international "landing rights" and can refuse an international flight if it's landing after hours or at an inconvenient time. International airports may not refuse an international flight.
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Fall has officially arrived at the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music.
The fall semester, that is, and with it comes a lovely change of pace to the school, where you can find any number of opportunities week in and week out to see rising young musicians and their seasoned instructors perform for little or no money at the door.
First up for the newly inaugurated 2016-17 school year: The Magic of Mendelssohn, featuring UA professor and Tucson Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Lauren Rustad Roth with her TSO colleague, cellist Marybeth Brown-Plambeck, and UA colleague, pianist John Milbauer.
Adopt A Friend: Fritz
Fritz
Age: 2 months old
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Story: Fritz came to PACC in early July when a good Samaritan found him wondering the streets of Tucson. Fritz was in pretty bad shape when he was brought to PACC, suffering from an untreated illness, but thanks to the wonderful clinic staff at PACC, Fritz is ready to find his new home! This feisty fellow would love to find a family to hang out with and watch birds from the window. Hes young enough that he would adjust to a friendly k-9 companion, but we dont recommend that Fritz live with other cats. If you are interested in meeting Fritz, please come to our 4000 N. Silverbell location and meet him today! Since Fritz has been with us for more than two weeks, there is not fee to adopt him.
Tucson police are asking the public for help in identifying a man in connection to a robbery of a credit union on the east side Tuesday.
Shortly before 5:30 p.m., a man walked into SunWest Federal Credit Union, 7725 E. Broadway, and showed a teller a note demanding money, said Detective Kristopher Goins, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.
The credit union is in a neighborhood near North Pantano Road.
The man was given an undisclosed amount of cash and he left the business heading west, said Goins. No weapon was seen or implied.
He was captured on surveillance camera, and was described as white and in his mid-40s. He is about 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 180 pounds. The man had a close shave and groomed beard, Goins said.
He was last seen wearing a black hat, white long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. He wore dark metal frame aviator-style sunglasses with a mirrored finish.
Detectives ask that anyone with information call 911 or 88-CRIME, the anonymous tipster hotline.
The board that will hire the University of Arizonas next president is putting together a road map for the process and bringing in professional help.
The Arizona Board of Regents expects to announce next week its choice of an executive search consultant to help identify prospective candidates for the Tucson schools top job.
The UAs next president should be selected and in place by next summer, board chair Greg Patterson said in a statement following a special board meeting in Phoenix Wednesday.
UA President Ann Weaver Hart recently announced she will step down as president and stay on as a faculty member when her presidential contract expires in June 2018.
Its unclear what Harts role would be during the final year of her contract if a new UA president takes over in 2017.
Board members have some idea of the characteristics they seek in the UAs next leader. Business acumen, entrepreneurial vision, strong interpersonal skills and a record of distinguished achievement in higher education or related fields of endeavor, are among the qualities regents cited when seeking proposals from consultants interested in leading the UA search.
A more detailed leadership profile is being developed and will be made public the week of Sept. 22
Patterson, the regents board chair, is in the process of choosing search committee members and will announce his picks the week of Sept. 11.
The board that will hire the University of Arizonas next president is putting together a road map for the process and bringing in professional help.
The Arizona Board of Regents expects to announce next week its choice of an executive search consultant to help identify prospective candidates for the Tucson schools top job.
The regents have also set up a website that allows the public to comment on the search process: www.azregents.edu/news-announcements/ua-presidential-search
The UAs next president should be selected and in place by next summer," board chair Greg Patterson said in a statement following a special board meeting in Phoenix Wednesday.
UA President Ann Weaver Hart recently announced she will step down as president and stay on as a faculty member when her presidential contract expires in June 2018.
Its unclear what Harts role would be during the final year of her contract if a new UA president takes over in 2017.
Board members already have some idea of the characteristics they seek in the UA's next leader.
Business acumen, entrepreneurial vision, strong interpersonal skills and a record of distinguished achievement in higher education or related fields of endeavor, are among the qualities regents cited when seeking proposals from consultants interested in leading the UA search.
A more detailed leadership profile is being developed and will be made public the week of Sept. 22
Patterson, the regents board chair, is in the process of choosing search committee members and will announce his picks the week of Sept. 11.
Both the Arizona secretary of states new website and Cochise Countys election website crashed shortly after ballot counting began in Tuesdays primary, but officials maintain the problems were isolated and will not recur in the November general election.
Although the websites started reporting information later in the evening, both incidents are only the latest in a string of election-related problems for the two government agencies.
The crash of the states website prevented the public from easily accessing primary election results and led to comments blasting the Secretary of States Office on Twitter.
The reporting website crashed for the first time shortly after early results were posted around 8 p.m. Tuesday. It continued to intermittently produce results throughout the night, occasionally producing messages saying Error or This site cant be reached or Service unavailable.
We are showing accurate results certainly not at the rate we want to, Matt Roberts, spokesman for the Secretary of States Office, said Tuesday evening.
Even before it crashed, the website was posting some incorrect information Tuesday evening, suggesting the state had 10.2 million registered voters. Arizona has slightly more than 3.4 million registered voters.
The site had been touted by Secretary of State Michele Reagan as a replacement for a glitch-prone website that also led to reporting delays in the 2012 and 2014 election cycles.
On Wednesday, Roberts blamed a locked file as the culprit for crashing the website on election night and was confident it wont happen again in November.
Roberts said the system was stress-tested before Tuesday night, but he did not have figures on how many simultaneous connections the site could handle.
Reagan said in the weeks leading up to the election that the website had been upgraded to a system that would get results quicker. The results would be posted in real time and users wouldnt have to refresh the page for updates and new numbers.
The new website, launched on Friday, was developed by state employees. Not only do we think people will find it greatly improved, we also saved money by developing the site ourselves, Reagan said.
In Cochise County, meanwhile, officials used a helicopter to deliver memory cards to neighboring Graham County to be counted after equipment failures during the 2014 primary. The same machines failed again during the general election two months later in 2014, with Cochise again having to send ballots to the next county to be counted.
Joe Casey, the chief technology officer for Cochise County, said one of the county servers had to be rebooted twice on Tuesdays election night, but results were delayed only for a few minutes. Some users reported, however, that they couldnt access the site for a couple of hours.
Casey said while they are still investigating the issue, he doesnt believe there will be any issue again on election night in November.
In Pima County, officials reported they will be counting an estimated 18,000 ballots that were not tallied on election night.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan told a UA audience Wednesday evening that the political pressure facing President Obamas stalled high-court nominee doesnt spill over onto sitting justices.
Justice Antonin Scalia died in February, leaving the court with eight justices, rather than nine. Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace Scalia, but the Senate has not voted on the appointment.
In the context of Garland spending the longest period of time as a nominee without a confirmation vote, Kagan was asked whether justices ever feel political pressure.
The justices are subject to political pressures only during the nomination and confirmation process, Kagan told the packed house of University of Arizona law students, but the opinions of the president or members of Congress are utterly irrelevant to us when we decide cases.
Scalia was a big voice and the loss of his voice meant other justices adjusted their roles to take over what he does, she said.
Scalias long-lasting legacy will be his emphasis on the text of the law and legislative history. He changed the way everybody does statutory interpretation, she said, adding, on a personal note, He was as generous, warm, and funny as a person could be.
Many of her comments during the hourlong discussion with two deans of the UAs James E. Rogers College of Law dealt with the intricacies of practicing law, but Kagan also remarked on the East Coast-centric nature of the nations highest court.
The court is not right now a particularly diverse institution, she said, highlighting a lack of geographical diversity and law school diversity.
I think more than gender, race, or ethnicity it really does have to do with this kind of coastal perspective, she said, noting many justices spent a large part of their lives in Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston.
Those who havent, chances are thats because they lived in California, Kagan said to widespread laughter among the audience, one of dozens of moments of levity during the discussion.
An ideal court would represent various regions of the country, but the courts makeup is not designed all at once, she said. Instead, presidents make appointments one at a time and must balance numerous considerations.
Its obviously true that people bring their backgrounds and experiences to the job in some sense, Kagan said.
However, most demographic, geographic, and educational characteristics do not play an important role in each justices decision making, she said.
Instead, the lack of diversity affects how the public views the court, she said.
People look at an institution and they see people who are like them, who share their experiences, who they imagine share their set of values, and thats a sort of natural thing and they feel more comfortable if that occurs, she said.
The disorders hit children suddenly and with frightening symptoms hallucinations, tics, aggression, severe anxiety and restrictive eating.
It is, many parents of sufferers say, like someone has turned off a light switch in their child.
To make matters worse, doctors dont always recognize the problem is not a result of mental illness. Rather, it is an autoimmune disorder where the bodys immune system attacks the brain following an infection like strep.
The opening of the new Childrens Postinfectious Autoimmune Encephalopathy Center in Tucson marks a new era of pediatric research for the University of Arizona, UA president Ann Weaver Hart said Tuesday during an opening event held at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson.
Family struggles
The standing-room-only event of more than 100 people included parents of children who have suffered from a spectrum of autoimmune encephalopathies, and often struggled to find a diagnosis and treatment.
Many of them had heartbreaking stories of being told their children had sudden-onset mental illness a diagnosis that did not turn out to be true.
The illnesses the center is targeting include pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS); pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS); autoimmune encephalitis and Sydenhams chorea.
This is a day for parents who have had to go through being constantly misunderstood, said Pam Tysick, who drove to Tucson from Mesa for the opening.
While PANS and PANDAS usually hit children before puberty, Tysicks son began showing symptoms when he was 14. Like with other kids, the symptoms came out of the blue.
Tyler suddenly became claustrophobic, struggled academically and began to uncharacteristically rage and run away from home. He ended up locked up in the juvenile justice system, Pam said. But the problem was not behavioral it was his bodys reaction to a prior infection, she learned.
Pam cried during the opening of the Tucson center and though she took a plate of food offered as part of the festivities she ended up putting it down. She was too overcome with emotion to eat, she said.
Facial tics
Its been so hard to get to this point, said Karen Twibell, whose son Rex developed PANDAS at the age of 4.
His first symptoms were facial tics. One doctor told Karen it was Tourette syndrome, but, my stomach said no, Twibell said. She persisted until she got the right diagnosis and her family is now active with education and advocacy for research about PANS and related disorders through the Scottsdale-based PACE Foundation.
The new local center is a collaboration between the UA Steele Childrens Research Center and Banner Childrens at Diamond Childrens Medical Center. Officials said they could not give an estimate of the cost to create it.
The center has seen 25 patients since May and expects to eventually treat 30 patients per month, said Dr. Sydney Rice, who is chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the UA.
The aim is to bring clinical care, teaching, and research together to treat children with these disorders that historically have been misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.
Clinical services will be provided at Banner-Diamond Childrens and research will be conducted at the UA Steele Center.
Growing problem
Childrens postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathies, like other autoimmune disorders, are on the rise in children in the Western world, which is why its such an important area for research, said Dr. Fayez K. Ghishan, who is the physician-in-chief at Banner-Diamond Childrens.
The diseases occur when a childs body, while fighting off a virus or infection, mistakenly targets or disrupts a part of the childs own body. The illness causes a childs immune system to attack the brain, causing a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Treatments can include antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and for serious cases, infusions called IVIG, which stands for intravenous immunoglobulin. Parents of children with the disorders describe how receiving one treatment of IVIG is like turning the light back on.
The diagnosis has been controversial in the past among some physicians who dont believe an autoimmune reaction could cause symptoms like obsessive compulsive disorder and behavior problems.
But postinfectious autoimmune encephalopathy diagnoses are now more widely accepted, said Dr. Sue Swedo, chief of the pediatrics and developmental neurosciences branch at the National Institute of Mental Health.
Still, parents must often visit multiple doctors before they find one who knows about the disorders.
Long journey
It has been a long journey to get here, said Swedo, who was in Tucson for the centers opening. Arizona deserves to be incredibly proud. There was a very clear vision and willingness to make it happen. It is the first fully implemented and established center of its kind.
Swedo also recognized the Arizona Department of Health Services and its director, Dr. Cara Christ, for recognizing the conditions on its website. The department has a designated page for PANS/PANDAS.
My hope and prediction is that the center will close in the next five to 10 years because you wont have any business. We will have solved this problem, Swedo told Tuesdays gathering.
US-Nigeria Law Group(NEW YORK) Esther Yakubu holds two grainy photos of her bright-eyed daughter in her hands and begins to cry.
Maida, youre my life, she says through tears in her native Kibaku language, translated into English. Maida, I want to see you.
Yakubus daughter was one of over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Nigerian terror group Boko Haram in the northern town of Chibok on April 14, 2014. Maida, who was known by her classmates as Dorcas, was 15 at the time.
Last month, Boko Haram released a new video showing some of the missing girls. Dressed in Islamic garb with a patterned headscarf, Maida was one of them, her parents said.
In the video, a masked militant dressed in camouflage and brandishing a gun says there have been no negotiations with the Nigerian government and that some of the kidnapped Chibok girls have died in airstrikes targeting Boko Haram. He says the remaining girls will be freed if the government releases imprisoned members of the group.
The militant then instructs Maida, now 18, to speak. The brightness in her eyes as seen in photographs has faded, and she speaks carefully as she identifies herself and delivers a scripted appeal for freedom. The video ends showing what appear to be the bodies of several dead girls.
Its been almost three weeks since Boko Haram released the video, and Yakubu says she has not been contacted by the Nigerian government regarding her captive daughter. The grief-stricken mother and other activists fighting for the Chibok girls freedom have tried to deliver a message to President Muhammadu Buhari in recent days but said they have been blocked by police from entering the presidential villa.
So, in a desperate plea to save her daughter, Yakubu recorded a video message to the government, which was released this week by US-Nigeria Law Group and obtained by ABC News.
This message I have for the federal government is for them to release the fighters so that the fighters will release the girls, Yakubu says, speaking in English. For two years, four months [the girls] have been in the hands of terror.
In a second video, Yakubu is looking at photographs of her daughter and speaks directly to her in their native Kibaku language.
Whatever these people are doing to you, you should know that the God you worshiped is the one who kept you alive till now, she says, sobbing. You should not forget even if you die or you're alive, you will never come out of my heart.
Emmanuel Ogebe, an international human rights lawyer whose Washington, D.C.-based firm recorded and released the videos, has been working with the Yakubu family and other members of the Chibok community to bring back the missing girls. With no help from the Nigerian government, Ogebe said the Yakubu family has chosen a suitable individual to negotiate on their behalf with Boko Haram for a prisoner swap.
The family is trying to take proactive steps regardless of the governments action or inaction, Ogebe told ABC News. This process will have to engage the government. But what were hoping for is at least we can lay out a road map to that destination and if we can get the government to respond positively toward a prisoner release.
The Nigerian government did not immediately respond to ABC News request for comment.
Esther Yakubu's daughter is one of more than 200 Chibok girls kidnapped in 2014.
In May, Nigerian troops and a vigilante group found one of the missing Chibok schoolgirls in the vast Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of Boko Haram. The teenager was identified by the army as Amina Ali. She was found with a 4-month-old baby, who authorities said is her daughter, and a man identified by the army as Mohammed Hayatu, who said he is her husband. Hayutu was detained for questioning as a suspected Boko Haram militant. The three were examined by military medics and deemed stable. Amina was reunited with her mother, the army said.
According to Ogebe, the teen told her family that six of her classmates had died.
Amina knew of girls who had died. We asked that the government hold a summit for all the parents and share with them classified information that Amina provided. None of this was done, Ogebe told ABC News. Then Boko Haram released video of the dead bodies, and the families are seeing and knowing this for the first time. This could have been avoided.
The Nigerian militarys failure to act on the girls kidnapping led in part to President Goodluck Jonathans electoral defeat to Buhari in March last year. Since taking office, Buhari has made the war against Boko Haram a top priority, but families of the missing schoolgirls are growing weary.
Buhari has said corruption from previous administrations was largely to blame for the armys inability to quickly defeat Boko Haram, which aims to oust the federal government and establish an Islamic state in West Africa. In the past year, Buhari has replaced the military top brass and relocated the command center to Maiduguri in Borno state, the heartland of Boko Harams seven-year insurgency that encompasses the town of Chibok.
Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Help India!
By IANS,
New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor Tuesday revived the policy planning division with a wide-ranging strategy meeting involving top officials, think tanks, industry bodies and experts to craft Indias policy towards the Indian Ocean Rim region.
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The meeting was attended by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, top officials of the external affairs and defence ministries, experts associated with leading think tanks and representatives of business bodies, reliable sources told IANS.
The discussions focused on devising a multi-faceted strategy for expanding Indias diplomatic footprint in the Indian Ocean Rim region and promoting cooperation among 18 countries of the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
With piracy becoming a serious global threat, Tharoor focused on Indias plans to intensify its security cooperation with the other Indian Ocean rim countries and the need for expanding people-to-people contacts.
Making a strong pitch for identifying priority areas and joint projects in academic, business and economic areas, he underlined the need for drawing up an action plan to intensify multi-pronged cooperation among countries of the region, the sources said.
N.K. Sisodia, director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Sudhir Devare, chief of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), Virender Gupta, director general of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), and M.K. Rasgotra of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) were among those who attended the meeting.
Other organisation like the Association of Indian Diplomats, FICCI and ASSOCHAM were also present at the brainstorming session, the first of its kind held in South Block that straddled various sectors and different divisions of the external affairs ministry.
The meeting has activated the policy planning division of the ministry that had remained dormant for many years and displayed a new approach by Indias policy makers to shape the global agenda on leading issues like climate change and the Indian Ocean security.
The idea of holding a policy planning meet on the Indian Ocean Rim countries came to Tharoor when he went to attend the plenary meeting of IOR-ARC in Yemen in June, his first trip abroad after assuming office. The Indian Ocean rim countries are planning to set up an anti-piracy centre in Yemen.
Yemen currently holds the rotating presidency of IOR-ARC. India will take charge of the Indian Ocean body in two years.
Help India!
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, a prominent Muslim organisation has decided to file a petition before Bombay High Court against Bruhan Mumbai Corporations (BMC) decision to make Surya Namaskar and Yoga compulsory in all municipal schools including Urdu schools.
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On Friday, Shiv Sena-BJP ruled BMC passed a resolution making Surya Namaskar and practicing Yoga mandatory for students in the BMC schools. BMC has total of 1,285 schools, out of which about 400 are Urdu medium schools where most of the students are Muslims.
Hafiz Nadeem Siddiqui, president of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (Mahmood Madni), Maharashtra confirmed the development and said such an imposition of Hindu centric practice on minority students is in violation of the secular principles of the country.
BMC schools must concentrate on improving quality of education imparted to students than indulging into making such practices compulsory that are viewed by Muslims as against tenets of their religion, he told Twocircles.net.
If this decision remains in force, then Muslim parents will not send their students to BMC schools and consequently it will have a negative impact on their already low literacy rate, he added.
Siddiqui also said that the Jamiat had filed a similar petition in the Madhya Pradesh high court challenging the same issue due to which the government was forced to file an affidavit in the MP high court that they would not compel students to perform Surya Namaskar.
We will file similar petition before Bombay high court and will try to overrule BMCs decision, he said.
Speaking on the legality of civic bodys decision, advocate Tahiwar Khan Pathan, a senior lawyer who represents the legal cell of Jamiat, said it will violate minority students fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution.
He added that Surya Namaskar is against Islam as it requires spiritual and physical bowing before the sun in devotion which is completely prohibited by Islam.
Making such practice compulsory for Muslim students will be in violation of Article 25 (freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion) and Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs) of the Constitution of India. We shall challenge civic bodys decision on this ground, Pathan explained.
On August 25, Muslims for Secular Democracy, a Mumbai-based association which includes civil rights activist Javed Anand and political activist Feroze Mithiborwala, had protested against the BMC decision. They said that the decision to impose Surya Namaskar on all students irrespective of religion is an integral part of the BJPs saffronisation agenda, and asked for a roll back of this unconstitutional decision of the BJP and its ally, the Shiv Sena.
Help India!
By Amit Kumar, TwoCircles.net
Churachandpur/Delhi: Can the mood of a district of Manipur be replicated in the capital of the country? Maybe not, especially given the fact that Churachandpur-located at a distance of around 3,000 kms from Delhi-barely finds any mention in national politics. But for a few hundred, gathered at the ever-crowded Jantar Mantar, Wednesday evening was a time to show, and express, their solidarity to the nine people who were killed in police firing exactly a year ago, during the anti-tribal stir that rocked Manipur.
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Womens rally churachandpur
With placards, posters, and candles, the protesters, brought together by Manipur Tribal Forum-Delhi, remembered the innocents who lost their lives on that fateful day, as they protested against what they called anti-tribal bills. The police opened fire without warning, and the youngest of the martyrs was only 10 years old. As candles were lit, and a few teared up, the MTF reiterated the demands that the Hill districts of Manipur have been making ever since the three controversial bills were passed in the Manipur Assembly.
The nine tribal martyrs who lost their lives fighting against the anti-tribal bills are still lying unburied, awaiting justice. The State Government has not allowed even the filing of FIR despite orders from the High Court. MTFD appeals to the conscience of the Government of India and in order to give justice to the tribal martyrs, immediately accede to the long-standing demand of extension of Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India in the Hill Districts of Outer Manipur, the MTFD said.
More importantly, in a demand that is likely to only increase CM Ibobi Singhs headache, the MTFD urged the Indian government to seriously consider the aspirations of the Hill districts seeking total separation from the state of Manipur. The conduct of the Manipur Government as well as the valley people has, time and again, proven that the hill and the valley people cannot coexist under one administrative unit. Therefore, total separation of hill and valley people/areas is the only lasting and permanent solution to the problem of hill-valley divides, the MTFD said.
In Churachandpur, the mood was slightly different: the town of Lamka, the district headquarters of Churachandpur, barely goes through a day without remembering the nine dead. Posters calling for action against police, and remembering the nine dead, dot the towns walls, including the wall of the police station. According to Rose Ngaihte, a teacher residing in Churachandpur, the protests are a proof that the locals are not in any mood to forgive the state government or even their own tribal leaders who let them down. More than 3,000 people gathered in Churachandpur College to mark a year of the police firings, and it is clear that although there has been little progress when it comes to ensuring justice in the matter, we are not going to bow down, she told Twocircles.net.
The three Bills: The Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh) Amendment Bill 2015 (MLRLR Bill 2015), The Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015 and The Manipur Shops and Establishments Act (Second) Amendment Bill 2015, are being presented by the Government of Manipur as a solution to long pending demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit system by the Meitei organisations to protect them from the high rate of influx of outsiders.
The Inner Line Permit is a special permit required to enter certain restricted areas in the country, and currently such a system exists in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram. The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has been spearheading the movement for legislation to protect the indigenous population from migrants.
But in Churachanpur, Tamenglong, Senapati, Chandel and Ukhrulthe five hill districts of Manipurthere has been a strong movement against the three bills, spearheaded by Joint Action Committee against Anti-Tribal Bills.
A newcomer is in town: Blasting News, the largest global social news publisher, just entered the exclusive league of the top 250 biggest websites in the world, according to the Alexa ranking. An out-of-ordinary result, considering that the London based start-up which now has offices in London, New York, Sao Paulo, Milan and Rome, with plans to open up an office in Singapore shortly was only launched three years ago.
The best way to understand the Blasting News story is to look at its numbers: in August, Blasting News exceeded 68 million unique on-site readers.
A 180% growth if compared to the 24 million readers that the news publisher reached one year ago in August 2015. This result has been possible thanks to the 1 million blasters (freelance contributors and registered readers, in Blasting News jargon), who have been publishing 16,000 original pieces of news each month. We are especially proud of the engagement shown by our readers said Andrea Manfredi - global CEO. On average, each article is shared more than 700 times on Facebook, according to Buzzsumo. This demonstrates that we are on the right track in delivering to our readers the quality and engaging content they are looking for.
The growth has been particularly successful in Brazil: in July, after just 18 months of life, Blasting News Brazil has been ranked by comScore as the 2nd largest digital news property of the country in the category General News.
Plans for the near future are focused towards the US. Blasting News is active in 34 different countries, each of them served with a dedicated national website continued Manfredi We are now focused on achieving size in the US market, where we have aggressive plans for the next twelve months. Moreover, we will set up a new base in Singapore as a pivot to startup the APAC area: as we are interested in expanding to Australia and Japan.
A catalyst to the recent growth has been possible thanks to the outstanding contribution from the Social Blasters, the first global network of digital influencers. Three months ago, Blasting News released a new technology application able to bring together its writers who create great news content and a brand new team of 400 digital influencers who are able to share and distribute the content to hyper-targeted readers.
The result explained Manfredi is a real and unique all-in-one platform for freelance journalists. Social Blasters have been a great win for Blasting News, and we have plans to further invest in order to nurture and enlarge this marketplace.
** CORPORATE DESCRIPTION
Blasting News is the largest global social news publisher. Established in mid-2013, Blasting News is now the 240th most visited website in the world (Alexa Ranking).
Blasting News is made by the people, for the people. News are produced by delocalized contributors (Blasters), fact-checked and curated by a quality team of professionals (Senior Blasters). Furthermore, news are distributed by Social Blasters, a global team of top digital influencers.
All the processes are totally fueled and curated by the crowd, thanks to an extensive use of technology (all core processes are managed and supported by algorithms, some of which are patent-pending).
Key data:
68 million monthly unique on-site visitors
2nd largest news magazine in Brazil (comScore)
1+ million Blasters from 34 countries, who publish 16,000+ original pieces of news each month
Funded by the Google Innovation Fund (DNI) to revolutionize digital information in Europe
Offices in London (Headquarter), New York, Sao Paulo, Milan and Rome, with Singapore opening soon
** FOR ANY MEDIA QUERY PLEASE REFER TO:staff@blastingnews.com
No matter which part of the world you live in, World Wide Web is the easiest way for finding a job. The top and most prominent Online Job portals such as Indeed, Glassdoor, CareerBuilder, and Simply Hired, focus on international level positions. You should use these sites only when you are ready to migrate to another city or country. If you are based in the UK and looking for a suitable position, look no further because these job sites are of great help.
The Guardian
If you are searching for a well-paying job, you probably know the worth of The Guardian.
It is an excellent portal for job hunters. No matter you are a fresh graduate or an experienced, unemployed individual, this platform has all types of jobs. Browse for a suitable position by location, category, and type of the job (such as jobs for graduates, full-time jobs, part-time jobs, and others).
Total Jobs
Total Jobs is another excellent choice for unemployed graduates. This website lets you search a position based on your geographical location, sector, and salary expectations. Currently, it has more than 121,267 job adverts, and over 5500 companies are hiring. You can easily find an employer who is hiring in your area using Total Jobs.
Jobs Today
Jobs Today is best known for its refined job search tool.
This lets you search jobs that are relevant to your education background, and experience. Currently, this site has more than 71,648 job posts. Using this portal, it is quite easy for anyone to look for a suitable position based on his location.
AdView
AdView is one of the modern and well-versed job portals. This site allows you to look for an appropriate position based on your location, desired industry, and salary expectations.
If you have just finished your graduation and want a job that pays well and offers plenty of chances of career grooming, AdView is the right platform to begin your search.
Jobs24
Jobs24 is one of the most exciting UK boards where plenty of job adverts and news remain available round the clock. The developers of this site work in collaboration with the popular recruiters and employers across the UK.
Thus, you are provided with thousands of new jobs every week. Just upload your CV, and apply for multiple positions on a daily basis. This site is helpful to search for a job by location, category, salary range, and education background.
London Jobs
London Jobs is specifically for those who are in search of job opportunities in London. Currently, this site has more than 7,747 active job postings from over 1500 employers in London.
Halloween is a few weeks away, and you must be preparing for this day. It is true that in Europe, Halloween is not celebrated with the same fanfare as it is celebrated in the United States. Across Europe, there are many great places to visit during the month of October. Here is given a list of Europes most exciting places to visit on Halloween.
Transylvania, Romania
Transylvania is a beautiful and highly impressive Romanian region. It is an ideal place for families and newly married couples. Here you can explore the quaint Bran Castle. Throughout the night, streets remain full with people wearing special Halloween costumes.
Thus, we can say that Halloween in Transylvania is a one-of-a-kind experience.
London, UK
London has no short of exciting tourist attractions. This city of the UK has various glamorous sites especially bars and nightclubs where you can spend the Halloween night. The British capital has plenty of historic buildings, chilling backstreets, and sites that would remind you about some infamous serial killers. Other than this, you can enjoy a tour to flamboyant parades. London is where you would never feel bored.
Limoges, France
If you are looking for an exciting place in France, head to Limoges. The birthplace of Renoir, this medieval city is situated in the Limousin region. It is an ideal placefor spendingthe Halloween holidays.
Here you can enjoy various exciting activities including street dance performances, themed fair, costume parades, a storytelling festival, and special family parties. On an average, this city receives more than 50,000 visitors during the winter holidays.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Although Scotland has numerous cities to spend the vacations, Edinburgh is most prominent.
Here you would have various opportunities to enjoy costume parties. Halloween in Edinburgh is one of the most celebrated festivals. The celebrations begin on 31st of October, and continue for three to four days. The most exciting sites of this city are Royal Mile, Mighty Castle, and others. Moreover, you can spend the Halloween night at a nightclub, or simply wander through the well-decorated streets.
Here there is no short of paranormal activities to get amazed with.
Dublin, Ireland
Just like Edinburgh, Dublin is a charming and beautiful European cityfor spending the Halloween holidays. In this Ireland city, you can experience snowfall, enjoy live singing shows, and other captivating activities. Dublin is the onlyEuropean citythat has events suitable for all tastes.
The standard Republican criticism of the Democratic Party is that they are somehow against the military, or at least that they don't have their best interest at heart. In yet another example of apparent partisan politics, Republicans and Democrats are at odds, with members of the military stuck in the middle.
Obama gives a raise
Last summer, President Obama ordered a 1.3 percent raise for members of the military, which resulted in silence from his Repubican critics. On Wednesday, Obama sent a letter to Congress and informed that the military would receive a raise of 1.6 percent in 2017, up from the previous year.
Republicans, however, expressed their anger that the raise wasn't higher. As reported by The Military Times on August 31, the 1.6 percent rate was done for financial reasons.
Obama orders 1.6 percent military pay raise for 2017 https://t.co/N7dvIzrqqk pic.twitter.com/QLk60EKLKW Military Times (@MilitaryTimes) August 31, 2016
Republicans often tout that they are the party of fiscal responsibility, but it appears it doesn't apply when the president takes the same course of action. In the letter to Congress, Obama explained why the raise would be capped at the new rate. "We must maintain efforts to keep our nation on a sustainable fiscal course," the letter read. The announcement doesn't come as a surprise, as it was first outlined in the president's budget proposal for 2017.
Republican opposition comes mainly from the House, where they called for a 2.1 percent military raise, allocating a part of the war fund to cover the costs. In return, the Senate has stuck with the 1.6 percent as called for by the president.
When Obama ordered the military pay raise last summer, he also included a 1 percent raise for civilian workers.
The decision came after Democrats in the House and Senate had previously proposed a raise of as high as 3.8 percent, but was shot down by congressional Republicans. The raise Obama has called for would be the highest since 2010, as the American economy continues to bounce-back from the recession of 2009, as pointed out by USA Today last August.
Feds will get 1.3% raise in 2016, Obama says: It's the largest annual cost-of-living increase for federal empl... http://t.co/jwhwmhnwlu UskeusNews (@Uskeus) August 28, 2015
Obama's last days
In less than five months, Obama will leave the White House having concluded his second term in office. Since making history in 2008 by becoming the first African-American president in American history, Obama has implemented a drastic change in the nation's health care system, cut the unemployment rate in half, while adding nearly 10 million jobs to the economy in the process. While there have been missteps along the way, it appears Republicans will continue to deny any of the success Obama has had over the last seven and half years.
It may be getting close to Halloween, but the people at Fleetwood Manor Apartments in Greenville, S.C. seem to already have a Trick or Treat character roaming in the woods by their homes. Many residents report seeing a clown, or clowns, hanging out in the wooded area and even coming out to wave at them at all hours of the day or night. Children have reported that the clown has a lighted nose, and some see flashing lights in the woods.
Stephen King type scary clown in the woods
Clowns are supposed to be funny and entertaining, but some can be Stephen King type scary clowns, as in It.
When one or more of them seem to be occupying the words by your home and you dont know whats going on, that can be especially scary and cause for concern. The first clown was seen on August 21, and the most recent glimpse was just hours ago. Police continue to search for the elusive clown, or clowns, but never see anything suspicious when they arrive after a resident calls in a sighting.
This situation may sound like something Stephen King might come up with, but for the residents of this town, it is a very real and scary situation. What do the clowns or clown want? Why are clowns beckoning the children to follow them into the woods? It all sounds very ominous and would cause any parent to be alarmed.
Does the clown have a buddy?
Recent statements to police say that the clown may have a friend. Children state that a man on a bicycle was seen taking pictures of children and then the clown magically appears. Perhaps to distract the children, while photos are being snapped? Parents are on alert as this bizarre case of a clown gone mad continues to plague this South Carolina town.
Whoever this Bozo is, he must be up to no good and parents should take this seriously.
Children always tell scary tales and many have stated that there is an old abandoned house in the woods nearby and that clowns live there. Most parents would chalk this up to a childs imagination, but it appears that, at least in this case, the children may not be storytelling from a vivid imagination.
With so many sightings by different people, this is no imaginary clown.
Adults have also witnessed the clown at different times of the day and night. Some residents say they have even chased the clown, who was driving a dark colored car. The police are also taking the situation seriously by patrolling local areas where the clowns have been spotted. So far, the clowns have been able to remain hidden, expect when they decide to come out. Police continue to investigate in hopes to solve the mystery of the Clowns in the woods.
Described as "cute and clearly in the throes of young love," by The Daily Mail, UK, the steamy photos trending on Twitter under the hashtag justinssextapeleakedparty are clearly not viewed in the same light by over 100k tweeters involved in the top trending Twitter US discussion 28 August. Apparently, Justin Bieber and Sofia Richie got down to a bit more than a few kisses and cuddles to celebrate Sofia'sbirthday inCabo San Luca Mexicoon Saturday.
No animation needed to excite imaginations
What started out as "steamy display" of kisses and cuddles down on the beach seems to have ended up as more than an eye-catching moment in public view.
The hashtag indicates there was a tape or vid leaked and thousands of tweeters are asking for the link. So far, a few parody vids have popped up on YouTube, but the images on Twitterclearly seem to show hanky panky that needs no further animation to excite the imagination.
Dissing Sofia over eye-popping images
The tweets around the eye-popping images range from people wanting to join the party, to those who think Justin should be left alone to celebrate his young love anywhere he chooses, but the general reaction seems to be that this type of behavior should at least be taken to the privacy of a bedroom. Other are hitting out at Sofia, saying that no nice girl should allow this type of thing to happen in the public eye.
justin is probably horny, how can he turns to selena and hailey to sofia? even tho i don't like sel, she's better #justinssextapeleakedparty HE FOLLOWED ME (@Sandy_Drew77) August 28, 2016
Thank Jesus it wasn't Selena - girl's too classy for that #justinssextapeleakedparty brandi (@brandischroeder) August 28, 2016
'You know what's' and omg
Meanwhile, Hashtag Now is lagging on the story.
Hours after the top trend seared the eyeballs and imaginations of hundreds of thousands, their site still showed that "so far no-one has explained the hashtagjustinssextapeleakedparty."No doubt this story will be explained in full in days to come. Fans are on tenterhooks to find out what really went down as images of "Justin's" you-know-what" vie side by side with um...gymnastic positionings from the girl in the photo.
What the people are saying
While many people seem to be disgusted, everyone loves a drama and there is a wee bit of jealousy leaking out, with one tweeter torn between anger at the fact this was public, or that it was some other lucky girl who got to "do it." Others are a bit over the fairly graphic photos.
Please advert your eyes to this hashtag, because you will see things you will want to unsee. #justinssextapeleakedparty Sarah Jordan (@SarahJTV4) August 28, 2016
Others are angry that the public is invading Bieber's privacy again, but many people feel that "hey- private is private and public is just asking for it."
You guys making fun of him but aren't you the one invading his privacy again?
#justinssextapeleakedparty tahoora (@1DizzleftBizzle) August 28, 2016
Both disappointment and disgust are emerging - after all, how do you carry on justifying your fav to friends and family after this?
A common question is "what is going on," and close behind is "I thought this fake but then I saw the photos" and "be like..." with some really amusing comments and image compilations.
I officially arrived! now please tell me what happened? #justinssextapeleakedparty whorish (@coolbrokengurl) August 28, 2016
Ironically, the scandal is trending on the anniversary of Bieber's What do You Mean? So far these very words seem to fit the questions of large numbers of Tweeters getting into the latest scandal on social media.
China-made locomotives to be exported to Argentina Updated: 2016-09-01 11:25 (Xinhua)
CHENGDU - The first locomotive designed for a railway renovation program in Argentina was completed Wednesday, CRRC Corp Ltd said.
The first meter-gauged locomotive, built in Ziyang city in Sichuan province, was completed and the first 20 will be made and exported to Argentina, said Yu Weiping, vice president of CRRC, China's largest rail transportation equipment maker.
The locomotives will be supplied to Belgrano Cargas, an Argentine operator of cargo railway services. China has provided financing, equipment and services for the renovation of the railway, which runs through Argentina's important agricultural regions.
The railway will greatly reduce transportation costs.
Upgrading rail services will help lower the cost of grain in Argentina and boost their international competitiveness, said Ezequiel Lemos, president of Belgrano Cargas, who was present Wednesday when the first locomotive rolled off the production line.
The Ziyang CRRC branch has made locomotives for Vietnam and Thailand. The new locomotive has been customized for Argentina's particular needs, said Yu.
CRRC will establish a regional center in South America, headquartered in Argentina, said Yu.
In 2013, China South Railway (CSR) won a contract worth $1 billion to provide 709 carriages to renew Argentina's commuter system.
G20 summit displays China's ability in chairing global governance forum Updated: 2016-09-01 11:27 (Xinhua)
BRUSSELS - Shada Islam, director of policy at the Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe, recently told Xinhua that the upcoming G20 summit in Hangzhou offers China a unique opportunity to showcase its skills as chair of the world's prime global governance forum.
"In fact, hopes are high that China will be able to steer the meeting, so that discussions can focus on key challenges such as the compelling need to accelerate world economic growth, ensure free trade, boost investment in infrastructure, continue the fight against climate change, tackle terrorism and implementation of the sustainable development goals," said the expert.
According to Islam, the world needs today from the G20 both the articulation of a vision for global growth and concrete outcomes, all eyes are therefore on China to deliver leadership on both these levels.
"G20 is admired as an important forum for a global conversation on key issues of common concern, but it needs a boost to its credibility and relevance. The Hangzhou summit offers an opportunity to do just this, while also building trust with the international community," Islam said.
The first priority, according to the expert, must be to forge new impetus to promote robust, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy through innovation, structural reform of the financial sectors, policy coordination and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through greater development cooperation.
"It would be a great breakthrough if the Hangzhou summit could lay the groundwork to facilitate the G20's shift from a crisis response mechanism to a long-term governance mechanism through enhancing its decision-making, implementation and influence," she added.
Islam also said that as part of efforts to bolster global governance, G20 leaders should step up joint efforts to fight the scourge of terrorism which affects all countries, regardless of religion, size or geography.
"This requires cooperation to clamp down on financing channels for terrorism, information exchange and freezing of terrorists' assets, greater cooperation and exchange of best practice as regards countering violent extremism and radicalization is also vital," she said.
"A strong signal on these and other points will send a much needed message of solidarity from the Hangzhou summit," the expert said.
The 2016 G20 Summit will be held on Sept 4-5 in China's eastern city of Hangzhou under the theme of "towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy."
'Panda' adds light touch to security checks Updated: 2016-09-01 02:18 By WANG YING(China Daily)
Shen Yijie,a junior at Zhejiang Police College, wears a cartoon panda costume while providing assistance to tourists lined up at the security check for admission to Hangzhous West Lake. The city has beefed up security ahead of the G20 summit. Gao Erqiang / China Daily
The long line at the security check before admission to Hangzhous West Lake has taken on an amusing air, as police officers and volunteers dressed as cartoon pandas provide assistance and pose for photos.
In the run-up to the G20 Leaders Summit, Hangzhou, the host city in Zhejiang province, has stepped up security checks. At the security check station at Qiwang and Xueshi roads, one of 21 such security stations surrounding West Lake, 8-year-old twin brothers Shen Xin and Shen Li and 7-year-old twin sisters Zhu Yuxi and Zhu Yuyan took photos with Huhu, the 1.9-meter-tall panda policeman character.
The twins made the trip to West Lake to mark the end of their summer vacation.
Inside the panda outfit, the temperature was about 45 C. But Shen Yijie, a junior at Zhejiang Police College, said he didnt mind wearing the costume because it helped him bond with the tourists.
More than 1,000 tourists have taken photos with the panda characters each day since three of them began working on August 20, said Xu Jiong, an official with the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau.
The panda policeman character was designed by Zhong Xiaoqing, a city volunteer. Zhong, who runs an art studio, got her inspiration in May when she lost her car key and went to a local police station to seek help.
Touched by the efficiency of the local police, who helped her find the key, Zhong decided to draw a comic about the scene. In June, she also designed a cartoon image for the Hangzhou police.
"I wanted to do something unique to express my thanks. As a designer, I decided to draw, she said.
Zhong said that in the Kung Fu Panda movie series, the giant panda is smart, kindhearted and brave, which she said also captures the spirit of Hangzhous police officers.
Zhong has designed several different panda Huhu characters, including a traffic officer and firefighter.
"In the future, visitors might be able to see our panda policemen in major scenic spots of West Lake, said Xu Jiong.
See more by scanning the code.
New media entrepreneurship competition launched in Beijing Updated: 2016-08-31 20:29 By Gao Qihui(chinadaily.com.cn)
Lu Jiandong (right), deputy-president of China International Electronic Commerce Co. Ltd, signs a contract with Jin Ailan, board chiarman of Zhejiang Wangyin Tech Co. Ltd, the sponsor of the competition, in Beijing on August 30, 2015. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
A new media innovation and entrepreneurship competition was launched in Beijing on Tuesday, aiming to find new ways to commercialize new media content.
The "2016 China Internet Plus New Media Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition" is jointly organized by China International Electronic Commerce Center and the human resources and social security bureau of Yiwu city, home to the world's leading small commodities market, in East China's Zhejiang province.
The new-media business including the Wanghong or internet celebrities related business, has become a new dynamic in economic development, said Lu Jiandong, the deputy-president of the China International Electronic Commerce Co. Ltd, a company owned by CIECC, at the launch ceremony.
In 2016, China has seen a surge of Wanghong groups. A report published by Guotai Junan Securities Co in January said the market driven by internet celebrities in China has great potential with the clothes sector alone being estimated at more than 100 billion yuan.
Actually, a large part of the Wanghong group promotes their personal brand through new media platforms including the Chinese Twitter-like Sina Weibo and online live show platforms.
However, the way to monetize new media is mainly restricted to advertisements, paid-memberships and micro e-commerce, which limits its reach to a few sectors, said Lu. The competition was held to find new ways to monetize new media business, added Lu.
The competition was composed of two groups, new media entrepreneurship and Wanghong groups, and will last two months from Aug. 30 to Oct. 31. Whether the candidate projects have commercial viability will be a key criteria for the competition jury.
All the participants may gain a chance to get access to enjoy funding from a industry fund pool of $149 million, with the top 10 winners being awarded a priority in receiving investment from the fund.
China to aid probe into car bombing Updated: 2016-09-01 07:28 By Wang Qingyun(China Daily)
Safety precautions advised after attack on embassy in Kyrgyzstan
China said it will work with Kyrgyzstan to discover as soon as possible the organization and people that carried out a suicide car bomb attack on China's embassy in Bishkek on Tuesday.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks on Wednesday, as the ministry's Department of Consular Affairs and the embassy warned that China's citizens should be cautious about going to Kyrgyzstan.
The warning, valid until the end of September, asked Chinese people and organizations in Kyrgyzstan to "stay highly vigilant", avoid going outdoors and stay away from crowded places.
Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev ordered on Tuesday an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack. The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security, an intelligence agency, said it has initiated a criminal investigation.
The attacker died in the blast. Three embassy workers were slightly injured.
In a phone conversation with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev vowed that his country will thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice, according to a news release issued by the Foreign Ministry.
Extending sympathy to the embassy and its staff members injured by the attack on behalf of Kyrgyz leaders, Abdyldaev said Kyrgyzstan condemns the attack in the strongest terms, and will do all it can to guarantee the safety of Chinese people and organizations there.
Kyrgyzstan is willing to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation with China and work with China to crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, he said.
Wang urged Kyrgyzstan to find out the facts of the attack as soon as possible, bring to justice those who are responsible and make sure such incidents never happen again.
Wang said China supports strengthened counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Zhao Huirong, a researcher focusing on Central Asia studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China and Kyrgyzstan can diversify their counterterrorism cooperation and expand it beyond information exchange, personnel training and military exercises.
China and Central Asian countries are paying close attention to regional security, which is getting "more and more complicated" in recent years, Zhao said.
wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 09/01/2016 page9)
Lew outlines US' G20 agenda Updated: 2016-09-01 11:26 By Chen Weihua in Washington(China Daily USA)
At the upcoming G20 summit, US President Barack Obama will seek to ensure stronger growth, an environmentally sustainable future and a global economy that works for everyone, according to US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew.
He said Obama will call on other world leaders to follow through on the G20's commitment to use all policy tools, including fiscal policy, to achieve robust and inclusive growth.
"He will underscore the importance of investing in jobs and supporting middle class incomes," Lew said at the Brookings Institution on Wednesday.
The call for inclusive growth has been strong inside the United States, where middle class wage stagnation has been a key source of public grievance.
"Around the world, the message of anxious and angry citizens who feel left behind underscores the need for global financial discussions to show both an understanding of this concern and a commitment to action," Lew said.
While Lew did not say which countries he is referring to, exploiting the public anger has been a major strategy for US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
A CNN/ORC poll conducted in December revealed that 69 percent of Americans say they are either "very angry" or "somewhat angry" about "the way things are going" in their country.
A November survey by Esquire/NBC found that about half of the more than 3,000 American adults polled are angrier today than they were a year ago.
Besides economic challenges, Lew also talked about the threat posed by climate change. He praised the US and China for recently completing their respective fossil fuel subsidy peer reviews, the first to be undertaken under the auspices of the G-20.
"We congratulate Germany and Mexico for launching their own reviews and encourage other G-20 members to do the same," he said.
Lew, who was in China in July for the G20 finance minister and central bank governors meeting, praised the G20 for its contributions to meeting climate and other environmental challenges through the new Green Finance Study Group.
Both China and the US are likely to announce the ratification of the Paris Agreement at the G20.
"And we will continue to look for ways the G-20 can support the implementation of the Paris Agreement", said Lu, who described the G20 as "proven to be a flexible forum for global cooperation".
Matthew Goodman, a senior adviser on Asian economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, called Obama's attendance at the G20 in Hangzhou a "legacy trip", because G20 was part of the effort to stabilize the global economy shortly after Obama took office in 2009.
Goodman believes China will want to be a good steward of the organization.
chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
Inviting more developing nations called a smart move Updated: 2016-09-01 07:27 By Zhang Yunbi in Hangzhou(China Daily USA)
China's decision to invite a record number of developing countries to the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou is a smart move that reflects a new approach to managing the organization, observers said.
They noted that Hangzhou is a pioneer in upgrading industries, and inviting more developing countries to be part of discussions in the city will further facilitate sustainable development of the G20 mechanism itself.
Invitations to the first five countries - Chad, Laos, Senegal, Egypt and Kazakhstan - were confirmed by Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he addressed the media with his visiting Laotian counterpart early last month.
Three of the countries take rotating chairmanships of influential regional groups.
Chad is chair of the African Union, Laos is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations while Senegal is chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development.
Later in the month, the Foreign Ministry announced an expanded list of countries that included Singapore, Spain and Thailand.
The summit has been prepared at a time China is turning to innovation-driven development, and Hangzhou has been well known for its leading role in online services, technology development and financial products.
Beijing has also pledged to transform the way the G20 operates - from a mechanism of crisis response to one of long-term governance.
Chen Fengying, a senior researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that the developing countries account for more than 85 percent of world population and "they are a fundamental pillar supporting sustained economic growth worldwide".
Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said China, as the host country, has made the right decision by inviting a number of developing countries.
China, itself as a developing country, is well-positioned to make the concerns of the developing countries heard at the summit, Ruan said.
"What China wants is to solicit opinions from more countries for the reference of the G20 members," Ruan said.
zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily USA 09/01/2016 page7)
Joint fight against terrorism Updated: 2016-09-01 07:28 (China Daily USA)
A suicide car bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, on Tuesday, killed the assailant and injured three local staff members.
The attacker forcibly drove a vehicle into the yard of the Chinese embassy and detonated a car bomb. Kyrgyzstan officially confirmed the incident as a "terrorist attack", which means it was the first attack of its kind targeting a Chinese embassy.
Due to the country neighboring Afghanistan and its role as a passageway for the flow of drugs out of Afghanistan, terrorism and extremism have resurged in Kyrgyzstan in recent years. Some brainwashed Kyrgyz people have been used as "cannon fodder" by terrorist groups for their "holy wars" across the world.
The Kyrgyzstan government has foiled several planned terrorist attacks and detained a number of local extremists conspiring with overseas terrorist groups this year. In response these terrorist groups have tried to retaliate.
The terrorist attack against the Chinese embassy, which abuts the US embassy, came a day before the 25th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence.
The attack has not caused heavy casualties, but the fact that it was a suicide car bomb attack, a favorite of Al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, suggests that the attack may have direct or indirect links with these international terrorist groups. Such a trend, if not stifled in the bud, will risk turning Kyrgyzstan into a serious security threat to neighboring countries.
Kyrgyzstan is resolute in fighting terrorism, but the cross-border developments of terrorism and drug trafficking indicate that Kyrgyzstan cannot succeed in this task by its own. As the direct victim of this terrorist attack and for the security of its Belt and Road Initiative, China should work with Kyrgyzstan and other countries to promote international anti-terrorism cooperation.
- Beijing News
(China Daily USA 09/01/2016 page11)
Joint fight against terrorism Updated: 2016-09-01 07:06 (China Daily)
Police officers gather near the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, after a car bomb attack on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]
A suicide car bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, on Tuesday, killed the assailant and injured three local staff members.
The attacker forcibly drove a vehicle into the yard of the Chinese embassy and detonated a car bomb. Kyrgyzstan officially confirmed the incident as a "terrorist attack", which means it was the first attack of its kind targeting a Chinese embassy.
Due to the country neighboring Afghanistan and its role as a passageway for the flow of drugs out of Afghanistan, terrorism and extremism have resurged in Kyrgyzstan in recent years. Some brainwashed Kyrgyz people have been used as "cannon fodder" by terrorist groups for their "holy wars" across the world.
The Kyrgyzstan government has foiled several planned terrorist attacks and detained a number of local extremists conspiring with overseas terrorist groups this year. In response these terrorist groups have tried to retaliate.
The terrorist attack against the Chinese embassy, which abuts the US embassy, came a day before the 25th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence.
The attack has not caused heavy casualties, but the fact that it was a suicide car bomb attack, a favorite of Al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, suggests that the attack may have direct or indirect links with these international terrorist groups. Such a trend, if not stifled in the bud, will risk turning Kyrgyzstan into a serious security threat to neighboring countries.
Kyrgyzstan is resolute in fighting terrorism, but the cross-border developments of terrorism and drug trafficking indicate that Kyrgyzstan cannot succeed in this task by its own. As the direct victim of this terrorist attack and for the security of its Belt and Road Initiative, China should work with Kyrgyzstan and other countries to promote international anti-terrorism cooperation.
--
Coal is not king in environmentally vigilant California.
Governor Jerry Brown on Aug 26 signed into law SB-1279, which blocks the use of state funds at coal-shipping terminals.
"In California, we're divesting from thermal coal in our state pensions, shifting to renewable energy and, last year, coal exports from California ports declined by more than one-third, from 4.65 million to 2.96 million tons," the governor said in a statement on the bill's signing. "That's a positive trend we need to build on."
State Senator Loni Hancock, a Democrat from Berkeley, introduced the bill in February in response to plans to ship coal from a terminal in Oakland. Other commodities to be shipped from the site include soda ash, potash, limestone and soybeans.
SB-1279 bars the state Transportation Commission from providing funds to new bulk-coal terminals. It will take effect in January, but does not apply to existing projects.
In the US, as in China, balancing energy needs with environmental concerns has economic consequences.
In June, the Oakland City Council voted to ban the shipping and handling of coal and coke in the city, casting doubt on the future and job-creation prospects of the harbor terminal where coal would be exported.
Most of that US coal is bound for Asia, particularly China, which gets 70 percent of its energy from coal. As demand for coal falls in the United States, Western states are looking to export to Asia.
Developer Phil Tagami, a friend and supporter of the governor, is building the $250 million export terminal and logistics center called the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal on 130 acres of a former Army base at the Outer Harbor.
Oakland rejected the coal plan on June 27 after a report by its environmental consultant concluded that coal dust is carcinogenic.
"California has worked hard to be a coal-free state - but while the state is setting aggressive carbon-reduction targets, this terminal would have allowed the most carbon-polluting fuel to be brought to market, with devastating consequences," the Sierra Club said after the Oakland vote.
Last month, four Utah counties withdrew an application to spend $53 million of state money to ship coal to Oakland.
Terminal Logistics Solutions, which operates the terminal, had planned to export coal to Asia until the Oakland vote.
The company argued that concerns about coal dust escaping from the terminal or by trains transporting material there were misguided, because the products would be stored in covered domes and moved in covered conveyors, according to americanshipper.com.
Across the Pacific in China, the government is trying to balance its need for coal with pollution concerns and overcapacity, as the economy resets.
China's coal sector, along with industries such as steel, has overcapacity estimated at around 2 billion tons 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 reduces coal's share of energy consumption to 62 percent by 2020, Reuters reported.
But China is still the world's largest consumer and producer of coal.
"Coal-burning was the most important contributor to ambient PM2.5 (particulate matter), causing an estimated 366,000 premature deaths in 2013," said Professor Wang Shuxiao of Tsinghua University, a lead investigator for an August study: Burden of Disease Attributable to Coal-Burning and Air Pollution Sources in China. "Industrial sources and household solid fuel combustion, from both coal and non-coal emissions, were the largest sectoral contributors to disease burden attributable to ambient PM2.5 in China, responsible for 250,000 and 177,000 premature deaths, respectively."
A 2012 report by the Carnegie Endowment offered some reasons as to why China is the world's largest importer of coal when it formerly was a major exporter.
"Several factors could be contributing to China's sudden entrance into coal import markets, including transportation bottlenecks, environmental and safety considerations, economic factors, and concerns about depleting coking coal reserves."
China did report a slight drop in its coal consumption in 2015.
In April, the government increased efforts to reduce oversupply and pollution in major cities by reducing the number of working days for coal miners from 330 days a year to 276.
The government also made trimming excess capacity a priority in 2015 at the Central Economic Work Conference and put it in the 13th Five-Year Plan.
China plans to cut steel and coal capacity by about 10 percent in the next few years, with funding for displaced workers.
Coal is also a political issue on the US East Coast. West Virginia, which has 140 coal companies, has suffered economically as the country shifts toward cleaner energy.
Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com
Chongqing has moment on US TV Updated: 2016-09-01 23:57 By HONG XIAO in New York(China Daily USA)
Representatives of the US tourism industry and media attend the screening, sharing thoughts about this film and offered advice and ideas for promoting Chongqing's tourism after the film. Hong Xiao / China Daily
A documentary named Chongqing: China's City for International Travel that was broadcast on WABC-TV in New York has put the inland city of China in spotlight in the US.
The 30-minute film illustrates the megacity from different aspects as the center of financial, culture and politics of southwest China.
Built on mountains and flanked by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, Chongqing is known as a mountain city and a city on rivers.
Chongqing has UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Dazu Rock Carvings and Wulong Karst Landscape Region, along with top springs, mountains, caves and waterfalls scattered around the city. There also are luxury shopping malls, hotels and delicious cuisine.
Simone Olivier Bassous, executive director of the Pacific Asia Travel Association New York chapter, recalled taking a cruise on the Yangtze River in Chongqing several years ago.
"I think American audiences will love Chongqing because it has so much to offer, the growth there is constant, the beauty is constant and the food is terrific. ... It's like a mini New York," said Bassous at a screening on Wednesday at the office of Sino-American Friendship Association in New York.
I'm glad that the American audiences could have a deeper, a more comprehensive and a more objective understanding of the city of Chongqing through watching this documentary, said Pan Xiaopeng, deputy director of China National Tourist Office in New York.
I look forward to more cities in China promoting tourism in a creative way, just like Chongqing, since the documentary is shot from a view of Americans, which made it more powerful, she added.
The film also introduces the upcoming World Tourism Cities Federation Chongqing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit 2016. The annual summit brings together representatives of international tourism organizations, top government officials of tourism cities, and senior executives of tourism-related institutions. They share experience in tourism development, discuss issues crucial to tourism development in cities and lock in opportunities for tourism cooperation.
xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
First direct commercial flight from US in over 50 years arrives in Cuba Updated: 2016-09-01 09:08 (Xinhua)
Passengers of a JetBlue aeroplane, the first commercial scheduled flight between the United States and Cuba in more than 50 years, carry US and Cuban national flags after landing at the Abel Santamaria International Airport in Santa Clara, Cuba, August 31, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
SANTA CLARA, Cuba - The first regular direct commercial flight from the United States arrived in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, marking an important new step in thawing ties between the former Cold War foes.
The JetBlue flight touched down at 10:57 a.m. local time at the Abel Santamaria International airport, carrying 150 passengers, including numerous airline executives and US Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.
JetBlue will now fly three times a week to Santa Clara until Oct. 29 before scheduling a daily flight.
Other carriers like American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines will begin flights in the coming months to cities such as Holguin, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and Varadero.
Both countries signed an agreement in February this year that allowed up to 110 daily flights between several cities in the US and 10 Cuban international airports, including the capital city of Havana.
A total of 20 daily round-trip flights to Cuba's capital Havana are allowed but are still awaiting final approval from the US Department of Transportation.
An average of 18 charter flights from the US already arrive at Cuban airports daily, but that number should substantially decrease with the start of regular flights.
Mexico contradicts Trump on paying for border wall, clouding visit Updated: 2016-09-01 09:02 (Agencies)
US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto shake hands at a press conference at the Los Pinos residence in Mexico City, Mexico, August 31, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
MEXICO CITY - Donald Trump told Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday he would build a border wall to keep illegal migrants out if he wins the US presidency, but Pena Nieto held fast to his position that Mexico would not pay for it.
Contradicting Trump's assertion that the pair did not discuss who would pay for his proposed wall, Pena Nieto said after the departure of the Republican presidential candidate that he told him during their private meeting in Mexico City that his government would not pick up the bill.
"At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto said in a tweet after not mentioning the issue during their joint news conference.
Trump gave a different account of the conversation, which was aimed at repairing relations damaged by the real estate mogul's attacks on Mexico and migrant workers on the campaign trail.
"We did discuss the wall, we didn't discuss payment of the wall, that will be at a later date, this was a very preliminary meeting. It was an excellent meeting," Trump said.
His campaign waved off Pena Nieto's statement, calling the meeting a first attempt at building a relationship.
"It was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate. It is unsurprising that they hold two different views on this issue, and we look forward to continuing the conversation," Trump spokesman Jason Miller said.
Many Mexicans were furious about Trump's visit, deeply offended by how Trump has labeled Mexicans as rapists and drug traffickers, and wanted an apology. That did not come.
Even in private, Trump did not apologize to Pena Nieto, presidential spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said.
Trump is trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in opinion polls for the Nov 8 election. The New York businessman's aides hoped the trip would make him look presidential and show he is willing to deal head on with a thorny issue like relations with Mexico.
The scenes of a measured Trump meeting with a foreign leader were aimed at convincing moderate American voters to see him in a more positive light as he tries to broaden his appeal.
Trump's call for Mexico to fund the wall is often the central moment of his campaign rallies. He asks the crowd who will pay for the wall, and supporters shout back, "Mexico!"
A group of migrants wave as they arrive on a Spanish coast guard vessel into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on Aug 31, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 52 Africans, nine of them women, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. [Photo/VCG]
Property tax on foreigners cooling off Vancouver market Updated: 2016-09-01 11:26 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA)
The red hot real estate market in Vancouver, British Columbia, appears to be softening as a controversial tax on foreign purchases approaches its one-month anniversary.
On Aug 2 the government of British Columbia instituted the 15 percent tax on foreign property buyers in metropolitan Vancouver as a surge in purchases by rich foreigners - particularly the Chinese - helped to send housing prices soaring in Vancouver. The average sale price of a house more than doubled between 2005 and 2015, to C$1.6 million ($1.22 million), according to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.
Sales were already slowing before the tax was announced in late July, said Thomas Davidoff of the Sauder School of Business at the University British Columbia.
"Definitely sales were slowing down in June and July, especially at the higher end," he said in a telephone interview.
Observers believe it's too early to say how much of any slowdown has been caused by the tax.
"The introduction of the tax was a contributing factor to this slowdown, but was only partially responsible," Wayne Ryan, managing broker at Re/Max Crest Realty in Vancouver, said.
A report from TD Bank said Vancouver has started what is expected to be a modest correction, which will be reinforced by the tax on nonresidents.
"Home prices are projected to decline by about 10 per cent in the region by mid-2017, before stabilizing later in the year," TD Bank said, according to Canada's Financial Post. Even with a drop of that size, the bank noted that prices will still be well above where they were just one to two years ago.
Vancouver has become a haven for wealthy Chinese buyers. During a three-week period in June, 3 percent of the residential housing sales were to foreign investors, the bulk of whom were from China, according to data released in July by Canada's finance ministry.
paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
Philanthropists huddle for more sustainable world Updated: 2016-09-01 11:26 By Yan Dongjie in Honolulu, Hawaii(China Daily USA)
More than 130 of the world's philanthropists gathered in Honolulu, Hawaii, to discuss environmental protection and the role of philanthropists in sustainability.
The East-West Sustainability Summit's theme this year is Uniting Global Philanthropy: Inspiring Action for the Planet.
Co-organized by the East-West Center, an international institution for public diplomacy based in Hawaii, and the China Global Philanthropy Institute (CGPI), the summit is the first global philanthropists meeting that views "sustainable development" as the main concern.
"When the global philanthropists put our resources together, we get a bigger chance to succeed and play a leading role in the process of protecting the environment and building a sustainable world," said He Qiaonv, founder of the Beijing Qiaonv Foundation and a joint president of the summit., said on Tuesday.
He and her foundation have been uniting companies, entrepreneurs, governments and think tanks in the cause of charity.
The bird-conservation project Free Flying Wings led by Qiaonv, which is supporting 146 habitats for migratory birds, is an outcome of the East-West Philanthropy Forum, an annual meeting of global philanthropists started in 2014.
"Our participants are deeply committed to forging new partnerships and taking action to improve human well-being by preserving our planet's natural resources," said Carol Fox, the East-West Center director of special projects and a summit organizer.
In September 2015, the world agreed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, setting 17 goals, including eradicating poverty and hunger; providing affordable and clean energy; building sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production; and urgent action on climate change.
"As the third redistribution of wealth, philanthropy plays an important role in the process of achieving sustainability, and the cooperation between Eastern and Western philanthropists will generate a greater power," said Ma Weihua, chairman of the board of CGPI.
Wang Zhenyao, president of the forum and the institute, added that "getting united" not only means cooperation between philanthropists but with governments and companies, which respectively take different roles.
"Government leads, plans and invests; companies add commercial values which can make philanthropy sustainable; and philanthropists contribute to the communication and financial support as well as promote the action of government and companies," Wang said.
Wang said that philanthropy in China began only about 10 years ago, and Chinese philanthropists can learn from their Western counterparts.
Western governments usually have detailed regulations for charities, which help avoid possible conflicts or problems, but China still lacks similar rules, according to Wang.
"Chinese philanthropists, however, have strong communicating and learning willingness, strong intention of cooperating, and the ability of finding common interests and cooperation potential," said Wang.
yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn
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The Ministry of Transport has required the Ha Noi and HCM City transport departments to promote management, inspections and penalisation of under nine-seat automobiles under transport contracts, Uber taxi and Grab taxi. Photo xahoithongtin.com.vn
HA NOI The Ministry of Transport has required the Ha Noi and HCM City transport departments to promote management, inspections and penalisation of under nine-seat automobiles under transport contracts, Uber taxi and Grab taxi.
This action is apart of the ministrys pilot plan on applying science and technology for the management and connection of activities transporting passengers under contracts.
Under the plan, enterprises that have been granted licenses for passenger transport services under contract would use an app for booking tickets via mobile phone for their customers. Initially, the plan was for five provinces and cities, including Ha Noi, HCM City, a Nang, Quang Ninh and Khanh Hoa.
So far, the ministry has received the plan on applying science and technology for the management and connection of transport activities from Grab Taxi Ltd Company and Anh Duong Viet Nam Joint Stock Company. It has also had guidance for those companies to implement their plans.
However, some other household transport services have not complied with existing regulations, including having no badge of contract , signing contracts with companies providing software that was not suitable with the existing regulations and not paying taxes.
For Uber Taxi, the ministry has worked with company often and also guided it to build apilot plan on applying science and technology for the management and connection of transport activities but at present, the ministry and relevant state offices have not received a plan from Uber Taxi.
Based on the practice, the ministry has ordered the transport departments of Ha Noi and HCM City to continue guiding transport companies in the two major cities in implementing their plans on applying technology for the management and connection of transport activities and also to provide a list of under nine-seat cars granted badges of contract for tax offices to promote inspection of tax payments, reported zing news.
The Ha Noi and HCM City transport departments have directed inspectors of the departments to coordinate with police and tax offices in the two cities in promoting the inspection and penalization for cases in violation, especially the case of using software not suitable with the current regulations.
The ministry has required the two departments to report on the results of the management, inspection and penalization of under nine-seat cars, Uber Taxi and Grab Taxi before September 20, 2016. - VNS
HA NOI The total capital demand of the domestic coal sector by 2030 would be around VN269 trillion (US$11.9 billion), 2.5 times less compared with the previous master plan.
This information was released at a ceremony to announce a new master development plan for the coal sector by 2020 with a vision towards 2030 held yesterday in Ha Noi.
Trinh uc Duy, deputy director of the Coal Industry Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that the average capital demand would be VN17.9 trillion a year. In the period of 2016-20, the capital demand would be VN109 trillion in total.
The capital would be focused on investments and the expansion of coal projects. It could be arranged from a combination of different sources such as commercial loans, preferential loans and mobilising on the stock market.
Under the new master plan, exploitation in the northeast coal basin would be completed by 2020 to ensure reserves and natural resources. The Red River delta coal basin, the exploitation at Nam Thinh and a part of Nam Phu 2 in the northern Thai Binh Provinces Tien Hai District would be completed before the year of 2020.
Nguyen Khac Tho, deputy director of the ministrys General Directorate of Energy said the ministry announced the new master plan because the demand for coal in sectors that used a lot of energy such as thermal electricity and cement had seen many changes.
The new plan has updates to suit the sectors current reality though the old plan has so far met with the energy demands of the country, Tho added.
Accordingly, coal output would be sharply reduced from 60-65 million tonnes by 2020 under the old plan to 47-50 million tonnes in the new one. The coal output would also be reduced by 2030 from 75 million tonnes to 55-57 million tonnes.
The reduction in coal output would be one of the reasons for lower capital demand, he said.
He said that the new plan has taken into account several plans to ensure the capital by mobilising build-operate-transfer (BOT) and public-private partnership (PPP) models.
The target of the coal sector is to meet the coal demand of local households and to ensure energy security, he added.
The sector also targeted to reduce coal losses to 20 per cent in underground coal mines and in open-pit coal mining to 5 per cent by 2020.
The plan aimed to exploit, process and use coal effectively to save the natural resource. The Government would give priority to domestic coal demand and consider gradually reducing overall exports as well as exporting types of coal that are not in high demand in the country.
The plan also pays attention to promoting the application of advanced technologies in coal exploration, exploitation and processing for the sectors sustainable development.
The deputy director also affirmed that firms would be encouraged to import coal if they meet with regulations. The imports would not affect the National Coal and Minerals Industries Holding Group (Vinacomin).
Statistics from the ministry show that the total coal reserves of the country was 48.88 billion tones. -- VNS
HA NOI Turkey has decided to levy an anti-dumping tax of US$240 per cubic metre on Vietnamese plywood products.
The Viet Nam Competition Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade on Tuesday said that the Turkish Ministry of Economy (TMoE) has issued its final decision on the anti-dumping investigation into plywood imported from some countries including Viet Nam.
The TMoE reported that only two Vietnamese businesses wont have the anti-dumping tax imposed upon them, as they had provided full information to investigative agencies on schedule and proved that the exported products were made by themselves.
The decision will come into effect soon now the TMoE has officially announced it. However, Vietnamese plywood producers could send feedback on the investigation before this Friday.
Turkey initiated an investigation on May 27, 2015 into a possible avoidance of anti-dumping tax on plywood with HS codes 4412.10; 4412.31; 4412.32 and 4412.39 imported from some countries including Viet Nam since 2010.
Earlier in 2006, Turkey imposed anti-dumping duties of $240 per cubic metre on similar products from China.
The Vietnam Embassys trade office in Turkey said on Monday that the TMoEs General Directorate of Imports (GDI) also issued its decision on the anti-dumping investigation into polyester textured yarn imported from some countries including Vietnam.
Accordingly, it will impose anti-dumping margins of 34.81 per cent to 72.56 per cent on products from Viet Nam and 8.48 per cent to 37.69 per cent on Thai products. It said relevant businesses could send petitions and feedback before September 5.
It will hold hearings for each business on September 7 and open hearings on September 8.
The decision will be submitted to the Minister of Economy in late September to issue a final decision in the first week of October.
The GDI began investigations on May 15 2015, after Korteks Mensucat Sanayive Tic. A.S. lodged its anti-dumping lawsuit on imported polyester textured yarns with HS codes of 5402.33. -- VNS
Viet Nam News
Nguyen Hoang Dung, Research and Development Director at the HCM City Institute of Economics and Management.
Nguyen Hoang Dung, Research and Development Director at the HCM City Institute of Economics and Management.
Among the reasons for FDI in the city to reduce this year is the shift by the administration towards high-quality and less labour-intensive industries.
Many foreign investors knew the shift and so did not invest in the city, and some, failing to meet the citys investment requirement, have shifted to neighbouring provinces like ong Nai, Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Secondly, when foreign investors consider investing in the city or elsewhere, they need land, clear mechanisms, and competitive costs.
The city has worked actively to improve its investment environment, but other neighbouring localities have made more breakthroughs in administrative mechanism. They also have more land compared to HCM City, while their land rental is also lower. Therefore, many foreign investors have shifted to provinces next to HCM City instead of concentrating here.
The city in particular and the country in general always look for short- and long-term measures to attract more investments.
I think the city should continue to improve the investment environment and streamline administrative procedures to make it easy and convenient for investors when they come to invest in the city.
The city should carefully study industries that are a priority for development and widely publish this information both in and outside the country to make it easier for foreign investors to make their investment decision.
Besides, the city needs to reform its civil apparatus, from leaders to government workers.
The city should focus on investment in the high-tech sector. The inner city area should focus on developing the hi-tech industry to produce high-grade components to supply to foreign investors so that when they invest in the city they do not need to import parts from other countries.
The outskirts should focus on developing hi-tech agriculture to supply food and foodstuffs to the city and other localities.
Some other sectors like education and training, and services such as finance, banking, healthcare, insurance and securities need to improve to be compatible with other countries in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Universities and professional training schools should reform their training programmes to produce quality human resources to meet businesses demand.
The services sector, including finance, banking, insurance and securities, should be restructured and reformed to bring it in line with international practices, especially under the new generation of Free Trade Agreement (FTAs).
I think the citys shift [towards high-quality and less labour-intensive industries] is in the right direction and, together with its efforts to improve its investment environment, will soon increase foreign investment.
Tran Cong Khanh, Office Manager, Hepza Management Board
Tran Cong Khanh, Office Manager, Hepza Management Board
In the first seven months of this year the HCM City Export Processing Zone Authority (Hepza) has attracted nearly US$138 million. Of the figure, $42.6 million was investment in 11 new projects while the other $96 million was capital enhancement by 17 projects.
To attract investors, Hepza offers preferential policies in accordance with Vietnamese laws.
Hepza plans to focus on attracting investment in support industries to serve the citys key industries including high-tech, garment and textile and footwear.
We will also have upgraded infrastructure and earmark industrial land at industrial and processing parks to meet investors demand.
Currently industrial zones in the city have more than 300ha of land, which are available to all tenants.
In addition, the Hiep Phuoc Industrial Zone is completing infrastructure, and will offer 200ha to companies in supporting industries.
Furthermore, there are some land lots that are suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The management has encouraged zone developers to build factories so that lessees can begin operations immediately after leasing land.
This has been done at some zones like the Viet Nam Japan Technology and Industrial Zone, Tan Thuan Processing Zone, Tan Phu Trung Industrial Zone and Linh Chung Processing Zone.
Roy Ng, Country General Manager of Lenovo Viet Nam
Roy Ng, Country General Manager of Lenovo Viet Nam
Viet Nams economy is developing at a good pace and the country is continuously striving to get more investors into the market, creating more jobs and building more infrastructure that support the development of the country. On the whole, Viet Nam has opened its doors to attract investors, which is a great advantage for Viet Nam as it has always been willing to attract more investors to create growth opportunities.
HCM City is one of the two largest cities in Viet Nam and it has a great investment environment for investors. I think there are clear and bright prospects for HCM City.
In any country, a foreign company will face certain subjective and objective challenges, from geographical conditions to socio-economic conditions, etc. However, on the legal side, we have received great support from the legal framework and city officials.
We are also aware of our corporate responsibility towards our society, and in tandem with our aims to be the market leader in smart connected devices, cloud and infrastructure, we will continue to focus on youth development and be a good corporate partner addressing gaps in resources across Viet Nam. VNS
German director Norbert Lechner will conduct a workshop for young filmmakers in HCM City on September 12 as part of the German Film Festival in Viet Nam.
The director will give a presentation on the making of his new film, Fortune Favours the Brave, about the friendship of Vietnamese sisters Nam Linh and Tien, with an 11-year-old girl name Pauline
The workshop will be held in German with Vietnamese interpreters.
Participants can register for the workshop at hanh.nguyenthu@saigon.goethe.org by September 5. The event will take place from 2pm 5pm at Hoa Sen University, 8 Nguyen Van Trang Street, in District 1. VNS
"Social Media: Tens of millions of disagreeable people looking to make trouble."
"Creative people make the ads. Everyone else makes the arrangements."
HCM CITY Parks, cinemas and theatres in HCM City will be alive with festivities in celebration of the 71st anniversary of National Day on September 2.
A special music and song programme at Suoi Tien Tourist Park in District 9 will kick off the city-wide festivities this weekend.
The three-day event, Hoa Binh Thinh Vuong (Peace and Prosperity), will open tomorrow night and include dozens of music and theatre performances.
Shows include Su Tich Son Tinh-Thuy Tinh (God of Mountain and God of Water), a cai luong (reformed opera) play featuring Vietnamese legends. Cai luong stars such as Thanh Ngan and Que Tran will be featured.
District 11s am Sen Theme Park will open its circus theatre of 1,000 seats tomorrow .
A 15-minute firework display will also begin at 9pm on the same night.
The theatre will stage Phi Chau Hoanh Da (Wild Africa), a variety show with more than 150 circus, puppet, dance and theatre performers.
A photo exhibition at the HCM City Photography Association on Suong Nguyet Anh Street opened yesterday, displaying 124 photos by 400 artists from 47 cities and provinces. The works portray the Vietnamese people during the countrys revolutionary process. The show will run through September 10.
As in previous years, cinemas and theatres are now preparing for their business season, which will attract thousands of youth, including people from southern provinces on a three-day holiday.
Hong Van Stage Club and Sen Viet, two leading private drama troupes, will stage a series of comedies every night from August 31 to September 10.
The Viet Nam Cai Luong Theatre will stage its latest play, Hung ong (Breaking Dawn), a historical play on the life and career of revolutionary Phan ang Luu under the French war.
The theatres 50 actors will perform for two nights. Tickets are free at 75 Tran Nhan Ton Street, District 5.
Three Vietnamese films will be released in cinemas this week to compete with foreign productions in the holiday.
Nang (The Sun), directed by ong ang Giaom; Gang Tay o (Red Groves) and Sai Gon Anh Yeu Em (Sai Gon, I Love You) area about youth, love and life.
Giaos film features a disabled mother of a four- year-old daughter, played by famous comedian Thu Trang, who faces challenges taking care of her child.
Meanwhile, the blockbuster Tam Cam- Chuyen Chua Ke (Tam and Cam-The Untold Story), continues to lure audiences, particularly children and teenagers, away from Hollywood and Korean films.
The 90 minute- work, based on Tam Cam, a fairy tale best known as the Vietnamese version of Cinderella, includes sound and light effects.
It earned more than VN40 billion (nearly US$2 million) after just two weeks of its release, according to the films distributor BHD.
Im a fan of Hollywood films, but I will go to cinema to watch Vietnamese films this holiday, said Nguyen Viet Hung, a resident of Bien Hoa City in ong Nai Province. VNS
HCM CITY The HCM City Department of Tourism has introduced a handbook to provide tourists information on accommodation, dining, shopping and other services.
The guidebook HCM City Hotels & Restaurants 2016 provides traffic guides, addresses and phone numbers for emergencies and information about general consulates.
It offers details about three- to five-star hotels, restaurants, spas, shopping and sightseeing sites, and Vietnamese specialties and products.
The book, with 144 colour pages in English sized 12.5x17cm, is available at international airports, hotels, restaurants, and commercial and convention centres.
It is published by the citys Department of Tourism, Vietnam News Agency Publishing House and Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.
The handbook will be one of the channels to introduce Vietnamese brands to foreign tourists, tour operators and media, said Pham Huy Binh, deputy director of the department.
It also aims to promote the tourism industry, Binh said at the launching ceremony for the handbook on Tuesday (August 30).
The city brings in 40 per cent of the countrys tourism revenue, which contributes more than 10 per cent to the citys GDP, according to Binh.
The city has more than 110 three- to five-star hotels with a total of 14,780 rooms.
As least 106 restaurants provide tourism services of a high standard. VNS
by Bach Lien
HA NOI Funny, friendly and very handsome are the first words that many people in Viet Nam, especially girls, say when they talk about Saleem Hammad after meeting him in real life or seeing him on television.
Many people living in Viet Nam are familiar with the face and voice of Saleem Hammad who has been acting MC for several television shows featuring the culture, tourism and gastronomy of Viet Nam.
Many are amazed to hear Saleem Hammad speak Vietnamese fluently, and in particular read the texts he writes in excellent Vietnamese. Not many know that he only started learning Vietnamese five years ago when he first came here to study at Ha Noi University.
He graduated from university in June this year. Overcoming all his difficulties in learning the Vietnamese language, he won first prize in a Vietnamese language speaking contest that was organised for the first time last year by Ha Noi Universitys Vietnamese language department where he studied.
I was very lucky and proud to be one of the first students from Palestine to study in Viet Nam and followed the path of the Ambassador of Palestine, Saadi Salama, who studied Vietnamese in Viet Nam in 1981, he said.
Familiar face: Saleem Hammad has achieved fame in Viet Nam by working as an MC on several Viet Nam TV cultural shows, and also as a model. Photo courtesy of Saleem Hammad
Early days in Viet Nam
He came to study in Viet Nam with a scholarship he won thanks to his outstanding scholarly results at the Al-Istiqlal University (the Palestinian Academy of Security Studies).
Viet Nam was a strange country for me at that time. After my family knew that I would have an opportunity to study here, everybody encouraged me. They told me that it was a country where its inhabitants worked very hard and they were very courageous. They had won against invaders to bring independence to their country. It is also the dream of the people of Palestine, he said.
When he first came here, he met with many difficulties, as he didnt speak any Vietnamese. Living far from his family at a young age was not always easy for him at the beginning.
But I never thought of leaving Viet Nam and going back to my homeland because of those difficulties. I didnt want to give up so easily The word give up is not in my dictionary. I love the Vietnamese proverb: Van su khoi au nan (All things begin with difficulties). This is very correct. We should not become discouraged because of difficulties, he said.
Like other foreigners, the language barrier was the biggest difficulty when living in a foreign country.
I still remember the first word that I learned after my first day in Viet Nam, its the word uong (sugar), he recalls.
I wanted to make tea and the people from Palestine often put a lot of sugar into their tea. But in my room there was no sugar, so I went out to buy some. I asked the seller: Can I have some sugar? But she didnt understand English.
Sugar sweet drink tea sugar, sugar, I repeated, but she still didnt understand.
I then went back to my room, looked up the word sugar in the dictionary and found it was uong in Vietnamese. I then returned to see the seller and said, Hey you, uong. I pronounced the word, but not correctly as I didnt know how to pronounce the correct tone. She didnt understand Luckily a Vietnamese student helped me pronounce the word until I could say it correctly Then I went back to my room feeling very happy, because I had learned a new word. But then I realized that I had already forgotten to buy sugar, he recalls.
Learning Vietnamese
The most efficient way to learn Vietnamese for Saleem is to practice every day.
The more I travel and meet people, the more I can learn. There is a Vietnamese proverb: i mot ngay ang, hoc mot sang khon (Travelling forms a young man). This proverb is very correct for my situation.
His friendliness has helped him a lot in learning Vietnamese from the contact he has with local people that he finds very open, friendly and sentimental. And more importantly, he has improved his Vietnamese through extra jobs, which also help him earn some money and help him become more confident. Besides working as an MC for TV culture shows, he also works as a model, and teaches Vietnamese and English to foreigners.
Taking part in TV cultural shows is a great opportunity for me to explore this beautiful S-shaped country, enjoy its natural beauty, and love Viet Nam more and more. I have been travelling throughout Viet Nam, meeting people from different ethnic groups, he said.
I have also been able to enjoy traditional dishes from different regions of Viet Nam. I like many dishes that I eat everyday. I prefer pho (rice noodle soup). I cooked pho for my family when I was back in Palestine. I also cooked banh chung, the traditional cake that Vietnamese people eat on occasion of the Lunar New Year. I can find all the ingredients in Viet Nam. I make banh chung, but instead of making it with pork meat, I use lamb.
A bridge between two countries
When I tell Vietnamese people that I come from an Arabic country, many think of sandy deserts and camels. And Arab people when they think of Viet Nam think of mountains and President Ho Chi Minh.
When I returned to Palestine, I told my friends that Viet Nam is not only mountains but a real paradise. I also showed them some documentary films about Viet Nam that I took part in as MC. They were very surprised to see the natural landscapes, he said.
He hopes that he and other people from Palestine in Viet Nam will become bridges to preserve and develop the good relations between the two countries.
Viet Nam has become my second homeland. My love for Viet Nam is like my love for Palestine.
If I have a dream, I wish that Palestine in the near future could also gain independence, peace and liberty like Viet Nam, he said. VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers speech at a Cabinet regular monthly meeting yesterday. Photo VGP
HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday emphasised the importance of reforming working methods inside the Government at a Cabinet regular monthly meeting, which convened on Tuesday.
He made the comment during a session to discuss a draft decree on working regulations for the new Government, which will serve as a framework for ministries and sectors to follow.
PM Phuc highlighted the need to improve the transparency of Government activities.
He requested a reduction in the number of meetings, saying that government officials should understand daily life.
It is difficult to come up with new models and practical policies if we only sit at our desks, he said.
While pointing out that co-ordination between ministries and sectors remained poor, he asked that the decree include concrete regulations on co-ordination mechanisms and ministers responsibilities in co-operating with each other to compile policies.
He also emphasised the role of ministers as a commander-in-chief of each sector from grassroots to central level.
Wherever there is an event in the sector you are in charge of, you need to supervise it. You are not supposed to just work at your ministry, PM Phuc said.
He also asked the Governments Office to intensify supervision of ministries and localities in implementing tasks assigned by the Government.
Addressing frequent delays at ministries, he urged government officials speed up by using the internet.
He asked for greater use of information technology in organising Government activities as well as the PM and deputy PMs management work, saying that it would save time.
Social economic efforts
In yesterdays session, the Cabinet discussed the social and economic situation in the first eight months of 2016.
The consumer price index (CPI) was a highlight of Augusts macro economy, with a rise of 0.1 per cent over July. The CPI of the first eight months rose by 1.91 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Total State budget revenues by mid August were nearly VN604 trillion (US$26.8 billion), equivalent to 59.5 per cent of the estimated revenues of the whole year.
Foreign direct investment continued to rebound with total registered capital in the first eight months of nearly $14.4 billion, of which nearly $9.8 billion was for implementing projects. Newly-registered enterprises increased by 19.7 per cent.
According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, of the 13 targets of social and economic development set for this year, 11 targets would possibly be reached or exceeded, with two targets likely to be missed.
One targets set to be missed is achieving gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.7 per cent. The ministry blamed the likely failure on the decline of crude oil and disasters such as frost, drought, saline intrusion, storms and floods that adversely affected agricultural production.
Another target which will be difficult to achieve is increasing exports by 10 per cent due to reduced fish catches, the decline in global oil prices and a drop in price of the countrys major exports.
Cabinet members said the country was also struggling with high public debt, slow bad debts payments and a decreased industrial production index.
In his speech to conclude the 2nd session of the Governments new term, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that the people want to see concrete results from what the Government had promised.
He cited a World Bank report indicating that the investment environment ranking of the country rose from 93 to 90 out of 189 economies, while the index for start-up business rose from 125 to 119 and access to credit index rose from 36 to 28.
These are bits of good news, but now it is important to turn that spirit into actions, Phuc stressed.
Investment environment
The PM asked ministers and local authorities to regularly check the implementation of the Governments resolution to support businesses and improve the investment environment.
We must have desire and determination to reform the investment environment in Viet Nam, to eliminate all barriers to create favourable conditions for businesses and citizens to invest," he stressed.
Phuc also reminded the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Peoples Committee of central Ha Tinh Province to clarify responsibility in the Formosa case, in which the Taiwan-invested steel project was found to have polluted the sea environment.
Regarding the on-going equitisation of State-owned enterprises, the Prime Minister said that the Government would carry out measures to maximise the benefits of the State, ensure fairness to investors and create social trust. VNS
HA NOI Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am on Monday sent an urgent document asking concerned organisations to inspect the use of the health insurance fund.
Recently, multiple media channels reported several cases where profits were being sought from the health insurance fund in some provinces and cities, due to which the fund faced the risk of overspending.
Deputy Prime Minister am asked the Ministry of Health, the Viet Nam Social Insurance and the Viet Nam Medical Association to check the fund and penalise those taking advantage of the fund to ensure legal rights and profits of people buying health insurance.
am asked the Viet Nam Medical Association to propose measures for effective use of the medical insurance fund.
Statistics of the Viet Nam Social Insurance showed that in the first half of this year, the total value of the health insurance fund was VN28.2 trillion (US$1.3 billion).
Actual expenses for health examination and treatment were valued at VN30.3 trillion ($1.4 billion), an increase of 40 per cent compared with the same period last year.
The overspending was a result of the increase in the number of people buying health insurance by 12 per cent, the application of equal health service prices based on the Ministry of Healths Circular 37 and some people with health insurance cards taking undue advantage of the health insurance fund.
Deputy Director of the Viet Nam Social Insurance Pham Luong Son said many people went to hospitals for health examinations with health insurance cards several times a day.
In July, one person underwent health examination 27 times in one month. Another person went in for a health examination to 2-3 different medical stations in one morning and obtained a prescription of some VN200,000 ($8.8) from each medical station.
If the person resold the medicines to drugstores at cheaper prices, the profits he/she took were quite significant, Son said. VNS
HCM CITY Twenty three police officers from Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the Netherlands are attending the 41st Asia Region Law Enforcement Management Program, a training course that opened in HCM City on Tuesday.
The programme, initiated by the Ministry of Public Security, the Australian federal police, the Dutch police and RMIT Viet Nam in 2005, is this time about Transnational Organised Crime and Outlaw Motor Cycle Gangs (OMCGs).
The course, which ends on September 9, has become a flagship programme for emerging police managers and leaders in the region.
Over 800 officers have benefited from it since its inception and are now working together to combat transnational crimes in the region.
It is the first training programme in Viet Nam to focus on preventing and investigating OMCG threats to local communities.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Karen Lanyon, the Australian consul in the city, spoke about the importance of working together to combat complex criminal activity through partnerships built on co-operation and trust.
In order to break these [criminal] networks, it is vital that policing organisations work together to build even stronger networks.
Acting Commander Anthony Hall of the Australian federal polices Acting Manager Organised Crime, said, OMCGs are highly sophisticated, and are networked nationally and internationally, which means law enforcement agencies cannot afford to work in isolation, or focus their efforts on individual crime types or enablers.
Colonel Le Tan Tao, deputy director of the General Department of Police, said, OMCGs are not confined by national boundaries, which means that a joint response is crucial.
Countries law enforcement agencies should further enhance their collaboration and help each other in a joint effort to combat transnational crime and OMCGs.
The officers attending the course are from Viet Nam, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates. VNS
HCM CITY Article 292 of the Penal Code, which stipulates penalties, including prison sentences for providing unlicensed online or telecom services, is inimical to IT start-ups, the HCM City Computer Association has said.
Speaking at a meeting between HCM City authorities and IT business executives yesterday (August 31), Vu Anh Tuan, general secretary of the association, said providing such unlicensed services is liable for fines of up to VN5 billion (US$222,000) or imprisonment of up to five years.
This acts as a dampener for IT companies since, before commercialisation, any new service has to be tested many times on the internet or telecom networks, but the regulation does not allow this, he said.
It is killing start-ups innovation, and the consequence is that the city is seeing a trend of many of them moving to Singapore, he said.
Many IT start-ups ask the association if they should do business in Viet Nam or move to other countries since they realise they are not protected in the country and risk falling foul of the law, he said.
Some of the attending executives warned that the provision could stymie the citys plan to incorporate 5,000 science and technology companies by 2020.
Tuan said the country should be more open, citing the example of the US, which is ready to provide visas for start-up entrepreneurs and many incentives.
Le Thai Hy, head of the city Department of Information and Communications, said companies should not be too worried about the provision, promising that likely problems would be resolved.
Companies in the industry, especially the association, should report the problem to the city Peoples Committee, which would forward it to the Government, he said.
When the Penal Code was passed, enterprises were not asked for their opinions, he added.
ao inh Kha, head of the central Department of Information and Communication, said if the regulation is not amended, the governments policy to encourage start-ups would lose its effectiveness.
In future enterprises would be consulted, he promised. VNS
Participants to a forum discussing how to promote the role of intellectuals in Viet Nam on Tuesday expressed their concern over the practicality of certain Party and State policies. Photo baodatviet.vn
HA NOI Participants to a forum discussing how to promote the role of intellectuals in Viet Nam on Tuesday expressed their concern over the practicality of certain Party and State policies.
To create a good environment for the development of intellectuals, the Party and State have promulgated encouraging policies; however, participants said these policies dont work in practice.
One example mentioned was that the starting salary of someone with a bachelors degree working at a State research institute was about VN3 million (US$130), salary of a University professor was VN5 million ($220) while a maid earns roughly VN3 million-4.5 million ($200).
Nguyen Ngoc Phu, Deputy Chairman of Viet Nam Association of Science and Educational Psychology said to create a favourable environment for intellectuals, salary reform is needed so that intellectuals can survive and support their family.
Prof. Nguyen Lan Dung, Chairman of Viet Nam Biology Association said besides salary, the State needs encouraging policies for research institutes.
Vietnamese intellectuals living at home or abroad want to contribute their knowledge to the country, Dung said, but need to be heard by local authorities.
Nguyen Thuy Anh, from Tap chi Cong san (Communist Review) said encouraging policies for overseas Vietnamese intellectuals should be side-by-side with recruiting policies to employ qualified personnel.
She said she had heard of a young intellectual who returned to Viet Nam from Germany to work but subsequently went back to Germany because of the unprofessional working environment here.
Anh said besides higher salaries, an equal, transparent and professional working environment is needed.
Le Cong Luong, chief of the office of Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations, said there was an increasing number of people with a college-level education in the country.
The Unions latest report showed there were 6.5 million people having degrees in 2013, an increase of five times from 2000. Of which, in 2013 the amount of intellectuals with Masters level degrees was 118,650 and 24,660 had doctorate level degrees, against 10,000 and 12,690 respectively in 2000.
Organised by the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations, the forum was expected to propose policies to the Party and State on intellectuals. VNS
HA NOI A new international postal service centre was officially opened at the Noi Bai International Airport this morning.
It is one of the largest postal hubs in the northern region to receive and deliver international mail and packages.
The centre, built by the state-owned Vietnam Post Corporation, is spread over 2,700sqm in the Noi Bai International Airport.
The International Postal Service Centre will improve professionalism, effectiveness and quality of Vietnam Posts international mail service, Vietnam Post Board of Members Chairman o Ngoc Binh said at the opening ceremony.
Besides the newly opened postal centre, Vietnam Post already has plans to build another mail sorting facility in Hai Boi Commune, adjacent to the Noi Bai airport. It is expected to begin operations in early 2018.
Vietnam Post also aims to set up two postal facilities close to the two airports in the central and the southern regions by 2020. One facility will be built at the Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park which is located between the future Long Thanh International Airport and the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta. The other 5ha-centre will be constructed at the Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, some 10km from a Nang International Airport and can be linked by road to the neighbouring Central Highlands region.
Vietnam Post will build another 23 provincial level mail sorting facilities and invest further in equipment to mechanize all postal delivery processes by 2018, Binh said. VNS
HA NOI Thousands of Hanoians in Hai Ba Trung and Hoang Mai districts still suffer from a lack of tap water.
In Hai Ba Trung Districts Bach Mai Street and Tu Do Alley, water pumps were often broken. During torrential rains, residents even stored rainwater for daily use, reported Tin tuc newspaper.
A resident in Bach Mai Street said although staff from the Ha Noi Water Co Ltds Hai Ba Trung Branch came to fix the pumps, water could only be pumped in the daytime. At night, the water supplier failed to meet demand.
Phung Ngoc Minh, director of Ha Noi Water Co Ltds Hai Ba Trung Branch, said that since Cho Mo Plaza, located in Bach Mai Street, opened in 2014, the demand for tap water in the area had increased.
This resulted in tap-water shortages on Bach Mai Street and Tu Do Alley.
To overcome the situation, in the short term, the branch would provide water on even hours and on odd hours alternatively for each area, Minh said.
The situation is the same in ai Kim urban area in Hoang Mai District.
A representative of the urban areas Management And Operation Company said the demand for tap water in the urban area was up to 1,900 cubic metres daily, however, the maximum volume of water that the company could buy from the Viwaco Joint Stock Company was 1,500 cubic metres daily.
Second pipeline construction suspended
While residents have suffered the lack of tap water, the plan to construct a second pipeline, carrying water from the a River Water Plant in the northern province of Hoa Binh to Ha Noi, which began construction last October, has been suspended.
The plan was halted because of public concern over Chinas Xinxing Corporation winning the bid to supply materials for the pipeline.
Nguyen Van Ton, director of Vinaconex Water Supply Joint Stock Company said the plan was suspended as the company was awaiting the final decision from authorised agencies.
In March, the plan was postponed after Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc instructed the city administration to review the project.
The first pipeline, bringing tap water from the a River Water Plant in the northern province of Hoa Binh to Ha Noi, broke 18 times since it began operations in late 2008.
This was partly to blame for the water shortages, a source told to Tin tuc newspaper.
92% of HCM City households have access to clean water ( this part was edited)
In HCM City, nearly 1.8 million, or 92 per cent, of households in HCM City have access to clean water, compared to 88 per cent in December last year, according to the citys Department of Transport.
About 150,000 households, mostly in District 12, Cu Chi, Binh Chanh and Hoc Mon districts, do not have access to clean water.
The citys districts have made efforts to provide clean water for all households, but the process has been slow because of problems related to equipment that must be installed in each household in rural districts. These homes are located far from tap water pipes.
The equipment, which cleans and treats tap water, is expensive, about VN70 million (US$3,100). In addition, many companies have been reluctant to bid because of the citys quality standards for equipment.
In Binh Chanh and Cu Chi districts, for instance, 496 households have not received the equipment as scheduled.
At a meeting held last Thursday (Aug 25), deputy chairman of the citys Peoples Committee, Le Van Khoa, told the Department of Finance to work with agencies to create favourable conditions for districts to complete clean-water supply targets this year.
The citys Peoples Committee has also asked Binh Tan District and District 12 to fulfill their clean-water supply goals by the end of October, while Cu Chi, Hoc Mon and Binh Chanh districts should complete their targets by the end of November.
To meet the goal of providing clean water to 100 per cent of households by the year-end, the city is speeding up construction of water-supply works in Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon and Cu Chi districts.
By the year-end, the city aims to install 1,282 km of water pipes and 128 general water metres, upgrade 21 water supply stations, and install 433 water tanks and 1,193 water-cleaning devices at households in outlying districts. VNS
CARACAS Venezuela and Brazil on Wednesday withdrew their respective ambassadors after Caracas froze ties with its southern neighbor in response to president Dilma Rousseffs removal from office.
The leftist governments of Ecuador and Bolivia also recalled their diplomats from Brasilia, with Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa calling the senate vote impeaching Rousseff "an apology for abuse and treason."
The Venezuela-led leftist ALBA bloc, which includes Cuba and Nicaragua, condemned what they said was a "parliamentary coup" in Brazil.
However other Latin American countries - notably Argentina, Chile and Paraguay - said they "respect" the decision taken by Brazils senate.
Chile expressed its "trust that Brazil will resolve its own challenges through the democratic institutions."
Rousseff, 68, was convicted by 61 of 81 senators of illegally manipulating the national budget.
Venezuela "has decided to definitively withdraw its ambassador" from Brazil "and to freeze political and diplomatic relations with the government that emerged from this parliamentary coup," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Hours later Brazil announced that it was also withdrawing its ambassador.
"In light of the circumstances," Brazil has "called its ambassador in Caracas for consultations," read a statement from the foreign ministry.
It also decried "the statements of misunderstanding" from the leftist governments of Bolivia, Ecuador and Cuba.
The vote in Brazil ends 13 years of leftist rule in Latin Americas biggest economy, depriving Venezuela and other leftist governments of an important ally.
Maduro said that the ambassador was withdrawn because in Brazil there was "a usurper government that no one elected," and said that he spoke with Rousseff by phone.
Maduro blamed the United States for the move, claiming it is part of a "continental offensive." AFP
Virginia Techs inclusion and diversity efforts were again recognized, this time with a 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
The award, announced today, recognizes colleges and universities in the United States that demonstrate an ongoing and outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. InclusiveVT reflects the institutional and individual commitment to Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) in the spirit of community, diversity, and excellence.
Virginia Tech received its first HEED award in 2013.
Virginia Tech deeply values inclusion and diversity, and we are proud to encourage these values as an integral part of our land-grant mission, said Menah Pratt-Clarke, vice president for strategic affairs and vice provost for inclusion and diversity. Undergirded by our Principles of Community, we are committed to a campus that reflects the demography of the state, the nation, and the world we serve. To fully embrace our motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), we must prepare students to thrive and lead in a world of ever-increasing complexity and diversity.
Virginia Tech was selected for the award because of the universitys many diversity and inclusion initiatives and ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity, including gender, race, ethnicity, veteran status, people with disabilities, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
Last month, a diversity planning summit brought inclusion and diversity advocates together from across the university to discuss many new and future initiatives, including DiversityEdu training for undergraduate students and faculty search committees; dedication of additional resources for minority faculty recruitment; enhancing Virginia Techs regional admissions presence in such areas as Richmond and the National Capital Region; and the Hispanic/Latino, Native American and Black cultural centers, as well as the new LGBTQ Resource Center that are part of the Intercultural Engagement Center.
Other ongoing initiatives at the university include the Diversity Development Institute, a professional development program for faculty and staff that has served hundreds of employees, and multicultural programming that includes cultural celebrations and graduation ceremonies, such as Donning of the Kente, the Lavender Ceremony, the Hispanic-Latino Achievement Ceremony, and the International Street Fair.
The university also supports eight faculty and staff caucuses and has in place a vendor diversity policy. Virginia Tech is also a certified Virginia Values Veterans employer.
Virginia Tech will be featured along with other recipients in the November issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity.
In June, INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine also recognized Virginia Tech as one of 10 Diversity Champion colleges and universities.
For more information, and to participate in Virginia Techs ongoing inclusion and diversity efforts, visit InclusiveVT.
Connecting the campus
The university will build upon an existing network of facilities across Blacksburg.
Starting from the center of campus with the Joseph F. Ware Jr. Advanced Engineering Lab, a focal point for undergraduate design projects in the College of Engineering, students are steps away from the in-progress $45.5 million Intelligent Infrastructure and Construction Complex that includes two new interdisciplinary research and education buildings and smart dining facilities.
For almost 20 years, our undergraduate students have been able to apply engineering principles in the Ware Lab with creative, hands-on experiential work, said G. Don Taylor, the Charles O. Gordon Professor of Engineering and interim dean in the College of Engineering. Being in close proximity to complementary world-class facilities will further enrich the students collegiate experience and prepare them to solve complex problems on a global scale.
Nearby, a short walk across West Campus Drive, a $1 million Autonomy Study Park near the Duck Pond will provide a place for students to experiment with autonomous land vehicles and a caged facility for unmanned aircraft. In addition, the Duck Pond itself already the testing ground for many Virginia Tech student experiments could be employed to test above- and underwater autonomous crafts.
Our role is to help provide the infrastructure and operational expertise that will create this immersive learning environment, and to connect students with faculty and industry, said Stefan Duma, the Harry Wyatt Professor of Engineering in the College of Engineering and interim director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science. Our existing research, especially in autonomous systems through Virginia Techs Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, will be a resource that students across campus can use on multiple levels for fun, for senior design projects, for graduate research. We can provide the tools that will allow a landscape architecture student or a journalism student, for example, to learn how to fly an unmanned aircraft, and do it safely and legally.
Continuing through the corridor
The developments on the western end of campus will connect with existing and planned research facilities on Plantation Road in Blacksburg. A $1 million Intelligent Infrastructure Corridor for students to perform automated vehicle experiments will develop along Duck Pond Drive to Plantation Road.
At that intersection, the university plans to locate a $9 million Smart Design and Construction Complex a large, enclosed, hangar-like facility where faculty and students can connect their basic research to practical applications in areas ranging from smart houses to smart energy.
The College of Architecture and Urban studies faculty are poised and ready to continue our engagement in research in smart planning, design, and construction of the world's built environment, said Jack Davis, the Reynolds Metals Professor of Architecture and dean of the college. Additional resources will position our students to gain unique knowledge on advancements in intelligent infrastructure for human-centered communities. I know of no other comparable research-based academic ecosystem featuring this level of comprehensiveness in a learning environment."
Continuing the outward push from central campus, a $2 million Intern Park Building will connect at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, a site where the university faculty and students routinely work with corporations, governments, and agencies. In this facility, students will work directly with industry leaders to drive innovation and entrepreneurship.
Also in the works, at the Virginia Transportation Institute, a $10 million Rural Smart Road project and a $3.5 million expansion of the Virginia Automation Park, along with existing smart road facilities, will result in a test bed for self-driving cars and unmanned aircraft systems to enhance research activities across Virginia Tech.
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute has a long history of working closely with the university and its myriad sponsors and partners from government entities to auto manufacturers and suppliers to create robust facilities that enhance testing capabilities across the board, said Tom Dingus, director of the institute. We are also devoted to providing students with first-hand knowledge gained through applied research, with more than 150 undergraduates and graduates supported annually at the institute. The intelligent infrastructure goal of transforming the overall student experience by immersing them in effecting real-world change provides us with a solid foundation upon which to build our research and student endeavors.
The intelligent infrastructure initiative includes metro areas, with a $3 million expansion at the Urban Living Lab in the National Capital Region, where Virginia Tech works closely with Arlington County on a number of projects, including sensor networks that would leverage the countys fiber infrastructure.
Next steps
University sources, including the provosts office, colleges, and institutes, will fund about half of the $75 million investment. The other half will come from external sources, including $25 million from private philanthropy, along with funding from industry and government partnerships.
Several major commitments of support have been made, including $5 million for the Intelligent Infrastructure and Construction Complex from the charitable foundation established by the Hitt family, whose company, HITT Contracting Inc., is one of the nations 100 largest general contractors. The addition of the Intelligent Infrastructure and Construction Complex will make it possible to dramatically increase enrollment in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction.
Students should begin to see differences on campus as soon as January at the Autonomy Study Park near the Duck Pond. The remaining projects will unfold over the next five years. The initiative is anticipated to add 25 new faculty positions to the university over the next five years.
Written by John Pastor.
Like to design or build things? An engineering major may be a good fit, but so could packaging systems design, architecture, or residential environments and design.
Each of those majors is in a different college at Virginia Tech, and though all have some commonalities, they have a different focus, curriculum, and end goal. The choices can seem overwhelming for students.
Virginia Tech offers more than 100 different majors in a wide range of fields so students can pursue the best choice for their personal academic and career aspirations. The Majors Fair, hosted by Undergraduate Advising and Student Government Association, can help students sift through the diverse options at the university to find their perfect fit or even add a second major.
The fair, hosted in Squires Student Centers Commonwealth Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 28, will include informational tables for more than 60 majors from various departments and colleges.
Instead of needing to do a lot of research online, the event creates a one-stop-shop for students to explore their options and learn about some majors they may or may not be familiar with that could pique their interest, said Kimberly Smith, director of undergraduate advising and university studies. One of the big benefits of attending the event is that representatives will be around if students have questions about the major or the process to change or add a second major. They get some face-to-face assistance.
Choosing a major is a critical part of any college career, and the Majors Fair is one of the best places to personally explore your academic options," said Student Government Association member Anna Pope. "This event allows students to survey all the choices that Virginia Tech has to offer as they begin to shape their undergraduate experience.
Representatives from all of the undergraduate colleges and most of the universitys majors will be on-site to answer questions. In addition to academic programs, there will be representatives and information about supplemental programs, such as the Global Education Office, Office of Undergraduate Research, the Student Success Center, and Career and Professional Services, among others.
All undergraduate students are welcome to attend. Typically, first-year students drive the most traffic; but Smith said any student who is curious about other majors at Virginia Tech is welcome.
The program is informal, so students can stop by the event as their schedule allows.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Chenaye Blankenship at 540-231-8440 or email chenayeb@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Infosys, the country's second largest information technology services company, saw the worth of new contracts in the past four quarters jump 53.7 per cent to $2.9 billion, driven primarily by deals in cloud and infrastructure services that it won from larger global peers.
Visiting US Secretary of State on Wednesday said India can sustain its impressive growth trajectory if its bureaucracy becomes a facilitator and stops being an expert in setting up roadblocks.
has received nearly $11 billion in remittances from the US in 2015 ranking third after Mexico and China, according to a report released by a American research centre.
As such, ranks third after Mexico ($24 billion) and China ($16 billion) in remittances from the US in 2015, Pew Research Centre said in its latest report.
Worldwide, an estimated $582 billion was sent by migrants to relatives in their home countries in 2015, a two per cent decline from 2014, when the amount was $592 billion.
This is the first drop in global remittances since 2009, when they fell by $8 billion amid the global financial crisis.
Despite this recent decline, remittances sent by migrants are still about double what they were a decade ago, before the sharp decline in the global economy during the late 2000s.
And, with the exception of 2009, migrant remittances worldwide have steadily climbed since the World Bank began releasing estimates in 1970.
In all $133.5 billion in remittances was sent from the US to other countries in 2015. Interestingly Pew Research Centre said in the year 2015, about $8.4 billion in remittances was sent from to other countries.
The top remittances recipients' countries are India's neighbours lead by Bangladesh which received $ 4.4 billion followed by Pakistan ($ 2.34 billion), Nepal ($ 1 billion), Sri Lanka ($ 492 million), Burma ($ 41 million) and China (40 million).
Curiously enough, the US received $ 6 million in remittances from India in 2015.
Pew has based its report on data collected from the World Bank.
According to Pew in 2015, India received nearly $ 69 billion in remittances from overseas, with the UAE leading with more than $ 12.5 billion.
UAE was followed by the US and Saudi Arabia (about $ 10.5 billion). Notably India received remittances of more than $ 4.69 billion from Pakistan, which was followed by Kuwait ($ 4.5 billion), Qatar (about $ 4 billion), the UK ($ 3.6 billion), Oman ($ 3 billion) and Nepal (about $ 2.7 billion).
Pew said in 2015 $ 5.1 billion in remittances was sent from Pakistan to other countries, of which India alone accounted for nearly $ 4.7 billion, followed by Bangladesh (252 million), Afghanistan ($ 107 million) and Myanmar ($ 72 million).
On the other hand Pakistan received remittances of more than $ 19 billion from other countries in 2015.
The list was topped by Saudi Arabia ($5 billion), the UAE ($ 4.7 billion), India ($ 2.3 billion), the UK ($ 1.4 billion) and Kuwait ($ 981 million).
India is likely to raise issues from choking terror funding, checking tax evasion, global tax reform, cutting cost of remittances and market access for key drugs at the in Chinas Huangzhou that Prime Minister Narendra Modi (pictured) will attend.
PMS ITINERARY September 2 and 3
BILATERAL VISIT TO VIETNAM
September 4 and 5
IN CHINA
September 6
RETURN TO NEW DELHI
September 7 and 8:
INDIA-ASEAN SUMMIT & EAST ASIA SUMMIT IN LAOS
SWIFT, the global financial messaging system, on Tuesday disclosed new hacking attacks on its member banks as it pressured them to comply with security procedures instituted after February's high-profile $81-million heist at Bangladesh Bank.
On the surface, Kubo and the Two Strings is a wonderful film.
Its a sweet fairy tale that feels almost timeless. To this foundation is added a powdering of humor and the occasional light blush of action.
The movie follows Kubo, a boy who lives in a cave with his mother on the outskirts of a small village. When Kubo was an infant his grandfather, the Moon King, removed one of his eyes and if Kubo is ever caught outside after dark, his aunts will find him and take his other eye.
After Kubo inevitably stays out too late, his only hope for survival is to find the a magical sword, breastplate and helmet with the assistance of a monkey and a samurai who has been turned into a beetle.
Visually, Kubo is stunning. The films stop-motion technique lends a solidity and texture to its often dreamy visuals that not even the finest computer animation can yet match.
But beauty is only skin deep. Beneath the surface, Kubo hides a deep, invisible ugliness.
Kubo puts on the appearance of being deeply Japanese. It takes place in a mythical Japan. Kubo plays a traditional Japanese instrument, the shamisen. He is a master of origami. His monkey companion is a Japanese macaque. Kubo joins his village neighbors in a ceremony very reminiscent of the Japanese Bon Festival.
Yet every single important Japanese character is played by a white actor. From Kubo and his companions, to the villains hunting them, right down to the only villager with more than two lines.
The most prominent Japanese-American actor in the film is Star Trek alumnus George Takei. He was apparently cast with the sole purpose of uttering his catchphrase, Oh my. Longtime character actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is also brought on board to play an essentially anonymous villager.
This isnt to say the films main actors dont do good work in their roles. They do.
Mickey Rooney did a fine job too when he put on yellowface and popped in a set of fake buckteeth to portray the Japanese character Mr. Yunioshi in 1961s Breakfast at Tiffanys. But Rooneys talents didnt stop Mr. Yunioshi from being one of the most overtly racist Japanese characters in American cinema.
In Kubo, the yellowface is more subtle, but theres no covering up the films whites-only approach to important characters.
WATERLOO Hundreds of people attended the annual Rally for the Valley to kick off the 2016 Cedar Valley United Way campaign along the Cedar River in downtown Waterloo on Wednesday.
Holding an event outdoors in Iowa can be risky, but beautiful weather was seen as a good omen for the campaign.
I told (United Way president) Sheila (Baird) Id take care of the weather, said Don Temeyer, co-chair of this years campaign.
Don and Michelle Temeyer, United Way campaign co-chairs, said it will take more than luck to meet campaign goals this year. The couple have long been involved in public service activities in the community Don Temeyer since 1974, Michelle since 1976.
Not everybody can give more, but wed like to get more people to give, Don Temeyer said.
The United Way netted a record $3.1 million in its 2013 campaign, raised more than $3 million again in 2014, but fell short of that mark last year.
United Way helps multiple Cedar Valley nonprofit organizations, said Baird, funding services like child care, after-school programs, disaster relief, elderly transportation, community meals, help for victims of domestic violence and help for families struggling to make ends meet.
More than 79 local programs are seeking funding.
Don Temeyer spoke of how United Way helped his family in 1943 when his mother, pregnant with his brother, was stricken by German measles. His brother, Michael, was born blind and deaf. The United Way assisted his family, and helped Michael lead as close to a normal life as he was able, Temeyer said.
There arent very many people in the Cedar Valley who arent touched by the United Way, Temeyer said.
Areas where services are needed are as easy to find, added Michelle Temeyer.
I think when youre engaged in the community its easy to see the need, she said. If you really get involved in this community, you really do find people do care in this community.
WATERLOO A second person has been arrested in connection with the investigation into two Chicago teens who were brought to Waterloo for prostitution.
Waterloo police arrested Sade Deseri Campbell, also known as Sade VanArsdale, 24, Wednesday night for two counts of human trafficking and two counts of using a juvenile to commit an offense. Her bond was set at $40,000.
Sade Campbell is the wife of Lawrence Edward Campbell Jr., 35, who was arrested on the same charges Tuesday. He remained at the Black Hawk County Jail as of Wednesday night.
Authorities allege Lawrence Campbell Jr. met two 16-year-old girls online and purchased bus tickets to bring them to Waterloo about a week ago. The teens lived at Campbells home on Clearview Street and were directed to have sex with men for money and steal items from local stores to sell, police said.
According to court records, Sade Campbell would drive the teens to stores for the thefts and to locations in Waterloo for sexual encounters.
Investigators learned of the trafficking operation when one of the girls was detained while shoplifting at a store Monday.
Officers searched the home and found stubs for bus tickets, clothing allegedly stolen from stores and outfits the girls wore in internet advertisements, police said.
The girls have since been reunited with their parents and guardians, according to police. One of the teens had a baby, which was left at a Waterloo fire station when she was detained for shoplifting. The baby has since been returned to the teen, police said.
Sade Campbell was one of 11 people arrested in an April 2015 prostitution sting involving internet ads for escort services. She allegedly agreed to have sex for $100. She pleaded guilty in October and was granted a deferred judgment with two years of probation, according to court records.
WATERLOO A Waterloo woman accused of brandishing a pistol during a road rage incident has been sentenced to prison on drug charges.
Judge Linda Reade sentenced Samella Simone Bailey, 27, to four years and nine months in prison on a charge of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. The judge recommended she be placed in a prison in Texas, where she has family.
She will serve three years of supervised release following her prison time.
Four counts of distribution of crack were dismissed.
Court records indicate undercover authorities purchased crack from Bailey in parking lots in 2015 and 2016, including one $3,400 deal where investigators bought a substance that didnt contain any crack.
In March 2016, Bailey was arrested on state charges after she allegedly flashed a 9mm pistol during a road rage incident on LaPorte Road. Two days later, she bought a .357-caliber revolver while out on bail.
Later that month, investigators with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives searched her Easton Avenue home and found the revolver, $1,600 in cash and marijuana, court records state.
BOONE Thirty people were arrested Wednesday at a construction site as they protested a crude oil pipeline being built in Iowa.
It may be the first of many protests, according to the events organizer.
About 100 people joined the protest, blocking four entrances to the work area that houses heavy machinery and construction workers vehicles.
Because they were on private property, those who would not move to make way for vehicles entering and leaving the area were arrested by the Boone County Sheriffs Department and Iowa State Patrol.
They were transported to the Boone County Jail and charged with trespassing, according to the sheriffs department.
The protest was organized by the advocacy group Bold Iowa. Its leader, former state legislator Ed Fallon, said protesters want to halt construction of the pipeline being built by Texas-based Dakota Access.
When completed, the $3.8 billion, 1,168-mile underground pipeline will carry up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil daily from North Dakotas Bakken oil fields to a distribution hub in Illinois. The pipeline will cross Iowa from northwest to southeast, spanning 347 miles and 18 counties.
Those opposed to the pipeline cite environmental concerns and state governments use of eminent domain to force landowners to cede land to a private company project.
Fallon called Wednesdays protest, which lasted roughly two hours, a success and a prelude of more to come.
We actually shut down traffic for a little while, and we certainly made our point, Fallon said. (Protesters) are going to continue to fight this thing. With state government failing us and our courts failing us, this is our only option.
One of the people arrested at Wednesdays protest was Adam Mason, state policy director for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.
At an organizing meeting earlier Wednesday, Mason said those protesting think the state regulatory process failed them.
The project was approved by the Iowa Utilities Board, made up of three gubernatorial appointees. Opponents unsuccessfully petitioned the board to overturn its ruling and have a lawsuit pending in district court.
We dont want this pipeline. Its not good for our communities, and its not good for our planet, Mason said.
Also arrested was Miriam Kashia of North Liberty, a member of 100 Grannies, an activist group that opposes the pipeline.
Weve actually used up all of our other options. We have had dozens and hundreds of letters and petitions and demonstrations and letters to the editor and they have not made a dent, Kashia said earlier Wednesday.
There was violence during the protest, and law enforcement officials at the site expressed pleasure with how the protest unfolded.
Dozens of law enforcement officials from Iowa State Patrol, the Boone County Sheriffs Department and private security kept a watchful eye on the protest.
Among the protesters was Dick Lamb, who owns land just a few miles from the protest site through which the pipeline is passing.
They are tearing through (our property), separating the precious topsoil, Lamb said. We feel betrayed by our state government, all three branches of it. They didnt stop (the pipeline). They enabled it.
WATERLOO A property tax debate threatened to bog down a new strategic plan for city government.
Waterloo City Council members and Mayor Quentin Hart held a four-hour goal-setting session Tuesday to kick off a monthslong planning process assisted by the University of Northern Iowas Institute for Decision Making.
Times have changed; situations have changed; cities have changed, Hart said. We need to look at our long-range outlook and see where the city of Waterloo needs to go.
But a hearty debate over the citys relatively high property tax rate left little time to discuss other goals, such as reducing violent crime, improving the housing stock and attracting new employers and residents.
Councilmen Bruce Jacobs, Tom Lind and Steve Schmitt pushed a goal to cut the citys property tax rate from $17.60 to about $15 per $1,000 of taxable value over the next five years.
If we dont lower the tax rate and have some kind of measurable goal, nothing else happens, Lind said. We never accomplish anything if were not forced to lower the levy rate.
Jacobs said cutting that rate 50 cents annually for five years would be huge for us when we sell Waterloo.
Lowering the cost of living in Waterloo a measurable amount over five years would put us more competitive with other cities in Iowa, he added. Right now were not competitive.
While there was general consensus to focus on lowering the tax rate, Hart and several councilmen suggested it was reckless to target a specific dollar amount especially a cut so large given the unforeseeable nature of property values and emerging needs.
Im kind of wanting our levy rate lowered too, but we also have to balance with reality, Hart said. Yes, that would put us in the middle of the pack, but I dont necessarily know if we really want to do what it takes to get to there.
Hart said setting tax rates should be based on conditions on the ground each year, noting an unexpected drop in property values would turn a 50-cent annual levy cut into an astronomical loss of services.
Were not just talking about not filling positions that are vacant, he said. Were talking about (cutting) public safety positions.
While Schmitt said the city could adapt its goals if major challenges arose, he was steadfast in a desire to put a reasonable goal in writing.
If we dont have some identifiable goal, were just whizzing in the wind, Schmitt said, adding taxes, education and violent crime were the citys biggest obstacles to growth.
Councilmen Tom Powers, Ron Welper and Pat Morrissey said their colleagues were putting too much focus on the tax rate itself.
Its not just the levy rate, Powers said. I dont think were high in other areas. I think our water rates, our sewer rates, our utility rates are lower than other cities.
The average residential combined water and sewer bill in Waterloo was in fact the lowest of Iowas 30 largest cities last year. Its storm water and franchise fees are in the middle of the pack.
The cost of living in Waterloo is not bad, Morrissey said. The cost of living in Waterloo is great when you compare it to other cities in Iowa.
Im not going to let the levy rate become any kind of determiner of whether Im going to stay in Waterloo or go around pillorying Waterloo, he added. Taxes are what they are in able to maintain our community.
While taxes took up the bulk of the discussion, Amos said residents in his ward were more concerned about public safety issues, especially when it comes to relations between the police department and the African-American community.
We have to start working on the perceptions people have of our police department and start getting some of the trust back, Amos said. In my community, where I live, there is a huge lack of trust.
UNIs Drew Conrad and Karla Organist were planning to draft goals based on the councils discussion. They would then meet with departments to draft an action plan to meet those goals.
CEDAR FALLS The Northeast Area Music Teachers Association will celebrate National Piano Month with a program at 10:15 a.m. Sept. 9 at the Hearst Center for the Arts.
Janci Bronson will present Technology in the Private Studio in Mae Latta Hall at the center. The public is welcome.
Bronson joined the Iowa State University Department of Music in 2011 teaching class piano and piano pedagogy courses. She is a Ph.D. candidate in music education with an emphasis in piano pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma.
For more information on NAMTA, go to www.namtaiowa.org or Jean Hilbert, jhilbert93@mchsi.com.
Bakken pipeline
NICK NORTON
CLARKSVILLE Im glad the Iowa Utilities Board made the right decision to uphold the rule of law and continue construction on the Dakota Access pipeline. A small group of landowners with the access and resources to afford attorneys suing to force the state to overturn a decision just because they didnt get their way is not the kind of democracy I want to live in. The Iowa Utilities Board upheld its decision as final, and that is why thousands of workers like myself are still able to go to our job sites every morning.
I am thankful the IUB stood up for working people and did not overturn their decision. Construction is continuing in Iowa because of your good work. Thank you.
Trump power
DENNIS DOWNS
WATERLOO Donald Trump has insulted women, Mexicans, Muslims and disabled people. Isnt that the definition of a bigot?
Trump admires Putin even knowing Russia is trying to influence this election. Isnt that being unAmerican? Trump has Trump products made in 12 foreign countries. If Trump could get Americans to work for Third-World wages, maybe he would create Trump products here. Make America great with low-paying jobs?
Donald Trumps tax plan would cut taxes for the rich and add almost $10 trillion to the national debt. Trump wants to get rid of the regulations on Wall Street and the big banks. Anyone remember the 2008 Wall Street meltdown?
Donald Trump has spent his life grabbing all the money and power he could. How much money is enough for Trump? How much power does he want?
By The Associated Press Aug. 31, 2016 | 09:48 PM | WASHINGTON, DC
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he will order the immediate detention of all known immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have been arrested for crimes.
He said that on the first day in office he will "issue detainers for illegal immigrants who are arrested" and initiate immediate proceedings to remove them.
For people caught crossing the border illegally, Trump referenced the 1950s-era "Operation Wetback." He said that "we will take them great distances" instead of sending them just across the U.S. border.
Trump said, "We will take them to the country where they came from."
He said his administration will take a hard line on criminal aliens. He said the U.S. will be "moving them out on Day One."
To thunderous applause, Trump continues that he will seek legislation to block federal funding for so-called sanctuary cities that shelter immigrants in the country illegally.
Trump continues to insist that Mexico will pay for the wall he wants to build along the length of the southern border.
Trump says during a speech on immigration that Mexico will pay for the wall, "100 percent."
He says, "They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for" it.
Trump met with Mexico's president earlier Wednesday and said they did not discuss who would pay for the massive wall that has been at the center of Trump's campaign.
But President Enrique Pena Nieto said he reiterated to Trump that Mexico would not be paying for the wall.
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By The Associated Press
Aug. 31, 2016 | WASHINGTON, DC
By The Associated Press Aug. 31, 2016 | 04:08 PM | WASHINGTON, DC
Retiring U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield says he will resign from office next week, triggering a special election that could give his successor a head start in Congress.
The Republican congressman notified Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin with a letter on Monday. Whitfield's chief of staff Taylor Booth confirmed the letter and said Whitfield's resignation will be effective Sept. 6.
First elected in 1994, Whitfield announced his retirement last year in the midst of a House Ethics Committee investigation.
Bevin issued a press release thanking Whitfield for his many years of service, saying "he has served the people of Kentucky's first district admirably, and we wish him all the very best in the years ahead."
Bevin said he will issue a proclamation declaring that the special election to fill the unexpired term will be held on the same date and time as the General Election - November 8.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement, saying Whitfield served the people of Kentucky's First District with distinction, and fought hard for the people of western Kentucky, including those who worked at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and soldiers serving at Fort Campbell.
McConnell said, "I am thankful for our many years of friendship, and Elaine and I extend every best wish to Ed, Connie and the entire Whitfield family in the years ahead."
Former Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, the Republican Nominee for Whitfield's seat as First Congressional Congressman, also released a statement saying, "As his constituents, TJ and I have always admired his conservative values and steadfast support for the coal industry."
Regarding the Special Election, Comer said he will seek the nomination for the unexpired term, and expects to be on the ballot twice on November 8 - once for the unexpired term and once for the full two year term.
By Kentucky News Network Aug. 30, 2016 | 08:45 PM | FRANKFORT, KY
The Kentucky Speaker of the House says the intimidation of members of his chamber are grounds for impeachment.Democrat House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the voice mail left for Democrat Representative Russ Meyer is part of a "growing body of evidence" that Governor Matt Bevin is bullying the General Assembly.Stumbo claims the most serious offense was the use of over $600,000 to cancel a road project in Meyer's central Kentucky district after he didn't bow to the demands of the Bevin Administration.The Speaker is calling for a state or federal investigation into the incident and if true he's calling for the impeachment of the governor.Stumbo says he's also troubled by a report of a meeting in the basement of the Governor's Mansion late last year in which he says Bevin and Minority Leader Jeff Hoover were present and made an attempt to intimidate two Democratic members of the House.
Did you know that a Presidential candidate surprised everyone by going to Mexico and wishing their people well? Not only that, he came back to our country and gave a speech that did not pander to Mexican immigrants, but rather laid out in clear and concise terms that coming into the United States illegally is something that will not be tolerated in a future administration headed by this candidate and that the United States has a duty to his current citizens first and foremost and needs to design immigration policy with their needs in mind.
Now, whether Donald Trump, the candidate in question, follows through on these promises if he were to become President; I do think two important points should be made and this is a great time to make them. I am not the first to note the first point, but it bears repeating again and again a hard line stance on immigration does not mean you bear any ill will toward individual immigrants and/or the countries they hail from. As Steve Sailer recently put it:
Via Frontpage Magazine, here is the opening from Trumps August 31st immigration speech in Phoenix: Ive just landed having returned from a very important and special meeting with the President of Mexico, a man I like and respect very much. And a man who truly loves his country, Mexico. And, by the way, just like I am a man who loves my country, the United States. We agree on the importance of ending the illegal flow of drugs, cash, guns, and people across our border, and to put the cartels out of business. We also discussed the great contributions of Mexican-American citizens to our two countries, my love for the people of Mexico, and the leadership and friendship between Mexico and the United States. It was a thoughtful and substantive conversation and it will go on for awhile. And, in the end were all going to win. Both countries, were all going to win. Trumps Mexico trip was a huge PR triumph simply because the Establishments theory that Immigration Restriction = Hate is so low-brow, childish, and hate-driven. Simply by wishing Mexicans in Mexico well, Trump exposed the stupidity of the elite view.
Mark Krikorian, National Reviews immigration expert, echoed Sailers point in a blog post from today:
But perhaps the most encouraging part (other than the long-overdue critique of legal immigration) was the end to Mexico-bashing. Both in his successful visit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier in the day and in the prefatory comments of the Phoenix speech, Trump stressed that being pro-America doesnt mean youre anti-Mexico. You couldnt really see it on TV, but Sessions and Giuliani were even wearing Make Mexico Great Again Also hats. This is important for two reasons. Morally, its just the right thing to do. A true patriot loves his country without hating anyone elses; even Japan and Germany, against which we fought a pitiless war, were not sown with salt after our victory, but rebuilt and befriended. It is especially important that a nationalist campaign stress this point, so as to lead its supporters away from the temptation of chauvinism. The second reason is specific to our neighbor to the south. Mexico is the most important country in the world to us, after Canada. Nothing that happens in Ukraine or Syria or Burma or Swaziland is remotely as important to us as what happens in Mexico. As Trump said at the Mexico City press conference, A strong, prosperous, and vibrant Mexico is in the best interest of the United States. I would go further; the continued development of Mexico into a first-world industrial democracy should be one of the top two goals of U.S. foreign policy, second only to the avoidance of nuclear war.
My second point, which is related to the first point, is that I think a world with strong borders and individually flourishing countries is a world that cultivates and nourishes diversity of human populations better than the opposite (chaotic borders and multi-ethnic empires.) For example, a strong Japan that guards its borders and restricts immigration will be a unique Japan if you value Japanese culture, heritage and history then why would you want to see Japan overrun with foreigners, changing the essence of what Japan is (rather than Japan changing over time organically, like any culture changes.) Likewise, why are the Kurdish people viewed so tragically in the West? Because they have not had a country of their own, theyve been at the mercy of others to protect them (or worse, do them great harm) and have suffered indignities over the years just to try and preserve their culture and history (e.g. fighting the Turkish state to teach their children in school using their own language.) The Kurds with their own borders are a people who can control their own destiny and protect their own heritage and suddenly outsiders can come visit (or not, if rugged mountains arent your thing) and enjoy Kurdish culture in the same way they would visit Poland or Portugal or Peru to enjoy the culture, the history, and the sites of those respective countries.
One closing comment on these two points is America somehow immune from this need for borders because the American idea embraces racial/ethnic groups from around the world? I would say no I have discussed in the past that while I think it is true that we are exceptional in many respects from other countries because immigrants from around the world have come here, assimilated, and become quintessential Americans (in greater numbers than most countries); I also think we owe a debt to our Anglo ancestors who settled this country and for the most part were the ones who created our institutions and unique (for the time) system of government. Assimilation and integration into our ways of life matter and I think we cannot ignore the challenges or difficulties of assimilating people that come from cultures that are significantly different from England or more broadly, Western Europe. As Pat Buchanan so memorably said many years ago:
If we had to take a million immigrants in, say Zulus, next year, or Englishmen, and put them up in Virginia, what group would be easier to assimilate and would cause less problems for the people of Virginia?
This gorgeous couple had a colourful wedding extravaganza set in a rustic barn with the loveliest of florals.
WWW readers Adam and Georgie were married on the 2nd April 2016 at their local church followed by a reception at The Great Tythe Barn in the Cotswolds. A vibrant countryside wedding was the focus of their planning where their guests could relax and have fun. They settled on an uber pretty mint green, blush pink and gold colour theme which was used throughout the details and decor. Lets start with the flowers. Coral tones were used in the blooms with Peonies and Roses taking centre stage and delightful ribbons securing the bouquets. I just adore the DIY ribbon backdrops at the venue and the pastel painted jars filled with flowers.
Georgie looked incredible in her blush pink tulle gown by Allure Bridals, while the gents were suited and booted in Ted Baker outfits. What a stylish pair. Just wait until you see how utterly in love they are, aww.
Rob Tarren, many thanks for providing these really marvellous photographs today.
THE PROPOSAL | Adam and I had been together for just over 6 years. We had been through a lot in this time including 6 rented houses, 3 towns, 4 jobs, a 3 month hospital stay for Adam, a PhD submission for me and a very cute new puppy. Things had finally started to settle down and wed had an offer accepted on our forever home. On the morning that we were to go and pick up the keys to our new house, Adam had to work (or so I thought) so I packed away the final bits and bobs and was very impatiently waiting with our new cocker spaniel in hand when Adam swung by to pick me up to take us to the estate agent. So there we are, Adam, myself and a very very excitable pup, squeezed into a car filled with duvets and bedding (we were determined to spend the night in our new house albeit on the floor with no furniture) driving into our new life together. We stopped off at the estate agents who gave us the keys to our new home along with a bottle of champagne and a bunch of flowers; nothing untoward or suspicious at all. Ten minutes later we were opening the door to our new home! Adam asked me to take the puppy upstairs whilst he made sure that the downstairs was puppy proof, I thought this was an odd request but had no idea what he was up too. Adam then called us through to the dining room where he had filled the room with balloons and put up a huge projector screen. He then started to play a video filled with photos from our relationship together. Id like to say that I played in cool, but I definitely ugly cried. It was such a beautiful surprise and felt so poignant for us to get engaged on the day that our grown up life together really started. It turned out that Adam had been to the house in the morning (when he told me he was at work) and along with the estate agent, had set up the room ready for the proposal. Later that evening, our family came over and we celebrated by eating fish and chips on the floor. It was perfect!
THE VISION | We wanted to create a vibrant and colourful yet still beautiful English countryside wedding; originally taking inspiration from a vintage summer fayre. We really wanted our day to be relaxed and fun; something everyone would enjoy! We decided on having accent colours of mint green, blush pink and gold which really helped to tie everything together.
THE PLANNING PROCESS | Neither Adam nor I are planners. We are both scatterbrains who are always forgetting about events and plans; making me very cynical of our ability to pull off a wedding. To try and get things on track, Adam created a wedding spreadsheet which was an absolute life saver. Whilst Adam had lots of ideas and is pretty opinionated, he was really relaxed about the planning process allowing me the freedom to really get creative!
BUDGET | 20k
THE VENUE | We got married at our local church, St James the Great in Westerleigh, with our reception being a short drive away at the beautiful Great Tythe Barn in Tetbury. This worked out perfectly as it meant that I was able to get ready at home with my bridesmaids; something that was very important to me given our proposal. We looked at a lot of untraditional venues and started to feel as though we would never find the right place for us. The moment we walked into the Great Tythe Barn and saw the fairy light canopy and rolling fields, we knew it was the right place for us.
THE DRESS & ACCESSORIES | My dress was a blush pink and ivory tulle ball gown from Allure which I chose to wear with some blue/grey Vivien Westwood Jelly shoes with a big pink heart as they perfectly embodied our wedding vision. Colourful and fun! The hair vine and veil were custom made pieces that came from a beautiful bridal accessory shop called Britten.
FINDING THE DRESS | I was looking for an ethereal and whimsical romantic gown and after visiting a number of bridal boutiques with my mum and sister and almost buying a different dress, I came across this Allure dress whilst shopping on my own one day. I absolutely adored everything about this dress from the sweetheart lace bodice to the blush pink tulle skirt and the button back details. Once I saw the beautiful beaded back of the dress I had no doubts that this was the dress I was going to walk down the aisle in. I bought the dress then and there without anyone having seen me in it. My only concern was how Adam would react to me not wearing a white dress but the moment he saw me on our wedding day and whispered that I looked stunning I knew I shouldnt have worried.
GROOMS ATTIRE | Adam and his groomsmen all wore a royal blue 3 piece suit by Ted Baker. Adam wore a spotty pink bow tie whilst the rest of his groomsmen wore mint green spotty bow ties. Adam finished his look with a beautiful pair or paisley Barker shoes (who said men cant love shoes too?!)
THE READINGS & MUSIC | We had a string quartet playing in the church as the guests arrived. We chose a set list for them, one of my favourites being the final countdown by Europe which was playing just before the bridal party entered. I walked down the aisle to Canon in D by Pachabel played by the quartet. This is such a beautiful piece of music and makes me feel emotional every time I hear it. The quartet played a selection of songs during the register signing, all of which were special songs to us and were table names at the reception.
Adam and I had our first dance to Eta James At Last which fit us perfectly, and my dad and I dances Stevie Wonder Isnt She Lovely.
We had two readings at our wedding, the first was the Song of Solomon and the second reading we let my good friend Laura chose and read. She chose Falling in love is like owning a dog by Taylor Mali and it couldnt have been more appropriate.
First of all, its a big responsibility,
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when youre walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
aint no one going to mess with you.
On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesnt like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Dont you ever do that again!
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until youre all wound up and cant move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
BEAUTIFUL BRIDESMAIDS | I had 5 bridesmaids, my sister Ange, 2 of my best friends Emma and Vicky and Adams 2 sisters Sam and Emma. The bridesmaids looked so beautiful. Id searched high and low for the perfect dress but had no luck in bridal/highstreet stores. In the end I found this beautiful floor length grey dress with lace sleeves and a cut out back on Amazon. It was a huge gamble, but once the dress arrived, it fit every one of my girls perfectly. I didnt mind how they decided to have their hair, so long as they were comfortable, my only specification was that I wanted them to wear fresh flowers in their hair. I gave them each a pair of emerald cut Kate spade earrings and a dainty silver ball baring bracelet with a little heart which they wore on the day.
THE FLOWERS | The flowers were possibly my favourite detail of the day, I was blown away by how beautiful they turned out. After meeting with a number of florists that didnt get our wedding vision at all, we met Becki from Bijoux Florist at a bridal fayre and instantly liked her. Her designs were beautiful and she was so lovely and understood exactly the look we were after. We really wanted bright colourful flowers and I was in love with the look of peonies and blousy roses; but planning a wedding at the beginning of April meant that this wasnt necessarily possible. When Becky delivered the flowers on the morning of the wedding I was absolutely over the moon. My flowers were a beautiful mix of early season peonies, David Austin roses, Miss Piggy roses and ranunculi and the bridesmaids had a similar mix with some silver brunia in their hair. Arriving at the barn I was equally bowled over by how beautiful the table flowers and barn decorations looked. Becki is a very very talented florist!
THE CAKE | We wanted a pretty simple 3 tiered cake with rustic looking icing, but as Adam isnt really a cake kinda man, this was one of the last details that we nailed down. I found Hannah Hickman cakes online and loved the look of her cakes. Adam and I went for a tasting one Saturday afternoon and it is safe to say that I have never seen Adam so excited by cake. Hannah made a number of individual cupcakes for us to try and they were all so delicious it was hard to chose just 3 flavours. In the end we went for lemon drizzle, carrot cake and coffee and walnut. The cake was a huge success on the day and there was hardly any left over which is always a good sign!
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER | The Great Tythe Barn had a number of photographers who they recommended and after checking them all out online, Adam and I loved the style of Rob Tarrens photographs. He has a wonderful ability to capture beautiful moments that you didnt even know where happening. We only met Rob once before the big day, but I was absolutely certain that he was the right choice for us. We really didnt want a photographer who would take over the day and orchestrate staged photographs, we were much more interested in the candid photographs of our guests enjoying themselves. Rob was an absolute joy to have as part of our wedding day, not only is he incredibly talented, but he is also a really lovely guy who instantly puts people at ease. And our photos turned out great too.
THE DETAILS & DECOR | One detail wed decided on long before we even got engaged was the table names. When Adam and I were first dating, he made a secret Georgie playlist on Spotify of all the songs which reminded him of me. It wasnt until a few years later than I came across the playlist. Adam doesnt show his emotions easily, so this was really touching. Wed decided that each table would be named after one of the songs on the Georgie playlist. Along with the help of my sister and mum, we hand painted cheap frames and I hand drew the song title and lyrics for the table names.
The barn was so beautiful already with its fairy light canopy and exposed brick walls that it didnt need a huge amount of decoration. We just wanted to add a little colour. I handmade the ribbon backdrops which were hung behind the cake and photobooth; such a long and laborious task, but ended up looking great! My mum made some lovely tissue paper tassel bunting which we used to add colour to the welcome table and to add tassels to a few giant helium filled balloons. The tables were decorated with a gold sequinned table runner, a wood log slice and hand painted mason jars filled with flowers and guests were given a little vile of home made rose and elderflower gin as favours. We travelled to the barn in a beautiful VW camper van which was perfect as Adam used to own a VW Beetle and we both love the idea of one day restoring a van. Other details included a Pimp your Prosecco station for guests to add fruit and cordials to their Prosecco, a giant letter T (our surname is Tilley) guest book, a key to a happy marriage bowl filled with vintage keys attached to luggage tags for people to write their marriage advice on. We also had a home made photo booth on the mezzanine of the barn and a Polaroid photo time line of our relationship and the most amazing sweetie table thanks to my sister!
Our guests feasted on a beautiful 3 course meal, we chose a selection of desserts for guests to choose from based on where we come from. Tastes of Cornwall (Im a Cornish girl) which was a posh cream tea, Tastes of the North East (for Adams Northern roots) which was a lemon meringue pie with vanilla ice cream; modelled on the famous Northern lemon top ice cream, and Tastes of Bristol (where we met and both now live) which was a chocolate fondant; based on Bristols chocolate history. In the evening there were Cornish pasties (had to keep the Cornish guests happy!) and a selection of cheeses with a popcorn/candyfloss stand later on in the evening for those that were still hungry which filled the barn with the most delicious smell! We were so fortunate that the sun shone all day, our guests got to enjoy the beautiful grounds that surround the barn, and we even got to toast marshmallows on an open fire in the evening.
THE HONEYMOON | As Adam works away a lot, we hadnt really spent a lot of quality time together on the lead up to the wedding, so decided to plan our honeymoon for straight after the wedding. We spent 3 weeks in Bali with a short stop in Bangkok on the way out and Dubai on the way home. Bali truly is a magical place. We stayed in 3 different locations, on the beach in Seminyak, in the jungle and cultural heart of Ubud and finally away from the hustle and bustle up by the volcano in Tembok. Three weeks of sunsets, cocktails and sunshine was the perfect way to celebrate our marriage and reminisce on our wonderful wedding day.
MEMORABLE MOMENTS | A few of my favourite moments; My sister breaking down in tears when she first saw me in my dress. The sight of my handsome husband to be standing at the front of the church. Rob managed to capture the moment that we first saw each other perfectly. I can remember being so nervous that my hands were shaking and Adam just looked at me, gave me a cheeky smile and said that I looked stunning in his nervous northern accent. But my absolute most favourite moment came towards the end of the night. Adam and I stood on the mezzanine, just the two of us looking over the dance floor and watching our favourite people having fun. By this point, the contents of the fancy dress box had made its way downstairs and the dance floor was filled with glitter wigs, red Indian head pieces, horse masks and inflatable guitars.
ADVICE FOR OTHER COUPLES | Dont forget about each other. Chances are that you will be so busy on your wedding day greeting your guests, that you wont have a lot of time for each other. We took some time to ourselves to watch our guests celebrate the start of our new life and it was truly magical.
In terms of planning the wedding, so many brides get caught up on the little details, I certainly wasnt the exception to this, but once your day has been and gone, you will realise that it really didnt matter whether or not the bridesmaids had matching nail varnish or whether everything was the same shade of blue. What you will remember is celebrating the day you married your love with all of your favourite people.
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE |
Photographer | Rob Tarren
Venue | The Great Tythe Barn
Catering | Dine With Style
Cake | Hannah Hickman Cakes
Florist | Bijoux Floral
Hair Vine/Veil | Britten Weddings *WWW wedding directory member*
Quartet | Ardenton Quartet
Oh wasnt that just so magical?
Adam and Georgie, many thanks to you both for sharing your wonderful wedding story here today xo Lou
[The Wild Hunt welcomes Nathan Hall back as todays guest journalist. He makes his home in South Florida where he works for a local media company and lives with his wife and soon-to-be first child. He grew up without any real religious background but always felt connected with the spirits of the land. Because of this connection he has always felt a strong kinship with environmental causes and the primacy of nature over humanitys exploitation of it. Nathan has followed many paths, including ceremonial magick, Norse and Druidic traditions. Recently, he has come into alignment with the Temple of Witchcraft tradition where he is a student in the Mystery School. You can find more of his writing at The Arrival and the Reunion.]
CANNONBALL, N.D. In a remote, northern part of the country, a battle over water and indigenous rights is brewing. Earlier this year, a pipeline was set to be put in place just north of the city of Bismarck, North Dakota. Residents of the city had legitimate fears of what that could mean for their water supply and protested the pipeline, after which it was relocated south of the city, and just north of the water intake of the Standing Rock Sioux tribes land.
That move has many questioning why this move was seen as an acceptable alternative and what the environmental impact will be.
I feel that my Paganism is directly linked to a call to activism, eco-activism and anti-racism specifically. I think both of those are really tied up into this protest, said Colleen Cook, a witch in the Reclaiming tradition, after returning from a five day stay at a protest camp set up near Standing Rock Sioux land.
Like many others, Cook felt called to the camps to be an ally and to stand witness to what is occurring.
I thought about my role as a Pagan in the space I was occupying while I was there and it really felt most appropriate to follow the leadership of the indigenous leadership there, Cook said.
Called the Dakota Access pipeline, or DAPL for short, it is a project of Energy Transfer Partners. Many are already familiar with the story due to very well-publicized pictures published across national media of indigenous protesters being arrested or riding horses in front of lines of police. From the beginning, there have been claims that construction by Dakota Access has been happening illegally, and many of the people in the protest camp believe that to be the case. Standing Rock leaders have filed an injunction to halt further development of the area.
Linda Black Elk lives in Standing Rock where she has children who are enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux. Shes been regularly attending the protests since the beginning. She said, When I first got wind of what was going to happen, I contacted some friends who are pretty well-known pipeline fighters around here. Then a lady named Ladonna Bravebull gave her land for the [Sacred Stone] camp. That was back in April.
Since that time, the protest camps, of which there are several, have been steadily growing. But it wasnt until late July and early August when confrontations with Dakota Access and state police began to be publicized on social media, that people started pouring into the area. Eventually one camp became two, occupying both sides of the Missouri River. While estimates vary, some have claimed that the camps have swelled to between 1000-2000 people at times.
And this fight has resounded throughout many communities, bringing in allies from many other tribes and uniting the seven Lakota tribes who last fought together at the Battle of Little Bighorn, defeating General Custer. Environmental activists have also been drawn to the cause, as well as many from the Pagan community.
Casey McCarthy, the Folk Liaison for Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF)s Mountain Ancestors Grove in Boulder, Colorado, took a convoy of three cars filled with supplies to the Standing Rock protesters at the Sacred Stone Camp.
We got several donations from local Pagan folk and members of our community, both monetary and material, he said.
They collected bottled water, camping gear, and other items specifically requested by camp organizers. McCarthy feels that theres a deeper reason that this issue has found resonance within the Pagan community. He said, As a magickal-believing people, the timing of this is quite incredible. Almost as if nature itself is reaching out and saying, hey, you guys purport yourselves to be supporters of nature, lets do this.
McCarthy added, In terms of our role as stewards of nature worship, I think that for things like (the pipeline protest), the Pagan community could rally and do incredible things.
Those actions may need to include some of the work that is less glamorous but more long-lasting, according to Payu Harris, McCarthys traveling companion in the caravan.
Protests are effective and useful, especially in this case for raising awareness across the globe, said Harris, an activist and member of the Northern Cheyenne, who founded Mazacoin, a bitcoin-like alternative for indigenous people. He said that, in spite of this, the legislative route is where long-term success will be won. That is in the works.
The energy industry has way more lobbying power than we do. We need a lobbying effort at the DC level to start talking about our issues we have to change it at that point in order to have any sustainable results.
Black Elk, who is an ecologist and teaches ethnobotany at Sitting Bull College, said that the environmental and cultural impact of allowing any pipeline through the area, whether it crosses the river or not, could be disastrous. Already, the completed construction has had an impact.
Ive done surveys of those of those areas, even before there was any pipeline to be put in, thats an area that I would go and I would look at plants. We have echinacea, traditional berries, licorice root, different kinds of sage. Theres like a hundred plant species that we still use and harvest that already have been completely decimated in that area, Black Elk said.
During a project like Dakota Pipeline, one of the first tasks is called an environmental impact statement. This statement is a survey of the region that would be affected by the incoming pipeline, including the cataloging of native plant and animal species, culturally significant areas, as well as noting how the construction will change the environment.
Black Elk said the impact statement was not done by the Army Corps, but by a company hired by Dakota Access. This practice is not that uncommon. However Black Elk added, This statement was so bad that it didnt even mention that theres an endangered species of butterfly there. Sacred sites? Not even mentioned. Culturally important plants? Not even mentioned. Ive never seen one done so badly.
Sustainability of the protest is another issue that the Standing Rock camps organizers are pondering. Winter comes early on the northern prairie, and they are looking for ways to not simply survive the winter, but to do it with as little impact on the environment as possible.
We have teepees, which are of course made for this area, but wed like a better way than to keep using firewood, Black Elk explained. One thing she said that they would really like to have is cob stoves, which burn corn cobs and are clean and efficient.
Theyre looking for lots of information about solar, infrastructure, composting toilets, outdoor showers. If there are people that have that knowledge or resources, theyre building a community from the ground up, added Colleen Cook.
There are also many children in the camps who are in need of school supplies and indigenous educators to come to the area to teach them. Cook mentioned that she was already thinking about returning to the camps from her home in Minneapolis, with her car filled with the necessities for a new school year.
More than anything, the biggest resource that everyone kept bringing up was more people. Kevin Decker is a Pagan and activist from Kansas City, Missouri who met Lakota youth as they participated in a 500-mile run to the field office of the Army Corps of engineers in Omaha, Nebraska from Cannonball, North Dakota to deliver petitions against Dakota Access. Decker was part of the Up to Us Caravan that protested at the Democratic National Convention at the time. He was so inspired by the childrens message that he decided to join the camp. Decker was also among the first arrested when police were trying to enforce an expanding blockade.
He said the camps really need people that have the ability to come in and not take things personally and plug in in ways that are beneficial.
Respect for the indigenous leadership is key, he noted, saying it was more important to fill roles that are service-oriented, as well as being of service and observing whats happening.
Cook agreed with that sentiment, and said, I think allies are needed to make more space for the work of indigenous people (who are) getting to connect together. I spent most of my time working in the kitchen. The main cook there, named Tink, I felt like my main mission was (to) relieve some stress from Tink. I think that is the call, for allies to come in and help relieve some of this burden.
Linda Black Elk invited anyone in sympathy with the cause to come to the camps.
It doesnt matter what spirituality you practice, it doesnt matter what culture or race, everyone is welcome because this really is about all of us. As we come to the end of the fossil fuel age, they get more and more desperate to take the last bit of blood they can from our mother. We need that unity and we need people here with us, she said.
There was also an expressed yearning for people in the Pagan community to more publicly embrace their identity. Cook brought up the role that Paganism plays in this and other movements. Black Lives Matter to me is a place where I really believe the presence of Witches, if ever there was a moment Id like for the world to know that Witches are showing up for this stuff, Id like there to be ways for us to say were Witches or Pagans and were here because I think thats a really important message.
In fact, bridging gaps, plugging into numerous community efforts, and understanding different perspectives may be an inherently Pagan quality, according to Casey McCarthy. Pondering the multiple sources of divinity in his own polytheistic practice, he said, That is so valuable in trying to create a world in which we can all love each other. We need to work together with other groups to make this world a more lovely and compassionate place.
As we noted on Monday, groups like Solar Cross have been sending supplies and donations to the camps. Others have joined them. If you or your group are looking for other ways to help, they suggest visiting the Standing Rock Siouxs website to send a letter to your representative. These sites also provide information about how you can make a donation.
We will update this story as it unfolds. The federal judge is due to rule on the case Sept. 9.
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(10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 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(24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) 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Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 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(36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
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53
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.
TEMPE, AZ, September 01, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- After being in business for more than 25 years, The Halal Guys is expanding from New York City's most popular food cart to multiple highly successful brick-and-mortar locations throughout the United States. The fast casual concept, known for its never-ending lines and a menu offering a mix of various Middle Eastern dishes, has already been well received in Houston, Chicago, Dallas, and California. This winter, residents of Arizona will be able to enjoy gyro sandwiches, chicken-and-rice platters and the famous white sauce.
The NYC-based concept has signed a deal with Fransmart, who is known for building other popular concepts such as Five Guys, to bring franchised units to all of the major markets of Arizona. The first location is anticipated to open in early January 2017 at 1015 S Rural Rd., Ste 104 Tempe, Arizona, 85281, near Arizona State University.
"We are excited about our Tempe location for several factors. One reason is because our brand was in-part made famous by college kids from NYU, LaGuardia, and Columbia who were looking for a filling, affordable, and tasty meal and Arizona State University is a perfect counterpart on the west coast. And secondly on a personal level, ASU is my alma mater and I have a lot of love for the school, fraternities and associations I was a part of," said franchisee AJ Ahmad.
The Halal Guys aim to be different and encourage patrons across America to ditch burgers for something unique. They pride themselves on only using high-quality products like their chicken, which has never been frozen and is marinated and seasoned overnight, then cooked and chopped on the grill and served directly to their plate to ensure a crave worthy meal that's piping hot. The Halal Guys' mission is to ensure that every customer leaves happy, with a smile on their face and a satisfaction that brings them back again.
ABOUT THE HALAL GUYS:
The Halal Guys grew from its humble beginnings as a food cart on the streets of New York City to a global icon known as the largest American halal street food concept in the world. This Manhattan-based landmark was created by three like-minded men from Egypt who came to America in search of a better life. When Mohamed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed noticed many Muslim cab drivers in New York were looking for a place to buy meals in Manhattan, they created their first food cart and quickly grew into a leading tourist and native New Yorker destination for American Halal fare. In 2013, The Halal Guys were ranked the most popular food truck reviewed on FourSquare and the third most Yelped restaurant in the United States in 2014.
Among being awarded the 2014 Multicultural Award at The 5th American Muslim Consumer Conference, The Halal Guys have also been recognized by TIME Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The New York Times and The Huffington Post. For more information, visit: www.53rdand6th.com, www.thehalalguysfranchise.com.
For updates on the Arizona locations follow them at www.Instagram.com/thehalalguysarizona
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Aug 31, 2016 | By Nick
A cement plant in Russia is using a novel 3D printer to recreate the tower from the Winterfell castle from Game of Thrones.
The two-storey security tower will be six meters high and will have a footprint of 6x3m, so its a substantial structure that will oversee the plant in Yekateringburg.
It will also showcase the companys 3D printing skills as it has built the whole tower in situ and now wants to apply these skills to the Russian housing industry.
A Chinese firm recently built an entire villa on site with a 3D printer, so this is not the first building of its type, but this is still an impressive and forward-thinking project with a classical twist.
When watching the first season of Game of Thrones I felt the historical era: the knights, the conquest, the spirit of competition, said Rinat Brylin, Director General of Ekaterinburg cement plant. I decided to build a house in the form of a small castle. Of course, I will not go to extremes and decorate all the guards in the knights with swords and shields, but the historical style is something I want to use.
The Chinese 3D printed house had a distinctly printed look, including ridges in the walls. Brylin even flew out to visit the building and came away distinctly unimpressed. He reckoned the cement mixture was the root cause of the poor finish and he also mentioned a noxious smell due to the chemicals in the cement.
The Russian company wants to use this as a sales tool and is determined to get the details right. In fact, it wants to print walls so smooth that they do not even need plastering.
This would be a major step forward for the 3D printed construction industry. As he has a cement plant that supplies dry mixture to the demanding oil and gas industry on call, Brylin can experiment until he has the perfect 3D printable compound.
The company has opted for the more popular option of a 3D printer head mounted on a robotic arm and its huge. It is an impressive 8m tall, 8m long and 4m wide, so construction companies around the world might well be interested in the design.
The company laid traditional foundations, before it brought in the 3D printer. Less than two weeks later, the company had 50cm of tower constructed. For us it is a holiday, explained Brylin.
The 3D printer is capable of printing 50cm a day right now and the businessman is confident that, with a little development, he can produce an entire house in a matter of two or three days.
Just four people have worked on the project alongside Brylin himself and this can clearly cut the labor costs and time it takes to build a house. The walls are also built with a lattice structure, which reduces the amount of materials, retains structural integrity and also creates basic insulation from the air trapped in the wall.
The original budget for the project was just $23,000 (1.5 million Rubles). The company has spent twice that on the project, but has learned the painful lessons and is convinced it can build a 150m2 house for $8,000-$10,000 in the future.
Producing the Winterfell-style tower has grabbed the attention of local developers and the company has already entered negotiations with a local developer to 3D print a number of buildings on a 40-hectare site. Brylin suggests theyll need 6-10 3D printers, one man for each printer to monitor the process and very little else.
This is big news in the Russian construction industry, but it is only suitable for low-rise buildings as things stand. Brylin freely admits that the time it takes to install a crane or other structure means it is simply not cost-effective to use the 3D printer for high-rise construction.
The construction industry could well change beyond recognition in the coming years as 3D printing is slowly working its way into the public consciousness. A 3D printed office was recently installed in Dubai, even though this was printed offsite, and there are a number of new systems that promise on-site construction.
This Russian project is just one hot prospect. The Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia is also working on an army of smaller robots that effectively sit on the wall they are printing, before crawling over the entire structure to fill in the gaps. The institute is also looking at ways to 3D print houses from soil, in situ, which would bring the cost of construction down still further to less than $1000 for the most basic house.
We may have to combine these methods to produce the perfect 3D printed building in situ, but it is a dream that is getting closer by the day. The 3D printed Game of Thrones' tower, meanwhile, should be finished by the end of September and we're looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Aug 31, 2016 | By Tess
Tailors Mark co-founders Rob Fisher and Dave McLaughlin
For those sceptical about whether 3D printed clothes and textiles will revolutionize the garment industry in the near future, there is still no doubting that new technologies like 3D printing can and are having an impact on even traditional garment manufacturing processes. As a number of companies and forward thinking brands have demonstrated, 3D technologies have opened up a number of possibilities such as custom fits and styles. Recently, Melbourne, Australia-based suit maker Tailors Mark announced that it too would be adopting 3D scanning and 3D printing technologies into its practice in order to offer clients a more personalized suit shopping experience.
The brand, which already has over 17,000 customers around the world, is known for its custom tailored suits and shirts. Of course, to order one of their renowned bespoke suits, clients traditionally would have to either show up in person for their measurements or rely on the brands sophisticated analytics. Now, however, Tailors Mark is hoping to make this process more advanced and easier than ever thanks to their very own 3D scanning and 3D printing process.
Essentially, with Tailors Marks new system youll soon be able to conduct a 3D body scan of yourself using your smartphone and the brands 3D scanning technology (they have filed eight patents for their scanning technology so far). The 3D scanning data will then be sent directly to the suit factory, where a number of 3D printers will get to work additively manufacturing a full-scale replica of the clients torso. This torso model, which takes into account such features as bellies and posture, will then be used to properly tailor the suit to the persons exact measurements and proportions.
To create the torso models, Tailors Mark plans to use a bank of 4 and 5-meter high 3D printers, which will turn out torsos made from a reusable and lightweight plastic filament. As co-founder Rob Fisher explains, Were able to print a full-body torso to within a couple of millimetres in two hours. Once the fitting is done and the garment is made, the torso can then be crushed down and re-fed into the 3D printer to make more.
At the moment, the suit maker is testing its new system at its inner-city office in Prahran, Melbourne. Once the R&D stage is finalized, however, it plans to ship the 3D printing equipment to Bangkok, where most of the brands garments are made by a minority shareholder business. The facility in question reportedly makes between 12,000 and 13,000 garments for Tailors Mark clients per year, most of who are in Europe.
According to Tailors Mark, with their new technology they are hoping to cut back on the amount of alterations that need to be done on suits (something which is necessary for nearly 50% of suit purchases), and cut their return rates from 10 percent down to about 0 percent.
In addition to their soon-to-be introduced 3D scanning and printing system, Tailors Mark is also planning to get a medium-term listing on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). According to Fisher, the company intends to raise capital over the next few months to further expand and hopefully get listed. Thats well and truly on the cards for the company in 18 to 24 months, he said.
Notably, Tailors Mark has another branch of its business called Tec-fit, which is exploring various commercial applications for body-scanning and 3D printing technologies. This research is being conducted in partnership with Sydney University and the University of Technology Sydney.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Joe D wrote at 9/8/2016 4:07:27 PM:There has been software that can drape cloth over a virtual model for a number of years. But, even if that software is 100% accurate, I suspect that it just is not good enough for the art of tailoring. There is something special about working in the real world, that virtual models are still far from being able to recreate.
Sep 1, 2016 | By Benedict
CubeCab, a company set up to deliver CubeSats into Low Earth Orbit, is hoping to use retired fighter jets and 3D printed rockets to carry out more affordable launches. The company plans to use F-104 fighter jets, introduced in the 1950s and taken out of service in 2004.
CubeSats, small satellites built by various universities across the world, are being launched into orbit in stages in order to carry out research on the atmosphere and perform various other taks. Some, including these 3D printed CubeSats, will be sent to the International Space Station, from which they will later be deployed. Others will be sent into orbit via independent launches. Unfortunately however, due to the long waiting times and costs associated with piggybacking on a launch, many CubeSat developers have either been unable to get their satellites into orbit, or been given frustratingly long waiting timespotentially making their area of study redundant in the meantime.
Luckily for satellite developers, there may soon be another way of getting CubeSats into orbit: through retired F-104 fighter jets and 3D printed rockets. CubeCab is a new business which hopes to make small, CubeSat-filled, 3D printed rockets, each weighing just 5 kg (11 lbs), which can be fired from an F-104 fighter jet into Low Earth Orbit. Because the service will be tailored to CubeSat developers, each customer will be able to request their exact orbit, rather than have to depend on the plans of another more important launch. We aim to be the FedEx/UPS/USPS of satellite launch, the company says.
The F-104 jets that would be used to fire the 3D printed, CubeSat-filled rockets are owned by Starfighters Aerospace, which launches its fleet from Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to CubeSat, these jets could be flown to altitudes of around 60,000 feet, where the 3D printed rockets could be launched to release a canister of CubeSats. Starfighters retired F-104 jets were acquired from the Italian Air Force, which stopped using the aircraft in 2004.
We intend to have very fast times between ordering and launching, Dustin Still, chief operating officer of CubeCab, told the BBC. We aim for 30 days from order to launch, most launch providers work on the timescale of about two-to-three years from order to launch. A typical mission might be getting an order from a college to launch a CubeSat into a specific orbit. Within a few days later we should get the CubeSat and load it into a rocket we have set aside for launch in Florida for regular equatorial orbits, or another facility or almost any location for a polar orbit launch.
CubeCab plans to charge $250,000 for each CubeSat deliverya steep price, but still far cheaper than the cost launching your own rocket. The service, set to launch in 2018, will only be available 3U CubeSatthree 10 x 10 x 10 cm satellites stacked together.
Last year, the US military said it could cut the cost of satellite launches to under $1 million by using fighter jets to launch them into orbit.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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heng wrote at 9/7/2016 12:07:07 PM:that is what the pegasus does..
From Science Alert:
While nuclear fission requires things to be heated to just a few hundred degrees Celsius, nuclear fusion machines have to recreate conditions on the Sun, so were talking several million degrees here.
And because nuclear fusion machines are basically starting their reactions from scratch, we first need to achieve temperatures far hotter than those estimated to exist in the centre of the Sun at least 100 million degrees Celsius.
So far, the closest anyones gotten to the dream of limitless energy is a team of physicists at the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Greifswald, Germany, and researchers at China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) both of which have been trying to hold onto the super-heated plasma that results from the fusion reaction.
During the process of nuclear fusion, atoms' electrons are separated from their nuclei, thereby creating a super-hot cloud of electrons and ions (the nuclei minus their electrons) known as plasma, Daniel Oberhaus explains for Motherboard.
The problem with this energy-rich plasma is figuring out how to contain it, since it exists at extremely high temperatures (up to 150 million degrees Celsius, or 10 times the temperature at the Suns core). Any material you can find on Earth isnt going to make a very good jar.
More here.
Let's party this Labor Day Weekend. What are you doing first?
Labor Day Weekend: Bottomless Sangria Sunday
What: Celebrate Labor Day Weekend the right way at SoMa StrEat Food Park. The popular SoMa eatery will offer their usual food truck specialsthis weekend includes Bobcha, El Calamar, Firetrail Pizza, La Jefa, No No Burger, Nucha Empanadas, Odang Udon, and Torraku Ramenalong with a DJ, and (most importantly) bottomless Sangrias! $30 gets you an all-you-can-drink ticket.
When: Sunday, Sept. 4, 11am-4pm
Where: 428 11th St. (SoMa), eventbrite.com
(Courtesy of Slims)
Peter Bjorn and John Return Premieres "Domino" at Slims
What: Peter Bjorn and John return to San Francisco tonight to premiere the video for their new single, "Domino." The bouncy, Paul Epworth-produced track off their June album, Breakin' Point is about when "everybody goes like dominos" and the clip is quite literally a giant game of human dominos, following a seemingly endless line of people falling on one another through the streets of Stockholm. It's a pretty captivating thing to watch, kind of like a Rube Goldberg machine, but, you know, with humans. Or, as the Swedish indie rockers put it, "it's a chain reaction!" Tickets are $25 or $50 if you want dinner.
When: Thursday, Sept. 1, 7pm
Where: 333 11th St. (SoMa), slimspresents.com
Iconography at Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles
What: Opening over Labor Day weekend,Iconography is an exhibit of tapestries featuring the work of five iconic modern artists: Chuck Close, Kiki Smith, Alex Katz, Squeak Carnwath and Deborah Oropallo. The tapestries are woven using a process developed by Magnolia Editions in Oakland that unites advanced digital techniques with traditional Jacquard weaving to capture an exquisite amount of detail in the weaving, allowing a direct translation of the artist's work to the tapestry. Three tapestries by Chuck Close, who was recently appointed by President Obama to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, will be on display.
When: Friday, Sept. 2, 12pm-3pm
Where: 275 Highway 128, Suite 101, (Geyserville), dallassaunders.com
12 Newly Minted Bay Area Artists at Pro Arts
What: Want to support up-and-coming artists in the Bay Area? Minted is a multi-disciplinary survey exhibition of recent graduates from the MFA program at San Jose State University. Curated by the co-founder/director of the stARTup ArtFair, Ray Beldner, the exhibition reveals and challenges current trends in Bay Area art while shining a light on one of the lesser-known MFA programs in the Bay Area. The exhibition will include artists working in photography, painting, sculpture, digital media, and conceptual practice.
When: Friday, Sept. 2 -30, 6pm-9pm
Where: 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, (Oakland), proartsgallery.org
2016 Aloha Poly Fest: Polynesian Music, Dance & Food
What: Experience the sights, sounds and scents of the South Pacific at the annual Aloha Poly Fest at the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park. Celebrate and learn about Polynesian (Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Cook Islands, and New Zealand), Melanesian (Fiji) and Micronesian (Guam) islands in the Pacific Ocean through cultural song, dance, art and food. Visit the International Market for Island-style merchandise or sit back and watch amazing dance performances.
When: Saturday, Sept. 3, 11am-4pm
Where: 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, (Golden Gate Park), alohapolyfest.org
San Francisco Zine Fest
What: The San Francisco Zine Fest is a free, annual celebration of small-press publishing, from zines and comics to art books and beyond. Over 200 small-press and DIY creators will be selling, trading, and otherwise sharing their work at the San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park this Sunday. Plus, there are tons of free workshops and panels to learn something new.
When: Sunday, Sept. 4, 11am-5pm
Where: 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way, (Golden Gate Park), sfzinefest.org
Marin County is home to a plethora of outdoor adventure opportunitiesfrom hiking and biking trails to beaches and lighthousesspread across its diverse public lands.
Though some of these areas can get crowded on weekends, there are also plenty trails that are comparatively less traveled. Here are a few of our favorites.
Chimney Rock. (Courtesy of@marsharusby)
Chimney Rock
1.4 miles, 100 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, stunning Point Reyes vista
Part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, this short hike out to Chimney Rock provides an unparalleled perspective on the beauty of Drake's Bay and the surrounding swath of Pacific Ocean. The Chimney Rock trail traverses the exposed, bluff-lined peninsula that forms the eastern section of Point Reyes to the tip, which has an overlook of the ocean, Drakes' Bay, and Chimney Rock. Despite the trail's name, Chimney Rock itself might be the least exciting feature of the hike; rather, views of the unique coastline and marine life, Point Reyes' lifeboat history, and spring wildflowers steal the show.
Palomarin to Bass Lake
5.2 miles, 320 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, secluded summer swimming hole
The hike from Palomarin to Bass Lake along the Coast Trail is long enough to get your blood flowing, but it won't take a full day or all of your energy to complete. A shorter there-and-back hike than Alamere Falls (by about 3 miles), Bass Lake is a destination unto itself that boasts a picturesque lake and a tucked away swimming hole for those warm summer and fall Marin days.
Palomarin to Alamere Falls
8.2 miles, 1,300 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, ends at a waterfall flowing into the ocean
The trip to Alamere Falls offers stunning coastal views of Point Reyes National Seashore and a wonderfully unique waterfall. The landscape is varied with coastal scrub pine and oak forests, and there are several lakes along the way. Alamere Falls pours from a rocky cliff onto a long, wide stretch of beach, and it is the perfect place to enjoy a lunch break or an afternoon stroll in the sand.
Coastal Trail, Pantoll to W Ridgecrest Blvd
5.4 miles, 1,398 feet of elevation gain, low congestion, panoramic vistas from Mt. Tam State Park over the Pacific.
If panoramic ocean views are what you're after, the section of the Coastal Trail running between Pantoll Station and W Ridgecrest Blvd in Mount Tamalpais State Park might just be the perfect trail for you. Traversing approximately 2.5 miles along the upper flanks of Mount Tam's western slopes, this breathtaking section of California's Coastal Trail is relatively flat, allowing you to focus your energy on the surrounding scenery rather than on catching your breath.
Rodeo Beach. (Courtesy of @exploremarin)
Coastal Trail, Rodeo Beach to Muir Beach
13.1 miles, 3,528 feet of elevation gain, high congestion, explores beaches, coves and rugged coastal bluffs
This section of the Coastal Trail begins not too far from the Marin Mammals Center at Rodeo Beach, a unique sandscape made up of pebbly red and green chert grains. You'll quickly note the dilapidated military structures visible in the distance; in contrast to Rodeo Beach's Fort Barry and Fort Cronkhite, both of which serve as National Park Service facilities, all of the batteries and small gun emplacements on the ridge are empty and abandoned, their walls covered by graffiti.
Muir Woods via Deer Park Fire Road
4.3 miles, 860 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, backdoor trail into Muir Woods
With nearly one million annual visitors, Muir Woods National Monument can feel like a tourist zoo at times, particularly on weekends. Fortunately, there's a little known back-door entrance, via the Deer Park Fire Road, that offers a pleasant hike with coastal views, ridges, and redwood stands and is a guaranteed way to avoid the crowds.
Sky Trail Loop, Bear Valley to Mount Wittenberg
7 miles, 1,291 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, a portal to Point Reyes lesser known country
Point Reyes National Seashore is a 70,000-acre outdoor playground about 30 miles north of San Francisco. With ample trails, campgrounds, and beaches, Point Reyes attracts outdoor and nature enthusiasts from around the world. The area has a resident tule elk herd, a huge variety of bird species, and it is a favorite mating spot for northern elephant seals.
Steep Ravine Trail. (Courtesy of @novemberproject)
Steep Ravine Trail to Dipsea Trail Loop
3.4 miles, 950 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, diverse loop with redwood-filled ravines and coastal views
Mount Tamalpais State Park's Steep Ravine Trail is a worthy hike by itself, but when you add the western stretch of the Dipsea Trail to make it a loop, this becomes one of Mount Tam's most spectacular jaunts. The Steep Ravine Trail follows Webb Creek through a cascading canyon under a canopy of lush redwoods and fern-filled gullies. You'll pass over a handful of wooden bridges crisscrossing the creek, and even scramble up a 10-foot ladder surmounting moss covered boulders. This shaded, verdant oasis feels like Land Before Time territory, and thoughts of urban hustle and bustle float away with the creek's flow.
Loma Alta Trail
5.7 miles, 1,177 feet of elevation gain, low congestion, solitude in Marin's hilltop interior
With no shortage of trails in Marin county, it's easy to overlook the Loma Alta Trail. Located just across from Big Rock Trail and off of the same parking lot, this hike is well worth exploring if you are searching for open space in the beautiful hills of Marin.
East Peak via Hogback + Fern Creek Trail
4 miles, 1,600 feet of elevation gain, moderate congestion, direct route to Marin's tallest peak
A moderate half-day hike, the Hogback Fire Road to Fern Creek Trail route provides some of the most direct access to East Peak, the true summit of Mount Tamalpais. Winding up Mount Tamalpias' south facing slopes, the route ascends open fire roads before splitting off on the Fern Creek trail en route to the summit. East Peak, and much of the trail itself, offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, the surrounding Marin hills, the San Francisco Peninsula, and San Pablo Bay.
Laws crafted by those elected should do most good for most people
Global medical oxygen concentrators market share is dominated by dew players namely Inogen Inc., Philips Respironics, and O2 Concepts. Due to the enactment of U.S. Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act in July 2012, various new players ar
Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market Size By Product (Portable, Fixed), By Application (Home Care, Non-Home Care), By Technology (Pulse Dose, Continuous Flow) Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, China, South Africa, Brazil), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016 2023
Overview
Global Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market was evaluated at $975.4 million for 2015 with CAGR of 10.6% during forecast period. Increasing occurrence of respiratory & pulmonary disorders and growing old age population suffering from respiratory disorders is predicted to fuel the industry growth.
These oxygen concentrators supply oxygen to patients in high concentrations. They are used in treating respiratory diseases like sarcoidosis, fibrosis, bronchitis, asthma, pulmonary hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/449
Product & Technology Trends
Medical Oxygen Concentrators are segmented into two types non-portable and portable. Owing to many advantages, portable equipments contributed greater than 50% of total revenue for 2014. Portable oxygen concentrators segment is predicted to register CAGR of 12.5% and touch $1.3 billion by end of forecast timeframe. The growth of the segment is credited to increasing choice for lightweight portable concentrators which can be used at airports, offices and flights.
On basis of technology, the industry is segmented into two types- continuous flow technology and pulse dose technology. Continuous flow technology dominated the technology segment by contributing about 53.1% of total revenue for 2015. Technological breakthroughs have resulted in new product innovation of this segment. Further, growing occurrence of continual breathing problems and current utilization of respiratory device for oxygen treatments is further set to influence the industry growth.
Pulse dose technology offers patients with ease of use, enhanced efficacy and high mobility. The technology is widely utilized for portable oxygen concentrators and is reliable & safe as pulse dose instrument is fitted with sensor having ability to identify the next inhalation. It is predicted to register CAGR of 11.6% during the forecast period.
Europe Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market Size, by Product, 2012 2023 (USD Million)
Applications Trends
Medical oxygen concentrators are more in demand from non-homecare and home care segments. Home care segment contributed more than 50% of total revenue share for 2014 and is predicted to contribute more than $1.5 billion by end of forecast period. Since COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is generally diagnosed in old & middle aged persons, physicians often recommend oxygen treatments along with home care medical oxygen concentrators. Further, device features like price efficacy, low maintenance cost and constant supply of oxygen to patients is predicted to propel the use of home care oxygen concentrators during the forecast period.
Non-home care medical oxygen concentrators segment is predicted to touch $724 million by end of forecast period. Key factors contributing to expansion of this segment are growing occurrence of COPD along with respiratory ailments like asthma, growing old age population and occupational lung ailments.
Regional Trends
North America is predicted to dominate the global medical oxygen concentrators market with total revenue size surpassing $901 million by end of forecast period. The growth of the industry in the region is credited to the factors like developed home healthcare infrastructure, favorable U.S. compensation policies and high occurrence of respiratory ailments. Further, favorable government policies like presence of FAA (federal aviation administrative) that regulate portable medical oxygen concentrator use during air journey and growing occurrence of COPD owing to unhealthy lifestyle can fuel the industry growth in the region.
UK and Germany contributed more than 61% of the total revenue share of Europe medical oxygen concentrators market in 2015. Growing concerns for supply of pure oxygen and continuously improving compensation policies are predicted to fuel the utilization of l oxygen concentrators in Germany. All these factors will contribute to the industry growth in the region.
APAC medical oxygen concentrator market is predicted to register CAGR of 12.6% during forecast timeframe. Large patient pool, growing disposable incomes of patients and enhanced healthcare infrastructure are predicted to contribute to the industry expansion in the region.
Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/449
Competitive Trends
Key industry players profiled in the report include Nidek Medical Products Incorporation, AirSep Corporation, DeVilbiss Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, Teijin Limited, Covidien Limited, O2 Concepts, Inogen Incorporation, Innova Labs Incorporation and Invacare Corporation.
Mergers & acquisition is a key business strategy implemented by industry players to reduce competition and maintain their industry domination.
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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.
TheVirginia Society of Certified Public Accountants(VSCPA) announced this week the launch ofLEAD (Learn, Engage, Advocate, Drive), a new initiative looking give professionals the proper resources to develop into future leaders.
In addition to the VSCPA Leadership Academy, LEAD will offer in-depth seminars, free webinars, leadership tracks at VSCPA conferences, networking events, opportunities for professional writing, the VSCPA mentor program (MentorMatch), and volunteer opportunities.
As older generations contemplate retirement, it becomes more and more important to develop the leadership qualities of younger CPAs to ensure the future of our businesses and our profession," stated VSCPA president & CEO Stephanie Peters. "While much of that must be done at the company and local level, its our job at the VSCPA to provide an infrastructure for training the leaders of the future.
LEAD is designed for CPAs at all stages of their careers, with a particular emphasis on developing the soft skills necessary for today's business world. A competency framework to guide CPAs through LEAD is currently under development, according to the Society.
My career advancement would not have been possible without the leadership skills that were developed from my involvement with the VSCPA," said VSCPA member Bo Garner, CPA, a manager at PBMares in Newport News, per a statement. "Leaders arent made over night, and there is no recipe for a great leader as they come with all different character traits and competencies. However, there are certain skills that all leaders should have and which I was given the opportunity to develop and refine through my involvement with the VSCPA and the LEAD Initiative.
For more on LEAD and the VSCPA, head to the Society's site here.
Jackson Thornton, a CPA firm in Montgomery, Ala., is combining with Brantley, Boucher & Farr LLP, based in the Auburn-Opelika area, expanding Jackson Thorntons presence in Alabama.
The deal takes effect on Sept. 2, 2016. It will increase Jackson Thorntons headcount to more than 200 employees, with six offices across Alabama in addition to Tennessee.
Jackson Thornton ranked 8th on Accounting Todays 2016 Regional Leaders list for the Top Firms in the Gulf Coast region, with $27.33 million in annual revenue. The firm dates back to 1919, while BB&F was founded in 1959.
The addition of BB&F to the Jackson Thornton family gives our existing clients in East Alabama even greater access to our professionals and services, said Jackson Thornton president and managing principal Ned Sheffield in a statement. At the same time, it gives our new clients a depth of experience and resources they havent had before.
BB&F managing partner Steve Boucher said that joining Jackson Thornton would put his firms clients in a great position to expand. Our mission has always been to develop client relationships based on trust and personal attention, he added. Jackson Thornton has the same philosophy, while providing hundreds of years of collective experience, and we look forward to enhancing our practice together.
IMGCAP(1)]Its official: Client Accounting Services has come into its own. This once ho-hum commodity has evolved into a promising service line with solid value for clients and strong upside potential for accounting firms.
One of the most accomplished practitioners in this space is Ian McBane, a partner in the Business Support & Outsourcing Group at Moore Stephens, the London-based global accountancy and advisory network. In just over five years, Ian and his team have grown an impressive CAS practice with clients from across the U.K. and the world.
The case for Client Accounting Services was articulated persuasively by tech consultant and author Geoffrey Moore.
His groundbreaking research led Moore to conclude several years ago that, In the past, major barriers to productivity made [Client] Accounting Services a low-margin activity that was unattractive to pursue. Today, the cloud and other digital tools have knocked down those barriers. And much as Moore anticipated, CAS has become a high-growth, high-profitability line of business.
BACK-OFFICE TAKES CENTER STAGE
About five years ago Ian, the partner in charge of the Moore Stephens London Business Support & Outsourcing Group, launched an initiative to provide back-office solutions for businesses within the United Kingdom. He initially targeted legacy clients of the firm, chiefly those in the mid-market range.
Ian determined that about 10 staff members were already doing client services work, and convinced his managing partner that these individuals could become a cohesive, specialized team.
He analyzed available resources, including skills, expertise and software, and aligned them with three targeted market segments: real estate, technology and financial services. Next steps included creating a five-year strategic plan and standardized best practices to ensure consistency across clients, industries and countries.
The teams mission was to deliver cloud-based, streamlined services in keeping with market conditions and the needs of buyer groups. In some cases staff members were embedded at client sites. Early adopters of the service included a number of inbound U.S. and European companies seeking to establish operations in the U.K., and a marquee London real estate development business that, while successful, lacked the sophisticated processes and systems it needed for sustained growth.
IMPRESSIVE GROWTH
Before long the BSO Group was regularly winning outbound engagements from clients across the continent, including many with no previous ties to Moore Stephens. To meet the needs of those clients, the 10-member BSO team has grown five-fold, providing not only back-office services and payroll reporting, but turnkey outsourced accounting for large global companies and their European subsidiaries. Services have expanded to include business intelligence, analytics, dashboards and key performance indicators, as well as HR and financial compliance.
According to Ian, the cloud has changed everything, literally altering the shape of the service itself. Clients have easy access to documents and reports, and communication between the firm and the client is two-way and 24/7.
Not 10 years into the initiative, Moore Stephens international outsourcing department has won business in more than 30 countries, providing accounting, management reporting, payroll and advisory services for companies doing business in the global marketplace, even those with a very small footprint.
An example is a European firm that seeks to establish a presence in Zambia, with just one staff member on-site. Moore Stephens can provide turnkey accounting, payroll, audit, tax, and other services for the new subsidiary, as well as business intelligence and compliance with local regulations. Ian describes the deliverables as integrated CFO services that permit a client company to avoid expending significant resources on local financial service providers.
ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL
Timely technology, a strategic vision and focused execution helped Ian McBane turn a good idea into a $15 million practice. For Moore Stephens BSO Group, the cloud serves not only as an efficient, borderless data warehouse, but also as a digital engine fueling international outsourced solutions at business locations across the world.
Thought leader Geoffrey Moore had it right when he predicted that a Web-based Client Accounting Services practice would allow CPA firms to move away from write-up, transactional work and give clients what they most need high-value, forward-looking business analysis from a trusted advisor.
Gale Crosley, CPA, consults with accounting firms on revenue growth. Reach her at gcrosley@crosleycompany.com.
(Bloomberg) Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said hes confident the iPhone maker will win a court fight against this weeks European Union decision forcing it to pay Ireland vast tax arrears, as Prime Minister Enda Kenny struggled to unite his government behind an appeal.
The European Commission ruled that Apple must pay as much as 13 billion euros ($14.5 billion) plus interest after Ireland illegally slashed the companys tax bill, in a record crackdown on fiscal loopholes. The final amount payable could be as much as $19 billion, Irish officials said.
The decision is maddening and disappointing, Cook said in an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE, aired on Thursday. I have faith the right outcome will occur.
While the worlds richest company vowed to fight a ruling that it benefited from selective tax treatment, the Irish government has yet to make a final decision. The cabinet will resume talks about an appeal tomorrow, as members of his alliance seek more details on the case. Kenny is propped up by a number of independent lawmakers from the left and right.
Junior Minister
One of those lawmakers, John Halligan, said parliament should be recalled to discuss an appeal of the decision. Now a junior minister in government, he said that while Apple should have paid more tax, its arrangements werent illegal. Given the biggest parties in parliament support an appeal, a vote in the legislature would almost certainly back one.
I dont think it should destabilize the government, Halligan said in an interview with RTE.
The EU courts have the power to cut or overturn repayment orders if they find fault with the commissions methodology during the appeals process. But such challenges can take years to complete, meaning that the final sum Apple may have to pay wont be known until then. The money clawed back can be held in escrow pending a ruling.
The case may take as much as five years before it is completely settled, Dublin law firm McCann FitzGerald said in a report.
Based on recent experience, an initial appeal to the EUs General Court is likely to take two to three years to be decided, it said. If this appeal is successful, the European Commission will almost certainly appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union, which would likely take a further two years to make a final ruling on the matter.
The EUs focus on past taxes is unbelievable, Cook said, adding that it was fair to have a discussion about the companys future tax liabilities.
Cook likened the companys relationship with Ireland to a 37-year-old marriage. The two have gone through potholes, but we stuck together.
Glenfiddich partners with NDTV Good Times for a short series: The MAVERICKS. Hosted by the elegant eloquent Rahul Khanna, this three-part series will begin on 3 rd September 2016 at 10.00pm on NDTV Good Times, with subsequent episodes being aired on 10th and 17th September. The series brings to life the story of the maverick whisky makers of the Dufftown, from the Scottish Highlands. Whisky-making is the essence of Dufftown, and the worlds most award-winning single malt Scotch whisky comes from this little vibrant area.
A maverick in himself Rahul Khanna takes us through the story of legends who have introduced single malt whisky to the world. Set in quaint and picturesque Dufftown, the series begins from the Valley of the Deer, on the banks of the River Fiddich, where the founder William Grant nurtured a dream to make the best dram in the valley. This is where Glenfiddich got its name from.
Rahul takes the viewers through the journey of the William Grant and Gordon family into making Glenfiddich as the finest whisky the world has ever known. This traces the innovation and the pioneering outlook which this successful family run business embodies along with its contemporary global orientation that salutes the true maverick spirit the world over. The show was unveiled over an exclusive gathering at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi.
Rahul Khanna, Bollywood actor said that The humble origin of Glenfiddich is certainly awe inspiring for me since nobody would have ever thought that a small and quaint setting such as Dufftown would become an important part of the global whisky map. Additionally, this experience has left me richer not only in knowledge and appreciation for Glenfiddich, but also in spirit as it was a privilege to be a part of this exciting series. Whisky fans will certainly love to watch this carefully written story of the Mavericks of Dufftown
Shweta Jain, Head of Marketing at William Grant & Sons said, Glenfiddich has always been at the forefront of innovation; recognized as both the worlds most awarded single malt and the brand that challenged the norm by taking single malt beyond Scotlands borders to create the category as it is known today. With this extraordinary series The Mavericks on NDTV Good Times, Glenfiddich brings to fore the amazing story of evolution of Malts and the various fascinating details that go into making the most valued spirit in the world & very much so in India
Mitsubishi Electric India pledged its support for Vanamahotsava 2016-17 with its employees taking up a tree plantation drive in Pune today. The company joined hands with Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and planted over 200 trees at Kasarwadi Mahilla Sudhikarana Kendra. The tree plantation initiative is in line with Mitsubishi Electrics global campaign Eco Changes for a Greener Tomorrow
"Vanamahotsav 2016-17 is an afforestation initiative of the Government of Maharashtra to plant two crore trees in the year 2016-17. Mitsubishi Electric India came forward to support this government initiative with an objective to sensitize its employees towards their importance of tree plantation. Employees working at Mitsubishi Electric Indias Pune facility on Telco Road came together to plant trees of species like Peepal, Raintee, Banyan and Neem in the allocated space. Mitsubishi Electric India has been doing plantation and beatification work since 2014 on TELCO Road.
Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Makoto Yokoyama, Director and Division Manager, Factory Automation and Industrial Division, Mitsubishi Electric India said, It is endearing to see employees actively participating in this initiative. If every individual plants at least one tree, it will be a major step towards protecting our environment. We are more than happy in doing our bit and would like to thank the PCMC staff for this opportunity and their support.
In 2021, which is only 5 years from now, Mitsubishi Electric will celebrate its 100th Anniversary. The Mitsubishi Electric Group has established Environmental Vision 2021 to contribute to the development of a sustainable society. Environmental Vision 2021 is the long-term environmental management vision of the Mitsubishi Electric Group. With the guideline of making positive contributions to the earth and its people through technology and action, the Company is working toward the realization of a sustainable society utilizing wide-ranging and sophisticated technologies as well as the promotion of proactive and ongoing actions by our employees. The Vision sets 2021 as its target year, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Mitsubishi Electric's founding.
The tree plantation programme is an extension of Mitsubishi Electrics philanthropic activity which is in line with the companys aim to be a global leading green company, making lasting contributions to every society in which it operates including India.
ATLANTA, Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive, a leading provider of digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions across the automotive industry, today announced that Shane O'Dell has been named President, Financial Solutions. As President, O'Dell will oversee one of the industry's leading financial companies, NextGear Capital, servicing more than 23,000 dealers across North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Shane O'Dell will report to Mark O'Neil, Chief Operating Officer of Cox Automotive and will begin his new role effective October 1. O'Dell will be relocating to Carmel, Ind.
"Shane is a proven leader at NextGear Capital and his focus on the needs of our customers will further strengthen the Financial Solutions team at Cox Automotive and its focus on service excellence," said Mark O'Neil, Chief Operating Officer at Cox Automotive. "Shane's deep knowledge and expertise in the financial industry will be an asset to our company, partners and customers."
O'Dell currently serves as the senior vice president of Vehicle Solutions at Manheim responsible for setting and executing key business strategies around Manheim's third-party logistics, including vehicle transportation, reconditioning, imaging, purchase protection and inspections in addition to focusing on Ready Logistics, the company's transportation company. Prior to joining Manheim, O'Dell was Chief Operating Officer for NextGear Capital, overseeing the execution of day-to-day operating activities and providing strategic direction on revenue growth and risk mitigation. O'Dell was one of the founding members of Dealer Services Corporation (DSC) in 2005 and became chief operating officer in 2010, which was later merged with Manheim Financial Services to become NextGear Capital in 2013.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to come back and lead the Financial Solutions team at Cox Automotive and continue to develop products and solutions to help dealers with their financial and inventory needs and be a partner in helping them achieve success," said O'Dell.
About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader, Dealer.com, Dealertrack, Kelley Blue Book, Manheim, NextGear Capital, vAuto, Xtime and a host of other brands. The global company has 33,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 60,000 employees. Cox Enterprises' other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.
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SOURCE Cox Automotive
Taxpayers Footing $50,000 Bill While Rancher Pays Pennies to Graze Cattle on Public Lands
The State of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is once again spending huge sums of state taxpayer money to exterminate a wolf pack in Eastern Washington, in order to spare a private ranchers cattle while grazing on publicly-owned lands, according to Oliver Starr, a leading wolf advocate and activist with Good Wolf.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006126/en/
Aerial Wolf Kills: At What Cost? (Graphic: Business Wire)
Although the rancher only pays $2.11 per cow-calf pair for access to federal public lands, the state will spend in excess of $50,000 to hire hunters and pilots, ferry supplies, and charter aircraft in an attempt to take out an entire wolf pack.
WFDW is a big spender in eastern Washington when it comes to wolf kills. In 2012, it spent $77,000 of taxpayer money to take out all but two of the 8-member Wedge family of wolves. In 2014, it spent $58,000 to kill just one member the breeding female of the Huckleberry wolf pack family. Now it is upping its game, seeking to take out all 11 members of the Profanity Peak wolf family.
WFDW has a history of sparing no expense to take out wolves that dispersed naturally from the northern Rockies and British Columbia back to their native habitats in eastern Washington, said Oliver Starr, a leading wolf advocate and activist. Once again the agency is spending tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to shoot wolves from expensive helicopters, while the private rancher they seek to protect is paying pennies per day to graze his cattle on our lands lands owned by all the taxpayers.
For the same amount of money, the State of Washington could fund more than 16,000 school lunches for kids, or buy more than 100 laptops for schools. Instead, taxpayer money is being diverted to a murderous program that produces no long-lasting result, subsidizes the ranchers, and raises moral and ethical questions regarding cruelty to animals. Im calling on all Washington taxpayers to stand up to WFDW and put a stop to this expensive and senseless plan, said Starr.
Governments can lose sight of the need to justify their expenses in terms that taxpayers find reasonable, and this is certainly one of those cases, said Eric Gillespie, a government spending expert and CEO of Govini, the leading business intelligence provider for the public sector. When government agencies behave as though money is of no concern, or citizens suspect their tax receipts are enriching special interests at the expense of the public good, trouble usually follows. People rightfully expect that every tax dollar will be spent efficiently, fairly, and to serve the interests of all, especially when the economy is anemic and government budgets are tight."
Please contact members of Washingtons Congressional Delegation and urge them to stop wolf kills in Washington. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (5th District): 202-225-2006; Dan Newhouse (4th District): 202-225-5816; Dave Reichert (8th District): 202-225-7761; Suzan DelBene (1st District): 202-225-6311
To learn more, please contact Oliver Starr at oliver@owstarr.com or 310-779-9816
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901006126/en/
Good Wolf
Oliver Starr, 310-779-9816
oliver@owstarr.com
Elanix Biotechnologies AG (FSE: ELN), a developer of tissue regeneration products, announced today to enter in the next more operative intensive stage. In the past months the following key events took place:
1) June 20, 2016 Tomas Svoboda becomes sole Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Elanix Biotechnologies AG after being CEO of the private Swiss based Elanix entities since their inception in 2013.
Mr. Svoboda joins Elanix with +30 years in life science industry, working in medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics, drug delivery, contract engineering and e-health in 6 different countries. Following, over 16 years working in international life science corporations (Serono, Haemonetics, Boston Scientific), Mr. Svoboda moved in year 2000 into an entrepreneurial environment where he co-founded and/or managed 5 medical device start-ups but also participated in executive-in-residence assignments for several medical corporations.
2) June - August 2016 - Elanix completed 2 capital increases totalling EUR 1,5 Mio at large through placing assigned number of shares to 3 qualified investors. The secured funds allow to enlarge the team and scale up sales activities as well territorial expansion of cell-tech OTC ointments.
3) August 29 2016 - Elanix completed hiring of four additional life science professionals for its Swiss Headquarters in Nyon. The team that will move in new offices before end of September will be pursuing the execution of agreed business plan and commercial activities through 3 distinct business units - OTC (Over the Counter), TEP (Tissue Engineering Products) and CaaS (cells as a service).
"Elanix is entering an exciting new stage of corporate development and growth following the reverse merger onto the Frankfurt Stock Exchange from last December. Our key focus will be in helping to grow the company by executing its business plan around 3 product categories. We plan to establishing cooperation and partnership agreements with third parties around the world to meet our ambitious sales, distribution and development objectives with our cell technology platform in order to treat or save ever more patients." stated Mr. Svoboda.
Elanix Biotechnologies (Frankfurt: ELN) develops and commercializes tissue regeneration products for acute wound care, dermatological and gynecological applications, and provides services in cell technologies. The company was founded in 2013 as a spin-out from the University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Switzerland, to commercialize a patented progenitor cell technology. Progenitor cells are fully differentiated yet immunologically neutral cells that are very potent inducers of tissue growth and healing. Elanix owns GMP certified Master and Working cell banks with vast quantities of cells of different cell types.
The Company is headquartered in Nyon, Switzerland with offices in Potsdam and listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange under the symbol ELN. For more information and updates, visit www.elanix-biotechnologies.com.
Disclaimer / Forward-looking statements:
This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Elanix Biotechnologies AG. This announcement does not contain or constitute an offer of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, securities to any person in the United States of America (the "United States"), Australia, Canada or Japan or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. The securities referred to in this announcement will not be and have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements under the U.S. Securities Act. Subject to certain exceptions, the securities referred to in this announcement may not be offered or sold in Australia, Canada or Japan, or to, or for the account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada or Japan. The offer and sale of the securities referred to in this announcement has not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or under the applicable securities laws of Australia, Canada or Japan. There will be no public offer of the securities in the United States.
This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Language: English Company: Elanix Biotechnologies AG c/o Rechtsanwalt Hr. Torsten Cejka, Domstrasse 22 14482 Potsdam Germany ISIN: DE000A0WMJQ4 WKN: A0WMJQ Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (General Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160901005544/en/
Press Contact:
Elanix Biotechnologies AG
investor.relations@elanix.ch
Tomas Svoboda,
+49 331 74 00 804
tomas.svoboda@elanix.ch
LONDON, Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerging Opportunities in African BPO Markets : Innovation Boosts Growth in Key African Countries
This research service provides an analysis of the BPO market across Africa, with Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, and Nigeria as the scope. The study includes market insights, overview of strategies of leading providers, regulatory considerations, economic impact assessment of the BPO market in these 5 countries, and a comparison with global trends. It also provides a supply and demand analysis and market composition by local and international BPO providers. Other aspects are utilisation of BPO services in key industry verticals, key companies utilising the services, a breakdown of customer interaction channels, strategic insights on the role of innovation in market growth, and a brief look into the BPO market's future.
Market Definitions
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
The contracting of a specific business task to a third-party service provider that specialises in that particular task is known as BPO. BPO is further divided into back-office and front-office outsourcing.
o Back office outsourcing: This includes internal business support functions such as billing, purchasing, accounting, or payroll activities.
o Front office outsourcing: This includes customer-related services such as marketing, technical support, and sales that are typically provided by a contact centre
Nearshoring
Nearshoring is a form of outsourcing whereby businesses outsource services to BPO providers located in countries that are in close proximity. Businesses are increasingly opting for nearshore outsourcing in order to benefit from similar time zones, closer cultural affinity, more face-to-face interactions, reduced travel costs, higher efficiencies, and increased flexibility.
Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4062666/
About Reportbuyer
Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers
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For more information:
Sarah Smith
Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com
Email: query@reportbuyer.com
Tel: +44 208 816 85 48
Website: www.reportbuyer.com
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SOURCE ReportBuyer
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmers Insurance, one of the nation's largest multiline insurer groups, today announced the launch of an innovative food truck insurance policy in Texas, marking the company's first official foray into the growing food truck insurance marketplace. Through its new offering, Farmers has begun to offer licensed food truck owners a single policy that combines commercial automobile coverage for their truck with a restaurant business owner policy.
Texas is one of the first 16 states where the policy is now available to food truck entrepreneurs and restaurateurs. Over the course of 2016, Farmers will introduce similar food truck package policies in a total of 28 states.
"At Farmers, we understand that consumer preferences and the needs of business owners are constantly evolving, and we are continuously looking for new ways to meet these changing demands for our customers," said Jake Rothfuss, head of business insurance for commercial auto at Farmers Insurance. "The increased popularity of food trucks is an example of the impact of shifting consumer preferences and it's important for Farmers to be able to provide our business owner customers with the insurance they want to continue to be successful in this constantly changing economy."
The innovative Farmers food truck policy will offer food truck owners the option to obtain coverage for their truck or a truck attached to the stand-alone store. Currently, food truck owners are often left to work with a complex mixture of separate policies, including commercial auto, business owner and restaurant policies provided by different insurers. By combining these disparate coverages into a single food truck policy, mobile food entrepreneurs now have the option to select one policy for their food business on wheels.
With this new policy offering, Farmers aims to solve the growing need for a single food truck policy that combines the elements of a restaurant, business owner and commercial auto policy into one.
Farmers is making it simple for food truck owners to quickly and easily select the coverage they want by calling their local Farmers agent. Additionally, food truck entrepreneurs currently insured with other carriers can contact Farmers at the following toll-free number: 1-800-FARMERS, as well as visit Farmers.com to learn more about this innovative coverage through Farmers.
About Farmers Insurance
"Farmers Insurance" and "Farmers" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with over 19 million individual policies, across all 50 states, through the efforts of more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 21,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurance insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2016 Fortune 500 list.
For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.
Contact: Farmers Insurance
Media Relations
(818) 965-0007
mediarelations@farmersinsurance.com
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SOURCE Farmers Insurance
Fitch Ratings has assigned a 'B' Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating to Nacion Seguros S.A. (Nacion Seguros). The Rating Outlook is Stable.
KEY RATING DRIVERS
Nacion Seguros S.A.'s rating reflects Fitch's expectation that the company would receive support from its parent, Banco de la Nacion Argentina (BNA), should the need arise. This view is a result of the insurance company's strategic importance to the banking group, high level of management and operational integration, and strong synergies with its parent. It also reflects the fact that any required support would be immaterial relative to the ability of BNA to provide it, given the relatively small size of the insurance operations. BNA is one of the largest banks in the country, and together with its insurance subsidiaries, plays an important social role while supporting the government's policies. Fitch rates Argentina's Long-Term Foreign Currency IDR at 'B'/Stable Outlook.
As of March 2016, Nacion Seguros' leverage (net liabilities/equity) reached 2.5x, which is lower than the Argentine industry average of 3.8x, partly reflecting its focus on short-term liabilities. Similarly, operating leverage (earned retained premiums/equity) is also relatively limited at 1.9x, reflecting the conservative policy of retaining total annual net income to strengthen the capital base.
The company focuses on insurance segments targeting the mass market, such as auto insurance and group life insurance, which, as of March 2016, represented 53% of written premiums, followed by technical and fire segments, which made up 34% of total written premiums. The company benefits significantly from its relationship with BNA, which has an extended branch network throughout the country.
Nacion Seguros posted positive results of ARS584 million as of March 2016, a 59% increase over the previous period. The positive net results were driven by the financial income earned on investments, reflected in a combined ratio of 102.1% and an operating ratio of 67.9%. As of March 2016, the entity exhibited a highly competitive return on both equity and assets of 51.4% and 14.4%, respectively.
Due to local regulations that restrict investments outside the country and in foreign currency, the investment portfolio is concentrated in local securities denominated in Argentine pesos. As of March 2016 the investment portfolio remains highly concentrated in government securities, which correlate its investment risk with Argentina's sovereign risk.
Nacion Seguros has a meaningful market share within the Argentine insurance industry, making up 2.8% of the premiums as of March 2016. The company is one of the leaders in auto, group life, fire, and technical insurance branches. In addition, the company benefits from the brand name of the parent locally, which supports its positioning in the industry.
As of March 2016, the company had ceded 32.7% of its premiums (primarily technical and fire insurance premiums) to Nacion Reaseguro S.A., presenting a maximum catastrophic loss severity limited at 0.2% of its capital. In Fitch's opinion the reinsurance coverage is adequate, though concentrated in only one reinsurer.
RATING SENSITIVITIES
The Outlook is Stable. Any changes in Fitch`s evaluation of BNA's capacity and/or its willingess to support Nacion Seguros, would result in changes to the insurer's ratings.
Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'
Applicable Criteria
Global Bank Rating Criteria (pub. 15 Jul 2016)
https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/884135
Insurance Rating Methodology (pub. 17 May 2016)
https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/881564
Additional Disclosures
Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1011103
Solicitation Status
https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1011103
Endorsement Policy
https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31
ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.
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Fitch Ratings
Primary Analyst
Esin Celasun
Director
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Regulatory News:
CARMAT (Paris:ALCAR) (FR0010907956, ALCAR), the designer and developer of the worlds most advanced artificial heart project, aiming to provide a therapeutic alternative for people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, today announces the appointment of Stephane Piat as the Companys new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2016.
Stephane Piat is an acknowledged specialist in the medical device business, particularly in the field of cardiology. An Economics & Marketing graduate, he has spent most of his career in major Life Sciences companies such as Johnson & Johnson Cordis (2002-2007), where he notably led the commercial launch of the worlds first active stent that became a global blockbuster (generating revenue of $2.6 billion in 2006). In 2007, Stephane Piat joined the Abbott groups cardiology division as General Manager of Abbott Vascular Mid-Size Europe. In 2009, he was appointed General Manager EMEA of the activity resulting from Abbotts acquisition of Evalve. He notably successfully headed the clinical and commercial development of a new interventional cardiology product, Mitraclip. Prior to joining CARMAT, Stephane Piat was Division Vice President, Global Market Development, within Abbott Vasculars Structural Heart division in San Francisco.
Jean-Claude Cadudal, Chairman of CARMATs Board of Directors, comments: We are delighted to welcome Stephane, a highly experienced manager in interventional cardiology, as CARMATs new Chief Executive Officer, at a time when CARMAT is entering a new stage of its development. The Board of Directors is convinced that Stephane Piat has the experience and necessary leadership, as well as the professional recognition of the key opinion leaders, to steer the Company towards clinical, industrial and commercial success. The Board of Directors would like to welcome him and ensure him that he has our full support in carrying out his mission.
Stephane Piat, CEO of CARMAT, adds: It is with enthusiasm that I have accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer of CARMAT, a French company whose immeasurable contribution to the global issue that is end-stage heart failure has been clearly established. Having worked in various senior positions in the cardiovascular domain, I can but admire CARMATs technological breakthrough. I firmly believe that, with CARMATs cutting-edge teams and the collaboration of leading clinicians in Europe and the United States, we will with the trust of its shareholders drive this company towards the lasting success it deserves.
About CARMAT: the worlds most advanced total artificial heart project
A credible response to end-stage heart failure: CARMAT aims to eventually provide a response to a major public health issue associated with heart disease, the worlds leading cause of death: chronic and acute heart failure. By pursuing the development of its total artificial heart, CARMAT intends to overcome the well-known shortfall in heart transplants for the tens of thousands of people suffering from irreversible end-stage heart failure, the most seriously affected of the 20 million patients with this progressive disease in Europe and the United States.
The result of combining two types of unique expertise: the medical expertise of Professor Carpentier, known throughout the world for inventing Carpentier-Edwards heart valves, which are the most used in the world, and the technological expertise of Airbus Group, world aerospace leader.
Imitating the natural heart: given its size, the choice of structural materials and its innovative physiological functions, CARMATs total artificial heart could, assuming the necessary clinical trials are successful, potentially benefit the lives of thousands of patients a year with no risk of rejection and with a good quality of life.
A project leader acknowledged at a European level: with the backing of the European Commission, CARMAT has been granted the largest subsidy ever given to an SME by Bpifrance; a total of 33 million.
Strongly committed, prestigious founders and shareholders: Airbus Group (Matra Defense), Professor Alain Carpentier, the Centre Chirurgical Marie Lannelongue, Truffle Capital, a leading European venture capital firm, ALIAD, Air Liquides venture capital investor, CorNovum, an investment holding company held 50-50 by Bpifrance and the French State, the family offices of Pierre Bastid (ZAKA) and of Dr. Antonino Ligresti (Sante Holdings S.R.L.) as well as the thousands of institutional and individual shareholders who have placed their trust in CARMAT.
For more information: www.carmatsa.com
Disclaimer
This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to, shares in CARMAT ("the Company") in any country. This press release contains forwardlooking statements that relate to the Companys objectives. Such forwardlooking statements are based solely on the current expectations and assumptions of the Companys management and involve risk and uncertainties. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, whether the Company will be successful in implementing its strategies, whether there will be continued growth in the relevant market and demand for the Companys products, new products or technological developments introduced by competitors, and risks associated with managing growth. The Companys objectives as mentioned in this press release may not be achieved for any of these reasons or due to other risks and uncertainties.
No guarantee can be given as to any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements, which are subject to inherent risks, including those described in the Document de Reference filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers under number D.16-0221 on March 29, 2016 and changes in economic conditions, the financial markets or the markets in which CARMAT operates. In particular, no guarantee can be given concerning the Companys ability to finalize the development, validation and industrialization of the prosthesis and the equipment required for its use, to manufacture the prostheses, satisfy the requirements of the ANSM, enroll patients, obtain satisfactory clinical results, perform the clinical trials and tests required for CE marking and to obtain the CE mark. CARMAT products are currently exclusively used within the framework of clinical trials.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160831006429/en/
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September 1, 2016
New Mexico Passes Law Against Cops Stealing Your Stuff: Albuquerque Decides It Doesn't Apply To Them
Any person who values due process and fairness will probably have their blood boiling about how things work in Albuquerque.
Nicky Woolf writes for The Guardian:
A woman is suing the city of Albuquerque, claiming it illegally seized her car on only suspicion of a crime, and is seeking to resell it, despite a new state law banning the practice. After her son was arrested in April for drunk driving while at the wheel of her borrowed Nissan Verso, Arlene Harjo, 56, found herself in court being told that she had to transfer ownership of the car to the city, or else settle the case for $4,000 to get it back. But last year, New Mexico governor Susana Martinez signed a bill into law that made the practice, called civil asset forfeiture - under which police forces can confiscate and resell personal property based only on suspicion of its involvement in a crime, whether the owner was involved or not - illegal in New Mexico. However, Albuquerque's city government is choosing to interpret that law as only applying to state, rather than municipal police departments. So Harjo has found herself stuck in a bureaucratic labyrinth in which she is making loan payments on a car as it sits in a government impound. On top of that, if she signs over ownership to the city, for resale, she will still have to keep making loan payments for a car she no longer possesses. "Oh god, it's been a nightmare," Harjo, who works in customer service for Southwest Airlines, said. "I'm losing sleep over it, thinking, 'Oh god I have to pay this loan' and I can't buy another car until I pay this loan off. And then the waiting game, I don't know how long it's going to take." People whose vehicles are impounded are on the hook for $50 for an administrative hearing, and $10 in lot fees for every day their car is in the impound, according to Reason.com, who first reported on Harjo's case. The city made $8.3m from civil asset forfeiture of vehicles alone between 2010 and 2015, according to the Albuquerque Journal, seizing more than 1,000 cars every year.
Harjo is one of the lucky ones, believe it or not, because she has some chance of getting her car back. She's being represented by the Institute for Justice's Robert Everett Johnson. He observed to the reporter from The Guardian:
"The government shouldn't have a financial incentive to take money from innocent people, but they have exactly that incentive."
From IJ:
Arlene Harjo has done nothing wrong. Even the city of Albuquerque acknowledges that she has done nothing wrong. But that fact hasn't stopped city law enforcement officials from attempting to seize her car, sell it, and keep the proceeds. If the city succeeds, Arlene will be left with a $10,000 loan to pay off but no car to drive. The city claims it can take Arlene's car because her son, Tino, asked to borrow her car to drive to the gym in the middle of the day, but then took the car for a day-long trip and was found that evening allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol. Tino was previously arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2009. During her initial hearing contesting the forfeiture, the hearing officer lectured Arlene for trusting her son, despite the fact that it has been seven years since his prior incident. Arlene does not approve of drunk driving; if Tino broke the law, she agrees he should be punished. But she does not see why she should be punished for something she did not do and never condoned. "Arlene is being treated like a criminal, even though she has never even been accused of a crime," said IJ Attorney Robert Everett Johnson. "This is exactly what New Mexico's legislature voted to end when they abolished civil forfeiture last year, and now it has to stop."
When you don't have a lot of money floating around, a problem like this -- losing your vehicle but still having to pay for it -- can upend you and your family in life-ruining ways. You can lose your job (because you can no longer get there) and then end up homeless.
Many people live paycheck to paycheck, and no, the answer isn't sneering, "well, they shouldn't..." -- just in case the government decides to keep thieving from citizens, sans due process, under the color of law.
via @TimCushing
*
Red Flag 16-4: Mad Hatters
F-15E Strikes Eagle from the 492nd Fighter Squadron return from a sortie in support for exercise Red Flag 16-4 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Aug 24, 2016. Red Flag is the Air Forces premier air-to-air combat training exercise and one of a series of advanced training programs that is administered by the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center and executed through the 414th Combat Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew)
A-10 team garners 2015 Roche sustainment excellence award
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers A-10 division at Hill Air Force Base has been honored with the 2015 Dr. James G. Roche Sustainment Excellence Award.
Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, the Air Force Materiel Command commander, presented the award to Dawn Sutton and the A-10 System Program Office on Aug. 31. Sutton leads the team charged with supporting the Air Forces fleet of 283 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs.
Named after Dr. James Roche, a former U.S. Navy officer and the 20th secretary of the Air Force, the award is presented annually to the AFMC aircraft program office with the most improved performance in fleet sustainment during the given fiscal year. Metrics evaluated for the award included aircraft availability, mission capable and cannibalization rates, along with non-mission capable rates for supply and maintenance.
During fiscal year 2015, the A-10 fleet flew nearly 87,000 worldwide flying hours and delivered an aircraft availability rate of 67.9 percent, a 5 percent gain over the previous year. Sutton said the depot maintenance team reduced depot possessed aircraft to the lowest rate in a decade, and field maintenance personnel reduced the rate of aircraft designated not mission capable with maintenance discrepancies by nearly 20 percent to 13.9 percent. During the period, the team also reduced the cost per flying hour over $2,000 to $17,138, AFLCMC officials said.
The maintenance, repair and operational improvements were noted to have taken place while executing A-10 combat operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, as well as a short-notice theater support package in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve to demonstrate U.S. resolve toward security and stability in Eastern Europe.
AF lab investigating microscopic crack formations, metal fatigue
The B-52 Stratofortress is one of the oldest legacy aircraft in the Air Force. Since the 1950s, the B-52 has led the force in its dominance as the worlds best; however, just as humans begin to age, so do aircraft.
Repeated loading and unloading, changes in air pressure, exposure to altitude and more, contribute to what is referred to as metal fatigue, resulting in small, microscopic cracks in engine, wing or tail structures that can have detrimental effects on safety.
Research scientists from the metals branch of the Air Force Research Laboratorys Materials and Manufacturing Directorate understand the critical importance of metal fatigue and aircraft safety. To better address this critical issue, they are studying the earliest stages of crack formation in turbine engine materials in order to alleviate cracks leading to unexpected fatigue failure. Greater understanding of crack origins leads to more effective aircraft inspection procedures, wherein maintenance teams are able to determine metal fatigue at an earlier stage and mitigate the life-limiting effects before they become a safety problem.
The Air Force routinely inspects engine components for cracks, but it is possible to miss microscopically small cracks with current inspection methods. We want to be confident that an undetectable crack does not grow to failure before the next inspection, said Dr. Adam Pilchak, a research scientist in the metals branch. Because crack growth rates can vary considerably depending on how a material is processed, it is important to understand the worst-case scenario that leads to the shortest fatigue lifetime.
Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Pilchak and his team are able to magnify the surfaces of fractured laboratory samples or components taken from aircraft engine surfaces up to 50,000 times to precisely determine where a crack initiated. By studying the details of the crack initiation sites and the material on which cracks form, it is possible to modify the way materials are processed, ultimately improving safety.
Our team is using a novel methodology in SEM to quantify, non-destructively, the cracking mechanisms during early stages of fatigue. The information from these characterizations can help reduce sustainment costs and improve fleet readiness, without compromising safety, said Vikas Sinha, a materials scientist in the metals branch.
Pilchak and his team presented their research during the International Metallographic Contest at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2016, where they were awarded first place for research in electron microscopy as well as the Jacquet-Lucas Award for excellence in metallography.
Studying fatigue in a controlled laboratory setting can really help determine the root cause of a failure in the field, Pilchak said. Ultimately, understanding how cracks initiate and grow can save lives.
Air Force technicians maintaining nuclear reentry vehicle systems will soon have upgraded training simulators to help them succeed in their mission of strategic deterrence.
Thanks to a joint effort between the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and Air Force Global Strike Command, technicians sustaining the Minuteman III weapon system, an intercontinental ballistic missile, will train with simulators that look more like the operational MK12A reentry vehicles they work with daily.
The centers ICBM program office delivered the first two of ten modified MK12A reentry vehicle training simulators to Air Force Global Strike Command in early August. These improved simulators provide a higher fidelity experience for the technicians sustaining the nuclear warheads in the U.S. Air Forces inventory.
With this updated training equipment, our airmen will be better prepared to sustain the MK12A reentry vehicle in the field and perform their strategic nuclear deterrence mission, said Col. Scott Jones, director, ICBM Systems Directorate, AFNWC. Our personnel are proud to deliver these updated simulators because our focus is always on supporting the warfighters.
First developed in 1969 for the MK12 reentry vehicle, the simulators were last modified in 1979 to incorporate the electrical checkout capabilities of the modified MK12A reentry vehicle. Until now, the majority of the training simulators had both outdated MK12 and operational MK12A capabilities, while some had the original MK12 capabilities.
In 2015, the Lockheed Martin Company was awarded a contract to modify all of the reentry vehicle training simulators to make them look and operate more like todays operational MK12A. With these updates, airmen can perform higher fidelity training to gain proficiency, check the vehicles final assembly, and check the reentry systems targeting function.
The successful delivery of these simulators is a good example of our commitment to ensuring the highest standards are met for our nuclear weapons systems, said Maj. Gen. Scott Jansson, AFNWC commander and Program Executive Officer for Strategic Systems.
At the conclusion of the contract on Nov. 30, 2016, the three operational Minuteman III wings at Malmstrom AFB, Montana; F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and Minot AFB, North Dakota, as well as a test flight unit at Vandenberg AFB, California, and a training unit at Sheppard AFB, Texas, will have fully functional, updated MK12A reentry-vehicle training simulators.
The nearly 500 personnel in the centers ICBM Systems Directorate are responsible for the lifecycle management of the current Minuteman III and future ICBM weapons systems. Located at Hill AFB, Utah, this directorate develops, acquires and supports silo-based ICBMs, as well as provides logistics support to the warfighters. It has operating locations at Vandenberg AFB, F.E. Warren AFB, Malmstrom AFB, and Minot AFB.
The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center is headquartered at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, where it synchronizes all aspects of nuclear materiel management as part of the Air Force Materiel Command and in direct support of the Air Force Global Strike Command. It has about 1,000 people at 18 locations worldwide.
Doctor keeps Yellow Ribbon in his handbag
Lt. Col. Charles Powell was twice as old as some of his classmates when he went to officers training at age 49. He has had a busy career as an Air Force Reserve flight doctor in the ensuing seven years and recently returned from his third deployment.
Ill always look back on this period of my life and say, I got to serve my country, I was blessed with the opportunity, and I will never have any regrets, said Powell, a member of the 931st Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, and a physician as a civilian.
Powell and his wife, Angeli, attended Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program training Aug 26-28 in Southern California. Yellow Ribbon promotes the well-being of reservists and their loved ones by connecting them with resources before and after deployments.
The Powells have been to previous Yellow Ribbon events and found them helpful. After the doctor completed his second deployment, he and his wife realized they were having reintegration issues and learned how to deal with them through Yellow Ribbon, which began in 2008 following a congressional mandate for the Department of Defense to assist reservists and National Guard members in maintaining resiliency as they transition between their military and civilian roles.
Adjusting to our schedule as a couple as opposed to just worrying about my schedule was a challenge we had to deal with, he said. I thought I possessed all the tools anyone would ever need to reintegrate perfectly.
The couple said they recommend that anyone who is eligible to attend Yellow Ribbon should do so before and after deployments to learn about resources available to them.
At last weekends training, the Powells said they appreciated the advice from the events keynote speaker, Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brig. Gen. Steven A. Schaick, who encouraged attendees to be generous, be positive and be satisfied.
Powell first looked into joining the military when he was in his late 30s but assumed he was too old based on information he read about age requirements. More than a decade later, he met an Air Force recruiter at In His Image Family Residency medical training facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Powell is the associate residency director. The GI informed him that exceptions were made for qualified physicians. Powell applied and was accepted.
The doctor said his passion for helping others drove him to pursue a career in medicine and an officers commission. He said becoming a reservist is one of the best decisions he ever made.
I have this opportunity to serve my country, he said. Not everyone gets (that).
Air Force celebrates 60 years of the KC-135
The Air Force celebrated the 60th birthday of the KC-135 Stratotanker Aug. 31. The first Stratotanker flew in August of 1956 and was later delivered to the Air Force in June 1957.
The first KC-135 was delivered to the 93rd Air Refueling Squadron, which was assigned at Castle Air Force Base, California, at the time, but has since been relocated to Fairchild AFB.
The aircraft was originally used to support bombers of the Strategic Air Command. The midair refueling capabilities allowed fighter missions to spend hours on the front lines, rather than a few minutes, which was usually due to the limited size of fuel tanks in the fighters.
In short order, KC-135s became the backbone of SAC, enabling our bomber force to maintain the peace because of its deterrence capability, said Jim OConnell, a 92nd Air Refueling Wing historian.
SAC had the KC-135 in service from 1957 to 1992. Following the inactivation the command in 1992, most KC-135s were reassigned to the newly created Air Mobility Command.
Despite being called the B-52s Flying Fuel Station, the KC-135 has made an impact locally as well as on the world stage, OConnell said. The first KC-135 to be assigned to Fairchild (AFB) arrived on Feb. 21, 1958, and went on to make its mark on the world by establishing eight world records in September of that year.
A few of the records broken include: most distance covered in a closed-circuit without refueling, highest speed for 2,000 km (1,242 miles) and highest speed for 5,000 km (3,106 miles).
In 2001 the first KC-135 with the new Multi-Point Refueling System, which included refueling pods on each wingtip, along with the boom, allowed refueling of any type of aircraft on any mission.
Fourteen years later, another upgrade to the aircraft was made, and Fairchild AFB received its first aircraft modified with the Block 45 communications, navigation and surveillance and air traffic management upgrade.
Since 1958, the tankers of the 92nd and 141st ARWs have supported everything from aeromedical evacuations, command and control, airlift missions, treaty enforcement and overseas contingency fighter and bomber missions.
The KC-135 and its air refueling mission has been the cornerstone in nearly every contingency and humanitarian operation around the world, OConnell said. As a testament to the incredible maintenance and support teams, it will likely continue to do so for many years to come.
Colorado stands in for Afghanistan during pilot training
The beautiful vistas and rugged mountainscapes of Colorado and Afghanistan are so similar that training for warfighting in one is done in the other.
The 81st Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, spent two weeks at Peterson AFB training six Afghan Air Force pilots to fly A-29 Super Tucano. The pilots are participating in a program that began in 2015 and will ultimately train 30 pilots and 90 maintainers through 2018. Most training takes place at Moody AFB, but the areas geography doesnt replicate Afghanistan.
Colorado Springs is a good fit in simulating conditions the pilots will face back home in Afghanistan, said Lt. Col. Ryan Cleveland, the director of operations for the 81st FS. The mean elevation for Afghanistan is 6,181 feet and 6,800 feet for Colorado, making Peterson AFB a match for high-density altitude training.
The half-dozen Afghanistan Air Force pilots currently in training represent roughly the halfway point in the program. Experienced Afghan pilots who want to fly the A-29 are selected for the program and after completing language school they enter the training phase for 12-14 months. At the end of training they return home and fly the exact aircraft they trained with, Cleveland said.
The A-29 is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency, close air support, and aerial reconnaissance missions. Twenty of the aircraft will be delivered to the Afghan Air Force by 2018. The first close air support missions carried out by U.S. trained Afghan A-29 pilots took place in April 2016.
Practice and training sessions are carried out in southern Colorado utilizing the Airburst Military Operations Area and the Two Buttes MOA.
We want to say thank you to Peterson for the hospitality, Cleveland said. Its great that they gave us space to work in and (they are) sharing their air space.
The recent training visit in Colorado Springs is the third time the 81st FS used the base to meet the specific needs required to successfully train pilots from Afghanistan.
Misawa Airmen medically assist Sri Lankans during Pacific Angel
Patient care is crucial in a country with minimal accessibility to hospitals due to lengthy commutes and no means to travel to these locations.
Operation Pacific Angel 16-3 had two health services operation sites to better enable local nationals in remote areas the opportunity to receive medical care.
Although the main reason of Pacific Angel was to provide medical care, the professionals who volunteered their time to make an impact also received an opportunity they could have never imagined.
"I think this was one of those life-changing events for all of us," said Capt. Brooke Kibel, a 35th Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometrist. "Personally, it was amazing to see everyone come together from all different nations to successfully help the people of Sri Lanka and strengthen our military ties."
Jaffna is a very rural town, making it difficult for the locals to make the long commutes for medical treatment.
Out here in the rural areas of Sri Lanka, people don't have the time and the means to go to a hospital to receive medical care, said Lt. Muhammad Fahil, a Maldives National Defense Force doctor. This generally causes patients to omit going to a hospital, where as when we have a health care camp here, patients can come without any cost to them; they can come here and get their minor elements checked out and treated.
Fahil said providing medical care during Pacific Angel to the people of Sri Lanka in need was a priority.
As medical doctors our main service is to help people, and who needs this care more than people who can't afford it? Fahil said. So in rural areas like this, I get satisfaction that we actually achieve something to make people's lives better.
Pacific Angel provided medical care in four main areas: general health, optometry, dental and physical therapy.
The people of Sri Lanka need the medical care and we have the means to help them, said Staff Sgt. Victoria Campbell, a 154th Hawaii Air National Guard Medical Group medic. Its great were doing this and seeing the look on their faces when they get a new pair of glasses -- theyre radiant and overjoyed. It may not seem like a lot to us but to them its a huge deal.
Fahil described this opportunity as a great experience because there are five different nations working together enabling him to see how every countryman attends to the patient and how they carry out their care, ultimately broadening their viewpoints. He also mentioned how this helps his expertise as a doctor.
This is a huge thing for us and the people, Fahil said. Usually we are at home in the hospital treating our countrymen but coming out here and treating people whore in much more need is an overwhelming satisfaction. Its hard days, its long days but when you go back to the hotel there is the satisfaction of knowing you achieved something amazing.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut criticised the BJP government for its inability to safeguard lives of cops after the murder of traffic cop Vilas Shinde. Raut said that if Shiv Sena was in charge of the Home department then attacks on cops would never have occurred. He added that since Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is also handling the Home portfolio he is unable to oversee its functioning effectively as has to manage several other important work. Therefore Shiv Sena should take charge of the department and it should be headed by a person who can devote more time towards it said Raut. The Sena leader added that CM is the right person to take a decision of divesting the portfolios held by him.
Sanjay Raut said, For averting such incidents mere laws which exist on paper doesnt work and the person heading the ministry should be strong enough to take necessary action. An independent minister must oversee the functioning of the Home department. The attacks against cops have increased nowadays. Even today, people live in awe of the Shiv Sena, whether we are in power or not.
Raut said atrocities against cops in Maharashtra are on the rise and this does not augur well for the state. He said, If such type of assaults are occurring in a city like Mumbai which is known as the financial capital of India then it is unjustified. The common man is already facing huge hardships. However if attacks are occurring on policemen who provide security to people then it is setting a bad precedent in Maharashtra. The morale of police too takes a severe beating if attacks continue against them. Such incidents never used to occur earlier. Today goons are not worried about police and law.
The incident took place on Tuesday last week when the Constable Vilas Shinde (50) from Bandra traffic division was discharging his duty at a petrol pump when he spotted a biker without helmet approaching the petrol pump.
The biker had indulged in a verbal argument with Shinde when he was asked to produce vehicle documents and the license. The biker then called his 21 year old brother and informed him about the incident. The elder brother identified as Ahmed Mohammad Ali Qureshi reached the spot and attacked the constable from behind on the head with a wooden stick.
Shinde then collapsed and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital by his colleagues. He passed away on Wednesday afternoon.
Gernot Erler, the German governments point man on Russia, urged the United Nations on Thursday to seek sanctions against Syria for two chlorine gas attacks on civilians, despite Moscows threat to veto such a measure. The United Nations should prepare clear sanctions, despite the Russian veto threat, Erler told Germanys Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung in an interview.
Moscow is obviously more concerned about being seen as a friend of the criminal Assad regime than in taking joint action and sanctions against this provocative treaty violation, Erler, a member of the Social Democrats, the junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkels coalition, told the newspaper.
An inquiry by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), unanimously authorized by the 15-member Security Council, also found that Islamic State militants used sulfur mustard gas.
The findings are clear, Erler said. He added that Russia needed to decide if it wanted to risk international isolation in this case. Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his war with rebels fighting to topple him, and China have previously protected the Damascus government from Council action by blocking several resolutions, including a bid to refer the conflict in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
The Security Council on Tuesday began to discuss whether to impose sanctions on people or entities linked to two chlorine gas attacks on civilians that the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog blamed on the Syrian government.
The reports results have set the stage for a Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, likely pitting Russia and China against the United States, Britain and France over how to respond.
Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he is prepared to work with the United States on a response, but that first the council members must exchange analyses of the report, which he described as very complicated.
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ore than a million workers in banking, telecom and other sectors will go on strike on Friday to press their demand for better pay and in protest against new labour and investment policies. Banks, government offices and factories will remain closed. In some states, local unions have agreed to join the strike which means public transport could be affected. Trade unions including the All India Trade Unions Congress and Centre of Indian Trade Unions rejected a government appeal to call off the strike, saying it failed to address their demands. They have objected to the government loosening the norms for foreign investment in areas like insurance and defence. They are also opposed to a plan to close loss-making state-run firms. The government aims to raise Rs. 55,907 crore ($8.35 billion) through privatisation this fiscal year, and shut down some companies. Losses at 77 state-run companies exceeded $4 billion or Rs. 26,780 crore in the last fiscal year. Ours is a socialist country by its culture and history and nobody can change that or else there may be mini civil wars. Its time to change from the idea of job protection to the idea of progressive job employment. When there are plenty of job opportunities, everyone will get employment and it will be easier for people to go up the ladder and earn better salaries. In the worst case, one will find an equivalent job in another company. Job protection is farcical illusion. So far, in reality it is dangerous for the employee itself giving nothing in return. In the end, no one can guarantee job protection, not even government employees, if it is not based on reality and money gathering. Collapsing of Communist Economies is bigger example, after they realised, people in large numbers ended up being hungry.
Governments labour reforms are based on the principle of destroying trade unions and save trade corporate, so that they will not hear the voices of trade unions. The trade union strike has been called on because of the Modi governments proposed changes in Labour laws. Strike by millions of workers may bring down public transport to a grinding halt and shut down factories and banking services across several parts of India. Union busting is a pejorative term used by media, labour organizations, and others to describe a wide range of activities undertaken to disrupt or prevent the formation of trade unions. Union busting tactics can refer to both legal and illegal activities, and can range anywhere from subtle to violent. Labour laws differ greatly from country to country in both level and type of regulations in respect to their protection of unions, their organizing activities, as well as other aspects. These laws can affect topics such as posting notices, organizing on or off employer property, solicitations, card signing, union dues, picketing, work stoppages, striking and strikebreaking, lockouts, termination of employment, permanent replacements, automatic recognition and derecognition, ballot elections, and employer-controlled trade unions.
Dynamic job are the jobs where everyone allows stepping up the ladder, improves their earning and make their lives better. The faster we come to the correct logic, the better it will be. A year ago, 10 central trade unions called for the Bharat bandh in support of a 12-point charter demanding higher wages, social security, withdrawal of labour law amendments and an end to privatisation of public sector companies among other things. However, nothing feared the government.
The Union members said that the union has not asked its drivers to join the strike; they voluntarily participated in it. The new laws by the government have been made against the employees so the union members have decided to show their strength to the government. Reforms noise is fine but no commenter or Union wants to say that this shall be the reform. If an employer undertakes to recruit somebody because he can pay, he shall be entitled to remove him if he believes that he cannot pay, off course, with a defined compensation to worker. The fact that the contract/ casual workers outnumber regular workers just because their wages are low is also unfair. Overtime hours, their rates, etc are the leverages which managements use to contain costs. Replacement of labour by higher capacity and more efficient machines is natural and accepted as a principle. We shall not restrict retrenchment because of it. Any organization wants to expand and so would be able to use existing manpower for increasing the volume and by retraining them.
However, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) assuming power in mid-2014, some State governments dared the trade unions by successfully introducing core labour law reforms such as amending Chapter V-B of the ID Act and the Contract Labour Act. The Modi government has sought to send strong signals to global and domestic investors that it would introduce these very core reforms at the national level, and has hence floated codes on wages, industrial relations and other issues. The trade unions have criticised these reform initiatives. The presence of BMS till the penultimate moment bolstered their morale and embarrassed the Centre. The demands largely cover issues concerning labour flexibility, enhanced labour rights including better minimum wages, opposition to unilateral reform measures and to foreign direct investment. The inter-ministerial committee headed by the finance minister has held talks with the trade unions. The NDA government has reportedly given an assurance on meeting seven of the 12 demands, such as raising minimum wages and bonus eligibility limits, creating a social security net for contract workers and holding a social dialogue before effecting reforms. Appeased by these statements, BMS withdrew from the strike. They are prepared to give six months to the government for execution of promises, before reviewing their position.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
Japan is hoping the lure of deeper economic ties with Russia will strengthen strategic relations in the face of a rising China, but sceptics question whether the approach will generate a breakthrough in a decades-old territorial dispute.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a business conference in Vladivostok to discuss, among other things, closer economic cooperation in such areas as energy and technology.
The meeting at the two-day forum in the Russian port city, which begins on Friday, will be followed by Putins visit to Japan in December, a Russian official has said. It will be Putins first visit since Abe took office in December 2012, although Abe has been to Russia several times.
Japan has been eyeing closer ties with Russia to counter Chinas growing clout, as well as its interest in Russias natural resources. In a sign of the focus on economic ties, Abe has given his trade minister Hiroshige Seko an additional portfolio in charge of economic cooperation with Russia, the main government spokesman in Tokyo said on Thursday.
veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passed away on Thursday evening following a prolonged battle with cancer.
Rao headed several influential unions including the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport or BEST union.
From the Hind Mazdoor Sabha to the BEST Workers Union to the Municipal Mazdoor Union and the Mumbai Auto Rickshaw Mens Union, Rao was in-charge of several unions in Mumbai and the Mumbai metropolitan region.
He also helmed the Mumbai Autorickshawsmens Union that represents majority of auto rickshaw drivers in the city, although he had handed over the baton to his son Shashank Rao after his diagnosis.
Rao took charge of the unions led by socialist leader George Fernandes after he moved to national politics.
Rao was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2014 and underwent a surgery for the same.
His body will be kept for darshan at his residence in Bangur Nagar, Goregaon and will be kept for the daughter to arrive from Canada.
The final rites are expected to take place on Saturday.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2016 -- Michael Dykes, long-time vice president of government affairs at Monsanto, has been chosen as the next president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association.
Dykes will replace Connie Tipton, who announced in January her plan to retire after spending 35 years representing the dairy foods industry in Washington. Dykes will work in transition with Tipton beginning in October before assuming the CEO role in January 2017, IDFA said in a release.
I look forward to collaborating with Connie to ensure a seamless transition, and working closely with members and staff to make a difference for the dairy foods industry, Dykes said in the release.
Dykes retired from Monsanto in January after nearly 27 years with the company, the last 19 as VP of government affairs. In that position he was responsible for developing and implementing a portfolio of U.S. government relations strategies and programs that included agricultural biotechnology policy, IDFA pointed out in the release. He led Monsantos office in Washington and served as the companys primary point of contact for elected officials, regulatory authorities, U.S. farm organizations, key industry participants, trade associations, international organizations and embassies. He also directed the companys efforts in state and local government affairs, in addition to government affairs in Mexico and Canada.
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Dykes grew up on a small dairy and tobacco farm in Kentucky. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University. He also attended the University of Kentucky where he received a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.
Michaels policy experience combined with his food and animal science background could not be a better fit for IDFA said Jeff Kaneb, executive vice president of HP Hood LLC and chairman of IDFAs transition committee. He brings energy, enthusiasm and a track record of success to IDFA.
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(Editors note: This is the second in a two-part series on net metering. For more about net metering, read Net metering battles test renewable energy support in the Aug. 24 Energy-Pulse.)
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2016 - The rapid growth of rooftop solar and expected carbon emissions limits are forcing electric utilities and regulatory agencies to write new rules to make it possible for both utilities and renewable energy to continue to grow. Thats a challenge because current regulations make utility company profits dependent on their capital investment in power plants, transmission lines and overall grid infrastructure.
The immediate threat to utilities is that net metering rules in 41 states mandate that utilities buy rooftop solar owners excess power even when the utilities can generate or buy cheaper power. So utilities, their state regulators, and renewable energy advocates all are looking for ways to resolve this clash between traditional power companies and the growth of renewable energy.
The utilities opportunity-limiting dependency on increasing electricity use must change, says Joseph Kruger, principal at Kruger Environmental Strategies and a former EPA Clean Air Markets branch chief. He explains that under current rules, to the extent that energy efficiency, storage, demand response, and distributed generation sources like rooftop solar decrease the need for new investment in power plants and electricity infrastructure, utility company profits shrink and the utilities will continue to resist change.
But Kruger tells Agri-Pulse that todays market forces and expectations about future carbon regulation make change inevitable, despite resistance from some utility companies and states. As an example of the changes already taking place, he points to Georgia Powers 203-page 2016 Integrated Resource Plan which includes a range of scenarios with different carbon prices as part of their planning.
I think most power companies have already acknowledged the inevitability of carbon regulation, he says.
Georgia Power, serving 2.4 million retail customers, is part of the 27-state lawsuit seeking to overturn the administrations Clean Power Plan (CPP) to limit power plant carbon emissions. Following the Supreme Courts February decision to suspend CPP implementation, the litigations next step is set for Sept. 27 when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear opposing arguments in the case.
Georgia Powers 2016 resource plan says that its mix of nuclear, natural gas, coal, oil, hydro, solar, wind and biomass generation positions the company to maximize value for customers in a wide variety of future economic and regulatory scenarios and that maintaining a diverse supply-side generating portfolio is critical given the inherent uncertainty of the future and the potential for rapid changes in the economic and regulatory landscape impacting energy supply.
The utilitys plan also explains that even while challenging the EPAs Clean Power Plan in court, the company will continue to position its system for a carbon constrained future. It predicts that its plans to add another 525 megawatts to its existing 2,500 MW of renewable energy, including distributed solar resources, will benefit customers and will also help position the company to respond to rules or legislation constraining carbon emissions.
Kruger notes that nobody knows how the Supreme Court will eventually rule on the CPP. So he says most states and power companies are pursuing a prudent two-track strategy, joining the lawsuit while more quietly at the technical level, they are continuing to do some of the technical work towards implementation. He believes that there is a good chance that EPA will win either completely or in part, that in some form or another, the Clean Power Plan will survive, and that most power companies have already acknowledged the inevitability of carbon regulation.
Kruger says the challenge to the utilities outdated business model comes not just from the Clean Power Plan but also from declining demand as well as the falling cost of distributed generation and growing customer interest in new technologies such as distributed solar generation, energy efficiency, energy storage, and demand response. He says utilities and regulators now increasingly recognize the need to assign values to factors such as avoided costs and environmental benefits in their planning and ratemaking. So its no surprise that more and more states are conducting Value of Solar studies to determine values accurately.
Despite todays heated battles over the CPP and net metering, Kruger says utilities increasingly see incorporating renewables as in their interest and good business. He adds thateHe avvvvqqqHewxxxxxxxx clean energy advocates understand that when you get to the higher levels of penetration for these technologies like solar panels you need more sophisticated tools to accurately reflect both costs and benefits.
Kruger, a Resources for the Future visiting fellow, writes in a Utility of the Future article that implementing the Obama administrations Clean Power Plan or some other form of carbon regulation is inevitable. But he says that to make this happen with the greatest benefits and least pain, new regulatory and market structures are needed to align the financial incentives of utilities with evolving markets and technologies.
Kruger maintains that new regulations and rates should reflect the fact that rooftop solar and other new distributed sources for electricity provide valuable benefits such as avoided energy costs, avoided capacity costs for generation, reduced costs for ancillary services, lower line losses on the transmission and distribution system, and fewer investments needed in transmission and distribution facilities.
He points out that traditional cost-of-service regulation is no longer aligned with emerging utility market structures. He says states such as New York, Minnesota, Colorado and California are responding by finding ways to offer utilities new sources of revenue that dont depend on selling more electricity. The answer he favors is shifting to performance-based rates using metrics such as peak reduction, energy efficiency, customer information access, affordability, and interconnection.
This shift to performance incentives is already happening. New York states Public Service Commission is calling on utilities to embrace, instead of resisting, the rapid innovation that is occurring. Announcing major regulatory reforms in May, the PSC warned that the changes are needed because the current utility and regulatory model could lead to uneconomic grid defection and eventually result in stranded investments and increasing financial challenges.
New Yorks 170 pages of new Energy Vision rules are designed to replace the conventional cost-of-service ratemaking approach with outcome-based performance measures. Under the new rules, instead of earning profits based on selling more electricity to their customers and building new power plants and transmission lines, utilities are incentivized to boost their earnings by helping consumers improve energy efficiency and install customer-owned distributed generation such as rooftop solar panels.
Along with Georgia Power, Westar Energy in Kansas has joined the lawsuit challenging the Clean Power Plan. But its also a leading renewable energy provider. Gina Penzig, Westars media relations manager, tells Agri-Pulse that while we are fighting the Clean Power Plan, we at the same time are modernizing our generation fleet and think we need to add renewable sources to improve air quality in the state.
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Westar promotes renewable energy, Penzig says, but recognizes the need for new rates for customers generating their own power to ensure that if they are using the power grid, that cost is being covered, that they are paying their fair share. This means, she says, adding demand charges and/or new monthly fixed charges.
As for what Westar considers potential benefits allegedly provided by rooftop solar and other distributed generation sources, Penzig says Westar wants the Kansas Corporation Commission to continue to base rates on quantifiable costs, not on externalities like environmental benefits that may benefit society as a whole rather than just Westars electricity customers.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) agrees on the need for change. Mary Ann Ralls, NRECA senior director, regulatory counsel, tells Agri-Pulse that while net metering began as a way to support very small residential solar power generation, it has morphed into compensating rooftop solar owners at retail rates for wholesale power and under-collecting fixed costs for serving those customers. She says possible fixes include adding new monthly charges so that solar owners pay their fair share of grid costs or following the lead of some states like Ohio that compensate solar owners at wholesale rather than retail rates.
Ralls adds that before investing in rooftop solar, homeowners should realize there are alternatives, such as optimally sited community solar, for supporting renewable energy without rooftop solars extra costs and controversies.
In its April 2016 Value of Distributed Solar Generation white paper, NRECA warns against continuing to require utilities to purchase rooftop solar or other distributed generation power when the utility could otherwise have acquired power from an existing hydro resource, a utility-scale wind farm or REC (renewable energy credit) certificate with equivalent environmental attributes at a significantly lower price.
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Ukrainian photographer Dmitry Muravsky has been dismissed by his countrys Ministry of Defense after he was accused of staging combat photos, notes PetaPixel. Last week the Washington Post reported on the controversy over Muravskys work, citing one particular photo that appears to show soldiers carrying a wounded comrade while
The first civil helicopter to be upgraded by Helibras in Brazil will be touring the country from August 31 to September 29.
The first civil helicopter to be upgraded by Helibras in Brazil is being presented in an aircraft demonstration tour starting this week. Helibras announced the transformation of an EC135 P2 into the latest version of this model, the H135, during its participation in the LABACE 2016 civil aviation fair held in Sao Paulo from August 30 to September 1. The model will now embark on a demo tour of Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Florianopolis, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte from August 31 to September 29.
"The modernized H135 will be presented to our customers so that they can experience for themselves the performance improvements obtained with this upgrade. We expect this to be the first of many for the civilian market," said Dominique Andreani, vice president of business and services at Helibras.
The modernization of the helicopter provides a significant increase in aircraft performance thanks to the addition of a 20-cm in diameter main rotor and new blades. New FADEC software has also been installed, along with a number of new components and structural parts, extending the lifetime of the helicopter. The maximum takeoff weight has increased to 2980 kg, especially in hot environments. The modernization also offers a gain of 90 kg during takeoffs from high-altitude helipads.
"After the modernization, the test flights demonstrated a gain in performance for the aircraft, along with improvements in maximum speed with maximum continuous power," said Rogerio Holzmann, a test pilot for Helibras.
In addition, the helicopters engine parameters monitoring system and flight management system have been upgraded, and fuel consumption has been reduced by 2.3%.
Medias:
The Air Force is expanding its pilot training pipeline to overcome an insatiable demand for experienced pilots for both cockpit and staff positions. This surging demand, combined with newly robust competition for military pilots from commercial airline recruiters, has led to a shortage of Air Force fighter pilots. But USAF is forced to grow its pilot production on the back of an aircraft that is decades old and has little room to modernizeand while the service is prioritizing a new generation of remotely piloted aircraft operators.
The main training aircraft, the T-38 Talon, has trained Air Force pilots for more than 50 years. Air Education and Training Command says it is too old and falls short on two-thirds of the advanced training requirements needed for fighter pilots getting ready to fly the services newest fighters: the F-22 and F-35. USAF is placing a large bet on its next generation trainer, dubbed the T-X, and current pilots in training are spending more time in simulators to make up the training capability gap.
This is a classic case of what a service Chief is faced with, which is, How do I get the right balance between capability, capacity, and readiness?? Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein said during his June confirmation hearing. And there are trades that we make. And so when we look at, for instance, bringing on the new trainer aircraft, thats one of the trades that we have to make to push that to the right, until 2024. And so thats going to require us to keep the T-38 flying longer. And its just one of the inevitable trades you have to do.
Air Education and Training Command in early 2016 laid out the challenges ahead for training the next generation of pilots.
Tomorrows airmen will have to outthink and outperform our nations adversaries, AETC Commander Lt. Gen. Darryl L. Roberson said in the introduction to the commands 2016 Strategic Plan. They will develop innovative solutions for future challenges because of the education and training they earned.
AETC needs to get state-of-the-art capability in the virtual constructive environment, so pilots can train in a high-threat environment and be focused on training so much to the point where they cant tell theyre not out flying in the airplane for real, Roberson told Air Force Magazine in September 2015.
The command is projected to train 1,230 pilots in Fiscal 2016 from about 1,400 entries, said Col. Samuel P. Milam, AETCs deputy director for intelligence, operations, and nuclear integration. But this isnt enough. Air Combat Command alone projects it will be short more than 700 fighter pilots by the end of Fiscal 2016.
The average age for the T-38s is now over 45 years old, and it has very little capability for growth, Milam said. The Air Force is getting everything it can out of the T-38C, both in systems capability and training processes. However, until the T-X is in place, the training gaps created by using a third generation trainer for fifth generation aircraft will remain.
One of the biggest shortfalls is simple mission capability. In Fiscal 2015, just 62.7 percent of the services 446 T-38Cs were available at any given time, with just 52.8 percent of the broken ones fixed within 24 hours. The T-38 depot at Hill AFB, Utah, has increased its workload to produce 176 Talons in Fiscal 2015. One of the biggest programs, the Pacer Classic III structural modification, is a $240 million program to extend 150 T-38s to fly until 2029.
Superb Depots
Quite frankly, theres only one reason we have aircraft still flying after 50 years. Its because of the quality of the individuals we have at our depots that keep them flying, Goldfein said during his confirmation hearing, speaking not only of the T-38 but of other aircraft, such as the B-52 and KC-135, in the Air Forces fleet.
Even with this work, the T-38s availability is still limited.
Pilots in Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at AETC go through four phases: Introduction to Flight Training, Preflight Training, Primary Flight Training, and Advanced Flight Training.
The first phase is largely procedural training, with 18 hours of flight.
In the next two phases, a pilot flies 86.6 hours in a T-6A Texan II, plus 45.7 simulator hours.
In the last phase, pilots move on to specialized airframes for advanced flight.
Mobility pilots, for example, fly 77.7 flight hours in a T-1A Jayhawk, focusing on refueling and airdrops, with 53.6 simulator hours.
Helicopter pilots fly 105 hours in a TH-1H Iroquois honing skills such as night vision device operations, with 36 simulator hours.
Fighter pilots fly 95.5 hours in a Talon and 39.5 hours in a simulator.
The fighter pilots heavily rely on simulators because of the T-38s shortfalls in advanced training. The process is broken down into 18 tasks, and 12 of those need simulation because of the gaps in capability of the T-38. The areas where the T-38 is up to the task are basic air-to-ground training, basic cockpit resource management, preparation and planning, mission debrief, energy efficiency, and human systems integration, Milam said.
But the shortcomings are apparent in advanced flying. A fighter pilot cannot use a T-38 to train for a high angle of attack or a higher thrust-to-weight ratio in basic aircraft control. Simulation software is needed for emergency procedures because of a gap in diagnosing emergencies. A pilot needs to simulate normal procedures because a gap in the T-38 learning system creates negative skill transference, Milam said. Advanced cockpit resource management training is not possible because of a gap in data fusion and a lack of sensors. Basic air-to-air training is needed in a simulator because of a lack of sustained high-G capability and fly-by-wire controls. Same with advanced air-to-air because the T-38 isnt capable of relevant fourth and fifth generation air-to-air skill sets.
T-38 is Just Too Old
The T-38 cannot handle advanced air-to-ground because it lacks the right data link and it doesnt meet new FAA guidance system requirements. It cannot fly formation training, being incapable of night formations, formation in all weather situations, and beyond-visual- range formations. Anti-ice deficiencies and high-density altitude takeoff and landing limitations inhibit all-weather training. Lastly, the T-38s cockpit itself doesnt fit certain pilot physical measurements, referred to as Anthropometric Cases 1-7. This is all in addition to the limited operational availability of the aircraft.
The need for training experience in high-threat environments and for pilots to be ready to fly fifth generation fighters immediately is driving the acquisition process for the T-X. Roberson, speaking at AFAs Air & Space Conference in September, said the award for the T-X will not only be based on the flight performance but also on the contractors ability to build high-fidelity simulators.
To make sure contractors are ready and able to provide their best entrants for the contest, Roberson said AETC is working to be as transparent as possible on what it wants in its new trainer.
In February, the Air Force responded to about 300 questions from industry on the design for the fighter and the need for simulation. The level of communication was unprecedented, Roberson said. The formal request for proposal has not been released for the T-X, but AETC wants to keep industry informed as a way to save costs on the final contract.
The bottom line now is we are working with industry in a transparent way that allows us to do things and bring costs down, to get the product everyone wants to build and receive, Roberson said at AFAs Air Warfare Symposium in February in Orlando, Fla.
AETC is the lead for the program, and the command wants to educate Air Force senior leadership to make sure it remains on track, with a contract award expected in 2017. The service wants to reach initial operational capability by 2024, and AETC needs to establish requirements beyond that day and the right balance between live, virtual, and constructive training methods, the command said in its strategic plan.
AETC has built the requirements for the T-X to expose pilots to some skills earlier, but the focus of undergraduate training is still on events, not tactics, Milam said. AETC considered the ability to off-load certain syllabus events from the formal training units once a pilot finishes training and is assigned to a unit, but it would not be possible to fully use one airframe, the T-X, to train pilots on skills that could vary based on the aircraft they are ultimately assigned to.
As an example, the T-X requirements include night vision device capabilities, Milam said. The intent is to train night vision basics earlier in the student progression from [undergraduate pilot training] to the [formal training unit], but not to train night vision tactics that will be particular to each follow-on airframe.
The demand for new and different pilot training for manned aircraft is coming as the service faces a dramatic change in how it is manning remotely piloted aircraft cockpits on the ground. USAF is confronting a large-scale deficit in RPA pilot manning, and AETC has overhauled how it trains Predator and Reaper pilots to fill an insatiable demand for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance across all combatant commands.
In April 2015, the Defense Department limited the number of combat air patrols the Air Force is responsible forto 60, from 65to build up the training pipeline. In response, AETC has doubled the number of pilots training to fly remotely piloted aircraft, on track to graduate 290 by the end of 2016 and a goal of graduating 384 by the end of 2017. The RPA pilot class is now 24 students, up from just 12 before the change, Roberson said.
AETC is taking pilots straight from the Air Force Academy and Reserve Officers Training Corps, with a greater need for RPA pilots than any other aircraft type in the service. Air Combat Command is calling for $3 billion in additional funding to pay the pilots and to allow for continued training once they are assigned to an operational unit. The formal training unit mission itself is moving from ACC to AETC, as the education command is introducing new ways to attract, recruit, and double production for RPA pilots and sensor operators to meet the need for ISR.
Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said before he retired recently as Air Force Chief of Staff that he had already seen dramatic changes in the RPA pilot career field, with the shortfall of 250 pilots expected to be halved by the end of Fiscal 2016.
Enlisted airmen are also getting into ISR flight, with the first class of non-officers beginning training to fly the RQ-4 Global Hawk this September. The first two enlisted pilot classes will be part of a beta phase before training is opened to more airmen, ACC Commander Gen. Herbert J. Hawk Carlisle said in June.
Alleviating the RPA Strain
The service will eventually have 100 enlisted pilots on the Global Hawk to alleviate the strain on the RPA community, with officers largely focusing on the armed Predator and Reaper fleet.
Weeks before Welsh left office, he went to the US Air Force Academys graduation in Colorado Springs, Colo. There has been a stereotype that pilots are averse to flying RPAs, that they would rather be in the cockpit of a fighter, Welsh told Air Force Magazine during an exit interview. But now, some of the cadets who are going to RPAs just cant wait to get there.
Theyre excited about it, he said. They grew up thinking about RPAs. We have officers in the Air Force now who have degrees in RPA operations and RPA maintenance. They are the ones who are going to take this remotely piloted aircraft community writ large and drag it through the rest of the 21st century. Who knows where this is going?
For more than 14 years, Air Force pilots have operationally concentrated on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism missions, flying in permissive environments focused on intelligence gathering and close air support. This brought RPAs to the forefront of a new generations thought process, but the international landscape is changing once again, AETCs strategic plan says. The current training program, and especially the current training fleet, is falling short of what is needed to counter future threats, such as the rise of China and Russia. The need for advanced training is coming at a time of budget restrictions, encouraging the service to use technology in new and innovative ways, such as simulation, AETCs strategic plan states.
Whether its live, virtual, constructive training that blends actual and simulated flying, or tailored technical training and professional military education concepts, we will identify and use technology to help us succeed, the plan says. Our ability to exploit technology to recruit, train, and educate the force will help guarantee our airpower advantage in the future.
The strategic plan lays out changes the command must make to ensure this is a reality, including possibly starting all over. In the near term, the command is conducting a clean-sheet analysis of its flying training enterprise to identify and correct gaps in training and to increase pilot production.
The fighter pilots of tomorrow get the bulk of their training in a cockpit built to train pilots in the early 1960s. Raptor and Lightning II drivers are training in the same jets used to train F-4 drivers.
Thanks to the importance being placed on T-X, that shouldnt be the case for too many more years.
August 31, 2016
A conservative Iranian news agency reported Aug. 23 that Abdol Rasul Dori Esfahani, the nuclear negotiator in charge of banking affairs, was arrested for selling economic information to the intelligence agencies of foreign countries. The unconfirmed report cited comments by the Tehran prosecutor that a dual national had been arrested, whom many believed was a British-Iranian national. Days later, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi refused to confirm the news of the arrest, saying that it was the responsibility of the security and judiciary institutions to make such announcements.
Days later, judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei became the first judiciary official to confirm that an arrest had been made, though he did not confirm the name of the person arrested. Mohseni-Ejei said Aug. 28 that claims by an Iranian parliamentarian of a negotiator who had penetrated the talks was arrested were true and he is now out on bail. Many observers took this news as confirmation that Dori Esfahani had been arrested. The parliamentarian Mohseni-Ejei alluded to is Javad Karimi-Ghodousi, a conservative member of parliament who was the first government official to state Dori Esfahanis name.
On Aug. 31, Iranian nuclear negotiator Hamid Baiedinejad, who is also the Foreign Ministry director for political and international affairs, became the first member of the negotiation team to respond directly to the accusations. On his Telegram account, when asked to respond to questions about Dori Esfahani, Baiedinejad wrote a series of comments. Like other compatriots we are waiting for more precise clarifications on the accusations against Dori Esfahani, Baiedinejad wrote in the first comment. He said that what has become clear up to now is that Dori Esfahani had been summoned by security officials and was let go without facing any charges.
Baiedinejad wrote that Dori Esfahani was a banking and financial adviser who was working with the nuclear negotiation team, while he continued to serve on the board of directors of Saman Bank. He said that before the nuclear negotiations, Dori Esfahani was involved in negotiations between Iran and the United States in The Hague, where he served as one of the arbitrators. Dori Esfahani had also worked as a legal adviser for the Defense Ministry, according to Baiedinejad. He said that accusations by some media outlets that someone who has worked in some of the most sensitive segments of the country for at least two decades could be a spy is an insult to the security and intelligence institutions of the country.
Most surprising of all, Baiedinejad said that Dori Esfahani does not have British citizenship, which casts doubts that he is the arrested dual citizen first announced by the Tehran prosecutor.
Baiedinejad believes the accusations against Dori Esfahani by conservative sites is rooted in attempts to show that Western countries had penetrated the Iranian nuclear negotiation team and this is why there are problems with the comprehensive nuclear deal. He wrote that even if the accusations against Dori Esfahani turn out to be true, the nuclear negotiations were so complex and involved so many different sides that one individual could not have influenced it to any large degree. Furthermore, he added that technical advisers such as Dori Esfahani only had access to their specific field and were not involved in other aspects of the confidential negotiations between the seven countries involved in the talks.
In other news, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi said that while Iran appreciates actions taken by Turkey against terrorists in Syria, they should be coordinated with the central government in Syria. Interestingly, this news was only published in Iran's Persian-language media and not on its English-language sites.
August 31, 2016
RAMALLAH, West Bank In a press conference Aug. 14 in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, the Witness Center for Citizens Rights and Social Development launched an unprecedented campaign in Palestine, called the "100 International Intellectuals in Palestine," with the aim of attracting the worlds most prominent thinkers to discuss the Palestinian cause and revive interest in it on the global level.
As a result of the May 17, 2010, ban imposed by the Israeli authorities barring him from visiting the West Bank, internationally renowned thinker Noam Chomsky inaugurated the campaign Aug. 15 via a video teleconference attended by intellectuals and concerned individuals in Nablus.
Chomsky addressed a message to Palestine, saying, Israel is ignoring the two-state and one-state solutions, while endeavoring to establish a Greater Israel. The cause for the current solutions failure was Washington's and Israels disregard for the national rights of the Palestinian people.
He reviewed the historical progress of the Palestinian cause, which has been absent from international agendas since Israels declaration of independence in 1948, and said, The possible solution lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, which requires American and international will on par with that exhibited vis-a-vis the Iranian dossier. The opportunity today is ripe, and the American public is now more accepting and supporting of the Palestinian cause, just like their European counterparts, who have been more supportive of the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Launched in May 2014, the Witness Center endeavors to develop Palestinian citizens rights as a priority atop the Palestinian public opinion agenda, while making sure that citizens are involved in the social development process and their participation in Palestinian public life and policy developments.
Witness Center secretary and coordinator of the campaign Mohammad Areiqat told Al-Monitor in this regard that the goal of the "100 International Intellectuals in Palestine" campaign is to revive the Palestinian cause in the international arena and in the psyche of the word populace, following the rapid developments taking place in the Middle East, specifically in Syria, Egypt and Yemen. These events have superseded the Palestinian cause on the global agenda and list of priorities.
He said, We have found that the best way to revive the Palestinian cause is to talk to international intellectuals who play an important part in the drafting of their respective countries policies and who possess the ability to influence their respective governments and people, as well as to mold public opinion. They can also help us reach nontraditional solutions that are not biased in favor of Israel, while forming a popular lobby that spans the world.
In regard to the reasons for resorting to such a measure, Areiqat said, For the past 20 years, the Palestinian Authority embarked on a diplomatic effort through negotiations with Israel under international auspices. But this diplomacy failed as a result of the international bias toward Israel, while popular diplomacy was neglected, leading to a global reduction of public interest in Palestine. The best way to revive the [Palestinian] cause in the global psyche is through popular diplomacy, through influential intellectual thinkers, who might be able to help support such diplomacy.
Areiqat added that the campaign will host at Birzeit University on Sept. 15 Foreign Policy Journal columnist Jeremy R. Hammond, who will discuss the US elections and the influence of lobbying groups on the results thereof, particularly the Jewish lobby in the United States and its impact on the US decision-making process. Hammond will also speak about the methods employed by the Jewish lobby to secure from the American presidential candidates promises that they would serve Israeli interests.
Another figure who has not been identified yet has also been contacted by the Witness Center to make an appearance in October in Nablus. In addition, intellectual Michel Chossudovsky, director of the Center for Research on Globalization, will be hosted in November, when he will deliver a lecture at Bethlehem University about globalization and its effect on the Palestinian cause. Moreover, due to his inability to visit Palestine as a result of a scheduling conflict, journalist Thomas Friedman confirmed his participation and willingness to participate in a video teleconference to a Palestinian audience in Nablus at the beginning of next year, about the US media and its influence on US policies related to the Palestine cause. The future lectures will be held in different cities and universities in the West Bank.
Concerning campaign backers, Areiqat said, Planning and preparations for the campaign were initiated by the center alone, but we managed to secure 20,000 euros [roughly $22,000] from the Norwegian government, earmarked for the travel and lodging expenses of the visiting intellectuals. We also received some backing from private Palestinian firms, such as tourism and commercial enterprises that committed to provide airline tickets to and accommodations in Palestine.
Despite the fact that the campaign remains in its infancy, future opportunities abound on a multitude of levels. This might contribute in increasing its positive effects, most prominent among them, according to Areiqat, the willingness of the intellectuals who participate in the campaign to draft an article or analysis of the conferences held in the framework of the campaign, which would be distributed to the research and studies centers of their home countries, as well as organizing symposia dealing with their participation in the campaign and their support of the Palestinian cause.
In this context, Areiqat said, French philosopher and professor at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, Bertrand Badie, agreed to come to Palestine next year and suggested that we [as the center sponsoring this campaign] come to Paris and hold a joint lecture at the most prominent political science institute with other intellectuals about the Palestinian cause an excellent idea that we are currently studying.
Areiqat added that once 20 lectures for 20 different intellectuals are organized, the campaign would consider holding a joint symposium in one of Europes capitals. The intellectuals would be invited to publish a joint working paper on their experiences in the campaign and the possibility of developing their ideas to support the Palestinian cause. But to succeed, the idea is dependent upon finding a suitable funder.
The initiative will not overlook Arab and Middle Eastern intellectuals and philosophers, and Areiqat disclosed that contact is ongoing with prominent personalities to participate, such as Lebanese thinker Amin Maalouf and former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in his capacity as one of the main drafters of Turkish foreign policy.
Despite the campaigns launch in Palestine, assessing its success and ability to engender positive results will require some time. But this is not stopping the Palestinians from devising new ideas meant to spotlight their cause in the international arena, as well as their conviction that global public opinion can play an important role in support of their rights.
September 1, 2016
These days, one dominant question has Ammans political salons buzzing: How will Islamists fare in the upcoming legislative elections? There is a very good reason for this.
The elections scheduled for Sept. 20 will see four Islamist parties and alliances competing for places in the 130-seat Lower House. All eyes, including those of the government, will be fixed on the performance of one particular group the long-established, unlicensed Muslim Brotherhood Group (MBG), which has decided to contest the elections after boycotting the last two, in 2013 and 2010. The group had sat out the previous elections because it opposed the single-vote system and to protest alleged government meddling in the results of elections in 2007.
The MBGs decision to participate in this years balloting comes in the wake of a number of incidents that have tested the 70-year-old movement. Over the last three years, the group has experienced internal divisions, government harassment and rebellions against its hardline leadership that led to defections and the creation of two splinter movements: the Muslim Brotherhood Society (MBS), which the government then recognized as the MBG's legitimate replacement, and the Zamzam Initiative, which later became a political party. The two splinter groups have decided to contest this years elections, as will the Muslim Center Party (al-Wasat), a moderate Islamist party that had representatives in the previous legislature.
The MBGs decision to end its boycott followed the passage in March of a new election law that ended decades of the single-vote system and replaced it with an open, proportional list scheme that ostensibly aims to encourage the formation of blocs and alliances, especially among the kingdoms more than 50 licensed political parties. The government claims that the new law will also override the role of political money, that is, vote buying, and promote competition on the basis of programs instead of personalities. It is a cumbersome law that baffles voters and candidates alike.
Critics have argued that the statute is designed to limit the number of Islamist candidates in the Lower House and prevent a repeat of the 1989 elections, when MBG candidates won almost a third of the 80 seats. By Aug. 18, 230 lists had been registered, comprising 1,293 candidates. Each list must contain a number of candidates equal to the number of seats being contested in each district, but voters are not obliged to vote for an entire list.
A temporary MBG leadership has decided to try a new and daring approach, instead of running their candidates through the organization's political arm, the Islamic Action Front (IAF). Last month, the IAF formed the National Alliance for Reform (NAR), which is non-partisan and consists of second-tier IAF leaders in addition to independent nationalist, tribal, Christian and Circassian figures. In all, they submitted 25 such lists covering most electoral districts, especially in Amman, Zerqa and those with refugee camps. The move has surprised many and led observers to play a guessing game of how many seats the alliance will actually be able to win.
Unlike previous election laws, the new one makes it difficult to predict how blocs and alliances will perform. That said, however, most observers believe Zamzam and the MBS have little chance of winning more than a handful of seats, because they dont have the grass-roots support that the MBG has cultivated over the decades. On the other hand, they believe that the NAR will win at least 13 seats and could take as many as 25.
What might help the NAR is that it has a committed following, especially in east Amman and the refugee camps, which see the MBG as an underdog. Still, one poll in July, conducted by the local nongovernmental organization Rassed, suggested that only 31% of eligible voters, about 4 million, will turn out on election day. Frustration with previous legislatures is to blame for voter apathy.
The MBGs resort to forming alliances with others has baffled observers. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Samih al-Maaytah, former information minister and critic of the MBG, called the groups alliance strategy a sign of weakness because those who know it also know that they have never accepted sharing power with any party. He further explained that the MBG is using tribal and nationalist figures to carry its own candidates to the Lower House. Despite this, he said, Their style of seeking confrontation with the government will not change. Maaytah believes that at best, MBG candidates will win 13 seats. For them, its a way to get over their internal crisis, he added.
A former overseer of the MBG, Salem al-Falahat, agreed. He also projects that the groups candidates will take no more than 13 seats. This is due to the way the electoral districts are designed, where Amman still has a low number of seats compared to other areas where the Islamists do not do well, he told Al-Monitor.
Falahat said that the MBGs participation is a victory for the government. [It] will present this as an achievement for Jordanian democracy, as it gives legitimacy to the electoral process in the kingdom, he explained.
Hussein al-Rawashdeh, an Islamist newspaper columnist, has been critical of the MBGs move to contest the elections through non-partisan alliances. Such an alliance will be short-lived and will test the credibility of the Muslim Brotherhood [MBG] with their new allies, he told Al-Monitor.
Rawashdeh said the MBG is hoping to prove the government wrong and break the 13-seat barrier by winning double that figure. The MBG had no other option but to join the political process, hoping that it will end its internal crisis, he contends.
But history will not go back, and we should anticipate a new phase where the group [MBG] will disappear and the party [IAF] will remain, Rawashdeh said. The IAF leadership has been trying to disengage itself from the MBG in a bid to chart an independent political path and attract younger members.
The NARs performance on Sept. 20 will remain the main theme of this election. The number of seats it wins will determine whether the government miscalculated by underestimating the MBGs strength or if the group can make a comeback in spite of the internal divisions it has suffered over the past two years.
September 1, 2016
In July, Irans judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei confirmed to reporters that an Iranian-American citizen was arrested in the northeastern city of Gorgan. While Mohseni-Ejei did not confirm his name, many believed he was referring to California-based Reza Robin Shahini, who was visiting his mother in Iran.
The Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed Aug. 31 that a dual national was arrested in July and has been handed over to the judiciary. According to the IRGC statement, the individual who they did not name is accused of cooperating with hostile governments, actions against national security and communication with anti-revolutionary agents and media.
The following day, conservative news agency Fars News published specific accusations against Shahini. According to the report, Shahini, 46, had left Iran as a refugee 16 years ago, and had attended university in San Diego. The article accused him of having links to the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, anti-revolutionary groups and their media outlets.
The article published photos of Shahini meeting with Iranian opposition leaders, such as US-based Reza Pahlavi the son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Irans last monarch who was dethroned by the 1979 revolution and France-based Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, the first president of Iran after the 1979 revolution, who was impeached after his first year in office. The article also published pictures of Shahini participating in the 2009 post-election protests known as the Green Movement, a movement the Iranian authorities refer to as the 2009 sedition. Iran accuses Western countries of orchestrating those protests to destabilize the country.
The arrest of Shahini and the subsequent IRGC accusations followed by the media campaign are in line with Irans suspicions of attempts by Western countries to infiltrate the country and influence decision-making centers. Seyed Hossein Naghavi Hosseini, a parliamentarian and spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said that IRGC intelligence officials recently briefed the commission on this so-called infiltration project. The goals of enemy countries in the short term, mid term and long term in the fields of politics, economy, culture and technology were reviewed and specified during the briefing, Hosseini said.
Hosseini added that the intelligence agencies of enemy countries have a particular focus on dual nationals in the infiltration project, saying that enemy countries have focused on all government officials especially parliament members and will attempt to compromise them or their family members.
The member of the negotiation team who was recently arrested for spying was a dual national, Hosseini said. Abdol Rasul Dori Esfahani, who was a member of the nuclear negotiation team working on banking affairs, was arrested and released on bail. Iranian negotiator Hamid Baiedinejad downplayed speculations that Dori Esfahani could be a spy, writing on his Telegram account that suggesting someone who has worked in important government positions for two decades could be a spy is an insult to Irans intelligence agencies.
The dual national to make the news before Shahini was Homa Hoodfar, an Iranian-Canadian professor who was arrested in June. Hoodfars family says that she is being held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison, and that her health is deteriorating to the point that she has difficulty walking and talking.
September 1, 2016
Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman is representing his father at the Group of 20 summit in China on Sept. 4-5, another indication of the 31-year-old son's pivotal role in the kingdom. "Mr. Everything," as he is now called, is King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud's most trusted adviser and most critical intermediary with other foreign leaders.
The prince began his trip to the G-20 with a brief stopover in Islamabad to meet with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif. Saudi relations with Pakistan, a traditional ally, have been disrupted since Pakistan refused to join the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen against the Houthi rebels. Pakistan's opposition to the war in Yemen enjoys widespread support in the country. The Pakistani parliament voted unanimously against sending troops to fight. But Pakistan still has a thousand advisers in the Saudi military and has participated in military exercises inside the kingdom in the last year.
The prince then made a bilateral visit to China, Saudi Arabia's largest oil market. Trade between the two peaked at almost $70 billion in 2014, before oil prices dropped. The Saudis want China to be a major investor in the prince's Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to reduce the kingdom's dependence on oil exports. He signed 15 agreements on economic and cultural ties with the Chinese during the visit.
China is also the source of Saudi Arabia's intermediate-range ballistic missile force, the kingdom's strategic deterrent weapon that needs updating. The CSS2 missile system, provided by China in a secret deal negotiated by Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States in the mid-1980s, is aging. As defense minister, Mohammed bin Salman is interested in keeping the Saudi deterrent capabilities, especially against Iran, credible.
China has also sold drones to the Saudis, who are using them in Yemen. En route to Beijing, the prince said China could increasingly become an "alternative" to the United States and Europe for arms purchases if the United States and European Union restrict arms sales to the kingdom. Last month, The New York Times called for a hiatus in arms sales to Saudi Arabia because of the Yemen war. The editorial got considerable attention in the royal family. The Saudis are well aware that their military and those of their Gulf allies are totally dependent on US and European arms supplies and maintenance support.
After the bilateral talks in Beijing, the prince visited Tokyo. Japan is also a major export market for Saudi oil. The prince is also a fan of Japanese culture and honeymooned in Japan. He wants the Japanese to be involved in the Saudi Vision 2030 projects, especially the sale of shares in ARAMCO when it opens to private investors. He is meeting with the emperor to underscore the importance of the relationship.
The prince will be the youngest person in the obligatory G-20 group photo next week. His meteoric rise to power in the kingdom is unprecedented, his accumulation of responsibility extraordinary. Attending the G-20 is his most significant step on the global stage to date.
His very public spotlight in China will inevitably fuel speculation that his father will choose him as his immediate heir sooner or later. King Salman has already removed one crown prince (Muqrin), and he could remove Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef to move his son up if he wants to. For now, the 80-year-old king seems to want to maintain family harmony.
Mohammed bin Salman undoubtedly wants to be king someday, and the G-20 trip burnishes his credentials. But his signature foreign policy move, the Yemen war, is far from successful. The war is now a year and a half old with no end in sight. The Houthis sent a senior delegation to Baghdad last month to discuss opening relations with Iraq. The Iraqi foreign minister met with them and called for Saudi Arabia to replace its ambassador in Baghdad for interfering in Iraq's internal affairs.
The two Shiite governments share a common hostility toward the Saudis and a common friendship with Iran. By courting Iraq, the Houthis are very deliberately baiting the kingdom. A Sanaa-Baghdad-Tehran axis is Riyadh's worst nightmare. Operation Decisive Storm, the original code name for the war, was intended to prevent the spread of Iran's influence in the Arabian Peninsula. The king and prince still have yet to find a satisfactory answer to their Yemeni conundrum.
September 1, 2016
There's a lot riding on Aleppo. The battle for the Syrian city of enormous strategic and geographic importance will determine who holds political leverage in negotiations for the country's future.
Meanwhile, another battle is taking place that could significantly affect the fight for Aleppo. To the city's north, in the border town of Jarablus, Turkey is fighting its first direct battle in Syria against the Islamic State though the objective of this military campaign is not to defeat IS as much as it is to prevent Kurdish militias from creating an autonomous area in Syria that could foster Kurdish separatism within Turkey itself.
The border battle at Jarablus is of great importance to the pro-regime coalition, which brings together the Syrian army, Iran and Hezbollah, with Russian aerial cover. The battle is being fought against a group of opposition factions including Jaish al-Fatah, led by Saudi cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra) and others, all said to be backed and supported by Turkey.
In this campaign, Turkey is enjoying a Russian-Iranian blind eye and minimal Syrian condemnation, as the objectives of this specific battle serve their agendas: solidifying the stance of the Syrian regime and ending the ambitions of Syrian Kurds for a state. Never mind that in the long run, a Turkish victory with the help of opposition fighters could have dire consequences for the battle in the center of Aleppo.
For the resistance axis, Aleppo is no ordinary battle. It is a regional game-changer that will have implications on the future of the war, a field commander told Al-Monitor. According to the source, who requested anonymity, if control of the city of Aleppo is regained completely, the province will be next." The commander went on, "The battle seems to be over a passage, but this passage is as important as the whole province.
The military leaders of the pro-regime axis have never minced words about the city's importance.
"The real, strategic and greatest battle is in Aleppo and the surrounding area, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said June 24, just days after his fighters along with the Syrian army and allied forces tightened the siege on opposition fighters inside Aleppo. A month later, Nasrallah said the troops' success in advancing the siege meant Saudi Arabia's imperial ambitions have fallen apart in Aleppo."
On the other side, Muhaysini vowed that the battle for Aleppo would be the greatest in the history of jihad in Syria. He tweeted July 31 that a major change was imminent. Because of this surprise, many Iranian and Russian soldiers are going to be captured. Just hours later, thousands of fighters attacked from the southwest, gaining control over a passage and pushing back the Syrian army and its allies. Despite the heavy losses, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated at a total of 500 killed from both sides, the captured area wasnt enough to loosen the siege on the opposition-controlled neighborhoods inside the city, mainly in the east.
Days later, in another surprise, of sorts, Hezbollah posted on its website and social media accounts a video of one of the group's drones hitting militant targets in Aleppos southern countryside. It was the first time Hezbollah had revealed such a strike in Aleppo using these drones, though they had been used in another battle inside Syria, near the border with Lebanon. While Hezbollah sources weren't ready to comment on the significance of using the drones in the Aleppo fight, some observers believe the move was made to stress the groups readiness to use all available means to secure a victory.
Neither side has been able to end the fight, and it doesn't appear the battle will end anytime soon, with both sides deploying more troops on the front lines to keep their gains and prepare for any possible new rounds. The geography and demographics of the city complicate the situation despite Russian air cover on the governments side and hundreds of suicide bombers on the oppositions.
Forces fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad benefit from the close border with Turkey that allows support to arrive whenever requested. Having Idlib to the east, under full opposition control, offers them the luxury of deploying as many fighters as needed.
As for demographics, the opposition enjoys a nurturing environment in the area surrounding Aleppo and in the eastern side of the city, and this alone allows a huge margin for maneuvering in case of pressure.
The battle of Aleppo is not a battle for a city or a province, it is a battle to keep Syria undivided, an Iranian military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The source added, If Aleppo is taken, then there is no northern Syria anymore, and this means that a new de facto region will be drawn, despite differences among those who will be in control. This battle is mainly for keeping Syria united.
According to the Iranian source, the battle is at once both easy and difficult: It is easy, as all the groups taking part in this battle are internationally regarded as terrorists, namely [Jabhat Fatah al-Sham], Ahrar al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party and Jund al-Aqsa. But it is difficult because there are thousands of fighters and there are regional powers that are backing and supporting them to make sure this battle never ends. These powers know that after Aleppo, there will be Idlib, and this means the collapse of all their dreams of taking over Syria, especially since the Syrian army made great gains around Damascus.
The source was referring to the agreement last week in the Damascus suburb of Daraya that saw almost 1,850 people, including militants and civilians, evacuated after the government was granted full control of the area. The deal rid the regime of a painful spot just a few kilometers from Assads palace.
If government forces gain complete control of Aleppo, Syria's second-biggest city, the resistance axis will realize that the last fighting factions in Syria are defeated and there is no chance for powerful militant opposition groups to exploit field gains as leverage in politics.
Those who are fighting in Aleppo are the core of radicalism in Syria, an alliance between the Saudi Wahhabis and al-Qaedas takfiris. This is a most poisonous blend, the Iranian military source said. Even their allies cant stand such a blend.
What the source didnt say is that the outcome of the battle will have implications on what is being discussed in Geneva between the United States and Russia regarding the truce or the wider negotiations on the future of Syria. These outcomes include who will be at the bigger table in the final rounds and who will head later to Damascus if any compromise is reached. This alone makes it a matter of life and death to the regime and its allies to keep the militant opposition from achieving a victory, as it would have greater effects on political dynamics than on the field itself, especially when considering the outcome of the Turkish battle in the north.
September 1, 2016
For the first time since the signing of the reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey June 27, and a day after its ratification by the parliament in Ankara Aug. 20, Israel once again struck in the Gaza Strip. In response to a rocket fired Aug. 21 from Gaza into the Israeli southern town of Sderot, the Israeli air force hit some 50 targets in the Palestinian territory over a two-hour period. Ankara announced that the Israeli attack was not acceptable, constitutes a breach of international law, disrupts the peace process with the Palestinians (its not clear to what process it was referring) and violates the relative calm in the region.
In response, Israels Foreign Ministry spokesman suggested that Ankara think twice before it criticizes the military actions of others,'' promising that ''Israel will continue to defend its innocent civilians from all rocket fire on our territory.
Turkeys Foreign Ministry spokesman thought it apt to stress that normalizing ties with Israel does not mean that we will keep silent in the face of attacks against the Palestinian people. The Israeli Foreign Ministry, for its part, also referred to the reconciliation deal, noting that the normalization of our relations with Turkey does not mean that we will remain silent in the face of its baseless condemnations.
Thus, in August, a magic formula was found that enables Israel to continue eating the occupation cake and maintain intact its relations with an important Muslim state: The Palestinians will attack Sderot, the Israeli air force will attack Gaza, Turkey will condemn Israel and Israel will condemn Turkey. And what will become of Gazas besieged children? Who really cares?
Does anyone even remember that the crisis in the relationship was brought about by the blockade? Nine Turkish citizens were killed in an Israeli navy raid on one of six boats the Mavi Marmara that left Turkey in May 2010 heading for Gaza. They sought to bring Gazas residents food and medicine and pick up a few anti-Israel headlines. The reconciliation agreement reached at the end of June easily skipped over the walls of Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made do with a declaration that Turkey would take all necessary steps to address the grievances of the Palestinian people. He was, obviously, addressing the Turkish people. The residents of Gaza do not really interest him.
This reminded me that some 20 years ago, I heard then-Foreign Minister David Levy responding to a rebuke by former Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, saying, Turkey is the last country that can preach to us. Levy was referring to the Armenian genocide 100 years ago, which Israel refuses to officially recognize. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored Erdogans rebuke. Instead, he opted to talk to the Israeli public about the importance of the strategic relationship with Turkey in order to justify Israels apology over the Mavi Marmara incident and his agreement to compensate the victims families to the tune of $20 million.
A special report issued Aug. 26 by no fewer than 16 United Nations aid agencies operating in the Palestinian territories illustrates Turkeys hypocrisy. Not only does the reconciliation agreement not do anything for the Gaza Strips 1.9 million besieged residents, but their condition continues to deteriorate. The special report based in part on World Bank data paints a grim picture of the humanitarian crisis in the blockaded region. The per capita gross national product (GNP) has grown no more than 2% over the past 20 years less than the annual population growth in Gaza. The per capita GNP barely reaches $463 annually about half the per capita production in the West Bank. This economic plight is mainly the result of restrictions on the export of finished products from Gaza and on the import of raw material. Due to the limitations imposed on building material entering Gaza, about half of the 11,000 residential buildings that were destroyed completely during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, and about one-third of those partly destroyed are still uninhabited, leaving 75,000 people homeless.
In December 2015, Israel imposed further restrictions on the departure of Gaza residents to Israel and the West Bank for medical treatment. Israel also reportedly announced recently that it would allow Gaza residents to go abroad through the Allenby Bridge (to Jordan) only on condition that they do not return for at least one year. In recent months, since the signing of the reconciliation agreement, Israel has revoked or failed to renew the permanent long-term exit permits it issued to about one-third of some 5,000 registered Gaza traders and businesspeople. After allowing Gaza fishermen to troll in waters 9 nautical miles off the Gaza coast for over two months, Israel announced it was once again imposing a 6-mile limit. Human rights organization Gisha notes that absent a security-related explanation, there is no reason to limit the fishing activity that provides a living for some 4,000 workers. This, along with the almost hermetic closure imposed by Egypt on the crossing of Gaza residents into its territory through the Rafah crossing, has pushed general unemployment levels to more than 40% and to 60% among Gazas young people.
Indeed, as Israels Foreign Ministry spokesman suggested, Turkey should think twice before criticizing the injustice caused by Israel to Gazas civilian population. Even as Ankara was complaining about the Israeli air raid on Gaza in retaliation for a rocket fired into Israel, Turkish planes were killing dozens of Kurdish civilians on its border with Syria.
Yet, Turkey is not alone in reaping public relations benefits on the backs of Gazas besieged residents. According to World Bank data in the UN report, only $475 million of the $3.5 billion pledged at the October 2014 Cairo Conference by donor states chief among them the wealthy Gulf countries have reached Gaza. At the same time, the suffering of Gazas children serves the wheeler-dealers of the Palestinian Authority who spend their time waxing poetic about it at international conferences, and is also used by Hamas for its propaganda against Israel and the PA.
But most importantly, everyone in the prime ministers office in Jerusalem and at the presidential palace in Ankara is happy; neither side sustained casualties in the air raid on the Gaza Strip. The reconciliation agreement has successfully weathered its first test. As they start school, let's hope Gazas children and the Israeli children in neighboring Sderot the victims of two-faced diplomacy have a quiet year.
This story appears in Birmingham magazine's September 2016 Issue. Subscribe today!
By Cary Estes
Photos by James Acomb | Assisted by Andi Rice
In George Barber's world, giant spiders and ants roam the landscape, along with dinosaurs and Bigfoot. A woman perpetually dangles by her hands from a bridge while drivers speed by unconcerned. A zombie emerges from a lake, and a tri-colored horse stands brightly upon a hill.
In George Barber's world, the city of Birmingham is home to the largest motorcycle museum on the planet, as well as one of the most popular race tracks on the IndyCar circuit.
Those last two items may seem harder to believe than the rest. Motorcycles and open-wheel race cars finding such widespread acclaim smack dab in the middle of NASCAR country? It seems like the stuff of dreams, though not even Barber himself had such lofty aspirations approximately 15 years ago when he began creating the world that became the Barber Motorsports Park and Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
"When we first started this, I had no idea where it was going to go or what it would do," Barber says. "I certainly had no thought of having an Indy race here. That was unthinkable at the time. I just started off with a little something, and it grew and kept growing."
The result is an 830-acre park home to a 2.38-mile road-racing track that hosts several major events each year (highlighted by the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama), a five-story museum that houses more than 1,500 motorcycles and is in the midst of an 84,650-square-foot expansion, the official North American Porsche Sport Driving School, a test track that is used by Mercedes-Benz and others, and a motocross course. In addition, dozens of whimsical sculptures and mannequins scattered throughout the meticulously manicured grounds reflect Barber's quirky sense of humor.
Since opening in 2003 off I-20 near Leeds, the facility has become the top-ranked Birmingham attraction on the travel website TripAdvisor, with 97.6 percent of the reviewers rating it as either "excellent" or "very good." And according to BMP officials, many of the visitors are true tourists to Birmingham. Two-thirds of the museum attendees come from out-of-state, and as many as 75 percent of the fans at some of the races hail from outside Alabama.
"One of the things I wanted to do with the museum and the track is bring people to Birmingham who would have never come otherwise, and it's working. It's doing that," Barber says. "We had people from 61 countries come to this museum last year. That's amazing. They're seeing Birmingham for the first time and how beautiful the city is. I'm delighted that it's doing this for Birmingham."
A SHIFT IN GEARS
The path to BMP was paved with milk and dairy. Barber is the son of George H. Barber, who founded Barber's Dairy in the 1930s and over the next four decades grew the company into a multi-million-dollar operation. It was established early on that Barber eventually would take over the company from his father, so in the 1960s he began working in a variety of departments, including marketing and overseeing fleet operations.
But Barber also had a passion for auto racing, and he spent many weekends behind the wheel of a Porsche race car. He took the hobby seriously enough that he accumulated 63 victories over the years, traveling to such prestigious tracks as Daytona and Sebring in Florida. Still, no matter how much fun he had or how many times he hoisted the winner's trophy, Barber had to be back at work in Birmingham at 7 a.m. every Monday. No excuses.
"That pretty much limited me to the southeastern U.S. I couldn't go to a race in California and be back in time," Barber says. "I love racing. I had great experiences in racing. I did just enough to understand what these drivers and riders go through. I would have loved to have done more and driven in more races, but I had a responsibility. I had to be at work. Period. So I covered as much ground as I could and raced as often as possible."
When Barber began running the company in the 1970s following the death of his father, there no longer was time for even his limited racing schedule. But his love for the sport hadn't evaporated. It has long been a mantra among the racing community that when the sport takes hold it never lets go, and Barber was no exception.
"Once you get that in your system, you can't get it out," Barber says. "And I did all my own work on my race cars, so the engineering and working on the cars meant as much to me as driving them. That's really what started all this. The museum and the race track just came out of my love for machines and for working on them and seeing how they operate."
A TWO-WHEELED COLLECTION
Initially, Barber's focus was on purchasing and restoring race cars. But even for a wealthy man, that can be a particularly expensive endeavor. Plus, many of the most famous and historic cars had already been scooped up by collectors and museums. So one of Barber's longtime employees, a motorcycle enthusiast named Dave Hooper, suggested that Barber use his funds to purchase motorcycles instead. Barber loved the idea.
"When you get into that mechanical aspect of things and start to look at how machines work and why they work that way, the motorcycle really stands out," Barber says. "With a car you see a beautiful paint job and a set of hubcaps. With a motorcycle you can see the front suspension, the rear suspension, the cylinder heads, the whole operation of that bike. That makes a difference."
Barber began his collection in 1991 with the purchase of three 1986 Honda VFRs. He says he was enticed by the bikes' power. The VFR 1000 had a top speed of 232 miles per hour and could go from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. "They were the rocket bikes of that era," says Barber, who noted there were attempts to outlaw the motorcycles because of their excessive speed.
That purchase was soon followed by the acquisition of a 1952 Victoria Bergmeister, a rare German motorcycle. Suddenly, Barber had a new passion. Within a few years he had amassed more than 100 motorcycles and realized he needed a place to put them. So in 1995 he established the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in a warehouse on Birmingham's Southside that had been used as a repair facility for Barber's dairy trucks.
"Collecting is a disease," Barber says. "When I got more than 100 bikes I started thinking, 'You know, with a little luck, I could put together the best motorcycle collection in the world, have a lot of fun doing it, and help this city.' And it just grew step by step from there."
A FIRST-CLASS ATTRACTION
Barber sold the dairy business in 1998 and turned all his attention to his rapidly growing motorcycle collection. It quickly became apparent that he needed a true museum to house his beloved bikes instead of a converted warehouse that few people visited.
"I wanted to build a museum and restoration area, and then a small track to test the restorations," Barber says. "I figured we could just add to the track as we needed to. Well, it became apparent real quick that doing it that way was going to cost 10 times as much as just doing it right the first time. And I knew that if we were going to have any major races on the track, it was going to have to be beyond good to get people to come to Birmingham. It was going to have to be first-class all the way."
Construction of the motorsports park and museum cost more than $60 million. Barber estimates he has invested another $40 million or so into the facility since it opened in 2003, bringing the total tab for his hobby to more than $100 million.
"I don't know why I decided to do it. I'm insane. I'm crazy," Barber says with a crazy-like-a-fox smile. "I've never worked so hard in my life to give away so much money. But it's been a fabulous experience."
Barber lovingly tends to his creation like a farmer caring for his crops. Earlier this summer, he instructed track workers to hang a mannequin he dubbed "Georgina" off the pedestrian bridge that crosses the track near Turn 8. He returned to the spot three times over the next two hours to see the progress and offer advice.
"Put her right over the middle of the track," Barber instructed the track workers. "I want the drivers to be able to see her. They'll come around that turn and think there's somebody hanging off the bridge."
That is a good indicator of Barber's offbeat sense of humor, as is the unconventional artwork displayed throughout the park. Barber enjoys taking visitors for a ride around the track and pointing out the various sculptures and statues, usually throwing in a joke along the way.
As he passes a sculpture of a giant spider, Barber quips, "We have a terrible insect problem here." A collection of metal daisies prompts Barber to say, "We try to find places to grow things here, and if they won't grow, we make our own."
Regardless of the oddities, there is no doubt that BMP is a beautiful facility, one that is appreciated by drivers and fans alike. The Indy Grand Prix of Alabama race weekend regularly attracts crowds of more than 80,000 people, making it one of the highest-attended events on the IndyCar circuit.
"I really enjoy this place. It's probably the best facility we go to as far as road courses," says 2014 IndyCar champion Will Power, a two-time winner at BMP. "It's very well laid out and very well presented in every way. And the crowd here is definitely one of the best we have. There's always a great turnout. I've been to a lot of races over the years and this one is particularly well done. I love coming here."
Plenty of other people feel the same way about both the track and the museum. Matt Chambers, founder of luxury motorcycle manufacturer Confederate Motors, says the company relocated to Birmingham from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 "strictly because of George Barber's commitment to creating the most amazing collection of motorcycles on the planet."
The owners of Motus Motorcycles, which operates out of the building where the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum originated, have offered similar sentiments. They donated the first motorcycle they created in 2014 to the museum, and Motus co-founder Lee Conn called Barber, "probably one of the biggest visionaries Alabama has ever had."
The Greater Birmingham Visitors & Convention Bureau states that BMP had an economic impact of $148 million in 2015 and $1.46 billion over the 2003-2015 period. The facility also has helped lead to a transformation of the formerly barren area around Exit 140 off I-20. Since BMP opened, Bass Pro Shops has built a 150,000-square-foot store at that exit, and the Outlet Shops of Grand River was created on the other side of the interstate, the first phase in what developer Daniel Corporation envisions as eventually being a 6,500-acre commercial and residential area.
"There's usually one catalyst that causes growth to happen, and the creation of that park is the event that started the swell of activity in that particular area," says Rick Davis, senior vice president of economic development for the Birmingham Business Alliance. "Beyond that, the park is transforming people's perception of Birmingham. And it's not just a small shift. We're talking a major change in how people view our area."
Barber couldn't ask for anything more. As far as he is concerned, the motorsports world he has created can be a welcome mat to the city of Birmingham.
"I tell people that this place is a tool they should use to help the city," Barber says. "Corporations can bring people here and show them what we're doing in Birmingham. I feel like I'm an ambassador for Birmingham, and I want everybody who comes here to feel welcome and to enjoy it. To me, that's the most exciting thing about this place."
Upcoming events at Barber Motorsports Park:
12th Annual Barber Vintage Festival (Oct. 7-9)
WERA Grand Nationals (Oct. 20-23)
NASA Mid-South (Oct. 29-30)
Chump Car World Series (Dec. 10-11)
For more information visit barbermuseum.org and barbermotorsports.com
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(file photo)
Walmart will eliminate approximately 7,000 back-office positions from its U.S. workforce in the coming months.
The cuts, which include accounting and invoicing jobs, will affect all of Walmart's 4,600 stores. Walmart spokeswoman Deisha Barnett said the big-box retailer wants more employees interacting with customers on the sales floor and will offer "consumer-facing positions" to workers impacted by the losses.
The Wall Street Journal said the higher-paying jobs are typically held by long-term employees, whose salaries could go up or down if they take a different role with the company. The back-office positions will be automated at a central office in early 2017, Reuters reports.
"We fully anticipate that the impacted associates will move into roles that are customer-facing, wherever possible," Barnett said in an email to AL.com. "This includes associates in Alabama."
Barnett said the change will affect each Walmart store in Alabama. The number of associates per location will vary, but no more than three positions per store will be affected.
As Walmart tests its online grocery and pickup service, back-office workers could transition into roles supporting those initiatives.
"This aligns with serving customers based on how they are shopping our stores today," she said.
In January, Walmart shut down nine Alabama locations, affecting 500-600 jobs throughout the state. The closures were part of a larger plan to shutter 269 Walmart stores across the world, including 154 in the U.S.
A spokesman in April said more than 400 associates were able to transfer to other stores. Dozens of associates also took severance in lieu of transferring to another store or elsewhere within the company, which employs 1.5 million in the U.S.
More than 33,000 Walmart and Sam's Club employees in Alabama received a pay bump in March. The increases were part of Walmart's two-year, $2.7 billion investment in "higher pay, better training, clearer career paths and additional educational opportunities for its workers," the company said.
Making Change at Walmart is weighing in on the most recent Walmart cuts. Jess Levin, communications director for the national campaign, said the back-office jobs "were some of the better positions at Walmart."
"They could come with a higher salary, and also allowed a worker to be at a desk as opposed to on their feet all day," she said in a statement. "This change, no matter what Walmart promises, will most likely put 7,000 workers in the position of having to choose between a pay cut or no job at all."
A month after celebrating its 55th year in business, Woody Anderson Ford is marking another milestone in Huntsville.
The automobile dealership held a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony Thursday for its new service lane and on-site restaurant called Henry's Mustang Cafe. Both projects add nearly 13,000 square feet to the company's property on 2500 Jordan Lane N.W.
With assistance from Consolidated Construction Co., Woody Anderson Ford plans to develop a 33,463-square-foot state-of-the-art showroom at the site in 2017. Work on the new addition will begin soon and take about 9-10 months to complete.
"I think opening this new Service Drive and restaurant is a big deal to me because it's all about serving the customers," said General Manager Bobby White. "I'm glad we were able to do that first because it helps us to better serve them."
The new service center has a customer waiting area, while the restaurant offers full breakfast and lunch to employees, clients and the public. Both phases launched with a soft opening in June after a months-long buildout, White said.
Al Brauer, regional manager for Ford's customer service division in Atlanta, said he represents 75 Ford and Lincoln dealers across three states and "they don't get any better than Woody Anderson."
"They get it," he said. " ... They understand customer satisfaction, and that's much more than just buying vehicles, it's servicing vehicles."
Woodrow "Woody" Anderson, an Elkmont native and later Brownsboro resident, launched the dealership in August 1961. He died in 2003 at the age of 81.
His wife, Cathy Anderson, took over the business, which is now the largest woman-owned Ford dealer in the U.S. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said the company's namesake would be proud of the dealership's growth if he were alive today.
"This has become a place that has serviced people all over north Alabama for years and years," he said.
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WBHM 90.3 FM is licensed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and it may also be heard on WSGN 91.5 FM through a partnership with Gadsden State Community College. (Image courtesy of WBHM 90.3 FM)
The general manager at Birmingham public radio station WBHM 90.3 FM has resigned after four years and has moved back to his home state of Pennsylvania.
"Scott Hanley resigned his position as GM at WBHM," UAB director of public relations Jim Bakken said in a statement to AL.com today. "A search is being conducted to support a smooth transition and fill this key leadership position."
WBHM is licensed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where its studios are located, and it may also be heard on WSGN 91.5 FM through a partnership with Gadsden State Community College.
Hanley came to WBHM in 2012 after serving as the general manager at Pittsburgh public radio station WDUQ 90.5 FM.
"We've done some important and often fun work, winning awards, smiles, and most importantly, helping make Birmingham and Alabama better," Hanley said in a post on his blog. "We have engaged in conversations and told stories that have changed how people see and understand each other and Alabama."
Hanley has a media consulting firm and family business interests in southwestern Pennsylvania, according to the blog post.
"Over time, the 700-mile commute between Birmingham and my wife and family in Pennsylvania was not sustainable," he said. "But I leave Alabama with great pride in our accomplishments and the people I've had the privilege to work with over these years, with confidence in the even greater things these folks, UAB, and Birmingham will do next."
In addition to a general manager, WBHM is also searching for a news director to replace Rachel Lindley, who left the station about a month ago to become the Texas statewide coordinating editor at Dallas public radio station KERA 90.1 FM.
A West Blocton woman was killed in a Thursday morning head-on collision in Shelby County.
Melissa Ann Williams, 44, was killed when the 2013 Nissan Altima she was driving collided head-on with a 2008 Ford Explorer driven by John Bradford Ingram, 37, of Deatsville, according to Alabama state troopers.
Williams, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Ingram and a passenger were injured and transported to an unspecified local hospital for treatment.
The crash occurred at around 9:45 a.m. on Shelby County 13, two miles north of West Blocton.
Troopers continue to investigate.
Updated at 2:52 p.m. with ID of victim, new information from troopers.
Alabama's process for punishing judges needs to be changed, the Alabama Republican Party's executive committee says in a resolution aimed at what led to the suspension of Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore.
The resolution asks that the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government enact law for the election of all nine of the Judicial Inquiry Commission members.
"It needs to be an elected group of people so it is accountable to the voters," said Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan.
The resolution also seeks to abolish the rule that judges are automatically suspended when charges are filed by the JIC.
The JIC is currently composed of: an appellate judge appointed by the supreme court, but who can't be supreme court justice; two circuit judges appointed by the Circuit Judges' Association; one District Judge appointed by the Lt. Governor; three persons who are non-lawyers appointed by the governor with confirmation by the Senate; and two members of the State Bar appointed by the Board of Bar Commissioners.
The JIC investigates complaints of misconduct or professional wrongdoing on the part of judges and can file charges that will be heard by the Alabama Court of the Judiciary (COJ). Judges who are charged by the JIC are automatically suspended with pay until their cases are resolved by the COJ.
Moore was suspended in May after the JIC filed judicial ethics charges regarding a January administrative order he issued to state probate judges that reminded them that the Alabama Supreme Court's order from the previous year barring them from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples was still in place - despite federal courts and U.S. Supreme Court orders saying same-sex marriage is legal nationwide.
The Southern Poverty Law Center had filed a complaint to the JIC after Moore's administrative order was issued. The SPLC also had filed several other complaints last year regarding other Moore orders and public comments the chief justice had made on gay marriage.
Moore has a trial set Sept. 28 before the COJ.
Richard Cohen, president of the SPLC, said the ALGOP resolution was "wildly insulting to the JIC members. "It's an insuslt to the integrity of the JIC by Moore's supporters," he said.
Cohen said there is accountability with JIC. "Seven of the nine (JIC) members hold elected office or are appointed by those who do," he said.
The effort to change the process is an effort by Roy Moore supporters "to undermine the strong judicial ethics laws that Alabama has," Cohen said.
The Rev. James Henderson offered the resolution at the Republican meeting. The resolution was overwhelmingly approved to applause, he said.
Henderson, who was the statewide campaign manager during Moore's unsuccessful bid for governor in 2010, said Wednesday that the SPLC was using the Judicial Inquiry Commission process in an attempt to have Moore and Alabama Supreme Court Justice Tom Parker both removed from the bench. "It's too easy for people to use charges from the JIC to retaliate against people," he said.
"It's just too easy to punish people without due process," Henderson said. JIC is trying to turn the JIC/COJ process into a "kangaroo court," he said.
The JIC has not filed charges against Parker. But Parker has stated the JIC is investigating him in court filings in a federal lawsuit he filed. That lawsuit challenges the automatic removal process and the constitutionality of several speech restrictive Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics.
The JIC has asked a federal judge to dismiss Parker's case.
Another federal judge last month dismissed Moore's lawsuit that also challenged the law requiring automatic suspension of judges facing ethics charges.
One bill is already pending in the state legislature to address the JIC and COJ process.
Alabama Sen. Bill Hightower, R-Mobile, on Aug. 18 introduced a bill in the current special session of the Alabama Legislature that would delete the automatic suspension provision of a judge facing ethics charges. The bill was sent to the tourism and marketing committee, which has not acted on it.
Under current law, a judge being punished can only appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court. But the bill would add another layer - to require final legislative approval of any Alabama Supreme Court decisions that affirm the COJ's removal of a judge from the bench.
The stop signs are punctured with bullet holes and the roads are marked by potholes. The weeds are overgrown on medians and thick foliage obstructs some of the city's plentiful abandoned homes. On a recent summer afternoon, it appears only one of a handful of local establishments -- a furniture store -- is open for business.
This is Brighton. Population: 2,945. Nearly a third of its residents live below the poverty line, according to the most recent Census figures.
The Alabama city, just outside of Birmingham, has been in the limelight lately for all the wrong reasons. A 32-year-old Brighton resident, Antonio Hinkle, was shot and killed Saturday night during "Love Thy Neighbor Day" in a shooting that injured six others, including a child. Two men are still being sought by local authorities while a 19-year-old has been apprehended in the incident.
Meanwhile, allegations of voter fraud are being investigated in the Brighton mayor's race, with the unofficial winner of the election, Brandon Dean, facing allegations that he requested 80 absentee ballots for people using his home address.
Dean earlier told AL.com that he did not have any criminal intentions and that he was just trying to help voters who requested absentee ballots. In a phone interview Wednesday, he said he was concerned about the ballots reaching voters because two of his opponents were postal employees. The 24-year-old also said he hasn't yet been contacted by prosecutors probing the incident.
"Brighton is a city that needs help," Tyrone Rudolph, a local activist and on of five candidates in last week's mayoral election, told AL.com during a tour of the city on Monday. "It's just a sad situation."
Brighton Mayor Barbara Watkins could not be reached for comment on this story.
Brighton has been in financial dire straits for years. Jefferson County has had to step in by donating police vehicles after they broke down and Brighton couldn't pay to repair them; the city's officers were driving their personal vehicles in the interim. Brighton School, the city's only public school, is run by the county.
And trash in the city is only picked up once a week, leading many of Brighton's vacant lots to be dumped with rubbish. On one street, two abandoned, broken-down buses were lying in tall grass and weeds.
The city is also without its own bus stop -- a barrier to working-age residents seeking employment. The closest stop is 1 1/2 miles in nearby Bessemer.
"Our city is overwhelmed by blight and vulnerability and disadvantage for our people," Dean said. "But what we have in abundance is a commitment [to better the city.] Those [negative] forces can be overcome by these spontaneous instances of crime, of unruliness and the things that could otherwise cause a negative shadow to be cast on our city."
The city's only way out of poverty and blight is for Brighton to dissolve itself and either be annexed to Birmingham or be a ward of Jefferson County, he said.
"Basically, their revenue is from McDonald's and Chevron," Rudolph said of Brighton, referring to the fast food restaurant and service station on the city's outskirts. "If you don't have money, you can't change nothing."
Dean disagrees.
"Birmingham has exhibited the challenges that it has in leadership. Jefferson County lacks sympathy for the unique circumstances that the people of my city has to live under," he said. Annexation "only robs us of our ability to grow and to prosper and have some autonomy in the process that we can make."
Amid the unkempt lawns and boarded up homes, there are some city residents who maintain their homes, with some even mowing the grass on vacant residences to help with their own property values.
"If the city was well-kept then you can attract business to the people of Brighton" and in turn create jobs for residents, Rudolph said.
For Dean, the answer lies within Brightonians themselves.
"The solution is not commercialized, it is not prepackaged, so we have to create that model," he said, adding that he would utilize a $32 million program bankrolled by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg that advises mayors and their top aides how to run government. "We have to start having those discussions."
Two teens, who face murder trials early next year in the Jan. 5 slaying of Mike Gilotti in Hoover, have had attempted murder charges reinstated for a separate shooting in Fultondale.
In April a judge had dismissed the attempted murder charges against Charleston Wells, 17, and Ahmad Johnson, 18, related to the Fultondale case.
But the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office went to a grand jury, which on Aug. 26 indicted Wells and Johnson on the attempted murder charges stemming from the Fultondale shooting. The indictments were released on the state online court system Wednesday.
The teens had an initial appearance Thursday before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Tommy Nail. The judge set Oct. 3 as the date for the pre-trial hearing and arraignment.
Nail also appointed attorney Christopher Daniel to represent Johnson and attorney Michael Blalock to represent Wells on the attempted murder charge. Wells told Nail that he would hire another attorney.
Police have said the two teens opened fire on a man in Fultondale Jan. 4 as he was leaving a Chapel Hills home. The victim hasn't been cooperative, but Fultondale police Chief D.P. Smith said in February that forensics connected the crime in Fultondale to the Hoover shooting.
Investigators in both Hoover and Pelham have said there was little doubt those gunmen are the same that killed 33-year-old Gilotti, an Iraqi veteran, one day later and about 16 miles away.
According to investigators, a man was leaving a Chapel Hills home in the predawn hours when he encountered two young men, dressed in black, in his driveway. Moments later, he was dodging gunfire, but the shots missed.
Wells and Johnson were the first two suspects arrested in the shooting death of Gilotti, a husband, father and Iraq war veteran, in the early hours of Jan. 5 outside his Hoover home.
Wells' murder trial in Gilotti's death has been set for Feb. 13. Johnson's murder trial has been set for March 27.
In March, authorities also charged Darrian Bryant, 16, of Bessemer, and De'Ron Lucas, 19, of McCalla. Bryant has identified Wells as the shooter in the Gilotti case.
Investigators have said all of the suspects are members of a Bessemer-area gang called M-tre, which stands for Money Making Mafia. Though they claim to be aspiring rappers, police say they are street criminals who break into cars and commit other crimes to get money. They often posted pictures of themselves on Facebook and other social media sites holding guns and money.
Police have also said Wells and Johnson face charges in a string of car break-ins in Hoover and Pelham, where they face charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree theft of property.
Editor's note: This is the latest in an ongoing AL.com investigation into the mental health crisis in Alabama.
Daniel Eric Blackmon of Marshall County got in his truck on the morning of April 16 and started driving. He had his shotgun with him.
Blackmon, 38, wounded four motorists in two counties before law enforcement could catch up with him. He died in a shootout, and a sheriff's deputy said it was a crime spree with "no rhyme or reason."
But there was a reason. "The bipolar had come to the top," Blackmon's father told AL.com the following day. His son was off his medication and "seeing demons" before the shootings, Randy Blackmon said. He had taken his father on a wild ride the night before that included visiting what he believed to be the portal of Hell in downtown Gadsden.
Not typical, but not rare
Blackmon's break with reality wasn't typical. Seriously mentally ill people off their medication can roam, but they often end up in distress close to home. And Alabama's police officers and deputies typically can defuse such encounters, taking mentally ill people to jail until better care is available.
But while Blackmon's case isn't typical, it also isn't exactly rare. Ten Alabama men and women with mental illness have been killed by police or deputies since the beginning of 2015, according to a database compiled by the Washington Post and news reports in AL.com and other Alabama media.
In each of those cases, police lives were also on the line. And so, potentially, were the lives of citizens caught in the middle.
That's one reason Alabama's sheriffs say they need help. Most of the 40 sheriffs and chief deputies who responded to an AL.com survey this year said they had people in their jails needing mental health care at the time a reporter called. Most said they had trouble finding that care for people in their custody. Most said their officers weren't trained to deal with a mental health crisis.
Every day somewhere
Untreated serious mental illness is the long-form description of what police and sheriffs are facing. At times, it leads to fatal encounters.
"Law enforcement understands it because they're dealing with it every day," retired New Windsor, N.Y., police chief Michael Biasotti said in an August interview. Biasotti has a daughter with mental illness, and he is an advocate for training all police officers - not just some - to deal with it.
"I find it, as a police officer, pretty hard to fault a police officer," Biasotti said of fatal confrontations. "Every situation is, of course, different, and I'm sure there are some where the officer could have taken more time.
"But in most cases," Biasotti said, "you're trained to protect your life and somebody's else's life. You respond to a level of threat, and when the level of threat starts off with something that could be deadly force - the guy's coming at you with a knife - you meet that with the same force. Deadly force back."
"It's not your job to determine why he's trying to kill you."
Five had guns
Of the 10 mentally ill Alabamians fatally shot by police or deputies since the start of 2015, authorities say five had guns, three had either knives or a box cutter, one had a BB gun and one had a large spoon.
Here are the nine other fatal confrontations between Alabama authorities and the mentally ill since the start of 2015, starting with the next-most recent.
1. April 3, 2016: Melissa Boarts, 36, was shot by Auburn police on a street in Macon County. Officers were responding to a report of a suicidal person, and Boarts reportedly threatened them with a knife.
2. Oct. 4, 2015: Eric Edgell, 27, shot at Muscle Shoals and Sheffield officers responding to a report of a man with a gun threatening suicide. Edgell's fiancee said he suffered from depression, anxiety and PTSD. He reportedly turned his gun on officers and fired.
3. Sept. 19, 2015: Scott Beech, 57, was stopped by a Washington County, Ala., deputy responding to a domestic dispute call. Beech, wildly upset, pointed a handgun at the deputy, who tried to knock it out of his hand. Beech pointed the gun again, reports said, and the deputy shot him.
4. Aug. 20, 2015: Jeffory Ray Tevis, 50, was shocked with a stun gun and then shot by Tuscaloosa police after running at an officer with a large spoon and grappling with him. Family members said he was having "a mental episode" at the time.
5. May 25, 2015: Anthony Briggs, 36, was shot by Huntsville police after attacking his brother and neighbor with a knife and running at officers with the knife in his hands. Briggs had a personality disorder.
6. March 19, 2015: Shane Watkins, 39, was shot by Lawrence County deputies who say he lunged at them with a knife. Watkins' family said he was delusional and off his medication.
7. March 11, 2015: William Russel Smith, 53, was shot by Hoover police who went to his apartment on a domestic disturbance call and found him with a gun. Smith's family told police Smith was off his medication.
8. Feb. 20, 2015: Douglas Harris, 77, was shot by a Birmingham police officer who went along with firefighters to Harris' apartment to check on his welfare. Harris, who suffered from dementia, pointed a gun at the officer.
9. Feb. 11: 2015, Fletcher Ray Stewart, 46, was shot by a Tallapoosa County deputy after a chase. He had a BB gun and waved it at the deputy. Stewart's family said he was mentally ill.
In each of these confrontations, the responding officers and deputies came home, although one was wounded and others could have been. But Biasotti said there's another risk for law enforcement.
'You will see lawsuits'
When he was a chief, Biasotti said his department's K-9 handlers constantly trained with their dogs. It was an active unit, and most of the lawsuits against his department involved the K-9 team.
"The police chief always gets sued because the training isn't adequate," Biasotti said. Plaintiffs' attorneys routinely look at adding training to a lawsuit, he said.
"You will see lawsuits," he predicted if Alabama law enforcement continues to respond to these calls without the training that's available.
Lawsuits are a familiar first step toward government action in Alabama, and it may be a lawsuit with a big payout that forces change in how the state responds to the seriously mentally ill.
Cases where innocent bystanders die can also lead to change. Alabama narrowly avoided that in April when Daniel Eric Blackmon got in his truck and tried to outrun and outgun his demons.
Federal pressure can also lead to change. This month, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that it was repeatedly running into the problem of police encounters with the mentally ill while investigating claims of racial discrimination and excessive force.
Whatever it takes
Sheriffs say, as state services drop, they are arresting more individuals in mental health crisis. Yet deputies are trained to focus on safety, for the public and for officers. They are not trained in mental health treatment.
Meanwhile, the mentally ill face greater safety risks as they find themselves confronted by armed officers, often charged with a minor crime and placed in jail because there is nowhere else for deputies to take them.
If it takes a horror story to drive change in Alabama, a county sheriff or a deputy or a small-town police officer will probably have been first on the scene and also at risk along with the person seeing demons and needing help.
"Police are the only ones who can't do what the mental health system does," national mental health advocate D.J. Jaffee told AL.com, "and that's just turn away."
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(Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
The chairman of the committee overseeing the impeachment investigation of Gov. Robert Bentley has denied the governor's request to suspend the proceedings.
Rep. Mike Jones, R-Andalusia, also denied the governor's request that three members of the committee be recused.
And the special counsel hired to handle the investigation has requested a lengthy list of documents from the governor's office, including some about the activities of Bentley's former political adviser, Rebekah Mason.
Jones is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which is handling the proceedings, and issued a press release today about his decision to deny the motions for suspension of the proceedings and for recusals.
"After careful consideration and a close examination of the constitutional law and other reference sources, the motions are denied," Jones said.
Ross Garber, who is representing the governor's office, said he hopes and expects the full committee will consider the issues raised about the process.
"Any further impeachment investigation must comply with the Constitution," Garber said in an email responding to Jones' decisions.
Bentley's lawyers have argued that the resolution passed by the House to initiate the impeachment process is so vague that it does not allow the governor to receive due process.
Bentley is accused of willful neglect of duty and corruption in office. The governor has denied doing anything to warrant removal from office and has said he plans to complete his term.
Jones wrote in an eight-page letter that Bentley's claims of denial of due process are "premature and erroneous."
Jones wrote that the proceedings are in the investigation stage and that Bentley is not entitled to specificity about any allegations during the investigation.
Jones also disputed the assertion by Bentley's lawyers that the impeachment process is a criminal proceeding.
As for the recusals, Jones wrote that the governor has no authority to dictate to the House or to the Judiciary Committee which representatives can sit on the committee.
Bentley's lawyers had asked that Reps. Mike Ball, R-Madison; Allen Farley, R-MCalla and Mike Holmes, R-Wetumpka, recuse themselves.
They voted for the resolution that launched the impeachment proceedings in April, the resolution that accuses the governor of neglect of duty and corruption.
Bentley's lawyers said they could not be both accusers and deciders on the proceedings.
All three have said they do not intend to recuse.
Garber, in his response to Jones' decision today, said impeachments are serious matters that can void elections and nullify the votes of citizens.
"In modern times only two U.S. governors have been removed from office through impeachment, and only after having been charged with committing felonies in office," Garber said in an email.
"The law provides that impeachment proceedings must follow due process requirements.
"While we appreciate Chairman Jones's opinion, we still hope and expect the Judiciary Committee itself will meet to consider these important issues, as required by law and the Rules of both the Committee and the House of Representatives."
Jones' eight-page says that the special counsel hired by the committee to lead the investigation, Jack Sharman, sent Bentley on Aug. 12 two requests for documents related to the investigation.
The governor's lawyers responded by letter on Aug. 17, saying they intended to wait for the committee's "substantive decision on our pending motions and a constitutionally firm charging document" before responding to the request for documents.
Special counsel Sharman, in a five-page letter to Bentley's lawyers, said the committee "intends to conduct a swift, unhindered investigation that starts with the collection of documents."
Sharman wrote that he was disappointed at the refusal to provide the documents and that the failure to cooperate with the investigation could itself be grounds for impeachment.
The list of documents requested is attached to the notice from Jones and the letter from Sharman released today.
Among the documents requested:
Current and previous staff lists of the governor's office; a list of all staffers work phones and state-issued cellphones; complete calendars for Bentley and former political adviser Rebekah Mason; documents on use of state aircraft; documents on ground transportation for Mason; documents on Mason's visit to the governor's mansion and Wynfield Estate; documents on leased or chartered air travel by Bentley and Mason; and documents requesting reimbursement from state funds by or on behalf of Bentley and Mason.
Also requested, any documents related to terminations and transfers at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency; former ALEA Secretary Spencer Collier; and prosecutors in the Mike Hubbard case.
In April, 23 members of the House signed the impeachment resolution against Bentley.
For months, Bentley has been hounded by questions about Mason and his decision to fire former ALEA Secretary Collier.
In March, Bentley apologized for racy comments to Mason after the release of audiotapes that indicated a romantic involvement. Bentley's wife of 50 years had divorced him last year.
Bentley and Mason denied having an affair. Mason resigned.
Bentley put Collier on medical leave in February after Collier, against his orders, gave state prosecutors an affidavit in the Mike Hubbard case.
In March, Bentley fired Collier, saying an investigation found possible misuse of funds. Collier said he had done nothing wrong.
Collier went public with allegations that Bentley and Mason had an affair and that he had warned the governor about using state resources to facilitate it.
Collier said Bentley fired him for refusing to lie to prosecutors about the affidavit.
Bentley said he did not tell Collier to lie.
Collier has sued Bentley, Mason and others, alleging wrongful termination and defamation.
An Elmore County mother pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse on Wednesday a year after her then 4-year-old son was found unresponsive and suffering from multiple bruises.
Hallee McLeod, 28, will be sentenced in Elmore County Circuit Court on Oct. 12, court records show.
A chemical endangerment charge again McLeod was dropped, records show.
McLeod, and her boyfriend, Scott Hicks, are accused of severely abusing her son, Winston.
Winston was found unresponsive and suffering from multiple injuries in the truck of his mother's boyfriend in Panama City, Fla. in September.
Hicks had traveled to Florida to resolve two outstanding warrants, and deputies found the child left in his vehicle. The child had multiple bruises, a laceration on his head and dried blood on his lips.
Since that incident, Winston's father, Joey Crampton, lobbied for legislation dubbed Winston's Law, which created the crime of aggravated child abuse of a child under the age of 6. The offense is Class A felony, which carries a prison sentence of no less than 10 years.
The Alabama Legislature passed the bill in February.
Crampton was arrested in March and charged with two counts of domestic violence against his wife.
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The Alabama Ethics Commission meets in Montgomery, Ala., on Sept. 1, 2016.
(Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
Public Service Commissioner Chip Beeker
The Alabama Ethics Commission today adopted an advisory opinion that a member of the Public Service Commission could not lease land to a company that planned to sell solar-generated electricity to Alabama Power Company, which the PSC regulates.
The Ethics Commission voted 3-2 in favor of the recommendation of the commission staff that the lease would not be permissible under the ethics law.
Public Service Commissioner Chip Beeker had asked for the opinion.
Coronal Development Group, based in Virginia, was planning to lease property in anticipation of a request for proposals from Alabama Power Company for solar generated-electricity.
Coronal approached Beeker about leasing 451 acres in Greene County, according to Beeker's request for the opinion.
Coronal would have paid $500 an acre annually during the 25-year lease, a total of $225,500 a year and $5.6 million in 25 years.
Coronal was interested in Beeker's land because it is pasture land suitable for solar generation and close to a transmission line, according to Beeker's lawyer, James Anderson.
But the Ethics Commission found that it could not conclude the arrangement would not be a conflict of interest for Beeker, noting that Coronal wanted the lease with Beeker so it could sell electricity to Alabama Power, which Beeker regulates.
"The RFP has not occurred at this point, but the Commission is not satisfied that Mr. Beeker's public position is irrelevant to Coronal, nor can we conclude that the lease would not present a conflict between Mr. Beeker's private interests and official responsibilities if executed," the opinion says.
Beeker referred questions to his lawyer, Anderson.
Anderson did not attend today's Ethics Commission meeting and said he did not find out until Monday that the issue would come up at the meeting, which was a special-called meeting to address a backlog of opinions.
Anderson asked the commission to consider the opinion at the next regular meeting in October instead of today, but the commission voted to go ahead and consider it today.
"To say I'm disappointed is an understatement," Anderson said. "We wanted to be there to answer questions and give our side."
On Aug. 3, the commission had deadlocked 2-2 on the opinion.
Today, the vote was 3-2 in favor of the opinion. Voting yes were Commission Chairman Jerry Fielding and Commissioners Stewart Hill Tankersley and James Jerry Wood.
Voting no were Commission Vice Chair Frank "Butch" Ellis and Commissioner Charles Price.
On Aug. 3, Fielding had voted against the opinion, while Price had voted for it. Tankersley was not at the Aug. 3 meeting.
Anderson said he would talk with Beeker about whether to ask the commission to reconsider.
Commission Executive Director Tom Albritton said Coronal Development Group has informed the commission it is no longer interested in leasing Beeker's property.
Anderson said Coronal had told him it would only enter the lease if the Ethics Commission approved.
Coronal had entered agreements with nine other property owners in Alabama when Beeker requested the opinion from the Ethics Commission, according to his request.
Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman said the company was not aware of Coronal's offer to Beeker until it came before the Ethics Commission.
Alabama Power plans to send out an RFP for solar and other renewable energy before the end of the year.
There is one piece of good news for Alabama when it comes to 24/7 Wall Street's list of 50 worst places to live in the U.S.
An Alabama city didn't land at number one on the list - you'll have to drop down all the way to number six to find the Heart of Dixie's entry.
24/7 Wall Street reviewed data on 550 U.S. cities with populations of 65,000 or more and then looked at crime rates, employment growth, access to restaurants and attractions, educational attainment, incomes, and housing affordability.
Landing at number one on the list of 50 worst places to live - and this one's bound to be controversial - was Miami. The south Florida city's median household income was $31,917 a year, well below the national median of $53,657. The city's median home value of $245,000 is well above the national median of $181,200, however, meaning ownership can be out of reach for many.
Miami also has a crime problem - 1,060 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 people.
At number six on the list was Birmingham, which received its spot based on high poverty rate (31 percent) and violent crime rate (1,588 incidents per 100,000 people.)
"The typical Birmingham household earns only $30,043 a year, and the city's poverty rate of 30.5 percent is nearly double the national poverty rate," the analysis noted. "Like many cities with pervasive poverty, Birmingham is a relatively dangerous place. The city's violent crime rate of 1,588 incidents per 100,000 people is more than four times the national violent crime rate."
Welcome to Thursday's Wake Up Call. Let's see what's going on:
Vladimir Putin arrested at Florida grocery store
Vladimir Putin was arrested last week at a Publix grocery store in West Palm Beach, Florida.
But before you think the arrest will be the start of an international incident, it's important to know the man arrested wasn't the Russian president.
A man named Vladimir Putin was arrested after cops responded to a report that a man was screaming at grocery store employees. Putin was charged with resisting and/or obstructing an officer without violence.
World's oldest fossil found
Scientist have found a fossil dating back 3.7 billion years. If confirmed, the fossil would be the oldest ever discovered.
The remains consist of a layer of rock known as a stromatolite, a mineral structure created by microorganisms typically found in a shallow sea. The fossil is less than two inches high but could give scientists a glimpse into the types of early life on Earth.
The fossil was discovered in Greenland.
Woman fined for hanging American flag
A Davison, Michigan woman is facing a fine for displaying the American flag.
Doris Fladzinkski said she received a note from her townhouse development about the American flag hanging on her front door. Fladzinkski said she was told she had to take it down or pay a fine of $25 a day.
The development said it restricts all door decorations to prevent "offensive displays."
Historic flight lands in Cuba
A flight from the U.S. to Cuba has made history.
A scheduled commercial flight from Ft. Lauderdale touched down in Cuba at around 11 a.m. Wednesday. About 150 people were on board the JetBlue Flight 387 for the 45 minute trip.
The flight departed the Ft. Lauderdale airport with a water cannon salute, a ceremony commemorating a special occasion for an aircraft.
Until tomorrow.
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(Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)
A Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for legalizing marijuana is challenging an Alabama law that requires those who lobby the Legislature to travel to the state for in-person training on the ethics law.
Maggie Ellinger-Locke, legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project, sued the Ethics Commission and other state officials in federal court in Montgomery on Wednesday.
Ellinger-Locke claims that Alabama's law requiring lobbyists to attend in-person training places an unconstitutional burden on freedom of speech and on the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
The law is Alabama Code 36-25-4.2(a)(3). Intentional violation is a felony.
Earlier this year, Ellinger-Locke requested an advisory opinion from the Ethics Commission on whether it was possible to meet the training requirement without making the trip to Alabama, such as with online training.
In June, the commission unanimously adopted an opinion saying that the in-person training was required.
Ellinger-Locke's lawsuit notes that Alabama allows county commissioners, city council members, mayors and public employees to receive ethics training online.
Ethics Commission Executive Director Tom Albritton said the ethics law mandates that training for those officials be available online, but has no such provision for lobbyists.
Albritton said on Wednesday that the commission had not been served with the lawsuit.
"I find it hard to believe, however, that anyone would challenge a requirement that special interests who are paid a lot of money to advocate for the passage or defeat of legislation before state government must go through a one-hour class on how to do their job without committing a crime or how to keep their actions from getting others in trouble," Albritton said in an email.
"If we're served, then a court will have to resolve that issue I guess; but the Code requires that all lobbyists must attend training so that's what we require, as well."
Albritton said he has done some one-on-one training for lobbyists to help them meet the requirement.
The law requires that the commission hold the training at least four times a year.
Lobbyists must attend a session within 90 days of registering to lobby. A lobbyist who fails to do so cannot lobby the Legislature, executive branch, judicial branch, public officials or public employees, according to the law.
Attendance is required only once, unless the law changes.
Ellinger-Locke said she is assigned to work on marijuana policy in 11 states and that Alabama is the only one that requires in-person ethics training for lobbyists.
She said some other states require ethics training courses, but they are all available online or through some other means.
"In Alabama, I was astonished to find that the state wanted me to physically travel to Montgomery to attend this one-hour ethics training course," Ellinger-Locke said.
Because of the requirement, Ellinger-Locke said the Marijuana Policy Project has not done any lobbying of Alabama officials.
In the last three years, Alabama has passed Carly's Law and Leni's Law, which effectively allowed limited use of marijuana-derived cannabidiol for medical uses.
Ellinger-Locke said she would be interested in talking to Alabama legislators about expanding on those laws or setting up a medical marijuana program in the state.
She said she would like to communicate with Alabama officials by phone and email. Given the legislative climate in Alabama on marijuana laws, she estimates she would spend two to 15 hours a year communicating with state officials.
The Institute for Justice is representing Ellinger-Locke and the Marijuana Policy Project in the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
A Wilcox County man was killed early Thursday morning when the tractor trailer he was driving left the roadway, overturned and struck a tree.
Kenneth Dwayne Blount, 48, of Pine Hill, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Alabama state troopers. Blount was operating a 2006 Kenworth tractor trailer.
The crash occurred at around 3:30 a.m. on Alabama 5 near the 37 mile marker, six miles west of Orrville.
Troopers continue to investigate.
A Mississippi man accused of killing five people with an ax and gunshots in a south Alabama home told investigators he parked in the woods nearby and injected methamphetamine "ice" into his veins shortly beforehand, new court records reveal.
Laneta Lester was awakened by the sound of a gunshot and saw her ex-boyfriend Derrick Dearman kill the other adult occupants of the home: three men and two women, according to search warrant affidavits.
Dearman gave "a full confession" when he was interviewed after the slayings, detectives say in the affidavits.
Dearman, 27, of Leakesville, Mississippi, has pleaded not guilty to murder and kidnapping.
He's accused of attacking the victims as they slept Aug. 20, then kidnapping Lester. She had recently moved into the house in the small town of Citronelle, Alabama, to escape a violent relationship with Dearman.
Lester told detectives that after the five had been slain, she grabbed the only other survivor, her brother's 3-month-old infant.
But Dearman threatened to kill her if she tried to escape with the child, she said. He found the keys to her brother's Dodge Caliber, forced her and the infant into the vehicle and then drove toward Mississippi, court affidavits say.
Lester managed to escape after Dearman arrived at his father's home in Mississippi, and his father brought him to the local sheriff's office in Greene County, Mississippi, to surrender, police have said.
Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich said her office likely will seek the death penalty against Dearman.
Dearman is charged with six counts of murder, including one count for the unborn child of a pregnant woman who was among the dead.
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Before testimony in the trial against Hiawatha Robinson began, state prosecutors could be seen rolling three carts filled with boxes and large heavily wrapped pieces of evidence into the courtroom Thursday morning.
(Prescotte Stokes III/pstokes@al.com)
State prosecutors rolled three carts of evidence into a Mobile County courtroom Thursday morning as the trial of Hiawatha Robinson, accused of sodomizing and murdering his 8-year-old daughter Hiawayi Robinson in September 2014, entered another day.
The carts were filled with boxes and large, heavily wrapped packages.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Wright began testimony in Judge Charles Graddick's courtroom by bringing in Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Steven Sorrells. He was the leader of the FBI's evidence response team in Mobile during the investigation into Hiawayi's disappearance.
ADA Wright let Sorrells lay out his credentials for jurors, which included working on high profile cases like 9/11 and bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. He told jurors he was assigned the case at about 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 17. On that day at 8:45 p.m. he arrived at St. Stephens and Stiles Avenue in the Prichard area. That night he took photos of several items ADA Wright presented to jurors.
They included: a pair of white jeans, a bracelet, a "Hello Kitty" T-shirt, a black T-shirt, black shorts and pink shorts.
All of those items were found on Sept. 17 before Hiawayi's body had been located, according to Sorrells' testimony. He told jurors that same night he also received written consent to take possession of and search Robinson's red Tahoe.
Sorrells said he put on gloves and a protective suit to prevent contamination and drove the SUV to the FBI's office in Mobile for the first search. That search took place at midnight on Sept. 18, according to Sorrells. Later that morning, around 9:40 a.m., Sorrells and several other law enforcement officers received permission to search Robinson's mother's home in the 4900 block of Outlaw Road.
Items found there included several hair samples, a blue shirt and cooler with gloves inside of a plastic bag. They also performed swabs from several rooms in the home, including a bed in one of the bedrooms. After completing the search, they received a call that Hiawayi's body had been found on Rebel Road.
Sorrells described seeing Hiawayi at the scene with one braid undone with a missing bead. Since an initial perimeter had already been established, they set up a secondary perimeter and began canvassing the area for evidence and taking photos. All of the items that were shown in photographs on day four of testimony were physically unwrapped and shown inside the courtroom during Sorrells' testimony.
The items introduced to jurors included one clear bead, a red cloth, two zip ties, two pieces of black duct tape, a piece of drywall with fluid on it, a green wrapper and a wooden cross. In day four of testimony Defense Attorney Jeff Deen had referred to the wooden cross as a relic and suggested that Hiawayi's body positioning near it could be symbolic of a satanical ritual killing.
ADA Wright asked Sorrells if he had noticed any codes or symbols on the wooden cross in court.
Sorrells answered, "No. It looks to be consistent with trash like the other items in the area where she was found."
He followed that by telling jurors, "It looked to me like a isolated area and looked like the body was dumped at the site."
Wright told jurors all of that physical evidence was collected at the site on Sept. 18. Next she turned testimony to the second search of the Tahoe on Sept. 19 and the search of Robinson's mother's GMC Sierra pick-up truck on Sept. 20. A clear bead, a pair of gloves and a twig were found during that search of the Tahoe.
Sorrells told jurors they also used alternative light sources to check for bodily fluids, blood and vomit after a visual observation showed residue that could have been one of those substances. Sorrells told jurors they did relay that information to agents conducting interviews although the evidence had not been tested at that point.
On Sept. 20 the search of the GMC Sierra found hair-like substances, Nyquil liquid and a bottle of Wild Irish Rose, candy wrappers, blue gloves, an iron tool, a lighter, sand and dirt and twigs. Sorrells also showed jurors more than 20 photos of an abandoned building near Rebel Road. No evidence was taken from the building, just photos of the exterior and interior that showed a dirty mattress and the proximity of the building to where Hiawayi's body was found.
During cross-examination, Deen asked Sorrells if he was the team leader for all evidence found, He answered, "yes."
Deen repeatedly asked Sorrells if the evidence response team had gone to anyone else's home aside from Robinson and his relatives.
Sorrells answered, "Yes. I think there were other locations, but I don't know specifically."
He asked if any other vehicles were searched besides Robinson's and his family's vehicles.
Sorrells told jurors, "I did not participate in any other vehicle searches and I'm not aware of any other searches."
Next Deen moved to other homes searched of possible suspects or witnesses. Sorrells seemingly flustered said, "I'm not aware of any, I thought that was part of the neighborhood canvassing that was already done."
The afternoon testimony was comprised of state prosecutors bringing in experts in satanic homicides, autopsies and forensic pathology.
ADA Wright brought in FBI Special Agent Danny McKinley, who was a photographer for the evidence response team. McKinley, who joined the FBI in 1993, had satanic homicide training in a case he worked in India.
Wright, dressed seriously in a beige blazer and skirt with a black stripe along the sides, put on a pair of light blue surgical gloves and lifted the cross in front of Judge Graddick and jurors.
She wasted no time asking McKinley, "Are the symbols on the front and back side of this cross consistent with satanic worship symbols?"
McKinley answered, "No ma'am."
Next she methodically went through the timeline of photographic evidence McKinley had taken from Robinson's SUV in all three searches and his girlfriend's home in Semmes, where no hair beads were found. In Robinson's previous statements to the FBI, he said that the clear bead found in his SUV could have been for one of his girlfriend's nieces.
Deen cross-examined McKinley and aimed directly for his testimony about not finding beads at the home in Semmes. Deen asked McKinley if the search warrant they had been given to search the home included the beads.
McKinley answered, "It was in our understanding that it wasn't in the search warrant."
Deen argued to jurors that the protocol for a search warrant is that they can only look for items listed in the search warrant. The next logic he posed to jurors is that the FBI agents did not find the bead because they weren't actually looking for the bead at the time of the search.
After that exchange he questioned McKinley's satanic homicide training. McKinley explained he worked a case involving Hindus in the Himalayan Mountains area in 1995.
Deen asked if Hindus have anything to do with Satan in their belief system, but that line of questioning was objected by Judge Graddick and they were forced to move on.
ADA Wright brought Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences Medical Examiner Dr. Eugene Hart to the stand. Hart performed the autopsy on Hiawayi Robinson's body on Sept. 19. at the University of South Alabama Medical Center.
Wright went through 83 photos graphically detailing Hiawayi's body. Family members almost silently sniffed and cried through the testimony. After being mostly still and calm throughout the proceedings, Hiawatha Robinson began shivering in his seat, constantly drying his eyes and adjusting his glasses as the images flashed on the monitor in front him.
Hart told jurors, "Externally there was not much in the way of findings."
He said a lot of the discoloration in her skin came from ant bites and being out in the sun for a long period. The other discoloration was normal decomposition after death.
He went further saying that, "It was difficult to say if there were abrasions before death due to the condition of the body."
He said the toxicology report seemed normal, and the only evidence of trauma was in the vaginal area. He noted that aside from normal decomposition there was inflammation in the vagina consistent with sexual abuse. In the rectal area he was unable to draw a conclusion if there had been any trauma.
He said his opinion on the cause of death was positional asphyxia, which may not always show up in a autopsy.
Hart explained to jurors that positional asphyxia occurs when, for example, force is put on someone's chest or back to prevent them from breathing.
By drawing that conclusion, he told jurors, "The cause of death was homicide."
When Deen cross-examined Hart he focused on determining a time of death. Hart told jurors that based on all the evidence collected from where a body is found, along with the autopsy, doctors can usually come up with a window of time when a death occurred.
He said based on the images taken from the scene of the condition of her body around noon on Sept. 18, Hiawayi had to have died sometime between the evening of Sept. 16 and around noon on Sept. 17.
During Deen's questioning he told jurors, "Some of the vaginal injuries likely occurred before that window." When Deen asked if that trauma could have taken place before Sept. 16, Hart said he couldn't say if it did or didn't.
Judge Graddick called for a 10-minute break after that testimony. Family could be heard saying "Oh my God" as they emptied into the hallway.
When the trial resumed, ADA Wright brought in her final witness of the day, Forensic Pathologist Dr. Adel Shaker. For about 30 minutes Shaker went through a Microsoft PowerPoint slideshow explaining positional asphyxia to jurors in depth.
Shaker reviewed the autopsy, toxicology, DNA and photograph evidence in the case. He testified that small marks on Hiawayi's neck and ears had to be caused due to abrasion or bruising. After analyzing her skull and brain he determined that there was possible edema that can happen during positional asphyxia.
He told jurors, "Given the whole picture it is consistent with positional asphyxia."
He also noted that aside from the vaginal area showing signs of sexual abuse, in his opinion there also were signs of rectal sexual abuse.
During cross-examination, Deen quickly tried to convince jurors that Dr. Shaker and Dr. Hart were not on the same page with their sexual abuse determinations.
Shaker told jurors he respects Dr. Hart's opinion but that in his opinion, there was evidence of rectal sexual abuse.
Judge Graddick recessed court after Dr. Shaker's testimony and said the trial would continue in Circuit Court at 8:30 a.m. Friday morning.
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Fairhope, Ala., mayor-elect Karin Wilson poses next to a bookshelf at her store, Page & Palette, in downtown Fairhope. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).
In Oxford, Miss., Square Books owner Richard Howorth entered his town's mayoral race on the final day of qualifying. In Fairhope, Karin Wilson did the same.
In New Milford, Conn., Bank Street Book Nook owner David Gronbach is relying on his wife to run the business while he oversees city government. He was elected mayor last year. In Fairhope, Wilson is going to lean on her husband, Kiefer, to oversee their Page & Palette. She'll be taking over as mayor on Nov. 7.
In Alabama's Aug. 23 municipal elections, Wilson joined a small but intriguing club of booksellers-turned-mayors.
"Karin is following, if not a well-worn path, certainly a path others have pioneered," said Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association. "Successful booksellers are intimately involved in their communities because that is how they succeed. ... It's a logical extension."
He said, "Most booksellers take an enormous pride of their knowledge about books. But I think people have things to contribute to their community because of their experience as business people. Part of what comes as second nature is being exposed to every conceivable idea on the planet because of the books you put on your shelves."
Independent bookstores have experienced a revival of sorts in recent times, persevering despite competition from chain stores, e-reading and the online giant Amazon.
The independents are "resilient and entrepreneurial,'' declares the American Booksellers Association, which seeks to advance their interests.
Wilson goes a step further in her assessment: "They are the real community leaders, for the most part," she said. And the patrons, she explained, "treat bookstores as a community center, too."
Some other booksellers-turned-mayors are Ryan Coonerty in Santa Cruz, Calif., who led Bookshop Santa Cruz; Tim Lowry in Three Rivers, Mich., who owns Lowry's Books; and Eric Papenfuse in Harrisburg, Pa., owner of Midtown Scholar bookstore.
'Resilient' survivors
In 1989, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rocked San Francisco, famously disrupted that year's World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's, and destroyed downtown Santa Cruz.
In the rubble was Bookshop Santa Cruz.
"We had to operate out of a tent for three years." said Coonerty, now 70, who has handed the reins of the bookshop to his daughter, Casey.
In the first election cycle after the quake, he pitched his hat in the city's political ring to help it rebuild.
Coonerty served on the Santa Cruz City Council from 1990-94. He was mayor in 1992, a position that is selected by the council members.
Coming Friday:
What are Karin Wilson's plans for Fairhope? The mayor-elect discusses some specifics with
Keeping a store alive, while also trying to restore an entire city, were hard experiences, he said. "But you had to make do of what you had. I was committed to downtown," Coonerty said.
This year, the family bookshop is celebrating 50 years.
In Connecticut, Gronbach also offers an inspiring story.
New Milford sits about 85 miles north of New York City. Gronback and his family brought the local bookstore three years ago to keep it from closing up and going dark.
"We've had a book store in our town for many years, decades," he said. "It started from this idea that we are buying it because it's an important piece of the community that we are investing in. The community would be less if this institution went away, so to speak."
Now, things are chugging ahead for them, as with independent bookstores in many other locales. Teicher, with the American Booksellers Association, calls it a "resurgence."
Association data shows the number of independent bookstores in the U.S. rising for each of the last seven years. In all, 660 stores have been added since 2009, a 40 percent increase.
In Teicher's eyes, Page & Palette is a model for others to emulate.
He said, "You have a perfect example of a store that is innovative, creative and keeps reinventing themselves. And they remain heavily engaged into the life of the community they are in."
Bookselling politics
Wilson's family has owned Page & Palette since 1974 when her grandmother, Betty Joe Wolff, and her friend, artist Jo Patton, bought the store. Wilson and her husband, Kiefer, purchased it in 1997.
Page & Palette bookstore in downtown Fairhope, Ala. (file photo)
The Wilsons have made several renovations, the latest occurring last year when they opened a special events venue and bar that hosts author appearances and book signings. They also live in a two-bedroom apartment above the store.
Wilson, who has long been active in Fairhope political matters, was the only mayoral challenger this summer to four-term incumbent Tim Kant.
Chief among her concerns was how the city was developing. Fairhope is among Alabama's fastest-growing cities, and the swiftest growth has occurred on the outskirts of the city away from the downtown area that features homegrown shops and restaurants.
In her five-week campaign, Wilson hammered away at the growth issue, calling on the city to take energetic control, emphasize planning and be strongly mindful of its uniqueness.
On election day, she won more than 53 percent of the vote.
Among the most cherished calls of congratulations she received was from Fannie Flagg, an Alabama actress and author who is a frequent and popular guest during author events at Page & Palette.
"We have known each other since I was in the seventh grade," said Wilson. "I call her my 'other mother' and she calls me her 'daughter' but it's all in fun. We are really close."
Wilson said she doesn't anticipate any kind of backlash on the store from Kant supporters. She said she'll be a full-time mayor, and that her husband will have to attend to the store and its staff of more than 20.
Wilson's family initially discouraged her from running. But it was her grandmother, Wolff, 90, the family's original bookseller, who gave her words of encouragement.
"Her reaction was 'If anyone can do it, darling, you can,'" Wilson said.
Former space shuttle commander James Halsell has been indicted in the traffic deaths of two girls in Alabama.
A grand jury in Alabama has indicted a former NASA space shuttle commander on four felony charges in the traffic deaths of two girls killed on a rural highway in June, a prosecutor said Thursday.
Grand jurors indicted James Halsell Jr., who turns 60 on Friday, on two counts each of reckless murder and assault, said Tuscaloosa County prosecutor Jonathan Cross.
The Huntsville resident was arrested on reckless murder charges after the June 6 wreck that killed 11-year-old Niomi James and 13-year-old Jayla Parler in the west Alabama county. Police reports show investigators believe alcohol and speed could be factors.
The reckless murder charges involve the girls' deaths, Cross said, and the assault charges stem from injuries suffered by the girls' father, Pernell James of Brent, who was driving, and his female friend, Shontel Cutts.
Halsell is free on bond. A lawyer representing him, James Sturdivant, declined comment on the indictment.
The girls' relatives filed two civil lawsuits blaming Halsell for the deaths. Halsell's attorneys have filed a document in one of those cases saying the driver of the car carrying the girls failed to yield and contributed to the wreck.
The girls' father told investigators he was driving about 65 mph on U.S. 82 when a car traveling "at a very high rate of speed" struck his Ford Fiesta from the rear, crushing the Ford and sending it tumbling across the road, court documents state.
A sworn statement by a state trooper said Halsell was driving a rental car at the time and told officers he thought he was on Interstate 20/59, not U.S. 82. Troopers said the girls were ejected.
Halsell was driving to his native Louisiana to pick up his son at the time of the crash and was so intoxicated that he asked to see the victims' bodies, the trooper's statement said.
The girls lived with their mother in Houston and their father, Pernell James of Brent, was returning home from Texas with them and a woman for a summertime visit, according to Brent Mayor Dennis Stripling.
Court documents do not indicate that Halsell mentioned his career to officers, and a trooper spokesman has said authorities didn't realize he was a former astronaut until they saw news reports about the case.
An online biography by NASA said Halsell's career with the space agency included five shuttle flights starting in 1994. He spent more than 1,250 hours in space, serving as commander on three shuttle missions and pilot on two others.
After the space shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, Halsell helped lead NASA's return-to-flight effort. He retired in 2006 and worked for at least two aerospace companies afterward, including ATK Launch Systems, Utah, according to his NASA biography.
lottery buyers.jpg
(Will Lester/The Sun)
Elizabeth BeShears is the owner of BeShears Solutions LLC, and a freelance writer and communications professional based in Birmingham.
Politicians in Alabama have made a huge mistake.
"Well, duh," you might say. So, maybe I need to narrow that down a little bit.
Pro-lottery politicians in Alabama have made a huge mistake.
Let's go a step further: pro-lottery Republicans in Alabama have made a huge mistake.
Last week, after dozens of hours of debate, millions of dollars of taxpayer money spent, and boatloads of hemming and hawing over a fundamentally flawed bill for a fundamentally flawed program the lottery failed despite all the legislative loopholes leadership could muster.
Now we're halfway to the conclusion of the special session and Alabama is exactly where it was at the end of the last session: no BP oil spill money compromise, no lottery, no new revenue, and a big, hairy Medicaid crisis lurking just around the corner.
What would have saved the lottery, Medicaid and maybe even the fiscal future of Alabama?
In the parlance of internet ads, This One Simple Marketing Trick could have saved the ill-fated lottery bill.
What if next time a lottery introduced is introduced in the Alabama Legislature it is entitled "The Donald J. Trump Lottery to Make Alabama Great Again?"
Think about it. In terms of garnering unexpected amounts of support, everything Trump has touched in the last year has turned to gold.
He has experience making hundreds of millions on the backs of gamblers in multiple states.
Republicans in Alabama have been told time and again over the last two months that they must throw all their support behind Trump in his bid for the White House, regardless of what morally-questionable statement he's made this week.
He's the master of claiming simple solutions to incredibly complicated, multi-faceted, problems.
His solutions for the economy are stuck somewhere in the 1960s, around the same time state lotteries became legal in the U.S. again.
And we all know he owes Alabama a favor or two for our part in fueling his rise to the top of the heap during primary season this year.
Forget making the fundamental changes our tax system desperately needs, reforming how we budget, or prioritizing fiscal sustainability over the create-a-crisis whack-a-mole game politicians so dearly love, let's take a page out of The Donald's playbook and say we'll fix things by doing stuff.
And the crowd goes wild.
Alabama and Donald Trump teaming up to push a lottery is a match made in gold-plated heaven, or is Alabama too good for legalized gambling, but not too good to elect a man who has made many of his billions on casinos?
Don't get me wrong. I am both pro-allowing adults to choose how to spend their money, and anti-anything new being run into the ground by the government, but if the representatives we send to Montgomery do decide the people deserve an opportunity to vote on a lottery maybe they'll take my advice and hitch their wagons to Trump.
I hope it is obvious to you that my entire column was written in jest, though I must admit an endorsement from Trump would make the lottery much more successful among voters in Alabama. The bottom line is we need to remember that all that glitters is not gold, and even should it pass, a lottery will not cure the state's fiscal woes any more than The Donald simply saying "Make America Great Again" will jumpstart the economy.
Alabama is in desperate need of real leaders willing to stick their necks out for real solutions, not stop-gap measures that simply slap a new shade of lipstick on the same old pig. Some members of the Legislature have shown that resolve in stopping the first attempt at a lottery, maybe they will use their momentum to finally, truly drag the state away from the impending fiscal cliff.
Michael Sentance for slideshow.jpg
Michael Sentance
J. Pepper Bryars, who grew up in Mobile and lives in Huntsville, is a conservative columnist for AL.com. Contact him at mail@jpepperbryars.com.
Alabama's conservative State Legislature should have severed our connection to Common Core years ago, but thanks to a rather muddled opposition effort and lack of responsiveness from our lawmakers, the disastrous scheme not only survived initial repeal efforts but it's now on the verge of becoming a settled issue.
Just ask Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh about any further attempts to replace the standards.
"I don't think this body really wants to deal with it, yet it keeps coming up and taking up time," Marsh said earlier this year after a vote to repeal Common Core was postponed. "Hopefully, we addressed it for the last time today, but if it keeps coming up I will vote against it."
With a bit of luck, the recent appointment of Michael Sentance as our state's superintendent of public schools will cause lawmakers like Marsh to take another look at the growing body of evidence against the scheme.
Sentance has been an opponent of Common Core in the past and recently worked to have it thrown out in Massachusetts, where he once served as the state's secretary of education.
While it remains unclear what Sentance will say about Common Core once he's in Montgomery, he obviously hasn't been fooled by the cleverly marketed yet woefully inadequate, completely unproven, and thoroughly domineering national system of standards. He saw first hand how Massachusetts was forced to lower its otherwise high standards to meet the scheme's goal of redefining "success" as whatever the lowest common denominator was nationwide.
That's what the "common" in Common Core is really all about: leveling the outcome so that all students end up with the same amount of education, and that's achieved not by lifting the stragglers up, but by pulling the achievers down.
Sound familiar? It should, because that's the basis of every other centrally planned scheme that we've suffered through.
To be fair to Marsh and others who support the standards, Common Core may have sounded like a good idea five years ago, perhaps even two years ago, but the actual results are now coming in and they're all indicating the same thing: we've been fooled.
They sold the untested plan as a set of rigorous standards that would prepare our children for competitive colleges and challenging careers. But they're not. They're weaker, far weaker in fact, than other proven standards that we could have adopted.
Take mathematics, for instance. Jason Zimba, one of the primary authors of the math standards, admitted during a meeting of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2010 that Common Core wasn't actually designed to prepare students for selective universities or careers in the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields (STEM). It's meant to be average, or "common," and not rigorous at all.
If your child wants to be an engineer or enter another STEM-related field, shouldn't you be concerned that our state has imposed a substandard standard upon his school? Or maybe you agree with Marsh and wish people would just quit bothering you about this "settled" issue.
We all want the best education for our children, but conservatives should have known better.
Anything planned in secret by a small group of unelected and unaccountable liberals, that wasn't tried and tested in any sizable district or for any serious length of time, and was imposed without thoughtful debate was sure to be chock full of unintended consequences ... and even a few intended ones that wouldn't have passed if widely known.
Now we're nearly stuck with it, and that's also by design.
Before, local communities could change their district's education policies - standards, texts, tests, etc. -- because we vote on a school board who controls those things.
Now, if you have a concern with these new national standards, your local school board will simply pass the buck to the state school board, who'll then pass the buck to the U.S. Department of Education ... where it'll become forever lost in an ocean of unaccountable and unresponsive bureaucracy. Your congressman might write them a strongly worded letter, but that's about it.
Hopefully, the buck will now stop with Sentance, and he'll help put an end to Common Core in Alabama.
Like Trump, the 1964 Republican presidential hopeful had many opponents in his own party.
When you fly into Phoenix Airport in Arizona, theres a chance you might arrive at the Barry M Goldwater terminal.
Not many people will instantly know who he is. Back in 1964, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater was the Republican Partys presidential hopeful.
Goldwater had many opponents in his own party. They didnt like him or his message.
Accepting the nomination, Goldwater told delegates that extremism in the defence of liberty is no vice and insisted moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
In short, he wasnt going to pander to his opponents, reconcile and unify. He was going to fight the election on his own terms.
He lost in a landslide.
The ghost of Barry Goldwater hangs over Donald Trumps campaign.
There are those who wanted Trump to tone down his message on immigration. He was seen as too harsh, too combative.
So, there was what some called a softening. It was seen as a pivot to the general election, making the candidate more appealing to the general electorate.
But that brought confusion. And voters dont like confusion.
Neither do the surrogates, people who campaign and speak for Trump in the many media outlets around the US.
They werent clear what the nominees position was on immigration because they werent sure themselves.
That is why Trumps speech on immigration policy here in Phoenix on Wednesday was so important.
It came just hours after he made a trip to Mexico at the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto.
It was a huge political gamble. It was hostile territory.
Trump could have been rebuked for his comment that Mexico was sending murderers and rapists across the border.
Instead, Trump appeared sober and responsible next to a current head of state. Although, he didnt push home his campaign promise that he would build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it.
Instead, Trump did that when he was back among his supporters in Phoenix.
Some called it diplomacy. Others werent quite so generous.
READ MORE: Pena Nietos meeting with Trump sparks outcry
Trump sees illegal immigration as Americas biggest threat.
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the US.
He believes two million have a criminal past and may be dangerous. So, on day one of his presidency, Trump said theyll be identified, found and forced to leave the country. This will be done by a new deportation task force.
For the others, theres no hope of citizenship; no possible legal status in the future, no amnesty. Once the country judges its economic needs, many will have to leave.
There are many who agree with this view. After all, they point out, they broke the law by either entering the country illegally or overstaying their visa.
If they want to come back and live in the US, theyll have to apply legally and take their chances.
And there will be changes to the legal immigration system.
Applicants will be judged on what they can bring to the country.
There will be an ideological test too. They will be judged on their views towards American values. Theyll be asked about their views on things such as so-called honour killings or radical Islam. Each answer carries the potential of ending a dream.
While this was the most detailed Trump has been on any topic, which is no real surprise given its been the centrepiece of his election bid, it did lack detail on crucial issues.
How do you even begin to deport two million people? How does he remove the estimated 9 million others?
How do you pay for the ideological tests for the millions who apply for citizenship each year? Is the test to be standardised and will it even be constitutional?
His speech wasnt the forum for that sort of detail, but those are the questions that will be asked and have to be answered in the coming days.
Trump won the Republican primary campaign by being strong on immigration. He derided the position of others as weak.
He thinks there is a deep-seated anger in the US about immigration and its impact on crime, jobs and the basic fabric of American society.
Trump believes if he can harness that anger, it could win enough support to carry him all the way to the White House.
And, leave the ghost of Barry Goldwater behind in Arizona.
Why are hundreds of children in the US still being poisoned by lead every year?
Standing in front of a room of community members in southeast Cleveland, Robin Brown recalled the day more than 15 years ago that she received a call from the family doctor. She was told to bring her daughter to the hospital immediately the doctors office had just received her childs test results.
I could look at my daughter and see no illness. But at any second, she could have gone into that coma, she couldve gone into seizures, or she couldve dropped dead at any second, Brown says.
She would later find out that her daughter had dangerous levels of lead in her blood, an amount Brown refers to as an emergency state.
Over the coming months, she came to understand that her four-year-old daughter had ingested chipped paint in their rental home something common among young children. That old paint was filled with lead and absorbed into her daughters blood.
Brown is an African-American Cleveland native and until that day, she had no idea what lead could do to the body of a child. Her child.
I felt really, really responsible. I felt I failed, Brown says.
Clevelands lead epidemic
The Flint water crisis that unfolded in 2015 outraged the public as well as federal officials. But at that time, Cleveland had almost three times the amount of children suffering from lead poisoning.
Across the country, the main source of lead poisoning is lead paint in older homes. When the paint starts peeling and chipping away, it can put lead dust into the air and soil. Cleveland, like many older US cities, has tens of thousands of homes that are potential lead hazards.
Starting in the autumn of 2015, the citys local paper, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, published an investigative series on the devastating effects lead has had on Clevelands children and the failure of the city to prevent children from getting poisoned.
Public records showed years of mismanagement and chronic understaffing. The series pointed out that at least 10,000 children had suffered lead poisoning in the past five years. African-American and Latino-majority neighbourhoods were hardest hit.
WATCH: Poison in Our Walls
Brown has organised a gathering of residents at a local community centre and anyone in the room can see and hear the urgency in her voice when she talks about the issue.
Since her child was diagnosed, Brown has been trying to bring attention to the dangers of lead poisoning. She says many people especially in low-income neighbourhoods where older, lead-painted homes are prevalent know little about the issue.
Joshuas story: The kids pay for it
Ebony Holmes and her husband moved into a rental home in the city just a few years ago. They had no warning about potential lead hazards and, within a year, they said they couldnt recognise their son he had become aggressive and uncontrollable. An inspection carried out later by the city would show that a number of areas in the house and yard had high levels of lead.
You have parents who don't have an idea about lead poisoning. They move in these neighbourhoods where they can afford their budgets and they're not thinking about their kid's health. They're just trying to get a roof over their heads. And the sadpart about is, the kids pay for it. by Ebony Holmes, Joshua's mother
At two years old, their son, Joshua, had to be treated in hospital for high levels of lead in his blood. Holmes voice is heavy when she speaks about that time.
I cried a lot. Thats the only thing I could say, I cried a lot, she says. My emotions were going all over the place. Actually, I was discouraged as a mother.
Holmes described what so many families, especially lower-income, go through. You have parents who dont have an idea about lead poisoning. They move in these neighbourhoods where they can afford their budgets and theyre not thinking about their kids health. Theyre just trying to get a roof over their heads. And the sad part about is, the kids pay for it.
The Holmes family had to move immediately and Joshuas lead levels have come down since. But they are not sure what effects Joshua might face later in his life because of the lead in his system.
Studies have shown that lead, especially at higher levels, can cause irreversible brain damage in children. Children who have been exposed to lead poisoning are more likely to have lower IQs, long-term health problems, be diagnosed with ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and exhibit aggressive behaviour.
Lead-poisoning prevention
Children are the most susceptible to lead poisoning because their bodies absorb the toxic metal at higher rates than adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, estimates that more than half a million children aged under five in the United States suffer from lead poisoning.
The consequences are not only tragic, but costly. Billions of dollars are used to educate and treat lead poisoning in children. The Washington DC-based think-tank, the Economic Policy Institute, found that for every dollar spent to control lead hazards, between $17 and $221 could be saved.
In cities such as Cleveland, a child can still be affected by lead poisoning every day. And it is wholly preventable.
The Plain Dealer investigation found that more than 50 percent of homes where children are affected by lead poisoning had not been investigated by the city, a requirement under state law. Rachel Dissell and Brie Zeltner, the reporters behind the series, obtained a list of about 200 homes where multiple children had been poisoned over several years.
[The citys] basic responsibility was to respond to these cases, do an investigation, and follow the law to make sure that the owner of the home complied with the law, which was to get rid of the lead hazard, or take them to court so that nobody else could live there, Dissell told Fault Lines. And that was not being done.
READ More Flint: The US city where people drank poisoned water
Kim Foreman, the director of a local non-profit Environmental Health Watch, says that the burden of lead poisoning prevention cannot fall on parents, whom many policymakers have been quick to blame in the past.
Sixty percent of our residents rent. They are not responsible for fixing that structure, they are not responsible for dealing with the paint, she says.
Foreman adds that there is an added complication with tenants they may fear eviction from landlords if they report the problem or they might simply move without the house ever getting fixed. Landlords themselves may not have the funds or the knowledge to deal with the lead.
Her organisation has been advocating putting more energy and funds towards testing houses across the city to prevent any exposure to lead and not just chasing sick children around.
Cleveland has relied almost exclusively on federal funding for lead-hazard control but missed out on some of those dollars for several years due to mismanagement. Overall, federal funds towards lead-poisoning prevention across the country have been cut drastically since 2012.
In this time, Cleveland has fallen severely behind in addressing the issue: there was a backlog of more than 2,000 cases as of July. There is also no requirement to disclose lead in homes before a sale, nor does the city offer any public list of lead-free homes.
Its time to make it a loud epidemic
After the newspapers investigation, the city administration started to talk about taking action and has appointed a new health department director. However, advocates worry that the city is not taking sufficient action. Staffing and funding levels for lead-hazard control remain low.
[Lead by Robin
is a silent epidemic and its time to make it a loud epidemic.]
In mid-August, Toledo, another city in the state of Ohio, passed a new lead-safe ordinance. It will require inspections in rental units where children can be most at-risk for lead exposure.
Cleveland has yet to pass any such ordinance, despite having more lead poisoning cases than any other city in Ohio.
I know that we have been dealing with this issue since 1990 and so we see it as a major issue, and a major problem, Foreman says. We know, we have seen, we have researched, what are we doing differently? What are we going to do about it?
Brown has spent many years pushing for city action because she knows her grassroots work alone cant reach some of the most at-risk families. Even the community gathering wont reach all the parents who are in the neighbourhood.
Down the hall, the citys one case manager has set up a makeshift clinic to do preliminary lead screenings of young children. The free screening was publicised along with the gathering but, in the end, only two young children had come for the test.
[Lead poisoning] is a silent epidemic and its time to make it a loud epidemic, Brown says.
For her, the equation is pretty simple. If cities really do care about the future of their children, then this issue must take priority.
Changes do have to occur and it cant be minimum. And it cant just be Im doing my job or Im fulfilling the grant. It has to have the passion and compassion that this is why were doing this.
Following recent revelations, giving further details of conditions for asylum seekers in Australias offshore detention network, a former refugee prison camp employee, Natasha Blucher, has told Al Jazeera of her relief at seeing the publication of documents leaked from within the system, reporting on alleged human rights abuses against some 442 people who remain on Nauru as asylum seekers.
It was somewhat vindicating because now theres a body of evidence from Nauru, Blucher, a former social worker on Nauru, said of the document leak in an interview from Darwin, in Australias north.
On August 10, the Guardian Australia news website published a catalogue of more than 2,000 internal incident reports, some of which detailed instances of sexual abuse of women and children, sexual harassment and violence inside the Nauru prison camp facility.
Even prior to the leaks, there have been calls from NGOs to investigate the allegations against Nauru regarding the living condition in which the asylum seekers are kept. Tuesday, two members of a group of Danish diplomats, concerned over the reports and bound for the infamous island, were denied entry visas by the Nauru government.
The reports cite a security guard reaching into a childs pants, acts of violence and threats by camp guards directed at children, and a womans request for longer shower times being granted by a camp guard on condition of sexual favours.
Blucher said that all staff working at the refugee prison camp on Nauru were immediately trained to complete incident reports like those featured in the leaked documents. Filing them formed a major part of the workload some days requiring the completion of up to 20 incident reports.
It was quite an onerous reporting system, but we knew it meant we were creating a paper trail, Blucher said. It was intensive because there were so many incidents happening.
READ MORE Nauru: Leak reveals children sexually abused at prison
Process of dehumanisation
Aside from major incidents, the leaked documents offer an insight into the banal aspects of life within the Nauru prison camp arguments and fights among asylum seekers, arguments between detainees and camp staff, and complaints about camp conditions.
Such instances are a symptom and part of the cause of what Blucher describes as a dramatic mental health crisis inside the camp resulting in regular instances of self-harm.
The mental health deterioration of people on Nauru was rapid and violent, she recalled. People werent violent against others but very violent against themselves. It was loud, messy and horrifying.
In October 2014, Blucher was among nine employees of the non-profit organisation Save the Children who were removed from Nauru after allegations that they had encouraged asylum seekers to self-harm and protest against life in the prison camp.
The group was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by two independent reviews.
The offshore detention of asylum seekers arriving in Australian waters by boat recommenced in 2013 with the opening of camps on the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru and Papua New Guineas Manus Island.
Since then, legislation and measures have been implemented to prevent access to journalists and to discourage people working at the detention system from speaking out about conditions inside the camps. Blucher feels such secrecy exacerbates the mental health problems found on Nauru.
Dark aspects of human nature emerge in these environments because people can act with complete impunity, she reflected.
There is a weird dichotomy in the relationships between the security officers and asylum seekers. Officers start by enforcing the rules theyve been instructed to follow, but nobody likes being locked up with rules enforced on them, Blucher said.
A self-perpetuating cycle of abuse emerges in these circumstances, Blucher explained. Asylum seekers react negatively and start being rude to the officers. The officers think theyre rude people so become crueller and begin enforcing the rules in ways that arent predictable. Asylum seekers get frustrated and act out, thinking the guards are awful people, making the guards nastier again. In the end, the two groups start despising each other until the officers stop seeing the asylum seekers as positive human beings.
In such a manner, asylum seekers become dehumanised in the eyes of camp security guards, who refer to detainees by numbers rather than names, Blucher said.
If you dont give a person a name, how do you treat them like a person? she asked. Something asylum seekers would frequently say is that they were being treated like animals. They would ask me if they were human. People would be genuinely confused and ask you to tell them theyre not an animal. I would try to tell them to forget the numbers given to them.
Depression and trauma
Almost all camp residents suffered from depression, Blucher said.
The thing I found most shocking it struck me when I first arrived, and it struck me again when I realised it wasnt affecting me any more was people sitting or lying in the corridors outside their tents or in areas around the camp just staring at nothing; completely listlessly.
It became normal and you would only notice when someone began screaming and collapsing on the ground or beating their head against a fence.
Bluchers employment on Nauru, from July to October 2014, covered a period of frequent protests and acts of self-harm among asylum seekers.
At one point three teenage boys and four men stitched their lips together and sat outside the mess [hall], she said.
Everybody, including families with children, had to walk past them to get into the mess to eat. All the kids were looking at them. After someone stitches their lips closed, it swells up and becomes [infected with pus]. Its really awful to look at, and I think it really affected the children.
Describing conditions on Nauru as a powder keg, Blucher attributes the spate of self-harm incidents, which has included one death from self-immolation, to the intentionally punitive nature of Australias detention system.
While these camps are miserable, they are no more miserable than other refugee camps around the world, she said. Nauru is a hard place to live but I havent heard of the horrific mental health deterioration that I have witnessed in Nauru elsewhere, and I think its because everybody knows its intentional.
The people in those camps know that Australia could provide them with decent care and support and living standards, and theyre intentionally not doing that. People are stuck and being intentionally kept there in a miserable, horrific state. It breaks people.
Working a rotating roster of three weeks at Nauru and three weeks on leave back in Australia, Blucher noticed herself becoming increasingly distant from friends and family on return trips home.
The first break back, I was all right. Then I found it hard to talk to people, she remembered.
It was like, youd seen something horrific and you come home and everybody is trying to act normal but you cant. I would become frustrated and have to stay away from people. You cant communicate with people because theyre not going to understand.
Following her dismissal, Bluchers doctor informed her that she had the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. After a period of rest, she now works for the Darwin Asylum Seeker and Support Network, an advocacy group assisting refugees and advocating for policy changes from the Australian government.
READ MORE Australia deliberately ignores refugee abuse: report
Government response
The Australian government continues to play down the importance of reports emerging from Nauru.
Many of the incident reports reflect unconfirmed allegations or uncorroborated statements and claims they are not statements of proven fact, an official Department of Immigration statement said.
When contacted for comment, the Department of Immigration referred Al Jazeera to this official statement.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton went further, inferring complaints of sexual harassment or acts of self-harm were often done in order to gain entry to Australia.
I have been made aware of some incidents that have reported false allegations of sexual assault because, in the end, people have paid money to people smugglers and they want to come to our country, Dutton told Australian radio. Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming, and people have self-immolated in an effort to get to Australia.
The governments response has always been absurd in relation to this, and its really not surprising thats how theyre responding now, Blucher reflected. Its incredibly frustrating.
The arrival of asylum seekers has been a highly charged political issue in Australia for more than a decade, and Blucher said she hopes that attitudes will change.
There are times when public opinion shifts, but what Ive learned is you often have to pitch information to the public in a way that is emotional and not technical, she explained. If you talk about human rights abuses people seem to shut down, but if you show them a picture of a baby or a family the response is different.
New tactics to alter negative opinions are necessary, according to Blucher. One successful campaign she worked on involved a child whose mother wished that her son might one day be free to own a puppy.
Their story contained so much harm and suffering, but instead we focused on this and it got a response in the Australian community. Its hard for us to do because we know everything is so serious, but we have to try to focus on things people can accept, acknowledge and feel.
Todays Europe is in the middle of an identity crisis, and questions who belongs to it and who should be kept out.
Hatem Bazian is a lecturer in the Departments of Near Eastern and Ethnic Studies at University of California, Berkeley.
Switzerland banned the construction of minarets, Spain and Italy have placed heavy restrictions on permits for building new mosques, and Austria adopted a law to redefine the status of Islam and Muslims in the country.
France has layered bans on the hijab, niqab and now the burkini, and the continent-wide massive surveillance of Muslims raises an important question: Will Europe for ever have an inquisition problem when dealing with its Muslim subjects?
The current stream of policies targeting Muslims across Europe harks back to an earlier and darker period in the continents long history, the Spanish Inquisition.
Reminiscent of the past
Certainly the Inquisition involved forced conversion to Christianity for Muslims, Jews and some Christians whom the Catholic Church saw as heretics, and expulsion for those who either refused or secretly continued to practise.
The Inquisition was a repressive regulatory structure that governed Muslim and Jewish bodies and spaces, with limits imposed on clothing, food, hygiene and movement.
Regulation included forced public consumption of pork to demonstrate a breakaway from keeping Kosher and Halal requirements.
Requirement to keep windows and doors to homes open on Fridays and Saturdays so Inquisition monitors could ascertain that no religious activities or ritual washing for prayers were taking place.
At the height of the it, both Jews and Muslims were subject to state-organised violence, torture and a reign of terror, which concluded with mass expulsions in 1492 from Spain.
The restrictions today are imposed in the name or in the defence of European secularism, but the target remains the Muslim subject, just as a mere 60 years ago it was the Jewish subject. Instituting a secular fundamentalist inquisition differs little if the outcome is the same for the victims. by
The Moriscos, the Muslims who went through forceful Catholic conversion but remained in Spain, were expelled in 1609 and ended up in North Africa.
The Islamophobia industrys expected response to drawing similarities between the Inquisition and what is occurring today would be rejection, and possibly to consider it faulty because Europe is facing Muslim terrorist and security threats.
While I concur that Europe is facing terrorist attacks, focusing solely on Muslims when other terrorists are an equal threat is problematic. It shows a clear selective bias on the basis of supposed European identity.
Regulating bodies
Repressive policies and regulatory structures adopted by European countries were also enforced during the long colonial period (PDF).
How a Muslim man or woman should dress, act, eat and be civilised has been written down in the blood of many Muslim subjects in North Africa, the Indian sub-continent, Sub-Saharan Africa and the contemporary heartland of the Arab world.
Regulating the Muslim subjects body and space is epistemically woven into past and present European discourses.
OPINION: Far-right feasts on Frances unchecked Islamophobia
Europes assertion that regulating and governing their bodies and spaces is being undertaken in defence of secularism and democracy is faulty when measured against the principle of individual freedom and choice.
Here, historical stereotypes of Muslims surface once again, allowing Europeans to legitimise regulation in defence of a Muslim womans right to choose, and freeing her from the oppression of the evil and uncivilised Muslim man.
This outdated and overused European argument is again asserting the trope of white men saving brown women from the evil and violence of brown men. The arguments around Muslim womens hijab in Europe is the recent chapter of a well-documented racist book that denies women freedom of choice in their normal daily life.
Social change
Here, just as at the time of the Spanish Inquisition, Europe is in the midst of massive demographic, political, social, economic and religious contestation, which is being projected on to the Muslims as the distinctive other.
For a long time in Europe, the Jews were targeted as the scapegoats for internal or external challenges and failures, and now Muslims are blamed in the hope of silencing all opposing views as to what type of society Europe will have in the future.
OPINION: Burkini ban New wave of French mission civilisatrice
The restrictions today are imposed in the name or in the defence of European secularism, but the target remains the Muslim subject, as a mere 60 years ago it was the Jewish subject. Instituting a secular fundamentalist inquisition differs little if the outcome is the same for the victims.
The end of the Crusades, the death of one third of Europes population during the Great Plague, political instability and religious conflicts were key driving factors for the different waves of inquisition across Europe.
At present, the stimuli include immigration, Iraq intervention, Syrian civil war, economic instability and differing ideas on the European project. The inquisition of the Muslim subject is an easy way to question Europes identity in the midst of social, political and economic crises.
A European identity?
The Inquisition witnessed the construction of a distinct European identity centring on whiteness and coupled with Christianity, which meant casting out the other the Jew and Muslim to arrive at purity of race or pure to the source epistemic.
Then, Europe went through major religious, political and economic wars between Protestantism and Catholicism as to whose vision of society would dominate. The Inquisition was a tool to defend the existing order and to shore up Catholic orthodoxy.
Todays Europe is in the middle of an identity crisis centring around the European Union project and questions on who should belong to it and who should be kept out.
Secular and economic orthodoxy are being used to define membership and belonging in the European project.
The real question that must be asked is whether Europe is able to live with and include a different internal other.
So far, Europes history is evidence of an inability to do so for any sustainable period. The Muslims of today are Europes Jews of the not-so-distant past, and time will tell if the same outcome is the prescribed course for the future. I hope its not the case.
Hatem Bazian is co-editor and founder of the Islamophobia Studies Journal and director of the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project, and a senior lecturer in the Departments of Near Eastern and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.
The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem are asked to adopt Israeli curriculum if they want extra resources.
Occupied East Jerusalem As tens of thousands of Palestinian children across occupied East Jerusalem begin a new school year on September 1, teachers, parents and human rights groups have raised concerns over a controversial funding proposal that would only benefit schools that drop the Palestinian curriculum in favour of an Israeli equivalent.
The Jerusalem affairs and heritage minister, an irregular portfolio which the current government re-established in June 2015, is set to offer more than 20m shekels ($5.3m) to schools in East Jerusalem on the condition that they teach the Israeli curriculum.
In East Jerusalem, there are 180 schools that are either government institutions or private schools, which receive Israeli Education Ministry funding.
The vast majority of schools in Occupied East Jerusalem, where almost all the citys Palestinian residents live, follow the Palestinian curriculum adopted since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 1994 while students take the PAs matriculation exam. Last year only 10 of those schools offered classes geared towards the Israeli matriculation exam.
Previously, schools followed the Jordanian system since East Jerusalem was occupied by Israel in 1967.
READ MORE: Israeli textbooks bad for Arabs, bad for Jews
You cannot condition the allocation of budget by imposing the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem, specifically in this area because it is an occupied area. by Sawsan Zaher, attorney at Adalah
The plan was criticised by civil rights groups and has yet to be implemented. The current proposal has also been slammed by civil rights groups, who questioned the legality of the plan under Israeli and international law.
You cannot condition the allocation of budget by imposing the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem, specifically in this area because it is an occupied area, and since 1967 it has maintained a political status quo in schools, said Sawsan Zaher, an attorney with Adalah, the legal centre for Arab minority rights in Israel.
Based on international law, the local population has the right to maintain its regular way of life and the occupying power is not allowed to interfere in it unless there is a military necessity, she told Al Jazeera.
READ MORE: How Israel is turning Palestinians into Zionists
The new school year has been dubbed united Jerusalem year by Israels right-wing education minister Naftali Bennett, to mark the 50 years since the Israeli military captured and occupied East Jerusalem.
Yet in terms of resources and facilities, the divide between schools in east and west Jerusalem is sharp. There is a serious shortage of classrooms in East Jerusalem schools, while some of the buildings rented by the municipality to be used as schools are unfit for purpose, according to Ziad Shamali, head of the East Jerusalem Parents Committee.
The municipality rents old buildings, built for residence and not to serve as schools, instead of building new schools. In these buildings, students are sitting in crowded rooms and the desks are so close, probably around 20cm away from each other, said Shamali, noting that crowded conditions make it harder for teachers and students to perform effectively.
Most schools are very old and the buildings need serious renovation. We need proper funding to fix this situation, he told Al Jazeera, adding that he resented the prospect of renovation funding being conditional on schools changing curriculums.
While the Jerusalem municipality has increased the rate of construction of new classrooms in East Jerusalem, it has actually failed to keep up with natural population growth in recent years, according to Israeli civil rights NGO Ir Amim.
The shortage of classrooms in the official system in East Jerusalem is dire enough that the Supreme Court has ruled it constitutes a violation of the constitutional right to education for the children of East Jerusalem, said Betty Herschman, director of communications and advocacy at Ir Amim.
The new school year will begin with more than 2,600 missing classrooms in East Jerusalem and while the mayor lauds the inroads being made under his administration, only 261 classrooms have been built while the demand only continues to grow.
For 2016, Arab schools received eight million shekels [$2.1m] for renovations compared to 42m shekels [$11.1m] allocated for secular and national religious schools.
For example, the total budget allocated by the city for Beit Hinuch high school in West Jerusalem in 2016 is 16.3m shekels ($4.3m) while the Ras al-Amud boys high school in East Jerusalem with the same number of pupils will be receiving only 2.9m shekels ($766,993).
Meanwhile, East Jerusalem schools also have a significantly higher dropout rate than those in West Jerusalem. While 13 percent of students dropped out of East Jerusalem schools as of September 2012, only 1 percent quit before graduating from high school in West Jerusalem.
In Arab post-elementary education in Israel as a whole, the dropout rate was 4.6 percent.
Bad facilities at schools play a role in increasing the dropout rate. When classrooms are crowded, many students lose the desire to learn, explains Shamali, who noted that other reasons for high dropout rates include the dire economic conditions or families reluctant to send their children to school during times of tension.
Yet while 21 dropout prevention programmes operate in West Jerusalem, there are only eight such programmes in East Jerusalem. There are staggering disparities in dropout rates and allocation of prevention resources between East and West Jerusalem even more critical in East Jerusalem, considering the 80 percent poverty rate and lack of opportunities for professional advancement, said Herschman.
Even by Israeli law standards, explains Zaher, the proposal constitutes a violation. She noted that many of the Israeli supreme court decisions and records of budget allocation including on education state that the allocation should be based on equal, clear and written criteria.
Based on Israeli law and case law, conditioning the allocation of budget will lead to discrimination based on nationality because only the schools in East Jerusalem will be the schools that will not get the funding because of the political status quo, says Zaher.
Move comes after interruption of nearly four years and is another sign of Irans closer ties to Western countries.
British Airways is resuming direct flights to Tehran on Thursday after an interruption of nearly four years, in another sign of Irans warming ties to Western countries.
The flagship British carrier said there would be six flights a week to Tehrans Imam Khomeini International Airport, with plans to ramp up to a daily service later this year.
The signing of a landmark nuclear accord with world powers last year led to a lifting of economic sanctions that was expected to bring huge economic benefits for Iran.
The recent lifting of sanctions has also effectively allowed Iran to reopen for business and paved the way for commerce to reconnect with Irans economy, said Sean Doyle, British Airways head of network and fleet.
Ties between Britain and Iran had been particularly frosty since a crowd attacked the British embassy in Tehran in 2011, during protests against economic sanctions. The embassy was reopened in August last year.
The date for starting the London-Tehran flights had originally been planned for July. It was postponed for technical issues, according to the carrier.
In April, after a eight-year break, Air France resumed its flight to the Iranian capital, however not without controversy.
Some female staff objected to Irans rules requiring them to cover their heads whenever they are not on board planes. Eventually, the French airlines agreed to let female crew members opt out of flying to Tehran.
Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo have fired tear gas to disperse a rally in capital Kinshasa to protest about talks between opposition parties and the government on a delayed presidential election.
Young protesters, opposed to the dialogue, threw rocks and set fire to tyres on Thursday in front of the headquarters of the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC) and Labour Alliance for Development (ATD) parties, whose presidents are participating in the negotiations with President Joseph Kabila.
Kabilas opponents accuse him of stalling the vote to cling on to power, a charge he denies.
Some protesters chanted on Thursday: Were going to burn the headquarters of Kamerhe. Kamerhe is a traitor, in reference to UNC president Vital Kamerhe, who will lead the opposition delegation at the talks.
They also chanted down former Togo premier Edem Kodjo, who has been named by the African Union as the talks facilitator.
READ MORE: Who profits from conflict in DRC?
The meeting between the government, opposition and civic leaders was due to start later on Thursday after authorities said last month that a poll scheduled for November would not be able to held before next July as millions of new voters needed to be enrolled.
Some prominent figures have agreed to participate, but most of the main opposition parties are boycotting the talks.
They have vowed to stay away from the negotiating table until political prisoners are released and legal action is halted against wealthy businessman and presidential hopeful Moise Katumbi.
Katumbi was tried in absentia in June for property fraud and sentenced to three years in jail.
While the courts have approved Katumbis seeking medical treatment abroad, they say that he will be arrested on his return and could face additional charges of recruiting mercenaries.
The presiding judge in the fraud case has since said that the authorities pressured her into signing off on a guilty verdict to ensure Katumbi would be ineligible to run.
Constitution limits
Kabila won disputed elections in 2006 and 2011 after succeeding his assassinated father, Laurent, in 2001.
The constitution limits him to two elected terms but the countrys highest court says that he can remain beyond the end of his mandate in December until the election takes place.
International powers fear an outbreak of violence in a country that has never experienced a peaceful transition of power, and where millions died in wars between 1996 and 2003.
In major speech US presidential nominee Trump says immigration from countries such as Syria should be suspended.
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has addressed supporters in a major speech on immigration in the border state of Arizona, just hours after he met Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City.
He opened his speech on Wednesday evening by detailing stories of undocumented immigrants who committed violent crimes, telling thousands in the convention centre in downtown Phoenix that he had met with many of the great parents who lost their children to sanctuary cities and open borders.
Later, he pledged to impose ideological certification for immigrants seeking to enter the US, to include questions about so-called honour killings, women, gays and radical Islam. He said immigration would be suspended from countries such as Syria and Libya.
We have no idea where theyre coming from, we have no idea who they are, he said of Syrian refugees.
READ MORE: How can the president invite someone who has offended us?
He raged against what he called low-skilled undocumented immigrants who he said competed with US citizens for jobs and pledged to remove criminal aliens immediately.
Donald Trump may not be setting up a deportation force for all undocumented migrants but he's not softening on immigration #TrumpAZ Alan Fisher (@AlanFisher) September 1, 2016
Trump also reaffirmed his pledge to build a wall on the countrys southern border with Mexico, as supporters chanted, Build a wall.
They dont know it yet, but they will pay for the wall, he said of Mexico.
In the audience, Denise Williams, 66, from New Mexico, agreed on the need for a closed border.
Im hoping to hear our borders will close but people that are here are treated fairly, she told Al Jazeera.
People who have been here a long time and have not committed any felonies, theres nothing wrong with them.
Earlier on Wednesday, protesters gathered in Mexico City as the presidential hopeful visited the country which he has derided as a source of rapists and criminals coming to the US.
Immigration has been a defining issue of Trumps presidential campaign, with inflammatory comments about Latinos, Muslims and other minorities.
Analysis from Al Jazeeras Alan Fisher in Phoenix
Judges conclude that the ban cannot be justified as there are no proven risks of disruption to public order.
A French court has overturned a ban on the burkini in Nice, concluding that the decree against the full-body swimwear was illegal because there were no proven risks of disruption to public order.
The administrative court of Nice ruled on Thursday that in the absence of such risks, the emotions and the concerns resulting from terrorist attacks, and especially from the attack on July 14, are insufficient grounds to legally justify the contested ban.
The court also found that burkinis posed no risk to hygiene, decency or safety when swimming.
The decision on Thursday follows last weeks ruling by Frances highest administrative court to suspend the bans introduced by about 30 towns, mainly in the southeast.
Nice and several other towns had ignored the ruling and kept their bans in place in the midst of a debate over religious clothing in secular France.
At least 30 fines have been issued in Nice since the burkini ban was introduced.
Frances Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group challenged the ban.
Nice was one of the first French towns to ban the conservative swimsuit this summer, with city authorities claiming there was a risk to public order from wearing the garment after a Muslim man in a truck ploughed into crowds on the citys waterfront, killing 86 people.
READ MORE: New wave of French mission civilisatrice
Earlier this week, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said that the bans amount to a grave and illegal breach of fundamental freedoms and a stupid reaction to recent attacks.
Rupert Colville, the OHCHR spokesman, said the rights agency wanted local officials to immediately lift the bans, saying they did not increase security.
He said such bans fuel religious intolerance and the stigmatisation of Muslims, and have only succeeded in increasing tensions.
He said people who wear burkinis or any another clothing cannot be blamed for the violent or hostile reactions of others.
Gabonese opposition leader Jean Ping has demanded a recount after incumbent President Ali Bongo was declared winner of a knife-edge presidential election in the West African nation.
Loud explosions and gunfire could be heard in the Nkembo neighbourhood of the capital Libreville on Thursday, witnesses said, as security forces clashed with angry Ping supporters.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Libreville, Ping said the result was a joke.
Everybody inside and outside the country knows that Im the winner. There is no doubt about that. All the European observers know that, Ping said.
That man [Bongo], I believe, is used to cheating, always. And the population is not accepting this type of remake of cheating every seven years, the opposition leader added.
What we are asking is, under the supervision of the international community, to count ballot by ballot, bureau by bureau. And then you will see that the margin is so big that he cannot win. Its as simple as that.
The Reuters news agency reported that rioting had erupted in at least nine different suburbs of the capital on Thursday, citing witnesses and a police source.
As the violence spread, France called on the government of the former French colony to release details of local vote tallies after the claims of rigging.
The election result must be perfectly clear and transparent, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on RMC radio, adding that the election results should be published bureau by bureau.
READ MORE: Weve never seen results like this, even in the fathers time
Overnight on Thursday, security forces attacked the opposition headquarters in Libreville, Ping said, wounding several people.
The presidential guard plus some mercenaries and the police, after 1am, bombed my headquarters. They destroyed everything, and we have now two deaths and several people injured.
Bongo won 49.80 percent of Saturdays vote against 48.23 percent for Ping, a narrow margin of only 5,594 votes of a total 627,805 registered voters.
Fires and explosions
Moments after the poll results were announced by the interior ministry on Wednesday, anti-government protesters shouting Ali must go! tried to storm the offices of the election commission.
Later on Wednesday the countrys parliament building was partially set on fire.
Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from the electoral commission compound in Libreville, said Pings camp would not accept the result.
Protesters came right outside this compound, many of them lighting tyres and chanting anti-government songs, she said.
They were dispersed by the police, she said, adding that explosions could be heard in the distance.
Earlier, clouds of smoke and tear gas could be seen over parts of the city where clashes were taking place.
By nightfall, protesters vented their fury by setting fire to the parliament building, sending skyward a plume of flames and black smoke, witnesses and AFP news agency correspondents said.
Fires were visible in other parts of Libreville and explosions were heard as protesters faced off against heavily armed security forces.
Jin Liqun, president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau attend a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday. [Photo/China Daily]
Canada will apply to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a move that the bank's president said will contribute "significantly" to the institution.
If Canada joins the AIIB, it will be the first North American member of the multilateral bank.
Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced the decision at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
AIIB President Jin Liqun welcomed Canada's decision, which he said "shows its confidence in the strong foundations the bank has built in our first few months".
"Canada has a remarkable track record of multilateral engagement, and I believe it will contribute significantly to the development of this bank," said Jin at the news conference in Beijing.
Jin said that, including its 57 founding members, the AIIB will have more than 90 members by the end of the year. Jin said all countries are welcome to apply for membership.
Morneau said that helping fund high-quality infrastructure in Asia will contribute to global economic growth and help Canadian companies to explore new commercial opportunities.
"Canada can also make constructive contribution to the AIIB, thanks to our country's proud tradition and international leadership on the global stage," he said.
The AIIB will help sustain growth in Asia, and it represents an opportunity for Canada to further engage in multilateral infrastructure efforts that support inclusive economic growth in Asia and beyond, Canada's Department of Finance said in a news release.
Su Ge, president of the China Institute of International Studies, said: "It's a wise decision for Canada to join the AIIB. The move is beneficial for both sides."
Su said it will help prove the AIIB's value and give Canada a new platform for international investment.
Libya traffickers taking advantage of calm summer weathers by cramming refugees on to barely seaworthy rubber dinghies.
Italys coastguard and vessels from other European nations have pulled 13,000 refugees from barely seaworthy and overcrowded boats off the Libyan coast in the mere space of four days.
Traffickers are taking advantage of the calm summer weather, piling refugees on to flimsy boats when the sea is more placid so that the southern wind can push them into international waters.
However, the flimsy rubber dinghies that are often used become highly unstable in high seas.
The Italian coastguard estimated that 6,500 people, believed to be mostly from Somalia and Eritrea, were rescued on Monday alone.
READ MORE: Italy rescues 6,500 from Mediterranean
More than 400,000 have successfully made the voyage to Italy from North Africa since the beginning of 2014, fleeing violence and poverty.
Libya has suffered turmoil since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011, with a number of revolutionary militias formed along regional and ideological lines vying for power.
The countrys lawlessness has opened the way for smugglers to ship thousands of refugees and migrants across the Mediterranean in days.
Rather die at sea
Some individuals fleeing the ongoing conflict told Doctors Without Borders (MSF) that their experiences in Libya were so traumatic that they would rather die at sea than return to the region.
Many of those crammed in boats are from vulnerable communities, including the sick, elderly and unaccompanied young.
In fact, more unaccompanied minors have been rescued this year than in all of 2015.
The number of unaccompanied minors who have arrived since the beginning of this year is more than 14,700. In the whole of last year, 12,300 arrived, Giovanna Di Benedetto from Save The Children told Al Jazeera.
READ MORE: Refugee boat found with 22 dead bodies off Libya coast
Children of eight, nine and 10 years have faced on their own the most dangerous part of the whole journey: the Mediterranean route. More than 3,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean this year, she added.
Italy has been on the frontline of Europes refugee and migrant crisis for three years.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), 284,000 people have made it to Europe this year. Of that figure, 112,000 account for those arriving in Italy.
Protesters ask why President Pena Nieto met presidential candidate who has called Mexicans rapists and criminals.
Mexico City Maria Eugenia Arguello, 52, summarises in three words what Donald Trumps visit to Mexico makes her feel: Indignation, shame and anger.
How can the president invite someone to our country who has offended us, who has humiliated us, who has treated us badly as Mexicans?
The US Republican presidential candidates fleeting visit to Mexico is likely to have lasting repercussions, as Mexicans question President Enrique Pena Nietos judgment in meeting Trump in the capital.
On Wednesday afternoon a dozen protesters lingered at the Angel of Independence, an iconic statue on Avenida Reforma that is a frequent meeting point for rallies and marches.
While the protest was called for midday, it dragged into the afternoon as people arrived after leaving work.
The protesters shared frustration and anger at the last-minute visit, which comes on the heels of a scandal revealing that Pena Nieto plagiarised his undergraduate university thesis.
Eduardo Rivera Garcia, 66, is a retired middle-school teacher from Mexico City. His family is from the state of Guanajuato, and many of his relatives have migrated to the US.
He says his family members in California and Wisconsin tell us about the elections and that they are very concerned.
He is perplexed that Pena Nieto extended an invitation to Trump, saying: If I had a neighbour who was kicking at my door and verbally abusing my family, I wouldnt invite them into my home.
Trump made a series of inflammatory comments about Mexico early on in his campaign, calling the country a source of rapists and criminals coming to the US. If elected, he has pledged to build a wall on the US border with Mexico.
Conciliatory rhetoric
Pena Nieto had gone as far as to compare Trump to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, but in recent weeks his critical stance softened. Earlier this month he extended invitations to both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to come to Mexico.
In all likelihood, he did not expect Trump to accept. But in a whirlwind of tweets and media speculation, Trump arrived on Wednesday afternoon at the Benito Juarez International Airport and was whisked in a helicopter to the presidential residence, known as Los Pinos.
READ MORE: Mexicans take a swing at Donald Trump pinatas
The press conference following the private meeting was surprisingly cordial considering the acidic rhetoric of Trumps campaign.
Pena Nieto appeared conciliatory and focused on the importance of the bilateral relationship, without directly addressing Trumps rhetoric on undocumented immigration and free trade.
He suggested that working as true friends, good neighbours and strategic allies would allow both countries to meet common goals and overcome misunderstandings.
Yet for many Mexicans, Trumps statements on Mexico are not mere misunderstandings.
In particular, Trumps visit left unresolved the question of the border wall, for which he says Mexico should foot the bill.
In the press conference, Trump said he did not discuss with Pena Nieto which country would pay for the wall.
Pena Nietos spokesperson later back-pedalled, saying that Pena Nieto told Trump that Mexico would not pay for the wall. However, Pena Nieto missed the opportunity to make this point clear from the start and appeared deferential to Trump, instead of being defiant as many Mexicans would have preferred.
Agustin Barrios Gomez, an outgoing congressman of the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) representing Mexico City, told Al Jazeera: I see the upside for Donald Trump, but I dont see any upside here for Pena Nieto.
Slumping popularity
It is becoming hard to keep track of the scandals and abuses plaguing the Pena Nieto administration.
The disappearance of 43 college students from Guerrero state remains unresolved after almost two years, along with the Casa Blanca scandal that implicated Pena Nieto in shady business deals with government contractors.
Details have emerged in recent months of extrajudicial killings by army and police forces in the towns of Tlatlaya and Tanhuato. And just last week, Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui released an investigation showing that Pena Nieto had plagiarised his 1991 undergraduate thesis at the Panamerican University.
Polls in early August by the Mexican newspaper Reforma found only 22 percent approval ratings for the president, the lowest for any president since Ernesto Zedillo in the late 1990s.
Trumps visit could drag these numbers even lower.
At the Angel of Independence, retired middle-school teacher Rivera Garcia predicted that Pena Nieto is going to have to pay the political cost of inviting Trump.
While the scandals have mounted, it is hard to see any major changes in the remaining two years of Pena Nietos six-year term.
His Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI) formed the Pact for Mexico with the PRD and the right-wing National Action Party (PAN) at the start of his administration to push wide-reaching reforms in education, energy, health and finance.
The reforms are moving forward despite protests, and neither the PRD nor the PAN have indicated plans to break ranks with the presidents reforms.
Looking beyond this administration, the PRI lost ground in the June mid-term elections and is struggling to put forward a candidate for the 2018 presidential elections.
Barrios Gomez said: The administration is very insular and they dont consult anyone outside their circle. They just keep making the same mistakes.
The Trump visit appears to be another episode in Pena Nietos long, slow slide to the bottom.
The 20,000-strong United Wa State Army is one of the strongest ethnic armed groups represented at the talks.
Delegates from one of Myanmars most heavily armed ethnic groups have stormed out of peace talks aimed at ushering in a new era of peace in the country.
Representatives of the powerful, 20,000-strong United Wa State Army (UWSA) walked out of the peace talks on their second day Thursday, reportedly after being told that they could not address the gathering in the capital Naypyidaw.
The departure of the Wa representatives was a misunderstanding that could be solved, government peace negotiator Khin Zaw Oo told the AFP news agency.
Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been informed and gave instructions that the peace process not be harmed because of this case, government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters.
A spokesman for the Wa told the Democratic Voice of Burma media group that the delegates left after being told they were only accredited as observers to the peace talks, which was discriminatory.
The five-day conference in Myanmars capital Naypyidaw has been hailed as the best chance in a generation for the country to end wars with ethnic minority groups that have raged for up to 70-years, claiming thousands of lives and keeping the country mired in poverty.
Drug manufacturing
The UWSA stopped fighting the government some years ago in exchange for control of a remote portion of territory bordering China which is now a notorious drug manufacturing hub.
Analysts accuse the Wa of producing and trafficking huge amounts of methamphetamine and heroin from their secretive base and buying weapons with the proceeds.
The UWSA originally refused to attend this weeks talks, arguing they signed their own ceasefire with the previous military government back in 1989.
But the WA eventually agreed to attend following discussions last month with Aung San Suu Kyi and after pressure was applied on the Wa by China, which retains significant influence over the group, whose area of control is located near the Chinese border.
Lian Hmung Sakhong, from the Chin National Front, another ethnic group at the talks, denied the Wa were treated unfairly.
We give equal rights to them and gave them a front row seat. I would like to confirm again that we did what they demanded, he said.
Myanmars government has fought ethnic armed groups almost without a break since the end of the World War II, as rebels pushed for recognition of their rights and greater autonomy from the central government.
Aung San Suu Kyi has devoted her first few months in power to planning the peace summit, where she hopes to thrash out the precepts of a federal state in exchange for peace.
NASA emergency staff are monitoring the air for toxic fumes, while officials say there is no threat to public safety.
A Falcon 9 rocket belonging to tech billionaire Elon Musks SpaceX aerospace firm has exploded during a routine test firing at Cape Canaveral in Florida, shaking buildings and sending a thick cloud of black smoke into the air.
There were no reports of injuries in the explosion just after 9 am (1400 GMT) on Thursday
SpaceX said in a statement that an anomaly during the static fire test resulted in the loss of the rocket and the Israeli communications satellite that it had been due to carry into space on Saturday.
Statement on this morning's anomaly pic.twitter.com/3Xm2bRMS7T SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 1, 2016
Our emergency management teams are responding right now, Bryan Purtell, a spokesman for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, told Reuters news agency.
The explosion occurred at Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force station, right next door to Kennedy Space Center.
NASA said that Kennedy emergency staff were on standby. At the same time, personnel were monitoring the air for any toxic fumes. The Air Force stressed there was no threat to public safety in the surrounding communities.
Catastrophic abort
The explosion tore through the launch site during the test firing of the Falcon 9 rocket and people in buildings several miles from the facility wrote on social media that they felt the blast.
Local authorities said residents were not at risk due to the explosion..
There is NO threat to general public from catastrophic abort during static test fire at SpaceX launch pad at CCAFS this morning. Brevard EOC (@BrevardEOC) September 1, 2016
It was not immediately known if SpaceXs launch pad was damaged or what the impact would be on the dozens of NASA and commercial satellite missions on its launch schedule.
The explosion is a major blow for SpaceX and also for NASA, which relies on the company to keep the International Space Station equipped with food, science experiments and other supplies.
Elizabeth Howell, a science journalist, told Al Jazeera that SpaceX has used the same rocket for all of their re-supply launches to date, and their busy launch schedule could be affected.
The problem is, now they are going to have to find a replacement and they cant just just build one of these things overnight. It would probably take several months, Howell said, who estimated the cost of the destroyed rocket at round $200m.
SpaceX is one of two companies shipping supplies to the space station for NASA.
Al Jazeeras Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington DC, said that it was not yet known how the loss of the rocket would affect SpaceX operations.
The last time this happened to SpaceX they didnt get to fly again for six months while they tried to figure out what happened and fix the problem, Culhane said.
Zuckerberg: Committed to our mission
The destroyed AMOS-6 satellite, owned by Israel-based Spacecom, was going to be used by Facebook.
Last year, Facebook said it was partnering with Eutelsat Communications to boost data connectivity to large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, and the satellite was part of that plan to boost bandwidth.
In a post from Africa, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said he was deeply disappointed at the loss of the satellite which he said would have provided connectivity to many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent.
We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided, he wrote.
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the goal of slashing launch costs to make travel to Mars affordable.
The company plans to fly its first unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2018 and send humans to Mars as early as 2024.
Rebels capture at least 14 villages in four days, according to monitor, prompting heavy government air strikes.
Areas of Syrias Hama province captured by rebel fighters came under heavy air attack on Thursday as pro-government forces sought to counter a major rebel assault in an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad.
The offensive that began on Tuesday is the biggest coordinated rebel assault in Hama province since 2014, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.
The UK-based Observatory said at least 25 people, including six children, had been killed in overnight air strikes on Wednesday.
Syrian state television said on Thursday that the air force had carried out concentrated strikes against what it described as terrorists in the area, saying tens of them had been killed.
The rebel push in Hama marks a new challenge for Assad and his allies in a part of Syria where the embattled leader has tried to consolidate his grip on power against a five-year-long push to depose him.
An official in one of the rebel factions waging the attack, Jaish al-Nasr, told Reuters news agency that both Syrian and Russian jets were involved in what he described as heavy air strikes. Russia has been bombing anti-Assad forces for almost a year.
Sweeping advance
The rebel alliance, which includes elements of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Jund Al-Aqsa group, aims to take control of the airport in Hama, from which regime helicopters fly regular sorties against opposition fighters.
They are about 10 kilometres from the airport in Hama, Syrias fourth-largest city, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman, whose group relies on a broad network of sources inside Syria.
The rebels are also probably seeking to ease pressure on opposition fighters in the battleground northern city of Aleppo by distracting regime forces.
In four days, the rebel alliance has seized control of 14 villages, mainly in the north of Hama province, including the towns of Halfaya and Suran.
They were also threatening to capture the historic Christian town of Mahrada, just west of the major north-south highway linking the capital, Damascus, with the northern city of Aleppo.
The targeted areas are populated by Christians and Alawites loyal to the government and are close to the mountain heartland of Assads Alawite sect.
We will target those who open fire on us, Jamil Saleh, a rebel commander in Hama, told Al Jazeera. We wont target civilians at all we are fighting for our land. Our enemy is the army.
READ MORE: Syria war Deal reached to end siege on Homs al-Waer
The Observatory said the air strikes that killed 25 people hit a road between the town of Latamenah and Idlib province, an area of northwestern Syria mostly under rebel control.
A Syrian military source told Reuters that the air force had destroyed dozens of rebel vehicles and the militants riding in them on a road from Latamenah to Idlib.
Hama province is of vital strategic importance to Assad, as it separates opposition forces in rebel-controlled Idlib from Damascus to the south and the government-controlled coast to the west.
In 2013, a major push by rebel groups to capture Hama was repelled by government forces after reinforcements were sent to the area.
Major demonstrations erupted in Hama in 2011 during the outbreak of Syrias civil conflict, but were quickly suppressed in a deadly government crackdown.
Assads father and predecessor Hafez al-Assad brutally put down a Muslim Brotherhood uprising in Hama city in 1982, killing thousands of people.
Army and rebels agree on deal that will see end of government siege, evacuation of residents and release of detainees.
Syrias army and opposition forces have agreed on a truce in the besieged neighbourhood of al-Waer in the central city of Homs, as fighting continued in nearby Hama province.
Under the agreement, signed by the local reconciliation committee and government officials, President Bashar al-Assads forces are to end the siege on the area and stop bombardments in return for the withdrawal of rebel groups.
Al-Waer has been the only neighbourhood under rebel control in the city of Homs after government troops consolidated their grip over the city in 2014. Since then, the area witnessed unremitting fighting, artillery shelling and air strikes.
Al-Waer deal In the first stage in the implementation of the agreement, 300 rebels and their families would be evacuated to opposition-held areas in northern Syria, mainly to the province of Idlib. In return, the government would open the roads to al-Waer and allow food in. The second stage would see the withdrawal of 500 rebel members along with their families from the neighbourhood and the release of 200 al-Waer residents detained in government-run prisons. In the third stage, the government would declare the fate of prisoners based on a list submitted by the reconciliation committee, and 300 more rebel fighters will be evacuated to northern Syria with their families. The opposition fighters, in the fourth stage, would withdraw from government institutions, and all the remaining rebels would be evacuated with their families. Finally, the government would consolidate full control over the neighbourhood.
An estimated 75,000 people still live in al-Waer, down from about 300,000 before the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
A UN-backed agreement initiated last year saw the evacuation of hundreds of residents from the neighbourhood but the deal did not hold amid reports that the government refused to release detainees.
Wednesdays truce document, seen by Al Jazeera, stated that the deal is to be implemented in five stages, whereby rebels would be evacuated gradually and detainees held in government prisons would be released.
In several Syrian areas, lengthy government sieges have prompted rebels to agree to evacuation deals, leading activists to accuse Damascus of using starve or surrender tactics.
Last week, buses evacuated residents and rebel fighters from the Damascus suburb of Daraya under a deal that was agreed on after a four-year siege by government forces.
Another deal is being discussed for the besieged Muadamiya suburb of Damascus, but Al Jazeeras correspondent in the area said a final agreement between the government and rebels had yet to be reached.
Final conditions dictated by Assads forces require that rebels hand over all their weapons before being transferred to Idlib.
Some opposition groups have criticised these preconditions, calling them a major setback as Sunnis would be forced from their homes, further fracturing the country along sectarian lines.
They are seen as part of a pattern in which the government pushes out Sunni communities that have been living there for decades. In 2015, there was a similar deal in Zabadani on the outskirts of the capital.
The deals come as rebel groups are making military advances in the province of Hama, in the centre of the country.
They captured the towns of Tayyibat Al-Imam and Suran in Hamas northern suburbs after taking over several government-controlled villages and checkpoints in the area, Al Jazeeras reporter said on Thursday.
Our reporter said that while the gains appear to be significant in the short term, the rebels had made similar advances before and quickly lost them after a successful government counterattack.
Brazils first female president, Dilma Rousseff, never lost an election, but she has failed to win the biggest battle of her political career.
Rousseff fought for months to prevent her impeachment. In the end, 61 out of 81 senators voted her out despite her pleas of innocence.
She denies manipulating government statistics to win re-election. Rousseff says she is the victim of a parliamentary coup and has already appealed to the Supreme Court.
Her replacement, Michel Temer, was convicted of violating election laws and was banned from running for office for eight years.
The newly installed president of the biggest economy in Latin America is flying to China for a G20 summit.
Can he get Brazils ailing economy back on track? And how will the change in leadership affect relations across South America?
Presenter: Richel Carey
Guests:
Rodrigo Nunes political analyst, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro
Shannon Sims journalist for The Washington Post, Forbes and NPR
Paulo Sotero director of the Brazil Institute, Woodrow Wilson Centre
People and Power investigates whether India is about to escalate its nuclear arms race with rivals Pakistan and China.
Deep in the rural plains of southern India, a mysterious government construction project is under way. Some allege the site will be a top secret nuclear city, designed to produce highly enriched uranium and allow the country to develop thermonuclear weapons devices more than 1,000 times more powerful than those detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki towards the end of World War II.
In response, Indias neighbour and decades-old foe Pakistan has vowed to keep pace and build its own equivalent programme, sparking fears that a new arms race is under way on the sub-continent a race which could bring the region to the brink of thermonuclear war and threaten the lives and livelihoods of half of the worlds population.
To find out what is really going on behind the walls of this secret site, People and Power sent Indian journalist Mandakini Gahlot to investigate.
FILMMAKERS VIEW
By Mandakini Gahlot
I was 14 years old when India conducted its first nuclear tests in the Rajasthani desert. It was a blindingly hot summer day in May 1998, and I can still clearly recall the euphoria that gripped the nation.
In Mumbai, the city where I grew up, crowds flooded the streets, dancing, singing and cheering as if celebrating a national festival. A few days later, a regional political party even organised a mock nuclear test, complete with a spoof nuclear device fitted to cardboard missiles. Candy floss and snacks were sold on the sidelines, and entire families came out to watch the spectacle, ordinary citizens who just couldnt get enough of basking in the glory of having become the worlds newest nuclear nation.
In contrast, the international community was horrified, and Pakistans retaliatory tests less than three weeks later resulted in sanctions on both nations. But it didnt matter to those of us who lived in India.
For us, our nation, despite its limited resources, had proved capable of mastering a technology so sophisticated that the West was determined to keep it out of our reach. Western hypocrisy was the defining narrative of the time after all, what right did a country like the United States, which had more than 10,000 nuclear devices in its arsenal, have to tell our sovereign nation not to develop its own deterrent? And our politicians were quick to capitalise on this sentiment to instil a sense of civic pride and invincibility.
Things have changed a good deal since then, and in 2016, it is hard to imagine people celebrating a nuclear test on the streets of Mumbai or Delhi. But that doesnt mean that Indias nuclear ambitions have changed. While the country has put a voluntary moratorium on further testing, it has also refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The treaty divides the world into two groups. Countries which tested their devices before 1967 are considered nuclear weapons states, with already functioning and deployable arsenals. But those who did so later are expected to sign the treaty as non-nuclear weapons states, effectively agreeing to halt any attempts to continue perfecting their programmes.
Indian politicians have called the treaty discriminatory, but they have also indicated equally vocally that if the world at large was to demonstrate a genuine commitment towards disarmament, then India would be willing to follow suit, even to lead its region by example. In fact, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi envisaged a plan for disarmament across the world which was repeatedly put before the UN General Assembly, long before India decided to go ahead with its tests in the 1990s.
In the absence of such a commitment, however, the country appears to be moving in the opposite direction. By 2008, India had signed a controversial deal with the United States, effectively ending the countrys nuclear isolation and giving it access to a raft of hitherto unavailable technologies.
The deal granted the South Asian nation an important waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to buy equipment desperately needed to kick off its ambitious, civilian nuclear energy programme.
More recently, in August 2016, India made a bid for fully fledged membership of the NSG and received backing from many key Western powers, including the United States. This dream was cut short by opposition from regional rival and thermonuclear power China a permanent member of the NSG on the grounds that India first needed to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
While membership was blocked, these deliberations sparked a flurry of media scrutiny into Indias nuclear programme. Newspapers and TV channels were openly discussing something that had been classified as covert for decades an open secret you might say, but one rarely discussed in public.
Some media investigations even suggested that India was developing an enriched uranium programme which could be used to build a new arsenal of thermonuclear weapons.
With tensions in the region, not just between India and Pakistan, but also between India and China, always relatively high, it was easy to see how this level of proliferation could lead to a new arms race in South Asia and potentially catastrophic results for everyone on the planet. It was for this reason that we decided to make this film, hoping to draw attention to the issue and the need for careful deliberation over how to prevent this race from spiralling out of control.
UFs reputation as a party school is going down, but its reputation as an affordable university is going up.
The Princeton Review released its 2017 rankings Monday, naming UF No. 6 in its Lots of Beer, category, No.18 for Best College Newspaper and No. 18 in Party Schools. Another website, Value Colleges, considers UF the No. 1 Best Value college.
These are the rankings by the students, said Amy Briskin, a Princeton Review spokeswoman. This is not what the administration thinks or what an outside panel of experts think.
Princeton Review surveyed 143,000 students at 381 colleges, asking students to rank their universities on different categories including their schools administration, life at college and peers.
Briskin said the Lots of Beer category refers to how widely used beer is on campus. The University of Wisconsin-Madison took the No.1 spot for Lots of Beer and the University of Dayton, in Ohio, took second.
UF spokesman Steve Orlando said the university's ranking as a party school has fallen in the past few years. In 2014, Princeton Review ranked UF No. 6 on its Party Schools list.
Im not sure why that (drop) is, but I would guess its because our reputation as an academic institution is growing, Orlando said.
He said the Lots of Beer ranking is news to him.
Well, for Lots of Beer, Im not exactly sure what it means, but probably some students parents wouldnt be too happy to hear that, Orlando said.
Value Colleges, a ranking website, reviewed and listed more than 250 colleges and universities based on return on investment, cost and reputation.
UF President Kent Fuchs said he sees the websites ranking as a combination of the universitys excellence and financial accessibility.
We have almost a third of our students receive a pell grant, and pell grants are financial aid from the federal government, Fuchs said. Thats an amazingly high percentage, and Im very proud of that.
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Roselyn Roderick, 20, said UFs tuition pays off because shes learned a lot from her professors and she enjoys the universitys friendly atmosphere on campus.
My financial aid has really helped me at UF because I can just focus on school, and I dont have to struggle to support myself to get a good education, the UF elementary education masters student said.
Ronit Dastidar, 20, said he doesnt understand why the Princeton Review even ranks categories like party schools and lots of beer.
There are a lot of parties that go on here, but at the same time, UF students are really good with doing their work and stuff like that during the week, and then theyll have fun during the weekend, the UF microbiology junior said.
Top 5 Value Colleges best value colleges for 2017:
UF Brigham Young University Baruch College (CUNY) Suny Plattsburgh California State Polytechnic University
Princeton Reviews Lots of Beer ranking for 2017:
University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Dayton Bates College Beloit College Lehigh University UF
How does one become Tony Stark?
This is the topic of many online discussions and blogs and the question many future engineers ponder when deciding which degree to pursue. They have their eyes set on becoming rich inventors who create the newest technology in their basements. The problem is that Tony Stark is a fictional character. So, whats the next best thing? Elon Musk.
Musk is the founder of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, two companies many engineering students seem to aspire to work for in the future. They see Musk as a paragon for what is possible with an engineering degree and set their mark to reach what he has done. I mean, who wouldnt want to invent new products that change the world and make millions of dollars in the process? If engineering students are reaching for such high goals, they should know a little more about Musk and what it means to work for him.
According to a 2016 PayScale survey, jobs at Tesla or SpaceX rank as the most stressful and lowest paying jobs, but also the most meaningful, among tech firms. In fact, Ashlee Vances biography of Musk spends a great deal of time explaining the tradeoffs of working for Tesla or SpaceX. In the biography, Vance explains although Musks companies build innovative products that are changing the world, working for these companies often comes with personal sacrifices. Stress from jobs at Tesla and SpaceX not only come from lack of sleep and the metal demand of the job, but also from working for Musk himself. Musk is known to fire even his closest and most dedicated employees on a whim and spit coffee across the room if its too cold for his taste. He even ripped into one of his head engineers for missing a meeting to witness the birth of his child.
Another misconception is that scientists or engineers can still build transformative projects by locking themselves in a basement. As argued in Michael Hiltziks book Big Science, the era in which science was done individually from start to finish ended after the military-industrial complex of the Eisenhower era. Now, large teams work together to build innovative products, including the rockets and cars built at SpaceX and Tesla, respectively.
In fact, engineers who work at Tesla might have a job centered on designing something as minute as the handle of a car door. Sure, Teslas door handles are cool, but do they amount to the same significance as many expect a dream job at Tesla to be? Not really.
A considerable amount of engineering students place jobs at companies like Tesla and SpaceX as the highest calling for someone with an engineering degree. And thats fine, just as long as they know that, like everything else, working at companies like Tesla or SpaceX have both big perks and big drawbacks.
Unless there is an engineering student out there who is also from South Africa, made his or her own computer game as a child and has a business and physics degree from the University of Pennsylvania, he or she isnt even halfway there to becoming the next Elon Musk. But engineers shouldnt seek to emulate him. Striving for a goal already achieved by someone else is neither innovative nor original. More importantly, its not engineering.
Joshua Udvardy is a UF environmental engineering sophomore. His column appears on Thursdays.
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Did any of you Gators go surfing over the summer? Well, bust those boards back out and buy an extra pair of swimming trunks, because were about to get some serious rain over the next couple of days. Tropical Storm Hermine is set to hit the Big Bend area (aka armpit) of our not-so-Sunshine State today at about 1 p.m.
This is deeply concerning for two reasons: One, if Hermine attains hurricane strength, itll be the first one weve had in 11 years since most of us were in elementary or early middle school. Two, who on earth came up with the name Hermine? All you had to do was add an o to make it Hermione. Maybe then we could just fly Emma Watson down to the panhandle and cast away the storm with a spell. Problem solved. But alas, here we are an impending storm and no Emma Watson.
We should consider ourselves lucky, though. Our storm wont be nearly as bad as what Louisiana has endured in recent weeks. Almost three weeks ago, intense rains and flooding devastated certain towns in Louisiana, amounting to what the Red Cross said is the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy. Thirteen people dead, at least 40,000 homes destroyed, $205 million in financial support to flood survivors from the Federal Emergency Management Agency: This is serious.
Why should we care about what happens in Louisiana, you may ask? Well, first off, its only a 10-hour drive away. If whatever deity you pray to God, Allah, Morgan Freeman, Queen Bey (we dont judge) decided to aim those floods further south, wed be the ones in deep water right now. Second, Bill Nye. The science superstar appeared on CNN on Aug. 23 to discuss Louisiana and said, This is a result of climate change. Its only going to get worse.
And if Bill Nye isnt good enough for you, then take NASAs word for it. Global temperatures are rising in ways we havent seen in 1,000 years, NASA officials have said. And with rising temperatures come rising sea levels, which means very bad news for Florida.
So, what can we do? If youre particularly bold, or if you just really dont like the classes you got stuck with after the drop/add period, you could make the trip out to Louisiana and help at the various relief sites. Or, for a more practical approach, you could call our very own Florida representatives and voice your concern over Floridas lack of preparation given the rise of sea levels and the very real dangers that could result.
Does calling representatives offices actually work? If one or two of you do it, then probably not. But, if each of you reading this paper right now took five minutes to call Marco Rubios office, for instance, and speak with his staff members, then maybe all of you together could actually make some waves. And honestly, given how much water Rubio drinks in the middle of his speeches, hed probably appreciate us making a splash.
The point is: Do something, anything. For years on end far too many of us, both citizens and policymakers alike, have looked at climate change and said, Eh Im sure Al Gores got that taken care of. But he doesnt. Al Gore doesnt have a lot of things taken care of.
Thats why its up to you to make these things happen. And if we dont act? Well, lets just hope other states decide to care about us when we start having massive floods. Or maybe one-way flights to Canada come at a cheap rate? (Spoiler: they dont).
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The Gainesville-native band Less Than Jake will headline the fifth annual Wake N Bake festival at High Dive on Friday and Saturday.
The punk rock, ska band is named after drummer Vinnie Fiorellos childhood pet an English Bulldog named Jake.
Fiorello said Jake was treated better than anyone else in his home.
My parents would cook specific food for Jake and have a specific spot on the couch for him, he said.
As a result, everything else became less than Jake.
The band consists of members JR Wasilewski on saxophone, Buddy Schaub on trombone, Roger Lima on vocals, guitar and bass and Chris DeMakes on vocals and guitar.
Having been together for more than 20 years, Less Than Jake is currently with Fat Wreck Chords, a punk-rock label based out of Northern California, Fiorello said.
The bands sound is a headspace for fast, melodic punk rock with influences of reggae and ska music, he said. Less Than Jake spends time crafting music that sometimes deals with serious topics, but while playing live, the band has a no holds barred attitude.
The Wake N Bake festival was started by Less Than Jake five years ago after the band wanted to make more time to play in its hometown. The name Wake N Bake, an old stoners term, came from bass player Roger Lima.
Wake N Bake weekend is to celebrate everything that is Gainesville, Fiorello said.
Having the festival at High Dive made sense for Less Than Jake because High Dive, then called The Covered Dish, was one of the first places in Gainesville that gave Less Than Jake a chance to open up for a bigger band.
Without live music and culture, Gainesville is just a bunch of soulless buildings, said Pat Lavery, the promoter and events manager for High Dive.
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He said Less Than Jake, one of the most successful bands to ever come out of Gainesville, gives back to the community unlike many of the other bands from the city.
Last year marked the first time Less Than Jake included a charity drive into the festival. Just like last year, the band is asking festival-goers to bring a few pet supplies to donate to the St. Francis Pet Care Clinic this year.
The band chose this particular charity because of the connection to Fiorellos dog, Lavery said.
For the last five years, the band wanted to keep Wake N Bake in the same venue. Next year, however, Less Than Jake is hoping to grow the festival a bit more, which will include moving to a different location.
Fiorello said plans will be made after this years festival.
Also playing the festival are Florida bands Morning Fatty, Kashd Out, Dr/veaway, The Busdrivers and Bothering Dennis. The only band playing that is not from Florida is Peelander-Z, a band from New York.
Fiorello said the key to the bands long-lasting success is that it doesnt take for granted the interactions with its fans.
Youre always striving for that perfect chemical reaction between what you love to do and what people are giving back to youfor doing what you love, he said.
Advance tickets are $15 on ticketfly.com or $18 purchased the day of the show, Lavery said. The patio opens at 6 p.m., and doors open at 8 p.m.
2005 ..
English News Chinese finance minister hails achievement in G20 fiscal and finance channels
Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 1 Septembre 2016
By Li Lihui from People's Daily
Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei hailed the remarkable harvests reaped in G20 fiscal and finance channels, saying that the tasks set at the beginning of this year have been accomplished and those outcomes will be submitted to the upcoming Hangzhou Summit for review.
Lou made the remarks in a recent interview with Peoples Daily ahead of the G20 Summit slated for Sept. 4-5 in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
According to Lou, since the beginning of this year, three meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors, four meetings of finance and central bank deputies and more than 20 working group meetings and study group meetings have been held to prepare the fiscal and financial policies for the summit.
Centering on the theme of the summit, the business leaders discussed global economy, "G20 Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth, investment and infrastructure, international finance architecture and other topics, Lou further noted, adding that a number of influential accomplishments have been generated as a result.
Lou stressed that one goal of China, the rotating presidency of the G20, is to create new mechanisms for the fiscal and finance channels. Such move aims to transform G20 from a crisis response mechanism into a long-acting governance one and shift its focus from short-term policies to structural reform.
Led by China, financial and central bank officials from G20 members have optimized the top-level design for structural reforms, identified nine prioritized areas and 48 guidelines, and formulated an index system to measure the effectiveness of the reform, Lou briefed the achievements, adding that it sets a precedent in G20 history.
These efforts aim to boost growth by addressing both symptoms and root causes, the minister explained.
According to Lou, those achievements in fiscal and finance channels are featured with not only innovation and vitality, but also interconnection and inclusiveness.
In terms of innovation, an innovation-driven growth pattern was prioritized. The policy makers worked out a G20 Blueprint on Innovative Growth, advising to drive sustained medium-term and long-term growth of the global economy through structural reform as well as new industrial revolution, digital economy and other innovative ways.
The minister added that the approaches share the same principle with Chinas efforts in promoting supply-side structural reform and improving the quality and efficiency of supply system.
In terms of vitality, in order to maintain the economic vitality by strengthening macroeconomic policy coordination, the business leaders for the first time proposed using monetary, financial and structural reform measures to boost growth and stabilize outlook.
In order to release economic vitality by improving global governance, they also agreed to push reforms of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, establish inclusive framework that can curb Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), enhance international financial supervision, urge the developed countries to fulfill their commitment on climate fund, improve sovereign debt restructuring mechanism and global financial security network, in a bid to provide institutional guarantee for the vitality and sustainability of the world economy.
In terms of interconnection, these business officials put emphasis on G20s sense of community of shared interests. They urged the members to address challenges by reinforcing cooperation, and based on the Belt and Road Initiative put forward by China, enhance global connectivity by encouraging multilateral development banks to expand infrastructure investment, so as to build a platform of information exchange, mechanism coordination and project cooperation.
In terms of inclusiveness, they agreed to attach great significance to inclusive growth of G20 members and help medium-sized and small-sized enterprises. Highlighting the importance of taxation, they also reached consensus to help developing nations improve their capability in boosting growth with domestic resources such as taxation.
Amid the arising risks and challenges confronted by the global economy and finance since the beginning of this year, the business officials have been making efforts to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination among G20 members in order to bolster economic growth and stabilize the financial market, Lou said.
He added they have promised to use all policy tools-- monetary, fiscal and structural--individually and collectively to realize vibrant, sustainable and balanced development.
They also reaffirmed that they will refrain from competitive devaluations, resist all forms of protectionism, consult closely on exchange markets, and prepare well for potential risks caused by Brexit, the refugee problem and terrorism, Lou stressed, adding that all sides will also study the suitable policies that can be adopted by each country.
Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's FAST discovers largest atomic cloud in universe China to make greater contributions to human progress China willing to work with the international community to promote equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
English News Commentary: Chinas supply-side structural reform can benefit the world economy
Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 1 Septembre 2016
By Zhou Renjie from Peoples Daily
As the G20 Summit approaches, the worlds attention is turning to China, which contributes 25 percent of global economic growth and possesses the worlds second largest economy.
What new role China will play in global economic and financial governance? What experiences and inspiration can China offer to other countries with different systems? The upcoming summit is sure to provide satisfactory answers to these questions.
A healthier Chinese economy will in turn contribute to the world economy. As todays world is in urgent need of finding new impetus to revive its fragile economic recovery and weak growth, China's supply-side structural reform can serve as a great example.
This reform, which focuses on both immediate difficulties and long-term sustainable development, can address both the symptoms and root causes of economic roadblocks. Hailed by foreign scholars as a cure-all recipe, this Chinese reform could help create a new consensus for global economic governance.
Currently, deregulation and other measures to loosen monetary policy have begun to lose steam, while fiscal policies have become constrained by the burden of heavy debt. In order to revive the global economy, the world needs to take a new path.
It has to generate driving forces through structural reform and innovation-driven development, stimulate economic growth through systematic adjustment and realize sustainable prosperity by bolstering employment, income, investment and trade.
The reform proposal offered by China is also more effective in helping developing countries transition. When it comes to these developing nations, this years summit agenda has made two breakthroughs.
In addition to including more developing nations than ever before, the summit for the first time will highlight the importance of development in a global macro-policy framework, which will be crucial in the creation of action plans for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
By improving and stimulating developing countries development capabilities, Chinas supply-side structural reform can help them eradicate poverty, optimize economic systems and help their economies take off, in addition to addressing other challenges.
For example, since many other economies are also dealing with overcapacity issues similar to China, they can refer to Chinas experience in dealing with this headache.
Some people have misread Chinas measures to cut excessive industrial capacity as a plan aimed at exporting outdated capacity, but in fact it is a mutually beneficial move. The Hebei Iron and Steel Group Company Limited, for instance, not only managed to ease its own burdens, but also helped meet the demands of overseas markets. This type of win-win cooperation is also encouraged by WTO rules.
In a sense, Chinas economic slowdown has triggered concern throughout the rest of the world, but the countrys experience and success in macro-control and reform is also an opportunity for them to discover solutions to their own problems and a chance to ease their anxiety.
Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's FAST discovers largest atomic cloud in universe China to make greater contributions to human progress China willing to work with the international community to promote equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
English News Commentary: Promoting innovation is the best way to attain sustained economic growth
Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 1 Septembre 2016
By Lu Xiaoxun from Peoples Daily
A report on G20 innovation competitiveness has been released ahead of the Hangzhou Summit, which will be held on September 4 and 5. The reports shows the G20s 19 member countries accounted for 87.3 percent of global investment into R&D, while the number of research personnel per million population is twice the world average.
In addition, money spent on intellectual property accounted for 75.6 percent of the world total, while 96.6 percent of the patents in the world were filed in these countries.
These figures demonstrate that G20 countries lead the way when it comes to innovation, yet despite this their lackluster economies have become a headache. With this in mind, one of the goals of the upcoming summit should be to discuss ways to stimulate innovation so it can promote sustained economic growth.
China may lag behind the other G20 members, but it is also one of the countries that has invested the most in innovation. By making innovation a core pillar of its development, China aims to build itself into a global leader in technology. For instance, not long ago the world was wowed by Chinas breakthrough in scientific innovation after it launched the world's first quantum science satellite.
In the recently-released Global Innovation Index 2016 Report, China climbed up four places from last years No.29 to No.25. A recent cover story for the Economist magazine also helped restore the reputation of innovative China-made products while tearing down prejudice against Chinese enterprises by commenting that China and Western countries can now learn from each other in terms of innovation.
The article also demonstrates that Chinas improved innovation capabilities have contributed to global innovation.
After the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008, the world economies tried to stimulate economic growth and increase their competitiveness through technological innovation, but this global innovation failed to take off because of a failure to fix basic institutional flaws.
Whats more, in recent years, some global giants in the rare earth, automobile, telecommunications and other industries have attempted to use their dominant market positions to contain their rivals. However, such acts only hinder the innovation of emerging markets and undermine the exchange and integration of innovation resources from around the globe.
Some entrepreneurs have pointed out that effective innovation calls for the ability to freely exchange ideas, patents, resources and talents from different fields, industries and countries. Global innovation is not something any single country can carry out on its own. It will only be through the creation of a global network dedicated to innovation that innovative entities, infrastructure, resources and ecosystems can support and promote each others development on a global scale.
It is for this reason that China has taken creating a path for innovative growth as a major theme at this years summit. China, as a representative of emerging innovative countries, hopes to join all other countries worldwide to build a platform for innovation.
Dans la meme rubrique : < > China's FAST discovers largest atomic cloud in universe China to make greater contributions to human progress China willing to work with the international community to promote equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
English News G20 not yet on the necessary transition from a brown to green economy
- 1 Septembre 2016
Beijing, 1 September 2016 The G20 needs to make more effort to move to a green, lowcarbon economy, especially in the areas of coal power expansion and climate policy, but is beginning to head in the right direction. This is the key result of a comprehensive assessment of G20 climate action, released in Beijing today ahead of the G20 summit in China this weekend.
The report, Brown to Green: Assessing the G20 transition to a lowcarbon
economy has been produced by Climate Transparency, and written by a range of
international experts (1) and was launched at a press conference in Beijing.
The report and factsheets on each country are available here.
With climate change high on this years G20 agenda, along with green finance, the assessment looks at a range of indicators on climate action, including investment attractiveness, investment in renewable energy, climate policy, the carbon intensity of both the energy and electricity sectors of the G20 economies, of their fossil fuel subsidies and their contributions to climate finance.
The G20 is responsible for 75% of global emissions, and its energyrelated greenhouse gas emissions increased by 56% from 19902013. While the positive news is that this growth has now stalled, the negative is that there is still more brown than green on the Climate Transparency G20 scorecard.
The G20 has proven that it can
be nimble, and take action on economic issues, so
we are looking to these countries to do the same for the climate, said Alvaro Umana, cochair of Climate Transparency, and Former Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica.
Our report shows that while global emissions growth may be coming to an end, there is not yet the necessary dynamic to transform the brown fossilfuel based economy and into the green. There remains a tremendous opportunity for the G20 to make this transition and provide the world with enough energy, create affordable energy access for the poorest people, and to stimulate economies, he said.
While the G20 is rightfully addressing the issue of green investments, the climate needs an actual shift away from brown to green.
Whats in the report?
In terms of investment attractiveness in renewable energy, and energy
efficiency, China, India, France and Germany, the US and the UK are rated the
highest. However, both France and Germanys ratings are at risk of dropping. Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have the worst ratings.
That China and India are rated the highest is a good signal these are the economies where the transition will have the biggest impact on the global climate. Frances reliance on nuclear is stifling the emergence of wind and solar, and
Germanys proposed cap on renewable energy is worrying, said Jan Burck of Germanwatch.
Coal is the main issue with the carbon intensity of the G20s energy sector
overall, because of the large number of planned new coalfired power plants that would almost double the G20s coal capacity. This would make it virtually impossible to keep warming even to 2C, let alone well below 2C or down to
1.5C as spelt out in the Paris Agreement.
The G20 member states pledged climate action is still far from where it needs
to be to meet the Paris Agreements temperature goals. Altogether, the G20, needs to reduce emissions by six times what has been pledged so far by 2030.
If G20 countries were to rid themselves of their reliance on coal, this would significantly impact their ability to both increase their climate pledges, and get their emissions trajectories on a below 2C pathway, said Niklas Hohne, of NewClimate
Institute.
There is good news on renewable energy, which has increased by 18% since
2008. However, to be in line with a 2C trajectory, annual G20 country investment in the power sector alone will, by 2035, have to roughly double from 20002013 levels.
Fossil fuel subsidies, which the G20 has repeatedly committed to removing
(since 2009), continue to be high. In the developed countries their fossil fuel subsidies are, without exception, substantially above the money they have committed to climate finance.
Energyrelated emissions per capita, currently averaging across the G20 at
5.7tC02e/y per person, has decreased slightly, but needs to drop right back to
13tC02e/y per person by 2050 to keep on a below 2C warming trajectory.
The energy and carbon intensity of the G20 economies are both decreasing,
meaning that the economies are becoming more efficient in terms of energy use, and are also decarbonising. However, economies are still growing, leading to an absolute increase of energyrelated CO2 emissions and the primary energy consumed.
The G20 host country, China, has talked of the urgency of the climate issue. Our assessment shows China is taking more action than many countries. Climate leadership from China at the G20 Summit could help set the world on the right path to a future safe from the worst ravages of climate change, said Peter Eigen, CoChair of Climate Transparency.
Climate Transparency has provided comprehensive, comparable and credible information about G20 climate action. Our independent assessment comes from a range of stakeholders who bring different perspectives, a reference point that we intend to continue and widen in the future.
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English News German Ambassador praises G20 Summits theme and major agendas
Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 2 Septembre 2016
By Huang Fahong from the Peoples Daily
Praising the theme and major agendas selected by the G20 Hangzhou Summit, German Ambassador to China Michael Clauss said that China has laid a solid foundation for the events success.
Clauss made the remarks during an interview with the Peoples Daily ahead of the summit, which will be held September 3-4. The core agendas of the summit include improving the global economy, opposing protectionism, promoting structural reform and innovation.
The summit came amid a sluggish world economic recovery, with the International Monetary Fund has more than once cut its forecasts for global economic growth.
As one of the most important platforms for communication and coordination on global policy, the G20 Summit gathers major economies around the world. As such, it will be a wise move for China to use this platform to inject new impetus for world economic growth, the ambassador said.
According to the ambassador, the theme of the summit Towards an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy is a perfect match for the current global situation.
Taking innovation as an example, he explained that among the three engines of export, domestic demand and technological innovation, the former two cannot sustain an economy over the short run, therefore innovation is the only choice when it comes to improving productivity and reviving the economy.
The ambassador also said that an inclusive economy is sure to bring about a more open world. Considering the increasingly difficult challenges imposed by protectionism, the inclusion of inclusiveness as part of the summits theme sends a clear-cut signal that curbing trade protectionism should be a priority, the diplomat added.
Clauss expressed Germany's support for the agendas set by the summit, stressing that economic structural reform is an important necessity.
Facts have shown that the injection of large amounts of capital stimulus cannot revive an economy, instead only leading to a false prosperity that will be followed by a sharp fall, he explained, adding that sustainable economic growth can only be achieved through structural reform.
The ambassador said he appreciated that China has included sustainable development, especially concerning climate change, on the summit agenda. We advocate that the Paris Agreement be implemented in an accelerated and transparent manner, he said.
The agendas for the summit are sure to create opportunities for possible cooperation between Germany and China, Clauss pointed out, adding that both countries have established cooperation mechanisms in a number of fields.
He took the innovation industry as an example. Germany and China have agreed to align their Industry 4.0 and Made in China 2025 plans, and also established cooperative ties between government departments, research institutions and enterprises.
Unofficially announced at the Antalya Summit last year, Germany will also be officially confirmed as the host of the next G20 Summit during the Hangzhou Summit.
Clauss stressed that the next G20 summit should follow in the steps of the Hangzhou Summit when it comes to fields such as sustainable development and climate protection.
Hangzhou is well prepared for the summit, and we are looking forward to its success! he said.
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English News Let Muslims rule India again through SAARC, to be realized under pressure of Pak on UNGA for Kashmir
Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 1 Septembre 2016
Bengaluru, India
Sub:- Pakistan should ask Nawaz to resign if cant use UNGA for solving Kashmir problem
Ref:- (i)- Without eliminating poison of communalism (reason for partition) SAARC can never be in peace & prosperity (ii)- Hindus simply incapable of political supremacy (iii)- Last word on Indias partition yet to be written (iv)- Only genuinely secular party can unify J&K and rule SAARC (v)- Communal Hindu India (more so under Hindutva regime) not interested in retrieving Muslim PoJK (vi)- Islam being nearest to democracy Muslim Pakistan can easily develop genuinely secular party (vii)- Pakistan cant watch neutrally the violent harassment of Kashmiris by India (viii)- GOP should not forget Jihadis are fourth party in Kashmir dispute (ix)- Muslims of Pakistan has not given-up desire to rule India again (x)- Pakistan should give Jihadi ultimatum to UNGA for immediate plebiscite in J&K (xi)- Genuine effort by nuclear Pak to help Kashmiris against nuclear India bound to usher in realized SAARC, under international pressure (xii)- Non-predominant population of Hindus and Muslims in SAARC will buttress secularism
---- The way rest of India and Pakistan are looking helpless at the cost of killing, injuries, blinding, loss of properties etc of Kashmiris during last 54 days of unrest in Kashmir, any politician from India and Pakistan worth the salt should be ashamed if does not come out with some urgent solution to this despicable state of affairs. I for one offer the following solution to stop this madness being perpetrated by India and Pakistan in Kashmir:-
(1)- It is high time we understand that the last word on Indias partition is yet to be written and without undoing the most unnatural partition and without eliminating poison of communalism (reason for 1947 partition of India) SAARC can never be in peace and can never prosper. Hence genuinely secular politics both by Hindus and Muslims in reunited India is the only solution. For this some group has to take the political lead. Moreover Jihad is a legitimate Islamic activity and only clandestine terrorist activities of Jihadis are to be condemned but not their open activities in the interest of realizing legally permissible objectives.
(2)- Hindus are simply incapable of political supremacy due to its caste system (further institutionalized through the policy of reservation) which gives socially inferior demoralizing status to oppressed (Dalits) & various backward castes and tribes who are mainly responsible for developing hard power of the country. The Hindu Congress leaders (Gandhi, Nehru, Patel etc) opted for partition because they thought it will be easier to rule Hindu India than Hindu-Muslim India. It is natural that Hindutava forces (and its PM Modi) will be happy for the same reason (not withstanding their hypocritical statements of love for Kashmiri Muslims), if Muslim Kashmir (including PoJK) goes out of India leaving only Hindu Jammu & Ladakh with India.
(3)- Therefore Communal Hindu majority India (more so under present Hindutva regime of PM Modi) is not interested in solving Kashmir problem by retrieving Muslim PoJK. Instead India is interested only (i)- In keeping Kashmiris quite under pressure of security forces (with AFSPA etc) and by giving some economic lollipops to gullible Kashmiris (ii)- in diversionary tactics by invoking Baluchistan card.
(4)- PoJK can be taken by Government of India (GOI) only when led by some genuinely secular party which India does not have (How can communal India win the faith of Muslim PoJK when it has failed to win the faith of Muslim Kashmir). Only a genuinely secular government can unify J&K and can rule unified India (or preferably and ultimately SAARC) which will be inevitable due to both India and Pakistan being nuclear countries (hence will not be allowed by powerful world community to come any where near the situation of nuclear war).
(5)- This leaves Muslim Pakistan to take the lead. Muslims of Pakistan has not given-up desire to rule India again that is the reason despite being one sixth of India it has maintained practical military parity by making nuclear weapons in response to nukes of India. Moreover anybody who has not merely read Quran but has practiced its basic principles knows that Islam (worshiper of abstract) is a religion closest to democracy and present world dominated by science & technology. Hence it should not at all be difficult (as somewhat given below) for politicians of Pakistan to carry out the synthesis in order to develop human rights friendly genuinely secular political party which will be alternative to this-worldly-matters of religion (which needs to be be updated by every religion leaving only other-worldly-matters to religion / Islam) and will be a fit instrument to rule SAARC.
(6)- Aversion in Islam to usury [which is the main cause of problems all across the world which is indulging in unbridled fiscal deficits (even up-to 200 % of GDP) under the influence of interest earners] will be added advantage along with profitable use of State-capital for removing unemployment (which is urgent need of India too) especially by constructing residential and commercial buildings to be given on rent decided by Rent Commission and which will bring almost a revolution in the life of the people of SAARC. Bringing health and education under people (which is necessary in any democracy) will make this political party the darling of the people of SAARC [in first stage health care can be brought under the control of the people by modified Employees State Insurance (ESI) where in addition to government the representatives of the contributors (employees and employers) will be there in the management]. Of-course federalism will be the main policy of this political party where only martial matters will be with Union / Center and all civilian matters (including natural resources) will be with States which will allay the fears of Muslims (which was one of the cause of Indias partition in 1947).
(7)- Pakistan cant watch neutrally the violent harassment of Kashmiris by India. Government of Pakistan (GOP) should not forget that in addition to GOI, GOP and people of J&K the Jihadis are fourth party in Kashmir dispute because as per media they have laid down the lives of ~ one hundred thousand Jihadis (from both sides of border / LOC) for Kashmir (more than the lives lost by security forces of India and Pakistan combined) and territories are decided by blood and not merely by ink (by way of writing in constitutions or by unanimous resolution of Parliaments / National Assemblies). Therefore GOP (which sent and instigated these Jihadis to fight in Kashmir) is under moral obligation to listen the laments of Jihadis who are pained at the present plight of Muslim Kashmiris during on-going unrest in Kashmir.
(8)- Therefore Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif should give ultimatum to 'United Nation General Assembly' (UNGA) during coming session in September that in view of the present suffering of the Kashmiris, plebiscite should be undertaken immediately in J&K otherwise Pakistan will not be responsible if Jihadis take any direct and openly declared action to provide relief to beleaguered Kashmiris. During this UNGA session Nawaz can also remind USA how it used Jihadis in Afghanistan against USSR to win the cold war
(9)- In order to help Kashmiris the genuine effort by nuclear Pakistan (through even Jihadis) against nuclear India is bound to usher in Realized-SAARC under international pressure. Non-predominant population of Hindus (including Sikhs, Baudhs and Jains as per Hindu Marriage Act) and Muslims in SAARC will buttress secularism. Moreover Muslims (unlike before 1947) need not be worried about majority of Hindus in SAARC because in any democracy people rule through political parties only. Hence human rights friendly Federal-Secular Socialist (Joint capitalism)-Democratic Party developed by Pakistan (as mentioned above) is bound to not only command the allegiance of most of the people of SAARC but it may even lead to mass scale conversion of the people of SAARC to some new religion which is highly like to come in existence under the influence of the said policies of this Islam inspired political party.
Therefore Pakistan in order to not only discharge its moral responsibility towards profusely bleeding and weeping Muslim Kashmiris but also to realize its cherished dream to again rule India should give Jihadi ultimatum to UNGA for immediate plebiscite in both sides of J&K so that SAARC can be realized for permanent peace, harmony and prosperity in the region.
Regards
Hem Raj Jain
(Author of Betrayal of Americanism)
Bengaluru, India
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English News Xi-Obama meeting chance to set right course
Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 1 Septembre 2016
By Yi Fan Source:Global Times, Peoples Daily
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
In a few days' time, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be hosting US President Barack Obama on the latter's last trip to China as US president, for the G20 Hangzhou Summit. In the context of the challenging atmosphere for China-US relations in recent months and the heated presidential campaign in the US, this Xi-Obama meeting, the ninth since 2013, will be keenly watched around the world.
Obama started his China relationship on a high note by visiting China in 2009, becoming the first US president in history to pay a state visit to China within his first year in office. His oft-repeated remarks that the US welcomes "a strong, prosperous, and successful China that plays an even greater role on the world stage" resonated well among the Chinese audience at the time.
A high point in China-US relations was reached in 2013 at the Sunnylands meeting, where the two presidents had an unprecedented eight-hour meeting. The meeting yielded an important common understanding on what the Chinese side repeatedly described as building a new model of major country relationship featuring no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, with a view to establish a generally stable strategic framework for one of the most consequential bilateral relationship for the 21st century.
Such top-level meetings, including similar ones at Yingtai and Blair House, advanced shared interests, effectively managed differences, and catalyzed bilateral cooperation in all areas.
Bilateral trade, two-way investment and people-to-people links flourished. US export to China almost doubled since 2008. In 2015, China became the biggest trading partner of the US for the first time in recent history, and 4.75 million visits were made between the two countries.
The two sides worked closely on international issues, from setting up a G20 summit mechanism in the deep winter of the 2008 financial crisis, to jointly fighting Ebola crisis, working on hotspot issues like the Iranian nuclear issue and Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. Climate change and cyber issues, long major irritants, have been turned into areas of cooperation. Even in military-to-military relations, two confidence-building mechanisms were set up on mutual notification of major military operations and on rules of behavior for the safety of air and maritime encounter.
Alongside this progress, however, Obama's signature policy, the Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy, has also coincided with some turbulent times in China-US relations. The strategy has gone seriously astray by espousing a heavy military focus and explicitly targeting China.
For example, the US is intent on exploiting the South China Sea issue to peddle the "China threat," strengthen military relationships with regional countries like Japan, the Philippines and Singapore, and instigate unilateral arbitration against China. US military vessels and aircraft sailed and flew provocatively close to Chinese islands and reefs, creating dangerous risks. In Northeast Asia, US plans to deploy THAAD in South Korea have exacerbated strategic tensions.
Underlying these tensions have been profound shifts in the balance of strength between the two countries and the larger international landscape since the beginning of the Obama presidency.
The 2008 global financial crisis not only dealt a blow to the US-led Western economy, but the political and strategic repercussions have been unfolding, from rising populism in the West and the discrediting of the Western democratic system, to the global resurgence of terrorist groups, turbulence in the Middle East, and growing divisions in Europe.
These same years saw China becoming the world's second largest economy and the biggest contributor to world economic growth. China is seen as more confident and proactive in pursuing interests and expanding influence.
All this has heightened the strategic anxiety on the part of the US, leading to skewed perceptions of China. China's legitimate actions to defend its maritime sovereignty and territorial integrity are seen as being part of a salami tactic that aims to squeeze the US out of Asia, and China's "Belt and Road" initiative a strategic plot to dilute US influence in Eurasia. "The US must always lead on the world stage" became a new mantra for Obama.
Against this backdrop, the Hangzhou meeting between the two presidents will be a crucial opportunity to bring bilateral relations back on a steady footing. The two leaders are expected to engage in probably the last round of deep-ranging private conversation. The list of topics will be long, yet the goal should be to enhance strategic guidance and promote a smooth transition of bilateral relations.
The two sides should reaffirm their strategic intentions in the Asia-Pacific and their commitment to key tenets guiding the new model of major country relations. The US should realize that its future China policy should be based on the right reading of China's intentions and policies. China should continue to pursue cooperation wherever possible, from facilitating a bilateral investment treaty to expanding climate change and cyber cooperation, and dealing with a host of hotspot issues, while standing up for its core national interests. The two sides should work together on a cool-off in the South China Sea, and China will undoubtedly admonish the US about the harms of THAAD deployments.
The US should support China in hosting a successful G20 summit to work for strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, reinvigorate trade and investment, enhance global governance and reenergize globalization.
Forty years ago, Hangzhou was a proud venue for the negotiations on Shanghai Communique, the first China-US joint communique. Forty years on, the city will once again witness another profound historic moment in bilateral relations. History will once again call for cooperation between the two countries, as Xi rightly said, "cooperation and mutual benefit is the only right option for China-US relations."
The author is a commentator on international affairs based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
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Anchor Bancorp in Lacey, Wash., has agreed to name a new board member in exchange for a truce with an activist investor.
The $419 million-asset Anchor said in a press release Thursday that it will add Gordon Stephenson to its board after reaching an agreement with Stilwell Group, a New York investment firm. Stephenson, who will join the board's strategic planning committee, is co-founder and chief executive of Real Property Associates, a real estate brokerage and property management firm in Seattle.
Stephenson also serves on the board of Zillow Group.
Stilwell Group, which has been pressing Anchor to sell itself, agreed to stop increasing its stake in the company. The firm, which also agreed to avoid making public demands for Anchor's sale, will not solicit proxies in opposition to recommendations made by the company's board, among other things.
The agreement is set to expire on March 1.
America makes much too much of the presidency. We have these epic-long campaigns that cost billions of dollars and still we end up with people we dont trust. Other democratic nations can be so speedy at getting new heads of state that its easy to pine for a parliamentary method of choosing our president. Consider how expeditiously Prime Minister David Cameron was replaced after the recent vote on Brexit, which Cameron had opposed. Having been against leaving the E.U., he was at odds with the citizenry, so he had to go, and before you know it the Brits are being led by Theresa May. And when Neville Chamberlain was shown to have erred in judgment about Hitler, he was quickly replaced with Churchill. Members of Parliament were able to quickly settle on suitable new leaders; they didnt need input from the People in national elections. Of course, Cameron and Chamberlain had the decency to resign, which made it even easier to replace them. Resignations, however, rarely happen in America, where elected leaders cling to power.
Americans can be rather proprietary about their votes for president. But the People dont elect the president, the Electoral College does. And occasionally, e.g. 1888 and 2000, the College and the electorate dont agree. Because the voting in the College is winner-take-all in all but two states, one might be able to make the case that the president is the president of the several States, not the president of the People. If we had no Electoral College and presidents were elected directly by the People, the 2016 election would be closer than it is, and the battleground states would be much less important. Yet, Mrs. Clinton once called for abolishing the Electoral College. Ask her what she thinks about that now, and what she thinks about the states adopting proportional voting, rather than winner-take-all.
When the Electoral College is at loggerheads, the election of the president is thrown into the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1800, Jefferson was elected by the House, which inaugurated the 28 continuous years of presidents emerging from the grand old Democratic-Republican Party, the first Republican Party, aka the Jeffersonian Republicans. (Perhaps Democrats should rename their Jefferson-Jackson Dinners). In 1824, when no candidate received a majority of votes in the Electoral College, John Quincy Adams was also elected by the House. And we shouldnt forget the tumultuous election of 1876, when the president was determined by a special Electoral Commission.
With the constant hoopla of the presidential campaigns that weve had to endure over longer than the last year, a visiting Martian might conclude that the first branch of the federal government is the executive branch, which the president runs. But its not, at least according to the Constitution. Congress is the first branch of the federal government. It is Congress that is covered by Article One of the Constitution. It is Congress that has the power to choose presidents, when the Electoral College is stumped, and it is Congress that consents to appointed members of the other two branches. And it is Congress that can impeach and remove the president and other executive branch officials that it disapproves of, as well as members of the third branch, the judiciary.
Yet, Congress doesnt act like the first branch of government. And so presidents step into the void and issue executive orders and erelong we have an imperial presidency. The president and the rest of the executive branch have become, in effect, the first branch of the federal government, and that needs to change.
America doesnt seem to be much of a nation of laws anymore; were more of a nation of regulations, where unelected bureaucrats dictate to the People what they can do with their own land and what they must provide for their employees and what they must do with the money that the government allows them to keep. For instance, the Bureau of Land Management levies ridiculous fines on ranchers and even hikers (read about the BLM at The Daily Wire). The feds think Americas ranchers must be brought to heel; so they fine Cliven Bundy of Nevada $200 per head of livestock a day. Where does the executive branch get the authority to fine the Little Sisters of the Poor $70 million for non-compliance with ObamaCare? How do our pointy-headed bureaucrats arrive at such figures? Such outrageous fines are fascistic.
One of the few hopeful signs in deeply divided D.C. is the Senates refusal to act on the presidents nomination to fill the vacancy left by Justice Scalia. Finally, the Senate is acting like it belongs to the first branch of government. If Obama wants to fill the vacancy, then he should nominate a conservative to the Court. If another vacancy occurs on the high court and Obama refuses to nominate a conservative, the Senate should sit on that one, as well.
Americans have been fed this notion that Congress should defer to the president and that Congress is obstructionist if it doesnt grant the president everything he/she wants. Thats anti-constitutional and post-American. The president is supposed to execute the will of Congress, not the reverse.
Would it be unthinkable if the House could have votes of no confidence, like a parliament, and could summarily sack presidents who dont measure up? Given that the People have been voting for a congenital liar (video) who has committed the same vile acts that have landed others in prison, perhaps the House should elect all presidents. The House got it right when it chose Jefferson, so why not let them choose all our presidents? In any event, its time for Congress to start acting like the first branch of government; time to revivify that moribund institution.
The power and prerogatives of the president and the whole executive branch of the federal government need to be checked and ratcheted back. We need to reinstitute the Office of Independent Counsel, or even a permanent special prosecutor, whose sole focus is corruption in the federal government. We need such an office because the Justice Department isnt doing its job. Mrs. Clinton clearly broke the law when she led the State Department, but the attorney general isnt prosecuting her. Nor does the AG appear to be pursuing the other officials at State that let Clinton for four years do the publics business on a private non-secure server. And now Clinton may be elected president. The Justice Department has become politicized and perhaps even corrupt, so we need a shadow justice department that reports to Congress only, not to the president, and which goes after government corruption only. Id imagine some conservatives might not like this idea, but how else can we bring Mrs. Clinton and her kind to heel?
We make too much of the president. The media and party hacks tell Americans that this is The One, our savior, no one else will do -- this is the smartest person ever to run for the presidency, including Jefferson.
With the exceptions of Washington and Lincoln, no president is indispensable; theyre all replaceable. But Americans are encouraged to think that only certain uniquely equipped persons are suitable for the office of president, that it requires some rare and specialized knowledge to do the job of president. She's the best darn change-maker I've ever met in my whole life. Keep the change; Ill settle for a president who doesnt need to lie to me with every other breath, and who possesses at least a smidgeon of decency.
Jon N. Hall is a programmer/analyst from Kansas City.
One hopes that during his visit with Mexican President Enrique Pena Lieto, Donald Trump reminded him of Mexicos hypocrisy on border security and immigration control. Trump should remind those who alternately accuse him of a racist immigration stance and then flip-flopping when he softens it that border security could be achieved simply by adapting Mexicos policies.
In 2014, Breitbart News reported that Mexico deported more illegal aliens than did the United States as part of its strict control of its borders:
From January to December, Mexico deported 107,199 Central Americans immigrants by land, while the U.S. only deported 104,688 illegal immigrants during that time period. Of those deported by land from Mexico, 43,456 are from Honduras, 41, 731 are from Guatemala, 20,988 are from El Salvador and 1,024 are from Nicaragua, information released by the Guatemalan Migration Office to Mexican news outlets reveals.
Appearing on Fox News, Chris Cabrera of the National Border Patrol Council noted that it is a felony just to cross the border into Mexico illegally. There is no green card, no food stamps, or pathway to Mexican citizenship. And. as Investors Business Daily has observed:
Mexico's legal immigration policies are designed to provide the country with the skill sets that the country needs. There's no talk of letting in those who'll do the work that Mexicans won't do. Mexican immigration law accepts those who have the "necessary funds for their sustenance" while denying entry to those who are not healthy or would "upset the equilibrium of the national demographics." There will be no fundamental transformation of Mexico under the Mexican constitution. While we invite illegal immigration with jobs, service in the U.S. military, driver's licenses and discounted college tuition denied U.S. citizens from another state, Mexico slams the door. Article 32 of Mexico's constitution bans non-native-born residents from holding sensitive jobs and joining the country's military in peacetime. Article 33 gives the president of Mexico the right to deport foreigners at will without the deportation hearing that 90% of our illegals fail to show up for. Foreigners are prohibited from participating in Mexican politics "in any way."
All Donald Trump has to say is that we are going to do what Mexico does -- have a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigration that protects the countrys demographics and economic and political stability. As Victor Davis Hanson notes at TownHall.com:
Mexico has zero tolerance for illegal immigrants who seek to work inside Mexico, happen to break Mexican law or go on public assistance -- or any citizens who aid them.
In Mexico, legal immigration is aimed at privileging lawful arrivals with skill sets that aid the Mexican economy and, according to the country's immigration law, who have the "necessary funds for their sustenance" -- while denying entry to those who are not healthy or would upset the "equilibrium of the national demographics." Translated, that idea of demographic equilibrium apparently means that Mexico tries to withhold citizen status from those who do not look like Mexicans or have little skills to make money. If the United States were to treat Mexican nationals in the same way that Mexico treats Central American nationals, there would be humanitarian outrage.
Needless to say there are no sanctuary cities in Mexico for immigrants from Central and South America. As Human Events has noted, Mexico keeps track of everybody within its borders. There are no visa overstays or foreigners working illegally in Mexico:
Federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with federal immigration authorities upon request, i.e., to assist in the arrests of illegal immigrants. (Article 73) A National Population Registry keeps track of every single individual who comprises the population of the country, and verifies each individuals identity. (Articles 85 and 86) A national Catalog of Foreigners tracks foreign tourists and immigrants (Article 87), and assigns each individual with a unique tracking number (Article 91). Foreigners who fail to obey the rules will be fined, deported, and/or imprisoned as felons: Foreigners who fail to obey a deportation order are to be punished. (Article 117) Foreigners who are deported from Mexico and attempt to re-enter the country without authorization can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. (Article 118) Foreigners who violate the terms of their visa may be sentenced to up to six years in prison (Articles 119, 120 and 121). Foreigners who misrepresent the terms of their visa while in Mexico -- such as working without a permit -- can also be imprisoned.
All that Trump needs to do is point out that if it's good enough for Mexico, it's good enough for the United States.
Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
See also: Obamas former doctor recommends neurological testing for Hillary Clinton
The sicker Hillary Clinton looks on the campaign trail, the more the Media Left tells us to deny the evidence of our eyes. Mrs. Clinton has suffered two strokes near, if not inside, her brain; but strokes are seldom localized affairs, and behind the scenes her doctors must be telling her to stop any physically demanding campaign activities.
Hillary is in effect suspending her active campaigning to do almost exclusively fundraisers.
Hillary Clinton looking tired leaving an event 8/29/16
We are seeing a woman who should be checking into Walter Reed Hospital to take full-time rest and recovery under intensive medical care, but who has to be physically propped up at some public appearances.
The nation is looking at a practice that would not be permitted for a racehorse.
Dr. Drew Pinsky, MD, and a medical colleague have reported that Hillary's known prescriptions include Coumadin, a useful but out-of-date blood thinner, used to prevent strokes and cardiac events. It is impossible for the public to know, but she may be being treated by an older physician, who is more comfortable using Coumadin. Alternatively, she could have been on that drug for many years.
Democrat politicians are hardly the most likeable characters, but this comes too close to medically sanctioned torture, much more cruel than anything at Abu Ghraib.
The media-political establishment that has ruled America since the Watergate resignation of Richard Nixon is now in deadly crisis. This chaos can no longer be covered up, which is why all the pathetic media donkeys are loudly braying that everything is just hunky-dory, folks, don't pay no attention, ya' hear now?
The fact that "50" Bush-era intelligence types signed a statement against Donald Trump and therefore for Hillary's election, is unprecedented in my memory. The DC Permanents always pretend to be non-partisan, and this is the first public breach of that front that I can remember -- at least since FBI Assistant Director Mark Felt came out in public as Deep Throat, the big Watergate leaker.
Mark Felt leaked Watergate abuses, in close collusion with Ben Bradlee, former CIA operative, who was then Editor-in-Chief of the WaPo, and who sent Woodward and Bernstein on their phony journalistic mission. All they had to do for their next WaPo headline is to telephone the FBI's Mark Felt, who was happy to spill the beans, because Nixon passed him over as FBI Director. How petty and trivial that seems now.
But Watergate has defined forty years of American political power. Our radical swing to the Left since then, in academics, culture, and political power can be traced back to that crucial moment. It was unconscionable, to say the least.
A Third World country would have called Watergate a coup d'etat, a Silent Coup, which it was. But for the current "crise d'etat," the Watergate precedent is important, because that was the last time the real DC ruling structure was exposed to the public eye. Watergate was a corrupt and indeed criminal plot against a constitutionally elected US President, Richard M. Nixon, by the Permanent Government in DC, notably the FBI and former CIA members, in culpable collusion with the Democrats, who then appointed a young Hillary Clinton as a junior attorney on the House Judiciary Committee. (Where she immediately demanded that Richard Nixon's Constitutional rights should be suspended.) Today's crisis may be seen as poetic justice, that Hillary now looks to be hung on her own nasty petard. But this situation is much too serious to joke about.
Because Vladimir Putin, in his own words, has lived his life waiting for the moment when he could take revenge on America for the breakdown of the Soviet Empire circa 1990 -- which was mostly self-inflicted -- Putin is a reasonable suspect for massive hackings. But the world is full of suspects, not excluding our former allies, who have been terribly betrayed by Obama and Hillary. Angela Merkel may even now be giggling over the latest leak of Obama and Hillary's chats about Merkel's private conversations.
There are so many dangerous and irrational regimes around the world that there's no telling where that stuff is ending up. There is nothing to stop hackers from selling thousands of leaked emails, except out-bidding them. And why shouldn't the hackers sell them twice or three times? Nobody would know.
Web hacking has become the Oil Boom of the 21st century. Everybody is digging for e-gold. Keep an eye on that kid next door. He knows too much.
Media denial about Hillary's illness is a desperation tactic by the permanent DC establishment and its political and corporate allies. Trump must be hanging tough, because the foaming-at-the-mouth hatred for him coming from the usual suspects boggles the mind. I've never seen this much media-whipped hatred concentrated on a single Republican candidate. And please, please notice how many RINO's are hating on Donald Trump these days. The conservative intellectual establishment is jumping the shark, and it seems that they can't stop themselves from committing public suicide.
Make no mistake, the US Iron Wheel of highly concentrated major media, hard-left think tanks like John Podesta's Center for American "Progress," Silicon Valley ignoramuses like Apple and Google, and media colossi like Disney, combined with elderly billionaires with a yen for their long-lost youth, agitating against Wall Street and the One Percent. (See Gyorgyi Soros). All that is coming apart. Even Soros' computer system has now been hacked, and his personal documents can be found on the web.
Any advanced nation with hacking capabilities can join in the chaos. The Gulf Oil sheikh-doms may live in the 7th century, but they can buy the best hackers in the world. As far as I know nothing on this scale has ever happened, including the large release of KGB files after the fall of the Soviet Empire. The implications boggle the mind. Nobody knows what will happen.
Hillary's political team, her husband Bill, her money backers (including the Saudi Jihad-supporting royals) are forcing her to risk her health to serve their thirst for power. They have paid their millions to the Clinton Foundations, and they want their quid pro quo.
Hillary's ability to make decisions seems to be seriously impaired, at least since the email fiasco, which demonstrated a degree of incompetence and plain ignorance that would shame any savvy college student.
Her email setup was an open invitation to major hacks, which have now done immense damage to the Government, the DNC, and even to Gyorgyi Soros, the Hungarian Machiavellian personality who controls much of the core Democratic Party. Wikileaks is brimming over with leaks, but it isn't funny: The chickens have indeed come back to roost, but they are now a clear and present danger to national security. This is very dangerous.
Crucial government servants are being exposed to blackmail by foreign regimes, including Jihadists, the Chinese, and various tinpot dictators who can buy into what must be a flourishing black market in American national security secrets. The Ship of State is badly holed under the water line, and Obama's team has shown absolutely no capacity to even grasp the emergency, much less to do anything about it.
Looking back, Hillary's insistence on the Libyan invasion, a plain violation of international law, and her bizarre response to it, do not even show basic decency. After knocking off Gaddafi, who at least held the tribal alliances together, Hillary chortled, "We came, we saw, he died."
The United States under Obama and Hillary stirred up Jihadist-Muslim Brotherhood and possibly Iran-sponsored rebellion against the internationally recognized sovereign regime of Muammar Gaddafi, leading to tens of thousands of needless killings and maimings of civilians and an ongoing civil war; Gaddafi himself was murdered by impalement.
Hillary's triumphalist line "We came, we saw, he died" is obscene even by Clinton standards. These are not the words of a mentally competent politician with decades of experience. Those are not the words of a carefully programmed politician of any stripe.
Even Democrats must be afraid. The United States is in an unprecedented political crisis, and it is high time to stop whispering about it. We need to talk about Hillary's condition out in the open.
It can be a good thing to be idealistic. But youd better make sure you have the right ideals. As to this, the modern West is quickly becoming something non-Western -- precisely because our ideals are now far less than ideal.
It has often been noted that some among us use our freedoms to destroy our freedoms. George Soros, a real-life James Bond villain, comes to mind; other leftist entities such as the ACLU and Southern Poverty Law Center also qualify, as they sue Americans into shedding Americanism. Another example is a group they aid and abet: Muslim conquerors bent on winning the West for Dar al-Islam. And since this is not just an American phenomenon but a Western one, it has recently been addressed by a French academic -- in strikingly blunt language.
Jean-Louis Harouel, professor emeritus of the History of Law at the University of Paris, recently criticized a French courts decision to strike down a burkini (Islamic swimsuit) ban that had been instituted by dozens of the nations municipalities. Here are some of his words, as translated by Jihad Watchs Hugh Fitzgerald:
[T]he Conseil dEtat [the court] failed to take into account the fact that France is now engaged in a clash of civilizations, that just in the past year has cost it hundreds of deaths on its own territory, and which made it necessary to maintain the State of Emergency. Islamism is now making war on France, and there is no real boundary-line between Islam and Islamism. The Conseil dEtat failed to take into account the shock felt by the French people on seeing burkinis deliberately appearing on the beaches so soon after terrible massacres had been committed in France by Muslims acting in the name of their god. So soon after the carnage on the promenade in Nice and the slitting of the throat of a priest while he was fulfilling his priestly duties, such an increase in the flaunting of Muslim identity is truly indecent. The Conseil dEtat failed to take into account the fact that at present a silent conquest of Western Europe is underway. This conquest finds its source in the Quran where one can read that Allah has promised to give to the Muslims as the spoils of war the lands of the Infidels. Thats how sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi, one of the leaders of the UOIE (Union of Muslim Organizations in Europe), the French branch of which is the UOIF (Union of Muslim Organizations in France) put it: With your democratic laws, we will colonize you. With our Koranic laws, we will dominate you. The Conseil dEtat refused to see that the conquest of our beaches by these burkinis is only one stage in the taking over of France by the forces of political Islam. The Conseil dEtat refused to see that those wearers of the burkini -- like all those who wear variations on the Muslim veil -- are the foot-soldiers, whether deeply convinced or merely docile, of a civilizational jihadism which is now trying to conquer our country by stealth. To speak simply, the rule of law too often means condemning the peoples of Europe to helplessness when confronted by the mass immigration that is submerging them, and the aggressive Islam that is in the process of conquering their countries. To be able to react, it will be necessary to give the rule of law a bit of a shove, as it is currently being imposed on Europeans in this positively suicidal fashion by the secular religion of human rights. In this confrontation with Islam, to conceive of the principle of laicite as being neutral in regard to different faiths will not work. For Islam is only secondarily a religion in the sense given to that word in Europe. In our country, Islam is now an aggressive civilization that is at war with our own and claims to replace it. Now, facing another civilization bent on our conquest, we cannot be neutral: we have to defend ourselves and counter-attack. The main point is this: a Muslim living in Europe should not expect to be able to live as he would in a Muslim country. Muslims who have settled on European soil have constantly to be reminded that they are not in Dar al-Islam but, rather, in the land of the Infidels where, even their own sacred texts tell them, they should keep a low profile. If the Muslims living in Europe come to feel that they are living in Dar al-Islam, that will mean the end of Europe.
And it is leading to the end of Europe, just as our suicidal immigration regime -- wherein 85 percent of our newcomers hail from the Third World and Asia -- is contributing to the death of Western culture in the U.S.
When considering these suicidal policies, it occurs to me that our Western liberals are like children playing at government. Our second president, John Adams, said in 1798, Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. How many of us understand the true meaning of that statement? And how many of us are willing to contemplate its implications?
We could, of course, convince ourselves that Adams didnt know what he was talking about. Yet he was merely echoing great thinkers, men such as Irish philosopher Edmund Burke, who warned, It is written in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters. Benjamin Franklin likewise observed, Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.
Once we recognize the validity of Adams statement and that he uttered it not just because, hypothetically, there could in some alternate universe be peoples lacking the moral foundation for healthy representative government, some striking matters must be pondered:
Peoples unfit to live under our form of government do exist in this world. Given this, its dangerous to the republic to allow them, as a group, into our country. Its also dangerous to have cultural institutions -- the media, academia and our entertainment realm, for instance -- that breed men of intemperate minds.
Then theres this question: since foreign peoples inadequate to our form of government exist, who might they be? Pro tip: when people empower vile socialists in their native lands or think Sharia law should be preeminent, its a clue.
Of course, much of this could be solved if we actually adhered to our Constitution. Note that the First Amendment states Congress shall make no laws respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (emphasis added). The founders specified Congress, thus constraining only the federal governments legislative branch. States were meant to have more power in this area, and, in fact, prior to 20th-century, incorporation-theory jurist fantasies, this was recognized.
Were it still, states would be able to prohibit, oh, lets say, a religion wholly incompatible with Western civilization. Instead, we dont even have a correct understanding of establishment, which is why a Satanist was recently allowed to give an invocation before an Alaskan municipal legislature. I suspect, by the way, that these days Satan is a big civil libertarian.
If our current ideals dont allow us to exclude people who vow, With your democratic laws, we will colonize you, then those ideals are only for schlemiels.
Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Twitter or log on to SelwynDuke.com
Hillary has recently tried to move the conversation away from the gross corruption of her foundation by saying that Trump is a racist.
While Trump has many, many failings, there is no indication that racism is one of them.
Being against illegal immigration is not racist; Trump isnt okay with Polish illegals but mad at Mexican illegals, he wants all of them out.
Being against Islamic immigrants until we can see if theyre jihadists is not racist, because Islam is a religion not a race.
However, the evidence is clear that Hillary is a racist in terms of her actions.
1) Abortion:
Abortion is the leading cause of death for blacks in America today. Black women are five times more likely to abort their child than white women. Clearly, anyone who was pro-choice but not a racist would be trying to eliminate what Jesse Jackson called genocide; the targeting of blacks for abortion.
But Hillary instead is praising Planned Parenthood, an organization that was caught on tape accepting money that could only be used to abort blacks.
Hillary is also a big fan of Margret Sanger, a racist who said that we should get rid of black people and who wrote a fan letter to Hitler.
2) Black Lives Matter:
Hillary has been very vocal about cases where white police officers shoot black criminals in self-defense -- vocal meaning that shes condemned the cops who risk their lives to protect us.
However, shes been totally silent about the thousands of blacks who are murdered each year in Democratic-run cities like Chicago and Detroit.
Clearly the only time BLM for Hillary is when she can use their deaths to attack her enemies, cops, and conservatives.
We can see that Hillarys a racist because unless a black persons death is useful to her, she couldnt care less if they die by the thousands.
3) Education:
For decades blacks in our inner cities, nearly all run by Democrats, have been getting a horrible education.
But since teacher unions support Hillary she doesnt care about the fact that black kids are being denied a chance to succeed in America.
Sounds like she really cares about blacks, doesnt it?
4) Immigration:
Because so many blacks dont get a decent education theyre the ones who lose their jobs to low-skill illegal immigrants.
Anyone who cared about blacks would look at the black unemployment rate that is nearly twice the white unemployment rate and realize that legalizing illegals would be a huge blow to American blacks.
But Hillary doesnt care; she just wants to bring in more poorly educated people who will vote Democrat in order to get more welfare.
6) The KKK:
Some KKK members may support Trump, but Trump has never endorsed anyone in the KKK.
Hillary, however, has said that Robert Byrd was a great man and her mentor.
Robert Byrd founded a KKK chapter and recruited new members for the KKK.
Its pretty clear that between Hillary and Trump, its Hillary who is the bigger fan of the KKK. Not surprising in that the KKK was founded by Democrats.
Of course, modern liberals say that Byrd changed his stripes, but we all know that if a Republican had done what Byrd did liberals would never forgive him.
6) The destruction of the black family
LBJ created the modern welfare state with the intention of winning black votes for the next century.
Its obvious that Hillary doesnt care about blacks because she hasnt pushed for welfare reform, even though its been obvious for decades that LBJs welfare system was a toxin shot into the lifeblood of black Americans -- their families.
Given that welfare discourages marriage and given that having two opposite-sex married parents is the best weapon against children growing up in poverty, using drugs, committing crimes, and having out-of-wedlock births, anyone who cares about blacks would be trying to amend the welfare system so that it encouraged marriage.
But Hillary, like all other Democratic politicians, appears to be quite comfortable with the status quo.
Like all Democrats, Hillary policies indicate she is a rock-solid racist who lies about what she believes. Even if Hillary is not personally a racist, her policies are clearly racist.
Its time to stop letting Democrats get away with lying about their record. Its time to call them out for their racist policies. Its time to go public with the fact that the quality of life for blacks who live in cities that Democrats have run for over 50 years, like Chicago and Detroit, has only gone down.
Its time for conservatives to openly condemn the racist attitudes of rich white liberal WASPs like Hillary Clinton.
Its time for blacks to learn the truth that will set them free.
So speak out and call Hillary and her Democrat ilk what they are. Shine the light of truth on those monsters so that low-information voters dont buy the lie that Democrats of today care more about blacks than the Democrats of the past (who founded the KKK and passed the Jim Crow laws) did.
You can read more of toms rants at his blog, Conversations about the obvious and feel free to follow him on Twitter.
Brazils Senate ousted Dilma Rousseff as president Wednesday, voting overwhelmingly to impeach the leftist leader in the culmination of a protracted process that has divided the country.
We just learned that President Dilma Rouseff has been ousted from the presidency :
The vote to impeach Rousseff was 61 to 20. Two-thirds of senators 54 out of 81 were needed for impeachment to pass. Senators broke into cheering and applause after the electronic voting was announced, concluding a process that was given the go-head in December.
My guess is that her mentor Lula will be next. It has not been a good 12 months for the left!
This is a great victory for the rule of law in Latin America, although we warn you that crony capitalism is not going away overnight. Nevertheless, the ousting of Rouseff confirms that corruption has its limits even in a country where people looked the other way as long the economy was booming.
It is a great victory for those of us who see signs in Latin America, from Argentina to Chile to Colombia to Mexico, that a middle class is rejecting the taxes that feed administrative bureaucracies unaccountable to no one.
It will take a while to cleanse Latin America of this chronic corruption. However, this is a step in the right direction for those of who believe that corruption (i.e. crony capitalism) is holding back so much of this region.
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
On June 28, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards organized a rally in Tehran to honor the "martyrs" of the "Zeinabiyoun" Brigade, which consists of Pakistani Shiites recruited and organized by the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force to fight in Syria.
Since the start of the Syrian uprising in 2011 and the Iranian military intervention in defense of the Assad regime, the Quds Force has deployed several thousand of its members together with Hezb'allah fighters and thousands of Iraqi Shiites mobilized by its proxy militias in Iraq.
In 2013, the Quds Force recruited Afghan Shiites, mostly immigrants living in Iran, and formed the Fatemiyoun division, which is currently estimated to have nearly 12,000 fighters in Syria.
In late 2014, the Quds Force formed the Zeynabiyoun brigade after recruiting a group of 50 Pakistani Shiites. While one of its commanders told an Iranian website that the brigade has thousands of fighters, the unit is currently estimated to have around 1,500 fighters in Syria. In December 2014, Iranian media reported about the Zeynabiyoun brigade fighting in Syria for the first time.
The Zeynabiyoun Brigade also has an official Facebook page and a secondary page where news of its activities in Syria and its casualties are posted. A cursory review of public funerals held in Iran for Zeynabyioun members indicate that the brigade has lost more than 90 fighters in Syria. Panjereh Weekly, a publication close to the Revolutionary Guards, reported in July 2016 that 96 members of the brigade have been killed in Syria.
The Zeynabiyoun consists of two distinct categories of fighters: first, its high-ranking members and commanders who are members of the Iran Quds Force and Shiite fanatics loyal to the Iranian regime's ideology. But the majority of Zeynabiyoun members are impoverished Pakistani Shiites, mainly immigrants in Iran.
One of the brigade's commanders, Abbas, a Pakistani Shiite, confirmed that he was working for the Quds Force prior to joining the Zeynabiyoun. According to Mashregh, a website affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, the founding members of Zeynabiyoun were Pakistani students in the Shiite seminaries in the city of Qom. Panjereh Weekly has also confirmed that the first group of Zeynabiyoun members were the Pakistani students of Al Mustafa International University.
Established in 2007 in Qom, Al Mustafa trains foreign Shia clerics, scholars, and missionaries. Its main campuses are based in Iran, and it has more than one hundred seminaries, Islamic schools, and religious centers around the world. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is the highest authority of the university. Al Mustafa operates several seminaries and centers in Pakistan. The family of one Zeynabyioun fighter killed in Syria told Panjereh Weekly that he was a student at one of the seminaries in Pakistan before being recruited by the brigade.
Creation of Zeynabyioun and Iran-Pakistan relations
Pakistan is an Islamic country of 170 million, the majority of whom are Sunnis with a minority of Shiites estimated at around 15 to 20 million. The Iranian regime has established a network of religious centers and schools in Pakistan and enjoys some influence among the Shiite minority. Its affiliates regularly organize a number of events including annual Quds day rallies, an event designed to fuel anti-Israeli hatred amongst Pakistani Muslims.
Fearing the Pakistani government's reaction, the Iranian regime has been expanding its influence with caution. The creation of an armed radical militia could have long-term impacts on the Pakistani Shiite community and could intensify Shiite-Sunnis tensions in the country. According to one of the brigade's commanders, the Quds Force's initial 2014 objective was to form the Zeynabiyoun by exclusively recruiting from the Pakistani immigrants living in Iran and not accepting those coming from Pakistan. One of the Zeynabiyoun's officials confirmed that the Quds Force was not initially eager to publicize the brigade's existence, but the increase in the unit's fatalities and the rumors surrounding it forced the regime to admit to its existence and its participation in the Syrian civil war.
According to another brigade commander, the expulsion of 12,000 Pakistani Shiites from the United Arab Emirates from 2014 to 2015 and their arrival in Iran provided the Iranian Quds Force with a recruiting pool to boost the ranks of the Zeynabiyoun Brigade. According to Panjereh, some of the Zeynabiyoun fighters killed in Syria have been buried under pseudonyms in Iran, as their families cannot repatriate their bodies due to fears of persecution by the Pakistani government.
Hassan Dai is an investigative journalist and political analyst specialized in Iranian regime activities in the Middle East and pro-Iran activities in the West. He is the editor of Iranian American Forum.
Remember Angela Corey? She is the state's attorney for the Florida 4th Judicial District who had been appointed as special prosecutor in the George Zimmerman case. As of January, she will be a former state's attorney. On Tuesday, she lost her primary contest to Melissa Nelson, a former employee of her office who mounted a well funded challenge that included an endorsement by the NRA. There will be no name on the November ballot opposing Nelson, and she is expected to easily defeat an announced write-in challenger.
Corey had critics across the political spectrum. In addition to the Zimmerman prosecution, conservatives were unhappy that she prosecuted a 70-year-old veteran who had fired a shot into the ground to scare off the young men harassing his neighbor. Liberals were unhappy with her insistence on prosecuting offenders as young as 12 as adults. Many accused her of overcharging her cases. When such overcharges combined with Florida's mandatory sentencing laws, the results were often unjust. No elderly man in poor health deserves a 20-year prison sentence for being gallant to a lady in distress when her grandson and his rowdy friends would not vacate her property.
Corey also had a reputation for getting into feuds with other lawyers, including former members of her own office and the media. She drew pointed criticism from professor Alan Dershowitz for her handling of the Zimmerman case. Her reaction is instructive as to why Corey is now the rare incumbent state's attorney to get defeated in a contested election.
Shortly after Dershowitzs criticisms, Harvard Law Schools deans office received a phone call. When the dean refused to pick up, Angela Corey spent a half hour demanding of an office-of-communications employee that Dershowitz be fired. According to Dershowitz, Corey threatened to sue Harvard, to try to get him disbarred, and also to sue him for slander and libel. Corey also told the communications employee that she had assigned a state investigator an employee of the State of Florida, that is to investigate Dershowitz. Thats an abuse of office right there, Dershowitz says. What happened in the weeks and months that followed was instructive. Dershowitz says that he was flooded with correspondence from people telling him that this is Coreys well-known M.O. He says numerous sources lawyers who had sparred with Corey in the courtroom, lawyers who had worked with and for her, and even multiple judges informed him that Corey has a history of vigorously attacking any and all who criticize her. But its worse than that: Correspondents told him that Corey has a history of overcharging and withholding evidence.
Corey's abuse of her office hit the news too late for her to draw any serious challenger in the 2012 election. Twenty-sixteen was a different story. This is an instance in which justice delayed is certainly not justice denied.
Just how desperate was the West to complete the Iranian nuclear deal? In the last weeks before the June 30, 2015 deadline to finalize the deal, John Kerry was busy giving away the store to Iran, negating much of what was in the so-called "interim" agreement in order to get Iran on board. Iran, like any bully, pressed its advantage to the maximum, taking advantage of wimpy negiotiating partners to shape the agreement to its own liking.
Apparently, even the concessions offered by the West weren't enough to guarantee compliance with other elements in the deal. So a commission set up to oversee implementation of the agreement carved out some secret exemptions that would allow the Iranians to get their money without fully complying with what was in the deal.
Reuters:
The United States and its negotiating partners agreed "in secret" to allow Iran to evade some restrictions in last year's landmark nuclear agreement in order to meet the deadline for it to start getting relief from economic sanctions, according to a report reviewed by Reuters. The report is to be published on Thursday by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, said the think tanks president David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector and co-author of the report. It is based on information provided by several officials of governments involved in the negotiations, who Albright declined to identify. Reuters could not independently verify the report's assertions. "The exemptions or loopholes are happening in secret, and it appears that they favor Iran," Albright said. Among the exemptions were two that allowed Iran to exceed the deal's limits on how much low-enriched uranium (LEU) it can keep in its nuclear facilities, the report said. LEU can be purified into highly enriched, weapons-grade uranium. The exemptions, the report said, were approved by the joint commission the deal created to oversee implementation of the accord. The commission is comprised of the United States and its negotiating partners -- called the P5+1 -- and Iran. One senior "knowledgeable" official was cited by the report as saying that if the joint commission had not acted to create these exemptions, some of Irans nuclear facilities would not have been in compliance with the deal by Jan. 16, the deadline for the beginning of the lifting of sanctions. The U.S. administration has said that the world powers that negotiated the accord -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany -- made no secret arrangements. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the joint commission and its role were "not secret." He did not address the report's assertions of exemptions. Diplomats at the United Nations for the other P5+1 countries did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the report. The report's assertions are likely to anger critics of the nuclear deal. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed to renegotiate the agreement if he's elected, while Democrat Hillary Clinton supports the accord. Albright said the exceptions risked setting precedents that Iran could use to seek additional waivers.
Gee, ya think? If there's one thing the Iranians have shown regarding this deal, it is that they know they have the upper hand and are pressing their advantages to the max. Hence, the Iranians have given the lie to the notion that they are in some kind of "box" when it comes to developing its nuclear program when it was revealed last year that despite assertions to the contrary, they will be able to develop the next generation of centrifuges in the first ten years of the agreement. This would reduce their "breakout" time from more than a year to less than six months.
Of course, none of this was known to Congress when they were discussing the deal. The Senate never voted on the agreement thanks to a filibuster by Democrats. Would knowing of the existence of all these secret side deals have changed the minds of some Senate Democrats?
We'll never know. And that's just what President Obama intended.
Both the NY Times and the WSJ are telling us how upset the Treasury Department and Congress are that the EU has the gall to go after Apples money before the U.S. can get it. They say Ireland didnt collect enough. The most humorous quote is by Senator Charles Schumer on the front of the WSJ. He actually said the EUs action are a cheap money-grab that targets U.S. business.
Just a few months ago, the Treasury Department unilaterally (without going through Congress) rewrote tax law to prevent Pfizer from merging with Allergan to move its tax headquarters to lower-tax Ireland. I did not see Schumer call that a cheap money-grab that targets U.S. companies, even though that is exactly what it was.
Something you wont see in any of these discussions among the EU, the Treasury Department, and Congress is to allow Apple, Pfizer, and their shareholders to keep more of the money they earned when they, not the government, took all the risk and marketed the products.
There seems to be no end to the greed of politicians around the world as they make cheap money-grabs from individuals and corporations. They never seem to get enough. When they talk about individuals and corporations paying their fair share, there seems to be no discussion of what the fair share should be.
Here is a novel thought for Democrats in the U.S. Congress: lower corporate tax rates to more competitive levels, and reduce oppressive regulations to encourage corporations to keep and earn their money in the U.S. Maybe they should stop double-taxing earnings from overseas and stop the double-taxation of dividends. This will work much better than punishing companies if they decide to leave. The carrot works better than the stick.
In August 2015, a powerful typhoon named Soudelor slammed into the east coast of Taiwan bringing torrential rain and fierce wind in excess of 200 km/h. As the storm tore through the island nation, it left a trail of destruction in its wake trees were split across the trunk, utility poles were ripped off the ground, and houses collapsed. At least eight people lost their lives, and some four hundreds were injured.
After the storm had passed, the only lighthearted relief the locals got from the otherwise dark situation were two mailboxes in downtown Taipei that were bent out of shape when strong winds picked a signboard from a nearby building and crashed it against the poles of the mailboxes. Many Taiwanese think the citys postboxes resemble faces, and this side-by-side pair, with their poles identically bent looked like a pair of dogs cocking their heads in confusion.
Photo credit: South China Morning Post
The post office originally wanted to remove them, but the mailboxes nicknamed "Xiao Hong" (little red) and "Xiao Lu" (little green) became so popular with locals as well as with tourists that the post office decided to keep them in their current shape. The mailboxes still accept letters, and Chunghwa Post now stamps them with a special postmark showing the two leaning celebrities.
The two twisted mailboxes are located close to the intersection of Nanjing East Road and Longjiang Road.
Photo credit: South China Morning Post
Photo credit: South China Morning Post
Photo credit: showme_art/Flickr
Sources: Focus Taiwan / Lonely Planet
Googles artificial intelligence division is forming a partnership with the University College London Hospital (UCLH), part of the National Health Service England (NHSE), to incorporate the DeepMind project into cancer care treatment. DeepMind is Googles advanced artificial intelligence software that has already helped save the business millions of dollars by masterminding its datacenter energy requirements around the world. DeepMind has also been used to help with retina scanning, searching for health issues and todays announcement furthers how DeepMind is being used for healthcare services.
DeepMind is going to be used to assist healthcare professionals in planning radiation treatment for patients with head and neck cancers. The reason why DeepMind can help is that it will reduce the time spent by doctors and clinicians preparing the detailed maps of the body showing where the radiation must be applied in order to treat the cancer cells. The University College London Hospital explains that currently the process of mapping the treatment may take up to four hours of work because these parts of the body are close to especially sensitive areas. The cancer cells must be mapped so that the treatment avoids damaging healthy tissue. DeepMinds learning technology should be able to accelerate the process through designing and refining a radiotherapy algorithm and the objective is to reduce the time taken to map the radiotherapy down to one hour per patient. This would make a significant difference to the number of patients that a radiology department is able to map during a working day, which ultimately means freeing up time so that doctors can focus on patient care, research, and teaching, according to Dr. Yen-Ching Chang, the head of radiotherapy at University College London Hospital. For the British National Health Service, which has to make significant cost savings and efficiency improvements in the next few years to meet Government guidelines, using the DeepMind could be a major benefit.
DeepMind and the NHS partnership has also been under scrutiny for privacy reasons given that DeepMind is owned by Google, which generate the majority of their profits from advertising and profiling customer data. As part of the arrangement, the NHS will be anonymizing all patient data and submitting this to the Google DeepMind project via an unnamed third party. And should the DeepMind project be a success, it is hoped that the refined radiotherapy algorithm may be applied to other parts of the body to help with other cancer treatments. Furthermore, DeepMind could be employed elsewhere in the world for similar projects.
Facebook is a media business trying to call itself something else. Yes; Facebook operates an online service and website and yes, Facebook develops new applications and services. The company owns Instagram and WhatsApp and has helped push or pull these two businesses along, but at its core Facebook is a media company because it generates massive revenue from advertising. The company, however, would rather be called something else: they would rather be considered a technology company, presumably as this sounds more glamorous to their employees and investors. For many, media still evokes images of newspapers and paper magazines, when a significant amount of the media that the developed world consumes involves a display panel. In a similar vein, much of the advertising we see is also shown on an electronic screen but of course, not all. However, Facebook generated a $1 billion from advertising revenue in Q2 2012 climbing to over $6 billion by Q2 2016: this is not an inconsequential sum!
This raises an interesting point: there are some technology companies making money from technology operating in the world, such as Apple, where they manufacture and sell a range of technology products. Apple have dipped a toe into the media industry with their own news division but this is a small part of the revenue that the company generates. At what point do we draw the line? In the United Kingdom, many bus companies use the sides of their vehicles for advertisements but these are mass transport businesses and a relatively small part of their revenue is derived from advertising. However, other big names that we might consider to be a technology company, such as Google or Facebook, generate most of their revenue and hence profits from advertising space. Google sell a range of products, some software and some hardware, but the majority of its profits are derived from advertising of one sort or another. Facebook has shown that it has the ability to influence the media and earlier in the year upset many people by adjusting the Trending Topics feature on the website. Facebook has adjust how it operates some aspects of its business following this story, including how it now uses computer software to determine the trending topics rather than editors.
Facebooks news feed has also been adjusted over the years, firstly to align it better with those businesses promoting themselves on the website and more recently, the company has adjusted the news feed to make it a more personal feature. This change is unlikely to make a material change to how much revenue the company makes from advertising because when advertisers consider an online presence and branding in social media, advertising on Facebook is at the top of the list. Facebook has shown itself to be adaptable and flexible where the media industry has often struggled to reinvent itself.
Googles ATAP division, short for Advanced Technology and Projects, usually handles the kinds of projects that are a little out of the wheelhouse, even for Google. For that reason, the division tends to dedicate to something and push hard to make it a reality, or determine quickly that it should be dropped. Responsible for the genesis of things like Project Jacquard and Tango and still a bit raw from seeing former lead Regina Dugan leave for Facebook and former partner Niantic strike gold after separating from the company, it seems that the division is now looking to get into gaming. Job listings indicate that ATAP is looking to create an online multiplayer game of some sort, seemingly a cross-platform one.
Since the project has not yet been formally announced, to say that exact details are sparse would be an understatement. There are, however, a number of things that can be gleaned from the job listings that Google has up for the project. Theyre essentially looking to fill a whole team to work on this game, which could indicate little input from the current ATAP leads, aside from direction and whatever special features would qualify this game to be called the future of mobile gaming.
The project will need the help of a designer, who will be responsible for most, if not all of the design direction, from producing storyboards to working with the engineers to make sure everything fits together nicely. Backend engineers will also be needed, and they will be creating and maintaining solutions that will handle large volumes of player data to support a large multiplayer environment. Naturally, traditional game developers are welcome on the project. With the nature of the project being as misty as it is, its hard to say if we will be seeing a more traditional MMORPG, another augmented reality game like Ingress, a virtual reality game, or something entirely new and different thats unlike anything seen before in the mobile space. Google has thus far kept their lips tight in regards to the project, so all anybody can do at this point is wait to see if more details emerge or more specific job postings show up.
Samsungs official announcement for the Gear S3 was held this morning during their special event at IFA, and it comes available in two models, which includes the Classic and the Frontier. The Classic, not unlike last years Gear S2 Classic, comes with a leather strap, while the Gear S3 Frontier comes with a silicone strap and a few more design elements on the watch case that are meant to evoke the more adventurous style of the group of consumers its targeting. Despite the slight difference in offering, both models of the Gear S3 will come equipped with nearly the same functionality and components.
Those who want something that can handle all of the Gear S3s features without the need to connect to a smartphone through Bluetooth or connect up to a local Wi-Fi network will want to go for the Gear S3 Frontier, which will have integrated LTE. Having said that, there is no mention of a release time frame or a price for the Gear S3 Frontier yet, so those who will want to get their hands on the Gear S3 immediately will have to go for the Gear S3 Classic, which launches in October for $299. If the date of release and LTE are not factors, and you simply want something more minimalist and traditional in the style department, the Gear S3 Classic is the way to go.
Consumers are treated to a more refined smartwatch experience with the Gear S3 this year with a fine tuned design and new functionality like the SOS feature and the addition of new hardware like GPS and MST for mobile payments using Samsung Pay. Its also worth noting that Samsung Pay support is not new with the Gear S3, rather just the inclusion of MST support. If customization is your thing, both the Gear S3 Classic and the Gear S3 Frontier offer thousands of possible options for watch face designs, and a nearly limitless selection of watch strap options as Samsung and their design partners will have straps that are designed specifically for the Gear S3 available, and with the industry standard 22mm strap design you can also choose from any 22mm strap on the market no matter where you purchase it. The question is, with all of these great features, which do you prefer? The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier or the Samsung Gear S3 Classic?
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Montblanc has just introduced a digital pen and paper combination to the market, which includes the pen and their digital paper called the Montblanc Augmented Paper, essentially placing them in the same market as devices like the Smartpen 3 from Livescribe. Smart pens have been around for more than a few years now, but with an offering from Montblanc that will cost consumers $725, those who yearn to write with something that is considered a little more prestigious yet without sacrificing the benefits of modern technology will now have an option that fits those personal tastes, complete with the rather svelte StarWalker pen modified to relay the writing to the page, as well as a black Italian leather notebook filled with the digital paper that helps tie it all together.
The Montblanc Augmented Paper kit will be available first in London up until October 1st, at which point itll make the trip across the ocean to the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea. These first six regional locations will be followed up by places like Japan, China, the UAE, Mexico, and Taiwan in November although no specific dates aside from the month were given.
As one would expect with such a device, Montblancs smart pen will be able to store whatever you write down in the notebook that comes with it, and it can keep up to 100 pages of content safe and sound before the user will need to transfer any of that data over to Montblancs cloud storage solution called the Montblanc Hub. Users will also be able to transfer anything stored in the Montblanc hub to other places, such as various cloud storage services and the like. Since the pen is digital itll need a charge every so often, but Monblanc states that it can last up to 8 hours on a single charge, so unless youre using it to write stuff down for 8 hour straight youll be able to keep it off the charger for like a few days. In addition to digitizing your handwriting, the pen and paper combo can also transcribe the text thats written down with support for up to 12 languages which include English, Italian, German, Chinese and more. While this isnt the first time Montblanc has made something that was designed for a piece of technology, as they partnered with Samsung for accessories on the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy Note 5, it would be the first time that they have actually created a piece of technology like this themselves.
Not many companies manufacture smart flip phones, but Samsung does. The company had introduced a number of flip phone smartphones to date, including the Galaxy Folder which was announced in July last year. The Galaxy Folder was a mid-range smartphone at best, it can even be said that it is an entry-level phone. In any case, it seems like its sales were not that bad considering Samsung seems to be ready to launch its successor, the Galaxy Folder 2, read on.
The Galaxy Folder 2 was certified by both the FCC and TENAA (Chinas equivalent to the FCC), but the phone also leaked a couple of times already, both its alleged promo materials and real life images popped up. Well, a new leak has just surfaced, and it gives us a great look at the device, while we also get to see the phones alleged retail packaging. If you take a look at the provided images, youll notice that were looking at the Gold color variant of the device, and it is possible that will be the only variant Samsung will offer. The phone resembles last years model in terms of the design, thats for sure, though this handset seems to be made out of metal entirely. Take this info with a grain of salt though, as were not sure, but it sure looks like it based on the images, at least as far as its outer shell is considered.
The Galaxy Folder 2 will sport a 3.8-inch 800 x 480 display, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The phone will be fueled by Qualcomms Snapdragon 425 64-bit SoC, which is a quad-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz, which ships with the Adreno 308 GPU. The 8-megapixel shooter will be placed on the back of the Galaxy Folder 2, and a 5-megapixel snapper will be available up front. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow will come out of the box, and on top of it, youll be able to find Samsungs custom user interface, as per usual. The 1,950mAh battery will also be included here, and if the sources information is to be believed, the phone will cost $285. We still dont know in which markets will the Galaxy Folder 2 going to be available, but considering it was certified by the FCC already, its safe to say that it will make its way to the States, along with Korea and China, of course.
Ramzi Haidamus is stepping down as the president of Nokia Technologies patent and consumer electronics development division. This news follows the story that Nokia have recently arranged a second patent agreement with Samsung Electronics that has reassured investors and follows another deal with HMD Global, which could mean the Nokia brand will be applied to smartphones in the coming months. Ramzi explained that: Given (the units) progress, now is the right time for me to explore new opportunities to pursue my passion for building and transforming businesses. In other words, after joining Nokia in 2014 he must feel that he has accomplished what he set out to do. Prior to joining Nokia, Ramzi spent twelve years working for Dolby Laboratories and is based in Silicon Valley, where he remained after joining Nokia. What is interesting is that it is Ramzis division that is responsible for bringing new Nokia branded smartphones to the market: does Ramzis decision mean that the company has already developed or licensed new handsets and is waiting until the right time before it starts selling them? Or it may be that Ramzi does not feel he is able to add significant value to this part of the business and is making way for another.
Ramzis arrangement of the Samsung Electronics deal is significant because this is the first patent licensing deal that Nokia had arranged since selling the handset business to Microsoft two years ago. Nokia has existing patent arrangements with other mobile technology companies including Apple, Huawei and Qualcomm, which do not need to be renegotiated for a number of years yet. Currently, Nokia Technologies main asset is their patent portfolio: in revenue terms, patent sales contributed just 2% to Nokia in the last quarter but 14% of sales. This is because the patent licensing division operates on a much higher profit margin compared with the core networking business, which itself is still in the process of absorbing Alcatel-Lucent.
Nokia Technologies Chief Executive, Rajeev Suri, said: I am confident that with its strong foundation, Nokia Technologies will continue its progress without missing a beat. The business has already started the search for a replacement and that when Ramzi departs, the role will temporarily be held by Brad Rodrigues, recruited earlier this year to lead the strategy and business development division. Meanwhile, we wish Ramzi all the best for his future endeavors.
When USB Type-C first showed up in smartphones like the OnePlus 2, it was originally thought of as nothing more than a reversible cable, and another reason to go out and buy new cables. Since it has now reached mainstream devices, such as Samsungs Galaxy Note 7, the HTC 10 and LGs G5, the Type-C connector is becoming more common. Type-C was never envisioned as just another way to get people to buy more cables, and in fact unifies a number of different standards into one connector, cleaning things up and making it much easier to connect one device to another. During IFA 2016 in Berlin, HDMI Licensing, the firm that manages the HDMI standard, has announced the HDMI Alternate Mode which will allow a single USB Type-C to HDMI cable to be used in the near future.
To be clear, this new Alternate Mode will support the HDMI 1.4b standard, which includes 4K, 3D and the Audio Return Channel, which means that the output from a future compatible Type-C device will be able to send audio along the same cable. It will also allow for the HDMI Ethernet Channel, and Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) features, which makes it easy to, well, control things that are connected via HDMI. All of these features and standard can allow users to effectively use their smartphone as a step top box. HDMI Licensing says that this new Alternate Mode will be available to all HDMI Adopters right away. USB Type-C is a connector that already carriers VGA, DisplayPort and HDMI signals, which is why there are small adapters readily available right now, but this new mode will allow manufacturers and HDMI Adopters to produce a single cable.
Its not often all that sexy to be talking about new features heading to as-yet unreleased cables, but if we think about it, these standard are really quite important. After all, if WiFi wasnt standardized, those trips to Starbucks to get that screenplay finished just wouldnt be the same for everyone. As USB Type-C starts to become more and more common, with 2017 likely to be the year the majority of big releases ship with it by default, its good to know that the standard will genuinely help, rather than hinder.
Sony had, up until earlier this year used the letter Z for their flagship line of devices, but when the Xperia X Series was announced during Mobile World Congress, it looked like the letter had been kicked to the curb. Now, Z is back, with Sony introducing their first flagship Xperia X, the Xperia XZ. Complete with a tweaked new design language, a Snapdragon 820 and the best mobile imaging that Sony has to offer, the Xperia XZ is every bit the Xperia Z that many will be missing. The Xperia XZ retains the same 5.2-inch form factor of last years Xperia Z5, but brings with it a number of modern changes including USB Type-C and a new, 13-megapixel front-facing camera.
Starting with the overall design, the Xperia XZ features what Sony is calling a loop design, as the sides of the device curve around to help the front meet the back of the device, and vice-versa. Gone is the use of a glass back panel as Sony is now using a metallic build using a new ALKALEIDO metal, which should deliver a high-end look and feel and offer Sony fans something new to covet. Available in Forest Blue, as well as Mineral Black and Platinum, Sony feels the new Xperia XZ is one of their best-looking smartphones to date, and there will be many out there that will agree with them.
Key areas that make a Sony smartphone what it is are great cameras and great battery life. For the former, Sony is packing in an improved 23-megapixel camera as found in the Xperia Z5 and Xperia X Performance. This improved camera is a mix of their original Exmor RS and five axis SteadyShot technology from Sonys line of digital camcorders. With a layer of three sensors working together, Sony latest smartphone can focus in just 0.6 seconds thanks to the Laser autofocus and Predictive Hybrid AF which work together to get a fast lock and keep tabs on a moving subject. This RGBC-IR sensor promises true-to-life colors and accurate white balance. Mixing things up with the Xperia XR is a new, high-sensitivity 13-megapixel front-facing camera, which can go as high as ISO6400 to capture selfies in practically any lighting condition. Add in the 90-degree angle lens, and selfie fans will be able to take group shots without any issues with the Xperia XZ.
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Specs wise, theres a familiar 5.2-inch Full HD display, a Snapdragon 820 with 3GB of RAM, 32GB of onboard storage and a microSD card slot capable of handling up to 256GB. Measuring just 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm as well as retaining the IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, this ticks most of the boxes, although many will have been expecting a 2560 x 1600 display at this point, instead of a 1920 x 1080 one.
Where battery life is concerned, Sony is introducing the new Battery Care feature, which works with the Qnovo adaptive charging to help prolong the lifespan of the battery itself by up to twice as long. The new Xperia XZ will learn from its users habits, and will charge to 90% and then fill up all the way just before the user unplugs, for instance. This stops the battery from being fully charged and depleted a few percentage points and then topped back up overnight as is the case with a lot of smartphones. With a 2,900 mAh battery as well as the return of STAMINA mode, this is one smartphone that should last for over a day or more on a single charge.
The Xperia XZ will be available in the aforementioned Forest Blue, Mineral Black and Platinum color options towards the end of October. While a European launch is all but guaranteed, it remains to be seen if the United States will the Xperia XZ before the beginning of 2017. Either way, those that are happy to wait can ogle over the Xperia XZ in the gallery down below.
Ever since Samsung burst onto the scene with the original 5.3-inch Galaxy Note back at IFA 2012, weve been getting gradually more and more used to larger smartphones. While a lot of firms stick a display size and headset footprint that tries to please everyone, Sony has been one to offer a little more choice than others. Their flagship devices have never gotten that big in screen size, with 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch models becoming the norm over the past few years. On top of this, Sony had a long history with their Xperia Z Compact line, devices with similar specs as the higher-end Xperia Z models but with a smaller display and a more compact overall form factor. Now, Sony is introducing their first compact device in their new X Series, the Xperia X Compact.
Considering that the Xperia X Performance currently packs in a Snapdragon 820 and 3GB of RAM, with a smaller 5.0-inch display, many will be wondering how much smaller the Xperia X Compact is. With a 4.6-inch display, the answer is not very much, but this time around it appears as though the Compact line is also going to be more affordable than just a smaller alternative. The Xperia X Compact is powered by a Snapdragon 650 and 3GB of RAM, while sporting a 4.6-inch 720p display. Sony is not, however, skimping on the imaging side of things here and theyre shipping the Xperia X Compact with the same 23-megapixel camera as the new Xperia XZ, and a 5.0-megapixel front-facing camera for all of those selfies and such. The 23-megapixel camera here features the same 5-axis SteadyShot image stabilization as the Xperia XZ, and should allow for super-quick shots without any blurring or anything like that getting into the shot.
On the battery side of things, the Xperia X Compact features a 2,700 mAh battery, which also brings with it the STAMINA mode that Sony has become famous for. With a USB Type-C connector to charge said battery, the Xperia X Compact is getting a modern upgrade, as well as Quick Charge 3.0 support. Design wise, the Xperia X Compact features the same look and feel that Sony have introduced with the new Xperia XZ, and while its still an Xperia Z-style of design, its more rounded and less square this time around.
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While the Xperia X Compact isnt being billed as the most exciting device Sony has to offer, the Japanese firm is confident that their new, smaller smartphone with find its place in the market. With Mist Blue, Universe Black and White colors, the Xperia X Compact will become available towards the end of September, but pricing is to be announced. A European launch is practically confirmed here, but whether or not this reaches the US before 2017 remains to be seen.
UHANS already have a number of smartphones available for consumers looking for an affordable handset with the U100, U200, S1 and Balance, all currently available. Now, the latest UHANS smartphone has become available and this the A101. As well as this being an affordable smartphone, the A101 also happens to be a sort of tribute smartphone to the Nokia way of doing things.
Nokia is one of the most iconic smartphone brands around. So much so that the rumors surrounding Nokia still attract massive news coverage. Of course, this level of attention and general interest is due to what was once a complete Nokia market dominance. Impressive sales which were the result of extremely well-built and well-designed phones. A motif HANS is looking to emulate with the A101. As this is a smartphone which continues some of the characteristics attributed to Nokia. For instance, the A101 is a highly-durable smartphone. It is built to be rugged and built to ensure the owner never has to worry about the phone getting damaged or breaking. Likewise, the A101 adopts some of those traits which many manufacturers have now turned away from, like removable and replaceable batteries. As well as not having to worry too much about breaking the smartphone, this is also one you do not have to worry about spending too much on the smartphone, as the UHANS A101 is a smartphone which is designed to be attractively affordable.
The design of the UHLANS A101 is said to take inspiration from the likes of Antoni Gaudi and builds on traits made famous by some of Gaudis work. In particular, the emphasis on making use of rounded edges. This is one those aspects which has been consciously included with the design of the UHLANS A101 so that the smartphone does not contain any sharp lines or angles. It is simply made up of six ovals which when brought together emulate the emphasis of being a piece of art. An emphasis which places a design focus on being gentle rather than cold. Finishing of the design, the A101 makes use of a rubber coated finish which offers a more premium look and feel than you are likely to get from a similarly-priced handset from another manufacturer, This is achieved by the A101 offering consumers more of a leather-like feel, then one of metal and glass. In terms of color, most smartphones do seem to opt for black as their default color nowadays. In contrast, UHANS has focused on establishing their own default color with this handset, one which the company refers to as Midnight Navy and which seems to be based on a slate grey color. This navy color is thought to be another nod to Nokia and its iconic navy and grey phone colors. Although a lighter Cloud Dancer colored model is also available for those who want one.
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In terms of the hard numbers, the UHANS A101 is a smartphone which comes equipped with a 5-inch display which makes use of 2.5D glass and a 1280 x 720 resolution. Inside, the UHANS A101 comes packing 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and is powered by a 64-bit MediaTek (MT6737) quad-core processor. Additional features on offer include a 5-megapixel camera, a 2450 mAh battery, 4G support (FDD-LTE Band 1/3/7/8/20) and Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). Of course, the big selling point is here is just how affordable this smartphone is. The UHANS A101 is now available to buy and will only cost you $59.99. You can find out more or order a UHANS A101 by heading through the link below.
Xiaomi has been announcing smartphones left and right this year, theyve introduced quite a few phones, including their Mi 5 flagship, and a number of Redmi-branded devices. That being said, smartphones were not the only product types Xiaomi had announced this year though, the company had introduced their new payment service, Mi Pay, about two weeks ago, along with a number of other tech gadgets. The companys payment service now joins the likes of Android Pay, Samsung Pay and LG Pay, mobile payment services which have been announced at an earlier date.
That being said, the company had confirmed two days ago that the service will be released on September 1st, and thats exactly what happened. The company has released Mi Pay in China, as promised. Xiaomi has launched Mi Pay in collaboration with China UnionPay, one of the largest payment networks in the world. Xiaomi Mi Pay supports credit and debit cards from 20 banks in China starting today, and the service is available for Xiaomis NFC-enabled devices only, at least for now. In addition to launching Mi Pay, the company has also announced that it support public transportation cards from six cities in the country, which can come in handy if youre into contactless payments and use public transportation frequently.
Xiaomi says that consumers can easily add both the China UnionPay and public transportation cards to the Mi Wallet app, and be ready to make contactless payments. The Mi Pay supports credit cards from 20 banks, and debit cards from 12 banks starting today, and some of those banks are: Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications and China Merchants Bank. After cooperating with China UnionPay over the past three years, Xiaomi is now truly excited about our joint partnership to launch Mi Pay. We believe that Mi Pay will be a key driving force in promoting the development of Chinas mobile payments industry, and deliver much more convenience to our users, said Lei Jun, Xiaomis founder and CEO.
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In order to be able to use Mi Pay, youll need to own a Xiaomi-branded smartphone which has an NFC chip built-in. Xiaomi has included the hardware-level security in form of a separate chip as well, while they have also included multiple authentication mechanisms which will protect your information. If you have a Xiaomi smartphone with NFC, youre good to go, and all you have to do in order to set up Mi Pay, is to open the Mi Wallet app, select the option to add a bank card, then insert your bank card details. After youre done with the aforementioned steps, all you have to do is confirm your actions when you receive a confirmation SMS. Another thing worth mentioning here, is the fact that you can add up to 8 cards to your accounts.
CHENGDU - The first locomotive designed for a railway renovation program in Argentina was completed Wednesday, CRRC Corp Ltd said.
The first meter-gauged locomotive, built in Ziyang city in Sichuan province, was completed and the first 20 will be made and exported to Argentina, said Yu Weiping, vice president of CRRC, China's largest rail transportation equipment maker.
The locomotives will be supplied to Belgrano Cargas, an Argentine operator of cargo railway services. China has provided financing, equipment and services for the renovation of the railway, which runs through Argentina's important agricultural regions.
The railway will greatly reduce transportation costs.
Upgrading rail services will help lower the cost of grain in Argentina and boost their international competitiveness, said Ezequiel Lemos, president of Belgrano Cargas, who was present Wednesday when the first locomotive rolled off the production line.
The Ziyang CRRC branch has made locomotives for Vietnam and Thailand. The new locomotive has been customized for Argentina's particular needs, said Yu.
CRRC will establish a regional center in South America, headquartered in Argentina, said Yu.
In 2013, China South Railway (CSR) won a contract worth $1 billion to provide 709 carriages to renew Argentina's commuter system.
(ANSA) - Rieti, September 1 - Mexican elite rescue team Topos Azteca (Aztec Moles) is on hand in the Lazio mountain village of Amatrice, which was leveled by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck before dawn on August 24. The self-styled International Search-and-Rescue Brigade, whose official name is the Topos SAR NGO, is a volunteer, non-profit team founded after an 8.0-magnitude quake struck Mexico City in 1985, killing an estimated 5,000 people.
Their specialty is searching for victims under the debris of collapsed buildings and giving first aid.
One of the original founders, 71-year-old Hector 'El Chino' Mendez, is in the mountain village along with Carlos, 71, and Candido, aged 58.
He has reportedly stated that one of the things that distinguish his group from others is that they have "the balls to go where no one else will".
The organization is made up of volunteers plus search and rescue dogs, which they train themselves.
The Topos have assisted in rescue and recovery efforts in dozens of countries, including El Salvador, Haiti, Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami, Iran, Taiwan, and New York City after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
They also came to Italy when the Abruzzo city of L'Aquila was struck by a deadly quake in 2009.
(ANSA) - Rome, September 1 - A campaign launched by Italy's health ministry to raise awareness around fertility in a country with one of Europe's lowest birth rates has been branded sexist and offensive to young people struggling with high unemployment and poverty levels.
Advertisements for the "Fertility Day" initiative planned for September 22 circulated on social media this week, including one which showed a young woman holding a timer next to the words "Beauty has no age but fertility does". Another showed water dripping next to the slogan "fertility is a common good".
Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin from the New Centre Right party said she could not see any problem with the campaign and said the day was a chance to discuss a range of issues from safe sex to fertility treatments. But her initiative faced criticism from across the political spectrum.
Roberto Calderoli from the anti-immigrant Northern League urged Lorenzin to resign for the lack of sensitivity to the problems facing young people.
"It is really peculiar that a government which has let families go hungry, leading 5 million Italians into conditions of absolute poverty...decides to invest resources in a publicity campaign on Fertility Day," Calderoli said.
"Maybe (Premier Matteo) Renzi and Lorenzin are really convinced that everything is going well, that citizens have a ton of money in their pockets and that the crisis does not exist," he said.
Delia Murer, an MP for Renzi's left-leaning Democratic Party (PD) said she was firmly opposed to the campaign and that it was the wrong way to approach the sensitive subject of fertility. She said rather than lumping more pressure on young women with a poster campaign, a wider discussion needed to be had, including the economic angle and the time it takes in Italy for young people to leave home and enter the labour market.
Italian author Roberto Saviano was among celebrities on social media slamming the initiative as insulting, saying that it ignored all the difficulties for young people to find stable work and paid no attention to the importance of finding the right partner to start a family with.
Libya: militias attack last ISIS bastion in Sirte Final phase of liberation started.
(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, SEPTEMBER 1 - The spokesman for the Bunyan al Marsous operation, General Mohammed el Ghasri, said that the forces seeking to liberate Sirte from the grip of the Islamist extremist group ISIS have attacked the complex of buildings "656", one of the last bastions of ISIS in the city.
Ghasri added that the initiative is the last phase of operation "Macomedes" - the ancient name of the city - with the use of light and heavy arms, clarifying that soliders found dozens of bodies of Jihadists in the streets of Sirte which were conquered in previous days. (ANSAmed).
PARIS - A court in Nice has suspended a ban on the full-body burkini swimsuit, in line with a decision by the Council of State last week to lift this sort of restriction, arguing that it violated personal freedoms.
In recent days, several other similar local orders have been overturned in light of the council's decision. However several local mayors have announced they had no intention of overturning their ban on the swimwear favoured by some Muslim women. (ANSAmed).
BRUSSELS - European Council President Donald Tusk said on Thursday that the migration crisis Europe experienced in 2015 must never be repeated.
"Our objective has to be clear: we cannot ever permit the chaos in 2015 to be repeated in Europe," he said, adding that migration would be a key theme for the September 16 EU summit in Bratislava.
Tusk has been meeting several European leaders in recent days, according to a statement from his office. On Thursday he met Luxembourg premier Xavier Bettel.
"Together we have made a lot of progress since the biggest migratory wave towards Europe started last year," he said.
He said that the total number of irregular migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey in the last four months was the same as the amount that arrived in just one day in October last year, when the crisis was at its peak.
"This shows our collective action is working," he said.
The airline will operate a special one-off A380 service to Amman on 25 September.
The 30th anniversary special fares apply to more than 20 destinations across the Emirates network when booked between 1st to 10th September 2016 - for travel from 18 September until 31st October 2016.
The agreement paves the way for an efficient and transparent tourist visa application system that caters to travellers from around the world looking to visit Qatar.
The agreement comes as Qatar steps up efforts to attract and welcome more visitors to Qatar in line with Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030 (QNTSS).
The agreement will enable Qatar to identify and implement the ideal visa solutions for its visitors, while capitalising on VFS Globals expertise in developing multi-platform visa services, and Qatar Airways extensive international footprint.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: Qatar Airways has been bringing tourists to Qatar for nearly two decades and todays announcement marks another milestone in our commitment to making Doha a world-class tourist destination. Qatars tourism industry is experiencing exponential growth and the visa advancements announced today will further support our countrys vision to invite and welcome visitors from around the world to experience all that Qatar has to offer. We look forward to welcoming more passengers on-board, at Hamad International Airport and into Qatar, as a result of todays initiative.
I would like to sincerely thank the Ministry of Interiors General Directorate of Nationality, Borders and Expatriates Affairs, and Qatar Tourism Authority for their partnership in making todays announcement possible. This initiative is a great example of what we can accomplish by working together, and we have other initiatives planned to further enhance Qatar tourism.
Al Mansouri, was accompanied by Omar Bin Ghaleb, GCAAs Deputy Director General and Assistant Director of Support Services, Laila Ali bin Hareb Al Muhairi, GCAAs Assistant Director General of Strategy and International Affairs, Ismail Mohammed Al Blooshi, Assistant Director General of Aviation Safety Affairs, Hamad Salem Al Muhairi, Assistant Director General for Aviation Security Affairs and a number of RTA employees.
Al Mansouri said: "The aviation sector is imperative for the progress and economy of the UAE and it requires a great variety of innovation methods. The process of sustainable innovation is essential to provide the best practice and quality of services and products at present and for the future."
The objective of the visit was to learn about the innovation lifecycle in Etihad Airways. The visit to the Innovation Hub is part of the series of innovation visits that Chairman and GCAA are conducting in the upcoming years in order to learn about best practices, encourage and motivate as well as learn and share knowledge with the aviation sector throughout all emirates.
Etihad Airways holds a pro-competitive model when it comes to all aspects of the airlines strategy including maintaining jobs, routes, safety, partnership and innovation.
He added: "We are here to learn about the best local practices and experiences in the field of innovation. We are keen to share knowledge and understand the services in the fields of training and safety procedures as well as products and services intended for aircraft.
The Innovation Centre is a research centre of excellence and is also home to Etihads Innovation Training Academy which comprises the largest A380 and B787 cabin service and safety trainers in the world. The Innovation Training Academy prepares cabin crew with the skills to deliver the highest level of safety as well as hospitality.
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of GCAA, said: "The competition in the aviation industry is fierce and we are always seeking to find new ideas, draw inspiration from international best practices as we as develop and innovate services, products and training.
The delegation toured the centre and learned about Etihad Airways' training mock-up, innovative services and products such as the real life mock-ups of the Residence by Etihad and the new First Apartments and First Suites as well as inflight live TV network.
Laila Ali bin Hareb Al Muhairi, GCAAs assistant director general of strategy and international affairs, said: "The UAE aviation industry is in need to provide an environment that nurtures and cultivates innovation, and these kind of innovation centers provide the right platform to collaborate to develop new opportunities and challenge current standards and aim for excellence. Competing in aviation is based on innovation, and you have to be an innovator to do so.
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Das Magazin von PC Games Hardware erscheint monatlich. Zusatzlich werden jahrlich mehrere Sonderhefte angeboten. Einzelhefte und Abonnements konnen im Computec Shop geordert werden. Auerdem gibt es Plus-Artikel und PCGH werbefrei.
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the Day of Knowledge, press service of Yerevan Municipality told Armenpress.
The message reads:
Dear schoolchildren, teachers, respectable parents,
I cordially wish all of you on this wonderful September holiday and wish you all the best. As the beginning of a new academic year and the Day of Knowledge, September 1 has its peculiar symbol.
Let the festive mood which is reigning in our city today will stay in your hearts throughout the time of studying. Let it fill you with great interest and striving for knowledge. Knowledge is of high value. Nowadays well-educated people become the moving force of society and leave their significant influence on the history.
Respectable teachers, educated citizens are one of the most important components of our national dignity, of preservation of our statehood, of development and strengthening of our country, of our national safety and you are the guarantee of all this. I am sure that you will turn the school years of Yerevan schoolchildren into the bright period of revealing their own talents, their development and gaining knowledge.
I wish all of you good luck, enthusiasm and energy. Let our ancient cradle-our Yerevan be full of pride of our new achievements and out 25-year-old state become more powerful.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of Knowledge and Schooling Day, press service of the Presidential administration told Armenpress.
The Presidents message reads:
Dear schoolchildren and students, teachers and parents,
I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of the September 1 Knowledge Day.
Once it was important to propagate the importance of knowledge; however, in the 21st century there is no doubt about that. Knowledge has become the most powerful weapon and tool in the world for every individual and society at large. In Armenia, we are highly aware of that. We all see the readiness and dedication, which parents put in to provide their children with good education.
We are improving our educational system consistently. We do realize that we have issues at schools and higher education institutions which need to be fixed. These issues have mainly to do with the level of education, which cannot satisfy us. We are not content just because perfection has no limits but also since in the contemporary world the pace of development has increased dramatically. We have to keep up with the world. We have to accelerate the development of education.
We also must make good education affordable for all. No teenager should lose the opportunity to receive good education only because he or she cannot pay for it.
Judging from the results demonstrated by our schoolchildren at the international competitions, our schools are not doing badly. Our school is competitive; however, we cannot be complacent, and it is necessary to raise the bar of our requirements every year, otherwise, we will be lagging behind the developing world.
I once again congratulate you all on the occasion of the Knowledge Day and wish you an academic year full of success and achievements.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is capable of making its human capital, human potential as a main competitive advantage of economic development, Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan said in a meeting with the students of YSU Faculty of Economics and Management, Armenpress reported.
The Minister said Armenia can do this even being in situation of blockade and war by two neighbors. These factors limit our opportunities, but they do not eliminate them. We need additional efforts in order to be able to move forward our economy through the use of human capital, he said.
Minasyan said any economic indicator should not discourage or encourage us so we stopped acting. Today we do not need 1-2% economic growth, rather we need other basic actions which will be followed by long-term and double-digit economic growths, the Minister said.
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To those who regularly campaign against what they see as political correctness, and to plenty of others, the letter was the message they have been waiting forand that they think students need. But to many others, the letter distorted programs on which many students rely, ignored the hostility many students feel on campus, and belittled the sincerity of faculty members who work to make higher education more inclusive.
Artist and author Dennis Cooper re-launched his popular blog on Monday after months of legal disputes with Google, whom many accused of censorship. The artist posted a message on the blogs Facebook account on Friday to explain Googles reasoning for erasing his 14-year-old blog. (It was a 10-year-old post.)
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I MUST admit to being the kind of museum-goer instinctively suspicious of exhibits about popular culture. I say this as someone who loves pop culture and spends most of his life there. But these exhibits can be ways of pandering in an attempt to draw new audiences. Im all in favor of the new audiences, but turned off by the pandering.
But I had high hopes for the Guillermo Del Toro exhibit at the LACMA, At Home With Monsters, partly because the Guadalara-reared, LA-based movie director has always struck me as a smart guy. And partly because Pans Labyrinth a darkly surreal fantasy film set in Spain a few years after Francos victory in the Spanish Civil War is, I think, one of best films of the century.
So Im glad to say that the LACMA is not only entertaining and fun, but manages to connect the directors obsessions, and his own films, with art history and literary tradition. The exhibit is drawn mostly from Del Toros home, Bleak House, which is full of various cinematic and horror-fiction artifacts.
So in addition to spooky old clocks and gargoyle, storyboards from Del Toros movies, and macabre contemporary art, and Gigers studies for Alien, we see a statue of Edgar Allen Poe, Andrew Langs collections of fairy tales, and Goyas etchings.
At times the exhibit design is a bit busy to the point of claustrophobic, but that helps the viewer feel enveloped in Del Toros fantasy life. In fact, in a lot of ways, he has taken several centuries of nightmares in design genres and cultures and brought them together in a way that leads to unexpected connections.
Here is an engaging LA Times story about the making of the exhibit. Del Toro talks about growing up as an awkward, out-of-place kid in Mexico, and how he sought comfort in the company of these creatures.
The show will travel, after it closes here at the end of November, to Minneapolis and Toronto. Apparently it will be reasonably different in each city. In any case, this is one not to miss.
egal figures, as well as panel discussions on the role of the Deep State and the significance of the recently declassified 28 Pages, presentations by movement leaders and researchers, and day-long evidentiary hearings on the World Trade Centers destruction, which will be conducted by a panel of lawyers. ( FB Event
Keynote speaker: Renowned public interest attorney Daniel Sheehan, who litigated cases related to the Pentagon Papers and the Iran/Contra Affair;
Keynote speaker: Judge Ferdinando Imposimato, the Honorary President of the Supreme Court of Italy;
A team of accomplished lawyers who will hear evidence related to the World Trade Centers destruction and consider future legal strategies for obtaining 9/11 Justice;
Richard Gage, AIA, who will discuss the current activities of AE911Truth, and Dr. J. Leroy Hulsey, who will present the findings-to-date of the WTC 7 computer modeling study, which he is conducting at the University of Alaska Fairbanks;
Roundtable discussions featuring Wayne Madsen, J. Michael Springmann, and other prominent experts;
The launch of 9/11 Truth Action Project (9/11 TAP) by founding members of this new international organization; and,
Masters of Ceremonies Mark Crispin Miller, a professor of Media, Culture, and Communication at NYU (Saturday), and renowned International Human Rights attorney William Pepper (Sunday).
By Derrick Broze As the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, the 9/11 Truth movement is preparing to host protests and conferences around the United States.Fifteen years of lies. Fifteen years of War on Terror. Fifteen years of warrantless domestic surveillance. Fifteen years of increasing militarization of the police. Fifteen years of manufactured terrorists and false flag terror attacks.Each of these dilemmas can be traced back to the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City. From the moment the news pundits decided that Osama Bin Laden was responsible for bringing down the World Trade Center towers, attacking the Pentagon, and other attempted attacks the American people have been fed a lie. For the last 15 years thousands of documentaries (a few of higher quality than others), researchers, firefighters, architects, engineers, pilots, psychologists, and 9/11 victims family members have analyzed, questioned and challenged the official version of events.The growth of the movement seeking truth about 9/11/01 has manifested in a wide range of alternative theories about what may have actually taken place that day. Some of these theories examine the physical aspects of the collapse of the Twin Towers and the lesser-known World Trade Center 7, which also collapsed despite not being hit by a plane or consumed by a burning inferno as originally reported. These theories encompass a wide set of beliefs, including the idea that nuclear weapons, military explosives, or some type of directed energy or exotic weapons were used to drop the towers at nearly free fall speed.There are theories about elements of the U.S. government either allowing or participating in the planning of the attacks. There are theories about people in positions of power or influence being warned not to go to work on 9/11, theories about whether or not the planes were even real, and theories on the possibility that the event was a psychological and spiritual attack on the human psyche itself.For all the theorizing, the area where the official story is showing the strongest signs of cracking is in the discussion of who financed and supported the attacks. Indeed, on Friday July 15, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) published the newly declassified 28 pages of the 2002 Joint Congressional Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001. The 28 pages were classified by former President George W. Bush shortly after the report was released in 2002.The long-classified pages make up the bulk of a section titled Part 4: Finding, Discussion and Narrative Regarding Certain Sensitive National Security Matters. Former Senator Bob Graham, a previous chair for the House Intelligence Committee who has been extensively involved in the fight to release the pages, told CNN that he was very pleased by the announcement.It is going to increase the questioning of the Saudis role supporting the hijackers, Graham told CNN. I think of this almost as the 28 pages are sort of the cork in the wine bottle. And once its out, hopefully the rest of the wine itself will start to pour out.Despite the release of the 28 pages, many Americans and researchers of the 9/11 attacks are not prepared to end their search for truth. Although the Saudi government continues to deny any wrongdoing, the documents show clear ties to Saudi Arabia. Still, many in the 9/11 Truth movement are cautious of the 28 pages, with some calling the whole fiasco a psychological operation being conducted on the American people. What is the purpose of the PsyOp? The idea would be that the powers that wish they were allow a controlled release of the low hanging fruit (28 pages) and focus attention on Saudi Arabia rather than possible connections to the U.S. government, Pakistan, or Israel.The fact that these pages would be released at all should be celebrated, but we must not allow the 9/11 Truth Movement to rest for a single moment. With the 15th anniversary approaching this a grand opportunity to have conversations about the many, many questions surrounding the attacks. After all, even if the Saudis were involved, it does not explain how the buildings could fall at near free-fall speed or how or why World Trade Center 7 fell despite not being hit by a plane.Regardless of whether or not you believe the 28 pages are the end of the 9/11 Truth search or just another distraction, the American people are tired of being lied to by their government. There is a growing discontent in the nation right now and many of the crimes perpetuated by the government against the people have been allowed in the name of keeping people safe from terror attacks. Simply put, exposing 9/11 destroys the whole Police and Surveillance State.For 15 years architects, engineers, actors, scientists, pilots, firefighters, activists, and family members of the victims have raised a wide range of questions related to the funding of the attacks, the physics of the buildings collapse, the possibility of controlled demolition or other exotic weapon used to bring the buildings down, and much, much more.For the 15th anniversary, the collective 9/11 Truth movement will descend on New York City to protest and rally in the streets. If you have questions about 9/11 please come to New York City or organize in your city. Activists with We Are Change NYC will rally at Ground Zero and other important sites throughout the city on Saturday September 10 and Sunday September 11.In addition to street action, Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, the Lawyers Committee for 9/11 Inquiry, and other co-sponsors have organized the Justice In Focus: 9/11 Symposium . The conference will feature keynote addresses from respected lSpeakers and panel discussions will include:Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com . Follow him on Twitter . Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1 and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2 Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact Derrick@activistpost.comThis article may be freely reposted in part or in full with author attribution and source link
An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2022 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in Singapore, compiled by the professionals at Dezan...
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.
Pope Francis issues a message for World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. There is a specific sin against the environment, which has a harmful impact on people. "When we mistreat nature, we also mistreat human beings. We need a change in lifestyle. The pontiff proposes a new work of corporal and spiritual mercy for the "care of the common home". He also offers a prayer at the end.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) There is a sin against the care of creation, which must be confessed especially in this Jubilee of Mercy. There is also self-examination, repentance, confession, and a resolve to change life, polluting less, consuming less, being less selfish, says Pope Francis in his Message today for World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
The pope goes so far to add two other works of mercy to the list of the seven corporal and seven spiritual works of mercy. The new works of mercy are basically one, "care of the common home," which gives the title to today's message, " Show Mercy to our Common Home"
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is celebrated with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, and with the support of other Churches and Christian communities. The Holy Father notes in fact that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, like his predecessor Patriarch Dimitrios, devoted a lot of energy to this issue.
According to the pope, throughout the world similar initiatives promoting environmental justice, concern for the poor and responsible social commitment have been bringing together people, especially young people, from diverse religious backgrounds.
The ideal that informs the pontiffs thoughts is not the ecology of Mother Earth, a form of nature that eliminates mankind, but that of human ecology (often repeated in the encyclical Laudato si) in which the fate of mankind and nature are tied. When we mistreat nature, we also mistreat human beings (n. 1).
Speaking about Global warming continues, due in part to human activity, he says. The year 2015 was the warmest year on record, and 2016 will likely be warmer still. This is leading to ever more severe droughts, floods, fires and extreme weather events. Climate change is also contributing to the heart-rending refugee crisis. The worlds poor, though least responsible for climate change, are most vulnerable and already suffering its impact.
The Jubilee of Mercy provides an opportunity to acknowledge our sins against creation, the poor and future generations. For, As individuals, we have grown comfortable with certain lifestyles shaped by a distorted culture of prosperity and a disordered desire to consume more than what is really necessary (Laudato Si, 123). As such, we participate in a system that has imposed the mentality of profit at any price, with no concern for social exclusion or the destruction of nature Let us repent of the harm we are doing to our common home (n. 3).
After Examining our consciences, repentance and confession to our Father who is rich in mercy, the pontiff suggests we change lifestyles, avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating refuse, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living beings, using public transport or car-pooling, planting trees, turning off unnecessary lights, or any number of other practices (n. 4).
Economics and politics, society and culture cannot be dominated by thinking only of the short-term and immediate financial or electoral gains. Instead, they urgently need to be redirected to the common good, which includes sustainability and care for creation.
Within this context, the Holy Father mentioned the ecological debt the North that pollutes owes the south that is subject to this pollution (cf. Laudato Si, 51-2).
Repaying it would require treating the environments of poorer nations with care and providing the financial resources and technical assistance needed to help them deal with climate change and promote sustainable development.
The message proposes to add a work of mercy to the existing list of corporal and spiritual works, which is care for our common home.
As a spiritual work of mercy, care for our common home calls for a grateful contemplation of Gods world (Laudato Si, 14) which allows us to discover in each thing a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us (ibid., 85). As a corporal work of mercy, care for our common home requires simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness and makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world (ibid., 230-31) (n.5).
At the end of the message comes a prayer:
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned
and forgotten of this earth,
who are so precious in your eyes
God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth (ibid., 246),
God of mercy, may we receive your forgiveness
and convey your mercy throughout our common home.
Praise be to you!
Amen.
Fr Bruno Rossi comes from Padua but has lived in the Asian country since 1999, thanks to a joint project of 15 dioceses in north-eastern Italy. Along with three other missionaries, he covers 40 mountain villages in Chiang Rai, Lampang and Laamphun provinces. An educational centre is home to students who live too far from school. The Brown Coffee project helps local farmers produce high quality beans and funds scholarships for young people.
Bangkok (AsiaNews) Giving students a home to go to school, following Catholics who live in mountain villages and helping local coffee farmers are some of the activities in which Fr Bruno Rossi is involved.
From Padua (Italy), the fidei donum missionary has been in Thailand since 1999 as part of a project organised by the 15 dioceses of north-eastern Italy (Triveneto), which decided to open up a mission in Asia in the mid-1990s.
This adventure, the priest noted, "is a novelty from two points of view: for the way it is organised, and because we are the first Fidei Donum missionaries in Asia. The original objective was also to bring together the dioceses in Italy and their communities, working together on a project."
Everything began with the relationship with PIME missionaries, who were already present in Thailand. "Now we are four, three from the diocese of Padua and one from Belluno, said Fr Rossi.
We have established ourselves in Chiang Rai province, in the northwest of the country, but we have two parishes in Chaehom (Lampang province) and one in Lamphun, a very industrialised region."
Overall, the priests cover 40 villages, inhabited by different tribes (Akha, Lahu, Hmong, Karen, etc.).
When the missionaries arrived, there were not churches, and Mass was celebrated only occasionally in the villages scattered in the vast region.
One of Fr Rossis main activities is in Chaehom. It is "the educational centre for young people, which became a parish church in 2000. Here we host the kids from the mountains who would otherwise be too far away from schools to attend classes. We have room for 100 people. Presently, there are 60 because in the meantime, we opened two more facilities close to the villages."
Only half of the students is Catholic, said Fr Rossi. "More and more often we receive requests from Buddhist parents who want to send their children to us."
The daily routine is carefully organised. "The alarm clock is set for 5:20 am, the clergyman explained. This is followed by a moment of personal hygiene and prayer. From 6:15 to 7:15 am, students can review the lessons in classrooms or attend mass. At 7:15 am, all in a row, the kids get their lunch money and off they go to school, which is located a few hundred metres from the centre."
Students come back from school around 4:30-5:00 pm. "At that point, they have either an hour's work in the fields, catechesis or sports, Fr Rossi says. Dinner is set for 19, followed by study.
The students families only pay for the school fees. We provide everything else, the priest noted. We ask only an initial contribution of two sacks of rice."
"A few years ago, thanks to funds raised in Italy, we bought a piece of land where the kids grow rice. The work helps them integrate with one another, boys and girls, Catholics and others."
Since it is a Catholic centre, "we ask Buddhists or animists kids to participate in religious activities, Fr Rossi explained. Obviously we do not ask them to convert, but to experience what everyone else is doing. Participation in the daily Eucharist is free, and very often, non-Catholics take part in it in greater numbers. This suggests that they are in a period of soul searching. "
The second project that Fr Rossi began is named Brown Coffee. "Three years ago, we started this new activity, the priest said. The gaol was to help farmers in the mountains grow good quality coffee. A few years ago, the king launched a project to replace opium cultivation with coffee and the state buys the beans from farmers and then roasts them."
Fr Rossis idea was to roast the beans locally, and then sell them at higher price on the market. "We bought a 30-kilo roaster and we put it in the centre. Now we buy coffee from farmers, roast it and resell it in Thailand and abroad. With the earnings we give scholarships to the children at the centre."
Each year, the centre produces 800 kilos of 100% Arabica, which "brings considerable earnings. The quality also surprised us. Two years ago we took the coffee to the Tasters Centre in Brescia (Italy) and won the gold medal. Through this project, the centre will be able to support itself without the need for external help even when the missionaries leave."
Fourth stage of the reform of the Curia by Pope Francis. As of January 1, the new dicastery will absorb the Pontifical Councils for Justice and Peace, Cor Unum, Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, for Pastoral Healthcare Professionals. The section of migrants and itinerant is "ad tempus" under the direct leadership of the Pontiff. The Prefect will be Card. Turkson.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) In his latest step in reforming the Curia, Pope Francis has instituted a new department "for the service of integral human development". The announcement was made yesterday in a note issued by the Holy See Press Office and the Osservatore Romano which published the papal decision (Motu Proprio).
The new dicastery will absorb the different Pontifical Councils dealing with development issues: Justice and Peace, Cor Unum, Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, for Pastoral Healthcare Professionals. All of these offices "will cease activities and will be suppressed" as of January 1, 2017.
The Motu proprio says that this "development takes place by attending to the inestimable goods of justice, peace, and the care of creation". It will be competent above all "in issues regarding migrants, those in need, the sick, the excluded and marginalized, the imprisoned and the unemployed, as well as victims of armed conflict, natural disasters, and all forms of slavery and torture".
The unification of the various Council is the result of the pontiff's stress on the need to make these organizations capable of better meeting the needs of men and women that they are called to serve."
A section of the new department that is of special concern to the Pope is that for refugees and migrants. Migration has become a global factor, which influences the future of co-existence on the planet. The Pope wants this section under his direct leadership "ad tempus" (for now).
The Prefect of the new dicastery will be Card. Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
With the new Dicastery announced yesterday, Pope Francis' Curia reform has reached its fourth stage, after the establishment of the Secretariat's for the economy and for communication and after the unification of the Councils for the Laity and Family.
The "war on drugs" launched by President Duterte in the Philippines "has sparked much debate. Nor do we know if the victims were all really involved in trafficking, but still can not afford such summary justice. " Through AsiaNews, the auxiliary bishop of the capital, Msgr. Broderick S. Pabillo, launches a call for national unity: "We need to be united against the drift that the government is taking".
Manila (AsiaNews) - The shadow of the military dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos' could return to envelop the Philippines. But the Church is watching to avoid this happening. However, unity and firmness are needed in denouncing the drift this government is taking", says the auxiliary bishop of Manila, Msgr. Broderick Soncuaco Pabillo, commenting to AsiaNews on the "slaughter" of alleged drug traffickers in the country.
The victims of this war, launched by the new president Rodrigo Duterte from the outset of his election campaign, are now in the thousands. The perpetrators of these extra-judicial killings are the police or vigilante groups who go unpunished who are carrying out real raids againts the drug world.
Human rights in the Philippines, says Msgr. Pabillo , "seem to have become a problem. By the way it is not clear whether these victims are really drug traffickers or are killed by the police for other reasons and in other areas. Is it true that there are also strong voices in the Church and in civil society who condemn these events: many have stood up to defend the civil rights of the population ".
However these voices "do not seem to be loud enough: we need the help of everyone, including the international community, to ensure that those in power listen to what we have to say about the actions of our president."
At the same time, the prelate adds, it is "even less reassuring to note another phenomenon: there are many other people, in public opinion and in the general population, who seem to agree with the actions of Duterte. They believe that his campaign is understandable and turn a blind eye on how it is implemented.
The war on drugs, reflects Msgr. Pabillo, "can not be the only focus of the current government. The new government was sworn in almost two months ago, and seems to have done nothing. It is clear that drug addiction and the drug trade are a huge problem for the Philippines, perhaps even the most serious. But you can not just focus on this problem".
The Church's position on the matter "is very clear. We are against these killings, as we are opposed to the return of the death penalty in the nation. We are encouraging all Catholic groups to present its position, because there are important proposals and ideas to resolve the situation. We must, at the end of this trail, identify a 'common voice' which is that of the Church and the people it represents".
During his election campaign of Duterte focused on the figure of the man in command, a "strong man" who according to his propaganda "is what the nation needs." His decision to bury the former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the heroes' cemetery in Manila caused wide resentment among the survivors and the families of the victims of his purges. But also revealed a will other than democratic.
According to Msgr. Pabillo "shadows of Marcos envelop the current situation of the Philippines. We do not even know if today the police are under the executive's control or if there is not rather a sort of 'shared control'. But the Church is watching and will ensure that those dark years do not return".
Wu Yingjie came to the region in 1974 and rose through the ranks to the top spot. However, he is a Han Chinese in an ethnic province. Tibetans point the finger at former President Hu Jintaos promises to have an all-Tibetan leadership. Beijing instead chose to play it safe, analyst says.
Lhasa (AsiaNews) The appointment of Wu Yingjie as secretary of the Communist Party of the Tibet Autonomous Region has met with local dissatisfaction.
The new leader is an ethnic Han Chinese. Chinas central leaders had talked about a "Tibetan transition" in the local power structure.
Wu arrived in Tibet in 1974 and has worked his way up the hierarchy. He replaces Chen Quanguo, who some say could soon become party chief in another ethnic province, namely Xinjiang. For some analysts on the Phayul website, chinas rulers played it safe.
Chinese authorities proclaim that people of ethnic minorities should hold power but in fact Han Chinese hold all the major posts in the region. Tibetans in high governmental posts are mere rubber stamps, said Sonam Norbu Dagpo, secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
When he was in power, former Chinese President Hu Jintao had pledged that in Tibet the party would be all Tibetan.
For his part, current leader Xi Jinping repeatedly noted how Tibetans follow the nations socialist principles.
Yet, none of this has left a lot of room for Tibetans inside the Chinese Communist Party. In fact, although official data are unavailable, Tibetan exiles say that 7.5 million Han Chinese live in Tibet against 5.6 million Tibetans.
In addition, since 1992 Beijing has permanently deployed 40,000 troops in the region. This rose to 100,000 in 2010, when hundreds of Tibetans set themselves on fire in a wave of self-immolations to protest Communist persecution.
Plans for 234 unit nursing home in Elkana, 30 homes in Beit Arye and another 20 in Givat Zeev. 179 retroactive permits issued for "illegal" homes that already exist. UN criticism of Israel's expansionist policy as "against peace." The Netanyahu government rejects "absurd" allegations.
Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Israel has approved the construction of 285 new homes in a Jewish settlement in the occupied territories in the West Bank. Activists of NGO Peace Now, who monitor the expansion of settlements denounced this latest measure in violation of international rights, which have been exacerbated in recent times by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In recent days the government has given the green light for the continuation of constuction on a 234 unit care home in Elkana, 30 homes in Beit Arye and another 20 in Givat Zeev. The authorities have also issued retroactive permits for 179 houses have already been completed in Ofarim.
The United States expressed "deep concern" over the Israeli executive decision. The expansionist policy linked to the settlements poses a "serious and growing threat" to peace with the Palestinians and the two-state solution. Among the most controversial issues the "retroactive" approval of housing built before, and without permits.
According to the latest statistics provided by Peace Now, in 2016 the Israeli administration which controls the territories of the West Bank - in the hands of the military - has given the green light for 2,623 new settlements. These include 756 illegal houses later "legalized".
The Israeli government and the highest bodies of the United Nations have also come to loggerheads over the issue. In a statement the office of Prime Minister Netanyahu has termed the criticism of settlement policy "absurd". This is in response to the UN Special Envoy's statements that the current executive's decisions reveals the lack of a "genuine intention" to work on a peaceful solution.
Commenting on Envoy Nickolay Mladenov's report to the Security Council, the Israeli Prime Minister spokesman David Keyes stated "Jews have been in Jerusalem and Palestine for thousands of years adding that the claim that it is illegal for Jews to build in Jerusalem is as absurd as saying Americans can't build in Washington or the French can't build in Paris
The UN special envoy also added that last July first Israel launched the plans for the construction of over a thousand housing units in East Jerusalem and 735 units in the West Bank. They are also pushing ahead with plans to build a new settlement on the outskirts of Bethlehem.
Israel's expansionist policy has recently finished also in the sights of the Middle East Quartet, a body consisting of the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia; in a report the leaders of the group have called on Israel to take "urgent measures" to stop the expansion of settlements in the Palestinian territories.
To date at least 570 thousand Israelis live in over 100 settlements built by Israel since 1967, the year the occupation of the Territories in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem began. Under international law these settlements are illegal; a position disputed by the Israeli government, which in recent years has stepped up its expansionist policy.
Peace talks between the two sides broke down in 2014, triggering an escalation of violence in the region.
First American Commercial Flight In Over 50 Years Lands In Cuba
Trending News: American Flight Lands In Cuba, Signalling Virtual End Of Embargo
Why Is This Important?
Because 55 years of embargoes and mutual hostility is finally coming to an end.
Long Story Short
The first commercial flight between the US and Cuba in 55 yearsfrom Fort Lauderdale to Santa Claraon Wednesday signals the beginning of a new relationship between the Cold War foes.
Long Story
Its been over half a century since a planeload of Americans landed in Cuba aboard a non-charter flight, but on Wednesday, it finally happened. JetBlue flight 387, the first of what will eventually be an estimated 20 flights daily between the two countries, landed at Abel Santamaria International Airport in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, with two Cuban-American pilots at the controls.
According to the Associated Press, Cheers broke out as the plane touched down. Passengers mostly airline executives, U.S. government officials and journalists, with a sprinkling of Cuban-American families and U.S. travelers were given gift bags with Cuban cookbooks, commemorative luggage tags and Cuban flags, which they were encouraged to wave.
Uproxx
This is a big deal for several reasons, not least of which because it signals a new, much cheaper and much easier era of travel between Cuba and the US. The one-way JetBlue flight costs just $99. Previously, the only way an American citizen could get to Cuba would be via a charter flight (and lots of red tape) or a third country (with its own attendant hassles).
But dont expect Americans to flood Cubas pristine beaches just yet. Travel is still restricted to visitors fitting into a dozen pre-approved categories, such as family visits, education, religious activities or journalism. The President still cannot lift the existing trade embargo or rescind the ban on tourism, but person-to-person educational exchanges will allow for a huge increase in the number of visitors.
The flight took place the same day the US government gave the go-ahead to eight airlines to begin service to Cuba: JetBlue, American, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska Air, Spirit and Frontier, according to the BBC.
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Will American tourists ruin Cuban holidays for everyone else (looking at you, Canadians)?
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Those long-missing American tourist dollars will be a massive help in fixing Cubas beautiful but crumbling cities.
Drop This Fact
Cubas 85-year-old president Raul Castro said he will step down when his current term expires in 2018.
Three Canadians Charged With Smuggling $22M Worth Of Cocaine In Australia
Trending News: 'Cocaine Cowgirls' Caught Smuggling 200 Pounds Of Coke
Why Is This Important?
Because it's all fun and games until you get caught with 200 pounds of coke and face life in jail.
Long Story Short
Two twenty-somethings from Quebec and a 60-year-old guy were busted with a cruise ship packed to the brim with cocaine. In total, 200 pounds were recovered amounting to $22 million of street value. The best is getting a lot of attention in the Canadian press for some reason...
Long Story
A 68-day cruise holiday ended in ruins off the coast of Australia for these Canadians. Isabelle Lagace, 28, Melina Roberge, 23, and Andre Tarmine, 63, were all nabbed in what was the largest drug seizure from a cruise ship in Australian history, The Toronto Star reports.
After being at sea for several weeks, the MS Sea Princess reached Sydney harbor where police and sniffer dogs were waiting. On board the ship, law enforcement found 95 kilograms (209 pounds) of cocaine in the suitcases of the three Canadians. Australian authorities estimated that the total value of the coke was $22 million USD. In case that sounds crazy high to you, cocaine is far more pricey in Australia than it is here three times as much as in Canada according to Quebec provincial police cited by the Star.
The 60-year-old and the Cocaine Cowgirls are now facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Back in Canada, a Go Fund Me page was set up by a man named Karim Abou-Aichi, who asked for $20,000 to help for the Canadians' legal fees. The Go Fund Me page was taken down a day later.
The two girls documented their trip along the way. Here are some of their photos:
Collect moments, not things. #Tahiti ?? A photo posted by Isza (@belliszaa) on Aug 18, 2016 at 7:55pm PDT
Let the #sea set you #free ??? A photo posted by Isza (@belliszaa) on Aug 7, 2016 at 2:44pm PDT
#LosGemelos ? A photo posted by Isza (@belliszaa) on Jul 30, 2016 at 11:03am PDT
?? #peru2k16 A photo posted by @melinar___ on Aug 5, 2016 at 1:15pm PDT
In my top 5 for sure ?? #equateur A photo posted by @melinar___ on Jul 30, 2016 at 11:21am PDT
Gone to a place very peaceful leave a message after the tone ?? A photo posted by @melinar___ on Jul 24, 2016 at 7:45am PDT
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Will the courts take pity on them?
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Step aside mugshot model guy and gal, these girls have won.
Drop This Fact
Canadian Border Service Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security teamed up with Australian authorities to make the huge bust.
CAIRO - Egypt is confident that the G20 summit to be held in China's Hangzhou will succeed in working out ways to promote world economic growth, and Cairo's ties with Beijing will grow stronger, said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Wednesday.
"I am confident that the results of the upcoming summit will meet the aspirations of our peoples and the international community as a whole," President Sisi said in an interview Wednesday with Xinhua and other Chinese media based in Cairo.
Sisi's remarks came ahead of his upcoming visit to China's eastern city of Hangzhou to attend the G20 summit scheduled for Sept. 4-5 as a guest of honor at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
The Egyptian president hailed China's "great and creative efforts" in leading the G20 this year and preparing a bunch of key initiatives and work plans in various fields to be highlighted during the summit.
Held under the theme of "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy," this year's summit is expected to redraw the map of world economy that has been facing decline over the past few years through balanced, inclusive economic development-based policies to benefit big and small economies alike.
Sisi said that the theme "summarizes Egypt's vision on the methods of world economic administration."
"The theme honestly reflects what the world economy needs today, as it stresses building a world economy where all efforts combine. Developing countries need the economic expertise and finance capabilities of developed countries, which in turn need promising markets in developing countries to absorb their products," said the Egyptian leader.
It is the first time for Egypt, which is not a G20 member, to be represented in such a massive international economic event, known by experts as the board of the world's economy, and the Arab, African developing country is expected to seize the opportunity to present its economic map and investment environment to attract foreign investors.
Sisi hoped Egypt's participation in the G20 summit will enhance the country's practical cooperation with members of the group, stressing that Egypt seeks close cooperation with China to achieve the goals of the summit.
Describing Egypt's ties with China as "strong and extended," Sisi noted that the historical ties between the two countries provide promising chances for their further cooperation and coordination.
Sisi has visited China twice since he came to office in mid-2014 and was invited to the G20 summit during Chinese President Xi Jinping's first state visit to Egypt in January.
The two leaders agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2014.
Sisi said that his invitation to the summit embodies the depth of friendship and partnership between the two countries.
"Egyptian-Chinese relations grow stronger day after day and extend to include various fields of cooperation at all levels, given the technological and finance capabilities of China and the promising investment and business opportunities provided by Egypt," the Egyptian leader said.
He also emphasized that Egypt's unique strategic location can make it "China's portal to Africa."
"Egypt welcomes Chinese investments that can export their products to the African states with which Egypt has free trade agreements," Sisi said, noting Egypt hosted in June 2015 the signing of a tripartite free trade agreement between the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Being the portal for the Arab world, Africa and also Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, Sisi believes that Egypt can play a key role in the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi in 2013.
"Egypt supports the Chinese president's initiative to revive the Silk Road, and is keen on supporting such positive initiatives that seek to achieve cooperation and interests of peoples, bearing in mind that Egypt can be a main focal point for the implementation of this initiative through the Suez Canal projects," the Egyptian leader pointed out.
"Egypt is interested in learning from China's pioneering experience in different fields," the Egyptian president continued, citing China's successful experiences in the fields of administrative development, e-government, scientific research, communication and information technology, agriculture, technical training and rehabilitation and small medium enterprises.
Over the past few years, which saw the ouster of two heads of state in 2011 and 2013, security issues caused Egypt economic recession featuring a growing budget deficit, declining foreign currency reserves, ailing tourism and fleeing foreign investments.
The challenges led the most populous Arab country to seek a $12 billion loan recently from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to implement a tough, three-year economic reform program.
During his visit to Cairo, Chinese President Xi Jinping made an important speech at the Arab League headquarters where he highlighted "development" as the key to resolve most Middle East problems including growing terrorism and chaos.
"Amid all challenges rises the role of the Group of 20, especially China. The group is qualified to play an active role at the international level in different international issues, topped by fighting terrorism," the Egyptian president hoped, stating that the G20 states represent two-thirds of the world population, 85 percent of the world GDP and more than 75 percent of the world volume of trade.
Sisi emphasized that maintaining security and stability requires providing a suitable environment for economic growth, creating job opportunities and settling growing disputes," which are all conditions used by terrorist groups to recruit new elements."
He also stressed the necessity for uprooting the resources that provide terror groups with funds and arms, calling for punitive measures against the countries that assist them.
"Egypt is keen to enhance its cooperation with China in various fields including fighting terrorism, which Egypt believes has to be done through a comprehensive strategy that is not restricted to military and security cooperation but is extended to involve economic and social dimensions," said the Egyptian president.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has turned its attention to the Catholic diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in a move welcomed by abuse victims.
The royal commission is also investigating child sexual abuse in the Hunter Valleys Anglican diocese.
In an interview with ABC, abuse victim Peter Fogarty welcomed the development saying he and the people in the Hunter see the commissions attention as an important win.
The Hunter region and people around Newcastle fought so hard for there to be a royal commission, Fogarty, who was abused by Catholic priest James Fletcher, told the ABC.
It's no news to people that, a bit like Ballarat in Victoria, the Hunter Valley has been some sort of epicentre for this kind of abuse within the Catholic Church in particular, he added.
According to the news organisation, the royal commission will look into the case of paedophile priest Vincent Ryan and abuse within the Marist Brothers Catholic order.
I think the fact that theyre talking about the Marist Brothers, it will be interesting to see whether there is new information come to light, Fogarty said.
On Monday, the commission heard from Roger Herft, the Anglican Archbishop of Perth, that he let down abuse victims.
I've become aware that the sacred trust that the people of this region placed upon me, I have let them down, Herft, one of Australias most senior Anglicans, told the commission.
I let them down badly. Let down the survivors in a way that remorse itself is a very poor emotion to express, the archbishop, who served Newcastle for more than a decade from 1993, added.
According to the ABC, whistleblower Peter Foxs Lateline interview shone the spotlight on abuse in the Hunter in 2012.
There's something very wrong when you have so many paedophile priests operating in such a small area for such an extended period of time with immunity, Fox said then.
I submitted report after report suggesting that we needed to do a lot more about investigating this.
In a bid for a more agile workplace, a London law firm has launched a new program for employees telling them they dont need to come to the office more than two days a week.
According to a report from The Lawyer, Schillings COO and partner Christopher Mills confirmed the rollout of the new agile working program saying that the strategic move is to make the firm more attractive to non-lawyer talent.
As a guidance, were suggesting people dont need to be in the office more than two days a week, Mills said.
Mills told the publication that by the end of 2017, half or our staff wont be lawyers.
The law firm wants to attract top talent particularly cyber professionals and intelligence consultants, the report noted.
In order to attract those people to work at a law firm we need to be a more modern facing business, said Mills.
According to the COO, the voluntary program has proven to be a hit with 78% of those offered the program opting to use it.
As part of the program, employees are also assigned different seats on the days they do come to the office. Staff on the program use a hot-desking portal to book desks for days they come to the office.
We want to create accidental meetings, so that every day you need to sit next to someone different both in terms of hierarchy and across the different disciplines, Mills said.
Ultimately it focuses people on results and performance rather than time and attendance. Its up to individuals to get the work done to a high level of quality and to meet deadlines but in their own time.
Nonetheless, some staff like paralegals, legal secretaries and client services staff will not be able to use the program as they are required to be on premises.
According to The Lawyer, the program formally launches in the second week of September though it is already live.
Harvard University is digitising nearly 40 million case law pages to ultimately give everyone access to the collection for free through the internet.
We're all bound by the law, Adam Ziegler, managing director of the Library Innovation Lab at Harvard, told WBURs BostonomiX blog. We're all bound by the decisions that judges issue, we ought to be able to read them, and we ought not have to pay to read them.
Harvard Laws collection is vast and comprehensive. It has about 43,000 case law books and Ziegler and his team estimate each book has 921 pages. The oldest decision dates back to Rhode Island's Court of Trials circa 1647, the Boston NPR station noted.
We want the law, as expressed in court decisions, to be as widely distributed and as available as possible online to promote access to justice by means of access to legal information, said Ziegler.
The massive effort dubbed the Caselaw Access Project is also hoped to spur innovation and drive new insights from the law, Ziegler added.
So what's going to result from this project is a huge database of electronic, digital court decisions. And the world of law has never seen that before, he said.
The Harvard Law collection is second only to the Library of Congress collection, reported WBUR, and it includes civil and criminal case law decisions from every state and federal court.
The books are currently kept in the Harvard Depository, a sprawling, hidden and tightly monitored complex atop hills 25 miles away from campus.
From there, the books are transported to the law school library, meticulously taken apart and imaged by a high-speed scanner which takes four different images of each page at 100,000 pages a day.
After being imaged, the books are also given metadata that identifies the case, the judge the court and date of issuance. This makes the information open to being mined unlocking its potential.
WBUR said that Harvard has granted Ravel Law, a company it has partly owns, an eight-year exclusive contract to use the case law information.
The unbound books after being processed are hermetically sealed and then sent to a storage facility in a limestone cave in Kentucky.
It's important to have it, just in case. If we need to reboot our democracy for some reason then we'll have all these books in Louisville. But also if we do our job right then that book will be a backup that's only needed if only something goes wrong, Ziegler told the NPR news station.
By Graham Mann, Senior Lecturer, Murdoch University
Flickr/University of Hawaii/HI-SEAS, CC BY-NC-ND
Life on Earth has its challenges but what about life on Mars? Can humans ever survive on our neighbouring red planet, fourth from the sun?
To help answer that, an international crew of six people spent a year living inside a solar-powered dome on the slopes of Hawaiis Mauna Loa volcano. The place is starkly red-brown, dramatically rocky, barren of plant life a lot like Mars.
It was the latest Earth-bound project from the HawaiI Space Exploration Analogue and Simulation (HI-SEAS), a NASA-funded trial of technologies, systems and people for its future Mars mission.
The crew an astrobiologist, a doctor/journalist, a soil scientist, an engineer, a physicist and a habitat specialist emerged from the dome at the weekend, pale but triumphant from their mission during which they played out an elaborate and realistic game of planetary exploration.
Life in the dome
The crew spent most of their mission time working, playing and sleeping inside the 11-metre dome, all the while performing experiments, and having experiments performed on them.
They could leave the dome, but only in mock-up spacesuits, and never alone. They could communicate with the world by email and blogs, but the 20-minute delay imposed to represent the radio signal time delay across interplanetary distances made real-time conversation impossible.
They ate only canned or freeze-dried food, though they were able to supplement this with fermentation to make such delicacies as bread and cream cheese. They were allowed a total of eight minutes in the shower per week.
Immediately on their imaginary return to Earth, and before facing the press, the the first thing they wanted was to swim in the sea. (Hawaii is, luckily, well supplied with beaches.)
Flickr/University of Hawaii/HI-SEAS, CC BY-NC-ND
Other missions
This has not been the only, or even the longest, Mars mission simulation. HI-SEAS itself has conducted three shorter missions before. Meanwhile in 2010, an international crew in Moscow stayed in the Mars 500 simulation for 520 days.
Various chapters of the Mars Society conduct such events every year now.
I did a short simulation at the Mars Desert Research Station, Utah, in 2003. It was a fantastic experience a great bunch of people with a common purpose, working hard, playing hard and learning fast. At times, it was easily possible to believe you were really on Mars.
In September, Australians Jon Clarke and Annalea Beattie will join a 160-day simulation at habitats in Utah and northern Canada.
The rationale is simple: to prepare for anything complicated, difficult or dangerous, you need to practise in conditions as close as possible to the real thing.
Its why soldiers conduct war games, Olympic swimmers do endless laps in suitably sized pools and airline pilots spend hours rehearsing difficult landings in flight simulators.
We learn by doing, and when we cannot afford to get it wrong, we approximate in realistic pretences beforehand. In these mock events, we can try out new ideas, because failure is not so consequential.
Flickr/University of Hawaii/HI-SEAS, CC BY-NC-ND
In HI-SEAS mission 4, the research was focused on human factors questions, in particular: how will a team of six people, more isolated than any in history, living in close proximity and carrying out difficult technical tasks, perform over time?
Lessons learnt
Some red flags had been noted in earlier missions. Russian crews on the MIR space station had sometimes become withdrawn and uncommunicative, even ceasing work altogether. Ground simulations had warned of the potential for serious cultural clashes among international crews, specifically around food and interpersonal etiquette.
For a space team, where the cooperation of every member is critical, such disharmony could be disastrous. Crews had also experienced a third-quarter effect, in which morale and performance dipped low at the 75% mark.
The mission 4 crew, forewarned about these problems, experimented with solutions. The full results are not written up yet, but much can be seen in the crew blogs.
To overcome depression and withdrawal, and cement crew solidarity, the crew danced together, learnt new skills together (notably, to speak Russian) and took turns creating semi-gourmet meals out of the limited rations.
To prepare themselves for an unexpected crises, they practised getting by on reduced water rations. Later, when a water delivery failed to arrive on schedule, they were forced to draw on an old water tank that they feared had been contaminated.
They used their rationing experience to calculate their minimum requirements, which in turn let them improvise an evaporative purification system that supplied enough water for the six to survive until they could be resupplied.
Mark Watney, from the original novel and following movie The Martian, would have been proud.
Why Mars?
Still, critics complain and ask, whats the point of exploring Mars, anyway? We have pretty good pictures and science data already. Why spend huge amounts of money on such a venture?
Shouldnt we wait until weve solved some of the really pressing problems that face us on Earth, the old argument goes, before sending astronauts galloping off to another planet?
Considering the endless capacity of humans to create problems for themselves, what this argument really amounts to is this: we should never go.
But there are very good reasons for learning how people can travel, live, work and play beyond the Earth. This is not a pipe dream, its a socioeconomic necessity. History shows the continuous and ongoing expansion of healthy human societies into new environments.
NASA
Staying put is not what humans tend to do, especially when resources and opportunities are limited. Increasingly, as the population (and our appetite for material things) grows, this puts us into conflict with others.
Its already a limiting factor on much of what happens in human development, and is likely to be even more so in future. If we take a long view, the importance of being able to move out into the solar system in search of food, water, energy and mineral resources becomes clear.
To suppress an expansion away from our point of origin, or unduly delay it, is to put unbearable constraints on human life in the future, and increase the risk of ever escalating territorial disputes, closed boarders, hoarding and warfare.
A history of discovery
In Europe, 250 years ago, there was a red, dusty, alien environment out there on the frontier. Hostile, unknown, dangerous. Six months away on a ship, if you survived at all.
How could you live there? Why would you go at all? What would you do there?
Flickr/ccdo, CC BY-NC-ND
That was Australia. Now look at us. Can anything that those early explorers did compare in importance to us with the fact that they decided to go there and set up a colony?
A Mars colony would be a truly wonderful thing. A whole new branch of humanity, with its own customs, laws, science, business, music, art, dance and literature.
It would be an inspiration even to those who would never go. It would make some good headlines, for a change. It would be giving something positive to the future, instead of always robbing it.
Graham Mann receives funding from Murdoch University and the CSIRO. He is affiliated with the Mars Society Australia.
Originally published in The Conversation.
Under the new system introduced in July, the total number of student visa subclasses have gone down from eight to two, a student visa and a student guardian visa. And there is now a single immigration risk framework for all international students.Officials believe it offers a broader, simpler and fairer framework for genuine international students and Australian education providers, as well as reducing red tape. It means students apply online for a single student visa subclass and be assessed under a single immigration risk framework. However, there are claims that the new simplified visa processing regime is causing delays to processing overseas student applications and a big spike in visa rejections, causing universities and English language colleges to postpone course.According to education providers, thousands of overseas students, particularly from China, have experienced delays causing education institutions financial stress, threatening longstanding partnerships, and putting at risk a prestigious scholarship programme through which China sends 6,000 of its best postgraduates abroad each year.The Chinese Scholarship Council said is so concerned about the delays it is recommending students approved for postgraduate study in Australia consider other countries. The Australian Council of Graduate Research is also concerned about the situation.According to English Australia, which represents English language colleges, its members have reported that hundreds of overseas students are still waiting on their visas while they are due to start their courses in September.Universities are also reporting problems with students due to start the new term but not yet having their visas. Among them is the University of New South Wales ,which has 350 students from overseas waiting on visas.There has also been a rise in applications this year according to education institutions. Most of the problems seem to be with applications from China, which account for more than a quarter of all international students studying in Australia.Some believe that the actual simplification of the system is the problem as it applies the same criteria to very low risk students from a country like the UK to high risk applications from countries such as Pakistan.The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has admitted that there is a backlog and this has been caused by the change to the student visa system. A spokesman said that the department is on course to complete 75% of application within a month.He also said that students with a place to study at a university or college in Australia can usually arrive on a bridging visa so that they can start their course on time.
Three years later than promised, the iconic American brand enters India with the wrong kind of bang. Makes you wonder, has FCA really got a plan this time?
Just two days before Jeep made its long-overdue foray onto Indias challenging terrain, I found myself at the wheel of a Grand Cherokee Summit Diesel on some literal challenging terrain. There I was, tearing down an absolutely ruined country track that looked like it had been carpet-bombed back into the Jurassic Age by the monsoons. Craters that would give a geologist wet dreams, whose treachery was made just that bit more mysterious by the water that filled them. The perfect environ for something with the iconic seven-slat grille on its nose, then. The Jeep shone. It ploughed through without so much as a creak, rattle or whimper, and it felt like it could take a lot more. The criticisms I had earlier poor interior plastics, heavy steering, clunky ride, ageing tech all suddenly vaporised. This thing was a tank, and this is the battlefield it was made to conquer! I started to see the appeal now this was not something that could merely be judged by the sum of its parts. Much of the draw is intangible, like the feeling of invincibility it gives you. A feeling that was rudely interrupted by one of my rather smitten passengers, inquiring about how much this Rolling Rambo costs. Well... I started, estimating prices in my head.
Actually, give me two days and Ill know for sure.
Flash forward to a ballroom in Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, the third and final event in a lavish two-day launch extravaganza, the numbers flash on the screen, and as everyone collects their jaws from the floor and hits send on their gobsmacked tweet, my first dizzying realisation is, Wow, I really should not have been pushing a Rs 1 crore car so hard off-road. What a difference price makes. The American Dream has just been deflated.
Lets put that into perspective. As a product, the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350d is, without question, this cars closest competitor, not just because its roughly the same size, with a similar seating layout and a similarly sized engine, but also because theyre actually the same car underneath. Yup, these cars were developed back when Daimler and Chrysler were a team, they share a platform, and the fourth-gen Grand Cherokee came out a year before the third-gen M-class (now GLE). So when a GLE 350d costs Rs 72.9 lakh, you really start to wonder why the Grand Cherokee Summit 3.0 diesel costs Rs 30 lakh more. All those vaporised criticisms start to materialise again, and that intangible appeal makes way for an excel sheet with numbers and checkboxes.
Of course, the brouhaha over the prices is only amplified by how long modern Jeep has spent trying to enter India. We first broke the news of Jeeps impending arrival back in 2012, with a launch scheduled for the following year. We even tested the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee extensively back then, assuming the prices were around the corner. We then learned it would be delayed to 2015, with unfavourable market conditions and a careful approach to pricing being the reasons. But, well, here we are today.
The obvious culprit for the stratospheric prices is import duties, since all these cars are CBUs, but then the far newer Volvo XC90 is imported too, and it costs well under a crore. And even if there is a reasonable explanation for why that is so, customers, sadly, are not going to care. They only see the finished product; they dont care about the backstory. Jeep is confident its strong brand value will see it through this, but thinking as an average Indian luxury SUV buyer, why would anyone walk past the tried-and-tested visages of an X5, a Q7, a GLE, a GLS or even an XC90 and pick one of these? The only other brands with the gumption to charge over a crore for a five-seat diesel SUV are Porsche and Range Rover, and theyve had a much longer time building their brands here in India. To most Indians, the Jeep brand is best known for the Willys from WW2 (and subsequently Mahindra), not modern luxury.
Thing is, though, Im talking about a diesel luxury SUV here, and we have several reference points for what such a car should be. The Wrangler, on the other hand, is a wild card (literally). Its also screams JEEP! a lot louder than the Grand Cherokee. Objectively, it too is wildly overpriced at Rs 71.6 lakh, but subjectively, for many, its worth it. Its the real Jeep; the greatest off-roader on the planet (again, literally). Ironically, the most expensive Jeep is the only one that could pass off as good value. Sure, the Grand Cherokee SRT may be about 100hp down and slower than most other super-SUVs, but then it costs about Rs 40 lakh less, at minimum. For 390 cubic inches (6.4 litres) of classic American muscle, thats one hell of a deal.
The sense I get is that this is a stop-gap to the bigger picture. That making a big impression with flagship vehicles was necessary to (re)establish brand Jeep here. The fact that the press release (and Jeep Indias MD Kevin Flynn) talked as much about dealership networks and next years new, locally assembled model as it did about the three cars being launched, says it all. They didnt invest $280 million in the Ranjangaon plant just to burn out with a few overpriced CBUs. At the launch event in Jodhpur, they used palaces, a polo match and Maharajas to establish that they were more than your average luxury brand. I dont imagine these three cars will fly off the shelves, but for FCA Indias sake, I hope this expensive brand-building exercise pays off in the end.
Ford Aspire compact sedan to benefit with exterior and interior upgrades and a new Dragon petrol engine.
It is widely known that Ford has begun work on mid-life facelifts for its Figo range. The Figo hatchback and the upcoming Figo Cross have been spied in India and South America already. Now, a first set of spy shots of the refreshed Figo Aspire compact sedan have surfaced from Turkey. Ford is expected to launch the updated Fiesta range in India sometime next year.
Like the test mules of the Figo facelift and the Figo Cross, the Figo Aspire compact sedans test mule is also heavily camouflaged to hide the updates that its exterior will get. Apart from exterior styling tweaks, the cars interior will also get changes, especially to its dashboard in order to accommodate a touchscreen infotainment system.
Ford will also add the new 1.2-litre Dragon petrol engine in the Figo Aspire sedan which will replace the current motor. The new Dragon series of engines will first make its debut in the refreshed EcoSport that will launch in the coming months. Ford will manufacture these new engines for the Figo, Aspire and the EcoSport in India.
The Dragon range is expected to come with technology like an integrated exhaust manifold, a rocker shaft with hydrodynamic bearings, a variable oil pump and a dual-valve independent valve control. It is also believed to feature individual ignition coils for each cylinder, spark plugs centralised in the combustion chamber and hydraulic tappets with rotor arms. This full-aluminium engine is believed to be over 10 percent lighter than the current four-cylinder Sigma motor.
While the Ford Figo hatchback sold globally has more or less the same body style and dimensions, the Aspire sedan is available in two different lengths. The first is a sub-four-meter version of the car manufactured and sold in India, and a few international markets like South Africa as well. While the second variant based on the Aspire compact sedan is sold in South America and is slightly longer, with a more proportionate and larger boot.
The model spied in Turkey looks to be based on the sub-four-meter Aspire compact sedan. Ford currently does not sell this model in Turkey; however, sighting of a test mule could mean the car will make its debut in facelifted form in the Turkish market in future.
Ford is also readying an all-new hatchback and a sedan codenamed B562 and B563 to take on the Hyundai i20 and the Honda City. Read more on that here.
Image source >> Motor1 Turkey
Jeep prices far more expensive than market expectations; Grand Cherokee most overpriced of the three models. Company blames high customs duties on imports.
After more than two decades, Jeeps return to India was celebrated in grand style. The launch of the iconic American brand was marked by a two-day extravaganza in Jodhpur where invitees were treated like royalty. Unfortunately, the prices of the three Jeep models launched were no less extravagant and way higher than market expectations. Has Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) shot itself in the foot?
Of the three models, the Grand Cherokee is the most overpriced. At Rs 93 lakh for the base Limited and Rs 1.03 crore for the Summit, the Cherokee is more expensive than the massive seven-seat Mercedes GLS. To get some perspective on the Jeeps India pricing, we need to look at the US, Jeeps home market where the Grand Cherokee slots in between the Mercedes GLC and GLE in terms of price. Jeep holds responsible the exorbitant imports duties for this price. However, other luxury brands like Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover to some extent, have either absorbed a part of the higher customs on their imports or are at a benefit by bringing in cars with engine capacities below 2.0 litres, which enjoy a lower import duty against imported cars with engines above 2.0 litres. The other challenge for FCA is that the Grand Cherokee is due for a facelift next year and it will be under pressure to clear existing stock of the current car. This in turn could lead to early discounting which might be the only way for dealers to shift the product, perceived to be exorbitantly priced, out of the showrooms.
Sources tell us that the Grand Cherokee has received few bookings with only about 20 percent of Jeep buyers opting for it. The Wrangler on the other hand, priced at Rs 71 lakh, has received 80 percent of the total bookings. Unlike the Grand Cherokee, which is more of a mainstream luxury SUV that is pitted against formidable German brands, the Wrangler is a unique proposition that has no direct competition. Its possibly the most hardcore off-roader available in the country today and according to sources, nearly all Wrangler customers are looking to further accessorise it. However, it is still expensive by any standard and after the first lot of enthusiasts who have queued up to buy it, there may not be too many takers.
Oddly enough, at Rs 1.12 crore, the priciest Jeep, the SRT version seems well priced, as pound for pound it offers better performance value against other sporty SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (1.9 crore) and the BMW X5 M (1.6 crore). It is also has the largest engine at 6.4 litres. However, the trouble is the brand and luxury value that Jeep lacks when compared to the others. The brand has always been seen closer in stature to a Land Rover rather than a luxurious Range Rover.
With this kind of pricing, it seems Jeep isn't too keen on numbers but is rather hoping to establish the brand for the locally built models. This was also evident by the fact that there were multiple references to local assembly plans at the launch. However, with the premium prices and limited dealer spread (only two currently), these high-end Jeeps may not be able to make much of a market splash to establish the brand for the India-built products set to arrive sometime next year. It may not be a great start for Jeep in India, but this is only the beginning of a long haul in the Indian market.
Also read
BLOG: Jeep: A different kind of obstacle course
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The answer is simple: doubling the modern-age Gullwing's output is a bit more complicated than planning successful a trip to hell and back. Fortunately, though, Californian developer World Motorsports have been working on this for two or three years now (alongside other projects) and their twin-turbo SLS kit is almost ready.They've invited Matt Farah to check out the resulting 900 hp SLS, with the rather tight Big Tujunga Canyon serving as a playground. And the clip below gives us a pretty good taste of how driving such a long-hooded animal feels like.The M159 6.2-liter V8 of the once-a-Grand-Tourer has kept its stock internals, such is the might of the Affalterbach wizards. However, since drivability was the aim here (it's a Benz, remember?), a pair of moderate turbos (Turbonetics T33 frames were used) made their way underneath the vee-eight.However, installing the turbos was the easy part. At the opposite end of the difficulty scale, we find themapping, whose caprices were only rivaled by those of the dual-clutch gearbox. Almost all of these aspects have been sorted out, though and we're looking at a friendly 4,800 rpm peak torque point.The package only delivers 6 lbs of boost, as it has to work with the less-than-brilliant 91-octane fuel. However, going for 100 octane fuel and upping the ante on the boost front should allow this SLS to deliver around 1,100 hp. The reliability wouldn't be the same, though.As for the handling part of the equation, acoilover kit was considered enough. As for future plans, these involve a lowered compression ratio and perhaps even installing such a package on a Black Series, if anybody is willing to pay the astronomical price - while we fully agree with the job we see here, we hope the SLS AMG Black Series the tuned has already bought keeps its superb naturally aspirated character.The kit hasn't been officially priced yet, but it should sit anywhere between 44 and 50 grand, which puts it on par with a twin-turbo Lambo package. This also includes the clutch upgrade, with five proprietary solutions being used overall.Check out this Mercedes-Benz's... family tree (you's find it in our SLS AMG Roadster review ), which basically explains this car was born due to American reasons and the US TT play described here will suddenly make even more sense.P.S.: What's with all the devil mentions? Check out the second video below, a development episode from 2014, and you'll understand.
All Indian Motorcycle Riders Group (IMRG) have probably already received their invitation to the biggest Indian ride-out in Europe that is set to take place on Friday 9th in September.The ride-out will give all our IMRG members one more unforgettable experience in this exciting community, EMEA Marketing Manager for Indian Motorcycle Marion Chouanneau says. Its a great opportunity to celebrate 115 years of Indian Motorcycle. We cant wait to see all our members ride and have fun together.The ride-out will depart from the Indian booth in Area 1 at Faak Am See in Austria and bikers are noticed to be there at around 2:30 pm. The route will take them up on a two-hour-long trip, finishing up at the Burg Landskron, which is located just a few minutes away from Lake Faak.A dinner for all IMRG members will be held there after which the party moves back to the Indian booth so everyone can enjoy a legendary Wall-of-Death Show to end the day.Anyone can attend the ride-out, but the dinner at Burg Landskron is reserved only for IMRG members that have registered their interest to take part. So dont forget to check your inbox for that as on-site registrations will be limited.Indian Motorcycle will also preview the 2017 Roadmaster and Chieftain models in Area 1, that come with the new Ride Command infotainment system. The new tech will be officially launched later in October at the Intermot Show in Cologne.People can also sign up on site to test ride one of the many models Indian will bring at Faak Am See, including the Chief Classic, Chief Vintage, Chieftain, Chief Dark Horse and Springfield.
Both the Enzo and the F50 were built in similar one less than total demand batches, but it looks like the LaFerrari will become an exception to this rather odd rule. Ferrari Chairman, CEO and black pullover enthusiast Sergio Marchionne announced today that Maranello will manufacture one more LaF.Those guessing that this exclusive LaFerrari will probably cost an arm and a leg compared to any of the other 499 units is probably not wrong, but before you take out the pitchforks, you should listen to the rest of the information.As some of you know, Italy was hit by an earthquake that measured 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale on August 24. Sadly, at least 294 have been killed, and dozens of others are still missing because of the cataclysm, so Ferrari's head honcho decided to do something about it.The 500th Ferrari LaFerrari will be sold at an auction and all the proceeds, and we're probably talking about a hefty sum, will benefit the victims of the earthquake.The announcement came on the occasion of a bilateral summit held between the Italian and German governments at Ferrari's headquarters in Maranello.While the decision was made for a good cause, there are bound to be at least a couple of LaFerrari owners, which were promised a limited edition hypercar that no longer sounds so limited.That said, we really hope that whoever will buy the final model of the special Ferrari breed will pay enough money to help as many people as possible. It is a bit strange that the Prancing Horse didn't decide to auction one of the upcoming LaFerrari Apertas for this unfortunate event, though, but we don't judge.
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A new teaser video from Honda popped up on the Internet, revealing more of the much-awaited ADV scooter that is supposed to allow riders do both economic, efficient commuting and hit some dirt over the weekend.Yes, the uncanny crossover idea is spreading from the automotive market to the two-wheeled world, as the Honda ADV looks to be the love fruit of a maxi-scooter and a light adventure bike.In fact, the upcoming ADV scooter borrows much of its components from the Honda NC750X and the Integra , including its frame, the 750cc parallel-twin, and theautomatic transmission.Along with that, the ADV is fitted with USD forks, wired wheels, a longer swingarm and twin front brakes.will be fitted as standard in Europe according to the legislation, while other markets will probably offer it as an option. Extra adventure bits include a belly plate, had guards and an adjustable windshield.The Honda ADV scooter has been teased before in another clip, showing it riding around the busy streets of a city in most part. Quick-shifting video sequences werent revealing much of its design, but the new video below solves that as well as focusing on the machines off-road abilities.From here you can see the upcoming final product looks almost exactly as the concept showcased at EICMA last year, with sharp angles and a frowny mean little face. We also hope the video editors havent tampered with the exhaust sound because we really like that low growl heard in this clip.The opening sequence of the clip shows some interesting data in the top left corner. One line reads Honda 2017, suggesting the ADV is part of the 2017 lineup. And there are also some coordinates, which I ran through the internet and points to a dusty road on the coast of the island of Sardinia, Italy, the place where the bike got tested out.The video ends with the scooter being packed in a shipping container while the outro says The Story Continues 15/09/16, suggesting the ADV scooter is sent somewhere off the island. Our guess is that its heading to EICMA 2016 in Italy, where it will make its official debut.
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Don't expect the family destination to bring a conservative styling approach, though. In fact, the Kodiaq makes a clear styling statements, being one of the most visual-bold models ever released by the carmaker. And by that, we don't mean the kind of polarizing (to say the least) early Superb bold.With the Superb being the first representative of Skoda's new design language, the high-riding serves this purpose perfectly - from whichever angle you look at it, you know you're dealing with the Czech automaker. And it also continues Skoda's process of climbing the quality ladder, as its appearance has nothing to do with the idea of a budget vehicle, at least in the superior trim seem here.Compared to the VisionS Concept , which previewed the Kodiaq back in March at the Geneva Motor Show, the Kodiaq hasn't lost its charm.Unfortunately, we can't say the same thing about the cabins of the two vehicles - we recently showed you the first interior pics of the Kodiaq, an official release and it feels like the dashboard has more in common with the VW Teramont 7-seaterthan the Vision S.Nevertheless, we'll have to physically enter the Kodiaq in order to tell you whether the cabin matches the exterior in terms of appeal or delivers a mid-2000s SEAT feeling - back in the days of the second-generation Leon, the Spanish automaker's models showed a strong contrast between their cool exteriors and the mediocre quality of their interiors.Riding on the sameplatform as the new Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda's new crossover has distanced itself from the truly-upmarket VW, betting on the practicality card. For instance, its generous exterior dimensions will make it larger than the fresh SEAT Ateca, a Spanish crossover that also shares this incarnation of the MQB platform: the Kodiaq will be at least 4.7 meters (185 inches) long and 1.88 meters (74 inches) wide, with the standard five-seat configuration being joined by an optional 7-seat layout.The luggage compartment is the largest in the segment, being able to swallow up to 720 liters (25.4 cubic feet) of your stuff.The high-ground-clearance Skoda will come with a generous engine line-up. The diesel side of the range will include 150 and 190 hp versions of the current 2.0family. When it comes to gas units, a 1.4 TSI will be offered in both 125 and 150 hp versions and it remains to be seen what output Skoda will choose for the range-topping 2.0 TSI. Once the Superb hybrid marks the debut of such a powerplant for the brand, a move coming by late 2019, the Kodiaq will also get a gas-electric model.Skoda will deliver the full info and media for the Kodiaq later today, so your dog doesn't have too much waiting to do.The below-the-line photos keep coming, so we've added a few studio images showing a white Kodiaq, along with two more cabin photos.
Still, even somebody who has been overseeing rally competitions for all his life would find himself powerless against a wandering stray dog. It's not like you can wave your flag at it and hope it'll get away from the track. Reasoning won't help either. A bag of treats would work wonders, but who is clever enough to stuff his pockets with sausage the morning before the race?At the end of the day, there's a limit to what you can do. Besides, going out on the track would also put you in harm's way, so there are moments when doing nothing is actually the right course of action. It's called damage control and it's all one can do in certain situations.We're not saying that's necessarily what's happening here. Even if you don't speak Spanish, you can hear these men being absolutely zero concerned about the welfare of the stray dog that had was walking down the dirt track.They knew a car was coming, and yet nobody tried to whoosh the canine away. There is one guy who yells that there's a dog in the way, but we sure hope he wasn't trying to convey the message to the oncoming driver, because that would be hilarious. Most likely, he was talking to that guy in uniform who jumps in after the car went by.But we wouldn't be too harsh on these guys. You can never know what your reactions would be in a critical situation like this until you're faced with something similar. You might think you would have done things differently, only to find out you'd freeze just the same when the real deal happens. Besides, everything turned out OK in the end.It all happened during a rally stage in Bolivia. The runaway dog didn't catch the reason why all those men were sitting beside the track, so it walked down as if they all just wanted to clear the way for it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and soon enough the real reason they sat there started to make itself heard.The dog was still oblivious, so it continued its walk. When it realized its mistake, it was all too late and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo was just a few meters behind, on full throttle. Fortunately, something almost miraculous happened, and the mutt lived to bark another day. Trust us, as hard as it might seem at some point, continue watching the clip, it's 100 percent gore-free.
The answer comes in the form of the McLaren P1 shown in the footage at the bottom of the page. And, in our book, this is just as orange-hued as it is a green vehicle thanks to its gas-electric setup.Focusing on the color, a more... traditional shade of orange can be found of the 570S GT4 racecar, which you can find in the second part of the clip. Speaking of which, the 4k resolution will allow you to focus on every little detail of these Woking machines, so each second of the two-minute-plus footage is nothing short of delicious.The two Macs greeted the public late last month at the Monterey Car Week, but with the Californian high-octane gathering having brought tons and tons of cool (and uncool ) goodies, we couldn't find the time to bring you these McLarens until now.Returning to the orange P1, this is a showcase of Mclaren Special Operations possibilities, with the automaker's personalisation arm growing exponentially.Sure, the P1, with its 375-unit production run, might be the most exclusive of member of the HHHT (Holy Hybrid Hypercar Trinity), but this doesn't mean one owner will be willing to have a similar car to another.And if you think the gas-electric McLaren we have here is extreme in terms of appearance, you should check out another recent P1 MSO effort. We're talking about the time when the Brits deliver a matching livery P1 and MP4/ Formula One racecar. Not that's a combo to remember.And giving your McLaren the MSO treatment has other benefits - for instance, if you're looking to buy and uber-limited model such as the MSO HS (you know, the 688 PS beast that's said to only come in 25 examples), the extend to which you had customized your previous Macs could determine your chances of grabbing one - here's an example of this.
Photo courtesy of FCA.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to its Uconnect infotainment system that will be added to 2017 model year vehicles as it enters its fourth generation.
FCA will initially offer the new Uconnect system with 2017 models of its Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Challenger, the company has announced.
The fourth-generation Uconnect also includes performance improvements that enable a faster start-up time and enhanced processing power. Uconnect will display on larger 8.4-inch touchscreens.
In a related update, the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee will arrive with Off-road Pages, which allows the driver to monitor off-road performance and capability, including terrain modes, coolant and oil temperatures, wheel articulation, and steering angle.
Uconnect was launched in 2003.
Image of Hyundai Genesis courtesy of Hyundai.
Hyundai Motor America is recalling 3,031 2015 model-year Genesis sedans so dealers can address malfunctioning instrument clusters, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The cars at issue were manufactured from Feb. 1, 2015, through May 20, 2015. They are all equipped with a seven-inch TFT-LCD instrument cluster that may display an incorrect vehicle speed or may illuminate warning lights incorrectly. The clusters also might fail to illuminate a warning light when needed.
Hyundai dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge, to fix the problem. The recall is expected to begin on Sept. 30. Vehicle owners can reach Hyundai customer service at (800) 633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 147.
Photo of Subaru Outback courtesy of Subaru.
Subaru of America is recalling 99 Subaru Outbacks in the 2017 model year because of potential vehicle stability and braking problems tied to loose bolts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
These Outback vehicles were manufactured June 20-23 of this year. They may have improperly tightened attaching bolts for the front left and right brake calipers, wheel hubs, and the right stabilizer clamp, NHTSA said.
If these bolts loosen or detach, the related components would also become loose and might detach. The vehicle might become unstable and braking capability might diminish as a result, posing a crash risk.
Dealers will inspect the bolts for proper torque and replace any loose bolts. There will be no charge for this service.
The recall began on Aug. 8. Vehicle owners can reach Subaru customer service at (800) 782-2783. Subarus number for this recall is WTE-66.
Farmers in a village in Armenias southeastern Vayots Dzor province disrupted classes in a local school on Thursday in a fresh protest against local distilleries failure to pay for grapes purchased from them last year.
The residents of the wine-growing village, Aghavnadzor, are still owed a total of 140 million drams ($295,000) despite repeated promises given by the Vedi Alco company and other wineries as well as the Armenian government after similar demonstrations staged earlier this year.
The increasingly desperate farmers blocked the entrance to the Aghavnadzor school on the first day of Armenias new academic year. They thus prevented its 200 or so students, many of them their children, from attending classes, saying that they are unable to support their families and repay their agricultural loans.
The government knows, the agriculture ministry knows, the prime minister knows about our situation, one of the villagers told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). But theyve always given us false promises Weve run out of patience.
Many of the students gathered in the school courtyard voiced support for the protesters demands. As one teenage boy explained: Because of a certain Vedi Alco, my father has gone to Russia to make some money there.
I must inform my superiors about this situation but I dont know what will happen afterwards, the school principal, Nahapet Manukian, said for his part.
The farmers ended the protest several hours later after the Vayots Dzor governor, Harutyun Sargsian, and the Vedi Alco owner, Manvel Badalian, arrived in Aghavnadzor to negotiate with them. Both men assured them that they will finally get paid for their produce soon.
Badalian claimed that he has for months tried unsuccessfully to secure a commercial bank loan to repay Vedi Alcos debt. He also said he had warned the farmers beforehand about likely delays in the payments.
Many Armenian wine and brandy producers oriented towards the Russian market suffered significant losses last year as a result of a sharp depreciation of Russias national currency, the ruble. They have blamed their failure to pay for the grapes on time on those losses.
Robert Makarian, a deputy minister of agriculture, downplayed the arrears in early August. Markarian said that liquor firms currently owe only 830 million drams ($1.75 million) to farmers across the country for last falls grape purchases that were worth 31.5 billion drams.
1 September 2016 10:22 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
Today Armenia faces catastrophic population decline due to the large-scale migration. Thousands of people leave the country every year for various reasons: unemployment, corruption, impossibility to withstand the countrys government, etc.
The situation in Armenian schools is evidence to exodus of Armenians: a number of schools fail to enroll first-graders for years families are gone.
An especially great disappointment for Armenia is outflow of people from borderline villages, where the economic decline is the biggest and hopelessness of life is much more.
The situation in Armenia has reached such an extent that some schools of the country do not receive any first-grader for years. Armenian journalist Tatul Hakobyan recently visited border villages of Aygepar and Nerkin Karmiraghbyur and found out that only twins Arshak and Artak Anikyan will start first grade in Aygepar on September 1. The school of this village, which is closest to the Armenian-Azerbaijani borderline, will involve 48 students this year, while this figure was 170 a few years ago. Situation is even more deplorable in Nerkin Karmiraghbyur. Total number of students in its school is 75 as of this year, while the figure was up to 400 students in early 90s.
The obtained information horrified the journalist, although it is hardly surprising all these are a result of the unwise policy pursued by the Armenian government for last two decades.
By the way, not only the border villages of Armenia became depopulated in recent years the whole countryside of this poor South Caucasian nation is gradually turning into a desert.
Thus, high school of the Dashtadem village in Lori region cannot release graduates for last six years, News.am states. School director Sergey Aghajanian says that a graduate will only be in 2018. Currently, the school educates just 12 students, with one to three children in each class. It seems funny that the number of teachers of the Dashtadem school exceeds the number of schoolchildren.
Moreover, Armenian media constantly state that reproduction of the population in a number of Armenian regions, particularly in Shirak and Lori, has dropped to zero rate.
All this indicate the wrong policy of Armenian government, which is busy of embezzlement of national budget rather than populations well-being. That is why more and more Armenians together with their children leave the country in search of a better place to live.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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1 September 2016 11:16 (UTC+04:00)
The Armenian armed units violated ceasefire with Azerbaijan a total of 17 times throughout the day, Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry reported on September 1.
Armenian armed units, stationed in the Voskevan village of Armenia's Noyemberyan region, Aygepar village in Berd region and in the nameless hills of the Krasnoselsk region, opened fire at the positions of Azerbaijani armed forces located in the Gushchu Ayrim village of Azerbaijan's Gazakh region, Alibayli and Kokhanebi villages in Tovuz region, as well as on nameless hills of the Gadabay region.
Along the contact line, Azerbaijani positions also came under fire from Armenian positions situated near the Kurapotkino village of Khojavend region, Horadiz village of the Fuzuli region.
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions.
The OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, proceeding talks based on the renewed Madrid principles.
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1 September 2016 14:42 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
The volume of investments made in Armenia drastically fell, while the figure is less than the volume of money leaving the country.
In the first half of 2016, the volume of foreign net direct investment made up 16.9 billion drams ($35.6 million), while this figure was 81.9 billion drams ($172.4 million) in the same period of last year, according to the data published by Armenian National Statistical Service.
Net direct investment is a balance of import and export of capital, and this means that in the first half of 2016 Armenia spent $35.6 million more investment than received.
The money were mainly exported to Russia $58.6 million, offshore in Cyprus $5 million, Luxembourg $6.1 million, the Netherlands $9 million, France $2.1 million, and Lebanon $1.7 million.
As for direct investment in Armenia, it has decreased by almost half compared to the same period of 2016. In the first six months, the volume of direct investment made up 16.5 billion drams ($34.8 million), while this figure was 30.7 billion ($64.7 million) for the same period of 2015.
The Armenian state budget, not surprisingly, also faced decrease this year. In the first seven months of the current year, revenues of the Armenian state budget made up approximately 633.4 billion drams ($1.33 billion), while the expenses were 717.2 billion drams ($1.51 billion), according to the official statistical data.
The revenues of Armenian state budget decreased by 2.2 billion drams ($4.64 million) or 0.3 percent compared to the same period of last year.
Thus, it is obvious that the public money in Armenia are misused by the government while the money leave the country, majority of Armenians, thanks to the countrys authorities, have no choice but to live under sorrowful conditions.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
1 September 2016 18:10 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
Every year, hundreds of Armenian children fail to attend schools for social problems that covered the whole country. This year, the number of such children increased even more.
Thus, 302 children will not attend school and leave their education incomplete, the Armenian National Center of Educational Technologies declared. 191 of them forced to leave the school because of difficult social conditions, 1in.am reported.
In 2015, relatively smaller number of children remained without education in this poor South Caucasian country 250 people, and 143 of them for social obstacles.
Ruzanna Muradyan, MP from Republican Party of Armenia, commenting on the issue stated that these statistics are alarming indeed.
She noted that in the past there was a special working procedure for children left outside the education system. The procedure identified causes of that; moreover, work on the childrens returning to school was being carried out. Muradyan stressed that today Armenia have several such social programs and many people willing to help. However, the problem is that Armenian government cannot systematize all that in one.
Member of faction "Hello, Yerevan!" Anahit Bakhshyan, in turn, noted that, according to the law, the responsibility to ensure that children are involved in the educational system is entrusted to the local authorities and, first and foremost, to directors of schools.
Director should find out the reasons, and the society should be very attentive and take care of this issue," Bakhshyan stressed.
In the meantime, many Armenian children, instead of going to school and receiving knowledge, have to work every day to provide food for their poor families. About 30 percent of working children in Armenia are under 14, statistics reveal.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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1 September 2016 17:50 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
About 100 citizens, including 23 journalists were injured on the night of July 30 during the riots in the Sari Tagh district of Yerevan, the Special Investigation Service of Armenia announced on August 31.
Starting from July 17, the day when armed group Sasna Tsrer seized the building of a police station in Yerevan, and up to its liberation on July 31, people carried out their protest actions against authorities by gathering on Yerevans streets, especially on the street of Movses Khorenatsi. After another rally held on the night of July 30 Armenian police with extreme violence detained 165 people on Khorenatsi street and in the Sari Tagh district.
The results of the investigation and proceedings of the Special Investigation Service of Armenia on the facts of July 30 riots in Sari Tagh district showed that the riots affected, presumably, 99 citizens, including 23 journalists, RIA Novosti stated.
Following the riots, a criminal case was instituted on different articles of the Criminal code of Armenia, namely abuse of official powers, misuse of official powers with use of violence, weapons or special means, and hindrance to legal professional activities of journalists.
During the investigation into the case, 74 people were interviewed, 63 recognized injured, and 11 people were questioned as witnesses by August 31. Moreover, there were instructions given for finding another 25 citizens.
Armenian police also mistreated journalists who were doing their job in the places of protests. Thus, 21 of the 23 representatives of various media were interviewed and 19 of them were recognized as victims, two were interrogated as witnesses.
The data of the criminal case shows that 47 people got shrapnel injuries, 36 were subjected to physical violence, while five suffered burns.
However, it seems that Armenian authorities, as they like to do, conceal the real figures of the July riots' victims, which must be huge.
On July 17, a group of armed men entered the territory of the Armenian police patrol department in the Erebuni district of Yerevan and took several people hostage. The attackers demanded the release of Armenian opposition figure Jirair Sefilyan, who was arrested on charges of illegal possession of arms. They also demanded resignation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
Following the long-lasting talks, the armed group on July 23 released all of the hostages. Nevertheless, they refused to lay arms down and surrender to the authorities. On July 27, the group took new hostages. They were four ambulance doctors who arrived at the police station to assist the wounded in the shootout between the police and Sasna Tsrer members. By July 31, they were also released, and the armed group surrendered. The two-week seizure took lives of two Armenian police officers.
From the first day of the seizure, Armenian people started their protest actions against authorities by gathering on Yerevans streets. Following the rally in Sari Tagh district of Yerevan, the police brutally dispersed the protesters and arrested 165 people. As a result, 73 citizens addressed medical institutions with injuries of varying degrees of severity.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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1 September 2016 11:42 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Azerbaijan and Iran, the two neighbor countries, which enjoy rapidly improving and friendly relations, are currently considering the issue of expanding bilateral ties.
Azerbaijan has invited Iranian entrepreneurs to actively cooperate with local businessmen, said Sahib Mammadov, Azerbaijans Deputy Economy Minister, while addressing the Azerbaijani-Iranian business meeting in Baku on August 31.
More than 80 local and Iranian businessmen participated in the meeting organized by Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO).
Mammadov said that Azerbaijan and Iran have great potential to develop the cooperation in various spheres of economy, underlining that the meeting will contribute to further improvement of ties and expansion of trade relations between the two countries.
Irans Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen, in turn, said that the two countries entered a new stage of development of relations and relations in the economic sphere are developing successfully, as in other spheres.
Chairman of the Agricultural Chamber of Commerce of Iranian North Khorasan province Mohammad Samedi, in turn highlighted certain projects implementation of which is envisaged in the areas of agriculture, tourism, healthcare, pharmaceutics, production of motor cars and spare parts for them.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran amounted to $105.7 million in January-July 2016, more than $77 million of which accounted for imports from Iran, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.
Meanwhile, Iranian delegation representing Irans North Khorasan Province Chamber of Commerce is on a visit to Azerbaijan to explore the market for more cooperation with the Azerbaijani side, Iran's embassy in Baku told Trend
Irans ambassador said that businessmen from both sides should grasp their common grounds to evermore strengthen their ties. He also mentioned that Iranian products enjoy enough quality to compete with other products in the Azerbaijani market, underlining that food and construction products imported from Iran are popular among Azerbaijani consumers.
Agriculture is one of the most important spheres for Azerbaijan and Iran, both countries have a great potential to boost agriculture cooperation. Among the top issues for the two countries in the sphere are joint use of agricultural lands, production of goods oriented for exportation to other countries, leasing of cultivation areas to Iranian farmers, promotion of investment opportunities, and import and export of agrarian goods.
Calling for the removal of mutual trade obstacles, the ambassador said that facilitating tourism, reducing tariffs, coordinating the affairs of customs administrations, and establishing peace at border areas have greatly contributed to the improvement of relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.
Baku will soon host The Iran Project 2016, the second Iranian specialized exhibition, of oil and gas, petrochemicals, construction, energy, utilities and engineering and technical services of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Azerbaijan, which is scheduled for September 19-21.
Azerbaijan's exports to Iran almost doubled to $14.4 million in the first quarter of 2016, while imports increased from $19.4 million in 2015 to $27 million in 2016.
The Islamic Republic of Iran recognized independence of Azerbaijan on December 25, 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on March 12, 1992.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
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1 September 2016 14:04 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
The jazz pianist and composer, Salman Gambarov will take part in the Stars from all Eastern Countries concert in the cities of Germany and Netherlands.
The musician will perform the works of world musicians and his improvisations, made from separate classical jazz samples, in the cities of Osnaburg and Amsterdam.
Moreover, he will share the same stage with French jazz musician Michel Godard.
Being extremely passionate about music since childhood, Salman played grand piano and picked up the most difficult compositions when he was only four years old.
Later, studying at a secondary specialized musical school named after Bulbul, Salman amazed people with his extraordinary play and a special approach to music.
As a pianist he continued his education at Azerbaijan State Conservatoire named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov, from where he graduated as a theorist-musicologist and as a composer.
Being a student, Salman was listening more seriously to jazz and taking a professional interest in it.
Gambarov's first composition called "Variations for fortepiano" was conferred the first premium in the All-Union contest of composers in 1987, in Moscow.
His aspiration for folk jazz is revealed in a soundtrack written by film to a silent film "Latif" and also in a "East or West?" project music to which was written in a London studio called "The Premises, in 2000.
In addition to everything else, Salmanov is the founder of group called "Bakustic Jazz" (1996).
"Bakustic Jazz" participated at various local and international festivals such as "Baku International Jazz Festival", "GIFT-Tbilisi" (Georgia), "Oriental Jazz Fest" (Germany), Transsib Inter Jazz (Russia), "Art of improvisation" (Ukraine), "Restoration of disturbed connections" (Mongolia), "Astana Blues" (Kazakhstan), "Montreux Jazz Festival" (Switzerland), "Kaunas Jazz" (Lithuania) and many others.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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1 September 2016 13:00 (UTC+04:00)
Bosco Conference invites professionals to participate in the IV annual international b2c Conference & Expo -- InvestPro Azerbaijan Baku 2016.
The event will be held at JW Marriott Hotel Absheron Baku on October 24-25, 2016.
Within InvestPro conference speakers from top companies will share a unique experience in investment structures, wealth management, assets and information protection, citizenship, business immigration, international tax planning, corporate structures, banking, private equity, confidentiality in various jurisdictions and discuss up to date topics.
The conference program includes Azerbaijan, Hungary, Singapore, UAE, Malta, USA, UK, Latvia, Cyprus, Seychelles, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Estonia and Iran.
For companies from Azerbaijan 1st & 2nd delegates are free of charge. For companies from other countries the participation is 250 euros
Official languages are English and Russian. Simultaneous translation will be provided during the day.
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1 September 2016 10:28 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh will hold consultations in Moscow on September 8, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on August 31.
"The meeting will be attended by Igor Popov (Russia), James Warlick (USA), Pierre Andrieu (France) and the OSCE Chairperson-in-Offices Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk. They plan to meet with the Foreign Ministry leadership," the diplomat said, according to TASS.
Zakharova mentioned that they will discuss important issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.
Two decades of talks mediated by the OSCE MG group have failed to produce a breakthrough, and the renewed hostilities in April 2016, the worst since the ceasefire deal signed in 1994, were assessed as the result of inactivity of the international community.
Special attention is planned to be focused on the progress of the implementation of the agreements made at the summits on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement in Vienna on May 16 and St. Petersburg on June 20," she said, adding that prospects for further joint work will also be considered.
Zakharova stressed that it will be regular consultations the main goal of which is "to coordinate the efforts of the three countries in the sphere of Nagorno-Karabakh settlement."
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has met Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan twice since the April escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh, first in Vienna in May, and the second time in St. Petersburg in June along with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Nagorno-Karabakh talks held in St. Petersburg between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents and mediated by the Russian president were deemed useful and important by observers, while Baku called it constructive.
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1 September 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
Azerbaijan, leaving behind the notoriously hot summer months, begins to cool down in September, when the summer season ends.
The average monthly temperature in September is expected to be close to the climatic norm along with a small positive margin in some places, the National Hydrometeorology Department of the Ministry of Ecology reported.
In Baku and Absheron peninsula, average monthly temperature is predicted to be +22-24C which is close to the climatic norm.
At nights temperature will be +17-22C at night. In the afternoons of the first half of the month the temperature will be + 24-29C but in several days will rise up +32C.
Monthly precipitation will be close to the climatic norm (12-23mm) and a little below the norm in some places.
In Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, average monthly temperature is predicted to be +20-23C which is close to the climatic norm and above the norm. At nights temperature will be +12-17C. In the afternoons the temperature will be +25-30C but will rise up to +33-35C in the several days. Monthly rainfall is expected to be close to the climatic norm (norm 7-13 mm).
In Upper Karabakh: Khankandi, Shusha, Khojali, Khocavand; Gubadli, Zangilan, Lachin, Kalbajar and Dashkasan, Gadabay regions, average monthly temperature predicted to be +14-18C which is nigh to the climatic norm.At nights the temperature will be +10-15C. In the afternoons temperature will be +15-20C, and will be+23-25C in some days. Monthly rainfall is expected to be close to the climatic norm (norm 35-40 mm) and a little above the norm in some places.
In Gazakh-Ganja, Goranboy, Tar-Tar-Agdam-Agjabadi-Fuzuli-Jabrail regions
Average monthly temperature is predicted to be +20-22C which is close to the climatic norm. At nights the temperature will be +14-19C. In the afternoons the temperature will be +23-28C, will be+30-34C in some days in the second and third decade. Monthly rainfall is expected to be close to the climatic norm (norm 17-44mm) and a little above the norm in some places.
In Balakan, Zagatala, Qakh, Sheki, Oguz, Gabala, Ismailly, Agsu, Shamakhy, Siyazan, Shabran, Khizi, Guba, Khachmaz, Gusar regions
Average monthly temperature is predicted to be +17-20C which is close to the climatic norm.At nights the temperature will be +11-16C. In the afternoons temperature will be from +19-24C, will be+30C in some days. Monthly rainfall is expected to be close to the climatic norm (norm 33-120 mm) and a little above the norm in some places.
In Central-Aran: Agdash, Mingachevir, Yevlakh, Kurdamir, Imishli, Beylagan, Sabirabad, Bilasuvar, Saatli, Shirvan, Hajgabul, Salyan, Neftchala regions, average monthly temperature is predicted to be +21-24C which is close to the climatic norm.
At nights the temperature will be +18-23C. In the afternoons the temperature will be from +24-29C, will be +33C in some days in the second and third decade. Monthly rainfall is expected to be close to the climatic norm (norm 14-38 mm) and a little above the norm in some places.
The average monthly temperature in Masall-Lankaran-Astara-Lerik, Yardimli regions is predicted to be +20-23C which is close to the climatic norm. At nights the temperature will be +16-21C. In the afternoons the temperature will be from +22-27C, will rise up to +32C in some days in the second and third decade. Monthly rainfall is expected to be close to the climatic norm (norm 50-199 mm).
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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1 September 2016 14:16 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev attended a ceremony as the jacket for one of the Shahdeniz Stage 2 platforms has sailed away from the Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jackets Factory on September 1, Azertac reported.
President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev and BP Vice-President for Shah Deniz 2 Projects Ewan Drummond informed the head of state of the work carried out under the project.
President Aliyev pressed the button to start the sail away of the jacket. The head of state then had a meeting with the staff here.
Dear friends, today is a very remarkable day for our country. We are sailing away the Shah Deniz 2 platform jacket, said the president.
"I congratulate you, the whole Azerbaijani people with this remarkable event. This is a historical event," said President Aliyev. "The contract on Shah Deniz was signed 20 years ago and throughout these years, it has been implemented successfully. All tasks are being fulfilled."
President Aliyev noted that the platform jacket, which was sailed away today, shows that Azerbaijan is a country able to carry out great work.
"It is gratifying that the jacket and topside of the platform are fully constructed in Azerbaijan," said the president. "The vast majority of those working on the construction of these grandiose facilities are Azerbaijani citizens. This is the result of the 'Contract of the Century'."
One of the conditions of the "Contract of the Century" signed in 1994 was that gradually, local specialists and workers should prevail, said the president.
"Today, over 80 percent of the workers are Azerbaijani citizens, and this means new jobs," said Ilham Aliyev.
He pointed out that over 20,000 Azerbaijani citizens participate in the implementation of the Shah Deniz project, get good salary and gain experience.
Those citizens will work in other projects in the future, added the president.
President Aliyev noted that Shah Deniz 2 project is of great importance not only for Azerbaijan, but for the whole region and Europe.
Ilham Aliyev pointed out that the contract on Shah Deniz project was signed over 20 years ago and currently, the great results of this can be seen.
"Azerbaijani gas is being exported to the countries of the region for many years," he said. "Azerbaijan has fully ensured its energy security and plays its role in ensuring the energy security of other countries. This role will gradually increase."
"Shah Deniz and Southern Gas Corridor projects are among the greatest energy projects in the world," said President Aliyev. "The construction of the Southern Gas Corridor continues successfully. All this work is carried out in a coordinated manner."
"I am confident that the work carried out on schedule will be completed in 2018-2020 and thereby, even greater volumes of Azerbaijani gas will be transported to the neighbouring countries and European countries," said the president.
The president said that the Southern Gas Corridor brings together seven countries.
"Azerbaijan continues its leadership activity in this sphere. Baku hosted two meetings of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Board in 2016," he said.
"We have created a new format of the international cooperation. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and Italy are participants of this project. Aside from that, three Balkan countries - Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia will join this project at the next stage," said President Aliyev. "Thereby, new opportunities are opening up for the export of Azerbaijani gas to other countries as well in the future. This is created by us jointly with partners. This is created by Azerbaijani people."
The president praised the role of SOCAR and BP in the work done for the implementation of this project.
"There is a great history of SOCAR-BP cooperation. This cooperation has been continuing for over 20 years and this is a successful collaboration. The work done and to be done will ensure the activity of SOCAR and BP as close partners at least for the next 20 years more," said Ilham Aliyev.
The work to be done in Azerbaijan will bring even greater benefits both to foreign partners, foreign companies and SOCAR and Azerbaijani people," he added.
Ilham Aliyev pointed out that today, it is impossible to imagine where Azerbaijan would be, if it wasn't for the "Contract of the Century", signed in 1994 at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev.
"Contract of the Century' is the main source of the landscaping work, sustainable economy, and large foreign exchange reserves," said the president. "Azerbaijan came under certain pressure during that hard and difficult period. The decisiveness, courage farsightedness of Heydar Aliyev and his connection with the people ensured the signing of the 'Contract of the Century'."
"I am proud that during this period, I participated is the talks held before the signing of the contract in 1994. After this, working at SOCAR, I was directly involved in these issues," said Ilham Aliyev.
"Currently, as president, I keep all the work under control and take necessary steps for the future development of Azerbaijan's energy policy," he added.
President Aliyev noted that currently, Azerbaijan is known on the world map as a reliable partner, which deserves respect.
"We fulfill all the obligations and have created good opportunities for foreign investors. Their investments are protected by the law. Otherwise, no one would invest billions, tens of billions of dollars in Azerbaijan," he said.
"Azerbaijan is a very attractive country for making investments. I am glad that currently, local and foreign investments are made not only in the oil and gas sector, but also in other fields," said Ilham Aliyev. "The foundation of all this work was laid on Sept.20, 1994."
"The agreement signed on the Shah Deniz project in 1996 became another successful step, despite the fact that during that time, there were no talks about the energy security in the world and especially, in Europe and gas projects didn't have such a great importance," said the president.
"It was believed that gas projects do not bring such great revenues. There were certain doubts. But we were confident that Azerbaijan will have its say in the gas sector as well," he added.
Currently, Azerbaijan is among the major gas countries. The production and transportation will increase, he said, adding that Azerbaijan can play a transit role in the future, just as currently, it plays this role in the transportation of oil and oil products.
Thereby, the power, the significance of our country will increase. Azerbaijani people will live even better, said President Aliyev.
The goal of all this work done is to ensure even better life for Azerbaijani citizens, even more strengthen the countrys economic independence and increase its role and significance in the world, he said. We see all this. Therefore, todays event is very symbolic. This is the bright example of the carried out work.
Azerbaijani citizens carry out this great, grandiose work jointly with foreign partners and foreign investors, said Ilham Aliyev.
The president pointed out that each patriotic citizen of Azerbaijan is proud of that.
I take this opportunity to thank all those who participated in this work - Azerbaijani workers, specialists, foreign partners, BP company and other partners, he said. This is our common cause and each of the parties foreign companies, Azerbaijani state, Azerbaijani companies, Azerbaijani citizens get their benefits. I congratulate you with this remarkable event.
President Aliyev said that the topside of the platform will be commissioned in 2017.
God willing, we will meet with you next year at the next ceremony. Congratulations again, said the president.
The transportation, launch, positioning and pile installation activities of the Production and Risers (PR) platform jacket structure have been carefully planned and are expected to take around 40 days to complete, BP reported.
The construction of the jacket was completed on schedule and on July 29 , 2016 it was successfully loaded out onto the transportation barge STB-1 at the quayside of BDJF in preparation for the sail away to the Shah Deniz contract area in the Caspian Sea.
The PR platform jacket, built by the BOS Shelf, Star Gulf and Saipem consortium, was fully constructed in country at the BDJF, using local construction infrastructure and facilities. Over 4700 people including sub-contractors and specialist vendors were involved in the construction works. Some 90% of the construction workforce was Azerbaijan citizens.
Ewan Drummond, Vice-President, Shah Deniz 2 Projects, said that the first jacket sail away is an important milestone.
We are pleased to have achieved this as we move towards completion of other areas of the project. I would like to thank the Government of Azerbaijan and SOCAR for their support and cooperation in moving this giant project forward. My thanks are also to all people representing BP, contractors and subcontractors whose hard work has made it possible to achieve this milestone with excellent safety results. I would like to specifically thank the BOS Shelf, Star Gulf and Saipem consortium for their firm commitment to BPs safety standards throughout the 2-year construction period. I take real pride in being able to say that the jacket with the highest number of risers in the Caspian was delivered without a single day off from work case throughout the site total of 14.6 million man-hours to date. This really is a great achievement and I am confident that the offshore installation will be performed with the same level of commitment to safety and quality.
The PR platform jacket weighs 13,150 tonnes and stands 105 metres high. It contains 12 production risers, 3 export risers and a dedicated monoethylene glycol (MEG) import riser. The jacket will be installed in a water depth of 94 metres.
Shah Deniz Stage 2, or Full Field Development is a giant project that will add a further 16 billion cubic meters per year (bcma) of gas production to the approximately 9 bcma produced by Shah Deniz Stage 1.
Shah Deniz Stage 2, one of the largest gas developments in the world, will help increase European energy security by bringing Caspian gas resources to markets in Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor project for the very first time.
First gas is targeted in late 2018, with supplies to Georgia and Turkey. Gas deliveries to Europe are expected just over a year after first gas.
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1 September 2016 11:27 (UTC+04:00)
By Laman Ismayilova
The 10th International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management (ICMSEM 2016) has opened in Baku.
The International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management has taken place annually since 2007. Azerbaijan is the first CIS country to host the event, Azertac reported.
The conference brings together scientists and specialists from Azerbaijan, China, USA, Russia, Japan and other countries to exchange and share their experiences, new ideas, and research results about all aspects of management science and engineering management.
The organizers of the event are the International Society of Management Science and Engineering Management (ISMSEM), Azerbaijan`s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Communications and High Technologies, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Azerbaijan State Economic University as well as Azerbaijan Technical University and Sichuan University of China.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Education Minister Mikayil Jabbarov told about measures taken by the Azerbaijani government to improve education in the country. He informed that as part of the reforms in the last few years, a great number of state-of the-art schools had been constructed in Azerbaijan
The minister also drew the audience`s attention to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He stressed that the part of Azerbaijan`s territory was occupied by Armenia.
President of ANAS Akif Alizade pointed out Azerbaijan`s accomplishments in the fields of science and education, saying all these were possible thanks to President Ilham Aliyev`s successful policy.
Adalat Muradov, rector of Azerbaijan State Economic University told about the universitys activity and international relations.
Member of ANAS Asaf Hajiev and President of the International Society of Management Science and Engineering Management Jiuping Xu expressed confidence that the international conference would contribute to the development of science and education.
Following the opening ceremony the conference heard a number of reports and featured discussions.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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1 September 2016 17:49 (UTC+04:00)
By Amina Nazarli
The "Mountain Jews" synagogue in Baku hosted a meeting with the Jewish Community of America on September 1.
Mubariz Gurbanli, Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, MPs, heads of religious communities, representatives of civil society and diplomats accredited in the country attended the event.
At the meeting, the American Jewish Community presented a Sacred Torah to Azerbaijani Mountain Jews community. The Torah was donated by the Movsumovs family, who live in the U.S. .
Speaking at the ceremony, representatives of the Jewish community thanked the Movsumovs family for the gift.
In turn, Gurbanli highlighted the participation of representatives of all religious confessions in the ceremony.
I do not believe such a tradition exists somewhere else in the world. Azerbaijan, as a secular state, respects all religions. Tolerance is lifestyle of the Azerbaijani people. Jews are the most ancient inhabitants of Azerbaijan, the chairman said.
Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Daniel Stav, for his part, stressed the importance of this day for the Jewish people. He believes that Azerbaijan, as a multicultural country, sets an example to the world.
Modern Azerbaijan is a perfect worldwide example in terms of religious tolerance, multiculturalism and religious safety.
Being a Muslim majority country, Azerbaijan is a home to a big Jewish community, who is as many other religious centers, including Catholics, Protestants and members of the Russian Orthodox Church, live in safety here.
The countrys north region of Guba is home to Azerbaijan's largest community of Mountain Jews, who live in Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Town).
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1 September 2016 17:57 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Ukrtransneft, Ukraines state operator of oil pipelines has announced about the technological readiness of Ukraine's Odesa-Brody main oil pipeline, linking the Ukrainian port city of Odesa at the Black Sea and the town of Brody on the Ukrainian-Polish border, to launch oil transits through the Ukrainian territory from Azerbaijan to the Central European countries, UNIAN agency reported.
"The company's infrastructure is ready from a technical point of view to start the transportation of Azerbaijani oil ... The Odesa-Brody main oil pipeline is filled with technological oil of Azeri Light grade [Azerbaijan's light oil grade intended for export] and is ready to transport oil to the Brody station," the statement read.
The company further reported that the technological condition of a railroad overpass, which is located in Brody, is proper and ready for the transfer of oil from pipeline to tank car and vice-versa.
Ukrtransneft is currently in talks with the Azerbaijani side and other interested parties on the creation of new routes for the delivery of Azerbaijani oil to European consumers from the territory of Ukraine, the company said.
Ukraines Ministry of Infrastructure earlier approved a 75-percent discount for the oil transiting tankers that enter the South port, and for the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline. The decision was aimed at the creation of favorable terms for oil transiting using the Odessa-Brody pipeline.
Bandwidth capacity of the pipeline is approximately 14.5 million tons of oil per year. The integration of the pipeline with the South marine oil terminal allows provision of oil receiving from waters of the Black Sea with its further transportation by means of pipeline transport.
Odessa-Brody oil transport project is aimed at diversification of the oil supply to Ukrainian refineries and developing the countrys transit opportunities. The construction of Odessa-Brody was completed in May 2002. The length of the pipeline is 674 kilometers, while the diameter of the pipe is to 1,020 millimeters.
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1 September 2016 10:34 (UTC+04:00)
By Trend
Turkey and the USA reached an agreement on what militants of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Kurdish political party) must return to the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, Milliyet newspaper reported on September 1.
If YPD will not return to the eastern bank of the Euphrates, Turkey may lose confidence in the USA, Cavusoglu added.
On Aug. 24 morning, the Turkish Air Force with the support of the coalition aircraft launched an operation to liberate the city of Jarabulus from the IS militants in northern Syria, near Aleppo city.
The operation was carried out under the name Shield of the Euphrates. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that this operation will continue until the PYD militants are completely liquidated.
Syria has been suffering from an armed conflict since March 2011, which, according to the UN, has so far claimed over 500,000 lives. Militants from various armed groups are confronting the Syrian government troops. The Islamic State (IS, ISIL, ISIS or Daesh), the YPG and the PYD are the most active terrorist groups in Syria.
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1 September 2016 12:05 (UTC+04:00)
By Trend
The Turkish Hurriyet newspaper has revealed the reasons for the resignation of the countrys Interior Minister Efkan Ala.
Alas resignation is linked to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans dissatisfaction with his work, Hurriyet newspaper reported on September 1.
Efkan Ala in one of his statements immediately after the military coup attempt said that about 6,500 of 7,000 employees of the country's intelligence are supporters of the Gulen movement, and this statement was negatively perceived by the Turkish government, the newspaper reported earlier.
Another reason for Alas resignation is the fact that it was impossible to reach him on the day of the military coup attempt, according to the newspaper.
On that day, Ala was in the Turkish province of Erzurum and not in Ankara, the newspaper reported.
Efkan Ala resigned on August 31. He served as minister of internal affairs of Turkey since May 24, 2016.
Former Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Turkey Suleyman Soylu was appointed to Alas post.
In turn, Mehmet Muezzinoglu was appointed to Soylus post.
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1 September 2016 13:11 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Russias Energy Ministry and Gazprom, a Russian energy giant, have recently intensified work on preparations to implement the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, RIA Novosti quoted Dmitry Khandoga, Head of Gazproms Directorate of International Gas Infrastructure Projects as saying.
He mentioned that an intergovernmental agreement with Turkey on the implementation of the project as well as determination of further steps is currently being prepared.
We are currently intensifying work with our Turkish partners and Russias Energy Ministry on the project, he noted.
Turkish Stream, which envisages Russian gas supplies to Turkey and further to Europe bypassing Ukraine, came under threat in late 2015 due to sharp deterioration of relations between Moscow and Ankara, when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board.
Recent improvement in Russian-Turkish relations gave a new stimulus for the resumption of processes on the implementation of the project.
The issue on realization of the project came to the foreground following the talks between the presidents of Russia and Turkey held in Saint Petersburg on August 9 when the sides took a decision on the development of the plan and creation of the working group on carrying out the project.
President Erdogan recently said that the Turkish Stream project will be implemented, adding that the country will take the necessary steps to ensure the supply of Russian gas to Europe through the pipeline.
The Turkish Stream project was announced by President Putin in December 2014 during a visit to Turkey.
Senior fellow at Atlantic Council's Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center and Global Energy Center John Roberts earlier said that the project will be implemented underlining that Russia will at least build one or two branches of the Turkish Stream.
Roberts stressed that the construction of one or two branches will not allow Russia to fully abandon gas supplies via Ukraine, but at least it will give the opportunity to supply gas to Turkey directly, rather than via Ukraine. The expert said that the issue is more relevant given that the demand for gas in Turkey is growing steadily.
The expert, however mentioned that the project may face the same obstacles that it had in 2015 before the crisis in the Russia-Turkey relations namely, different positions of Russian Gazprom company and Turkish Botas company over gas price.
The sides reached an agreement on the discounting of 10.25 percent, provided that the project will be realized. However, the terms didnt satisfy Turkey, and Botas appealed to arbitral court.
Meanwhile, judicial proceedings on the suit of Botas against Gazprom on gas prices will start in the second half of 2017, Gazprom reported. Main issue of legal proceedings is revision of gas prices, namely, discounting.
Initially, the Russian Gazprom company planned that the Turkish Stream pipeline would consist of four branches with capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters per year each and 63 billion cubic meters of gas per year in general.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
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1 September 2016 18:14 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Iran, which reentered the global economy after the lifting of economic and political sanctions imposed against it, has called on Russia to provide Iranian ships with an opportunity to use Russian waterways.
Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanai announced about this while addressing a meeting with the director general of Volgograd River Port, Alexey Molojavenko, IRNA agency reported.
He said that the movement of Iranian ships on the Russian waterways is expected to give a stimulus to activate trade relations between the two countries.
The two countries have certain reasons for the expansion of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the sphere of transport, which also includes maritime traffic. The ambassador mentioned that cooperation in the sphere will promote growth of trade turnover between the countries.
The head of Iran-Russia chamber of commerce Asadollah Asgaroladi earlier said that the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $1.5 billion in July, while the figure is expected to double by March 2017.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Perhaps hoping for some staying power, the board at the Bakersfield Museum of Art went younger and local with its selection of the museums ne
High-street bakery Patisserie Valerie (PV) has set itself the target of building a 20-strong estate across Ireland, according to its chief executive Paul May.
The group opened its first Irish site in Belfast earlier this year, and May is looking at new location in Londonderry as well as second store in the Northern Irish capital.
May told the Belfast Telegraph: I am eyeing up another three sites. The first Belfast store has been trading fantastically well and we are excited to expand further in Belfast. We first looked at the second site about six weeks ago and are at the drawings and designs stage.
The company often opens up a large number of stores in quick succession and on average opens around three-and-a-half weeks after it signs the lease.
May believes PV has the capacity to set up stores in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
PV is part of Patisserie Holdings plc, which currently operates under six differentiated brands Patisserie Valerie, Druckers - which currently has 29 outlets Vienna Patisserie, Philpotts, Baker & Spice and the Flour Power City Bakery.
PV is continuing to extend across England and has opened sites in Basildon, Chippenham and Doncaster in the last few months.
An independent supplier of vegetable papers to the baking industry, Foodwrap Co, has designed a brand new website aimed to provide an improved experience for existing and new customers.
According to the company, some of the new features on the new website include:
An online shop for designed printed greaseproof paper (next-day delivery)
Custom-printed paper to receive products tailored to a business needs
Easy-to-navigate and mobile-friendly technology
Regular updates on latest trends and developments in the marketplace
The site, thefoodwrapco.co.uk, showcases market and product experiences, which utilise a wide range of different base papers, coatings and printed designs for any specific application.
Martin Dallas, CEO of Foodwrap Co, said: The overall aim was to make a much more user-friendly experience, where customers could easily browse our offering, but quickly find the information they were seeking.
We have been in the industry for over 60 years and we have built up a vast knowledge of both market and product knowhow, resulting in us being able to provide innovative food papers not only to the UK, but across Europe and worldwide. This new website lets us showcase our capabilities as a highly experienced and technically advanced business equipped to meet the requirements of todays global customer base.
Nigel Burling, who commercially heads up the food papers side of the business, was behind the launch of the newly named The Foodwrap Co: The online store is a brand new venture for us and we are very excited about it. Printed paper is growing in popularity mainly due to its green credentials, such as being recyclable and biodegradable, but it also adds a real premium feel to any product, making it a real win-win situation.
He added: We have five, off-the-shelf designer printed sheets, which can be purchased immediately with next-day delivery. The prints can be used on a wide range of applications from wrapping a filled baguette, lining a food tray in a restaurant to displaying bakery items.
The company was set up in 1942 by an ex-RAF pilot in Cheltenham called Leonard Stace, and has since grown to supply specialised products around the world.
(Last update: 12:52 a.m.)
Hermine is a Category 1 Hurricane and has made landfall. Life-threatening storm surge is expected in the Florida Big Bend region, with coastal and localized flooding expected here. Hermine is the first hurricane to hit Florida in more than a decade.
Tornado watches are in effect until 8 a.m. Friday in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Levy, Pasco, Pinellas, Sumter counties. Click here for Klystron 9 radar.
Scroll down for the storm breakdown and more time-stamped updates.
The forecast we've been talking about all week is now happening. Expect the peak impacts of the storm from now into Friday. We're lucky this was a disorganized storm and doesn't have time to get any worse before landfall.
Breakdown:
- Intervals of very intense rain band squalls will come in from the Gulf overnight through Friday morning. When they come through, wind gusts will briefly spike into the 40 to 60 mph range.
- There will be localized flooding in low-lying spots inland during times of heavy rains.
- There will be coastal flooding in low spots because the water will not be able to drain fast enough since tides will be at least 2 to 4 feet above normal.
- Expect a storm surge of 2 to 4 feet on coastal Manatee, coastal Pinellas, and in Tampa Bay (this will include many areas around Tampa -- Bayshore, Davis Island, downtown areas, and along the Hillsborough River).
- Expect a storm surge of 3 to 5 feet on coastal Pasco County.
- Expect a storm surge of 4 to 7 feet on coastal Citrus and Hernando County (this will be the worst storm surge those coastal areas have seen in many years -- it will surprise a lot of people, especially newcomers to the area).
- The storm has prompted a second day of SCHOOL CLOSINGS. | You can get the latest list here.
- There will still be a chance for isolated tornadoes overnight.
Bay News 9's team of weather experts will be updating the conditions every 10 minutes through the duration of the storm threat
Our reporters will be live throughout the duration of the storm threat to bring you the latest on the impacts being felt near you
Melissa Eichman is on a hurricane hunter flight right now. She is flying into Hermine and will update us on the flight as soon as they return. The duration of these flights vary depending on the nature of the storms they fly into so be sure to check back later today for reports from Melissa.
Expect the south wind we have seen all day to slowly go southwest. This means that the water in the Gulf will be pushed up against our coastline with gradually rising levels in our coastal areas. The water levels will be highest during High Tide times (graphic below). Expect the peak of the storm surge to be Friday morning and it will slowly subside Friday afternoon/evening.
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12:52 p.m. Coastal Flooding occurring in Kings Bay
Diane Kacmarik: Coastal Flooding occurring in Kings Bay, #CrystalRiver 12:45 am Friday. pic.twitter.com/YV9tn6NlEE Bay News 9 Weather (@bn9weather) September 2, 2016
12:48 p.m. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is shutting down Ozello Rd at US Hwy 19 due to flooding. Local residents can return only in an emergency. It's also shutting down Ft. Island Trail west of Shrimp Landings. This road will be closed to ALL TRAFFIC due to flooding.
12:15 p.m. Hermine made landfall about 12:15 a.m. Friday. It's the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida in more than a decade.
11:02 p.m. Hermine 29.7 N, 84.3 W; Winds at 80 mph; Moving NNE at 14; Pressure 984 mb
10:53 p.m. Tornado watches are in effect until 8 a.m. Friday in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Levy, Pasco, Pinellas, Sumter counties.
10:36 p.m. About 22,000 without power according to Duke Energy, mostly in Pasco and Pinellas. 18,110 for Teco Energy in and around Tampa.
9:48 p.m. Our Bay News 9 meteorologists are very concerned about storm surge -- 4-7 feet in some locations including Citrus and Levy counties.
9:26 p.m. Bay News 9 reporter Laurie Davison said there are trees down on Highway 92 in Dover. Driving conditions are very dangerous in that area.
9:15 p.m. More than 24,000 Teco Energy customers are without power in and around Tampa.
9:10 p.m. Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay: Dangerous storm surge developing at Cedar Key on tide chart. Low tide very high now!
8:45 p.m. In Lakeland, a large tree came down near St. Anthony and New Jersey Drive. Damage to two homes.
8:35 p.m. An old tree fell on a vehicle and cut off access to a road near Largo High School. The tree was removed by neighbors and the road reopened.
8:30 p.m. A tree is down, with an electrical transformer fire possibly caused by a micro-burst. This is at Stanley Road and Thonotosassa Road in northeast Hillsborough County.
8:20 p.m. A tree has been reported down on CR 48 W at the Wahoo Curve, not far from Bradenton. Road is closed.
8 p.m. Hurricane Hermine is near latitude 29.1 N, longitude 84.8 W or about 45 miles south of Apalachicola. Maxium winds are 80 mph. Movement is NNE at 14 MPH. Pressure is 983 MB. Life-threatening storm surge expected in the Florida big bend region overnight.
7:45 p.m. There is a report of a roof being blown off a mobile home in Bradenton. Exact location unknown.
7 p.m. Duke Energy website reporting 13,000+ customers without power in Pinellas County. FP&L reporting scattered outages in Manatee and Sarasota County. | View Duke Energy outage map
6:40 p.m. A 78 mph gust has been reported at Indian Shores Beach. A 71 mph gust has been reported at Treasure Island.
6:35 p.m. Numerous reports of tree limbs broken in Pinellas County from winds with latest feeder band.
6 p.m. Citrus County Sheriff's Office says, "At this point, it is predicted that Citrus County MAY experience water 5 to 8 feet above ground level in the coastal Homosassa and Crystal River areas. This may occur beginning at 4:00am and later. If you live in a coastal area or an area prone to flooding, we recommend that you evacuate to a safer area or to the shelter at Lecanto Primary School at 3790 W. Educational Path, Lecanto, as a last resort."
5:44 p.m. Tornado warning expires in Pasco/Hernando.
5:40 p.m. Meteorologist Josh Linker: Intense squall just offshore Pinellas/Pasco, some elements are rotating on this one. Strong winds expected along the coast.
5:35 p.m. Earlier in the newscast, our meteorologists showed you a water levels graphic. You can view it yourself by clicking here.
5:30 p.m. Tornado warning in Pasco and Hernando counties until 6 p.m.
5:20 p.m. Meteorologist Josh Linker: With Hermine a hurricane, it is the first time a hurricane has been anywhere in the Gulf since Ingrid, Sept 16, 2013.
5:05 p.m. More school closings -- Get the latest list here.
4:50 p.m. The Marshall Street Wastewater treatment plant influent pump station in Clearwater has experienced failures and has shut down. The system is backing up and wastewater is overflowing through the manholes at some locations. Residents should avoid going down streets that are blocked off.
4:20 p.m. The center of the storm is about 120-150 miles off shore from Tampa.
3:55 p.m. There are reports of street flooding in the Shore Acres area of St. Petersburg.
3:45 p.m. The tornado warning in Hernando and Pasco counties has expired.
3:30 p.m. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management, in conjunction with the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners have declared a local state of emergency due to Hurricane Hermine. Residents living on the coast of Citrus County are being advised ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS to evacuate.
3:27 p.m. Residents in the Aripeka, Hernando Beach should take caution.
3:19 p.m. Tornado warning until 3:45 p.m. in Hernando and Pasco counties.
3:15 p.m. Reports of numerous trees uprooted and limbs down in the St. Petersburg area.
3:02 p.m. Hermine is now a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds.
2:50 p.m. Tornado watch in Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hillsborough, Citrus, Hernando until 11 p.m. tonight
2:45 p.m. Tornado warning in Hernando, Pasco allowed to expire.
2:15 p.m. Tornado warning issued for Hernando and Pasco until 2:45 p.m.
1:15 p.m.: Hermine now has 70 mph winds. Still a tropical storm.
1:02 p.m.: A TROPICAL STORM WARNING has just been issued for Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota Counties (this includes Tampa Bay) . This goes along with the previous one for Citrus, Hernando, Pasco.
12:47 p.m.: Florida Highway Patrol: Skyway Bridge CLOSED now due to high winds. Average 45 mph. Gusts to 56 mph.
12:42 p.m.: Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport just gusted to 49 mph with a heavy squall.
12:05 p.m.: During state EOC press conference, Gov. Rick Scott stresses that Floridians must already have a plan in place and all of the resources your family needs, such as 3 days of food & water, flashlights, etc
11:15 a.m.: No big changes in the forecast track, intensity or watches/ warning on the 11 a.m. advisory.
9:36 a.m.: Today, in preparation for Tropical Storm Hermine, Governor Rick Scott directed all state offices in 51 counties to close on Thursday, September 1st. at noon. Decisions regarding Friday, September 2nd will be made after further weather updates. All of these counties are under the Governors Executive Orders signed yesterday. To view Executive Order 16-206, click HERE and to view Executive Order 16-205, click HERE.
7:01 a.m.: Hillsborough County has activated its Emergency Operations Center in response to Tropical Storm Hermine. This allows County and partner agencies to better coordinate resources and operations.
5 a.m.: We have breezy south winds across Tampa Bay and central Florida this morning. We expect increasing winds out of the southwest by tonight to tropical storm force with the highest winds at the coast. This brings the highest risk of storm surge of about 2-5 feet to our coastal areas, especially Citrus, Hernando and Pasco Counties tonight and early Friday. There could also be coastal flooding in Tampa Bay of about 1-3 feet.
2 a.m.: Hermine is expected to make landfall sometime Thursday in the Big Bend area of Florida as a weak category 1 hurricane. Hurricane Warnings are in effect for the coast from the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach, with Hurricane Watches in effect for coastal Citrus, coastal Hernando and coastal Pasco counties.
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Please make sure to check our website and Bay News 9 app and watch our Tropical Updates each hour at :49.
Here's a look at the anticipated high tide amounts for Thursday into Friday.
Hazards affecting land
Wind: Expect winds of 25 to 40 mph with higher gusts 40 to 60 mph possible during the heavy rain squalls.
Storm Surge: If the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide, the water could reach about 4 to 6 feet in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco Counties and about 2 to 4 feet south of there, including Tampa Bay.
Rainfall: Flood Watch in effect for Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee Counties through 8 p.m. Friday. Widespread showers and thunderstorms will continue through Friday. There will also be river flood warnings due to water levels rising after days of heavy rain.
Tornadoes: There is a risk of tornadoes across the central and northern Florida peninsula through Thursday night.
As you can see in the graphic below, the track has not changed much with the system now moving slowly north. It moved northeast Wednesday and will accelerate in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday and across North Florida Thursday night.
It is important not to focus on the forecast landfall point since heavy rain, the threat of tornadoes, and dangerous storm surge flooding is forecast well to the east and south of the center.
HOW CLOSE IS THE STORM? Orlando: 205 miles WNW Daytona Beach: 209 miles W Cape Canaveral: 246 miles WNW Melbourne: 250 miles WNW Tampa: 159 miles NW Tallahassee: 74 miles SSW Jacksonville: 181 miles WSW
What exactly are the spaghetti plots?
Information You Need | Supply Checklist
Where can I get sandbags?
Remember that the spaghetti model plot does not indicate the strength of a system or even development at all. It only predicts where this broad area of low pressure is expected to go.
AUCKLAND - New Zealand based Manuka Health, one of the country's leading manuka honey producers, on Wednesday signed a three-year distribution agreement with Beijing-based Chao Pi Commercial & Trading LTD.
The strategic partnership agreement was signed at the Auckland offices of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and attended by the Minister for Trade Todd McClay.
"This announcement is a demonstration of the many and increasing opportunities available to New Zealand and Chinese businesses through valuable cooperation," said McClay.
He said China is now New Zealand's second-largest trading partner, with total goods and services trade having more than doubled since the Free Trade Agreement entered into force, reaching NZ$22 billion ($16 billion).
Chao Pi will distribute the full range of Manuka Health NZ honey products to major retailers, and via online sales in China.
Manuka Health NZ CEO John Kippenberger estimates the agreement will see Manuka Health's exports to China equate up to a quarter of the company's volume within three years.
Chao Pi is the agent for more than 20,000 commodities and its distribution covers 20,000 retailers, as well as large online shopping providers.
Founded in 2006, Manuka Health NZ was purchased by Pacific Equity Partners in December 2015.
Water Warning for Oregon Coast's Nye Beach; Traffic Closures Hwy 20
Published 08/31/2016 at 6:11 PM PDT - Updated 08/31/2016 at 10:11 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff
(Newport, Oregon) One popular beach on the central Oregon coast is now under a water warning due to high bacteria levels, and the large-scale construction project on the route to Newport will be seeing some overnight closures.
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) issued a public health advisory today for Nye Beach in Newport saying they had found higher than normal levels of bacteria in the ocean waters around the area. The Nye Beach area encompasses the stretch of sands from about the north jetty to just shy of Agate Beach.
Water samples indicate higher-than-normal levels of fecal bacteria, which can result in diarrhea, stomach cramps, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections and other illnesses, the OHA said. Direct contact with the water should be avoided in this area until the advisory is lifted, especially by children and the elderly, who may be more vulnerable to waterborne bacteria.
Exactly what causes the increased pathogen and fecal bacteria in these cases is never known for certain. This can come from a variety of sources along the shore or further inland, including sewer overflows, stormwater runoff, failing septic systems, and animal waste from livestock, pets and wildlife.
The OHA said the advisory means visitors to Nye Beach should stay out of the water which includes nearby creeks, pools of water on the beach, any water runoff flowing into the ocean and especially discolored water.
Even if there is no advisory in effect, officials recommend avoiding swimming in the ocean within 48 hours after a rainstorm, the OHA said.
Neighboring beaches like Agate Beach or South Beach are not affected.
While this advisory at Nye Beach is in effect, OHA is quick to point out all other activities that do not include the water are perfectly safe. Kite-flyig, picnicking, walking, beachcombing, etc., are still encouraged by the OHA as they pose no risk.
These warnings usually only last for 24 to 48 hours. For the most recent information on advisories, visit the Oregon Beach Monitoring Program website or call 971-673-0400, or 877-290-6767 (toll-free).
The main route between Corvallis and the Newport area of the central Oregon coast is still undergoing a surge of construction. The Highway 20 Project is replacing a ten-mile segment of old US 20 that has narrow lanes and hairpin curves, with a 5.5-mile segment that will be straighter, with wide shoulders and miles of passing lanes.
From now through October 31, expect one section of the highway to be closed overnight from Sunday through Thursday every week. Times are 7:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The road will be open Friday and Saturday nights. ODOT said there could be some Saturday night closures if the needed, as inclement weather sometimes blocks work.
These overnight closure times allow blasting during the last two hours of daylight. Crews will then work through the night and the road will be open to travel during the day. See Oregon Coast Traffic Conditions . More on the Newport area below and at the Newport, Oregon Virtual Tour, Map.
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Here are seven updates:
Canadian hospital says improperly cleaned endoscope affected 104 patients
Canada-based Prince Rupert Regional Hospital admitted it used an improperly cleaned endoscope from April until the end of June 2016 at five different ear, nose and throat clinics affecting 104 patients. The hospital sent a letter earlier this month to the affected patients. However, Northern Health, the medical system Prince Rupert is part of, said officials were cleaning the endoscope, but used the wrong solution.
Mylan to offer $300 generic to EpiPen auto-injector in effort to save face
Pharmaceutical company Mylan has faced heat after news broke about the company increasing EpiPen's price by more than 450 percent since 2004, prompting the company to offer a generic product. In 2008, EpiPen cost nearly $100, with the drug's current list price totaling $600. Mylan is launching an EpiPen generic alterative in the coming weeks with a $300 list price.
ACA enrollment hits 11.1M Americans, falls 12.9M short of CBO predictions
In February 2013, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that 24 million Americans would purchase coverage through the Affordable Care Act federal and state exchanges by 2016. However, 11.1 million people were signed up on the exchanges as of March 2016.
Physicians overestimate treatments' benefits 79% of the time
A JAMA Internal Medicine study found physicians overestimate treatments' benefits nearly 79 percent of the time and overestimate treatments' harms 66 percent of the time. The study authors concluded the results show physicians need improved training in numeracy and communication skills.
Digital healthcare market to increase at 15.05% CAGR by 2021
From 2011 to 2015, the digital healthcare market increased at a compound annual growth rate of 13.21 percent. The market is anticipated to increase at a 15.05 percent CAGR from 2016 to 2021.
Zika projected to strike these 8 states, next
Biostatisticians predict 395 non-travel Zika infections will strike Florida before summer draws to a close and a slew of southeastern states will also see their fair share of Zika infections. The eight states where Zika will likely hit, next, include: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.
This ingredient may put patients at a higher infection risk from contaminated scopes
Researchers uncovered the ingredient, infant gas relief drops, may be leading to scope contamination. Investigators found white fluid inside various colonoscopies and gastroscopes after they had been disinfected and determined ready for use. Based on these findings, researchers advise providers to try avoiding these products until they can conduct more researchers on the drops' impact on patient safety.
More healthcare news:
Outpatient total hip replacement in ASCs lowers costs: 4 study insights
Who is Hillary Clinton's personal physician, Dr. Lisa Bardack?: 5 things to know
Obama administration proposes rule to change risk-corridor program after payers' exits threaten ACA marketplace: 4 thoughts
Five ASC administrators weigh in on what they wish they had known at the start of their careers in the outpatient arena.
Question: What are some things you wish you had known when you began your career in the ASC industry that you know now?
Gary A. Richberg, RN, BSN, CMPE, CASC, Administrator, Pacific Rim Outpatient Surgery Center, Bellingham, Wash.: One of the major things I wish I had known was the value of attending the conferences that focused on dealing with insurance companies and reimbursements. I had no idea about the complexities of rate negotiations in the beginning of my career. I also learned that high case volumes did not always translate into higher revenues.
After noticing early in my career that my profit benchmarks were falling short in some months, I focused on both reviewing my payer mix and reimbursement rates to increase my profits as well as whether or not to perform certain cases based on case costing.
I listened to various teaching sessions in the early 2000s from Brent Lambert from Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America and Tom Mallon from Regent Surgical Health, and those sessions helped me to develop a mindset that was beneficial in my early development as a business-focused administrator that complemented my nursing background.
To opine, the value of networking with professionals with proven track records is such a valuable tool in the development and growth of any career.
Benita Tapia RN, CASC, Administrator, Precision Ambulatory Surgery Center & 90210 Surgery Medical Center, Beverly Hills, Calif.: That not only should there be an emergency crash cart in an ASC but there should always be an emergency bottle of wine, ready for the administrator for those stressful days just kidding!
Seriously though, I came from a clinical background as did a lot of administrators. I wish that starting on this path I had more of a business/marketing background. Nursing taught me a lot about patient safety, compliance and dealing with different personalities. But part of my job is marketing and very much business related.
Also, having a better understanding of one's strengths and weaknesses, and realizing that a good administrator also pulls on the strengths and knowledge of a team is also essential. Understanding that you can't do everything yourself and delegation is a part of the job. I think starting in the ASC as an administrator, I thought I needed to do everything myself. Learning to delegate is part of my job and balance in life, in general, is good. All that comes with experience.
Becky Zeigler-Otis, Administrator, ASC of Stevens Point (Wis.): I wish I had known more about the amount of regulation and standards by which an ASC and its staff have to abide. You really have to learn from a variety of resources and stay up-to-date with regulations required of ASCs. Most of those resources, like ours, are small and you have no large departments to go to that can assist you with keeping on top of all of the regulations.
I also wish I had known more about financials. This is something you really have to focus on to keep your company agile and profitable.
Susan L. Carocari, BSN, RN, CAPA, Administrator, River Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center, Norwich, Conn.: Gosh, that's a tough question, so many answers! I had no previous experience with ASCs, since my entire 32 years in nursing had previously been in a hospital setting. Our facility started from scratch when I came on board. This meant I had to learn everything from how a surgery center is built to regulations and facilities requirements to Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care standards and business office functions. The best guide to these items was probably the AAAHC standards manual as well as their Achieving Accreditation conference.
When I first read my job description I was overwhelmed but I have had terrific support from my managing partners as well as the physicians.
I wish I had known that we had to build our EMR from a blank template. This was extremely time consuming initially but has paid off down the road. All EMRs are challenging so I'm not sure ours is any more difficult than others but it can be frustrating when it has issues. I also wish I had known we are essentially our own on site IT managing the system and its numerous problems.
Daron Pealock, RN, Administrator/Director of Nursing, Cedar Orthopaedic Surgery Center, Cedar City, Utah: I wish I known more about the insurance industry and how to work on insurance contract negotiations.
I wish I had known or understood the cutthroat aspect of the hospital industry especially when that entity could cause us to lose insurance contracts via politics and pressure from there own contracts with insurance companies.
The CEOs of the 14 biotech and pharmaceutical companies included in Standard & Poor's 500 that held their roles for the full 2015 fiscal year earned median compensation packages of $18.5 million for that year, according to USA Today analysis of data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The median pay for pharmaceutical and biotech company CEOs was 71 percent higher than the median compensation of $10.8 million taken in by the S&P 500 executives across all industries in 2015, according to the report, which cited analysis by Equilar.
As significant price hikes of prescription drugs and other pharmaceutical products garner increasing criticism, compensation for CEOs running these companies is also subject to scrutiny.
For instance, Mylan, which is currently at the center of a controversy over a 500 percent price increase for its EpiPen, a treatment for severe allergic reactions, paid CEO Heather Bresch $18.9 million in 2015, a 109 percent increase from 2013, according to the report.
Leonard Schleifer, CEO of biotech firm Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, was the highest paid pharmaceutical company CEO in 2015, taking home a compensation package valued at $47.5 million. Mr. Schleifer, who has served as the company's CEO since 1988, received a 13 percent raise in his total pay from 2014 to 2015, USA Today reported.
While pharma CEOs average higher pay packages than executives in other industries, 2015 was not a year of high raises for them. Median pay for CEOs at the 13 biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the S&P 500 who served in their roles in both 2014 and 2015 fell about 19 percent on average, a steeper drop than the 5 percent decrease seen by S&P 500 CEOs in other industries, according to the report.
The following hospitals announced in the last week plans to expand, upgrade or renovate their facilities.
1. CHI Franciscan Health to spend more than $530M on Harrison Medical Center expansion
Tacoma, Wash.-based CHI Franciscan Health submitted a letter of intent to the Washington State Department of Health requesting regulatory approval to invest in a new hospital at Harrison Medical Center-Silverdale (Wash.). The LOI is the first step in the certificate of need application.
2. Low-cost trauma clinic to open in Bay Area
A new clinic aimed at providing trauma therapy at a fraction of the usual cost opened Thursday in Berkeley, Calif., according to a report in The Daily Californian.
3. Wal-Mart, Sam's Club to raise money for Erlanger children's hospital
Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores in the greater Chattanooga, Tenn., region are helping Erlanger Health System, also based in Chattanooga, raise money to build Children's Hospital at Erlanger.
4. North Carolina opens long-awaited psychiatric hospital
State officials opened Goldsboro, N.C.-based Cherry Hospital after three years of delays, the Triangle Business Journal reported.
5. St. Vincent General Hospital, Centura Health to build new hospital
As part of a management agreement, Leadville, Colo.-based St. Vincent General Hospital and Englewood, Colo.-based Centura Health, will jointly plan, develop and build a healthcare facility in Lake County, Colo.
6. Baptist Health, Emerus to build emergency hospital in Texas
San Antonio-based Baptist Health System and Woodlands, Texas-based Emerus will build an emergency hospital in Alamo City, Texas, according to the San Antonio Business Journal.
7. UAB opens new clinic in Montgomery
The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala.-based Baptist Health opened a new specialty care clinic at the UAB School of Medicine, according to the Birmingham Business Journal.
8. Great Plains Health receives $5M donation for ED expansion
After announcing its $15.5 million emergency department expansion project, North Platte, Neb.-based Great Plains Health received a $5 million donation to help pay for the project.
9. Connecticut hospital opens first eating disorder unit in the state
Rockville General Hospital in Vernon, Conn., recently opened the first inpatient unit in the state for the treatment of eating disorders.
10. HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital Breese to add $9.5M ambulatory surgery wing
HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital Breese (Ill.) on Sept. 7 is starting a $9.5 million project to expand its ambulatory surgery services, according to the Belleville News-Democrat.
11. Under Addiction Recovery Program, UAB Hospital adds beds to expand opioid addiction treatment
Birmingham, Ala.-based UAB Hospital is expanding the capacity of its Addiction Recovery Program by 60 percent, from 10 beds to 16, to better serve the increasing number of patients struggling with addiction to opioids and intravenous drugs, according to a report from AL.com.
12. Southside Hospital unveils $60M emergency department expansion
Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y., unveiled its $60 million Bohlsen Family Emergency Department on Aug. 26.
13. DeGraff Memorial Hospital to undergo $7.8M expansion
Buffalo, N.Y.-based DeGraff Memorial Hospital, owned by Kaleida Health in Buffalo, will undergo a $7.8 million expansion of the hospital's emergency department, according to The Buffalo News.
14. Summerville Medical Center plans $53M expansion project
Summerville (S.C.) Medical Center will undergo a $53 million expansion project, set to be completed by early 2019, according to WCBD News.
A cap on MassHealth reimbursement could serve a financial blow to Massachusetts hospitals in fiscal year 2017.
In Massachusetts, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program are rolled into MassHealth. In an attempt to control costs and improve care coordination, the state is implementing various proposals to encourage MassHealth members to move away from fee-for-service plans and toward managed care organizations, which pay a provider group a set fee to coordinate a patient's healthcare.
Under the proposal, which is slated to take effect Oct. 1, MCOs are banned from paying hospitals more than 105 percent of the fee-for-service rates. Under fee-for-service, the state's Medicaid program pays hospitals about 76 percent the cost of care. With the cap in place, hospitals would be paid 20 percent below the cost of care.
As the state implements proposals to push more MassHealth beneficiaries toward managed care plans, the cap would cause Massachusetts hospitals to lose between $100 million and $150 million in reimbursement on an annualized basis, according to Tim Gens, executive vice president and general counsel at the Massachusetts Hospital Association.
Mr. Gens says the reimbursement cut is coming at a challenging time for hospitals. "This latest cut is inside an environment where there is already chronic underpayment," he says. "There's tremendous pressure to lower commercial payment rates and, similarly, there's lower reimbursement coming from Medicare this year for Massachusetts hospitals."
Although hospitals across the state are all facing financial pressures, the consequences of the newest cut will be determined by the situation of each hospital.
Baystate Health spokesman Ben Craft told WWLP news the reimbursement cap is a cause for worry. "We don't have a sense yet of specific impact, but it is certainly concerning at a time when Baystate Health is already experiencing about $40 million a year in losses due to underpayments through Medicaid services, added to the fact that we just had a $23 million hit from the wage data issue," he said.
The wage data issue Mr. Craft mentioned stems from math errors related to wages at Nantucket (Mass.) Cottage Hospital, which is owned by Boston-based Partners HealthCare.
Under hospital payment rules, Medicare is required to reimburse employee wages at urban hospitals at the baseline set at rural hospitals in the state. Nantucket Cottage Hospital typically sets the floor for wages at hospitals across Massachusetts because it is the only rural hospital in the state. Last year, when the hospital provided data that underestimated its wages, it dragged down payments for hospitals across the state.
Massachusetts hospitals will lose an estimated $84 million total due to the math errors.
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With years of experience in health IT leadership and public policy, Justin Barnes recently joined Atlanta-based iHealth, which offers revenue cycle performance and population health management services as well as care coordination analytics. The health advisory and services company aims to help healthcare providers navigate to value-based care and achieve success under new payment models.
Previously, Mr. Barnes was a senior leader at Greenway Health for 11 years, directing the health IT vendor's marketing, corporate development, strategy, government relations and international affairs.
He left Greenway in 2014 and began serving as an independent corporate, board and policy advisor focused on assisting companies, associations and entrepreneurs with growth and acquisition strategies. Before joining Greenway, Mr. Barnes was co-founder and vice president of the patient-provider communications and engagement company, Healinx, now known as RelayHealth.
Throughout this time, "I worked equally with providers, competitors, peers and industry leaders. We all worked well together, and collaboratively," Mr. Barnes says.
His experience in health IT and as an advisor laid the groundwork for his success in public policy. Mr. Barnes has addressed or testified before Congress as well as the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama on more than 20 occasions with statements relating to value-based medicine, accountable care, interoperability, EHR meaningful use, consumerism, innovation, patient engagement, quality, HIPAA and the globalization of healthcare, among other topics. He also advised several U.S. Presidential campaigns on healthcare public policy.
He now takes all of his expertise to iHealth as partner and chief growth officer.
Mr. Barnes recently spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about the importance of navigating today's evolving healthcare payment models and what makes iHealth different from other RCM providers.
Note: Interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: How was iHealth started?
Justin Barnes: We brought together four revenue cycle management companies and rolled them up under iHealth. There's a lot of experience here. For example, one of the companies is Paradigm Healthcare. Paradigm was started in 1996 with experience in medical billing, coding and practice consulting. So our organization from its origin is more than 20 years old. We're focused on revenue cycle management, practice advisory and credentialing services. It's really everything that has to do with your revenue cycle.
But today providers are re-engineering their revenue cycles for value-based reimbursement. The service expertise we've pulled together helps them successfully navigate this change. Our focus is on best practice revenue cycle performance, care coordination, analytics and population health the future of healthcare. Here's where my knowledge of all the various payment models is a strategic asset to our company and our customers.
I testified on the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act three times and testified for 10 years on the need for fee-for-service reform to replace the Sustainable Growth Rate formula with a sustainable model. That was something that was very near and dear to my heart in ensuring the stabilization of revenue for physicians and care providers. That breadth and depth of experience I have dealing with fee-for-service, dealing with SGR reform and then helping to create MACRA is the knowledge we're bringing into our new revenue cycle performance platform as well as care coordination, analytics and population health.
Q: What specific need within the industry does iHealth hope to address?
JB: Every doctor, every care provider and every institution is nervous about how fast healthcare payment models and care delivery models are evolving. And there's always some technology vendor lined up to sell them something. But my take is that many providers may not need to buy more software to succeed under value-based care. This is not a technology or innovation problem.
At this juncture of the industry, providers need help learning these new payment models, implementing quality achievement programs, managing their existing technology, and then reporting their data. They need help every step of the way. So this is a services need for them. This is an educational and expertise issue.
There will be 100 companies lined up to sell providers software. But that's not the industry's problem. The industry needs solid, knowledgeable people to understand, implement and manage the new payment and care delivery models. Even large medical groups with 2,000 employees may not have the expertise they need to perform quality reporting or capture the correct information through their entire institution. And it's not just clinical. It's not just financial. It's not just administrative. It's all of it.
Q: What is your workplace culture like?
JB: The No. 1 word that comes to mind is exciting. The team is very excited about solving the problems of their specific customers or our customers in general. That's why we get up every single day to solve the problems of practices and hospitals across America.
My former Greenway team carried the same mantra. We spent the first 10 years focused very heavily on having the happiest customer base in America or globally as our No. 1 mission. And that's the same mantra we have here at iHealth.
If our customers are happy and successful, that takes care of everything else for our company. We recruit and retain people who have that same passion and mantra.
From a customer perspective, we attract medical practices that want to achieve and thrive. These practices know healthcare is changing, they know it is evolving, they know there's more opportunity out there. But they question what that next step is. They're cautiously optimistic, but they're also saying "I know I can do better. I know I can navigate this successfully. I've been profitable the last 15, 20 or 30 years, and I'm going to be profitable in the future." The way providers operate their business is changing, and our customers are open to that change.
Q: What kind of expansion or growth do you project in the next couple of years?
JB: We know we're going to grow 50 to 100 percent per year at this juncture. I see the rate we're growing right now and the expansion with our service lines. Our products and services will never stop evolving. Technological innovation and what we're able to do with data is also driving exponential growth.
Also, because of the expanding quality reporting programs, initiatives under MACRA and state-based incentive options, our services are on fire. Providers recognize and welcome the need for "hand-holding" through the increasing complexities of reimbursement. They acknowledge that they don't want yet another piece of technology to solve the problem. They need advice and services support.
Finally, since we go at risk for all our advisory engagements, we have to be successful under all of those payment models. So we're expanding very rapidly to keep pace with that.
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The following hospital and health system layoffs were reported by Becker's Hospital Review in August. They are listed below, beginning with the most recent.
1. Layoffs expected as Providence Health Center transfers billing services
Employees at Providence Health Center in Waco, Texas, face layoffs as the organization transfers many back office duties, including billing and bill collecting, to Chicago-based Accretive Health, reports Waco Tribune-Herald. Providence officials declined to comment to the Waco Tribune-Herald on the number of employees who will work under the banner of Accretive Health beginning Jan. 1. Providence spokeswoman Erin Rogers did, however, tell the publication some positions will be cut. She said affected employees will be able to apply for other positions with Accretive and Ascension.
2. Rhode Island hospital cuts 50 jobs
Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, R.I., has laid off about 50 full-time employees, according to a Valley Breeze report. The job cut included some employees from the main Landmark facility, as well as several from North Smithfield-based Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island, according to the report.
3. Kindred plans to close Texas long-term care hospital
Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare told the Texas Workforce Commission it plans to close its transitional care hospital in Baytown, Texas, according to the Houston Business Journal. Kindred said it is closing Kindred Hospital Baytown to consolidate services between its other Houston-area facilities, including Kindred Hospital Bay Area in Pasadena, Texas. Kindred told the Texas Workforce Commission the closure will affect 37 jobs, according to the Houston Business Journal.
4. Baystate Health System to lay off 300 employees
Springfield, Mass.-based Baystate Health will lay off roughly 300 people as a result of a projected $75 million budget shortfall, according to the Boston Business Journal. The reduction, which will eliminate approximately $40 million in expenses, represents 2.4 percent of Baystate's 12,500-person workforce, according to the report.
5. NY hospital cuts 22 nursing jobs
Samaritan Hospital in Troy, N.Y., cut 22 full- and part-time positions for licensed practical nurses as part of a new staffing model, according to a Times Union report. That new model, also used at Albany, N.Y.-based St. Peter's Hospital, employs registered nurses and aides, but not LPNs, Norman Dascher, CEO of Samaritan and St. Mary's hospitals in Troy, told the Times Union.
6. Ascension Wisconsin job cuts unknown following Wheaton Franciscan acquisition
Ascension Wisconsin continues to integrate corporate and operating structures of four health systems following its acquisition of Glendale, Wis.-based Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, according to a Milwaukee Business Journal report. The number of jobs affected by these efforts has yet to be disclosed. Ascension Wisconsin, part of St. Louis-based Ascension Health, acquired Wheaton's Southeast Wisconsin operations and related corporate offices last March. Ascension Health also owns Milwaukee-based Columbia St. Mary's and Ministry Health Care, and Affinity Health System in Appleton, Wis.
Vince Gallucci, chief marketing and communications officer for Ascension Wisconsin, acknowledged to the Milwaukee Business Journal that Ascension Wisconsin has been consolidating and streamlining its organization in recent months. Employees have already reported layoffs at the former Wheaton corporate office in Glendale, Wheaton hospitals and the Columbia St. Mary's headquarters, according to the report. They claim the job cuts have been in front office and clinical positions.
7. Sonoma West Medical Center cuts 25 jobs amid revenue cycle overhaul
Sebastopol, Calif.-based Sonoma West Medical Center laid off 16 percent of its administrative staff, affecting 25 jobs, according to The North Bay Business Journal. The layoffs, which are expected to save Sonoma West $200,000 a month, came about three weeks after the hospital signed an agreement for Pipeline Health to manage its operations.
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The union that represents workers at Milwaukee-based Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare St. Francis is circulating a petition over concerns of possible layoffs and cutbacks at the facility, according to a Milwaukee Business Journal report.
The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, which represents about 1,000 employees at St. Francis, including nurses and service workers, has collected roughly 1,000 signatures for the petition, union president Candice Owley told the publication.
The petition expresses the union's concerns to the hospital's owner, St. Louis-based Ascension Health. Specifically, the petition urges Ascension Health not to cut the hospital's services or staff, decrease pension or other benefits and outsource jobs, according to the article.
The concerns come as Ascension Wisconsin, part of Ascension Health, continues to integrate corporate and operating structures of four health systems following its acquisition of Glendale, Wis.-based Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Ascension Wisconsin acquired Wheaton's Southeast Wisconsin operations and related corporate offices last March. Ascension Health also owns Milwaukee-based Columbia St. Mary's and Ministry Health Care, and Affinity Health System in Appleton, Wis.
The number of jobs affected by these integration efforts has yet to be disclosed.
Vince Gallucci, chief marketing and communications officer for Ascension Wisconsin, previously declined to confirm numbers or locations for job cuts, telling the Milwaukee Business Journal, "I'm not going to share a detailed number."
He didn't directly address the union's concerns in an email to the Milwaukee Business Journal Tuesday, except to say that Ascension "is dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable."
"As the U.S. healthcare environment continues to evolve, and as we integrate our legacy systems into one Ascension Wisconsin, we will regularly evaluate our care model to make sure it's meeting the needs of the individuals in the communities we serve," Mr. Gallucci wrote.
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The following hospital mergers, acquisitions and general transactions took place or were announced in August.
1. Columbus Radiology to join Radiology Partners
El Segundo, Calif.-based Radiology Partners is set to acquire Columbus Radiology.
2. Trinity Health-New England affiliates with 5th hospital
Waterbury, Conn.-based Saint Mary's Health System will officially join Hartford, Conn.-based Trinity Health New England.
3. Massachusetts General to expand into New Hampshire
Boston-based Massachusetts GeneralHospital a branch of Partners HealthCare in Boston looks to complete its acquisition of Dover, N.H.-based Wentworth-DouglassHospital.
4. Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, UCSF merge to expand pediatric care
Santa Rosa (Calif.) Memorial Hospital and University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital will merge to expand pediatric care services in the area.
5. University of Michigan Health to join Together Health Network
Ascension Health in St. Louis and Trinity Health in Livonia, Mich., agreed to add the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor as an equity partner in their statewide clinically integrated network.
6. Our Lady of the Lake Regional buys majority interest in surgical hospital
Baton Rouge, La.-based Our Lady of the Lake RegionalMedicalCenter acquired a majority share in Slidell, La.-based Southern Surgical Hospital.
7. Prospect finalizes $335M acquisition of 3 hospitals
State regulators are negotiating a consent agreement with Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings to close three deals to purchase healthcare facilities in Connecticut totaling $335 million.
8. Charlotte Hungerford, Hartford HealthCare boards agree to affiliate
Torrington, Conn.-based Charlotte Hungerford Hospital and Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare agreed to a formal affiliation.
9. Piedmont, Athens Regional partnership clears final regulatory hurdle
The Georgia Attorney General ruled in favor of a partnership agreement between Athens (Ga.) Regional Health System and Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare.
10. Christ Hospital outpatient center sold for $13.2M
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Everest Medical Core Properties acquired Fort Wright, Ky.-based ChristHospital outpatient center.
11. OHSU Partners lands third partner: Adventist Health Portland
Roseville, Calif.-based Adventist Health and Portland, Ore.-based Oregon Health & Sciences University Partners signed a nonbinding letter of intent to pursue an affiliation.
12. AltaPointe merges with Cheaha Regional Mental Health
Mobile, Ala.-based AltaPointe Health Systems and Sylacauga, Ala.-based Cheaha Regional Mental Health merged, making AltaPointe the largest and most comprehensive behavioral healthcare provider in Alabama.
13. Universal Health Services, LG Health to jointly operate mental health facility
Lancaster (Pa.) General Health and King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services plan to jointly operate a 126-bed behavioral health hospital in Lancaster, Pa.
14. Mount Sinai Health partners with Stony Brook Medicine
Stony Brook (N.Y.) Medicine and New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System inked an affiliation agreement, which includes collaboration on research, academic programs and clinical care initiatives.
15. Mercy Hospital reaches agreement to manage Oklahoma hospital's operations
The city of Blackwell, Okla., entered into an agreement with Salt Lake City-based Alliance Health, Oklahoma City-based Mercy Health and the Blackwell Hospital Trust Authority. The agreement will allow Mercy Health to act as a consultant and manage the city's hospital, which will be renamed BlackwellRegionalHospital
16. Next Life Medical acquires Emergent Respiratory
Carlsbad, Calif.-based medical device company Next Life Medical acquired Carlsbad, Calif.-based Emergent Respiratory.
17. MEDNAX acquires 10th physician practice of 2016
National medical group MEDNAX acquired Maternal Fetal Medicine of Southwest Florida, a private physician group practice based in Fort Myers.
18. Kennedy Health, Jefferson Health sign definitive agreement to merge
Voorhees, N.J.-based Kennedy Health will merge with Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health, pending regulatory approval.
19. Porter Medical Center may partner with UVM Health Network
PorterMedicalCenter in Middlebury, Vt., chose Burlington-based University of Vermont Health Network as a potential partner.
20. UHS acquires Nevada hospital
King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services acquired DesertViewRegionalMedicalCenter, a 25-bed hospital in Pahrump, Nev.
21. Banner Health acquires 32 urgent care centers in Ariz.
Phoenix-based Banner Health purchased 32 urgent care facilities in Arizona from retail chain Urgent Care Extra.
22. Mercy partners with Anderson Hospital to provide cancer care
St. Louis-based Mercy partnered with Maryville, Ill.-based AndersonHospital to expand cancer care.
23. OHSU, Moda Health eye potential partnership
Officials from OregonHealth & ScienceUniversity and Moda Health, both based in Portland, are reportedly in talks to pursue a merger.
24. Mayo Clinic-funded firm sells for $225M
An Ohio biotechnology firm funded by the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Ventures in Rochester, Minn., was purchased by Salt Lake City-based Myriad Genetics for nearly $225 million.
25. University of Maryland partners with local hospital to open dental care clinic
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry in Baltimore and Fredrick (Md.) MemorialHospital opened Fredrick, Md.-based Monocacy Health Partners Dental Clinic to provide dental care to low-income adults.
26. DHR signs agreement with Mission Hospital
Edinburg, Texas-based DoctorsHospital at Renaissance Health System officials announced the health system's intent to expand Mission (Texas) RegionalHospital into a short-term or secondary healthcare facility.
27. Washington Health System drops Allegheny Health, picks UPMC for cardiac surgery partnership
Washington (Pa.) Health System ended its partnership with Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network and signed a new agreement with UMPC, also in Pittsburgh.
28. Montefiore and SBH sign letter of intent to affiliate
Mount Vernon, N.Y.-based Montefiore Health System and Bronx, N.Y.-based St. Barnabas Hospital Health System signed a letter of intent to explore a closer, more integrated relationship.
29. Tri-City Medical Center, UC San Diego Health finalize affiliation
Oceanside, Calif.-based Tri-City Medical Center and University of California San Diego Health finalized an exclusive affiliation agreement to enhance healthcare delivery to patients in NorthSan DiegoCounty.
30. Johns Hopkins, Florida Hospital exclusively affiliate to expand pediatric care
St. Petersburg, Fla.-based All Children's Johns Hopkins Hospital and Florida Hospital Tampa agreed to an exclusive affiliation to provide the community access to high quality pediatric care.
31. Pekin Hospital to affiliate with UnityPoint Health - Peoria
Progressive Health Systems, which includes Pekin (Ill.) Hospital and ProHealth Medical Group, also located in Pekin, took the first step to affiliate with UnityPoint Health - Peoria in Illinois.
32. Nebraska Medicine acquires U of Nebraska Health Center, implements Epic EHR
Omaha-based Nebraska Medicine will operate the UniversityHealthCenter at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The change in leadership also comes with a major change to hospital's patient health record system.
33. Make room for one more: St. Clair Hospital to join Mayo Clinic Care Network
Pittsburgh-based St. Clair Hospital is the 41st organization to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network, operated by the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.
34. South Shore Medical Center seeks to re-establish ties with Boston Children's Hospital
After leaving Newton, Mass.-based Atrius Health, South Shore Medical Center, located in Norwell, Mass., lost its clinical affiliation with Boston Children's Hospital. Now, the medical center is looking to get that affiliation back.
35. Hackensack Meridian, Rite Aid partner to open health clinics in New Jersey
Hackensack (N.J.) Meridian Health officials will start a joint venture with Houston-based RediClinic to open co-branded, convenient care clinics in Rite Aid pharmacies across the nation.
36. SSM Health to take over 26 St. Louis Walgreens in-store clinics
St. Louis-based SSM Health will take over the operations of 26 Walgreens in-store clinics in the St. Louis area beginning August 25.
37. UMass Memorial Health System considers merging Leominster and Clinton campuses
Worcester-based University of Massachusetts Memorial Health Care is eyeing a potential merger of two of its hospitals.
38. HealthSouth, Tidelands Health announce joint venture
Birmingham, Ala.-based HealthSouth and Georgetown, S.C.-based Tidelands Health have partnered in a joint venture to own and operate Tideland's existing 29-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital at its Murrells Inlet, S.C.-based TidelandsWaccamawCommunityHospital.
39. Wellmont-MSHA merger application moves forward
The Southwest Virginia Health Authority approved the merger application set forth by Johnson City, Tenn.-based Mountain States Health Alliance and Kingsport, Tenn.-based Wellmont Health System.
40. Scripps, MD Anderson ink affiliation for comprehensive cancer care program in San Diego
San Diego-based Scripps Health and Houston-based University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center are partnering to create the Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, a comprehensive and clinically integrated cancer program in San Diego.
41. Cardinal Health purchases Iowa telepharmacy startup
Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health bought Iowa City, Iowa-based TelePharm, a four-year-old startup working to establish telepharmacies in rural Iowa.
42. Walgreens, Prime Therapeutics strike partnership: 5 things to know
Walgreens is partnering with St. Paul, Minn.-based Prime Therapeutics, a pharmacy benefit manager owned by 14 Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans.
Trinity Health and its hospital in Minot, N.D., have agreed in principal on a settlement with 21 victims of the largest hepatitis C outbreak in recent U.S. history, according to the Associated Press.
Lawyers on behalf of Trinity Health asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit, stating that hospital officials and 21 individuals affected by the outbreak reached a confidential settlement. The settlement has not yet been finalized, according to the article.
Trinity Health also requested to try an affiliated legal dispute between the hospital and ManorCare, a Toledo, Ohio-based nursing home with locations across the U.S., in federal court. A judge has yet to issue a ruling on the matter.
The outbreak occurred in August 2013. Fifty-two individuals were affected, including 48 residents or former residents of ManorCare.
Victims filed a lawsuit against the hospital in April 2014, seeking unspecified monetary damages. In March, victims and the nursing home filed a separate lawsuit, alleging that an employee of Trinity's outpatient laboratory service caused the outbreak by failing to follow infection protocols, according to the article.
State and federal health officials speculate that the outbreak may have been caused by blood services provided to ManorCare residents. The official cause has yet to be determined, according to the article.
A 28-year-old woman filed a claim against Chicago-based Mercy Hospital & Medical Center that alleges a Mercy physician refused to remove an intrauterine device due to the hospital's religious affiliation, according to a report from ABC News.
The patient, Melanie Jones, shared part of her medical record with ABC that said the physician recommended Ms. Jones replace her IUD, and "discussed limitations of practice according to Catholic Initiatives." Ms. Jones turned to the American Civil Liberties union to file the discrimination claim and ultimately was able to have her IUD removed from a non-religiously affiliated hospital, according to the report.
Mercy Hospital said the physician did not consult the ethics committee in regards to Ms. Jones' case and that removing the IUD would not have violated its Catholic directives, according to the report.
Read the full report here.
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The role of the CMIO is gaining importance in healthcare as hospitals and health systems seek to marry clinical processes with information systems. Health IT is emerging as a priority for many healthcare providers, largely bolstered by federal initiatives and a push toward interoperability and data exchanges.
The following 34 CMIOs are leaders in their field, offering their hospitals and health systems expertise both clinically and technologically.
Note: The following leaders were collected through peer nominations and editorial research. There are no fees involved and no one can pay to be included on this list. They are presented in alphabetical order.
Becker's Hospital Review would like to continuously update this list with notable CMIOs. To recommend an update, please contact Eric Oliver at eoliver@beckershealthcare.com.
Gregory Ator, MD, University of Kansas Hospital (Kansas City). Dr. Ator's tenure has been characterized by using patient data to improve the hospital's clinical and financial performance, and developing and implementing systems that give providers access to relevant and actionable information at the point of care. He is also an advocate for engaging physicians in the health IT implementation process.
Colin Banas, MD, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (Richmond). Dr. Banas has been a hospitalist at VCUMC since he completed medical school in 2002. In July 2010, he took on CMIO duties as well, and since then has led the development of several tools that help VCUMC clinicians use data to provide better patient care. These include a dashboard that pulls EHR data to alert nurses to high-risk patients and an early warning system that displays a "sickness score" using vitals to flag deteriorating patients before alarms go off.
Michael Blum, MD, UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco). Dr. Blum has been the CMIO for UCSF for more than 12 years. During his tenure he has been responsible for the implementation of clinical information systems, data warehousing and analytics. In May 2013, he was named the Association Vice Chancellor for Informatics. Additionally, Dr. Blum is a professor of cardiology at the UCSF School of Medicine specializing in inpatient and ambulatory cardiology practice.
Louis Capponi, MD, Cleveland Clinic Health Systems. Dr. Capponi became the CMIO at the Cleveland Clinic in October 2014 after serving as the CMIO for more than 10 years at NYC Health + Hospitals (formerly New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation). He was a primary care physician and medical director at Gouverneur Healthcare Services, in New York City, starting in 1994. At the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Capponi is responsible for planning, implementing and governing electronic health records.
Henry Chueh, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston). Dr. Chueh is the chief of the division of biomedical informatics. He is also the director of the Massachusetts General Hospital - Lab of Computer Science. In his position, Dr. Chueh is using biomedical informatics to help innovate the health information systems at the hospital. Dr. Chueh has been a fellow with the American College of Medical Informatics since 1999.
Bruce Darrow, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital (New York City). Dr. Darrow has been the CMIO for Mount Sinai Hospital since February 2012. During his tenure as SMIO, the Health Information Management Systems Society awarded the hospital the 2012 Davies Enterprise Award for excellence in health information technology and use of electronic records to improve quality of care and patient safety. Dr. Darrow is board certified in clinical informatics by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. In addition to his CMIO honors, Dr. Darrow was a four-time nominee and the 2012 winner of the Attending Physician of the Year Award by the department of nursing.
Bimal Desai, MD, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Desai, a pediatrician, has been at CHOP his entire career. He became CMIO in 2010 and is currently overseeing a multi-year comprehensive EHR implementation project. He is also an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and is on the clinical informatics board review course faculty with the American Medical Informatics Association. In addition, he is currently the CMO of Haystack Informatics, developer of solutions to help hospital officials monitor EHR access data to detect potential breaches.
Nicholas Desai, MD, Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Desai is the CMIO at Houston Methodist. Before accepting the position he was the system medical director of information technology. While at the hospital, Dr. Desai has implemented a health information exchange mechanism to manage health IT across the systems' various facilities.
Peter Schuyler Greene, MD, John Hopkins Medicine (Baltimore). Dr. Greene was appointed CMIO of John Hopkins Medicine in 2006. He implemented both a provider order entry and a clinical documentation system. He also developed a single portal for clinical e-learning across the hospital. In his professional field, Dr. Green has served as the chair of the society of thoracic surgeons information technology committee. He is also the founder, executive editor and key architect of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Network, an online community with 40 professional cardiothoracic surgery societies. He has more than 15 years experience in the information technology field.
C. William Hanson III, MD, Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian (Philadelphia). Dr. Hanson is the CMIO at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He has been a faculty member with the health system for the past 26 years. Dr. Hanson has extensive experience in medical informatics and was a visiting professor in the Princeton University department of computer science from 2002 to 2005. He is also a practicing internist, anesthesiologist and intensivist. His speciality is in cardiac anesthesia.
Stan Huff, MD, Intermountain Healthcare (Salt Lake City). Dr. Huff has been CMIO of Intermountain since 2006 and is responsible for the architecture and functionality of all of the organization's clinical information systems. He has been a pioneer in the medical database architecture field for 20 years and is currently the chair of Health Level Seven International, the interoperability and standards committee, and a member of HHS' Health IT Standards Committee. He is also a professor in the biomedical informatics department at the University of Utah School of Medicine, focusing on medical vocabulary and data exchange standards.
Christopher Jaeger, MD, Sutter Health (Sacramento). As CMIO, Dr. Jaeger led the development of a health information exchange that connects Sutter hospitals and physicians with neighboring, non-affiliated providers, improving care coordination in the communities Sutter serves. He joined Sutter in 2007 as physician director of EHR hospital clinical applications and assumed his current duties in 2008. Prior to joining Sutter, Dr. Jaeger was the EHR physician-lead at Sutter-affiliate California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. He also was an assistant clinical professor at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine until April 2014.
Brent Lambert, MD, Carolinas HealthCare System (Charlotte). In 2010, Dr. Lambert joined Carolinas HealthCare System as its first CMIO. He was previously CMIO at the seven-hospital Carilion Clinic system in Roanoke, Va., where he oversaw an enterprisewide EHR implementation as vice president of informatics.
Donald Levick, MD. CMIO of Lehigh Valley Health Network (Allentown, Pa.). Unlike many other CMIOs, Dr. Levick has avoided moving his health system onto a single IT platform, preferring best-of-breed solutions and combining products to make the optimal infrastructure for LVHN's specific needs. It's worked In May, the health system was recognized with HIMSS Analytics' stage 6 award. Dr. Levick is also on the board of the Pennsylvania e-Health Initiative, an advocacy group, and the Delaware Valley chapter of HIMSS.
CT Lin, MD, University of Colorado Hospital (Aurora). Dr. Lin has been the CMIO of the University of Colorado Health system since July 2012. He previously served in the same position for the University of Colorado Hospital for 17 years. He has received several national honors during his tenure including being named a Healthcare IT innovator, and an electronic physician of the year. A presentation he gave on improving electronic healthcare readability was awarded an Epic Classics recognition.
Davin Lundquist, MD, Dignity Health (San Francisco). Dr. Lundquist has been CMIO of Dignity Health since July 2013. One of his most interesting projects has been incorporating Google Glass into patient care using an app from Augmedix that puts information pulled from the video stream of a patient encounter directly into the EHR, allowing physicians to keep their attention on patients. He also works to engage the system's affiliated physicians with Dignity Health's IT efforts, including a health information exchange that currently has 7,000 physician members.
Arun Mathews, MD, Medical Center Hospital (Odessa, Texas). Under Dr. Mathews' leadership, the 400-bed regional referral center has attested to meaningful use stage 1, is on track for stage 2 and has reached stage 6 on HIMSS Analytics' EMR Adoption Model. In addition to his CMIO duties, Dr. Mathews is also a clinical assistant professor and hospitalist fellowship training program director for the Texas Tech Department of Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Mathews became the Chief Medical Office - Acute in August 2015. He now holds both positions.
Troy McGuire, MD, Seattle Children's Hospital. Dr. McGuire, a practicing pediatrician, has been with Seattle Children's since 2011. During his tenure he has focused on improving both the safety and efficiency of care within the large, tertiary organization. In January, he was named a finalist for AMIA Provider Innovation in Informatics Award for a system that uses real-time data to reduce emergency department length of stay by identifying safety risks and using real-time data to adjust throughput as necessary.
Dawn Milliner, MD, Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Dr. Milliner became the CMIO in late 2011, at a time when she said the Mayo Clinic was entering into an era of knowledge-driven decisions. Since accepting the position, Dr. Milliner began implementing a knowledge content management system. The KCMS system will serve as the central repository of knowledgeable assets for the clinic. Another passion of Dr. Millner's is informatics. She believes that information systems provide a safety net that help to safeguard patients in more ways than an individual can.
Keith Moss, MD, Riverside Healthcare (Kankakee, Ill.). Dr. Moss is the CMO and CMIO at Riverside Healthcare. He stepped into the position in 2015 after serving as the VP and CMIO. During his tenue, Riverside implemented Epic Systems throughout its organization in 2016. Early reviews from Epic are that the hospital has had a positive experience. In addition to his administrative duties. Dr. Moss has a long-standing practice in Bourbonnais, Ill., and he is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Dennis R. Niess, MD, Wheeling (W.Va.) Hospital. Dr. Neiss has been Wheeling Hospital's CMIO since 2009. Board-certified in family medicine, Dr. Neiss is respected for his ability to work with physicians from disparate specialties. His excellent rapport with clinicians has allowed him to modify the hospital's EMR system in a way that improves physician workflow while also improving quality measures and patient outcomes.
Michael Oppenheim, MD, Northwell Health (Great Neck, N.Y.). Dr. Oppenheim is the vice president and CMIO at Northwell Health. Northwell He is responsible for overseeing the clinical aspects of electronic medical record rollout and optimization as well as aligning clinical IT efforts with Health System strategic clinical initiatives and priorities. His job additionally has a special focus on decision support, interoperability, and data warehousing/clinical analytics. In 2010 he won an award from the Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems, recognizing his excellence in the field of applied medical informatics.
Eric Poon, MD, MPH, Duke University Health System (Durham, N.C.). From September 2012 to December 2014, Dr. Poon was Vice President and CMIO at Boston Medical Center. From 2007 to 2012, he was the director of clinical informatics and information systems at Brigham and Women's Hospital, also in Boston. Dr. Poon also is an associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and previously held the same position at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Poon is board-certified in internal medicine.
Luis Saldana, MD, Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Dr. Saldana was promoted from associate CMIO of Texas Health Resources to CMIO in August 2013. He is an expert on clinical decision support implementation, and was a co-author of "Improving Outcomes with Clinical Decision Support," which won HIMSS' annual Book of the Year Award in 2012.
Joseph Schneider, MD, Indian University Health. Dr. Schneider was the Vice President and CMIO of Baylor Scott & White Health up until September 2015. Before Baylor, he was CMIO at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. He is also a former chair of the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Clinical IT, where he helped to lead the development of the Continuity of Care Record Standard, still widely used today. He is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas - Southwestern.
Christopher Sharp, MD, Stanford Health Care-Stanford (Calif.). Dr. Sharp has been the CMIO for Stanford Health Care since 2013. His clinical focus is in medical informatics and internal medicine. Before accepting the administrative position he served as the associate chief medical information officer and the medical director for clinical informatics. He earned his board certification in clinical informatics in 2014 by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Sharp helps run the Arbor Free Clinic in Menlo Park, Calif. There he helps educate and care for underserved patients.
Dirk Stanley, MD, UConn Health (Farmington, Conn.). Dr. Stanley is the CMIO of UConn Health. He accepted the position in May 2016, after an eight year tenure at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in the same position. At UConn Dr. Stanley is using information to help guide clinical technology, informatics and HealthIT development. He was named Clinician of the Year in 2010 by the New England chapter of HIMSS.
Andy Steele, MD, Denver Health. Dr. Steele is the CMIO of Denver Health. After more than 14 years as Denver Health's director of medical informatics, Dr. Steele was promoted to CMIO in February 2014. In the position his focus is on designing, implementing and enhancing electronic health records. He has 17 years of experience using health information technology.
Paul Testa, MD, NYU Langone Medical Center. Dr. Testa has been the CMIO at NYU Langone since October 2014. He also directs NYU Langone Health Systems telemedicine initiatives, and is an assistant professor in the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine at NYU Langone. Dr. Testa, who is also an attorney, has published about and lectures on the intersection of public health law and clinical informatics. In 2016, NYU Langone and its ambulatory practices were awarded HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Awards for both Acute Care and Ambulatory the first hospital enterprise in New York State to receive these prestigious awards.
David Yut-Chee Ting, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Ting's tenure began when he was the associate medical director for information systems in 2010. He was promoted to CMIO in 2014. Dr. Ting earned his medical degree from Duke University, and then completed an internal medicine and pediatrics residency at the Harvard Combined Medicine-Pediatrics program at Massachusetts General. Dr. Ting is an advocate for continued innovation, and encourages informatic teams at MGH to collaborate between their departments in efforts to reap the most benefit.
Vinay Vaidya, MD, Phoenix Childrens Hospital. Dr.Vaidya first started as the CMIO of Phoenix Children's in 2009. During his tenure, he has worked to develop medical informatic systems for pediatrics. The idea that his work on informatics can help to effect a much broader patient base is what drives him throughout his career. He has a patent on a system that presents critical patient information without human interaction.
Robert Warren, MD, PhD, MPH, Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston). CMIO since 2011, Dr. Warren oversaw major EHR upgrades across the four-hospital system and orchestrated a successful "big bang" go live of new enterprisewide patient access, revenue cycle, inpatient clinical systems and analytics and research systems all in July 2014. Dr. Warren is board-certified in pediatrics, allergy and immunology and internal medicine with a specialty in rheumatology.
Lynn Witherspoon, MD, Ochsner Health System (New Orleans). Dr. Witherspoon has been CMIO of Oschner Health System since 2009. He is the leader of several innovative, patient-centered projects, including O Bar, which helps patients download appropriate health-related apps that will eventually be able to send data to the health system's EHR, and a robust disease registry tool that gives providers across the continuum a more comprehensive view of a patient's history.
Sajjad Yacoob, MD, Children's Hospital Los Angeles. After six years as the director of medical informatics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. Yacoob became the hospital's first CMIO in 2007. His tenure has been marked by efforts to bring more clinical information to the point of care. Dr. Yacoob is also the assistant dean for innovation and technology and the assistant dean for student affairs at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles.
The Reconstructive Orthopedic Center of Houston and Zotec Partners have entered into a revenue cycle management agreement.
The group's customer and patient billing services will now be handled by Zotec.
Here's what you should know.
1. The center's President Marcos Masson, MD, lauded the partnership saying his surgical group will now have better patient billing practices.
2. The center will now be able to offer multiple ways to pay including through mobile devices.
3. Zotec will provide the center with analytical software to help improve the billing services.
4. Zotec manages more than 70 million medical encounters across the nation.
More news on improving patient management:
An unlikely team: Law students & physicians take on mock malpractice depositions
Dr. Theodore Blaine named Yale Medicine's interim chair of orthopedics: 3 takeaways
MIT Sloan School of Management offers inaugural healthcare finance course 5 points
Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Sept. 1, 2016.
CMS proposes 8 spine codes for ASC coverage in 2017
CMS is proposing to add eight spine codes to the list of ASC covered procedures in 2017. The procedures include:
Autograft for spine surgery; local obtained from the same incision: 20936
Autograft for spine surgery only; morselized: 20937
Autograft for spine surgery only: 20938
Arthrodesis, anterior interbody, including disc space preparation, discectomy, osteophytectomy and decompression of spinal cord and/or nerve roots; cervical C2, each additional interspace: 22552
Posterior non-segmental instrumentation: 22840
Posterior non-segmental instrumentation: 22842
Anterior instrumentation; two to three vertebral segments: 22845
Application of intervertebral biomechanical device to vertebral defect or interspace: 22851
5 largest orthopedic companies have 61% of market share
The largest player in the orthopedic market is still DePuy Synthes at 20 percent, but Zimmer Biomet and Stryker are gaining ground, with 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Smith & Nephew ranks fourth at 7 percent and Medtronic boasts 6 percent.
FDA to consider clamping down on stem cell clinics
The FDA will conduct hearings next month to determine if the agency will more closely regulate stem cell clinic offerings. Those opposing these clinics are imploring the FDA to impose stricter regulators, while many clinic managers argue they are practicing medicine and the agency doesn't need to give approval. As per FDA regulations, clinics do not need the agency's approval if the stem cells are derived from a patient's own cells.
Medtronic Q1 profits hit $929M, spine revenue down 6%
Medtronic reported $7.1 billion in worldwide revenue for the first quarter, a 1 percent decrease over the same period last year. Medtronic's spine division reported a 6 percent decrease in revenue to $645 million. The core spine business was up in the low-single digits in the United States with a number of new products and focuses on the procedural innovation driving improved results.
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush adds spine surgeon Dr. Gregory Lopez
Chicago-based Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush welcomed Gregory Lopez, MD, to its team. Dr. Lopez performs minimally invasive surgery to treat complex spinal degenerative disorders. After completing his orthopedic surgery residency at University of California Irvine, Dr. Lopez completed his spine surgery fellowship at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush.
87% of pediatricians reported parents refusing vaccines in 2013
An American Academy of Pediatrics' fellows survey report found a striking increase in the number of parents refusing to vaccinate their children between 2006 and 2013. Compared to 74.5 percent of pediatricians reporting parental vaccine refusals in 2006, 87 percent of pediatricians reported the same in 2013. As for reasons for refusals, 73.1 percent of pediatricians in 2013 believed parents found the vaccines unnecessary.
Barrow Brain and Spine welcomes neurosurgeons Drs. Kaith Almefty & Jay Turner
Kaith Almefty, MD, and Jay D. Turner, MD, PhD, joined Phoenix-based Barrow Brain and Spine. Dr. Almefty specializes in skull base surgery, meningiomas, acoustic neuromas and spinal surgery. Dr. Turner has expertise in scoliosis, spinal deformity, complex spine surgery, revision spine surgery, spinal cord tumors, spinal trauma, minimally invasive spine surgery as well as cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine surgery.
Intralink-Spine reports further positive Rejuve clinical results for chronic low back pain
Lexington, Ky.-based Intralink-Spine reported additional positive clinical results for its Rejuve System. The Rejuve System is intended to offer immediate mechanical support and stabilization to the spinal joint with molecular bonds. At the one-month follow-up, all patients reported reductions in Visual Analog Scale pain scores and Oswestry Disability Index disability.
Here five spine surgeons discuss the value of including physician extenders in your practice.
Physician extenders are healthcare provider who are not physicians but who perform the clinical activities typically performed by physicians. They include nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other advanced practitioners.
Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.
Next week's question: What are some ways to maintain work-life balance?
Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 5 p.m. CST.
Question: Do you think physician extenders are valuable? Why?
Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I think if used effectively, and trained well, they can be. I have been considering hiring one for a while now, but am concerned about my return on investment and how long it will take until they generate income for me. Also, they affect the personal touch that is characteristic of many practices. This should be considered before bringing someone on.
Other considerations should be how much will their malpractice insurance be? How skilled are they? Or how familiar are they with your specialty? Can they help in the operating room, clinic or both? Will they need office space? Do you have to expand to accommodate? What about buying additional equipment? How much do they want to make? How much more will payroll taxes or 401k contributions be? And at the end of the day, will they do as good a job as you would?
Jeffrey C. Wang, MD, Chief, Orthopedic Spine Service, Co-Director USC Spine Center, Keck Medical Center of USC, Los Angeles: They are extremely important. Being in an academic center, we have different residents and fellows rotating in our services every two months. Having physician extenders allows patients to identify with a support staff that is constant and familiar, which puts them at ease. These extenders can develop expertise in areas and communicate with patients when we are in the operating room and answer questions. I see my patients developing strong relationships with my extenders and they feel more comfortable with the entire team.
Richard D. Guyer, MD, President, Texas Back Institute, Plano: Absolutely. Physician extenders are extremely important and will play an increasing role in the care of our patients. If they are trained to properly evaluate and treat patients in the same way as their physician supervisor, they will help their physician become more efficient without losing the personal touch. While I consider myself to have great bedside manner, my patients love seeing my physician assistant if I cannot. It has been my experience that physician extenders are loved by patients because they are not under the same time constraints, and they are compassionate and understanding. Again, it is choosing the right extender and training them that is most important.
Isador Lieberman, MD, Director, Scoliosis & Spine Tumor Center, Texas Back Institute, Plano: They are my right and left hand.
Plas T. James, MD, Atlanta Spine Institute: I think they're the best thing that ever happened in medicine! If you can train your PAs properly, there's nothing better than someone who knows your technique and your way of practicing medicine. In fact, it makes medicine better for everybody because it allows you to be able to extend yourself and not have to deal with the stress of having to be two places at one time, all the time. I think a good PA is probably better than having a partner, because they're your extender and they know your in's and out's, your personality type and your way of treating a patient. Like Batman and Robin, it takes a while to get that chemistry together but once you have it, there's nothing better for patient care and for the practice.
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Workers apply the finishing touches to a 120-metre long model of London's skyline in the 17th century
A wooden sculpture of 17th century London will be set alight on the River Thames to mark the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire.
The blaze, which raged for four days, was a catastrophe that changed the face of the capital in 1666, devastating thousands of homes and other buildings.
The Great Fire of London spread from Pudding Lane to the areas surrounding St Paul's Cathedral and Fleet Street from just after midnight on September 2 to September 5 - but remarkably only six deaths were officially recorded.
To mark the 350-year milestone, the London's Burning festival - a programme of free art events - is taking place at locations including St Paul's, the Tate Modern and the National Theatre.
Its finale will see a 120-metre long sculpture of the 17th-century London skyline burn in a dramatic retelling of the story of the Great Fire.
It is a collaboration between US artist David Best and Artichoke, the company spearheading the festival.
A live digital broadcast of the event will be hosted by Lauren Laverne from 8.25pm on Sunday, and will feature a series of short films revealing the stories behind the project.
Meanwhile, every night from Thursday to Sunday, the south and east sides of the St Paul's dome will be lit up with a fiery projection called Fires Ancient, echoing the catastrophic impact of the Great Fire on the cathedral and the birth of the building designed by Christopher Wren.
The projection, the work of artist Martin Firrell, will be visible from across the river.
On the other side of the Thames, a projection called Fires Modern will light up the fly-tower of the National Theatre's Grade II-listed building.
Helen Marriage, director of Artichoke, said: "London's Burning brings a unique contemporary perspective to the Great Fire, exploring the challenges and issues faced by major world cities today, our relationship to catastrophe and crisis and our ability to adapt, adjust and rebuild.
"It is an artistic response that addresses the impact of the Great Fire of London on the City, its inhabitants and buildings, and how it emerged from the ashes and evolved to the resilient world city it is today."
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "The Great Fire of London was one of the most important moments in the history of the capital.
"The range of fantastic events taking place around its 350th anniversary shows once again that London is open to visitors from around the world."
Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons is coming to the UK as part of the brand's global expansion.
Restaurant Brands International said it had formed a master franchise joint venture with an investor, which it did not name, to open stores in England, Scotland and Wales.
The move into Europe comes after the brand, which has outlets in Canada, the US and the Middle East, said last month that it would enter Asia by opening its first outlet in the Philippines.
Restaurant Brands, which also owns the Burger King chain of restaurants, did not say when it would open its stores in the region or how many stores it planned to open.
Restaurant Brands chief executive Daniel Schwartz said: "This deal is part of our growth plan to take the iconic Tim Hortons brand around the world.
"Great Britain is an attractive QSR (quick service restaurant) market with a strong and growing coffee culture so it is a natural fit for the brand."
Tim Hortons was founded in Canada in 1964 with a menu that includes premium coffee, speciality drinks, fresh baked goods, sandwiches and wraps.
It is particularly known for its Iced Capp, a blended coffee drink, and its Timbits doughnut bites that come in a range of flavours, such as honey dip and apple fritter.
Restaurant Brands International has more than 19,000 restaurants in almost 100 countries.
The announcement gained considerable interest on Twitter, where Luke Spillane posted: "omg holy timbits THIS IS NOT A DRILL Tim Hortons is coming to the UK!!!," while Estee Lalonde tweeted: "I will cry if this is true."
Outsourcing firm Capita has announced two new contracts for IT infrastructure services here worth a total of 500,000
Outsourcing firm Capita has announced two new contracts for IT infrastructure services here worth a total of 500,000.
The company, which has offices in Newtownabbey and in Belfast's Harbour Estate, won a deal with Derry City and Strabane District Council following a competitive tender process.
It has also been awarded a contract with building materials supplier Murdock Builders Merchants, which has 10 sites across Northern Ireland.
Capita is to completely overhaul the council's IT infrastructure, including its disaster recovery facilities and support for more than 1,000 users.
For Murdock Builders Merchants, it will provide disaster recovery and business continuity over the next three years.
Caterpillar is closing its Monkstown factory outside Belfast and cutting between 200 and 250 jobs.
The US-manufacturing giant is restructuring its business here as part of global cutbacks across the business.
The company is closing its base at Monkstown in Newtownabbey, which employs around 250 staff.
It's understood the company will undergo a period of consultation to determine the spread of the job losses.
Some staff at the Monkstown facility which is a sub-manufacturer of generators will be offered work elsewhere at Caterpillar's Northern Ireland operations.
The generator maker, which employs approximately 1,800 staff, briefed staff this afternoon about job cuts at the business, which has three sites across the province.
Robert Kennedy, Caterpillars director of operations in Northern Ireland, said: "The difficult actions we are considering in Northern Ireland are not a reflection of the quality of our dedicated workforce, the support of the local community, nor the business climate in Northern Ireland."
The company has said that after "consultation with employees and their representatives, any redundant employees will receive severance packages from the company and outplacement services from appropriate agencies to ensure they have support during this transition".
The former FG Wilson business has operations spread across its base at Larne, as well as Newtownabbey and Springvale in west Belfast.
Tom Frake, Caterpillar vice president, said: "We recognise that what we are considering is difficult for our employees, their families and the communities where they live and work. Despite these contemplated actions, we remain committed to Northern Ireland.
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"In fact, these potential changes would make us more efficient and competitive over the longer term as we adapt to the weak market conditions."
In 2013 Caterpillar announced it would create up to 200 new jobs for west Belfast to expand its support services.
Earlier that year the company said it would create 100 jobs by adding a new production line making the yellow-coloured Cat machines for which the company is most famous.
In September 2012, Caterpillar cut more than 700 jobs as it moved some manufacturing to China.
Last year, Caterpillar announced it was cutting around 120 jobs here.
Caterpillar previously warned that post-Brexit uncertainty could have a short-term hit on customer purchasing decisions.
REACTION
Economy Minister, Simon Hamilton MLA said: The decision by Caterpillar to seek 200-250 in redundancies as well as the potential closure of its plant at Monkstown is deeply disappointing. First and foremost I am mindful of the very direct and personal impact this devastating news will have upon the workers affected and their families.
My department and Invest Northern Ireland will continue to work to minimise the impact on all those affected. Manufacturing is vitally important to the local economy and we are facing significant challenges which are not unique to Northern Ireland as a result of global pressures, market slowdowns and business restructurings.
Caterpillar are clearly experiencing a significant and sustained downturn in their business globally which has seen their revenues decline by 21% in the last five years. These job losses in Northern Ireland are part of the overall reduction of 10,000 staff across the company. The difficulties experienced by Caterpillar have been public knowledge for some time. As a result, we have intensified our engagement with the company both locally and in the United States to ensure Caterpillar were fully briefed on the benefits as a manufacturing base and of the complete range of Government support available to them at this time.
Between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2016 Invest NI has provided over 270m of assistance to manufacturing firms here and I am determined to continue to support our manufacturing sector. My Departments Careers Service will provide individuals with tailored, professional advice and guidance about the options and support available to them including employment, training and education opportunities.
Unite's union Davy Thompson, said: "Unite will be fully engaging with Caterpillar management during the upcoming consultation period and will seek to minimise the impact of this announcement and secure our members employment.
"Last year, Caterpillar indicated that the five thousand redundancies it brought forward globally were likely to increase to ten thousand by the end of 2018. Unfortunately, our political representatives stood idly by and did nothing to minimise the threat this posed to Caterpillars Northern Ireland workforce. It is vital that we now see real action to safeguard as many jobs and lines of production as we can.
"The Northern Ireland Executive parties appear to believe that Manufacturing is a lost cause. They voted down proposals for a stand-alone strategy for the sector and theres continued failure to win Foreign-Direct Investment in the sector.
"Thousands of experienced, highly-skilled and now redundant, manufacturing workers need appropriate employment opportunities. Giving up on manufacturing is not an option for these workers or the communities which face post-industrial futures."
East Antrim DUP MLA and Junior Minister Alastair Ross, said: "Clearly this is another difficult day for the Caterpillar workforce, particularly those in the Monkstown plant with significant job losses of up to 250 employees.
"I have been in contact with local management to see what support government can offer and to seek assurances on the future plans for Caterpillars presence in Northern Ireland."
Alliance MLA Stephen Farry MLA has said the loss of up to 250 jobs is a devastating blow to those affected.
"This is a devastating blow, both to the local areas directly affected by the job losses, but also to the wider Northern Ireland economy," he said.
"This is especially true as it comes in the wake of a number of other significant cuts to other major companies in the manufacturing sector in recent months.
"My immediate thoughts are with the affected workers and their families, who will be devastated by this news. There needs to be a clear vision from the Executive, not only for fully supporting the workers, but also what will be done to prevent further similar losses down the line.
"Although overall the manufacturing sector in Northern Ireland remains strong, todays news is a further example of a major and long-established manufacturer experiencing massive difficulties.
"While the factors which have caused Caterpillars decision may relate to the ongoing situation in the global market, there are massive difficulties when trying to grow the manufacturing sector, given the implications of Brexit and the uncertainty of future access to the single market."
MANUFACTURING LOSSES
The job losses at Caterpillar are the latest in a line of big name international manufacturers to announce huge cuts across its business globally.
The expected job losses follow the announcement that 1,080 posts will go at aerospace giant Bombardier in the next two years
Around 860 positions will go at tyre giant Michelin when it closes its doors in 2018.
A similar number of jobs have also been lost at cigarette-maker JTI Gallaher's
A number of other firms, Schrader Electronics, both based in Co Antrim, have made substantial cutbacks.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has weighed into the tax dispute between Apple and the European Union, saying the Irish government should write a letter to the EU telling them to "f*** off".
Dubbing the bloc's ruling "bizarre", the outspoken Irishman added: "One of the fundamental principles of the European Union is that each country has its autonomy to make its own tax decisions.
"Frankly, the Irish government should turn around - they shouldn't even appeal the decision - they should just write a letter to Europe and tell them politely to f*** off.
"The idea that you have the State aid mob - who've had more court verdicts overturned than any other department in Europe in the last 20 years - come along 10 years after the fact and say, 'No we didn't like that, we think you should have done something else', is frankly bizarre."
On Tuesday, Europe's antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager slapped the maker of iPads and iPhones with a 13bn (11.1bn) tax bill.
She claimed Apple paid just 1% tax on its European profits in 2003 and 0.005% in 2014, and claimed its arrangement with the Irish government was illegal under State aid rules.
Apple is set to challenge the decision, but Mr O'Leary said: "I think there's no chance of this surviving a court ruling in Europe. There's certain things that Europe has no competence in."
The Ryanair boss went on to claim that the airline was "one of the most compliant taxpayers in Ireland", having paid a tax rate of about 11.9% on its profits last year.
On Brexit, the chief executive, who backed the Remain campaign during the EU referendum, expects the UK to suffer "significant economic damage" as a result of its decision to quit the bloc.
In July, Ryanair said it would "pivot" growth away from UK airports and instead focus on hubs in the European Union following the Brexit result.
The firm said its growth rate in the UK is expected to slow from about 15% to 6% next year.
However, with long-term growth in mind, Mr O'Leary is now calling on the UK Government to approve three new runways in a bid to end Britain's airport capacity conundrum for "the next 50 years".
He urged the Government to be "radical in its decision making" and rubber-stamp new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
The new station is to be built on the Belfast Harbour Estate, with investment from Crescent Capital
Northern Ireland's first new standalone power station for over a decade has won a multimillion-pound investment, it was announced today.
The 280m gas-powered Belfast Harbour development by Belfast Power Ltd is to generate enough energy for 500,000 homes and businesses around the province - between 30% and 40% of Northern Ireland's energy needs.
Brothers Ciaran and Stephen Devine - directors of Belfast Power and parent company Evermore Renewable Energy, based in Londonderry - have won investment of around 5m from Crescent Capital to fund the development.
Around 350 people will work on the building of the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power station between now and 2020, while around 50 people will work in it when complete.
Ciaran Devine said the power station would be "low-carbon" and "highly efficient".
"It will be the most efficient power station in the UK and Ireland, bringing down the amount of carbon it takes in Northern Ireland for us to generate electricity for homes," he added.
He said the use of "state of the art technology" from manufacturer Siemens would ensure the efficiency of the operation.
The company will now apply for planning permission for the power station - a process that will be handled by the Department for Infrastructure due to the station's scale and economic importance.
Mr Devine said he did not anticipate any environmental objections to the project.
"CCGT comes with very strong environmental credentials, and we will be sitting down to go through a very rigorous process with planners," he explained.
The company already operates a plant using renewable energy from biomass at Lisnahally in Londonderry. But Mr Devine said the requirements of heating a large number of homes and businesses could not be met from a renewable biomass plant.
"Northern Ireland has got ageing power stations and there's been no new investment or development in form of new power generation in years," he added.
"We've seen an opportunity there and we believe it demands a new power station to keep up with energy requirements."
The company will now be seeking investment from capital markets for the project.
Colin Walsh, managing director of Crescent Capital, said: "We have formed a very positive working relationship with the Evermore team, which has a proven track record of delivery with this type of development."
Neasa Quigley, a commercial law partner at Carson McDowell, said new power stations were needed to replace lost capacity at Ballylumford and Kilroot.
The capacity of the new plant will be 400 megawatts, compared to 17 megawatts at the Lisnahally plant.
Netflix have released a sneak peek of Narcos season two.
In the second season, the famous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar is on the run and the authorities are in relentless pursuit.
Determined to put an end to his illegal activities, they are closing in.
Built around the tagline "Who Killed Pablo?," the latest season focuses on four main perspectives on the hunt for the infamous drug lord.
Meanwhile star of hit series Wagner Moura recently called for drugs to be legalised.
The Brazilian actor said he had learnt a lot from playing notorious Colombian drugs kingpin, who became a billionaire through the production and distribution of cocaine, in the show.
Moura told the Press Association: "The drug trade - the Narcos craze - is a very, very big deal. It's a big problem for all of us, especially for Latin people. I think it's very important.
"I have learnt so much about it by doing Narcos and it was so important for me politically. For example, I always thought that drugs should be legalised."
The 40-year-old added: "I see the policy towards drugs, especially in America, North America and South America, is completely wrong. It's proved to be a flop.
"I think that addiction is a very, very important thing that has to be treated, but has to be treated as a health problem and not as a police problem.
"The amount of people who are dying in the war, especially people in poor countries, countries that produce and export drugs like Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil - I would say that is much more than people who are dying of overdoses. There is something fundamentally wrong with that policy."
Escobar himself died in 1993 at the age of 44, which means Moura will be making his exit in season two.
Having read "everything that was written about Pablo and modern Colombian history", moved to Colombia with his family for two years, learnt Spanish and put on 40lbs to play the role, it will be an intense experience for Moura to leave behind.
He said: "During this time I was dealing with a lot of bad energy of course, he was a very mean person.
"But at the same time he was a human being. He was a dad, you know. He was a family man, he was someone who at some point was concerned about the situation of poor people in his home town.
"My goal was to display him, to show him as somebody that was between the black and the white. My goal was to find the grey area, that's what makes us all human beings, you know what I mean?
"It was a very intense experience. But at the same time I feel relieved, not having to carry that character with me any more."
The brains of Alzheimer's patients, showing how different doses of the drug reduced the number of amyloid plaques, in red, over a year
An antibody that can almost completely clear the visible signs of Alzheimers disease from the brain has been discovered in a breakthrough that left one scientist trying not to get too excited.
Researchers scanned the brains of people with the degenerative condition as they were given doses of the drug, which is based on an immune cell taken from the blood of elderly people aged up to 100 who showed no signs of the disease.
After a year, virtually all the toxic amyloid plaques that build up in Alzheimers patients appeared to have gone from the brains of those given the highest doses of the antibody.
The scientists, who described their results in a paper in the journal Nature, also said the patients showed signs that the rate of their cognitive decline had slowed.
The findings of the trial suggest the plaques are at least part of the cause of the disease not simply a byproduct.
And, if the results are confirmed in larger clinical trials already under way around the world, one expert said it could be a game-changer for efforts to prevent Alzheimers.
One of the researchers, Professor Roger Nitsch, of Zurich University, described what they found when they scanned the brains of patients given either a placebo or three different doses of the antibody, called aducanumab.
One year later, the images of the placebo group are basically unchanged. In the three doses groups, a very clear reduction in amyloid plaques is shown the higher the dose, the larger the degree of reduction, he said.
In the 10mg dose group, after one year you can see no red on the image, meaning the amyloid has almost completely disappeared.
Compared to other studies published in the past, the effect size of this drug is unprecedented.
Commenting on the research in a separate Nature article, Professor Eric Reiman, of Arizona University, wrote: If these preliminary cognitive findings are confirmed in larger and more-definitive clinical trials, which are now under way, it would provide a shot in the arm in the fight against Alzheimers disease.
But although the authors additional cognitive findings are encouraging, they are not definitive. It would be prudent to withhold judgement about aducanumabs cognitive benefit until results from the larger trials are in.
But he added: Confirmation that an anti-amyloid plaque treatment slows cognitive decline would be a game-changer for how we understand, treat and prevent Alzheimers disease.
Now is the time to find out.
The study, led by scientists at pharmaceutical companies Biogen and Neurimmune, sparked major interest from experts in the field.
Dr Tara Spires-Jones, interim director of Edinburgh Universitys Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, said the research showed the antibody robustly reduced amyloid pathology in a small group of people in very early stages of the disease.
I am cautiously optimistic about this treatment, but trying not to get too excited because many drugs make it through this early stage of testing then go on to fail in larger trials, she said.
And Dr James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimers Society, said: These results are the most detailed and promising that weve seen for a drug that aims to modify the underlying causes of Alzheimers disease.
The study showed that the drug was first able to remove clumps of amyloid a toxic protein associated with Alzheimers from the brain of mice and also, excitingly, in people.
What is most compelling is that more amyloid was cleared when people took higher doses of the drug.
No existing treatments for Alzheimers directly interfere with the disease process and so a drug that actually slows the progress of the disease by clearing amyloid would be a significant step.
He noted that the researchers had found some side-effects, such as headaches, and that the initial trial had not been designed to measure whether the drug slowed the decline in memory and thinking.
While there were hints that it might have an effect on the symptoms of the disease, we need to see the results from further, larger research trials to understand whether this is the case. These larger trials are now under way, including in the UK, and due to finish in 2020, Dr Pickett said.
However Gordon Wilcock, emeritus professor of geratology at Oxford University, was somewhat downbeat about the findings.
This is preliminary data about another monoclonal antibody targeting amyloid in Alzheimer's disease, but whether it will really produce meaningful clinical benefit only definitive phase three clinical trials will show, as the researchers themselves state, he said.
We have already had previous trials of various anti-amyloid strategies, especially the monoclonal antibodies, that have failed to deliver at phase three.
Nevertheless these trials are justified by the data and I hope they are successful, despite my feelings of deja vu!
Independent
It is the things like playing with her children that Nicola Feenan misses most since a shock diagnosis 11 years ago turned her life upside down.
That was when the mother-of-two from Co Down was told she had multiple sclerosis (MS).
The 35-year-old now uses a wheelchair, but a pioneering new stem cell treatment has given her hope that she might be able to one day beat the disease and walk again.
The Downpatrick woman's sister has launched an online appeal to help raise the 50,000 needed to send Nicola to the Riaz Clinic in Mexico.
Nicola said: "It's horrendous. Having two kids, I have to stay in the car when they go to the park or on the first day of school. It's the small things taken for granted that I really miss."
The mother-of-two was originally diagnosed with MS in 2005 after she began experiencing vision problems.
In the beginning, she could still walk if she used crutches, but after the death of her mother five years ago, the disease became progressive.
Despite that, Nicola is determined to stay strong for her son, Calum (11), and her seven-year-old daughter, Sophie.
"They're such kind children and more aware (than some," she explained. "My son goes into the shop to get something for me when I can't."
Nicola and her sister, Gillian Rea, were inspired to act after coming across the story of former MS sufferer Eric Thomson, from Co Durham.
In June, he flew to Mexico to undergo a hematopoietic stem cell transplant and chemotherapy treatment known as HSCT.
Initially unable to walk or use his right hand, he returned to the UK totally mobile.
HSCT is unavailable on the NHS, and the advanced state of Nicola's condition means that there are limited drugs British doctors can prescribe.
Her HSCT treatment would take place over the course of a month.
The first operation aims to stop the progression of the disease and the second to reverse the symptoms.
HSCT, which involves the transplant of stem cells, is a dangerous procedure, and has many potential complications.
It is only carried out on patients with life-threatening diseases.
While the chemotherapy is extremely aggressive, Nicola refused to be deterred and described it as her last chance.
"It's the thought of letting this disease take its course..." she explained.
"I just can't let another relapse happen."
Despite her debilitating condition, Nicola still works four days a week as an IT teacher in Newtownards.
"I think it's so important that my children see me working," she said.
"I refuse to let this beat me. If I didn't have work, I'd see a very different side of me."
Gillian said that she was amazed at the support that the crowd-funding page had received so far.
It has already raised nearly 1,500, despite only going online two days ago.
She described her sister as the rock of her family and praised her outlook through the "emotional roller coaster" of her illness.
Nicola hopes that the treatment will enable her to do the simple tasks which we all take for granted.
She said: "I'd love just to go to a shop again. "There's nothing radical - I just want to do something mundane."
To donate to Nicola's JustGiving page please visit justgiving.com
More than 10,000 children were born to unmarried mothers here last year, new figures reveal
Almost half of births in Northern Ireland are taking place outside of marriage.
More than 10,000 children were born to unmarried mothers here last year, new figures reveal.
In places such as Belfast, the figure is nearer 60%.
The details emerged in a report examining population growth, published yesterday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
It found the population of Northern Ireland was estimated to be 1.852m as of June 2015. That is a rise of 11,100 people (0.6%) since mid-2014.
The report also found:
Each of the 11 Local Government Districts experienced population growth, ranging from 0.2% in Derry City and Strabane to 1.1% in Lisburn and Castlereagh;
A total of 24,215 births were registered last year - 12,493 males and 11,722 females;
Births to teenage mothers reached a new record low (760), while births to mothers aged 35 and over continue to rise;
More people are dying. At 15,548, the number of deaths registered in 2015 is the highest on record since the flu epidemic of 1999, and 870 more than in 2014.
Cancer continued to be the leading cause of death in 2015, accounting for 28% of deaths;
A total of 8,355 marriages and 89 civil partnerships were registered last year - roughly one every hour;
Some 2,360 divorces and seven civil partnership dissolutions were granted in 2015.
The report shows a total of 10,570 babies were born to unmarried couples across Northern Ireland - around 44% of all births.
This ranges from 32% in Fermanagh and Omagh (452 births) to 60% in Belfast (2,716 births).
Rev David McLaughlin from Carryduff Free Presbyterian Church said it was an issue of "moral and spiritual concern".
He said: "Sadly, these statistics are a reflection of the times in which we live.
"There has been a huge departure from the teaching of the Scriptures and a denial of the universal, moral and spiritual application of the Ten Commandments."
A spokesperson from the Diocese of Down and Connor, part of the Catholic Church in Ireland, said: The statistics reflect the choices some couples and individuals make in their personal lives and the Catholic Church acknowledges that reality.
"The Church is eager to support parents in their hugely responsible role and to help them provide for the care and protection of their children in today's modern world."
Canon Ian Ellis, editor of the Church of Ireland Gazette, said the figures raised questions over the best circumstances to bring up children. He said: "While one keeps in mind the perfect ideal, it is important to respect all loving relationships that people choose and to respect fully the homes of children born out of wedlock," he said.
"I believe that children born outside the marriage bond, like those in the majority who still are born to a husband and wife, so often receive really profound and special parental love and care."
The report also examines what is driving Northern Ireland's continued population growth.
Almost 80% of the rise can be attributed to natural growth - more births than deaths.
Net inward migration - the number of people coming here to live exceeding the number leaving to live elsewhere - accounted for the vast majority of the rest.
In the 12 months to June 2015, there was a net population increase of 2,000 due to migration.
Aaron Galbraith is pictured leaving Ballymena Magistrate Court on Thursday where he was convicted of drink driving after a contest in which he claimed products in an e-cig put him over the limit. Photo by Mark Jamieson
A Ballymena man who told a court that alcohol in an e-cigarette had caused a breathalyser to show he was over the drink-drive limit has lost his case.
Chef Aaron Galbraith (35) said he was shocked after he was banned from driving for three years and fined 300 yesterday.
It is believed to be the first time in the UK that a defendant has used vaping as a defence against drink-driving.
Puffing on his e-cig outside Ballymena Courthouse gates, Galbraith said he was considering appealing the decision.
As he faced a two-mile walk home from the court to Dunluce Park, he insisted to reporters he had not been drinking, but had been vaping before and after the accident, including shortly before the breathalyser test.
Galbraith said because he had a previous drink-driving offence from 10 years ago, it meant that he would never have taken the wheel again if he had consumed drink.
His defence team brought in a scientist who claimed it was possible the e-cigarette had put him over the limit.
District Judge Des Perry said although he was not discarding the evidence given in court by expert witness Michael John Walker a private consultant in analytical measurement science nothing he had put forward cast any doubt on the findings of the police who noted Galbraith was unsteady and slurring his speech at the roadside.
He also noted that the defendant had held down a job despite smoking e-cigarettes.
Judge Perry said he was inclined to take the view that the possibility of e-cigarettes causing anything of this nature is remote in the extreme and therefore the driving with excess alcohol charge was proven.
The court was told that police received a report at 12.05am in November last year of a collision at Tully Road near Ballymena.
They arrived 10 minutes later to find the defendant standing beside the vehicle. He told an officer he lost control because of the weather conditions.
A police officer noted he was unsteady on his feet and his speech was slurred.
Defence barrister Stephen Law said Galbraith was vaping before a preliminary breath test at the scene, which he failed.
He was then driven to Coleraine Police Station and Mr Law said his client again vaped in the foyer before breath tests were carried out at around 1.55am. They showed an alcohol reading of 65 with the legal limit being 35.
A prosecutor said the defendant had been asked before the test if he had inhaled anything in the previous 20 minutes and he said no. She said he should have told the truth.
Galbraith told the court he would use up to 35 millilitres of e-cigarette fluid a day but had never felt any ill-effects before.
Mr Walker told the court that literature shows around two-thirds of e-cigarettes contain ethanol (alcohol) and said it was a possibility that up until 15 minutes after vaping there was a chance condensed ethanol in the airway could give a misleadingly high breathalyser reading.
A prosecutor then asked Mr Walker if he accepted it was highly unlikely a breathalyser reading of 65 had anything to do with vaping.
The scientist accepted it was unlikely, but said there was a residual possibility, quite low on the spectrum.
After the hearing, Galbraith said he was shocked at the outcome.
The vape put me over the limit, it gave a false breathalyser reading, he insisted.
He said the accident was caused by it being a wet night and that the back of the car had just slid out.
Galbraith is still vaping. It is either that or go back on the cigarettes, and I dont want to go back to them, he said.
Raymond Surgenor was given a conditional discharge after a judge was told he had been encouraged and provoked into his actions
A Belfast man accused of exposing himself outside his home was "set up" by neighbours filming the incident, a court heard on Thursday.
Raymond Surgenor was given a conditional discharge after a judge was told he had been encouraged and provoked into his actions.
The 68-year-old, of Ballysillan Road in the north of the city, pleaded guilty to indecent behaviour and two assaults on police.
Belfast Magistrates' Court heard a member of the public flagged down police on May 30 to report a man standing outside his house with his trousers pulled down.
But a prosecution lawyer accepted there had been an exchange between Surgenor and neighbours across the road who witnessed the incident.
She said: "They were heard on audio (recordings) to encourage the defendant in his behaviour."
No distress was caused to anyone during the incident, the court was told. Surgenor was said to have raised his fists and squared up to the officers who arrested him.
They restrained him in handcuffs, fearing an assault. However, neither officer was injured.
Defence counsel Luke Curran said his client was drinking at the time and had "a bit of history" with people on the other side of the road.
"They were filming the defendant and provoking a response off camera," he claimed.
Stressing there was no sexual aspect to the incident, Mr Curran said Surgenor was embarrassed by his momentary actions.
"Police arrived and he realised he had been set up by his neighbours," the barrister added.
After being told of Surgenor's medical issues, the judge imposed a two-year conditional discharge to cover all offences.
Rat droppings are thought to have been found.
A Belfast school has been closed temporarily due to a rodent issue.
St Teresa's on the Glen Road, has been closed for an additional two days at the start of the new school term due to confirmation of a rodent issue.
It is understood the closure came following the discovery of rat droppings.
Principal Mr Terry Rodgers told the Belfast Telegraph in a statement: "I can confirm that we have had to close St Teresas for an additional two days at the start of the new school term due to confirmation we received that the school had a rodent issue.
"I understand that this is very inconvenient for our pupils however I can assure parents that the school is dealing with the problem as swiftly as possible.
"Once we have carried out a deep clean of the school we hope to be open as normal next week.
"I will be in touch with parents to keep them up to date.
A primary school cleaner - the first person in Northern Ireland to be prosecuted for having a paedophile manual - has confessed to having thousands of indecent images and videos of children.
Standing in the dock of Newtownards Crown Court, 34-year-old Gary Carruthers entered guilty pleas to 20 counts of making indecent images of children, three of having prohibited images of children and a further three counts of possessing extreme pornography between July 31, 2012 and September 16 last year.
However, he denied two counts of having a paedophile manual, one giving instructions on how to groom and abuse a child, and the other entitled 'Producing kiddie porn for dummies'.
Previous courts heard claims that amongst the thousands of still and moving images uncovered were ones where children's faces had been superimposed on to pornographic images.
Before yesterday's arraignment, defence QC Gavan Duffy confirmed that Carruthers, from Victoria Street in Belfast, had been "fully informed and advised" about the credit he would receive for admitting his guilt.
The charges arose after officers from the National Crime Agency uncovered 30 storage devices hidden in a safe in his bedroom along with the 170-page paedophile handbook.
Previous courts initially heard there were 6,000 images or pseudo images including some where children's faces were superimposed on to abusive images but that number escalated to around 18,000 as the probe continued.
The amount of material seized was so vast that NCA officers sought the assistance of a private forensic firm of investigators to trawl through the computer hardware, software, CDs and storage devices they uncovered in Carruthers' bedroom.
While Carruthers had saved more than a million images across the devices, an NCA officer has testified previously that examinations of half of those had uncovered more than 18,000 images of child abuse on material which allegedly belonged to the primary school cleaner.
The NCA officer claimed that of the images uncovered, they were classified "right through [levels] from one to five".
According to legal guidelines, images classified at level one depict erotic posing while those at level five portray full penetrative sexual acts with adults, often with elements of sadomasochism. It has been further claimed that the 'paedophile manual' was a guide on 'how to approach a child' and gave detailed steps on how to groom a child.
Judge Piers Grant remanded Carruthers back into custody and listed the case for review in two weeks.
Its understood that five drivers from the West Belfast Taxi association - who have operated the shuttle service for more than 30 years from the site were ticketed during the incident
An altercation broke out between black taxi drivers and traffic wardens at King Street in central Belfast yesterday after wardens began issuing tickets to drivers they claimed were parked illegally.
It is understood that five drivers from the West Belfast Taxi Association which has operated the shuttle service from the site for more than 30 years were ticketed during the incident.
Some drivers gave the wardens a piece of their mind, a source said.
Sinn Fein worker and former Belfast City councillor Breige Brownlee posted photos of the incident on Facebook.
Stand-off in King Street as over-eager traffic wardens hand out ticket to black taxis in their rank! she wrote.
Just have to say everyone has a job to do, but theres a way of doing it.
Unfortunately, the atrocious attitude of some (people) coincided with taxis breaking down. Too bad...
The West Belfast Taxi Association did not wish to comment last night.
Northern Ireland is on the up. Of all parts of the UK, it's among the best-performing when it comes to job creation - and there are more opportunities than ever for the next generation.
So I am delighted to be coming to Belfast today with Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire to meet First Minister Arlene Foster, a representative from the Deputy First Minister's Office and other senior members of the Executive.
My visit is an indication of my determination to reach out to the parts of the UK where people didn't support an exit from the European Union in as many numbers as elsewhere, as well as those where big majorities voted to Leave.
I will ensure that Northern Ireland's voice is heard as we work towards a Brexit deal that enables every part of the UK to build on what it has achieved and embrace the new opportunities that we know will arise.
Theresa May signalled her Government's commitment to such an approach when she came here on one of her first visits on becoming Prime Minister.
She said then, and I reiterate it now: Brexit means Brexit and we are going to make a success of it. There won't be a second referendum - the people of the UK have spoken and delivered a bigger mandate than that given to any Prime Minister in any general election in history.
We must have a UK-wide approach as we prepare for negotiations on our new relationship with the EU.
We will engage fully with the Northern Ireland Executive as we proceed, recognising the particular circumstances that affect this part of the UK.
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I also want to hear not just from the politicians, but the people, groups and businesses that have helped to build Northern Ireland's success. Today, James Brokenshire and I will be attending the inaugural meeting of the Northern Ireland Business Advisory Group, which will help provide an ongoing dialogue with industry.
We want to make sure that Brexit works for businesses and the people they employ, with a particular focus on the wonderful exports that Northern Ireland has to offer. It is encouraging that even businesses and organisations that campaigned actively for Remain are already engaging seriously with the Government about how to achieve the best possible outcome and embrace the opportunities now open to us.
This won't be about Government ministers telling you what is going to happen - it will be a two-way conversation - and we need to hear what people want our relationship with Europe to look like.
Part of that process is building on the foundations which are already in place. The result of the referendum does not change the Government's priorities.
Along with all political parties in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government, we will continue to work for peace, stability and prosperity for Northern Ireland. As the Government's manifesto set out last year, we are committed to a brighter, more secure future for the people who live here.
We had a common travel area between the UK and the Republic of Ireland many years before either country was a member of the European Union.
We are clear we do not want a hard border - no return to the past - and no unnecessary barriers to trade. What we will do is deliver a practical solution that will work in everyone's interests, and I look forward to opening the conversation about how that should operate with my colleagues today.
We also want to ensure continuity when it comes to public funding. The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, has already confirmed that structural and investment fund projects signed before the Autumn Statement and research and innovation projects financed by the Horizon 2020 programme granted before we leave the EU will be guaranteed by the Treasury after we leave.
Agriculture is a vital part of the Northern Ireland economy, and the Government will match the current level of annual payments that the sector receives through the direct payment scheme until 2020, providing certainty.
As we make the transition to longer-term arrangements, we will ensure the devolved administrations are involved in discussions over how they will work.
We are already working with the Irish Government and I firmly believe this process will take our relationship forwards not backwards.
The United Kingdom is a great and strong country with a bright future and Northern Ireland plays a huge part in its success.
We remain open for business. We are the same outward-looking, globally-minded, free-trading nation we have always been. We may be leaving the EU, but we are not leaving Europe - and we should all focus on the new freedoms and opportunities to succeed.
We have promised the devolved administrations will have an important role in the forthcoming negotiations. We will be true to our word. Everyone has a voice as we strike out and take our new place in the world.
You can rest assured that Northern Ireland's will be heard - loud and clear.
Woman was walking her dog on Devenish Island in Fermanagh when she was attacked by cattle
A woman is critically ill in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after she was injured in an incident on Devenish Island in Fermanagh.
It is understood the woman was walking her dog when she was attacked by cattle. The family pet later died as a result of injuries.
An RNLI spokesman said: "Enniskillen RNLI and Rescue Water Craft (RWC) attended the helicopter evacuation of an injured lady on Devenish Island.
"The volunteer crew, who were training at the time, were tasked by Belfast Coastguard and proceeded to the island.
"One of the crew stayed with the lady who had suffered back injuries while paramedics were transferred by the boat from the mainland.
"The Irish Coast Guard helicopter (Rescue 118) was tasked from Sligo and they airlifted the lady to the nearby South West Acute Hospital."
A man has been arrested at Belfast International Airport in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The man was detained by virtue of a European Arrest Warrant.
The 26-year-old is wanted by authorities in the Republic of Ireland in connection with significant drugs supply offences.
He is due to appear before Belfast Recorders Court at Laganside later today.
A distressed mother left court in tears after a doctor admitted she should have been brought to hospital days before her baby was stillborn.
Michelle Rocks broke down as an obstetrics specialist told Belfast Coroner's Court mistakes had been made in the management of her care.
Dr Rachel O'Flaherty also accepted the infant's death could have been avoided if a planned caesarean section had taken place.
She said: "Looking at the facts of the case now, yes, that could have been the case."
Baby Cara Rocks was stillborn at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Co Londonderry on June 26 2013.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust, which runs the hospital, has already apologised for her death and accepted a series of failings.
In a statement prepared for the inquest last year, Dr O'Flaherty, also said sorry to the family.
"I would like to apologise for the distress she has experienced and continues to experience," she said.
The court heard how Dr O'Flaherty, then a middle grade medic, had seen Mrs Rocks on a number of occasions late into her pregnancy.
Crucially, when she presented at 38 weeks' gestation with baby Cara lying in the wrong position, Dr O'Flaherty advised she be sent home from hospital - a decision the doctor admitted in court was wrong.
When pressed on the issue by barrister Fiona Doherty QC, representing the Rocks family, she said: "In retrospect I should have kept her in for observation.
"Although she was not in labour and not showing any signs of labour I probably should have kept her in and got a consultant's opinion."
Mrs Rocks was days overdue when she was admitted for induction of labour on June 25 2013. Ba by Cara was stillborn the following day at 4.33pm.
At the time, Dr O'Flaherty was qualified to see medium to high risk patients.
Despite the history of a previous c-section, which meant Mrs Rocks was high risk, she never saw a consultant for the duration of her pregnancy, it emerged.
It was a matter of "chance" whether or not she saw the consultant, the court heard.
Meanwhile, details of an earlier appointment with Dr O'Flaherty were also given.
While she could not recall the specifics of the meeting on May 20 2013, when Mrs Rocks was 36 weeks pregnant, Dr O'Flaherty accepted that it appeared a decision not to facilitate the request for an elective c-section was taken.
The Rocks' family barrister said: "She (Mrs Rocks) specifically asked you for a planned c-section and she gave reasons of the experience of her two previous pregnancies. She was very clear. She had been through the various options in her previous pregnancies and she knew which one suited her best.
"She says you told her she was more than capable of delivering herself.
"In fact she was in tears at that appointment. She was incredibly upset."
However, the doctor had no memory of the consultation other than those documented in the medical notes.
"I can't remember," she replied.
According to official guidelines, a final decision on the mode of delivery should be made by 37 weeks.
Following that 36-week appointment, Mrs Rocks wrongly believed the decision on the mode of delivery had been taken out of her hands by a senior doctor, the court heard.
Ms Doherty added: "I say there can be no doubt about her request. The notes of that consultation reflect the fact that a decision was made and it was made for a v-bac (vaginal birth after c-section).
"After May 20, she thought she had seen a consultant; she thought the decision was made and she accepted it.
"She did not press it after that."
The five-day inquest is the first in Northern Ireland to focus solely on the examination of a stillbirth.
Coroner Joe McCrisken has described the case as "historic" and said the region now had legal powers which were the envy of other jurisdictions.
Throughout the hearing Mrs Rocks and her husband Barry have been supported in court by their parents and other relatives.
The inquest continues on Friday.
A security alert in the Velsheda Way and Alliance Avenue area of north Belfast has been declared a hoax.
Residents from more than 20 homes were evacuated as part of the security operation after a suspicious object, believed to be a pipe, was found shortly after 6pm.
Those forced from their homes sought sanctuary in a local community hall in nearby Herbert Street.
Sinn Fein councillor Gerry McCabe told the BBC that he had been informed by the PSNI that a device had been thrown at a police vehicle.
The Ardoyne Road was closed to traffic, as was Alliance Avenue, which links Ardoyne with the nearby Cliftonville Road.
Motorists were advised to seek alternative routes for their journeys.
Dean McCullagh, who died following liver failure, on his graduation day
A man died following liver failure after an accidental overdose of paracetamol following a bout of heavy drinking at a stag party, an inquest has heard.
Dean McCullagh (30), a father of two from Mount Merrion, Belfast, never got to see his second child after his pregnant girlfriend gave birth to a baby boy, who is now 10 months old, the hearing was told.
He had been taking co-codamol tablets containing both paracetamol and codeine for back pain following a road traffic accident in 2013.
Mr McCullagh became critically unwell after returning from a stag party in Munich and, despite two emergency liver transplants, died a month later on April 24 last year.
His girlfriend, Lisa Fleming, told Dublin Cororner's Court that Mr McCullagh travelled to Munich with friends on March 19 last year.
He missed his flight home, but caught a later flight and she collected him from the airport on March 22.
"I could smell the alcohol off him," she said. "He had been drinking all weekend. He was talking about the beer tents that they had visited."
The following day, when she woke, she heard him in the bathroom being sick.
Mr McCullagh remained ill throughout the day, sleeping, eating little and being sick often, the inquest heard.
His condition deteriorated and when his breathing became laboured, the couple drove to the emergency department at Ulster Hospital.
Mr McCullagh told medical staff he had taken co-codamol tablets.
"He was probably taking them a bit more than he should have been - he told the doctors he thought he'd taken too many," Miss Fleming told the court.
Mr McCullagh had a prescription for co-codamol from his local GP, but his girlfriend said that he may have bought additional tablets over the counter on occasion.
Mr McCullagh was deemed to ill to fly and was moved to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin on March 26 and placed on the "super-urgent" transplant list.
He underwent a liver transplant on March 29, but problems arose and a second transplant was performed on April 4.
His condition continued to deteriorate in the intensive care unit at St Vincent's Hospital.
Doctors noted pancreatic necrosis - the death of pancreatic tissue with associated bleeding - and he died two weeks later on April 24 2015.
The cause of death was system inflammatory response syndrome - a situation where the entire immune system is fighting to cope with illness - due to hemorrhaging necrotising pancreatitis, caused by liver failure, resulting from a combination of alcohol and paracetamol.
Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said the pathologist noted that the pancreas was damaged due to liver failure in addition to alcohol ingestion at the outset.
"The pancreas is a very important organ and it is closely connected with the liver," the coroner said. "This was a miscalculation," the coroner added, returning a verdict of death by misadventure.
A free helpline for women who have used online abortion pills is to be launched across Ireland
A free helpline for women who have used online abortion pills is to be launched across Ireland.
The confidential "aftercare" support from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) will provide reassurance and advice for those who have taken tablets ordered from two websites.
Strict laws surround terminations on both sides of the Irish border and BPAS said some women may not seek help as they knew they were committing a criminal offence.
Chief executive Ann Furedi said: "While we wait for politicians to do the right thing, BPAS will provide telephone aftercare."
In Northern Ireland the maximum penalty for the crime of administering a drug to induce miscarriage is life imprisonment.
In April, a 21-year-old woman was handed a suspended sentence by a judge in Belfast after she bought drugs on the internet to induce a miscarriage.
Dawn McAvoy, spokeswoman for the Evangelical Alliance, said: "Both lives matter."
The bodies of the Hawes are taken away from the crime scene at Barconey, Ballyjamesduff, in Cavan
Irish father Alan Hawe has been described as a "brilliant dad" and relatives have "no idea" what drove him to kill his family, including three young sons.
All five members of the Hawe family who died in the Co Cavan horror will be laid to rest together on the insistence of relatives.
School vice-principal Alan Hawe killed his wife Clodagh and their three boys at the family home in Barcony, near Ballyjamesduff, before then taking his own life.
The bodies of sons Liam (13), Niall (11) and six-year-old Ryan (6) were found upstairs at the house on Monday morning.
A close friend of the family said relatives were keen to stress that they would not "demonise" Alan for what he did.
"Whatever happened to Alan, the Alan we knew was a kind, caring father and we won't let that slip away," the source added.
"People will see that over the next few days and at the funeral on Saturday.
"Alan was loved by the family and they will show that.
"There has been a lot of speculation, but we want to stress that what happened was totally out of character for Alan
"The family has no idea why this happened. Clodagh's mother Mary loved Alan as much as Clodagh and doted on the grandchildren.
"They had a great relationship and she has been left traumatised by what has happened.
"She is as mystified as everyone else locally and across the country as to why this happened, but she does not want Alan demonised in any way.
"There were no money issues in the family and he did not have any mental health issues - that is simply not the case."
A note written by Mr Hawe shortly before he took his own life and left in a sealed envelope on a table downstairs could hold answers. In the note, he is believed to have outlined some of the problems that had been torturing his mind in the hours leading up to the killings.
It is understood Clodagh's mother Mary told family and friends that she wanted all five to be laid to rest together. She had a very close relationship with Alan.
The funeral Mass will be held at St Mary's Church in Castlerahan this Saturday at 4pm, just across the road from the school where Alan was vice-principal and where sons Niall and Ryan were pupils.
Yesterday, post mortem examinations confirmed the three Hawe brothers were all stabbed to death in their bedrooms.
Their mother Clodagh died from head wounds and her body was discovered downstairs in the sitting room of the family home.
Mr Hawe then took his own life in the hallway and his body was the first to be found when gardai entered the house at 10.45am on Monday.
Specialist divers are expected to join a search today for a Londonderry man who disappeared while camping with his family.
Tony Griffiths (59) went missing while staying on the Inishowen peninsula on Monday.
He had been camping on Doagh Island with at least one family member.
But on Tuesday morning he was no longer there, and when he failed to turn up by 6pm the alarm was raised.
Rising tides and sea swells hampered searches for Mr Griffiths yesterday evening.
The Irish Coastguard and two RNLI crews from Lough Swilly were stood down because of the dangerous conditions.
A large number of people from both Inishowen and Derry joined volunteers from Greencastle Cliff and Coastal Rescue in the land search for Mr Griffiths, while gardai appealed to landowners to check outbuildings.
Inspector David Murphy from Buncrana said every effort was being made to locate Mr Griffiths. He explained that the search began yesterday morning at first light with full resources until conditions on the water meant the operation had to be stood down.
"We are appealing to people on both sides of the border, given that Mr Griffiths lives in the Culmore area, which is so close to the border, that if anyone knows of his whereabouts to make contact with someone to let us know he is okay," he said.
"The family came to the Isle of Doagh area on Monday to camp. They pitched a tent and I understand that around midnight the family turned in for the night.
"In the morning it was discovered Tony wasn't in the locality and hasn't been seen since."
The stretch of water surrounding Doagh Island at Trawbreaga Bay is notorious for dangerous undercurrents.
Joe Joyce from Lough Swilly RNLI said this had made the search more difficult.
He added: "It was very frustrating that the tidal swells and strong wind meant that the water searches for Mr Griffiths had to be called off.
"But we hope to resume searching again at low tide.
"The weather forecast for the next day or two isn't great, but we will be ready if conditions improve."
Mr Griffiths is described as 5ft 10ins tall, of medium build, with sandy-coloured hair and blue eyes.
When last seen, he was wearing a grey T-shirt with a red and blue design and combat shorts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station at (00353) 74 93 20540.
Brexit minister David Davis has said the UK and Republic of Ireland want to retain an open border.
Keeping the single energy market covering Northern Ireland and the Republic, exports and skills would also be important in making the departure a success for Northern Ireland, Mr Davis said.
Mr Davis met Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein Finance Minister Mairtin O Muilleoir during a visit to Belfast. He also met a group of business leaders at Stormont which has been established to advise the Northern Ireland Office on local concerns about Brexit negotiations.
Mr Davis said: "We have had a common travel area throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland for many, many decades before we were part of the EU and we will maintain that common travel area afterwards.
"We managed to do that without an immigration problem in that time."
The Common Travel Area (CTA) allows free movement of people between Ireland and the UK.
Britain has been warned by the Irish government that any attempt to fortify the border with the Republic to prevent migrants slipping into the UK by the back door "won't work".
Irish foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan has insisted the two countries must keep the "invisible" border that exists at present after Brexit.
Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said there was strong will from both governments to ensure that there was no return to the borders of the past.
"We will work to achieve that, to ensure that that benefit is retained but we have the strength of that CTA that I think has suited both the UK and the Republic of Ireland very, very well for decades and how we want to see that continue."
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Whatsapp Brexit Secretary David Davis (left) and Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire during a press conference at Stormont House in Belfast
Mr Davis has said he wants to reach out to people in places which voted to remain in the EU and said there were big opportunities for exporters.
"We take looking after the regions and nations of Britain and the UK very seriously indeed."
The DUP and Mr Davis campaigned for an exit.
DUP Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster said Northern Ireland should have a direct role in Brexit negotiations.
She did not share Mr O Muilleoir's concerns that Northern Ireland would lose out on EU funding.
The First Minister said: "I am satisfied that we have clarity in relation to the spending of European funding up to 2020 and that is of course the only time up until which we can get clarity because that is the period of time up until which European funding has been paid up."
Mr O Muilleoir said: "I asked David Davis to underwrite Peace and Interreg applications post-autumn statement and to do so now and asked him to guarantee that EU citizens making their lives here would not be expelled under any circumstances.
"The economic, cultural and social damage an EU border - whether hard or soft - would have on the island of Ireland would be huge. And it would be most keenly felt in border areas."
British Airways described the Iranian capital as "an important destination" for the airline
British Airways is resuming direct flights to Iran following the lifting of sanctions.
The service was suspended in October 2012 amid instability in the Middle Eastern country.
Six return flights per week will operate between London Heathrow and Tehran, rising to a daily service later this year.
BA described the Iranian capital as "an important destination" for the airline.
The resumption of flights on Thursday follows the lifting of some sanctions against Iran in January after the international nuclear watchdog said the Tehran government had met all its obligations under a deal with six world powers.
The then-foreign secretary Philip Hammond said at the time that British firms should take advantage of the new opportunities that would open as Iran was brought in from the cold.
In August last year the British embassy in Tehran reopened after it was ransacked by a mob in 2011.
The first BA flight to Iran, a Boeing 777, will depart from Heathrow Terminal 5 on Thursday at 9.10pm.
Flights were initially due to resume in July but there was a delay in establishing the route.
Sean Doyle, BA's head of network and fleet, said: "British Airways has a long history of flying to Iran so we are very excited to be launching our new six-times-a-week service, direct from Heathrow to Tehran.
"Iran is a fascinating country, full of amazing and surprising places for tourists to visit and discover its sophisticated and ancient culture.
"The recent lifting of sanctions has also effectively allowed Iran to re-open for business and paved the way for commerce to reconnect with Iran's economy, which is the second largest in the Middle East and North Africa, with a diverse range of businesses and industries."
Air France resumed Paris-Tehran flights in April for the first time in eight years.
Detectives in England have been given another week to question a Royal Marine from Co Antrim who was arrested as part of a terror investigation.
Ciaran Maxwell (30), from Larne, was detained by Metropolitan Police officers in southern England in a planned swoop last week.
The investigation is linked to the discovery of two dissident republican-related arsenals in woodland in Northern Ireland earlier this year.
Police have been searching Carnfunnock Country Park near Larne again as part of the probe. They found bomb-making items there in March.
Last Wednesday's arrest operation involved searches at a house and wooded area in south Devon. Further searches at the property in Exminster and nearby Powderham New Plantation woods continued the following day.
Officers also searched a number of properties in Larne last week and carried out fresh inquiries this week.
Maxwell is being detained on suspicion of preparation for acts of terrorism.
While the threat posed by violent dissident republicans here has been classified as severe for a number of years, in May the intelligence services raised the threat level in Britain from moderate to substantial.
Two hauls of weapons were discovered in Carnfunnock and Capanagh parks within three months of each other.
Police said four barrels were unearthed at Carnfunnock. Two were empty, but two contained a variety of bomb-making components, including wiring, toggle switches, circuit boards, partially constructed timer power units, ball bearings and a small quantity of explosives.
An improvised armour-piercing rocket and two anti-personnel mines were among the cache recovered at Capanagh in May. Pipe bombs, magazines and ammunition for an assault rifle, bomb component parts and command wires were also found.
Ben Ferencz was the chief US prosecutor in the Einsatzgruppen case, which tried 22 leaders of the killing units of the Nazis' SS troops
The last surviving prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials has donated one million US dollars (760,000) to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum's genocide prevention centre.
The museum announced on Wednesday that Ben Ferencz will donate the sum to the Simon-Skjodt Centre for the Prevention of Genocide. The annual gift is renewable for up to 10 million dollars (7.6 million).
Now 96 and living in Delray Beach, Florida, Mr Ferencz was the chief US prosecutor in the Einsatzgruppen case, which tried 22 leaders of the killing units of the Nazis' SS troops.
He has dedicated his life since then to the creation of the International Criminal Court, which could prosecute any government's leaders for war crimes. The US has not signed on.
AP
Donald Trump has insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall he wants to build along the length of the border with the US.
He said during a speech on immigration in Arizona that Mexico will pay for the wall "100%" and added: "They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for" it.
The Republican White House candidate earlier met Mexico's president and said they had not discussed who would pay for the massive wall that has been at the centre of his campaign.
But President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted: " At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made clear that Mexico would not pay for the wall."
The two men met privately in Mexico City on Wednesday afternoon.
It was Mr Trump's first meeting with a head of state as his party's presidential nominee and he described Mexicans as "amazing people".
He told reporters during the appearance that they did not discuss who would pay for the construction costs of the wall along the 2,000-mile border, a project that would cost billions.
In his speech in Phoenix, Mr Trump vowed to remove millions of people living in the US illegally if he becomes president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardise the "wellbeing of the American people".
The tycoon failed to outline what he would do with those who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offences - a sharp retreat after earlier promises to create a "deportation force" to remove the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the US illegally.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," he said, adding: "There will be no amnesty."
Mr Trump also promised to restrict legal immigration, calling for a commission that would keep the percentage of foreign-born people in the country to "historic norms".
He said: "We have to listen to the concerns that working people, our forgotten working people, have over the record pace of immigration and its impact on their jobs, wages, housing, schools, tax bills and general living conditions."
Mr Trump was cheered in Arizona, but his appearance in Mexico sparked anger and protests.
The candidate is deeply unpopular in Mexico due in large part to his deriding the country as a source of rapists and criminals as he kicked off his campaign.
Former Mexican president Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Mr Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome.
"We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," Mr Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt".
The decision by Mr Pena Nieta to meet Mr Trump is turning into a public relations disaster for him, with social media posters and politicians calling it a national humiliation likely to lower the president's already historically low popularity ratings.
Not only did he not demand that Mr Trump apologise for calling Mexican migrants rapists and criminals, but he stood silently by in their joint press conference while the Republican candidate repeated his promise to build the border wall.
"This is an insult and a betrayal," said artist Arturo Meade as he joined a protest against the meeting in Mexico City. "What can this meeting bring us except surrealism in all its splendour?"
Televisa news presenter Carlos Loret de Mola marvelled that Mr Trump would dare go to Mexico and reiterate his intention to build the wall.
"The humiliation is now complete," he tweeted.
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton criticised Mr Trump's Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation's chief diplomat.
"People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next," she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
AP
Mr Trump said that, if elected president, he will work on "promoting American pride and patriotism in America's schools."
Mr Trump told the American Legion's annual convention in Cincinnati he wants to work with the group to ensure that the children learn about America's common values.
He said: "We will stop apologising for America. And we will start celebrating America."
The Republican candidate also vows to invest more money in the military to make sure soldiers have the best equipment and medical care.
He told veterans: "I will never let you down."
AP
A woman with a child at an abandoned Greek hospital wing used as a shelter for refugees (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Migrants are staging demonstrations at four sites around Greece to protest against delays in asylum procedures promised under a European Union agreement with Turkey.
Around 500 migrants chanting "open the borders" gathered in Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city.
Protests were also held on the islands of Chios and Lesbos, while scores of migrants at a camp near the Greek-Macedonian border blocked the main road linking the two countries for about 30 minutes.
Police announced no arrests.
Some 60,000 migrants remain stranded on Greece's mainland and the islands since European border closures earlier this year.
Under the EU-Turkey deal, migrants who arrived in Greece after March 20 can be deported back to Turkey.
AP
Passengers walk past a scanner to detect people suffering from fevers at the Sukarno Hatta airport in Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, Sept. 1, 2016.
Following a sudden spike of Zika cases in Singapore, countries in South and Southeast Asia are rushing to screen visitors and residents returning home to identify those infected with the virus.
Bangladesh, Indonesian and Malaysian nationals are among those who contracted the virus in Singapore, officials said. Thailand, meanwhile, has 13 active cases within its borders.
We have set up thermal detectors at all air, land and sea ports to find people with fever the first symptom of Zika infection, Dr. M. Mushtauq Husain of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the Bangladesh health ministry, told BenarNews.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added Singapore, with 115 confirmed Zika cases, and the British Virgin Islands to its list of countries and territories with active outbreaks, bringing the number to 58, Reuters reported.
Confirmed cases of locally transmitted Zika virus in Singapore soared from one to 115 over the last five days of August, according to a Reuters timeline.
How Zika spreads
Zika is spread mostly through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. The virus can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus and can cause birth defects.
A mosquito can become a carrier after biting an infected person, then biting healthy people. An infected person can also pass Zika to his or her sex partner, according to the CDC.
Brazil, the host country for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, is one country hard hit by a Zika outbreak.
Singapore on Wednesday said it had identified 22 new Zika cases and its first case involving a pregnant woman, the Associated Press reported.
The affluent city-state is a hub for migrant workers from nearby nations.
Yes, six Bangladeshis have been diagnosed with Zika, Mahbub uz Zaman, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore, told BenarNews. Officials are concerned that Bangladeshis living in Singapore, where 160,000 traveled for jobs, could expose family and friends to Zika.
If any Zika virus-affected Bangladeshi returns home undetected, it may spread the infection, Husain said.
Malaysia: Case linked to Singapore
In Malaysia, mosquito monitoring and other preventive activities are being intensified in all states, especially Johor and Selangor, S. Subramaniam, Malaysias minister of health, announced Thursday.
Tens of thousands of Malaysians pour into Singapore each day from immediately adjacent Johor state to work.
A 58-year-old woman tested positive for the virus following a three-day visit to Singapore in mid-August where her daughter was infected, Subramaniam said. The woman exhibited symptoms of a rash and sought medical attention on Wednesday.
The minister said information from the Singapore health ministry shows five Malaysians who live and work in Singapore have been infected.
Indonesia: One confirmed patient
Indonesia has also set up thermal scanners in ports of entry and has issued a travel advisory directed at pregnant women for Singapore and other countries facing potential Zika outbreaks.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir confirmed that an Indonesian is among those who have contracted the virus in Singapore.
We received confirmation that a woman who is infected is now in a hospital in Singapore, he said, without releasing details.
The government is giving health cards and pamphlets about the virus to every visitor from Singapore and Indonesians returning from that country, he said. About 200,000 Indonesians live in Singapore and more than 2.73 million Indonesian tourists visited Singapore last year.
The government is warning those who have symptoms including fever, skin rash, headaches and conjunctivitis within 14 days of arriving in Indonesia, to see a doctor and mention the visit to a country infected with Zika.
Thailand: Red alert
Thailand, for its part, has seen a worrisome number of cases within its own borders. The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) has flagged the kingdom as a red alert country for widespread transmission in the last three months.
Ninety-seven Zika infections were reported in the first six months of 2016, but all those patients recovered, Dr. Amnuay Gajeena, the director-general of Thailands Department of Disease Control, told Benar News.
At the moment, there are only 13 symptomatic cases in four provinces, he said.
Reports of infections in other Southeast Asian countries have led Thai officials to monitor travelers from those countries more closely, Amnuay said.
We have 68 checkpoints around the country and adopt strict measures. When we find suspicious infected travelers, we perform a blood check and urine test. We also use a hospital nearby as a quarantine center, he said.
Tia Asmara in Jakarta, Kamran Reza Chowdhury in Dhaka, Haireez Azeem Azizi in Kuala Lumpur and Nontarat Phaicharoen in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Indonesias top counterterrorism official, Suhardi Alius (white shirt), and National Human Rights Commission chief Imdadun Rahmat speak to reporters in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Aug. 31, 2016.
Indonesia has all but decimated the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT), a band of militants once considered the nations most deadly domestic terror group.
But in the waning months of a massive security operation in Central Sulawesi where the MIT is based, humanitarian workers and rights activists are joining efforts to persuade 14 people still hiding in the jungles of Poso Regency to turn themselves in.
National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) chief Imdadun Rahmat traveled to the provincial capital of Palu this week to underline the need for humane treatment of prisoners.
We continue to support and encourage the government initiative to restore the losses suffered by the community following the conflict in Poso, and urge good treatment of those prisoners who were captured alive, Imdadun told reporters here Wednesday.
The main point is, no more blood in Poso. We are taking these steps together, prioritizing a persuasive approach, Central Sulawesi police chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said as he repeated appeals for the remaining militants to give up.
Officials have approached relatives of remaining MIT members to assure them that those who surrender will not be deprived of their rights, he said.
Certainly we will treat them well, whether they are captured or surrender during the operation, Rudy said.
MIT holdouts include women
Estimated to have about 32 members in early 2016, the MIT is now less than half that size, officials said. Holdouts include two of the groups leaders, Basri (alias Bagong) and Ali Kalora, and their wives.
Hundreds of security personnel have been on the ground in remote Poso regency since January 2015 in two operations code-named Camar Maleo and Tinombala.
Security forces killed 14 MIT members, including six ethnic Uyghurs, in 2016. Seven were killed in 2015, and another 31 captured.
In July of this year, Indonesia confirmed that its most wanted militant MIT leader Santoso had been shot dead.
Santoso, who had pledged allegiance to the extremist group Islamic State (IS), died in a shootout with security forces in Poso on July 18, police said.
Officials vowed to prolong a security operation aimed at capturing or killing the remnants of the MIT. That operation is scheduled to continue for two more months.
Local police and rights activists say they have received intelligence that the holdouts are willing to surrender, but they are afraid to do so.
Therapy
After capture or surrender, MIT members will be put in de-radicalization programs, National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chief Suhardi Alius said in Palu on Wednesday.
Community members will be involved in this process, not just religious scholars and government officials, he added.
He described it as an intensive program designed so that it can really provide therapy for those who have been exposed to radicalization.
Several other activists and public figures have come to the region to join the efforts and assist local communities traumatized by years of violence.
The group includes members of the medical charity Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (Mer-C). Team 13, as it has been dubbed, is already in Poso but unwilling to talk to the press.
Trapped
Over the past two years, rights activists from the Central Sulawesi Institute for Legal Studies and Human Rights Advocacy (LPS-HAM Sulteng) often protested when security forces killed suspected militants instead of capturing them alive.
They also criticized security forces for failing to capture Santoso and the two other MIT leaders over 18 months.
After Santoso was killed, the chief of LPS-HAM Sulteng, Mohd Affandi, called for a halt to security sweeps.
If the military operation stops, Team 13 can freely move on the field. Unfortunately the operation is still in progress, so the team will automatically get trouble, Affandi told BenarNews.
Locals in the impoverished area have been trapped between armed militants and security forces.
Farmers did not go to work because of they were worried if there is a clash between armed civilian groups and security forces, Celebes Institute Director Adriany Badrah once said.
In September 2015, three farmers were decapitated in Central Sulawesis Parigi Moutong regency. Officials said Santosos group was likely behind the killings and urged farmers to suspend agricultural activities for the time being.
Prior to the rise of IS and its spread in the archipelago, MIT was seen as the most dangerous terror group on Indonesian soil, a remnant of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the network that carried out the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings.
Hundreds of Indonesians have gone to Iraq and Syria to join IS, and an IS-claimed attack in Jakarta in Jan. 2015 left eight dead.
Women from 23 NGOs march in Muang district, in Thailands southern Pattani province, calling for a safety zone to be on the agenda of peace talks between the Thai government and Deep South rebel groups, Sept. 1, 2016.
The Thai junta and southern insurgents both said Thursday they were going ahead with a new round of informal peace talks in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, but the government warned that ongoing violence by rebels could impede the process.
The talks are not cancelled, but we will try to tell them to stop violence first so that the [peace] process can progress to the point where we can have clear schedules of what we will do and sign them, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters in Bangkok.
It has not been cancelled. The [Thai] dialogue team will go to Malaysia on Sept. 2, he added, in responding to questions from journalists.
Last week, according to media reports, Prawit had said he didnt know if negotiations would be put on hold due to a car-bombing that killed two people outside a hotel in Pattani, one of the provinces in Thailands insurgency-ridden Deep South.
Two days earlier, Thai officials had said they suspected that as many as 20 people from the Deep South were involved in 11 bombings that killed four people at tourist sites across the upper south on Aug. 11-12.
The Thai junta has set a precondition that the rebel side must agree to a safety zone or limited ceasefire before they can sign off on ground rules for future negotiations, known as the Terms of Reference (TOR).
On Thursday, Prawit indicated there would be no signing of a TOR on Friday in Kuala Lumpur.
On the rebel side, MARA Patani spokesman Abu Hafiz Al-Hakim told BenarNews that a one-day meeting with the Thai delegation was set for Friday in the Malaysian capital.
Sukree Haree, a senior leader of Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) the largest and most heavily armed of the southern Thai insurgent groups will lead the rebel delegation, Hafiz said.
He shared no more details.
Widows and orphans
Since 2015, Thailands military government has held a series of exploratory meetings with MARA Patani, a panel representing rebel groups and factions from the Deep South, in an effort to reopen official peace talks last held in 2013, when a civilian-led government was in power in Bangkok.
But the most recent talks ground to a halt four months ago, when the Thai side declined to agree to the TOR being considered at that time. Signing the TOR would formally launch the talks.
More than 6,000 people have died through roadside bombings, shootings and other violence associated with the insurgency in Thailands Muslim-dominated, Malay-speaking southern border region since the conflict flared up again in 2004.
In Pattani province on Thursday, more than 100 women representing local NGOs marched in Muang district, calling for the issue of the safety zone to be discussed at Fridays meeting.
The unrest in the southern provinces has killed and wounded many thousands of people and has left nearly 4,000 widows and 7,000 orphans. That is the reason we are calling on the issue of a safety area [to be put] on the peace-talk agenda, Rosida Pusu, chairwoman of the Southern Womens Peace Network to Stop Violence, told BenarNews.
Upcoming visit by Malaysian PM
The Deep South lies across the border with Malaysia, which is facilitating the talks.
Apart from being home to an insurgency, the Deep South is notorious as a zone for cross-border crime. Thai authorities also have long suspected insurgents of crossing the border to launch attacks inside Thailand and then retreating to safe havens in Malaysia.
Many people living on both sides of the border hold dual Thai-Malaysian citizenship.
The issue of dual citizenship will be high on the agenda when Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives in Thailand on Sept. 8-9 for talks with his Thai counterpart, Prayuth Chan-o-cha.
At the end of those meetings, the two nations are expected to sign off on memoranda about dual citizenship, cross-border violence and criminality, and the construction of a fence along their common border, among other matters.
Razlan Rashid in Kuala Lumpur and Nasueroh in Pattani, Thailand contributed to this report.
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Theyve been punched, kicked and smothered on ships. They are the victims of the live export trade to Israel and now they have an unprecedented voice in a ground-breaking campaign.
Vulnerable 10 week-old calves from Europe and cattle and sheep from Australia make up the hundreds of thousands of animals exported to Israel to be slaughtered every year.
China's vice-finance minister Zhu Guangyao, attends a conference during the 2016 IIF G20 Conference at the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai, February 25, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]
The Group of 20 (G20) will play a vital role in stabilizing the global financial market, Zhu Guangyao, China's vice-finance minister, said Wednesday.
Over the past few years, G20 has achieved success in strengthening global economic governance and improving financial supervision, Zhu said in an interview with China's state television CCTV.
In the face of growing global economic uncertainties, the world has high expectation for the G20 Hangzhou summit, and hopes it would realize the target of building an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy, Zhu said.
However, the biggest difficulty and challenge facing the G20 Hangzhou summit are uncertainties, Zhu added.
The uncertainties are reflected in differentiation of monetary policies in developed countries. In addition, some major emerging economies, such as Russia and Brazil, also faced difficulties. All these factors, plus geopolitics risks, constitute global economic uncertainties.
Zhu said the G20 Hangzhou summit will put forward for the first time that G20 members should strengthen policy communication on foreign exchange market. Thus, G20 plays a vital role in stabilizing global financial markets, including the forex markets.
When talking about China's currency renminbi, Zhu said the exchange rate of the yuan is decided by China's economic fundamentals firstly and reiterated there is no basis for continued yuan devaluation.
In terms of GDP growth, Zhu said that due to good economic fundamentals and measures for deepening reform, especially the supply-side reform, the country could keep average annual economic growth at or above 6.5 percent in the next five years.
The 2016 G20 Summit will be held on Sept 4-5 in the eastern city of Hangzhou under the theme of "towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy."
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Inside Fred Armisens Life Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...
Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...
Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...
Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...
Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...
xChocobars Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...
Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...
Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...
Matpat (Matthew Patrick) Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...
Facts About Ricegum His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...
Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...
What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...
David Letterman Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...
Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...
Lester Holt Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...
What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...
The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...
Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...
The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...
Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...
The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...
Jeff Dunham Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...
Ellen DeGeneres Net Worth, Wife Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...
Revisiting Joan Rivers Death The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...
The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...
Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...
Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...
How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...
Madison Gesiotto Bio Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...
Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...
What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...
Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...
Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...
Carli Bybel Bio Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...
Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...
Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...
Norm MacDonald Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...
Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...
Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...
Samantha Bee Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...
What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...
Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...
A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...
Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...
Desi Perkins Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...
The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...
Connor Franta Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...
Rhett and Link Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...
A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...
What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...
David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...
Merrell Twins Bio Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...
Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...
Ninja Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...
What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...
Emma Chamberlain Biography Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...
Anna Akana Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...
Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...
Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...
Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...
Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...
Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...
The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...
Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...
PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...
Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...
Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...
LaurDIY Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...
Lachlan Ross Power Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...
Alfie Deyes Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...
Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...
Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...
Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...
Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...
How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...
5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman) The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...
Grace Helbig Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...
Mark Wiens Bio Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...
Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...
CaptainSparklez Bio Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...
Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...
5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...
Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...
Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...
Jacksepticeye Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...
Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...
Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...
Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...
Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...
Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...
Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...
Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...
Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...
Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...
Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...
Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...
Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...
Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...
5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...
Lilypichu Bio Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...
KSI What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...
The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...
The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...
What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...
What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...
Matt Carriker Biography Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...
Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...
Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...
Gloria Govan Bio Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...
Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...
Who Is October Gonzalez Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...
Who Is Tony Berlin Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...
The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...
Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...
Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...
Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...
Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...
Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...
Nadeska Alexis Bio Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...
Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...
A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...
Kay Adams Biography Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...
Ben Shapiros Family Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...
QVC Shawn Killinger Bio Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...
Liv Lo Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...
Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...
Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...
Who Is Jessica Gadsden Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...
Who Is Collins Tuohy Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...
Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...
Marty Lagina Bio Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...
Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...
Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...
Natasha Bertrand Biography Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...
What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...
Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...
Nikki Mudarris Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...
5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...
Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...
Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...
Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...
Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...
Tati Westbrook Bio Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...
Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...
Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...
Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ...
The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...
Lisa Joyners Biography Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ...
Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...
Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...
Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...
What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...
Jessica Goch Bio: 5 Things You Didnt Know About Ninjas Wife Jessica Goch is the Schofield-born American Social Media Influencer who has worked as a model but is now better known as a host and interviewer of prominent Electronic sports celebrities at popular gaming events/tournaments. The screen queen also serves as the manager of her famous husband Ninja aka Tyler Blevins whose exploits on Twitch and Fortnite has ...
CNNs Chris Cuomo Biography Wife, Family & Net worth Chris Cuomo needs no elaborate introduction as he has starred graced many prominent Television cable networks and his voice has been heard through acknowledged radio shows. He is a television journalist and Lawyer who has previously worked for ABC News as Chief law and justice correspondent as well as a co-anchor on 20/20. If you still ...
Neil deGrasse Tyson Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ...
Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...
Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ...
Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! The famous comedian who talks about anything under the sun has gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in comedy history. Join us in unearthing lesser-known facts about the former on-air-personality, standup comedy superstar, movie ...
Who Is Patrick Starr, What Is His Net Worth and Gender? The make-up industry over the years has grown to become a billion dollar industry not just because there are probably more women wearing make-up but because a whole lot of men, especially the young ones, have become bold enough to wear it unlike before. A few of these men, like Patrick Starr, have even gone ...
How Did Chris Jansing Become a Senior Correspondent at MSNBC and Who Is Her Husband? An award-winning American television news reporter and journalist, Chris Jansing has succeeded in carving a spectacular niche for herself in the field of TV journalism. Outstanding for not just her excellence in journalism, Chris is also cherished for her incredibly gorgeous looks post 60! For close to four decades, Jansing has continued to soar in her ...
Jaclyn Glenn Biography Age, Height & Ex-Boyfriend American Youtuber, Jaclyn Glenn, rose to prominence through her self-titled YouTube channel Jaclyn Glenn. She has remained an acclaimed atheist and continues to air her views on hot issues from politics, religion, animal rights, to atheism. During the heated 2016 US Presidential elections, Glenn featured in Hump Trump: Official Donald Trump Song. Her parallel acting career ...
Is Pat Sajak Married to a Wife or is He Gay With a Partner? Pat Sajak is one of the most popular TV game show hosts in America. He commenced his career as a radio disk jockey as well as a TV weatherman before being tapped to host Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States. Sajak has hosted the popular game show from 1983 ...
Nayyera Haqs Bio What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ...
Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ...
Meet Phil Mudd of CNN The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? When it comes to discussing issues surrounding terrorism, American Counterterrorism and National Security Expert, Phil Mudd, occupies a globally significant position. He has voiced his interest in the fight against terrorism and insecurity on many popular media platforms, both print and broadcast, such as CNN, BBC, CBS, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, NBC, Fox, The New York Times, ...
Jim Hoffer: Biography, Wife Mika Brzezinski, Children and Net Worth Jim Hoffer is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an investigative reporter for Eyewitness News, New York City. In his over two decades of investigative journalism, Hoffer has been at the front lines of several crucial stories from the 9/11 attack to the crash of American Flight 587 to the 2003 Blackout. On top of ...
The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ...
Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ...
How Brendan Greene Became a Game Designer to Look Out For and Facts About His Failed Marriage The name Brendan Greene may not easily ring a bell in the larger society but for gaming enthusiasts, he is considered a god and this is because of his invention of the video game, Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, also called PUBG. Based on the popular last-man-standing/battle royale concept, Greenes creation has taken the gaming world by ...
WFAAs Sonia Azad Bio Does The Reporter Have A Husband Or Boyfriend? Emmy Award-winning journalist and Health & Wellness reporter Sonia Azad is on the news segment News 8 Daybreak for the television station WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, a channel which she joined in October of 2015. Besides her time on the news, Azad is also a marathon runner and a certified yoga instructor. She has covered major news ...
This Is Everything You Should Know About Caroline Heldman, Her Career Portfolio and Other Facts Love it or hate it, there is no escaping the fact that feminism has come to stay in our world. The movement has continued to garner momentum over the years and this is due to the sustained push by several women, and even men, including the likes of Caroline Heldman. A Professor of Politics at ...
Understanding The Enigma That Is Gavin McInnes, The Controversies He Has Stirred and All About His Wife Gavin McInnes is a polemical English-born writer and TV personality, who is best known for his racist and fascist ideologies, as well as his co-ownership of Vice Media and Vice Magazine. He is also an actor a
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.
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For Immediate Release, August 31, 2016 Contact: Tanya Sanerib, (503) 544-8512, tsanerib@biologicaldiversity.org 'Great Elephant Census' Reveals Staggering Decline in Savannah Elephants To Save Elephants, Poaching, Ivory Trade Must Stop SEATTLE, Wash. Results of a multiyear survey effort released today reveal that Africas savannah elephants are far worse off than anticipated. A survey called the Great Elephant Census estimates that only around 352,271 elephants remain down from previous estimates of 419,000 to 650,000 elephants in 2013. The reports authors estimate they recorded 93 percent of all savannah elephants in the survey. Elephants in Africa are threatened by poaching for their ivory, habitat loss, and human encroachment and conflict. Savannah elephant courtesy Flickr/Bernard Dupont. This image is available for media use. The Great Elephant Census is an amazing feat of technology and science working together for wildlife but these results are shocking, said Tanya Sanerib, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Elephant populations in Africa are declining at an alarming rate and more severely than we anticipated. In addition to presenting new survey data, the report uses existing data to estimate that from 2010 to 2014 savannah elephant populations decreased by 8 percent per year, roughly double the rate populations decreased annually from 2005 to 2010. Elephant carcasses mainly from poaching but also natural deaths were also surveyed, and those results suggest that elephant deaths likely exceeded births. The carcass surveys raise even greater concern for the continued existence of savannah elephants. The data now clearly show that if we dont act immediately to stop poaching, close ivory markets, and extend the strictest protections to elephants, well lose these iconic creatures forever, said Sanerib. The survey results do not include Namibia (which refused to release its survey results but is estimated to have more than 22,000 elephants, bringing the total to 375,000 elephants) or South Sudan and the Central African Republic, where surveys could not be completed due to armed conflict. The surveys were only conducted for savannah elephants and did not include forest elephants, a separate and smaller species inhabiting west and central Africa. Forest elephants could not be surveyed using the same aerial techniques due to the forested ecosystems they inhabit. Forest elephant populations are already known to be decreasing at alarming rates, and now the Great Elephant Census has revealed that savannah elephants are in the same boat, said Sanerib. A world without elephants would be a very sad place, and its time for international action on the ivory trade to make sure we never live in that world. 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, September 1, 2016 Contact: Michael Robinson, (575) 313-7017, michaelr@biologicaldiversity.org Study Debunks Theory That Killing Predators Reduces Livestock Losses SILVER CITY, N.M. Killing predators such as wolves, mountain lions and bears in order to protect livestock may have intuitive appeal, but a rigorous review of multiple studies that was published today shows little or no scientific support that it actually reduces livestock losses. In fact, in some cases it even leads to increases in livestock loss. These conclusions directly counter the reasoning behind the common practice of killing predators in response to livestock depredations as carried out by the secretive federal program, Wildlife Services, and many state game agencies. This study shows that not only is Wildlife Services annual killing of tens of thousands of wolves, coyotes, bears, bobcats, cougars and other animals unconscionable its also ineffective, said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity. Our government should ground the aerial snipers, pull the poisons and remove the steel leghold traps in response to these findings. The unexpected finding that carnivore killings can increase depredations is likely based on disruption of the predators social dynamics namely, by removing dominant animals that maintain large territories, these killings release sub-adult animals that are less-skilled hunters and thus more likely to target domestic animals. The new review, Predator Control Should Not Be a Shot in the Dark published in one of the worlds top scientific journals, Frontiers of Ecology and the Environment evaluated the methods in 24 previous studies of responses to predation on livestock and catalogued them according to their adherence to the scientific method. The review found few studies that met accepted standards for scientific evidence. Half of the evaluated studies conducted in North America and Europe did not follow an experimental design that included control (non-manipulated) herds of livestock and other standard scientific safeguards to exclude the effects of bias in sampling, treatment, measurement or reporting. However, the review found 12 studies that were conducted according to the scientific method. Most of the tests of lethal methods showed no effect or unexpected increases in livestock deaths. Non-lethal methods were found to be safer and more effective. Two of the studies that used sound methods found that non-lethal measures, specifically guard dogs and fladry (ribbons attached to fences to scare predators away from lambing pastures), were effective at deterring livestock depredations. The study was conducted by Adrian Treves of the University of Wisconsin, Miha Krofel of the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, and Jeanine McManus of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa. 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.
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
LAGOS, Nigeria - As part of its mission to be a top African employer and constantly provide opportunities for entrepreneurial leadership talent, Ringier Africa is launching a new internship programme, Ringier Africa Internships, first across its Nigeria and Ghana offices - through an inaugural partnership with the African Leadership University(ALU).
Ringier team, Lagos
The ALU is a pioneering academic institute set up by educationalist Fred Swaniker in 2013 and forms part of the Africa Leadership Group, which is building the networks and infrastructure to empower and connect a new generation of African leaders.
Through the program, students from the ALU from across the continent, will be offered much sought-after internship programmes with one of Africas largest media and internet groups and investors, having gone through a rigorous selection process.
The African Leadership University is a worldclass tertiary institution that is developing the next generation of African leaders. As a partner, Ringier Africa is supporting the ALU with positions for three exceptional students to take part in an internship within the company. The first intake of students to be accepted onto the programme will start in November 2016.
Ringier Africa Internships has been structured to nurture talent, and support the very best students with real-life, on the job, practical experience. As one of the continents most expansive internet operations, Ringier Africa has delivered e-commerce, online classifieds and digital publishing platforms across numerous markets and has established a pan-African digital agency.
The company is now looking to continue to build its talent pool, and engage with and encourage the next generation of leaders.
Leonard Stiegeler, general manager Ringier Africa: We have long been admirers of the ALUs vision of nurturing Africas leaders of the future and we are happy to be welcoming their cohorts into the Ringier Africa family as part of our internship program. As a company, we are committed to supporting young, dynamic talent in Africa and were excited to working with them across our portfolio companies.
Fred Swaniker, founder of ALU adds: We partner with leading African companies to provide internships for our students as part of ALUs requirement for students to undertake four month internships each year to enable them to master the skills they have learnt in class through the year.
Ringier offers ALU students an exceptional opportunity to work at the cutting edge of digital marketing across Africa, allowing them to merge the boundaries between the work place and the classroom. I believe that our partnership with Ringier helps us realise our mission to produce highly skilled, market-ready graduates that are well prepared for the challenge of leadership in Africa in the 21st century.
The exercises the interns will take on within Ringier Africa and its business models are diverse: at Ringier in Nigeria, the ALU intern will be part of a brand new project that will instigate a new project in Ringiers digital agency RDM. In the Ghana office, an ALU intern will be immersed in the companys Ringier Africa Digital Publishing (RADP) flagship news platform, Pulse, where their duties will include working on social interest stories and going out in the field with experienced journalists.
In both roles, Ringier Africa interns will gain significant exposure to working in a corporate but entrepreneurial environment, a sense of taking responsibility and learn the art of accountability in the workplace. Upon completing their internships they will enter the Alumni network of Ringier Africa with preferred access for future full-time positions.
ALU is founded on the philosophy that a new generation of ethical, committed leaders is the key to Africas development and students spend eight months on campus and four months in a structured internship in one of the top companies in Africa and around the world.
Ringier Africa joins other leading global companies including McKinsey, Coca-Cola and IBM, by providing placements for ALU interns. The Africa Leadership Group is an ecosystem of institutions which share a common vision: transforming Africa by developing and connecting a new generation of ethical, entrepreneurial leaders.
LAGOS, Nigeria - WorldRemit has commended the restoration of money transfers to Nigeria, following the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to approve WorldRemit and 10 other international money transfer operators (IMTOs).
Image by 123RF
At the beginning of August 2016, hundreds of IMTOs suspended their operations, leaving the Nigerian diaspora to rely on just three approved companies to send money home, as well as unregulated, informal networks.
Now WorldRemit has received a letter of approval from the CBN enabling its services to Nigeria to be resumed.
Ismail Ahmed, founder and CEO of WorldRemit, comments: We launched our service to Nigeria in 2011 when we pioneered instant deposits to all bank accounts. Our service provided the Nigerian diaspora with an easy, secure and low cost way to send money home as well as bringing much-needed foreign exchange into the local economy. Were delighted that we can now resume operations.
We commend the Central Bank of Nigeria for reaffirming the countrys commitment to building an enabling environment and level-playing field for international money transfer services to Nigeria. Increased competition will help to bring the estimated 50% of remittances to Nigeria that currently go through unregulated, informal networks into formal networks channelled through licensed IMTOs.
Were grateful to the many Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora that supported our call for money transfers to be restored. A competitive remittance market provides Nigerians with greater convenience and better pricing.
Minor Hotels (MH), a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of 151 hotels and resorts in 22 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean, sees further potential for the growth of its property and brand portfolio across Africa.
Image by 123RF
Currently MH has a portfolio of 27 properties in operation in seven countries in Southern and East Africa, with a further pipeline of two new resorts under development in North Africa. Three of the groups brands are currently present on the continent Anantara, AVANI and Elewana Collection with the luxury boutique PER AQUUM brand to be launched in the region in 2017.
The acquisition, earlier this year, of Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, a well-known Portugal-based brand with over 80 years history with 14 properties across Portugal and Brazil, paves the way for the growth of this brand in Africa. The Tivoli acquisition was the latest in a series of international investments by MH as part of its long term diversification strategy, which over the last two years has seen the group invest over USD 550 million in hotel projects in Southern and East Africa, Asia, Australia, South America and Europe.
According to Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and COO of Minor International, We see strong potential for the growth of our brands in Africa, including the opportunity to launch Tivoli in the region. There is potential both in Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mozambique and Angola, but also in the Maghreb, where economic and cultural ties to Portugal and Europe in general, are strong. Europe represents one of our main feeder markets and there is definitely potential for cross-selling within our existing African portfolio of brands Elewana Collection, Anantara and AVANI.
MH first entry into Africa was in 2008 when the group acquired 50% ownership of Elewana Collection, a group of luxurious lodges, hotels and tented camps in Kenya and Tanzania providing access to all the drama and spectacle of African wildlife in exceptional comfort. Most recently in May, Loisaba Tented Camp became the 15th property within the Elewana Collection. The new camp is located in the Loisaba Conservancy in Kenya, which spans three eco-systems, offering a variety of beautiful landscapes and incredible game viewing.
The year 2014 saw MH aggressively expand into Africa, with the group announcing an extension of their partnership with Rani Investment LLC to manage three properties in Mozambique, plus making a 25% investment in the properties. This followed the launch of the two companies partnership in August 2013 for the operation of a resort in Mozambique, which was rebranded to Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa in late 2013.
In September 2014 MH announced a USD 101 million investment to acquire a 49% stake in a mixed use property project in Mozambiques capital in a further extension of this joint venture. In March this year, MH re-launched Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort. On a pristine private island off the northern coast of Mozambique, the 12-villa, adults-only African island hideaway reopened following an extensive refurbishment.
These investments in the continent were further consolidated by MH investing over USD 60 million to own a stake in a collection of Sun International properties in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zambia. Five of the six properties have been rebranded to the upscale AVANI brand AVANI Gaborone Resort & Casino in Botswana, AVANI Lesotho Hotel & Casino and AVANI Maseru Hotel in Lesotho, AVANI Victoria Falls Resort in Zambia and AVANI Windhoek Hotel & Casino in Namibia. The well known Royal Livingstone Hotel has joined the Anantara portfolio.
Looking ahead, the luxury hotel Essque Zalu Zanzibar on the north east coast of Zanzibar will be rebranded to PER AQUUM in 2017. In North Africa two new Anantara resorts are under development. In northern Morocco the 230-key Anantara Al Houara Tangier Resort is scheduled to open in the second half of 2017, in addition to the 93-key Anantara Tozeur Resort which will open in the southwest of Tunisia.
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Women in advertising - Debra Mallowah
Susan Credle, global chief creative officer at FCB, spoke to women in advertising during the DStv Seminar of Creativity. In this episode she speaks to Debra Mallowah, VP personal care at Unilever Africa.
Brand Intelligence company Ornico publishes business and brand guide for industry leaders in partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), at the University of Pretoria.
Ornico and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) announced today that they would launch an annual publication called Open Africa on Thursday, 8 September 2016, at 5.30pm at GIBS. Aimed at CEOs, business owners, marketers, communications agencies and public-facing government departments, Open Africa is a joint annual publication about doing business in Africa for Africans by Africans.
Open Africa contains stories, insights and reports about continental growth opportunities, case studies on doing business in Africa, and business lessons from brand leaders across the continent. In little over a decade the story written about Africa by those outside of the continent has gone from one of bust to boom, and back again, says Oresti Patricios, CEO of Ornico. Thankfully there's now a new understanding of just how nuanced and diverse markets on this continent are. Africa is not a country, and successfully engaging growth opportunities means understanding each market on its own terms, he adds.
What we are doing with Open Africa is to enable African brand and business leaders to tell their own stories about their own experiences on the continent, Patricios says. Open Africa will be launched with a panel discussion focussed on growth opportunities on the continent, together with an inside track from industry leaders doing business in Africa, on Thursday, 8 September 2016, at 5.30pm at GIBS.
The panel discussion will be chaired by Patricios and features:
Boris Kamstra - CEO of Alphamin Resources;
Brooks Mparutsa - Hollard International CEO;
Lyal White - Director of the Centre for Dynamic Markets at GIBS;
and Dianna Games - CE of Africa @ Work and Executive Director of the South Africa-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce.
All delegates who attend the panel discussion will get a free copy of Open Africa that includes insights on Africa by: Google's Luke McKend; Facebook's Nunu Ntshingila-Njeke; Wole Olaoye of Nigeria's Diametrics; Marius Oosthuizen, head of the GIBS 'Future of Business in South Africa Project'; Iroko TV's Jason Njoku; Receiptful's Adii Pienaar; Kees Snijders of Flickswitch; Silvertree's Peter Allerstorfer; and much, much more.
Those interested in attending the discussion and getting the limited print publication should book online with GIBS.
The company is leveraging its experience that spans over four years in dealing with premium brands like Unilever, Standard Bank, MTN, Land Rover, Suzuki and Falcon Safaris to help the small business owners.
We have identified that marketing is a major pain point for most entrepreneurs in the SMME space and we are offering digital marketing as a viable solution. This is because digital marketing is way cheaper than placing an advert on TV or in a newspaper. Also, the modern customers spend most of their time online and our service enables SMMEs to connect with them with ease, said Velly Bosega the founder and CEO of Adclick Africa.
The Adclick Africa SMME marketing programme is run by some of the best digital marketing talent in the country with a combined experience of over 15 years. Our team understands the digital marketing ecosystem and the nuances of the South African market place. This enables us to create a tailor-made strategy and tactical plan that is unique to each business that we deal with.
We are fully cognizant of the fact that not every business is the same and therefore we create a roadmap that matches the specific industry and marketing requirements of each business that we engage with, said Velly.
Mobile phones have widely penetrated the South Africa market with over 39 million adults owning a mobile phone according to the latest Mobile Marketing Association of South Africa report. Considering that these mobile devices represent the dominant internet access platform, the size of the digital audience is quite huge. What makes it even more exciting news for entrepreneurs is that 81% of the modern customers use the internet to search for information on products and services. Thus, it is important for brands to have an awesome online presence that captures this always on and engaged audience. Our passion lies in helping the brands to connect with their customers online.
Trends world show that digital marketing is very important because it levels the playing field for entrepreneurs. There is no small or big company on the internet. This scenario enables SMMEs to attract clients that they would not have been able to reach hitherto.
Over and above our website design service, we also offer:
Search engine optimisation (SEO)
Google Adwords
Google Analytics
Social media marketing (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube)
Mobile marketing
Email/ Newsletter marketing
Content marketing
Additionally, we also runs bootcamps and one-on-one consultations with entrepreneurs. The aim of these programmes is to equip participants with the right digital marketing skills that will help them unlock value in the marketplace.
Adclick Africa is also working with Incubation hubs and other related stakeholders in the SME ecosystem to cascade the digital marketing capacity to as many entrepreneurs as possible.
For more information on our SMME marketing services call 011 704 2641 or email moc.acirfakcilcda@ofni
A third unit of Eskom's Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme came into commercial operation on Tuesday, 30 August, said the power utility.
Eskoms Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme yesterday brought Unit 1, which is the third unit out of four, into commercial operation thus effectively pumping close to a 1000MW into the South African power grid, said Eskom in a statement on Wednesday, 31 August.
The three units of the scheme that are located on the cross-border of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have been contributing 333MW each towards Eskoms daily power needs during a testing phase.
The commercial operation of these three units marks a key milestone towards the full commercial operation of the entire Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme ahead of the scheduled deadline of mid-2017, said Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe.
The commercial operation of the unit is further proof that the utility is on its way to ensure security of supply.
The commercial operation of Unit 1 is further proof that we are well on our way to ensure security of power supply to South African homes and businesses. I am truly excited that we are on track to deliver on our commitment to bring all New Build projects on line timeously.
The remaining unit (Unit 3) has already been synchronised to the national grid and is currently undergoing repairs after experiencing problems during the testing phase.
The unit is on track for commercial operation during the first half of 2017.
Once completed, all four units of the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme will produce a total of 1 332MW. Upon completion, Ingula will be Africas newest and largest pumped storage scheme, and the 14th largest in the world.
Last week, Eskom announced that Unit 2 came into commercial operation on Monday, 22 August.
The commercial operation of the two units follows on President Jacob Zumas launch of Unit 4 at the plant in July.
During his visit to the plant, President Zuma said progress made is evidence of the countrys democratic legacy that supports economic growth and development.
Eskom Ingulas four units are located 350 metres underground in the worlds largest machine hall in mud-rock. To turn the more than 500 ton rotating mass of the Generator Rotor and Turbine, water is released from Ingulas upper dam, Bedford Dam, situated 460 metres higher and two kilometres away.
Water then flows at high speeds down to the turbines at around 60km per hour with enough water passing through each turbine to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in six seconds. Rotating at 428 revolutions per minute, each unit will produce 333MW, a total for the station of 1,332MW.
On completion of all four units, Ingula will be part of Eskoms Peaking fleet of power stations. It can respond to demand increases on the national grid within two-and-a-half minutes.
From 12 - 16 September 2016, South African National Park (SANParks) will again offer visitors free access as part of the annual South African National Parks Week under the theme 'Know Your National Parks'. Locals with valid identity document will have the opportunity to spend a day a national park of their choice free of charge.
Brian Snelson via Wikimedia Commons - Addo Elephant National Park
The week-long campaign will be applicable to all the national parks managed by SANParks, with the exception of Boulders in Table Mountain National Park and Namaqua National Park. Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the weekend. For individual park dates please visit SANParks.
Cultivating a culture of pride and conservation
According to SANParks acting head of communications, William Mabasa, the objective of the week is to cultivate a culture of pride in all South Africans in their relationship with the countrys natural, cultural and historical heritage. When people start to take pride in the national parks, then we believe that they will start to understand the importance of conservation.
The idea of a national parks focus week is a worldwide campaign and was conceived in South Africa in 2006 after realising that a vast majority of South Africans were not accessing the national parks.
The feature element of this campaign is the free access granted to all South African day visitors carrying their official identity documents. Young persons under the age of 16 will be allowed free access without proof of identity. It should be noted that the free access to the parks will not include accommodation and any commercial activities in the park such as guided safaris in vehicles or guided walks, etc.
This years SA National Parks Week will include exhibitions around the country at various key national parks which will represent the different geographical regions of SANParks. The expo will include cultural, conservation, nursery and tourism aspects from the community, rangers and various conservation entities in order to highlight the broader South African biodiversity landscape, said Mabasa.
Helpng South Africans access their National Parks
The annual SA National Parks Week has been made possible with support from First National Bank (FNB). Once again, we hope that through allowing free access to our National Parks, we will succeed in encouraging all South Africans, to visit the beautiful parks our country has to offer. At FNB we understand that we have a responsibility to conserve and protect the environment and as corporate South Africa we have prioritised the reduction of our carbon footprint through our daily operations says Kgosi Ledimo, CEO FNB Public Sector Banking.
Total South Africa has again stepped up to the plate to help South Africans access these beautiful acres of land across the country. Says Totals GM: sales and marketing, Qetello Zeka: We are very pleased to once again be involved in this project. It is such a good initiative and one that will go far in helping to drive the message that we are all custodians of nature conservation and of our environment to the public.
SANParks encourages all South Africans and especially educators and school groups to diarise these dates and plan a visit to a national park nearby. The survival of the South African national parks system and our natural and cultural heritage lies in the people of South Africa, concludes Mabasa.
The Heritage Monitoring Project (HMP) made a call for South Africans to submit endangered heritage sites in June 2016. Submissions that make up the long list ranges from BaTswana iron age ruins to sites of military conflict, ancestral lands, historic townscapes and buildings, to struggle sites and archaeological and paleontological sites of international significance.
With close to 50 submissions, the HMP is very encouraged by the response. Our founding partner, the Heritage Portal, receives constant notices from members of the heritage community expressing concern about neglected sites of significance. With this campaign, we want to identify sites at risk around the country and get communities and local stakeholders active in finding creative ways to respond to the threats and hopefully ensure that sites are eventually removed from the endangered list. Sometimes a local church, mosque, cemetery or monument just needs a small amount of support from the private sector or local resident associations to make a big difference, says Jacques Stoltz, co-founder of the HMP.
South Africans deeply concerned about the state of their cultural heritage
The number of submissions made in the first year of the campaign shows that despite perceptions to the contrary, South Africans are deeply concerned about the state of their cultural heritage.
Urbanites seem to be most concerned with the traditionally more urban provinces of Gauteng and the Western Cape dominating the list of submissions made. Gauteng accounts for nearly 50% of all submissions made. As anticipated, most of the sites are structures, buildings, townscapes, and public monuments and memorials. However, significant paleontological and pre-colonial archaeological sites were also submitted.
As the bulk of sites that have statutory protection in terms of our heritage legislation would cover archaeological, palaeontological and manmade structures, this was to be expected. We were, however, expecting more struggle sites given that there are some high profile cases that have recently made the headlines. Having said that, were pleased to have seen many important industrial heritage sites submitted. All this shows that theres room to grow the list in years to come, Stoltz says.
Common threats
Most of the sites share common threats, such as a lack of maintenance, lack of funding or other resources, mining, development pressure, lack of development and investment, gentrification or simply, official neglect. The list includes publicly owned sites and buildings that, according to Stoltz, raises uncomfortable questions about governments commitment to upholding heritage legislation and also equally worrying concerns about state asset management.
The importance of local custodians
The longlist names 46 heritage sites across a range of categories. These categories include cultural landscapes, archaeological and palaeontological sites, built heritage, industrial heritage, burial sites, military sites, public open space and even South Africas oldest nature reserve. One of the project partners in this campaign is the Heritage Association of South Africa (HASA). According to Len Raymond, HASA chair, The submissions show that although conservation matters are often secondary for communities, they do appreciate the economic and social value of their local heritage resources.
Raymond gives the example of a local proposal to renovate a historic bridge to the advantage of a nearby community by physically integrating people with the larger area. Many of the submissions, he continues, speak to the valuable role that heritage resources play in local tourism economies and the disastrous effect when heritage resources are lost. But most importantly, Raymond says the submissions show how important it is to have local custodians who dont just complain but proactively work towards achieving better outcomes, not just for heritage sites but for the community in general. As HASA we work towards a vision of a national network of local heritage organisations that are actively encouraged and supported.
The top 10 most endangered sites
The longlisted sites will now be put to an independent panel of experts. The panel will debate and make their own decision as to the top ten sites, based on the evidence and information provided to them, and according to set criteria, for example, the importance of the site to local communities and the extent to which the site can be conserved. The Top 10 most endangered sites will be announced in September, to coincide with Heritage Month.
The campaign was made possible by the support of its partners. Weve been particularly grateful for the support we received from City Press and The Heritage Portal, which helped us reach not only the heritage community at large but also a wider, more general audience, says Stoltz.
The full longlist is available at The Heritage Portal. While there will be an annual call for submissions, members of the public can continue to submit sites on the Heritage Portal as part of the ongoing identification and monitoring of at-risk cultural heritage resources.
Wildlife authorities in Zimbabwe have begun dehorning the country's 700 adult rhinos to curb rampant poaching, a conservation group said on Tuesday, 30 August.
"Our target is to dehorn every single adult rhino and to ear-notch the young ones for record-keeping," Lisa Marabini, director for the Aware Trust Zimbabwe (ATZ) conservation group, told AFP.
"Poaching is a very serious problem in this country. This (dehorning) will act as a dissuasive measure and reduce the potential reward for poachers."
ATZ, which includes veterinarians and conservationists, is working with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority on the dehorning project.
The authority was not immediately available to comment.
ATZ declined to give exact numbers of how many rhinos had been dehorned for security reasons.
Rhinos are among the most poached animals in Zimbabwe and their population has been dwindling over years due to illegal hunting, prompting authorities to keep them in protected areas.
But Marabini said at least 50 rhinos were killed by poachers in Zimbabwe's game reserves last year.
Rhino horns are worth thousands of dollars due to demand in East Asia for their supposed medicinal qualities, fuelling a boom in poaching and trafficking in Zimbabwe and neighbouring South Africa.
The animals are targeted by armed gangs due to the belief in Vietnam and China that ground-up horn cures diseases, including cancer.
Also believed to be an aphrodisiac, the horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails.
Source: AFP
Special training sessions, dubbed "Agri-Business Boot Camp", will be hosted on the margins of The National Food and Agric Show where agribusiness players will have the opportunity to learn how to prepare credit-yielding and investor-attracting business plans. The boot camp will be held at the Ghana International Trade fair Centre from 28-30 September with international facilitators.
Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, General Manager of the FAGRO secretariat
Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, general manager of the FAGRO secretariat said "the aim of the Agri-Business Boot Camp is to train farmers and agribusiness persons on how to write very attractive business plans to bait investors and partners so as to boost their expansion plans. More than 100 participants are expected to take advantage of this rare training opportunity"
"Highlights of the training are: how to convert business ideas into plans to attract the needed investment, essentials of presenting an attractive business plan and we will crown it with a supervised preparation of individual business plans by participants. The climax of the training will be individual presentations of business plans before a judging panel with the best three earning cash prizes.
The secretariat will look for potential investors for the best three plans", she added for good measure.
Adressing the lack of attractive business plans
Agriculture forms the backbone of most economies in the developing world. Aside guaranteeing constant food supply, it also employs a large portion of the population. Sadly, there is very little funding for small and medium scale agribusinesses by banks and private equity firms. The lack of attractive business plans to woo investors into the sector also seems to have compounded the situation.
The National Food and Agric Show - FAGRO - is a trailblazer platform that brings stakeholders in the agriculture industry together every year to showcase products and innovations in the sector with mutually beneficial networking opportunities. It's expected to attract over five hundred (500) farmers, students, entrepreneurs and other industry players from all parts of the country. Other activities at this year's event include an exhibition, B2B Meetings and a farm tour to a Greenhouse farm.
The Annual Timber Engineered Product Awards was hosted by the Institute for Timber Construction (ITC-SA) at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on 19 August. The event showcased and rewarded top class workmanship in the fields of decking, timber frame construction and roofing.
As part of the ITC-SAs ongoing mandate to establish and maintain the highest standards in the timber construction industry in South Africa, the awards are hosted every year in an effort to bring players in the timber construction industry together and to pay homage to members outstanding work of the previous year.
Flywheel & Suspended Bridge - Town & Country Projects
This years awards saw the attendance of a record 135 guests, to whom we extend our thanks for making the event a vibrant and successful one, says Chris Hobson, incoming ITC-SA chairman, adding, The awards are open to all timber frame builder, deck builder, roof erector and fabricator members of the ITC-SA, and submission categories include: Decks & Boardwalks; Alterations & Additions; Structures Smaller than 120m2; Structures Larger than 120m2; Structures Larger than 220m2; and Roofing: Residential, Commercial & Exposed Trusses, a new addition to the awards categories.
Diversity and inclusion in the sector
Lyndsay Cotton, LCP Roofing GM and outgoing chairman of the ITC-SA kicked off the evening with a brief talk on the business case for diversity and inclusion in the sector, which was followed by an insightful product presentation on the MiTek Industries SA brand by Stewart Murray, MiTek Industries SA manager. This was followed by a presentation by the evenings guest speaker, Dr. Melanie Blumentritt, who is a post-doctoral fellow at Stellenbosch University at the Department of Forestry and Wood Science, with a background in solid wood and wood composites production and mechanical testing, wood anatomy, ultrastructure and chemical evaluation, and life-cycle assessment of wood products. Dr. Blumentritts talk proffered the question, Should we store carbon in wood? and covered the ways in which the use of wood in long-lived products, like timber construction products, can help to mitigate climate change.
House du Preez - Eco Log Homes
ITC-SA Annual Timber Engineered Product Awards for 2015 winners
Four entries were received in the Alterations & Additions category, which ranged from economical extensions to full-scale remodelling. The Structures Smaller than 120m2 category saw four entries, varying from a granny flat to a beautiful starter home, all of which clearly demonstrated a high standard of skills and finishes.
Five entries were received for the Structures Larger than 120m2, but below 220m2; these projects ranged from beach homes to those built on particularly sensitive sites, showcasing the versatility and gentle approach to construction made possible with timber frame. The Structures Larger than 220m2 category saw three entries, which all illustrated a variety of styles and quality finishes capable of satisfying the most discerning taste.
Eight entries were received for the new Roofing category, which encompasses commercial and residential roofs as well as exposed trusses. All entries demonstrated the inherent versatility timber lends to the design, fabrication and erection of roofs across a broad spectrum of building styles.
Vergelegen Shopping Centre - Rooftek Trusses
Decks & Boardwalks
Gold:
Project name: Flywheel & Suspended Bridge
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Planning Partners
Built by: Town & Country Projects
This impressive commercial series of decks and bridges at an upmarket business and conference centre demonstrated the ability of the contractor to elegantly manage the interface of timber and bespoke steel.
Gold:
Project name: Bridge Thompson
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Cottage Concepts
Built by: Cottage Concepts
Bridge Thompson, an unusual miniature wooden bridge structure for a model steam train enthusiast presented a number of challenges to achieve an attractive and true-to-scale end product.
Silver:
Project name: Deck Bonnema
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Anton Bonnema
Built by: Deckscapes
Deck Bonnema called for the creation of a screened alfresco area with a pergola over an existing flat roof, requiring skilled design and carpentry from the team.
Bronze:
Project name: Deck Fensham
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Charles de Jongh
Built by: Deckscapes
This project included the construction of a poolside deck with additional timber screens.
Alterations & Additions
Gold:
Project name: House Hirschon
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Kotlowitz Marais Architects
Built by: Timbercraft
Engineer: Mike Humby
This complex project required the modernisation and enlargement of an existing ground and first floor home, creating a second-floor, two-bedroom flatlet, which was seamlessly executed by Timbercraft.
Silver:
Project name: House Cillie & Fouche
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Hardie van Schalkwyk
Built by: Henton Homes
Engineer: Deon Botes of Poise Engineers
House Cillie & Fouche called for the addition of a master en suite, study, scullery and single garage while the owner occupied the home. The project was completed in five months and to a visibly high standard.
Bronze:
Project name: House Jones
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Pursey & Boucher Architectural Services
Built by: Villager Timber Products
Engineer: Jim Weaver Structural Engineers
House Jones, once a single-storey dwelling with height constraints, was converted into an attractive double-storey home, maximising the available footprint.
Structures Smaller than 120m2
Gold:
Project name: House Puttick
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Cecilia Fraser Architects
Built by: Timber Home Kits
Engineer: VPG Structural Engineering
Clinging to the slope of a mountain, 42m2 House Puttick is a stunning example of the contractors ability and the advantages of timber frame construction.
Silver:
Project name: House Bing
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Cecilia Fraser Architects
Built by: Timber Home Kits
Engineer: VPG Structural Engineering
House Bing, a 119m2 timber frame two-bedroom cottage, took only two-and-a-half months to construct in the back yard of an existing home.
Bronze:
Project name: House Hopkins
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Sadie Jones Architects
Built by: Timber Home Kits
Engineer: SKC Masakhizwe Engineers (Pty) Ltd
This neat, eco-friendly 50m2 cottage is proudly off the grid, contributing to the structures low overall environmental impact.
Structures Larger than 120m2
Gold:
Project name: House Riddell
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Jacques Cronje Timber Design
Built by: Henton Homes
Engineer: Deon Botes of Poise Engineers
House Riddells remote location required diligent planning to avoid possible down time. The building had to be repositioned, due to its proximity to a Milkwood tree, but even so, the project was completed within six months.
Silver:
Project name: House Oosthuizen
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Alan Paine Designs
Built by: Logo Homes
Engineer: Gadomski Consulting Engineers
Clinging to the mountainside under Boyes Drive in St. James, House Oosthuizen is an attractive vertically clad timber frame home with views over False Bay.
Bronze:
Project name: House van der Walt
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Christal Beukering
Built by: Davwen Construction
Engineer: Peter Wilschut Consulting Structural Engineers
Perched on a dune above the high water line, House van der Walt tested the skills of the Davwen Construction team, resulting in a getaway that is the envy of many.
Bronze:
Project name: House van der Vyver
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: I Berger
Built by: Cottage Concepts
Engineer: Anton van Riet
House van der Vyver, a uniquely challenging project, called for the construction of a double-storey home on severely sloping solid rock in an eco-sensitive reserve.
Structures Larger than 220m2
Gold:
Project name: House du Preez
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Eugene Barnard Architects
Built by: Eco Log Homes
Engineer: Hull Consulting Engineers
House du Preez, a post-and-beam structure, is on a game farm with no on-site accommodation, which made for strict working hours that challenged the Eco Log Homes team to achieve this magnificent bush getaway. The projects attention to detail and interesting architectural features impressed the judges.
Silver:
Project name: House Bolitho
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Alan Paine Designs
Built by: Logo Homes
Engineer: Gadomski Consulting Engineers
Stringent regulations and height restrictions governing this heritage area of Simonstown and the discovery of a main sewer running through the site challenged the architect and contractor to meet the client brief. The result is an asset to the surroundings and a tribute to the Logo Homes team.
Silver:
Project name: House Richards
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Alan Paine Designs
Built by: Logo Homes
Engineer: Gadomski Consulting Engineers
Strict new council regulations regarding building on the side of a mountain stimulated the ingenuity of both architect and engineer on this project, who provided practical floor plans and pleasing elevations to maximise the structures available footprint.
Roofing: Residential, Commercial & Exposed Trusses
Gold:
Project name: House Viking Trust
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Klaus Korber
Roofing structure: Pitch 45 Roofing
Engineer: A19 Roof Inspectorate
This extensive renovation required neat, accurate carpentry to produce, erect and brace this complex exposed roof structure, which pays homage to the beauty of design symmetry.
Gold:
Project name: Reddford House, Northcliff
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Century Property Developments
Roofing structure: LCP Roofing
Engineer: Errol Hobden
A turnkey project where close cooperation with the design team ensured that the client brief was met. This has resulted in state-of-the art exposed structural roofing elements being used as features to enhance the buildings ambience.
Gold:
Project name: Vergelegen Shopping Centre
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Barry Slavin of Slavin & Associates
Roof trusses manufactured by: Rooftek Trusses
Roof trusses erected by: Pitch 45 Roofing
Engineer: Schalk Brits & Conrad van Zyl of MiTek Industries SA
The harmony of design, construction detailing and robust appearance of this shopping centre roof will have many a shopper looking upwards. Its rugged beauty and symmetry illustrate the contractors ability to evoke the past by recreating the forms and shapes of yesteryear.
Silver:
Project name: Hazeldean Office Park
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Greg Koenderman of MWLF Architects
Roofing structure: Giant Engineering
Engineer: Stephan Vermaak of Sivest
Hazeldean Office Parks showcases the effective use of timber roof trusses on large span commercial projects with complex architectural detailing in exposed areas.
Bronze:
Project name: Reddam International College
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Century Property Developments
Roofing structure: LCP Roofing
Engineer: Errol Hobden
This impressive project was designed, supplied and erected as a turnkey service to the main contractor. Complex curved and circular roof structures were no match for the experienced LCP Roofing team who went above and beyond the call of duty to complete this roofing structure.
Bronze:
Project name: House Alcock
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Walkersmith Architects
Roofing structure: Lloyd-Warren Construction
Engineer: Gavin Brown & Associates
House Alcocks roof showcases beautiful old-school design and engineering coupled with highly skilled carpentry. Attention to detail and high quality finishes lend an attractive, old-world appearance to the exposed Douglas Fir hammer roof trusses.
Bronze:
Project name: House Majorie
Year completed: 2015
Designed by: Afro Plan Architects
Roofing structure: LCP Roofing
Engineer: Errol Hobden
Interesting truss designs with extensive architectural details were skilfully addressed by LCP Roofings design, fabrication and erection teams. The end result more than met the contractors brief.
Long service awards
Ten- and twenty-year long service awards were presented to truss fabricators who were present at the awards for their service to the ITC-SA. These are as follows:
10 Years Service:
Braytons Dundee
Giant Engineering
Maxco Truss Systems
Nelspruit Truss
Patria Truss Manufacturers
PJ Roofs
Rooftek Trusses
20 Years Service:
BUCO Pinetown
BUCO Honeydew
Truss n Timber
Truss Mecca
There were many outstanding individuals who were involved in making the ITC-SA Timber Engineered Product Awards the success it was and we would like to thank all of those who contributed. A special thanks to our esteemed judges who offered of their time and expertise to judge the awards submissions, remarks Hobson. Lastly, we thank ITC-SA members who entered the awards for sharing the fruits of their labour with us, for playing their own part in upholding our industrys standards and for raising the awards goal posts each year. The ITC-SA Timber Construction Awards for 2015 are a glowing testament to what our industry can produce and of which we can all be justly proud.
The South African Booksellers Association along with the Publishers Association of South Africa (PASA) celebrated the annual Sefika on 30 August 2016 to honour the booksellers and publishers around South Africa that promote reading.
After a long day of hard debate and discussions around the intricacies of the book trade, held during the co-located AGMs, members of both associations gathered to celebrate the successes generated by working together and most importantly the business of the book.
By bringing booksellers and publishers from around the country together annually to discuss matters of general interest, the two associations are able to identify many concerns in the industry and work together towards solutions.
The two associations strive to work together to encourage healthy trade relations, which recognise the respective roles within the book value chain, of the publishers as creators and wholesale distributors, and booksellers as the retailers of books.
The evening gala event, sponsored by Nielsen, Novus Holdings, Imperial Sasfin Logistics, Geodis Wilson and SAPnet, is arranged to thank and celebrate both booksellers and publishers for the roles they play in promoting literacy and a culture of reading by producing and selling quality books in South Africa.
Bookseller Awards
Best Academic: Van Schaik Bookstore
Best Education: Boeke 24/7
Best Trade (Chain Stores): Exclusive Books
Best Trade (Independent): The Book Lounge
Library Supplier: Caxton Books
Publisher Awards
Trade Publisher: Penguin Random House
Academic Publisher: Juta & Company
Education (Large): Pearson Education SA
Education (Small): Berlut Books
Legends Awards
A new category, sponsored by Exclusive Books was profiled on this evening and this was presented to four legends in the bookselling trade, people who have dedicated their lives to selling books and to supporting everyone in the trade to do so successfully.
Benjamin Trisk, the MD of Exclusive Books regaled the audience with tales of yore before calling up Maureen Hargraves of Hargraves Library Suppliers, Henrietta Dax of Clarkes Bookshop, Fleur Mcfarlane of Exclusive Books and Peter Adams of Adams Booksellers.
Nielsen Booksellers Choice Awards
The final award for the evening, the Nielsen Booksellers Choice Award is bestowed upon a local author for a South African published book that booksellers most enjoyed selling or that sold so well that it made a difference to the bottom line of booksellers across the country. This is a very special award and the industry as a whole celebrated a new novelist, Sally Andrew, for her book Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery. A diverting read, published by the best Trade Publisher of the year 2016: Random House South Africa.
The short-listed books were:
After Estee Cockcroft, a former colleague at Boomtown wrote her first children's book, The Eye in the Yellow Bow Tie, Carmen Smit fulfilled her dream to illustrate a children's book.
Author Estee Cockcroft with illustrator Carmen Smit and the first copy of The Eye in the Yellow Bow Tie.
The book is about a boy who grew up in the 1950s, during the apartheid days of South Africa, in a household with a tyrant of a father and a sister who bullied him.
Estee gave me the initial manuscript to read along with an extensive brief, however, she still allowed me to explore my own interpretations and creative concepts, explains Smit. We went through a variety of initial concepts and ideas, around eight until we ended up with the final design.
Having worked with Carmen extensively at Boomtown and knowing her dream to illustrate a childrens book, I knew she was the right person to illustrate my first novel, remarks Cockcroft.
Using paint, fine liners and watercolours, Smit worked on the project for three months, outside of her graphic design job at branding agency Boomtown. We love to see our people achieve their dreams and possibility and to see Carmen take her first step in childrens book illustration is heart warming, adds Boomtown MD, Andrew MacKenzie.
Boomtown sponsored Smits membership to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The workshops and the people there I met fuelled my drive to achieve my dream, concludes Smit.
The book is will launch on 8 September 2016 at 6.30pm at The Athenaeum in Port Elizabeth.
According to Rawson Property Group MD Tony Clarke, it's a myth that you need to be rich and have a mountain of cash in hand before you can become a buy-to-let property investor.
He notes that while the banks may require up to 40% of the purchase price as a deposit when you purchase a buy-to-let property, you can reduce the amount of cash you need to get started by buying a smaller, less expensive unit.
If youre already a homeowner, you could also consider using some of the equity in your property to help you buy a small rental unit. Or you could pool resources with friends or family members as long as you have a proper legal agreement in place that details your contributions, how the property will be run and how any profits are to be divided.
And, with rental demand set to rise substantially in the coming months due to the declining economic situation, we believe that now is a very good time for anyone who can afford to invest in buy-to-let property to do so without delay.
Investing in smaller properties
What is more, he notes, the latest FNB Property Barometer statistics indicate that you stand to make a much better capital return if you invest in smaller properties, because the average price of such homes is currently rising at a rate of around 12,5% a year, while that of medium size properties is only growing by around 6,6% a year and that of large properties by around 4,5% a year.
As for demand, which is really the most important factor when it comes to investing in rental properties, there is currently much higher and rising demand for smaller units than for large properties. On the one hand this is coming from young people who have just started working and are setting up their own homes for the first time, and on the other from the many families and older people who are downsizing from larger homes now to save on rent as well as their water and electricity bills and other running costs.
It is interesting to observe, says Clarke, that a major trend among both these groups of potential tenants is a desire to cut down on commuting and live closer to their workplaces, and preferably within walking distance of shops, schools and leisure amenities if at all possible.
And fortunately, there are quite a number of areas with small units that are in high demand and achieving good rentals with relatively low default rates. And these are still available to buy at very reasonable prices that are affordable for first-time investors.
Other factors to take into account
However, Clarke notes, price should not be the only consideration for first-time investors. There are many other factors to take into account, including the condition and finances of the complex if it is sectional title, the security and popularity of the area and the recent performance of local property values. So new investors are advised to seek help from a qualified, experienced and ethical estate agent before they commit to any purchase.
They should also be aware that there is a greater risk of rent default in the under-R3000 a month category, and ensure that all prospective tenants are properly credit-checked and have paid their deposits before being allowed to occupy their rental units. The help of a good managing agent or agency is invaluable in this regard.
Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Blade Nzimande says he is hopeful that the current consultations with all stakeholders on the 2017 university fees will conclude successfully, with a formal announcement expected to be made in mid-September.
The Minister said since he received advice from the Council on Higher Education (CHE) earlier this month on university fee adjustments for next year, he has been in consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including university vice-chancellors and council chairs, student leaders and youth organisations, organised labour, faith communities and government officials.
"The purpose of these consultations has been to tap into the collective wisdom of higher education stakeholders in order to find solutions to what is recognised as a societal problem.
"While considering the CHEs advice, we want to ensure that academically capable young people are not denied access to higher education because they come from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, while at the same time ensuring that universities are sustained and strengthened.
We must work towards solutions that assist academically deserving young people, whose families are struggling to raise sufficient funds to support them at university, Minister Nzimande said.
Government has over the past two decades invested significant resources to assist students who come from poor families through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). It is committed to ensuring that this support is strengthened going forward, and that it continues to progressively implement free higher education for the poor as per the current government policy.
Mid-level income families
Minister Nzimande reiterated that government is also committed to providing better support for middle class students.
"Government recognises the burden that working and middle class families bear in supporting their children through basic education and into higher education, and the need to find workable solutions for these groups that are not currently supported through NSFAS.
Currently we do not have sustainable mechanisms to support these students, and we look forward to the work of the Ministerial Task Team on a Financial Aid Scheme for Funding Poor and Missing-Middle Students at universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges, which is chaired by Sizwe Nxasana, who is also the chair of NSFAS.
He said while these issues are being discussed, stakeholders have requested that the Minister not make any immediate announcements and that further time be given for stakeholders to discuss all possible solutions to what is a very complex problem being faced by higher education and training and the country at large.
"In the discussions, there has been general agreement that sustainable solutions for the higher education system must be found, and any short term decisions need to consider the longer term consequences for the sustainability and strengthening of our public institutions.
"There is also broad agreement that the challenges we face are a societal problem and the responsibility cannot be shouldered by government alone. It is a collective responsibility that includes all sectors of society.
Consultations will continue for another two weeks, after which a formal announcement will be made regarding our recommendations on the issue of university fees for 2017, Minister Nzimande said.
He also appealed to students, parents, community leaders, business leaders and members of society to work with government.
Emerging South African filmmakers, especially women, trying to break into the industry, now have a real shot at making their movie dreams come true.
Government and its partner organisations such as the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) have introduced programmes to attract and skill women into the sector.
Among those programmes in place are access to funds, training and skills development through various bursaries as well as mentorship programmes.
Bridging the gaps
The Department of Trade and Industry has also established the Black Emerging Filmmakers Fund, which aims to assist in bridging the inequality gap for filmmakers in South Africa.
These initiatives by government are expected to help women address the main gaps in the industry, which have been identified as funding, mentoring and training.
This emerged on Wednesday, 31 August 2016, during The New Age business briefing on Women into Local Content Production. The briefing was attended by Communications Deputy Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, NFVF Chairperson Mmabatho Ramagoshi and PanSALB CEO Rakwena Monareng.
Through the Presidency task team on creative industries, Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams said they are putting in place better structures and systems to make the South African film industry a global competitor, while telling honest South African stories that are in line with the countrys values as a nation.
These are stories that drive social cohesion and national identity.
The Deputy Minister urged women not to be fronters in production companies with regard to ownership of production companies.
Though the Presidency task team on creative industries we are reviewing the funding criteria because they are not empowering women. Women do not own the studios, which is why we said our broadcasters have to come to a point that if they are commissioning you, they must ensure that the studios that they utilise must belong to women.
Skills development and support
She said work also continues in the development of skills required by the industry.
At policy level as government, we are going to make interventions, and we are going to do something on skills development. We are working with the SETAs- there is enough funding for skilling but if women can organise themselves and knock on our doors.
Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams emphasised that for women to succeed and break stereotypes - they need to support each other rather than seeing each other as competitors.
They must always at all times seek to complement each other because that is only when they will be able to win the fight against all that they are going through in the industry, she said in addition to marketing their content.
She said local radio stations and social media can play a crucial role in this regard.
Let us tap into the digital platforms that are there. There are lots of platforms where we can empower and operate in so that we can reach the target markets.
Bursaries and mentorships
Ramagoshi said the NFVF is funding 64 bursaries per annum of which 60% goes to women. The state-funded institution also has three mentorship programmes for women film makers.
In-house we also have training - where we train for script writing, internships where we expose the youth to other companies, she said, adding that they also support South African-owned production companies and prioritise projects of national importance and proposals that contain local content and have empowerment or training components.
Employment opportunities
Government has also identified the film industry as a sector with excellent potential for growth and is regarded as a catalyst for both direct and indirect employment of people from different sectors of the economy.
The industry contributes around R3.5 billion a year to the country's economy, according to a 2013 study conducted by the NFVF.
PanSALBs Monareng said there is a need to invest in the countrys film makers in order to compete with other countries and keep the money at home.
It is important to keep the money home, he said, adding that his organization gives advice on how to structure scripts with a language balance.
There is a bigger market in rural areas that needs to be explored in terms of content, he said, calling on women to tell their stories as they have the gift of speaking subtly and transcendently.
Deputy Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams shared the same sentiment and added that women must tell their stories.
Women in the sector need to educate, entertain and inform others. If you do not market your craft nobody will know about, she said, noting that the SABCs 90% local content strategy presents a great opportunity to address these challenges, especially for women.
Ramagoshi added that the local cinemas should be encouraged to place local films for more than a week on circuit so they can make money.
With Tourism Month presenting the Limpopo Tourism Authority (LTA) with an opportunity to showcase the abundance of tourism attractions Limpopo has on offer, chairperson of LTA, Andrew Dipela launched the annual domestic tourism month. People coming to the province will be spoilt for choice, from the Big Tree to the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site, and a melting pot of cultures.
Marius Loots via Wikimedia Commons - Mapungubwe hill
The international theme for 2016s tourism celebration, as set by the World Tourism Organisation, is universal access. This is aimed at highlighting challenges that persons with impaired mobility face at tourism facilities and places of interest.
Access tourism the development of tourism opportunities for people with disabilities and for the elderly is the fastest growing sector internationally. It is a high growth industry, expanding and exploring the potential of a vast market of tourism products. Access tourism embraces tourism, travel, and hospitality. It is also a lucrative market, which can do much to boost our future economic growth, thus making Limpopo the leading tourist destination for all.
LEDET, through the LTA, commits to assessing trails in all parks and venues managed by LTA and LEDET, for their suitability of use by all travelers for ease of use and inclusion. A nature trail in a park can be set up so that it cannot only be walked but also so that it can be traversed by someone in a wheelchair and the informational signs along this trail read by all even by a visually impaired person, for instance.
Accessibility should also include sensitivity to the concerns of people with disabilities, on the part of both the tourism industry as a whole and the people who work in it. It is important to see each traveler as a unique individual, regardless of their physical or mental condition, with the right to experience travel to the fullest. The 2016 tourism month theme, as driven by South African Tourism, is Tourism for all, universal accessibility and is included in all marketing efforts for the period.
Local travel
The tourism sector in Limpopo has displayed great resilience over the past few years, despite the economic instability in many parts of the world. Citizens of Limpopo themselves are taking travelling seriously, and statistics show that more than 60% of the people visiting the province are from their home province of Limpopo.
The LTA is confident that the provinces tourism figures and economy will improve tremendously through continued aggressive marketing efforts.
Limpopo has a huge competitive and unique advantage over the other provinces, by being bordered by three countries. These are: Botswana on the west, Zimbabwe in the north and Mozambique on the east.
This gives the province two Transfrontier Parks: Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Park - that encapsulates South Africa (Limpopo Province), Botswana and Zimbabwe, as well as Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, which covers South Africa (Limpopo region), Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Minor Hotels (MH) sees potential for further growth of its property and brand portfolio across Africa. MH currently has a portfolio of 151 hotels and resorts in 22 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean.
Currently, MH has a portfolio of 27 properties in operation in seven countries in Southern and East Africa, with a further pipeline of two new resorts under development in North Africa. Three of the groups brands are currently present on the continent Anantara, AVANI and Elewana Collection with the luxury boutique PER AQUUM brand to be launched in the region in 2017.
Image Source : Minor Hotels - Tivoli Hotels & Resorts
Tivoli acquisition paves way for growth in Africa
The acquisition, earlier this year, of Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, a well-known Portugal-based brand with over 80 years history with 14 properties across Portugal and Brazil, paves the way for the growth of this brand in Africa. The Tivoli acquisition was the latest in a series of international investments by MH as part of its long-term diversification strategy, which over the last two years has seen the group invest over USD 550 million in hotel projects in Southern and East Africa, Asia, Australia, South America and Europe.
Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels and COO of Minor International says, We see strong potential for the growth of our brands in Africa, including the opportunity to launch Tivoli in the region. There is potential both in Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mozambique and Angola, but also in the Maghreb, where economic and cultural ties to Portugal and Europe in general, are strong. Europe represents one of our main feeder markets and there is definitely potential for cross-selling within our existing African portfolio of brands Elewana Collection, Anantara and AVANI.
The Elewana Collection
MHs first entry into Africa was in 2008 when the group acquired 50% ownership of Elewana Collection, a group of luxurious lodges, hotels and tented camps in Kenya and Tanzania providing access to all the drama and spectacle of African wildlife in exceptional comfort. Most recently in May, Loisaba Tented Camp became the 15th property within the Elewana Collection. The new camp is located in the Loisaba Conservancy in Kenya, which spans three eco-systems, offering a variety of beautiful landscapes and incredible game viewing.
Aggressive expansion into Africa
2014 saw MH aggressively expand into Africa, with the group announcing an extension of their partnership with Rani Investment LLC to manage three properties in Mozambique, plus making a 25% investment in the properties. This followed the launch of the two companies partnership in August 2013 for the operation of a resort in Mozambique, which was rebranded to Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & Spa in late 2013.
In September 2014 MH announced a USD 101 million investment to acquire a 49% stake in a mixed-use property project in Mozambiques capital in a further extension of this joint venture. In March this year, MH re-launched Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort. On a pristine private island off the northern coast of Mozambique, the 12-villa, adults-only African island hideaway reopened following an extensive refurbishment.
Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort
These investments in the continent were further consolidated by MH investing over USD 60 million to own a stake in a collection of Sun International properties in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Zambia. Five of the six properties have been rebranded to the upscale AVANI brand AVANI Gaborone Resort & Casino in Botswana, AVANI Lesotho Hotel & Casino and AVANI Maseru Hotel in Lesotho, AVANI Victoria Falls Resort in Zambia and AVANI Windhoek Hotel & Casino in Namibia. The well known Royal Livingstone Hotel has joined the Anantara portfolio.
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, the luxury hotel Essque Zalu Zanzibar on the north east coast of Zanzibar will be rebranded to PER AQUUM in 2017. In North Africa, two new Anantara resorts are under development. In northern Morocco, the 230-key Anantara Al Houara Tangier Resort is scheduled to open in the second half of 2017, in addition to the 93-key Anantara Tozeur Resort which will open in the southwest of Tunisia.
According to The Africa Economic Outlook Report 2016 , trade between African regions remains low when compared to other parts of the world despite an average annual growth in exports of 8.5% since 2010. In 2014, intra-regional trade accounted for 16% of Africa's total trade, mainly stimulated by manufactured goods, accounting for 60% of total regional trade (African Development Bank, 2015).
Hennie Heymans
Agreeing with the report findings which note that the potential of intra-African trade has not yet reached fruition, Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa says that, There are multiple opportunities to increase intra-regional trade, especially in line with the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement. If used properly, this agreement has the potential to significantly boost economic growth in the region.
The important role of effective logistics
The report also forecasts that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of major Sub-Saharan African cities, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos and Luanda, are expected to increase, citing the quality of infrastructure and logistics as the key contributing factors. These findings demonstrate the important role that effective logistics play in boosting a countrys economic growth by enabling trade, says Heymans.
Heymans also points out that if intra-regional trade in Africa is to be boosted, it is crucial to put in place effective logistics infrastructure to facilitate the movement of goods across borders, and ultimately reduce the cost and time of trade.
Getting the right goods to the right people, at the right time
For countries looking to boost inter-regional trade, Heymans shares that it is vital to consider the time and costs associated with transporting goods. It is important to take a holistic approach when it comes to managing supply chain risk, in order to achieve greater visibility, flexibility, and control. Businesses in Africa are under increasing pressure in the current economic climate to remain competitive, both locally and globally, and sometimes lack the ability to build resilient supply chains.
According to Heymans, making strategic decisions to outsource logistics can make a significant contribution to a businesss profitability. Always ensure that you have the right partners who understand the global economy and, more importantly, the intricacies of doing business in each individual African county. Its not a one size fits all approach, he states.
Michael Dalton-Smith/Digital Crossing Productions via Wikimedia Commons
Home to one of the fastest growing middle classes in the world, Africa is a captive market, filled with consumers who are looking for variety and easy access to goods. The market is there, its about getting the right goods to the right people, at the right time. With operations across 51 markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, servicing over 40,000 customers, efficient delivery is an important factor for DHL. With our strategic investments in technology and retail touch points across the region, we seek to leverage the huge potential in Africa, to ensure that citizens and businesses have access to the opportunities and services available in the region, concludes Heymans.
A year ago we were regularly reporting on the idea of autonomous driving. It seemed like an idea of the future, one which companies such as Google and Audi were working on.
However in the past few weeks we have seen major announcements come out from Ford and Volvo. Every car company it seems is chasing the dream of cars that drive themselves and the dream is much closer to becoming reality than it was just a year ago, in spite of concerns arising around safety after incidents such as that involving a Tesla.
Ever-changing tech
We all know that technology moves at a rapid pace. Buy a smartphone or a laptop today and tomorrow it is out of date. In the automotive world, engine technology is advancing quickly, but it is inside the car that the changes are harder to keep up with. A car company can launch a new flagship today packed with the latest tech and within months it is marketing a lower model with not just the same tech, but even more.
Car companies are turning into information technology companies, either through their own tech departments or through partnerships and acquisitions. The pace of change is relentless and every time an automaker reveals a new piece of tech the management team is looking nervously around to see if it is going to be beaten by something better a day later.
The road of change is moving fastest when it comes to autonomous driving. Ford is promising to have self-driving cars as part of a car-sharing and ride-hailing scheme at the beginning of the next decade. The Renault-Nissan Alliance says it will have 10 autonomous vehicles by the end of this decade.
Volvo is another company that has been working on self-driving cars for the past few years, testing in Sweden and in China. It has been making lots of noise about its valet parking system which is under development. The system will allow you to climb out of your car and the car will go off to a quiet corner of a car park and wait until you summon it back to pick you up.
Of course we do already have autonomous driving in many of the cars we use, but it is basic compared to the full self-driving car. Adaptive cruise control where the car maintains a distance to the car ahead is one example. Another is lane-keeping assist, such as that in models like the Mercedes E-Class and others where the car can follow the lane markings and keep you in your lane.
Some systems can even drive the car through bends. Park assistance allows a car to park itself into a parallel or alley dock parking space, although it can be a bit of a hit (hopefully not) or miss affair sometimes. BMW has taken this a step further with the ability to park your 7 Series into a space or your garage at the touch of the smart key, without even being in the car. Land Rover will have the same in the next generation of the Discovery.
Autonomous fleets
One of the biggest announcements was from Volvo and Uber. The two companies have joined forces and invested around 300m to create a driverless vehicle which can be used in carsharing and ride-hailing applications. Volvo will design and build the car and then add in its own autonomous tech.
Uber will buy the car from Volvo and do the same. Uber has been working on autonomous technology for the past couple of years. It proudly announced it would launch a trial of self-driving taxis in July, but that has been delayed. Meanwhile, Uber's thunder has been stolen by a company called Nutonomy. Essentially a software firm that develops the systems for self-driving cars, Nutonomy has launched a trial of a self-driving taxi service in Singapore, beating every major automaker to this milestone.
Currently the trial is restricted to one district of Singapore, where a person can hail a self-driving Mitsubishi i-Miev or Renault Zoe through an app, the same as with Uber. The car will drive itself to the pick-up and on to the customer's destination. Being a public trial, an engineer still has to be in the car in order to monitor the vehicle and collect data, but the engineer will not be in control of the vehicle.
"Nutonomy's first in the world public trial is a direct reflection of the level of maturity that we have achieved with our autonomous vehicle software system," says Karl Iagnemma, CEO and co-founder of the company. "The trial represents an extraordinary opportunity to collect feedback from riders in a real-world setting, and this feedback will give Nutonomy a unique advantage as we work toward deployment of a self-driving vehicle fleet in 2018."
Suddenly every major automaker is looking towards Singapore to see how well this trial works. Given that Iagnemma is promising a self-driving vehicle fleet in 2018, a number of years before the main car companies, we can expect engineers in Detroit, Gothenburg, Stuttgart and Ingolstadt to be burning the midnight oil to beat this new target date.
A year ago we were predicting autonomous cars by 2025. It looks as though they are driving themselves into our future faster than we expected.
Source: Business Day
SYDNEY: Australia's consumer watchdog has launched court action against Volkswagen over a massive emissions cheating scandal, saying the German car giant had engaged in "extraordinary conduct" as it sought millions of dollars in fines.
The troubled automaker, which owns brands ranging from luxury Audi to lower-end Skoda, is battling its biggest-ever crisis after admitting a year ago to a massive emissions cheating scandal affecting 11 million diesel engines.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said Volkswagen and its Australian subsidiary "engaged in conduct liable to mislead the public in relation to diesel vehicle emission claims" between 2011 and 2015. A spokeswoman for the government regulator said it was seeking fines on emission claims. The ACCC alleged multiple breaches of Australian consumer law, with each one attracting a fine of up to Aus$1.1 million (US$830,000) if the case succeeds in court.
"The ACCC alleges that Volkswagen engaged in multiple breaches of the Australian consumer law by concealing software in their vehicles to cheat emissions testing and misleading consumers about the vehicle's compliance with standards and emission levels during on-road conditions," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims added in a statement.
In legal proceedings lodged in the Federal Court on Thursday, it was alleged that more than 57,000 vehicles sold in Australia over the five-year period did not operate as Volkswagen advertised.
"These allegations involve extraordinary conduct of a serious and deliberate nature by a global corporation and its Australian subsidiary misleading consumers and the Australian public."
Volkswagen Australia has been contacted for a response.
The car giant last week reached an undisclosed settlement to compensate US dealers over losses from the diesel-cheating scandal, which has been dubbed "dieselgate". Volkswagen said in October last year that more than 91,000 of its vehicles in Australia were fitted with emissions-cheating technology.
Source: AFP
Born and raised in Cape Town, The Sun Exchange is a crowd-investing platform built specifically to close the funding gap for solar energy in the developing world. Digital currency based, it enables individuals and businesses anywhere in the world to collectively finance and earn revenue by electrifying Africa.
It is hard not to get excited about this, says Abe Cambridge, founder and CEO of The Sun Exchange. We are bridging two world-changing technologies to create a service that practically defines new world economics. We are financing decentralised distributed clean energy systems using decentralised peer-to-peer finance systems. You could not get any further away from the previous economic paradigm of centralised fossil fuels and sovereign-backed financial institutions.
After working on several solar projects in the UK, Cambridge moved to South Africa in 2014 to help banks and lenders perform technical due diligence on the mega solar projects being installed under the governments REIPPP programme (renewable energy independent power producers procurement programme).
Access to affordable funding
As I was working in this space, I recognised that despite there being perfect conditions for solar energy in South Africa there was very low uptake on commercial solar. The reason? Lack of access to affordable capital and finance solutions. Using my experience from solar energy coops in the UK and with new peer-to-peer finance technologies such as Indiegogo and Bitcoin now maturing, I envisaged a crowd-finance platform for solar energy in Africa, but where the opportunities are open to anyone, he says.
He says there is a desperate need for solar installers and solar project developers to access affordable finance for smaller scale solar energy projects between 10kW and 1MW. This part of the solar market is presently not being served by conventional project finance and for which traditional unsecured borrowing is prohibitively expensive.
It probably helps that we are the first company in the world to accept Bitcoin as a currency into projects. For those that have Bitcoins, which are usually exposed to massive swings in volatility, being able to invest them into a tangible solar asset that generates returns tied to fiat currency is very, very appealing.
Electricity makes money, money makes electricity
Most remarkable of all, is that digital currencies are 'mined' on computer hardware, essentially creating money from electricity, which can then be used to pay for solar generators in Africa. Allowing people to invest digital currency into solar energy is a completely fundamental shift in the basis of international monetary and energy systems. Of course, you dont need to be into this new digital currency to get involved and start earning money through The Sun Exchange, anyone with a bank account or a credit card can log-on to our website and within minutes be invested into a solar energy project that will earn them decades of lucrative revenue.
The company technically validates projects, performs bankability checks on the off-taker, then hosts them as crowd-investing opportunities to the world and performs full FICA and AML check on the investors. It then provides standardised specialist template lease or loan agreements to sit between co-operative SPVs and the solar off-taker.
Projects
For its pilot project, 60 individuals from all corners of the globe from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia, as well as much closer to home, came together to raise R400,000 to finance a 15kWp solar plant now powering the Stellenbosch Waldorf School Solar Energy Cooperative. The project is earning the investors a 10% annual return and it has reduced the schools electricity bills by 15%.
Given the funding gap facing solar developers and installers throughout not just Southern Africa but throughout the developing world, we find that we dont have to try very hard to find projects that need finance, they find us. We have been contacted by universities in India, factories in Ghana, housing developments in Kenya and even mini-grids in the Caribbean.
These projects need specialist and flexible solar finance, and thatis what we are here to do. We now have a pipeline of projects that it is going to offer to the general public an opportunity to invest in over 50MW of solar power which is otherwise viable, but unable to raise finance through conventional means. This includes over 1,000 school, factories, farms and mini-grids throughout Southern and Eastern Africa.
Cambridge says his company is working on a series of projects for a dairy farm in Western Cape. We are starting with energy efficiency measures such as LED lighting and insulation, and this is a precursor to a much larger solar project. The project is open for funding now and investors will earn 10,2% interest for three years."
"We are also working with a developer that has over 1,000 schools that need solar energy, a telecoms network looking to go solar and factories and mini-grids that want to rely on the sun rather than fossil fuels a really diverse range of projects that give us a glimpse into the future direction of the energy source for Africas economic growth.
Persuading sceptical South Africans
It certainly has been harder to communicate and persuade South Africans that crowd-investing into solar is a secure investment, he says.
You keep money in bank accounts, not in solar energy plants, right? In all seriousness though, it is does present an educational learning curb. Our projects are set up as cooperatives, which is a legal structure that allows people to finance projects together."
"South Africans are familiar with the idea of a stokvel for things like agriculture, groceries which are traditionally used by the financially underserved, but not for those with access to advanced financial services and certainly very unusual to be used for 21st century clean energy technology. Its like two different worlds have collided.
He says they use Germany, where most of the worlds solar panels are installed, as an example. Only 5% of that countrys 75GW of solar energy was financed by private companies and banks, the rest was funded by individuals and communities. As of last year there was over 1,000 solar energy coops, and many of them are enormous. We expect that as our projects become better known, people will feel they are missing out if they are not invested into at least one solar energy project.
Clean, affordable energy in every home
Itll take $600bn to electrify Africa, according to Cambridge. That sounds like a lot, but consider that to date, globally, $3,4trn has been pledged to be moved from fossil fuels and into clean energy. The problem is not lack of funds but the absence of a market place to connect funds to projects, and The Sun Exchange is bringing that money into Africa. We wont rest until every home and business on this continent has access to affordable and clean energy.
Although its only a year old, The Sun Exchange has won the SWIFT Innotribe FinTech Start-Up Challenge in May 2016 and was a finalist in the Proof of Work Competition held in New York City in April 2016.
With the various events and happenings that have played a part in shaping the year's socio-political landscape (both internationally and locally), 2016 is widely being dubbed a 'Year of Identity'.
This designation is certainly applicable to the branding and marketing realm as well one in which the importance of a strong identity continues to grow, with brands (across every conceivable industry and product or service category) fighting harder for consumers attention, interest and advocacy in an increasingly digital world.
Branding guru Gordon Cook was once quoted as saying: The day identity stops being important, is the day branding will cease to be important. While identity has always been a key component of brand strategy, the very essence of this sentiment has perhaps never been more significant than it is in todays dynamic and complex marketplace. On the one hand, we are witnessing the emergence of a more empowered and demanding consumer force, whose own sense of identity (both individually and collectively) is actively being negotiated in the online sphere. At the same time, competition (often from unexpected sources) continues to accelerate exponentially, making the need for distinctiveness a strategic necessity for brands in the midst of growing commodification and imitation.
But herein lies the caveat: there is more to identity than just visual identity or what meets the eye. Beyond the obvious, brand identity is a translation and signifier of an underlying strategy and promise to the consumer a promise made tangible through experience.
In fact, the field of human psychology postulates that identity lies at the very core of all lived experience. Given the inherent overlap between psychology and branding, we could thus suggest that a powerful, meaningful brand identity aids in delivering a positive (and valuable) experience to consumers who identify with the brand and what it stands for. This is especially important in the digital age, where the power of interactivity is being leveraged to bring brands to life in new and exciting ways in effect, helping to shape the consumers online lived experience and identification of (and with) these brands.
The implication for brands today is clear: the need for building and owning a strong, strategically relevant and resonant identity is now more important than ever. As such, this article unpacks the four key strategic benefits of a strong brand identity in a digital world, while affording consideration to brands that are getting it right in this regard.
Strategic benefit #1: A strong identity provides a source of distinctiveness
Brand identity is one of the primary means by which product or service offerings are distinguished in the eyes and minds of consumers. Considering the array of options available to consumers today (and the ongoing drive by brands to boost audience engagement), a distinctive identity has thus become a key imperative for building brand equity, both offline and online. The strategic importance thereof is particularly notable in categories where a sustainable competitive advantage based on functional differentiation alone is becoming increasingly difficult to attain, such as banking and fast food.
Two South African brands, in these respective categories, that have excelled in driving differentiation via a strong identity (offline as well as online) are Capitec and Nandos. Against a banking landscape traditionally dominated by four established players, Capitec has successfully stood out by translating its core promise simplicity to every facet of the brands identity and expression, from its visual elements and branch design, to the look, feel and experience of all digital touch-points, including its website and banking app. In fact, as part of a recent website redesign, Capitec even enlisted the help of children to test the new site and ensure it delivered on the promise of simplicity!
In a similar vein, Nandos has successfully leveraged a strong identity to its own benefit in cyberspace allowing the brand to continue its longstanding reputation for being more than just a fast food chain, but a satirical commentator on local and international affairs. Specifically, Nandos has taken to social media to bolster its position in this regard. The result is a brand that is not only instantly distinguishable through a consistent visual treatment applied across its various platforms, but also its inimitably cheeky and quirky persona another example of brand identity and experience mirroring brand philosophy. As a testament to its resonance in the market, Nandos currently boasts one of the highest social media followings (and engagement rates) among South African brands.
Strategic benefit #2: A strong identity offers a point of credibility
A resonant (and consistent) identity helps to convey trustworthiness in online channels, which are fast becoming a key means by which todays consumers research brands and products, as well as purchase them. To this end, first impressions are crucial. Research indicates that consumers, upon visiting a brands website or social media profile, form judgements regarding credibility in a matter of seconds. It may seem counter-intuitive, but a fatal error still committed by many brands is to have an online identity or persona that is at odds with the brands strategic direction or promise, or even inconsistent with its offline identity which can have a damaging effect on perceptions of trustworthiness. Put simply, resonance and consistency breed familiarity, which in turn breeds trust.
Aligned to this sentiment, a recent report by US firm Masterful Marketing indicates that strong, consistent digital branding has the power to boost a brands credibility by making it appear more prominent, stable and professional, building an emotional connection with consumers and communicating (often sub-consciously) a commitment to delivering on promises and expectations. In this light, reiterating the fact that brand identity is not simply synonymous with visual identity, but a holistic expression of strategic intent delivered via experience, we could argue that today perhaps more than ever before consumers are taking to heart the old adage: Never trust a business with a bad website!
A noteworthy example of a brand that has leveraged a strong identity to garner trust is local asset management firm Allan Gray. Over the years, the brands consistent, instantly recognisable visual style together with an equally distinctive tonality have helped it to attain high differentiation, emotive appeal and salience in the market. Across offline and online touch-points alike, the Allan Gray brand projects a uniformly characteristic air of authority and stability, establishing itself as a trustmark in the local financial services sector. It is therefore not surprising to note that it was the winner in the investment management category of the latest Readers Digest Most Trusted Brands SA survey.
Strategic benefit #3: A strong identity enables self-expression
Brands not only convey corporate identity, but also have the potential to serve as tools for the construction (and expression) of personal identity. This premise is supported by the science of neuromarketing, which has shown that the medial prefrontal cortex of the brain an area widely considered to be responsible for governing ones sense of self and identity is highly responsive to visual and verbal brand stimuli that resonate with the individual. What this essentially means is that strong brands often have the power to act as extensions of self for consumers who identify with them both in terms of the image they project and what they stand for or represent in the marketplace.
With regards to branding in the digital world, where the benefit of personalisation allows for truly individualised consumer experiences, a strong and strategically relevant identity is therefore critical. We have seen this, for instance, with brands that have successfully engaged the youth online. This market segment known for being both brand-conscious and heavy consumers of digital media has also been shown to be highly receptive to brands that are associated with the need for individuality and self-expression; brands that may be identified as falling into such archetypal categories as the Rebel or Hero.
Nike is a good example of such a brand. Having built an authentic identity and image over the years, underpinned by its well-entrenched and celebrated Just Do It philosophy, the brand recently made a conscious decision to move away from traditional advertising and focus instead on digital marketing and social media (including its own social network, Nike+). Across its various platforms, Nike consistently stands for and celebrates the ideas of boldness and individual expression. This has even manifested itself in the introduction of NIKEiD, a service that allows for the customisation of clothing purchased from Nike online. The service, which launched in South Africa earlier this year, is already gaining traction with consumers. And as proof of Nikes strength among the countrys youth, it was named Overall Coolest Brand in the 2016 Sunday Times Generation Next survey.
Strategic benefit #4: A strong identity serves as a unifying factor
Identity acts as a potent source of unity (and therefore community) in the online world. In this respect, digital technology continues to support peer-to-peer connection by strengthening shared affiliation and identification among individuals who may be separated geographically, socially or in other ways. From a brand building perspective, while branding has essentially always been about connecting with consumers, digital is heightening the connectedness of brands and people in ways never seen before. In the digital realm, a strong brand identity therefore has the power to build (and maintain) group identity through the creation of so-called brand communities, whose members identify with specific brands and what they stand for. This is especially true for brands that enjoy a cult-like following among consumers.
A brand that has effectively leveraged its strong identity and philosophy to build a community is Apple, recently named Worlds Most Valuable Brand (for the second year running) by US business publication Forbes. Incidentally, despite having several product-focused social media profiles for its flagship services, such as the App Store and iTunes, the Apple brand itself has no official Facebook or Twitter account. Having built a strongly differentiated and consistent identity (and being renowned for its compelling product offering and loyal fan base) Apple relies instead on supporters and influencers to keep the conversation going and reinforce the values of the community online. While this may seem risky, there are many who regard the brand as the peak of social media success.
In closing, it is clear that the link between brand identity and brand strength cannot be underplayed in todays increasingly digitised marketplace. As highlighted by Larry Ackerman, founder and principal of research and consulting firm The Identity Circle: Identity is cause; brand is effect. And the strength of the former influences the strength of the latter. As such, given the growing ubiquity of digital communication channels and the continued quest by brands to conquer the digital space, we can likely expect the strategic implications of this tenet to become more and more evident in years to come.
The new innovateAFRICA Fund is offering media pioneers on the continent $1 million in support for leapfrog technologies or digital innovation. The support programme offers a combination of seed funding, technology support and expert mentorship.
Image by 123RF
It is open to both mainstream media organisations and individual innovators. The deadline for applications is 01 December 2016.
Project proposals that focus on strengthening audience engagement with African civic media are of particular interest, along with improved models for digital news distribution, and initiatives that explore new revenue models for African storytelling.
African media are experimenting with digital journalism, but the steadily worsening market situation facing mainstream media often has a chilling influence on the really big ideas. innovateAFRICA is meant to help newsrooms leapfrog obstacles, by giving the types of support that neither media companies nor traditional donors can provide themselves, says Code for Africa (CfAfrica) director, Justin Arenstein.
CfAfrica manages innovateAFRICA, as part of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) data journalism initiative in Africa. Arenstein is an ICFJ Knight International Journalism Fellow.
innovateAFRICA will provide grants from $12,500 to $100,000 for projects judged to have the best chance to strengthen and transform African news media. Grantees will also receive technical advice from civic technology laboratories across the continent, along with startup support and one-on-one mentoring from the worlds top media experts.
Projects can range from new digitally native journalism startups, to ideas for improving the reach and impact of legacy media operations. Projects that tackle journalisms changing role as a civic watchdog will receive special attention.
Citizens need reliable and actionable information to make informed decisions. A strong media remains amongst the most effective ways for giving citizens both information and a voice, and we are therefore keen to help journalists be as digitally savvy as possible, explains Arenstein.
innovateAFRICA runs alongside a $500,000 companion fund, impactAFRICA , which makes story grants of up to $20,000 for journalists to get out into the field for pioneering digital reporting projects. impactAFRICA launched in February 2016, and is currently offering its second round of grants for investigative data driven journalism stories.
Both initiatives have partnered with CFI , the French agency for media cooperation, to boost involvement of digital pioneers across Francophone Africa through a series of digital journalism and civic technology workshops. Participants at the events , including similar bootcamps hosted by Hacks/Hackers in Anglophone Africa, receive help to build project teams and to develop project ideas. Both organisations will continue to offer assistance in the runup to the submission deadline.
innovateAFRICAs partners include Omidyar Network , the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , the CFI , the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation , the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF), the Global Editors Network (GEN) and the World Bank .
Through all of ICFJs work in Africa, we are constantly encountering visionaries with great ideas for how digital innovation in media can improve societies, says ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. This contest will provide funding, tech support and mentoring to turn their ideas into action.
Application process
Entries must be submitted to the innovateAFRICA website by midnight (Central African Time) on December 1, 2016. Proposals may be submitted by digital news pioneers from anywhere in the world, but entries must have an African media partner who will help co-develop and test the innovation and who will deploy the project for African audiences.
Citizens need reliable, actionable information to make informed decisions. Africas watchdog media remains amongst the most effective civic infomediaries for giving citizens both information and a voice.
innovateAFRICA is therefore seeking new ways to create, discuss and share news and make quality journalism sustainable. This could include new revenue or production models, new ways to gather, produce or distribute news. Ideas that can be scaled up across the continent or replicated elsewhere are of particular interest. Preference will be given to ideas that solve bottlenecks facing Africas media.
Winning projects will be selected by an international jury of digital journalism and civic technology experts , following public voting and shortlisting by a team of technology and digital engagement experts.
A detailed set of responses to Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.
Code for Africa is the custodian of innovateAFRICA and is the continents largest independent digital journalism and civic technology initiative. It operates as a federation of autonomous country based digital innovation organisations that support citizen labs in five countries and major projects in a further 15 countries.
CfAfrica runs Africas OpenGov Fellowships and also embeds innovation fellows into newsrooms and social justice organisations to help liberate data of public interest, or to build tools that help empower citizens.
Despite an average annual growth in exports of 8.5% since 2010, trade between African regions remains low when compared to other parts of the world, according to The Africa Economic Outlook Report 2016. Intra-regional trade accounted for 16% of Africa's total trade in 2014 - mainly stimulated by manufactured goods, accounting for 60% of total regional trade.
Image by 123RF
Agreeing with the report findings which note that the potential of intra-African trade has not yet reached fruition, Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, says that, There are multiple opportunities to increase intra-regional trade, especially in line with the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement. If used properly, this agreement has the potential to significantly boost economic growth in the region.
The report also forecasts that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of major Sub-Saharan African cities, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lagos and Luanda, are expected to increase, citing the quality of infrastructure and logistics as the key contributing factors. These findings demonstrate the important role that effective logistics play in boosting a countrys economic growth by enabling trade, says Heymans.
Heymans also points out that if intra-regional trade in Africa is to be boosted, it is crucial to put in place effective logistics infrastructure to facilitate the movement of goods across borders, and ultimately reduce the cost and time of trade.
For countries looking to boost inter-regional trade, Heymans shares that it is vital to consider the time and costs associated with transporting goods. It is important to take a holistic approach when it comes to managing supply chain risk, in order to achieve greater visibility, flexibility, and control. Businesses in Africa are under increasing pressure in the current economic climate to remain competitive, both locally and globally, and sometimes lack the ability to build resilient supply chains.
According to Heymans, making strategic decisions to outsource logistics can make a significant contribution to a businesss profitability. Always ensure that you have the right partners who understand the global economy and, more importantly, the intricacies of doing business in each individual African county. Its not a one size fits all approach, he states.
Home to one of the fastest growing middle classes in the world, Africa is a captive market, filled with consumers who are looking for variety and easy access to goods. The market is there, its about getting the right goods to the right people, at the right time, concludes Heymans.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The US Mission to UNESCO and US Embassy Ethiopia have announced that Addis Ababa will host the first ever TeachHer Master Class, this week, to promote the education of girls in key educational fields.
Image by 123RF
TeachHer is a new public-private partnership (PPP) spearheaded by the United States, UNESCO, the Institute of International Education (IIE), Microsoft, Fitbit, and other NGO and private sector partners. The initiative is designed to work with governments and educators to ensure teachers have the training they need to prepare girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Design, and Math (STEAM).
In the words of US Ambassador to UNESCO, Crystal Nix-Hines, We have to inspire and encourage young women to believe truly believe that they can break through barriers and succeed in these fields.
As Second Lady of the United States, Dr Jill Biden said at the launch of the TeachHer program in June 2016, "If we invest in our teachers today; if we invest in women and girls today; if we give girls the opportunity to go to school and graduate; recognise their value and welcome their contributions; and make sure women have a seat at the table today, then tomorrow, no little girl will grow up in a world where her dreams are denied; her potential unrealised."
The inaugural TeachHer Master Class, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa from August 29 to September 2, would bring together 58 teachers, school administrators, and education ministry officials from six countries across Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa.
By participating in TeachHer, these countries are committing to implement science, technology, engineering, arts/design, and math (STEAM) programs both in their formal curricula, as well as in after-school programs designed to inspire, equip, and sustain girls' interests in STEAM careers.
Following the Master Class in Ethiopia, the participants will return home ready to pass on the knowledge they have gained not only to their students, but to their colleagues as well.
Proofpoints Brand Fraud Report looked at the social media accounts of the top ten global brands, which included the likes of Amazon and BMW, and investigated fraudulent accounts associated with those brands.
Those brands were found to have an active social presence, and an average of 33.7 million followers across the major social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Overall, 4,840 social media accounts were associated with those top ten brands of which Proofpoint found that 19% (902 accounts) were fraudulent. Thirty percent of those fraudulent accounts were either scams or offers for counterfeit products or services. Many of these fraudulent accounts were presented via slight, and not immediately noticeable, changes to a brands account name, fooling social media users into thinking it is a genuine account.
Four percent of the fraudulent accounts of these were either phishing for user information, installing malware, protesting against the brand in question or spoofing it all of which can lead to reputation issues.
Cyber attackers dont stop with web, email, or mobile apps. Social media
has become a prime attack target due to a large user base and corporate ad
spending, says the report. Companies have embraced social media as an essential marketing communications tool. And they continue to build out their social presence. In fact, 38% of companies plan to spend more than 20% of their total ad budgets on
social media channels. This focus makes social media a lucrative and attractive target for cyber criminals.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh says the Azerbaijani forces made 32 ceasefire violations across various parts of the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijani line of contact.
The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight August 31-September 1 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime 32 times by firing more than 300 shots from small arms at the Armenian positions across various parts of Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.
The Defense Army forces mainly refrained from taking counter measures and continued confidently fulfilling their military tasks".
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. On August 31 Brazils former vice president Michel Temer was sworn in as the countrys new leader after the Senate voted to remove Rousseff from her presidential post, Sputnik News reported.
After the Senate vote, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia all recalled their ambassadors from Brazil.
La Nacion reported later on Wednesday that Brazil responded to the moves by calling in its ambassadors in the three countries "for consultations."
In May, the upper house of the Brazilian parliament voted 55-22 to start impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the countrys budget deficit ahead of the 2014 election. Rousseff was suspended from office for 180 days. Michel Temer, who had been Brazil's vice president since 2011, assumed presidency during that period.
Temer will now serve as president until 2019, when new elections will take place in Brazil.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. In the top 10 countries with the highest rates of children missing out on primary education, nearly 2 in every 5 children 18 million - are out of school, UNICEF said on September 1, Armenpress" reported.
Liberia is home to the highest proportion of out-of-school children with nearly two-thirds of primary-aged children not accessing school. The second highest is South Sudan, where 59 per cent of children are missing out on their right to a primary education and 1 in 3 schools is closed due to conflict.
Afghanistan (46 per cent), Sudan (45 per cent), Niger (38 per cent) and Nigeria (34 per cent) also feature in the top 10 countries with the highest primary out-of-school rates, painting a clear picture of how humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises are forcing children out of school.
The UNICEF data analysis, which comes as millions of children return to school this month, highlights the extent of an education crisis affecting countries already blighted by conflict, prolonged periods of drought, flash floods, earthquakes and high rates of extreme poverty.
UNICEF fears that without education, a generation of children living in countries affected by conflict, natural disasters and extreme poverty will grow up without the skills they need to contribute to their countries and economies, exacerbating the already desperate situation for millions of children and their families.
Education continues to be one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals. In 2015, humanitarian agencies received only 31 per cent of their education funding needs, down from 66 per cent a decade ago. Despite a 126 per cent increase in education requirements since 2005, funding increased by just 4 per cent. Moreover, education systems equipped to cope with protracted crises cannot be built on the foundations of short-term and unpredictable appeals.
During the World Humanitarian Summit, held in May 2016, a new global funding platform, Education Cannot Wait, was launched to bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions during crises and long-term development afterwards, through predictable funding.
Though not one of the top 10 countries with the highest rates of out-of-school children, Syria is home to 2.1 million school-age children (5-17) who are not in school. An additional 600,000 Syrian children living as refugees in the surrounding region are also out of school.
Recent, reliable data from countries including Somalia and Libya are not available either from administrative or survey sources partly due to the continuing conflicts.
"For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over, and in the short-term it provides them with the stability and structure required to cope with trauma. Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them. When children are not in school, they are at an increased danger of abuse, exploitation and recruitment into armed groups, said UNICEF Chief of Education Jo Bourne.
In his speech at the opening day of the Union Peace Conference (21st Century Panglong) yesterday, Commander-in-Chief Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that the armed groups should earnestly notice the fact that putting personal desires at the first place by holding arms to struggles, racism and localism are hindering democracy.
Nai Hong Sar said: His claim that the ethnic people do not need to continue holding arms for struggle still does not match the current situation.
He pointed out that the Burmese military needs to accept the leadership of the civilian government, not allot itself special privileges under the 2008 Constitution.
Gen NBan La, vice chairperson of Kachin Independence Organization and UNFC chair, said in his opening speech that non-Bamar groups have taken up arms against the Burma Army because pledges promised in the historic 1947 Panglong Agreement werent fulfilled.
We have lost democracy, national equality, and self-determination, he said.
Burma Army Commander-in-Chief Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing
According to the Myanmar Times, UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, who was a special guest, said in his opening address to the peace conference: The long civil war has cost numerous lives and robbed successive generations of their dignity, tranquility and normalcy. It is now clear that there can be no military solution to your differences.
Regarding national reconciliation, he said that every side must win something if the process is to succeed."
Reporting by Saw Thein Myint for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
Nai Hong Sar, who is also vice-chairman of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), made the comment during a dinner party in Naypyidaw attended by Mon political parties the night before the conference began.
Although many people accept dialogue, we, the ethnic people, still dont feel assured by the Tatmadaws (Burma Army) current posturing. The Tatmadaw has accepted and talked about federalism, but it still doesnt accept autonomy, he said.
Union of Ethnic Affairs Nai Thet Lwin hosted the dinner party that saw the attendance of New Mon State Party, Mon National Party and All Mon Region Democracy Party--all groups attending the peace conference.
Student leader Min Ko Naing from the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society said the Burma Army and ethnic people have different opinions about what federalism means--a word that the army only started to accept in dialogue.
But 'federalism' was not mentioned in Burma Armys Commander-in-Chief Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing's speech at the Union Peace Conference opening ceremony yesterday.
Instead, Min Aung Hlaing said: The Tatmadaw is cooperating with all groups in the current national reconciliation and peace-making processes, based on the three main causes and three essential policies to include peace and stability, national unity and the development of the people, which are essential for the country.
The army will contribute the utmost efforts in the implementation of such process he said, adding that both sides should follow the six-point peace policy adopted by the Tatmadaw as its drafting is based on our experiences throughout the history.
The six-point peace policy set by the Commander-in-Chief are for ethnic armed groups to have a genuine wish for peace; keep promises during the peace process; refrain from reaping benefits from peace agreements, not become a burden on the people, follow the countrys existing rules of law; and to respect and march towards a democratic country in accordance with the 2008 Constitution.
Nai Hong Sar said the constitution is the problem.
As the current government is a civilian government led by the NLD, the situation has improved from the previous administration. The 2008 Constitution needs to be amended, he said.
Nai Hong Sar also said that some are concerned that ethnic armed organisations may be abolished.
Reporting by Min Thuta for MNA
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
The top bond counsel firms combined for a total of $292.177 billion in 6,406 transactions during the first three quarters of the year, down from the $343,709 billion in 9,139 deals over the same period in 2021.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Parliament Speaker of Armenia Galust Sahakyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the Day of Knowledge, press service of the Parliament informed Armenpress.
The message reads:
Dear compatriots,
I congratulate you on Knowledge and Schooling Day, on the occasion of the launch of a new academic year. This academic year has a unique significance since it begins at the threshold of the 25th Anniversary of our countrys Independence. Independence is a non negotiable value, perception of which starts to form from the first lesson at school or university. The new and the most important part of our state began from Independence , and new academic year is a new page in ones biography. The pupil, led by the teacher, the student, led by the professor, should strive for making that page and the whole biography meaningful. Persistence and diligence, perseverance and hard work will lead to the result useful for the adolescents, finishing school or graduating from university, their families and our country.
Dear pupils and students,
On the occasion of the beginning of a new academic year along with the congratulations I wish that schools and universities, besides passing you knowledge and bringing you up, would open doors to a new world and help you reveal them, support achieving new heights, promote feeling and enjoying freedom, however, keeping you alert not to forget about the borders. Let each academic year bring you closer to your goals, making your parents and relatives, teachers and professors happy, hats off to our country!
I particularly congratulate freshmen: pupils and teachers, students and professors. I especially congratulate those professionals who take care of the enlightenment and education in various educational centers; parents for whom knowledge is really affluence, the best investment in the competitiveness of the coming generation and in guarantee of the future.
I wish you all peace, welfare and optimism.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. 2636 first-graders attended schools of Nagorno Karabakh on September 1, Deputy Minister of Education and Sciences of NKR Mikayel Hambardzumyan told Armenpress.
He said this is still the preliminary number.
This year the number of first-graders will be less in Nagorno Karabakh compared to the previous year which was 2824. Although this year the number is relatively less, but we have always maintained the average number, over 2600-2700 first graders within years, he said.
An investor from East China's Anhui province discusses issues with a UK company official on Dec 9, 2015, before reaching an agreement. [Photo provided to China Daily] Bank of China has organized 23 cross-border "matchmaking" events for more than 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, from 56 countries and regions since 2014.
One such event was held in Milan, Italy in 2015 where Wang Da'an, chairman of a clothing company in Zhejiang, was invited. But Wang's initial reaction was to turn down the BOC invitation for Chinese-Italian SMEs' interaction, because he didn't expect much from the investment and trade negotiations.
He was proved wrong, he said, after attending the event.
His company held talks with eight Italian counterparts, including some famous ones, and settled on a men's garment maker. Taking the talks forward, the two companies discussed issues such as purchase of raw materials, sales channels and bank finance, and eventually signed a cooperation agreement.
Wang said his company, founded in 2003, had tried several times to tie up with global brands before the 2015 Milan event but drawn a blank, because foreign companies were reluctant to have a deal with his company for its "weak" brand.
"I sincerely thank Bank of China!" Wang said on May 13 at the opening ceremony of the Shaanxi SME Cross-border Investment and Trade Cooperation Conference, co-hosted by the Shaanxi provincial government in Northwest China and BOC. As a representative of Chinese entrepreneurs, he also said the bank's mediation efforts have changed many companies' fates.
At the China-Central and Eastern Europe SME Cooperation and Development Fair on May 17, 2015, Tian Guoli, chairman of BOC, said: "The bank launched the matchmaking services to help solve the problems SMEs face in cross-border operations, facilitate their entry into international markets and help Chinese companies import and master advanced technologies."
The bank's branches in Luxembourg and Rotterdam, the Netherlands, introduced its mediation services at the Global SME Finance Forum 2015 alongside the G20 summit in Turkey. And the services were praised by G20 members because of its innovativeness and efficiency, Ifeng.com said.
The "matchmaking" service aims to connect successful Chinese and overseas SMEs and provide them with comprehensive financial services in six steps. In the first step, BOC establishes a cooperation mechanism between departments of commerce, science and technology, and agriculture of Chinese provinces and cities and their overseas counterparts, as well as banks and chambers of commerce to help SMEs build international cooperation and establish a database.
Second, BOC exchanges information with its foreign counterparts and connects SMEs according to their needs. Third, it helps the SMEs communicate online to determine the suitability of the "matchmaking".
In the fourth step, the bank organizes on-site negotiations for interested SMEs. In the fifth, it arranges for the companies to visit and know more about their overseas counterparts . And in the last step, it provides various financial services for the companies.
The mediation events have been held in several countries, some of which are G20 members, and have included fields such as advanced manufacturing, environmental protection, information technology, education, modern agriculture and chemical engineering.
BOC Chairman Tian said SMEs are important engines promoting steady and healthy economic development of countries, and they play a crucial role in creating jobs and scientific and technological innovation; they also drive global trade and investment.
Statistics show that in China, SMEs contributed 60 percent to the GDP, were responsible for 70 percent of the patents and created 80 percent of the jobs in urban areas. Still SMEs are a disadvantaged group, claimed insiders, and face difficulties in getting finance and other essential support. They also said SMEs in the European Union and the United States have advanced manufacturing technologies and advanced management experience, and produce quality goods. Despite all that, they still face local market saturation. Some EU SMEs do not have enough capital because of the economic downturn.
The Chinese market is huge and multi-layered. Still SMEs' products fail to meet medium- and high-end needs of domestic consumers for the companies lack technologies, management capabilities and capital.
Chinese and overseas SMEs are complementary, but it is difficult for them to expand in the international market alone because of lack of capital and language barriers. It is to meet such challenges that Bank of China launched the cross-border "matchmaking" services and help SMEs realize their development potential.
The bank's efforts have borne fruits. Premier Li Keqiang attended a China-Italy innovation forum, organized by the bank in Milan in 2014. And the China-UK SME Business Matchmaking Event, held in the United Kingdom on Oct 23, coinciding with President Xi Jinping's visit to that country, had the support of David Cameron, then British prime minister.
Stuart Ayres, minister for trade, tourism and major events of Australia's New South Wales state, said the BOC event indicates its determination to help SMEs an example other financial institutions should follow. Zhang Qingwei, Hebei province governor, said the BOC events not only provide an ideal platform to attract investors, but also offers all-round services, including those providing legal, financial and consultative solutions.
And an official with the UK Investment and Trade, said BOC, as a foreign bank for the UK, could provide resources for British SMEs, an option British banks would do well to follow.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz will visit Turkey on September 1, Deutsche Welle reported.
The topic related to the liberalization of visa regime for Turkish citizens, human rights and legal state issues will be discussed during the visit.
After the July 15 failed military coup attempt in Turkey, Martin Schulz is the first EU official visiting Turkey.
He is expected to hold meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Parliaments Speaker Ismail Kahraman.
After the failed military coup attempt the relations became tense between Turkey and the EU since many EU officials condemned the actions carried out by the Turkish leadership in the country which violate the human rights and the legal state principles.
In its turn official Ankara condemned the EU for not providing sufficient support.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended the opening ceremony of the newly constructed building of the command and staff faculty of the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan, as well as the cross-stone in memory of fallen graduates of the Military Institute, press service of the Presidential administration told Armenpress.
Relatives of fallen graduates, the heads of the Armenian Armed Forces, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the National Security Council Secretary, the Minister of Education and Sciences, heads of diplomatic representations accredited in Armenia, university rectors, and other students took part in the ceremony.
The Armenian President and the participants laid flowers at the cross and paid tribute to the memory of the fallen graduates.
The Armenian President congratulated on the occasion of the launch of the academic year. He toured the new building, got acquainted with the conducted works and the conditions for study.
President Sargsyan delivered a speech on the occasion of this ceremony.
***
Generals, Officers, and Cadets,
Distinguished Guests,
This is a momentous day for Armenia: We have gathered at the leading educational institution for the training of the military personnel for our Armed Forces, the Vazgen Sargsyan Military Institute, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new unit of the Command and Staff Faculty for Senior Officers. We are indebted for the creation of this educational institution equally to the enthusiasm and diligence of the experts from our military agency as well as to the academic experience of the friendly and partner States.
For the first time in Armenias history the entire process of educating officers has been put on the institutional base from the pre-draft readiness up to the stages of training senior and the highest officer cadre. I believe this is a serious achievement.
Officers actually constitute the backbone of the state, and I believe that it is strengthening through the continuous development of their knowledge and skills. Military education occupies a leading role in this process.
This institution for the highest military education at the battalionbrigade level will provide our commanders and staff officers with the ability to make decisions and act in the army-wide, coordinated, state-wide, and international operative environment ensuring at the same time their training as Masters in Army Management. I am confident that this Faculty will become an educational forge for the senior officers endowed with a critical, creative, and organized mindset.
Now I would like to address the cadets of the Faculty.
Distinguished Officers,
Today, the Masters degree stage of your education is commencing. You will acquire knowledge and skills necessary for becoming the future leaders of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, and critical among these skills are science of governance and art of management.
Armenia is a unique country with distinctive challenges and exceptional role. Our homeland has many strong features, and the greatest among them is the Armenian people with their innovative mind and boundless passion for creating.
Knowledge and skills to be acquired at the Command and Staff Faculty will guide you in the implementation of complex tasks and neutralization of challenges; they will instill you with the lasting ability to penetrate the intentions of the superiors in uncertain situations and through the precise vision of the task to guide the actions of the subordinates. The military actions of last April come to prove once again that unconditional devotion to the task of defending our homeland endows our Army with the competitive advantage of combating face to face with adversary, without pinning any hopes on foreigners, neutralizing in a fight the army and arsenal of the enemy. That very competitive advantage from the day one of our battle for existence and through the years of army building has been and remains the trump card of our Armed Forces, and it must also be applied and developed by the graduates of the Staff and Command Faculty during their daily service and in combat activities.
Distinguished Officers,
You will form the future military leadership of the Republic of Armenia. I want you to view this stage of your life as the most important stage for becoming skilled and professional officers. I congratulate us all on the occasion of this beautiful day, and I have no doubt that knowledge and skills which you will receive here are greatly anticipated by our people, the political military leadership of the Republic of Armenia, your immediate commanders and colleagues but most of all by your subordinates.
And since today is September 1, I would like to take this opportunity to address from this emblematical venue all our citizens who are going today to school and college.
A file photo.
NEW DELHI (PTI): Army Design Bureau (ADB), which will give a better understanding of the requirements of army to the academia, research institutions and the industry for development of defence products, was launched here on Wednesday.
Indian Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, who announced the launch of the ADB and its website, said the army will come out with a compendium which would help the reaserch and development fraternity in developing indigenous solutions for the force's modernisation needs.
ADB will also be a "single point contact" and a platform for an interaction between the army and academia, the defence public sector units (PSU), private players to understand the requirements of the army, he said.
More importantly, Singh said, "the programme will also help in realising the 'Make in India' initiative".
The army had identified several projects, including 125 mm Smooth Bore Barrel with Gun Article, improved ammunition for T-72 and T-90 tanks, 1000 HP engines for T-72 tanks and auxiliary power, 10 months ago and uploaded the information for industry and the research agencies on the website of Ministry of Defence.
Singh said when he was the Vice-Chief of the Army, he had realised that there was a need to do a lot on indigenisation and the 'Make in India' drive helped in giving a boost to that initiative.
It was not that the industry was not providing equipments to the army for trials, but at several instances, the products did not meet the force's requirements, he added.
Singh also informed that Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCAOAS) and senior army officers have been interacting with industry bodies with a view to promote awareness on army's modernisation needs, discovering capabilities of the industry and encouraging long terms research in academia at various industrial hubs across the country.
Accordingly, interactions were also held with several IITs, he said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. On September 1, in the frameworks of the festive events devoted to the 25th anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic's proclamation, NKR President Bako Sahakyan attended the mass cross race of the youth started in the Stepanakert Renaissance square.
The NKR President stressed the importance of holding such events in the republic from the viewpoint of physical and patriotic upbringing of the younger generation.
NKR National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulyan, Prime Minister Arayik Haroutyunyan, other officials, representatives from Armenia and the Diaspora were present at the event.
A file photo.
BENGALURU (PTI): Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that had braced itself for one satellite launch every month is planning two launches this month.
"INSAT-3DR is scheduled for September 8 and by end of September we will have ScatSat along with an Algerian satellite as its co-passenger," ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar told reporters here on the sidelines of Bangalore Space Expo-2016 (BSX-2016).
The launch of GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) Mark II carrying the geostationary weather satellite INSAT-3DR was earlier postponed due to a technical issue found in a satellite component while carrying out tests.
It was earlier scheduled for launch on August 28.
INSAT-3DR is a follow-on to INSAT-3D which entered space in 2013 from French Guiana.
The spacecraft was flagged off to Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on August 5 from ISRO Satellite Centre here.
To be launched by the end of this month, ScatSat is an indigenously developed weather forecasting satellite.
It will also have the capability to monitor sea surface winds and predict cyclones.
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will be used to launch this satellite that is expected to replace Oceansat-2 which is completing its lifespan.
An Algerian satellite along with two other satellites will be co-passengers to ScatSat during this launch, ISRO officials said.
The Su-34 bombers of Russia. A Sukhoi photo
MOSCOW (BNS): Russian aircraft major Sukhoi has delivered the first batch of Su-34 frontline bombers to the country's Defence Ministry under the State Defence Order for 2016.
The aircraft took off from the V P Chkalov Novosibirsk Aircraft Plant's airfield and headed to the place of their deployment, the company said in a statement on August 30.
The Russian Defence Ministry has placed an order for around 200 Su-34s which are to be delivered to the Air Force by 2020.
The first contract for the delivery of Su-34 bombers was signed with the Russian Defence Ministry in 2008, and the advanced fighter-bomber entered service with Russia's Aerospace Force in 2012.
In August 2016, the 100th Su-34 fighter-bomber was rolled out from the Chkalov aircraft-making enterprise in Novosibirsk in west Siberia, according to Itar-Tass news agency.
The 4+ generation Su-34s will replace the Su-24 frontline bombers and Su-25 attack aircraft which are presently in service with the Russian Air Force.
The multi-role, two-seat Su-34 is designed to attack land-based, sea- and airborne targets by day and night in all weather conditions.
The strike plane is armed with highly effective long-range air-to-surface and air-to-air guided weapons such as missiles, rockets and air bombs, enabling it for multi-channel operational employment. It also features a smart anti-radar defence system, an armed cockpit and latest computers that provide extra capabilities for the pilot and navigator to perform aimed bombing and to manoeuver under enemy fire.
The Su-34 also features an air refueling system for mid-air refueling.
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Two Brandon music students earned third-place finishes at the National Music Festival in Edmonton.
Jammie Lee, on piano, and Kayla Solomon, on trumpet, were among those chosen to represent Manitoba at the national competition.
The School of Music and Eckhardt-Gramatte Conservatory are delighted with the continuing success of these wonderful young musicians, and congratulate them for doing so well, literally on the national stage, music dean Greg Gatien said in a news release.
Submitted Kayla Solomon, on trumpet, and Jammie Lee, on piano, had great success at the National Music Festival in Edmonton in August, each placing third with their instruments.
It is a testament to their commitment, intelligence, and musical sophistication. Its also another example of the high level of instruction that our students receive in Brandon, and how lucky we are to have teachers like Ed Bach and Lawrence Jones working in our community.
This isnt the first time Lee has been nationally recognized. In 2011, at age 10, he placed second in his age category in the Canadian Music Competitions in Montreal, playing a Mozart piano concerto.
Lee also plays trombone in the Vincent Massey High School band and jazz band, and will soon begin Grade 10. He also plays drums in a church band at Grand Valleys Korean congregation.
At the nationals, Lee played a complete Beethoven Sonata, Op. 10 No. 3, which is known especially for its tragic slow movement, marked slow and sad. Adjudicator Moshe Hammer described Lees performance of this as wonderful.
Lee brought to the four movements of the sonata a great variety of style and expression, and they were judged by piano adjudicator Janet Scott Hoyt as beautifully characterized and that he captured the humour in the finale.
The other work on Lees program, Chopins Scherzo No. 2, was presented with excellent control throughout.
Lee, the son of Mija Lim and King Lee, was invited earlier this summer to play with the Winnipeg Symphony at its Open House: Made in Manitoba concert. Until 2015 he studied piano with Kyung Kim, and he now studies with Jones, professor emeritus at the BU School of Music.
Meanwhile, Solomon has completed her second year in BUs bachelor of music program. The winner of many scholarships and awards, she studies trumpet with Bach, himself an award-winner at the National Festival in earlier years.
Before she started trumpet, she had extensive training in piano and theory with Heidi Peters, and in violin.
At the nationals, Solomon played a trumpet concerto written in the 1950s by the Armenian composer, Alexander Arutunian. The adjudicator, renowned clarinettist James Campbell, commented on her confident musical ideas, wide dynamic range, and terrific cadenza.
Trumpet virtuoso Guy Few noted that her second number, Andante and Allegretto by Balay, was played with such a lovely sound, and added, Thanks for your beautiful playing.
The Brandon Sun
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A man who was severely beaten in an attack on the Eighth Street bridge has been transferred home to Brandon from a Winnipeg hospital and is enjoying visits from his young sons.
Andrew Scotts sister-in-law, Johanne Scott, says its hoped that he may be released from hospital sometime next week due to a remarkable recovery.
Hes doing phenomenal, hes doing better than anybody would expect, Johanne said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
Facebook Its hoped Andrew Scott may be released from hospital next week as he recovers from being attacked on the Eighth Street bridge on Aug. 16.
Scott was attacked with a metal bar on the bridge in the early morning of Aug. 16.
The bar apparently from a piece of gym equipment crushed Andrews skull and lodged in his brain.
He was induced into a coma and transferred to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, where he underwent successful surgery to have the bar, a blood clot and pieces of his smashed skull removed.
He first awoke late in the night of Aug. 17, and Scott says he has made stunning improvement since.
Initially, there were concerns that Andrew if he survived surgery would be left with long-term brain damage, and problems with speaking and movement.
Those arent concerns any longer.
Andrew, who was transferred to the Brandon hospital on Aug. 24, is walking and talking and capable of doing everything anyone else can.
He even received a day pass from hospital to attend to some errands for his three sons, aged three to five years.
While he will still need occupational therapy to help with mobility in his arm and hands, and will have to have surgery to have a metal plate placed in his skull, Johanne said Andrew is expected to make a full recovery.
His three boys have been visiting him in hospital. Theyve been shielded from a lot that has happened because theyre too young to understand.
But Andrews eldest boy understands enough to show pride in his dads strong comeback. Johanne says the boy has called his dad Superman.
He was just so proud that his dad was OK.
Johanne attributes Andrews recovery to the support he has received.
He had so much support and so many people praying for him, and he just had so many positive vibes, and people loving him and worrying about him, she said. I really feel like that had so much to do with it.
That, and an amazing neurosurgeon, who was able to really work miracles on his brain, and the staff at the Health Sciences Centre.
For now, she said, Andrew is focused on his recovery and allowing police to do their job.
A description of the possible assailant, who fled the scene of the beating, was provided to police. They continue to investigate, but there have been no arrests.
ihitchen@brandonsun.com
Twitter: @IanHitchen
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The family of a Brandon man who suffered from asbestosis has lost its final appeal for death benefits from the Manitoba Workers Compensation Board.
In a decision that came down earlier this summer regarding an appeal from the estate of former Brandon University engineer Henry Lawrence, the three-person panel of The Appeal Commission found that his death was not predominantly attributable to his compensable asbestos-related condition, and that death benefits are not payable.
It didnt surprise me at all, Lawrences son Randy Lawrence told the Sun this week. Just the cavalier attitude of the panelists was they had made up their mind before we had got there. It was just more were not convinced, were not convinced.
File Former Brandon University engineer Henry Lawrence died in December 2014 at the age of 87 after suffering from asbestosis following years of working with asbestos at the university.
After suffering several years of ill health from what he believed was due to the asbestos in his lungs, Henry Lawrence died in December 2014 at the age of 87.
He was forced into retirement from his job as an engineer with BU in 1988 after he experienced severe respiratory problems.
In the years that followed his retirement, Lawrences condition worsened. He mortgaged his house to finance his efforts to find a reason for his condition, and though he visited several doctors, no one would tell him the cause.
It was 2004 before a Brandon doctor finally diagnosed him with asbestos-related pleural lung disease, otherwise known as asbestosis.
Lawrence worked with asbestos as part of his duties with the university. In a long-form feature published last year, the Sun described in detail the working conditions Lawrence and his fellow
co-workers faced in the university tunnel system where they conducted insulation repair and replacement in the summer months. Asbestos fibres used to float through the air as he used the substance to cover pipes.
Prior to the 1970s, asbestos was a popular material used in construction and many other industries because of its fire-retardant nature. Asbestos is found naturally in rock formations and is mined like other minerals, but it poses significant health risks when its fibres are inhaled, and may lead to cancer.
In 2005, the WCB admitted that Lawrence had health complications due to his asbestos exposure during his time at the university, then deeming his claim compensable.
Years later, he received a letter from the WCB clearly stating that any potential death benefits that would be paid out to his wife, Lola Lawrence, would be payable only in the event that his death was directly related to his compensable condition.
Following Lawrences death, the Sun reported that the WCB had disregarded the medical opinion of his personal physician in its initial decision to refuse to pay any death benefits to Lawrences widow, and instead relied on the opinion of its own health-care consultant, who reviewed medical documentation from the time that Lawrence was admitted into the hospital until his death in December 2014.
The WCB medical consultant documented that the medical evidence did not support the notion that Lawrences asbestosis contributed to his death. This despite a letter from his physician, Brandon-based Stephanus Engelbrecht, who, in a letter to the WCB, linked his patients weakness and weight loss and ultimately his death to his chronic lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asbestos pleural lung disease.
In the report that details its final decision, The Appeal Commission stated it decided to consider Lawrences medical file to ascertain the extent of the workers work-related condition, given the differing views of Henrys personal physician, and that of the WCBs consultant.
In reaching its decision to uphold the WCBs denial of death benefits, it placed significant weight on a 2008 report of a specialist in internal medicine and occupational health and the opinion of a WCB internal medicine specialist who provided an opinion on the relationship between Lawrences asbestos exposure and a skin lesion that was removed from his back in 2009.
The panel maintained that the medical information in these two reports is not consistent with the position taken that all the workers lung problems were caused by the workers asbestos condition.
Henrys son Randy, who attended the appeal along with a workers advocate from Brandon, said he walked out of the appeal hearing feeling the same frustration that his father had felt so many years earlier in his attempts to get fair compensation from the WCB.
He was so weak and frail because of all this, Randy said. Probably the last 30 years of his life were hell because of this. And they didnt recognize it at all. The way they approached this whole situation was exactly the way dad described how they treated him.
He says he regrets the fact there was no autopsy conducted on his father, something that may have proven asbestos in his lungs killed him.
Hindsight is 20/20. A lot of these things rushed by so quickly. I think if we would have done an autopsy, that would have clearly shown that he did have asbestos in his lungs.
His main concern, now, is for his mother Lola, who has been left with financial troubles as a result of her and her husbands decades-long battle with Henrys worsening condition. He is considering a GoFundMe page to help with her situation.
I know that the people of Brandon have been following this very closely. I might try and do that, Randy said. Its not done yet. Mom is shes been robbed of her husband. It goes on every single day. It hasnt stopped yet.
mgoerzen@brandonsun.com
Twitter: @MattGoerzen
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandons Home Depot store kicks off its Orange Door fundraising campaign today, with 100 per cent of funds raised going to Child & Family Services of Western Manitoba Foundation.
Customers shopping at the store can donate $2 at the checkout in exchange for an orange paper door. All donations will stay in the community to help CFS Foundation make improvements at their six-bed Cypress House facility, which supports high-risk and high-need youth.
Youth homelessness is one of the most urgent social issues in Canada today. Together with our community were building a brighter future for young people across Canada one orange door at a time, said Jeff Kinnaird, chair of the board of directors of The Home Depot Canada Foundation and president of Home Depot Canada.
The Orange Door Project was established with the goal of eliminating youth homelessness in Canada. Nationally, 182 Home Depot stores are taking part in this years campaign by selling paper orange doors in-store, and by rolling up their sleeves to help local charities complete renovation projects that will help the organizations feel more like home.
The campaign runs until Oct. 9. The 10 stores that raise the most money by the end of the campaign will have their donations matched by Home Depot Canada, with every dollar raised staying in the community to help CFS Foundation.
Quick facts:
The Orange Door Project in-store fundraising campaign has raised more than $5.4 million since its inception in 2007.
In 2015, Home Depot Canada associates donated 60,000 hours of hands-on help in their communities.
Youth are one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population in Canada. One in five shelter users in Canada are youth aged 16 to 24.
Every night, 6,000 young people in Canada either sleep outside or go to an emergency shelter. More are part of a hidden homeless population who couch surf with family or friends.
Submitted
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Henceforth a contemporary art exhibition shall be staged at "Zvartnots" International Airport of Yerevan. The exhibition opened at the airport departures hall will not only make the passengers journeys more interesting, but can also be a serious support for contemporary Armenian artists, Armenia International Airports CJSC informed Armenpress.
ArtAm is an artistic space aimed at dissemination and development of the Armenian culture and artists. Located at Zvartnots International Airport, its aim is to bring the Armenian culture closer to the community by making art and cultural heritage an active element of cognition and delight for its visitors.
By creating this artistic space to serve the society, Zvartnots International Airport expresses its commitment to the development of the Armenian culture.
The first collection of twenty-five paintings to be staged at ArtAm is authored by Hasmik Avetisyan.
The exhibitions will be changed every month, thus letting each painting to be displayed for a month in a place, where a vast number of people pass through.
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
For the sixth year in a row, the Provincial Exhibition has partnered with six Manitoba Co-ops and five local meat processors to deliver approximately 1,500 pounds of pork from the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair to several Westman food banks and soup kitchens.
Provincial Exhibition volunteer Lawrence Langlois, of Virden, volunteered to care for the pigs that are used in the pig scrambles at the 2016 edition of the fair. Feed for the animals is donated by Co-op Feeds and western Manitoba Co-op retailers, including Heritage Co-op, Neepawa Gladstone Co-op, Valleyview Co-op, Kenton Consumers Co-op and Boundary Co-op.
Over the last few weeks, the pigs were delivered by our volunteers to Renards Meat Services at Virden, Prairie Rose Meats at Souris, Henry Meats in Brandon, Jarvis Meats at Gladstone, and DAL Meats in Killarney, said Ron Kristjansson, general manager of the Provincial Exhibition.
File Competitors in the Miss Piggy Scramble work to corral their prize in the main arena during the 2015 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. Meat from the animals after theyre full grown is donated to Westman food banks and soup kitchens.
These local meat processors have donated all the processing costs and make sure the meat is delivered to food banks and soup kitchens in their own area.
The distribution of the meat donation directly relates to the region where the feed and processing sponsors are located to create a direct connection between the feed suppliers and the meat processors.
We have been able to support groups in need from Portage la Prairie up through Minnedosa, Souris, Brandon, Killarney, Boissevain, Virden and right out towards Moosomin, Sask., Kristjansson said.
In Brandon, the meat was donated to Helping Hands Soup Kitchen. The direct connection between the meat processors and the organization receiving the pork is a special part of this program and all of the processors have their own relationships with the groups in their area.
The Provincial Exhibition takes great pride in giving back to the community in this manner.
Support from partners like the co-ops, the Spruce Woods Colony which sold us the pigs at a very reasonable price, and all of the meat processors allows us the opportunity to use the pigs during the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair for agricultural education, as well as give a valuable food donation to the Westman area, Kristjansson said.
The Provincial Exhibition receives a lot of support from the residents in this area and are proud to be able to support them in return.
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Opinion
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This article was published 01/09/2016 (2249 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
REGINA Currently, a parliamentary committee considering changes to the Canadian electoral system is holding hearings and gathering testimony from experts near and far. Simultaneously, proponents of both the current first past the post (FPTP) and various proportional representation (PR) models have taken to the newspapers, social media and the blogosphere to engage in a debate that is mystifying in its obscurantism.
The problem is the two sides are not really debating, but arguing past each other. They argue about the mechanics of various models, the possible scenarios different models might bring about and, mostly, they argue the other side fails to really understand the model they would either throw out or keep in place.
The FPTP system does not reflect the actual will of the voters by allocating seats in Parliament in rough proportion to the votes received by each party, complain the PRites.
It does not do that because you fail to understand that we do not elect governments, we hold 300-plus individual elections to choose representatives and those representatives then form a government. Thats how Canadian democracy works, reply the FPTPers.
The thing is, the FPTPers are right. It is silly to criticize FPTP for not doing something it is not designed to do. The fact it was not designed to do it does not nullify the question whether that is something Canadians would like, in the 21st century, their electoral system to do. And that is the question we should be debating.
Defenders of FPTP spend a great deal of time dealing with PRites so-called misunderstandings of what the British parliamentary model was, and was not, meant to accomplish. Majorities are not false, votes are not wasted and citizens are not left without representatives, and we would all understand that if we only understood how the model worked. In short, PRites are told if they only understood British parliamentary democracy, then they would be content with the current system.
This is where PRites often lose the thread of their own argument. Incensed at the condescension of FPTPers, the PRites go overboard on the glories of PR models that will, it is said, empower women, empower minorities, raise participation, increase civic virtue and usher in a new era of real democracy. But states with PR systems are not more democratic than non-PR systems, they are simply differently democratic. They have chosen to emphasize a somewhat different (but not unrecognizable) set of goals and values within their electoral system.
The question we should ask ourselves is: do we, as Canadians, want to do the same? After all, we should not fool ourselves that we have not changed what democracy means in this country before. The reason PR is supported by many in Canada is precisely because it elevates a somewhat different set of values that are attractive to many.
Since 1867, our conception of what constituted democracy in Canada has changed many times. We have extended suffrage and recognized new identities and demanded new accommodations of individuals that would make the heads of MacDonald, Laurier, King and Trudeau-the-elder spin. We have done it because what we saw in our electoral system or our legislation or our Constitution did not square with the kind of democracy to which we aspired. If we are to take reconciliation with First Nations seriously, then we should be prepared for some truly profound changes to the governance of this nation in the years to come.
So on the matter of electoral reform, the question is not whether FPTP still does what it was designed to do. It undoubtedly does. The question is whether what FPTP does is what we now want the electoral system to do? If Canadians want the composition of the national Parliament to reflect the distribution of the national vote, then so be it. If they want a system that does not grant a majority of seats to a party with a minority (and sometimes not even a plurality) of votes, then so be it. If they prefer the stability of governments that FPTP tends to offer, then so be it. If they want to reassert the idea that Parliament is a collection of individually elected representatives, then so be it.
The debate over the mechanics is secondary to the debate over which goals and values should be embedded in the electoral system. Form follows function. Whatever system we have should reflect how we want to be a 21st-century democracy. If the 19th-century model still does that, then we should keep it. If it does not, then it should be replaced. The goal of the Parliamentary committee and the consultations they undertake should be to answer that question. Because the answer to that will make the choice between some form of PR and FPTP pretty straightforward.
Tom McIntosh is the head of the Politics and International Studies department at the University of Regina. His column also appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. On September 1 Parliament Speaker of Armenia Galust Sahakyan received the delegation led by Els Van Hoof, MP of the Chamber of Representatives of the Kingdom of Belgium, Head of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, press service of the Parliament informed Armenpress.
Welcoming the guests, the Parliament Speaker highlighted the advancement of interaction and dialogue between legislative bodies of the two countries, which, according to him, promotes the development of inter-state relations.
Galust Sahakyan expressed gratitude to the Belgian authorities for adopting the resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in July 2015.
The Head of the Parliament highlighted the upcoming visit of Belgian MPs to the NKR.
These visits neutralize the information isolation of Nagorno Karabakh and make NKR peoples voice heard in Europe, who strives for the recognition of freedom, justice and right to self-determination., Galust Sahakyan said.
Speaking about NK conflict, the Parliament Speaker touched upon the four-day war in April and noted that Azerbaijan flagrantly violated the ceasefire agreement inflicting many casualties. In this context he emphasized that the peaceful settlement of this conflict is one of the most important priorities of our countrys foreign policy. According to him, Armenia sees the settlement of the conflict exclusively through peaceful means under the auspice of mediatory mission of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
Attaching importance to the cooperation of the two countrys parliamentarians within the international organizations, Galust Sahakyan noted that during the PACE Winter Session Armenia received a great support from the Belgian delegation to PACE at the voting against the one-sided resolutions on Karabakh submitted by Azerbaijani lobbyists distorting the reality.
Els Van Hoof, Head of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, expressing gratitude for the warm reception, highlighted the intensification of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group activities, the exchange of mutual experience between the parliamentarians. Spotlighting the adoption of the resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, he noted that all forms of genocides should be condemned for the exclusion of their repetition.
Speaking about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Els Van Hoof quoted Federica Mogherinis words: At the beginning of April, the violence surged to a level that was unprecedented since the ceasefire agreement in 1994.
Els Van Hoof mentioned that they believe in the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs activities and added that they see the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through peaceful negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group. She stated that a political dialogue should take place for the conflict settlement and expressed willingness within their competence to contribute to the conflict settlement.
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary says "useless public services" like Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and RTE should be privatised.
He said it was inevitable that a pay deal agreed with Luas workers would lead to industrial action at Dublin Bus.
Bus drivers are planning three 48 hour strikes this month.
Michael O'Leary says striking Luas drivers should have been fired, and wants to see the Government sell the transport company.
"It's long gone beyond the point where the Irish Government should own a bus company or a train company. It should be sold, RTE should be sold.
"We should be privatising all these useless public services that depend every year on big subsidies from the tax payer because frankly, the tax payer has better things to be spending the money on."
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. On August 31 First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received the newly appointed Armenian Ambassador to Kuwait Manvel Badeyan who presented the copy of his credentials, press service of the MFA informed Armenpress.
Welcoming the guest and congratulating on his appointment, Foreign Minister of Kuwait wished the Armenian Ambassador good luck in his activities. FM Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah expressed satisfaction over the high level relations and mutual visits with friendly Armenia, and the Embassies activities which operate by the principle of reciprocity.
The Armenian Ambassador thanked for the reception and wishes and expressed gratitude to the State of Kuwait and the Foreign Ministry for the support and close cooperation to the Armenian Embassy.
Manvel Badeyan ensured one of the priorities of his diplomatic mission is to further deepen the comprehensive close cooperation with friendly Kuwait.
The sides stressed the importance of more intensifying the mutual visits between the two states, expanding the legal framework, and deepening trade-economic, tourism, educational, cultural ties.
A senior Fine Gael minister has denied there is any "rift" with the Independent Alliance, despite a second emergency cabinet meeting planned for tomorrow due to the Apple tax stand-off writes Irish Examiner political reporter Fiachra O'Cionnaith.
Education Minister Richard Bruton rejected widespread reports both sides of the coalition are polarised on the issue at a press briefing in Dublin this afternoon.
Speaking just 24 hours after a lengthy four hour emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday failed to resolve the stand-off, leading to a second emergency meeting being called for tomorrow, the Fine Gael minister denied a "rift" has opened, instead describing the discussions as "very useful".
He said he expects Government to agree a united position on the issue at tomorrow's meeting, adding the protracted talks are "a perfectly valid way to proceed".
"I don't think there is any rift, I think what the situation is is that every minister wants to study the full [European Commission] judgement.
"We had a very useful discussion yesterday, I think that was very positive on all sides, and we agreed to resume those discussions on Friday having given everyone the time to study in greater detail the judgement.
"That's the right way to go, I think that's a perfectly valid way to proceed," he said.
Asked what is likely to happen at tomorrow's second emergency cabinet meeting in 72 hours over the Apple tax crisis, Mr Bruton said he is "very optimistic agreement will be reached".
He dismissed the European Commission's ruling that Apple owes Ireland at least 13bn - a figure that could rise to 19bn when interest is taken into account - as "just a case that's being made" and stressed it has not been agreed "in a final legal way".
"The European Commission has set itself up as prosecutor and judge in the execution of this, and that is certainly an unusual power to be taking on by the commission.
"The ruling was based on a misinterpretation of tax law. The truth is Ireland has always pursued a very clear regime... entirely in accordance with proper tax process and tax law. I have no doubt about that," he said.
Despite the Fine Gael minister's insistence there is no rift at cabinet, a position another senior party colleague told the Irish Examiner after Wednesday's cabinet meeting, the political fallout from the Apple tax crisis continued unabated yesterday.
In separate meetings, Independent TD and Children's Minister Katherine Zappone met with the attorney general to discuss the matter further for two hours this morning, while the five-strong Independent Alliance met with independent tax experts over the same issue.
The Alliance is specifically looking for both the early return of the Dail next week to debate whether Ireland should appeal the 13bn Apple tax judgement or accept the money.
In addition, it wants Fine Gael to agree to review all tax situations of large multi-national firms in Ireland.
Update 4.30pm: One of the world's largest machinery companies is considering shedding up to 250 people in the North.
Caterpillar, the world's largest manufacturer of heavy construction equipment, said it had been been hit by a global downturn in mining and oil exploration which has reduced demand for its products.
It employs 1,800 people across the North.
Up to 250 jobs could go at the US multinational's plants in the North, a spokesman confirmed.
The proposals include the possible closure of the Monkstown facility near Belfast and the consolidation of operations in Larne in Co Antrim and Springvale in Belfast.
The manufacturing firm is considering discontinuing production of 25-ton and larger material handlers in Northern Ireland, including the planned launch of large material handler models for Europe.
If finalised, production for electric power generator sets in Monkstown would be consolidated into Larne and manufacture of truck axles will move into Springvale.
A company statement said: "These actions could result in the reduction of between 200 to 250 production, support and management positions across the Northern Ireland facilities."
It has four facilities - Larne, Monkstown, Springvale and Belfast offices beside the Springvale plant.
It makes generator sets and carries out other forms of manufacturing, including the assembly of axles for articulated trucks and the manufacture of wheeled material handlers.
It also has a shared services centre in Belfast with people employed in areas including finance and human resources.
The generator sets are used for prime and standby electric power for customers such as hospitals, utilities and data centres.
Earlier:
One of the largest machinery companies in the world is expected to announce large scale job losses in Belfast today.
Staff at Caterpillar's West Belfast plant have been called to a briefing this afternoon - it is after workers at the heavy machinery factory were told not to turn up for their night shifts last night.
The company has shed over 1,000 jobs in Northern Ireland in the past five years as part of a global restructuring plan.
The SDLP's Alex Attwood says no stone should be left unturned in making sure jobs are protected: "Everybody is anticipating bad news, the issue is what is the scale of that bad news and will it see the close of one or more than one plant completely.
"Those are the issues and the concerns for the families not least on the week that their children have gone back to school."
Update 12.30pm: A member of the Cabinet says the European Commission has set itself up as "prosecutor, judge and executioner" in relation to the Apple tax ruling.
Richard Bruton's insisting there's no rift at Cabinet - despite Independent Ministers so far refusing to back an appeal being lodged to the European Courts.
Independent Alliance Ministers will meet again today ahead of a resumed Cabinet meeting tomorrow morning.
The Education Minister says the ruling simply has to be appealed.
Update 12pm: Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has said the Irish government should tell the EU to go to hell.
Speaking about the Apple Tax ruling he said Ireland has the right to decide it's own tax affairs.
Michael O'Leary said if the government wants to make its own tax deals it should be allowed to: The Irish Government should do likewise, instead of holding cabinet meetings.
send them a polite letter; 'Go to hell, we are not pursuing this, we welcome Apple and all the other USFDI here and go to hell'
What is the European Union going to do? Nothing!
Update 10.50am: Apple boss Tim Cook thinks the tax ruling against his company is going to cause a rift between the US and the EU.
The head of the tech firm has given his first Irish interview since Tuesday's landmark decision by the European financial watchdog.
Apple has been accused of an illegal deal by basing a HQ here to take advantage of our low corporate tax rate.
Earlier: Apple boss Tim Cook has called Europe's ruling on its tax bill 'political crap'.
The US tech giant has been ordered to pay Ireland up to 19bn in back taxes and interest charges in a landmark decision by EU's financial watchdog.
It follows claims that its dealings here were illegal because it took advantage of our low corporate tax rate to pay as little tax as possible.
But the Irish Independent, who has spoken to Mr Cook, says he is confident his appeal against the ruling will be successful.
The Government still has not decided if it will appeal the Apple ruling.
The Minister in charge of the UK's exit from the European Union has spent the day in the North meeting politicians and business leaders.
David Davis agreed that governments on both sides of the Irish border want access to open trade and travel.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. On September 1 President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the delegation led by Els Van Hoof, MP of the Chamber of Representatives of the Kingdom of Belgium, Head of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, press service of the Presidential administration informed Armenpress.
The President welcomed the guests in our country and highlighted the role of the parliamentary diplomacy on strengthening the inter-state relations. Stating that traditionally Belgium is perceived as a friendly and reliable partner in Armenia, the Armenian President expressed hope the Belgian parliamentarians visit to our country will boost the bilateral relations and the cooperation in different fields.
Serzh Sargsyan welcomed the MPs visit to Nagorno Karabakh as well where they will have a chance to directly get acquainted with the essence of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and better understand the NKR peoples aspirations, concerns, everyday life and the achievements of over the past two decades.
The Armenian President expressed gratitude to the Belgian leadership and people for recognizing the Armenian Genocide stating that the Armenian people highly appreciated this step and accept it as Belgiums firm commitment over the condemnation and prevention of genocide.
At the meeting the sides highlighted the parliamentary active contacts and especially the activity of the friendship group on strengthening and deepening the relations between Armenia and Belgium.
President Sargsyan also answered Belgian MPs questions.
At the meeting the Armenian President awarded Belgian MP Georges Dallemagne with a Medal of Gratitude for his significant input on the development of the Armenian-Belgian friendly ties, expansion of the parliamentary cooperation between Armenia and Belgium. Serzh Sargsyan said Georges Dallemagne has worked in Armenia in 1988 as a doctor after the devastating earthquake.
Georges Dallemagne said this medal is a great honor for him and stated that it is already 28 years Armenia is in his heart, and today as well he is ready to help our country and people.
Donald Trump has insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall he wants to build along the length of the border with the US.
He said during a speech on immigration in Phoenix, Arizona that Mexico will pay for the wall "100%" and added: "They don't know it yet, but they're going to pay for" it.
The Republican presidential candidate earlier met Mexico's president and said they had not discussed who would pay for the massive wall that has been at the centre of his White House campaign.
But President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted: "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made clear that Mexico would not pay for the wall."
The two men met privately in Mexico City on Wednesday afternoon.
It was Mr Trump's first meeting with a head of state as his party's presidential nominee and he described Mexicans as "amazing people".
He told reporters during the appearance that they did not discuss who would pay for the construction costs of the wall along the 2,000-mile border, a project that would cost billions.
In Phoenix, Mr Trump vowed to remove millions of people living in the US illegally if he becomes president, warning that failure to do so would jeopardise the "wellbeing of the American people".
The tycoon failed to outline what he would do with those who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offences - a sharp retreat after earlier promises to create a "deportation force" to remove the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the US illegally.
"Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation," he said, adding: "There will be no amnesty."
Mr Trump also promised to restrict legal immigration, calling for a commission that would keep the percentage of foreign-born people in the country to "historic norms".
He said: "We have to listen to the concerns that working people, our forgotten working people, have over the record pace of immigration and its impact on their jobs, wages, housing, schools, tax bills and general living conditions."
Mr Trump was cheered in Arizona, but his appearance in Mexico sparked anger and protests.
The candidate is deeply unpopular in Mexico due in large part to his deriding the country as a source of rapists and criminals as he kicked off his campaign.
Former Mexican president Vicente Fox bluntly told the celebrity businessman that, despite Mr Pena Nieto's hospitality, he was not welcome.
"We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit," Fox said on CNN, calling the trip a "political stunt".
Campaigning in Ohio, Democrat Hillary Clinton criticised Mr Trump's Mexican appearance as she promoted her own experience working with foreign leaders as the nation's chief diplomat.
"People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next," she told the American Legion in Cincinnati.
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The delegation members led by Els Van Hoof - MP of the Chamber of Representatives of the Kingdom of Belgium, Head of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group visited Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial on September 1.
The delegation members were accompanied by National Assembly MP, head of Armenia-Belgium friendship group Shirak Torosyan, press service of the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress.
The Belgian parliamentarians laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and paid tribute to the memory of innocent victims with a moment of silence.
They also visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, got acquainted with the documents and exhibits about the Armenian great tragedy.
The guests left notes in the Honorary Guest Book.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs that on September 1 the USD exchange rate was 474.69 AMD which is a decrease of 0.06 drams compared to the previous day.
The euro decreased by 0.21 drams forming 528.90 drams, and British pound increased by 5.47 drams forming 628.82 drams. Russian ruble dropped by 0.01 drams forming 7.27 drams on September 1.
The prices for precious metals are as follows: the price for silver per gram is 286 AMD, gold-19,981.3 AMD, and platinum 16,024.72 AMD.
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YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. The health condition of 2-year old Hovhannes Manukyan who fell down from the balcony of the 4th floor a few days ago in Gyumri stabilizes, Armenpress was informed from the press service of Health Ministry of Armenia.
The child hospitalized at "Saint Mary" Medical Center of Yerevan remains connected to an artificial respiration machine, but the child already breathes on his own. The doctors informed he is already able to open his eyes.
After the incident the child was hospitalized at Gyumris Austrian Child and Mother Hospital, and 15 minutes later was taken to Yerevan.
Safety precautions advised after attack on embassy in Kyrgyzstan
China said it will work with Kyrgyzstan to discover as soon as possible the organization and people that carried out a suicide car bomb attack on China's embassy in Bishkek on Tuesday.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks on Wednesday, as the ministry's Department of Consular Affairs and the embassy warned that China's citizens should be cautious about going to Kyrgyzstan.
The warning, valid until the end of September, asked Chinese people and organizations in Kyrgyzstan to "stay highly vigilant", avoid going outdoors and stay away from crowded places.
Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev ordered on Tuesday an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack. The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security, an intelligence agency, said it has initiated a criminal investigation.
The attacker died in the blast. Three embassy workers were slightly injured.
In a phone conversation with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev vowed that his country will thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice, according to a news release issued by the Foreign Ministry.
Extending sympathy to the embassy and its staff members injured by the attack on behalf of Kyrgyz leaders, Abdyldaev said Kyrgyzstan condemns the attack in the strongest terms, and will do all it can to guarantee the safety of Chinese people and organizations there.
Kyrgyzstan is willing to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation with China and work with China to crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, he said.
Wang urged Kyrgyzstan to find out the facts of the attack as soon as possible, bring to justice those who are responsible and make sure such incidents never happen again.
Wang said China supports strengthened counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Zhao Huirong, a researcher focusing on Central Asia studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China and Kyrgyzstan can diversify their counterterrorism cooperation and expand it beyond information exchange, personnel training and military exercises.
China and Central Asian countries are paying close attention to regional security, which is getting "more and more complicated" in recent years, Zhao said.
wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 09/01/2016 page9)
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Armen Papikyan received on September 1 the Japan-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship League headed by its president Seishiro Eto.
As Armenpress was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, hailing the first visit of the delegation to Armenia, the Deputy Minister mentioned that Japan has its unique place for Armenia among eastern countries. Armen Papikyan expressed conviction that the visit of the delegation headed by Seishiro Eto to Armenia will foster both deepening inter-parliamentary ties and expansion of Armenian-Japanese relations.
The sides referred to the visit of the Armenian President to Japan in 2012, which, according to the head of the Japanese delegation, stimulated bilateral cooperation.
Highlighting the role of parliamentary diplomacy in inter-state relations, the president of Japan-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship League expressed readiness to contribute maximal efforts to activate and strengthen inter-parliamentary relations.
The sides exchanged ideas over regional issues, discussed prospects for Armenian-Japanese bilateral economic cooperation. The sides also touched upon partnership in the sidelines of international organizations.
A jury is set to decide David Eastman's fate should he face a lengthy retrial for the shooting death of ACT police chief Colin Winchester.
Mr Eastman was tried and found guilty of killing Mr Winchester in 1995, but an inquiry later exposed significant flaws with the forensic evidence used to link him to the crime scene.
David Eastman spent almost 19 years behind bars before having his conviction for the murder of ACT police chief Colin Stanley Winchester quashed. Credit:Graham Tidy
That inquiry eventually led to his release from custody in 2014 after 19 years behind bars.
Mr Eastman has since been fighting a fresh trial.
A Kaleen man will stand trial over the alleged murder of Andrew Carville, whose body was found, weeks after he vanished, in Canberra's west last November.
Milan Urlich, 28, is alleged to have strangled Mr Carville to death at his Evatt home before dumping his body in a dry creek bed on Defence land at Majura.
Andrew Carville was last seen alive on November 4.
Mr Carville's badly decomposed remains were uncovered during a police search on November 19. Friends had reported the 52-year-old missing more than two weeks earlier.
In the ACT Magistrates Court, Urlich has pleaded not guilty to murder and interfering with a dead body.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has brought legal proceedings against car manufacturer Volkswagen over allegations that it concealed software in its vehicles to cheat emissions testing and mislead consumers.
Proceedings were brought against German company Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (VWAG) and its Australian subsidiary, Volkswagen Group Australia Pty Ltd (VGA) (together, Volkswagen) in the federal court on Wednesday, over the emissions scandal which has rocked the car manufacturer around the world.
"I think this is a 10-out-of-10 matter, in terms of the seriousness of the allegations we are making," said ACCC Chairman Rod Sims.
October 29, 2022 11:04
The statement of the President of the Russian Federation inspires certain hopes. We anticipate that the vital interests of the Artsakh Republic will be fully protected. President Harutyunyan
In recent days, the attention of all Armenians, without exaggeration, is riveted on the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A number of power centres submitted proposals to the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the key issues regarding the settlement.
Heather Bresch, chief executive at Mylan, the pharmaceutical giant that has been vilified for price increases on its EpiPen allergy treatment, maintains that her company has attained a sort of capitalist nirvana - it does good for others while doing well for itself.
But the argument that Mylan has achieved a balance benefiting all of its stakeholders simply doesn't hold up when viewed through the prism of the company's recent proxy filings. Those materials detail the company's executive pay and show, for example, that Mylan's top brass received a windfall when it incorporated overseas in 2014 to cut its tax bill sharply.
The filings also show that under a special, one-time stock grant created in 2014, top executives - including Bresch - stand to reap further riches at least partly on the back of price increases on the EpiPen. Under the grant, Mylan executives will be rewarded if the company's earnings and stock price meet certain goals by the end of 2018.
Given that EpiPen accounted for $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) of Mylan's $US9.4 billion in revenue in its most recent year, the allergy treatment's price increases seem integral to meeting those targets and generating a big payday.
Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook described an EU ruling that it must pay a huge tax bill to Ireland as "total political crap", but France joined Germany on Thursday in backing Brussels as transatlantic tensions grow.
European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager dismissed Mr Cook's broadside, saying the demand for a 13 billion euro ($19 billion) back tax payment was based on the facts.
Washington has lined up with the tech giant, accusing the European Union of trying to grab tax revenue that should go to the US government.
But in Ireland itself, the government and public opinion are divided over whether to take the windfall - which would fund the country's health system for a year - or reject it in the hope of maintaining a low tax regime that has attracted many multinationals, creating jobs.
The world's 20 largest economies need to increase their 2030 climate commitments six-fold to keep within the two-degree warming curb agreed at the Paris summit, and Australia is among the worst laggards, a new global report argues.
The Brown to Green study of the decarbonisation plans of the G20 nations by the Climate Transparency group was released on Thursday ahead of the G20 summit in Hangzhou, eastern China, on September 4-5.
Australia was the only G20 nation judged to be "very poor" in four of the seven climate categories, such as emissions and trends, share of renewable energy and overall climate policy. The other three were all "poor".
The nation was signalled out for channelling $US5 billion ($6.65 billion) a year in federal government subsides for fossil fuel production compared with $US150 million for public climate finance.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard has been appointed visiting professor at London's prestigious King's College.
The former Labor leader and education minister will join King's Policy Institute and the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, adding to her international work with the Centre for Universal Education at Washington DC's Brookings Institution and as chair of the Global Partnership for Education.
"I am very honoured to be appointed by King's College as a visiting professor in 2016," Ms Gillard said in a statement.
"I look forward with great enthusiasm to substantive academic engagement with the students and faculty at King's, and to contributing to meaningful discussion of issues of importance to society and the world."
Labor powerbroker Sam Dastyari has been admonished by a senior factional ally and is facing further scrutiny after it was revealed he backed China's position in the South China Sea dispute at an event with a Chinese-Australian political donor who has previously forked out for his legal bills.
In a June press conference for Chinese media, Senator Dastyari pledged to respect China's position in the hostile dispute with other Asian nations and the United States, at odds with the Labor Party's position, The Australian Financial Review reports.
The senator is also reported as saying "the South China Sea is China's own affair", calling on Australia to remain neutral and drop its opposition to China's air defence zone in the region.
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke, a senior figure of Senator Dastyari's own NSW right faction, has now restated the party's "crystal clear" stance on the issue and Coalition minister Josh Frydenberg labelled the reports "very worrying".
Labor caught out the Coalition government at the end of a fractious first week in the 45th parliament, using smart tactics and parliamentary procedure to severely embarrass Malcolm Turnbull and explode the prime minister's claim to have a strong working majority.
Here's how it went down.
The opposition's push for a motion calling for a royal commission into the major banks was defeated in the House on Wednesday.
It then moved on to the Senate and, after discussions with the crossbench, it was quietly passed on the voices around lunchtime Thursday - with a rider that asked the House to debate the motion again.
It's the phrase that immediately has women gritting their teeth, and so it was for Amy Schumer.
The Trainwreck star had a heckler removed from the audience of a recent show in Sweden after he yelled out that sexist remark just two minutes into her set.
Schumer was performing at Stockholm's Hovet arena on Wednesday when the incident, which was filmed and has been subsequently posted to her YouTube channel, occurred.
"Show us your tits!" the man is heard calling out on the video, prompting Schumer to stop the show.
War photography is a powerful tool for informing and inspiring action. But where does "raising awareness" end and exploitation begin? When Omran's picture (and video) first emerged, I, like so many others, shared it on social media as a reminder that the Syrian war, despite its familiarity, was still destroying real lives; and as a consumer of Arab media, I am accustomed to confronting and gruesome images of Middle Eastern conflicts. Indeed, some of the Omran memes originated in Syria by locals desperate to jolt the world into action. However, I quickly came to regret the decision because, once distributed in the western media the dynamic changed. Like Alan before him, the sharing of Omran's image became not about him or Syria but about us. According to the photo editors at The New York Times: "The Omran picture delivers a shock to the conscience but also strikes a balance between delivering a sharp message and being too difficult to view. "It is compelling but not grisly; it can enter an Instagram feed or a Facebook wall, arouse sympathy, be shared and allow the viewer to move on without seeing the absolute worst of what war has to offer."
In other words, images like Omran's go viral because they centre the feelings of the viewer, not the trauma of the subject. Rather than effect permanent change, they stoke temporary feelings. Indeed, it seems Omran only whet our collective appetite for more. A few days later, another video of traumatised Syrian children was broadcast to the world. This time, of two young boys embracing in a hospital, crying for the the loss of their brother, the camera stealing their private grief and transforming it into a television drama. Arouse sympathy. Share. Move on. And then, another shaky video of a young Syrian woman crushed to death by the roof of her own house. There is no blood or gore. She could be sleeping if not for the fact most of her body is completely consumed by brick and cement, only a lifeless arm and blue jean-clad leg hanging off the edge of the roof. If we are stuck in an endless cycle of sharing these images to prove we care, only to quickly move on to the next one, then we have crossed that line between witness and voyeur. This is no longer war journalism but war porn.
Perhaps nothing demonstrates this distinction more so that the fact that the western media simply does not share such images of its own in that way, especially not children. We do not treat the trauma of white bodies as fodder for what Nigerian-American writer Teju Cole calls the White Saviour Industrial Complex, which, he says, is not about justice, but "about having a big emotional experience that validates privilege." This carnage in Syria is not new. We do not need any more images of broken children; either we act, or we stop acting like we care. While the solution may seem out of our hands, there are actions we can take, starting with holding our own leaders to account. The Syrian conflict has reached such a level of absurdity that, as Anne Barnard quipped in The New York Times, "The C.I.A. is more or less fighting the PentagonNot the (satirical website) Onion." She is referring to the CIA-backed rebels advancing into territory controlled by Kurdish militias who are backed by the Pentagon. At some point we have to accept that the US and its allies do not hold the key to stability in the Middle East. The more the US tries to control the region the bigger the mess it makes, leaving Arabs to pick up the pieces of their lives and of their dead.
If only our current government members had as much empathy and compassion as 88-year-old retired judge, Dr Jim Macken.
Macken - a former justice who went to the Bar in 1963, served 15 years in the industrial court of NSW until 1989, and was awarded an Order of Australia in 2003 - has penned a protest letter to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, volunteering to spend the rest of his life on Manus or Nauru in exchange for a detained refugee being allowed to live in Australia.
Protestors in Canberra demanding the government close off-shore detention centres. Credit:Jay Cronan
In the letter, obtained by The Guardian, Macken slammed the Liberal government's offshore detention policy and the "utterly immoral" abuses refugees have been subjected to "in my name".
"I understand this is an unusual request, but I offer it in complete sincerity. I can no longer remain silent as innocent men, women and children are being held in appalling circumstances on Manus Island and Nauru," he wrote in the letter, which was sent to Dutton on August 21.
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: After the Senate vote, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia all recalled their ambassadors from Brazil.
La Nacion reported later on Wednesday that Brazil responded to the moves by calling in its ambassadors in the three countries "for consultations."
In May, the upper house of the Brazilian parliament voted 55-22 to start impeachment proceedings against Rousseff after she was accused of concealing the countrys budget deficit ahead of the 2014 election. Rousseff was suspended from office for 180 days. Michel Temer, who had been Brazil's vice president since 2011, assumed presidency during that period.
Temer will now serve as president until 2019, when new elections will take place in Brazil.
"When I see them," said Yarra Valley policeman Sergeant Mark Knight, referring to the bizarre tale around Silvan farming family the Tromps, people he knows well, "I'll sit them down and ask: 'What the hell happened there?'"
In a strange and escalating chain of events with no real clues of what might have led there, four members from the family of five emerged from an ill-fated road-trip north cloaked in mystery and mounting concerns from family and police.
"It's out of character," said George Tromp, father of missing man Mark Tromp and grandfather to his shell-shocked children. "He's just a normal bloke like me."
Mr Tromp was last seen running away from the ditched family Peugeot in Wangaratta. A young couple who were out in their own car playing Pokemon Go on Wednesday night, after 10pm, says he "stalked" them.
'Out of character': Mark and Jacoba Tromp. "They were just fearing for their lives, and then [we] decided to flee. "I've never seen anything like it. The best way to describe it is like a movie." Mitchell and Ella Tromp speak to the media. Credit:Eddie Jim It is believed the family drove in daughter Ella's Peugeot to Bathurst and then the Jenolan Caves area.
The three children decided they did not want to continue on as their parents became increasingly mentally distressed. Sergeant Mark Knight addresses the media about missing man Mark Tromp. Credit:Eddie Jim Mitchell was the first to abandon the family holiday at Kelso, in Bathurst, on Tuesday. He went to Sydney, before catching an overnight train back to Melbourne. Daughters Riana, 29, and Ella, 22, went to Goulburn, where they split up at a service station. A Peugeot wagon similar to the car Mark and Jacoba Tromp were last seen driving. Credit:7 News
Riana was later found under mental stress on the side of the road and taken to hospital. Ella somehow acquired a car and made her way back home. Police are making inquiries into how she got the car. Their parents left the Jenolan Caves area together, but later separated. The Tromp family's home, and currant farm in Silvan. Credit:Tom Cowie Ella said it was the "general stress of life" which had got too much for the family. She said the pressure on the family meant they weren't thinking clearly when they packed up and left without taking their possessions or mobile phones.
Mitchell and Ella Tromp after speaking to the media about their missing father. Credit:Eddie Jim "They're the best people in the world; I work with my dad and brother every day," she said. Mitchell said his mum, who is also known as Coby, was occasionally anxious, but not to the extent that she was on the trip. The Tromp family's Parkview Farm in Silvan. Credit:Tom Cowie "I just really want my dad to be found ... he's not dangerous; he's my mate, he's my father [and] I love him. I just want someone to find him and bring him home."
At one point on the trip, Mitchell admitted to having his mobile phone, but he voluntarily threw it out the window at Warburton. The children reported their parents missing to Goulburn police on Tuesday, who appealed for public assistance to find them. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Sergeant Mark Knight said it was one of the most bizarre cases he had been involved with in his 30 years of policing. Exactly what sparked the family split remains unclear. There had been some arguments over money and general family disputes, Sergeant Knight said. "We knew the family was traumatised by something, but we didn't know what," he said.
"Some of the family members wanted to come home and didn't want to continue on the family holiday." Sergeant Knight said police initially feared something serious had happened when they found the Tromp's family home unlocked and with valuable possessions lying around. The doors of the home were wide open and the car keys had been left in vehicles. "On Tuesday afternoon when I was called to the actual address ... it was an unusual scene that I was faced with," he said. "Keys were in cars, passports were there and phones were on the bench.
"It was an unusual crime scene, one that I hadn't seen before." He said Goulburn police had notified him on Tuesday that Riana had been found, which sparked a wider search for the family. That search effort crossed state borders and involved police in both Bathurst and Wangaratta. About 10pm on Wednesday, a man driving Ella's grey Peugeot station wagon, with Victorian number plates WRG 756, was reported to have followed a young couple in Wangaratta. The young couple saw the man get out of the car and run into Merriwa Park near the centre of town. It is believed that man was Mark.
Mark's mother, Wilma Tromp, told Fairfax Media she was relieved her daughter-in-law and grandchildren were safe. Mrs Tromp said she had no idea why Mark was still missing, but urged him to come home. "We're just very concerned," she said. "We haven't got any answers. George and I are very thankful for what [the police] are doing and we just pray for a good outcome." Police in Wangaratta have not found evidence of Mark leaving the town by public transport and there has been no reports of cars being stolen.
Detectives were contacting local motels on Thursday to determine if he had stayed overnight. The Tromps own and operate Parkview Farm where they grow redcurrants. The website for Parkview Farm offers visitors the chance to visit and pick their own berries. "They all have their jobs on the property and they all work together," said neighbour Mark Chapman.
A decade after the IVF industry defeated the federal government's attempt to restrict Medicare access to older women, the president of its peak body has says there is little taxpayer value in subsidising the treatment after a woman turns 45.
Statistics on fertility treatment outcomes released on Friday show that 73,598 women started IVF cycles in 2014, the most recent year for which statistics are available, and one in five of them (19.8 per cent) delivered a live baby.
The IVF success rate is less than 1 per cent for women aged over 45. Credit:File
This represented a 10 per cent improvement in the live birth rate over five years, which has been attributed to better freezing technology.
But the success rate dwindled to 6 per cent for women aged 40 to 44, and less than 1 per cent for women aged over 45.
When he thought no one was watching, a gyprocker suspected of being part of Sydney's largest terror cell, would go online and do the very thing he was forbidden from doing.
Using his iPhone he would access extremist material, often videos about suicide missions, accompanied by pictures of men with bullets in their heads and Islamic State flags.
Ahmed Saiyer Naizmand is led out of Burwood Local Court in shackles after his arrest in February. Credit:Peter Rae
Police also found a video on his phone that was filmed in the morgue of deceased 15-year-old Farhad Jabar, who murdered police accountant Curtis Cheng outside of NSW Police headquarters in October last year.
One of the videos that landed Ahmad Saiyer Naizmand in jail included an Arabic chant, encouraging men to "proceed to death".
The champagne has been chilled and the cork is just about ready to be popped.
Blanc de Blanc, the new production from Strut 'n' Fret, has bumped into the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent and is ready to kick off the 2016 Brisbane Festival on Friday night.
With an international cast drawn from New York, France, Sydney, Sweden, Russia, Japan and Brisbane and a couple of out-of-town tryouts in Sydney and London, local director Scott Maidment, the show's creator, is bringing it home.
"I am super excited about it, I think Brisbane audiences are going to love it," he said.
Another $10 million dispute could open up between Brisbane City Council and the state government over the under-construction skyscraper at 1 William Street.
But the state government has washed its hands of responsibility, pointing out the so-called "tower of power" was a private sector project.
1 William Street under construction in late 2015. Credit:Robert Shakespeare
In the council chamber this week, infrastructure chairman Amanda Cooper suggested the state government would refuse to pay about $10 million in infrastructure costs for the under construction 1 William Street building.
The 46-storey tower, across the road from Queensland Parliament House, will eventually house state public servants and ministerial offices.
If you believe a union survey released this week, young workers are becoming the equivalent of corporate chimney sweepers. The majority are underpaid, undertrained, treated poorly by their manager and cannot rely on getting regular work.
The ACTU's survey of more than 500 people aged between 18 and 24 attracted media headlines about young staff "getting screwed at work", facing a "grim picture" and fearful of "being ripped off" by their employer.
All grown up but with room for some fun is the ethos at many companies. Credit:Jessica Hromas
I cannot comment on the survey's methodology or whether 500 or so respondents is sufficiently robust for a topic as complex as youth employment. But I have yet to read a union survey where staff praise their employer and working conditions.
Cynicism aside, it irks me that surveys about supposed problems for young employees attract so much attention and so little scrutiny. Why aren't other workforce segments who are doing it tough, such as older workers, given the same hearing?
Dropbox has confirmed that a data breach discovered and disclosed in 2012 was bigger than previously known, and according to one report could involve almost 69 million accounts.
The cloud-storage company said it reset the passwords last week of all affected users people who signed up for accounts before the middle of 2012 and hadn't changed their passwords since then. The company confirmed that more than 60 million accounts were affected. Vice's Motherboard website earlier reported the figure.
The 2012 Dropbox hack was broader than the company thought.
"This is not a new security incident, and there is no indication that Dropbox user accounts have been improperly accessed," Patrick Heim, head of trust and security at Dropbox, said in a statement. "We can confirm that the scope of the password reset we completed last week did protect all impacted users. Even if these passwords are cracked, the password reset means they can't be used to access Dropbox accounts."
While Dropbox sought to reassure users their accounts were safe, the incident was just the latest example of a technology company resetting only passwords of accounts they know for sure are compromised while leaving everyone else's unchanged. Even highly sophisticated companies often don't have a full accounting of what's taken from them during a breach and their responses are often based on information hackers are selling online.
Drug companies have paid Australian doctors and nurses more than $64 million since April 2015 to attend educational events and advisory group meetings and to act as consultants to the industry.
A new report that names those doctors and nurses for the first time has revealed thousands of them shared in about $8.5 million from 35 drug companies during the six months to April this year.
Thousands of doctors and nurses have shared in about $8.5 million. Credit:Peter Braig
The Medicines Australia data shows some companies spent up to $18,000 on flying doctors to international conferences so they could present research on a company's product or on their own area of expertise.
The doctors who received the highest payments during the six months were those with an interest in HIV. Gilead, the manufacturer of HIV treatments including a new preventive drug regimen, paid several doctors more than $10,000 each for educational events and other work.
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Presidents message reads:
Dear schoolchildren and students, teachers and parents,
I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of the September 1 Knowledge Day.
Once it was important to propagate the importance of knowledge; however, in the 21st century there is no doubt about that. Knowledge has become the most powerful weapon and tool in the world for every individual and society at large. In Armenia, we are highly aware of that. We all see the readiness and dedication, which parents put in to provide their children with good education.
We are improving our educational system consistently. We do realize that we have issues at schools and higher education institutions which need to be fixed. These issues have mainly to do with the level of education, which cannot satisfy us. We are not content just because perfection has no limits but also since in the contemporary world the pace of development has increased dramatically. We have to keep up with the world. We have to accelerate the development of education.
We also must make good education affordable for all. No teenager should lose the opportunity to receive good education only because he or she cannot pay for it.
Judging from the results demonstrated by our schoolchildren at the international competitions, our schools are not doing badly. Our school is competitive; however, we cannot be complacent, and it is necessary to raise the bar of our requirements every year, otherwise, we will be lagging behind the developing world.
I once again congratulate you all on the occasion of the Knowledge Day and wish you an academic year full of success and achievements.
A man has been charged with a string of sexual assaults on teenage girls over a 12-month period after he was photographed at a Selena Gomez concert in Melbourne last month.
Police charged the 30-year-old Altona man with six counts of sexual assault, alleged to have occurred at music concerts between September 2015 and August 2016.
The man police wished to speak to after a teenage girl was sexually assaulted at a Selena Gomez concert.
His alleged victims include six teenage girls and an adult woman.
The man's picture was widely circulated after he allegedly sexually assaulted a teenage girl at Margaret Court Arena on Saturday, August 6.
A man and a woman have been jailed for their involvement in a hammer attack on a man that left his skull exposed.
Troy Pollard, 31, and Danielle Page, 26, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and assault over the attack on the Reservoir resident in November last year. Both were likely to have been affected by the drug ice at the time, the court heard on Thursday.
The sentenced couple were both abusing stimulant drugs at the time of the attack. Credit:Penny Stephens
County Court Judge Gavan Meredith said that Page had been in a relationship with a third defendant, Ismael Ferrer - described as the "prime mover" in the attack - at the time. The couple were both abusing stimulant drugs at the time, and had a four-year-old child together.
Page left the home she shared with Ferrer after an argument and went to stay with a friend for several days. When she returned, she told Ferrer that the victim and another man had raped her. Rather than reporting the crime to the police, Judge Meredith said Ferrer "indicated he was going to handle it himself."
Police are hunting for a tattooed Holden Commodore driver over a hit and run which hospitalised a cyclist with serious injuries.
The 26-year-old woman was hit by the car on the Gisborne-Melton Road in Toolern Vale near Sunbury about 12.45pm on October 3, 2015. The driver failed to stop.
The victim suffered serious injuries and was transported to hospital by ambulance.
The car involved in the collision is described as a white VT or VX Commodore sedan, police have been told.
The bad blood between Colin Barnett and John Poynton shows no sign of dissipating, with the Premier again lashing out at an "undemocratic" ReachTel poll and the prominent businessman returning fire by accusing the premier of an "abuse of power."
The poll of 11,000 people across 11 Perth seats - partly funded by Mr Poynton and builder Nigel Satterley - suggested Labor may win 10 of those seats at next year's state election and seize government from the Liberals.
A poll funded by businessmen, including John Poynton, continues to anger Colin Barnett. Credit:Philip Gostelow
Mr Barnett expressed his ire at the poll last week and again on Thursday morning, telling ABC 720's Geoff Hutchison that it was an attempt to force him out of office and suggesting any other businessman who had helped fund it better '"fess up". He also said he'd referred the poll to the Department of Premier and Cabinet for further investigation.
But Mr Poynton was just as forthright in an interview on Radio 6PR's Drive with Adam Shand, accusing the Premier of seeking to "shoot the messenger."
More than 100 people gathered at Perth's Forrest Chase for a peaceful protest in memory of Elijah Doughty, as police promised to investigate Facebook pages that had incited violence in Kalgoorlie.
Police Minister Liza Harvey promised police would investigate posts on several local Facebook crime reporting pages that had recently been using violent language in the wake of the unrest over the 14-year-old's death.
WA Police Acting Commander Darryl Gaunt has also confirmed the manslaughter charge against the 55-year-old driver who allegedly hit him could still be upgraded pending completion of the investigation.
After Tuesday's events WA Police took no chances, and the number of officers in Perth on Thursday almost matched the number of protesters, a sobering visual reminder of the violence that erupted in Kalgoorlie, seemingly from nowhere, at another protest intended as peaceful.
A Perth man is documenting each battle in his war against humans' crappy behaviour at South Beach Dog Beach.
While walking his own faithful pooch Disco, the dogged Andrew MacFarlane takes it upon himself to clean up the poo of dogs whose owners can't be bothered.
He posts pictures of evidence collected along the "walk of shame", also known as the "Yellow Shit Road", and other Fremantle locations, on his public Facebook page Dog's Life with the hashtag #NotThatHard.
One particularly sad photo shows that three people discarded poo-bags right underneath the council's warning sign about the offensive nature of such an act. A wheelie bin is metres away.
Reports this week of Russian intrusions into US election systems have startled many voters, but computer experts are not surprised. They have long warned that Americans vote in a way that's so insecure that hackers could change the outcome of races at the local, state and even national level.
Multibillion-dollar investments in better election technology after the troubled 2000 presidential election count prompted widespread abandonment of flawed paper-based systems, such as punch ballots. But the rush to embrace electronic voting technology - and leave old-fashioned paper tallies behind - created new sets of vulnerabilities that have taken years to fix.
"There are computers used in all points of the election process, and they can all be hacked," said Princeton computer scientist Andrew Appel, an expert in voting technologies. "So we should work at all points in that system to see how we make them trustworthy even if they do get hacked."
The alleged Russian hacks to voter registration systems in Arizona and Illinois exposed one of the major weak spots in election systems. Deleting or altering data on voter rolls could cause mayhem on election day, disenfranchising some voters. Many voting machines themselves also are vulnerable, especially touch-screen systems that do not create a paper record as a guard against fraud or manipulation.
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: Liberia is home to the highest proportion of out-of-school children with nearly two-thirds of primary-aged children not accessing school. The second highest is South Sudan, where 59 per cent of children are missing out on their right to a primary education and 1 in 3 schools is closed due to conflict.
Afghanistan (46 per cent), Sudan (45 per cent), Niger (38 per cent) and Nigeria (34 per cent) also feature in the top 10 countries with the highest primary out-of-school rates, painting a clear picture of how humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises are forcing children out of school.
The UNICEF data analysis, which comes as millions of children return to school this month, highlights the extent of an education crisis affecting countries already blighted by conflict, prolonged periods of drought, flash floods, earthquakes and high rates of extreme poverty.
UNICEF fears that without education, a generation of children living in countries affected by conflict, natural disasters and extreme poverty will grow up without the skills they need to contribute to their countries and economies, exacerbating the already desperate situation for millions of children and their families.
Education continues to be one of the least funded sectors in humanitarian appeals. In 2015, humanitarian agencies received only 31 per cent of their education funding needs, down from 66 per cent a decade ago. Despite a 126 per cent increase in education requirements since 2005, funding increased by just 4 per cent. Moreover, education systems equipped to cope with protracted crises cannot be built on the foundations of short-term and unpredictable appeals.
During the World Humanitarian Summit, held in May 2016, a new global funding platform, Education Cannot Wait, was launched to bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions during crises and long-term development afterwards, through predictable funding.
Though not one of the top 10 countries with the highest rates of out-of-school children, Syria is home to 2.1 million school-age children (5-17) who are not in school. An additional 600,000 Syrian children living as refugees in the surrounding region are also out of school.
Recent, reliable data from countries including Somalia and Libya are not available either from administrative or survey sources partly due to the continuing conflicts.
"For countries affected by conflict, school equips children with the knowledge and skills they need to rebuild their communities once the crisis is over, and in the short-term it provides them with the stability and structure required to cope with trauma. Schools can also protect children from the trauma and physical dangers around them. When children are not in school, they are at an increased danger of abuse, exploitation and recruitment into armed groups, said UNICEF Chief of Education Jo Bourne.
Bangkok: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte could face international criminal charges as the death count in his relentless war on drugs tops almost 2000, human rights advocates say.
Comments by the tough-talking former provincial mayor such as "all of you are into drugs, you sons of bitches I will kill you" could be used as evidence to prosecute him, they say.
Sam Zarifi from the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) says it is likely that as the killings continue lawyers will gather evidence to initiate legal proceedings against Mr Duterte like 9541 victims of the late Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos did in the United States in the 1990s.
In 1995 a US court awarded the victims $US1.9 billion after finding that Marcos, who died in exile in 1989, was responsible for massive human rights abuses, including torture, murder and "disappearances of fellow Filipinos".
Mexico City: On Mexican soil for the first time as the Republican presidential nominee, a firm but measured Donald Trump has defended the right of the United States to build a massive border wall along its southern flank, standing up for the centrepiece of his immigration plan in a country where he is widely despised.
But within hours of Trump's visit, a dispute arose over the most contentious part of the billionaire's plans to secure the US southern border - his insistence that Mexico must pay to build that wall.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump walks with Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto at the end of their joint statement in Mexico City. Credit:AP
When answering questions from adjacent lecterns before a Mexican flag after his meeting at the official residence of the country's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump said on Wednesday the two men didn't discuss who would pay for a cost of construction pegged in the billions.
Silent at that moment, Pena Nieto later tweeted, "At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall".
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A new investigation into the identity of Banksy claims he is not just person but a collaboration of artists including a member of Massive Attack.
Scottish journalist, Craig Williams, says he has carried out a study into the graffiti and believes the work has more to do with the band and its fans than thought.
Banksy was said to be unmasked in July 2008 by the media as Bristol Cathedral schoolboy Robin Gunningham, something that has since been denied.
And a scientific investigation into the guerrilla graffiti backed up that claim earlier this year.
But the new study, said to be the culmination of five months work by the 31-year-old, puts forward a different theory.
Banksy rose to fame in the late 1990s, when his provocative stencil work most of which is on display in Bristol and London - started to get recognition.
At a similar time Massive Attack were releasing Mezzanine, which went on to be named in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, after the success of their debut album Blue Lines in 1991.
Both at the centre of an artistic revolution in Bristol the links between the band and street artist are well known.
Banksy has previously said he was inspired by French stencil artist Blek le Rat and graffiti artist '3D' aka Robert Del Naja, the founding member of the hip hop trio playing a homecoming gig in Bristol on Saturday, September 3.
Del Naja also appeared in Banksy's Exit Through The Gift Shop speaking about the pair's friendship from his early days in the city.
And the graffiti artist provides the foreword to 3D and the Art of Massive Attack, released last year, stating: "When I was about 10 years old, a kid called 3D was painting the streets hard. 3D quit painting and formed the band Massive Attack, which may have been a good thing for him, but was a big loss for the city."
But the study goes further in linking the pair and the author believes that Banksy is not one person, but a team of artists, led by 3D.
Craig said: "The search for the real identity of Banksy is a story one that never fails capture the imagination of the media and the millions of fans across the globe of the subversive Bristol street artist, ever since he came to the public's attention back in 1997 with his The Mild Mild West mural.
"And with the news that filtered out in March of a scientific study by Queen Margaret University confirming previous studies that pointed out to him as being plain old public school boy Robin Gunningham, the final nail in the coffin was struck in what had left the world scratching their heads.
"But what if Banksy isn't the one person everyone thinks he is. What if - akin to the Shakespeare conspiracy theories, Banksy is a group of people who have stencilling different locations both at home and abroad? Such a rich body of work done over a decade, across the globe, may allow for the suggestion.
"A rumour exists from 2010 that his work that went up around North America was his work but were not necessarily painted by him, but rather by a street team that happened to be following the Massive Attack tour.
"And on analysis of his North American work, this makes perfect sense."
The author makes some strong links to his case including:
- Six Banksy murals were reported in San Francisco on May 1, 2010 after Massive Attack performed a two night stint in the city on April 25 and 27.
- Massive Attack played Toronto a week later before more new Banksy murals were reported there.
- Later on that tour Massive Attack head to Boston's Chinatown a day after a Banksy appeared there.
- Similar patterns are reported in 2006 when Massive Attack embarked on a US tour, which included a slot at the Hollywood Bowl, LA, a week before Banksy's Barely Legal exhibition in the city.
- 2008 Banksy produced 14 stencils across New Orleans marking the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Del Naja co-wrote the soundtrack to the New Orleans-themed documentary Trouble the Water during the same time frame.
- April 2003 Banksy's work appears in Melbourne, the same city Massive Attack had played the month before.
"Perhaps the assertion then that Banksy is just one person is wide of the mark, instead being a group who have, over the years, followed Massive Attack around and painted walls at their leisure," Craig added.
"And perhaps, at the head of such a group we have Del Naja. A multi-disciplined artist in front of one the seminal groups in recent British music history, doubling up as the planet's most revered street artist. Now that would be cool."
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
ASX-listed mortgage broker N1 has acquired a Sydney-based real estate business four months after it unveiled the launch of its own real estate arm, N1 Realty.The acquisition of Sydney Boutique Property, which was established in 2003, will generate significant profitable revenue for the real estate arm, which officially commenced trading from 1 July and plans to have its Chatswood-based head office open and operating by October.Sydney Boutique Property has more than 170 properties under management with a stable pipeline of sales in the McMahons Point area where the agency is based.The CEO of N1, Ren Wong , said the acquisition is an important part of the companys strategy to grow recurring income while providing further revenue growth opportunities from cross-sales.This expansion of N1 via our real estate business N1 Realty represents an excellent example of our strategy to grow the company via both thoughtful acquisition and organic growth development under the N1 brand, he said in a statement to the ASX.The acquisition of Sydney Boutique Property will be partly funded from cash reserves in combination with a loan.In addition to the real estate acquisition, Wong also announced it has completed the acquisition of an $80 million loan book, comprising approximately 240 established residential Sydney mortgages. Wong said it would boost the groups annual recurring revenue by approximately $132,000 per annum, brining N1s total loan book to over $680 million.Acquisitions such as this boutique real estate business and loan book bring significant and positive cash flow to our growing business and we are working diligently to ensure every step we take will add value to our company and to our shareholders, Wong said.Wong said the company will also actively seek acquisition opportunities as a part of its growth strategy.
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
Australias government will probe bank lending to small businesses as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tries to stave off opposition calls for a broader inquiry into the financial system.
The inquiry, to be conducted by the Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, comes on top of moves to summon the chief executives of the nations big four banks to testify before a parliamentary committee once a year. The government has also increased powers for the securities regulator and promised to establish a tribunal to probe instances of poor financial advice.
Turnbull, who was returned to power last month with a wafer-thin majority, is seeking to head off opposition leader Bill Shortens attempt to establish a more-powerful and wide-ranging Royal Commission into the banking industry, which has come under fire for giving misleading wealth-management advice to customers and been criticized for failing to pass on in full the central banks last rate reduction.
In an emailed statement on Wednesday, the government said the ombudsman will inquire into the adequacy of laws, to address lending practices to small businesses and determine if further regulatory action is required. The findings will be presented in 12 weeks, the statement said.
The government has a substantial financial system agenda to improve consumer outcomes, however the ombudsman will be able to identify through a forensic analysis if further reforms are needed, Kelly ODwyer, minister for revenue and financial services said in the statement.
Australia concluded a full review of its financial system, the first government inquiry since 1997, in December 2014. The review committee made 44 recommendations to bolster the nations financial sector and the government responded last year by asking the banking regulator to take additional steps to ensure the nations lenders have strong capital levels.
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
Annual growth in the value of outstanding mortgages hit a two year low over the June quarter, according to an analysis of Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) data.The analysis of APRAs property exposures data, carried out by CoreLogic , shows that as of the end of the June quarter there was $1.437bn worth of outstanding mortgages in Australia, which represents an 8.1% increase over the previous 12 months.That rate of growth is the slowest annual increase since the June 2014 quarter.Of the total value of outstanding mortgages, owner occupiers are responsible for $930.4bn while investors account for $506.3bn.Over the previous 12 months, the value of outstanding owner occupier mortgages has increased by 14.8%, representing its largest rise since March 2010.In comparison, the value of investor mortgages outstanding has fallen by 2.4% year-on-year, which is the greatest decline on record.Over the June quarter itself, $98.4bn in new mortgages were written, $64.4bn of which was for owner occupiers and $34bn for investors.Over the quarter the value of lending to owner occupiers rose by 15.2% while investor lending jumped 32.5% to its highest level since June 2015.Year-on-year owner occupier lending is 16.2% higher while investor lending is 16.9% lower.Over the June quarter, $35.6bn worth of interest only loans, which represents a 19.1% year-on-year fall; however it is 25.1% rise compared to the March 2016 quarter.CoreLogic research head Cameron Kusher said the quarterly increase in investment lending and interest only loans likely indicates investors are returning to the market.Overall the data shows that there has been a rebound in new lending to investors and a commensurate increase in interest-only lending over the past quarter. After annual investor housing credit growth has slumped to well below APRAs 10% pa speed limit it is clear that some lenders have scope to dial-up their lending to investors, Kusher said.It also shows that despite historically weak rental markets and record low rental yields that there remains demand from the investment segment of the market.Kusher said the rebound in investor activity is something to be mindful of, as it increases the possibility of further APRA intervention. However, he said the fact that high LVR lending is slowing is a positive.While investment lending has lifted over the past quarter, the data is showing there is a more conservative approach to high LVR lending. The ongoing decline in lending with an LVR above 90% is encouraging because it should lead to reduced risk, Kusher said.According to APRAs figures, a record high 78% of new mortgages over the June quarter had an LVR of less than 80%.
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 & Finance Association of Australia ( MFAA ) has instigated a search to uncover the name of a mortgage broker accused of unethical conduct in a News Ltd report yesterday.According to the article in News Ltd outlets yesterday, an elderly Western Australian couple claim their income level was inflated by both their mortgage broker and bank during their purchase of an investment property in Queensland in 2011.Michael and Kaye Downer told News Ltd that while purchasing a house and land package in the Queensland town of Zilzie their mortgage broker inflated Michaels earnings after they had signed their mortgage application. The Downers also claim their income was further inflated during the internal mortgage assessment carried out by their bank.According to the News Ltd report, the Downers received a letter from their bank advising them that its valuer believed the land in Zilzie was worth $24,000 less than the asking price of $189,000.However, the Downers claim they did not see the inflated income figures until 2014 and also claim they were not advised the valuer believed the finished Zilzie house would only be worth $400,000, which is $89,000 less than what their bank lent them.If we had seen that low valuation number we would not have gone ahead, Kaye told News Ltd.The Downers mortgage broker is not named in the News Ltd article, however the MFAA has requested News Ltd provide them with identification.The MFAA has a clear policy that any report of a member allegedly acting in an unethical manner is fully investigated if evidence supports an allegation of misconduct, MFAA head of marketing said Stephen Hale said.The MFAA does not tolerate any matter that places a consumer at risk and where the MFAA Tribunal finds wrongdoing, it has in the past expelled members or suspended membership and in these serious cases, it reports the matter to ASIC.Hale said if an MFAA investigation revealed any wrongdoing all findings would be publicised.According to the News Ltd report, the Downers are on a hardship repayment scheme, but will have to resume full repayments this month or their bank will start the recovery process.The Downers bank claims the couple are able to meet the full repayments but are unwilling to do so.If the Downers were to sell the Zilzie property they would be $150,000 short of what is owed, meaning they would be required to sell their Perth home.
On September 1, in the frameworks of the festive events devoted to the 25th anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic's proclamation, NKR President Bako Sahakyan attended the mass cross race of the youth started in the Stepanakert Renaissance square.
September 1, 2016, 13:19 Bako Sahakyan attends mass cross race of youth in Stepanakert
Before Professor MacLelland returns to the United States, one of his students thanks him with a drawing.
Professor MacLelland and President of KUMA Jae-Won Yoo sign certificates of goodwill in the hopes of forging an ongoing academic exchange between Brooklyn College and KUMA.
Over the years, a number of students from South Korea have received degrees from the Department of Television and Radio. Many of these graduates returned to their homeland and secured highly competitive positions as network television producers and college professors. These alumni meet regularly and keep in touch on social media to share their experiences and network. During his visit, MacLelland attended one of their meetings in Seoul and had the chance to reminisce with them about their glory days' at the college.
"The Korean broadcast/electronic media industry is very sophisticated," said MacLelland. "Brooklyn College has a great reputation for having an excellent M.F.A. program in television production. Plus, our program is in New York City. They get to live and study in the world's media capital. These things make the college a very attractive location to these students."
The KUMA delegation that invited MacLelland included the school's dean, television production department chair, and another faculty member. They visited New York in 2015 in an attempt to establish relationships between KUMA and various universities in the United States. They also visited the Brooklyn College campus, met with MacLelland, and invited him to teach applied media aesthetics courses (television production) at KUMA in July.
"I'm very familiar with Stuart's enthusiasm for teaching," Kim said. "As a former student of his, I remember how willing he was to educate us not only as a professor, but also as a producer. That helped us tremendously when we went out into the real world of media production. I thought that style of teaching would be of great benefit to the students at KUMA."
MacLelland, who has taught at Brooklyn College for 20 years, helped 20 KUMA students stage dramas, shoot music videos, create commercial product set-ups, and other single- and multiple-camera production exercises.
"This was the first invitation I've ever received to teach in Korea," MacLelland said. "I'm very interested in art, culture, and history, and traveling to a region of the world I've never been means a great deal to me. It's very rewarding to work with smart, talented, and diligent students."
Jong Kyu, a student who displayed great promise during MacLelland's course, applied to the college's M.F.A. in Television Production Program and was pre-accepted for fall 2017. Kyu will join a long line of students from South Korea who, as MacLelland pointed out, "credit Brooklyn College with launching their professional careerswhether they went into education or broadcasting. And they are deeply appreciative of everything the college imparted to them, so that they had the skill set to create opportunities for their own success."
MacLelland's course was so popular and successful with students that KUMA invited him to come back next year for an extended two-week instruction.
On September 1, the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan received the delegation led by Els Van Hoof, MP of the Chamber of Representatives of the Kingdom of Belgium , Head of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group.
September 1, 2016, 15:30 Such visits make Artsakh peoples voice heard in Europe Armenian NA speaker to Belgian MPs
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: Welcoming the guests, the NA Speaker highlighted the advancement of interaction and dialogue between legislative bodies of the two countries, which, according to him, promotes the development of interstate relations.
Galust Sahakyan expressed gratitude to the Belgian authorities for adopting the resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in July 2015.
The Head of the Parliament highlighted the coming visit of Belgian MPs to the NKR.
These visits neutralize the information isolation of Artsakh and make Artsakh peoples voice heard in Europe, which strives for the recognition of freedom, justice and right to self-determination," said Galust Sahakyan.
Speaking about NK conflict, the parliamentary head touched upon the 4-day war in April and noted that Azerbaijanflagrantly violated the ceasefire agreement inflicting many casualties. In this context the Head of the National Assembly emphasized that the peaceful settlement of this conflict is one of the most important priorities of our countrys foreign policy. According to the Head of the Parliament, Armenia sees the settlement of the conflict exclusively through peaceful means under the auspice of mediatory mission of the OSCE Mind Group Co-Chairs.
Attaching importance to the cooperation of the two countrys parliamentarians within the international organizations, Galust Sahakyan noted that during the PACE Winter Session Armenia received a great support from the Belgian delegation to PACE at the voting against the one-sided resolutions on Karabakh submitted by Azerbaijani lobbyists distorting the reality.
Els Van Hoof, Head of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, expressing gratitude for the warm reception, highlighted the intensification of the Belgium-Armenia parliamentary friendship group activities, the exchange of mutual experience between the parliamentarians. Spotlighting the adoption of the resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, he noted that all forms of genocides should be condemned for the exclusion of their repetition.
Speaking about the NK conflict, Els Van Hoof quoted Federica Mogherinis words: At the beginning of April, the violence surged to a level that was unprecedented since the ceasefire agreement in 1994.
Mrs Hoof mentioned that they believe in the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs activities and added that they see the settlement of the NK conflict through peaceful negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group. She stated that a political dialogue should take place for the conflict settlement and expressed willingness within their competence to contribute to the conflict settlement.
On 1 September Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan met in the Stepanakert's airport President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan who arrived in Artsakh within the frameworks of the festive events devoted to the 25th anniversary of the NKR proclamation.
September 1, 2016, 15:52 Serzh Sargsyan arrived in Artsakh
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 1, ARTSAKHPRESS: Press service of the NKR Presidential administration informed the aforesaid.
The truth finally comes out on American Gothics Freedom From Fear. Through a series of flashbacks, its finally revealed why Garrett left home, whose body was dragged down the stairs, and who really killed David Morales.
The Truth Finally Comes Out
American Gothics Freedom From Fear begins where the last one left off. Garretts grinding up a skeleton while Brady watches. So he confronts Garrett. Brady tells Garrett hes arresting him, but Garrett says hes not going back to prison. Apparently, theyre going to kill each other, but Brady finally convinces Garrett to stand down.
Cam, Tessa and Alison tell Madeline they know shes been lying and they want answers.You need to know the whole story because I think were in danger, Madeline says showing the others the silver bells that were placed in her purse. (What was her first clue?)
American Gothic Recap: Who Killed Jennifer Windham? >>>
American Gothic flashes back to Alison hanging out with Madeline, Garrett, Tessa and Tom during Christmas while still in college. Toms running for a position at school and Alisons trying to help him win. Mitch shows up and says Alison sent payroll files instead of tax returns to an accountant, which isnt good. Cam, meanwhile, is off buying drugs from some guy named Toby.
Madeline and Mitch put a sick Tessa to bed and discuss the payroll files. The accountant realized something bad they did and he wont be bought. So they need to call the lawyer and find a way out of the mess theyre apparently in. Mitch is on the phone with his lawyer when someone sneaks into their house. But Tessa had woken up and heard him and she pushes him down the stairs.
In the present, Tessa doesnt remember any of this. So Madeline has to tell her she killed someone and that it gets more complicated than that. In the past, they searched the dead mans body and found a silver bell. He was the real Silver Bells Killer!
At the same time, Garrett also tells Brady that Tessa killed the Silver Bells Killer, but thats just the beginning. American Gothic flashes back to Garrett with a girl, but is interrupted when a distraught Tessa calls him and begs him to come home. He goes home and sees the body with the bag, rope, and bells. Nobody calls the police because the press would come and haunt them. Instead, Mitch and Madeline want to get rid of the body. They want Garrett to tell Tessa that shes just sick and had a bad dream, so he does.
In the present, Tessa says that she remembers Garrett comforting her. Its all becoming clear. The Silver Bells Killer was coming to kill one of them, Tessa stopped him and a high Cam saw the body being dragged away.
Garrett dragged the body away and took it to the woods where he and Brady are having their conversation. It wasnt meant to be complicated, he tells Brady, but while he was digging, the body just disappeared.
Garrett Gets His Knife
So where did the body go? Garrett continues his story saying that while he searched, the killer attacks and stabs Garrett. Garret runs into the woods, but the guy finds him again and attacks. Garrett stabs him with the killers own knife and kills him. Thats where he gets that knife. Its all coming together. Garrett keeps the knife as a reminder that he could have died. He then went home and told his mom what happened.
Why Mitch Killed David Morales?
In the present, Madeline tells the kids that Garrett was traumatized. Cam says it doesnt add up, though. Why was Mitchs DNA on David Morales belt? Madeline says Mitch was trying to get the payroll files back. (The payroll files are important, apparently.) In the past, Mitch goes to David Morales to try to get the files back, but he committed fraud and hurt so many people, so David Morales is going to the Attorney General.
The next day, news breaks that David Morales was killed by the Silver Bells Killer. Still in the flashback, Garrett is in shock. He couldnt have killed Morales. Mitch killed him and used Garrett as cover. Getting rid of the body had nothing to do with helping Tessa. Instead, Mitch could have killed Morales but made it look like the Silver Bells Killer did it.
In the present, the kids ask Madeline if she knew Mitch would kill David Morales. She says no, but she protected him instead of turning him in. Now their family is secure. She, Mitch and Garrett would have gone to prison, Cam was an addict, Tessa was a child and Alison would never be mayor. They needed to keep the family intact.
American Gothic Recap: What Was Garrett Doing In The Woods? >>>
Why Garrett Left Home
Back in the past, Alison tells Tessa Tom lost his election. Alison should have run instead. Madeline, meanwhile, finds Cams drugs and flushes them down the toilet. They hear a fight downstairs, though. Mitch admits he killed David Morales and Garrett is furious. He goes to Madeline and tells her what Mitch did, but she denies it. He wants to call the police, but she refuses and says Mitch was protecting the family. Then she says if he turns Mitch in, hell go to jail too. He paved the way for a copycat murder by driving the body to Maine. It looks like he and Mitch were actually working together. Garretts disgusted with them, so he leaves for the woods.
Before he leaves, Garrett notices that Cams gone. Hes off buying more drugs. Mitch, meanwhile, worries he lost Garrett forever or that Garrett will decide he cant live with their secret anymore. Madeline just wants to put it all behind them, though, by pretending it never happened and promising not to speak of it again.
The Accomplice Is On The Loose
The problem? They werent the only ones who knew the secret. The accomplice is still out there and put bells in Madelines purse. Tessa and Alison dont believe her, but Cam notices that dolls looking like each of them are all murdered in their dollhouse.
So who set that up? The accomplice is taunting them. Cam wants to call the police, which they should have done 14 years ago. Tessa says Garrett will go to jail after everything hes been through if they call the police.
Back in Maine, Brady asks Garrett why he took the risk to get rid of the bones after all this time. He wanted to get rid of the evidence and have a chance at a life because Christinas pregnant. Brady says they could work out a deal. Hell try to keep him out of jail if Garrett helps him find the accomplice. Hes the biggest lead theyve ever had because hes seen the Silver Bells Killers face.
Back at home, they decide to wait for Garrett to come home in the morning. If he doesnt come home, then theyll call the police.
Back in the past, we learn that it was actually Madelines idea for Mitch to do the copycat murder. If they didnt kill David Morales, they would lose everything and their kids would lose their future. Thats when Garrett came home and saw the body. Thats when Madeline put the whole thing into motion. Later, Mitch and Madeline go to David Morales together and Mitch tries but fails to kill him. So, Madeline does it instead.
Were all victims of your fathers decisions, Madeline says in the present. Alison agrees they need to stick together and figure out whos hunting them.
American Gothic airs on Wednesday nights at 10pm on CBS.
(Image courtesy of CBS)
In Suits Borrowed Time, Mike and Harvey work on getting Mikes deal back in place, while Louis figures out how he feels about not being the only man in Taras life. Plus, Rachel and Jessica figure out a way to buy Leonard Bailey some time.
Here are the best quotes from Borrowed Time.
Suits Recap: Is the Deal Finally Done?>>>
Im sorry, did the internet go down? Did you go over the limit on your friends and family plan?
Harvey: You just introduced a witness into your opening statement and this is the first Im hearing about it.
Sean: Its the first youre hearing about it because the witness just came forward yesterday.
Harvey: Im sorry, did the internet go down? Did you go over the limit on your friends and family plan?
What the hell you think I hired a gunslinger like you for? So stop telling me I cant win and go ahead and start winning.
Harvey: William, youre taking a huge risk.
William: What the hell you think I hired a gunslinger like you for? So stop telling me I cant win and go ahead and start winning.
Because when youre happy, you dont go looking somewhere else.
Donna: Louis, if youre really the only man shes ever done this with, then that means youve got something that this other man doesnt have.
Louis: How could you know that? Theyve been together three years. I cant compete with that.
Donna: Because when youre happy, you dont go looking somewhere else.
You cant. But youll never know if you dont fight for her.
Louis: How can I know Im the one for her?
Donna: You cant. But youll never know if you dont fight for her.
Right now, Id rather focus on the fact that were getting the man another 30 days to save his life.
Rachel: If we cant convince his own aunt that hes innocent, how are we gonna convince 12 strangers?
Jessica: Right now, Id rather focus on the fact that were getting the man another 30 days to save his life.
Its 2016. If a man cant be okay with his woman seeing other men, then what was Susan B. Anthony even fighting for?
Louis to Tara
Im saying thats one of the things that I love about you. The other thing is that in your heart, youre not cold at all.
Jessica: I was pretty much accused of being cold, heartless and uncaring. And I can take it when its lawyers saying that about me. But this was from the man whose life Im trying to save.
Jeff: And you wanted to be with someone who knows a different side of you.
Jessica: I thought I wanted to be with someone who knows thats not a side of me at all.
Jeff: Jessica, I told you I loved you once. And when I said that, I meant that one of the things that I love about you is your ability to push emotion aside and knock the shit out of people.
Jessica: So you think Im cold, but you love that about me?
Jeff: Im saying thats one of the things that I love about you. The other thing is that in your heart, youre not cold at all.
You are the most riveting woman Ive ever met. Youve cast a spell on me But I will not share you with another man. And I dont understand why any man would. I want you, and I want all of you.
Louis: Look, I know I said Id be okay with this, but Im not okay. Because the whole time I couldnt reach you, I kept thinking that you were on the phone with him and laughing with him and loving him. And as long as you have another man, Im always gonna think that youre with him, thinking about him
Tara: Louis, thats
Louis: Let me finish. You are the most riveting woman Ive ever met. Youve cast a spell on me. And I would never tell you how to live your life. But I will not share you with another man. And I dont understand why any man would. I want you, and I want all of you. But if I cant have that
Tara: Louis? Take me home.
Well, Id be taking an even bigger risk if I didnt hand this to you personally. Youre not gonna weasel out of my deal again.
Sean: You know youre taking a big risk that someones gonna recognize me and figure out that youre up to something.
Mike: Well, Id be taking an even bigger risk if I didnt hand this to you personally. Youre not gonna weasel out of my deal again.
You are who you are, and I love who you are As much as seeing you again makes me want to stay here, this is something I have to do.
Jeff: Jessica, if I thought there would be a chance in the world that you would come with me, I wouldve asked you. But we both know thats not gonna happen. Because you told me its not over yet, but what you meant is that its never gonna be over.
Jessica: Its my firm, Jeff. Its the thing I spent my whole life building.
Jeff: And Im not judging you for it. You are who you are, and I love who you are. But Ive been thinking about going back to Chicago for a long time now, and as much as seeing you again makes me want to stay here, this is something I have to do.
Its over. Im coming home.
Mike to Rachel
Suits season 6 airs Wednesdays at 9pm on USA.
(Images courtesy of USA)
On this episode of Suits, Borrowed Time, Harvey works to discredit Cahills witness, Mike continues to try and get Jill to make a deal and Louis struggles with being the other man. Meanwhile, Jessica and Rachel continue to work on Leonards case.
Things are looking pretty bleak for Mikey. His deal has been rescinded, Kevin no longer trusts him which means he lost his only ally in jail and Gallo has figured out Mike and Harveys plan. If Harvey cant get Gallo out, the whole prison will know that Mike is a rat.
Harvey Shifts Gears
Things at Pearson Specter Litt hasnt improved much either. Harveys doing an intentionally shoddy job of representing his sole client, Louis learned that Tara has a boyfriend and wants Louis to be her East-Coast sidepiece, Jessica and Rachel lost the one witness who could clear Leonard Bailey and Jessicas hopes that her firms profile could be improved by winning a big pro-bono case look to be going down the drain.
Harvey has to break the bad news to Jessica that hes basically about to lose Sutters case for nothing. With the deal off the table, Jessica says Harvey has no choice but to win. Theyre trying to build back up their client base and cant afford to take the hit.
Suits Recap: All Bets are Off >>>
Cahill and Harvey head to court where Cahill blows his wad in his opening statement, announcing hes got a witness who can corroborate giving Sutter inside information time and time again over the past 10 years.
Harvey asks for a delay in the proceedings because Cahill violated the rules of discovery. Sean introduced a witness in his opening statement, and its the first time Harveys heard about it (wink, wink). Cahill argues the witness just came forward the night before. But since theres numerous ways to reach out and touch someone these days, theres no reason Cahill couldnt have sent an email or shot a text. Harvey claims to not even know the witness name.
The judge agrees to give Harvey three days to depose Phillip Allen.
Harvey learns from Sutter that Allen doesnt have anything on him, but the guy can give them Jill. Shes the one Allen gave the information to, so if this goes down, Jill goes down instead of Sutter. Sutter says if Harvey does his job, Cahill wont be able to prove that the information Allen gave Jill made its way to Sutter.
Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Jessica and Rachel once again deliver bad news to Leonard Bailey. Maria Gomez is dead and theyve got five days to find another reason to get his case reopened. Jessica also has a plan to try and get Leonard more than five days. He has a right to have a family member present at his execution, and if that relative is ill and needs time to recover in order to travel, Jessica and Rachel can petition the court for a delay and it has to be granted.
Leonards aunt, Harriet, has MS, but he explains to Rachel and Jessica that she wont do them any good. Leonard has reached out to Harriet multiple times, but she wants nothing to do with him because she believes hes guilty. Rachels determined to try and change Harriets mind.
Rachel goes to see Harriet, and shes as warm and fuzzy as youd expect. Rachel gives her pitch about Leonard being innocent, but Harriet wants proof. Rachels working on it, but in the meantime would Harriet mind signing this request to buy him some time. This way, maybe Rachel can change Harriets mind that Leonard is no good. Harriet agrees to sign but not to be present if Leonard is executed. Rachels still bummed though because if she cant convince Harriet that her nephew is innocent, how will she and Jessica convince a jury of strangers.
Bachelor Number 2
Louis tells Donna that Tara revealed that shes got a boyfriend. They do have an understanding that allows them to see other people, but Tara told Louis hes the first guy she ever wanted to step out with. Louis doesnt see the point in seeing Tara anymore, figuring theres no way he can compete with the other guy, but Donna believes Louis could be risking missing out on an opportunity. When a woman is happy in a relationship, she doesnt go looking somewhere else. She urges Louis to fight for Tara.
Harvey Tears Apart a Witness; Mike Comes Clean
Kevin decides to forgive Mike for interfering, figuring Mike was just trying to look out for him. Not quick to forgive or forget is Gallo. He warns Mike that he better get Harvey up to Danbury by 6pm, or hes going to schedule a hearing of his own. Thats code for narc Mike out.
Mike calls Donna and gets all kind of bad news. Harvey hasnt lifted a finger to help Gallo, figuring Mike would be out before he had to.go through with it. She also informs him that Cahill pulled the deal since his superiors didnt believe Mike was holding up his end of the deal. Mike calls bullshit, telling Donna hes been busting his ass. She knows that and so does Harvey which is why Harvey is trying to get the deal back. Mike tells Donna that why Harveys at it, he better make good on his word to Gallo.
Harvey goes to work on Phillip Allen. Cahill is also present to protect his star witness. Things play out as expected. Allen admitted to speaking to Jill but not Sutter. Allen has zero proof that the information made it to Sutter. This comes as an unpleasant surprise to Cahill who you think would have verified this himself.
Now that Cahills witness has been discredited, Cahill has to go after Jill. And to do that, hell need Mikes help which puts the possibility of a deal right back on the table.
Mike has no choice but to go to Kevin. He reveals that Cahill has a witness which means Jills involvement is no longer a secret. Jill needs to cut a deal for immunity. Kevin doesnt trust Cahill or any possible deals, but Mike swears Harvey wouldnt let Cahill screw Jill over. Kevin doesnt understand why since hes Sutters lawyer, and Mike has no choice but to let Kevin know why Harvey is so invested. Getting Jill off means Mike gets off too.
Mikes confession sends Kevin into a rage, and two guards have to pull Mikes cellmate off of him. Kevin gets hauled off to solitary.
Leonard has a surprising reaction to his stay of execution. Hes not relieved, hes pissed. Once he learns that his aunt still thinks hes guilty, he goes after Jessica. Did she even try? Did she even go to see Harriet like she promised? Jessica tries to explain that A) Shes got a firm to run and B) Its not her job to repair Leonards fractured relationship with his family.
Leonard believes that Rachel and Jessica together stood a better chance of convincing Harriet he was innocent.
Mike confronts Gallo. (Its amazing how in prison these two manage to have so many one-on-once conversations, especially in the mens room.)
Mike tells Gallo that hes got a hearing, but hes tired of Gallos threats. And if Gallo wants to go run and tell Kevin that Mikes been informing on him, its too late. Mike also wants Gallo to use his connections to get Kevin out of solitary. Gallo agrees, but if Mike gets out and he doesnt, Gallo promises he can get to Mike just as easily on the outside as in.
A Second Chance at Love
Jessica runs into old flame, Jeff, at the courthouse, and the spark is still very much there. She calls him and asks him to dinner. Jessica tells him about Leonard basically accusing her of being cold, heartless and uncaring. She can take that kind of talk from other lawyers, but coming from a man whose life shes trying to save, its a different deal. She wanted to spend some time with someone who didnt believe that about her. Jessica invites Jeff back to her place, but he wants to take things slow.
Louis goes on another date with Tara, but the evening barely gets off to a start when Louis declares he cant deal with being the other man. He wants Tara all to himself and cant understand why any other man wouldnt feel the same way. Its no Lloyd Dobbler with a boom box, but its enough for Tara to ask Louis to take her home. Looks like Louis neurotic enthusiasm won him the heart of the girl.
After spending the night together however, Tara kicks Louis right in the balls. Her boyfriend called, hes coming to town and he wants to see her. After three years together, she at least has to hear him out.
Im Donna, and Im Awesome and 13 Other Great Suits Quotes from Shake the Trees >>>
Daddys Girl No More
Gallo makes good on his word (Which could be bad news for Mike down the road) and Kevin returns to his cell. He informs Mike that Jill has been indicted. He agrees to let Mike help him but not by getting Jill to turn on her father. Kevin swears Jill will never do that.
Mike recruits Donna to help him. She tracks down Jill and shares how her own father committed a crime years earlier, but before he did, he tried to involve her. Donna admits she almost said yes because she loved him, and she knew he was a good man. Then she tells Jill to visit Kevin at Danbury and keep an open mind.
Harvey informs Sutter that his daughter has been indicted, but Sutter thinks his daughter is a big girl who can take care of herself. Harvey warns Sutter that once Cahill gets Jill in a room, he has no idea what theyll do to get her to cut a deal.
Harvey wants Sutter to give him authorization to cut them both a deal. At the most, Sutter will serve three years and keep his daughter out altogether. Sutter refuses. Hes willing to let his daughter take the fall because shes still young. When she gets out, shell have years in front of her and can resume her life with the money he gives her.
Sutter says he loves his daughter, but shed be nothing without him. Jill knows if she does this, shell be taken care of for the rest of her life.
Sutter doesnt know that Harvey recorded the conversation, and once Jill hears it, she agrees to cut a deal. She also agrees to let Mike broker the deal. He hands it over to Cahill. Jill knows Mike isnt a lawyer, but shes okay with it since hes keeping her out of prison. Shell testify against her father and receive full immunity. It also says that Cahill has to acknowledge that Mike brought her to him. Fool him once, Sean Cahill.
Sutter comes after Harvey, but Harvey says he simply played the tape for his other client, Kevin, and Jill just happened to be there. But Harvey didnt hang Sutter totally out to dry, he got him a somewhat lenient sentence. Sutter offers up some idle threats, but Harvey wins. Game over.
The End?
Jeff wanted to take things slow because he was considering a job offer in Chicago. Hes decided to take it. Hed ask Jessica to come, but he knows shell never leave her firm.
Mike apologizes to Kevin for his betrayal, but since Mike kept Jill out of prison, he considers he and Mike square.
Mikes convinced hes coming home, but theres still a big loose end with Gallo in the mix. And Cahills not always a man of his word.
Suits airs Wednesdays at 9pm on USA.
(Image courtesy of USA)
Research News
UB experts to present as National Prevention Network Conference visits Buffalo
UBNOW STAFF
UB and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS) are working together to bring the National Prevention Network Conference to Buffalo on Sept. 13-15.
The conference, which is taking place at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, offers an opportunity for addiction specialists and researchers from across the nation to network and discuss best practices in alcohol and substance use prevention. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend, according to conference organizers.
NYS OASAS will host a special reception at 5 p.m. on Sept. 13 to honor longtime prevention supporters Bob and Mindy Rich of Rich Products Corp., founders of Western New York United Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The reception is co-sponsored by UB, Visit Buffalo Niagara and Independent Health.
We are very grateful for the support weve received from many UB units that deal with addiction issues, including the School of Social Work, the Graduate School of Education, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, says Kenneth Leonard, director of UBs Research Institute on Addictions (RIA). Along with RIA, their support made it possible for UB to serve as a reception co-sponsor and silver sponsor for the conference.
In addition, we look forward to many of UBs research professionals offering their expertise at workshops throughout the conference, Leonard says.
The conference will feature multiple presentations and workshops, all focused on the conference theme of Advancing a Prevention Agenda in an Era of Health Systems Reform. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about emerging drug issues and trends, building prevention partnerships and collaborations, prevention-focused media messaging and prevention workforce development.
UB presenters include:
Christopher St. Vil, assistant professor, School of Social Work, and Amy Billing, University of Maryland, will present a workshop on Synthetic Cannabinoids: Findings from the Community Drug Early Warning System (CDEWS) and a Study of Black Males under Criminal Justice Supervision at 10:15 a.m., Sept. 13.
Rina Das Eiden, RIA senior research scientist, and Mary Dozier, University of Delaware, will present a workshop on Importance of Early Intervention at 1 p.m. Sept. 13.
Craig Colder, professor, Department of Psychology, and Susan Ennett, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, will present a power session on Emerging Issues: Trying Alcohol with Parental Permission: Risk Pathways and Prevention of Adolescent Alcohol Use at 3 p.m. Sept. 13.
Kenneth Leonard, RIA director; Smita Bakhai, medical director, Internal Medicine Clinic, ECMC; Sarah Cercone Heavey, doctoral student, UB Department of Community Health and Health Behavior; and Heather Lindstrom, UB Department of Emergency Medicine, will present a workshop on The Opioid/Heroin Epidemic: Perspectives from the Primary Care Clinic, Emergency Room, and First Responders at 3 p.m. Sept. 14.
Jennifer Livingston and Kathleen Miller, RIA senior research scientists, and Amanda Nickerson, director, UBs Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, will present a workshop on Bullying and Substance Use among Adolescents at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 15.
For more information or to register for the conference, visit the conference website.
ANALYSTS TAKE ON JIO Credit Suisse: Jios pricing aggressive
Jios pricing aggressive UBS: Addressable market only 5%
Addressable market only 5% Samco Securities: Biggest gamble Reliance has ever played ever
Biggest gamble Reliance has ever played ever India Ratings & Research: To deteriorate telecos debt profile
To deteriorate telecos debt profile Motilal Oswal: Big concern on break-even
While the announcements made by Reliance Industries (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani at the annual general meeting (AGM) about the Jio project would be a game-changer for the telecom industry and consumers, it also means the break-even date would get pushed further ahead, believe analysts. For the telecom sector, the announcement has led to India Ratings revising its sector outlook to stable-to-negative from stable for financial year 2016-17. The rating agency said RJio will increase competitive intensity, squeezing market share, operating earnings margin and the credit metrics of incumbents. Adding, Voice revenue would moderate in FY17 on stagnant minutes of usage and further competition in call realisations.Analysts at Credit Suisse said, Jios launch has been one of our key worries for the past couple of years and this is turning out to be quite negative. We continue to stay cautious.RILs low price points mean its break-even is delayed. Dharmesh Kant, head of retail research at Motilal Oswal Securities, said, "The big concern arises on the time line of achieving operating break-even, in the context of the tariff (rate) policy deployed."Reuters on Wednesday quoted filings at the commerce ministry to say Jio has more than Rs 32,500 crore of long-term debt, and other liabilities topping Rs 58,000 crore, as of March, 2016. In addition, Reliance has spent over Rs 29,000 crore on Jio and is expected to invest more all adding up to more than what it has been spending on its core refining and petrochemicals business.
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Online marketplace on Thursday announced the launch of its private cloud platform, Cirrus, to help the company offer a more frictionless, reliable experience to customers and help save costs.
This move will enable to ensure that business growth is augmented with platform speed, security, and stability, it said.
The private cloud solution has been built and operationalised in under a year and is timed to handle long-term growth in traffic, said in a statement.
The launch follows a sustained increase in online traffic at Snapdeal and will also satiate fast growing demand for crunching big data "to build personalised and relevant experiences for consumers," it added.
"Snapdeal was born in the cloud, but public clouds stopped being cost efficient after a scale, which became the case for Snapdeal sometime last year. In a short span of 10 months, we have succeeded in building an extremely resilient, scalable and secure solution," Rajiv Mangla, Chief Technology Officer, Snapdeal said.
The cloud is built entirely on open source with OpenStack at the centre, making it among the largest OpenStack deployments of a hybrid cloud in the world.
The cloud spans three data centre regions, with a dense server architecture of 100,000 cores and 16 Peta bytes of storage.
is expecting a 40 per cent increase in its sales in the forthcoming festive season particularly in its Bravia range of televisions and has allocated Rs 150 crore as advertising spend during the August-November period to increase its sales.
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused permission to Group to export iron ore mined from Karnataka while allowing National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) to continue with the dual pricing of the minerals.
A bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said in its verdict that NMDC is free to fix the price of minerals and continue with the dual pricing.
The apex court also rejected the prayer of Group for referring the matter to the High Court for adjudication.
The company had challenged the decision by a court-appointed monitoring committee denying it the permission to export the iron ore.
The court also rejected a plea by Karnataka Iron and Steel Manufacturers' Association (KISMA) to do away with the NMDC's policy of dual pricing of the iron ore.
The bench also refused to direct the monitoring committee to fix base price for iron ore.
Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, is approaching banks and financial institutions to raise funds as a hefty deposit in the Delhi High Court for the Docomo dispute and a 67 per cent fall in profits in the financial year 2015-16 (FY16) have left it with just Rs 1,400 crore cash reserves.
The Supreme Court (SC) judgment asking for land to be returned to the original owners could likely open several cases of land acquisition carried out before 2009. But, the judgment will have no impact on land being acquired for Smart City projects, claim experts.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M on Thursday, will inaugurate 'Regional News Editors' Conference here.
Organised by the Press Information Bureau, the two-day conference will be addressed by union ministers, including Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nirmala Sitaraman and higher officials of Shipping and Highways Department.
Naidu will explain the urban development initiatives of the Union Government, including the Smart City projects and metro rail networks. Over 80 journalists from all four southern states are expected to attend the conference.
Aware of the challenges that still lie ahead before the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime could be rolled out by April 1, 2017, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his senior bureaucrats were today measured in their response when the GST Constitutional amendment Bill was ratified by Odisha -- the 16th state to do so.
With this, the government has crossed a key hurdle, as the Bill can get presidential assent only if at least half of 31 state assemblies ratify it.
The BJP, lest it is yet again painted as 'suit-boot ki sarkar', or a government of moneybags, as Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi did when he criticised the government's land Bill, was wary of extolling the virtues of the GST regime as a boon for ease of doing business. Instead, party spokespersons insisted the reform will be poor friendly since it will reduce corruption.
After Maharashtra, has now signed up for the Centre's regional connectivity scheme (RCS) that looks at improving unserved and underserved airports and runways in smaller towns. Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the state and central government at Gandhinagar on Thursday, around 11 airports and runways will be developed and made functional.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju who said that a viability gap funding (VGF) of Rs 500 crore annually is being created for the scheme. Under the scheme, airports and runways included are situated at Surat, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Keshod, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhuj, Kandla, Disa and Mahesana districts of .
India will make availability of slots for its airlines part of bilateral seat-sharing talks with other nations. Indian airlines have complained about lack of preferred slots in busy airports like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. "There is a consensus in the ministry that we need to be more vocal about our carriers," said an official in the civil aviation ministry.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) would have been the most-valued company in the country if it was listed.
On Thursday, Odisha passed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) constitutional amendment bill officially called, The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014. It became the 16th state to ratify it paving the way for presidential assent of the Bill, which is crucial for roll out of GST.
West Bengal government will issue notification for the process of returning land in Singur on Thursday and the process will be completed within the stipulated time by the Supreme Court, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.
Launch of Indian Postal Bank is going to be a game changer for banking sector and the operationalisation of its 1.5 lakh branches would give a massive fillip to the Banking & Financial system in the country. Banks need to take advantage of such rapidly changing positive growth opportunities in the country and contribute further to development of nation" said Ms. Anjuli Chib Duggal ,Secretary, Department of Financial Services Government of India .. at the 69th AGM of Indian Bank Association ( IBA) in Mumbai., .
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Speaking on the occasion she said that with so many additional Postal Bank branches on the ground and expansion of the network Bank Mitrase a significant boost would be given not only to the financial inclusion of the programmes of Government but also to the development of last mile Banking operations in the country. She said that other established Banking Institutions should take advantage of the same. .
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Ms Duggal said that Banks need to fore see technological changes and strengthen inter-institutional arrangement to take advantage of the growth and expansion opportunities being offered by the development of all the sectors. She exhorted the Banks to stream line the system of the recruitment of Bank Mitras and consider giving more functional autonomy to the Bank Branches in such matters. .
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Ms. Duggal appreciated the work done by the IBA in supporting the growth at social securities of government of India. .
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In a demonstration of Indias commitment to its ties with Mauritius and to promote maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, Indian Naval Ships Kolkata and Aditya under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh,NM have arrived today at Port Louis on a three day visit. INS Kolkata is commanded by Captain Rahul Vilas Gokhale and INS Aditya is commanded by Captain Vidyanshu Srivastava.The ships are part of the Indian Navys Western Fleet based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command and are on a two month long deployment in the Western Indian Ocean. .
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The visit would contribute to further strengthening of maritime security cooperation between Indian Navy and the Mauritius National Coast Guard towards ensuring a secure and stable regional maritime environment for unhindered economic development in the region. During the visit, professional interactions for enhancing co-operation and sharing the nuances of naval operations, including disaster management and combating maritime threats of terrorism and piracy, would be undertaken by the two forces. Calls on senior Government and military authorities, training and technical cooperation measures with NCG, sporting and cultural interactions, aimed at strengthening ties and mutual understanding between the two forces, are also planned. .
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India and Mauritius have very close and cordial political and diplomatic relations with a sizeable settlement of people of Indian origin settled in Mauritius. India and Mauritius have accorded centrality to each other in their respective foreign policies. The frequent visits by high level delegations including the Heads of State have further strengthened the bilateral relations. Both countries have ratified a wide range of bilateral agreements, with defence cooperation being a very significant component. Mauritius Coast Guard Ships Barracuda and Guardian, vessels built at GRSE Kolkata and 11 Fast Intercept Boats built at Goa Shipyard Limited are examples of Indias commitment to capability development programme of Mauritius National Coast Guard and the deep rooted bonds between the two countries. Defence cooperation is also undertaken in the fields of training, hydrography and Maritime Domain Awareness. .
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Since 2009, the Indian Navy has been deploying ships to Mauritius bi-annually to assist in patrolling the vast EEZ of the country based on request by the Government of Mauritius. The last such deployment was by the Trikand in July 2016. Such visits also reinforce the cultural and ethnic ties between the two countries and are a testimony to the joint commitment towards maritime security in the region. .
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DKS/AC
Brazil's sacked president Dilma Rousseff today branded the vote to remove her from office at an impeachment trial a "parliamentary coup" and vowed a comeback by her Workers' Party.
"They decided to interrupt the mandate of a president who had committed no crime. They have convicted an innocent person and carried out a parliamentary coup," she said.
She spoke surrounded by supporters after a majority of senators voted to remove her from office on the grounds she broke state accounting laws.
Her conservative rival Michel Temer was due to be sworn in as her replacement later today.
"Temer out!" Rousseff's supporters yelled.
The impeachment vote ended 13 years of government by the leftist Workers' Party in Latin America's biggest economy.
But senators fell short of the majority vote needed to bar Rousseff from public office.
"We will be back. We will be back to continue our course towards a in which the people are sovereign," Rousseff vowed.
Online education leader took aim on Wednesday at workplaces with a version of its platform tailored for advancing employee careers and skills.
for Business was designed to let companies, for a price, tap into courses created by universities or other educational institutions to address training needs in a fast-changing world.
The launch marked Coursera's official entry into a multibillion-dollar market for online learning at businesses.
Companies signed up with for Business at launch included L'Oreal, Boston Consulting Group and Axis Bank in India.
"Our goal is to touch 100 per cent of L'Oreal's employees every year whether they work in our corporate offices or one of our factories," said Laurent Reich, governance and digital learning director at the French cosmetics colossus.
"We love that the Coursera platform will allow us to provide a breadth of high quality programs and a learning experience that our employees can self-select into to drive their own personal development."
The online courses run a broad gamut from liberal arts and people management to artificial intelligence, big data and software development.
"You can really be trained to do something; it is not just a video giving you an insight," Coursera chief executive Rick Levin said of what the learning platform has to offer.
"Employers recognise that in today's workplace, industry-specific skills can go from relevant to obsolete within months."
More than 21 million people have registered globally for Coursera online classes, which are free. Coursera charges for education certificates, which Levin said were the second most cited credentials on career-focused social network LinkedIn.
Coursera for Business is a paid product, with companies charged per user, usually $79.
Coursera sprang from on a vision in which anyone, no matter how destitute, can expand their minds and prospects with lessons from the world's top universities.
Schools offer online versions of classes at Coursera.Org, a website launched by two Stanford University professors who told AFP at the time that they saw education as a right, not a privilege.
Coursera backers include the investment arm of the World Bank and Russian venture capitalist Yuri Milner.
Republican presidential nominee has stated clearly that there would be "no amnesty" for undocumented immigrants living in the US and would be deported if he was elected in the November 8 elections.
"For those here illegally today who are seeking legal status, they will have one route and one route only. To return home and apply for re-entry like everybody else under the rules of the new legal immigration system that I have outlined," Trump said while delivering his major speech on immigration in Arizona on Wednesday night,
"There will be no amnesty," CNN quoted the Manhattan real estate magnate as saying.
"People will know that you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalised it's not going to work that way. Those days are over," Trump said.
He did not commit to deporting every undocumented immigrant living in the US as he previously had, but vowed that immigrants living in the US illegally would never have a path to legal status under his presidency, CNN noted.
Trump also pledged to create a "deportation task force" within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division "focused on identifying and quickly removing the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens in America".
"Maybe they'll be able to deport her," Trump said, joking the task force could deport his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Just hours after meeting with the Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto earlier on Wednesday, Trump reasserted his pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and force Mexico to pay for the wall.
"Mexico will pay for the wall. 100 per cent. They don't know it yet but they're going to pay for the wall," CNN quoted Trump as saying as his supporters roared.
The wall, Trump said, will be "beautiful" and "impenetrable" and will include high-tech technologies to prevent illegal border crossings.
However, Trump and Pena Nieto did not discuss who would pay for the wall during the mogul's short visit.
"At the beginning of the conversation with I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," CNN quoted Pena Nieto as saying later in a tweet.
Trump noted that any undocumented immigrants who are caught crossing into the US will be "detained until they are removed from our country" and sent back to their country of origin.
Democratic presidential nominee has dismissed Donald Trump's trip to Mexico as a "photo op" that will do little to free him from a history of coarse rhetoric directed at the US ally.
In a speech at the American Legion's national convention in Cincinnati on Wednesday, the former Secretary of State said America's status as a global power could be imperiled by Republican presidential nominee Trump's intemperate behaviour as she cast the fall election not as one about ideology, but about who was best suited to assume the mantle of global leadership, Los Angeles Times reported.
Clinton declared that the idea that the US is an exceptional nation has been a core belief that "has guided and inspired me every step of the way."
Trump, she said, agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin when he criticised that notion as insulting to the rest of the world.
"No matter how hard it gets, no matter how great the challenge, America must lead," she said. "The question is how we lead. What kind of ideas, strategies, and tactics we bring to our leadership. American leadership means standing with our allies because our network of allies is part of what makes us exceptional."
As secretary of State, Clinton said she worked every day to build coalitions that served US interests and maintained global stability.
"You don't build a coalition by insulting our friends or acting like a loose cannon," she said. "People have to get to know that they can count on you, that you won't say one thing one day and something totally different the next. And it certainly takes more than trying to make up for a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbours for a few hours and then flying home again. That is not how it works."
Clinton vowed to be a president for all Americans, and would strive to ensure the US meets its commitment to veterans and military families.
"I will never, ever disrespect Gold Star families who've made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, or prisoners of war," she said.
She also rejected Trump's statement that the US military is a "disaster" and largely defended President Obama's record in leading a coalition to defeat Islamic State (IS).
"There's no question we face real threats and real enemies that we need to confront and defeat. But my opponent is wrong when he says America is no longer great," she said.
For years, science-fiction moviemakers have been making us fear the bad things that artificially intelligent (AI) machines might do to their human creators. But for the next decade or two, our biggest concern is more likely to be that robots will take away our jobs or bump into us on the highway.
Malaysia confirmed its first case of the on Thursday, a woman who had recently travelled to Singapore.
The virus, which has caused alarm among Malaysian health authorities, was detected in the 58-year-old woman, said Malaysia's Health Minister S Subramaniam.
She has been hospitalised, Xinhua news agency reported.
It is suspected that the woman got infected while visiting her daughter in Singapore from August 19 to 21. She began to exhibit symptoms of rash on August 28 and was tested positive on August 30, according to a press release from the ministry.
The health ministry has already started "vector control" operations to control the mosquito population in the residential area of the case and other places that the patient had visited.
Such operations include fogging and eliminating breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes, which were found to carry the in affected countries.
Subramaniam urged residents to allow vector control officers to enter their house to make such measures successful.
Gary Campkin, director of policy and strategy at TheCityUK.[Photo/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
China can play a big role in furthering the G20 Leaders Summit agenda to enhance economic growth through greater liberalization of markets, according to an expert with a London financial industry association.
While the global economy is affected by uncertainties, including Brexit, Gary Campkin, director of policy and strategy at TheCityUK, said China's increasingly open and liberal markets were providing opportunities and acting as a catalyst for world economic growth and financial innovation.
He said an open trade and investment relationship with China would be especially important to Britain after it leaves the European Union.
"We would value the continuing development of an invigorated trade and investment relationship based on openness of each other's economies," he said. "This would represent a significant contribution from China, which shares the UK's interests in ensuring the process of Brexit leads to a stable outcome for the global economy."
In addition, Camkin said his team also looked forward to China helping to make progress on G20 objectives such as global regulatory coherence, governance and transparency. He said the summit could also play an important role to reach agreement on further steps to ensure increased trade and cross-border investment to stimulate growth and job creation.
China, as the world's second-largest economy, has the capacity to lead in opening up its markets and encouraging others to do the same, he said, while ensuring that the slowdown in China's economy is moderate.
He said the significance of the Chinese economy globally was emphasized by a forthcoming report by his team, which noted "reliance on Chinese growth has increased vulnerabilities for the global economic and financial system given the mainland's deteriorating demographics, growing debt burden and economic transition".
Overall, Camkin believes the key source of a new round of prosperity is to be created by the dismantling of trade and investment barriers. More specifically, in emerging markets, reform programs will be a key area for discussion and will of course vary hugely from country to country. In developed markets, weak productivity growth is still an issue and this is something that will no doubt come under scrutiny.
Camkin said the slow down in China's growth after two decades of rapid growth was inevitable, but given China's market size as a major source of demand, its sustained growth would help the world economy to recover.
One key example is the global commodity markets' reliance on China to lead a recovery over the past year.
"China's role as a source of final demand is especially important given the continued mixed pattern of demand elsewhere in the world."
Camkin said the array of actions China has taken to liberalize its financial sector was already really helpful for the world economy, and the effects are already being felt in London.
Key examples include the opening up of China's stock exchanges to foreign investment by establishing a stock connect between Shanghai and Hong Kong, hence allowing Western investors to access China's stock market through Hong Kong.
Another example Camkin referred to is the increasing issuance of offshore renminbi bonds in London, allowing Western investors to increasingly access renminbi investment opportunities. These initiatives are especially important as the renminbi will be included in the International Monetary Fund's basket of reserve currencies in October, meaning more Western central banks and institutional investors will likely increase their holdings of yuan-denominated assets to benchmark their investment portfolio against the basket.
As strengthening financial sector governance is a key objective for the G20, Camkin said his team welcomes China's involvement in this area.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is once again showing her support for Democratic congressional candidate Colleen Deacon.
Pelosi, a California Democrat, sent an email to Deacon's campaign list Wednesday in which she urged supporters to contribute and briefly outlined why U.S. Rep. John Katko, a Republican, "has got to go."
"John Katko has almost spent two years in Congress, and I can tell you he puts the GOP establishment first," Pelosi wrote. "He is against paid family leave and he voted to defund Planned Parenthood. He won't even denounce Donald Trump.
She added, "Help Colleen defeat him."
It's the latest example of Pelosi's support for Deacon, D-Syracuse, in the 24th Congressional District race.
When Deacon was locked in a three-way primary for the Democratic nomination, Pelosi's political action committee, PAC to the Future, donated $5,000. Her campaign committee chipped in $2,000 to support Deacon's bid.
Deacon won the Democratic primary in June and is challenging Katko, R-Camillus, in the general election.
The 24th Congressional District race is a top target for Democrats. The party has won the contest in each of the past two presidential elections.
Democrats lost the seat in 2014 when Katko defeated then-U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei by nearly 20 points.
But with Deacon on the ticket this year, Democrats are confident they can beat Katko.
Deacon previously served as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's central New York regional director. Prior to that, she worked in former Syracuse Mayor Matthew Driscoll's office.
Pelosi's email was sent two days after a top Republican visited central New York to campaign for Katko.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, headlined a fundraiser for Katko in Syracuse Monday.
American lawmakers have for years been assailing companies for dodging taxes with overseas manoeuvres. But now that the European Union has done something about it by trying to wrest billions of dollars from Apple, those officials have offered a response viewed by many as rife with hypocrisy: collective outrage.
On her first visit to China as Britain's prime minister, will try to reassure Beijing that she wants to strengthen ties despite her delay on a decision over whether to approve a Chinese-backed nuclear power plant in southwestern England.
The visit marks a testing point for relations that seemed on the upswing just months ago. While the mood in Beijing is that a post-Brexit Britain needs China more than ever, such assurances may be long in coming.
May's predecessor David Cameron heralded a "golden decade" in bilateral ties, but he quit after Britain voted in June to separate from the European Union.
In a perceived slight to China, May abruptly launched a review into the Hinkley Point C power plant project that Beijing is counting on to boost its nuclear technology exports.
Chinese leaders will be looking for signs that May is "going to go ahead with it like before," an unlikely prospect given that the project is under review until this fall, said Steve Tsang, professor of contemporary Chinese studies at Britain's University of Nottingham.
"I would expect that she would really want try to use this opportunity to reassure the Chinese that Hinkley Point C doesn't mean that (Britain) does not want a good relationship with China," said Tsang.
"It's a very wide-ranging relationship; there are many different dimensions to it. It shouldn't all hang on something like Hinkley Point."
May, who will be attending this weekend's G20 summit in the eastern Chinese resort city of Hangzhou, has already dispatched an envoy to assure Beijing that she looks forward to working more closely with China in economic, trade and global affairs.
The Hinkley Point C plant, to be built by French energy giant EDF with backing from China General Nuclear Power Corp., would be Britain's first new nuclear facility in 20 years and would seek to address its future energy needs.
China's government-run nuclear industry is based on foreign technology, but has spent two decades developing its own with help from Westinghouse Electric Co., France's Areva and EDF and other partners.
A separate export initiative is based on an alliance between Westinghouse and a state-owned reactor developer.
Although the reason for the Hinkley Point C's review hasn't been revealed, critics say it's a bad financial deal for Britain.
The plant's technology is untested, and serious concerns remain about a Chinese state-owned company investing in key infrastructure that could give Beijing major political leverage in the event of a conflict.
The British government should take a tougher stance against (VW) after its emissions fraud, as well as increase the use of electric cars and reduce air pollution from transport, a parliamentary environment committee said on Thursday.
Almost a year after US regulators found that VW had cheated in diesel emissions tests, the British government has yet to decide what action to take against Europe's largest automaker, even though it faces criminal investigations in the United States, South Korea and elsewhere.
The worldwide scandal, dubbed "Dieselgate", has hurt VW's reputation and business, and already cost it billions of dollars. VW last September admitted to using a sophisticated secret software in cars to cheat on exhaust emissions tests.
The Environmental Audit Committee, whose conclusions are not binding on the government, said VW had only just started to recall cars in Britain and UK authorities have yet to decide whether to take legal action against the company.
"There's been a worrying inertia from ministers in tackling the VW scandal and they should decide whether to take legal action," Mary Creagh, chair of the committee, said in a statement.
"They should ask the Vehicle Certification Agency to carry out tests to see whether, without the cheat devices, VW Group cars in the UK would have failed emissions tests," added Creagh.
The committee's advice follows similar calls from the transport select committee in July which said the government was too slow in deciding whether VW had broken the law.
The committee also said the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles such as electric cars was too low to meet Britain's climate targets.
"We need nine per cent of all new cars to be ultra-low emission vehicles by 2020 if we're going to meet our climate change targets at the lowest cost to the public but the (government's) forecasts show it will get only around half way to this target," said Creagh.
The government should consider making changes to vehicle taxation, including company cars, to make electric vehicles more attractive. It should also incentivise carmakers to manufacture the next generation of cleaner cars in Britain, the committee said.
announced today it was withdrawing its ambassador from Brazil and freezing ties with its neighbour in response to the removal from office of president Dilma Rousseff.
The foreign ministry condemned Rousseff's being stripped of office after an impeachment trial in the Brazilian Senate as a "parliamentary coup d'etat."
"has decided to definitively withdraw its ambassador in the Federal Republic of Brazil, and to freeze political and diplomatic relations with the government that emerged from this parliamentary coup," it said in a statement.
Shares of Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular lost up to 10% on the bourses after Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries (RIL) at the company's annual general meeting today announced the launch of 4G services offering free voice calls for Jio customers and zero roaming charges across India from September 5 to December 31, 2016.
Idea Cellular dipped 10% to Rs 83.70, its lowest level since October 30, 2012 on the BSE after the report. The trading volumes on the counter jumped nearly seven-fold with a combined 48.93 million shares changed hands on the BSE and NSE.
"The launch of was much awaited and is very much welcome. Tariff plans for voice and data is going to be a game changer for telecom industry. As for Reliance, its large part of capital employed in telecom segment around Rs 1.35-lakh crore will start delivering revenues. Though, top line from telecom business will start trickling in however; big concern arises on timelines of achieving operating break-even point in context of tariff policy deployed," said Dharmesh Kant, head of retail research at Motilal Oswal Securities in a note.
Bharti Airtel slipped 9% to Rs 302 on the BSE in intra-day trade with combined 27.35 million shares changed hands on the counter on both the exchanges.
Reliance Communications lost 5.3% and hit Rs 51 levels on the BSE, with combined 5.5 million shares traded on both the stock exchanges.
Reliance Industries, too, is trading 1% lower at Rs 1,049, after hitting intra-day high of Rs 1,073 on the BSE. The S&P BSE Sensex was up 0.26% at 28,527 at 01:43 pm.
"We expect, Reliance Industries stock to remain under pressure in the near-to-medium term. Investors will closely monitor the roll out and effectiveness of Reliance Jio, in conjunction with plans by competitors to tackle new scenario," Kant of Motilal Oswal adds.
Given the development, analysts believe that data tariffs are bound to see a major correction, while the benefits from higher data volumes as well as subscriber growth will be back-ended. The existing top telcos (Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea) have already undertaken pre-emptive price cuts by offering higher data volumes for similar pricing to retain their customers, they say.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)'s move to curb algorithmic trading on stock exchanges seems to have split Dalal Street. While the large volume drivers are against the curbs, a large number of smaller brokers, the majority, are in favour of the move to slow down and introduce safeguards here. Sebi-registered investor associations, representing the smaller ones, have also welcomed the move.
Reacting to the removal of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Minister of Child Welfare and Social Sandeep Kumar, the Congress Party has described the party as 'Ali Baba and 40 chors committee' where every other minister or MLA gets removed for wrong reasons.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Wednesday, removed Kumar after receiving 'objectionable' Compact Disk (CD) against him.
"On one hand, was launched claiming to come up with new political system, to come up with clean people, but we have seen so many MLAs or ministers being removed for wrong reasons that itself shows that what a gang of MLAs or the politicians the party has. It clearly exposes the party once again," Congress Leader Shobha Oza told ANI.
The Chief Minister confirmed the decision to remove Kumar on his official Twitter account.
"Recd "objectionable" CD of minister Sandeep Kr. stands for propriety in public life. That can't be compromised. Removing him from Cabinet wid immediate effect (sic)," tweeted Kejriwal.
Kumar was the youngest minister in Kejriwal's cabinet. He was a member of the . He represents Sultan Pur Majra as a member of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of Delhi.
In October last year, the Chief Minister had sacked Asim Ahmed Khan, who was minister for food and environment. He had been caught asking for bribe.
In June, Jitender Tomar resigned as law minister after he was accused of faking his college degree. He was replaced by Kapil Mishra, who, within two months, was replaced as law minister by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
In December, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti was arrested after he surrendered in connection with the attempt to murder and domestic violence case, filed by his wife.
British Airways will resume direct flights to Iran and will operate six flights a week between London and Tehran from today onwards for the first time since October 2012.
Six return flights per week will operate between London and Tehran, before a daily service will start later this year, reports the Guardian.
The resumption of flights on Thursday follows the lifting of some sanctions against Iran in January after the international nuclear watchdog said the government had met its obligations, triggering dismantling of network of punitive measures as part of a deal with six powers in an attempt to remove bilateral relations with the West.
Last August, the British embassy in Tehran was also reopened after it was ransacked in 2011.
The first BA plane to Iran, a Boeing 777, will depart from Heathrow at 9:10 p.m. Flights were initially due to resume in July but there was a delay in establishing the route.
A BA spokesperson said: "The Iranians have been extremely helpful in setting up this important new route and have been as keen as we are for the service to start. Tehran is an important destination for British Airways and we wanted to ensure that the service we offered met the highest standards."
Earlier, Air France also resumed Paris-Tehran flights in April after an eight-year break.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The coast guard personnel seized 17.05 kilograms of ganja off Fourth Island near Rameswaram in a joint coordinated operation with customs and other security agencies yesterday.
On receiving information regarding likely transshipment of contraband off Fourth Island, coast guard station Mandapam launched a combined operation by deploying hovercraft acv h-190 along with customs officials.
A thorough rummaging of area near Fourth Island off Rameswaram resulted in seizure of 17.050 kgs of ganja contained in 8 packets buried under sand, wrapped in brown paper and covered with polythene bags.
Rummaging of the entire area was undertaken for further possibility of hiding contraband and presence of personnel or boat in the area. However, no boat or person was sighted.
The hovercraft handed over the seized contraband to the customs officials on arrival at Mandapam.
It is suspected that the contraband was smuggled from Andhra Pradesh and was intended to be ferried to Sri Lanka. However, due to the enhance security measures by various security agencies, smugglers couldn't succeed in their ulterior motives.
The Indian Coast Guard station Mandapam is in close liaison with other intelligence agencies to prevent such occurrence in future.
It may be noted that the Indian Coast Guard had earlier seized 652 kgs of ganja on June 16, 2015, near lands end at Dhanushkodi.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over the years I have written a lot about flowers and the lore attached to them, and while I have frequently done columns on fruits and vegetables, I cannot recall writing about some of the weird stories attached to them. Well, today is the day. Sure, most fruits are available at the supermarkets throughout the year. But now in September and October, they are local and they are most delicious.
They havent been artificially ripened along the way as they come from across the U.S and even across the globe. This morning, the tag on my grapefruit said it was from the Union of South Africa. How far is that? While we can have various melons throughout the year, there is nothing like the homegrown ones that I get every week at our own farmers market. Youll find tomatoes, vine-ripened ones, that taste like the tomatoes you ate as a kid. Remember, when you use locally grown garlic, you will have to use fewer cloves. Just heft the bulbs they are heavily laden with moisture, and flavor. No, there is nothing wrong with having all those imported fruits and vegetables. They serve a purpose when local produce is not available. I certainly would rather have peaches imported from Georgia rather than those that come from a can.
Over the centuries, there have been many old wives' tales about fruit; many are interesting. Here are some of the things people believed:
Water grapevines with your old dishwater and they will not become wormy.
We are going to have a large fruit crop if there is a thick coating of ice on the trees in February.
When the wind blows from the south on Christmas Day, there will be fine peaches that year.
When you plant a peach tree, put old shoes in the hole, and the tree will grow well.
Wood ashes sprinkled around fruit trees will keep the worms away.
You can secure a large watermelon crop by planting them in the sign of a "heart" and during the dark of the moon.
Rain falling into the blossoms of fruit trees will make the fruit wormy.
Rain on the Fourth of July means no grape crop.
Rain on the second day of June means a poor crop of blackberries.
Slipping on a banana peeling brings bad luck.
Snow on Christmas indicates a good fruit year.
Swallow a lemon seed and a lemon tree will grow in your stomach.
And all of these are from one page of 20 on an internet post.
Now for some real facts. The peach has a very low sugar content (a good fruit for diabetics) and is very high in vitamins A and C and minerals. Originally from China, It still grows wild there. In that culture, the peach signifies long life and immortality. In ancient China, bodies were often entombed with a bowl of peaches to preserve the body from deterioration. When the fruit arrived in Persia so many centuries ago, it flourished so well that it was eventually thought to be a native. Thus, when botanists began naming fruits, they knew that it was a prunus and since it seemed to be from Persia, it was named Prunus persica. By the way, the nectarine is not a cross between the plum and a peach. It is simply a fuzzless peach. It was named after nectar, the drink of the classical gods.
I could certainly write many columns about apples and their lore, but I think that a couple of examples will suffice for today. Today we assume that the apple was the legendary fruit that Eve ate, but the Bible doesnt specify that it was an apple. It could have been a quince, pomegranate or pear. My vote goes for a fig.
Bobbing for apples time is coming up. Originating in Ireland, young lasses assigned names to their apple and tossed it into a barrel of water. As the lads bobbed for apples, the one they bit into could represent their future bride. Do our kids still bob for apples? Or is it one of those fun things we have lost with the passing of time?
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday urged the media not to sensationalise events while emphasizing that the media serves as an effective ammunition in combating poverty, corruption and terrorism in the world.
Speaking after inaugurating the Regional Editors Conference this morning, Naidu advocated self-regulation by media houses and said that any criticism, if it is genuine would be acceptable, but while criticizing the shortcomings, it is also important to portray the positive developments as well.
Mobilizing public support for development activities by governments is possible through media, he said and termed the media as a medium between the government and the public.
He further said that he has asked the authorities of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to formulate a policy on information and communication for the Union Government, as media is an effective component in any meaningful governance.
Stating that social media has emerged as a powerful and economical media, he said, "They are the tool to convey government initiatives for the development of the nation and also to assess public reactions on policies and programmes of governments."
Naidu further said, "The vernacular print media market has witnessed nine percent growth in revenue as per the FCCI and the KPMG report. Out of this growth, total contribution of advertising revenue in 2015 was Rs. 62 billion, which was 9.5 percent higher than the financial year 2014."
Expressing his delight over the impressive growth of print media in India, he said, "The revenue from circulation of vernacular print media has also witnessed eight percent growth, I am very happy about it."
Emphasizing on the need to promote our mother tongue, Naidu said, "We should promote our mother tongue because as I told you language and culture have an interlink and we should follow tri-language formula, which has been accepted by the country as such."
The inaugural session of the Regional Editors Conference was attended by the Tamil Nadu Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur Raju, Director General of Press Information Bureau Frank Noronha and other senior officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PACL Chit Fund fraud has been in news for a long time now. With the arrest of founder of the company Nirmal Singh Bangoo and other PACL directors in January the investors saw some light of hope. But so far no action has been taken in order to refund the money of investors.
It must be noted that Supreme Court had formed LODHA Committee to sale off all properties of PACL and return back the money of the investors within six months from Feb 2nd, 2016. But as on today the committee has not started the refund. The company has duped around six crore investors in India and the refund money amounting to be around 50,000 crore. All the investors are highly disappointed with the pace at which the case has been followed.
Anil Choudhary (Former PACL Director) has been advocating the rights of the investors for a long time now. When he came to know about the fraud, he resigned and formed Parls Worker V Gharak Social Society. The society is actively voicing the concerns of the investors and organized a huge rally, the Jan Aakrosh Rally at Ram Leela Maidan.
Investors and effected citizens around the country attended the rally. He spoke in details about how PACL has diverted the funds outside India and in personal and individual accounts of friends and families to purchase 'Benami' properties. Thousands of crore is diverted in different modes for personal benefits.
"The society has been working very closely with the LODHA committee for the sale of the seized properties. We promise that within few months fund proceeding will start and all investors will be refunded there hard earned money. We will not rest in peace till all investors get their money back," said Anil Choudhary.
The majority of the investors and affected citizens are from the Middle income and the Lower middle income group. Spearheading the concerns of the investors the Parls Worker V Gharak Social Society is working persistently to help them get their dues at the earliest.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will begin his three-day official visit to India today during which he is expected to hold talks with the top Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on key issues including terrorism and deepening economic engagement.
The Egyptian President is visiting New Delhi on the invitation of his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had earlier informed that al-Sisi will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising of ministers, officials and business leaders.
During the visit, the Egyptian President' will meet Prime Minister Modi, Vice President Hamid Ansari and business leaders from India and Egypt.
India and Egypt share excellent relations marked by strong, traditional and civilizational ties that contribute towards peace and development in the world.
Both nations also have a strong economic relationship as India is Egypt's sixth largest trading partner and there is an active cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-owned petroleum companies will today hold the nation's first international conference on cooking gas in Bhubaneswar.
The two-day meeting will deliberate on the need for an LPG-enabled household and use of traditional cooking fuels. The event will focus on the need for an LPG enabled household, problems arising due to absence of cooking gas, the usage of traditional bio mass cooking fuels and their impact on both health and environment.
It is reported that the event will also have a session on the hugely successful 'Give it Up' scheme that has given birth to a silent revolution and encouraged a large part of India's affluent section to voluntary give up their LPG subsidy.
Delegates from over a dozen developing countries, such as Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, Nepal and Sri Lanka will participate in the conference.
Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the conference. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will attend the event.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015 that seeks to amend the archaic Consumer Protection Act, is expected to be passed in the next session of Parliament. This was indicated here today by Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution while inaugurating the sixth edition Massmerize 2016, FICCI's annual flagship Retail, FMCG and e-Commerce Convention.
The three decades old Consumer Protection Act is seen as an inefficient piece of legislation, out of step with the new market dynamics, multi-layered delivery chains, innovative and often misleading advertising and marketing machinery.
The new Bill that awaits Parliament's assent seeks to empower the consumers to protect their rights against unfair trade practices. It intends to close the gaps with regard to protection of consumer rights including the time taken in settling disputes, an ability to reach to the manufactures for product liability and curb misleading advertisements.
Paswan said that it was important for industry to win the trust of the consumers and weed out companies indulging in misleading advertisements which often played with the health of the consumers. The onus, he said, was on industry to deliberate on this issue with seriousness and identify factors that are inimical to industry's growth.
The minister emphasized that the protection of consumer interest and consumer satisfaction was critical for the success of any marketing strategy. In this context, he urged FICCI to institute consumer-friendly awards to recognize companies that placed consumers' first.
Krish Iyer, Chairman, FICCI Retail and Internal Trade Committee and President and CEO, Walmart India Pvt. Ltd, pointed out that reforms in the FMCG, retail and e-commerce industry were important for driving consumption and growth and in making 'Make in India' programme a success. The passage of GST Bill in Parliament and its expected roll out in April 2017 will change the way is done in India and ultimately result in higher GDP growth.
Sanjiv Puri, Chairman, FICCI FMCG Committee and COO, ITC, gave the FMCG industry perspective, indicating that the FMCG sector which today stands at close to Rs. 230,000 crore is expected to climb to Rs. 600,000 crore by the end of the decade.
He said that the food processing sector was today taxed at over 25 percent across the whole value chain and called for a much more moderate rate of tax in the GST regime. The losses in terms of revenue to the government will be compensated for by a widened tax base, he said.
Mr. D Shivakumar, Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo India, said that GST will bring about a dramatic change in the way the FMCG companies will function in future. It will enable companies to cut inventory holding cost and lead to scaled markets and distribution networks.
He stressed the need to innovate and deliver products to time-starved consumers and added that for the modern day consumer price was not the only element dictating purchase.
Harish Bhat, Member GEC, Tata Sons, said that the march of digitalization was changing the consumer profile in the country as by 2020, close to 220 million consumers will be online shoppers, a six-fold increase from now.
He added that the key consumer trends indicated that health and wellness were a major requirement of the consumers and digital connectivity was driving this demand. He suggested that industry and government come together to find innovative solutions to satisfy consumer demand.
A Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI, said that India has emerged as one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world with increasing disposable incomes, rapid industrialization and a significant shift in the demographic pattern. Among the key contributors to India's growth story have been consumer-centric sectors such as Retail, FMCG and e-Commerce.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Paralympic-bound Indian contingent left for the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro last night for next week's Summer Paralympic Games.
A total of 18 athletes, the largest-ever delegation from the country, will represent India at the prestigious quadrennial event, which is slated to be held from September 7 to 18.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took to Twitter to extend his wholehearted support for the Rio-bound Paralympians.
"The people of India will be enthusiastically cheering for our athletes representing India at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, starting 7th Sept," tweeted PM Modi.
"We all wish our contingent for the Rio 2016 Paralympics the very best. I am sure our athletes will give their best & make us proud," the Prime Minister added.
The country has now pinned high hopes on its para athletes after Indian athletes concluded their disappointing campaign at the just-concluded Rio Olympics with only two medals.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a joint operation today, the army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police apprehended two local terrorists in Pattan city of Baramullah district.
Based on specific information about the movement of suspected terrorists near Wusunkhui, Pattan, a joint team of army and the state police launched the operation in which two terrorists were intercepted early in the morning today.
The apprehended terrorists have been identified as Shaukat Ahmed Ganai, 26 years and Parvez Ah Mir 34 years, both from Andargam.
Two AK- 47 rifles, two grenade launchers and other war like stores have been recovered from these terrorists, besides Army and police uniforms, which expose the nefarious designs of the terror outfits to terrorise people in the garb of the security forces.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taking on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi Government, Congress leader Kiran Walia on Thursday said an ordinary citizen is presently hanging his head in shame courtesy the fresh controversy surrounding women and child welfare minister Sandeep Kumar, who has been sacked after an 'objectionable' CD was found against him.
Speaking with ANI, the former Delhi women and child welfare minister said that she "feels very sorry and embarrassed about the government" in Delhi.
"A person, who is a woman minister, becomes a womaniser. The person, who is supposed to protect the women's rights, respect and identity, has been playing around with women. Sandeep Kumar should know that he has closed every program run by his government which had received such good response from the people," Walia said.
"I feel very sorry and embarrassed about the government we have. An ordinary citizen is hanging his head in shame. Now, Mr. Kejriwal, who believes in democracy, should ask for referendum and ask people that should they continue in governance or not. He will know how the people feel," she added.
The Congress leader further said that Kejriwal has been in news only for the reasons where there has been some grave crime committed by his ministerial colleagues and MLAs.
"What is actually happening is the number of his Cabinet colleagues which have been reshuffled almost three times... This particular incident is so shameful for the city as well as for the country," she said.
"All that he said at Ram Lila Ground that I have tested every person whom I am going to give ticket, I am not like the good old parties, I am going to bring a change, I am the angel sent by God, and this is the 'farishta' Delhi has seen," she added.
A CD featuring Sandeep Kumar was delivered to Kejriwal's home yesterday. Half-an-hour later, he tweeted that he was sacking the minister.
According to reports, the CD shows Kumar in a 'compromising position with two women'. It also had 11 photographs.
"Recd "objectionable" CD of minister Sandeep Kr. AAP stands for propriety in public life. That can't be compromised. Removing him from Cabinet wid immediate effect (sic)," tweeted Kejriwal.
Meanwhile, the AAP claimed that it had set high standards of probity in public life by taking quick action against Kumar.
"AAP is a party of ideals. AAP has a zero tolerance policy towards corruption, scandals," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said.
"Ministers found taking bribes were removed immediately as soon as it was found. Action will be taken swiftly against any member irrespective of status or position," he told the media.
Elected from Sultanpur Majra, 34-year-old Kumar was the youngest minister in Kejriwal's Cabinet after the AAP was voted to power in February 2015. He had won the rural constituency with a margin of 64,439 votes.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A special one-day sitting of the Odisha Legislative Assembly will be held today to ratify the 122nd Constitutional Amendment Bill on the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would be moving a resolution for a discussion on the bill in which all members would participate.
15 states have already ratified the constitutional amendment bill. With Odisha passing the bill in its legislature, this will touch the magic number of 16, which is required to turn the bill into a law.
As per reports, state finance minister Pradeep Amat has said that Odisha should be compensated for the loss of revenue that will be incurred because of the introduction of the GST.
The state has claimed over Rs. 2,755 crores owards CST compensation for the loss on account of the phase-wise abolition of the tax.
Meanwhile, Patnaik yesterday wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that at least 60 percent of the proceeds of the cess on coal be shared with coal-bearing states through an appropriate mechanism.
The Constitution 122nd Constitutional Amendment Bill was passed by the Parliament on August 8, marking a historic step for tax reforms which Prime Minister Modi said was 'crucial' for ending tax Terrorism besides reducing corruption and black money while making the consumer 'king'.
The government has set a deadline of April 2017 for the GST rollout.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the new executive director of the Cayuga Economic Development Agency and Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those who dont know me and provide some additional background to those of you who do.
I moved to Auburn three years ago to take the job as CEDAs economic development technical specialist. The idea of growing a young organization with such an important role in the community was exciting and motivating. A year prior, I had received master's degrees in both economics and international relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. During my studies, I worked part-time at the Syracuse Center of Excellence and continued to work there until moving to Auburn.
Ahead of interviewing for the position at CEDA, I started to do some research. I began to see the wonderful things going on in Cayuga County. I read articles about private developers investing in downtown Auburn, which seemed like a miracle considering the struggles of so many upstate downtowns. I read about all of the great things to do, including wineries, hiking, festivals, theater and recreation on the lakes, and realized Cayuga County seemed like a wonderful place to call home.
A friend brought me to Auburn a few days ahead of my interview to help me learn my way around. Just one evening in Auburn and I was sold. I wanted the job more than ever, and getting it became a necessity. To be honest, it seemed like a longshot when I applied, but my education, familiarity with parts of central New York and analytical side helped prove my qualifications and value. A few weeks later I started working, and only two weeks after that I moved here.
I fell in love with Cayuga County immediately, in no small part due to the instant comradery and support of my coworkers, the CEDA board and numerous community members. This love has grown over time as Ive seen the kindness and enthusiasm that so many people here possess. Ive tried to take in as much as I can of what the county has to offer. Ive participated on boards and committees, bought a house, married a local and have now stepped into a leadership role of two of the myriad organizations that are instrumental in making this community such a great place to be. But it cant stop here.
CEDA and the chamber have seen great success in recent years. CEDA has made significant progress in bringing economic development programs and resources under one roof in order to streamline access for businesses and entrepreneurs. In doing so, many great projects have been assisted, from expansions of existing businesses to the startup and attraction of new businesses. Take a look at our projects on CEDAs website to see some of the businesses with which our team has worked.
The chamber continues to gain new members, as well as develop and host many successful events that have provided networking, learning and sponsorship opportunities for its members and the community.
Moving forward, its critical to not only continue these efforts, but to take advantage of the momentum our past successes have created. There are many things I dream of accomplishing with and for these organizations. However, one of the most important tasks to tackle is improving communication with stakeholders and the community at large about what we are doing and the things we've accomplished. Our increased social media presence (visit CEDA on Facebook and Twitter, and the chamber on Facebook and Twitter) has started the ball rolling. These outlets allow us to share information about what we and our partners are doing, community news and helpful resources for local businesses. Soon, we will launch a CEDA blog to provide another opportunity to share what's happening in greater detail.
On the chamber side, we are exploring new ways to provide greater value to members and the community. For instance, we are partnering with The Citizen to publish a Community Guide & Member Directory for the first time in many years. This guide will be a resource for businesses, residents and visitors alike. We've also been receiving an increasing number of inquiries from people who have recently moved to the area, and we envision this guide being a valuable tool for them. Watch for it this October!
These are just a few examples of what's new and upcoming, so please do keep an eye on our websites and social media for new events and resources. My first two months in this position have flown by, and I'm looking forward to what the future holds for CEDA and the chamber. Hopefully you are, too.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have finally agreed to re-open the Friendship Gate at the Chaman border on Thursday after a long tussle that started on August 18.
Frontier Corps Spokesman Khan Wasay said the two countries have agreed to reopen the gate on September 1, reports the Dawn.
He said that Pakistani and Afghan border officials met at the Friendship Gate and after successful negotiations agreed to reopen the border.
The closure of the Pak-Afghan border resulted in suspended NATO supplies and cross-border trade between Islamabad and Kabul after Afghan protesters attacked the gate and burnt the Pakistani flag.
Four meetings were already held between the two countries without any results.
However, during yesterday's flag meeting, Afghan authorities admitted that there was no justification for the unprovoked protest and claimed that some elements had played a negative role to foment differences between the two countries.
The two sides agreed to improve cooperation and coordination between border guards in order to avoid untoward incidents in the future.
Every day between 10,000 and 15,000 Pakistani and Afghan traders cross into Chaman and Vesh Mandi for business in the border towns.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Commenting on the recent letter written by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the United Nations regarding the Kashmir issue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said these letters won't change the reality that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
"Pakistan can write as many letters as they want to the UN. It won't change the ground situation that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Also the ground reality is that part of Jammu and Kashmir is under illegal occupation of Pakistan," MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media here.
Reiterating India's stand on Pakistan's involvement in the internal situation in the Valley, Swarup said Islamabad has no locus standi in commenting on that.
"We are very perfectly capable of dealing with that," he added.
Talking about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Swarup said it passes through the Indian territory under illegal occupation of Pakistan, so naturally New Delhi would be concerned.
Speaking on human rights violations while indicating Balochistan, Swarup said India would always express its concern.
"What is blatant is cross border terrorism. The capture of terrorist Bahadur Ali is a live example of interference of the country's internal affairs. That is what the real interference is and this is what Pakistan needs to stop," he added.
In yet another attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Sharif has written to Ban-ki-Moon for the second time in a month to intervene by sending a fact-finding team to probe the alleged human rights violations in the Valley.
Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakariya said that Sharif sent the letter to Ban Ki-Moon apprising him of the deteriorating situation in Kashmir.
He said Sharif sent the letter in response to UN Secretary General's call for making efforts to avoid further violence in Kashmir.
The letter called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Balochistan and PoK as unwarranted and in complete contravention of the UN charter.
It said the remarks were aimed at diverting the world attention from the ongoing atrocities in the Kashmir Valley.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress Vice-President will hold a public meeting on Thursday in Jagdishpur in his parliamentary constituency Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Gandhi will be staying at the Munshigunj Guest House in Amethi and is scheduled to attend several political and non-political functions. He will chair a meeting of party leaders at Munshiganj.
Gandhi tweeted on his official account, "Will be in Amethi from 31st Aug-2nd Sept. Looking forward to meeting everyone!"
During the visit to Amethi, he is expected to rake up the issue of multiple development projects which have been stalled by the BJP-led NDA regime at the Centre.
According to reports, these developmental projects were introduced during the former UPA regime.
The Congress vice-president will also launch a month-long "mahayatra" in Uttar Pradesh covering 39 districts from September 6, the party announced on Monday.
Congress General Secretary and state in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad had said the yatra would start from Rudrapur in the state's Deoria district and would culminate in Delhi.
Gandhi's visit to his parliamentary constituency assumes significance as Uttar Pradesh goes to polls next year.
Asserting that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's fight is an ideological one, the grand old party on Thursday said the former has always stood by his comment on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and will continue to do so.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the fight is against the destructive forces, who want to polarize India based on their own vision of religion which is neither correct nor appropriate.
"Rahul Gandhi has always stood by his comment on RSS, be it in the past or be it today, and he will in the future. This is an ideological fight that the Congress Party, people of this country has fought for decades together that Rahul Gandhi continues to champion," he told the media here.
Surjewala said the Congress' ideology has strengthened by this "bold and courageous" decision of Gandhi.
"To those who seek to divide this country based on caste, religion or region, we will like to remind them that when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, the government of India and the home ministry then headed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel proceeded to ban the RSS," he added.
Gandhi earlier today withdrew his appeal from the Supreme Court for quashing of the defamation case against him by the RSS over his remarks that the Nagpur-based outfit was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
Meanwhile, the top court refused to grant the Congress vice-president exemption from personal appearance before the lower court in the defamation case.
The RSS, the ideological mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), filed a defamation case against Gandhi for his speech at a rally in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, in 2014.
The Congress vice-president had alleged that RSS members had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948. He was reported as saying, "RSS people killed Gandhi ji. They opposed Sardar Patel and Gandhi ji."
The Congress leader moved the Supreme Court in May 2015 seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea for quashing the defamation case.
On July 19, the apex court told the Congress vice-president to express regret for his comments holding the RSS responsible for Gandhi's assassination or be ready to face a defamation trial.
On July 19, the apex court remarked against Gandhi for indulging in 'collective denunciation' against an organisation and said it's wrong.
It said the Rahul Gandhi might have to face the trial to prove his defence that his statement was an assertion of a historical fact.
Gandhi's counsel Kapil Sibal told the court that he was within his right to free speech. They have maintained that the complaint is motivated and malafide and should be quashed.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra Government to file the latest status report regarding investigation so far on the anticipatory bail plea of World Billiards champion Michael Ferreira and four others, who are facing charges of money laundering in the multi-crore QNet case.
The next hearing in the matter will take place on September 14.
Besides Ferreira, the others whose anticipatory bail plea were rejected were Malcom Desai, Vanka Srinivas, Maganlal Balaji, all directors of M/s Vihaan Direct Selling (India) Pvt. Ltd, and Suresh Themiri, director of Transview Enterprises.
They are facing charges under Sections 420 (mischief), 468 (forgery), 471 (using forged document knowing it is not genuine) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Justice Mridula Bhatkar of the Bombay High Court, who took on record the statement of public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat that investigations were still on, had in May rejected their anticipatory bail pleas.
Ferreira had started the operations of QNet, a multi-level marketing company, in India via his firm Vihaan Enteprises. The QNet cheating case began with a complaint by Gurpreet Singh Anand, who raised his voice after losing Rs. 30,000.
According to the police, the money involved has crossed Rs. 1,000 crores in the alleged scam with more than five lakh investors allegedly losing their money in the case against QNet which is being probed by the Economic Offences Wing.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
French submarine manufacturer DCNS on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court of the State of New South Wales' (Australia) confirming the preliminary decision it had rendered August 29 against 'The Australian'.
The Australian newspaper, which has already withdrawn all leaked data of India's Scorpene submarine from its website after the first decision, will now provide DCNS with all the documents in its possession and is prohibited from publishing any additional document, claimed a DCNS statement released on its website.
In parallel to this action, DCNS has filed a complaint against unknown persons for breach of trust, receiving the proceeds of an offence and aiding and abetting before the Paris Public Prosecutor.
Reacting to the leak, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said, "We have to be more careful so that such leaks do not take place, there are so many party involved in it. Every party, every stake holder, has to play its role and prevent such leaks."
Last week, a report in the Australian media revealed that sensitive information related to India's Scorpene submarines has been leaked, with French shipbuilder DCNS, which designed the submarine, facing a leak of documents spreading over 22,000 pages.
According to The Australian, the leak details the entire secret combat capability of the six Scorpene-class submarines that French shipbuilder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy.
As per reports, the leak includes details of the submarine's underwater sensors, above-water sensors, combat management system, torpedo launch system and specifications, communications system and navigation systems.
The Indian Navy has said the source of the leak appears to be from overseas and not in India.
"The available information is being examined at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy), and an analysis is being carried out by the concerned specialists," the Indian Navy said in a statement.
"It appears that the source of leak is from overseas and not in India," the statement added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Demanding that the women's commission should probe the "sex CD" row involving expelled minister for Women and Child Welfare Sandeep Kumar, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday taunted her successor Arvind Kejriwal for claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a "justice-loving party".
Dikshit demanded that the women's commission should intervene into the matter, as Kumar was the third minister whom the Delhi Government relieved for allegedly being involved in a controversy.
Congress' Uttar Pradesh chief ministerial candidate Dikshit said there is a set procedure that every party follows before taking action against a wrongdoer. However, Kejriwal, like always, flouted those norms and took a decision in flinch.
"Kejriwal took action against him. Whatsoever the reason is, he (Kejriwal) knows everything. First of all, his selection has been of this sort; and he (Sandeep Kumar) is the third minister from his party who got involved in a controversy," Dikshit said.
"Whatever is the punishment, action must be taken. There is women's commission, let them decide," she added.
"He took an action, which is something to be appreciated. But, saying that other parties do not take any action against wrongdoers is unfair, as there is a proper procedure that needs to be followed," she added.
She further said, "Their (AAP) procedure is of two minutes, but comparing and saying that 'I am the best and others are not', according to me, is wrong. Such procedures are not advisable in politics or in public life."
Dikshit alleged, "There are 20-21 MLAs from his party, who have been involved in one thing or the other. It is your own selection as other parties think before selecting, and you think after the selection."
AAP sacked Sandeep Kumar yesterday for featuring in a CD, which allegedly shows him in a compromising position with two women. On Thursday, he denied that he was the person featuring in the controversial video, saying he was bearing the brunt for being a Dalit and poor.
Demanding an investigation into the matter, Kumar dubbed the CD episode as "hoax", while alleging that it was a conspiracy against him.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress women wing on Thursday protested outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, over former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Sandeep Kumar's sex tape scandal.
All India Mahila Congress chief Shobha Oza said Kejriwal tries to misguide people whenever his party people are exposed.
"Arvind Kejriwal tries to save his party people till they are exposed. Out of six ministers, three are accused of corruption or sex scandal," she said
Congress leader Sharmistha Mukherjee said, "I think Kejriwal is suffering from semantic dementia.We want to know what kind of action they (AAP) are talking. We demand proper investigation against all the ministers against whom there are allegations."
Former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Barkha Shukla Singh said Kejriwal sacked Sandeep Kumar to control the damage he made.
"He (Kejriwal) knew it for about 15 days. Now when the CD reached the media, to control the damage he sacked Sandeep Kumar. It is a corrupt government. And we demand that this government must be removed.
"It's all false, Kejriwal is a big liar himself. He is not going to do anything against Sandeep Kumar," she added.
A day after Sandeep Kumar was sacked over an alleged sex scandal, chief minister Kejriwal released a video message, saying he was hurt as Sandeep Kumar had betrayed the Aam Admi Party movement.
"On a personal level, I am very hurt. I can understand how every volunteer who has made sacrifices for this (Aam Aadmi Party) movement must be feeling. Some have left their jobs, some people's shops were shut because of this movement....Sandeep has betrayed the entire movement by engaging in such act," said Kejriwal.
Kumar was removed as Delhi's women and child welfare minister on Wednesday over a video purportedly showing the 35-year-old in a compromising position with two women.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who today inaugurated the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Gwadar, showered praise on Beijing for supporting and contributing towards development in the area.
"I am grateful to China who is very-very close friend of Pakistan. They are also helping in development of Gwadar and other areas of Pakistan. We are doing joint projects in infrastructure and other sectors," the Dawn quoted Sharif as saying.
He further said Gwadar has the potential to become a class seaport.
"Of course Gwadar is located at a place, which is not only important for Pakistan but also for the region. Gwadar is also one of central points in the CPEC. The CPEC has its impacts not only on Balochistan but the rest of the country. It used to be one of the most backward regions and city of Pakistan but now it is going to be one of the most prosperous cities of Pakistan" he added.
He said that Gwadar is now not only being linked to Balochistan but to rest of the country, adding that he could foresee traffic flowing freely between China and Gwadar.
The CPEC project has, however, drawn a lot of criticism as earlier media reports have highlighted the manner in which it was being constructed against the will of the local population in Balochistan, leading to the heavy presence of Pakistani military and police apparatus in the area.
The Pakistani Army has also been alleged of forceful evacuation of people from their traditional homesteads and farmlands in several areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan so as to make the land available for the CPEC.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States has said it recognises that the Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups operating inside Pakistan and those along the Pak-Afghanistan border are a continued security threat.
"We all recognize that the continued security threat that is posed by the Haqqani Network and by other terrorist groups that operate inside Pakistan and along that border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," US State Department spokesperson John Kirby said at Tuesday's press briefing.
US State Secretary John Kerry, who is presently visiting India, also agreed on coming down heavily on such terrorist organisations.
Kerry earlier on Tuesday said terrorism cannot be differentiated irrespective of where it comes from.
Kerry also said that Pakistan in recent months has taken strong actions against the Haqqani Network.
After meeting Kerry, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said that the US Secretary agreed with India's view that no nation should maintain double standards, such as the categorization of good and bad terrorists nor must they act as sanctuaries and safe havens for terrorist organizations.
She said that the two nations also reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminal networks, including Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
She added that Secretary Kerry also agreed on the need for Pakistan to do more to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot terror attacks to justice quickly.
But when Kirby was asked why Pentagon did not agree with State Department's views about the Pakistani action against the Haqqani Network as last month Defence Secretary Ash Carter refused to certify that Pakistan had done enough to counter the terrorist network which led to the suspension of USD 300 million of US military aid to Pakistan, Kirby said, "we make these decisions routinely and they're based on active, fluid, dynamic conversations that we have with Pakistani leaders."
During the briefing, Kirby also agreed with Kerry's earlier remarks that the resumption of trilateral dialogue with India and Afghanistan was the way forward and added that details for the same need to be worked out.
"Those discussions are important and they are going to continue," said Kirby.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AUBURN An Auburn teen has admitted his involvement in burglarizing several homes and attacking and kidnapping a 73-year-old woman in Cayuga County.
Jermaine Gotham, of 53 Parker St., pleaded guilty Thursday to six felonies in three separate incidents. The 16-year-old said he illegally entered homes in Aurelius and Auburn last December to steal property.
In one of the cases, which occurred Dec. 30, 2015, Gotham explained that he and his co-defendant Maurice James broke into a house on Aurelius Avenue and encountered a woman inside. James then struck the victim in the head with a glass bottle and threatened her with deadly force.
Gotham pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary, second-degree robbery and second-degree kidnapping in the incident. Both the burglary and kidnapping charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years each while the robbery has a maximum of 15 years in prison.
The defendant also admitted to burglarizing two homes on Dec. 27 one on Mullen Drive, the other on Wheeler Street and attempting to break into a home on Spring Street Dec. 29. He was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and second-degree attempted burglary in those cases.
Judge Thomas Leone has agreed to the district attorney's offer of "no worse than eight years in prison." He also will consider youthful offender treatment at sentencing on Nov. 10.
Gotham is currently being held at the Monroe County Jail. The teen filed a lawsuit against the Cayuga County Jail after allegedly being held in solitary confinement.
Also in court:
A Rochester woman was sentenced Thursday for bringing razor blades and synthetic drugs to her husband at Auburn Correctional Facility.
Latonya Ward-Summers, of 115 Mohawk St., pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree promoting prison contraband in June. At the time, the 39-year-old admitted to smuggling in 18 razor blades and more than 30 grams of synthetic marijuana in January.
"This is something we've seen before," Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said. "An inmate at the facility marries someone outside the facility and convinces them to commit rather serious felonies."
Ward-Summers faced a maximum of seven years in prison on the charges, however, Leone decided to sentence her to five years probation and 100 hours of community service.
"There probably should have been some jail time here," Leone said. "But I truly believe you are remorseful and that you will leave this man and take care of your kids."
Ward-Summers' probation will be transferred to Monroe County where she is to complete her 100 hours of community service in the next six months.
An Auburn woman will likely spend six months in jail and five years on probation for illegally possessing a loaded gun.
Reisha Overstreet, 22, was originally charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for carrying a loaded gun in her bag in July. But Thursday the district attorney's office allowed Overstreet to plead to third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a non-violent felony.
"The co-defendant in this case threatened (Overstreet), so she carried a loaded gun for him in her purse," Budelmann said.
Overstreet, of 26 Franklin St. Apt. 1, could face a maximum of seven years in prison for the charge. She was remanded to Cayuga County Jail until her sentencing Nov. 3.
A Syracuse man has pleaded not guilty to illegally possessing a weapon.
Isiah Neeley, of 1522 W. Colvin St., was charged Apr. 29 with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
According to Budelmann, his office has offered to allow the 26-year-old to plead to a reduced charged in exchange for two to four years in prison. A second-felony offender, Neeley could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
He is due back in court Nov. 3.
It was a special day for the visitors at DLF Promenade when renowned actor Sushant Singh Rajput visited the Tissot Shop-in-Shopat Kapoor Watch Company on Thursday. On this occasion, he was presented with the classic Tissot Le LocleRegulateur watch.
Expressing his thoughts, Sushant Singh Rajput said, "Tissot is one of the most aspirational brands for many people, including me. So when I was offered the opportunity to represent Tissot here, I was thrilled. I always wanted to own a Tissot and this Tissot Le LocleRegulator makes it even more special. I was told the fascinating story behind it, which makes me feel likeI am wearing both a piece of art and history."
Referencing Tissot's rich watch making heritage, while looking resolutely forwards, the Tissot Le LocleRegulateur is a member of the popular Le Locle family of watches, named after Tissot's home in the Swiss Jura Mountains.
Thoughtful design ticks, including the watch's big hand, which indicates the minutes, nod to the original Regulateur, a clock used in workshops in the eighteenth and nineteenth century as reference to check the accuracy of pocket watches.
At that time, watches were not as accurate as they are today. They varied in terms of minutes rather than seconds, which is why the minute was the most accurate quantification. This piece reflects that by placing the small counter, which indicates the seconds, at the bottom of the dial, while the hour counter is at the top.
Priced at Rs. 50,700, the distinct style of the Tissot Le LocleRegulateur means it is sure to appeal to watch lovers. It's time to add elegance to the everyday.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid sharp criticism from the opposition over the controversy surrounding former minister Sandeep Kumar with regard to an 'objectionable' CD, PWD Minister Satyendra Jain on Thursday came to the defence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said the ruling party cannot take guarantee and promise that everyone will not be at fault.
"There are about 120 crore people in India. We select our party candidates very carefully despite that Arvind Kejriwal had said that he cannot take the guarantee of anyone. He also said that action would be initiated against those who indulge in wrongdoings and he has proved the same," Jain told ANI here.
"As soon as he came to know about the incident, he took action within 30 minutes and sacked him.The time we got the CD that very moment we took action. We are not like BJP," he added while asserting that the does not indulge in hypocrisy.
A CD featuring Kumar was delivered to Kejriwal's home yesterday. Half-an-hour later, he tweeted that he was sacking the minister.
According to reports, the CD shows Kumar in a 'compromising position with two women'. It also had 11 photographs.
"Recd "objectionable" CD of minister Sandeep Kr. stands for propriety in public life. That can't be compromised. Removing him from Cabinet wid immediate effect (sic)," tweeted Kejriwal.
However, the AAP claimed that it had set high standards of probity in public life by taking quick action against Kumar.
"Ministers found taking bribes were removed immediately as soon as it was found. Action will be taken swiftly against any member irrespective of status or position," he told the media.
Elected from Sultanpur Majra, 34-year-old Kumar was the youngest minister in Kejriwal's Cabinet after the AAP was voted to power in February 2015. He had won the rural constituency with a margin of 64,439 votes.
(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.)
Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Ziad Haider will today visit Mumbai to discuss strong Intellectual Property (IP) protection as a key element of the U.S.-India economic relationship.
Haider is scheduled to meet with the Motion Picture Association of America-India and the Film and Television Producers Guild of India and visit Yash Raj Films studio to discuss shared interests and additional measures needed to protect both our countries' dynamic film industries. He will discuss patent protection at a meeting with representatives from the Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India.
He will also meet with members of the U.S.-India Importers' Council to discuss the increasing opportunities in India for U.S. products and services, as well as with key U.S. investors in India.
His visit to Mumbai follows on his participation earlier this week in the second Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (S&CD) in New Delhi.
A key theme in the S&CD's commercial track discussions was forging a partnership on innovation and entrepreneurship that, in turn, relies on strong IP protections.
Notably, a Statement of Intent was signed by NITI Aayog ( Institution for Transforming India) CEO Amitabh Kant and U.S. Ambassador to India Richard Verma that designated India as the co-host for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in 2017.
GES 2017 will be a key theme of discussion during the Mumbai visit.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not on a political witch-hunt, party leader Shaina N C on Thursday said the fact that the Justice S N Dhingra Committee has presented a 182-page report is testimony to the fact that there "was tremendous evidence" against a particular individual (Robert Vadra) "who was in collusion with the then Haryana Government."
Speaking to ANI, Shaina said, "This is a judicial inquiry, the presentation of which has been given to Mr Khattar and I am sure he will bring it in the public domain at the appropriate time."
The comments from the BJP comes a day after the one-man Justice S N Dhingra commission, set up by the BJP government in May last year, asked to probe controversial land deals in Haryana, including the land deals of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law submitted its report to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Noting that the constitution of Dhingra Commission was a 'mere cog' in the wheel of malicious witch-hunt propagated by Khattar-led Haryana government, the Congress Party on Wednesday attempted to defend and accused the BJP of indulging in mudslinging without an iota of evidence.
"The naked prejudice in the very constitution of Dhingra commission is apparent from one simple fact, various state governments have given a license for 33,697 acres of land including over 11,000 acres of land in Gurgaon. Out of this Dhingra commission was asked to enquire only 16 cases of commercial licenses totalling a merely 63.40 acres only because Sky Light hospitality belonging to Mr Vadra had a license for a small 2.7 acre in the same," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
"There is till date not a whisper of any foul play and any wrongdoing, any violation of law, policy, rules or regulation in grant of license to Sky Light hospitality own by Mr Vadra," he added.
The Congress spokesperson pointed out that the license for this 2.7 acre of land given to Sky Light has not been renewed by the Haryana Government.
"Even the transfer of license from Sky Light to DLF has not granted permission till today by government of Haryana.. Khattar government Mr Manohar Lal Khattar has granted license under the same policy to numerous people both in the year 2015 and 2016 by this logic, shouldn't the commission of enquiry be constituted against Khattar and the BJP government?" he asked.
Surjewala alleged that Justice Dhingra has 'compromised' his position as an independent arbiter by accepting favours from the present BJP government of Haryana.
"Justice S N Dhingra commission is a still born commission irrespective of what is written in the report. Justice Dhingra has asked for favours from the present BJP government of Haryana for Gopal Singh charitable trust headed by him and getting a road worth crore of rupees out of public funds in contravention of norms for construction of road sanction from Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar," said Surjewala.
"Why should a judge who is examining licensing and policy of licensing in Gurgaon and state of Haryana accept a gift of land for the trust he is heading free of cost from any person?" he asked.
The commission was asked to probe the grant of licenses to Vadra's company and other firms for developing commercial properties in Gurgaon's Sector 83 and some other prime areas.
It was mandated to probe their subsequent transfer or disposal, allegations of private enrichment, ineligibility of beneficiaries under the rules, and other connected matters.
Vadra had termed the inquiry commission as a "political witch-hunt" launched against him by the BJP government in Haryana.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved various measures to revive the construction sector which has been undergoing stress.
Under the proposal put forward by NITI Aayog and approved by the CCEA. Government agencies would pay 75% of the arbitral award amount to an escrow account against margin free bank guarantee, in those cases where the award is challenged.
The escrow account can be used to repay bank loans or to meet commitments in ongoing projects. This is a major step which will allow recovery of loans by banks and allow construction companies to speed up execution of ongoing projects.
It will also increase the ability of construction companies to bid for new contracts and the resulting competition will be beneficial in containing the costs of public works. This measure will provide a stimulus to the construction industry and to employment.
Government Departments and PSUs have also been instructed to transfer cases under arbitration to the amended Arbitration Act which has an expedited procedure, with the consent of the contractors. In the long run, other measures are also under consideration, including changes to bid documents and model contracts, and increased use of conciliation. NITI will also examine the idea of creating "claim take out funds" financed by private sector investors, while the Department of Financial Services will examine a suitable scheme for addressing stressed bank loans in the construction sector.
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India needs an additional 2.4 million nurses to meet the growing demand
The demand for trained nurses is expected to increase in the coming years, buoyed by the rising demand for tertiary and quaternary care in the country, highlights FICCI - EY report titled Nursing reforms: Paradigm shift for a bright future, released today at FICCI flagship annual healthcare conference - FICCI HEAL 2016.
India ranks 75th amongst 133 developing countries with regards to the number of nurses, with only 0.7 doctors and 1.7 nurses available per thousand people. The country needs an additional 2.4 million nurses to meet the growing demand. Despite being a major supplier of the health workforce, the health care industry in India is suffering a wide gap.
The report notes that the nursing sector in India continues to experience challenges in terms of availability, distribution and retention, with the lack of a rewarding career progression, individual welfare, and income parity being cited as key reasons, amongst others. Additionally, alternative careers with better pay-outs and less stressful work environments and opportunities to migrate overseas tend to better attract nurses. Vineet Chhatwal, Partner, EY India says, Nurses have a direct influence and role in determining the quality of care that is rendered to a patient. We need to make a concerted effort to ensure that this capability is recognized and rewarded in order to attract and retain qualified nursing professionals. A special emphasis has to be given to their continuous training and development for them to be able to leverage investments in initiatives such as digital health.
A crucial segment of human resources in the health sector, there needs to be a focus on improving the participation of these professionals in the policy and decision making process, and special emphasis placed on their training and development in line with evolving technologies in healthcare. This will ensure a build-up of well qualified and skilled talent pool to meet the rising demand of nurses in the country.
There is an urgent need for nursing transformation at the national and state levels in both the government and private sectors that can change the practice of nurses, expand current nursing roles while continuing to create new ones, and open up opportunities for nurses to participate in shaping the future health care delivery system. The report carves out 30 key suggestions to strengthen the nursing sector, which primarily deal with policy reforms, human resource development, strengthening the nursing practice, and education.
The report also highlights the need to revise the nursing curriculum - still governed by the Indian Nursing Act framed in 1947 and revised in 1948 - to make it relevant to the current health care industry requirements. Additionally, there exists a manpower skew and uneven opportunity of nursing studies across the country, with almost 52% of the nursing institutions concentrated in the south.
Nursing education needs to advance itself so that it remains competitive and relevant for the current technological environment, and rising customer centricity. This will also include opportunities for higher and specialized education, continuing nursing education and research and development, notes the report. Weblink
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HCC rose 14.36% to Rs 31.45 at 9:24 IST on BSE after the company announced that the Union Cabinet's latest decision requiring the government agencies to pay 75% of arbitral awards will result in HCC's debt being reduced by half.
The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 30.36 points, or 0.11%, to 28,482.53.
On BSE, so far 41.69 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with average daily volume of 10.54 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 32.60 and a low of Rs 29.20 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 29.20 on 21 October 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 16.60 on 12 February 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past 30 days till 31 August 2016, rising 24.15% compared with 1.68% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 46.67% as against Sensex's 5.99% rise.
The small-cap company has equity capital of Rs 77.92 crore. Face value per share is Re 1.
HCC announced that the Cabinet decision that requires Government agencies to pay 75% of arbitral awards will result in HCC's debt being reduced by half. HCC has arbitration awards for over Rs 3200 crore and with the cabinet decision, the company will get 75% of this amount immediately. Similarly, claims worth around Rs 5000 crore are in arbitration process. The cabinet decision will further help HCC to secure these awards within a duration of 12 months.
HCC's Chairman and Managing Director said that the company is pleased with the Cabinet's decision on payment of arbitration awards to infrastructure companies. HCC will immediately be able to reduce its debt by almost half as a result and within 12 to 24 months, materially reduce it even further. With this, HCC will be able to participate in country's infrastructure development in a much bigger way.
HCC has a standalone debt of Rs 4900 crore. The Cabinet decision will help the company to substantially reduce this amount, the company added.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) yesterday, 31 August 2016, approved a series of initiatives to revive the construction sector. As per the new initiatives, CCEA allowed contractors to move to the new speedier arbitration process, approved release of 75% of the amount in dispute against margin free bank guarantee and provided for a conciliation board comprising of independent subject experts in order to ensure speedy disposal of pending or new cases.
Net profit of HCC rose 17.5% to Rs 10.88 crore on 1.7% rise in net sales to Rs 899.32 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.
HCC is into infrastructure development in transportation, power and water segments. HCC is developing a planned hill city named Lavasa near Pune in Maharashtra.
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Info Rama Synthetics (India) lost 15.04% to Rs 33.05 at 15:15 IST on BSE, after the company reported net loss of Rs 16.56 crore in Q1 June 2016 as compared to net profit of Rs 5.86 crore in Q1 June 2015.
The Q1 result was announced after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016.
Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 3.06 points, or 0.01%, to 28,449.11
On BSE, so far 3.60 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 74,514 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 37 and a low of Rs 32.50 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 42.35 on 25 August 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 24.45 on 17 February 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past 30 days till 31 August 2016, rising 11.14% compared with Sensex's 1.68% rise. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 29.45% as against Sensex's 5.99% rise.
The company has an equity capital of Rs 151.82 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.
Indo Rama Synthetics (India)'s total income rose 2.44% to Rs 664.87 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015.
Indo Rama Synthetics (India)'s operational earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) dropped 87.86% to Rs 3.95 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The sales volume increased 6.81% to 84,470 tons in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. Increase in price of cotton since April 2016 bodes well for the polyester industry, Indo Rama Synthetics (India) said.
Meanwhile, the board of directors of Indo Rama Synthetics (India) approved the scheme of amalgamation of Indo Rama Renewables (100% wholly owned subsidiary company) and its two 100% step-down subsidiary companies, i.e., Indo Rama Renewables Porbandar and Indo Rama Renewables Ramgarh with Indo Rama Synthetics (India).
Indo Rama Synthetics (India) is India's largest dedicated polyester manufacturer with an integrated manufacturing complex in Butibori near Nagpur in Maharashtra, with production capacity of 6.10 lakh tons per annum of polyester staple fiber, filament yarn, draw texturized yarn, fully drawn yarn and textile grade chips.
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On 31 August 2016
Shree Ajit Pulp and Paper announced that an incident of fire has occurred in one of Company's godowns situated at plot no. 92/93 Near Morai Railway Crossing Village Morai Via-Vapi-396191, approximately around 2.40 PM on 31 August 2016.
Fortunately, there was no injury or loss to human life. The Company is in process of ascertaining the actual loss caused by the fire and have already informed to the Insurance Company and other concerned department for the same.
Further the Company inform that the factory premises where production is carried on is not at all affected because it is located at premises away from the godown where the fire took place.
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In a bid to deepen Indo-Swedish defence and aerospace cooperation, the Government of India has urged Swedish companies to forge large scale partnerships with Indian manufacturers and reap the 'early bird' advantages from the amended defence procurement rules. The policy gives priority to indigenously designed, developed and manufactured defence equipment.
Mr. Sanjay Garg, Joint Secretary (DIP), Ministry of Defence, Government of India, the policy focus was not just on pure manufacturing. He said that the Government of India, on its part, in the last two years has approved 85% of the capital acquisition proposals under the new category called Buy Indian - Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) and Buy and Make (I). He said that the time was ripe for Swedish companies to find the right partner from the Indian defence manufacturing industry.
Ms.
Josa Karre, Charge' d'Affaires, Embassy of Sweden, in her remarks, pointed out that both Sweden and India have a strong industry base and India had now become an attractive place for investors, adding that We have the expertise and know-how in the defence and aerospace sector to support your success.
Ambassador Anders Bengtcen, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden, said that there was tremendous scope for collaboration between Swedish and Indian companies in aviation, maritime security and combat training and simulation for army personnel. Swedish companies are here for a long haul and this was possible because of the trust and reliability that they enjoy, he added.
Mr. Jayant D Patil, Chairman, FICCI Defence & Aerospace Committee and Senior Vice President and Member of the Board, L&T Heavy Engineering & L&T Shipbuilding; Mr. Sudhakar Gande, Vice Chairman, AXISCADES Aerospace & Technologies and Chairman, FICCI Taskforce on Aerospace and Dr. A Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI, shared their perspectives on Indo-Swedish cooperation in defence and aerospace sectors, stating that the policy framework had been streamlined and was extremely supportive of building strong partnerships between Swedish and Indian companies.
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City
John C. Ventura, 36, 30 Washington St. Apt. 2, Auburn, was picked up Aug. 29 on a bench warrant.
Darren L. Swann, 43, 10 Palm Dr., Auburn, was charged Aug. 29 with petit larceny.
Justin T. Gervais, 20, 110 Janet St., Auburn, was charged Aug. 29 with petit larceny.
James B. Yon, Jr., 47, 33 Chase St., Auburn, was charged Aug. 29 with resisting arrest, third-degree escape, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating a vehicle with a suspended registration.
Arthur O. Boberg, 47, 10 Cross St. Apt. Up, Auburn, was charged Aug. 30 with two counts of first-degree criminal contempt and endangering the welfare of a child.
Brad H. Talbot, 55, homeless, Auburn, was charged Aug. 30 with third-degree robbery, fourth-degree grand larceny, second-degree burglary and fourth-degree criminal mischief.
Misti R. Whitfield, 22, 5 Church St. Apt. 1, Auburn, was charged Aug. 30 with second-degree criminal contempt.
Frederick Tillman, 50, 37 Orchard St., Auburn, was charged Aug. 31 with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Shawn D. Ford, 43, 122 Washington St., Auburn, was charged Aug. 31 with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
County
Corddereal M. Tompkins, 28. Auburn, was charged Aug. 17 with petit larceny.
Kevin S. Devine, 53, Union Springs, was charged Aug. 18 with driving while intoxicated.
Derek A. Beckwith, 26, Moravia, was picked up on a warrant Aug. 22 and charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
Garrett L. Partin, 19, Auburn, was charged Aug. 24 with third-degree assault and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation.
Christina M. Zobel, 25, Ira, was charged Aug. 26 with fourth-degree criminal mischief.
Timmy M. Blaisdell, 39, Auburn, was charged Aug. 27 with fourth-degree criminal mischief.
Sheldon L. Clawson, 22, Locke, was charged Aug. 23 with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Josh A. Hare, 43, Ira, was charged Aug. 27 with third-degree menacing.
Jeffery M. Blaisdell, 36, Auburn, was picked up on a warrant Aug. 27 and charged with fourth-degree stalking, first-degree criminal contempt and second-degree criminal contempt.
Tata Power Company after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that the company operating through its Strategic Engineering Division (SED), has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Javelin Joint Venture team, a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, to explore co-development and production of the Javelin anti-armour missile system. As part of the LOI, the Javelin Joint Venture (JVV) and Tata Power Company SED will create a strategy to co-develop and produce Javelin missile system and integrate platform mounts to meet Indian requirements. This includes ground combat vehicles, dismounted infantry and rotorcraft applications, Tata Power Company said.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that lending rates based on marginal cost of funds to be effective from today, 1 September 2016. The bank's Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR) for overnight loans will be 9.10%, for one month will be 9.15% and for three months will be 9.25%. The MCLR on 6-month loans will be 9.30% and for one-year loans the rate would be 9.35%, the bank said. MCLR for three-year loans would be at 9.50% and loans with five-year maturity would carry an MCLR of 9.65%, the bank said.
Oriental Bank of Commerce after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that it intends to raise Tier 1 capital through private placement of Basel III compliant additional tier 1 bonds of Rs 10 lakh each at par aggregating to Rs 250 crore with an option to retain oversubscription of upto Rs 750 crore. The proposed bonds issue has been rated as 'A+ with Stable Outlook' by India Ratings and 'A+ (Hyb.) with negative outlook' by ICRA.
Thermax after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that it has invested Rs 6 crores in First Energy (FE). Further the company has increased its shareholding in FE from 33% to 54.67% making it a subsidiary of the company. FE is an alternative energy solutions company in which Thermax had acquired 33% stake in July 2015.
HCC after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that the Cabinet decision that requires Government agencies to pay 75% of arbitral awards will result in HCC's debt being reduced by half. HCC has arbitration awards for over Rs 3,200 crore and with the today's cabinet decision, the company will get 75 per cent of this amount immediately. Similarly, claims worth around Rs 5,000 crore are in arbitration process. Today's cabinet decision will further help HCC to secure these awards within a duration of 12 months.
HCC's Chairman and Managing Director said that the company is pleased with the Cabinet's decision on payment of arbitration awards to infrastructure companies. HCC will immediately be able to reduce its debt by almost half as a result and within 12 to 24 months, materially reduce it even further. With this, HCC will be able to participate in country's infrastructure development in a much bigger way.
HCC has a standalone debt of Rs 4900 crore. The Cabinet decision will help the company to substantially reduce this amount, the company added.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) yesterday, 31 August 2016, approved a series of initiatives to revive the construction sector. As per the new initiatives, CCEA allowed contractors to move to the new speedier arbitration process, approved release of 75% of the amount in dispute against margin free bank guarantee and provided for a conciliation board comprising of independent subject experts in order to ensure speedy disposal of pending or new cases.
C & C Constructions after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that it has won a project worth Rs 73.61 crore from Power Grid Corporation of India. The order is for transmission line package associated with Northern Region Strengthening Scheme XXXV. Duration for completion of project is 12 months from the date of contract. With this order, the company has an order book of approximately Rs 151 crore in transmission sector.
Union Bank of India after market hours yesterday, 31 August 2016, announced that it has concluded Basel III compliant additional tier I (AT1) bonds of face value Rs 10 lakh each at par aggregating to Rs 1,000 crore on private placement basis bearing 9.50% per annum coupon payable annually. The AT1 Bonds are rated 'IND AA'/ Stable by India Ratings and Research Private Limited ("India Ratings") and 'CARE AA' by Credit Analysis & Research ("CARE"). The bonds are issued with call option, which shall be discretionary, may or may not be exercised on the tenth anniversary from the deemed date of allotment i.e. the tenth coupon payment date or any coupon payment date thereafter. The pay-in date is scheduled on 15 September 2016.
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At least two persons were killed in a car bombing in Afghanistan's Logar province on Thursday, media reported.
A clash between militants and security forces ensued around 5.00 a.m. after the bomb struck near the Governor's Office and a police station in the provincial capital Pul-e-Alam, Xinhua news agency reported.
"One militant detonated the car bomb, killing two security force members while a second group of gunmen seized a building and began a clash with the security forces," a police said.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.
--IANS
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Confirming that 21 Chinese nationals were stricken with the Zika virus in Singapore, China on Thursday issued an alert against travelling to the island nation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced here that they were informed about the situation by the Singapore Health Ministry, EFE news reported.
"The Singapore Health Ministry informed us that 21 Chinese citizens have been infected by the Zika virus, and so the Foreign Ministry has issued a travel alert and urges people to take precautions against this infectious disease," Hua said.
The authorities in Singapore on Thursday confirmed the first case of Zika in a pregnant woman, while the number of infections since the weekend has risen to 115, according to local media reports.
Several countries, including the US, Australia, South Korea and China, have issued travel alerts against travel to Singapore since the outbreak was first detected on Saturday.
Zika is transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti and causes symptoms similar to dengue. It can also spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus resulting in microcephaly, severe brain malformations, and other birth defects.
--IANS
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As many as 27 have been murdered in India in direct retaliation for their work since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect (CPJ), a non-profit organisation based in New York.
The CPJ's latest report, 'Dangerous pursuit: In India, who cover corruption may pay with their lives', tells the stories of Jagendra Singh in Uttar Pradesh, Umesh Rajput in Chhattisgarh and Akshay Singh in Madhya Pradesh.
"The challenges faced by India's press are highlighted by the cases of Jagendra Singh, Umesh Rajput, and Akshay Singh. Corruption was the impetus for all three journalists' final reports and in all three cases, there have been no convictions," Sumit Galhotra, CPJ's Asia Program senior research associate, wrote in the report.
Freelancer Jagendra Singh, who died after being set on fire allegedly by the police in June 2015, was investigating allegations that a local minister was involved in land grabs and a rape. Before he was shot dead in January 2011, Umesh Rajput was investigating allegations of medical negligence and claims that the son of a politician was involved illegal gambling. Investigative reporter Akshay Singh was working on a story linked to the US $1 billion Vyapam admissions scandal -- tests for professional jobs run by the Madhya Pradesh government -- "when he died unexpectedly in July 2015".
Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir are the most dangerous areas to report from (statistics do not put Chhattisgarh in the top three), given their "volatile" institutional structures and "complex" civil societies, the report said.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global advocacy, called India "Asia's deadliest country for media personnel, ahead of both Pakistan and Afghanistan", IndiaSpend reported in April 2016.
The CPJ report also shows how small-town journalists face greater risks than those from larger cities, and how India's culture of impunity is leaving the country's media vulnerable to threats and attacks. "They rarely get support from their employers if they are targeted," Sujata Madhok, general secretary of the Delhi Union of Journalists, told CPJ. "The gulf between journalists working in rural or remote areas and those working in big cities is huge".
"The language a reporter writes in and, most importantly, what they are writing about -- especially if it challenges the powerful -- increase the vulnerability," P. Sainath, co-founder of People's Archive of Rural India, wrote in the report.
"While rural and small-town journalists often have to cover multiple beats, those included in CPJ's list focused mainly on corruption, crime, and politics: three beats often closely intertwined," the report said. "This hasn't changed too much in the past three decades, but it has become worse with the retreat of the mainstream media from covering rural India in any depth."
Police are responsible for the first stages in any investigation, Geeta Sheshu, consulting editor of The Hoot, a media watchdog, told CPJ. "A faulty first information report, not applying the appropriate sections of the law, not clearly recording witness statements or protecting vulnerable witnesses, and not following up on preliminary investigations can be damaging."
The CPJ has made various recommendations to the central government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the death of Akshay Singh and Umesh Rajput, the Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh state governments and the Indian media. These include:
Provide sufficient resources and political support to improve the capacity of authorities to conduct timely investigations and trials relating to crimes against journalists, including freelancers, bloggers, and those who publish news on social media;
Immediately transfer the investigation into the 2015 death of Jagendra Singh in Uttar Pradesh from state police to the CBI;
and employers should establish clear mechanisms for staff and freelancers to report threats, harassment, or attacks, and offer appropriate support.
(1.09.2016 - In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org)
The Turkish Defence Ministry on Thursday said 820 military personnel were dismissed as part of an ongoing probe into the July 15 coup attempt, media reported.
The ministry said 648 of those dismissed were under arrest, Xinhua news agency reported.
Thousands of high-ranking military personnel, including around 200 generals, were suspended earlier under the state of emergency, declared following the failed coup attempt.
About 590 Colonels retired last week from the army in line with decisions taken at Turkey's Supreme Military Council, reports said.
On August 17, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said 40,029 persons were detained and 20,355 remanded in custody, including police officers, soldiers, judiciary members, local administrators and civilians.
--IANS
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The ringleader of a network that helped young Australian men fight for Islamic extremists in the Middle East was sentenced to a maximum of eight years in prison on Thursday.
Hamdi Alqudsi, the first person charged under federal foreign incursion and recruitment laws over the brutal Syrian conflict, will be eligible for release in 2022, after serving a non-parole period of six years, Xinhua news agency reported.
In her sentencing remarks in the New South Wales Supreme Court, Justice Christine Adamson said Alqudsi "took upon himself the role of commander," and noted there was evidence he had helped several more men than those included in his indictment.
The 42-year-old disability pensioner from Sydney's south-west was found guilty earlier this year by a jury of seven counts of providing services with the intention of supporting hostile acts in Syria between June and October 2013.
Justice Adamson accepted the analogy that Alqudsi was the "hub" of the wheel and said his "most important role" was linking the men with Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a prolific jihadi recruiter who would become known as one of Australia's most senior members of the Islamic State.
Australian authorities have conducted 16 counter-terror operations since 2014, arresting 44 alleged home-grown terrorists.
--IANS
sm/ksk/vt
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Australian researchers have found what are believed to be the world's oldest fossils, and along with them, signs that diverse life forms lived on Earth up to 3.7 billion years ago.
The fossils were discovered in Greenland, and the Australian National University's (ANU) co-lead investigator, Associate Professor Vickie Bennett, said the breakthrough would not only give scientists a greater understanding of the history of the Earth, but remarkably could also help researchers in the hunt for life on Mars, Xinhua news agency reported.
"This discovery turns the study of planetary habitability on its head," Bennett said on Thursday.
"For the first time we have rocks that we know record the conditions and environments that sustained early life. Our research will provide new insights into chemical cycles and rock-water-microbe interactions on a young planet."
Colleague Allen Nutman from the University of Wollongong said the fossils, known as stromatolite fossils, were found in Greenland's icecap, and "predated" the world's previous oldest fossils found in Western Australia by up to 220 million years.
"This indicates that as long as 3.7 billion years ago microbial life was already diverse. This diversity shows that life emerged within the first few hundred million years of Earth's existence, which is in keeping with biologists' calculations showing the great antiquity of life's genetic code," Nutman said.
Meanwhile, Martin Van Kranendonk from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) said the fossil discovery points to strong evidence that life thrived on Earth extremely early in its history and development.
"This discovery represents a new benchmark for the oldest preserved evidence of life on Earth. It points to a rapid emergence of life on Earth and supports the search for life in similarly ancient rocks on Mars," Van Kranendonk said.
--IANS
ksk
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UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo on Thursday.
The Secretary General, who is on his second official visit to the country since the end of the civil war in 2009, was recieved by Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Harsha de Silva on Wednesday night, EFE news reported.
He is expected to meet with President Maithripala Sirisena, Northern Province Governor Reginald Cooray and opposition Tamil National Alliance members, according to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The eighth secretary general will raise the issue of post-conflict reconciliation as well as an investigation into war crimes to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed during the 25-year war in which more than 300,000 persons were killed, as cited by the UN Regional Information Center for Western Europe (UNRIC).
In 2011, Ban Ki-moon convened an investigation committee into war crimes.
The visit of the UN head here sparked protests countrywide with nationalist groups calling for the UN to respect national sovereignty and with Sinhalese groups demanding justice for ongoing discrimination and abuse.
Ban Ki-moon will depart after three days on September 2 to attend the upcoming G20 Summit in China's city of Hangzhou.
Police have filed a case against students and doctors at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) after friends of an injured student clashed with doctors, a police officer said on Thursday.
The violence broke out between attendants of a patient and doctors at the BHU on Wednesday night, leaving many injured. The incident occurred after friends of an injured student alleged that doctors didn't attend to him.
They resorted to stone pelting and ransacked official property even as police was called in. It took the officers more than three hours to contain the mob.
As soon as news of the doctors-students clash spread, students staying in hostels too pitched in. Outnumbered, the doctors beat a hasty retreat. Heavy police reinforcements were sent to the spot.
An official told IANS that by Thursday morning the situation was brought under control and a case was registered against students and some doctors.
--IANS
md/in/mr
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British Airways will resume direct flights from London to Tehran starting from Thursday night after a gap of four years, the UK flag carrier has announced.
A British Airways (BA) Boeing 777 will take off at about 8.00 p.m. from London's Heathrow Airport bound for Tehran heralding six BA flights per week to the Iranian capital, the airlines said.
The relationship between Britain and Iran has improved in recent years, following the lifting of sanctions on Iran earlier this year and the reopening of the British embassy in Tehran in 2015, EFE news reported.
British Airways, which first started flights to Iran in 1946, terminated its thrice-weekly flights to Iran in October 2012, a year after the British embassy closed.
Diplomatic relations between London and Tehran were suspended after the embassy was attacked by protestors following sanctions imposed on Iran regarding its nuclear programme.
The embassy was reopened in 2015 to mark the nuclear deal reached then between Iran and the P5+1 major powers which comprised the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany.
--IANS
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AUBURN Leave the weed cutting on lakes to the professionals, was one common theme at Thursday morning's Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency meeting.
Invasive species have proved to be particularly difficult to manage this year, and in areas such as Cayuga Lake and Skaneateles Lake, agencies have found property owners with good intentions trying to help, but potentially making things worse.
A resident on Skaneateles Lake attached old bed springs to the bottom of his boat in an effort to weed whack the invasive watermilfoil cropping up on the lake, said Kathleen Gorr of the Skaneateles Lake Association. Cutting does not kill watermilfoil, however, but rather creates multiple new plants that continue to grow. Since weeds were left in the water, the milfoil spread, she said.
Doug Kierst, executive director of the Cayuga County Soil and Water District, said he's heard of some residents purchasing lake weed cutting blades to clear out some of the weeds. He said that could potentially be adding to the increase in floating weeds on Cayuga Lake that the district harvested this season.
"There were just a ton of complaints about floating weeds, and we're not sure where they're coming from," he said.
Kierst said the district has finished its cutting on Cayuga Lake, and has since moved to Little Sodus Bay in Fair Haven. He expects mowing the bay to finish up this week, as funds are running out.
While he has not seen any of the invasive water chestnut on the bay so far, Michele Wunderlich, associate planner for the county's Department of Planning and Economic Development said that plant choked out much of the Howland's Island area in the Montezuma Wildlife Management Complex.
"You can actually see it (water chestnut) on Google maps," Wunderlich told the agency members.
Water chestnut springs from a nut and forms a rosette that blooms out flat on top of the water. Even in shallow water, it can grow sideways. Wunderlich said as she was reeling the weeds in at Howland's Island, they just kept coming, forming a huge ball until someone cut the roots.
Hilary Mosher, coordinator for the Finger Lakes-Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management at the Finger Lakes Institute, said though the harvesting season is over, they will be working on a potential management plan for water chestnut in Howland's Island next year.
"It's really thick in there," she said. "It's an annual. We really removed next year's population, but that said, there is still a lot there."
The British public supports the ban on Islamic veils being worn in public, while half say the burkini -- full body swimsuit -- should also be banned from Britains beaches, a poll has found.
Research by YouGov found a huge proportion of the British public had no qualms about telling women what to wear, with 57 per cent in favour of a ban and just 25 per cent against, The Independent reported.
People belonging to the age group 18-24 was the only group to oppose a ban -- all others were in favour, with the oldest 65 and above group backing the prohibition by a startling 78 per cent to 12.
All major political parties also had a plurality of voters in favour of a ban.
UK Independent Party (UKIP) leadership candidate Lisa Duffy has called for a ban on the Islamic veil; Nigel Farage also issued a similar call on 2010 but the party has spoken little on the issue in recent years.
The polling comes amid controversy over the banning of burkini -- modest swimwear on beaches in a number of French municipalities. A video emerged last week of armed French police forcing a woman to undress after she was spotted wearing the burkini.
The British government said last week it would not introduce its own ban on burkini, saying it "sees no need" to dictate how people dress.
"The government sees no need for measures restricting what people can wear in public places," Russia Today quoted an official of the Government Equalities Office as saying.
"We support the rights of individuals in keeping with Britain's tradition of freedom and fairness," the official added.
A separate question asked by YouGov found that 46 per cent of people wanted to ban the burkini, while just 30 per cent opposed such a measure. The French ban has been declared illegal by the country's courts.
A number of European countries have legislated to ban or restrict things associated with the Islamic faith. In 2009 the Swiss public voted in a referendum to ban the construction of Islamic mosques with minarets.
France has also banned full face coverings in 2010, on security grounds, a ban that also includes the burka. France also separately bans headscarves that do not cover a person's face in public schools, on secularist ground. The French prime minister Manuel Valls said he wanted the ban extended to universities.
Other countries such as Belgium and parts of Switzerland and Russia have also banned clothing worn by some Muslim women.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Expressing support for the ongoing talks between the Myanmar government and the country's ethnic minorities aimed at charting out a peace process following decades of armed conflict, China on Thursday assured it would play a constructive role in the peace process.
At a press conference, Beijing Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "The Chinese side adopts an amicable policy towards Myanmar. The Chinese side will continue to consolidate its traditional friendship, enhance mutually-beneficial cooperation with Myanmar, and support Myanmar's efforts in maintaining stability, promoting development, and improving people's livelihood."
Authorities and ethnic groups in Myanmar kicked off a historic meet on Wednesday with 1,800 participants including representatives from the government, army, guerrilla groups and international observers, EFE news reported.
Some 18 guerrilla groups are taking part in the five-day talks, which will exclude discussion on the Rohingya Muslim minority, whose members are not recognised as Myanmar citizens but as Bangladeshi immigrants.
The meet is the result of an initiative by de facto Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is at the forefront of the country's first democratic government following decades of military dictatorship.
"If all those who play a part ... in the peace process cultivate the wisdom to reconcile differing views for the good of the people ... we will surely be able to build the democratic federal union of our dreams," said Suu Kyi in her opening remarks, EFE news cited Jakarta Globe.
Greater autonomy is the main demand of nearly all ethnic minorities in the country, including the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kokang, Kayah, Mon, Rakain and the Shan communities, who together represent over 30 per cent of the country's population.
The Kokang, in particular, are of Chinese origin and live in a strategic China-Myanmar border area, which has sometimes led to their conflict with the Myanmar army spillover onto Chinese soil.
Suu Kyi had visited China two weeks ago to meet its leaders and to seek, among other things, support for the Myanmar peace talks, in which Beijing special envoy Sun Guoxiang is also taking part.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defending party Vice President Rahul Gandhi on his comments on the RSS, the Congress said on Thursday this was an "ideological battle" for him and the party stood by its leader.
"This is a fight of principle and ideology. Both Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party will continue to fight this ideological battle," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
"On March 6, 2014, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had said in a public speech in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, that 'RSS people had killed Mahatma Gandhi'," Surjewala added.
Gandhi's lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court that the Congress Vice President stood by what he had said about the RSS and the 1948 assassination of the Mahatma.
Rahul Gandhi withdrew a petition before the apex court that had sought quashing of the defamation proceeding in a Maharashtra trial court.
"There were misconceptions being raised by people of BJP and RSS in the public domain. On clear, specific and unequivocal instructions of Rahul Gandhi, his counsel Kapil Sibal, told the apex court that Rahul Gandhi stands by his statement on murder of Mahatma Gandhi," said Surjewala.
"Rahul Gandhi had said it earlier and will repeat his statement in future as he believes that this is the truth of this nation, a historical truth that cannot be denied," he added.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told the Supreme Court that he stood by his remarks blaming the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and said he was ready to face a trial for alleged defamation of the ideological parent of the ruling BJP.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defending party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on his comments on the RSS, the Congress said on Thursday this was a "battle of principles" for him that would eventually decide "who is a true Hindu".
"We believe this is not a battle of courts, this battle will decide who is a true Hindu. RSS will have to give a statement with regard to this because a true Hindu could never have killed Mahatma Gandhiji," said Congress leader Kapil Sibal, briefing reporters.
"We want to ask them (RSS) whether Nathu Ram Godse was a true Hindu? Can they say that any Hindu could not have killed Gandhiji? Can they say because of this Godse was not a Hindu? So, the battle lies here. Who is a true Hindu? The fight is against divisive agenda, against identity politics, against caste-based and religion-based .
"We believe that Hinduism is a way of life. It is fight for humanity. We want to prove that we stand by humanity. It is a political battle. RSS is doing this because they want to make it a political agenda before the Uttar Pradesh elections," said Sibal, who is also the lawyer in the case for Rahul Gandhi.
Gandhi's lawyer Sibal told the Supreme Court that the Congress Vice President stood by what he had said about the RSS and the 1948 assassination of the Mahatma.
Rahul Gandhi withdrew a petition before the apex court that had sought quashing of the defamation proceeding in a Maharashtra trial court.
"We took the decision to withdraw the petition before the apex court because Rahul Gandhi stands by his statement and it is true," said Sibal.
"RSS today in the court demanded a statement from us that Rahul Gandhi should say that RSS has not killed Mahatma Gandhi and RSS is not culpable. Then we said, we'll not back off from our position. We'll not give any more statement. And we are ready to face the trial," he added.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told the Supreme Court that he stood by his remarks blaming the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and said he was ready to face a trial for alleged defamation of the ideological parent of the ruling BJP.
"This is a fight of principle and ideology. Both Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party will continue to fight this battle," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
"On March 6, 2014, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi had said in a public speech in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, that 'RSS people had killed Mahatma Gandhi'," Surjewala added.
"There were misconceptions being raised by people of BJP and RSS in the public domain. On clear, specific and unequivocal instructions of Rahul Gandhi, his counsel Kapil Sibal, told the apex court that Rahul Gandhi stands by his statement on murder of Mahatma Gandhi," said Surjewala.
"Rahul Gandhi had said it earlier and will repeat his statement in future as he believes that this is the truth of this nation, a historical truth that cannot be denied," he added.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday said that the Budhadeb Bhattacharya-led CPI-M government had not acquired the Singur land in West Bengal for any "personal gain", and that it had never opposed returning the same to farmers after the proposed Tata Nano car project could not come up on it.
Reacting to the Supreme Court's order of Wednesday, wherein the apex court quashed the decision of the CPI-M government in 2006 to acquire 1,000 acres of land in Singur for allotting it to a private company, Senior party leader Nilotpal Basu said that the land acquisition was done in "good faith".
"We did it keeping in mind that employment was required. We did not do it for any personal gain," Basu told IANS.
On whether the CPI-M has any regret on acquisition of the land, Nilotpal Basu said that there was none as it was done to strengthen the economy of the state and to generate employment for people there.
"Why do we regret? To sustain the economy you have to have industry," he said, adding that ever since it became clear that there would be no industry on the acquired land, the party had never opposed the idea of giving it back to whom it belonged.
"In 2011 when Trinamool Congress government was formed in West Bengal, we told them that they could return the land if they so desired," he said.
Asked if the land acquisition cost CPI-M its government, Basu said: "I don't think so," and added that there were various reasons for it.
"Over 80 percent people of the state supported the acquisition," he said.
He also criticized the BJP-led NDA government, saying it was not fulfilling its promises made before elections in 2014.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of Pakistani labourers working in Saudi Arabia fear arrest and hardship as they continue to work in the country with unpaid salaries and expired work permits, a report said on Thursday.
"We rush back to our quarters immediately after work," one worker told Dawn online in a telephone interview, adding "We are too scared of the police to step outside."
At least 100 workers were thrust into uncertainty after their employer, the United Seemac Co., a construction company, allegedly failed to pay their salaries for several months.
Following the company's repeated promises of "releasing payments soon", the workers made a difficult decision earlier this year: they took their grievances to a labour court.
However, with the legal battle still in limbo, the expatriates with little money and borrowed time were quickly losing hope, Dawn online reported.
"The company has a total of 500 employees of different nationalities, and all are in a similar situation. The trend of not paying salaries is new," Dawn online quoted another worker as saying, adding that he has not faced salary delays before.
Many of the workers hold expired iqamas, the residence permits issued to expatriates who arrive in Saudi Arabia on an employment visa.
Blaming the company for the expired permits, another staffer Basit Sheikh said: "The company has not paid the fee employers are required to submit for iqama renewal."
Sheikh said he was recently arrested and jailed for seven days for not having a valid residence permit, Dawn online noted.
In July, Pakistan's Foreign Office took notice of the situation when another construction firm failed to pay 500 Pakistanis their dues.
Non-payment of salaries also affects 8,000 individuals at the Saad Group of Companies, Dawn online said.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Choreographer turned director Farah Khan, who has choreographed some iconic songs in the showbiz, now plans to open a choreography course.
Farah Khan has joined hands with Shashi Ranjan's ITA (Indian Television Academy) School of Performing Arts to design first of its kind choreography course in India.
"For years people have asked me why don't you open a dance class but that was never my interest. I had zero interest in just another dance class. Many people had opened dance class and they have done a fabulous job but I had no interest in it," Farah Khan said at an event here.
"When I was approached for this (choreography course) they wanted to open dance class of next level and I was thrilled. Next year I will complete 25 years in this industry so I thought this is the ideal time."
The course will be first of its kind with the syllabus and workshops designed by herself.
"We have sat down and formed 12 weeks' course which will literally teach you how to edit a song, how to use costumes, lenses, camera to going on the location to figuring out how to choreograph song. So from practical knowledge to theory, everything will be covered," she said.
The choreography course will also see many guest lectures sharing their views and opinion.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Freddy Daruwala, who essayed a negative role in "Holiday - A Soldier Is Never Off Duty" and is shooting for "Commando 2", is currently in the US taking physiotherapy treatment.
Freddy injured his lower back during an action scene shoot here last month.
He continued shooting and managed to complete the shoot for a week taking temporary painkillers and then he flew off to the US on August 14 for physiotherapy treatment.
He said he is doing well now.
"I'm all good now, and will return India in this week. I always make sure no work should suffer in any condition, when I am there, it's my duty to complete the tasks on time," Freddy said in a statement.
Freddy has completed shoot for two films and he will be seen next in the Sophie Chaudhary music video album as well. Freddy sent a small AV to Sophie as a part of the album launch two days back.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Green Tribunal issued notice to the Maharashtra government and the Centre over the proposed memorial to Chhatrapati Shivaji on the Arabian Sea, seeking clarifications on the environmental and coastal regulation zone clearances for the project, an activist said here on Thursday.
The notice issued by the Pune bench of the NGT came in an environmental interest litigation (EIL) filed by Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS) President Damodar Tandel and marine conservationst Pradip Patade through lawyer Asim Sarode.
The notice issued by Justice Jawad Rahim and Expert Member Ajay Deshpande of the NGT Pune bench to the Maharashtra government, the Centre, various other government and semi-government bodies is returnable on September 30.
"There are multiple issues involving this huge project. Chhatrapati Shivaji himself was against misuse of public funds and one of his royal edicts was for protection of environment," Tandel told media persons on Thursday.
Advocate Sarode explained that one of the major issues was not conducting a public hearing on the proposed grand memorial which points at manipulations in acquiring the environment and CRZ clearances of February 2015, besides securing no-objection certificates from various government or government-supported agencies.
"The thoughts and teachings of Chhatrapati Shivaji are of public interest and national importance. There cannot be any public interest served in the 'statue memorial' symbolic of the state government's 'monumental' work," Sarode pointed out.
The lawyer-activist said that the waiver from public hearing process on the project is ab initio illegal and demanded that the environment and CRZ clearances granted should be kept in abeyance.
"When there is something which can impact the environment, in all such cases public hearing is a part of the process which implies precautionery measures," he declared.
According to present plans, the grand memorial to the founder of the Maratha Empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji, including a 190-metre tall statue, will come up on a 16-hectare islet in the Arabian Sea, around 3.5 km in the sea off Marine Drive in south Mumbai. It is estimated to cost around Rs 1,400 crore.
After the project is executed, the islet will be exposed even during the high tides, block the flow of the sea waters, change the waves and currents patterns and the shorelines, the petitioners contended.
This could have direct impact on the natural marine flora and fauna and aquatic life, fish and other creatures in the area and affect the livelihood of the fisherfolk here.
The project would result in huge pollution in the area as around 10,000 people will visit it daily and provisions of food courts and toilets will be made for them, besides the pollutants from the boats which will transport visitors from Nariman Point and Gateway Of India to the memorial.
An underwater pipeline to supply around 11 mld drinking water to the memorial site would be required, adding to the woes of Mumbaikars already battling water shortages, Sarode added.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An installation by India Design Forum (IDF) will be representing India in the inaugural edition of the London Design Biennale.
The first London Design Biennale will open at Somerset House in London with over 30 countries and territories participating. It will be held from September 7-27.
London Design Biennale will open gates to exhibit different installations curated by the leading museums and design organisations in the world.
The Indian Design Forum's installation for the London Design Biennale, titled "Chakraview" captures India's design landscape at present, expanding on the multiple heritages - spiritual, cultural and ideological, read a statement.
Nations have to present newly commissioned works that explore the theme Utopia by design.
The installation is curated by Rajshree Pathy (Founder of IDF).
For Pathy, "mythological stories are a foundation for utopia because they represent how ancient communities tried to reach a perfect ideal".
"We hope the audience will pause for a while in wonderment at the abundance of India, the myriad emotions that are conveyed through this work and then be startled and perhaps leave with a bit of the soul of India in their hearts forever," Pathy said.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Frank J. Nicchi, president of the New York Chiropractic College will retire Aug. 31, 2017 after serving as president for 17 years, and working at the college for 36 years.
Nicchi was instrumental in the college's evolution, adding several master's degree programs including those in acupuncture, acupuncture and Asian medicine, applied clinical nutrition, human anatomy and physiology instruction, clinical anatomy and diagnostic imaging. He also helped to add a Bachelor of Professional Studies in life sciences.
"Dr. Nicchi will be greatly missed, but we know that he has left the College perfectly positioned for the transition and for an extraordinary future," said Thomas R. De Vita, chair of the Board of Trustees for the college in a press release Wednesday.
Besides the increase in academic offerings, Nicchi said he is proud of the college's integration with clinical opportunities through affiliations with the Veterans Administration and other health care venues.
The Succession Committee of the Board of Trustees has been actively involved in looking for a successor to Nicchi, and will make an announcement once a decision has been made.
The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday described as "totally false" a report carried by an Iranian news website which, citing an Indian media outlet, quoted Minister of External Affairs as saying that China should be cautious of a visit by Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
"The report is completely false and baseless," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup stated when contacted by IANS.
"The Ministry has given no such interview, nor has she made any such comment," he tweeted.
The Iranian report on Alalam.ir came ahead of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad's visits to Pakistan, China and Japan.
Citing the Hindustan Times Indian media outlet, it quoted as saying that the Crown Prince's visit was of no strategic concern and that Chinese officials be advised to be cautious of the "US-backed visit".
When contacted, Hindustan Times denied carrying any such report.
An Iranian-American national was arrested in Golestan province over spying and security charges, media reported on Thursday.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) identified the individual upon arrival in the country in July and arrested him later, Xinhua news agency reported, though it is not clear when he was actually arrested.
He was charged with cooperating with hostile countries, acting against national security, and having links with anti-revolutionary elements and media.
Last month, Iran reportedly arrested another person, also with dual citizenship, who was accused of being linked to Britain's foreign intelligence service MI6.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A suspect in a fatal shooting in the Japanese city of Wakayama shot himself dead following an 18-hour standoff with police, authorities said on Thursday.
The suspect, Yasuhide Mizobata, was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital on Wednesday night but medical teams could not do anything to save his life, EFE news reported.
Mizobata, 45, was suspected of killing one man and injuring three others -- one of whom has been in a coma -- by opening fire in a construction company in Wakayama on Monday.
Following the attack, authorities accused Mizobata, son of the construction company's president, as the main suspect.
Police located him on Tuesday night in an area near the construction company's office. The suspect escaped after opening fire on patrol agents and barricaded himself, armed with two pistols, in an apartment building.
Authorities evacuated all residents and even closed several schools in the area following the incident
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's telecom space to a new level, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Thursday announced that domestic voice calls on the Jio network will be free forever, and unveiled a four-month introductory offer for everyone of free voice and data services beginning on September 5.
"The era of paying for voice calls is ending," Ambani told the 39th Annual General Meeting of the company, post its listing. "No Jio customer will ever have to pay for voice calls again." he added, devoting around an hour of his 90 minute speech to Jio.
In effect, the announcements on Thursday point to a commercial launch from January 1 next year even though no specific mention was made in this regard. This was also keenly awited since Reliance Industries has invested as much as $21 billion on Jio -- its largest ever capital expenditure on a single project.
The Chairman said the data plans will also reflect the affordability for customers, with an effective base rate of 5 paise per MB or Rs 50 per GB. "Jio will have a base rate which is more than 90 per cent discount over the industry," he said.
He said based on the usage, the tariff could go to as low as Rs 25 per GB. He said the free domestic voice calls will also come with free roaming while international ones too will be affordable.
"We Indians have come to appreciate and applaud Gandhigiri. Now, we can all do 'Data-giri', which is an opportunity for every Indian to do unlimited good things with unlimited data."
The announcements came against the backdrop of a series of discounts and freebies offered by existing layers like Airtel, Vodafone and Idea during the past month, ostensibly to ensure customers stay with them, even after the commercial launch of Jio.
During the speech, Mukesh Ambani also appealed to incumbent operators not to block Jio calls and ensure adequate points of interconnect. "In the last week alone, Jio customers suffered over five crore call failures to other networks because of insufficient interconnect capacity provided by incumbents."
As for the stock markets, the shares of Reliance Industries fluctuated in a wide range during the course of the speech -- from a high of Rs 1,072.55 to a low of Rs 1,045.60. Soon after it was quoting at Rs 1,047.50, down Rs 10.50, or 0.99 per cent, over the previous close.
In contrast, Bharti Airtl shares fell 6.21 per cent at Rs 311.25, while Idea Cellular was quoting at Rs 85.90, down Rs 7.60 or 8.13 per cent.
Other highlights of Mukesh Ambani's speech:
- Students will be able to get 25 per cent more data on Jio's main tariffs
- A target of 100 million customers in the near future
- Data usage of 250 core GB a month
- The Jio bouquet of apps free will end next calendar year
- Coverage of Jio to extnd to 90 per cent of population by March 2017
- A range of 4G enabled smart devices
- Jio digital Fund of Rs 5,000 crore to incubate start-ups.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saying he was "very pained" by what his minister Sandeep Kumar did, leading to his sacking on morality grounds, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday attacked the BJP for shielding its corrupt.
In a video message, a pensive looking Kejriwal said he would prefer to die rather than deviate from the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) principles.
The AAP leader on Wednesday night sacked Social Welfare and Women and Child Development Minister Sandeep Kumar after a video emerged showing him in an "objectionable position" with a woman.
On Thursday, Sandeep Kumar defended himself, saying he had resigned on his own and that he had been targeted because he was a Dalit.
In a bid to rebut the charge and accusations from elsewhere, Kejriwal said Sandeep Kumar had "betrayed" the AAP and all those who had made huge sacrifices to be a part of it, even by giving up full-time jobs.
"Sandeep Kumar has betrayed the entire movement. The AAP is the sole hope of the entire country. He had betrayed their hope," he said.
Kejriwal said it was but natural for people to ask if there was any difference between the AAP and other political parties.
He said if any evidence of wrongdoing was brought against any AAP minister or leader, the party took immediate action. This, he underlined, did not happen in other parties.
He said this would apply to he himself as well as all senior leaders.
"Be it Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia or anyone who is caught in activities which are against the party's principles, none will be spared.
"I have told Manish to take strict action even against me if I am found guilty of doing any wrongdoing."
The AAP did not compromise on its basic principles, he said. "Neither we indulge in corruption nor do we tolerate it."
He then named the BJP Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh (Shivraj Singh Chouhan), Rajasthan (Vasundhara Raje) and Chhattisgarh (Raman Singh) as well as former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel as among those who were mired in corruption charges but who the BJP stoutly defended.
The Congress and the Akali Dal were no different in Punjab, he said, pointing to Congress leader Amarinder Singh as well as Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
"Instead of acting against these leaders, the BJP is trying to protect them.
Similarly, the Congress, instead of taking action against Captain Amarinder Singh, made him its head in Punjab. And the Akali Dal is protecting Majithia who is involved in drug trade."
Pointing out that Sandeep Kumar was the fourth senior party leader to be sacked for wrongdoing, he said: "We are sorry we had this rotten fish. But I am proud we have not tolerated them."
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Korean director Kim Ki-duk has been denied a visa to shoot his magnum opus movie "Who Is God" in China.
Ki-duk seems to be a high-profile victim of the ongoing geopolitical dispute between South Korea and China over missiles.
"Kim Ki-duk has been only granted a tourist visa for one month, while we applied for a work visa for three months," variety.com quoted the film's producer Julia Zhang as saying.
Zhang added: "We haven't been given any official explanation for this yet. We suspect that this has to do with the situation faced by many Korean artists who work with China at this moment. If this situation won't change within short term, this means indeed that Mr. Kim won't able to work as director of 'Who Is God'."
The project is a large canvas treatise on war and peace and the Buddhist religion, that the South Korean maverick has been trying to mount for most of the past decade.
Ki-duk, who is currently at the Venice Film Festival, is discussing radical contingency plans.
"I've recently been flying back and forth since last year. I am to start shooting in October, but suddenly there's a work visa problem. I don't know the definite reason. The approval process seems to have become more complicated," Ki-duk told a Korean-language film publication Cine 21.
He added: "If it doesn't work out, I may make the film as 'executive artistic director,' meaning that I may have a person in China and direct that person in detail from Korea."
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The West Bengal government will start land survey from Friday and complete within the Supreme Court stipulated time the process of returning land taken from the peasants of Singur for the Tata Motors Nano project, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Thursday.
A day after the Supreme Court quashed the land acquisition, Banerjee chaired a high level emergency meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna to decide on follow-up actions for implementing the judicial order.
Briefing mediapersons later, she said all land-losers will get the same plot of land which they owned before the acquisition in 2006.
Banerjee said the state government has already given instruction for a survey of the land which would begin from Friday.
"The notification will be issued today (Thursday) itself. We will complete the land survey in two weeks. The physical survey will be done in the next four weeks. Physical possession of cultivable land will be given to the land owners within the stipulated time frame of 12 weeks," she said.
She said top bureaucrats and lawyers studied the judgement during the day ahead of the meeting where all the issues were thoroughly discussed.
Banerjee said those who have not taken the compensation for the land acquired by the erstwhile Left Front government, will now get both the compensation and their land. "The compensation amount is deposited either with the Land Acquisition Collector or the Court."
Those who had accepted compensation cheques, will now get their land back.
"The agricultural labourers will also be benefitted. The sharecroppers will get the benefits exactly as per the position recorded before the acquisition".
"Whatever and whichever land one had before the acquisition, exactly that will be returned as per record. There will be no discrimination," she said.
Banerjee also announced that her government will make cultivable whichever plot of land has become uncultivable.
In this context, she referred to two power transmitters set up on plots of 45 acres and two acres respectively. "Charity begins at home. These plots are no loger cultivable. So we will first make these two plots cultivable".
Banerjee, who is set to leave for the Vatican on Friday to attend Mother Teresa's sainthood ceremony slated for September 4, said one of the senior ministers will constantly be in touch with the surveryos and helpe them out in case of any requirement.
Describing Wednesday's court judgement as a "landmark one", she said it would help in restoring environmental balance and send out strong messages in protecting livelihood of the poor people.
Asked whether an uncultivable land can be made cultivable within such a short time, she shot back: "Work is always a challenge. We will take all action. We respect the Supreme Court verdict.
"Whatever manpower is needed will be provided. We will give all support.I will be very happy when all peasants get back their land".
On whether her government will also considering setting up an industry on the acquired land, she said: "This is a different matter. There are a lot of industries coming up in Bengal. Across the country, industries are just not happening."
The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the land acquisition, saying due processes and procedures were not followed.
The land was acquired in 2006 for the car project, but met with stiff protests from peasants led by Banerjee's Trinamool Congress -- currently in power in the state. Eventually, the project was shifted to Sanand in Gujarat.
The order said that the compensation that has already been paid to the land owners/cultivators should not be recovered,A and permitted landowners/cultivators who have not withdrawn the compensation to withdraw the same deposited either with the Land Acquisition Collector or the Court.
It directed restoration of the possession of land to the landowners/cultivators within 12 weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of the judgment and order, and asked the West Bengal Survey Settlement Department to conduct a survey and identify respective portions of land which needs to be restored to the respective landowners/cultivators.
The survey is to be completed within ten weeks.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A magisterial probe into the ethnic violence in Agartala in which 24 persons were injured and 17 vehicles badly damaged on August 23 has begun, officials said on Thursday.
"It would be completed in one month," West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Milind Ramteke told IANS.
"I have sought a detailed report from the Superintendent of Police of West Tripura district... I may call some persons individually in connection with this inquiry."
Ramteke said the inquiry had been ordered by the Tripura government to ascertain the facts on the violent attacks and clashes of August 23.
Meanwhile, Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, addressing a function here, urged tribal youths and students to return to Agartala without any fear.
After the August 23 incidents, a large number of tribal students and youths who had been staying in Agartala have gone back to their homes in different districts.
"The government will give full security to the students and youths and they can return to Agartala without any fear," the governor added.
The opposition, specially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the Agarala incident. The Trinamool Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry by a High Court judge.
At least 24 people, including five policemen, were injured after activists of a tribal party -- Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) - took out a rally demanding a separate state.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With an impression being created that his government had committed irregularities in granting licences for prime commercial properties in Gurgaon during his tenure, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has hit out at the one-man Justice S.N. Dhingra Commission and the state's BJP government for carrying out a "witch-hunt" in which they have found nothing.
"I demand that the report of the Dhingra Commission be made public immediately. I will react to its contents and take the matter to court," Hooda told IANS in an interview here on Thursday.
"Khoda pahaar, nikli chuhiya (they dug up a mountain only to find a mouse). Even if there is irregularity, as is being alleged, that does not mean that it is an illegality," and upbeat Hooda said.
Hooda also trashed the Haryana government's move to get only a handful of licences probed, including one granted to the firm owned by Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra.
The Justice S.N. Dhingra Commission of Inquiry set up by the Manohar Lal Khattar government last May to probe the controversial grant of licences for prime commercial properties in Gurgaon had submitted its 182-page report on Wednesday.
"In its own order, after summoning me (in March), the commission said that documents were not provided to me as there was no specific complaint against me. Under the Court of Inquiry Act, 1952, if there is a charge against any individual, he has to be provided the relevant documents and the opportunity to cross examine people. Nothing was done in my case by the commission," Hooda pointed out.
The report has pointed out irregularities in grant of licences and allotment of land to individuals and companies, including Vadra and his companies, in prime areas of Gurgaon city, adjoining national capital New Delhi.
The report, it is reliably learnt, has indicted Hooda's previous Congress government (2005-2014) for irregularities in grant of licences.
"I wouldn't have submitted a 182-page report if there was no irregularity," Dhingra, a retired judge of the Delhi High Court, who submitted the report to Khattar here, had told the media on Wednesday.
The commission had been mandated to probe licences given by the Hooda government for the development of colonies, housing societies and commercial complexes in four villages -- Shikohpur, Sihi, Kherki Daula and Sikanderpur Bada -- in Gurgaon district.
Vadra has termed the inquiry commission a "political witch-hunt" against him.
"Out of the licences granted for over 33,697 acres of land, one-third of these being in Gurgaon, the BJP government deliberately chose to get the probe by the commission done only for 63 acres. Only 16 licences were granted in this area," Hooda pointed out.
"Vadra's land measured only 3.53 acres and he was issued a licence for only 2.7 acres as per entitlement. He paid Rs 24.11 crore as land cost, government charges, additional tax and renewal of licence. After five years, he sold it to DLF for Rs 58 crore. That is the normal escalation in cost in five years in an area like Gurgaon," Hooda said.
Alleging political vendetta, Hooda said that the BJP government, which came to power in October 2014, had granted licences in 14 cases, out of which 11 were in Gurgaon itself.
"These licences have also been granted under the same policy (as in Hooda's tenure). The Khattar government has made FSI (floor space index) a trade-able commodity under which licences can be sold directly," Hooda contended.
(Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in)
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing French political party National Front, has backed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and said that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would bring "war", "devastation" and "instability" if elected as President of the US.
"For France, anything is better than Hillary Clinton. Anything but Hillary Clinton. Because I think Hillary Clinton means war. Hillary Clinton means devastation. It means world instability," CNN quoted Le pen as saying on Wednesday.
In an interview with CNN, Le Pen, 48, compared herself to Trump, observing that both of them have waged iconoclastic campaigns against their country's political "establishment".
"We are similar because we are not part of the establishment, we are not part of the system, and we do not depend on anybody and we don't take orders from anyone," she said.
Le Pen, who along with Trump was a high-profile supporter of Brexit and is a candidate in France's April 2017 presidential election.
In an interview with Le Parisien, Le Pen said she supported Trump for President back in July and similarly criticised Clinton at the time.
Like Trump's campaign, Le Pen's has been a lightning rod for political controversy during her leadership of the National Front.
According to the Daily Mail, opinion polls showed Le Pen making it to an early May run-off in France's presidential election but losing the second round to any of the leading party candidates.
Le Pen has seen her approval rating remain at about 25 per cent -- but it has fallen five points among supporters of the National Front, as former President Nicolas Sarkozy attempts to woo them with his tough stance on immigration and anti-Islamic rhetoric.
The party, founded by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, is staunchly opposed to cross-border migration in the European Union, has warned against the dangers of accepting refugees from the Middle East and loudly cheered the result of the Brexit referendum.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When Louisiana began flooding earlier this month, news coverage was split between the 2016 Rio Olympics and the upcoming presidential election. This was the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy, and you barely saw it on TV or in magazines, or heard about it on the radio. Even the President wasnt seen talking about it.
It was a difficult storm to cover. The prediction was for flash floods. The Advocate in Baton Rouge was hit hard by the multi-day flooding. Employees and carriers lost their cars and homes. But the online coverage and printing never ceased.
Publisher Dan Shea said, We halted delivery for just a small sliver of Baton Rouge for three days, and half of Livingston Parish for a week, where 86 percent of the homes were flooded. But we are back to 100 percent today, delivering to driveways to get around massive piles of debris. Even if our customers are living elsewhere, many want the paper at their home as they come there every morning.
Knowing that members of the local community were relying on them for critical news and updates, the publisher distributed free papers to local shelters and retail locations and made the decision to temporarily drop their online paywall. Web traffic to the news site doubled.
Shea says an emergency grant was offered to employees who lost their homes to the flood, helping them pay for essentials. A no-interest, 2-year loan was offered to help with rebuilding.
I am constantly amazed by reporters grace under pressure; reporting on others loss, when they themselves have lost everything. The flooding in Louisiana has affected about 100,000 homes. This is one-fifth the damage of Katrina. It is the work of journalists at local newspapers like The Advocate that are demanding national attention, running editorials that demanded President Obama cut his vacation short.
When I think of the journalists and newspaper staff who suddenly found themselves at the center of a natural disaster, a phrase often associated with the US Postal Service comes to mind: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night. When disaster strikes, journalists are among the first responders, the everyday heroes of their communities.
In times of tragedy, we rely on journalists to make sense of it, to tell us what is going on and how to react. We need them to tell the stories in the way only they can.
This is why newspapers are and will continue to be essential during these disasters.
Our thoughts are with the people of Louisiana as they work to rebuild, and we recognize and support the newspaper staff on the ground who risked their lives and put their own losses aside to come to the aid of their communities.
To learn how you can help these brave journalists, click here.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a hectic diplomatic week ahead with an important bilateral visit beginning Friday and three multi-lateral summits following in quick succession, including the G20 in China, with a two-day gap in between.
Modi will leave for Vietnam on Friday where he will hold bilateral meetings with the Vietnamese leadership on Saturday.
This will be the first prime ministerial visit to Vietnam in 15 years since the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001.
From Vietnam, Modi will leave for Hangzhou, China, where he will attend this year's G-20 Summit being held on September 4-5.
From Hangzhou, he will return to India on September 5.
Two days later, the Prime Minister will leave for Vientiane, Laos, where he will attend the 14th India-Asean Summit and the 11th East Asia Summit being held on September 7 and 8.
Addressing a media briefing here on Thursday, Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the External Affairs Ministry, said that Vietnam is the country coordinator for India with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
The Prime Minister will meet with the top Vietnamese leadership, including General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
"Vietnam is the central pillar Of India's Act East Policy," Saran said.
"Our priorities in cooperation range in a whole host of areas, including defence and security, trade and investment, in maritime cooperation, in energy resources, integrating ourselves to the Asean community and for leveraging our interactions in regional and international forums," she said.
Saran said Vietnam supported India's membership in an expanded UN Security Council.
"Defence and security cooperation with Vietnam is very robust and it includes areas like counter-terrorism, trans-national crimes," she said.
"In defence cooperation our focus has been in capacity building, in training, in high-level exchanges, and more recently in defence procurement."
India's bilateral trade with Vietnam now stands at $7.8 billion and India has surplus trade with Vietnam of around $2.8 billion.
Regarding the India-Asean and East Asia Summits, the Secretary said that this is the third time that Prime Minister Modi would be participating in these events.
"Both the Summits provide a very important platform to reiterate our partnership with Asean and with the wider Asia-Pacific region," Saran said.
At the 14th India-Asean Summit, Modi and Asean leaders will review India-Asean cooperation and discuss its future direction under each of the three pillars of politico-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation, according to statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry.
"Trade between India and Asean stood at $65.04 billion in 2015-2016and comprises 10.12 percent of India's total trade with the world," it stated.
The East Asia Summit is attended by the leaders of the 10 Asean member states, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Russia.
"At the 11th East Asia Summit, leaders will discuss matters of regional and international interest and concern including maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and illegal migration," the statement said.
In a separate briefing, Sujata Mehta, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Minister, said that at the G-20 Summit in China, the Prime Minister's delegation will also include NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, who is India's sherpa at the event, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Shaktikanta Das, Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs.
She said, as is the practice, Modi will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but bilateral meetings with other world leaders are still being worked out.
She also said that theme of the Hangzhou Summit is "Towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy".
According to Mehta, India's priorities in this summit will be cross-border mobility particularly in services, reduction in remittance costs from overseas Indians, poverty eradication, moderation in consumption and more sustainable lifestyle, and improved technology access.
"As part of our G-20 effort, we have also been working on measures directed against terrorism, in particular terrorist finance and corruption,"she said.
"We have also supported measures in reforming the global tax administration in the context of tax evasion and tax avoidance but also in terms of improving global taxation governance in general."
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Nepal government on Thursday reappointed Deep Kumar Upadhyay as the country's envoy to India. Upadhyay was Nepal's ambassador to India since April 2015 but the previous K.P. Sharma Oli government had recalled him in May.
Upadhyay's reappointment comes at a time when both Nepal and India are planning high-level visits.
Nepal is also sending former Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudyal as the country's ambassador to China.
These are the first ambassadorial appointments by the Maoist Centre-Nepali Congress government, which had withdrawn the 14 ambassadorial nominations made by the previous Oli government.
The Oli government had called back Upadhyay charging him with "playing a role in toppling the government".
The key ruling parties -- the CPN (Maoist Centre) and Nepali Congress -- have split the ambassadorial positions in China and India, respectively.
The Nepali Congress has friendly ties with India and got the New Delhi quota, while the Maoists have got China.
A former minister, Upadhyay was recalled in May ahead of a scheduled visit of Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to India which was later cancelled.
The new Nepal government, which sent two Deputy Prime Ministers to China and India as special representatives, is keen to appoint envoys to Beijing and New Delhi at the earliest in view of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's scheduled visits to these capitals.
(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Terming Reliance Jio as a valued member, the Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) on Thursday congratulated Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on the announcement of the launch of the Jio services.
"Reliance Jio is a valued member of the COAI. We wish to congratulate them on the announcement of the launch of their services. As a valuable member of the association, we welcome them with great warmth and applaud the bold vision of Mukesh Ambani and the innovation he proposes to bring to the industry," said Rajan S. Mathews, Director General, COAI in a statement.
Taking the tariff war and competition in India's telecom space to a new level, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Thursday said domestic voice calls on the Jio network will be free forever, and unveiled a four-month introductory offer of free voice and data services.
"The era of paying for voice calls is ending," Ambani told the Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries (RIL) in Mumbai. "No Jio customer will ever have to pay for voice calls again," he added.
"As a thought leader and the voice of the telecom sector COAI will continue to advocate fair competitive practices with an enabling policy and regulatory environment which translates into a win-win for the industry and consumers. A stable, predictable, long-term and orderly growth of the industry is essential for a fully connected and digitally empowered India," Mathews added.
Bharti Airtel also welcomed Reliance Jio's entry into the telecom space and wished them luck.
"We welcome Reliance Jio's entry to the digital world and wish them the very best. We also welcome Jio's call to leading operators to work together. As a responsible operator, we will fulfil all our regulatory obligations as we have always done," Airtel said in a statement.
"Over the last 20 years, Airtel has been contributing towards building a digitally enabled India and remains fully committed to and take leadership in supporting the government's Digital India vision. We will continue to innovate and deliver best-in-class products and services to our customers," the statement added.
Reacting to the launch Vodafone said: "We have always offered great value to our customers, backed by excellent customer service, a nationwide presence, and Vodafone SuperNetTM -- our best network ever. We will continue to do so for our hundreds of million customers across the country."
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 54-year-old woman, unable to walk or sit for almost a decade due to osteoarthritis, has been cured after undergoing Golden Knee Replacement surgery at a city hospital, authorities said.
Sanjivanee Watane's problem was in her right knee, a result of ignoring pain in the initial stage. Soon the pain became unbearable and visits to doctors and physio-therapists did not yield any positive result.
After extreme osteoarthritis was diagnosed, she was told that a total knee replacement was the only solution.
Arthritis & Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of joint pain affecting knees, hips, lower back and neck and even small joints of the fingers. It affects 80 per cent of the people above 50 years of age.
Watane got admitted to Global Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, where she underwent the gold knee-blended transplant with vitamin ePlus poly cover, a type of total knee transplant.
Three days after the surgery, Watane started walking. She initially experienced pain but it dwindled within days.
According to the doctors, Vitamin ePlus poly cover with Gold-plated knee joint is an innovative, next-generation implant with high-density polymer blended with vitamin E, a natural anti-oxidant.
Aashish Arbat, senior orthopaedic surgeon, who performed the surgery, said Gold Knee implant can be the solution for people requiring knee replacements at a young age or for the obese.
Speaking about the Gold knee-blended transplant, Arbat said: "Vitamin E improves the material's strength while preventing polyethylene degenerating oxidation."
"This helps the material hold up to the higher expectations of today's active patient. E-plus is the first blended vitamin E polyethylene, with the vitamin E homogeneously blended directly into the resin," Arbat added.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday said successful implementation of PAHAL, effecting elimination of duplicate and ghost consumers, has resulted in estimated savings of more than Rs 21,000 crore.
"Today, we are having more than 160 million consumers registered under PAHAL, who are getting subsidy directly into their bank account. Successful implementation of PAHAL has resulted in estimated savings of more than Rs 21,000 crore through the elimination of duplicate/fake/ghost consumers," said Pradhan.
The minister disclosed this while addressing the International Conference on LPG cooking gas here. The conference was attended by Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu and Lakshmi Puri, United Nations Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of United Nations Women.
Pradhan said more than 10 million consumers have voluntarily given up LPG subsidy.
The minister said 17.4 crore households, out of total 28 crore households in the country, have access to LPG.
When the present government took office in May 2014, only 13 crore households had access to LPG, he added.
Pradhan termed LPG as an instrument for empowering women belonging to poor households, and said millions of Indian households, especially in rural areas, still continue to use traditional sources of cooking fuels.
According to the World Health Organization, 15 lakh persons die every year due to indoor air pollution in world and 5 lakh in India alone. Indoor air pollution is also responsible for a significant number of acute respiratory diseases in young children, the minister said.
He said the eastern region of the country has the lowest LPG coverage, and the low LPG coverage is attributed to poor economic conditions of the region.
Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu recounted her experience as a village dweller with no access to LPG.
She emphasised that the present government intervention in LPG sector will result in significant improvement in the convenience of women.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India had gone to the United Nations for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute when a "military solution" was in sight, and Pakistan Administered Kashmir still remains a "thorn in the flesh", the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, said on Thursday.
Speaking at an event here, Raha said in the past, India has been reluctant in using military power, especially air power, and did not apply its full force in achieving the end of conflicts.
"We have been reluctant in use of power, specially aerospace power. Air power in deterring our adversaries, or deterring a conflict and when involved in a conflict which we have been drawn into several times in the past, we did not apply ourselves adequately in achieving the end state after the conflict," Raha said.
He cited the example of the attack by tribal militias on Kashmir soon after independence.
"In 1947, immediately after independence, hordes of raiders from across the border, supported by the military and the government, tried to overrun the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army on the ground was not strong enough, they didn't have enough boots on the ground to react to these raiders and prevent them from overrunning Indian territory," he said.
"It was the Indian Air Force transport wing with Dakotas which came to help and rescued the situation."
Raha said a large amount of military equipment and logistics were brought to Srinagar, Poonch and Leh by the IAF, and a few of the fighter aircraft were also involved in attacking the raiders.
"Indian Air Force therefore played a very important role in pushing the raiders back," he said.
"...and when a military solution was in sight, taking the moral high ground, I think, we went to the United Nations for a peaceful solution to this problem. But the problem still continues, PoK (sic) remains a thorn in our flesh even today," Raha, who is also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, said.
He added that the only time air power was properly utilised was in 1971 -- and the result was the creation of Bangladesh.
"The only time air power was fully utilised was in the 1971 conflict and the Indian Air Force's capabilities and assets and operations were integrated nicely, in a well synergised, coordinated manner with the Indian Army and Navy and the results were there to be seen by the entire world -- the creation on Bangladesh in just over 15 days of conflict," he said.
"But the situation has changed. I think we are ready to use aerospace power to defend ourselves and prevent a conflict in the region," Raha added.
The IAF chief's remarks come as India has conveyed to Pakistan that it will discuss the issue of "earliest possible vacation" of Pakistani Administered Kashmir during the upcoming Foreign Secretary level talks in Islamabad.
India has also raised the issue of Balochistan, in Pakistan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself commenting on the issue during his Independence Day speech and speaking about the alleged rights violations there during an all-party meeting earlier.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan reopened its border with Afghanistan at Chaman on Thursday, 14 days after it was closed after an Afghan mob burnt a Pakistani flag and attacked the Friendship Gate.
Islamabad agreed to reopen the border point on Wednesday after Kabul strongly condemned the burning of the Pakistani flag. Officials from both sides held five meetings to discuss the issue until negotiations finally succeeded, Dawn online reported.
Trade activities between the two countries which had come to a standstill following closure of the border point resumed on Thursday and security on both sides remains strict.
A three-member Afghan delegation, led by Colonel Mohammad Ali, had at the Tuesday night meeting handed over to Pakistani officials a letter in which the Afghan government strongly condemned the August 18 incident of burning of the Pakistani flag and pelting the Friendship Gate with stones.
The Afghan officials also termed the flag-burning incident an attempt by certain elements to create misunderstanding between the two countries, Dawn newspaper reported.
Pakistan had closed the border on August 19, a day after the Afghan nationals set the Pakistan flag on fire when thousands of Pakistani tribesmen held a rally in Chaman in protest against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Balochistan.
The 14-day closure of the border badly affected Nato supplies, transit trade and repatriation of Afghan refugees under a UNHCR programme. Traders from both sides also suffered huge financial losses as all business activities remained suspended, Dawn online noted.
Every day, between 10,000 and 15,000 Pakistani and Afghan traders cross into Chaman and Vesh Mandi in connection with their businesses in the border towns.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan has announced a crackdown on illegal Indian DTH services and airing of excessive foreign content by TV channels and cable operators in the country.
The move comes as the Indian government gave the go ahead to the state-run All India Radio (AIR) to broadcast programmes in Baluchi language.
The announcement by Pakistan Electronic Regulatory Authority (Pemra) was made on Wednesday as Pakistan was ready to introduce its own DTH (direct-to-home) service in the coming months, Dawn news online reported.
"Around three million Indian DTH decoders are being sold in the country. We not only want this sale stopped but will also ask the relevant agencies to trace the money trail to determine the mode of payments made to Indian dealers selling these decoders to Pakistanis," said Pemra Chairman Absar Alam.
"Adequate time is being given to the cable operators and satellite channels to adjust their timings as per the legal requirements. Otherwise, punitive action will be taken against the two important segments from October 15," he said.
Action against the dealers of Indian DTH would be launched with immediate effect. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Pemra board held recently.
Pemra would write letters to the Federal Board of Revenue, the State Bank and agencies, including the Federal Investigation Agency, for curbing the sale of Indian DTH decoders in the country, Alam said.
Alam said all stakeholders, including cable operators and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, had been forewarned that steps would be initiated in near future against the airing of excessive foreign content.
Under Pemra rules, only 10 per cent of airtime (two hours and 40 minutes in a 24-hour transmission) is allowed for foreign content.
The Pemra board meeting also decided to completely stop the airing of any Indian channel in the country since none of them had landing rights in Pakistan, Dawn reported.
The punitive action would begin with fines and might lead to suspension and revocation of licences for repeated violations. He said the authority would write letters to the chief ministers for implementation of the Pemra decision with the help of police.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Poland on Thursday commemorated the 77th anniversary of the start of World War II on the Westerplatte peninsula in Poland's Gdansk city.
Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz attended the ceremonies, and laid wreaths at the Monument to the Defenders of Westerplatte, Xinhua news agency reported.
The traditional morning commemoration began at 4.45 a.m. (local time), when on September 1, 1939 that the German battleship Schleswig-- Holstein attacked a Polish military storehouse at Westerplatte. It was one of the first events of World War 2.
During the commemoration, Duda said that the Westerplatte observances were a tribute to all World War 2 victims, among them 5.8 million Poles, and said that everything had to be done to prevent this from happening again.
"Today we must do everything, also in cooperation with our allies, to prevent such a situation from ever touching our country, our people or our neighbours," the President said.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gabon's parliament building in the capital city was set ablaze as angry protestors clashed with police during a demonstration against the narrow victory of incumbent President Ali Bongo under controversial circumstances.
The European Union on Thursday called for verification of each polling station result in the West African nation.
"It is important that all actors reject violence and call for calm. Any protest must be peaceful means to prevent the burning of the country; the police must react responsibly," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.
Amid the violence, security forces stormed the headquarters of opposition leader and defeated presidential candidate Jean Ping.
Ping's supporters had been staging protests after official results gave Bongo a narrow victory in Saturday's presidential election, BBC reported.
Ping said two persons were killed as shots were fired.
His supporters accused the government of stealing the election.
The election result, announced on Wednesday, gave Bongo a second seven-year term with 49.8 per cent of the vote to Ping's 48.2 per cent -- a margin of 5,594 votes.
But Ping disputes the result in one province which show a 99.93 per cent turnout with 95 per cent voting for Ali Bongo.
Ping said the election was fraudulent and "everybody knows" he won.
He also denounced the raid which happened while he was not in the building.
Ping has called for international assistance to protect the population and has called for voting figures from each polling station to made public.
The US and EU have also called for the results to be made public while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged calm.
Ali Bongo took office in 2009 after an election marred by violence, succeeding his father Omar Bongo who had come to power in 1967.
Ping had been a close ally of Omar Bongo, serving him in ministerial roles and having two children with his daughter, Pascaline, a former Gabonese Foreign Minister herself.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One thing that became abundantly clear from state Senate hearings Tuesday on the water contamination crisis in the small upstate New York community of Hoosick Falls is that none of the agencies are willing to accept responsibility for their utter failure to the public.
Instead, what we witnessed from state officials at the hearing and federal officials through media interviews was a desperate attempt to shift the blame on each other.
The truth is that both sides contributed to this disaster by not doing what their mission calls them to do work together using science to protect the planet and the public's health.
At Tuesday's hearing, state Department of Health officials came out swinging at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saying the federal agency created confusion by changing guidance on safe levels of the contaminant PFOA and what to do when those levels were exceeded. The EPA, which notably did not send a representative to the hearing, countered in media interviews that it been telling the state all along that the levels detected in Hoosick Falls water were dangerous no matter what standard was being used.
What should stand out for the legislators at the hearing and the public everywhere is the fact that both agencies allowed an internal disagreement over what to do stand in the way of needed action.
For that, officials at both the state and federal level who worked directly on this issue must be held accountable, and that should go as far up the organizational charts as necessary.
One of the scary things we've learned about the case in Hoosick Falls and in Flint, Michigan, is that there's an alarming propensity for public officials to try to keep the public in the dark about things that could be harmful. And it's not a stretch to conclude that political considerations contribute to this mindset.
That's an attitude and approach that must be exposed and ultimately stopped. The response state leaders take to what's coming out of the investigations in Hoosick Falls will tell us a lot about whether our elected officials can finally get that message.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is suffering from amnesia but will have to apologise some day for his remarks blaming the RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
"Rahul Gandhi feels that a nationalist organisation is responsible for the present condition of the Congress and this is the reason why he is attacking the RSS. The country knows what the RSS is doing for the country," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here.
"He (Rahul) has taken U-turn twice over the issue. Some day he will definitely apologise," he added.
Hussain said that Rahul Gandhi is completely confused as he says something on one day and then suddenly changes his stand another day.
"The RSS does not need certificate from Congress and Rahul Gandhi. It had been the habit of the Congress to attack those who loves the country. Many powerful Congress leaders in the past levelled such allegations against the RSS but people of the country always rejected it. Rahul Gandhi's stand on the RSS is political and it will discredit not only the Congress but also Rahul himself," Hussain said.
Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that Rahul Gandhi is suffering from amnesia and there is nothing very surprising in Rahul's statements.
"Let the court decide what it thinks about it," he said.
BJP National Secretary Srikant Sharma alleged that Rahul Gandhi is attacking the RSS for vote-bank as there are elections in Uttar Pradesh.
"It would have been better if Rahul Gandhi had spoken on law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. He is busy with vote-bank to appease the Muslims," Sharma said.
The BJP leader also reminded Congress vice-president of the RSS being invited to join the Republic Day parade by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
"Does the Congress party under Rahul Gandhi disagree with what Nehru did or would they apologise for his act," he said.
He also said that it's a well-known fact that the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 were sponsored by the Congress and it was Rajiv Gandhi who then said that if a big tree falls then the earth shakes.
"Then will the entire Congress party be held responsible and should have been jailed," he said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi told the Supreme Court that he stood by his remarks on the RSS and said he was ready to face a trial for alleged defamation of the ideological parent of the ruling BJP.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told the Supreme Court that he stood by his remarks blaming the RSS people for assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and was ready to face trial for alleged criminal defamation.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and RSS attacked Rahul Gandhi and accused him of making a U-turns while the Congress indicated that it will take the battle to the people, saying its leader was fighting a political battle which will eventually decide who is "a true Hindu".
Rahul Gandhi withdrew a petition before the apex court that had sought quashing of the defamation proceedings in a Maharashtra trial court.
His lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court that Rahul Gandhi stood by his remarks that people associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, considered the ideological fountainhead of BJP, killed Mahatma Gandhi.
While allowing Gandhi to withdraw his petition, the bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman declined his plea for exemption from appearing before the trial court in defamation case.
The Congress Vice-President had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order refusing to interfere with the criminal defamation case instituted by an RSS activist Rajesh Mahadev Kunte before a Bhiwandi court in Thane district of Maharashtra.
Kunte is the secretary of the Bhiwandi unit of RSS.
Rahul Gandhi had said in a speech at Bhiwandi in 2014 that "RSS people killed Gandhiji.."
On August 24, Rahul Gandhi had told the Supreme Court that he had not blamed the RSS as an institution for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, but the people associated with it. However, a day later he tweeted that he stood by every word he said and "will never stop fighting the hateful & divisive agenda of the RSS".
During the last hearing the apex court bench took note of Gandhi's statement before the Bombay High Court that he had not blamed the RSS as an institution for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but the people associated with it. However, on Thursday the matter took a different turn when senior counsel Umesh R. Lalit said that to prove his bonafides, Rahul Gandhi should say that he did not intend to involve RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
At this, senior counsel Sibal appearing for Gandhi told the bench that he (Rahul Gandhi) stands by every word he had said before the High Court. "RSS ke logon ne goli mari. (RSS people shot at Mahatma Gandhi) I stand by my every word. I am ready to go to trial," he said.
Sibal later told reporters that it was a "political battle" and a "battle of principles" for Rahul Gandhi who is Congress lead campaigner for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
"We believe this is not a battle of courts, this battle will decide who is a true Hindu. RSS will have to give a statement with regard to this because a true Hindu could never have killed Mahatma Gandhiji," Sibal said.
"We want to ask them (RSS) whether Nathu Ram Godse was a true Hindu? Can they say that any Hindu could not have killed Gandhiji? Can they say because of this Godse was not a Hindu? So, the battle lies here. Who is a true Hindu? The fight is against divisive agenda, against identity politics, against caste-based and religion-based .
"We believe that Hinduism is a way of life. It is fight for humanity."
Another party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said Rahul Gandhi's fight is not a personal one against any party, but against the ideology "which is divisive in nature." He added that the same divisive ideology was guiding many people in the BJP.
BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said the country knows what the RSS is doing for the country.
"He (Rahul) has taken U-turn twice over the issue. Some day he will definitely apologise," he added.
BJP Secretary Srikant Sharma said RSS was invited to join the Republic Day parade by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
"Does the Congress party under Rahul Gandhi disagree with what Nehru did," he said.
He also asked if entire Congress should be held responsible for the anti-Sikh riots in 1984.
RSS publicity department chief Manmohan Vaidya tweeted: "Then why R. Gandhi avoided the trial for two years under one pretext or other? Is he scared to face truth? He keeps on taking U-turns."
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday told the Supreme Court that he stood by his remarks blaming the RSS people for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and said he was ready to face trial for alleged criminal defamation of the outfit.
Gandhi's lawyer Kapil Sibal told the Supreme Court that the Congress Vice-President stood by what he had said about the people associated with RSS.
While allowing Gandhi to withdraw his petition, the bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman declined his plea for exemption from appearing before the trial court in defamation case.
The Congress Vice-President had moved the Supreme Court challenging the Bombay High Court order refusing to interfere with the criminal defamation case instituted by an RSS activist Rajesh Mahadev Kunte before a Bhiwandi court in Thane district of Maharashtra.
Kunte is the secretary of the Bhiwandi unit of RSS.
During the last hearing the apex court bench took note of Gandhi's statement before the Bombay High Court that he had not blamed the RSS as an institution for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi but the people associated with it. However, on Thursday the matter took a different turn when senior counsel Umesh R. Lalit said that to prove his bonafides, Rahul Gandhi should say that he did not intend to involve RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
At this, senior counsel Sibal appearing for Gandhi told the bench that he (Rahul Gandhi) stands by every word he had said before the High Court. "RSS ke logon ne goli mari. (RSS people shot at Mahatma Gandhi) I stand by my every word. I am ready to go to trial," he said.
Sibal urged the court to record his statement in its order that Rahul Gandhi is ready to face trial. The bench refused to record it and said the trial court will decide the matter uninfluenced by the observation in the high court order.
The Congress Vice-President in his affidavit before the High court had said: "The assassination of Mahatma Gandhi was a result of the destructive philosophy of the persons associated with the RSS. It was also clearly suggested that the assassins were associated or affiliated with RSS. He never accused RSSA as an institution of the crime."
The senior counsel said what Rahul Gandhi has said is the statement made by Gopal Godse -- the younger brother of Nathu Ram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi.
Lalit said that if "He (Rahul Gandhi) makes a statement that he did not intend to say that RSS as an organisation was responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi then the matter could rest."
At this Justice Nariman asked: "What is the problem if the page (of the Rahul Gandhi's affidavit before the High Court) exists as it is?"
"It is a statement made for the convenience of litigation," said Lalit.
Pointing to the sequence, Lalit said: "He (Rahul Gandhi) intended to involve RSS. No body is interested in Nathu Ram Godse. The target was RSS. You have done repeatedly (blamed the RSS) in Assam and even after the last hearing of the matter."
Congress had in the last 60 years blamed RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Lalit told the Supreme Court bench. In every election, in the areas where people from minority community are present, they have repeated their charge against the RSS, Lalit added.
Sibal countered Lalit and said: "Don't make political statement."
Kunte had initiated the criminal defamation case against the Congress Vice-President objecting to his election speech at Sonale where Rahul Gandhi had reportedly blamed RSS people for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five patients suffering from scrub typhus, a disease caused by the bite of an infected mite found in areas with heavy scrub vegetation, have died here, a health official said on Thursday.
"The total number of scrub typhus deaths so far is five and over 200 patients have tested positive," Senior Medical Superintendent Ramesh Chand at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH) told IANS.
He said the arrival of scrub typhus patients could continue till next month.
Many patients from across the state were referred to the state capital for treatment.
The symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle pain, cough and gastroenteritis -- inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Film: "Skiptrace", Director: Renny Harlin, Cast: Jackie Chan, Johnny Knoxville, Bingbing Fan, Eric Tsang, Eve Torres, Winston Chao; Rating: **1/2
Designed as a road-trip, action-adventure assembly, the film is a casual, worn-out pot-boiler that offers no novelty.
For those wondering what the title means, skip tracing is the process of locating a person's whereabouts for any number of purposes.
And true to its title, director Renny Harlin's latest offering is the journey of a by-the-book detective Benny Chan (Jackie Chan) as he trails an American conman, Connor Watts (Johnny Knoxville), in order to process the arrest of a notorious criminal known as The Matador.
Narrated in a non-linear manner, the film begins in Hong Kong with Benny failing to save his best friend and partner Yung (Tsang) from the trap laid out by a mysterious underworld don, The Matador.
But before dying, Yung makes Benny promise to take care of his young, motherless, daughter Samantha (Bingbing Fan).
Nine years later, Benny is still obsessed with trying to reveal the identity of the criminal and bring justice to his lost friend.
His investigation soon leads him to believe that the man he wants is actually a business tycoon Victor Wong (Winston Chao), but due to lack of evidence, he can't pursue the matter further.
Meanwhile in Macau, an American conman and a gambler Connor Watts, is being chased by Russian mobsters.
Watts' path crosses that of Benny's and before he gets transported to Russia, he witnesses a murder in a hotel.
Soon, Watts is accused of the murder and Benny is accused of being his accomplice.
Samantha, who is working as an undercover agent at the lavish hotel hoping to find some connection between its owner, Wong and her father's death, is taken hostage by the mobsters. And, Benny is forced to track down Watts in Russia and bring him back to Hong Kong.
The writing is truly the sore point. The script credited to Ben David Grabinski and Jay Longino, is jaded with lack lustre twists and turns. The plot riddled with plot-holes rambles on a casual pace in a fatigued manner. So do the performances of the leading duo.
With age catching up, Jackie Chan offers with much restraint, the same acrobatic stunts and chopping skills in action sequences, which he offered in his younger days. Unfortunately the craziness, the exuberance and the spirit are missing.
His chemistry with Johnny Knoxville is shallow and frivolous. There is no depth in their interactions. Their dialogues and one-liners are generally silly and splashy without any specific edge or comic bite.
The rest of the cast spontaneously add to the drama.
The film has some jarring edits especially when Watts calls up his purported girl-friend Natalie, seeking her father's help. This abrupt cut is just one that starkly stands out.
The over-the-top action sequences which includes a major destruction of the set piece or the floating in the river scene, gives you a feeling of having seen it earlier, in many other films.
The only saving grace in the film are the beautiful landscapes and a song sequence in Mongolia that is beautifully captured by cinematographer Chan Chiying's lens.
Overall, watch "Skiptrace" only if you are a Jackie Chan fan.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, who arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, described his country's ties with India as old and "very resilient".
He said this when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on him here on Thursday evening.
This is the first presidential visit from Egypt to India since 2013 when then President Mohamed Morsi visited New Delhi.
"President Sisi said India and Egypt had centuries old ties which had remained 'very resilient'," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media after the meeting
He said the Egyptian President recalled his previous meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed his desire to take the bilateral relationship to a new level
Sisi spoke about his government's efforts to upgrade infrastructure and said that Egypt was keen to work in partnership with all "those who want to work with us".
"He positively assessed the role of Indian investment in Egypt which had touched $3 billion and sought greater trade and investment ties with India," Swarup said.
"He also expressed appreciation for India's recent supply of 20,000 tonnes of rice at very short notice when Egypt was faced with a shortage."
According to the spokesperson, Sushma Swaraj recalled her own association with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry whom she had met in Bahrain as well as Cairo and said she would be inviting him shortly to India for the meeting of the joint commission between the two countries.
She said that India-Egypt trade was still below potential.
"In this context, she outlined some of the far reaching economic reforms and flagship initiatives which the Modi government had launched which offered enormous potential for further diversification of trade and investment ties with Egypt," Swarup said.
"She said that apart from rice, Egypt could import Indian wheat and milk, in both of which India was a world leader."
The issue of fighting terrorism also came up with Sushma Swaraj saying that the visit of Sisi also afforded an opportunity to upgrade security ties and anti-terror cooperation with Egypt.
"In this context she mentioned the need for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN," Swarup said.
"President Sisi concurred, and said that he wanted to take anti-terror cooperation to a whole new level. In particular, he urged strong collective action against radicalisation and recruitment for terrorism," he said.
According to the spokesperson, apart from cooperation in tourism and people-to-people ties, there was also a brief discussion on consular issues between the two leaders.
Sushma Swaraj also agreed with Sisi's assessment that his visit would lead to a "quantum leap in bilateral ties", according to Swarup.
Sisi, who is being accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, officials and business leaders, will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday which will be followed by signing of agreements.
The Egyptian President will be hosted for a banquet by President Mukherjee later in the evening.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has defended his call for a wall on the Mexican border to "stop the illegal movement of people, drugs and weapons" during his visit to meet President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Trump on Wednesday said they did not discuss his plan to make Mexico pay for the wall - a central plank of his campaign.
"We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date. This was a very preliminary meeting," EFE news quoted the magnate as saying during a joint press conference with Pena Nieto at the Mexican presidential mansion.
But Pena Nieto later tweeted: "I made it clear Mexico would not pay for the wall".
The two men spoke after meeting privately.
"Cooperation toward achieving the shared objective - and it will be shared - of safety for all citizens is paramount, to both the US and to Mexico," the magnate said.
The US presidential hopeful began by thanking Pena Nieto for the invitation and said that he and his host were "united by our support for democracy, a great love for our people and the contributions of millions of Mexican-Americans to the US."
While offering no apology for his previous characterization of Mexican immigrants to the US as "criminals" and "rapists," Trump spoke of his "great respect" for Mexican-Americans and "their strong values of family, faith and community".
Ending illegal immigration was the first item on a list of "shared goals" Trump proposed for the US and Mexico.
"This is a humanitarian disaster. The dangerous treks, the abuse by gangs and cartels and the extreme physical dangers, and it must be solved, it must be solved quickly," the Republican candidate said.
The statements from Pena Nieto and Trump were followed by a brief question-and-answer session with reporters.
Pena Nieto invited both Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton to Mexico.
The Mexican president said during the press conference that he extended the invitations in the interest of promoting bilateral cooperation, expressing "absolute respect for the election process in the US".
However, Pena Nieto has faced heavy criticism over inviting Trump to Mexico and holding talks.
Former President Vicente Fox told CNN: "We don't like him. We don't want him. We reject his visit."
Former First Lady Margarita Zavala tweeted: "We Mexicans have dignity, and we reject your hate speech."
At least two demonstrations have been planned in Mexico City.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Veteran trade unionist and socialist leader Sharad Rao died here on Thursday after a two-year fight with chronic ulcers. He was 75.
The aggressive union leader breathed his last at Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle around 4 p.m., an official said.
He is survived by his wife Shanta, son Shashank and daughter Shilpa who is settled in Canada.
Rao controlled a large chunk of the Mumbai public transport and civic services system through the BEST Workers Union, Municipal Mazdoor Union and Mumbai Autorickshaw men's Union and was reputedly one man who could bring the city to a grinding halt by a strike.
He was a close associate of another prominent trade union leader and former Union Minister George Fernandes, and other top leftist and socialist leaders.
His daughter is to reach India in the early hours of Saturday. Rao's funeral will be performed in Goregaon west around 11 a.m. on September 3, an aide said.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu condoled the demise of Rao whom he described as a great union leader and a longtime friend.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief at the demise of Rao and recalled his lifelong struggles for the rights of the common workers through his different unions.
Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde, former Chief Minister and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Ashok Chavan, Lok Bharati President Kapil Patil, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule, NCP Women's Wing leader Chitra Wagh and leaders from different political parties and unions expressed their condolences.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor-producer John Abraham has heaped praise on his "Force 2" co-star Sonakshi Sinha by calling her the best action hero.
The actor, who has impressed many with his action sequences in films like "Dishoom", "Force" and "Dhoom", couldn't stop appreciating Sonakshi while promoting her forthcoming film "Akira". Sonakshi will be seen in a full-length action role in the thriller.
In a video shared by John on his Twitter account on Thursday, he said: "'Akira' is releasing on September 2. Kick everybody's a** because you are the best action hero and guys I have seen 'Akira'. It's fantastic."
He also wished her luck for the A.R. Murugadoss directorial and said: "I know it will rock!"
Sonakshi thanked the actor by saying: "Thank you John! The force was with me... in this one too? Boom."
The film sees Sonakshi as Akira Sharma, a girl who comes to Mumbai from Jodhpur, where she gets into a tiff with goons at a college in which she gets enrolled.
--IANS
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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With reference to the report, "Arvind Kejriwal sacks minister Sandeep Kumar over 'objectionable' CD" (September 1), the news must have come as a bolt from the blue for the (AAP).
"Sow your $500 seed and be one of the 100 miracles." That's right, plank your $500 seed on your bank card and supposedly within 72 hours all kinds of money will be coming your way. Yeah, right! What a line of baloney these TV evangelists, ministers or whatever else they're supposed to be are telling John Q. Public, via their TV ministries.
Supposedly, they're only to accept 100 callers for these 100 miracles to happen but that's most likely more baloney. If their phones are that busy (as they say to keep dialing), they are probably getting a thousand or more. Let's see, 1,000 times $500. That's a half million dollars or more.
"If I would give, it would be given back to me." God is supposedly promising 100 times the $500 seed. That's supposedly $50,000 will be floating the way of everyone giving a $500 seed. Talk about an obvious ripoff. How is this phony baloney allowed on television? All these TV evangelists, preachers, ministers come across as nothing more than con men out to make an easy buck.
Anyone who knows anything about the Christian religion should know that money is the last thing on God's agenda. Giving is good to local churches, Maryknoll, EWTN, but not to these TV shysters. Yes, they're good a quoting the Bible. "Help support the ministry of LESEA broadcasting around the world." If they are doing that, it will cost money, but not nearly as much as they're taking in.
The bottom line on these types of ministries is what they are promising those sending in the $500 seed is not going to happen. Money doesn't magically come one's way. Surely it's not coming down from Heaven.
At any rate, they say they are sending bibles to other countries like China, North Korea and many others. But most likely the bibles they are sending will be written in English. How are these foreigners going to read the Bible if they don't know English?
Sorry, TV evangelists, I'm just not buying too much of what you're saying. I'm not sure some of these governments would even allow bibles coming into their countries.
No, money coming from here, there and everywhere to $500 seed givers just isn't happening even on the 12th of never. I wonder if any of these seed givers call back and ask "What happened to my miracle money coming?"
Murray Lynch
Auburn
Congress vice-president on Thursday withdrew his appeal from the Supreme Court for quashing of the defamation case against him by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) over his remarks that the saffron organisation was responsible for Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
Former law minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Gandhi, told the apex court that stands by his statement: "RSS ke logon ne Gandhi ji ko goli mari".
"He will not withdraw his words and is ready to face trial," Sibal told the apex court.
Meanwhile, the top court refused to grant the Congress vice-president exemption from personal appearance before lower court in the defamation case.
Sibal had on August 24 told the Supreme Court that never accused the RSS as an institution for the crime.
"'RSS ke logon ne hatya ki' is entirely different from 'RSS had killed Mahatma Gandhi," Sibal had told the apex court.
The RSS, the ideological mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a defamation case against Gandhi for his speech at a rally in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra in 2014.
Rahul Gandhi had alleged that RSS members had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948. Gandhi was reported as saying, "RSS people killed Gandhi ji. They opposed Sardar Patel and Gandhi ji."
Gandhi moved the Supreme Court in May 2015 seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea for quashing the defamation case.
On July 19, the apex court remarked against Gandhi for indulging in 'collective denunciation' against an organisation and said it's wrong.
It said the Rahul Gandhi might have to face the trial to prove his defence that his statement was an assertion of a historical fact.
Gandhi's counsel told the court that he was within his right to free speech. They have maintained that the complaint is motivated and malafide and should be quashed.
In a part reversal of his earlier stand, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, vice-president of the Congress party, told the Supreme Court his client was ready to face a trial for having said those belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948.
Two developments on Wednesday underscored how the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) top brass and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership are working in tandem to isolate Hindutva hardliners within the larger Sangh Parivar.
Police arrested 1,000 people as security forces fanned out across Gabon's capital today after a night of riots and looting that erupted when President Ali Bongo was declared winner of disputed polls.
Thousands of angry protesters poured onto the streets of Libreville late yesterday, accusing the government of stealing the election after Bongo won a second term by a razor-thin margin over rival Jean Ping.
His victory is set to extend the Bongo family's almost 50-year rule over the small oil-rich nation.
Gunfire crackled across the city and plumes of smoke billowed from the torched parliament building as protesters clashed with heavily armed security forces.
Ping said two people were killed and 19 hurt in a raid against his headquarters early today, and the national police chief told AFP that more than 200 people had been arrested across the city for looting.
Police reported continued pillaging in outlying districts at midday today.
But by mid-morning, security forces had sealed off the city centre, which was calm and otherwise deserted, with troops, police and anti-riot squads patrolling the streets.
Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya said between 600 to 800 people had been detained in Libreville and 200 to 300 in the rest of the country.
As Gabon descended into chaos, the EU called for calm, former colonial power France urged "maximum restraint" and Amnesty International warned against "excessive force."
Police chief Jean-Thierry Oye Zue said six officers had been killed in the post-vote riots and agreed there were "very probably" civilian injuries "given the violence with which they attacked us."
But he declined to give a total number of fatalities, saying "I cannot tell you that."
A Red Cross worker who gave his name as Gildas said one of 15 people injured who was brought in by an army truck had died.
It was not immediately clear where Ping - a veteran diplomat and former top African Union official who had earlier declared himself the poll winner - had taken refuge.
A European diplomat said he was safe, however.
Internet communications remained cut and the capital scarred by the night of rioting.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Around 100 students of an engineering college in Akbarpur area in the district fell sick after eating food at the hostel mess following which they were taken to a hospital where 32 of them are still undergoing treatment.
Around 100 students of the college, situated in Bara village of Akbarpur area in the district, complained of vomiting and diarrhoea after consuming the food of the college mess yesterday.
After getting the information, college and the district authorities rushed the ailing students to a nearby private hospital. The health department officials also reached the spot.
CMO Kanpur (Rural) Anita Singh said only 32 students are in the hospital as now, they are undergoing treatment and will be discharged soon. Rest were discharged and sent back to hostel after their condition improved.
Singh said the situation in improving now, while orders have been given to check the drinking water at the college and food samples have been sent for testing.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Italian coastguard said that 1,725 were rescued off the Libyan coast, bringing the total number saved since Sunday to at least 14,000.
Those plucked from the Mediterranean yesterday were on 16 small boats, mostly dangerous inflatables, and were rescued by Italian naval vessels, ships from the EU's "Sophia" anti-trafficking mission, NGO boats and two passing merchant ships, the coastguard said.
Good summer weather has caused spike in attempted migrant crossings, including a record 6,500 people picked up on Monday. Three people were found dead on a boat on Wednesday, the coastguard said.
Italy is sheltering growing numbers of would-be refugees as its neighbours to the north move to tighten their borders and make it harder for to travel to their preferred destinations in northern Europe.
According to the interior ministry, Italy now has 148,000 asylum seekers in reception centres, compared with 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014.
Despite the large numbers arriving in recent days, the total number of new arrivals so far this year remains similar to 2015, with 116,149 registered by the Italian authorities from January to August.
Nearly all are from sub-Saharan Africa.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed Wednesday to step up efforts to send migrants with no right to asylum in Europe back to their homelands.
A large number of industries in Ghaziabad are extracting groundwater through borewells installed in their premises, causing depletion of the water table, the National Green Tribunal was informed today.
The submission that 187 out of 233 industries were extracting groundwater was made in a report of inspection carried out by a team of 16 officers from district administration to check existence of borewells in industrial premises in Ghaziabad.
The report submitted a detailed list of industries operating in Ghaziabad district, including tanneries, breweries, textile units and other water intensive industries.
A bench comprising Justice U D Salvi and Expert Member Ranjan Chatterjee directed Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Limited, state pollution control board and District Magistrates of Ghaziabad and Hapur to respond to a plea alleging indiscriminate extraction of groundwater resulting in depletion of water table.
The tribunal on August 4 had ordered Ghaziabad District Magistrate to appoint a team of officer to inspect 233 industries in Ghaziabad to check if borewells are installed in their premises.
It had earlier issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Central Ground Water Authority Uttar Pradesh government, state pollution control board and others in the case.
The tribunal was hearing a plea by Ghaziabad resident Sushil Raghav and NGO Society for Protection Of Environment and Biodiversity seeking closure of all industrial units extracting groundwater illegally in the notified area of Ghaziabad and Hapur.
Advocate Rahul Choudhary, representing the petitioners, had earlier said indiscriminate withdrawal of ground water is done by around various industries through borewells which are dug illegally.
The plea had alleged that Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam was illegally selling groundwater to various industries in different industrial areas, especially in Site-4 Industrial Area, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad which are using it as raw material or for other industrial purposes.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Security personnel today arrested two militants from Pattan area of Baramulla district and recovered arms and ammunitions from their possession.
"In a joint operation today, Army and police apprehended two local terrorists in Pattan," an army spokesman said.
"The arrests were affected based on specific information about the movement of suspected militants near Wusunkhui in Pattan town," he added.
The arrested militants were identified as Shaukat Ahmed Ganai (26) and Parvez Ahmad Mir (34), both residents of nearby Andargam village.
"Two AK-47 rifles, two grenade launchers and other war-like stores have been recovered from these terrorists," the spokesperson said.
"Army and police uniforms, which exposes the nefarious designs of the terror outfits to terrorise people in the garb of security forces, were also recovered from them," he added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police officers gather near the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, after a car bomb attack on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]
A suicide car bomb attack on the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, on Tuesday, killed the assailant and injured three local staff members.
The attacker forcibly drove a vehicle into the yard of the Chinese embassy and detonated a car bomb. Kyrgyzstan officially confirmed the incident as a "terrorist attack", which means it was the first attack of its kind targeting a Chinese embassy.
Due to the country neighboring Afghanistan and its role as a passageway for the flow of drugs out of Afghanistan, terrorism and extremism have resurged in Kyrgyzstan in recent years. Some brainwashed Kyrgyz people have been used as "cannon fodder" by terrorist groups for their "holy wars" across the world.
The Kyrgyzstan government has foiled several planned terrorist attacks and detained a number of local extremists conspiring with overseas terrorist groups this year. In response these terrorist groups have tried to retaliate.
The terrorist attack against the Chinese embassy, which abuts the US embassy, came a day before the 25th anniversary of Kyrgyzstan's independence.
The attack has not caused heavy casualties, but the fact that it was a suicide car bomb attack, a favorite of Al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, suggests that the attack may have direct or indirect links with these international terrorist groups. Such a trend, if not stifled in the bud, will risk turning Kyrgyzstan into a serious security threat to neighboring countries.
Kyrgyzstan is resolute in fighting terrorism, but the cross-border developments of terrorism and drug trafficking indicate that Kyrgyzstan cannot succeed in this task by its own. As the direct victim of this terrorist attack and for the security of its Belt and Road Initiative, China should work with Kyrgyzstan and other countries to promote international anti-terrorism cooperation.
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Dear Ranger: What do those orange and blue paint marks I see on trees in the forest indicate? -- Trail Hiker
Dear Hiker, those marks are part of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project (FWPP). Many of us remember the Schultz fire in June, 2010, on the eastern slopes of the San Francisco Peaks. Intense summer monsoon rains caused destructive post-fire flooding, a ferocious double whammy to neighborhoods downslope from the burned area. If a similar severe fire were to occur on the other side of the Peaks in the Dry Lake Hills, the impacts to the city would be devastating. Most of the Rio de Flag watershed, including downtown, would be vulnerable to flooding. Similarly, a fire on the steep slopes of Mormon Mountain could render a crucial part of Flagstaffs water supply in Lake Mary unusable due to erosion and sedimentation.
The FWPP is designed to reduce forest fuels in these key watersheds around Flagstaff. By reducing fuels, we are playing an active role in reducing the potential for future fire events like the Schultz fire.
Heres the top 10 things to Know about the FWPP:
1. Flagstaff recognizes the need for forest restoration. In 2012, the Flagstaff City Council placed a proposal on the general election ballot for a $10 million bond to fund fuels reduction work in key watersheds on national forest, state, and city lands. Flagstaff voters approved the bond with an overwhelming 74 percent support.
2. This project is unique. Flagstaff is the only community in the country to use a municipal bond to fund critical forest fuels reduction.
3. Our public agencies are working together. The U.S. Forest Service/Coconino National Forest and the city of Flagstaff developed a special agreement, while a similar agreement guides work on state land managed by the Arizona State Forestry Division. Coconino County folks have assisted with public outreach, while Greater Flagstaff Forest Partnership members have contributed outreach and monitoring.
4. Much has been accomplished as we approach the four-year mark. Observatory Mesa has seen nearly 700 acres of thinning by the city, with an additional 400 acres of treatment underway and due to be completed early next summer. For work on national forest lands, an Environmental Impact Statement was completed last year.The state has also completed nearly 600 acres of work on two parcels within the city.
5. Weve been busy this summer. On the Coconino National Forest, temporary roads have been built by a local contractor to access cutting units, allowing logging equipment to move in and trees to be moved out. In this case, temporary means these roads will be around for a few years and then decommissioned. Harvesting of trees on national forest lands is expected to begin in the next few months, with logging equipment moving into the Dry Lake Hills and base of Mount Elden areas. Expect area and trail closures related to these tree thinning and removal activities.
6. Heres your answer. Part of the project implementation is marking the trees with color-specific paint to indicate which trees stay and which trees will be removed. Orange means leave the tree, and blue signifies to cut the tree. The Forest Service uses special paint that, like money, can be traced and is very difficult to counterfeit.
7. Tree harvesting activities require the use of heavy equipment. Best Management Practices are procedures that minimize impacts to soils, water resources, wildlife and trails. City and Forest Service representatives will be on-site throughout the project to inspect the work and assure these practices are followed in daily operations.
8. Its been years since weve seen this scale of forest treatment activity around Flagstaff. The FWPP will include methods not commonly used in the Southwest, like cable-logging.
9. Some of us will be inconvenienced by this project, as portions of trails, roads or areas will be temporarily closed to ensure public safety. These short-term impacts are a trade-off for long-term benefits of promoting a fire-adapted ecosystem, where future low intensity fires can play their ecological role ascustodian of the forest.
10. Flagstaff Festival of Science will include an FWPP field trip. For more information on the entire FWPP project, including an interactive map showing current closures and on-the-ground work, visit www.flagstaffwatershedprotection.org
Three Indians stuck in a war zone in Libya have been evacuated and are being brought back home, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said tonight.
She said they have been brought to Benghazi, which is a port city in Libya.
"We have brought them in military vehicles 650 Kms away to Benghazi. We will now fly them from Benghazi/Tripoli.
"Two of them were evacuated by the Government earlier also. However, they returned to Libya on 28.4.2016 ignoring our advisories.
"They are being evacuated from war torn Libya at the public expense for the second time," Swaraj said in a series of tweets.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had requested Swaraj to help the three men in returning to India.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police today seized as many as 300 skins, suspected to be of bovines, from Kamalpura locality and arrested four persons.
On a tip-off, a team of senior police officials conducted a raid and found the skins hidden in a tin shed, said Additional Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ola.
He said the skins are believed to be of bovines.
The arrested persons are identified as Saeed, Babulal Hajji, Shakil Master and Farookh Member.
Police had deployed a large number of personnel, besides the anti-riot squad during the action, against the backdrop of the communally sensitive history of Malegaon.
Meanwhile, a mob gathered at the City police station against the police action, arguing that the skins were stored before the beef ban law came into force in Maharashtra last year.
However, Ola said the action was initiated as per the provisions of the law.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kolkata Police today said it will deploy around 3000 personnel to check any untoward incident in and around the city during tomorrow's nation-wide strike called by central trade unions (TUs).
"We (Kolkata Police) have taken all precautionary measures to keep daily life smooth in and around the city tomorrow. Extra police personnel, numbering around 3000, will be there in duty tomorrow," a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.
"We will not let anybody disturb peace in the city and people who will try to disrupt the situation will face strict action," the officer said.
Altogether 357 police pickets - North Division (21), East South Division (35), Central Division (52), South Division (56), Port Division (48), South East Division (35), South Suburban Division (48) and South West Division (62) would be set up at important crossings in the city tomorrow to control any untoward situation, the officer said.
Heavy Radio Flying Squad (25), Special Divisional Mobiles would also be on duty as each police station would get Reserve Force which would be under the supervision of Divisional Reserve Senior officers, he said.
"Arrangements have been made at bus terminus, bus depots, tram depots, Metro railway stations, ferry ghats and KMC garages, fire stations for tomorrow's bandh," the IPS officer said.
Police pickets would be there at market places, government offices and central business district establishments, the officer added.
The measures were taken in the backdrop of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee having cautioned that her government would not allow any shutdown in the state on September 2.
"If vehicles and shops are damaged (by bandh supporters), we will take strong action. We will also give compensation," Banerjee had said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The third national-level joint disaster management exercise will be held in Gujarat's Bhuj from September 15, a senior Navy official said.
The second such exercise titled 'Prakampana' is presently going on here and it will conclude today. Around 250 delegates are participating in the exercise.
"The three-day third national level disaster management exercise will be held at Bhuj in Gujarat from September 15," Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice-Admiral HCS Bisht told reporters here yesterday.
The first such exercise was conducted by the Army in Guwahati of Assam. The second one is being conducted by the Navy and the third exercise will be organised by the Air Force, a Defence release said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
AAP MLA Pawan Kumar Sharma has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by a Delhi court for negligently causing the death of an employee in his steel factory.
Metropolitan Magistrate Virender Singh awarded the jail term to Sharma, MLA from Adarsh Nagar consitutency in North Delhi, and imposed a fine of Rs one lakh on him. He was later granted bail by the court.
The legislator has been convicted for offences under sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) of the IPC.
When contacted, Sharma said he would file an appeal in the superior court challenging the judgement.
According to the prosecution, the incident took place in August 2009, when a worker at his steel factory in Samaipur Badli in Northwest Delhi was injured due to flying chips from a rolling machine.
Victim Ram Kumar, who was working as machine operator, was taken to a hospital in Rohini where he succumbed to the injuries.
Police had alleged that the workers, including Ram Kumar, had complained about the defective machine to the factory owner, Sharma, who did not pay heed to it and asked them to leave the job. It had also alleged that no safety cover was provided to the workers at the mill.
An FIR was lodged against the factory owner at Samaipur Badli Police Station. During the trial, Sharma had claimed innocence and pleaded that it was a false case.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is eyeing more than 20 per cent growth in tourist arrivals from India in 2016 owing to more long weekends this year and better air connectivity.
"In 2015 (January-December) we hosted 2.8 lakh Indian travellers. This year till July we had already crossed the 1.76 lakh mark and hope to see an increase of over 20 per cent in tourist arrivals from India this year," Abu Dhabi Tourism India's Country Manager Bejan Dinshaw told PTI here.
He said with the Jet Airways-Etihad tie up, the air link had improved, especially from tier II cities in India.
Jet-Etihad directly connect 14 Indian cities to Abu Dhabi.
Even as India continues to be the top source market, there is still a huge potential to be tapped, he said, adding that Abu Dhabi Tourism was planning to increase its marketing spend by 25 per cent this year on promotions in the sub-continent.
"We are delighted that India is the leading overseas source market for Abu Dhabi. We have received positive response from all our market promotion initiatives. As the market matures, we are now placing more emphasis on its growth potential, tailoring products to meet the needs and demands of the affluent travellers," Dinshaw said.
Abu Dhabi is promoting itself as a luxurious yet affordable destination mainly targeting leisure and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions) segments.
He said the Gulf nation was also growing as a choice destination for weddings, honeymoon and other niche travel segments with an ever-expanding portfolio of tourist attractions.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One day after the landmark Supreme Court ruling on Singur in Hooghly district, the Burdwan district administration today decided returning back 10.5 acres of land, acquired for setting up a 'misti hub' (traditional sweet hub), to unwilling farmers at Alisa mouza in the district.
A senior district official said after farmers dissented the setting up of boundary wall along the land, the SDPO, ADM and other officials came to the spot today and held talks with the farmers, even as personnel of RAF and police force were deployed at a distance.
The land had been acquired by the previous Left Front government in 2007 for some project and the TMC government recently decided to set up a 'misti hub' here.
As the farmers refused to budge from their stand, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) was contacted in Kolkata and after parleys the administration was asked by the CMO to communicate to the farmers their lands will be given back, the official said.
"We are happy with the government's decision. This Mamata Banerjee government thinks about the common man and farmers," a farmer Sanatan Kar said.
The district official said while the plots of land will be given back in due process following the norms, the administration will be scouting for new vacant spaces for the proposed misti hub including improving wastelands.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
About 100 activists, under the aegis of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samati (council for securing special status), today donated blood seeking that the Centre immediately honour its promises and grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The blood collected today will be couriered to the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi, they said.
"The blood donation is our final warning to the Centre. They should immediately fulfil all promises made in Rajya Sabha on February 20, 2014 when the AP Reorganisation Bill was adopted," AP Intellectuals' Forum president and leader of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti, Chalasani Srinivas, said.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought mud and (Yamuna) water in two pots at the foundation-stone laying ceremony of our new capital Amaravati. Now, we are sending him our blood demanding special status for the state, including the monetary benefits attached to it," Srinivas, who led the blood donation activity, said.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. We have already been denied justice, but the Centre should undo it and grant special status without further delay," he added.
CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna, who was present on the occasion, lashed out at the Centre for depriving AP of the benefits promised at the time of bifurcation in 2014.
"Out of the Rs 16,000 crore revenue deficit, the Centre released only Rs 4,000 crore in the last two years. The promised railway zone at Visakhapatnam, steel plant in Kadapa, national educational institutions did not happen. The Centre seems to have no commitment or concern for AP," he claimed.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Unfazed by the RSS workers' move to split from Konkan region in the wake of the removal of Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar, the Sangh today said a new committee will be announced for the state in a day or two.
"Goa prant (region) cannot be different from Konkan prant (region). No one can disassociate from Konkan prant and then after some time urge RSS to take them in main fold," RSS All India Prachar Pramukh, Manmohan Vaidya told PTI today.
His comments came hours after RSS workers in Goa announced their detachment from the parent body and formed a separate Goa prant of Sangh, which was earlier under Konkan region.
"Last night several RSS workers resigned their posts. We have now split from Konkan 'prant' forming a separate RSS Goa 'prant'," Velingkar told reporters earlier in the day.
He said the RSS office-bearers will detach themselves from the parent body until Goa Legislative Assembly elections are over and would approach for re-affiliation thereafter.
However, Vaidya said, "Konkan prant will announce new office-bearers for Goa in a day or two. There is no system of dissociating themselves for some time in RSS," Vaidya said.
"Velingkar continues to be a RSS 'swayamsevak', but he has been relieved as Goa Vibhag Sangh chalak," Vaidya added.
Playing down the resignation by 300 RSS members last night, including some office-bearers, Vaidya said, "It is not possible that such a huge number of 'swayamsevaks' or office- bearers would resign from Sangh. If someone has resigned, they can withdraw their resignation."
Velingkar, who was removed from the key post by the RSS yesterday, said the workers have "reinstated" him as the Goa Prant Sangh Chalak.
He was sacked in the wake of his forum Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) persistently challenging the BJP and its government in the state as part of its campaign and even showed a black flag to the party chief Amit Shah during a recent visit to the state.
BBMS has been demanding that primacy be given to regional languages like Konkani and Marathi as the medium of instruction in schools and also wants the grants given to the English-medium institutes stopped.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A senior Air India pilot has been grounded for submitting medical fitness certificate from a private doctor, which is in violation of aviation norms.
The national carrier's action also comes against the backdrop of incidents which have raised concerns about the overall safety of airline operations. More than 270 airline crew members, mostly pilots, have been found violating safety norms this year by regulator DGCA.
Sources said Air India has grounded a commander for violating norms with regard to submission of medical fitness certificates.
The senior pilot got medical fitness certificate from a private doctor in Bengaluru and submitted the same to the airline. Once the violation came to light, strict action was taken against the pilot, sources said.
The person was scheduled to take medical test at an Air Force hospital near Chennai but skipped it, they added.
Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations stipulate that medical fitness tests for flying duties have to be done at designated Air Force hospitals and a select number of private ones.
With a strict vigil kept on safety and security aspects of aviation, violators are liable to face strict action.
For those holding commercial pilot licences and airline transport pilot licences, the medical fitness assessment would be applicable for one year.
Once an individual turns 40 years, then the validity of medical assessment for flying duties would be half of the original period applicable for those below the threshold age.
Safety violations involving more than 270 airline crew members have come to the notice of DGCA this year. Most of them were pilots, flight commanders and first officers.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PHOENIX -- Arizona voters will get to decide if they want to be able to use marijuana just to get "high.''
In a brief order Wednesday, the Arizona Supreme Court rebuffed arguments by foes of Proposition 205 that both the summary of the initiative and the text itself was too flawed to send to the ballot.
Chief Justice Scott Bales said Arizona law requires only that ballot measures be in "substantial compliance'' with legal requirements. And he said Proposition 205 fits within that definition.
While Wednesday's ruling clears the way for a vote, it may not end the legal problems for the measure.
Challengers point out a constitutional provision requires any new program created by voters to have its own new source of revenues. While the initiative will create a 15 percent tax on sales of the drug to fund enforcement, it will have to borrow money initially from a separate pre-existing account that regulates medical marijuana.
The justices, however, sidestepped that issue, saying it is not legally "ripe'' to argue. But Bales told challengers they can raise those objections if the measure is approved in November.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, one of the leaders of the anti-205 campaign, said while foes hoped to knock the measure off the ballot and avoid the fight, they are ready for it. And he predicted that once voters know all the provisions they will reject it.
The heart of Proposition 205 would allow any adult to possess and use up to one ounce of marijuana without fear of prosecution under state law.
That is a big change from the 2010 voter-approved medical marijuana law. That limits possession and use only to those who have specific medical conditions, a doctor's recommendation and a state-issued ID card. The most recent reports from the Arizona Department of Health Services show only about 100,000 of those cards have been issued.
As with the medical marijuana law, Proposition 205 would limit sales to state-licensed dispensaries. The approximately 90 existing medical marijuana dealers would get first crack at the 147 licenses for recreational sale that would be initially available.
Montgomery acknowledged that if the only issue before voters were legalization for recreational use the measure might be approved. He said, though, Proposition 205 would make many changes in the law that voters might find alarming. And Montgomery said the goal remains to educate voters to those effects.
For example, he said the initiative makes the unlicensed manufacture of butane-produced "hash oil'' a Class 6 felony, punishable by a year in state prison.
"Butane hash oil explosions have knocked homes off their foundations,'' Montgomery said. He said that's why Arizona law makes the similar crime of "cooking'' methamphetamine a Class 2 felony with a presumptive five-year prison term.
But Andrew Myers of the Marijuana Policy Project, which is providing much of the funding, said there's a legitimate reason for the lower penalty for unlicensed making marijuana concentrate, which itself would become legal.
"Comparing it to cooking methamphetamine shows just how out of touch the county attorney is,'' he said.
Foes also have cited a provision which says that a court cannot use the mere fact that someone legally uses marijuana for recreational purposes to decide matters of child custody and visitation.
But Myers said there's no reason to threaten recreational users with the loss of child custody.
"I don't think that it ought to be considered by a judge any more than it would be considered if somebody (going through a divorce) was a moderate alcohol user,'' he argued. "We have a substance that is less dangerous than alcohol.''
Montgomery has a basket full of other changes that the law would make, such as how it affects the ability of employers to discipline workers who may be imbibing off the job site and the fact that sales will be limited to a small group of retailers. He said the campaign plan is to make voters aware that approval of Proposition 205 is about more than simply legalizing the use of marijuana for recreational purposes.
"Even libertarians ... are opposed to do it this way,'' Montgomery said. "This initiative is just dreadful.''
To this point, proponents of Proposition 205 have outraised foes by more than 3 to 1, though much of the nearly $3.1 million collected by supporters was used to hire paid circulators to collect signatures.
Montgomery said efforts are underway to raise more than the $950,000 collected so far. But he said he thinks the message against approval can still be made effectively even if not much more comes in.
He pointed out that the 2010 medical marijuana initiative was approved by just 4,340 votes out of more than 1.6 million cast even though foes spent only about $27,000 trying to defeat it. Of note is that the measure failed in 13 of the state's 15 counties but was enacted only because of strong support from voters in Pima and Coconino counties.
And Montgomery cited a July poll showing 52.5 percent of those questioned saying they would vote "no'' on Proposition 205, with 39 percent in support.
Myers said he's not worried.
"I've seen polls that have been all over the place,'' he said. Myers said the fate of the initiative will depend on who goes to the polls in November.
Wednesday's high court action came just hours after a trial judge ruled that Secretary of State Michele Reagan had incorrectly explained at least one element of the measure.
Arizona law requires Reagan to prepare a description for voters of what any ballot measure will do. That appears both on the ballot and in the brochures mailed to the homes of registered voters.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge James Blomo said Reagan was factually incorrect when she said that if Proposition 205 is approved marijuana would be available only to those "over 21.''
Assistant Attorney General James Driscoll-Maceachron acknowledged that the measure, if approved, would allow those 21 and older to possess and use the drug. But he insisted that Reagan's description that the drug could be used by those "over 21'' really means the same thing as being 21 or older.
Blomo wasn't buying it.
"I guess I disagree with that,'' the judge responded, saying it runs contrary to a plain understanding of the English language.
"If I hear you have to be over 21, that means 22,'' he said. Blomo, in his ruling, called the language "clearly misleading,'' as the measure would allow anyone at least 21 to buy and use the drug.
But Blomo refused to make two other changes sought by proponents of Proposition 205: that voters be told a 15 percent tax on the drug would help fund education, and that some drug offenses would remain felonies.
Senior Congress leader Karan Singh today said the all-party delegation, which is scheduled to visit Kashmir on September 4, should talk to 'everyone' to find a way out of the current unrest in the Valley which has so far claimed 69 lives.
"It is my personal opinion that it (all-party delegation) should talk to everyone who is willing to talk because it is only through dialogue that there can be some movement forward," Singh told reporters here.
Singh, son of the last king of Kashmir - Hari Singh, however, said the separatists must be ready to talk to the delegation too.
"They (separatists) should also be ready to talk. If they say beforehand that they will not talk, then how would there be a dialogue," he said.
The Rajya Sabha member said the situation in the Valley has pained him and he has come here to share the pain of the people.
"I wanted to come early but there was curfew here. I have come here to share the pain of the people. I am pained by the situation since the last two months. Many youth have lost their lives, hundreds have been injured, and business and tourism has come to a standstill," he said.
He stated that children's future is getting affected as the educational institutions remained closed due to restrictions and strike.
"I have come here to meet all of you, to ask you what is happening and to listen to you. I have come to express my sympathy and I want the peace to return to the Valley," he said.
"I want the children to return to schools and colleges because their future is getting affected. They have to think, their parents have to think about it. We all have to think, I pray that the situation improves," he added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh today visited the South-Western Army Command here to review the operational, training and administrative aspects of the unit.
Singh, accompanied by his wife Namita Suhag, President of Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), was received by Lt Gen Sarath Chand.
"The General was briefed on the operational as well as training and administrative aspects by the Army commander Lt Gen Sarath Chand. The Army Chief took stock of operational preparedness of the Command and appreciated the measures undertaken to maintain optimal operational readiness and training of the formations under it," defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said.
"He gave an overview of the prevailing external and internal security environment and expressed his satisfaction at the efforts under taken by the Command to face the evolving security challenges. He stressed upon ensuring continued operational preparedness," he said.
The Army chief also called on Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and discussed avenues for closer civil-military co-operation.
Later, he and the Chief Minister inaugurated the War Museum at Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur.
Namita Suhag, President Central AWWA, interacted with the families of 'Sapta Shakti' Command.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 26-year-old army jawan was electrocuted when he came in contact with a live wire in his house in Kidwai Nagar locality here, police said today.
The incident occurred last night when Naved Alam accidentally touched the wire while working, they said, adding he was rushed to the military hospital in Meerut where he was declared brought dead.
The victim's parents, who are in Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage, have been informed about the incident, police said.
In a separate incident, 24-year-old Javed was yesterday electrocuted when he came in contact with an electric wire in his housein Bhumma village, police said.
The incident occurred when he was working at his home, they said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hinduja Group flagship on Thursday reported a six per cent decline in total sales at 10,897 units in August 2016.
The company had sold 11,544 units in August last year.
Sales of heavy and medium commercial vehicles declined by eight per cent to 8,201 units last month as against 8,903 units in the year-ago period, the company said in a statement.
Light commercial vehicle sales grew by two per cent to 2,696 units as compared to 2,641 units in August last year, it added.
Standing beneath the forest-green peaks of the Sierra Nevada, President drew a connection between conservation efforts and stopping global warming, describing the two environmental challenges as inseparably linked.
Obama used the first stop yesterday on a two-day conservation tour to try to showcase how federal and local governments can effectively team up to address a local environmental concern like iconic Lake Tahoe, which straddles California and Nevada.
Obama told a sunbaked crowd of several thousand in a small lakeside town that "our conservation effort is more critical, more urgent than ever."
"When we protect our lands, it helps us protect the climate of the future," Obama said, joined by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada, California Gov. Jerry Brown and Sen Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
Reid, who leaves office next year and invited Obama to attend the summit's 20th anniversary, said thanks to nearly $2 billion in spending since 1997, Lake Tahoe is now "more pristine than it has been in decades." And Brown, hailing the bipartisan support the lake restoration has enjoyed, called it proof that "beauty transcends politics."
Twenty-two miles long and 12 miles wide, picturesque Lake Tahoe would cover all of California with more than a foot of water if it were emptied. A major tourist attraction along with the area's casinos and ski resorts, the lake has been a major source of concern for environmentalists for decades, as underwater visibility began sharply receding.
Scientists believe an array of factors such as storm-water runoff, car traffic and nearby construction have fuelled the loss of clarity in the alpine lake, leading to major investments over the last 20 years by Congress, private groups, local authorities and the states of California and Nevada.
The latest threat to the lake warming temperatures that have altered the underwater physics dovetails with Obama's emphasis on how America's most treasured natural wonders are already suffering the consequences of climate change.
Unveiling modest new steps to preserve the lake and its region, the White House said the Interior Department would spend nearly $30 million on wildfire prevention in the area, while other agencies would work on storm-water management, algae monitoring and geothermal energy exploration.
Auditors of UB Holding (UBHL) have flagged their concerns over extending money to Kingfisher Airlines and other group companies without any provision to recover the losses made from that.
UBHL has invested in many subsidiaries and associate companies and extended corporate guarantees in favour of the lenders or creditors of the defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), which was later invoked by the lenders, said an audit qualification report submitted by the company.
"The company has extended corporate bank guarantee of Rs 87,072 million in favour of lenders/lessors/creditors of the KFA, an erstwhile subsidiary of the company," the report said.
"This may result in loss to the company. No provision has been made in the accounts for such a possible loss."
UBHL, whose majority stake has been owned by Vijay Mallya, has also invested in subsidiaries and an associate company, it added.
"The carrying value of such investment is Rs 1,472 million. There are significants decline in the carrying value of these investments. The company has not provided for such declines," the report said.
It also added that certain subsidiaries of UBHL owe Rs 754 mullion.
"Net worth of these companies is eroded, impairing the recovery of such loans and advances. The company has not provided for the possible loss on this account," it said.
Moreover, Rs 8,074 million is shown as dues from a contributory trust managed by a financial firm that has sold the company's investments pledged with it and appropriated part of the sale proceeds against dues from KFA.
"Further, the said trust still holds custody of 59,150,000 shares in KFA belonging to the company," it said, adding that UBHL has petitioned before the City Civil Court of Calcutta and Karnataka High Court.
"Should the company fail to get the relief as sought, there would be losses."
Besides, certain aircraft lessors and vendors of KFA have invoked the corporate guarantee given by UB Holdings.
"The total amount invoked and outstanding as on March 31, 2016 is Rs 15,275.40 million... Also consortium of KFA bankers has invoked the company's corporate guarantee and demanded payment of Rs 62,033.50 million due from KFA along with the interest," it said.
UBHL has also shown Rs 358 million as due from a banker who has unilaterally encashed the company's deposit lying with it.
"The possible loss of account of this development has not been recognised in the financial statement," the report added.
Moreover, UB Holding has also sought a legal view over the direction from the Securities Appellate Tribunal to comply with market regulator Sebi order for disclosure of the impact of audit qualification from 2012-13 onwards.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali led from the front with 80 but his side were still held to 247 for eight by England in the fourth one-day international here today.
When Azhar was out, Pakistan -- already 3-0 down in the five-match series -- were 169 for six off 38 overs and in danger of failing to bat out their full 50 in this day/night fixture.
But the fit-again Imad Wasim's unbeaten 57 and his eighth-wicket stand of 56 with Hasan Ali took Pakistan past 200.
England slow bowlers Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali shared five wickets between them, with leg-spinner Rashid -- one of five Yorkshire players in the side -- taking three for 47 on his home ground.
Both teams made changes from Tuesday's match at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, where England piled up 444 for three -- the highest total in any one-day international -- as they won by 169 runs.
England left out pace bowlers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, with their places taken by left-arm quick David Willey and all-rounder Chris Jordan.
Jonny Bairstow came in after wicket-keeper Jos Buttler was withdrawn in the warm-up because of a hamstring injury.
Pakistan rested pacemen Mohammad Amir -- whose 58 on Tuesday was the highest ODI score by a No 11 batsman -- and Wahab Riaz as well as all-rounder Shoaib Malik and leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
In came giant paceman Mohammad Irfan, experienced seamer Umar Gul, batsman Mohammad Rizwan and Wasim.
Sharjeel Khan, who made a dashing 58 at Nottingham again looked in good touch as he pulled Jordan for four and flicked him over deep square for six.
But the left-handed opener fell for 16 when he sliced Jordan over the offside infield and Ben Stokes, running back, held a good catch.
Willey and Jordan bowled three maidens in the first six overs. Pakistan went 16 balls without a run before Azhar got off the mark by cover-driving Willey for four.
He also hoisted Plunkett and Rashid for two well-struck sixes. But wickets fell around him steadily, with a diving Plunkett holding an excellent catch at mid-on to dismiss potential dangerman Sarfraz Ahmed (12) following a hard-hit drive off Rashid.
Azhar's 104-ball innings featuring two sixes and five fours, ended when he lofted Rashid to Willey on the long-off boundary.
But left-hander Wasim, who made an unbeaten 63 in the second ODI at Lord's before a knee injury ruled him out at Trent Bridge, struck seven fours and drove Willey for a superb straight six.
Gul, off the penultimate ball of the innings, also hit Willey for six but Pakistan now needed a special display in the field to prevent another England win.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN chief Ban Ki-moon today called on Sri Lanka's youth to lead the way in achieving reconciliation and appreciation of diversity to emerge from the impacts of the decades-long civil war which ended in 2009.
"Please continue to prove that Sri Lanka is emerging from decades of adversity, suspicion and divisiveness. Please lead the way towards rebuilding, reconciliation and an appreciation of diversity in unity," the UN Secretary General told a gathering of young Sri Lankans in Galle.
Speaking at the youth event on "Reconciliation and Coexistence: the Role of Youth", Ban, who arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday on a three-day visit, said around the world, the UN is working to ensure that every young person has the education, health, employment and rights they deserve.
"And the United Nations is building more and stronger partnerships with youth-led and youth-focused organisations to promote peace and development," he was quoted as saying by the Colombo Page.
He said, in recent years, Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the biggest contributors to the youth agenda.
Noting that most of Sri Lanka's youth were born and lived their early lives during conflict, terror and displacement and many of them suffered deprivations and injustice, the UN Chief emphasised that involvement in peacebuilding, reconciliation and post-conflict transformation provide an opportunity to emerge from this trauma to play a part in creating a better future.
"You are your country's biggest asset. Sri Lanka's future success depends on you," he told the gathering.
Earlier in the day, Ban faced a protest by around 50 people at the UN office here who questioned where was the world body during the LTTE insurgency.
At least two opposition groups handed over petitions to the UN Resident Coordinators office here protesting against the Secretary-General.
This is Ban's second visit to the country since 2009, when the Lankan troops defeated Tamil Tigers, following which the country has come under close UN scrutiny for its warcrimes accountability.
Protesters held placards with messages like "Where were you, UN?" and accused the world body of interfering in the country.
A handful of Buddhist monks representing the nationalist group 'Ravana Force' gathered opposite the UN compound defying a police order to protest while the Joint Opposition, the backers of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, too, handed over a petition.
"We urged the UNSG to stop interfering in Sri Lanka," Sisira Jayakodi, an opposition legislator and a Rajapaksa supporter, said.
Ban was in the compound at the time which was tightly guarded by the police to prevent demonstrators entering the premises.
Tomorrow, he is set to visit Jaffna, the Tamil-dominated northern district and a former LTTE bastion, and inspect camps of persons displaced by the nearly three decade-long conflict.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will leave tomorrow for a week-long visit to Germany and Rome to attend Mother Teresa's canonisation ceremony and meet potential investors.
The Trinamool Congress supremo has already clarified that she is not part of the central government's official delegation to the Vatican City for the ceremony on Sunday but is going as a guest of Kolkata-based Missionaries of Charity which was founded by Mother Teresa.
Banerjee said there is a lot of business potential in Italy, specially in the jewellery sector, while Munich has a lot to offer in the manufacturing sector.
She will be accompanied by businessmen, top government officials and ministers, including Finance and Industry Minister Amit Mitra, to the business meetings.
Two apex chambers of commerce and industry from Germany have invited Banerjee to visit with a business delegation.
Rome's first woman mayor Virginia Raggi has invited Banerjee to a special reception during her visit to Vatican City.
She is scheduled to return to Kolkata on September 10.
"In my absence the ministers and officials will take the call if there is any emergency," Banerjee said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangladesh police have arrested two alleged operatives of banned Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from south-eastern port city of Chittagong.
"Detectives have arrested two alleged members of banned militant outfit ABT," a police spokesman said.
ABT is blamed for a series of attacks on individuals, including secular writers, activists and followers of minority religious faiths. Independent security analysts believe that the banned outfit members are inclined to al-Qaeda.
ABT's top leader, Ziaul Haque, a renegade army major is on the run with a bounty on his head.
Police last month announced bounty leading to arrests of the fugitive major alongside Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury describing the latter as the top leader of Neo-Jamaatul Mujahideen (neo-JMB).
The neo-JMB, known to be linked to ISIS, carried out the July 1 terrorist attack at Dhaka's Holey Artisan restaurant, killing 22 people including 17 foreigners and an Indian girl.
Chowdhury, however, was killed in a security raid at a militant hideout at Narayanganj on the outskirts of the capital along with two other alleged terrorists on August 27.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
France has been seized by a silly hysteria over the burkini, prompting me to wonder when Europeans will get serious about their Islamist challenge.
For starters, what is a burkini? The word (sometimes spelled burqini) combines the names of two opposite articles of female clothing: the burqa (an Islamic tent-like, full-body covering) and the bikini. Also known as a halal swimsuit, it modestly covers all but the face, hands and feet, consisting of a top and a bottom. It resembles a wetsuit with a head covering.
Aheda Zanetti of Ahiida Pty Ltd in Australia claims to have coined the portmanteau in 2003, calling it smaller than a burka while two piece like a bikini. The curious and sensational cross of two radically dissimilar articles of clothing, along with the need it fit for active, pious Muslim women, the burkini (as Ahiida notes) was the subject of an immediate rush of interest and demand. Additionally, some women (like British cooking celebrity Nigella Lawson) wear it to avoid a tan, while pious Jews have adopted a variant garment.
In 2009, a public swimming pool in Emerainville excluded a burkini-wearing woman, on the grounds that she violated pool rules by wearing street clothes. But burkinis only erupted into a national political issue on Aug. 12 when the mayor of Cannes, a resort town on the French Riviera, banned burkinis (without legally defining what exactly they are) on the Cannes beaches because it represents Islamism. A court then confirmed his ban and the prime minister of France, Manuel Valls, further endorsed it (on the grounds that the burkini is a religious expression that has no place on the beach) as did Francois Fillon, a likely candidate for president next year. Thus encouraged, other French municipalities followed suit, including the city of Nice, plus another nine towns in the Alpes-Maritimes Department as well as five towns in the Var Department.
This development astonishes me, someone who has argued that the burqa (and the niqab, a similar article of clothing that leaves a slit for the eyes) needs to be banned from public places on security grounds. Those formless garments not only hide the face, permitting criminals and jihadis to hide themselves, but they permit the wearer to hide, say, an assault rifle without anyone knowing. Men as well as women use burqas as accessories to criminal and jihadi purposes. Indeed, I have collected about 150 anecdotes of bank robberies, abductions, murders, and jihadi attacks since 2002.
In contrast, the burkini poses no danger to public security. Unlike the burqa or niqab, it leaves the face uncovered. Relatively tight-fitting, it leaves no place to hide weapons. Men cannot wear it as a disguise. Further, while there are legitimate arguments about the hygiene of large garments in pools (prompting some hotels in Morocco to ban the garment), this is obviously not an issue on the coastal beaches of France.
Accordingly, beach burkinis should be allowed without restriction. Cultural arguments, such as the one made by Valls, are specious and discriminatory. If a woman wishes to dress modestly on the beach, that is her business, and not the states. Its also her prerogative to choose unflattering swimwear that waterlogs when she swims.
The Islamist threat to the West is very real, from the Rushdie rules to sex gangs, taharrush, polygyny, honor killings, partial no-go zones and beheadings. With the influx to Europe of millions of unvetted Muslim migrants, these problems will grow along with the number of Islamists. Nerves are on edge and the political scene is changing rapidly, as symbolized by half the vote for president of Austria recently going to a hardline anti-immigration politician.
Issues concerning Islam are arguably Europes number one concern, ahead even of the European Union and the financial crisis; they need to be dealt with by confronting real problems, not by focusing on symbolic irrelevancies such as burkinis, halal shops and minarets. Burqas and niqabs must be banned (as the German government may soon do), freedom of speech about Islam and Muslims must be reconfirmed, Saudi and Iranian funding for religious purposes must be cut, and a single legal code must apply to all.
So, my advice: Focus on these real problems and let Muslims wear what they wish to the beach.
Bangladesh police today said they have identified 10 people who hatched, planned or provided weapons and money to militants for storming a Dhaka cafe on July 1, days after the key mastermind of the country's worst terror attack was killed.
"We have gathered data about 10 people who planned or provided money and weapon for the attack," police's Counterterrorism and Transnational Crime unit chief Monirul Islam told reporters, confirming a media report.
His comments came as the mass circulation Prothom Alo earlier today carried a report quoting "investigation sources" that they have identified the 10 suspected culprits and "unearthed the current location" of six of them.
Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury, who is believed to be the mastermind of the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery here was killed on August 27 along with two other militants in a security raid at a hideout in suburban Narayanganj on the outskirts of the capital.
The July 1 attack had killed 22 people, including 16 foreigners and an Indian girl.
Police earlier said the operational commander of the attack, Marzan, was one of the nine militants who were killed in last month's raid on their hideout in the capital.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed to have mobilised a million demonstrators in the biggest rally in decades, demanding a referendum on removing him from power.
Police deployed in their hundreds yesterday to keep apart anti-government protesters angry at food and medicine shortages from Maduro's supporters who vowed to defend his "socialist revolution."
The rallies raised fears of violence in the oil-rich South American state, where anti-government protests in 2014 led to clashes with police that left 43 people dead.
The leader of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable, Jesus Torrealba, told AFP it was the "biggest rally in recent decades" with "between 950,000 and 1.1 million people" taking part.
Demonstrators dressed in white marched in the east of the capital, yelling " is hungry" and "This government is going to fall."
"We either come out to march or we will die of hunger. We are no longer afraid of the government," said one demonstrator, Ana Gonzalez, 53.
The rallies come at a highly volatile time for Venezuela, where a plunge in prices for oil exports has caused shortages, violent crime and outbreaks of looting.
"This is a historic march. Today begins a definitive stage in this struggle," Torrealba said.
Thousands of Maduro supporters in red t-shirts and caps meanwhile rallied in the central Plaza Bolivar yelling to their leader: "The people are with you."
Maduro estimated his supporters' turnout at up to 30,000.
"Today we have defeated a coup d'etat," he told the crowd. "They have failed once again. The victory is ours."
The opposition blames Maduro for the economic crisis and wants a referendum on removing him from power. He has branded the effort a right-wing "coup."
"We are here at the call of our president, to defend the revolution," said 37-year-old housewife Carolina Aponte at the pro-government rally.
The authorities arrested three opposition leaders in the days ahead of the march. Senior opposition figure Henrique Capriles said on Thursday that two mayors had also been arrested.
No major clashes were reported during Thursday's marches, which finished in the mid-afternoon, though riot cops faced off with small groups of protesters.
BJP on Thursday listed "various controversies" during the CPI(M)-led LDF government's 100 days in office and accused it of using these to divert the attention of the people.
"The controversies include plea to allow women devotees of all ages to offer worship at the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, no lighting of traditional lamps and religious hymns at government functions and no laying of floral carpets in offices during duty hours (for Onam)," BJP state chief Kummanam Rajasekharan claimed in a statement.
"They could not move forward as they desired. When this realisation dawned on them, unnecessary controversies were being kicked up to divert the attention of the people," he alleged.
"LDF came to power saying everything will be set right. However, so far there has been no signs of the government making any constructive contributions so far," Rajasekharan alleged.
In another statement, former Union minister and lone BJP MLA in the state Assembly O Rajagopal, said they were ready to cooperate with the government.
"However, what is needed for the state first is peace. Where there is peace, only there will be development," he said.
Rajagopal alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was trying to govern by suppressing his political rivals and said, since there is no freedom of expression in the LDF, the CPI is expressing their views publicly.
A book depicting the experiences of entrepreneurs from the Indian community who founded successful businesses in the UAE has been launched here.
The book, 'The India Connection' is a part of a series titled 'Actions and Insights' that discusses Middle East and North Africa (MENA) affairs is published by the University of Wollongong in Dubai.
"Since the establishment of the UAE, our founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, realised the importance of developing strong relations especially with countries that have a significant impact - geographically, culturally, economically and politically - on the UAE, such as India," UAE Minister of State for Tolerance Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi said.
"Sheikh Zayed's visit to India in 1975 helped establish growing and prosperous synergies between our two countries," she said.
In the book, researchers delved deep into the stories of entrepreneurs from the Indian community who settled in and founded successful businesses in the UAE.
They have also attempted to study the gradual shift of the centre of world economy from the West to the East - a phenomenon that has occupied the attention of experts and policy makers worldwide and one that merits ongoing monitoring.
"UAE is home to 77 per cent of India's exports to the region, with over 26,000 Indian companies registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including companies registered at free zones across the UAE. The total number of functional Indian companies in Dubai exceeds 50,000," Sanjay Verma, former Indian Consul-General in Dubai said.
The authors of the book Immanuel Azaad Moonesar, Assistant Professor at MBRSG, and Melodena Stephens Balakrishnan, Associate Professor at The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), were present in the occasion.
Consul-General of India to the UAE, Anurag Bhushan was also present.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Brazil's ex-president Dilma Rousseff today filed a Supreme Court challenge asking for the overturning of a Senate impeachment vote that removed her from office.
The appeal, filed by Rousseff's lawyer Jose Eduardo Cardozo and seen by AFP, demands "the immediate suspension of the effects of the Senate decision."
The Senate voted yesterday to convict Rousseff on charges of having illegally manipulated government accounts, stripping her of her office and replacing her with her bitter enemy and former vice president Michel Temer.
Cardozo's appeal asks for "a new trial" during which Temer -- who was sworn in as president up until the end of 2018 -- would be downgraded to interim president again.
Temer is now in China, attending a G20 summit, while Rousseff remains in the Alvorada presidential palace in Brasilia. She is expected to leave shortly for her personal apartment in the southern city of Porto Alegre.
Rousseff was convicted by a two-thirds majority of taking illegal state loans to patch budget holes in 2014, masking the country's problems as it slid into economic disarray.
Senators voting for her removal said she had contributed to Brazil's economic crisis and acted with criminal irresponsibility.
Rousseff, from the leftist Workers' Party, denied having done anything illegal and claimed to be the victim of a right-wing coup d'etat.
In a surprise move, a Senate vote on barring Rousseff from public office for eight years failed, meaning she is free to re-enter political life. The ban had been considered by many to be a standard consequence of removal in an impeachment trial.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Evidence is growing that Russia is behind a significant increase in the use of cluster bombs in Syria, campaigners have said.
A coalition of NGOs led by Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in an annual study on Thursday that more than 400 people were killed or maimed by the banned munitions in the world last year.
They linked the increased use of cluster bombs in to Russian forces who are carrying out air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
"Since Russia began its joint operation with Syrian forces at the end last September, we have seen an increase in the number of cluster munition attacks on opposition-held areas," Mary Wareham, HRW's arms advocacy director and editor of the report, told a press conference.
"And at the moment we see evidence of cluster munition attacks every week, if not almost every day, which is highly disturbing," Wareham added.
Russia has repeatedly denied using cluster bombs, which spray bomblets indiscriminately.
HRW admitted it was difficult to determine whether it was specifically Russian or Syrian forces which had used the bombs.
"Nonetheless, this is a joint military operation, so collectively together they are responsible for the actions of their coalition," Wareham said.
A total of 248 people were killed or injured by the munitions in last year, almost all civilians, the Cluster Munition Monitor report said.
A Canadian man has pleaded guilty to charges he imported marijuana and MDMA, also known as ecstasy, from Canada into the US.
US Massachusetts Attorney Carmen Ortiz says Gurshuran Singh, of Brampton, Ontario, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute MDMA and marijuana and money laundering conspiracy.
The 33-year-old Singh was arrested in Canada in May 2014.
Prosecutors say Singh agreed with a co-conspirator to transport MDMA and marijuana over the border and into Michigan from 2011 to March 2012.
A courier then drove the drugs to Jonathan Rabinovitch, of Salem, Massachusetts, who sold them and returned the proceeds to Canada.
Rabinovitch was sentenced in February 2015 to 24 months in prison.
Singh is scheduled to be sentenced December 7.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam government has urged the Centre to seal Indo-Bangladesh border under the supervision of the Army, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said.
"Our honest aim is to seal the Indo-Bangla border as soon as possible. We have spoken many times to the Centre. We want that the work is done under the supervision and guidance of Indian Army," Sonowal said at a press conference here.
Also the quality of current fencing is not good and to prevent illegal immigration completely better quality of fencing should be done, he said.
Addressing the media on completion of his government's 100 days in office, Sonowal said he and his ministerial colleagues have been working with the motto of "zero tolerance to corruption".
"People's lives were crippled under corruption during the last government. Our thrust has been to give people relief from it. Our ministers are not only talking against corruption but are acting against this menace," he said adding, they are working to make the administrative system efficient and corruption-free so that its regains people's faith.
"We are also constantly monitoring the progress of the NRC update exercise. Our target is to update the document by 2017," he said.
The BJP-led government, Sonowal said, has always rushed help to people in all types of disasters like floods or terrorist attack in Kokrajhar or the blast in Tinsukia.
It is also working on controlling spiralling prices of food items, he said and claimed that the rates were lower in Assam than in Delhi.
Hitting out at the erstwhile Congress government on the economic front, Sonowal said his government has inherited a committed liability of around Rs 17,000 crore.
"CAG has pointed out that no accounts had been furnished for Rs 12,000 crore from 2004 to 2014. There was economic challenge when we took charge. This situation arose because of the mistakes by the last government," he said.
Asked about the implications of the Naga Peace Accord, Sonowal said, "Our stand is to safeguard the interest of the people. Our mandate is to work for that and we will work for that."
On the issue of big dams, he said the Assam government will follow the recommendations of the expert committee.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government today said commercial surrogacy has become a USD 2 billion illegal industry and a means to exploit vulnerable women even as it vowed not to let women in India become "baby factories".
Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said commercial surrogacy has also become a means of exploiting children also, when they get abandoned.
"We want to communicate that surrogacy should be the last option and we in no way are going to promote the idea of commercial surrogacy," Patel told NDTV.
The minister also spoke on Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016, which was recently approved by the Union Cabinet, and has drawn criticism from several quarters.
She said the government is "conscious and sensitive" and various issues which has not been touched so far may be addressed in the course of discussions in the parliament.
The bill is yet to be tabled in Parliament and there will be many more rounds of deliberation, Patel said.
"It's a long process. I believe that the outcomes are going to be in the larger interest of the nation," she said.
She said 80 per cent of the total child births taking place through surrogacy in India are for foreign nationals.
"Women in India are not baby factories. If you consider the total number of births of children which are taking place through surrogate mothers, 80 per cent of such births have been for foreign nationals.
"Why are they doing this? Are Indian women only made for this purpose? They are trying to escape the tough laws of surrogacy in their own homeland and therefore they are coming to India because poor, vulnerable tribal women are easily available. They give them petty money," she said.
The bill proposes a complete ban on commercial surrogacy and allows only legally-wedded Indian couples to opt for it.
It also seeks to bar unmarried couples, single parents, live-in partners and homosexuals from opting for surrogacy.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A CRPF constable, who got severely injured during an anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh few days back, today succumbed to his injuries at a hospital here.
27-year-old constable Sachin Kumar of the paramilitary force was airlifted to the AIIMS trauma centre here after he was badly injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on August 26.
"Kumar succumbed to his IED splinter injuries at about 8:40 AM today. He was brought to AIIMS on August 29 on an air ambulance from state capital Raipur. In AIIMS, his right leg was amputated but his condition kept deteriorating," a senior official said.
The official said Kumar, of the CRPF's 150th battalion, was an expert of the bomb disposal squad and was out defusing IEDs on the fateful day in the Naxal hotbed of Chintagufa in Sukma but he accidentally stepped on a hidden landmine and got badly hit.
Senior officers paid tributes to him at a wreath laying ceremony at a Central Reserve Police Force camp here.
Kumar hailed from the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh and is survived by his wife and a two-year-old son.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dallas police chief David Brown, who came under the spotlight for his response to the fatal ambush of five officers in the US city, has announced his retirement.
Chief Brown will step down on October 22, ending a 33-year career which saw him emerge as a national figure as the Texas city reeled from last month's deadly attack.
Brown was thrust into public view after a gunman shot and killed five officers in Dallas on July 7, just as a crowd of peaceful protesters was concluding a march against deadly police shootings of black Americans.
Addressing a press conference in the assault's aftermath, Brown, who is black, was asked how people could help Dallas. "Serve your communities," he said.
"We're hiring," Brown said, "Get off that protest line and put an application in."
Following that call, the Dallas Police Department reported an "unprecedented" 344 percent surge in applications to join the force.
Brown's own story encapsulates the painful tensions surrounding policing, race and gun violence in America.
Shortly after Brown took the helm of the Dallas police force in 2010, his 27-year-old son, David Brown Jr, fatally shot an officer and another man while high on drugs, before being killed by police.
In announcing his "difficult decision" to retire, Brown said he had become a cop to solve the problems of the 1980s crack cocaine epidemic.
"I wanted to be part of the solution," he said in a written statement yesterday in which he once again praised the five officers killed in July.
"Their memory will remain with all of us forever. I know the people of Dallas will never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made on the streets of our city that awful night."
The five officers were killed by Micah Xavier Johnson, a black army veteran who confessed to wanting to kill cops in retaliation for brutality towards African Americans. Johnson died in a standoff with police.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court today asked the government to decide soon on a plea by a Pakistani woman, whose husband is battling for life due to chronic kidney and liver failure, seeking permission to undergo surgery at a private hospital here.
The court said this after the counsel appearing for the Centre said they needed 10 days to decide on the appeal against the order of the hospital's authorisation committee which had rejected the representation of the woman to allow one of their family friends to donate liver tissues.
"You (government) cannot take 10 days time in such a matter. There is an emergency," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said, adding "this appeal has to be decided expeditiously."
When the Centre's counsel sought some time on the ground that the appeal has to be heard by a 10-member committee, the court said, "I am willing to give you time but I do not know what the God wants. Do it as soon as possible."
Karachi-based Syeda Noor Afsan had approached the court seeking a direction to the Centre to decide on the appeal and set aside the August 24 order passed by the hospital's authorisation committee.
Afsan said the condition of her 46-year-old husband Sulaiman Mohammad was critical and deteriorating and immediate transplantation surgery was needed to save his life.
She said she would donate one of her kidneys for the surgery but as per doctors, she cannot donate liver tissues which was needed for the transplant and Karachi-based Humaira Muddaser, one of her friends, was willing to donate liver tissues for the surgery on humanitarian ground.
The petitioners, Afsan and Humaira, have alleged in the plea that the hospital's authorisation committee had acted arbitrarily in rejecting their representation as it had not considered the documents presented before it.
During the hearing today, the government counsel said the petitioners could approach the authorities concerned to complete certain formalities and they would ensure that the appeal was decided as soon as possible.
The court has asked the petitioners to approach the authorities concerned today itself and posted the matter for further hearing tomorrow.
The high court had earlier asked the Health Ministry and
hospital authorities to consider the plea for permission for the organ transplant.
40-year-old Afsan had earlier told the court that her husband was diagnosed with acute chronic liver failure at a hospital in Karachi, after which she came to Delhi and doctors here had advised kidney and liver transplant for him.
"The donor and donee both are Pakistani nationals and only permissions are being sought to undergo transplant surgeries so as to save his (Sulaiman) life," her plea had said.
During earlier hearings, Afsan's counsel had said that Humaira had approached the Islamabad High Court where Human Organs Transplant Authority of Pakistan had placed the letter giving her permission to donate liver tissue to Sulaiman.
The Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet before a court here in connection with a kidney racket case that was busted at a private city hospital in June this year.
Metropolitan Magistrate Arvind Bansal fixed September 5 for deciding whether to take cognisance of the over 1000-page charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police against 17 accused in the illegal organ trading in the capital including the alleged kingpin, T Rajkumar Rao, personal assistants of senior doctors at Apollo Hospital, donors and some recipients.
The police had arrested 13 accused by the end of July, while four others had surrendered before a court last month.
Besides Rao, those who have been chargesheeted include his mentor Deepak Kar, personal staff of doctors in Apollo hospital Brajesh Chauhan, Aditya Singh and Shailesh Saxena, agents Satya Prakash and Devashish Moulik, four donors - Umesh Srivastava, Neelu Srivastava, Bhanu Pratap and Maumita Moulik, organ recipients Ashutosh Gautam, his father and three others and one Aseem Sikdar.
They have been chargesheeted under various provisions of the IPC and the Transplantation of Human Organs Act.
Earlier, the court had denied bail to Ashutosh, son of a DJB official, observing that the process of transplantation prima facie appeared to be a "pre-planned criminal conspiracy" and a huge some of money to the tune of Rs 24 lakh was said to have exchanged hands during the process.
"It is observed that people understand and know that human organs are not commodities of trade. The legal and ethical principles associated with organ donation and transplantation must be strictly followed," it had said.
The police had claimed that some personal staff of doctors at the hospital were running a kidney racket and bringing donors from different parts of the country to Delhi.
Some touts used to lure financially poor people from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and other states for donating kidney in return of Rs 3-4 lakh, it was alleged.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Doctors and members of the medical fraternity here today took to the streets to protest alleged harassment and "injustice" faced by sonologists and radiologists under the PC and PNDT Act (Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection Act, 1994).
The protest in support of the nationwide strike from Sept 1 called by the IRIA (Indian Radiological and Imaging Association) was spearheaded by Medical Ultrasound society of Karnataka (MUSK), a society with Ultrasonologist's, Radiologist's and Obstetricians practising ultrasound.
MUSK Secretary Chitra Ganesh said "We are not against PC & PNDT act, but only against the diverse ways in which it is implemented in different parts of the country.
"Our objective is to draw the attention of the government and public on how sonologist's are harassed in the name of PC&PNDT law, the essence of which is to protect the girl child," she said adding there were states where the provisions under the Act had been misused.
Harish Rao, Secretary of Indian Society of Clinical Sonologists, said a minor clerical error could result in machines being sealed, registration cancelled and cases filed in court against the radiologist and imprisonment.
"Radiologists are required to fill up Form F for every patient. This is a 8-page long document and even if there is a small error while filling, the radiologists can be prosecuted and held behind bars for three years under the act, MUSK President Priti Venkatesh said.
"MUSK has always been in the forefront in the protection of girl child and against selective sex determination. We are ready to join hands with the state government in the smooth implementation of the ACT, provided they don't harass us on minor issues like signatures in forms, wearing of apron and name badge which are in no way linked in bringing a change in sex ratio," he said.
MUSK joined hands with IRIA, ISOCS (Indian Society of Clinical Sonologists ), BSOG (Bangalore Society of Obstetrics & Gynaecology) to take out the march from freedom park to the police commissioner's office.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Centre today asked the Uttar Pradesh government not to include sugarcane under the crop insurance scheme as it is not a risky crop.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh has written a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to reconsider its decision to include sugarcane under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
"Sugarcane is normally not a risky crop...It does not appear to be right thing to include sugarcane under the crop insurance scheme. There is a need to reconsider this issue," Singh said in the letter.
The Union Minsiter said that even farmers have objections for including sugarcane under PMFBY.
The state government had on June 10 notified various crops including sugarcane to be insured under the PMFBY in different districts.
Last month, the Union government officials had held a meeting at Lucknow with the state officials and discussed the issue of objection raised by sugarcane farmers of western UP for compulsory coverage of their crop in the scheme to loanee farmers.
As many as 22 states, barring Bihar and Punjab, have introduced the new crop insurance scheme. The remaining states are in the process of implementing the scheme.
Under PMFBY, farmers premium has been kept lower between 1.5-2 per cent for foodgrains and oilseed crops and up to 5 per cent for horticultural and cotton crops. There is no cap on the premium.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi arrived here today on a three-day visit and will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow with an aim to step up engagement in areas of security, counter-terrorism and trade.
Later in the evening, Sisi is expected to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry who has extended his stay here.
Kerry, whose official engagement ended here yesterday and was scheduled to return to Washington, is likely to leave for Hangzhou in China for the G-20 summit beginning Sunday.
Sisi is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, top officials and business leaders.
He will hold wide-ranging talks with Modi tomorrow and both sides are set to sign a number of MoUs thereafter.
India and Egypt have a strong economic relationship. India is the sixth largest trading partner of Egypt -- the second largest export destination. India's imports from Egypt were worth USD 1.74 billion during 2014-15.
Indian businessmen have invested nearly USD 3 billion in about 50 companies in Egypt and have given employment opportunities to around 35,000 Egyptians.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre has asked all ministries to ensure that public utilities and essential services are not affected due to a nation-wide strike called by trade unions tomorrow.
The secretaries of all the government departments have been asked to take effective measures for smooth running of various services undertaken by their ministries, official sources said today.
Essential services such as banking, public transport and telecom may be hit tomorrow as 10 central trade unions will go on the strike against government's alleged indifference towards their demands and effecting anti-worker changes in labour laws.
All the secretaries have been asked to to take necessary measures to maintain continuity of production processes, operation and services including public utilities and essential services, they said.
The sources said that the government has taken various pro-active steps for their welfare.
The trade unions will strike work protesting against what they call the government's apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands including a monthly minimum wage of Rs 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.
Indian Railways and other central government employees will not participate in strike as government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission, they said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Essential services like banking and public transport, as also work at public sector entities, may be hit tomorrow with ten central trade unions giving a one-day nationwide strike call to protest against the government's "indifference" to their demands for better wages and facilities and the "anti-worker" changes in labour laws.
All major unions, excluding RSS-associated BMS (Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh), have joined the strike call, terming the government's assurances to look into their demands and the recent announcements for two-year bonus and hike in minimum wage as "completely inadequate".
On its part, the government asked all ministries to ensure that public utilities and essential services are not affected. Secretaries of all departments have been asked to take effective measures for smooth running of various services coming under their respective ministries.
Trade union leaders, however, claimed that the strike would be even bigger than the one last year on September 2 and expected the number of striking workers to swell to as much as 18 crore. Last year, the unions had said that around 14 crore workers participated in the nationwide strike at that time.
The CTUs will strike work protesting against what they call the government's apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands including a monthly minimum wage of Rs 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.
"This time strike will be bigger than last year as over 18 crore workers from formal and informal sectors would come on streets to protest against government's indifference to their 12-points charter of demands and unilateral anti-worker labour law amendments," Trade Union Coordination Committee (TUCC) General Secretary S P Tiwari told PTI.
He further said, "Besides ports and civil aviation, the essential services like transport, telecom and banking will be paralysed. The workers will go on strike in hospitals and power plants but the protest will not affect their normal functioning."
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya blamed the previous UPA rule for the issues faced by the workers and said the present government "doesn't want a confrontation with labour unions" and rather needs their cooperation and support.
He said banking and insurance sectors are likely to be impacted more due to the strike tomorrow, while adding that out of 12 demands of the trade unions, eight are related to the labour department and seven of them have been agreed to.
"The seven demands include wage revision, bonus for
workers from Rs 10,000-21,000 and social security, which is a prime aspect for workers, particularly skilled workers like anganwadis, Asha workers and Mid-day meal workers," Dattatreya said.
He said workers in central public sector undertakings like Coal India, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, OIL, HAL and BHEL will observe strike tomorrow.
Many of these companies, as also several public sector banks, have said that the strike may impact their operations.
However, Indian Railways and some other central government employees will not participate in the strike as government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission.
Tiwari said: "We are not asking for more. We are demanding Rs 18,000 minimum monthly wage which was accepted by the government on the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission."
He was of the view that the demand is reasonable in the backdrop of price rise. Delhi Government has already hiked monthly minimum wage to Rs 14,052, Rs 15,032 and Rs 18,000 for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers respectively.
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) said preparations in industrial areas and various sectoral sections of formal and informal economy are all prepared for making this action as "grand protest of working class" against the anti-labour policies of the Centre.
There will be processions in almost all the industrial clusters of Delhi such as Okhla, Kirti Nagar, Mayapuri area, Wazirpur, Jhilmil-Shadra, Patparganj and Mangolpuri from the morning along with industrial strike, it added.
"At Jantar Mantar there will be gathering of workers and employees from Banks, Insurance, Universities, Postal, Telecom, Defence and Oil Sectors to have procession to Parliament," AITUC added.
AITUC Secretary Amarjeet Kaur said, "There will be 'chakka jam' in 11 states like Andhra Pradesh, Telengana Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka."
The Centre for India Trade Unions (CITU) said Labour Minister had on August 31 informed about the government's commitment to fair earning and social security for workers.
CITU said it considers this a deliberate "misinformation campaign" to create confusion and to "sabotage" the nationwide general strike tomorrow.
CITU also attacked the BMS on accepting the government's
"meager" hike in minimum wages.
BMS has decided not to participate in strike. Last year also on September 2, the union opted out of the strike at the last moment.
"How could a trade union worth its name accept such a mockery on their genuine demand formulated on the basis of a formula accepted by the central govt also? BMS may consider this mockery of offer a "historic achievement" owing to their compulsion, but others cannot," CITU said.
Banking operations are likely to be particularly hit as most of the major unions of PSU bank employees have decided to join the stir.
Many banks have already communicated to their customers about likely inconvenience. Unions like All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), and Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC) have served notice, saying they will go on a one-day strike on September 2.
Most banks, including SBI, feel that in case the strike goes ahead, their services are likely to be impacted.
There is continuous attempt by the government to push their reforms agenda aimed at privatisation of banks, consolidation and merger of banks and the like, said AIBEA General Secretary C H Venkatachalam.
However, All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and National Organisation of Bank Officers are not part of the strike.
"As BMS is not part of central trade union strike, we as an affiliated organisation are not participating," said NOBW Vice-President Ashwani Rana.
Banks have taken necessary steps to ensure smooth functioning and that there is no cash crunch for retail customers, an official of a public sector bank said.
India's exports to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) stagnated at USD 25 billion since start of the Free Trade Agreement with the 10-nation bloc in January, 2010, while imports rose more than 33 per cent to USD 40 billion during the period, says to a study.
The report compiled by Assocham observed that for the period between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the share of India's total exports to the South East Asian region also dropped to 9.6 per cent from 10.3 per cent when the FTA came into force.
The industry body said the study's findings raise "a big question mark" over the utility of the trade-opening pact with the common market of South East Asia.
"Though the global slowdown also seems to have played a role in no growth in exports to the Asean, the same did not hold good for imports from the bloc," Assocham said, adding the impact on increased imports may be even more pronounced on conclusion of the current financial year since tariff is to be eliminated on as many more items as 800 under 1,252 tariff lines.
Tariff would have already been eliminated on 3,200 products under the Normal Track 1, the paper highlighted.
The India-Asean overall FTA comprises two parts - goods and services. The agreement on goods was front-loaded, while services pact was back-loaded.
The industry body said the arrangement did not really help India.
Given that Indian tariff levels are generally higher than tariffs of Asean , India has relatively less to gain from this trade in goods agreement, Assocham President Sunil Kanoria said, pressing for effective access to market of services in Asean for India, an area of advantage to the country.
The Asean-India Investment and Services Agreement came into force on July 1, 2015. Though a preferential deal on services trade with the region should bring significant gains to India, the services sector is protected through strict domestic regulations and various restrictive requirements.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a strong order against central excise authority, Delhi High Court today asked it to refund the service tax amount paid by three travel portals soon, observing that these firms were made to deposit the money under "coercion and duress" through the "unwarranted" arrest of some of their senior officials.
The direction was given by a bench of justices S Muralidhar and Vibhu Bakhru which made it clear that if the amount was not refunded to Makemytrip, Ibibo and Ebiz within four weeks, then it would make Director General of Central Excise Intelligence (DGCEI) liable to pay simple interest at six per cent per annum on it.
In a stern order, the court also directed DGCEI to pay the costs of Rs one lakh to each of the three companies within four weeks.
"The court is unable to accept that payment by the petitioners of alleged service tax arrears was voluntary. The payment of Rs 17 crores by eBIZ was not voluntary but under coercion and duress.
"Consequently, the amount that was paid by petitioners as a result of the search of their premises by the DGCEI, without an adjudication, much less a show cause notice, is required to be returned to them forthwith," the bench said.
It also said that in the case of Makemytrip (MMT) and Ebiz, "the resort to the extreme coercive measure of arrest followed by the detention" of M K Pallai, Vice President (Finance) of MMT and Pawan Malhan, Managing Director of eBiz, "was impermissible in law" and "totally unwarranted".
It told DGCEI that it has to use the power of arrest "with great circumspection and not casually" to induce fear into an assessee, as was done in these cases.
The court held that "DGCEI fails to make out even a prima facie case that some portion of the service tax collected by petitioners (three portals) from the customers as representing service tax or otherwise has been retained by them. Without such prima facie conclusion, it cannot be inferred that the petitioners have violated the Finance Act".
DGCEI had taken action against, Ibibo and Ebiz on the
ground that they collected service tax from customers for hotel and travel bookings but did not deposit it with the government.
The bench, in its verdicts delivered on the pleas of the three companies, said that in these cases, these firms were regularly filing service tax returns and in such a situation another agency like DGCEI "cannot, without a show cause notice or enquiry, straightway go ahead to make an arrest merely on the suspicion of evasion of service tax or failure to deposit service tax that has been collected".
The court said an enquiry ought to be conducted and the person to be arrested should be given a hearing, prior to taking any coercive action and the only exception to this was when the individual was a "habitual evader of service tax".
"There is no such determination in any of these cases," it said and added "the decision to arrest a person must not be taken on whimsical grounds, it must be based on credible material."
The court also held that the search carried out at the premises of the three companies was "unconstitutional and legally unsustainable".
The judgement came on the pleas of the three companies challenging the action taken against them by DGCEI which had accused them of evading service tax to the tune of several crore rupees.
Makemytrip and Ibibo had in their pleas also questioned the powers of DGCEI of arrest, investigation and assessment of service tax under the provisions of the Finance Act, 1994.
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Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here today inaugurated the building of Maharashtra's anti-terror unit 'Force One' which houses a training centre and hostel for the state commandos.
Built at a budget of Rs 85 crore by Maharashtra Police Welfare and Housing Corporation, the structure has a specialised training institute for commandos besides a hostel facility for 140 personnel, and a 100 metre long firing range.
Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said 'Force One', an elite commando force was set up on the lines of National Security Guards (NSG).
"Its a matter of great pride and happiness that Maharashtra has extremely good and professional units like Force One," he said.
Appreciating the commandos, who displayed their rappelling skills during the inaugural ceremony, CM said, "In movies you do it after repeated takes, with protection of all kinds and editing, but to do rappelling better than them in real life on such a huge building, so smoothly, it is extremely courageous.
"Such good and sophisticated training has been given here," he said.
"I am sure, as long as we have a force like this, we have the strength to tackle any enemy," he added.
Also present were minister Ravindra Waikar, Maharashtra DGP Satish Mathur, Mumbai Police Commissioner Datta Padsalgikar and other senior police officials.
The 'Force One' was formed to reduce the response time in case of a terror attack here as it took nine hours for the NSG to fly to Mumbai to take charge of the troubled sites during the dastardly 26/11 terror attacks in the city, which left 166 people dead and over 300 injured.
In the government resolution pertaining to 'Force One' formulation, it was specified this force should be used only for fighting terrorism in the state and not for any other activities, unlike NSG which is also being used for the security of VIPs and politicians.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To provide a level-playing field to stakeholders, there is a move in government to harmonise policies of retail, FMCG and e-commerce within a single policy framework, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said today.
Interacting with CEOs at FICCI's annual Retail, FMCG and E-Commerce convention, he said that in today's globalised world, it has become essential for India to become a part of the global supply chain. For this, India has opened up its economy and liberalised the FDI regime.
Now India features as the number 1 nation in attracting FDI, which has given the country access to latest technology, global best practices and global innovations, the NITI Aayog CEO said.
"To provide a level-playing field to stakeholders, there is a move in government to harmonise policies of retail, FMCG and e-commerce within a single policy framework, which will address all the concerns of industry and consumers," Kant was quoted as saying in statement released by Ficci.
Kant said that the government was encouraging domestic entrepreneurs but with foreign players coming in there would be a healthy competition.
The domestic market would be challenged by foreign businesses, which would enable indigenous companies to scale up, enhance quality of products and services and penetrate global markets.
Speaking on digitisation, Kant said that technology would play a key role for retail sector.
With a growing penetration of the internet, which reaches to rural areas of the country, the retailers would be able to deepen their market. He added that the retailers should also look at widening their base of suppliers and promote and market made in India goods and products.
On GST, Kant said that with the passage of GST Bill in Parliament, the challenge would be to bring on board every state of the country.
To make GST highly effective, there was a need for states to think progressively and work in tandem with the Centre. He added that the way forward for GST should be keeping the tax rates low and eliminating exemptions.
Kant said that India's GDP needs to grow at 9-10% for decades to meet the rising aspirations of burgeoning consuming class. This, he said, can be achieved only when at least 12 states will grow at a rate of 12-13%, by actively embracing technology and improving its standard of products.
The Centre has therefore started 'ease of doing business' ranking of the states on various indices. He added that the intention is to change the mindset and allow states to compete with each other and improve business and investment environment in the country.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government has set a 100-day deadline for revival of Talcher Fertiliser Plant in Odisha, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Ananth Kumar said today.
"We are ready to lay foundation stone in the next three months to start the much-awaited Talcher Fertiliser unit in Odisha. We are going to revive the plant through a joint venture. This will be the first-ever fertiliser plant with coal gasification," Ananth Kumar told reporters here after inaugurating 'India Chem 2016' exhibition.
"We have huge treasure of coal and we are going to finalise the coal gasification technology shortly. We have already formulated joint venture with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) and Fertilizer Corp of India (FCIL)," Kumar said.
The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 8,000 crore and it will produce 13 lakh metric tonnes of urea per annum, the Minister said.
The government also approved the revival of three closed fertiliser plants -- Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Sindri in Jharkhand and Barauni in Bihar -- at an estimated cost of Rs 18,000 crore, as part of its efforts to meet demand of eastern states and make India self-sufficient in urea output.
"We are working on reviving closed fertiliser plants using coal gasification or other cost-effective technologies to increase the domestic production of urea," Kumar said, adding that the country produced record 245 lakh metric tonnes of urea and there is no scarcity for the same.
The Minister said there is a need to increase the production of chemicals and petrochemicals in the domestic market.
Kumar admitted that the Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) needs to be reviewed and amended.
PCPIR is a specifically delineated Investment Region planned for the establishment of production facilities for petroleum, chemicals and petrochemicals.
The Minister urged the industry to give views and suggestions on how to fine-tune PCPIR policies and make them more practicable.
"The country has 22 refineries and we need to think of setting up chemical zones, petrochem complexes, downstream units near to these refineries to get maximum benefits," he said.
On GST, he said, the implementation will help chemical industry save 15 per cent in taxes. Already, 13 states have ratified GST in the last 18 days with with another 16 states to go, which will ultimately be a big boon to India.
The 9th chapter of 'India Chem 2016' has 282 exhibitors from India as well as from Iran, Bangladesh, China and USA, among others.
Kumar also released a Handbook on 'Indian Chemical Industry' and launched the PCPIR logo and website at the inauguration.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Government will seek Presidential assent for the landmark Constitution amendment bill for GST as 16 states have ratified the legislation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today.
With Odisha approving the constitution amendment at a special assembly session today, 50 per cent of the states have ratified the GST bill.
"The requisite number of states have ratified the GST Constitution Amendment Bill and now it can go for Presidential assent," Jaitley tweeted.
Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said that the government is ahead of schedule for implementation of GST. "Instead of 30 days kept for this (states' ratification), it is achieved in 23 days," he said in a tweet.
The government plans to roll out the new indirect tax regime from April 1, 2017. GST, the biggest tax reform since Independence, will create uniform market for seamless movement of goods and services with one tax rate.
Since Parliament passed the Constitution Amendment bill on August 8, as many as 16 states, starting with Assam, have ratified the bill. GST being a constitutional amendment requires 50 per cent of state assemblies to ratify it.
The other states which have passed the legislation include Bihar (August 16), Jharkhand (August 17), Chhattisgarh (August 22), Himachal Pradesh (August 22), Gujarat (August 23), Madhya Pradesh and Delhi (August 24), Nagaland (August 24), Maharashtra, Haryana, Sikkim (August 29), Mizoram, Telangana (August 30), Goa (August 31) and Odisha (September 1).
After the Presidential assent, the government will notify the GST Council. Union Finance Minister will head the Council, which will comprise state Finance Ministers.
The GST Council will decide on the tax rate, cess and surcharges which are to be subsumed and also decide on the goods and services which would be exempted from the purview of the new indirect tax regime.
The states and the Centre are working overtime and talking to stakeholders to draft the Central GST, State GST and Integrated GST laws, which are to be passed in the Winter Session of Parliament in November.
The CGST and IGST will be drafted on the basis of the model GST law. The states will draft their respective State GST (SGST) laws with minor variation incorporating state-based exemption. The IGST law would deal with inter-state movement of goods and services.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With an aim to boost regional air connectivity by developing small airports and airstrips in the state thereby attracting domestic airlines, the Gujarat government today signed an MoU with the Ministry of Civil Aviation under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed here in presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
With this, Gujarat has become the third state after Maharashtra and Jharkhand to have signed such agreement with the Centre to boost regional connectivity.
As per the agreement signed between both the parties, 11 airports/airstrips in Gujarat will be developed as per RCS scheme of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said Raju after meeting Rupani.
These 11 airports/airstrips include Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Surat, Porbandar, Mehsana, Mandvi, Amreli, Kandla, Keshod and Deesa.
"Both the state government and the ministry will now work jointly to activate these airports/airstrips in Gujarat. The MoU between us will provide a much needed thrust to the regional air connectivity, which is directly linked with economic development," said Raju.
"Apart from developing infrastructure at these airports under RCS scheme, we will provide certain subsidies to airline operators, so that they get attracted to start their operation here. We are in contact with three to four such operators," said Raju.
One of the key component of the subsidy will be in form of cheaper Aviation Turbine Fuel(ATF).
"Cost of ATF is the major issue for operators. In order to persuade airlines, we will charge just two per cent excise on ATF at all the airports covered under the RCS. Similarly, state government would also bring down the cost by reducing VAT charged by them," said Raju, who was accompanied by the chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI) Guruprasad Mohapatra.
"Airports at Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Porbandar are ready to start their operations while some development is needed for Keshod and Deesa. We are working to persuade airlines to start their flights here," he said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Urging countries of the Indian Ocean region to harness the vast potential of the sea and become "masters of their fate", Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said India has embarked on a journey to revive its waterfronts.
"Countries of the region can become the masters of their fate once again, not dictated by superior military powers from outside," Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Gadkari said.
He was speaking at a conference here that was attended by Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan.
Gadkari said India, with its coastline of 7,500 km and 1,200 island territories, is and has always been a maritime nation. He cited the example of Lothal in Gujarat which was one of the earliest seaports in the world.
"Lothal in Gujarat was one of the earliest seaports in the world and our ancient Sanskrit texts refer to oceans as the storehouse of Chaturdashanam Ratnanam -- the 14 gems," Gadkari said, addressing the conference attended by representatives from 30 nations.
He said 90 per cent of India's trade by volume and 90 per cent of its oil imports are carried on the seas.
"We live in a world where the strategic and economic pivots are shifting to make the Indo-Pacific generally and the IOR (Indian Ocean Region) more specifically the centre stage of virtually every major power," he said.
However, he said while the attention of other countries on IOR is fairly recent, India has maintained trade and civilizational links with other countries in the region since time immemorial.
"These links were developed without recourse to military conquest, instead by people-to-people engagements," he said, asserting the need to revive them.
He said India believed its neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean littoral can be partners in growth.
The minister said through ambitious Sagarmala project, India is committed to building infrastructure in other littoral countries to create onward connectivity from India.
"We have established a Special Purpose Vehicle to take up maritime projects overseas. We have also signed a coastal shipping agreement with Bangladesh and are developing the Chahbahar port in Iran, which would act as the gateway to the world not only for Afghanistan but also for the Central Asian Republics," he said.
Terming this as an "exciting" time to partner with India, he said the country is currently going through a phase of rapid transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"None of us can grow in isolation, and building synergies has always been a win-win situation for all partners. Your development priorities will guide our engagement; not our perception of your needs," he said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu Singh Sindhu today dismissed as "false, baseless and mischievous" allegations levelled by Congress MLA Karan Singh Dalal on lack of transparency in dealing with complaints and the court cases against two of the three allotees of stone mines in Bhiwani district which were auctioned in 2013.
"The reason behind such false, baseless and mischievous allegations is the Congress party's frustration stemming from its defeat in the last assembly polls, their shrinking base and the resultant nervousness which is palpable in the wake of the submission of the Justice Dhingra Commission report," he said here.
Sindhu described the allegations, levelled by Dalal earlier in the day, as a "ridiculous attempt to divert public attention in his characteristic shoot-and-scoot style in retaliation to the privilege motion admitted against him by the Assembly recently".
"He has simply tried to divert the attention of the people from the cases being faced by Congress leaders. This has been inspired by vested interests and political vendetta," he alleged.
Dalal had alleged lack of transparency in dealing with complaints and the court cases against two of the three allottees of stone mines in Bhiwani district which were auctioned three years ago.
The Congress MLA had also said he would submit a memorandum to the Governor seeking a CBI probe into the "mining scam" in Haryana.
Also, reacting to allegations levelled by Dalal earlier in the day regarding HSIIDC "trying to delay" the operations at Khanak stone mine, an official release, quoting an HSIIDC spokesperson, said, "M/s KIOCL - Rungta projects ltd, the L1 bidder, had unilaterally conveyed its non-acceptance of the letter of award on 15.06.2016, which was made in line with the court orders and HSIIDC did not raise any technical grounds. HSIIDC has even invoked their bank guarantee on 23.06.2016.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court today stayed further proceedings in 18 defamation cases filed by the Tamil Nadu government against Tamil bi-weekly 'Nakkheeran' Editor R R Gopal.
Justice P N Prakash ordered the stay while admitting petitions filed by Gopal seeking quashing of the criminal defamation cases filed against him since 2006 and pending in the trial court.
The cases were filed over certain "defamatory" articles published in his magazine.
Gopal moved the high court in line with the Supreme Court's direction while dismissing a batch of petitions, including one by him, challenging the validity of IPC Section 499 under which defamation cases are filed.
Upholding the legality of defamation provision, the apex court in its May 13 judgement has alsoo given liberty to the petitioners before it to approach high courts concerned for relief.
The high court had recently stayed the defamation proceedings against BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and DMDK chief Vijayakanth pending in the trial courts.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gabon's newly re-elected president sought to assert authority today as the presidential guard attacked the opposition candidate's party headquarters overnight, killing at least one person and injuring more than a dozen amid fiery protests that have seen hundreds detained and the internet blocked.
The opposition quickly alleged election fraud after results announced yesterday showed that a family dynasty stretching back to the 1960s would remain in power in this oil-rich Central African country.
President Ali Bongo Ondimba beat opposition candidate Jean Ping by a narrow margin in Saturday's vote, 49.8 per cent to 48.2 per cent, according to the electoral commission's provisional results.
"I know who has won and who has lost," Bongo said today to local media.
"Who has won? One million, eight hundred thousand Gabonese with whom we will progress together. Who has lost? A small group which had the objective of taking power to use Gabon instead of serving it."
Ping's supporters have taken to the streets in protest, burning cars and buildings, vandalizing and looting. They burned cars in front of the National Assembly yesterday night, sending thick smoke over the city, after police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators.
Security forces detained 800 people in the capital, Libreville, and 400 people in other areas of the country, according to Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya.
The unrest killed at least three people, Boubeya said, without giving details.
The president said he was sad for the deaths of citizens, and he thanked security forces, who he said did all they could to avoid using live bullets.
In a statement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the response by security forces "disproportionate" and he called on the government to "immediately restore communications, especially the Internet."
Around 1.00 AM today, soldiers in green berets, who are known to be part of the presidential guard, shot live rounds during an attack on Ping's opposition headquarters, injuring at least 20 people, according to Paul Marie Gondjout, an opposition official who was there.
Security forces later surrounded the building, and remained there tonight, detaining more than a dozen members of the National Union opposition party inside, said party spokeswoman Sandrine Akere.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The head of the International Monetary Fund today called on global leaders to take "forceful" action to revive the world economy, sounding a stark warning ahead of this weekend's G20 summit.
Christine Lagarde, the IMF managing director, said that as of 2016, global economic growth had stagnated for five years below the 3.7 per cent average that prevailed between 1990 and 2007.
"Not since the early 1990s...Has the world economy been so weak for such a long time," Lagarde said in a statement issued to coincide with the start of the summit.
With member states representing 85 per cent of the world's GDP, the Group of 20 summit is due to convene in Hangzhou, China beginning Sunday amid a climate of sluggish growth and uncertainty.
Lagarde warned of a "low-growth trap" - high debt, weak demand, eroding work forces and labour skills, weakening incentives for investment and slowing productivity.
She said the world's economies faced a potentially toxic mix of low long-term growth and rising inequality, creating political temptations to populism and raised trade barriers.
But analysts say the G20 summit is unlikely to achieve a breakthrough, given that it occurs in the absence of a crisis which could prod governments to take action.
With varying difficulties and pressures - Britain exiting the European Union, Japan considering more easing, Germany skeptical of stimulus and China pressed on its industrial overcapacity - member states currently have too few common interests to stick to difficult commitments that are easier to make than to live with, analysts said.
"At the moment there's simply not a lot of common overlapping interests between the major economies," Christopher Balding, professor of economics at Peking University HSBC Business School, told AFP.
In a report on global economic conditions for G20 members, IMF economists said US growth would likely be weaker than previously expected in 2016.
The report's chief author, IMF economist Helge Berger, told reporters in Washington the organisation expected in October to downgrade its US growth forecast in light of the poor performance seen in the first half of this year.
In July, the IMF said it expected the US economy to grow at 2.2 per cent this year and 2.5 per cent in 2017, already downward revisions from an April forecast.
"It's clear for the US given the developments in the first two quarters this year that we're in for a downgrade of that outlook," said Berger.
In its report, the IMF said G20 leaders in 2014 had pledged to raise their collective GDP by 2 per cent by 2018. But, as of 2016, member countries had carried out only 55 per cent of the commitments they made then, demonstrating a "lack of determined policy action.
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Ways to combat terror, implementation of connectivity projects and a host of other crucial issues were discussed at a trilateral meeting of India, Iran and Afghanistan in Tehran.
The Director-General level meeting, which took place yesterday, is a follow up to the First Round of the trilateral meeting between Afghanistan, India and Iran held in New Delhi last April.
"In the meeting a wide range of issues of common interest were discussed by the three parties including the recent developments in the region and the trilateral political, economic, transit and cultural cooperation," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
He said, discussing the situation in the region and Afghanistan, the three parties emphasised the need for regional cooperation to counter current and emerging threats of terrorism and extremism.
The meeting also deliberated upon various aspect of the the trilateral agreement signed by the three countries in May in Tehran on development of transit routes to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port.
The meeting agreed to have some specialized meetings and seminars for experts and representatives from trade and industry so that their recommendations can be reviewed in the next Meeting of the Director-Generals, which will be held in Kabul.
"The three parties also explored possible grounds for cooperation in the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process," said Swarup.
Asked about the coming US-India-Afghanistan meet, he said India as an immediate neigbhour of Afghanistan, is a stakeholder in peace and stability in that country.
"The US is among the leading countries of the world working for the same objective. Therefore, it is natural that we consult each other and also Afghanistan on the current situation as well as the continued support that Afghanistan requires from the international community," said Swarup.
The Trilateral Dialogue was earlier held in 2012 and 2013 at Joint Secretary level.
The Dialogue may take place on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September at similar official level.
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Asked about reports of India visit by Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Swarup only said the visit will happen in near future.
He said all issues including implementation of development projects and post earthquake reconstruction will be discussed during Prachanda's visit.
ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar today said the country is "significantly" short of capacity in space and there is a need to double the number of satellites.
"We are still significantly short of capacity in space, probably we need at least double the number of satellites of what we have today to give a reasonable level ofservice to the country," he said.
What this also meant was that the nation needs to enhance the ability to launch and also build satellites at a much faster pace than being done at present, Kumar said after inaugurating the Bangalore Space Expo-2016 (BSX-2016) here.
Pointing out that today ISRO was able to push through one launch a month, he said it has to increase at least one and one-and-half to two times in the immediate future "if we have to provide effective solutions to the country, its government and monitoring requirements."
Kumar said, "We have set in process, we still have a long way to go because today we are not able to increase our launchfrequency because the supply chain that exists today is stillinadequate to meet our demand."
Recalling ISRO's journey so far, he said almost 138 missions had been completed with 74 satellites of the international community being launched along with India's primary satellites.
"We have a constellation of about 34 satellites with earth observation, communication, navigation and alsospace science being provided by space infrastructure that has been put in place," he said.
Notingthat it has to be ensured that capabilitiesbuilt are actually put to practical use, the ISRO chief said the current central and state governments are nowrealising that space technology and space technology-basedtools have a very significant role in delivering good and efficient governance.
"We are seeing a spurt in activities at the government level, which is demanding greater and greater services to be provided," Kumar said.
He said in the last three and three-and-half decades, ISRO's efforts to engage with government agencies to make use of space technology and space technology-based tools had been a slow process.
ISRO was today piratically working with 60 central government departments and all state governments to enable them plan and monitor activitiesbetter, he said, adding that this happened because the governmentsare realising the potential of geospatial technology, communication, crowd sourcing and earth observation capabilities.
Delegates from 12 countries are attending the fifth edition of the biennial Bangalore Space Expo, organised by ISRO, its commercial arm Antrix and CII tillSeptember 3.
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Pitching for growth of venture funds to fund start-ups, a top official today said the relationship between India and the US is critical to making start-ups a success.
"While we have venture funds here, we need them to grow 10x in India... Our objective is that the ecosystem for venture funds grows and expands and we have thousands of venture funds who keep funding start-ups," NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said while addressing a conference on start-ups.
Speaking at the conference organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), Kant described America as the "centre for all innovations in the world".
"America is a state which accepts failures and it has got the best ecosystem in the world for pushing these and being a great facilitator for young entrepreneurs to succeed in life. There is plenty to learn from the American ecosystem. This relationship between India and the US is very critical to making start-ups a success," he said.
Besides, Kant projected India's e-commerce market at about USD 300 billion by 2024, claiming that the country may have a billion smartphone users by then.
"... The e-commerce which is going to grow and expand still is in fancy of about 25-30 billion. I expect that this is going to grow up to 300 billion by 2024 because India is the only country which by 2024 is going to have a billion smartphones."
Kant, however, had earlier said the e-commerce market is likely to grow 10-fold in next five years (by 2020) to reach USD 100 billion on the back of increasing penetration of Internet, smartphones and spread of digital network in rural areas.
The e-commerce sector stood at around USD 10 billion as on December 2015.
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The Indo-US relationship has evolved into a very deep partnership which is more than what is generally acknowledged, outgoing Indian envoy Arun K Singh has said and voiced confidence that the bilateral ties would further advance under the next US President.
"I think in many ways there is a very deep partnership more than what is generally acknowledged and recognised," Singh, who retired yesterday, told PTI.
"There is a deep linkage between India and the US," Singh said, citing the example of people-to-people relationship in particularly those in the Silicon Valley.
"Indian-origin tech companies, Indian-origin tech entrepreneurs are an integral part of the effort in the US in the digital technology where US is in the lead," he said, adding that there is "a very very deep" connection developing in business and technology which will have a longer term impact.
"There is a tremendous potential going ahead. We see similarity of values, whether we are looking at democracy, human rights. So with all that there is a sense in both countries that this is a relationship from which we both benefit," he said.
"This is a relationship which is important in today's global context where you see a lot of uncertainty, both economic, political; where you see violence, where you see terrorism; where you see approaches based on exclusion rather than multiculturalism and pluralism," he said.
"So there is a lot of value in this relationship. So therefore as a diplomat between 2008-13 and since last year it has been fascinating being part of this process," he added.
Firmly of the view that there is now a broad bi-partisan support to this relationship in the US, Singh said the ties should move forward irrespective of who is the next US president.
"When Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) was here in June, he had come here at the invitation of US President, but (House) Speaker Paul Ryan, who is a Republican, invited him to address Joint Session of the US Congress, which as anybody could see was a lot of energy, excitement and it went off very very well," he said.
"I am confident that whoever is the next president and people around them would work to advance this relationship," Singh said.
A 1979 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Singh said it is generally recognised that Indian diplomacy over a period of time has gained "more and more impact".
In a career spanning 37 years, Singh served in various capacities in the Ministry of External Affairs both in India and overseas, including representing India as its top diplomat in three key nations of Israel, France and the US.
This was Singh's second stint at the Indian Embassy in Washington. He served as the Deputy Chief of Mission from October 2008 to 2013 after which he was appointed as the Indian Ambassador to France.
Singh assumed his new assignment as Ambassador of India to US on April 30, 2015 after being the country's top diplomat in France from April, 2013 to April, 2015.
He said as India has emerged more and more at the international scene, the impact of "Indian diplomacy has clearly increased".
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Indonesia is screening travelers from neighboring Singapore for the mosquito-borne Zika virus as the city-state reports a growing number of infections and its first case of a pregnant woman testing positive.
Indonesian Health Ministry spokesman Oscar Primadi said today that health officials are recommending that the Foreign Ministry issue an advisory against travel to Singapore, particularly for pregnant women.
Singapore issued a statement yesterday evening saying it had identified 22 new Zika cases in one particular area of the city and its first case involving a pregnant woman.
Zika has mild effects for most people but doctors believe infection during pregnancy can result in babies with small heads, which is known as microcephaly, and other serious developmental disorders. Singapore had 155 cases as of yesterday.
Primadi said thermal imaging equipment to detect abnormal body temperatures was installed at eight Indonesian ports with routes serving Singapore, including the capital Jakarta's airport.
He said travelers will also be given a health questionnaire so they will recognize symptoms and know to immediately report to health authorities.
Today, Malaysia's Health Ministry said a 58-year-old woman who traveled to Singapore had become that country's first Zika case.
Health Minister S Subramaniam said the woman and her husband visited Singapore for three days from August 19. The woman developed a rash a week after her return and later tested positive for Zika in her urine, he said. Her daughter in Singapore tested positive for Zika on Tuesday.
"We can conclude that it is rather easy to get infected by the virus when visiting places that has outbreak, including Singapore," he said. "Proactive action from the community can help stop the spread of Zika virus in Malaysia."
Subramaniam said the virus was believed to be imported from Singapore because the woman started experiencing symptoms on the same day as her daughter.
The ministry has started control activities such as eliminating mosquito breeding sites and fog spraying in her residential area and other places that the patient had visited.
Indonesia has not yet reported any Zika infections.
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In the wake of an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court's directive to Telangana ACB to probe the allegations against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in the cash-for-vote case, TRS MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha today said the "investigations will go as per procedure and law".
"Mr Chandrababu Naidu's issue...ACB court has been informed by Telangana ACB that they are already investigating the case and (the Bureau will) certainly follow whatever procedure needs to be followed," Kavitha told reporters here.
"In our country the law is supreme and is above all... If anybody is a culprit they will certainly be brought to justice ... Investigation is on. I cannot comment much on this. But, certainly the ACB has done a good job by exposing it (cash-for-vote scam) and the whole country was in shock when this incident happened. Investigations will go as per procedure and law," she said.
Based on a private complaint filed by YSR Congress MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy in which he accused Naidu as the main conspirator in the case, the ACB court on August 29 directed the anti-graft agency to probe the allegations levelled against the AP CM and submit a report on its investigations before September 29.
ACB yesterday informed the court that it is already investigating the case and there was no need to issue a separate FIR.
In May last year, Telangana nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson had lodged a complaint with ACB alleging that he was offered Rs 5 crore by TDP MLA A Revanth Reddy to vote in favour of a Telugu Desam MLC nominee in Telangana Legislative Council polls held on 1 June.
Stephenson represents Anglo-Indian community in Telangana Legislative Assembly. A case was subsequently registered and on May 31, ACB arrested Revanth Reddy along with two others Bishop Sebastian Harry and Rudra Udaya Simha while they were allegedly handing over an advance of Rs 50 lakh to Stephenson.
TDP MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah was also arrested in the case later. All of them were later granted bail.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran and Russia are to begin construction on two new nuclear reactors at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation in Tehran has said.
The Islamic republic is seeking to reduce its reliance on oil and gas with 20 nuclear facilities planned over the coming years, including nine being built with Russian firms.
"Operations to build two new nuclear power (units) in Bushehr will start on 10 September and it will take 10 years for the power (units) to be completed," Ali Akbar Salehi said, according to the state-run IRNA agency.
He said the new reactors would cost an estimated $10 billion and lead to a saving of 22 million barrels of oil per year.
Russia built the existing 1,000 megawatt reactor at Bushehr on the Gulf coast that came online in 2013.
In November 2014, it signed a "cooperation contract" to help build the two new reactors on the same site, along with plans to eventually construct nine reactors across Iran.
Two of these may also come up at Bushehr, taking the total number of reactors at the site to five.
Iran signed a July 2015 nuclear accord with the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia that removed some international sanctions in return for curbs on Tehran's controversial atomic programme.
Tehran repeatedly fended off Western and Israeli accusations that its programme was aimed at producing a bomb, insisting it is for purely civilian use.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israeli Air Force planes returned from the US this week after participating in the "Red Flag", considered to be the biggest and best war simulation exercises in the world, with countries like Pakistan and the UAE with whom Israel does not have diplomatic relations.
The website of the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada, where the 'Red Flag' advanced combat training exercise was held, stated that the Spanish Air Force participated in the large-scale military exercise alongside planes from Israel, Pakistan, the UAE and the United States.
The head of the Israel Air Force's (IAF) training department, Colonel Amit, while talking to military correspondents refused to discuss the identity of the nations that participated in Red Flag but confirmed that it was done jointly with other countries, Ha'aretz reported.
"We train together with anyone who attends the exercise. We have no say in the matter," he said.
"In a group it is impossible to hide your level. If you did not carry out the mission given to you, everyone sees it," said the defence official to emphasise the importance of the thorough preparedness.
Earlier in response to a question on Israel's participation in the prestigious exercise alongside Pakistan, a Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson had said that "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", she had said.
Eight Israeli F-16I ('Sufa' or Storm) fighter jets took part in the exercise this year, along with Israeli refuelling planes, all of which retuned here yesterday.
All 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.
Col. Amit said the exercise, which ended on August 26, lasted for two weeks and included daily flights, in daylight as well as at night.
Some 50 warplanes from the five countries participated in the exercise, alongwith helicopters, aerial defence units, and intelligence and special forces units.
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.
However, relations between the two countries have been rather strained since the 2008 attacks in Mumbai when Pakistan-backed terrorists also attacked the Jewish Chabad house in the city, killing six people.
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Japan's largest airline ANA says it will replace the engines on its fleet of 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners after experiencing a series of engine failures caused by corrosion and fatigue cracking of turbine blades.
The company plans to swap out all 100 Rolls-Royce engines currently used on its fleet of Dreamliners, CNN reported.
The process could take as long as three years, the report quoted ANA spokesman Yoichi Uchida as saying.
ANA said the engine faults have already led to two cases where an aircraft was forced to return to its departure airport -- Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi. Similar issues affected a third flight in August.
Some of the cracks are the result of corrosion caused by chemicals in the atmosphere. ANA said the problem gets worse as an aircraft completes more flights.
The airline has already been forced to cancel 18 flights because of the problem, and more could be affected later this month.
For now, the engines will be upgraded with brand new turbine blades. Meanwhile, ANA said it is working with Rolls- Royce to find a more permanent solution. Five engines have already been repaired with new turbines.
"We are working very closely with ANA to minimise the impact on their airline operation," Rolls-Royce (RYCEY) said in a statement.
In 2013, Boeing's global fleet of Dreamliners was taken out of service after US regulators said they were not safe to fly until a fire risk linked to the aircraft's batteries had been resolved.
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A classified 60-year-old Japanese government document on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's death made public today clearly concludes that the legendary freedom fighter died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, backing the official version.
Bosefiles.Info, a UK website set up to document evidence on the circumstances surrounding Netaji's death, today said this is the first time the report titled 'Investigation on the cause of death and other matters of the late Subhas Chandra Bose' has been made public because it remained classified by Japanese authorities and was kept a secret by the Indian government.
"The report was completed in January 1956 and submitted to the Indian embassy in Tokyo, but since it was a classified document, neither side released it," the website says.
The seven-page report in Japanese and a 10-page translation in English reaches the conclusion that Netaji met with an air crash on 18 August, 1945 and died at a Taipei hospital the same evening.
"Immediately after taking off, the airplane in which he (Bose) rode fell to the ground, and he was wounded," the report notes in its 'Outline of the result of the investigation'.
It further records that at "about 3.00 pm he entered the Nanmon Branch of Taipei Army Hospital"; and that at "about 7.00 pm he died".
The findings also state that on "August 22, he was cremated (at the Taipei Municipal crematorium)".
In a more detailed description of the incident, the report says: "After the plane had taken off and risen about 20 metres above the ground, one petal of the three-petaled propeller of the left wing was suddenly broken, and the engine fell off.
"The airplane, subsequently unbalanced, crashed into ballast piles, beside the strip of the airport" and "was wrapped in flames in a moment.
"Mr Bose, wrapped up in flames, got off the plane; Adjutant Rahmin (Colonel Habibur Rehman) and other passengers exerted themselves to take his clothes off... His whole body was seriously wounded by burns."
The Japanese government report on the death of Netaji, who was 48 years old then, backs the Shah Nawaz Khan-led inquiry instituted by the then Indian prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, which had investigated the matter later in 1956, according to a press release issued by the website.
The report provides salient features relating to his
condition and the treatment administered to him at the hospital.
It then reads: "Until about 7 p.M. He kept clear consciousness, and had talks with Adjutant Rahmin, but suddenly his consciousness was lost, and his heart ceased to move. In spite of several injections of heart stimulant and artificial aspiration (respiration), he could not revive."
The document adds: "By his side were Military-Surgeon (Toyoshi) Tsuruta, Colonel Rahmin, Interpreter Nakamura and a gendarme (as a guard) at the moment of his death."
The report also includes four sketches: of the airport and where the plane crashed; of the plane and where each passenger sat, including Bose; of the hospital and the room where Bose was treated; and a more detailed one of the same room and the bed in which Bose breathed his last.
The investigation obtained evidence from 13 Japanese officials who, the report asserts, were "considered to have had some relations with the matter". These included survivors of and eye-witnesses to the crash besides two doctors who treated Netaji at the hospital.
Ashis Ray, creator of Bosefiles.Info, said: "This is yet another decisive breakthrough. There is now no reason why the government of India should not accede to Bose's daughter Anita Pfaff's request to transfer her father's ashes from Tokyo to India."
"An unimpeachable authority like the Japanese government has independently corroborated and vindicated bosefiles.Info's previous chronicling of events."
"I am reliably informed Japan's diplomatic archive plans to release the document at the end of September. A copy of the document has been given to the Indian government. The fact is the Indian embassy in Tokyo and the ministry of external affairs in Delhi had misplaced the copy given to it in 1956," Ray said.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today said maternity leave for women government employees will be increased from the present six months to nine, fulfilling her party's electoral promise.
Unveiling healthcare initiatives worth over Rs 1,400 crore, Jayalalithaa recalled that she had increased the maternity leave to six months after she assumed office as Chief Minister in 2011 from the then previous three months.
From 1980 to 2011, women employees were entitled for only 90 days maternity leave, she said in the Assembly.
"Fulfilling our (AIADMK) electoral promise of increasing maternity leave to nine months for women government employees, I would like to announce that the maternity leave will be increased to nine months," she told the House in a suo motu statement.
She unveiled a slew of healthcare initiatives which include extension of ongoing schemes, procurement of diagnostic devices like PET Scan, dialysis equipment, setting up of additional infrastructure like Cathlab and construction of buildings, all together worth over Rs 1,400 crore.
She said ongoing healthcare schemes of "Amma Arogya Plan," "Amma Master Health Check-Up," and "Amma Master Health Check-Up Plan for Women," will be extended to Coimbatore, Tirunelveli and Madurai Government Medical College hospitals at a cost of Rs 30 crore.
She announced new infrastructure for Chennai-Kilpauk, Madurai and Coimbatore Government Medical College Hosptials at an outlay of Rs 356.50 crore.
All requisite diagnostic devices including C-arm and MRI-Scan for the hybrid operating theatres in such hospitals would be procured at a cost of Rs 497.41 crore.
She announced similar diagnostic devices and paraphernalia for a slew of other state-run hospitals across Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 353.43 crore and new buildings at an outlay of Rs 85.75 crore.
She announced Integrated Primary Healthcare Services on a pilot basis in three districts at a cost of Rs 5.93 crore.
Jayalalithaa said cathlab facility would be set up in six hospitals at a cost of Rs 42.20 crore and dialysis equipment for 51 hospitals at a cost of Rs.5.76 crore. Old ambulances would be replaced with new ones at a cost of Rs four crore while a PET Scan equipment will be put up at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Super Speciality Hospital at a cost of Rs 15 crore.
She also announced over Rs 30 crore worth initiatives in promotion of Indian Medicine in the state.
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Another senior leader and AIADMK spokesperson, 'Panruty' S
Ramachandran, also insisted that Jayalalithaa would "return home soon".
"The Chief Minister is recovering well. We believe, she will return home soon. Please do not believe in rumours," he told reporters here.
The doctors were sharing information regularly on the Chief Minister's health, he said.
On DMK chief M Karunanidhi seeking an explanation over Jayalalithaa's health, Ramachandran said "he has no right" to demand so.
"What has to be informed to the people, we are doing so. The doctors are qualified to talk about someone's illness and they are sharing information," he added.
Karunanidhi had yesterday demanded that pictures of the Chief Minister be released to quell rumours about her condition.
Additional Superintendent of Police of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jharkhand, Anand Joseph Tigga was today killed in a road accident between Chandwa and Kudu on the Lohardaga-Latehar border.
Tigga, along with a team, was on his way to Medininagar in Palamau district to conduct a raid when the vehicle they were travelling overturned while taking a turn near Kudu in Lohardaga district, Superintendent of Police (ACB), Alok said.
He said Tigga, who suffered grievous injuries in the mishap, was rushed to Chandwa in Latehar district for primary treatment and was later shifted to Medical Hospital in Ranchi, but succumbed to his injuries on way.
Tigga, who was also In-charge of Palamau Division of ACB, was going on official work along with the driver and two body guards, who suffered minor injuries, he said.
Condoling the death, Alok said it was a huge loss to the Jharkhand Police.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and former CM Arjun Munda also condoled the death of Tigga.
In his condolence message Das said it was a irreparable loss as Tigga was a good and sincere officer of the state police.
Das also paid floral tributes to Tigga at Jharkhand Armed Police-1 grounds in Ranchi when his body arrived.
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Kangana Ranaut chose to remain tight-lipped on reports that her contemporary Deepika Padukone is now the highest-paid actress in Bollywood.
Three-time National Award-winner Kangana had earlier claimed that she was the highest-paid actress, getting remuneration of Rs 11 crore for each project.
Recent reports, however, have suggested that Deepika has outshone Kangana in terms of pay, by signing Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmavati" for Rs 12 crore.
When last night, Kangana was quizzed about these reports, she just gave a stern look and parried the question.
The 29-year-old star met with the poser by the reporters at the Mumbai airport as she returned from the US, where she had gone for preparation of Hansal Mehta's next "Simran"
Kangana plays the role of a Gujarati NRI, named Praful Patel.
"Preparations for 'Simran' is going good. I enjoyed the workshop session that we did in the US," Kangana said when asked about the film.
"'Simran' is a story of a girl, her ambitions and how she gets addicted to the world of crime. It reportedly inspired by real life events of an NRI nurse in living the US, Sandeep Kaur.
Kaur was imprisoned last year for robbing banks to pay off her gambling debts.
According to sources, the shooting of the film will begin from September end.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Demanding their absorption in various government departments in Jammu, Kashmiri pandit employees who fled from Kashmir valley due to the alleged stone pelting by mobs on their transit camps, today blocked roads and burnt an effigy of the state government.
As their protest entered the 49th day today, more than 1600 Kashmiri pandit employees blocked the Talab Tillo road for several hours and raised slogans against the government, alleging that it was not serious about their plight.
Accusing the government of "step-motherly treatment" towards them, the protesters demanded adjustment to package and batch in Jammu till a comprehensive plan for their return and rehabilitation was framed.
"Not a single official from the government has visited the protest site to talk to us. We are being given the step-motherly treatment," chairman of the All Parties Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) Vinod Pandit said.
Pandit said the situation in Kashmir was "not conducive" for the return of the employees and "they have decided to return only when the entire community is rehabilitated in the valley".
More than 1600 Kashmiri pandit employees who were working in various government departments under the Prime Minister's rehabilitation package in the Kashmir valley returned to Jammu after their transit camps were allegedly attacked by stone pelting mob after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Calling him a "rotten fish", Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said Sandeep Kumar was removed from the Delhi Cabinet as he "betrayed" AAP's principles, even as the legislator played the Dalit card to defend himself.
In a video message, Kejriwal positioned AAP as a party with a "difference" and attacked the BJP and Congress for "shielding" top leaders accused of corruption. He also took a "Bangalore girl" swipe at the Prime Minister and BJP chief Amit Shah.
A day after he announced Kumar's sacking on Twitter, Kejriwal asserted that he will prefer to die or dissolve the party rather than compromise with the AAP's principles, while adding the same rule will apply to himself and all other senior leaders.
His image tarnished over the allegations, Kumar alleged that he was being targeted as part of a "conspiracy" as he was a dalit and went on to demand a probe into the matter questioning the authenticity of the CD.
Kejriwal said although the turn of events and the fact that "such rotten fishes" were in the party "saddened" him, he takes "pride" from the fact that AAP did not attempt to "cover up" the transgressions.
"Sandeep Kumar betrayed the party, he betrayed the AAP movement and the trust people across the country have reposed on AAP. We will never ever compromise on our core values. We will prefer to die, close the party or perish than tolerating wrongdoings," he said.
Admitting that the case may sully the party's image in people's minds, Kejriwal said what sets AAP apart from other parties was that it does not dither to take prompt action, which comes out from the fact that as many as "four people" have been summarily suspended.
In a sudden move, Kumar, who held the Women and Child Welfare and Social Welfare portfolios, was sacked from the council of ministers yesterday by Kejriwal after he received a nine-minute-long CD in which Kumar was purportedly shown in a compromising position with a woman.
Kumar, however, insisted that he had resigned on moral grounds.
"Someone is saying the video is two months old and others are saying it is three months old. There is no authentication Dalits have been exploited always. I belong to a poor family, so I know the facts are distorted. I have been framed because I am a Dalit," he said.
Rebutting BJP's criticism, Kejriwal asked the party what action it had taken against allegations of wrongdoings against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.
"Vijender ji (Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly), pl ask modi ji- who was the Bangalore girl? Why did he ask Amit Shah to snoop on her?" the AAP chief tweeted.
He also attacked Congress and wondered "why the party shied away from taking action against its Punjab Chief Amarinder Singh when it was found that his family has Swiss bank accounts", adding that Akali Dal too is "saving" Majithia who is in drug business.
One Om Prakash, who claims to be the "whistleblower" in the case, said the CD containing the objectionable clips was submitted to the government 15 days back and recently to the Lt Governor's office.
"The person who had the CD to me had approached the Chief Minister with it almost fifteen days ago but no action was taken. But when it was brought to the LG office's notice, Kumar was sacked," Prakash said.
The Delhi government has rejected Prakash's claims. Congress also disassociated any link with him after he claimed to be its member.
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Firing a fresh salvo at the Centre, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today alleged Lt Governor Najeeb Jung was "stalling" the clearance of minimum wages file "at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi", who does not want it implemented in Delhi.
"Our Cabinet cleared the proposal for the hike last month and it was sent to the LG a week later, but he is sitting on that file for the last 8 days. Our Labour Minister (Gopal Rai) has sought appointment with him to discuss it, but in vain," Kejriwal said.
The Delhi Cabinet had on April 17 approved upward revision of minimum wages by 50 per cent under which the minimum monthly wages for unskilled workers would go up to Rs 14,055 against the existing Rs 9,568.
Addressing a well attended event--'Shramik Samvad' (dialogue with workers) at Talkatora Stadium of labourers, Delhi Transport Corporation drivers and conductors, sanitation workers and security personnel, the Delhi Chief Minister asserted that "his government won't relent on this issue. And, if the Centre was hell bent on stopping us from implementing the norm, then we ware doubly determined to have it implemented."
"Friends, we came to power with your support. And, as promised, we have done our bit, but the LG is stalling it. And, as I have learned, Modiji has asked him to do so as he (PM) does not want the minimum wage norm to be implemented in Delhi," he alleged.
"So, now you all also have to fight this battle, and if you want your wages to be increased, then you should lodge your protest and ask the LG and the PM as to why is it not being implemented. You should rise and make Modiji feel that if this is not implemented he would not become PM in 2019. He doesn't fear me but you, the masses (the voters)," Kejriwal said.
The AAP government today also claimed that if implemented Delhi's minimum wages would be the highest given by any state government, but the "LG is not willing".
"I agree sir. Pl ask ur LG to clear minimum wage file pending wid him for many days," Kejriwal also tweeted.
The Delhi Chief Minister said his government has not only proposed a hike in wages but also suggested an increase in quantum of punishment for contractors who exploit workers by withholding wages.
"The penalty has been proposed to be increased from Rs 600 to Rs 50,000, while a person can be jailed for three years, which is currently just six months," he said.
"After hearing about these norms, we heard a group of big industrialists and power companies met Modiji and said if this wage norm is implemented, we will stop putting money in the elections," Kejriwal alleged.
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Noted Malayalam actor Sreejit Ravi was arrested here today on complaints from school girls that he had behaved "indecently", police said.
Police said he was arrested under Section 509 of IPC (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of women) from a film shooting location at Ottapalam here.
The action followed after the school girls complained to their Principal that the actor had taken their photo in his mobile and allegedly made indecent gestures, police said.
The actor, however, denied the allegations.
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With his government completing 100 days in office, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday reached out to people through All India Radio, cautioning them against the threat posed by communal forces and drug mafia in society.
Similar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Maan Ki Baat' radio programme, Vijayan, in his about 10-minute address, said, "The unity of people is essential for the overall development of the state. Certain forces are trying to destroy this unity. But this government is committed to safeguarding the human values and people's goodness irrespective of religious and communal divide."
Cautioning against the threat posed by communal forces and the drug mafia in the society, he stressed the need for protecting children from falling victim to the menace.
Terming children as the architects of tomorrow, Vijayan said parents should be vigilant of any small change in the behaviour of their children.
Seeking support from parents in combating the drug menace, he said, "We need to be always cautious about our children. We must keep our eyes open to the small changes in their behaviour. In case of need, the services of teachers and counsellors should be taken," Vijayan said.
"If we strive together, we can root out the huge danger of drug menace completely from the society," he said.
Pointing out that solid waste management was another area of concern for the state, he said people should segregate and dispose solid waste at the place of origin itself.
Cultivation of organic vegetables should be expanded to achieve food security and build up a healthy generation, he said.
"Though we are far ahead in terms of literacy, we are just throwing garbage on roadsides and others' properties. We should try to dispose waste as much as we can at its origin itself," he said.
"A garbage-free and open-defecation free Kerala is possible through coordinated efforts," the chief minister said.
Claiming that the LDF government could bring in substantial changes in the last 100 days, Vijayan said they were following a "two-pronged" approach of stepping up measures for long-term development and taking immediate steps to redress grievances of the marginalised sections.
Vijayan also listed disbursal of welfare pension to beneficiaries among some of his government's achievements after it was voted to power in May 16 Assembly polls.
Newbie Kriti Kharbanda, who is making her Bollywood debut with horror film "Raaz Reboot," says kissing on-screen was a tough task for her.
Kriti has worked extensively in down South, but had inhibitions while filming the intimate scenes.
"My first kiss was with Emraan Hashmi and I was extremely scared. I was saying to myself 'I don't know how am I going to do this.' It freaked me out and how.
"I was very uncomfortable about it because I was doing it with a stranger which became very difficult for me," Kriti told PTI in an interview.
Directed by Vikram, Bhatt, "Raaz Reboot" is the fourth film in the horror film franchise "Raaz". The 27-year-old actress made her acting debut with the Telugu film "Boni" in 2009 before bagging her breakthrough role with romantic comedy "Googly".
Kriti says when "Raaz Reboot" was offered to her, she was a bit apprehensive as the character in the film was in contrast to the roles she had done in the past.
"Initially I had a lot of inhibitions. I have been very active in South, especially in the past three years, and the image I have there is of a sweet-girl-next-door. But 'Raaz' was in a different space.
"In the film, I have an ex-lover, I also have a husband, I get possessed, I have to kiss on-screen. It had ticked every box of how I am going to spook the living daylight of my audience," she said.
The actress, however, was not bothered about the "serial kisser" image of her co-star, Emraan, and in fact credits the "Azhar" actor for starting the trend of kissing scenes in Bollywood.
"His (Emraan's) image didn't make a difference to me. I feel he started the trend of kissing scenes. Today there is not one Hindi movie which doesn't have a kissing scene.
"He went with it before the time and now when every Hindi film you see, it has one such scene because it is unfair to not have a kiss."
Though she has been in the film industry for almost seven years with nearly 15 movies to her credit, Kriti says "Raaz Reboot" made her stronger and fearless as a person.
"I have changed so much post 'Raaz' as a person. I
have become limitless and stronger. You don't need that attitude to survive in Bollywood. But when you are doing a film like 'Raaz', you can't go on set with inhibitions."
"Like, I had never kissed on screen before as it is not something I thought I would indulge in. But after I have done it, I have decided that I am never going to mark boundaries for the reason that I do not want to limit myself."
Also starring Gaurav Arora, "Raaz Reboot" is set to release on September 16.
Inclusion of the Union Law Minister as a member of the collegium for appointment of judges would not affect the independence of judiciary, a former Law Minister has said.
The former Minister and noted lawyer Shanti Bhushan was among several speakers at a discussion on appointments to the higher and subordinate judiciary, who stressed the need for greater transparency in the judicial system with some suggesting bringing the judiciary under purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
"I personally see no harm. Even if you introduce a law minister into a team of five supreme Court judges, what can the minister do? He won't be able to influence the views of five senior supreme court judges. I don't think this will affect the independence of the judiciary," Bhushan said.
Bhushan, who was the Law Minister in the Morarji Desai government, also said that "no important role can be left to the government because it consists of politicians. It is impossible to expect politicians of the kind we had in 1950s or 60s. Ultimately, it is the judiciary which will have to shoulder the various responsiblities."
He also alleged there was corruption among subordinate judiciary saying a former President of district Bar Association in Delhi had told him about it. "So, what kind of justice can we expect," he asked.
At the debate organised by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, Dr Mohan Gopal, former Director of the National Judicial Academy and of NLSIU, opined that judiciary lacked confidence in the committment of the political executive to the principles of independece of judiciary.
"NJAC judgement does not reflect a genuine disagreement
between the executive or the judiciary. Rather it reflects a well founded lack of confidence in the judiciary in the committment of the political executive to the principles of independence of judiciary.
"I think, the judiciary feels that the political leadership of this country is not committed to the idea of judicial independence and there is a reluctance to handover the significant power to the political executive in the appointment of judges," Gopal said.
He also claimed how the "typical Indian judge is Hindu, upper class, upper-caste and male" and said "we need an appointment process which will change and democratise this to include judges from minorities, lower castes, economically deprived backgrounds etc."
CPI(M) leader Nilotpal Basu also echoed the need for transperancy in the judiciary. "Unless we have transparency, we can't have credibility," he said urging for inclusiveness in the decision-making process in judicial appointments.
He also claimed there was an influence of "mob justice" in some recent judgments, saying "certain death sentences served these days give a clear impression that the mob which was agitating outside the court have influenced the decision."
Senior advocate Anil Divan stressed the importance of having an independent secretariat with complete control on the functioning of the appointments process.
Maja Daruwala, the Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, said the figure of 30 million cases pending before the judiciary was unconscionable and only worsened due to the judiciary-executive tussle.
Journalist and author Manoj Mitta pointed to the stand of Justice A P Shah against former CJI K G Balakrishnan, stressed the need for bringing judiciary under purview of Right to Information (RTI) Act, saying "for the consumers of justice, the struggle over primacy between the executive and judiciary is not as important as that of transparency".
Paul Divakar, General Secretary of the National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights, spoke about "disproportionate incarceration" of SC/ST communities by the judiciary.
"There are cases in which judgements punishing perpetrators of caste atrocities were reversed. ... There is reluctance of judicial and police officers to recognise such atrocities as crimes," he said, while recommending that issues relating to diversity, social justice and fairness be included in the curricula of the National Judicial Academy itself.
Law students will be engaged by the Centre to suggest ways for improving transparency and accountability in the governance through effective implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), nodal authority for implementation of the RTI Act, has decided to give internship to students pursuing law courses to assess voluntary disclosures by various central government ministries.
"The primary goal of the scheme is to contribute towards more accountable and transparent government and it has several components including programmes for awareness generation, training and e-governance initiatives for RTI for achieving the purpose," the DoPT said in an order issued today.
The programme will help the ministry or department consolidate and document its experience in the implementation of RTI, its successes, constraints in implementation, identify the areas which need more attention, address the gap areas and suggest what more needs to be done to help achieve the objectives of the Act.
"The interns would be familiarised with the process of seeking information and enabling access to information under the RTI regime," it said.
The RTI Act, 2005, which was enacted by the UPA government, empowers a citizen to seek a time-bound reply on information related to the governance.
The applicants would analyse the applications to get an overall picture and do an in-depth study of the information sought and the response by the public authority.
"The interns would also study the status of suo motu disclosure of the ministry or department allotted to them for their internship and would submit a report in this regard," the DoPT said.
As per the RTI Act, public authorities which mean central government departments are mandated to put in public domain governance related information being dealt by them in public domain.
Based on the analysis of RTI applications made by them, the interns have to make specific recommendations regarding various kinds of information or documents of the department concerned that can be included in the suo motu disclosures, besides major governance policy initiatives that can be taken to improve governance, it said.
The proposed internships would be for duration of one month starting December 15, 2016 onwards. Interns will be entitled to a consolidated remuneration of Rs 10,000 payable on submission and acceptance of their internship reports by the competent authority in the DoPT.
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Multi-national technological company, Lenovo has proposed to make an investment of Rs 2,000 crore towards the setting up of a smartphone manufacturing unit in Puducherry, Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said here today.
Making the announcement in the Assembly here, the Chief Minister said, a delegation of Lenovo recently visited him and expressed interest to set up a Rs 2,000 crore projectto make smartphones in Puducherry.
"We should provide them concessions and facilities as the unit they are contemplating would provide jobs to technically qualified youth in Puducherry," he said while announcing the government's decision to roll out a new industrial policy.
"Our government is keen to strengthen the fiscal position of Puducherry and to tackle unemployment problem.
"For this, we should go in for an effective policy to attract entrepreneurs from outside Puducherry to start their units here with several concessions," he added.
Narayanasamy also announced the government was in the process of finalising a slew of concessions and subsidies to entrepreneurs setting up industries in Union Territory.
"There is a competition among bigger states to offer concessions and various subsidies to entrepreneurs to establish industries in those states.
"We cannot lag behind and there is every need on our part to provide capital and interest subsidies and make available land to the entrepreneurs," he said while wrapping up two-day debateon the budget for the fiscal2016-2017."
With 75 per cent of the budgetary allocations being spent on committed expenditure including monthly wages and salaries, payment of interest for loans raised by the government and to purchase electricity, he said the government was to make do with the remaining 25 per cent of allocations for welfare measures.
"There is therefore every need to strengthen the financial position here," he added.
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The key logistics defence pact signed between India and the US earlier this week, will make joint military operations between the two countries more efficient, the Pentagon has said.
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook also asserted that strong defence ties between the two countries would help enhance regional security.
"We think it will make the conduct of our operations with the Indian military that much more efficient and effective. And again, it's very consistent with agreements we have with other countries," Cook told reporters at a news conference. yesterday.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter had signed the 'Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement' (LEMOA) and said it will facilitate opportunities for "practical engagement and exchange".
Asked about the adverse reaction to the agreement from India's neighbourhood, Cook said no country needs to worry about the pact.
"I would speak to the positive nature about this agreement, which is to enhance the security relationship between our two countries, and security in the region. This agreement and our relationship with India should not be cause for concern for others," he said.
"We see this as an opportunity to strengthen out ties with India, our defence ties. And that those enhanced relations represent a security enhancement for the region as a whole," he asserted.
Department of Defence spokesperson, Commander (US Navy) Gary Ross told PTI that the LEMOA agreement facilitates mutual logistical support between the US and Indian Armed Forces by permitting the exchange of authorised supplies and services on short notice without requiring advance payment.
The agreement becomes especially important given the increasing number of military-to-military exercises that the countries two countries conduct, he said.
London's Pakistani-origin mayor Sadiq Khan today officially opened a new theatre in the British capital here dedicated to the South Asian arts.
Tara Theatre will be the new state of the art home in south London for Tara Arts, the oldest diverse multicultural theatre company in the UK founded by Indian-origin artist Jatinder Verma back in 1977.
"Tara Theatre has always held a special place in my heart. I have enjoyed many hours at the theatre and I'm delighted that the building has been given this new lease of life," said Khan, who was born and brought up just around the corner from the theatre in Tooting area of the city.
"As a result of this project, I hope many more Londoners will come and experience the magic of theatre at Tara Arts. This new space embodies all that is great about London, with diversity and creativity built into the very fabric of the building," said Khan, the son of a Pakistani bus driver who became London's first Muslim mayor in April this year.
Tara Arts describes itself as the oldest diverse multicultural theatre company in the UK.
The new Tara Theatre retains the original architecture of an Edwardian terraced building, with the insertion of light- filled spaces and a modern interior.
The building boasts a series of sustainable technologies including solar panels and green sedum roofs.
Plans are underway for staging 70 events marking the 70th anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence in 2017.
Tara's Artistic Director Jatinder Verma said: "This is the realisation of a life-long dream to create a world class building right in the heart of the community we serve.
"We are passionate to continue and expand our work, now with the benefit of such a wonderful building. We are thankful to all our supporters and funders for making this dream a reality."
Sir Peter Bazalgette, chair, Arts Council England, added: "Arts Council England's capital support of Tara's new theatre in South London signals our commitment to investing in the long term development of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic theatre artists and all audiences, as part of our Creative Case for Diversity.
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Cyber security service provider Lucideus Tech has received angel funding from Amit Choudhary, director of Motilal Oswal Private Equity Advisors.
The start-up, which was incubated by IIT-Bombay, has previously received funding from Anand Chandrasekaran (former Snapdeal chief product officer) and Flipkart chief financial officer Sanjay Baweja. It helps enterprises assess risks to their IT infrastructure.
"Typically, our angel investors have invested in the range of about USD 50,000-100,000 individually," Lucideus co-founder and CEO Saket Modi told PTI without disclosing the size of the latest round of funding.
Lucideus will use the funds for expanding its team and business operations.
"The funding has also to do more with the mentorship that our angel investors provide. We have started building our own platform that should be ready by next year. We will also use the investment to strengthen our team to 100 people by the end of year (from 70)," Modi said.
He added that the company saw its topline growing 250 per cent to Rs 4.2 crore for fiscal ended March 2016 and expects to close this year with about USD 1.5-2 million (about Rs 13 crore).
The city-based company works with companies like Coca Cola, Tata Sky, ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered, Indigo and KFC among others. It is also responsible for the security of the recently launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Choudhary said Lucideus has shown significant growth in the last 4 years of their business, one of the reasons why he invested in the company.
"They have a strong business model. Cyber-security is going to play a key role in the days ahead and I hope to help Lucideus build a global business," he added.
The company gets about 25-30 per cent of its revenues from clients across geographies including the US, Hong Kong and Middle East, Modi said.
"This funding will also set the tone for our series A that we plan to raise early next year," he added.
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Malaysia today reported its first suspected case of Zika, a 58-year-old woman believed to have contracted it in neighbouring Singapore where more than 100 cases have been confirmed.
The Malaysian woman had made a brief trip in late August to visit her daughter, who has already been confirmed as having the Zika virus, Malaysia's health ministry said in a statement.
After returning to her home near Kuala Lumpur, the woman fell ill and was diagnosed with "suspected" Zika, based on a urine test. Full confirmation via blood tests is pending.
"The source of infection is suspected to have occurred in Singapore," the statement said.
The Aedes mosquito-borne Zika has been detected in 67 countries and territories, with Brazil the hardest hit.
It causes only mild symptoms for most people such as fever and a rash, but pregnant women who catch it can give birth to babies with microcephaly, a deformation marked by abnormally small brains and heads.
Singapore is one of Asia's cleanest cities with high healthcare standards, but is a densely populated tropical island with heavy rainfall and has a chronic problem with dengue fever, also spread by the same Aedes mosquito.
Authorities say 115 people have now tested positive for the virus, including a pregnant woman and 57 foreigners living and working in the city-state.
Singapore depends heavily on foreign labour, and industries like construction and the marine sector are dominated by workers from China and South Asia.
Among the foreigners infected, 23 are from China, 15 are from India and 10 from Bangladesh, the health ministry said today. The rest are from Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia and Taiwan.
Singapore health officials on today sought to reassure the international community that the disease is under control after the United States and Britain joined Australia and Taiwan in advising pregnant women to avoid non-essential travel to the city-state.
"I don't think there's a need for us to press the panic button," said Derek Ho, director-general for public health at the National Environment Agency (NEA).
NEA workers have been ramping up efforts to eradicate mosquitoes, expanding a fumigation campaign centred around several eastern suburbs.
Since the first locally-transmitted case was reported on Saturday, some 5,800 homes and shops have been inspected for mosquito breeding sites with 49 habitats destroyed, the NEA said.
"Our best defence is to eradicate mosquitos and destroy breeding habitats, all over Singapore," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post today.
Indonesia and Malaysia have intensified monitoring of border points for passengers arriving from Singapore.
Tropical Malaysia - which already has also struggled in recent years to control the spread of dengue fever - has been bracing for Zika after Singapore last weekend reported a surge in cases.
Despite the rise in Zika cases, a spokesman for the Singapore Grand Prix told AFP yesterday the Formula One race will go on as scheduled from September 16-18.
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Senior Congress leader and MLA Manas Bhunia, who has a strained relationship with the party's state leadership, today described Mamata Banerjee as the "best chief minister in the country", fuelling speculation about the possibility of him joining the TMC.
"She (Mamata) is the best chief minister in the country. She is delivering goods in the best possible way", he said.
Taking a dig at the state Congress leadership, Bhunia, a former WBPCC president, said the CLP and state Congress should not oppose her just for the sake of opposition.
His brother Bikash Bhunia had quit Congress and joined TMC recently.
Bhunia has strained relations with the state Congress leadership over accepting the post of chairman of Public Accounts Committee in the assembly, defying the party's stand.
Congress MLAs had recently urged the party high command to suspend him for alleged anti-party activities and WBPCC President Adhir Chowdhury had accused Bhunia of working on behalf of TMC.
Congress would not tolerate such indiscipline, Chowdhury had said.
Bhunia had written to West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, seeking security and a place to sit in the House.
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A special court today sentenced a 40-year-old man to 10 years imprisonment for raping a mentally-challenged girl in Nayagaun village of this district.
Special judge Ashok Kumar Vyas convicted Bajranglal Meghwal, a resident of Nayagaun village, under POCSO Act and also imposed a fine of Rs 16,000 on him, Public Prosecutor Bhupendra Sahay Saxena said.
Meghwal had raped the 15-year-old girl on February 26, 2014 while she was alone at home.
An FIR was registered against the accused under sections 342, 354, 376 of IPC and under sections of POSCO Act following a complaint by the victim's parents.
A total of 13 witnesses were produced and 22 documents were displayed before the court in this matter.
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A man, who lodged a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly "insulting" the national flag, today told a Delhi court that he apprehended that he could be killed because of the case.
The complainant, Ashish Sharma, alleged before Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria that on August 12, he was arrested and tortured by the Delhi Police "without any crime" and released after four days.
"I may be murdered, attacked or vanish from this world. Nevertheless, I am requesting the court to keep in record that how and how much I am being tortured because of this case...," complainant Ashish Sharma said. The court has now fixed the matter for November 30.
In his complaint, Sharma had alleged that the Prime Minister had "insulted" the national flag on the international yoga day on June 21 last year.
The court had on April 6 taken cognisance of the complaint against Modi in the case.
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Kerala Governor Justice (retd) P Sathasivam today urged the media not to deviate from the path of truth while doing their job.
"No one in society has any doubt over the freedom of the press. At the same time, media also has the responsibility in disseminating without deviating from the path of truth", he said.
The Governor was addressing a function here today after presenting the P V Sami memorial award to KEF Holdings Founder Chairman Faizal E Kottikollan for his valuable contribution in business and philanthropy.
"Media should not report highlighting only a portion of a speech or event, but the whole thing so that people will understand the context in its entirety", he said, adding, "reporting a contrary to truth would only affect their reputation in the eyes of the public".
P V Sami is an example of people serving society among the businesslike functioning of the World, he added.
The award ceremony was presided over by Chairman and Managing Director of 'Mathrubhumi' daily, M P Veerendra Kumar, MP.
The award has been instituted in memory of P V Sami, Founder of Kerala Transport Company. Every year achievers are honoured for their contributions in diverse sectors.
This year, Faizal E Kottikollon was selected by a jury comprising Veerendrakumar, Dr C K Ramachandran and well known Director Sathyan Anthikad, for his "visionary approach to modern infrastructure and relentless development of education and health care in Kerala.
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A plea challenging the 'one- officer, one-child' policy on reserving seats in MBBS and BDS courses for children of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel has led the Delhi High Court to seek the response of the Centre in the matter.
Under the 2010 policy of the Union Home Ministry, only one child of a serving CAPF personnel would get the benefit of reservation in MBBS or BDS courses across the country.
Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva issued notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) seeking its response to the petition by a officer in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) who contended that the policy was "discriminatory" towards the other children of these personnel.
The CISF officer has moved the plea seeking extension of the policy to his second child also. His first born has already derived the benefit.
The officer has also sought an interim order putting on hold the application process of a medical college where his second child wanted to get admitted.
Refusing to grant any interim order by staying the medical college's letter calling for applications or reserving a seat, the court listed the matter for hearing on December 6.
Defending its decision, MHA argued that its policy was meant to benefit maximum number of serving central armed police personnel, which currently stood at 10 lakh including over one lakh in the CISF.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A three-day crucial meeting of the RSS full-timers presently working in the BJP will be held in Surajkund on September 10, 11 and 12.
The key posts of general secretary, organisation, in BJP is held by RSS full-timers (pracharak) who are on loan to the party. Some of them occupy other posts in the party across its state units as well.
RSS general secretary Bhaiyya ji Joshi, the second in command of the outfit, and its joint general secretary Krishna Gopal will be the key persons who will present at the three day exercise, a senior BJP leader said.
Asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will also address these office bearers, he said it was not certain yet.
RSS full-timers working in the BJP, especially its general secretaries in charge of the organisation in the central body as well as state bodies, spearhead party activities and are perceived to be reliable feedback as they generally, though not always, do not participate in electoral politics and owe their allegiance to the top brass of RSS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also a RSS 'pracharak' looking after the organisational matters in the BJP before he was chosen to lead the party in Gujarat in 2001.
The meeting assumes significance as it comes in the wake of three crucial party meetings involving its state core committee leaders, chief ministers and Rajya Sabha members. Modi and Shah had addressed all three meetings.
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Meghalaya government today said it would soon announce the calendar for holding the by-elections for the seven vacant seats to the two autonomous district councils (ADCs).
The seats had fallen vacant after elected members resigned in the wake of a legislation last year preventing them from holding two elected posts.
"The proposal for a calendar for holding of elections to the various vacancies will be forwarded to the Governor," Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said today.
The District Council Affairs (DCA) minister Prestone Tynsong said once the Governor gives nod to the proposal, the calendar will accordingly be approved and announced.
"Though the seats have to be filled, there is no specific time frame for holding the bye-elections so far the ADCs are concerned," said Tynsong.
Out of the eight legislators who held two elected posts, seven have resigned after the House passed the Prevention of Disqualification (Members of Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya) (Amendment) Act, 2015, which seeks to end holding of dual posts by the MLAs, last year.
One of the defiant Congress legislator, PN Syiem, who also holds charge of the Khasi hills Autonomous District Council chief, however refused to relinquish from either the post of MLA or MDC.
His decision not to step down from either of the two posts got a fillip when the Governor gave an order in his favour in May 31 last citing that his holding the post of MDC did not attract disqualification as per Article 191 of the Constitution.
Subsequently, the Meghalaya High Court also upheld the Governor's order while disposing of a PIL, which seeks disqualification of the 8 MLAs for holding dual posts, filed by an NGO.
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The Jammu and Kashmir government today warned its employees that their salaries will be withheld if they remain "unauthorisedly" absent from their duty due to the ongoing unrest in the valley.
"From the month of September, salary of the employees who remain on unauthorised absence from duty shall not be released and action under rules be initiated against them," an official spokesman said after a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary B R Sharma here to review the attendance of employees in the government offices.
Expressing concern about the "irregular attendance" of a section of employees, the Chief Secretary directed the administrative secretaries and heads of departments to ensure attendance of all the employees working in their respective departments and subordinate offices without fail.
Sharma, however, said in view of the ensuing festival of Eid-ul-Zuha, the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while taking a compassionate view in the matter directed the release of salary of all the government employees for the month of August.
The Chief Secretary also expressed displeasure about the non-installation and implementation of Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) in many offices across the State and directed that the AEBAS be installed forthwith and implemented in all the government offices.
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A "mentally unstable" man, son of a retired senior Navy officer, was arrested last night for carrying a blade and misbehaving with security personnel at a high-security five-star hotel, where US Secretary of State John Kerry was staying.
53-year-old Uday Ratra, a resident of Gurdaspur in Punjab, was detained when he picked up a fight with the security personnel.
He was booked under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt) after had a scuffle with the police and the hotel's security staff, who objected to his loitering in the lobby last evening, police said.
"He is mentally unstable. He was roaming around in the lobby of the hotel. The hotel security staff knew him as in the past too he had tried to enter the premises when foreign dignitaries were visiting," a senior police official said.
When Ratra was asked to leave the hotel premises, he started quarrelling with the hotel security staff, the official said.
"The hotel staff informed Sarojini Nagar police station and the police rushed to the spot and apprehended him before he could create further trouble.
"He was not aware of Kerry's presence. It is a coincidence that he came to the hotel on the day. When he was searched, a blade was found on him," added the official.
He was sent to jail under relevant section of Delhi Police Act.
Police said the man has a history of creating nuisance when foreign dignitaries are here.
"Even the US Embassy had informed us in advance on August 1 that he might create nuisance. The Canadian Embassy had also written about him once," the officer said.
Police said he was a habitual offender and has been arrested in the past on similar charges.
Ratra was deported from the UK for allegedly stalking some residents there.
Kerry, who was on a three-day visit, yesterday postponed his departure from India by at least two days. US officials said the visit has been extended to enable Kerry to travel to China for G-20 Summit this weekend.
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A teenager died while pillion rider was injured as the motorcycle they were riding rammed a stationary vehicle on Shahdara flyover in Mansarovar area of north east Delhi, police said today.
The incident happened in the wee hours yesterday, when 17-year-old Naveen was out for a "fun ride" with his 24-year-old friend Akash, police said.
They were not wearing helmets, they said.
Their motorbike hit the stationary pickup van that had suffered a breakdown on Shahdara flyover near Mansarovar park metro station, said AK Singla, DCP (northeast).
Naveen sustained severe head injuries and was declared dead by the doctors in the hospital.
At the time of the incident, Akash was allegedly drunk, police said.
The results of Naveen's post-mortem are awaited and the police will only then be able to determine whether he was also drunk, added the officer.
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India is negotiating mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) with various countries to ensure easy access for professionals like paramedics and engineers, though it takes "unbelievable time" to sign such pacts, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today.
The Commerce and Industry Minister said even though the process is time consuming, her ministry is "still negotiating with different countries which require these services".
"That is a big hurdle that we are trying to cross," she said at a function here.
MRAs pave the way for recognition of professional bodies of one country by the other. Regulatory bodies of various professional services like engineering, accountancy and architecture are encouraged to enter into these pacts.
These agreements are part of free trade pacts that India has signed with several countries, including Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Asean nations.
"From commerce ministry, we are pushing ahead when we negotiate with countries to have MRAs done. A number of professionals, whether they are paramedics, dentists or in engineering, when they seek a job, the first thing that deters them is whether that country recognises your degree, whether that country treats your degree at par with the degree there," she said.
The minister said these MRAs will have to be signed with many countries.
Explaining the process, she said some countries are apprehensive about the huge number of graduates which India produces as "calculations of these countries are that what will happen to the employment in their own country".
So the whole process of signing MRAs takes too much time, Sitharaman said, adding "just unbelievable time is taken to convince a country to come do all the tests that they require to do...".
Further, she said the government is focusing a lot on imparting skills to youngsters so that can get employment.
Government is looking at every opportunity to create jobs in the country, she said, adding whenever a department approaches the Cabinet with a proposal, the Prime Minister always asks about its impact on job creation.
The minister was speaking at the launch of the book '101 Entry Level Jobs', authored by T Muralidharan.
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A delegation of Naga HoHo and Naga Mothers' Association today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed with him present situation in Nagaland.
The delegation, led by the HoHo president Chuba Ozukum and Naga Mothers' chief Abeiu Meru, briefed the prevailing situation in the Northeastern state and desire of the civil society.
The delegation sought the Home Minister's intervention for early conclusion of the ongoing peace talks with NSCN-IM for bringing a lasting solution to Nagaland, sources said.
Singh assured the delegation to sympathetically look into their requests, sources said.
The Naga civil society delegation also discussed with the Home Minister about the 'Framework Agreement' signed on August 3, 2015 which settles the political parameters of the final solution.
The pact was signed by NSCN-IM general secretary T Muivah and Centre's interlocutor for Naga talks R N Ravi in the presence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Home and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval here.
The signing of the agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations that spanned 18 years with first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed.
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Opposition National Conference (NC) today staged a sit-in outside the Civil Secretariat here to protest against continued use of pellet guns and killings in Kashmir.
The party has also alleged that arrests on mass scale are being made in the Valley from the past two-three days and people were sustaining injuries everyday during processions.
"In night hours, they (police) go into the houses of people (for arrests). Everyday 100-300 children sustain injuries, elderly persons sustain injuries which is totally in contrast to the government's claim that they have no objections if peaceful processions are taken out," NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said reporters.
"It is a symbolic dharna. The government has been maintaining that pellet guns would be banned. That has not been done and then another youth was killed in Nadihal yesterday. We are protesting against that," Sagar said.
The NC leader warned the state as well as the Central government of further deterioration of the situation in the Valley.
"We are warning the state as well as the Central government that if the situation continues to remain as such, it will deteriorate further. It is also giving an opportunity to Hurriyat to issue protest and strike programmes, he said.
He charged that Government has failed and it exists only on papers.
"It seems, this Government has already failed and now its existence is only on papers. And, only some ministers by holding meeting inside the rooms of (Civil) Secretariat are trying to give an impression that there is a Government.
The Government is nowhere. No one is listening to the Government.
And, I think all the state machinery has gone out of their control. The Union Home Minister had assured that in two days the (use of) pellet guns (against protesters) would be stopped. But, till today the use of pellet guns has not stopped," he said.
Some of the NC leaders were detained by the police but later released.
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Union Health Minister J P Nadda today said support of private sector is crucial in designing school curriculum to inculcate healthy lifestyles among children and stressed the need to pay urgent attention towards preventive aspects of non-communicable diseases).
Nadda said that most of the major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) generally labeled as 'lifestyle diseases' are acquired and social behaviour change plays a major role in preventing them.
"The support of the private sector in this area will be crucial, especially in designing curriculum for the children at school so that we can inculcate healthy lifestyle in them in their formative years," an official statement quoting Nadda, who was speaking at FICCI HEAL event said.
"Superior outcomes in healthcare in India will be better achieved with innovations in health practices and products, and I urge private sector to give priority to innovations and best practices," he said.
The Health Minister further said that some formidable challenges still need to be addressed in many states due to lack of sturdy infrastructure and shortage of skilled manpower among other things.
"We should not work in silos. There is urgent need to interact and work together in making a meaningful change," he said.
Highlighting the benefits of the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets, the Health Minister said that these clinics have sold drugs worth Rs 28 crores as per the MRP.
However, the costs to the patients through these outlets have only been Rs 9 crores and has thus resulted in saving of Rs 19 crore out of pocket expenditure to the patients.
Noting that the government is making strides in the field of telemedicine, Nadda said the facility with three remote locations - Community Health Centre, Pooh in Kinnour, Himachal Pradesh, Pampa Hospital, Sabrimala in Kerala and Sheshnag base camp on way to Amarnath Shrine has been started.
He also reiterated the government's resolve to strengthen tertiary health care in all its premium institutions by inducting state-of-art technology, training and capacity building of human resource and providing affordable and convenient tertiary health care through various steps.
Meanwhile, according to a FICCI statement, Nadda said that there was a need to educate children at an early age about lifestyle choices and the government was planning to come out with a pictorial leaflet - a lifestyle guide - as a part of the school curriculum, which would educate students about healthy lifestyle choices.
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The Union Health minister said that there is not only need to re-strategise as newer vulnerabilities continue to emerge, and there is also the need to expand the scope of our services.
He said the government is now treating more than 10 lakh patients with free ARV therapy and announced the attainment of milestone of initiation of treatment of the millionth person with free ARV drugs.
"As promised last year, third line ART is now available free under the ART programme," he said.
Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said that India has come a long way from the time when HIV was considered to be something dreadful to this day when the disease has been accepted in the society like any other chronic disease for which one has to take life-long treatment.
"This has been possible by joint efforts of dedicated and professional human resource at different levels. India has second largest number of PLHIV on ART with nearly 1 million on ART out of 2.1 million estimated with HIV. Nearly 1.4 million have been detected out of 2.1 million estimated with HIV.
"We have to ensure that we not only provide drugs, we ensure that the stigma goes away, people can live in dignity, they can get social benefits of government and do not lose out on economic front and are not discriminated at work place," she said.
Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste stressed the need to work hard to eliminate the infection by 2030 and noted that the task is clearly laid out.
"We need to put our resources and energies in states where we see new infections or more deaths of inadequate responses so that gains made in better performing states do not get diluted in the overall national picture.
"We have to increase pace of our march towards our commitment during "ending AIDS by 2030" Kulaste said.
Health secretary C K Mishra stressed on the need to create new strategies for the new challenges emerging in this sector and said that India has achieved remarkable success in stopping HIV/ AIDS and the model it adopted is being emulated globally.
"This shows how a unified leadership came together. Common thread in the programme is partnership as this task was not possible for a single entity.
"Now we need to align our approaches with the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), adolescent health programme of the Ministry so that all the adolescents in the country are safe and covered," he said.
Fulfilling a long standing demand, railways today launched a new train service from Jhansi to Etawah and Indore.
There was a requirement for the train from Jhansi to Etawah and Indore and it was fulfilled today as promised, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said after launching the train through video-conferencing from here.
Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati who was also present on the occasion, thanked Prabhu for fulfilling the long-pending demand of people of Jhansi by introducing new train service between Jhansi to Indore and Etawah.
Now Railways is keenly focussing on all neglected areas/sectors of the country and making the railway user friendly, she said.
The Jhansi-Gwalior-Indore Express will be operational four days in a week while the Jhansi-Etawah link express will be pressed into service for six days in a week.
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A remotely operated vehicle of NIOT that can scan sea at a depth of 3500 metres, will join the search for IAF's AN-32 aircraft which went missing with 29 crew members on July 22, a Coast Guard official said today.
The search operations would move into the third phase next week and the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) had been requested to bring its remotely operated vehicle that can be taken to a depth of 3,500 metres, Coast Guard Commander (East) Inspector General Rajan Bargotra said here.
So far two phases -- surface search and sub-surface -- have been undertaken, but no debris of the transport aircraft that went missing on its way to Port Blair from Tambaram airbase here has been found, he told reporters here on the sidelines of Regional Editors Conference, organised by the Press Information Bureau.
"As of now we are into second phase of search operations. Surface search, we have already done that for quite sometime. No debris has been located. Now the focus is on sub-surface search," he said.
Bargotra said at present two vessels -- "Samudra Ratnakar" from the Geological Survey of India and "Sagar Nidhi" of NIOT, were deployed in the sub-surface search.
Noting that the search operations began with 13 ships of Coast Guard and Navy, besides IAF aircraft, he said when it was certain that there was no debris visible on the surface, the search was "tapered" down to sub-surface search.
"Initially, we almost started with 13 ships and 11 planes and after doing that for about a month or so, when it was certain that there was no debris which was visible on the surface and it was not likely to be there, then we have slowly tapered down the search," he said.
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Engineering major ABB India today said it has not received anycommunication from fair trade regulator CCI, which hadordered a probe against it for alleged abuseof dominance.
"We haven't received anyinformation from Competition Commissioner of India (CCI)officially (for) what is all about," ABB India CEO and Managing Director Sanjeev Sharma told PTI on thesidelines of the opening of the ABB India's solar invertermanufacturing factory here.
Sharma further said since the matter is with the CCI, the company would not like to comment about it.
The regulator had ordered the probe after Bengaluru-based InPhasePower Technologies Pvt Ltd had filed a complaint, alleging that ABB India took undue advantage of dependence ofconsumers by forcing them to purchase its power qualityproducts and not deal with the informant.
The complainant also alleged that ABB India threatened to stop supplies to its customers if they dealt with InPhase products.
Both ABB India and InPhase Power Technologies have their own static synchronous compensators in the market.
Sharma said CCI has not substantiated anything on the allegations levelled by the complainants on its website, but it is just a statement which it would like to enquire into.
"It (complaint) appeared on the CCI website because that is the practise of the CCI. In any case, when they want to discuss or investigate, they open it. So there is nothing substantiated here. It is just a statement which they would like to look into a particular case," Sharma said.
The complainant also alleged that ABB India through "its abusive conduct has attempted to limit supply and scientific development in the market and denied market access to InPhase Power Technologies."
The complainant also alleged that ABB India abused its dominant position by instituting civil and criminal litigation with malafide intention to stop the informant from doing business.
Replying to a query on talks with MukeshAmbani's Reliance Industries for partnerships across their businesses, he said: "We continuously collaborate with companies such as Reliance Industries, Adani and others who are conscious of being productive."
"We have partnerships and co-projects to try out new technologies, it could be to increase the efficiency ofRIL storage system or increase the energyefficiency in an established unit," Sharma added.
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One militant belonging to outlawed People Liberation Army (PLA) was arrested in Manipur's Thoubal district by a combined team of police commandos and Assam Rifles jawans, a police official said.
The militant who was arrested last evening from Khabakkhong near Wangjing, has been identified as Asem Lemba alias Indrajit (48) of Athokpam Mayai Leikai of Thoubal district, the offical said.
Earlier he was arrested by police in 2010 while he was an active cadre of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) but was bailed out and he joined PLA recently. At present he is working under one Ibomcha of PLA and is involved in distributing demand letters to elected Pradhans of nearby areas in Thoubal district, the official source said.
Some incriminating documents along with a mobile handset used by him were seized from his possession.
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The opposition parties tried to corner the Vasundhara Raje govermment on several issues in the Rajasthan Assembly on the first day of monsoon session.
The opposition parties raked up multiple issues and demanded discussion over deaths of cows at Hingaunia gaushala, alleged corruption in public health and engineering department and medical department, law and order and JDA action on former Jaipur Royal family's Raj Mahal palace.
The Opposition Congress, NPP MLA Kirori Lal Meena and Independent legislature Hanuman Beniwal raised the issues in the house.
However, Speaker Kailash Meghwal ignored their demand and did not give any rule.
Parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore said the Opposition should raise the demands under rules of the business.
The Speaker then made obituary references and adjourned the house for the day.
The house paid homage to former Governor of Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana and Rajasthan A R Kidwai, former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Kalikho Pul and former members of the house Harlal Singh Kharra, Hari Singh and Kan Singh Rathore.
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Britons favour banning of the Islamic veil or burqa by an overwhelming majority of more than two-to- one, a recent UK poll, commissioned in the aftermath of banning of burkini swimwear on a number of French beaches, has found.
The poll by YouGov found that as many as 57 per cent of Britons supported "a law that bans people from wearing the burqa in the UK", whilst just 25 per cent were against outlawing the dress worn by many Muslim women.
The survey of 1,668 adults also showed that some 46 per cent of British people would also support a similar ban on the burkini, against 30 per cent who were opposed to it.
The survey was commissioned in the aftermath of heated debate in the UK after the mayors of more than 30 seaside French towns instituted a ban on burkinis at their beaches.
The ban was later struck down by the country's highest court, but many conservative mayors have vowed to continue the ban. Former French president and current presidential candidate Nicholas Sarkozy has even promised to change the Constitution to ban burkinis should he be elected next year.
The poll showed that an overwhelming majority of British men have no qualms about telling women what to wear, though women were about as likely to support the ban as men (56 per cent and 58 per cent respectively).
Support for a ban rises as people get older, with just 34 per cent of 18-24 year older supporting the ban, rising to 78 per cent of those aged 65 or older.
The support for banning the burqa also cuts across party lines with 84 per cent of all 2015 UKIP voters, 66 per cent of Conservative voters and as many as 48 per cent of Labour voters supporting the ban.
Burqa was also a topic of discussion in the UKIP leadership contest recently after candidate Lisa Duffy called for a ban on wearing burqa in public places.
A similar YouGov survey in Germany had found that 62 per cent were in favour of a burqa ban.
A number of European countries have legislated to ban or restrict things associated with the Islamic faith.
In 2009 the Swiss public voted in a referendum to ban the construction of Islamic mosques with minarets, while France has banned full face coverings since 2010.
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Pakistan Army today said it has killed over 3,500 militants and claimed that the entire country has been cleared of "organised presence" of terrorists.
Military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa said at a press briefing that since launch of 'Zarb-e-Azb' military operation against terrorists in June 2014, armed forces have achieved "major successes" in the fight against terrorism.
"I can say that there is no hideout of militants in any area of Pakistan as we have cleared all area of organised presence of militants," he said.
"The salient operational guidelines for the operation were that it would be an indiscriminate operation, collateral damage would be avoided and human rights would be taken into consideration," Bajwa said.
He said more than 3,500 militants have been killed since the operation was launched while 537 soldiers lost their lives and another 2,272 injured.
"Terrorism was rampant in the country in 2014, which is before Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched, he said, adding that there were about 311 IED blasts, 74 attacks, and 26 suicide blasts."
"There was enough explosive material there to carry out five IED blasts every day for 21 years. They could have caused 134,000 casualties with the amount of material we recovered, Bajwa added.
He said more than 21,000 intelligence based operations were conducted in the country and succeeded to break the nexus between militants, facilitators and financiers.
"We have two challenges: first managing 2,600 km border with Afghanistan and honourable return of 3 million Afghan refugees," he said.
He said loopholes on the border will be plugged as government will set up 18 regular crossing points where only those having proper documents will be allowed to cross.
Bajwa said that Daesh has been smashed as its entire core leadership of about 20-25 militants have been arrested, including Pakistan chief of Daesh, Hafiz Umar.
He said total 309 supporters and operatives of Daesh (ISIS) were nabbed in countrywide operations. The threat of ISIS is now from Afghanistan where it is present in at least three border provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Khost.
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Bajwa said that arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was a major success as it led to further arrests.
"In fact, his entire network was nabbed and the threat was neutralised," he said.
He said evidence shows that efforts were still being made to interfere in affairs of Pakistan.
The latest statements by Indian leaders also prove this, he claimed.
"But we are vigilant and will never let them succeed," Bajwa said in a reference to India without naming it.
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has awarded death sentence to a notorious gangsterfrom Punjab for allegedly killing three policemen after abducting them.
The Dera Ghazi Khan anti-terrorism court yesterdayhanded down death sentence on three counts andlife imprisonment on two counts to Ibrahim Ladi, chief of Ladi Gang of D G Khan, some 400 kilometers from Lahore.
The judge also ordered confiscation of his movable and immovable properties.
According to police,Ladi had killed three police officials and injured a deputy superintendent of police in2014 after taking them hostage.
Pakistan Rangers have recently been called to arrest the members of the various gangs in Punjab province after they had abducted several policemen.
There has been a call from the opposition parties to launch a military operation in Punjab where it said a large number of terrorists and gangsters are operating.
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Pakistan today for the first time admitted that the ISIS had a presence in the country but plans by the dreaded group to target important personalities by and attempts to organise itself have been thwarted.
"Daesh tried to make an ingress into Pakistan, but the core of its group have now been apprehended," army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa told a press conference, using an alternate acronym for the ISIS.
In this connection, 309 arrests have been made including 25 foreigners of Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationalities, he said.
They were involved in attacks on media and security personnel, and were planning attacks on government, diplomatic and civilian targets, he added.
Tnis is the first acknowledgement by Pakistan, which has consistently denied any ISIS presence on its territory and rejected claims by the outfit of carrying out last month's suicide blast on a hospital that killed 75 people.
A faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had also claimed responsibility for the August 8 attack.
Bajwa said the threat of ISIS is now from Afghanistan where it is present in at least three border provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Khost. He added that proper gates would be installed at 18 major crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of border management to ensure no one crosses the border without valid documents.
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Pakistan today re-opened a friendship gate with Afghanistan at a border crossing in Balochistan that was closed for two weeks after Afghan protesters burned the Pakistani flag at a border rally.
The border crossing, also known as Bab-e-Dosti (Friendship Gate), was closed on August 18 after some Afghan nationals gathered near the border gate and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
A large number of people from both sides of the border today welcomed the reopening of the gate.
The two sides held several rounds of talks and the matter was finally resolved yesterday when Afghanistan offered an apology and assurance that such incidents will not happen again, an official of Frontier Corps said.
"We decided to open the gate from today after Afghanistan submitted a written apology over burning of flag," he said.
The decision to open the gate was reached in the 15th flag meeting between chief Lt Col Muhammad Changez who led talks from Pakistan with the Afghan officials led by Col Muhammad Ali.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been adversely affected since the closure of the gate causing severe hardships for traders on both sides as vehicles were stranded and commercial activities came to a halt.
Chaman is one of the busiest crossing points along with Torkham. More than 50,000 people, mostly Afghans, travel across the two facilities each day.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the China Entrepreneur Club Leaders Forum in Beijing, on Aug 30, 2016. [Photo by China Entrepreneur Club]
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on an eight-day official visit to China, during which he will be seeking to reset a "critical" relationship that was often bumpy during his predecessor's tenure.
He has called it an opportunity to build a closer long-term relationship with China after the "inconstant relations" under the previous government of Stephen Harper, which he said went from "hot to cold depending on the issue, depending on the day".
With this in mind, Trudeau said his government was "looking very favorably" at the possibility of joining the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank when he met with Chinese business leaders on Tuesday, citing his administration's strong belief in the "importance of investing in infrastructure".
On Wednesday in Beijing, Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau confirmed his country would apply to join the AIIB.
Some of Trudeau's domestic critics have claimed the move is simply a bid to curry favor with China. But even though it is a latecomer in seeking to join the bankthe AIIB already has 57 founding membersfor Canada, it is a case of better late than never.
In terms of business opportunities, Canada could benefit greatly from membership of the AIIB, which plans to invest $100 billion in infrastructure throughout the region. And joining the AIIB would serve as a stepping stone for Canada to rebuild trust with China, which, once achieved, would usher in the "new era of positive collaboration" Trudeau hopes to cement with Canada's second largest trading partner.
Trudeau, who brought his daughter on the trip, said he hopes to pass along "friendship and the openness towards China" not only to his own children, but to future generations of Canadians, and if his goal of renewing his country's openness toward China is realized, there are big opportunities for the two countries to tap.
The huge Chinese market, with the world's biggest and ever-growing middle class, offers plenty of opportunities for Canadian companies, while Chinese entrepreneurs, with ambitious overseas investment strategies, will undoubtedly make Canada's agriculture, energy and culture sectors investment targets, further contributing to the bilateral trade on which half a million Canadian jobs are dependent.
Trudeau's visit has already achieved some positive outcomes, as reflected in the agreement over their spat about canola imports from Canada. Now the two countries should try and forge stronger and deeper relations and advance their discussions on their proposed free trade agreement.
Pakistan today re-opened a friendship gate with Afghanistan at a key border crossing in Balochistan, two weeks after Afghan protesters burned the Pakistani flag at a rally leading to its closure.
The border crossing, also known as Bab-e-Dosti (Friendship Gate), was closed on August 18 after some Afghan nationals gathered near the border gate and raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
A large number of people from both sides of the border today welcomed the reopening of the gate.
The two sides held several rounds of talks and the matter was finally resolved yesterday when Afghanistan offered an apology and assurance that such incidents will not happen again, an official of Frontier Corps said.
"We decided to open the gate from today after Afghanistan submitted a written apology over burning of flag," Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa said at a press conference.
The decision to open the gate was reached in the 15th flag meeting between chief Lt Col Muhammad Changez who led talks from Pakistan with the Afghan officials led by Col Muhammad Ali.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been adversely affected since the closure of the gate causing severe hardships for traders on both sides as vehicles were stranded and commercial activities came to a halt.
Chaman is one of the busiest crossing points along with Torkham. More than 50,000 people, mostly Afghans, travel across the two facilities each day.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today asked retail and FMCG firms to focus more on consumer interest as the government is bringing a stringent law to curb misleading ads and adulteration.
The minister expressed confidence that a new consumer protection law will be passed in the next session of Parliament, replacing the current 32-year old Act.
Speaking at an event here, Paswan also advised the industry to institute consumer-friendly awards to recognise companies that placed consumers first.
Stating that the government is promoting ease of doing business, Paswan said, "Even the industry has a role to play in ease of doing business. They should focus on selling quality products/services at affordable rates."
The industry should win the trust of the consumers, which is critical for the success of any business, he said, while asking the industry to deliberate on this issue and identify factors that are inimical to its growth.
Paswan also assured the industry that his ministry is ready to resolve issues related to packaging and labelling norms.
On the proposed new law, the minister said, "We are confident of passage of the bill in the next session of Parliament. We have taken care of misleading ads and adulteration in the bill."
The Consumer Protection Bill aims to provide stringent punishment for celebrities and brand ambassadors endorsing misleading ads and those involved in adulteration. It also has provisions to regulate e-commerce and direct selling, besides setting up of a regulator.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A plea was today filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre and the poll panel to debar convicts from contesting elections for life and stopping them from entering judiciary and the executive.
The petition also sought a direction to fix minimum educational qualification and a maximum age limit for persons to contest elections.
"Apart from terrorism and naxalism, the most serious problem our country is facing is extensive corruption and criminalisation of politics.
"In the Executive and Judiciary, when a person is convicted for any criminal offence, he/she is suspended automatically and debarred from his services for life. However, this rule is applied differently in case of convicted person in a legislature," the petition, filed by advocate and Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, said.
"Even after conviction and undergoing sentence, a convicted person can form his own political party and is eligible to become the office bearer of any political party.
"In addition, a convicted person is eligible to contest the election and eligible to become Member of Legislature and even Minister after expiry of six year period from the date of conviction," the plea said.
The petition further sought to implement electoral reforms proposed by Election Commission, Law Commission and National Commission to review the working of the Constitution.
Upadhyay also submitted that decriminalisation of the polity ws impossible without debarring convicted persons from electoral politics for life, as done in the case of convicted person being barred from the executive and judiciary.
"We cannot apply different rules to debar convicted person from judiciary, executive and legislature," he said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With a scientist claiming that the national capital has no State Action Plan on Climate Change on the lines of NAPCC, today prompted the National Green Tribunal to seek response from the Centre and Delhi government on the issue.
National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) is a comprehensive action plan which outlines measures on climate change related adaptation and mitigation while simultaneously advancing development.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Delhi government seeking their reply by October 17.
The order came on a plea filed by scientist Mahendra Pandey seeking direction to draft, finalise and implement the State Action Plan on Climate Change on the lines and the spirit of the NAPCC.
It also sought directions to Arvind Kejriwal government to place on record relevant material and documents relating to steps taken by it in order to implement Action Plan on Climate Change.
Pandey, in his plea filed through advocate Gaurav Bansal, contended that the national capital was facing a number of environmental issues due to ill-effects of climate change.
The government of NCT of Delhi claims that it formulated a Climate Change Agenda for the national capital in 2009. However, the Agenda expired in 2012 and since then Delhi has no Action Plan on Climate Change, the plea alleged.
The former scientist contended that Delhi generated around 800 million tonnes of garbage daily and the same was dumped as it is on three main landfill sites of national capital which have completed their life.
"By continuously dumping of large quantity of solid waste, the respondents are compromising with the air quality which ultimately is contributing to climate change...
"As per the report of IIT Kanpur, the petitioner has learnt that the domestic cooking, road dust, waste burning, diesel generators etc are releasing PM2.5, PM10 etc in the atmosphere and as such are major contributors to the climate change," the plea said.
Despite the July 23, 2015 directions of NGT to prepare their respective plan expeditiously, Delhi government has not prepared and approved the same till date, it said.
The NGT had last year directed all states and Union Territories to "expeditiously" prepare their action plans on climate change in according with the Centre's guidelines and get them approved by the Environment Ministry.
The former scientist, in the plea has claimed that Delhi
has no SAPCC after which the NGT had sought response of the Centre and Delhi government on the issue.
He has contended that Delhi generated around 800 million tonnes of garbage daily and the same was dumped as it is on three main landfill sites of national capital which have completed their life.
"By continuously dumping of large quantity of solid waste, the respondents are compromising with the air quality which ultimately is contributing to climate change...
"As per the report of IIT Kanpur, the petitioner has learnt that the domestic cooking, road dust, waste burning, diesel generators etc are releasing PM2.5, PM10 etc in the atmosphere and as such are major contributors to the climate change," the plea has said.
Despite the July 23, 2015 directions of NGT to prepare their respective plan expeditiously, Delhi government has not prepared and approved the same till date, it said.
The NGT had in 2015, directed all states and Union Territories to "expeditiously" prepare their action plans on climate change in according with the Centre's guidelines and get them approved by the Environment Ministry.
Taking exception to certain remarks of then city police commissioner on kidnapping of a businessman's son in 2010, the Madras High Court today said preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information is absolutely necessary.
A division bench comprising Justices S Nagamuthu and Bharatidasan also sounded a note of caution to the media, asking it to think twice before reporting any information with regard to a matter under investigation.
The court made the observations while dismissing an appeal by two convicts, challenging the life imprisonment awarded to them by a trial court in Chengalpattu in the case.
The bench found fault with a press meet held by the then commissioner of police and said, "The case on hand is a classic example as to how the press conference held by him and making statement on the basis of misinformation had caused unnecessary hardship for the prosecution at the time of trial."
It noted that the police official had told reporters that ransom paid was Rs 98.73 lakh when the father himself had categorically stated it was Rs one crore.
It said the statement was incorrect based on hearsay information, that too on misinformation. Also there was some contradiction about presence of police personnel at the time of handing over of ransom, it said.
Referring to transparency of information, the bench noted that Parliament which had passed the Right to Information Act, had cautioned that revelation of some information in actual practice is likely to conflict with other public interests.
"Preservation of confidentiality of sensitive information is also absolutely necessary," it said.
"We respect the freedom of the press. We only request the print and the electronic media to think twice before reporting any information in connection with a matter under investigation by police to ensure such reporting does not impede investigation in any manner," the bench said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Popular TV personality Prince Narula plays a wrestler in his small screen fiction debut and the actor says he watched superstar Salman Khan's "Sultan" many times to get the nuances right.
Prince, who won "Bigg Boss 9", hosted by the "Dabangg" star, says his character on the show "Badho Bahu" is a tribute to Salman.
"I watched 'Sultan' many times to prepare for the role and watch how Salman sir performed it. In fact, I also watched the body language of many Indian and international wrestlers... What they eat, their lifestyle and everything," Prince told PTI.
"After 'Sultan', this is like my tribute to Salman sir. I wanted to tell him through this that I am doing this show and playing a role like him."
Prince, 25, says his equation with the 50-year-old star is extremely special and he looks up to him for guidance.
"I told him that I am not the one who will ask him for work. He said he liked what I told him. I know he is not only with me, but with all the contestants who were on the show. He guides everyone. He has a very good heart. He feels happy when I am doing good."
Prince's show, which will air on &TV, chronicles the story of an overweight girl who overcomes her life's battles with aplomb.
The youngster, who got instant fame after winning season twelve of "Roadies", says he got on board for the show as he thought the concept was novel for small screen.
"I loved the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed while listening to it. It is something which is very interesting for TV. It has an appeal not only with children but also adults.
"Today, TV is so big that everyone is watching it. It has such a wide reach. I am very happy to be starting my acting career with a show like this."
"Bado Bahu" is scheduled to air on September 12.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The multi-billion Euro deal for 36 Rafales moved a step closer to a decision as the file on the fighter jets has been sent to the Prime Minister's Office for final review and clearance.
Defence sources said today the final report submitted by a team negotiating the much-anticipated Rafale deal with France has been cleared by the Defence Ministry.
While officials remained tightlipped about the state of the deal but a high-ranking source when asked by PTI if it has been moved for clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Security, said, "I would not say no".
French sources have said they are expecting a positive development this month.
During his visit to France in April last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that India would purchase 36 Rafale jets in a government-to-government contract.
Soon after the announcement, the defence ministry scrapped a separate process that was on to purchase 126 Rafale fighter planes, built by French defence giant Dassault Aviation.
The deal is expected to be worth around 7.89 billion Euros for the 36 fighter jets in fly away conditions.
The weapon systems, part of the deal, will also include the new age beyond visual range missile Meteor and Israeli helmet mounted display.
The price of the deal was brought down from nearly 10 billion Euros, as sought initially, due to various reasons, including tough negotiation by India, the discount offered by the French government and reworking of some of the criteria.
It is not clear if the price has been brought down further but India was seeking more.
The new deal comes with the clause of delivering 50 per cent offsets, creating business worth at least 3 billion Euros for smaller Indian companies and generating thousands of jobs in India through offsets.
The commercial negotiations on the pricing of the planes, equipment and other issues began in mid-January this year.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rahul Gandhi today preferred to face trial as an accused in a defamation case for his remark against the RSS on the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, saying he stood by every word of his statement made during a poll rally in 2014.
The Congress Vice President expressed his readiness to face trial after the apex court refused to interfere with criminal proceedings pending against him before a trial court in Maharashtra. Rahul then withdrew the appeal filed by him against the Bombay High Court judgement refusing to quash the defamation case and summons issued to him by the trial court.
The apex court also declined Rahul's plea that he be exempted from personal appearance before the Bhiwandi court which has taken cognizance of the complaint of a RSS functionary by summoning him as an accused for his statement on the organisation for the killing of the Father of Nation.
The brief hearing before a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R F Nariman saw the Gandhi scion deviating from his earlier stand that he never blamed RSS as an institution for the killing by stating that he stood by every word of his statement made during an election rally in 2014 that had led to the filing of complaint by Sangh functionary Rajesh Mahadev Kunte.
"I stand by each and every word. I will never take my words back. I stood by it yesterday, I stand by it today and I will stand by it in future as well. I am ready to go to the trial," senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Rahul, submitted, and reiterated "what Gopal Godse, brother of Nathuram Godse has said about the RSS.
At the outset, senior advocate U R Lalit, who was asked
at the last hearing to take instruction from his client as to whether he was ready to accept Rahul's statement that he did not blame RSS but people associated with it for the killing, said there was a need for some addition in the sentence.
"I am taking the statement at its face value. In the given situation, I can agree with his stand if he states that he did not intend to involve RSS for the offence. If he says he did not intend to involve RSS, let him clarify.
"Let him say that he believes that RSS as an institution was not involved in the killing," Lalit told the bench which had sought his response to the stand taken by the Congress leader on the last hearing that is August 24.
Lalit, who said he was appearing for the organisation, drew the attention of the bench that during some of the election speeches in Assam and other places, he has made similar statements on the issue.
"I am not saying anything else. Let him show his bonafide that I (Rahul) did not intend to say that RSS was involved in the crime because I can show the sequence (of his statement in the election speech) is such that RSS is the target.
"Nobody is interested in Godse (Nathuram). He was addressing an election rally and his target was RSS. If he says that it (his speech) was not intended to target RSS by adding second sentence," Lalit, assisted by advocate Anand, said.
Elaborating further as to how RSS has been under attack of Congress party, Lalit said "wherever and whenever there is an election, RSS is maligned."
"For the last 60 years, everytime when there is election and whenever it is a political battle and wherever there is minority votes, we (RSS) are the capital hook," Lalit said.
While he was in full song, senior advocate Sibal interrupted, saying that the opposite side was making a "political speech" and should be stopped.
Lalit shot back saying he will prove the case with proof.
And as the decibel level rose, Sibal said that his leader stands by his statement made in the election rally which led to the filing of the private criminal defamation case.
At this point, the bench stopped the hearing and began dictating the order but Sibal interrupted asking it to consider exempting Rahul from personal appearance before the trial court on future dates of hearing.
The bench declined the plea saying "we are not granting exemption from personal appearance."
Realising that the bench was not inclined to close the matter by recording the statement of Congress leader, Sibal preferred to withdraw the appeal filed by him against the Bombay High Court judgement refusing to quash the case and summons issued to him by the trial court.
The bench allowed his plea and declared the Special Leave Petition filed by Rahul as "dismissed as withdrawn".
The bench also said the trial court would go into the case without being influenced by any of the observations made by the apex court and the High Court during the various hearings before them.
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The court, in its order, noted the stands taken by both the sides and allowed Rahul Gandhi to take back his petition to face the trial in the case.
"We may note with profit that on the last occasion, certain suggestions were given to the counsel for the parties. Lalit, senior counsel who had to take instructions has submitted that the petitioner (Rahul Gandhi) should make a statement in a particular manner.
"Kapil Sibal, senior counsel submitted that the petitioner shall go by whatever has been stated in the writ petition preferred before the High Court. Having heard counsel for the parties, when we expressed our opinion that we are not inclined to interfere, Sibal sought leave of this Court to withdraw the special leave petition. The special leave petition is dismissed as withdrawn," the order said.
The bench also clarified that the observations, made by the High Court while disposing of the Rahul's petition, will be "confined to be stated for the purpose of disposal of the writ petition and the trial Magistrate shall proceed in accordance with law without being influenced by any of the observations made by the High Court".
With the aim to develop railway infrastructure in Kerala, railways today signed a Joint Venture Agreement with the state government.
Describing the agreement as an example of "cooperative federalism" Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said "Kerala has been neglected for too long and now concerted efforts are needed to develop its railway infrastructure."
Governments of Odisha, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat have already signed JV agreement with the Railways for execution of rail projects in states.
Prabhu said Railway Ministry has given maximum allocation to Kerala during 2014-15 to 2016-17.
Setting up of JVs is expected to help in identifying requirement of states keeping in line with other plans, finding avenues for funding of railway projects.
Prabhu further said that Railways is also working on the re-development of Kochi and Ernakulam Stations in Kerala.
In order to expedite the projects, Railways have been trying to mobilize resources through other than Gross Budgetary Support. Towards this mission, 10 State Governments have till now agreed to share the cost of 41 ongoing projects ranging from 25 per cent to 67 per cent of the project cost. Some States are providing land free of cost in addition to sharing of construction cost.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Railway Board (CRB) AK Mital said "Today's JV Agreement will certainly fulfill the railway transport needs of the people of Kerala.
Mital said that Railways want to extend railway network all over particularly in the States where demand is more and rail density is less.
The present railway network density in Kerala is 2.70 Km per 100 sq km which is above national average 2.01 Km per 100 square Km. However, it is an established fact that the railway network density in the country as a whole needs to be improved and the States coming forward in this regard is a welcome step.
CRB further said that railways has very limited resources and thus working in collaboration with the State Governments through JV Agreement can bring fruitful results for the people of the country.
Signing of these JVs will go a long way in developing infrastructure in the State of Kerala.
The average outlay to Kerala in Railway Budget was Rs 821.0 crore during 2014-15 to 2016-17 which is an increase of 121 per cent over the average outlay of Rs 371.9 crore during 2009-10 to 2013-14.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today sought funds and clearance of pending DPRs worth Rs 951.98 crore from the Centre to expedite waste management and sewage treatment projects under Namami Gange Project.
Rawat took up the issue with Union Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Conservation Minister Uma Bharti during their meeting in New Delhi today.
A total of 25 DPRs worth Rs 951.98 crore related to industrial waste management and sewage treatment work in Ramnagar, Sitarganj and Kashipurunder the Namami Gange project have been sent to the Centre already whose clearence is awaited, Rawat told Bharti.
Rawat also made a reference to his earlier letters to the Union Minister and demanded speedy release of the remaining Rs 732.23 crore which were to be given as the Centre's share for implementation of centrally sponsored projects in Uttarakhand.
Saying "non-allocation of the funds by the Centre has hurdled implementation of the projects", Rawat asked the Union Minister to release the remaining amount urgently.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Amid rising NPAs, RBI today asked banks to put in place clear policies for sale of stressed assets to securitisation and reconstruction firms and secure two external valuation reports in case the exposure tops Rs 50 crore.
In order to further strengthen banks' ability to resolve their stressed assets effectively, RBI has come out with an "improved framework" governing sale of such assets by banks to securitisation companies (SCs), reconstruction companies (RCs), other banks or non-banking financial companies or financial institutions.
As per the framework, at least once in a year, preferably at the beginning of the year, banks will identify and list internally the specific financial assets identified for sale to other institutions, including SCs/RCs.
"At a minimum, all assets classified as 'doubtful asset' above a threshold should be reviewed by the board or board committee on a periodic basis and a view, with documented rationale, is to be taken on exit or otherwise," it said.
In order to attract a wide variety of buyers, the guidelines said the invitation for bids should preferably be publicly solicited. An open auction process, apart from attracting a larger set of borrowers, is expected to result in better price discovery.
"Banks should have clear policies with regard to valuation of assets proposed to be sold... However, in the case of exposures beyond Rs 50 crore, banks shall obtain two external valuation reports," the guidelines added.
Further, the discount rate used by banks in the valuation exercise should be spelt out in the policy.
To make sure sale of stressed assets by banks actually result in 'true sale' of assets and create a vibrant stressed assets market, RBI also decided to progressively restrict banks' investment backed by their own stressed assets.
To enhance SC/RCs' ability to aggregate debt faster, a bank offering stressed assets for sale should offer the first right of refusal to an SC/RC which has already acquired the highest and significant share of the asset by matching the highest bid.
Further, banks should put in place board approved policy on adoption of Swiss Challenge Method for sale of their stressed assets to SCs/RCs/other banks/NBFCs/FIs. This will help in bringing down the vintage of NPAs sold by banks as well as enabling faster debt aggregation by SC/RCs.
On buyback of financial assets, RBI said that in cases where SCs/RCs have successfully implemented a restructuring plan for the stressed assets, banks may take over such assets after the 'specified period' provided the account performed satisfactorily during the 'specified period'.
"However, a bank cannot at any point of time take over from SCs/RCs the assets they have themselves earlier sold," the guidelines added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tanzanian Navy chief Rear Admiral R S Laswai, accompanied by his spouse and Tanzania Navy delegation, is on a five-day visit to Kochi.
During the visit that began on August 30, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral A R Karve interacted with Laswai and discussed the subjects of common interest to both navies including issues related to naval training.
The delegation visited SNC training facilities at Dronacharya, Joint Operation Centre, Radar Operating Station and Naval Offshore Patrol vessel INS Sunayna.
Laswai and his spouse Ancilla, accompanied by Tanzania Navy delegation, would be visiting places of cultural interest at Fort Kochi, SNC Maritime Museum, Jewish Synagogue, Chinese fishing nets and Kerala Folklore Museum during their stay at Kochi, a Navy press release said here today.
The delegation will also visiting Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala.
The delegation would depart from Kochi on September 3.
His visit is intended to consolidate bilateral naval relationship between India and Tanzania and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.
The Admiral assumed Command of the Tanzania Navy in November last year.
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Rear Admiral Laswai later visited the Indian Naval
Academy at Ezhimala in Kannur district today and was briefed on the training process and facilities by the INA Deputy Commandant.
Laswai was accompanied by Defense Attache (Tanzania) Col A S Mwami and Indian Defense Attache to Tanzania, Captain M Mahesh in his visit, an INA release said.
He was received by Rear Admiral M D Suresh, Officiating Commandant and Chief Instructor of INA. Later, Rear Admiral Laswai interacted with the INA Deputy Commandant on subjects of common interest to both Navies and training at INA. He also interacted with the Tanzanian Naval Cadet presently undergoing training at INA. Four cadets from Tanzania have so far successfully been trained and passed out from the portals of INA, the release added.
Final contours of a scheme for bolstering regional air connectivity are likely to be ready by the middle of this month.
While it is in the advanced stages of finalising the ambitious Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), the Civil Aviation Ministry has also issued draft rules proposed to be part of the Aircraft Act with respect to RCS.
Under the scheme, announced in the new civil aviation policy, the ministry has proposed capping fares at Rs 2,500 for one-hour flights on unserved and underserved routes besides various financial concessions for airlines.
A senior ministry official today said comments from various stakeholders have been received on RCS and the final framework is likely to be ready by September 15.
Meanwhile, the ministry has sought public comments on the draft rules under the amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 for incorporating provisions related to RCS.
As per the draft rules, the central government may establish the Regional Air Connectivity Fund for the purpose of providing viability gap funding to aircraft operators to promote regional air connectivity. The fund would be administered and utilised in the manner as may be specified by the central government.
"In order to fund the Regional Air Connectivity Fund, the central government may impose a levy on scheduled flights being operated within India at such rates as the central government may notify having regard to the seating capacity of the aircraft used for the scheduled flights and the routes on which such flights are operated," the draft rules said.
Last week, the government notified excise duty of 2 per cent for jet fuel purchased from airports that come under RCS.
RCS refers to operation of an air transport service between any two airports, of which at least one has been declared by the central government as unserved or under- served, according to the draft rules.
There are 394 unserved and 16 underserved airports in the country.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a suspected case of house burglary, three unidentified robbers looted cash and jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh from a house and disrobed a woman and chopped off her hair in Lahori Gate area of north Delhi today.
Police said as per the complaint of the 26-year-old woman she was alone in the house when robbers entered her third floor flat at around 2 pm.
Her husband and father-in-law were attending their shop in Jehangirpuri while her mother-in-law was also out. Her two children had gone to school.
A case has been registered and investigation is underway.
The claims of the woman are being verified, said a senior police officer.
Police said the woman claimed that the robbers made her to take off her Saree and tied her with it. They also chopped off her hair as she tried to resist them.
The robbers spent considerable time in the house and without searching anywhere else took away the cash of Rs 4 lakh and jewellery kept in dirty clothes piled on a shelf of a room, said the officer.
Only the woman and her family members knew where the money and jewellery were kept.
The alleged robbers took lunch in the house and were not disturbed by the pet of the family which brought the whole story under suspicion, he said.
The police also suspected the robbery claim as the cash and jewellery were to be distributed between the husband of the woman and his elder brother.
The woman told the police that she was sleeping in her room when the robbers entered and held her hostage. She claimed that she freed herself somehow after they left and alerted the neighbours.
Police scanned the the CCTV footages from the colony where the family lived in Mahavir Kapda Market in Lahori Gate and noticed some persons entering the building. Questioning is underway to establish the sequence of events.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today rejected a plea of Vedanta Ltd to be allowed to export iron ore mined from Karnataka, saying the inability to sell cannot be a ground for exporting the mineral.
"Insofar as the statements made on behalf of Vedanta Limited are concerned, all we would like to observe, at this stage, is that the inability of Vedanta Limited to sell the output from its leases, as expressed, could very well be because of the pricing patterns adopted by it.
"Inability to sell on account of higher prices cannot be a ground for export of the mineral, at least at this stage of developments pursuant to the final order dated 18.04.2013...," a bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi, P C Pant and A M Khanwilkar said.
The bench meanwhile allowed National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) to continue with the dual pricing of the minerals.
The apex court, in its order, said the permission for export must be governed by "norms and parameters of general application as distinguished from ad hoc decisions in individual cases."
Till the time the guidelines are framed, Vedanta's plea for permission to export cannot be allowed, it said.
The firms had alleged that NMDC had been fixing the sale price by adopting Pan India uniform pricing. However, since April this year, by taking advantage of an increased demand, a differential pricing policy has been adopted for Karnataka.
"We had held that the issue of base price should be left to be decided by the concerned lessee. This has been affirmed in our final order dated April 18, 2013 disposing of Petition.
"A somewhat similar prayer made by the present applicant -- Karnataka Iron and Steel Manufactures Association to tag/ fix the base price to the sale price fixed by the NMDC in a situation where private leaseholders were artificially hiking their prices, was rejected by this Court on February 24, 2014...," the court said.
Vedanta Ltd had challenged the decision by a court- appointed monitoring committee denying it nod to export.
The court also rejected a plea by Karnataka Iron and Steel Manufacturers' Association (KISMA) to do away with the NMDC's policy of dual pricing of the iron ore.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut today slammed the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds Home portfolio, over the alleged murder of a traffic police constable while discharging his duty.
"Had the Home portfolio been with the Shiv Sena, we would have instilled fear in the minds of the goons. The Home ministry ought to have been entrusted with an independent minister," Raut said.
Traffic cop Vilas Shinde (50) succumbed to his injuries yesterday, days after he was hit on head with a wooden plank allegedly by a juvenile after he asked the latter for vehicle documents at a petrol pump in suburban Khar last week.
"To instill fear in the minds of the goons a law on the paper is not enough or a chair in Mantralaya is not enough. What is equally important is who occupies that chair. If Shiv Sena had the Home portfolio then we could have handled these goons differently. The incidents of attacks on police have increased.
"The CM is competent enough. We respect him. But you need a person who works in Home portfolio for 24 hours. The attacks on policemen do not augur well for Maharashtra," the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Raut said the morale of the police personnel gets affected due to such incidents.
"The day it (morale) goes down even further, that day the power of goons and terrorists will increase. What is the reaction on social media after demise of Vilas Shinde: Balasaheb (late Sena chief Bal Thackeray) we miss you," he said.
Meanwhile, MNS president Raj Thackeray said that if police personnel who are responsible for security of people are themselves unsafe, then one can very well guess the state of law and order in state.
"People migrating from other states are responsible for disturbing peace in Mumbai. They have no fear of law and those in power are bowing before them for votes. This has to stop," he said.
The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Dhananjay Munde said goons were getting emboldened to attack the police as government has "no control over law and order".
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shiv Sena, a ruling alliance partner, today called for a special session of Maharashtra legislature to discuss "misuse" of the Scheduled Castes And Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act, commonly known as 'Atrocities Act'.
NCP president Sharad Pawar had recently voiced concern about the "misuse" of the act.
An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Samaana' took a swipe at Pawar, who, it said, was first reported to have demanded the act be scrapped, but later claimed he had only sought an amendment.
Pawar was playing caste politics, the editorial said.
"Eighty per cent of the cases filed under the Atrocities Act have been proven to be false. Such cases do not stand in the courts and the accused is held innocent as it is found that the charges were filed due to personal enmity," it said.
"If a law made to safeguard a particular community results in injustice to another community, it is also a crime and so raising voice against the act isn't a crime," it said.
The act was being misused on a big scale because it provides for compensation to the victims, Sena said.
"Misuse of this act has resulted in increase in communalism and tension. If this act is no more a protection shield and has become a weapon for misuse, a special session of the state legislature needs to be called and its relevance needs to be debated," the editorial said.
Pawar, speaking to reporters in Mumbai recently, had said the act should not be misused.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Market benchmark BSE on Thursday erased its early gains to end lower by 29 points, halting three-day winning run, following sell-off mainly in telecom stocks after new entrant Reliance Jio came out with free voice calls and cheaper data rates.
In early trade, investors seemed cautious in view of overnight dismal data showing the economy grew at its slowest pace in six quarters, and subdued infrastructure output data, while most participants preferred wait and watch ahead of US jobs report due on Friday, which would signal US central banks next move on rate increase.
The resumed higher at 28,459.09 and firmed up to a high of 28,548.85 on sustained buying by funds and retail investors. But, it fell afterwards to 28,386.61 before ending at 28,423.48, showing a loss of 28.69 points or 0.10 per cent.
The 50-share NSE Nifty moved down by 11.55 points or 0.13 per cent to 8,774.65 after touching a high of 8,813.25 and a low of 8,759.95 intra-day.
Telecom shares came under heavy selling pressure today after RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced a slew of announcements to woo customers, offering them free voice calling and cheaper data tariffs.
Bharti Airtel with a plunge of 6.37 per cent to 310.70 was the worst hit from the pack. Idea Cellular tanked 10.48 per cent to Rs 83.70 -- its 52-week low on the BSE.
Surprisingly, RIL scrip also fell by 2.73 per cent to 1,029.15, becoming the second biggest loser in the index.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd, said, "Market was very volatile, swinging between positive and negative territory. The telecom sector was the biggest loser followed by Cement. Telecom was negative due to the launch of Reliance Jio, while Cement was negative due to the penalty from CCI."
"We saw profit-booking today post the subdued domestic GDP and core industries data. Globally, investors are awaiting the US employment and payroll data which will be released tomorrow, which will give cues on FED rate hike," he added.
Sentiment turned somewhat weaker after data released yesterday showed the Indian economy grew at the slowest pace in the last six quarters at 7.1 per cent in the April-June period of current fiscal mainly on subdued performance of mining, construction and farm sectors.
Besides, the growth of eight core infrastructure sectors slowed to 3.2 per cent in July compared to 5.2 per cent in June this year due to subdued performance of coal, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity segments.
Cement stocks also felt the heat today after the
Competition Commission yesterday imposed more than Rs 6,700 crore penalty on 11 companies, including ACC and Binani, for cartelisation.
ACC, Ambuja Cement and Jaiprakash Associates were under selling pressure and fell by up to 4.20 per cent.
Bucking the overall trend, auto stocks led by Tata Motors, M&M, Bajaj Auto and Maruti Suzuki rose up to 1.15 per cent largely on the back of monthly sales figures for August.
Other gainers include Gail 2.08 per cent, followed by Coal India 1.32 per cent, ICICI Bank 1.24 per cent, Lupin 1.21 per cent, Tata Motors 1.15 per cent, HDFC 1.12 per cent and M&M 0.97 per cent.
As many as 13 out of the 30-share Sensex pack fell, 16 advanced. Power Grid ended flat.
Among the losers were Adani Ports (1.43 per cent), Wipro (1.33 per cent), HDFC Bank (0.81 per cent), Sun Pharma (0.55 per cent), Hero MotoCorp (0.44 per cent), L&T (0.41per cent), NTPC (0.38 per cent) and Asian Paint (0.34 per cent).
Sector-wise, the BSE realty suffered the most by falling 2 per cent, followed by teck 1.00 per cent, power 0.91 per cent, oil&gas 0.81 per cent, capital goods 0.64 per cent and consumer durables 0.40 per cent.
Small-cap and mid-cap too reversed their early trends and fell by 0.39 per cent and 0.38 per cent, respectively, on profit-booking by investors towards the close.
Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 854.19 crore yesterday, as per provisional data.
Globally, Asian ended mixed as shares in Japan surged 0.23 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.81 per cent, while Shanghai fell 0.72 per cent. Singapore moved down by 0.15 per cent.
Europe was, however, was up in afternoon trade as key indices in France, Germany and the UK were up between 0.05 per cent and 0.82 per cent.
In yet another attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has written to the UN chief for the second time in a month to intervene by sending a fact finding mission to probe alleged human rights violations in the Valley.
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Nafees Zakariya said that Sharif sent the letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon apprising him of the deteriorating situation in Kashmir.
Sharif sent the letter in response to UN Secretary General's call for making efforts to avoid further violence in Kashmir, he said.
"The Prime Minister mentioned that while 'Azad Jammu and Kashmir' cannot be compared in terms of the grim and tragic situation of human rights in Kashmir, it remains open to any UN mission for a visit as it has always facilitated the UNMOGIP, foreign diplomats and tourists," the FO said.
The letter called Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Balochistan and PoK as unwarranted and in complete contravention of the UN charter.
It said the remarks were aimed at diverting the world attention from the ongoing atrocities in the Kashmir valley.
Sharif welcomed the UN Secretary General's offer of his good offices and said that Kashmir is the main dispute between India and Pakistan.
The spokesperson also said that Pakistan would continue its efforts to raise the Kashmir dispute at all international levels.
"The Kashmir issue will figure prominently at the upcoming annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) meetings on the sidelines of the UN session," Zakaria said.
He said Pakistan wants peaceful resolution of the lingering Kashmir dispute through the dialogue process but rejected any preconditions for the talks.
Commenting on the just inked US-India defense pact, the spokesperson said that Pakistan will like to see that such arrangements do not contribute in polarising the region by disturbing the strategic balance and escalating the arms buildup in the region.
Talking about Secretary of State John Kerry's statement on Pakistan's anti-terror efforts, the spokesperson said Pakistan draws no distinction in the terrorist groups.
Earlier in August, Sharif had sent letters to UN secretary general and UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urging efforts to end "persistent and egregious violation of basic human rights" of the Kashmiri people and also to implement UN Security Council resolutions.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a significant step towards the development of a simple blood test for Alzheimer's, scientists have found a set of biomarkers that can predict whether or not an individual would develop the neurodegenerative disease.
Researchers from Cardiff University, King's College London and the University of Oxford in the UK studied blood from 292 individuals with the earliest signs of memory impairment.
"Our research proves that it is possible to predict whether or not an individual with mild memory problems is likely to develop Alzheimer's disease over the next few years," said Professor Paul Morgan, Director of Cardiff University's Systems Immunity Research Institute.
"We hope to build on this in order to develop a simple blood test that can predict the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease in older people with mild, and possibly innocent, memory impairment," said Morgan.
The study took blood samples from individuals with very common symptoms of memory impairment and measured a large number of proteins belonging to a part of the immune system which is known to drive inflammation and has previously been implicated in brain diseases.
When the individuals were re-assessed a year later, about a quarter had progressed to Alzheimer's disease and three of the proteins measured in their blood showed significant differences from the blood of participants that did not go on to develop the disease.
"It is important that we find new ways to diagnose the disease early, giving us a chance to investigate and instigate new treatments before irreversible damage is done," said Morgan.
The research was published in Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
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Days after the Supreme Court expressed concern over vacancies in the higher judiciary, the latest Law Ministry data shows that six high courts are functioning without regular chief justices even as posts of 478 judges are lying vacant.
The high courts of Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim and Tripura are without full time chief justices as on August 1, the data stated.
According to the figures, 24 high courts are functioning with 601 judges even as the approved strength is 1079, facing a shortage of 478 judges at a time when nearly 39 lakh cases are pending in these courts.
The government also said the sanctioned strength of judges in the high courts had increased from 906 in June 2014 to 1,079 in June this year.
Observing that justice delivery system is "collapsing", the Supreme Court had on August 12 sent out a stern message to the Centre over non-execution of collegium's decision to transfer and appoint Chief Justices and judges in high Courts, saying it will not tolerate the "logjam" and would intervene to make it accountable.
Expressing its anguish over mounting vacancies, the court had also said that it appears the centre was trying to bring judiciary to a halt by not appointing and transferring judges as decided by the collegium.
One of the prominent collegium recommendations pending with the government is the transfer of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph to Andhra Pradesh/Telangana High Court. The recommendation was made in early May.
The Supreme Court, with a sanctioned strength of 31 judges, including the Chief Justice, has three vacancies.
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BSF personnel apprehended today one person along the Indo-Pak border in Abohar sector of Punjab and recovered eight kgs of heroin worth Rs 40 crore and a pistol from his possession.
Officials said the incident occurred around 2 pm when BSF personnel detected some suspicious movement along the International Border in the area under Jodhawala border.
"A special search operation was launched during which BSF personnel recovered eight packets of contraband suspected to be heroin along with one China-made pistol which was hidden under wooden logs," a BSF official said.
The arrested has been identified as an Indian national named Jagtar Singh of Fazilka district.
DIG BSF Abohar has instructed all the sectors and battalions under Punjab Frontier to remain extra alert so as to effectively check activities of smugglers and anti-national elements on Punjab border with Pakistan.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor says reports about him being unprofessional on the set of his upcoming film, "Half Girlfriend" seems like an attempt by to show him in a bad light.
There were reports that the "2 States" star had an argument with the director of the film, Mohit Suri, over the actor's alleged party bills which ran to Rs 1 lakh per day
When asked about this at an event last evening, Arjun said, "There is some selfish reason of someone to portray me as unprofessional. Somebody is upset or jealous...
"If I was not a professional, that film wouldn't have finished by now. My father is known as one of the most serious, amazing producers. You think being a producer's son, I will put the other producer in jeopardy and say 'Yeh lo dedh lakh rupaye ka bill'?" Arjun asked.
According to the reports, the 31-year-old actor handed a bill of Rs 1 lakh to his producers after partying every night while shooting for the film, which led to argument between Suri and him. The movie also stars Shraddha Kapoor.
"I would like to answer this question, even though I do not like to reply to ridiculous conversations. I am a producer's son. When that outdoor (shoot) was happening in June, my grandmother was seriously unwell.... You all came later when she died while I was shooting outdoor," he said.
"If I was making bills of Rs 1 lakh after drinking, there must be seriously something wrong with me and I shouldn't get job after this film. I was traveling back and forth everyday from Delhi to Mumbai, Mumbai to Delhi, shooting," Arjun said.
He did party with the team of the film till 1 am on his birthday, but reported for shoot the next morning, he said.
"It was my birthday month. I didn't want to do anything. But Balaji (production house) said they want to throw a party. We partied till 1 am, celebrated birthday, cut the cake... Then, we all reached for shooting at 7 in the morning.
"You can go and crosscheck it with Delhi Hyatt, where we shot the film," the star said.
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Electronics major Sony India today said it is still serious about setting up its own manufacturing in India but nothing concrete has materialised so far.
"Don't deny any possibility. Still in discussion for opportunities in the future to expand manufacturing, but nothing concrete," said Kenichiro Hibi, Managing Director, Sony India.
"We are talking more seriously about what we can do in India," he said here.
The company, he said, has already started assembling TVs and media products in India with a local partner. Manufacturing of some products resumed in the country after almost a decade.
Sony has its own manufacturing facility in China, Malaysia and Japan, Hibi said. It has a software development centre in India with 1,500 employees.
The electronics major is aiming for a 30 per cent sales growth during the festive months of August-November in the country this year with Rs 150 crore push in promotion and campaign for the period.
"We are targeting 30 per cent growth during the four months between August and November in India against 20 per cent last year," Hibi said.
In West Bengal, Sony is targeting a 40 per cent growth in flat panel and overall growth of 30 per cent, Sony India sales head Satish Padmanabhan said.
Flat panels contribute in excess of 50 per cent of its India sales followed by audio and the segment is growing rapidly.
However, Sony India officials refused to divulge the sales figures.
Sony, which failed to make much headway with mobile phones, has decided to pull out from the mass segment altogether and concentrate only in the premium segment with handsets priced above Rs 20,000.
"Henceforth, we will remain in the premium segment and all products we launch will be in excess of Rs 20,000," Hibi said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tourism Minister of South Africa D A Hanekom today proposed constitution of a permanent 'BRICS Working Stream on Tourism' comprising government and private stakeholders for mutual growth of the sector in the member countries.
The proposal was mooted at the two-day BRICS convention on tourism that began today in the temple town of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.
The minister said India with a long tradition, history, ancient civilisation and culture has a large number of World Heritage Sites like Khajuraho that should be visited again and again by tourists.
"He (Hanekom) proposed constituting a permanent BRICS Working Stream on Tourism comprising the stakeholders of the government and private sector," an official release said.
Delegation of China and Russia emphasised greater cooperation among the member countries for the mutual benefit for the growth of tourism and looked at the convention as a platform to interact with the travel industry partners.
Union Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi stressed the importance of the tourism sector as a major catalyst for economic growth and a source of job creation, thus contributing to the economy.
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Steel Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh has invited companies from the UK and Luxembourg to invest in India.
"Singh, who was on a 3-day visit to UK and Luxembourg, invited companies and businessmen from these two countries to invest in India and be a partner in India's growth story," the Steel Ministry said in a statement today.
The minister, who returned to India yesterday, was accompanied by senior officials from Ministry of Steel and state-run steelmaker SAIL, it added.
Singh met Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider and discussed various issues of mutual interest.
He highlighted the significance of Luxembourg from steel industry's point of view and expressed gratitude to Schneider for taking a keen interest in business relations with India, the statement said.
The minister invited Luxembourg government and businesses to explore opportunities for enhancing their business presence in India and assured of full support of the Indian government.
He also visited the offices of engineering giant Paul Wurth and the world's largest steel maker ArcelorMittal and met their top management representatives.
Singh shared details of steps being taken by the central government to improve ease of doing business and facilitate foreign investment.
"The minister shared his vision for steel industry in India and termed R&D as the key driver for sustainable growth of the industry," the statement said.
He stated that steel producers will have to come forward and demonstrate advantages of using steel by executing innovative pilot projects, it added.
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A potentially dangerous situation was avoided, thanks to a PCR team which responded in time and rescued 70 children and two woman teachers from a schoolbus stranded in the waterlooged road at Pul Prahladpur underpass in south Delhi
"The schoolbus had about 70 children and two woman teachers. They were shouting for help as water had entered into the bus which had suffered a breakdown and the water level was gradually rising inside," said Additional DCP (PCR) RK Bansal.
Yesterday's heavy downpour had led to pooling of several feet deep water at the Pul Prahladpur underpass on MB Road in the morning.
The bus of Eicher School in Sector-46 of Faridabad got stuck in the water, Bansal said.
He said police received a PCR call around 9.45 am about the schoolbus stuck in the water with children and their teachers onboard.
"A PCR van immediately rushed to the spot," said the officer.
The PCR van in-charge head constable Murari Lal jumped into the water and rescued 16 children one by one from the bus by carrying them on his shoulder.
Other children were also rescued and safely transferred in another bus, said the officer.
The PCR van personnel head constable Murari Lal and ASI Chokhe Lal will be suitably rewarded for their timely and professional intervention in saving the stranded children, he added.
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Rebels and jihadists battled pro-government forces in the central Syrian province of Hama today as the country's UN envoy warned that more people could be forcibly evacuated from towns besieged by the regime.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 25 civilians, including children, were killed in government air strikes as fighting raged in Hama, south of the opposition-held Idlib province.
Anti-government groups, which include jihadists and Sunni Islamists, launched an offensive in Hama on Monday aimed at retaking its airport, where regime helicopters fly regular sorties against opposition fighters.
"They are about 10 kilometres from the airport" in Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman, whose group relies on a broad network of sources inside Syria.
The rebels are also likely seeking to ease pressure on opposition fighters in the battleground second city of Aleppo by distracting regime forces ahead of mooted peace talks, which the United Nations is aiming to restart after a "political initiative" this month.
Syria's UN envoy Staffan de Mistura censured the Syrian government's "strategy" of forcing inhabitants of Daraya - a rebel-held town near Damascus that endured a four-year siege - and warned other towns were likely to experience the same fate.
De Mistura said there were "indications that after Daraya we may have other Darayas," adding that "there is clearly a strategy at the moment to move from Daraya" to other besieged areas "in a similar pattern".
Hundreds of fighters and their families were bused out of Daraya last week, with other civilians transferred to government territory near Damascus for resettlement.
The Syrian army has said it is in complete control of the town, from where roughly 8,000 civilians were still due to be evacuated.
De Mistura pointed to worrying signs around the surrounded towns of Waer and Moadamiyat al-Sham, whose residents make up some of the 590,000 people that the UN says lives under siege in Syria - mostly by government forces.
The Observatory said today that the rebel alliance in Hama seized control of 14 populated areas, mainly in the north of the province, including the towns of Halfaya and Suran.
The alliance also took a military base near the Maardes area, seizing artillery shells and rockets.
They were also threatening the historic Christian town of Mahrada to the west, which is home to one of the country's largest power stations.
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TRS MP Kalwakuntla Kavitha today said that Telangana government wants farmers to run the Nizam Sugar Factory (presently Nizam Deccan Sugars Ltd) in a co-operative format.
"From the past two years, our government is making sincere efforts to take it (Nizam Sugar Factory) over and hand it over to the farmers to run it in a cooperative format. Government has already compensated Rs 66 crore to sugarcane farmers who have suffered losses," Kavitha told reporters here.
"Our CM (K Chandrashekar Rao) asked the farmers to run the factory in the form of a cooperative society. We would encourage cooperative running of the sugar factories by the farmers. Our government is very supportive of this initiative," she said.
"We always opposed privatisation of this particular sugar factory...We still oppose it. The company had removed some employees and has gone to Board of Industrial Finance and Restructuring (BIFR). I believe this legal tangle should be cleared soon and farmers will take over this sugar factory to run in cooperative manner," Kavitha added.
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A day after a teenager was killed in clashes, tension prevailed in Kashmir with authorities today sealing roads leading to the Lal Chowk city centre here in view of separatists' call to lock down public broadcasting services.
Although the entire Kashmir Valley was curfew-free, security forces have imposed restrictions on movement of people at many places in old city.
Security forces have been deployed in strength around the premises of Doordarshan, Radio Kashmir and the state's Information Department in the wake of the separatists asking people to block all roads near these institutions.
The roads leading to them and Lal Chowk have been sealed by placing concertina wires at important intersections.
"There is no curfew anywhere in Kashmir today. The heavy deployment of security forces at some places is to maintain law and order," a police official said.
He, however, said restrictions on the assembly of people under Section 144 CrPC were in place across the Valley.
A teenager was killed yesterday and over 100 others hurt in security forces action against violent protesters in Ladoora area of Sopore in north Kashmir Baramulla district, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest in the Valley to 69.
Meanwhile, normal life remained affected due to the separatist sponsored strike on 55th day as educational institutions and private offices were closed while public transport continued to be off the roads.
The separatists, who are spearheading the ongoing agitation for right to self determination in Jammu and Kashmir, have extended the shutdown programme till September 8.
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Clashes erupted in the Afghan capital today as supporters of an ancient monarch derided as a "bandit king" sought to rebury his remains, laying bare the country's deep-rooted ethnic divisions.
Hundreds of people from King Habibullah Kalakani's ethnic Tajik minority faced off with loyalists of former warlord General Abdul Rashid Dostum's Uzbek community, some of them armed, who are demanding a change of his reburial site.
Gunshots were fired as pallbearers carrying the remains of Kalakani and his comrades approached the site, leaving at least three people wounded, an AFP photographer at the scene said.
In 1929, Kalakani toppled Amanullah Khan, a reformist king credited for a successful war against Britain and his efforts to modernise Afghanistan, but he was executed less than a year later by a Pashtun king.
For almost nine decades his remains were kept in an unmarked spot below a hilltop mausoleum of the country's ethnic Pashtun dynasty.
His Tajik supporters, who lionise him as a Robin Hood figure, have sought to rebury him in a more respectful setting on another Kabul hilltop known as Shahrara, which is revered by loyalists of Dostum, currently the country's first vice president.
They have demanded that the Tajik monarch be reburied elsewhere but his supporters have refused to back down.
"We will not leave this place unless we bury the bodies," said Tajik supporter Ahmad Nawid.
Policemen fanned out around the hilltop as clashes erupted.
The violence comes as war-ravaged Afghanistan struggles to rein in a nationwide Taliban insurgency.
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Observing that there was a steep increase in drunken driving incidents, a Delhi court has refused to lessen seven-day imprisonment awarded to a man in one such case, saying he needed to be sensitised about road safety rules.
Special Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna dismissed an appeal filed by convict Harvinder Singh against an order passed by a Metropolitan Magistrate, awarding him the jail term and a fine.
"After considering the facts and circumstances of the case and the impugned order dated August 3, 2016, I am of opinion that no interference is called for. Metropolitan Magistrate has already taken lenient view by imposing token sentence of seven days on the accused...
"The accused was found driving the vehicle in a dangerous manner and under the influence of liquor. The accused needs to be sensitised about road safety rules and no leniency can be shown when there is steep increase in such incidents," the court said and dismissed the appeal.
Singh was convicted by the metropolitan magistrate for the offence under several sections of Motor Vehicles Act in case of drunken and dangerous driving and was awarded simple sentence of seven days in jail along with a fine of Rs 3,000.
The fine was paid by Singh, who filed an appeal on the quantum of substantive sentence.
In the appeal, the convict had pleaded that he was first time offender and, therefore, was entitled to leniency and benefit of probation.
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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump does not represent the US, is irresponsible and is making America unsafe, Vice President Joe Biden has said.
This is what he told foreign leaders during his just concluded trip to Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania.
"I met at a conference with their presidents to reassure them that Donald Trump didn't represent America," Biden said at an election rally in Ohio where he campaigned for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.
"Because you know what Donald Trump said? Donald Trump said he's not sure he'd honour our NATO commitment. No. To protect them if Russia invaded them. They're scared to death with good reason that Russia will cross the border and annex them like they did Crimea," Biden said.
"These are members of NATO. He said we're going to check whether they've paid all their dues. For the first time he's causing nations to actually wonder whether or not we'll keep our word," the US Vice President said.
"The idea that I ever thought in my career I'd get in the plane to make basically an emergency flight to hold the hands of three presidents from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and say no, no, no. He doesn't represent Republicans or Democrats on this. Don't worry. This is the guy who admires Putin. This is the guy who doesn't know that Russian troops have already come across the border and annexed Crimea," Biden said.
Biden said Trump was a guy who guaranteed that Putin is not going to invade a country that has already been invaded.
"I guess because his campaign men are getting paid millions of dollars by the dictator who ran the place beforehand," said the US Vice President, who is considered as the country's top most foreign policy expert.
Biden said he does not believe Trump is a bad guy.
"I just think he is thoroughly, totally, completely uninformed. He has no idea what the hell he's talking about," he said.
He said he has a military aide carrying a briefcase.
"That briefcase has the nuclear codes in it and God forbid if something happens to the president and the decision had to be made I open it up for the nuclear codes are there. Just imagine giving this guy access. Imagine giving this guy access to the nuclear codes. A guy who says how he's consider using nuclear weapons," he said.
"The Trump world is already making us less safe. When he stands up there and says, irresponsibly, that everybody here knows is ridiculous, that Barack Obama invented ISIS, you know what happened the next day? The guy who runs Hezbollah, a terrorist organisation, put out on all their networks that the nominee of one of the two largest parties in America who may very well be president soon has admitted that we started ISIS and that he has proof of this," Biden said.
"If people believe we are supporting ISIS, what do you think happens to our kids in these countries? The man is totally irresponsibly," Biden said.
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Tourism Ministers of countries met at the world-famous temple city Khajuraho for a two-day long conference that began on Friday.
Although the ' Convention on Tourism' was scheduled to be inaugurated by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma, he could not make it to the event, which is a precursor to the Summit to be held in Goa on October 15-16.
Speaking on the occasion, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Surendra Patwa said tourism would get a major boost with the participation of BRICS nations in this two-day long meet.
"With the participation of all BRICS nations in the meet, tourism will get a major boost in the country," an official release quoted Patwa as saying.
He said through this event, the state will get experience in boosting tourism.
"It is a matter of pride for India that BRICS nations 'Tourism Ministers' conference is being held in Khajuraho...In future as well, Madhya Pradesh will get an opportunity to host such events," he added.
Earlier, Union Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi said the purpose of the meet was to enhance tourism with the use of latest technology and information among the BRICS nations.
The tourism representatives of South Africa and China also expressed their views on the occasion.
On India's 'Atulya Bharat' campaign, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar made presentations.
Representatives of BRICS countries and Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) delegation also made a presentation.
AirAsia India is seeing senior level churn with two more exits, including that of flight operations in-charge, amid stiff competition.
Sources said Captain Sumant Misra, Director of Flight Operations and Captain Jamshed Menon, Chief Pilot Operations, recently put in their papers at the carrier.
When contacted, AirAsia India CEO Amar Abrol confirmed the two officials have resigned.
Misra, who put in his papers a few months ago would be relieved of his duties soon, while Menon recently resigned, Abrol said in an e-mailed statement to PTI.
The AirAsia India chief also thanked the two executives for their contribution and support to the airline.
"Exits are a part and parcel of all businesses including the airline sector where all of us deal with each exit in our own way. The number of exits that we have seen is way below industry standards," Abrol said in the statement.
Abrol also said the airline has been conducting road shows across the country, recruiting pilots as part of expansion plans.
In March, the carrier had announced the quitting of then CEO Mittu Chandilya -- who was at the helm since the airline started operations in 2014.
The budget carrier, which currently has seven aircraft, has been grappling with stiff competition and its market share stood at 2.2 per cent in July.
In the three months ended June, the airline's net loss narrowed to Rs 20.36 crore while revenues rose to Rs 189 crore during the same period.
"During the quarter (ended June 2016), AirAsia India posted a smaller net loss of Rs 203.63 million (narrowed by 56 per cent Year-on-Year)," AirAsia Berhad said in a release earlier this week.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK's newly-appointed minister of international development, Rory Stewart, is currently on a visit to Nepal to assess the progress made on reconstruction efforts following last year's earthquakes and reaffirm Britain's support to the development of the Himalayan nation.
Last year, the UK played a key role in international response to the Nepal earthquakes by addressing the humanitarian needs of the affected people and supporting the long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts of the country.
"UK support is helping to build a safer, healthier and more prosperous world which is firmly in the interests of both countries," a press release issued by the UK Embassy here said.
The British Minister of State at the Department for International Development (DFID) met with Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara and discussed the next phase of UK support to Nepal, it said.
He also met with the Chief of the Nepal Reconstruction Authority, senior government officials and DFID programme partners to discuss how access to bank accounts could be increased to speed up the payment of housing grants to quake- affected households, the release said.
The Minister will call on Prime Minister Prachanda during his visit.
Stewart is the first UK Minister to visit Nepal since the new UK government led by Theresa May was formed in July.
"I am delighted to return to Nepal in the year that our two countries are celebrating our strong 200 year relationship. The UK stood by the Nepali people in their time of need following the tragic earthquakes last year, and we continue to support the country to build back better and get on track towards a more prosperous and stable future" Steward said.
The Minister will see first-hand the impact of the earthquake and how the UK aid is helping Nepal after last year's deadly quakes killed nearly 9,000 people and devastated the country.
DFID's work with the Government of Nepal and the finance sector can allow grants and housing support to be paid directly to the people of Nepal through easy to access mobile banking.
There are currently 143 branchless banking points in Nepal with over 10,000 new accounts opened in the first four months of roll out.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian President Vladimir Putin may have a reputation of not being the most accessible politician but 11 schoolboys from one of Britain's most prestigious schools were able to secure a rare private audience with him.
The Eton College students flew to Moscow and met Putin at the Kremlin last week, a development being described as a coup by the UK media as they seem to have beaten Prime Minister Theresa May in the process.
The new BritishPrime Minister is yet to meet the Russian President since she took charge at Downing Street last month.
David Wei, one of those present at the meeting, wrote on Facebook: "It took me a total of 10 months, 1,040 emails, 1,000 text messages, countless sleepless nights, constant paranoia during A2 exam season, declining academic performance but here we are.
"Guys, we truly gave Putin a deep impression of us and he responded by showing us his human face."
While their pictures have been posted on social media showing the group shaking hands with Putin and sitting around a table listening to the Russian leader through translation headsets, the Kremlin has released no information about the meeting and the UK Foreign Office has declined to comment.
"This was a private visit by a small group of boys organised entirely at their own initiative and independently of the college," Eton College said in a statement.
The details of how the teenagers managed to pull off this coup remains a mystery.
One suggestion is that the meeting may have been facilitated by Father Tikhon Shevkunov, a Russian Orthodox abbot said to be close to Putin who reportedly spoke at Eton earlier this year.
Eton College in Windsor dates back to 1440 and has the distinction of being the alma mater of 19 British Prime Ministers.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United Kingdom today confirmed its participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit as one of the partner countries and announced to bring a 100-member delegation to the grand event to be held in January next year.
UK's High Commissioner to India Sir Dominic Asquith, who made the announcement before media today, added that the focus will be on life sciences and chemical sector this time.
The UK was also a partner country in the previous two Vibrant Gujarat Summits held in 2013 and 2015.
"Britain will be a partner country in the upcoming Vibrant Summit. We plan to bring roughly about 100-member delegation to the event. This time, we will have two separate delegations, one representing life science business and another would be of chemical sector," Asquith told reporters.
He met Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani yesterday to confirm his country's participation.
Commenting about the future implications of 'Brexit' on its trade ties with India, Asquith said it will have a positive impact whenever Britain formally exits the European Union (EU).
"The impact will be beneficial to both India and UK. Because, there are already well established trading and investment ties between both the countries. UK is the largest G20 investor in India while India is the third largest investor in the UK. This shared interest will continue after we formally exit EU," Asquith said.
"Our trade with EU is declining and we are opening up market outside the EU. In this scenario, we are looking forward to collaborate with India in both the directions," he added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels has said their forces were respecting a ceasefire aimed at halting a recent spike in violence in time for the start of the new school year.
The warring sides agreed yesterday their latest temporary truce on August 26 in Minsk, the Belarussian capital where a February 2015 peace deal was signed with the help of the leaders of Germany and France.
But that agreement and the subsequent series of temporary truces have done little to halt a 28-month war that has claimed nearly 9,600 lives and driven about two million people from their homes.
The previous ceasefire announcement in April was later followed by two months of what monitors from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) described as fighting that approached a full-scale war.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a statement that the September 1 truce "was holding as of 12:05 pm (0905 GMT)".
Militia commander Eduard Basurin confirmed on the rebels' official site that there were "no violations after midnight".
French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a joint statement yesterday that they hoped that this marked "the beginning of a lasting ceasefire".
The announcements may help calm tensions that were stirred by Moscow's accusations last month of Ukraine plotting to invade Crimea -- the Black Sea peninsula Russia annexed in March 2014.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had vowed retaliation and Poroshenko said he feared the resumption of the type of warfare that killed dozens on a nearly daily basis in 2014.
Russia denies plotting or backing the conflict in retaliation for its former Soviet neighbour's ouster of its Moscow-backed leadership in a February 2014 pro-EU revolt.
But Washington and Brussels have slapped stiff economic and other sanctions against Russian state companies and officials over Moscow's seizure of Crimea and alleged intervention in eastern Ukraine.
The United States yesterday announced a long list of fresh sanctions against Russia, including against Bank Rossiya -- often referred to as Putin's personal cash fund.
It also targeted a company building a bridge between mainland Russia and Crimea that Ukraine and the West both oppose.
Some signs emerged late yesterday that this ceasefire may be more substantive and lasting than previous agreements.
The OSCE said it had coordinated an evening video conference with Russian and Ukrainian representatives as well as rebel leaders from the separatist Lugansk and Donetsk regions.
"All participants... Expressed their firm support to the recommitted ceasefire reached," the OSCE statement said.
"They assured that the ceasefire has the support from the highest political level," it added.
That phrase appeared to refer to both Putin and Poroshenko -- two leaders whose relations continue to sour and direct contacts grow increasingly rare.
There was no immediate response to either the new US punitive measures or the OSCE statement from Moscow.
Putin is expected to hold separate talks with Merkel and Hollande about Ukraine on the sidelines of the G20 summit that will be held this weekend in China.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal today nominated Deep Kumar Upadhyay as its envoy to India, nearly four months after he was recalled by the previous Oli government over charges of 'non-cooperation' and indulging in 'anti-government' activities.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by new Prime Minister Prachanda at his office in Singha Durbar today nominated Upadhyay as ambassadorial candidate for India and Chief Secretary Lila Mani Poudel for China, Nepalese media reported.
Upadhyay, who was serving as Nepal's ambassador to India since April 2015, was suddenly recalled by the erstwhile K P Sharma Oli-led government on May 6.
Upadhyay's nomination comes less than fortnight before Prachanda's maiden visit to India after assuming office last month.
The Oli-led government had levelled three charges against Upadhyaya to justify its decision to recall him and officials had said he was working 'against national interest'.
"Envoys should follow government's directives and maintain diplomatic decorum," Minister for Defence Bhim Rawal had said after the move.
Upadhyaya, a leader of opposition Nepali Congress who was appointed as Nepal's envoy to India in April last year, was being seen as the first casualty of the cancellation of Nepalese President Bidhya Devi Bhandari's planned visit to India.
The diplomat was also charged with siding with the Nepali Congress opposition in supporting a threat by the Maoist party led by Prachanda to topple Oli's government.
Besides, he was accused of breaching his jurisdiction without informing the government and visiting some western Nepal districts accompanying India's ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae, Rawal had said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mother of a 5-year-old boy in New York has said her son was put on a wrong flight by JetBlue when he was traveling alone from the Dominican Republic and that she was presented with a wrong child by the US airliner.
Maribel Martinez said her son was supposed to be on a flight to JFK Airport here on August 17 after a family holiday, but ended up in Boston, a media report said today.
JetBlue presented her with a different 5-year-old boy who they thought was her son when Martinez came to pick him up at the airport. It took more than three hours to locate him in Boston, ABC television network reported.
The mistake happened because the boy who was flown to JFK was carrying her son's passport. That boy was supposed to be on the flight to Boston, and he was safely returned there after he was questioned by Port Authority police.
A JetBlue spokeswoman yesterday said in a statement, "Two unaccompanied children of the same age traveling separately from Santiago, Dominican Republic, one to New York JFK and one to Boston - each boarded a flight to the incorrect destination.
"Upon learning of the error, our teams in JFK and Boston immediately took steps to assist the children in reaching their correct destinations. While the children were always under the care and supervision of JetBlue crew members, we realise this situation was distressing for their families," the statement said.
Martinez has retained a lawyer to take legal action against JetBlue, claiming negligence and emotional distress, the report said.
JetBlue has since refunded her USD 475 for the flight and also gave the family USD 2,100 in credit for future flights, it added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US appeared to be favouring status quo in Jammu and Kashmir and maintaining the Line of Control, but made it clear that it was entirely up to the two countries to determine the pace, scope and character of any discussions on Kashmir.
"We acknowledge 'Azad' Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Gilgit Baltistan as territories governed by Pakistan.We acknowledge the 1972 Line of Control as separating the administration of Jammu and Kashmir," a State Department spokesman said.
The spokesperson was responding to a question on the US' position on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) along with that of Gilgit Baltistan, which has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Recently India had asked Pakistan to vacate the territory.
The spokesperson insisted that there has been no change in America's policy on Kashmir.
"As we have said many times, our policy on Kashmir is this: The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations," the official said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thirty-four countries, including the US and the UK, have so far evinced interest in investing in the 'Smart Cities' project announced by the Centre, Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation M Venkaiah Naidu said here today.
"34 countries have (so far) shown interest in investing in the smart cities. It includes some of the developed countries like United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Singapore and Japan," said Naidu at the Regional Editors Conference, organised by the Press Information Bureau.
"Japan through its JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) has evinced more interest in investing in solid waste management, upgrading infrastructure," he added.
The government had announced its plan to develop 20 smart cities that include upgrading basic infrastructure, improving sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport among other features.
Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Pune, Coimbatore were included in the first list of the 20 cities.
To a query on the Centre's ambitious Goods and Services Tax Bill, Naidu expressed the hope that it would be passed in the Winter session of the Parliament.
"I came to know that many states,including Telangana have recently ratified GST Bill. If more than half of the states in India have ratified, then it will go to GST Council. I expect half of the states to ratify by September 10. After the procedures, once it comes to Parliament during the winter session, it may be passed....", he said.
Queired on the delay in completion of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Project, Naidu said it was the responsibility of the Karnataka Government.
"I am not passing the buck. But it is the responsibility of the state government. I have taken personal interest in completion of the project", he said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) today said it has launched the second phase of its support to Visakhapatnam's efforts to build safe, efficient and integrated urban infrastructure.
The next phase of the project will deliver an integrated smart city master plan that will not only recommend planning frameworks for the entire city, but also develop specific recommendations to grow four key urban centres, USTDA said in a statement.
It will include integrated analyses and recommendations across eight priority smart city components, it said.
"This includes critical infrastructure such as transportation, water supply, sanitation and energy, as well as citizen-focused areas like social infrastructure and resilience planning," it added.
Since the project launched, a team of US companies - led by AECOM, including KPMG and IBM - have been working closely with leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Vizag.
Together, they have begun to identify the planning and investments required to sustainably grow and modernize the city, working toward the goal of making Vizag a clean commerce capital.
In a separate statement, it also said that during the 2016 US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, the USTDA announced new partnerships that will support infrastructure development in India.
"We have invested in over 130 project preparation and partnership building activities to develop sustainable infrastructure across the country, with the help of innovative US solutions," USTDA Director Leocadia I Zak said.
Zak announced that USTDA will partner with India's Ministry of Finance under the agency's Global Procurement Initiative.
The GPI helps countries secure better procurement outcomes by promoting the use of value-based procurement mechanisms, including life-cycle cost analysis.
Further the USTDA is working with the Airports Authority of India, to extend the use of the GPS aided Geo-Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) system.
KPMG LLP (McLean, VA), a member of the US-India Aviation Cooperation Program, will help AAI develop a business case that encourages Indian airlines and airports to equip their aircraft and systems to utilise GAGAN, it said.
It also said that the USTDA's partnership in the Indian energy sector will help India Power Corporation Limited (IPCL) implement smart grid technologies on its network, particularly at its Gaya Distribution Franchise in the Kolkata metro region.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President Hamid Ansari will head the Indian delegation to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, which will be held in Venezuela this month.
"India has so far stated that the Vice President (Ansari) will be attending the NAM Summit," Augusto Montiel, Venezuelan envoy to India said in an interaction with reporters here.
The envoy said more than 80-member delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office will attend the NAM Summit.
"A large delegation from India will attend the Summit. A delegation of more than 80 people has been confirmed for the summit, but it could even go beyond 100. Members of the Ministry, PMO will be there," he said.
The summit will be held on Margarita Island in Venezuela from September 13-18.
Talking about the cooperation between India and Venezuela, Montiel said every third drop of gasoline in India comes from the oil-rich Latin American country.
Modi will be the second Indian Prime Minister to give NAM Summit a miss after Charan Singh. India is also a founder member of the NAM.
The envoy claimed that 53 countries from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean and even European countries of Belarus and Azerbaijan have confirmed their participation.
He said, from South Asia, Presidents of Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bhutan King's special envoy will attend the event. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also indicated that she could attend the Summit.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Choreographer-turned director Farah Khan says she was "taught" the technicalities of choreography for her debut song 'Pehla nasha' in the Aamir Khan-starrer "Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander" by none other than the superstar himself.
"It was a great experience for me to do 'Pehla nasha'. It was my first song and I was taking over from a very big choreographer Saroj Khan and I was the fourth assistant there. One person who really helped me a lot that time was Aamir Khan," she told reporters here at an event.
"He literally used to teach me what are camera lenses, so he taught me the basics and technicalities. I must thank him for that. He didn't act like a star," she said.
Farah has joined hands with Shashi Ranjan's ITA School of Performing Arts to design a first of its kind choreography course in India.
"People have often asked me when will I open dance class. I don't like dance classes, I had no interest in that. I wanted to do a choreography course and so this one," she said.
"It's a 12-week course on how to shoot, choreograph and direct a film song....This course will teach you how to direct a song for a film," she added.
Next year Farah will complete 25 years in the industry.
She said she has always been inspired by directors like Vijay Anand, V Shantaram and Guru Dutt.
"When I used to watch Vijay Anand's choreography I used to get inspired by it. And also songs of V Shantaram and Guru Dutt inspire me. Saroj Khan is a talented choreographer. I get inspired by good work," she added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian-American woman whose foeticide conviction for a self-induced abortion was overturned should be released from prison immediately, a judge said, after she was resentenced to less time than she already has served behind bars.
In a brief ruling, St Joseph Superior Court Judge Elizabeth C Hurley also said a sentence of 18 months for Purvi Patel was appropriate for a felony charge of neglect of a dependent and that Patel does not have to be placed on parole.
Indiana Department of Corrections spokesman Isaac Randolph said late yesterday that officials were reviewing the situation and that Patel's release from prison in the "immediate future is possible."
Yesterday's ruling comes less than two months after the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned Patel's 2015 conviction and 20 year prison sentence on a charge of killing her premature infant by taking abortion-inducing drugs, saying that the state's law was not intended to be used "to prosecute women for their own abortions."
The state's attorney general decided not to appeal the ruling and let pass the deadline by which he had to ask the Indiana Supreme Court to take up the case.
Patel was 32 when she was arrested in July 2013. She had sought treatment at a hospital for profuse bleeding after delivering a 1 -pound boy.
According to court records, Patel bought the abortion-inducing drugs online, took the drugs and then delivered the premature baby that died in the home she shared with her parents and grandparents in the community of Granger, northeast of South Bend. She then placed the body in a trash bin behind her family's restaurant.
Women's advocacy groups argued that Patel's arrest marked the first time in Indiana that the state's feticide law was used against a woman because of an alleged self-induced abortion, and Patel's attorneys argued that the evidence prosecutors used didn't apply to her alleged actions in a premature delivery.
But attorneys for the state, who said that Patel was at least 25 weeks into her pregnancy, just beyond the threshold of viability, argued that the feticide law could apply to a pregnant woman and not just "third-party actors."
The appeals court disagreed, saying that since the law was passed in 1979 it had only been used to prosecute those who attacked pregnant women.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Conor Humphries and Alastair Macdonald
DUBLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook described an EU ruling that it must pay a huge tax bill to Ireland as "total political crap", but France joined Germany on Thursday in backing Brussels as transatlantic tensions grow.
European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager dismissed Cook's broadside, saying the demand for a 13 billion euro ($14.5 billion) back tax payment was based on the facts.
Washington has lined up with the tech giant, accusing the European Union of trying to grab tax revenue that should go to the U.S. government.
But in Ireland itself, the government and public opinion are divided over whether to take the windfall - which would fund the country's health system for a year - or reject it in the hope of maintaining a low tax regime that has attracted many multinationals, creating jobs.
A group of independent lawmakers, whose support is crucial to the minority coalition's survival, called for a review of how tax is collected from multinationals. Their reluctance to back a call for an appeal by the country's finance minister has cast doubt on whether Ireland will challenge Vestager's decision.
Apple has said it will appeal the ruling which Cook attacked in an interview with the Irish Independent. "No one did anything wrong here and we need to stand together. Ireland is being picked on and this is unacceptable," the newspaper quoted him saying. "It's total political crap."
Vestager has questioned how anyone might think an arrangement that allowed the iPhone maker to pay a tax rate of 0.005 percent, as Apple's main Irish unit did in 2014, was fair.
She said on Thursday that the calculations were based on data provided by Apple itself and evidence presented during hearings on Apple tax issues in the United States. "This is a decision based on the facts of the case," she told a conference.
The battle lines are forming on both sides of the Atlantic. In Paris, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin backed Vestager's view that Apple's Irish tax arrangements amounted to abnormal state aid. "The European Commission is doing its job," he told a conference. "It's normal to make Apple pay normal taxes."
German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel also supported the Commission on Tuesday. Austria also welcomed the ruling but Britain - which voted in June to leave the EU - has stayed out of the row, saying it is an issue for the Irish government, Apple and the Commission.
"DOING THE WRONG THING"
Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan has insisted Dublin would appeal any adverse ruling ever since the EU investigation began in 2014.
However, the cabinet failed to agree on Wednesday whether to accept his recommendation due to misgivings among the five-strong Independent Alliance group of lawmakers.
"I don't think Apple have paid sufficient tax. I don't think they've been illegal in what they've done, it's the tax system as it's set up," said Alliance member John Halligan, a junior minister who does not sit at cabinet.
"The Independent Alliance have asked that we review our intake of tax, how we take tax in from multinationals and (assess) are we collecting fair tax," he told RTE radio.
After five hours of discussion, the cabinet adjourned discussion of an appeal until Friday when the government said a decision would be made. Any failure of the Alliance to come on board would cast doubt on the government's survival prospects.
On the streets of Dublin, some argued Ireland had to keep drawing foreign investors with low tax rates to provide jobs.
But others said the government should drop the idea of appealing the decision and take the money.
"They are doing the wrong thing. They don't care about the normal people," said Louise O'Reilly, 57, a full-time carer for her diabetic and partially blind mother. "The money should be spent on the old-age pensioners who worked all their lives and are struggling to survive."
O'Reilly's mother pays 10 euros tax on a monthly pension of 1,050 euros ($1,170), a higher rate than the EU said Apple's main Irish unit paid on its profits in 2014.
By contrast, Cook estimated Apple's average annual tax on its global profits at 26 percent. "They just picked a number from I don't know where," he said. But in another interview he promised to boost tax payments by repatriating billions of dollars in global profits to the United States next year.
Apple would fight with Ireland to overturn the ruling - by far the largest anti-competition measure imposed on a company by the EU - which he said had "no basis in law or in fact".
"DOING THE RIGHT THING"
Cook played down the possibility of the government failing to appeal the decision.
"The future investment for business really depends on a level of certainty," he told RTE radio. "I'm pretty confident that the government will do the right thing."
In Washington, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew criticised the ruling. "I have been concerned that it reflected an attempt to reach into the U.S. tax base to tax income that ought to be taxed in the United States," he said on Wednesday.
Apple was found to be holding over $181 billion in accumulated profits offshore, more than any U.S. company, in a study published last year by two left-leaning nonprofit groups, a policy critics say is designed to avoid paying U.S taxes.
But Cook said part of the company's 2014 tax bill would be paid next year when the company repatriates offshore profits to the United States.
($1 = 0.8969 euros)
(additional reporting by Padraic Halpin in Dublin and Kylie MacLellan in London; writing by David Stamp; editing by Anna Willard)
(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.)
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian power plants have enough coal on hand to operate even if nothing is mined over the next 50 to 60 days, the coal and power minister said ahead of a proposed one-day strike by some Coal India Ltd workers on Friday.
"The nation as a whole has sufficient supply of coal," minister Piyush Goyal said late on Tuesday at a conference in Mumbai, according to a government statement released on Thursday. "Even if no coal is mined for the next 50 to 60 days, the power industry can rest assured that they would get an uninterrupted supply of coal to keep their plants running".
More than a million workers across multiple sectors plan to strike in India on Friday for higher wages and to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's labour reforms.
The turnaround of Coal India has been one of Modi's main successes, and the company is producing so much these days that it is having to consider exports for the first time as there is a local oversupply.
Coal Secretary Anil Swarup told this week that a team of Coal India officials will visit Bangladesh soon to finalise terms of a possible supply deal.
India's coal-fired power plants had an average of 21 days of stocks as of last Monday, and Coal India has millions of tonnes of already-mined coal it has been struggling to sell.
(Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
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4FastPlumber, LLC
Virginia-Based 4FastPlumber Wins The Super Service Award (SSA) For Two Consecutive Years, And Now Best Of HomeAdvisor 2016
ID: 1455557
4FastPlumber, LLC, a plumbing company based in Woodbridge, won the prestigious 2013 Angie's List Super Service Award (SSA) for the second year in a row, along with this year's The Best Of HomeAdvisor.
(firmenpresse) - Woodbridge, Virginia - 4FastPlumber, LLC is a reliable plumbing company that was founded by Mr. Michael Orehowsky Sr. in Woodbridge, Virginia. Despite its relatively young age, this award-winning company has enjoyed massive success in the Virginia plumbing industry due to its customer-oriented business approach and reputable track record in quality service delivery.
Founded in Woodbridge several years ago, 4FastPlumber is a family owned and operated company that provides plumbing services to residential, business and institutional clients in the greater Virginia area and beyond. Managed by Mr. Michael Orehowsky Jr., who acts as the Master Plumber/President, and the Director of Operations, Ms. Susan Orehowsky, this company has enjoyed tremendous growth and expansion as a result of a satisfied customer base as evidenced by the numerous positive reviews posted on the websites of various industry analysts including Angie''s List and HomeAdvisor. Since its inception, the company has extended its service coverage areas to include many cities and towns in the greater Virginia region including Arlington, Fairfax, Springfield, Vienna, and McLean among others, with an office in Alexandria, as well.
4FastPlumber won and was awarded its first Super Service Award (SSA) in 2012 by Angie''s List. The following year, the company beat other eager competitors in the plumbing industry to scoop the award again. The SSA is awarded to top A-rated companies that offer outstanding service in their respective industries in a given year. Although the SSA is awarded by Angie''s List, winners are determined using stringent criteria that include online reviews by registered members, an A-rating on overall service reports, and a favorable rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). To qualify for the runoff, a company must have a certain number of reviews on Angie''s List. To illustrate the magnitude of this achievement, Angie''s List claims that less than 5% of the thousands of competing companies win the award. Winning the award means that a company has achieved and maintained an excellent benchmark in service provision to its clients.
In addition to this award, 4FastPlumber has a 4.39 out of 5 rating, based on 98 verified reviews, on the professional industry analysis website, HomeAdvisor. In all the rated criteria, which include Quality, Customer Service, and Value For Money, the company has a 4+ out of 5 rating. Their stellar work ethics won them , The Best Of HomeAdvisor 2016 Award. Finally, 4FastPlumber has an A+ rating on a scale of A+ to F from the BBB. According to the BBB, the main reason for this exemplary rating is the fact that no complaints have ever been filed with the BBB for the entire time that this company has been operational.
Led by Mr. Michael Orehowsky Jr., 4FastPlumber maintains a team of expert, professional technicians for all its plumbing projects. Certified and designated as a Licensed Master Plumber and a Licensed Master Gas Fitter, the company provides a wide range of plumbing services including sewer installations and repairs, HVAC installations and services, gas line repairs and installation, home remodeling and renovation services, and any other emergency plumbing calls. As indicated by these awards and achievements, 4FastPlumber is a setting an incredibly high bar for its colleagues in the plumbing industry in terms of quality customer care and premium service delivery. More information can be found at http://4fastplumber.com
Contact:
Michael Orehowsky Jr.
4FastPlumber, LLC
Address: 6309 7th St, Alexandria, VA, 22312
Phone: (571) 499-0708
Website: http://4fastplumber.com
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Indian power plants have enough coal on hand to operate even if nothing is mined over the next 50 to 60 days, the coal and power minister said ahead of a proposed one-day strike by some Coal India workers on Friday.
"The nation as a whole has sufficient supply of coal," minister Piyush Goyal said late on Tuesday at a conference in Mumbai, according to a government statement released on Thursday.
"Even if no coal is mined for the next 50 to 60 days, the power industry can rest assured that they would get an uninterrupted supply of coal to keep their plants running".
More than a million workers across multiple sectors plan to strike on Friday for higher wages and to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's labour reforms.
The turnaround of Coal India has been one of Modi's main successes, and the company is producing so much these days that it is having to consider exports for the first time as there is a local oversupply.
Coal Secretary Anil Swarup told Reuters this week that a team of Coal India officials will visit Bangladesh soon to finalise terms of a possible supply deal.
Coal-fired power plants had an average of 21 days of stocks as of last Monday, and Coal India has millions of tonnes of already-mined coal it has been struggling to sell.
US Secretary of State John Kerry experienced some of the challenges that lie in the way of India's economic rise, as monsoon floods in New Delhi became a talking point at his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"It looks like the rains this time have warmly welcomed you," Modi said as he greeted Kerry and the US delegation on Wednesday for talks.
Kerry's motorcade was caught in two hours of traffic chaos when he arrived in Delhi on Monday night for the annual US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue that seeks to deepen the bond between the world's two largest democracies.
On Wednesday, on the way to deliver a speech to students after another heavy downpour, his car inched through streets that in places looked like fast-flowing rivers. At times the water reached the top of its wheels.
"You guys all deserve an award for getting here today. I don't know if you came in boats or amphibious vehicles of some kind but thank you so much for making the effort," he told the students at the Indian Institute of Technology.
Roads were blocked off as knots of workers battled to drain the floodwaters.
As the US delegation approached Modi's office, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker fell when her heel got caught in a crack on the sidewalk. Kerry came to her aid, picking up a binder she had dropped, and steadying her as they made their way into the meeting.
Pritzker looked shaken but was unhurt.
Earlier, she told reporters that one focus of the India-US dialogue was on so-called "smart" cities and infrastructure.
SMART CITIES
Modi has launched an ambitious plan to build up to 100 such futuristic cities to cater for a population that has reached 1.3 billion and is expected to exceed China's by 2022, according to the United Nations.
New economic figures out on Wednesday showed that India's $2.1 trillion economy grew by 7.1 percent in the quarter through June.
That was the fastest of any of the world's largest economies but down from 7.9 percent in the prior quarter. India's economy is growing faster than China's but is just a fifth as large today.
Modi, who needs growth to top 8 percent to create jobs for the million young people who join the workforce each month, has invited foreign investors to "Make in India" and emulate China's industrial miracle, but for now private investment remains weak.
To boost economic opportunity for all, India has to attract investment capital, Kerry said.
"You have to have a market defined by fairness, transparency and a level playing field," he said.
"You have to have sensible regulations and your bureaucracy needs to be streamlined and effective."
India announced on Wednesday a plan to allow foreign investors to settle, emulating policies in countries such as the United States and Singapore to woo investment from abroad.
Despite the inclement weather in New Delhi, Kerry decided to extend his stay for a couple of days after the official part of his visit.
State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said Kerry would then fly on to the Group of 20 summit in China on Sept. 4-5. The G20 gathering will be the last to be attended by Barack Obama as US president.
Ever since demolitions were carried out in Bengaluru by multiple agencies to clear encroachments from storm water drains, the foremost thought in every Bengalurean's mind was - where is the minister responsible for Bengaluru City Development?
For, he not only remained inaccessible to the victims of the demolition drive, but also remained oblivious to the developments in the city because he had greater responsibilities. The demolition drive amidst confusion among civic agencies was just another instance to remind Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that he needed to let go off the Bengaluru City Development Ministry, which is currently under him.
When the erstwhile Bengaluru Development Minister, KJ George was asked to tender his resignation mid-July in the wake of an FIR being filed against him in connection with the suicide of a police officer, Siddaramaiah decided to retain the Bengaluru City Development ministry. Everyone hoped that it would be a stop-gap arrangement till he found an able Congress legislator to shoulder the responsibility of monitoring the city's unbridled growth. But there seems to be no indication from Siddaramaiah on appointing a separate minister for Bengaluru City Development, which is as important as any other ministry.
Bengaluru needs an immediate fix on multiple fronts and Siddaramaiah definitely does not have the time to look into them. For instance, the demolition of structures that have come up on land earmarked for storm water drains is being carried out by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). But it was the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) that created the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for the city on the basis of which residential layout plans were cleared. It means that the BBMP simply ignored the CDP (which has clearly indicated the alignment of the storm water drains) while approving construction of the houses. It also means that the BBMP and the BDA have been working without ushering in any synchronization.
The BBMP and the BDA have often been at loggerheads since the last two decades. While the BDA points fingers at the elected representatives in the BBMP for the unregulated growth of Bengaluru by ignoring the CDP, the councilors are of the view that they enjoy supremacy as people's representatives. In fact, the BDA has been more active than the BBMP in recovering encroached land in the last two decades. The BDA over a period of five years recovered government land worth over Rs 2,000 crore from encroachers between 1999 and 2004. On the contrary, this is for the first time ever that the BBMP is carrying out a major drive against encroachments in the city.
If the government has to usher in better coordination and cooperation between these two important stakeholder agencies, a minister level interference is required. With Siddaramaiah preoccupied with more important responsibilities, the issue is not getting its due attention. The commissioners of both the BBMP and the BDA meet to trash out their differences, but the issues continue to persist while citizens suffer at the hands of bureaucrats.
Likewise, the Bengaluru Water Supply & Sewerage Board (BWSSB) digs up freshly laid roads to replace leaking water pipes or sanitary pipes causing huge losses to the BBMP. There have been instances of BWSSB opening up arterial roads overnight leading to traffic jams during daytime. These are issues that cannot be sorted by the CM alone.
In association with Mail Today Bureau
The railways on Thursday launched a scheme allowing a person to get an insurance cover of upto Rs 10 lakh on booking a train ticket online by paying less than one rupee.
A person booking a train ticket through the IRCTC website will be able to opt for travel insurance cover for a premium of 92 paise only.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had in his budget speech, announced that the railways will provide optional travel insurance for train journey at the time of booking.
The new facility will be available to all passengers, excluding those travelling by suburban trains while booking online irrespective of the class.
The cover will not be applicable for children upto 5 years of age and foreign citizens. It will be for passengers holding tickets such as confirmed, RAC and wait-listed ones.
The scheme offers travellers/nominees/legal heirs a compensation of Rs 10 lakh in the event of death or total disabilty, Rs 7.5 lakh for partial disability, upto Rs 2 lakh for hospitalisation expenses and Rs 10,000 for transportation of mortal remains from the place of a train accident or where an untoward incident, including terrorist attack, dacoity, rioting, shootout or arson, occurs.
However, no refund of the premium will be given in case of cancellation of the ticket.
The scheme is being implemented by IRCTC in partnership with ICICI Lombard General Insurance, Royal Sundaram General Insurance and Shriram General Insurance selected through a bidding process. A total of 19 companies had participated in the bidding process and 17 were found eligible.
The three selected insurance companies will get to issue the insurance policy on a rotational basis through an automated system.
IRCTC has engaged the firms for one year with the provision of extending the contract on a performance basis.
An award of excellence in economic development was presented by U.S. Representative Adrian Smith to Landmark Snacks on Wednesday after a tour of the facility with Beatrice officials.
The jerky and meat snacks production facility, which opened in April in Beatrice, is recognized for surpassing its three-year growth plan in a matter of months.
Owners Chad and Courtney Lottman said the company started with 25 to 30 employees with an eventual goal of 40 or 50. Now, they employ 50 employees and are hiring.
"Our smokehouses are working 24 hours," Courtney said. "We hadn't anticipated we'd be at max capacity."
The facility exclusively produces ready-to-eat meat bars and snacks under the name "Epic," but the Lottmans said they expect to provide additional, more diverse products as time goes on and as the business continues to grow. Chad Lottman said Landmark Snacks produces about 60,000 bars each day.
In presenting the award to the Landmark Snacks staff and owners, Smith thanked the team for its work.
"You help make products that other people are willing to buy," Smith said. "Your efforts are required to make quality products not only for Epic but for their customers."
The same Excellence in Economic Development Award was given by Smith's office to seven other businesses in Nebraska towns.
"We did this because we want to recognize small town businesses that are taking an innovative approach to build the economy in their local communities," Smith said. "I think what you're doing is what our (U.S.) founders had in mind. This is a great example of creating an opportunity for the future...We need you. We need you well into the future."
The Lottmans said they're honored and excited to receive the award, especially as a new business.
"It's homegrown," Smith said of what stands out to him about Landmark Snacks. "Yet, they really have a focus that I consider to be on a global scale with this kind of product."
Chad Lottman said Whole Foods is the top retailer of Epic products.
The Lottmans also owns C and C Processing in Diller and its specialty meat retail store under the same name in Beatrice.
C and C opened in 1994. This year, the company ceased its deer, beef and pork processing services. Chad Lottman said his sister and brother-in-law, Shelly and Jesse Smith, opened Diller Locker Company to continue those services.
Both C and C retail locations continue to sell specialty meat and other products.
Singapore's no-frills airline Scoot will launch flight from Jaipur to the city state with a plane -- called 'Kamascootra' -- from October 2 as it expands services from the country.
Scoot, an arm of full-service carrier Singapore Airlines, has flights from Chennai and Amritsar.
Scoot's India chief Bharath Mahadevan said the airline will be getting its 12th aircraft, Dreamliner, in the first week of September and it will be named in a unique way.
"To commemorate India services launch, we have decided to call the aircraft 'Kamascootra'," he said.
"This is the first time that Scoot has named an aircraft in honour of a particular country other than our home base Singapore."
The name 'Kamascootra' is inspired by Vatsyayana's text 'Kamasutra'.
The "first ever non-stop flight" connecting Jaipur and Singapore will be launched on October 2, he added. The plane will have 335 seats, including 21 premium economy.
"With Jaipur, we take another step towards the target of steadily increasing our operations in India," Mahadevan, Scoot's Country Head (India), told reporters here.
There will be three flights every week from Jaipur to Singapore till October 29 and afterwards, the frequency will be increased to four.
Scoot operates wide-body aircraft while Tiger Airways flies narrow-body planes. The two carriers were merged into one entity -- Budget Aviation Holdings Pte -- which is part of Singapore Airlines.
However, Scoot and Tiger Airways continue their services under their own brand names.
According to Mahadevan, Scoot and Tiger Airways together will have 50 weekly flights connecting eight destinations with Singapore from October 29 onwards.
Scoot began operations in May this year while Tiger Airways has been present in India since 2007.
Ahead of the impending commercial launch of Reliance Jio services, India's largest mobile operator Bharti Airtel today said it has deployed 4G Advanced technology in Mumbai that enables faster data speed and better coverage for those with 4G Advanced handsets.
The technology will allow customers with 4G Advanced mobile devices to enjoy data speeds of up to 135 mbps, a company release said.
"The deployment will result in a superior 4G experience for Airtel customers through faster data speeds and better coverage indoor and outdoor," it added.
Airtel launched its 4G services in Mumbai in May 2015 on the 2,300 MHz band and recently-added capacity on the 1,800 MHz slot. Essentially, 4G Advanced will combine 2,300 MHz and 1,800 MHz bandwidth capacities to enable better spectrum utilisation and efficiency.
"With the additional network capacity, customers in Mumbai can look forward to considerably improved data speeds and better coverage. We will extend the deployment of 4G Advanced in other geographies in coming months," said Ajai Puri, Director, Operations (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel.
Airtel had deployed 4G Advanced network in Kerala in February 2016. 4G Advanced handsets include Samsung Galaxy Note5 and Moto G (3rd generation) Android smartphones.
Faced with the impending commercial launch of RJio's 4G services, telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone, have slashed data tariffs and offered sweeteners to retain customers. Operators are also wooing users through higher data speeds, high-definition quality and superior experience on their networks.
Yesterday, Reliance Communications claimed that its 4G LTE network on 850 Mhz spectrum band will provide high-definition quality, instant connectivity and blazing data speeds.
Vacationing is all fun and exciting until someone hacks into your smartphone or worse, obtains your credit card details.
Cybercriminals are lurking everywhere and while you think logging into the superfast Wi-Fi in your hotel room is absolutely fine, your personal identity is being laid at risk.
ALSO READ: Why you should go internet free on your next vacation
Travellers can be targets for tech savvy criminals who count on such liabilities to provide them with a point of access to the user's data and devices.
They can gain access to sensitive information via unsecured smartphones, laptops and even wearables, while also collecting data from social channels.
Here's how you can protect yourself, according to a study by Intel Securities:
Create Social Walls
Waiting in airports can be quite boring and often this can lead to posting updates from mobile device. Whether it's your location or that selfie where your hair looks just right, criminals are able to monitor your whereabouts via social activity and take advantage of you when you have the weakest protection.
Be Careful When You Share
We love to share our experiences with friends and family via social media, but it's important to not indicate publicly where or when you'll be taking that relaxing vacation. Wait until you return home before posting all about it; otherwise, you could leave yourself open to would-be thieves who want to know when your home will be vacant.
Limit Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Use
Data can be expensive, but switching on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when out and about can be a recipe for disaster. Connecting to unprotected Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices can expose your personal information to a cybercriminal. You should be especially careful when exchanging payment information. With this in mind, make sure to update your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi history by removing previously 'remembered' wireless networks, like 'cafewifi.'
Check and Monitor Your Accounts
Keep an eye out for suspicious activity in your bank account history. If you aren't meticulous about monitoring your activity, a criminal could have access to your accounts for quite some time before you are aware.
A European Commission ruling that Apple Inc should pay Ireland up to 13 billion euros of back-dated taxes could help the country cut its debt significantly but may undermine its government, Standard & Poor's told Reuters on Wednesday.
The European Union's executive arm ordered Apple to pay the bill on Tuesday, ruling the iPhone maker had received illegal state aid.
Although Apple and Dublin have said they will contest the decision, economists have nevertheless been trying to calculate the possible impact on Ireland's finances.
"There are many uncertainties ahead but if we assume that the money will definitely come through, the sum of 13 billion euros is not insignificant for an economy the size of Ireland," Moritz Kraemer, the ratings agency's chief European sovereign rating officer, said.
That figure constitutes more than 5% of Ireland's gross domestic product, and if paid would allow the country to bring its debt down to about the mid-80s percent of gross domestic product (GDP) if the government uses it for that purpose alone, he said.
Ireland's debt-to-GDP ratio is around 94%, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Apple and Dublin say the U.S. company's tax treatment was in line with Irish and European Union law and they will appeal the ruling, which is part of a drive against what the EU says are sweetheart tax deals usually used by smaller states in the bloc to lure multinational companies and their jobs and investment.
Moody's struck a similar tone to S&P, saying it too would look at both a possible boost to Ireland's finances and the impact on its corporate tax regime, once the appeal was made and the picture was clearer.
S&P's Kraemer warned that the ruling might destabilize Ireland's government and its ability to formulate and implement policy -- an important rating factor it looks at.
"If the government chooses not to accept the 13 billion euros at a time when they have stated the money is not there for other spending needs, it could undermine them in the eyes of the public and weaken their position," he said.
Kraemer added that it may be that the Irish business model is being put to the legal test.
"It is clear that if Michael Noonan does not want to take the money, then it means he believes it undermines the success of Ireland's economy since the crisis.
"So it might be that the Irish business model is being put to the legal test, and this may not be the end of it -- it may turn out to only be the first example of its nature."
Ireland is rated A+ by S&P, with a stable outlook. Kraemer said that a 13 billion euro windfall on its own would probably not make the agency change the rating.
S&P has upgraded Ireland three times since 2014 from an all-time low of BBB+ hit on the back of a banking crisis that saw Ireland take an international bailout to avoid bankruptcy.
Ireland also has an investment grade rating with Moody's, Fitch and DBRS.
DBRS is due to report on Ireland this Friday, while S&P is scheduled to review it in December. (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
It was announced today that Grant Thornton Ireland has signed an agreement for a 25 year lease on a new headquarters at Dublins City Quay.
The premises, backed by TIO, at 13-18 City Quay will be built by summer 2018 and will comprise of approximately 107,000 sq ft of office space and 10,000 sq ft for retail space. Grant Thornton is currently based at 24-26 City Quay.
The business advisory firm has agreed heads of terms, brokered by Savills, for the lease that will be signed once the build is completed. The firm will rent the entire building for over 5.8m per annum.
Grant Thornton Ireland has experienced significant expansion with a 46% growth in revenue in the past three years alone. The firm currently employs over 1,000 people across its eight office locations in Ireland and will create 250 additional jobs in the next 18 months.
Managing Partner with Grant Thornton Ireland, Paul McCann said, "We are moving to facilitate the exceptional growth of the firm over the past number of years. Since we merged with RSM Farrell Grant Sparks last year, we have been operating from two separate locations in Dublin."
He added, "In order for us to continue to grow at the rate we are doing now, its strategically important that we future proof the practice and come together in a flagship headquarters. A key selling point of this building is that it enables us to stay in City Quay, its where we grew up and were very excited about our future here in our new home."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard have today released their results for the year ending 30 June 2016.
The results show that Jameson is the No. 1 Irish whiskey in the world with sales of 5.7m cases and double- and triple-digit growth in over 60 markets across the world.
The brand has reached its twenty-seventh year of consecutive growth, making it the most dynamic premium spirits segment globally.
Volume growth was +12% for the year with value growth of +16%.
Irish Distillers portfolio of prestige whiskey brands (Redbreast, Green Spot, Midleton Very Rare) saw growth of 24%. Reflecting the growing global interest in Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, the style of whiskey that is unique to Ireland, the prestige brands are now exported to 22 markets.
Sales in the US as the first export market for the prestige range were +17%, led by Redbreast which grew by 24%.
Chairman and CEO, Jean-Christophe Coutures said, "We have seen the global Irish whiskey renaissance continue with gusto, led by the category defining Jameson which is seeing double- and triple-digit growth in over 60 markets across the world."
He added, "We aim to continue this growth with our new series of premium whiskeys such as The Whiskey Makers Series and our Deconstructed Series which have the original Jameson Irish Whiskey at their core. Our prestige brands continue to grow very impressively and are now exported to 22 markets."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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Europe's biggest low cost airline Ryanair is "very cautious" on its outlook for the winter as uncertainty from Brexit and security concerns from travellers persist, forcing the carrier to cut fares.
Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said Ryanair had stimulated travel demand by reducing summer prices by 9% after Britain's June vote to leave the EU, but was not sure what would happen from October onwards, when Europeans take fewer holidays.
That made him "very cautious" on the airline's forecast for profit to the year ended March 2017 to climb 13% to between 1.38 billion euros and 1.43 billion euros.
"That's the impact of Brexit, we're cutting fares much more steeply than in the past," he told a news conference in London. A weaker pound risks deterring British travel to euro countries.
"If the fares in the second half of the year fall by more than 10 or 12% then we'll have to revisit full-year guidance."
Europe's second biggest low cost carrier easyJet said in July it was unable to give an earnings forecast in the aftermath of Brexit, while Germany's Lufthansa downgraded its profit forecast and British Airways-owner IAG trimmed its 2016 growth plans.
O'Leary also on Wednesday gave further details of a plan to scale back capacity growth in Britain, where his Irish airline is the second biggest with an 18% market share. He saw growth of 6%in the 2017-18 financial year, from 15% in the 12 months to March.
That growth would have been between 10 and 15% had Britain not voted for Brexit and the uncertainty that brought, said O'Leary, a prominent campaigner for Britain to stay in the EU bloc.
O'Leary is also worried about an EU rule which states that EU airlines like Ryanair must be 50.1% owned by EU shareholders. If British investors were classed as non-EU, that would put Ryanair at odds with the rules.
He urged the UK government to allow the building of three new runways at each of London's biggest airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted - schemes that arouse strong local opposition in heavily-populated southern England.
"It'll be a really good response to the whole post-Brexit, what's Britain's future in the world, are we open for business, open for trade? You can't be open for business if there's no runway capacity in the main city," he said.
Heathrow, London's biggest airport, is operating at full capacity and the government is due to make a long-delayed decision as to whether to build a new runway there or at no.2 airport Gatwick this autumn. Stansted, London's no.3 airport, is Ryanair's biggest base. (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
Ireland's cabinet could not agree on Wednesday whether to fight a European Commission ruling against Dublin's tax dealings with Apple, raising questions over any appeal and the Government's stability.
Finance Minister Michael Noonan has insisted Dublin would appeal any adverse ruling ever since the EU investigation began in 2014. But after over five hours of discussion, the cabinet adjourned until Friday when the government said a decision would be made.
Dublin has just over two months at the latest to make an appeal against the Commission's ruling that the US tech giant should hand over to Ireland unpaid taxes of up to 13 billion euros ruled to be illegal state aid.
Some Irish voters are astounded that the government might turn down a tax windfall that would be enough to fund the country's health service for a year, and this appears to be complicating the cabinet decision whether to fight the ruling.
"Following the discussion, it was agreed to allow further time to reflect on the issues and to clarify a number of legal and technical issues with the Attorney General's Office and with officials," the government press office said in a statement.
Apple, one of many major multinationals whose European headquarters are based in Ireland, has said it will appeal the decision and a failure by the Irish government to join them could undermine the country's pro-business credentials.
Noonan said on Tuesday he "disagreed profoundly" with what he called a bizarre order from the Commission.
However, the Independent Alliance - a group of independent lawmakers represented in the minority coalition government - said on Tuesday that they were reviewing the EU's decision and would need to consult further with Noonan, tax officials and independent experts.
If the Independent Alliance refused to back an appeal and pulled out of the government, Fine Gael would no longer have sufficient support in parliament to pass legislation. That would prompt the collapse of the government, analysts said.
"The government can't survive without the Independent Alliance," said Eoin O'Malley, politics lecturer at Dublin City University.
"(But) the way the Independent Alliance appear to work is that they have cabinet (discussions) first and then discuss it with each other. I would be more concerned if in a week's time the cabinet hadn't agreed."
As well as the Independent Alliance, Fine Gael also relies on an agreement with its biggest rival, Fianna Fail, to abstain on key votes to facilitate the minority government. Fianna Fail said on Tuesday it would back an appeal through the European Courts.
Both parties were criticised by left-wing Sinn Fein, the country's third largest party. It said the government should accept the Commission's ruling and impose the tax bill on the iPhone maker.
It also increased pressure on the Independent Alliance, which agreed to go into coalition in May only after an unprecedented 10 weeks of post-election talks and has already broken ranks on another vote.
"It is important that Irish taxpayers are represented. The Independent Alliance have an opportunity to do that. They should oppose any appeal and insist that the correct tax bill is paid by Apple," Sinn Fein's David Cullinane said in a statement.
Opinion on the government's stance was split on the streets of Dublin where some were stunned that they would give up a potential 13 billion euro tax windfall.
"They are doing the wrong thing. They don't care about the normal people," said Louise O'Reilly, 57, a full-time carer for her diabetic and partially blind mother. "There's two laws in this country, one for the rich and one for the poor."
At stake for Ireland is the lure of its low corporate tax rate, a cornerstone of economic policy for decades that has drawn investors from large multinational companies whose staff account for almost one in 10 of the country's workers.
The Apple decision also comes as Ireland seeks to market itself as one of the top locations for any companies considering moving operations from Britain after its vote to leave the EU. Dublin has already seen a jump in inquiries, particularly from financial services firms.
The Commission's drive could check that advantage. The U.S. Treasury warned that the move threatened to undermine U.S. investment in Europe and a spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said it would welcome any company that is prepared to invest in the United Kingdom.
Others on the streets of Dublin shared the government's concerns. "People need to educate themselves. If we take the 13 billion we'll have a catastrophe jobs wise," said Tracey Whelan, 46, an accountant for a private equity firm in Dublin. "Obviously we'd love it... but it's a poisoned apple." (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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Research released today by BNP Paribas Real Estate confirms that the sale of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to US investment giant Blackstone for 945m was Irelands most expensive single property deal ever.
Analysing the Irish commercial property market between April and June this year, the BNP Paribas Real Estate report At A Glance Irish Investment Market Q2 found that the Irish commercial saw a stronger than expected performance with 2.1bn transacted.
This represents the strongest achieved in any single quarter in the Irish market ever. It is three times higher than turnover in the same period last year and almost three times that of second quarter of in 2014, which at the time had the strongest annual turnover on record.
Economic growth coupled with a robust increase in employment and renewed levels of consumer spending all serve to support investor interest in Irish commercial property.
Office investments remained the backbone of activity with 717m of assets changing hands between April and June.
The strong demand for prime office space continued in this quarter, boosted by the sale of One Spencer Dock for 240m and the sale of Dublin 2 office portfolio Project Kells for 93m. Just over 400m has been invested in office assets on average every quarter since Q1 2014, with particular quarters such as Q2 2016 seeing double that level of investment, with one deal making up 25% of turnover.
Head of Research at BNP Paribas Real Estate, Joan Henry said, "Our research revealed that the sale of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre represented the largest single asset ever traded in the market, and with over 2.1bn of assets transacted in the period, we are seeing the largest quarterly turnover ever."
He added, "If turnover reaches the forecasted 3.5bn for 2016, the 10 year average will have increased significantly to 1.7bn, compared to 1bn in 2013."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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Commercial property specialists, CBRE, have today released their latest bi-monthly report for 2016 focusing on recent trends and transactions in all sectors of the Irish commercial property market as the traditonally busy Autumn selling season officially commences.
CBRE claim there has been an increase in the number of enquiries from potential occupiers looking at the feasibility of locating some operations in Dublin following the surprise Brexit referendum result on June 23rd.
However, the property consultants say that most of these enquiries are still quite preliminary scoping exercises with any increase in transactional activity emanating purely as a result of Brexit unlikely to materialise in the short term.
CBRE say that potential occupiers are comforted by the visibility on future office supply in the capital considering the number of office schemes that are currently under construction or at various stages of the planning process, which can be delivered if required.
CBRE say that the onus is now on the Government to ensure that Dublin has sufficient housing and other necessary infrastructure to facilitate any increase in occupier demand that may materialise as a result of Brexit in due course.
In this regard, they also urge Government to review personal taxation rates, which they say threaten Irelands competitive position when pitching against other European capitals for office location decisions.
Executive Director & Head of Research at CBRE Ireland, Marie Hunt says, "A busy Autumn selling season is in prospect in the Irish commercial property market with several large transactions currently being finalised and a number of notable properties expected to be launched for sale over the coming weeks."
She added, "To date, Brexit concerns appear to have had minimal impact on the Irish commercial property market with values holding firm regardless and demand for prime investment opportunities having increased as Euro-denominated funds have increased real estate allocations."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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Multinational companies can expect the European Commission to press on with a crack down on sweetheart tax deals after handing Apple a breathtaking demand for 13 billion euros, officials and experts said on Wednesday.
But Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager may be tempted to train her fire on European companies after a string of investigations of U.S. global giants that, especially after Tuesday's Apple verdict, has enraged the United States.
The order to the iPhone maker to pay back taxes to Ireland on the grounds that Dublin illegally favoured Apple with a tax regime that amounted to a competition-distorting subsidy was the biggest of 38 decisions by Vestager since the Commission began probing some 1,000 companies in up to 23 EU states in 2013.
Another U.S. firm, coffee chain Starbucks was ordered to repay up to 30 million euros to the Netherlands and a unit of Italy's Fiat must hand a similar sum to Luxembourg. In a separate case involving 35 firms in Belgium, many were not identified but some were also from the United States.
The Commission will not say when a decision is likely on two outstanding cases involving two more U.S. firms, Amazon and McDonald's, both in Luxembourg.
Set alongside a series of high-profile antitrust probes into Google and Vestager has a case to answer on charges of anti-American activity -- albeit one that she strenuously denies.
Nonetheless, people involved in competition law in Europe, many of whom declined to speak on the record for this story, reckon the Commission may choose a company closer to home for any major new inquiry.
"It is quite obvious that the Commission will not be able to investigate 1,000 tax rulings. It will only go after manifest violations," said Georg Berrisch, partner at law firm Baker Botts, who noted the fertile ground the Commission may have in evidence turned up in 2014 by leaked data from Luxembourg.
"It will have to pick and choose a few cases, maybe look into European companies. Luxleaks mentioned several European companies having tax deals with Luxembourg," Berrisch said.
Vestager, arguably the most powerful official in the EU due to her individual power to rule on competition cases across the 28-nation bloc, makes no secret of her reliance on others at times to provide the evidence that can justify her inquiries.
For all the fury in Washington over Apple, that and the other current cases were all launched on the back of revelations provided by a U.S. Senate subcommittee inquiry into taxation.
It is unclear how many companies may face back tax demands in the end. Given limited resources, officials and observers said, the Commission's competition directorate is likely to focus on a fairly small number in the expectation that success -- still to be tested in court -- can deter others from going to extremes in reducing their global tax burdens.
Jonas Koponen at law firm Linklaters called the massive tax demand for Apple a wake-up call for others to be wary of how political institutions, not just in Europe, were responding to popular pressure to gather more taxes from rich corporations and the danger that posed of legal turmoil and reputational damage.
"The amounts at stake may intensify the political pressures both within the EU and from outside the EU," he said.
"Companies must now more than ever carefully assess whether any agreements or rulings they receive from national tax authorities are compliant with state aid principles."
It was a point inferred by Vestager herself. Asked at a news conference on Tuesday whether it was fair to penalise a company which "felt that they were abiding by the rules" in agreeing a tax regime for its profits with Irish government, the straight-talking Dane said some should listen to their feelings more.
"If my effective tax rate would be 0.05% falling to 0.005%," she said, "I would have felt that maybe I should have a second look at my tax bill." (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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The United States has accused the European Union of grabbing revenue intended for U.S. coffers when it ordered Apple Inc to pay up to $14.5 billion in back taxes, a decision that could cause friction at an international summit in China next week.
The EU executive this week retroactively scrapped a tax deal Apple had with Ireland, arguing the technology giant was effectively paying a tax rate of a fraction of 1 percent on its profits.
"I have been concerned that it reflected an attempt to reach in to the U.S. tax base to tax income that ought to be taxed in the United States," U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Wednesday at an event to discuss Washington's position ahead of a meeting of the Group of 20 industrial nations in China next week.
The Apple row is the latest spat between Brussels and Washington over company regulation. Earlier this month, the Treasury issued a detailed legal argument that the EU Commission's approach went against European laws.
Lew said making Apple pay higher taxes in Ireland could let the company deduct those payments from what it owes to the United States, reducing U.S. tax revenues.
The European Commission rulings appeared to be highly focused on U.S. companies, Lew said.
"We think that it undermines the environment in Europe for international business because it creates uncertainty that ultimately will not be good for the European economy," Lew said at an event hosted by the Brookings Institution in Washington.
For now, other U.S. companies under scrutiny for their EU tax arrangements are staying in the background as Lew, Apple and certain industry trade groups lead the charge against the European Union action.
Online retailer Amazon.com Inc, for example, declined to comment on an EU investigation of the tax treatment of royalties paid by a Luxembourg unit. In the past, Amazon has said that it received no special treatment.
However, a trade group representing U.S. technology companies said it is concerned the European Union will hit other firms with retroactive penalties.
"It appears ... they've invited folks to come forward and try and claim a piece of this settlement," said Jennifer McCloskey, director of government affairs at the Information Technology Industry Council, a business group representing more than 60 global companies, including Apple.
The EU has ordered coffee chain Starbucks Corp to pay more Dutch taxes while Amazon and restaurant group McDonald's Corp are still being investigated. Also, the EU has made a series of accusations that Google, part of Alphabet Inc, has abused its market power.
Apple has said it will appeal the ruling, issued on Monday.
Critics in the U.S. Congress have denounced the move as a predatory money grab that would encroach on U.S. government jurisdiction and ultimately add to the federal deficit.
European officials, however, have suggested that U.S. laws were encouraging companies to avoid taxes, and the EU denies it is "grabbing" U.S. tax receipts.
It notes that the United States has chosen not to apply tax rules that would bar Apple from earning the money tax free. Since the EU's argument is based on the fact that the income in question is earned by a subsidiary effectively not liable for tax anywhere, the EU says that if the United States did tax the money, the position would be different.
Officials from the United States, the European Union and other G20 economies will meet in Hangzhou, China next week and were due to discuss how to clamp down on international tax avoidance.
The G20 endorsed a package of measures last year to tackle corporate tax avoidance, but questions have remained about whether countries will follow through on the plans.
The Obama administration so far has failed to convince a divided Congress to overhaul U.S. business tax laws, which feature above-average tax rates, encouraging companies to be taxed overseas.
Lew said it appeared unlikely America would reform business tax laws before Obama's term ends in January, but that progress could be made early in the next administration. The United States will hold a presidential election on Nov. 8. (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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PROVIDENCE David Sneddon, a 24-year-old BYU student, was traveling through China in August 2004 when he went missing. Sneddons parents, Providence residents Roy and Kathleen Sneddon, were told by Chinese officials that their son had likely drowned, but they didnt believe it. No body was ever found. Now, more than a decade later, Yahoo Japan is reporting what Davids parents have long thought, that he was kidnapped by North Korean officials.
The Yahoo Japan article states that David Sneddon was abducted and forced to teach English. He is believed to have taught North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The article also states he is believed to be living in Pyongyang with a wife and two children.
According to HelpFindDavid.com, a website dedicated to raising awareness and locating David Sneddon, Roy Sneddon and his other two sons returned to China and retrace their sons path shortly after David went missing. He was believed to has disappeared after hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge in the Yunnan Province, but multiple people in the area claimed to have seen him after he returned from the hike.
It is believed that David Sneddon, who served an LDS mission to South Korea a few years earlier, was targeted because of his fluency in Korean and English.
CLNZ/NZSA Research Grant recipients 2016
applications. Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) and the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) are pleased to announce that Research Grants have been awarded to four fascinating New Zealand writing projects that, according to the judges, have great potential and stood out even amongst many other promising
The Stout Research Grant, which includes $5,000 and a six week residential fellowship at the Stout Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington, was awarded to Aaron Fox. Three Open Research Grants of $5,000 each were awarded to Susy Pointon, Jared Davidson and Grace Millar.
Historian Aaron Fox was awarded the Stout Research Centre Grant for his current work A Biography of Brigadier James Hargest, which offers an engaging account of the controversial mid-20 th century military and political leader. Aaron, who hails from Gore, is an established researcher and writer, with many of his pieces published in journals and online media. century military and political leader. Aaron, who hails from Gore, is an established researcher and writer, with many of his pieces published in journals and online media. for his currentwork A Biography of Brigadier James Hargest, which offers an engaging account of the controversial mid-20
The three open Research Grants were awarded to Susy Pointon, Jared Davidson and Grace Millar.
Susy Pointons project is Utopia Hokianga: Searching for the Baron de Thierry. Susy, who lives in Kaikohe, has a rich background in film and writing and has written over fifty short stories set in the Hokianga.
Jared Davidsons project is A War of Words: Censorship & the New Zealand Home Front 1914-1920. Jared, who lives in Lower Hutt, has authored two books on similar topics.
Grace Millars project is Five Months Without Wages: Families and the 1951 Waterfront Dispute. Grace, who lives in Wellington, is the author of several published pieces within various journals, blogs and bulletins.
Commentary on the Latin Wars
Published on September 1, 2016
Story by Natalia Kuc Translation by: Zaneta Pniewska
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Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, wrote Caesar - all of Gaul is divided in three parts. But when it comes to teaching classical languages, how many parts is Europe divided into? Is there any use to learning Latin? Could it be a panacea for the problems of young Europeans?
The first book I ever consciously took from my parents' bookshelf was Parandowski's Mythology. I'll never forget the moment of clarity I had when I found out for the first time that breaking the skull is an excellent remedy for migraine (and for giving birth to your daughter). Or that the best way to get rid of your nephew and the heir to your throne is to send him to quest for a golden fleece. It was like a revelation. I immediately considered Mythology the best book in the world, and immediately decided I wanted to learn classical languages.
I grew up a little and life got in my way - I thought it better to focus on learning languages that were still used by living people. Despite that, I was very glad to start learning Latin in high school and during my studies. Although I have never become a Latinist, which I secretly dreamt to be, I've always found it to be a beautiful language. It's economical, logical, and poetic all at once. Each word has a meaning, and each word is indispensable.
I have always been interested in the cyclical attempts to bringing back Latin as a compulsory subject in Poland. Just few weeks ago, another open letter concerning the case was sent to the Minister of Education. But even I, with my wild though amateur love for Latin, admit that we have to ask: does it really make sense?
"The value of hard work"
Lets take a look at the Europe as a whole. Classical languages like Latin and Greek aren't compulsory in Belgium, France or Great Britain, though they do appear here and there in high schools and at universities. Countries that are considerably more dedicated to the classic are Germany and Austria: here high school students choose between French and Latin as their second foreign language (after English). The most dedicated classicists are, of course, Greece and Italy. In Italy, Latin is taught in both types of mainstream secondary schools, liceo scientifico (which are more science-based) and liceo classico (with a focus on arts and humanities). In the latter, it is also compulsory to learn Ancient Greek. Surprisingly, the Netherlands also rank quite highly: the high school curriculum provides basics in both Latin and Greek, with the opportunity to continue at least one of them. In almost every European country, the basics of Latin appear as a compulsory subject in schools of medicine, law, or philology.
But what do the students say? The approach is rather positive. When asked for their opinion, young Europeans appreciate learning classical languages, particularly Latin, mainly due to the fact that it makes it easier to pick up modern languages (especially Romance ones). The argument that Latin is useful in both medicine and law is often repeated. Some hint at learning logical thinking.
However, it is hard to find in their answers those idealistic paeans often sung of the classical education by worried teachers and parents, who are certain that Latin teaches not only grammar, but also living in harmony with the Apollonian ideal. I browse one of the biggest forums for translators and linguists in Poland: the topic of the return of compulsory Latin to schools always generates a heated debate among the community. One of the most popular comments says: It would be a good thing for the little shits. Apart from the language they would learn the value of hard work.
Houston, it seems that we have a generational conflict.
Latin for Millennials
Its not a coincidence that the aforementioned open letter was sent during the discussion of new education reform by the Lech Kaczynski Institute. The foundation, whose activity is focused on spreading and protecting human rights and freedom, unites the communities that are close to the currently governing party, known for its conservative views. Like religion, ethics, patriotic education and history, classical languages are becoming a weapon seemingly insignificant but actually deeply symbolic of a political and ideological war. Ancient languages and cultures are no longer an independent, legitimate branch of science (and art); in this conflict, they are a superficial symbol of classical education and of traditional values.
Conservative groups claim to love classical languages, but in reality they're used as little more than a buzzword in their ideological programme. The emphasis isnt put on the real learning of language, history, and culture, but on "the spiritual and intellectual revitalization," which they feel classical education would bring. Latin is like a new cane, used to rap the knuckles of misbehaving children. It's advertised as a panacea for everything: from difficulties with memory retention, to dyslexia, to the general wellbeing of the body and soul. As soon as the little shits see the table with the first declination, so the theory goes, their desire to smoke weed will be immediately curbed and they will stop complaining about the job market.
Remember when schools were about teaching people how to think, instead of telling them what to think?
Romanes eunt domus
The conclusion we can draw from these conversations is that young people like Latin, as long as its helping them in developing skills that will further their careers. Its hardly surprising. Italy is a good example: although there's a long tradition of teaching Latin there, many feel that the shrinking jobs market means young people cant afford the luxury of learning it any more - especially if we take into consideration their lack of skill in modern languages.
Part of the problem is the fact that Latin is stigmatized as a useless humanist subject. It's not about bringing Latin back," my high-school teacher roars, "it's about bringing it back its dignity and sense! The degradation of the status of Latin is closely related to the degradation of humanities, which dont exist without Latin and Greek. These languages enable us to see things in our culture that otherwise are invisible. When we learn them, an additional dimension opens. On the other hand, is it worth it to force people to wander new dimensions when they want to keep their feet on the ground? Where is the line between raising awareness, and forcing everyone to become an intellectual?
I always wanted to learn Latin, but I never wanted it to define my entire development as a person. It takes more than a few hours of classes per week to mould a human being.
Story by Natalia Kuc
Translated from O wojnie acinskiej
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Dolly Ann Toews of Collins-Parr Elementary School in San Diego receives the 2017 Region 2 Elementary Teacher of the Year award during a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at the Education Service Center Region 2 building.
SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Jaime Trevino of Moody High School receives the 2017 Region 2 Secondary Teacher of the Year award Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, during a news conference at the Education Service Center Region 2 building. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Spectators watch on the second and third floor during a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at the Education Service Center Region 2 as the 2017 Region 2 year teacher awards were announced.
By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times
Dolly Ann Toews' eighth-grade teacher, Sharon Crowder, forever made a difference.
Crowder left Toews in charge one day. The now 35-year veteran educator said Crowder planted a nurturing seed that sprouted into a lifelong career for her.
"As teachers we will forever make a difference," said Toews, a first-grade teacher at Collins-Parr Elementary School in San Diego. "We're not just teachers, we're surrogate mothers, we're nurses; we do everything for our kids.
"Our children need so much and we can't just let them fend for themselves."
Two area teachers, one who led the first all-girl engineering course at Moody High School and Toews, whose charitable holiday basket idea gained traction throughout San Diego ISD, were formally recognized for their service to public education. Toews and now retired Moody High School teacher Jaime Trevino were announced as the 2017 regional elementary and secondary teachers of the year Wednesday during an event hosted by the Education Service Center Region 2.
Each fall, one elementary and one secondary teacher from each of the 20 Education Service Center regions in the state are chosen for the award, a recognition program facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators. Six finalists are then chosen from the 40 semifinalists. The Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year are chosen from that pool. Ultimately, one teacher is selected to represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year program.
The state winners will be announced at an awards ceremony Oct. 14 in Austin, where the 40 Regional Teachers of the Year also will be recognized.
Trevino retired this year after the 33 years in education. He followed one philosophy: Never turn down a student who shows the least bit of initiative.
He led an engineering and civil architecture class at Moody's Citgo Innovation Academy for Engineering, Environmental & Marine Science.
Leading the first all-girl engineering course at Moody and pushing for computers for the school's drafting course were among his favored accomplishments, he said.
Twitter: @CallerBetty
Prescient Will Invest Nearly $19 Million in East Coast Operations Center
Contact: Crystal Feldman
Crystal Feldman govpress@nc.gov
Mebane, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory, North Carolina Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) announced today that Prescient will establish a 205-job operations center in Alamance County to serve its East Coast customer base. The integrated manufacturing and design technology company will invest more than $18.8 million at N.C. Commerce Park near Mebane.said Governor McCrory.Prescient provides the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry with an innovative design platform that offers a faster and more cost-effective alternative to conventional building structures. The system, which now has 13 patents and 62 on file internationally, is making inroads in the multi-unit building segment, which includes apartments, student housing, senior living and hotels. The company has numerous projects already completed in Colorado, Florida and Texas. Several more are underway in these states as well as ones in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Nebraska.said Secretary Skvarla.Prescient will bring design, manufacturing and other business operations to the N.C. Commerce Park, a 1,200-acre business property developed collaboratively by Alamance County with the cities of Graham and Mebane. The company plans to employ designers, project managers, installers and other skilled positions. Salaries will vary by position, but the average annual compensation at Prescient's new facility will be $46,544. Alamance County's average wage is currently $36,346 per year.said Satyen Patel, chairman and CEO of Prescient.Prescient's arrival in Alamance County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Under the terms of the company's JDIG, the company is eligible to receive up to $1,964,700 in total reimbursements. Payments will occur in annual installments over 12 years pending verification by N.C. Commerce and N.C. Revenue that the company has met incremental job creation and investment targets. JDIGs reimburse new and expanding companies a portion of the newly created tax-base with the goal of increasing the overall tax benefit to the State of North Carolina.By law, JDIG projects must result in a net revenue inflow to the state treasury over the life of the award. In the case of JDIG-supported projects in Tier 2 counties such as Alamance, 15 percent of the award is directed to the state's Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account to help finance economic infrastructure in less populated Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties. Prescient's new facility could provide as much as $218,300 in new funds for the Utility Account. For additional information on county tier designations, click here."The selection of N.C. Commerce Park for this East Coast operations facility brings another major name to our business-friendly county," said State Senator Rick Gunn."These are great jobs that come with excellent pay and benefits," said State Representative Stephen Ross.said State Representative Dennis Riddell.Since Governor McCrory entered office in January of 2013, North Carolina's economy has generated more than 300,000 jobs.N.C. Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina worked with the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Alamance Chamber, Alamance County Board of Commissioners, and the cities of Graham and Mebane to make this project happen.
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By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times
Oil costs nearly a third of what it did two years ago, and rigs are working with fewer employees.
But don't count the oil industry out yet, Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick told Corpus Christi's business community Thursday.
It's showing signs of coming back, she said.
Craddick delivered an optimistic-though-measured forecast for the industry during a joint meeting of the Rotary Club of Corpus Christi and the new United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce.
While recognizing the oil downturn has hurt the state's economy, Craddick said it also has given energy companies a chance to rethink the technology they use and come up with ways to produce fuels more cost effectively.
"In the downturn, we're seeing innovation," said Craddick, a Republican from Midland. "We're seeing more forward thinking."
The three-member railroad commission regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas.
Last week, Craddick proposed the Texas Oilfield Relief Initiative during the commission's meeting in Austin. During her appearance in Corpus Christi, said she the plan would establish "common sense practices" to help sustain businesses struggling during the energy downturn.
Craddick said the Corpus Christi area has several advantages going for it as the industry recovers: its water access, its proximity to the Eagle Ford Shale energy play and its nearness to the growing Mexican economy.
Today, Texas is producing 2.6 million barrels of oil, down from 2.9 million barrels nine months ago. Two years ago, Texas had 900 rigs online. Today, 230 are operating in the state.
In May, there were 140. Craddick said the state adding 90 rigs in four months is a good sign, though she acknowledged oil prices haven't cooperated.
"Half the rigs that are running (nationally) are running in Texas," Craddick said. "We're coming up."
A barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude on Thursday cost $43, compared with $108 in July 2014.
The state would be on better footing financially if it sold more consistently for $50 a barrel, but that hasn't been the case. Oil prices hit $50 for the first time in 2016 in June, peaked at $53 later that month, then fell to $40 by August.
The meeting, at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center, represented the first official day of business for the United chamber. The agency was formed with the merger of the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce and the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Members of each chamber voted for the change Dec. 29.
Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam
As late-campaign rhetoric gets overheated, voters should remain wary
Be on the lookout for misleading ads, stump speeches and text messages from campaigns in the final countdown to the Nov. 8 elections.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump walks on stage before speaking to a crowd at the Phoenix Convention Center on Aug. 31, 2016. (Photo: Michael Chow/The Republic)
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By Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic
PHOENIX Donald Trump attempted to clarify his views on immigration in a speech Wednesday in Phoenix, saying the country needs a wall on the southern border, extra agents patrolling it and an aggressive system to expel 2 million immigrants with criminal ties.
Trump said he wants a system that accepts only people likely to thrive and love their new country.
Billed as a major speech, it largely reinforced the hard-line position Trump has staked out from the outset of his campaign. He maintained the current system fuels crime and leaves Americans damaged economically by illegal immigrants in the U.S.
"There is only one core issue in the immigration debate and that is the well-being of the American people. Nothing even comes a close second," Trump said to loud applause. "Our greatest compassion must be for our American citizens."
The first feature of his plan was the wall that he has promised nearly from the beginning.
We will build a great wall along the southern border, said Trump, who was joined by his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. And Mexico will pay for the wall, 100%. They dont know it yet, but theyre going to pay for it.
Trumps speech came hours after the Republican nominee met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City. Trump said the two discussed the need for both countries to stem illegal immigration and said he viewed a wall as a sovereign right. Trump said they did not discuss payment for the wall, though Pena Nieto said later in a tweet he raised the issue.
"At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall, according to Pena Nieto's account.
The foreign visit raised further interest in the Phoenix event that has been expected nationally for more than a week yet swirled with questions of cancellation, a change in topic or a shift in Trumps policy position.
Since at least June, Trump backed off promises of mass deportations. On Aug. 23, for example, Trump told Fox News "there could certainly be a softening because we're not looking to hurt people."
After drawing a line against allowing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, Trump added, "They'll pay back taxes. They have to pay taxes. Theres no amnesty, as such. Theres no amnesty, but we work with them.
In Phoenix on Wednesday, Trump held firm on deporting illegal immigrants, prioritizing those with serious criminal records. Last week Trump acknowledged that approach is "the same thing" as the Obama administration has used "perhaps with a lot more energy."
We will begin moving them out, day one, Trump said My first hour in office, those people are gone. ... You can call it whatever the hell you want, theyre gone.
Trump promised again to have "extreme vetting" that would bar immigrants from countries that pose a security threat, such as Syria and Libya.
"We have no idea who they are," he said of refugees entering from such places. "It's going to end badly folks. It's going to end badly."
In some cases undocumented immigrants are treated "better than our vets. Not going to happen any more folks. November 8."
In Cincinnati, Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, ripped Trump's visit to Mexico before he got there.
It certainly takes more than trying to make up for a year of insults and insinuations by dropping in on our neighbors for a few hours and then flying home again, she said.
Trumps immigration speech comes as he is trailing Clinton in most national polling. Earlier this month, Trump signaled a rhetorical softening of his views on immigration. The campaign quickly backed away from that as some supporters saw a flip-flop on the issue as betraying perhaps the cornerstone of his appeal.
The Centre Pasteur, Yaounde and Bamenda Regional Hospital, are handling efforts to develop a vaccine against the dreaded killer disease.
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Though Cameroon is yet to experience any case of the dreaded killer disease, Ebola, government is not taking things for granted. Thus, two clinical trials for the possible development of a vaccine against the Ebola Virus have begun in the country. The Centre Pasteur, Yaounde and the Bamenda Regional Hospital, are hosting the trials that will last from October 2015 to October 2016. The Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda, made the disclosure in Yaounde on Friday, October 30, 2015 at a press conference.
Why Clinical Trials Now?
He said the most recent Ebola Virus epidemic killed 11,296 people, affecting six countries in West Africa between December 2013 and 2015. As a result, the World Health Organisation, WHO, decided to take action by appealing to pharmaceutical firms to develop vaccines against Ebola.
Involvement Of GlaxoSmithKline, Volunteers
GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, pharmaceutical firm, in collaboration with the National Health Institute of America, embarked on some trials. The second phase of the research involves countries sharing borders with those that were affected by the recent epidemic in West Africa. Thus, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria were solicited for the research that will involve 3,000 volunteers. Concerning Cameroon, each research site will involve 200 volunteers in good health, giving a total of 400. Those recruited for the trials voluntarily opted to participate. They are from neighbourhoods, health training institutions, markets, universities, etc.
Care Of Trial Volunteers
The volunteers will receive free, detailed clinical and biological tests in the first place, to be followed by close medical follow-up throughout the period of the trials. GlaxoSmithKline is providing them insurance cover. According to Minister Mama Fouda, this phase of the trials is already underway. It is aimed at collecting viable data on the safety of the use and level of immunity provided by the would-be vaccine. This is after a dose of the experimental vaccine was injected into each of the volunteers using the intramuscular mode.
Assurances About Vaccine Safety
Sources say the experimental vaccine was obtained from the Type 3 chimpanzee. The Minister of Public Health assured that the experimental vaccine does not contain any virus capable of reproducing in the human body; thus it cannot lead to any infection. The first phase of the Ebola Virus vaccine clinical trials, which took place in the USA, Great Britain, Switzerland and Mali, showed some promising results, Andre Mama Fouda pointed out.
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A student was attacked by three suspected men of the underworld at 2 pm on Friday November 6, 2015 in the Mokolo neighbourhood of Yaounde.
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According to the lady, a student in one of the famous tertiary institutions in Yaounde, she went for shopping as it is her practice - at Mokolo Market, precisely at Mobile Messa. At the end, she started walking down to the Messa Oilya filling station where she parked her car. But soon after settling in the car, three suspected robbers swooped on it, snatching her handbag within a split second.
According to the student, the bag contained her laptop computer, other belongings, phones, over FCFA 200,000 and most especially, her dissertation documents. The girl, who was left in tears and shock, reported the incident at the Mokolo Police Station where investigations have started.
Laquinez ARREY (Intern)
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In this photo taken Nov 15, 2015, a passengers points to the subway map at the Union Station Metro Station, part of the public transit network for Washington.[Photo/IC]
I was rushing to catch my train in Union Station in Washington last Wednesday when I tripped over an uneven piece of pavement on the platform and hurt my ankle, only slightly. Exiting New York's Penn Station a few hours later on Seventh Avenue, I saw the exact same thing happen to a woman, only she looked much worse off than me and had to lean on her husband to walk.
A day later, a Chinese friend who visited the US for the first time was shocked to see the poor road conditions in Manhattan. The potholes in New York City far outnumber those in Shanghai or Beijing, she said. She could not understand why the Big Apple has done nothing or so little given that the 71st session of the UN General Assembly will be held in September, with the arrival of more than 100 world leaders.
In China, it would have been a total facelift like people saw ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the 2016 G20 summit in Hangzhou.
New York City, often ranked top among world cities, unfortunately also ranks sixth among the 10 US cities with the worst pothole problems. Other cities that made into the top 10 include Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Bridgeport (Connecticut), Tucson, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with LA being the worst.
A report released in January by TRIP, a Washington-based national transportation research group, rated 51 percent of the roads in the New York City metro area in poor condition, 31 percent mediocre and only 5 percent and 13 percent in fair and good condition, respectively.
Nationwide, potholes cost American drivers $6.4 billion each year, according to another report. The American Society of Civil Engineers says that fixing crumbling infrastructure would cost taxpayers $2.7 trillion. The same group gave a D+ to the overall US infrastructure conditions back in 2013 in a study conducted once every four years.
In light of continued developments, primarily since 2008, there exists in these United States a Legal System which operates on a proved Two Tiered approach to justice rendered, which primarily benefits Democratic Elites and Woke Ideological Virtue Signalers, representing their co-dependent wards, to the expressed exclusion of normal hardworking American citizens: What is your suggestion in remedying this widespread injustice and, if not corrected, its existential outcome for our Constitutional Republic?
Complete overhaul of the Department of Justice and their enforcers - the FBI - to reflect a far more honest justice system to keep patriots remaining calm.
Disband the FBI, and request that congress investigate all unethical and non patriotic practices to partially right the wrongs of a distrusted and politically weaponized "Department of Justice."
| BY Ricki Green |
Australian owned feminine hygiene brand Cottons has today launched its new campaign via Mango Communications, aimed at highlighting its natural credentials and eliminating the taboo for young women talking about periods.
The Its Only Natural video campaign features YouTube star Jess Bauer and discusses the funny, embarrassing and sometimes heartwarming moments that come with having a period, encouraging young women to share their own stories and get more comfortable with talking about their periods.
The brands focus on 100% natural cotton tampons and other sanitary products gave it a unique market positioning as many brands are created with wholly synthetic fabrics.
Says Richard Arbon, sales and marketing director, Cottons: We wanted to highlight to young women that Cottons is a natural alternative to the synthetic brands out there, while keeping with our lighthearted and fun tone of voice.
Mango developed a fun and engaging content series that really talks to our audience to help bring natural to mind for young women who may not consider the alternative of what theyre putting in their bodies.
Says Amanda Sheat, social and PR account director, Mango: The campaign came from the insight that every woman has a funny, or even cringe-worthy, period story, but there is still a behind closed doors mentality around periods. From secret tampon hand-offs at school or in the office to that moment when youre caught out in public, we wanted to bring the taboo to the surface and encourage women to feel empowered in their choices.
The campaign will be supported with PR around Bauer and the products, as well as ongoing supporting social media content. The first campaign video launches today with two more being released on social channels over the coming weeks.
Cottons also supports Share the Dignity a charity that takes donations of sanitary products to help support homeless women and women in domestic violence shelters and ensure they have the products they need each month.
Client: Cottons
Sales and Marketing Director: Richard Arbon
Marketing Assistant: Zoe Koulouris
Agency: Mango Communications
Head of Social Media: Penelope Lipsham
Social and PR Account Director: Amanda Sheat
Senior Social Account Executive: Erin Taylor
Senior PR Account Executive: Nicole DAmico
Account Coordinator: Sian Salmon
| BY Ricki Green |
CX agency Lavender is toasting its appointment as the lead creative agency for Hendricks Gins 2016 digital activity in Australia, after it approached the Scottish gin brand proactively through the agencys new initiative, Ziggy.
As great admirers of Hendricks Gin, the Lavender team approached the marketing team with an unusual campaign idea for the Summer 2016/17 season and landed the business. Still under wraps, the campaign will launch within one month.
The famously unusual gin is part of the William Grant & Sons brand portfolio, which also includes Sailor Jerry, Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Grants, Tullamore D.E.W, Drambuie and Monkey Shoulder.
The win is the latest in a string of new business wins for Lavender over the past couple of months, including Stockland, Australian Hearing and Mercedez-Benz Vans.
Says Roy Capon, CEO, Lavender: Hendricks is a great brand with a distinct personality and were excited to be working with the marketing team to introduce the unique taste of Hendricks Gin to a broader section of the Australian drinking public. The win is also a great result for our newly introduced Ziggy proactive initiative, which is all about thinking differently about how we solve business challenges.
Read more about Ziggy here.
| BY Ricki Green |
Whybin\TBWA has launched a new campaign for Independent Liquor New Zealands Woodstock Black.
The Woodstock Black creative is a celebration of time, championing the wrinkles, tattoos, and eclectic jewellery earned over the lives of the characters that feature in the work.
Says Christy Peacock, ECD, Whybin\TBWA: These arent your standard pretty poster boys who spend hours in the gym or in front of the mirror to get everything just so.
These are the real blokes from the heartland of Woodstock Country. Their skin is etched with wrinkles, clothes are worn, and their eyes tell the story of a life well earned. They are charismatic, authentic men with huge depth of character, making them all as smooth as hell.'
Woodstock Black features a carefully balanced bourbon blend, containing bourbon that has spent four years aging in American white oak barrels. It is then blended with old style cola achieving a beverage with an exceptionally smooth finish, designed with the New Zealand palate in mind.
Says Giselle Bleakley, RTD and spirits marketing manager, Independent Liquor: Woodstock Black is a premium Dark RTD with one of the smoothest finishes on the market.
The four year genuine Kentucky bourbon blend used in Woodstock Black is key to this. The time in the barrel helps achieve the bourbons smooth character, just as time has helped shape the characters that feature in the campaign.
Whybin\TBWA New Zealand worked with The Pool Collectives Simon Harsent, to capture the charisma and history of the local faces that feature in the work, which include a pig farmer, a silver smith, and musician.
The Woodstock Black work is the first piece of creative work off the rank for Independent Liquor since teaming up with Whybin\TBWA.
Client: Independent Liquor \ Woodstock
Marketing Manager: Giselle Bleakley
Category Manager Dark RTDs & Spirits: Laura Youngman
Agency: Whybin\TBWA
Campaign Title: Woodstock Black: Theres No Ingredient Like Time
ECD: Christy Peacock
Senior Copy Writer: David Sylvester
Senior Art Director: Watchara Tansrikeat
Senior Planner: Steve Clark
Business Director: Angelina Farry
Senior Account Director: Amanda Green
Head of Creative Operations: Sheriden Derby
Senior Producer: Mark Paisey
Graphic designer: Agnes Ang
Production Company: The Pool Collective
| BY Lynchy |
POSSIBLE Singapore has appointed Gerard Lim as Managing Director. Lim joins from Spring Singapore, where he was the Principal Assessor, specialising in its Business Excellence framework for high growth industries.
Lim (pictured) has over 25 years of experience in advertising and digital marketing. In advertising, his client portfolio has ranged from FMCG (Unilever, Diageo, Nestle and GSK), to financial services (American Express, Standard Chartered, DBS and HSBC) and Telecommunications and IT (Motorola, Nokia, StarHub Cable, SingTel, Samsung and HP). In digital marketing, Lim has been involved in developing large-scale platform solutions for both marketing and technology for clients such as EDB, HP and Brother Industries with XM Asia Pacific/Mirum. He gained management experience through holding positions such as General Manager for Leo Burnett Singapore and Managing Director for Ogilvy & Mather Singapore.
In his time in the industry, Lim has consistently delivered premium creative work which has helped his MNC clients win global awards including Echoes, D&AD Pencils and Cannes Lions.
As part of his role, Lim will be responsible for driving growth, collaboration, optimisation and innovation across the specialised disciplines within the agency.
Located at POSSIBLE Singapores HarbourFront Centre office, Lim will be reporting to Paul Soon, CEO, APAC, POSSIBLE. Singapore is an important market for us in the APAC region. Gerards extensive experience across advertising and digital marketing agencies will help drive POSSIBLE Singapores growth through enhancement of our service portfolio and customer experience. said Soon.
At least 120 dead in crowd surge, South Korean officials say
The deaths and injuries occurred after a large crowd pushed forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in Seoul, officials said.
Tom Campbell
We get caught up in the personalities running for office, often losing sight of the issues that should be the focus of the campaigns. With ten weeks remaining before the November 8th elections here are ten of the top issues (not necessarily listed in importance) voters should be considering.When people go to the polls the number one issue on their minds has been and will remain pocketbook issues. How the economy and jobs impact them and those close to them will be a big determinant in ultimate election outcomes.America's better tomorrow must begin with improved education. Too many indicators speak to the need to reform public education. Vocational education must be emphasized for those not seeking undergraduate degrees, and costs of higher education must be reduced so that students don't begin their work lives with staggering debt.The number one threat to individuals and families is the cost and accessibility of healthcare. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was intended to help insure against healthcare costs. It has succeeded in some areas, but it is a flawed bill that needs triage to survive. Accessibility is a major problem in underserved rural areas. Instead of Congress wasting time trying to repeal ACA they need to get serious in modifying it to work. Equally urgent is the need to provide mental healthcare so that those afflicted don't end up broke, in jails, or on the streets.Recent events underscore the need to renew our efforts in human rights and racial equality. We have come too far over the past half-century to slip back into old practices of discrimination.Gridlock and burdensome regulation, especially at the national level, is the reason so many have lost faith in government. We want government that works. We want governments that work for the common good, not just special interests or political factions, and we insist that taxes, which we recognize are necessary to pay for services, must be fair to all. Middle class citizens rightly feel they pay a disproportionate share.Despite what statistics might indicate to the contrary violence and terrorism are major concerns. The nightly news is filled with too many stories of gun violence in our communities. No matter how powerful the NRA might be, we must have better control over who gets licenses and the types of weapons they purchase. Intelligence agencies must get smarter in identifying potential terrorists and better coordinate with local and state agencies to prevent threats to our safety.Immigration is a genuine concern, but the nexus of the problem rests with a Congress that is unwilling to pass common sense and enforceable legislation to control those coming to America, at the same time ensuring we neither target certain religions nor nations. We need workers to pick our crops, build our homes and work in technology.Election reforms are urgently called for. The Citizens United Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates of big money, unidentified independent expenditure groups and corporations in the election process. We can have freedom of speech without permitting unlimited bankrolling of political campaigns by special interests. Redistricting reform at the state level is equally important so that politicians don't select their voters instead of the other way around.Seldom mentioned but of major importance is the staggering national debt facing our nation. At the end of fiscal year 2016 our debt was pegged at $19 trillion and is projected to be more than $21.5 billion by the end of the next presidential term. This is an untenable situation and must be slowed and reversed.On both the state and national level we face an aging and inadequate public infrastructure, much of which was constructed 30 or more years ago and the problems grow worse with an increasing population. We cannot continue to neglect the needs.Perhaps you can cite others but we will address each of them in this space over the next few weeks.The better informed we are the better the decisions we will make come election day.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 11:39PM
Capital One Canada, together with Hackworks, are hosting a 40-hour Gift the Code Hackathon this October 21 to 23 to help address digital issues faced by six Toronto-based charities. Over 100 participantsa mix of volunteers and Capital One associateswill be brainstorming, building, and submitting technology solutions for the charities digital challenges. The event, which is hosted by Marc Saltzman, will see the participants broken into teams of four to six experts at BrainStations Toronto campus to help solve these problems.
The six charities the hackathon will help out include:
Figures from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research show that there has been a 30.6 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled in the ACT, with 384 students enrolled in the first three months of 2016, up from 294 in the same period from 2015. The national increase was 10.3 per cent.
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While non-medicinal cannabis will still be illegal, similar products for therapeutic use will be listed on the Schedule 8 list for restricted drugs including morphine provided the drugs were obtained by prescription from a doctor under state or territory laws, and it was to be used for therapeutic purposes.
News Release:
One of many mass graves in Sinjar, Iraq, where thousands of Yazidis were exceuted and buried by ISIS.
Contact: Jim Kouri
Jim Kouri COPmagazine@aol.com
Yesterday, the White House joyfully announced that the U.S. had admitted President Barack Obama's 10,000 Syrian refugees into the country. So where are they going: the top state destination for refugee influx are the states run by leftist governors in Michigan and California.Despite President Barack Obama and his hopeful successor Hillary Clinton continuing an open-door policy for Muslim refugees fleeing the turmoil in Syria, Iraq and other regions, they have been purposely mum about the number of Christian refugees being brought into the U.S.said former counter-terrorism training officer and American police detective George Tobiaso.said Capt. Tobiaso.The career law enforcement and security professional points to reports surfacing on Tuesday that focus on the cruelty and mercilessness of the Islamists. According to several news reports from outlets in the United States and Europe, more than 70 mass graves were discovered in Iraq and Syria containing thousands of decaying bodies killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other Islamic terrorist groups who buried the victims of their atrocities.Michael Scheuer, former Chief of the CIA [Osama] bin Laden unit, offered a recent perspective on presidential candidate Hillary Clinton:Speaking about President Barack Obama, Scheuer said,As many as 15,000 victims - men, women and children - slaughtered during the occupation of towns and villages by ISIS, a group known for executing Christians, may be buried in the sites across territory that was occupied by ISIS, Al Nusra Front or other radical Muslims.According to the Homeland Security News Wire, "The [Associated Press] used satellite imagery, photos, and interviews, to find the location of seventeen mass graves in Syria and sixteen mass graves in Iraq - although the latter are in areas still too dangerous to excavate. AP says from 5,200 to more than 15,000 ISIS victims are buried in the graves it knows about."Few if any are being held accountable for the heinous crimes. Besides the killings, much of Iraq's Christian community have been ripped from their ancestral homes in Nineveh. The jihadists are also responsible for the destruction of Christians' cultural heritage. However, while Obama frets over Islamophobia, hardly anything is said about the horrors being faced by followers of Jesus Christ.Many more mass graves may be found once Isis retreats after losing ground outside of Iraqi cities of Mosul and Raqqa which remain under jihadists' control.
Guyanas minister for public telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, is visiting Huawei in China to discuss extending the existing network, which was built by Huawei along the countrys coastal plain.
The plan is to extend the network to cover unserved areas, said Hughes, quoted in Caribbean media. The main objectives are to secure the long-term viability of Guyanas telecommunication networks, and to acquire technical assistance and training capacity, said the Antigua Observer. The existing network cost $32 million.
Guyanas president, David Granger, appointed Hughes as public telecommunications minister at the start of 2016. In July she proposed a new law to Guyanas parliament to set up a regulator, the Telecommunications Agency, and to open up the market to competition. Guyana is one of the few countries in South America without a competitive fixed telecoms market.
The company first invested in a 55% stake in the operator, then a fixed wireless service called Packet One Networks (P1), in 2014 and increased its stake to almost 73% in February 2016.
The new mobile service is already available to some Telekom Malaysia and P1 customers and will be opened up to new customers later in the year. Webe will face competition from three major operators in Malaysia, Celcom, Digi.com and Maxis, and well as a number of smaller companies.
Group CEO Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa said: With Webes launch, it will extend our promise of life and business made easier into the mobile space, which perfectly fits into our converged suite of offerings.
The investment will show returns within three to five years, said the company. When we acquired Webe, we mentioned that the capital expenditure was about RM1.6 billion [$390 million], group CFO Bazlan Osman said at a press conference. This is the peak year of capital expenditure on Webe, the company said.
The appointments follow GBIs recruitment last month of former BICS executive Mohamed Abdel Bassit as VP of operations.
The two VPs of sales are Whitney Myrus, who will be based in Dubai, and Joris te Lintelo, who will be in the Netherlands.
Amr Eid, acting CEO and CCO of GBI, said: We are pleased to welcome Whitney and Joris to our sales team. Their appointments will further enhance our market footprint and will contribute to GBIs success in line with our next phase of growth.
Myrus is a former sales manager for Verizon Business, where he handled defence and international solutions for the company. Te Lintelo spent eight years with Global Cloud Xchange formerly Reliance Globalcom and before that was director of sales for Tele2 Carrier Services.
Legislative leaders say maps from retired judges violate "one person, one vote"
A new unofficial congressional district map released Monday by a bipartisan panel of former state judges was not received warmly by the members of the General Assembly who have the legal authority to set election district lines.The proposal, a result of a joint project between Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and Common Cause North Carolina, is an attempt to show how a redistricting plan that made no attempt to offer an advantage to either major political party would work.The new map, which the panel said did not account for partisan demographics, would produce six Republican-leaning districts, four Democratic-leaning districts, and three swing districts. The makeup of the maps enacted in 2011, declared unconstitutional by federal courts earlier this year, and the redrawn maps being used in the 2016 elections, favor Republicans by a 10-3 margin. (See comparison of maps here .)The chairmen of the two legislative redistricting committees, Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, and Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, blasted the proposal.Rucho and Lewis said in a joint statement.The "one-person one-vote" standard requires lawmakers to make districts as equal in population as practicable. For congressional districts, lawmakers have taken that to require a deviation of no more than one person from the average population.The ideal congressional district population, based on the 2010 Census, is 733,499. All 13 of the districts drawn by the panel show some deviation from that figure, ranging from eight people to 715 (see chart).Common Cause N.C. is one of the plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit filed earlier this month challenging the congressional districts. The lawsuit asks federal courts to declare unconstitutional the use of redistricting by political parties to gain a partisan advantage - a principle the judicial branch has not embraced, although recently justices Anthony Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsberg have stated concerns about partisan gerrymandering.The panel of eight retired judges was co-chaired by two former chief justices of the N.C. Supreme Court, Democrat Henry Frye and Republican Rhoda Billings.Frye said.Billings said.Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause N.C., said the exercise was undertaken as support for independent redistricting in North Carolina is growing.Phillips said.The Democratic-leaning districts are primarily centered in the Charlotte and Research Triangle metropolitan areas, along with a district in the northeastern part of the state. The three swing districts are in the Piedmont and the southeastern sections of the state. The GOP-leaning districts cover the rest of the state.The other members of the panel include two former chief justices, Democrats James Exum and Sarah Parker, former Republican Justice Bob Orr, former Democratic Court of Appeals Judge John Martin, former Republican Court of Appeals Judge Sanford Steelman, and former Republican Superior Court Judge Edgar Gregory.
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With an aim to promote digital literacy in the state of Goa, the government has signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google India to start off the digital transformation programme in the state.
Steps have been taken in different parts of the country to promote digital literacy and to increase the level of education in rural areas as well.
Recently, the Goa government on August 31 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google India to start off the digital transformation in the state.
The MoU was signed by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Vice President, Google South East Asia and India Rajan Anandan. While speaking about this initiative, Parsekar said, "As a first step, the Goa government will launch internet safety education for students in association with Google India".
This programme putforth by the government will be a part of curriculum for classes from 9th to 12th standards and would be applicable in all the government schools of the state.
This development will be seen as a turning point in the field of information technology in the state, say reports.
Earlier, as per IAN's report of June 2016, India is expected to soon launch a Rs 1,800 crore ($265 million) Digital Literacy Mission for 60 million people in rural areas as another initiative to bridge the gulf between those who have access to and can use computers and the Internet.
Commenting on this, Dinesh Kumar Tyagi, chief executive officer, of CSC e-Governance Service India, said, "The government will spend Rs 300 each on training 60 million people, which would total around Rs 1,800 crore."
Later, the senior government official also said that this MoU also envisions collaboration with Google so as to revamp all the government websites mobile-friendly.
Also, this tie up will further help in launching a digital literacy drive for women and introduce programmes to help the small and medium businesses.
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...
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. A wildfire has forced the evacuation and closure of a small campground in northeast Yellowstone National Park, the first visitor facility in the park to be affected by wildfires this summer.
In addition, firefighters are trying to keep another fire from burning outside the park's western boundary where it would threaten several private subdivisions in Montana.
All other major Yellowstone tourist facilities and attractions, including Old Faithful, and all park entrances are open. However, the park on Thursday banned all charcoal and wood fires at all campgrounds, campsites and picnic areas because of the warm, dry and windy weather conditions.
Fire spokesman Bill Swartley said Thursday the fire that closed the Slough Creek Campground burned actively overnight and firefighters were working past midnight to suppress spot fires being started ahead of the main fire.
The Slough Creek Campground is the smallest of the developed campgrounds in Yellowstone with 23 sites.
Swartley said he didn't know how many campers were using the campground when it was evacuated earlier this week. Other backcountry campgrounds and trails in the area also have been closed.
Swartley said the fire that closed the campground was unusually active through Wednesday night.
"Critical fire weather conditions are in play, but it's just how the fires respond to them and one of the fires was quite active," he said.
The fire is one of five burning in Yellowstone. The largest fire has burned nearly 60 square miles north of the West Entrance Road, and firefighters are working to keep it from spreading beyond the park's western boundary.
Firefighters were expecting warm, dry and windy conditions to be conducive to fire growth into Saturday.
In neighboring Grand Teton National Park, a wildfire that had closed a road leading to Yellowstone's south entrance last week was still growing, but it was mostly burning in remote areas and no longer affects travelers between the two parks.
Weather catastrophe activity slammed into 39 states during the 2016 first half. But in a six-month period where insured losses rose well above typical levels, Texas was by far the worst hit, according to a new industry report.
Texas sustained more than $7.6 billion in insured losses in 14 catastrophe events, the Property Claims Services unit of Verisk Insurance Solutions noted in its second-quarter 2016 catastrophe review.
While it is too early to tell if the Lone Star State will be among the worst affected in 2016 in terms of catastrophe-related insured losses, Texas had a number of catastrophe weather events last year. In 2015, the state was the most affected in terms of catastrophe events, but aggregated losses came to $2.4 billion, PCS/Verisk said.
For H1 2016, Nebraska was the second most-affected state in terms of catastrophe-related insured losses, tallied at $550 million over two events. The states that placed number 3-10, in order of succession: Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Virginia, Kansas, Indiana, Montana and New York.
It has been a rough year for catastrophe events across the board. PCS/Verisk tallied 39 states that had major events, versus 27 over the same period in 2015 and 24 in the 2014 first half. One of the drivers of this years uptick: wind and thunderstorms that produced major hail and flooding.
For the first six months of 2016, 27 U.S. catastrophe events caused $13.5 billion in insured losses, 20 percent higher than the 10-year historical average of $11.6 billion in losses (from 2007 through 2016). Also, the number lands much higher than the 10-year frequency average of 21 events, PCS/Verisk said.
PCS/Verisk said the total could go even higher, because of surveys still pending for 7 first-half events.
Broken down, 61 percent of insured losses in H1 involved personal losses. Auto losses generated 24 percent of the number and commercial losses took 15 percent of the pie.
Canada was the other big catastrophe loss story during the first six months of 2016. With aggregate insured losses of C$4.7 billion through H1, the Fort McMurray wildfire caused 98 percent of the total, and 29 percent of PCS-tallied North America catastrophe losses during the six-month period, according to the report.
Source: PCS/Verisk Insurance Services
LAUREL A dozen years into a partnership that provides useful training and experimental gadgets for NASA and the International Space Station, Laurel High School students are still loading their ideas onto the launching pad.
Wednesday was T-minus zero day at LHS for a pair of NASA-HUNCH classes, a partnership that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shares with more than 100 schools nationwide. Students meet daily with teacher Linda Wright to work on projects NASA can use to train their astronauts
Students design and construct gadgets and useful items that NASA needs in space, items like zero gravity toilet paper dispensers or containers to move mice between modules on the space station. The mice are being studied as part of an osteoporosis experiment, and without a container, it can be difficult to carry them in zero gravity.
HUNCH stands for High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware.
Flo Gold, of Billings, a former Laurel math teacher, helped start the program at LHS and now works for NASA, coordinating school-based HUNCH programs in each of the continental U.S.'s four time zones. Joining her via teleconference Wednesday was HUNCH project manager Bob Zeek, who works at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, also present for the opening day in Wright's classroom, praised students past efforts and encouraged this year's batch to continue the tradition.
These students sure are lucky, she said. There are great things happening at a lot of schools across Montana, but this is pretty unique. Students create things and send them off, and then they get used. Thats pretty neat.
Gold, who retired from teaching in 2008 and joined NASA the same year, said Laurel was the first school to participate in the program from a distance.
NASA wanted to push the envelope to see what we could build, she said.
Like NASA engineers and technicians, students are encouraged to work in pairs or small teams one to do the work, and another to carefully watch, say, the soldering process, to point out potential mistakes.
Thus, soldering and de-soldering are both highly valued skills.
Ayla Grandpre, a junior at Rocky Mountain College who went through the Laurel program before graduating in 2014, said she appreciated that high level of scrutiny as she has continued to work with NASA partners while studying computer science and chemistry at Rocky.
Theres always someone checking out your work, she said. You learn about constructive criticism and you learn to take it well.
Gold said she got excited during a recent visit to the Johnson Space Center in Houston when she spied an audio terminal unit built by students. Astronauts use the units routinely to communicate with each other inside the sprawling space station as it orbits the Earth.
NASA has so many projects for HUNCH students, she told Wrights students. Theyve already sent 160 projects up to the ISS even meals designed by kids in culinary classes.
Zeek said that throughout the program's history, students have always exceeded all our expectations.
Gold said that 86 percent of HUNCH participants have gone on to attend college or receive additional technical training. Many choose careers with an eye toward engineering or astrophysics but far more are NASA technicians, machinists and electronics specialists.
We teach students 21st-century skills, including problem-solving and being creative, she said. "We dont give you easy work, she told students, so that you can get that Oh my goodness! I did it! feeling.
Without community support, theres no way the program would be in its 12th year, Gold said.
Ron Weber of Weber and Sons Machine Shop in Laurel has been a main reason we have succeeded, she said. Anything we need, we just tell him and he gets it to us. It has taken the whole community to keep us involved.
The Australian consumer watchdog has sued the local arm of Volkswagen AG for its diesel emissions cheating practice.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took legal action against the company alleging that it knowingly and intentionally sold 57,000 vehicles to Australians which had been designed to cheat emissions testing.
According to ACCC chairman Rod Sims, Volkswagen engaged in multiple breaches of the Australian consumer law by concealing software in their vehicles to cheat emissions testing and misleading consumers about the vehicles compliance.
Consumers rightly expect that their vehicles emissions would operate as advertised during their day-to-day use and we allege that this was not the case, he said.
Automotive News reports that the ACCC wants the Australian arm of the Volkswagen Group to pay unspecified financial penalties, make public admissions of its misconduct and issue corrective advertising.
PHOTO GALLERY
As 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of BMW, the manufacturers appearance at Monterey Car Week was always bound to be special. The German firm did not disappoint.
Throughout the weeks 60-odd events, a selection of the most iconic cars to ever be graced with a BMW badge hit the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and were on show at the various static displays, including the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance.
On track were the likes of BMW M1 Procars, a selection of 3.0 CSL Batmobiles and the V12 LMR from the Le Mans 24 Hours. BMW also brought along its most recent art car, based around the E92-generation M3 GT2 and put it on display alongside the very first BMW art car, another stunning 3.0 CSL.
Monterey Car Week also marked the unveiling of the second 2002 Hommage Concept cars. Bathed in a new shade of orange and complete with a Turbomeister livery, the car rightfully took center stage in the predominant BMW tent.
PHOTO GALLERY
Development on the film began in 2009, inspired by a series of drawings by illustrator and concept artist Mihajlo Dimitrievski. As the project has evolved over the years, it has been presented at various European pitching and co-production events including Paris Cross Video Days, Sofia Meetings, Animation Production Day Stuttgart, and the Visegrad Animation Forum.
John Vardar vs. the Galaxys creative team is led by Goce Cvetanovski as director and writer, Mihajlo Dimitrievski as art director, and Benjamin Hotton as animation director.
The anticipated release date for the feature is Christmas 2019. Its currently in the late pre-production phase (financed internally by Lynx), and about 50% of the films 2.3 million Euro production budget is secured. Lynx hopes to have the financing completed by early 2017 and begin production shortly thereafter. There are some private investors interested in the project, and if they enter, that would accelerate the production process and maybe even allow us to cast some star actors, director Goce Cvetanovski told Cartoon Brew.
The financial structure of the production still isnt locked, but Lynx anticipates that the film will be a co-production between Macedonia, Germany, France, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. We have signed memo-deals with producers from all these countries and further negotiations and film fund submissions are underway, said Cvetanovski.
In the meantime, Lynx is developing and producing plenty of other projects. The studio currently makes its own animated shorts and mobile games for Android and iOS, while performing service work for international clients, ranging from illustration and concept art through finished animation.
Lynx has been selected to pitch its childrens TV series Dragongarten later this month at Cartoon Forum in Toulouse, France.
Beating the pervasive bias against Native Americans in Montana may come from first admitting the biases exist, says Montana American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Caitlin Borgmann.
She was one of 18 panelists representing criminal justice, education and health care who spoke recently in Billings about discrimination against Native Americans.
The Monday meeting was meant to gather information for The Montana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
The committee presented a report on border town discrimination in 2011. A major note of that report was the high percentage of Native American high school dropouts. Since the report was produced, Montana schools have seen an improvement in the number of Native American graduates, going from 61.5 percent in 2011 to 65 percent in 2014.
Committee board chair Norma Bixby, committee members David Lopez and Gwendolyn Kircher from Billings and Dennis Taylor from Helena all said they were impressed with Billings School District 2's presentation on Indian Education for All. Director of Indian Education Jennifer Smith said Tuesday the program focuses on giving American Indian students the tools they need to graduate high school and find a path to higher education.
"Many people are bigoted and they don't even realize it," Kircher said.
Borgmann believes public officials should put into place inherent bias training in their departments.
Racial disparity is "baked" into our systems, Borgmann said.
Questions regarding release from jail prior to a case being tried and release from prison on parole are in themselves biased against American Indians, who are often impoverished, Borgmann said. Most don't have a car or a steady job, and because of this are often not released from jail or can't afford bond.
There is some bias in decision-making, but it doesn't come from inherent racism, Borgmann said.
"People are not conscious of these biases. They don't have bad intent," Borgmann said. "But they've seen images in the media or other places and have ingrained views of people."
Billings Police Chief Rich St. John said his department does not profile for traffic stops and that officers make arrests based on behavior. No complaints about discrimination have been sustained during his time as chief. St. John noted that more complaints against officers are generated from within his office than from outside of it.
Kircher commended the police chief on the work he has done in his office.
However, the Billings Police Department does not yet analyze officers for implicit bias and does not have a way to gather that data.
Billings is about 89 percent white and about 4.4 percent Native American, according to the 2010 census. However, white people made up about 60 percent of arrests in 2014 and Native Americans made up about 25 percent of arrests, according to the 2014 Billings Police annual report. In 2015, white people made up 63 percent of those arrested and Native Americans made up about 22 percent.
Yellowstone County Deputy Chief of Criminal Litigation Ed Zink presented statistics at the meeting that showed from 2013 to 2014, the Native American population in Montana was about 6.2 percent. But American Indians made up 11 percent of the homicide victims, 9.2 percent of rape victims and 13 percent of aggravated assault victims.
American Indians also made up 11 percent of the people arrested in connection with a homicide case, 14 percent of those arrested on rape charges and 19 percent of those arrested for aggravated assault, Zink said, citing statistics from the Montana Board of Crime Control. Crime data kept by individual reservations was not included in those numbers.
Gwendolyn Kircher, who was attending school in the 1960s, said Native Americans need to take steps similar to those taken by African-Americans during the civil rights era. Native Americans need to organize and prepare to be beaten down, Kircher said.
"Native Americans are in the same spot African-Americans were before the civil rights movement," Kircher said. "Passive, docile, content and happy to have what we got and accept whatever happened to us. Separate but equal didn't work for us and it doesn't work for Native Americans."
Kircher sits on the City of Billings Human Relations Commission and invited one of the Native American women who spoke Monday to address the commission during its monthly meeting Thursday.
The city commission can make recommendations to the mayor and city council. Many people don't know the commission exists and could help them, Kircher said.
This was a problem presented by many who spoke during the public comment period of the meeting Monday, committee member Taylor said.
"People asked us, 'What do we do? Who do we tell?'" Taylor said. "We were just thinking, what do we do to get people connected?"
The Montana Advisory Committee does not have much power, committee member Lopez said. The committee is meant to advise the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which can in turn make recommendations to Congress. The power of the advisory board comes from exposing biases, not fixing them.
Billings author Russell Rowland said he can see the biases of Billings easily enough without a committee detailing them. He believes there must be solutions to the problem, and that solutions come from education. Rowland and journalist Adrian Jawort started holding meetings at the downtown Billings Public Library a year ago to open a dialogue about how Native Americans are viewed in Montana.
"I moved back to Billings 9 years ago and I was blown away by how much prejudice there was against Native Americans," Rowland said.
The natural tendency is for people in Billings to believe the problem doesn't exist, Rowland said. That belief just can't continue if people want to solve the high rate of arrest for Native Americans, low life expectancy and lack of higher education, he said.
According to the 2014 Montana Vital Statistics Annual Report, white Montana women live an average of 82 years and 75 years for men. American Indians in Montana have a life expectancy of 63 years for women and 58 for men.
People wishing to submit comment about discrimination against Native Americans in Montana have until Sept. 29 to share their thoughts with the Montana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Those comments can be submitted to the email address ebohor@usccr.gov.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
An event focused on what brings people to the Okanagan and how their activities affect change is taking place in Penticton next week.
PechaKucha Penticton volume five will be held at Cannery Brewing on Sept. 8.
"The first four PechaKucha events that were held here were sold out," said Vaelei Walkden-Brown, one of the organizers. "And I think what makes these events great is that it's a range of inspiring speakers that all have unique stories to tell."
PechaKucha, which means chit chat in Japanese, was devised in Tokyo in 2003 as an event for designers to meet, network and show their work in public.
The presentation format is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds.
Presenters are given six minutes and 40 seconds to explain their ideas or share their work before the next presenter takes the stage.
For next week's event, themed Why Here, Walkden-Brown as well as other organizers Skyler Punnett and Katie Harris are bringing together a diverse range of the local community with backgrounds in art, design, architecture, mental health, social entrepreunership, hospitality and construction.
All are issues that have polarized the community and opportunities that are bringing the community closer together.
The speakers include:
-Dan Walton, journalist, photographer
-Hayley Bowie, The Rocky Bean Co.
-Howie RIchardson, biologist
-Ian MacDonald, Liquidity Winery
-Jen Vincent, Cowork Penticton
-Lyndie Seddon, Hoodoo Adventures
-Nic Vincent, Cowork Penticton
-Patt Dyck, Cannery Brewing
-Peter Wolf, artist, builder
-Rylee McKinley, youth activist
-Vaelei WalkdenaBrown, 557 Artist Block
Local music aficionado Tenacious T will also be in the house.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with the first presentation set to begin at 7 p.m.
Early bird tickets costing $10 are available at 557 Artist Block, the previous host of the event, or at Cowork Penticton.
They will cost $15 at the door.
Proceeds go to Pechakucha.org.
For more information, email: [email protected]
The efforts of firefighters throughout our province are appreciated by residents coast to coast, and while forest fires rarely change, the technology to fight them does.
While the Martin Mars water bomber was the face of the fight against the 2003 Okanagan fire, the Fire Boss light air tankers are what you will likely see fighting fires in 2016.
Kurtis Isfeld, manager of B.C. Wildfire Operations, says the planes used to fight fires have become more efficient and agile.
Isfeld said the most commonly seen water skimmer, the AirTractor AT802FB 'Fire Boss' light air tanker, is a single-engine, turbine-powered amphibious plane.
It is piloted by one pilot. This aircraft in particular has the ability to be able to drop retardant around a wildfire and can then scoop up water to drop on the actual fire itself to reduce the intensity, said Isfeld.
It skims about 3,000 litres of water in about 15 seconds from about 1,700 bodies of water in B.C. They provide us with a flexibility tool that allows us to operate in the geographics we see in B.C.
Far more useful that the larger Martin Mars that could only scoop water from about 130 bodies of water.
From that perspective, you've got a lot more flexibility as a decision maker on a fire when you've got a short turnaround.
Isfeld said in 2003 the province was just starting to use skimmer aircraft like the Martin Mars. The amphibious planes were used only on an as-needed contract basis.
In 2014, the province moved to have certain planes under permanent contract, a fleet of different types and sizes of aircraft.
There is a whole fleet of aircraft. We have the Fire Boss which is considered a light, a fleet of intermediate air tankers which are land-based, retardant-based aircraft and then we also have the Electra which is considered a heavy land-based, retardant-based aircraft, explained Isfeld.
For water supply to the fire we rely on the Fire Bosses, as well as our access to rotary-wing helicopters.
Isfeld said the province is also experimenting with the use of drones in the fight against wildfires.
We are using them to capture information and data on fires which we have found has actually been a safer and more cost effective method of scanning fire perimeters for hot spots, said Isfeld.
The big advantage to the UAVs that we are seeing is that they have the ability to operate in the evening, whereas traditional aircraft can't fly and scan at night. It gives us the ability to go out, identify hot spots with incredible accuracy and have those maps printed out and ready for crews first thing in the morning.
He also said it allows them to send firefighters on the ground to coordinates within the fire that require attention.
From a safety perspective and an efficiency perspective, we are really excited about that piece of emergency technology.
Isfeld said they also use eight remote cameras that crews can set up and keep running to monitor remote fires from afar.
It is very helpful, quick and gives you the ability to check in on that fire as much as you want. Versus, going out once in a while in a helicopter at a significant cost.
While technology is helping crews fight fires in all sorts of ways, the fight on the ground has not changed a whole lot in the last century.
Our organization has been around for more than 100 years and essentially it is very basic science. You have three elements; fuel, oxygen and heat. From a tactics perspective all we are doing is looking at employing ground or aerial tactics to remove one of those elements. Remove the heat, remove the fuel or remove the oxygen, that is how we get our success, said Isfeld.
Overtime technology has improved and we have access to some different tools that we didn't have before, but the general tactics of firefighting are pretty sound principles that have been around for awhile.
Meanwhile, the year-round mitigation work to prevent catastrophic fires has improved since 2003.
The B.C. government introduced the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative in 2004 to help local governments and First Nations reduce the risk of interface wildfires.
As of April 29, about $78 million has been allocated to the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative.
As well, as of March 31, 290 Community Wildfire Protection Plans have been completed by local governments and First Nations. Another 55 are in progress.
The government says these plans identify areas at risk and prescribe fuel management projects to address those risks.
As of March 31, completed fuel treatments and risk reduction efforts from all projects covered nearly 80,000 hectares of land in and around communities that face a significant wildfire risk.
And in 2016 the government invested $85 million to create the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C.
The new societys efforts will focus on wildfire-risk reduction.
We certainly understand as an organization that we have to be proactive with our mitigation efforts, said Isfeld.
One of the things we are trying to do is reach out to communities through education efforts, explain to municipalities about fire-smart principles. It is definitely a shared responsibility.
Each year, the BC Wildfire Service responds to an average of about 2,000 fires throughout the province. In an average season, air tankers conduct about 520 firebombing missions.
More than 1,560 firefighters and support staff are available for the 2016 wildfire season.
The B.C. government is also able to call on over 2,500 private contractor firefighting resources and a multitude of contingency resources (including those in other provinces).
As it stands, the province contracts the following aircraft fleet of 33 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft;
One Type 4 light-lift helicopter
Five Type 2 medium-lift helicopters
Eight bird dog aircraft (used for co-ordinating aerial wildfire response)
17 air tankers (including four AT-802F 'Fire Boss' amphibious air tankers, four AT-802 land-based light air tankers, four Electra L-188 heavy air tankers, four Convair CV- 580 intermediate air tankers and one Avro RJ85 heavy airtanker)
Two parattack jumpships
For more details on the entire B.C. fleet, click here.
Photo: David Pusey
Contracted aircraft for the 2016 fire season consist of 33 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft:
One Type 4 light-lift helicopter
Five Type 2 medium-lift helicopters
Eight bird dog aircraft (used for co-ordinating aerial wildfire response)
17 air tankers (including 4 AT-802F Fire Boss amphibious air tankers, 4 AT-802 land-based light air tankers, 4 Electra L-188 heavy air tankers, 4 Convair CV 580 intermediate air tankers and 1 Avro RJ85 heavy air tanker)
Two parattack jumpships
For more details about each aircraft, read below.
Bird-dogs Typically the first firefighting resource to reach a wildfire. They establish and maintain air traffic control near a wildfire, complete initial fire assessments, formulate fire attack plans, determine resource requirements, check viability of air tanker bombing runs, direct air tanker bombing runs and assess the effectiveness of aerial attacks. Bird-dogs are staffed by a pilot and an air attack officer. The BC Wildfire Service uses three different models:
The turbine-powered Turbo Commander 690 has a cruising speed of 480 km/h and operational endurance of four hours.
The turbine-powered Cessna Caravan C208-B has a cruising speed of 324 km/hr and operational endurance of six hours.
The jet-powered Cessna Citation C525 has a cruising speed of 720 km/hr and operational endurance of four hours.
Lockheed Electra L188 heavy air tanker This land-based air tanker has four turbine-powered engines and a crew of two pilots. It can load fire retardant from 15 air tanker bases throughout the province and has the highest payload in the fleet at 11,365 litres. Its cruising speed is 560 km/h and it can drop fire retardant at 225 km/h. This aircraft excels at responding to remote fires, has a large drop volume and can quickly establish lines of retardant to help contain a wildfires spread.
AirTractor AT802 light air tanker This single-engine, turbine-powered air tanker carries a crew of one pilot. It is land-based and is specifically designed to deliver fire retardant. It can operate from short airstrips, allowing it to load retardant from any one of the provinces 17 air tanker bases. It has a cruising speed of 240 km/h and can drop 3,025 litres of fire retardant at 190 km/h. This air tanker excels at attacking wildfires in mountainous terrain, directly attacking small fires and providing close air support for firefighters on the ground.
Convair 580 intermediate air tanker This two-engine, turbine-powered air tanker carries a crew of two pilots. It can load up to 7,950 litres of fire retardant from 15 of B.C.s air tanker bases, fly to a wildfire at 500 km/h and drop multiple loads at 225 km/h. It is well-suited for work in B.C.s mountainous terrain and its quick-response capability complements the work of the fleets other air tankers.
Avro RJ85 heavy air tanker During a pilot project thats running this summer, BC Wildfire Service staff are evaluating the Avro RJ85 turbo fan aircraft. This four-engine, high-speed air tanker is equipped with a fire retardant delivery system that was developed in B.C. and designed for use in B.C.s firefighting conditions. The Avro RJ85s single tank can be loaded with 11,365 litres of fire retardant in about eight minutes and it can deliver that load in a single drop or multiple drops (with varying volumes and coverage areas).
AirTractor AT802FB Fire Boss light air tanker This single-engine, turbine-powered air tanker is amphibious (i.e. it can land on water or at an airport) and is highly versatile. It carries a crew of one pilot. The Fire Boss can drop retardant around a wildfire to slow its spread and then scoop up water and drop it on the fire to reduce its intensity. The Fire Boss can skim up to 3,025 litres of water in 15 seconds from over 1,700 water bodies in B.C. Its targeting accuracy allows firefighting crews to take a more aggressive approach to fighting a wildfire and allows skimming aircraft to work in conjunction with air tankers dropping fire retardant.
Role of helicopters (rotary-wing aircraft)
Helicopters play a vital role by supporting firefighting crews and other resources on the ground. They perform many different tasks, including dropping water on hot spots, transporting BC Wildfire Service personnel to and from the fire line, and allowing staff to quickly get an aerial view of a wildfire.
Helicopters are generally categorized into four types, based on the amount of weight that they can carry: light, intermediate, medium and heavy.
Types of helicopters contracted by the BC Wildfire Service
Type 4 light-duty helicopter A light-duty helicopter can carry up to four passengers and is typically used for: GPS mapping; infrared scanning of wildfires; long lining equipment (transporting cargo to and from remote locations using a cable or rope); co-ordinating helicopter flight operations; transporting personnel (including the deployment of fire crews); initiating controlled aerial ignitions (to burn off fuels or create firebreaks); and allowing an incident commander or fire line crew member to observe a wildfire from above. Light-duty helicopters frequently used by the BC Wildfire Service include the Bell 206B, EC 120 and Hughes 500.
Type 3 intermediate-duty helicopter An intermediate-duty helicopter performs the same tasks as a light-duty helicopter, but can carry up to five passengers. Intermediate-duty helicopters frequently used by the BC Wildfire Service include the Bell 206 Longranger series, Bell 407 and A Star 350 series.
Type 2 medium-duty helicopter A medium-duty helicopter can carry up to 14 passengers and be configured with tanks or buckets capable of holding about 1,400 litres of water or fire retardant. Medium-duty helicopters are primarily used to transport firefighting crews and cargo, provide bucketing or belly-tanking support on the fire line to help suppress hot spots, or drop long-term fire retardant to help maintain a wildfire control line. Medium-duty helicopters are also used by the RapAttack program so firefighters can access remote fires by rappelling or hoisting. Medium-duty helicopters frequently used by the BC Wildfire Service include the Bell 205, Bell 212 and Bell 412.
Type 1 heavy-lift helicopter A heavy-lift helicopter is typically used for water bucketing or water bombing. It can carry up to 9,500 litres of water or fire retardant to help maintain a fireguard or suppress hot spots inside or outside of the fire perimeter. Heavy-lift helicopters frequently used by the BC Wildfire Service include the Bell 214B, Sikorsky 61, Kamov Ka32, Kaman K-MAX K-1200, Boeing BV107 (Vertol) and Sikorsky 64 Skycrane.
Photo: Thinkstock.com
People in Penticton will soon get a chance to hear what city staffers have been up to in researching medical pot regulations.
In a committee of the whole meeting next Tuesday, staff will present some potential regulations deliberated in the process so far.
While council would not be making any particular decisions on that day, Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said the meeting will give council an opportunity to provide direction for staff on some of the options.
While the community would not be able to participate in the dialogue in the meeting, Jakubeit said it could be an opportunity for people to hear what options have been running through city hall during the 60-day mandate to provide municipal regulations on the city's dispensaries.
"(It will) allow sort of two weeks for comments to start getting collected," he said. "Like, 'Yeah, I like the proposed hours,' or these proposed regulations, or they're too restrictive, or they're too open ended."
That 60 days is expected to come to an end in the next few weeks, with Sept. 20 likely to be the date of staff's presentation either outlining potential regulations, or asking for more time.
The process began in a special council meeting on July 19, when city council rejected the business licence of the Rush In and Finish Cafe along Westminster Ave.
After cancelling the business licence, a motion was passed in council to look into potential regulations the city could undertake for local dispensaries to work under.
The committee of the whole meeting will be held next Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
Staff at a new storefront on Penticton's Brunswick Street were busy Wednesday preparing food and welcoming visitors.
The Wine Crush Market held its soft opening from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"I absolutely love it, and I think people are going to just love it," said co-owner Tyson Still. "It's a healthy product chock full of antioxidants and Resveratrol, which has many health benefits."
Still said it all started when his business partner was riding his bike in Summerland and came across some wild grapes.
He told Still they could get a sourdough starter from the grapes capturing the wild yeast, and they started experimenting with it.
"We started making some products and sampling them out to people and we got great reviews," he said. "People were intrigued with what we were doing."
From there they met a guy who owns a dehydration facility in Vancouver who told them he had a culled crop of grapes and dehydrated them.
That led to them incorporating the wine crush powder into all of their products.
It took off from there with them selling the product made from the wine crush at local farmers' market in the Okanagan and again getting rave reviews.
A storefront seemed like the right way to go and although it took a big effort to get it open, everything has now fallen into place.
Wine Crush Market offers a wide range of healthy products including sourdough RedBread and RhineBread, varietal Winecrush powder, sausages and much more.
It is now open, Tuesday to Saturday, at 283 Brunswick Street.
Dustin Godfrey
The City of Penticton lowered its Canadian flag to half-staff in honour of former Penticton MP Fred King.
King died in hospice Tuesday morning at the age of 93.
Mayor Andrew Jakubeit shared some words to commemorate the former MP, calling King "someone who commanded a fair bit of respect."
"He was well liked because he had such a bubbly personality," he said. "He was always a bit of a character, a bit of humour."
King served as MP for the federal Progressive Conservative Party from 1979 until 1988, when he retired from politics following a defeat by New Democrat Jack Whittaker.
However, King remained an active member of the community, working as director of the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation and working to bring more recognition to local veterans.
Prior to politics, King had various careers, including fruit farming and postmaster.
Prior to that, he had served in Burma during the Second World War for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The flag will be flown at half-mast until his memorial service.
A movie filmed in the Okanagan last summer will be making its festival debut at the Montreal World Film Festival this weekend, but the future of the festival remains in limbo.
Kate Twa, who lives in Vancouver, wrote the script for The Orchard while in Arizona in May 2015, but she always had the Okanagan in mind, despite never really spending much time here.
She came to the Okanagan last summer with co-creator Ronan Reinhart to scout out places to shoot, and quickly fell in love with the area. By August, filming had begun in Peachland and Naramata.
It was so surprising to see how many people wanted to help and how happy they were that the Okanagan was being shot as the Okanagan and not as some distant American landscape.
We were treated really well.
Several local landmarks are featured prominently in the film.
I rewrote the script to include actual places in the Okanagan, like Andy's Animal Farm and the lavender farm and all of those places I rewrote based on who we met and what we saw, Twa said. Which was kind of cool because it became even more authentic.
The film is about a Los Angeles talent agent who inherits a small peach orchard in the Okanagan. He travels north expecting to make a quick sale on the land, but begins to fall for the area and the people who live there.
Twa enjoyed her time in the Okanagan so much last summer that she's recently bought a place in Naramata.
I didn't know that there was a place that was kind of like heaven, she said. My neighbours have vineyards; is there anything better in the world?
Twa flies to Montreal Thursday for the debut of the film at the Montreal World Film Festival, despite the festival experiencing some turbulent times as of late.
Cineplex pulled out of the fest last week, citing a number of concerns with the financials and operation of it, leaving the festival with far fewer screens then hoped.
It's gotten messy, Twa said. We do know that we're screening for sure this weekend ... we just have no idea what to expect.
Twa was told in July that their movie would be shown at the festival, but that was put in jeopardy when Cineplex pulled out. She was just told Wednesday that that the festival would in fact be screening The Orchard, just once, compared to the three screenings she was promised in July.
Montreal is only the start for The Orchard though.
We'll be a travelling caravan if we have to, Twa said. We're so excited for people to see it.
In addition to future festival screenings, Twa is trying to get a screening organized in the Okanagan.
Photo: Dustin Godfrey
To finish off his bike trip around his riding, Richard Cannings held a barbecue this week.
Cannings, the federal NDP MP for the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding, took his bike along the Kettle Valley Rail trails around the riding, starting from Nakusp and concluding in Penticton on Tuesday.
That's when he fired up the barbecue in Skaha Lake Park, along with a donations bucket, with proceeds going toward the new hospital tower at Penticton Regional Hospital.
He said the barbecue will be the first of an annual event, as long as he represents the riding in Ottawa.
"It's first annual because I'm a new MP," he said. "We're going to be holding it year after year."
He said both the barbecue and the bike ride will send him back to Parliament armed with conversations he's had with people in the riding's communities along the way.
"It's one last chance to talk to people before I go back to Ottawa," he said.
He added that he spent his time around the riding speaking to people in various communities about subjects from the Site C dam and pipelines, to electoral reform and marijuana legalization.
"Everybody's got their main issues," he said. "It's quite a broad range."
He added that he had been hearing about the KVR trails, with people saying more investment is needed into the trails to promote tourism in the area.
He said he hopes to bike around the riding in the coming years as well.
"I hope I'll still be in good enough shape, next year," he said. "I definitely want to do it. I'll probably do a different route to see a few more different communities."
Yellowstone County is asking a judge to rule in its favor without a trial in a civil lawsuit filed against it by the family of Loren Benjamin Simpson, who was fatally shot last year by sheriffs deputies near Huntley.
This week, the county filed documents in U.S. District Court in Billings seeking summary judgment on behalf of the county, Sheriff Mike Linder and former deputies Jason Robinson and Christopher Rudolph.
Mediation in the case has not been successful, both parties said Wednesday.
Kevin Gillen, Yellowstone County deputy attorney, said in court records that the officers have qualified immunity from federal constitutional claims, which means they are not liable for civil damages.
Nathan Wagner, a Missoula attorney who represents Simpsons family, said he opposes the motions and will be filing a response.
Simpson, 28, died on Jan. 8, 2015, as he approached two deputies on White Buffalo Road in Huntley while driving a Ford Explorer that had been reported stolen. The two deputies fired at the vehicle with a shotgun and AR-15 rifle. Simpson was struck multiple times, including being hit by a fatal shot in the back of the head.
After the shooting, the deputies told investigators they felt threatened by the vehicle coming toward them. Both deputies resigned five days after the shooting.
A coroners inquest in February ruled unanimously that the deputies did not act criminally in Simpsons shooting death.
Gillen said the county is always interested in settling cases. And despite the countys motions for summary judgment, Gillen said, Were still in the process of discussing settlement if we can.
Even if the judge rules for the county on the federal claims, Gillen said the county still faces state claims alleging negligence, wrongful death and other allegations.
Wagner also said regardless of whether the county is successful on the federal claims, the case will go forward on the state claims.
The case began in state District Court and was moved into federal court. A trial date has not been set.
The county said the deputies have qualified immunity from federal claims.
It was reasonable for them to believe under the circumstances that the deadly force they used against Loren Simpson would not have violated Simpsons right against excessive use of force under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, the county said.
When Simpson drove his vehicle in the direction of Robinson, it was reasonable for Robinson and Rudolph to believe that Simpson posed a threat of death or serious bodily injury to Robinson that allowed them to use deadly force against Simpson, the county said.
Qualified immunity provides a government employee sued for monetary damages under federal Constitutional claims with immunity if it was reasonable for the employee to believe his actions would not violate a clearly established statutory or constitutional right, the county said.
The sheriff also is entitled to qualified immunity, the county said. Linder responded to scene of the shooting, reviewed the dash camera video of the shooting with command staff, met with county litigators and determined that the deputies actions were against "best practices" of the sheriffs office, the county continued.
Linder decided to begin disciplinary proceedings, but before that could begin, the deputies resigned.
Because it was reasonable for Linder to believe it was constitutional to do what he did, he is immune from liability, the county said.
Wagner disagreed. The county, he said, is trying to excuse the conduct of the officers by relying on recent case law indicating that if there is any benefit of the doubt, it will be given to officers. We dont think that applies, he said.
Qualified immunity is intended to give officers the benefit of the doubt if they were acting reasonably, Wagner said.
The deputies were not in danger, Wagner said. The only one in danger was Loren, he said.
The video, Wagner said, shows how Simpson swerved to avoid the deputies. They emptied their rifles into the vehicle. That is not a qualified immunity situation in our view, he said.
Photo: Dustin Godfrey
No court injunction has yet been invoked for a Penticton cannabis dispensary that has kept its doors open despite a cancelled business licence.
The Rush In and Finish Cafe's business licence was cancelled in a 5-2 vote on July 19, and fines have steadily increased for the store since that time.
The city's bylaw enforcement is now handing out daily $500 tickets to the shop, and Mayor Andrew Jakubeit had previously said the city would consider a court action against the shop if fines didn't work.
However, Jakubeit said on Wednesday that Jukka Laurio has been attempting to dispute the tickets in court, which Jakubeit said rings of a "sort of delay tactic."
Laurio has previously referred to the fines as a way for the city to gain some revenue from his business.
However, Jakubeit said if that's Laurio's attitude toward the fines, then "tell him to pay them."
He said the process to get the court's backing, which costs time and money, has not yet begun. He noted that council will meet next week, and the shop could find itself the subject of discussions of whether or not to pursue the shop through the court.
"Right now I don't have a definitive timeline on when we're going to ramp it up to injunctive action, or if that is our only option," he said.
However, he noted that Laurio's resistance to council may bode poorly for him when city regulations do come in that would tolerate pot shops in the city.
"Just like any business, they have to be in good standing to get their licence renewed," he said.
He added that with provisions from the city likely to come into place in the coming weeks, it may be best for the city to continue to fine the shop until they know whether or not it will fit the bill of city regulations.
"Whether he, or others, would fall into those provisions, and what those provisions are, I think that's the next thing," he said.
Laurio has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Two other dispensaries in the city Avitas down Main Street and Green Essence on Martin Street both closed their doors after failing to persuade council to allow their business licences to continue earlier in August.
Photo: Contributed
was saddened to learn of the passing of Fred King of Kaleden, a Second World War veteran and retired member of Parliament.
He was a kind, caring man who gave back to his community in many different ways that extended well beyond his time in Ottawa.
Although I considered Fred a close friend, he was also a mentor who offered support and sage advice on many issues around our region.
From his time as MP, Fred had many accomplishments although he was most proud of the work securing federally owned lands that could be used for Okanagan College's Penticton campus.
Some have pointed out that if it were not for his intervention, the Penticton campus may have been placed in a far less convenient location nor without considerable extra costs.
Fred was a strong believer and supporter in our youth and the importance of upgrading skills and education. Fred continued to quietly provide support and assistance for many individuals in hopes they would have a better future.
What I most admired about Fed was his sincere willingness to always help others, many who were complete strangers never asking anything in return only a desire to try and bring happiness and help to those who were in need.
It is a privilege to consider him my friend and to recognize his contributions and his service for the betterment of others.
I would also like to pay tribute to another former member of Parliament, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper.
The former prime minister recently announced he is retiring from Parliament, effective immediately.
Mr. Harper was one of the most misunderstood elected officials I have met who endured significant personal and public attacks that were at odds with my interactions with him during my time in the previous Parliament.
He cared deeply about Canadian families and encouraged policies that promoted prosperity and employment.
As my colleague, MP Pierre Poilievre, recently observed, under Mr. Harpers term as PM, the number of Canadians living in poverty declined to a record low of 4.2 per cent while middle class incomes rose by 11 per cent.
As we know, Canadian middle-class prosperity surpassed that of the United States in 2014 for the first time, all while balancing the budget in the final year of the previous Parliament.
Mr. Harper also eliminated retroactively a gold-plated pension perk that paid every former Canadian PM on retirement 66 per cent of the PM's salary.
Eliminating this perk cost Mr. Harper (and saved taxpayers) $1.5-$2 million in retirement benefits.
He also brought fairness to the formerly gold-plated MP pension plan and to the public sector pension plan by ensuring that these plans were funded equally on a 50/50 contribution rate.
These changes are estimated to save Canadian taxpayers close to $2.6 billion over the next five years.
What I most admired about our former PM was that he was not afraid to make difficult and unpopular decisions that were necessary for Canadas long-term prosperity.
It should also be noted that his electoral rivals tried to paint him as someone who would try to dismantle our health-care system by cutting federal transfer payments to provinces as the former Liberal government had done to balance its budget woes.
Mr. Harper consistently raised federal transfers each and every year while in office and insisted that his ministers support these year-over-year increases while finding efficiencies in their departments and staying focused on growing the economy.
While I appreciate some may see my comments as partisan, I have met few people who believe reducing federal funding for important priorities like health care or that forcing MPs to pay more into their pension plan was a bad one.
Ultimately, leadership means taking principled positions and making at times difficult decisions and for that I would like to recognize Mr. Harpers service to Canadians.
If you have a comment, question or concern about this weeks report or any federal matters, I can be reached at [email protected] or contacted toll free at 1-800-665-8711.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: BC Fire Info
Provincial firefighters have been dispatched to numerous lightning-caused wildfires within the Southeast Fire Centre.
Fires are burning within both the Arrow and Kootenay Lake fire zones.
While many are very visible, no structures are being threatened at the present time.
Fires of note include:
Three separate fires are burning about 12 kilometres south of Boswell in the Sanca area, east of Kootenay Lake. These fires are all 0.5 hectares or smaller. Airtankers, a helicopter and initial attack crews are working on site
Initial attack crews are responding to two small wildfires about five kilometres north of Queens Bay in the Coffee Creek region, west of Kootenay Lake.
Twenty-five BC Wildfire Service personnel are responding to a 0.2- hectare fire south of Champion Lakes Provincial Park, a 0.4-hectare fire on Mount Heinze (east of Birchbank) and a 0.5-hectare wildfire on Keystone Mountain (northwest of Salmo).
A 0.7-hectare wildfire west of Slocan Park in the Waverton Creek area is in steep, difficult terrain. A helicopter and initial attack crew are en route.
Since the start of the fire season April 1, 174 fires have broken out in the Southeast Fire District. More than 120 of those have been caused by lightning.
The fire danger rating through much of the zone is high, with pockets of extreme hazard in the Cranbrook, Arrow and Kootenay Lake fire zones.
Photo: www.ships.lv
The Port of Prince Rupert says a large container ship is sitting idly in the waters off British Columbia's northwest coast because the South Korean company that owns the vessel is having financial trouble.
The 255-metre long Hanjin Scarlet arrived at the port Tuesday night and was immediately anchored in the inner harbour, said port spokesman Michael Gurney.
A number of media organizations were reporting that Hanjin Shipping Co. filed for receivership but the company could not immediately be reached for comment in Vancouver or by email in South Korea.
Under normal circumstances, the ship would go directly to the terminal for unloading, but it has not been handled because of the uncertain situation, Gurney said.
The port authority said in a release that it is working with DP World, which owns the terminal, and CN Rail to find a resolution. DP World's terminal manager in Prince Rupert declined comment.
CN Rail said in a statement that all Hanjin containers in its system will be released for pickup and that the rail company will not accept additional export loads from the shipping company or bookings from other shipping lines destined for Hanjin vessels.
A separate CN Rail statement said the company is "closely monitoring the fluid and evolving Hanjin bankruptcy issue, and is developing the necessary steps to protect the interests of our customers and our business."
Gurney said the Hanjin Scarlet began its voyage in Busan, South Korea, and port schedules show the vessel was due to make its next stop in Delta, later this week.
The shipping line's financial fortunes are having a big impact on the Canadian freight industry, said Ruth Snowden, executive director of the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association.
She said members from across the country have been contacting her, concerned about the fate of the cargo on Hanjin vessels.
"It's most unusual. This is going to impact ports around the world," Snowden said. "It impacts Canadian importers and exporters because if I have a container on that vessel I can't get it."
There are thousands of containers on Hanjin ships and many more Canadian products could be sitting on docks abroad, Snowden added. Traders will now have to retrieve their cargo and arrange for it to be shipped on other lines, she said.
Photo: Nicholas Johansen Lytton wildfire burns within sight of food for hungry firefighters.
Richard Brown sits in the Jade Springs Restaurant, just north of Lytton, Wednesday night, waiting for his order of 55 meals from the Chinese food restaurant.
It's the only restaurant in town that's open at 10 p.m. anywhere near Lytton and Brown has a lot of hungry mouths to feed.
Brown is the warden for the Lytton Forest Service and has been tasked with delivering items to and from the front line, where crews battle a 300-hectare and growing wildfire that has been threatening homes throughout the day.
Just hours before, the BC Forestry Service had estimated the fire was 160 hectares, but the estimate was nearly doubled to 300 hectares by 7 p.m. Heavy winds had been blowing all day, whipping the fire northward.
As night fell, the wind continued, and the flames could be seen clearly on the mountains across the Fraser River from Lytton, engulfing trees in seconds.
While Brown spent the day delivering hoses, pumps and other firefighting necessities, he was now in charge of getting food to the crew that had just come off the line after fighting the fire since morning.
Brown says he's sure they'll be happy to see him after putting in 12-hour shifts.
"They're a little tired, but they're patient people, they're hard workers," he said.
While winds were expected to persist northward, Brown said you never know how fires will act.
"You can't really predict it, (the wind) shifts around in this valley, so the fire's going to move around."
Despite the river standing between Lytton and the fire, residents were busy watering down their houses and decks Wednesday afternoon. They may be used to the drill by now.
Near the end of June, a seven-hectare wildfire burned four kilometres south of town, just two kilometres south of where Wednesday's fire started.
"Just farther down the road," Brown said. "They're mostly railroad fires."
Elaborating, Brown says sparks from train wheels are often to blame for fires in the area.
Regardless of the cause, it needs to be stopped and there's 55 people down the road who need to be rested and fed by morning.
He loads the 55 meals into his truck and heads off.
The kitchen can be heard celebrating the end to their busy night on what should have been a quiet Wednesday.
Photo: Cam Jones
A Vancouver Island man witnessed an unusual sight in his backyard three cougars stalking a deer.
Courtenay resident Cam Jones glanced out his window, Wednesday, and caught the unforgettable moment.
I happened to look up and see the two come across the lawn. The third one followed a couple seconds behind, Jones told CTV.
I watched them as they headed toward the neighbour's, and then I looked up as I saw a deer running across my yard with the cougar in pursuit, he said. About a minute later, you see the cougar come back, a little out of breath. He obviously didnt get his meal, wasnt fast enough.
Then, one of the cougars sauntered onto his porch for a rest.
Jones has seen a lot of wildlife in the area, but never a cougar in broad daylight, let alone three.
I feel very privileged to be so close to something like that, something that you rarely see, so I thought I would share it with everybody, he said.
The BC Conservation Officer Service has seen an island-wide increase in cougar interactions this year.
Anyone who has a cougar sighting is asked to report it to the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.
with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: UBC Okanagan
A new CIBC poll suggests four out of five parents aren't able to accurately estimate university tuition fees, with many also not understanding how RESPs work.
The survey found that only 20 per cent of parents correctly gauged the cost of post-secondary education tuition at between $6,000 to $9,999.
On average, tuition for an undergraduate degree costs $6,191, according to the most recent data from Statistics Canada.
Moreover, 37 per cent of parents said they had no idea how much to budget for non-tuition expenses, such as books, supplies, groceries and accommodation.
Kathleen Woodard, senior vice-president of retail and business banking at CIBC, says parents looking to send their child to college or university for four years should count on a total cost of at least $100,000, or $25,000 per year.
The poll did find that 76 per cent of parents saving for their child's post-secondary education had set up a Registered Education Savings Plan account, but many of them lacked basic knowledge about how RESPs actually work.
No matter what your family income is, the federal government will match eligible annual contributions to an RESP account by 20 per cent, to a maximum of $500 per year for each child under age 18 and a lifetime limit of $7,200.
Those government incentives, called Canada Education Savings Grants, can also be carried forward but $1,000 is the maximum grant parents can receive in any one year.
Of the respondents in the CIBC survey, 31 per cent of them said they were not aware they can catch up on claiming CESG in another year.
The poll released Thursday also said 53 per cent of respondents believed that RESP contributions were tax deductible, which they are not.
Another 45 per cent thought that RESPs can only be used to pay for their child's tuition, when in fact, they can be used for any purpose related to university costs, including general living expenses.
Photo: The Canadian Press
A self-styled champion of privatized health care is bringing his fight to British Columbia Supreme Court next week for the start of a months-long trial he says is about patients' access to affordable treatment, while his opponents accuse him of trying to gut the core of Canada's medical system.
Dr. Brian Day of Cambie Surgery Centre in Vancouver is challenging B.C.'s ban on the purchase of private insurance for medically necessary services that are already covered by the public system. He argues the restriction violates patients' constitutional rights by forcing them to endure gruelling wait times that often exacerbate their health problems.
"This is about making medicare better," said Day.
A statement from the B.C. Health Ministry, the defendant in the case, said its priority is to uphold the Medicare Protection Act and the benefits it safeguards. It declined further comment while the case is before the courts.
Day launched the lawsuit in 2010. There have been a number of delays, including a one-year postponement while the two sides unsuccessfully tried to reach an out-of-court settlement.
Canada's inefficient system is the product of a wasteful bureaucracy, a lack of competition and a misguided attachment to universal coverage, Day argues.
He said opening the door for private insurance would ease pressure on the public system, freeing up resources to cut wait times and boost the quality of care for everyone, whether publicly or privately insured.
It's widely agreed the lawsuit could have far-reaching ramifications for health care in Canada.
Adam Lynes-Ford of the B.C. Health Coalition, one of the interveners in the case, said making space for private health care flies in the face of the core Canadian value that people should have access to medical care based on need, not on ability to pay.
"This is such a profound threat to the health of everybody in Canada," Lynes-Ford said.
He said a win for Day would lead to a more U.S.-style medical system, meaning longer wait times for the average Canadian and skyrocketing costs as limits are lifted on what doctors can charge patients.
Colleen Flood, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, described Day's lawsuit as one of the biggest constitutional cases "perhaps ever."
"Basically, medicare is being put on trial, and will likely be found wanting in many regards," she said.
"But the question is whether the cure for what ails medicare is more privatization. That's what Dr. Day is arguing," she added. "I don't think so myself and I think the weight of the evidence is against that."
Photo: Google Street View
The Original Joe's, State & Main and Elephant & Castle restaurant-bar chains will be acquired later this year by Cara Operations Ltd., which sees an opportunity to increase its presence in Western Canada.
Under transactions announced Thursday, Cara will pay $93 million for a majority stake in Original Joe's Franchise Group Inc., which will remain under its current management and keep its corporate head office in Calgary.
"Original Joe's is a natural fit for Cara. The majority of Original Joe's restaurants are located in Western Canada, an area where Cara is currently under-represented,'' Cara CEO Bill Gregson said in a release.
Original Joe's president and CEO Derek Doke said "the opportunity to partner with Cara was attractive from a strategic and synergistic perspective."
The bulk of what Cara pays, $90 million, will be used by Original Joe's Franchise Group to re-acquire its trademarks and royalty rights from Diversified Royalty Corp., which also owns the Sutton real estate brand and the Mr. Lube franchise business.
This will allow Original Joe's to retain about $12.6 million in annual royalty payments now paid to Diversified Royalty.
Cara Operations currently has about 1,000 restaurants in its network, including Harvey's burgers, Swiss Chalet chicken and ribs, New York Fries and the Kelsey's, East Side Mario's, Bier Markt and other casual dining restaurants.
The Toronto-area company's total system sales will reach about $2.7 billion after adding the 99 locations in the Original Joe's group and the 117 locations from its previously-announced acquisition of Quebec-based St-Hubert chain of chicken and ribs restaurants.
Photo: Twitter - Thomas McIlwraith
The second phase of Enderby's main street construction begins following the Labour Day long weekend.
The work will complete the construction of Cliff Avenue, from the Vernon Street intersection to the Bawtree Bridge.
Construction will occur between Sept. 6 to approximately Nov. 11, Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. although there may be times when longer hours or weekend work is required, according to a City of Enderby press release.
Drivers are advised that during this phase of construction, there will be single-lane alternating traffic and no parking within the limits of the works. Two-lane traffic will be provided outside of the limits of the works.
This exciting project will replace critical underground infrastructure and create a new streetscape that will promote social and economic growth, said Tate Bengston, the city's chief administrative officer.
During construction, dedicated pedestrian walkways will be available within the limits of the works. Free parking is available throughout the downtown core, including nearby parking lots on Mill Avenue, Russell Avenue, and Maud Street.
HELENA The Montana Supreme Court has unanimously overturned a Great Falls man's incest conviction, saying he should have had access to crucial information about his daughter's mental illness that would have allowed him to challenge whether she was telling the truth.
The court ordered a new trial last week, noting a prosecutor heavily redacted a report written by the child's neuropsychologist before turning it over to the defense, and that the judge sealed the child's medical records without reviewing them.
Justices said Deputy Cascade County Attorney Jennifer Quick did not tell the judge or the defense that the medical records contained evidence clearly favorable to the man's defense. The records stated that the girl suffered from psychosis, lied because of a mental disorder and may have made and recanted another allegation of sexual abuse.
The court said the prosecution should have disclosed the details from the records to the father so the judge could have ruled whether they were admissible.
"We realize that child abuse is one of the most difficult crimes to prosecute," Justice Laurie McKinnon wrote in a 5-0 ruling issued on Aug. 24.
McKinnon suggested the prosecution may have been trying to protect the girl from an alleged abuser and the release of deeply personal information about her but said the defendant had a right to due process, adding that justices "are not convinced that this has occurred here."
Chief appellate defender Chad Wright said the father, who is serving a 50-year prison sentence, will be turned over to the custody of Cascade County as the retrial process begins. County Attorney John Parker and Quick did not return telephone phone messages left Thursday seeking comment.
The girl was 5 years old and living with her maternal grandfather, who was her permanent guardian, when she visited her father in Great Falls in late 2012. Soon after she reported that he had sexually abused her, court records said.
The Associated Press is not naming the father to avoid identifying the child.
The father's lawyers sought the girl's medical records because she had been diagnosed with a disorder that made it difficult for her to establish healthy attachments with parents or caregivers. She had lived with her grandfather since she was 3, but court records did not say why.
The father wanted to present expert testimony that a child with that diagnosis might also lie. The court ordered the state to turn over the medical records.
Just before the start of the May 2014 trial, Quick said the state was not comfortable turning over the records until the judge reviewed them. Then the state moved to seal them. District Judge Kenneth Neill granted the state's motion without reviewing the records, justices said. Neill is now retired.
The record given to the defense contained just one statement about the attachment disorder diagnosis, saying it was mostly likely caused by "early neglect or even possible abuse."
The only direct evidence against the father was the daughter's testimony.
"With the significant redactions made by the state in (the girl's) medical records, the defense was unable to seriously challenge her testimony and the jury had little reason to doubt her memory or truthfulness," the justices wrote.
The ruling added that "the prosecutor exploited this throughout her closing argument" by saying the girl was in a stable and loving home and there was no evidence she exhibited any symptoms of lying.
The records that the father obtained after the trial said the girl's living situation was not stable and that she was taking a mood stabilizing medication.
A psychiatrist had considered prescribing the girl an anti-psychotic because she lost contact with reality at times, the records said. A neuropsychologist said the child's condition was so severe she might need to be treated in a children's psychiatric hospital and the girl's grandparents had also complained about her lying, the records said.
Photo: Oliver Daily News
Emergency crews in Oliver responded to a call of a van that had flipped over off Highway 97 Thursday morning.
Cpl. Brian Evans of the Oliver RCMP detachment said the vehicle appeared to have been going off the highway, when the driver overcorrected.
The vehicle careened across the oncoming lane and flipped into a ditch.
Evans said the van landed upside down in a creek, which is about one or two feet deep.
He said the driver is lucky that the creek wasn't any deeper, or the situation could have been much worse.
The driver, the only occupant of the car, was transported to the South Okanagan General Hospital for minor injuries.
Evans said the car was being pulled out of the ditch at about 9:50 a.m.
Photo: The Canadian Press
Bombardier is juggling challenges on two fronts in Canada, temporarily suspending production of its Global business jets next year and missing a delivery deadline for a transit project in Toronto.
The aerospace and railway manufacturer says it plans to place workers at its aircraft completion centre in Montreal on furlough for an unspecified amount of time next year.
A company spokesman called it a "minor adjustment" to manage costs and address a sluggish market for corporate jets.
He declined to specify how long the suspension of Global jet production would last.
The company informed the completion centre's 1,900 workers of the proposed changes on Wednesday.
Last year, Bombardier said it would cut production of the Global 5000 and 6000 models from 80 to about 50 per year.
Meanwhile, Bombardier Transportation says it will deliver a light rail prototype for Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown transit line in two to three weeks after missing an Aug. 31 delivery deadline.
The manufacturer says the delay has no impact on delivery of trains for the US$5.3-billion transit line, which is expected to enter service in 2021.
New laws have come into effect today around the sale, promotion and use of e-cigarettes.
The province says tighter restrictions around vaping are intended to stop the growing use of e-cigarettes by young people.
"One in five youth in Canada have tried an e-cigarette," says the province in a statement.
Laws under the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act now treat e-cigarette use "exactly the same as tobacco, with the same bans and restrictions. There are no restrictions on adults buying e-cigarettes."
The act requires retailers ensure e-cigarettes are sold only to adults aged 19 years and older and to ensure that no retail displays are seen by youth. Also, no retail advertising for e-cigarettes can be shown where youth can see it.
E-cigarettes can't be sold in public buildings and their use is banned on public and private school grounds, in indoor public spaces and workplaces, and in vehicles when those under 16 years are present.
The province says B.C. has the lowest smoking rate in Canada at about 15 per cent.
Photo: Flickr-B.C. government
A low water level in the Shuwap region's Salmon River has prompted the B.C. government to stop all angling in Salmon Arm Bay.
Officials are hoping the action will protect chinook and coho salmon that are gathering to spawn at the confluence of Salmon River and Shuswap Lake.
The closure runs from the south and west of a line between Engineer's Point and Sunnybrae Point, and will be in effect from Sept. 3 to Dec. 31.
Dry weather and high temperatures this summer have resulted with low waters in the lake and a slow flow on the river, making it difficult for fish swim up-river to spawn, according to a government press release.
Photo: Nicholas Johansen
Sam Coutts drove from Vancouver to Lytton Monday to visit her boyfriend. While she was able to get a full day in with him on Tuesday, he was dragged out to the forest early Wednesday.
Coutts' boyfriend is on the Lytton Rattlers Unit crew, the local wildfire fighters, and they had a very busy Wednesday.
He was called out at 3 a.m. Wednesday morning and didn't return until 11 p.m.
Coutts, an artist, suddenly found herself with some free time on her hand, so she sat down and did what she loves to do paint.
Using a photo she had taken of the blaze earlier, she spent the day painting the smoky scene.
Rather than taking the painting home with her, she decided to brighten up some of the local heroes' day.
She brought her painting to the BC Wildfire Service office Thursday Morning, and gave it to the firefighters.
"They work so hard so I thought I could do something for them," Coutts said.
The donation is indicative of the strong support for the firefighters in town.
"Oh yeah, we really do (appreciate them)," said Lorna Thoms, a longtime resident of Lytton. "I think they earn their money."
Coutts headed back to Vancouver after dropping off her painting in the largely empty office.
While few were there to appreciate it Thursday morning, it'll be hanging as of token of appreciation when the crews finally return home.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
A first-time festival featuring live music, dance, writing workshops and much more is taking place in Summerland this weekend.
The Marginal Arts Festival is set to unfold from Sept. 1 to 3 at different venues.
"Summerland is a wonderful place to be to enjoy culture and we are commemorating the playwright George Ryga, who wrote all of his material right here in Summerland," said Dorthea Atwater, one of the organizers.
George Ryga, who died in 1987, is known as British Columbia's greatest playwright.
His ground-breaking drama, "The Ecstasy of Rita Joe," awakened the country to the continuing tragedy of indigenous peoples.
Two years later, the play opened in the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
The same year "Grass and Wild Strawberries," with Chilliwack, then The Collectors, broke all attendance records at the Vancouver Playhouse.
Highlights of the first festival, which organizers hope will become an annual event, will be performances of poetry and stories accompanied by music all in a coffee-house style environment takes place tonight at 7 p.m. at the Summerland Waterfront Resort.
On Friday, an event titled, "Quit Your Day Job," including a tribute to Ryga and performances will be held at 7 p.m. at the Centre Stage Theatre.
During the day Saturday, from noon to 4:30 p.m., there will be a free concert featuring three bands at Memorial Park.
At 7 p.m., Saturday recording artist Campbell Ryga will give a performance at Centre Stage.
A variety of writing, singing and acting workshops will also be held during the festival.
For more information, go here.
Photo: Getty Images
The difference between speculation and Investing
Like clock work, every time the market cycle heats up, the opportunist in us comes out to play.
The slow-and-steady-wins-the-race mentality gets abandoned as people chase the sexier, faster buck.
Great people with admirable intentions to do right by their families look to invest some of the freshly minted equity in their home into something that has the potential to pay off big.
The right idea, but lately the conversation has begun to shift from solid, yet agreeably less sexy investments like single-family homes with suites, and duplexes, to this idea of buying three units in the latest pre sales condo development.
The thinking is: I could spread out my $150,000 by putting deposits on three units and then in a year or two, when the market has climbed up another 10 per cent each of my $500,000 units are now worth $550,000.
Since I only have a deposit of $50,000 with the developer, I have doubled my money on each unit just for sitting on them for a year.
Is the above scenario possible? Sure. Is it a forgone conclusion? Absolutely not! There are countless other ways this can go, including losing all your investment.
I use that word reluctantly because although the intention of the person was to invest their equity, what they were actually doing is speculating.
Speculation means: Ideas or guesses about something that is not known.
The cruel teacher of experience has taught me that to win big in this real-estate game you must avoid guesswork at all costs.
Forget about timing the market.
Forget about trying to predict where pricing is headed, and focus on the fundamentals.
Focus on positive cash flow.
Focus on creating your own appreciation through value-adding renovations.
I fell into the trap of speculating the last time the market was hot in 2006/2007.
I put $1.5 million worth of the hottest condo project under contract for $150,000 and had expectations of doubling my money at least.
I wasnt alone as I waited at the front of a 300 plus person line from 2 a.m. the night before the sales centre opened to the ravenous public.
I lost every penny of my six-figure investment when things went sideways in 2008. And that hurt like a you-know-what.
Contrast that with a duplex I bought around the same time in 2007, at the peak of things.
I put a similar amount down on this property, $140,000. I bought this property because the cashflow made sense.
I wasnt trying to guess what the market would do; I was investing my capital into a proven revenue stream.
In this case, it made about $1,000 per month net. Between that, and the equity I was building each month through my mortgage being paid off by the tenant, the returns were actually pretty good (18 per cent) despite paying peak pricing for the duplex.
Around the same time my $1.5 million in a half completed condominiums saw their values sliced by 20 per cent, my duplex value had plummeted to a mere 80 per cent of its former value as well.
The difference between the two was that I wasnt forced to sell my duplex at a loss, it cash flowed through the entire five-year market slump.
My mortgage got paid down by nearly $50,000 and I had approximately $50,000 in cash flow paid to me during that time.
Today, that duplex is worth about 10 per cent more than what I paid for it and the cash flow is about 20 per cent better than what it once was thanks to rents climbing at about three per cent per year.
The $150,000 I dumped into the condos was an expensive lesson, but one Im glad I learned as we go into this next boom cycle.
As exciting and alluring as some of these shiny new projects seem as an investment, sinking that same money into a boring, old duplex or multi-family building will always be my choice.
I know what Im getting into. I know where I can add value, and I know that as long as it cash-flows, theres no down turn in prices that will ever force me to take a loss.
As an investor, I like control; I dont like putting my fate in the hands of bankers, politicians or even public opinion. I like to see my returns on paper in black and white and I like to be able to influence my upside.
My challenge is I also love the smell of opportunity and, if Im honest ,I love the thrill of a good wager as well.
Knowing this about myself, I have to work hard at finding the discipline to stay the course with my investments and follow the plan Ive laid out, as unsexy and tortoise like as it may be.
If youre a boring old tortoise as well and want to see my hand-picked selection of painfully unglamorous cash flow properties with PDF analysis of each showing the predictable double-digit returns, click here and prepare to be underwhelmed.
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
It's been one year since the image of a drowned toddler lying face down on a Turkish beach turned the eyes of the world to the Syrian refugee crisis, but observers say the powerful portrait of human suffering did little in the long term to alleviate the hardship in the conflict-torn region.
While Kurdi's photograph may have had little in the way of a lasting impact on Syria, observers say his image had a disproportionately powerful impact in Canada.
Catherine Dauvergne, dean of the University of British Columbia's law school and a specialist in refugee and immigration law, said the photo affected last fall's federal election.
"I think the important amount of attention that news story got probably pushed the refugee issue up into the public prominence and linked it to the election in a more direct way than had previously been happening," she said.
Friday, Sept. 2, marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian boy immortalized in a chilling photograph that captured the price all too often paid by those struggling to escape the years-long civil war.
The promise to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2015 became a key plank of the Liberal party's platform. The newly elected government eventually made good on the pledge, though several months later than expected.
But as time passes the urgency to help is ebbing, Dauvergne said, "not because the situation itself is not as urgent, but because it's hard to feel that urgency for a long time."
Rouba Alfattal, a professor of Middle East and Arab politics at the University of Ottawa, said "Alan's picture in our minds has kind of faded into the background."
Alfattal said heightened security concerns stemming in large part from increased terrorist attacks across Europe are partly to blame for the West's waning reluctance to accommodate refugees displaced by the conflict.
"We have been desensitized, unfortunately," she said. "I feel people have forgotten about Syria."
Some argue that while Kurdi's photo created a moral impulse in the West to take action, one of its negative impacts may have been that it focused excessive attention on refugee resettlement and distracted from addressing the core issue of stopping the fighting.
Photo: therivercalgary.com
The divide between detached houses and other segments of Calgary's depressed real-estate market continued to widen last month.
August numbers released Thursday by the Calgary Real Estate Board shows the estimated price for a typical condo in the city was down 0.76 per cent from July to $274,900, with prices now down 7.1 per cent from a year ago.
The price of the typical detached house, as represented by the real-estate board's benchmark price, was up in August by 0.18 per cent from a month earlier to $503,200, for a 3.3-per-cent fall from a year ago.
Inventories for condos have also climbed to near record highs for August, at close to six months of supply. Meanwhile, detached homes, which make up close to two-thirds of all sales, have under three months of supply.
A drop in condo and attached house sales helped drag down total sales from a year ago by 4.57 per cent, while detached houses saw only a 1.41-per-cent decline.
Condo prices are now at levels similar to the end of 2013, while sales in the segment are at their weakest level since 2003.
There has been some speculation that the foreign buyer tax imposed in Vancouver and sky-high prices both there and in Toronto might lead to more interest in Calgary's real-estate market, but realtor Jim Sparrow says that he and the five realtors he works with have seen no sign of an increase.
He said many prospective buyers are waiting until they have more confidence that the price of oil and the economy are recovering.
"They're like most other buyers right now. They're very hesitant to jump in the market when they don't have more confidence," said Sparrow.
Photo: The Canadian Press An inquiry is set to begin in Edmonton to look into the case of Melinda Green, killed watching a motor vehicle stunt at a car show.
A manoeuvre between two off-road Jeeps that led to the death of an onlooker at a charity function was an unplanned event that happened at the request of a news cameraman, a fatality inquiry heard Thursday.
"(A co-organizer) and one of the reporters from one of the news outlets approached me," said Sarina St. Germain, one of the organizers of the 2013 Jeeps Go Topless show.
"(The organizer) said to me, 'This guy asked if we could do this thing where one Jeep climbs on the wheels of another.'"
Two drivers performed the trick, in which the wheel from one Jeep slowly scales one of the front wheels of another, stationary Jeep. The vehicles were to hold the formation with their engines off and brakes engaged, then slowly dismount in reverse.
Instead, St. Germain said, the upper driver unexpectedly engaged his engine. The vehicle lurched forward and bounced and rolled about three car lengths into the front of another Jeep.
Melissa Green, 20, was crushed between them. Her mother, Mira Green, left the courtroom in tears as St. Germain described how the woman's daughter died.
The event on May 18, 2013, in the parking lot of a downtown shopping mall, was to benefit the Edmonton Food Bank. It was a display of modified Jeeps with some demonstrations of their capabilities.
St. Germain described how she tried to contact the head of the JK Owners Group, the event's sponsor, to get him to perform the manoeuvre the reporter had requested. When she learned he'd briefly left the site, two other experienced drivers stepped forward.
She said she was careful to keep the crowd of about 100 a safe distance back as the Jeeps got into position. Spectators were allowed to approach them once one vehicle was atop the other, engine off, emergency brake engaged.
St. Germain, who broke into tears as she recalled what happened, said the Jeeps held the formation for a couple of minutes. Then the engine of the top Jeep fired up.
"One thing that's been bugging me I don't understand why Craig (Supernault, the driver) started his Jeep," said St. Germain, who was putting her camera away when the engine revved.
"I heard this noise it was a high, high-pitched whine. I looked up and I could see Craig panicking because his vehicle was moving forward. He couldn't get the vehicle to stop."
World Bank assists Ghana in Strengthening Debt and Public Investment Management
Ghana has received support from the World Bank to strengthen its institutional capacity in domestic revenue mobilization, public investment management, debt management, and governance of State owned Enterprises (SOEs). Reforming the governance of SOEs and improving Governments oversight will also help improve public service delivery and contribute to economy-wide competitiveness.
This was made possible with an approval of a $15 million Ghana Economic Management Strengthening (GEMS) Technical Assistance Project by the World Banks Board of Executive Directors. The project which complements a series of Development Policy operations is to support reforms in debt management, public investment management, SOE governance, and capacity strengthening in domestic revenue mobilization. It will specifically support improvements in the Ministry of Finance; the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA); the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); targeted SOEs; and select Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Our support to Ghana under the GEMS project will among others, help theMinistry of Finance build capacity to better operationalize its medium-term debt management strategy and also help improve public service delivery through reforming the governance of SOEs so Government financing needs are met at the lowest cost with prudent levels of risk, saidWorld Bank Country Director for Ghana, Henry Kerali.
The GEMS Technical Assistance project will contribute to increased domestic revenue mobilization, reduced debt burden, help support better public investments and bring improved economic benefits to the people of Ghana. The project is consistent with and aligned to the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda II (GSGDA II) 20142017, which seeks to support growth and restore macroeconomic stability. It is also closely aligned to The World Banks Country Partnership Strategy for Ghana (20132016), which is to deepen support for Ghanas transition and involves assisting the country to sustain economic growth, reduce extreme poverty, and enhance shared prosperity for all Ghanaians to share in the benefits of that growth.
* The World Banks International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the worlds poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor peoples lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the worlds 77 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 112 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $19 billion over the last three years, with about 50 percent going to Africa.
www.worldbank.org
WHITEFISH Police in Montana say they shot and killed a mountain lion after a family was too scared to get out of the car because the animal would not leave their yard.
Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said the mountain lion wasn't aggressive but gave no sign of leaving after the family pulled into the driveway Sunday night.
Dial said his officers decided to kill the full-grown female cougar after it became clear that the animal was not afraid of people. Dial said a habituated mountain lion could pose a danger to pets and young children.
Police said the animal's body was given to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks so it could be documented.
Photo: The Canadian Press The massive cruise ship Anthem of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International, dwarfs HMCS Ville de Quebec.
A palatial cruise ship described by passengers as a mini, moving city cast an impressive figure on the Halifax waterfront Thursday, breaking port records as thousands of tourists flooded into the city.
The Anthem of the Seas arrived in downtown Halifax under grey skies, towering over historic Pier 21 on the south side of the waterfront boardwalk.
The Port of Halifax says the ship was carrying about 4,180 passengers plus the crew and weighs a whopping 168,666 tons, making it the largest cruise ship ever to visit Halifax both in terms of its size and passenger capacity.
The Quantum Class boat has everything from bumper cars and roller skating to a circus school and four swimming pools, along with more than 2,000 staterooms.
Linda Jacobs, a retiree from New York state who was vacationing aboard the mammoth ship with her husband Ed Jacobs, said it took them a few days to get their bearings.
"It's big. It's big and confusing. But after a while you get used to it," said Linda Jacobs on the boardwalk, adding that there are people from all over the world on the Anthem including China and Australia.
"It's like a mini city," said Ed Jacobs with a laugh. "There's people from all different places, and we've talked to just about everybody."
A round, mechanical capsule on the ship's upper deck that lifts passengers 90 metres above the sea could be seen ascending into the fog on Thursday morning.
Onlookers were gathering in nearby parking lots and along the water's edge to snap pictures of the massive vessel, which was built last year.
Photo: Google Street View
By Dermod Travis
It's here somewhere...
Licence, car registration fees to drop 35 per cent in 2016. No, that's Quebec.
Average passenger vehicle owner would pay an additional $17 a year in premiums. Nope, that's Manitoba.
Auto Fund rate stabilization reserve hits $377 million highest ever, $65 million profit in 2015. No, that's Saskatchewan.
Here it is: ICBC applying for basic rate increase of 4.9 per cent.
Vastly different story lines among Canada's four public auto insurers.
Just like ICBC's mishmash of eight different date-to-date comparisons in its news release last week in support of the corporation's rate application. Cherry picked to suit, actual dollars cited when useful, percentages when not, but no ratios since they wouldn't be helpful at all.
There's an eerie sense of deja vu to the release.
Example: The external pressures on insurance rates in B.C. are very real and theyre accelerating, including an escalation in the number of crashes, the number of claims being filed and the cost of settling those claims."
Here's what ICBC said in 2002 to justify its then rate application: Claims costs are up, with no sign of relief to come... These trends show no sign of abating.
According to its release, the number of crashes across B.C. jumped by 15 per cent in two years from 260,000 in 2013 to 300,000 in 2015.
Why 2013 and not some other year, say 2007? The numbers wouldn't fit the narrative.
In 2007, there were 281,000 crashes, reducing the jump to 6.8 per cent over nine years, but that's just part of it.
Back then, there were three million active driver licences in B.C. In 2014, 3.28 million (latest year posted to ICBC's website).
Take the number of crashes per 100,000 active driver licences and that jump turns to a drop, falling from 9,341 crashes for every 100,000 licences to 9,146 in 2015 (using the undoubtedly lower 2014 licence stat).
Against policies in force up 25 per cent since 2007 the ratio would drop even more.
They dip for injuries and fatalities as well.
According to Transport Canada, there were 13.9 fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers in B.C. in 2007 and 8.9 in 2014. The injury rate dropped from 864.2 to 644.7.
When it comes to cost controls, ICBC was quite emphatic in 2002: ICBC has reduced its controllable costs by 22 per cent and has reduced its costs substantially, so further savings will be much smaller.
No kidding.
Last week, ICBC trumpeted the fact its executive team has decreased from 11 members in 2012 to just eight today. In 2015, total executive compensation was 46 per cent lower than it was in 2011.
No actual dollars, just a percentage.
Relying on ICBC's executive compensation filings, the corporation's top five salaries totalled $2.2 million in 2011 and $1.83 million in 2015, a difference of $366,930.
That's sure to put a dent no pun intended into the corporation's costs. It's also irrelevant.
As ICBC's media spokesperson Adam Grossman put it to the Vancouver Sun in 2014: (managerial) cuts are unlikely to result in lower rates for customers, those are mainly driven by injury claims costs, which total about $2 billion each year.
At least two of the corporation's senior executives are being paid to stay at home, part of the 390 severance agreements ICBC has signed with non-union staff between 2009 and 2015, each for between two to 18 months.
Despite those cuts, employee salaries and benefits rose 6.7 per cent to $395.9 million between 2007 and 2015, payments to suppliers of goods and services rose 38.9 per cent to $215.9 million and claims by 29.5 per cent to $3.3 billion.
ICBC is now on a hiring spree to cope with its self-inflicted backlog of claims and plans to add another 180 claims positions to its 4,700 employees.
Back in 2002, ICBC was put under the government's microscope. According to the core review's findings: It is clear that decisions regarding auto insurance rates and operations should be based on sound business principles and not political considerations.
Funny coincidence. In 2005 and 2009 both election years the rate increases at ICBC were zero.
ICBC is tops in one area among Canada's four public insurers: highest premiums.
Dermod Travis is the executive director of IntegrityBC.
Photo: Contributed
A British Columbia police chief says it's a miracle that no one died after nine people overdosed within a 20-minute period on what are believed to be drugs laced with fentanyl.
Emergency crews responded to a series of calls Thursday morning from four locations in Delta, where recreational drug users thought they were using cocaine.
Delta police chief Neil Dubord says first responders used the overdose-reversing drug naloxone and that one man had to be revived after going into cardiac arrest.
In an online video, Dubord says every time people use drugs for fun they're pulling the trigger in a dangerous game of Russian roulette.
The overdoses come less than a day after Vancouver Coastal Health Authority released data showing the vast majority of street drugs that have been inspected at its supervised injection site, Insite, contain fentanyl.
Statistics show the number of deaths in B.C. between Jan. 1 and June 30 where fentanyl was detected has leapt to 238, a 250-per-cent increase over the same period last year.
Photo: Instagram
The deadline to enter the Conservative leadership race is nearly half a year away, but the list of potential candidates is still growing as MPs look ahead to a caucus retreat in Halifax later this month.
Here is the latest list of who is in and who is still thinking about it.
Officially registered:
Kellie Leitch. The pediatric orthopedic surgeon, first elected as an MP in 2011, was the first to file her paperwork in April.
Maxime Bernier. The Quebec MP and former cabinet minister registered a few days after Leitch and has already outlined several key policy positions.
Michael Chong. The Ontario MP is a longtime champion of democratic reform.
Tony Clement. Also from Ontario, the former cabinet minister is trying again after losing to Stephen Harper for leadership of the party in 2004.
Still working on it:
Deepak Obhrai. One of the longest-serving Conservative MPs, he told his caucus colleagues earlier this summer that he plans to join the race.
Brad Trost. The social-conservative Saskatchewan MP first declared his interest in running for the top job after the party dropped a policy widely seen as opposing same-sex marriage at its convention in May.
Andrew Saxton. The defeated Vancouver-area MP is exploring a bid based on a desire to ensure a candidate from B.C., where he and his family have long lived.
Pierre Lemieux. Also defeated in the last election, the former eastern Ontario MP sent an email to supporters last month to let them know he is trying to raise the money needed to join the race so that he can champion social-conservative values.
Adrienne Snow. A Toronto-based communications consultant, Snow was previously involved in several policy think-tanks.
Andrew Scheer. The former Speaker of the House of Commons is expected to join the race soon after the Conservative caucus holds its retreat.
Lisa Raitt. The former cabinet minister and current MP from the Greater Toronto Area is expected to make an announcement later this month.
Thinking about it:
Peter MacKay. The former cabinet minister from Nova Scotia now working as a lawyer in Toronto has long been considering a run and said this week he is "seriously getting close" to make a decision.
Erin O'Toole. After saying no to the idea for months, the Ontario MP and former veterans affairs minister is now reconsidering that choice after some party pressure.
Steven Blaney. The Quebec MP continues to consult colleagues about whether he should mount a bid.
Kevin O'Leary. The popular TV personality and businessman first mused about running for the leadership earlier this year, but also said he is in no rush to make up his mind.
Dan Lindsay. The former president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba formed a committee in the spring to explore a possible campaign.
Candice Bergen. The Manitoba MP who helped lead the push to dismantle the long-gun registry said this week she is leaving the door open to a potential bid.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
GILLETTE A Gillette man convicted of second-murder in the fatal shooting of an acquaintance on Thanksgiving Day could get a new trial after prosecutors agreed the jury at his initial trial was given erroneous instructions.
The Gillette News Record reporteds Todd Sindelar was sentenced to 48 years in prison for the Nov. 28, 2013, death of Matthew Boyer. He was arrested in South Dakota after a high-speed chase.
The 24-year-old man appealed his sentence, claiming prosecutors wrongly instructed the jury to consider Sindelar's flight from the state after the killing.
Sindelar's attorneys argued that a 2002 Supreme Court decision classifies a "flight instruction" as a reversible error.
The state Attorney General's Office has sided with the defense on the issue and asked the court to reverse Sindelar's conviction and sentence.
The Donald Trump campaign is opening an office in Casper in the next two weeks, its first presence in the deeply red state, the White House hopeful announced in a statement Wednesday.
Trump named Bonnie Foster, of Casper, a longtime leader in the local and state Republican Party, its Wyoming director.
Foster will open the office in Casper.
Additionally, she will be in charge of communicating Trumps message across Wyoming and recruiting volunteers who can call voters in Wyoming, Colorado and elsewhere. Some volunteers will also travel to Colorado to knock on doors for Trump.
Its unknown whether the New York business mogul or his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, will visit Wyoming. In the weeks before the general election, battleground states such as Colorado, Ohio and Florida receive the most attention from presidential candidates.
I dont know what those chances are, Foster said of a potential Trump appearance. I put in a request this week on my weekly tracker that I have to send in, so it will go in on Friday morning. The energy sector has made a request to see if they can get him or Gov. Pence here to attend an energy summit.
The Trump campaign hired Foster in late July. The announcement that there was a state Trump organization was delayed, she said. But as more Wyomingites have called the Wyoming GOP, inquiring about a campaign presence, Foster and the Trump organization decided it was time to announce it.
A number of states already had a state director in position during the primary. Wyoming wasnt one of them, and there were a couple of others, she said. Their goal was to put a state director in every state to do the ground game, in conjunction with the (Republican National Committee) to get the message out. They know Wyoming will hopefully vote for Trump and support Trump. But Wyoming can also be of assistance to help go door-to-door in Colorado, which weve helped in (U.S.) House races and Senate races in the past.
The majority of the Wyoming delegates who went to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July supported Trumps opponent, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
Trump has come under fire for his comments about Mexican immigrants, Muslims, women and an assortment of other topics. But Foster said hes the best candidate for Wyoming.
The thing about Donald Trump is hes a businessman, hes not a career politician, she said. He doesnt owe anybody any favors.
Trump is expected to cruise to victory in Wyoming and gain the states three electoral college votes. In the Aug. 16 primary, nearly 69 percent of Wyoming voters were registered Republicans.
Foster touched on a remark Clinton made in March about putting coal miners and coal companies out of business. She later apologized and highlighted her plan to help mining communities affected by job loss.
We already know Hillary said she was going to shut down every coal mine in the country, Foster said. The Clintons, and Hillary in particular, havent been in private business. You have to have someone who has been in private business to understand business. I think Donald will be a benefit to the state.
The Trump camp also named Steve Bennett of Casper its state chairman. Bennett, a real estate broker who was an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention in July, pledged to support Trump.
Bennett is a volunteer who will assist Foster in Trumps campaign, she said.
The Clinton campaign has had a presence in Wyoming since May 2015.
Bruce Palmer, vice chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party, said Trump is not good for Wyoming. While Trump has released statements showing positions on various issues, including energy, he hasnt shown actual proposed policies. And hes waffled on issues, most recently on immigration, Palmer said.
But its larger than Trumps success at business, Palmer said. Trumps personality is not in alignment with Wyoming the statements hes made about women and non-whites do not line up with values in the state, he said.
I think were about hard work, about respect for one another, Palmer said. I dont see any of that coming from Donald Trump through this campaign.
Discussion
The national gonorrhea rate declined approximately 74% during 19751997 (1). After 1997, the rate fluctuated, but continued to decrease, reaching an all-time low during 2009. The national rate increased each year during 20092012, and after decreasing slightly during 2013, increased again during 2014 (the most recent year for which national data are available) (1). During 2013, the national gonorrhea rate was higher among men than among women for the first time since 2000, and remained higher during 2014. In contrast, during 20002014, rates were consistently higher among men than among women in the West census region, including Utah (1). Higher gonorrhea rates among men than women indicate substantial transmission among MSM. However, other factors (e.g., screening or partner notification practices) also can affect the male-to-female case ratio. Although not all states collect such information for gonorrhea cases, in Utah, information on the sex of sex partner(s) is collected for male patients, and until 2012, indicated that the majority of gonorrhea cases in males were among MSM.
Since 2011, the gonorrhea rate in Utah has increased substantially, with a much larger percentage increase among women than among men. The proportion of male patients self-reporting as MSM has decreased each year since 2009, indicating an expansion of heterosexual transmission of gonorrhea in Utah.
These data indicate that, in Utah, MSM were more likely to have received a diagnosis of gonorrhea from an STD clinic than women and non-MSM men, whereas the proportion of cases diagnosed at STD clinics decreased during 20092014. Research conducted in California found that gonorrhea patients who received a diagnosis at STD clinics were more likely to receive treatment that adhered to CDC treatment guidelines than were patients who received a diagnosis in other clinical settings (4). The increase in both proportion and number of gonorrhea cases diagnosed outside of STD clinics underscores the importance of providing education to clinicians regarding local epidemiology of gonorrhea infection, treatment options, and availability of treatment methods, such as expedited partner therapy (5) (prescribing treatment for heterosexual sex partners of gonorrhea patients without physical examination, where legally permitted) (6). Expedited partner therapy for heterosexual sex partners of gonorrhea patients has been available since 2009 in Utah, where it is recommended only in cases where other management strategies are impractical or unsuccessful.
Reviewing public health intervention strategies based on changes in disease epidemiology also provides an opportunity to consider introduction of innovative methods for identifying and providing testing services to persons at high risk. Examples of methods used successfully elsewhere are computerized interviews self-administered to emergency department attendees to ascertain STD testing needs (7), and an Internet-based program to facilitate home STD testing using self-collected vaginal, urethral, and rectal swabs (8).
In response to the increase in gonorrhea in Utah, UDOH formed a collaborative workgroup with multiple Utah LHDs. To gain a fuller understanding of the increase and the demographic changes associated with it, the workgroup developed a supplemental survey that was added to gonorrhea case investigation interviews during MayAugust 2014. The survey addressed the following topics: symptoms before diagnosis; health insurance; student status; places where patients met sex partners; sex with anonymous partners; drug and alcohol use; incarceration (of patient or partners); and gender (male, female, or transgender) of patients sex partners. The survey findings will be used to guide a case-control study to identify risk factors for gonorrhea infection among adult Utah residents.
The findings in this report are subject to at least two limitations. First, reporting of all gonorrhea cases to public health officials is unlikely for a number of reasons, including underreporting by laboratories and providers, failure of infected persons to access care, and misdiagnosis. However, no substantial changes in gonorrhea testing or reporting methods were identified during 20092014; therefore, these factors are unlikely to account for the reported increase in diagnoses and reporting. Second, case interview data are missing for 14%24% of patients, because of LHDs inability to contact the patient, not attempting to contact the patient, or patients declining to be interviewed.
Because of increasing numbers of gonorrhea cases in Utah, identifying populations at high risk is important to develop effective public health interventions. With likely increased heterosexual transmission and changes in the way patients are accessing services in Utah, health departments need to work with providers to ensure populations at high risk are being screened and properly treated for gonorrhea. In areas of the United States where gonorrhea has historically been associated with MSM, the public needs to be made aware of the potential for transmission into previously unaffected sexual networks, and the importance of STD testing for populations at risk needs to be reinforced. Clinicians need to be aware of changes in the risk for infection among women and non-MSM males when making screening and testing decisions and recommendations and educate their patients regarding gonorrhea transmission and prevention practices. Analysis of existing data and collection of additional data by other jurisdictions with substantial gonorrhea transmission among MSM might provide important information about whether similar demographic changes in reported gonorrhea cases are occurring in these areas as well.
Promising Suicide Prevention Approaches
As recognized by the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention: Goals and Objectives for Action, 2012, a comprehensive and coordinated prevention approach is needed (5). Promising models are available. For example, when fully implemented, the United States Air Force Suicide Prevention Program had 11 components that together increased community awareness of suicide, provided personnel training, encouraged help-seeking and help-accepting, enhanced confidentiality policies, sought to change social norms (e.g., reducing stigma for seeking mental health care), and created organizational accountability for implementing the program. This comprehensive approach was associated with substantial reductions in suicide rates (33%), homicide (51%), accidental death (18%), and severe family violence (54%) (9). Together for Life, a multicomponent suicide prevention program targeted to Montreal police, includes a publicity campaign directed at officers, training of all units and supervisors on suicide risk and how to give support, and a telephone helpline. The program was associated with a 79% reduction in suicide rates over 12 years while police in a comparison group experienced no statistically significant changes (10).
Prevention strategies at earlier stages of life also have shown promise. The Good Behavior Game is a classroom-based behavior management strategy for elementary schools that teaches youth to better control their emotions and work well with others through classroom rules, team activities, and positive reinforcement of appropriate behavior. This program has demonstrated reductions in antisocial behavior, smoking, and drug and alcohol use, as well as significant decreases in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts throughout childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood (11). Sources of Strength is a school-based program designed to reach all students regardless of their risk. Program components build connections between trained peer leaders and trusted adults who work together to seek to increase students acceptance of help-seeking, healthy coping, and communication with adults while reducing the acceptability of suicidal and other harmful behaviors. Program benefits include increases in referrals for assistance, acceptability of help-seeking and help-accepting, and enhanced perceptions of adult support, including among students with a history of suicidal ideation (12).
Increasing suicide rates demonstrate the need for more research to develop and implement prevention strategies that reach vulnerable groups. The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public-private partnership of more than 200 organizations, systematically examined the state of the science to identify research gaps (13). One area identified as in need of more research is prevention approaches for adults aged 3564 years. Consistent with this prioritized research agenda, CDC is rigorously testing innovative suicide prevention strategies (e.g., online, primary carebased settings) for middle-aged men.
A public health approach to suicide prevention is growing. The CDC-funded Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention (ICRC-S) (http://suicideprevention-icrc-s.org/external icon) is a collaboration of the University of Rochester Medical Center and the Education Development Center and draws on public health approaches to inform prevention activities at the state, regional, and national levels. ICRC-S is enhancing access to data to inform prevention planning, systematically defining and addressing challenges to preventing suicide among middle-aged adults, examining issues (e.g., intimate partner violence, substance use, and economic challenges) that contribute to suicide, and using social media methods to define and reach groups at risk. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment is using a public health approach to advance both research and practice to reach vulnerable groups, guided by its statewide public and private Suicide Prevention Commission and collaboration with ICRC-S and other national organizations. Activities include implementation and evaluation of online resources to engage men in help-seeking for suicide and mental health difficulties (http://mantherapy.org/external icon), education of emergency department clinicians regarding counseling caregivers of youths following a suicide attempt about reducing youths access to lethal means (e.g., medication), and primary prevention with all youths regardless of known risk by prioritizing the Sources of Strength program in Colorado schools.
GLENROCK A 75-year-old woman has died from injuries sustained during a five-car pileup on Old Glenrock Highway.
KTWO-AM reported that Leoda Cain, of Glenrock, was the only victim in the Aug. 21 crash who had remained hospitalized as of late last week. Officials confirmed she died Tuesday.
Wyoming Highway Patrol said the collision occurred just inside the Converse County line from Natrona County when a truck did not stop for construction, as four cars ahead of the vehicle did. The pickup was traveling about 70 mph.
Patrol Lt. Joseph Scimone declined to comment on details of the investigation.
Dangote announces price rise, starts coal mining in November
ICR Newsroom By 01 September 2016
Dangote Cement's sales growth remains robust with Nigerian vollumes up 15 per cent in July and August. However, in the current quarter, the company has seen disruption to the gas supply, its preferred fuel in Nigeria. This has led to a substantial hike in its fuel costs as the company increasingly relies on LPFO and, to a lesser extent, on coal as prices for these alternatives are up to three times higher. The significant devaluation of the naira against the US dollar has also contributed to the company's rising costs.
To reduce the impact of these costs Dangote announced the ex-factory price of cement by NGN600 (US$1.90), with prices returning to the level seen before the company announced a price decrease in September 2015. Moreover, it has accelerated the installation of coal mills and the coal mining initiative in Nigeria. The cement producer expects to mine its own coal from November onwards. Most of Dangote's Nigerian lines are now able to run on coal, effectively nearly eliminating the plants' reliance on imported coal, gas and LFPO.
"These are challenging times for Nigeria and for Dangote Cement but we are taking strong actions that will position the company for continuing success. Our coal mining initiative will benefit both the company and the Nigerian economy by reducing the need for foreign exchange and helping us to both protect existing jobs and create new ones," said Onne van der Weijde, CEO of Dangote Cement.
Published under
(TNS) Dressed in ties and blazers, Roosevelt High School freshmen Keldrick Colbert and Clarissa Mata stood near the edge of a conference room at the Communities Foundation of Texas. They were polite, if a bit shy, when education administrators and business leaders stopped by to chat.Their eagerness, though, was undeniable.The 14-year-olds are among 913 freshmen enrolled in Dallas ISD's eight new early college high schools. On Wednesday, the duo were present as DISD and the Dallas County Community College District did a victory lap for the recent expansion, celebrating the announcement of nearly 20 corporate partners paired with the schools.While DISD and DCCCD will provide instruction, the corporate partners -- ranging from AT&T to the Dallas Police Department -- will give hands-on experience through mentorships, worksite visits, internships and potentially even job placement.Colbert and Mata said the chance to simultaneously get job training, a high school diploma and either 60 college hours or an associate's degree from DCCCD -- tuition-free -- was too good to pass up.Mata opted to transfer to Roosevelt because of her interest in health sciences and business management; the school's two corporate partners are Bank of America and UT Southwestern."I couldn't wait," she said. "They had such great opportunities."Early college high schools aren't a new idea for DISD. The district already has three stand-alone models -- Lassiter and Trini Garza Early College high schools and Gilliam Collegiate Academy -- and two programs embedded in existing high school campuses: Spruce and Samuell.But when DISD wanted to expand the concept to new campuses, it focused aligning educational opportunities at those schools with the area's labor market. Depending on the campus, students can study different "pathways" in areas such as law enforcement, information technology and gaming."We know we have to do a better job with the handoff from high school to college, and college to industry," said Israel Cordero, DISD's deputy chief of school leadership and one of the leaders in the development of the program. "And we want to put our students in the best situation possible to have the best possible options."DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa called the program transformative, fostering "enthusiasm and inspiration and opportunity for these kids to go get a living wage." Brookhaven College president Thom Chesney said DCCCD wanted to be "partners in supplying and sustaining a resilient workforce" in the Dallas area.Corporate partners at the event echoed those sentiments.Raamel Mitchell, a former DISD student and now citizenship and public affairs director at Microsoft, said his company jumped at the chance to join forces with DISD and DCCCD."When South Oak Cliff was brought forth as a school we could partner with, we really saw this as an opportunity to work with a school and school district that really understands the needs of the market today," Mitchell said.Patrick Morin, a managing director of American Airlines -- a future partner in the initiative -- said his company is focused on making "investments to make sure that we have a pipeline of talent.""It's no secret," Morin said. "It's a tough market to recruit in IT."While eight new programs seem ambitious, it only includes about 9 percent of the district's 11,000 incoming freshmen, Cordero said. But the need is there, he stressed. Data from those eight campuses shows that only 13 percent of recent graduates received a post-secondary degree six years after leaving high school. Research shows that students have dramatically greater odds of completing a post-secondary degree by finishing just one college-level class for credit.At the close of his presentation, Hinojosa addressed recent news of the district's declining enrollment and its failed plans at putting a 13-cent tax hike to voters; $32 million of a potential $104 million in additional tax revenue would have gone to nearly doubling the number of DISD's early college high schools.To fund all four grade levels at the eight new campuses and spread the early college high school concept to 11 more sites, including Adamson and Wilmer-Hutchins, the district will need to make the program a priority, he said."The headlines were not good this morning," Hinojosa said. "We're losing students, and that's our lifeblood. So, I can promise you this, this is my No. 1 priority for the budget next year. ... You've got my commitment to make that happen."DISD's new early college high schoolsCarter- Partners: Dallas Police Department, Wells Fargo; Pathways: Law enforcement, ITConrad -- Partners: SMU Guild Hall and JP Morgan; Pathways: Gaming, ITRoosevelt -- Partners: Bank of America, UT-Southwestern; Pathways: IT, business managementMadison -- Partners: City of Dallas' IT department; Pathways: IT, business managementPinkston -- Partners: Parkland Hospital, Univision, Plains Capital, SMU Simmons School of Education; Pathways: IT, network administration and business managementThomas Jefferson -- Partners: Telemundo, NBC-5, Pinnacle Group; Pathways: Visual communications, software programming, business administrationSeagoville P-Tech -- Partners: AT&T, Accenture; Pathways: IT, network administration and business managementSouth Oak Cliff -- Partners: Microsoft, EON Reality; Pathways: IT, electronics technology and manufacturing
Because of unique nuisance statutes and case law, North Dakota is what I tongue-in-cheek call a nuisance friendly state. For background on this interesting topic, please see my previous article in the Bakken Weekly, Nuisance Laws on the Bakken. This article discusses a common defense: I got the permit. Why am I a nuisance?
North Dakota statutes protect one from a nuisance lawsuit if another statute grants authority to act in a particular manner. Those statutes are strictly applied to preserve the meaning legislature gave to them. However, in extreme cases the party may yet be subject to a suit in nuisance if the act allowed by statute is performed in a negligent or unreasonable manner. For example, a statute granted the City of Dickinson the authority to operate a sewage system as part of its governmental function. The statute even allowed the city to discharge sewage into any river:
The offense was so great that a chemist who was called as a witness for the plaintiff testified, without objection, that the hydrogen-sulphide gas, which the city engineer said was the source of the noxious odor, is about 17% heavier than air; that in water it has a disagreeable taste, and that when inhaled it causes nausea; that it is poisonous and will cause headaches if inhaled in sufficient quantities.
That said, a nuisance claim was successfully brought against the city because the amount was so excessive that it was deemed unreasonable. The court said that by casting its sewage into the river with improper and insufficient treatment for a long period of time, the city was remiss in its duty and it may not now rely upon its legislative immunity to protect it from responding in damages.
Let us look at a nuisance lawsuit further. North Dakota derived the statute N.D. Cent. Code Ann. 42-01-12, which states Nothing which is done or maintained under the express authority of a statute shall be deemed a nuisance, from California. In doing so, North Dakota has determined that if you are conducting business in a district zoned for that type of activity, you are not completely immune from a nuisance lawsuit. Take the famous grain terminal case for example:
Harmon Motors is located in an area zoned C-2, "a general commercial district," and GTA was located in an area zoned N-1, "a light industrial district." No evidence was introduced that GTA was operating in violation of any city zoning ordinance or that GTA was in violation of any health ordinances. For that matter, the Williston zoning ordinance passed in 1970 provides for an exception for those businesses which were in operation when the zoning ordinance was adopted and GTA was in operation when that zoning ordinance was adopted. This, however, is not per se conclusive of the issues.
The court indicated that even though the offending party had been both grandfathered in as well as in compliance with city zoning ordinances, all this did not mean that the offending party was in the clear. In this case North Dakota also considered whether the party making the complaint has come to the nuisance, that is, moved into an area where a nuisance-like activity already existed. North Dakota courts gave less favorability to the complaining party and indicated that the burden of proof required to defeat the coming to the nuisance doctrine is very high.
The defense of I got the permit. Why am I a nuisance? nevertheless goes even further in North Dakota than other jurisdictions. An oil drilling operation had been flaring the excess gas it produced. This caused diminished air quality and excessive odors. But the court in Kartch v. EOG Res., Inc.,determined that the drilling operation was not a nuisance because the operators acted within the guidelines set forth in the applicable statute and their practices were customary in the oil industry in North Dakota.
Special consideration is also given to agricultural operations. If the agricultural operation has been in operation for more than one year and was not a nuisance at the time it began it shall not become a nuisance. Additionally, North Dakota recently passed a law that bars other laws from limiting farmers rights to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices. This was a necessary modernization to current statutes protecting farmers from surrounding urban developments.
Now to be sure, no legal system would be in proper order without some ambiguity, and as evidenced above there are exceptions to every rule. The takeaway: Just having the permit is not enough. And just being in statutory compliance is not enough. A claim in nuisance could still be successful in court.
David Ganje practices law in the area of natural resources, environmental and commercial law in South Dakota and North Dakota. His website is Lexenergy.net.
WILLISTON -- The closing date for Williston man camps came and went with little of the drama that surrounded a series of votes by the City Commission to shut down the sites for good.
According to an ordinance passed last month, Thursday was the last day of operation for temporary workforce housing within city limits.
City leaders hope for cooperation, although the decision is still being challenged in federal court by three companies who claim that officials improperly handled the closure process.
We want to work in good faith with them, Mayor Howard Klug said. Were not going to go out there with bulldozers. They know what weve said, and we know that the city is involved with a lot of litigation.
Camps will be held accountable through code enforcement, and violators will be subject to fines.
Well treat this just like any other ordinance situation, Klug said. There would be a daily fine. Its pretty hefty, and the commission has the discretion to enforce the ordinance, but hopefully we wont get to that point.
Shortly after the commission voted to close man camps by July 1, Target Logistics and Lodging Solutions filed a protest in district court, claiming that requests for permit extensions were ignored by Willistons planning and zoning department.
In June, a Williams County judge denied the companies request to extend permits and suspend the closure date.
Still, the matter remains unresolved in federal court, where Target Logistics and Lodging Solutions filed a suit that Halliburton later joined. Attorneys for the companies say the lack of a supermajority vote on the divisive issue invalidated the closure decision. Such a vote is needed when 20 percent of businesses involved protest.
A federal judge in June granted a temporary injunction that stopped the city from enforcing the July date, but a new ordinance passed unanimously last month setting the Sept. 1 deadline.
Man camps were first allowed in Williston in 2010. By 2013, leaders set a closure date of Dec. 31, 2015, for all such facilities within city limits.
In 2010, Target Logistics and Lodging Solutions built facilities north of city limits, in Williams County. The companies operated under the countys jurisdiction, which had no pending shutdown, until May 2015, when Williston extended its borders to include the land that the camps were on.
Attorneys for the companies say that at a city meeting in April 2015, Williston officials discussed the upcoming annexation, but stressed that the move would be made to ease future growth, not to affect current use of the land.
The Citys message was clear: the ETJ extension would not impact existing uses of ETJ lands, a court filing by Target Logistics says.
Calls made to a spokeswoman for Weatherford, one of the companies that was vocal during public hearings leading up to votes on closure dates, and attorneys for Target Logistics and Halliburton, were not returned Thursday.
According to data compiled by the citys planning department earlier this year, about 2,900 man camp beds are in existence within city limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Of that number, 1,035 of those are owned and operated by Target Logistics and Lodging Solutions.
Under the current ordinance, operators have until May 1, 2018, to remove temporary housing from sites, and until Aug. 1, 2018, to clean up the land.
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United Blood Services is testing the blood of all donors at risk of having contracted the Zika virus.
Zika is spread mostly by infected Aedes species mosquitoes, which are not found in North Dakota. While most people get mild symptoms from the virus, it can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus and can cause birth defects, including microcephaly and other brain abnormalities. There is no vaccine or medicine for Zika.
The Food and Drug Administration recently recommended testing all donated blood nationwide for Zika. The agency previously had recommended deferring anyone at risk of having contracted the virus.
Marni Wild, district director of manufacturing and laboratory services at United Blood Services, said the FDA only is recommending not requiring all blood to be tested. UBS, which handles blood donations in North Dakota, has been testing the blood of donors at risk of having contracted the virus since before the FDA made the recommendation as a precautionary measure, she said.
Michelle Feist, epidemiology and surveillance program manager at the North Dakota Department of Health, said active transmission of Zika is not happening in North Dakota, because the types of mosquitos that carry the virus are not found in the state.
However, people can contract the virus if they travel to a place with Zika or if they have sex with someone who has Zika. Wild said UBS asks questions during its pre-donation screening to see if donors are at risk of having Zika; if so, their blood automatically is screened before being used.
Wild did not know how much each Zika test costs UBS, but she said there is a financial hit on the organization each time a new test is added. She asked that anyone healthy and eligible to donate blood do so to help those who may need it.
While people in North Dakota are not at high risk to contract Zika, Feist said it is important for pregnant women or for couples who are planning to become pregnant to talk to their doctor about risk if they plan to travel. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain a list of places where Zika transmission is occurring, which should be consulted before travel, Feist said.
Since Discovery Childcare Center opened in March 2015, Burleigh County Social Services has received 20 complaints against the facility, ranging from lack of supervision to inadequate food for children.
The east Bismarck child care center closed Wednesday evening, according to the North Dakota Department of Human Services.
The department notified the center on June 27 that it was revoking its license after receiving complaints and conducting visits. Though the center appealed that action, it has closed permanently, according to Rebecca Eberhardt, an early childhood services administrator for the Department of Human Services.
Left on the door of the center on Thursday was a note signed by owner Danny Zimmerman, saying the facility was closing effective immediately due to new state regulations and clients not keeping up with their outstanding balances.
Zimmerman also owns Kids Imagination day care Zone in Mandan, which remains in operation.
The Discovery Childcare Center had several rule violations that were consistently coming up as concerns, Eberhardt said.
Burleigh County Social Services received numerous complaints against the center, including not enough food being served, toileting practices for children, derogatory remarks being made to children and lack of supervision.
After the Department of Human Services issued the revocation notice in late June, county child care licensors continued to monitor the facility and more concerns surfaced. So, on July 29, an amended revocation notice was sent to the facility. The following day, a letter was sent to parents of the children registered at the day care center informing them its license was being revoked.
During a July visit to the center, social service workers found one staff member present in one room with 19 children. Near a sink in the center, within reach of children, were a Windex bottle and two prescription medications, for which Zimmerman was not able to produce signed medication permission forms.
During that visit, social services indicated "children were running around the center unsupervised. On the playground, one of the older children got in the baby stroller and was rolling down a hill when the wheels hit a broom lying on the ground. The child fell out of the stroller and hit his nose on the sidewalk causing a bloody nose. The staff did not see the accident."
Social services also observed a child outside who "wet his pants and was not changed." There were also staff members on-site who were younger than 18. Under the state's administrative code, minors are required to have written parental consent for employment.
In addition, several staff members had not undergone fingerprinting and background checks.
Julie Ramos Lagos has been taking her 5-month-old son to Discovery day care Center since June and said she didn't have any concerns with the place until last week, when she started noticing it was getting quieter with fewer staff members.
Ramos Lagos said her husband dropped their son off at the day care yesterday and later called her, worried that the staff member in the infant room didn't seem to be paying attention to the children. She and her husband decided to have their son picked up from the day care because they weren't comfortable.
"It was a concern, of course," said Ramos Lagos, who is also the assistant marketing manager of the Bismarck Tribune. She said her son will stay with her mother until October, when a spot will become available at an in-home day care in town.
"We're OK, but it's hard to say how many families at that center just showed up to that sign today," she said.
Zimmerman did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comment on the center's closure.
The Mandan center
County licensors also have received numerous complaints about Zimmerman's other facility, Kids Imagination day care Zone in Mandan, some of which were not substantiated. Complaints include poor ratio of staff to children, facility cleanliness, lack of food and milk, medication within reach of children, failure to report an injury and lack of supervision.
According to the Department of Human Services, the revocation notice does not apply to the Mandan day care center.
Bismarck resident Natalie Pierce took her son to the day care in Mandan for a brief period last year; but after hearing rumors that the place might close, she began looking for another place to care for him.
While Pierce was looking for another day care, her son -- who was 2 years old at the time -- hurt his shoulder at the Mandan facility.
"No one could tell me how it happened, she said. There was never a manager there. They say there is, but there was never a manager there."
Pierce said her son told her he hurt his shoulder after an older child was pushing him on a swing and he fell off. He couldnt lift his arm to put his shirt on or crawl into his car seat, she said. She took him to get an X-ray, but found nothing was broken.
She also became concerned about understaffing and a lack of staff training at the day care in Mandan. Her son got stomach flu three times in the few months that he was there. Since going to a different day care, he hasn't had the stomach flu once, she said.
I think it had something to do with just not a clean eating environment," she said.
Pierce said "by a miracle" she was able to find another day care for her son, and now he stays at home with his father. But she surmises it may be tougher for other parents.
Its really difficult, because there is not enough child care in Bismarck-Mandan -- or anywhere, for that matter," she said.
A man accused of shooting cats with arrows last fall pleaded guilty to two counts of felony animal cruelty on Wednesday morning.
Kristofer Gilliam, 36, of Bismarck, was sentenced to time served the 14 days he had spent in jail since his arrest. He will be on probation for the next two years; if he fails, he could face about a year in prison. He also owes $560 in court fees.
South Central District Judge Bruce Haskell rejected Gilliam's attorney's request for a deferred sentence, which could be wiped from his record if he successfully completed probation.
According to court documents, Gilliam's neighbor found two cats that had been pierced with the same type of arrow on separate days in November. Gilliam contacted police and said he had accidentally shot a cat during target practice in his yard. Police found an empty box of the same brand of arrows in Gilliam's car.
In court, Gilliam conceded it was likely he would be found guilty at a trial.
"A person could conclude this was an accident if it happened once, but it happened twice. So, I don't think so," Haskell said.
Orville Alfred Lindquist passed away peacefully Aug. 27, 2016, in Nampa, Idaho, just 13 days after his 98th birthday. He was a devoted husband that loved being with family and friends.
Orville was born into this world on Aug. 14, 1918, in Max, to Anna and Carl Albert Lindquist. Growing up during the depression with nine siblings was difficult, however this experience convinced Orville that education was critical to his future. After graduating from Max High School in 1936, Orville started college which was interrupted when World War II broke out, and he was drafted into the Army. After World War II, Orville completed his bachelor of arts in education from North Dakota State University with an emphasis in commerce and a minor in physical education.
Orvilles first teaching assignment was in Wilton, where he soon became best friends with Edgar and Edsel Anderson. Before long, the Anderson boys introduced Orville to their youngest sister, Edna, who eventually became his beloved wife of 62 years. They lived in Garrison; Crane, Ore.; Libby, Mont.; Minot; Geraldine, Mont.; Klamath Falls, Ore.; and eventually settled in Santa Cruz, Calif., where they lived in the same home for 51 years.
While in Santa Cruz, Orville obtained a masters degree in counseling at San Jose State University and became principal of the Adult Education Program. The friendships Orville developed over 40 years working in education were invaluable as were the members of his church family at St. Stevens Lutheran Church, where he attended for over 50 years.
Orville had many interests, however his true passion was hunting and fishing which began when he was 8 years old learning to trap muskrats with his father. He fished whenever possible, and his favorite was hunting mule deer with his boys and the Schnabele Family in Eastern Oregon.
Orville is survived by his wife, Edna; his son, Craig A. Lindquist and his wife, Robin; his son, Wade A. Lindquist; his daughter, Karen Lindquist and her spouse, Liz Papke; four grandchildren, Alise Erickson, Clay Lindquist, Kyle Lindquist and Kurt Lindquist; and two great-grandchildren, James Erickson and Ian Orville Erickson.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. MDT Saturday, Sept. 3, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 8 South Midland Blvd., Nampa, Idaho 83652. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Sunne Lutheran Church, 7701 Highway 36, Wilton, N.D. 58579. Condolences may be expressed at zeyerfuneralchapel.com. (Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa)
A judge has dismissed charges against the last of five current or former employees of the North Dakota Department of Human Services who were accused of impeding the investigation into the drowning-related death of a 5-year-old girl in Velva last year.
Northeast District Judge Donovan Foughty signed an order this week dismissing the misdemeanor charges that were filed in February against Laura Gotvaslee, director of the DHS regional center in Minot.
Foughty dismissed the charges -- conspiracy to obstruct a government function and public servant refusing to perform duty -- without prejudice, meaning the state could refile them in the future.
Gotvaslees attorney, Robert Hoy of West Fargo, had requested the charges be dismissed with prejudice. He called the decision by former McHenry County States Attorney Cassey Breyer to charge the DHS employees ill-advised and wrong-headed.
While the judge didnt agree to his request or express an opinion on it, Hoy was happy the charges were dismissed and said they never should have been filed in the first place.
The bottom line is that the charges that were brought six months ago were dismissed by the prosecutor herself, and my client is happy to be exonerated and done with that, and I certainly dont expect that theyre ever going to be refiled, Breyer said Wednesday.
Similar charges against DHS Executive Director Maggie Anderson, former DHS attorney Julie Leer and current DHS attorney Jonathan Alm were dismissed within the past few weeks, also at Breyers request.
Breyer wrote in her request that the state is not alleging that the charges against the Defendant are improper, but she cited additional evidence that arose as her reason for seeking dismissal.
A fifth DHS worker, former Early Childhood Services Administrator Jennifer Barry, resolved the misdemeanor public duty charge through a pre-trial diversion agreement reached in July. The charge will be dismissed after three months if Barry commits no offenses during that time.
Breyer, who left the states attorneys office in June but continued to prosecute the DHS cases while working in private practice, declined to comment Wednesday through a spokeswoman.
The charges stemmed from the state crime bureaus probe into the death of a 5-year-old girl who was found unresponsive in the Velva city pool on June 8, 2015, while under the supervision of the KidQuarters child care center. Breyer alleged that the DHS workers allowed KidQuarters to operate unlicensed, didnt notify authorities about it and tried to obstruct the investigation, which attorneys for the defendants denied.
The McHenry County social worker who allegedly asked DHS to backdate KidQuarters expired license to six days before the incident still faces a felony charge of tampering with public records and two misdemeanor charges. A preliminary hearing last Friday was canceled, and a new date hadnt been set.
The centers operator pleaded guilty in March to felony child neglect and operating a child care facility without a license.
The state auditors office published a report last month that was highly critical of how DHS handles licensing and oversight of child care facilities.
A former government official of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks from a construction contractor has pleaded guilty to federal charges in North Dakota. Randall Phelan was an elected representative of the governing body of the Three Affiliated Tribes from the end of 2012 to the middle of 2020. Investigators say Phelan used his official position to help the contractors business by awarding contracts, fabricating bids and managing fraudulent invoices. His trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. Phelan and two others were originally charged with receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bribery scheme on the oil-rich Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The contractor has pleaded guilty to bribery.
Once upon a time, it may have been possible to work your way through college. Combine a full-time summer gig waiting tables or working as a lifeguard with a few hours behind the desk at the school library or tending bar during the school year, and you could cover your tuition costs and maybe pay your rent too. Those days are long gone, as anyone whos taken a look at current college costs knows. Now, theres even more proof that most students and families cant afford higher education unless they take out loans.
In many states, working 40 hours a week at minimum wage would still leave students unable to cover their tuition and other expenses at a four-year college, according to a report from The Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Community colleges are cheaper, but even at these more modestly priced institutions students usually need to work at least 20 hours a week, and sometimes much more, to cover all their expenses.
Parents are also stretched thin. In states like Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Illinois, they would need to contribute more than 30% of their annual income to college costs if they wanted their child to graduate debt-free, the 2016 College Affordability Diagnosis found. For low- and middle-income parents, the cost burden is often much higher.
Faced with high costs, students have a few unappealing options: They can take fewer credits which will lower the price for a given term. They can work more to be able to cover the increases in college expenses. Or they can borrow more money, William Doyle, co-author of the report and an associate professor of public policy and higher education at Vanderbilts Peabody College, wrote. The first two make it less likely that theyll actually complete their degree, research shows, while the third saddles them with debt.
This study shows how the deck is stacked against low- and middle-income Americans when it comes to paying for college, Joni Finney, another of the reports authors, said in a statement. Without policy changes, the data point toward a problem that will only worsen. That paints a bleak picture for millions of Americans.
The affordability problem exists at colleges across the United States, from two-year schools to private research universities, according to the report. (Affordability was defined as the total costs minus financial aid of attending college relative to a familys income.) But it is much more acute in some states than others. These seven states have the least affordable colleges and universities in the country.
7. South Carolina
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend a four-year, public research university full-time: 48 hours per week
Families in South Carolina need to spend between 33% and 37% of their income to send a child to a public, four-year school. A student paying for college on her own would have to work 40 hours a week to cover the cost of attending a public research university and 23 hours to attend a community college.
Education is particularly costly for the states poorest residents. Twenty-eight percent of South Carolina families earn less than $30,000 a year, and covering the cost of attendance at a four-year public research university would eat up 87% of their income. Even more affordable community colleges would suck up 41% of their paycheck.
6. Ohio
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend a four-year, public research university full-time: 48 hours per week
Attending a public research university in Ohio, such as Ohio State, would cost 37% of the typical familys income. Public non-doctoral universities would cost 26% of a familys paycheck, and two-year schools 18%. Private schools would cost between 46% and 58% of a familys total income.
The amount of need-based financial aid Ohio provides to students is lower than the national average $97 per student at public schools, compared to a nationwide average of $474. The average college student borrows between $3,496 and $5,398 per year, depending on what type of school they attend.
5. Vermont
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend a four-year, public research university full-time: 41 hours per week
Community colleges are supposed to offer a relatively affordable path to a degree, but thats not the case in Vermont. The state has the third-most expensive community college system in the country, with the average family needing to fork over 29% of their income if they wanted to cover all the costs without taking out loans. For low-income families the costs are even more severe: 62% of annual income would have to go to community college tuition for the 17% of Vermont families making less than $30,000 a year.
Although students can still work part-time jobs to cover the cost of community college in many states, in Vermont, youd need to log 42 hours of minimum wage work per week to afford your associates degree. Thats about the same number of hours youd have to work to afford tuition at the University of Vermont or one of the states other public four-year schools.
4. Alabama
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend a four-year, public research university full-time: 47 hours per week
First, the good news. Alabamas community colleges, which enroll 35% of students in the state, are relatively affordable. Students would have to work 19 hours a week at minimum wage to afford to attend a two-year school full-time.
Public colleges and universities in Alabama are another story. A student would have to work 47 hours a week to cover costs at a public research university and 38 hours a week to attend other four-year public schools in the state. A family making less than $30,000 (a group encompassing 28% of the states families) would have to spend 73% of its income to cover costs at the latter. The state contributes an average of $21 in need-based and other financial aid to students attending public schools in the state, hundreds of dollars below the national average.
3. Rhode Island
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend a four-year, public research university full-time: 48 hours per week
The higher education landscape in Rhode Island is sharply divided between affordable and very unaffordable. In two categories (public four-year non-doctoral and private research), Rhode Island institutions were the most affordable in the country. Its community college system was also the seventh-most affordable in the U.S. But the states private colleges and its public research university (the University of Rhode Island), which enroll more than half the students in the state, were among the least affordable in the nation.
To cover costs at a private, four-year non-doctoral school in Rhode Island, a student would need to work almost 80 hours per week. The typical family would have to fork over 60% of their income to cover the cost of attendance. To pay the net price at the states public research institution, families earning between $75,000 and $110,000 would have to contribute one quarter of their income; those earning less than $30,000 would have to hand over 70% of their paycheck.
2. Pennsylvania
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend four-year, public research university full-time: 59 hours per week
Though Pennsylvania provides fairly generous financial aid to students, its not enough to make up for tuition increases at colleges and universities across the state. The state has the most unaffordable public research universities in the country, and its other public universities are nearly as expensive.
A family earning less than $30,000 per year would have to pay 105% of their income to cover the full cost of attendance at a school like Penn State or Temple University. Even higher-income families must shoulder a significant financial burden if they want to avoid loans. A family making between $75,000 and $110,000 would have to spend 29% of their income to cover all college costs at one of the states flagship schools.
1. New Hampshire
Number of hours youd need to work to afford to attend four-year, public research university full-time: 58 hours per week
New Hampshire has the least affordable colleges and universities in the United States, according to the University of Pennsylvania report. Community colleges, public four-year schools, and private colleges are all among the most expensive in the country. The state provides no need-based financial aid to students, and most schools have become significantly less affordable since 2008.
Families earning less than $30,000 a year would have to spend more than three-quarters of their annual income to send a child to a public two-year or four-year school debt-free. The net price at community colleges is comparable to the cost of attending a four-year school for lower-income families, and students would need to work at least 48 hours a week at minimum wage if they hope to pay for an associates degree on their own.
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Netflix has earned critical acclaim for its original TV lineup, which includes highly praised dramas like Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards. But not all of its series have fared quite as well. Despite the companys best efforts and in some cases a hefty price tag, these five Netflix shows failed to take off with either critics or audiences.
Below, check out five of the streaming companys biggest television flops.
1. Hemlock Grove
Based on Brian McGreevys novel of the same name, the horror thriller series examines the strange happenings in Hemlock Grove, a fictional town in Pennsylvania. Starring Bill Skarsgard and Landon Liboiron, the show follows Roman Godfrey (Skarsgard), heir to the towns wealthy Godfrey family, and the towns newcomer, Peter Rumancek (Liboiron) as they work together to shed light on a series of brutal murders.
Hemlock Grove was one of Netflixs earliest original titles, premiering just a couple of months after the acclaimed House of Cards, and it proved to be a big misstep. The show was universally panned, with critics slamming the series for its poor acting and painfully slow pace. Time Magazine even named it one of the worst 10 shows on television in 2013.
Though the freshman season was widely criticized, the show was renewed for two more seasons which isnt entirely surprising, as Netflix has a reputation for giving many of its series multiple chances. Despite its best efforts, the series never really took off and officially ended its run in 2015.
2. Bad Samaritans
Youve probably never even heard of this Netflix comedy and theres a reason for that. The show, which starred Brian Kubach, Julianna Guill, Tommy Snider, Alice Hunter, Robert LaSardo, and David Faustino, was one of Netflixs earliest original TV entries. It focused on a community service parole group and their parole officer, and debuted in in 2013 to dismal reviews.
How bad exactly? The show isnt even available to watch on Netflix anymore, which should tell you pretty much everything you need to know.
3. Marco Polo
Netflix shelled out a whopping $90 million for the 10-episode freshman season of this historical drama, marking one of its costliest and most ambitious projects ever. But the series failed to live up to its impressive price tag. Critics called the show, which follows Venetian explorer Marco Polo (Lorenzo Richelmy) through his adventures in 13th-century China, lifeless, sluggish, and emotionally empty basically the opposite of its obvious inspiration, Game of Thrones.
Despite the not-so-well-received freshman season, Netflix renewed the show for a 10-episode second season. Season 2 of Marco Polo kicked off in July 2016 and though it earned a more positive response, the show has since been canceled.
4. Between
This sci-fi drama, created by Michael McGowan, stars Jennette McCurdy as Wiley Day, a pregnant teenage daughter of a minister living in the small town of Pretty Lake. The town is plagued with a mysterious disease that has killed everybody who is over 21 years old.
The series, a co-production with the Canadian network, City, marked a change in format for Netflix. The show aired episodes on a weekly basis instead of its standard all-at-once release model. But critics didnt seem to think it was worth the extra wait. Though McCurdy earned some praise for her performance, reviewers critiqued the series for lacking depth and a compelling hook, with Variety calling it an utterly ho-hum addition to Netflixs original lineup.
Regardless, the series aired a second season in 2016. There has been no confirmation of a third season.
5. Chelsea
Chelsea Handler made her return to TV in Netflixs first ever talk show, which was widely promoted as a one-of-a-kind series that will do away with the conventions of traditional broadcasts late night shows. But despite its anti-talk show billing, Chelsea doesnt feel particularly different. The comedian still kicks off every episode with a monologue (although she refuses to call it that), followed by an interview with a celebrity or other public figure.
Critics and audiences alike have panned the anything-goes structure, which often feels awkward and clumsy. And theres been some trouble behind the scenes as well: Only three weeks and nine episodes into its run, executive producer and showrunner Bill Wolff opted to exit the series.
Though the show improved slightly throughout its first season, it has yet to fully to live up its potential. Despite the bad reviews from both critics and viewers, Netflix brought Chelsea back for a second season in 2017 although Handler has since announced it will be its last.
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Alexander Filippou, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Bonn, Germany, received the 2016 WACKER Silicone Award. The award was presented at the eighth European Silicon Days in Poznan, Poland. The Munich-based chemical group thereby recognizes Filippous groundbreaking work in the field of organosilicon chemistry. This includes isolation of a transition metal complex with a metal-silicon triple bond and synthesis of a stable silanone with a silicon-oxygen double bond. Filippous work is also important to industry, for example for developing catalysts or silicones with novel combinations of properties.
In his speech, Robert Gnann, head of the WACKER SILICONES business division, praised Filippou as a researcher, who, with his achievements, has had a lasting influence on silicon chemistry. Through his work, basic research has been given a new impetus, which is also to the benefit of the industry.
Filippous research focuses include triple bonds between transition metals and elements of the carbon group, as well as stable molecules of the elements silicon, germanium, tin and lead in their low oxidation states. Among his groundbreaking achievements were the isolation of a transition metal complex with a metal-silicon triple bond and thus of a silicon analog of a transition metal alkylidene complex (2010) and the synthesis of a stable silanone with a silicon-oxygen double bond (2014) and of a phosphasilenylidene with a silicon-phosphorus double bond (2015). The chemistry developed by Professor Filippou and his team is of great importance both as regards catalysis and for an understanding of certain industrial processes. It may even be possible, one day, to develop silicones with new property profiles, said Gnann.
Professor Alexander Filippou, born in the city of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, in 1958, began studying chemistry at the Technical University of Munich in 1976. In 1984 he gained his doctorate with the Nobel laureate Professor Ernst Otto Fischer with a dissertation on New pathways of synthesis of anionic ketene and carbyne complexes of 16 Group elements through neutral-substituted carbyne-carbonyl compounds. He obtained his habilitation in 1992 on metal-centered coupling reactions of C1 ligands. Filippou was subsequently a Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Humbold University of Berlin for twelve years. Since 2005, he has been a lecturer and researcher at the University of Bonn. In 2007, he was appointed director of the universitys Institute of Inorganic Chemistry.
The WACKER Silicone Award was presented at the eighth European Silicon Days in Poznan, Poland. Silicones are extremely versatile materials and have become indispensable thanks to their many useful properties, stressed WACKER Executive Board member Auguste Willems to the audience of about 250 at the award ceremony. Demand for silicone in the industry has been growing for years. Experts estimate the market value of silicones at over eleven billion euros. Because of their versatility and their large spectrum of properties, silicones are particularly interesting for innovative technologies, stressed Willems. Silicone chemistry offers a variety of possibilities and development opportunities.
Andrew Mason's audio tour startup can now show you around Chicago with the help of some well-known city voices.
Detour which Mason launched in 2015 after he was fired as CEO of Groupon in 2013 offers GPS-enabled guided city tours. The app guides users through a set path for about an hour, on topics ranging from trash in San Francisco to a serial killer in Austin.
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Tours for Chicago, New York City and Los Angeles were set to launch on the app on Thursday morning. Chicago's tours include walks through Wrigleyville, Grant Park and downtown. By November, the company plans to offer nine tours in Chicago. Each costs $4.99 to download on the company's iPhone or Android app.
Veteran radio host Richard Steele narrates the Grant Park tour on "The 150 Year Battle Over Chicago's Front Yard," and historian Tim Samuelson narrates "Outside the Box," a tour in the Loop.
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Future tours will include a dive bar tour of Wicker Park and a tour of Old Town's "Great Good Places" with Chicago Tribune reporter Rick Kogan.
Filmmaker Ken Burns voices a New York City Detour of Brooklyn Bridge.
Detour uses GPS technology to create location-aware tours; as users stroll by storefronts or around corners, the app knows when to delve into a new part of the tour. The tours also provide tips on being polite, prepared visitors: A tour on Hasidic Williamsburg suggests a modest dress code, and one on San Francisco's "Beat Generation" reminds listeners to bring $10 for a cable car ride and a stop at a cafe.
"We really worked hard to create this immersive experience. It was something where you could put your phone in your pocket and feel like there's somebody there walking with you," Mason said.
Mason said the company typically takes three to six months to build each tour. The company employs 13 full-time, but each tour typically requires a freelance or contract writer, researcher, sound designer and editor. Detour hired an executive producer for its Chicago tours.
"When we get into a new city, it's finding the place, the stories and the storytellers that's really the hard part," he said. "We want to find stories that somehow reveal something important about the city."
The app also lets users share their tours with others meaning one person can pay for a tour and share it with others listening at the same time.
"Previously, audio tours were socially isolating," Mason said. "Now, we can hear the same thing at the same time. It's like you're seeing a movie together."
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Though Chicago's current tours feature more tourist-friendly areas, Mason said there's potential for tours in areas that are more off the beaten track. He gave the example of a tour of the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco.
"They take you through their neighborhood, they tell you why they love it, they introduce you to some of their neighbors," he said. "There's no experience closer to walking in another person's shoes than taking a Detour."
The company plans to add tours for five more U.S. cities and five European cities in late spring 2017.
Mason also has plans for the technology the company uses to build the tours, called "Descript." He said the platform is designed to make working with audio as easy as a word processor. Using the technology, users can delete or rearrange words to change the audio.
The company licensed the technology to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art earlier this year, and hopes to work with other museums and organizations and eventually anyone that wants to build their own audio tour.
"The hope is that anybody will be able to create their own story of their neighborhood, even if it's something they're only sharing with a couple dozen people who might be visiting or something like that," Mason said.
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Mason co-founded Groupon with Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell and served as its CEO until he was fired by the company's board in February 2013. A few months later, he announced he was heading to San Francisco to start a new company and become a part-time partner at startup accelerator Y Combinator.
"The great thing about San Francisco is it has this feel of (being) the closest thing in our day and age that I can imagine to Athens in 450 BC, where it's the largest concentration of where the future of the world for the better or worse is being determined. And that's kind of all around you," he told Blue Sky this week. "Everybody that wants to be part of that ends up moving there."
mgraham@tribpub.com
Twitter @megancgraham
In 2008, Chicago developer Joseph Freed & Associates, which has counted Block 37, a downtown Target store and Streets of Woodfield among its projects, was in the midst of a "severe liquidity crisis" that made it tough to cover expenses. Its chief executive, Larry Freed, began telling workers to divert funds from partnership bank accounts to pay without the partners' knowledge operating costs, federal prosecutors have said.
On Thursday one of those employees, former Vice President Caroline Walters, 55, was sentenced to six months in prison and two years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Robert Dow in Chicago for her role in a scheme that prosecutors said caused actual or intended losses of $11.6 million.
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Earlier this year, she pleaded guilty to lying to a bank about a public financing note that was issued for the redevelopment of a former Goldblatt's department store in the city's Uptown neighborhood. Walters had admitted in a plea agreement that she lied to Cole Taylor Bank about a public financing note issued by the city of Chicago that had been pledged to two different banks as collateral.
Walters told Cole Taylor that her company would resolve the other pledge, which had been made to a bank consortium after Cole Taylor's interest in the note already was secured. At the time Walters made the statement, she knew that the bank consortium had declared Freed to be in default, according to the plea agreement.
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"Freed called the shots, but I find it difficult to believe that" Walters, who has master's in business administration, could be found blameless, Dow said in court. "This is not a secretary with a high school education" who was just doing what her boss told her.
"Maybe her fatal flaw was being too loyal to her boss," the judge said. Another executive left the company, expressing concerns about how it was doing business.
The government had asked that Walters be sentenced to two years in prison, according to a sentencing memorandum filed last week.
Joseph Freed & Associates had stopped making payments on a $105 million line of credit with Bank of America, and began missing "substantial" property tax payments on numerous properties, prosecutors had said.
"Freed and Walters began to lie to creditors, including Bank of America, Cole Taylor Bank and the city of Chicago," prosecutors had said.
The judge also ordered Walters to pay restitution of $575,759 over an actual loss.
Even the prosecution's sentencing memorandum noted that letters sent to the court in her support said Walters was a "kind, caring and charitable person." She had no previous criminal record.
Her side of the courtroom was filled with about two dozen people. As she read from a written statement, Walters occasionally cried and repeatedly had to be told to speak more slowly by the judge and court reporter.
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Besides prison time, Walters could be at risk for potential deportation eventually.
Despite having lived in the United States for about 50 years, she is here on a green card. She is a citizen of the United Kingdom.
Afterward, Walters and her lawyer, Thomas McQueen, declined to comment, as did Matthew Madden, assistant U.S. attorney.
Larry Freed has yet to be sentenced.
byerak@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @beckyyerak
A passenger checks in to board a JetBlue flight to Santa Clara, Cuba, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century flew out of Fort Lauderdale for the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning, re-establishing regular air service severed at the height of the Cold War. (Alan Diaz / AP)
United Airlines will begin flights to Havana this fall, the airline said in a news release Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation had tentatively given United approval to operate nonstop flights between Havana and its hubs in Newark, N.J., and Houston in July.
With the official go-ahead, United plans to start daily nonstop flights from Newark and Saturday nonstop flights from Houston on Nov. 29, subject to final government approval, United said.
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The flights are available for booking on United's website. The airline will use Boeing 737 aircraft on both routes.
"I'm incredibly proud of all the dedicated aviation professionals here at United who are working hard to get our historic Cuba service ready for takeoff in November," United CEO Oscar Munoz said in the news release. "The final approval by the DOT reaffirms that our flights will ensure better choice, convenience and competition for all travelers on this important route, and I want to thank the DOT for their decision."
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The first scheduled commercial flight from the U.S. to Cuba in more than five decades, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Santa Clara, arrived Wednesday.
"Today's actions are the result of months of work by airlines, cities, the U.S. government, and many others toward delivering on President Obama's promise to re-engage with Cuba," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a news release after landing on that flight. "Transportation has a unique role in this historic initiative and we look forward to the benefits these new services will provide to those eligible for Cuba travel."
The Department of Transportation gave six airlines American Airlines , Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and Sun Country permission to resume scheduled commercial air service to nine Cuban cities other than Havana in June.
A water canon salute is given to JetBlue flight 387 as airport workers watch, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The first commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than a half century flew out of Fort Lauderdale for the central city of Santa Clara on Wednesday morning. (Alan Diaz / AP)
The only flights connecting Chicago and Cuba approved so far are both operated by Frontier Airlines, which can fly between O'Hare International Airport and Santiago de Cuba daily and from O'Hare to Matanzas on Saturdays.
Although tourist travel to Cuba is still prohibited, family visits, official business, journalistic visits, professional meetings, and educational and religious activities are permitted.
United was one of eight U.S. airlines, including Alaska Airlines, American, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and Spirit Airlines, selected for the Havana flights, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday.
United applied for the Newark and Houston routes because the Newark/New York area is home to the largest U.S. Cuban population after Miami, and the airline sees Houston as its gateway to Latin America, said spokesman Jonathan Guerin.
United also had sought Havana flights from Washington, D.C., and Chicago, but the Department of Transportation did not approve them.
lzumbach@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @laurenzumbach
A camouflaged prototype of Volkswagen's new midsized SUV is seen on an off road trail at Prentice Cooper State Forest near Chattanooga, Tenn., Monday, Aug. 29, 2016. The German automaker plans to begin production of the new model at its Chattanooga plant later this year. (Erik Schelzig / AP)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. Volkswagen's new midsized SUV was seen as key to reviving flagging U.S. sales even before the Volkswagen's diesel emissions cheating scandal rocked the company to its core and caused one of the world's largest automakers to reassess how it does business around the globe.
The new three-row SUV is scheduled to begin production at Volkswagen's lone U.S. plant in Tennessee toward the end of this year, with the yet-to-be-named vehicle arriving in dealer show rooms early in 2017.
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Volkswagen sales through the first seven months of the year were down by 13 percent compared with the same period before the news of the emissions scandal broke in 2015. The Tiguan compact SUV has been one of the company's few bright spots in the U.S., with sales growing by 49 percent over the same period.
The company hopes to build on that success with the new midsized SUV. Following a test drive of a camouflaged prototype of the new vehicle, Matthias Erb, the chief engineering officer for Volkswagen's North American region, said the new SUV fills a gap that Volkswagen had when it came to growing families.
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"If someone already had a Passat but wanted something bigger after having two kids, we didn't have anything to offer them," Erb said in an interview conducted in German. "The Tiguan was too small because a compact SUV offers essentially the same space as a midsized sedan."
According to Autodata Corp., midsize SUV sales were up 4.5 percent in the U.S. through July. That's more than 3 times the total industry increase of 1.3 percent, so this is an extremely popular segment.
Volkswagen's SUV is coming at a good time for the company provided it is priced competitively, said Rebecca Lindland, a senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book.
Challenges will include changing perceptions among consumers accustomed to thinking of Volkswagen as selling compact sedans, and to try to ensure the SUV fits U.S. tastes by fostering a culture of being "listeners rather than tellers," Lindland said. That way the company can develop an understanding of "what the U.S. market needs versus what other markets need around the world however illogical or emotional it may seem."
Volkswagen officials promise that the new model will be priced competitively with existing SUVs, a segment of the market where Volkswagen has struggled in the past. The company is also keen to avoid repeating mistakes it made with the U.S. version of the Passat, which made an initial splash but then fizzled as the buyers were left underwhelmed compared with the European version.
The company has since decided to add a new engineering center near the plant to better adapt to local tastes.
But those changes will be limited to the interior and exterior of vehicles, because Volkswagen builds a shared construction platform for vehicles around the world, and it isn't going to be able to develop chasses and engines specifically for the U.S. market. Erb said that's hard to overcome, in part because U.S. customers don't need vehicles that can hold their own on the Autobahn.
"Our cars are always laid out for top speed including the B-SUV, which can be driven at speeds that would guarantee landing you in jail here without running the risk of exceeding its limits," Erb said.
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The success of the new SUV is also key to the future of the Chattanooga plant, which has only made the Passat sedan since opening to great fanfare in 2011. Most of the other Volkswagens destined for the U.S. market are made in Mexico.
"One vehicle for a whole plant is never good," Erb said.
Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report.
Two red river hog piglets have been born at Brookfield Zoo and are now on public display, the institution announced Thursday.
The male and female were born Aug. 18 and are "healthy and adjusting well," said a news release from Chicago Zoological Society, which runs the west suburban animal park.
Two red river hog piglets are born at the Brookfield Zoo. (Kelly Tone/Chicago Zoological Society)
The piglets weighed between 3 and 4 lbs. each at birth, compared to typical top adult weights for the nocturnal omnivorous African species of 155 lbs. (female) and 250 lbs. (male). Now on view in the zoo's Habitat Africa! The Forest area, they have passed critical milestones such as nursing and sleeping alongside their parents.
The parents are first-time mother Charlotte, born in 2013 and at Brookfield since 2015, and father Little B, born in 2004 and at Brookfield since 2013.
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The piglets mottled stripes are expected to fade after about six months as they take on the distinctive rust coloring, with a white stripe down the back, of mature red river hogs. More than 200 of the animals are kept at 56 North American institutions, the zoo said.
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It was a not-so-happy Halloween in 2008 when the many thousands of his fans and followers heard that Studs Terkel had died. This news was perhaps softened a bit by the fact that he was 96 years old and that his life had been filled with activity: TV star, actor, radio host for nearly half a century on WFMT, author of nearly 20 books (among them such best-sellers as "Division Street America," "Working" and "The Good War," winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1985), energetic activist and civic symbol. He got it right when some years before his death he crafted his own playful epitaph: "Curiosity did not kill this cat."
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On that 2008 Halloween, Alan Wieder was driving his car along a road near the University of South Carolina, where he had been a professor for nearly two decades. He was talking on his cellphone to his girlfriend, Joanie Krug, who would later become his wife. He stopped talking so that he could turn his full attention the car radio's delivery of the news of Terkel's death.
"And then I just drove to the nearest place I could think of where I could get a pair of red socks," says Wieder, referring to one of the items that was along with a red-checked shirt, a loosened red knit tie, gray trousers and a blue blazer part of the familiar Terkelian wardrobe.
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That sartorial style came to be after Studs (it simply does not seem right to refer to him in any other way, not by last name or by his birth name, which was Louis) spotted a man at a party wearing a red-checked shirt and said he had to have one just like it. He always had a frazzled and rumpled look, as if he might have been a racetrack tout. But it's possible he could have looked even worse. As his wife Ida said, "I have to take him out to the store to buy clothes. Otherwise, he would be dressed in rags."
"Finally, I found a pair of red socks in a sporting goods store," says Wieder.
He no longer has those socks but he has a book, the first major biography of Studs since his death. (Previously there was "Studs Terkel: A Life in Words" by Tony Parker published in 1996.)
Wieder's "Studs Terkel: Politics, Culture, but Mostly Conversation" begins with these words: "This project began in my head over twenty years ago. As a university oral historian, it was Studs Terkel's books that made my work possible, credible in the academic setting that swept further and further into the world of empirical data. People's stories were not to be trusted, but Studs made them legitimate."
It is a fine and immensely readable book that hits all of the many stops in Studs' long career. It is the result of deep and detailed research, incisive and insightful thinking and is based soundly on "more than one hundred conversations with Studs' family members, friends, colleagues, and other people whose lives he touched."
I was among those people, for not only had I known Studs since I was born he took my father, his good friend, out for a celebratory drink that long ago night but I had written a number of stories about him over my newspaper years, including his obituary, which began by noting that he "arrived here as a child from New York City and in Chicago found not only a new name but a place that perfectly matched in its energy, its swagger, its charms, its heart his own personality. They made a perfect and enduring pair."
"At first some of the people I approached were suspicious," says Wieder. "I was lectured a bit: 'Don't get Studs wrong,' more than one said. And others were skeptical."
One of the reasons was that Wieder was far from Studs' inner circle, which numbered among it some people who were contemplating writing books of their own about him.
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Wieder was a virtual stranger, having met Studs only once. It was in 2003 when he was in Chicago for a conference at which Studs was a featured speaker. He was introduced to him by Bill Ayers, the local author and professor who was a friend of both Studs and Wieder.
"We shook hands and I immediately sensed that Studs was totally uninterested in talking to another professor," says Wieder. "But when I mentioned that I had just returned from South Africa, he brightened and we talked and talked."
Actually, that conversation lasted only 10 minutes but it remained vivid in Wieder's mind.
In the wake of Studs' death Wieder was wrapping up his book about a pair of South African activists. When his "Ruth First and Joe Slovo in the War Against Apartheid" was finished, he focused on Studs. As he writes, "I had been scripting Studs' story in my head for many years."
"After that initial skepticism, so many people were willing to share their memories," says Wieder, who now lives in Oregon. "They all helped me get to know Studs as a human being."
His tone is understandably flattering, his admiration palpable. He ends his book with this appreciative assessment: "He amazed us!"
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There will surely be more books about Studs. His own books still sell and his radio interviews live on in the remarkable Studs Terkel Radio Archive.
In a sense Studs fashioned his own autobiography. Though famous for his skill in interviewing others, he also wrote a number of books in which his voice is the most prominent. Among them I think the best is 1986's "Chicago," a big title for a slender, 144-page book, which he described as a "rambling essay." But I find it to more like a meditation, a thrilling trip into Studs' feelings for this city with which he is so closely identified.
Wieder is proud of his own book, though he wonders still, "Did I really get him?"
The preface is by Chicago poet-teacher Kevin Coval, who calls the book "a tribute to one of the greatest men in the history of the greatest & most horrible of cities."
And the book ends with a poem by Studs' friend, the author-publisher-poet Haki Madhubiti.
These are its last lines:
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"your being among us is the rare, ripe, swinging musical
and we, the chorus, are still taking lessons, breaking only
to say thank you."
He wrote that a while ago, on the sad Halloween day that Studs died.
rkogan@chicagotribune.com
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VENICE, Italy Shot in widescreen CinemaScope, and brimming with love notes to the movie musicals writer-director Damien Chazelle so clearly adores, "La La Land" made its world premiere Wednesday at the 73rd Biennale di Venezia, better known as the Venice Film Festival.
You'll be hearing a lot about the movie this fall, and if you want a reckless, pointless prediction far too far in advance, here it is: Expect Chazelle's unabashed musical romance, his third really good film in a row, to find itself with seven or eight Academy Award nominations come January. There. Mission accomplished. I've managed to reduce an imperfect but vital new investigation of the musical genre to one stupid Oscars prediction.
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"La La Land" doesn't open until December. For now, a few thoughts about its influences, and its impact on the fall movie season as many hot prospects, notably "La La Land" and a very different 2016 highlight, Kenneth Lonergan's "Manchester by the Sea," head next week to the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado and then on to the Toronto International Film Festival.
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Venice scored the world premiere of last year's top Oscar winner, "Spotlight," so when a movie does well here, people notice. On the Lido across the water from Venice proper, the festival atmosphere is as serene as the Cannes festival is chaotic. Still, Chazelle's festival opener Wednesday generated buzz you could hear even if your plane hadn't yet landed.
"La La Land" stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in their third pairing following "Crazy, Stupid, Love." and "Gangster Squad." It's simple stuff in story terms. Aspiring actress and current barista Mia is one of countless faces in a sea of LA industry hopefuls. Sebastian is an aspiring jazz pianist who dreams of opening his own club.
They meet, testily, in passing in a traffic jam where the 105 meets the 110 near downtown LA. After the meet-cute, they connect, again testily, when Mia chances upon Sebastian's restaurant lounge gig where the jazzbo is discouraged from improvising. A romance, tentative at first, is tapped into motion. Career frustrations intrude.
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And, yes, people break into song and dance. The score of "La La Land" comes from the terrific young composer Justin Hurwitz with lyrics mostly by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The traffic-jam opening number, "Another Day of Sun," which appears to unfurl in a single, darting take (though you know some digital stitching was involved), dares musical-averse moviegoers to stick around. I can't wait to see it again: It's five or six minutes of sweet delirium, as Angelenos pop out of their cars and reveal what they're longing for, while showing us what choreographer Mandy Moore can do with dozens and dozens of dancers activated by Hurwitz's invention. It erases the memory of the scene in "Fame," which I never really liked, when everybody danced on the cars in traffic.
Some sequences in "La La Land" are set apart for duets between Gosling and Stone: a bit of tap and ballroom, or a soft-shoe shuffle on a canyon street dotted with Priuses, or a visit to Griffith Observatory, where the lovers float and dance on air, among the stars, the way Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen did in "The Belle of New York." This scene's a disappointment; it labors too hard to create its fantasy. There are times in "La La Land" when Chazelle's protean, Vincente Minnelli-indebted camera sense he actually knows how and where and when to move a camera in the context of all sorts of scenes, musical or dramatic outclasses the talent on the screen.
This brings us to some key inspirations for Chazelle, and fruitful ones. The candy-colored but working-class musicals of Jacques Demy are all over "La La Land." As with Catherine Deneuve and company in "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," Gosling and Stone aren't major-league vocalists. But in the movie's context, they're not meant to be; Stone, particularly, does a superb job acting each moment, each move, each setback and rebound, and she makes her skill set (which is pretty good) all she needs to break our hearts. Demy's "Young Girls of Rochefort" served as a clear signpost for "La La Land," and Hurwitz's expressive range of jazz-based music evokes a little Michel Legrand, a little more Jacques Brel and a lot of his own developing style.
There are problems in the film's middle section, but simply for the opening and closing numbers (the latter a beautiful what-if dream sequence suggested by elements of "Singin' in the Rain," "The Band Wagon" and other MGM classics) Chazelle's latest demands attention. His first film was a black-and-white 16 millimeter student project, "Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench," mashing together bits of John Cassavetes, the French New Wave and MGM. The characters were a jazz trumpeter and a waitress. Then he made "Whiplash," equally in love with the jazz idiom. Now, on a vastly larger but not insane budget, Chazelle has made a rich and paradoxical dreams vs. reality musical, linked stylistically to many musicals before it.
Out by the limos after the Wednesday gala screening, a somewhat dazed Chazelle told me he wrote "La La Land" long before "Whiplash," and getting it funded wasn't easy. Whatever its commercial prospects, it's clear: This is a filmmaker of serious dynamism and disarming sincerity. And unlike some lovers of the musical form (Baz Luhrmann, for example), Chazelle has already discovered what it means to create a look, and at his best, some real magic, without sacrificing the human element.
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At this year's Venice Film Festival, Michael Phillips is serving on the Biennale College Cinema panel. The Biennale paid for travel and lodging.
Movies on TV: Starting Friday, Phillips hosts a month of Friday and Saturday night programming on Turner Classic Movies, introducing such films as "The Conversation," "Cabaret," "Shane," "Twentieth Century" and "The Bad and the Beautiful."
mjphillips@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @phillipstribune
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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)
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Actor Michael Shannon Chicago last fall. He has been cast as a FBI negotiator in a new miniseries developed by Weinstein Television based on the 1993 Waco standoff with David Koresh. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
Weinstein Television is developing a miniseries about the deadly 1993 standoff in Waco, Texas, between religious cult leader David Koresh and federal agents.
Michael Shannon has been cast to play real life FBI hostage negotiator Gary Noesener, with Taylor Kitsch ("Friday Night Lights") as Koresh. The series is based on two books: "A Place Called Waco" (by former Branch Davidian David Thibodeau) and Noesener's "Stalling for Time: My Life as an FBI Hostage Negotiator."
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The miniseries has not landed at a network yet. According to Variety, "Weinstein Television is about to shop the package for 'Waco' to TV buyers" and that the series will "examine how law enforcement, media and the rights of individuals collided in a manner that reflect contemporary concerns."
Shannon, of course, previously played a fictional federal agent for five seasons on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire." A longtime Chicago theater actor, Shannon starred in playwright Brett Neveu's "Pilgrim's Progress" at A Red Orchid Theatre last fall.
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nmetz@chicagotribune.com
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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)
Color forecasters at PPG brainstorm with mood boards for the 2017 PPG color palette. They unanimously picked Violet Verbena, a grayish purple, as their color of the year. (PPG Paints)
Earlier this year, in a Manhattan conference room littered with half-eaten lunches, water bottles, laptops and easels, a group of color forecasters from PPG Brands was wrapping up a week of work.
They came up with recommendations that will influence the colors and finishes we're likely to see in 2017 on a wide variety of products, including appliances, cars, phones, airplanes, paints, beverage cans, even holiday ornaments. They also picked a color of the year.
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PPG Brands which makes paint, coatings and materials for industries ranging from architecture and aerospace to automotive and consumer products is just one of many companies that produce color forecasts.
At this Manhattan meeting, the forecasters were deep-diving into color decks, field research reports, magazines, books and each other's heads. The easels were covered with inspiration swatches, photos and descriptive phrases. One "mood board" listed the words "timeless," "memories," "diamond patterns" and "ticking stripes" under the header "Nostalgia."
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Small groups sprawled on the carpet with card-filled recipe boxes. They brainstormed, laying out arrays of coordinating colors that looked like mosaics, or game boards. Cards were edited in and out, until the palettes came together and there was a universal nod of satisfaction.
"We start really loose and abstract, then we take those organic concepts and make them more concrete," said Allison Heape, a color team leader from Long Beach, California.
At the end of the session, the group prepared an extensive file of themes, colors and finishes from which designers and manufacturers can draw.
Dee Schlotter, senior color marketing manager for PPG's paint brands, in Pittsburgh, oversaw the forecast session.
"We draw inspiration from global influences," she said. "The team considers what's happening in society, fashion, nature and elsewhere, and delves into things that resonate with consumers.
"For example, did a significant event take place this year, and are there colors that connect with it that capture the feelings it may have created?"
For instance, she said, "After 9/11, soft pink, a compassionate color, and chocolate brown, a grounding color, bubbled to the surface in home decor because they resonated with how people were feeling at the time."
A few years later, grays became popular and dominated the neutrals category, she said, "because with the state of the economy and of the world, the hue felt right."
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The forecasters also consider lifestyle and demographics. A Texas Baby Boomer may want different paint colors than a Millennial in Oregon does, for example.
The team also develops palettes around popular hues.
"Let's say pale beige is trending," Schlotter said. "It can seem dated, but when it's next to a dark granite gray, or an orange-red, it becomes fresh and new. Different from the beige a Baby Boomer remembers from the `80s."
Does the forecast team ever disagree?
"We have more than 20 stylists from six countries and four different industries, so the discussion's quite lively. We're all passionate color enthusiasts," she said.
But this year, the Color of the Year choice was unanimous.
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"Violet Verbena dominated trends reports from every industry and geographical region," Schlotter said.
The color is a grayish violet. The forecasters liked its gender and age neutrality, as well as its presence in the natural world, from amethysts to outer space. Those factors should make it appealing to a wide audience, they felt, but the team won't know for sure till products begin to roll out.
Schlotter is optimistic. Pop culture moments like the death of Prince in April and a new purple tea drink at Starbucks should draw consumers toward the color purple over the next year, she said. The trend is already visible: This summer, the company Big Chill launched a limited-edition collection of appliances in purple.
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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 The Lolla Bootie from Sorel for women is crafted with waterproof leather (for light rain) and stylized with cutouts and a two-tone stacked heel, providing comfort and style for spring and summer and obviously for Lollapalooza, it's in the name), $160 www.sorel.com (Sorel)
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 9 A West Loop condo situated at 659 Randolph St. Unit 614 is currently on the market for $462,900. (Rick Knoell / VHT Studios)
Kazoo magazine tells girls ages 5 to 10 how to be strong, smart, loud and true to themselves. (Kazoo magazine)
You won't find tips for glossier hair in Kazoo, a new print magazine for girls ages 5 to 10.
There are no articles on proper nail care or determining which swimsuit flatters your body.
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There are full-page comics by Alison Bechdel. (Yes, that Alison Bechdel, she of the test that measures whether women are fairly represented in works of fiction.) There are mazes that ask girls to help historically significant women find their destination. (Swimmer Diana Nyed journeys from Cuba to Florida in the first issue.)
There are science experiments and art projects and recipes and interviews with athletes.
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There is, in a word, inspiration.
Conde Nast veteran Erin Bried (she's worked as editor at large at Self and senior editor at Glamour) launched Kazoo after a demoralizing trip to a bookstore with her 5-year-old daughter, Ellie. Princesses and dolls and little girls in lipstick stared at them from the newsstand none of which interested her daughter.
"Every magazine for girls had a story on how to have pretty hair and how to have good manners," she said. "Walking home, I was quietly seething, thinking, 'I cannot believe this messaging that there's one right way to be a girl.'"
In March, she started a Kickstarter campaign to fund a different sort of magazine for girls. Within 30 days, the campaign raised a little more than $170,000 from 3,136 backers the most-backed journalism project in Kickstarter's history. The first issue debuted a few weeks ago.
"Girls are not born worrying whether their hair is shiny enough," Bried told me. "These are learned worries that we're giving girls. Go to a playground, and you'll see girls running, screaming, being strong, being loud, being messy all these wonderful things that we, as a society, slowly take away from them as they get older."
There are no photos of girls in Kazoo, a conscious decision Bried made to keep girls from comparing themselves with magazine images.
"For a story on making a boat, we didn't picture a girl in a boat, we pictured the boat," she told Vogue.
Kazoo has attracted some big-name fans, with essayist Roxane Gay and actress Rosario Dawson among those tweeting their support. Amy Poehler's Smart Girls site called it "required reading."
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Based on the first issue, I have to agree.
The name, by the way, is more than just a nod to the funny little instrument. It's an invitation, Bried said, to make some noise.
"Our main mission is to encourage girls to be loud, to be messy," she said. "Above all, we just want our readers to be true to who they are."
hstevens@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @heidistevens13
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With the curtain set to rise on "Hamilton" at the PrivateBank Theatre Sept. 27, there's no better time to explore the haunts of America's hottest Founding Father.
Dotted along the East Coast from Manhattan to Virginia are numerous sites associated with Alexander Hamilton as soldier, statesman and private citizen. So, let's crank up the soundtrack and hit the road.
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Our itinerary begins in Manhattan, where a young Hamilton stepped off the boat in the 1770s to "be a new man" (as the cast sings in the show's opening number). Today, most of the city Hamilton knew is gone, but some startling relics remain. (Note: while this is a driving trip, you should probably do the Manhattan sites without a car if you want to preserve your sanity.)
Begin in front of the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, a magnificent beaux-arts structure from 1907 at One Bowling Green, which now houses the National Museum of the American Indian. The building faces tiny Bowling Green park (www.nycgovparks.org/parks/bowling-green), which was once home to a gilded equestrian statue of King George III. On July 9, 1776, patriots led by Hamilton's buddy Hercules Mulligan tore the statue down, so that it could be melted into bullets. The iron fence around the park dates to 1771, and its fence posts still bear the saw marks where newly minted Americans removed the royal finials.
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A five-minute walk up Broadway leads to Trinity Church (www.trinitywallstreet.org) at the corner of Wall Street, home to Hamilton's final resting place. The tomb, topped by a marble obelisk, is in the south churchyard. His wife, Eliza Schuyler Hamilton who outlived her husband by 50 years is buried here as well; elsewhere in the cemetery, her sister Angelica and Hercules Mulligan are entombed (though not together).
Visitors at the cemetery of Trinity Church photograph the grave of Alexander Hamilton in New York. (Richard Drew / AP)
Lower Manhattan is home to a few other interesting sites associated with Hamilton. One block east on Wall Street from Trinity Church is Federal Hall National Memorial (www.nps.gov/feha), which stands on the spot of America's first capitol building and houses a few relics of that era. Three blocks north at 57 Maiden Lane, a plaque on the side of the modern building commemorates Thomas Jefferson's house. This was the site of the "Room Where it Happens," where Jefferson, Hamilton and James Madison reached the compromise that gave Hamilton wide economic leverage in exchange for giving up New York as the nation's capital.
Finally, head down to Fraunces Tavern (www.frauncestavernmuseum.org) at 54 Pearl St. Most of this building is a 1907 reconstruction, but the original tavern housed Hamilton's Treasury Department and hosted George Washington's farewell dinner. A small museum tells the story of the building.
Next, take the subway up to Harlem and St. Nicholas Park to visit Hamilton Grange National Memorial (www.nps.gov/hagr), which the Hamiltons built as their home in 1802, just two years before Hamilton's untimely death. As impressive as the house is, its odd history is equally compelling. Twice it has been lifted off its foundations and rolled to a new location. The building is run by the National Park Service, and rangers lead hourly tours. These fill up fast, so plan accordingly.
Take a 20-minute walk up St. Nicholas Avenue to see the Morris-Jumel Mansion (www.morrisjumel.org), which was briefly home to Hamilton's rival Aaron Burr and which hosted "Hamilton's" composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda, as he worked on parts of the musical. The house the oldest in Manhattan was also one of George Washington's headquarters in 1776.
Now it's time to get out of Manhattan.
Start the driving portion of your trip in Weehawken, N.J., site of the famous duel between Burr and Hamilton on July 11, 1804. There's not much to see here a bust of Hamilton and a plaque in Hamilton Park (www.weehawken-nj.us/parks.html) and completists should know that the actual site of the duel is unknown. But it's a quick stop on the way to Morristown, N.J., another 40 minutes west, and the Schuyler-Hamilton House (www.njdar.org/schuyler-hamilton.html).
It was here in 1779 that Alexander Hamilton courted Eliza. (Don't be confused that the house's signs refer to her as Betsy in real life, Hamilton often did too.) The house is only open 2-4 p.m. Sundays, but at other times, you can see it from the outside, or you can call to arrange a tour on another day. Updates about opening hours are posted on the Facebook page, so check before you go if this is on your must-see list.
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An hour's drive south of Morristown is Princeton University, Burr's alma mater, which refused to allow Hamilton an accelerated course of study. In the lyrics to the song "Aaron Burr, Sir," Miranda jokes that Hamilton's reaction to this news was to punch the bursar. That didn't actually happen, but Hamilton was certainly peeved and instead attended King's College now Columbia University in New York, which put him closer to the action when the war broke out.
Hamilton extracted his revenge on Princeton during the Revolution; at the Battle of Princeton in 1777, he lobbed cannonballs at Nassau Hall, the university's oldest building, forcing the British inside to surrender. Learn more about the conflict at Princeton Battlefield State Park (www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/princeton.html), 1 1/2 miles south of the university.
Head another hour south from Princeton, and you'll find yourself in Philadelphia, home to perhaps the most famous site associated with early America: Independence Hall.
As a member of the Constitutional Convention, Hamilton argued in these chambers for his federalist ideals in the musical, he and Burr narrate it in the song "Non-Stop" and it was here that Hamilton convinced the fledgling government to move to New York. Manhattan lasted as the capital for less than two years after Washington's inauguration, and Hamilton found himself back in Philadelphia as treasury secretary. Though the musical doesn't make this clear, it was in this city that he began his affair with Maria Reynolds ("Say No to This," "The Reynolds Pamphlet"), which derailed his political ambitions.
For that reason, while Washington, D.C., did become the nation's capital during Hamilton's lifetime, he has no real associations with the city. Instead, our next stop is a 5 1/2-hour drive deep into Thomas Jefferson's Virginia.
Head first to the site of the Battle of Yorktown, centerpiece of one of the musical's most arresting songs, "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)." Grab a map at the visitors center at Yorktown Battlefield (www.nps.gov/york) where you shouldn't miss the exhibit with George Washington's tents then follow directions to Redoubt No. 10, where Hamilton's company overwhelmed the British. This key skirmish (in which Hamilton's troops rushed the British with unloaded guns and fixed bayonets to disguise their approach) led to the ultimate American victory over Gen. Charles Cornwallis and the end of the war.
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If you are in the area on a Sunday, the nearby custom house in Yorktown (www.comtedegrasse-dar.org/customhouse.html) is staffed that day by volunteers from the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is particularly rich in Marquis de Lafayette memorabilia.
Truth be told, Hamilton-mania hasn't really spread this far south, but change is in the air. This fall, the Yorktown Victory Center (www.historyisfun.org) will rebrand itself as the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, expanding its physical size and the scope of its mission. One new addition will be interactive exhibits on Hamilton.
Similarly, nearby Colonial Williamsburg (www.colonialwilliamsburg.org) which should be on the itinerary of any Revolutionary War fan has long had re-enactors who portray Jefferson, Lafayette and Patrick Henry. This fall, they'll add an Alexander Hamilton to the mix.
James Nevius is a freelance writer.
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U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy waves before she delivers opening remarks during JFK International Symposium at Waseda University in Tokyo Wednesday, March 18, 2015. (Eugene Hoshiko / AP)
He's been floating his name around town as a possible successor to Bruce Rauner, but would Christopher Kennedy make a good Illinois governor?
Don't ask his cousin Caroline Kennedy, now a U.S. ambassador.
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"You know, I've been in Japan, so I don't really know!" the daughter of President John F. Kennedy told Chicago Inc. following a speaking engagement Wednesday at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Kennedy, who cut short her own run for Hillary Clinton's former U.S. Senate seat in 2009 for undisclosed "personal reasons," had some supportive words for her cousin but was in a hurry to leave and didn't seem too keen to discuss the 2018 governor's race.
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In an apparent reference to Christopher Kennedy's service as the chairman of the board of trustees at the University of Illinois, she said, "I know he was a good chancellor, so ... I've just got to get my bag."
Caroline Kennedy, appointed U.S. ambassador to Japan by President Barack Obama in 2013, knows better than anyone the pressures and temptations to serve in public office that come with the Kennedy name.
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But asked if she'd discussed with her cousin his latest mooted run Christopher Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy, has previously publicly toyed with runs for Congress, the Senate and the governor's office, all of which failed to materialize she said, "No, I haven't had a chance to," and split.
It wasn't the first time Christopher Kennedy's coyness about his ambitions has caused awkwardness. He had an uncomfortable encounter with the Chicago media at the Democratic National Convention in July after he gave a speech denouncing Rauner, then angrily refused to give a straight answer about whether he was interested in running.
For her part, Ambassador Kennedy seems to be enjoying her role in Japan, and to be handling her duties with grace. Speaking to the students about the joys of studying abroad, she was asked if the stereotype of the "ugly American" persists and allowed that "everyone is rude in Japan, compared to the Japanese."
Learning the local customs had been a challenge, she acknowledged. At a state dinner attended by Obama and the Japanese imperial family, her second-in-command was aghast to learn that she would be wearing a dress that revealed her elbows and told her, "I hope you're going to change," she said.
Alas, there was no time to do so. But "the imperial family managed to handle the sight of my elbows," Kennedy said, to laughter.
kjanssen@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @kimjnews
Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, address the audience at the Clinton Foundation's Clinton Global Initiative in 2014. (Michael Loccisano / Getty Images)
With so many journalists spending so much time shaming Donald Trump 's voters so as to protect Hillary Clinton in November, I'm getting mighty worried.
I'm not worried about Trump. He's a megalomaniac, and his kind of narcissism will help him blend in quite nicely in Washington if he's elected president. And I'm not worried about Clinton either. She's a pathological liar and well-suited to the Washington way, where liars are praised.
What worries me is that many but not all in my business are spending so much time shaming Trump voters, that they seem to have forgotten some important features of political corruption: what it is, what it looks like, what it sounds like and what it smells like.
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Particularly when it comes to Mrs. Clinton, her husband, Bill, and the pungency of the influence-peddling scandal involving the multibillion-dollar Clinton Foundation.
Her defenders keep insisting that there was "no quid pro quo" in having Mrs. Clinton, when she was secretary of state, meet privately with Clinton Foundation donors many of them foreign donors seeking the favors of Mrs. Clinton and the American government.
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And, these defenders insist, that there is no "smoking gun." When I hear the phrase "no smoking gun," I picture some Washington cat purring, expecting sweetmeats once the Clinton Restoration is secure.
The talking points were established early on by Clinton surrogate and interim Democratic Party Chair Donna Brazile on ABC, after The Associated Press broke its story about Clinton Foundation megabucks donors getting all that happy face time alone with Hillary.
Brazile said:
"So, you know, this notion that, somehow or another, someone who is a supporter, someone who is a donor, somebody who's an activist, saying I want access, I want to come into a room and I want to meet people, we often criminalize behavior that is normal. And it's I don't I don't see what the smoke is."
Only in Washington can it be considered normal, not criminal, for insiders to use our government to get rich.
There have been many Republican officials who stood up and said they can't vote for Trump for what he's done or said.
So where are the Democrats who are standing up to say they can't support influence peddling and the Clintons? Their silence indicates assent.
What is clear is that when Clinton surrogates say "there's no smoking gun" or "no quid pro quo," you'll soon hear some talking head repeat the same dang thing.
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It doesn't take days. Just about the time it takes to toast an English muffin and slap some cheese on it, they commence with the "no evidence" and "no smoking gun" and "no quid pro quo."
I don't work in Washington. Years ago, editors tried to send me to D.C. in the hopes I might acquire the necessary polish and gravitas. But I fought them off and happily stayed put.
So maybe it's that being a Midwesterner, I can't quite appreciate the difference between normal influence peddling and abnormal influence peddling.
But being from Chicago, where corruption is the glue that holds politics together and the bread and the meat and the sport peppers and the fries I can tell you what corruption does not smell like.
It does not smell like a smoking gun or a nonsmoking gun. And it does not speak Latin.
It smells like meat a-cookin', and that's not a language of words, but of appetite. It smells sweet, and there is no recipe. The recipe is understood, implied, and if you dare ask for the recipe, you are immediately ostracized and kicked out of the kitchen.
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It doesn't involve a straight payoff. Everything is layered. A deal goes to Mr. X. Another deal goes to Ms. Y. It's all circular and rather complicated, like the Clintons parsing English, and everything is understood in the spaces between the words.
When pundits moan about "no smoking gun" and "no quid pro quo," they must be referring to some cartoon definition of corruption, as if it involved an envelope stuffed with dead presidents, handed over to some grubby-fingered hack in the backroom of a greasy tavern with a tired Kiefer Sutherland doing the voice-over.
But people with governments and nations in the palms of their hands don't deal that way.
The other day at breakfast, I was talking about this stupid, narrow Washington definition of political corruption with a man who has made it his life study.
"Say you're in a meeting with an elected official, and you say, 'I'll give you so much money if you give me this favor and that favor,' You know what happens next?" asked the man wise in the Chicago Way.
I knew, but I played along: No, what happens?
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"The first thing the politician will think to himself, 'Why is he talking that way? This son of a b---- is wired up,'" he said. "And no one will ever talk to you ever again."
That's why it's depressing to hear meat puppets insist that there is no there, there, with the Clinton Foundation and Hillary, because it's already been laid out.
The corruption was in the selling of access to the highest reaches of the federal government.
To someone who was then a sitting secretary of state who as all the foreign tough guys with treasure understood was already reaching for the White House.
Listen to "The Chicago Way" podcast with John Kass and Jeff Carlin, joined by Tribune Editorial Board member Kristen McQueary and former Illinois GOP Chair Pat Brady , at www.chicagotribune.com/kasspodcast.
jskass@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @John_Kass
Bishop Tavis Grant had one question Tuesday: Where's Gov. Mike Pence?
"We've been saying since the beginning, the governor should be here," Grant said during a community meeting Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in East Chicago.
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As East Chicago and residents around the West Calumet Housing Complex continue to deal with issues related to lead contamination at the site, Grant said the residents' representatives ought to be in the city given the anxiety in the community.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg was invited to attend the meeting. Gregg said he went to East Chicago because he wanted to put faces to the issue, listen to residents and learn what's going on.
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Gregg said he went to East Chicago to "discuss policy not politics" but told residents during the forum he was sorry state officials hadn't been to the city.
"I understand what it feels like to be left out and disconnected from state government," Gregg said.
There's a larger disconnect between Indianapolis and the four corners of the state, Gregg said, and he wants to see the state become more connected.
"Part of it just requires the governor being visible," Gregg said.
Kara Brooks, the governor's press secretary, wrote in an email that Pence has directed his staff to support federal agencies that are leading the efforts in East Chicago.
The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority and State Department of Health agreed to provide the city with $200,000 to assist with its relocation and public health efforts. The state and city have partnered to offer residents free blood tests for lead poisoning starting Sept. 2.
"Members of his administration are in consistent contact with EPA and local officials," Brooks wrote. "He also directed members of his cabinet and senior staff to visit the area last week to discuss ways we can continue to partner with community leaders."
Many other federal officials have kept a close eye on the situation in East Chicago.
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U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly is planning to visit East Chicago, according to his staff, but has kept in contact with local and federal officials. Donnelly spoke to the director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to see that the residents of the West Calumet Housing Complex are relocated in the safest way, according to a press release.
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky went to East Chicago last month and met with local and federal officials, spokesman Kevin Spicer wrote in an email, but he does not have any public visits planned. Spicer said Visclosky thinks he can be most helpful by continuing to be in contact with Mayor Anthony Copeland's administration and federal agencies to ensure any issues are dealt with.
Sen. Dan Coats' office said both he and his staff are in regular contact with local officials.
At the West Calumet Housing Complex, EPA teams continue cleaning the residences and federal and local housing officials are helping residents relocate.
Residents of the complex can start relocating Sept. 1, when the housing vouchers released by HUD become effective. HUD officials expect to have all the residents relocated by the end of the year.
Sherry Hunter, a resident and member of West Calumet Lives Matter, said people are feeling neglected and mistreated.
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"To me, they're not doing enough out there," she said.
Hunter said government officials should do more to assist residents and there's still a lot of work to be done.
"We really need a lot of help," Hunter said.
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Grant said people in the community want to hear that plans are in place for the residents. For the residents testing positive with lead poisoning, Grant said the government should make sure there's a link from testing to treatment for those affected.
The health department doesn't have enough capacity to deal with all the cases, Grant said, and federal agencies are busy trying to relocate all the residents.
"We don't want to fix the blame, we want to fix the problem," Grant said.
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State, city to offer free blood testing
The East Chicago and Indiana health departments will start offering free blood lead testing clinics to residents on Friday.
The clinics will run on Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the teachers' lounge at Carrie Gosch Elementary School, according to a press release. The state said its priority is on testing children and pregnant women, but all residents can be tested.
More information on the effects of lead is available at www.in.gov/isdh/26550.htm and www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead.
A Cedar Lake man has been charged with three counts of murder, among other charges, in Newton Superior Court in connection with an investigation into a triple homicide in Sumava Resorts earlier this week, according to court documents.
Sebastian M. Wedding, 24, faces three counts of murder after police found three people dead in a housing unit Sunday: Justin Lee Babbs, 20, Richard Thomas, 23, and Kimberly A. Spears, 39.
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Wedding was also charged with felony auto theft, for taking Thomas' 1997 Mercury, and misdemeanor theft, for taking Thomas' Playstation 3, an electronic tablet with a cracked screen and black and red Nike Air Jordan shoes, according to court documents.
A second man was arrested early Tuesday in connection with the deaths, but he has not been formally charged.
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The investigation began after an 80-year-old woman, who lived at the residence and was unharmed, found Babbs bleeding on the living room couch and went for help. The two other victims were found in a bedroom, Newton County Coroner Scott McCord said. All three were stabbed multiple times, he said.
Wedding was arrested at his grandparents' home in Cedar Lake by Indiana State Police about 12 hours after discovering the bodies. A second suspect, a 24-year-old Sumava Resorts resident, was arrested Wednesday, but Newton County Prosecutor Jeff Drinski doesn't expect charges to be filed for that individual until Tuesday.
Both suspects will be arraigned Sept. 7 in Newton Superior Court.
The investigation into the triple homicide is ongoing, and no additional information as to motive or the connection between the suspects and the victims will be released prior to the hearing, according to Newton County Sheriff Ton Van Vleet.
rejacobs@post-trib.com
Twitter @ruthyjacobs
Members of the Chicago Police Department gather at the scene of a shooting in the 5600 block of South Campbell Avenue in Chicago on Aug. 28, 2016. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)
As Chicago police battle surging violence, the union representing rank-and-file officers continues to urge officers not to work overtime shifts over Labor Day weekend.
The request from the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police comes as the city is reeling from 86 homicides in August, the deadliest month in 20 years.
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The FOP has been calling for the boycott since late July, and the latest memo sent Wednesday to its 10,000 rank-and-file officers declared Friday through Monday as "FOP Unity Days" and urged officers to spend time with their families.
"In order to show unity and to protest the continued disrespect of Chicago Police Officers and the killings of Law Enforcement Officers across our Country, we are requesting FOP Members to refrain from volunteering to work ... for the entire Labor Day Weekend," the memo said.
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The request concerns officers working overtime to shore up police response to what could be a bloody holiday weekend, not the officers regularly assigned to work those days.
In a brief telephone interview Wednesday, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told the Tribune he was confident staffing levels for the Labor Day weekend would be adequate. He didn't take issue with the union's message but called on officers to stay united.
"I would never get upset with the FOP for encouraging officers to spend more time with their families because they should spend time with their families," he said. "But having said that, I'll tell you this, the best way for officers to support one another is to be out there for each other."
If the department falls short on the number of officers needed to work overtime this weekend, Johnson said, he'd cancel days off for some officers, a common move by officials over holiday weekends during the summer.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Johnson didn't know how many officers were scheduled to work overtime shifts during Labor Day weekend.
"We'll have adequate resources out there over this holiday weekend to ensure everyone has an enjoyable holiday," he said. "So I'm not concerned about the resources we have out there. We'll be OK."
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The Police Department has been under fire since November with the court-ordered release of a video showing Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times, killing him. The fallout has led to a U.S. Justice Department probe and a proposal just this week by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to replace the city's much maligned police accountability system.
For months, FOP President Dean Angelo Sr. has decried the treatment officers have been enduring on the job. He said officers are worried that if they are as aggressive as they once were, they could end up in viral internet videos, fired or sued.
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Chicago is approaching the holiday with homicides surging to 467, up from 311 a year earlier. All of last year, homicides totaled 473, just six more than Chicago has recorded this year with four months to go. And shooting incidents have risen by comparable numbers so far this year.
In recent years, the Police Department has spent tens of millions of dollars annually on overtime costs. The FOP instead favors the Police Department hiring more full-time officers.
As many as a few hundred officers each day work overtime on the department's "violence reduction initiative," assigned to designated crime "hot spots" primarily on the South and West sides. Additional officers are assigned to Navy Pier, McCormick Place, public housing, CTA train stations and parks.
jgorner@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JeremyGorner
Ten-year-old Etyra Ruffin and other children were playing outside her West Side home Thursday afternoon when gunmen stepped from a gangway and opened fire, according to her family and police.
Etyra was grazed in the arm, but her father was more seriously wounded as he ran from the porch to protect his daughter when the shots rang out around 12:40 p.m. in the 4100 block of West Potomac Avenue in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood, relatives said.
Travis Ruffin, 30, was hit in the leg, arm and chest. He was taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. A 25-year-old friend with him on the porch was shot in both ankles and was taken in fair condition to Stroger Hospital, said Officer Bari Lemmon, a police spokeswoman.
"He's the type of father who protects his kids," said neighbor Nanette Rios, who lives in a basement apartment at the home and heard nine or 10 shots.
Etyra was back home within a few hours after the shooting.
"I feel good," she said, smiling, a bright yellow bandage on her left arm. where a bullet had grazed her hours earlier.
Yvette Ruffin, Etyra's grandmother and Travis' mother, scolded the gunmen. "They could have been considerate that there were little kids out there," she said.
Friends and relatives said Travis Ruffin and his friend were expected to recover.
The three were among at least 15 people shot, at lease one fatally, in Chicago since Thursday morning.
About 10:35 a.m., a 20-year-old man was found shot multiple times in the stomach in the 4200 block of West West End Avenue and later died at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to police. Police News Affairs had no information about the circumstances of the shooting by about 9 p.m.
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The man was later identified as Malik Philpot, 20, of the 1300 block of North Parkside Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Philpot was pronounced dead at 11:19 a.m., according to the office.
Just before 4:15 a.m. Friday, a 24-year-old man was shot in the Burnside neighborhood on the South Side. He was playing dice in the 8700 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when someone fired on him and his group. He was grazed in the back and treated on the scene.
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At 3:50 a.m. a 24-year-old man was shot and critically wounded in the Douglas community area. He was shot multiple times in the 3600 block of South Rhodes Avenue and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
At 2:30 a.m., a 19-year-old man was shot and critically wounded in Logan Square. He was walking in the 3300 block of West Schubert Avenue when two people approached, one of whom shot him in the back. He went to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.
At 1:55 a.m., a 28-year-old man was wounded in Englewood. He went to St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center with a gunshot wound to the leg after an incident in the 6900 block of South Eggleston Avenue. Police said the wound may have been self-inflicted.
About 11:35 p.m. Thursday, a 29-year-old man was shot in South Austin. He was in the 4800 block of West Gladys Avenue when he got into an argument with someone who pulled out a gun and shot him in the lower back and both legs. He went to Mount Sinai Hospital and his condition was stabilized.
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At the same time, an 18-year-old man was shot in Humboldt Park. He was in the 2600 block of West Hirsch Street when he was shot twice in the shoulder and once in the shoulder blade. He was being treated at Stroger Hospital. Information about his condition was not immediately available.
At 11:22 p.m., a 27-year-old man was shot in Englewood. He was driving in the 7100 block of South Green Street when someone shot him in the arm and leg. He went to Advocate Christ Medical Center and his condition was stabilized.
About 8:10 p.m., a 15-year-old boy was outside near the 500 block of North Central Avenue when he was approached by a van. Someone in the van fired shots at the boy before fleeing, said Officer Thomas Sweeney, a Chicago police spokesman. The boy suffered wounds to the side and buttocks and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. Police initially said he had been shot in the 5500 block of West Adams Street, but that information was later corrected.
At 5:50 p.m., a 14-year-old boy was grazed by a bullet in West Englewood. He was in the 6700 block of South Hermitage Avenue playing basketball when he heard gunfire and was grazed in the stomach. He was treated on the scene.
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Shortly before 1 p.m., a man was shot in the 3500 block of West Palmer Street in the Logan Square neighborhood, according to Officer Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago police spokeswoman.
The 20-year-old man suffered a wound to the arm and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. His condition was not known, Tannehill said.
Earlier Thursday, a father of 12 was critically wounded in a shooting in the North Center community, police said.
Residents and protesters gather to call for a stop to gun violence, at 79th Street and South Racine Avenue on Aug. 31, 2016. (John Kim / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)
Ten-year-old Anya Washington sprawled herself out on the ground, her cheek pressed against the hot pavement, right where 79th Street crosses Racine Avenue. She joined dozens of others who blocked traffic at the intersection as a form of peaceful protest, and Anya's friends lay beside her, wiggling as they tried to get comfortable.
As she lay, Anya tried to hold up a sign she made a black poster with a splotchy glittered heart.
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"I didn't have time to write any words," she said. "But I thought this would help. It's just love, and everyone needs love right now."
About 250 people gathered Wednesday afternoon outside St. Sabina Catholic Church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, where the Reverend Michael Pfleger called for a peaceful protest at the end of Chicago's most violent month in nearly 20 years. August has been the deadliest month recorded since at least October of 1997.
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And although Chicago has a lower homicide rate than many other U.S. cities that are smaller in population, the city this year has had more homicides and shooting victims than New York City and Los Angeles combined. The two cities are larger than Chicago's population of roughly 2.7 million.
While Pfleger regularly holds peaceful marches, Wednesday's was especially dramatic. Dozens of people lay in the street, blocking traffic with their bodies. Pfleger held up a gallon of a deep red liquid he called "blood" and then poured it into the intersection, spelling out the letters "SOS."
About 20 minutes later, he took down the American flag that hung from a staff outside his church, flipped the flag upside down and then raised it back up. An upside down flag, he told the crowd, is a signal of distress.
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"We have parents begging their kids not to come home from college for Labor Day weekend (for fear of their safety)," he said. ""If you're upset about the flag upside down, get upset about the blood on our streets."
Earlier Wednesday, Gov. Bruce Rauner ruled out the idea of deploying the National Guard to help combat street violence in the city, saying that to do so would be an "emotional" reaction that "wouldn't make sense." At his demonstration, Pfleger demanded the governor instead call for a state of emergency in order to tap federal resources to help deal with Chicago violence.
"When there are fires, we call a state of emergency. When there are hurricanes, a state of emergency. When there's floods, a state of emergency," he said. "Well, we have the fire of violence and gunfire. We have the floods of blood in our streets. And we have communities that look like third world countries, that look like it must have had a tornado hit it, or a hurricane."
Sharon Miles, 55 and a member of St. Sabina, held a photo of her nephew Korey Parker as she demonstrated with protesters. Parker, 27, was the only son of Miles' younger sister, and was killed in July of 2012 a block from Miles' house. His case remains unsolved, she said.
"I'm here to support the families who've lost someone to gun violence. I'm standing up for them," she said. "We have to take our community back. We do. We have to stop letting this violence overrule and overtake everything."
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"I haven't had a good night's sleep in 25 years," said Theresa Matthews, who is coping with word of new charges in the 1991 murder of her daughter, Cateresa Matthews. Five teens who were convicted of the crime were freed five years ago. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)
For two decades, Theresa Matthews lived with a sense of solace, knowing five young men were locked up in prison for raping and murdering her only child, 14-year-old Cateresa, in south suburban Dixmoor.
Then five years ago, DNA evidence exonerated the men by then known as the Dixmoor Five and pointed instead to a convicted sex offender as the killer. Still, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez would not bring charges, saying the DNA evidence was not enough.
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Matthews, who only wanted justice for her daughter, was deeply frustrated.
"I kept meeting with them and meeting with them, and they said they were investigating," Matthews said Wednesday in an interview. "They said, 'We don't have enough evidence.' And I said, 'What more do you need? You have the DNA.' It just didn't make any sense."
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Willie Randolph is expected to be charged in the 1991 rape and slaying of 14-year-old Cateresa Matthews, a case for which five teens were charged and exonerated. (Handout)
On Thursday, nearly a quarter-century after Cateresa was abducted as she waited for a bus, that sex offender, Willie Randolph, 58, will appear in the Markham courthouse to face charges of murder, kidnapping and predatory criminal sexual assault, according to authorities.
The charges follow an investigation that began anew in 2014 after the Dixmoor police chief asked Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart for assistance with the case and prosecutors from the county state's attorney's cold case unit joined in.
Besides the DNA evidence, Randolph made incriminating statements recently in prison to a witness "with much bravado," according to a law enforcement official. Those statements, according to the official, were secretly recorded and helped convince prosecutors that there was finally sufficient evidence to take the case to trial.
Randolph was being held at Stateville Correctional Center on a drug conviction, state records show. He was scheduled to be paroled in March, but officials kept him behind bars because an approved housing site could not be found, a requirement before a registered sex offender can be released.
But he was set to be released in less than three weeks, authorities said.
The investigation of Cateresa's killing highlighted many of the deep flaws in Cook County's criminal justice system, in particular the reluctance of prosecutors to abandon cases built on confessions even when they've been undermined by DNA evidence.
Cateresa disappeared in November 1991 after she left her grandmother's Dixmoor residence to return home. Three weeks passed before her body was found in a field near Interstate 57 with a single gunshot wound in the mouth. She had also been raped.
The crime went unsolved for close to a year before five teens were arrested. Primitive DNA testing failed to link any of the five to the crime, but three of them confessed and implicated the other two. Two Robert Lee Veal and Shainnie Sharp agreed to testify against the other three in exchange for reduced prison terms. The other three Robert Taylor, James Harden and Jonathan Barr were convicted and sentenced to lengthy terms.
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In 2009, a judge granted DNA testing sought by lawyers for Taylor, Harden and Barr. But police in Dixmoor were unable to locate the evidence, delaying the testing. By 2011, the case began to unravel after DNA tests failed to link any of the teens to the crime and instead pointed to Randolph, who had been paroled and released near Cateresa's home before her death. Later that year, prosecutors cleared the men, although Alvarez said she had struggled to reconcile the confessions with the DNA evidence.
Alvarez, who called the case "convoluted and confusing," balked at declaring the five innocent, even though teens are particularly susceptible to making false confessions. She suggested, too, that the DNA evidence alone did not prove that Randolph had raped and killed Cateresa.
Alvarez triggered an outcry when, during an interview for the TV program "60 Minutes," she left open the possibility that necrophilia had been involved. Randolph, she suggested, could have happened on the crime scene after the slaying and had sex with Cateresa's body. Alvarez later angrily disavowed the interview, saying it had been "one-sided and extremely misleading" and that her comments had been distorted.
Still, prosecutors did not charge Randolph, and the killing remained unsolved, causing continuing anguish for Theresa Matthews.
"The police had reassured me that they were the ones," she said of the Dixmoor Five. "It disappointed me when they were the wrong guys. I thought everything was over with. It was really stressful to hear they were the wrong people. Then they didn't charge this new person. I couldn't understand it."
In 2014, the Illinois State Police agreed to pay $40 million to settle a federal lawsuit brought by the Dixmoor Five that alleged that state police and Dixmoor police ignored evidence pointing to Randolph and instead focused on the five teens, leading to their wrongful convictions.
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Taylor, Harden and Barr served close to two decades in prison before they were set free.
In an interview, Cara Smith, chief policy officer at the sheriff's office, said that bringing the investigation of Randolph to a close was tough and time-consuming.
"While we had a suspect based on DNA, connecting all the dots was something that was very, very tricky," she said.
That work included the testimony of a number of witnesses before a Cook County grand jury. Sheriff's investigators also obtained another DNA swab from Randolph to confirm the initial match from the DNA evidence recovered from Cateresa's body.
Smith said investigators were confident Randolph acted alone and that none of the Dixmoor Five was involved in any way. She said investigators believe Cateresa was waiting at a bus stop after leaving her grandmother's when Randolph abducted her, took her to the field near the highway, sexually assaulted her and shot her in the mouth with a .25-caliber gun.
Randolph has close to a dozen convictions dating to the 1970s.
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Theresa Matthews said her daughter had spoken of becoming an accountant. She liked numbers and was good at math. She liked to swim, too, and she told her mother she hoped to have a house with a yard big enough for a pool.
Now, Matthews said she plans to attend every hearing in court again.
"I'll be there at every last one, unless the good Lord takes me away. That's the only way I won't be there," she said. "I'm Cateresa's voice. I have to speak for her. I want justice for her. It's up to me to speak for my baby."
smmills@chicagotribune.com
tlighty@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @smmills1960
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Jaqueline Gutierrez, 9, and her father, Edgar Gutierrez, 35, watch police work the scene of a fatal shooting in West Lawn on Aug. 31, 2016. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Josephine Camarillo was driving down Marquette Road late Wednesday when the black sedan in front of her lost control, veered onto a lawn and crashed into the porch of a small brick house.
The driver got out of the car and flagged down Camarillo. He was bleeding from his neck.
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"I thought they were just crashed at first," Camarillo later said as she stood nearby with neighbors. "None of us realized they were shot."
Then she leaned into the car to check on the passenger. He had a gunshot wound to the chest.
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"He had a big hole. I got scared," said Camarillo, 33. "I jumped away."
Another neighbor leaned into the car and applied pressure on the man's wound. Camarillo and others dialed 911 for help. For some reason, the calls kept dropping, she said.
"I was yelling, 'We don't need police. We need an ambulance,'" Camarillo said.
Police Supt. Eddie Johnson discusses Chicago's violence, gangs and the suggestion that the National Guard be called in. Sept. 1, 2016. (CBS Chicago) (CBS Chicago)
Moments earlier, about 9:55 p.m., when the car was two blocks away in the 6500 block of South Karlov Avenue, someone in a black SUV fired shots at the black sedan. A bullet grazed the 23-year-old driver's neck. His passenger, a 24-year-old man, was shot in the chest. The passenger was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
About a dozen neighbors gathered on the north side of Komensky and Marquette, across the street from where the car crashed. Camarillo, who has lived in the neighborhood for 22 years, spoke to every neighbor who stopped by.
"If you guys live here, be mad," Camarillo told the crowd of people who gathered next to her. "This is our neighborhood. It's not OK."
Camarillo and other residents said the neighborhood has seen more crime this summer than it usually does. In August, two other people were killed in two separate shootings in West Lawn.
A member of the Chicago Police Department works the scene of a fatal shooting near the intersection of South Komensky Avenue and West Marquette Road on Aug. 31, 2016. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
On Sunday, three people were shot less than a mile away in the 6200 block of South Kenneth Avenue about 7:05 p.m. A 19-year-old taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition was pronounced dead after midnight, and a 24-year-old man and 17-year-old boy each walked into Mount Sinai Hospital with leg wounds.
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About a month earlier, on Aug. 1, a 28-year-old man died after being shot in the head in the 3900 block of West 68th Street about 2:10 p.m., according to police. The man was taken in serious-to-critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and was pronounced dead later that day. Authorities identified him as Miguel Diaz, of the 3900 block of West 69th Street.
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"This doesn't happen in West Lawn," Camarillo said. "It's the first summer it's been like this. Why? I don't know."
Longtime neighbor Mary Nevarez, 52, agreed with Camarillo. Nevarez said she heard four gunshots while washing dishes inside her home near 65th and Karlov.
"This is a real tight neighborhood," Nevarez said. "This doesn't happen here."
Nevarez and other neighbors pointed out that Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan lives in their neighborhood.
"Tell the alderman we've had enough," Camarillo told other neighbors, encouraging them to contact the local officials. "Let's blow up his phone tomorrow. We can't let these (expletive) gangbangers take over our neighborhood."
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Camarillo said she wishes police officers conducted roll calls in the neighborhood.
"We need the National Guard here," Nevarez said. "There is no respect for life here."
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush has been representing Illinois in Congress since 1993. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush has filed a complaint saying he was racially profiled by Chicago police after two officers pulled him over while driving on the South Side in August, according to police sources and city records.
According to the sources, the Wentworth District officers were running plates while on patrol on Aug. 4 because of a rash of vehicle thefts in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
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The officers ran the plate on Rush's Lexus and were told it was registered to a Cadillac, the sources said. The officers then stopped Rush shortly before 3 p.m. in the 4700 block of South King Drive, according to the sources and city records obtained by the Tribune through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Rush, 69, was let go without a ticket being issued.
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About an hour later, Rush filed a complaint about the alleged racial profiling with the Independent Police Review Authority, the city agency that investigates more serious allegations of police misconduct, according to the records. An IPRA supervisor reviewed the complaint the following day, and on Aug. 8, the matter was transferred to the Police Department's Bureau of Internal Affairs, according to the records.
The Chicago Democrat drives a maroon Lexus SUV with an Illinois license plate of "1." The words "U.S. Congressman" are displayed under the "1" in smaller letters.
According to Illinois Secretary of State records, another "1" vanity plate is registered to a 2016 Cadillac owned by a man who lives in the Near North neighborhood.
Anthony Guglielmi, the Police Department's chief spokesman, confirmed that officers made a traffic stop on that date and at that location, but he declined to identify Rush as the driver.
"We take the allegations very seriously," Guglielmi said. "We do have an internal affairs investigation, and we will do a very methodical review of the evidence, including the body camera footage and interviews with the complainant."
The police sources defended the officers' conduct, saying at least one of them wore a body camera equipped with both video and audio that captured the stop.
Police officials, citing a new state law, said the Tribune would be able to obtain the camera footage only if Rush gave permission for its release.
But efforts by the Tribune to contact Rush have been unsuccessful. The Tribune sent repeated emails to top Rush staffers seeking to interview the congressman about his racial profiling allegations. A reporter also attempted to interview him at his South Side home, but Rush sent him away, telling him to contact his staff to arrange an interview. But continued requests to his aides went unanswered.
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Rush uses taxpayer dollars from his congressional office budget to pay nearly $1,000 a month to Lexus Financial Services for an automobile lease, government records show. The model is not specified in those records.
The onetime co-founder of the Illinois Black Panther Party has been in Congress since 1993, representing parts of the South Side and Cook and Will counties. He was a Chicago alderman for a decade before that. He lost a race for Chicago mayor in 1999.
An ordained Baptist minister, Rush handily defeated Barack Obama in a primary challenge for the congressional seat in 2000, Obama's only electoral loss.
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Twitter @JeremyGorner
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Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.
Topspin
The Illinois State Board of Elections has revised sharply downward the number of voters whose information may have been hacked in a one-month cyberattack that began in June.
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After initially saying fewer than 200,000 voters' information may have been compromised in an attack of possible foreign origin, board officials now say the number is closer to 90,000.
Officials confirmed that about 700 voter records were viewed, and the 700 people will be notified by mail as required by law.
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"In addition, approximately 86,000 records are strongly suspected to have been viewed and the board staff continues to identify those individuals. Anyone within that group will receive written notification within the next 30 days," the board said in a statement.
In addition, the elections board said hackers viewed 3,533 records that will not be able to be identified.
Board officials restated that no files of registered voters were erased or modified, and that no voting history information or voter signature images were captured.
But if a voter's records were viewed, hackers could have obtained the voter's name, address and date of birth. And if the voter provided a phone number, email address, driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when they registered, that information also may have been viewed. (Rick Pearson)
What's on tap
*Mayor Rahm Emanuel has no public events.
*Gov. Bruce Rauner has no public events.
*Community groups will hold an 11 a.m. City Hall news conference to discuss where they think the mayor's police accountability ordinance falls short.
*Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Duckworth will campaign at a community college in Champaign. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will join her.
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*Sen. Durbin and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky will talk about improving mental health services on college campuses in an event at Loyola University.
What we're writing
*Aldermen, expert say Emanuel's police reform plan leaves too much power in mayor's hands.
*Rauner rules out National Guard as way to quell Chicago violence.
*Illinois' pile of unpaid bills Illinois' pile of unpaid bills could hit record high of $14 billion by next summer.
*Judge tosses social services lawsuit against state government that included Diana Rauner's organization.
*Dold, Schneider clash on Trump, trade, Iran.
*Cook County issues 10,000th same-sex marriage license with much fanfare.
*Hastert victim asks judge to have former speaker pay up.
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What we're reading
*The Beat: A violent intersection in Englewood.
*Retired Chicago cop's computer nerd son to plead guilty in celebrity photo hacking scandal.
*TV producer calls Chicagoans "slightly heavier" than New Yorkers while standing by Mayor Emanuel, who appears quite physically fit.
From the notebook
*Independent Maps group seeks rehearing: The Independent Maps group that saw its proposed constitutional amendment on redistricting struck from the ballot last week by the Illinois Supreme Court is now asking the justices to grant a rare rehearing.
The state's high court ruled 4-3 along party lines, with Democrats in the majority, that the map proposal unconstitutionally exceeded what can be done through a petition-driven citizen initiative to change the state's governing document.
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Though the proposal had been struck down for a variety of reasons on the trial court level, the Supreme Court addressed only one issue: assigning new duties to the state's auditor general as part of a multiphase process to create a commission aimed at taking much of the politics out of redrawing the state's legislative boundaries.
Those new duties, the court's majority said, went beyond the strict limitation that citizen-initiative proposals affect only the legislative article of the constitution.
In its request for a rehearing, the group said justices failed to "provide the citizens of Illinois with any guidance about whether a redistricting initiative is even permissible, let alone guidance about what the permissible contours of such an initiative would be."
"The majority opinion is inconsistent," said Dennis FitzSimons, who chairs the Independent Maps group as well as the McCormick Foundation board.
"At one point, it says that the auditor general can't be involved because that office is not now part of the legislative article of the constitution, but at another point, it suggests a redistricting initiative could use a nonlegislative actor to help select a redistricting commission. Which is it? Without clear guidance, no one will be willing to invest the time, effort and money necessary to put a genuine redistricting reform initiative on the ballot," FitzSimons said in a statement.
Just how rare is it for the state's highest court to grant a rehearing?
The last time was in 2006, the case of Murray vs. Chicago Youth Center. (Rick Pearson)
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*Group lauds Duckworth's support for expanded Social Security benefits: The Progressive Change Campaign Committee is rolling out statements from U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth and other top Democratic U.S. Senate candidates across the country who are calling for an expansion of Social Security benefits, not cuts to them.
"In Congress I teamed up with Sen. Elizabeth Warren to introduce the SAVE Benefits Act, a bill that would give seniors, veterans, and Americans with disabilities a raise. Whatever we do to balance our nation's budget, it cannot be on the backs of our nation's most vulnerable," Duckworth said in her statement.
"Many seniors across Illinois are barely making ends meet and Social Security makes a real difference in the lives of working Americans. That's why protecting and expanding Social Security has been, and will continue to be, a top priority of mine if elected to the Senate," she said.
Duckworth is among nine Democratic U.S. Senate candidates backing the change. The group also includes Democrats Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Patti Judge of Iowa and Ted Strickland of Ohio. Duckworth, a two-term congresswoman, is challenging first-term Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk. (Rick Pearson)
*When you're governor, some people like you, and some people don't.
Follow the money
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*Our Twitter feed of Illinois campaign contributions is down for maintenance. In the meantime, you can track campaign contributions in real time here.
Beyond Chicago
*Trump meets with president of Mexico and gives immigration speech, portrays Clinton as lacking "stamina."
*Clinton slams Trump, pitches her foreign policy to American Legion.
*Brazil dumps impeached president from office.
*World's oldest fossils found in Greenland.
A judge has tossed a lawsuit brought against the state by a large coalition of service providers including a not-for-profit run by first lady Diana Rauner that say they're owed more than $161 million in bills that have gone unpaid during the budget impasse.
The decision might not be the final word in the case, however, as the service providers are considering an appeal.
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The Pay Now Illinois coalition of providers contends they've honored their state contracts by continuing to deliver services throughout the budget stalemate, which began in July 2015, and that the state is in breach because it hasn't been paying the bills for the services.
The group brought its suit in the chancery division of the Cook County Circuit Court, hoping that the venue would provide a quicker resolution than the court of claims, where contract disputes are typically brought. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office, defending the state, argued the lawsuit was in the wrong venue and petitioned for a dismissal.
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Judge Rodolfo Garcia agreed that the case was in the wrong venue, but also urged the coalition to appeal to a higher court, said Pay Now Illinois leader Andrea Durbin.
"We are disappointed with the ruling but heartened by the court's recognition of the irreparable harm that has been caused in Illinois and by the judge's comment that our case deserves to be heard at a higher level," Durbin said.
Madigan's office would not comment on the ruling.
The groups involved in the suit provide services to youths, homeless people, people with HIV/AIDS and low-income people with mental health issues. Also a plaintiff is the Ounce of Prevention, a nonprofit advocacy organization headed by Diana Rauner, who is married to Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The first lady said in July that her organization had joined the lawsuit "as a business decision, to support and serve the organizations that we work with."
Providers had hoped to see their bills paid after Rauner and lawmakers agreed to a six-month stopgap budget in June, which has kept state government afloat for the time being. But that legislation wasn't a full spending plan, and many providers still haven't been paid.
"From the beginning this lawsuit has been about good business practices paying signed contracts in full and on time," Durbin said. "The state's failure to pay and their belief that there is no way to make them pay sets an extraordinarily bad precedent that should be of concern to anybody doing business with the state. It calls into question whether any contracts in the state are valid."
kgeiger@chicagotribune.com
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Since taking office, President Obama has sent U.S. troops into action on land or in the skies of seven countries on two continents. Obamas administration has authorized Navy SEALs to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and approved the fatal drone strike on an American cleric in Yemen.
Here is a look at targeted killings under the Obama administration.
Faruq Qatani | Al Qaeda
When: Death announced Nov. 4, 2016
How: A precision airstrike carried out by the United States military on Oct. 23, 2016
Where: Kunar Province, Afghanistan
Qatani was a top Al Qaeda leader in the eastern part of Afghanistan and one of Al Qaeda's "senior plotters of attacks against the United States," according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Read more >>
Abu Muhammad Adnani | Islamic State
Adnani, the Islamic State militant group's spokesman, is shown in this undated image provided by SITE Intelligence Group. (Associated Press)
When: Death announced Aug. 30, 2016
How: Drone strike but could not confirm his death. Islamic State said he was killed.
Where: Al Bab, Syria
Adnani was deeply involved in the Sunni Muslim militant groups larger operational strategies and served as its spokesman, creating a propaganda machine that has attracted foreign recruits from all over the globe.
Read more >>
Hafiz Saeed Khan | Islamic State
When: July 26, 2016
How: Killed in a drone strike
Where: Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
The State Department last year designated Khan a global terrorist, saying he is the leader of Islamic State in Khorasan, which includes former members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban. Khan had previously been a Tehrik-e Taliban commander, but last year pledged loyalty to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi.
Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour | Taliban
Mansour in an image released by the militant group in December 2015. (Afghan Taliban)
Killed: May 21, 2016
How: Drone strike
Where: In western Pakistan along the Afghanistan border
Mansour was killed when a drone strike hit his vehicle as he traveled in Baluchistan, Pakistan.
Mansour, known for his mercurial leadership, had been in the U.S. militarys crosshairs for years. He officially took charge of the Taliban in the summer of 2015 after the group acknowledged the death of founder Mullah Mohammad Omar.
Read more >>
Rahman Mustafa Qaduli, a.k.a. Abu Ala Afri and Haji Imam | Islamic State
Rahman Mustafa Qaduli (U.S. State Department.)
When: March 24, 2016
How: Died during an attempt by special operations to capture him
Where: Syria
Qaduli was an influential finance minister for Islamic State and a close advisor to the group's leader, Abu Bakr Baghdadi. He was a key player in Islamic State's military and financial operations, according to the Pentagon.
Qaduli, who had as many as a dozen aliases, joined Al Qaeda in Iraq in 2004, serving as Abu Musab Zarqawi's liaison for operations with Pakistan. The group was later rebranded as Islamic State. He was held in U.S. custody at the Camp Bucca military prison in Iraq in 2006, along with many other prisoners who went on to senior positions in Islamic State. He was released in 2012.
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Abu Nabil, a.k.a. Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al Zubaydi | Islamic State
(AFP PHOTO / HO / AL-HAYAT MEDIA CENTRE)
When: Nov. 14, 2015
How: Killed by jet strike
Where: Derna, Libya
Nabil led Islamic State in Libya and was a longtime Al Qaeda figure. He was killed during a F-15 jet strike targeted at his compound in eastern Libya the countrys government in effect has been a void since the toppling of Moammar Kadafi in 2011.
The Pentagon suggested Nabil may have played a key role in an execution video showing the beheading of 21 Coptic Christian Egyptians along the southern Mediterranean coast in early 2015.
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Jihadi John Mohammed Emwazi | Islamic State
(AFP/Getty Images)
When: Nov. 12, 2015
How: Killed by drone
Where: Raqqah, Syria
The 27-year-old British citizen was given the moniker Jihadi John after he appeared in videos announcing the killing of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as the slaying of American aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.
Emwazi was described as a quiet and hardworking schoolboy in affluent northwest London and a graduate of University of Westminsters computer science program, and his presence brought the issue of homegrown extremism to the forefront.
"He was one of the worst, who hit and tortured without any restraint, Didier Francois, a journalist held for 10 months in Syria, told a French radio station.
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Muhsin Fadhli | Al Qaeda
When: July 8, 2015
How: Vehicle was hit during drone strike
Where: Sarmada, Syria
Fadhli, who fought for the Taliban as a teenager in Afghanistan, had advanced notice of the Sept. 11 attacks. Years later, U.S. intelligence analysts had fears that his faction was progressing in its ability to attack jets and other Western targets.
The head of a shadowy cell of veteran Al Qaeda operatives known as the Khorasan Group, he was killed while traveling in his vehicle near the Turkish border in the Syrian town of Sarmada. He was identified as the authority of Al Qaedas operations in Iran before relocating to Syria.
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Ali Awni Harzi | Islamic State
When: June 15, 2015
How: Airstrike
Where: Mosul, Iraq
Tunisian-born Harzi was a suspect in the 2012 Benghazi, Libya, attack, which resulted in the deaths of four Americans. His brother, Tariq Harzi, was known as the emir of suicide bombers for orchestrating hundreds of suicide bombings among jihadists.
"While it may have taken years to track down and eliminate Ali Awni al Harzi, those who kill Americans must understand that our memories are long and our commitment to justice is steadfast," Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said.
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Mokhtar Belmokhtar | Al Mourabitoun
(AFP/Getty Images)
When: June 13, 2015
How: Airstrike
Where: Libya
The Al Qaeda-linked North African was the architect of a 2013 plot to seize a natural gas refinery in Amenas, Algeria, which resulted in the deaths of more than 38 foreign captives from 10 countries, including three Americans.
Belmokhtar had an extensive history of organizing terrorism, yet always slipped out of the clutches of the U.S. military and its allies. In fact, the French government had nicknamed the Algerian militant "the Uncatchable."
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Adan Garar | Shabab
When: March 12, 2015
How: Vehicle struck by drone strike
Where: Bardera, Somalia
Garar was a strategic commander who planned the high-profile attack on Nairobis Westgate shopping mall in 2013, which killed at least 67 people including children. Only those who could prove they were Muslim were spared.
The Shabab leader was killed in his vehicle near the southwestern town of Bardera in Somalia. The Shabab, which has pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda rather than Islamic State, has suffered blows to their military capabilities in recent years.
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Adam Gadahn | Al Qaeda
(AFP/Getty Images)
When: Jan. 19, 2015
How: CIA drone strike
Where: Waziristan, Pakistan
The Orange County native, who served as a top propagandist for Al Qaeda, was killed in a CIA drone strike in Waziristan, Pakistan.
The grandson of a Jewish doctor, Gadahn converted to Islam in 1995. He frequented the Islamic Center of Orange County, where those close to Gadahn say he fell under the influence of Hisham Diab, an accountant who lived in the Little Gaza section of Anaheim, who espoused extremist views
Gadahn appeared in five incendiary Al Qaeda videos before his death and became the first American since the World War II era to be charged with treason.
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Hakimullah Mehsud | Pakistani Taliban
Mehsud in 2008. (AFP Photo / A Majeed)
When: Nov. 1, 2013
How: CIA drone strike
Where: Waziristan, Pakistan
The leader of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, was killed by a CIA drone strike in Waziristan, Pakistan. He was known for attacking a CIA base in Afghanistan and a campaign that killed thousands of Pakistani civilians and security force members.
Mehsud was considered a top militant, and the FBI held a $5-million bounty on his head in the months before he was killed. Yet, Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the drone strikes, calling them an attempt to sabotage peace talks between the Pakistani government and the Taliban.
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Maulvi Nazir | Pakistani Taliban
Maulvi Nazir meets with associates in South Waziristan in April 2007. (Ishtiaq Mahsud / Associated Press)
When: Jan. 2, 2013
How: Drone strike
Where: Northwest Pakistan
A U.S. drone strike in northwest Pakistan killed the top Taliban commander responsible for coordinating attacks on U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
Nazir was one of two Taliban commanders in the Waziristan tribal regions to issue decrees against polio vaccination efforts in their areas. Nazir said his decision to ban the vaccinations was motivated by Washingtons drone campaign and a phony inoculation program orchestrated by the CIA in 2011 to help track down Osama bin Laden.
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Abu Yahya al Libi | Al Qaeda
When: June 4, 2012
How: Drone strike
Where: North Waziristan, Pakistan
Al Qaedas former second-in-command, Libi was killed in a U.S. drone missile strike on Hesokhel, a small village in North Waziristan near the Afghan border. North Waziristan has long been a stronghold for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, the Haqqani network and other militant groups.
Libis death was a big win for covert U.S. anti-terrorism operations in Pakistan, which had their milestone with the killing of Osama bin Laden in early 2011.
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Sakhr Taifi | Al Qaeda
When: May 29, 2012
How: Airstrike
Where: Kunar, Afghanistan
Al Qaedas second-in-command in Afghanistan was killed in an airstrike coordinated by coalition forces. Taifi frequently commanded attacks against NATO and Afghan forces, and he traveled frequently between Afghanistan and Pakistan to relocate weapons and insurgent fighters.
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Abdul-Rahman Awlaki and Ibrahim Banna | Al Qaeda
When: Oct. 14, 2011
How: Drone strike
Where: Azzan, Yemen
Awlaki, a 16-year-old U.S. citizen, was eating dinner along the side of a road when he was killed by a drone strike. Awlakis father, Anwar, was killed two weeks earlier for terrorist operations, but the sons killing sparked outrage among human rights activists who argued that Awlakis death was unrelated to his fathers activities and he was executed without charge, trial or legitimate reasoning.
"If the government is going to be firing Predator missiles at American citizens, surely the American public has a right to know whos being targeted and why." Jameel Jaffer, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said.
Also killed was Egyptian-born Banna, whom officials described as the media chief of the Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen.
Read more >>
Anwar Awlaki | Al Qaeda
A file picture released by the SITE Intelligence Group on September 26, 2010 shows US-Yemeni radical Anwar al-Awlaki speaking during a video lecture at an unknown location. (AFP/Getty Images)
When: Sept. 30, 2011
How: Drone strike
Where: Azzan, Yemen
The American-born Muslim cleric, accused of inspiring and plotting terrorist attacks on Americans, including the deadly shooting at an army base in Texas, was killed by a Hellfire missile fired from a drone aircraft operated by the CIA.
Although Awlaki was a midlevel figure in Al Qaeda, he cast a potent shadow in U.S. counter-terrorism circles because he spoke fluent English and was effective at reaching disaffected Muslims in the United States and elsewhere via speeches and sermons on the Internet.
His death marked not only an escalation of Obama administration efforts to kill leaders of Al Qaeda and its affiliates, but also another significant intelligence coup after the CIA-led raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011, in Pakistan.
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Atiyah Abdul Rahman | Al Qaeda
When: Aug. 22, 2011
How: CIA Predator drone strike
Where: Waziristan, Pakistan
Rahman first met Osama bin Laden in his teens, and the Al Qaeda kingpin appointed him to chief liaison for the group in Iran. Though he was unknown to most Americans, he "gained considerable stature in Al Qaeda as an explosives expert and Islamic scholar," according to the website of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center.
Atiyah was at the top of Al Qaeda's trusted core," said an intelligence official, who would not be identified discussing sensitive defense matters. "His combination of background, experience and abilities are unique in Al Qaeda; without question, they will not be easily replaced."
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Ilyas Kashmiri | Al Qaeda
Ilyas Kashmiri (Saeed Khan / AFP/Getty Images)
When: June 3, 2011
How: Drone strike
Where: South Waziristan, Pakistan
Ilyas Kashmiri, a key Al Qaeda strategist, was killed in a 2011 strike in South Waziristan, Pakistan. Reports on Kashmiri alleged that he trained mujahedin to counter Soviet forces in 1980s Afghanistan and that he was tipped to command Al Qaeda after Osama bin Ladens death.
Kashmiri led a militant group in Pakistan and in recent years had been brought into the leadership of Al Qaeda, running a training camp and planning attacks against targets in India and Europe, said a U.S. intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.
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Osama bin Laden | Al Qaeda
Osama bin Laden (Associated Press)
When: May 2, 2011
How: U.S. special forces unit raid
Where: Abbottabad, Pakistan
The founder of Al Qaeda and the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks was killed during a special forces raid of his compound. The Saudi Arabia-born extremist kingpin vanished after the fall of the World Trade Center towers.
Once or twice a year, Bin Laden popped up on a new video or audio recording, mocking America's leaders and urging his faithful to follow his path. They did so with bombings in London, Madrid, Bali, Indonesia, and elsewhere.
Interrogators at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were pushed to ask Al Qaeda suspects in custody about possible couriers. The information came in pieces, a U.S. official said, and it took years.
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Abdallah Umar Qurayshi | Al Qaeda
When: Sept. 25, 2010
How: Airstrike
Where: Kunar, Afghanistan
The bombing of a compound in Kunar province, close to the border with Pakistan, killed Abdallah Umar Qurayshi, who had led Al Qaeda-affiliated Arab fighters operating in two eastern provinces, and Abu Atta Kuwaiti, an explosives expert.
Western troops, nearly all of them American, pulled out of the remote, rugged Korengal Valley after suffering heavy losses over several years. Fighters led by Qurayshi had staged attacks on Western forces in Kunar and Nuristan provinces, where insurgents sometimes targeted isolated U.S. outposts with devastating results.
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Sheik Said Masri | Al Qaeda
When: May 21, 2010
How: Drone Strike
Where: Pakistan
Al Qaeda's former third-ranking leader a close associate and relative by marriage to Osama bin Laden was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's tribal region. The death of Masri, an Egyptian who was believed to act as the terrorist network's operational leader, was a major blow to Al Qaeda, which had suffered a steady degradation of its leadership and ability to mount attacks since the U.S. stepped up its campaign of missile strikes by unmanned aircraft in the tribal region.
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Hussein Yemeni | Al Qaeda
When: March 8, 2010
How: Drone Strike
Where: Miram Shah, Pakistan
The death of the elusive Yemeni proved a source of elation for U.S. intelligence officials after the expert bomb maker was killed by drone strike in early 2010. It is believed that Yemeni played a strategic role in the 2009 Camp Chapman suicide attack in Afghanistan that killed seven CIA employees and contractors.
A counter-terrorism official described the Miram Shah strike as a "clean, precise action that shows these killers cannot hide even in relatively built-up places."
Read more >>
Baitullah Mahsud | Pakistani Taliban
Baitullah Mehsud (A. Majeed / AFP/Getty Images)
When: Aug. 5, 2009
How: Predator drone strike
Where: Miram Shah, Pakistan
Mahsud was a founding militant of the Pakistani Taliban, which U.S. intelligence suggested could have been behind the 2007 assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Despite his small stature, it is suggested that he had commanded as many as 20,000 fighters and provided refuge for Afghani Taliban members after the 2001 U.S. invasion.
Read more >>
CINCINNATI "Crushed." ''Disappointed." ''Confused."
Some Hispanic leaders who have been advising Donald Trump say they feel betrayed after his long-awaited immigration speech that definitively ruled out a pathway to legal status for people living in the country illegally.
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Trump stopped short of calling for the mass deportation of millions of people who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offenses. But he also ruled out what he dismissed as "amnesty," saying those who want to live legally in the U.S. will need to leave and head to the back of the line in their home countries.
"People will know that you can't just smuggle in, hunker down and wait to be legalized," Trump declared in his hard-line speech Wednesday night. "Those days are over."
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The language caught off guard a group of Hispanic faith and business leaders who have been advising him, often in the face of criticism from their own communities. In closed-door meetings, phone calls and in public statements, Trump and his aides had given many the impression that he was prepared to soften his stance on immigration as he tries to court more moderate, general election voters and boost his standing with Hispanics and other minorities.
Now, some feel Trump misled them.
"There's several of us who have gone out on a limb, if you will, to try to at least be at the table of reason with him, and that's left us confused and disappointed," said Tony Suarez, the executive vice president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. He's been among those pushing Trump to moderate his stance.
As recently as Monday, he said, the GOP presidential nominee had signaled on a conference call with faith leaders that they could expect to see a gentler, more compassionate Trump in the speech. Trump, Suarez said, was asked explicitly whether they would see a softening or any "hope" for at least some of the people currently living in the shadows.
"He said, 'Yes,' and he thought we would be very pleased on Wednesday," said Suarez. "The impression given on the call was not what we heard last night."
Alfonso Aguilar, president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, had prominently endorsed Trump after initially opposing his candidacy. He, too, said Trump had signaled a willingness to moderate some of his immigration plans, including limiting his call for deportations to those convicted of crimes.
"At this point, I just don't see how I can support him. So I'm withdrawing my support," Aguilar said. "I was expecting something very different last night. I'm not naive, I knew who I was dealing with. I knew this could happen. It was a risk.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pauses while speaking during a campaign rally, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Wilmington, Ohio. (Evan Vucci / AP)
"From a political perspective, this is the end of Donald Trump. I really think now he's definitely going to lose."
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Trump's campaign, however, insisted the billionaire businessman had never wavered.
"Mr. Trump has been consistent in advocating for an end to illegal immigration and he will continue to reach out and work with voters from all communities to defeat Crooked Hillary Clinton this fall," said Jason Miller, the campaign's senior communications adviser.
Those speaking out against Trump also included Jacob Monty, a Houston-based attorney and member of the candidate's National Hispanic Advisory Council. In a Facebook post, Monty said he was finished supporting Trump after hearing the speech.
"I gave Donald TRUMP a Plan that would improve border security, remove hardened criminal aliens and most importantly give work authority to the millions of honest, hardworking immigrants in the US. He rejected that tonight and so I must reject him," he wrote, adding that Trump had at one point been moving toward a "compassionate immigration plan."
"Tonight he was not a Republican but a populist, modern-day Father Coughlin who demonized immigrants," he continued, referring to an anti-Semitic priest who gained prominence as a radio personality in the 1930s. "He must want to lose. He can do that without me."
Mark Gonzalez, founder of the Hispanic Action Network, had also expected Trump to go in a different direction.
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"We didn't see compassion last night so we're extremely disappointed," he said. "We were anticipating something a lot more favorable."
"He definitely didn't help himself with the Latino community last night."
Suarez, who had never endorsed Trump personally, said he would now be focusing his attention on Congress and on electing lawmakers who are more amenable to immigration reform.
"We're disappointed and it's only raised more questions than answers," he said of Trump's speech. "We tried," he said. "You don't always win. We tried."
But Pastor Mario Bramnick, president of the Hispanic Israel Leadership Coalition and another member of the advisory council, said he would be sticking with Trump because he believes the GOP nominee still has "a real desire to help the undocumented."
Trump's more conciliatory tone during his surprise visit to Mexico Wednesday, coupled with his private comments and some language in the speech, give Bramnick hope that Trump will one day unveil a plan "that's going to secure the border and that's going to be just and equitable to help the undocumented."
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Associated Press
For months, physicists buzzed about the tantalizing possibility that they had discovered a new particle that could crack the cosmic code and Change Everything. Physicists at CERN's Large Hadron Collider reported traces of this never-before-seen elementary particle a very small thing that could explain very big things.
Such as: Why is there matter, but not antimatter in the universe (outside of "Star Trek" episodes)? How can we identify the mysterious dark matter that accounts for most of the cosmos but has never been seen? Are there secret symmetries behind gravity, electromagnetism and the forces inside an atom?
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Physicists produced some 500 papers breathlessly interpreting the meaning of the as-yet unconfirmed particle, The New York Times reports. Then ... poof! A few weeks ago, scientists had to admit that the particle didn't exist. That intriguing bump on the graph in Switzerland was most likely a statistical fluke.
Imagine the profound disappointment among physicists around the world. A possible universe-altering, Nobel Prize-winning event, the most important physics discovery in half a century, turned out to be a ghost in the machine, a phantom, the blip that wasn't.
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Disappointing? Sure. But on another level, thrilling. Because there is little as exhilarating in science as a group of really smart people slapping their foreheads and admitting, hey, we got it wrong. Sorry, our bad.
As physicist James Beacham of Ohio State University said: "This is the success of science, this is what science does." Exactly.
Failure doesn't earn scientists tenure, prizes or megabuck grants, of course. No one cheers a drug that doesn't work, a test that fails to live up to expectations, a theory of the universe that proves to be wrong.
But there's good reason to celebrate these failures. Scientific breakthroughs often are built on a heap of experiments that sputtered. Every fizzle is one less dead end for researchers to wander down.
The flip side: Even research that is widely accepted may later prove to be flawed.
In 2015, researchers reported on a yearslong effort to replicate the results of 100 major studies on personality, relationships, learning and memory the core of modern psychology. Result: More than half of the studies didn't hold up when the original experiments were redone.
What gives? Researchers say and yes, we should listen to them that the findings didn't necessarily mean those earlier studies were wrong or that the scientists cheated. The different results could come from subtle differences in study design that translated into larger changes in the later experiments' results. Or it could be scientists reaching conclusions that were stronger than their data in the earlier studies justified.
The psychology finding "is not evidence that anything is broken. Rather, it's an example of science doing what science does," study co-author Cody Christopherson, a psychology researcher at Southern Oregon University, told Smithsonian Magazine. "It's impossible to be wrong in a final sense in science. You have to be temporarily wrong, perhaps many times, before you are ever right."
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Any of us can be temporarily wrong or temporarily right. Absolute certainty in medicine, in any science, in life, is elusive and often illusory. Think of all the medical "cures" of 20 years ago, 50 years ago, 100 years ago, that have now been debunked. The human body does not yield easily to pharmaceutically induced tinkering. The mysteries of human behavior, like the universe, are fiendishly difficult to comprehend.
Every hypothesis that collapses, every brilliant notion that flames out, leads somewhere else ... and eventually, we hope, to the truth.
So who will police the police, for real?
There have been too many bad cops in Chicago, and previous efforts to manage police oversight have failed. The death of Laquan McDonald is recent proof: A black youth is shot 16 times by a white cop, yet no officer at the scene reports what was captured on video, which is that the shooting was unwarranted.
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That scandal and Chicago's sordid history of police brutality bring us to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed answer to the question Who will police the police, for real?
Emanuel's new plan deserves no applause, but no repudiation either, because we don't think the mayor's work is done. His job was to replace the not-so Independent Police Review Authority with a legitimate watchdog that takes on allegations of police misconduct without any risk of being shoved around or ignored by police brass or City Hall.
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This proposal would replace IPRA with COPA, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, and create the position of deputy inspector general for public safety as an additional set of eyes. The creation of a citizen oversight board, another crucial component, will come next. Overall, this plan looks better than what Chicago has had. COPA, spawn of IPRA, would have a broader mandate to investigate serious allegations of police misconduct and deliver recommendations to CPD. The superintendent would be required to respond within 90 days, removing the temptation to sit on a case.
Yet it's impossible to conclude that this Emanuel vision for police accountability would represent a truly independent check on potential interference from on high. That makes it unacceptable. This is Chicago, where politics is everywhere and nice intentions don't pay the rent. The big problem with COPA and the new inspector general position as proposed is they would remain under City Hall's thumb.
As envisioned, COPA and the new deputy inspector general don't get guaranteed sustainable budgets. They will need to ask for resources, which makes them another arm of city government, vulnerable to shakedowns if they start asking uncomfortable questions. COPA also would not have the power to hire independent counsel, required to enforce subpoenas. The city Law Department, already responsible for representing the police and the mayor, would get involved in that, which presents a glaring conflict of interest.
For COPA to claim true independence, there can be no leaching of City Hall influence. There has to be a wall to prevent meddling. We've seen how readily City Hall can infiltrate or overpower apparently independent entities. In the wake of the McDonald shooting, city emails obtained through a Freedom of Information request revealed how IPRA's former chief, Scott Ando, relied on the mayor's communications staff and city's top lawyers to vet and tweak public statements attributed to him. Several years ago, we saw how the Law Department thwarted the city inspector general's attempt to investigate potential wrongdoing because of a clever two-step: A city ordinance allowed the inspector general to subpoena records, but didn't authorize the ability to go to court to enforce those subpoenas.
Folks, this is how "The City That Works" prefers to work. Remember: IPRA was a failure, and practically an invitation to bad or incompetent cops to carry on. In eight years, it rarely sustained a complaint against a police officer. So it's got to be back to the drawing board on COPA and the inspector general to give the positions teeth. Next will come the creation of the new community oversight board, which the city says will play a role in the hiring of a permanent COPA administrator (Sharon Fairley of IPRA will continue in the job for now). That board is a crucial part of this reform puzzle, and we're eager to see how it comes together.
With the Laquan McDonald case, a new crisis has unfolded on city streets. Mistrust of police is rampant. Good cops doing a tough job feel betrayed. Gun violence worsens, coincidence or not. Faced with that bleak scenario, Chicago appears ready at least more ready than in the past to get a grip on police oversight. So bring it on.
Whatever the mayor proposes in terms of mechanics to fix oversight is part of the response. Earning back public trust will be the hard part. That won't be possible until this proposal is strengthened and vetted by the public.
That means Emanuel and the aldermen have to listen to what the aggrieved citizens of Chicago say about their Police Department. Otherwise that breach in trust won't be healed.
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Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
The Intensifying War in Syria - How is the Media Covering It? | Main | AFP Misleads on Gaza 'Food Shortages'
August 31, 2016
Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust: UN Hosts anti-Semitic, anti-Israel Hate Groups
A shocking new report by Prof. Anne Bayefsky and Sarah Willig of Human Rights Voices and the Touro Institute for Human Rights and the Holocaust exposes how blatant antisemitism and incitement to violence is being spread at the United Nations by UN-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
According to the authors:
The UN is enabling these groups to spread hatred, encourage terrorism, and promote the destruction of the Jewish state from the world stage. Democratic states, led by the United States, control the purse strings of the United Nations either from within the UN bureaucracy or through domestic policy. Getting serious about combating gross intolerance and violent extremism means putting an immediate stop to the use and abuse of the United Nations to broadcast and support antisemitism and bigotry and the lethal consequences.
For the full report click here.
Posted by AS at August 31, 2016 11:44 PM
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Donald Trump's immigration policy speech Wednesday night in Phoenix was inflammatory, misleading and, I suspect, fairly effective.
Rather than focus attention on the difficult and controversial issue of what to do about the millions of undocumented immigrants within our borders now living orderly, productive lives working, paying taxes, rearing children who are U.S. citizens by dint of being born here the GOP presidential nominee trained fire on the small percentage of undocumenteds who commit violent or other serious crimes.
He began by telling the thumbnail stories of five Americans who were murdered by those here illegally. And though criminologists tell us that the undocumented are statistically less likely than average to commit such crimes, the resonant point is that all of the victims in Trump's horrifying litany would likely be alive today if their killers were not. And that they aren't necessarily one-off cases.
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These figures are a bit old, but a 2011 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office Criminal Alien Statistics estimated that, between 2003 and 2009, undocumented residents had been arrested for some 15,000 kidnappings, 25,000 murders, 70,000 sex offenses, 43,000 robberies, 115,000 burglaries and 213,000 assaults, among other crimes.
Again statistically modest, but the point is that the numbers should, ideally, all be zero.
To lay the groundwork for his 10-item action plan on immigration, Trump first thoroughly and brazenly misrepresented the position of his Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and of President Barack Obama.
Open the borders and let everyone come in and destroy our country, was the pithiest of those misrepresentations.
In fact, Clinton and Obama support an immigration overhaul that creates an arduous path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who pass a criminal background check, learn English and pay taxes. If anything, the Obama administration has been criticized by immigrant-rights activists for being too quick to deport those who commit minor crimes.
Trump spun sugar-castle fantasies about how quickly and easily he will build an impenetrable, physical, tall, beautiful, powerful wall across our 2000-mile border with Mexico, block federal funds from sanctuary cities that dont detain people simply for being undocumented and impose ideological tests on those who apply for visas.
He promised a bio-metric tracking system to hunt down those who have overstayed their visas and greatly expanded use of a web-based employment-eligibility system E-Verify as part of a renewed effort to enforce all existing immigration laws.
It was only toward the end of the speech that he did a little tapdance around the key question that many had tuned in to hear answered:
Are his oft-stated plans to deputize a deportation force to roust all 11 million undocumented immigrants from the country still in place? Does he still plan to throw them all out post haste and then force them to apply for readmission?
That grandiose pledge, along with the wall (that will never ever get built) were the centerpiece of the super-tough immigration stance that separated him from his generally more measured, more realistic challengers in the Republican primaries.
Our answer: "In several years," he said, "when we have accomplished all of our enforcement and deportation goals and truly ended illegal immigration for good ... then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those individuals who remain.
"That discussion can take place only in an atmosphere in which illegal immigration is a memory of the past, no longer with us, allowing us to weigh the different options available based on the new circumstances at the time," he said.
It was Trump-speak for the most banal mainstream Republican talking point on immigration, the one that begins, "First, we must secure the borders ..."
And it signaled that, like most major figures in both parties, he really doesn't have an appetite for doing an "Operation Wetback" number on otherwise law abiding people who are here just seeking a better life.
I doubt his supporters even noticed the squish. It was such a vague afterthought that it didn't dampen the thunder of the rest of his rhetoric, which seemed designed to assure everyone that rumors of his "softening" on this issue were greatly exaggerated.
But I bet that more than a few undecided voters did. Those looking for just a hint of compassion and reality in his words that would allow them to get beyond his nationalistic bluster heard what they needed to hear.
If so, Wednesday's speech did just what he needed it to.
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Twitter @EricZorn
Donald Trump's immigration policy speech Wednesday evening in Phoenix was inflammatory and misleading but, I suspect, also fairly effective.
Inflammatory
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Rather than focus attention on the difficult and controversial issue of what national policy should be about the millions of undocumented immigrants within our borders now living orderly, productive lives working, paying taxes, rearing children who are U.S. citizens the GOP presidential nominee trained most of his fire on the small percentage of undocumenteds who commit violent or other serious crimes.
He began with the thumbnail stories of five Americans who were murdered by those here illegally. And although criminologists tell us that the undocumented are statistically less likely than average to commit such crimes, the resonant point is that all of the victims in Trump's horrifying litany would likely be alive today if their killers were not in the U.S. And that they aren't necessarily one-off cases.
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Trump alluded to a 2011 Criminal Alien Statistics report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which estimated that between 2003 and 2009, undocumented residents had been arrested for approximately 15,000 kidnappings, 25,000 murders, 70,000 sex offenses, 43,000 robberies, 115,000 burglaries and 213,000 assaults, among other crimes.
Those numbers are old and statistically modest, but it's hard to deny the sentiment that they should be zero.
Misleading
In laying the groundwork for his 10-item agenda on immigration, Trump thoroughly and brazenly distorted the position of his Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"Open the borders and let everyone come in and destroy our country," was the pithiest of those misrepresentations.
In fact, Clinton supports an immigration overhaul that creates an arduous path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, who must pass a criminal background check, learn English and pay taxes. She has backed heightened border security measures, and her campaign website promises she will "focus resources on detaining and deporting those individuals who pose a violent threat to public safety."
Trump bemoaned the "record pace" of illegal immigration, even though since 2009 more Mexican immigrants have left the U.S. than have entered.
Effective
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Trump reassured his supporters that he hadn't gone wobbly on his signature issue despite some feints toward moderation in recent days.
He promised to quickly build an "impenetrable, physical, tall, beautiful, powerful" wall across our 2,000-mile border with Mexico and make Mexico pay for it, just as he'll make Persian Gulf states pay for the creation of "safe zones" in their countries for Syrian and Libyan refugees who might otherwise come here.
He said he'd block federal funds from U.S. "sanctuary cities" that don't aggressively enforce immigration laws, compel visa applicants to obtain "ideological certification" as part of an "extreme vetting" program and institute a "biometric tracking system" to hunt down those who have overstayed their legal welcome.
These are fantasies, not plans. But they're what allowed him to rise above his more reality-oriented opponents in the GOP primary race.
At the same time, toward the end of the speech, he tap-danced away from the element of his immigration fantasies that many people find the most disturbing his dream of quickly rounding up and sending back all 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country, then forcing them to apply for readmission.
When will that happen? "In several years," he said, "when we have accomplished all of our enforcement and deportation goals and truly ended illegal immigration for good ... then and only then will we be in a position to consider the appropriate disposition of those individuals who remain.
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"That discussion can take place only in an atmosphere in which illegal immigration is a memory of the past, no longer with us, allowing us to weigh the different options available based on the new circumstances at the time," he said.
In other words, never.
Like most major figures in both parties, Trump really doesn't have an appetite for doing an "Operation Wetback" number on otherwise law-abiding people who are here just seeking a better life.
Squishy? Yes. I doubt his supporters even noticed. It was such a vague afterthought not even included in the 10 points that it barely dampened the thunder of his rhetoric.
But I'll bet more than a few undecided voters did. Those listening for a hint of pragmatism in his bluster, something to convince them that he's not actually out of his mind on the subject of immigration, heard what they needed to hear.
If so, Trump's speech did just what he needed it to.
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Twitter @EricZorn
Alexander Bowers has been charged with three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and three counts of criminal sexual abuse, according to the Oswego Police Department. (Oswego Police Department)
Oswego police, working with county, federal and international agencies, have arrested an Arkansas man accused of sexually assaulting a boy.
Alexander Bowers, 28, of Little Rock, Ark., has been charged with three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and three counts of criminal sexual abuse, according to the Oswego Police Department. He was arrested at O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday evening, after he was detained by authorities in Japan, according to police.
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Bowers is accused of having sexual contact with a boy at an Oswego home over about four years, starting in 2008, police officials said in a statement. At that time, Bowers was 20 and the boy was 9, according to police.
The boy's parents reported the alleged assault to Oswego police in March 2016, when they became aware of it, police said in the statement.
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While investigating, police learned Bowers had moved to Arkansas. In late August, detectives found Bowers had traveled to Japan, and was attempting to travel to Australia, according to police. They said they notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which notified Australian authorities. The Australian authorities revoked Bowers' travel visa, according to Oswego police.
The Kendall County state's attorney approved the six felony charges against Bowers on Aug. 24, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest and set his bond at $1 million, according to police. Oswego detectives notified the international police agency Interpol of the warrant, and Bowers was detained by Japanese authorities Aug. 30.
Japanese authorities arranged to have Bowers returned to the United States, and Oswego detectives were waiting for him at O'Hare, according to the press release. He was taken to the Oswego Police Department and then Kendall County Jail.
sfreishtat@tribpub.com
Twitter @srfreish
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Wilmington, Ohio, and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the American Legion's 98th annual convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Evan Vucci and Andrew Harnik / AP )
The workplace is not immune to the heat being generated by the presidential campaign between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.
John Jorgensen, an instructor for Northern Illinois University's Outreach Program, warned that the current political climate is as highly charged as it has even been, and that can have a negative impact around the office.
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"I have already lost two friendships as a result of this, and have had people say 'well, I'll see you after the election' and there are also people in my family who have very strong opinions about things," Jorgensen said. "In my 30-some years of doing this I feel like I've dealt with just about everything by now, but I've never seen anything like this. It is the most amount of polarization I've ever seen."
He made his comments during a roundtable discussion Thursday morning at Aurora University's Orchard Center about the impact of the election campaign on the workplace. The free event, offered by Aurora University's Human Resource Institute, included an invitation for business people to discuss the situation in a dialogue moderated by Jorgensen, who has more than 25 years of human resources experience working with small- and medium-sized businesses.
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Jorgensen acknowledged that people talk at the lunch table or water cooler about everything from the Bears vs. the Packers to issues about their own workplace, but he cautioned that in the office "remaining neutral and avoiding ranting and raving" are critical.
"I guess the three guidelines I would stress the most are to stay professional, be polite, and be civil," Jorgensen said. "If you can't communicate together you can't work together."
Jorgensen as well as other participants Thursday agreed that the increased "communication channels" of today which include cell phones and social media have increased problems, given that so much information and personal opinion are available.
Scott Netzley, a financial director working out of South Elgin, said he believes "opinions are important" and that "our society has become too sensitive."
"In the end, people need to get their work done, and if there are discussions at the water cooler I don't see where that is an issue," Netzley said. "This is who we are, and what our country was founded on. Some people get too sensitive when we talk about religion or politics, but our country was founded on free speech. I think people can have opinions, but just don't force them down others' throats."
Kathy Pierceall of Yorkville said she was representing the Farmers Insurance Group and came Thursday because she didn't have a lot of knowledge about the subject.
"I'm just here to listen to some ideas with the elections coming up," she said.
Aurora's Colleen Wolak said he has work in human resources all her professional life.
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"When we were growing up, we were taught that religion and politics were taboo, but now I think the political climate we live in has thrown that out the window," she said. "I believe people need to remain professional in the workplace and maintain a respect for diversity. We need to continue to have civilized conversations."
She said the presidential election adds a hot-button issue into the mix.
"This is going to be a sensitive issue over the next 10 weeks," she said.
Toni Williams, who works as a human resources manager for Exelon, said she is concerned about how the ongoing rhetoric of the campaign will affect the nuclear plants she represents.
"I need to understand given the political climate the everyday support I need to offer as an HR manager with our employees," she said. "There perhaps is the need to remain neutral but still have a voice there needs to be a balance. People can get really charged up."
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
A federal jury on Tuesday found a South Holland woman guilty of pocketing kickbacks in exchange for referring patients to home health care agencies while she was running a Homewood-based business, according to the FBI.
Sundae Williams, 47, ran Serenity Marketing Inc., and recruited patients, including Medicare beneficiaries, for Chicago-area nursing agencies, according to the FBI. The company did business under the name Serenity Living.
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The jury convicted Williams on one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive remuneration in return for the referral of Medicare patients, and six counts of soliciting and receiving remuneration in return for the referral of Medicare patients, according to the FBI. Each count carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.
Serenity employees were trained to make cold calls to patients and convince them to accept the home services, according to the FBI. The employee would then get personal information from an interested beneficiary and sell that to the home health agencies.
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Williams is just the latest to be convicted as part of a federal investigation by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, according to the FBI. The strike force group is part of the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team, a joint initiative between the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
James Ademiju, a Matteson nurse, pleaded guilty this year to billing for unnecessary services and making illegal payments for patient referrals, according to the FBI. He testified at William's trial that some of his payments were made to her company. In a plea agreement, Ademiju admitted to sending some of Serenity's solicited patients to home-physician companies, believing those companies would charge for services to those patients even if they weren't necessary, according to the FBI.
Earlier this year, a doctor at Suburban Home Physicians, Alan Newman, pleaded guilty to falsely certifying patients for nursing services even though they didn't qualify for them, according to the FBI. He also bilked $2.6 million from Medicare, the FBI said.
In an April jury trial, Diana J. Gumila, a nurse and manager at Suburban Home Physicians, was convicted of directing employees to provide unneeded services to patients and certifying patients for services for which they did not qualify, according to the FBI. She also directed staff to bill Medicare in a complicated scheme that inflated costs, the FBI said.
Gumila was sentenced in July to six years in prison, according to the FBI. Williams, Ademiju and Newman are awaiting sentencing.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Thornton Township Supervisor Frank Zuccarelli and Cook County Judge William Hooks were among the speakers Wednesday at the National Organization Of Black Law Enforcement Executives youth conference at South Suburban College. The conference was designed to rebuild trust between youth and law enforcement. Aug. 31, 2016. (Erin Gallagher / Daily Southtown) (Chicago Tribune)
When Cook County Judge William Hooks asked the gymnasium filled with high school students if they had ever had a gun pointed at them, most, if not all, raised their hands.
Hooks was one of several speakers Wednesday at a youth training conference for Thornton Township High School District 205 and Thornton Fractional High School District 215 intended to rebuild trust between youths and the police. About 1,000 teens and dozens of law enforcement officials filled the South Suburban College Field House in South Holland for the event.
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"There is enough blame to go around," Hooks said in an interview. "If we treat people as disposable, they become disposable."
Hooks, who grew up at 64th and Lawrence in the South Side's Woodlawn neighborhood and now works in the felony criminal division, told the students that they had to "dare to declare" a good path in their lives. He told them that the "no snitch" policy does not help them.
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He described the fear defendants have when they are being sentenced to prison for major crimes such as murder. He said that no one is there for them, except maybe their mothers. Gang life "is not a good life," he said.
Hooks was one of several speakers who shared a message of mutual respect.
"When people don't meet you with respect, you don't give them disrespect in return," said WGCI radio personality Tone Kapone. "Confrontations always end bad."
Kapone, who opened the conference, said he understands what it is like to be profiled and feel like he shouldn't wear his hat backward in certain neighborhoods.
"I'm from this area," he said. "I grew up in Country Club Hills."
Thornton Township Supervisor Frank Zuccarelli, a Thornridge High School graduate, said he organized the event "because 500 people were shot in Chicago" in August, and 22 were murdered in Thornton Township.
"We've never had a year like that," he told the students.
Citing the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., Zuccarelli said, "We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools."
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"Just like Tone said, if somebody acts like a jackass, you don't act like one back," Zuccarelli said.
The event was sponsored in part by the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. South Holland Police Chief Greg Baker, regional vice president of the organization, gave students examples of ways to stay safe in their neighborhoods.
Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >
"Settle issues that are in dispute with a police supervisor, police administrator or in court not on the scene," was one of 13 tips on a magnet given to each student. "Remember that every police officer is not 'out to get you.'"
In an interview before the event, Hazel Crest Police Chief Mitchell Davis III said that giving these teens a personal portrait of the police is important so they don't view everyone in law enforcement as an "adversarial stranger."
Davis, who is a member of NOBLE, described law enforcement as a "microcosm of society," with different levels of competency. Because officers face split-second decisions, their actions may come from lacking experience.
"It's not just a matter of they're out there trying to hurt someone," Davis said. "One thing I've consistently taught is you've got to learn about the person you're dealing with."
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Referring to both police and community members, Davis said both sides have to look at each situation and person individually, and not base assumptions on past experiences or rumors.
"Our children are most important," said Joyce Washington, a Thornton Township trustee. "Unless we can protect our children now, we can just say goodbye to our future."
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
On August 1st, Uber announced it would cease trying to access the Chinese market alone and will merge with its long-time rival, Didi Chuxing in China, to benefit from the taxi companys local know-how and have immediate access to its large consumer base. Uber Chinas value will represent a 20% stake in the combined entity with Uber being Didis largest shareholder.
Uber was founded in Silicon Valley in 2009 with a reported $1.5 billion revenue and an estimated worth of USD $62.5 billion by late 2015. Today it offers its services in 506 cities worldwide, with more than 150 million rides a month, according to span>Uber.com.
Reuters reported that on June 18th Uber had completed more than two billion trips on its app and that in that same month it had raised $3.5 billion from Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund, part of a funding round that valued the company at $62.5 billion.
Travis Kalanick, CEO and Co-Founder of Uber, said in a press release why he went after the Chinese market after visiting there three years ago:
I came away with a different view. First, that China is an amazing country and if you aspire to make transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere for everyone you cant ignore a fifth of the worlds population. And second, as an entrepreneur, if you have the opportunity to build both Amazon and Alibaba at the same time, youd be crazy not to try.
However, critics have said Ubers merging with Didi Chuxing is a sign it could not crack localization in China.
Were profitable in the USA, but were losing over $1bn a year in China, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick
told Canadian technology platform BetaKit.
Writing for Fortune.com, Robert Salomon, Associate Professor of International Management at the New York University Stern School of Business and author of Global Vision: How Companies Can Overcome the Pitfalls of Globalization, said China is an incredibly complex market that differs culturally, politically and economically from the United States, and that large U.S. technology giants such as Amazon, Google, eBay and Facebook have all struggled to get a foothold here.
Image credit: Uber Newsroom
Ubers first obstacle was the fact that Didi Chuxing was already established and held large market share.
Salomon said Western firms struggle to navigate Chinas complex political structure, legal system and regulatory rules. He also mentions that the Chinese way of doing business means combining personal and business relationships and that Chinese consumer tastes differ vastly from Westerners, something that makes adapting products and services a challenge.
Salomons advice to companies entering China is to develop strategies that balance risks with rewards and that a measured approach, which includes partnering with established businesses as Uber has now done may be the best way forward.
Read Travis Kalanicks open letter to employees regarding the merger on his
Facebook page.
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The National Security Cutter Munro, pictured here during builder sea trials in early August. Wednesday, Ingalls Shipbuilding announced it had received an advance procurement contract in excess of $88 million for the ninth Ingalls-built Coast Guard cutter.
(Ingalls Shipbuilding photo)
PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- One day after announcing a $13.7 million contract with the U.S. Navy for design work on the new LX(R) warship, Ingalls Shipbuilding on Wednesday announced the receipt of an $88.2 million advance procurement contract from the U.S. Coast Guard for materials for a ninth National Security Cutter.
"NSC 9 will build on the performance record of her predecessors in the Legend class," said Ingalls president Brian Cuccias. "Coast Guard leadership has stated these ships help fill a need to bolster front-line operations in the fight against crime, especially drug interdictions.
"Ingalls is proud and honored to be providing this most advanced fleet of cutters to enable the Coast Guard to perform its daily missions in protecting America's shores."
Advance procurement funds are used to purchase long-lead, major items for NSC 9, including steel, main propulsion systems, generators, electrical switchboards and major castings.
"This long-lead material contract gives our shipbuilders the ability to immediately start work on the ship in anticipation of the construction contract," said Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls' vice president of program management. "This advance procurement helps us get started on the next great ship in this program."
Ingalls has delivered five National Security Cutters to the Coast Guard. The Legend class is designed to replace the 12 Hamilton-class cutters which joined the USCG fleet in 1960.
The sixth Ingalls-built cutter, the Munro (WMSL 755), is scheduled for acceptance sea trials and delivery before the end of the year. The seventh cutter, the Kimball (WMSL 756) is scheduled for launch by the end of 2016, and the keel for an eighth cutter, the Midgett (WMSL 757) is set to be laid this year, as well.
NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120.
The Legend-class cutters include an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary wing aircraft.
It is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard, with capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions.
PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- As of Tuesday afternoon, the revelation that Pascagoula Police Chief Kenny Johnson helped Moss Point Police Chief Art McClung avoid charges after a traffic stop under questionable circumstances has not led Pascagoula City Manager Joe Huffman, the city council or Mayor Jim Blevins to take any action against Johnson.
On Tuesday, the Sun Herald released dash cam footage of a July 29 traffic stop involving McClung. Officers pulled McClung's vehicle over after it was clocked at 109 mph on U.S. 90 between the Gautier bridge and the Pascagoula bridge, according to Pascagoula police dash cam footage.
Officers approached the driver's side of the car and immediately recognized that it was McClung driving his city assigned police SUV. In the video, an officer can be heard saying, "he's toast," in regard to the amount of drinks McClung had consumed.
Officers on the scene proceeded to call Johnson and ask him what it was he wanted them to do. According to the Sun-Herald, Johnson told his officers to drive McClung home and a report about the incident was not filed.
Huffman said he had spoken with Johnson, but is limited to what he could discuss about their meeting, citing the situation as a personnel issue.
"Chief Johnson and I talked, and right now where I am at on it is that he was not on site when the incident took place so he made a decision based on the information he had at that time and he felt it was the right decision," Huffman said. "I can support that, I think that law enforcement officers have discretion and Chief Johnson did what he thought was right at the time with the information he had."
Huffman said he knows the type of man Johnson is and his work done within and for the department speaks for itself.
"Our police department is accredited on a national level and we are trying to do the right things the right way," Huffman said. "If you look at the practices, information requested, Chief Johnson provided video and his perspective on it. We have nothing to hide and we are trying to be transparent with this situation and those are good practices."
The Mississippi Press made numerous attempts to contact Johnson in which calls were not returned.
The Mississippi Press did speak with McClung after the Moss Point Board of Aldermen decided to suspend him without pay while further investigation is conducted regarding the incident.
McClung stated he had yet to received official notice from the Board of Aldermen or Moss Point Mayor Billy Broomfield as of Tuesday evening.
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China's top economic planner warned Wednesday that challenges remain in investment and trade, and meeting annual growth targets will require "arduous efforts."
It is estimated that pressure will still remain in economic development in the second half of 2016, said Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, during the top legislature's ongoing bimonthly session.
While delivering a report to the session, Xu expressed confidence that the country could meet its major annual targets in economic growth, employment, commodity prices and residents' income.
He also said it was expected that targets for poverty reduction, energy consumption, environmental protection and renovation of substandard housing would be met.
"Great difficulties remain in meeting goals for investment and trade," Xu said, while elaborating on a national economic and social development report.
"Currently, the foundations for stable economic development are not solid enough and downward pressure remains."
The international economy has not recovered as expected, and trade protectionism has gained ground, Xu told lawmakers, adding that geopolitical risks and the increasingly complicated regional security situation will disturb economic stability.
On the domestic front, difficulties remain for the stable growth of demand, and regional polarization has evolved, with potential risks in sectors such as finance and employment needing attention, Xu said.
He also cited farmers' incomes, the increasing number of environmental incidents, severe production safety situation and the arduous tasks of disaster prevention, reduction and relief as difficulties the country must address.
Wednesday afternoon's plenary session was attended by Zhang Dejiang, the chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.
Stabilizing macroeconomic policy
According to Xu, China will continue to design and implement targeted and flexible macro-control measures, and pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy.
The country will further reduce tax burdens for enterprises and closely follow the implementation of the replacement of business tax with VAT, said Finance Minister Lou Jiwei while delivering a report during Wednesday's legislative session.
China plans to formulate a pilot policy on commercial pension insurance with individual tax preferences offered to applicants, Lou said.
Also, the country is mulling an increased export rebate rate for some mechanical and electrical products and hopes to fine-tune the policy for individual income tax for equity incentives, Lou said.
The central government will promote public-private-partnerships (PPP) and accelerate the PPP legislation procedures, he added.
Meanwhile, China has promised to review government investment, promoting the use of funds to support startups in emerging industries, according to Lou.
Advancing key reforms
During the session, Xu said China was determined to further cut the number of items needing government approval and advance reforms in key sectors including state-owned enterprises, finance and taxation.
The central government will roll out assessment measures for environmental protection and improve intellectual property protection for enterprises, Xu added.
As China's economy settles into the "new normal," which features slower growth, the country will continue to boost development of emerging industries, said Xu.
The central government will formulate a "negative" list for the country's "Internet Plus" strategy and other supporting measures for the "Made in China 2025" plan, according to Xu.
Photo taken on Aug. 1, 2016 shows a symbol of Didi in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Beijing-based Didi Chuxing announced on Wednesday that it had signed a strategic partnership agreement with nearly 50 taxi companies from more than 10 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, to explore ways to help upgrade the taxi industry.
Didi said it will explore measures, such as big data and other internet technologies, to match the right online transportation requests with the right drivers, in order to boost the earnings of taxi drivers and improve operational efficiency.
Cheng Wei, chief executive officer of Didi, said that Didi builds its business empire on taxi business. Tens of millions people use taxis across the nation.
"Apart from sharing technology breakthroughs with taxis, Didi has been vigorously facilitating the integration of taxis and other vehicles that provides transportation services via ride-hailing apps," he said.
In the future, Didi will use a 100-million-yuan (US$14.97 million) fund to reward taxi drivers that get higher reviews on Didi Chuxing apps, according to Cheng.
The announcement came within a month of the Chinese government deciding to legalize car-hailing services from November, which practically levels the playing field for taxis and other app-enabled vehicles.
After car-hailing services debuted in the country in mid-2014, the lower prices soon attracted many passengers, prompting protests from taxi drivers across China.
Fights between taxi drivers and car-hailing service drivers were often reported by the media.
"With the aim to cover the whole car-hailing services, Didi need to tap further into the taxi market. If Didi did not make the move, another similar platform would take the business over," said Wang Xiaofeng, an analyst at consultancy Forrester Inc.
As a one-stop mobile transportation service provider, Didi offers a wide arrange of options to passengers, from taxis to private car, carpool to even bus and car-rental.
A famer sells kiwi fruits in Changputang village, Fenghuang county, Hunan province on Aug 31, 2016. [Photo by Xiao Yi/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
"If you have a daughter, don't marry her to any man from Changputang since nothing grows there except calamus."
This is a well-known saying in Fenghuang county, Hunan province for many years. However, finding a wife is no longer a concern for single men in the village now and the lands once occupied by calamus are now an orchard full of kiwi fruits, grapefruits and watermelons.
The Changputang village of Fenghuang county has a population of about 2,800. Most of the residents are of the Tujia ethnic group.
Before 1980s, the village was in extreme poverty due to limited land, lack of water and dilapidated roads. The per capita arable land was about two mu (0.13 hectares). The residents, with an annual average income of 600 yuan ($90), grew rice and corn for a living.
Since 1982, villagers began to grow crops such as watermelons and cucurbits.
"We didn't have confidence back then so we chose crops with short growing periods," said Wang Anquan, an official of Changputang. "Just in case they don't grow well, we could change to rice and corn." To his surprise, the venture was greatly successful.
Encouraged by their first experiment, farmers in the village introduced a special kind of tangerine from Zhejiang province, which brought an extra income of 2,000 yuan for every mu. Meanwhile, the income for rice was only 500 yuan per mu.
During the following years, the village further diversified its products with kiwi fruits and grapefruits.
In 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping visited Changputang during an inspection tour.
Xi said that better technology and a bigger market are needed to improve agriculture in the village. He advised villagers to keep an eye on the market and look ahead. Xi also encouraged them to work harder.
In the same tour to southern Hunan, Xi said alleviating poverty in the region should be done with targeted policies, including improving agriculture and education.
Agriculture is the key economic engine in southern Hunan. From 2011 to 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture invested 1.23 billion yuan to boost development in the area. Today, southern Hunan is the largest base for lilies and kiwis in China.
Today, the Changputang village can produce 6.5 million kilograms of fruits worth 35 million yuan. The average net income has reached 7,000 yuan per year. The net income of 90 percent of the fruit farmers is above 30,000 yuan. Every family has tap water and cement roads.
MOSS POINT, Miss. - Lee Andrew Gipson, the man accused of stabbing retired educator Willie C. Williams more than 50 times, was out on parole at the time, less than three years after receiving a 10-year sentence for burglary.
Family, friends and the community of Moss Point laid to rest a man residents called a "pillar of the community" on Saturday morning. Williams was found dead on Friday, Aug. 19, after being murdered as early as the preceding Wednesday. Gipson, 23, has been in the custody of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department since Wednesday, Aug. 24.
As reports of Williams' death spread throughout social media, people were angry, sad, puzzled, and frustrated that someone would commit such an act against someone so beloved in their community. Shironda Hayslett was one of those angered by Williams' murder, all the more so, she said, because Gipson had broken into her home and allegedly tried to burn down her home in 2013.
According to Gipson's criminal record, he was convicted on four counts of burglary and larceny of an occupied dwelling in 2014, and each count carried 10 years of prison time and 10 years of probation.
"September 2013, I received a phone call at work saying that I needed to hurry up and get home and when I pulled up to my home, my house was engulfed in flames," Hayslett said. "Once the fire was contained, the police officer and fire marshal had me walk through the house to see if anything was missing. Once I walked through, I noticed several windows had been broken out and proceeded to look further and I noticed money, televisions and jewelry were missing. The house was completely ransacked."
Hayslett said the following Monday morning, as she was headed to the police station to provide detectives with a list of missing belongings, she received a call from the detective working her case before she even made it there.
"I received a call from the detective saying they had the person in custody who had broken into my house and set the fire," Hayslett said. "They caught him in someone else's house and knew it was him based on a burn located on his face."
According to Hayslett, Gipson started the fire in her bedroom while snooping around for valuables.
Hayslett said officers told her it looked personal, but she contends that she had never seen Gipson in her life, nor did her children know who he was. Hayslett said she was told by detectives that the trial would be quick because Gipson had admitted to breaking into and vandalizing her home.
Hayslett later moved back to Tennessee and said she received notice that Gipson received 8-10 years for his actions. She was then encouraged to set up a VINE link (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) to keep her abreast of Gipson's progression through the criminal justice system, but said that information never updated or notified her of his release.
Gipson pleaded guilty in October 2014 to three counts of burglary of a dwelling and was sentenced to 20 years with 10 to serve with the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) sentences on the three counts were to run concurrently. Hayslett said she found out about Williams' murder through her mother and when her mother told her the name of the suspect in custody for Williams' murder, she said she did not have to look at his picture because she recognized the name immediately.
"I'm disappointed in the correctional system in Mississippi," Hayslett said. "That young man should have never been released so early even with burglaries. To know that he not only burglarized several homes, but he set fire to one. I do believe MDOC failed horribly and as I stated before, had that young man not been released so early, I believe Dr. Williams would still be here. I believe that in my heart of hearts."
According to Assistant District Attorney Cherie Wade, at the time Gipson pled guilty, burglary of a dwelling was defined as a violent crime under the statute. She said she thought that would require him to serve at least 50 percent of his sentence - five years -- before becoming eligible for parole. However, he would also receive credit for any time he served in jail prior to his conviction, she said.
Lee Andrew Gipson, 23, was arrested for allegedly murdering retired Moss Point educator, Willie C. Williams.
Although Gipson allegedly attempted to burn down Hayslett's home, Wade said, the arson count wasn't true billed by the grand jury. Consequently he never faced that charge in court.
Though Wade said she would have expected Gipson to have served a minimum of five years, minus time served before his conviction, MDOC Parole Board Chairman Steven Pickett said that Gipson actually became eligible for parole much sooner.
"The circumstances around this case was that he was sentenced to serve 10 years and he had to serve 25 percent of that time," Pickett said. "The parole board does not set parole eligibility dates -- the parole board just reviews them upon the date they become available for parole."
Pickett said Gipson served a total of 384 days prior to his sentencing in Jackson County, meaning he had less than two years left to serve before meeting the 25 percent minimum that made him eligible for parole. Gipson became officially eligible for parole on March 27, 2016. His initial hearing was denied by the parole board, Pickett said, but when he came before the board again in June his hearing was approved.
Pickett said Gipson was released because he had no rules violations. At the second review, in June, he was paroled subject to one year of electronic monitoring.
"We paroled him with GPS (electronic monitoring) within the first year so that we could have good reporting, so that we could know where he was, and this is a very sad circumstance," Pickett said. "The parole board looks at programs that are accomplished during the incarceration, they look at the inmates' behavior, and they look at the age."
"The law in Mississippi is presumptive parole, so unless we see a reason as to why not to parole someone, we will continue to try to do the best job we can in our evaluations," Pickett said. "When we reviewed this case, there was absolutely no possibility [seen] that he would be accused of murdering this educator, and that was not one of the things taken into consideration. If we could have told the future, obviously we would not have paroled him ... Many days, the success stories are not recognized, but the tragic ones such as this are."
This story was edited to add that Mrs. Hayslett received an update from the VINE Link she had not previously received information alerted her that Gipson is now in the custody of the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Beijing, Aug 31, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
President Xi Jinping called for linking China's and Canada's development strategies and promoting a series of "landmark projects," while meeting on Wednesday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The president said both countries should strengthen cooperation in fields such as energy, financial services, technological innovation and equipment manufacturing.
Leaders from both countries should maintain exchanges of views and coordination on issues of common concern, Xi added.
Trudeau is on an eight-day visit to China, which is Canada's second-largest trading partner, and he will attend the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou.
Meanwhile, the two countries will establish an annual dialogue between both heads of government to boost bilateral relations and exchanges of views on international affairs, Premier Li Keqiang said while meeting with Trudeau on Wednesday.
Both sides agreed to enhance high-level engagement, exchanges and communication based on mutual respect and equality, Li said.
Both countries have great potential for cooperation, especially in high-tech and agricultural fields, Li said.
"We agreed to conduct feasibility research for a free trade zone as soon as possible and ... safeguard trade liberalization and investment facilitation," he added.
Trudeau said, "Renewing our relationship with China is extremely important for Canada." He also vowed to boost the stability of ties and frequency of meetings.
"China will play a central role in shaping the global landscape in the years to come, and it's in the best of our countries' interest to develop a stronger partnership," Trudeau said.
He said both countries agreed to expand trade and investments in energy, clean technology and agriculture as well as improve people-to-people ties such as tourism and cultural exchanges. Both sides will cooperate in climate change, environmental conservation, judicial training, gender equality and support for the UN peace-keeping operations, Trudeau added.
Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Trudeau's trip can boost trade and economic cooperation, as well as intensive people-to-people exchanges such as tourism and education.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for joint efforts with Saudi Arabia to make sure the G20 Summit in Hangzhou will succeed in boosting world economic growth and perfecting global governance.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Beijing.
He said the international society looks forward to seeing the G20 Summit play a positive role in boosting the global economy and enhancing international economic cooperation.
China and Saudi Arabia are both important G20 members and emerging economies. They should work together to ensure G20 functions well as the major forum for international economic cooperation, Xi said.
Mohammed, also Saudi Arabia's defense minister, will attend the G20 Summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, scheduled for Sept. 4-5.
Xi welcomed Mohammed's visit to China and congratulated him on the success of the first meeting of a high-level steering committee for coordinating bilateral cooperation.
China takes Saudi Arabia as an important partner in the Belt and Road Initiative, he said, adding that China is ready to work with Saudi Arabia to enrich their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Underlining the importance of cementing strategic mutual trust, Xi said China supports Saudi Arabia's efforts in safeguarding its own security and stability.
He called on the two countries to step up the alignment of each other's development strategy, so as to deepen the integration of common interests.
"We should use the Belt and Road Initiative to lead bilateral pragmatic cooperation," he said.
The president said China is willing to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the sectors of infrastructure, manufacturing, finance, investment and energy.
China has a large amount of industrial capacities, equipment and innovative technologies that are internationally competitive, and can be a partner of Saudi Arabia as the latter seeks to diversify its economy and develop its manufacturing sector, Xi said.
Mohammed said Saudi Arabia and China enjoy broad common interests and share similar positions in international affairs.
Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to developing relations with China and views China as an important strategic partner, he said.
Saudi Arabia firmly supports China's stance on Taiwan, South China Sea and other issues, he stressed.
The prince said Saudi Arabia hopes to deepen political and economic ties with China through the high-level steering committee and is willing to link its development strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative.
On the sidelines of the meeting, foreign ministers of the two countries also held talks.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir strongly condemned the attack on the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan, saying Saudi Arabia will "firmly stand together with China in the fight against terrorism".
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China was ready to work with Saudi Arabia to strengthen international cooperation on anti-terrorism.
Adel al-Jubeir also vowed to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to implement the consensus reached by the high-level steering committee for coordinating bilateral cooperation, which held the first meeting on Tuesday.
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Michel Temer (front) takes oath at the senate in Brasilia, Brazil, Aug. 31, 2016. Temer was sworn in as the new president of Brazil on Wednesday afternoon, after Dilma Rousseff was stripped of the presidency by the Senate in an impeachment trial. [Photo/Xinhua]
Michel Temer was sworn in as the Brazil's new president on Wednesday shortly after lawmakers ousted Dilma Rousseff from her presidency in an impeachment vote.
The Senate voted 61-20 to immediately remove Rousseff from office after a marathon debate, ending the long impeachment process.
Temer will serve out the rest of Rousseff's four-year term through 2018.
At the first meeting after his inauguration ceremony, Temer vowed to put Brazil back on track in all areas.
Temer said he would urgently seek support from various parties in Congress to tackle urgent issues, including unemployment.
"We have a huge unemployment rate, almost 12 million (jobless) people. This is a frightening number," said the 75-year-old president.
Temer also rebuked the allegation that the impeachment against Rousseff was "a coup," saying the impeachment process was carried out fully according to law.
In a separate voting earlier in the day, the Senate voted 42-36 to allow Rousseff to retain the right to hold public office. It needs a two-third majority to bar her from public role for eight years.
Rousseff remained defiant, calling the impeachment "a parliamentary coup" and "great injustice."
The impeachment vote sparked quick reactions both in Brazil and overseas.
Brazil's Central Union of Workers, a stalwart Rousseff ally, criticized the impeachment as "a coup" while the National Confederation of Agriculture hailed it as a "victory for the nation."
Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia criticised the impeachment and withdrew their ambassadors to Brazil. Brazil responded by recalling its envoys for consultations.
The Argentine government issued a statement, saying it respected "the verified institutional process" in Brazil and expressing its desire to work with the new Brazilian government on issues of common concern, such as the integration of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur).
Rousseff is charged with spending without congressional approval and manipulating government accounts in the run-up to her 2014 re-election. She was suspended on May 12 for up to 180 days.
Rousseff became the first Brazilian president removed from office since 1992, when Fernando Collor de Mello resigned just before the final vote in the impeachment process against him.
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Dilma Rousseff delivers a statement at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Aug. 31, 2016. The Brazilian Senate voted on Wednesday to strip Dilma Rousseff of the presidency by 61 votes in favor to 20 votes against. [Photo/Xinhua]
As Brazil and Latin America reeled from the impeachment of Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff on Wednesday, reactions quickly began pouring in, mostly from her saddened supporters.
Brazil's Central Union of Workers (CUT), a stalwart Rousseff ally behind many of the protests in her favour, was indignant. In a statement, it said Dilma had faced "a coup" and predicted that unions and workers' associations would unite against any attempt to "strip them of their rights."
"This is not a simple change of mandate but the usurpation of Brazil's destiny by a wing of the political class, the judiciary and the press that desire power at any cost," said CUT President Vagner Freitas.
Taking the opposing line, the National Confederation of Agriculture (CUA) hailed the impeachment as "a victory for the nation." The CUA, which represents many private land-owners, said its members had been impressed with "Temer being fair in relation with other powers and with society. He transmits the hope that the country's economic crisis can be overcome."
Internationally, left-wing governments in the region were quick to blast what they saw as a coup.
The government of Ecuador released a statement, in which it condemned "the political events in Brazil...which have deposed from her position the constitutional President Dilma Rousseff."
Quito rejected "the flagrant subversion of the democratic order in Brazil, which can be considered an underhanded coup d'etat."
Venezuela followed suit, with its government writing that "the political and corporate oligarchies, in alliance with imperial forces, led the coup against President Dilma Rousseff, through anti-juridicial trickery. They have reached power in the only way possible: fraud and immorality."
On Tuesday, Bolivia's President Evo Morales wrote on Twitter that he would recall his country's ambassador to Brazil if Rousseff was impeached. On Wednesday, Morales confirmed that the ambassador, Jose Kinn, was being called to La Paz for "consultations" although there was no word if this was a permanent move.
In a statement, Morales condemned this decision by the Brazilian Senate "which ignores the will of the people expressed in the popular vote. This harms democracy in a brother country like Brazil and ignores the 54 million votes which took Dilma Rousseff to the presidency."
Cuba also condemned the impeachment, writing that "the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Cuba strongly rejects the parliamentary coup that has been accomplished against President Dilma Rousseff," in an official release sent to local media.
In Argentina, the government of President Mauricio Macri issued a statement to say it "respected the verified institutional process" in Brazil and expressed its desire to work with the Brazilian government on issues of common concern, such as Southern Common Market (Mercosur) integration.
However, Macri's predecessor Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner threw her support behind her fallen friend, writing on Twitter that "Latin America is once again a laboratory for the most extreme right."
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Visiting U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx met Wednesday with his Cuban counterpart Adel Yzquierdo and Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
Foxx was in Cuba to mark the restart of scheduled commercial flights between the two countries.
"The meeting (with Rodriguez) took place just hours after the arrival of the official, who was among 150 passengers aboard U.S. airline JetBlue's Airbus A320, which inaugurated regular flights between the two countries, after more than half a century," the Cuban News Agency (ACN) said.
Rodriguez and Foxx discussed issues of common interest, and agreed resuming commercial flights marked a positive step in the process of improving bilateral ties, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
However, U.S. laws barring its citizens from traveling to Cuba for tourism, as well as the existing U.S. trade embargo, will dampen the effects of resuming the flights, Cuba's top diplomat said.
Foxx later met with Cuban Transportation Minister Adel Yzquierdo, and the two discussed the possibility of expanding cooperation in the area of transport, particularly in civil aviation, the ministry said.
Foxx was the first passenger to disembark after Wednesday's historic flight, which took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, landed in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara just before 11 a.m. local time, and he immediately headed to Havana.
JetBlue will be covering that route with three weekly flights until the end of October, and then increase frequency to daily flights.
Foxx was previously in Cuba in February, when he signed an agreement with Cuba to reestablish commercial air links.
Commercial flights were suspended in 1961 following one of the more serious incidents in U.S.-Cuban history, the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion, which was thwarted by Cuban troops.
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South Africa was elected on Wednesday as the incoming Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
This came at the SADC's 36th summit taking place in Mbabane, Swaziland.
"We are extremely honoured to have been elected as the incoming Chairperson of SADC. This is a responsibility we take very seriously," President Jacob Zuma said.
Zuma commended and congratulated Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President of Botswana for his sterling work during his tenure.
"We appreciate his contribution to the well-being of our Community by convening several Ministerial Workshops on poverty eradication and food security, access to energy and water and illegal trade in wildlife," Zuma said.
Under Botswana's stewardship, the SADC last year adopted the Revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2015-2020) together with the Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap, which is seen as a key milestone in the SADC's march towards regional economic integration.
"What we now need is not only to work on an implementation mechanism of these important instruments, but we also need to pay a particular focus on prioritization and sequencing of identified projects in order to have maximum regional impact," Zuma said.
For this to happen, it is critical that the SADC identifies high priority cross-border projects that are bankable and financed, he said.
"Our abundant natural resources should enable us to create regional value chains, to enhance industrialization, growth and development," said Zuma.
Critically important is a need to capacitate the SADC Secretariat to drive its regional integration agenda, he added.
The SADC chairmanship, on a one-year-term basis, rotates among the bloc's member states. South Africa will host the 37th Ordinary SADC Summit in August 2017.
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While debate about the "burkini" swimwear continues on in European politics, skin cancer experts gathered for a congress in Austria claim the full-body swimming costume may actually save lives.
Gathered at the 16th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin (WCCS) in the Austrian capital that kicked off Wednesday, the experts pointed out that potentially fatal skin cancers such as melanoma or basal-cell carcinoma are caused by UV light exposure, Austria Press Agency has reported.
The instances of these forms of cancer have escalated dramatically since the Second World War, and are projected to increase further in the decades ahead.
Sunscreens are not a particularly effective means of protecting against skin cancers, with one German study shown by the experts indicating that the development of melanoma precursors are not reduced by use of such creams and lotions.
German dermatology expert Claus Garbe said clothing, such as in the form of the burkini, is currently the best means of protection against skin cancers.
He noted that the swimwear was initially developed in Australia, where skin cancers occur at a very high rate, and that at present half of those who wear them are non-Muslims.
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Researchers in Australia have found what are believed to be the world's oldest fossils, and along with them, signs that diverse life forms lived on Earth up to 3.7 billion years ago.
The discovery of the fossils occurred on Greenland, and the Australian National University's (ANU) co-lead investigator, Associate Professor Vickie Bennett, said the breakthrough would not only give scientists a greater understanding of the history of the Earth, but remarkably could also help researchers in the hunt for life on Mars.
"This discovery turns the study of planetary habitability on its head," Bennett said in an ANU statement on Thursday.
"For the first time we have rocks that we know record the conditions and environments that sustained early life. Our research will provide new insights into chemical cycles and rock-water-microbe interactions on a young planet."
Colleague Professor Allen Nutman from the University of Wollongong said the fossils, known as stromatolite fossils, were found in Greenland's icecap, and "predated" the world's previous oldest fossils found in Western Australia by up to 220 million years.
"This indicates that as long as 3.7 billion years ago microbial life was already diverse. This diversity shows that life emerged within the first few hundred million years of Earth's existence, which is in keeping with biologists' calculations showing the great antiquity of life's genetic code," Nutman said.
Meanwhile, Professor Martin Van Kranendonk from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) said the fossil discovery points to strong evidence that life thrived on Earth extremely early in its history and development.
"This discovery represents a new benchmark for the oldest preserved evidence of life on Earth. It points to a rapid emergence of life on Earth and supports the search for life in similarly ancient rocks on Mars," Van Kranendonk told the ANU.
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Argentine Ambassador to China Diego Guelar on Wednesday hailed the Asian country as "a great partner."
China is "the great engine of the world. In the last decade, China has become the main trading partner of the most important countries. It is a global phenomenon," said the diplomat.
In an interview with Argentine radio El Mundo, Guelar said: "Beijing has met the conditions of the World Trade Organization and must be considered as a market economy" as the private sector is key to China's economic growth, generating about 60 percent of its GDP.
Hailing the importance of the upcoming G20 Summit on Sept. 4-5 in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, Guelar said the summit would group countries that account for "85 percent of global GDP and 65 percent of global population."
He added that President Mauricio Macri is planning a visit to China in March or April 2017.
During an interview with Xinhua last week, Macri said the upcoming G20 summit will provide an opportunity to review cooperation between Argentina and China, lauding China's "enormous importance" and "complementarity" to his country.
The two countries have complementary capacities for cooperation in fields like food security, energy and infrastructure construction, said Macri.
"We really value Chinese companies' capacity to build infrastructure and hope they value our capacity to produce food, to be able to increase the flow of exports to balance things out. That's our goal for the next few years," he added.
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Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has arrested an Iranian-American dual national in the country's northeastern province of Golestan on spying and security charges, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.
The IRGC identified the unnamed individual upon arrival in the country in July and arrested him later; the report did not say when exactly he was arrested.
He was charged with cooperating with hostile countries, acting against national security, and having links with anti-revolutionary elements and media, the report said.
Last month, Iran reportedly arrested another person, also with dual citizenship, who was accused of being linked to Britain's foreign intelligence service MI6.
METAIRIE, Louisiana -- On Wednesday, a Moss Point man was found guilty of attempted manslaughter by a Jefferson Parish jury for his role in an Oct. 2015 incident using a machete to attack a man he saw talking to his girlfriend in a Metairie bar.
Akando Ducksworth, 23, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Ducksworth told the jury at his initial hearing that he was intoxicated, which he claims led to his actions.
The complete NOLA.com story can be read here.
MOSS POINT, Miss. -- The following have been reported by the Moss Point Police Department for August 23 - August 28, 2016:
August 23
4413 Kreole Ave: Willy Roberson, 54, was arrested for contempt of court burglary-breaking and entering a dwelling.
4329 McInnis Ave: Darrick Simpson, 46, was arrested for domestic violence - simple assault.
4329 McInnis Ave: Kierra McWillaims, 23, was arrested for accessory after the fact.
4118 Trumph Ave: Orlandus Hugger, 22, was arrested for trespassing and malicious mischief.
August 24
4800 Donovan St: unknown suspect, motor vehicle theft - felony taking.
4501 Briggs St: burglary of automobile, truck, trailer, or boat.
I-10 WB, MM 68: Edward Aiello, 52, arrested for open container, no insurance, destroying city property, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, suspended drivers license.
August 25
4212 Ruby St: Devon Rounds, 32, arrested for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, false ID.
4119 Hillma St: Albert Thomason, 28, arrested for aggravated assault, use of a deadly weapon.
4131 Main St: Darrius Clay, 36, arrested for trespassing, indecent exposure, public drunk.
4329 McInnis Av: Lee Gipson, 23, arrested for capital murder.
August 26
5031 Freeman Rd: unknown suspect, burglary, breaking and entering a dwelling.
Highway 63/Frederick: John Herrington, 25, arrested for trespassing.
Highway 63/Frederick: Autumn Ruebel, 22, arrested for trespassing.
4000 Highway 63: Lovin Payton, 55, arrested for public drunk.
August 27
4912 Weems St: unknown suspect, burglary of church, synagogue, temple, or other established place of worship.
6801 Hwy 90, Christopher Betts, 30, arrested for resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and public drunk.
4319 Terrace Drive: unknown suspect, malicious mischief - felony.
August 28
6801 Highway 90: Calvin Nichols, 44, arrested for obtaining signature or ting or value with intent to defraud, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and possession of marijuana.
6106 Kathleen St: unknown suspect, burglary-breaking and entering a dwelling.
4901 Hubert: Joseph Rawls, 33, arrested for disorderly conduct.
China Aviation Daily | Sep. 01, 2016
FL Technics, a global provider of integrated aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services, signed a cooperation agreement with Semmco, a UK-based manufacturer of ground support equipment and aviation access platforms. Under the agreement, FL Technics shall act as Semmco's exclusive representative in 24 countries across Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and the CIS.
FL Technics will exclusively supply Semmco's products in Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Cambodia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as acting as company's agent and reseller in Russia and the CIS region.
Semmco products include: Aviation Access Platforms, Nitrogen Gas Generation Systems, Nitrogen & Oxygen Trolleys (Fixed & Demountable), Wheel & Brake Changers, Service Carts, Cryo Carts, plus products designed for Airbus A320 FAM, Boeing 737 NG/CL and other civil and military aircraft.
"Having established strong relations with airlines and MROs in Eastern Europe and the CIS, we are delighted to assist Semmco in reaching new customers. At the same time, we continuously strive to expand our own MRO supply capabilities, and with Semmco on board, we can offer all our customers across Europe and Asia a wider range of integrated MRO support as well as more GSE and related equipment," commented Julius Bogusevicius, Head of Components and Materials Sales Department at FL Technics.
The G20 Leaders' Summit will be held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou on September 4 and 5, making it the first time that China hosts the meeting. China set the theme of the summit as "building an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive global economy," and the four agenda items are "breaking a new path for growth," "more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance," "robust international trade and investment," and "inclusive and interconnected development." The theme and agenda items demonstrate China's vision of improving the global economic governance and pushing the world economy back on track.
In order to improve the global economic governance, China has put forward a spate of proposals and initiatives since its current administration took office in 2012, including the Silk Road fund, the New Development Bank (formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the "Belt and Road" initiative. Will the country come up with a new driving force for the world economy in the upcoming G20 summit?
China's role in the G20
As far as I can see, China seeks to achieve the following things in the summit. First, China seeks to improve global economic governance and become a major force for reforming global governance. Second, the country will promote its model and an international agenda. China seeks to share its experience of reform and opening up and economic development to boost its international presence and influence of public diplomacy. Third, China aims to rebuild the world order. As the world's largest developing country, China is dedicated to protecting the rights of developing countries in the current global governance system and urging developed countries to fulfill its obligations to developing countries.
There are three aspects to observe whether China fully delivers on its role of hosting the meeting. First, can China demonstrate its international coordination skills when confronted with the different agenda of developing countries, new industrial countries and developed countries? Second, can China fully play its leadership role during the coordination? Third, will China be able to provide global public goods to help the continuous development of developing countries and new industrial countries?
In order to revive the world economy, China needs to proactively promote the reform of global governance and the institutionalization of G20 governance.
China can institutionalize the following eight global governance issues, namely, economic and trade governance, financial governance, green governance (including environment and climate change), energy governance, conventional security issues, unconventional security issues (terrorism and epidemics), hot issues (e.g., the Brexit's impact on the world economy), and global cooperation programs (including dovetailing the strategies of various countries, for instance, China's "Belt and Road" initiative and South Korea's Eurasia Initiative).
Three institutions can be devised to facilitate the aforementioned issues. First, the G20 summit needs to be responsible for the top-level design of global economic governance. Second, a new minister meeting under the G20 should be launched to allow trade and foreign ministers of the participating countries to coordinate issues in the global economy. Third, a G20 secretariat should be established to handle the various issues of those countries.
Xi-Park meeting & China-ROK cooperation
China and South Korea established diplomatic relations in 1992, after years of secret negotiations due to the involvement of the interests of the island of Taiwan and North Korea.
Currently the two countries are facing economic downward pressure and the security of the Korean peninsula is under the sway of external interference (including the nuclear issue in North Korea, the influence of the United States and the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, shortly THAAD). China and South Korea should work closer to build a real strategic partnership.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Park Geun-hye should hold a meeting during the G20 to thaw the ice between the two countries in the wake of South Korea's decision in deploying THAAD. Moreover, the two countries should establish a long-standing negotiation mechanism.
The two countries can cooperate on the following fronts, if they indeed decide to resume cooperation during the G20. First, they should carry out more pragmatic cooperation on dovetailing the "Belt and Road" initiative and the Eurasia Initiative. Second, the two countries should carry out security talks behind closed doors in order to discuss their problems more candidly, including THAAD, the nuclear issue in North Korea, ROK-U.S. alliance, and China-DPRK alliance. Third, China and South Korea should expand public diplomacy on various fronts. Fourth, the two countries should cooperate on energy security. Fifth, the two countries should expand cultural exchanges among its people to better understand each other and explore the global market. Among the five, secret security talks and public diplomacy are the most important, which require a communicating mechanism between the two countries.
Only when China and South Korea proactively resume cooperation can the two countries pull themselves out of the current impasse brought by external force. The close cooperation between the two will decide their role in northeast Asia and help them become a force of peace in combating external interference.
Kim Sangsoon is a senior researcher at the Charhar Institute and the president of the Korea-based East Asia Peace Research Association.
MOSCOW - No meeting in the Normandy format regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is planned at the upcoming G20 summit in China, the Kremlin said Wednesday.
"Such a meeting is not in the plans at the moment, but there will be separate meetings with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel," the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
The G20 summit will be held in China's eastern coastal city of Hangzhou on Sept 4-5.
The Normandy format is comprised of a diplomatic group of leaders from Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine set up to resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine in accordance with the peace agreement reached in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
He added that contacts on Ukraine are continuing as all the countries involved see no alternatives to the Minsk arrangements to achieve a settlement of the conflict.
Earlier this month, an agreement on a trilateral joint meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit was reached during a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Merkel and Hollande, according to a Kremlin statement, but Peskov gave no reasons for the change of the plan.
However, he expressed regret about the "absence of any progress on the part of Kiev in the implementation of the Minsk agreement."
Peskov also ruled out the possibility of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, saying that Moscow was not part of the conflict between the Kiev authorities and the main rebel stronghold of the Donbass region.
Workers inspect products at a workshop of Hengtong Group Co Ltd, a Jiangsu-based company. [Photo/Xinhua]
Editor's note: In this ongoing series on the birth and growth of privately owned Chinese companies that are redefining innovation, China Daily profiles Hengtong Group Co Ltd, a Jiangsu-based company engaged in optical fiber manufacturing and electric power and network construction, which eyes overseas expansion.
Hengtong Group Co Ltd, a Jiangsu-based company engaged in optical fiber manufacturing and electric power and network construction, aims to establish two to three overseas bases and achieve two to three overseas acquisitions annually. This plan is aligned with the country's Belt and Road Initiative.
The company is making efforts to speed up its overseas market activity. It has established seven research and development centers overseas, and set up branches for marketing and technology services in more than 30 countries and regions.
It established its first overseas factory in Brazil in 2012, followed by a joint venture in India in 2013. It also bought optical fiber and electric power enterprises in Indonesia, South Africa, Spain and Portugal in 2015.
It has registered trademarks in more than 100 countries and regions and its business covers 120 countries and regions. Its optical fiber products account for a 15 percent share of the global market.
"If there is no optical fiber web, there is no internet, let alone big data and cloud computing," said Cui Genliang, chairman and president of Hengtong Group.
The communication infrastructure is relatively backward in some countries along the B & R Initiative, which gives huge opportunities for Chinese companies like Hengtong to expand overseas, Gui added.
China's B & R Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa, along ancient trade routes.
Founded in 1991, Hengtong has seen its businesses covering not only telecom and electric power, but also being involved in finance, culture, tourism, real estate, capital investment and e-commerce platforms.
It has put forward a goal called the "5-5-5" internationalization target. That means that more than 50 percent of its products will be sold overseas, more than 50 percent of its capital will be from overseas and more than 50 percent of its professional people will have international background, according to the company.
The optical fiber communication giant now serves various national programs, including, intelligent cities and communities, ultrahigh voltage and intelligent power networks, big data, internet of things, high-speed trains, aerospace, national defense and other high-end fields.
In 2015, its overseas revenue accounted for 20 percent of the total sales. In the next decade, Hengtong will grasp the opportunities brought about by the B & R Initiative and continue to push forward its internalization strategy.
"The international market is a touchstone of an enterprises' competitiveness, in which we test our products and achievements, as well as the technology level of an enterprise," said Gao Anmin, the international vice-president at Hengtong Group.
Hengtong will make comprehensive use of talent and technology in the domestic and overseas markets, expand the channels inside and outside China and speed up its international expansion by depending on foreign investment and acquisition.
Nightview of Tianjin. [Photo provided to China Daily]
ICBC Financial Leasing Co Ltd, the largest financial leasing company by assets in Tianjin and established in 2007, will continue to strengthen its efforts to innovate in the field of financial leasing.
The company helped Ningbo Meishan-Island International Container Terminal Co Ltd to purchase equipment from other countries and took innovative measures to reduce taxes for the company in Sept 2015.
"This is done by duty-free leasing, a new type of leasing possible between companies in duty-free zones," said Tao Mei, vice-president of ICBC Financial Leasing.
"We set up a special purpose vehicle (that is, a subsidiary of a company which is created for only a specific use and is bankruptcy remote in the sense that it is not on the books of the main organization) in Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone of Tianjin. Ningbo Meishan-Island is located in another local free trade zone. As a result, the company benefits from tax relief, with a reduction of at least 17 percent of the value-added tax," Tao added.
Tianjin has developed into an innovative base for China's financial leasing industry, according to financial leasing company executives and local government officials.
Earlier this year, CMB Financial Leasing paid $200 million for a sale and lease-back business in foreign currencies, which is the first of its kind nationwide.
"It will help cut exchange rate losses for the lessee and save financial costs by more than $2 million each year," said Zhou Ling, general manager of the shipping leasing department of CMB Financial Leasing.
At the end of March, total assets of financial leasing companies registered in Tianjin reached more than 770 billion yuan ($116 billion), accounting for around a quarter of the total amount nationwide.
"Tianjin is the first in China to implement dozens of innovative service models, including duty-free leasing, cross-border leasing and offshore leasing," said Kong Dechang, director of Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Financial Affairs.
As the most important area of the financial leasing industry in Tianjin, Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone features leasing services for aircraft, ships and ocean engineering equipment. At the end of June, the total leasing assets related to the three main business areas reached $40 billion.
Tianjin will further accelerate innovation to boost the growth of financial leasing. The city is planning to launch China Tianjin Leasing Platform and China Financial Leasing Register and Transfer Platform, which are waiting for approval by the State Council.
"Aiming to support the development of the financial leasing industry, the two platforms will be open to all financial leasing companies nationwide. They will offer registration and transferring services for financial leasing assets worth a total of 4 trillion yuan," said Zhang Aiguo, director of Tianjin Commission of Commerce.
Wang Ying contributed to this story.
BEIJING - China's top economic planner warned Wednesday that challenges remain in investment and trade, and meeting annual growth targets will require "arduous efforts."
It is estimated that pressure will still remain in economic development in the second half of 2016, said Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, during the top legislature's ongoing bimonthly session.
While delivering a report to the session, Xu expressed confidence that the country could meet its major annual targets in economic growth, employment, commodity prices and residents' income.
He also said it was expected that targets for poverty reduction, energy consumption, environmental protection and renovation of substandard housing would be met.
"Great difficulties remain in meeting goals for investment and trade," Xu said, while elaborating on a national economic and social development report.
"Currently, the foundations for stable economic development are not solid enough and downward pressure remains."
The international economy has not recovered as expected, and trade protectionism has gained ground, Xu told lawmakers, adding that geopolitical risks and the increasingly complicated regional security situation will disturb economic stability.
On the domestic front, difficulties remain for the stable growth of demand, and regional polarization has evolved, with potential risks in sectors such as finance and employment needing attention, Xu said.
He also cited farmers' incomes, the increasing number of environmental incidents, severe production safety situation and the arduous tasks of disaster prevention, reduction and relief as difficulties the country must address.
Wednesday afternoon's plenary session was attended by Zhang Dejiang, the chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.
Stabilizing macroeconomic policy
According to Xu, China will continue to design and implement targeted and flexible macro-control measures, and pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy.
The country will further reduce tax burdens for enterprises and closely follow the implementation of the replacement of business tax with VAT, said Finance Minister Lou Jiwei while delivering a report during Wednesday's legislative session.
China plans to formulate a pilot policy on commercial pension insurance with individual tax preferences offered to applicants, Lou said.
Also, the country is mulling an increased export rebate rate for some mechanical and electrical products and hopes to fine-tune the policy for individual income tax for equity incentives, Lou said.
The central government will promote public-private-partnerships (PPP) and accelerate the PPP legislation procedures, he added.
Meanwhile, China has promised to review government investment, promoting the use of funds to support startups in emerging industries, according to Lou.
Advancing key reforms
During the session, Xu said China was determined to further cut the number of items needing government approval and advance reforms in key sectors including state-owned enterprises, finance and taxation.
The central government will roll out assessment measures for environmental protection and improve intellectual property protection for enterprises, Xu added.
As China's economy settles into the "new normal," which features slower growth, the country will continue to boost development of emerging industries, said Xu.
The central government will formulate a "negative" list for the country's "Internet Plus" strategy and other supporting measures for the "Made in China 2025" plan, according to Xu.
BEIJING - Chinese companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, most of which are state-owned enterprises (SOEs), showed positive structural changes despite shrinking profits in the first half of this year.
A total of 1,124 Shanghai-listed enterprises earned about 11 trillion yuan ($1.64 trillion) in H1, slightly up 1.3 percent year on year, while their net profits shrank by about 5.7 percent to about 1.14 trillion yuan, according to the statement released by the stock exchange on Wednesday evening.
In breakdown, listed firms in the agricultural sector saw strong revenue and profit growth while the tertiary sector's total revenue accounted for about 42 percent of the total, indicating some optimization of China's economic structure.
The country's efforts to reduce excess capacity paid off as listed companies in overcapacity sectors such as steel and coal saw the value of their stockpiles dropping by 17 percent and net profit rising by about 250 percent. The number of loss-suffering companies also fell from 24 last H1 to 13, the statement showed.
Emerging sectors such as telecommunications and consumption-intensive industries like tourism posted strong financial performance.
Meanwhile, companies in different regions fared differently as coastal areas such as Shandong and Zhejiang provinces saw their listed companies rise fast in profits while counterparts in resource-intensive central regions like Shanxi Province saw shrinking profits.
A total of 177 listed companies suffered losses in H1, dropping by 11 companies year on year, the statement showed.
Cathay Pacific Airways is launching a new four-times-weekly service between Hong Kong and London Gatwick Airport, leveraging on surging visitor numbers between China and the UK, although the choice of Gatwick Airport is causing some uncertainty on the new flight's commercial viability.
The new flight by Cathay Pacific will become the second direct China UK flight landing in Gatwick, following on from Tianjin Airlines' direct flight between Tianjin and Gatwick, launched in June. Most other UK-China flights land in London's more popular hub airport Heathrow. Outside London, only Manchester in the north has direct China flights.
The new Cathay Pacific flight to Gatwick comes as Gatwick tries to transform its image from a European dominated airport, with the emphasis on holiday charter flights, to a major airport with scheduled long haul flights.
Gatwick is trying to take advantage of Heathrow's already full capacity, although it has experienced significant obstacles.
Newly installed UK Prime Minister Theresa May is considering an official inquiry which has recommended an extra runway be built at Heathrow despite energetic lobbying by Gatwick. She has yet to announce her decision.
Air China opened a non-stop flight between Gatwick and Beijing in 2011, but two years later shifted this service to Heathrow. Hong Kong Airlines launched an all business class direct flight between Hong Kong and Gatwick in March 2012, to cater towards business travelers, but insufficient customer demand means it had to cancel this flight in September of the same year.
One possible explanation for Cathay Pacific's new flight to Gatwick is "increasing demand from both business and leisure travelers" in the words of Cathay Pacific's General Manager Europe, Neil Glenn.
Cathay Pacific already runs direct flights 5 times per week from Heathrow while British Airways runs daily flights between Hong Kong and London.
Dan Elliott, a director and head of aviation practice at the London-based consultancy Frontier Economics, said normally Heathrow Airport is preferred by airlines because it is a major hub airport that connects to many other international destinations.
Wu Hao, vice chairman and executive vice president of Tianjin Airlines, told China Daily in a previous interview that Tianjin Airlines preferred Heathrow too. "Sadly there were no take off and landing slots available at Heathrow."
Booming demand for flights can be demonstrated by traveler statistics from VisitBritain. In 2015 over 1 million passengers travelled between UK and China, which is a 11 percent increase from 2014. In 2015, the number of Chinese tourists coming to the UK grew by 40 percent.
But Britain's decision to leave the EU could harm bilateral air traffic between the UK and China.
"I fear that the adverse consequences of the leave decision will damage our economy for years to come, making it more expensive for UK travelers to holiday or to transact business in China, whilst also making UK businesses less attractive to inward Chinese investment," said Paul Argyle, managing director of Flight Directors, an aviation industry sales and marketing firm.
Another key restriction for more flights is a bilateral flight numbers cap, which the two countries last negotiated in 2014, set at 40 return services in each direction to be operated by each country's airlines, an increase from 31 flights negotiated in 2011.
Jeremy Robinson, an EU and Competition Law partner at London-based law firm Watson Farley & Williams, said the UK could lose out on the potential to have more direct flights with China if it does not remain a part of the European Civil Aviation Area after it leaves the EU, although the specifics are still to be negotiated between the UK and EU.
Guy Stephenson, Chief Commercial Officer, Gatwick Airport, said the new flights mark an important milestone in the growth of the Gatwick long haul network, "which now more than ever provides the UK economy with vital routes into the world's most important markets."
To contact the reporter: cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Hangzhou is now in the spotlight as the host of this years G20 summit, from September 4-5.
Hangzhou, the capital city of East China's Zheijiang province, is one of the seven ancient capitals of China, having served as the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom during the Five Dynasties (AD 907-960) and the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). As a core city of the Yangtze River Delta, Hangzhou has been one of the most prosperous cities in China for more than 1,000 years, and is home to a myriad of natural attractions and historical legacies.
Marco Polo, the famous 13th century Italian traveler and merchant, described Hangzhou as "beyond dispute, the finest and the noblest in the world".
Now as Hangzhou has grabbed the world's attention, tourists from various places have gathered to this heavenly city to enjoy its slow life tempo and beautiful natural surroundings. Here are some highlights of the city you can't miss.
1 West Lake
The West Lake is definitely a place people can never miss when visiting Hangzhou. The lake itself covers 6 sq km, and includes some of Hangzhou's most famous scenic places.
There are "10 scenes of West Lake" and "10 new scenes", but it is not necessary to make a checklist and walk back and forth to look for these scenic spots.
Just walk casually along the Nanshan and Beishan roads and the causeways, take a ferry on the boat to the islands on the lake, or simply sit in a lakeside teahouse and enjoy the picturesque views and the longjing (dragon well) tea.
The lake is situated in the center of the city, with convenient public transport access. The Hangzhou government also offers free public bikes for tourists to travel around the lake. The parks around the lake are all free to visit.
Photo taken on August 29, 2016 shows the Leifeng Pagoda and Long bridge in the sunset in the West Lake in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province. West Lake, located to the west of Hangzhou where this year's G20 summit is to be held, is a renowned tourist attraction not only for its picturesque landscape but also for its association with Chinese cultures embodied with historic scholars and national heroes. [Photo/Xinhua]
Hangzhou, located on the lower reaches of East China's Qiantang River, was an imperial capital during the Song Dynasty, dating back more than 800 years.
The historical transportation hub built in the Yangtze Delta is only 180 kilometers from Shanghai.
It's now recognized as one of the country's top 10 innovative cities, and also the hub of e-commerce.
Enterprises such as world's largest online B2B platform Alibaba Group, Volvo's Chinese owner Geely and China's largest beverage producer -- Hangzhou Wahaha Group, are all based in the city.
Hangzhou is also one of the most economically vibrant cities in China.
Last year, the city's GDP reached more than 1 trillion yuan, ranking fourth among the country's provincial capital cities.
For years, Hangzhou has been recognized by the World Bank as having China's best investment environment. Forbes magazine has consecutively placed Hangzhou on its ranking of Chinese Mainland's "Best Cities for Commerce.
It has been known as one of the best livable cities and low-carbon cities in China.
It is also the first city in China to run a public bike rental service.
Boasting ample accommodation for conferences and events, Hangzhou has been the host of the China International Cartoon & Animation Festival, the West Lake International Expo, the China Electronic Commerce Expo, and the World Leisure Expo.
The G20 summit will be held in Hangzhou soon. In setting the Hangzhou agenda, China has established "building an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy" as the main theme.
The government has trained nearly 4,000 volunteers from 14 countries to provide multilingual services for the events.
Hangzhou International Expo Center has been refurnished to be the major venue of the event.
Leaders from G20 members, guest countries and international organizations will attend the summit.
Lu Feng, a respected economist on Open Macroeconomics from China Center for Economic Research of Peking University (CCER) is responding to the media's questions.[Photo by Wu Zheyu/chinadaily.com.cn]
An important economic indicators system for structural reform is expected to be highlighted during the G20 summit, some aspects of these indicators were unveiled and showed their potential to fuel the economies of the world, according to exclusive comments made by the advisory team for Chinas Ministry of Finance to China Daily website.
A press meeting held to help media better understand the main issues to be discussed during the G20 summit, was held by China Center for Economic Research of Peking University (CCER) on August 29, 2016.
Lu Feng, a respected economist on Open Macroeconomics from CCER, and a long-serving advisor to the Ministry of Finance especially for G20 related issues, hosted the meeting and responded to the medias questions about the evolution of G20.
Among the official themes of G20: Innovative, Invigorated Interconnected and Inclusive, which is named as 4-I, Lu emphasized innovation in growth patterns, adjusting the economic structure and finally formulating a long-term mechanism, not only aiming at solving short-term crisis, is the consensus that both academics and policy makers have already achieved. Particularly, designing a roadmap for structural reform is expected to be a major achievement that China would contribute to not only G20 countries but also the whole world.
Workers check the steel tanks used to produce a special type of tanker in Tianming Special Vehicle Manufacturing Company, which mainly exports to the Middle East, South America and Africa, in Tuowang Port Industry Zone in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu province in June. The competitive manufacturing industry remains a pillar of the Chinese economy. [Photo/China Daily]
Despite adjusting its structure, it is still a driver for the world
China's economic growth has slowed in recent years, but its contribution to the world economy remains significantly more than that of other countries', which signifies the vital role it has played in maintaining global economic vitality, say analysts.
China's GDP growth was 6.9 percent in 2015, the slowest in 25 years. In the first half of 2016, it registered an even lower GDP growth of 6.7 percent, and the International Monetary Fund forecast in July that China's GDP growth this year could be 6.6 percent, triggering concerns that the country might be caught in the low-rate growth trap for some time.
Relative to other countries, especially the developed ones, however, China's growth is quite impressive and it has continued to make a significant contribution to global growth. In the 1980s and early 1990s, emerging market economies started playing a larger role in global growth, contributing about 25 percent to world economic growth. From the late 1990s until now, emerging-market economies have contributed about 70 percent to global economic growth, with China's contribution estimated at about 30 percent, says Wang Guangqian, president of the Central University of Finance and Economics.
Although estimates vary, researchers generally agree China's contribution to global economic growth in recent years ranges from 25 percent to 40 percent. From 2011 to 2015, China's average GDP growth was 7.3 percent while the global average was only 2.4 percent, with the United States, Japan and Germany registering 2.4 percent, minus 0.1 percent and 1.6 percent growth, says Wan Xiangyu, a researcher at the Institute of Quantitative and Technical Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. During that period, he says, China contributed 25 percent to global GDP growth.
In 2014 alone, China contributed 27.8 percent to global growth, making it the top contributor that year, says Ding Yifan, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, China's Cabinet. In 2015, China contributed about 33 percent to global growth, the IMF said in a report in August.
Although China's economic growth rate has slowed, given its fast expansion of overall scale, the Chinese economy's contribution to global growth has become even more significant.
China has achieved such a growth against the backdrop of the fragile global economic recovery and domestic economic restructuring.
The low global growth has affected the demand for China's exports, one of the traditional growth engines for the Chinese economy, analysts say. It has also affected the flow of capital into the country.
On the domestic front, China has been unswervingly pushing forward economic restructuring to rebalance its economy and make its growth more sustainable. Such a drive is set to affect its growth, say analysts.
Moreover, China's growth used to benefit enormously from the so-called dividends of globalization, economic reform, demographics and industrialization, but those factors no longer facilitate its growth, says Liu Yuanchun, researcher of the Renmin University of China.
China's demographic structure, for example, has changed, with the number of young working-age people starting to decline. "China's trade surplus will also decrease gradually," Liu says.
Despite these adversities, China has continued to provide solid support for global growth. For example, it invested $118 billion overseas in non-financial fields in 2015, up by 14.7 percent year-on-year, benefiting the economies of destination countries. "China's outbound investment has created some miracles," says Ding.
For instance, in the 1990s, when China did not make any large-scale investment in Africa, the continent was a forgotten land and didn't attract much overseas investments. Entering the 21st century, China started investing in the continent and now it has become a powerful global powerhouse, Ding says. "All this has much to do with China's large-scale investment in the continent."
Wan Xiangyu, researcher, Institute of Quantitative and Technical Economics, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
China's contribution to the world economy can be analyzed from three perspectives. First, China has become the world's second-largest economy and its GDP accounted for 15.5 percent of the global total in 2015, according to the IMF. It has become a major engine propelling the growth of the world economy and global economic recovery. Second, China's poverty reduction greatly contributes to the global efforts to reduce poverty. From 1990 to 2015, the number of poverty-stricken people worldwide decreased to 836 million from 1.9 billion and China accounted for more than 70 percent of the reduction. Third, China's economic links with the world have helped stabilize the world economy and contributed to the post-crisis recovery of the global economic and trade system. China's trade in goods has topped the world for three consecutive years and it is second in terms of trade in services. Although its foreign trade fell due to the decline in global trade, the decrease is significantly less severe compared with developed economies. In 2015, its imports of goods helped create 20 million jobs globally. Its outbound direct investment, which is expected to exceed $500 billion in the 2016-20 period, will help boost global economic growth. More importantly, China's success in maintaining stable growth provides a new "China model" for other countries to learn from.
John Ross, researcher, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China
China's economy has not only outperformed other economies, China's economic strategy has also "out thought" Western economic models. From 1978 onwards China ranked first among all economies in terms of economic growth. This growth necessarily shows that China's economic model not only produced more rapid growth than developed economies but also capitalist economies at the same stage of economic development. The degree to which economies influenced by the "China development model" outgrew the world average was huge. From 1978 onwards China's rate of growth was almost six times the world average. Since 1989 China again grew almost six times as fast as the world average. In social policy, China undertook massive and conscious programs deliberately aimed at eradicating povertythese are to be completed in the 13th Five-Year Plan by 2020 by lifting the remaining 70 million people out of poverty. It deliberately promotes development through urbanization as a way of moving the population into higher productivity economic sectors; it deliberately seeks to narrow the income gap between rural and urban areas; it does not rely exclusively on "the market" but deliberately uses State infrastructure spending to raise the economic level of its less developed inland provinces; and China has legally guaranteed private property but a key economic role was assigned to the State sector. The facts of world economic development show that China's development policies were the most successful in producing both economic growth and poverty reduction.
Wang Tao, co-head of Asia Economic Research, United Bank of Switzerland
After a weak start at the beginning of this year, China's economy rebounded thanks to policy support and property recovery. The stabilization of the Chinese economy and the foreign exchange market helped to boost confidence in other emerging market economies and global commodity prices in recent months. In the remainder of this year, we expect China's growth momentum to slow to about 6.5 percent, as global demand remains anaemic, the impact of the earlier policy stimulus fades and property investment weakens. However, we see little risk of a sharp slowdown, as we expect the government to intensify policy support again to ensure the achievement of the 6.5 percent GDP growth target, including by boosting public investment with sufficient credit support and accelerating pro-growth reforms. This stable outcome in China should help stabilize the global economy and financial markets, especially those in emerging economies. The biggest risk factor for global markets in the second half of this year is arguably a sudden shift by the US Fed or a sudden strengthening of the US dollar. We may see greater market pressures on capital outflows from China and on the yuan. Although we do not envisage the Chinese government changing its currency policy or allowing the yuan to depreciate against the US dollar beyond 6.8 this year, such pressures may lead to higher global investor risk aversion and further foreign exchange reserve losses, which could negatively impact China's capital markets.
Tom Orlik, cheif Asia economist of Bloomberg Intelligence
China's growth in the second half of the year should hold steady. Bloomberg Intelligence Economics expects growth for the year as a whole to come in at 6.7 percent, comfortably inside the government's 6.5 to 7 percent target range. Strong lending in the first half and resurgent property sales will support investment. A more competitive exchange rate and expectations of a return to wage growth in the US are both positives for exports. The critical question is whether policymakers can seize the opportunity presented by stable growth to press ahead with the twin tasks of deleveraging and structural reform. Deleveraging has to proceed slowly, given the risk of crystallizing stress in the financial system. A continued moderate deceleration in loan growth, and tighter controls on shadow finance, would represent steps in the right direction. Progress on increasing efficiency of State-owned enterprises is the crucial missing piece of the reform agenda. Current plans to merge major firms to create entities with global scale have the potential to generate efficiency gains. But the lesson of history is that mega-mergers have not always delivered the desired results. The onus will be on policymakers and management to show State ownership is consistent with improved performance.
Wang Meiling, a volunteer for the upcoming G20 Leaders Summit, learns English from a volunteer at a service station in Hangzhou. [Photo/China Daily]
Older residents add to rich lives by joining effort to support foreigners during Leaders Summit
Five years ago, Wang Meiling, now 60, was diagnosed with cancer. The disease took many things awayincluding her uterus and ovaries. But one thing she kept was her determination as an elderly Hangzhou woman to serve her community, especially during the upcoming G20 Summit.
"Next time a G20 meeting comes to China, I will be ... let me see ... more than 80 years old. Not sure if I'll be able to see it again," she laughed.
Wang was born in 1955, the year of the sheep according to the Chinese lunar calendar. She belongs to a generation that has witnessed most of the dramatic changes of modern China.
"When I was born, there wasn't much to eat. When I went to school, there wasn't much to read. There was the 'cultural revolution' (1966-76). When I needed to work, there wasn't much to do.
"There was the movement encouraging young people to work in the countryside. And when I got married, there was the family planning policy," Wang recalled. "And now I'm seeing the G20 come to my hometown. Who knows what's next?"
Wang, a Hangzhou resident and the eldest daughter in her family, left school when she was 16 and traveled five days by train to work in the far north-eastern part of China, Heilongjiang province's Jiamusi city, for eight years. When her mother retired from a State-owned printing house in Hangzhou, she was permitted to move back to fill the vacancy at the company.
With her broken education background, it never occurred to Wang that she would be able to speak another language one day. Yet the G20 gave her the chance.
Since March, Wang's community, Tianshui street in Xiacheng district, has offered retirees free English training in preparation for the summit. The classes start from the basic ABCs. Wang and about 30 other residents rarely miss a class, according to Cai Qiaoyan, the organizer of the program.
"The oldest student is an 84-year-old gentleman; the youngest is a 57-year-old woman," Cai said. "Now every one of them has learned at least how to greet a foreigner properly."
The greetings are not just the simple "hello" and "goodbye", but also include basic social mannersinteractions such as shaking hands firmly and looking people in the eye.
The teacher and assistant are sponsored by a local English-teaching agency. Students come every Tuesday morning from 9 to 10 and learn entry-level words and phrases.
The elderly residents have developed their own way to remember Western pronunciations. Some write Chinese pinyin beside the English words, while others simply use Chinese characters to imitate the sounds of the phrases.
Huang Genlan, 66, one of Wang's classmates, enjoyed studying English when she was a student at Hangzhou First Middle School, one of the best in the city. Yet the "cultural revolution" also drove her out of school and ended her language studies.
"Many of the words and sentences I recited back then are still clearly in my memory. They just stuck there," Huang said with a shy smile. She is one of the top students in the seniors' class.
"Welcome to Hangzhou. Very good. Nice to meet you. Where are you from? Japan? America? China?" When asked to demonstrate her oral English, Huang fluently spoke out in one breath. Her pronunciation had a North American flavor, not what a foreigner might expect from a typical Chinese senior.
Fan Zhilin, 56, was not sent to the countryside decades ago because her elder sister went in her place. Yet she put little effort into studying English when she had the chance because she had been told that "it's not of much use". Several years ago, cancer claimed one of her kidneys, and she started to realize what she has missed.
"I went to a traditional Chinese doctor every week. One day there was an English class coming. I told my doctor to give the prescription to my husband and he'll get my medicine. Then I rushed to the school," Fan recalled. "I just don't want to miss any classes."
Because of their enthusiasm, Cai doubled the number of classes and even designed some tests to keep everybody on track.
Wang Meiling is serious about learning.
"I can ask 'May I help you?' That's easy," she said. "But how can I really help if I don't understand what help they need?"
No Bad Blood: Taylor Swift Reports for Jury Duty, Is Dismissed
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan. Former president George W. Bush. Fool-pitier Mr. T. All have fulfilled their civic obligation and reported for jury duty when called. But perhaps none are as famous as Taylor Swift.
But that didn't stop the worldwide pop star from reporting to Nashville's criminal courthouse this week for jury duty. And as quick as Taylor Swift, criminal jurist, appeared, she was gone again, dismissed over an overlap with her own legal case.
(Didn't) Shake It Off
According to the Tennessean, Swift was kind and cordial with other potential jurors and staff, posing for pictures and videos. "She's really a nice girl," fellow juror Michael Washington told the paper. "She didn't have a problem with taking pictures. If she didn't want to be there, she didn't act like it. She was just doing her civic duty. Very sweet."
This wasn't the first time Swift has been summoned for jury duty in Tennessee -- she deferred her service in December, probably because she was on tour in Australia at the time.
Out of the Woods
Had she been selected as a juror, Swift would've sat on a domestic violence case involving charges of kidnapping and aggravated rape. But Ken Whitehouse, spokesman for the Davidson County prosecutor's office, told the Associated Press asked to be excused "out of concern for an upcoming trial in Denver where she was -- she used the term 'groped' -- by a fan at a meet-and-greet." In that case, Swift is counter-suing a radio host for suing her after he lost his job amid her claims that he grabbed her butt during an event in 2013.
Swift, herself no stranger to the courtroom, has also been active in Kesha's campaign to exit her contract after the fellow performer accused producer Dr. Luke of sexual assault. Perhaps next time around the case won't hit so close to home for Swift, who told the judge she'd be happy to serve on any other kind of case. That's the spirit, T-Swift, I knew you weren't trouble.
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West Lake is lit up at night in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where the G20 Leaders Summit will be held on Sept 4 and 5. [Photo/China Daily]
For eight months, Dong Yan, 49, did not take a single weekend off. Her goal was simple yet challenging: to brighten Hangzhou's West Lake for the upcoming G20 Summit.
Anyone who happened to visit the lake at night last year would definitely notice that the southern shore was in virtual darknessa fact made even starker by the color glow on the north shore and the city skyline to the east.
Dong's mission was to bring light to the dark side. As head of the construction department at Huagang administrative office, one of eight administrative divisions that manage the West Lake area, Dong got orders about 17 months ago to make the lake shine for the G20 Summit, which falls on Sept 4 and 5. For some, especially those in charge of the northern areas, the job might involve changing some existing light bulbs or installing some new fancy effects. For Dong and her colleagues, however, it meant building everything from scratch.
After public bidding, construction officially began in November. Dong and her colleagues spent countless days and nights with construction workers to make sure everything was done right, and on time.
"I think there is no standard for our G20 project," she said. "Only when the residents and visitors all feel satisfied can we say the project is successful. Because of that, I've put myself under a lot of pressure."
Three buildings in Hangzhou combine to display the G20 logo on Sunday night. [Photo/Xinhua]
But don't let her slight frame fool you: Dong is tough. The chief of the Huagang office, Ding Gaofeng, said he had seen many times when Dong visited a hospital in the morning and then rushed back to construction sites in the afternoon. He seldom saw her take a break.
"There was too much to do. I cannot afford to be sick," Dong said. "How many big projects like this can I work on in my lifetime? This will probably be the last milestone in my career. I must leave no regrets."
Dong's team was the only one that kept working through the Spring Festival, China's lunar new year. When last winter's snow blocked mules from carrying equipment to the mountains, Dong and her colleagues loaded gear onto their own shoulders and continued climbing. Their overtime work meant the project would be finished in mid-March, more than a month ahead of schedule.
Since then, all the Huagang staff has joined a rigorous work rotation to fill shifts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their task is to make sure all glitches are identified and fixed. A daily test run of the lights that lasts from 6 pm to 10:30 pm has been going on for about five months. No major problem was found.
Before the summit, West Lake kept most its lights turned off from Monday to Thursday. They only came alive on weekend nights and holidays.
The specific arrangement of the lights after the G20 is still under discussion, according to Ding.
Social media photo posts depicting the West Lake lights have been going viral on major social media platforms in China, including Weibo and WeChat. Residents and tourists are seen waiting in long lines after supper every day outside various entrances to see the newly brightened West Lake.
An online shop based in a village in Tonglu county, Hangzhou, made its first deal in October 2014. The capital city of Zhejiang province is a leader in China in e-commerce, boasting the biggest number of websites and the most vibrant online payment. [Photo/Xinhua]
Leaders Summit city in vanguard in internet finance and e-commerce
Why Hangzhou? The question might have entered the minds of many people since President Xi Jinping announced at last year's G20 in Turkey that Hangzhou will host the 2016 Leaders Summit.
"The Hangzhou model, with its emphasis on tertiary industry, especially fast-growing industries including internet financing, e-commerce and big data, stands for a Chinese path of development," Yan Jiuyuan, a researcher at Trigger Trend Research Center, a Guangzhou-based think tank, wrote in an analysis widely spread on the internet.
"The embedding and growth of the internet helped the city to realize its achievement, turning it from a second-tier city famous for tourism to a central city with great impact."
At present, more than one-third of the China's e-commerce websites are based in Hangzhou, pioneered by the industry's world leader, Alibaba.
Despite downward pressure on the domestic economy, Hangzhou's GDP increased by 10.8 percent in the first half of this year, ranking first among 26 major Chinese cities, according to the Hangzhou government. The information economy accounted for 23.8 percent of total GDP growth.
Hangzhou has also become the world's most convenient city for mobile payment. More than 95 percent of local stores, 98 percent of taxis and 50 percent of restaurants accept mobile payment, while a large number of vegetable market vendors can also be paid by phone.
On top of this, Hangzhou, Beijing and Shenzhen have been recognized as the three centers of China's business-starting tide. And Hangzhou also ranked first in terms of its latest growth rate.
Xi said in Turkey that the theme of the 2016 summit will be "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy".
"Innovation will be highlighted at the summit, as the whole planet is seeking a new growth model," said Huang Wei, chief of global governance studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Shen Yinchu, an academic at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said Hangzhou is a hot spot of technology development and personnel training.
"Its great contribution to the country and the whole world has been widely recognized."
Chen Fengying, a researcher on the global economy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Hangzhou is the best example of a city linking China's past, present and future.
"We all know about the city's ancient history. And at present, Hangzhou is a place where many industries have made a successful transformation," she said.
She cited Wahaha, the country's biggest beverage enterprise, which has come to the forefront of intelligent manufacturing and plans to enter industries including biological engineering, bacterial strain, environmental protection and energy saving motors.
Chen also cites the example of is China's biggest auto parts maker, the Wanxiang Group, which now eyes clean energy in the global market.
"There are many reasons for the central government to pick Hangzhou. But I think the key reason is that Hangzhou can present the future of China," Chen said.
China's decision to invite a record number of developing countries to the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou is a smart move that reflects a new approach to managing the organization, observers said.
They noted that Hangzhou is a pioneer in upgrading industries, and inviting more developing countries to be part of discussions in the city will further facilitate sustainable development of the G20 mechanism itself.
Invitations to the first five countriesChad, Laos, Senegal, Egypt and Kazakhstanwere confirmed by Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he addressed the media with his visiting Laotian counterpart early last month.
Three of the countries take rotating chairmanships of influential regional groups.
Chad is chair of the African Union, Laos is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations while Senegal is chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development.
Later in the month, the Foreign Ministry announced an expanded list of countries that included Singapore, Spain and Thailand.
The summit has been prepared at a time China is turning to innovation-driven development, and Hangzhou has been well known for its leading role in online services, technology development and financial products.
Beijing has also pledged to transform the way the G20 operatesfrom a mechanism of crisis response to one of long-term governance.
Chen Fengying, a senior researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that the developing countries account for more than 85 percent of world population and "they are a fundamental pillar supporting sustained economic growth worldwide".
Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said China, as the host country, has made the right decision by inviting a number of developing countries.
China, itself as a developing country, is well-positioned to make the concerns of the developing countries heard at the summit, Ruan said.
"What China wants is to solicit opinions from more countries for the reference of the G20 members," Ruan said.
An app of Alipay, China's biggest third-party payments platform, on a mobile phone. [Photo/VCG]
Alipay, one of China's most popular mobile payment apps, took a big step toward globalizing its services when it secured a third-party payment license in Hong Kong on Aug 25.
With this stored value facilities license, Hong Kong users can now use Alipay's e-wallet functions and enjoy merchant discounts.
Although Alipay has been in the Hong Kong market since 2007 and already works with about 6,000 merchants, including department stores, hotels and theme parks, its usage has largely been limited to mainland users due to Chinese central bank regulations, which allow only people with a bank card issued in the Chinese mainland to store credit in their accounts.
Peng Yijie, vice-president of Ant Financial, a subsidary of e-commerce giant Alibaba that operates Alipay, said the company is eager to bring the cashless experience to Hong Kong, given the southern city's close connections with the mainland.
Alipay was started in 2004 and now offers payment services at more than 80,000 overseas offline stores in 70 countries and regions.
The company also cooperates with ride-hailing app Uber in 69 nations and regions as well as Airbnb.
In August, Alipay reached an agreement with Munich Airport that allows Chinese tourists to make payments at the airport terminals by scanning an Alipay QR code on their mobile phones. Munich Airport is the first in Europe that supports payment services by Alipay.
The payment services provider has also signed agreements with a slew of physical stores, including upscale French department store Galeries Lafayette in Paris. According to the deal, Alipay will be available only to Chinese tourists.
Statistics provided by Ant Financial showed that among the more than 50 nations and regions that offer departure tax refund policies, 24 of them support Alipay. The majority of those countries are key overseas destinations for Chinese travelers.
In addition to Alipay, Ant Financial's other businesses are also making their way over China's borders.
In February 2015, Ant Financial became a shareholder in Indian online payment platform Paytm.
After more than a year of development, users are now able to use the Indian version of Alipay to pay for rides in tuk-tuk taxis, and make payments at cafes, gas stations and movie theaters.
According to Ant Financial, the number of Paytm users soared more than fivefold from 20 million in February last year to the current 135 million, becoming the world's fourth-largest e-wallet.
In November, Ant Financial and Korean Telecom launched K Bank, the first internet bank in South Korea.
"As a pioneer of China's inclusive financing industry, Ant Financial looks to showcase China's prowess to the world," said Jing Xiandong, the company's president.
He added that he believes China's financing sector will play a big role in reducing poverty and helping to promote social equality globally.
The ashes of John Leighton Stuart were buried in a Hangzhou cemetery in 2008. The former US ambassador to China was born in Hangzhou and spent 14 years of his life there. [Photo/China Daily]
John Leighton Stuart was awarded an honorary citizenship by the Hangzhou congress in 1946 when he returned to the city for a visit. He had just been appointed US ambassador to China, a position that would put him on a path he himself could not control.
Ambassador Stuart was not airdropped from the US. He was literally a native kid, having been born in Hangzhou in 1876 and spent 14 years of his life there. It was reported he could speak the local dialect before he could speak English and his Chinese had some Hangzhou flavor. He always considered himself more Chinese than American.
Most Chinese learned of his name, the Sinicized Situ Leideng, from a Mao Zedong article from 1949 where he was viewed as "a loyal agent of US cultural aggression in China". That was the year he left China for good. He died in the US in 1962.
It was only in recent years that ordinary people have discovered the other side of Stuart, the side apart from his official position as the last US ambassador before New China. Prominent among his contributions was his success in turning Yenching University from a school of 94 students to a top institution of higher education in China.
Even though the school existed for only 33 years, it was a cradle for China's top scientists and journalists. Ninety percent of Chinese journalists stationed overseas during World War II were Yenching alumni.
Stuart built the Yenching campus, currently home to Peking University, with traditional Chinese architecture, but he adopted a very Western approach of teaching, encouraging equal and amicable exchanges between teachers and students.
After Beijing fell to Japanese occupation, Stuart refused to fly the flag of the puppet regime or offer "thanks" for Japanese "liberation". He was arrested and put in jail for three years and eight months until the end of the war.
Many of his Yenching students ended up joining the Communist Party, and he mediated through them when he became US ambassador. He was also responsible for changing the US stance from all-out support for the Kuomintang government to that of a coalition government.
Son of Presbyterian missionary parents, Stuart had earlier helped found a Hangzhou-based school which is now the Zhijiang campus of the famous Zhejiang University.
His mother, affectionately called "Mother Stuart" by locals, had founded the Hangzhou School for Girls, one of the first of its kind in China.
The street where their residence sits is still called Christian Church Lane, and the church Stuart's father presided over, Tianshui Tang, is only a few steps from the residency. On a recent Sunday morning, locals were singing hymns to lyrics displayed on overhead television screens. There was a convivial atmosphere more befitting a family gathering in the 140-year-old house of God, the oldest in Hangzhou and newly restored in 2009.
A year before that, Stuart's ashes were buried in a Hangzhou cemetery.
Wen Yiduo, a scholar held in high regard by Communists, spoke of Stuart before he was assassinated by the Nationalists in 1946: "John Leighton Stuart is a friend of the Chinese people. ... He understands the needs of the Chinese people, but that doesn't mean he has supernatural powers to solve all of China's problems."
Historian Lin Mengxi offered this appraisal: "Not a single American during the 20th century had such a long-lasting and comprehensive involvement in, and such a deep impact on, Chinese politics, culture and education as John Leighton Stuart."
A citizen walks past a flower bed in the shape of the logo of G20 summit in Binjiang district of Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang province, August 25, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Hangzhou will host the 11th G20 Summit between September 4 and 5 under the auspices of the Chinese government. Apparently the world is currently suffering from twin problems: a prolonged global economic recession, which is believed to have been around for quite some time and was caused by the repercussions of the 2008 World Financial Crisis; and an intensifying geopolitical conflict, instigated by a blend of complicated economic and political factors.
Against this messy backdrop, China is expected to take the lead on reaching coordination between major economies for pushing a growth strategy so that the geopolitical divides around the globe will disappear. This is indeed what the G20 has been designed to do.
However, things might not go on as well as expected. The Global Times reported on August 17: "Hype is swirling among foreign media that some countries will raise the South China Sea disputes during the Summit in September."
The fact of the matter is that even if this perceived speculation does not materialize, the problem of global governance under current circumstances makes it impossible to avoid geopolitical considerations. This could not be better explained than by referring to what was debated in the recent T20 Summit in Beijing on July 28 and 29.
Participating scholars at the event fell under one of two categories: those who pushed for global economic structural reform, industrial transformation and sustainable development, and those who were confused by the recent developments in the US presidential elections, the Brexit vote, the failed military coup in Turkey and ASEAN's divide on the South China Sea ruling.
It is true that China is trying to capitalize on "functional integration," in Parag Khanna's terminology, as a geopolitical tool deployed for the economic development service and hopes to eliminate the chance of geopolitical conflicts via the Belt and Road and AIIB initiatives. Nevertheless, for these projects to gain momentum, China needs to maintain a balance on the three following aspects:
An expectation balance: The Chinese leaders might be impressed by recalling the nice telephone conversation that President George W. Bush made in 2008 to ask President Hu Jintao's opinion on holding a G20 meeting. However, this memory now belongs to the past. Not only is mutual trust lacking between the US and China, but more often than not some Americans think that "coordination" is the pure outcome of having "strong leadership" while forgetting the role of "good will" as a prerequisite for sustainable and fruitful relationships.
A mindset balance: China needs to maintain a balance in its mindset as being a "developing country" versus being "the second biggest world's economy." To help maintain this balance, China needs to qualify statements made about both its strengths and weaknesses. To realize why, it suffices to have a look at what was published on Sept. 6, 2014, in the New York Times under the title of "Foreign Powers Buy Influence at Think Tanks" and its updated version on August 8, 2016 titled "Researchers or Corporate Allies? Think Tanks Blur the Line."
A connectivity balance: The Chinese government defines connectivity between East Asia and the Middle East through the "Belt and Road" and "AIIB" initiatives on purely economic grounds as a geopolitical instrument. However, one should not forget about geopolitical and cultural connectivity. A balanced approach in this regard through accumulated logic of integration will better position China to play its role as a responsible global player and move towards building new global relationships. Otherwise, persistent conflict in the South China Sea will push China back to its historical past as a stationed civilization with persistent and prolonged vulnerabilities.
The author Ali Biniaz has a PhD in economics, IPIS representative and first counselor for research, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Beijing.
BUENOS AIRES - Argentine Ambassador to China Diego Guelar on Wednesday hailed the Asian country as "a great partner."
China is "the great engine of the world. In the last decade, China has become the main trading partner of the most important countries. It is a global phenomenon," said the diplomat.
In an interview with Argentine radio El Mundo, Guelar said: "Beijing has met the conditions of the World Trade Organization and must be considered as a market economy" as the private sector is key to China's economic growth, generating about 60 percent of its GDP.
Hailing the importance of the upcoming G20 Summit on Sept 4-5 in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, Guelar said the summit would group countries that account for "85 percent of global GDP and 65 percent of global population."
He added that President Mauricio Macri is planning a visit to China in March or April 2017.
During an interview with Xinhua last week, Macri said the upcoming G20 summit will provide an opportunity to review cooperation between Argentina and China, lauding China's "enormous importance" and "complementarity" to his country.
The two countries have complementary capacities for cooperation in fields like food security, energy and infrastructure construction, said Macri.
"We really value Chinese companies' capacity to build infrastructure and hope they value our capacity to produce food, to be able to increase the flow of exports to balance things out. That's our goal for the next few years," he added.
Photo taken on August 30, 2016 shows a night view of the West Lake in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province. The G20 Summit will be held in Hangzhou on September 4 to 5. [Photo/Xinhua]
HANGZHOU - A summit of business leaders from G20 members is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Jiang Zengwei, chair of the Business 20 (B20) China, said at a press conference on Thursday.
The gathering of business elites marks the beginning of "G20 time" for the scenic city of Hangzhou in east China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the B20 summit and deliver a keynote speech, Jiang said at the press conference, the first held at the G20 news center.
Leaders of Argentina, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and Canada as well as heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organization will also be present at the summit, said Jiang, also chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Focusing on promoting robust, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy, the B20 meeting will bring together more than 800 business leaders from 32 countries and 26 international organizations.
The business leaders are set to submit the B20 2016 Policy Recommendations to the Chinese president during the meeting, Jiang said.
The policy recommendations will cover topics such as encouraging robust international trade and investment, developing more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance, and enhancing infrastructure interconnectivity.
By addressing these recommendations, the G20 will create an environment that helps the international business community boost trade and investment, develop new business models, and create new jobs, Jiang said in a speech published on the B20 official website.
All of these are critical to achieving the G20's objective of building an innovative, invigorated, interconnected, and inclusive world economy and ensuring strong, sustainable and balanced growth, he said.
Established in 2010 under the G20 framework, the B20 has become an important part of the G20. To some extent, the success of the G20 summit depends on the B20 participants reaching a consensus on major measures to promote global economic development, Jiang said on Thursday.
With the world economy mired in a prolonged downturn, China, the world's second-largest economy and largest developing country, comes to the G20 presidency with high expectations.
The theme of the G20 summit is "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy." The summit is scheduled for Sept 4-5.
China's central bank vice governor Yi Gang, head of China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), answers a question at a news conference during the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's parliament, in Beijing, March 12, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]
HANGZHOU - China has worked closely with other G20 members in the fields of macroeconomic policy coordination, innovative growth and more effective global economic and financial governance, a Chinese central bank official said Thursday.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) mainly participated in issues of strong, sustainable and balanced growth framework, international financial architecture, financial sector reforms, financial inclusion and green finance, PBOC Vice Governor Yi Gang said at a press conference.
G20 members agreed on an approach of "using all policy tools -- monetary, fiscal and structural -- individually and collectively" to support growth, according to Yi.
"This marks a milestone in the G20's recent history of macroeconomic policy coordination," Yi said.
China also led the efforts to build a more stable and more resilient international financial architecture, with the release of a report in this regard by the International Financial Architecture Working Group, which was resumed under China's G20 presidency, the vice governor said.
The report made several recommendations to improve the international financial architecture, including examining the broader use of Special Drawing Rights, strengthening the Global Financial Safety Net, improving debt restructuring processes and advancing the IMF quota and governance reform, Yi said.
"Global financial markets have seen bouts of turbulence since last year, but global financial system has remained sound and resilient," he said, adding that it reflected the effects of financial sector reforms since the global financial crisis.
This year, G20 members reached a consensus that financial reforms will focus on building an open and resilient financial system, summarizing elements of effective macro-prudential policies, developing robust financial market infrastructures and promoting financial inclusion.
The G20 also discussed green finance for the first time this year and established a G20 Green Finance Study Group, which released a report to identify challenges faced by green finance and provide voluntary options for countries to consider, Yi added.
On Wednesday, the PBOC and some other Chinese ministries unveiled a guideline for establishing a green financing mechanism to facilitate the economy's transition to sustainable growth.
Under the theme of "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy," this year's G20 summit is scheduled on Sept. 4-5 in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.
We have been taking actions against drugs traffickers to eradicate the menace in our area. We succeeded in seizing a large volume of drugs recently said Sann Nyunt, the officer of Maung Taw police station, when answering queries to Narinjara News.
On 23 August, a car was moving rapidly to avoid the police check at the border point no 1. The police team led by a Second Lieutenant later found that the drugs with 146250 WY symbol of worth Kyat 292.5 million were inside the car.
The incident took place at Ye Myataung village under Naw Yoon Taung track of Maung Taw township. However, the police could not arrest the traffickers as they could run away from the location.
Earlier on 19 August at around 8 am, the police seized 48750 WY symbol drugs from a motor bike. It was then driven by Nu Arlaung (47), son of Marshaw Arli, from Myo Ma Taung Quarter of Maung Taw township, said the police officer.
Similarly on 22 August, the police arrested Jin Ki (20) with 9750 WY drugs worth Kyat 19500000 and Delmu Harmauk (14) with 39000 WY drugs worth 78 million, when they were travelling in a bus from Maung Taw to Taung Pro.
The police then arrested Maru (21) from Maung Taw and Nur Bawshaw (45) from La Thar upper village with 107250 WY drug tablets worth Kyat 214.5 million. They were also from the same community.
Even though the local people criticized the police that they were yet to arrest the main drug trafficker. Of course, they appreciated the police forces for their success in seizing the drugs of 700 million Kyats in the last few days.
Gary Campkin, director of policy and strategy at TheCityUK
China can play a big role in furthering the G20 Leaders Summit agenda to enhance economic growth through greater liberalization of markets, according to an expert with a London financial industry association.
While the global economy is affected by uncertainties, including Brexit, Gary Campkin, director of policy and strategy at TheCityUK, said China's increasingly open and liberal markets are providing opportunities and acting as a catalyst for world economic growth and financial innovation.
He said an open trade and investment relationship with China will be especially important to Britain after it leaves the European Union.
"We would value the continuing development of an invigorated trade and investment relationship based on openness of each other's economies," he said. "This would represent a significant contribution from China, which shares the UK's interests in ensuring the process of Brexit leads to a stable outcome for the global economy."
In addition, Camkin said his team also looks forward to China helping to make progress on G20 objectives such as global regulatory coherence, governance and transparency. He said the summit can also play an important role to reach agreement on further steps to ensure increased trade and cross-border investment to stimulate growth and job creation.
China, as the world's second-largest economy, has the capacity to lead in opening up its markets and encouraging others to do the same, he said, while ensuring that the slowdown in China's economy is moderate.
He said the significance of the Chinese economy globally is emphasized by a forthcoming report by his team, which notes "reliance on Chinese growth has increased vulnerabilities for the global economic and financial system given the mainland's deteriorating demographics, growing debt burden and economic transition".
Overall, Camkin believes the key source of a new round of prosperity is to be created by the dismantling of trade and investment barriers. More specifically, in emerging markets, reform programs will be a key area for discussion and will of course vary hugely from country to country.
In developed markets, weak productivity growth is still an issue and this is something that will no doubt come under scrutiny.
Camkin said the slow down in China's growth after two decades of rapid growth is inevitable, but given China's market size as a major source of demand, its sustained growth will help the world economy to recover.
One key example is the global commodity markets' reliance on China to lead a recovery over the past year.
"China's role as a source of final demand is especially important given the continued mixed pattern of demand elsewhere in the world."
Camkin said the array of actions China has taken to liberalize its financial sector is already really helpful for the world economy, and the effects are already being felt in London.
Key examples include the opening up of China's stock exchanges to foreign investment by establishing a stock connect between Shanghai and Hong Kong, hence allowing Western investors to access China's stock market through Hong Kong.
Another example Camkin referred to is the increasing issuance of offshore renminbi bonds in London, allowing Western investors to increasingly access renminbi investment opportunities.
These initiatives are especially important as the renminbi will be included in the International Monetary Fund's basket of reserve currencies in October, meaning more Western central banks and institutional investors will likely increase their holdings of yuan-denominated assets to benchmark their investment portfolio against the basket.
As strengthening financial sector governance is a key objective for the G20, Camkin said his team welcomes China's involvement in this area.
Holding the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China is "truly historic" and China's G20 presidency will live up to high expectations from the international community, said a senior United Nations official.
"Under the leadership of the Chinese presidency, the G20 this year has sent a clear signal that there can be no sustained and inclusive economic growth without continued economic progress in the developing world," said Wu Hongbo, undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs at the United Nations.
Wu Hongbo, undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs at the United Nations
It is the first time that a member of the UN Group of 77 developing countries has hosted a G20 summit. The theme is "Towards an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy".
"The Hangzhou Summit will feature the strongest representation of developing countries of any G20 summit held so far," said Wu, citing the Chinese presidency's invitation to Thailand, the Chair of the Group of 77, to attend the summit as an example.
As China has made sure that the G20 aligns its work with the new UN development agenda, Wu said that the G20 summit will directly contribute to "the full and timely implementation" of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The agenda, which aims to eradicate poverty by 2030, was adopted by world leaders last year. The Chinese government is also making a strong commitment in the outline of its 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) to promoting the 2030 Agenda domestically.
With the global economy still facing slow growth, Wu said it's very important that the G20 commits to lifting its growth by 2 percent by 2018.
China is promoting priority areas and guiding principles designed for structural reform of G20 members, which is vital for achieving this goal.
Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said last week in Beijing that G20 finance ministers and central bank governors have reached a consensus on global cooperation.
"The extent to which this goal can be successfully achieved will depend on cooperation among countries," said Wu.
For example, a well-coordinated fiscal stimulus by a group of large, developed countries and emerging economies would be much more effective in boosting global growth than unilateral fiscal stimulus introduced by a single country, Wu explained.
"The G20 summit can chart out pathways to strengthen much needed macroeconomic policy coordination," Wu said.
He pointed out that it is also critical to not only address the short-term challenges to growth but also direct attention toward medium- and long-term sustainable and equitable growth paths.
Under China's presidency, the G20 is implementing an enhanced structural reform agenda, encouraging innovation and competition to boost growth potential and promoting the G20 Action Plan on the 2030 Agenda to achieve sustainable growth.
"China has demonstrated that the three dimensions of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental - are mutually reinforcing by building a world-leading renewable energy sector that creates jobs, fosters technological innovation and improves energy access," Wu said.
To Wu, China has been "the locomotive of global growth", contributing to more than one-third of world output growth during 2008-2015.
In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, it has played a critical role in sustaining global output, particularly for developing economies. It is also now the top trading nation in the world and is the biggest bilateral trading partner for many economies.
China will continue to be a key engine of global growth as it gradually transitions into a consumption-driven economy and demands more goods and services from the rest of the world and as its investments abroad continue to rise, Wu said.
China's nonfinancial outward foreign direct investment has been rising significantly, reaching $118 billion in 2015.
Ambassador Carla A. Hills, chair and CEO of international consultancy Hills & Co
Ambassador Carla A. Hills, chair and CEO of international consultancy Hills & Co, applauded the four priorities that China has identified for the upcoming summit.
Those are: breaking a new path for growth, more effective and efficient global economic and financial governance, robust international trade and investment, and inclusive and interconnected development.
"I am hoping that China will lead by example and take steps to implement these priorities," Hills, former US trade representative, said in a written interview with China Daily.
"As one of the world's two largest economies and as host of this 11th G20 summit, it has the opportunity to press for action that will not only further strengthen its economy but contribute to the growth and development of the global economy," she said.
She said past experience has shown that one of the most effective tools to generate global economic growth for the benefit of both rich and poor nations is to open world markets to trade and investment.
Notwithstanding the fact that at every past G20 meeting the leaders have pledged their commitment to maintain an open global economy, according to the last World Trade Organization (WTO) monitoring report covering mid-October 2015 to mid-May 2016, the G20 economies in that six-month period have applied 145 new trade restrictions, roughly 21 new measures a month, Hills said.
"I would hope that there would be a real commitment by each and every leader not only to refrain from implementing further restrictions but also to remove those they have put in place," she said.
wanglinyan@chinadailyusa.com
Business 20, a major support group for the G20 from industrial and commercial circles, has called on world leaders to make clear and transparent policies, as well as effective standards for handling disputes, to curb rising protectionism in international investment.
A number of proposals by the B20s organizing committees and task forces will be added to the G20 Summit statement this year, said Jiang Zengwei, chairman of B20 China, at a news conference on Thursday before the B20 and G20 summits in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
The B20 proposals will concern international investment, employment, innovation and infrastructure development, he said.
The B20 provides a platform for international companies and chambers of commerce to participate in global economic governance and economic and trade regulation through meetings and summits. It collects the opinions of world business leaders and develops a consensus.
More than 3,300 investment agreements are currently used in global markets.
"The B20 suggests that relevant international organizations reassess the current investment agreements in a bid to build a more effective standard to better resolve disputes and assist global investment activities, said Jiang, who is also chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
The B20 proposals also include a plan for global infrastructure connectivity, an electronic world trade platform and suggestions on innovative growth.
A total of 815 representatives will attend this years B20 Summit in Hangzhou, including 142 companies on the Fortune Global 500 list and 103 enterprises from Chinas top 500 companies.
Zhang Yanling, a member of the executive board of the International Chamber of Commerce and former vice-president of Bank of China, said the B20 suggested adopting innovative technologies and management instruments to enhance infrastructure projects and connectivity among countries and regions.
"It is highly important for different countries to take actions in a united way to take infrastructure projects as a leverage to world economic development, said Zhang.
Contact the writer at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn
PHOTOS BY RAYMOND ZHOU AND AGENCIES
Shutterbugs in Hangzhou are having a field day as the city emerges in a sharp azure splendor and the normally dense crowds become more manageable.
Shortly before the G20 Summit, a vantage point on the southeast side of West Lake had rows of photographers lined up, their lenses targeting the Leifeng Pagoda.
The structure in evening glow is one of the citys top 10 scenes, as selected back in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
"It has become much easier to get a perfect spot, now that the traffic flow is so much smaller, said a photography lover surnamed Lin, who was trying different lenses for the perfect shot.
Hangzhou residents are given a week off for the big event and, with tourist attractions in neighboring cities and provinces offering deep discounts or free passes, many have opted to enjoy a vacation out of town.
For those who want landscape shots without too many heads cropping up in the foreground, this presents a golden opportunity.
Then there is the blue sky, said photographer Qiu Jianhua.
"The better the air quality, the better the photos will be, said the amateur-turned-professional, who had 30 of his works shown in Switzerland in 2009 and had a solo exhibition in Hangzhou three years later.
Qius focus of interest is natural scenery, but he is also fascinated by human stories.
In the past week, he has combined the two while photographing people striking poses at scenic areas people young and old, fashionably clad and lending themselves readily to the allure of the environment and the camera.
"The prevailing aesthetic for Hangzhou is simple elegance, he said. "But against this backdrop can be a flare-up of passion. You can detect poetry and history in this place.
Thats why the Hangzhou residents, regardless of age, show a madcap aspect in his photos, yet still manage to project exquisiteness and refinement.
Among Qius trove of photos of locals celebrating the summit on their doorstep are mass scenes of people snapping moments of the citys new glitz.
Unlike them, however, he still uses film in addition to digital media.
To welcome guests to the summit, he has compiled a digital guide to Hangzhou, generously interspersed with shots he has taken over the years of his hometown.
Yi Gang, vice-governor of People's Bank of China, answers questions on a press conference on Sept 2, 2016, prior to the G20 Leaders Summit to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.[Photo/China Daily] PBOC official says G20 members ready to work together for balanced, sustainable development
China and other key economies are ready to strengthen "policy-level coordination" toward balanced and sustainable growth in global business, a senior central bank official said on Thursday.
G20 members agree with one another that they must "use all policy tools to support growth", said Yi Gang, vice-governor of People's Bank of China, in the run-up to the G20 Leaders Summit on Sunday and Monday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
By all policy tools, he was referring to monetary and fiscal policy and, in the long run, measures to boost structural reform of the international financial system, Yi said.
"This marks a milestone in the G20s recent history of macroeconomic policy coordination, he said.
Yi Gang, vice-governor of People's Bank of China, answers questions on a press conference on Sept 2, 2016, prior to the G20 Leaders Summit to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.[Photo/China Daily]
At the same time, China stands with other G20 members in their opposition to competitive devaluation of currencies, and the country is committed to the yuans market-based exchange rate, he said.
Competitive devaluation offers "no hope" for solving the problems facing the world economy today, Yi stressed.
The level of the yuans exchange rate has remained by and large stable against other major currencies more so than most reserve currencies said Yi, adding that the yuan is also more stable compared with the currencies of many emerging market economies.
China is also willing to communicate and coordinate more closely with other major economies regarding the yuans exchange rate, he said.
However, with a wide policy tool kit from which to choose, each country has a flexible space to adopt policies according to their own circumstances, Yi noted.
Yi Gang, vice-governor of People's Bank of China, answers questions of a foreign reporter on Sept 2 2016, prior to the G20 Leaders Summit to be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.[Photo/China Daily]
He said Chinas perspective is that macro policies can be effective in boosting sluggish demand in the short term, but tools for boosting supply-side reform would be more helpful in achieving long-term economic growth.
Commenting on Chinas pledge to not engage in competitive devaluation, Lian Ping, chief economist with Bank of Communications, said it reflects Chinas willingness to play the role of a responsible large economy.
"China is playing a leading role in helping the world avoid a war of currency depreciation, he said.
Although a weaker currency could be somewhat helpful for a nations export business, its benefit to the overall economy would only be marginal, Lian said.
"China has more important goals to achieve. Considering those more important goals, not seeking a government-engineered depreciation of the yuan is a fully rational thing for China to do. It will bring about lasting benefits for the country and the world, Lian said.
A garbage-truck maker and a sports-car startup are the top candidates to receive permits to manufacture electric vehicles in China as part of the government's push to encourage innovation in the auto industry, according to people with knowledge of the process.
A panel of experts appointed by the National Development and Reform Commission, which oversees the approval of new investment projects, has concluded its technical review of Jiangsu Aoxin New Energy Automobile Co and Beijing CH-Auto Technology Co, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The NDRC may soon announce a decision, which hasn't been finalized, the people said, without being more specific.
The NDRC said that it doesn't comment on applications in process. A representative for CH-Auto declined to comment, while calls to Aoxin's main line weren't answered.
Companies that are seeking the special license to produce EVs have to clear the evaluation, which will rate them in terms of their capabilities in research and development and manufacturing. So far, only two firmsBeijing Electric Vehicle Co and Hangzhou Changjiang Passenger Vehicle Cohave received permission under the program, which was announced in June 2015 to encourage companies outside the auto industry to provide competition to traditional carmakers.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is considering restricting the number of startup EV makers to a maximum of 10, said Dong Yang, an executive vice-president at the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers who meets regularly with the industry's officials. The MIIT didn't respond to a faxed request for comment.
Bloomberg
iRobot's product. [Photo provided to China Daily]
iRobot Corp, the US-based robotic technology solutions provider, which is known primarily as a maker of robot vacuum cleaners, is planning to triple or quadruple its investment in the Chinese market next year, in view of its average annual growth rate of 70 to 100 percent in China.
The company will open its Chinese headquarters in Shanghai on Thursday to strengthen marketing and promotion in China and extend its robotic products to healthcare services and the smart-home field.
"iRobot is focused on significant growth opportunities in China. We are continuing to increase the size of manufacturing operations in China as well as engineering functions. China is an incredibly important part of iRobot's strategy and we will continue to grow," said Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot.
Colin Angle, chairman and CEO of iRobot. [Photo provided to China Daily]
It launched on Tuesday its Braava jet mopping robot designed for the Chinese market. Starting at 1,999 yuan ($299), the compact robot mops hard floors to remove fine dust and stains. It cleans even in hard-to-reach places, like under cabinets and furniture.
"We will continue to diversify our home robot offerings and identify new product categories tailored for Chinese consumers," said Angle.
Angle emphasized that they are growing their investment in China very quickly and that establishing the headquarters in China is just the next step of their growth strategy.
"We will probably spend three to four times as much as money on marketing and advertising in 2017 as we did in 2016."
He also estimated the overall growth of home robots globally is about 25 percent. In China, the growth rate is very fast, close to 70 or 100 percent.
A cab-user (right) in Kunming, capital city of Yunnan, enjoys a Uber ride. Last month, US-based company Uber ended its fight with Didi in China and agreed a merger. [Photo/China Daily]
Foreign net firms are realizing the hard way that success in China takes Herculean efforts
If China's Great Wall was difficult to scale or penetrate for Eurasian nomadic raiders of the past, the Chinese mainland's technology and digital market are posing similar problems to foreign companies now.
In a recent move, Uber decided to end its lone fight in China, and merge its China unit with its bitter rival Didi Chuxing, a Beijing-based transportation network company, after investing about $2 billion in the market in less than two years.
Though hailed as one of the world's most valuable startups, Uber, the San Francisco-headquartered US multinational online transportation network company, had trouble developing business in China, the world's largest car-sharing market.
In less than two years, Uber won 17 percent of the Chinese market share, while Didi Chuxing controlled 70 percent of the local market.
By this merger, investors in Uber's China unit will own 20 percent of Didi, while Didi will invest $1 billion in Uber.
"This is a win-win situation," said Li Xiaoxi, portfolio manager at Principal Global Investors Funds. "Merger could be the best option for Uber to advance in and benefit from the Chinese market."
Uber is not the first Western internet company not to succeed in China. Yahoo had attempted to enter China but its business was unsuccessful. Ditto for eBay. Then there's instant-messaging app WhatsApp, now owned by Facebookpopular in the US and outside China but utterly ineffective in weaning Chinese users away from WeChat.
"China is a very difficult market for Western companies to penetrate," said Robert Salomon, associate professor at the New York University's Stern School of Business. "It is especially difficult for Western technology companies."
Why? Complex reasons abound. But it's certainly not due to want of effort.
Uber did a pretty good job in China actually. It had made headway into quite a few Chinese cities, including some third-tier ones. The localisation effort was easily seen. It had partnered with Chinese internet search giant Baidu and online payment firm AliPay. Still, it couldn't avoid bruising competition with Chinese ride-hailing smartphone apps.
"The customers (in China) are very very different," said Salomon. "They have different cultural tastes and preferences and ways to consume products (and services); the products they want are not the same as those Western consumers want."
For instance, Uber has always partnered with private cars, while its rival Didi, when it first came into the market, built a platform involving taxi drivers. Although in first-tier cities Uber represents cool and fashion, most Chinese people have more trust in cabs that are under heavier scrutiny from the regulators.
Also, one of the services Didi provides is "designated driving", which puts drivers on the network for those who have to take their car home after drinking. Its advertisements are visible at a lot of restaurants and it has got really popular.
Local companies in China are familiar with these marketing techniques and can easily take advantage of that, making themselves handier than their Western rivals, said Henry Huang, associate professor of Yeshiva University's business school, located in New York.
"They (Western companies) don't know China's market culture, consumer behaviour, regulations. Therefore, they can't play to their strengths in the China market," said Huang.
Unlike Apple, the technology this ride-hailing company uses is pretty simple to copy. And Uber did not have the early mover advantage. It entered China after Didi got popular among riders. That put Uber at a disadvantage in its battle against its Chinese rivals.
Didi is just one example. Among others, there is WeChat, an instant-messaging app used by almost everyone with a smartphone in China. It has now become an all-powerful app covering many aspects of Chinese people's daily life, not just chitchatting.
People use WeChat also for sharing moments of their lives, reading, paying phone or electricity bills, buying cinema, theater and event tickets, sending greetings and making money transfers.
These are but just a few of WeChat's uses. Businesses use the app to reach out to consumers with promotions.
"I think the Chinese competitors have reached a certain level now where they become competitive on the global stage," says Salomon. "Facing the most technologically advanced foreign competitors will allow local Chinese companies to realize their strengths or force them in some way to improve by having to compete with those technologically advanced foreign competitors."
Xinhua
Safety precautions advised after attack on embassy in Kyrgyzstan
China said it will work with Kyrgyzstan to discover as soon as possible the organization and people that carried out a suicide car bomb attack on China's embassy in Bishkek on Tuesday.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks on Wednesday, as the ministry's Department of Consular Affairs and the embassy warned that China's citizens should be cautious about going to Kyrgyzstan.
The warning, valid until the end of September, asked Chinese people and organizations in Kyrgyzstan to "stay highly vigilant", avoid going outdoors and stay away from crowded places.
Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev ordered on Tuesday an immediate and thorough investigation into the attack. The Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security, an intelligence agency, said it has initiated a criminal investigation.
The attacker died in the blast. Three embassy workers were slightly injured.
In a phone conversation with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev vowed that his country will thoroughly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice, according to a news release issued by the Foreign Ministry.
Extending sympathy to the embassy and its staff members injured by the attack on behalf of Kyrgyz leaders, Abdyldaev said Kyrgyzstan condemns the attack in the strongest terms, and will do all it can to guarantee the safety of Chinese people and organizations there.
Kyrgyzstan is willing to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation with China and work with China to crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, he said.
Wang urged Kyrgyzstan to find out the facts of the attack as soon as possible, bring to justice those who are responsible and make sure such incidents never happen again.
Wang said China supports strengthened counterterrorism cooperation between the two countries.
Zhao Huirong, a researcher focusing on Central Asia studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China and Kyrgyzstan can diversify their counterterrorism cooperation and expand it beyond information exchange, personnel training and military exercises.
China and Central Asian countries are paying close attention to regional security, which is getting "more and more complicated" in recent years, Zhao said.
China will establish a rehabilitation university before 2020 to help disabled people, the China Disabled Persons' Federation said on Wednesday.
An estimated 85 million disabled people live in China, and about 26 million of those are registered.
"We aim to provide high quality rehab services," the federation's chairwoman, Zhang Haidi, said at a State Council news conference. "The current main problem is the lack of trained professionals.
Zhang said that under the current system, fewer than 8,000 rehab students graduate every year, and 70 percent of those are from two-year colleges, far from meeting the demand for such services.
In 2015, only 30 percent of registered disabled people received any kind of rehabilitation services.
According to the federation, China had 7,111 rehab centers as of 2015, with 232,000 employees.
"Rehab training is the core of public services for the disabled," Zhang said. "Rehab is about rebuilding. And it's the most urgent need - to have a better life."
Establishment of more rehab programs was written into the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).
A sea of colour filled the vast conference hall in the capital Naypyidaw as delegations from Myanmar's myriad ethnic groups mingled with stony-faced military officers decked out in full regalia.
The summit is veteran democracy activist Suu Kyi's much-trumpeted effort to reshape Myanmar as a federal democracy following decades of oppressive military rule.
The Nobel laureate has made bridging the ethnic fault lines that have fractured the nation since its mid-century independence a priority of her new government, which took power in March.
"So long as we are unable to achieve national reconciliation and national unity, we will never be able to establish a sustainable and durable peaceful union," she told delegates.
"Only if we are all united will our country be at peace. Only if our country is at peace will we be able to stand on an equal footing with the other countries in our region and across the world."
Speaking at the opening, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon,said in the following address,
This is a historic occasion for the further democratization of this country.
The symbolism of this Conference is clear from its title, which recalls the spirit of the original Panglong Conference convened in 1947 by General Aung San, the Father of Modern Burma.
But today, we also look to the future.
This conference is bringing together Myanmars different ethnic groups in a joint commitment to a federal union based on equality, democracy and self-determination.
I congratulate all sides for the patience, endurance, determination and spirit of compromise you have demonstrated in support of national reconciliation.
There is a long road ahead, but the path is very promising.
This is the first time that such a peace process has been initiated in the seventy-year history of conflict and division between the Union Government and armed ethnic groups.
Todays meeting marks a historic transition since former President U Thein Sein opened the doors to democratic reforms six years ago.
Around the world, we have seen the tragedies that can ensue when leaders deny the need for democratic change.
Myanmar shows what is possible, when leaders listen to their peoples genuine aspirations, genuine concerns of the people and genuine dreams of where this country should proceed.
The United Nations has been a steady partner in support of Myanmars reforms, in particular the national reconciliation process.
We will continue our efforts to smooth differences, lower tensions and move parties towards better understanding and dialogue in line with the goals and values of the United Nations Charter.
The long civil war has cost numerous lives and robbed successive generations of their dignity, tranquillity and normalcy. It is now clear that there can be no military solution to your differences.
I urge you to accept that no party involved in this reconciliation process can expect to achieve all its aims. Conversely, every side must win something if the process is to succeed.
This will require goodwill on all sides, and a recognition that success is in the vital interest of all the people of Myanmar, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or socio-economic status.
It is encouraging that the different ethnic armed organizations with divergent interests and aspirations came together to form a single team to negotiate the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement last year.
This agreement was crucially important, and the new Government has undertaken efforts to make it more inclusive. The 21st Century Panglong Conference represents the result of those efforts.
I urge all of you, as you walk along this path with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to demonstrate the wisdom needed to address complex and unresolved issues, and to pave the way for a unified negotiation track that is inclusive of all interests and constituencies.
This will require sensitivity and flexibility, and respect for both signatories and non-signatories. You will need to be truly consultative if you are to reach sustainable solutions. In this connection, I urge you again to ensure that women make up at least 30 per cent of the representatives at all levels of dialogue.
Every transition [carries] risks.
But refusing to embark on transition may carry the greatest risk of all. We see tragic evidence of this around the world.
I urge you all to continue to face up to your responsibilities, particularly to the youth and children of Myanmar the future of this wonderful country.
You owe it to them to work for a better tomorrow, in which they can fulfil their dreams and aspirations in peace and prosperity.
Few expect a concrete deal to emerge from the five-day talks, which are seen as the start of a peace process that could take years.
Seventeen rebel groups have joined the talks in the capital, but others have not laid down their arms and some remain locked in combat with the military.
(Additional reporting AFP)
For a young, advantaged woman from the city, life offers seemingly unlimited possibilities. Pursuing a higher degree or working in a fancy skyscraper? All within reach. But a 25-year-old woman in Shanxi chose a more lonely road for her youth, by dedicating herself for the past two years to restoring murals at Guangsheng Temple in Linfen, Shanxi province. For more than 250 work days each year, Guo Jia spent most of her time facing storied, ancient walls and climbing up and down scaffolds. The Weibo account on which she posts about her daily work has attracted 300,000 followers, with Chinese netizens praising both her beauty and her dedication to such an isolating profession. [Photo from Guo Jia's Sina Weibo]
Liu Jing, leader of the research team on liquid metal. [File photo from web]
The liquid metal machine invented by Chinese scientists and once praised as T-1000 robot in sci-fi thriller Terminator now can "jump" and "run", according to an article posted by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on its WeChat account on Wednesday.
It briefed about the new discoveries on liquid metal made by a joint team of scientists from CAS and Tsinghua University that were published in global academic journals this year.
T-1000 robot in Terminator 2 Judgement Day. [Photo from web]
One of their academic papers titled "Liquid Metal Machine Triggered Violin-like Wire Oscillator" appeared as the cover story in the Aug 17 issue of Advanced Science.
The paper discovered that the first-ever oscillation phenomenon of a copper wire embracing inside a self-powered liquid metal machine. When the copper wire contacted the liquid metal, it would be swallowed inside and then reciprocally move back and forth, just like a violin bow.
Cover of the Aug 17 issue of Advanced Science and the illustration of he oscillation phenomenon of a copper wire embracing inside a self-powered liquid metal machine.[Photo from CAS's WeChat account]
Before this, liquid metal machine all appeared in liquid state so technical breakthroughs in combination with a solid metal and new discoveries on oscillation can give a boost to research and development of flexible machines.
Traces of the jumping liquid metal droplet.[Photo from CAS's WeChat account]
In the paper titled "Jumping Liquid Metal Droplet in Electrolyte Triggered by Solid Metal Particles" appearing in the June 2 issue of Applied Physics Letter, the scientists made an interesting finding on the "jumps" of liquid metal, in which the researchers explained the cause of electron discharge effect between the two.
Cover of the Aug 28 issue of Journal of Materials Chemistry B and the illustrations of the research finding about self-propelled liquid metal motors.[Photo from CAS's WeChat account]
Another recent paper appearing as the cover story of Journal of Materials Chemistry B published on Aug 28 is about the finding of "Self-Propelled Liquid Metal Motors Steered by Magnetic or Electrical Field for Drug Delivery".
Movements of both vihicles with one transformable wheel and four transformable wheels.[Photo from CAS's WeChat account]
The team also invented a mini vehicle with transformable wheels made out of liquid metal droplet through 3D printing. Their findings on "Liquid Metal Wheeled Small Vehicle for Cargo Delivery" appeared in the June 6 issue of RSC Advances.
In recent years, the team has been working hard on the application and industrialization of liquid metal. "We are lucky to rank at the front of this field but we can't afford the industrial development lagging the academic research. We should seize the historical opportunity to build a world-class liquid metal valley in China," said Liu Jing, the leader of the team.
Cover of an issue of Avanced Materials published last year and illustrations of its findings. [Photo from web]
Last year, when the team published its finding about liquid metal machines that can "eat" substances and then propel itself like a self-fueled motor on Advanced Materials journal, it attracted great attention from across the world and was labeled as real life Terminator.
But scientists said there is still a long way to bring that kind of transformable robot into reality.
An elderly woman walks in a residential community in Beijing. [Photo/IC]
A new plan calls for employers in Beijing to give staff more time off to show filial piety to their elderly relatives as the government aims to build a senior-friendly city. This is the first time that the capital has proposed such leave, reported Beijing News on Wednesday.
According to a plan passed by Beijing policymakers recently on improving seniors' lives in the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), employers of the city are encouraged to grant staff vacation to visit their elderly family members on their birthdays or on Chongyang Festival, a festival for senior citizens, or when their senior relatives are in need of rehabilitative service or terminal care.
The plan did not specify how to calculate the salary during the leave or how the leave be used.
The idea of family leave to see a spouse or parents living in other places has been put forward in China for decades, but due to various reasons, it is seldom used.
According to a regulation issued by the State Council in 1981, employees of government departments or public institutions are entitled to a 24-day family leave every four years if they do not live in the same place with their spouse or parents.
A survey conducted by the Beijing News shows that among 20 respondents working at government departments or public institutions, only five have taken family leave, with eight having never heard of the policy.
The report said that income is a major reason why few take advantage of the family leave. According to the 1981 regulation, an employee who takes the family leave can still receive their basic wage, but their performance pay will be affected.
According to statistics published by the National Health and Family Planning Commission in 2015, half the senior population in China, or more than 100 million people, are empty nesters, that is, people aged 60 or older whose children have left home.
As the country is facing increasing difficulty in caring for its aging population, it becomes an urgent task to carry out the family leave policy, Feng Xiliang with the School of Labor Economics in Capital University of Economics and Business told Beijing News.
Previously, the country had written "visiting parents" in its law books.
At the end of 2012, China's national legislature amended its law on elderly to require that adult children should visit their aging parents "often", or risk being sued by their parents.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presents a memorial medal of Norman Bethune to Premier Li Keqiang on Aug 30, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
A memorial medal, made 43 years ago honoring the work of an inspirational doctor, was presented to Premier Li Keqiang by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when they met in the Forbidden City on Tuesday.
"I am honored to present Premier Li Keqiang a memorial medal of Norman Bethune, which was made in 1973 during my father's visit to China," Trudeau said on WeChat.
The Canadian physician Bethune was well-known and widely respected in China. He has been seen as symbolizing friendship between the two countries for treating wounded Chinese soldiers and sick villagers against Japanese invaders during World War II.
Trudeau is on an eight-day visit to China, including three and a half days in Beijing. He will also go to Shanghai and Hong Kong and will attend the G20 summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
In 1973, his father Pierre Trudeau was the first Canadian prime minister to visit Beijing, three years after the establishment of diplomatic ties. He also visited the Forbidden City.
Pierre Trudeau made 50 medals of Norman Bethune and presented two of them to Chairman Mao Zedong and former Premier Zhou Enlai.
Trudeau also posted pictures of his trip to Beijing, including meeting with entrepreneurs and the moment when he presented the medal.
Red Army veterans will receive pro bono clinic services by specialists from Beijing as the government launches a one-week campaign, starting from September 3, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced on Thursday.
The government will send nine teams of medical doctors and nurses to nine old revolutionary base areas, including Ruijin in East China's Jiangxi Province, and Yan'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
Medical organizations across China will also set up free clinic stations to serve the general public, with special treatment for veteran soldiers, including free medical examinations.
"We expect 20,000 medical facilities to join this movement, and we project that 15 million people will benefit from this nationwide," said Li Dachuan, a director from the Commission in charge of the event.
The opening ceremony will be held on September 3 in Ruijin, the starting location of the Red Army's Long March. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the success of the Long March, when three armies, led by the Communist Party of China, joined forces in Northwest China's Gansu after a two-year-long march.
Pan Jianwei(center), chief quantum scientist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), gives a gift to Students at Zhongguancun No1 Primary School in Beijing. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn]
Students at Beijing's Zhongguancun No1 Primary School received a very scientific first class of the new semester on Thursday, as Pan Jianwei, chief quantum scientist of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), gave a lecture entitled "Value of Science".
The speech, given at the school's opening ceremony, gave students a brief introduction to the history of science and well-known scientists. Pan then introduced the basic concept of quantum mechanics and quantum communication, and its value in modern science.
"Many fantasies, like clairvoyance and clairaudience, have become reality in science to some extent," said Pan, chief scientist of pilot project of quantum scientific experimental satellite at CAS. "I hope what I said today would give them some basic impression of the science and hopefully guide them to be scientist one day."
China launched the world's first quantum communication satellite named "Micius" on August 16. The technology is expected to help build a hack-proof communication system, among many other uses.
China has been trying to improve its scientific strength both in professional fields and at the popular level.
"I've been following Chinese science for 12 years, and the level of Chinese science is skyrocketing," said Mika Tirronen, counselor of education and science, Embassy of Finland, Beijing.
"This is because of long-term education, not only taking place in universities, it started from primary level."
"We encourage the students to take part in science activities at a young age," said Liu Chang, principle of the school. "We hope to plant the seed of science in them."
Snow-covered mountains look over the Isfjord in Svalbard, Norway in this June 1, 2012 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]
ST. PETERSBURG -- China ranked first in the number of tourists that visited Frantz Josef Land Archipelago and Novaya Zemlya Archipelago in the Arctic region in 2016, Russian Arctic National Park said on Thursday.Nine round trips to these archipelagoes were organized during the 2016 tourist season, the park said, adding that 269 out of the 954 tourists were Chinese citizens.Different animals -- whales, beluga whales, narwhals and polar bears -- were seen during practically every voyage, according to the park.Russian Arctic National Park witnessed the largest number of tourists in 2015 -- 1,255 people. It plans to organize 10 round trips to the Arctic archipelagoes in 2017.
Fancy a free Kindle? Take this Long March quiz.
As I clamber aboard a minibus for a leg of the Long March 80th anniversary press tour, I have no idea what to expect. I've never been to this part of China and, as all the materials I have been provided are in Chinese, I barely know when we will be having meals.
Getting on right behind me is Liu Chong, deputy head of the information bureau, Office of the Central Leading Group of Cyberspace Affairs. As the bus pulls onto the highway, he turns to me.
"I'm glad you're here. Historically, foreign friends even joined in the first Long March."
As the only laowai (foreigner) in the platoon of 50 journalists along for the tour, it's nice to know I'm not the one setting the precedent. But it got me wondering who those other influential foreign tag alongs were that have come before me.
There is, of course, the famous Otto Bruan. A German-born, Soviet-trained military advisor, he is often depicted in movies and on statues as part of the main decision-making body of the Red Army. Although I'm an American, I am also in China to act as an advisor, but I feel like my comparison with Bruan ends there. I stack paragraphs of text, not columns of troops in formation. I also hope Liu isn't anticipating me making as many blunders as Bruan, such as his failed anti-encirclement campaign that lost tens of thousands of troops. The worst I can do is misspell a couple words.
Am I similar to Bi Shiti, the famous Korean soldier who joined the Red Army after being driven from his home country by the Japanese? Nope. Bi was a competent and brave warrior, often at the tip of the spear for campaigns to seize resources or secure safe passage for the rest of the army. The bravest thing I'm likely to do on this trip is sample Hunan food that is much, much spicier than the Beijing fare I'm used to.
Then there is Rudolf Alfred Bosshardt, a Christian missionary who translated maps and helped acquire medical supplies for the Red Army in 1934. Now here is someone I can relate to. Bosshardt was a storyteller and wrote a book about his experience. The book, "The Guiding Hand: Captivity and Answered Prayer in China," was hailed by Bosshardt's commanding general, Xiao Ke, as the most accurate account of the Long March ever written by a foreigner. Maybe I can get Deputy Head Liu to say something similar about my chronicles of this experience, especially because I'm the only foreigner along for this trip.
But as kilometers tick by on the odometer, I realize I may have a different role all together. I can provide an outside perspective on a piece of history that my fellow reporters have known for all of their lives. I can shine a different colored light on issues we encounter that have already been framed in a certain way by media that has come before us. And I can be completely, unapologetically silly, interacting with the locals in a way that allows them to let down their guard and engage with us in new ways. Through this I hope my platoon of reporters can discover and report on something not yet discussed as we follow the route of the Long March.
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Four score years ago, the Chinese Red Army clinched the victory of the 25,000-li (7767 miles) Long March from 1934 to 1936. Here are some foreign participants we will never forget.
Hong Shui, a general of two countries
Hong Shui (known as Nguyen Son in Vietnam), inspired by late Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh, took part in the Chinese revolution and went on the Long March undertaken by the Red Army.
He was the only foreigner who went through from the founding of the Chinese Red Army to the victory of China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
Hong was conferred the rank of Major General of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1955. He was also a Major General in the Vietnam People's Army. It is rare for someone to be a general of two countries.
Hong was born in 1908 in Hanoi, and came to China in 1925. He entered Whampoa, China's first modern military academy, in 1926, and joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) the next year.
Hong was versatile and was highly appreciated by late Chairman Mao Zedong. During the Long March, he made great contributions to the publicity of the Red Army and the Party, inspiring the Red Army soldiers and winning support from the masses.
After his troops suffered several setbacks and were finally disrupted, Hong set off on the Long March alone. Having gone through all kinds of hardships and difficulties, he managed to walk to Yan'an, Shaanxi Province in early 1936.
In 1945, Hong returned to Vietnam to fight against French colonialists. He came back to China in 1950.
In 1956, a year after he'd been made a major general by the Chinese government, Hong was diagnosed with lung cancer. He returned to Vietnam and passed away in October of that year.
For two times during the Long March, Hong was mistakenly accused as an international spy and was expelled from the Party. He was readmitted to the Party after CPC central committee corrected the accusations in time.
His Chinese name means "flood." It was said that he once likened himself to a torrent of water, charging irresistibly through life's rugged landscape, against all the odds.
Li Tianmei showcases Dongjin in Tongdao Dong autonomous county, in Hunan province, August 30, 2016. [Photo by Wan Lijun/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
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Dongjin, or the Dong brocade, has recorded the history of the Dong ethnic group for thousands of years. Now it is helping them move out of poverty.
The technique, well-known for its rich colors and exquisite patterns, has been passed on from mothers to daughters of Dong ethnic group for more than 2,000 years. It was listed as one of the state-level intangible cultural heritage list in 2008.
Li Tianmei, a resident of Lanxiang village, Tongdao Dong autonomous county in Hunan province, is one of the few national inheritors of the technique.
Li, 69, started to learn the craft from her mother when she was 12 years old. By the age of 15, she could independently complete the whole process of making Dongjin.
"When weaving, you have to bind silk threads and tapes of various colors to your waist and legs while moving feet and hands at the same time," Li said. "Pieces of Dongjin slowly come to life with the squeaks of the loom."
The process is complicated and has more than 10 steps, including cotton ginning, spinning and dyeing, with the most difficult being counting the threads.
"The hundreds of thousands of threads must be counted and organized carefully one by one, otherwise the patterns will be distorted and the surface uneven," Li said.
Due to unstable income from weaving, the pressure to earn money was mainly shouldered by her husband. One time her husband was so stressed that he set her loom on fire.
Bu Li never gave up her passion. She began adding various modern elements into the old art.
"Dongjin is a craftsmanship left by our ancestors. We can't afford to lose it. We are responsible for attracting more young weavers to carry it forward," She said.
Aiming to encourage more inheritors, she established a school in the village to teach residents the skill with the support of local government in 2009.
The work is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Weaving a scarf may sometimes take a skilled worker up to one month. Therefore the price is also very high.
Li said that her family could make 3,000 to 4,000 yuan by farming. After the establishment of the institute, her average annual family income reached 40,000 yuan ($5,990).
So far, more than 3,000 women have learned the craft from Li. Many of them now make Dongjin in their spare time at home, earning extra income ranging from 10,000 to 60,000 yuan every year.
Many designers from foreign countries, including Italy and Netherlands, also come to her school to study the ancient art.
Moreover, the Tongdao county government has established a company to promote Dongjin. Besides selling the products in physical stores, the company is exploring a broader market through e-commerce.
"With the support of the government, I will continue to pass on the technique," Li said.
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A farmer sells kiwi fruits in Changputang village, Fenghuang county, Hunan province on Aug 31, 2016. [Photo by Xiao Yi/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
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"If you have a daughter, don't marry her to any man from Changputang since nothing grows there except calamus."
This is a well-known saying in Fenghuang county, Hunan province for many years. However, finding a wife is no longer a concern for single men in the village now and the lands once occupied by calamus are now an orchard full of kiwi fruits, grapefruits and watermelons.
The Changputang village of Fenghuang county has a population of about 2,800. Most of the residents are of the Tujia ethnic group.
Before 1980s, the village was in extreme poverty due to limited land, lack of water and dilapidated roads. The per capita arable land was about two mu (0.13 hectares). The residents, with an annual average income of 600 yuan ($90), grew rice and corn for a living.
Since 1982, villagers began to grow crops such as watermelons and cucurbits.
"We didn't have confidence back then so we chose crops with short growing periods," said Wang Anquan, an official of Changputang. "Just in case they don't grow well, we could change to rice and corn." To his surprise, the venture was greatly successful.
Encouraged by their first experiment, farmers in the village introduced a special kind of tangerine from Zhejiang province, which brought an extra income of 2,000 yuan for every mu. Meanwhile, the income for rice was only 500 yuan per mu.
During the following years, the village further diversified its products with kiwi fruits and grapefruits.
In 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping visited Changputang during an inspection tour.
Xi said that better technology and a bigger market are needed to improve agriculture in the village. He advised villagers to keep an eye on the market and look ahead. Xi also encouraged them to work harder.
In the same tour to southern Hunan, Xi said alleviating poverty in the region should be done with targeted policies, including improving agriculture and education.
Agriculture is the key economic engine in southern Hunan. From 2011 to 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture invested 1.23 billion yuan to boost development in the area. Today, southern Hunan is the largest base for lilies and kiwis in China.
Today, the Changputang village can produce 6.5 million kilograms of fruits worth 35 million yuan. The average net income has reached 7,000 yuan per year. The net income of 90 percent of the fruit farmers is above 30,000 yuan. Every family has tap water and cement roads.
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China's decision to invite a record number of developing countries to the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou is a smart move that reflects a new approach to managing the organization, observers said.
They noted that Hangzhou is a pioneer in upgrading industries, and inviting more developing countries to be part of discussions in the city will further facilitate sustainable development of the G20 mechanism itself.
Invitations to the first five countries - Chad, Laos, Senegal, Egypt and Kazakhstan - were confirmed by Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he addressed the media with his visiting Laotian counterpart early last month.
Sponsored by the Chinese Consulate in Johannesburg, CAYA and GIBS co-hosted China Culture Day on the GIBS Sandton Campus in South Africa on Aug 30, 2016. [Photo/people.cn]
A Chinese cultural event was held at South Africa's top business school for the first time on Tuesday, Aug 30.
The business school of the University of Pretoria, the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) hosted the event on its Sandton campus. Speakers included the Chinese Deputy Consul General in Johannesburg, Ren Xiaoxia; GIBS lecturer Matthew Birtch, Mandarin SA representative Lance Long, and chairman of the China Africa Youth Association, Ken Chun. Guests from both South Africa and China enjoyed a traditional Lion Dance, Chinese cuisine and Chinese movies after the seminar.
Ren took the opportunity to explain the importance of such concepts as the Chinese round-table dinner, modesty and respect for teachers. She also pointed out that Chinese culture is a large and ever-changing concept, so much so that even Chinese people can't fully comprehend it.
"Culture is prone to misunderstanding for people who didn't grow up within that particular cultural context. It is not an easy task to understand another culture - especially Chinese culture - for many South Africans. I'm glad that such initiatives keep us on track to get to know each other better," said Ren.
Birtch noted that, because the Chinese economy is vital to Africa's development, South Africa should find a way to align itself with Chinese business culture. Long then elaborated on the cultural differences between South Africa and China. He listed several barriers such as South Africa's colonial history that have challenged Chinese companies wanting to enter the South African market. Chun concluded by affirming that, according to Hofstede's Culture Dimensions theory, China and South Africa have a lot in common.
A painting by Peng Pi. [Photo provided to China Daily]
A lithograph graduate of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Peng Pi, 32 and based in Beijing, has been painting on canvas. His productivity has resulted in several oil painting and lithograph series over the past decade.
His upcoming solo exhibition, titled Wildness and Calmness, at Beijing's First Sound gallery, shows his latest development in oil painting, displaying a dozen works inspired by his travels in Southwest Chinas Yunnan province.
The rich color scheme and carefree strokes bring the audience into the wild forest, underlying which the painter expresses his solitude attitude toward the buzz of city life and search for inner tranquillity.
The exhibition will run from Sept 3 to 9.
A painting by Peng Pi. [Photo provided to China Daily]
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A painting by Chen Jun. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Chinese ink art as a time-honored tradition has been changing since it was born. It transformation became even radical at the dawn of the 20th century along with the introduction of Western art. Today, ink art is deeply incorporated into the field of contemporary art as artists are making experimental attempts.
In Ink, an exhibition to be unveiled at Royal College of Art Gallery in London, glimpses into the diversity of a younger generation of Chinese artists who work with the medium of ink. Their approaches are more personal and avant-garde to reveal the spirit of their generation, with unrestrained will.
Featured artists include Yan Hualing, Hang Chunhui and Peng Jian.
The exhibition will run from Sept 7 to 13.
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Chinese indigenous brands Sanshi and Yimo presented new collections in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Chinese indigenous brands Sanshi and Yimo presented new collections in Beijing on Aug 16.
Both brands highlight natural materials like cotton and linen, promoting traditional, eco-friendly lifestyle. The collections use handmade cloth and hand printing, catering to both business and casual occasions.
Sanshi and Yimo were founded by Designer Tao Tao in 2009 and 2013 respectively. Tao has also founded Sanshi Lifestyle Space that promotes the Asian lifestyle. She is also a longtime patron of the Chinese band Sanshi.
Jewelry pieces designed by Shirley Zhang. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Western brands like Cartier and Tiffany have been sought after for years in China, but now they are going to be joined by a slew of new designer brands.
The Shenzhen Hemei Group announced in Hong Kong on Aug 29 that it has formed a strategic alliance with Bluebell Group, a Hong Kong-based branding company, and investment firm Orion Partners, to tap the consumer goods market in China.
The three have formed a new company that will find and nurture indigenous designer jewelry brands, as well as overseas ones.
The company has named Chinese jewelry designer Shirley Zhang as its creative director.
As of now, the new company has signed up more than 30 designers from China and Europe to help build brands for the Chinese market.
Of the three companies that have come together to form the new venture, Hemei seems like the most unlikely.
Hemei, a leading manufacturer of smart electric meters, however, got its first taste of fashion through Make Lumer, an affordable diamond brand, and apparently liked it.
The company is now also involved in tourism, capital management and new energy.
West Lake fish in vinegar is a signature Hangzhou dish found in various restaurants in the city. [Photo provided to China Daily]
If I ever go into the restaurant business, I pray for a reputation like that of Louwailou.
But perhaps I wouldn't live to see it. Like many of the world's most famous restaurants, Louwailou earned its acclaim over many generations. There is some debate about when the place opened, but 1838 or 1848 seem likely.
There are also a romantic mix of stories about its founding. Unlike today, when restaurants dot the waterfront of West Lake, back then there was not a good place to eat in the area, the story goes. The owner had failed the imperial examination for scholars, but he and his wife had developed skill cooking fresh fish and shrimp which they sold on the street in their hometown of Shaoxing. After the deaths of their parents, they moved to Gushan (Solitary Hill) on West Lake and made their living by boating and fishing. At some point the boss was inspired by Lin Sheng (1163-1189), a poet in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), who wrote: "The green hill besides the mountain and a house sets outside another building, ceaseless dances and songs along the West Lake, the breeze that makes us inebrious..." Giddy with delight, he founded the restaurant now famous for "enjoying delicious dishes and beautiful scenery together".
The restaurant's setting lives up to such exalted sentiment. It glows on the lakefront, and a separate dining room is literally docked out front, for private parties for those with some cash and clout.
On land, the main dining room is a sea of white tablecloths and fast-moving waitstaff. After more than 150 years, the place draws a crowd and there's always a wait unless you happen to arrive as we didat 10:30 am when the restaurant opens. By 11 the place was full and a line had formed out front.
The specialty here is sweet-and-sour carp, and our platter arrived with two whole fish under a sauce that was dense without being gloppy. In Hangzhou style, the "sour" was a little more dominant that the "sweet", making the dish less cloying than some Shanghai or Cantonese variations on this theme.
"When prepared and presented well," the menu advises, "the dish will be served with erect pectoral fins with eyes looking up and have a tasty flesh, integrating delicious sweet and sour flavors as well as the taste of carp."
We ordered that right away (it's 208 yuan or $31 for 500 g), then started our meal with a platter of sweet lotus root and a local beer, followed by an intriguing side dish of wild vegetables with melon seeds, peanuts and pinenuts.
Next came beggar's chicken, which has its own sweet story from long ago: Unsure what to do with it, a beggar put a chicken in a lotus leaf and buried it in the mud. Later, eager to feed a hungry friend, he dug up the chicken and put it whole, still wrapped in the lotus leaf and mud, into the fire. "When he opened the mud casing," our menu recounts, "the aroma and tenderness of the chicken cooking in its own juices was heavenly". Since then, the dish has been a Hangzhou specialty, the story goes, with more local flavor added by using Shaoxing wine inside the lotus wrap.
These fun tidbits from the menu, by the way, are in English as well as Chinese, so guests from far away can enjoy the lore of the West Lake cuisine as much as the locals do. Crystal shrimps sauteed with Longjing tea, Dong Po-style braised pork, hot-and-sour fish soup, crispy rice with shrimp, and Hangzhou-style soup with sea cucumber, abalone, shark's fin, dried scallop and ham are all on offer, explained in similarly charming detail.
The restaurant has served many famous personalities over the years including Sun Yat-sen, late Premier Zhou Enlai and writer Lu Xun, as well as many foreign dignitaries and celebrities.
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Qishuping: Guizhou's only Qiang village By Yang Fan ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2016-08-30
Chinas Qiang ethnic group has a lineage which dates back more than 3,000 years. Today, most Qiang live in the mountainous areas in northwest Sichuan province, however there are a small number living upon a mountainside in Guizhou.
The Qiang people of Qishuping village are descendants of the Hu family which fled war torn Sichuan as the Ming Dynasty (13681644) came to an end, finally settling on Fanjing Mountain.
Today the village is home to some 289 Qiang people all sharing the family name of Hu. Qishuping sits upon the eastern face of the mountain at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters, sheltering itself from harsh weather.
At the entrance to the village, three ancient trees stand tall in front of a backdrop of stone buildings and fortified watchtowers. Running through the middle of Qishuping, a stream trickles along its mountain pathway, providing fresh water to the village.
Facing south, households in the village are able to get more sun. Many buildings in Qishuping were built with archery holes in the walls so that they could be used in defense against an attack.
According to the Qiang calendar, the villagers celebrate the New Year on Oct 1 of the lunar calendar, and divide each year into 10 months consisting of 36 days each. It is vitally important in Qiang culture to return to the village or hometown on New Years Day each year.
Upon the New Year, Qiang people take part in a ceremony, setting fire to reeds and offering sacrifices to make contact with higher powers. Offerings are given, such as preserved meat, pigs heads, and grains, to wish for health, favorable weather and good harvests.
As there are only a small number of Qiang people in Guizhou, the local government sends a proportion of the children to Sichuan province each year to learn more about the culture of the ethnic group, such as its language, traditions and etiquette.
Hu Zhengyong is the 14th leader of Qishuping. He explained that life in the village is not the same as it once was, as the people seek to find ways to improve farming conditions and social wellbeing. We have started making handicrafts and growing crops to increase revenue in the village, Hu said.
The local government of nearby Taoying town is also hoping to create a tourism industry around the village and has invested 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) in infrastructure. An activity square and an exhibition hall have been built in the village, allowing visitors to learn more about Qiang history and culture. I hope tourism can help to preserve our culture and at the same time increase peoples income, said Hu.
Donald Trump flew to Mexico just before a highly anticipated immigration speech in Arizona tonight, and met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.
After the meeting, Trump says the two men discussed a wall that the U.S. GOP presidential nominee has promised to build along the US/Mexico border. Trump says they did not discuss his often repeated demand that Mexico will pay for it. The Mexican president responded, and effectively said that Trump's version of events was not true.
"Who pays for the wall? We didn't discuss," Trump replied when asked by a reporter during a news conference following his meeting with Pena Nieto in Mexico City. "We did discuss the wall. We didn't discuss payment of the wall. That'll be for a later date."
Pena Nieto tweeted a response.
Al inicio de la conversacion con Donald Trump deje claro que Mexico no pagara por el muro. Enrique Pena Nieto (@EPN) August 31, 2016
"At the start of the conversation with Donald Trump, I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall," Pena Nieto tweeted after the Wednesday meeting.
He then tweeted that the conversation moved on to other topics.
A partir de ahi, la conversacion abordo otros temas, y se desarrollo de manera respetuosa. Enrique Pena Nieto (@EPN) August 31, 2016
The Trump campaign later said the discussion "was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate." It continued, "It is unsurprising that they hold two different views on this issue, and we look forward to continuing the conversation."
The two men met and spoke at Los Pinos (The Pines), the Mexican president's official residence and office. The Trump campaign announced the visit late Tuesday evening Pena Nieto had earlier extended an invitation to both presidential candidates. Trump is traveling back to the U.S. Wednesday night to give a speech on immigration in Phoenix. Trump's position on immigration has waffled in recent days. At one point he appeared to back away from his previous support of mass deportations for the people in the U.S. illegally. He has since sought to clarify his immigration stance, and this latest push on immigration is part of that effort. He remains deeply unpopular with Hispanic voters. His visit to Mexico was also widely opposed by the public there. There were some protests in regards to Trump's visit. Two of Trump's closest advisers, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, joined Trump in Mexico.
So it's clear right now from both sides that EPN told Trump at the start of the meeting that Mexico wasn't paying and Trump didn't respond Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) September 1, 2016
Trump's visit, and Pena Nieto's failure to hold Trump accountable for his racist comments about Mexican people, were widely protested in Mexico.
Even more: Mexican pres. saying he strongly expressed to Trump, no paying for the wall. "Position non-negotiable." https://t.co/ZIMzXaQGcm Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) September 1, 2016
Trump surrogate just now: We left the press behind because we didn't want a photo op Trump surrogate this afternoon pic.twitter.com/kLCBxF152D John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) September 1, 2016
Pushback from Mexico: In mtg, President was strong that Mexico does not pay for the wall. Position not negotiable. https://t.co/jG5boFsiCg Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 1, 2016
Francis Bacon, the 16th Century British statesman, observed that: "Time is the greatest innovator". Two months ago, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, and both Europe and the rest of the world felt the shock. Post-Brexit Britain is now in a time of adjustmentwith the coming of a new prime minister, a new government and new policies. The China-UK relationship is also entering an important historical period with new development opportunities.
I have had the honor to have been China's Ambassador in the UK for the past six and half years. From this unique vantage point, I have been deeply impressed by the extraordinary progress made in China-UK relations in recent years. This progress was highlighted by President Xi Jinping's successful "Super State Visit" to the UK last year, which greatly advanced bilateral exchanges and cooperation across the board. During that visit, the two countries agreed to build a global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century together.
Such a strong relationship and close friendship between China and the UK has extensive popular support in both countries, since it serves the fundamental interests of our two peoples and benefits world peace and development. Both countries have worked hard to come this far and both should cherish what has been achieved. Experience tells us that the important fundamentals for a healthy and stable China-UK relationship have remained unchangedour two countries need to respect each other, treat each other as equals and attach importance to each other's core interests and major concerns.
Next year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations between China and the UK. As I reflect on what this relationship has gone through and envision its future, I am convinced that a number of steps need to be made in order to maintain the momentum in the relationship and bring more benefits to our peoples. Below is a course of action I believe the two countries should follow.
First, we must make continuous efforts to build stronger political mutual trust. Mutual trust is the foundation for cooperation. Progress in China-UK bilateral ties is always powered by mutual understanding, support and friendship between our two peoples.
It is natural that our partnership will be accompanied by differences of views, as China and the UK differ in political systems, development stages and cultural traditions. But the old Chinese saying, "truth does not fear contention", embraces the spirit that can be followed to advance relations. Being fair in a dialogue requires the ability to "stand in others' shoes". Candid and in-depth communication and thinking from the perspective of one's interlocutor will help to build trust, expand consensus and clear misgivings.
Since the new British government took office in July, China has reiterated its unchanged commitment to growing ties with the UK. The new British government has also stated its position of attaching importance to relations with China.
At a recent meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, Minister of Finance Lou Jiwei introduced the draft of the Environmental Protection Tax Law.
Currently the State collects cleanup fees from enterprises that discharge pollutants for others to treat, and there have long been calls for reforming the fees into a tax framework with stricter standards.
According to the draft, the tax will mainly target air pollutants, water pollutants, solid waste and noise pollution. It was planned that carbon dioxide would be included, too, but the draft does not include CO2.
It was in Europe that environmental protection taxes first emerged. Such taxes increase the operating costs of polluting enterprises so as to discourage capital from investing in high-polluting industries.
However, there are those who oppose such taxes. Some claim the collection of an environmental protection tax "legalizes" pollution, because the polluting enterprises think they have purchased the right to pollute.
Therefore even if the environmental protection tax becomes law, there need to be strict environmental standards, and the enterprises with excessive pollution should be punished, even held responsible if their pollution is as serious as a criminal offense. Only with joint measures can pollution be curbed.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at Abe's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, January 28, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]
Diplomacy is not simple math. By ignoring this fact, Japan again failed to trade checks for political payout from African countries at the recent Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development summit in Nairobi.
Japanese diplomats had burnt the midnight oil to lobby African countries to put issues beyond Africa's development in the Nairobi Declaration, which was issued on Aug 28. What Japan expected were remarks on United Nations reform and the South China Sea issue to counter China.
But the fact is, less than half of the African countries participated in the summit and the talks on drafting the declaration stuttered as some delegates were unhappy with Tokyo's plan to make the declaration political.
With natural resentment against any move reflecting colonial era politics, the African countries opposed Japan's attempt to impose its will upon them and bring Asian issues to Africa.
As a result, Kenya didn't issue a joint statement with Japan after a bilateral meeting between their leaders on the sidelines of the summit, although Japan's Kyodo News Agency claimed on Aug 29 that such a joint statement was released. And as the declaration shows, Japan had to agree with the African countries' views.
Moreover, the contents related to maritime issues in the declaration are confined to the field of maritime security cooperation among African countries.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did announce that Japan would invest $30 billion of public and private funds in Africa in the next three years. But Tokyo should realize checks cannot buy respect, particularly on a continent that values genuine friendship.
Africa should not let itself be used by Japan to politically challenge China, nor should international forums such as the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou and the upcoming East Asia Cooperation Leaders Meetings in Laos.
Hostility, if not ended, will continue to eat into Japan's diplomatic resources without yielding any political returns.
DAMASCUS, Aug. 31 -- At least 50 rebels were killed and over 70 others wounded on Wednesday, when the Syrian army foiled militants' attacks in the central province of Hama, state news agency SANA reported.
The Syrian army was engaged in violent clashes with the rebels in the northern countryside of Hama on Wednesday, said SANA, adding that the rebels foiled several attacks on the towns of Soran and Taibet al-Imam.
The northern countryside of Hama has returned under the spotlight after the rebels carried out repetitive attacks on government positions in that area.
No clear reason why the rebels carry out such attacks, but it's part of their effort to get the army busy with more than one front to reduce the pressure on rebels in other parts of northern Syria.
Recent reports said the rebels in the northern province of Aleppo are reeling under fresh pressure by the Syrian army, which has reportedly closed the routes to the besieged rebel-held areas in the eastern part of Aleppo city.
The northern region in Hama is also close to the northwestern province of Idlib, a key stronghold for the rebels' Jaish al-Fateh, or the Army of Conquest.
SANA said the rebels there unleashed their attacks from areas close to Idlib.
Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff attends the final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil, August 29, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
BRASILIA - A few short hours after Dilma Rousseff was impeached as president of Brazil, her former vice-president and political ally-turned-enemy, Michel Temer, was sworn in as her successor.
At a special session of Congress, after the playing of the national anthem, Temer was sworn in. He was surrounded by the president of the Supreme Court, Ricardo Lewandowski, the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, and the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia.
Temer will serve as president until Dec,31, 2018.
The new president did not make a speech but has already recorded an address to be broadcast live to the nation Wednesday evening.
Temer twitted on his account, saying that "I swear to uphold, defend and fulfill the Constitution, observe its laws, promote the well-being of the Brazilian people, sustain the union, integrity and independence of Brazil."
After the swearing-in ceremony, Temer was set to host his first cabinet meeting as full president. After this, he is to fly to China, where he will participate in a number of events, culminating in the G-20 Summit, to be held in Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5.
Shortly before the swearing-in, Dilma Rousseff vowed "a firm and energetic resistance against the putschist government."
Gao Min shows her work at a gingerbread decorating event at Leeds University's British-born Chinese Society. [DAVID YU/FOR CHINA DAILY] Thousands of British-born Chinese, or BBCs, face questions almost every day about their backgrounds.
They also deal with the challenge of forging personal identities in a country where many people will initially presume that they are visitors.
Britain is home to more than 433,000 Chinese, according to the 2011 census, with about a third of them born in the UK. They often find themselves caught between two cultures.
Clumsy questions such as But where are you really from? are familiar to BBCs. At home with their families, they may encounter different challenges, often raised by parents who are unaccustomed to British social norms and habits that their children have assumed as second nature.
British-born Guo Jinjin, a 20-year-old medical student at Leeds University whose parents moved to the UK from Nanjing, Jiangsu province, said, When I first found a boyfriend and I was invited to his house, my parents didnt feel comfortable.
When my parents were younger back in China, they didnt go to the opposite sexs house alone.
Tackling cultural duality has an impact on well-being among BBCs, according to Heung Chingchu, who conducted a study at the University of London on the development of their ethnic self-identity.
Heung found there was positive correlation between feeling comfortable with growing up among two cultures and self-esteem.
Anna Chen, a British writer whose father comes from Guangdong province, said that even the term BBC does not appropriately describe her identity.
I want to change this to Chinese Britons, because I think British has to be at the core of the term, Chen said. This is how I see myself, as a Chinese Brit, because I was born and raised in Hackney.
Guo Jinjin, vice president of Leeds Universitys British-born Chinese Society, said that since the European Union referendum was held in June, she had noticed an upturn in verbal abuse from white Britons.
Someone will drive by in a car and shout stuff at you like go back to your own country or chinky, she said.
What is clear is that ethnic Chinese work hard at school and that many succeed in the workplace up to a certain point.
In 2010, researchers at Bristol University found that Chinese students in British schools gained more top grades than their white British counterparts in every General Certificate of Secondary Education subject.
In the same year, the National Equality Panel found that a fifth of Chinese men were employed at management level, a higher rate than all other major ethnic groups in the UK.
However, Chinese women experienced a wider gender pay gap than other ethnic groups in Britain despite having higher qualifications.
In 2009, researchers at the University of York found Chinese in Britain were strongly represented in the service and hospitality industries, in medical and veterinary jobs, and in the retail and construction sectors.
But Chinese are underrepresented in certain jobs with high public profiles.
British-Chinese actress Elizabeth Chan wrote in The Guardian, Although we are the fourth-largest minority ethnic group in the UK, we are virtually invisible in public life principally the arts, media and politics.
The Chinese community in the UK is more diffuse than most ethnic groups. Many families working in the service industry in rural areas are the only Chinese in their communities.
Guos family moved to a village outside Lincoln, where she was the only Chinese girl at her secondary school.
There was some teasing from the other kids, she said. When I moved to Leeds, I had a lot of people asking me, Where are you from? Id say Lincoln, and theyd look at me like, no, youre not.
Guo said that for much of her youth she felt a strong desire to suppress the differences she had with her classmates, and didnt feel she belonged in either the UK or China.
When Im in China I feel more British, because of the differences in the way I grew up, she said. When Im in Britain I feel more Chinese, because I look different.
For Guo, celebrating her differences came with age. She now feels that she is able to use the access she has to two cultures to her advantage.
Chinese culture has become a bigger part of my life, she said. Ive embraced the fact that I am different. I get to experience British culture and Chinese culture and I think I am a better person for it.
angus@mail.chinadailyuk.com
The World Bank Group is a key multilateral development institution dedicated to reducing global poverty and supporting development. On the selection of President, China is supportive of the "open, merit-based and transparent" principles.
Dr. Jim Yong Kim assumed office in 2012. Since then, he has been working earnestly on the reform of the World Bank Group, setting the twin goals of "ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity", promoting global economic recovery and development with a vision of leading the World Bank Group to be better and stronger. Under his leadership, the World Bank Group has been strengthening cooperation with client countries, providing tailored solutions to them in a demand-driven approach and with greater development impact. It is also highly commended that he guides the World Bank Group to closer partnership with other Multilateral Development Banks and the private sectors for more results on global poverty reduction and development.
Dr. Kim also made great efforts to deepen the comprehensive cooperation between the World Bank Group and China. Substantial achievement has been made in lending, knowledge and international development cooperation. Such work brings about not only economic development in China and the world, but also development of the World Bank Group itself. In Particular, Dr. Kim's support to the cooperation between the World Bank Group, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank has enhanced the overall strength of the multilateral development system as a whole and is conducive to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
China appreciates the impressive achievement and leadership of Dr. Kim in his first term. China supports Dr. Kim's re-election as the World Bank Group President for a second term. China expects the World Bank Group to play a greater role in the global development agenda with greater contribution to global development cooperation, poverty reduction, economic recovery and growth.
(Source: Ministry of Finance)
Photo taken on Jan 6, 2014 shows technicians work on the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) in Turkey. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING - The Chinese railway industry has become a means of diplomacy as China's bullet trains and high-speed rail have become buzzwords in the news coverage of meetings between Chinese leaders and their overseas counterparts.
Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University, said "high-speed trains mark China's rising power and influence globally."
As an advocate of the Chinese high-speed railway, Premier Li Keqiang has made all-out efforts during many foreign trips to highlight the country's high-speed rail technology, saying it ensures cost-effective projects without sacrificing quality.
In October 2013, Li's speech at the Thai parliament was widely reported by global media outlets, with many focusing on his "sales pitch" on behalf of China's railway industry.
One month later, he stressed the advantage of Chinese railway equipment and technologies in addressing a trade forum between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in Bucharest, Romania.
In May 2014, Li said at the headquarters of the African Union in Ethiopia that China would actively participate in infrastructure projects in Africa and build a high-speed rail research center in the continent.
He has pushed for bilateral cooperation in the railway sector during his other overseas trips, including that to Britain in June 2014 and the four-nation tour in Latin America in May.
An internal memo from a key Democratic Party electioneering group tells candidates to listen but "don't offer support" for the "concrete policy positions" of Black Lives Matter protestersand offers tips on getting past it. Whatever you do, don't say all lives matter! "This is the worst response," the memo warns.
The 2015 memo was allegedly swiped by hackers supporting Russian efforts to influence election season in America.
"Presidential candidates have struggled to respond to tactics of the Black Lives Matter movement," reads the memo, sent by a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee staffer in November. "While there has been little engagement with House candidates, candidates and campaign staff should be prepared. This document should not be emailed or handed to anyone outside of the building. Please only give campaign staff these best practices in meetings or over the phone." If approached by BLM activists, campaign staff should offer to meet with local activists," the memo reads. "Invited BLM attendees should be limited. Please aim for personal or small group meetings." "Listen to their concerns," it continues. "Don't offer support for concrete policy positions." The memo includes advice on what, exactly, to say to Black Lives Matter activists. It recommends avoiding phrases like "all lives matter" and warns not to bring up "black on black crime," since the "response will garner additional media scrutiny and only anger BLM activists."
BLM responded:
Editor's note: From poverty reduction and railway construction projects to political and trade cooperation, relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have developed rapidly. China Daily looks back at the milestones along the road to regional prosperity as Premier Li Keqiang attends a series of meetings in Kuala Lumpur.
July 1991
Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen attends the 24th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, marking the start of the China-ASEAN dialogue.
July 1996
China becomes a full dialogue partner of ASEAN.
December 1997
The first informal China-ASEAN Summit is convened in Malaysia, during which it is agreed to establish a good-neighborly partnership of mutual trust for the 21st century.
December 1997
The first ASEAN Plus Three Summit (China, Japan and South Korea) is held in Malaysia.
November 2002
China and ASEAN sign a framework agreement on comprehensive economic cooperation, in which they agree to launch the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.
November 2002
China and ASEAN members sign the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
October 2003
China and ASEAN establish the Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity during the seventh China-ASEAN Summit. The Chinese government also announces its joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
November 2004
The first China-ASEAN Expo is held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. China and ASEAN also sign a free trade agreement on trade in goods.
January 2007
China and ASEAN sign an agreement on trade in services.
December 2008
Xue Hanqin is appointed China's first ambassador to ASEAN.
August 2009
China and ASEAN sign a free trade agreement on investment.
January 2010
The China-ASEAN FTA is established on schedule. With a combined population of 1.9 billion people, the area is the largest among developing countries.
September 2012
China launches a permanent mission to ASEAN.
A Chinese tourist wears traditional Malaysian headwear during a visit to Kuala Lumpur. Chinese are expected to be exempt from visa requirements if they visit Malaysia in groups of two or more. [Photo/Xinhua]
Malaysia is to further relax its visa policies for Chinese tourists around Spring Festival to boost arrivals.
Chinese are expected to be exempt from visa requirements if they visit the country in groups of two or more, but they must buy tour packages approved by the two nations' governments.
Malaysian Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said more than 100 million visits were made outside the Chinese mainland by Chinese last year.
Malaysia's tourism industry would benefit immensely if it could attract 3 percent of this total to visit during Spring Festival, the minister said.
Ctrip, an online travel service provider in Shanghai, said the new visa policy could increase the number of tour groups visiting Malaysia.
"In October, Malaysia introduced visa-free policies for Chinese tour groups. However, they only apply to groups of at least 21 tourists traveling on direct flights," said Dai Yu, Ctrip's marketing director.
China ranks third in Malaysia's top 10 tourist source markets after Singapore and Indonesia.
However, the number of visits made to the country by Chinese tourists has dropped sharply since the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in March last year.
The Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board said the shadow cast by MH370 has now lifted and the number of visits made by Chinese tourists could reach 2 million by the end of this year.
Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Malaysia from Friday last week to Monday will also help boost tourism in the country.
Tuniu, another online travel service provider, said it has become a trend for tourists to follow in the footsteps of high-ranking officials.
A manager at the company, who declined to be named, said President Xi Jinping's visits to Vietnam and Singapore earlier this month have attracted more Chinese tourists to the two countries.
There are now nearly 200 flights a week between China and Malaysia, with a maximum capacity of 40,896 passengers.
suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn
Premier Li Keqiang sent a letter of congratulation on Monday to the China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week that opened in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province.
For the past 25 years since China established ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, people-to-people exchanges, including educational cooperation, have become a new force for the relationship and have shown great prospects for further exchanges, Li said in the letter.
The ongoing China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Year has nearly 300 events that are hosted in major cities from both sides, and China is willing to work with ASEAN countries to learn from each other and support to build a closer community, the premier said.
PHNOM PENH - Cambodia and China on Tuesday vowed to broaden bilateral trade relations for the benefits of the two countries and peoples, according to a statement released by the Cambodian side.
The statement was made after a meeting between Cambodian Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak and visiting Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng.
"Talks mainly focused on strengthening bilateral trade, including duty free and quota free treatment, and the exports of Cambodian rice and other agricultural products to China," the statement said.
"The two ministers underscored the 18 percent increase in Cambodia-China trade volume (to $4.4 billion in 2015), and agreed that Cambodia and China should do more to attract investment to Cambodia," it said.
Gao stressed that Cambodia is China's strategic trading partner under the "Belt and Road" initiative and ASEAN-China Framework.
According to the statement, China would assist Cambodia to organize the 1st Cambodia-China trade and investment forum in Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in September 2016.
It added that China would consult with relevant agencies to provide tariff preferences up to 97 percent of total tariff lines under the Duty-Free, Quota-Free Scheme as soon as possible.
Besides, China would consider increasing export quotas for Cambodia's rice to 200,000 tons in 2017 and encourage more Chinese enterprises to invest in Cambodia in the fields of food processing, light manufacturing, and agro-industry.
Also, China would coordinate with relevant agencies to continue the negotiations of the protocol on the exportation of broken rice, banana, mango, longan, cashew nut, pepper, coffee bean and soybean from Cambodia to China, the statement said.
Gao arrived here on Monday for a two-day visit to explore ways to broaden ties and cooperation between China and Cambodia.
A representative from State Polytechnic Samarinda in Indonesia tries a high-speed railway control system in Guiyang, Guizhou province, on Tuesday.ZENG JUN/CHINA DAILY
Chinese colleges signed strategic agreements with counterparts in Southeast Asian countries to train skilled railway transportation talent for ASEAN member countries.
The agreements, signed in Guizhou province on Tuesday, included Chinese universities at various levels - Beijing Jiaotong University and Guiyang Vocational and Technical College, for example - to jointly train international students in two-year college programs and four-year bachelor's programs.
As China has added contracts with ASEAN countries to build new railways, the need for technicians skilled in railway construction, operations and maintenance has grown.
Under the agreements, faculty members and students will be able to visit each other and exchange their experiences and programs.
It is the latest development in relations between Chinese schools and their Association of Southeast Asian Nations counterparts, after a deal on Monday at China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week established a railway transportation training league.
By Tuesday, 13 Chinese railway enterprises, including Chinese CRRC Corp and China Railway Group, 36 Chinese universities and colleges specializing in the railway industry and about 20 colleges from Southeast Asia, had joined the league, including Siam University in Thailand and the University of Surabaya in Indonesia.
"The league can enhance communication between colleges from China and ASEAN countries, increasing the number of international students and improving communication and cooperation between schools and enterprises," said Wang Hong, director of the Railway Transportation Commission of the China Vocational Education Association.
Liu Luming, vice-president of Guiyang Vocational and Technical College, said the school has 36 students from a province in Laos enrolled in courses related to the railway industry.
Laos and China have agreed to build a rail line between Vientiane, the Laotian capital, and Kunming in Yunnan province.
Zeng Jun contributed to this story.
Contact the writers at luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn
VIENTIANE - China on Thursday vowed to deepen economic and trade cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The pledge was made during the 15th China-ASEAN (10+1) economic ministers' meeting which was held here in the Lao capital on Thursday.
Speaking at the meeting, Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng highlighted the fruitful cooperation between China and ASEAN over the past 25 years.
He said bilateral cooperation in trade and economy has all along been a "ballast" and "propeller" in China-ASEAN dialogue relationship.
Pointing out that there is immense potential for cooperation in industrial capacity between China and ASEAN, the Chinese minister called for more efforts in this regard and building cross-border industrial chains.
China stands ready to work with ASEAN on cluster cooperation in such fields as railway, information and communication, chemical industry, engineering machinery and agriculture, he said, adding that enterprises from both sides are encouraged to carry out all-round cooperation.
The Chinese minister called for greater synergy between China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and development strategies of ASEAN member countries.
He said the two sides should actively implement projects in related areas for mutual benefit and win-win results.
Gao expressed China's willingness to support ASEAN's community construction and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 as well as to participate in the region's integration.
He said China will continue to provide development assistance as its capacity allows and help narrow the development gaps between ASEAN member countries.
China will also participate in the formulation and implementation of the master plan on ASEAN's connectivity and its post-2015 agenda, he added.
According to Gao, China will vigorously promote China-East ASEAN Growth Area cooperation and the Lancang-Mekong cooperation and provide financial support via platforms like China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund.
China will support ASEAN's centrality in pushing forward the conclusion of negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by the end of this year, he said.
China is also willing to expand cooperation areas with ASEAN by supporting economic and trade cooperation between China's provincial areas and ASEAN member countries, he added.
A joint communique on industrial capacity cooperation was approved at the meeting and it will be submitted to a commemorative summit marking the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relationship in September this year.
China is willing to work with all parties to build roads, railway lines, air and sea route networks in East Asia to improve regional connectivity and trade flows, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said on Thursday.
These goals can be achieved through the cooperative framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the minister said in Vientiane, the capital of Laos while attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Trade and Economic Ministers' Meeting, which also involved China, Japan and South Korea.
China is keen to work with partner countries to draw support from financial institutions including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund and the Asian Development Bank, to obtain funding for the projects.
"The Asia-Pacific Model E-port Network will become an important platform to promote regional trade facilitation and the development of supply chain connectivity," said Gao.
"China welcomes South Korea, Japan and ASEAN members joining this efficient network," he said.
Established in 2015 with members including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia and Canada, the APMEN applies new technology such as cloud computing, big data and the internet of things to create new opportunities for improving regional trade and supply chain connectivity.
"We will also work closely with all related parties to complete talks on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership by the end of this year," said Gao.
The minister said China will also offer necessary assistance to certain ASEAN members, with smaller economies, to build electronic ports.
China, Japan and South Korea remained the ASEAN's first, second and fifth-largest trading partners in 2015, respectively. The total trade volume between three countries and the ASEAN nations amounted to $708.6 billion last year, accounting for 41 percent of the region's foreign trade.
At the same time, China, Japan and South Korea invested $31.3 billion in ASEAN countries, taking 32 percent of the regions' foreign direct investment.
"We also wish to reach a consensus on the talks on a China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement as soon as possible to further cut trade costs, as well as create new market growth points for businesses in three countries," said Gao.
"As China, South Korea and Japan have solid industrial foundations and financial capabilities to carry out international production capacity cooperation, they are capable of accelerating the pace of industrialization and economic structure adjustment in the ASEAN region," said Lin Guijun, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
CHONGQING - A highway corridor linking Chongqing municipality and Southeast Asia, to be completed this year, is expected to drive trade between the southwest China city and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The corridor consists of three routes. A route that opened in April runs from Chongqing through Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to Hanoi, Vietnam. Another, stretching from Chongqing through the border crossing at Mohan, Yunnan to Vientiane, Laos, will open by September. A final route that goes from Chongqing to Yangon, Myanmar will also open this year.
Trucks travel 40 hours to complete the 1,400-kilometer trip from Chongqing to the Vietnamese capital, carrying mechanical equipment, building materials and auto parts to Southeast Asia, and bringing fruit, snacks and timber back to China.
More than 26 bus services have launched in the last two months, said Zhang Chunping, director of the management committee of the Chongqing Highway Logistics Base.
In the latter half of this year, two trucks will depart weekly from Chongqing, he added.
"The highway trade corridor has only started to take shape, but in three to five years, it will become a transportation artery and major trade route linking central China to ASEAN," said Li Muyuan, an expert with the China Communications and Transportation Association.
Chongqing authorities forecast that by 2020, regular truck services along the three routes will transport 20 billion yuan (about $3 billion) of cargo a year.
In 2015, trade between China and ASEAN reached 472 billion yuan, registering an annual growth rate of 18.5 percent for the past five years.
"Most of the trade, however, was between ASEAN and coastal Chinese areas such as the Pearl River delta in the south and Yangtze River delta in the east. Vast areas in the central and western provincial-level regions need to join," said Yang.
The Chongqing trade corridor will siphon cargo from the neighboring provinces of Sichuan, Hubei and Shaanxi.
"Chongqing is opening up to all directions, through Europe-bound railways to the west, Yangtze waterways to the east and highway transportation to the south," said Li.
Compared to shipping services, which take more than 20 days, highway transportation is cheaper and more convenient. Statistics show more than 80 percent of Chongqing's trade cargo is transported via highways.
"The trade corridor will bring new opportunities for cooperation between ASEAN and inland Chinese regions," said Allan Yang, director of the Laos-China Association for Promotion of Economy and Trade.
Laos has signed contracts with Chongqing to support cooperation in logistics.
ASEAN can also capitalize on Chongqing's Yuxin'ou rail network to Europe to expand the region's trade, Yang added.
China and ASEAN will need to cooperate more in customs inspection, clearing and port building to support the development of highway corridors, said Li.
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.
lixiaokun@chinadaily.com.cn
Zhang Yaozhong contributed to this story.
Tropical Storm Hermine officially reached hurricane status on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, reported NASA and NOAA's National Hurricane Center earlier today. When it makes landfall, it will be the first hurricane to hit Florida since Wilma in 2005. Hermine will probably touch down along the state's eastern Panhandle in the wee hours of Friday morning, and NOAA predicts that its force and the associated water surges will be "life-threatening."
It's hard to hold your phone steady when it gets bumpy! #Hermine has lots of convection on its east side ? @lbucci45 pic.twitter.com/bURfaFDRFd HRD/AOML/NOAA (@HRD_AOML_NOAA) September 1, 2016
#Hermine will pass over western Atlantic SSTs that are anomalously warm by 1-3C #passthepopcorn pic.twitter.com/89pKqlN28r Peter de Menocal (@PdeMenocal) September 1, 2016
The National Hurricane Center says Hermine is currently spinning over the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane. Big Bend will likely experience the first landfall along Florida's Gulf Coast around midnight, with a high chance of deadly storm surges that may reach up to 9 feet, coupled with intense rainfall and related flooding.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of the hurricane at 3:15 p.m. EDT (1915 UTC).
The image shows a much more organized Hermine with bands of thunderstorms wrapping around its low-level center and blanketing the entire state of Florida. The image was created at NASA/NOAA's GOES Project office, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The governor of Florida gave a stern warning to people who find themselves in the path of the storm today. Gov. Rick Scott struck an urgent tone in a state that may lack preparation because it hasn't been hit by a hurricane for more than 10 years.
"This is life-threatening," the governor told reporters in Florida's capital city, Tallahassee. "The storm surge, by itself, is life-threatening."
"We have not had a hurricane (landfall) in years," he said. "So many people have moved to our state (since) then, and we always have visitors."
People who are in Hermine's path "should have at least three days of supplies, and heed any mandatory evacuation orders along the coast."
Here are a slew of links from NASA to follow, to keep track of the storm's trajectory.
Here is NOAA's advisory, as of the afternoon of Thursday September 1, 2016.
The Tropical Storm Warning has been extended northward along the United States Atlantic coast north of Surf City to Duck, North Carolina, including the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued north of Duck to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, including the Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point southward, and the southern Delaware Bay. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT: A Hurricane Warning is in effect for... * Suwannee River to Mexico Beach A Hurricane Watch is in effect for... * Anclote River to Suwannee River * West of Mexico Beach to the Walton/Bay County line A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Englewood to Suwannee River * West of Mexico Beach to the Walton/Bay County line * Flagler/Volusia County line to Duck * Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for... * North of Duck to Sandy Hook * Chesapeake Bay from Smith Point southward * Southern Delaware Bay Interests elsewhere along the United States northeast coast should monitor the progress of this system. For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.
For updated forecasts, visit NHC's website at: www.nhc.noaa.gov.
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.
President-elect Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a news conference in his hometown Davao City in southern Philippines, May 16, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
As Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's special envoy, Fidel Ramos has become an icebreaker in Sino-Philippine relations. Former Philippine president Ramos' recent visit to Hong Kong to meet with "Chinese friends", including senior diplomat Fu Ying, is a good start to ease the tensions after an arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of Manila in a South China Sea dispute with Beijing last month.
But the question now is: How the two sides can improve relations? Under current circumstances, the rational choice would be to conduct practical cooperation for the benefit of both sides while keeping a low profile on the diplomatic front.
Since being elected in May Duterte seems to have adjusted the foreign policy of his predecessor Benigno Aquino III. Duterte is much friendlier toward China and has met with the Chinese ambassador to Manila a few times.
Interestingly, some former Asian state leaders labeled "pro-China" failed to successfully conclude their leadership roles.
Yukio Hatoyama, for example, resigned as Japan's prime minister in June 2010 after less than one year in power. Hatoyama courted controversy at home for his pro-China foreign policy.
Though there is little evidence to show Washington's role in these developments, the United States will certainly not be happy to see a pro-China leader assume power in a South Asian or Asia-Pacific country while it implements its "pivot to Asia" strategy. But it is also not in China's interest to see another Aquino III-style leader in its neighborhood.
It is still premature to say whether Duterte will tilt toward Beijing, especially when an increasing number of Asian countriesSri Lanka and Myanmar, for exampleare balancing their acts between great powers. The Philippines under Duterte's leadership could use a similar strategy.
If China sees Duterte's leadership in its national interest, it should not push him too hard to tilt toward Beijing. In this context, Ramos' recent visit to Hong Kong made sense because a high-profile Philippine leader's visit to the mainland at this stage could unnerve the US and Japan and thus could backfire.
With the Asia-Pacific witnessing greater power rivalry, it would be irrational to analyze Beijing's ties with Manila only on a bilateral level, as the influence of the US and Japan must be taken into account. Chinese and Philippine leaders will have more occasions to meet in the near future, including at the ASEAN-China Summit in Laos in September.
In the meanwhile, Beijing should focus on practical cooperation with Manila in areas like infrastructure, agriculture, fishing and tourism to benefit the people of both countries.
Poor infrastructure is, arguably, the biggest hurdle faced by the Philippines and other ASEAN countries in their pursuit of long-term development. And China can help the Philippines on this front.
Such efforts are not likely to help resolve the maritime dispute, but they can push bilateral ties forward. Moreover, the maritime dispute has not stopped the two countries from exploring cooperation. In late July, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region signed a landmark agreement with the Philippines' Palawan province, the first of its kind since the South China Sea arbitration.
Also, during their informal discussions in Hong Kong, Ramos and Fu explored possible human and ecological security options and suggested cooperation in fields such as fishing, tourism, trade and investment, and the fight against corruption to benefit both sides. Through their suggestions, Ramos and Fu emphasized the prospects of practical cooperation for the two countries.
The author is a staff writer on foreign affairs and international relations.
zhanghaizhou@chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (5th R) attends a reception commemorating the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relations in Beijing, capital of China, Aug 25, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING - A reception to mark the 25th anniversary of the dialogue relationship between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was held in Beijing on Thursday.
Before the reception, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with ASEAN ambassadors and representatives in Beijing, saying bilateral relations have made big strides over the past 25 years and contributed to regional peace, stability and prosperity.
China is willing to work with ASEAN to hold a successful commemorative summit marking the 25th anniversary of the dialogue relationship in September this year and to advance bilateral relations to a higher level, Yang said.
The ASEAN diplomats said China is the most active dialogue partner for ASEAN and ASEAN will work with China for a better relationship.
Yang and the ASEAN diplomats also visited an exhibition featuring China-ASEAN relations and unveiled a commemorative envelop to mark the 25th anniversary of the relationship at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
KUALA LUMPUR - As more and more Chinese companies tap into the burgeoning Southeast Asian market, expert and company officials expect localization to be a key aspect to boost industrial capacity cooperation between China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The long-time friendly ties and close neighborhood provide China and ASEAN countries with unique advantages in industrial capacity cooperation, especially under the Belt and Road Initiative, namely the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.
Lu Jianren of China-Asean Research Institute in Guangxi University sees great potential in cooperation between China and ASEAN that was built on solid foundation.
"In the past, we cooperated in traditional sectors like agriculture, now we are working on areas like infrastructure, industrial parks under the Belt and Road Initiative," he told Xinhua in a recent interview during a seminar in Malaysia.
Some ASEAN countries are lagging behind in infrastructure where China has advantages in expertise, he said, adding that China have also provided funding support through mechanisms like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Silk Road Fund.
China has long advocated win-win cooperation with ASEAN and Chinese companies are attaching greater importance to bringing in benefits to the local communities and industries.
Tang Zhimin, dean of international college at the Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Thailand, said more considerations should be put into ways in better matching China's industrial advantages with the demand of ASEAN countries.
"Localization is very important of industrial capacity cooperation," said Lu.
For China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, its ASEAN manufacturing hub based in Malaysia is a all-around exploration for the company to expand operation overseas and seek industrial capacity cooperation. The company has put localization as one of the top priorities.
"We use localization to seek breakthrough in industrial capacity cooperation," said Li Hong, general manager of the CRRC Rolling Stock Center.
One year into full operation at the facility, the effort has already bear fruits. In the 50-acre CRRC Rolling Stock Center in the Malaysian state of Perak, local technicians can be seen working side by side with Chinese counterparts.
"More than 80 percent of our total staff and more than 90 percent of the technicians at the production line are local recruited, as well as two of its four department chiefs," said Li.
"We also have our eyes on the future by sending some of the staff to further studies in China, fully funded by the company. We hoped that they could strengthen our management team in the future," he told Xinhua.
On procurement, the company has an office devoted to find, cultivate and support local suppliers, which amounted to some 300 ranging from equipment to transportation.
Li said the purpose of the CRRC's ASEAN manufacturing center was by no means simply sending in Chinese technicians to do the work, but also to boost local economic development and to train local expertise, a common believe shared by more and more Chinese companies.
In early September, China will host the 2016 G20 Leaders' Summit in its scenic city of Hangzhou.
But soon afterwards, it will hold a high-level event with the ASEAN, to take place in Vientiane, capital of Laos.
Big power club is for swopping ideas on some of the world's long-term issues. But no long-range relations can match the closeness between China and Southeast Asia.
The dispute of South China Sea, thorny as it may be, cannot overshadow the long-standing relations between the Chinese people and their southern neighbors, and even less the geo-economic future they are bound to share.
News, by the way, came on August 17 that China and the 10-member group already agreed to finish a framework for a code of conduct in 2017 to ease tension and avoid conflict in the disputed waters.
Indeed, in the age of globalization, geo-economics can be an important a kind of resource. One country can leverage its good neighborly relations to improve its global positioning. This is obviously the case for China as it is for ASEAN.
At present, according to Chinese data, except mutual import and export among the member countries, China is already the largest partner with the ASEAN, accounting for around 15 percent of its total trade, larger than the United States, EU or Japan.
In investment, in the first five months of 2015, mutual capital commitment between China and ASEAN exceeded US$160 billion. China foreign direct investment was certainly not a small amount in a time when most companies were hoarding cash.
The geo-economic relations between China and ASEAN have several aspects of significance:
First, ASEAN is an important bloc power, especially economically. The total value that its 10 member nations produced was US$2.4 trillion in 2013, close to the GDP of France.
According to OECD, for the 2016-20 period, ASEAN's average growth rate is projected to be the third in Asia, after only India and China (with India as the leader).
Most note-worthy is that this is perhaps the only regional economy that can keep growing on a generally low level of government debt.
Even in the most alarmist investment reports, the region can still turn out markedly better growth prospects than most other parts of the world. In all likelihood, this growth momentum will carry on, as the region is projected to become the fourth-largest economy in world in 2050.
Second, ASEAN has unique features. They don't easily go away, and are likely to result in closer ties between China and Southeast Asia.
Right now, Southeast Asian cities have taken over more and more processing operations relocated from China since 2008, to serve the markets in both the developed and more advanced developing countries.
Throughout ASEAN, the percentage of people living in the cities is projected to rise from about 47 percent in the mid-2010s to 56 percent in 2030 and then 67 percent in 2050, according to the UN World Urbanization Prospects (2014 revision).
This being the case, the region is really one of the few places in the world able to combine an abundant labor supply, many coastal cities and port facilities, and a large number of small, flexible processing factories.
Such operations may have a good chance to stay in Southeast Asia for not a short period of time, so long as they are matched by good public infrastructure and education.
The new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), founded in late 2015 on a Chinese initiative, can provide additional financing towards such purposes.
It is some time now when international investors are talking about the possibility for building "another China" in Southeast Asia. In order for that to eventually happen, local governments will have to learn to build and manage their common channel for enormous capital. But step by step, this will happen.
Thirdly, on the part of China, it must learn to be an all-round service provider to participate more successfully in ASEAN's development.
Despite its current slowdown and adjustment to new realities in the post-crisis world, China should really see it in a positive light that Southeast Asian countries are both picking up the manufacturing activities left from the Chinese shore.
China will receive due returns. In a post-crisis environment, business usually recovers more quickly in societies of lower income and simpler industrial activities. But the stability and prosperity of Southeast Asian economies will in turn increase the demand for Chinese machinery and services.
China-ASEAN trade was US$472.16 billion in 2015, accounting for 11.9 percent of China's total merchandise trade with the world. In 1991, the volume was only less than US$8 billion, accounting for less 6 percent of China's trade with the world.
Also according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, from January to May this year, the construction contracts that China received from ASEAN amounted to US$10 billion, showing an increase of 8.2 percent year on year. This was after a 41.2 percent increase in the construction deals that China received in 2015.
As ASEAN's sizeable middle-class is expected to be more than double in 2025 to include 125 million households, its new consumers will buy not only brands from the West and Japan, but also products from China.
For all the years since the 2008 global crisis, Southeast Asia has been an unsung hero in the world.
Despite all the seemingly messy ethnic, religious and territorial relations, people really can't name any major, insurmountable uncertainty when comparing with many other parts of the world.
All the nations here have managed to keep up stability, politically and financially. And by doing so, they have contributed to peace and development in the world.
They have supported no protectionism. They have curbed extremism.
Indeed, as a regional environment, one can hardly think of a better case in the world today. It is an environment that makes China feel both lucky and proud to be its neighbor.
The writer is Editor-at-large, China Daily (Asia).
Premier Li Keqiang is to attend the China-ASEAN leaders' meetings in Vientiane and pay the neighboring country an official visit from Sept 6 to 9, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
Laos assumes the chairmanship of Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year and hosts all ASEAN and East Asian summits along with other high-level meetings, which will bring hundreds of international delegations to Vientiane.
The premier is scheduled to attend the 19th China-ASEAN Leaders' Meeting, which also marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN ties, the 19th ASEAN-China, Japan and South Korea leaders' meeting, as well as the 11th East Asia Summit, according to the ministry.
Premier Li's trip will be of great significance to further develop China-ASEAN ties and promote regional cooperation in East Asia, said the ministry's spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
This year also marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Laos, Hua said. It will be Li's first visit to the Southeast Asian neighbor since taking office. He will hold talks with Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and other leaders to exchange views on issues of common concerns.
"I believe Premier Li's visit will bring the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new high level and more benefits to both peoples," Hua added.
YANGON - An expert in Myanmar on Tuesday stressed the need for the country to exert its best efforts in order to catch up with three other less-developed member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) in Economic Community building, out of three pillars of the ASEAN Community.
U Nyunt Maung Shein, chairman of the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.
Despite being a bigger country compared to other less-developed ASEAN member nations including Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos and having an abundance of human resources, Myanmar lags behind them and has to exert greater efforts to overtake them, he said.
He admitted that Myanmar's small and medium industries remain at a non-advanced stage in terms of technological knowhow due to financial difficulties related to sourcing loans from banks, which requires insurance such as land to qualify for a mortgage.
He pointed out that Myanmar's per capita annual income stands at just $1,200, the lowest figure compared to the three other less-developed ASEAN member countries.
With regard to the political-security community, he said ASEAN is not like the European Union (EU), which has identical foreign policies practiced among all member countries.
Cars move on a street in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, Aug 27, 2016. The 11th G20 summit will be held from Sept 4 to 5 in Hangzhou. [Photo/Xinhua]
The G20 summit in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, offers a unique opportunity to world leaders to discuss and decide on a coordinated strategy to address the multiple challenges facing the world, such as the projected decline of world GDP growth to below the long-term average, slowing down of global trade and dwindling investment flows.
Given that economic and geopolitical headwinds are shaking their economies and regions, G20 leaders need to cooperate more than ever to ensure sustainable growth. As G20 chair for this year, China has done a remarkable job in preparing for the Hangzhou summit.
In recent years, China has evolved from being an "innovation sponge"absorbing and adapting existing technologies and knowledge from around the worldto a global innovation leader in areas such as consumer electronics, high-speed railways, space technology and construction equipment. The country spends more than $200 billion per year on research, second only to the United States, produces close to 30,000 doctoral students in science and engineering, and leads the world in patent applications (1.1 million last year).
The Hangzhou summit is likely to be a turning point for the shift in the G20's focus from designing standards for global financial crisis to responding to future risks for sustainable growth when and where they emerge. And with the G20 being on track to deliver on its previous promise to address the economic fundamentals, this is the right time to modernize the global rules on governance of "inclusion, innovation, invigoration and interconnectedness".
China, on its part, needs to bring its grit to the G20 if it wants to shake off the sluggish growth and help the world move toward sustainable growth by unleashing the potentials of the four "I"s to create more opportunities for the world. In fact, the theme for the Hangzhou G20 summit is "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy".
Since the global community has agreed to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the world economy is expected to enter a key stage of inclusive and interconnected growth this year.
As an African proverb goes, "if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together". For the sustainable future of the world, both developed and developing countries should participate in global governance in the spirit of the Hangzhou summit's theme. Following China's experiences and think tanks' suggestions, the G20 should promote a public-private partnership model to facilitate innovations, including a public-private capital pool to increase productivity.
Besides, China's economic reforms are of great importance to comprehensive macro-finance, which the G20 can use as reference to create a common global framework to integrate global finance and the real economy.
To increase long-term investment, the G20 governance system should be expanded to include international financial institutions, in order to close the gap in infrastructure funding for regional projects to improve connectivity.
Moreover, an inclusive strategy will help boost growth in the G20 economies that have been suffering from economic slowdown, because such a strategy will stabilize public finance that safeguards employment and social welfare while encouraging productive investments.
Previous summits have offered important lessons for organizing G20 meetings. That China has worked out the best agenda for the Hangzhou summit suggests it has taken these lessons very seriously. And by leading the efforts to meet the global challenges, as evident in its summit's theme, China can make a huge contribution to economic, social and environmental prosperity of all.
The author is a senior economist at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, Indonesia.
BEIJING - Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said in Beijing Wednesday that its ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is entering the "period of maturity".
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will attend the 19th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 19th ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders' meeting, and the 11th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, from Sept 6 to 9, Liu told a news briefing.
Li will also pay an official visit to Laos.
Liu said Li's upcoming visits will help deepen China-ASEAN relations, promote the integration of East Asia and maintain regional peace and stability.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN, Liu said, and developing ties with ASEAN is a priority of China's peripheral diplomacy.
He said the two sides have deepened political mutual trust and achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation such as the new China-ASEAN free trade area agreement.
Moreover, China is the largest trading partner of ASEAN, and ASEAN is China's third largest trade partner, Liu said, adding that bilateral trade volume in the first half of 2016 reached $209 billion.
He said Premier Li will suggest making people-to-people exchanges a new pillar for China-ASEAN cooperation, and will stress China's constant support for ASEAN common community building as well as a bigger role for ASEAN in international affairs at the China-ASEAN leaders' meeting.
At the ASEAN-China, Japan and ROK leaders' meeting, Li will urge all parties to enhance cooperation in areas such as financial security, trade and investment, agriculture and poverty relief, connectivity, capacity and people-to-people exchanges, Liu said.
As for the East Asia Summit, Liu said the premier will introduce China's views on the summit's future development, and emphasize adherence to the positioning of the summit as a strategic forum, adherence to principles such as ASEAN-led, negotiations for consensus and accommodating all sides' comfort level.
China will urge the related parties to continue implementing the "Plan of Action to Implement the Phnom Penh Declaration on EAS Development Initiative", advancing cooperation in six key areas and sticking to the "two-wheel drive" of economic development and political security, so as to promote the sound and stable development of the summit, Liu said.
GQ interviewed everyone directly and tangentially responsible for (Jefferson) Starship's 1985 miasmic megahit, "We Built This City."
Bernie Taupin (lyricist, in 2013): The original song was a very dark song about how club life in L.A. was being killed off and live acts had no place to go. A producer named Peter Wolfnot the J. Geils Peter Wolf, but a big-time pop guy and Austrian record producergot ahold of the demo and totally changed it. If you heard the original demo, you wouldn't even recognize the song.
Grace Slick (in 2002): The Starship, I hated. Our big hit single, "We Built This City," was awful. I felt like I'd throw up on the front row, but I smiled and did it anyway. The show must go on.
See sample pages from this book at Wink.
Twisted History: 32 True Stories of Torture, Traitors, Sadists and PsychosPlus the Most Celebrated Saints in History
by Howard Watson
Firefly Books
2015, 176 pages, 7.5 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches (softcover)
$18 Buy a copy on Amazon
The careers of history's worst despots, murderers, assassins, and traitors are examined in this lurid and grisly page turner. The usual suspects are all featured: Hitler, Stalin, Jack The Ripper, Vlad The Impaler, and other unsavory characters. Some lesser known fiends, such as Gilles De Rais, the French nobleman who murdered 140 children in the 15th century, Lavrentia Beria, Stalin's henchman who was responsible for the execution of 22,000 Poles in the Katyn Massacre, Tomas de Torquemada, who executed 2,000 Jews during the Spanish Inquisition, and Thug Berham, the Indian serial killer who strangled almost 1,000 people, are also given a moment in the spotlight.
Comprised of a brief overview of the villains' crimes against humanity, with Fact Files showing their history, legacy, and circumstance of death, descriptions of their downfall and punishment, often including torture, and photos of their jail cells or gravesites, Twisted History keeps things short and sweet, compelling the reader to continue turning pages to see what unspeakable horror could possibly follow the last. The mood is lightened briefly by recounting the lives of honorable figures who've made the world a better place, such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Then it's right back to the scoundrels, the outlaws, the killers, and thieves.
Featuring bloodstained pages illustrated with vivid paintings, ancient wood cuts, and historic photos, Twisted History sums up the infamous lives and tragic death tolls of the worst people in history in about a half a dozen pages per monster, hopping from time period to time period and various parts of the globe. The book concentrates on the major bullet points, and those searching for a more in-depth analysis of the depths of depravity should probably hunt elsewhere. History buffs might be a bit disappointed that new ground isn't explored, but it's a good starting point for those interested in a brief visit to some of history's darkest hours.
S. Deathrage
(Photo : Getty images) The 11th G20 Summit is set to kick off in Hangzhou over the weekend.
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As the upcoming 11th G20 summit is set to kick off this weekend in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, authorities have invested billions in making sure that the streets are beautiful.
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A red banner greets you as you enter Hangzhou."Contribute to the summit by wiping out the four pests!" it says, referring to cockroaches, mosquitoes, and rodents.
The residents of Mantoushan, a middle-class community close to the venue of the G20 meeting, have seen great changes in their environment.
Roads and sewers have been constructed, and new story buildings have been brought up.
According to some residents, the new facilities are like a dream.
"China is getting richer and the government is taking care of us," said one resident "We never thought we'd see this kind of change."
The venue of the international summit has not been left behind.
A 24-hour fully equipped police force is supervising the venue to disperse unnecessary visitors. The venue has been decorated with flowers.
The venue where world leaders would be sleeping is also a site to see. Christmas lighting, Chinese lamps hang from trees. Billboards and posters have also been raised across the city. One billboard refers to Hangzhou as "the most beautiful and splendid city in the world."
The summit has not brought good news for everyone.
Wu Yuhua, a shopkeeper from Jiangxi province, is counting his losses until the summit is over as all construction sites and factories across the city have been shut down.
"All the migrant workers went home. All our customers were outsiders," he said. "There's no business, it's better to close."
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TagsG20 summit, china, Mantoushan
(Photo : Getty Images) John Kerry has called on China to accept the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the South China Sea dispute.
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US State Secretary John Kerry on Wednesday urged China to learn from India to respect the verdict of international tribunals as he once again called on Beijing to recognize the South China Sea verdict delivered by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in June.
Kerry made a reference to the India-Bangladesh maritime dispute case while speaking to students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in New Delhi, Times of India reported. Dhaka won the case after a United Nations tribunal court in 2014 awarded a substantial maritime area of the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh. India accepted and implemented the verdict without any protest.
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"India's decision to accept an international tribunal judgment regarding its maritime border with Bangladesh actually stands apart. This is the model to help potentially dangerous disputes in different danger spots...these can be resolved peacefully including [the] South China Sea [dispute," Kerry said.
Kerry added that there cannot be any military solution to South China Sea dispute, adding that the US would continue to stand by its allies.
China has been adamant that it would not accept the South China Sea verdict, regardless of international pressure. The international tribunal court's ruling dismissed China's historical claim over the maritime territory.
Since the verdict was delivered, China has been in overdrive to counter international pressure. Beijing's diplomatic effort ensured that South China Sea verdict was not mentioned in the joint statements of recently concluded ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and Asia-Europe Meeting
China has already warned against any discussion of the South China Sea issue ahead of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou next months.
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TagsJohn Kerry, south china sea verdict, South China Sea Dispute, China and India, china
(Photo : USMC) U.S. Marines F-35B stealth fighters.
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The United States Marine Corps sees combat lasers as its future weapon of choice in attack and defense and plans to mount these weapons on its fleet of combat aircraft and air defense units as soon as posible.
The advantage of combat lasers, also called directed energy weapons, from the Marine Corps' view is they don't require expensive ammunition and can also be used defensively against missiles and other aircraft at a much lower cost, said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command and Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration.
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He said that cost per shot ranges from $300,000 to $400,000 for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) beyond-visual-range missile carried by Marine F-35B stealth fighters. The cost of the 25 millimeter rounds fired by the GAU-22/A four-barreled cannon arming F-35Bs is also expensive .
Gen. Walsh also said the Marines are looking to mount lasers on its fleet of Bell AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters and even its Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor transport and troop carrying aircraft.
"As soon as we could miniaturize them, we would put them on F-35s, Cobra (attack helicopters) ... any of those kind of attack aircraft," said Gen. Walsh.
Lasers will lighten the Marines' logistical requirements, especially in ammunition (which is heavy and dangerous) by reducing the amount of powder and kinetic ordnance Marine units have to lug onto the field, he said.
In addition to its aircraft, the Marines also plan to arm its ground-based air defense units with combat lasers, said Gen. Walsh.
The Marines are working with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) on the Ground-Based Air Defense Directed Energy On-the-Move (GBAD) program, a ground-vehicle mounted high-energy laser system connected to air defense radar systems.
GBAD defends against aerial drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It aims to provide an affordable alternative to traditional firepower to keep enemy UAVs from tracking and targeting Marines on the ground.
Gen. Walsh said ONR has tested a 10 kilowatt laser with the system and "the intent is to move to a 30 kilowatt laser" that can destroy light vehicles.
The Marines' immediate need, however, is to arm its F-35Bs with lasers, said Gen. Walsh. He said mounting a laser on board an F-35 is "absolutely" something the Marines are definitely interested in.
The Marines will start along this road by mounting a laser system on a Lockheed AC-130W Stinger II gunship. Gen. Walsh said this gunship is a better fit for the test because of its huge size, weight and power. He admitted it's been a tough job reducing the size lasers so they can arm smaller aircraft like fighters.
Despite these challenges, Gen. Walsh said laser weapons will be increasingly critical for the Marines in the future.
"It's very important. It's where we want to go," he said.
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TagsUnited States Marine Corps, Lasers, Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, F-35B stealth fighter, Bell AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter, MV-22 Osprey
(Photo : http://www.mi.com/en/minote/) The first generation Xiaomi Mi Note is expected to have its upgraded version anytime soon.
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The latest leaked imaged of Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has reportedly confirmed the specs that are expected from the Chinese brand.
The new set of live images, accordingly, has given consumers a glimpse of what the upcoming smartphone has to offer.
According to GSM Arena, the curved screen of the device was very apparent in the new snaps.
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Among the expected specs that Xiaomi Mi Note 2 would boast of are the Snapdragon 821 SoC, 5.5-inch OLED display and internal memory options of 6GB RAM and 128GB.
Moreover, it was theorized that the device would be offered in two different editions - one would be with 1080p resolution while the other would come with QHD.
Commenting on the report, JohnRupesh wrote, "I hope Xiaomi puts in a larger battery this time unlike previous gen mi note."
However, when it comes to its official release date and price, no details have been disclosed.
It was noted, though, that the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 might come soon considering the frequency that leaks have been observed online.
Per The BitBag, the anticipated upgraded Mi Note from the Chinese tech firm might already be available between Sept. 2 and 7.
It was surmised that the announcement would be made during the IFA 2016 event in Berlin, Germany.
While the new leaked images have not revealed "screen-related configurations," the site shared that its display could be within 5.5-inch and 5.7-inch with 2K resolution, the trend these days.
Being a high-end unit, the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 might just be the saving grace following the reportedly "lukewarm response" to the Xiaomi Mi 5, as the report stated.
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(Photo : Getty Images) China and Canada have agreed to negotiate further to find a long term solution to the impasse over canola imports from the latter.
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Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that China has agreed to extend the deadline for new restrictions on Canadian canola exports beyond September 1, as both countries agreed to negotiate further to find a long-term solution to the problem.
Trudeau made the announcement in Beijing, after meeting the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, CBC News reported.
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"We're happy to reassure Canadian farmers that [at] the Sept. 1 deadline we will be able to continue with the current regime of canola and we [would] work together very closely towards a long-term solution in the coming days and weeks ahead," Trudeau said.
China's Premier Li Keqiang told reporters that both sides have "shown flexibility'' on the issue, and he is confident that both parties would make some mutual adjustments after taking into account the larger picture of the China-Canadian trade and diplomatic ties.
The canola issue had cast a shadow on Trudeau's maiden visit to China, with a high-level Canadian delegation visiting Beijing to meet Chinese officials earlier this month to resolve the issue. However, the meeting failed to resolve the impasse.
With China being one of the largest markets for Canada's canola industry, the Canadian government can ill afford to lose control over the lucrative market. Canada exports nearly four million tonnes of canola seeds to China, every year, which is about 40 percent of Canada's annual canola seed exports.
China has expressed reservation over high dockage level found in Canadian canola. The dockage level denotes the quantity of plants, weeds and other foreign materials found in canola. China claims the high level of dockage gas the potential to spread blackleg diseases to crops in the country.
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TagsChina and Canada, Canada, Canola Dispute, china
(Photo : TASS) A Russian air defense system and its radars.
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Russian media reports the Russian Aerospace Forces has an operational air defense system that makes use of the country's vast GSM network (the same network used in mobile phones) to detect and track enemy missiles and aircraft intruding into Russian airspace.
This heretofore secret air defense system, which is identified as the "Rubezh airspace control system," is capable of detecting cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and low-flying aircraft such as supersonic B1-B Lancer bombers of the U.S. Air Force, said the Russian newspaper Izvestia.
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The paper said 2G cellular networks that use base stations to relay information with radiofrequency signals create stable electromagnetic fields. Metal objects such as missiles and bombers cause disturbances in these fields, thereby alerting the Russian defenses to the existence of an invader.
There are over 250,000 cellular networks base stations operating in Russia and this network is expanding.
Base stations will record the interference caused by any airborne metal object that crosses the electromagnetic field of a GSM network. Rubezh determines the coordinates of the invader with high precision by analyzing signals from base stations that recorded changes in the field. This result is achieved by using the Doppler Effect and triangulation.
Once Rubezh acquires and identifies the target, the system transmits the data to Russia's National Defense Management Center, and to Russian Aerospace Forces command and control centers for air defense systems.
Rubezh is being described as an innovative, cost-efficient solution that will greatly enhance the capabilities of Russia's anti-missile and anti-aircraft defense systems.
Ruselectronics, a Russian state-owned company that produces up to 80 percent of all Russian electronics components, will showcase the Rubezh airspace control system at the upcoming Army-2016 expo from September 6 to 11.
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TagsRussian Aerospace Forces, air defense system, GSM network, Rubezh airspace control system, Izvestia
(Photo : JSDF) Japan's Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile.
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Japan's Ministry of Defense is requesting massive funding for a new anti-ship missile system to defend its Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea also claimed by China.
The funding request was made as part of Japan's record defense budget for fiscal 2017, the largest in the country's history. The country's unprecedented defense spending is being driven by relentless Chinese aggression into the seas surrounding the Senkakus.
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The ministry said it wants $50.12 billion in spending for fiscal 2017, 2.3 percent higher than the initial budget for the current fiscal year. The increase in defense spending is the fifth straight year the government has set a record defense budget.
The proposed budget calls for Japan to develop surface-to-ship missiles as well as air-to-ship missiles for its fighter jets and maritime patrol aircraft. The new surface-to-ship missile system is expected to have a range of 300 kilometers, far enough to reach the vicinity of the Senkakus.
Japan also plans to organize a mobile amphibious unit with more than 2,000 troops at a base in Nagasaki Prefecture. The budget also proposes funds to dispatch extra personnel to the Philippines and Vietnam to enhance intelligence-gathering in the South China Sea.
Japan is boosting expanding its military ties with Southeast Asian nations -- especially the Philippines -- which have their own disputes with China in the South China Sea.
The Senkakus are a group of uninhabited islands controlled by Japan located due east of Mainland China, northeast of Taiwan, west of Okinawa Island and north of the southwestern end of the Ryukyu Islands.
Over the past few months, Tokyo has filed more than two dozen protests through diplomatic channels claiming China Coast Guard vessels had repeatedly violated its territorial waters around the Senkakus.
Funds will also go to strengthening Japan Coast Guard installations in the southern islands of Miyakojima and Amami Oshima to counter China's increasingly brazen aggression in the East China Sea.
Japan last June warned China further Chinese military naval incursions in the waters off the Senkakus will compel Japan to take "necessary actions," including mobilizing the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The warning was prompted by a warship of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) entering waters just outside Japanese territorial waters around the Senkakus.
Analysts have taken this to mean Japan has drawn a clear red line with the warning that violations of Japanese sovereignty by the PLAN will be met by force.
China has since tested this red line by sending PLAN warships close to the Senkakus but not close enough to trigger a Japanese military response. In its most blatant challenge to Japan, China last Aug. 6 sent a fleet of 230 fishing boats protected by seven China Coast Guard ships to swarm the waters off the Senkakus. Japan lodged a strong diplomatic protest over the Chinese provocation.
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TagsJapan, Ministry of Defense, china, Senkaku Islands, anti-ship missile system, People's Liberation Army Navy, surface-to-ship missiles
Michael Jr. explains why he chose clean comedy and how kids influenced his decision Guest Reviewer | 01 September, 2016 by Michael Foust
CHICAGO (Christian Examiner) If every comedian had the same standard Michael Jr. has, the industry would be a lot more family-friendly and probably funnier, too.
Michael Jr., currently on an eight-city gig as part of his "Bringin' The Funny.... Stand Up & Be Encouraged" tour, has one standard: to put on a show that is clean enough for his entire family to watch.
"I made a deal with my kids: Anything that I say on stage, I want you to be able to repeat it," he told the Christian Examiner.
So far, it has served him well. Michael Jr., a Christian, has appeared on The Tonight Show, Comedy Central, Oprah, The Late Late Show, BET's ComicView and Jimmy Kimmel Live. He also is a staple for faith-based audiences and had a part in the 2015 hit movie War Room.
Michael Jr. says his career changed when he grew comfortable on stage and made the transition from someone who was "trying to get laughs from people" to someone who was "going up there to give them an opportunity to laugh." Such a perspective has a spiritual angle to it: Michael Jr. views comedy as his gift. It's also the reason he is comfortable performing at homeless shelters and in prisons.
"I literally am not there to get laughs," he said. "I'm there to give them an opportunity to laugh. If they want to take the opportunity, great, but if they don't, I still was obedient. I still did what I was called to do. ... [But] I've never been at a homeless shelter, I've never been at a prison, where they did not laugh."
The Christian Examiner spoke with Michael Jr. about the state of comedy in America. Following is a transcript, edited for clarity:
Christian Examiner: Comedy, in America, often gets branded as risque or adult-oriented. At what point in your life did you decide you wanted to do a cleaner form of comedy?
Michael Jr.: When I started doing standup. I really, really enjoy being around my family, and I remember thinking one time: I want my kids to be able to come see me perform. I made a deal with my kids: Anything that I say on stage, I want you to be able to repeat it. And I remember being in a club in Los Angeles performing, and there were some really well-known, big-time comedians. I brought my kids down to the club with me, and we were in the green room. And one of the big-time performers who you would know if I said his name said, "Man, my kids have no idea what I do. I don't even know at what point I'm going to explain it to them, because I don't know how to show them what I do." I'm just really blessed that I don't have to have that experience. I'm the same person at home. Then when I became a Christian, it just made more sense.
Christian Examiner: So you were doing clean comedy before you were a Christian?
Michael Jr.: Yes, absolutely. Before I was funny just to be funny, and now I'm funny for a reason.
Christian Examiner:Why do think so much of the comedy nowadays is driven by low-brow humor and sexually oriented humor?
Michael Jr.: I was just talking to a comedian friend of mine about this. Here's what happens on stage: A lot of times a comedian does a joke and he wants to be clean. If the first joke doesn't work and the second joke doesn't work and they start to sweat, then they throw out a four-letter word. They think they're getting laughs, but all they're getting is a reaction. But what's amazing is something similar is true with Christian comedians. They don't go to cursing; they go the opposite way. If they do a joke and it doesn't work, then they will start to flow into their testimony. It's almost a diversion: You divert to something else that you know they can identify with. The value is in standing up there and knowing who you are and presenting what you have, and just trusting that the funny will be there. If it's not, then that means you're supposed to be a doctor with a good sense of humor.
Christian Examiner: So is it harder to come up with something that is appropriate for all ages, or is it harder to come up with the stuff you might see on HBO?
Michael Jr.: From what I hear it's harder to come up with the clean stuff. But here's the thing: All of those guys who are in comedy clubs doing really, really dirty comedy, when it comes time to do The Tonight Show which everyone wants to do they then have to clean up their act. And what they find out a lot of times is there's not much there [left over], because you have to pull out the verbiage. It doesn't get as big a reaction from the audience.
*****
Following are the remaining dates on the tour:
Sept. 11 -- Dayton, Ohio
Sept. 18 -- Grand Rapids, Mich.
Sept. 25 -- Flowood, Miss.
Oct. 2 -- Peoria, Ariz.
Oct. 9 -- Visalia, Calif.
Oct. 16 -- Harleysville, Pa.
Nov. 20 -- Redford, Mich.
The first time Jason Chu heard a song that resonated with his Asian American experience was during his junior year of high school, when he heard Got Rice? by AZN Pride. The song struck a chord in Chu, who grew up being homeschooled and then being surrounded by primarily White and African American peers in Delaware. Chu eventually ended up performing the song for his high school talent show. It was his first performance in front of an audience.
There was something about being in front of everybody and saying something that resonated with me, Chu recalled, saying that in retrospect, he realized that this experience was a launching pad to his current career.
That element of telling relatable stories is particularly prominent in his upcoming album. Chu is set to release his fifth album, Arrivals, on Friday night with a live performance at the Pico Union Project in Los Angeles, the first of the many Arrivals Story Nights he plans to host across the country. At the Story Nights, Chu and other musicians -- including Joe Kye, with whom Chu collaborated to create Arrivals -- will not only perform some of the songs in the Arrivals album, but also listen to stories from the audience and perform them on stage through spontaneous poems and lyrics.
The idea behind the Story Nights aligns with the way Chu perceives his career, as something more than just music. By sharing stories, he hopes listeners who resonate with them would find healing, and also be empowered to share their own journeys.
I hate concept of celebrity -- it says that Im better, Chu said. But I want to let people know that we are you were telling you. Its about your story. Anytime you see me, you should be seeing you.
This philosophy of storytelling stems from Chus Christian faith and his background in ministry, he says. Chu had been involved in a college ministry at Yale University (which is also his alma mater) and served as a full-time staff at an international church in Beijing. Chu also studied at Fuller Theological Seminary.
Without faith, I wouldnt have cared about people the way I do, and ministry is all about serving people, Chu said. And the music that I love, the music that I had been writing it was therapeutic and a release for me, but it couldnt just be for me. It had to be for others too.
Chus songs explore some heavy topics. For instance, a song called Peter from his first album Much Love tells the story of a devoted church-goer who also has questions about his attraction towards other males, and unravels some of the internal and external pressures that he experiences. In Red Lines from the album Millennials, Chu opens up about his own struggle with self-harm and depression. Chu also talks of the first time he felt sexual attraction after looking at what is presumed to be a Victorias Secret poster of women in lingerie, and his internal battles with lust and porn in the song no angels, also from the album Millennials.
Its a complete lie that silence, or covering up, makes you stronger, Chu said. The work of sanctification and salvation that gets carried out in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit is precisely this stuff no longer fearing the darkness. The light in us has overcome the darkness; hiding the darkness just gives it more strength. And its just like saying that the light is not enough to overcome it.
This is also the reason that Chu said he hopes these topics would be more widely discussed in the church. While Chu was involved in ministry, he said he felt that the church often thinks of outreach as events or sprints; but he says simply having these types of conversations make the faith more relevant to the everyday lives of congregants and seekers.
You dont have to be a musician to be creative and to talk about abuse or depression, Chu said. You can get creative with your liturgy, with your Thursday night youth group. But in order to be creative, you have to be honest and fearless.
Theres art in discernment and discipleship, too. Are we creative in how we approach these issues, or are we safe? The opposite of creativity is safety, because if we just stay safe, nothing gets created, he added.
Though Chu himself no longer serves in ministry in a staff capacity, he says his aim to serve others is the same, whether within the church or outside of it, and doing even more than music. Chu has partnered with several groups, including with government agencies such as Alameda County and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) to speak out about issues such as mental health and bullying, and with mainstream media outlets like NBC Asian America to produce a series on Asian American musicians and how their religion affects their music, and vice versa.
Chu said these various roles give him different titles, such as hip hop and spoken word artist, as well as a host and cultural commentator.
Internally though, I think of myself as a speaker. Its all about giving voice to the things that need to be heard, always.
Near the end of Hell or High Water, David Mackenzies tragic and powerful Western/crime fusion, one of its principal characters speaks of being haunted by the events that have transpired over the course of the film.
His adversary suggests the troubled man should confront him again, in a more isolated venue. Maybe Ill give you peace, he says, euphemistically. Maybe, the troubled character shoots back quickly, Ill give it to you.
It would be hard for anyone who has ever attended a liturgical church service not to hear in such an exchange a bitter, cruel inversion of the ritualistic passing of the peace: the greeting of peace be with you and the reply, and also with you. It is both strange and yet somehow fitting that in a film filled with violence perpetrated on human bodies that this violence against language could have the capacity to pain the audience in equal measure.
But it does.
Hell or High Water begins in medias res. Two masked men terrorize a middle-aged woman opening a Texas Midlands bank. When she doesnt have the combination for the safe, they lay in wait for the manager to arrive, punching him in the nose despite his cooperation. Gradually their motivation is revealed. Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) is a convict who agrees to help his brother, Toby (Chris Pine), to rob enough banks to pay off a reverse mortgage and the back taxes on their family home. The brothers have less than a week before the bank forecloses on the property, and the stakes are raised by the fact that a contract for drilling oil on the land means the property will soon skyrocket in value.
Even before the films final confrontation, characters ...
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Every year or so, Hollywood turns out a romance shot in a picturesque locationusually written by Nicholas Sparksthat might as well be sponsored by Kleenex, for two reasons. One, because you'll go through reams of its most popular product (lotion or not, your pick) in the theater. Two, the movie's a lot like Kleenex: soft and comforting and even necessary sometimes, but easy to tear apart or melt, and meant to be tossed once you're done with it.
The Light Between Oceans, I'm happy to report, is not that movie. Instead of flattering romantic fantasies, it digs into the difficult truth about the world, and comes out with a hopeful realism that seems, after all, quite beautiful.
Directed by Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines), The Light Between Oceans is the old-fashioned story of a lonely lighthouse keeper (Michael Fassbender) and his wife (Alicia Vikander), who are deliriously happy in their wild, lovely island home until it becomes clear that their dream of having a child can only end in heartbreakthat is, until their prayers are answered in the most unexpected way.
Typically the film would end here, but there's more to this story, which is adapted from the bestselling 2012 novel by M.L. Stegman. The answers to their prayers depend on the heartbreak of someone else (Rachel Weisz), and so the film gains a backbone and a conflict that can't be easily resolved.
The Light Between Oceans is thematically rich, a clear morality tale about guilt, desire, and redemption that sustains an undertone of sadness. Here is the thing: we wreck one another's lives, and sometimes there's no clear fixno fix at all. Sometimes there's no way to hit the reset button. Redemption ...
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Your church holds within it a story. Whether in glory, fame, or failure, local churches are the pages on which we can read about Gods work in the world. Unfortunately, though, many of these stories remain on the shelves, or are at best shared only within their given communities.
At The Local Church, we want to change this.
Weve come to expect stories of God working through his people in many places. Whether its through a startup, college ministry, individual entrepreneurship, or community outreach, individuals are working as Gods agents everywhere. The reality, though, is that these individuals dont carry out their work alone. A biblically based, local congregationwhether as a support mechanism or the instigating agent, a refining tool or a sending structureis the core social underpinning of even the most influential Christians.
Scripture assumes the prominent presence and support of the local church in the lives of those who seek to carry out Gods purpose. Before his ascension, Christ establishes the church as his earthly hands. The entire book of Acts details the exploits of local church plants, complete with community-wide controversy, regular worship services, spontaneous revivals, and high-level leadership scandals. Christian ministrywarts and alltakes place first and foremost in the context of the local church.
Ive heard the true stories of local organizations gone wrong, and Ive experienced my share of frustration toward church politics, bureaucracy, and organizational freewheeling. Tales of congregations and leaders gone haywire have made many of us second-guess our need to even put up with the inevitable ugliness we find among the church ...
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home World American minister arrested in Russia for holding Bible studies
Baptist minister Donald Ossewaarde was one of the first to be arrested because of Russia's law against evangelism. Ossewaarde was accused of illegal missionary activity for holding Bible study meetings at his home in the city of Oryol.
Ossewarde was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine of 40,000 rubles on Aug. 14. The court did not give his lawyers enough time to arrive from Moscow, according to an email from his attorneys. He was then advised by the state-provided lawyer to pay the fine and not appeal his case.
"The problem is not the fine, which is about $700, but the fact that the court decided that Donald's exercise of his right to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ according to his beliefs is an illegal action," they said in the email.
Ossewarde believes that the case against him was an improper application of the law and intends to fight it. Ossewarde sent his family back to the U.S. but he remained in Russia to appeal the case. His lawyers, Vladimir Ryakhovsky and Konstantin Andreev, are optimistic about the outcome.
Ossewarde urged the Christian community to spread his story.
"I would ask all of my friends to think about how you might help to spread this story. After the appeals hearing, we can give more details to the media, but for now we will try to get the story out in this form," he said in a statement.
Ossewarde contacted several media outlets that have previously reported about Russia's law against evangelism. He hopes that the publicity will keep him safe and pressure the court to drop the case against him.
Forum 18 reported that there are four other individuals who were charged under the law against evangelism. Aleksei Telius, arrested on July 22, was fined 5,000 rubles. Ebenezer Tuah, arrested on July 31, was fined 50,000 rubles. Vadim Sibiryev, a Hare Krishna arrested on July 28, was acquitted. Aleksandr Yakimov, arrested on Aug. 5, is currently awaiting trial.
home World Benjamin Netanyahu urges students in Israel to read the Bible
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged students to study the Bible and their Jewish heritage at a cabinet meeting last week. He added that "excellence and Zionism" will be the basis of the revolution in education.
Netanyahu made the remarks in relation to the 2016-2017 school year that began on Thursday, Aug. 25.
"First of all, the study of the Bible," he said at the meeting. "We must make a major effort a this is the basis for why we are here, why we have returned here, why we stay here."
The prime minister stated that the study of the Bible and Jewish heritage will help students understand why they are in Israel. He also emphasized the significance of teaching about the contributions Jews made to society.
Netanyahu also pointed out the importance of knowledge to Israel's development. "Knowledge is a critical word," he said. "We want to give it to every child in Israel, Jews and non-Jews as one, religious and secular. This is the basis of the new world, and the basis of Israel as a strong nation in the world," he added.
The prime minister also recommended the use of the internet because it would enable teachers and students to communicate better.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett also affirmed Netanyahu's idea of introducing Zionism into the Israeli curriculum.
"We need to highlight our national values, Zionism, love of country and service to the state, and the strengthening of our shared Jewish roots."
Bennett also emphasized the teaching of the English language during the new school year. There will be 2,000 additional hours of English language lessons in schools as part of the campaign to improve language skills. He stated that every Israeli child should learn to write and speak English for easy job hiring in the future. The lessons will reportedly put an emphasis on practical skills instead of literature.
Another church leader falls victim to Russia's anti-evangelism law
A church leader has been arrested in Russia under the country's new anti-evangelism laws, days after a US missionary was convicted and fined for holding Bible studies in his home.
According to The Moscow Times, Sergei Zhuravlyov of the Ukranian Reformed Orthodox Church of Christ was arrested while preaching in St Petersburg and accused of "violating a provision of Russian anti-terrorist legislation that bans illegal missionary activity".
Zhuravlyov was later released on bail and is awaiting a court hearing.
The legislation he was accused of contravening was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on July 6 and came into force two weeks later. Under the new law, known as the 'Yaroyava' package, house churches are illegal and religious activity or evangelism is prohibited anywhere outside a registered church or religious site, including private homes and online.
Only named members of religious organisations are now allowed to share their faith, and even informal witnessing between individuals is forbidden.
Critics have branded it a draconian attempt to stifle religious freedom under the guise of clamping down on terrorism.
Sergei Ryakhovsky, head of the Protestant Churches of Russia, previously wrote with other evangelical leaders to Putin urging him not to support the law.
They argued the law "violates human rights and fundamental liberties with regard to religious freedom".
Last week, it was reported that the first known victims of the legislation had been convicted and fined.
Baptist preacher Donald Ossewaarde, a US citizen, was fined 40,000 rubles (more than $600) for holding and advertising religious services in his home.
In Moscow, Ghanaian citizen Ebenezer Tuah, who heads the Christ Embassy church, was arrested and fined 50,000 rubles after police raided a sanatorium where he was performing baptisms.
Barack Obama urged to use G20 China visit to fight for persecuted Christians
President Barack Obama has been urged to raise the issue of religious freedom in China when he visits next week for the G20 summit.
Obama will be in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, on September 4 and 5. The province has been the focus of a months-long campaign to remove hundreds of crosses from church buildings, although this persecution has lessened recently.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is calling on Obama to raise the issue of religious freedom with President Xi.
The commission also wants him to press for the release of prisoners of conscience.
Thomas Reese, the Jesuit chair of the commission, said: "As the Chinese government aggressively asserts itself on the global stage, at home it aggressively violates the human rights and religious freedom of its citizens.
"While these violations have intensified in Zhejiang Province, the location of the G20 summit, they also are taking place throughout China as the government seeks to repress the voices of individuals and groups advocating for their rights."
Large numbers of Christians live in Zhejiang.
Churches in Hangzhou have already been closed in advance of the G20 because of alleged security concerns and religious activities in all hospitals have been banned. Underground churches have also been ordered to cease activities.
The commission said that the Chinese government is continuing to use forcible disappearances, torture, detention and imprisonment to crack down on all religions.
Prisoners of conscience include Bao Guohua and Xing Wenxiang, imprisoned this year for opposing cross removals.
Bob Fu, president and founder of China Aid, which campaigns for persecuted Christians in China, was one of the seven religious freedom and human rights experts and family members invited to help prepare and advise Obama for his visit to China.
Fu told Christian Today: "As I explained to President Obama's National Security Advisor Ambassador Susan Rice during our meeting in the White House on Tuesday afternoon, the religious freedom and human rights situation in China has been the worst since the time of Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution in 1960s.
"President Obama and his Administration have failed the millions of persecuted Chinese freedom fighters and religious minorities in the past seven years by pushing these issues on the back seat of his foreign policy agenda to China.
"He should take this as his last opportunity to do something beyond the norm to not only raise cases of numerous arbitrary arrest of pastors, bishops and rights defenders, but more importantly to make a strong public statement along with our allies during his trip in Hangzhou to reaffirm American's long term commitment on the vital link between religious freedom, human rights and civil society with sustainable economic prosperity and international security.
"The whole world will watch whether President Obama will lead courageously for this effort during the G20 summit."
China: Canadian Christian Kevin Garrett jailed for spying will be treated fairly, says PM
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang promised yesterday that a Canadian Christian jailed on suspicion of spying two years ago would be treated humanely and lawfully.
Kevin Garrett ran a Christian coffee shop in Dandong, on the border with North Korea, and worked with North Korean refugees. Chinese state media said authorities had found evidence that Garratt worked with Canadian espionage agencies to gather intelligence in China. He was detained in August 2014 with his wife Julie, who was later released.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Beijing, Li said: "I want to say that China is a country with rule of law and our judicial authorities will handle it in strict accordance with the law, and give the relevant case humane treatment."
He said China would grant consular access in such cases if they involved foreigners:
"For these cases, the departments of both sides will continue to remain in touch and we believe it's essential for our two countries to remove disturbances and work together to uphold the other interests of China-Canada relations."
In a statement, Garrett's family said they were "extremely frustrated and disappointed" by the lack of progress over the issue. The statement said the family "implores the Canadian and Chinese leadership to set aside their differences and reach a resolution to allow Kevin to exit China and obtain critically needed medical treatment and to return to his family". It continued: "We appreciate the fact that both governments recognise Kevin's fragile medical condition and that his further incarceration would be detrimental to his health."
Trudeau said: "The foundation of a strong relationship is being able to be frank and open about concerns, questions and issues to work on together.
"That's part of why every time I've had the opportunity to sit down with the Chinese leadership I've highlighted a number of consular cases, including the Kevin Garratt case, and I continue to look forward to collaborating closely on these issues."
German police hunt man who tried to chop down giant border cross
German police say they're seeking a man who's launched a series of attacks on a giant cross near the Austrian border.
The suspect is said to have attempted to cut down the cross on various occasions.
The large wooden symbol is placed on the summit of the Schafreuter mountain which on the border between Germany and Austria. The cross was first attacked in May, then in July and again recently.
The latest attempt was spotted by a helicopter pilot who was flying over the mountain.
Police say they are unsure of the motive behind the attacks but have not ruled out the possibility that they are religiously motivated.
A German news outlet reported that the suspect police are seeking is "thought to be a man in his mid-thirties, around 1.80 metres tall, and fairly strong... with witnesses saying he had a foreign sounding accent".
If the motive for the attacks on the cross does turn out to be anti-Christian or anti-religious, it will join a long list of attacks on momuments to faith.
Iconoclasm is recorded in the Old Testament and throughout church history and remains an issue in parts of the world.
Ghana: Church launches five-year campaign against child trafficking
A five-year campaign against child trafficking has been launched by an Anglican diocese in Ghana.
The launch took place last Friday in Accra, where the diocese will build a new community shelter for children rescued from trafficking. It will also launch outreach educational programmes and take "pragmatic measures to address the root causes of child trafficking in the country," Graphic Online reports.
The Bishop of the Accra Diocese, Rt Rev Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, said the new shelter would offer vulnerable children a "brighter future".
"The rescued children who would be sent to the shelter would have a new home, get access to education and be assisted to develop their God-given talent," he said.
The bishop stressed the importance of raising awareness of the issue in Ghana, and said the diocese would seek to influence "national and international policies, laws and programmes that protect children and also push for law enforcement".
He added that poverty is the "main underlying factor for child trafficking in Ghana", and the Church would be finding ways to support deprived families.
The campaign is a joint initiative between the diocese and the US embassy in Ghana. The US Ambassador to Ghana said at the launch that the US had signed a $5million agreement with Ghana to help combat child trafficking.
According to the US State Department, Ghana is "a source, transit, and destination country" for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour.
The 2015 Trafficking in Persons report said: "Ghanaian boys and girls are subjected to forced labor within the country in fishing, domestic service, street hawking, begging, portering, artisanal gold mining, quarrying, herding, and agriculture. Ghanaian girls, and to a lesser extent boys, are subjected to prostitution within Ghana."
The report warned that there had been an increase in the number of girls and young women in greater Accra at risk of sex trafficking and forced labour.
Green Christianity: Thousands of UK churches convert to renewable energy
More than 3,500 UK churches have switched or have registered to switch their electricity source from fossil fuels to renewable energies, amid a new wave of Christian support for environmental activism.
Some 2,000 churches from 16 Catholic dioceses, the majority of Salvation Army facilities and a third of Quaker meeting houses have made the switch.
The figures, released by charities today, come alongside the official beginning of 'Creationtide', a season of celebrating creation, raising awareness of its plight and those most affected by climate change, which runs till October 4.
"There are many ways in which we may respond to the threat and the reality of climate change and adopting renewable energy for our church buildings must be a priority," said Rt Revd John Arnold, Bishop of Salford and chairman of Catholic aid agency CAFOD. He added that "by adopting renewable energy we will directly help people threatened, and most severely affected, by climate change".
The widespread Catholic support for green causes follows last year's encyclical from Pope Francis, Laudato Si, in which the pope called for a committed fight against global warming to protect "our common home". That encyclical was followed by the Catholic Church calling on the UN to agree a goal of 'complete decarbonisation' by 2050. September 1 has been marked by Pope Francis as the official World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (which the Orthodox church has celebrated since 1989). Pope Francis this week proposed adding care for the natural world to the seven "works of mercy" Catholics are meant to perform.
Many other church groups have joined the crusade; nearly 700 churches of various denominations have signed up up for new energy sources via http://www.bigchurchswitch.org.uk/, founded by Christian Aid and Tearfund. Christian Aid Chief Executive Loretta Minghella said: "We need a big shift to renewable energy and a shared commitment to leave the vast majority of fossil fuel reserves in the ground. This action by thousands of churches shows a groundswell of public support for renewables to which governments must respond by doing all they can to shift to a clean energy future."
Tearfund's Advocacy director Paul Cook called for urgent government action alongside church participation. "The longer we postpone, the worse it will be for our future and the future of people living in poverty around the world," he said.
The Church of England's lead bishop on environmental issues, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, said the groundswell marked "a shift in the Christian understanding of our relationship to creation under God", and invited Christians to "rediscover older traditions of a godly relationship of humanity to the wider created order".
He said: "One simple thing we can do in response to such a crisis is to switch to using clean energy in our homes, communities, schools and places of worship."
ISIS 'executes 9 young men by slicing them in half with a chainsaw'
ISIS militants have executed nine young men in Mosul by cutting them in two with a chainsaw, according to reports.
A source living in the city told Iraqi News: "ISIS fighters have executed nine youths of Mosul. The outfit accused that these youths belonged to an anti-ISIS resistance faction."
The source added that the sentenced handed down to the men specified that they should be "tied to an iron pole in the center of Tal Afar Square in Mosul and then sliced into two with an electric chainsaw".
Mosul, which lies on the Nineveh plain in northern Iraq and was once considered the heartland of Iraq's Christian population, has been under ISIS control since June 2014 when militants overran the city.
Since then, numerous stories of brutal executions have emerged. In June, eyewitnesses told ARA News that 19 young Yazidi women had been burned to death for refusing to have sex with jihadists.
The women were reportedly forced into iron cages and set alight as a crowd of hundreds watched on.
Last December, three imams were publicly beheaded after they refused to recruit young people to ISIS' cause.
Iraqi News reports that in total thousands of people have been executed in Mosul since the summer of 2014, the majority of whom were accused of cooperating with security forces trying to flush ISIS out of the city.
Islamic State names Pope as enemy number one
Islamic State has singled out Pope Francis as its chief enemy.
The Middle East terror group describes the pope as a "non-believer" in its latest publication. IS condemns him for "defending" homosexuals who it says have an immoral lifestyle, the Express reports.
The terrorists also attack the pope for seeking dialogue with "moderate" Islam. Such moderate Muslims include Imam Ahmed al Tayeb, of Al Azhar university in Cairo, Egypt, who IS says is apostate for describing Christianity as a religion of love and peace.
Pope Francis has insisted the war on terror being waged across the world is not a religious war. He admitted however that the world was at war, when he spoke to journalists on the plane to Poland for World Youth Day, after Catholic priest Jacques Hamel had his throat slit by two IS followers in France.
"Religions don't want war. The others want war," the pope said.
IS however insists it is waging a war of religion.
In a feature on Pope Francis headlined "In the Words of the Enemy", IS condemns the papacy as "pagan" and warns: "The religion of Islam will continue to be spread by the sword."
The group accuses Pope Francis of hiding behind "a deceptive veil of good will" in order to subdue Muslims through appeasement.
"While previous popes spoke against Islam due to the actual reality they faced, based on mutual enmity between the pagan Christians and monotheistic Muslims, recent popes and especially Pope Francis have attempted to paint a picture of heartwarming friendship, seeking to steer Muslim masses away from the obligation of waging jihad against disbelief," IS says.
"Completely disregarding his own Church's doctrine of judging homosexuals as immoral for engaging in the perverted act of sodomy, Francis has again sidestepped religion for the sake of public opinion."
IS accuses him of following "some devilish interfaith fantasy, far removed from the truth." It accuses him of trying to remove the Qur'anic duty to wage jihad against pagans.
Speaking at his weekly audience yesterday, Francis emphasised that faith in Christ brings salvation. It offers healing, restores right relationships and affirms the inviolable dignity of human beings, he said.
Muslim migrants are converting to Christianity in Switzerland
Increasing numbers of Muslim refugees to Switzerland and Germany are converting to Christianity, according to reports from the region.
The reports come after it emerged that in Germany, more than 2,000 Muslims have turned to Christ since 2014.
In Switzerland, the churches are not keeping a tally but counsellors on the ground are reporting similar trends.
The number of Muslim refugees who are converting to Christianity has increased during the refugee crisis, according to Switzerland's Counselling Centre for Integration and Religious Affairs.
Coordinator Kathrin Anliker told the Swiss edition of 20 Minutes: "In recent months we've been told mainly of Afghans and Kurds who have converted."
She said it could be to do with the radical interpretation of Islam that prevails in their own country and a resulting disenchantment among the population, which is leading to a new openness to other world views.
"On the other hand, it may also be that some who can now be baptised in Switzerland, were already Christian in their home countries but kept it secret for fear of persecution."
Philippe Datwyler of the Reformed Church in Zurich also reported many conversions to Christianity in Switzerland's free evangelical churches. "The strong piety and the family atmosphere that prevail in the free churches meet the needs of convertsrather than the somewhat non-binding regional churches," he told 20 Minutes.
The Free Evangelical community runs services for Iranians and Afghans, led by a Persian Pastor, with new refugees constantly seeking to sign up.
Anliker said there were three reasons behind the trend: personal conviction is the first, using the church to integrate into society is the second. Thirdly, a few misguidedly believe that converting will help their case for asylum.
She also noted that for Muslims, where some Islamists believe apostasy must be punished by death, conversion can be dangerous. People who convert can be threatened by Muslims in asylum centres, and it could be extremely dangerous for them to return to their home country.
Lea Wertheimer, of the State Secretariat for Migration, made clear that each case for asylum was judged on its own individual merit, and conversion made no difference.
The Counselling Centre for Integration and Religious Affairs advises churches to consider any baptism of asylum seekers carefully to detect the true reasons for the change of faith. "If someone just comes to baptism, the churches should be cautious," says Kathrin Anliker, where such cases are exceptions. The purpose of the meeting should be to be able to trace the history of the person. "It is not about to lead a police interrogation, but to feel the motivation for the Christian faith."
Pastor to be deported to possible death in Kenya
A pastor may be sent to his death next week after Scottish immigration officials rejected his application for asylum.
Pastor Pip Ashiembi, originally from Kenya and now leader of Foundation of Love Church in Glasgow, will be deported on Monday. He has lived in the UK since 2009 but was detained last Friday at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre, according to Glasgow local paper the Evening Times.
He applied for asylum nine months ago after he and his family faced violence in Kenya but it has been rejected.
"I feel my life may be in danger," he told the local paper. "I know the government will say Kenya is a democratic country and it is now safe but I don't feel that way."
He said that asylum laws meant he could not appeal the decision in the UK but had to wait until he was in Kenya to question the decision.
"I enjoy my work within the church and community of Drumchapel. I do something which is meaningful and I don't get paid for it.
"I am 61 now, why should I be living my last days over in Kenya?"
One churchgoer, Alex Morton, said the congregation were shocked at what had happened.
"He is a very outgoing and sincere guy. His preaching is quite special. He doesn't just preach the book, he is a wizard with language and he is able to tell a story," he said.
"It will leave a big space in the church, no one can replace him," he told the paper.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "All applications are considered on their individual merits and in accordance with the immigration rules."
"Where someone is in the UK illegally and is found not to need our protection, we expect them to leave the country voluntarily. Where they do not, we will seek to enforce their departure."
This time, ISIS uses flamethrower to execute 6 of its leaders in Iraq for trying to escape to Syria
New method, same old savagery.
The Islamic State (ISIS) has found yet another barbaric way to kill its enemies. According to Iraqi News, the terror group recently executed six of its leaders using a flamethrowera weapon that sprays out burning fuel.
"The six ISIS leaders were executed by their counterparts using flamethrower," Iraqi News quoted Ismat Rajab, a Kurdistan Democratic Party official in Mosul, as saying. "They were executed as they tried to escape to Syria."
The execution reportedly took place in Nineveh province in northwestern Iraq.
Meanwhile, Iraqi President Fuad Masoum has apparently decided to give ISIS a dose of its own medicine. Earlier this month, he announced that his government will execute 36 convicted ISIS terrorists who were found responsible for the massacre of 1,700 people in Camp Speicher, a former U.S. military base near the central city of Tikrit, in June 2014, according to The Christian Post.
Masoum said the 36 ISIS fighters were sentenced to death in February by the central criminal court in Baghdad.
Survivors of that massacre, mostly military students, recalled that the ISIS militants promised their captives that they would be sent back to their families. The captives were divided into two groups based on their religious sects and put on lorries.
However, they were taken to a riverbank instead and killed with machine gun fire. Almost all those massacred were Shia Muslims, according to reports.
The ISIS later released videos showing hundreds of men being executed with machine guns.
On Friday, a new video released by ISIS shows the group's child soldiers executing five Kurdish fighters, according to Fox News.
The 9-minute video was posted online by ISIS leaders and was first reported by Middle East Media Research Institute, which tracks terrorist groups' communication throughout the region.
The children, who appear to be as young as 10 years old, shout "Allah Akbar," lower their guns and shoot the kneeling men in the backs of their heads. Friday's video was believed to be the first showing a mass execution carried out by multiple children, who are known as the "cubs of the Caliphate."
US astronaut speaks from space of the beauty of God's creation
A Christian astronaut has described the humbling experience of witnessing at first hand in space "the amazing creative work of God".
US astronaut Jeff Williams, commander of the International Space Station's Expedition 48, spoke to Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, through a NASA link.
Last month Williams, who listens to Mohler's Briefing podcast while in orbit, broke the record of 520 days for the amount of time an American has spent in space.
The astronaut takes astonishing pictures and regularly tweets them from the station.
#SpaceZoom slide show featuring giant clouds. In space the horizon provides endless options for photography.https://t.co/z1ZnOTp7wA Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) 27 August 2016
The 15-minute interview took place during the latest regular Sunday chapel service at the seminary, when the space station was heading from a position above the US towards the Atlantic.
Williams told Mohler: "When I look out the window and I see this, all of the elements are what you would imagine you would see with a creative work by an infinite God. You see the design, you see the beauty, you see the purpose, you see all of those elements, you see order in all the details."
The astronaut, on his fourth space flight, continued: "It's one thing to be inside here, look out the window, and view the elements of God's creation in deep space as well as the planet.
"It's quite another thing to go outside, and now you have set yourself inside this suit that is sustaining your life and you can see through that full-faced visor not only the vastness and the majesty of the globe itself but deep out into space. It just deepens a comprehension, the observation of what we know through Scripture about the amazing creative work of God. It's an incredibly humbling experience."
Now a grandfather of four, he admitted he missed his wife, Anna-Marie.
"Family is what I miss the most. That's centred around relationships, our closest relationships, and as believers we understand how central relationship is to the human experience."
He ended the interview with a zero-gravity backflip.
Viewing God's 'creative work' in space strengthened faith of this record-breaking astronaut
This man has got the best view of God's "creative work," and he is setting a new world record. He is U.S. astronaut Jeff Williams, the commander for Expedition 48 of the International Space Station, which is orbiting Earth every 90 minutes at 17,500 mph.
Last Saturday, Aug. 24, Williams set a new world record for the most time spent in space by an American, passing the 520-day mark set by Scott Kelly. When he returns home from orbit after his 172-day mission on Sept. 6, he will set a new mark for an American in space at 534 days, according to NASA.
On Tuesday, Williams spoke with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) President R. Albert Mohler Jr. through a NASA downlink to the SBTS chapel in Louisville, Kentucky, the Baptist Press reports.
Williams said the view of the universe from the space station's window is one that only deepens his Christian faith.
"When I look out the window and I see thisall of the elements are what you would imagine you would see with a creative work by an infinite God," Williams said. "You see the design, you see the beauty, you see the purpose, you see all of those elements, you see order in all the details."
"It's one thing to be inside here, look out the window, and view the elements of God's creation in deep space as well as the planet," Williams said.
"It's quite another thing to go outside, and now you have set yourself inside this suit that is sustaining your life and you can see through that full-faced visor not only the vastness and the majesty of the globe itself but deep out into space. It just deepens a comprehension, the observation of what we know through Scripture about the amazing creative work of God. It's an incredibly humbling experience," he said.
Williams spoke with Mohler for 15 minutes at the beginning of the normal chapel hour from 250 miles above Earth just after the International Space Station had passed North America before moving over to the north Atlantic.
The interview ended with Williams performing a zero-gravity backflip and waving to the chapel audience.
Mohler called Williams a "dear brother in Christ" and a "friend of the seminary." He also thanked NASA, which he said went beyond normal protocol to arrange the interview during chapel.
Collecting stories: Marcus Flacks
The collector and dealer discusses his passion for classical Chinese art and furniture and the stories behind his favourite pieces, ahead of The Flacks Family Collection: A Very Personal Selection at Christies in New York
Its alchemy, Marcus Flacks says of collecting Chinese art and classical furniture. As renowned dealers, collectors and experts, Flacks and his wife Debby consider themselves grateful custodians of the masterpieces that have entered their Hampstead home. The Flacks tale, like some of the best collecting narratives, began serendipitously. The first time Marcus and Debby bought a serious piece of Chinese furniture, they were less informed about the subject at hand. Marcus recalls, Like an idiot, I said, Do you have any chairs with the spindles? Not realising that probably at that time there were only four in the world. Fortunately, the dealer smiled and returned with a huanghuali spindle-backed chair, one that continues to hold a central place in the couples home.
Other highlights displayed in the Flacks beautifully decorated home include contemporary ink painter Liu Dans study for Dictionary, 1991, which marked a turning point in the artists practice. I love the fact that I have a study of something that Ive seen all the large studies of, that basically helped to launch a career, Flacks says of the work and his friend of 20-odd years. Its something very, very intimate between him and the piece, which Im allowed to tap into. Among the 46-lot selection of treasured works and objects offered in The Flacks Family Collection: A Very Personal Selection on 16 September at Christies New York are Liu Dans Far-Off Journey, an obscure sketch of an omitted section for a masterwork entitled Ink Handscroll currently in the San Diego Museum of Art.
At times, the couple lost track of their works of art and objects with their growing inventory. When putting together an exhibition of scholars rocks, Marcus included a rock that was apparently close to Debbys heart. There were a lot of rocks in the house, to be fair, he explained. My wife [had] said, You know its enough with the rocks. When telling his wife about the sale of the Lingbi rock with a hole in the middle, she responded, Thats mine. Marcus told his friend, the buyer, Lets find you another rock because otherwise, Im going to have to get divorced. The couple kept the rock and recently acquired a companion piece in bronze by British Pop sculptor Clive Barker. Its breathed new life into both the new piece and the old piece, Marcus says. Heres a rock that was created by nature over millions of years; someone has decided it was worthy of turning into an art piece. Of the rock that almost got away, Marcus adds, Im not a great believer in fate. But I thought, there must be a reason why we have to live with that.
Donald Traill/Associated Press
United Airlines will begin weekly service to Havana from Bush Intercontinental Airport on Dec. 3. Tickets go on sale Thursday afternoon or evening.
"I'm incredibly proud of all the dedicated aviation professionals here at United who are working hard to get our historic Cuba service ready for takeoff in November," United CEO Oscar Munoz said in a news release. "Today's announcement reaffirms that these flights will ensure better choice, convenience and competition for all travelers on this important route."
Exxon Mobil Corp. has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit it filed against the Harris County Appraisal District disputing a nearly $40 million property tax bill.
The Irving-based oil giant, which occupies a sprawling new corporate campus just south of The Woodlands, filed suit against the county appraisal district last fall, claiming the actual value of the property was "substantially below" what was assessed -- $1.04 billion. It did not provide its own assessment of the property.
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Austin-based Aspen Heights Partners has launched its first student-housing project in Houston, adding another apartment option near the University of Houston's main campus.
The four-story, $60 million project is being built the six-acre site of a former shopping center at 4971 Martin Luther King Blvd. Completion is planned in July.
The complex, just south of MacGregor Park at Old Spanish Trail, is a half-mile from the university and one Metro light-rail line stop away. The land was acquired in 2015.
"We just saw it being at a fantastic corner right across the street from the new rail line, right across the street from MacGregor Park," said Ryan Fetgatter, vice president of development for Aspen Heights Partners.
"Between those two amenities that were right there at your front door, we just decided that this was the best location in the market."
Each of the project's 235 units will include between one and four bedrooms, for a total of 717.
Students can sign up as a group or ask to be matched with a roommate based on questionnaires collected by Aspen Heights Partners. Residents have their own bedroom and bathroom and a shared kitchen, living, dining and laundry areas.
Rental rates have not been determined, but Fetgatter said they will be competitive with other new private student housing.
Aspen Heights Partners has built more than 25 student-housing projects across the country since 2007. It has moved from cottage-style projects that resemble a house to more dense, urban projects such as the one at UH. Common areas consist of pools, lounges for both studying and gaming, tanning booths, fitness centers and outdoor recreation areas.
Private developers and UH itself have added thousands of rooms to the stock of student housing in recent years. The university can house 8,000 students at nine residential communities, including the new 800-bed Cougar Place and 1,100-bed Cougar Village II.
Dallas-based Fountain Residential Partners is working on its third off-campus project totaling more than 1,300 beds near UH since 2013. Since completing The Vue on MacGregor and the Campus Vue apartments, Fountain Residential has hopped across Interstate 45 for a job in partnership with Austin-based Virtus Real Estate Capital.
Named The Gateway on Cullen, the project is being developed on 7.7 acres at 1901 Cullen. It's designed for 531 beds including one-, two-, four-, and five-bedroom apartments and townhouses.
Amenities will include a pool, volleyball court, an 8,000-square-foot clubhouse, fitness and cardio center, a private study room and surface parking. Opening is planned for fall 2017. Like other Fountain Residential Partners projects, it also is being marketed to students of nearby Texas Southern University.
Aspen Heights Partners had initially planned to build on that location but walked away in early 2015.
"At the end of the day, we just got a little bit concerned with the location being on the other side of the highway underpass," Fetgatter said.
Travel time by train at the MLK stop averages two minutes to the UH South/University Oaks stop, and five minutes to the Robertson Stadium/UH/TSU stop on the north side of campus, according to Metro. It's a 14 minute trip to downtown's Convention District.
Aspen Heights Partners announced the Houston project along with three other communities in Ames, Iowa, another new market, as well as College Station and Syracuse, N.Y. The company has secured $109.9 million in financing for the projects.
UH has added more than 4,000 students over the last six years, helped in part by its status as a Tier One research university.
"The University of Houston for a long time has had this stigma of being a commuter school, but we see that fading," Fetgatter said. "A lot more students are now coming from outside of the Houston area."
Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web
A Sugar Land police officer is among four men arrested Wednesday in a theft ring that targeted cattle and heavy equipment, officials said.
The officer, William Allen, was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.
A Richmond man using the pay phone in the lobby at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday afternoon looked familiar, authorities said.
Police said Deion Johnson, 21, matched the description of the suspect accused of stealing a car a few hours earlier from the parking lot of a YMCA in Richmond.
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When BMC Software created its first product, the cutting-edge mainframe computers filled an entire room. Thirty-six years later, its products include software to help run IT functions from smartphones that fit in a pocket.
To keep up with the forward-marching pace of technology, BMC has overhauled its business at least three times. It now creates software for a variety of technologies, including mainframes, cloud computing and mobile devices.
"When the customers start spending on new things, BMC shifts our spending to make those new things work better and faster," said Bob Beauchamp, president, chairman and CEO of BMC.
BMC has at times provided market-leading, if not dominating, products. Other patches were tougher, requiring layoffs to cut costs and acquisitions to catch up with the newest technologies, said Colin Fletcher, research director covering IT operations management for Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company.
More Information TIMELINE 1980 BMC Software is founded. 1988 Becomes a publicly traded company. 1994 Acquires Patrol Software, helping it enter distributed-computing market. 1995 Products expand beyond mainframes. 2001 Bob Beauchamp becomes CEO. 2002 BMC acquires Remedy, helping growth. 2006 Sells Houston campus for $292 million. 2012 Activist shareholders confront BMC. 2013 Private investor group led by Bain Capital and Golden Gate Capital purchase BMC for about $6.9 billion. 2016 Profitability is forecast to grow at double-digit rate. See More Collapse
Ultimately, BMC has grown to about $2 billion in revenues. It employs some 6,000 people, with roughly 900 in the Houston area.
"BMC has managed to become one of the few IT operations management software vendors to get to that size and expand," Fletcher said.
BMC was founded in September 1980 by Scott Boulette, John J. Moores and Dan Cloer. Moores bought out Boulette and Cloer in the early '80s, and the company shifted its focus from contract services to software for IBM mainframes.
Its early focus on mainframes gave BMC cash flow, and it was willing to risk profits to acquire startups with interesting new technologies, Fletcher said.
Beauchamp started at BMC as a sales executive in 1988, the year the company went public. He said it was growing and hiring incredibly fast. It outgrew its space in Sugar Land, and BMC built a campus in Houston in the early 1990s.
Also around this time, BMC began its first major overhaul. The up-and-coming technology involved distributed computing and minicomputers, which supported multiple users who could remotely access a shared computer resource.
BMC, which has made roughly 70 acquisitions to date, acquired Patrol Software for $33 million in 1994. This helped it enter the distributed computing market in 1995.
"For a larger established company or long-term company, one way to bring in innovation is to acquire," said Tim Grieser, an industry analyst for enterprise system management software at market research firm IDC.
By the end of 1995, mainframes were 96 percent of BMC's revenues and distributed computing was 4 percent. This year, mainframes make up less than 30 percent and distributed computing is more than 70 percent.
BMC continued its growth as investors pumped money into Internet-related companies. Businesses were also upgrading software in preparation for Y2K, the fear that computer programs wouldn't recognize '2' as the first digit in 2000.
"Everybody was scared to death that airplanes would fall out of the sky, that banks would stop working," Beauchamp said. "So there was a huge software buying frenzy that occurred for about two years prior to Jan. 1, 2000."
Beauchamp spent the turn of the century with a bottle of champagne - unopened, just in case - and a satellite phone. As it turned midnight in different parts of the world, he called BMC's international offices.
"We realized that the world was going to hold together," he said. "What I didn't realize is that revenues were about to collapse."
The company's growth came to a screeching halt in the early 2000s after the dot-com bubble burst. Technology companies were bleeding money and scaling back operations.
Beauchamp was named CEO in 2001, around the time BMC's stock plummeted to about $11 from more than $80. He had to lay off employees.
"We had to cut a lot of costs and that was a really, really terrible, rough period for me personally, but more importantly for the employees of BMC," he said.
After getting expenses down, BMC reinvented itself again and focused on Web 2.0, the rise of e-commerce. Fletcher said its 2002 acquisition of Remedy was "key for them finding growth."
Remedy improves IT service delivery, such as email support and technical issues. A Gartner report found that Remedy helped BMC capture 21 percent of the $2.2 billion IT service support market in 2015.
In June 2006, BMC sold its Houston campus for $292 million to Thomas Properties Group, through a joint venture with the California State Teachers' Retirement System. It leased space and used the money to acquire emerging companies that could propel its technology forward.
In 2012, it was confronted by activist shareholders as Elliott Associates and Elliott International acquired more than 5 percent of BMC's common stock. Elliott proposed its own slate of directors and urged management to consider selling the company.
Instead, BMC initiated a poison pill that would dilute the majority owner's shares if a person or group acquired beneficial ownership of 10 percent or more of the company's common stock.
BMC was ultimately purchased for about $6.9 billion in 2013 by a private investor group led by Bain Capital and Golden Gate Capital. Fletcher said this allowed BMC to leave the activist shareholder saga behind.
"I doubt that BMC would have gone private if the activist investor hadn't gotten involved," Fletcher said.
BMC said it likely would have become private either way. Becoming a private company has helped BMC adapt to the latest technological wave without quarterly pressures from Wall Street, Beauchamp said, adding that there were "huge disruptors happening simultaneously."
These included Software as a Service, or SaaS, where customers use software without downloading it onto their computer, the Internet of Things, and big data and analytics engines.
Grieser, with IDC, agreed that becoming a private company helped BMC. "I think they are benefitting from the investment and lack of requirement to have public financial growth," he said.
Yet Fletcher said BMC and its competitors will have to undergo more changes.
BMC will be confronted by increased competition as non-software companies, such as automobile makers, create more and more of their own software. Combined with the open-source trend of sharing software and making it available for free, Fletcher said, and the next generation of IT workers are growing up in an era when people don't always pay for the products BMC creates.
"I think the company will have to continue to evolve at this pace, if not faster than they have before," he said.
Beauchamp said BMC un-veiled twice as many new products in 2015 than in 2014, and it's on track to double again this year. The company's profitability is expected to grow by double-digit rates in 2016.
"All the leading indicators of growth, every one of them is green right now," he said. "That's really exciting and that positions us, hopefully, well to maybe re-emerge as a public company in the not-too-distant future, which is one of my goals."
Concepcion drew first blood over Konos left eyebrow in the seventh. (Photo: Naomi Fukuda)
by Robert Ecksel
WBA: On Wednesday, August 31, at Ota-City Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, WBA World interim super flyweight champion Luis El Nica Concepcion (35-4, 24 KOs), the hard-hitting mandatory from Panama City, Panama, decisioned WBA World super flyweight champion Kohei Kono (32-9-1, 13 KOs), the reigning and defending champion fighting out of Tokyo, after 12 hard-fought rounds.
The final scores were 115-113 (Melva Santos) and 116-112 twice (Stanley Christodoulou and Philippe Verbeke), all in favor of Concepcion.
Kono was making the fourth defense of the title he won in 2014. His advantages in height and reach were offset by Concepcions aggression.
El Nica outworked the champion. Kono landed several right hand counters, but his left was ineffective.
Concepcion drew first blood, opening a gash over Konos left eyebrow in the seventh. The new champion was cut in the 11th.
Thank God I managed this great victory that I dedicate to the Panamanian people, Roberto Duran and my whole family, he said. I am champion and want to fight the best!
The victory was a culmination of a lifetime of work for El Nica. He said he was going to bring the black and gold belt back to Panama and he was as good as his word.
Taguchi retains 108-pound title
In the co-main event, WBA World junior flyweight champion Ryoichi Taguchi (25-2-1, 11 KOs), fighting out of Tokyo, retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over former WBA minimumweight champion and #1 ranked over Ryo Miyazaki (24-3, 15 KOs), from Osaka.
The final scores were 119-109 (Stanley Christodoulou), 117-111 (Philippe Verbeke), and 116-112 (Luis Pabon).
It was Taguchis fourth defense of his title. At 56 he towered over the 5-1 Miyazaki. Using the ring, his legs, and superior reach, the champion worked behind his jab and used smart counterpunching to keep the challenger at bay.
Miyazaki had his moments. But Taguchi had more of them and the best man won.
Living Gospel Equality Now: Loving in the Heart of God: Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
An attorney for the Houston school district's former chief auditor Thursday urged the district to release an investigative report explaining the auditor's alleged misconduct.
"I think the problem for HISD is that the investigation will show nothing," attorney Cris Feldman said during an afternoon news conference.
The district paid about $17,300 to a local law firm to conduct the investigation of the auditor's work, yet it has refused to release a copy of the report to him or to the Houston Chronicle, which requested the records under the state's public-information law.
Richard Patton, who was dismissed Wednesday from his job as chief auditor, also Thursday made his first public statement since the Houston Independent School District board suspended him in March. Patton said he was disappointed the school board ultimately decided not to renew his contract. He served as the district's top internal watchdog for two years and worked in the district since 2010.
"I've had integrity. I've had independence. And I've had objectivity," Patton said. "It's unfortunate that the board is putting constraints on this role that really limits the ability to do your job well."
Patton sued the district on August 5, two days after the board allowed him to return to work following his five-month suspension. In the suit, Patton alleged that the board was retaliating against him for reporting suspected illegal activity about school district matters to the FBI, the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the district's police chief.
Patton also alleged that the district further retaliated against him after he returned to work. The three-person ethics and compliance department, whose chief often handled sensitive internal investigations and reported to Patton, was removed from the auditor's authority.
The district's external investigation of Patton appeared to focus on the auditor asking his assistant to scan some personal documents for him using work equipment, Patton's lead attorney, David Feldman, previously told the Chronicle.
HISD, in a statement released Thursday, did not address the call to release the investigation. However, the district criticized Patton's work, saying the internal audit department made "critical errors" under his leadership. The district alleged that his October 2015 audit of the voter-approved construction bond program included "faulty and improper conclusions." HISD also said his September 2015 audit alleging possible violations of state law related to construction contracting "failed to apply the correct legal standards" and was flawed.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office recently granted HISD's request to withhold the external report on the auditor from public disclosure. The school district argued it was protected from release under attorney-client privilege.
The school board, however, could waive privilege, as it voted to do earlier Thursday on an unrelated matter.
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GALVESTON A Galveston County grand jury Thursday handed down murder indictments against an alleged serial killer who earlier this year led investigators to the bodies of two of several women he is accused of killing nearly 20 years ago.
William Reece was indicted for the deaths of 12-year-old Laura Smither of Friendswood and 17-year-old Jessica Cain of Tiki Island. Smithers' body was discovered in Pasadena in 1997, and Cain vanished that same year.
Reece was serving a 60-year prison sentence for kidnapping when he led police earlier this year to the remains of Cain and Kelli Cox, a 20-year-old University of North Texas student who vanished from Denton in 1997.
RELATED: Reece sent to Oklahoma to face capital murder charges
Reece was transferred to Oklahoma in July to face murder charges there, but Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady has said Reece will eventually be returned to stand trial in Texas. His attorney has said that Reece began cooperating with authorities in Texas in hopes of avoiding the death sentence in Oklahoma.
Reece was identified years ago by police as the "prime suspect" in the killing of Laura Smither.
After her disappearance, a massive search was mounted through boggy swamps and woods for the aspiring ballerina, among a select few who had been accepted into the Houston Ballet Academy the year before. Her face was flashed over the nightly news for 17 days until her body, clad only in a pair of socks, was found 12 miles from her home in a Pasadena retention pond on April 20, 1997.
Reece became a suspect after investigators learned he was a registered sex offender working off Moore Ranch Road, where the child was last seen jogging. On that particular day, Reece had been let go from work early because of rain.
However, Reece was never charged, and he even got a judge to restrict officers from interviewing him again without his permission in 1999.
A MOM'S MISSION: Smither's mother says she wants to meet with Reece
At that time, he told the Chronicle, "Hey, look. Enough is enough. Either file the (expletive) murder charges ... or get off me."
The girl's parents later won a $110 million wrongful death lawsuit against Reece, who chose not to participate.
Cain, a senior at a Catholic preparatory school, disappeared on Aug. 17, 1997, as she was driving home from a high school musical cast party at a Clear Lake restaurant. Her truck was later found on the shoulder of I-45, with her purse locked inside. Reece led investigators to her remains in a horse pasture near Hobby airport.
Reece, a former truck driver, had spent almost 10 years in an Oklahoma prison for two rapes in that state before being released on Oct. 5, 1996. He has been linked to five attacks on young women, four of which were fatal, over a five-month span in 1997.
The sole survivor, Sandra Sapaugh, then 19, escaped by leaping from Reece's truck on Interstate 45. Reece was convicted the following year in her kidnapping and received the 60-year prison term in Texas.
Investigators began to zero in on Reece as a possible suspect in some of the other cold cases after advances in DNA testing connected him last year to the death of Tiffany Johnston, 19, who was abducted from the Sunshine Car Wash in Bethany, Okla. on July 26, 1997. Her body was found the following day.
TRAGEDY: Cain's remains found in Houston field
Oklahoma authorities agreed to let Reece remain in Texas to assist in the investigation of the other young women's deaths on the condition that he would be returned to Oklahoma to stand trial before charges were brought in Texas.
Reece was transferred from a Texas prison to the Friendswood city jail. He led investigators to the remains of Cain and Cox, who vanished in the summer of 1997.
Cox, a 20-year-old University of North Texas student and mother, went missing down the street from the Denton Police Department after touring the station for a criminology class on July 15, 1997. Reece helped police find her remains in Brazoria County in April.
Cox left behind a then-19-month-old daughter, Alexis, who is now 20 and a student at the University of North Texas. The Denton County district attorney is handling the investigation into Cox's death.
The director of Harris County Public Health on Thursday sent a letter to federal environmental regulators urging them to remove toxic waste from the San Jacinto River, arguing it's the only course of action to address threats to human health and the environment.
Umair Shah, Harris County Public Health's executive director, told U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials that leaving the waste in the river is a bad idea, pointing to the problems that have occurred since a temporary cap was placed over the waste five years ago.
"In the short period since its implementation, the cap has eroded significantly and has required repeated repairs," Shah wrote. "Harris County Public Health is concerned that future cap deficiencies will continue to occur, further exposing the local community to dioxins through the water and sediments."
In issuing the letter, Harris County Public Health becomes the latest local agency to urge EPA officials to remove the waste. Last month, the Harris County Flood Control District urged similar action.
EPA officials are expected to soon release a proposed clean-up plan for the San Jacinto Waste Pits, which is a federal Superfund site.
A recent U.S. Army Corps report said leaving the waste in the river under a modified cap was a feasible clean-up option. However, the report also stated that extreme weather events might cause the cap to erode.
Texas officials discovered the waste pits in 2005 along the river, between Channelview and the small town of Highlands. The EPA determined that tugboats pushed barges of waste sludge from a Pasadena mill to the pits for offloading and storage in the 1960s.
The agency identified several hazardous substances in the pits, including dioxins, which are carcinogens linked to numerous potential health effects, including birth defects.
In 2008, the EPA designated the area a Superfund site and placed a $9 million armored cap over the sludge to keep it sealed.
In December, divers discovered a hole in the northwest portion of the cap. EPA officials characterized the damage as "displacement" of the stone cover of the protective cap and ordered repairs.
Big urban cities in North America will be transformed by 2030 by artificial intelligence technologies, as self-driving cars, package-delivering robots and surveillance drones become commonplace, according to a new report.
The report, produced by an international panel of artificial intelligence experts convened by Stanford University, takes an in-depth look at how artificial intelligence is already impacting society and how it will continue to evolve over the next 14 years. It is the first report in a planned series of studies looking at artificial intelligence, or AI, that will continue for at least 100 years.
"Until now, most of what is known about AI comes from science fiction books and movies," said Peter Stone, a computer science professor at the University of Texas who chaired the panel that produced the report. "This study provides a realistic foundation to discuss how AI technologies are likely to affect society."
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One of the key takeaways from the report refutes a common depiction of artificial intelligence in Hollywood: It likely won't go rogue any time soon and wipe out society ala Skynet in the Terminator movies.
But humans using artificial intelligence in the wrong way can hurt other humans.
And we do face the likely scenario that the technology is poised to soon replace people in certain kinds of jobs, such as taxi and truck drivers, according to the report.
"However, in many realms, AI will likely replace tasks rather than jobs in the near term, and will also create new kinds of jobs," the report's authors wrote. "But the new jobs that will emerge are harder to imagine in advance than the existing jobs that will likely be lost."
So exactly what is artificial intelligence?
The report's authors concede that it can be difficult to define. In movies, artificial intelligence is most commonly depicted as self-aware robots.
"I think the first thing to understand is that AI is not a thing," Stone said. "That's an important part of this report."
The reality is artificial intelligence is nuanced technology. And it is already woven into our daily lives to the point most of us give it little thought.
For example, computer "vision" is a kind of this technology that drives the kind of video games that give players simulated experiences that appear to mirror the real world.
It's also the kind of technology known as "deep learning" that makes it possible for Siri and other programs to understand what we say and respond.
Similarly, artificial intelligence is at the root of what allows machines like "Watson" the supercomputer to amass knowledge, use reason, and then squarely drub past Jeopardy champions in a game of trivia.
Along those same lines, the U.S. government announced in March that it was awarding a $21 million contract to a team of neuroscientists, mathematicians and computer experts to map a portion of a mouse's brain in hopes of someday teaching a machine to learn as we do. A Baylor College of Medicine neuroscientist is one of three principal investigators in that study.
Between now and 2030, these kinds of artificial intelligence will continue to evolve in new and exciting ways, according to the report.
As cars become better drivers than people, city dwellers will own fewer cars, live further from work, and spend time differently, leading to cities that look vastly different than they do today.
Similarly, special purpose robots will deliver packages, clean offices and enhance security.
It's easy to understand how robots performing those kind of tasks would stoke fears about humans losing jobs to machines.
But Stone said history shows us that advances in technology often creates new jobs when it threatens others.
"Think about the advance of the modern dishwasher," he said. "Obviously, when it came along, some people lost their jobs. But it also resulted in the formation of several companies that make dishwashers that employ many people."
Artificial intelligence could also transform poor communities in coming years.
The report's authors say that by using data mining and machine learning, artificial intelligence is already helping government agencies do things like prevent lead poisoning and distributing food more efficiently. Likewise, drones already are being used for surveillance in border communities.
The latter certainly raises the specter of innocent people being unjustifiably monitored and special care must be given to systematizing human bias and protecting civil liberties, the report's authors say.
That's just one recommendation contained in the report. Others include making sure the government acquires more technical expertise in the artificial intelligence field and continues research that probes issues connected to fairness, security and privacy.
"Currently in the United States, at least 16 separate agencies govern sectors of the economy related to AI technologies," according to the report. "Who is responsible when a self-driven car crashes or an intelligent medical device fails? How can AI applications be prevented from racial discrimination or financial cheating?"
AUSTIN -- The Texas Department of Public Safety, already operating the nation's biggest state-funded border security program, is seeking a nearly $300 million budget increase that over two years could drive the total cost of the controversial program to more than $1 billion.
Officials said Monday the additional funds are needed to hire 250 more state troopers for border duty, install 5,000 more cell-based cameras along the Rio Grande, replace 1,240 vehicles, two helicopters and four airplanes used in border enforcement, and to upgrade cybersecurity and counterterrorism initiatives. The proposed items would add $291.7 million to the agency's two-year base budget request of $749.9 million.
If approved, that total request would increase the beefed up border security cost to more than $1 billion -- about what Texas currently spends on all of its psychiatric hospitals, and is roughly two-thirds of what it costs to feed two-thirds of the state's public school students in the free lunch program.
The proposal comes at a time when polls show border security rates as a top issue among likely voters, especially Republicans. GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, too, has made building a border wall a major campaign issue in the fractious November general-election race.
In the past, the state's heightened enforcement efforts have drawn criticism for needlessly flooding some border areas with Texas law enforcement personnel who cannot enforce federal immigration laws, and can only make arrests for violations of state law, and for unduly militarizing the border by using National Guard troops on temporary deployment.
Supporters of ramped-up state spending have countered that they have no option because the federal government has declined the secure the border, especially two years ago when a flood of children and families overwhelmed federal patrols.
Legislative leaders on Monday said they had not yet seen the details of the request, but predicted that the increase promises to spark intense debate and questions as state revenues are expected to fall at least $5 billion short. The drop is caused by a sluggish economy due to the decline in oil prices and related downturn in tax collections -- and because of a shift in general sales tax revenues from myriad state programs to transportation infrastructure work.
Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat, and border lawmakers raised issues last legislative session about whether border-security spending could be sustained over the long-term.
"At some point in time, you have to balance what this state is spending on the border with other critical needs we have -- and this may be when that happens," Whitmire said on Monday.
"I can tell you that crime problems at the border don't stay at the border," Whitmire said. "Human trafficking, dope smuggling, cartel gangs, they end up in Houston and Dallas and San Antonio and Austin and other cities. Security at the border is important, but so is security in our cities."
Anticipating that the Legislature will have less than expected revenues when it starts writing a new two-year budget in 2017, top state officials -- Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus -- in June asked all state agencies to submit proposed budgets that were four percent less than their current spending. Border security was exempted.
Since then, many agencies have submitted requests arguing that they need the four-percent cut restored to ensure public safety or to keep from damaging key programs. DPS officials make the same pitch in their request for a two-year budget that totals just under $2 billion.
Sen. Jane Nelson, chairman of the budget-writing Senate Finance Committee, said the proposed increase will have to be weighed against other state priorities.
"Border security is a major priority, and it should continue to be prioritized in the state budget," the Flower Mound Republican said. "As with all issues, we will need to balance our overall needs with our available revenue, and it is going to be a tight budget next session."
Immigration and other advocacy groups that have been critical of border-security spending questioned the proposed billion-dollar price tag, after Texas more than doubled its spending to almost $800 million in 2015.
"If DPS tells us where they spent the first $800 million, which they haven't done so far, then we can talk about the billion they want now," said Terri Burke, executive director of the Houston-based ACLU of Texas, a long-standing critic of the border enforcement spending. "Why don't they give that money to local law-enforcement agencies to do the enforcement We've got a foster care system in Texas that's completely broken, so why not spend a billion to fix it? Or how about trying to prevent so many women from dying in child birth? Or how about investing a billion on the many other programs in this state that are so drastically underfunded?"
Of the additional spending, the plan shows $97.1 million would go to hire an 250 more troopers to patrol the border area, $65.8 million to replace high-maintenance vehicles, $39.4 million to replace two helicopters and four airplanes used in surveillance and interdiction of border crossers, $36.8 million for operation and maintenance of a statewide radio system, and smaller amounts for intelligence and counterterrorism operations, "communications command platforms" and "cyber security tools and support."
DPS director Steve McCraw has touted the border-security program as a key to thwarting international drug cartels from spreading crimes across Texas, as well as combating potential terrorist threats. Aides to Gov. Greg Abbott, who has supported adding the additional 250 state troopers at the border, had no comment on Monday about the DPS plan.
An HISD school bus driver on trial this week faces life in prison, accused of molesting elementary school-age girls on a bus during the 2014-2015 school year.
Johnathan Palmares, 46, has been charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child for allegedly fondling a school girl several times over the course of weeks on his bus.
Prosecutors have said Palmares drove a route in southwest Houston between elementary schools: Red, Kolter and Gross. Investigators believe the assaults happened after school as Palmares waited outside Gross Elementary with a dozen other children on the bus.
In a trial that began Tuesday in state District Judge Susan Brown's court, jurors saw several videos of Palmares sitting next to and touching the elementary school girl.
Earlier this year prosecutors made public calls for other possible victims, a move that outraged Palmares' attorney who said his client is innocent.
"Once another jury sees this, they will find him not guilty," attorney Sam Cammack said. "All he was trying to do was restrain an unruly child."
Both sides seem to believe school bus video proves their side of the story.
"The whole thing is on video, and there's no evidence of anything," he said. "If they had a video showing any inappropriate behavior, I'd have seen it."
Prosecutors said Palmares moved to America from the Philippines in 2006 and started working in Rochester, N.Y. He later moved to Houston and got a job driving school buses.
The trial is expected to last through the week.
Business / Companies
by Staff reporter
The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) will this month commission 31 wagons secured from China at a cost of $2,9 million as part of efforts to boost its carrying capacity.NRZ acting public relations officer Martin Banda, said the wagons have already arrived in Durban, South Africa.Banda said the wagons were supported by a dual breaking system, making them ideal to transport exports.He, however, said the wagons were a drop in the ocean as the parastatal needed more than 3 000 to restore its operational capacity.Currently, NRZ has less than 3 500 wagons compared to 9 000 it had a few years ago. Banda said in the short period, they needed to buy over 200 new wagons and refurbish over 600 to enable NRZ to break even.
A man has been arrested in the shooting deaths of his wife and 14-year-old daughter after he initially told police he shot them in self defense as they attacked him with knives earlier this year at his home in south Houston.
Michael Ratliff, 43, is charged with capital murder in the deaths of Sandtrece Ratliff, 44, and Ariel Ratliff about 2:45 a.m. June 16 in the 15100 block of Alkay near Anderson.
A man was shot early Thursday morning during an altercation with his neighbors in southwest Houston.
The shooting happened about 1:30 a.m. in the 12100 block of Troulon Drive near Beechnut Street, said Lt. Larry Crowson of the Houston Police Department.
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A Harris County grand jury on Wednesday no-billed a Precinct 5 deputy who shot and killed a man while conducting a traffic stop in west Houston in April. Later in the day, a small group of Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrated downtown.
The shooting happened after Harris County Precinct 5 Deputy Constable R. Felix stopped 24-year-old Ashtian Barnes as he was driving on Beltway 8 in west Houston on the afternoon of April 28.
Dashcam video of the encounter, posted by Black Lives Matter activists Wednesday afternoon, showed the deputy pulling Barnes over, approaching him, and warning him not to dig around. Moments later, he can be seen pulling open Barnes' driver side door, stepping into the car, drawing his gun, and firing as the car travels forward several hundred feet.
Officials with the Houston Police Department - which investigated the shooting - said at the time that Felix had pulled Barnes over because the car had a large number of toll road violations.
But at the protest on Wednesday, Barnes' father, Tommie Barnes, said his son was in a rental car when he got pulled over and any toll violations were the fault of the rental company. He said he saw the video from Felix's dashcam on Wednesday.
"It's heartbreaking. I just celebrated his 25th birthday without him. He should be here today," Barnes said.
Police said at the time Felix had claimed the car smelled of marijuana and Barnes didn't have a license or proof of insurance. During the traffic stop, Barnes repeatedly reached on the floor of the car, digging through papers as if he was reaching for something, said Kese Smith, an HPD spokesman. Felix called for backup, opened the car door and told Barnes to step outside his car. Barnes turned on the car, as Felix told him not to.
Then, Felix drew his weapon, police said. Barnes began to accelerate as the driver's side door of the car was still open. The deputy thought he might get run over, and held on to the door as the car traveled about 120 feet. Officials said then that Felix had reached for the deputy's gun. When Felix felt Barnes' hand on his hand and gun, he fired his weapon twice. Backup hadn't yet arrived.
BACKGROUND: Shooting brought traffic to a standstill
The dashcam video released Wednesday shows Felix stepping onto the footrail moments before the car begins moving. It is unclear from the video exactly when the deputy constable fires his weapon.
In a statement, officials with the Harris County District Attorney's Office said the grand jury had heard the case over two sessions by a group of 12 people that included three African-Americans and three Hispanics.
"The presentation was comprehensive and responsive to the needs of the grand jury," Harris County D.A.'s Civil Rights Division Chief Julian Ramirez said in the release. "The 183rd Grand Jury handled this case with great care."
"I want to express my deepest sympathies to Ashtian Barnes' family," District Attorney Devon Anderson said, in the release. "I know they are disappointed, but the grand jury's decision means they found that there was no probable cause to believe a murder or other assaultive offense was committed. It does not constitute an endorsement of the officer's actions."
The grand jury's decision drew immediate ire from Houston civil rights activists.
Ashton P. Woods, a Black Lives Matter activist, said the shooting was a clear case of "hyper aggression" by law enforcement.
"It's clear the officer didn't have probable cause," he said, adding that he wasn't surprised by the no-bill.
"When was the last time a grand jury in Houston, Harris County, true-billed a law enforcement officer for shooting a black person?" he said.
A Precinct 5 spokesman has not yet responded to a call seeking comment.
On Wednesday, about 10 people from Black Lives Matter protested on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse on Franklin. About 20 police officers stood across the street while protesters accused law enforcement of killing unarmed, black men.
Protesters also accused police of showing favoritism to the White Lives Matter movement, noting the group had firearms and there were far fewer police present when the controversial group protested in front of the NAACP's Houston office on Aug. 21.
RELATED: Confederate flag waves at White Lives Matter event
Police at Wednesday's rally didn't respond to the protesters' complaints.
Reporter Will Axford contributed to this report.
Editor's note, Sept. 2: Attorney Mark Bennett, not associated with the case, made a generalized statement to the Houston Chronicle about jurors. He referred to "explicit" bias when he meant "implicit" bias.
A Spring man charged with conspiring to join ISIS and kill people abroad has asked a federal judge in Houston to postpone his upcoming trial until after the November election, fearing he cannot get a fair jury given the anti-Muslim sentiment stirred up among voters this election cycle.
Ken Magidson, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, who has one other ISIS prosecution pending, said he opposes this continuance request, and for that matter, all continuances in cases where prosecutors are ready to proceed. The other case, involving a young man accused of plotting to bomb the Galleria, opens before a jury on election day, Nov. 8.
The trial for Asher Abid Khan, a 21-year-old mechanical engineering student at the University of Houston, has been rescheduled twice, which is not uncommon. The federal government has charged Khan with both conspiring and attempting to provide "material support" to a foreign terrorist organization.
The Klein Oak High School graduate is free on $150,000 bond. Jury selection is now set to begin Sept. 27, the morning after the first presidential debate.
Over the past two years, FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces have made arrests in at least 19 states, including four cases in Texas. Investigations here have been rooted in Spring, Houston, Dallas and Houston. And the FBI has more than 900 ISIS cases in all 50 states, according to Director James Comey.
According to court documents, the FBI tracked Khan on Facebook saying he wanted to join the violent jihadist network. He traveled to Turkey, investigators said, with plans to enlist in Syria, but he got cold feet and returned to Houston.
Last week, Khan's attorney Thomas Berg, asked U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes, who is known to have an independent streak, to bump the trial due in part to his heavy caseload but primarily due to the charged political climate toward Muslims in the public arena.
"The prospect of selecting an impartial jury is daunting enough in a terrorism case but this close upon the general election in November, with some candidates engaging in virulent anti-Muslim rhetoric (Mr. Khan is Muslim) and unmitigated bellicosity about ISIS/ISIL, jury selection seems problematic," Berg stated in his motion.
In his pleading, Berg did not explicitly name real estate tycoon Donald Trump -- the GOP candidate who has called for banning Muslims from immigrating to the U.S. However, Trump's critics have accused him of using incendiary language about Muslims.
The judge will meet with the attorneys Sept. 12 to discuss the motion among other pretrial matters.
Two criminal defense lawyers who have appeared before Hughes many times in the past couple decades said in their view the judge could go either way on this motion.
Attorney Mark Bennett said he thought the request was reasonable and fair, but determining that is at the judge's discretion. There is no legal standard for picking a jury when the societal mood is unfavorable to a defendant, he said.
"Federal judges have always been of the opinion that they can prevent jurors from acting with explicit bias by asking them if they have biases and telling them not to let their biases influence them and then telling them not to decide the case based on bias," Bennett said. He contended that would be an unreasonable expectation of any juror.
"Everybody has biases and some of those biases are going to hurt your client. Nobody wants to admit those biases. When the guy in the black dress asks if you have biases, you don't want to admit them. Or you think you can put them aside. You get people promising to do something that's impossible," he said.
Bennett said Hughes is very unpredictable.
Berg's reasoning is unique, said attorney John Floyd, but under normal circumstances requesting a postponement isn't a big deal as long as there are compelling reasons.
"The judge is independent. He's very opinionated and open-minded. He'll do what he chooses to do," Floyd said. It helps that Berg has a good reputation in the courthouse, he said, it might depend on how many continuances the judge has granted.
"I would be somewhat surprised if the judge didn't grant it," Floyd said. "It just kind of depends on what mood Judge Hughes is in."
Pedestrians got a rude awakening this week when they crossed the sidewalk at the intersection of San Jacinto and Holman in Midtown.
Vandals struck the crosswalk signs, hitting them with black spray paint and making the sign look like it's giving pedestrians the finger.
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Texas is a state with a long tradition of guns. The current campus carry law and a lawsuit brought by the state's Attorney General against a county over a gun ban at the courthouse stand as proof.
But, if it looks like the state is the Wild, Wild West where everyone is armed to the teeth, that's not necessarily the case. A survey done by Public Policy Polling last month includes surprising findings about the attitude among Texans toward gun control.
PPP, a Raleigh, N.C.-based operation, polled on a variety of issues in August. But, the gun-related questions provided the most interesting results in traditionally conservative Texas, where it appears a number of progressive policy proposals have reached mainstream popularity.
READ MORE: Group urges Texas gun owners to call on Congress to blunt control efforts
But, the results won't mean great changes for Texas politicians, who overwhelmingly oppose any sort of restrictions on gun control or imposing stricter background checks.
An extremely conservative Republican Party primary electorate - which accounts for about 7-8 percent of the state's voters - choose the candidates most likely to win in the fall, said SMU political scientist Cal Jilson.
"That means nothing for Texas electoral politics," Jilson told Chron.com. "Texas electoral politics is defined by the Republican primaries."
READ MORE: Cornyn's post-Orlando gun plan comes to naught
Among the findings:
-89 percent of voters in the state support background checks on all gun purchases, to only 7 percent who oppose them. They're supported by 94 percent of Democrats, 91 percent of Republicans, and 80 percent of independents.
-83 percent of voters in the state support barring those on the Terror Watch List from buying guns, to only 10 percent who are opposed. That's supported by 85 percent of Republicans, and 82 percent of both Democrats and independents.
-Voters in the state support an assault weapons ban, 48/43. That's because Democrats are far more unified in their support for one (70/21) than Republicans are in their opposition to it (34/55).
READ MORE: False Dallas shooting suspect asks Paul Ryan about gun control
These results came from a state with a campus carry law, where college students can carry guns on campus and where Attorney General Ken Paxton recently sued Waller County, about 55 miles west of Houston, over a ban on openly carrying weapons at the courthouse.
But, this is also a state where the National Rifle Association, long an opponent of any restrictions on anyone's ability to carry any sort of gun, has spent $275,000 on campaign contributions to congressmen and senators from Texas since 2010.
It is also a state with a 25-11 Republican to Democratic split among the Congressional delegation and where both U.S. Senators are members of the GOP, the party long favored by the NRA.
For gun advocates, the poll numbers are a bit stunning.
READ MORE: AG sues Waller County over gun rights at county courthouse
"I find that very hard to believe," said C.J. Grisham,, the president of Open Carry Texas. "Regardless, we oppose this effort and would fight any attempts to expand background checks, irrespective of public opinion."
For Jilson, that sentiment sums up the voters making the decisions and the money behind the campaigns.
"You can get similar polls on partisanship in Texas shows a dead heat between Democratic and Republican," Jilson said. "For now, it is the conservative Republican primary voters that make the choices."
News / Africa
by Committee to Protect Journalists
Tanzanian authorities should immediately lift a ban on two privately owned radio stations and allow them to resume broadcasts without further harassment or censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.Tanzanian Information Minister Nape Nnauye on August 29 told reporters at a press conference in Dar es Salaam that he had ordered the privately owned stations Radio Five and Magic FM to cease broadcasting immediately. The stations had broadcast "seditious" material that could incite the public and disturb the peace, Nnauye said in a written statement issued on August 30. The stations complied with the order, two Tanzanian journalists told CPJ.The information minister alleged that Magic FM aired content that had the potential to cause a breakdown in law and order on its August 17 morning show, Morning Magic, and that Radio Five broadcast seditious content on its evening program, Matukio."It's difficult to see how a morning radio show could cause a breakdown in law and order, but it's crystal clear that the government is trying to stop the flow of information and commentary," said CPJ East Africa Representative Murithi Mutiga. "We call on the government to allow Radio Five and Magic FM to resume broadcasting immediately, and to stop attempting to silence critical voices."Nnauye said he had asked the content committee of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority to summon the owners of the stations and to advise him on further steps, The Citizen, an independent daily newspaper, reported.Neville Meena, secretary of the Tanzania Editors Forum, told CPJ that the stations generally aired music and light talk shows, but that sometimes hosts and callers would discuss political issues. The minister did not specify what statements he deemed as seditious or dangerous to law and order, Meena said."We are very concerned by this action," he said by telephone. "The minister presented no evidence, and did not elaborate on what content in the stations he found seditious. This just goes to show that the current government, which has not even been in office for a year, is too sensitive to criticism and is seeking to close the space media enjoyed in the past."A journalist at one of the stations, who spoke with CPJ on condition of anonymity for fear of prejudicing negotiations with the government, also said he did not know what triggered the government's response, but that he suspected it was that many callers to a call-in show criticized a ban on political rallies imposed in June. Police briefly detained Edward Lowassa, President John Pombe Magufuli's main rival in the last election, on August 29 after he and other opposition leaders attempted to stage a demonstration to protest the ban, according to press reports.Magufuli's government, which came into office in October 2015, has taken a series of steps to restrict Tanzania's media environment. In January 2016, it closed the weekly newspaper Mawio, after it reported on a political crisis in the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar, where results of elections which the opposition claimed to have won were annulled, CPJ reported at the time.In April, authorities halted live transmission of parliamentary debates, a vital platform that opposition parliamentarians use to communicate with the public. Another newspaper, Mseto, was closed for three years on August 11 after publishing an article quoting a former minister accusing Magufuli of corruption, according to press reports.Dozens of newspapers have also been taken off the streets for what the government described as licensing violations, according to news accounts.Tanzania government spokesman Hassan Abbas rejected claims that the Magufuli administration sought to muzzle the media."You have to look at each issue case by case," he told CPJ by telephone. "The minister followed the law in taking each decision and each of the papers and stations had committed a violation. Journalists need to understand that there are limits to media freedom. You can't just defame a president and get away with it."Abbas said a decision on the two shuttered stations would be taken when the regulatory committee convened a meeting on the issue, but did not say when this might happen.
-- What Donald Trump did last night, by The Washington Posts Joshua Partlow, Sean Sullivan and Karen DeYoung.Yet just hours later in a major speech on immigration in Phoenix, Trump had returned to the aggressive tone that has defined much of his campaign. Repeatedly raising his voice to a yell, Trump said that anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation, and he vowed to crack down especially hard on illegal immigrants who have committed other crimes.
We will issue detainers for illegal immigrants arrested for any crime whatsoever, he said, going further than other Republicans who have called for felons to be deported. Later, he said he would create a new deportation task force to deal with the most dangerous criminal illegal immigrants who have evaded justice.
-- Left unanswered by Trump: What would happen to those who have not committed crimes beyond their immigration offenses? (AP)
-- On the ground in Houston: Donald Trump's hard-line speech on immigration reform Wednesday did little to make up for a year's worth of anti-immigration rhetoric that has characterized his campaign, Hispanics across Houston said Wednesday.
-- ADIOS: Several major Latino surrogates for Donald Trump are reconsidering their support for him following the Republican nominees hardline speech on immigration Wednesday night.
Jacob Monty, a member of Trumps National Hispanic Advisory Council, has resigned, and Alfonso Aguilar, the president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, said in an interview that he is inclined to pull his support.
I was a strong supporter of Donald Trump when I believed he was going to address the immigration problem realistically and compassionately, said Monty, a Houston attorney who has aggressively made the Latino case for Trump. What I heard today was not realistic and not compassionate, per Politicos Katie Glueck.
>> Trump backers sport Make Mexico Great Again Also hat, AP
-- House and Senate Transpo chairs diverge on toll roads, by Quorum Reports Kimberly Reeves. ($) The chairs of the Legislatures transportation committees appear to be parting ways on the value and need of toll roads in Texas, especially given the new infusion of cash into highway infrastructure. Last week, Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, made his case to county officials, noting the continued collection of tolls provided increased capacity of road construction by hundreds of millions of dollars. This week, Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, talked about a strategy to take tolls off smaller projects like Camino Colombia in South Texas, which Pickett described as low-hanging fruit.
-- READ THIS: Yellow Cab leader fights transparency, then fights release of reports, by the Austin American-Statesmans Nolan Hicks. When Yellow Cab Austin President Ed Kargbo went to the Capitol to address state lawmakers back in June, he hammered on one issue in particular: transparency. However, in the weeks after he made that statement, Yellow Cab sought to block the American-Statesman from obtaining those very reports from the city of Austin, even though those reports have routinely been made public in the past. The Statesman requested the monthly reports which include total and per cab earnings, ridership numbers and customers average wait times in an attempt to examine the impact of the May departure of Lyft and Uber from Austin .
-- SA Express-News Peggy Fikac: Former Gov. Rick Perry is downplaying expectations as he prepares to compete on Dancing With the Stars and an online gambling site suggests thats a smart move. A ranking by online sportsbook Bovada predicts Rick Perry will finish last on the show, which starts its new season on Sept. 12.
CAPITOL DAYBOOK No Meetings
SPEED READ
City OK's next steps in roads partnership with Harris County, Houston Chronicle
As Voter ID challenge plays out, SOS Cascos kicks off voter ed campaign, Quorum Report
Dispute over Harris Co. jail video highlights growing importance of surveillance footage, Houston Chronicle
UT Austin needs more police, video surveillance to improve safety, Houston Chronicle
For Trump, a day of political whiplash on immigration, AP
AP Fact Check : Trump on immigration
Federal judge stays ethics sanctions, mulls providing list of immigrants to DOJ, Express-News
On mental crisis calls, police sometimes use lethal force, Texas Tribune
Spring man seeks to postpone his ISIS-related trial, Houston Chronicle
Lawyers for affluenza teen seek his release from jail, AP
Some civil rights sights at risk of being lost to history, AP
10,000 Syrian refuges find new home in US, AP
Venezuela's shrinking oil exports and growing crisis, Houston Chronicle
Oil pipeline protesters disrupt construction sites, Houston Chronicle
RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE
-- Trump gambles on immigration but sends conflicting signals, by NYTs Patrick Healy. Yet the juxtaposition of Mr. Trumps dual performances was so jarring that his true vision and intentions on immigration were hard to discern. He displayed an almost unrecognizable demeanor during his afternoon in Mexico, appearing measured and diplomatic, while hours later he took the stage at his campaign rally and denounced illegal immigrants on the whole as a criminally minded and dangerous group that sows terror in communities and commits murders, rapes and other heinous violence.
>> Charity watchdog gives Clinton Foundation high marks, AP
>> Top Jeb! donor says hes with Clinton, Politico
News / Africa
by The Villager Namibia
WINDHOEK - The Ministry of Works and Transport is in the eye of a storm after issuing a N$1.6 billion railway procurement tender that will run over three years and will see about 60 000 metric tonnes of rail being imported without the relevant advise on the technicalities of the tender specification The Villager reported.The shipment will be broken down to 20 000 metric tonnes over three years but, ironically, the Ministry chose to have the whole consignment shipped in at once despite the move defying the odds.The tender which attracted more than 200 companies both locally and internationally is key to steering the Harambee Prosperity Plan action on improving transport and logistics but, could see the Ministry facing challenges executing it as the consignment is arguably of the largest ever done in the country.Minister of Works and Transport Permanent Secretary Willem Goeieman refused to comment saying he needed to consult on the issue first before going public. "This is a tender issue and I cannot just comment on it, I am in the United States and cannot comment at this time," Goeieman said.The Ministry has also awarded a tender to a local company to clear sand from the railway network in a deal that is worth N$60 million over six months despite Government cutting down on unnecessary expenditure. The Villager understands that the Ministry has now been forced to commit N$10 million payment per month to service the contract.Speaking to The Villager, the Deputy Minister of Works Sankwasa James Sankwasa James argued this sentiments saying that the Ministry was advised by state lawyer, Attorney General Sacky Shangala."Government was advised by the AG on this tender and we will not make irrational decisions without consultations. The Ministry of works has engineers in service and they advise us on all projects, including railway projects," Sankwasa said.Backing the Minister, Works and Transport Public Relations officer Julius Ngweda said the Ministry will not hit a brick wall when it comes to the logistics part of the tender."The Ministry wants 20 000 metric tons of rail annually from this tender and our Walvis Bay Port (Namport) will be able to transport the rail from Walvis Bay. We have capacity," Sankwasa said.The logistics of this tender will however not go smoothly as Namibia's port cannot accommodate such a heavy load at once.However despite assurances from the Deputy Ministry of Works and Transport that the planned acquisition of the rail will be done smoothly NamPort Chief Executive Office Busey Uirab told The Villager that port does not have the capacity to handle more that 20 000 metric tonnes of cargo at once.To add on to the poor planning around the current tender The Villager also understands that the country does not have sufficient space to store the amount of cargo that the ministry wants to import.Uirab said that NamPort can accommodated up to that 10 000 Metric Tons of steel.This will add additional transport expenses and will put strain to productivity as only 10 000 metric tons of rail will be transported at once."We never handled a once off shipment of over 10 000 MT before. They varied between 6 500 MT to 7 000 MT. Meaning for this shipment the vessel has to make six to seven calls at reasonable intervals, giving us enough time to get consignment out of the harbour. We have the capacity and the means to handle the importation of these rail tracks," Uirab said.He added that overall, they are comfortable that NamPort will be in a position to handle the consignment and what will be required is thorough planning between NamPort and all stakeholders in this project. The Villager also understands that the tender although its meant for Namibian registered companies has also attracted attention from foreign mafia who are offering surety to Namibian companies. According to the specifications of the controversial tender the winner of the tender should be able to give 10 percent surety for the successful execution of the project.The Villager investigations on the irregularities also revealed that a Zimbabwean controversial businessman Frank Buyanga who is wanted in his native country for different crimes including fraud where he defrauded desperate loan seekers is also using some Namibian companies to bid for the tender in return for surety.Buyanga operated a loan shark business in Zimbabwe that saw him taking several houses from those he assisted with finances resulting in the Zimbabwean Authorities issuing a warrant of arrest. He is currently residing in Johannesburg South African and his business tentacles spread across both Zimbabwe and South Africa.In the past NamPort has never handled cargo of 60 000 MT.NamPort only handled vessels berth 4 -6 carry cargo between 7 and 10 000 MTs, Uirab said.Meanwhile, the Ministry has targeted to upgrade 100km railway network for the 2016/17 financial year, while about N$978.2 million will be allocated to the upgrades and rehabilitation of the main national railway line network infrastructure in the country, which is still in a dilapidated state.
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.
News / National
by Staff reporter
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is a trapped man, having now presided over Zimbabwe's indebtedness to both friend and foe, an economist has said.University of Cape Town Business Graduate School lecturer, Mills Soko, told CTV's John Matisson that China had now joined Western countries in demanding political and economic reforms from Mugabe before any bail-out package could be considered."Mugabe looks more dependent than ever, he is indebted to China as well as the West. Zimbabwe is bankrupt and has run out of cash," he said."China has made it clear it will not extend any rescue package until the issue of political succession has been sorted. There is also the issue of Zanu PF renewal and China has made it clear there is need for revitalising the party."Zimbabwe's problems, according to Soko, stem from "a dreadful governance" situation that should be addressed, but Mugabe remains "a barrier even to reformists within Zanu PF".He said the Look East Policy had allowed China to increase its economic footprint in Zimbabwe, but Mugabe had since defaulted in paying loans amounting to $1,5 billion.Soko said China had given indications that it would accept Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa as Mugabe's heir, but the internal struggles for power within Zanu PF made the situation murky."It is widely believed that the Chinese would prefer Mnangagwa. They have a long history of working with him after he trained in that country in the 1960s. Mnangagwa has a chequered history and was involved in unsavoury incidents in the country, including the Matabeleland massacres," he said."He has served in Cabinet since 1980 and is very close to the security. Of course, he is positioning himself as a reformer. There several interests that are coalescing around him, especially the military, but there is opposition to this from G40, led by the likes of [politburo members] Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere, who have teamed up with the First Lady (Grace Mugabe). Mnangagwa is in a good position, but it will not be an easy ride."Soko claimed Mugabe's recent moves to seek assistance from international finance institutions represent a "humiliation"."It represents a realisation that the Look East Policy has failed. It was designed to counter Western influence and pressure and now he has gone back to these Western countries, whom he owes in excess of $1,8 billion," he said."This is a very clear case of humiliation on the part of Mugabe having to see his Finance minister (Patrick Chinamasa) traverse Western capitals with a begging bowl seeking support from the West."Soko said Chinese leader, Xi Jinping has seemingly taken a hardline stance against the Zimbabwean strongman."China has made it clear that Zimbabwe needs to find her way out of the current morass. China has also become more assertive under Xi," he said.Soko said South Africa had an important role to play, as Zimbabwe's neighbour and largest trading partner."South Africa has to engage to address issues related to political succession and economic reforms to ensure Zimbabwe comes back to sound footing," he said."We are dealing with a failing State. With the security situation failing, including the (late) payment of soldiers and police, we have a serious situation. We saw such a scenario in the then Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) under Mobutu (Sese Seko) and it led to his ousting."
News / National
by Staff reporter
The power dynamics playing out in Zanu-PF will enter a new phase from tomorrow as the two wings of the ruling party the youth and women's leagues convene crucial meetings that would set the tone for the 16th annual national people's conference to be held in Masvingo in December.The Zanu-PF Youth League will set the ball rolling tomorrow when it convenes its first National Youth Assembly meeting at the party's headquarters in Harare the first such indaba since its national executive was ushered into office in 2014.Next week, the Women's League will congregate at the same venue for a two-day National Women's Assembly, which will open on Friday, before closing the next day.Zanu-PF insiders said the meetings, whose agendas are being kept a closely guarded secret, were meant to provide a convenient platform for Mnangagwa's rivals to push for an extraordinary congress in December where those aspiring for President Robert Mugabe's position would either be demoted or shown the door.While Mnangagwa was forced to issue a public statement last month, dismissing the allegations in the wake of vicious attacks on his person by Sarah Mahoka and Mandiitawepi Chimene, his rebuttal has done very little to appease those who are baying for his blood.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Government has cancelled a deal in which State-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) had partnered Econet Wireless Group to broadcast English Premier League games live on ZTV.Through Kwese Free Sports, Econet Media's free-to-air channel, Econet was also supposed to have facilitated the broadcast of the recent Rio Olympic Games held in Brazil.Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary, George Charamba, confirmed the development this week. Contacted for comment, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe spokesperson, Lovemore Nyatsine, referred all questions regarding the issue to ZBC.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Disgruntled war veterans have warned President Robert Mugabe of worsening civil unrest in the country if Zanu-PF bigwigs continue with their mindless bloodletting, as well as their current crackdown on dissenting voices, including former freedom fighters.Reacting yesterday to what he called the continued "persecution" of his family - as well as growing personal attacks on former Vice President Joice Mujuru - the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), Victor Matemadanda, also told the Daily News that Mugabe had "failed the nation".Matemadanda spoke in the wake of the invasion of his Karoi farm by Zanu-PF youths linked to the ruling party faction going by the moniker Generation 40 (G40), observing ruefully that ever since war veterans had started criticising the former liberation movement and its leaders, they and their families had not known peace.Matemadanda, along with four other ZNLWVA leaders, were also recently arrested on charges of undermining the authority of Mugabe, and are currently out on bail.However, he said yesterday, his family continued to be harassed by "vindictive" authorities."The continued harassment of my son who is a teacher at Kasimhure Secondary School in Karoi is a huge cause for concern. They want to mobilise people to demonstrate against him and hound him out of his job even though he has all the educational qualifications to be a teacher."However, these people (who allegedly include Zanu-PF women's league secretary for finance Sarah Mahoka) should know that I can retaliate. Mahoka is just a civilian and I am a trained soldier. They should not cry foul or arrest us when we fight back. We are going to defend ourselves and there will be bloodshed," he warned.His warning also followed Mugabe's fierce attack on war veterans in June - when he threatened to deal severely with the disenchanted ex-combatants who stand accused of plotting to stampede the increasingly frail nonagenarian out of power and working to elevate embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the highest political office in the land.On their part, the angry war veterans, who are led by former Cabinet minister Chris Mutsvangwa, have since gone on to dump Zanu-PF as well and are now fraternising with anti-Mugabe groups such as Tajamuka/Sesijikile, as well as opposition parties, including the MDC and Zimbabwe People First (ZPF).Matemadanda warned yesterday that Zanu-PF "should not attempt to stop" these budding alliances or move to crush demonstrations by the populace as this would backfire.He also said it was wrong that Mugabe and Zanu-PF were "hell bent on rewriting history" and sidelining war veterans such as Mujuru and Mnangagwa who had played key roles during the country's liberation war."We are going to go around the country to tell the people about our history. Mugabe wants to remove the people he met during the war and there are a lot of machinations to get rid of everyone who has something to do with the country's liberation struggle."It is very unfortunate that we have a government packed with Mugabe's relatives who are trying to run this country from their backyard. They are abusing everyone. This should not happen in the country. A family should not run the entire affairs of the country."Can Mugabe fire his nephew even when he is not competent? We also demand an apology regarding the vilification of female war veterans. How can one claim that people like (Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister) Mandi Chimene is better than Mujuru?"Can a child who is 17 years old refuse the orders of a commander? And how can such a woman be abused on different fronts, by her own and the enemy? We also want this government to tell us if the children from the war that we have were a result of consensual sex," Matemadanda thundered.Turning to George Rutanhire, the man who recently tore into Mujuru and accused her of having caused the death of some combatants during the war, he said those "with logs in their eyes should not lose sleep about the speck in other people's eyes"."Can he tell us how many people he abused during the liberation struggle? We have five female comrades who are telling us that he sexually abused them. We want an apology from this person."We saying Mugabe is old. Everyone is seeing that. How can he also go for 34 years with Joice and allow people to abuse her now?" Matemadanda asked further.Apart from facing rising anger from the opposition, Mugabe is also facing the biggest challenge of his political career as his ambitious underlings brawl about succeeding him, with some of them now standing accused of aiding the wave of protests ravaging the country.Matemadanda said Mugabe had himself to blame for the current chaos as those people whom he had been sidelining would regroup and challenge him in future elections."She (Mujuru) was expelled from Zanu-PF but because she is a politician, she formed her own party. She tried to complain and they did not listen. They must realise that there is life after Zanu-PF. It is not her choice that she formed her own party but Mugabe's."When Morgan Tsvangirai was the leader of ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions) he was told you are talking politics, so form your own party and he did that. Now he is being labelled an agent of the West. But the truth is that Robert Mugabe is the real agent of the West."He (Mugabe) is the agent because he is fighting everyone. There is no rehabilitation in Zanu-PF. He is the only one who will not go astray, is that normal?" he queried further.In the meantime, riot police were awash in urban areas yesterday, including the capital Harare, after panicking authorities vowed to prevent further protests against the government.While traffic was thin in Bulawayo, most towns around the country were open for business despite the call for a shutdown.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi says that some 3 individuals Gracia Machel, Desmond Tutu and Kofi Annan calling themselves elders had written to one head of state calling for the inclusion of Zimbabwe on the SADC agenda but that was thrown out as the other leaders had not received the letter and saw no reason why Zimbabwe should be on the agenda.Minister Mumbengegwi was speaking to ZBC News Diplomatic Correspondent Judith Makwanya soon after landing at Harare International Airport Thursday evening.The comments come in the wake of violent demonstrations that left properties damaged and loss of goods by businesses in Harare Central Business District.The violence was aimed at attracting the attention of SADC heads of state and government attending the 36th summit in Ezulwini Swaziland this week.Minister Mumbengegwi said the opposition political parties have no right to dictate issues that should be on its summit agenda and their attempts to influence discussions at the just ended summit were dismissed by heads of state with all the contempt they deserve.Minister Mumbengegwi said the 3 individuals have no business with interfering with SADC business, and their suggestions should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.Meanwhile, Mumbengegwi says the just ended 36th SADC Summit was highly successful with the approval of a budget in which contributions by member states of SADC should be 60 percent and the cooperating partners are now putting 40percent, a big improvement in accordance with the position that SADC has taken in line with the AU which has said regional organisations should be able to finance 100 percent of their budget in the next years.The summit continued to focus on the theme of industrialisation which is the brainchild of the President Robert Mugabe. The programme will ensure that SADC countries have goods to trade in as they move forward with their integration programme.
AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron mother and grandmother pleaded guilty Wednesday in connection with the heroin overdose death of a 16-year-old boy.
Andrew Frye, 16, died April 6 at the Super 8 Motel in Green. The Summit County Medical Examiner ruled he died from injecting heroin.
His mother, 31-year-old Heather Frye, and grandmother, 52-year-old Brenda Frye, both pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, Summit County prosecutors said.
Heather Frye also pleaded guilty to endangering children and tampering with evidence, while Brenda Frye pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking in heroin.
Family friend Jessica Irons, 35, of Stow pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence.
They will be sentenced Oct. 12 in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
Investigators said the three women tried to hide needles and drugs before deputies arrived at the hotel.
Heather Frye bought the heroin from Brenda Frye, and Brenda Frye got the drugs from her boyfriend, Donald Callaghan, prosecutors said.
Callaghan is charged with heroin possession. He is scheduled to go on trial Sept. 12.
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Marijuana possession, Front Street: A Warrensville Heights man, a self-described Moor, was arrested at about 8:15 p.m. Aug. 25 after police found what they believed was marijuana in his Ford Mustang and cocaine in his wallet.
The man, 23, was driving 47 mph on Front southbound near Adalbert Street, a 25-mph zone. An officer stopped the car and smelled raw marijuana coming from the interior. The man told police he was a "strawman" and a Moor, and that he was driving to work. He said he would not comply "with any fictitious crimes that your system has to offer."
The man told the officer he possessed a "strawman's license" and additional "Moorish information." The officer saw several pieces of paper with handwriting in the car. A Nazi flag was drawn on one of the papers.
A police sergeant arrived to assist the officer and the man started recording the incident on his cell-phone video camera. The man denied having marijuana in his car and refused to give police permission to search his vehicle.
The man complained that police were treating him like a civilian, which he said he was not. He said he was a national and a Moor. He told police they were disrespecting his rights and that he would send his cell-phone video to the U.S. secretary of state.
Police asked the man several times to exit his car but he refused. A third officer arrived and police dragged the man out of the car. They found one white pill, marijuana shake, a pill bottle containing suspected marijuana and a digital scale in the car. Later, a jailer found cocaine hidden in a dollar bill inside the man's wallet.
Assault, Prospect Street: Police are looking for a woman, driving a small blue sedan, who beat up another driver in a road rage incident at Parkway Shell Auto Care, 20 Prospect Street.
The victim, 65, said she was trying to maneuver her pickup truck out of the gas station when the sedan, driven by the woman, approached in the opposite direction. The station was packed with cars, so the pickup and sedan blocked each other.
The victim raised her hands at the woman in the sedan, as if asking where she was supposed to go. The woman screamed profanities at the victim.
The victim stepped out of her truck to "reason" with the woman. The woman drove her car toward the victim, who jumped out of the way. The woman threw a slushy, which hit the pickup truck.
The woman parked her car, exited the vehicle and started hitting the victim in the head. Witnesses pulled the woman away. The woman was described as white, blond, about 19-years-old, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 110 pounds. The first letters on her license plate were GVH.
Breaking & entering, West Bagley Road: A TV and cash box were reported stolen at about 5:50 a.m. Aug. 29 from Ready Set Grow & Learn Child Care, 1433 West Bagley.
Someone broke a rear window to get inside. The glass was swept into a pile about 12 feet from the window. A men's room window was also shattered, and a door next to the window was damaged.
Attempted shoplifting, West Bridge Street: Police hope to identify and arrest a man who tried to steal $987 in groceries from Giant Eagle, 50 West Bridge.
The man attempted to push a cart loaded with groceries out the supermarket's kitchen door but the door would not open. Then an alarm sounded. The man, leaving the cart behind, walked out the store's front entrance.
Animal bite, Baker Street: A Baker resident, 46, told police that a black dachshund bit her on the calf while she was walking on the sidewalk near her home.
It happened at about 2 p.m. Aug. 26. The woman said that five dachshunds, all belonging to a neighbor, approached and started barking. One of the dogs bit her.
The woman said the dogs' owner was present during the incident but did nothing to control the dogs. She said the owner routinely allows the dachshunds to run loose and chase neighbors. Police said they would talk to the dogs' owner.
Operating a vehicle under the influence, North Rocky River Drive: A Berea man, 54, was arrested at about 2:15 a.m. Aug. 26 after police caught him driving drunk.
The man's Chrysler Fifth Avenue drifted left of center on North Rocky River near Depot Street. The man admitted drinking two beers and two shots of whiskey.
Theft, Front Street: A bicycle was stolen between Aug. 19-29 from the front of Baldwin Wallace University's Center for Innovation and Growth, 340 Front Street.
The victim said the bike was chained to a bike rack. The bike was cream-colored with a white wire basket on the handlebars. Also, the bike had newer over-sized tires and pedal-style brakes.
Theft, Fair Street: A packaged delivered to a Fair Street home was reported stolen Aug. 27.
According to U.S. Postal Service records, the package - containing Ray-Ban glasses, a blue ball for a dog, a shirt, a portable charger and phone bag - was delivered at 4:50 p.m. Aug. 25. However, the victim never received the package.
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Balloons fall from the ceiling of the Q during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on Thursday, July 21. A Press Club of Cleveland panel featuring representatives from the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, Destination Cleveland, Team NEO, WKYC-TV and The Plain Dealer said the ambitious, multifaceted public relations campaign to change the national conversation about Cleveland was a slam dunk.
(Lisa DeJong, The Plain Dealer)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Cleveland won the bid to host the 2016 Republican National Convention two years ago, some said the city had bitten off more than it could chew. Some predicted that this GOP convention would be the most violent and unpredictable ever held, and some media outlets sent their reporters to Cleveland with gas masks and flak jackets.
But Cleveland defied those prophesies of doom and gloom, rolling out an ambitious and strategic public relations plan and a multifaceted citywide welcome to tens of thousands of first-time visitors.
And in doing so, a Press Club of Cleveland panel told a sold-out lunchtime crowd on Wednesday, they changed the national conversation about Cleveland.
"It came off spectacularly well," said David Hertz, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning editor for the Akron Beacon-Journal and now managing director of Dix & Eaton, a Cleveland communications and public relations consultancy. "The party's not over; the party's just beginning."
Russ Mitchell, left, anchor and managing editor, WKYC-TV, and Eileen Korey, media relations manager, Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, at the Press Club of Cleveland.
Russ Mitchell, anchor and managing editor of WKYC-TV, told the rapt audience at the Music Box Supper Club that Cleveland's RNC was his 11th national political convention. And compared to the others, "Cleveland was a slam dunk," he said. "The city, the people of this city, everyone involved did a fantastic job. Congratulations to all of you for making this happen."
"I think the attitude in Cleveland and around Cleveland was: 'What can we do for you?' The attitude [at the Democratic National Convention] in Philadelphia was, 'What do you want? And 'No.'"
"I think Cleveland was hungrier," he said. Philadelphia had just hosted the Pope last year and had already hosted a national convention. "We hadn't hosted a convention since 1936."
Hertz read from a July 29 letter that David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, wrote to The Plain Dealer saying that Cleveland not only hosted the RNC, "we knocked it out of the park."
"The convention pumped an estimated $200 million into our economy and accelerated important civic projects," Gilbert wrote. "More important, it elevated how we are viewed by the world and how we view ourselves.
"The hundreds of positive stories written about our city were beyond all expectations. Not only did we hear universal praise from media, delegates and other guests, but we have logged amazing stories of people who plan to visit, relocate or invest in our community as a result of their convention experiences."
Eileen Korey, media relations manager, Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, center.
For Eileen Korey, media relations manager for the nonpartisan Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, the RNC was the highlight of a career spent building relationships with PR people and media people.
She helped compile what began as 50 to 75 story ideas into a media guide called "Stories Worth Telling," for journalists who came to Cleveland for the RNC, pitching stories about Cleveland that would resonate on a national level.
From neighborhood redevelopment to immigration to refugees, "we reflected a lot of the issues that were part of the [Republican] platform. We have a robust refugee resettlement community here. Who would've known?" Korey added. "We let Cleveland speak for itself."
When Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream said it was developing limited-edition flavors to commemorate the RNC, she told them "Do it now, because this [media guide]'s gotta go to press. And that story went all over the place."
Emily Lauer, right, senior director of PR/communications, Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, and Rick Batyko, SVP, marketing, communications & development, at the Press Club of Cleveland.
Emily Lauer, senior director of public relations and communications for both the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee and Destination Cleveland, the region's rebranded convention and visitors bureau, said they identified some of the challenges Cleveland faces as a major city, but also spotlighted efforts to address those problems, led by people like Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams.
"When has Cleveland ever backed down from a challenge?" Lauer asked. With a limited number of people and a short time frame, "we had to be really strategic about who we went after. We were positioning stories in the way the media wanted to hear about them."
"If there was a superstar who emerged on the nation's radar, it was Calvin Williams," Mitchell agreed.
Rick Batyko, senior vice president of marketing, communications and development for Team NEO, an economic development organization focused on bringing jobs to Northeast Ohio, said that even before Cleveland won the convention, he and others started courting influential media companies in New York and Washington, D.C., to begin building relationships and anticipating what they would need. "We had 14 people around the table" both the Wall Street Journal and at The New York Times.
Team NEO and Destination Cleveland suggested story ideas that would capture Cleveland's rebirth and economic revitalization without ignoring its shortcomings, as well as contacts for the institutions or organizations that were working on those challenges.
They seized on the chance to tell Cleveland's story, talking about the resurgence of Downtown Cleveland and the rise of the biomedical industry, but left it up to the media what stories they pursued. "By no means was the Host Committee or Destination Cleveland a gate-keeper," Batyko said.
"What was really great about this was the way the [Cleveland 2016] Host Committee handled it," by involving people and advocates from throughout Greater Cleveland. "That's why it was so successful," he said.
In comparison to Philadelphia, "for every positive story they got about the city, we got three," he said.
Hertz agreed, adding: "We had more [news] coverage during the month of July than we've had any other single year. Incredible."
Susan Glaser, right, travel editor of The Plain Dealer, and Emily Lauer, senior director of PR/communications, Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, at the Press Club of Cleveland.
Susan Glaser, travel editor for The Plain Dealer, said she spent the week of the RNC covering stories about tourists, hospitality and hotels. She sought out first-time visitors to Cleveland, talking to them either before they arrived or as soon as they arrived, and following up with them at the end of the week.
"A lot of people talked about the river burning" or Cleveland's industrial roots. Some Texas delegates told her they hadn't realized Cleveland was on Lake Erie, or that Lake Erie was so big. "Did you take geography?" she wondered.
But by the end of their visits, "to a person, every single person I talked to" left the city impressed with both Cleveland and her people, she said. "It was very insightful."
"We all know that when anybody comes to Cleveland or Northeast Ohio and sees it for themselves," they end up changing their minds, Batyko said. "We're going to be on lists that we've never been on before."
Hertz pointed out that on July 19, New York Times' columnist Dan Barry wrote an RNC story headlined: "In Cleveland's Public Square, rights are exercised. Loudly." It was a far cry from his 2012 story on Elyria, called "At the Corner of Hope and Worry."
He said the change in tone and topic since 2012 underscores the "transformation and the progress we've made" in influencing what outsiders think of Northeast Ohio.
Two days after Cleveland won its bid to host the RNC, he and Hertz were at a Washington, D.C., pizzeria with reporter Molly Ball from The Atlantic when all the televisions in the restaurant announced that LeBron James was coming home to the Cavaliers. "It was a very good week," Batyko said.
This past spring, when it looked like it was going to be a hotly contested convention, with other Republican hopefuls challenging Trump for the candidacy, the number of media who said they were coming to Cleveland soared.
They reserved venues and hotel rooms at least a week before the convention, and even after other GOP bigwigs bowed out, those media numbers didn't drop. "We had a number of journalists who were there with time on their hands," Batyko said.
From left, Emily Lauer, senior director of PR/communications, Cleveland 2016 Host Committee; David Hertz, managing director of Dix & Eaton; Rick Batyko, SVP marketing, communications & development, Team NEO; Eileen Korey, media relations manager, Cleveland 2016 Host Committee; Susan Glaser, travel editor for The Plain Dealer; and Russ Mitchell, anchor and managing editor, WKYC-TV, at the Press Club of Cleveland luncheon panel on Wednesday.
When the Associated Press travel editor said she didn't want to visit the usual Cleveland landmarks, Lauer told her about the Millard Fillmore Presidential Library, a bar in the Waterloo neighborhood, and the Ashtabula County home of Joshua Giddings, one of the founders of the Republican Party. "I have a whole bucket list of places in Cleveland to explore now," she said.
When Hertz challenged the panelists and audience members to think of one word that captures the city's experience during the RNC, they said things like: "education," "headline-making," "exceeded," "pivotal," "pride," "Believeland," "unity," "impressive," and "welcome."
As Glaser wrote after the RNC left, it will be hard to know exactly how much it contributed to the city's travel and tourism industry. "If, three years from now, a major group books a convention in Cleveland, will it be because organizers remember the police and protesters hugging on Public Square in July 2016? Because of the new convention center? Or because hotel rates here are so much cheaper than Boston and Seattle?" she asked.
"The way we'll know if it made a difference is how many visitors come to Cleveland year after year after year," she said on Wednesday.
Mitchell added: "The Republican National Committee said that it had a wonderful experience in Cleveland. Who's to say that in four year the Democrats are not going to say, 'We want to go to Cleveland as well?'"
This is the Republican National Convention's video thank-you to Cleveland:
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MORELAND HILLS, Ohio -- Animal (miscellaneous), Murwood Drive: Shortly after 7 a.m. on Aug. 25, a resident reported that a rooster had now been hanging out near her property for the past two days. She believed that it belonged a neighbor on Chagrin Boulevard and was going to look for a nearby home with a chicken coop when she returned from work.
Suspicion, noise complaint, Jackson Road: After a postal carrier reported hearing a chirping noise coming a vacant home on Aug. 30, police determined it was a septic system alarm going off and had it reset. A similar complaint had come from a neighbor the night before.
Mutual aid, Liberty Road: Police assisted officers in Solon Aug. 30 with a report of a man who ran off into a wooded area, where a gunshot was soon heard. Dispatchers were told that a suicide note was found back in his car in a local church parking lot.
Fire call, Greentree Road: Officers responded initially to an Aug. 27 report of an odor of gas in a home's mudroom. No hazard was found and the scene was turned over to firefighters.
Public utilities, Chagrin Boulevard: A resident in the 38000 block of Chagrin reported Aug. 26 that a light on a utility pole with a "Do Not Pass" sign on it has been out for five weeks. Due to an electrical box being worked on across the street, police planned to check back.
Suspicion, Chagrin Boulevard: Police investigated a report of a suspicious person possibly on the campus of Moreland Hills Elementary School shortly after noon on Aug. 30 and found no cause for further action.
Debris on streets, Hiram Trail: A caller reported a large pile of dirt in the roadway just off of SOM Center Road shortly after 9 a.m. on Aug. 26. Police responded within 12 minutes and could not find any obstructions.
Traffic complaint, Giles Road: A caller was upset on Aug. 23 about people speeding up and down the street, requesting extra patrols.
Menacing, follow-up investigation, North Strawberry Lane: Police questioned a carpeting subcontractor about an Aug. 19 incident in which he denied threatening a customer, his family or the windows of his house. The west side Cleveland man, 55, did admit to calling the homeowner, 34, a "punk."
The homeowner said he had gone through a different contractor, who then turned the job over to the suspect. Police characterized the incident as a verbal altercation resulting from a dispute over upstairs installation and payment.
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Donald Trump flys to meet with Mexico's president after disparaging Mexicans as murderers, rapists and criminals.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Despite Donald Trump having disparaged Mexicans entering the U.S. as rapists and criminals, Mexico's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, gave Trump an opportunity to play president along side him. Trump took full advantage of it, greatly helping his chances of actually becoming a real president.
Pena Nieto probably never thought Trump would accept the invitation to meet with him at Mexico's presidential palace. Pena Nieto had compared Trump's fear mongering rhetoric to that of Adolph Hitler and Mussolini. Trump's disparaging comments about Mexicans had many a pinata being made in his likeness.
But while Pena Nieto's invitation posed potential security dangers for Trump, it equally provided something he desperately needed -- an ideal opportunity to look and act presidential on an international stage.
Trump's campaign could not have asked for better optics and timing. His private meeting with Pena Nieto was followed by public remarks that had both men standing behind podiums with the Mexican seal, in front of a green marble wall, similar to the United Nation's chamber.
The demeanor of Trump matched the formal stage he found himself on. Trump's performance may help assure wavering swing voters that he can be up to the task of the presidency.
As much as the meeting helped boost Trump, it likely doomed Pena Nieto. Mexico's president has a 23% approval rating. Pena Nieto's public remarks alongside Trump will only lower his approval ratings. Mexicans already felt Pena Nieto's invitation had legitimized an undeserving and unfit Trump. Pena Nietro compounded the anger by not publicly demanding an apology from Trump or more strongly chastising him.
Mexican and U.S. Latino voters were likely even more put off when Trump followed his Mexico meeting by outlining his hard-line immigration reform plan in Arizona.
Trump booted any thought that he would be softening his stance on immigration by announcing he would boot 2 million aliens out of the country on the first day of his presidency.
The deportations are part of his following 10-point immigration plan:
1) Build border wall
Trump said the wall will be built with "above and below sensors." to prevent tunneling. He again said Mexico will pay for the wall. "They don't know it yet, but they will" A border wall is expected to cost billions of dollars.
2) End 'Catch and Release'
3) Zero tolerance for criminal aliens
Trump claims there are 2 million illegal aliens with criminal records. He intends to triple the number of ICE officers and hire 5,000 more border patrol agents.
4) Block funding for 'Sanctuary Cities"
In one of the more powerful moments of his speech, Trump invited on stage parents whose children had been murdered by illegal aliens.
5) Cancel Obama's executive orders for Amnesty programs.
This would be a nightmare for "dreamers" who are the very kind of Mexicans in the U.S. who Trump had praised in his remarks with Mexico's president.
6) Suspend visas from places where adequate screening can't occur.
Trump once again called for 'extreme vetting.' Instead of accepting refugees, Trump called for Mideast safe zones to be created and funded by gulf states.
7) Make sure other countries take back those who have been deported.
8) Biometric visa tracking system to prevent visa overstays.
Trump claims this would have caught at least two of the 9-11 hijackers.
9) Turn off job/benefits magnet with e-verify.
10) Reform immigration to benefit American workers.
Trump is calling for an immigration commission that implements a system that serves the country's needs over all others --"America first."
He wants immigrants chosen for admission based on "merit" and 'skill." You know, like do they have degrees from Trump University? And can they build a border wall with sensors for under a billion dollars, while being paid minimum wage ?
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Taco Bell confirmed it's bringing its fancier Cantina concept to Public Square, it just didn't specify when.
"The Taco Bell Cantina in Cleveland, located downtown at Public Square is set to open before year's end," a company spokesperson said in an email to cleveland.com. "At this point, there is no new additional information to share."
The spokesperson wouldn't comment on a jobs posting on Craigslist that said the Taco Bell Cantina would open in mid-September.
A cursory look at the space from the sidewalk during lunchtime Wednesday, however, suggested that target date would be a challenge. Except for a lone worker spotted on top of a scissors lift, the place still largely resembled the abandoned Cadillac Ranch on the street level of the old May Co. building that it is.
Renderings presented before the Cleveland Landmark's Commission back in June showed a 2,800 square foot restaurant with 30-seat patio. It will be the third Taco Bell Cantina in the nation, following openings last year in Chicago and San Francisco.
The cantina concept features a hip, urban environment, local artwork on the walls, open kitchen, community tables and free Wi-Fi. The menu, while still featuring the familiar Burrito Supreme, Quesarito and Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, also includes shareable appetizers -- think mini taquitos and chicken fingers -- and alcoholic beverages such as beer and boozy slushes.
"If this wasn't called Taco Bell and the prices were higher it would be trendy as hell and getting rave reviews," a reviewer on Yelp wrote of the Chicago location.
Until sometime later this year, we'll just have to take his word for it.
A British Pub dishes it out in an American mall
The Pub operated for more than two and a half years inside Beachwood Place Mall.
(Laura Johnston, cleveland.com)
BEACHWOOD, Ohio -- The Pub at Beachwood Place has served its last plate of fish and chips and poured its last pint of Guinness. The British-themed restaurant and bar abruptly closed Wednesday after two and a half years in the mall.
"This was not an easy decision, but closing our Beachwood location allows us to focus on other, more profitable restaurants and is therefore in the best interest of our company," David Bell, Director of Operations for The Pub's parent company, Tavern Restaurant Group, said in a release Thursday. "We are very grateful to the Beachwood community for their patronage and to our team members for their efforts, but this particular location has been unable to meet sales quotas for some time."
The Pub's sudden closing follows the shuttering of its Rocky River outpost in 2011. It leaves the Cincinnati-based chain with 11 locations in four states. The company also operates restaurants under the names deSha's and Nicholson's.
"The Pub concept overall continues to thrive in other markets, including our licensed Pub at Cleveland International Airport, and we look forward to bringing The Pub to select locations in the future," the statement read.
When The Pub in Beachwood opened in 2014,
"It had all an Anglophile could want: decor, food, beer, music, sport and even pub trivia." Recent reviews on Yelp, however, were decidedly mixed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -Starting next year, Cleveland says it will begin routine interior inspections of most city rental properties to make sure they're safe and don't pose threats to residents.
Though driven initially by a need to reduce the risk of lead poisoning in rental homes where children live, the effort will aim to improve overall health and well-being for all Cleveland tenants, said Building & Housing Director Ron O'Leary.
Councilman Tony Brancatelli, who for years has championed better housing code enforcement, said a well-functioning inspection program would be good for both tenants and landlords. Brancatelli said he'd heard the city might be planning to increase its enforcement efforts but has yet to see the plan, which city officials say is about 90 percent complete.
"It could level the playing field and improve the value of real estate, and shake out those who are irresponsible," he said. One potential headache could be enforcing it if certain landlords are resistant to inspections, he said.
The interior inspections would check for:
hot and cold running water;
working toilets;
functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors;
safety hazards such as extensive use of electrical extension cords;
and peeling or flaking paint on windows sills and doors, which in homes built before 1978 can be an indicator of a lead hazard.
City officials said they are still working out which ordinances might need to be changed or amended in order for inspections to begin next year, but they expect to be able to resolve them.
Inspectors would issue citations for violations when necessary, O'Leary said.
Routine interior inspections would be a big change for the city, which currently uses a complaint-based system to inspect the inside of homes and does not have enough inspectors to perform routine exterior inspections.
The city had a rental inspection program for a time in the 1980s and 1990s, but it was primarily in larger structures with four or more units, said city spokesman Dan Ball. The new city program would cover far more rentals.
The city will need more money to make the interior rental inspection program work the way it should, O'Leary said.
Its impact will depend largely on whether voters pass a city income tax increase -- from 2 percent to 2.5 percent - in November, he said.
With the tax money, the city can hire and train about a dozen new inspectors to devote to a unit focused on rental inspections.
Without the tax money, the unit would be staffed by current inspectors, some of whom are currently divided into city zones doing complaint-based inspections.
A long haul
The city estimates it would take between three and five years to inspect each rental unit with a full staff of inspectors, and longer with a smaller staff.
The inspection plan is closely related to the city's efforts to increase the number of property owners who follow a largely-ignored rental registration law and pay a $35-per-unit annual registration fee.
The city has more than 90,000 rental units, which include single-family homes, duplexes, and multi-unit, large properties.
It's not yet clear if the routine inspections would include all larger properties or focus on single family, duplex and smaller multi-unit buildings.
Will inspections help the lead problem?
It's impossible to tell if the city's routine interior inspections of rental properties would reduce Cleveland's high lead poisoning rate. But there's some evidence to indicate it could help.
In Rochester, New York, a city law that launched routine rental inspections targeting lead hazards has been credited with helping drop lead poisoning levels among that city's children by 80 percent in the past decade.
Rochester's law called for interior and exterior inspections for deteriorated paint in areas where health data showed children were at highest risk for poisoning.
In August, Toledo became the first city in Ohio to pass a law like Rochester's. Toledo's law requires both visual and laboratory proof that smaller rentals built before 1978 are "lead safe," or free of lead hazards.
Cleveland's rental inspection plan would accomplish some of the same goals, but is not the same.
Officials recently said it was open to exploring a law like Toledo's here, though officials are still debating whether a Cleveland version would require simpler visual inspections alone or a stricter standard, where samples collected from homes would be tested in a laboratory for lead.
Angela Shuckahosee, executive director of the Cleveland Tenants Organization, said she would prefer Cleveland go beyond visual inspections. Area hospital leaders have also expressed their support for lab testing of rental properties.
The main worries in allowing laboratory testing: cost and liability for clean-up.
State law requires that the hazards must be made safe if lab tests, such as dust wipes taken from windowsills or doors, reveal unsafe levels of lead.
That also requires a follow-up inspection from a qualified lead risk assessor, which can cost between $200 and $600.
In Toledo landlords will use private inspectors to check for lead in their properties or to confirm an identified hazard has been fixed, minimizing the cost to the city.
That possibility is still on the table here, city officials said.
Right now, Cleveland housing inspectors can cite owners for peeling paint, but don't have the authority or training to investigate or follow up to determine if there's a lead hazard. Those cases are handled by the health department, which has fallen behind on investigating lead poisoning cases due to a dearth of qualified staff.
Shuckahosee said she sees recent events in Toledo and Cleveland's tentative plans for rental inspections as signs of progress.
"The Toledo legislation gives me some hope and Cleveland would be foolhardy not to take it seriously," she said.
News / National
by Staff reporter
The Namibia government has commended the local immigration department for setting up world class systems which will be replicated in Southern African nations.The comments by the visiting Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration of Namibia Mrs Pendukeni Luvula Ithan came after touring the immigration department' head offices together with Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo.The tour took the delegation to the Harare International Airport where they assessed operations at the port of entry with Mrs Ithan saying there is lot that her country will learn from Zimbabwe in terms of technology.Immigration Department Director of Administration Mr Stephen Museki explained to the delegation the processes that his organisation undertakes.The delegation from Namibia is still in country on a familiarisation tour of some of the institutions that fall under the Home Affairs Department which is line with SADC provisions regarding harmonisation of operations.
Thursday 1
Holy Hell (CNN 7pm) Filmmaker Will Allen documents the time he spent inside the Los Angeles spirtual group/creepy cult, the Buddhafield.
Tracks (Spike 8:30pm) Name That Tune gets an uncredited update with contestants trying to identify song titles by listening to musical tracks.
Friday 2
Imaginary Friend (KOB-4 1:08am) Alex Newellwho was a runner-up on The Glee Project, but went on to appear as trangender student Unique Adams on Glee anywaystars as the imaginary friend to an unmotivated woman leading a mediocre life. This late-night show is a product of NBCs online-based contest NBC Playground.
Abandoned (Viceland 7pm) Vice travels the world looking for abandoned industrial setting like empty factories, crumbling shopping malls and ghost towns.
Saturday 3
Sunset PPPL (KOB-4 1:19am) In this sitcom a group of five millennial roommates wrestle with their own concepts of personal and professional success. This is also a product of NBC Playground, an attempt to lure internet-leaning, digital- content- loving young people to regular old broadcast television.
Tom Felton Meets the Superfans (Freeform 10:30pm) Young actor Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films) bravely hooks up with his most diehard fans to find out whats their freakin deal.
Sunday 4
The ABC Fall Preview Show (KOAT-7 9pm) Should you watch ABCs new fall lineup? Hosts Anthony Anderson, Randall Park, Katy Mixon and Piper Perabo think so.
Monday 5
Stalked By My Doctor: The Return (Lifetime 6pm) Lifetime is now making sequels to its suburban paranoia thrillers. Here, poor Eric Roberts returns as a creepy doctor with some serious boundary issues.
Harley and the Davidsons (Discovery 7pm) This three-part docu-drama miniseries chronicles the efforts of Bill Harley and brothers Walter and Arthur Davidson to found the iconic American motorcycle manufacturer back in 1903.
15 Septembers Later (History 7pm) Good news, pickup truck drivers: History Channel has read your bumper sticker and has not forgotten 9/11.
The Comedy Central Roast of Rob Lowe (TV Land/Comedy Central 8pm/11pm) Well, this ought to be a clean, tasteful, wholesome affair.
Loosely, Exactly Nicole (MTV 11:30pm) Comedienne Nicole Byer stars in this scripted comedy series loosely based on her own life (as, it seems, are all stand-up comedy star-based sitcoms).
Tuesday 6
StartUp (Crackle Streaming anytime) Martin Freeman (Sherlock) and Adam Brody ( The O.C.) star in this sex- and violence-filled drama about a Miami startup company.
From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series (El Rey 7pm) Season 3 of the crime/horror movie spin-off (now shot right here in New Mexico) gets underway with more vampire- on- bank- robber violence.
Wednesday 7
The Incredible Food Race (Discovery Family Channel 7pm) Families compete in goofy, food-based obstacle course events before squaring off against one another in a cooking competition. Because ... ideas.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Zimbabwe and its largest trading partner South Africa are finalising discussions for the establishment of a Beitbridge One Stop Border Post which is expected to ease congestion at the busiest port of entry in Southern Africa.Authorities on both side of the Limpopo River have expressed their commitment to seeing the finalisation of the one stop border post master plan implementation.The two governments are in discussions which are expected to result in the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding to pave way for the roll out of the concept which has long been on the cards.Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Chiratidzo Mabuwa is confident a breakthrough will soon be made on the ongoing discussions.Economic analyst Dr Abel Mubango noted that the one stop border post concept will ensure that the port of entry becomes more efficient.Beitbridge Border Post, which is the region's busiest inland port of entry, has constantly witnessed delays in processing of cargo and human traffic.
News / National
by Staff reporter
The government has, with effect from this Friday, the 2nd of September, 2016, banned all public demonstrations in and around the Harare central business district.The ban will be in place until the 16th of this month.The ban is in line with Statutory Instrument 101 A of 2016 issued in an Extra-Ordinary Government Gazette this Thursday.The statutory instrument stipulates that the regulating authority, Harare Central Police District, Chief Superintendent Newbert Saunyama has banned public demonstrations on reasonable grounds that the powers conferred by Section 26 of the Public Order and Security Act Chapter 11:17 will not be sufficient to prevent public disorder.ZRP national spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba says any person who organises, assists in organising, takes part in or attends any procession of public demonstration starting tomorrow (Friday) shall be guilty of an offence.Police have also banned the carrying of dangerous weapons as the law enforcement agents move in to curb the destruction of property and violent protests being perpetrated by MDC-T hooligans.The ZRP regulating authority of Harare issued a prohibition order on the carrying in public places of dangerous weapons for a period of three months up to the 2nd of December 2016.The police noted that the prohibition order has been issued in terms of Section 14 (1) of Public Order and Security Act Chapter 11:17.
Opinion / Columnist
Following recent reports in the media on allegations of gross negligence by nurses at Gwanda Hospital children's ward which resulted in a one month old baby having to have a hand amputated, the Gwanda Residents Association saw it prudent to take the issue head on with the hospital authorities and seek to know what really transpired leading to the unfortunate incident.The Association was motivated to take the move disappointedly because Gwanda Hospital has in recent years been on a huge rise towards excellence which left us wondering what could have suddenly happened.On Wednesday, the 31st August 2016 the Association sort audience with the hospital administration which was represented by the most senior officials from the hospital.Suffice to say that going into the meeting as residents representatives we were in a not too good mood against the hospital which we only recently established a formidable working relationship with.In the discussions that ensued, we were very lucky that we got there at a time that Ministry of Health officials had just completed their investigations on the matter which made it easier for us to pick up the factual hospital side of the whole issue.First and for most the Association regrettably notes that the media house that ran the story did not through the three times that it ran the issue bother to contact the hospital to get the hospital's side to this very important matter.Such journalism leaves us as an Association disappointed and failing to understand the motive of the media house on sensationalising a matter of this nature which if not handled professionally and carefully was bound to cause mayhem and discord in the community.The hospital trail of events leading to the ultimate unfortunate amputation of the baby's arm give a near completely opposite picture of the events outlined by the media house which if the journalist would have cared to stretch his journalism ethics a little further would have avoided sensationalising the matter and causing disharmony in both the hospital and the community in Gwanda.We will not be repeating the sentiments portrayed in the media reports that ended with an editorial comment calling on the Ministry of Health to dismiss the entire nursing staff at the hospital and having their practising certificates cancelled and the doctors and hospital administration reprimanded.The facts of the matter are that, the mother of the child first came to Gwanda Hospital from Bulawayo for maternity service prior the incident of the child being admitted at the hospital.It is no secret that the Gwanda Hospital maternity hospital is of late amongst the top in the country which has seen an influx of expectant mothers from across the region preferring to come and deliver in Gwanda other than anywhere else in the region.On the day that the baby was admitted at Gwanda hospital, the baby was coming for a routine seventh day check up.Hospital facts are that at birth the child had a weight of 2700 grammes but on day seven the child was weighing in at 2200 grammes which was a loss of 500 grammes.The hospital had no alterative but to admit the child. Facts on admission are that the child was heavily dehydrated and very underfed and at a serious risk of deteriorating further.As reported by the paper, the nurses who admitted the child tried several times (but certainly not ten times as was reported by the media) to inset a cannular on the baby to administer orals and antibiotics due to the baby's severe dehydration.The hospital discovered that the mother was refusing to breastfeed the child for reasons she would not give. Instead she was feeding the child 90 millilitres of formula milk per day instead of 90ml per feed which explains the huge weight loss and dehydration the babe faced.In our investigations, we also gathered from other mothers who were with the mother at the time she was admitted at Gwanda Hospital that she was not even willing to only bath the child let alone feed the child.The hospital staff discovered problems with the child's hand a few days after admission upon which they transferred the child to Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo for a scan which is not available in Gwanda.Mpilo hospital apparently couldn't do the scan and implored on the family to rush and do the scan at a private institution outside the hospital. The family refused to do the scan and in fact opted to reject further health care from the hospital and left the hospital to have the child attended to at a religious cult.The child was away from health care for over ten days before resurfacing at the United Bulawayo Hospitals in an advanced state of illness a fact which the media chose to ignore.The scan was eventually done at the private institution with the insistence of UBH in liaison with Mpilo Hospital and the amputation had to be unfortunately done.Findings so far made by the hospitals do not at all point to any negligence on the part of nurses and doctors at Gwanda Hospital but if anything could unfortunately point the negligence on the part of the parents.As the Gwanda Residents Association we are extremely saddened by the media house's entire handling of the matter which has left an absolutely undue dent on the staff at Gwanda hospital and caused panic and worry in the community.Our visit to the hospital presented to us a picture of extremely demotivated medical staff.Further to that we met up with patients in the wards not believing in the nurses at all as very have been tagged negligent and murderous.A sober mind will tell one that a nurse who presented with a near dying baby tries her best to insert a cannular into the dehydrated child until she finds the vain was not mutilating the child as the paper reported but was very concerned and committed to her duty to save a life.As the community of Gwanda it has taken us years to get this hospital to the level that we are in today and under no circumstances shall we sit back and allow some forces to at the strike of a pen destroy what we have laboured to build.We are indeed aware that medical errors do happen at health centres and Gwanda Hospital is not spared of them but for the sake of community building and development as the community we will always be more happy to have issues presented to us in their precise state not made sensational for any cause.As representatives of the Residents of Gwanda, the Gwanda Residents Association would by means of this statement want to encourage our staff at the hospital to remain focused and continue to strive for excellence and not be dented by this isolated incident.To the residents we would like to urge each other to continue believing in our dedicated hospital staff and continue to give the hospital the support we have been giving them that has seen the hospital take the huge stride which continues to even attract those from outside us to our hospital facilities.Bekezela Maduma FuzwayoSecretary GeneralGwanda Residents Association.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on a week-long visit to China, and he certainly has his work cut out for him amid a range of complications currently weighing on bilateral ties.
It's his first official visit to the mainland, and he's due to stop in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Hangzhou for the G20 leaders' summit that commences Sunday. Trudeau's father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, was one of the first Western leaders to normalize relations with China in 1970s. From a trade spat to backlash against Chinese immigration, tensions between the two countries have increased this year. At the heart of the matter is the fact that Canada values its relationship with China but remains hesitant over the latter's politics, which makes diplomacy more challenging, summed up Jeremy Kinsman, a former member of Trudeau's foreign affairs council. "Canada remains wary at the way the [Chinese] state exercises power and authority, both in regard to dissidents but also in foreign relations. Canada will have no influence on any matter unless there is a relationship so building that relationship is the purpose of the trip," Kinsman explained. Here's a breakdown of the various issues likely to imbue talks this week.
The canola war
The two countries are currently in the midst of a trade spat over canola. The crop is one of Canada's top commodity exports, and shipments to China are worth around $2 billion a year. China wants to only allow canola shipments containing one percent of dockage, versus the current 2.5 percent allowance. Dockage refers to parts of the canola plant other than seeds, such as weeds and other crops. The move is expected to tighten imports of Canadian canola, with Beijing justifying its action on concerns over a crop-destroying fungal disease called blackleg. As Canadian media point out, China did the same thing six years ago and at the time, scientists confirmed that there was little chance of blackleg infection, which saw China ease restrictions in 2012. With that scientific reasoning still valid today, critics say Beijing's new rule is akin to implementing a non-tariff barrier so China can protect its own canola production and improve prices on existing stockpiles. Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland has warned bilateral ties cannot advance until a deal is reached, which throws a cog into on-going talks for a free trade partnership (FTA).
August 31, 2016: A billboard with a Chinese message that translates as 'Welcome, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his first official trip in China and to participate at the G20 summit in Hangzhou." FRED DUFOUR | AFP | Getty Images
"It's hard to proceed with free trade when Canada feels the Chinese aren't being straight with them," said Charles Burton, associate professor at Brock University. "The science seems to be on Canada's side but as the seller, Canada will have to adjust and change some of its facilities for separating canola from other materials" noted Paul Evans, professor at the University of British Columbia. "Trudeau is going to play for time and postpone this matter for at least a year or two." For now, Beijing has agreed to delay implementing the new rule, which was due to come into effect Thursday, as both countries work out a long-term solution.
Energy investments
For a Canada-China FTA to proceed, Beijing also has a few preconditions, notably a removal of barriers to Chinese investment in Canada's vast oil sector. Under previous PM Harper, Ottawa installed barriers to investment by foreign state-owned enterprises (SOEs) within Canadian oil sands in 2012, which resulted in a pronounced drop in funding for Alberta's now cash-strapped oil sands. Public support for Chinese SOE investment in the resources sector stands at 11 percent, pointed out Burton, referring to the results of an Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada poll released Wednesday. But despite the strong public opposition, Trudeau is ready to take a more open view, according to Evans. "He doesn't see SOEs as a direct threat to Canadian-style capitalism."
Consular matters
In June, reports emerged that China was refusing to allow Canadian-Chinese citizens residing in Hong Kong to enter the mainland on Canadian passports, warning they could only visit as Chinese nationals. Such a move effectively denies the dual citizens of Canada's consular protection and is a big setback for the 300,000 dual Canadian-Chinese citizens in Hong Kong, Burton noted. Matters like these are unlikely to improve China's general image in the eyes of Canadians, he added. In a February poll conducted by Nanos Research, 76 percent of Canadians said they held a negative impression of the Chinese government. The situation of Kevin Garratt, a Canadian man who has been jailed in China for the past two years on suspicion of spying, is another prickly matter. Garratt was living in a Chinese city on the North Korean border where he conducted Christian aid work for North Koreans when Beijing detained him in 2014. On Wednesday, Premier Li Keqiang told a news conference on Wednesday that China and Canada would continue to communicate on the issue, stating that Garratt would be treated humanely and lawfully.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang R holds talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Beijing, Aug. 31, 2016. This is the first official visit of Trudeau to China since taking office in November 2015. Wang Ye | Xinhua |Getty Images
Housing
Mainland officials may also raise the matter of Canadian resentment to real-estate purchases by Chinese citizens. In July, the province of British Columbia (BC) implemented a punitive tax on foreigners buying residential property in an attempt to stem a massive spike in home prices, believed to be driven by wealthy Chinese spending millions on homes. The rule, which came into effect on August 2, was aimed at addressing concerns that Canadians were being priced out of the market and soon prompted Chinese state media to warn buyers about owning Canadian real estate. "Canadian public opinion is riled by the belief that wealthy Chinese, whose wealth comes from sources that may be questionable are buying property in Canada, notably Vancouver, often in non-transparent ways, as a hedge for their assets in worry the Chinese economy will tank," explained Kinsman.
Not all is lost
The court's move to rehabilitate the world's seventh-largest container shipper is seen as mainly procedural, and an eventual liquidation of assets is likely, analysts and industry officials said.
Rival Hyundai Merchant Marine will also deploy at least 13 of its ships to two routes exclusively serviced by Hanjin, while the South Korean government also plans to reach out to overseas carriers for help.
Seeking to contain the fallout, a South Korean court said it would soon begin proceedings to rehabilitate the carrier - which would allow Hanjin to take legal action in other countries to keep its ships and other assets from being seized.
Hanjin Shipping vessels have been seized at Chinese ports in the wake of the South Korean firm's collapse, further roiling the industry as freight rates jump and manufacturers scramble for alternatives.
"Unlike dry cargo, liner shipping is all about marketing and service reliability we haven't seen any large carriers come back from collapse," said Rahul Kapoor, a director at maritime consultancy Drewry Financial Research Services.
"There is a loss of faith among customers. It's very unlikely Hanjin can come back from the ashes."
Hanjin's banks decided to end financial support for the shipper this week and since then, many of its vessels have either been denied entry to ports or unable to dock as container lashing providers fret that they will not be paid. This includes the port of Busan, South Korea's largest.
The Korea International Trade Association said on Thursday that about 10 Hanjin vessels in China have been either seized or were expected to seized by charterers, port authorities or other parties. That adds to one other ship seized in Singapore by a creditor earlier this week.
The collapse comes at a time of high seasonal demand for the shipping industry ahead of the year-end holidays.
Freight rates on some routes where Hanjin operates many ships have surged.
The cost of shipping a 40-foot container on the Busan-Los Angeles route has jumped about 55 percent, from $1,100 to around $1,700, according to South Korea-based freight forwarder Pantos Logistics. Rates between South Korea and the U.S. east coast via Panama have risen about 50 percent to $2,400, it added.
Stranded televisions
LG Electronics, the world's No.2 maker of TVs, told Reuters it was canceling orders with Hanjin and was seeking alternatives to ship its freight. It is also making contingency plans for cargo already on board Hanjin ships in the event the vessels are seized.
The Korea International Freight Forwarders Association said it has been inundated with calls from cargo owners worried about the fate of their shipments in transit to the United States and Europe.
While mobile phones and semiconductors are carried by air, other electronics like home appliances are shipped by sea.
"This will have an impact on the entire industry," said Cho Kyung-kyu, a director at the association.
South Korea's maritime ministry said on Wednesday that Hanjin's woes would affect cargo exports for two or three months, with about 540,000 TEU of cargo already loaded on Hanjin vessels and facing delays.
A Hanjin bankruptcy would be the industry's largest ever in terms of capacity, according to consultancy Alphaliner, exceeding the 1986 collapse of United States Lines. The shipper accounts for 7 percent of Far East-North America container trade.
South Korea's ailing shipbuilders and shipping firms, which for decades were engines of its export-driven economy, are in the midst of a wrenching restructuring.
State-run think tank Korea Maritime Institute estimated that shipping rates on Busan to U.S. routes would rise 27 percent and Busan to Europe routes would rise 47 percent in the near term, causing Korean exporters additional shipping costs of about 440.7 billion won per year.
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Most workers don't maximize their Social Security retirement benefits by waiting to claim at age 70. Yet that doesn't have to stop people who retire before 70 from receiving as much in retirement benefits as those who waited to receive the maximum amount, according to research by Eva Levine, an estate lawyer and certified financial planner at Plenaris Advisory in San Jose, California. Claiming Social Security at 70 "looks good on paper, but is not practical for many people," Levine said. (See chart below.)
In many cases, retirees would be better off claiming Social Security at full retirement age and investing the benefits than waiting to claim until 70, Levine said. Full retirement age ranges from age 66 to 67, depending on your birth year.
The two most promising strategies Levine outlined in her research were to invest Social Security benefits claimed at full retirement age into variable annuities and indexed universal life policies. The major drawback to these scenarios is that retirees would have to fund them with all the Social Security benefits received from 66 to 69, presumably living off other income and retirement savings in the meantime until they hit 70. The end result would yield higher total benefits in your 70s, 80s and 90s if the insurance products performed as Levine assumed.
The best annuity on the market to protect against outliving your money is to delay taking Social Security payments. Allan Roth founder of Wealth Logic
Variable annuities and indexed universal life policies are complicated products that can carry high fees and surrender charges if investors want to back out of their contracts early. Instead of buying expensive guarantees from insurers, more people should wait to claim Social Security benefits at 70, said Allan Roth, a certified financial planner and founder of Wealth Logic in Colorado Springs, Colorado. People who wait to claim Social Security at 70 receive an estimated 40 percent discount to the cost of replacing those benefits with an inexpensive deferred annuity, Roth said. "The best annuity on the market to protect against outliving your money is to delay taking Social Security payments," he said.
Investors should review variable annuities and indexed universal life policies carefully before buying. A financial advisor who is a fiduciary can help you with the evaluation. A variable annuity is an insurance contract where your payouts are based on the investments you select. These annuities are tax deferred, which means you don't pay taxes on the income and investment gains until you make a withdrawal. Indexed universal life policies credit a tax-deferred account based on the performance of one or more market indexes, such as the S&P 500. These policies have a guaranteed growth rate and offer downside protection when the index generates losses. Here's how the downside protection works: Let's say the S&P 500 drops 2 percent in a year, indexed universal life policyholders would not see the value of their accounts diminish. The trade-off is that such policies put a cap on how much the account can be credited if the market gains. If you claim Social Security retirement benefits at age 70, you generally will not receive more benefits than someone who claimed at full retirement age until after you reach 80. Using insurance products to boost Social Security benefits claimed at full retirement age can reduce the risk of dying before you reap the full benefits of waiting to claim at age 70, Levine said. "My approach is to help my clients get more clarity so they know exactly what to expect," she said.
Rosy assumptions
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The outbreak of the Zika virus spread in Southeast Asia Thursday, after Singapore noted that total cases had risen to 115 while Malaysia confirmed that its first reported case was a woman who had traveled to the neighboring city-state. The woman was diagnosed with Zika after she experienced rash and a fever for a week after her Singapore trip, Malaysia's Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam told Reuters. The woman's child, who is in Singapore, and four other Malaysian nationals also tested positive for the virus, Reuters reported. Malaysia, which shares a border with Singapore, has been taking precautionary measures since Monday such as scanning people to detect fever at major entry points and various airports, The Straits Times reported.
Singapore also announced late Wednesday its first case of a pregnant woman testing positive for locally-transmitted Zika virus, as a potential new infection cluster emerged.
Pest control workers fumigate the drainage at a Macpherson housing estate in Singapore on August 31, 2016. Roslan Rahman | AFP | Getty Images
The pregnant woman lived in the Aljunied Crescent or Sims Drive area, the first reported infection cluster, according to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA).
She will have a maternal-fetal medicine specialist's counselling and advice, the agencies said, while her doctor will closely monitoring both her health and her baby's development. Meanwhile, a new group of infections were identified in Bedok North Avenue Three, east of the previously affected areas. A further 33 locally-transmitted Zika cases were found, raising the total number of infections to 115. Nine of the new cases were detected as a result of the MOH's back-testing of patients who had shown signs of Zika symptoms. India's foreign ministry confirmed that 13 Indian nationals were among those tested positive for Zika, while six Bangladeshi nationals diagnosed with the virus was confirmed by Bangladesh's foreign ministry, Reuters said. The Chinese embassy in Singapore was informed that 21 Chinese nationals residing in the city-state had been affected by the Zika virus, China's Foreign Ministry told Reuters on Thursday.
Any disease outbreaks in Singapore, which has a tight system for containing disease, shows how difficult the disease is to control, Thomas Frieden, director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a Thursday NBC report. The foreign ministry added that the 21 Chinese nationals' health was not under threat, and some had already recovered, Reuters reported. "Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas," Gan Kim Yong, Singapore's Minister for Health, said in the official statement. "We must work and plan on the basis that there is Zika transmission in other parts of Singapore and extend our vector control efforts beyond the current affected areas.
After dropping in on Mexico's president, Donald Trump doubled down on his vow to make Mexico pay for a border wall.
With renewed bluster, Trump offered some clarity on his immigration policies Wednesday night in a speech in Arizona, renewing calls for a deportation force and pledging to build an "impenetrable" barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border.
"We will build a great wall along the southern border. And Mexico will pay for the wall, 100 percent. They don't know it yet, but they're going pay for the wall," Trump said.
Hours earlier, Trump met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City and took a decidedly softer tone. In a tweet, Pena Nieto said after the meeting that he told Trump his country would not pay for the barrier.
Pena Nieto tweet
The tweet translates to: "At the beginning of the conversation with Donald Trump I made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall."
In a subsequent tweet, the Mexican president said in Spanish, "From there, the conversation addressed other issues, and developed a respectful manner."
Trump's speech in Arizona, which lasted more than an hour, followed confusion over whether Trump had softened his immigration stance. He outlined the steps he would take to crack down on immigration, a priority he has loudly stressed from the outset of his campaign that was once perceived to be a long-shot.
"The universe is made of stories, not of atoms." Muriel Rukeyser
We've all experienced this before politicians opting to share anecdotes instead of focusing on the hard numbers of their proposed policies. How many times have we heard that "an unemployed mother of two in California will be able to give her children a good education" or "a student in the Midwest will easily find a job after graduation." Why do politicians rely so often on storytelling?
According to West Wing Writers, a speechwriting and communications strategy firm in D.C., 63 percent of people recall stories a speaker tells, yet only 5 percent can remember a single statistic even when the speech includes vastly more statistics than stories.
Since I work in a news company, I often share my personal story to tell people why I am passionate about the industry. The story goes like this: My Italian father was on a train in Paris when he noticed a group of soldiers bothering a Portuguese woman as she was trying to read a newspaper. He approached the soldiers, telling them to leave the woman alone.
Then he wrote his phone number on the front page of the woman's paper, saying, "If you are ever in Rome, give me a call and I'll show you around." One year later he received a call from the woman on the train, who was visiting Italy with a friend. She had kept the paper. That was the beginning of my parents' relationship and why I can say that newspapers are in my DNA.
THE TAKEAWAY: Tell a story about yourself that evokes emotions. If you come from humble beginnings, tell people how you got from point A to point B to achieve your passion. Selectively shape your narrative so that it's one people remember.
About 10 vessels operated by Hanjin Shipping have been effectively seized at China ports by charterers, port authorities and others as of Wednesday, a South Korean trade association said on Thursday.
Some of the ships were not being allowed to leave Chinese ports, while others, which are currently at sea nearby, were expected to be seized, the association said.
Hanjin Shipping filed for court receivership on Wednesday after losing the support of its banks.
On Thursday, a judge said that a South Korean court will give the go ahead for commencing rehabilitation proceedings at Hanjin Shipping Co Ltd as early as this week,
The court's decision will allow Hanjin Shipping to engage in legal action in jurisdictions outside South Korea to keep its ships and other assets from being seized, the Seoul Central District Court judge said.
"We're not considering liquidation at all," the judge told Reuters.
Europe's 13 billion-euro ($14.5 billion) tax demand is "total political crap" that's "completely unfair," Apple's CEO Tim Cook has told the Irish Independent.
In an exclusive interview with the Irish newspaper, Cook blasted the order by the European Commission on Tuesday that Ireland claw back the huge sum, plus interest, in back-taxes from Apple .
Cook said that the European Commission's move was a backdoor attempt to harmonize tax rates across the European Union, and that Apple had likely been targeted because of anti-U.S. sentiment at the commission.
"What I feel strongly about is that this decision was politically based, of that I'm very confident. There is no reason for it in fact or in law," he said.
To read the full Irish Independent report, click here.
The European Commission accused Ireland of giving Apple an unfair advantage over other companies by allowing it to pay a tax rate of between 0.005 percent and 1 percent, in breach of the European Union's state aid rules. Apple has been operating in Ireland since the 1980s.
Ireland, which fears losing its competitiveness in attracting global businesses to its shores, has said it will appeal the ruling, as has Apple.
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Hillary Clinton's campaign on Thursday attacked a Politico report saying aides to former President Bill Clinton used federal money to subsidize the Clinton Foundation and to support his wife's private email server.
The news site said the taxpayer money part of the Former Presidents Act, which gives assistance to past commanders-in-chief also helped to buy IT equipment at the Clinton Foundation and to compensate aides. The report, which stressed that an investigation found nothing illegal and included an aide's defense of the former president, said the findings cast more light on "how the Clintons blurred the lines between their non-profit foundation, Hillary Clinton's State Department and the business dealings of Bill Clinton and the couple's aides."
In a tweet Thursday morning, Brian Fallon, Hillary Clinton campaign press secretary, called a version of Politico's headline "egregiously false" and said the campaign would demand a correction. The Politico tweet he cited read "Bill Clinton used tax dollars to subsidize foundation, private email server." A later headline on the outlet's website carried a slightly different headline: "Bill Clinton aides used tax dollars to subsidize foundation, private email support."
A note on Politico's report said "The headline on this story has been revised to reflect that (General Services Administration) funds were used for IT support." A Politico spokesman told CNBC that the story is completely accurate and "has not changed." He added that the "headline was sharpened for clarity."
Fallon seized on the report as pressure to find a headline in documents received through the Freedom of Information Act that "don't contain news." He compared it to a recent Associated Press story about access to Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state that also received heavy criticism from the campaign.
The AP stood by the story, which reported that more than half the people outside the government who met with her while she was secretary of state gave money either personally or through companies or groups to the foundation. The AP acknowledged that a tweet promoting the story had "sloppy" wording. The tweet said "more than half those who met Clinton as Cabinet secretary gave money to Clinton Foundation."
Read the full Politico report here.
Opinion / Columnist
It cannot be the equivalent of selling a 37-year-old jalopy, but it comes pretty close.In 2018, Robert Mugabe and his political party will be gunning for power for the umpteenth time since this former British colony achieved independence in 1980.Many thousands of lives were lost during the combat between the white colonialists and the black brothers and sisters of the revolution.More than 20 000 others - all black - were massacred in cold blood by other black people.Its name - Gukurahundi - provokes a particularly turgid anger among one ethnic group of the population.The prediction of a victory for Mugabe's party in 2018 has been made by his supporters, some of them motivated by a love of the party, rather than a well-calculated strengths of the respective combatants.Meanwhile, the debate continues unabated of the chances of a Zanu-PF repeat of its thumping victories since 1980.There have been suspicions of these victories, some of them suggesting chicanery of one sort or the other.Above all, however, is the almost universal suspicion that if the ruling party wins at all, it would have used subterfuge of some sort to achieve that victory.Mugabe's party has been dogged by charges of duplicity of one sort or another.The entire administration, at one time or the other, has been branded as corrupt.Many of its leaders have been suspected of massive wrong-doing to do with money.So far, ordinary people have not been entirely satisfied that all the crooks have been handed the just punishment they deserved.Mugabe has denied most of the allegations of corruption among his clique.What remains to be proved by the people is the oft-repeated allegation by ordinary citizens that the government has paid little attention to the massive material needs of ordinary people, preferring, instead, to enrich its own members and lackeys.Before 2018 dawns, there may be hurried actions by the ruling party to improve its image and posture as a champion of the masses, rather than this elitist guardian of the rich and corrupt circle.For the moment, we shall leave the final verdict to fate - humans will probably be extremist in their judgment of Zanu-PF's reign since 1980.The final verdict will be rendered at the polls. To some analysts, a verdict in favour of Mugabe and his party would be a travesty of human justice.There can be no doubt that a majority of the people of Zimbabwe have had it to their necks with the lack of respect displayed by the Mugabe regime for the people of this country - particularly those who have longed to speak of their country's respect for them as noble, rather than incidental.The evidence is abundant in a calculation of the rich and the poor standards of living.Most of the rich are people of the governing party.The poor are to be found mainly in the opposition parties, people who may have previously belonged to the ruling party, but left in despair, when they were told there was no room for them.All people who have campaigned for the equal distribution of wealth among the people and equality in the distribution of services to all sectors have sided, politically with the opposition.It was almost inevitable that most opposition groups would coalesce into one huge organisation to challenge Zanu-PF in 2018.We have yet to see its reaction.In the past, we have witnessed blood on the floor.
Diamond Offshore shares fell more than 10 percent Thursday after the company said that Petroleo Brasileiro cancelled a drilling contract two years early.
Brazil's Petrobras terminated its contract for Diamond Offshore's semi-submersible drilling rig Ocean Valor. Diamond Offshore said in an SEC filing that it could take legal action. The drilling contract was extended in 2014 and had been scheduled to terminate in October 2018.
"The company does not believe that Petrobras had a valid or lawful basis for terminating the contract, and the company intends to defend the rights of its subsidiary under the contract," Diamond Offshore said in a SEC filing Thursday.
According to the filing, the rig had been earning an estimated $455,000 per day during the extension period.
In a note to investors, Capital One analyst Luke Lemoine said "this could be a drawn-out process, and Petrobras has received the more favorable outcome in the past."
Lemoine rates Diamond Offshore stock as underweight with a $20 price target, based on the fact that offshore drilling fundamentals are still rough, despite improved oil prices.
The stock was on track for its worst daily performance since February, 2016. Thursday was Diamond Offshore's seventh negative session in a row.
Shares are off by more than 21 percent year to date, which would be its fourth consecutive year of double digit losses.
-CNBC's Chris Hayes contributed to this report
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There is no Trump pivot After a weeks-long flirtation with "softening" his position on immigration that culminated with a surprisingly banal joint press conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, the Republican nominee reminded us on Wednesday night that Donald Trump is Donald Trump and that's not going to change. Trump, to review, has no experience in elected or appointed government office. Nor does he have any interest in or knowledge of American public policy. But he did once say Barack Obama was born in Kenya and become a huge celebrity in Republican Party politics. He followed that up with the claim that the Mexican government is deliberately sending murderers and rapists to the United States.
That combination of racist attacks on the president of the United States and racist attacks on the entire Mexican-American population were good enough to vault him to the top of the GOP primary polling. They delivered him the nomination. And they're clearly not enough to deliver him the presidency of the United States.
Republicans are full of wishful thinking
This turn of events has sparked a months-long bout of wishful thinking in Republican Party circles. "He's not a policy guy," one Republican Senate staffer once told me, as part of a loopy explanation that Trump would actually be a fine president because he'll be so indifferent to policy matters that other people will just make all the decisions about everything. The pivot, or softening, whatever you want to call it is just part and parcel of that same wishful thinking. That's the moral of Wednesday night's speech. There are no hidden depths to Trump. There's just fear and demagoguery and nonsense. David Duke loved it.
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Trump portrays a world in which crime is skyrocketing (it isn't) and illegal immigration is skyrocketing (it isn't) and skyrocketing immigration explains skyrocketing crime (it doesn't, because neither of those things is happening). He says he can build a 1,600-mile wall across the southern border at a reasonable cost (he can't), and he says he will get Mexico to pay for its construction (he can't). He says immigrants are depressing average Americans' wages (they aren't) and that Hillary Clinton has a plan for open borders (she doesn't). Trump is, on some level, surely aware that he is bulls---ing. He worked in the real estate development industry and knows better than you or I do that the logistical requirements to undertake the wall project as he's defined it are mind-boggling. At times, he's even considered owning up to that fact.
Tweet Portions of the US-Mexico border, for example, run through roadless, uninhabited desert. To build a wall there, you would need to build roads to transport the material, build places for the workers to live, hire other workers to maintain the colony, and somehow pay everyone enough to make it worth their while to go live in a temporary camp in an uninhabited desert. It's self-evidently absurd, and of course Mexico isn't going to pay for it. Trump is Trumps
Trump's passion, however, isn't for the details of border security or immigration economics. It's for lurid tales of bloodshed. He opened the speech with long descriptions of a handful of people who've been murdered by illegal immigrants, and he closed it with testimonials from relatives of the deceased. Lurid fantasies about avenging these crime victims have dominated much of Trump's "thinking" about politics ever since he made a splash with paid newspaper ads urging the execution of five young men who turned out to have been falsely accused of murder. A normal person would feel ashamed to have once loudly and publicly advocating for the killing of five people for a crime they didn't commit. Not Trump. "These young men do not exactly have the pasts of angels," he wrote at the time. (Trump has bragged about punching his music teacher, which I guess is what angels do.) The one hint of moderation is that he said we should deport Hillary Clinton for unspecified crimes, which is much more restrained than earlier calls to have her locked up or maybe killed.
Trump is a person, not a cartoon. He can do a calm, controlled speech or even a calm, controlled week. But there is no calm, controlled, responsible version of Donald Trump the politician who can mount a sustained presidential campaign or who could serve for a sustained period of time in the Oval Office. As a political figure, Trump has always been a race-baiting, fearmongering demagogue and that's not going to change. If that's what you're looking for in a president, then you'll love the Trump administration. If you find it off-putting but you're really into tax cuts, he'll probably throw you those too.
But it's long past time to stop expecting someone to pull off the Trump mask and find some kind of earnest, responsible politician lurking underneath. The Trump we saw Wednesday night is the Trump who accepted the Republican nomination six weeks ago is the Trump who descended the Trump Tower escalators in Manhattan a year ago. Trump is Trump.
Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:
Campbell Soup The food company reported adjusted quarterly profit of 46 cents per share, 4 cents a share below estimates. Revenue was just shy of forecasts. Campbell said it was not pleased with the quarterly results, pointing specifically to "execution issues" with its Campbell Fresh business. Its full-year EPS forecast of $3 to $3.09 is also shy of the consensus estimate of $3.14 a share.
Joy Global The mining equipment maker earned an adjusted 10 cents per share for its latest quarter, 2 cents a share below estimates. Revenue was also below forecasts. Joy said that market conditions remain "extremely challenged."
Salesforce.com The cloud software company reported adjusted quarterly profit of 24 cents per share, 2 cents a share above estimates. Revenue was very slightly above forecasts, but its current-quarter revenue and profit estimates came in below Street estimates.
Shoe Carnival Shoe Carnival's earnings fell 5 cents a share below estimates, with quarterly profit of 22 cents per share. Revenue was below forecasts, as were the shoe retailer's comparable-store sales.
Box Box lost an adjusted 14 cents per share for its latest quarter, 5 cents smaller a share than estimated. The online file sharing company saw revenue come in above Street forecasts, however, and Box raised its full-year outlook on improving sales.
Charter Communications The cable operator's stock will replace EMC in the S&P 500 after the close of trading on September 7, with EMC being acquired by privately held computer maker Dell.
Apple Apple CEO Tim Cook told a Dublin radio station that the company expects to repatriate billions of dollars back to the U.S. next year, although he did not specify an amount. He also called the European Union's $14.5 billion tax bill for the company "total political crap."
Las Vegas Sands , Wynn Resorts Shares in the casino operators could benefit from news that gaming revenue in Macau rose by 1.1 percent in August, the first monthly year-over-year growth in the Chinese territory since May of 2014.
Wal-Mart Stores The retail giant is beginning its holiday layaway program tomorrow, two weeks early, hoping to get a jump on the holiday shopping season.
Lazard Lazard erred in its analysis of SolarCity 's worth in its work advising the solar equipment company on its sale to Tesla Motors , according to a regulatory filing, undervaluing SolarCity by $400 million. However, the purchase price of $2.6 billion was within the valuation range even with the miscalculation factored in.
McDonald's McDonald's named Executive Vice President Christopher Kempczinski as the new president of McDonald's USA as of the end of the year, following the retirement of current president Michael Andres.
JPMorgan Chase The bank was given a stand-alone asset management license in China, according to a regulatory filing.
Costco The discount retailer reported flat global comparable-store sales for August, and flat comps in the U.S., as well. Both measures had been expected to rise by 1.3 percent, according to estimates from Thomson Reuters.
Five Below Five Below raised its forecast for the full year, after the discount retailer reported better-than-expected results for its most recent quarter. However, it gave downbeat guidance for the current quarter, which includes the back to school shopping season as well as Halloween.
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The West Coast may be home to Apple , Microsoft and other technology giants, but it lags other countries when it comes to having a fully functional, public early warning system for earthquakes. Last month's devastating 6.2-magnitude quake, which killed nearly 300 people and counting in central Italy, is a reminder of the potential hazards that come with living in a seismically active region. California has several massive faults that could unleash a powerful 8.0-magitude quake, while Washington state is at risk of an even larger 9.0-magnitude temblor. Yet despite several rounds of funding, the high-risk region has much farther to go in rolling out a potentially life-saving warning system. "The system is operational in an extremely limited sense," said Douglas Given, the Earthquake Early Warning coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In hopes of changing that, the geophysicist is leading the agency's efforts with university partners to develop and test a so-called ShakeAlert system on the West Coast.
An expensive solution
Work on California's advanced warning system officially started a decade ago, but it remains in testing. This summer, the state's government appropriated $10 million in funds toward building out the system. The federal government has provided just over $13 million to improve ShakeAlert, and another $6.5 million was offered up by a private organization, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
However, funding remains well short of what would be needed to complete and operate the system and it's unclear who would foot the bill. The USGS estimates it will cost just under $40 million to completely build out ShakeAlert on the West Coast, and roughly $16 million annually to run and maintain it. In California, there are already more than 400 ground motion sensors installed on what's known as the California Integrated Seismic Network, with remote sensor stations generally positioned several miles apart. This network is the backbone that would provide the information to ShakeAlert. The first seismic waves that trip sensors are so-called primary waves (p-waves), which help the early warning system determine the quake's location and magnitude. That information is quickly processed, and the alert is sent out before the arrival of the stronger secondary waves (or s-waves). Depending on the location of a tremor, the earthquake warning time can range from seconds to minutes. It would give people time to shelter under a desk or table, or hold onto something to potentially avoid injuries during the shaking.
The urgency to be more ready for earthquakes is always there. Tina Curry deputy director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services
Although still in the test phase, ShakeAlert proved its value in the 2014 magnitude-6.0 quake in South Napa. A roughly 10-second alert was issued before the shaking was felt in San Francisco, which would have allowed the Bay Area Rapid Transit's trains to automatically slow or stop. (The trains weren't running because the quake occurred just after 3 a.m.) Indeed, automated actions could also include bringing elevators down to the ground floor so people don't get trapped. There also are applications in hospitals, factories and power plants. A handful of other test participants currently receive ShakeAlert notifications, including researchers, scientists, key agencies, and companies such as Disneyland in Anaheim. "We're confident in its capabilities and we will work out all the bugs, minimize false alarms, things like that," said Tina Curry, deputy director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, in Sacramento. "In a couple of years we think that there'll beat least a limited degree of what we call actual public use of this system."
Years behind Japan
The 6.7-magnitude 1994 Northridge Earthquake remains the costliest quake in U.S. history. The temblor occurred on a previously unknown fault and killed nearly 60 people, injured thousands and caused an estimated $49 billion in damage to businesses and homes.
"The urgency to be more ready for earthquakes is always there," Curry said. "We still don't know or can't predict where they will occur and when." Yet Japan is indisputably farther along, Given said. The Asian country's nationwide system launched in 2007, and several other countries including China, Taiwan and Mexico have built more limited or experimental systems. At present, the U.S. public alert infrastructure network used for things such as flash flood or hurricane weather alerts is considered generally too slow to meet the needs of a wide deployment of ShakeAlert. One remedy proposed through the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions is to use a cellular broadcast technology that would simultaneously send everyone an alert message. That's the same general technology used in Japan for its early warning system. "As a carrier, I can say we recognize the importance to the public safety for this," said Brian Daly, a director of government and regulatory standards for AT&T. "We're putting forward this effort ahead of any FCC rulings or rulemaking efforts." Existing cellular towers could be used for cell broadcast technology, but consumers would likely require new handsets to support the added capabilities, according to experts.
A National Guardsman stands guard outside the ruins of the Northridge Meadows Apartments where on January 17, 1994 an earthquake rocked Southern California. Tim Clary | AFP | Getty Images
The future of the U.S. space program should rely more heavily on private companies than government resources, Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin told CNBC on Thursday morning.
"Elon Musk's SpaceX rockets are cheaper than government rockets," the second man to walk on the moon said on "Squawk Box."
Aldrin's comments were made shortly before Thursday's explosion of a SpaceX rocket on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral. It happened during a test firing two days before planned liftoff. No injuries were reported, but the Falcon 9 rocket and its payload were destroyed.
The evolving business model for space exploration and travel is being led by three billionaires: Musk and SpaceX, Amazon founder and entrepreneur Jeff Bezo's Blue Origin, and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic.
The new space race has a "long ways to go," Aldrin said. "We are still planning on to go to the moon and Mars on government rockets. I think it's time we need to entertain a change ... [in] who makes the cheaper rockets for the American people."
"[Private] is still cheaper than government transportation," he added.
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If your Labor Day weekend plans include a visit to a car dealership, make sure you shop around first not just for the vehicle, but the financing as well. September is one of the best months to buy a car, with shoppers netting an average 7.64 percent off the sticker price, according to TrueCar.com. Labor Day in particular tends to be big because the three-day holiday weekend intersects with brands' summer sales and the start of model year-end clearances, said Matt DeLorenzo, managing editor for Kelley Blue Book. "We've been noticing a lot of rebates and sales events," he said. "In particular, we've been seeing a lot of lease deals going on." Yet Americans are spending more on their cars, with both average transaction prices and amount financed creeping up. During the first quarter, auto loans topped $1 trillion for the first time, according to Experian. That quarter also set records for the average amount financed ($30,032), average monthly payment ($503) and average term (68 months).
The rate you'll pay to finance a car purchase varies widely, depending on factors including your credit and where you borrow. (See charts above.) Rate differences can add up to thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Auto manufacturers are often the best financing source, offering rates 51 percent below average, according to a new report from WalletHub.com. Among the manufacturers the site assessed, Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Mini, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota had the lowest financing rates. But it helps to arrive at the dealership with alternative offers in hand, said Greg McBride, senior analyst for Bankrate.com. You might not qualify for the dealership's best offer, or the financing term might be longer or shorter than you'd prefer. Offers from some banks, credit unions and online lenders may also give dealership rates a run for their money.
Rahman's statement noted that Malaysian official 1 was only referred to in the civil suit, not named as a subject, calling the difference "black and white." Rahman blamed Najib's political opponents for "deliberately mixing the two up to deceive the Malaysian people."
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, a minister in the prime minister's department and strategic communications director for political coalition Barisan Nasional, said in a statement on Thursday evening: "It's obvious that the so-called 'Malaysian Official 1' (MO1) referred to by the U.S. Department of Justice is our prime minister."
The "Malaysian official 1," named 32 times in the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit seeking to recover assets allegedly funneled away from troubled state fund 1MDB, is Prime Minister Najib Razak, a senior government official said.
In July, the U.S. Department of Justice moved to seize more than $1 billion of assets tied to an alleged international conspiracy to launder funds funnelled away from 1MDB, including funds related to the film "The Wolf of Wall Street."
That complaint said officials at 1MDB, their relatives and other associates diverted more than $3.5 billion from the state fund and laundered it through complex transactions and shell companies with bank accounts in Singapore, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the U.S.
The producer of "The Wolf of Wall Street," Red Granite Pictures, was co-founded by Riza Aziz, Najib's stepson.
Riza was named as a "relevant individual" in the complaint, but Najib wasn't named. However, media have reported, citing unnamed sources, that the complaint's 32 references to "Malaysian Official 1," who allegedly received hundreds of millions from 1MDB, were to Najib.
Najib has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, as has Riza and Red Granite Pictures.
When asked for comment via email on Thursday, the Malaysian prime minister's office referred to official statements made in July.
One from the prime minister's office said the Malaysian government would cooperate with any lawful investigation and another from Malaysia's Attorney General's office disputed that any investigation had found evidence that funds were misappropriated from 1MDB.
Questions about movement of funds from 1MDB came to widespread attention a little over a year ago, when the Wall Street Journal reported that in 2013, nearly $700 million had flowed from the debt-ridden fund to Najib's personal bank account.
Najib has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and, under pressure from the outcry caused by the WSJ report, said the funds were a private donation from a Middle Eastern country he declined to name at that time. He has denied benefiting personally from the funds.
In January, Malaysia's Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali said that Saudi Arabia's royal family gave Najib a $681 million gift, of which Apandi said about $600 million was later returned.
Apandi said that no criminal offense had been committed. But globally, investigations into 1MDB in locales as varied as the U.S., Switzerland, Singapore and the Seychelles have continued.
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The mistake came after Tesla and SolarCity co-founder Elon Musk, who is the largest shareholder in both companies, went out of his way to create processes and structures, including a special board committee at SolarCity, aimed at alleviating concerns that he used his influence to force the two companies into a deal.
While the purchase price was within the valuation range that Lazard came up with for SolarCity even after accounting for the miscalculation, the error illustrates how even leading investment banks can make mistakes on some of the most high-profile deals.
Lazard , the investment bank that advised SolarCity on its $2.6 billion sale to Tesla Motors , made an error in its analysis that discounted the value of the U.S. solar energy company by $400 million, according to a regulatory filing.
An analysis by Lazard for SolarCity that indicated an equity value of between $14.75 and $34.00 per share was wrong because it double-counted some of the company's projected indebtedness, according to Tesla's filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
After identifying the computational error on Aug. 18, more than two weeks after the signing of the deal, Lazard realized the valuation range based on its discounted cash flow model was $18.75 to $37.75 per share.
SolarCity and Tesla agreed however that the error would not change their view of the deal, according to the filing. The purchase price, to be paid for with Tesla stock, equated to $25.37 per share.
Lazard and SolarCity representatives offered no immediate comment. A Tesla spokesperson declined to comment.
Lazard ranks No. 10 in the Thomson Reuters Americas M&A league table so far this year, down two spots on where it was last year.
This is not the first time that a major investment bank made a miscalculation on a big deal. An erroneous share count in the leveraged buyout of Tibco Software in 2014 by its financial advisor, Goldman Sachs , led to a Tibco shareholder lawsuit that was settled earlier this year.
Goldman discovered it had overstated the number of Tibco's fully diluted shares only after the company agreed to sell itself to private equity firm Vista Equity.
This had the effect of lowering the sale price to $4.14 billion from the $4.24 billion used in Goldman's fairness opinion. Nevertheless, Tibco decided not to ask Vista to pay the additional $100 million.
Goldman and Vista agreed to pay $30 million to the Tibco shareholders as part of the settlement, The Wall Street Journal reported at the time.
Sony 's recent round of tough restructuring has not come at the price of innovation, the company's chief executive told CNBC, adding that the company was still able to create "wacky" products to wow consumers.
Speaking to CNBC at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin Thursday, Sony boss Kazuo Hirai also said the company was not going to sell its smartphone business, despite a small global market share, as it could be a major player to drive a "paradigm shift" in mobile communications industry.
Last year, Tamotsu Iba, a former chief financial officer and vice-chairman at Sony, attacked Hirai for his leadership style, saying the the cost-cutting measures at the company are leading to the "the Sony spirit" being lost. Iba said Sony risked "sinking".
Hirai, who took over the reins of the Japanese electronics giant in 2012, has overseen jobs cut in places where Sony was losing, such as mobile, while it sold off its Vaio computer business in 2014. Hirai has doubled down on areas of strength for Sony such as its image sensors and PlayStation video games unit.
The CEO said that despite all this, Sony still has the ability to innovate.
"Sony is committed to making sure we innovate on both fronts - traditional products and also really new ideas, sometimes wacky ideas, but ideas that really wow our customers," Hirai told CNBC in a TV interview.
"One of the things that we really focused on as we were going through a very tough restructuring through the past several years was that we were not going to skim on R&D and that we were not going to skim on innovation. As a matter of fact, it was during those times where I actually instituted and started...the business unit dedicated with coming up with those edgy products and that's paying off today."
Sony touted the potential of its camera in the Xperia XZ when it unveiled the device at the 2016 IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin.
Sony unveiled its latest flagship smartphone - the Xperia XZ - Thursday as it looks to build on momentum in its mobile business, amid a continued turnaround at the electronics giant. The Japanese firm, which is enjoying a turnround in its fortunes, showed off two smartphones - the 5.2 inch Xperia XZ and the 4.6 inch Xperia X Compact - at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin on Thursday Key features of the devices include: A bolstered camera with three sensors, one of which is a laser capable of measuring distances in low light conditions allowing a quick focus
Video stabilization to get rid of jerky motion when shooting moving images
A 13 megapixel front "selfie" camera with a larger sensor than Sony's previous flagship Xperia Z5, to take pictures in low light environments
Smart battery technology to help stop the cells wearing out. For example, the phone can learn your sleeping habits, so that if you are charging the phone overnight, the battery will charge to 90 percent, stop, and then the remaining 10 percent will charge just before you wake up. This stops the battery over charging.
Water resistance - but not for the compact version. Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai has been on a drive to make those parts of his business that were bleeding cash, such as the smartphone division, more efficient while boosting money-makers such as gaming with the PlayStation consoles. So far there have been successes: The mobile communications division swung to an operating profit of 400 million yen ($3.8 million) in the three months to June 30 after a 22.9 billion yen loss in the same period last year.
The Sony Xperia X Compact is the smaller of the two devices and could prove popular, according to analysts, due to the demand seen with Apple's iPhone SE. Sony
However, to achieve this recovery, Sony has quit unprofitable markets which in turn has hit scale, making future smartphone launches difficult. "Sony has now engineered the business to a point where it's financially viable which is important, however it's very difficult to see how they can grow going forward," Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight, told CNBC in a phone interview. The company has lost out in the high-end space to the likes of Samsung, Apple and Huawei which dominate in terms of market share, leaving Sony to be a niche player. But the success of Apple's smaller 4-inch iPhone SE device, which has seen strong demand according to the company, could be a boost for Sony's Xperia X Compact. "The Compact is more interesting because the iPhone SE has shown that there is an appetite from some consumers for a smaller device. It might be the compact variant that could be the most important in international markets," Wood said. Sony's smartphone strengths have typically been with its camera because of its expertise in this area, but manufacturers such as Samsung have also bolstered their offering, making it difficult for the Japanese company to differentiate itself. "There is not much to make these phones stand out on a shelf," Daniel Gleeson, senior consumer technology analyst at Ovum, told CNBC by phone.
Smart device updates
Sony used the press conference at IFA to give updates on three devices that it unveiled this year - the Xperia Ear, the Xperia Projector, and the Xperia Agent. With these smart products, Sony is hoping to play in the so-called Internet of Things market as smartphone growth slows and it looks to new areas for growth. The Xperia ear is a wireless set of "smart" ear buds that can give you calendar reminders and tell you the weather. Users can talk to the device and it can carry out tasks like replying to a message or giving you directions. The device was announced in February and Sony said on Thursday it will be commercially available from November without giving a price or markets.
Sony
The South African Renewable Energy Technology Center (SARETEC) is looking to bolster the country's clean energy ambitions by creating a skilled workforce for the renewable energy industry. Based in Cape Town, SARETEC describes itself as being South Africa's "first national renewable energy technology center."
If these kinds of resources are to be harnessed, however, a trained and skilled workforce is needed.
Renewable energy has considerable potential in South Africa over fossil fuels. For instance, the country has an abundance of sunshine over 2,500 hours per year, according to the government. Wind energy both inland and around coastal areas is another resource that has potential to be a big part of the country's clean energy mix.
"SARETEC is going to be providing the skills that (are) required in order to run these power plants, these renewable energy power plants," Naim Rassool, managing director at SARETEC, told CNBC's Sustainable Energy.
"SARETEC has been specifically designed and set up to do that on a world-class level," Rassool added.
"And it is not only about looking at wind and solar, but also looking at all other forms of renewable energy generation."
In drawing up its training program, SARETEC is open to a whole range of ideas.
"What we've done here, is we've modeled so well on what has been around overseas already, which is proven curriculums and proven processes," Sven Pietrangeli, operations manager at SARETEC, said.
"Our main goal at this point is to create enough trust, so that people trust what happens here, trust what we train, and know that when they employ an individual they're getting a certain product at a certain standard, that this individual can fulfill their role properly and safely," Pietrangeli added.
Susana de Jager is one person to have directly benefited from the program, and is involved in work on a wind farm.
"SARETEC gives the local people an opportunity to get a qualification that they can use in their own country, working on automated big machinery, big fields," she said.
"If you can use local people to do a good job with good payment I think it will be very good for South Africa and the growth of the wind industry," she went on to add.
In an earlier statement, SpaceX said there were no injuries but the "anomaly" on the launch pad destroyed the Falcon 9 rocket and its payload, the Amos-6.
In a tweet, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said accident happened when propellant was being loaded, but the cause of the explosion was not determined.
The satellite was intended to expand broadband and video services for the Middle East and parts of Europe and Africa, including a Facebook project to expand internet access in sub-Saharan Africa.
A SpaceX rocket blew up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral on Thursday, shaking nearby buildings and spewing smoke into the sky, two days before its planned liftoff with an Israeli satellite.
According to SpaceX's website, its standard payment plan for a Falcon 9 launch is $62 million.
The explosion happened around 9:15 a.m.
"There are no hazards to the general public," Brevard County Emergency Management Director Kimberly Prosser told Florida Today. "We're monitoring the situation, but there have been no requests for assistance."
There is NO threat to general public from catastrophic abort during static test fire at SpaceX launch pad at CCAFS this morning.
Saturday's launch was supposed to be SpaceX's ninth this year and 29th since its initial venture in June 2010. The mission was to place a communications satellite belonging to Israel-based Spacecom into orbit over the equator.
Facebook had partnered with French telecommunications firm Eutelsat to use the satellite. Eutelsat said the loss of the satellite could cost the company up to $56 million through 2019.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz said in October 2015 that the satellite cost $300 million to build, and was supposed to operate for 16 years.
Last week, Beijing Xinwei Technology Group agreed to buy Spacecom for $285 million, according to Reuters. However, the deal was contingent on the successful launch and in-orbit testing of the Amos-6 satellite.
The explosion happened while Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was in sub-Saharan Africa.
"As I'm here in Africa, I'm deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX's launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent,"Zuckerberg said in a post. "Fortunately, we have developed other technologies like Aquila that will connect people as well. We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided."
Local NBC affiliate WESH posted video of the rising smoke.
SpaceX has had other setbacks. In June 2015, an unmanned SpaceX CRS-7 rocket exploded about two minutes after liftoff from the cape during a mission to carry cargo for the International Space Station. Musk blamed it on a structural failure.
SpaceX resumed launches in December 2015, when a Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida with a payload of communications satellites. As planned, its reusable main-stage booster landed safely near its launch pad.
Correction: This story was revised to correct that the launch was supposed to be SpaceX's ninth this year and 29th overall. Also, the launch was scheduled for Saturday. This was unclear on an earlier headline.
Workers at Tesla's assembly plant in Fremont, California. Noah Berger | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Millennials have expensive tastes when it comes to stocks. Among their favorites is Tesla , which has a $200 plus market price, according to a TD Ameritrade study. Investors in their parents' and grandparents' age bracket baby boomers and beyond like Ford , trading at about $12.50 a share. Investors over age 70 also tend to stick with dividend-paying blue-chips AT&T and GE . Both trade at less than $50 a share. So although the different generations share the same six favorite stock picks, including Apple , a portfolio of millennials' 10 most-bought stocks had an average share price of about $146 on Wednesday, higher than a similar portfolio for the other age groups studied. TD Ameritrade studied the portfolios and trading activity in 6 million funded client accounts for the first six months of this year.
10 most-traded and most-bought stocks in the first half of 2016
One argument for paying up for Elon Musk's automaker is the clean energy play. "That's a major theme with young people," said Nicole Sherrod, managing director of trading at TD Ameritrade. She added that college students almost always ask her about investing in companies with responsible business practices. "I think we're only going to see more and more of that going forward," she said. Boomers also like electric cars, to an extent. Tesla was the 10th most-traded stock for that age group but didn't make the list of top 10 stocks bought. The electric car maker is ninth on the millennials' top-traded list and 10th most-bought.
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Trump met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico on Wednesday and in a subsequent news conference touted five "shared goals" for the two countries.
"I think in terms of the optics, he got exactly what he wanted. He went to Mexico , got a cup of coffee, ate a doughnut, got a really good photo op. But in terms of demonstrating that he's a leader, I think he failed. I can only imagine what will happen when he sits down with Vladimir Putin," Davidow, who served as ambassador to Mexico under President Bill Clinton, said in an interview with " Closing Bell ."
Aside from getting a good photo opportunity, Donald Trump did a very poor job when he went to Mexico to meet with its president, former ambassador Jeffrey Davidow told CNBC on Thursday.
President of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto walks along with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump after a meeting at Los Pinos on August 31, 2016, in Mexico City.
However, there was a dispute over whether the pair discussed who would pay for the Republican nominee's proposed border wall. In the news conference, Trump said payment wasn't discussed. However, afterward Pena Nieto tweeted that he told the billionaire that Mexico would not pay for it.
Trump's spokesperson responded by saying, "It was not a negotiation, and that would have been inappropriate."
However, Davidow told CNBC, "This is the time that you lay it on the table. If you really think you're a great dealmaker, this is the time when you start negotiating the deal. I didn't see any of that."
Things that Trump has been proposing, like payment for the wall, renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement and stopping American business from going to Mexico, should have been raised in a "respectful" fashion with Pena Nieto, he added.
As for why the Mexican president would want to meet with someone who appears to be hostile toward the country, Davidow believes Pena Nieto wanted to get Mexico's side out to the American public.
"If you listen carefully to what he said at the press conference, he presented a really cogent picture of the importance of a friendly Mexico to the U.S. but he didn't say it very well. It got lost in the shuffle of the translation and was overwhelmed by the optics of the event," he said.
In a speech later Wednesday evening, Trump ditched the softer tone he employed during his news conference in Mexico. With renewed bluster, he reiterated his vow to make Mexico pay for the wall and outlined his plan to crack down on immigration.
CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
An improbable 24 hours for Donald Trump and his campaign wrapped up Wednesday night with the Republican presidential nominee delivering a one-two punch to many of his critics and those who had written his campaign off for dead.
His much-watched speech on immigration, preceded by his meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, gave Trump the unlikely chance to simultaneously cast himself as more presidential to undecided voters and yet even more fiery and unwavering to his base. And unless you're one of Hillary Clinton's most ardent supporters or a member of the fervently anti-Trump news media, it was quite clear he pulled it off.
Wednesday night's immigration speech by Trump was already going to be watched closely, at least by the media. But after the news frenzy surrounding the Mexican visit dominated the airwaves and the Internet for hours leading up to the speech, it turns out that millions more actual non-media pundit Americans actually watched the speech. And while they saw the same old bombastic Trump persona, they heard him deliver a better and more reasoned message and this is crucial they saw and heard it with their own eyes and ears and not through the mainstream media's filter. In short, Trump just tricked the media into letting it allow the public to actually hear his immigration message. And they heard it loud and clear.
Trump's unexpected invitation from Mexico's president turned into a quick meeting and respectful joint news conference that lent instant new credibility to the Trump campaign on both the immigration and foreign-policy issues. Forget about Trump, any non-incumbent presidential candidate is always challenged to look presidential and relevant among foreign leaders. That made the invitation from Pena Nieto pure gold all on its own. But the fact that it came from a man who recently compared Trump to Hitler and the visit occurred just before Trump was set to make this crucial speech was a stroke of luck any campaign would die for.
And then it was time for that speech, which turned out to be mostly about cracking down on criminals who also happen to be illegal immigrants. Say what you want about how Americans feel about peaceful people crossing the border illegally, but no clear-headed American wants more violent criminals coming into this country.
Graduates hoping to score a job in the City of London are being defeated by a set of arcane rules that dictate what color shoes you should wear and how best to tie your tie, a U.K. government study has found.
A new report released Thursday by the Social Mobility Commission, which was set up by the U.K. government in 2010, looked at the unwritten expectations of investment bankers in the United Kingdom.
When discussing dress codes, it finds "relatively opaque" codes of conduct go as far as dictating what color of shoe a British investment banker should wear.
"For men, the wearing of brown shoes with a business suit is generally considered unacceptable by and for British bankers within the investment banking division", the report said.
Authors of the survey, entitled Socio-Economic Diversity in Life Sciences and Investment Banking, heard evidence that exceptions on brown shoes can be made for M&A bankers who hail from continental Europe or some bankers who are sufficiently senior.
One respondent to the survey explained how he was told that despite having a successful interview he wasn't quite "polished" enough for the bank.
"He looked at me and said, 'see that tie you're wearing? It's too loud. You can't wear that tie with the suit that you're wearing'", reads the statement.
The report suggested that dress codes are considered by financiers as important when reassuring clients about the quality of service they will receive.
It may sound suspicious, but it's totally legal. "Retail arbitrage" happens when someone purchases an item from one merchant, then turns around and sells it somewhere else for a profit. And thanks to the popularity of online marketplaces, it's become a somewhat common occurrence. It also explains why multiple orders that CNBC placed on Amazon were shipped with either Wal-Mart labeling or a Target invoice. In a small-scale test last month, CNBC ordered eight identical (or nearly identical) items from Amazon, Target and Wal-Mart. Each item was ordered four times, and sent to four cities across the continental U.S. The orders were placed with standard shipping, and without the use of membership program.
Of the 32 items ordered from Amazon, the majority of which were fulfilled by third-party vendors, six came with Wal-Mart or Target labeling or packaging.
The four bookshelves ordered from Amazon were fulfilled by three different third-party sellers. Yet each one arrived to their respective cities in packaging with Wal-Mart's labeling. The average of the four Amazon sellers' bookshelf prices was $15.22 more than Wal-Mart's price, which held steady at $68.
This bookshelf was ordered from an Amazon third-party seller, but was packaged and shipped by Wal-Mart. Source: CNBC
Tide laundry detergent ordered from two different third-party Amazon sellers arrived in Dayton, Ohio, and Lincoln, Nebraska, in Target and Wal-Mart packaging, respectively. The box sent to Dayton even included a Target invoice. That invoice included the Dayton shipping address, but the billing address was for an unknown person in South Carolina. The billing address for the detergent shipped to Lincoln was for "Joe Order."
This Wal-Mart invoice was sent with an order placed through an Amazon third-party seller. It listed Joe Order as the person who placed the order. Source: CNBC
CNBC paid the Amazon sellers an average $10.26 more than the average of Target and Wal-Mart's prices. Third-party sellers were the only option for CNBC's buyers because Tide wasn't available directly from Amazon in any of the four cities without being a paid Prime member. Amazon would not officially comment or respond to questions on retail arbitrage or the results of CNBC's shipping test. Part of the guidelines posted on its website for third-party sellers does not permit "purchasing products from another online retailer and having that retailer ship directly to customers."
There are no rules against buying an item from another retailer and reselling it, so long as the outside seller ships the item directly to the customer with the seller's own labeling, packing slip and invoice.
Piper Jaffray's internet research team acknowledges that arbitrage has existed on all e-commerce platforms for some time, but said its role on Amazon's site is probably very small. As of the second quarter of 2016, Amazon's roughly 2 million outside marketplace sellers represented more than 49 percent of the total number of items sold on Amazon.com. In many cases, those third-party sellers ship products directly to the consumer, without ever passing through an Amazon warehouse. In some cases, the products may have been bought from a retailer and resold on Amazon.
Tide detergent was ordered from an Amazon third-party seller, but was packaged and shipped by Target. Source: CNBC
Technology is playing a bigger role than ever in the presidential race from how the campaigns engage voters to the ways the media covers the candidates and the platforms we use to follow along. While both major candidates deserve applause for embracing technology as a campaign tool, they fall short in supporting policies that recognize technology's critical role in growing our economy.
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is the only candidate with a fully-developed technology policy. She supports highly-skilled immigration, but any constructive legislative remedies will likely fail because she would insist that specific reform be part of a much more controversial overall immigration package. She also supports investing in STEM education to funding innovation hubs across the country, but offers no ideas on how to pay for it.
Secretary Clinton demonized different business sectors during a bruising primary process and would probably continue the direction of the Obama White House, which has generally been antagonistic to business, though favorable to technology. And once she began campaigning for president, Clinton's position on trade has become muddy.
Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson doesn't have a dedicated technology agenda like the Clinton campaign, but he has been a strong advocate for certain tech issues. He has referred to the internet as the most important tool for equality ever created and advocated for encryption, recognizing that consumers need to trust their data is legally protected.
Johnson also supports several policies that would benefit the tech sector free trade, highly skilled immigration, reduced burdens on business, a balanced budget and believes in letting business lead and grow the economy with minimal government interference.
Republican nominee Donald Trump has no apparent technology policy platform something the tech sector has repeatedly asked him to share. He barely talks about tech companies, and when he does it's frequently within the anti-trade and immigration context.
Trump's fiscal proposals generally support the broader business sector lowering the corporate tax rate, repatriating certain overseas funds, investing in infrastructure and he promises to tackle the runaway federal bureaucracy by temporarily banning any new agency regulations.
But how can Trump be a pro-business candidate when he promises to punish China with huge tariffs and disparages the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, even though it will help the United States compete with China in key trading markets?
Our presidential candidates are quick to promise a better, stronger America. But, so far, only the Clinton campaign has engaged our country's technology community and shared a coherent policy agenda that recognizes the promise of economic growth and job creation the U.S. tech sector can deliver.
Commentary by Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,200 consumer technology companies, and author of the New York Times best-selling books, Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World's Most Successful Businesses and The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream. Follow him on Twitter @GaryShapiro.
For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
ROME, N.Y. Assured Information Security, Inc. (AIS) announced it has acquired Ross Technologies, Inc. (RTGX) of Maryland.
AIS didnt release any financial terms of the acquisition, which closed Aug. 1.
AIS is a cybersecurity firm that is headquartered at 153 Brooks Road in Rome. It also has offices in Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon.
RTGX is a Columbia, Marylandbased company that provides cybersecurity services for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and intelligence community.
AIS says its acquisition of RTGX expands its presence in the Washington, D.C. area.
The transaction also adds new capabilities and services to the AIS brand and grows its client portfolio.
AIS now employs 252 people after adding RTGXs 76 workers, Dan Kalil, operations manager at AIS, told BJNN.
Although our organic growth has been significant, this acquisition brings RTGXs well-respected capabilities and expanded resources under our corporate umbrella, Charles Green, CEO of AIS, said in the companys announcement. The need for cybersecurity is growing rapidly, and we want to continue to build our workforce to meet the demand.
AIS provides government and commercial customers with cybersecurity services such as research, development, consulting, testing, forensics, remediation, and training.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Nigeria league matches will be played across the country this weekend despite a court order suspending the competition until further notice.
A high court in Bukuru, near Jos, suspended the league indefinitely on Wednesday until an earlier order by the same court for Giwa FC to be fully re-instated in the league was complied with.
However, chief executive of the League Management Company (LMC), Salihu Abubakar, assured matches will go ahead as planned even after this latest court order.
The league will continue, there is no problem, said Abubakar.
The clubs should go about their business, we will worry about the legal issues.
Nine matches have been scheduled for Sunday.
Heartland are home to Ikorodu United, Pillars hosts Sunshine Stars, Plateau United welcome Shooting Stars and Rangers take on Rivers United.
The other fixtures are Warri Wolves vs Nasarawa United, Abia warriors vs IfeanyiUbah, Akwa United vs MFM, Lobi vs Enyimba and El Kanemi vs Tornadoes.
The Malaysias High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Datuk Lim Juay Jin, has disclosed that about 13,000 Nigerians are currently studying at various levels in educational institutions in Malaysia.
He made this known during an interview with newsmen on Wednesday on the sideline of the flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 59th Independence anniversary of Malaysia.
According to him, Malaysian educational process is a stepping stone for a lot of Nigerians who want to pursue their education further as Nigerian students in Malaysia made up most of the number of Africans studying in the country.
He attributed this to the affordability of cost of study, good standards and the English speaking environment in Malaysia. He further stated that Nigerian students studying in Malaysia are actually promoting bilateral relations between the two countries, though in an informal way.
JavaScript var tempDiv = " " ; divs.push(tempDiv);
is this code valid in javascript?
i'm getting error in chrome console that says unexpected identifier
the error is on first line.
not valid Javascript. Nested quotes need to be escaped:
JavaScript var tempDiv = " " ; var tempDiv = ' ' ;
You also need to remove the spaces around the = character for the string to be valid HTML.
"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."
- Homer
that was helpful
In a vb.net 2010 web form application, I have the following code:
<%@ Page Title =" " Language =" VB" MasterPageFile =" ~/MasterPage.master" AutoEventWireup =" false" CodeFile =" default.aspx.vb" Inherits =" attendanceletters_default" %> <%@ Register Assembly =" Telerik.Web.UI" Namespace =" Telerik.Web.UI" TagPrefix =" telerik" %> < asp:Content ID =" Content1" ContentPlaceHolderID =" MPHead" Runat =" Server" > < script src =" ../scripts/jquery-1.3.2.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > < script src =" ../scripts/jquery-ui-1.7.2.custom.min.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > <% If ( False ) Then %> < script src =" ../scripts/jquery-1.3.2.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > <% End If %> < script src =" ../scripts/site.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > < script src =" ../scripts/json2.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > function GetStudentLetterTemplate(schoolyear, schoolnum, milestone, studentlink, language, semester) { alert('schoolyear: ' + schoolyear + 'schoolnum: ' + schoolnum + 'milestone: ' + milestone + 'studentlink: ' + studentlink + 'language: ' + language + 'semester: ' + semester); if (milestone == '999') { alert('You have selected student(s) having more than one CAIP entry for the current school year'); return; } }
I want to display a javascript alert message in production when an error condition exists. The code listed above works in a development envirnonment, but the code would not deploy to a test app server.
Thus can you show me what I can do to fix the code listed above?
If not, would you show me what I can do in a production environment to have a warning message displayed to a user with the least amount of extra code?
I do not care how the warning message is displayed, I just want a warning message to be displayed.
You might have a hard-coded route in your JS that does not exist in production. This could be a specific URI (ie "http://localhost:8080/site/asset") or a relative URL that is not appropriate in your release build ( ie "../../assets" to escape bin). Your web browser whitelists sites for script execution, and your production server is not whitelisted. It's far more likely that your aspx is not producing the correct response on the server side.
Also, this snippet is hysterical: HTML < script src =" ../scripts/jquery-1.3.2.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > < script src =" ../scripts/jquery-ui-1.7.2.custom.min.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > < br / > <% If (False) Then%> < script src =" ../scripts/jquery-1.3.2.js" type =" text/javascript" > < / script > <% End If%> "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Benjamin Disraeli
Hi All,
I am very new to java script , actually I have one HTML page and I am using it in SAP that page contains buttons like 'Save' Bold' 'Italic' Etc all word formatting options.
Like in this editor above we have B I U , Small and BIG and ETC..
when I open that code in note page I have observers that below code has written to create a button.
JavaScript var nicSaveOptions = { buttons : { ' save' : {name : __( ' Save this content' ), type : ' nicEditorSaveButton' } } }; var nicEditorSaveButton = nicEditorButton.extend({ init : function () { if (!this.ne.options.onSave) { this .margin.setStyle({ ' display' : ' none' }); } }, mouseClick : function () { var onSave = this .ne.options.onSave; var selectedInstance = this .ne.selectedInstance; onSave(selectedInstance.getContent(), selectedInstance.elm.id, selectedInstance); } }); nicEditors.registerPlugin(nicPlugin,nicSaveOptions);
with the above code Save button is displaying in the tool bar.
Now I want to add another button in the tool bar with different logo EX : To send email
Can you please help me how to add new button and it's event for that button.( the above button having even I copied the same code and paste I got that save option two times )
NicEdit[^], so normal JavaScript conventions will only help so much. There's an example that was first thing that came up on Google for me: javascript - Nicedit.js - cannot add custom button - Stack Overflow[^]
I should also note that as per the site, it is no longer under development.
If you're interested in learning JS this is probably not the bast project for you, as you'll be learning the conventions of a dead script module rather than actual JavaScript. I would suggest using one of the many JS tutorials that you can find by googling "javascript tutorial"
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Benjamin Disraeli
Hey everyone and sorry for my bad English. I give my best.
I want to create a offline chatbot and I want that he answer in multiple for special words. (answer must be random)
Here An Exemple:
Me: Hey
Bot: hey
Me:hey
Bot: hi
Here the js code: (what is wrong?)
Java var $messages = $( ' .messages-content' ), d, h, m, i = 0 ; $(window).load(function() { $messages .mCustomScrollbar(); setTimeout(function() { fakeMessage(); }, 100 ); }); function updateScrollbar() { $messages .mCustomScrollbar( " update" ).mCustomScrollbar( ' scrollTo' , ' bottom' , { scrollInertia: 10 , timeout: 0 }); } function setDate(){ d = new Date() if (m != d.getMinutes()) { m = d.getMinutes(); $( ' ' + d.getHours() + ' :' + m + '
' ).appendTo($( ' .message:last' )); } } function insertMessage() { msg = $( ' .message-input' ).val(); if ($.trim(msg) == ' ' ) { return false; } $( ' ' + msg + '
' ).appendTo($( ' .mCSB_container' )).addClass( ' new' ); setDate(); $( ' .message-input' ).val(null); updateScrollbar(); setTimeout(function() { fakeMessage(msg); }, 1000 + (Math.random() * 20 ) * 100 ); } $( ' .message-submit' ).click(function() { insertMessage(); }); $(window).on( ' keydown' , function(e) { if (e.which == 13 ) { insertMessage(); return false; } }) var Fake = { " Hi" : [ ' Hi' , 6000 ] " Hi" : [ ' Hey' , 6000 ] " Hey" : [ ' Hey' , 6000 ] " Hey" : [ ' Hi' , 6000 ] } function fakeMessage(msg) { if (msg == ' ' ) { return false; } var resp = Fake[msg][ 0 ]; console.log(msg, resp);
Home | LinkedIn | Google+ | Twitter "There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. The first method is far more difficult." - C.A.R. Hoare
SolidSnake7 wrote: (what is wrong?) Only you can tell us. We cannot run your code so you need to do very basic debugging and find out what IS happening. Then you can explain to us so we can help you.
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
I have created HTML tables as below by hard coded the values:
Name weekhandledticket monthlyhandledticket dailyhandledticket credits
xyz 1 2 1 1
My requirement is I want to achieve this dashboard directly on browser without hard coding the values.it should directly taken from external file like javascript .is it possible to attain this requirement using JavaScript itself? Please give me some idea to drive this requirement?
TO BE MORE PRECISE "TO create a dashboard using HTML table and display the data on runtime with help of javascript ?"
It sounds like you need to learn some JS and I would suggest by starting with jQuery. Have a look at jQuery Learning Center[^] to get started.
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Benjamin Disraeli
JavaScript Tutorial[^]
But the best way to generate pages is server-side, for which PHP is a great language: PHP 5 Tutorial[^]
You can make changes to an existing page with either javaScript (via DOM) or php (via AJAX), depending upon where the 'new' data is stored.
Ravings en masse^ "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010
1. put an ajax call and get your data in jquery.
2. Bind your data to the html table format.
Here you done
2. Put and ajax call and bind the response in html tables to show
I have two separate HTML files (index.html and home.html) and a javascript (bodyswapscript.js) file. I'm trying to figure out how to swap in (only the body) of home.html into the body of the index.html by using java script. Basically swapping 'body' elements between HTML files.
I have posted my html code and java script below. The html is quick and dirty, so I'm only interested in swapping out the body information of index.html with home.html. I also would like to keep the unordered/list items as my header and be able to use the browser back button to go back to previous pages.
1.) index.html
HTML < head > < meta name =" generator" content = " HTML Tidy for Windows (vers 14 February 2006), see www.w3.org" > < meta charset =" utf-8" > < title > My Profile < /title > < link rel =" stylesheet" href =" style.css" type =" text/css" > < /head > < header > < hgroup > < center > < h1 > Index < /h1 > < h4 > index page < /h4 > < /center > < /hgroup > < link rel =" stylesheet" type =" text/css" href =" style.css" / > < script src =" http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.5/jquery.min.js" > < / script > < script src =" bodyswapscript.js" > < / script > < nav > < div id =" wrapper" > < div id =" header" > < ul > < li > < a id =" homeContainer" href =" home.html" > Home < /a > < /li >